Credit: Steve KerosRed Hot Chili Peppers will headline the second Band Together Bay Area benefit concert in support of those affected by the recent Northern California wildfires. The show takes place December 14 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

So far, only one other act is on the lineup, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, the band fronted by one of Willie Nelson's sons that recently has been serving as Neil Young's backing group.

The first Band Together concert was held November 9 at San Francisco's AT&T Park, and was headlined by Metallica. Other artists who performed included Dead & Company, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Rancid, G-Eazy and Raphael Saadiq.

As with the first show, proceeds from the second Band Together concert will be donated to the Tipping Point Emergency Relief Fund, which supports low-income and vulnerable communities impacted by the fires.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 1, at 10 a.m. PT via BandTogetherBayArea.org.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Liu Xingzhe/VCG via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- North Korea said that the intercontinental ballistic missile it launched on Tuesday is a new, nuclear-capable weapon that could reach the entire continental U.S.

State television said Wednesday the new ICBM -- which it called a Hwasong 15 -- was "significantly more" powerful than the previous long-range ICBM the North tested.

The Hwasong 15 reached an altitude of 2,800 miles, making it the highest North Korean missile test to date, two U.S. officials confirmed.

It was also the longest duration of any missile flight, traveling in the air for an estimated 50 minutes, an official said.



The launch marks Pyongyang's third intercontinental ballistic missile test and the 15th ballistic missile launch of 2017. It is the latest act of provocation by the hermit nation and its first test in over two months.



"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ)," Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said in a statement.



The missile did not pose a threat to North America, its territories, or its allies, the Department of Defense said.



White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Tuesday afternoon that Trump had been briefed on the situation "while [the] missile was still in the air."



Trump later addressed the launch in an appearance before reporters at the White House, pledging: "We will take care of it... it is a situation that we will handle."

And he took to Twitter Tuesday night, writing, "After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military! Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can't now threaten a shutdown to get their demands."

China's foreign ministry said it was "strongly against" the missile launch, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

"The U.N. Security Council has clearly regulated North Korea's missile test and technology," Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a Foreign Ministry briefing Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. "China is gravely concerned about and strongly opposed to North Korea's missile test. China urges North Korea to implement the U.N. Security Council resolution, to stop any actions that would worsen the situation on the Korea Peninsula. In the meantime, we hope all relevant parties act cautiously and work together to keep regional stability."

French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted in French, "I condemn the new irresponsible ballistic test of North Korea. It reinforces our determination to increase the pressure on Pyongyang and our solidarity with our partners."

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council for Wednesday afternoon in response to the test.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency was the first to report the launch, which occurred locally in the early morning hours Wednesday, citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.



North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, at dawn today, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, according to Yonhap.



Earlier in the day, Manning noted "a probable missile launch from North Korea" at "approximately 1:30 p.m. EST," which would be 3:00 a.m. Wednesday in North Korea's capital of Pyongyang.



The launch marks the end of the longest stretch of time that the regime has not conducted a test since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January. North Korea tested its first missile of the year on Feb. 11, 22 days after Trump's inauguration. From March to May, the regime conducted tests every one to two weeks.



The most recent missile launch occurred on Sept. 14, 75 days ago.



On Aug. 8, Trump threatened the regime with "fire and fury like the world has never seen," prompting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to say he would consider sending missiles into the waters off the coast of Guam in "mid-August."



Several weeks later, North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles not toward Guam but into the Sea of Japan.



North Korea's last test of a ballistic missile was on Sept. 15, an intermediate-range KN-17 that flew over the Japanese island of Hokkaido.



The Trump administration has said all military options remain on the table when dealing with the North Korean threat, but top U.S. officials have consistently emphasized the U.S. is pursuing a diplomatically led effort, including additional economic pressure.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Dominion Energy: 96WI 8me LLC, Align RNG Arizona LLC, Align RNG Arizona-Snowflake LLC, Align RNG California LLC, Align RNG California-Corcoran LLC, Align RNG Grady Road LLC, Align RNG LLC, Align RNG Magnolia LLC, Align RNG North Carolina LLC, Align RNG North Carolina-Bowdens LLC, Align RNG Utah LLC, Align RNG Utah-Milford LLC, Align RNG Utah-Minersville LLC, Align RNG Virginia LLC, Align RNG Virginia-Waverly LLC, Alpaca Holdings LLC, Angus Holdings LLC, Aster Holdings LLC, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, BOE Holdings Inc., Bantam Holdings LLC, Bellflower Holdings LLC, Birdseye Holdings LLC, Birdseye Projects LLC, Birdseye Renewable Energy LLC, Blackville Solar Farm LLC, Blue Ocean Energy Marine LLC, BrightSuite Home LLC, BrightSuite Home Solar Inc., BrightSuite Inc., BrightSuite Solar CT Inc., BrightSuite Solar Development LLC, BrightSuite Solar SC Inc., BrightSuite Solar VA Inc., Brown Swiss Holdings II LLC, Buckingham Solar I LLC, CEA Americus LLC, CEA CO-Fort Morgan LLC, CEA Clovis LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Colorado LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Georgia LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Idaho LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Kansas LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Nevada LLC, CEA Dairy RNG New Mexico LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Texas LLC, CEA Greely LLC, CEA Mason LLC, CEA TX-Dimmitt LLC, CNG Coal Company, CNG Power Services Corporation, Canola Holdings LLC, Carolina Gas Transmission Corporation, Charolais Holdings LLC, Chester White Holdings LLC, Chicory Holdings LLC, Clean Energy Asset USA LLC, Clean Energy Enterprises Inc., Clipperton Holdings LLC, Collard Holdings LLC, Consolidated Natural Gas Company, Correctional Solar LLC, Cotswold Holdings LLC, Cove Point LNG Limited, Currant Holdings LLC, DE 700 Canal Place LLC, DE Arlington Solar LLC, DE Fluvanna Solar LLC, DE Hanover Solar LLC, DE Henrico Solar LLC, DE King William Solar LLC, DE Louisa Solar LLC, DE Newport News Solar LLC, DE Powhatan Solar LLC, DE Virginia Beach Solar LLC, DECP Holdings Inc., DEO Alternative Fuel LLC, Dairy RNG Holdings LLC, Denmark Solar LLC, Devon Holdings LLC, Dexter Holdings LLC, Dill Holdings LLC, Dillon RE Holdings LLC, Dominion ACP Holding Inc., Dominion Alternative Energy Holdings Inc., Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Dominion Capital Inc., Dominion Cogen WV Inc., Dominion Energy Birdseye Holdings Inc., Dominion Energy Fuel Services Inc., Dominion Energy Gas Distribution LLC, Dominion Energy Generation Marketing Inc., Dominion Energy Inc., Dominion Energy Kewaunee Inc., Dominion Energy Marketplace LLC, Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut Inc., Dominion Energy Payroll Company Inc., Dominion Energy Questar Corporation, Dominion Energy RNG Holdings II Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings Inc., Dominion Energy Services Inc., Dominion Energy Solar CA LLC, Dominion Energy South Carolina Inc., Dominion Energy Southeast Services Inc., Dominion Energy Technical Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies II Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies Inc., Dominion Energy Terminal Company Inc., Dominion Energy Wexpro Services Company, Dominion Equipment III Inc., Dominion Equipment Inc., Dominion Fairless Hills Inc., Dominion Fowler Ridge Wind LLC, Dominion Gas Projects Company LLC, Dominion Generation Inc., Dominion Greenbrier Inc., Dominion High Voltage Holdings Inc., Dominion High Voltage MidAtlantic Inc., Dominion Investments Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline Holdings Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline LLC, Dominion MLP Holding Company III Inc., Dominion Mt. Storm Wind LLC, Dominion Nuclear Projects Inc., Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Production Inc., Dominion Person Inc., Dominion Privatization Florida LLC, Dominion Privatization Georgia LLC, Dominion Privatization Holdings Inc., Dominion Privatization Kentucky LLC, Dominion Privatization Maryland LLC, Dominion Privatization Pennsylvania LLC, Dominion Privatization South Carolina LLC, Dominion Privatization Texas LLC, Dominion Privatization Virginia LLC, Dominion Products and Services Inc., Dominion Projects Services Inc., Dominion Resources Capital Trust III, Dominion Retail Gas Holdings Inc., Dominion Solar Holdings IV LLC, Dominion Solar Projects C Inc., Dominion Solar Projects D Inc., Dominion Solar Projects III Inc., Dominion Solar Projects IV Inc., Dominion Solar Projects V Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VI Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VII Inc., Dominion Solar Services Inc., Dominion State Line LLC, Dominion Utility Privatization LLC, Dominion Voltage Inc., Dominion Wholesale Inc., Dominion Wind Development LLC, Dominion Wind Projects Inc., Dorset Holdings LLC, ESCT-SA-Suffield LLC, Eagle Holdco Solar LLC, Eagle Solar LLC, Eastern Shore Solar LLC, Endive Holdings LLC, Energize Holdings III LLC, Flax Holdings LLC, Fremont Farm LLC, Gideon Solar LLC, Ginger Holdings LLC, Greenbrier Marketing Company LLC, Greenbrier Pipeline Company LLC, Greensville County Solar Project LLC, Guernsey Holdings LLC, Hardin Solar Energy LLC, Hecate Energy Cherrydale LLC, Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC, Hemlock Holdings LLC, Hereford Holdings LLC, Hodges Solar LLC, Hope Gas Inc., Hosta Holdings LLC, Innovative Solar 37 LLC, Joanna Solar LLC, Kale Holdings LLC, Leek Holdings LLC, Leghorn Holdings LLC, Lentil Holdings LLC, Leyland Holdings LLC, Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas, Millet Holdings LLC, Moffett Solar 1 LLC, Moorings Farm 2 LLC, Mustang Solar LLC, Mustard Holdings LLC, Okra Holdings LLC, PSNC Blue Ridge Corporation, PSNC Cardinal Pipeline Company, Phone House, Pikeville Farm LLC, Power Path Holdings I LLC, Power Path Holdings II LLC, Power Path Holdings III LLC, Prairie Fork Wind Farm LLC, Public Service Company of North Carolina Incorporated, Quail Holdings LLC, Questar Corporation, Questar Gas Company, Questar InfoComm Inc., Ridgeland Solar Farm I LLC, Rutabaga Holdings LLC, SCANA, SCANA Corporate Security Services Inc., SCANA Corporation, SRFI LLC, Safflower Holdings LLC, Scott-II Solar LLC, Seabrook Solar LLC, Sedge Holdings LLC, Shallot Holdings LLC, Siler Solar LLC, Silkie Holdings LLC, Simmental Holdings LLC, Sol Madison Solar LLC, Sorghum Holdings LLC, South Carolina Fuel Company Inc., South Carolina Generating Company Inc., Southampton Solar LLC, Strawberry Holdings LLC, Sumac Holdings LLC, Summit Farms Solar LLC, Sussex Drive Solar Project LLC, TWE Myrtle Solar Project LLC, The East Ohio Gas Company, Trask East Solar LLC, Tredegar Solar Fund I LLC, Tredegar Solar LLC, VP Property Inc., Virginia Electric And Power Company, Virginia Power Fuel Corporation, Virginia Power Nuclear Services Company, Virginia Power Services Energy Corp. Inc., Virginia Power Services LLC, Virginia Solar 2017 Projects LLC, Wakefield Solar LLC, Watercress Holdings LLC, Wexpro Company, Wexpro Development Company, Wexpro II Company, Wilkinson Solar LLC, Yemassee Solar LLC, and Yorkshire Holdings LLC.

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WEX Inc. provides financial technology services in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Fleet Solutions, Travel and Corporate Solutions, and Health and Employee Benefit Solutions. The Fleet Solutions segment offers fleet vehicle payment processing services. Its services include customer, account activation, and account retention services; authorization and billing inquiries, and account maintenance services; credit and collections services; merchant services; analytics solutions with access to web-based data analytics platform that offers insights to fleet managers; and ancillary services and tools to fleets to manage expenses and capital requirements. This segment markets its products directly and indirectly to commercial and government vehicle fleet customers with small, medium, and large fleets, as well as with over-the-road and long haul fleets; and indirectly through co-branded and private label relationships. The Travel and Corporate Solutions segment provides payment solutions, including embedded payments; and accounts payable automation and spend management solutions. Its products include virtual cards that are used for transactions where no card is presented. This segment markets its products directly and indirectly to commercial and government organizations. The Health and Employee Benefit Solutions segment offers healthcare payment products and software-as-a-service consumer directed platforms for healthcare market, as well as payroll related and employee benefit products in Brazil. This segment markets its products through health plans, third-party administrators, financial institutions, payroll companies benefits consultants, software providers, and individuals. The company was formerly known as Wright Express Corporation and changed its name to WEX Inc. in October 2012. WEX Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in Portland, Maine.
BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. 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.
RingCentral, Inc. provides software-as-a-service solutions that enable businesses to communicate, collaborate, and connect in North America. The company offers business cloud communications and contact center solutions based on its Message Video Phone? platform. Its products include RingCentral Office that provides communication and collaboration across various modes, including high-definition voice, video, SMS, messaging and collaboration, conferencing, online meetings, and fax; RingCentral Contact Center, a collaborative contact center solution that delivers omni-channel; and RingCentral Engage Digital, a digital customer engagement platform that allows enterprises to interact with their customers. The company's products also comprise RingCentral Engage Voice, a cloud-based outbound/blended customer engagement platform for midsize and enterprise companies; RingCentral Video, a video meeting service which includes our RCV video and team messaging capabilities and offers video and audio conferencing, file sharing, contact, task, and calendar management. In addition, it offers RingCentral Professional, a cloud based virtual telephone service that provides inbound call answering and management services for professionals; and RingCentral Fax that provides online fax capabilities. The company serves a range of industries, including financial services, education, healthcare, legal services, real estate, retail, technology, insurance, construction, hospitality, and state and local government, as well as others. It sells its products through a network of direct sales representatives, as well as sales agents, resellers, and channel partners. RingCentral, Inc. has strategic partnerships with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise; and Vodafone Business. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Belmont, California.
Valvoline Inc. manufactures, markets, and supplies, engine and automotive maintenance products and services. It operates through two segments, Retail Services and Global Products. The company offers lubricants for passenger car, light duty, and heavy duty; antifreeze/coolants for original equipment manufacturers; functional and maintenance chemicals, such as brake fluids and power steering fluids, as well as specialty coatings for automotive and industrial applications; and oil and air filters for light-duty vehicles. It also provides batteries, windshield wiper blades, light bulbs, serpentine belts, and drain plugs. In addition, the company operates Valvoline instant oil change service centers. As of September 30, 2021, it operated and franchised approximately 1,594 quick-lube locations under the Valvoline Instant Oil Change brand in the United States and the Great Canadian Oil Change brand in Canada. The company also serves car dealers, general repair shops, and third-party quick lube locations, as well as through distributors and licensees. It has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.
SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. engages in the wholesale distribution of landscape supplies in the United States and Canada. The company provides a selection of approximately 135,000 stock keeping units, including irrigation supplies, which comprise controllers, valves, sprinkler heads, and irrigation pipes; fertilizer, grass seed, and ice melt products; control products, such as herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and other pesticides; landscape accessories that include mulches, soil amendments, drainage pipes, tools, and sods; nursery goods, which consist of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, ornamental, shade, evergreen trees, field grown and container-grown nursery stock, roses, perennials, annuals, bulbs, and plant species; hardscapes, such as pavers, natural stones, blocks, and other durable materials; and outdoor lighting products that include lighting fixtures, LED lamps, wires, transformers, and accessories. It also offers consultative services consisting of assistance with irrigation network design, commercial project planning, generation of sales leads, business operations, product support services, and a series of technical and business management seminars; and distributes branded products of third parties. The company offers its products under the LESCO, SiteOne Green Tech, and Pro-Trade brand names. It markets its products primarily to residential and commercial landscape professionals who specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other outdoor spaces through branch network and direct distribution. As of January 2, 2022, the company had approximately 590 branches in 45 U.S. States and six Canadian provinces. SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Roswell, Georgia.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sonic Automotive: AM GA LLC, AM Realty GA LLC, AnTrev LLC, Arngar Inc., Autobahn Inc., Avalon Ford Inc., Car Cash of North Carolina Inc., Cornerstone Acceptance Corporation, ECHOPARK: AM GA LLC, ECHOPARK: AM Realty GA LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark AZ LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark CA LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Driver Education LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark FL LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark TX LLC, ECHOPARK: Echopark Automotive Inc., ECHOPARK: SAI DS LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI DS Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., ECHOPARK: TT Denver LLC, ECHOPARK: TTRE CO 1 LLC, FAA Beverly Hills Inc., FAA Capitol N Inc., FAA Concord H Inc., FAA Concord T Inc., FAA Dublin N Inc., FAA Dublin VWD Inc., FAA Holding Corp., FAA Las Vegas H Inc., FAA Poway H Inc., FAA Poway T Inc., FAA San Bruno Inc., FAA Santa Monica V Inc., FAA Serramonte H Inc., FAA Serramonte Inc., FAA Serramonte L Inc., FAA Stevens Creek Inc., FAA Torrance CPJ Inc., FirstAmerica Automotive Inc., Fort Mill Ford Inc., Franciscan Motors Inc., Frontier Oldsmobile-Cadillac Inc., Kramer Motors Incorporated, L Dealership Group Inc., Marcus David Corporation, Massey Cadillac Inc. (TN-MI), Mountain States Motors Co. Inc., North Point Imports LLC, Ontario L LLC, Philpott Motors Ltd., SAI AL HC1 Inc., SAI AL HC2 Inc., SAI Ann Arbor Imports LLC, SAI Atlanta B LLC, SAI Broken Arrow C LLC, SAI Calabasas A LLC, SAI Chamblee V LLC, SAI Charlotte M LLC, SAI Chattanooga N LLC, SAI Clearwater T LLC, SAI Cleveland N LLC, SAI Columbus Motors LLC, SAI Columbus T LLC, SAI Columbus VWK LLC, SAI Conroe N LLC, SAI Denver B Inc., SAI Denver C Inc., SAI Denver M Inc., SAI FL HC1 Inc., SAI FL HC2 Inc., SAI FL HC3 Inc., SAI FL HC4 Inc., SAI FL HC7 Inc., SAI Fairfax B LLC, SAI Fort Myers B LLC, SAI Fort Myers H LLC, SAI Fort Myers M LLC, SAI Fort Myers VW LLC, SAI GA HC1 LLC, SAI Irondale Imports LLC, SAI Irondale L LLC, SAI Long Beach B Inc., SAI MD HC1 Inc., SAI McKinney M LLC, SAI Monrovia B Inc., SAI Montgomery B LLC, SAI Montgomery BCH LLC, SAI Montgomery CH LLC, SAI Nashville CSH LLC, SAI Nashville H LLC, SAI Nashville M LLC, SAI Nashville Motors LLC, SAI OK HC1 Inc., SAI Oklahoma City C LLC, SAI Oklahoma City H LLC, SAI Oklahoma City T LLC, SAI Orlando CS LLC, SAI Peachtree LLC, SAI Pensacola A LLC, SAI Philpott T LLC, SAI Riverside C LLC, SAI Roaring Fork LR Inc., SAI Rockville Imports LLC, SAI Rockville L LLC, SAI S. Atlanta JLR LLC, SAI SIC Inc., SAI Santa Clara K Inc., SAI Stone Mountain T LLC, SAI TN HC1 LLC, SAI TN HC2 LLC, SAI TN HC3 LLC, SAI Tulsa N LLC, SAI Tulsa T LLC, SAI Tysons Corner H LLC, SAI Tysons Corner I LLC, SAI VA HC1 Inc., SAI VS GA LLC, SAI VS TX LLC, SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., SAI West Houston B LLC, SRE Alabama  2 LLC, SRE Alabama  5 LLC, SRE Alabama  6 LLC, SRE California 10 LBB LLC, SRE California 11 PH LLC, SRE California  1 LLC, SRE California  2 LLC, SRE California  3 LLC, SRE California  4 LLC, SRE California  5 LLC, SRE California  6 LLC, SRE California  7 SCB LLC, SRE California  8 SCH LLC, SRE California  9 BHB LLC, SRE Colorado  1 LLC, SRE Colorado  2 LLC, SRE Colorado  3 LLC, SRE Colorado  4 RF LLC, SRE Colorado  5 CC LLC, SRE Florida  1 LLC, SRE Florida  2 LLC, SRE Georgia 4 LLC, SRE Georgia 5 LLC, SRE Georgia 6 LLC, SRE Holding LLC, SRE Maryland  1 LLC, SRE Nevada  2 LLC, SRE North Carolina  2 LLC, SRE North Carolina  3 LLC, SRE Ohio 1 LLC, SRE Ohio 2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  1 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  5 LLC, SRE South Carolina  2 LLC, SRE South Carolina  3 LLC, SRE South Carolina  4 LLC, SRE Tennessee 6 LLC, SRE Tennessee 7 LLC, SRE Tennessee  1 LLC, SRE Tennessee  2 LLC, SRE Tennessee  3 LLC, SRE Tennessee  4 LLC, SRE Tennessee  5 LLC, SRE Texas 10 LLC, SRE Texas 11 LLC, SRE Texas 12 LLC, SRE Texas 13 LLC, SRE Texas 14 LLC, SRE Texas 15 LLC, SRE Texas 16 LLC, SRE Texas 9 LLC, SRE Texas  1 LP, SRE Texas  2 LP, SRE Texas  3 LP, SRE Texas  4 LP, SRE Texas  5 LP, SRE Texas  6 LP, SRE Texas  7 LP, SRE Texas  8 LP, SRE Virginia - 1 LLC, SRE Virginia  2 LLC, SRM Assurance Ltd., Santa Clara Imported Cars Inc., Sonic 2185 Chapman Rd. Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Advantage PA LP, Sonic Automotive - 1720 Mason Ave. DB LLC, Sonic Automotive 2424 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive 2752 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive Aviation LLC, Sonic Automotive F&I LLC, Sonic Automotive Support LLC, Sonic Automotive West LLC, Sonic Automotive of Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nashville LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nevada Inc., Sonic Automotive of Texas LP, Sonic Automotive  1495 Automall Drive Columbus Inc., Sonic Automotive  1720 Mason Ave. DB Inc., Sonic Automotive  2490 South Lee Highway LLC, Sonic Automotive  3401 N. Main TX LP, Sonic Automotive  4701 I-10 East TX LP, Sonic Automotive  6008 N. Dale Mabry FL Inc., Sonic Automotive  9103 E. Independence NC LLC, Sonic Calabasas M Inc., Sonic Development LLC, Sonic Divisional Operations LLC, Sonic FFC 1 Inc., Sonic FFC 2 Inc., Sonic FFC 3 Inc., Sonic Fremont Inc., Sonic Houston JLR LP, Sonic Houston LR LP, Sonic Momentum B LP, Sonic Momentum JVP LP, Sonic Momentum VWA LP, Sonic Resources Inc., Sonic Santa Monica M Inc., Sonic Santa Monica S Inc., Sonic Walnut Creek M Inc., Sonic Wilshire Cadillac Inc., Sonic eStore Inc., Sonic of Texas Inc., Sonic  Buena Park H Inc., Sonic  Cadillac D LP, Sonic  Calabasas A Inc., Sonic  Calabasas V Inc., Sonic  Camp Ford LP, Sonic  Capitol Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Capitol Imports Inc., Sonic  Carrollton V LP, Sonic  Carson F Inc., Sonic  Carson LM Inc., Sonic  Clear Lake N LP, Sonic  Clear Lake Volkswagen LP, Sonic  Denver T Inc., Sonic  Downey Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Fort Mill Chrysler Jeep Inc., Sonic  Fort Mill Dodge Inc., Sonic  Fort Worth T LP, Sonic  Frank Parra Autoplex LP, Sonic  Harbor City H Inc., Sonic  Houston V LP, Sonic  Integrity Dodge LV LLC, Sonic  Jersey Village Volkswagen LP, Sonic  LS Chevrolet LP, Sonic  LS LLC, Sonic  Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep LLC, Sonic  Las Vegas C West LLC, Sonic  Lloyd Nissan Inc., Sonic  Lloyd Pontiac  Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Lone Tree Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Lute Riley LP, Sonic  Massey Cadillac LP, Sonic  Massey Chevrolet Inc., Sonic  Mesquite Hyundai LP, Sonic  Newsome Chevrolet World Inc., Sonic  Newsome of Florence Inc., Sonic  North Charleston Dodge Inc., Sonic  North Charleston Inc., Sonic  Plymouth Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Richardson F LP, Sonic  Sanford Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Shottenkirk Inc., Sonic  Stevens Creek B Inc., Sonic  Volvo LV LLC, Sonic  West Covina T Inc., Sonic  Williams Cadillac Inc., Stevens Creek Cadillac Inc., The Sonic Automotive Family Emergency Fund (SAFE), Town and Country Ford Incorporated, and Windward Inc..

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South Jersey Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides energy-related products and services. The company engages in the purchase, transmission, and sale of natural gas. It also sells natural gas and pipeline transportation capacity on a wholesale basis to residential, commercial, and industrial customers on the interstate pipeline system, as well as transports natural gas purchased directly from producers or suppliers to customers. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 147 miles of mains in the transmission system and 6,815 miles of mains in the distribution system; and served 384,062 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southern New Jersey. In addition, it markets natural gas storage, commodity, and transportation assets on a wholesale basis for energy marketers, electric and gas utilities, power plants, and natural gas producers in the mid-Atlantic, Appalachian, and southern regions of the United States. Further, the company owns and operates rooftop solar-generation sites. Additionally, it owns oil, gas, and mineral rights in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania; acquires and markets natural gas and electricity to retail end users, as well as provides total energy management, fuel management, and energy procurement and cost reduction services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Folsom, New Jersey.
Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farms in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 17111 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Acme Aerospace Inc., Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Armtec Countermeasures Co., Armtec Countermeasures TNO Co., Armtec Defense Products Co., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Services China Ltd., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Aurora LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Chelton Avionics Holdings Inc., Chelton Avionics Inc., Chelton Limited, Cobham Aero Connectivity, Cobham CTS Limited, Cobham Defence Communications Limited, Cobham Defense Products Inc., DART Aerospace, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, European Antennas Limited, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, Hytek Finishes Co., ILC Holdings Inc., IRVIN AEROSPACE LIMITED, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Korry Electronics Co., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Corporation, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Germany GmbH, Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Mexico Holding LLC, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., Mason Electric Co., Mastsystem Int'l Oy, McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S. de R.L. de C.V., NAT Seattle Inc., NMC Group Inc., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, Nordisk Aviation Products LLC, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas LLC, Norwich Aero Products Inc., Palomar Products Inc., Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Aerospace Co., TA Mfg Limited, TDG Bavaria GmbH, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Telair International, Telair International GmbH, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm Technologies India Private Limited, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Defence UK Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, Young & Franklin Inc., and exas Rotronics Inc..

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Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG provides integrated telecommunication services to private and business customers in Germany. It offers mobile and stationery voice and data services; very high data rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) internet services; fiber-to-the-home lines; broadband services, consisting of VDSL, cable, fiber, and fixed mobile substitution services; and machine to machine communication and managed connectivity services. The company also distributes various terminal devices, such as mobile phones; and offers digital products and services in the fields of Internet of Things, as well as O2 Tv, O2 cloud, and O2 Select & Stream. In addition, it provides access to infrastructure and services for its wholesale partners. The company provides its products and services through a network of independently operated franchise and premium partner shops, and online and telesales channels, as well as indirect selling channels, such as partnerships and co-operations with retailers. It markets its products and services under the O2, Blau, AY YILDIZ, Ortel Mobile, Telefonica, and Geeny brand names. As of December 31, 2021, Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG served approximately 45.7 million mobile accesses and 2.3 million fixed-line customers. The company was formerly known as Telefonica Germany Verwaltungs GmbH and changed its name to Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG in September 2012. The company is based in Munich, Germany. Telefonica Deutschland Holding AG is a subsidiary of Telefonica Germany Holdings Limited.
The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC.

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Redwood Trust, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Residential Mortgage Banking, Business Purpose Mortgage Banking, and Investment Portfolio. The Residential Mortgage Banking segment operates a mortgage loan conduit that acquires residential loans from third-party originators for subsequent sale, securitization, or transfer to its investment portfolio. This segment also offers derivative financial instruments to manage risks associated with residential loans. The Business Purpose Mortgage Banking segment operates a platform that originates and acquires business purpose loans, such as single-family rental and bridge loans for subsequent securitization, sale, or transfer into its investment portfolio. The Investment Portfolio segment invests in securities retained from residential and business purpose securitization activities, and residential and small-balance multifamily bridge loans, as well as residential mortgage-backed securities issued by third parties, Freddie Mac K-Series multifamily loan securitizations and reperforming loan securitizations, servicer advance investments, home equity investments, and other housing-related investments. The company qualifies as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it intends to distribute at least 90% of its taxable income as dividends to shareholders. Redwood Trust, Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Mill Valley, California.
The following companies are subsidiares of Stanley Black & Decker: 2315708 Ontario Inc., 3-V Fastener Co. Inc., 3xLOGIC Dalian Technology Company Limited, 3xLogic Florida LLC, 3xLogic Inc., 3xLogic Indiana LLC, 8 Commerce Drive LLC, ADT France, ASIA FASTENING (US) INC., Advanced Turf Technologies LTD, AeroFit LLC, AeroScout (US) LLC, AeroScout Industrial, AeroScout LLC, AeroScout Ltd., Aeroscout (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Al Khaja Pimex LLC, Allan Brothers, Automatic Doors Systems, Automatic Entrances of Colorado, Avdel Holding Limited, Avdel Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, Avdel UK Limited, Aven Tools Limited, B&D Holdings Inc., B.B.W. BAYRISCHE BOHRERWERKE GmbH, BD Precision (Hong Kong) Limited, BD Suzhou (Hong Kong) Limited, BD Suzhou Power Tools (Hong Kong) Limited, BD Xiamen (Hong Kong) Limited, BDB Ferramentas do Brasil Ltda, BDC International Limited, BDK FAUCET HOLDINGS INC., BLACK & DECKER (SUZHOU) CO. LTD., BLACK & DECKER (SUZHOU) POWER TOOLS CO. LTD., BLACK & DECKER (SUZHOU) PRECISION MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., BLACK & DECKER ASIA MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS 1 S.a.r.l., BLACK & DECKER ASIA MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS 2 S.a.r.l., BLACK & DECKER DE REYNOSA S. DE R.L. DE C.V., BLACK & DECKER GLOBAL HOLDINGS S.a.r.l., BLACK & DECKER GROUP LLC, BLACK & DECKER HOLDINGS LLC, BLACK & DECKER INC, BLACK & DECKER INDIA INC., BLACK & DECKER INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS S.A.R.L., BLACK & DECKER INVESTMENT COMPANY LLC, BLACK & DECKER SHELBYVILLE LLC, BLACK & DECKER SSC CO. LTD., BLACK & DECKER TRANSASIA S.a.r.l., BLACK AND DECKER S.A. de C.V., Bagley Road LLC, Baltimore Financial Services Company Unlimited Company, Baltimore Insurance Designated Activity Company, Bandhart, Bandhart Overseas, Bed-Check, Belco Investments Company Unlimited Company, Besco Investment Group Co. Ltd., Besco Investment Holdings Ltd., Besco Pneumatic Corporation, Besco Pneumatic Corporation, Best Lock Corporation, Black & Decker, Black & Decker (Czech) s.r.o., Black & Decker (Ireland) Inc., Black & Decker (OVERSEAS) GmbH, Black & Decker (Thailand) Limited, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., Black & Decker Argentina S.A., Black & Decker Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Black & Decker Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Black & Decker Distribution Pty. Ltd, Black & Decker Europe, Black & Decker Far East Holdings B.V., Black & Decker Finance, Black & Decker Finance (Australia) Ltd., Black & Decker Finance SAS, Black & Decker Funding Corporation, Black & Decker Hardware Holdings B.V., Black & Decker Healthcare Management Inc., Black & Decker Holdings (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Black & Decker Holdings B.V., Black & Decker Inc., Black & Decker International, Black & Decker International Finance (UK) Limited, Black & Decker International Finance 1 Unlimited Company, Black & Decker International Finance 3 Designated Activity Company, Black & Decker International Finance Holdings (UK) Limited, Black & Decker International Holdings B.V. & CO. KG, Black & Decker Investments (Australia) Limited, Black & Decker Investments LLC, Black & Decker Limited BV, Black & Decker Luxembourg S.A.R.L., Black & Decker Mexfin LLC, Black & Decker No. 4 Pty. Ltd., Black & Decker Puerto Rico Inc., Black & Decker de Colombia S.A.S., Black & Decker de Panama LLC, Black & Decker del Ecuador S.A., Black & Decker del Peru S.A., Black & Decker do Brasil Ltda., Black and Decker de Costa Rica Limitada, Blick Plc, Bostitch-Holding L.L.C., Bristol Industries LLC, Bulldog Barrels LLC, C&C Enterprise Co. Ltd., CAM International Holdings Inc., CAMACC Systems Inc., CONNEXCENTER SA, CPE Acquisition Co., CRC-EVANS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., CRC-EVANS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, CRC-EVANS WELDING SERVICES INC., CRC-Evans B.V., CRC-Evans Canada LTD., CRC-Evans International LLC, CRC-Evans Offshore Limited, CRC-Evans PIH Servios De Tubulao do Brasil Ltda, CRC-Evans Pipeline International Inc., CRC-Evans Pipeline International Sdn Bhd, CWS Industries (Mfg.) Corp., Chesapeake Falls Holdings Company Unlimited Company, Chesapeake Investments Company S.A.R.L., Chicago Steel Tape, Chiro Tools Holdings B.V., Christie Intruder Alarms Limited, Clarke Security Services Incorporated, Columbia Manufacturing Company Incorporated, Compass Corporation, Compass II Co. Ltd., Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing, Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing LLC, Constellation (Luxembourg) Holdings S.a r.l., Contact East, Craftman, Cub Cadet LLC, DADO Inc., DEVILBISS AIR POWER COMPANY, DIYZ LLC, DeWalt Industrial Tools S.p.A., Dewalt Industrial Power Tool Company LTD., Doncasters US Holdings Inc., Dubuis et Cie SAS, E.A. Patten Co. LLC, ELU B.V., ELU Power Tools LTD, EMHART TEKNOLOGIES LLC, Eastern Vault & Security, Emhart Guangzhou (Hong Kong) Limited, Emhart Harttung A/S, Emhart Harttung Inc., Emhart International Holdings Limited, Emhart International Limited, Emhart Teknologies (Thailand) LTD., Excel Industries, Excel Industries Inc., F. Robotics Acquisitions Ltd., Facom, Facom Belgie BV, Fastener Jamher Taiwan Inc., First National AlarmCap LP/Premiere Societe en Commandite Nationale Alarmcap, First National AlarmCap. Trust, Frisco Bay Industries, GDX Technologies, GMT China, GRUPO BLACK & DECKER MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., GUANGZHOU EMHART FASTENING SYSTEM CO. LTD., Gamrie Designated Activity Company, Garden Way LLC, Generale de Protection, HSM Electronic Protection Systems, Hangtech Limited, Hardware City Associates Limited Partnership, Hefei INTACA Science & Technology Development Co. Ltd., Herramientas Stanley S.A. de c.v., Horst Sprenger GmbH Recycling-tools, Hustler Turf Equipment Inc., I.D.L. Techni-Edge LLC, INFASTECH CAMCAR MALAYSIA SDN BHD, INFASTECH DECORAH LLC, ISR Solutions, IguanaFix, Infastech (China) Limited, Infastech (Korea) Limited, Infastech (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Infastech (Mauritius) Limited, Infastech (Shenzhen) Limited, Infastech (Singapore) Pte. Ltd, Infastech Company Limited, Infastech Fastening Systems (Wuxi) Limited, Infastech Holdings (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Infastech Intellectual Properties Pte. Ltd., Infastech Receivables Company Pte. Ltd., Infastech/Tri-Star Limited, InfoLogix, InfoLogix Systems Corporation, Infologix - DDMS Inc., Infologix Inc., Innerspace Products, Interfast B.V., Irwin Industrial Tool Ferramentas do Brasil Ltda., JAFFORD LLC, JRB Attachments LLC, JennCo1 Inc., Jewel Attachments LLC, Jiangsu Guoqiang Tools Co., Jiangus Guopiang Tools Co. Ltd., Jointech Corporation LTD., K.And.M. Holdco Products Ltd., Kodiak Mfg. Inc., Lista International Corporation, Lux Star International S.a r.l., M. HART DO BRASIL LTDA., M.P.N. HOLDINGS LIMITED, M.T.D. France SAS, MTD Asia Hong Kong Limited, MTD Austria Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H., MTD Consumer Group Inc., MTD Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, MTD Deutschland Verwaltungsgeschellschaft mbH, MTD Europe Holding GmbH, MTD Holdings, MTD Hungaria Kft., MTD International Operations Inc., MTD Investments Australia Pty Ltd., MTD LLC, MTD PRODUCTS ITALIA S.R.L., MTD Poland Sp. z.o.o., MTD Products AG, MTD Products Australia Party LTD, MTD Products Benelux B.V., MTD Products Company, MTD Products Czech Spol. s.r.o., MTD Products Denmark ApS, MTD Products Inc., MTD Products India Private India Limited, MTD Products Limited, MTD Products New Zealand Limited, MTD Products Nordic AB, MTD Products S.A. de C.V., MTD Products Singapore, MTD Schweiz AG, MTD Southwest Inc., Mac Tools Canada Inc., Maquinas y Herramientas Black & Decker de Chile S.A., Microalloying International Inc., Microtec Enterprises, Moeller Manufacturing & Supply LLC, Monarch Mirror Door Co., NEWFREY LLC, NFASTECH COMPANY LIMITED, NIscayah, NSW Fabristeel Netherlands B.V., National Manufacturing, Nelson Bolzenschwei-Technik GmbH & Co. KG, Nelson Bolzenschwei-Technik GmbH Verwaltungs GmbH, Nelson Fastener Systems, Nelson Fastener Systems de Mexico SA de CV, Nelson Saldatura Perni S.r.l., Nelson Soudage de Goujons SAS, Nelson Stud Welding (Tianjin) Company Ltd., Nelson Stud Welding Canada Inc., Nelson Stud Welding Inc., Nelson Stud Welding India Private Limited, Nelson Stud Welding International LLC, New FEP Co. LLC, Newell Brands - Tools Business, Nippon Pop Rivets & Fasteners LTD., Niscayah Asia Limited, Niscayah Group AB, Niscayah Holdings Limited, Niscayah Investments Limited, Niscayah Teknik AB, Novia SWK SAS, OSI Security Devices, Onglin International Limited, P I H Holdings Limited, P&B Re Holdings LLC, PIH Services Limited, PIH Services ME LLC, PIH Services ME Ltd., PIH Services ME W.L.L., PIH U.S. LLC, PIPELINE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES SARL, PORTER-CABLE ARGENTINA LLC, PT Stanley Black & Decker, Pacom Group AB, Pacom Systems (North America) Inc., Pacom Systems Espana S.L., Pacom Systems Pty Limited, Paladin Brands Group Inc., Paladin Brands Holdings Inc., Paladin Brands International Holdings Inc., Panalok Limited, Pengo Corporation, Pillo Health, Pinnacle Electronic Systems, Pipeline Induction Heat Limited, Pipeline Induction Heat Limited, Powers Fasteners Australasia Pty Limited, Powers Fasteners Inc., Powers Fasteners Inc. (Panama), Powers Rawl Pty. Ltd., Powers Shanghai Trading Ltd., Precision Hardware, Prikos & Becker LLC, Pro One Finance SAS, QRP Inc, RCTENN LLC, RIGHTCO II LLC, Rawl Australasia Pty. Ltd., Rawlplug Unit Trust, Refal Industria e Comercio de Rebites e Rebitadeiras Ltda., Remington LLC, SBD Cayman LLC, SBD European Investment Unlimited Company, SBD European Security Holdings S.a r.l., SBD European Security International Unlimited Company, SBD European Security Investment Unlimited Company, SBD Holding AB, SBD Insurance Inc., SBD MDGP Partnership Holdings LLC, SBD MDGP Partnership Holdings S.a r.l., SBD Manufacturing Distribution & Global Purchasing Holdings L.P., SBD Niscayah S.a r.l., SBD Property Holdings LLC, SBD UK Canada Holdings Inc., SPIRALOCK GLOBAL VENTURES LIMITED, STANLEY BLACK & DECKER HUNGARY KORALTOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG, STANLEY BLACK & DECKER IBERICA S.L., STANLEY BLACK & DECKER MOROCCO SARL, STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER CYPRUS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LTD, STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER CYPRUS ONE HOLDINGS LTD, STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER CYPRUS S1 HOLDINGS LTD, STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER CYPRUS S2 HOLDINGS LTD, STANLEY ENGINEERED FASTENING EASTERN EUROPE SP.Z O.O., SWK (U.K.) Holding Limited, SWK (UK) Limited, SWK Utensilerie S.r.l., Scan Modul, Security Group, SecurityCo Solutions Inc., Shanghai Emhart Fastening System Co. Ltd., Sidchrome Tool, Sielox Security Systems, Societe Miniere et Commerciale SAS, Sonitrol, Sonitrol Distribution Canada Inc., Sonitrol Security Systems of Buffalo Inc., Southern Monitoring Services Limited, Specialty Bar Products Company, Spiegelberg Manufacturing Inc., Spiralock Corporation, Stanley Access Technologies LLC, Stanley Atlantic Inc., Stanley Black & Decker (Barbados) SRL, Stanley Black & Decker (Hellas) EPE, Stanley Black & Decker Asia Holdings LLC, Stanley Black & Decker Asian Holdings B.V., Stanley Black & Decker Australia Pty Ltd., Stanley Black & Decker Austria GmbH, Stanley Black & Decker Belgium BV, Stanley Black & Decker CCA S. de R.L., Stanley Black & Decker Canada Corporation, Stanley Black & Decker Cayman Holdings Inc., Stanley Black & Decker Cayman International Financing LLC, Stanley Black & Decker Centroamerica S. de R.L., Stanley Black & Decker Chile L.L.C., Stanley Black & Decker Colombia Services S.A.S., Stanley Black & Decker Czech Republic s.r.o., Stanley Black & Decker Deutschland GmbH, Stanley Black & Decker Distribution SAS, Stanley Black & Decker Finance 1 LLC, Stanley Black & Decker Finance 2 LLC, Stanley Black & Decker Finance Limited, Stanley Black & Decker Finance Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker Finland Oy, Stanley Black & Decker France SAS, Stanley Black & Decker France Services SAS, Stanley Black & Decker Hermosillo S. de R.L. de C.V., Stanley Black & Decker Holdings Australia Pty Ltd, Stanley Black & Decker Holdings S.a r.l., Stanley Black & Decker IP Holdings Limited, Stanley Black & Decker India Private Limited, Stanley Black & Decker International FZE, Stanley Black & Decker International Fiance 2 Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 1 Limited, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 2 Limited, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 3 Limited, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 3 Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 4 Limited, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 4 Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance 5 Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker International Finance L.P., Stanley Black & Decker Ireland Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker Italia S.r.l., Stanley Black & Decker Latin American Holding BV, Stanley Black & Decker Latin American Investment Unlimited Company, Stanley Black & Decker Limited, Stanley Black & Decker Limited Liability Company, Stanley Black & Decker Logistics BV, Stanley Black & Decker MEA FZE, Stanley Black & Decker Manufacturing SAS, Stanley Black & Decker Middle East Trading FZE, Stanley Black & Decker NZ Limited, Stanley Black & Decker Netherlands B.V., Stanley Black & Decker Norway AS, Stanley Black & Decker Partnership Japan, Stanley Black & Decker Partnership Japan Holdings S.a r.l., Stanley Black & Decker Polska Sp. z o.o., Stanley Black & Decker Precision Manufacturing (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stanley Black & Decker Romania SRL, Stanley Black & Decker Slovakia s.r.o., Stanley Black & Decker Sweden AB, Stanley Black & Decker Turkey Alet Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Stanley Black & Decker UK Group Limited, Stanley Black & Decker UK Limited, Stanley Black & Decker de Monterrey S. de R.L. de C.V., Stanley Black and Decker Commercial Private India, Stanley Black and Decker Security Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V. (fka DEWALT INDUSTRIAL TOOLS S.A. DE C.V.), Stanley CLP3, Stanley Canada Holdings L.L.C., Stanley Chiro International Ltd, Stanley Convergent Security Solutions Inc., Stanley Engineered Fastening Benelux B.V., Stanley Engineered Fastening France SAS, Stanley Engineered Fastening India Private Limited, Stanley Engineered Fastening Industrial Deutschland GmbH, Stanley Engineered Fastening Italy S.r.l., Stanley Engineered Fastening Spain S.L.U., Stanley Europe BV, Stanley European Holdings B.V., Stanley European Holdings II B.V., Stanley Fastening Systems Investment (Taiwan) Co., Stanley Fastening Systems L.P., Stanley Fastening Systems Poland Sp. z o.o., Stanley Feinwerktechnik GmbH, Stanley Grundstuecksverwaltungs GmbH, Stanley Healthcare Solutions France Sarl, Stanley Housing Fund Inc., Stanley Industrial & Automotive LLC, Stanley Infrastructure LLC Formerly f/k/a International Equipment Solutions ("IES"), Stanley Inspection L.L.C., Stanley Inspection US L.L.C., Stanley International Holdings Inc., Stanley Israel Investments B.V., Stanley Logistics L.L.C., Stanley Pipeline Inspection L.L.C., Stanley Safety Corporation LLC, Stanley Security AS, Stanley Security Alarmcentrale B.V., Stanley Security B.V., Stanley Security Belgium BV, Stanley Security Canada ULC (fka 3xLogic Holdings Inc.), Stanley Security Denmark ApS, Stanley Security Europe BV, Stanley Security Federal Systema LLC, Stanley Security Holding AS, Stanley Security Limited, Stanley Security Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Stanley Security Nederland B.V., Stanley Security Oy, Stanley Security Singapore Pte. Ltd., Stanley Security Solutions (NI) Limited, Stanley Security Solutions - Europe Limited, Stanley Security Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Stanley Security Solutions Inc., Stanley Security Solutions India Private Limited, Stanley Security Solutions Limited, Stanley Security Sverige AB, Stanley Technical Services Ltd., Stanley Tools SAS, Stanley U.K. Holdings Ltd., Stanley UK Acquisition Company Limited, Stanley UK Services Limited, Stanley Works (Europe) GmbH, Stanley Works (India) Private Limited, Stanley Works (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Stanley Works (Wendeng) Tools Co. Ltd., Stanley Works Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Stanley Works China Investments Limited, Stanley Works Holdings B.V., Stanley Works Limited, Stanley-Bostitch S.A. de c.v., Stanley-Bostitch Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Stichting Beheer Intellectuele Eigendomsrechten Blick Benelux B.V., SureHand Inc. f.k.a. SBD Aura Inc., Sweepster Attachments LLC, THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION, TOG Holdings Inc., TOG Manufacturing Company Inc., TSI Monitoring LLC, TSI Sales & Installation LLC, The EAP Acquisition Co. LLC, The Farmington River Power Company, The Ferry Cap & Set Screw Company, The Stanley Works (Langfang) Fastening Systems Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Zhongshan) Tool Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works Israel Ltd., The Stanley Works Limited, The Stanley Works Pty. Ltd., Tong Lung Metal Industry, Troy-Bilt LLC, Tucker Fasteners Limited, Tucker GmbH, Tucker S.R.O., Universal Inspection Systems Limited, Venus Enterprise Co. Ltd., Visiocom International Pte Ltd, Voss Industries Inc., Wintech Corporation Limited, XMARK Corporation, XMARK Corporation., Yong Ru Plastics Industry (Suzhou) Co. Ltd, and Zag USA Inc..

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The I-T department's raids are part of its 'Operation Clean Money' launched in the aftermath of demonetisation last year.

Chennai: Income-Tax sleuths on Tuesday swooped down on 33 premises across Tamil Nadu, including 21 in Chennai, belonging to four companies for suspected tax evasion and their links to shell companies.

I-T officials said Tuesdays searches were not linked to the raids on the family and relatives of Sasikala and Dhinakaran.

Premises belonging to four companies -- Patel Group, Marg Group, Milan Group and Ganga Foundations Group - were searched in Chennai, Madurai and other cities in Tamil Nadu, I-T sources said.

The sources said these four companies are alleged to own lot of shell companies and the raids were conducted to unearth documents related to these irregularities.

They (assessee groups) are suspected to be involved in shell companies and tax evasion. The searches were launched on the basis of information the income-tax department received on the shell companies and data following demonetisation last year, the source said.

The I-T department's raids are part of its 'Operation Clean Money' launched in the aftermath of demonetisation last year. During the raids at premises belonging to Sasikala family, the I-T sleuths had recovered tax evasion to the tune of `1,430 crore.
IoT M2M connectivity specialist Eseye has partnered with VIA (Village Infrastructure Angels) on a solar energy project focused on rural villages in developing markets.

VIA is aimed at providing rural villages in developing countries with the infrastructure they need to reduce poverty and improve living standards. This includes helping people access electricity for the first time via an innovative pay-as-you-go solar energy tariff.

The group approached Eseye to deliver highly secure and reliable global cellular network data through its AnyNet Secure SIM, which provides automatic routing onto up to 440 cellular operators in 190 countries and links seamlessly to the AWS Cloud. IoT has the capacity to supply power to an entire micro-energy infrastructure, including community assets such as mills.

Jeremy Potgieter, Eseye, Regional Head, SADC, says that the VIA project is an excellent example of what can be achieved in Africa, using the same approach: Pay-as-you-go solar technology can be applied in several instances across Africa. We are excited to have such a valuable case study to use as a benchmark and example of the power of our technology solutions.

These kinds of labour saving assets have the potential to free 300 million women worldwide from one hour each day in processing crops, fetching water and collecting firewood. Those collective 100 billion hours every year could be used to generate additional income or to give more attention to other activities such as childrens health and education.

We are now able to measure the daily power generation from solar panels and the daily power consumption via customers. This gives us a complete understanding of whether the service is being over or under-utilised, so we can provision the system accordingly, says Stewart Craine, Managing Director at Village Infrastructure Angels.

VIA, in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and grant support of the GSMA Mobile for Development Utilities Innovation Fund began building projects in Vanuatu in the South Pacific  an area which is often overlooked due to its small size. The mission of the local government is to provide universal access to electricity and communication by 2020, and it relies on initiatives such as the projects built by VIA.

One such project is the development of solar agro-mills for the countrys main crops, which cannot be eaten without processing. Agro-milling enables women in the area to reduce manual labour through cleaner, simpler, safer and quieter solar-powered micro-milling technology. The mills are leased to local female entrepreneurs using pay-as-you-go financial technology to create an affordable finance package. A mill therefore not only serves the needs of the wider community, it also becomes the entrepreneurs livelihood.

To deliver what the entrepreneur needs to run her business, it is essential that the system includes technology, which effectively measures the DC energy being consumed. Without this data, VIA cannot design the system to correctly charge the batteries to work for the length of time required. The system therefore needs connectivity  which is where the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes imperative. Using a SIM card, the data can be automatically collected and sent directly to VIA.

Vanuatu has several mobile network operators. A SIM could therefore be used from any local operator, and if the device is being used in an area which has coverage, it will work. The problem however is that no one operator covers the whole area. This means entrepreneurs leasing mills cannot be assured of their connectivity. With Eseyes help, VIA has used this valuable technology to open a new chapter on how pay-as-you-go solar technology can be applied in rural villages.

Devices for any type of business need to be operational 100% of the time, without the concerns or barriers caused by data, roaming, billing, management, or support. For organisations such as Village Infrastructure Angels, which is working on projects that can change the lives of some of the most deprived people in the world, this becomes critical, says Paul Marshall, Chief Customer Officer, from Eseye.

The SIMs enhanced features also enable IoT devices to remotely and securely activate, provision, authenticate and certify devices or things, in field, over-the-air. Integration with AWS Cloud Services, further simplifies project set up and deployment by reducing the need for investment in specialist inhouse infrastructure and development resources. By adding AWS software tools and cloud the business establishes the means to simply and quickly analyse data and to scale instantly and securely, on demand.

With the Eseye AnyNet solution, all that is required is one single SIM and connectivity to any network is available. This is especially important as we start to deploy the technology in other areas of the world, concludes Craine.
Exploration and development company Ortac Resources intercepted further gold from two drill holes at its Akyanga gold deposit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At the MSDD0115 site, the stand-out drill-hole at Ortac's Casa gold project, the firm uncovered an 8.7m section containing gold at a rate of 3.9 grams per tonne (g/t), including a 2.8m section of 10.62 g/t, and a thicker section of 27.5m at 2.86 g/t.

The MSDD0114 hole returned uncovered gold at a grade of 1.31 g/t over a 2.9m area.

Coming as part of an infill and expansion project at Casa, the completed 2.2km long first phase marked the beginning of the 2.8km secondary drill programme.

Earlier in November Ortac uncovered a 24.75m intersection at a grade of 8.04g/t, which included a five-metre section at a grade of 22.63g/t, the highest ever grade and thickness at Akyanga.

Ortac chairman Nick von Schirnding said on Wednesday, "It is encouraging to see that the expansion and exploration drilling continues to intersect substantial thicknesses of mineralisation at grades of well over two grams per tonne of gold."

"The results of this drilling will continue to fill the gaps in the current resource model and improve our geological understanding of the Akyanga deposit," he added.

As of 1100 GMT, shares had grown 10.32% to 2.62p.
The technology and mineral processing company, Tri-Star , invested an additional $6m via a mezzanine loan to Strategic & Precious Metals Processing, in which it has 40% equity interest, to enable further development of the Oman Antimony Roaster Project in Oman, it has emerged on Wednesday.

Tri-Star said funds for the company stemmed from the issuance of short-dated secured loan notes to Odey European Inc and OEI MAC.

Crispin Odey, Founder, Odey Asset Management, said: "We are delighted to continue to support the OAR project through this interim loan structure with Tri-Star. We have built up an excellent relationship with our partners in Oman and Dubai and continue to see positive signs for this business as we complete the project and bed down agreements on the feedstock and offtake side."
Early gains evaporated as a wave of selling knocked the wind out of European technology issues - as on Wall Street - despite progress on the US tax reform front, which analysts widely consider will be a boon for that country's stockmarkets, above all.

At the closing bell, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was up by 0.26% or 1.02 points to 388.04, alongside a 0.02% or 2.34 point gain for the Dax to 13,061.87 and a 0.15% or 34.17 advance on the FTSE Mibtel to 22,325.94.

The Stoxx 60's technology sub-index fell by 2.80% or 12.80 points to 444.73.

No less relevant on both sides of the Channel was news overnight that Brussels and Westminster had reached an agreement, in principle, on the amount of Britain's 'divorce bill' with the European Union.

"Progress has come at a snails pace so far and this agreement, if true, comes as May is put under substantial pressure by businesses demanding assurances on the future relationship with the EU and how it will impact them. While an agreement will come as a relief, as reflected in the rise in the pound, theres still a long way to go and there's likely to be many many more difficulties faced along the way. This is the first of many large hurdles on the way to Brexit, but it's a very important first step," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda.

Analysts at Citi were similarly cautious, telling clients: "As predicted, the EU's bargaining power in the negotiations proves very strong. While the Brexit bill mostly crystallizes obligations that the UK would have if it stayed in the EU anyway (and the same is true for citizenship rights), these are politically contentious concessions in the UK. Brexit supporters may use upcoming parliamentary votes to vent their anger at the government or could even trigger a leadership contest in the Conservative party, making new elections more likely in turn."

Significantly, risk appetite was so strong that traders were seemingly brushing off North Korea's test firing overnight of an intercontinental ballistic missile that analysts said may have the range to hit the continental US.

On the economic front, an index gauging sentiment within the single curreny bloc jumped from a reading of 114.1 for October to 114.6 in November, according to the European Commission, as expected, reaching its highest mark since October 2000.

Although the ESI had been overstating growth recently, on past form it was consistent with annual euro area GDP growth accelerating from a 2.5% clip in the third quarter to a 4% pace for the last three months of the year, according to Capital Economics.

Yet earlier in the day, figures from INSEE revealed a 1.9% mont-on-month fall in French household consumption (consensus: -0.1%).

In parallel, Spain's INE reported that the rate of growth in harmonised CPI in the country was steady at 1.7% year-on-year in November (consensus: 1.8%).
Stocks are moving sharply higher, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street on the back of signs of progress on the US tax reform front, which analysts widely consider will be a boon for that country's stockmarkets.

As of 1416 GMT, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was higher by 0.80% or 3.13 points to 390.15, alongside a 0.93% or 120.29 jump for the Dax to 13,179.46 and a 0.93% or 207.17 advance on the FTSE Mibtel to 22,498.20.

No less relevant on both sides of the Channel was news overnight that Brussels and Westminster had reached an agreement, in principle, on the amount of Britain's 'divorce bill' with the European Union.

"Progress has come at a snails pace so far and this agreement, if true, comes as May is put under substantial pressure by businesses demanding assurances on the future relationship with the EU and how it will impact them. While an agreement will come as a relief, as reflected in the rise in the pound, theres still a long way to go and theres likely to be many many more difficulties faced along the way. This is the first of many large hurdles on the way to Brexit, but its a very important first step.," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda.

Analysts at Citi were similarly cautious, telling clients: "As predicted, the EU's bargaining power in the negotiations proves very strong. While the Brexit bill mostly crystallizes obligations that the UK would have if it stayed in the EU anyway (and the same is true for citizenship rights), these are politically contentious concessions in the UK. Brexit supporters may use upcoming parliamentary votes to vent their anger at the government or could even trigger a leadership contest in the Conservative party, making new elections more likely in turn."

Significantly, risk appetite was so strong that traders were seemingly brushing off North Korea's test firing overnight of an intercontinental ballistic missile that analysts said may have the range to hit the continental US.

On the economic front, an index gauging sentiment within the single curreny bloc jumped from a reading of 114.1 for October to 114.6 in November, according to the European Commission, as expected, reaching its highest mark since October 2000.

Although the ESI had been overstating growth recently, on past form it was consistent with annual euro area GDP growth accelerating from a 2.5% clip in the third quarter to a 4% pace for the last three months of the year, according to Capital Economics.

Yet earlier in the day, figures from INSEE revealed a 1.9% mont-on-month fall in French household consumption (consensus: -0.1%).

In parallel, Spain's INE reported that the rate of growth in harmonised CPI in the country was steady at 1.7% year-on-year in November (consensus: 1.8%).

Later in the day, the focus was expected to shift to Fed chair Janet Yellen's testimony on the US economic outlook before the joint economic committee of Congress, at 1500 GMT.

Following that, at 1900 GMT, the US central bank was scheduled to release its Beige Book.
News that the UK has agreed to cough up a potential 50bn as part of a Brexit settlement to the EU saw the pound boosted on Wednesday, after reversing early losses the day before.

Several reports citing key diplomats in Brussels emerged on Tuesday suggesting that Theresa Mays government has bowed to demands from EU negotiators to make an increased offer to fulfil its financial obligations.

As of 08:56 on Wednesday GBP/EUR was up 0.30% to 1.1307, while against the US Dollar sterling was up 0.43% to 1.3415.

The pound has been subject to a downward spiral in the 17 months since the UK decided to leave the bloc, as the Conservatives struggled to make progress during negotiations.

While the agreement of the so-called Brexit bill would represent a significant hurdle cleared in the negotiations, analysts have asserted that other issues such as the Irish border question could prove even more troublesome.

STUMBLING BLOCK

The Irish border is still a major stumbling block and it is uncertain whether sufficient progress has been made on this front. This is an even more sensitive topic than the divorce bill and is not as easy to solve with a bigger cheque, said ETX Capital senior market analyst Neil Wilson.

The bullish case for sterling faces other primary risks, Wilson added, including whether May has the ability to sell the deal to her party and voters.

Nevertheless, the divorce bill was the single biggest obstacle to uncorking talks on Britains future relationship with the EU and with the money ready to flow, it vastly improves the chances of an orderly transition and beneficial future trading relationships.

In this regard we can see developments as positive for the pound  the reduced risk of a hard Brexit, reduced risk of domestic upheaval in the form of a fresh general election and Labour victory, and the stronger likelihood that a transition deal will be engineered in the nick of time.

The EU has said it will only move negotiations onto the second phase when there has been sufficient progress on the Brexit bill, Ireland and citizens rights.

May is expected to formally present the breakthrough on the financial settlement next week, which will include a total gross figure close to 100bn, but the net payment will be closer to half of that figure.
The fight against new Arctic drilling took a major setback on Tuesday. On the same day that the Senate Budget Committee passed a bill allowing oil and natural gas drilling in Alaskas pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Trump administration granted oil company Enis request to explore for oil in nearby Alaska waters.

The Department of Interiors Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued the permit to Eni yesterday, allowing the oil giant to drill exploratory wells in the Beaufort Sea as early as next month.

Achieving American energy dominance moved one step closer today with the approval of Arctic exploration operations on the Outer Continental Shelf for the first time in more than two years, the department

boasted.

In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that initiated the process of rolling back former President Obamas 2016 ban on any new off shore oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean.

Exploratory drilling will take place on Spy Island, a man-made artificial island approximately three miles offshore of Oliktok Point. Eni, which has sat on its leases in the Beaufort Sea for more than a decade, says the new development could lead to the creation of 100-150 jobs in the region and new production of 20,000 barrels of oil per day.

BSEE Alaska Region staff conducted a thorough and complete review of Enis well design, testing procedures and safety protocol, said Mark Fesmire, BSEE Alaska Region director. Exploration must be conducted safely, and responsibly in relation to the Arctic environment and we will continue to engage Eni as they move forward with drilling its exploratory well.

But environmental groups fiercely oppose oil and gas development in the area over risks of a potential spill and say that drilling in the Arctic will exacerbate global warming.

The Center of Biological Diversity said in a statement that the area is home to many marine mammals, including bowhead whales, polar bears and ringed seals and birds from all over the world, including spectacled eiders and longtailed ducks. They also noted that the Trump administration provided the public only 21 days to review and comment on the exploration plan and only 10 days to comment on scoping for an environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Approving this Arctic drilling plan at the 11th hour makes a dangerous project even riskier, said Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the organization. An oil spill here would do incredible damage, and itd be impossible to clean up. The Trump administration clearly cares only about appeasing oil companies, no matter its legal obligations or the threats to polar bears or our planet.

The Center for Biological Diversity and other groups filed a lawsuit challenging Trumps April executive order. The lawsuit is pending in federal court in Alaska.

Meet Eni, the spill-prone oil company that Trump just unleashed on U.S. Arctic waters. It admitted 500 oil spills in Niger Delta in one year, 349 the next. #SaveTheArctic https://t.co/8OVv50RwNr  Ctr4BioDiv Ocean (@EndangeredOcean) November 28, 2017

Meanwhile, the Republican-led push to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) moved forward on Tuesday. The bill, which is combined with Senate Republicans tax reform overhaul, was approved by the Senate Budget Committee in a party-line vote of 12-11. The measure is now headed to the Senate floor.

The legislation, introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), could advance with only 51 votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60 as it complies under Congress budget resolution instructions for 2018.

Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups have criticized the GOP for sneaking the backdoor drilling provision through the budget process.

Its really not gotten the attention that it should, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told POLITICO about the ANWR provision. Its not just the budget discussion. Its about everything else thats going on, the flurry of all sorts of other news.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, also issued the following statement: A vote for the Senate tax reform bill is a vote supporting the destruction of Americas iconic Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Sen. Murkowskis toxic drilling provision forsakes the conservation values that helped shape our nation and threatens polar bears, muskoxen, caribou and hundreds of species of migratory birds from all fifty states. Congress must uphold Americas conservation legacy by rejecting any bill that includes oil drilling in the Arctic refuge.
Australias Great Barrier Reef may be able to heal itself from bleaching events, starfish and other disturbances with the help of a group of source reefs, according to recent research.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Queensland, CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science and the University of Sheffield, found that three percent of the coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef are robust source reefs. In order to meet the criteria of a source reef, the reefs need to be well-connected to other reefs through shifting currents but also be able to sustain bleaching events and be less susceptible to crown-of-thorn starfish outbreaks.

Finding these 100 reefs is a little like revealing the cardiovascular system of the Great Barrier Reef, said professor Peter Mumby from the University of Queenslands school of biological sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies.

In the past two years, warming waters subjected the Great Barrier Reef, a 1,400-mile chain of 3,800 individual reefs, to unprecedented bleaching events, devastating two-thirds of the World Heritage site. If protected from outside threats, such as pollution, the cool-water reefs could supply larvae to 45 percent of the reef. Scientists have only recently begun to understand the connectivity of coral reefs through ocean currents. These latest findings will likely be seen as a boost to efforts already underway to save Australias reef, which brings in nearly $6 billion in tourism annually.

The presence of these well-connected reefs on the Great Barrier Reef means that the whole system of coral reefs possesses a level of resilience that may help it bounce back from disturbances, lead author of the study, Karlo Hock of the University of Queensland, told Agence France Presse.

62 Natural Wonders of the World at Risk From Climate Change https://t.co/1uvbVKPrOe @TheCCoalition @OccupySandy  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 15, 2017

Other experts warn that the paper is overly optimistic. According to one professor, John Alroy, from Macquarie University, who spoke to The Guardian, the paper doesnt fully acknowledge the toll that worsening climate change will exact on the source reefs. According to Alroy they likely wont survive.

Last May, scientists cautioned the Australian government that its plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef is no longer achievable due to the stark of impacts of climate change.
Environmental groups are attacking an agreement between Michigan and Canadian oil transport company Enbridge, Inc. that set a timeline to determine the future of a controversial pipeline running across a channel where Lakes Huron and Michigan come together.

The 645-mile pipeline, Line 5, lies at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile-long environmentally sensitive stretch of water that serves as a center piece in Michigans tourist industry. It cuts through the state as it runs from western to eastern Canada, bringing 23 million gallons of oil and liquid natural gas across the straits between Michigans Upper and Lower peninsulasan area noted for its choppy waters, unpredictable currents and subzero temperatures.

I cant imagine another place in the Great Lakes where itd be more devastating to have an oil spill, Dave Schwab, an expert in hydrodynamics from University of Michigan, told a Motherboard correspondent in 2015.

Mondays agreement between Gov. Rick Snyder and Enbridge was designed to address immediate concerns about the 64-year-old twin pipeline. Under the agreement, Enbridge is required to halt pipeline operations if waves in the straits reach eight feet or higher for more than an hour.

The deal, which doesnt preclude a permanent shut down of Line 5, requires Enbridge to evaluate three options for routing the pipeline through a tunnel or trench on or beneath the lakebed by June 2018. Enbridge also said it would take steps to prevent pipeline damage from ship anchors, and increase its monitoring by placing cameras and other devices near the pipeline. It would also expedite plans to detect potential ruptures and respond to spills.

Enbridge's Great Lakes Pipeline Has Spilled 1 Million Gallons Since 1968 https://t.co/9lFaOia3Y8 (@EcoWatch)  Sierra Club (@SierraClub) May 1, 2017

Business as usual by Enbridge is not acceptable and we are going to ensure the highest level of environmental safety standards are implemented to protect one of Michigans most valuable natural resources, Snyder said in a statement. Michigan officials and Enbridge agreed to determine the future of Line 5 by Aug. 15, 2018.

The Republican governors administration has resisted critics demands to order the lines decommissioned, but that option is still on the table, said Valerie Brader, executive director of the Michigan Agency for Energy, according to the AP.

But the agreement comes as a growing bipartisan ensemble has voiced criticism for Line 5. Last January, U.S. representatives Dave Trott (R-Mich.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced legislation calling for a shutdown of the pipeline if federal agencies determine it poses a threat to the Great Lakes. In Michigan, Republican state senator Rick Jones introduced similar legislation in March.

Environmental groups complain that the agreement is partial to Enbridge and a plan to keep the pipeline in a tunnel beneath the seabed.

Citizens are demanding real action, Lisa Wozniak, executive director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, told the Detroit Free Press. Governor Snyder and Attorney General (Bill) Schuette have the power to shut Line 5 down; they simply are not using it.

Enbridge has a history of opacity inside the Great Lake state. In October, it was revealed that the company had kept information to itself for three years about areas on the pipeline missing protective coating.

The companys past in Michigan and neighboring states is also riddled with oil spills. A federal data analysis in April showed that Line 5 has leaked more than 29 times in its 64-year historyspilling more than one million gallons of oil and gas liquids. Between 1968 and 2015 the spills varied in size from 285,600 gallons to eight gallons.

In 2010, about 240 miles south of the Straits of Mackinaw, another Enbridge pipeline, Line 6B, ruptured, spewing one million gallons of toxic tar sands oil on a 40-mile stretch of riverthe largest ever inland oil spill in the U.S. The river was closed for nearly two years for the more than one billion-dollar cleanup. Enbridge paid $2.8 billion for cleanup costs and other fines and penalties associated with the Line 6B spill.

Our state leaders continue to place an enormous amount of trust in Enbridge to operate it [Line 5] responsibly, Wozniak told the AP. Even while the company continues to repeatedly break that trust.
Nearly 5,500 K-12 schools in the U.S. are harnessing the

suns rays for energy, according to a new report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the Solar Foundation and clean energy nonprofit Generation 180. That means about five percent of all K-12s in the nation are solar powered.

The

study, Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools, 2nd Edition, touts that this switch to renewables has allowed schools to reduce their electricity bills, all while freeing up resources to invest in education. Roughly four million students attend such schools.

A total of 5,489 schools have a combined capacity of 910 megawatts, which is enough to power more than 190,000 homes, the study found.

Here are some notable state achievements from the Brighter Future report:

California leads the nation with 1,946 solar schools and a 489-megawatt capacity.

Nevada has the highest adoption rate, with 23 percent of schools using solar energy statewide.

Arizona has the most solar school capacity on a per capita basis, at 86 watts per student.

As GreenTechMedia reported, cumulative PV capacity on K-12 school buildings has increased by 86 percent since 2008. The reason behind the surge is down to dipping installation prices and new financing options. The cost of installing solar in schools has decreased 66 percent in the past seven years.

All of the reasons why people are going solar, [] really tie back to the affordability, SEIA spokesman Dan Whitten told the website.

However, the possibility of the Trump administrations new tariffs on imported solar equipment from the Section 201 Trade Case could stymie the countrys adoption of solar power.

Injecting significant additional costs on these projects would poke holes in the very reason that people are adopting solar: That it is affordable and that it is competitive with other fuels. Artificially raising prices is never a good thing, Whitten explained.

The Brighter Future report includes case studies of the unique paths that schools took to install solar.

For instance, at Sacajawea Middle School in Bozeman, Montana, a seventh-grader named Claire Vlases led the charge and helped raised funds to bring solar to her school. Installation cost $115,000, but the solar system is expected to pay for itself in nine years.

My favorite part about this project was that one person like me could start something small and then the project could grow and have a big impact on the community, Vlases said.

To tie-in with the release of the report, Generation 180 is launching a national Solar Schools Campaign to encourage more schools to make the transition.

The Generation 180 website includes a toolkit that provides a step-by-step advice on the process, as well as resources to assess feasibility and financing.
I am sitting in an apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia. Out the window is a bright blue sky interrupted by the concrete skeletons of building projects sprouting up around this fascinating city. Im thousands of miles from home, yet Im able to help design and facilitate professional learning for my former school district in Louisville, Ky., and for national organizations like the Center for Teaching Quality; support blended learning experiences; and work on education journalism, among other projects. Its often tricky to define what Im doing, thanks to technology and an ever-expanding web of connected educators, students, and communities. Welcome to my life as a networked educator.

This past summer, I made the decision to resign from my teaching position in Louisville, Ky., and travel globally with my wife Rebecca. We decided to go without an itinerary, with the dual goals of personal exploration and testing out remote work. I was both excited and a bit apprehensive. But what allowed me to make the leap was, in part, knowing I would stay an active participant in the education community I was leaving behind. When I first began teaching a little more than 13 years ago, I never would have thought it was possible to be where I am now.

At a time when teachers now have more opportunities than ever to connect through evolving networks, both digitally and face to face, at home and abroad, it is possible for both us and our students to engage with people and ideas from around the world, no matter where we are. But we also dont have to leave our classrooms to do so: Every teacher has the power to become a networked educator and foster a networked classroom. The power is in knowing where to find opportunities to connectand being aware that those opportunities continue to change and grow.

Moving Beyond Relative Isolation

Despite having the ability to connect with other teachers via the internet and email, my first few years of teaching were mainly bolstered by in-person collaboration. Professional learning communities were still four to five years away from emerging as common practice in the Kentucky school where I taught, so unstructured strategizing with colleagues was crucial for us to make positive strides.

Mrs. Daugherty and Mr. Martell were right down the hall, ready to discuss the latest YA novels our students were devouring or how to structure a thematic project focused on heroism. This informal network had its pluses and minuses. On the one hand, it was small, limiting the range of ideas I could learn directly from other people. On the other hand, my colleagues were supportive and available.

But I found myself isolated when it came to classroom experimentation. I devoured human-behavior author Alfie Kohns books by night, then tested out his notions about student motivation during class. I worked toward minimizing and even eliminating traditional grades, but I couldnt discuss my process comfortably with othersit was far too radical. A colleague even lambasted me in the hallway over the issue. I was ready to interact with some like-minded educators and learned about a summer fellowship opportunity with Middlebury Colleges Bread Loaf Teacher Network.

I had been told that Bread Loaf was like a summer camp of imaginative graduate work for English teachers focused on culturally sensitive literacy. Little did I know that my six weeks there would launch over a decade of evolving work as a networked educator.

During consecutive summer graduate programs in Asheville, N.C., Santa Fe, N.M., and Vermont, I met teachers from around the country and world. Some of our ideas aligned, and we were encouraged to design projects for our students to work on with each other remotely.

For one project, my high school students collaborated with a colleagues students in Miami. Through Google, Skype, and other tools, we combined writing, audio, and digital photography to tell stories about the power of place. There was little doubt that my new network was deeply impacting my classroom instruction. Student engagement rose; I remember students excitedly logging on to Skype in order to communicate with their Florida partners. The challenge of using multiple digital tools over time to create a finished product required a healthy dose of problem-solving and critical thinking.

An Expanding Virtual World

I soon learned about other networks. There was the Center for Teaching Quality , a nonprofit professional-learning network that allows teachers to share their ideas by participating in trainings to lead virtual-learning communities, blogging about classroom practices, and leading video chats and webinars. There was Twitter, where a huge number of educators now follow each other, share resources, and lead Twitter chats.

And professional learning communities in my own school district grew. JCPSForward has catalyzed numerous projects, including face-to-face meet ups, Twitter chats, and EdCamp conferences. According to our districts numbers, roughly 30 percent of our 6,000 teachers have engaged in networked learning opportunities. Collaborating with school colleaguesjust like when I first began my careerhas remained essential, with various virtual networks on stand by to provide inspiration or alternative professional learning.

A few months before my departure to travel abroad, I visited Middlebury College in Vermont with a colleague and several students for one of my most powerful collaborative experiences yet. We were there to participate in the Bread Loaf Teacher Networks launch of a special projectthe Next Generation Leadership Network . Several days spent working together with students and teachers from across the country to tackle educations challengesby putting youth voices at the center of discussionsindicated the possibilities ahead.

All of us were connected in one way or another to an international web of educators who were part of both networks. I remember thinking just how extraordinary it was to be able to begin a collaboration that spans distance and difference , with the goal that over time, through a combination of face-to-face and online interaction, this wildly diverse group would be able to learn from another about how to effectively advocate for change in their communities.

It was a peek into what I hoped my travels would continue to provide.

Finding Balance

Admittedly, there have been times during my professional journey when being part of so many networks has led to too many Tweets, emails, and communications to keep up with. But Id rather have the challenge of balancing the amount of connections versus working in isolation. It takes discipline, and its OK to say no when new opportunities appear.

While Im not sure if Ill be back in a traditional classroom in the near future, I keep my head and heart engaged with education-related projects. Its nearly impossible to recreate the best lightbulb moments from the classroom. Face-to-face interaction with students spurs new insights, inspiration, and joy in ways the digital world cannot replicate.

But we now have the capacity to be valuable contributors and team members from potentially anywhere in the world. We should continually revise and reimagine what it means to be an educator in the 21st century. Theres no roadmap toward meaningful, remote work from a Soviet-era apartment in Tbilisi, but as educators with open minds and adventurous spirits, lets remember that our learning can take us anywhere.
DoI ready for colder weather

The Department of Infrastructure insists it's ready for wintry conditions.

The Isle of Man Met Office is warning of freezing temperatures over the coming days, resulting in a risk of ice on high ground.

The DoI says it will deploy bulk gritters on primary routes to ensure safe driving conditions, with priority being given to roads that carry the heaviest traffic.

Routes around the hospital, fire stations, schools and key bus routes will also be treated.

The public is also being encourage to take responsibility for footpaths outside their own properties, with grit available for free at the Island's civic amenity sites and salt bins in residential areas.
An employee whose personality traits closely match the traits that are ideal for her job is likely to earn more than an employee whose traits are less aligned, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

"Our findings show that looking at the combination of personality traits and job demands is key to predict important outcomes, like income," says lead researcher Jaap J. A. Denissen of Tilburg University. "This updates the notion that you only have to look at the personality traits of an individual to predict his or her life outcomes. Our results indicate that it's more complex: You also have to take that person's environment into account."

Findings from previous research have indicated that some personality traits are generally beneficial when it comes to a work environment. Being highly conscientious, Denissen notes, is associated with being hard-working, well-organized, and rule-abiding, qualities that are typically prized in employees.

But Denissen and coauthors questioned the notion that there is an "ideal" personality type. They hypothesized that the match, or mismatch, between an individual's traits and job demands might be critical when it comes to important outcomes like income.

The researchers developed a novel strategy for directly comparing the fit between a given employee and a given job, using the well-established Big Five personality traits to quantify the traits that a job requires.

Analyzing data from the nationally representative German Socio-Economic panel, the researchers examined personality profiles, annual income, and jobs of 8,458 individuals living in Germany. Due to the fact that men were more likely than women to be employed full-time in Germany at the time of the data collection, the sample was 68% male and 32% female, with a mean age of 43.7 years old.

Each individual in the sample completed a brief version of the Big Five inventory in German, rating the degree to which they thought 15 personality-related statements applied to them (e.g., "I see myself as someone who has an active imagination" for openness to experience.

Participants' jobs were classified using the International Labour Organization's International Standard Classification of Occupations. Two psychologists with extensive expertise in occupational issues (but who were unaware of the researchers' hypotheses) then assessed each job for its ideal levels of Big Five traits. They determined, for example, that a bookkeeper required the lowest level of extraversion, whereas an actor or director required the highest level.

The researchers used a statistical technique called response surface analysis to create a 3D model that identified how each employee's personality traits and the ideal personality traits for each job contributed to employee income.

The results showed that fit really does matter, at least when it comes to extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience. For these three traits, greater congruence between an employee's own personality and a job's demands was linked with higher income - what the researchers call a "fit bonus."

Importantly, the data also revealed that it's possible to have too much of a good thing: Employees who were more agreeable, more conscientious, or more open to experiences than their jobs required actually earned less than people who had congruent levels of those traits.

The model showed that, in some cases, having too little of a given trait was actually less costly than having too much:

"Personality characteristics that have long been thought of as universally adaptive were not very beneficial or even detrimental, given particular job characteristics," says Denissen. "For example, highly conscientious individuals whose jobs did not demand such levels actually had lower earnings than individuals who were low in conscientiousness and had jobs that demanded high levels."

The researchers note that additional studies will be required to understand how individual job experiences, job satisfaction, and job performance might sway the association between individual-job personality fit and income. The results of the current study do suggest that achieving the right fit requires a more nuanced approach to assessing both individual traits and job-related traits than previously thought. Paying attention to these nuances could have important implications for both employees and employers.

"From a practical perspective, companies should be interested in these results because they imply that it's really important to invest in solid personality assessment," Denissen explains. "And individuals should care because our findings suggest that if they manage to find jobs that fit their personalities, they can earn more money."

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Co-authors on the research include Wiebke Bleidorn (University of California, Davis), Marie Hennecke (University of Zurich), Maike Luhmann (Ruhr University Bochum), Ulrich Orth (University of Bern), Jule Specht (Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin; German Institute for Economic Research), and Julia Zimmermann (FernUniversitat in Hagen).

All data and materials have been made publicly available via the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and via the Open Science Framework. The questionnaires and other materials from the SOEP can be accessed online (SOEP codebooks, and SOEP Big Five inventory). The complete Open Practices Disclosure is online. This article has received badges for Open Data and Open Materials.

This research was supported by Grant SP 1462/1-1 (Scientific Network on Adult Personality Development) from the German Research Foundation to J. Specht.

For more information about this study, please contact: Jaap Denissen at jjadenissen@gmail.com.

The research article is available online at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797617724435

The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Uncovering the Power of Personality to Shape Income" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.
People with dementia often have behavioral symptoms. These include problems with memory, language, and decision-making abilities. People with dementia can also experience changes in mood, such as increased irritability, depression, and anxiety. They often need assistance with their daily activities, such as feeding, dressing, using the toilet, and bathing themselves. These symptoms are often troubling for people with dementia, as well as for their caregivers.

These dementia symptoms can reduce quality of life for people as they age. This can make them dependent on other people, which can lead to caregivers feeling distressed. It may also lead to people with dementia being hospitalized or placed in a nursing home, even if it is not what they would prefer for their care.

There are no effective drug treatments for dementia or its symptoms. Therefore, researchers have been exploring treatment options to improve symptoms that don't involve using medication. A team of researchers studied one of those programs, called the Tailored Activity Program (TAP). TAP matches activities to the interests and abilities of people with dementia. Then it teaches caregivers how to use those activities daily.

The researchers initially reported positive results in a small study of 60 people. They then studied TAP in a larger group of veterans living with dementia. They reported their results in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The researchers studied 160 veterans diagnosed with dementia and whose average age was 80. The study also included 160 of the veterans' caregivers, who were mostly women around 72-years-old.

TAP included up to eight in-home sessions led by occupational therapists (health professionals who focus on helping us participate in the activities of everyday life). During the first two sessions, these health professionals evaluated the veterans' risk for falls, their daily routines and habits, and their previous and current interests. They also examined the veterans' home environment, including lighting, seating, clutter, and noise. They looked as well at the interests and abilities of the veterans' caregivers. Based on the assessment, the therapists provided an "assessment report" and offered three "activity prescriptions."

The therapists showed the veterans and caregivers how to set up the activities and use them every day. They also provided written instructions for the caregivers. The instructions covered activity goals for the individual veteran and communication strategies for the caregiver. They also instructed caregivers on ways that they could modify the home environment to help the veteran participate in the activity. The therapists worked with the veterans to show the caregivers how to use activities. They had caregivers practice recommended communication strategies. They also provided on-going education to help caregivers understand dementia and its behavioral symptoms.

During the last two sessions, caregivers learned how to simplify activities as the veterans' abilities declined. They also learned strategies to make care challenges like bathing easier.

A control group of caregivers received eight telephone sessions with a trained research team member who offered caregiver education about home safety and dementia. The researchers did not offer information about activities or behavioral symptoms to this group.

After four months, nearly 70 percent of the veterans in the TAP group either eliminated or reduced the frequency and severity of their dementia-related behaviors. This is compared to 46 percent of the veterans in the control group. Also, caregivers in the TAP group reported that the veterans were less dependent on them as they performed their daily activities. Caregivers in the TAP group reported less distress due to the veterans' behaviors, too.

The researchers concluded that TAP offers immediate benefits to the veterans and their caregivers.

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This summary is from "Targeting Behavioral Symptoms and Functional Decline in Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial". It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Laura N. Gitlin, PhD; Paul Arthur, PhD, OTR/L; Catherine Piersol, PhD, OTR/L; Virginia Hessels, BA; Samuel S. Wu, PhD; Yunfeng Dai, MS; and William C. Mann, PhD, OTR.

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

About the American Geriatrics Society

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has -- for 75 years -- worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
Despite overwhelming scientific agreement on the question of human-caused global warming, a major gap exists between this consensus and the public's understanding of the issue. Writing in BioScience, Jeffrey A. Harvey, of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, and his colleagues examine the causes of the consensus gap, focusing on climate-denier Internet blogs and the ways in which they use topics such as Arctic sea ice extent and polar bear well-being to foment misapprehensions about climate change among the public.

Harvey and his colleagues performed an analysis of 45 climate-denier blogs, noting that 80% relied primarily on a single denier blog for their evidence, which itself had a single author who "has neither conducted any original research nor published any articles in the peer-reviewed literature on polar bears." This paucity of expertise and evidence is common among such blogs, say the authors, as are personal attacks against researchers and attempts to misstate the extent of scientific uncertainty about crucial issues. Such narrowly framed attacks are designed to generate "keystone dominoes," say the authors, which deniers can then use as proxies for climate science as a whole. "By appearing to knock over the keystone domino, audiences targeted by the communication may assume all other dominoes are toppled in a form of 'dismissal by association.'"

Such misinformation poses a particular problem, because "among users, trust for blogs has been reported to exceed that of other traditional news or information sources." To counteract the blogs' pernicious effects, the authors argue that scientists must now engage in the "trench warfare" of public debate: "We strongly believe that scientists have a professional and moral obligation not only to inform the public about the findings and implications of their research but also to counter misinformation." This fight, the authors caution, may require an adaptation of tactics: "Many scientists mistakenly believe that debates with deniers over the causes and consequences of climate change are purely science driven, when in reality the situation with deniers is probably more akin to a street fight."

To this end, the authors close with a call to action: "Scientists need to more effectively use Internet-based social media to their full advantage in order to turn the tide in the battle for public opinion." By taking the fight to blogs, YouTube, and other social media, say the authors, scientists themselves may close the consensus gap, an effort they urgently encourage. They further argue that a failure to influence public attitudes may create acute problems for numerous ecosystems; in the absence of greenhouse-gas mitigation, "the prognosis for polar bears and other Arctic biota... is bleak."

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BioScience, published monthly by Oxford Journals, is the journal of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS). BioScience is a forum for integrating the life sciences that publishes commentary and peer-reviewed articles. The journal has been published since 1964. AIBS is an organization for professional scientific societies and organizations, and individuals, involved with biology. AIBS provides decision-makers with high-quality, vetted information for the advancement of biology and society. Follow BioScience on Twitter @BioScienceAIBS.

Oxford Journals is a division of Oxford University Press. Oxford Journals publishes well over 300 academic and research journals covering a broad range of subject areas, two-thirds of which are published in collaboration with learned societies and other international organizations. The division been publishing journals for more than a century, and as part of the world's oldest and largest university press, has more than 500 years of publishing expertise behind it. Follow Oxford Journals on Twitter @OxfordJournals
At Thanksgiving, many Americans look forward to eating roast turkey, pumpkin pie, and tangy red cranberries. To feed that appetite, cranberry farming is big business. In Massachusetts, cranberries are the most valuable food crop. The commonwealth's growers provides one-fourth of the U.S. cranberry supply.

Water plays a big role in cranberry farming. At harvest time, cranberry growers flood their fields (cranberry bogs) so the berries will float for easy gathering. The growers may also flood their fields to protect the plants from frost in the winter.

All this water presents a problem to cranberry producers. Phosphorus leaves the cranberry farm when water drains from the flooded fields. Cranberry farms have been identified as a source of excess phosphorus in some Massachusetts lakes. Since cranberry growers depend on continued access to good quality water for their operations, they need to find ways to limit the movement of phosphorus off of their farms.

Phosphorus is an important nutrient that is often added to cranberry fields as a fertilizer. It is also naturally present in watery ecosystems. But too much causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle. These large growths of algae, called algal blooms, can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the water. This leads to illness and death for large numbers of fish.

These concerns led a team of Massachusetts-based researchers to study ways to reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving cranberry farms. The study was conducted by Casey Kennedy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service and colleagues at USDA-ARS and the University of Massachusetts.

The researchers added five chemical compounds, or salts, to surface water used for cranberry production. These salts were chosen because they were already known to be good at trapping phosphorus. In addition to applying the salts to water samples in the lab, the researchers also applied salts directly to ponds connected to cranberry bogs using a sand barge. This is a process that cranberry farmers could also use on their ponds.

"One of our goals was to help growers manage phosphorus loss on their own," Kennedy said. "So the study was conducted using methods that could easily be used by growers."

The researchers concluded aluminum sulfate seemed to be the best salt suited to the task. Aluminum sulfate was effective in reducing phosphorus by 78-93% when applied at a concentration that is cost-effective for farmers to use.

When adding a new substance to an ecosystem, however, it is important to be aware of unintended, harmful effects. Kennedy noted, "The cranberry is a wetland plant that is naturally adapted to relatively high concentrations of aluminum in soils. So it may be possible to apply aluminum sulfate directly to bogs without negatively affecting cranberry production. Until then, we have demonstrated that this technique can be used to trap phosphorus in holding ponds, resulting in cleaner water for release downstream."

More research is needed to better understand the way aluminum transfers from soil to water to plants. If all goes well, we can continue to be thankful for a preserved environment??as well as cranberries for our feast??for many years to come.

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Read more about this research in Journal of Environmental Quality.
Stripes can be found everywhere, from zebras roaming in the wild to the latest fashion statement. In the world of microscopic physics, periodic stripe patterns can be formed by electrons within so-called quantum materials.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have now disentangled the intriguing dynamics of how such atomic-scale stripes melt and form, providing fundamental insights that could be useful in the development of novel energy materials.

In strongly correlated quantum materials, interactions between the electrons reign supreme. The complex coupling of these electrons with each other - and with electron spins and crystal vibrations - results in exotic phases such as charge ordering or high-temperature superconductivity.

"A key goal of condensed matter physics is to understand the forces responsible for complex phases and the transitions between them," said Robert Kaindl, a principal investigator and staff scientist at Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division. "But in the microscopic world, interactions are often extremely fast. If we just slowly heat or cool a material to change its phase, we can miss out on the underlying action."

Kaindl and his colleagues have been using ultrafast laser pulses to tease apart the microscopic dynamics of correlated quantum materials to access the interactions among the electrons and with the crystal's atomic lattice in the time domain.

For this study, the researchers worked with lanthanum nickelate, a quantum material and model stripe compound. In particular, the researchers investigated the electronic charges that form the stripe pattern and how they couple to the crystal lattice.

How charges interact with the crystal is a key ingredient to stripe physics, the researchers said.

"The crystal lattice strongly distorts around the charge stripes," said Giacomo Coslovich, who did the work while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Berkeley Lab. "This change of the crystal symmetry results in new lattice vibrations, which we can in turn detect with light at terahertz frequencies."

Kaindl and Coslovich are corresponding authors of a paper reporting these results in Science Advances.

In their experiments, the material is optically excited by a near-infrared laser pulse with a duration of 50 femtoseconds, and probed with a terahertz pulse with variable time delay. A femtosecond is one millionth of one billionth of a second.

The researchers found unexpected dynamics when using the laser to disrupt the microscopic order.

"The interesting thing is that while the laser immediately excited the electrons, the vibrational distortions in the crystal initially remained frozen," said Coslovich, who is now associate staff scientist at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. "The stripe-phase vibrations disappeared only after several hundred to a few thousand femtoseconds. We also concluded that the speed depends on the direction of the interactions."

The interpretation of the experiments was supported by simulations of the phonon dispersion by Alexander Kemper of North Carolina State University.

The results provide important insight into the interactions, or "glue," that couple electrons to lattice vibrations in the lanthanum nickelate. However, their broader relevance stems from recent observations of charge order in high-temperature superconductors - materials where electrical currents can flow without resistance at temperatures above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. While the mechanism remains puzzling, recent studies demonstrated the ability to induce superconductivity by suppressing stripes with short light pulses.

"Fluctuating stripes are thought to occur in unconventional superconductors. Our study puts a speed limit on how fast such patterns can change," said Kaindl. "It highlights the importance of considering both the spatial and temporal structure of the glue."

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This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science. The material's equilibrium optical properties were characterized using Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source, a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.

DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
New Rochelle, NY, November 29, 2017--Designing new therapeutic DNA aptamers with diverse side chains can improve their ability to interact with targets, and a new study describes characteristics of these side chains that may determine how long the aptamers remain in the bloodstream. Improving the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic aptamers is an important aspect of optimizing their drug-like properties, as discussed in the study published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publishers. The article is available free on the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics website.

In the article entitled "Pharmacokinetic Properties of DNA Aptamers with Base Modifications," Nebojsa Janjic, SomaLogic (Boulder, CO) and coauthors from SomaLogic and Otsuka Pharmaceutical (Tokushima, Japan), describe what effect the lengths of aptamer sequences have on plasma resident time. The researchers also demonstrate the importance of the hydrophobicity of the side chains on their rate of clearance from the bloodstream. The findings can serve as a guide for designing new aptamers with side chains that enhance their diversity.

"This elegant study demonstrates how nucleotide modifications can mitigate against nuclease degradation of aptamers, as vital a concern as is delivery for successful in vivo therapeutic or diagnostic applications," says Executive Editor Graham C. Parker, PhD, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI.

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About the Journal

Nucleic Acid Therapeutics is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online that focuses on cutting-edge basic research, therapeutic applications, and drug development using nucleic acids or related compounds to alter gene expression. The Journal is under the editorial leadership of Co-Editors-in-Chief Bruce A. Sullenger, PhD, Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center and Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, PhD, Leiden University Medical Center, and Executive Editor Graham C. Parker, PhD. Nucleic Acid Therapeutics is the official journal of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics website.

About the Society

The Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society is an open, non-profit forum to foster academia- and industry-based research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics. The society brings together the expertise from different angles of oligonucleotide research to create synergies and to bring the field of oligonucleotides to its full therapeutic potential.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Human Gene Therapy, Assay and Drug Development Technologies, Applied In Vitro Toxicology, and DNA and Cell Biology. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215

Phone: 914-740-2100

800-M-LIEBERT

Fax: 914-740-2101

http://www.liebertpub.com
Many haven't talked to their doctors, pharmacists or nurses about drug interactions, U-M/AARP National Poll on Healthy Aging shows

ANN ARBOR, MI - Most older Americans take multiple medicines every day. But a new poll suggests they don't get - or seek - enough help to make sure those medicines actually mix safely.

That lack of communication could be putting older adults at risk of health problems from interactions between their drugs, and between their prescription drugs and other substances such as over-the-counter medicines, supplements, food and alcohol.

The new results, from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, show that only about one in three older Americans who take at least one prescription drug have talked to anyone about possible drug interactions in the past two years.

Even among those taking six or more different medicines, only 44 percent had talked to someone about possible drug interactions.

The results come from a nationally representative sample of 1,690 Americans between the ages of 50 and 80. The poll was conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center.

Disjointed sources of care

Part of the reason for lack of communication about drug interactions may lie in how older Americans get their health care and their medicines. One in five poll respondents said they have used more than one pharmacy in the past two years, including both retail and mail-order pharmacies. Three in five see multiple doctors for their care.

And even though 63 percent said their doctor and pharmacist are equally responsible for spotting and talking about possible drug interactions, only 36 percent said their pharmacist definitely knew about all the medications they're taking when they fill a prescription.

"Interactions between drugs, and other substances, can put older people at a real risk of everything from low blood sugar to kidney damage and accidents caused by sleepiness," says Preeti Malani, M.D., the director of the poll and a professor of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School.

"At the very least, a drug interaction could keep their medicine from absorbing properly," she adds. "It's important for anyone who takes medications to talk with a health care professional about these possibilities."

Malani notes that although 90 percent of poll respondents said they were confident that they knew how to avoid drug interactions, only 21 percent were very confident.

Given the wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs on the market, and the number of drugs that interact with supplements, alcohol and certain foods, Malani says it's hard for even medical professionals to catch all potential interactions.

Newer medical computer systems that flag patients' records for potential interactions automatically, based on the names of their drugs, are helping, Malani says.

Also helpful is Medicare coverage for prescription drug reviews, called Medication Therapy Management, for people who take medicines for multiple chronic conditions. But not all medical computer systems talk to one another, and an MTM must be approved by the patient's Medicare prescription drug benefit provider.

"Even with trackers and systems in place, patients need to be open with their providers and tell them all the medications and supplements they're taking, including herbal remedies," says Alison Bryant, Ph.D., senior vice president of research for AARP. "It's especially important for older adults to be vigilant about this because they tend to take multiple medications."

AARP has put together a free online drug interaction tracker that can identify potential risks. It's available at http://healthtools.aarp.org/drug-interactions, but should be used in conjunction with a patient's conversations with their health care providers and pharmacists.

Recommendations for patients and providers

Malani and her colleagues say that it is up to patients, pharmacists and doctors alike to reduce drug interaction risks.

Patents should write down the names and dosages of their prescription medicines, and of any supplements and over-the-counter drugs they take, and bring it all to their doctors' appointments or pharmacies, she says. It is also important to be truthful about alcohol consumption when asked, since alcohol use can affect many medications. And patients shouldn't just stop taking a medicine if they think they're experiencing a side effect - they should also call their doctor's office or speak with a pharmacist first.

Meanwhile, health care providers should ask patients more about what medicines and supplements they take, and counsel patients at risk of side effects using language they can understand.

The poll results are based on answers from those who said they took at least one prescription drug, among a nationally representative sample of about 2,000 people ages 50 to 80. The poll respondents answered a wide range of questions online. Questions were written, and data interpreted and compiled, by the IHPI team. Laptops and Internet access were provided to poll respondents who did not already have it.

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A full report of the findings and methodology is available at http://www.healthyagingpoll.org.

The poll will issue its next findings in early January; sign up for email notifications on the website.
Mental illness associated with early childhood adversity may be passed from generation to generation, according to a study of adults whose parents evacuated Finland as children during World War II. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Uppsala University in Sweden, and Helsinki University in Finland. It appears in JAMA Psychiatry.

The research team found that daughters of female evacuees had the same high risk for mental health disorders as their mothers, even though they did not experience the same adversity. The study could not determine why the higher risk for mental illness persisted across generations. Possible explanations include changes in the evacuees' parenting behavior stemming from their childhood experience or epigenetic changes--chemical alterations in gene expression, without any changes to underlying DNA.

"Many studies have shown that traumatic exposures during pregnancy can have negative effects on offspring," said study author Stephen Gilman, Sc.D., of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "Here, we found evidence that a mother's childhood traumatic exposure--in this case separation from family members during war--may have long-lasting health consequences for her daughters."

From 1941 to 1945, roughly 49,000 Finish children were evacuated from their homes to protect them from bombings, malnutrition and other hazards during the country's wars with the Soviet Union. The children, many of them only preschoolers, were placed with foster families in Sweden. In addition to separation from their families, the children faced the stresses of adapting to their foster families, and in many cases, learning a new language. Upon their return, many children experienced the additional stress of readjusting to Finnish society.

During the same time, thousands of Finnish families chose not to evacuate all their children and often kept some at home, but little information exists on the rationale for their decisions. The researchers compared the risk of being hospitalized for a psychiatric (mental health) disorder among offspring of the evacuees to the risks of psychiatric hospitalization among the offspring of the siblings who remained with their parents. Studying the two groups--cousins to each other--allowed the researchers to compensate for family-based factors that can contribute to mental health problems and to focus instead on the evacuees' wartime experience.

In a previous study, the researchers found that women evacuated as children were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder than their female siblings who remained at home. For the current study, the researchers linked records from this generation--more than 46,000 siblings born between 1933 and 1944--to those of their offspring, more than 93,000 individuals born after 1950. Of these, nearly 3,000 were offspring of parents who had been evacuated to Sweden as children, and more than 90,000 were offspring of parents who remained in Finland during the war.

The researchers found that female evacuees and their daughters were at the greatest risk for being hospitalized for mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder. In fact, the evacuees' daughters had more than four times the risk of hospitalization for a mood disorder, compared to the daughters of mothers who stayed home--regardless of whether their mothers were hospitalized for a mood disorder.

The researchers did not find any increase in psychiatric hospitalizations for the sons or daughters of males who had been evacuated as children.

The study could not determine why the daughters of female evacuees had a higher risk of mental illness. One possibility is that the stresses of the evacuees' experience affected their psychological development in ways that influenced their parenting style. Another possibility is that the evacuee experience resulted in epigenetic changes. For example, the researchers cited an earlier finding that Holocaust survivors have higher levels of compounds known as methyl groups bound to the gene FKBP5 and have passed this change on to their children. This higher level of methyl groups appears to alter the production of cortisol, a hormone that regulates the stress response.

"The Finnish evacuation was intended to protect children from the many harms associated with the country's wars with the Soviet Union," said study co-author Torsten Santavirta, Ph.D., of Uppsala University. "Our observation of long-term psychiatric risk that reached into the next generation is concerning and underscores the need to weigh benefits as well as potential risks when designing policies for child protection."

The authors concluded that future studies are needed to understand how the experience of war affects the mental health of parents and their offspring and to develop interventions to help families affected by armed conflict.

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Reference

Santavirta, T, Santavirta, N, Gilman, SE, Association of the World War II Finnish Evacuation of Children with Psychiatric Hospitalization in the Next Generation. JAMA Psychiatry. Doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.3511

About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): NICHD conducts and supports research in the United States and throughout the world on fetal, infant and child development; maternal, child and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit NICHD's website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov
How does microbial degradation of plastics work in the ocean? Very little is known about this important process, while vast quantities of plastic litter enters the oceans and threaten marine life. The key factors controlling microbial degradation are largely unknown. NIOZ marine scientist Helge Niemann was awarded a grant of 2 million euro by the European Research Council (ERC) to find out how the process of microbial degradation works in the ocean.

The ever-increasing demand for plastics has led to continuous release of plastics to the sea. Plastics are synthetic, and thus rather new, 'unconventional' and persistent compounds in the marine realm, yet microbes may utilize plastics as carbon substrates. "In fact, we don't know how long plastics survive in the ocean and how much plastic is degraded by microbes", says Niemann.

Which microbes feed on plastic?

"There is a knowledge gap in understanding the fate of plastics in the oceans. I want to know how microbial degradation works in the water column and in the sediments. Which microbes can feed on plastic and which environmental conditions control this enigmatic process?"

To study this, Niemann will gather a team of young scientists at the NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. Within the 5 year-long VORTEX project, they will conduct a series of 'feeding' experiments using isotopically labelled plastics. These are plastics in which the regular carbon atoms are exchanged with a heavy carbon isotope. Microbes that are feeding on this plastic will take up and digest the heavy carbon. "The Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry Department at NIOZ has very sensitive machines to trace the heavy carbon into degradation products and diagnostic molecules such as lipid biomarkers and DNA. This will allow the VORTEX team to measure the rate of degradation and to identify the plastic-eating microbes", explains Niemann the cutting-edge stable isotope assays. "I hope this will lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of microbial plastic degradation in the ocean".

Extremely important environmental outlook

The jury called Niemann's proposal a 'highly ambitious project with very well thought experiments and an extremely important environmental outlook'. Niemann's preliminary results are already promising. It showed that plastics can be degraded with and without oxygen in marine sediments. With the ERC grant he will further investigate the potential for microbial plastic degradation under controlled laboratory conditions and in the field ranging from the arctic to tropical marine environments. Niemann just switched from a position in Switzerland to NIOZ. "The VORTEX project will also allow a swift start of my research group to conduct frontier research for a better understanding of how key environmental issues are effecting the ocean."

ERC funding important for fundamental science in the Netherlands

This week, the ERC announced the new Consolidator grants that go to 329 top researchers across Europe. The funding, part of the EU's Horizon 2020 programme, is worth in total 630 million and will give the researchers a chance to have far-reaching impact on science and beyond. Niemann and 24 other researchers at Dutch universities and research institutes have received one of these prestigious ERC Consolidator Grants. ERC funding has become more and more important for Dutch researchers as funding rates for fundamental science in the Netherlands have declined over the years.

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Contact:

Helge Niemann: Helge.Niemann@nioz.nl | 0222-369563

NIOZ Communicatie: Margaux.Tjoeng@nioz.nl | 0222-369369 - 06-10709696
Professor Nick Lemoine from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has been awarded the China Friendship Award - the country's highest award for 'foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress'.

Professor Nick Lemoine from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has been awarded the China Friendship Award - the country's highest award for 'foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress'.

The Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai presented the award, which was followed by an official meeting with Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.

Professor Lemoine, who is Director of Barts Cancer Institute at QMUL, was also elected as a Foreign Academician by the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Academician is the highest academic title in China, and elected members are considered to have made significant and creative achievements and contributions in the fields of engineering and technological sciences.

His election is in recognition of his work on engineering new therapies for cancer in the Sino-British Center for Molecular Oncology, established as a joint venture between QMUL and Zhengzhou University in 2006.

Professor Lemoine is only the fifth British scientist to have received this honour. Others on the list this year are Bill Gates, Dame Ann Dowling and Leo Rafael Reif (President of Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

On receiving the award, Professor Lemoine said: "For me to receive this National Friendship award is a great recognition of the research achievements by the teams in Queen Mary University of London and the Academy of Medical Sciences at Zhengzhou University. I am also very proud and honoured to have been elected as a Chinese Academician at the same time as Bill Gates, Dame Ann Dowling and Leo Rafael Reif."

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CHICAGO - The majority of patients were pain free after receiving a new image-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment for low back pain and sciatica, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Low back pain is an extremely common problem that affects at least 80 percent of the population at some point in their lifetime. It is the most common cause of job-related disability. Low back pain affects men and women equally.

Most back pain is short-term, but about 20 percent of people affected by acute low back pain go on to develop chronic low back pain lasting a year or more. A compressed and herniated disk, in which the rubbery cushion between vertebrae impinges on and irritates nearby nerves, is a major cause of low back pain that can radiate to the legs.

"The nerve root is a sensitive structure that when pinched becomes inflamed and causes pain," said lead investigator Alessandro Napoli M.D., Ph.D., an interventional radiologist at Sapienza University of Rome. "The body reacts with muscle constriction, which decreases the distance between vertebrae, and a vicious cycle is created."

The single-center prospective study included 80 patients experiencing at least three months of low back pain due to a herniated disk that had not responded to conservative treatments including exercise and medication.

The patients underwent a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure in which, with the help of CT imaging, a needle is guided to the location of the bulging disc and nerve root. A probe is then inserted through the needle tip and delivers pulsed radiofrequency energy to the area over a 10-minute period. Even without touching the disc, the pulsation serves to resolve the herniation.

"The probe delivers a gentle electrical energy, so there's no thermal damage," Dr. Napoli said. "The results have been extraordinary. Patients have been relieved of pain and resumed their normal activities within a day."

Of the 80 patients treated, 81 percent were pain free one year after a single 10-minute treatment session. Six patients required a second pulsed radiofrequency session. Ninety percent of the patients were able to avoid surgical treatment.

"Following this treatment, inflammation and pain go away. With relaxation of the muscles, the distance between the vertebrae returns," Dr. Napoli explained.

Dr. Napoli said no patients experienced side effects after receiving the minimally invasive outpatient treatment.

"There's a big gap between conservative treatments for disc compression and herniation and surgical repair, which can lead to infection, bleeding and a long recovery period," Dr. Napoli said. "Evolving technologies like this image-guided treatment may help a substantial number of patients avoid surgery."

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Co-authors are Roberto Scipione, M.D., Hans Peter Erasmus, M.D., Cristina Marrocchio, M.D., Susan Dababou, M.D., and Carlo Catalano, M.D.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2017 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press17 beginning Monday, Nov. 27.

RSNA is an association of over 54,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists, promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on interventional radiology procedures, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
The NHS sometimes struggles to manage basic communication systems that are often critical to the safety of patients. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Carl Macrae, of the University of Oxford, reports that many communication processes in the NHS are still commonly viewed as mundane administrative tasks, instead of safety-critical processes that are essential to safe care.

The systemic breakdown in NHS clinical correspondence handling, made public earlier this year, revealed that 709,000 items of clinical correspondence failed to be delivered between 2011 and 2016. Reviews suggest that as of 31 May 2017, around 1,788 patients may have suffered potential harm as a result.

A social psychologist focusing on organisational safety in healthcare and aviation, Dr Macrae describes the moment when he was told after a routine procedure 'We'll send that off to be tested. If you don't hear from us everything's fine.' He writes: "To someone who has been fortunate to research, work in and generally hang about safety-critical organisations for the past 15 years, this was immediately alarming.

"The assumption that no news is bad news - and that communication processes are fragile, prone to failure and need strong systems of internal checks and balances - have been essential features of safety-critical industries for decades. So why are these assumptions not yet systematically embedded in all areas of healthcare?"

Dr Macrae says that an immediate answer might simply be that healthcare systems are often under considerable financial pressure and are forced to make necessary and hard-nosed trade-offs between efficiency and safety. But, he writes: "Rather than making a conscious trade-off between safety and efficiency, it seems many of the risks associated with failures of communication are not widely appreciated in the first place. Assumptions that 'no news is good news' can hide the problem itself."

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When no news is bad news: communication failures and the hidden assumptions that threaten safety (DOI: 10.1177/0141076817738503) by Carl Macrae will be published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine at 00:05 hrs (UK time) on Wednesday 29 November 2017.

The link for the paper when published will be:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076817738503

For further information or a copy of the paper please contact:

Rosalind Dewar

Media Office, Royal Society of Medicine

DL: +44 (0) 1580 764713

M: +44 (0) 7785 182732

media@rsm.ac.uk

The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM) is a leading voice in the UK and internationally for medicine and healthcare. Published continuously since 1809, JRSM features scholarly comment and clinical research. JRSM is editorially independent from the Royal Society of Medicine, and its editor is Dr Kamran Abbasi.

JRSM is a journal of the Royal Society of Medicine and it is published by Sage Publishing.

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 1000 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A 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
New research shows that Republicans have more varied opinions about climate change than their political leaders suggest

The idea that all Republicans think climate change isn't happening is a myth. A new study published in Springer's journal Climatic Change finds substantial differences in the climate change views of both Republicans and Democrats across different states and congressional districts. The research is led by Matto Mildenberger of the University of California Santa Barbara together with colleagues at Yale University and Utah State University.

The research team combined information from state voter files with climate and energy opinions collected online between 2008 and 2016 by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason Center for Climate Change Communication. The data allowed them to estimate the geographic distribution of Republican and Democratic climate and energy opinions across the country.

The researchers found substantial differences between the climate stance of Republican elites and their party members. For example, many Republican members of Congress doubt whether climate change is happening, yet most Republican party members in different states do not actually doubt it. In particular, those Republicans living in New York, Delaware and Alaska were particularly likely to accept climate change is happening. But overall only a quarter of Republicans in most states believe climate change is both happening and human-caused.

The differences in climate opinions also translate into party members' policy preferences. There is, for instance, majority Republican support for Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies in 111 congressional districts currently held by Republican Members of Congress. Similarly, a majority of Republicans in every state but Wyoming support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant. And in particular, relative to the average national party member, Republicans in Southern Florida strongly support regulating carbon pollution.

"While subsets of the Republican voting public do not support climate policies and hold views consistent with party elite, Republican climate and energy opinions are more varied than might be presumed from political discourse," says Mildenberger. "Similarly, the results emphasize consistent support among Democrats for climate and energy policies, despite variation in belief intensity."

The research team says that the geography of partisan climate opinions in the US highlighted in the study should inform decision-makers, educators, and communicators working at sub-national scales. Co-author Peter Howe says that an understanding of how support for climate change and energy reforms differs at local scales is especially important given the current policymaking context. Despite the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement in mid-2017, state and local governments continue to act as critical sites of climate and energy policymaking in the US.

"Accelerating state and local policymaking highlights the need for public opinion and policy preference data at these subnational spatial scales," notes co-author Jennifer Marlon.

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Maps that visualize the Republican and Democratic distribution of climate beliefs have been made available by the authors at http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/partisan-maps-2016/

Reference: Mildenberger, M. et al (2017). The spatial distribution of Republican and Democratic climate opinions at state and local scales, Climatic Change, DOI 10.1007/s10584-017-2103-0
It is a bit like business partners: if one of the two parties changes strategy to keep the business going, the other has to adapt in turn. The leap from business ventures to the structure of proteins might seem a little bold. Yet, this concept of "balanced changes" is precisely the guiding principle of an important new study just appeared in PNAS, the journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.

The study represents a significant advancement in the fascinating and complex problem of how the sequence, structure and function of proteins are tied together.

The team of scientists, comprising researchers from SISSA and Philadelphia's Temple University, began their research from an established fact: within the three-dimensional structure of protein, certain amino acids interact so closely with each other that the mutation of one of them must be counteracted by compensatory mutations of the others to keep the protein functional.

As the scientists explain: "By analyzing the repertoire of mutations across thousands of members of a protein family, we identified the so-called 'sequence covariations', that is the specific positions that exhibit a high frequency of paired mutations. We know from previous studies that when a recurring 'co-mutation' is observed, the two mutated sites are usually close to each other or interact in some way. Our new study has shown that we can go even further: from these co-mutations it is possible to uncover the protein's macrostructure, its fundamental structural and functional units."

The approach, which was validated in well-known contexts, can now be used for more reliable protein structure predictions as well as to shed light on the functional implications of structural domains. These, in fact, usually underpin the capability of proteins to change conformation, e.g. in response to the binding of other molecules.

As the authors of the new research explain: "There are three main levels of analysis in the study of proteins: the first is the sequence of amino acids, the second is the three-dimensional structure that these filaments take on a very short time after they are synthesized, while the third regards their function. In recent years, research has been very much focused on the connection of the latter two aspects. With our new study, we have taken a step back towards the first level which, as we have shown, can provide us with much more information than expected about the other two aspects." They continue: "What emerges is that local changes in proteins can have structural repercussions at a much larger scale, even the entire molecule. The biological functionality of proteins in fact, is increasingly recognised to depend on their collective structural and dynamical properties. We can harness this principle to improve our predictions of protein structure and function." Thus by studying thousands of protein variants belonging to the same family and identifying the pairs of compensatory mutations, the scientists were able to infer which groups of amino acids were likely in the same structural domain, even if they were far away along the sequence.

This analysis hence provided extremely valuable information about the so-called macro-domains, i.e. the modular structural blocks constituting proteins. Yet how did the scientists prove that the method works? "Very simple," they explain. "By using this approach, we first tried identify the structural modules of well-studied proteins by using as input solely their sequence information and using statistical inference methods. We did not use at all their structure as input, so that we could use it a posteriori to compare it with our predictions. And the agreement was excellent. Now we have a valuable tool that, thanks to computer-based statistical analysis, can be used to broaden our predictive capabilities in a very wide range of applicative avenues, from biophysics to biomedicine."

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How serious is the loss of species globally? Are material cycles in an ecosystem with few species changed? In order to find this out, the "Jena Experiment" was established in 2002, one of the largest biodiversity experiments worldwide. Professor Wolfgang Weisser from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) reports on two unexpected findings of the long-term study: Biodiversity influences almost half the processes in the ecosystem, and intensive grassland management does not result in higher yields than high biodiversity.

An ecosystem provides humans with natural "services", such as the fertility of the soil, the quality of the groundwater, the production of food, and pollination by insects, which is essential for many fruits. Hence, intact ecosystems are crucial for the survival of all living things. What functional significance therefore does the extinction of species have? Can the global loss of species ultimately lead to the poorer "functioning" of ecosystems?

Professor Weisser from the Chair for Terrestrial Ecology at the TUM has summarized the findings of the long-term project "Jena Experiment", which is managed by the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, since its inception in a 70-page article in the journal Basic and Applied Ecology. He was the speaker of the interdisciplinary research consortium up till the year 2015.

"One unique aspect of the Jena Experiment is the fact that we performed our experiments and analyses over 15 years", explains Prof. Weisser. "Because the influence of biodiversity is only visible after a delay, we were only able to observe certain effects from 2006 or 2007 onwards -- i.e. four or five years after the beginning of the project." If a habitat is destroyed due to human intervention, a species usually does not go extinct immediately, but instead some time later. According to these findings, this extinction then has a delayed effect on the material cycles.

The effects of biodiversity became correspondingly more pronounced over time in the Jena Experiment: In species-rich communities, the positive effects, such as carbon storage in the ground, microbial respiration, or the development of soil fauna only became more pronounced over time. On the other hand, the negative effects of monoculture also only became visible later on. "This means that the negative effects of current species extinctions will only become fully perceptible in a few years", warns Weisser.

Farmers are not more successful than nature

80,000 measurements were taken by interdisciplinary working groups from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In more than 500 test plots, they planted varying numbers of plant species, from monocultures to mixtures of 60 species. In addition to plants, all other organisms occurring in the ecosystem were also examined -- in and above the ground. In addition, soil scientists also investigated the material cycles for carbon, nitrogen, and nitrate, as well as the water cycle over the entire 15-year period.

By doing so, researchers could prove how the diversity of species affected the capacity of the ground to absorb, store, or release water. "No other experiment to date has examined the nutrient cycle with such rigor", says Prof. Wolfgang W. Wilcke from the Institute of Geoecology at the KIT in Karlsruhe. In the Jena Experiment, it was demonstrated for the first time the extent to which e.g. the nitrogen cycle of a certain piece of land depended on a wide range of factors such as species diversity, microbiological organisms, the water cycle, and plant interaction.

Among other things, the findings led to the following conclusions:

High-diversity meadows had a higher productivity than low-diversity meadows over the entire period of the Jena Experiment. Increased cultivation intensity via additional fertilization and more frequent mowing achieved the same effect: When a farmer promotes certain species and fertilizes, he is on average not any more successful than mother nature.

The energy of the biomass (bioenergy content) from high-diversity meadows was significantly higher than that from low-diversity meadows, but at the same time similar to that of many of today's highly subsidized species, such as miscanthus.

Better ecosystem services through biodiversity

High-diversity areas achieved better carbon storage.

The number of insects and other species was significantly higher.

Reciprocal interactions between species such as pollination took place more frequently.

Higher-diversity meadows transported surface water into the soil better.

High-diversity ecosystems were more stable in the case of disruptions such as droughts or floods than low-diversity ecosystems.

Due to its breadth, the Jena Experiment proves for the very first time that a loss of biodiversity results in negative consequences for many individual components and processes in ecosystems. Hence, the loss of species worldwide not only means that a percentage of the evolutionary legacy of the earth is being irrecoverably lost, and that humans are not fulfilling their duty of care towards other creatures, but will have direct, unpleasant consequences for mankind. Among other things, the loss of species also has an effect on material cycles -- which in turn have a direct influence on water supply, the source of all life.

The new spokesperson for the Jena Experiment is Professor Nico Eisenhauer from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. The expert from the Leipzig University will continue the experiment in order to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the biodiversity effects in greater detail. The founding members of the Jena Experiment were the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where the scientific coordination is also based, and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena. It received substantial financial support from the German Research Foundation (DFG).

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The study first appeared online before review, prior to the final publication on 16th of October, 2017.

Publication:

Weisser WW., Roscher C., Meyer S., Ebeling A., Luo G., Allan E., Beler H., Barnard R., Buchmann N., Buscot F., Engels C., Fischer C., Fischer M., Gessler A., Gleixner G., Halle S., Hildebrandt A., Hillebrand H., Kroon Hd., Lange M., Leimer S., Roux XL., Milcu A., Mommer L., Niklaus P., Oelmann Y., Proulx R., Roy J., Scherber C., Scherer-Lorenzen M., Scheu S., Tscharntke T., Wachendorf M., Wagg C., Weigelt A., Wilcke W., Wirth C., Schulze E-D., Schmid B. and Eisenhauer N.: Biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning in a 15-year grassland experiment: patterns, mechanisms, and open questions, Basic and Applied Ecology 2017, Nr. 23: 1-73.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2017.06.002

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weisser

Technical University Munich

Chair for Terrestrial Ecology

0049-8161-71-3496

wolfgang.weisser@tum.de
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Yeti or Abominable Snowman -- a mysterious, ape-like creature said to inhabit the high mountains of Asia -- looms large in the mythology of Nepal and Tibet.

Sightings have been reported for centuries. Footprints have been spotted. Stories have been passed down from generation to generation.

Now, a new DNA study of purported Yeti samples from museums and private collections is providing insight into the origins of this Himalayan legend.

The research, which will be published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analyzed nine "Yeti" specimens, including bone, tooth, skin, hair and fecal samples collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Of those, one turned out to be from a dog. The other eight were from Asian bears -- one from an Asian black bear, one from a Himalayan brown bear, and the other six from Tibetan brown bears.

"Our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the Yeti legend can be found in local bears, and our study demonstrates that genetics should be able to unravel other, similar mysteries," says lead scientist Charlotte Lindqvist, PhD, an associate professor of biological sciences in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

Lindqvist's team is not the first to research "Yeti" DNA, but past projects ran simpler genetic analyses, which left important questions unresolved, she says.

"This study represents the most rigorous analysis to date of samples suspected to derive from anomalous or mythical 'hominid'-like creatures," Lindqvist and her co-authors write in their new paper. The team included Tianying Lan and Stephanie Gill from UB; Eva Bellemain from SPYGEN in France; Richard Bischof from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences; and Muhammad Ali Nawaz from Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan and the Snow Leopard Trust Pakistan program.

PHOTOS: Additional photos not available through EurekAlert! may be obtained by contacting Charlotte Hsu in UB Media Relations at chsu22@buffalo.edu.

The science behind folklore

Lindqvist says science can be a useful tool in exploring the roots of myths about large and mysterious creatures.

She notes that in Africa, the longstanding Western legend of an "African unicorn" was explained in the early 20th century by British researchers, who found and described the flesh-and-blood okapi, a giraffe relative that looks like a mix between that animal and a zebra and a horse.

And in Australia -- where people and oversized animals may have coexisted thousands of years ago -- some scholars have speculated that references to enormous animal-like creatures in Australia's Aboriginal "Dreamtime" mythology may have drawn from ancient encounters with real megafauna or their remains, known today from Australia's fossil record.

But while such connections remain uncertain, Lindqvist's work -- like the discovery of the okapi -- is direct: "Clearly, a big part of the Yeti legend has to do with bears," she says.

She and colleagues investigated samples such as a scrap of skin from the hand or paw of a "Yeti" -- part of a monastic relic -- and a fragment of femur bone from a decayed "Yeti" found in a cave on the Tibetan Plateau. The skin sample turned out to be from an Asian black bear, and the bone from a Tibetan brown bear.

The "Yeti" samples that Lindqvist examined were provided to her by British production company Icon Films, which featured her in the 2016 Animal Planet special "YETI OR NOT," which explored the origins of the fabled being.

Solving a scientific mystery, too: How enigmatic bears evolved

Besides tracing the origins of the Yeti legend, Lindqvist's work is uncovering information about the evolutionary history of Asian bears.

"Bears in this region are either vulnerable or critically endangered from a conservation perspective, but not much is known about their past history," she says. "The Himalayan brown bears, for example, are highly endangered. Clarifying population structure and genetic diversity can help in estimating population sizes and crafting management strategies."

The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears (including the purported Yetis), and compared this genetic data to that of other bears worldwide.

This analysis showed that while Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their North American and Eurasian kin, Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged early on from all other brown bears.

The split occurred about 650,000 years ago, during a period of glaciation, according to the scientists. The timing suggests that expanding glaciers and the region's mountainous geography may have caused the Himalayan bears to become separated from others, leading to a prolonged period of isolation and an independent evolutionary path.

"Further genetic research on these rare and elusive animals may help illuminate the environmental history of the region, as well as bear evolutionary history worldwide -- and additional 'Yeti' samples could contribute to this work," Lindqvist says.

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The fourth paragraph of this news release previously stated that eight of the Yeti samples were from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears. The language has been updated to clarify the number of purported Yeti DNA samples linked to each species.

About the University at Buffalo

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York. UB's nearly 30,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

For more information, visit http://www.buffalo.edu.

About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and its Interdisciplinary Graduate School. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London.

NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes -- the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering -- and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).

Ranked 11th in the world, NTU has also been ranked the world's top young university for the last four years running. The university's main campus has been named one of the Top 15 Most Beautiful in the World. NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapore's medical district. For more information, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg.
A new study from UBC's Okanagan campus has found that BMAA--a toxin linked to several neurodegenerative diseases--is present in high concentrations during cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Winnipeg.

"Cyanobacteria blooms have become increasingly common in Lake Winnipeg since the 1990s," says Susan Murch, associate professor of chemistry at UBC Okanagan and study lead author. "These bacteria have also been known to produce BMAA under the right conditions and we wanted to establish whether this could be happening in one of Canada's largest and most important freshwater lakes."

Murch says BMAA has been associated with everything from Alzheimer's to ALS and can have serious public health implications if it permeates food and water supplies.

"It's very difficult to detect BMAA directly in water samples using current methods," says Stephanie Bishop, graduate student in chemistry at UBC Okanagan and study co-author. "We decided to look for its presence in the cyanobacteria itself using samples collected from across the lake with the help of our partners from the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium."

Murch and Bishop analyzed samples collected in July and September of 2016 and found that BMAA was present in highest concentrations in the areas of the bloom that are impacted by pollution and farming.

"Agricultural and human activities along with factors like climate change are very likely behind the increased size and frequency of blooms," Murch adds. "We now know that with these blooms comes the very real risk of increased exposure to BMAA and the public health impacts that follow."

She warns that cyanobacterial blooms are not isolated to Lake Winnipeg and that she would expect to see similar results in other freshwater lakes.

"We're seeing a greater number of blooms in lakes in both the US and Canada. Especially in the Great Lakes region," she says. "It wouldn't surprise me to see BMAA in cyanobacteria from lakes that serve a huge number of people."

"We hope that an increased awareness of risks of BMAA along with a better understanding of the human impacts on algal blooms will help us better manage the potential consequences to public health."

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The study was published recently in Neurotoxicity Research with funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Canada Research Chairs program.
Attempts by managers to empower staff by delegating different work to them or asking for their opinions can be detrimental for employee productivity, research shows.

Giving employees more authority can have a negative impact on their day to day performance and perhaps give the impression that their boss is just seeking to avoid doing their own work, according to the study.

Managers have increasingly sought to empower workers because they had thought it allowed staff to develop their skills and would result in better job satisfaction. But promoting good relationships between bosses and staff can be a more effective way to make them more efficient, academics have found. However empowering some workers can help with be more creative

The style of empowering leadership, developed two decades ago, has become more popular in the past decade as the organisational structures of companies have become flatter. It involves giving employees authority to get on with their work without regular monitoring, asking for their opinions and letting them participate in decision making.

Research by the University of Exeter Business School, Alliance Manchester Business School and Curtin Business School shows empowering workers can be effective when used for employees who have to carry out creative tasks. Then it motivates them to work harder and to help others, and helps them be proactive. But if used for staff who only carry out routine, structured tasks, empowering them may be counterproductive. There is a danger that they interpret the style of leadership as just a way of their boss delegating more of their workload to others.

Academics examined information about 105 companies around the world, and looked at the performance of 8,500 individual people working in mixture of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, sales, and schools.

The study also found bosses and employees need to trust each other if empowering leadership is to be effective. Bosses need to show they trust their subordinates, and allow them to be creative. Workers need to show they can be trusted to work without being closely supervised.

Dr Allan Lee, from the University of Exeter Business School, who led the research, said: "Using an empowered style of leadership can be detrimental and create uncertainly and even chaos if used for workers who have non-creative tasks.

"Workers have got to feel that their boss supports them to take risks when empowering leadership is being used. But bosses are also vulnerable when they manage people in this way. People could take advantage of the trust put in them. Trust is a powerful factor in how effective empowering leadership can be.

"Being an empowering leader is not just about sitting back and letting people get on with their work. You have to be supportive and willing to listen, and ask for opinions. It must be done in a way which builds trust."

The research found workers in Eastern cultures had the same views about empowering leadership, and it had a similar impact on their work. It also found people new to their job respond better to empowering leadership and perform better than their more long-standing colleagues when managed in this way - perhaps because they are less cynical and more open to trying new things. Empowering leadership: a meta-analytic examination of incremental contribution, mediation, and moderation is published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

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In a new publication in the journal Nature, Indre Zliobaite and Mikael Fortelius from the University of Helsinki and Nils Christian Stenseth from the University of Oslo present a new interpretation of one of the classic theories of evolutionary theory, the Red Queen's Hypothesis, proposed by Leigh Van Valen in 1973.

Alice in Wonderland meets the Red Queen

A search for 'Red Queen' on Google Scholar gives over a million hits, reflecting the enormous influence this idea has had and continues to have in a wide sector of science. Its name refers to Lewis Carroll's book Alice Through the Looking Glass, where the Red Queen explains how her country differs from Alice's: "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

The half-life of species

Leigh Van Valen originally thought that species should age: the longer a species has been around, the more likely it should be to go extinct. He tried to test this hypothesis on fossil data and found to his surprise that they don't seem to do so - old and young species with similar ways of life (inhabiting the same adaptive zone) have about the same probability to go extinct at any point in time. This is roughly similar to the decay of radioactive nuclei and means that adaptive zones (or in practice the biological groupings that reflect them, such as families and orders) have characteristic half-lives, just as radioactive elements do.

Just over a decade ago, another pattern was discovered in the fossil record of land mammals by Finnish scientists Jukka Jernvall and Mikael Fortelius. This pattern, later described in many other groups as well, has become known as the Hat Pattern, a name drawn from its shape: species and genera typically begin as rare, expand to become more common and widespread, and then contract and go extinct. In most cases there is only a single peak; more than three peaks is quite rare. The Hat Pattern seems to suggest that species and genera past their peak become more likely to go extinct as they age and decline towards extinction, in apparent contradiction to the Law of Constant Extinction.

The road from the top and down - the Hat Pattern

In the new paper, Indre Zliobaite, Mikael Fortelius and Nils Chr. Stenseth propose a new interpretation of the Law of Constant Extinction that focusses on the expansion and peaking of species rather than on their extinction. Supporting their argument by data analysis and simulations, they show that the apparent contradiction is only an illusion and that the Hat Pattern is not only compatible with the Law of Constant Extinction, or perhaps better Law of Constant Peaking, but actually predicted by the Red Queen's Hypothesis.

Of all the scientists in the world, Stenseth and Fortelius are among those who really should have seen this earlier. Both were among the first to write about the 'hat' pattern, and Stenseth has worked on the Red Queen since the 1970s. Although Fortelius hasn't published on the Red Queen, he does have a history of hidden research on the closely related topic, the Law of Constant Extinction. He also participated in a round table meeting on this topic in 2008, convened by Stenseth and featuring Leigh Van Valen himself as a participant. And in the last few years they have again joined forces for a new attempt at this problem, when Fortelius has been a visiting professor at Stenseth's centre of excellence in Oslo.

But the fact is that they didn't. In the end it took the fresh perspective of an outsider to realise that the two theories were connected and actually parts of the same puzzle. Zliobaite, with a background in computer science and credit analysis, who knew that a cessation of growth may signal the impending failure of businesses.

Zliobaite was also the one who read with a fresh eye the now almost forgotten theoretical papers where Van Valen further developed his theory, emphasising the expansion of species as the most useful measure of their success. In this perspective, the final extinction emerges as simply the inevitable outcome of the species' failure to expand. Bringing this perspective into the discussion was the key to developing the new, integrated theory.

Quotes:

Zliobaite: "I had no idea that the Red Queen's hypothesis is such a big deal. I thought it is just another research question. Perhaps this allowed me to think about it anew without being burdened by its legacy."

Fortelius: "My job as Kristine Bonnevie Professor during the last three years in Oslo was very much related to the Red Queen. I've been telling people I'm actually there at Her Majesty's secret service."

Stenseth: "The Red Queen's Hypothesis has fascinated me from the very beginning since it, as an evolutionary hypothesis, explicitly brings in ecological interactions to explain large scale evolutionary patterns, such as rate of extinctions."

###

Indre Zliobaite, Mikael Fortelius and Nils Christian Stenseth: Reconciling taxon senescence with the Red Queen's Hypothesis. DOI 10.1038/nature24656 http://www.nature.com

Video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-s8Z7hsG-8

More information:

Assistant Professor Indre Zliobaite, Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki

Email: indre.zliobaite@helsinki.fi

Tel: +358 50 4488566

Professor Mikael Fortelius, Department of Geosciences and Geography

Email: Mikael.Fortelius@helsinki.fi

Tel: +358 29 4150837
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Prior research has established that society appears to accord less forgiveness to African-Americans when they arrive in bankruptcy court: Proceedings take longer, cost more and typically lead to lower levels of debt relief.

And according to new research co-written by an interdisciplinary team of University of Illinois experts in psychology and legal studies, practitioners inside the bankruptcy system have little knowledge of the racial disparities that exist, relying instead on common stereotypes about race, responsibility and debt.

The overrepresentation of blacks filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and the attendant lack of knowledge by consumer bankruptcy attorneys regarding the racial dimensions of the problem should be a major policy concern, said Robert M. Lawless, the Max L. Rowe Professor of Law and a co-author of the research.

"This paper first replicates an earlier study that we did in 2012 and includes a new study that focuses more on the perceptions of lawyers," said Lawless, also a co-director of the Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science at the U. of I. College of Law. "You would think people who work in a system, especially highly trained professionals, would be aware of what's happening in their field. It turns out they're not."

"Stereotypes can be quite powerful and can obscure huge patterns of how things actually are, especially if those patterns don't align with expectations," said co-author and U. of I. psychology graduate student Faith Shin. "Attorneys likely hold common stereotypes about which groups are responsible and trustworthy, and that guides their beliefs about which groups file Chapter 13."

To see how sensitive bankruptcy insiders were to racial disparities, the researchers sent surveys to a random national sample of consumer bankruptcy attorneys.

People filing for bankruptcy can file under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

"There are advantages to each, but generally, Chapter 7 is considered cheaper and much more financially beneficial for someone who wants a fresh start," Lawless said.

Previous research by Lawless, U. of I. psychology professor Dov Cohen and the late legal scholar Jean Braucher showed that African-Americans are twice as likely to file Chapter 13 compared with whites, an occurrence that could not be explained by many other factors outside of race. A second study showed that attorneys were also more likely to recommend Chapter 13 in a bankruptcy case when the hypothetical couple was named "Reggie and Latisha" as opposed to "Todd and Allison."

Although blacks in bankruptcy are twice as likely to file under Chapter 13 as whites, bankruptcy attorneys believed it was the other way around, thinking that it was whites who were twice as likely to file under Chapter 13, Lawless said.

"We found that about 60 percent of consumer bankruptcy attorneys believed that whites were twice as likely to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, when in reality it is actually blacks who are twice as likely to do so," he said.

According to Shin, what's most striking in the paper is not that various actors disagree on the cause of the difference.

"It's that they don't even see the difference," she said. "Their perceptions of racial disparity and the actual racial disparity were completely inverted. And the pattern that emerges is one that hews to the well-worn American stereotypes about which race will own up to their debts and which won't."

Another survey queried respondents who had little or no knowledge of the U.S. bankruptcy system but likely held common American stereotypes about which groups tended to be responsible or irresponsible - and their responses were slightly more accurate than the bankruptcy professionals, Lawless said.

The results have implications for general beliefs about how well insiders know their area of expertise, the researchers said.

"There are implications well beyond the legal system," said Cohen, a co-author of the paper. "For many matters, we have to rely on experts. But experts are sometimes influenced by stereotypes, just like everybody else. A lot of times people - even experts - just see what they expect to see. And part of the problem is that stereotypes are seductive. They can make people feel like they know what's going on, even if they don't."

The research also has implications for reform of the bankruptcy system in that it makes clear that good data - and good measurement of that data - is needed, Lawless said.

"In other papers, we have argued that the Department of Justice or the federal courts should keep track of the race and other demographic characteristics of bankruptcy filers," he said. "We believe this paper also illustrates this point that actual data on who files what, rather than general impressions or subjective judgments, are more likely to tell us what is happening on the ground, and whether improvements are being made toward a more equitable system."

But that's not to say that outsiders must always police a system, especially one as arcane and specialized as the bankruptcy system.

"Insiders may also be able to effectively monitor their own systems," Lawless said. "However, they will need hard data, rather than guesses based on preconceptions."

The paper was published in the American Bankruptcy Law Journal.

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Editor's notes: To contact Robert M. Lawless, call 217-244-6714; email rlawless@illinois.edu

The paper "Opposite of correct: Inverted insider perceptions of race and bankruptcy" is available online.
Based on the nanostructure of the sea urchin spines, the research team Physical Chemistry at the University of Konstanz develops cement that is significantly more fracture-resistant

The sea urchin spines are mostly made of calcite, usually a very brittle and fragile material. In the case of the sea urchin, however, the spines are much more durable than the raw material alone. The reason for its strength is the way that nature optimises materials using a brick wall-style architecture. The research team Physical Chemistry, headed by Professor Helmut Colfen, successfully synthesised cement at the nano-level according to this "brick and mortar principle". During this process, macro-molecules were identified that take on the function of mortar, affixing the crystalline blocks to each other on the nano-scale, with the blocks assembling themselves in an ordered manner. The aim is to make cement more durable. The study's results are published in the 1 December 2017 issue of Science Advances.

"Our cement, which is significantly more fracture-resistant than anything that has been developed thus far, provides us with completely new construction possibilities", Colfen adds. A pillar made of this cement could be built 8,000 metres high, or ten times as high as the current tallest building in the world, before the material at its base would be destroyed by its weight. Normal steel, which has a value of 250 megapascals, could only reach 3,000 metres in height.

In nanoscience, brick wall-style architecture can be compared to the work of a mason: each layer of brick that is laid is held in place by mortar. The guiding principle is to layer hard, then soft, hard, then soft materials. This is exactly the principle nature uses to make sea urchin spines so resilient. When force is applied to the brittle calcite, its crystalline block does crack, however, the energy is then transferred to a soft disordered layer. Since this material has no cleavage planes to tear, it prevents further cracking. A thin section of sea urchin spine reveals this structural principle: crystalline blocks in an orderly structure are surrounded by a softer amorphous area. In the sea urchin's case, this material is calcium carbonate.

Mussel shells or bones are constructed in much the same way. "Our goal is to learn from nature", says Helmut Colfen. The researcher has been honoured numerous times for his trailblazing results in the field of crystallisation, with, for example, the 2013 Academy Prize from the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Bionics or biomimetics is the term used for employing natural phenomena to inspire technical developments.

Cement itself has a disordered structure - each component sticks to all the others. This means: in order for cement to truly profit from the increased stability provided by brick and mortar construction, its structure will have to be reorganised at the nano-level. Helmut Colfen describes the process as "encoding fracture-resistance at the nano-level". In this case, it means identifying a material that bonds only with cement nanoparticles and nothing else in the cement. About ten negatively charged peptide combinations were identified that both adhere to and bond materials well.

In collaboration with the University of Stuttgart, the team was able to use an ion beam under an electron microscope to cut a bar-shaped micro-structure out of the nanostructured cement that was three micrometers in size. This micro-structure was then bent using a micro-manipulator. As soon as it was released, the micro-structure returned to its original position. Mechanical values could be calculated based on the elastic deformation of the micro-structure. Based on these calculations, the optimised cement achieved a value of 200 megapascals. By comparison: Mussel shells, which are the gold standard in fracture-resistance, reach a value of 210 megapascals, which is only slightly higher. The concrete commonly used today has a value of two to five megapascals.

See urchin spines and mussel shells are made of calcite, because large quantities of calcium are available in water. Helmut Colfen explains: "People have much better construction materials than calcite. If we succeed in designing the structures of materials and reproduce nature's blueprints, we will also be able to produce much more fracture-resistant materials - high-performance materials inspired by nature".

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Original publication:

Andreas Picker, Luc Nicoleau, Zaklina Burghard, Joachim Bill, Igor Zlotnikov, Christophe Labbez, Andre Nonat, Helmut Colfen: Mesocrystalline calcium silicate hydrate: A bioinspired route toward elastic concrete materials, 1 December 2017, Sci. Adv. 3, e1701216 (2017). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701216

Facts:

- The project was funded by BASF SE

- Collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research at the University of Stuttgart, the University of Stuttgart, the Max Planck Institute for of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, the Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon

- Nanostructured cement with fracture resistance of 200 megapascals

- Between 40 and 100 times more fracture-resistant than concrete

Note to editors:

You can download images and video footage here:

https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/pi/fileserver/2017/Bilder/Zement.jpg

http://uni.kn/shared/Movie-S1.mp4

http://uni.kn/shared/Movie-S2.mp4 Caption:

Bending experiment on elastic cement in a scanning electron microscope, enlarged 2,000 times Bar-shaped micro-structure precision-cut from nano-structured cement using an ion beam, bends under the pressure of a micro-manipulator without breaking (micro-manipulator left in the picture).

Attached photo: Dr Zhaklina Burkhard

https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/pi/fileserver/2017/Bilder/Seeigelstachel.png

Caption:

Sea urchin spines

https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/pi/fileserver/2017/Bilder/Mikromanipulator1.png

Caption:

Micro-manipulator bending a cement microbar

Contact

University of Konstanz

Communications and Marketing

Phone: + 49 7531 88-3603

E-Mail: kum@uni-konstanz.de
The first evidence for Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain has been discovered by archaeologists from the University of Leicester. The findings will be explored as part of the BBC Four's Digging For Britain on Wednesday 29 November.

Based on new evidence, the team suggests that the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place in 54BC at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, the north--east point of Kent.

This location matches Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC, with three clues about the topography of the landing site being consistent with him having landed in Pegwell Bay: its visibility from the sea, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby.

The project has involved surveys of hillforts that may have been attacked by Caesar, studies in museums of objects that may have been made or buried at the time of the invasions, such as coin hoards, and excavations in Kent.

The University of Leicester project, which is funded by the Leverhulme Trust, was prompted by the discovery of a large defensive ditch in archaeological excavations before a new road was built. The shape of the ditch at Ebbsfleet, a hamlet in Thanet, is very similar to some of the Roman defences at Alesia in France, where the decisive battle in the Gallic War took place in 52 BC.

The site, at Ebbsfleet, on the Isle of Thanet in north-east Kent overlooking Pegwell Bay, is now 900 m inland but at the time of Caesar's invasions it was closer to the coast. The ditch is 4-5 metres wide and 2 metres deep and is dated by pottery and radiocarbon dates to the 1st century BC.

The size, shape, date of the defences at Ebbsfleet and the presence of iron weapons including a Roman pilum (javelin) all suggest that the site at Ebbsfleet was once a Roman base of 1st century BC date.

The archaeological team suggest the site may be up to 20 hectares in size and it is thought that the main purpose of the fort was to protect the ships of Caesar's fleet that had been drawn up on to the nearby beach.

Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, Research Associate from the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History said: "The site at Ebbsfleet lies on a peninsular that projects from the south-eastern tip of the Isle of Thanet. Thanet has never been considered as a possible landing site before because it was separated from the mainland until the Middle Ages.

"However, it is not known how big the Channel that separated it from the mainland (the Wantsum Channel) was. The Wantsum Channel was clearly not a significant barrier to people of Thanet during the Iron Age and it certainly would not have been a major challenge to the engineering capabilities of the Roman army."

Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC is consistent with the landing site identified by the team.

Dr Fitzpatrick explained: "Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says that at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side. As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar can only be describing the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate which were being illuminated by the rising sun.

"Caesar describes how the ships were left at anchor at an even and open shore and how they were damaged by a great storm. This description is consistent with Pegwell Bay, which today is the largest bay on the east Kent coast and is open and flat. The bay is big enough for the whole Roman army to have landed in the single day that Caesar describes. The 800 ships, even if they landed in waves, would still have needed a landing front 1-2 km wide.

"Caesar also describes how the Britons had assembled to oppose the landing but, taken aback by the size of the fleet, they concealed themselves on the higher ground. This is consistent with the higher ground of the Isle of Thanet around Ramsgate.

"These three clues about the topography of the landing site; the presence of cliffs, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby, are consistent with the 54 BC landing having been in Pegwell Bay."

The last full study of Caesar's invasions was published over 100 years ago, in 1907.

It has long been believed that because Caesar returned to France the invasions were failures and that because the Romans did not leave a force of occupation the invasions had little or no lasting effects on the peoples of Briton. It has also been believed that because the campaigns were short they will have left few, if any, archaeological remains.

The team challenge this notion by suggesting that in Rome the invasions were seen as a great triumph. The fact that Caesar had crossed the sea and gone beyond the known world caused a sensation. At this time victory was achieved by defeating the enemy in battle, not by occupying their lands.

They also suggest that Caesar's impact in Briton had long-standing effects which were seen almost 100 years later during Claudius's invasion of Briton.

Professor Colin Haselgrove, the principal investigator for the project from the University of Leicester, explained: "It seems likely that the treaties set up by Caesar formed the basis for alliances between Rome and British royal families. This eventually resulted in the leading rulers of south-east England becoming client kings of Rome. Almost 100 years after Caesar, in AD 43 the emperor Claudius invaded Britain. The conquest of south-east England seems to have been rapid, probably because the kings in this region were already allied to Rome.

"This was the beginning of the permanent Roman occupation of Britain, which included Wales and some of Scotland, and lasted for almost 400 years, suggesting that Claudius later exploited Caesar's legacy."

The fieldwork for the project has been carried out by volunteers organised by the Community Archaeologist of Kent County Council who worked in partnership with the University of Leicester. The project was also supported by staff from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS).

Kent County Council cabinet member Matthew Balfour said: "The council is delighted to have been able to work in partnership with the University of Leicester to help build on the incredible findings made during our road development. The archaeology of Thanet is very special and we are particularly pleased that such important findings have been made with the involvement of volunteers from the Kent community. When we built the road we ensured that the community played a big part in the archaeological works and it is satisfying to see the legacy of our original work continuing."

Principal Archaeological Officer for Kent County Council Simon Mason, who oversaw the original road excavations carried out by Oxford Wessex Archaeology, said: "Many people do not realise just how rich the archaeology of the Isle of Thanet is. Being so close to the continent, Thanet was the gateway to new ideas, people, trade and invasion from earliest times. This has resulted in a vast and unique buried archaeological landscape with many important discoveries being regularly made. The peoples of Thanet were once witness to some of the earliest and most important events in the nation's history: the Claudian invasion to start the period of Roman rule, the arrival of St Augustine's mission to bring Christianity and the arrival of the Saxons celebrated through the tradition of Hengist and Horsa. It has been fantastic to be part of a project that is helping to bring another fantastic chapter, that of Caesar, to Thanet's story."

Andrew Mayfield said: "The project has been a fantastic opportunity for us to explore the extraordinary archaeology of Thanet alongside the University of Leicester team. Volunteers, both locally from Thanet and further afield in Kent, enthusiastically give up their time and the success of the dig is very much down to their hard work and commitment. We were also lucky to welcome students from both Canterbury Universities, a local branch of the Young Archaeologists Club as well as the local school. This was very much a team effort."

The findings will be explored further as part of the BBC Four's Digging For Britain. The East episode, in which the Ebbsfleet site appears, will be the second programme in the series, and will be broadcast on Wednesday 29 November 2017.

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Notes to editors:

For more information contact Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick on 07765 226750 or email af215@leicester.ac.uk

The Leverhulme Trust was established by the Will of William Hesketh Lever, the founder of Lever Brothers. Since 1925 the Trust has provided grants and scholarships for research and education. Today, it is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing approximately 80m a year. For more information about the Trust, please visit http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk

Images of the site and Roman weapon available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/03914in7cu2itzh/AAB-KKatMTvPnY7ZafW8Q3aXa?dl=0
Evidence for impact on other complications of pregnancy less clear

Mums-to-be living in war zones/areas of armed conflict are at heightened risk of giving birth to low birthweight babies.

However the evidence for any impact on the rate of other complications of pregnancy is less clear.

That's the findings of a review of the available evidence conducted by the University of Warwick and published in the online journal BMJ Global Health.

Lead author James Kearsley said: "People living in war zones are under constant threat of attack, which has a detrimental effect on their mental and physical health. Their food and water supplies are often disrupted, and healthcare provision restricted, all of which can take a toll on the health of expectant mothers."

To explore this further, the research team based at the University's Warwick Medical School looked for studies on the impact of war on pregnancy and found 13 relevant studies, dating back to 1990. These involved more than one million women from 12 countries that had experienced armed conflict, including Bosnia, Israel, Libya, and Iraq.

Analysis of the data showed that mums-to-be living in war zones/areas of armed conflict were at heightened risk of giving birth to underweight babies.

But there was less evidence suggesting any impact on rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and few studies looked at other outcomes, such as birth defects.

The researchers point to some caveats. All nine of the studies which looked at the potential impact of war on birthweight had some design flaws.

And five failed to account for potentially influential factors, or provided only limited data on exposure to conflict, although this may reflect the difficulties of collecting data in war-torn areas, suggest the researchers.

None of the studies defined the meaning of war or armed conflict, so making it hard to differentiate between the short and long term impact of various aspects of warfare, they add.

Nevertheless, the most convincing evidence suggests that rates of low birthweight rise among women living in war zones/areas of conflict, they conclude. And this matters, they say.

James Kearsley said: "The long term health implications of low birthweight are significant, because individuals are at increased risk of [ill health] and [death], and will require increased medical care throughout their lives."

In light of their findings, they call on healthcare professionals to monitor pregnant women living in war zones more carefully, although they acknowledge the difficulties of doing this in war zones.

However Mr Kearsley added: "This will only be possible if warring parties are committed to following the Geneva Convention, refrain from attacking healthcare facilities and workers, and are adequately resourced.

"Until this happens, women and their infants will be at continued risk of adverse outcomes in pregnancy. It is just as important for clinicians in countries not affected by armed conflict to carefully monitor pregnant women who have been displaced by war".

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For further details please get in touch with Nicola Jones, Media Relations Manager, University of Warwick 07920531221 or N.Jones.1@warwick.ac.uk

Notes for editors

Editorial: Adverse effects of exposure to armed conflict on pregnancy: a systematic review doi 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000377

Journal: BMJ Global Health

Embargoed link to full editorial http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmjgh/november/gh000377.pdf

Link once embargo lifts http://gh.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000377 About the journal

BMJ Global Health is one of more than 60 specialist journals published by BMJ. http://gh.bmj.com
The ocean's deepest fish doesn't look like it could survive in harsh conditions thousands of feet below the surface. Instead of giant teeth and a menacing frame, the fishes that roam in the deepest parts of the ocean are small, translucent, bereft of scales -- and highly adept at living where few other organisms can.

Meet the deepest fish in the ocean, a new species named the Mariana snailfish by an international team of researchers that discovered it. The Mariana snailfish (Pseudoliparis swirei) thrives at depths of up to about 8,000 meters (26,200 feet) along the Mariana Trench near Guam. The team published a paper describing the new species this week in the journal Zootaxa.

"This is the deepest fish that's been collected from the ocean floor, and we're very excited to have an official name," said lead author Mackenzie Gerringer, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories. "They don't look very robust or strong for living in such an extreme environment, but they are extremely successful."

Snailfish are found at many different depths in marine waters around the world, including off the coast of San Juan Island, where Gerringer is continuing research on the family of fish. In deep water, they cluster together in groups and feed on tiny crustaceans and shrimp using suction from their mouths to gulp prey. Little is known about how these fish can live under intense water pressure; the pressure at those depths is similar to an elephant standing on your thumb.

This new species appears to dominate parts of the Mariana Trench, the deepest stretch of ocean in the world that is located in the western Pacific Ocean. During research trips in 2014 and 2017, scientists collected 37 specimens of the new species from depths of about 6,900 meters (22,600 feet) to 8,000 meters (26,200 feet) along the trench. DNA analysis and 3-D scanning to analyze skeletal and tissue structures helped researchers determine they had found a new species.

Since then, a research team from Japan has recorded footage of the fish swimming at depths of 8,178 meters (26,830 feet), the deepest sighting so far.

"Snailfishes have adapted to go deeper than other fish and can live in the deep trenches. Here they are free of predators, and the funnel shape of the trench means there's much more food," said co-author Thomas Linley of Newcastle University. "There are lots of invertebrate prey and the snailfish are the top predator. They are active and look very well-fed."

A handful of researchers have explored the Mariana Trench, but few comprehensive surveys of the trench and its inhabitants have been completed because of its depth and location, Gerringer explained. These research trips, conducted while Gerringer completed her doctorate at University of Hawai'i at Manoa, involved dropping traps with cameras down to the bottom of the trench. It can take four hours for a trap to sink to the bottom.

After waiting an additional 12 to 24 hours, the researchers sent an acoustic signal to the trap, which then released weights and rose to the surface with the help of flotation. That allowed scientists to catch fish specimens and take video footage of life at the bottom of the ocean.

"There are a lot of surprises waiting," Gerringer said. "It's amazing to see what lives there. We think of it as a harsh environment because it's extreme for us, but there's a whole group of organisms that are very happy down there."

Footage from the 2014 research cruise on R/V Falkor will also run in the BBC's "Blue Planet II" series, which is now airing in the U.K. The research team also filmed another new species on this cruise, the ethereal snailfish, living at great depths in the Mariana Trench. The Mariana snailfish's location was its most distinguishing characteristic, but researchers also saw a number of differences in physiology and body structure that made it clear they had found a new species. With the help of a CT scanner at the UW's Friday Harbor Laboratories, the researchers could look in close digital detail to study elements of the fish.

The authors acknowledge the broad collaboration needed for deep-sea science, particularly in this discovery, and decided the new fish's scientific name should reflect that collaborative effort. The fish is named after a sailor, Herbert Swire, an officer on the HMS Challenger expedition in the late 1800s that first discovered the Mariana Trench.

###

Other co-authors are Alan Jamieson of Newcastle University, and Erica Goetze and Jeffrey Drazen of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland.

For more information, contact Gerringer at mgerring@hawaii.edu and Linley at thomas.linley@newcastle.ac.uk. Note that Linley is based in the U.K. and GMT time zone.
The largest ever genetic study of mosquitoes reveals the movement of insecticide resistance between different regions of Africa and finds several rapidly evolving insecticide resistance genes. Reported today (29 November) in Nature, this genetic resource will be used to develop new tools for monitoring resistance and managing insecticide use, and for designing novel control methods.

Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes and rising resistance to insecticides is hampering efforts to control the disease. The study by researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators also discovered that wild mosquitoes collected in Africa were genetically far more diverse than had been thought. This helps to explain how mosquitoes evolve insecticide resistance so quickly.

More than 200 million people are infected with the malaria parasite worldwide each year, which is transmitted by blood-sucking Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria caused the deaths of around 429,000 people in 2015* with the majority of cases in sub-Saharan Africa.

Public health measures in Africa such as insecticide-treated bed nets and insecticide-spraying have helped reduce the numbers of malaria cases since 2000, but many mosquitoes have evolved resistance to insecticides. This is now threatening to derail malaria control in Africa.

To understand how mosquitoes are evolving, researchers working with the Anopheles gambiae 1000 genomes project sequenced the DNA of 765 wild Anopheles mosquitoes. These were taken from 15 locations across eight African countries, creating the largest data resource on natural genetic variation for any species of insect. They then examined each of the mosquito genomes.

The researchers revealed that the Anopheles gambie mosquitoes are extremely genetically diverse compared with most other animal species. High genetic diversity enables rapid evolution and the study found 52 million small differences amongst the mosquito genomes.

Dr Mara Lawniczak, a corresponding author on the paper and Faculty at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "The diversity of mosquito genomes was far greater than we expected. Such high levels of genetic variation poise mosquito populations to rapidly evolve in response to our efforts to control them whether that be with insecticides or any other control measure, including gene drive."

New strategies to control mosquitoes are being developed that use 'gene drive'- using the latest Crispr/Cas 9 genetic tools to make mosquitoes infertile or unable to carry the malaria parasite. However, this technology requires an exact match with any targeted gene. The researchers found that gene drive is unlikely to work for most mosquito genes because they are too variable in nature, however they also used the data to highlight less variable targets that are potentially more suitable for gene drive based methods to control mosquitoes.

The mosquito genomes also revealed rapid evolution of several genes that had previously been implicated in insecticide resistance. Unexpectedly, the researchers discovered many previously-unknown genetic variants within those genes that could be causing insecticide resistance. Worryingly, they showed that these genetic variants for insecticide resistance were not only emerging independently in different parts of Africa, but were also being spread across the continent by mosquito migration.

Professor Martin Donnelly, a corresponding author from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Honorary Faculty at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "We know that mosquito populations are rapidly evolving resistance to insecticides, which is a serious threat to the future of malaria control in Africa. We have been able to see that a diverse array of genes linked to insecticide resistance are under very strong selection, confirming that they are playing an important role in the evolution of insecticide resistance in natural mosquito populations. Our study highlights the severe challenges facing public efforts to control mosquitoes and to manage and limit insecticide resistance."

Alistair Miles, lead author from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "The data we have generated are a unique resource for studying how mosquito populations are responding to our current control efforts, and for designing better technologies and strategies for mosquito control in the future. More data will be needed to fill in the geographical gaps and study how mosquito populations change over time and in response to specific control interventions. However, this study demonstrates a clear path towards building a new and much-needed source of intelligence to support the campaign to eradicate malaria in Africa."

###

Contact

Dr Samantha Wynne,

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK

Tel +44 (0)1223 492368

Email press.office@sanger.ac.uk

Notes to editors

*WHO stats on malaria http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/malaria/en/

For more information about malaria please see http://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-malaria

Funding:

This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council UK, the Department for International Development, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health through the Vector-Based Control of Transmission: Discovery Research (VCTR) program of the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Participating Centres:

Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.

MRC Centre for Genomics and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK.

Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Sanita Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Universita di Roma SAPIENZA, Rome, Italy.

Department of Vector Biology,Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK.

University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA.

Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, 604 Alison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.

Genome Sequencing and Analysis Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, Maryland 02142, USA.

Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.

Laboratory of Ecology, Genetics and Environmental Protection, Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050, Russia.

Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.

Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.

Unite d'Ecologie des Systemes Vectoriels, Centre International de Recherches Medicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon.

Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), UMR MIVEGEC (UM1, UM2, CNRS 5290, IRD 224), Montpellier, France.

Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK.

Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.

Department of Biology and School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.

KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Bofa Road, Kilifi, Kenya. 18Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA.

Unit for Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.

Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA.

Programa Nacional de Controle da Malaria, Direccao Nacional de Saude Publica, Ministerio da Saude, Luanda, Angola.

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante (IRSS), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme, Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endemies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC),Yaounde, Cameroon.

Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC), University of Bamako, Mali.

Instituto Nacional de Saude Publica, Ministerio da Saude Publica, Bissau, Guine-Bissau.

Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, 2C Nakasero Hill Road, PO Box 7475, Kampala, Uganda.

The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.

Selected Websites:

About the Ag1000G project

The Anopheles gambiae 1000 genomes project (Ag1000G) was established in 2014 to sequence the genomes of mosquitoes collected from natural populations across Africa. Led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the Ag1000G project is supported by an international consortium of 20 research institutions.

The primary goal of the Ag1000G project is to generate data on natural genetic variation within and between mosquito populations in different parts of Africa. Data on genetic variation are a fundamental tool for many fields of biological research, including basic research in fundamental areas such as evolution and ecology, and applied research into new tools for mosquito control. http://www.malariagen.net/ag1000g

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM)

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) is the world's oldest centre of excellence in tropical medicine and international public health. It has been engaged in the fight against infectious, debilitating and disabling diseases since 1898 and continues to break the cycle of poor health and poverty with a research portfolio in excess of well over 210 million and a teaching programme attracting students from over 65 countries. For further information please visit http://www.lstmed.ac.uk

Big Data Institute, University of Oxford

The Big Data Institute is located in the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Informatics and Discovery at the University of Oxford. It is an interdisciplinary research centre that focuses on the analysis of large, complex data sets for research into the causes, consequences, prevention and treatment of disease. Research is conducted in areas such as genomics, population health, infectious disease surveillance and the development of new analytic methods. The Big Data Institute is supported by funding from the Medical Research Council, the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, the National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and philanthropic donations from the Li Ka Shing and Robertson Foundations. Further details are available at http://www.bdi.ox.ac.uk

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease. To celebrate its 25th year in 2018, the Institute is sequencing 25 new genomes of species in the UK. Find out more at http://www.sanger.ac.uk or follow @sangerinstitute

Wellcome

Wellcome exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. We're a global charitable foundation, both politically and financially independent. We support scientists and researchers, take on big problems, fuel imaginations and spark debate. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk
Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Petra Orloff, a professional writer for more than 25 years, turned her professional skills toward obituary and eulogy writing after her father died in 2004. This year, she founded Beloved, providing the services of professional writers to create custom obituaries and eulogies that become keepsakes treasured by the family over time.

Beloved was a first-time exhibitor at the 2017 National Funeral Directors Association convention and expo in Boston.

After experiencing the moving reactions to the obituary and eulogy she wrote for her father, Orloff saw the benefit of providing memorial writing services. People really enjoyed reading a beautiful story about a beloved family member who just passed away. They tend to hold onto it as a memento, she explained.

This can be something special for many more people, Orloff added. Often we find that obituaries are just for celebrities and public figures. These are for everybody, and they get the same treatment.

These personalized life stories can run hundreds, even thousands of words. They are often posted on funeral home websites, may be passed around by the family on social media, printed as keepsakes or incorporated into the funeral program.

The Beloved approach to obituary writing is different for each person. Two keys to a personalized obituary is to focus on a passion in a persons life and get quotes from family members. The turnaround from request to finished obituary is less than 48 hours. Both funeral homes and individual families can access Beloveds services. Learn more in the video below and at www.Beloved-Press.com.

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A 1,200-strong signature letter from the veterinary industry has urged the government to enshrine the notion that animals are sentient into British law.

The 1,194 individual veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students said there was no question that animals were sentient, in other words that they can feel emotions such as pain, hunger and fear.

The letter calls for the principle of Article 13 to be explicitly enshrined in UK legislation post-Brexit, which has been led by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).

It urges the UK government to ensure there is a duty on the state to have due regard for animal welfare in the development and implementation of policy, as Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty sets out.

Under the UKs Animal Welfare Acts, accountability for the treatment of an animal focuses on the animal keeper, but not on the state.

The coordinated letter from the veterinary professions follows widespread media attention after a House of Commons debate, wherein MPs voted down an amendment to include the principles set out in Article 13, which also states animals are sentient, in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

Since Article 13 has its origins in a treaty rather than a regulation, it did not qualify to automatically transfer into UK law as part of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

The widespread media attention triggered Defra Secretary Michael Gove to confirm that the UK government will continue to recognise animal sentience after the UK leaves the EU. He said the UK will become a world leader in the care and protection of animals.

'Lost in the noise'

The signatories of the letter span all areas of veterinary work including small and large animal practice, research, government and academia as well as including former UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officers, Officers of BVA specialist divisions and the Chief Veterinary Officer of SSPCA, amongst others.

BVA Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: The public and professional response to the Article 13 vote was astonishing, but there was much misunderstanding borne from sensationalist headlines that suggested the MPs who voted the amendment down do not believe in animal sentience. The real crux of the debate got lost in this noise.

BVA supports the principle of Article 13, since it not only recognises that animals are sentient, but importantly puts a duty on the state to have due regard for animal welfare in the development and implementation of policy.

We exist to represent the views of our members, enabling one strong evidence-based voice that will be heard at national level, in government and the media  and thats exactly what this letter does, reaching more than 1.2 million people.

The BVA said it will continue to press the government to explain how and when the principle laid down in Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty will be enshrined in UK law.
A five-year study has concluded that barley is the chief ingredient responsible for making a good pint of beer tasty.

Its been the obsession of brewers big and small for centuries in looking for what makes a perfectly flavoured pint.

For some its the hops, others say its the water, or yeast. But the science of beer has just added a flavour to the mash - barley.

The discovery follows a five-year study involving researchers at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, alongside colleagues in the USA.

Until now it was a widely-held brewing trade opinion that it was the malting process not the barley that contributed to the flavour and aroma of beer.

Additional flavour enhancements were provided the choice of hops, water and yeast. Or sometimes fruit, coffee, and spices.

Varieties of barley were chiefly selected for their suitability for the malting process and the efficiency with how barley is turned into sugary malt.

But many brewers insisted that certain barley varieties did contribute to flavour above and beyond the malting process. In addition to genetics, they believed, environment and location - what the wine industry calls terroir - also played a part.

'Flavour profiles'

And it turns out they are right, according to Dr Matthew Moscou, one of the authors of the study from The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich.

The malting process directly impacts the wider profiles of flavour - how you get a pale ale, lager, or a porter - but what this study shows is that subtle flavour profile of the barley variety selected carries through that process, he said.

This provides the motivation to look into our seed base and start looking at those cultivars that were grown in the past and asking what kind of flavour profiles we can bring into modern breeding.

The research project, which appears in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, set out to test the theory that barley cultivar and the place it is grown can affect beer flavour.

First, researchers selected two barley cultivars Full Pint and Golden Promise, which have entirely different flavour profiles when used to brew beer.

The cultivars were crossed and modern breeding techniques used to create a population of 200 lines of barley to observe useful field traits.

'Terroir'

To test the hypothesis that terroir applied to barley flavour, they grew populations across three sites in Oregon, USA.

The barley was harvested micro-malted and micro-brewed using a customised scientific approach that ensured consistency between batches.

Around 150 beers were prepared for sensory testing using a trained panel  people with sensitive palates employed by the brewing industry who know how to differentiate between a flavour wheel of 10 descriptors.

The descriptors were: cereal, colour, floral, fruit, grass, honey, malt, sweet, toasted and toffee.

These qualitative tests on the beers and control beers were used to understand how genes, location, and the malting process influenced flavour.

Genetic effect

DNA analysis showed genes in varieties associated with flavour and genes associated with malting suitability were in separate parts of the barley genome. The study found that the genetic effect was larger than the environment.

Major targets in barley breeding is yield and malting quality, said Dr Moscou. But this study has shown that the flavour profile has little to do with the malting characteristics. Thats important because it says you can breed barley for malting...but you wont necessarily be breeding for flavour.

The study findings concluded that: Barley varieties make different contributions to beer flavour, growing environment can have an effect, variety flavour contributions have a genetic basis and variety contributions to beer flavour develop during malting.
A 61-year-old farmer was found to be in the possession of 11 sheep carcasses used to prepare an illegal meat called smokies, a court heard.

Carmelo Gale, from Llandysul, has a string of meat offences behind him. He has previously been given a suspended prison sentence for taking part in the production of illegal smokies meat.

In 2016, Mr Gale pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court to offences under the Food Safety Act. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.

His previous convictions hasn't stopped Mr Gale from producing the illegal meat. He faced court again in Swansea (28 November), and pleaded guilty to six meat offences. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

The consignment of meat was examined and deemed to be unfit as none of it had a heralth mark, the skin was still attached to the carcases and they had a smoked appearance and odour. They were being transported in insanitary conditions.

The food was deemed unfit for human consumption and destroyed by court order.

Smokies are a West African delicacy. In the UK, they are often made from illegally butchered sheep where the skin of the animal is left on and blow-torched, and the spine is not removed, in contravention of UK and EU law.

Ieuan Rees, representing Mr Gale, said his client believed the "craft" of making smokies should be legalised.

Prosecutor Jonathan Austin said the meat was "not clean or in a hygienic state".
Farmers are being urged to take to social media on 1 December to share messages of why buying local is important during the festive period.

To raise the profile of locally produced turkey, and encourage consumers to support their local farmers, the NFU are hosting a dedicated turkey social media day on Friday 1 December. #BuyMyTurkey is the official hashtag.

The public, and farmers, are being urged to post pictures of themselves, of their farm and turkeys, and to tell the public why buying British, and local, is a must during the Christmas period.

Buying a turkey directly from the farm where it has been produced allows consumers to buy a fresh whole bird and not just a crown. It also supports British farmers high animal welfare standards.

It support local farmers and the local economy. Consumers will also better understand where their food comes from.

The NFU said its a great way to back British farming this Christmas. The farming union said that when shopping, consumers should look carefully at the country of origin labelling, and keep an eye out for the Red Tractor logo.

The Union Jack flag helps ensure consumers that they are purchasing fully-traceable food produced on British farms.

Minette Batters, NFU Deputy President, said: When shopping in retail stores we are encouraging consumers to get behind our campaign to support British farming.

One of the easiest ways this can be achieved is in buying produce displaying the Red Tractor logo, which also provides a guarantee of traceability, environmental protection, food safety and hygiene and welfare standards.

The festive season is a time when British produce such as roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and traditional turkey are treasured. And while Christmas dinner is the cornerstone of Christmas Day, British agriculture has a far wider part to play this time of year with the provision of British trees, plants and beers, to name but a few.
As Britain faces sub-zero temperatures this week, a rural insurer is advising farmers and rural businesses to check their pipes to avoid them bursting due to the freezing conditions.

The Met Office predicts freezing conditions across much of the UK throughout the rest of the week, and the insurer is advising farmers and rural businesses to take steps to protect their plumbing and avoid the misery of burst pipes.

Statistics from NFU Mutual show that in 2016 claims for mopping up damage caused by burst pipes averaged a massive 5,000.

Water damage from pipe bursts can result in a huge amount of damage to homes and ruin peoples belongings, leading to huge heartache and misery.

Jon Cawley, Head of Claims at NFU Mutual said: However, there are simple steps homeowners can take to protect their properties before a cold snap, which can dramatically reduce the chances of pipes freezing.

If the worst happens, and you discover an escape of water in your property, its important you act quickly but calmly. First, turn off your water at the stop cock and drain the water system by opening all the taps. If escaping water is near any electrical equipment, turn off the electricity too.

Pipes tend to burst at the end of a cold spell when frozen water trapped in pipes expand as the ice melts  so check your home for leaks and drips when temperatures rise above zero.

If damage is serious, then call your insurer to seek advice about professional help with drying out the property and getting repairs underway.

Five-step burst pipe guide

1. Locate your stop cock

This will normally be located below your kitchen sink, or wherever the water supply enters your home. Make sure you can access it and close it easily.

2. Drain your system

If youre planning on leaving your property unoccupied during the winter months, turn off the stop cock and drain the plumbing of both hot and cold water systems.

3. Get those pipes lagged

Well-insulated loft spaces get very cold in winter and so its important you give your water pipes extra lagging to help prevent them freezing and bursting.

4. Keep the heat flowing

Keeping the thermostat at a normal setting overnight or while your home is unoccupied will help to keep the building temperature above freezing.

5. Check your plumbing

Checking your pipes for signs of freezing or bursts such as leaking or dripping joints, will help you to react to a possible problem or nip it in the bud. Asking tenants to do the same will help to protect rental properties too.
An 18-year-old farm worker has been fined 50 after driving his tractor around a city centre "looking for women".

Anthony Breslin, a farm worker from Gortnaskea, Burnfoot, took his tractor to Londonderry city centre and sought out women on August 16.

Mr Breslin admitted one charge of driving a tractor without displaying his learner driver plate.

Breslin's solicitor said: "We all know tractors are all about pulling power, but this is taking it to the extreme."

Mr Breslin's father had sent the farm worker out "looking for cattle", which he did do but then "took the head staggers" and arrived in Londonderry on the tractor looking for women.

Barney McElholm, the district judge, described Mr Breslin as a "Don Juan". "I was going to say Derry Juan but that is not quite correct," he added.


Fawad Khan is held responsible for sweeping an entire generation off their feet with his intense acting, unmatched persona and never-ending charm. Back in 2014, most of us had already fallen in love with his shows like Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar, then the nation loved him as a snooty and suave prince in Khoobsurat. The Pakistani actor bowled us over in Kapoor and Sons and a cameo in Ae Dil Hai Muskhil. Apart from being a standout amongst the most good-looking men in Bollywood, Fawad has set a benchmark in the fashion field too. He has never given us a chance to flinch at his impeccable statements. Right from the perfect conglomerate of a maroon blazer paired with black pants to the well-defined grey checked suit, the Pakistani heartthrob has won our hearts with some of the best red carpets looks. On his 36th birthday, we bring to you his best red carpet looks.


'Tahir Is One Of The Most Intelligent Actors I Have Worked With'

Q. In one of our interviews, Danish (the director) mentioned that he had auditioned a lot of actresses for your role. But the moment he saw you with Tahir Raj Bhasin in the test audition, he knew he had found his Radha. How would you take that compliment?

A. That's a huge compliment considering he has never told me this, I am going ask him. (laughs) It's an amazing feeling to work with somebody who is that clear with the fact that they want you on board. That's the kind of stuff you want to hear as an actor, right? You want to walk into the audition and know that you have nailed it.

Q. How was it working with Tahir on this show?

A. Honestly, Tahir is a brat and a clown. But, he is also one of the most intelligent actors I have worked with. He's very focused and analytical. It's really funny because sometimes he would go with suggestions to Danish and Danish would be like 'yaa, we can do it like that as long as it's my way.' It's nice to have such a giving co-star. He's also equally present when the camera's turned around for his OTS and the camera is on me.

Q. Danish has a knack for love stories. But at the same time, he chooses to stay away from typical cliched romance. Was that one of the reasons why you come on-board?

A. When I got the call for an audition, I had just read a bit of the script. But when I read the scenes for the audition, I was already hooked. It was a comical take on a real, relatable story of an urban couple. For me, that was the deciding point to take up the project.

'Even With My Career To An Extent, I Haven't Planned Much'

Q. How much did you relate to your character Radha in real life?

A. In real life, I am a mix of both. I have things in my life which I plan to the T and there are things in my life which I just free flow with. Even with my career to an extent, I haven't planned much. I have been very open to the possibilities which the universe brings to me. But, my character Radha is extremely planned. I am not that kind of a person. So in that sense, it was a bit tough. But I think what was easy was her irritation with the fact that this man whom she's married to and known forever, wants to leave her at a crucial time in their relationship. That's something a lot of women have been through. That was easy to relate to.

Q. If you had to imbibe a trait of Radha in your life, what would that be?

A. It would be her indisputable clarity. But to a point. What I like about her is that she is very firm and clear and for the most part of it, quite calm.

'An Actor's Life Is Very Unpredictable, You Don't Know When You Will Receive Your Next Paycheck'

Q. In real life, how you ever faced a situation where you had to hit the pause and reanalyze your choices?

A. Yes, many times (pauses). Without quoting a specific occasion, I would say that this happens to everybody. An actor's life is very unpredictable. You don't know when you will receive your next paycheck...You don't know when your next job will come.

So very often, you would have heard of a project, you would have auditioned for it and are 99.9 percent sure that you have got the job. Your tickets have been booked for your international travel and at the very last minute, the producers drop out. Something unfortunate happens to somebody and then you are back to square one again. And that's very relatable and understandable to most actors because of the general unpredictability of the profession. Yes, I had to do that many number of times. I had to pick up my phone and call up my manager and say, 'What do we do now?' We need a backup plan.'

The good thing about that is it keeps you on your toes and teaches you how to adapt to situations. In personal life, there are many times when you are facing a situation...let's say you are in a relationship with somebody and you have planned a trajectory and then a year down the line, you realize that it's not going that way at all and you sort of hit the pause. In my experience though, it's very rare that people come back from what you call a 'break'. It's difficult because you have to really love that person and what you have with them to come back from something like that.

'I Would Tend To Think Of Better Reasons Than For The Sake Of Getting Married'

Q. Time Out revolves around the complexities of an urban couple. In today's time it's considered very easy to get in and out of a relationship especially in the time of Tinder and other dating apps. Few also think of marriage as a crumbling edifice. What do you believe is the reason for this change?

A. I think accessibility to people has become so much easier, individuality has gained importance, self-expression has become important; thanks to social media. You can be an individual and express yourself as much as you want to and yet have a connection with thousands of people and feel wanted and feel that love and appreciation alone without actually needing a partner. (pauses)

I think the institution of marriage is also fading to a very large extent. Because what it used to represent is not what it represents any more. Especially in urban cities, people are taking much longer to grow and became their own person which is very emphasized these days.

A lot of people don't want to have kids any more. So, the reason why my and your parents got married- to procreate and take the family name forward, bring together finances...all those reasons don't exist. Women are standing on their own two feet, making their own money and living on their own. The role of what a man used to be is not the same either. The dynamics of society at large is sort of changing. It's natural and necessary that something as important as an institution of marriage also changes with it.

Today, it's so much easier to have many partners at a time. It was probably which was done before as well but was very much under wraps. Now, it's sort of very much out there. The lines of sexuality are being blurred completely. There is not one sole reason why the institution of marriage is failing. I don't want to think of it as failing but, I would think of it more as changing and adapting to the times.

People are getting married when they are a lot older these days. I would tend to think of better reasons than for the sake of getting married. Divorces are at an all time high. We are moving more to a place where people are getting married and settling down because of the want to genuinely share life with the other person than for anything else.

'I Have Been Body-Shamed Which Really Got To Me'

Q. You have always been vocal when it comes to expressing your opinions. While social media is a boon, there's also an ugly side to it. In recent times, lot of actresses had to face slut-shaming whether it comes to sharing bikini pictures or photo-shoots. How do you react to all this negativity? Do these trolls affect you?

A. I am very fortunate that my attitude towards these kind of behavior is quite tolerant and mostly, I don't care. Also, I don't face that much trolling yet but I don't know if that would ever change.

Recently, I put up a picture of me in a bikini on a beach. A guy came up with a terrible comment because he combined a religious insult with calling me a 'slut' at the same time. It was horrible. But, I feel bad for them more than for myself. So, I either laugh or just delete the comment. I will respond as well.

I have been body-shamed. That really got to me. Calling someone a 'slut' or whatever, you can't alter such people's perception. I feel bad for them because they are such narrow-minded. Most of the times, it makes me wonder that if they are so offended, why are they even looking at my picture to begin with. I know these guys are watching porn. So really, stop it! Honestly, you ain't fooling anybody.

It's a mix of two things. One, it doesn't bother me that much and two, I don't face that much of it. I hope I never do because it's not nice for anybody. What needs to stop is that people think it's okay to talk to other human beings like that. Most of the times, these trollers are sad, lonely and lack confidence.

Q. When it comes to films, you have been quite choosy about taking about projects. Is that a conscious move?

A. It's a bit of both. A lot of things need to fit into the place before you say yes to a project. Secondly, you need to like the script, the director or the franchise if you are taking up something like that. The choices which I have made have very much to do with where I am in life at that particular point of time and what I want to express creatively.

'Any Man In Hollywood Today Will Think A Million Times Before He Even Lays A Finger'

Q. From modelling to a successful VJ to becoming an actor, you have had your own set of struggles. Recently, in Hollywood a lot of celebrities spoke out against film producer Harvey Weinstein in the wake of his sexual misconduct scandal. In Bollywood too, a lot of actors have opened up about facing casting couch but rarely do we see them pinpointing names unlike their Hollywood counterparts. What do you think so could be the reason?

A. It's because women won't support each other enough. It's like if I point names at somebody today, I could be sitting right next to someone who has done the same thing to her and she won't say anything because she's afraid that she might not get another role. That's the sad reality of the industry.

In Hollywood, they backed each other up and there is always strength in numbers. It did take one bold person to say something once and then the number of people who backed that case up gave strength to all those other women to say something about it. It's like with anything in life and not just applicable to this. We have always been living in an age where abuse against women is high. But we also live in times where people talk about it more and more and I am happy to be a part of this age.

Because no matter what anybody says, any man in Hollywood today will think a million times before he even lays a finger. And yes, there might be some women who must have got on board just for the name. But, it has changed something for ever. That's not going to happen here for some reason. I could be wrong but I don't feel everybody has the courage to put their foot down and say something about it. It's hard for me. Even, I will think twice before saying something.

Everybody has been victim to this at some point of life and not just in my line of work. The assault against women and sexual advances is rampant even in the corporate industry. We live in a culture where we believe that the more we hush something up, the better it is.

I think it would be a matter of time before it does come out and people do back each other up and say 'enough is enough.' All you really hope for is someone starts a conversation and then people will back you up. That strength, I don't think existed before what happened in Hollywood. Now it's happened over there and people are like 'okay we can talk about this.' I can say that I was a victim of casting couch and explain who did it to me and point a finger.

But, it's scary for anyone because you are talking about tycoons and people who can make and break careers. It's difficult to go against such people. It takes a lot of b*lls which woman have grown over the past couple of years and I think it's just a matter of time.
Big B's Speech

"I have always felt that my request and regard for the Indian film industry have rested in the presence the film industry has had in our world. When we sit inside a dark hall we never ask the creed, the colour (or) the religion of the person sitting next to us."

Cinema A Wonderful Example Of Unity And Integration

"We see the same film, we laugh on the same joke, we cry on the same emotion, we sing the same songs. In this fast world of today, where can you find such a wonderful and worthy example of unity and integration as we do in the world of cinema," he said in his acceptance speech.

Big B Recalls A Conversation With His Father

Recalling a conversation he had with his father, eminent poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, the actor said, "During the last years, my father used to sit in front of the television and see a Hindi film every evening, often it used to be my own film."

"One day, I asked him what attracts him towards Hindi cinema and he said 'I get to see poetic justice in three hours.' This is the power of cinema. I am a very proud Indian and also a very proud and small member of this exquisite fraternity."

Why Goa Holds A Special Place In Big B's Heart?

Bachchan was presented with the award by Akshay Kumar and the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Smriti Irani. The actor, in his speech, also said that Goa is very close to his heart and thanked IFFI for the recognition.

"Goa is very close to my heart. My first film 'Saat Hindustani' was shot in Goa and therefore I have immense amount of memories and love for people of Goa. The very first fan I had was also from Goa her name is Zareen Fernandez."

Here's How Sid Paid Tribute To Big B

Actor Sidharth Malhotra paid tributes to Bachchan with a dance performance on his popular songs such as "Khaike paan Banaras", "Saara zamaana" and "Jumma chumma de de"
It's Been Tough For Kat

The actress was quoted as saying to the leading daily, "The last year-and-a-half has been, at many times, extremely rough and trying for me."

She Calls It The 'Transition' Period

"I think I'm still in the transition period till I find myself and learn a lot more about myself. I'm happy in this phase."

She's Trying To Get Over It

"I'm working hard and understanding the joys of a film set. But, I'm still in a phase where there's a lot of uncertainty."

She Chose To Immerse Herself In Work

"But we also have a life alongside all of this. I go to work and you need to know how to give your best and come home and disconnect. You can't base your entire existence on it because it's not healthy and I have done that for a long time."

The Art Of Balancing Things

"Then, I shifted focus to my personal life and now, it's back to work because of the turn life has taken. You have to know how to balance things. Obviously, work should be done with passion and obsession. But, you also need to learn to not get your sense of validity or sense of self, just from your work."

Is This Why Ranbir & Katrina Broke Up?

Rumours were rife that Katrina was insecure with Ranbir's rapport with his ex girlfriend Deepika Padukone and that was one of the major reasons why the couple chose to call it quits.

When Kat Was Too Vocal About Her Feelings

In one of her interviews, Kat had confessed, "I can't enforce my will on the people in my life. Their choices are their own. I may not be happy with them but I hope that as they mature or evolve, their choices will change."

Ranbir's Cold Feet About Matrimony

She had said, "My greatest fear is that if and when I get married and I am standing at the altar or the mandap, he may not love me completely. That he may not know his mind well enough to be making those commitments. The anticipation of heartbreak is my only fear."

On The Other Hand

During the promotions of Jagga Jasoos, when Ranbir was asked to comment on his break-up with Katrina, he had said, "Whatever I felt at that time, I'm over it. I don't want to bring that negativity back in my life or say anything. It's fine. We're actors. It's part of show business."
Shri Rajput Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi demanded a probe into the "role" of Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansalis SLB group in the death of a man at Nahargarh Fort.

The body of Chetan Kumar Saini (40) was found hanging from the boundary wall of the Nahargarh Fort near the Rajasthan capital on November 24, with messages referring to the Bollywood epic drama Padmavati scribbled on nearby stones.

Kalvi said the incident should be probed at the highest level "to ascertain the role of the group (SLB) into the incident", which, he claimed, was a conspiracy against the Karni Sena and to "weaken the movement" against the controversial film.

"Two of the messages scribbled on the stones near the boundary wall of the fort were for provoking the Karni Sena and for disturbing the communal harmony in the city. It should be investigated who is behind this," he told reporters here.

The police have claimed that Saini had committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope tied to the boundary wall of the fort. Padmavati has been facing the wrath of various Rajput groups and political leaders, who have accused Bhansali of distorting history.

Many groups have been protesting amid rumours that there was a romantic dream sequence between queen Padmini and Allauddin Khilji. However, Bhansali said in an appeal that there was no dream sequence and it was all a rumour.

On November 22, protesters blocked the entry to the Chittorgarh Fort till 5 pm and burnt effigies of Bhansali.

The next day, locals led by the Rajput community blocked entry to the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajsamand district "for some time" demanding a ban on the film.

However, historians are divided on whether Padmini actually existed. She finds mention in the 16th century epic poem "Padmavat". PTI
Padmavati director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi have been asked by a parliamentary committee on IT to appear before it and present their views on the controversy surrounding the movie which has been accused of distorting history by fringe groups.

The 30-member panel has also asked producers of the movie and officials of the information and broadcasting ministry to appear before it and brief about the controversy relating to the Rs 150 crore film.

"The panel has asked Bhansali and Joshi to appear before it and present their views on the movie. They can present their case before the panel. The members have also decided to call the producers of the movie," chairman of the panel Anurag Thakur told PTI.

The committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday. Interestingly, actors Paresh Rawal and Raj Babbar, who are members of Parliament, are also part of the panel which will examine the issues relating to the movie.

DOPPELGANGER! Fawad Khan LOOKS EXACTLY Like Prabhas In His Latest Pics

Parliamentary sources said they have reached out to Bhansali, but he appeared to be "shying away" from appearing before the panel.

The censor board is yet to clear the film.

The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on Rajput queen Padmini.

As allegations of distorting history in the film triggered protests in various states, the makers of the movie has deferred its release date.

The film was scheduled to release on December 1, this year.

The Karni Sena, a fringe group, as well as the BJP have been critical of the film and a number of BJP ruled states have already banned it.

The set of the movie was vandalised twice -- in Jaipur and Kolhapur -- and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of Karni Sena earlier this year.

Another parliamentary panel has also called the officials of the ministry and censor board over the controversy.

Credits: PTI
(ASX:WND)

Hi Im Jessica Amir for the Finance News Network. Joining me now from Windlab Limitedis Executive Chairman and CEO, Roger Price. Hi Roger and welcome.Hi Jess, nice to be here.Windlab is an international wind energy developer and operator. Can you give us an introduction to what you do and why its so unique?We operate right across the life cycle of a wind farm, from identification, development, financing, construction and operation. Were a little bit like an integrated commercial property developer, maybe a Lendlease Groupor a Peet Groupperhaps, but instead we do it across renewable energy. We were formed in 2003 as a spinout from the CSIRO, to commercialise a world leading set of atmospheric modelling and wind energy prediction tools, called WindScape. And weve used that now to develop a very large portfolio of development assets around the world.Tell us a little bit more about your assets and your key projects?Weve got a development portfolio of some 50 projects, over 7,000 megawatts of capacity. And to give that some context, thats nearly double all of the wind farms that currently operate in Australia today. Weve developed some of the largest wind farms in Australia, notably Collgar in Western Australia, Coopers Gap in Queensland. But perhaps the most exciting project weve finished is our most recent, Kennedy Energy Park in far north Queensland. This is a 60-megawatt hybrid solution, it has wind, solar and battery storage, all in one location. And what this project is seeking to demonstrate is how renewable energy in the future, will be able to meet nearly all of our network demand going forward.You listed just recently in August and you operate on the calendar year. But maybe you can tell us about some of the operational highlights that youve had so far?When we listed the company, we set ourselves three immediate objectives. One was to complete the development of Coopers Gap wind farm with AGL Energy Limited. The second was to finance and start construction of Kennedy Energy Park, and the third was to complete the construction of Kiata wind farm in Victoria.Coopers Gap was financed in August, Kennedy in October and Kiata wind farm was connected to the electricity network, just at the beginning of this month. So weve completed the three major commitments weve made in our prospectus. And with that, were able to comfortably confirm that we will achieve our December 31 prospectus forecast.A more general question now Roger. In 2016 Australian wind farms produced 30 per cent of Australias clean energy and five per cent of Australias total energy. What does the future hold and where does that put you guys?Wind energy today is now the cheapest form of new electricity generating technology you can build. Its cheaper than solar, its cheaper than gas and its dramatically cheaper than new coal. The worlds acknowledged this and themarch to renewables is inevitable. Since 2015, more money has been spent globally on wind and solar, than all other forms of generating technology put together.So as we move forward, we will see wind and solar meet most of the new demand around the world. In Australia we have aged coal fleet, much of it approaching 50 years of age and a dramatic need to reduce our emissions intensity.Weve seen a significant amount of that capacity decommissioned already and by 2030, a third of our coal fleet will be turned off. Now what will replace that capacity is wind and solar, because it is fundamentally the cheapest.Last question now Roger. Where would you like to see the company in a few years from now?Over the last seven years weve completed nearly 1,100 megawatts of capacity, with our partners. Now much of that we have sold to generate the cash weve needed to continue to grow the business. But now being a listed vehicle with a much stronger balance sheet, what we seek to do over the next three to five years, is to complete the development of around 1,500 to 2,000 megawatts of capacity. In doing that, we will hang on to ownership of a lot larger percentage than we previously have. And through doing that, we would expect to increase our interest in operating capacity over the next three to five years, by nearly tenfold. So with that, well see continued significant revenue and profit growth with the company.Roger Price, thank you so much for the update.Thanks very much Jess.
Investors don't seem to be paying enough attention to an astonishing new reality: North American energy independence from the rest of the world is a slam dunk. The three major countries that call the continent home are increasing production of petroleum and natural gas, trading it among themselves and exporting the excess across the globe. In the United States alone, crude oil production in 2018 is expected to top 10 million barrels per day for the first time ever, while natural gas production is expected to increase 32% between 2016 and 2026.

Few companies are better positioned to capitalize on this new reality than energy infrastructure giants Kinder Morgan (KMI -1.34%) and Williams Partners LP (NYSE: WPZ). They own thousands of miles of oil and gas pipelines that will serve as the crucial conduits moving raw products from field to processing center to coast. But if you could own only one of these stocks, which is the better buy?

The matchup

Both companies reported solid third-quarter results and have built steady momentum through the first nine months of 2017. Although revenue totals have slid in each quarter this year, the two energy companies have achieved healthy levels of operating profits and net income. Both have also worked to clean up their balance sheets by reducing debt. Even though the businesses are headed in the right direction, Mr. Market is still not giving either stock the benefit of the doubt after being caught off guard during the oil price collapse of late 2014.

There's an argument to be made that Mr. Market is still punishing these two energy infrastructure stocks unfairly without accounting for baked-in growth from the fee-based business models.

For instance, Kinder Morgan is poised to benefit from increasing energy production and exports in the United States and Canada. It owns the only oil-sands pipeline serving Canada's West Coast (which will roughly triple after a planned expansion), boasts the largest natural gas pipeline network on the continent, and has $12 billion in growth projects in development that could generate an additional $1.5 billion in annual adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) by 2020.

Williams Partners LP isn't far behind. It boasts a market cap of $35 billion compared to its peer's $38 billion valuation', despite reporting just half as much revenue last year. Williams' more favorable standing among investors can be chalked up to its natural-gas-heavy strategy that centers on its most valuable asset: the Transco pipeline, which stretches from Texas to New York and operates as a regulated monopoly.

There are dozens of natural-gas-fired power plants entering service along this lucrative route, in addition to a handful of liquefied natural gas export projects and chemical manufacturing facilities. Management expects to realize $7 billion in additional business from these expansion projects by 2020 that will be capable of generating an additional $1.5 billion in annual EBITDA. Sound familiar?

Therefore, I think there's a solid case to be made that both Kinder Morgan and Williams Partners LP are attractive long-term investments. While choosing between the two isn't easy, several valuation metrics illustrate a clearer path forward:

Metric Kinder Morgan Williams Partners LP Market capitalization $38.4 billion $34.7 billion Revenue, trailing 12 months $13.5 billion $8.0 billion Profit margin 6.2% 17.8% Dividend yield 2.9% 6.7% Price to sales 2.8x 4.4x Price to book 1.1x 1.5x Enterprise value to EBITDA 12.5x 13.4x

As you can see, Williams Partners LP earns its valuation from its ability to turn more revenue into income than Kinder Morgan. It also boasts a much higher dividend and healthier balance sheet as measured by its debt to assets ratio.

Which stock is the better buy?

This is a difficult decision that may come down to personal preference for dividends versus value. However, the more narrow focus on natural gas of Williams Partners LP, the incredible value that can be extracted from its Transco pipeline, and its efficiency in turning revenue into profits make it the better buy despite its more expensive valuation. A cleaner balance sheet also provides it with more flexibility to respond to market volatility relative to its peer.

That said, I also consider Kinder Morgan a long-term buy for much the same reason: It's uniquely positioned to capitalize on North American energy independence for decades to come. Long-term investors looking for income and growth should strongly consider both stocks.
FM launches Paytm Payments Bank News oi -Priyanka The company has planned an investment of $500 million in KYC (Know Your Customer) operations. It is setting up KYC centers across India to complete KYC for customers and make them eligible

How to send money using Paytm Inbox

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, formally inaugurated Paytm Payments Bank on Tuesday in New Delhi.

The Minister said that a new chapter in history has been written with the launch of this new Payments Bank.

The bank has been designed to help achieve financial inclusion in the country and is in line with Paytm's mission of bringing half a billion Indians on to the mainstream economy.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, "India is on a cusp of a financial revolution. The demography and access to financial services will create a ton of jobs in the country and Paytm is very proud to be a part of this financial services revolution. Paytm Payments Bank will work towards creating a massive number of jobs in the long run."

Renu Satti said, "Paytm Payments Bank is the country's largest mobile-first, technology-led bank. By virtue of reaching every nook and corner of the country, we will be able to bring the large un-served and under-served population to the mainstream economy. We are committed to offering the most transparent, safe and trusted banking to masses."

Paytm Payments Bank is India's truly mobile-first bank with zero charges on all online transactions and no minimum balance requirement. The bank has been designed to help achieve financial inclusion in the country and is in line with Paytm's mission of bringing half a billion Indians on to the mainstream economy.

The company has planned an investment of $500 million in KYC (Know Your Customer) operations. It is setting up KYC centers across India to complete KYC for customers and make them eligible for a Payments Bank account.

Here are some features of Paytm Payments Bank:

 Quick and paperless account opening

 Earn interest on your savings account

 Zero-fee account, no minimum balance requirement

 Every online transaction (such as IMPS, NEFT, RTGS, UPI) will be free of charge

 Free personalized RuPay digital debit card

 Withdraw cash from any ATM;

 Access to personalized banking at more than 100,000 Paytm ka ATM locations across India.

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Micromax to launch Bharat 5 smartphone in India on December 1 News oi -Chandrika The launch event will be held in Gurugram on December.

Micromax Bharat 5 First Impressions: Big battery is the highlight feature

Micromax will be launching a new budget smartphone under its Bharat series on December 1 in India. Dubbed as Micromax Bharat 5, the smartphone will be unveiled at an event in Gurugram from 12 PM onwards.

The company has started sending out media invites for the event that shows the front and rear panel of the smartphone. The invite also includes a tagline that reads, 'Witness the Power of 5', hinting that the Bharat 5 could pack a large battery. The front side of the Micromax phone shows physical navigation keys at the bottom bezel, while the top bezel holds the selfie camera and the earpiece.

On the back of the smartphone, you can see a dual-camera setup which is accompanied by LED flashlight. At the center of the Bharat 5, the company's branding is visible.

Well, this is pretty much everything we know about the upcoming smartphone at this moment. Hopefully, Micromax will reveal some more details about the Bharat 5 on various social media platforms in the coming days.

As far as the pricing is concerned, the smartphone should be somewhere around Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 8,000. If that's the case, it will give competition to Xiaomi Redmi 4, also the newly launched Redmi Y1. However, all these are just guesswork.

Recently, the home-grown smartphone manufacturer partnered with Vodafone and BSNL to launch Bharat 2 Ultra and Bharat 1 4G feature phones in India. The former carries the price tag of just Rs. 999, whereas the latter is priced at Rs. 2,200.

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Moto G6 and Moto E5 likely to get Play variants News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu

Motorola is one of the smartphone brands that follow the pattern of launching toned-down variants of its devices. The company has announced devices with the Play suffix such as Moto Z2 Play and Moto G4 Play.

While Moto Z2 Play is a mid-range smartphone with a semi-modular design supporting Moto Mods, the Moto G4 Play launched in 2016 is a watered-down variant of the Moto G4 and G4 Plus launched last year, This year, the Moto G5 and G5 Plus were announced in February but these did not get the Play variant.

Going by a recent tweet posted by reliable tipster Evan Blass on his Twitter handle @evleaks, it looks like the company is all set to launch two Play smartphones in 2018. It is believed that the Moto G6 and Moto E5 series of phones will get the Play variants. Last month, he posted a tweet tipping the presence of the Moto G6 Play and now he hints at the existence of the Moto E5 Play.

Notably, the Play variant will be joining the regular and Plus variants of these phones. Having said that, the alleged Moto E5 Play will be the first time that the Play device will be launched for the Moto E series.

As of now, these are the only details those were revealed by the famed tipster. The other details of these smartphones to be launched next year remain scarce.

This year, the brand owned by Lenovo took the wraps off four smartphones in the G series. The first batch comprised of the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus and was launched at the MWC 2017 tech show in February. The second batch came in the month of August with the Moto G5s and Moto G5s Plus. Interestingly, the Moto G5s Plus was launched with a dual camera setup at its back. We can expect the Moto G6 Plus slated for the next year to also feature such a camera setup but it remains to be seen if the Play variant will also get the same.

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Samsung appoints Taiwanese company to make Galaxy S9's fingerprint scanner News oi -Chandrika Samsung has chosen a Taiwanese manufacturer to make the fingerprint scanners that will be employed on the Galaxy S9/S9 Plus, and most probably on the Galaxy Note 9 as well.

Earlier this year, we came across many reports claiming that Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will feature an under-screen fingerprint scanner. Naturally, fans were quite disappointed when the smartphones came with fingerprint scanners on their back.

The same rumors started brewing ahead of the launch of iPhone X. However, Apple decided to ditch the fingerprint scanner altogether in favor of the edge-to-edge screen and the 3D Face ID. Then came the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 with the same rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Well, in case of Samsung, the Galaxy S8/S8 Plus and Note 8 users were not happy with the awkward placement of the fingerprint scanner.

Well, the South Korean tech giant has apparently taken some action after listening to the complaints. As reported by the publication ETNews, Samsung has chosen a Taiwanese manufacturer to make the fingerprint scanners that will be employed on the Galaxy S9/S9 Plus, and most probably on the Galaxy Note 9 as well.

At this moment, there is hardly any information available on this mysterious company. The report mentions that the final contract between the companies is yet to be signed, but it is expected to be adopted unless there is a major upsurge going forward.

If the final contract gets signed, the Samsung Galaxy S9 duo is expected to feature a fingerprint scanner with a new design, placement and new capabilities.

Besides this, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are also said to come with a rear dual camera system. There were rumors of the company ditching the fingerprint sensor on its upcoming flagships. However, the new report has poured cold water on those rumors.

Sources familiar with the matter said Samsung could also adopt 3D sensing cameras for the Galaxy S9 duo, but it will keep the fingerprint scanners. Reportedly, the company doesn't think facial recognition will be capable of handling certain tasks like payments as it is still not secure enough to prevent unauthorized access.

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Huawei signs research cooperation agreement Edinburgh University on artificial intelligence News oi -Priyanka The areas of initial focus include healthcare robotics and mobile video.

Chinese technology giant Huawei signed a research cooperation agreement with University of Edinburgh, UK to investigate the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) robotics systems to operate over next-generation 5G wireless networks.

Researchers at Huawei's Wireless X Labs and University of Edinburgh's new Bayes Centre will investigate together how AI systems can inform and adopt wireless 5G networks to provide optimum wireless support to meet the needs of connected robotics and systems.

The areas of initial focus include healthcare robotics and mobile video.

"We are delighted to continue working with the world-leading team at the University of Edinburgh to help understand how improvements within mobile broadband can foster innovation within wireless robotics systems," Peter Zhou from Huawei said.

The project will build on the University of Edinburgh's existing research into AI and autonomous systems to provide new insights into how these systems will use AI to collaborate with mobile broadband networks.

This can enhance the performance of both networks and applications to enable greater levels of interaction between people and systems.

"We are thrilled to have deepened our relationship with Huawei to researching 5G within AI applications," said Charlie Jeffery, Professor at the University.

This new research project extends the existing relationship between Huawei and the University of Edinburgh following the announcement, in June, of a joint lab hosted at the University's School of Informatics.

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South Asia Strategy Provides 'Path to Win' in Afghanistan, Commander Says

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2017  The new permissions available thanks to the South Asia strategy mean the campaign is on the "path to a win," the commander of NATO's Resolute Support mission and U.S. forces in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters today.

President Donald J. Trump announced the strategy during a speech at Fort Myer, Virginia, in August.

Speaking via satellite from his headquarters in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, Army Gen. John W. Nicholson emphasized that the strategy is strictly conditions-based, not time-based.

"We will be here until the job is done," the general said. "The U.S. approach aligns with the NATO approach.  War is a contest of wills. The president has left no doubt in terms of our will to win."

Goal: Negotiated Reconciliation

In Afghanistan, the goal is reconciliation through a negotiated settlement lowering the level of violence, Nicholson said. Afghanistan and the coalition will use three forms of pressure to make this happen, he added: military pressure, diplomatic pressure and social pressure.

Afghan security forces will apply the military pressure, the general told reporters, aided by coalition advisors and air assets. That pressure will increase in the next year as new Afghan capabilities come on line and as U.S. and coalition advisers embed with smaller units, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, Afghan and coalition officials will apply diplomatic pressure on the enablers of the Taliban and the Haqqani networks, and social pressure will be applied through elections over the next two years. If done credibly, Nicholson said, these pressures will enhance the legitimacy of the government in the eyes of the people.

"In the face of this pressure, the Taliban cannot win," Nicholson said. "Their choices are to reconcile, live in irrelevance, or die."

The United States and coalition must realign resources and to execute this strategy, the general said. "I'd point out that the military effort is necessary but, by itself, not sufficient for success," he said. "We must work together with all of the parts of the U.S. government and the coalition in order to be successful."

Striking Taliban Revenue Stream

Operations under the new permissions have already begun, as Afghan and coalition forces struck the source of the Taliban's finances: the narcotics trade.

"In just over three days' worth of operations, the Afghan 215th Corps, their special forces commandos, their air force, in close cooperation with U.S. forces, removed between $7 million and $10 million of revenue from the Taliban's pocketbook," Nicholson said. "And the overall cost to the drug trafficking organizations approached $48 million. So these strikes were just the first step in attacking the Taliban's financial engine, and they will continue."

Nicholson said the Taliban have evolved into a criminal or narco-insurgency. "They are fighting to defend their revenue streams," he said. "They have increasingly lost whatever ideological anchor they once had. They fight to preserve and expand their sources of revenue. This includes narcotics trafficking, illegal mining, taxing people throughout Afghanistan, kidnapping and murder for hire: all criminal endeavors."

The general noted that Afghan forces have stepped up. "We fought most of this year, through Aug. 21, at the lowest level of U.S. force and capability, and, therefore, the highest level of risk, in our 16-year war in Afghanistan," he said. "Yet, in spite of that, the Taliban strategy was not successful. It was essentially defeated by the Afghans."

In face of this, the Taliban have reverted to guerilla war, while Afghan forces have become more capable. Nicholson noted that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani often says the Afghans own the fight, and are proud to. "They are willing to fight and die for their future, their country, their families," the general added. "And in so doing, they're not only fighting on behalf of themselves, but they are fighting against the terrorists who have threatened our homeland and the homelands of our allies as well."

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Poland - AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 17-55

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) for an estimated cost of $250 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Poland has requested to purchase up to one hundred fifty (150) AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). Also included are missile containers, weapon system support, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated cost is $250 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally. Poland continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Central Europe.

This potential sale would support Poland's F-16 fighter program and enhances Poland's ability to provide for its own territorial defense and support coalition operations. Poland previously purchased the AIM-120C-7 missile and will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, AZ. 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 Poland.

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.

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Poland - High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 17-64

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) for an estimated cost of $250 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Poland has requested to purchase sixteen (16) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M31A1 Unitary, nine (9) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M30A1 alternative warheads, sixty-one (61) Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) M57 Unitary. Also included are eight (8) Universal Position Navigation Units (UPNU), thirty-four (34) Low Cost Reduced Range (LCRR) practice rockets, one thousand six hundred forty-two (1,642) Guidance and Control Section Assemblies for GMLRS, Missile Common Test Sets and Devices, testing Precision, Lightweight GPS Receivers (PLGR), support equipment, U.S. Government and contractor services, training, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $250 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally which has been, and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. This sale is consistent with U.S. initiatives to provide key allies in the region with modern systems that will enhance interoperability with U.S. forces and increase security.

Poland intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its capability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats. This will contribute to Poland's military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies. Poland will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX. This FMS case will support the parallel Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) between Lockheed Martin and Polska Grupa Zbrojenjowa (PGZ), the prime contractor for this effort in Poland. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require U.S. Government or contractor representatives to travel to Poland for program management reviews to support the program. Travel is expected to occur approximately twice per year as needed to support equipment fielding and training.

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.

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Initial Japan-Based CVW-5 Jet Squadrons Fly-in to MCAS Iwakuni

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS171128-02

Release Date: 11/28/2017 8:38:00 AM

By Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The first jet squadrons from Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW-5) relocated from Naval Air Facility Atsugi (NAFA) to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (MCASI) Nov. 28 after the conclusion of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG 5) patrol.

The squadrons relocating to MCASI include; Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 115 and 195, along with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141. Both VFA-115 and VFA-195 fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, while VAQ-141 flies the EA-18G Growler, an airframe based on the F/A-18F Super Hornet equipped for electronic countermeasure missions.

"The arrival of the first F/A-18 squadrons to Iwakuni is an important step forward in the phased relocation of Carrier Air Wing Five," said Capt. Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Air Wing Five. "Today represents years of hard work and coordination between the U.S. and Japanese governments and we are looking forward to enjoying the hospitality and building new friendships with our Iwakuni hosts."

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125, which flies the E-2D, was the first carrier air wing squadron to transition to Iwakuni and arrived in February 2017.

"I would like to welcome Captain Wosje and his entire CVW-5 team to their new home here at MCAS Iwakuni," said Col. Rick Fuerst, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. "The arrival of these initial Japan-based elements moves us ever closer to the culmination of years of planning and preparation here under the Defense Policy Review Initiative. This transformation was designed to both fulfill the United States' strategic vision for its rebalance in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and to further strengthen the responsiveness and potency of our role in the U.S.-Japan security alliance. Welcome aboard CVW-5."

At the completion of the DPRI process, MCAS Iwakuni will have undergone a 77 percent physical transformation which includes the Iwakuni Runway Relocation project, new schools,commissary, Marine Corps Exchange, family and bachelor housing, hangars, gym, child-care center, theater, administrative buildings, and gas station. These improvements were led by the DPRI program team in close coordination with the regional defense bureau, CSDB, and primarily funded by the Government of Japan to enable U.S. forces to fulfill obligations under the Treaty of Mutual Security and Cooperation.

These moves are in accordance with the Navy's strategic vision for the Asia-Pacific in which the most advanced and capable units are forward deployed in order to support the United States' commitment to the defense of Japan and the security and stability of the region.

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USS San Diego Arrives In Souda Bay, Greece

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS171128-01

Release Date: 11/28/2017 8:35:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin Schoenberger

SOUDA BAY, Greece (NNS) -- The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22) and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in Souda Bay, Greece, for a scheduled port visit, Nov. 27.

This is San Diego's second port visit in Souda Bay during this deployment. While in port, the crew will conduct routine repairs and cosmetic work on the ship, and have the opportunity to venture to the local sites.

"We've been on station in the Mediterranean for about three months," said Capt. Pete Collins, commanding officer of San Diego. "Not only is this our chance to get parts that we need and to conduct some maintenance, but the crew [will be able] to get some well-deserved rest and relaxation."

Sailors and Marines aboard San Diego also plan to use the port visit as an opportunity to buy gifts for their families and loved ones in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season.

"I plan on doing some Christmas shopping during our port visit," said U.S. Marine Cpl. Jose Sanchezlucas. "I think it will be cool to get my family and friends items from overseas."

San Diego is deployed with the America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 15th MEU to support maritime security and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

The America ARG and 15th MEU provide senior U.S. military leadership and partners with a flexible force which can rapidly respond to contingencies and crises within a region. With ships, aircraft, troops, and logistical equipment, the ARG/MEU is a self-contained and self-sustained task force capable of conducting a wide range of military operations including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The America ARG, led by Commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 3, consists of the San Diego, the America-class amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), and the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52). They are operating with the embarked forces of the 15th MEU, the "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, and detachments from Assault Craft Unit 5, Naval Beach Group 1, Beachmaster Unit 1, Fleet Surgical Team 1 and Tactical Air Control Squadron 11.

The 15th MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force comprised of a ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 5th Marines; an aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced); a combat logistics element, Combat Logistics Battalion 15.

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US warns South Sudan to end its nearly four-year war

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 07:25PM

The US government has threatened to take unspecified measures against South Sudan unless it moves to end the nearly four-year war and stop harassing United Nations peacekeepers and international aid workers.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday put the responsibility squarely on South Sudan's President Salva Kiir to take action, telling the UN Security Council that "words are no longer sufficient."

"The United States is prepared to pursue additional measures against the government - or any party, for that matter - if they do not act to end the violence and ease the suffering in South Sudan," Haley said.

"Going forward the United States will judge President Kiir and his government by their actions, not their words," she said.

Last year, Washington unsuccessfully pushed for an arms embargo on South Sudan and international sanctions on senior officials.

Haley said Kiir must uphold ceasefires, join a new regional peace initiative, stop placing restrictions on UN peacekeepers and allow access for aid groups.

A report released Tuesday by UN monitors accused South Sudan's government of using food aid as a weapon of war during its campaign against opposition forces in the northwestern city of Wau.

After aid finally reached civilians in August, the first time in a year, humanitarian workers "witnessed significantly high levels of malnutrition, with high rates of severe acute malnutrition," the report said.

Between January and September, 164 young children and elderly persons died from hunger and disease in that area, it said.

The United States is South Sudan's biggest aid provider and a key supporter of its 2011 independence from Sudan. Haley traveled to South Sudan in October and held talks with Kiir, becoming the highest level US administration official to visit Juba.

South Sudan has been gripped by conflict since his main deputy and current opposition leader Riek Machar defected in December 2013 over allegations of plotting a coup.

Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced in the conflict. Machar was forced into exile in South Africa but forces loyal to him still operate in Pagak and other regions of the world's youngest country.

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Djibouti hails Saudi military presence in African country as way to boost bilateral ties

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 06:38PM

Djibouti's Defense Minister Ali Bahdon has welcomed the establishment of a Saudi military base on the soil of the African country, saying Djibouti-Riyadh relations are not confined to military cooperation.

In an interview with the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, the transcript of which was published in the UK-based daily on Tuesday, Bahdon said that Saudi experts had already arrived in Djibouti to assess military cooperation.

"The sides have signed a military agreement [in April] If the base is constructed, it will become a part of the military cooperation between the two nations, and we welcome its creation," he said, adding that trainees and students from Djibouti were studying in military colleges in Saudi Arabia.

Bahdon further said the facility would contribute to the military cooperation between the two countries, noting that the bilateral relations exceeded military cooperation to reach historical, ideological and cultural ties.

"There are historical, ideological and cultural relations with the kingdom, and we are one people who share the same values, and we have the same issues and problems; relations are much greater now, as we are in a new phase of geopolitical changes in the region," Bahdon went on to say.

According to the minister, the base would not be a solution to the problem of smuggling across the sea, as "it has limits in which it operates and powers that serve specific goals."

Late last year, Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf announced that his country would welcome the Saudi proposal of setting up a military base in the African country, saying Saudi military authorities had made several investigative trips to his country for the establishment of a facility there.

Djibouti, a resource-poor nation strategically situated in the Horn of Africa, relies on donations from Saudi Arabia. The country has been following Saudi Arabia's footsteps in its foreign policy, among them severing its diplomatic relations with Iran in January and making "baseless" claims about Tehran's intervention in the affairs of Arab countries.

Djibouti hosts a number of foreign military and naval facilities, including those belonging to China, Japan, Italy, France and the United States. Riyadh, however, perceives the whole poor African country as a base, from which it can thoroughly dominate the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in a bid to exert more pressure on Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, which is defending the country against the Saudi war machine.

Furthermore, Riyadh seems to plan to use the base more as an intelligence outpost, through which it could be able to monitor Iran's purported movements in the region. Saudi leaders accuse Iran of financing and arming the Houthis, an allegation that Iran strongly rejects, calling it delusional.

Saudi Arabia has spearheaded a military coalition against Yemen, ceaselessly pounding the impoverished country since March 2015 in an attempt to crush Ansarullah and reinstate the former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of the regime in Riyadh.

According to the latest figures, the war has so far killed over 12,000 Yemenis and wounded thousands more. The Saudi aggression has also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

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Egypt forces kill 14 militants in wake of bloody Sinai massacre

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 05:09PM

Egyptian security forces have killed at least 14 militants in two separate operations in the wake of the massacre at a mosque in the northern part of the restive Sinai Peninsula last week that killed over 300 people.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Egypt's Interior Ministry said that security forces killed at least 11 "terrorist elements" during a raid on a suspected militant hideout in the Sinai-bordering province of Ismailia. The area was being used by militants to train and store weapons and logistical equipment for attacks in North Sinai.

Police also arrested six suspected militants and three people thought to have smuggled communications equipment to them.

Security forces were able to identify "a group of these elements and the hideouts they were using to hide, train, and store means of logistic support ahead of smuggling them to terrorist groups in North Sinai," the statement said, adding that weapons, ammunition and communication devices were recovered during the operation.

Police were pursuing the leaders of "terrorist groups in North Sinai that aimed to carry out a series of hostile operations targeting important and vital buildings and Christian churches," the statement said.

Separately, Colonel Tamer el-Rifai, a military spokesman, said three suspected militants were killed in central Sinai. The spokesman did not provide any further details.

The Friday attack on the mosque was the deadliest assault by extremists in Egypt's recent history. The dead included 27 children and another 128 people were wounded.

Thousands of students on Monday staged a protest in Sinai Peninsula to condemn the terrorist attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it had the hallmarks of the Daesh-affiliated Velayat Sinai terrorist group.

Over the past few years, militants have been carrying out anti-government activities and fatal attacks, taking advantage of the turmoil in Egypt that erupted after the country's first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted in a military coup in July 2013.

Velayat Sinai has claimed responsibility for most of the assaults. The group later expanded its attacks to target members of Egypt's Coptic Christian community as well as foreigners visiting the country. That has prompted the government to impose a state of emergency and widen a controversial crackdown which critics say has mostly targeted dissidents.

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US troops in Syria, Iraq far more than Pentagon's claims: Govt. data

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:16AM

The real number of American troops deployed to Iraq and Syria exceeds the Pentagon's official figures by thousands, according to the US government's own data.

While the Pentagon insists that it has only sent 503 troops to Syria, a quarterly report by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) puts the number at around 1,720, more than three times higher.

The DMDC is the US Defense Department's personnel agency and collects data on American troops serving in individual states and overseas countries.

The same report, issued in September, showed that there were 8,992 American troops in Iraq, almost 3,500 more than the Pentagon's official tally of 5,262.

Colonel Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, questioned the credibility of DMDC's numbers, downplaying them as initial estimates for given locations that also factored in short-term deployments and troop rotations in other countries.

"The DMDC numbers are not the official deployment count, the numbers that we provided -- the approximately 500 in Syria and approximately 5,000 in Iraq is the official deployment count," said Manning.

"There are several other things that go into those numbers, it is a snapshot in time and have to also consider that number is quarterly ... our official deployment count has not changed," he added.

Earlier this year, US Defense Secretary James Mattis ordered a review of the actual number of US troops serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria to see how many troops had been deployed in those countries beyond the maximum force levels authorized under former President Barack Obama.

So far, however, only the troop numbers for Afghanistan have been publicly disclosed and the Pentagon has no intention of doing the same for the other two countries.

"Some of that is based on operational security, some is based on agreements with partners and allies," Manning said. "We're not at a point where we can make an announcement that differs from the numbers we previously stated."

Nevertheless, the same discrepancy in official numbers can be seen in Afghanistan, where the Pentagon puts the number at 14,000 versus the DMDC's 15,282. There are also 1,202 Pentagon civilians in the country, according to the DMDC.

"The data is meant to be just an initial estimate and starting point," a Pentagon official told ABC News. "In addition to the permanently assigned personnel in a country, the data assisted in looking at the possible number of deployed personnel in an area."

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Kenyatta inaugurated as Kenya's president

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 09:28AM

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has been sworn in for a second five-year term amid continuing post-election tensions.

Kenyatta's swearing-in ceremony was held in Kenya's largest stadium, Kasarani, in Nairobi on Tuesday amid heavy security as opposition supporter were due to protest.

Kenyatta garnered 98.2 percent of the votes in a repeat presidential election on October 26, in which almost 39 percent the 19.6 million registered voters turned out to vote.

Kenyatta vowed to be the leader of all Kenyans and work to unite the country.

"I will devote my time and energy to build bridges, to unite and bring prosperity," he said.

The leading opposition group, the National Super Alliance, called on its supporters to gather to commemorate the opposition supporters killed during recent clashes with security forces.

"A return to the political backwardness of our past is more than unacceptable. It is intolerable... This divide cannot be bridged by dialog and compromise," the alliance said in a statement.

At least 70 people have been killed in four months of violence over Kenya's presidential race between Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga. Rights groups say most of those killed by police were the supporters of Odinga, who challenged the results of the first round of the election in August.

That round was annulled by the Supreme Court over irregularities. Odinga then boycotted the re-run last month.

Meanwhile, police had to use tear gas to prevent Kenyatta's supporters trying to force their way into the stadium, which was filled to its 60,000 capacity on Tuesday morning.

Many fear Kenyatta's inauguration could trigger renewed unrest in Kenya, a major ally of the West in the Horn of Africa region.

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Hariri says will resign if Hezbollah doesn't stay neutral

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 07:37AM

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri says he will resign if the Hezbollah resistance movement refuses to remain "neutral."

He said he would stay on as prime minister "if Hezbollah accepted to stick by the state policy of staying out of regional conflicts," in remarks to French broadcaster CNews. "They know we have to remain neutral in the region," he added.

"I don't want a political party in my government that interferes in Arab countries against other Arab countries," the premier said.

The resistance movement has been contributing successfully to the Syrian army's operations against Takfiri terrorists.

On November 4, Hariri announced his resignation during a visit to Saudi Arabia, shocking the nation and plunging it into political uncertainty. He accused Iran and Hezbollah of sowing strife in the Arab world, an allegation rejected by both sides.

Shortly afterwards, President Michel Aoun accused Riyadh of kidnapping him. International heavyweights such as the European Union, France, and Germany also called on the kingdom to let him return.

The Lebanese premier then traveled back to Lebanon, and put his resignation on hold at Aoun's request in favor of national dialog.

Sources close to him said he had been forced to step down by the kingdom over his failing to "confront" Hezbollah.

Hariri further said, "Lebanon cannot resolve a question like Hezbollah which is in Syria, Iraq, everywhere because of Iran. It is a regional political solution that needs to be done."

Hezbollah is Lebanon's de facto military power, and has been fighting off recurrent acts of Israeli aggression against the homeland. Riyadh, which maintains ties with Tel Aviv, however, has made no secret of its opposition to the group, and has been trying for more than a decade to weaken it.

After Hariri's resignation, the kingdom asked its citizens to leave Lebanon. Hezbollah's Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah also said Riyadh had pleaded with Tel Aviv to attack the country.

'What happened in Riyadh stays there'

Hariri also rejected claims that he had forcibly resigned. He said he had written his resignation statement himself, countering allegations that it has been handed to him.

The prime minister was also quoted by Lebanese sources as saying that he would keep to himself what happened in Saudi Arabia, implying that he did not feel free to expose what had actually transpired in the Arab kingdom.

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Tillerson Says U.S. Committed To European Security Amid Russian Threat

RFE/RL November 28, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has stressed Washington's commitment to European security, especially as Russia continues what he called its "aggressive behavior ."

In a speech on November 28 at a Washington think tank, Tillerson said the United States would be the first to respond to any attack on a European ally under NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause.

Some European leaders have expressed concern that the administration of President Donald Trump may pull back from the alliance after demanding that European members spend more on their own defenses.

Speaking at the Wilson Center, Tillerson accused Russia of pursuing policies to "drive apart" Washington and its European allies.

Tillerson said Russia's military interventions in Georgia and Ukraine, and interference in European elections and politics were unacceptable and "not worthy" of a responsible member of the international community.

"While the West continues to seek a productive new relationship with post-Soviet Russia, thus far it has proved elusive," he also said.

'Better Coordination Needed'

Tillerson said the massive Zapad 2017 military exercises that Russia held with Belarus in September illustrated the need for better coordination between Washington and its European partners.

In reaffirming U.S. commitment to European security, Tillerson said Washington would never forget how NATO had "stood with us" after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.

At the same time, Tillerson said European partners needed to accept greater responsibility for their own security.

Tillerson repeated Washington's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and called on Moscow to fulfill the terms of the Minsk agreements on ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

He said Ukraine was the key to better bilateral ties.

"What I've said to the Russians is -- we are never going to get [the U.S.-Russian] relationship back to normal until we solve Ukraine," Tillerson said. "It just sits there as an enduring obstacle and we've got to address it."

After occupying and illegally annexing Ukraine's Crimean region in March 2014, Moscow began fomenting unrest in parts of eastern Ukraine.

Moscow has provided political, military, and economic support to separatists who gained control over parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, sparking a war that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

Moscow denies involvement in Ukraine's internal affairs, despite compelling evidence to the contrary.

Tillerson said U.S. sanctions on Russia would remain in place "until Russia reverses" the actions that put them in place.

Energy Security

He also said that enhancing European energy security was crucial since Russia had used energy as a "weapon."

The secretary of state said Washington was working to ease rules on shipping crude and liquid natural gas, or LNG, to Europe.

He also cited infrastructure energy projects in Greece, Poland, and Croatia as part of efforts to achieve energy security.

However, he said the Nord Stream-2 pipeline project to transport Russian natural gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea was "unwise."

Tillerson said areas of possible cooperation with Russia exist.

"Russia has great fear of migration out of the Central Asian region and terrorism inside of Russia," he said. "We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan -- we've not yet come to what that might be, but we are talking about it."

On other topics, Tillerson said the Balkans remained "fragile," and urged the nations there to "abandon old animosities so peace can become permanent."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tillerson-european- security-russian-threat/28884642.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.

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New Kyrgyz President Vows Balanced Foreign Policy With Russia As Main 'Strategic Partner'

RFE/RL November 28, 2017

Kyrgyzstan's new president, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, has called Russia his country's "main strategic partner" but signaled that he will seek to balance ties with Moscow, China, and the European Union during his six-year term.

"We intend to deepen our allied relations with Russia, our main strategic partner, and China remains our important strategic and trade partner," Jeenbekov told Russian state news agency TASS in an interview three days after his inauguration on November 24.

"We surely [will] continue developing our cooperation with our European partners, especially in such issues as supporting parliamentary and developing the Open Society program," Jeenbekov said.

He made no mention of the United States in his comments on foreign policy, according to the TASS transcript.

Bishkek is eager to strengthen "neighborly" relations with other former Soviet republics in Central Asia "based on the principle of mutual respect and noninterference into each other's internal affairs," Jeenbekov said.

Jeenbekov was outgoing President Almazbek Atambaev's favorite in the October 15 election. Relations with neighboring Kazakhstan are tense after Atambaev criticized Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev and accused him of seeking to interfere in the vote by meeting with Jeenbekov's chief rival for the presidency in September.

Jeenbekov also said that Kyrgyzstan will keep on "increasing multilevel cooperation with all strategic and traditional partners" under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union -- regional groupings that are dominated by larger countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, and China.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-jeenbekov -vows-balanced-foreign-policy-russia- strategic-partner/28883735.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.

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Lebanese Leader Says Will Resign Unless Hizballah Withdraws From Conflicts

November 28, 2017

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has threatened to resign unless Iranian ally Hizballah accepts Lebanon's policy of neutrality and stays out of regional conflicts.

Hizballah, which forms part of the governing coalition in Lebanon, has openly fought for years alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his six-year civil war against Sunni rebels, and it has also recently put fighters in Iraq to help battle the Islamic State extremist group.

Persian Gulf monarchies also accuse the Shi'ite militia group of supporting Yemen's Shi'ite Huthi rebels as well as backing Shi'ite militants in Bahrain -- charges that Hizballah denies.

"I don't want a political party in my government that interferes in Arab countries against other Arab countries," Hariri said in an interview with French broadcaster CNews.

"I am waiting for the neutrality which we agreed on in the government," he said. "One can't say one thing and do something else."

Hariri said he was ready to stay on as prime minister if Hizballah accepted neutrality, but he would leave if it did not.

Hariri shocked Lebanon on November 4 by resigning from his post as he visited Saudi Arabia. But Lebanon's other political leaders refused to accept his resignation, and he later agreed to return home and negotiate changes with them.

"Lebanon cannot resolve a question like Hizballah, which is in Syria, Iraq, everywhere because of Iran," Hariri told French TV.

"The interference of Iran affects us all. If we want a policy that is good for the region we shouldn't be interfering," he said. "It is a regional political solution that needs to be done."

Iran has for years sided with Syria's Assad and also supports Yemen's Huthi rebels, although it denies arming them. Tehran's chief regional rival, Saudi Arabia, backs Sunni forces engaged in the conflicts in both countries.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lebanese-prime- minister-hariri-says-will-resign-unless -iran-backed-hizballah-withdraws- syria-yemen-iraq/28883277.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.

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Sheikhs for Djibouti: Nation's Defense Minister Welcomes Saudi Military Base

Sputnik News

17:26 28.11.2017(updated 17:35 28.11.2017)

Djibouti hosts a number of foreign military and naval facilities, including those belonging to China, Japan, Italy, France and the United States.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Djibouti welcomes the construction of a Saudi military base on its territory, since the facility will contribute to the military cooperation between the two states, Djibouti's Defense Minister Ali Bahdon said Tuesday.

"The sides have signed a military agreement If the base is constructed, it will become a part of the military cooperation between the two nations, and we welcome its creation," Bahdon said in an interview with the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

In March 2016, Djibouti's ambassador to Riyadh said that his country expected to sign of a deal with Saudi Arabia on the construction of a military base in the African nation.

The official added that creation of the Saudi military base would positively contribute to the fight against smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism in the region.

According to the minister, the developments in the region stress the need to create a "military Islamic alliance" in order to facilitate coordination between member states to ensure the implementation of their strategic interests.

 Sputnik

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Incumbent Kenyan President Kenyatta Sworn in for Second Term

Sputnik News

17:03 28.11.2017(updated 17:34 28.11.2017)

The inauguration ceremony took place in Nairobi in a stadium that can hold up to 60,000 people.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Incumbent Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who won the repeated presidential election in October, was sworn in as the head of state for his second term, local media reported Tuesday.

"I swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Republic of Kenya; that I will obey, preserve, protect and defend this Constitution of Kenya, as by law established, and all other laws of the Republic; and that I will protect and uphold the sovereignty, integrity and dignity of the people of Kenya," Kenyatta said, as quoted by the Daily Nation newspaper.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that several thousand people had come to the inauguration to watch how the acting head of state took the oath of office. To contain the crowd, police used tear gas.

The presidential election was held in Kenya on August 8. According to the election committee, Kenyatta won with 54.27 percent of the vote. His rival, Raila Odinga, received 44.74 percent of the vote. After the election results were announced, protests broke out in the country, during which nine people were killed, according to media reports. The Kenyan opposition accused law enforcement officers of killing more than 100 people.

On September 1, the Kenyan Supreme Court decided to invalidate the August presidential election, annul the results and hold a new vote following the opposition's appeal. The Supreme Court ruled that the election was not organized in full compliance with the country's constitution and with violations by an independent election commission. Given the decision, a new election was scheduled for October 26.

According to the election commission, Kenyatta won again in the repeated election with 98 percent of the vote. The chairman of the commission, Wafula Chebukati, said that the elections were honest, free and trustworthy. The turnout was 38.84 percent. Opposition leader Odinga refused to participate in the repeat elections, calling them "false." Last week, the Kenyan Supreme Court confirmed Kenyatta's victory in the repeated presidential election.

Kenyatta is the son of the country's founding father and first president Jomo Kenyatta, a conservative African nationalist who played a key role in the transformation of Kenya from a colony of the British Empire to an independent republic.

 Sputnik

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Stay Neutral or Else! Lebanese PM Hariri Issues Stern Warning to Hezbollah

Sputnik News

13:39 28.11.2017(updated 13:50 28.11.2017)

A political standoff in Lebanon continues to intensify, with the country's Prime Minister yet to decide whether he will finally resign or not.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has made it plain that he will step down if the Shia Islamist movement Hezbollah refrains from paramilitary activity.

Hariri pledged to remain Prime Minister in case Hezbollah "accepted to stick by the state policy of staying out of regional conflicts," according to the French news network CNews.

"They know we have to remain neutral in the region. I don't want a political party in my government that interferes in Arab countries against other Arab countries," CNews quoted him as saying.

The remarks came after Hariri returned to Lebanon following his visit to France last week.

At the time, he announced his decision to "postpone" his previous self-proclaimed resignation, pending talks with the rest of the Lebanese government after President Michel Aoun said he would not consider Hariri's resignation until after a personal meeting.

Hariri announced his resignation in a video address from Saudi Arabia on November 4, in which he accused Iran and the Hezbollah movement of attempting to destabilize Lebanon and the Middle East, something that was rejected by Tehran.

He said back at the time that he would not tolerate Hezbollah's positions that "affect our Arab brothers or targets the security and stability of their countries," according to his press office statement.

Due to Lebanon's religious diversity, the country's government includes the representatives of the three main religious groups  Sunni, Shiite and Maronite Christian. As for Hezbollah, it remains the most powerful wing of Lebanon's executive branch.

Since 2012 Hezbollah fighters have fought on the side of the government's armed forces in the Syrian civil war. The movement is classified as a terrorist organization in the US, Israel, the European Union and the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council.

 Sputnik

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UN chief reiterates support for two-state solution in Middle East; vows to denounce anti-Semitism

28 November 2017  United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today reiterated that he would continue to work to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a two-state solution, and vowed to denounce hate speech aimed at Israelis.

"I will continue to speak out against anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, hate speech and the use of anti-Semitic appeals by violent extremist groups to recruit new followers," Mr. Guterres said in remarks delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, at the Queens Museum in New York.

The event marked the 70th anniversary of General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for the division of the former British mandate for Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Adopted on 29 November 1947, the resolution led to the birth of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948.

"Resolution 181 was subsequently cited in the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, marking the beginning of a relationship between Israel and the United Nations that has endured and deepened, even during challenging times," Mr. Guterres said.

He noted that since becoming a UN Member State in 1949, the cooperation between the UN and Israel has grown in peacekeeping, sustainable development and disaster relief, among others.

Having visited Israel three months ago, Mr. Guterres said he saw "remarkable examples of innovation and solutions" that can help all countries fight climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

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US Has Tripled Number of Air-delivered Munitions in Afghanistan in 2017

By Carla Babb November 28, 2017

The United States has tripled the number of air-delivered munitions in Afghanistan this year and is training hundreds of soldiers who will soon start advising the Afghan army in combat areas outside of military bases.

U.S. General John Nicholson, the top commander of international forces in the country, said via teleconference from Afghanistan Tuesday that the increased air power has allowed Afghans to more aggressively pursue the Taliban.

The increased air power is made possible by new authorities granted to U.S. forces in Afghanistan under the administration of President Donald Trump. Under former president Barack Obama's administration, U.S. airstrikes were limited to cases of self-defense when the Taliban were in close enough range to present a direct threat to American and Afghan forces.

As of October of this year, the U.S. had conducted more than 2,700 airstrikes in Afghanistan, Resolute Support spokesman Army Lt. Col. Kone Faulkner told VOA.

1,000 US soldiers outside the wire

During the briefing, Nicholson outlined a major effort aimed at improving the Afghan offensive that is expected to begin when the weather warms next year.

The U.S. Army is training 800-1,000 soldiers, whom Nicholson calls "volunteers," for its "first security force assistance brigade".

The Army will produce a total of six security force assistance brigades to advise the Afghan army at the battalion level, known as the "kandak" level in Afghanistan. U.S. military officials say this strategy has been successful with American troops who have been advising Afghanistan's special forces at a lower level during the past two years.

"This will enable us to help the Afghans with their offensive operations simultaneously in multiple corps," Nicholson said.

The general said the advisers will operate in teams that will be backed up by additional American enablers, in order to protect the U.S. forces and their Afghan counterparts.

The new strategy, however, puts hundreds more Americans at risk of getting caught in combat as they advise their Afghan partners in the field.

The goal is to secure portions of the population who are living in contested areas before the upcoming Afghan election. The government controls about 64 percent of the population, the Taliban controls about 12 percent of the population and the other 24 percent live in contested areas.

Trump's Afghan strategy

The new Afghanistan strategy Trump announced in August adds about 3,000 American troops and additional NATO coalition partners to the Afghan fight, the bulk of whom will advise and assist Afghan forces down to the brigade level.

The strategy also aims to focus on major players in the region, including India, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. U.S. leaders have expressed frustration over Pakistan's seeming unwillingness to prevent terrorists from using their territory to escape pressure in neighboring Afghanistan.

Tuesday, when asked if the coalition has seen any significant change in Pakistan cracking down on militants crossing into Afghanistan, General Nicholson told Pentagon reporters, "We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border.

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Questions Linger Over US Role in Fighting Terrorism in Sahel

By Salem Solomon November 28, 2017

The deaths of four U.S. Special Forces soldiers in Niger last month have raised questions about America's role in the fight against violent extremism in a sparsely populated region of Africa.

Before the October attack, in which at least four Nigerien soldiers were also killed, some members of Congress said they were aware of U.S. operations in Niger, but others - including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D-New York) - said they did not know U.S. troops were on the ground in Niger.

U.S. involvement includes more than 800 troops, according to Pentagon officials. There are also two drone bases in the country.

Niger and Burkina Faso want the U.S. to do more to support local governments in their fight against extremism, mainly by funding a new regional task force. The first-year operating budget for the five-nation force has been projected at $500 million. The United States is considering making a contribution of $60 million.

A decade of involvement

The heightened U.S. presence in the Sahel dates back to at least 2007, when the Pentagon established the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM. The command, based in Stuttgart, Germany, works with regional partners in Africa to strengthen security and stability. Since at least 2013, U.S. forces have conducted missions to train, advise and assist in Niger, collaborating with local authorities to clamp down on armed extremists.

Niger has been a particularly important strategic partner in the region. During the Obama administration, the U.S. built drone bases in the capital, Niamey, and in the northern city of Agadez.

"Because the government of Niger has been a strong ally to the counterterrorism efforts, it's been natural for the United States to station its counterterrorism forces in that country," said Lisa Mueller, an assistant professor of political science at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

But the Green Berets' deaths have brought new scrutiny to U.S. partnerships in the Sahel, and it is unclear how - or if - the Trump administration might shift its policy in the region.

Some activists and U.S. lawmakers are concerned that some regional partners have authoritarian governments. Even Niger, said Brandon Kendhammer, an associate professor and director of the International Development Studies Program at Ohio University, is "problematically democratic."

Still, Kendhammer characterized U.S. involvement as a net positive. "It's pretty clear that these investments do make a real difference in the ability of the region to provide its own security," he said.

Seeking input has been key to that success, according to Kendhammer. Despite perceptions among some observers that AFRICOM works unilaterally, the command has a track record of seeking local expertise and wide-ranging perspectives, Kendhammer said.

Green Beret deaths

Pentagon officials expect to complete their investigation into the Niger attack in January.

Based on what is now known, the U.S. soldiers killed last month were involved in exactly the kind of work that troops stationed in the Sahel undertake, Kendhammer said.

A big part of that role involves training local forces via workshops and fieldwork. Training can cover everything from basic operations to advanced tactics, including rapid response to terrorist attacks. To maximize their impact, the U.S. follows a "train the trainer" model, Kendhammer said, working with elite local forces who, in turn, share knowledge and skills.

No one has claimed responsibility for the October attack, but the Pentagon suspects possible involvement by militants affiliated with the Islamic State group, one of several extremist organizations operating in the Sahel.

That presence typically involves local militants who pledge allegiance to an international organization like IS or al-Qaida. Such an affiliation might signal tenuous ties - occasional mention in an IS publication, for example - or ongoing communication with the broader network.

Either way, affiliating with an established terrorist organization can be more pragmatic than ideological. According to Kendhammer, the particular group alleged to be behind the Niger attack was previously affiliated with al-Qaida and switched in 2015 or 2016 to find a better strategic partner.

The tactics employed by local militants hinge on undermining U.S. efforts. As VOA previously reported, it is likely that villagers in Tongo Tongo, where last month's attack occurred, helped lure U.S. and Nigerien forces into a trap. The villagers' willingness to assist militant groups reflects concerted efforts within those factions to build trust with local populations while fomenting contempt for America.

Daily Beast contributor Philip Obaji Jr. reported this month that residents of Tongo Tongo blamed the U.S. for a 2016 grenade attack that killed six children. No evidence has linked the U.S. to the incident, but local militant groups have pushed the narrative of an American-led slaughter to "win the hearts and minds of the local population," Obaji wrote.

Financial constraints

Governments in the Sahel say they need far more funding to carry out critical missions tied to two task forces: the newly formed G5 counterterrorism force, and the Multinational Joint Task Force, a longstanding effort based in Chad that has been revitalized to fight Boko Haram.

Burkina Faso's minister of foreign affairs, Alpha Barry, told VOA's French to Africa service this month that the G5 force needs more help from the U.S., whose recent pledge will assist regional militaries but not the G5, according to Barry.

Despite its bases and troop deployments, U.S. investment in the Sahel, particularly in Mali and Niger, has so far been eclipsed, both financially and militarily, by the EU and France, Mueller said.

Local solutions

Concerns about lack of funding and efforts to demonize the U.S. may have a common solution: more local initiatives and buy-in. But bringing those solutions to fruition is easier said than done.

"In U.S. government discourse about West Africa, [we tend] to talk about the need for everything to be regionally oriented and for everything to be an African solution to an African problem. And those are good ideas in principle, but they don't always translate directly into obvious policy," Kendhammer said. "Not every regional initiative is going to be the right regional initiative. Not every local solution is going to be the local solution that's actually going to solve the problem because countries have different interests."

In the end, countries' interests will dictate how well a solution works. In the Sahel, that's complicated by a diverse host of local players, each with its own economic and security concerns.

For Niger, fighting extremism is less about combating a homegrown threat and more about securing its borders. "It might be tempting to look at Niger - a country that is approximately 99 percent Muslim in its population - and assume that Nigeriens are radicalizing. And as far as I can tell, that's just not the case," Mueller said.

Instead, threats have spilled into the country from all sides, putting Niger in the crosshairs.

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Tillerson: US & European Allies Recognize 'Active Threat of a Recently Resurgent Russia'

By Nike Ching November 28, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday the United States and its European allies recognize the "active threat of a recently resurgent Russia" and that the United States "has strengthened its deterrence and defense commitment in Europe" against Moscow.

Tillerson's remarks came days before he is to embark on a trip to Europe. He is scheduled to meet with foreign ministers from the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next week.

In a Europe policy speech, the top U.S. diplomat also said Russia's aggression in Ukraine is an "enduring obstacle" to improving the frigid bilateral ties between Washington and Moscow.

"We'll never get this relationship back to normal until we solve Ukraine," said Tillerson in his address at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center, adding that the conflict in Ukraine must "come to an end."

"Any resolution of the war that does not entail a fully independent, sovereign, and territorially whole Ukraine, is unacceptable," said Tillerson, while stopping short of addressing whether the United States will provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons.

Ukraine has been fighting a defensive war in its east for nearly four years, after Russia seized Crimea and Russian-backed separatists invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed Moscow intervened in eastern Ukraine to defend Russian speakers. Russia has denied interfering in European politics and elections.

Kurt Volker, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine negotiations, earlier this year told VOA the argument that lethal arms sales would provoke Russia or embolden Ukraine to attack is "flat out wrong."

"Russia is already in Ukraine, they are already heavily armed. There are more Russian tanks in there than in western Europe combined. It is a large, large military presence. And, there's an even larger military presence surrounding Ukraine from Russian territory," said Volker during a July 25 interview with Current Time, a Russian-language network jointly operated by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA.

American Foreign Policy Council Senior Fellow Stephen Blank, who supports U.S. weapon transfers to Ukraine, said arming Ukraine could help "stiffen European and NATO resistance to Russia."

In a policy brief published by a research group, the Atlantic Council, Blank said Ukraine is the front line of President Putin's war against the West, and arming Ukraine will make it harder for Moscow to threaten Kyiv by utilizing tools including "terror, propaganda, information warfare, and corruption."

The Atlantic Council also published a report Tuesday calling for a permanent American military presence in the Balkans to stabilize the Southern European region amid increased Russian efforts to exert political influence. The report, published ahead of a Nov. 29 conference hosting top Balkan officials, calls for a "historic U.S.-Serbian rapprochement" and improved economic prospects for the region's predominantly Muslim youth, specifically via large-scale infrastructure projects aimed at interlinking Balkan nations and improving access to the European mainland.

During Tuesday's speech, Secretary Tillerson cited Moscow's other destabilizing activities, including intimidating American diplomats, cyber attacks, information warfare, and aiding the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that uses chemical weapons against his own people.

Tillerson said President Donald Trump's administration has requested $4.8 billion in its budget toward the so-called European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), which facilitates training and exercises with European allies and improve the readiness of U.S. forces in Europe.

Hours before reports of North Korea's launch of another ballistic missile Tuesday, Tillerson said the U.S. and its European allies are ramping up a diplomatic and economic pressure campaign against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

"In addition to enthusiastically supporting U.N. Security Council resolutions, countries have taken unilateral steps to maximize pressure on the regime in Pyongyang," Tillerson said. "Portugal froze all diplomatic relationship with the DPRK in July. Spain and Italy have expelled North Korean ambassadors. Latvia has fined banks who have violated the sanctions."

Tillerson said North Korea's aggression is a threat to all nations that required a coordinated response.

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Pence: Trump 'Actively Considering' Relocating US Embassy to Jerusalem

By VOA News November 28, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump is "actively considering" ways to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday.

Pence's comments were received with great enthusiasm at an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations vote that led to the creation of the State of Israel.

As a presidential candidate, Trump had repeatedly promised to move the embassy, a decision that would be welcomed by Israel but fiercely opposed by the Palestinians.

In June, Trump backed off the pledge as his Mideast envoy sought to reinvigorate peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The White House said at the time that the president was only delaying  not abandoning  his campaign pledge to relocate the embassy.

The move would violate a longstanding U.S. policy, which maintains that Jerusalem should remain on neutral ground until the city's status is determined during peace talks. Such a move is likely to ignite violence as Palestinians would view it as a threat to their hopes of having a part of Jerusalem as their future capital.

But, the Trump administration is facing a deadline within days on whether to move the embassy, and Pence's comments suggest the administration may be closer to agreeing to a key Israeli wish.

"While, for the past 20 years, Congress and successive administrations have expressed a willingness to move our embassy, as we speak, President Donald Trump is actively considering when and how to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem," Pence said.

The vice president is traveling to Israel next month and noted that he would deliver an address at the Knesset and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial during his visit.

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Zimbabwe Struggles to Face Mugabe-Era Crimes

By Anita Powell November 28, 2017

For 37 years under the iron-fisted rule of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe has been battered by human rights abuses, endemic corruption, and mismanagement that sank the economy and reduced the nation's once-strong agricultural sector to ruins.

The nation's new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, sees only one way forward for his wounded nation: forgiveness.

"I thus humbly appeal to all of us that we let bygones be bygones," he said in his inaugural address last week, in which he described Mugabe as a mentor and father figure.

Mugabe's government, in which Mnangagwa served as vice-president, was repeatedly accused of rigging elections, using force against opposition parties, jailing, beating and torturing critics, and other human rights violations. Endemic corruption grew especially intense after diamond fields were discovered in 2006.

Tuesday, Mnangagwa announced his government would allow a three-month amnesty for those willing to return state funds they took during the previous administration.

"Upon the expiry of the three-month window," his edict read, "Government will proceed to effect arrest of all those who would not have complied with this directive."

But just a day after the new president urged his nation to let go, the state jailed former Mugabe-era minister Ignatius Chombo on massive corruption charges. He is one of several Mugabe cronies to face what some critics are saying is political retribution, not true justice.

Equal justice?

Constitutional scholar Lovemore Madhuku is representing Chombo. He spoke to VOA outside the Harare Magistrates' Court this week.

"I think that they are just using [Chombo] to try and portray an image of dealing with corruption and so forth. But the cases that my client is facing, these are very old cases," he said. "...It's just to harass him and try to create an impression that we are dealing with corruption."

Human rights lawyers say there are worse crimes, and more serious culprits, who are being protected.

Renowned Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa told VOA she fears justice is not being applied equally. "If there are crimes that are being committed, everybody should in fact be put on trial," she said. "It shouldn't be selective at all. It shouldn't depend on which faction you belong to, are you on our side, or the other side."

Activist Patson Dzamara's older brother Itai was abducted in 2015 for opposing Mugabe. He is still missing, and Dzamara told VOA he believes these high-profile trials are not targeting the real crimes. He says he's angry, and wants accountability.

"The current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, played a very major role," he said. "And so he's complicit. He is, or he was, a part of that arrangement in government. And for us to sweep that under the carpet, and say that was that and life just has to go on as though nothing happened, I don't think it's proper."

Church role

At the Life and Liberty Church Zimbabwe, in central Harare, Bishop Noah Pashapa says he wants to encourage forgiveness, but understands why some people are not ready for it.

"I have not experienced what they experience that has gotten them to that place of finding it difficult to forgive," said Pashapa, who says he led a delegation of church leaders to advise Mnangagwa on his inaugural address. "So I will appreciate how they feel and I will respect how they feel. And yet, I will seek to appeal to them to appreciate that, these things do happen. ... Sadly, wherever we human beings struggle for power, they do bad things to each other."

Pastor Chris Oparoacha says he looks to other African nations for guidance, like Zambia.

"Chiluba, who was the outgoing president, was not given any immunity. He had to pay for the crimes that he did," Oparoacha says. "He might not be sentenced to prison, but whatever evil has been done, should be brought to light so those people are dealt with."

There is, scholars agree, no clear way forward that will make all Zimbabweans happy. Justice and forgiveness, as many other African nations have learned, is a slow and complicated process.

South Africa's post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission has come under criticism for being too easy on perpetrators and failing to adequately compensate victims. Sierra Leone's post-war Truth and Reconciliation Commission worked in theory, scholars said, but the government failed to completely implement the commission's recommendations.

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US tests upgraded Patriot system amid missile standoff with North Korea

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 07:42AM

Engaged in a long-running standoff with North Korea over its ballistic missile program, the United States has tested an upgraded version of the Patriot missile system, which it says would help protect US allies against a wider range of threats.

The new missile, complete with next-generation radars, electronics, software and fire control technologies was tested recently by the US Army, Brigadier General Robert Rasch, Deputy Program Executive Officer, Missiles and Space, told Warrior in an interview published on Tuesday.

"This enables us to reach higher altitudes and increase range," said Rasch. "Our Patriot modernization effort reduces the size of the hardware on the weapon and gets the latest RAM (Reliability, Availability and Maintainability), faster processing speed, smaller motherboards and improved command and control."

In service since 1981, the missile system has undergone numerous upgrades aimed at keeping it effective against ballistic missiles more advanced than the ones it was initially designed to target.

The latest upgrade is part of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) program and adds an enhanced phased array radar for better interception of airborne objects, including drones, rotary wing aircraft, cruise missiles, extended range tactical ballistic missiles and high-speed aircraft, according to the report.

"The PAC-3 MSE program includes flight software, flight testing, modification and qualification of subsystems, production planning and tooling, and support for full Patriot system integration," read a statement by Lockheed, the company behind the upgrade program.

South Korea and Japan are among the 12 countries that have purchased the Patriot missile system, originally developed by weapons manufacturer Raytheon.

In an attempt to protect the two regional allies from what it calls a looming missile threat from North Korea, the US has also deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to the Korean peninsula.

Russia and China have expressed concern over the controversial move, arguing that the advanced radars the missile systems come with could be used to scan Russian and Chinese territories instead.

South Korean media claim that Beijing has asked Seoul to build a wall around the west and northwest sides of the THAAD site in Seongju County in North Gyeongsang province to block the radar.

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Russian Satellite Fails To Enter Orbit After Launch From New Cosmodrome

RFE/RL November 28, 2017

The Russian space agency says that a satellite that was launched from its new Vostochny Cosmodrome has failed to enter a planned orbit, another blow to Moscow's space program.

"During the first planned communication session with the satellite, it was not possible to establish a connection due to its absence in the target orbit" the Russian space agency Roskosmos said in a statement, adding that it was seeking to establishing the cause of the problem.

Russian news agencies quoted unnamed sources in the space agency as saying that the likely cause was the failure of the booster's final stage, the Fregat. The booster also carried 18 microsatellites built in Canada, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.

Vostochny, in the Amur region near the Chinese border, is intended to reduce Russia's dependence on the Soviet-era Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

But the project has been dogged by reports of corruption, as several people involved in the planning and construction of the facility were arrested on embezzlement and fraud charges in recent years.

The first launch from the Vostochny facility took place in April 2016, after a one-day delay caused by a technical glitch that angered President Vladimir Putin, who was present for the launch.

The April 2016 launch was successful, but one of the satellites put into orbit by the rocket soon stopped functioning.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, TASS, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/second-soyuz-rocket- launch-vostochny-cosmodrome-amur-region-due -november-28/28883179.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.

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China Unveils Next-Gen Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Sputnik News

22:48 28.11.2017

Beijing's Dongfeng-41 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test was broadcast over China Central Television on Sunday, about one week after images of the multi-warhead missile went viral across Chinese social media platforms.

The missile has been tested eight times, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, which reported that the most recent launch took place early November somewhere in China's western desert region.

DF-41 is one of the farthest traveling ICBMs in the world, rubbing shoulders with Israel's Jericho 3, Russia's RS-26 Rubezh and the US' LGM-30 Minuteman III.

According to Chinese state media, the ICBM has a range of 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles), can strike within 328 feet (100 meters) of its intended target, and cruises faster than Mach 10 (7,672 miles per hour).

The missile measures approximately 16.5 meters (54 feet) in length and 2.78 meters in diameter (9.1 feet) and carries up to 10 warheads.

During the airing of the video, Yang Chengjun, a weapons expert, stated that the missile "can hit every corner of the Earth, allowing China to counter a nuclear strike on the country."

The missile can launch from a variety of platforms, including from a stationary silo as well as mobile rail and road platforms.

The Global Times, a Chinese state-run media outlet, reported earlier this month that the DF-41 would be commissioned with the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force. Nevertheless, former military officials have said on CCTV that the missile is already operational.

 Sputnik

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North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Amid Heightened Tensions

November 28, 2017

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile, the latest in a series of launches that have raised tensions with the United States and its regional allies.

The U.S. Defense Department said that it detected and tracked a missile launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, that traveled about 1,000 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan on November 28.

The Pentagon said that initial assessment indicate it was an intercontinental ballistic missile.

"Our commitment to the defense of our allies ... in the face of these threats, remains ironclad," a statement read.

Speaking about the rocket launch, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "It is a situation that we will handle." He did not elaborate.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea launched a ballistic missile at around 6.17 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time from Pyongsong in South Pyongan Province over the sea between South Korea and Japan.

Seoul said it responded to the launch with a missile-firing test.

"We will never yield to any provocative act," Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. "We will maximize our pressure" on Pyongyang.

Diplomats were quoted as saying that Japan and the United States requested that the United Nations Security Council meet on November 29 to discuss the matter.

Pyongyang test fired several missiles this year, amid increased tensions over its nuclear program.

It fired an intermediate range missile over Japan in September, days after it carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

An intercontinental ballistic missile test would signal further progress by North Korea in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the U.S. mainland.

In a statement on November 28, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on the international community to continue sending "a unified message" to North Korea that it must abandon its weapon of mass destruction programs.

"All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," the statement read. " In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from" North Korea.

It also said that "diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now," adding that the United States "remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea."

A week ago, the U.S. administration designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, and imposed new sanctions against the country over its nuclear program.

With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa, and the BBC

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/north-korea- fires-ballistic-missile/28884730.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.

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Trump: 'We Will Take Care Of It' After North Korean Ballistic Missile Launch

Sputnik News

23:57 28.11.2017(updated 01:25 29.11.2017)

Following North Korea's first ballistic missile test in more than two months, US President Donald Trump promised the US would "take care of" the problem.

Trump told reporters Tuesday, though, that the latest test does not change the US approach to North Korea.

Trump said he spoke with Defense Secretary James Mattis for a while after the launch and said North Korea's launch is "a situation that we will handle." One week ago, the White House designated North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.

South Korean and Japanese officials were on alert for a potential test after detecting a higher level of radioactivity data in North Korea. "North Korea might launch a missile within the next few days," a Japanese government official said Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's test.

The launch marks the first time North Korea has provoked the US and regional nations since US President Donald Trump labelled Pyongyang a state sponsor of terrorism. According to US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Tuesday's missile flew higher than any previous North Korean projectile.

The South Korean military staged a "precision strike" missile drill in response to North Korea's test.

 Sputnik

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North Korean Lawmaker: Nuclear Weapons Meant to Counter Only US, No One Else

Sputnik News

22:00 28.11.2017

A senior North Korean official has publicly stated that the North Korean nuclear weapons program is intended for exactly one country: the United States. The official, a deputy of the Supreme People's Assembly, insisted that Asian nations were safe, provided they did not provoke North Korea.

Ri Jong-hyok, a deputy assemblyman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that controls 607 of the 687 seats in the assembly, made a speech during the Asian Parliamentary Assembly in Turkey earlier in November. "Today's reality shows that our obtaining of nuclear [weapons] shatters the US ambition to secure its supremacy in the Asia-Pacific region and safeguards peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and its region," Ri said, according to the WPK's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun.

"It's Korean people's resolute decision that [North Korea] should face off the US only with nuclear [weapons] to achieve the balance of power. Our nuclear deterrence is a sword of justice aimed at fighting [American] nukes and Asia and any country in the world need not worry about our threats as long as they do not join invasion and provocations toward us."

As the crisis on the Korean Peninsula threatens to enter its eighth month with no signs of letting up, the North Korean strategy has become more apparent: to break the cooperation between Japan and South Korea with the United States. The US maintains a strong military presence in both of its East Asian allies, and the three powers have mostly moved in lock-step against their mutual enemy.

There were signs of tension between US President Donald Trump and then-new South Korean leader Moon Jae-in in May and June, but after Pyongyang tested the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in early July the two leaders put aside their many differences and conducted numerous military exercises together. The US has pledged to defend South Korea or Japan if either comes under attack by North Korea.

North Korean actions, such as essentially ignoring their traditional rival South Korea in favor of the US, or threatening Japan with missile tests that pass over Japanese territory in August and September, have been interpreted by observers as attempts to drive wedges between the powers, to convince South Korea and Japan that American military might can't protect them, and to deter the US from any military action against Pyongyang.

Japan and South Korea's reservations are well known: namely, they fear a unilateral American strike on North Korean nuclear sites that could send the region spinning into war. Trump's "America First" rhetoric during his presidential campaign and the early days of his presidency didn't help with that.

Meanwhile in Washington, the debate rages over what to do if the North Koreans are able to build an effective nuclear ICBM that could strike an American city. The US missile defense system has a spotty record, and it's unlikely that the US would risk the destruction of Los Angeles or New York to protect Seoul or Tokyo.

Although the Trump White House has assured allies and lawmakers that they have the situation in hand, it isn't clear what the American macro-strategy in the region is  or if there even is one.

 Sputnik

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North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile - Reports

Sputnik News

21:28 28.11.2017(updated 00:39 29.11.2017)

North Korea fired yet another ballistic missile on Wednesday, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, marking the first time the country has fired a missile since September 15. The missile set a new record for altitude reached in space by a North Korean missile, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday.

The missile's apogee was "higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken," Mattis told reporters.

North Korea has the capability to strike "everywhere in the world basically" with their ICBM technology developments, the Pentagon chief said. The missile flew at least 10 times higher in space than the orbit altitude of the International Space Station and could have a range of 6,500 miles if it had flown on a standard trajectory, according to Yonhap. The ISS orbits roughly 250 miles above earth.

The missile is believed to have been an intercontinental ballistic missile, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday. The projectile traversed 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before splashing down into the Sea of Japan. The South Korean military responded to the provocation by conducting a "precision strike" missile drill immediately afterward.

Earlier on November 28, Japanese and South Korean officials noticed an increase in radioactivity data suggesting another missile test might be imminent. "North Korea might launch a missile within the next few days," a Japanese government official told local media. Just hours later, their predictions provide correct.

The Pentagon has assessed that the missile was launched from Sain Ni. Japanese broadcaster NHK reports that Japan's government believes the missile flew for 50 minutes and landed somewhere within the waters claimed as its exclusive economic zone.

US President Donald Trump was briefed on the launch while the projectile was still flying, the White House said.

Seoul's military has been "closely monitoring" and "tracking possible North Korean provocations" with US partners, a spokesman for the army said Tuesday. According to BNO Newsroom, Japan has confirmed the missile launch but did not issue an emergency alert to the country's residents. Previous tests have featured North Korean missiles flying over Japan.

North Korean officials threatened this summer to strike Guam in the event of a pre-emptive strike by US, South Korean or Japanese forces, but tensions cooled over the past few months as the Trump administration shifted from threatening to attack Pyongyang to urging diplomacy.

"Diplomacy remains the preferred way" to deal with North Korea, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said October 29.

The launch marks the first time North Korea has provoked the US and regional nations since US President Donald Trump labelled Pyongyang a state sponsor of terrorism. South Korea, Japan and the US, however, seemed to continue military drills in the land and water surrounding the isolated nation during its testing pause.

The US and South Korean militaries are slated to hold more large scale military drills from December 4 through December 8. The drills will feature more than 230 allied aircraft swarming around the Korean peninsula.

China and Russia have stepped up their own efforts to deter North Korea. Russia cannot accept Pyongyang's "missile and nuclear gambit," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said November 24, since these programs violate United Nations Security Council resolutions. With China, Russia insists that Pyongyang follow through on the "implementation of other provisions of these resolutions that require the resumption of talks," Lavrov said.

 Sputnik

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On the Latest D.P.R.K. Missile Launch

Press Statement

Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

November 28, 2017



The United States strongly condemns North Korea's launch of what is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, indiscriminately threatening its neighbors, the region and global stability.

The D.P.R.K.'s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed. Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the D.P.R.K. must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures. In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the D.P.R.K.

The United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.

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Onodera: Missile believed to be ICBM

NHK

11/29/2017

Onodera: Missile believed to be ICBMJapan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera says North Korea apparently fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at a steep angle known as a "lofted trajectory."

Onodera told reporters on Wednesday morning that the North launched a ballistic missile from the country's west coast at around 3:18 AM, Japan Time.

He said the missile reached an altitude of about 4,000 kilometers and traveled for 53 minutes, and is presumed to have fallen into Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan.

He said the government has not received any reports of damage to ships.

The US Defense Department's media chief, Colonel Robert Manning, also said that North Korea appears to have launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.

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US, Japan Call for Emergency UN Security Council Meeting on DPRK Missile Launch

Sputnik News

01:27 29.11.2017

The urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on the latest North Korean missile test is to be held on November 29, the US mission announced.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  The United States, Japan and South Korea have called for an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the latest missile launch by North Korea, the US Mission to the United Nations said in a statement.

"Ambassador [Nikki] Haley and her counterparts from Japan and the Republic of Korea have requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile," statement said on Tuesday. "The Security Council session will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 29, around 4:30 p.m. EST."

The Japanese government has already held an emergency meeting of the national security council following the missile test, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters earlier that a missile launched by North Korea in latest test flew about 1,000 kilometers (some 621 miles) causing no damage during the fall in the Sea of Japan. According to Onodera, Japan believes the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile that may have reached the altitude of over 4,000 kilometers at top of trajectory.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has also convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the issue. The country has held a live-fire missile training following it's northern neighbour's ballistic missile launch, local media reported, citing South Korean military.

Also, US Department of State Secretary Rex Tillerson announced in a statement that the United States and the UN Command Sending States will convene a meeting to discuss how to respond to the launch.

"The United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace," Tillerson said.

Earlier, President Donald Trump promised to "take care" of the situation. "I will only tell you that we will take care of it," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "It is a situation that we will handle," he said without clarifying however, how exactly the situation should be handled.

 Sputnik

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Leader urges Navy to further improve capabilities

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 28, IRNA -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei advised the country's Naval Forces to continue their efforts to increase their capabilities.

Ayatollah Khamenei received commanders and officials of Naval Forces of Iran's Army on Tuesday.

Describing Iran's Naval Forces as being at the forefront of defending the country in strategic regions such as Makran coastline, Gulf of Oman and high seas, the Leader said: 'Good growth and momentum are being witnessed in the Navy, and the Naval Forces are far more advanced and capable than what they were 20 years ago.'

Saying that a higher level of advancement is expected for the forces, he advised them to 'pursue the already accelerated movement in every sector, with a strong resolve, morale, will, innovation and action.'

9156**2050

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Navy's presence in international waters should continue: Ayatollah Khamenei

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Tue / 28 November 2017 / 16:30

Tehran (ISNA) - Commanders and officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army Naval Forces met with the Commander-in Chief of the armed forces, Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei called November twenty-eighth, the day of grace, a source of pride for the Naval Forces and a symbolic day for praising their sacrifices.

He asserted, "The courageous operation of Naval Forces against the Iraqi Ba'ath regime, on November 28th 1980, had a permanent effect on the war, severing the enemy's domination over the sea through [the Navy's] courage, creativity, organization and action".

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forced insisted on the importance of remembering November 28th and its martyrs, while adding: "Martyrdom for the sake of God is not a loss, it's a gain. As Imam Khomeini, precisely, put it, 'A nation with martyrdom cannot be enslaved.'"

Emphasizing on particular needs in order to increase the capabilities of the Naval Forces like equipment, military power or using facilities from various departments within the system to counter any shortcomings, the Leader of the Revolution said, "Great growth and dynamism have begun within the Naval Forces. Today, Iran's Naval Forces are much more powerful compared to twenty years ago; however, the level of progress is not satisfactory: within all departments, fast-paced movement should continue through will-power, high morale, creativity and action".

Additionally, Ayatollah Khamenei indicated the importance of the Naval Forces in his speech, by adding: "The Naval Forces are on the front lines of defending this country: they guard crucial points--such as Mokran, the gulf of Oman, and the high seas beyond. Navy's presence, within international waters, must continue like before."

End Item

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U.S. Says Alleged Mastermind In Iran Sanctions Case Won't Stand Trial

RFE/RL November 28, 2017

A wealthy Turkish-Iranian businessman who was the alleged mastermind in what U.S. prosecutors say was a high-level conspiracy to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions will not stand trial this week as scheduled, though the case is proceeding against his co-defendant.

U.S. Judge Richard Berman announced on November 27 as jury selection got under way on the case that Reza Zarrab will not not stand trial and that Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla "is the only defendant in this trial."

Both Atilla and Zarrab are in U.S. custody.

Berman gave no explanation for Zarrab's absence from the trial after a series of unexplained no-shows at pretrial hearings. The development deepened the mystery surrounding the case and renewed speculation that Zarrab has cut a deal with prosecutors to testify rather than go on trial.

NBC News, Bloomberg News, and other U.S. media have reported that Zarrab, 34, is cooperating with U.S. prosecutors.

Zarrab's name appeared on a list of possible witnesses and names that may come up during the trial, which was handed out to prospective jurors on November 27.

The close ties of Zarrab and other defendants with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has turned the case into a major irritant in U.S.-Turkish relations.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag earlier on November 27 repeated Ankara's demand that prosecutors drop the case, which he said had "no valid evidence" and "no legal basis."

Bozdag, who is Ankara's government spokesman, asserted that the aim of the case was to cause the collapse of Turkey's economy, in an apparent reference to the plunge of the Turkish lira last week to a record low against the U.S. dollar in reaction to a development in the case.

U.S. prosecutors have denied Turkey's accusations, while the judge has urged Turkey to provide any evidence it has that could prove the defendants' innocence to the court rather than hurl accusations at the prosecutors.

In court papers, prosecutors allege that Zarrab used a network of businesses and Atilla's bank, Turkish state-owned Halkbank, to funnel cash and gold to Iran while duping U.S. banks into processing the transactions.

The scheme, which allegedly occurred between 2010 and 2015, violated U.S. prohibitions against Iran using the U.S. financial system or U.S. dollars to transact business, prosecutors say.

Court documents say the defendants in carrying out the scheme paid tens of millions of dollars in bribes in cash and jewelry to Turkey's then-economy minister, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan.

Caglayan, who has denied the charges, and six other high-ranking co-defendants in the case remain in Turkey.

In an indication of why the case has become so important to Erdogan, who has pressed repeatedly for Zarrab's release, prosecutors said in a recent court filing that Zarrab once told another defendant he had spoken with Erdogan directly about the alleged scheme.

Bozdag said on November 27 that there was "pressure" on Zarrab to confess to "slanderous" claims.

Zarrab's name has also come up in connection with allegations being investigated by U.S. Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

In that case, investigators are probing whether Turkey's government may have paid former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn to secure Zarrab's release as well as the deportation of a U.S.-based Turkish cleric, whom Erdogan blames for a failed coup against him last year.

With reporting by NBC News, AFP, dpa, AP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-says-alleged-mastermind- iran-sanctions-case-zarrab-wont-stand-trial-atilla-case- continues-judge-berman/28883174.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.

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Turkish Iranian Gold Trader Pleads Guilty in Sanctions-busting Scheme

By Masood Farivar November 28, 2017

Turkish-Iranian gold trader has pleaded guilty and will be the star witness at a trial over an alleged scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Reza Zarrab pleaded guilty to a seven-count indictment against him on Oct. 26 and will take the stand on Wednesday, prosecutors revealed on Tuesday.

The plea followed weeks of speculation that the 33-year-old had cut a deal with the prosecution to avoid decades behind bars for his role in running an audacious, multibillion-dollar sanctions busting scheme involving senior Turkish officials.

Zarrab's guilty plea was an outcome Turkish officials had long feared and is likely to rattle already strained U.S.-Turkey relations.

Calling it a politically motivated plot against Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unsuccessfully pressed the Obama and then Trump White House to drop the case.

"It raises the stakes for the trial going forward," said Nicholas Danforth, a policy analyst with the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. "We're going to find out what exactly Reza Zarrab knows, what exactly he testifies to in public, and either in the course of his testimony or in the coming weeks, who else prosecutors in the United States might look into."

With Zarrab pleading guilty, a case that includes nine defendants will proceed with the trial of only one of them  Mehmet Atilla, a former deputy general manager of Halkbank, one of Turkey's largest banks.

Seven other defendants, including a former Turkish economy minister, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan, remain at large.

Zarrab was arrested in Florida last year while on a family trip to Disney World and was later transported to New York to face charges of conducting hundreds of millions of dollars of business on behalf of the Iranian government and other Iranian entities in violation of U.S. sanctions.

A conviction on the the charges, which included conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit international money laundering, could bring decades in prison.

Nick Biase, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, said the plea agreement is sealed.

Zarrab's lead lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, declined to answer VOA's questions about his client's guilty plea.

Zarrab's testimony at Atilla's trial could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, Biase said.

Zarrab's role in the scheme first came to light in 2013 when Turkish police arrested him and 88 others as part of an investigation into corruption that implicated senior government officials, including Caglayan, the former economy minister. The Erdogan government later shuttered the investigation, calling it a plot by political opponents.

The so-called "gas for gold" scheme exposed by the Turkish investigation involved a series of shell companies and fictitious trades that allowed Iran to receive shipments of gold in exchange for its natural gas exports to Turkey.

The transactions undercut U.S. sanctions, which were aimed at cutting off Iran from international financial institutions.

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Israeli UN Ambassador Reveals Covert Relationship With Dozen Arab States

Sputnik News

14:14 28.11.2017(updated 14:18 28.11.2017)

Although just two members of the Arab League have official diplomatic ties with Israel, there are a dozen Arab states which have a secretive relationship with Tel Aviv and "understand the potential of relations with Israel" in spite of their official position on the country's existence, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon has said.

Despite the fact that most Arab states refuse to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, unofficially Tel Aviv enjoys cordial relations with a dozen Arab countries, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told Israeli news site Ynet on Monday.

"They still do not vote with us, but I can say that we have a relationship with them," Danon said.

Danon, who was appointed ambassador to the UN in October 2015, said that some Arab ambassadors used to cross to the other side of the corridor when they saw him at UN headquarters, but today they greet each other, shake hands and discuss collaboration.

"We are talking about a dozen Islamic countries, including Arab countries that understand the potential of relations with Israel," he explained.

"We collaborate with them on a weekly basis. The State of Israel is not the regional problem, it is the regional solution, so we are strengthening this cooperation," Danon said.

Earlier this month, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz revealed for the first time that Tel Aviv has covert contact with Saudi Arabia. He said that the countries have some shared interests, including opposition to Iran.

"Contacts with the moderate Arab world, including with Saudi Arabia, help us deter Iran We have ties, which are partially secret, with many Muslim and Arab states As a rule, the opposite side is interested in keeping these ties in secret," Steinitz told Israeli Army Radio on November 19.

Only two members of the 22-member Arab League officially have diplomatic relations with Israeli: they are neighboring Egypt and Jordan. The former established diplomatic relations after signing a 1979 peace treaty, the latter signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. A further ten members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation also do not recognize the state of Israel, which was proclaimed on May 14, 1948.

 Sputnik

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Violence drives more Rohingyas to Bangladesh; in Myanmar, Pope appeals for tolerance - UN

28 November 2017  While their numbers have dropped in recent weeks, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are still crossing the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar every day, the United Nations migration agency said Tuesday.

"People are still arriving in the settlements with horrifying accounts of physical and sexual abuse, harassment and murder. All of them fear for family members left behind in Myanmar," said Andrew Lind, the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Emergency Coordinator in Cox's Bazar.

Over the past three months, more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed into Cox's Bazar, fleeing violence and oppression in Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state. The most recent influx of some 1,800 in the past week, brings the total population of Rohingya seeking safety in the district to more than 836,000.

One 30-year-old woman who arrived in the Balukhali settlement on Monday with her five children told IOM that she fled seven days ago when her village was burned to ground, saying that while one group of attackers kidnapped people another set houses on fire.

The family hid for two days in a nearby village before making their way to the border. She explained that with no access to healthcare in Rakhine state, her husband died several months ago.

Like the other refugees, the family arrived with almost nothing to the congested settlement, where the humanitarian response tries to catch up with the vast needs of a desperate population.

Concerns raised over water safety, security and fear-mongering on the ground

Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) found that over 60 per cent of water sources tested in the settlements were contaminated with E.coli. Shallow wells located less than 30 feet away from latrines are culpable, with full latrines and a lack of space to drain them contributing to the potentially life-threatening problem.

To date, IOM has drilled a total of 374 deep tube wells and installed 4,973 permanent and emergency latrines in the Cox's Bazar settlements and host communities.

Security concerns are also growing as the settlements have become a target for human traffickers. IOM is seeking funding to help better protect the refugees and offer support to survivors of exploitation and human trafficking.

In other news, Pope Francis, who is currently in Myanmar, has condemned politicians who propagate alarm over immigration, arguing that fear-mongering engenders violence and racism.

In a message about migrants and refugees that the Vatican sent to heads of State and Government before the Pontiff's trip, he said: "Those who, for what may be political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which are matters of great worry for all those concerned about the safety of every human being."

After Myanmar, Pope Francis will travel to Bangladesh, where he is expected to meet a small group of Rohingya refugees.

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Sudan Ready to Host Russian Military Base

Sputnik News

17:37 28.11.2017(updated 18:01 28.11.2017)

Sudanese President Omar Bashir, who recently visited Russia for the first time, said in an interview with Sputnik on Saturday that he had discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu the possibility of agreeing to the establishment of a Russian military base in Sudan.

KHARTOUM (Sputnik)  Sudan is ready to host a Russian military base on the Red Sea coast because it could help the country fight the smuggling and slave trade, Al-Hadi Hamid, the head of the Defense and Security Committee of the Sudanese Parliament told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"I think it will be reasonable and correct if the Russian leadership agrees to establish a military base on the Red Sea, which will undoubtedly be in the framework of economic and military cooperation between the countries," Hamid said.

"I would like to emphasize that Sudan is ready to host Russian military bases, this would be an excellent cooperation" the lawmaker added.

He also recalled the extent of Sudan's maritime borders. "We record a large number of violations: vessels illegally enter our territorial waters; fishing boats also violate borders," Hamid said.

Speaking about the possibility of establishing a military base in Sudan with President Putin, Omar Bashir also expressed readiness to purchase Russian Su-30 and Su-35 fighter jets as well as S-300 air defense systems. He added that Sudan had no plans "to wage aggression abroad, we want to protect our country."

Earlier, Russia and Sudan have signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of atomic energy.

 Sputnik

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Russian Pacific Fleet to Receive Approximately 10 New Warships in 2018

Sputnik News

11:10 28.11.2017(updated 11:56 28.11.2017)

Russia's Pacific Fleet has at its disposal ballistic missile submarines, multi-purpose nuclear and diesel submarines, surface ships, maritime anti-submarine and fighter aircraft, along with ground forces and coastal defense troops.

VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik)  The Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet plans to receive around 10 new warships and auxiliary ships, including a tugboat, in 2018, Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. 2nd Rank Nikolai Voskresensky said Tuesday.

"It is planned that following the Sovershenny corvette, that has come to Vladivostok this year, the Gromky and Gremyashchy corvettes, whose crews have already been formed, will join the squadron of surface ships of the Navy. The construction of one of the ships is being completed in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, while [the construction of the other one is being completed] at Severnaya Verf [shipyard] in St. Petersburg," Voskresensky said.

The Pacific Fleet also plans to receive the first of a series of Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarines. These submarines are manufactured specially for the Pacific Fleet and show improved characteristics. The submarines are built to carry Kalibr cruise missiles.

Several anti-terror vessels and auxiliary ships, including a modern tugboat, will also be delivered to the Pacific Fleet.

The Pacific Fleet is an integral part of the Russian Naval Fleet; it ensures Russia's military security in the Asia-Pacific region.

 Sputnik

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Syrian government agrees to ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta: UN envoy

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 05:29PM

The Syrian government has agreed to a ceasefire in the militant-held Eastern Ghouta region following days of heavy conflict, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says.

"Russia has proposed and the government has accepted a ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta," de Mistura told reporters on the sidelines of the eighth round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva on Tuesday.

Eastern Ghouta is one of the four de-escalation zones agreed upon by the Syrian warring sides during the fourth round of Astana discussions in May, mediated by Iran, Russia and Turkey.

The implementation of the de-escalation zone initially reduced violence in Eastern Ghouta which has been under siege since 2013, but in recent weeks violence has increased considerably.

According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 120 people have been killed in the clashes over the past two weeks.

On Tuesday, a UN aid convoy entered Nashabieh in East Ghouta to deliver food, health and nutrition items for 7,200 people in need.

Spokeswoman for World Food Programme (WFP) Dina Al Kassaby warned on Tuesday that the situation in Eastern Ghouta is "absolutely desperate."

She pointed to the high rates of malnutrition among children, adding, "People are eating garbage and animal fodder."

UN officials stressed that nearly 400,000 people who face the dire conditions in the region need immediate access to aid.

Geneva talks

Meanwhile, the representatives of Syria's Saudi-backed opposition are in Geneva for a fresh round of UN-led peace talks. A delegation from the Syrian government will be arriving in Geneva on Wednesday to join the talks.

Previous rounds of negotiations over the past five years have failed to achieve a tangible result, mainly due to the opposition's insistence that Assad should cede power.

Nasr al-Hariri, the head of the so-called High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said in Geneva on Monday evening that Assad's departure should be set before the start of any transition process.

That condition seems no longer tenable due to Syria's continued victories against the militants in the recent past.

On Tuesday, the US and UK officials expressed support for the Syrian opposition in the course of the Geneva talks.

Alastair Burt, the British minister of state for the Middle East, said after meeting Nasr Hariri that Geneva talks need "to lead toward the inclusive political transition necessary to end this conflict.

The Syrian opposition chief also met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield who reaffirmed support for a credible political transition process under US supervision.

On the other side, Russia, Turkey and Iran have mediated a parallel peace process between Syria's warring parties in Astana, Kazakhstan, since January.

Russia also plans to hold an all-Syrian congress, known as the Syrian National Dialog Congress, in the Russian resort city of Sochi that would involve drawing up a framework for Syria's future structure, adopting a new constitution and holding elections under the UN supervision, Putin said at the time.

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Russia censures OPCW for 'politically-biased' probe into Syria chemical attack

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 28, 2017 05:25PM

Russia has slammed the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for its biased probe into an April incident in Syria where civilians died of the use of chemical weapons.

Russia's representative to the OPCW said Tuesday that the probe by the global chemical weapons watchdog into the incident in Khan Sheikhun, a village northwest of Syria, was based on "unprofessional and politically-biased working methods."

Georgy Kalamanov said in his speech to the annual gathering of OPCW members in The Hague that the probe was heavily influenced by Western governments that have sought over the past years to hit Syria with "unfounded accusations."

The official, who also serves as Russia's deputy minister of trade and industry, said "some of the Western countries wanted their own version of the bombing in Khan Sheikhun with chemical weapons."

He said the accusations against Syria came despite the fact that the Arab country "has been combating terrorism and extremism that has been sponsored from outside."

He said such probes were dominated by "double standard," which was only "undermining the credibility of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW."

Syria has denied the findings of a joint investigation by the OPCW and the United Nations, known as JIM, into the incident in Khan Sheikhun, saying its air force had not dropped bombs in the village, as claimed by JIM.

Russia has also called for JIM to be dismantled and a new mechanism to be launched to probe the incident. Russian authorities have maintained since the incident took place that it was the militants who triggered the tragedy and killed over 80 people. Moscow said at the time that the militants had deposited chemicals in the area that may have exploded in a Syrian or Russian air raid.

Moscow has been assisting Syria in its war on terror since late 2015 when Damascus asked Moscow to intervene in the conflict.

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Turkish Opposition Claims Erdogan's Family Hid Money Offshore

By Dorian Jones November 28, 2017

The leader of Turkey's main opposition has produced what he claims is evidence of millions of dollars held in offshore bank accounts linked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the head of the opposition Republican People's Party, began addressing parliament regarding the alleged offshore accounts, the state broadcaster cut the transmission.

Images of the parliament were replaced by a studio, with a banner that read "Hot News." However, smaller TV channels continued their broadcasts.

Kilicdaroglu then listed offshore bank transfers totaling $15 million, which he claimed were made by Erdogan's inner political circle and family, including one of the president's sons and a brother. All alleged payments were made to an account on the Isle of Man, a British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea renowned for offshore banking.

"We have all the records of this company," Kilicdaroglu said. "We also have all the documents of the financial transactions.  We also have bank receipts."

Kilicdaroglu's deputies called for the president to resign.

The opposition leader's speech was in response to Erdogan saying he would quit if it was proven that even one cent had been transferred to an offshore bank by his family members. Senior members of Erdogan's ruling AK Party attacked Kilicdaroglu's speech, calling it fake news and slanderous lies.

In a sign that the political feud could escalate further, Erdogan  in a speech to parliament Tuesday  called Kilicdaroglu's party the country's "main treason party" and warned the opposition leader there would be consequences.

"We will continue to seek justice through legal means," Erdogan said. "We will no longer turn the other cheek. If you hit me, you must be ready to be hit."

The uproar comes as a trial was starting in New York in a case against the deputy head of a Turkish bank accused of trying to circumvent U.S. sanctions against Iran by funneling Iranian money through the U.S. financial system.

U.S. prosecutors also have indicted a former Turkish minister who remains at large and is closely linked to Erdogan. The main defendant in the case is Reza Zarrab, a Turkish Iranian gold trader who pleaded guilty and agreed to testify for the prosecution. The case has caused alarm among Turkish leaders amid concerns that it could eventually implicate Erdogan or his family. The Turkish president's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, says the case was politically motivated.

On Tuesday, arrest warrants were issued for a former opposition member of parliament and a former state official for providing what prosecutors say was "fake" evidence to the sanction-busting trial.

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Economic Woes Force Britain to Consider Biting Military Cuts

By Jamie Dettmer November 28, 2017

This week for the first time in 357 years they are changing the guard at Buckingham Palace, not with Foot Guards wearing their signature red tunics, but with sailors, who have temporarily taken over the ceremonial role outside the royal residence to mark 2017 as the "Year of the Navy."

Britain's biggest ever warship, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, started its sea trials this year. The vessel is the first in a planned raft of new warships that are meant to mark an expansion of the navy and the return of Britain as a serious maritime force in keeping with its ambition to remain in the top tier of military powers.

But whether the plans will be met is now in doubt.

Sluggish economic growth, rising government debt and the feared impact of Britain's exit from the European Union, known as Brexit, is forcing the ruling Conservatives to rethink what it can afford.

And the future on the cards is one of crippling budget-squeezing measures that will see a delay in the building of new frigates and tanks and the Royal Navy having to give up its two remaining amphibious assault ships capable of landing Royal Marines on foreign shores.

Far from expanding the Royal Navy, a looming round of biting spending cuts  the second in three years  would see the fleet contract. It would also see a delay in the purchase of American-made F-35 warplanes for use on Britain's new expensive aircraft carrier.

Cuts now being debated within the government would also devastate Britain's overall military capability, fear British defense officials.

Their counterparts in the United States have warned Britain's much vaunted special relationship with America  that's ultimately founded on military cooperation  could well be imperiled as a result, reducing Britain's global influence already threatened by Brexit.

British troops are currently deployed with U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and bolstering the defense's of eastern European countries in response to Russia's more aggressive military posture.

Earlier in November, a senior U.S. general warned against deeper cuts to Britain's armed forces. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, said Britain's position as a key ally and leading NATO member would be at risk, if its armed forces shrank even more. The British Army has already been cut from 120,000 to 82,000 regular troops.

"It's a leader in the [NATO] alliance and if it can't sustain the level of commitments it's fulfilling right now, then I think it risks going into a different sort of category," he said in an interview with the BBC.

Some recently retired senior officers who have the freedom to speak out say Britain already has fallen into a sub-par category.

Last week, retired Gen. Richard Barrons warned a parliamentary defense committee that the country's military is "no longer fit for purpose" and that the army is 20 years out of date and nearing breaking point. The navy is underfunded and the air force teetering on the edge because of decades of cuts, he warned.

"If you don't put this money back in defense, you will be responsible for tipping the armed forces into institutional failure," he told lawmakers. He pointed out that the defense review is coming at a time when Russia and China  as well as allies such as the United States and Germany  are growing their forces and modernizing them.

Popular Defense Minister Tobias Ellwood is an army veteran who was feted publicly for his first aid efforts to revive a policeman felled in a lone-wolf terror attack last March on the House of Commons. Ellwood is threatening to resign in protest at cuts that will likely shrink the British army's full-time strength to just 70,000. It is rare for a British government minister to resign on a matter of principle. The last time a defense minister did so quit was in 1966.

Even without the cuts, Britain is already far behind in combat strength compared to nearby France, which has 110,000 regular service personnel. Britain can call upon 249 combat tanks, whereas France has 406. Likely cuts to the Royal Navy's budget would see it for the first time in history operating a smaller fleet than the French.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, already buffeted and imperiled by divisions within the Conservative Party over Brexit, has been warned by Cabinet colleagues that she faces a "very substantial rebellion" in the House of Commons, if she fails to stop the cuts to the armed forces.

And on Sunday, Nicholas Soames, grandson of Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill, tweeted, "The Conservative parliamentary party has a duty now to unite against further defense cuts to capability." Soames and 23 other Conservative lawmakers warned in a letter to May's minority government that they are also "not prepared to see the degradation of this nation's amphibious capabilities any further."

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KN-22 / Hwasong 15 ICBM

The first official assessment from US Forces in South Korea that the North has a missile that can reach any part of the U.S. mainland - the Hwasong-15 ICBM. US Forces Korea [USFK] released the annual Strategic Digest on 11 July 2019. It said North Korea had 3 types of ICBMs the Hwasong-13, 14, and 15 and of these, the Hwasong-15 flies nearly 13,000 kilometers, putting any part of the continental U.S. in range.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis said 15 December 2017 he does not believe that North Korea's current intercontinental ballistic missiles are capable of hitting the continental US. North Korea's November ICBM "has not yet shown to be a capable threat against us right now," Mattis said during an off-camera briefing with reporters. He added that the United States was assessing the situation. "We are still examining the forensics, we're still doing the forensics analysis, it takes a while," he said.

"I'm highly suspicious about the capability of the Hwasong-15," retired Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and expert in aerospace and missile defense, said in an email to CNN. O'Reilly and other missile experts noted that the North Koreans keep shooting the missile almost straight up, and not in the parabolic arc of a standard missile trajectory, which is harder to achieve. "There are some really ill-informed technical suppositions that have been made," O'Reilly said. "When I hear in one or two years they could have an operational capability that could hit Washington ... people are making very, very aggressive assumptions. There's a lot left to be done before you can assess a credible threat."

In 2010, North Korea imported six WS51200 heavy-duty trucks from China and modified them with hydraulics to turn them into transporter erector launchers (TELs). The DPRK has built up their manufacturing sector to indigenously modify and produce their own missile launchers.

North Korea said 29 November 2017 it succeeded in launching a new Hwasong-15 class intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). In a statement on the North's state-run KRT, the North said the missile precisely hit its target in international waters in the East Sea [aka Sea fo Japan]. It said the projectile is capable of targeting any place on the US mainland. It said the latest missile is more technologically advanced than the Hwasong-14 class test launched in July 2017.

The North Korean Embassy in Moscow stated that North Korea's Hwasong-15 ballistic missile is "equipped with a system of weapons capable of loading an extremely large heavy nuclear warhead and striking the entire mainland part of the United States."

"Personally watching the successful test of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, comrade Kim Jong Un expressed high appreciation for the test, saying that today a historic success was achieved in the completion of the state's nuclear armament," North Korean state television relayed.

About a day after the launch, the first pictures emerged, depicting a rocket substantialy larger than the Hwasong-14. One notable improvement is the increased diameter of the second stage, which has the same diameter as the first stage. The diameter of the nose cone is also accordingly enlarged. The overall diameter is increased, clearly greater than the 2 meters of the Hwasong-14 [equal to the SS-11], but possibly not quite the 2.5 meter diameter of the Soviet SS-19, probably closer to the 2.25 meter diameter SS-17. The length is accordingly enlarged, as well. Charles Vick believes it has a new cluster of two new 80 metric tons thrust engines with four Verniers, for a total thrust in excess of 160 metric tons launch thrust.

North Korea's state media is continuing to praise its latest ICBM test, calling it a "historic completion" of its nuclear weapons program and proof of its mastery in missile technology. A large rally was held in Pyongyang and celebratory remarks delivered by top regime officials to commemorate this self-proclaimed milestone. Analysts said this is a political move aimed at pressuring the U.S. to recognize the North as a nuclear power for use an important bargaining chip before a possible return to dialogue.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said 05 December 2017 that the DPRK had developed its nuclear missile capability at a faster-than-expected pace but has yet to master the technology. In a CNN interview, when asked if the regime appears to have made significant progress in its weapons program, Kang said "Yes, they have. And at a pace that's far faster than many of us have expected."

But she noted there is still a ways to go before North Korea completes the technology. "TThere is no concrete evidence that they have mastered the technology that is required to be able to put a nuclear device on a long-range nuclear missile," she said, citing re-entry capability, remote targeting and miniaturization of a nuclear warhead. "They have not yet reached the final, final completion stage yet. I think that would be the shared view of all the technical expertise around this program."

The Norths state-run television KRT reported on 03 December 2017 that the missile's warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the earths atmosphere. Experts had cast doubt on North Koreas ability to master the technology needed to design a warhead capable of withstanding the enormous pressure of re-entry into the earths atmosphere and suggested the isolated country may still be years away from developing a credible delivery vehicle for a nuclear weapon.

The Hwasong-15 missile could have the capability to carry decoys due to its increased size. According to Michael Elleman, a senior fellow for missile defense at International Institute for Strategic Studies, the enlarged Hwasong 15 has a warhead and the second stage propeller, which is considerably bigger than the previously tested missile, leading to concerns that the Hwasong-15 could carry simple decoys to deceive the US missile defense system. However, Elleman further claimed that it was uncertain whether North Korea tested its ability to avoid the THAAD defense system in the first missile test. He emphasized that Hwasong 15 was not a modified version of Hwasong 14, but a completely new weapon.

After the launch on 28 November 2017, the official DPRK release stated : "Today has finally witnessed the accomplishment of the historic cause of the national nuclear programme, the cause of building a missile power, Kim Jong Un said proudly after viewing the whole process of the test-fire. The resounding success of the test-fire of Hwasong 15 is a priceless victory achieved by the great, heroic Korean people who have faithfully supported the Party's line of pushing economic construction and nuclear buildup simultaneouslywith no vacillation despite the vicious challenges of the US and its lackeys and a multitude of difficulties."

Some observers suggested that this suggested a possible diplomatic opening, as the North seemed to be signalling an end to its missile test program. This is a reasonable reading of this rather uncharacteristic rhetoric.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace fellow Zhao Tong said that Pyongyang's achievement may very well force Washington into negotiations. Tong, an expert at the Nuclear Policy Program at Carnegie's Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing, outlined why North Korea's achievements on the path to creating a viable nuclear missile capability could become a powerful argument pushing Washington into talks on ending the regional crisis.

"This new Hwasong-15 ICBM appears to represent a further improvement in DPRK's ballistic missile capability, potentially including the entire continental United States within its range," the analyst said. "As the DPRK stated very clearly recently, their nuclear weapons are only meant to retaliate against the United States, and are not aimed at anyone else. So, yes, it is part of their response to the perceived U.S. threat."

"It could potentially be very important that they just announced the completion of their missile program and even the final realization of the historical goal of achieving a nuclear weapon state," Tong stressed.

This "could mean that DPRK thinks it has achieved all the basic technical capabilities of a credible nuclear force and therefore no major missile tests are needed anymore. If this is the case, this could potentially open a window to de-escalate tension in the near-term future and may increase the chances of diplomatic engagement with North Korea" (on Washington's part).

"Their lack of missile launch activity over the past two months and their test today could be more driven by technical reasons rather than political reasons. They have an incentive to complete their development as soon as possible. So I think they did the test today because they just built a new missile," the analyst concluded.

But the North is unlikely to be content with a clunker like the Hwasong-15, highly vulnerable to a pre-emtive attack. A new generation of solid propellant missiles of the Pukguksong family has entered testing, and an ICBM-sized variant was paraded in early 2017. The North is like to continue testing these missiles [either in the DPRK or in program-partner Iran] until satisfied of their operational readiness.

On 04 April 2022 South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in a text message to reporters that North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea. "Our military detected one ballistic missile that was fired toward the East Sea from the North's Sunan area this afternoon." That's the same area in Pyeongyang where the North on March 24th conducted its first full ICBM test since 2017. The South Korean military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers at an altitude of around 780 kilometers. An official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that it flew at a speed of up to 11 times the speed of sound. One expert said it's likely that it was an ICBM possibly a Hwasong-15. "North Korea cannot send a strong message through launching a mid-range ballistic missile like the Hwasong-12. So they may have launched the Hwasong-15 and by doing this before Joe Biden visits Seoul, the North probably wants to find more negotiating power with the U.S. or South Korea."

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Allegations of sexual misconduct reached Andy Rubin, Android creator, and currently Essential CEO. According to The Information, Rubin left Google after an internal investigation from the HR department. The allegations are that he maintained an inappropriate relationship with a woman, working directly under him.

Andy Rubin has taken a leave of absence at Essential for personal reasons after The Information released the details about it to the public. Mike Sitrick, the spokesperson for Andy Rubin, said: "Any relationship that Mr. Rubin had while at Google was consensual. Mr. Rubin was never told by Google that he engaged in any misconduct while at Google and he did not, either while at Google or since.

The woman worked in the Android department in 2013. Rubin left the mobile OS in March 2013 and switched to Googles efforts in robotics, before leaving the company entirely in 2014. The Information concluded that Rubins behavior was improper and showed bad judgment.

Source
Chinese manufacturer Huawei has revealed that India shipments for its Honor-branded smartphones have nearly doubled in 2017. President George Zhao revealed a 98.8% increase for 2017 compared to 2016.

Aside from further ramping up its smartphone manufacturing in the Asian country, Huawei is also planning to launch handsets with AI technology that can sense who is using the unit, and based on that translate messages to suit individual preferences.

"We are looking to time our India launches in tandem with global launch and going by that, we should be seeing the new AI phones in India as soon as they are launched in the overseas market," the company said.

The latest Honor branded phone Huawei unveiled is the V10, and it's already available for pre-orders in China.

Via
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Haiti - Social : The Jacmel Valley continues its fight against gender violence





After more than a year of diagnosis and contact with different actors in the commune of the Jacmel Valley (located between the communes of Jacmel and Bainet), the Foundation "Depase Fwontye" via the program "Repanse Pouvwa" in the presence between local authorities, representatives of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and the justice system, religious leaders, school directors, pupils, notables, representatives of women's and feminist organizations, launched officially two working methodologies "SASA" and "KORE TIFI" to prevent violence against women and girls in this region of the South-East and reduce the prevalence rate of HIV-AIDS.



A region known for acts of violence perpetrated against women and especially cases of rape repeated especially on minors, according to the testimonies of 3 residents of rural sections Odette Laguerre and Lina Lafontant and Prevot Romicile.



Recall that the program "Repanse Pouvwa", experienced in some communities of Jacmel and Les Cayes-Jacmel between 2010 and 2015, which had a very positive impact, is part of a preventive approach against all forms of violence against women and girls while fighting HIV-AIDS infections.



In the implementation of the SASA methodology, the focus is mainly on gender equity at all levels within communities. To this end, several community mobilization activities will be organized particularly with women and girls, involving all social strata in the regions concerned. Note that this methodology was originally developed in Uganda (East Africa), in Kiswahili language "SASA" means in French "now" and in Creole "Kounye a".



In addition, materials and tools were produced and adapted for each community, allowing activists of the program to do the work of mobilization, in order to raise awareness and raise awareness among all actors and bring more particularly boys to change their behavior and contribute to reducing the prevalence of the phenomenon of gender violence.



Other areas of intervention, support is provided to community-based organizations and associations and women's groups, to strengthen the capacity of their gender members so they can do better this prevention in other areas concerned.



As for the second "Kore Tifi" methodology, it is a working guide, developed as a result of the implementation and experimentation of the "Repanse Pouvwa" program. To materialize this methodology, at least three clubs bringing together girls from schools, each headed by a mentor, have already been set up in the Vallee de Jacmel. A space where these girls have already met at least once a week, to share their opinions and reflect on their future, especially to fight against acts of violence and avoid HIV-AIDS infections. In addition, these girls have already benefited from several training sessions related to these methodologies, so that they can become sensitizing agents to other young people in their respective areas.



Like other speakers, Marie Yolaine Philippeaux, the Mayor of the Valley said she was ready to support this initiative, applauding that the emphasis is placed on the training component, through these methodologies.



HL/ HaitiLibre / Claudy Belizaire (Correspondant Jacmel)






















Haiti - Literature : The Fetkann Prize 2017 awarded to Gary Victor for Les temps de la cruaute





Friday morning at the Flore cafe in Paris, the jury unveiled the winners of the 14th Edition of the "FETKANN Literary Prize ! Maryse Conde" for the different categories : memory, research, youth and poetry.



The FETKANN Literary Prize rewards the works, collections, research works and essays that insist on the affirmation of human rights and favor the work of Memory of the countries of the South and of the whole of humanity on the slave trade and the slavery.



The Jury awarded the "FETKANN Literary Prize ! Maryse Conde 2017" to the famous writer, novelist, Haitian screenwriter, Gary Victor, in the category "Memory" for his novel "Les temps de la cruaute" (The Times of Cruelty) published by Philippe Rey.



Les temps de la cruaute :

"In a cemetery in Port-au-Prince, Valencia, carrying her baby in her arms, begging and sells her body to men among the tombs. When Carl Vausier, in full depression after a painful breakup, meets her, he feels a strange attraction for the very young woman, who is neither in love nor sexual. He believes he sees in her the possibility of his own redemption.



This path will however prove to be dangerous for him, because it will connect him to two difficult episodes of his past to which his memory tries to give other outlines.



With a perfect mastery of the workings of fiction, Gary Victor will weave these frames to bring up an unexpected finale. The sharp tensions of the Haitian society will spare no character, and Carl will be in turn instrument and victim of this cruelty which exerts a very strange fascination on the reader."



Learn more about Gary Victor :

Born in Port-au-Prince, in permanent exile in his third island as he likes to say, Gary Victor, journalist, playwright, writer, is the author of an important literary work that explores without concessions the most singular inner worlds. His keen eye on society and his conflicts makes him an author at once essential and unclassifiable. He has published about fifteen books including "A langle des rues paralleles" (Priwe of the Livre insulaire, 2003), "Je sais quand Dieu vient se promener dans mon jardin" (Prize RFO, 2004), "Banal Oubli" (2008), "Le Sang et la Mer" (Prize Casa de Las Americas, 2012), "Lescalier de mes desillusions" (2015) Prize Carbet des Lyceens.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















When we think of depression we often imagine someone sad and lethargic, hunched over, with no energy to
Sanctuary Brewing Co. announces nonprofit rescue farm

Rescued chickens.

Hendersonville is now home to its very own animal sanctuary: Sweet Bear Rescue Farm, a non-profit started by Sanctuary Brewing Company owners Lisa McDonald and Joe Dinan.

Passionate animal activists, McDonald and Dinan two quit the corporate world with the goal of starting a brewery and a sanctuary, all with the overall mission of saving both animals and humans  and extending kindness, compassion, and love at every opportunity.

Sanctuary Brewing Company, located in downtown Hendersonville, just celebrated its two-year anniversary. Since its launch, brewery has used proceeds to fund the farm  a three-acre haven for rescued animals just two miles from the brewery.

The farm is home to 12 animals with a constant revolving door of foster pets, most recently including a dog rescued from Hurricane Irma. Permanent residents include Ollie the pot-bellied pig and Charlotte the chicken (who are best friends); Oskar the cat; dogs Harry and TT; and numerous other chickens and other furry/feathered inhabitants. There are currently fundraising efforts and volunteer days to help ready their barn and property for two goats and two tom turkeys.

This is something Joe and I have been dreaming about for years, says McDonald. We believe in the inherent value of all life, and we want to save every animal we possibly can. This is an essential piece of our lifes mission to be kind to all living beings, and Sweet Bear Rescue Farm is a place where all animals will be safe and loved for their entire lives.

Dubbed Sweet Bear after McDonald and Dinans late dog, Nala, who inspired their work in animal advocacy, the rescue just received its 501-3 status, so all donations are tax-deductible. The farm will also host regular volunteer work days in order to help keep the property in top shape for the residents.

Sanctuary Brewing Company has raised thousands of dollars for charitable causes since its opening, offers free Sunday meals for anyone in need, and has a Kindness Wall outside the main entrance thats always stocked with essentials bags for the local homeless population. Recently featured in Paste, Thrive and Our State magazines, Sanctuary has even garnered the attention of big names like comedian Ricky Gervais, racecar driver Leilani Munter, and filmmaker Kip Anderson.

Ongoing events at the brewery include Saturday morning Yoga with Cats, adoptable pet nights, Puppy Bowl festivities on Super Bowl Sunday (to be hosted in 2018 by the world-famous Vegan Bros), Taco and Trivia Tuesdays, karaoke parties, and regular fundraisers for local charities including Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, Farm Sanctuary, and Full Circle Farm Sanctuary, among others.
Staff at the Limerick GPO, where the ticket was bought, and National Lottery representative Mary Grace, celebrate the win

The winner of the weekend Lotto jackpot worth more than 5.8m has contacted the National Lottery to claim their prize.

Rumours circulated over the weekend that a group of Dublin gardai had won while in Limerick on their Christmas party.

However, the winning ticket did not belong to a syndicate of officers from the capital, according to sources.

The ticket, a 5 Quickpick, was bought at the General Post Office in Cecil St, Limerick, on Saturday.

The winning numbers were 4, 16, 18, 24, 32, 35 and the bonus was 6.

A National Lottery spokesman confirmed that the winner had been in touch with its claims team yesterday.

Scooped

The massive prize of 5,868,553 is the second big Lotto windfall in Limerick within months.

One person scooped almost 3m in September after buying a ticket at Coughlan's Gala store on Quinlan Street.

This week, National Lottery reps visited the GPO in Limerick to celebrate the latest win with staff, including manager Roger McMahon.
A TV fitness expert has been spared jail for punching the mother of his children in the face after she accused him of cheating on her.

Francis Usanga (31) must carry out 100 hours of community service to avoid a five-month prison sentence.

Judge Bryan Smyth made the order after reading a victim impact statement written by Usanga's ex-partner, model Emma Murphy.

Last month, the former RTE Today Show fitness guru was found guilty of assault causing harm to Ms Murphy outside his gym, FX Fitness, in Santry, Dublin, on July 3, 2015.

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Usanga, of Lanesboro, Finglas, had pleaded not guilty, claiming he only pushed the mother-of-two with an open hand "in self-defence".

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Dublin District Court heard a Facebook video Ms Murphy shared after the assault went viral and Usanga claimed this was done in an attempt to "destroy" him.

Sentencing had been adjourned previously when Usanga objected to an earlier victim impact statement, the contents of which his lawyer had described as "outlandish" and "untrue".

Yesterday, a new victim impact statement was handed to the judge, who did not disclose its contents to the court.

Defence solicitor Michael Hanahoe questioned whether Judge Smyth could continue to deal with the case because he had read some of the previous victim impact statement.

Mr Hanahoe argued that the first statement was prejudicial to his client.

A State solicitor asked Judge Smyth to proceed to sentencing and disregard the previous statement.

Judge Smyth referred to case law from the Court of Criminal Appeal which stated that a victim impact statement should be submitted to a judge and defence lawyer before being read out.

This was so both a judge and legal representatives can make sure it contains "nothing untoward". The person making the statement could be found in contempt of court if they strayed from the conditions. If it did contain scurrilous allegations, this could be taken into account in mitigation, Judge Smyth said.

He said he had only read the first line of the earlier victim impact statement.

Mr Hanahoe said the case was "different from the normal type" of domestic assault.

He said Usanga had "made attempts to get away" from a confrontation.

The victim threw a phone and he struck a blow, Mr Hanahoe said.

Usanga had made a good life for himself, had been a participant in an RTE programme and had owned a leasehold on a gym. He was "quite successful", he added.

But he "lost that", Mr Hanahoe said.

The leasehold had to be sold once Ms Murphy's video "went viral".

From being in a "very good financial position" before the assault, Usanga was now on 193 per week working on an enterprise scheme.

He was out of his family home, away from his children and was living with his mother.

Suffered

The victim had made a TV programme, with the accused as its subject, Mr Hanahoe said.

She initially "bypassed the whole system" and put out a version of events and Usanga had "suffered greatly from that".

He said Ms Murphy had appeared on English television and had travelled to other countries and addressed conferences, becoming a cause celebre.

She was entitled to do this but it had an effect on Usanga, Mr Hanahoe said.

Neither Usanga nor Ms Murphy would comment outside court. During last month's hearing, Ms Murphy said she went to Usanga's gym, with her two young children in the car, to talk to him about him "cheating on me again".

He punched her in the face after she threw a phone.

Usanga had no previous convictions.
A stay-at-home dad who "overindulged" on a rare night out told gardai he had taken ecstasy and coke when they found him shouting obscenities outside a block of flats.

Gary Hayes (29) was arrested when he refused to calm down - and had no recollection of it later. Judge David Waters fined him 300 for public order offences.

Hayes, of Belcamp Green, Priorswood, Coolock, pleaded guilty to public drunkenness and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at Cromcastle Court, Kilmore, on September 14.

On arrival, gardai saw Hayes acting in a threatening way in the car park.

He was clearly under the influence of an intoxicant, said the prosecuting garda.

The court heard Hayes "said he had taken Es and coke" and was irate and would not calm down.

Obscenities

He continued to shout obscenities after being asked to stop by gardai, and was arrested and charged.

Hayes had later gone to the garda station to apologise and "ascertain what had happened," said his solicitor, Michael Hanahoe.

Hayes, who was on job seeker's allowance, looked after his children while his partner went out to work, Mr Hanahoe continued.

The accused did not go out much, but when he did he "seemed to overindulge".

Hayes had no recollection of what happened on the night and had not had a drink since then.

"It sounds like it was a bit more than drink," Judge Waters said of the night in question.

Mr Hanahoe said the accused was not addicted to anything, although he may have "indulged".
Suspects are currently being held at Bantry Garda Station

Three men are in garda custody after they were arrested in an investigation into a high-tech cocaine smuggling operation.

Clothing containing the drug was being imported into Ireland from South America, it has emerged.

A woman in her 20s, from Kinsale, Co Cork, was also detained at a rented property on the outskirts of Bantry as part of a joint garda and customs investigation.

Details of Sunday night's raid on the cocaine lab were released yesterday.

Shipments

Among those arrested were a father (51) and son (27), from the Clondalkin area, and a 26-year-old man from Baldoyle, Co Dublin.

The three are suspected of being "serious players" in the drugs trade.

The 27-year-old has a number of previous convictions.

The most serious was for violent disorder in which a man was savagely beaten up.

The probe into the cocaine operation was initiated after gardai and customs learned of shipments from Latin America to the rented two-storey house in Co Cork.

The cargoes consisted of boxes of fabric, with crystallised cocaine concealed inside.

Chemicals were used to extract the coke by liquefying it before it was dried into powder for sale and distribution. An estimated 200,000 of drugs were seized at the property.

Quantities of cocaine and equipment were seized in a number of rooms in the house which had been converted into illicit labs.

The State Laboratory has been analysing the haul to determine both its street value and purity. Initial indications were that the drugs came from Columbia or Venezuela. Both countries share a border.

It is suspected the gang was importing fabrics across the Atlantic, supposedly for sale in Ireland.

However, items of the material had become heavily tainted with cocaine during the complex soaking process.

Once in Ireland, the clothes would have been subjected to a special chemical wash.

The cocaine was carefully recovered, dried and then prepared for sale.

The plot represents one of the most sophisticated drug smuggling missions foiled by gardai in recent years.

Officers from the West Cork and Cork City divisional drugs units and members of the Revenue's Customs Service have spent days working on the investigation, and inquiries are continuing.

Properties in Dublin and Cork were raided on Monday as part of the probe.

Suspects

Gardai believe they have smashed a major racket ready to peddle the drugs to revellers over Christmas and the new year.

The four suspects are being held in Bantry and Bandon Garda Stations.

The cocaine market in Ireland is worth around 100m, according to a study funded by the European Commission.

The Portfolio of Organised Crime in Europe report said the cocaine figure was part of a bigger sum of 1.7bn - the total estimated proceeds of organised crime in Ireland.
Frances Fitzgerald arrives at the FG selection convention in Dublin last night. Photo: Arthur Carron

A Christmas general election has been avoided after Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald resigned over her handling of the garda whistleblower scandal.

But Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has become the next in the firing line.

In a whirlwind day for the beleaguered Government:

 Ms Fitzgerald announced she was stepping down.

 This was followed by the early retirement of Department of Justice Secretary General Noel Waters, who was due to step down in February.

 Mr Flanagan apologised to Labour TD Alan Kelly for alleging he was engaged in a smear campaign against him.

Ms Fitzgerald said she was stepping down "to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilising general election at this historically critical time".

Vindicate

She will remain as a TD but will no longer serve in the Cabinet as Minister for Business.

She vowed to vindicate her good name at the Charleton Tribunal, without causing any further distraction to the work of the Government.

"I decided that my continuation in office risks destabilising that good work, and so I have decided to step-down so that this work may continue and the country can be spared an unnecessary election," she said.

"I acted correctly in difficult circumstances and, in fact, did everything that I could to support the search for truth and protect whistleblowers.".

Paying tribute to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, she thanked him for his support as controversy grew in recent days. Addressing the Dail chamber yesterday Mr Varadkar said he hoped the Charleton Tribunal will allow Ms Fitzgerald's good name to be vindicated.

"It is my strong view that a good woman is leaving office without getting a full or fair hearing," he said.

Her resignation came after a string of emails proved she knew in 2015 about aggressive tactics being pursued by former Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan's legal team against whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

However, questions have now been raised about the current Justice Minister.

Mr Flanagan said yesterday he was "shocked and, frankly horrified" that documents in the possession of his department had not been handed over to Charleton Tribunal. Mr Flanagan set out his role in the controversy which cost Ms Fitzgerald her job.

At the outset he apologised to Deputy Kelly on two counts.

"First, my intemperate comments in the House on November 15 when I stated that Deputy Kelly was engaged in a smear campaign against me," he said.

"I had been told by some people in my constituency that Deputy Kelly had made very negative comments about me in their presence.

"I always considered Deputy Kelly a good colleague both in parliament and in government and I confess that I was taken aback and offended when these allegations were made to me.

"I fully accept that I reacted badly and I apologise to Deputy Kelly and to the House and withdraw my remarks."

Mr Flanagan also said it wasn't good enough that questions tabled by the Tipperary TD relating to the treatment of Sgt McCabe had not been answered.

Scathing

Meanwhile, Mr Waters decision to step down as General Secretary came after the Taoiseach was scathing about the "dysfunctional" department.

In a letter to colleagues Mr Waters said many of the claims made about the department in the media and in the Dail were "not true".

"The department has been subject to a barrage of unwarranted criticism in recent days," he said.

Mr Varadkar announced he was ordering an external inquiry into why important emails "were not found and therefore not sent on to the Charleton Tribunal".

Mr Varadkar also said the Government was accelerating reforms already in train and was planning "radical action to restore public confidence in the Department of Justice".

Last night Ms Fitzgerald put her name forward for selection for the next general election at the Fine Gael convention in Dublin mid-west hours after resigning from her position.

She arrived at the convention at Finnstown Castle Hotel, Lucan, with strong backing from her party constituents who admitted they were "very disappointed" with her resignation, insisting that she didn't have to go.
UFC star Conor McGregor made a bizarre display of defiance after being linked to a brawl in a Dublin pub.

Posting on his official Instagram account he referred to himself as "the celebrity" in an apparent reference to newspaper accounts of a row in a Crumlin bar involving a relative of a senior Kinahan cartel criminal.

In the post, McGregor (29) poses with his head and most of his face covered after being linked to the pub incident on social and print media.

Gardai have received no complaint and are not investigating the incident.

Victims

Sources said there are "no plans at this stage" to interview McGregor or any alleged victims.

Social media was rife with speculation yesterday that if McGregor was the celebrity involved, he would be forced to cough up a six-figure sum.

Senior sources said gardai have received no information that cash had been demanded from the millionaire UFC star.

"It is fair to surmise that if there is an issue, the most likely way of it going away would be the offer or demand of money. This often happens in situations like this," a senior source explained.

"It is important to note this is not a garda investigation and there is nothing to indicate it will be."

It has been alleged that two men were punched in the south Dublin pub late on Sunday night, including a relative of senior Kinahan cartel henchman Graham 'The Wig' Whelan.

A man in his 50s, who is related to the convicted drug dealer, was allegedly punched twice in the face after intervening in a row involving a younger man from the Crumlin area.

The Herald contacted representatives for Conor McGregor for comment last night.

Concerned

Pals are now concerned about what is next for the star, who is due in court tomorrow over an alleged speeding offence.

Last week his speeding case was adjourned for a second time after he failed to appear at Blanchardstown District Court.

It is alleged the 29-year-old was travelling in excess of the 100kph speed limit on the N7 Naas Road at Rathcoole, Co Dublin, on March 31.

His business manager Alan Geraghty told the court he was acting as McGregor's representative.

The court heard Mr McGregor had returned the fixed charge notice but forgot to attach his driving licence number.

Judge Miriam Walsh said the defendant must either appear in court himself or send a legal representative.

She adjourned the case until tomorrow.

On November 6, McGregor was a no-show when his case was called in court.

On that date a representative attending for the lightweight champion told the court he was out of the country and unable to attend.

On November 10, the UFC star courted controversy by leaping into the cage after a fight at the 3Arena.

He became embroiled in an angry exchange with referee Marc Goddard after jumping into the octagon to celebrate Charlie Ward's defeat of John Redmond. Goddard immediately ran to McGregor to get him to leave the cage when the pair became involved in an altercation.

McGregor appeared to push Goddard up against the cage and after a minute of shouts and argument, McGregor left.

The alleged victim of Sunday night's assault is a male relative of 'The Wig' Whelan, a highly secretive criminal who has been involved in organised criminality over the past two decades.

Operations

Originally from Clonard Road in Crumlin, Whelan has been based mainly in Liverpool and the party island of Ibiza, where he is suspected of being heavily involved in the cartel's operations.

However, in recent years he has returned to Dublin on occasion.

He was arrested on outstanding bench warrants and briefly detained last year.

Whelan was best pals with cartel figure David Byrne, who was shot dead in the Regency Hotel bloodbath in February, 2016.

Whelan was earlier central to the drugs bust that led to the bitter Crumlin-Drimnagh feud breaking out in 2001.

In February of that year, 'The Wig' was jailed for six years for possession of IR1.25m of ecstasy tablets and cocaine at the Holiday Inn in Pearse Street, Dublin, a year earlier.

After being arrested by gardai, officers warned him that he faced a decade in jail if convicted of possessing the massive haul.

Whelan told them he could do 10 years "standing on his head".
All garda overtime for regular operations in Dublin has been abolished because the force's budget for 2017 has been "exhausted".

The revelation was made yesterday in a letter by the capital's most senior officer, Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy, to all chief superintendents in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR).

It is understood garda chiefs will meet with Department of Justice officials in the coming week looking for additional funding for overtime.

One division in the city is considering decommissioning its burglary response units and ordering its members to work from stations.

The only exception to the overtime ban was for gardai involved in Operation Hybrid and Operation C-Port.

Operation Hybrid is an initiative designed to provide an armed response to organised crime in the capital, including armed checkpoints.

C-Port is in place to beef up security at Dublin Port and to tackle drugs and other illicit substances being smuggled into the country.

A source told the Herald the overtime ban will have a "major impact" on front-line policing in the next five weeks.

At one division, garda management has been instructed to prioritise duties such as answering phones and manning static posts while detectives are being ordered to "perform outdoor duty only".

Insiders revealed rank-and-file gardai have been left in a state of "complete shock" over the development.

A Garda Representative Association (GRA) source said one city centre station needs around six officers working overtime on a daily basis for the station "just to properly function" because of the lack of officers.

"Regular policing in this city cannot be done without overtime because we simply don't have the numbers," the source said.

Disaster

"For overtime to be abolished in the run-up to Christmas is a really bad idea.

"This is a very busy time for crime, with a traditional major increase in thefts and burglaries.

"With all the alcohol use and misuse, there is also a big increase in assaults, domestic rows and other crimes associated with the party season. This is a disaster."

A statement from the garda press office read: "An Garda Siochana is provided with an annual budget, which is reviewed on a continual basis to ensure we are working within that budget."
Frances Fitzgerald's resignation has been welcomed by opposition parties - but their responses suggest the controversy is far from over.

Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin acknowledged the outgoing Tanaiste had "many achievements as a minister" as he welcomed her resignation.

The opposition leader struck a consolatory tone as he said nobody in the Dail "takes any pleasure from Deputy Fitzgerald's resignation as Tanaiste and Minister".

Instead, he said, TDs "must learn lessons, the most fundamental being the nature and quality of the relationship between this Parliament and Government".

Guilty

He said the Government had been guilty of refusing to engage on key questions relating to the treatment of Garda whistleblower, Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

"Genuine issues were raised by the opposition for over three weeks and were dismissed for far too long," he said.

"At the core of this has been the appalling mistreatment of Maurice McCabe by the institutions of the State.

"Every citizen has a stake in the vindication of his integrity and good name."

Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald was less sympathetic towards the now former Tanaiste, saying her resignation came after a week of "dithering and scrambling for cover".

She said Ms Fitzgerald had taken the "honourable course" and "finally" resigned.

"We have had a week of the Taoiseach and the leader of Fianna Fail desperately conniving to sidestep or avoid genuine accountability. Today, at last, we now have the right outcome. But it should not have taken this long."

The Dublin Central TD said it was clear some time ago that Ms Fitzgerald "had to go, not for fear of an election but because of her grave failures as the Minister for Justice and Equality".

"The Taoiseach failed to act decisively and take the appropriate action. He believed that he could brazen this out. Instead of acting as the Taoiseach should, he played a game of bluff and a game of political poker with his partner, Deputy Micheal Martin," Ms McDonald told the Dail.

Debacle

People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett demanded more Dail time be assigned to debate the fallout from the debacle.

"This is the establishment trying to put the lid back on the can of worms that has been opened.

"It is quite extraordinary," he said.

However, Independent Alliance Minister Finian McGrath said Ms Fitzgerald made the move "in the interests of the country".

"We believe this was the correct decision for Ms Fitzgerald to make," he said. "We recognise the considerable work she has done as a minister in different portfolios, in particular her commitment to the Children's Referendum."
How good are these two guys, Penn State fans? It may surprise you ...

football
Powerball numbers for Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

Here are the winning Powerball numbers and results for the lottery jackpot drawing on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022.
P rince Harry is not Meghan Markles only passion in life. The American actress and soon-to-be-royal bride also has a love of homeware.

The former actress and entrepreneur, who was based in Toronto during her role in the legal drama series Suits in 2011, ran and researched her own lifestyle website and frequently used the hashtag #theresnoplacelikehome when posting many interiors pictures of her Canadian home on her now deleted social media accounts.

When she set up her website, The Tig, it was branded a hub for the discerning palate and specialised in style, food, and travel. She closed the site last year with the message: After close to three beautiful years on this adventure with you, its time to say goodbye to The Tig. What began as a passion project evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity. Youve made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy.

Her now deleted Instagram wall was awash with her favourite interior design schemes and offers a glimpse into the sense of style she may have taken to her first home on the Kensington Palace grounds, Nottingham Cottage, and offers a glimpse of what might be planned for the 21-room apartment they are currently renovating next door to Will and Kate.

Our first place together: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving out of Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace and upsizing to a 21-room home next door to Will and Kate (CAMERA PRESS DIGITAL) / Snowdon

FROM COTTAGE CHARM TO PALATIAL GRANDEUR

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, when they were first married, lived at Nottingham Cottage. Nestled in a cluster of 17th-century buildings in the palace grounds, it may be the stuff of dreams for most young couples but by royal standards, it is rather modest.

There are some practical considerations. Prince William had to stoop to avoid hitting his head on the low ceilings.

However, when they moved into their more spacious present home, 20-room Apartment 1A, also at Kensington Palace, Prince Harry made the cottage his bachelor pad before his future bride moved in towards the end of last year.

The 1,324sq ft property has two Christopher Wren-designed bedrooms, a small living room, an intimate dining room, a kitchen  where Harry and Meghan now famously cooked roast chicken on the night the prince proposed  and his and hers bathrooms.

Before she was engaged to Harry, she  which has no doubt stood her in good stead when kitting out her 21-room new home, Apartment 1, part of the splendid Kensington Palace estate.

In their BBC interview following their engagement announcement, the couple stressed they are a team  but that might not always be quite the case. When the outdoorsy prince lived alone at the cottage he apparently prioritised installing a hammock in the yard. However, his California-born girlfriend prefers to make flowers her top priority and loves interiors that ooze cosy comfort, and creamy calm.

Home maker: Meghan Markle ran her own lifestyle website alongside her acting career

WHAT IS THE MARKLE STYLE?

Markle is all about Danish-style hygge  a quality of cosiness, conviviality and wellbeing  using cool, monochrome colours layered with sumptuous throws and feather-filled comfy cushions.

Her favourite selfie spots were set around her deep, wide white linen sofa cushions, or on her simple wooden-framed bed which is adorned with soft white linen, probably 800-plus thread count Egyptian cotton.

Other selfies showed her reflected in her large, smoked-glass, panelled statement gilded mirror which was in her Canadian living room. Fluffy sheepskin throws are draped over treacle-toffee-coloured rattan chairs  she would sit in one with her feet up on the other.

Warm and welcoming: Amara meets Ugg to create the cosy Danish hygge look

Wicker baskets are filled with logs, while a faux-cowhide rug, sometimes on a patterned Moroccan-tiled floor, adds a luxurious touch.

To accessorise, Markle likes to add clusters of silver photo frames, scented candles  Diptyque being a favourite brand  and luscious perfumed diffusers.

She loves crockery, too. She has already commented on how many teas she has had meeting the royal family but she has a particular love of pretty porcelain, and she serves tea in soft pastel-coloured crockery. Casting a gentle glow, low-hanging light bulbs float over her dining table and vintage prints hang on the walls.

Markle adores flowers, filling vases with milky-petalled, scented roses, and especially pink peonies, of which she says: They make me so endlessly happy.

Add the Scandi feel-good-vibe of a bold plant with big, soft green leaves, and you have the Markle look.

HER INSPIRATION

Warm and welcoming: Amara meets Ugg to create the cosy Danish hygge look. Image: Meghan Markle/Instagram /  Instagram/MeghanMarkle

Markle collects style ideas on her travels. Much of what we saw in her living space on instagram will have been inspired by her favourite hotels, places and people. She adores Soho House and the Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, which she visits with friends including Chelsea socialite Millie Mackintosh, and regularly speaks of her love for the beautifully curated farmhouse style: tweedy, oak-beamed interior spaces with crushed cranberry-coloured rugs and leather chairs.

Her favourite romantic retreat with Prince Harry is Botswanas Meno a Kwena. Billed as the ultimate tent and camping experience, it comprises nine luxurious tents, all with en suite bathrooms, overlooking a river dotted with wildlife. The clever use of natural materials appeals to Markles cherished rustic aesthetic.

Being a girl from a sunny state she is partial to a splash of the Med. The Italian glamour of Le Sirenuse, an elegant former mansion thats now a boutique hotel overlooking pretty Positano harbour on the Amalfi coast, sparked her penchant for Mediterranean tiles, encouraged on a later girly trip to Madrid.

In Greece, her favourite restaurant is Techne in Hydra, a historic stone-built old boathouse with views over the Aegean Sea and towards the sunset. It inspired the pops of azure blue she added to her home, including in the form of a swirling blue rug she bought to remind her of the ocean.

Her London haunts include Italian restaurant Bocca di Lupo in Soho, the celebrity favourite Chiltern Firehouse in Marylebone and Alberts in Brompton Road. She hunts for antiques in Portobello Road and is drawn to the foodie temptations of gold-and-turquoise-wrapped Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly.

She adores Kensington Flower Corner and for healthy-eating groceries heads to Whole Foods Market  just across the road from her new home.
S ome houses are so elegantly understated that they seem to say: We have no need to crow.

Take this lovely house in Sydney Street, Chelsea, where youll also find the church where Charles Dickens married.

With 2,782 sq ft of living space, this home tells a beautiful restoration story across each of its five floors.

Theres a bespoke, skylit kitchen with marble worktops and a formal dining room on the lower ground floor.

Handsome ground-floor double reception rooms have open fireplaces, crystal chandeliers and whitewashed oak floors.

The master suite fills the entire first floor, its grand, floor-to-ceiling French windows opening out to balconies over Sydney Street, while the top floors play host to four more individually designed bedrooms and bathrooms, all finished in luxurious detail.

It is for sale for 5.5 million through Russell Simpson (020 8012 2856).
Embassy Suites by Hilton, a global brand of upscale, all-suite hotels from Hilton (NYSE: HLT), announced today the opening of the newly built Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder. Embassy Suites by Hilton prides itself on providing guests an approachable and stress-free experience at each of its spacious, all-suites hotel properties.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder invites travelers to take the scenic route in a city that welcomes the bold and adventurous. Located in the heart of Boulder adjacent to the University of Colorado campus, the area is known for its natural beauty and entrepreneurial spirit. Nearby attractions include Chautauqua Park, Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder Canyon, the Pearl Street Mall and Twenty Ninth Street Mall.

Owned by Orchim, LLC and managed by Sage Hospitality, the property welcomes guests to enjoy its contemporary two-room suites where travelers can spread out, enjoy a free, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary drinks and snacks each night. With 204 contemporary, spacious suites, more than 7,595 square feet of meeting and banquet space, and the city's largest hotel ballroom with space for up to 650 guests, Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder provides customer service that always anticipates the needs of both business and leisure travelers and delivers what matters most.

Hotel website
ONYX Hospitality Group has appointed Craig Bond as Executive Vice President of Operations. Craig joins ONYX from Oakwood Asia-Pacific where he held the role of Vice President of Operations, overseeing the Groups portfolio across the region as well as supporting the opening pipeline. Prior to joining Oakwood, Bond held leadership roles with Pan Pacific Hotels, Mirvac and Saville Hotel Group across Australia and the Oceania regions. Based in Bangkok, ONYX Hospitality Group has a growing regional portfolio of 44 operating properties across three core brands in eight countries. The Group has a robust development pipeline of 22 new properties in markets such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Australia, and has set a target of having 99 hotels by 2024 as part of its journey towards being the best medium-sized hospitality player in the region.
RLH Corporation ( NYSE:RLH ) today strengthened its brand marketing team with the addition of Yvonne Choi as Chief Brand Officer - Hotel RL. Choi will be directly overseeing the development, branding and marketing of the Hotel RL brand. Hotel RL, the company's upscale boutique brand, is focused on providing authentic and creative experiences. At the heart of each property is The Living Stage, a platform for local musicians, poets, authors, artists, community leaders and activists to share their message live and up close. Choi joins RLH Corporation from Cachet Hospitality Group, where she was Chief Marketing Officer for the past four years. Part of Cachet's founding team in 2013, Choi led all marketing and branding strategies, including launching and establishing the Cachet corporate brand, building its luxury brands internationally, and managing key relations with owners and developers. Choi also was responsible for closing Cachet's early deals, including Cachet Hotel Chengdu and Cachet Beach Cabo. Prior to Cachet, Choi held sales and marketing positions at SBE International and at the Corcoran Group, New York City's premier real estate marketing company.
Unless you are under a rock you know that the hot trend in hotel marketing is influencers. You want - you need - to incorporate an influencer strategy in your 2018 plan.

How?

That's the question. And you don't want to stupidly fling money at purported influencers who do nothing for your hotel.

Here's our program for building an influencer outreach program that gets results. The steps are easy. Just start taking them.

First: resolve to bring one influencer monthly on property. Each and every month. Without fail. In low season and high. Commit to do this for all of 2018.

Two: Start prowling for appropriate influencers right now. Do that by knowing your property, knowing your brand, and knowing your consumers. Kim Kardashian may be widely viewed as the planet's most influential influencer but is she right for your brand?

Could you afford her six figure per post fee - according to reports - even if she aligned with your audience?

Enter the 2018 trend: micro-influencers. These are passionate posters - usually to Instagram, sometimes to Facebook, possibly to both and occasionally Snapchat and Pinterest are in the mix. They have substantial followings but rarely jaw-droppingly huge. But the belief is that their followers often act on their recommendations.

Think back to the original Zagat rating - subscription based, unknown to many but the subscribers loved that because it meant that the recommended restaurants often counted as finds that nonetheless could be eaten at without enduring long lines. That was a kind of micro-influencer and everybody in the restaurant business knew a solid Zagat review booked tables.

Know this about 2018 micro-influencers: the smart ones want cash. They are not in this for a free room and a meal. That may be part of what they get. But it's not the goal. They are doing their work to make a living - quite a few claim six figure incomes, mainly in fashion and health/fitness, but watch for more travel related influencers to cash in.

My advice: pull some money out of advertising budgets and create a small pot for influencers. Have you gotten any tangible results from that fractional ad you always buy in a small circulation regional magazine? Move the money into the influencer kitty.

Where to find influencers? This is the fun part. Say yours is a spa in southern Arizona. Hunt for influencers in Google this way: Spa influencers Arizona.

What you come up with is this: an Arizona Republic list of top Arizonans on Instagram; a list of spa influencers; here's a list of Phoenix bloggers; here's another Arizona Republic take on influencers; here are fitness influencers.

You can also ask the Arizona Office of Tourism for its intel on influencers.

Get the message? Finding influencers is simple. Come up with your own key words, then ask Google. It will provide plenty of possible influencers. This is easy.

Sorting through them is harder.

Focus on the ones that you believe resonate with your audience in terms of tone, content, point of view.

Then ask a few about their availability for a visit.

When interest is expressed, get very clear about what your expectations from the visit will be. For instance: one post daily on Instagram, one on Facebook, perhaps posts on Snapchat, Pinterest, and Twitter.

You want more? More specific? Ask for it. This is a negotiation and the clearer you are about your expectations the likelier you are to get what you want. That makes this very different from hosting a media visit. Use the difference to your advantage.

At what price? Rates I am hearing for non-celebrity influencers rarely cross into four figures, especially not when the offer includes a bundled spa visit (with treatments and meals) or a resort stay (with activities and meals). Round it up and make it $1000 for accounting purposes. That does not break the bank.

Understand: it is your job to set expectations for the influencers. It is also your job to set your expectations for outcomes. What are you hoping to gain from the influencer visits? How will you judge the program a success?

Remember: this is essentially a low budget advertising campaign. Keep expectations realistic.

And do monitor influencers to insure they properly flag posts as sponsored.

This sounds like a lot of work? Indeed. Unless social media are your thing, look for a consultant or possibly an agency that will sift the influencers for you, follow up on outcomes, and measure the successes and failures. That's a big time saver and may also help produce stronger results.

Either way, however, DIY or bringing in expert assistance, make 2018 your year of the influencer. That puts you squarely on today's train to marketing success.

Babs Harrison

Babs Harrison + Partners

Babs Harrison + Partners
North of the border, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), headed by Executive Director Susie Grynol, is taking a proactive approach to curbing multiple Airbnb listings. In a recent interview, Ms. Grynol elaborated on a three-prong approach to dealing with the increasing pressure that Airbnb (and other internet-based lodging companies) are putting on our industry.

Step One: Facts Are Knowledge

The first step in this new program was the commissioning of an independent study to understand the depth of the issue and to get real data. Commissioned by HAC, and in association with CBRE, this comprehensive review examines the impact of Airbnb on both a national basis and as an individual assessment of the country's top eleven markets. You can download a copy of the study at: https://www.fairrules.ca/index.php/research/

As highlights, the study shows that only 17% of all Airbnb revenue is from true 'home sharing', with the bulk (83%) coming from the rental of a unit without the owner present. It also identifies that multi-unit hosts now comprise 30% of total revenue and represent the fastest growing segment. Lastly and most importantly, the research not only identifies the potential tax opportunity from equalized treatment with traditional accommodations, but also stresses the importance of jobs generated directly from the hotel industry.

I applaud HAC for investing in a study of this magnitude, as it provides a solid benchmark for an objective look at shared lodging space.

Step Two: Advocacy

With a comprehensive review, HAC is now making the necessary steps to present this data to legislators, at the city, provincial (state) and national (federal) levels. The first step in this program is a series of meetings with local tourism and hotel associations. Key hotel industry leaders are also being engaged to ensure that the key messages are consistent and unequivocal. The idea is to galvanize all levels of government into action, focusing on the tax opportunity, jobs at stake within the sector and the pressure that Airbnb places on local neighborhoods or municipalities.

HAC has planned a comprehensive program of parliamentary meetings, social media and press coverage. They have also created a website (fairrules.ca) where all this information is laid out for both the legislator as well as the public. HAC also plans to monitor and support activities as they are taken by local councils. The broader notion here that, as of now, hotels represent a minor voice in the greater political game, but that shouldn't be the case and we need our plight to be understood if we are to be adequately protected against unfair competitors.

Step Three: Public Awareness

Bringing all levels of government together as well as corporate hotel executives is important. But a groundswell of citizens who express concerns are bound to generate significant pressure towards legislative action. The fabric of the community is the issue being raised. Here, HAC is putting forward reasonable arguments on safety issues, rental pressures and jobs. The plan is to utilize hotel employees and grassroot activities such as presentations to condominium boards and apartment dwellers.

In my mind, this is a daunting task, with results that are not going to bear fruit overnight. But nevertheless, this is highly commendable and with merit long-term awareness gains as some of the lasting effects of alternate lodgings can be quite severe, especially with regard to a lack of rental units in a given area and direct loss of jobs.

Overall, I'm impressed with HAC's leadership approach. And while the stateside world is different than that in Canada, HAC sets a standard at the national level that AH&LA is pursing at the state and local level. In the end, though, the time to act is now before we reach a tipping point of no return where we permanently lose too many customers to alternate lodgings to ensure a healthy future for the hotel industry.

(Article by Larry Mogelonsky, originally published in HotelsMag on October 20, 2017)

Larry Mogelonsky

Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited
HFTP Now Accepting Applications for Entrepreneur 20X at HITEC Amsterdam 2018

Innovative pitch competition for hospitality technology startups returns to Europe

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is currently accepting applications from startups to compete in the European version of Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at its upcoming HITEC Amsterdam. Hospitality technology startups can apply via the event website  past applicants and winners are welcome to reapply as long as they are still considered Series A or a startup. The E20X competition will be open to all HITEC Amsterdam registrants, and take place on 11 April 2018 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

E20X serves as a platform for entrepreneurs to present their breakthrough business concepts to a room of industry experts including: hospitality CIOs, angel investors, serial entrepreneurs, industry insiders and more. Participants will compete for a grand prize of 2,500 EUR, and a guaranteed opportunity to be promoted as the champion to the industry. The E20X Judge's Award winner, determined by the expert judge panel, receives the grand prize while the People's Startup Award winner, determined by HITEC Amsterdam attendees, receives the crowd favorite vote. Attendees are encouraged to visit with company representatives, following the competition, and vote for their favorite startup.

"E20X was [a] very valuable [experience]," said Eropa Stein, CEO at Hyre and 2017 HITEC Amsterdam E20X dual award winner. "It is rare to get the attention of so many industry professionals and decision makers at once. I think that for me, participating in the competition helped establish myself as an expert in hospitality staffing. For Hyre, HITEC helped us expand our professional network and create long lasting relationships."

Watch videos from previous E20X competitions by visiting the HFTP/HITEC YouTube channel. Read exclusive interviews from former E20X grand prize winners by visiting HFTP's official blog, HFTP Connect.

HITEC Amsterdam is the first of three HITEC events planned for 2018, and will take place from 11-13 April 2018  online registration is open now on the event website. The larger HITEC Houston will take place from 18-21 June 2018. HITEC Dubai will return in the fall of 2018. For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other international activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org or visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec.

About HITEC

Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) is the world's largest and oldest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education, and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technologies from across the globe to one place. The unparalleled event offers attendees essential education, access to top hospitality technology industry experts and the resources to find cost-effective ways to improve company bottom lines. Combined with the intimate opportunities to connect with fellow professionals, HITEC has everything to enhance your career.

Historically hosted annually in a different city throughout the United States, HFTP decided to break tradition in 2017 by hosting three HITEC events all taking place outside of U.S. borders in Toronto, Amsterdam and Dubai. This was the first time the global association's largest HITEC event  featuring thousands of hospitality professionals from around the world took place outside of the United States.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and conferences/events such as HITEC. HFTP also owns the world's only hospitality-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com.

For more information about HFTP, email membership@hftp.org or download the HFTP/HITEC media kit. Follow HFTP/HITEC on HFTP Connect, Facebook (@HFTPGlobal; @HITECconference), LinkedIn, Twitter (@HFTP), Instagram (@HFTP_HITEC), Flickr and YouTube for the latest news. Stay tuned to HFTP's industry-specific, informational news sites: HFTP News, HITEC Bytes, HFTP Club Bytes and HFTP Finance Bytes.
New startup showcase to debut at premier hospitality technology conference

HTNG, the premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, announces the addition of a startup showcase that will debut at the HT-NEXT 2018 conference, taking place March 12-14 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. HT-NEXT brings together technology leaders and influencers from leading hospitality companies spanning IT, finance, marketing, distribution and operations.

Known as Startup Alley, the new showcase was established in order to provide a unique venue for startup technology companies to present their innovative products and solutions to the global hospitality market. The inaugural Startup Alley is set to take place on Wednesday, March 14 during the HT-NEXT 2018 conference. Prominently located just outside the main ballroom, each participant will have the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions to HT-NEXT's high-profile attendees. Startup Alley will open at the beginning of Wednesday's morning break and wrap up at the closing of the afternoon break.

The participation fee for Startup Alley is $3,000 USD for HTNG members and $4,000 USD for nonmembers. One registration pass is included in the fee (value $1,500). The fee for nonmembers also includes one year of HTNG membership. Participation in Startup Alley is open to all startup technology companies in the hospitality technology industry that meet HTNG's Startup company qualifications. Only 20 spots are available and will be secured on a first come, first served basis.

For more information regarding Startup Alley at HT-NEXT, please email startupalley@htng.org.

***

About Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG)

The premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, HTNG is a self-funded, nonprofit organization with members from hospitality companies, technology vendors to hospitality, consultants, media and academic experts. HTNG's members participate in focused workgroups to bring to market open solution sets addressing specific business problems. HTNG fosters the selection and adoption of existing open standards and also develops new open standards to meet the needs of the global hospitality industry.

Currently more than 400 corporate and individual members from across this spectrum, including world leading hospitality companies and technology vendors, are active HTNG participants. HTNG's Board of Governors, consisting of 24 top IT leaders from hospitality companies around the world, itself has technology responsibility for over 2.5 million guest rooms and world-leading venues. HTNG publishes workgroup proceedings, drafts and specifications for all HTNG members as soon as they are created, encouraging rapid and broad adoption. HTNG releases specifications into the public domain as soon as they are ratified by the workgroups. For more information, visit www.htng.org.

Media Contact: Katie Mazzuca

Sr. Director of Marketing & Events, HTNG

katie.mazzuca@htng.org | +1 312 690-5034
Fuel Travel Marketing, the travel and tourism industry experts on driving direct bookings, introduces Ken Alwell and Patrick Werner to its innovative team of hospitality experts in the areas of new business and web development.

Alwell joins Fuel as the vice president of business development where he will serve as a leader in the execution of the business plan and new business strategy. He will be responsible for developing and maintaining new partnerships, making software demos and sales presentations, and heading up special projects.

Prior to joining Fuel, Alwell served as the vice president of sales for Journey and vice president of business development for Blue Magnet Interactive. He joins us from Petaluma, California where he spent the last three years. When Alwell isn't hard at work driving new business, he enjoys spending time with his family; debunking math puzzles and is an expert at Sudoku.

Werner joins Fuel Travel Marketing as its newest web developer. He will code, test and maintain new and existing web-based applications. He will also collaborate with team members on product definition, scope and timing, as well as document all work and troubleshoot and solve those pesky computer bugs.

Werner previously worked as a developer at International Textile Group. Prior to that, he worked as a freelance developer and cable technician at Comcast. Werner grew up in Knoxville, Tenn. and attended the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. In his spare time, Werner enjoys scuba diving, fishing, relaxing on the beach and cooking.

Ken and Patrick will be instrumental players in driving new business and enhancing our products," said Stuart Butler, COO of Fuel Travel Marketing. "Fuel has been fortunate to be extremely busy lately and we look forward to having Ken and Patrick increase production and help out the overall structure of our team."

Fuel is a comprehensive digital marketing agency for the hospitality and tourism industry, with services including website development, SEO, PPC, email marketing and more. Fuel also creates cutting-edge software that helps hotels increase direct bookings and decrease reliance on online travel agencies (OTAs). Products include Guest Expressthe industrys most feature-rich hotel mobile app; Guest Deskthe online booking engine that transacts more than $400 million in online revenue each year; and Fuel Gauge Marketing Dashboardthe worlds most advanced analytics and insights tool for hotels.

About Fuel

At Fuel, we think a little differently. We believe that were making the world just a little bit better by connecting people with the right products and services. Travel MarketingSimplified. Thats our motto and our commitment. Headquartered in the heart of the travel and tourism industry in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fuel provides all digital services in-house through a team of experts who understand the potential of well-executed, effective online marketing. To learn more about Fuel and to take your travel marketing to the next level, call (843) 839-1456, visit our website or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+.

Editorial Contacts:

Margaret Hoynes, MHoynes@thebrandonagency.com, (843) 916-2000

Paul Hughes, PHughes@thebrandonagency.com, (843) 916-2000
Technology Trends In Travel: What To Expect In 2018

Every day, new and innovative technology is being developed, in order to make hospitality an even more exciting, adventurous and tempting industry. In the 21st century, hoteliers have technology at their fingertips and this gives them a world of possibilities - its all about digitalization. Now, its all about finding new ways of optimizing the guest journey and making hotels and destinations much more appealing to travelers than they were in the past.

Every day, new and innovative technology is being developed, in order to make hospitality an even more exciting, adventurous and tempting industry. In the 21st century, hoteliers have technology at their fingertips and this gives them a world of possibilities - its all about digitalization. Now, its all about finding new ways of optimizing the guest journey and making hotels and destinations much more appealing to travelers than they were in the past.

Since we are peaking into a brand new year, lets get some insights into the technology trends that will impact 2018 the most. After all, the key to success in any business, but especially in hospitality, is to be one step ahead at all times. Make sure that you are prepared for whats to come and make the most out of what technology throws your way, in order to appeal even more to your guests and make things easier and faster.

From virtual reality to artificial intelligence, we made it our mission to break down the most hyped tech trends of 2018.

Virtual Reality - Necessity or luxury?

This is one subject that we previously dived into since VR has a huge potential for hospitality and travel. Todays traveler has been there and done that and especially the younger generations, being born in the technological era, are pretty jaded. Virtual reality, though, is something that has the power to arouse the imagination and awake the wanderlust in most travelers. Although its not the most recently developed technology, VR is just starting to be actually implemented in businesses and hotels. Why follow this trend, you may ask? Well, its important to know that the majority of consumers are highly responsive to visuals and VR provides the perfect way of experiencing destinations, hotels, rooms, and views prior to a trip and without the actual commitment. VR is set to a become an innovative and exciting new marketing strategy for hoteliers and, though not mandatory in any way, it can be a way to spice things up and go the extra mile for the guests and their journey. You can read even more insights into this topic in our blog post.

Voice Activated Devices - How to "Alexa"

According to Forbes, voice search is one of the top travel trends of 2018 and we can definitely see why. Just like VR, voice-activated devices do pose a certain challenge, being a rather new concept on the market, but so far, so good. Consumers all over the world seem to be relying on these type of devices more and more every day, for one simple reason: they make everything easier, faster and they definitely ease operations. What Siri started doing for iPhone users a few years back has transformed into an entire industry, focused on devices such as Amazon Echo. With this in mind, we recently combined our direct messaging feature with Amazon Echos Alexa, which helps hotels meet the needs and expectations of the modern guest. Travelers can now talk to Alexa in their own hotel room, through the Amazon Echo devices and they can easily communicate with staff, in the new and improved way: hands-free and voice-controlled. The Acme Hotel in Chicago is the first one to implement our solution and their guests can ask Alexa questions, revolving around ACMEs Free Morning Joe coffee service, setting alarms, as well as information about the weather and traffic.

Artificial Intelligence - Replacing traditional customer support?

Another key trend that will mark the year of 2018 is none other than artificial intelligence. Operations that, up until recently, required human interaction and the time-consuming ability to learn, can now be replaced by an automated form of intelligence. Theres no doubt that computers are the future in this regard since they can be store a large variety of data and even mimic human behavior, as in the role of chatbots. Such features are more than appealing for the hotel industry, which relies heavily on customer service and guest satisfaction. It is still questionable if the actual human interaction will ever be completely replaced, but artificial intelligence is certainly welcomed when were talking about basic customer support, general questions, different time zones. AI requires an investment, no doubt about it, but in the long run, it can end up by saving hoteliers money. By using a cost-effective, fast and 24/h type of customer support tool, such as a chatbot, guest satisfaction is guaranteed. Its easy to see why AI is one of the most important travel trends of the moment and why it will continue to be so.

Internet Of Things - Seamlessly connecting devices

It has been said that the internet of things technology has the potential to impact the travel industry in a great (and positive) way. Every day, sometimes even without noticing, we rely on our devices. We go on a vacation, we need our phone for a multitude of reasons. We take a business trip, we bring our tablets along. We enjoy a city-break, but not without relying on our smartphones to give us directions. And all of these devices, paired with the power of the internet, can work together to make our stay in a hotel more enjoyable than ever. Hospitality noticed this instantly and it has been revealed that companies in the travel industry led all industries in their investment in IoT. Talk about a promising tech trend right here! In the year to come, it will be important for hoteliers to focus on integrating the Internet of Things in their establishments, since travelers, and especially, the younger and more tech-savvy ones, will expect this. Its no longer unusual or unheard of to have the option of controlling the hotel room (the thermostat, the TV), by using your own devices. Efficiency is key in todays busy world and the faster you acknowledge it, the more it will positively impact your business.

Online Reputation Management - Never growing old

One last trend, not only for the year of 2018 but one that will never go out of style, is successful online reputation management. This is one domain that technology has also impacted in hospitality in time and especially nowadays, new and exciting ways of managing a hotels reputation arise. From customizable guest surveys to targeted review marketing and direct messaging, TrustYous feedback platform is set to ensure a seamless guest experience and an excellent reputation.

About TrustYou

TrustYou, the worlds largest guest feedback platform, empowers hotels with solutions to drive more bookings and improve their hotel product. Through each phase of the guest journey, hotels can utilize guest feedback to enhance review marketing and achieve operational excellence. Guest feedback influences 95% of booking decisions. TrustYou Meta-Review, which incorporates hundreds of millions of hotel reviews, surveys, and social posts for over 500,000 hotels worldwide, powers guest reviews on dozens of travel sites, including Google, Kayak, and Hotels.com.* These reviews also generate actionable insights for hotels to improve their presence along each step of the guest journey, from booking and pre-stay search queries to real-time guest requests and messages, to post-stay feedback in the form of survey responses and reviews. Through the TrustYou partner program, PMS, CRM, IBE and other hotel software providers can integrate TrustYous guest feedback platform into their products to help their hotel clients positively influence bookings and revenue.

Find more information on TrustYou and the guest feedback platform on www.trustyou.com

*TrustYou Meta-Reviews only contain verified reviews and do not include reviews from TripAdvisor
The Ugly Christmas Sweater Nike SBs are making a return this Holiday season, thanks to another collaboration between Nike and Cambridge-based sneaker shop Concepts.

Concepts and Nike teamed up for two festive Ugly Christmas Sweater Dunks back in 2013 but if you missed out, or if youre in need for another gaudy pair of kicks, youre in luck this weekend.

Just like the 2013 release, the upcoming pair features a mashup of not-so-cheery Holiday staples including stone-faced snowmen, grumpy gingerbread men, snowflakes, gifts and holly, as well as blue laces and blue Nike swooshes.

According to Sneaker News, the new Concepts x Nike SB Dunk High Ugly Christmas Sweater is set to arrive this Saturday, December 2nd at Concepts Cambridge, as well as their New York City location. Another drop is scheduled for December 7th at select Nike SB retailers.

The kicks will be available in sizes for adults, kids and toddlers.

Concepts x Nike SB
NBC has fired its leading news anchor, Matt Lauer after a co-worker accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior. The studios president, Andrew Lack, sent out an official statement to the employees this morning saying the allegations against Matt represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment.

While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident, the statement explains.

A source tells PageSix that the victim claims the incident happened during the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. This happened so quickly. She didnt go to the media, she made a complaint to NBCs human resources, and her evidence was so compelling that Matt was fired on Tuesday night, the source reveals. The victim says she has evidence that this has also happened to other women, but so far we dont have evidence of that.

Matts co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, announced the revelation during this mornings newscast saying she is heartbroken. Watch the full clip below.

Matt is just another leading figure that has made headlines for sexual misconduct following Harvey Weinstein, Brett Ratner, Louis C.K., Russell Simmons and more.

President Donald Trump found time to speak out on Matts allegations in one single tweet seemingly shocked that Matt was fired, but confused as to why the top executives of the company are not being let go for putting out Fake News.
Just a few days ago we posted on Naya Rivera getting booked for assaulting her husband where she is now facing domestic battery charges.

The former Glee actress supposedly struck her husband, Ryan Dorsey, multiple times when they were on a walk with their two-year-old son. Ryan provided the police with a video of Nayas attack which led authorities to take her into custody. Naya was released on $1,000 bail and her father-in-law picked her up from prison the next day since she was in Virginia spending Thanksgiving with her in-laws.

[Dorsey] says his wife, Naya, had struck him in the head and the bottom lip while the two were taking their child for a walk down the street, Jatara McGee and Markie Owens of WSAZ reported.

In a new audio recording that has surfaced via TMZ, we can hear the call Ryan made to police when Naya was attacking him. Ryan is heard saying he needs the help of authorities because his wifes out of control. Ryan explains to the responder that Naya is getting physical adding that his father is there with them, but shes not getting violent with him. Listen to the audio below.

The call then drops for an unknown reason before the operator can get any more information.

When the story first made headlines, Nayas ex-boyfriend Big Sean made a tweet that was seemingly related to the whole matter. The video tweeted by Sean sees a little girl telling the camera, I told yall n***as, yall thought I was playin but I told yall n***as. The tweet was just too soon after the matter for us to not think it was a direct response to Nayas physical actions.

The duo broke-up just three months before Naya and Ryan walked down the aisle and got married. After the fact, Big Sean released one of his biggest singles to date, IDFWU that many believed was about Naya.




Want to attract the best new hires? Salary unsurprisingly scores as one of the most crucial factors people take into consideration when deciding whether or not to accept a job offer. However, according to a study from Northwestern Mutual, salary should only account for about 70% of an employees total compensation. The remaining 30% should be made up of a competitive benefits package. Employees are looking for more than just salary. Of course, they want to be paid fairly, but they are also looking for other benefits. So what can your business do to compete even when you cant offer the highest salary to an applicant? Below are 5 ideas to make your job offers more tempting to candidates. 1. Come up with an Out-of-the-Box Benefits Package Offering a great benefits package is an effective way to attract talent to join your team. In fact, one of the things top employers have in common is providing their employees with cool perks as it reflects and promises an exciting and conducive working environment. If you can afford it, consider offering health insurance. Harvard Business Review found that 88 percent of people would consider a lower paying job if it offered better medical, vision, and dental benefits. While expensive for a small business owner to purchase outright, consider using a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). A PEO pools you in with other businesses that offer health insurance, so you can get more ...
The war for talent is fierce and its become increasingly difficult for companies to both hire and retain talent. For the fourth year, the Board Survey of CEOs found that Human Capital is the CEOs number one global business challenge. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being lauded as the solution to these workforce concerns.



However, there is still a lot of uncertainty about AI. Some fear that automation will replace human labour. Others remain skeptical about the trustworthiness of the technology.



Where HR is concerned, accurate use of AI and predictive analytics on how the workforce will grow, shrink, and change are the cornerstone of effective workforce analysis and planning. AI can give you better insights into your workforce so the HR team can make better decisions to match workforce supply with demand. Yet it comes with risks.



In this session, workforce intelligence expert Ian Cook will review the trends behind the demand for AI in HR. He will demystify AI and predictive analytics by defining it in human terms -- without the technical jargon and with an explanation of their impact on human capital. Hell explain practical and actionable applications of AI in areas like employee retention and employee movement.



After this webinar, youll be able to understand AI in business terms and will be equipped with best practices and knowledge about the pitfalls to avoid to make AI a success in your HR function.



Join us to learn more about artificial intelligenge and its valuable impact on workforce analytics and planning.

By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
Whilst hotels in the Middle East and Africa successfully recorded a 1.9% year-on-year increase in GOPPAR this month, the periods of decline recorded across 2017 threaten to undermine the positive months of performance, according to the latest worldwide poll of full-service hotels from HotStats.

Whilst hotels in the Middle East and Africa successfully recorded a 1.9% year-on-year increase in GOPPAR this month, the periods of decline recorded across 2017 threaten to undermine the positive months of performance, according to the latest worldwide poll of full-service hotels from HotStats.

This month, a 3.1% decline in achieved average room rate, to $178.09, was more than offset by a 4.8-percentage point increase in room occupancy, to 68.5%, which underpinned the 4.1% increase in RevPAR, to $121.96.

In addition to the growth in Rooms Revenue, hotels in the Middle East & Africa recorded increases in non-rooms revenues this month, including Food and Beverage (+1.4%) and Conference and Banqueting (+1.2%), which contributed to the 2.7% increase in TrevPAR, to $208.13.

However, challenges remain in the economy of the Middle East & Africa, particularly in the oil exporting countries, which has impacted trading performance in the medium-term. This is not only illustrated in the achieved average room rate in the region, which has fallen by more than $22 over the last 36 months, but in revenue from other departments, which have dropped by approximately 16% during the same period, to $86.17 in the 12 months to October 2017.

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators  Middle East & Africa (in USD)

October 2017 v October 2016

RevPAR: +4.1% to $121.96

TrevPAR: +2.7% to $208.13

Payroll: +0.4 pts to 25.9%

GOPPAR: +1.9% to $81.42

Despite a 0.4-percentage point increase in Payroll, to 25.9% of total revenue, hotels in Middle East & Africa achieved a GOPPAR increase of 1.9% to 81.42 in October. This is equivalent to a profit conversion of 39.1% of total revenue.

In spite of this months increase, year-to-date GOPPAR levels at hotels in the region remain 5.9% behind the same period in 2016, at $70.51. And, at $74.77 in the 12 months to October 2017, profit per room has dropped by almost 30% in the last 36 months.

The rollercoaster performance of hotels in the Middle East & Africa continued in October. Although hotels in the region have successfully recorded six months of year-on-year profit per room growth in 2017, the remaining five months have seen GOPPAR levels declining at a more rapid rate. As a result, it is hard to see hotels in the region recording a positive outcome for the year, said Pablo Alonso, CEO of HotStats.

Hotels in Beirut seem less impacted by the issues facing the rest of the region, with a growing economy, led by an elevated tourism proposition driving a strong month of trading.

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators  Beirut (in USD)

October 2017 v October 2016

RevPAR: +20.7% to $80.67

TrevPAR: +17.7% to $112.71

Payroll: -4.8 pts to 36.3%

GOPPAR: +70.9% to $26.20

For hotels in Beirut, a 20.7% year-on-year increase in RevPAR was driven by an 8.6-percentage point increase in room occupancy, to 69.5%, in addition to a 5.7% increase in achieved average room rate, to $116.00.

This month, the achieved rate at hotels in Beirut was driven by a 28.7% year-on-year increase in rate in the leisure segment, to $146.18 in October, contributing to the year-to-date increase of 9.9% to $136.59. This is well ahead of the achieved rate in the corporate ($89.28) and residential conference ($64.46) segments, illustrating the strength of tourism to the city.

In addition to the growth in Rooms Revenue, an 11.0% increase in Other Revenues helped hotels in Beirut record a 17.7% increase in TrevPAR, to $112.71.

The considerable growth in top line revenues meant that Payroll levels for hotels in Beirut fell by 4.8 percentage points to 36.3% of total revenue this month, contributing to the 70.9% increase in GOPPAR to $26.20, albeit from a very low base of just $15.33 during the same period in 2016.

Whilst this was a very positive month of performance for hotels in Beirut, there is still room for improvement, with GOPPAR conversion recorded at just 23.2% of total revenue.

The Lebanon economy is driven by the service sector and tourism in particular. In the first five months of the year, the number of tourist arrivals increased by 12.8% year-on-year. And with the recent election of President Aoun and subsequent formation of a unity government, this should mark the beginning of a period of stability for Lebanon, which will be positive for its hotels, added Pablo.

In contrast to the positive performance of hotels in Beirut in October, properties in Manama had a month of mixed results.

Whilst hotels in the capital of Bahrain successfully recorded a 1.3-percentage point increase in room occupancy, to 51.6%, this was not sufficient to offset a 3.8% drop in achieved average room rate, to $162.28, and RevPAR fell by 1.3% this month, to $83.76.

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators  Manama (in USD)

October 2017 v October 2016

RevPAR: -1.3% to $83.76

TrevPAR: -3.1% to $136.21

Payroll: -0.4 pts to 34.8%

GOPPAR: +4.0% to $33.07

Further declines were recorded in non-rooms revenues, including Food and Beverage (-5.1%), which contributed to the 3.1% drop in TrevPAR, to $136.21.

However, the drop in revenue was overturned with cost cutting, which included a 0.4 percentage point saving in Payroll, to 34.8% of total revenue, enabling hotels in Manama to record a 4.0% increase in profit per room, to $33.07.

Despite the efforts of hoteliers in Manama this month, GOPPAR for year-to-date 2017 fell by 7.7%, to $42.52.

HotStats provides two reporting tools to hoteliers:

Our unique profit and loss benchmarking service which enables monthly comparison of hotels performance against their competitors. It is distinguished by the fact that it provides in excess of 100 performance metric comparisons covering 70 areas of hotel revenue, cost, profit and statistics providing far deeper insight into the hotel operation than any other tool.

Our latest innovation in daily revenue intelligence, MORSE. Amongst its reporting are daily and highly granular market segmentation metrics as well as distribution channel and source of booking analysis. It takes daily market intelligence to a whole new level.

For more information contact:

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On 28 November 2017, Uganda deposited an instrument of ratification for the Protocol Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, done at Beijing on 10 September 2010.

Mr. J. W Kabbs Twijuke, Representative of Uganda to ICAO (centre-right) and Mr. Fred K. Bamwesigye, the Civil Aviation Authority of Ugandas Director for Human Resources and Administration (far right), were present for Uganda. The Secretary General of ICAO, Dr. Fang Liu (centre), presided over the deposit ceremony. Mr. Benoit Verhaegen, Acting Director of ICAOs Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau (centre-left), and Mr. Mathieu Vaugeois, Legal Assistant at the Bureau (far left), also attended.

The Beijing Protocol requires ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by twenty-two States to enter into force, and the deposit by the Republic of Uganda constitutes the twenty-second deposit. Therefore, in accordance with its Article XXIII, paragraph 1, the Protocol shall enter into force on 1 January 2018, being the first day of the second month following the date of deposit.

The Beijing Protocol supplements the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, done at The Hague on 16 December 1970 (The Hague Convention, 1970). To this end, the Protocol expands the scope of The Hague Convention to cover different forms of aircraft hijackings, including through modern technological means.

At the same occasion, Uganda also deposited an instrument of ratification for the following international air law instruments:

Convention on the International Recognition of Rights in Aircraft, signed at Geneva on 19 June 1948;

Convention on Damage Caused by Foreign Aircraft to Third Parties on the Surface, signed at Rome on 7 October 1952;

Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, done at Montreal on 28 May 1999;

Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Relating to International Civil Aviation,

done at Beijing on 10 September 2010;

done at Beijing on 10 September 2010; Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, done at Montreal on 4 April 2014.

With the Republic of Uganda depositing an instrument of ratification to the Beijing Convention, the said Convention needs only one more instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to enter into force, in accordance with its Article 22, paragraph 1.

The Beijing Convention modernizes and consolidates the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal on 23 September 1971 (Montreal Convention, 1971) and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal on 23 September 1971, signed at Montreal on 24 February 1988 (Supplementary Protocol, 1988).

Both the Beijing Convention and Beijing Protocol are the result of collective efforts of the international community to modernize the legal framework for aviation security. These efforts began in 2001 pursuant to the adoption of ICAO Assembly Resolution A33-1 which directed the Council and the Secretary General to act urgently to address the new and emerging threats to civil aviation, in particular to review the adequacy of the existing aviation security conventions. By criminalizing a number of acts constituting new and emerging threats against civil aviation, including certain preparatory acts for the offences, these instruments will strengthen the capacity of States to prevent the commission of these offences, and to prosecute and punish those who commit such offences. The Convention and the Protocol will also contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy adopted on 8 September 2006 by enhancing the global treaty regime on counter-terrorism.

By Resolution A39-10, the ICAO Assembly urges all States to sign and ratify these two instruments.


Albania National Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson: "On behalf of the people of the United States, I offer my best wishes to the people of Albania as you celebrate 105 years of independence.

"Albania is a valued friend and ally, and the United States looks forward to your continued progress towards greater Euro-Atlantic integration and EU membership. We deeply appreciate Albanias contributions to NATO and the Defeat-ISIS Coalition and your promotion of regional stability. We commend the Government of Albania for its continued efforts to implement key reforms including judicial reform, combating public corruption, and the fight against organized crime. These are important steps towards ensuring a more secure and prosperous future for your people.

"Congratulations to the people of Albania on your national day."
'Was An Emotion': BCCI Shares Sachin Tendulkar's Retirement Video, Fans Get All Nostalgic
Demonstrator Myriam Poizat outside Leinster House in Dublin as the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Joint) Committee discussed termination in cases of foetal abnormality

More than 3,000 women a year are travelling from Ireland to England and Wales for an abortion, a committee has been told.

Last year 141 of the 3,000-plus terminations were cases where the foetus was at a substantial risk of significant disability, the Oireachtas committee debating the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution heard on Wednesday.

The committee was discussing termination in cases of foetal abnormality.

Dr Peter Thompson, a consultant in foetal medicine at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital, warned the committee against making a list of foetal abnormalities that might be permitted grounds for an abortion.

He said that due to the ever changing progress in medicine, "conditions would need to be added and removed from the list on a regular basis".

Dr Thompson strongly advised the committee against "being prescriptive and using the term lethal abnormality".

"The problem is there is no agreed definition as to what lethal actually means," he said.

"Is it all foetuses with that condition die before birth, that they die either before birth or in the neonatal period despite supportive therapy, a baby that usually dies in one of these two periods of time or is it that it has been noted that there is an association between the condition and death?" he asked.

Dr Thompson added that counselling women whose pregnancy is complicated by a foetus with a severe abnormality "is not a binary state of affairs but rather a complex discussion that requires a description of risk and probability".

Eamonn Moran, principal officer in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills, told the committee that access to sexual and health education is an important right for students.

"Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school.

"Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle," said Mr Moran.

He added that Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to senior cycle, and that the department has set out the content for each of these programmes in SPHE syllabuses and guidelines.
Priti Patel said the Government has been 'ill-equipped' for the Brexit negotiations

Theresa May has rejected suggestions by Priti Patel that the Government is ill-equipped to deal with Brexit talks, stressing they have "done a lot of preparatory works".

After resigning as international development secretary earlier this month, Ms Patel said the Government should have been more forthright in setting out its desired "end state" for the talks.

The prominent Brexiteer said the Government has been "ill-equipped in terms of preparations for the negotiations", and failed to set out the economic opportunities that Brexit presented.

When pressed for her thoughts on Ms Patel's comments, the Prime Minister, who is currently on a whistle-stop tour of the Middle East, rebuked them.

"We have done a lot of preparatory works for the Brexit talks and of course that work continues as the negotiations take place," she said.

"We have already, in terms of the resources the Government is putting into this, we have already, over the last couple of years, put something like just over 700 million into the preparations.

"And in the Budget last week, the Chancellor announced 3 billion is being put aside over the next couple of years for our preparation.

"That is preparation for all eventualities from these talks."

On the issue of the Irish border, which has emerged as a crucial sticking point in the way of Brexit negotiations moving on to phase two next month, Mrs May said talks are ongoing.

Pressed on how she will reconcile the competing demands of the Democratic Unionist Party and the Republic of Ireland in time to move discussions forward before December, Mrs May said all sides want to ensure there is no hard border.

"We are talking with the Irish Government and continue to do so," Mrs May said.

"All parties involved in this don't want to see a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

"I think there are a number of ways we can ensure that for the future, and I look forward to having more detailed discussions on that when we move into phase two of the negotiations."
The Government is being called on to commit to housing every person sleeping rough in the capital by the end of the year

Seven people have died sleeping rough in less than three months in Ireland, anti-homelessness campaigners said.

This week, a middle-aged man was found unresponsive in a tent in school grounds in Ranelagh in south Dublin - and another, believed to be from Lithuania, succumbed outside the Four Courts.

The man outside the courthouse was aged in his late 30s and reportedly may have died due to a drug overdose, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said.

The Ranelagh victim had previously been offered shelter.

Mr Varadkar said 3,800 more social homes were due to be built next year to help take people off the streets, and committed to 200 extra emergency beds by the middle of next month.

He added: "The constraining factor will not be money from the Government.

"It will be the ability of site construction workers and others to build the houses that we desperately need."

The Peter McVerry Trust homeless charity said it was deeply saddened after two deaths in as many days this week.

It added: "Unfortunately, there have been an unprecedented number of deaths involving people sleeping rough since late August."

The latest bring to seven the number that have died in the past 12 weeks, the Trust confirmed.

It urged the Government to house every person on Dublin's streets by the end of next year.

"At present, we have just over 180 people sleeping rough in Dublin, and while that is the highest number on record, surely the Government can commit to ring-fencing 180 social housing units for our most vulnerable citizens?"

The Taoiseach said dozens of permanent and temporary beds were being made available soon; by the middle of next month 200 more would be created.

He told the Dail: "We want to get to the position where we are assured that there will be a bed and shelter available for everyone who needs it in the city over the winter period."

Some 184 people were counted bedding down in parks, streets, doorways and shopfronts across Dublin city on the night of November 7, a record number.

Pat Doyle, chief executive of the Trust, said: "Our heart goes out to them. It's freezing out there, it's not safe to be a rough sleeper."

There have also been increasing numbers of reports of rough sleepers pitching tents along the canals in Dublin and further out into the suburbs, while the biannual rough sleeper headcount is not considered a full picture of the total.

Some of the other deaths occurred in Drogheda, Cork and Bray.

Shane "Jack" Watson was a homeless man who died in Dublin in recent months. He had a number of sex convictions.

At the end of August, another man sleeping close to Grafton Street died.

Eoin O Broin, Sinn Fein housing spokesman, said: "The Government does not have the homeless crisis in hand."

He urged ministers to bring forward plans to open another 200 emergency beds to provide homeless accommodation during the winter.
DUP MP Ian Paisley called for the UK government to get tough with Dublin.

The UK should make life hard for the Republic of Ireland over a post-Brexit fisheries deal as a response to its "disgraceful" behaviour in the current negotiations, Ian Paisley has suggested.

The Democratic Unionist MP made the suggestion to a committee of MPs in Westminster who are examining the future of the Irish border after the UK leaves the EU.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was hearing evidence from Brexit Minister Robin Walker and Northern Ireland Office minister Chloe Smith.

Referencing the stance the UK should take with the Dublin government, Mr Paisley told the witnesses the "pussyfooting needs to stop".

"I think our neighbour has acted disgracefully," he said.

Mr Paisley was referring to Ireland's position that, in order to avoid a hard border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland should continue to comply with European regulatory frameworks - even if the rest of the UK leaves the customs union and single market.

He said the UK had loaned Ireland "billions" of pounds to bail it out of "economic ruin and bankruptcy".

Mr Paisley said fisheries waters used by Irish boats would become UK waters after Brexit.

"As early as September in 2019 they will need to make a fisheries deal, not with the rest of the EU, but with us, and, frankly, if they continue to exacerbate our will as citizens of the United Kingdom, I think we should make that fisheries deal extremely long, tenuous and hard for them," he said.

The North Antrim MP added: "I think that message needs to be spelt out, that they need to start acting in a mature way and dealing with us as good neighbours and as friends instead of trying to frustrate the will of the people of the United Kingdom, by saying they want a united Ireland, they want this part of the sovereign territory of her Majesty's kingdom to remain out with the rest of the agreements."

He said if the UK government was not prepared to say that publicly to the Dublin administration, he said it should start to "shake their cage internally and privately".

Mr Paisley also told the committee that the collapse of powersharing at Stormont could have a positive impact on Brexit, in the absence of MLAs there to object to EU withdrawal plans.

He said: "There might actually be a fortuitous moment arising that it's actually this parliament who will scrutinise Brexit through its members of parliament who actually come here.

"Frankly if this goes back to the parliament (Stormont) in its current make up, all we will get is carping, blocking and attempts to undermine Brexit as opposed to a proper scrutiny of the Brexit negotiations. Is that not the case, that at this point the Assembly could actually damage Brexit?"

Ms Smith told the committee that discussions remain ongoing with the political parties in Northern Ireland in an attempt to reach an agreement to return to powersharing.

She said: "We are continuing work at every level to be able to get that to a successful conclusion. Meetings have taken place."

Asked whether that was a contradiction of comments made by Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill earlier this week when she said there was no basis for talks to continue, Ms Smith said: "Meetings are continuing."

She added: "Whether I agree with Michelle O'Neill or not that there is no basis, there is a clear basis for an agreement to be found, the number of issues which remain to be resolved is limited in number and possible to overcome."

However, Ms Smith did not elaborate on the nature of discussions or if they amounted to official negotiations.

A summit meeting will be held on December 14 in Brussels with the heads of government of the EU states.

Progress on Brexit negotiations will be considered at this stage, with the border on the island of Ireland expected to be among the core issues focused on.

SDLP Assembly member Claire Hanna heavily criticised Mr Paisley's remarks.

"As a hard Brexiteer, Ian Paisley seems perfectly happy to cut his nose off to spite his face," she said.

"The Irish Government has a responsibility to protect the interests of people on this island and to protect the Good Friday Agreement. They are living up to those obligations.

"Any suggestion that UK fisheries policy should be formulated on the basis of punishing Irish people and Irish businesses is absolute madness.

"But more than that, it will hurt businesses in the north who rely on co-operation across this island, particularly in the agri-food sector.

"Given the stranglehold that the DUP now has on the Tory Government, Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) should now make his position on this matter clear."
Farmers struggling with massive boom-era debts are now being asked to provide internet map links to their home to international loan funds as part of final settlement agreements.

It has also emerged that companies representing these loan funds have asked land-owner representatives during negotiations to supply online information - such as links on Google maps - on the location of borrowers' homes.

Debt resolution consultant Matt Carey said loan fund representatives were increasingly seeking online links to the borrowers' homes, even where the residence had not been given as security for loans.

These developments mark a serious escalation in the pressures and demands being foisted on heavily indebted individuals, the debt advisor claimed.

Mr Carey said he had refused all such requests but he described the demands as indicative of the harder line on loans being taken by loan funds.

"Loan funds looking for links to borrowers' homes is an intrusion in a person's private life and is totally unacceptable as far as I'm concerned," Mr Carey said. "But what we have here is an awful lot of Irish land that is now effectively owned by foreign companies and they're asking local farmers to buy it back."

Costs

Mr Carey said he had never before been asked that borrowers pay the legal costs of the lender.

"I have clients that are emptying every piggy bank to come up with the money for a settlement, and now they are being asked to pay the legal fees of the lender. It is ridiculous," he said.

"I don't accept for one minute that this should be the case. But it's being asked for now."

When borrowers are in arrears banks and loan funds can insist costs including legal bills are added to the overall bill. It is understood that individual requirements of the various international loan funds vary and can differ on an individual loan basis.

Mr Carey explained that the legal fees involved varied, but usually started at around 500. He said loan fund representatives had threatened in correspondence that the lenders would walk away from agreements with borrowers and pursue the full debt if the legal fees were not paid.

IFA farm business chair Martin Stapleton said individuals have the same rights whether their loan is with a bank or a vulture fund.

"Vulture funds want a quick resolution and farmers can use this to their advantage. I would repeat the importance of getting expert advice to make the strongest case," he said.

ICSA rural development chair Seamus Sherlock said a "reasonable negotiated settlement" is always the best option. "Going for the jugular and trying to squeeze every last cent out of assets cannot be described as reasonable and is not in anyone's best interest in the long term," he said.

ICMSA president John Comer said it will increase the wariness of farmers around the funds. A number of banks have sold billions of euro in non-performing debts, including farm loans, to international funds. Settlements of these debts are now being negotiated.
Limousin heifers kept for breeding were stolen from a remote rural field at the foot of Carrauntoohil, Irelands highest mountain, and found five months later with false tags forty miles away near Banna Strand, the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee was told.

Two of the false tags had been removed from dead animals washed up on the tide at Banna Strand, the court was told.

A neighbouring farmer admitted he had stolen the animals, and he and two other men also involved in farming and or cattle dealing were complicit , the court was told at the sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

Money had been the motivation, the court heard. It had been a painstaking investigation to trace the animals in what was a serious and unacceptable activity in rural Ireland, the court was told.

Declan Murphy aged 38 of Glencuttane , Kilgobnet Beaufort had pleaded guilty to the theft of the four heifers, the property of Neilly OSullivan; Peter Lawlor aged 56 of Banna, Ardfert had pleaded guilty to handling the four stolen heifers at Carrahane, Ardfert and Eugene Cronin aged 56 of Nunstown , Aghadoe had pleaded guilty to withholding information from gardai.

Next to disputes over land, stealing another farmers cattle still resulted in a lifetime stigma in rural Ireland the men, who had no previous convictions, would suffer opprobrium in their communities and at the mart, defence counsels said, pleading for non-custodial sentences.

Investigating Garda Eamonn Prendiville, giving evidence at the sentencing hearing in Tralee told Tom Rice prosecuting counsel, told how on 12 December 2013 Mr OSullivan had left six heifers in his roadside field, in a remote rural area at the foot of Carrauntoohil Mountain, and the next morning four of them were gone.

Local farmers were canvassed, marts visited, appeals put out on media by gardai and a big effort was made to locate the missing heifers, the Killorglin based garda said.

In May 2014, information led gardai to the farm of Peter Lawlor at Banna, Ardfert. Mr Lawlor co-operated and said he had received four heifers from Declan Murphy and had paid him 1,000 in cash.

Department of Agriculture birth tags had been removed and replaced with false tags; Mr Lawlor told gardai he had got two off dead animals washed out on the tide at Banna and said Eugene Cronin had given him the other two tags, Garda Prendiville said.

DNA testing by the Department established these were indeed Mr OSullivans cattle. Both Mr Murphy and Mr Lawlor were arrested Mr Cronin came voluntarily to the garda station. He had provided the truck for the removal of the cattle, Garda Prendiville said.

All three men co-operated fully. Garda Prendiville said the motivation seemed to be money and he rejected it was about a dispute about trespass of animals.

Barrister Brian McInerney, had suggested there had been a prior dispute over cattle and ditches and he and defence counsels John OSullivan and Katie OConnell said their clients would suffer the odium of the community for a lifetime.

Department of Agriculture penalties and restrictions and department inspections were also likely.

The matter could have been dealt with in the District Court, but the three men had opted initially for trial.

In a victim impact statement Neilly OSullivan told of the anxiety he and his family suffered after his heifers went missing; everywhere he went he was looking over ditches to see if he could spot them. And when they were eventually returned he had to isolate the heifers he kept for breeding for nine weeks, in case they had picked up a disease.

All had false tags, when they returned in business where traceability was of utmost importance.

It was stressful and disappointing it was a neighbour  Declan Murphy who lived next door - who took my cattle,  Mr OSullivan also said.

It had led to stress and tension between the families and had a terrible effect on his elderly parents, Mr OSullivan said in his victim impact statement read by investigating garda Eamonn Prendiville.

He still suffered anxiety about his animals and now had locks on all his gates

Judge Thomas E ODonnell handing down sentence said it was clear to him that the victim suffered considerable stress and it was also clear the three co-accused were complicit in the operation .

While it might appear as a simple theft, it led to a complex and painstaking investigation and Gard Prendiville is to be complimented, the judge said.

The court was sending a strong message taking animals was serious and unacceptable, Judge ODonnell said.

He handed down convictions and periods of suspended sentences on condition of good behaviour  a conviction for theft and nine months prison in the case of Declan Murphy, suspended for nine months.

Mr Murphy is further ordered to pay the 230 costs of the DNA tests to the Department of Agriculture

Peter Lawlor received a conviction for handling stolen property with nine months prison, suspended for nine months; seven counts brought against Mr Lawlor to do with animal regulatory matters were taken into consideration; and Eugene Cronin was convicted of withholding information under the Criminal Justice Act and handed a six months sentence, again suspended for six months.
No new market for Irish beef will compensate for the huge loss to the industry that would follow as a result of Brexit, according to outgoing ICMSA president John Comer.

Speaking at the ICMSA AGM in Limerick, Mr Comer (pictured) said that while trade missions to new markets are to be welcomed, no new market will compensate.

"It is fine to say that we are having trade missions to open-up new markets - that work is welcome and important - but we're going to have to be honest with people: opening and developing new markets takes time and there's no possibility, none, that they will replace the UK market.

"Come spring 2019, we may need a new home for the 320,000t of beef that is currently sold to the UK.

"Why would the EU even contemplate offering at least 70,000t of beef to the Mercosur countries to conclude a deal?"

He said that many of the trade deals proposed by the EU are questionable but to be seriously considering such a deal at present is "reckless" and "utter madness".

Brexit and Mercosur are two of three significant threats that currently loom over the agri-food industry, he said, along with environmental pressures on farming and warned that dairy markets are being abused by large processors and retailers.

He said that there was a danger of fatally undermining family farm structures if action was not taken, and that the market did not set the price, but was rigged.

The outgoing ICMSA president called for farmer efforts on the environment to be recognised and he said that climate challenges will only be dealt with by everyone working together under elected governments and not by "quangos or unelected groups with grandiose-sounding names... the only citizens assembly that ICMSA will pay attention to is called Dail Eireann".

He warned the mostly dairy farmer audience that the "talking down" of milk price by processors was an attempt to "soften us up" for milk price reductions in 2018 and he described the market structure that dictate farmer milk price as "rigged".

He said that the multiple retailers had destroyed the liquid milk market and he regretted to say that "our own processors were part of the problem", by selling liquid milk to large retailers at unsustainably low prices and passing the hit back to their milk suppliers.

Income

Meanwhile, income at the organisation was back 252,198 on 2015.

According to ICMSA general secretary John Enright the organisation is linked to milk price and when milk prices fall, so too does the association's income.

ICMSA income was also impacted by reduced levies collected by the Larry Goodman-owned factories, while salaries, wages and superannuation costs were down almost 100,000.

It saw the Limerick-based organisation with an operating deficit of 39,967 for 2016, compared to an operating surplus of 116,318 in 2015, but it still holds a balance of almost 2m of cash in the bank.
Predictions of a significant fall-off in milk prices from the first quarter of 2018 have been dismissed by the farm organisations.

Both the ICMSA and IFA have urged processors to commit to holding milk prices through next spring despite the deteriorating market sentiment.

Kevin Bellamy of Rabobank said the early indications were that milk prices across Europe could fall to 33-34c/l in the spring. Milk prices on the continent are currently around 39-40c/l, while Irish dairies are working off a base of 36-37c/l.

But the dairy analyst cautioned that these projections were dependent on supply/demand considerations. Mr Bellamy said prices of 35c/l had driven growth in most global markets, with increased output reported in the USA, Latin America and Australia.

IFA dairy chairman Sean O'Leary said that while international dairy prices had weakened, Irish co-ops were benefiting from contract returns signed in better times, as evidenced by the September rise in the Ornua PPI.

Mr O'Leary called on processors to reassure farmers by guaranteeing milk prices for the spring and thereby helping them plan for 2018.

"Irish farm-gate milk prices increased by 52pc, or 12c/l, in the last 15 months, but this was after over two years of falling prices, which 20 months were below 30c/l," Mr O'Leary pointed out.

"In this context, even allowing for the weaker outlook for 2018, it is crucial that co-ops would hold milk prices at the very least until next spring, as they can afford to."

Meanwhile, Ger Quain of ICMSA accused processors of "softening up" farmers in preparation for a price cut early in 2018.

While he accepted that markets had undoubtedly come back in recent weeks, he maintained that global supply/demand balance remained positive.

"It's the old story where upward price movements trickle back to the farmers, while the very first sign of a fall-back in demand seems to act like milk price trap-door.

"We reject it, and we'll resist it," said Mr Quain. Although processors have been reticent about talking publicly of a drop in milk prices, dairies have warned suppliers at information meetings over the last week that markets had turned.

Dairies pointed to the recent 3.4pc drop in the GDT and the sharp reduction in butter prices, which saw spot butter prices fall from almost 7,000/t in late September to under 5,000/t last week.

In addition, the overhang of 400,000 tonnes of skim milk powder (SMP) in EU intervention stores remains a continuing concern.

Output in New Zealand has also been stronger through their spring, but Mr Bellamy said that the new government in Auckland had raised serious concerns around the sustainability of continued dairy expansion.

Most tellingly for European dairy farmers, however, Mr Bellamy pointed out that the EU Commission will not be in a position to support milk prices as actively in 2018 as they did in 2016 because of the volumes of SMP currently in intervention and new tendering mechanism that has been agreed for future intakes.
The 19th FBD Young Farmer of the Year has been won by a Kilkenny dairy farmer.

PJ OKeeffe, a young dairy farmer from Callan, Co.Kilkenny, won the title following a challenging interview process and an on-farm visit.

Judging panel chairperson Karina Pierce from the UCD Institute of Food and Health, announced the winner at an awards ceremony in the Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, Co.Mayo on Tuesday night. He has won a travel bursary worth 3,000.

The competition is organised by Macra na Feirme in partnership with the IFA and sponsors, FBD. There were also sector prizes for dairy, beef, sheep and the U23 farmer of the year.

Martin Cole from Carlow took home the Sheep Category title, James Greene from Laois was the winner of the Beef Category and Darragh Barron, a beef farmer was winner of the U23 category.

Macra na Feirme National President, James Healy, said: "This is one of the most prestigious nights on the farming calendar where industry and farmers come together to recognise and award the brightest and best young farmers in the country, it is one of the most important competitions we have, well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to the category winners and to PJ OKeefe from Kilkenny, the 19th FBD Young Farmer of the Year."

IFA President Joe Healy praised the calibre of the entrants in this year's Young Farmer of the Year competition.

"The competition has played an important role in helping to focus young farmers on the importance of treating their farms like businesses and staying on top of, and in control of, all inputs and outputs."

He identified the next CAP as being a key policy driver in developing young talent for our farming sector. "Anything that helps succession and brings on new blood can only be good for the sector. Commissioner Hogan should look at instruments that encourage farm transfers."

The aim of the competition is to recognise and reward the top young farmers in the country. Entrants are judged according to a number of criteria including farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection awareness, as well as agricultural knowledge and community involvement.
Deep in the Qatari desert, a herd of cows stands in a vast shed, cooled by fans and jets of mist - each animal a key player in a plan to defy a trade boycott and make the kingdom self-sufficient in milk by next year.

The black and white Holstein cattle are among the first members of a 14,000-strong herd that farming company Baladna is expecting to build up in coming months, its chief executive John Dore told Reuters in an interview.

We will make Qatar self-sufficient by June - that is the target, Dore said.

He conceded that raising and milking cows in temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) in summer posed special challenges.

Expand Close Cows are seen at Baladna farm near Al Khor, Qatar, November 28, 2017. Picture taken November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon / Facebook

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But technology and the deep pockets of Baladnas Qatari owners were compensating for the harsh environment, said Dore, an Irishman who previously worked for Saudi Arabian dairy giant Almarai.

Hundreds of cows were already hooked up to the automatic milking machines at Baladnas farm in Umm al Hawaya, about 50 km (30 miles) north of Doha, and producing milk good enough to export, he said. More than 6,000 more cows from the United States are due to arrive by February.

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Qatars drive to build a dairy industry in the desert illustrates how the tiny but wealthy country, the worlds biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is using money and technology to cope with its isolation.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut trade and transport ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of backing terrorism, a charge which Doha denies.

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The boycott disrupted Qatars shipping routes through the Gulf. It also shut Qatars land border with Saudi Arabia, across which many perishable goods were imported, including almost 400 tonnes of fresh milk and yoghurt a day.

The boycott has forced Qatar to fly in dairy products from Turkey and Iran. But Dore said the country was determined to create its own dairy sector, largely relying on Baladna, a private company which is receiving logistical and other support from the government.

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The firm, which raises sheep, was considering moving into milk production before the boycott, but knew it would find it hard to compete on price with imports from Almarai, he said.

The boycott removed that competition and in the initial weeks of the diplomatic crisis, the company flew in the first 3,400 cows on state-owned airline Qatar Airways.

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We were milking cows here on the 11th of July, which is barely a month after the blockade, and that by any method or means is some achievement, Dore said.

Baladna is planning two more sea shipments from the United States - each holding 3,300 animals - by February. Another consignment of 3,000 cows has been planned, but not yet ordered.

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By June, it says it is expecting to raise production of fresh milk and yoghurt to 500 tonnes a day, enough to meet domestic demand with 100 tonnes left over for export.

Baladna has not disclosed financial details of its project, and it is not yet clear whether Qatar can produce large volumes of milk economically, let alone export some at competitive prices.

But for now at least, the countrys drive to reduce its dependence on imports with domestic production appears to be stimulating the economy. The manufacturing sector grew 3.2 percent from a year earlier in September, official data released last week showed. Food manufacturing jumped 23.5 percent.
Qatar has airlifted nearly 200 cows, in the first airlift to bring cows into the country, to build up its dairy herd and fresh milk supplies.

The 165 cows are the first of 4,000 which are being brought in by a Qatari businessman, to tackle the ongoing issue of a lack of dairy due to the Saudi-led restrictions on Qatar.

Qatar is home to 2.7m people and has come under political pressure from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates over alleged support of terrorism. Qatar denies the allegations, but its imports of fresh dairy have been severely curtailed, as much would have previously been imported through Saudi.

However, Turkey has sent 197 cargo planes, 16 trucks and one ship to Qatar to meet its daily needs since a dispute broke out last month, Reuters reports. Iran has also sent consignments of food and Morocco is understood to be looking at sending plane loads of food supplies.

Now a Qatari company Power International has bought the cows to Qatar via Turkey. Chairman Moutaz al-Khayyat told Bloomberg that once all the cows were flown in, they would meet about 30pc of the country's dairy needs.

The mass airlift will take approximately 60 flights and the cows are being taken to a newly built farm.

Meanwhile, hundreds of camels are reported to have died of starvation and thirst after their Qatari farmer owners were kicked out by Saudi as the row continues.

The Qatari owners of around 15,000 camels and 10,000 sheep were given hours to leave their farms.
The 2017 advance payments for the two main agri-environment schemes are commencing this week.

The two schemes are the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) and the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS) and both are co-funded by the European Union under Irelands Rural Development Programme.

Advance payments represent 85% of the full year payment for 2017 after the Minister secured permission from the European Commission for a higher advance payment rate for farmers this year.

2017 AEOS payments will also commence to the 2,200 participants who are still in that scheme.

GLAS payments are issuing this year on a structured rolling basis with payments to continue to issue on an on-going manner with a number of further payruns expected before the end of the year.

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said he was pleased that we are meeting our commitment to commence advance payments for these schemes.

"Payments worth close to 100 million will be landing in farmers bank accounts this week.

"These payments come on top of an excellent few weeks for payments including allocations under the Basic Payment Scheme, Areas of Natural Constraint and Sheep Welfare schemes. At this stage over 1 billion has issued to Irish farmers in recent weeks.

We will be continuing to make GLAS advance payments in the coming weeks. Unfortunately there are still a significant number of participants whose applications are incomplete at this point because they have yet to return outstanding documentation.

"This includes including the significant numbers of outstanding Nutrient Management Plans, Commonage Management Plans, annual Low Emission Slurry Spreading Declaration Forms and Rare Breed Declaration Forms and farmers should speak to their advisors as soon as possible if they want to receive this payment.

"We will continue to make further GLAS payments over the next few weeks subject to the eligibility of the participants being resolved," he said.
Level, launched in June, will be profitable this year according to IAG CEO Willie Walsh

Level - the low-cost, long-haul airline launched by Aer Lingus owner IAG this year - has confirmed it's to operate four routes from Paris Orly.

It will serve New York, Montreal, Guadeloupe and Martinique from next summer. IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said Level's first base, at Barcelona, had been an "incredible success" and that the airline would be profitable this year.

Level started flying this year, with routes from Barcelona to North and South America.

The new carrier was a response by IAG to in-roads being made across the Atlantic by rivals such as Norwegian and Wow Air.

Paris had been a likely contender for the second Level base for some time, with Rome being flagged as another likely candidate.

Fares at Level start at 99 one-way. Level is also adding a Barcelona-Boston service.

Two A330 jets will be based at Orly by Level, and a third at Barcelona.
1. Yes. The ordinance goes against state law and is not in the best interest of the cities.

2. Yes. At the very least, it should be amended to give police officers some discretion.

3. No. Voters approved the ordinance by large majorities; the councils cant ignore that fact.

4. No. The petition process has to be given a chance to work. Leave the ordinance alone.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the cities should move forward regarding the ordinance.

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Troubled gold exploration and development company Conroy Gold has posted a loss of 431,922 for its financial year ending 31 May 2017.

The loss has increased from a loss of 292,165 in the previous year.

Net assets at the company are 16.8m, down from 17.1m in 2016.

During the year the companys Clontibret project had an updated mineral resource estimate to JORC standard showing a 26pc increase of indicated resource grade and a 23pc increase in gold in the indicated category.

Work also continued at the companys other exploitation properties.

"I am very pleased that during the course of the year the company has continued to make significant progress with its exploration and development programme. I look forward to this continuing into 2018 as the company moves forward with its plans to develop a mine at Clontibret and targets a multi-million ounce gold resource," Professor Richard Conroy, chairman of Conroy Gold, said.

In announcing the results the company said that the groups directors and former directors, namely James P. Jones, Seamus P. FitzPatrick, C. David Wathen, Louis J. Maguire, Dr. S Conroy and Michael E. Power, had confirmed that they will not seek repayment of amounts owed to them by the group and the company of 2.2m for at least 12 months unless the company has sufficient funds to repay them.

Earlier this year the company had success in the High Court after Patrick OSullivan, a minority shareholder in the company, claimed that he and his two nominees had been wrongfully stopped from becoming members of the board of directors at the companys EGM in August.

The Judge found that Mr OSullivan did not comply with the notification requirements under the companys Articles of Association in advance of the EGM.

At said EGM, which was convened at the behest of Mr OSullivan, six of the nine Conroy Gold were removed from their position.

Dr Karl Keegan and Brendan McMorrow have since been appointed to the board.
The Happy Pear brothers, Kerry Foods and Diageo for Baileys were among the winners at the Bord Bia's industry awards.

Over 350 Irish food and drink industry leaders gathered at Dublin's RDS Concert Hall for the prestigious biennial Food and Drink awards.

Hosted by Miriam O Callaghan, the nine winners from an original shortlist of 24 companies across the industry were announced at the event.

Successful firms across Ireland's booming food and drink industry were nominated across the seven categories, namely 'Branding, 'Consumer Insight', 'Digital Marketing', 'Entrepreneurial', 'Export', 'Innovation', and 'Sustainability'.

The inaugural 'Industry Champion' Award was also presented to Denis ORiordan of Kerry Foods in recognition of his outstanding contribution to delivering global success for the Cheestrings brand.

"Denis ORiordan, known as Mr Cheestrings among his colleagues in Kerry Foods, is one of the pioneers of best practice marketing in Ireland," said Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy.

Denis O Riordan of Kerry foods accepting the first of its kind Bord Bia Champion award from Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy #bordbiaawards pic.twitter.com/QDHXzaeDRQ  FarmIreland.ie (@farm_ireland) November 29, 2017

"He is recognised as being the leading force behind the international success of Cheestrings, which is now available to some 350 million people across Europe. Denis has served as a mentor and a role model for how to take a food brand from concept to global presence by embedding consumer and market insight in the business."

Judges for the awards included John Fanning, Chairman of Bord Bia's Brand Forum, Ervia's Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Orlaith Blaney, and founder of 2degrees Martin Chilcott.

Bord Bia Chairman Michael Carey opened the awards followed by an address from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed.

Winners

1) Branding - Diageo for Baileys

At the end of 2015, Bailey's Original Irish Cream faced a 6-year rolling decline with revenue at a 10-year low. The marketing team at the firm then embarked on a project aimed at repositioning the brand in a new dynamic category.

Awards' judges said that Diageo "clearly outlined how to layout an impressive topline marketing strategy".

"Everything was brought to life by a hugely successful integrated campaign that was underpinned by the end line - 'Don't mind if I Baileys'".

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Digital and Data Manager, Hailie Ritterman, told Independent.ie how Baileys used a product focused, digital first communications model to drive brand growth.

"The most interesting thing for me has been the reshape of our strategy. The biggest change is stopping thinking of Baileys as being in the liquor category, but rather as part of the treating category.

"We're living in a world of confectionery and coffee cups, in a city exploding with donut shops, for example. It's an entirely new category and competitive set for us and it also allows us to tap in a very substantial behavioural shift in woman, who are now saying 'absolutely I'll indulge'.

"We also reshaped our media model. We went from just being on TV and billboards and have moved to a 'millions of triggers' model - 'think pleasure, drink Baileys'."

Ms Ritterman said that Diageo for Baileys have seen a 6pc growth in sales which is "really exciting, the most positive boost in a long time" and attributes the wins to understanding and reacting to customer insight. "Things need to be attainable, everything can't look like it's in the studio; the most authentic, the more conspirative pleasure, the better."

2) Consumer Insight - Butlers Chocolate

Butlers Chocolate highlights excellence in consumer centred marketing, according to the judges, who appreciated the detailed account on the in-depth study conducted on the ritual of opening a box of chocolates.

"The study was conducted with high end consumers in London and Dubai, and the outcome was the development of a super-premium range which has seen magnificent impact."

3) Digital Marketing - The Happy Pear

Well-known Greystones brothers David and Stephen Flynn started the Happy Pear in 2004, the business now employing around 170 people across three cafes, a sprout farm, a food manufacturing and distribution business, a coffee roastery and a fermentation business.

Their success story can be largely attributed to the their powerful online presence and marketing strategy. "Their digital campaigns are consistent and authentic across a variety of channels and they have created a powerful 'movement' which is driving the brand," the judges said.

"Everything they have done is backed up by a clear consumer understanding and a well thought out brand strategy".

David and Stephen's original mission statement "to build a happier healthier world - and build community" is a message they have managed to amplify across a number of social media platforms, they tell Independent.ie.

"Our social media is very much personality-led, we are a walking, talking version of the brand. We do our best to inspire and to add value to [our followers'] lives, to get out and enjoy life. It is essentially a representation of our own lives; we swim very morning, eat really healthy foods, we live these lifestyles."

YouTube has been highly successful for the duo - they recently received the Silver Play Button for surpassing 100,000 subscribers.

But The Happy Pear believe that while the varying platforms are quite different, "they all have their place". From regular Snaps on Snapchat (including a daily Vlog), to regular sunrise swim shots on Instagram, the entrepreneurs also keep busy with Facebook Live cook-along videos and the occasional Twitter post.

Happy 13th birthday The Happy Pear! this was our first day trading 13 years ago, 2 idealists with a dream of a happier, healthier community - what an incredible journey this has been, thanks for all the support and fun times! A post shared by The Happy Pear (@thehappypear) on Nov 26, 2017 at 12:07am PST

"It's wonderful to be recognised in a category alongside such strong companies," they said ahead of the win announcement.

4) Entrepreneurial - Gallaghers Bakery

'Big vision, great ethos and killer consumer insight' is what the judges thought of the entrepreneurial spirit of Gallaghers Bakery, who have created a range of gluten-free bakery products based on extensive consumer research. The business has grown from employing 65 people in 2011 to 305 direct employees in 2017 - and is expected to grow an additional 40 next year.

"The success of Gallaghers bakery is no doubt driven by their entrepreneurial spirit, their ability to think big and smartly leverage retailer's consumers insights and data. It is an incredible story of drive, ambition and the teams tenacity to succeed."

5) Export (Smaller Business) - Silver Hill Farm

Producer of duck and duck products, Silver Hill Farm has been the preferred supplier of duck to Chinese markets across Europe and Asia for the past 30 years. In the last two years, the firm implemented a new, more dedicated approach to its marketing strategy.

"[Silver Hill's] entry included amazingly detailed understanding of their various markets, consumers and categories, while also showcasing great potential for the future with strong, consistent growth in the export arms of the business," said the judges.

6) Export (Bigger Business) - Kerry Foods

The "great Irish success story abroad" recognised by the awards' judges was Kerry Foods and its strategy to grow Cheestrings in an ever-expanding market base.

Cheestrings is the first brand in Kerry Foods' portfolio that has been successfully launched into several European markets, most recently Spain, Portugal and Italy.

"Future plans also showcased strong ambition and were clearly insight driven - a superb example of best in class export marketing," said the judges.

Expand Close (l-r) Cathy Kidd, Global Marketing Director (purple dress) and Angelica Schiavone, Italian Brand Manager of Kerry Group) / Facebook

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(l-r) Cathy Kidd, Global Marketing Director (purple dress) and Angelica Schiavone, Italian Brand Manager of Kerry Group)

Global Marketing Director at Kerry Foods Cathy Kidd said that the strategy had a very strong focus on consumers insight, looking at new markets, and listening to consumers to help understand the market landscape.

"Over the last number of years, the role of the export business has increased in terms of its strategic difference. We start launching products in international markets and designing them initially with the international market in mind.

"A tipping point for us came about five years ago when we launched in Germany, it was a move away from what we did before, seeing if things would work in other markets."

The three-step market analytics process that was employed has helped to build the brand value of Cheestrings to more than 100m per annum.

"With every market that we go into there's an awful lot of the picture that we don't know...our centred focus on the consumer is something we're particularly proud of, we seek to build the brand around the consumer."

7) Innovation - Pip & Pear

Founded by mother-of-two Irene Queally, Pip and Pear produces a range of chilled baby foods designed to taste just like a homemade meal.

The judges maintained that the company was "an excellent example of a new product based on a core insight that parents want to feed their baby the best".

The team have managed to create a new category within the baby food sector for chilled fresh baby food; and have demonstrated a very impressive and well thought out marketing strategy. The focus on the consumer is very apparent, delivering a solution which meets the evolving needs of parents and their little ones."

8) Sustainability - Dawn Meats

A verified member of Origin Green since 2012, Dawn Meats updated sustainability strategy was developed with stakeholder engagement during 2015/2016 - built across five pillars: sustainable sourcing, animal welfare, resource management, people and community and innovation and nutrition.

"Dawn meats illustrated excellence, innovation and impact in corporate sustainability. There was a clear link with all stakeholders including farmers and customers - their progress in operations and their commitment to the future," said the judges.

9) Sustainability, Project Impact - Monaghan Mushrooms

An additional sustainable award was given to one of the world's largest fresh mushroom companies Monaghan Mushrooms. Judges: "Monaghan Mushrooms successfully showcased that they're clearly intent in staying at the technical and environmental forefront of the mushroom business.

"The results of their sustainability efforts have led them to develop a vitamin D enriched mushroom and add another health angle to their business."
The State's budget watchdog has warned there isn't a credible plan for prudent management of the public finances over the coming years.

The Fiscal Advisory Council said the Government needs to set out a plan for the medium term so that a procyclical pattern of budgetary increases does not occur in a repeat of the past that has led to a cycle of boom and bust.

In its assessment of Budget 2018, the council said a "lack of clarity" means the plans for the coming years could be undermined.

"The Government should set out a credible plan for the medium term," said Fiscal Council chairman Seamus Coffey, pictured.

"Yes, we have medium-term projections, but they aren't really anchored to anything. There isn't really a credible plan set out that avoids some of the procyclical pattern of budgetary increases that we have seen previously."

Mr Coffey said the Government should make a firmer commitment to spending limits laid down by the European Commission, as well as strengthening the proposed 'rainy day fund'.

The council said the fund could serve as a useful tool to ensure more sustainable growth and prudent management of the public finances.

"However, the current proposal is not adequate to achieve the necessary countercyclical effects and is small in size," the council said.

The council also argued that the Government must adhere to a target for public investment spending over the medium term.

And it warned that runaway house building could again overheat the economy in future - if the danger is not taken into account.

"There is a potential risk that the economy may experience overheating in the coming years," said Mr Coffey.

"The economy has grown quite rapidly, perhaps above its potential for the last three to four years, and we are close to reaching potential. If there is a rapid expansion in the construction sector, it could lead to a situation where the economy outperforms its potential. There may be need for counter cyclical measures elsewhere."

The council also said that given the risk of overheating and the fact that the Budget plans are consistent with ramping up capital spending, meeting demographic and price pressures, it would be "wise" to decide to start spending more over the coming years.

A better use of extra revenue, such as better than expected corporation tax receipts, should be put into the Rainy Day Fund, or used to pay down Ireland's still high public debt pile.

Mr Coffey also warned that corporation tax receipts are at unprecedented levels and that it is the most volatile of tax revenue.

He said caution should be exercised in thinking that this form of revenue may be permanent. The council also warned that the impact of Brexit is highly uncertain, as is the timing of its economic effects.

It said these effects could be more negative than currently forecast, particularly if the impact is front loaded.

It also noted potential changes to tax arrangements both at OECD level, and in the US.
Facebook paid just 30m in tax in Ireland on revenue of 12.6bn last year.

The company has filed accounts here showing that its profit before tax in Ireland has risen from 109.6m to 174.3m, a 59pc increase.

The tech giant recorded a huge increase in revenue through its Irish base, rising from 7.9bn to 12.6bn in 2016.

As a result, it paid tax here of 30.4m, a rise from 14.1m paid in 2015.

Like other multinational firms, Facebook organises its revenue reporting in a way to minimise its international tax bills.

Alongside Apple, Google and others, the company is regularly criticised for minimising its tax payments.

The European Commission may soon propose new rules around tax consolidation across the EU following support for such a measure from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Facebook has seen significant increases in the number of people using its services and now has 2.1 billion global users, with most checking the service daily.

Instagram, which it also owns, has 800 million global users while its WhatsApp messaging app has 1.2 billion global users.

In Ireland, recent research from Ipsos MRBI indicates that Facebook has 2.4 million users, while Instagram has one million and WhatsApp has 2.1 million users here.

Marketing research estimates that Facebook captures around a fifth of global digital advertising revenue.

Between them, Google and Facebook have over half the world's digital advertising revenue, which is the fastest-growing sector in the advertising industry.

Head of Facebook Ireland Gareth Lambe said: "As the home of our international headquarters, Ireland is an important part of Facebook's story and our growth in 2016 demonstrated that.

"There are over 2,000 people currently working at our Dublin offices and we recently announced that hundreds more jobs will be created in 2018, making it the largest Facebook site outside California.

"We're also expanding the Clonee Data Centre, further demonstrating our long-term commitment to investment in Ireland.

"We have also expanded our operations with an Oculus research office in Cork and a second office building in Dublin to accommodate growth across many teams that are based here.

"In addition to the vibrant ecosystem of people working in tech companies, there is a healthy pipeline of graduates coming from third-level and we also attract people from other European countries and further afield to live and work in Ireland."

Mr Lambe said Dublin remains highly regarded as a place to do business.

He said for Ireland to be seen as the number one destination for foreign direct investment, there is a need for further investment in areas such as the Data Protection Commission, digital infrastructure and education.
For more than a quarter of a century, Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has been making investments and building relationships in the West.

He bailed out Citigroup, helped refinance the ill-fated Euro Disney and backed Rupert Murdoch during the UK phone-hacking scandal.

Now, as Alwaleed passes a fourth week at a Riyadh hotel, one of hundreds of detainees in an anti-corruption crackdown, almost no one has rallied to his cause.

Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, said in a statement this week that Alwaleed, 62, has been an "important partner" in their charitable work together.

Earlier this month, Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat called him a "consistent, loyal supporter". But they don't have much company.

For Alwaleed, the relative silence is a skimpy return on the billions he's invested over the years in everything from Twitter to Europe's biggest hotel operator, Accor.

Yet his situation reflects a harsh reality: As much as his friends and business associates may want to support him publicly, they're wary of being perceived as critics of the crackdown and the man behind it, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The son of King Salman, Prince Mohammed is trying to modernise the Saudi economy in part by weaning the country off its decades-long dependency on oil revenue.

His anti-corruption drive threatens to end a patronage system that allowed royals and Saudi businesspeople to grow wealthy off government contracts and lucrative deals with multinational corporations.

"There is a recognition that attempting to interfere in the process in Saudi Arabia is unlikely to yield a lot of results, given that this has been driven by Mohammed bin Salman himself," Ayham Kamel, head of Middle East & North Africa at Eurasia Group, said.

"Any public defence of Prince Alwaleed or others would not necessarily be conducive to their interests in Saudi Arabia, or those of the individuals implicated."

Alwaleed, with a fortune of $17.2bn, was among dozens of princes, ministers and senior officials rounded up the weekend of November 4. The Saudi government says it has since released a few detainees. Most remain confined to Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton.

Privately, many of Alwaleed's contacts in the US and Europe say they don't believe he's guilty of corruption and wonder if his arrest isn't simply a shakedown.

They also venture that the lack of explanation behind Prince Mohammed's campaign against graft may backfire by alienating the same foreign capital he hopes to attract.

Very few are willing to comment publicly. Some say they're reluctant to support Alwaleed when it's still unclear why he was detained. Others say they're fearful of losing access to business opportunities in the kingdom.

Alwaleed's relationship with Citigroup dates back to 1991, when he invested $590 million to become the bank's largest shareholder.

In 2007, he teamed up with Gates's Cascade Investment to take the Four Seasons hotel chain private. Alwaleed also joined forces with Gates on public-health initiatives and the Breakthrough Energy Coalition - wealthy investors pledged to direct a large portion of their fortunes toward energy technology.

Yet even Gates could only say so much.

"I'm only aware of what I've read in the press, and I can't speculate," he said in his emailed statement. "Prince Alwaleed has been an important partner in my foundation's work to ensure that kids around the world receive life-saving vaccinations.

"We've worked together to help stop the spread of polio, measles and other preventable diseases. His commitment to philanthropy is inspiring." (Bloomberg)
BBC director general Tony Hall has hailed the merging of BBC Worldwide with the existing BBC Studios as a move that will make programming processes simpler and more efficient.

The corporation has announced that the two groups will come together to form one commercial entity under the BBC Studios title.

In a statement following the news, Lord Hall described the decision as crucial for the broadcasters future.

In a fast-changing TV industry, securing the future success of the BBC is vital, he said.

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Creating a single BBC Studios will bring the BBC in line with the industry, be simpler and more efficient. It will help ensure that licence fee payers in the UK continue to receive outstanding British programmes which reflect British lives, long into the future.

It will also ensure the BBC can continue to play its crucial role in supporting the successful UK creative economy.

The move will see the commercial activities carried out by BBC Worldwide, such as content financing, sales and commercial channels, brought into a single business plan and operating model with BBC Studios, the broadcasters main production arm.

The new BBC Studios will be led by CEO Tim Davie and chief creative officer Mark Linsey.

Davie said: Creating one company, in line with market norms, is a natural step in this market.

The new BBC Studios will be focused on the highest quality British content, underpinning our future financial return to licence fee payers.

It will allow us to better serve customers, indie partners and the wider industry, resulting in world-class British productions for audiences in the UK and overseas.

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Linsey added: Bringing BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide together will help secure the BBCs future and guarantee our unrivalled creativity, risk-taking, quality and range.

I am so proud of BBC Studios programmes  from huge hits like Blue Planet II and Strictly Come Dancing, to the extraordinary Drugsland and Murdered For Being Different on BBC Three, to EastEnders, Mrs Browns Boys, Our Girl, Carols From Kings, Antiques Roadshow, Countryfile and Horizon. We cater to every taste and this merger means that will continue for years to come.

Both groups already work closely together on programmes such as Blue Planet II, which is produced by BBC Studios but is more than three quarters funded by BBC Worldwide and partners.

The move comes following statistics from Mediatique, which forecast that spending on British programming could fall in real terms by 500 million over the next decade, which the BBC has said could pose a real risk to the volume and breadth of British content available.

The broadcaster said that the new organisational structure will be better equipped to face increasing global competition for production and distribution by bringing the BBC into line with the rest of the industry, integrating programme production, sales and distribution in a single entity.
Sir Daniel Day-Lewis no longer believes in the value of acting.

The 60-year-old actor announced earlier this year he would be retiring from his field after 40 years in the industry, and he has now revealed his decision came as he no longer feels passionate about the profession, and would rather use his time to explore the world in a different way.

He said: I need to believe in the value of what Im doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isnt. Ive been interested in acting since I was 12 years old, and back then, everything other than the theatre - that box of light - was cast in shadow. When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way.

The Lincoln actor put out a statement in June confirming his decision to step back from the spotlight, as he wanted to draw a line to prevent himself from getting sucked back in to doing one last project.

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Speaking to the holiday issue of W magazine, he said: I knew it was uncharacteristic to put out a statement But I did want to draw a line. I didnt want to get sucked back into another project. All my life, Ive mouthed off about how I should stop acting, and I dont know why it was different this time, but the impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do.

Daniels statement was delivered via his spokeswoman, Leslee Dart, who told Variety magazine that the move was a private decision.

The statement read: "Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject.

The Hollywood icons final movie, Phantom Thread, is set to be released in December.
It was the summer of 2015 when Luke Reilly and Dave Anthony faced a significant dilemma. Having completed their degrees in medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, they could either accept junior doctor jobs in a hospital - or sign a contract with a record label. They had two weeks to decide.

The music won. They signed on the dotted light with leading Dublin label Rubyworks. The white coats were put away although, as Reilly quips, he was able to put his medical training to practice when a punter had a seizure at a Chemical Brothers concert.

Reilly is frontman of Otherkin, one of the most talked about Irish bands of the past couple of years. By any reckoning, this Dublin-Kildare-Meath quartet is going places fast. Today, they embark on a massive European tour that will take them to 23 countries, including such touring outliers as Kosovo and Romania. And this weekend, their excellent debut album, OK, is released.

The album was completed at the beginning of the year and Reilly, who is joined by drummer Rob Summons for our chat, can't wait for the songs to be heard. "It's a back-to-basics album," he says, enthusiastically.

And he's not wrong. OK is a rip-roaring collection of garage rock songs built around the fundamentals of guitars, drums, bass and vocals. The quality of the tunes and the exuberance of the playing ensures its success and it's hard not to imagine Otherkin being on the lips of a large portion of the population this time next year.

They've come a long way in a short time. The record deal came around the same time one of their songs featured in a high-profile TV ad campaign for the make-up brand Rimmel London. Georgia May Jagger starred in the 30-second commercial soundtracked by 'Ay Ay'.

"It sort of helped family see that there might be some kind of financial stability in what we were doing," Summons says. "Because I don't think there's a parent in the world who would chosse to hear their son say to them, 'I'm dropping out of college for my rock band'." He quit a course in graphic design and is the only member not to complete college. Bassist Conor Wynne has a degree in "digital marketing something", Summons quips, that can be put to good use in the band, as well as his own expertise in design.

Family members bothered by triumph of the music over medicine and other distinguished careers might have been heartened by Otherkin's presence on the Slane bill earlier this year. They played in front of an estimated 20,000 people when they opened for Guns n' Roses.

For Reilly, that show had special significance: he's a native of the Boyneside town.

"They tend to make an Irish booking every year," he says, "and I didn't want anyone to feel that we were just the token band on the bill. The show went really well and we sensed that as we were coming off stage."

They've played other big outdoor shows, too, including, bizarrely, one in a Moscow park for Russia's St Patrick's Day celebrations. Muscovites can't get enough of all things Irish, it seems.

"There were thousands of Russians there in green, white and orange," Reilly says. "They wouldn't have had a clue who we were but must have thought we were famous if we'd come all the way to Russia to play for them."

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Conditions were tough. "It was snowing," Reilly adds, "and this blizzard was coming on stage. We had to cut three songs from the set because my fingers started to get number and I couldn't play guitar."

Otherkin seem to have a wanderlust that's not shared by many of their contemporaries. Summons is especially looking forward to playing two shows in Kosovo, where the entrance fee will be 2. "You'd hope for that price people will show up," he reasons. "And how many bands from abroad would play there?"

Reilly says he never wanted to be in an Irish band that was content to continue playing in their back yard. "Lots of people do that, and good luck to them," he says, not unkindly. "We just want to get out there and tour and not play back home all the time."

The album was recorded with long-time friends Dave and Jay from, respectively, Overhead the Albatross and Kodaline.

"The label offered us two choices," Summons says, "Go to a fancy studio in London and work with a famous producer for a week, or spend a month with the two guys we've worked with from the start. They're engineers, but let us do our thing - and we went with them. "We didn't want the album to have the mark of a producer on it."

It's a sentiment echoed by Reilly. "There's too much front-loading when it comes to modern-day production, this idea of getting songs Spotify-ready. We didn't want that. We wanted our songs to be raw, and rough and as live sounding as possible.

"There are a lot of Irish bands with bland-sounding songs, and that might be because they've been over-produced or have this sort of homogeneous feel about them.

"I read this great book recently, The Song Machine [written by John Seabrook], and it's looking at how people have worked out how to craft the perfect pop song - and it's creating this awful homogeneity. It's cookie cutter. Too many songs today are front-loaded. Look at 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac. If that was released now in the current Spotify playlist, it would disappear [due to its lengthy intro]. Nobody would have the patience to listen to it."

OK was done and dusted in a whirlwind 20 days. "We knew what we wanted to record," Reilly says. "We wanted to have that tight, punchy sound. All the fat was trimmed before we went in. The only last-minute thing was write more songs."

They tend to write democratically, with songs starting life in jamming sessions rather than one member dreaming something up from nothing.

"It's kind of like Bon Iver, but much more demented and with more substances involved."

For those not in the know, Bon Iver's frontman Justin Vernon wrote the songs of his acclaimed debut album in a remote log cabin in his native Wisconsin.

And, Summons adds, finishing his sentence, "we wrote the three singles on the album there in the space of a weekend." Each of the four members may have disparate interests in music, but all were seduced by the Strokes' 2001 debut album Is This It. "There's no strings or harps or synthesisers," Summons says. "It just sounds like a bunch of guys in the room. It's one of my favourite albums ever."

"When we were in school, the Strokes and that New York scene was the most prevailing sound," Reilly says. "It was so inspiring and although it's not that long ago, a lot has changed in music. I mean, when we were picking up instruments for the first time, bedroom-producing and laptop capabilities weren't what they are now."

"We grew up with analogue instruments and don't really know how to use all that fancy stuff," Summons adds. "Maybe we'll do that on future albums, but for this one we wanted it to be simple and honest and full of as many good songs as we could write."

They are already thinking of album number two. "We hope to be one of those bands that are like Blur," Reilly says, "one that evolves with each subsequent release. Always think ahead."

His stethoscope is likely to remain unused for some time to come.

OK is out this weekend. Otherkin's European tour begins in Newcastle-on-Tyne tonight. The band play the Button Factory, Dublin, on December 15 and Roisin Dubh, Galway, on December 16
A teenager has died after being struck by a van while crossing the road.

The boy (16) was struck on the Clane Road, Sallins, Co Kildare, at about 7.45am on Monday.

He was rushed to Naas Hospital and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in hospital last night.

The driver of the van was uninjured.

Gardai have appealed for anyone who was on the Clane Road or in the area between 7.40am and 7.45am on Monday, and particularly any motorists with a dashcam, to contact Naas garda station on 045 884300.

Meanwhile, a pensioner has died following a collision between a car and a bus in Co Cork.

The incident happened on the R600 at Ballinacourty, Belgooly, shortly before 10pm on Monday.

The driver of the car, a man in his 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was alone in the car at the time.

Nobody on the bus was injured.

The pensioner's body was removed to Cork University Hospital for a post mortem.
A jury will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to consider its verdict for a third day in the trial of a 25-year-old man accused of murdering a father-of-one in north Dublin.

Andrew Gibney of Dromheath Avenue, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 has pleaded not guilty to murdering Gerard Burnett (28) at Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 on August 21, 2012.

Having spent five hours and 41 minutes deliberating over two days, the five men and seven women were sent home for the evening.

At 3.50pm today, the forewoman of the jury asked Mr Justice Paul Butler if they could re-hear Detective Superintendent Colm OMalley's evidence.

The judge said he would let them go until tomorrow in order to set this up.

Mr Justice Butler gave the jury the option of bringing in a majority verdict at 12.30pm today saying: "Strive for a unanimous verdict but if that cannot be achieved you have a majority verdict."

The prosecutions case is that Mr Gibney was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr Burnett and he was one of five men who went to the deceaseds house on the night.

The defence said if the evidence pointed to a reasonable possibility that Mr Gibney intended to cause some harm to Mr Burnett short of serious harm, the appropriate verdict was manslaughter.

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The jury yesterday requested to re-hear the evidence of Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy.

Dr Marie Cassidy said that Mr Burnett died as a result of multiple stabs wounds and blood loss due to injuries to the right lung, heart and liver.

The jury has previously heard that Mr Gibney told gardai on August 28 that he stabbed the deceased in the side three times with a knife.

The accused went to a garda station of his own free will and told officers: I was involved in the incident, the chap is dead now and I need to give him peace.

Mr Justice Butler said there were three verdicts the jury could return, namely; not guilty; guilty of murder; and not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

The judge said on Monday that the principle of joint enterprise was central to the case. He said where two or more persons embark on a joint enterprise, all parties to that agreement are criminally liable.

But where one party goes beyond what has been tacitly agreed, then the other is not liable for the consequences of this act.

He added that an accused is not presumed to have intended the consequences of the acts of other people within a joint enterprise.

The jury will resume its deliberations at 11.15am tomorrow.
Being naive and foolish doesn't give anybody the right to sexually assault you, a lawyer has told the jury in the trial of a man accused of attacking a woman he met on Tinder.

The 36-year-old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault of the foreign national on UCD campus, south Dublin on July 23, 2014.

The woman, now aged 35, has testified that she arranged to meet the man after some weeks of communicating with him on the Tinder dating programme and on Whatsapp.

He picked her up in his car, a blue BMW, and drove her to a field on UCD campus. The woman said that he then changed completely, becoming aggressive and sexually assaulting her.

The man told gardai that he thought they were meeting to hook up and hoped they would have sex. He denied getting angry and attacking her when this didn't happen.

On day seven of the trial the jury heard details of two garda interviews with the defendant. Jurors also heard closing speeches before Judge Cormac Quinn sent them home for the night. They will begin deliberations tomorrow morning.

The accused told gardai that after driving her to a secluded lane-way he tried to kiss the woman, because he believed they were meeting for a hook-up. He said he hoped he would seduce her and they would have sex.

He said the woman pushed him back and became hysterical. He said he moved away and told her to relax.

He said she continued to freak out and he asked her to get out of the car and she became more upset. He said he then drove to a field on the campus and she got out of the car and he drove off.

In his closing speech for the prosecution Paul Burns SC told the jury that the man's garda interviews were self serving. He asked why the man had driven her to a secluded field and not the campus exit if she was freaking out at the lane-way.

He said the defendant's version of events didn't add up.

He drives off leaving this girl in the middle of a field. A girl who is upset. Why would he do that? he said.

Paul Flannery SC, defending, said that while his client wasnt being particularly gentlemanly on the night, what he did was reasonable enough given the woman's hysterical reaction.

He said the defendant made no bones about what he was doing on Tinder and was upfront at all times with gardai.

If you're like me, you don't approve of men taking women out on Tinder for dates or sex. Neither sympathy for her or distaste for him is relevant, he said.

Counsel told the jury that there were serious doubts about the credibility of the complainant's evidence. He asked the jurors if they could seriously believe her when she said she didn't understand words like fuck and kiss, used by the accused during their online conversations before the date.

He said that the complainant was aware that the man was looking for to meet up for sex. He said that didn't mean she was entitled to be sexually assaulted and that his client's case was that her version of events didn't happen.

Mr Burns told the jurors they might consider the complainant naive, foolish and even stupid but that none of these gave anyone the right to attack her.

He said that simply agreeing to meet someone did not make them fair game. He said the complainant was not looking for sex and at no stage did she show an interest in meeting the man for sex.

Everyone has the right to say no to sexual advances. No-one is entitled to force themselves on another, he said.

Mr Burns said the complainant was a credible witness who had travelled halfway across the world and who had withstood prolonged and difficult cross-examination from the defence. He said she was subjected to a frightening and violent sexual assault.
A FORMER UCD student accused of sexually assaulting his Tinder date told gardai he believed they were hooking up for sex because he had told her he was a porn star and wanted her to star in a film with him.

The 36-year-old has denied sexually assaulting the woman, claiming that she "freaked out" and "started crying" when he leaned over her in his car and tried to kiss her.

He told gardai that he drove his BMW to a secluded area of UCD and when he tried to kiss her, "the poor girl freaked out completely" and he "trying to tell her to calm down".

The Dublin man has pleaded not guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the sexual assault of the woman at the UCD campus at Belfield on July 23, 2014.

The woman has alleged that the accused touched her thighs, forced her to kiss him on the lips, punched her on the head, called her a "f*cking b*tch" and pulled down the top part of her dress and exposed her breast.

The jury heard the accused was interviewed on two occasions by Sergeant Denis Ellard and Garda Declan Ryan on September 16 and 17, 2014.

In the interviews, the accused told gardai he had been talking to the woman for at least four weeks before they met up.

He said he picked her up in the city centre, and drove out to UCD, to a secluded area. There was "more or less no conversation at all" in the car.

He was hoping they would "make out and maybe have sex", the jury heard, though he told gardai there was "no pre-arrangement" to have sex.

The accused said he believed they were probably meeting for sex because he had told her on Tinder that he was a porn star.

He said this was obviously banter, but she seemed quite interested in his job. He also told her he would like her to star in a film with him, and he claimed she told him "that interests me very much".

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He said he drove to a secluded area in UCD and leaned over to kiss her. She told him it was too soon and she did not know him.

"I did try and kiss her and when she asked me to stop and pushed me off I stopped immediately", he told gardai.

He said she then "freaked out completely" and started crying. She asked to leave so they left, he said.

He drove through the campus, and asked her to get out of the car because she was freaking out.

The accused told gardai that she started crying more because she did not know where she was, and begged him not to throw her out of the car.

He said he pulled into a field to talk to her and calm her down. The door was locked and she pulled it to open it. He told her "jesus, will you relax".

He was thinking "what the f**k, it's like a mad, mad situation", he told gardai.

She got out of the car and he drove off.

In the interviews with gardai, he denied he hit her, forced her to kiss him or sexually assaulted her. However, he said he may have "brushed off her cheek with his lips" when he leaned in to kiss her.

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In his closing speech, prosecutor Paul Burns SC told the jury the accused was innocent until proven guilty.

Mr Burns told the jury that if they were satisfied that what the woman had told them had indeed happened then there was no doubt it was a sexual assault.

He also said the accused's version of events was "just not credible".

Mr Burns said the accused, in his garda interviews, had "cynically tried to downplay what had happened in the car" by claiming his "lips, his hand may have brushed off her".

He said the jury may believe the woman was naive or even foolish, but that did not give someone the right to sexually assault her, and she had been subjected to a "frightening and violent sexually assault".

Defence counsel Paul Flannery SC will give his closing speech this afternoon and then Judge Cormac Quinn is expected to give his charge to the jury.
A serial thief who was found in possession of signal jammer devices that allowed him to break into cars has been jailed.

Daniel Polanksi (33) of Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possessing three signal blockers used for breaking into cars on March 7 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing crowbars, torches, binoculars and pen-knives for use in a theft on the same date.

Garda Michael Parry-Jones told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, that gardai pulled over Polanski at St Margaret's Road in Finglas and recovered a large amount of items from the vehicle. These included a USB stick and an iPod that had been stolen from two other cars previously.

Polanksi was arrested and eventually made some admissions to gardai. His 72 previous convictions include burglary and assault and 16 of these offences were committed in Poland.

He has 40 convictions for theft. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a sentence of three years and three months.

Luigi Rea BL, defending, said his client grew up in the south of Poland and studied to become a chef and mechanic. He moved to Ireland and studied English before becoming a qualified forklift driver.

He worked in a number of places, including a bakery, a supermarket and a discount store before he suffered a work-related knee injury and was evicted from his home in December 2015, the court heard.

Mr Rea said Polanski then began to dabble in amphetamines, which he had previously used in Poland.

He hoped by coming to Ireland he would leave that lifestyle behind him, and for a while he did, Mr Rea said. But then he re-immersed himself in amphetamine abuse.

Mr Rea said Polanski, who is in custody for a previous offence, is an enhanced prisoner and is attending addiction counselling sessions.

Two further counts relating to the theft of a USB stick and an Apple ipod from cars were taken into account.
A teenage girls baby was taken into care after she was arrested in connection with a theft offence and claimed she had lived for the past few days in a boarded up house.

Dublin Childrens Childrens Court heard the home alone 17-year-old girls parents, who are non-nationals, were out of the country and she claimed she had been living in the abandoned house in north Dublin.

Judge John OConnor said there were concerns for her welfare and asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to attend the proceedings when they resume tomorrow.

The girl, who cannot be named because she is a minor, is charged with stealing groceries worth 38 from a shop on a date in June. A bench warrant was issued on November 21 last when she failed to appear at the juvenile court for a hearing.

The teen was arrested on Tuesday at a shopping centre in Dublin and appeared before Judge OConnor at the Childrens Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that following her arrest, gardai invoked Section 12 of the Childcare Act allowing the girls baby to be removed from her and placed in temporary emergency care. Attempts were made to contact the teens parents but they were not in the country, Judge OConnor heard.

The girl, who did not require an interpreter, told the judge her parents were out of the country and she had been staying at a house in the citys north-side. However, Garda Sergeant Seamus Treacy told the court that address was is boarded up and as far as he was concerned there girl was no longer residing there.

The girl told the court she had come back to Ireland in recent days but her father was still out of the country. She agreed that she would reside at another address with a woman claiming to be her aunt and her partner who attended the hearing. She also agreed to obey a curfew.

However, the judge said he not be certain about the couples relationship with the girl. He also said there were concerns whether the girl would turn up to court.

He said the teen was a very young girl, very vulnerable and has a baby. He told her barrister that Tusla had to be contacted and needed to have a representative in court when the case resumed. He said it was very rare that a child is taken into emergency care by gardai and obviously there are huge concerns.

The judge told her not to be afraid of the court and that there were concerns for her; the teen replied, No, it is grand. She also explained that she had not known about her previous court hearing date and that she had recently returned to Ireland.
A TV fitness expert has been spared jail for punching the mother of his children in the face after she accused him of cheating on her.

Francis Usanga (31) was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service to avoid a five-month prison sentence.

Judge Bryan Smyth made the community service order after reading a victim impact statement written by Usanga's ex-partner, model Emma Murphy.

Last month, the former RTE 'Today Show' fitness guru was found guilty of assault causing harm to Ms Murphy outside his gym, FX Fitness, in Santry, on July 3, 2015.

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Usanga, of Lanesboro, Finglas, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty, claiming he only pushed the mother of two with an open hand "in self-defence".

Dublin District Court was told that a Facebook video Ms Murphy shared after the assault went viral, and Usanga claimed this was done in an attempt to "destroy" him.

Sentencing had been adjourned previously when Usanga objected to an earlier victim impact statement, the contents of which his lawyer had described as "outlandish" and "untrue".

Yesterday, a new victim impact statement was handed to the judge, who did not disclose its contents to the court.

Defence solicitor Michael Hanahoe questioned whether Judge Smyth could continue to deal with the case because he had read some of the previous victim impact statement.

Mr Hanahoe argued that the first statement was prejudicial to his client.

A State solicitor asked Judge Smyth to proceed to sentencing and disregard the previous statement.

Judge Smyth referred to case law from the Court of Criminal Appeal that stated that a victim impact statement should be submitted to a judge and defence lawyer in advance of it being read out.

This was so both a judge and legal representatives could make sure it contained "nothing untoward".

The person making the statement could be found in contempt of court if they departed from the conditions. If it did contain scurrilous allegations, this could be taken into account in mitigation, Judge Smyth said. He said he had read only the first line of the earlier victim impact statement.

Mr Hanahoe said the case was "different from the normal type" of domestic assault.

He said Usanga had "made attempts to get away" from a confrontation. The victim threw a phone and he struck a blow, Mr Hanahoe said. Usanga had made a good life for himself, had been a participant in an RTE programme and had owned a leasehold on a gym and was "quite successful".

He "lost that", Mr Hanahoe said.

The leasehold had to be sold once Ms Murphy's video "went viral". From his "very good financial position" before the assault, Usanga was now reduced to working on an enterprise scheme through social welfare and was earning 193 per week.

He was out of his family home, away from his children, and was living with his mother.

The victim had made a TV programme of which the accused was the subject, Mr Hanahoe said.

She initially "bypassed the whole system" and put out a version of events and Usanga had "suffered greatly from that".

He said Ms Murphy had appeared on English television and had travelled to other countries and addressed conferences, becoming a "cause celebre".

She was entitled to do this but it had an effect on Usanga, Mr Hanahoe said.

Neither Usanga nor Ms Murphy commented outside court afterwards.

During last month's hearing, Ms Murphy said she went to Usanga's gym with her two young children in the car, to talk to him about him "cheating on me again".

He punched her in the face after she threw a phone in his direction.

Usanga had no previous convictions.
Three men and a woman are in Garda custody after they were arrested in an investigation into a high-tech cocaine smuggling operation.

Clothing containing the drug was being imported into Ireland from South America, it has emerged.

The woman in her 20s, from Kinsale, Co Cork, was detained at a rented property on the outskirts of Bantry as part of a joint Garda and customs investigation.

Details of Sunday night's raid on the 'cocaine lab' were released yesterday.

Among those also arrested in the same raid were a father (51) and son (27), from the Clondalkin area, and a 26-year-old man from Baldoyle, Co Dublin.

The three are suspected of being "serious players" in the drugs trade.

The 27-year-old has a number of previous convictions. The most serious was for violent disorder in which a man was savagely beaten up.

Three people are due in Bandon District Court this morning in relation to the seizure. The probe into the cocaine operation was initiated after gardai and customs learned of shipments from Latin America to the rented two-storey house in Co Cork.

The cargoes consisted of boxes of fabric, with crystallised cocaine concealed inside.

Chemicals were used to extract the cocaine by liquefying it before it was dried into powder for sale and distribution.

An estimated 200,000 of drugs were seized at the property.

Quantities of cocaine and equipment was seized in a number of rooms in the house which had been converted into illicit labs.

The State Laboratory has been analysing the haul to determine both its street value and purity.

It is suspected the gang was importing fabrics across the Atlantic, supposedly for sale in Ireland.

However, items of the material had become heavily tainted with cocaine during the complex soaking process.

Once in Ireland, the clothes would have been subjected to a special chemical wash.
Gardai have clarified that a ban on overtime notified to officers yesterday will only remain in place until Sunday night and not the end of the year.

A communication to chief superintendents in the Dublin area yesterday said overtime was being cancelled as the Garda for 2017 had been exhausted.

However, in a statement today the force said that its budget for 2018 will start next Monday, December 4.

"From that day overtime will then be available to regional, division and district officers for policing delivery within the overtime budget allocated to them," a Garda statement said.

"All officers will be reminded of the clear need for them to stay within allocated budgets."

The statement said policing services will continue as normal in organised crime operations, Operation Thor, the nationwide anti-burglary initiative, as well as routine road safety initiatives.

Earlier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar insisted that funding for Garda overtime in the run up to Christmas was never in question.

Mr Varadkar has questioned why an Assistant Commissioner raised the prospect of cancelling overtime next month.

The Taoiseach has told the Dail that any funding for overtime in December would be taken out of the 2018 budget as wages are not paid until the new year.

I would have hoped garda management would have been aware of that, he said.

His comments followed a statement from Dublins most senior officer, Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy, who informed all chief superintendents in the Dublin Metropolitan Region that overtime would be cancelled until the end of the year.

The Dail is due to approve an extra 42m for overtime tomorrow  but this money will largely be used to pay for work carried out by officers in November.
Agitated huddles scarred the corridors in Leinster House. The joyous relief at being yanked back from the brink of a Christmas election was short - though most sweet.

Now, their preoccupations had shifted to the worrisome question of what exactly was happening here - and what was going to happen next?

With a fixed smile on her face, but looking shaken, Frances Fitzgerald left Government Buildings shortly after 6pm for her last trip in the back of her ministerial transportation.

There was a minor collision with a photographer on the way out the gates.

Nothing serious.

Who had resigned here? An incompetent minister, a hostage to fortune - or 'a good woman leaving office without a full or fair hearing'? For now, it remains unclear.

Anguished soul-searching was the order of the day.

Not rage, but frustration was the flavour of the contributions during Leaders' Questions.

Mick Wallace wanted to know if things could ever be changed in there.

He cast his net far wider than justice. The health service - a "monster out of control". Housing - "Yiz are not dealing with the issue. It is not going away."

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He would love to sit down with the Taoiseach if he was interested, because he "knows how it works".

At one stage, passing his hands wearily over his face, Leo appeared to be such a broken and exhausted figure that he appeared to humbly take Mick up on the offer.

Yes, he would love to sit down with him before Christmas to discuss housing, he replied.

Nobody had the will to squabble or take any real satisfaction in scoring political points. They were far too demoralised.

Even Richard Boyd Barrett conceded nobody had wanted a Christmas election - before later adding they should have one as soon as possible.

It had been a long day - with a meeting between the Taoiseach and Frances Fitzgerald at around 8.45am. Then, a meeting with the Independent Alliance before Cabinet. The ex-tanaiste's resignation was the last item discussed, taking around 45 minutes before she formally handed over her letter to the Taoiseach. It was over.

But the fallout continued, with the Taoiseach startlingly blunt as he spoke of how major problems had been exposed once again within "a dysfunctional Department of Justice".

The Secretary General of the department, Noel Waters, promptly 'brought forward his retirement'.

Later, Charlie Flanagan, apologised to the Dail for the inaccurate information furnished by his department regarding Maurice McCabe.

The burden has passed to his shoulders. It is a burden indeed.
The UK should make life hard for the Republic of Ireland over a post-Brexit fisheries deal as a response to its "disgraceful" behaviour in the current negotiations, Ian Paisley has suggested.

The Democratic Unionist MP made the suggestion to a committee of MPs in Westminster who are examining the future of the Irish border after the UK leaves the EU.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was hearing evidence from Brexit Minister Robin Walker and Northern Ireland Office minister Chloe Smith.

Referencing the stance the UK should take with the Irish government, Mr Paisley told the witnesses the "pussyfooting needs to stop".

"I think our neighbour has acted disgracefully," he said.

Mr Paisley was referring to Ireland's position that, in order to avoid a hard border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland should continue to comply with European regulatory frameworks - even if the rest of the UK leaves the customs union and single market.

He said the UK had loaned Ireland "billions" of pounds to bail it out of "economic ruin and bankruptcy".

Mr Paisley said fisheries waters used by Irish boats would become UK waters after Brexit.

"As early as September in 2019 they will need to make a fisheries deal, not with the rest of the EU, but with us, and, frankly, if they continue to exacerbate our will as citizens of the United Kingdom, I think we should make that fisheries deal extremely long, tenuous and hard for them," he said.

The North Antrim MP added: "I think that message needs to be spelt out, that they need to start acting in a mature way and dealing with us as good neighbours and as friends instead of trying to frustrate the will of the people of the United Kingdom, by saying they want a united Ireland, they want this part of the sovereign territory of her Majesty's kingdom to remain out with the rest of the agreements."

He said if the UK government was not prepared to say that publicly to the Dublin administration, he said it should start to "shake their cage internally and privately".

Mr Paisley also told the committee that the collapse of powersharing at Stormont could have a positive impact on Brexit, in the absence of MLAs there to object to EU withdrawal plans.

He said: "There might actually be a fortuitous moment arising that it's actually this parliament who will scrutinise Brexit through its members of parliament who actually come here.

"Frankly if this goes back to the parliament (Stormont) in its current make up, all we will get is carping, blocking and attempts to undermine Brexit as opposed to a proper scrutiny of the Brexit negotiations. Is that not the case, that at this point the Assembly could actually damage Brexit?"

Ms Smith told the committee that discussions remain ongoing with the political parties in Northern Ireland in an attempt to reach an agreement to return to powersharing.

She said: "We are continuing work at every level to be able to get that to a successful conclusion. Meetings have taken place."

Asked whether that was a contradiction of comments made by Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill earlier this week when she said there was no basis for talks to continue, Ms Smith said: "Meetings are continuing."

She added: "Whether I agree with Michelle O'Neill or not that there is no basis, there is a clear basis for an agreement to be found, the number of issues which remain to be resolved is limited in number and possible to overcome."

However, Ms Smith did not elaborate on the nature of discussions or if they amounted to official negotiations.

A summit meeting will be held on December 14 in Brussels with the heads of government of the EU states.

Progress on Brexit negotiations will be considered at this stage, with the border on the island of Ireland expected to be among the core issues focused on.

SDLP Assembly member Claire Hanna heavily criticised Mr Paisley's remarks.

"As a hard Brexiteer, Ian Paisley seems perfectly happy to cut his nose off to spite his face," she said.

"The Irish Government has a responsibility to protect the interests of people on this island and to protect the Good Friday Agreement. They are living up to those obligations.

"Any suggestion that UK fisheries policy should be formulated on the basis of punishing Irish people and Irish businesses is absolute madness.

"But more than that, it will hurt businesses in the north who rely on co-operation across this island, particularly in the agri-food sector.

"Given the stranglehold that the DUP now has on the Tory Government, Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) should now make his position on this matter clear."
Family members have paid heartbreaking tributes to the 16-year-old boy who passed away yesterday following an accident on his way to school on Monday.

The boy, named locally as Dane Loakman, was struck on the Clane Road, Sallins, Co Kildare, at about 7.45am on Monday.

He was rushed to Naas Hospital and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in hospital yesterday.

Social media was flooded with tributes to the popular schoolboy today, with Dane's brother posting an emotional tribute on Facebook last night.

"Rest in Paradise little Bro... Gone but never forgotten... Cant remember a time where you werent smiling... God only takes the best... Truly heartbroken... Until we meet again."

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Others on social media also paid tribute to the teenager.

One said: "Saddened to hear of the passing of Dane Loakman following yesterday's tragic accident."

Another said "R.I.P Dane Loakman may u rest in peace angel u will be sadly missed just cant believe it" while another posted "R.I.P Dane Loakman you wont be forgotten brother we will make sure of it. God takes the brightest soilders."

Sallins Celtic, who Dane played for, also posted a moving tribute on their Facebook page.

It read: "It is with great regret we find ourselves posting our condolences to the family of Dane Loakman ! Dane was a part of our club just like his mother Alison & brother - a great energetic & well mannered kid who will be sadly missed & remembered by us all ! RIP Little Man #CommunityTogether !"

Local Fianna Fail councillor Carmel Kelly told Independent.ie that the news was "devastating" for the family and for the town.
All garda overtime for regular police operations in Dublin has been abolished because the garda budget for 2017 has been exhausted.

The shocking revelation was made yesterday in a letter by the capitals most senior officer Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy to all chief superintendents in the gardais Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR).

In a shock development, one garda division in the capital is considering decommissioning its burglary response units and ordering the units members to work from stations.

Sources say the overtime ban will have a major impact on frontline policing in the next five weeks.

In one garda division in the capital, garda management have been instructed to prioritise duties such as answering phones and man static posts while detectives are being ordered to perform outdoor duty only.

Sources revealed tonight that rank-and-file gardai have been left in a state of complete shock over the development.

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A GRA source told the Independent.ie that one city centre station needs around half a dozen officers working overtime on a daily basis for the station just to properly function because of the lack of gardai.

Regular policing in this city cannot be done without overtime because we simply dont have the numbers, the GRA source said.

For overtime to be abolished in the run-up to Christmas is a really bad idea. This is a very busy time for crime with a traditional major increase in thefts and burglaries.

At this time of year with all the alcohol use and misuse there is also a big increase in assaults, domestic rows and other crimes associated with the party season. This is a disaster, the GRA source warned.

Another garda expressed grave concerns that during such a busy period in the city centre for late night pubs and clubs, all overtime for public order units had been cut.

The ban on overtime will also have a serious effect on the investigation into serious crime investigations, according to sources.

It is expected that a number of planned searches, raids and other intelligence led operations will now need to be cancelled until the next year because overtime has been abolished.

Of course this has an impact on every aspect of policing within Dublin up to and including the investigation of murders, a senior source said.

The only exception to the overtime ban is for gardai involved in Operation Hybrid and Operation C-Port.

Operation Hybrid is an initiative designed to provide an armed response to organised crime in the capital including armed checkpoints while C-Port is in place to beef up security at Dublin Port and to tackle drugs and other illicit substances being smuggled here.

Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell said it's vital that gardai are adequately paid for their work.

The Dublin Fingal TD said: "Front line Gardai do work of the utmost importance in terms of ensuring our that local communities are secure and that people feel safe in their own homes.

"This is of particular importance over the festive period when road safety campaigns, for example, are vital.

"The demands of the work of the men and women of An Garda Siochana are often dependent on the circumstances of any given day. As such, overtime can be required at short notice.

"To curtail overtime could create additional challenges in terms of front line policing duties.

"As a former member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, I believe we must ensure the people who work so hard to keep us safe must be paid for the work they do."

Deputy Farrell called on the issue to be addressed promptly.

He said: "Action must be taken urgently to address this issue regarding overtime for Gardai and we must ensure our front line Gardai have the support and resources they both require and deserve."

When contacted by the Irish Independent, Garda HQ issued a statement which said:  An Garda Siochana is provided with an annual budget, which is reviewed on a continual basis to ensure we are working within that budget.

Last month, it emerged that spending on garda overtime this year was then 50pc over budget.
One in three victims who sought help from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Dublin last year did not make a report about the alleged incident to gardai.

The unit, based at the Rotunda Hospital, saw 289 victims during the year, including 17 men and eight children.

While no Garda report was made for about 97 of the victims, 18 opted to store forensic evidence in case they changed their mind.

This service was introduced in recent years and allows the evidence to be stored for a year, the unit's annual report revealed.

While most of the attendees reported the incidents took place between 9pm and 9am, most sought help during daytime hours.

The unit, which is one of six treatment centres across the country, gave emergency contraception to 122 of the 201 women who attended.

All were offered screening for sexually transmitted infections and 184 attended.

Some 23 received post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV and none of these were infected with the virus.

"Such low return rates are not uncommon, both nationally and internationally," the report added.

The report said 214 of the alleged incidents took place in Dublin, while 13 other counties were also involved.

The report pointed out the unit continues to have shortages of nurses, although this eased last year. But it meant it was not always able to provide an out-of-hours service and some patients were sent to Mullingar.
Nobody should underestimate or play down the serious and perilous situation that Conor McGregor now finds himself in.

Through no fault of his own it appears he has inadvertently locked horns with members of the Kinahan cartel, which includes people who are well accustomed to killing  one of whom has notched up at least three murders in his malevolent career.

The public need to remember that these people are psychotic thugs for whom there are no boundaries or behavioral parameters: if you cross them they will either kill you, seriously injure you or simply leave you and your loved ones living in fear of your lives.

It is, in my experience, unprecedented that organised crime would be in a position to consider themselves so omnipotent that they can casually now target a worldwide sporting icon of Conor McGregor's calibre, simply as a result of a brawl in a pub.

This is what we describe narco-terrorism. Over the past almost 20 years we have seen the slide towards this much more pernicious criminal demeanor.

Over the past 72 hours sources in the criminal underworld and the gardai have been consumed by this developing and chilling saga.

Conor McGregor knows a lot of the bad guys who were involved in the notorious Crumlin-Drimnagh feud and also the extended Kinahan crime cartel  because he grew up in the same area.

He would have known them going to school and in the warped minds of these psychopaths that makes McGregor fair game because they see him as a member of their social milieu.

There is also more than a little begrudgery and jealousy at play here.

Jealousy due the fact that one of their peers opted not to be part of their criminal club, instead, when the rest of them were causing mayhem, he spent every spare moment focused on training and has emerged as one of Irelands greatest sporting success stories.

The current situation is very serious and while the gardai have not been officially notified of an ongoing problem by any alleged or potential victims, garda intelligence sources are closely monitoring events.

Both McGregor and the gardai, and indeed the people who have had to endure living next to these thugs in Dublin 12, know that they have the capacity to carry out any threats they may make.

The Irish State cannot afford to allow these gangland monsters to attack Conor McGregor because of the immense reputational damage such an attack would cause to our supposedly sophisticated, developed European nation.
Former minister Mary Hanafin has lost out in a vote to represent Fianna Fail in the next general election.

Councillor Cormac Devlin was tonight selected by delegates in Dun Laoghaire as their candidate.

Independent.ie understands Ms Hanafin finished last of the three candidates before the convention.

Mr Devlin received 74 votes, compared to 64 for Ms Feeney and 45 for Ms Hanafin.

The result means that if Ms Hanafin is to return to the Dail she will have to be added to the party ticket by Fianna Fail headquarters, as happened last year.

Almost 200 party members attended the convention which was also contested by Cllr Kate Feeney in the Royal Marine Hotel tonight.

The party is likely to decide in the coming days whether Ms Hanafin or Ms Feeney will be added to the ticket.

Prior to losing her Dail seat in 2011, Ms Hanafin held a variety of senior roles including Government Chief Whip, Minister for Education and Minister for Social and Family Affairs. She also had a brief period as deputy leader of Fianna Fail under Brian Cowen.

Dun Laoghaire is one of a number of constituencies in Dublin that Fianna Fail has targeted for a seat gain at the next election.

The party currently has no TDs from the area compared to three for Fine Gael.

Accepting the nomination Cllr Devlin criticised the Fine Gael-led government, saying: "Homelessness has consistently increased under Leo Varadkar. Pensioners are being left to go blind for the want of a 20-minute operation. The department of justice has been allowed run a muck."

He added: "At the next election, whenever it comes, the choice is clear. A Taoiseach addicted to spin who seems more interested in the colour of his socks than the good administration of government or Micheal Martin who has demonstrated ability and cool leadership in crisis. I know my choice."
Former tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald received a standing ovation from Fine Gael colleagues in Leinster House tonight.

The Dublin Mid-West TD made a surprise appearance at a party meeting where she thanked TDs and senators for their support in recent days.

Ms Fitzgerald said she wanted to attend the meeting despite the events of recent days because she appreciated the efforts colleagues had made to defend her.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he expects Ms Fitzgerald to return to a high level of Irish politics once she is vindicated at the Charleton Tribunal.

It was expected that Mr Varadkar could face a backlash at the meeting for his handling of the row over the treatment of Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, however there was no dissent.

He told the Fine Gael gathering that he had not engaged in a game of poker with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin.

I was showing personal and party loyalty to a colleague, he said, adding: As long as Im party leader Ill stand by you all.

Ms Fitzgerald thanked the Taoiseach for showing her a sense of fairness and due process throughout the controversy.

She said she was totally honoured to be in Fine Gael in any capacity.

Tributes were paid from the floor by TDs and senators, including Health Minister Simon Harris who views the ex-tanaiste as his mentor.

Sources say one of the stand-out contributions was from junior minister Catherine Byrne.

She said there three days when she felt most proud to be a member of Fine Gael. One was when Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach and the second was when Leo Varadkar was elected Taoiseach.

Her third moment was last week when parliamentary party watched Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy defend Ms Fitzgerald on Prime Time before the whole party united in standing up for her.
A tough political week has seen threats of an immediate election recede. But it has left a litany of losers  and a few winners also

A tough political week has seen threats of an immediate election recede. But it has left a litany of losers  and a few winners also.

LOSERS:

Frances Fitzgerald

Expand Close Frances Fitzgerald arrives at the FG selection convention in Dublin last night. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook

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Frances Fitzgerald was the biggest loser as she lost the second most senior job in Irish politics as Tanaiste and Enterprise & Jobs Minister. A very senior figure in Fine Gael, and now aged 67, she had battled for decades and fought off many political reverses. She says she will stay in politics but there may well be no way back.

Leo Varadkar

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar looked to be winning a gut struggle with his rival Micheal Martin, the leader of Fianna Fail. They hovered on the brink of a snap election but the Taoiseach looked set to tough things out. Then it emerged that he knew many crucial things over the weekend, raising big questions about his judgement. This was his first big test and he blew it.

Charlie Flanagan

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Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan began as untouchable as he was not in office when most of the disputed events occurred. But gradually big questions emerged about things at the Justice Department on his watch. An ill-advised head-throw in the Dail compounded his difficulties. The Opposition have signalled their intention to put pressure on him.

WINNERS:

Micheal Martin

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Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, went into this row reluctantly, goaded by Sinn Fein with whom he constantly vies for leadership of the opposition. For several days he looked to be on a loser as the Taoiseach insisted Frances Fitzgerald would not resign. Then on Monday things turned 360 degrees with further revelations that Ms Fitzgerald had detailed knowledge of the McCabe case far earlier than was argued. Mr Martin has succeeded in ousting Ms Fitzgerald and avoiding a snap election.

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Labour TD Alan Kelly had spent a month firing in questions to the Justice Department and raising the issue in the Dail all to no avail. For weeks he got nowhere but persisted. Now the Tipperary maverick TDs doggedness has paid off. He took up a case earlier pursued by Fianna Fails John McGuinness and Independents Mick Wallace and Clare Daly.

The Irish people

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The Irish people faced the threat of an unwanted Christmas week general election  the first such thing since 1918. That campaign would have been straddled by the big EU leaders summit for Ireland about Brexit, due on December 14 and 15 in Brussels. But the bad news is that relief may not be short-lived as an election early in 2018 beckons and will be a big Brexit distraction.
Visitor highlights in Dublin include the National Gallery of Ireland

Dublin's "friendly, village vibe" has helped make the capital one of the best places in the world to visit next year.

'National Geographic Traveller' magazine has handed Dublin a prestigious place on its top-21 list for 2018.

The US travel bible's writers and editors compiled the list, on which the Irish capital slots in alongside the likes of Sydney, Madagascar and Vienna.

The magazine calls Dublin "Europe's largest village" and says that "Ireland's intimate capital exudes a friendly, village vibe".

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It recommends that visitors "discover Dublin's historic Georgian squares and cosy pubs" while also advising that tourists visit more "high-tech treasures" such as the Irish Emigration Museum and the refurbished National Gallery.

Tourism Ireland chief Niall Gibbons was understandably thrilled with Dublin's inclusion on the list.

"I am delighted to see Dublin feature in the prestigious 'National Geographic Traveller' 'Best of the World' list for 2018," he said.

"It is wonderful news and will surely help inspire travellers everywhere to put Dublin and Ireland on their holiday wish-list for next year. It provides Tourism Ireland with another great hook to continue to promote Dublin around the world as a 'must-see' destination."

The list, which was published yesterday, also includes such exotic locations as Harar in Ethiopia, Oaxaca in Mexico and Seoraksan National Park, South Korea.

Keelin Fagan, head of Dublin at Failte Ireland, said that it was a positive recognition of the city's position as a vibrant, friendly and culturally rich international city break destination.

It comes as CSO figures showed a near 3pc rise in the number of people visiting Ireland during August to October.

Trips to Ireland increased by 2.9pc to 2,934,400 - an overall increase of 83,900 compared to the same period last year.
One of the attempts at drawing the Irish border

A Channel 4 news report asked British people on the street to draw the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland on a map.

The results are best described as mixed.

Some make a decent stab at it but most of those asked to draw the border include Donegal in the UK.

Others make less accurate attempts at drawing the line that has existed for almost a century, with one cutting the country in half just below the Dublin to Galway line.

Those who were quizzed by Channel 4 were also asked for what they thought about the border issue in relation to Brexit.

While some raised legitimate concerns about the free movement of people between north and south and how that would work in a post-Brexit world, others were less sympathetic to the issue.

One person suggested the best solution would be for Ireland to leave the EU too and another said Ireland was "just making trouble because they lost" before saying that "the southern Irish have to lump it, basically."

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Earlier in the day a news report featured former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith who said that Ireland was 'showboating' over the border issue because of an upcoming presidential election, which doesn't show a huge level of understanding of the Irish political system either.

A presidential election won't take place here until November next year and, of course, the result would have no bearing on any policy taken by the government as the role is largely ceremonial.
Right across the street from my Westin Hotel base in Pasadena, Los Angeles, a gallon of petrol costs $3.07c (2.58c). That's nearly as cheap as it gets around here.

As you know, the US gallon converts to 3.785 litres, while our imperial gallon is 4.55 litres. But even allowing for that, petrol prices here are ridiculously low compared with ours.

I've spoken to drivers who are happy to get 16mpg to 18mpg. One of them drives a huge GMC with a 6.2-litre petrol engine - he wanted the security of power, he told me. He gets 14mpg around town.

I'm here testing out vehicles before my preliminary voting for the World Car of the Year Awards, and one thing has become immediately clear: a different mindset to ours prevails among ordinary drivers, even in California.

Manufacturers globally are striving to make cleaner, greener cars: electric, hybrid, plug-ins etc. Mass-market Europe as well as China are pushing hard on that front (California too, to be fair).

But somehow, I get the feeling here that while gas prices stay this low in this mega consumer market, the whole effort has the sense of a hand being partially tied behind the back.

Anecdotal evidence from industry sources I've spoken to here suggests the US love affair with the gas guzzler is strong and growing stronger, with greener cars not selling to the extent of previous years or as well as anticipated in 2017.

Incidentally, the cars on the list for World Green Car this year are the BMW 530e iPerformance, Chevrolet Cruze diesel, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Hyundai FE and the Nissan LEAF.

I expect the range and extent of future contenders to be much wider with the advent of more electrified models.

But I just wonder how much quicker that would manifest itself if things were different at US pumps.

Not that I wish higher fuel prices on anyone. And ours are high enough. But they are key reasons we're so constantly vigilant on what it costs to fuel our cars.

I know there are several major factors behind the greening of motoring, but ultimately how it affects our pockets determines our choice. As so many Americans are proving with their new gas guzzlers.
On this week's show, Brian Purcell was in Cavan for the launch of Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre (CITC)as the next location to be part of Vodafone and SIROs national Gigabit Hub Initiative.

Subscribe to The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone via iTunes or SoundCloud.

On this week's show, Brian Purcell was in Cavan for the launch of Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre (CITC)as the next location to be part of Vodafone and SIROs national Gigabit Hub Initiative, which offers a one Gigabit broadband connection to qualifying business hubs free of charge for two years.

The Ludgate Hub in Skibbereen, which was the first hub connected by SIRO in July 2016, is an exemplar project that was shortlisted for the European Commission Broadband Awards in 2016 and is on course to create 500 jobs over the next five years in West Cork.

SIROs Gigabit connectivity, which is three times as powerful as the best service in Dublin and 10 times more powerful than the fastest average internet speed in Ireland, gives businesses in the CTIC world-class broadband connectivity allowing them to compete and grow.

The CITC was established to promote innovation and technology support in the Cavan and border region by providing local businesses with education, training, technology and facilities needed to support enterprise development and create economic growth, as well as providing a one stop shop for entrepreneurs.

State agencies such as the Local Enterprise Office and IDA Ireland are co-located at CITC, with all support and training carried out by the Local Enterprise Office delivered at the centre. The Hub, incorporating Cavan Enterprise Centre, currently accommodates 10 companies which employ over 310 people.

To find out how such fast broadband infrastructure can make a difference to businesses in rural regions, Brian spoke to those involved in the launch including Vincent Reynolds, CEO Cavan County Enterprise Board and CEO of the new Cavan Gigabit Hub, Richard Stafford, CEO Apri Data and Stephen O'Connor, Siro's Director of Corporate Affairs.

Vincent Reynolds, CEO, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre said: The unique natural surroundings of County Cavan underpin the success of its living and working communities. Inspiration breeds innovation, which, in the right environment, breeds success and this was the motivating factor behind the establishment of CITC. As a recipient of Vodafone and SIROs 1 Gigabit broadband connection, we will be able to further drive innovation and help companies at the centre reach greater heights.

Stephen OConnor, Corporate Affairs Director of SIRO, also said: We are delighted that CITC has become our latest Gigabit Hub, given Cavans key role in SIROs history. Cavan was our original trial town, when we connected the Aughnaskerry and Rocklands estates back in 2015 and we got a great reception in the town. The SIRO network now extends to over 4,000 homes and businesses in Cavan town which all have access to the best connectivity in Ireland, rivalling international hubs like Hong Kong and Tokyo. Good connectivity is vital for regional towns competing for investment and jobs and having a 1 GB network in the town and a strategic centre like the CITC makes Cavan attractive for entrepreneurs to establish their business or for companies looking to invest

Richard Stafford, Founder and CEO of Apridata, said: CITCs Gigabit connectivity is a game-changer for Apridata. With customers and prospects in locations as diverse as the Caribbean and Sweden, broadband is critical for our company. For our services, geographic location is not a limiting factor; we can market, sell and deliver digitally with video conferencing playing a vital role in our sales process. To succeed we need the bandwidth in place to ensure we deliver a professional experience - you lose credibility if theres any lag or if your call unexpectedly drops due to poor broadband. We manage and process large volumes of data and the 1 Gigabit connection provided to us by Vodafone and SIRO enables us to do this productively. As a result, we can deliver services that empower our clients to make better business decisions faster.

Liam OBrien, Director of Strategy & External Affairs of Vodafone Ireland, added: The Gigabit Hub Initiative was created in order to empower local businesses and communities through connected technologies. As the fifth hub, Im delighted that businesses in the Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre will have access to SIROs 100% fibre-optic network. Gigabit connectivity is the starting point in the creation of a Gigabit Society across Ireland which will offer employees a better work/life balance and allow them to pursue their careers in towns across Ireland without sacrificing their quality of life, rather than being forced to move to cities or abroad.

The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone , is available via iTunes , SoundCloud and Stitcher or subscribe to the RSS feed of the Ready Business Podcast using your favourite podcatcher.

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An American divorcee marrying into the stuffy British royal family. What could possibly go wrong?

Unlike the last time the world was presented with such an event, in 1936 when Wallis Simpson's relationship with King Edward VIII led to his abdication and almost the abolition of the entire monarchy, the moral code has shifted on its axis and, more than likely, Meghan Markle's marriage to Prince Harry will be greeted by joy and happiness next spring.

But what kind of princess will she make?

Unlike Kate Middleton, she wasn't even brought up in middle class England, never mind the aristocracy - she's not one of the Queen's subjects. She's just an ordinary girl from a regular family who happened to make it in Hollywood.

Even though we know what she looks and sounds like, given the dozens of interviews and red carpet events she's undertaken in her professional life as an actress, becoming a senior royal is a different thing altogether. There are some who would say being on a prince's arm, cutting ribbons and attending openings is all a big act anyway and therefore she is immensely suited to it.

But the stifling protocols, weight of a thousand years of tradition and the arcane rules surrounding entering rooms, curtseying, standing or sitting in the right place, knowing who gets a bow and who doesn't, would tip anyone over the edge.

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Whatsapp Wallis Simpson pictured with the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII). Photo: Ivan Dmitri/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

So what do we know about the newest princess-to-be?

Firstly, she and Harry are clearly a love match. This may seem obvious, but that is a very recent development in royal circles. For centuries, arranged marriages, for dynastical reasons, were the norm. Most royals in the last millennium married for politics rather than romance. The empire and its colonies counted on it.

The Queen has always insisted her children marry for love first, as she did, but it is telling that three out of four of them ended up divorced anyway.

That Harry and Meghan love each other is a great start, but by no means a guarantee. Harry has had a few long-term loves that could have made the cut instead. The posh Cressida Bonas and Chelsea Davy - it is said - baulked at the prince's persistence. Neither wanted a goldfish-bowl life and both are wealthy and ambitious enough not to need it. Both are also leggy blondes, so Harry has clearly changed 'type' with Meghan.

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The good news is that his bride-to-be is already heavily involved in humanitarian work. This is an excellent start for a royal, and is believed to be how they met. She is an ambassador for the World Vision charity, champions conservation works in Africa (Harry's favourite charity), and has given many talks on helping third-world children. So far, so princessy.

However, she is also an ardent and outspoken feminist. Since her new job will be entirely supportive (her husband's duties come first), she will need to adapt.

As Harry is the second son, she will never be the first princess - that's Kate. Will Meghan be happy as second fiddle? Her royal status, billing at state events and clothing allowance will never match the Duchess of Cambridge who will, of course, one day be Princess of Wales and then Queen.

Meghan, so far, has done everything right. Loyalty, discretion and non-reaction are hallmarks of a royal wife. "Never complain, never explain," is the Queen's byword.

Expand Close Pomp: Meghan and Harry may not go for a lavish ceremony like Will and Kate did. Photo: PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Pomp: Meghan and Harry may not go for a lavish ceremony like Will and Kate did. Photo: PA

The rumour machine really cranked up when she shut down her online lifestyle blog, finished shooting Suits and moved her dogs to London (liking dogs is a huge plus with the Windsors).

The couple will live, initially at least, in Nottingham Cottage, the small two-bed flat Harry has at Kensington Palace. It's away from prying eyes, but they'll probably take a country house somewhere too - the couple has been spotted in Norfolk house hunting. In time, there'll be a proper 'royal household' for them at Clarence House when Harry's father accedes to the throne. Will Meghan be happy in the country, shooting and fishing and riding horses?

Will she be allowed to work? Yes, but certainly not as an actress and not in Canada where Suits is filmed. It would be inconceivable that a royal, surrounded from this day forward by a constant team of protection officers, could hang out on set in Hollywood.

She will need to select carefully chosen charities and carve out a role there. She certainly isn't shy at getting up to talk, unlike Kate, so that's a big plus for any organisation who would be thrilled to have her on board. Expect endangered animals and sick children to be top priority.

An 'unconventional' wedding has been rumoured or even one in the US, but it's more than likely they'll end up in a big church with many of the crowned heads of Europe present.

It won't have to have the pomp and ceremony of William and Kate, but it is important, drawing out the Household Cavalry and processions down the Mall, not to mention the traditional 'balcony appearance' for a first kiss.

As Meghan is a divorcee, there are hurdles to overcome. Her marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson in 2011 took place in a Jamaican hotel, so doesn't preclude a religious wedding. As head of the Church of England, the Queen couldn't countenance attending a civil ceremony. When Charles and Camilla married, she didn't go to the registry office, but a 'blessing' in St George's Chapel instead.

If Harry and Meghan want low key, then this venue in the privacy of Windsor Castle is ideal. They'll want their own mark on it, but royal ceremonies are run by an entire office within Buckingham Palace and the couple will have to put up with mighty resistance if they want to be 'different'.

Finally, and hopefully, there will be children. They could be the first legitimate black children within the senior royal family. This should not remotely be a factor, but it is.

In 2016 Harry issued an unprecedented statement to the media about the racist backlash Meghan had been subjected to. Some Brits are patriotic to the point of xenophobic and the couple will need to face up to views they have on what constitutes 'blue blood'.

For her own part, the future Duchess of Sussex (as she will most likely be styled), is sanguine. She has met racists before. In a magazine interview she once said she considers herself stuck in the middle: "I wasn't black enough for the black roles and I wasn't white enough for the white ones."

This is the role of her life, so let's hope she's ready for the whirlwind.
The Netherlands embassy in the United States has replied to one of Donald Trumps retweets of an inflammatory anti-Muslim video, giving detail on the facts behind the video.

On Wednesday Trump retweeted three posts by the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen.

One of the videos was captioned Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!

On Wednesday evening, the Dutch embassy in the US responded to this particular retweet, replying: @realDonaldTrump Facts do matter. The perpetrator of the violent act in this video was born and raised in the Netherlands. He received and completed his sentence under Dutch law.

Earlier on Wednesday, the official account of the Public Prosecutors Office of North Holland also corrected the US president, saying the incident captured on film had occurred in May this year.

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The offender was referred to Halt, an organisation which aims to prevent juvenile crime.

Fransen, 31, the original poster of this video and two others retweeted by Trump, was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment last November and is facing further charges in Northern Ireland.

The presidents retweets have been widely condemned both in the US and Europe, including in a statement from Downing Street.

Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said.

They cause anxiety to law-abiding people.

British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents, decency, tolerance and respect.

It is wrong for the president to have done this.
The airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has reopened after an erupting volcano forced its closure.

Spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said the ash from Mount Agung has drifted south and south-east, leaving clean space above the airport for planes to land and take off.

Operations had shut down on Monday morning, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people trying to enter or leave the popular holiday destination. Thick ash particles are hazardous to aircraft and can choke engines.

The danger, however, has not passed. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo urged anyone still within the exclusion zone near the mountain to get out "for the sake of their safety".

On Monday, authorities told 100,000 people to leave an area extending up to 6 miles (10km).

Experts said a larger, explosive eruption is possible or Agung could stay at its current level of activity for weeks. Its last major eruption, in 1963, killed about 1,100 people.

"If it got much worse, it would be really hard to think of. You've got a huge population centre, nearly a million people in Denpasar and surroundings, and it's very difficult to envision moving those people further away," said Richard Arculus, a volcano expert at Australian National University, adding that an eruption in 1843 was even more explosive than the one in 1963.

"There are many examples in history where you have this kind of seismic buildup - steam ejections of a little bit of ash, growing eruptions of ash to a full-scale stratosphere-reaching column of ash, which can presage a major volcanic event," he said.

A Nasa satellite detected a thermal anomaly at the crater, said senior Indonesian volcanologist Gede Swantika. That means a pathway from the storage chamber in the volcano's crust has opened, giving magma easier access to the surface.

Indonesian officials first raised the highest alert two months ago when a rash of seismic activity was detected at the mountain. More than 100,000 people living near the volcano fled their homes, many abandoning their livestock or selling them for a fraction of the normal price. The seismic activity decreased by the end of October, causing authorities to lower the alert level.

Tremors increased again last week and officials upped the alert and ordered another large-scale evacuation, with nearly 40,000 people now staying in 225 shelters, according to the Disaster Mitigation Agency in Karangasem.

But tens of thousands of villagers have remained in their homes because they feel safe or do not want to abandon their farms and livestock.

"Ash has covered my house on the floor, walls, banana trees outside, everywhere," said Wayan Lanus, who fled his village in Buana Giri with his wife and daughter.

Flows of volcanic mud have been spotted on Agung's slopes, and Mr Arculus warned more are possible as it is the rainy season.

"They're not making a lot of noise. It's just suddenly coming like a flash flood out of nowhere," he said. "You do not want to be near them. Stay out of the valleys."

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.

AP
A burned truck is seen outside al-Rawdah mosque a day after attackers killed hundreds of worshippers (Tarek Samy/AP/PA)

Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has given security forces three months to restore "security and stability" in the northern Sinai area days after the worst attack in the country's modern history.

In a televised ceremony marking the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, Mr el-Sissi authorised his new chief of staff, Major General Mohammed Farid Hegazy, to use "all brute force" against the militants.

Mr Hegazy, appointed last month, rose up from his front-row seat and stood in rigid attention as Mr el-Sissi, a general-turned-president, addressed him.

"I am mandating Major General Mohammed Farid Hegazy before you and the entire people of Egypt to restore security and stability in Sinai," said Mr el-Sissi.

"With God's benevolence and your efforts and sacrifices, you and the police will restore security and use all brute force."

This is the second time since Friday's massacre in a sleepy Sinai village that el-Sissi ordered the use of "brute force" against the militants.

The attack on a mosque in the northern Sinai village of al-Rawdah was the deadliest assault by Islamic extremists in Egypt's modern history. Among the 305 dead were 27 children; another 128 people were wounded.

The Islamic State (IS) group has not yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack but the more than two dozen gunmen who unleashed explosives and gunfire to mow down the worshippers during Friday prayers carried the black banner of the IS militant group.

The mosque belonged to followers of Islam's mystical Sufi movement, considered by IS to be heretics. Militants have in the past targeted them in Sinai as well as elsewhere, like in Iraq.

Mr el-Sissi has frequently said Islamic militants have benefited from the care his security forces routinely take to ensure that civilians are not caught in the cross-fire.

However, rights groups and Sinai activists have in the past spoken of civilians enduring collective punishment, usually in the aftermath of major attacks, and of hardships resulting from military operations, including lengthy power, water and phone outages.

Giving his security forces a three-month deadline to quieten Sinai may turn out to be a risky gamble by Mr el-Sissi, who is widely expected to seek a second, four-year term in office in elections due in less than six months.

Failure in Sinai would dent the president's standing as the general who won office in a 2014 election mostly on promises of restoring security.

However, only state-owned Egyptian media with unquestionable loyalty to the government are allowed to travel to northern Sinai, leaving authorities in near-total control of the narrative on how the war there is going.

AP
Aslan Gagiev's gang is accused of the murders of at least 60 officials and public figures Interpol

A Russian man accused of murdering 60 people may not be extradited from Austria because he has recently developed what his lawyers are describing as a rare form of aerophobia.

Aslan Gagiev, also known as Djako, was reportedly taken off a plane about to leave for Russia, despite the deportation being approved by the Vienna High Court and the head of the Austrian Minister of Justice.

It was the third court order for his extradition he has avoided since his arrest in Vienna in January 2015 following a tip-off by the Russian authorities.

Following his initial arrest in Austria Gagiev was released on bail set at 100,000, but was subsequently arrested at the Austrian-Bulgarian border after being caught attempting to use a fake Bulgarian passport.

Gagiev is suspected of masterminding the creation of one of Russias most brutal crime groups, in operation since 2004.

According to Russian daily Kommersant, a liberal business broadsheet, the murders he is said to be involved with include those of officials, bankers, businessmen and law enforcers.

Lawyers representing Gagiev presented a medical certificate which stated that during his incarceration in an Austrian Prison, he has now developed a rare form of aerophobia, in which the accused simply cannot survive the flight to Russia, Kommersant reported.

His lawyers have also reportedly claimed they will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in the Supreme Court of Justice supports the existing Russian extradition order.

A source cited by Kommersant said Russias investigative committee is optimistic that Gagiev could be in a Russian prison by January.

This isnt about aerophobia! Djako simply knows that a life sentence awaits him in Russia, the source said.
Saipov, who has been charged in a deadly truck rampage in New York City, pleaded not guilty to an indictment including multiple potential death-penalty counts. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

An Uzbek immigrant accused of a deadly truck attack on a New York cycle path has pleaded not guilty to an indictment which includes multiple potential death penalty counts.

Sayfullo Saipov appeared briefly in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday.

His court-appointed lawyer told federal Judge Vernon Broderick he was pleading not guilty to an indictment which was returned last week.

Authorities say the resident of Paterson, New Jersey, killed eight people with his truck attack near the World Trade Centre on October 31.

Saipov moved to the United States legally in 2010 from Uzbekistan and authorities say Islamic State group propaganda was found on his mobile phones.

Saipov lived in Ohio and Florida and worked as a commercial truck driver before he recently moved to New Jersey with his wife and children.

He remains held without bail.

AP
Howell Donaldson will be charged in connection with a string of murders (Tampa Police Department/AP)

Officers at McDonalds in where a suspect was arrested over four murders in Tampa. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Tampa Bay Times/AP)

A recent university graduate who is charged in four killings that terrorised a Florida city over the past 51 days used the same gun in all of the shootings, a police chief has said.

Brian Dugan also said that Howell Emanuel Donaldson targeted people near bus stops in Tampa with "no apparent motive".

The crack in the case came on Tuesday when Donaldson, 24, took a bag with a loaded handgun to his job at a McDonald's restaurant and asked a co-worker to hold it while he went across the street, authorities said.

Workers thought that was odd and when Donaldson left, they reported the gun to a police officer who was doing paperwork there, setting off an investigation that linked him to the shootings.

Aside from matching shell casings at the shootings, authorities said location data from Donaldson's mobile phone put him at the scene of at least three of the killings in the Seminole Heights area.

"The gun is what we needed," Mr Dugan said at a news conference surrounded by family members of the victims.

Police had earlier released black-and-white surveillance video showing a man in a hoodie as a possible suspect and by Halloween the fear was so great that police escorted children while trick-or-treating.

"We had a community that was on edge," Mayor Bob Buckhorn said.

"Today the light shines. The darkness is over. This community begins the healing process."

Donaldson told investigators that he was unfamiliar with the Tampa area where the shootings occurred.

He then asked for an attorney but arrest records do not list one and the police chief said he did not know if he had a lawyer yet. He is scheduled for a first appearance hearing on Thursday.

Donaldson graduated from St Johns University in New York in January 2017, according to school spokesman Brian Browne.

Police in New York said Donaldson had been arrested in May 2014 but the arrest was sealed and no details were available.

The tip that led police to Donaldson came from one of his co-workers at an Ybor City McDonald's, which is near Seminole Heights.

Police say Donaldson bought the gun from Shooter's World in Tampa on October 3 along with a 20-round box of bullets. The first killing happened six days later.

Detective Austin Hill wrote in a police report that Donaldson told investigators "no one except for himself had control of the Glock firearm since his purchase".

Authorities said a search of Donaldson's mobile phone found location data that indicated three days of recorded times and activities corresponding with the first three shootings.

Residents and police had been on edge since October 9 when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death.

On October 11, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa was killed and on October 19 Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. On November 14, 60-year-old Ronald Felton was killed.

All of the October victims were either getting on or off a city bus, or were at a bus stop when they were shot, police said.

AP
A Zimbabwean pastor accused of leading large anti-government protests last year has been acquitted of subversion.

Evan Mawarire - who launched the #ThisFlag protest campaign on social media - was found not guilty by High Court judge Priscilla Chigumba after state prosecutors failed to prove their case.

He appealed to the country's new leadership to drop other prosecutions of people who demonstrated against former president Robert Mugabe.

The ruling came as Zimbabweans wait to see whether new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former deputy of Mr Mugabe, follows through on pledges of democracy after years of violations of basic freedoms.

There are still some Zimbabweans "in prison for political reasons, in terms of having stood up against the regime" of Mr Mugabe, Mr Mawarire said outside the courthouse in Harare, the capital.

"Many are still appearing in court over the next few weeks and I want to urge this new government and administration to drop those charges and let those people go, because they did not commit any crime at all."

Mr Mawarire, who stood in the dock with a Zimbabwean flag, said he was "absolutely elated" at his acquittal but claimed it was too soon to tell whether it reflected a trend towards more independence in the judiciary, which was often subject to political pressure during the Mugabe era.

"It could be evidence of a freer Zimbabwe but I think also this case had no legs from the beginning," Mr Mawarire said.

"I think that a lot more needs to be seen for us to determine whether this is a free judiciary going forward."

Prosecutors sought to link Mr Mawarire to stone-throwing and other violence during protests last year that were the largest Zimbabwe had seen in a decade.

They cited videos posted on social media in which the pastor urged people not to go to work and shop owners to close their businesses as a way of expressing opposition to the government.

They said the pastor must have foreseen that his calls could lead to violence.

In her ruling, the judge acknowledged that Mr Mawarire was trying to "cripple government operations" but said he urged "passive resistance" and exercised his constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression.

"There is no evidence that he urged a violent removal of the government," she said. Instead, Mr Mawarire "preached peace and repeatedly told his audience not to resort to violence".

Mr Mugabe, 93, resigned on November 21 after the military moved in and the ruling party turned against him.

His final days in power also saw large demonstrations by a population troubled by years of economic decline and mismanagement under Mr Mugabe, whose aura as an independence leader after the end of white minority rule in 1980 eroded over the decades.

AP
Chennai, Nov 24 (IBNS): HireMee, an initiative for social good, will conduct the assessment of final-year students in Tamil Nadu following the signing of an MoU with the Consortium of Self Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges.

The Consortium, with over 500 member institutions, works towards improving the quality of engineering education in the State.

The assessments, to be provided at no cost to the students or colleges, by HireMee, a web portal and mobile application, will connect the corporate world with academic institutions for faster and easier placements across India. The HireMee app seamlessly links students, recruiters and colleges through proctored computer-based assessments to facilitate the recruitment process. With a special focus on fresh graduates, especially from tier II and III towns, and urban areas, HireMee will bridge the gap between recruiters and students.

The MoU was signed by Mr Chockalingam Valliappa, Founder of HireMee and the Consortium President Mr R S Munirathinam in the presence of Secretary Dr P. Selvaraaj, Vice Presidents Mr Nanjil M. Vincent, Dr. S. Peter and Prof. A Balathandayuthapani and executive committee members last week.

As part of our CSR effort HireMee will offer an optional opportunity to the all students by connecting them to the right jobs. The goal is to help recruiting firms discover diamonds among students in rural and urban colleges without any cost to the students, recruiters or the colleges, says Mr Chockalingam Valliappa, Founder, HireMee.

HireMee teams will administer a 100-minute proctored computer-based test for students at the college premises using its proprietary application. This will enable students to identify improvement areas, bridge skill gaps and further their employability, adds Valliappa.

As part of the agreement, the Consortium will support HireMee in extending its services to its over 500 affiliated institutions by increasing awareness about HireMee among the student community.

By offering free assessment to a million students and pro bono recruiting services to 1,000 companies this year HireMee aspires to enable students to get 100,000 jobs this year, says Mr Krishnan Kuppusamy, Chief Advisor, HireMee.

HireMee entered into a MoU with countrys leading accrediting body, AICTE to offer its web and mobile application to graduating students of over 11,000 AICTE accredited institutions in the country in September 2017. In early November, HireMee signed a similar MoU with Indias leading engineering university Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). HireMee plans to administer a million assessments to graduating students in tens of thousands of institutions by 2018.
Image: A scene from the 2004 Spanish film The Sea Inside

Melbourne, Nov 29 (IBNS): After a gruelling debate which lasted more than 100 hours, including two whole-night sittings, Victoria has become the first state in Australia to legalise euthanasia or assisted dying, reports said.

However, the development comes with a set of rules.

The patient must be at least 18 years of age and must have less than six months to live.

A patient must make three requests to specially trained doctors in order to end their life.

A special board must review all cases.

Coercion of patients into ending their life will be a crime.

Patients with motor neurone disease (MND) will become eligible with a year to live.

Victoria is Australia's second most populous state.

Image: A scene from the 2004 Spanish film The Sea Inside based on the real-life story of Ramon Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), who was left quadriplegic after a diving accident, and his 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and the right to end his life.
Washington, Nov 29 (IBNS): We live on a solar-powered planet. As we wake up in the morning, the Sun peeks over the horizon to shed light on us, blanket us with warmth and provide cues to start our day. At the same time, our Suns energy drives our planets ocean currents, seasons, weather and climate. Without the Sun, life on Earth would not exist.

For nearly 40 years, NASA has been measuring how much sunshine powers our home planet. This December, NASA is launching an instrument to the International Space Station to continue monitoring the Suns energy input to the Earth system. The Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1) will precisely measure what scientists call total solar irradiance. These data will give us a better understanding of Earths primary energy supply and help improve models simulating Earths climate.

You can look at the Earth and Sun connection as a simple energy balance. If you have more energy absorbed by the Earth than leaving it, its temperature increases and vice versa, said Peter Pilewskie, TSIS-1 lead scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric Physics (LASP) in Boulder, Colorado. Under NASAs direction, LASP is providing and distributing the instruments measurements to the scientific community. Were measuring all the radiant energy that is coming to Earth.

But its not so simple: the Suns output energy is not constant. Over the course of about 11 years, our Sun cycles from a relatively quiet state to a peak in intense solar activity  like explosions of light and solar material  called a solar maximum. In subsequent years the Sun returns to a quiet state and the cycle starts over again. The Sun has fewer sunspots  dark areas that are often the source of increased solar activity  and stops producing so many explosions, going through a period called the solar minimum. Over the course of one solar cycle (one 11-year period), the Suns emitted energy varies on average at about 0.1 percent. That may not sound like a lot, but the Sun emits a large amount of energy  1,361 watts per square meter. Even fluctuations at just a tenth of a percent can affect Earth.



In addition to those 11-year changes, entire solar cycles can vary from decade to decade. Scientists have observed unusually quiet magnetic activity from the Sun for the past two decades with previous satellites. During the last prolonged solar minimum in 2008-2009, our Sun was as quiet it has been observed since 1978. Scientists expect the Sun to enter a solar minimum within the next three years, and TSIS-1 will be primed to take measurements of the next minimum.

We dont know what the next solar cycle is going to bring, but weve had a couple of solar cycles that have been weaker than weve had in quite a while so who knows. Its a pretty exciting time to be studying the Sun, said Dong Wu, the TSIS-1 project scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Goddard is responsible for the overall development and operation of TSIS-1 on the International Space Station.

TSIS-1 data are particularly important for helping scientists understand the causes of total solar irradiance fluctuations and how they are connected with the Suns behavior over decades or centuries. Today, scientists have neither enough data nor the forecasting skill to predict whether total solar irradiance has any long-term trend, said Doug Rabin, deputy project scientist at Goddard. TSIS-1 will continue a data sequence that is vital to answering that question.



These data are also important for understanding Earth's climate through models. Scientists use computer models to interpret changes in the Suns energy input. If less solar energy is available, scientists can gauge how that will affect Earths atmosphere, oceans, weather and seasons by using computer simulations. The input from the Sun is just one of many factors scientists used to model Earths climate. Earths climate is also affected by other factors such as greenhouse gases, clouds scattering light and small particles in the atmosphere called aerosols  all of which are taken into account in comprehensive climate models.

TSIS-1 will study the total amount of solar radiation emitted by the Sun using the Total Irradiance Monitor, one of two sensors on the instrument. The second sensor, called the Spectral Irradiance Monitor, will measure how the Suns energy is distributed over the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of light. TSIS-1 spectral irradiance measurements of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation are critical to understanding the ozone layer  Earth's natural sunscreen that protects life from harmful radiation.

Knowing the Suns behavior and knowing how Earths atmosphere responds to the Sun is even more important now because of all the different factors that affect climate change. We need to understand how all of these interact on Earths system, said Pilewskie.

Image NASA
Kolkata, Nov 29 (IBNS): West Bengal based JIS College of Engineering recently announced that it is participating in the Pradhanmantri Yuva (Yuva Udyamita Vikas Abhiyan) Yojana, a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

The main objective of this scheme is to build the ecosystem of entrepreneurship development through education, training, advocacy and promotion of social enterprises for inclusive growth.

Those present at the announcement were Dr. Malay Dave, Principal of JIS College of Engineering, Dr. Dipak Ranjan Jana, Vice Principal, Mrs Sila Singh Ghosh, Registrar, Prof. Sudipta Sahana, College coordinator of program, CSE department, and Prof. Prolay Ghosh, IT department.

Any student can opt for this course after completion of first year of studies.

The duration of this program is for four semesters. Each semester is for 30-40 hours.

After two years of successful completion, certificates will be issued.

The business plan of successful candidate will be evaluated by angel investors.

Sourav Mishra, Nodal Manager PM-Yuva (Kolkata) conducted the awareness Program.

"The specific objective of this program is to educate and equip potential and early stage entrepreneurs, connect entrepreneurs in enabling networks of peers, mentors, funds and business services, support entrepreneurs through Entrepreneurship Hubs (E-Hubs), catalyze a culture shift to encourage entrepreneurship, said Sourav Mishra.
London, Nov 29 (IBNS): Influential policymakers from India worked with University of Birmingham and other UK academic and industry experts to develop a working blueprint that could help the countrys agriculture and food sectors tackle the challenge posed by ever-increasing global demands for cooling.

The plan will see partners in the UK and India working together to develop a clean and sustainable post-harvest cold chain food delivery model, run by the farming institution in partnership with industry.

It will see in-country Clean Cold Chain Centres of Excellence established in India to demonstrate to farmers and industrialists the benefits of using sustainable technologies and practices in the countrys food distribution network.

Birminghams clean cold specialists worked with industry and agriculture experts from the states of Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh to develop the blueprint in a special two-day India Clean Cooling and Living Labs workshop  hosted by the Birmingham Energy Institute and co-funded by the Dept for International Trade.

Professor Toby Peters, from the Birmingham Energy Institute, said: Our work during the workshop at the University of Birmingham represents a big step forward in tackling the issue of cooling for India and other rapidly developing countries.

Cooling is the backbone of society and demand is growing fast, but we need more radical innovations beyond electricity and batteries; energy, food and water are interlinked and we need an innovative approach that embraces new technological solutions and ways of working.

We need to act urgently and create one community working collaboratively  not just in India, but around the globe. The opportunities offered in developing markets can encourage new thinking, business models and policy.

The partners vision is to harness clean technologies to create an integrated and seamless network of refrigerated and temperature controlled pack houses, distribution hubs and vehicles. This network would maintain the safety, quality and quantity of food, while moving it swiftly from farm gate to consumption centre with limited environmental impact.

Indian participants in the workshop included: Sai Sree Aparna Bhumi  Economic Development Board, Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society; Andal Gottumukkala, Assistant Director of Horticulture, Andhra Pradesh; Vikas Garg  Managing Director, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation; Amit Dhaka  Secretary, Punjab Mandi Board; Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi - Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Department; and Dr. Arjun Singh Saini  Director, General Horticulture and Managing Director, Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium, Haryana (SFACH).

Partners are meeting next week in Delhi and will continue to refine the plan ahead of the worlds first international congress dedicated to clean cold, which will be hosted by the University of Birmingham in April 2018.

The Cool World conference will build on Birminghams work with partners to explore how clean cold technology can sustainably meet the broad range of needs from cold chains for food and medicine to making more and more of the world bearable - or even safe - to live in.

The Birmingham congress will support the SEforALL Cooling for All initiative, launched in July, to identify the challenges and opportunities of providing access to affordable, sustainable cooling solutions for all. The initiative is supported by the UN, World Health Organisation (WHO), industry experts and Governments.

Working with the National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD), and the UKs Science and Innovation Networks, the Birmingham Energy Institute brought together government, industry, technology and academic professionals from India and the UK earlier this year. The four-day initiative in India examined ways to deliver cold chains from farm to market whilst minimising carbon footprint. Currently as much as 40% of food can be lost in India due to lack of cold chains.


Kolkata, Nov 29 (IBNS):The Department of English, Heritage College, in collaboration with the Shakespeare Society of Eastern India organized a two day international workshop on 401 years after Shakespeare: Shifting Paradigms from the Shakespearean Human to the Post-human, at the Heritage Campus, recently.

The inaugural session was attended by Vice chancellor of Calcutta University, Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee, Director of British Council, Debanjan Chakrabarti and the Director of American Center, Jamie Dragon.

Speaking on the concept of the event, Subir Dhar, General Secretary of SSEI and professor of Rabindra Bharati University said, "As we step into the 401st anniversary of Shakespeares death, we ask ourselves how we might investigate the metamorphosis of the Renaissance human into the cybernetic post human. Shakespearean heroes belong to the new cartography of the radicalized concept of the human, what we conventionally understand as Renaissance humanism.

In the past four centuries the being of the human has undergone transformation from being the central, the abstract, the nothing, the peripheral and finally the relational. These representations of the human can be traced back to Renaissance through literature, romanticism down to modernism, even in the field of performing arts as it moves from naturalism to pop art,he added.

The event also saw the screening of the award winning documentary film Shakespeare Behind Bars, which according to the organisers, was being screened for the first time in India.

Students, scholars, academicians and professors from various universities and institutions from home and abroad participated in the event, reading seminar papers and holding conversions on Shakespearean adaptations, translations, films and post humanist philosophy.

Danseuse and social worker Alokananda Roy, Film and television actor Jayanth Kriplani and film maker Ashok Viswanathan were also present for several panel discussions.

Amitava Roy, president of SSEI said, "it is a part of the charter of Shakespeare Society to collaborate with various universities and institutions of excellence worldwide to come forward to help and work together by organizing different national and international conferences. And this time, it is a special privilege to come to Heritage College and make the international conference possible.

We look forward to discuss and explore Shakespeare and literature in its most possible ways and to make the workshop a grand success, he said.

(Reporting by Aninnya Sarkar)
Salem, Nov 29 (IBNS): Two days after being released from father's custody, 24-year-old Hadiya Jehan on Wednesday said she needs freedom to meet her husband, media reports said.

"I need freedom to meet the person I love" Hadiya said while interacting with media.

Though Hadiya has been freed from her father's custody, she needs to take permission from Tamil Nadu's Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, where she is staying since Tuesday, to meet anyone she wishes.

The college told NDTV that Hadiya will not be deprived of any fundamental right.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud passed the interim order to let Haidya free in an open court on Monday.

Being Hindu, Hadiya's marriage with Shafin Jahan was declared annulled by a lower court earlier after the girl's father complained that she had been indoctrinated into Islam religion.

On Monday, Hadiya expressed her wish to finish her studies in Homeopathy medicine (BHMS).

She had also insisted that her husband should be made her guardian so that he can fund for her studies.

Hadiya had told the apex court that she wants to be with her husband even as her parents are opposed to it.

The Supreme Court had directed the university concerned to re-admit Hadiya and grant her hostel facility.

It had also asked Kerala police to provide the woman with security.



Image: Creative Commons
Kolkata, Nov 29 (IBNS): President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, on Wednesday, visited the ancestral homes of Rabidnranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in Kolkata.

Later, he addressed the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of the Bose Institute in Kolkata.

The President arrived in the city on Tuesday.

The President was accompanied to the Jorasanko Thakurbari by Governor of West Bengal, Keshari Nath Tripathy and Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University, Sabyasachi Basu RayChaudhury.

The President, who visited the various rooms on the premises and closely observed the Tagore memorabilia, later said it was a great experience for him.

President Kovind paid floral tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in the rooms where he was born and where he passed away.

He also visited Bichitra and China galleries.

President Kovind also visited Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata to pay tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.



"Was moved by the aura of sacrifice and dedication to India. Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country," he said.

At the Bose Institute, the President said that it occupies a unique and exalted position in the landscape of Indian science.

"This was one of the earliest scientific institutes to be established in the country. It has served the cause of science and served the cause of India. It has contributed much to research in the biological and physical sciences. At the same time, this Institute has had a very active social outreach programme in rural Bengal through its rural bio-technology initiative. It has also been pursuing educational uplift programmes for school children in various states of the Northeast. Truly, it is making an honest effort to spread the culture of science and innovation down to the grassroots of our society," the President said.

The President said that Bengal was one of Indias earliest industrial and manufacturing economies.

With that legacy, and with its educational institutions, it should have led the IT revolution in our country, he said.

"But for whatever reason, it was a slow starter in IT and IT-enabled services. That boom moved to other states, such as those in the south of our country. Now Bengal has another chance. We are in the midst of an explosion of digital technologies. Cutting-edge disciplines like precision manufacture and bio-informatics are changing the way we work. And robotics is changing the way we live," President Kovind said in his address.

The President said that all this throws up great opportunities for Bengal, for Bengals science, and for Bengals talented pool of young scientists.

"Our greatest tribute to Acharya J.C. Bose would be to embrace this new era of innovation and discovery  just as he embraced and led the process of innovation and discovery a century ago," the President reminded the gathering.

Images: RashtrapatiBhavan/Twitter
New Delhi, Nov 29 (IBNS): The second Defence Ministers Dialogue between India and Singapore was successfully concluded, the Union Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, India's Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba exchanged the signed documents of bilateral agreement with the Naval Chief of Singapore Rear Admiral Lew Chuen Hong, in the presence of the defence ministers of both countries.

India's Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, was also present.

The Defence Ministers Dialogue between India and Singapore was inaugurated after both countries signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in 2015 to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian Armed Forces.

Of particular significance during this meeting was the conclusion of the India-Singapore Bilateral Agreement for Navy Cooperation, which will lead to increased cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each others naval facilities and mutual logistics support, the release said.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Defence and Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence of the Republic of Singapore looked forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise next year.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Indias continued support for the SAFs training in India, covered by the Air Force and Army Bilateral Agreements.

Both ministers welcomed the renewal of the Air Force Bilateral Agreement on the sidelines of the 11th Singapore-India Defence Policy Dialogue in January this year, and looked forward to the successful renewal of the Army Bilateral Agreement next year.

On regional security, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining maritime freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law.

India plays a vital role in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus.

Both ministers also discussed Singapores proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, to reduce the risk of miscalculations.

Appreciating Indias leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Dr Ng agreed to Indias proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in their shared maritime space, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional/ ASEAN partners.

Both ministers emphasised the importance of international cooperation in tackling transnational security threats, and in particular measures to collectively tackle the threat of terrorism.

They also commended the progress made since the India-Singapore Defence Technology Steering Committee was set up in October 2006 to launch joint research projects.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Indias offer of its test ranges and infrastructure to Singapore for the conduct of testing and evaluation for R&D projects.

Singapore and India have also made progress in defence industry cooperation, with the signing of the terms of reference for the Defence Industry Working Group (DIWG) in August this year, the release said.

The defence ministers agreed that this would facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modis acceptance as keynote speaker for the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue to articulate Indias vision for a stable Indo-Pacific region.

Images: PIB
Lucknow, Nov 29 (IBNS): Nestle India has been slapped a fine of 62 lakh by the district administration of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after samples of the company's noodle brand Maggi allegedly failed a lab test, media reports said.

Apart from the company, the district administration has slapped a fine of Rs. 45 lakh on Nestle and 17 lakhs on its six distributors.

The lab test has found the ash content in the Maggi samples above the permissible limit.

Nestle India said it will file an appeal once they get the order.

Shahjahanpur Additional District Magistrate Jitendra Kumar Sharma told The Hindu: "In total there were seven cases. The samples tested by the Food and Safety department of the district were found to be sub-standard."



Image: facebook.com/MeriMaggiIndia
Morbi, Gujarat, Nov 29 (IBNS) : Playing development card and the sentiment of Gujaratis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wedensday launched his second leg of campaign in poll-bound Gujarat.

Addressing a series of rallies, the first being in Morbi, Modi alleged that the former UPA government was anti-Gujarat.

"I have only talked about Narmada but there are several other issues that will illustrate how anti-Gujarat the UPA government was."

"When you vote, vote for development only. The people of Gujarat have one of their own sitting in Delhi, who is always working for the wellbeing of Gujarat," he said.

"For us, what matters is the well-being of people. Even when we were not in power we were with the people of Morbi and serving society," PM Modi said at the Morbi rally.

Insisting that it was the BJP which has always stood for the state's development and the well-being of its people, Modi said decades ago when late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi came to Morbi, she found the city stinking and had to cover up her nose.

"When Indira Ben ( Indira Gandhi) came to Morbi,I remember there was a photo of her in Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smell, but for Jansangh or the RSS, the streets of Morbi are fragrant,it's the fragrance of humanity," he said.

Attacking the Congress, which is trying hard to make a dent in the BJP citadel, Modi said, "For Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For BJP, it is SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters. We also focussed on check dams."

"In Gujarat we initiated a mass movement to conserve every drop of water. This is because we understand the adverse impact of lack of water. Development for us is not about winning polls, it is about serving every citizen," he further said.

Modi referred to the water shortage problem which once plagued Gujarat and said things transformed only because of the initiative of the BJP and the Governments run by it.

"We worked to improve the water situation but we did not stop there. BJP Government brought in soil health card which has proven extremely beneficial for the farmers."

, PM Modi reiterated that Congress is anti-poor. "They have looted lots from the people already. I am here to give every penny back to the poor, which they looted all these years," he said.

Referring to the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's barbs on GST, Modi said, "It is natural for those who have looted all their lives to remember only dacoits. Under their grand stupid thoughts they want basic necessities of the poor to be taxed at 18 per cent. At the same time they want cigarettes & alcohol to be cheaper. What logic is this?"

He also accused former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being anti-Narmada. "We have served this region. I fought for the Narmada against the government of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh, which was anti-Narmada. All this was done for our farmers, the people of Gujarat."
The President arrived at Belur Math at around 11.10 a.m. and visited Swami Vivekanandas room, temples of Swamiji and Maa Sarada and also the prayer hall.

The President also had a meeting with the President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission Swami Smaranandaji Maharaj prior to his departure from Kolkata for Mizoram, read a government statement.

The President of India has been presented with some of the latest publications of the Mission, informed Swami Subeeranandaji, General Secretary of the organisation.
Guwahati, Nov 29 (IBNS) : At least six people of a marriage party were killed in a road mishap in Assams Darrang district on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the incident took place at National Highway near Dalgaon Batabari in Darrang district, while head on collision between a Wagon R car and a sand laden truck.

A top police official said that, two people, who travelled in the Wagon R car came from attending a marriage party died on spot and four others seriously injured and they had rushed to nearest hospital.

But the injured four persons succumbed their injuries at hospital, the police official said.

Four among six deceased persons were identified as Sivshankar Choudhury, Usman Ansari, Iman Ansari and Nadim Ansari.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)

Image:google maps
Guwahati, Nov 29 (IBNS) : At least two persons were injured when suspected NSCN (IM) militants attacked at a workshop of a coal mining company in upper Assams Tinsukia district on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the reports, an armed group of the outfit had attacked at the workshop of a coal mining company at Ledo near Margherita in the upper Assam district and torched five vehicles parked at the workshop.

The armed group consisting around 25 members had blank fired and beaten up the employees of the workshop. Two labourers of the workshop received injuries in the militant attacked and they were later admitted at nearest hospital, a police official of Tinsukia district said.

The armed group had burnt down four dumpers and a tanker used by the company for mining.

The armed group had fled from the area before security personnel arrived.

Meanwhile, Tinsukia police and army had launched operation at the area against the attackers.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath,Image: Internet Wallpaper )
Guwahati, Nov 29 (IBNS): Assam State Election Commission is planning to hold the panchayat poll in the state before February 15 next year.

State Election Commissioner Harendra Nath Bora said that, the state election commission is planning to hold the panchayat poll ahead of the High School Leaving Ceritificate (HSLC) examination conducted by SEBA.

We have already sent messages to all District Commissioners and SDO to make preparedness of the panchayat poll. We are planned to hold the panchayat poll in two or three phases starting from January next year, the state election commissioner said.

The state election commissioner also said that, the state election commission also wrote to the state government regarding the poll matter.

Meanwhile, the state election commission had issued a notification (SEC.24/2017/55) on November 17 last and fixing the maximum limits of expenditure in panchayat election.

According to the notification, expenditure limit of Rs 6.40 lakh is fixed for Zila Parishad member, while Rs 1.60 lakh for Anchalik Panchayat member and Gaon Panchayat president and Rs 16,000 for Gaon Panchayat member.

On the other hand, the state election commission also asked the DCs and SDOs to submit the report of latest position of ballot boxes after repairing.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


New Delhi, Nov 29 (IBNS): Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh said Indian agriculture has made rapid growth in food, fruits, vegetables, dairy and fishery production.

The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of two-day national level workshop on Peri-Urban Agriculture, organized by Haryana Agriculture Department.

He further said that the unprecedented development in agricultural production is setting an example for the world and they are trying to learn our techniques and adopt them.

Singh said, in the last three years, the Ministry has developed innovative schemes, provided necessary funds and made policy-making decisions which had a far-reaching effect on the agriculture sector.

Singh said to achieve the target of doubling farmers income by 2022, set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry is not only working towards increasing the production but also focusing on proper processing techniques, traffic, and market expansion to make agriculture profitable.

He said under Peri-Urban Agriculture small and large-scale agricultural production will be done in and around the cities.

The Agriculture Minister further said that Peri-Urban Agriculture can help in climate change adaptation through diversification of food resources for the urban population.

Singh said due to rapid urbanization in the past years, demand for vegetables, fruits and flowers is constantly increasing in these areas. Peri-Urban Agriculture can contribute to price stabilization through the development of important local food production centres of the diversified food system.

"This will reduce the burden on transport, and help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cold storages," he said.

Singh said that, we are developing a system that will supply food to cities from 100 to 200 km.

"This will help in creating attractive employment option and prevent the conversion of agricultural land near urban areas into cities and towns. The government is promoting quality in agriculture through food processing and in this regard Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana has been launched with an allocation of Rs.6,000 crore rupees," said he.

The Minister said that Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) has helped in production and productivity, post-harvest management and marketing by providing assistance in the production of quality seeds, protected agriculture, vegetable and organic farming.

Singh said that, cow and buffaloes rearing around the cities for milk is an ancient practice. Ministry of Agriculture has implemented important schemes to promote milk production.

The Minister added said that Rashtriya Gokul Mission was launched in December 2014 to conserve and develop indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner.

The projects have been sanctioned in 27 states of the country with the funds of Rs.1,077 crore under the Mission to double the productivity of domestic bovines. Through this process, the species of 41 domestic bovines and 13 mahish bovines is being promoted and developed.

A sum of Rs. 173 crore has been sanctioned for 18 Gokul Grams in 12 states under Gokul Gram Scheme. For the first time, two National Kamdhenu Breeding Centres in Chintaldevi district Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, and Itarsi, district Hoshangabad, MP, with the funds of Rs.50 crore are being established for the preservation and promotion of domestic bovines in scientific way.

With Rs.10 crore, 2 Gokul villages are being set up in Haryana  one in Hisar and one in Ladwa Gaushala. An announcement has been made for implementation of DIDF (Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund) with an outlay of Rs 10,881 crore under the ambitious White Revolution Mission.

Singh said, "Keeping in view the tremendous potentialities of fisheries sector our Honble Prime Minister has declared Blue Revolution. Along with its multi-dimensional activities, the Blue Revolution focuses on the enhancement of fish production and productivity through inland and marine fisheries. The government has also started a new scheme with the name of Deep Sea Fishing under the umbrella of Blue Revolution."

The Agriculture Minister said that the Ministry is also working on Honey Revolution. The National Bee Board has given 205% more financial assistance in the last three years. The number of bee colonies increased from 20 lakh to 30 lakh. There has been 20.54% increase in the production of honey. The center-funded scheme of national beekeeping and honey mission is also being prepared.

Singh said that through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), the government is promoting organic farming in the country. Under this scheme, farmers are encouraged to form groups for organic farming. Under Promotion of City Compost, the Government is providing market development assistance of Rs.1500 per metric tonne.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that housing for all as well as planning for our urban population, which is growing by the day, is a challenge not just for Mizoram but for the entire country.

"It is the focus of flagship programmes of the government of India. The meeting of certain milestones in housing for the poor and in building urban infrastructure will help us achieve the goals of New India by 2022, when we complete 75 years as a independent nation. And New India is simply not possible without New Mizoram," said he.

The President said that there is a vitality to Mizo society that is commendable.

"This state is a role model for the world in terms of peaceful resolution of political disputes. The Mizo Accord of 1986 has been honoured by all sides, and an insurgency situation ended with all stake-holders agreeing to work peacefully for the greater common good of the state and its people. This is a miracle of our times. It gives us an insight into Mizo society  a society of honourable men and women," Kovind said.

He congratulated all the people of Mizoram, including the Church and its affiliated organisations, the youth and womens groups, civil society groups and political parties, for this spirit of fraternity and cooperation.

The President said that the Indian economy is today among the fastest growing in the world. From innovation in agriculture to the digital economy, from manufacturing to the expanding services sector  there are so many good news stories.

"Young people from Mizoram are very much part of the story. In the IT industry, the hospitality industry and other service sector industries, Mizo boys and girls are making their mark in different corners of the country. And their work is drawing admiration for Mizoram. There is admiration for the education and literacy skills of young Mizos. A literacy rate of 91 per cent  as per the 2011 census  is truly remarkable. There is also admiration for the values, work ethic and professionalism of young men and women from Mizoram," the President said.

Kovind said, "We have a lot of hope in the young people of Mizoram. They will build Mizorams future and Indias future. And they are the risk takers, the entrepreneurs and job creators who will shape our destiny. The need is to create more opportunities within Mizoram itself. Like the rest of the Northeast, Mizoram is key to Indias Act East Policy. Trade will grow and to everybodys benefit."

The President noted that Mizoram has so much to offer. Harnessed appropriately, bamboo can be a wonder crop.

"With value addition, it can be used to create a variety of products and many, many jobs. Horticulture is another area with huge potential. Mizoram grows pineapples and exotic fruit such as passion fruit. These deserve a much wider market. And they deserve a thriving food processing industry locally, which can combine technology with the amazing traditional skills of the Mizo people," he added.
Mumbai, Nov 29 (IBNS): Bollywood actress Sunny Leone and her husband Daniel Weber have appeared in a new PETA ad proclaiming, Ink, Not Mink! Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs during World Vegan Month (November).

Both of them have showcased their bold avatar in the ad.

As per the PETA India website, the stunning campaign was shot by ace photographer Subi Samuel and styled by Hitendra Kapopara. The couples hair and make-up were done by Tomas Moucka.

In the campaign, Daniel and Sunny are sporting just little more than high heels and tattoos.

We live in a world with such amazing advances in vegan materials and options for everyone. There is no reason for anyone to support cruelty in any form. Synthetic leather, mock croc, and even faux fur are some of the many great options, Sunny told PETA India website.

We need to be a voice for animals and make sure we understand that, without them, there is no us, adds Weber. We must co-exist and learn to respect," she said.

Sunny was named PETAs Person of the Year in 2016 and has starred in our pro-vegetarianand dog and cat sterilisation campaigns.

Image: PETA India website
New York, Nov 29(Just Earth News): As the most vulnerable countries continue to face serious development challenges, South-South cooperation offers enormous opportunities and potential to effectively support them in accelerating progress on implementing globally agreed goals, a senior United Nations official has said.

This vital message was delivered to delegations gathered yesterday in Antalya, Turkey, for the opening of the Global South-South Development Expo 2017 by Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, the UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).

These are all countries faced with complex and unique development challenges which lend themselves to exploring how and where we can maximize South-South cooperation and leverage global partnerships to support countries' efforts toward sustainable and inclusive futures, said Utoikamanu, who advocates on behalf of 10 billion people in the world's most vulnerable countries.

She is participating in the 2017 Global Expo along with other senior UN officials, government ministers, national development agency directors, and civil society representatives, who have gathered to share innovative local solutions and push for scaling up concrete initiatives from the global South to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The central promise of the 2030 Agenda is to 'leave no-one behind,' and thus is about addressing poverty, reducing inequality and building a sustainable future of shared prosperity, explained Utoikamanu. But it is already clear that these noble Goals will be elusive if the 91 countries my Office is a voice for remain at the bottom of the development ladder.

As such, she said, South-South collaboration has led to increasing trade between and with emerging economies, investors, providers of development cooperation and sources of technological innovations and know-how. This trend is confirmed by trade preferences for [least developed country products], enhanced trade finance opportunities, but also innovative infrastructure finance emerging, noted Utoikamanu.

The complex and pressing challenges the vulnerable countries experience demand that we further strengthen and leverage South-South cooperation, added Utoikamanu. South-South cooperation is not an 'either-or' it is a strategic and complementary means of action for the transfer and dissemination of technologies and innovations. It complements North-South cooperation, she emphasized.

This week's gathering will focus on a number of issues, including how to transfer science, technology and innovation among developing countries.

With that in mind, Utoikamanu said that to a large extent, the future will be determined by the abilities to leverage science, technology and innovation for sustainable growth, structural transformation and inclusive human and social development.

It is proven that innovative technologies developed in the South often respond in more sustainable ways to the contextual needs of developing countries. Last, but not least, this is a question of cost, she said.

In all this, the Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries has a major role to play in boosting science, technology and innovation capacity. It must facilitate technology transfer and promote the integration of [least developed countries] into the global knowledge-based economy.

While countries in the South continue to deepen cooperation to achieve the SDGs, the trend of declining official development assistance (ODA) is cause for great concern. ODA remains a crucial source of external financing for the vulnerable groups of countries UN-OHRLLS represents, she said.

OHRLLS is committed to working with countries both of the North and the South to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and above all its pledge of leaving no one behind, concluded Utoikamanu.

Photo UN News/Maoqi Li

Source: www.justearthnews.com




Briefing the Council on the security situation in the worlds newest country, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Bintou Keita also raised concerns about the growing number of incidents targeting humanitarian actors and restrictions on movement of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) personnel.



The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to be dire, compounded by widespread armed conflict, inter-communal violence, large displacements of the civilian population and access restrictions which prevents the delivery of humanitarian assistance, Keita said.



Some four million South Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes in the conflict that erupted nearly four years ago following a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President, Riek Machar. Despite an August 2015 peace agreement, violence has continued.



According to UN figures, nearly half of the countrys 12 million people are hungry, including about 1.7 million on the brink of famine.



The situation is likely to get worse with onset of the dry season, Keita said, and the Governments push to assert military dominance across the country, notably when faced with continued resistance by armed opposition groups.



She stressed that the conflict in South Sudan can only have a political solution and urged the international community to provide unified and unconditional support for the peace process.



Keita encouraged the 15-member council to unanimously express its support to the urgent revitalization of the peace process so that the suffering of all South Sudanese civilians can come to an end.



Those efforts are being led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with support from neighbouring countries, such as Uganda, to revitalize the implementation of the peace agreement and to bring stakeholders together.



An IGAD task force is now meeting informally in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire  where the fifth African Union and European Union summit will begin tomorrow  and will formally discuss the situation in South Sudan in mid-December.



UN Photo/Rick Bajornas



Source: www.justearthnews.com


















The meeting was held at UN Headquarters in New York in response to growing international concerns about risks facing migrants and refugees, which were illustrated by recent news reports and videos showing African migrants in Libya allegedly being sold as slaves.



This is an enormous human tragedy and we can stop it, said William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), via video link from Geneva, underscoring the need to break the smugglers business model.



In such efforts, IOM has helped 13,000 people get out of detention centres in Libya and 8,000 in Niger, he said, noting that there are about 15,000 still in such facilities.



IOM is working with partners, including the Government of Libya, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the African Union, the European Union, and countries of origin, to forge an agreement to implement a programme to empty those detention centres, Swing said.



Also briefing was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who told the Council: The grave abuses perpetrated against migrants and refugees along the Central Mediterranean routes can no longer be ignored.



Compelled to flee, but without legal pathways to safety, refugees are exposed to appalling harm, together with migrants, including torture, rape, sexual exploitation, slavery and other forms of forced labour, Grandi said, also via video link from Geneva, adding that these abuses proliferate where governance is weak and transnational criminal networks take root.



This requires a comprehensive approach encompassing countries of origin, transit, and destination, he stressed, highlighting the need to strengthen refugee protection and offer solutions along the routes.



UNHCR is stepping up its work  but faces dramatic funding gaps, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, he added.



UNHCR is helping the authorities address the needs of displaced Libyans and others affected by conflict. Reception and protection mechanisms are being incrementally strengthened. Plans for a transit centre in Tripoli are progressing positively.



Too often, measures pursued in relation to the Mediterranean routes have centred on how to control, deter and exclude. This can have a dehumanizing effect  and more importantly, alone, it does not help refugees and migrants avoid exploitative, deeply harmful situations, Grandi said, calling for a comprehensive set of political, security, humanitarian, human rights and development investments.



Your attention is welcome, because your leadership is critical to ensuring that this happens, he told the Council members.



Photo: UNHCR/Iason Foounten



Source: www.justearthnews.com






New York, Nov 29(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday reiterated that he would continue to work to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a two-state solution, and vowed to denounce hate speech aimed at Israelis.

I will continue to speak out against anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, hate speech and the use of anti-Semitic appeals by violent extremist groups to recruit new followers, Guterres said in remarks delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, at the Queens Museum in New York.

The event marked the 70th anniversary of General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for the division of the former British mandate for Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Adopted on 29 November 1947, the resolution led to the birth of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948.

Resolution 181 was subsequently cited in the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, marking the beginning of a relationship between Israel and the United Nations that has endured and deepened, even during challenging times, Guterres said.

He noted that since becoming a UN Member State in 1949, the cooperation between the UN and Israel has grown in peacekeeping, sustainable development and disaster relief, among others.

Having visited Israel three months ago, Guterres said he saw remarkable examples of innovation and solutions that can help all countries fight climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Photo

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Nov 29(Just Earth News): With violent extremists having suffered defeats in Syria and Iraq, the international community must step up cooperation to address the complex problem of foreign terrorist fighters returning home or travelling to other regions, the head of the United Nations Office against Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General of the recently-created UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, told the Council that at one time, more than 40,000 combatants from over 110 countries had joined terrorist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq.

The threat stemming from foreign terrorist fighters affects all Member States, even those far away from the conflict zones, he said, laying out the scale of the problem in a briefing to the Council.

Noting that while travel measures implemented by countries and military victories against the so-called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Daesh) have significantly decreased flows to the region, combatants have since tried to relocate to Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan  fuelling existing conflicts in these countries.

Meanwhile, some 5,600 fighters from 33 nations have returned home, many equipped to carry attacks out on their native soil, or drum up new recruits.

Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose an enormous challenge with no easy solution, Voronkov continued.

A tempting response, and certainly the easiest one, would to be throw all returnees into prison [] But full compliance with international law is vital to combat the threat of foreign terrorist fighters, he stressed.

Lone terrorists, an alarming trend

Speaking on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Executive Director Michyle Coninsx strongly condemned the recent heinous and cowardly terrorist attack in Egypt, and expressed her deepest condolences to the families of all victims of terror attacks.

All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, she told the Council.

Despite recent successes, Coninsx acknowledged the significant challenges posed by the global terrorist threat. She noted the accelerated rate with which foreign terrorist fighters are returning to their original or a third State, along with an increase in the percentage of terrorist plots resulting in fatalities.

Of particular concern is the increasing trend towards attacks carried out by lone terrorists, who are often guided by handlers located in other parts of the world, she underscored.

Many recent attacks that appear to have been inspired by ISIL, conducted in its name, or claimed by ISIL, were initially reported as lone actor attacks. Subsequent investigations have shown however, that those individuals received support or resources from elsewhere, often via the Internet or social media, Coninsx added, pointing out that terrorists are also increasingly using new technologies to transfer funds to those individuals. new technologies to transfer funds to those individuals.

She cited a number of challenges in combatting foreign terrorist fighters, saying International cooperation continues to be undermined by practical and political challenges, as well as by inconsistent compliance with human rights obligations.

The Executive Director espoused the importance of strengthening partnerships between and among Member States, UN agencies and partner organizations, asserting: It takes networks to beat networks.

ISIL suffering defeats, but adapting, with entrenched Internet presence

Kairat Umarov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, also briefed the Council in his capacity as Chair of the Sanctions Committee on Al-Qaida and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) and associated groups.

Noting that the threat from ISIL/Daesh, Al-Qaida and affiliates has evolved since his last relevant briefing in May  including by delegating decision-making to local commanders and switching to encrypted communication  he said ISIL also continues to use external attacks by its members and sympathizers as part of its response.

Increasingly, ISIL is transforming from a territorially grounded organization into a terror network of cells around the globe, he said, adding that it sent funds to its affiliates worldwide.

While ISIL/Daesh is being physically weakened, its presence in the virtual world is entrenched, posing a serious threat to international peace and security. It uses Internet propaganda both for radicalization and the recruitment of fighters, employing sophisticated manipulation and brainwashing techniques.

Noting that the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into Iraq and Syria had slowed due to military pressure and improved border control, he said those fighters returning home or relocating present another threat to global security, as they had the potential to re-energize existing terrorist networks or spur the growth of new ones.

As Chair of the Committee, he said he is working to address those challenges by visiting countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Russia and Uzbekistan, where he attended a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on fighting terrorism across borders. The Committee is working to ensure that its sanctions list is updated and as accurate as possible, he said, noting that it currently included 256 individuals and 80 entities.

Photo: IRIN

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Pyongyang/Washington, Nov 29 (IBNS): After a brief hiatus in what is seemingly a daily routine for North Korea, Kim and his men fired another missile, reportedly their highest ever, according to US Defence Secretary James Mattis.

The missile was launched on Wednesday early morning and landed in Japanese waters.

According to South Korea sources, the missile travelled a distance of 960 kilometres and reached a height of 4,500 kilometres (2,800 miles).

North Korea last conducted a missile test in September.

According to Mattis, the missile "went higher, frankly, than any previous shots they have taken".

He added that the country is building "ballistic missiles that threaten everywhere in the world".

Meanwhile, following North Korea's actions, US President Donald Trump has urged the Democrats to allow troop funding and not hold it 'hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration'.

"After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military! Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can't now threaten a shutdown to get their demands," his tweet read.

Trump also said, "We will take care of it."

North Korea has defied all sanctions against it in the past and continued with its missile programme and following Wednesday's actions, it proved that nothing has changed, much to the chagrin of the international community.

The series of tests have also kept other nations, the likes of China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US on its toes.

Earlier, in order to drain the money flow and choke North Korea's aforementioned programme, the US pressurised the UN to put a heavy sanction on the rogue nation.

What followed was a battle of words between two heads of state, Donald Trump of America and Kim Jong-un of North Korea.

While Trump taunted Kim with 'Little Rocket Man' tag, the latter shot back, calling the US President a 'Dotard'.
Bali, Nov 29 (IBNS) : Bali airport reopened on Wednesday, two days after a volcanic eruption spread ash across the island and forced it to close.

"Bali's international airport started operating normally," local media reports quoted air traffic control provider AirNav as saying in a statement.

The statement said that operations resumed at 2:28pm (local time).

Despite the reopening, Qantas and Jetstar flights were not due to resume right away.

Singapore Airlines said it would also resume flights between Singapore and Bali.

The airport said as many as 430 domestic and international flights had been disrupted on Wednesday.

The reopening followed a downgrade in the authorities' aviation warning to "orange", one level below the most serious.

The decision to resume operations followed an emergency meeting at the airport, weighing up weather conditions, tests and data from AirNav and other groups.
Kabul, Nov 29 (IBNS): At least seven Taliban militants have been killed in an airstrikes conducted by foreign troops in Afghanistan's Logar province.

The operations were carried out on Tuesday afternoon, at around 1 pm.

The same was confirmed by Wali Wakil, a provincial government member.

The Taliban has so far not commented on the report.
Kabul, Nov 29 (IBNS) : The infighting among the Taliban and ISIS militants has spread to eastern Laghman province as reports indicate the two sides have suffered heavy casualties in the latest clashes.

Local Khaampa Press has quoted the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan army in the East as saying that the latest clashes broke out in Khogyani district on Tuesday and spread to eastern Laghman province, leaving at least 20 dead or wounded.

The Silab Corps officials said at least six ISIS militants were killed and four others were wounded during the clashes in Pira Khel area of Khogyani.

The officials further added that eight Taliban insurgents were also wounded during the same clashes.

In the meantime, the Silab Corps officials are saying that two Taliban group local leaders were killed during a separate clash in Alingar district of Laghman.

According to the officials, the incident took place in the vicinity of Noorlam Sahib valley of the district.

The anti-government armed militant groups including the Taliban and ISIS militants have not commented regarding the report so far.

Taliban and ISIS militants continue to clash among each other since last few weeks but this is the first time the clashes between the two sides have spread from Nangahrar to neighboring Laghman province.

Scores of militants have been killed or wounded from the two sides during the clashes in Nangarhar so far.


Wikimedia Commons

Islamabad, Nov 29 (IBNS): Days after Pakistan released Jamaatud Dawas (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, former military dictator Pervez Musharraf declared his complete support for the militant groups.

Speaking at a news television programme on late Tuesday night, Musharraf said, "I am the greatest supporter of Lashkar and I know they (Lashkar and Jamat-ud-Dawa) are fond of me."

Musharraf is currently in Dubai, where he has taken refuge after Pakistan charged him with treason.

"The reason that I like these organizations is that I have always been in favour of action in Kashmir and pressuring the Indian army there. This (LeT and JuD) is the biggest force and they have been declared terrorists by India and the US jointly," Musharraf said.

Saeed is suspected of masterminding the attack Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people.
New York City, Nov 29 (IBNS): The man who attacked and killed at least eight people and injured 12 others in New York's Manhattan area in October after ploughing through a crowd using a truck, has pleaded not guilty, reports said.

Sayfullo Saipov, who was arrested from the scene, filed his plea in the federal court on Tuesday.

He had migrated to USA from Uzbekistan in 2010.

The Manhattan attack was deemed the worst after the infamous 9/11 attacks.

Even though he pleaded not guilty through his court appointed lawyer, opposition lawyers stated how he bragged about the murders later, while receiving treatment in a facility.

Saipov faces 22 murder and terrorism charges, including providing help to Islamic State.

US President Donald Trump has urged the law for a capital punishment for Saipov, and while that is an option, prosecutors are yet to deliver a verdict.

According to investigators, the attacker was inspired by propaganda videos and reportedly bragged about feeling good about what he had done.

His next hearing is scheduled for Jan 23.

Image: Twitter
Ottawa, Nov 29 (IBNS): Apologising to the LGBT community, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said it is "our collective shame" to mistreat people on the basis of their sexual orientation, continuing in the country for a long time, media reports said.

Trudeau, who was delivering a speech in the House of Commons, said: "You are professionals. You are patriots. And above all, you are innocent. And for all your suffering, you deserve justice, and you deserve peace."

"It is our collective shame that you were so mistreated. And it is our collective shame that this apology took so long  many who suffered are no longer alive to hear these words. And for that, we are truly sorry" the Canadian PM was quoted by CBC News.

The applause from Trudeau's colleagues in the House made the PM move to tears at times.

The PM said: "Our laws made private and consensual sex between same-sex partners a criminal offence, leading to the unjust arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of Canadians."

"This criminalization would have lasting impacts for things like employment, volunteering, and travel" he added.

Calling the attack on the community a "witch-hunt", Trudeau said the government laws and policies have only emboldened the attackers and legitimised violence.

Trudeau said: "From the 1950s to the early 1990s, the government of Canada exercised its authority in a cruel and unjust manner, undertaking a campaign of oppression against members, and suspected members, of the LGBT communities."

"Those who admitted they were gay were fired, discharged, or intimidated into resignation. They lost dignity, lost careers, and had their dreams and indeed, their lives, shattered.," the PM added.

Trudeau in recent times were seen in an apologetic mood as the PM, days ago, begged apology from the First Nations people.

Trudeau on Friday apologised to hundreds of first nations' people who had undergone abuse in a boarding school system.

The indigenous people were forcefully placed into a system of boarding school but the system was full of abuses.

Trudeau apologised to the indigenous students who had to attend the residential schools in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Today, we apologize to former students of Newfoundland and Labrador residential schools and to the families, loved ones, and communities for the painful & tragic legacy these schools left behind.." Trudeau said on Twitter.

Along with the apology, the PM acknowledged the many Innu, Inuit, and NunatuKavut children who were neglected and abused, and who suffered lasting damage to their culture and language because of the residential school system.

Trudeau said: "For every Innu, Inuit, and NunatuKavut child in Newfoundland and Labrador who suffered discrimination, mistreatment, abuse, and neglect in residential schools  we are sorry. While this long overdue apology will not undo the harm done, we offer it as a sign that we as a government and as a country accept responsibility for our failings."

"It is our shared hope that we can learn from this past and continue to advance our journey of reconciliation and healing. We have the power to be better and to do better., the PM added.

The Prime Minister even said the government needs to acknowledge the past where intergenerational trauma had affected the first nations people.

However, according to some media reports, the local leaders feel Trudeau's apology is just not enough.

Students, who were separated from their parents, had to endure emotional, physical and sexual abuses in the boarding schools.



(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)

Image: Official Facebook page of Justin Trudeau
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Environmentalists sue to block dangerous Rosemont copper mine

By Isaac WindesCronkite News

WASHINGTON  Environmental groups sued the Forest Service this week to block what they called the dangerous Rosemont copper mine, citing concerns ranging from habitat destruction to drinking water contamination at the project southeast of Tucson.

The Forest Service said Tuesday it will not comment on pending litigation. But Hudbay Minerals, the Canada-based parent company of the Rosemont Copper Mine , said it expects the suit will fail, the latest in one of many legal challenges in the permitting process.

The 75-page suit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Tucson, is the latest in at least a decades worth of challenges to the proposed pit mine in the Santa Rita Mountains that would be a mile wide, 1.5 miles long and more than 3,000 feet deep.

The suit  by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition and a group called Save the Scenic Santa Ritas  claims that the Forest Service did not review the proposed mine, consistent with over a dozen state and federal regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

If the economic and environmental review were done consistent with federal law, including NEPA, the federal government would have found that this is not the right mine, and not the right place, said David Steele, a spokesman for Save the Scenic Santa Ritas.

The lawsuit said there was not enough analysis on the impact of the mine  which it said would use about 4.8 million gallons per day, mostly supplied by groundwater wells in the Santa Cruz Valley  on surrounding aquifers and water supplies. Opponents said water supplies are at risk of pollution and irreversible depletion in the arid region.

They also pointed to the final environmental impact statement, which noted that modeling on the mine pit lake indicate that various contaminant levels that would result from these mining processes may exceed surface water quality standards for wildlife.

The entrance to the site of the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine, about 30 miles southeast of Tucson. If approved, the pit min here could be a mile wide and 1.5 miles long. Photo courtesy GoogleEarth

What this is, is a foreign mining company taking the water from a very arid region to wash rocks  thats what they are basically doing, Steele said. The impacts will be devastating to the environment and to surrounding communities.

In a prepared statement Monday, Hudbay flatly rejected the claims raised in the lawsuit.

Rosemont has been under review for nearly a decade and considered in that time by 17 cooperating agencies, mostly at the federal and state levels, the statement said. The project record, which culminated in the Record of Decision, includes nearly 50,000 technical reports and references.

2009 study by Arizona State Universitys W.P. Carey School of Business estimated that the mine would result in about $27 billion in economic impact over its life of 20-plus years and the creation of 4,500 jobs.

But Steele said the project has air-quality implications, and it puts endangered animals including the jaguar at risk. That was echoed by the Center for Biological Diversity, which has a separate suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the mine that it said would permanently destroy endangered species habitat.

The Forest Service should be working to protect rivers, streams and wildlife in the Coronado National Forest, not greenlighting this destructive project, said Marc Fink, a senior attorney with the center, in a news release on the latest suit.

The mine is still awaiting Army Corps of Engineers approval of a clean water permit, making the Forest Service approval of the project premature, said Arizona Mining Reform Coalition Director Roger Featherstone.

The Forest Service isnt allowed to grant the mine permits unless it is in accordance with all other agencies and permits, Featherstone said. So its kind of silly for them to grant a permit when the Army Corps has given every indication that they plan on denying the permit.

Edward Coffey, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division, said the agency was still deliberating whether or not to grant the permit. He said the Corps provides input to the Forest Service, which can make its decision at any time.

Featherstone said his organization is not against all mining, but that there are some places that should just never be mined  and this is one of those places.

Join the Conversation
Trump won't be going to Bears Ears or to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument , which also will be downsized, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. He will instead be making his announcement hundreds of miles away in Salt Lake, the state capital, the paper said.

The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition fought for the designation of Bears Ears in order to protect ancestral villages, burial grounds and sacred sites. The Hopi Tribe , the Navajo Nation , the Ute Tribe , the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Zuni Pueblo are planning to sue the Trump administration on the day of the president's announcement, The Tribune reported.

The tribes view this as an affront to themselves and their own self-determination, Natalie Landreth an attorney for the Native American Rights Fund , told The Tribune. All of us, all five tribes, will be suing jointly the day he makes an announcement.

The monument, as designated by former president Barack Obama, covers about 1.3 million acres. Trump could reduce the size by as much as 80 percent, an aide to a key Republican lawmaker said last month.

"I would say with some certainty, that in regards to Bears Ears, that that monument will probably end up being somewhere between 100,000 and 300,000 acres," Ron Dean, a director of operations for Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), told Utah Legislature's Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands on November 14

Secretary Ryan Zinke discusses his recommendation to revise the Bears Ears National Monument at the National Congress of American Indians midyear conference in Connecticut. He is asking Congress to authorize tribal co-management of a portion of the monument in Utah, claiming neither the Department of the Interior nor President Donald Trump have the power to do that. Session held at Mohegan Sun on the Mohegan Reservation. June 13, 2017. #NCAIMY17 Posted by Indianz.Com on Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Secretary Zinke on Bears Ears: 'I talked to the tribes before, I talked to the tribes after'

Neither the White House, nor the Department of the Interior , have confirmed Trump's plans. But Hatch has been the president's key source of information on the monuments -- Hatch received the first call about the reductions in late October and again this week regarding Monday's visit.

The tribes, on the other hand, have been kept out of the loop. They have repeatedly complained of inadequate consultation from Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke , who has otherwise defended his outreach on the monument.

"I talked to the tribes," Zinke said during his first appearance before the National Congress of American Indians in June, not long after he visited Bears Ears in Utah. I talked to the tribes before, I talked to the tribes after. I called all the tribes."

Read More on the Story: Trump will shrink Bears Ears during Utah visit Monday, when five tribes promise to sue him (The Salt Lake Tribune November 28, 2017) Trump to meet with Mormon leaders while in Utah to shrink Bears Ears, Grand Staircase monuments (The Salt Lake Tribune November 28, 2017) Senator: Trump to visit Utah to announce monument changes (The Associated Press November 28, 2017) Trump to visit Utah on Monday to announce his plans to shrink Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments (The Washington Post November 29, 2017)

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As he kicked off a power-packed campaign of the BJP in his home state Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocked Congress and said, "I am the son of soil. How dare Congress insult your son? I am a poor man who has taken the seat of power from the Congress. And they are very angry with me. They believe it is theirs as if they have inherited it. I am a 'chaiwala,' I sell only tea. I will never commit the sin of selling the country."

ap

Also read: 11 Important Things PM Narendra Modi Said At Global Entrepreneurship Summit In Hyderabad

The response came after Congress mocked him last week for being a 'chaiwala' and threatened to reduce the leader to that stature once again.

But Twitter had other plans. They quickly found an opportunity in Modi's words - jokes that will tickle your funny bone.

Also read: PM Narendra Modi 'By Far' The Most Popular Politician In India, Finds Pew Survey

Here goes:

What interviewers look for.

Interviewer -What are your key skills?

Me: #___

  Tweetberry (@Tweetberry_) November 28, 2017

What a lover wants to hear.

Girl:-Tell me those magical words.

Me:- #___  MOHD TARIQ ANWAR (@tariq_amu) November 28, 2017

What IST now stands for.

The official full form of IST (Indian Standard Time) has changed. It is now "I Sold Tea" #___  Narenpal Singh (@narenpalsingh) November 28, 2017

What your bio says.

Interviewer - Please describe your self in brief..

Me - #___  Rofl Modi (@R0flModi) November 28, 2017

What your future plans entail.

CCD: Sir! What wud u like to have? Tea or Coffee?

Namo: I dont buy. I only sell#___  Mukesh Mittal (@hallagullaboy) November 28, 2017

What Sharmaji ka beta never did.

Voter- why should I vote for you?? Modi- #___  Paurush Sharma (@paurushsh) November 28, 2017

What telecallers will never, ever ask you again.

Telecaller: Sir kya aap loan lene me interested hai??

Moti : #___  Aftab (@AFTABROCKING) November 28, 2017

If you have too sold tea and not the country, we salute you!
A British company releases the first picture of the worlds first smart condom, i.Con, a device that can actually record your performance under the sheets! Similar to what a Fitbit does, but for your penis!

thesun.co.uk

Whats a smart condom you ask?

British Condoms, a popular condom store in the UK, is the first company ever to develop a smart condom that created a device to track your vital stats while youre having sex; similar to fitness trackers.

thesun.co.uk

i.Con is a ring that can be worn your condom sitting over your condoms base and record data while you thrust on it through its nano-chips and sensors; transferring data to the app on your smartphone.

Here are some of the features i.Con claims its iconic condom has to offer:

-Measures the number of calories while having sex. (The current average is about a 100 calories per session according to a study conducted by the University of Montreal).

-The speed of a mans thrust and the total number of thrusts (similar to cadence and total number of steps in a day tracked on a fitness band).

thesun.co.uk

-And how long a man lasts according to the positions he gets into and the total frequency of your sessions.

-Its lightweight, water-resistant, and even bleach resistant (because otherwise, you may have to spend time cleaning it incessantly).

thesun.co.uk

-It even measures the girth of your member!

The device will also help people see how they stack up against others from across the world!

However, were not really sure how happy people may be with the idea of letting anonymous users spy on such private data.

lowyat.net

It even has a bizzare light that illuminates the nether regions of both partners!

Amazingly, it can also prevent sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and syphilis, claim the manufacturers. Not just detect but it can prevent your condom from slipping and prevent the spread of an infection.

urbangeekz.com

The company claims that 900,000 people have already written to them expressing their interest in this gadget, which has preempted them to go on sale January next year in the UK.
With virtual currency taking over the world, bitcoins are the hottest talk of the town in the investment world. Although this cryptocurrency has been on the market for last nine years, it's only now that everyone seems to be talking about it. In 2013, when the value of bitcoins hit $1000, the early investors in the currency became millionaires. As it is said, the more the risk, the more the return. So, here are 10 millionaires and billionaires who became filthy rich by investing/trading in bitcoins.

1. Satoshi Nakamoto  $1.1 billion

The man himself, Santoshi Nakamoto is the creator of bitcoins. His identity is unknown to the world; Satoshi Nakamoto is a name he prefers to go by but it's not his real name. It was his idea that gave birth to bitcoins and now, he's number one on the bitcoins-billionaires list.

Reuters

2. The FBI - $100 million

Surprising, right? Well, there's a backstory. Dread Pirate Roberts aka Ross Ulbricht, creator of The Silk Road, a black market on the deep web, became a millionaire by investing in bitcoins anonymously, even before bitcoins hit $1000. After much difficulty, thanks to the anonymous nature of bitcoins, FBI tracked him down and he was sentenced to life in prison for money laundering, hacking and conspiracy to traffic narcotics. Later when FBI shut down The Silk Road and confiscated over 144,000 bitcoins, it became the owner of the largest bitcoin wallet.

Reuters

3. Roger Ver  $52 Million

Roger Ver is the first bitcoin startup investor, though he was already an established entrepreneur before investing in bitcoins. It's because of his word of mouth marketing, he was given the name Bitcoin Jesus. Since then, there's no looking back for him. He went on to become richer than he already was and even donated money to different charities.

Roger Ver - Facebook

4. Charlie Shrem  $45 Million

Charlie Shrem is one of the most influential bitcoin millionaires. He invested in bitcoins when he was just 22 years old and went on to start his own venture, BitInstant. But later, in 2014, he was imprisoned for laundering money to deep web black market, The Silk Road. According to Shrem, he did not knowingly handle any money for illicit purposes. He was released in 2016 and that's when he launched another venture known as Intellisys Capital.

Charlie Shrem - Facebook

5. Dave Carlson  $35 Million

Dave Carlson was one of the first few people who became bitcoin millionaires. He started his own company in his basement called MegaBigPower and began to mine bitcoins on an industrial level. He made over $8 million per month in 2016.

Dave Carlson - Twitter

6. Jered Kenna  $30 Million

Jered Kenna invested in bitcoins when its value was only 20 cents per coin and it was much later when he earned money on those coins. After his returns, he then launched multiple business ventures of his own. Currently, he runs a craft brewery in Colombia.

Jered Kenna - Twitter

7. Tony Gallippi  $20 Million

Tony Gallippi was one the first few people who discovered the bitcoin payment process. His company, Bitpay was extremely popular and employed over 80 people in 2014. It was Gallippi's aim to have over one million merchants enrolled by 2016 and he has indeed met that target.

Tony Gallippi - Twitter

8. Winklevoss Twins  $11 Million

These twins came into the limelight after their legal fight with Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. They have several business ventures and once they invested in bitcoins, it led them to become the owners of $11 million. The net worth of these twins is over $400 million.

Cameron Winklevoss - Twitter

9. Yifu Guo  $5 Million

Yifu Guo, a student of NYU, mastered the first purpose-built bitcoin miner. He started his own company, Avalon in 2012. The company produced miners that were sold out as soon as they were developed. A lot of other companies started selling bitcoin miners after Avalon, but Yifu Guo was the first to become a bitcoin millionaire by selling such miners.

Bitcoin - Facebook

10. Gavin Andersen  $2 million

A lot of people say that Santoshi Nakamoto is actually Gavin Anderson but he has always denied this rumour. He was chosen as Nakamotos successor in 2010. Once, he was paid over $200,000 by the Bitcoin Foundation for his contributions.

Crypto Coin News - Twitter

So are you planning to invest in bitcoins anytime soon?
At the 25th annual Bal des Debutantes in Paris, 20 young women were introduced to the society at the famed event. These women included Ananya Pandey and Reese Witherspoon's daughter, Ava Phillippe.

With her very handsome and charming cavalier Prince Philip dArenberg  @lebal.paris #beautifulnight #lebal2017 A post shared by Bhavana Pandey (@bhavanapandey) on Nov 27, 2017 at 3:57am PST

The 18-year-old debutant, Phillippe - who is often hailed as her mother's doppelganger - entered with her escort, Maharaja Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur.

Also read: Celebrations Continue For Zaheer Khan And Sagarika Ghatge, Host A Blockbuster Reception

Yes! She danced with an Indian prince and everyone looked mesmerised.

Le Bal, Paris ! @avaphillippe A post shared by Padmanabh Singh (@pachojaipur) on Nov 27, 2017 at 3:26am PST

The duo took to the dance floor for the first waltz. Phillippe twirled to a song from hit movie La La Land.





The two looked nothing short of spectacular as the attendees watched on with rapt attention.

Also read: Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar Returns To India, Gets A Warm Welcome At The Airport

Beauties, aren't they?
Cance, the word itself brings a chill down the spines, despite all the medical advances it has made. In most of the cases, those diagnosed with the deadly condition could actually see their world and dreams shatter before them. But then there are some who fight back cancer and also win.

AFP/ Representational Image

Solanki Halder is one of those who fought back and lived to tell her story. In a viral Facebook post, Solanki shared her inspiring story about how she fought cancer.

"I was 26 when I first noticed a lump in my breast. I went to the doctor but was misdiagnosed around four times. A year passed and my lump had grown from 2 cm to 10 cm. I went to a multi-specialty hospital and insisted on doing a test," she wrote.

Being You/ Facebook

However, after a detailed examination in Tata Medical Centre in Mumbai, Solanki was left with a result that was difficult for her to digest.

"One night, as my friends celebrated successful placements, I stared at my results. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Stage 3 breast cancer. The reports couldn't be true, I thought. I was 27 years old. Breast cancer was a disease which happened to older women."

As she began her chemo session, Solanki lost her hair and in her words 'felt alien' in her own body. But she remained positive and continued the grueling treatment as she could feel a tumour shrinking within.

AFP/ Representational Image

"After finishing college, I went to Mumbai and got a chemo port inserted as my veins were burnt with the medicines by now. I started a series of twelve weekly sessions and flew back for my convocation two days later. When I climbed on the IIMB stage, everyone clapped louder than ever."

After 20 sessions of radiotherapy to destroy any stray cells which burnt her skin black, Solanki says she couldn't feel a tumour anymore.

Though the doctors have declared Solanki free of cancer, the treatment and heavy dose of medicines have leftt her weak.

AFP/ Representational Image

"I have the support of my family, friends and especially my boyfriend who has stood by me like a rock. We are getting married in December. I cant wait to start this new phase of my life with a man who has loved me not only at my best but also at my worst and held on at my weakest. Though some people are surprised that we are getting married but true love is about loving ones soul," she wrote.
ISRO/Representational Image

The first mission is likely to be the launch of Cartosat-2E remote-sensing spacecraft along with 28 nano and micro-satellites in early January if delayed from December end. Read more





Here are more top news of the day:





1) Maggi In Hot Water After UP Slaps Rs 45 Lakh Fine On The Instant Noodle Maker For Excessive Ash

BCCL

The Uttar Pradesh government has slapped a combined fine of Rs 62 lakhs, out of which Rs 45 lakhs is on the manufacturer Nestle India, Rs 15 lakh on distributors and Rs 2 lakh each on two sellers after a lab test found presence of ash content higher than the permissible limit in samples of Maggi instant noodles. Read more

2) 17-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Gang-Raped By Father, Brother, Uncles For Eloping With Lover In UP

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A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by her father, brother and two uncles on Tuesday in Dhandheda village of Muzaffarnagar for eloping with her lover. The accused were arrested after the minor filed a complaint against them. Read more

3) Soldiers Asked To Delete WeChat, Truecaller From Phones To Avoid Espionage

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The Indian security establishment has asked troops posted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the border with China, to delete a number of mobile applications like WeChat, Truecaller, Weibo, UC Browser and UC News from their smartphones, or reformat the devices altogether, to guard against online espionage attempts from across the border. Read more

4) Amid Record Level Of Homelessness, UK To Set Up Vending Machine With Free Food, Clothing To Help Poor

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Britain has come up with an amzing idea to help the poor and the needy, it will soon set up the world's first vending machine for the homeless that will provide them with free food, clothes as charities in order to help them to survive in winters. Read more

5) Two Indian Origin UK Business Tycoons Come Forward To Maintain Ganga Banks

Vedanta's Anil Agarwal had taken up the Patna riverfront and the Foresight Group's Ravi Mehrotra have offered to look after the Kanpur section as part of the Indian government's offer to UK businesses to maintain stretches of India's longest river, Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said. Read more
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is to double the launch frequency of indigenous satellites by scaling up outsourcing to industry to meet rising demand. Mylswamy Annadurai, the director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), the prime agency for realising satellites for the Indian space programme, said ISRO now launches nine to 10 spacecraft built by it per year.

afp/representational image

"Requirements have gone up. We also have to fill up the backlog. We are targeting to double the launch frequency to 18 per year from 2018-19," Annadurai told PTI.

He said ISRO's experience with the industry has been reasonably good, and vendors are "very enthusiastic" in increasing their contribution to the space programme.

According to ISRO, the participation of the industry in the realisation of space systems such as spacecraft, launch vehicles, establishment and operations of ground support systems and facilities, and implementation of application programmes for the benefit of end users have been steadily growing.

afp/representational image

Isro Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said the space agency does as much activity as possible with the industry.

"Wherever it's possible to get the things done through the industry, we are doing and it will only increase in the coming days because we need to do more frequent activities. There will be an increase in the usage of the industry for the activities," he told PTI.

The chairman said 80 per cent of work relating to launch vehicles (rockets) is done by the industry, whose contribution to the building of satellites is in the range of 30 to 35 per cent.

afp/representational image

"Effort will be to keep increasing it. Finally, (eventually) we feel (only) eight to ten per cent of activities will have to be done within the organisation (and the rest outsourced to industry)," he said.

"Depending on the capability of the industry to take up more and more job (work), it will be done, and as they become more and more capable, the activities will shift to them," he said.

The Isro, Kiran Kumar said, is also looking at the possibility of building a PSLV in a joint venture with a set of industry partners by 2020-21.

"Processes are on. We have to go through a number of clearances, submitting to the government and getting clearances. We are working on that," he said.

afp/representational image

He said ISRO is addressing to resolve bottlenecks in increasing the launch frequency of satellites.

"If we have to do 12 to 18 launches per year, progressively we will see what's limiting that and then work on it. Right now, second (launch) vehicle (rocket) assembly building is what is causing that, and that's getting ready and by the end of this year, it should become operational," he added.

ISRO has been associated with more than 500 small, medium and large-scale industries while implementing various space programmes. So far it has transferred about 300 technologies to Indian industries for commercialisation.

ISRO has been associated with more than 500 small, medium and large-scale industries while implementing various space programmes. So far it has transferred about 300 technologies to Indian industries for commercialisation.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is aiming to launch one spacecraft each month in 2018 from its Andhra Pradesh spaceport at Sriharitkota.

"We are planning to have at least one launch mission a month in 2018 to deploy satellites in the earth's orbit for various applications," said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman AS Kiran Kumar, according to Indiatoday.in.

BCCL

Government has raised ISRO's budget in view of the missions.

"For 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years, we are looking to receive increased budgets from the country in view of the missions," he told media on the sidelines of the inauguration of a Gallery on Space Technology at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum in Bengaluru.

For 2017-18, ISRO was given a budget of Rs 9,000 crore.

The first mission is likely to be the launch of Cartosat-2E remote-sensing spacecraft along with 28 nano and micro-satellites in early January if delayed from December end.

BCCL

The Chandrayaan-2 mission launch is likely to take place in the first quarter of 2018.

ISRO will also fly 600kg spacecraft designed by TeamIndus on its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) before March 31, 2018, for the city-based firm to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE.
In a shocking and shameful act of cruelty against animals, over 150 stray dogs have been poisoned to death in Karnataka's Belagutti village in Davangere district. The incident which happened on Saturday came to light only after people posted videos of dogs dying allegedly due to poisoning.

BCCL/ Representational Image

It was cruel beyond compare. The dogs were just piled up, they were not even buried properly. Most of them have decomposed due to the poison and only about 80 carcasses could be taken out for post-mortem. The panchayat has done this in an attempt to get rid of strays in the area, said Harish K B, an animal welfare officer working with Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).

ALSO READ: Locals Go On Rampage After Senior Citizen Killed By Stray Dogs In Kerala, Dozens Of Dogs Killed

BCCL/ Representational Image

Animal rights activists have now filed a complaint against the Panchayat authorities, accusing them of animal cruelty. According to some reports, the Panchayat took the extreme step to kill the strays after a recent increase of dog attacks and a number of rabies cases reported in the area.

ALSO READ: After Removing Beggars Ahead Of Ivanka Trump's Visit, Hyderabad Is Now Accused Of Poisoning Stray Dogs

Across Karnataka, there has been an increase in the number of strays in the past couple of years. In Bengaluru alone, there are at least 3.5 lakh stray dogs.

The rapid growth of stray population is largely due to the failure of authorities to sterilize them and control their birth rate.
There was some high drama at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi after a woman passenger and an Air India duty manager got into a fight and slapped each other. The incident took place on Tuesday after the Ahmedabad-bound woman passenger had an argument with the official.

According to reports, the woman was denied boarding for reporting late.

"A lady pax had to board Air India Flight to Ahmedabad. She reported late for check-in & was denied boarding. The argument started between her & Air India lady staff & the pax slapped her, lady staff also slapped her," DCP Airport said.

BCCL/Representational Image

ALSO READ: Two Drunk Guys Misbehave With Indigo Air Hostess, She Makes Them Touch Her Feet And Apologise

"A lady passenger was told by a counter staff that she will not be able to check in because she was late for the flight. This led to an argument and the staff directed her to the duty manager who was also a lady and there was an altercation," an Air India spokesperson said.

Sources in the airline said the passenger allegedly slapped the duty manager. The duty manager also hit back, DCP, Airport, Sanjay Bhatia said.

ALSO READ: Air India Keeps Passengers Sitting In Delhi-Bound Plane Without AC For Three Hours

BCCL/Representational Image

ALSO READ: After IndiGo Staff Beat Up A Passenger, Air India Came Up With This Funny Ad

"Arguments started between the passenger and Air India lady staff and the passenger slapped her. Lady staff in retaliation also slapped her," Bhatia said.

The passenger later called the police and went to the police station. Both the passenger and the Air India staff later apologised to each other and the issue was amicably resolved, the spokesperson added.

ALSO READ: Air India Plans To Fine Unruly Passengers For Delaying Flights, And Penalty Can Go Upto Rs 15 Lakh
Its really annoying when youre trying to respond to a private chat and someones looking over your shoulder. Technically, thats the most basic kind of data theft attempt a person can make. So, of course, Google is doing what it can to prevent that.

At an upcoming cybersecurity event - the Neural Information Processing Systems conference - Google research team members Hee Jung Ryu and Florian Schroff are scheduled to discuss their latest creation, the electronic screen protector project.

The technology uses the selfie cam on a Pixel smartphone, in combination with their proprietary AI, to detect if more than one person is looking at the phones screen. According to the two, the software can recognise when another face pops into view in just milliseconds, across a number of angles, positions, and lighting situations. Basically, if someones peeking over your shoulder, the AI can warn you. In this demos case, that warning comes in the form of rainbow puke.

As ridiculous as it sounds, over-the-shoulder is a very real method thieves have previously used to steal passwords, especially bank pins. At the very least, it stops you from giving away your phones PIN to a potential thief lurking nearby, maybe even alerting you in the process.

How long it would take to integrate the technology into the Android OS, its anyones guess.
According to a recent study, Indians are soon going to be using nearly five times as much data on their smartphones, as they do now.

A report by Swedish telecom manufacturer Ericsson suggests that the average monthly data consumption of Indians will go up, from 3.9GB in 2017 to 18GB by 2023.

The total mobile data traffic per month in India is expected to grow 11 times during the forecast period (2017-2023) from 1.3EB (exabytes) to 14EB by 2023", Ericsson said. Thanks to this recent rise in data consumption in India, the global average monthly usage has also gone up.

Just earlier in Feb this year, India became the top country for mobile data usage, shortly after Reliance Jio launched its discounted 4G services.

We expect LTE to be the most dominant technology in India by 2023, Ericsson Indias Managing Director Nitin Bansal said. LTE will account for more than 60 percent of the total subscriptions in the country by 2023 compared to the 12 percent LTE subscriptions in 2017.

According to the report, there will be an estimated 800 million VoLTE subscribers in India and 1 billion 5G subscribers by 2023.
By Chris Purcell, Analyst Relations at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

When it comes to deployment options for IT, its easy to get distracted by the latest and greatest offerings. Yet, in todays hybrid IT environment, focus first on what you want to achieve -- and then determine how best to get there.

Thats according to Mark Peters, Practice Director and Senior Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). He recently shared his thoughts on hybrid IT with Dana Gardner, Principal Analyst at Interarbor Solutions, for a BriefingsDirect Voice of the Analyst podcast series. And his main message for IT  focus on outcomes, not tools.

Distracted by bright, shiny new objects

Because the cloud can be so easy to consume, many businesses are deploying software-as-a-service (SaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) models. The cloud is a very beguiling and useful business model, but its not a panacea, explained Peters. People get so distracted by bright, shiny objectslike they are the answer to everything. What we should be looking for are not bright shiny objects, but bright shiny outcomes.

Peters says that the public cloud should be viewed as another tool that businesses should use to be successful. Embracing a multi-cloud, hybrid IT strategy allows you more choices and flexibility, letting you run workloads where they are best suited.

Yet, with so many different deployment options and tools available, deciding where to place workloads can be challenging. Peters continued, Such decisions are situational to individual companies, to the stage of that companys life, and to the budgets they have. And theyre also dynamic. Whether a certain application should go on-site or off-site is extremely complex, and the right deployment option will vary by company and across time.

So, how does a business figure out what goes where?

Gardner explained that there is no single answer because every organization is different. Each has unique legacy infrastructure, ways of using applications, different business processes, and a variety of obligations.

Peters agreed. Yet the first step for each organization is to focus on the outcome that they want. Then they can figure out how to get it.

Todays complex hybrid IT challenges

Peters went on to discuss how shadow IT presents a big challenge to many enterprises. Because of the lack of visibility, its hard to figure out what you have. And then once you do understand it, its difficult to control. You know the old adage; you cant manage what you cant measure. You also cant improve things that cant be managed or measured.

Gardner also commented about the need for automation to manage a hybrid IT environment. In order to deal with the scale of complexity, the requirements for speed, the fact that youre going to be dealing with workloads and IT assets that are off your premises, that means youre going to be doing this programmatically.

Both analysts agreed that a tool would be needed that could provide visibility, management, optimization, automation, intelligence, and execution. Gardner guessed that developing such a tool is probably not going to happen in the next couple of years, although he sees it as a huge market opportunity.

Gardner concluded the interview by asking Peters what advice he would give IT organization as they try to become more proactive rather than reactive in todays complex, hybrid IT environment. Peters reiterated what he said at the beginning of the interview: consider the ends, not the means.

Breaking newsHPE reveals HPE OneSphere

This podcast between Gardner and Peters took place in November  prior to HPE Discover Madrid 2017. At the event, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced the industrys first multi-cloud management solution, HPE OneSphere, a tool similar to what Gardner and Peters were describing during their interview.

Through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) portal, HPE OneSphere gives customers access to a pool of IT resources that spans the public cloud services they subscribe to, as well as their on-premises environments. Using this new tool, organizations are able to seamlessly compose, operate, and optimize all workloads across on-premises, private, hosted, and public clouds. HPE OneSphere also provides dashboards based on different user roles that offer business analytics. HPE OneSphere is designed for IT operations, developers, and business executives seeking to build clouds, deploy applications, and gain insights faster.

HPE has assembled an array of resources that are helping businesses succeed in a hybrid IT world. Learn about HPEs approach to managing hybrid IT by checking out this new video on HPE OneSphere. And to find out how HPE can help you determine a workload placement strategy that meets your service level agreements, visit HPE Pointnext.

Chris Purcell drives analyst relations for the Software-Defined and Cloud Group at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The Software-Defined and Cloud Group organization is responsible for marketing for composable infrastructure, HPE OneView, HPE SimpliVity hyperconverged solutions and Project New Hybrid IT Stack.
GBPAUD Consolidation Around Weekly Chart Downchannel Resistance Near Complete Tradable Patterns - Wed Nov 16, 11:32PM CST The (GBPAUD) appears to be in the advanced stages of consolidating near downchannel resistance (on the weekly chart). Any break above triangle resistance (on the 4hr chart) today will dramatically increase... ^GBPAUD : 1.77355 (+0.38%)

G-20 leaders end summit condemning Russia despite divisions AP - Wed Nov 16, 7:54PM CST Members of the Group of 20 leading economies have firmly condemned the war in Ukraine and warned that the conflict is worsening the global economy $SPX : 3,958.79 (-0.83%) $DOWI : 33,553.83 (-0.12%) $IUXX : 11,699.09 (-1.45%)
Two recent stories in Insurance Journal caught my eye and gave me this topic.

Florida Puts Workers Comp Carrier Guarantee Insurance In Receivership

Florida Keys Insurance Agent Accused of Defrauding Citizens Insurance

These are two stories about two very different issues. An agent arrested for falsifying a roof certification and a workers compensation carrier placed in receivership by the state. There doesnt seem to be common ground here, or does there?

In one story, you have an agent who was arrested because he submitted false documentation so that a carrier would write the risk that he submitted. I agree with one commenter who questioned the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) decision to make this particular arrest. It makes me wonder what else they knew about this particular agent.

In the other story, you have a workers compensation carrier that simply didnt have enough money to continue operating. It happened as it happens so many times. By the time the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) caught this carriers problems, it was already in a tough spot. According to the story, the OIR put them under supervision in August after noting that the carriers chief actuary revised their estimated reserving requirements, which made them out of money. Its November and the company is in receivership. Policyholders will be contacted. They will need to find other workers compensation coverage and probably ought to do it as soon as possible.

You might be asking yourself what these two stories have to do with each other (other than theyre both Florida stories). Both stories show indications of fraudulent activity. The agents fraud is pretty clear. If you read the other story, you can see where the OIR believes that inappropriate financial activity happened.

Insurance fraud is often spoken of in terms of insureds padding claims or filling false claims, but there is much more to it than that. In the case of the agent, what he did is seen by some as doing what you have to do to get the business, or taking care of his clients. In the end, its still insurance fraud Why?

The agent submitted falsified documents. Insurance companies have submission requirements. Those requirements are designed to give the underwriter a full picture of the risk that she is analyzing. Since insurance requires trust, the underwriter and the company try to trust that what the agent submits is accurate. If it isnt accurate, the company may take on a risk that doesnt fit what it wants to write.

The problem is that this appears to be an accepted practice with some agents. Please read my words correctly. I am not saying (nor would I say) that all agents do this. Im not even saying that its a majority of agents. I am saying that there are agents who make it a practice to do whatever it takes to write the business, including falsifying documentation to make a risk appear better than it actually is.

Whats wrong with that?

When the agent doesnt tell the insured that their roof is too old for most insurance companies, the agent fails to serve his customer properly. An old roof in itself is not an issue. We could replace the old roof with existing damage to the structure, old claims history, trampolines, etc. What we really have here is an agent who is willing to make false statements in order to write a risk with an insurance company.

Depending on what falsifications the agent made, the insurance company may well end up paying claims that they shouldnt. The items that someone would falsify on an insurance submission often end up becoming the items that cause the losses later. The old roof fails. The neighbors son is hurt on the trampoline. The history of nuisance claims becomes the major claim.

So, under the pretext of doing what was necessary to write the business, the agent creates more losses and more expensive losses. As much as I think that the insurance industry does good in the world (and as much as some startup companies like to make us think that theyre not trying to turn a profit) I also know that insurance is a business and companies want to make a profit. Increased claims costs are not just absorbed by the companies. Increased claims costs means increased premiums for everyone.

It also means that we lose something in the industry. We lose trust every time this happens. Every time we lose trust, relationships dont work the way that they should. We no longer look at the submission from agents the way we used to. Underwriters think that agents are trying to game the systems. Agents think that underwriters are being too strict. We look closer and suspect more. Thats not the way this is supposed to work. Its really supposed to be an industry based on mutual trust.

Topics Carriers Florida Agencies Claims Workers' Compensation Fraud
This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic.

If youre reading this blog, then you are likely interested in learning more about how you can make your companys property underwriting process more efficient. Although there are many misconceptions about the complications and expense involved with automating underwriting, a good software solution is surprisingly easy to integrate into legacy systems and could even return four to seven times your initial investment.

If this sounds too good to be true, keep reading for the top four reasons you should continue down the path of modernizing property underwriting across your entire enterprise.

Set Pace with Industry Leaders

Top carriers are already using an end-to-end software solution to standardize and automate their underwriting process. These carriers are experiencing the benefits of a standardized underwriting process, integrated inspection management, automated referrals and exposure assessment, enterprise-wide agility, and rich, fully integrated property content. Those carriers slow to adopt an underwriting automation solution because they think they dont need it or cant afford it, run the risk of being outpaced and adversely selected upon by top carriers.

Its Self-Maintainable

A Software as a Solution (SAAS) platform is self-maintainable and doesnt require an army of IT professionals to integrate into your existing workflow. A good solution should leverage and continuously update property exposure data and include built-in algorithms that recycle results from all points of the property lifecycle back into the decision models so that you can continue to increase your ability to auto-underwrite whenever possible.

Access and Functionality for Agents and Homeowners

An underwriting automation platform should help in optimizing inefficient communications between carriers, agents and homeowners during the underwriting process. Your agents will appreciate the opportunity to check policy status, view survey results, ask questions or upload additional information for underwriting consideration. The solution should also provide an opportunity for a better consumer interaction by giving homeowners the option to complete a DIY survey.

You Could Get a Big Return on Your Investment  Four to Seven Times*

Automating your underwriting process could save you money; significant savings that increase year over year as the decision models continue to harness property data as well as your data intelligence to further automate underwriting. This type of deep learning not only drives loss cost avoidance, but you could also realize more accurate exposure assessment and cost savings from labor and vendor management efficiencies.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of property underwriting automation.

*Joint analyses conducted with over ten of the top 100 carriers showed efficiency gains of between four and seven times the return on their initial investment.

 2017 CoreLogic, Inc. All rights reserved.



Topics InsurTech Underwriting Property Numbers
More than 100 passengers have been rescued from a ferry that ran aground in New Yorks East River.

Police say it happened Monday evening just off a pier near the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan.

The U.S. Coast Guard says the ferry was heading to the Rockaways area of Queens when it became stuck.

Police and fire rescue units responded to the scene.

There are no reports of any injuries.

The cause of the grounding remains under investigation.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics New York
Connecticut lawmakers are planning public meetings in legislative districts to hear firsthand how communities were impacted by last months damaging windstorm that left more than 100,000 residents without power for multiple days.

The General Assemblys Energy and Technology Committee originally planned to hold a public hearing Nov. 28 in Hartford, Conn. But a spokeswoman for the committee says thats been reorganized into a series of district working meetings, involving key utility representatives, municipal officials, first responders and state legislators.

Representatives from the states two major utilities, Eversource Energy and United Illuminating Co., appeared before the committee on Nov. 15 to answer questions about their response to the storm. Officials from both companies say falling trees and limbs continue to wreak havoc on power lines, despite years of tree-trimming and tree-removal efforts.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Windstorm Connecticut
Markel International, the specialist insurer, has completed its acquisition of EC Insurance Co. Ltd. (ECIC), having received approval from the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Sevenoaks, England-based ECIC provides a wide range of insurance products for contractors and affinity groups across the UK building services sector. Markel first announced its intention to purchase EC Insurance Co. in September 2017.

ECIC will become part of Markels UK national markets business, which also includes Abbey Legal and Abbey Tax which support a number of affinity groups, including the Federation of Small Businesses.

Markels UK national markets business is focused on establishing itself as a liability led, selected sector specialist, the company said in a statement.

ECIC is a well-established, niche insurance specialist, which will benefit from the financial resources and operational efficiencies we can bring to supporting its business, as well as the attractions we offer of a broader distribution reach and a wider product and services portfolio, said Neil Galjaard, divisional managing director. It will establish us as a leading player in the contractors market.

Richard Forrest Smith, chief executive officer of ECIC, said: Markel is an attractive new parent which has the expertise and commitment to grow and develop ECICs core business lines. We look forward to being part of the Markel family.

Source: Markel

Related:

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers
A Chinese startup has developed a flying car that it plans to roll out as soon as next year.

EHang Inc.s E-184 drone can carry one passenger in its small cockpit, but the firm says its working on a model that can carry two. EHangs Chief Executive Officer Hu Huazhi says theyll be in operation as taxi drones in Dubai in 2018  as long as they get approval from regulators there.

Four battery-powered propellers lift the drone off the ground, and its equipped with fully-automated navigation, according to CEO Hu. Passengers select a pre-programmed flight path and then strap in for the ride. The E-184 has a cruising speed of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) an hour and can stay in the air for 25 minutes, the company says.

Its currently being tested at EHangs headquarters: a disused theme-park on the outskirts of Guangzhou, southern China, a city thats at the vanguard of the countrys push to move away from cheap, low-end manufacturing and toward cutting-edge technology.

We will start mass production of our passenger drones at the beginning of next year, Hu told Bloomberg TV. We also plan to install fully automated production lines to enlarge manufacturing capacity in 2018.

EHang has big ambitions  it wants to develop a network of taxi drones around the world. The company plans to sign deals in Saudi Arabia, Singapore and several European cites next year, the CEO said.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics InsurTech China
State regulators have fined a southern Indiana auto parts plant $224,000 for alleged safety violations discovered following a workers death.

The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the order Nov. 15 against Autoneum North America Inc. The Swiss-based company must either pay the fines or contest the violations.

The fines follow the Oct. 21 blunt force trauma death of 44-year-old Melissa Stephens at the Jeffersonville plant.

IOSHA spokeswoman Molly Deuberry tells The News and Tribune two of the five safety violations the agency found carried a high probability of death or serious harm.

One violation involved a failure to protect workers from loose clothing being caught in rotating machine parts.

Deuberry says IOSHA believes that had the appropriate safety precautions been in place Stephens death would not have occurred.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Indiana
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Canadian oil transport company Enbridge Inc. announced a timeline for determining the future of twin pipelines beneath the channel where Lakes Huron and Michigan converge.

Options include shutting down the lines or routing them through a tunnel beneath the lakebed where they now rest.

The plan calls for reaching a final agreement by Aug. 15, 2018, on the pipes beneath the Straits of Mackinac, a 5-mile-long (8-kilometer-long) scenic waterway with high value to the tourist industry and Great Lakes environment. They are part of Enbridges Line 5, which carries nearly 23 million gallons (87 million liters) of oil and liquid natural gas daily across northern Wisconsin and Michigan to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario.

The company has repeatedly insisted the underwater segment installed in 1953 is in good condition and has never leaked. However, state officials and environmental groups have expressed alarm over recent disclosures of gaps in its exterior layer of protective enamel coating and unsupported spaces beneath the pipes.

Business as usual by Enbridge is not acceptable and we are going to ensure the highest level of environmental safety standards are implemented to protect one of Michigans most valuable natural resources, Snyder said.

The Republican governors administration has resisted critics demands to order the lines decommissioned, but that option is still on the table, said Valerie Brader, executive director of the Michigan Agency for Energy.

Todays agreement does not represent a final decision by the state regarding Line 5, but instead provides a clear schedule on which a decision will either be reached cooperatively with Enbridge or the state will take another path, Brader said.

Although the federal government regulates oil pipelines, Michigan owns the lake bottom and granted an easement to the company allowing the pipeline to go there.

Enbridge officials acknowledged an erosion of public confidence in the safety of Line 5 and apologized for what they described as poor communication with the public about their inspections and studies.

Trust is earned, and while we have a long way to go, we remain committed to doing what it takes to rebuild trust and uphold our pledge to protect the environment while safely meeting Michigans energy needs, said Guy Jarvis, executive vice president and president for liquids pipelines.

While not ruling out a permanent shutdown, the agreement includes a series of steps intended to boost the underwater pipes safety.

Among them is a procedure for temporarily halting the flow of oil during storms that produce sustained waves at least 8 feet (2.4 meters) high for longer than an hour, the level at which Brader said recovery of spilled oil becomes extraordinarily hard.

Enbridge also agreed to evaluate three options by June 2018 for routing the underwater segment through a tunnel or trench, on or beneath the lakebed  either using the existing pipes or building a new one.

The company promised steps to prevent the lines from being damaged by a ship anchor, expedite monitoring of the pipelines with cameras or other devices, and speed up methods for detecting potential ruptures and responding to spills.

Additionally, Enbridge said it would replace another section of Line 5 beneath the St. Clair River where it crosses the U.S.-Canadian border with a new pipe inside a tunnel after receiving federal and state permits.

The agreement comes as Michigan agencies are taking public comments on a consultants report they commissioned that lists six long-term possibilities for the Straits of Mackinac segment, including the tunnel alternative, which it estimated would cost about $150 million. While not endorsing an option, the report described a tunnel as more feasible than others, such as moving Line 5s oil through other existing pipeline networks.

Environmental groups said the deal appears to tip the scales in favor of a tunnel instead of halting all movement of oil through the straits, which they argued is the only foolproof way to safeguard the lakes. Other measures in the plan will do little good, they said.

Instead of shutting down this dangerous pipeline, our state leaders continue to place an enormous amount of trust in Enbridge to operate it responsibly  even while the company continues to repeatedly break that trust, said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.

State Attorney General Bill Schuette, who has called for eventually shutting down Line 5, said the agreement was a good step forward.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Energy Oil Gas Michigan Pollution
Mike LaRocco, who took over president and CEO of State Automobile Mutual Insurance Co. in May 2015, has won the support of the companys board of directors for an extension of his contract until Dec. 31, 2021.

LaRocco has been credited with turning around the super regional carrier that a few years ago was dealing with rising expenses, shrinking profits and declining business.

LaRoccos current contract was set to expire at the end of 2018.

According to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, LaRocco will receive an annual base salary of $1,040,000, which is subject to annual increases, and participate in the companys short-term and long-term incentive bonus plans.

State Auto ended 2015 with a sizable drop in net income and a combined ratio above 100 before the firm under LaRocco began taking corrective steps to improve commercial and personal auto pricing, exit unprofitable accounts and lines, and grow homeowners business. The turnaround is not complete but there are signs of progress. For the first nine months of 2017, the combined ratio was over 110 but that included 12 points of catastrophe losses and, compared to last October, new business sales have more than doubled, according to the company.

Within months of taking over, LaRocco had reorganized and installed a new leadership team.

During LaRoccos tenure, the carrier has introduced technology platforms that it says have boosted new business. It has rebuilt its pricing and underwriting models. It began offering usage-based insurance offerings for personal and commercial auto products.

In personal lines, the company also increased the number of agency appointments and implemented pricing changes to improve its competitiveness. It started offering discounts for smart home technology to homeowners.

In commercial lines, it exited large account business including in transportation, boosted rates and underwriting to improve profitability in commercial auto line, and made changes to its regional sales teams.

In 2016, the company stopped writing program business and realigned its excess and surplus lines unit, Rockhill Insurance. But this year it decided to exit the excess and surplus business completely. That exit is still in progress.

This past September, State Auto Labs Corp., the carriers innovation arm, launched a $25 million corporate venture fund to support entrepreneurs in the insurance technology space. The insurer hopes to become an early adopter of new technologies through the effort.

LaRoccos Resume

When he succeeded Robert P. Restrepo Jr. as CEO, LaRocco brought with him a resume with more than 35 years in the property/casualty insurance industry. He has served as president and chief operating officer at Safeco Insurance Companies and president and CEO of Firemans Fund Insurance Co. His insurance career began with management and executive roles at Progressive and GEICO.

LaRocco also served as president and CEO of AssureStart, a Seattle-based technology startup selling general liability and property insurance to small businesses online.

As a result of Mikes leadership, State Auto is now poised to truly compete and win, said State Auto Mutual Chairman Jim Kunk in announcing the contract extension. Were pleased that Mike has agreed to continue to lead the transformation of the company.

Lead Director David Meuse said LaRocco and his leadership team have made remarkable progress in State Autos turnaround over the past two years.

Q2 and Q3 Results

Earlier this month, State Auto Financial joined other insurers in reporting catastrophe-laden results for the third quarter 2017. State Auto Financials third quarter results included a net loss of $9.5 million, compared to net income of $10.1 million for the same 2016 period.

For the first nine months of 2017, the company had a net loss of $4.9 million compared to a net loss of $11.5 million for the same 2016 period.

STFCs combined ratio for the third quarter 2017 was 114.8 compared to 105.0 for the same 2016 period. Catastrophe losses during the third quarter 2017 accounted for 17.6 points of the 79.5 total loss ratio points, or $56.1 million, versus 2.5 points of the total 71.3 loss ratio points, or $8.1 million, for the same period in 2016. Catastrophe losses were largely driven by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the specialty business.

The third quarter loss followed disappointing results in the second quarter, which resulted in a net loss of $24.6 million versus net income of $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2015. The results were blamed on catastrophe losses, including major storms in Texas, and further adverse development in the automobile lines of business. The combined ratio for the second quarter 2016 was 114.7 versus 106.1 for the second quarter of 2015.

After the second quarter 2017 results LaRocco stated that although the auto insurance sector performed worse than expected, the company had improved operations and closed the quarter with strong and appropriate reserves.

After the third quarter results, LaRocco struck another positive note. Setting aside the hurricane losses, the results reflected progress in implementing his strategy, he said.

The continued focus on executing our strategy is producing results with new business growth across personal lines, including five additional states recently coming online with our new digital technology platform, he said, noting that the new platform is now in 17 states.

In commercial lines, the carrier launched its new technology platform in Illinois and said it will move into additional states through the end of 2017 and into 2018.

Were thrilled that our independent agency partners are embracing both our personal and commercial lines platforms, with strong quote volume and new business, LaRocco said.

Our focus remains achieving our goal of profitable growth. During the third quarter of 2017, momentum continued to build, and I remain confident that we will succeed, LaRocco said.

E&S Exit

He also affirmed the decision to exit the E&S lines of business.

Based on our previously announced strategic review of the excess and surplus lines business, we have decided to exit the specialty segment and continue to invest our capital in our core lines of business, he said.

The firm plans to exit the E&S business either through a series of renewal right transactions or by placing lines of business into run-off. The end result will be the end of the specialty insurance segment. The company has not announced a timetable to complete he exit.

Overall the specialty unit wrote $257 million in premium in 2016  about $44 million in property, $100 million in casualty and $113 million in program business.

State Auto has been in the E&S market since 2009 when it acquired Rockhill Insurance Group, which included Rockhill Insurance Co., Plaza Insurance Co., American Compensation Insurance Co. and Bloomington Compensation Insurance Co.

In addition to the Rockhill companies, State Auto Group also includes State Automobile Mutual, State Auto Property & Casualty, State Auto Ohio, State Auto Wisconsin, Milbank, Meridian Security and Patrons Mutual.

Related:

Topics Carriers Catastrophe Auto Profit Loss Excess Surplus Tech
Wells Fargo & Co. announced it is exiting the personal insurance business and will immediately begin winding down its marketing.

The company said the exit process should be completed during the first quarter of 2018. Until that time, it will continue to make available and service its personal insurance products.

Wells Fargo has offered auto, homeowners, renters and umbrella personal insurance products since 2003.

Wells Fargo continually reviews our product and service offerings to ensure they meet our customers needs and align with the companys long-term strategic goals, said Laurie Nordquist, head of Personal Insurance.

The Personal Insurance unit is the last remaining insurance brokerage agency in Wells Fargos portfolio, and the company said its financial contribution was not material.

This decision does not impact Wells Fargos Wealth and Investment Managements life insurance practice, according to the firm.

This is the latest in a series of steps Wells Fargo has taken to divest its insurance operations.

In December 2015, Wells Fargo announced the sale of its crop insurance business, Rural Community Insurance Services, and its subsidiary Rural Community Insurance Co., to Zurich American Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group. The sale was completed in 2016.

On June 27, 2017, Wells Fargo announced the sale of its commercial insurance business to USI Insurance Services, a national insurance brokerage and consulting firm. USI agreed to acquire Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA that includes commercial insurance brokerage and consulting, employee benefits and property/casualty national practices, along with Safehold Special Risk, small business insurance, student insurance, individual health and private risk management insurance business lines. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

In conjunction with the sale of the commercial brokerage business, the remaining Personal Insurance business became part of Wells Fargos Consumer Lending division. On November 9, 2017, Wells Fargo Insurance announced that it had agreed to sell its crop insurance broker business to Hub International Limited, a global insurance brokerage.

Wells Fargo has been dealing with several insurance-related probes, on top of its major scandal in which employees created fake bank accounts in order to achieve sales goals. The insurance probes have to do with alleged unwanted placement of insurance for car loan customers and sales of so-called gap coverage that covers the difference between what a customer owes on a car loan and the value an insurance company will give to the customer if the car is destroyed in an accident or stolen.

Topics Agencies
Worldwide Facilities has been appointed by CBIC, an RLI Company, to offer its insurance program for design professionals.

The programs target classes include architectural firms, landscape architects, civil and structural engineers, surveyors, and interior designers. Construction and project management consultants are also included, as are electrical and mechanical engineers and technical design consultants.

Coverage spans business owners property and general liability, excess liability, automobile and workers compensation coverage, and professional liability. This program is available in five states: Oregon, New Mexico, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.

Kyle Domire, assistant vice president at Worldwide Facilities, said through this agreement Worldwide Facilities can write custom coverage aligned with the businesses its agents and brokers serve.

Worldwide Facilities is a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent focused on a range of specialty lines.
Patriot National Inc., which provides technology, outsourcing and underwriting services to the insurance industry, has announced a plan of reorganization as part of a restructuring support agreement (RSA) with its lenders, Cerberus Business Finance, LLC and its affiliates, and TCW Asset Management Co. LLC., which have agreed to acquire the financially troubled firm.

Under the transaction, announced Nov. 28, Patriot National will be acquired by certain funds and accounts managed by the investment management firms, and its direct and indirect U.S.-based subsidiaries will file voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Cerberus and TCW will convert a portion of their claims under the financing agreement in consideration for 100 percent of the new equity to be issued in Patriot National and the subsidiaries under the plan. All existing equity interests in Patriot National and its subsidiaries will be extinguished, and Patriot National will no longer have any affiliation with its founder and former CEO Steven Mariano, who resigned earlier this year.

The company, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., expects the reorganization, which is subject to regulatory approval, will be completed early in the second quarter of 2018.

Patriot National said in a statement that it will continue to operate its business in the ordinary course and the Chapter 11 filing is not expected to have a meaningful impact on its day-to-day operations.

Patriot National provides general agency services, technology outsourcing, software, specialty underwriting and policyholder services, claims administration services and self-funded health plans to insurance carriers, employers and other clients. While it does not bear underwriting risk, it works with insurance carriers to design workers compensation and other multi-line programs that are marketed through more than 4,000 independent retail agencies.

In its announcement, Patriot National said it intends to continue to provide service to all of its carrier customers in accordance with the terms of current agreements. Furthermore, it anticipates all commissions due to brokers who commit to continue their business relationships with Patriot National will be paid in the ordinary course of business or in full under the [reorganization] Plan, the statement says.

The move is not unexpected after a tumultuous year for the company that came to a head in mid-November with the announcement that its largest workers compensation customer, Guaranteed Insurance Co. (GIC), would be placed in receivership by Florida regulators. The companies were mutually owned by fonder Steven Mariano, who resigned from Patriot National last summer. GIC held an estimated 10 percent of Patriot Nationals stock and accounted for 60 to 70 percent of its business.

GIC provided alternative market workers compensation insurance in 31 states, with 8,600 active polices in force as of Nov. 13, including 1,250 in Florida. Its liquidation was approved by Florida regulators on Monday. Under the liquidation order, all GIC policies are cancelled effective Dec. 27, unless otherwise terminated prior to that date. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation said it is working on transitioning policies and ensuring the continued payment of claims to injured workers.

Another subsidiary, Patriot Underwriters Inc., is a national program administrator that underwrites and services workers compensation insurance for insurance companies.

Shortly after Florida regulators took over GIC, Patriot National filed a forbearance agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission that said it would be laying off 250 employees, representing approximately one-third of its workforce.

The South Florida Business Journal reported that in November 2016, Cerberus established a $30 million revolving credit line as well as a $250 million term loan with Patriot National and the company was currently in default of its credit agreement. Under the forbearance agreement, Patriot National was to deliver its financial statements to Cerberus by Dec. 3, and as required by the agreement had engaged a chief restructuring officer.

Another affiliate of Patriot National, Ashmere Insurance Co., announced last week it would be acquired by New York-based Bedrock Insurance Group Holdings. Ashmere is a workers compensation insurance carrier licensed in 15 states.

Patriot National representatives did not respond to a request for comment on the bankruptcy and restructuring announcement. In a press release, John Rearer, CEO of Patriot National, said the move marks a significant milestone for Patriot National as we look to reduce our debt, significantly improve our liquidity and financial condition, and improve our ability to service our loyal customers.

Rearer said in recapitalizing through a Chapter 11 process, the firm is partnering with strong financial and operational partners who can provide us with the resources and expertise to move forward.

Patriot National Nov. 28, 2017 8-K SEC Filing

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Florida Workers' Compensation
A Florida nursery and a man who suffers from epilepsy filed a lawsuit against Gov. Rick Scotts administration that contends that state officials are flouting the states new medical marijuana law.

Its the latest legal challenge against the way Florida officials and state legislators have acted since voters approved medical marijuana a year ago.

Bills Nursery, located in Miami-Dade County, and Michael Bowen want a judge to order the Department of Health to hand out new licenses for treatment centers that were promised in a law passed by the Legislature this past summer. Treatment centers are the only businesses allowed to grow, process and sell medical marijuana.

The state was supposed to hand out a total of 10 new licenses by October, but so far has only approved six. Officials have blamed the delay on a separate lawsuit challenging another provision of the new law.

Bowen said the department is blocking patients from getting access to medical marijuana.

In cases like mine, medical marijuana is literally the only thing that can control my seizures and keep me alive, Bowen said in a statement. But the Florida Department of Healths inexcusable foot-dragging is keeping patients like me from getting safe, reliable access to these lifesaving treatments.

Mara Gambineri, a spokeswoman for the department, said that the state is working diligently to implement the new law.

We remain committed to moving this process forward, and will do so in an expedient and thoughtful manner, Gambineri said in an email.

Patients who suffered from epilepsy, chronic muscle spasms, cancer and terminal conditions were allowed under laws Scott signed in 2014 and 2016 to receive either low-THC cannabis or full strength medical marijuana. The amendment passed by voters last year added people with HIV and AIDS, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder, ALS, Crohns disease, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis and similar conditions.

But the implementation of the amendment  and the subsequent law legislators passed to carry it out  have come under fire from the backers of the initial amendment. John Morgan, the trial lawyer who led the charge for the amendment, sued in July because legislators banned smokable forms of the plant.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Florida Claims Cannabis
Residents of two of the North Carolina counties hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew can now schedule an appointment to apply for reimbursement of their losses.

The Fayetteville Observer reports state Department of Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry says Cumberland and Robeson counties, for whom the appointment process starts today, will receive 80 percent of the disaster-relief funding from the federal Housing and Urban Developments Community Development Block Grant program, along with Edgecomb and Wayne counties.

The application center opens Nov. 30.

Sprayberry says Cumberland County will receive a total of nearly $60 million, while Robeson County will receive a total of nearly $70 million.

The funds will help residents rebuild or repair homes significantly damaged in the October 2016 hurricane. Landlords, renters and mobile home owners can also qualify.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane North Carolina
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced at the 6th Annual Insurance Diversity Summit this week that California diverse businesses supplied $1.6 billion in goods and services to insurance companies last year.

Thats a $670 million increase since 2012, according to the California Department of Insurance.

It was announced that the 2017 Multistate Insurance Diversity Survey, launched last year as a national survey of the insurance industry around supplier and governing board diversity with insurance commissioners from four states  California, District of Columbia, Oregon, and Washington  found insurers spent $7.8 billion with diverse suppliers nationwide in 2016.

Jones hosted the summit convening more than 300 insurance company executives, business organizations, chamber representatives, diversity advocates, and leaders from minority, women, LGBT, veteran owned and disabled veteran owned businesses at California State University Sacramento.

The California Insurance Diversity Initiative started a conversation among insurers, diverse suppliers, governing board members, advocates, and stakeholders that has translated into action, Jones said in a statement.

CSAA Insurance Group received the commissioners Award for Excellence in Diversity for its diversity on both their governing board and supplier diversity efforts. Kaiser Permanente was presented the Supplier Diversity Champion Award for its commitment to supplier diversity, its approaches to diverse supplier development and for increased opportunities for diverse suppliers. Prudential Financial received the Governing Board Diversity Champion Award for its example of successful board diversity and for its approaches to diversifying its governing board. The Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council was honored with the Insurance Diversity Trailblazer Award for being a champion of diversity and an advocate for diverse businesses for 40 years.

CSAA Insurance Group, Kaiser Permanente, Prudential Financial, and the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council are leaders in the field of diversity within the insurance industry, and I commend them for furthering the goals of the initiative and partnering with us to ensure success, Jones added.

Topics California Market
A Lake Stevens, Wash. man who ran an insurance agency while claiming he was too disabled to work must serve jail time.

The Washington state Department of Labor and Industries says 53-year-old James Kooy was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail for wrongfully receiving over $233,000 in workers compensation payments from the agency.

Kooy pleaded guilty to the felony charge in Snohomish County Superior Court in September. Judge Bruce Weiss also ordered Kooy to repay the state for an amount to be determined at a March hearing.

An agency investigation determined Kooy owned and operated By the Lake Insurance Inc. at the same time he claimed to be too injured to work after a knee injury and was receiving workers comp benefits.

The investigation found over five years his business generated more than $800,000 in revenue.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Agencies Workers' Compensation Washington
Visiting the United States and heading to Las Vegas? Theres plenty to do in one of the largest vacation spots in the country. But to take full advantage of all the things the city offers, you will need some cashor at least some way to pay in the local currencyand that usually involves converting your home currency into U.S. dollars. How do you make the exchange? Here are some options.

At Your Hotel

If youre staying at a larger hotel, theres a good chance that it has a currency exchange desk. The problem: Once you figure in the exchange rate and the fees, it could be costly. For that reason, as a general rule, avoid exchanging currency at your hotel.

Key Takeaways Currency exchange desks at the airport or your hotel may make you pay more than 25% in fees.

The exchange rate that casinos offer is sometimes a great deal and may well be your best option.

Its good practice to visit your local bank to have some cash in hand before you leave your home country.

If you need spending money while in Vegas, your debit card may work at an ATM.

Consider using a 0% foreign transaction fee credit card.

At the Casino

Now were talking! If you plan to wait until you get to Las Vegas to exchange your currency, a casino can be a good choice. Most large casinos will gladly exchange your money for a fee. Vegas insiders say that often, the exchange rate casinos offer is a great deal and may well be your best option. Why are the exchange rates better, you ask? Because the casino fully expects you to dump your dollars into slot machines or at the blackjack tables.

At Your Local Bank

Its a good idea to have some cash in hand before you leave your home country. You probably wont need a lot, but having some emergency money to cover situations when you can't use a credit card is a good idea. Your local bank is probably the place to go. You will probably pay a delivery fee along with the foreign exchange rate, but its probably the better value.

At an ATM

If you need spending money while in Vegas, your debit card will probably work at an ATM. The only problem is the fees, but some banks have partner ATMs around the world where the out-of-bank user fees are waived. You will only pay the fee your bank charges. Look on your banks website for a list of partner ATMs. If you can find one close to you, the fee will likely be 3% or less.

At the Airport

When you arrive at McCarran International Airport, or whichever airport you fly into, there will be currency exchange desks that will gladly help. Try not to let them because this is probably the worst way to exchange your money. Dont be fooled by the enticing no fee advertisements. The exchange rate will be less than favorable or the fees may be called something else.

You might pay more than 25% in fees for currency exchange at the airport.

When You're Buying Something

Most people agree that credit cards are the best way to pay when traveling abroad. Theres no lack of 0% foreign transaction fee credit cards. Check the terms of your card to see if your card charges a fee. If it does, and you will be gone for an extended period or plan to travel abroad frequently in the future, consider finding a 0% foreign transaction fee card. If your card does charge a fee, its probably not higher than 3%. (If it is, get rid of it.) Even with the fee, your credit card is probably the best way to pay.

The Bottom Line

If you have to exchange your money for U.S. dollars in Las Vegas, stay away from options clearly geared towards tourists, such as hotels and airports. You will pay hefty fees for the exchange. Check the casinos for actual cash exchanges, but your best strategy is to pay with your credit card. If you have the right card, you may avoid transaction fees. The next best choice is an ATM that is part of your home bank's network.
Latest: Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has apologised and said questions over the treatment of whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe could have been handled better.

"Fundamentally, when everything else is peeled away, the essence of this issue is that Sergeant McCabe and his family must have truth and justice," he said.

In a statement to the Dail, Mr Flanagan said he was considering other reforms that he could introduce to protect gardai who are victims of bullying or harassment to complement whistleblower laws.

"There are stark lessons to be learned here and I intend to take on board these lessons and do my very best to ensure this does not happen again," he said.

The secretary general of the Department of Justice, Noel Waters, who had already told the minister he would be retiring, has brought forward his departure from the job earlier this evening.

Questions have been asked over Mr Flanagan's handling of parliamentary over questions over the treatment of Sergeant McCabe, and when he knew about emails from 2015 which outlined the aggressive legal strategy against the whistleblower.

The Department of Justice also admitted that three emails with information about the approach had not been transferred to the Disclosures Tribunal, headed by Judge Peter Charleton, which is investigating an alleged smear campaign against Mr McCabe.

Sinn Fein's Donnchadh O Laoghaire claimed a criminal offence had been committed by the failure to pass on the documents.

Mr Flanagan defended his actions in recent weeks and claimed that he had been advised that if he engaged in issues that are being examined at the tribunal it would "improperly encroach" on its work.

"I was shocked and, frankly horrified, that there were records in the Department of Justice that should have been provided to the Disclosures Tribunal," he said.

Mr Flanagan said there have been major challenges at every step to obtain complete information in a timely manner.

"The fact is, that in recent days it has been clear that information in the possession of journalists and members of the opposition has not been forthcoming to me as minister," he claimed.

Mr Flanagan set out a timeline of when and what he knew about emails which should have been sent to the tribunal.

On Monday November 13 Mr Waters phoned him in his constituency office in Portlaoise to tell him he was retiring and he referred to an email related to Sergeant McCabe and the 2015 private judge-led inquiry into his allegations of bad policing, the O'Higgins Commission.

Mr Flanagan suggested that he did not ask Mr Waters to explain what was in the email.

"I responded automatically that anything potentially relevant to the tribunal should be immediately conveyed to Judge Charleton," he said.

"I simply missed the significance of the email."

Mr Flanagan said he did not see the email until the following Monday November 20.

He also highlighted his workload.

He said he had received 12,000 emails since he was given the job in the middle of June and about 500 a week as a constituency TD.

Mr Flanagan said 1,829 parliamentary questions have been responded to by his department and he has dealt with 341 formal submissions from senior officials and that he has brought 58 memorandums to cabinet.

The minister paid tribute to Mrs Fitzgerald and said her record tells us more about her than any emails.

"I believe Frances Fitzgerald is a fundamentally good woman and a person of integrity and compassion," he said.

Mr Flanagan said Mrs Fitzgerald may have forgotten emails from 2015 about the aggressive strategy because of the shocking contents of leaked transcripts from the O'Higgins Commission that emerged in 2016.

"That was a failure of memory for which Frances is now paying a very high price," Mr Flanagan said.

"I believe, without question, that she did her very best as minister in very difficult circumstances, and her commitment was, at all times, to making a positive difference to the lives of the people of this country."

Update 6.58pm: Charlie Flanagan addressing Dail; Alan Kelly pledges to pursue questions relating to Justice Minister

Labour spokesperson Alan Kelly has criticised Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan ahead of the Minister's address to the Dail on the Department's response to the McCabe controversy.

"I believe there are serious questions in relation to Charlie Flanagan. I'm certainly going to pursue these issues," Deputy Kelly told RTE

He said Leo Varadkar had an opportunity for a "mini-reshuffle" of Cabinet, and suggested that there "possibly should be a new [Justice] Minister" in the next couple of months.

Watch Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan's Dail statement here:

Update 6.45pm: Martin describes events as victory for accountability

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has said his party must now focus on working together with Fine Gael.

He said the House must now focus on issues such as homelessness, Brexit and the reform of the Department of Justice.

"We must work together now because the interests of the country demand that. We're satisfied that we should make every effort to work with everyone in the House to tackle these issues," he told RTE.

He again stressed his party's view that Frances Fitzgerald's position as Tanaiste was no longer tenable.

"The great lesson here is the need for proper democratic accountability," he added.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister Simon Harris has described today as "a difficult day to be a member of the Fine Gael party".

Speaking to RTE, he said Taoiseach Leo Vradkar's reputation had "not at all" been damaged.

He said the party believed the appropriate place to discuss Ms Fitzgerald's role would have been Tribunal in January.

"But Frances took her own decision and we respect that," he said.

The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan is making a Dail statement on his department's response to the McCabe controversy.

Update 6.01pm: Justice Department Secretary General resigns as Murphy calls for reform

RTE is reporting that the Department of Justice's Secretary General Noel Waters, who had been due to retire in February, has said he is leaving the role today.

The announcement comes amid widespread criticism of the workings of the Department.

The Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy has described the Department of Justice as dysfunctional and said more needs to be done.

On RTE's Drivetime, he said he finds it difficult that Francis Fitzgerald has resigned, saying she acted appropriately "in all of this".

Minister Murphy said the difficulty was that things were building to such a crescendo that any document found would be seen as damning to Francis Fitzgerald.

He said Minister Charlie Flanagan had to be careful that he wasn't interfering with a tribunal, saying he should be afforded the right to set the record straight in the Dail this evening.

He said it is impossible to know when there will be a general election.

"[Charlie Flanagan] is taking responsibility in the Dail this evening to answer questions, but Charlie Flanagan has acted appropriately in this," he said.

"The key thing is to reform the Department of Justice and we need Ministers and government in place to be able to do that work in the public interest," he added.

Update 5.29pm: Her resignation was for the good of the party and the country - former TD

Former Fine Gael TD Monica Barnes has said Frances s Fitzgerald had resigned for the good of the party and had "saved the country from a disastrous election and allowed concentration to remain on Brexit."

Once described by Frances Fitzgerald as her mentor and role model the former FG stalwart said the former Tanaiste had made the right decision in stepping down.

Speaking on RTE's Drivetime the former Fine Gael TD went on to say Ms Fitzgerald always acted "out of the very best of reasons" and that she could "make a comeback" in the future.

Earlier:Taoiseach has undermined his authority with handling of Fitzgerald affair

A Fine Gael Councillor in Cork has criticised the Taoiseach for the handling of recent events which led to the resignation of Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

Speaking on RTE's Radio 1's Liveline , Councillor John A Collins from Cork said: "There's a question hanging over his head about how he handled the whole situation from day one. I think what he has done has undermined his authority. "

He said Frances Fitzgerald was a "decent politician, a good woman and a good Minister".

"[Mr Varadkar] needs to go back to basics and understand what the people on the ground are thinking within Fine Gael and react more quickly to whats happening amongst the ordinary members.

"There are questions about how FrancesFitzgerald handled it and the way Leo has handled her as well."

He said Simon Coveney should be the next Tanaiste.

* Check out how the story unfolded today

Read More:
Update - 3.40pm: A former Bosnian Croat general died in a Dutch hospital today shortly after drinking a liquid in a courtroom where judges had just confirmed his 20-year sentence for war crimes.

Croatia's prime minister has confirmed the death of convicted war criminal Slobodan Praljak and offered condolences to his family.

Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic said at a press conference that "we have all unfortunately witnessed his act by which he took his own life".

Mr Plenkovic said Praljak's action reflects the "deep moral injustice" done to six Bosnian Croats whose guilty verdicts were upheld by the UN's war crimes court in the Hague today.

Nenad Golcevski, a spokesman for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said Praljak died despite efforts to save him.

Mr Golcevski said: "Mr Praljak drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill.

"The ICTY medical staff immediately assisted Mr Praljak.

"Simultaneously, an ambulance was summoned. Mr Praljak was transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical assistance, where he passed."

Earlier: A war crimes convict who claimed to have taken poison during a UN court hearing has died, according to Croatian state TV.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, drank from a bottle shortly after appeal judges confirmed his 20-year sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

Dutch police refused to comment on the TV report based on "sources close to General Praljak".

Nenad Golcevski, spokesman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, when asked by AP if he could confirm the death, said: "I have no information to share at this point."

AP
Update - 10.55am: China's foreign ministry said the country is "seriously concerned about and opposed to" North Korea's latest missile test.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said that China "strongly urges" the North to abide by Security Council resolutions and cease actions that might escalate tensions.

Mr Geng said all concerned parties should "act with caution and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability".

China is North Korea's only significant ally and biggest source of trade and aid, but has backed increasingly harsh UN Security Council resolutions in hopes of convincing Pyongyang to return to talks.

Russia described the test as a provocation that has hurt the chances for settling the ongoing crisis.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov voiced hope that all parties involved would "maintain the calm needed to prevent the situation on the Korean peninsula from developing along the worst scenario".

Mr Peskov condemned the North's missile test as a "provocative action that foments tensions and puts off the launch of efforts to settle the crisis situation".

The test took place just as a Russian parliamentary delegation was visiting Pyongyang.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the lower house's international affairs committee, said its members were conveying Moscow's concern and trying to encourage the North to "stop the destructive escalation of tensions".

AP

7.30am: North Korea urged to 'change course' following latest missile launch

North Korea is being urged to 'change course' after launching a ballistic missile towards Japan.

The UN Security Council will meet this evening to discuss how to deal with the threat from the rogue nation.

North Korea claims the test shows their weapons are capable of "striking the whole US mainland".

South Korea's president Moon Jae-in has given his reaction.

"This action does not only increase tension on the North Korean peninsula but gravely endangers international peace and security.

"We strongly condemn North Korea in continuing such reckless behaviour."
Asia Thai Police Arrest 16 Protesting Against Coal-fired Power Plant

Thai police arrest 16 protesting against a coal-fired power plant. / Reuters

BANGKOK  Thai authorities have arrested 16 people who were protesting against the construction of a coal-fired power plant, drawing criticism of the military government from rights activists and environmentalists.

The planned power plant in the southern province of Songkhla will consist of two 1,000-megawatt units, and is part of a power development plan to 2036, but activists object to its expected environmental and health impact on communities in the area.

The 16 protesters were arrested on Monday as they travelled from Thepa district, the site of the plant, to the provincial capital to present a petition to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was due in the city on Tuesday for a meeting.

This incident shows the true face of Thailands military dictators, who have committed a long list of abuses and repressions since the May 2014 coup, Sunai Phasuk, Thailand researcher for US-based group Human Rights Watch, told Reuters.

Six protesters were injured in a scuffle with police, said anti-coal activist Supat Hasuwannakit.

The use of force was uncalled for, Supat told Reuters.

A few police officers were injured, police said, adding that the 16 had been charged with blocking traffic, assaulting authorities, and resisting arrest. Police have requested that a court detains them.

Tara Buakamsri, country director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said in a statement the action against the protesters reflected a complete failure by the government to promote a peaceful and inclusive society.

The Thepa power plant has no legitimacy to be built, the group said.

The first unit of the power plant is due to begin operating in 2021.

Its environmental health impact assessment was completed in August and is pending approval by the National Environment Board.
Asia Cambodia PM Leaves for China to Seek More Aid

Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen arrives at Phnom Penh International Airport before flying to China. Nov. 29, 2017. / Reuters

PHNOM PENH  Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, under Western donor pressure over a crackdown on his critics ahead of 2018 elections, will seek more aid and investment from China during a visit this week, his aide said.

Hun Sens aide, Sry Thamrong, said the prime minister will attend a special summit on Nov. 30-Dec. 3, which will be held by the Communist Party of China (CPC) with other political parties under Chinese President Xi Jinpings theme, turning the world for the better and without interference.

Hun Sen will also meet President Xi and Chinese investors to talk aid and investment with the aim of creating more jobs in Cambodia, Sry Thamrong said.

Especially, we need more bridges on the Mekong River. We also need many more roads, trains, sky trains. These are the things that we need in the future, Sry Thamrong told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before the departure.

China is already the biggest donor to Cambodia and its support has bolstered Hun Sen in the face of criticism of what his opponents say amounts to the destruction of democracy.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was banned earlier this month by the Supreme Court at the governments request. That followed the arrest of its leader Kem Sokha for plotting to take power with American help.

The United States has stopped election funding ahead of next years general election and threatened further concrete steps. The European Union has raised a potential threat to Cambodias duty free access.

China has supported Cambodias crackdown, making no criticism of the government, which is one of Beijings most important allies in Southeast Asia after more than three decades in power.
Burma Eight Die in Magwe Coal Mine Blast

Rescue efforts are underway at the collapsed coal mine in Minbu Township. / Yan Aung Htun / Facebook

YANGON  Eight people were killed in a coal mine collapse in Minbu Township in Myanmars central Magwe Region on Monday, while four otherstwo Chinese supervisors and two Myanmar miners were injured and are still receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The accident happened after a pipe used for injecting oxygen into the tunnel of the mine exploded, chief of the regional fire services department U Aung Win Sein told The Irrawaddy.

The blast took place at a depth of about 45 to 90 meters in a tunnel of the coal mine, which is owned by Han Htet Co.

They died for two reasons, some were deprived of oxygen, and some were killed in the collapse, he said.

Five bodies were recovered on Tuesday and rescue operations were ongoing to retrieve three others, he added.

U Hsan Tun, the administrator of Ngape Township, said: It seems that the oxygen pipe blasted and the vibration resulted in the collapse. According to the photos taken by firefighters, it seems that the mine collapsed inside.

Firefighters, police, departmental personnel and locals have joined the rescue efforts. Among those killed were a Chinese supervisor, an interpreter and Myanmar miners, he said.

The Magwe Region government permits 40 coal mines in the region and imposes a tax of 3,000 kyats per ton for production.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma NLDs Stiffest Opposition in Parliament Not Who Many Expected

Military appointees arrive for a meeting of Parliaments Lower House in Naypyitaw on Nov. 16, 2015, their first meeting after general elections earlier that month. / Reuters

YANGON  When the National League for Democracy (NLD)-dominated Parliament convened in early 2016, many expected its main opposition to come from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which led the prior government as a proxy of the countrys powerful military. The USDP, which won only 41 of 664 seats in the 2015 general election, has not emerged as such.

Instead, the NLDs main opposition in Parliament has from the start come from elsewhere: the military appointees.

The military holds 110 seats in the Lower House and 56 seats in the Upper House reserving fully 25 percent of the seats in all parliaments nationally and regionally under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. It also controls three key ministries: Defense, Home Affairs and Border Affairs. The commander-in-chief chooses the military appointees, a vice-president and the three ministers.

Tensions between NLD lawmakers and the military appointees started to arise only days after the NLD government was sworn in on March 30 last year.

In Parliament on April 4, 2016, all military representatives stood up in an apparent sign of protest against the passage of a bill that created a key new post of state counselor for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is barred from becoming president under the Constitution.

Military lawmakers called the bill unconstitutional.

Before that, the military appointees had objected to the NLDs nomination of a vice president and constitutional tribunal members and to an NLD lawmakers remarks on the controversial Letpaduang copper mine in Sagaing Division.

Before, the military and the USDP-led government were on the same side. The military agreed in most cases. But now the military has shown the most opposition to the NLD government and to proposals from NLD lawmakers, said U Ye Tun, a former lawmaker from Shan States Hsipaw Township.

The militarys objections in Parliament have failed to stop the passage of bills and amendments by a legislature dominated by the NLD. But the appointees have used their allotted seats to signal their discontent.

They have expressed their disapproval, for instance, with remarks by the ruling party that they deemed disrespectful of the military, the extension of a government commissions term, and proposals to amend laws.

Most recently, the entire bloc of unelected military representatives in the Lower House stood up in unison to oppose an NLD motion to place the image of the countrys late independence hero General Aung San  the father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi  on future bank notes.

Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Min Hlaing said animals  including peacocks, lions and elephants  were rightly featured on the notes because all of Myanmars ethnic groups valued and acknowledged them as national symbols. The militarys objection went viral on social media and met with an angry response from the public. The proposal was passed with a majority of votes from the NLD and ethnic parties.

Crucially, however, while the military appointees cannot amend or make laws on their own, they hold veto power over proposed amendments to the Constitution.

Article 436 of the Constitution says any major changes to the Constitution must have the support of more than 75 percent of both houses of Parliament, making such changes impossible without the appointees support. And as the countrys most powerful institution, the military sees its main duty as safeguarding the charter, which guarantees that it maintains an important leadership role.

Here, The Irrawaddy lists some of the militarys most significant confrontations with the NLD in Parliament over the last one year and nine months.

Copper Mine

On Feb. 26, 2016, military appointees in the Lower House stood up to protest remarks by an NLD lawmaker about the controversial Letpadaung copper mine in Sagaing Division, a joint venture between a Chinese firm and a military-run conglomerate.

NLD lawmaker U Kyaw Aung Lwin, representing Magwe Divisions Sidoktaya Township, brought up the copper mine while speaking in support of a proposal tabled by NLD lawmaker Khin San Hlaing calling for scrutiny of an apparent quick-fire sale of state-owned land and projects during the countrys transition period.

Vice President

On March 14, 2016, military representative General Than Soe objected to the NLD candidate for vice president, Henry Van Thio, questioning his eligibility for living abroad.

Constitutional Tribunal

On March 28, 2016, military representative Lieutenant Colonel Tun Lin Oo submitted a proposal opposing the nomination of two of nine Constitutional Tribunal members put forward by President U Htin Kyaw. Lawmakers voted not to discuss the proposal.

State Counselor

On April 5, 2016, military lawmakers refused to cast ballots and stood up to register their protest against a bill creating a key new post of state counselor for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is barred from becoming president under the Constitution even though her party won the supermajority it needed to form a government in the 2015 general election.

Military lawmakers said the bill was unconstitutional. Brigadier General Maung Maung labeled the vote democratic bullying, referring to the NLDs dominance in the legislature.

Overnight Guest Registration

On June 3, 2016, military representatives claimed that revoking provisions of Myanmars colonial-era Ward or Village Tract Administration Law, which requires citizens to register overnight guests, would jeopardize the countrys national security in both the Lower House and Upper House. NLD lawmakers argued that the amendments to the law were drafted in line with democratic norms.

Democratic Federal Union

On Aug. 30, 2016, when Union Parliament Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than announced Parliaments support for the first Union Peace Conference under the NLD government, military lawmaker Major General Than Soe objected to the phrase democratic federal union in the statement, claiming the wording violated the Constitution.

Special Cases Assessment Commission

On Feb. 27, 2017, military officials objected to extending the term of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission, chaired by U Shwe Mann, arguing that it was not formed in line with the 2008 military-drafted Constitution. Ex-General U Shwe Mann, a close ally of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was a former Parliament speaker and served as USDP chairman until he was removed from the post during a reshuffle in August 2015.

Dictatorship Remark

On, Aug. 22, 2017, military representative Major General Than Soe objected to remarks by NLD lawmaker Daw Ei Ei Pyone describing the problems in Rakhine State as a legacy of dictatorship and criticizing the military for not doing enough to protect local people despite its huge budget.

What did she mean bad dictatorial regime? Who did she mean? We want to know clearly. We dont accept the branding of successive governments as bad dictatorial regimes, he said.

At his request, Daw Ei Ei Pyones comments were struck from the record.

Fiscal Year

On Oct. 23, 2017, military representatives joined USDP lawmakers in calling for reconsideration of proposed changes to the fiscal year by the Union Parliament. Military representative Major Thaung Htike Soe argued that the current fiscal year had been used for the past 40 years and that changing it would cause inconvenience.

The Union Parliament endorsed the NLDs proposal to move the start of the fiscal year to October staring in 2018.

Currency Design

On Nov. 17, 2017, the entire bloc of military appointees in the Lower House and one lawmaker from the USDP stood up in opposition to a motion to reinstate the image of the countrys late independence hero General Aung San on the countrys currency. Military appointee Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Min Hlaing said the proposal should not be considered while the countrys economy was growing slowly, citing the cost of redesigning and printing new notes.

Who is ruling the country?

On June 11, 2018, six military representatives objected to the NLD governments decision to include a foreign expert on a commission set up to investigate widespread allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine State. They argued that such foreign interference posed a threat to the countrys sovereignty.

Military representative Colonel Myint Cho expressed their disapproval by asking, Who is ruling the country?

Constitutional Reform

On Jan. 29, 2019, the military representatives in Parliament stood up en masse in a sign of protest against the NLDs urgent proposal to form a joint committee to facilitate attempts to amend the Constitution as soon as possible. The militarywhich sees safeguarding the Constitution as one of its main dutiesalso refused to cast ballots when a secret vote was held on whether to debate the proposal.

Brigadier-General Maung Maung said that if Parliament approved discussion of the motion, It would be pulling the wool over the eyes of lawmakers. His comment drew a warning from the Parliament Speaker. The military boycott was defeated as a majority of lawmakers voted to approve discussing the proposal.

Following Parliaments approval, the military lawmakers sent a formal letter of complaint to the Union Parliament Speaker objecting to the proposal.

On Feb. 5, 2019, military-appointed lawmakers refused to participate in a parliamentary debate on the formation of the charter-amendment committee.

Nonetheless, a military lawmaker stood up to object to a remark from Shan Nationalities League for Democracy lawmaker Sai Oo Kham. While speaking in support of forming the committee, Sai Oo Kham said that, the Constitution privileges the military; thus the military guards the Constitution. The military lawmaker asked the Speaker to strike the comment from the parliamentary record. The Speaker accepted his request. It is not directly related to the proposal and could lead to a misjudgment of the [military], he said.

During the debate, lawmakers from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) strongly opposed forming a committee, while lawmakers from the NLD and ethnic parties endorsed it.

On Feb. 6, 2019, the Union Parliament approved the formation of the committee with 414 votes in favor, 191 opposed and six abstentions. It was a secret ballot, but the 31 percent who voted against the motion were likely military representatives appointed by the Army chief, who hold 25 percent of the seats, and members of the USDP, who hold 5 percent.

This story was updated on Feb. 8, 2019 to include the most recent instances of military resistance to the NLD in Parliament.
Burma Parents Demand Govt Take Action Against Religious Cult

Parents of members of the Soul Family sect meet Irrawaddy government officials. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy

PATHEIN  Parents have urged the Irrawaddy regional government to abolish a Christian cult after their children who joined the group refused to return home for no apparent reason.

Parents of 14 families from the Yangon, Bago and Irrawaddy regions and Karen State and three ministers of the Irrawaddy regional government, the regional advocate-general and the chief of the regional police force met at Sakaw Karen Baptist Church in Pathein on Monday.

The Christian cult, called Soul Family, led by Mahn Kyaw Soe, has reportedly conducted 40-day classes for would-be disciples, most of who are around 20.

Moreover, the leader also allegedly urged his young followers to shun their parents and relatives, and arranged marriages for them without the consent of their parents.

Naw Htoo Say from Thandaunggyi Township in Karen State, who met the Irrawaddy government officials, said: Our children refused to go back with us. After we went to take them, Mahn Kyaw Soe moved them to other places. Some parents dont even know where their children are.

I requested the regional government abolish this group, which has been sowing discord between parents and their children, and help us get back our children, he told The Irrawaddy.

Irrawaddy Region Municipal and Religious Affairs Minister U Kyaw Myint promised to present the case to the regional cabinet meeting and take action against the cult on criminal and religious grounds.

Many people have been affected by this cult, which is based in around nine places in Myanmar. It is likely that the more the cult expands, the more people may be affected. So, well gather enough evidence to charge the cult for criminal and religious offences, he said.

According to the accounts of those who have left the cult, it asked members to do unpaid jobs locally and even in Singapore on the pretext of making offerings to God, in a way that appears to be human trafficking and forced labor.

Naw Thay Hla, a former member of Soul Family, quit after attending the 40-day induction course.

I attended the 40-day class in Kyonpyaw because my daughter encouraged me to do so. After the training, one of the group leaders, Daw Nilar Tun, said we had to make an offering [to God]. She chose six or seven people from each group.

So, I asked her what the offering was, and she said we had to work. The cult sent young members to a shoe shop in Yangons Sanchaung Township as well as building materials shops in Pauk Khaung. And they are not paid for their work, Naw Thay Hla told The Irrawaddy.

The cult, which has six leaders including Mahn Kyaw Soe, has branches in Singapore, Thailands Mae Sot district, and the townships of Thandaunggyi in Karen State, Loikaw in Karenni State, Taungoo and Pauk Khaung in Bago Region, North Dagon and Sanchung in Yangon Region and Kyonpyaw, Kyaunggon, Kangyidaunt, Myaungmya and Pathein in the Irrawaddy Region, according to the Myanmar Council of Churches.

The Myanmar Baptist Convention and Myanmar Council of Churches have also distanced themselves from the group, saying that its sermons do not conform to the teachings of the Bible.

U Nyan Tun Kyaw, who is in charge of the Soul Family branch in Hlel Seik village in Kyonpyaw Township, said the group pays homage only to God in line with the freedom of religion bestowed to citizens, and denied it was a Christian cult.

The group has not registered with the government as a religious organization and has no plan to do so, he said.

The wages earned by the members are used to buy food, which is shared among members, he added. Members share labor and food as a community, U Nyan Tun Kyaw said.

Regarding the parents claim that their children are refusing to return home, he said, It is nothing to do with us. It is their personal freedom.

The Irrawaddy regional government has banned gatherings for prayers at the house of U Nyan Tun Kyaw in Hlel Seik village, and warned it would take legal action if the ban were violated.

Parents also sent letters on Monday to Union Religious Affairs Minister Thura U Aung Ko and Irrawaddy Region Chief Minister Mahn Johnny, urging them to outlaw the cult.
Burma Pope Calls for Peace in Myanmar on Diplomatically Fraught Trip

Pope Francis waves to Catholic followers as he arrives to lead a mass at Kyite Ka San Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, Nov. 29, 2017. / Reuters

YANGON  Pope Francis called on the people of Myanmar on Wednesday to embrace peace and reconciliation as their country emerges from nearly five decades of military rule still riven by ethnic conflicts and communal strife.

The pope made his appeal at an open-air mass in Yangon on the third day of a visit fraught with diplomatic risk over a military crackdown that has triggered the flight of about 625,000 Muslim Rohingya from the predominantly Buddhist country.

In a speech on Tuesday, he did not use the highly charged term Rohingya, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmars military and government against minority Christians.

However, his call for justice, human rights and respect for all were widely seen as applicable to the Rohingya, who are not recognized as citizens or as members of a distinct ethnic group.

The mass exodus from Rakhine state to the southern tip of Bangladesh began at the end of August when the military launched a counter-offensive in response to Rohingya militant attacks on an army base and police security posts.

Scores of Rohingya villages were burnt to the ground, and refugees told of killings and rapes. The United States said last week that the militarys campaign included horrendous atrocities aimed at ethnic cleansing.

Myanmars military has denied all accusations of murder, rape and forced displacement.

Wounds of Violence

Only about 700,000 of Myanmars 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them travelled from far and wide to Yangon to see the pope, and many attended Wednesdays mass on the grounds of what had been racecourse during British colonial times.

Among the tens of thousands there were priests, nuns, diplomats, leaders of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis ruling National League for Democracy, and members of ethnic groups in traditional garb who sang songs and waved Myanmar and Vatican flags as they waited for the pope.

We may never get such a chance again. The pope lives in Rome and we cant afford to go there, said Bo Khin, 45, a teacher who travelled on a truck to Yangon with a group of 15 relatives from the city of Mandalay. We feel very happy, joyful that he visited us in Myanmar.

Bells chimed as Francis arrived. Standing in the back of a white truck, he smiled, waved at the crowd and looked relaxed as he headed to a pagoda-style canopy to celebrate mass.

In his homily, he called on the countrys people to anoint every hurt and every painful memory and promote the reconciliation and peace that God wants to reign in every human heart and in every community.

I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible, he said, urging them to shun temptation to seek healing from anger and revenge.

Myriad Ethnic Conflicts

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord.

When she came to power in 2016, Nobel peace laureate and longtime champion of democracy Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said her number one priority was ending multiple ethnic conflicts that have kept Myanmar in a state of near-perpetual civil war since independence in 1948.

That goal remains elusive and, although Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains popular at home, she has faced a barrage of international criticism in recent weeks for expressing doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.

Although she formed Myanmars first civilian government in half a century, her defenders say she is hamstrung by a constitution written by the military that left the army in control of security and much of the apparatus of the state.

Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the popes trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Daw Aung san Suu Kyi.

Francis leaves on Thursday for Bangladesh, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.
Burma Pope Francis, Senior Buddhist Monks Stress Religious Leaders Role in Fostering Peace

Dr. Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, chairman of the State Sangha Committee, left, and Pope Francis, right, attend a meeting of the Sangha Maha Nayaka, Myanmars highest Buddhist authority, in Yangon on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGONIn a meeting with the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the countrys highest Buddhist authority, in Yangon on Wednesday, Pope Francis joined Myanmars leading Buddhist monks to stress the role of religious leaders in fostering peace and harmony.

Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, arrived in Myanmar on Monday for a four-day visit, becoming the first pontiff to visit the Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian country, where Christians make up less than 6.2 percent of the population and Muslims less than 5 percent.

The pope emphasized that Buddhism and Christianity shared the aim of surmounting all forms of intolerance, prejudice and hatred, quoting from both St. Francis of Assisi and the Dhammapada, a collection of Buddhas sayings. Francis said, The words of the Buddha offer each of us a guide: Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth (Dhammapada, XVII, 223). Similar sentiments are voiced in a prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, let me bring pardon Where there is darkness, let me bring light, and where there is sadness, joy.

The pope added, May that wisdom continue to inspire every effort to foster patience and understanding, and to heal the wounds of conflict that through the years have divided people of different cultures, ethnicities and religious convictions. He told the meeting that to ensure that every voice is heard, such efforts are the responsibility of state officials, civil society and religious leaders.

He also commended the ongoing work of the Panglong Peace Conference and prayed for the promotion of greater participation of all people who live in Myanmar.

If these efforts are to bear lasting fruit, greater cooperation between religious leaders will be required, Francis said.

Opportunities for religious leaders to encounter one another and for dialogue are proving to be a notable element in the promotion of justice and peace in Myanmar, he added.

Dr. Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, chairman of the State Sangha Committee, said leaders of all religions must strive to act as builders of a harmonious human society through their respective religious teachings in consolidating peace and security.

We, members of different faiths, urgently need to build mutual understanding, respect and trust among ourselves, in order to obtain a peaceful, secure and prosperous human society.

Denouncing and condemning all kinds of hate speech, false propaganda, conflict and war, and those who support such activities, the head monk urged religious members to cooperate in building bridges for world peace and to speak out publicly against the misuse of religion.

The chairman of the State Sangha also rejected terrorism and extremism in the name of religious belief, saying original religious teachings had been manipulated by some religious followers.

We firmly believe that terrorism and extremism arise out of misapprehension of original teachings of the respective religions, because some religious followers introduce amendments to the original teachings, being dominated by desire, ill-will, dread and delusion: the four wrong courses, the leading monk said at the meeting.

The pope made his appeal at an open-air mass in Yangon on Wednesday morning. He will conclude his visit and head to Bangladesh on Thursday.
Guest Column Gender Trumps Ability in Myanmars Patriarchal Society

Ethnic Palaung women in traditional dress at Mar Wong. / The Irrawaddy

Less than two months before 2017 comes to and end, Myanmar is expecting a change in administration. This time, it will not be at the top level but on the ground, as new village and ward administrators will be elected with terms lasting until 2020.

According to Yaung Chi Thit, a community-based organization engaged in the promotion of human rights, while Myanmar has 16,743 ward and village administrators nationwide at present, only 87 of them are womenonly about 0.5 percent.

The eligibility criteria laid out in Chapter 3 of the Ward and Village Tract Administration Law 2016 does not discriminate on the grounds of sex. Either men or women, 25 years of age or older are eligible to contest. But even for qualified and capable women, a glass ceiling still exists.

This is the case for a woman administrator in Karenni State.

She served as the administrator of her village for years on behalf of her busy husband who was officially elected the administrator. The village likes her as their upstanding and outspoken administrator but when she says she wants to contest the upcoming election to take the position herself, villagers shake their heads.

My villagers dont want people to think that they had to elect me, a woman, because no man in the village was capable of doing the administrators job. So they asked me to register with my husbands name [for the village administrator election]. But I want to serve as an administrator under my name, said the woman.

This case is a prime example of gender taking precedence over ability in Myanmars patriarchal society.

The eligibility criteria further requires that the administrator be respected by society, serve with dignity and possess the ability to perform the assigned duties with willingness and enthusiasm to the benefit of the community and the Union.

Ability, willingness and enthusiasm are key attributes of an administrator. But even women who possess these attributes in spades are overlooked in a male-dominated society.

Daw Mon Mon Aung, the administrator of Ward (E) in Yangons North Okkalapa Township, is one of a few women whose ability is appreciated by her community. But still she is confronted with challenges because of her gender.

Though the job is about performing the assigned duties well, people support male administrators and say they are fit for the job while they doubt womens ability, she said.

So, I have had to try to harder to win their trust and of course, there are more challenges, she added.

This reminds the author of what a woman administrator said at an event titled May Toh Kabar [Womens World] to raise public awareness about womens rights in Yangon some two years ago. The job is two times harder for women than men. There are people who are watching whether we do the job well, and we have to prove that we can. At the same time, we have to do household chores so that the family members do not get annoyed with us, she said.

While people would praise a male administrator who neglected his family in the name of community service, they expect female administrators to handle community work and household chores at the same time. As the job involves going out with men at night for checks on unlawful activities, female administrators also have to preserve their modesty to prevent their morals being questioned by others, the administrator continued.

Only when there is community and family that support and understand us, will we be able to truly serve the public interest, she said.

When it comes to serving the interests of the community and the country, there is a dire need for Myanmar to distinguish between actual inability and a stereotypical perception of womens inability.

In a 2016 forum on women, peace and security in Karenni State, discussions included increasing the participation of women in politics. It was not until 2012 that womens forums could be held across the country, in part because it was difficult to get permission from authorities and also because of peoples attitudes toward womens issues.

While these forums used to be difficult to organize, today they demand greater female participation in politics and the peace process.

Womens voices are their strength, and it is important that these voices be heard by concerned authorities, in particular those in the legislative and executives branches. Otherwise, gender equality will remain an illusion.

In Karenni State, people often give rice to local administrators as a gesture of gratitude for their service. But this token is not granted to female administrators, locals say.

People have yet to learn to respect female administrators. Much remains to be done in this regard, said a local.

Generally, the law allows both sexes to stand for ward and village administrator elections, but there are unwritten rules and norms that bar women.

There is a lot to be done to empower women, change the laws, and most importantly, change peoples attitudes toward women.

Womens forums seek to increase womens participation in politics, as well as guarantee their safety. The safety of women in conflict zones is a pressing issue, which has led to an increase in female administrators in Karen State, where serious clashes have occurred throughout decades.

Following armed conflicts and clashes, women filled administrator posts. Not because women were prioritized, but because male administrators were subject to investigation by both sides [Tatmadaw and non-state armed groups]. Male administrators were often threatened and tortured. But, they were less likely to do the same to female administrators, said a participant at a womens forum in Karenni State in 2016.

We had to take on the role of administrator in order to stabilize the community. And we also have to give appropriate answers to questions from both armed sides. We were always worried about the prospect of being detained, said a female administrator from Karen State.

The ward and village tract administration law also requires that an administrator not be a member of an armed organization or in communication with an unlawful association.

So, there is a likelihood that there will be more female administrators in conflict areas.

Women have called for a 30 percent quota in parliament and government, but there must be greater efforts to link international conventions on womens rights with the countrys strategies in order that that vision can become a reality.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which Myanmar ratified in 1997, mandates gender equality. Womens rights organizations and activists in cooperation with the government and parliament are obliged to link CEDAW and the National Strategic Plan for Advancement of Women (2013-22) in order that Myanmars glass ceiling is shattered for the benefit of women as well as the country.

Nan Phyu Phyu Linn is a womens rights activist.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Wednesday, Nov 29th, 2017 (12:01 am) - Score 1,689

Ofcom has published their latest report into the use of media by UK children and parents, which among other things finds that around two in five parents of children aged 3-4 (39%) or 5-15 (37%) use network-level filters on their home broadband ISP. The vast majority of those find them useful.

All of the markets largest broadband ISPs (BT, Virgin Media, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk etc.) are required, as part of an agreement with the Government, to adopt a system of network-level filtering that blocks potentially harmful websites from the gaze of young eyes. Customers can disable this if they so choose, which is good because such systems have become notorious for incorrectly blocking masses of safe websites.

Overall 92% of parents who use home network-level content filters consider them useful (down from 95% in 2016) and a similar proportion (93%) say this about parental control software. The use of such filters has also increased since last year, although oddly a significant proportion remain unaware of the features, which is despite ISPs conducting plenty of promotion among both new and existing subscribers.

More than eight in ten parents of 5-15s (85%) have also talked to their child about staying safe online, although this falls to 65% for those with children aged just 5-7.

Interestingly parents of 5-15s who use home network-level filters said they were more likely than in 2016 to feel that their child is able to bypass them. As anybody familiar with internet networks will know, bypassing network-level filters is incredibly easy (e.g. VPN, Proxy Servers) and theres very little that ISPs can reasonably do in order to prevent this (its largely a result of how the internet itself works).

Around one in five parents of 5-15s who use home network-level filters (21%) and one in six using parental control software (16%) feel their child can bypass these controls. Compared to 2016, parents are more likely to say their child can bypass home network-level filters (up from 15%), although this increase follows a decrease between 2015 and 2016 (from 26% to 15%).

Naturally parents of 12-15s are more likely than parents of 8-11s to say their child can bypass both types of content filter (30% for 12-15s vs. 17% for 8-11s for home network-level filters), which is hardly a surprise because by that age youd expect them to be pretty clued-up on such things.

However its worth noting that when children aged 12-15 were asked whether they could bypass such filters, only 18% (i.e. those who go online and who opted to respond) said they know how to disable them and 6% said theyve already done this. This should be tempered against the fact that children may not always feel as if they can answer such questions with honesty.

As for those parents of 5-15s who are aware of but do not use home network filters, some 50% said this was because they trust their child to be sensible online and others said it was because they use different ways of ensuring correct use (e.g. close supervision). Only 6% said it was because the filters block too much or get in the way of their browsing and 4% figured it was pointless because their child could find a way around it.

Its worth remembering that the Digital Economy Act 2017 (summary) will in 2018 introduce a new age-verification system for websites that contain pornographic content. Under this approach the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will gain the power to force ISPs into blocking porn websites that fail to put tough age verification measures in place.

Ofcoms report also contains plenty of other interesting stats.
Driverless and fully electric vehicles are slated to arrive in Western Australia under the Royal Automobile Club's plan to test automated vehicles in the state.

A statement from RAC said this would make Perth the first city in the country  and among the first globally  to test and run this kind of service.

The vehicles for the test are expected to arrive in WA by April next year. They can carry up to six passengers and have a maximum operating speed of 90kmph but are likely to operate at between 20kmph and 50kmph during the trial.

The AUTONOM vehicles are being put through tests by the RAC in partnership with NAVYA and the WA Government. The service has been set up as an on-demand shared mobility service which can be booked through a smartphone app.

The first public trial of driverless vehicles was undertaken in Singapore, beginning in August last year.

In March, RAC said it was running a trial with a vehicle known as the RAC Intellibus; trips were being made along the South Perth Esplanade between the Old Mill and Sir James Michael Park, a distance of about three kilometres.

The driverless shuttle bus which will be tested in Perth.

RAC Group chief executive Terry Agnew said: "We must prepare for the potential impact and opportunities of driverless vehicles, as well as the changes that are required for them to safely transition on to our roads.

For 112 years, RAC has been helping to create a better WA for its members and the community. By giving Western Australians the chance to see the technology, use it and experience it, we are learning more and working towards being ready for driverless vehicles.

Two driverless shuttle buses are being tested in South Perth right now, both manufactured by NAVYA.

Photo: courtesy RAC
Less than 10% of enterprises have achieved their digital transformation goals, although the telecoms and banking sectors are the most mature in the drive for digital transformation, according to a new global report.

The report from global analyst firm Ovum reveals that while the telecoms sector was most advanced, the overall level of digital maturity is low across a range of industry sectors.

The telecoms index score currently stands at 43.9%, with banking next at 42%; and Ovum says many providers in both sectors are still at early stages or mid-stream levels across most steps.

Indeed, across the 6300+ enterprises surveyed, only 8% consider themselves to have achieved transformation, and only a fraction over 16% believe they are well-advanced. Almost as many (23%) rate themselves to be still at the early stages, Ovum reports.

Ovum based its findings on its ICT Enterprise Insights programme and a study across 14 industries and primary interviews with over 6,300 enterprises globally, asking senior ICT executives to rate their organisations against nine steps it identified as the key to digital transformation.

These ranged from tackling cyber security, to developing digital skills, creating the necessary organisation structure and culture, to digitising processes, creating digital services, to having a clearly articulated digital strategy.

Ovum says its insights programme also examined the role of enabling digital technologies in the path to digital transformation, including Big Data, blockchain, IoT, platform architecture/APIs, artificial intelligence (AI), and microservices.

Here, enterprises are most advanced in adoption of Big Data and API-based architectures with close to 40% of enterprises actively trialing or deploying these areas, with just under a further 50% planning or considering to do so in the future, Ovum reports.

Microservices and IoT are less currently advanced in terms of active deployment, but over 50% of planning or considering to do so in the future. In contrast, while AI and blockchain are much discussed, actual traction by enterprises to use such technologies for digital transformation is much less developed.

Daniel Mayo, director of IT Data Tools & Insights at Ovum, commented: IT vendors and service providers that deliver the solutions that enable digital transformation can leverage Ovums ICT Enterprise Insights to identify the market segments with the most opportunity  by country, industry, or size of company. Along with prioritising market segments, the survey is an essential input in product planning, market messaging, and salesforce deployment.

Here is Ovum's infographic:
Unified communications vendor Avaya says it expects to emerge from the restructuring of its business by the end of this year after the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed its reorganisation plan.

Avaya moved into chapter 11 in January this year with almost US$6 billion in debt and plans to reduce that debt to US$2.9 billion.

And in August, Avaya revealed a dip in revenue of US$1 million down to US$803 million for the third fiscal quarter which ended on 30 June compared to the prior quarter. Revenue year-over-year was down US$79 million which the company attributed to lower demand for products and services, primarily due to extended procurement cycles resulting from its chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in the US.

The Courts approval of our plan is the culmination of months of hard work and extensive negotiations among our various stakeholders, said Jim Chirico, Avayas president and chief executive.

In the coming weeks, Avaya will emerge from this process stronger than ever and positioned for long-term success, with the financial flexibility to create even greater value for our customers, partners and stockholders.

Avaya projects it will have approximately US$2.925 billion of funded debt and a US$300 million senior secured asset-based lending facility available on emergence from chapter 11 protection, which Chirico says is a substantial reduction from the approximately $6 billion of debt on its balance sheet when Avaya commenced its financial restructuring.

The revised capital structure is expected to result in more than US$200 million in annual cash interest savings compared to fiscal year 2016.

I want to thank our customers and partners for their continued support, Chirico said. The trust and loyalty of our global customer base and partner network have played a vital role in Avayas success throughout this process.

I also want to thank our dedicated and driven employees, who have remained focused on delivering the innovative solutions and industry-leading service that our customers expect from us. I look forward to working with our employees, customers and partners as we write the next chapter of the Avaya story.
Telstra Ventures continues on its aggressive international investment strategy with the announcement it has taken a stake in Silicon Valley mobile application testing company Headspin.

The big telco says this latest investment was driven by strong global growth in app downloads and usage, citing stats showing the number of mobile apps downloaded worldwide was 149.3 billion, and forecast to rise to 352.9 billion in 2021.

From this growing trend, we see the need for organisations to test and monitor the user experience and performance of their applications on any global mobile network, said Mark Sherman, managing director of Telstra Ventures.

The Headspin platform not only allows organisations to test their apps before launch, but it also provides the necessary data to help them enhance the customer experience and benchmark against competitors after launch.

As a company that provides connectivity to customers, we are excited to leverage Headspins capability in simulating and measuring how customers experience our network.

Manish Lachwani, chiuef executive and co-founder of Headspin, welcomed the investment from Telstra and said the company was expanding globally and into different industry sectors.

While we have been powering app developers that serve more than a billion monthly active users globally, we look forward to working closely with Telstra to strengthen our reach in Asia-Pacific given the strength of their network, customer relationships and market knowledge.

Our easy-to-use performance management, monitoring and testing platform has already covered over 22,000 devices in 140 locations. With this coverage we collect a wealth of data about the network performance, application performance and user experience. This allows us to carry out analysis in real-time and feed back to the developer application activity, issues identified and suggested solutions, and a video playback of the customer experience.
The new 5G Life Campus, first of its kind, will "test 5G technologies across a range of innovative applications"."

Ericsson and Corda Campus' new 5G Life Campus will be set up in Belgium, a country in which Belgian industry players are set to develop "5G applications that benefit industry and society, help boost the countrys economy and job market".

We're told "the first 5G network environment in Belgium will be available first quarter of 2018, ahead of the expected commercial launch of the technology in the country".

The 5G Life Campus will be located at Corda Campus, in Hasselt, Belgium. Corda Campus is a "technology park, and will be fully connected to Ericssons R&D centre in Aachen, Germany, where 5G development and international pilot projects are executed".

By jointly implementing the first Belgian 5G Life Campus, Ericsson and Corda Campus say their aim is "to provide industry players with a test environment to develop and trial new applications using the latest technologies for the next generation of mobility, potentially years ahead of the expected commercial launch of 5G in Belgium".

Raf Degens, director of Corda Campus, said: Corda Campus is a high technology campus, where more than 200 innovative companies work on new products and services every day. With Ericsson, this 5G Life Campus will provide industries a way to prepare for the future and grow faster.

Saskia Van Uffelen, country manager of Ericsson Belgium and Luxembourg, said: Ericsson and Corda Campus will engage Belgian enterprises to be key players in the development of 5G, helping to speed up industrial digitalization in the country and Europe. This 5G Life Campus, part of the 5G for Europe program launched by Ericsson and industries and institutes across Europe, will help contribute to Belgiums future economic growth and job market.

Hosted within Corda Campus, billed as "a leading technology campus in the heart of the EUREGIO," the 5G Life Campus is to host "countless innovative businesses and start-ups".

The launch of the new 5G Life Campus is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018, which Ericsson says is "years ahead of the expected commercial launch of the next generation of mobile technology".
As a cybersecurity expert, Richard White supports locking down sensitive data to keep it out of the wrong hands. On the other hand, he says, companies go overboard with restrictions.

Those excessive restrictions can be self-defeating if they lock out workers, too, making it hard if not nearly impossible to do their jobs efficiently. So, they find workarounds. Its a scenario that slows productivity and, ironically, puts the data itself in jeopardy.

White points to a specific incident he witnessed at one office: A worker took a photo of protected information on his computer screen so he could take it with him to finish a job. If security measures are overly complex, the first thing users are going to do is look for a way around them, and then the security measures completely fail. Its imperative that cybersecurity professionals really take a look and tailor their policies and procedures and technology based on what the actual security risks are. It has to be a justifiable mix of rational security measures and what the users are trying to accomplish, says White, author of Cybercrime: The Madness Behind the Methods and managing director of Oxford Solutions.

Cybersecurity teams dont need to overhaul their operations to achieve a better balance of security measures and usability, White and other experts say. They can instead start by addressing several common areas where workers tend to sacrifice security for productivity.

Complex password requirements

Passwords are a security staple, yet security officials say organizations have created such complex password policies that theyve shed their protective powers and instead have become vulnerabilities. These policies often require workers to have overly long passwords with too many required features (e.g., upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols along with a minimum number of characters). These policies also often require workers to change them at least every several months.

As a result, workers write them down or, perhaps even worse, store them in a computer file in order to remember them. White says he worked with one company that had suffered an external hack, which was traced back to a worker with administrative-level credentials who had stored his passwords in an electronic file. Although its unclear what role the stored passwords played in the case, White says it certainly highlights the problem.

Of course, White and other security professionals say, passwords still have their place. They recommend organizations be smarter with their password policies and limit the complex requirements to more reasonable levels.

Sharing passwords

On a related note, Tim Crosby, a senior security consultant with Spohn Security Consulting, Inc. in Austin, Texas, says some workers also share their passwords with colleagues. Although its not smart from a security standpoint, he says workers do so because they need to share access to their files with co-workers. He says it happens at all levels within organizations  from executives sharing passwords with their assistants to lower-tier employees who are collaborating or covering for each other on days off.

To counteract such actions, he says cybersecurity teams should work with the business to more accurately identify which users need access to which files and then create policies on how to security-enable that shared access.

Sign-in overload

Organizations dont just have a problem with the complexity of their password requirements; they also have a problem with the number of times they expect workers to sign in overall. Many workers have multiple log-in and authentication requirements to contend with throughout their work day, which they see as a drag on their productivity, says Alvaro Hoyos, the chief information security officer at OneLogin, a cloud-based identity and access management provider.

He and others say such drags push workers to circumvent log-in requirements by, for example, transferring the data they need out of secure applications and putting it in an easy-to-access spot where they can work without worrying about having to log back in if they step away from their desks for a few minutes. Security teams have several options to address such scenarios, says Rob Stroud, a principal analyst with Forrester Research and past board chairman with ISACA, an international professional association focused on IT governance.

Solutions include using identity management and single sign-on solutions, tokens, the more advanced User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) capabilities that distinguish among normal worker patterns and anomalies that indicate a potential threat that needs to be shut down, and biometrics where quick and easy access is needed. You have to find the right balance between security and convenience, Hoyos says, adding that security professionals should be aiming for frictionless security.

Data held hostage

The need to protect sensitive data has become paramount for most organizations, yet cybersecurity leaders say many organizations have created so many unnecessary layers of protection that theyre slowing down productivity and pushing workers to unsafe practices. The evidence of such worker frustration is mounting. Whites example of a worker snapping a photo of the information he needed is just one anecdote security officials have witnessed. Others say theyve witnessed workers copying files, transferring documents, and using unsanctioned file-sharing apps.

Many managers dont realize how easy it is to grab data, Crosby says, adding that such workarounds poke holes in the organizations protective layers, thereby increasing risk. Its not a new dilemma, its part of the security paradigm. Every time you make something more secure, its less user friendly. People are smart; theyre going to find a way around it, especially if they dont understand the why.

White says organizations should recognize that theyre creating problems for themselves if they treat all data with the same sensitivity. Instead, he and others say security needs to spend more upfront work on data classification to protect the truly sensitive pieces of information while removing barriers to the less sensitive information that most workers use for their jobs. Its hard work, but it only has to be done one time, White says.

Cumbersome workflow

Workflow is another point where security and productivity collide. Wouter Koelewijn, senior vice president of the Scanning Division at Y Soft, a print management solutions company, says he sees workers sharing, scanning, emailing, and printing documents in the normal course of their duties. Theyre either not aware of the potential security risks, or they are but move forward anyway because they must to get their job done.

Koelewijn doesnt fault the workers; he faults the design of systems that doesnt easily accommodate the existing day-to-day workflow patterns. The behavior we see from users is if you ask them too many questions or to classify documents, its out of balance with what they want to achieve, so theyll find their own solutions, he says.

He and others say companies need to invest in the technologies and system designs that make it easy for workers to follow the rules and, more importantly, automate as much of that as possible. For example, systems should be designed to securely scan documents identified as sensitive without making workers jump through hoops.

We have to look at the human process flow, so security is not obtrusive, Stroud adds. We have to look at these process flows and insert security appropriately and based on the risk, so theres not one size fits all.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 52F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable.
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Mohammed Nuruzzaman | (Informed Comment) |  

Tensions often run high in the Middle East beating the drums of war and violence. This has been the case since at least 2003, the year the US invaded Iraq. The regions post-US invasion three notorious episodes of violence are the civil war in Syria, the rise and fall of the Islamic State and the ongoing Saudi war on Yemen. Alarming as they are, the three episodes have occasionally pushed regional archrivals Iran and Saudi Arabia on to the brink of dangerous wars.

The latest war situation arose after the Yemeni Houthi fighters had fired a long-range ballistic missile on Riyadh international airport on November 4, for which the Saudis blamed Iran and threatened war, and the Saudis detention of Lebanons Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri the following day, apparently to punish Irans ally Hezbollah for its deployments in Syria to defend President Bashar Al-Assad.

A war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with support from their respective allies, was never out of the question, especially after the outbreak of the Arab Spring in December 2010. It is, in fact, highly probable in the present context, as both parties may see a shooting war as a rational choice either to permanently change the regional status quo or hold onto the status quo.

The immediate reasons for war lie in the recent emergence of an apparently unbeatable new power pole  Iran-Syria-Hezbollah alliance, backed by Russia and aided by the Iraqi Shia militia groups. The deep underlying reasons for Iran  Saudi armed clashes, perhaps involving Israel and the US, originate from the Middle Easts structural dynamics and historical fault lines.

The rise of rival power blocs

Out of the Arab Spring and the fight against the Islamic State have emerged a weakened Saudi-Israel-US bloc and a solidified Russia-Iran-Syria-Hezbollah alliance. Contrary to hopes for changes in Arab authoritarian power structures, the Arab Spring simply degenerated into fierce power struggles pitting the two rival blocs against each other. They got embroiled in a long fight in Syria and in Iraq. Self-styled caliph Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadis Islamic State, a common enemy of both blocs, forced some tactical adjustments and operational coordination between the US and Iran in Iraq and between Russia and the US in Syria but still their strategic divergences and open hostilities never ceased to exist. Iran  US hostile relations have occasionally reached the boiling point, despite the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal that indirectly attached a certain degree of legitimacy to Irans strategic role and influence in the Middle East.

From a realistic viewpoint, the total defeat of Al-Baghdadis Islamic State and the near disintegration of Syrias rebel groups have put Iran and its allies in the regional drivers seat. Tehran has steadfastly prevented Iraq from falling into the hands of the Sunni Islamic State, defended its Syrian ally President Al-Assad, supported by Russian air operations and Hezbollah fighters on the ground. Iran is thus linked from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west via Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. This vast geographic expanse, what critics call the Shia Crescent, has enormously expanded Irans sphere of influence and shrunk that of its rivals  Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US. This strategic shift has also largely diminished Americas hope to maintain an anti-Iran regional order with Israel and Saudi Arabia as two loyal lieutenants.

Saudi and Israeli strategic calculations

Saudi Arabia, in particular, views Irans rise as appalling and the kingdom looks determined to overturn Tehrans strategic gains. The Saudis, despite their deep involvements in anti-Iran proxy wars across the region, see that they are completely defeated in Syria, caught in a quagmire in Yemen and more or less beaten out of Iraq. What worries the Saudis most is Irans nuclear ambitions. The nuclear deal with the US simply delays, not eliminates, Irans nuclear option for fifteen years, after which Tehran will be free to pursue its nuclear program anyway. Once Iran builds the bomb, Riyadh concludes, the Iranians, buttressed by their regional strategic advantages, will enter the final stage of their regional dominance  an unpalatable scenario where the Arabs can expect to play only the second fiddle. This situation is driving the young and reckless Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to look for ways to weaken Iran, including appeal to Israel to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel, like the Saudis, has also emerged as a strategic loser out of the Arab Spring violence, particularly in Syria. It has militarily and financially supported the anti-government Syrian rebel groups, including Islamic State and al-Qaeda groups to permanently fragment Syria, weaken and gradually eliminate Hezbollah by forcing it to fight a long war in Syria and deny Iran any strategic link to Lebanon. So has been the case with the US. CIA has not only armed the Syrian rebels but also paid their monthly salaries to prolong the civil war and eventually to effect regime change in Damascus to wean Syria away from Iran. Neither has Israel nor the US achieved anything, at the end of the day. Contrarily, Israeli leaders now see Syria as a new military front with strong Iranian and Hezbollah military presence, in addition to the northern front with Lebanon. Never before in history has Israel faced such serious multi-pronged security threats.

Turkeys gradual drift towards Iran and Russia, primarily because of Americas flirtations with the Kurds-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which Ankara considers a terrorist group, has created more strategic odds for the Saudi-US-Israel bloc.

The precarious strategic shift especially makes Israel and Saudi Arabia nervous: neither Riyadh nor Tel Aviv is sure that Iran will not exploit its strategic gains to seriously threaten their security in the future. The Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi fighters capacity to resist Saudi invasion and hold onto northern Yemen turn them into a new dangerous security threat on Saudi Arabias southern and southwestern borders, in addition to big losses elsewhere. Similarly, Israel sees itself surrounded by pro-Iran armed groups from all around  Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. The Israeli Defense Force, despite its mythical might, has hardly won any military victory after the 1973 war against the Arabs. The 2006 war with Hezbollah was a disaster as it failed to knock out the armed group. What is more, Israel did not get the US to directly fight on its side but was forced to seek a ceasefire after fighting for some 33 days. Hezbollah now commands an army of battle-hardened soldiers and is obviously many times stronger than it was in 2006.

What has emerged in the aftermath of the Arab Spring is that the post-Second World War status quo in the Middle East is seriously shattered or challenged by the Russia-Iran-Syria-Hezbollah alliance. The Saudi-Israel-US bloc is out to roll back the Russia and Iran-led alliances strategic dominance to restore the status quo, even if that means new wars. President Trumps so-called Islam speech in Riyadh in May this year to create anti-Iran Arab Israeli unity, his refusal to certify the Iran nuclear deal, Saudi-led blockade on Iran-friendly Qatar, Riyadhs overtures to Israel, even at the cost of giving up Palestinian statehood, are symptoms of an imminent major regional war.

Structural and historical dynamics

The current push for war by the Saudi-Israel-US bloc is substantially conditioned by regional structural dynamics, much like the way Europe has fought many devastating wars in the last few centuries. A multipolar power structure for centuries, the Middle East has never developed a single dominant political core to foster a regional political and strategic identity or security integration. Different dynasties have ruled different parts of the region from power centers based in Babylon, Damascus, Baghdad, Persipolis, Isfahan or Istanbul. The intense competitions for territorial expansion and power between different power centers resulted in constant warfare, which occasionally drew in external powers. The rise of the Iran-led alliance as a new power center speaks of a new attempt to fundamentally alter the regional structural dynamics. And it necessarily frightens other contemporary rival power centers  Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

History has also played its part to aggravate the Middle Easts regional structural dynamics. The imperial rivalries between the Persians and the Arabs and between the Persians, the Ottomans and the Czarist Russians were greatly defined by nationalistic, religious and sectarian factors, apart from geopolitical dynamics. The Shia  Sunni divide was definitely a factor in the Shia Persian versus Sunni Ottoman rivalry for hundreds of years. Some of these factors, particularly sectarianism even today largely influence the geopolitical competition between Shia power house Iran and Sunni citadel Saudi Arabia. Irans post-1979 hostility with the US has necessarily pushed Washington on to the side of Saudi Arabia, further fueling anti-Iran mindsets of the Saudis and their regional allies.

Finally, wars are not welcome but they often become unavoidable. The rise of the Iran-led alliance as a new power bloc and its challenge to the regional status quo has the potential to remake a new regional order. The strong antipathy of the Saudi-Israel-US bloc to accept this new strategic reality is set to create more tensions and instability in the region leading to war. It is a question not about whether but when the next major war in the Middle East will break out.

Mohammed Nuruzzaman is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait E-mail: nuruzzaman.m@gust.edu.kw



Related video added by Juan Cole:

WION: Saudi Crown Prince calls Irans Supreme Leader new Hitler'
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By Michael Greenwell | (The Conversation) |  

It came as a slight relief to see at least some measured coverage of Donald Trumps recent visit to South Korea. Sections of the media have been predicting World War III  and focusing on barbed and incendiary comments between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jon-un  so stories that take a more measured tone should be welcomed  by everyone.

North Korea has now launched another ballistic missile, and further doomsday journalism could inflame current hostilities in the region. Any positive influence to avoid actual military action and encourage all nations to stick to a peaceful, negotiated resolution is in the whole worlds interest.

The US president missed the press opportunity to stand at the border of North Korea on his recent trip, and its encouraging that he didnt glower at the checkpoint, eyeballing his opponent like a boxer before a fight. It may well be helpful if he now tempers his reaction to the most recent launch. So far, he has said: We will take care of it.

Journalists report what is in front of them  so when Team Trump adopts a more moderate tone, coverage can be less hyperbolic and antagonistic. The prior brinkmanship was leading the world to war, but a mutual realisation of the issue by the media and governments may have a symbiotic cooling effect. Unless you believe that governments and the media act in isolation to one another  refuting a feedback loop  it appears that the administration and editors have at least started to tone it down.

A peaceful dynamic

Gabi Wolsfeld theorised this potential dynamic as the politics-media-politics cycle. Wolsfeld observed coverage of conflict in Israel by the countrys media and attempted to analyse its influence on the protagonists. Wolsfeld even suggested that the media created a more conducive atmosphere for the assassination of former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.

Drawing clear conclusions about the existence of such a cycle  a relationship between the actions of dominant actors, subsequent media coverage, and consequential actions potentially influenced by that media coverage  is extremely challenging. But analysing the coverage (and behaviour) of a bombastic Trump in previous press conferences, while establishing its impact on subsequent events, is enabled by the discipline of Peace Journalism.

Close analysis of events through the lens of Peace Journalism can help theorise when media coverage may have helped escalate or deescalate conflict. Peace Journalism aims to improve the conditions for peace through a considered editorial approach and practice. It is a means to peace.

Johan Galtung first theorised the notion of Peace Journalism in contrast to the notion of War Journalism. War Journalism foregrounds violence and body counts. Today, Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick are leading proponents of Peace Journalism and adopt a critical, realist perspective when looking at the drivers of War Journalism. Lynch practices journalism that foregrounds marginalised voices in favour of dominant actors, provides accurate context and history  instead of polarised, short-term narratives  and presents peaceful options over grievances and violence.

The format of rolling news, journalistic convention, and the (perceived) demand for war reporting, makes change hard. But the media could have a powerful role to play. Propaganda on the radio, and specifically Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines, fuelled genocide in Rwanda, while child soldiers in Liberia imitated warlords on the news.

Perhaps its time that Peace Journalism enabled constructive analysis when framing conflict coverage and identified relationships between the media and escalation.

Trumps cataclysmic rhetoric, for now, has diminished, and studying any influence by the media (if the heat of conflict turns up or down) is important. Indeed, it could be crucial with this media fixated, tweet-happy President.

What to do

So how can the media provide coverage that supports peaceful ends and addresses structural inequalities?

There could be hope in Manuel Castells network society, whereby consumers increasingly drive digital content. Could journalists and audiences adapt in unison to more constructive narratives about conflict and the path to peace? Lynch and McGoldrick have evidence of positive audience responses to more conflict-sensitive coverage, so could audiences dictate supply through demand?

Conflicts and coverage vary. There is no possibility of repeating conflicts and comparing influential factors and consequential results. Conflict contexts are not amenable to controlled study. Drivers and events cannot be studied empirically.

Media owners (and dominant interests) diverting from that old adage of if it bleeds, it leads, social media, finding a responsible journalistic model, and consumers bolstering demand for it could all help. But currently news institutions are falling short when it comes to constructive peace coverage.

However, there is hope, as some recent coverage of South Korea shows, and it continues with deeper ethical discussion and teaching around hybrid forms of journalism, as at the Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism at Nottingham Trent University.

Peace Journalism opposes War Journalism, but does not oppose quality journalism. There needs to be more commitment to its implementation and understanding of its purpose. Peace Journalism demands a multi-disciplinary approach, enriches studies and seemingly appeals to the next generation. And after all, it is they who will inherit the legacy of Trump and the society that is defined by its media.

Michael Greenwell, Lecturer, School of Arts & Humanities, Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism, Nottingham Trent University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

Peace News Network: What is Peace Journalism?
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Trump went to Puerto Rico and told the hurricane victims there that they were inconvenient since the disaster that left them without potable water or electricity (nearly half still lack it) had put a crimp in the GOP budget.

It later emerged that the GOP budget is a large-scale embezzlement scheme to move $1.5 trillion out of middle class bank accounts and into the hands of billionaires, leaving the government too bankrupt to provide essential services.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and a handful of other colleagues have introduced a bill to extend $146 billion to Puerto Rico to properly rebuild and do debt forgiveness (PR has $70 bn in debt), calling it a Marshall Plan for the islands. The bill contains provisions for implementing renewable energy in the islands. The Marshall Plan was the US economic boost to Europe after WW II, aimed at lifting it out of the grinding poverty caused by four years of total war. It worked.

In contrast, Sanders bill will likely never get reported out of committee to be considered in the GOP-controlled senate.

Sanderss site says that the legislation is intended to ensure that Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands not only recover, but are able to rebuild in a way that empowers them to thrive. Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, Richard Blumenthal, Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren are co-sponsors.

The legislation involves forgiveness for a major chunk of Puerto Ricos $70 bn in debt, which impedes its recovery.

Sanders said:

It is unconscionable that in the wealthiest nation in the world we have allowed our fellow citizens to suffer for so long. The full resources of the United States must be brought to bear on this crisis, for as long as is necessary. But we cannot simply rebuild Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands the way they were. We must go forward to create a strong, sustainable economy and energy system in both territories and address inequities in federal law that have allowed the territories to fall behind in almost every measurable social and economic criteria.

One of the bills major emphases is

Resilient and Renewable Energy: Instead of simply rebuilding an antiquated, centralized and inefficient system dependent on imported fossil fuels, the bill ensures the electric grids will be rebuilt to be more renewable and resilient, to provide less expensive electricity and create local jobs.

It also addresses health insurance and health care, as well as education and infrastructure.

Gillibrand said, The people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands suffered one of the worst disasters our country has ever experienced, and Congress has done the minimum expected of us. Congress must rise to the occasion and implement this new Marshall Plan to help our fellow American citizens rebuild and recover. We must all pledge to stand with these families until the islands are rebuilt and fully back on their feet.

There will also be a version of the bill worked up for the House of Representatives, but it is doubtful it will get to be voted on.

The renewables component of the bill is important, and is one area where activists are already trying to help, such as renewables energy consultant Peter Reese of Minnesota.

The Twin Cities Frontier reports that Reese said, I think we get caught in an either-or mindset:Youre not going to be able to replace all of Puerto Ricos grid with solar, so dont try. Well, theres places where repairing a traditional power plant makes sense. But where thats been devastated  solar can do it cheaper and faster. If the hurricanes took your transmission lines and knocked the whole thing over, youve got to start from scratch anyway. Youve got to bring in the poles and youve got to bring in the wires.

Other activists are raising money to put solar installations into 100 towns in Puerto Rico.

Walter Meyer, a former Obama administration adviser on resiliency, said, according to WNYC, The reason everyone is excited about solar in Puerto Rico right now is its the first time there has been a chance to reboot at the scale of a state. Its at the scale of Connecticut . . . Were talking two years from now, Puerto Rico can be 100 percent renewable with the amount of actors and agents that are coming into this space including all the battery manufacturers.

So there are Federal government plans and there are local private and public plans. My money is on the local private and public plans.

Trump is only asking Congress for $29 bn for disaster relief and rebuilding in all of Texas, Florida and New Jersey.



Related video:

WWLTV: Help for Puerto Rico with solar puff lights
DELTA, BC, Nov. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Desert Gold Ventures Inc. ("Desert Gold" or "the Company") (TSX.V: DAU, FF: QXR2, OTC: DAUGF) is pleased to announce that certain shareholders of the Company have exercised 7,502,142 Desert Gold share purchase warrants (the "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitled the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of CDN$0.09 per share resulting in net proceeds to the Company of CDN $675,193.

Desert Gold's President Jared Scharf remarked, "We are very thankful for the continued support of our shareholders. The exercise of these warrants brings in significant capital that will be used for drilling and other exploration work at our projects situated along the Senegal Mali shear zone in Western Mali. The warrant exercise also significantly reduces the company's overhang".
TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Superior Gold Inc. ("Superior Gold" or the "Company") (TSX.V:SGI) is pleased to announce additional results from the ongoing underground diamond drill program at its 100%-owned Plutonic Gold Mine in Western Australia. The drilling was conducted from late July to late September 2017 and is part of the year-round ongoing program of underground drilling.

Results are provided for 191 drill holes for a total of more than 13,500 metres. The drill holes were completed for resource definition and grade control purposes. Resource definition was designed to increase the confidence level of the resource in areas where drilling was limited. Grade control drilling was completed to provide additional information for stope design ahead of mining.

The drilling focussed on seven zones  Area 134; Caribbean; Caspian; Cortez; Indian; Pacific; and Timor. A number of significant intersections were encountered.

KEY FINDINGS

275 intersections encountered more than 5g Au/t

275 intersections encountered more than 5g Au/t 143 intersections encountered more than 10g Au/t

53 intersections encountered more than 20g Au/t

The location of the most significant intersections are shown in Figure 1 and the details of all holes are summarized by zone in Table 2.

Chris Bradbrook, President and CEO of Superior Gold stated: "As with our previously released results this year (May 11, August 2, August 31 and September 25), these results continue to demonstrate the strength of the mineralized system at the Plutonic Gold Mine. We are extremely encouraged by these drill results and continue to work towards increasing the confidence level in the resources. One of our principal goals is to grow the level of underground reserves and to extend the mine life."

HIGHLIGHTS

The most significant intersections are summarized in Table 1 below:

Table 1  Key Intersections

Target Drill Hole

# Easting

(Mine

Grid) Northing

(Mine

Grid) Drill hole

collar RL

(Mine Grid) Dip

(degrees) Azimuth

(degrees,

Mine Grid) End of

hole depth

(m) Downhole

From

(m) Downhole

To

(m) Downhole

Intersection

(m) Au

(gpt)

uncut Est True

Thickness

(m) AREA 134 UDD19456 4643 12601 1079 57 98 42 22.70 23.70 1.00 16.8 0.7 UDD19457 4628 12598 1081 75 92 46 3.70 5.35 1.65 32.2 1.2 UDD19519 4726 12297 1074 26 15 83 47.60 48.80 1.20 38.3 0.8 UDD19520 4732 12350 1060 84 358 40 28.30 30.25 1.95 11.1 1.4 UDD19521 4739 12293 1072 39 2 75 37.70 38.15 0.45 67.7 0.3 UDD19523 4739 12293 1074 57 339 56 25.20 27.50 2.30 22.6 1.6 UDD19524 4740 12293 1073 52 20 61 18.40 19.75 1.35 17.7 0.9 UDD19528 4702 12272 1070 80 88 50 16.00 21.60 5.60 9.3 3.9 UDD19542 4765 12321 1067 70 58 53 43.60 45.10 1.50 16.4 1.1 UDD19545 4763 12325 1066 63 37 55 52.35 53.60 1.25 23.2 0.9 UDD19549 4752 12330 1063 33 354 93 42.80 43.30 0.50 104.0 0.4 UDD19551 4752 12329 1064 61 351 57 31.90 32.50 0.60 192.0 0.4 UDD19553 4752 12330 1064 43 11 77 50.80 53.70 2.90 8.1 2.0 UDD19556 4761 12327 1066 53 12 65 57.70 63.40 5.70 19.6 4.0 Including 58.70 59.70 1.00 83.9 0.7 UDD19706 4975 12294 1153 22 340 96 11.65 13.10 1.45 22.6 1.0 UDD19709 4976 12294 1152 0 360 143 21.95 22.25 0.30 83.3 0.2 26.25 27.90 1.65 18.8 1.2 UDD19711 4977 12294 1152 -10 360 143 35.15 35.65 0.50 55.1 0.4 CARIBBEAN UDD19665 4571 11699 1105 -45 180 30 27.10 28.10 1.00 19.0 0.7 UDD19666 4576 11706 1104 -50 40 53 33.80 36.60 2.80 7.9 2.0 CASPIAN UDD19423 4776 11047 1273 39 230 44 37.70 40.80 3.10 6.6 2.2 UDD19638 4345 10956 1334 -51 236 11 9.40 10.10 0.70 46.2 0.5 UDD19647 4353 10950 1334 -63 198 15 2.00 2.50 0.50 42.6 0.4 CORTEZ UDD19613 4876 12124 1161 15 10 178 71.40 72.60 1.20 34.4 0.8 UDD19618 4876 12124 1161 15 0 167 111.40 115.40 4.00 36.5 2.8 UDD19621 4876 12124 1161 7 15 188 100.30 101.70 1.40 29.1 1.0 UDD19622 4809 12226 1145 60 97 100 34.25 37.20 2.95 30.6 2.1 Including 34.25 35.25 1.00 30.0 0.7 and 36.50 37.20 0.70 81.6 0.5 UDD19623 4809 12225 1145 61 80 101 30.05 30.80 0.75 99.9 0.5 UDD19624 4809 12226 1145 65 110 100 32.40 33.55 1.15 19.9 0.8 UDD19625 4808 12227 1145 70 90 99 24.80 26.60 1.80 17.6 1.3 UDD19626 4809 12225 1145 85 90 83 21.20 26.70 5.50 7.8 3.9 UDD19627 4809 12226 1145 65 55 96 29.30 30.20 0.90 32.5 0.6 UDD19628 4809 12225 1145 75 65 90 20.05 25.10 5.05 9.5 3.5 Including 22.80 25.10 2.30 16.4 1.6 and 63.15 67.10 3.95 12.4 2.8 UDD19695 4977 12294 1153 3 350 44 33.20 33.70 0.50 116.0 0.4 UDD19699 4980 12294 1153 15 48 100 64.80 82.00 17.20 8.0 12.0 UDD19702 4981 12291 1156 55 90 100 7.00 7.40 0.40 247.0 0.3 UDD19704 4981 12291 1155 50 120 101 26.00 33.45 7.45 10.6 5.2 Including 27.00 29.00 2.00 18.8 1.4 and 30.00 32.90 2.90 11.3 2.0 INDIAN UDD19130 4154 11003 1396 -60 185 125 118.00 119.00 1.00 40.0 0.7 UDD19558 4451 11239 1251 -18 94 52 45.10 46.30 1.20 16.5 0.8 UDD19604 4320 11358 1141 40 136 118 78.50 79.20 0.70 35.3 0.5 UDD19655 4283 11468 1146 55 19 23 8.00 8.30 0.30 108.0 0.2 UDD19761 4339 11379 1173 35 160 47 30.70 33.40 2.70 10.2 1.9 PACIFIC UDD19671 4624 12704 1073 62 80 56 0.75 2.50 1.75 18.1 1.2 UDD19672 4625 12703 1071 29 91 83 38.30 40.80 2.50 15.9 1.8 UDD19686 4621 12695 1072 70 275 72 5.55 15.70 10.15 25.2 7.2 Including 5.55 10.75 5.20 45.0 3.6 UDD19690 4623 12695 1072 88 100 61 9.55 11.15 1.60 17.3 1.1 UDD19691 4621 12708 1073 89 90 36 9.65 10.10 0.45 58.4 0.3

Outlook and Strategy

In the near term, the Company is focused on re-establishing the Plutonic Gold Operations as a stable gold producer capable of producing at least 100,000 ounces of gold annually. To achieve this goal, the Company intends to focus on its growth strategy which includes:

Focusing on quality high-grade ounces

Optimizing recoveries

Increasing incremental production from underground and open pit sources

Resource and reserve additions through property wide exploration

Leveraging the excess mill capacity

With the proceeds raised from the completion of the initial public offering, and the cash generated from the Plutonic Gold Mine, the Company has the liquidity available to execute on its near-term growth and exploration strategy.

Qualified Person

Scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alfred Gillman, Fellow AusImm (Chartered Professional, Geology) and a "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101. Mr. Gillman is a Consultant to Superior Gold Inc.

Quality Control Protocols

Core is drilled BTW core diameter (42 mm). Core intervals are whole core sampled. All gold results were determined by ALS Minerals (Perth) using fire assay fusion (40g charge, lead collection method) with an ICP finish. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results are performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with NI 43-101 and industy best practices. Standards, blanks and duplicates are included in approximately every 20 samples for Quality Assurance/Quality Control purposes by the Company as well as the laboratory. Approximately 5% of sample pulps are sent to secondary laboratories for check assays.

About Superior Gold

Superior Gold is a Canadian based gold producer that owns 100% of the Plutonic Gold Operations located in Western Australia. The Plutonic Gold Operations include the Plutonic Gold Mine, which is a producing underground operation with a central mill, the Hermes open pit development project and an interest in the Bryah Basin joint venture. Superior Gold is focused on expanding production at the Plutonic Gold Operations and building an intermediate gold producer with superior returns for shareholders.
TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX | OTCQX: RBYCF) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Golden Tag Resources Limited's ("Golden Tag") 40% interest in the McCuaig Property ("McCuaig") in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada for 550,000 common shares of Rubicon. The Company currently has a 60% interest in McCuaig and, upon closing of the transaction, will have a 100% interest. In connection with the transaction, the joint venture agreement between the parties will be terminated.

McCuaig

McCuaig is located on the prolific Mine Trend in Red Lake, approximately six kilometres southwest of the Company's Phoenix Gold Project. See Diagram 1 at the end of the news release for a map of Rubicon's Red Lake Properties, including the location of McCuaig. McCuaig is comprised of three unpatented mineral claims and cover approximately 126 hectares. Since 1997, Rubicon has carried out geochemical surveying and modelling, geological mapping, geophysical surveying and drilled 71 holes totalling over 22,000 metres ("m") on McCuaig. McCuaig has not been drilled since 2007.

Historical highlight drill assays include (not true widths):

MC-07-01AW: 15.65 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 1.55 m

MC-02-32: 22.83 g/t Au over 3.10 m (including 75.91 g/t Au over 0.70 m)

MC-02-27: 25.48 g/t Au over 1.07 m and 18.08 g/t Au over 0.45 m

The Company is currently evaluating the exploration opportunities on its Red Lake Properties, including McCuaig. Rubicon does not anticipate commencing regional grassroots exploration activities until the positive advancement of the Phoenix Gold Project and adequate funding for the exploration activities is secured.

About Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Rubicon Minerals Corporation is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls over 280 square kilometres of prime exploration ground in Red Lake and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com.
VANCOUVER, Nov. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Rye Patch Gold Corp. (TSX.V: RPM; OTCQX: RPMGF; FWB: 5TN) (the "Company" or "Rye Patch") reports results of scout drilling of the sulfide zone at the Company's flagship Florida Canyon mine in Nevada.

Highlights of sulfide scout drillholes:

Drillhole FCR-17-016 contained two gold zones including 70.1 metres grading 2.94 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 56.4 metres grading 2.60 g/t gold;

Drillhole FCR-17-016 contained two gold zones including 70.1 metres grading 2.94 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 56.4 metres grading 2.60 g/t gold; FCR-17-015 contained three gold zones including 35.1 metres grading 2.08 g/t gold, 57.9 metres grading 1.30 g/t gold, and 15.2 grading 1.08 g/t gold.

William Howald, Rye Patch President and CEO said, "We are extremely pleased with the results of this scout drilling program. Based on the drill results and our exploration model, management believes the sulfide blanket beneath Florida Canyon could host a substantive high-grade ore body beneath the oxide zone. By quantifying the sulfide mineralization, Florida Canyon has the initial makings of a world-class ore body located in Nevada."

The reverse circulation (RC) drill program was designed to test the distribution of the sulfide body and validated the current geologic model and ore controls. The three gold zones identified in drill hole FCR-17-015 consist of 35.1 metres grading 2.08 g/t gold starting at 88.4 metres, 57.9 metres grading 1.30 g/t gold starting 129.5 metres, and 15.2 grading 1.08 g/t gold starting at 236.2 metres, all using a 1.0 g/t gold cut off.

The drillhole was located in an untested sulfide area between the Central and Main pits. The intersections confirm the notion that the mineralization has a similar structural geometry to the oxide zone thus connecting the two zones. The multiple intercepts demonstrate a substantial thickness and breadth of the sulfide zone.

Using a 1.0 g/t gold cut off, FCR-17-016 identified two gold zones including 70.1 metres grading 2.94 g/t gold starting at 79.2 metres and 56.4 metres grading 2.60 g/t gold starting at 164.6 metres. The drillhole was located along the northern portion of the sulfide body where existing assay information suggested lower grade in the sulfide zone. The drillhole shows the historic data will need more off-set and twin drillholes to confirm grade distribution and tenor. The results are well above the predicted grade and thickness of the northern sulfide area and are a promising surprise.

A follow-up core program is warranted and will use the new information to better target and quantify the down dip and lateral extensions of the sulfide body.

Previous owner of the Florida Canyon mine, Pegasus Gold, completed an internal report titled "Sulfide Project Pre-feasibility Study" dated July 18, 1996 on the sulfide mineralization at Florida Canyon. A total of 262 drillholes (241 RC and 21 core) touched or penetrated the sulfide body and yielded an average grade of 2.36 g/t gold in the sulfide zone with gold values as high as 100 g/t Au (2.93 opt Au) in a northeast oriented structural zone. Pegasus completed a resource estimate within a Whittle pit design at US$400 gold price, and a series of metallurgical tests including floatation, pressure oxidation, roasting, and bio-oxidation.

The metallurgical test work showed an overall recovery of 90 percent by flotation with 94 percent of the gold reporting to a sulfide concentrate. Additional metallurgical test work will be done by Rye Patch on material from the drill program. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical information as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve and the Company is not treating this historical information as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve.

Drilling in the Central area has expanded the oxide resource. Drillholes FCR-17-001 to FCR-17-014 and FCR-17-017 and FCR-17-018 were drilled in the Central pit area where the block model showed waste material but mining is encountering gold above cut-off grade. The drillholes were successful in changing the waste designation to ore and expanding the oxide resource, and the area is currently being mined.

All drillhole sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company's project geologists, and a strict chain of custody from the project to the sample preparation facility was implemented and monitored. The RC samples were delivered to American Assay Laboratory's preparation facility in Reno, Nevada, where they were crushed and pulverized. The pulverized material was digested and analyzed for gold using fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish on a 30-gram assay split. All other elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma analysis. Data verification of the assay and analytical results are completed to ensure accurate and verifiable results. A blank, duplicate or a certified standard was inserted approximately every 10th sample.

IDS Directional Drilling and Borehole Surveying of Elko, Nevada completed gyroscopic downhole surveys on all drillholes. The Florida Canyon mine survey team completed final collar locations using differential GPS.

William Howald, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist #11041, Rye Patch Gold's CEO and President with a BSc. in Geological Engineering, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

About Rye Patch Gold Corp.

Rye Patch Gold Corp. is a Nevada based, Tier 1, mining company engaged in the mining and development of quality resource-based gold and silver mines and projects along the established Oreana trend in west central Nevada. Leveraging its strong financial position and cash to acquire the operating Florida Canyon Gold Mine, Rye Patch Gold Corp. now controls a trendscale platform with mining operations, resource projects and exploration upside.

The combination of operations and organic growth along a major Nevada gold trend positions Rye Patch as an emerging mid-tier gold producer with tremendous valueadded potential. For more information, please visit our website at www.ryepatchgold.com.
425 Shares Share

The truth about change in health care was never more perfectly captured than in an episode of Sex and the City, when Carrie Bradshaw lamented that we keep should-ing all over ourselves.

In the past decade, those of us on the front lines of health care have seen the passage of nine major pieces of federal legislation that, combined, have profoundly affected how they work. Weve seen the number of people with a chronic illness grow to almost 50 percent of the population. Weve seen an incredible number of new medical technologies, new cures, and new treatment recommendations. The pace of change in health care  from every direction  is unparalleled in any other industry.

Through every change, weve seen the national discussion about health care increasingly focus on strategies and ways of thinking that just arent working. As a nation, weve been bogged down in the shoulds for too long  what our providers should be doing, what patients should be experiencing, what we should be achieving. In the hunt for high quality, cost-effective, satisfying care, the top-down approach to engineering behavior on the front lines is actually moving us further away from our goals.

The shoulds have been driving a lot of well-intentioned change that hasnt created much is. Instead, all of that change has created vast unintended consequences, or roadblocks. And the people and organizations operating on the front lines  physicians, patients, practices  are increasingly frustrated and disengaged. Why? Because the business of medicine (how we pay) and the science of medicine (how we treat) are overwhelming the art of medicine (how we care). And what we on the frontlines know is that health care works best when these three are allowed to work in balance  each doing its part and no more to help Americans get healthy and stay healthy.

So, we keep sending the same messages, no matter what hot-button issue has made it to the front page or the 6 oclock news: We need more time, we need simple solutions, we need the freedom to build relationships, we need greater focus on outcomes, and we need less antagonism and more cooperation. But the truth were sharing in op-eds, in advisory panels, in testimonies, in interviews, in memoirs, and in actions  when some of us simply walk away from our calling  is consistently ignored.

Its time for those who have the power to remove the roadblocks to the art of medicine to start listening, and start building a new paradigm for change based on what they hear. To help start the process, Ive mapped the five basic shifts we need to see in how we think, in what we prioritize, and in the changes we propose, as a nation.

Shift one: From money as an incentive to time as an incentive

We shouldnt be opposed to incentives that reduce waste or achieve lower costs, but only if the time needed to carry out the art and science of medicine is factored in. Rather than starting with the question, How do we use money to reward good behavior? we should insist that payers and lawmakers ask, How do we use time to encourage good outcomes?

Shift two: From more complexity to more simplicity

What if regulators, insurers, and policymakers agreed that for every new responsibility they want to require of patients, physicians, or medical practices, they first must take away one? The answer to improving a complex industry is not to propose solutions that add more complexity. It is to simplify  because simplicity is the key to balance.

Shift three: From more metrics to more relationships

Instead of spending so much of our national time, resources (at least $15 billion each year), and attention in medicine on creating, tracking, and reporting artificial metrics designed to incentivize good physician behavior while unwittingly reinforcing bad behavior, lets measure just the few right things and free physicians to build trusting relationships that actually improve outcomes and costs.

Shift four: From process driven to outcome driven

An obsession with process as a way to gain control amid all of the variability in health care has distracted us, decade by decade, from the ultimate goal  the patients welfare  and from the art it takes to achieve the best results. With those elements as guides, we can reverse-engineer any process to achieve meaningful efficiency: the best outcomes with the least waste of energy, time, and money.

Shift five: From zero-sum (I win; You lose) to non-zero-sum (We all win)

We tend to believe that health care has become a zero-sum game: that for one side to win, somebody else needs to lose. But this is not true, and has never been true. Health care has always been a nonzero practice. Without one of the critical players  those responsible for the art, the science, or the business  the entire game comes to a standstill. Its an industry in which each side can only win together, at least on the things that truly matter.

With every change in medicine, we have a choice: push the industry toward actually achieving our goals, or hold it back. There is no reason we cant begin a new conversation that puts people at the center of the industry again, that reaches beyond mediocrity to excellence, and brings the art, science, and business of medicine back into balance to create a better path forward for all of us.

Halee Fischer-Wright is president and CEO, Medical Group Management Association and author Back To Balance: The Art, Science, and Business of Medicine.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Newshub reports:

Books like Into the River wont get banned anymore

Parliament has passed a law change that will help avoid a repetition of the banning of Ted Dawes award-winning novel Into the River.

When an interim restriction order was issued in 2015 an anomaly in the law meant there were only two options  leave it unrestricted or ban it entirely until the board of review met.

The book was banned for six weeks until the interim order was reviewed and the restriction was lifted.

National MP Chris Bishop drafted the bill and it passed its earlier stages before the election.

In the case of Into the River it would have meant the book could have reverted to its R14 status rather than banning it outright, he said after his bill had been passed unanimously.

It is clear that Into the River should not have been banned  this small but useful change will help ensure such a situation doesnt happen again.
The Herald reports:

Horowhenua District councillors have passed a vote of no confidence in their mayor Michael Feyen.

Deputy mayor Wayne Bishop initiated the move against first the term mayor at an extraordinary meeting of the council this morning.

The vote was carried seven votes for and one against, with two councillors absent, and followed a report in which Bishop said Feyens leadership was divisive, unprofessional and frankly dishonorable.

The report accused Feyen of making decisions within the mayoral office rather than around the council table, and using the media to advance agendas and vendettas.

As elected members we have no confidence in mayor Feyen to lead us, the Horowhenua District Council to represent us, or our community, the report said.

Bishop said the mayor had since his election either failed to understand his role and that of his office or has chosen to ignore and disrespect the trust, confidence and powers bestowed on the position of mayor and the mayors office.

The mayor has failed to understand or chosen to ignore the importance of governance versus management and, instead, continually undermined the management of the Horowhenua District Council and in particular our chief executive.
James Shaw in a speech to the NZ Institute of International Affairs in May said:

Members of this audience may be interested to know that one of those

candidates, Golriz Ghahraman, is, at number ten on the list, almost certain to

become the first Member of Parliament who started her life in New Zealand as

a refugee. Having fled Iran in 1990 as a child, Golriz is now a human rights lawyer who

worked as a prosecutor at the United Nations tribunals for Rwanda and the

former Yugoslavia. She also worked on the Khmer Rouge tribunal in Cambodia.

So either Shaw was misled or lied to by Ghahraman or Shaw himself lied.

This is no longer an issue just for Ghanraman. It is now an issue for the entire Greens and Shaw. Did she mislead them or did they mislead us?

She claims she never saw her web page that the Greens published. I doubt this having worked in Parliament. Time for them to come clean.

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Augmentin is a brand name for an antibiotic, called co-amoxiclav, that is used to treat a wide range of conditions, from bronchitis to Lyme disease. It is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for children, frequently dispensed for ear infections.

Benefits

Antibiotics work by attacking the cell wall of bacteria that are harming the body, or they prevent the bacteria from replicating. [How Do Antibiotics Work?]

The drug is a combination of two active ingredients: amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Together, the drugs fight bacteria that would ordinarily be resistant to amoxicillin alone.

The antibiotic can also be used on animals. Ruminants, swine, horses, dogs, cats and poultry are often prescribed Augmentin for various ailments.

Uses

Augmentin is typically taken orally, in pill form for adults, and in a liquid (often flavored) suspension for little children. Doctors prescribe the drug so often because it works against many types of disease-causing bacteria.

"When I travel I always have some Augmentin in my travel bag," because it works against so many common infections, said Dr. Alasdair Geddes, an emeritus professor of infectious diseases at the University of Birmingham in England, who ran some of the first clinical trials of Augmentin.

Augmentin is one of the workhorses of the pediatrician's office, prescribed for ear infections that are resistant to amoxicillin alone, sore throats and certain eye infections. The drug is also a powerful agent against bronchitis and tonsillitis caused by bacteria (though many cases of sore throat are viral in origin).

In addition, the drug can fight pneumonia, urinary tract infections, gonorrhea and skin infections. The drug has also been seen as a good potential candidate for treatment of Lyme disease, chlamydia, sinusitis, gastritis and peptic ulcers, according to a 2011 study in the International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Though Augmentin hasn't been conclusively shown to be safe during pregnancy, some studies suggest it is unlikely to do harm to pregnant women or their fetuses, according to a 2004 study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The Mayo Clinic also lists amoxicillin as a safe antibiotic for pregnancy. Women who are pregnant should check with their doctors before taking the drug, though. The Food and Drug Administration classifies Augmentin as a class B drug, meaning there is no evidence for harm.

Side effects

The most common side effects for Augmentin are nausea, upset stomach, gas and diarrhea. Largely, this is because clavulanic acid can irritate the gut, Geddes said. In addition, like other antibiotics, Augmentin wipes out a broad class of bacteria, so it may also kill "good" bacteria that line the gut and help digest foods. Augmentin can also leave people more prone to yeast infections  again, because it wipes out good bacterial populations that normally inhibit the growth of yeast.

(Image credit: NIH.)

People who are allergic to penicillin-like drugs are often allergic to Augmentin as well, because it contains amoxicillin. To test for this drug allergy, doctors can do a skin-prick test called PrePen. In some instances, an allergy to Augmentin can lead to anaphylaxis, a deadly allergic response that can cause the narrowing of the airways, the swelling of the lips and tongue, and a deadly drop in blood pressure.

"It is in the penicillin family, so allergy is relatively common," said Dr. Warren Hammert, a surgeon at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.

Rarely, the drug can cause problems with how the liver functions, which will lead to yellowing of the skin called jaundice.

"In rare cases, it can cause a condition where the colon is affected and result in serious long-term GI [gastrointestinal] problems," Hammert told Live Science.

And a few isolated cases of children reacting negatively to the clavulanic acid in Augmentin have also been reported. For instance, 10 children who tested negative for penicillin allergy, broke out into hives after taking Augmentin, according to a 2008 study in the journal Allergologia and Immunopathologia.

History

Humans gained their first powerful weapon in the war against bacteria in the 1920s. Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming was culturing a bacteria, when he noticed that a mold growing in one of his petri dishes had killed off the surrounding bacteria, according to the Nobel Prize website. After much work, he discovered that the active agent was what is now known as penicillin (named after the fungus, penicillium, which produces it.)

Though penicillin worked wonders, it had some side effects and was not effective against all that many bacteria. So, in the 1950s, scientists at Beecham Research Laboratories, which was created by the same company that produced Lucozade soft drinks and Brylcreem hair gel, began developing new antibiotics. Their strategy was simple and clever: they used the core chemical structure of penicillin, but added different side chains to it, Geddes said.

One of their early successful drugs was amoxicillin, a close relative to penicillin. Both amoxicillin and other penicillins have a key molecular structure that helps the kill bacteria: a chemical ring called a beta-lactam.

Beta-lactam rings bind to enzymes in bacterial cell membranes. These enzymes are responsible for cross-linking peptidoglycans, the building blocks used to form the bacterial cell wall. When drugs like amoxicillin disable these membrane enzymes, they prevent the bacteria from building up the cell wall, even as the bacteria continue to break down their old cell wall. The bacteria die as a result.

Amoxicillin was seen as a breakthrough because it was absorbed better than earlier antibiotics, had fewer of the side effects of antibiotics such as methicillin, and seemed to work against a broad class of bacteria.

However, it had one flaw: at least some resistant populations of bacteria had evolved an ability to fight amoxicillin and other antibiotics by making an enzyme called beta-lactamase, which essentially snipped the beta lactam ring open and disabled it.

But in 1972, Beecham Research Laboratories discovered that a certain bacteria called Streptomyces clavuligerus produced a chemical lookalike to penicillin, called clavulanic acid, as a byproduct of its fermentation, according to an article published in 2007 in the International Journal of Microbial Agents. Like other antibiotics, it had a beta-lactam ring, but on its own, wasn't much good at killing bacteria.

However, when combined with amoxicillin, it created a superb antibiotic. Clavulanic acid was the ultimate decoy: when bacteria sent out its antibiotic-snipping enzyme, Beta-lactamase, it would bind to clavulanic acid instead. Once bound, clavulanic acid changed its shape and permanently deactivated Beta-lactamase. Clavulanic acid worked extremely well against several deadly bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Klebisella aerogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, according to a 1977 article in the journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"It was really the first broad-spectrum oral antibiotic which was remarkably free from side effects," Geddes said. "At one stage, Augmentin was the largest selling oral antibacterial drug in the world."

Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science contributor.

Additional resources
The United States military's Ground-based Midcourse Defense system was tested on June 22, 2014. An interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and successfully destroyed a mock enemy missile over the Pacific Ocean.

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Nov. 28 at 7:00 p.m. E.T.

With tensions brewing between the United States and North Korea  highlighted by a flurry of nuclear missile tests and fighting words by both countries  the possibility of nuclear war seems closer than it has been in years, according to experts.

Pentagon officials announced today (Nov. 28) that North Korea conducted a nuclear test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile with the range to reach Washington D.C. South Korean officials believe its hostile neighbor to the north could have the ability to pair such a missile with a nuclear warhead sometime in 2018, CNN reported.

Though North Korea doesn't currently have the ability to nuke the United States capital, the mere possibility of a nuclear attack put people around the world on edge. In the event that North Korea did decide to attack the states, is there any way to stop nuclear missiles once they've been fired? [7 Strange Cultural Facts About North Korea]

One option that has been floated  and refloated  over the years, is to somehow create a shield or defense system to protect people from nuclear attacks. From the earliest uses in 1959 of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is designed to deliver nuclear weapons, the U.S. has been working on methods that would protect people from such an attack. Yet decades later, the country still has only a flawed system that most experts believe would not reliably protect Americans against a nuclear attack, said Philip E. Coyle III, a senior science advisor with the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and the former director of operational tests and evaluation with the Pentagon, who has extensively evaluated missile defense systems.

But why has it taken so long to get a nuclear missile shield up and running? And is there any possibility that this technology might work in the future?

"This is the hardest thing the Pentagon has ever tried to do, as our nearly 70 years of trying shows," Coyle told Live Science.

First seeds

The first attempts at building a nuclear missile defense program started up almost as soon as intercontinental missiles were invented in the 1950s, though most of those projects were put on hold in 1972, after the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which limited the number of missiles each side could retain. A number of wacky ideas have been proposed over the years, including Operation Argus, which aimed to create a protective radiation belt above Earth by detonating a nuclear weapon in the atmosphere, and Project Seesaw, which explored using particle beams to zap nukes, according to "The Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, the Agency That Changed the World," (Knopf, 2017)

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan said he was uncomfortable with "mutually assured destruction" (that is, the idea that both the United States and Russia had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other in the event of a nuclear war) as the only protection against the U.S.S.R. He pushed for the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative, or the Star Wars program, in which nuclear-powered lasers placed in space would zap nuclear weapons. The program was an expensive flop, in part because the whole concept was too fantastical, said Laura Grego, an astrophysicist and expert on missile defense and space security at the Union of Concerned Scientists. [Top 10 Ways to Destroy Earth]

Challenges to nuclear missile defense

In some ways, the failure of these projects isn't surprising: Intercepting an intercontinental ballistic missile is really hard, Grego said. An ICBM launches, spends 15 minutes traveling through the vacuum of space and then reenters the atmosphere before hitting its target. So an ICBM could be intercepted at just a few points on its journey: when it first launches, once it's out in space, and as it reenters the atmosphere and is zooming toward its target. Each of these approaches has its limitations.

For instance, "the launch phase is a minute to a few minutes long," Grego told Live Science.

That doesn't leave much time for a rocket to intercept and "kill" a nuclear missile, she added. What's more, historical United States rivals, such as Russia and China, have large land masses. They would likely keep their missiles far inland, meaning sea-based interceptors couldn't get to a missile during its launch phase.

So killing a missile early in the course of its flight would require hovering over likely launch sites, Grego said. Early on, the military proposed placing giant Boeing 747s with bomb-killing lasers in the skies above Russia and China.

"Pretty quickly, you can see the operational difficulty with that," Grego told Live Science. "Are you going to have several large 747s just hovering indefinitely for decades, just waiting for something to happen?"

Beyond that, there are other problems with the "launch-phase" approach. If the interceptor doesn't hit exactly the right spot on the missile, the missile "may not quite make the target it was intended. It will fall somewhere else, like Canada, which Canada will not like," Grego said. "You really have to be explicit and target the payload at the tip of the missile."

Using unmanned aerial vehicles has also been as an option, but they lack the firepower to destroy a missile, she added.

Midcourse defense

The second option, and the most viable one, is to intercept the missile during its longest flight course  in space. An advantage of that approach is that, because most U.S. enemies are west of the Pacific, they would all likely program their missiles to take a path above the poles, meaning that just one ground-based interceptor could be placed in Alaska and likely protect the whole country.

But intercepting a missile in space also has its problems.

"The incoming missile is going 15,000, 17,000 miles an hour [24,000 to 27,000 km/h]," Coyle said. "And going that fast, if you miss by an inch, you can miss by a mile."

There's another problem, too: There's no air resistance (or drag) in space. That means a decoy like a balloon that's shaped like a nuclear warhead could travel in the same way as the true warhead, making it difficult for a missile to distinguish the real missile from the decoy. And because balloons are so light, a sophisticated warhead could easily launch 20 or 30 decoy balloons to obscure the path of the warhead, Grego said.

Finally, the last-ditch effort would be to intercept as the missile reenters the atmosphere, before it hits the target. An advantage of this approach would be that air resistance would prevent decoys from distracting a system. On the other hand, "you don't have very much time to defend, because it's rapidly coming toward you, so it's not a workable strategy," Grego said. And jamming the electronics in nuclear warheads with something like an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) would likely not work; the weapons are designed to be robust enough to survive the effects of EMPs from other nuclear weapons nearby, Grego said. [Flying Saucers to Mind Control: 22 Declassified Military & CIA Secrets]

As a result, the military has in recent decades focused on attacking an ICBM during its midcourse, known as ground-based midcourse missile defense. The military developed a prototype under the Clinton administration that saw early success. But under Bush, the military pushed the weapon from an early prototype and rushed it to operational status. Since then, it has missed the target in 9 out of 17 tests, according to the military.

Between 2010 and 2017, it has missed the target in 3 out of 4 tests. (However, in late May the U.S. military announced it had achieved a successful test of the mid-course missile defense system.)

"The failure in flight-intercept tests is all the more surprising, because these tests are highly scripted to achieve success. If these tests were planned to fool U.S. defenses, as a real enemy would do, the failure rate would be even worse," Coyle said.

What's more, "it counts one of those failures a success if the interceptor hit the target with a glancing [blow] but did not destroy it," Coyle said. "Close only counts in horseshoes and not in nuclear war."

Part of the problem is that the systems were rushed through the engineering process and suffer from design flaws, both Coyle and Grego said. In addition, the military needs to develop additional technology infrastructure, such as radar in different wavelengths, or better satellites to detect missiles, that could do a better job of locating and visualizing the target.

But even if the projects were redesigned from the ground up, with careful thought and the best use of existing and new technologies, some challenges with nuclear defense may be insurmountable, Grego said. For instance, so far, no one has come up with a way to solve the problem of nuclear warhead decoys in space, she said.

And focusing on "strategic defense" that can protect American cities half the time may be much more expensive and ultimately more dangerous for the world, compared to using those resources for more effective war-deterrence strategies such as diplomacy, Grego said.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on May 2, 2017. It was updated to add new information on North Korea's successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S., along with additional information on the U.S. mid-course missile defense tests conducted in May.

Originally published on Live Science.
The abominable snowman, or yeti, reportedly created these footprints, captured in a photo taken during an expedition to Mount Everest more than 50 years ago.

The yeti, also known as the "abominable snowman," looms large in the folklore of Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Reported sightings of the mythic creature have persisted for centuries in the high mountains of Asia, and people who live in the region have collected hairs, bones and other samples that they claim belong to the legendary beast.

However, scientists have now examined DNA from many of these items, finding that they came from bears and dogs.

These new findings also reveal that the high peaks of the Himalayas may have helped create an evolutionarily distinct bear lineage, researchers said. [Rumor or Reality: The 10 Creatures of Cryptozoology]

In 1951, British mountaineer Eric Shipton returned from a Mount Everest expedition with photographs of giant footprints in the snow. Ever since then, fringe theories have suggested that the elusive Asian yeti may represent a humanoid creature as yet unknown to science. Speculation regarding this animal has suggested that it may be a surviving member of an extinct human lineage, such as the Neanderthals or an extinct ape like Gigantopithecus, or even an unlikely hybrid between modern humans and other primates.

A hair sample from a purported Yeti that a Jesuit priest apparently spotted in the mountains in Nepal in the 1950s, according to producers for Icon Films' "YETI OR NOT" TV special. (Image credit: Icon Films Ltd.)

A 2014 study found that two purported yeti samples potentially came from a hybrid between a polar bear and a brown bear, said Charlotte Lindqvist, senior author on the new study and an evolutionary biologist at the University at Buffalo in New York. But Lindqvist was skeptical about the possibility of "some strange hybrid bear roaming the Himalaya Mountains," she told Live Science.

A femur bone from the decayed body of a purported Yeti found in a cave in Tibet. (Image credit: Icon Films Ltd.)

Lindqvist and her colleagues decided to follow up on the 2014 study by analyzing additional purported yeti samples. "My thinking was that if the yeti is really a bear, this study could be an interesting avenue to get access to hard-to-get-to samples of Himalayan bears," Lindqvist said.

All in all, Lindqvist and her colleagues analyzed nine "yeti" specimens, including bone, tooth, skin, hair and fecal samples collected from monasteries, caves and other sites in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. They also collected samples from bears in the region and from animals elsewhere in the world.

Of the nine yeti samples, eight were from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears. The ninth was from a dog.

"It was exciting to find that the purported yeti samples, without doubt, are not strange hybrid bear creatures, but simply related to local brown and black bears," Lindqvist said. "Modern science, and genetic data in particular, can help answer and resolve old mysteries."

New research ties DNA from purported Yetis to Asian bears, including Himalayan brown bears (shown here). (Image credit: Abdullah Khan/Snow Leopard Foundation)

These new findings also shed light on the evolutionary history of Asian bears. While Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their kin in North America, Europe and Asia, the researchers found that Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged from all other brown bears about 650,000 years ago.

"This is long before modern humans migrated out of Africa," Lindqvist said. "It is probably the high peaks of the Himalayas that have kept these populations separated and isolated from other brown bear populations."

Future research into bear genetics could yield further insights into these isolated and rare bear populations, "which could help inform conservation-management strategies," Lindqvist said.

The scientists detailed their findings online Nov. 29 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Original article on Live Science.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Could 2,000 years of belief be wrong? Are we in fact living on a disc rather than a globe? One believer from the Flat Earth Society is determined to find out. "Mad" Mike Hughes is all set to build his own rocket to see for himself that the Earth is flat.

For the last 50 years, we've been able to view pictures of the Earth from space, which might seem like all the proof you need to see that our planet is in fact round. But the awareness of how easily images can be doctored and the growth of internet conspiracy theories appears to have fueled a resurgence of belief in a flat Earth.

At the same time, there's a lack of understanding of the science that has long been used to demonstrate that we live on a globe, without the need to leave it. I wish Hughes well with his endeavor, as he has at least been willing to try and prove his theory. Perhaps if more people really could see for themselves the evidence, we might be able to reverse this worrying trend. A good place to start would be by making sure children have the chance to try out simple experiments in school.

One of the best documented methods for determining the Earth's roundness was first performed (to our knowledge) by the ancient Greeks. This was achieved by comparing the shadows of sticks in different locations. When the sun was directly overhead in one place, the stick there cast no shadow. At the same time in a city around 500 miles north, the stick there did cast a shadow.

If the Earth were flat then both sticks should show the same shadow (or lack of) because they would be positioned at the same angle towards the sun. The ancient Greeks found the shadows were different because the Earth was curved and so the sticks were at different angles. They then used the difference in these angles to calculate the circumference of the Earth. They managed to get it to within 10% of the true value  not bad for around 250 B.C.

Another piece of evidence for a globe is the difference between the night skies in the northern and southern hemispheres. The view is completely different because the Earth beneath you is pointing in a different direction. If the Earth were flat, the view should be the same. This can be made even easier by simply comparing when it is night and day in each country.

You can observe the planets as well. They all rotate, and watching over the course of a few days gives a clear picture they are spherical rather than flat. The chance that most of the planets are spherical but the Earth is flat seems very unlikely.

Fake science

But when science experiments are performed incorrectly they can appear to give the opposite result. If they are shared through social media, these false ideas can be spread quickly with no one to point out their flaws. One common example is the Bedford Level experiment, a form of which was first carried out in 1838 and used to "prove" the Earth was flat for over 30 years before an explanation was found.

This experiment involved placing a marker at a set height at either end of a canal about six miles long. If the Earth is round, then one marker should appear lower than the other when viewed at the same time through a telescope because the furthest marker would have fallen away with the curvature of the Earth. But it was reported that the markers are the same height, suggesting the Earth is actually flat. Modern day Flat Earth theorists still quote this experiment.

The problem is this doesn't take into account the optical effect of the air over the intervening water, which bends or "refracts" the light as it travels from the marker to the telescope and makes it look like they are the same height. The solution is to use multiple markers along the length of the canal which, when observed, all appear to be at different heights (opens in new tab).

Perhaps the most impressive experiment that even schools can do today is to send a camera up in a high-altitude balloon. The footage will show that from a high-enough vantage point you can see the curvature of the Earth. This is what Mike Hughes will find if he ever makes his rocket work.

Ultimately, arguing on the internet is not the best way forward for any scientific endeavour. We need to provide the means for people to test these theories themselves and to understand the results they get.

Ian Whittaker, Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Hundreds of Vietnam War veterans may be infected with parasites called liver flukes, which can sometimes lead to cancer, recent research suggests.

A recent study from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) found that, out of 50 blood samples submitted from Vietnam veterans, more than 20 percent tested positive for antibodies against liver flukes, according to the Associated Press.

The findings could mean that many Vietnam veterans have "silent" infections with the parasite, meaning they don't have any symptoms. However, the results are preliminary, and it's possible that not all of the veterans who tested positive actually have the parasite, the researchers said. Still, the results were "surprising," study researcher Sung-Tae Hong, of Seoul National University in South Korea, told the Associated Press.

Liver flukes are small, flat parasitic worms that can infect the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. People become infected when they eat raw or undercooked freshwater fish that have the parasites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although liver-fluke infections are rare in the United States, it's estimated that 35 million people worldwide are infected with the parasites at any one time, mostly in Asia and Eastern Europe, according to a 2011 review article.

There are three main types of liver flukes that cause human infection: Clonorchis sinensis, which is common in rural parts of China and Korea; Opisthorchiasis viverrini, which is found in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia; and Opisthorchis felineus, which is found in a wide geographical area, including Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Siberia, according to the World Health Organization. [Images: Human Parasites Under the Microscope]

Most people who become infected with liver flukes have no symptoms, but some may experience indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation, according to the CDC. However, over long periods, infection with liver flukes can cause chronic inflammation in the bile ducts, resulting in scarring of the ducts and destruction of nearby liver cells, according to the WHO. What's more, the inflammation and scarring of the bile duct can lead to cancer of the bile ducts, which is called cholangiocarcinoma.

This type of cancer is rare in Western countries, with only about 7 cases per 1 million people, according to the 2011 review. In the United States, an estimated 8,000 people are diagnosed with bile-duct cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Symptoms of the cancer can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin), pain in the abdomen, dark urine, fever, itchy skin, vomiting and unexplained weight loss, according to the VA. For people with early-stage bile-duct cancer, about 15 to 30 percent survive at least five years following their diagnosis, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. However, if the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the five-year survival rate is 2 percent.

Last year, the Associated Press raised concerns about cholangiocarcinoma tied to liver-fluke infections in veterans when it reported that 700 Vietnam veterans with the rare cancer had been seen at the VA in the past 15 years.

However, the VA has not yet made a recommendation for Vietnam veterans to get tested for liver flukes or bile cancer because the department is still investigating the issue.

"We are taking this seriously," Curt Cashour, a spokesperson for the VA, told the Associated Press. "But until further research [is done], a recommendation cannot be made either way."

Original article on Live Science.
On 24 November, around 30 Islamic State militants from the Sinai Province arrived in large, all-terrain vehicles outside the el-Rawda mosque in Bir el-Abed, Northern Sinai, during Friday prayers. They detonated two bombs inside and then sprayed the fleeing crowds with machine-gun fire. The attack left over 300 people dead and 130 wounded: the largest death toll recorded for such an event in Egypts modern history.

That the horrendous bloodshed occurred in a mosque filled with ordinary Muslims going about their day of worship should undercut the reactionary and divisive rhetoric which suggests that the barbaric actions of Islamic State find their root in the Koran, the nature of Islam or Muslims themselves. Rather, these monsters are the spawn of the numerous crimes of imperialism in the Middle East, from the disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the funding and arming of Islamist groups in Syria, to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, just across the border from Sinai. They are nurtured in a region of Egypt whose various tribes have been antagonised by successive Egyptian regimes, and which is best placed to notice the blatant collaboration between the Egyptian and Israeli governments at the expense of the Palestinian population over the siege of Gaza.

Embed from Getty Images

Even so, there is a military presence of 25,000 Egyptian troops in Sinai, backed by small auxiliary forces from around the world, which has been waging a war against Islamist insurgents since 2011. When declaring three days of national mourning, President Sisi promised swift justice for the mosque attack in the shape of bombs dropped on known Sinai Province Islamist strongholds. But the question must be asked: how did dozens of heavily-armed militiamen carrying Islamic State flags arrive at the el-Rawda mosque in broad daylight in large vehicles unnoticed and unchecked in an occupied military zone in the first place?

Sinai

The Sinai Peninsula is an arid region of mountainous desert that the Egyptian army has failed to master since it began its offensive against Islamists in 2011. IS and al-Qaeda controlled areas near to the border with Gaza have remained relatively unchallenged and various Islamist groups still control some of the border tunnels through which smuggling to and from Gaza takes place. The number of terror attacks against Christians, non-Islamist aligned tribespeople and the security forces themselves has continued to increase. There was also the Russian Metrojet plane crash in Sinai in October 2015, which killed 224 people and was claimed by Islamic State.

The flourishing of terrorism in the region, particularly in Northern Sinai, has drawn attention to the severe shortcomings of the army intervention and the national security forces. Last weeks attack is an especially shocking example. It is now being reported that a number of Sinai Province militants have been killed in the retaliatory bombings. But Egyptians are now asking themselves: if the armed forces knew where to find the militants, surely they could have done something before this atrocity took place? The whole affair is adding to the rising doubts about the ability of the Sisi regime to provide stability to the country. The fact that the army relies heavily on bombing rather than ground troops throws doubts on the morale of Egyptian troops.

Sinai Peninsula / Image: Florian Prischl

But the problems in Sinai are not fundamentally military in character. After the return of Sinai to Egypt from Israeli occupation, the Bedouins, who with their 15-20 tribes make up around 70 percent of the population of the peninsula, thought that their conditions would improve. They thought that they would see the same industrialisation and development that the rest of Egypt experienced during the Nasser era. But the Mubarak regime, which was drifting sharply to the right, never had any such plans. Instead the Bedouins were treated with contempt and brutality. After the handover, the regime converted more than 200,000 acres of tribal land in the north into agricultural land, while it forced the previous owners to accept lower quality land in the interior of Sinai.

Stripped of their traditional ways of life, hundreds of thousands of Bedouins are forced to live in squalid conditions. Underdevelopment; and lack of basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, education and health care are the norm, along with extremely high illiteracy and unemployment rates, even for Egyptian standards. In some areas unemployment stands at around 90 percent. South Sinais level of food poverty is almost double that of Egypt, while North Sinai is the poorest governorate in Egypt.

Meanwhile the few investments on the peninsula were at the expense of the Bedouins rather than to their benefit. In the South the newly built tourist resorts, such as Sharm El-Sheikh was built on forcibly expropriated traditional Bedouin lands. While some Bedouin layers found jobs and a tiny layer even profited well, the majority of Bedouins around these resorts live in poor and primitive conditions and get by doing odd jobs here and there. The majority of factories and businesses consciously discriminate Bedouins and import workers from the Nile Valley whom they aggressively resettle on previously Bedouin land.

Bedouins / Image:  

The desperate conditions have forced many Bedouins, especially in the poorer North, into the trade and smuggling of people, arms and drugs. It is amongst these layers that groups such as the Islamic State (IS) finds its main recruits: recruiting impoverished and desperate youth looking for a way out of chronically declining living standards. Their attacks on the army have lead to ever more brutal repression of the whole community and the conscious trampling on Bedouin traditions and ways of life. But this only feeds more resentment, to the degree that a key IS recruitment avenue is youth who have lost family members and who are looking for revenge.

At the beginning of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the people of Sinai also took part in the movement. Faced with the anger of the Bedouins and the rising pressure on the Nile Valley, police and security forces largely withdrew from Sinai, leaving a vacuum which was initially filled by the revolutionary masses. But when the Egyptian working-class failed to take the lead in the revolution, the movement in Sinai partially dissipated and partially radicalised in an Islamist direction. This drift escalated with the fall the Muslim Brotherhood from power, which saw in its wake a rise in terrorist attacks. The ebb of the revolution after Sisi came to power allowed these forces more room for maneuver.

The handling of the Sinai issue by the regime has only served to strengthen the reactionary Islamists. A report by an NGO: the Egyptian Observatory for Rights and Freedoms (EORF) claimed that the Egyptian army killed 1,347, detained 11,906, and forcibly deported 26,992 between September 2013 and June 2015. Human Rights Watch also reported the destruction of at least 3,255 buildings. Thousands of people have been evicted and their houses destroyed without any warning, explanation or compensation. Instead of targeting the militants, the regime mostly targeted the Bedouin community as a whole with indiscriminate torturing, imprisonments, bombings and assassinations.

This only adds to the feelings of resentment amongst Sinais population. Thousands of Bedouins, most of whom are not necessarily pro-IS, are now carrying arms to defend themselves against what is looking more and more like an Egyptian occupying force. In the absence of a strong working-class-led defence force, IS could fill out a vacuum as the only organised and equipped force which can offer a real defence.

The organisation has, through the funds and resources received through the western and Saudi led intervention in Syria and Iraq, become a formidable force. ISs battle-hardened fighters have made use of a combination of heavy and light mortar artillery, surface-to-surface missiles, heavy machine guns and sniper-rifles to carry out advanced military maneuvers normally associated with Special Forces. At the same time, the revivalist Islamist doctrine of IS connects to a layer of the Bedouins who have been dispossessed or ruined in the last period and who are desperately looking for stability. They want a return to the good old days when their land, property and general social position were secured by traditions and belief.

IS will not be uprooted from Sinai by military means only, but that that is not necessarily what the regime has aimed at. In fact the Sisi regime relies on low-level islamist activity to rally Egyptians behind it. In this way the Islamists and the regime lean on each other to cut through the class divide and undermine the revolution. With the movement at an ebb, the masses are being forced to choose between the Sisi dictatorship or IS barbarism. Of course, this tactic is a dangerous one, which has often backfired. The Sisi regime promised stability to the Egyptians. He posed as a strongman, but his inability to deal with Sinai is now exposing his weakness, encouraging rising opposition against him throughout Egypt.

Islamic State / Image: Alibaba2k16

The army has tried to lean on other tribes, mainly from the relatively wealthier southern areas, to fight against the northern IS-leaning tribes. Some tribal elements have tourism as a source of revenue, which they do not want to upset. But many Bedouins, in particular among the poorer layers, cannot forgive those who are partnering with Egypts brutal regime, which under different forms has dispossessed them and oppressed them for decades. The el-Tarabins execution of eight IS militants in May to avenge the killing of a civilian woman in Rafah is viewed locally as a possible motivation for last weeks bombing, though given the citys lack of proximity to Bir el-Abed, this seems unlikely.

The regime is provoking a tribal civil war in Sinai, to keep the troubles away from the Nile Valley, but to think that this will stabilise or contain the situation is naive to say the least. The army has no control over the situation. Their presence serves as a recruitment incentive for the Islamists close to Gaza, while their ineffectiveness undermines their authority locally and infuriates Egyptians outside Sinai.

Culpability of the regime

The events of last Friday exposed the Egyptian regime itself more than anything else. All Egyptians are acutely aware of the danger posed by the Sinai Province IS-affiliate in northern Sinai, which has been active for the past four years. Yet the government seems at a total loss as to how to combat this danger. The last twelve months in Egypt have been blighted by terror attack after terror attack. Most recently before these latest horrific events, in October, 54 military personnel including 34 conscripts were killed by Islamists in el-Wahat el-Bahriya, just 135 kilometres south-west of Cairo. Egyptian people sense that the threat of terror is increasing but the regime is just standing still.

The fact is that this Egyptian regime is fundamentally incapable of removing the scourge of terrorism from Egypt. Moreover, its other actions, such as the selling of islands belonging to Sinai which cost so much Egyptian blood to win back, further undermine its authority in the Peninsula. Not to mention its collusion with Israel  the imperialist power that caused the spread of IS and al-Qaeda from Palestine  both over the islands deal and the patrol of Gazas border with Sinai.

Tahrir Square in 2011 / Image: Flickr, Jonathan Rashad

The situation in Sinai is directly connected to the incompetence of the Egyptian capitalist class, which has not been able to solve any of the problems of Egyptian society. The post-Nasser regime had no incentive to develop Egypt. The backbone of industry and infrastructure in the country today goes back to the Nasser era: almost 50 years ago. This parasitic ruling class is far more interested in filling its own (and its friends) pockets than actually taking the trouble of developing Egyptian society.

By the time Sinai was reintegrated into Egypt this process was already well on its way. The Bedouins were treated with racist contempt, dispossessed, their traditional lives destroyed and then forcibly resettled in primitive conditions without any jobs. This is the basis upon which IS nourishes itself. The Sisi regime is incapable of addressing the underlying contradictions because it is itself part of this parasitic ruling elite.

The only hope for ending the atrocities in northern Sinai is for a revolutionary unity of the people of Sinai with the poor and the workers of the rest of Egypt against the Sisi regime and against reactionary Islamist creations of imperialism, who are equally the enemies of the people. Only by overthrowing the parasitic capitalist class can the working-class take power into its own hands and put an end to Egypts backwardness, barbarism and all the ensuing chaos the capitalist system generates every day.
About a decade after launching Tumblr, David Karp is walking away from the blogging platform.

In a note to employees, CEO Karp expressed confidence in Tumblrs current leadership team and the future of the site. Yet, Tumblrs best days are likely long gone, analysts suggest.

Tumblr has been very below the radar for a while, so its unclear to me what they have been doing the last couple of years, let alone what they may have been planning on doing -- if anything -- as part of Verizon, said Pivotal Research analyst Brian Wieser.

Tumblr was absorbed by Verizon as part of the telecom giants acquisition of Yahoo, which closed earlier this year.

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Before that, Yahoo bought Tumblr back in for 2013 for $1.1 billion. The deal, orchestrated by then Yahoo head Marissa Mayer, was supposed to return the aging web portal to relevance. That never happened.

What sank Tumblrs fortunes? Along with top-down mismanagement, analysts have speculated that the platform failed to reshape itself for a mobile universe.

A big factor is that Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are more successful at catering to mobile audiences, eMarketer analyst Oscar Orozco suggested in a 2016 report.

By eMarketers estimate, Tumblrs domestic audience amounted to about 23 million users last year. By contrast, Instagram -- which cost Facebook about $1 billion to buy boasted about 90 million U.S. users last year.

More concerning still, Tumblr has lost traction among the young users who once considered the platform to be pretty cool.

Late last year, research conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Microsoft found that only about one-quarter of U.S. teens still used Tumblr.

As for Karp, his is not discussing his plans for the future.
by Sara Guaglione , November 28, 2017

The New York Times has tapped Sebastian Tomich as head of Advertising & Marketing Solutions, the new name of its advertising group.

The group focuses on media, partnerships and services. The NYT also announced it has hired Amber Guild to take on the newly created position of president of T Brand Marketing Solutions. The addition of Guild to the team is part of an effort to divvy up Tomichs previous responsibilities among a group of people, who will be announced over the coming weeks.

The newspaper wants T Brand Studio's work to evolve to be more agency-like and we felt it was the right time to bring on an executive with the vision and experience to bring us to the next level, Tomich stated of Guild's hire.

He added, Well head into 2018 with an already one-of-a-kind offering in Fake Love, a growing content strategy offering, and well be looking to invest in services that leverage the Times data and technology resources.

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Lisa Howard has been promoted to become senior vice president and general manager of media, and Andy Wright is now senior vice president of partnerships.

Tomich joined the NYT in 2013 as vice president of advertising, and founded and ran T Brand Studio, the newspaper's brand marketing arm. He was most recently senior vice president of advertising and innovation, where he led the growth of T Brand and oversaw HelloSociety and Fake Love, the two agencies acquired by the NYT in the last year.

Before joining the NYT, he was the director of East Coast advertising at Forbes Media.

Tomich will continue to report to executive vice president and COO Meredith Kopit Levien. She previously ran the advertising group before she was named COO earlier this year, when she appointed Tomich to take her place.

Guild previously worked at The Martin Agency, where she was managing director of its New York office. She has also served as president of brand consultancy and experiential design agency Collins. She has worked at digital innovation agency T3, Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi and Y&R.

Howard will be responsible for the NYTs category-organized sales team in New York, its U.S. and international sales offices, as well as the groups planning and operations teams. Howard was most recently senior vice president of advertising. She joined the newspaper in 2016 from WebMD, where she was executive vice president and chief of consumer strategy.

Wright will oversee a new division that will drive large-scale, integrated programs. He will work closely with advertising partners and the NYT's news, product and technology teams. He most recently served as senior vice president of advertising and publisher of The New York Times Magazine. He has been at the paper since 1997.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, November 28, 2017

WPP disclosed on Tuesday that it is in discussions with client Ford about their future relationship.

Ford is WPPs largest global client for both creative and media services.

The holding company said in its statement, which it issued early Tuesday, that the Dearborn, Michigan-based automotive company informed it on Monday that it is considering their future internal and external marketing model and want to enter into a further agreement with WPP for a period to be agreed in 2018.

WPP said in the note that it is considering the proposal and is in discussion with Ford on next steps. WPPs stock was up nearly 3% today on the London Stock Exchange on word of the talks, which are seen as a positive following the holding company's weak third-quarter-earnings report issued last month.

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The firms second quarter wasnt a barn burner either, and the company has noted that a number of its major clients, particularly in the packaged-goods arena, have cut back on spending this year.

The new talks with Ford follow last years rebranding by WPP of the primary agencies that handle the Ford business. Agencies Team Detroit, Blue Hive (the WPP units that serve Ford outside the U.S.) and Retail First were folded under a single global identity now called GTB, which stands for Global Team Blue.

GTB operates on six continents and has 49 offices. It is integrated across most communications disciplines and is WPPs largest agency team. Its one of 48 WPP global client teams.

Ford issued this statement: We value the talented and creative men and women at WPP. They are trusted partners and curators of the Ford brand. As we are across the Ford business, we are exploring options to improve the fitness of our marketing and advertising operations. No decisions have been made.

There wasnt much detail about the key points under discussion in the talks, although remuneration is likely one of those points.

Commenting on whats been said by the parties so far, Pivotal senior analyst Brian Wieser said, I think this is a way of communicating that if WPP wants business under terms proposed, then there wouldnt be a review, of the massive Ford business. But on the other hand, if terms arent acceptable, then there might be a review.

This story has been updated with comments from Ford and an advertising industry analyst.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, November 28, 2017

Companies like Twitter and Google pose a "much bigger" threat to the open internet than broadband providers, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday.

"Despite all the talk about the fear that broadband providers could decide what Internet content consumers can see, recent experience shows that so-called edge providers are in fact deciding what content they see," Pai said at a speech in Washington, D.C. "These providers routinely block or discriminate against content they dont like."

Pai's remarks came in a speech defending his controversial plan to repeal the 2015 net neutrality order. That order, passed by a 3-2 vote, reclassified broadband as a utility service and prohibited providers from blocking or throttling content, and from charging companies higher fees for prioritized delivery. The net neutrality rules only apply to broadband providers and not so-called "edge" providers, like social networking services, search engines and other web publishers.

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Numerous web companies and consumer advocates have criticized Pai's plan to repeal the rules, arguing that the repeal will leave broadband providers free to squelch content, and give preferential treatment to certain companies while disadvantaging others.

Pai characterized much of the criticism as "hysteria and hot air," and argued that Silicon Valley companies already engage in behavior that net neutrality advocates are criticizing.

"When it comes to an open Internet, Twitter is part of the problem," he said. "The company has a viewpoint and uses that viewpoint to discriminate."

Pai cited two examples: Two months ago, Twitter briefly prevented Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) from running an election video-ad that the company deemed inflammatory. (Twitter later reversed course and allowed the ad.) And in July, on a day when net neutrality advocates tried to rally support for the existing rules, Twitter flagged an AT&T blog post about the issue as potential spam and prevented users from re-tweeting it. Twitter said the block was caused by a glitch.

"To say the least, the company appears to have a double standard when it comes to suspending or de-verifying conservative users accounts as opposed to those of liberal users," Pai said. "This conduct is many things, but it isnt fighting for an open Internet."

He also called attention to other allegations against edge providers, including streaming services that restrict videos "from the likes of conservative commentator Dennis Prager."

(He didn't name the service he was referring to, but Prager University recently sued YouTube for allegedly "censoring" clips.)

Pai also said his planned repeal would restore the "light touch" regulation of the Internet that supposedly existed before 2015. "Returning to the legal framework for Internet regulation that was in place three years ago today doesnt sound like 'destroying the Internet' or 'ending the Internet as we know it,'" he said.

While broadband was classified as an "information" service, and not a "utility," until 2015, the FCC previously issued regulations that banned all providers from blocking sites or competing applications, and prohibited wireline providers from engaging in unreasonable discrimination. Those rules, passed in 2010, were in effect until 2014, when a federal appeals court invalidated them on the grounds that the FCC couldn't subject providers of an "information" service to common carrier rules.

Before that, the FCC said it would require broadband providers to follow a set of basic open Internet principles. But a federal appellate court ruled in 2010 that the FCC could not enforce those principles.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, November 28, 2017

Publishers have always been open to the idea of adding a paywall and subscription support, especially for those media sites that have implemented Google Accelerated Mobile Project.

The biggest challenge has been a lack of "out-of-the-box solutions" that publishers could use to adapt their in-house paywall and subscription model to work within AMP specifications.

On Tuesday, LaterPay announced it has created a way to integrate with third-party services, allowing publishers to include a paywall and subscription model, as well as a pay gate. The platform integrates with Google's Accelerated Mobile Project and offers publishers several payment models, including a way to monetize a reader's one-time purchase through their platform.

For example, if the reader wants to purchase one article rather than subscribe for a month, six months or one year, AMP access to LaterPay allows the publisher to integrate directly into its AMP pages so the reader can purchase one article or many.

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A typical registration and payment process can take more than three minutes to complete, according to Cosmin Ene, chief executive officer at LaterPay.

"[The reader] agrees to pay later and after giving his consent to pay later, he gets access to the content," Ene wrote in a LinkedIn chat with Digital News Daily. "We identify the users device, create a running tab and keep track of the purchases until he reaches $5 in value."

There is also something Ene calls "time pass models," where users buy a day or a week of access to the content and agree to pay later.

Publishers can prompt users to purchase a specific article, a time pass, or a full subscription.

The read now-pay later model reduces the purchase decision to less than 10 seconds for 78% of those who visit the site, according to Ene. It's achieved by removing a registration and payment process, which he believes derails more than 98% of all payments.
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, November 28, 2017

Having conquered the yogurt market in its first decade, is Chobani now planning to expand into new categories?

It hasnt said so. But it seems to be teasing that prospect, in part through wording alluding to its anticipation of another decade of growth in yogurt and beyond (our italics) in its latest press release.

But first, Chobani is making the most of a full redesign of its packaging and logo.

After a year of work by its in-house creative team, the old, all-caps, block-style brand logo has been replaced by a bolder, upper-and-lower case font, and the on-package photographic images of fruit and other ingredients have been replaced by illustrations inspired by 19th Century American folk art.

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The brand is also introducing a new, quintessentially idealistic brand statement: Fighting for Happily Ever After.

All of which, it says, are part of an expanded wellness mission as the company marks its 10th anniversary.

We spent the past 10 years focusing on the impact our company can and does have on communities across America, using food as a force for good, said Peter McGuinness, Chobanis chief marketing and commercial officer. That's framing how we're looking at the next decade, and our new packaging is the first glimpse into that. It's a beautiful translation of our brand and our purpose that moves us closer to becoming a food-focused wellness company."

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but after turning Greek yogurt into a mainstream phenomenon, and inspiring a raft of competing Greek lines from both leading yogurt companies and new (or new to the U.S.) brands, Chobani recognizes the need to differentiate itself again to keep growing.



With $2 billion in total sales, Chobani now leads the total Greek and non-Greek spoonable U.S. yogurt category, with about a 20% share (versus Yoplaits approximately 19%), and dominates the Greek segment, with a 40% share. It saw double-digit topline growth both last year and this year.



However, the so-hot-for-so-long yogurt category has become saturated, and has been seeing its growth slow for more than two years now. Last year, overall U.S. yogurt sales declined 0.3%, according to Nielsen  although Chobani points out that, if low-performing brands are removed from the equation, the latest, 13-week data from Nielsen show 3.1% growth for the Greek category.



Chobani has maintained momentum through frequent introductions of innovative products, like its successful Flip yogurt snack line. This year, it also verged into non-Greek for the first time, with its Smooth line.



And looking for ways to expand Americans consumption of yogurt throughout the day and evening, as well as describing its mission as contributing to the greater good through good nutrition, are nothing new for the company. People are hungry for better food options throughout the day, and well continue to fuel our growth with products that fill gaps in the market and meet consumer needs," McGuinness told Marketing Daily in early 2015.

However, Chobani is now declaring that it has specific strategies to make universal wellness happen sooner. These, it says, include scaling up its nutritional wellness efforts to provide better food for more people; increasing social wellness through its investments in the communities it serves and the people who make its food; and building a more sustainable supply chain.



Chobani reports that its latest brand evolution will be supported by new advertising creative to launch next year, including online video, shopper marketing, social media and PR programs. (One of the two short videos it released in conjunction with its redesign news is embedded below.)

In addition, Chobani says it will celebrate its 10th anniversary in February with activations for fans and initiatives focused on strengthening communities.

The redesign  which also spans its website, cafes and other assets  and expanded mission declaration have been paired with a simultaneous announcement that Chobani is for the first time introducing a new product line starting on a regional basis.

Its new A Hint Of line consists of blended Greek yogurts that feature naturally lower sugar content (9 grams), high protein (12 grams) and a hint of fruit and spices. It will be available starting in early December in Pacific, Northeast and Florida markets, before expanding nationally in July 2018.


by Tanya Gazdik , November 29, 2017

LOS ANGELES  In what might be the most adorable-ever vehicle reveal, Subaru of America enlisted a family of eight Labrador and Golden Retrievers to help debut its 2019 Ascent SUV at a press event prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Barkleys, previously featured in Subaru ad campaigns, appeared to be driving the Ascent as it entered the stage Tuesday night. The dogs exited the vehicle to greet Tom Doll, president and chief operating officer of Subaru of America and pose for photos.

The three-row SUV, exclusive to the United States, will be built in Lafayette, Ind., and go on sale in next summer. It is the biggest Subaru to be brought to market.

The big question with the Ascent is whether or not Subaru buyers are finally ready to embrace a large SUV, says Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis for Edmunds. Subaru has come a long way from its days as a quirky niche brand, so the Ascent has a much better chance of success.

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Dogs are a major pillar for the automaker as more than half of Subaru drivers are pet owners, with over 48% of them owning at least one dog. For years, Subaru has supported various pet-focused organizations that help to improve the lives of our four-legged friends and features dogs throughout their advertising.

The Barkleys will be featured in Ascent advertising when it breaks next year, Doll said.

Subaru has seen 71 consecutive months of record sales fueled by high conquest rates supplementing its loyal owner base. Subaru looks to continue the trend with the Ascent.

A slew of vehicle unveilings are planned for todays press previews, including BMW, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche and Volvo.

Hyundai is unveiling the U.S.-production version of its Kona crossover. For those unable to attend the show, a live stream of the press conference will be available on YouTube at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

This years Los Angeles Auto Show will offer an expected crop of crossover utility vehicles, though many will feature advanced technology focused on safety, fuel efficiency and connectivity, said Karl Brauer, executive editor for Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.

One of the biggest stories will center on Jeeps all-new 2018 Wrangler, an iconic model with a dedicated fan base, Brauer says. World debuts from luxury brands will remind everyone that premium cars with high margins are critical to every global automakers business plan, especially in growing markets like China and the Middle East.
The research, which was led by Javier Gonzalez, Ph.D., at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, examines how breakfast affects the metabolism and fat cells of lean and obese individuals.

But most of these studies are observational and cannot tell us much about the mechanisms behind weight loss, our metabolism, and breakfast eating. A new study , however  which has just been published in the Journal of Physiology  examines precisely such mechanisms.

Another study , on the other hand, suggests that skipping breakfast does nothing to affect our calorie intake throughout the day.

For instance, one large population study that we covered suggests that a large breakfast helps us to avoid snacking during the day, which keeps weight gain at bay.

Does breakfast help you to lose weight, or does it have the opposite effect? Here at Medical News Today, we have been reporting on conflicting studies in this regard.

How does eating breakfast affect fat cells in lean people? How about the fat cells in those with obesity? New research explores this by looking at the metabolic effects of eating  and skipping  breakfast.

Gonzalez and team asked 49 adult participants to either have breakfast or fast until noon, every day, for 6 weeks.

Of the participants, 29 were classified as lean and 20 as obese, according to their body mass index (BMI). The participants in the breakfast group consumed 350 kilocalories within 2 hours of waking up, while those in the fasting group had no energy intake until noon.

Both before and after the intervention, the team examined the patients markers of cardiometabolic health, their appetite responses, and their body fat distribution.

In addition, they monitored the activity of 44 genes regulating key proteins, and the fat cells ability to use glucose in response to insulin.

In lean people, skipping breakfast for 6 weeks increased the activity of genes that helped to burn fat, therefore improving metabolism. However, this effect was not seen in obese adults.

Adults with obesity are often resistant to insulin, which is the glucose-regulating hormone produced by the pancreas.

This new study revealed that in obese individuals, the fat cells could not take up as much glucose in response to insulin as lean individuals did. This effect seemed to be proportional to the individuals whole-body fat.

The researchers think that this is an adaptive mechanism in people with obesity, in which their body is trying to limit the amount of glucose their fat cells can take, so that it avoids storing additional fat.

[B]y better understanding how fat responds to what and when we eat, says Gonzalez, we can more precisely target those mechanisms. We may be able to uncover new ways to prevent the negative consequences of having a large amount of body fat, even if we cannot get rid of it.

He also lays out some limitations of the study, saying, Since participants ate high-carb breakfasts, we cannot necessarily extrapolate our findings to other types of breakfasts, particularly those with high protein content.

Our future studies will also explore how breakfast interacts with other lifestyle factors such as exercise, adds Gonzalez.
The IIP and NOW are happy to invite you to the panel discussion with our distinguished guests

Moderation:

 RITA ISIBA, Director, Aphropean Partners (tbc)

Panel

 Diakite Youssouf Simbo, Chairperson, African Diaspora Youth Forum in Europe (ADYFE), Austria/Mali

 ANA KALIN, Policy maker and analyst, Forum from Equitable Development, Slovenia

 Victor Ochen, Global Advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at United Nations, UN Ambassador for Peace and Justice - Representing Sustainable Development Goals 16 at United Nations, Director at African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET), Uganda

 Hannes Swoboda, President of the International Institute for Peace (IIP), Member of the European

Parliament ret.

Content

Since 2015, when the then current influx of refugees reached its climax in Europe, no other topic was discussed as intensively and as ambiguously than migration and flight. Newspapers spilled over with pictures of masses of immigrants and many politicians played on the topic to gain political weight, using the existing narratives describing migration first and foremost as a security threat for Europe. From 29-30 November 2017, the heads of states and governments of the African Union and the EU will meet in Cote dIvoire to discuss common challenges and opportunities. This years topic of the AU-EU summit is Investing in the youth for a sustainable future. With the worlds largest population under 18, Africa is the youngest continent. African youth, however, is very active, they see themselves as agents of change. Migration, also within Africa, is seen as possibility to gain education and professional know-how, just like many European students profit from exchange programs. The experience of wars, famines, demographic growth, repressive regimes and the lack of job opportunities are substantially challenging Africas youth. Empowerment of the African youth to improve economic and social development but also good governance and democracy in their home countries is essential and likewise the change of the current narrative on migration.

Following up on the 4th International Conference NOW on African Youth and Migration from September 3-5, 2017 in Kampala, Uganda and a series of Africa-Workshops and public debates organised by the Bruno Kreisky Forum, the VIDC and the IFK from 2016-2017 the discussions are to be continued.

After the AU-EU Summit 2017  How to go on? What is to be done? How can African youth, in all their diversity, become stakeholders that can bring about relevant change in their countries? How can they be supported from abroad, what do they expect from their governments? How can the narrative on African migration be modified to match reality? These and other questions will be addressed and discussed by the distinguished panellists, whom we are very pleased to bring together in Vienna.

In cooperation with the Kreisky Forum fur Internationalen Dialog

The event will be held in English.

Informal talks, drinks and snacks after the event.

Please register for the event: www.now-conference.org/events

You also find this event on our website:

www.iipvienna.com

www.act-n-o-w.com
If you are one those people who uses an activity tracker to count your burnt calories and track other data, there's some good news for you. A few months ago we talked about a smart condom that would track your activity while you had sex, and the pictures are finally here.

 BCCL

The smart condom essentially looks like a small rubber bracelet and it will track your calories burnt and send data to your smartphone. The smart condom is called the I.Con Smart Condom and has the ability to track your speed, duration of sex, average thrust velocity and the frequency of your sessions. These statistics can be tracked by the i.Con app which will give an insight or two about your performance.

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Lead engineer lead engineer Adam Levers told UK Metro. It's here and it's beautiful. We wanted the i.Con to look refined, non-intrusive and lightweight  the finished article is nothing short of any of those things, he said. There is absolutely no hindrance to the user and that was our main goal.
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.
The Giants and Pirates have remained in contact regarding star outfielder Andrew McCutchen, according to MLB Networks Jon Morosi (Twitter link). McCutchen could represent an alternative to Giancarlo Stanton for the San Francisco organization, Morosi suggests.

This is the first time weve seen the 31-year-old McCutchen come up clearly in trade rumors this winter. Hes owed $14.5MM for the 2018 season and will reach free agency thereafter.

McCutchen is no longer the superstar he once was, but did just wrap up a productive 2017 campaign. In 650 plate appearances, he slashed .279/.363/.486 and hit 28 home runs.

Metrics are not enamored of McCutchens glovework in center, so he doesnt seem like a direct replacement for Denard Span, whos expected to move into a corner spot. But Cutchs ability to handle some time up the middle certainly doesnt hurt. Hes also a far less committing acquisition target than is Stanton.

Its not immediately clear what it might take to get the Bucs to part with their franchise icon. Moving the salary would help the organization seek some other improvements, though losing McCutchen would also mean creating an immediate hole  even if the team is comfortable relying upon Austin Meadows and/or piecing together some platoon pieces. Given McCutchens standing with the fan base, theres added motivation for the Pirates to hold out for a worthwhile return. And the organization will be cognizant of the possibility of instead dealing him at the trade deadline, if the ballclub does not compete, or making him a qualifying offer at the end of the coming season.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Ghanas representative at this years Miss Universe, Ruth Quarshie, has returned home to a rousing welcome.

Miss Quarshie arrived in Accra on Tuesday evening in the company of pageant Director and CEO OF MALZ Promotions, Menaye Donkor.

Friends, family and some media men were on hand to receive her.

Quarshie earned an appreciable Top 16 place at the world finals, qualifying from the Africa and Asia zone to join 15 others including Miss South Africa who eventually won.

The Top 16 achievement was Ghanas best showing (in terms of position) since 1999 when Akuba Cudjoe qualified as a Top 10 finalist. Ghanas other achievement was in 2006 when Angela Asare was named Miss Congeniality even though she didnt make the list of finalists.

Ruth Quarshie is a graduate of the University of Ghana Business School. She won the national pageant in Accra in September this year.

The Miss Universe Organization is run by women for women, and built on a foundation of inclusion which continues to be a celebration of diversity. Annually, nearly ten thousand young women participate in the Miss Universe Pageant events.

The contestants and titleholders that have gone through the Miss Universe system cultivate their personal career goals, become advocates for humanitarian issues and have gone on to high-profile careers in government, business, finance, broadcasting, as well as film and television among others.

The 66th Miss Universe pageant was held at The Axis, Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was hosted by Steve Harvey and Ashely Graham. Contestants from 92 countries and territories participated in this years pageant, surpassing the previous record of 89 contestants.

This years winner Miss South Africa, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, takes over from Frances Iris Mittenaere.
Ghanaian international music star, Sarkodie has made public one of his challenging moments in his life

Born Michael Owuw Addo, Sarkodier in an interview on Westwood crib session in the UK said his inability to sleep with his baby mama, Tracy was the most challenging part of his life.

He told the host, Tim Westwood that he had to stay away from Tracy for a period of one month and he just couldnt bear that but had to comply.

So my daughter came and the first two weeks or one month, Im not supposed to touch her (Tracy). You are not supposed to do anything and that was like the hardest time, he said.

"You can (hold her) but you dont have to let it lead to the main thing (sex) so you need to take a break which is like very very hard, Sarkodie added.

What I was doing was trying to take my mind off it and trying to do things that can make me focus on something else. He told Tim

He also added that Tracy was no help at all since she also teased him with dresses which were hard to look away

But this girl (Tracy) keeps coming into the room to pick stuff wearing some stuff that is so hard to stay back. You know the funny thing, you can stay away for three weeks without doing it when you know you are free to do it but when you are told not to do it, thats when you want to do it.

Watch Sarkodie on Tim Westwood crib session


Actress Lydia Forson has described as intelligent President Akufo-Addo's response to a gay question asked him on Aljazeera.

In an interview with the Qatar-based news network, the president said legalising homosexuality is bound to happen in Ghana if there is a strong demand for it by the populace.

He, however, added that the issue is currently not a priority for Ghanaians.

The president's comment has sparked tonnes of reactions from interest groups on the issue, with some demanding that the president should be clear with his stance on the thorny issue.

But in an article, the outspoken actress stated that President Akufo-Addo's response was very intellectual.

But he wasn't voted into power to enforce his own personal beliefs on all of us, he was voted to represent ALL the citizens of the country irrespective of their beliefs and practice which is why he gave an intellectual response, devoid of emotions to that question because years in LAW school would have taught him about human rights and the realities of any minority group.

Legalisation of anything doesn't suggest that everyone agrees with it, it's to protect the few who do; which is why there are still people in America against homosexuality and are free to be, so long as they don't harm those who're for it, the actress mentioned.

Below Is Her Full Article:

The President on Homosexuality; he said what he said.

See I'm going to keep this very simple because I know no matter how well I put this people are still going to find a reason to be offended.

There's public outrage over an interview President Akufo-Addo granted in which he said that the conversation on the legalisation of homosexuality was bound to happen.

Now I understand your anger if this is a practice you're against, especially if it's one your religion forbids.

But the president's response doesn't in ANYWAY condone the act, in fact, he may be equally against it.

But he wasn't voted into power to enforce his own personal beliefs on all of us, he was voted to represent ALL the citizens of the country irrespective of their beliefs and practice which is why he gave an intellectual response, devoid of emotions to that question because years in LAW school would have taught him about human rights and the realities of any minority group.

Legalisation of anything doesn't suggest that everyone agrees with it, it's to protect the few who do; which is why there are still people in America against homosexuality and are free to be, so long as they don't harm those who're for it.

The law exists to protect ALL its citizens and not impose ones personal beliefs and views on another.

So the president's response is what anyone who understands history, law and the realities of the world we live in today would say.

History should teach us all that every minority, or group of people that feel oppressed, restricted etc will someday find their voice, strength and the balls to demand for equal treatment.

That's just the way it is!

Twins.

Albinos.

Jews.

Women.

Black people.

Interracial couples.

At some point in our history these groups of people have been completely disregarded and some even KILLED for not being normal.

They've risen up and fought to be included.

The president didn't condone homosexuality, he simply stated the FACT that at some point we'll be forced to have this conversation, whether we want to or not; and it may not even be any time soon or even in our life time.

But we have to reach the mental capacity needed to have these debates. Which is why I don't think it's fair to constantly pressurize African leaders to taking a stand on this.

Where we are now as a country, all these developed countries were several decades ago, so we shouldn't be forced to run when we're just learning how to WALK.

With that being said, your outrage isn't going to change the fact that your friend, doctor, pastor (yep them too) lawyer etc is GAY.

Pretending they don't exist doesn't change the FACT that they do.
Shatta Wale yesterday took a swipe at celebrated Ghanaian music group, VVIP, in a manner many have described as a total disrespect to the group made of Zeal, Prodigal and Reggie Rockstone.

In a Facebook Livestream, the self-acclaimed Ghana Dance-hall King severely warned Reggie of VVIP and Tic Tac to be careful how they deal with him Shatta.

I dont see VVIP as stars because they failed Ghana. They sold Ghana for cheap and that has affected the music industry."

"Look at Lazy who always wears people's village hat and will be making noise. Look at his beard like someone's village career. When I see such people behaving so foolishly, I feel sad for them," he said.

"They dont understand the business of music and that is what I am fighting, he added.

Shatta's attacks come from Reggie Rockstone's wading into the Shatta-Niaja controvery.

Earlier reports have also shown that all has not been okay between both camps for some time now.

In 2016, Shatta Wale announced a show on the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday at Nima, the same day VVIP also have their annual 'Sallafest' in the same area. Members of the group saw that as a sign of disrespect from Shatta Wale.

Then late April this year, Prodigal made fun of Shatta Wale during controversial acts 'beef' with Yaa Pono. Prodigal, in a minute video posted on Instagram, declared Shatta Wale loser of the beef which both saw artistes record 'diss' song for each other.

Prodigal said Pono has 'murdered' the dancehall king to mean that Yaa Pono floored Shatta Wale on his song. Shatta Wale has since not said anything about VVIP until now.

Other media reports captured Shatta Wale's comments to VVIP members act as fool. VVIP had not reacted as of press time yesterday, as efforts to reach them proved futile.
Hiplife legend, Obrafour has mounted up a spirited defense for Shatta Wale in his recent spate of beef with some Nigerian artistes.

Shatta Wale recently opined that he does not regard Nigerias Starboy Wizkid as a star, he rather expects the latter to regard him (Shatta Wale) as one.

These comments ruffled some feathers including a large section of the Nigerians who unsurprisingly took to social media to lash out at the Ghanaian dancehall artiste.

As many stakeholders of the music industry; including Hiplife grandpapa Reggie Rockstone have also reprimanded the Taking Over star for starting a strife between the two industries, Obrafour has asked Ghanaians to give the Shatta a break.

We all know Shatta Wale, thats how he is. With his beef with that Nigerian artiste, Wizkid, I dont think he meant anything bad, he told Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz.

The Kasahari crooner was of the opinion that Shatta Wale was being confident in his own strengths because  for Shatta Wale to say I want him to rather see me and go like wow!...shows the guy belives in himself.

Ghana rap sofo thought the issue has been blown out of proportion only because people like to attach mischief to harmless statements.

He, therefore, adviced we have to open our minds, if we open our minds, things will be easier for all of us.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Ghana's International Gospel Music Duo Willie & Mike, who have been active on the scene for the past 22-Years and still counting, are out with a new project.

They call this one 'FAITHFUL GOD' from Favour Family Productions, signifying the undying love of God following their 22-year milestone.

Willie & Mike acknowledges the endless faithfulness of God through personal testimonies with their true life experiences.

The Release of FAITHFUL GOD comes on the back of 5 successful tracks of fond memories including 'Me Mpene, Prophecy, Covenant Keeping God, Favour, Presence'.

This originally makes the song a must listened to. It was mixed and arranged in Ghana by Shas Studios through the good works of Shadrach Yawson.

In an exclusive interview with the talented duo, who just returned to Ghana from the US, they revealed that the song carries a very simple message in reverence of God's goodness and undying grace.

"We are sending a message that no matter your situation, just forget about your trials and troubles and worship God with all your strength and he will be a FAITHFUL GOD indeed bringing a special touch in your life as well as granting all your heart desires," Willie & Mike explained.

The Gospel Music Duo also hinted that there is another single in the pipeline titled 'Me Ny3 Mo Bo Da'.

They expressed their utmost gratitude to some key people who have been very supportive in their ministry.

The likes of Bishop Kofi Asiedu; Apostle Steve Paintsil; Stephen Asiedu (Asstev Audio Visuals); Solomon Opoku; Daniel Bassey and Bishop Kakra Baiden of The Lighthouse Quodesh Morning Star Sakumono.

Willie is married to Linda Asamoah whiles Mike is married to Dorcas Adomako.

All their wives are based in the US and have been very supportive in their Gospel Ministry.

Eversince they hit the gospel music scene, they continue to share their experiences with people all over the world who are affected by their music in different ways.

As one of the country's youngest celebrated gospel duo, Willie and Mike who have inspired and propagated the gospel of Christ through soul-inspiring gospel songs believe in doing something extraordinary to satisfy their fans.

Their style of performance has carved a niche for them in the highly competitive gospel music market.
It was One Corner, now its

29.11.2017 LISTEN

Ghana tertiary awards was held over the weekend at the National theatre in Accra.

During the musical break,the energetic crowd requested for Gallaxys Woti ate,one of the top most trending songs in the country at the moment.

A section of the audience also requested for Patapaa amistys One corner but eventually,Woti ate emerged the peoples choice.

"One Corner" was one of the most sizzling tune in Ghana and beyond.

Patapaas One Corner dance craze has transcended borders of Ghana. It is currently the hottest thing in Nigeria too.

Patapaa's 'One Corner' tune which sees Students, Pastors, Workers dance to the tune and also seeing some individual's riding on motorbikes and at the same time dancing to the popularOne Corner tune was what baffles the Ghanaian people about the secret behind the tune.

The new Woti Ate dance move involves a vigorous nodding of ones head and to say it is a dizzying dance will be to put it mildly.

Speaking to Kwasi Davis, a member of Galaxy said they uploaded a video of themselves on social media doing the Woti Ate dance during one of their sessions in the recording studio.

Even though it was just for fun, he said it became an instant hit and the result has been a new trend like Ladder and One Corner although it is yet to unseat One Corner.

He said the popularity of the dance forced them to release their Woti Ate single last week because of the demand from fans.

Kwasi Davis insisted that they didnt introduce the song to rival One Corner.

One Corner wasnt in mind at all and we have no intention of competing with it. Just like Azonto, Ladder and One Corner, Woti Ate will add up to the trends in the industry and I think that should be encouraged, he said.

Woti ate is still enjoying it commercial success after it was release just two month ago by Ghanas versatile music group,Gallaxy.

Follow the link to watch the stiff competition before Woti ate warn.

Source: Jonilar
1. Kids Should Love Learning.

For me, school was synonymous with suffering. It was sit down, shut up, pay attention, take notes, do assignments, regurgitate, get report cards  an endless cycle of compulsion, forced learning. You had to learn until it hurt. You couldnt be human. You couldnt have an off day. You couldnt say No, thank you. You couldnt say, I would rather

In time, kids learn to hate learning. They cry over homework, they wait to the last minute and then cram for tests, or they cheat. Anything to lessen the learning load. I was one of them.

With my kids it is the opposite. Im like, Hey, stop reading that book and go play outside for awhile. My kids do math worksheets for fun to see how many they can solve. And Im not even sure if it is healthy, but they read alllllll the time.

2. Kids Need to Believe That They Have Potential.

Have you heard of a gal named Barbara Corcoran? Before becoming famous as an investor on ABCs Shark Tank, she made millions in New York selling real estate. I believe she sold her company for 66 million. Although proving to be a business genius, the multi-millionaire confesses, I feel like my whole life Ive been insecure about looking not smart.

Here is a woman who has achieved financial success that most Americans could never dream of, yet she still harbors a deep-seated insecurity about being stupid. So, where did this idea that she was stupid come from? School, of course. Barbara was a straight D student. Somehow all the success in the real world cant shake that terrible lesson taught in school. She is now 66, and still talking about how stupid she feels.

She isnt alone. All children are bursting with potential, only to have their wings psychologically clipped in school. And for millions of adults, the doubts and insecurities linger long after school is just an ugly old scar.

3. School is Social Suicide.

I cannot tell you how often non-homeschooling parenting ask how I socialize my children outside of school. Im always like, Ummm, well I talk to them and allow them to talk to others, which is already more than I can say for school. I mean, I dont know what schools these people attended, but I went to 10 unique schools, in 6 different states, both public and private, and they all had this in common: Socializing was strictly forbidden.

The second you walked in class you had to zip the lips and PAY ATTENTION! because you know, Youre not here to socialize. For goodness sake, you couldnt even quietly pass a note. Kids literally only have a few minutes at recess and lunch, or in between classes to talk. Maybe thats why conversation devolves into slang and 4-letter words.

But Im not complaining. I mean, dont you remember how school kids socialize ? Seriously, school is social suicide!

4. Bullying is a Big Issue.

School bullies are such a big deal that even our president has spoken out about it. There is a national campaign being waged as we speak to raise awareness and tolerance in schools, but Im not holding my breath.

School is a bully-making machine. Schools take vulnerable, immature children away from their parents prematurely, pack them into a building with little supervision, lock the doors, and then wonder why they cant solve their bullying epidemic.

I know that the utopian ideal is that all kids can learn to get along; that by forcing kids to socialize with kids they normally wouldnt, school will breed tolerance and understanding. That would be ideal if it were possible. But it isnt. You take a violent street thug and lock him in with a small nerdy kid, and bad things happen.

The funny thing is, we know better, dont we? There are parts of town that we stay away from, especially after dark. There are people we dont associate with. And as adults, we have the ability and right to protect ourselves.

School children know better too. They know what will happen to them in the locker room, on the bus, under the bleachers, and behind the school. The difference is that school forces them into those dangerous situations. And to boot, kids arent allowed to defend themselves. Schools have adopted a zero tolerance policy for all violence, and that usually includes the victim fighting for his life.

Im glad schools are taking the bully crisis seriously, unfortunately the bullies dont take the school seriously.

5. You Like Your Kids.

Dont we all? Sometimes I dont know. Every school year I see youtube videos of parents celebrating their childrens return to school. I know its a joke but is it really?

Im sure that there are some parents who prefer a distant relationship with their kids, but for the rest of us, togetherness is a huge advantage of homeschooling. Five years old is just to early to let go. I dont know how parents do it. And its never easy. A lot of moms secretly cry.

Yes, you will see them in the morning and evening, but is that really enough?

Kids used to work side by side with their parents until marriage, when they built a house just down the road. I get that the world has changed, but has our need for our children changed? And is their need for us any less?

The longer children stay in school the further they will drift. The bonds you shared the first five years will begin to dissolve, slowly at first, but by middle school and high school, you will find that your children have bonds and loyalties to a new community.

In high school, between school, sports, homework and friends, you will be lucky to share thirty minutes a day with your kid. It isnt enough. Then they will graduate, and parents will be lucky to see them once a year.

Life is about relationships , not test scores. Even if school could provide a better education, (which it cant) the relationships are a million times more important. What parents wouldnt trade the My Child is an Honor Student bumper sticker for a few more hours a week with their kids? And what grown child, looking back, would trade their time with mom and dad for a higher SAT score? Forget about school; Your kids need you more.
At least two people are feared dead in a bizarre accident at Tema, Sunday evening.

Two giant rocks on top of a truck fell on a BMW, crushing two occupants, an eye witness confirmed to Joy News.

It took police officials several hours to rescue a third person who has since been rushed to the Tema General hospital.

The eye witness who gave his name as John, said the truck was negotiating a curve when the rocks tumbled down onto the BMW killing two of the occupants, the driver and a female passenger seated in front.

The third passenger seated behind survived. The bodies of the crushed occupants have been removed after several hours.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com
The Northern Region registered the highest number of farmers under the governments Planting for Food and Jobs campaign with a total of 39,000 farmers, followed by the Upper West Region which registered 36,000 farmers this year alone.

The Upper East is next with 26,000 while the Brong Ahafo and the Ashanti Regions are both fourth on the list with 20, 000 farmers each.

Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Nurah Gyiele gave these statistics when he addressed the 2017 Conference of Co-ordinating Directors which took place in Sunyani.

Dr. Nurah Gyiele further said the Greater Accra Region registered the lowest number of 1,600 farmers.

According to him, even though the Brong Ahafo Region registered about 20,000 farmers for the Planting for Food and Jobs campaign, it has the largest area of cultivation, covering 42,700 hectares of land.

Dr. Gyiele emphasized that the Planting for Food and Jobs campaign was primarily aimed at promoting growth in food production while providing job opportunities to people, especially the youth.

One thousand graduates of the various Colleges of Agriculture were recruited this year to provide extension services to the farmers while plans are underway to recruit more next year as we expand the programme.

He said adequate measures were being made to avert post-harvest loses due to the bumper harvest expected as a result of the success story of the campaign.

One thousand and twenty-one License Buying Companies have been registered to mop-up the produce from the farmers and supply the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) with the produce, he explained. END
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The Police are on a manhunt for the Brand Manager of Distell Ghana Limited over assault.

Isaac Mensah has been summoned to report to the Lapaz police station for questioning over allegation of assaulting a journalist who was investigating unwholesome Savanna and Hunters alcoholic drinks the company produces.

Isaac Mensah who had impersonated himself as Ali Dawud, reached the journalist, Raphael Apetorgbor who was investigating the issue on phone and proposed to meet up to address the issue.

At an open rendezvous in Lapaz, a suburb of Accra, this Dawud guy demanded to be shown the bar where the expired products are on sale.

As guilty manufacturers tend to rush in to clear traces of expired products before the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) can go in and verify, the journalists, Raphael and his colleague, Stan Assor who were investigating the matter refused to be persuaded to show the bar in question to Dawud.

This led to Isaac Mensah publicly manhandling Raphael Apetorgbor at Lapaz, shoving and punching his chest as part of the assault. He also accused all the journalists investigating the matter as criminal fraudsters and Sakawa boys.

It had to take Stan Assor to physically intervene to ensure that his colleague was not hurt to dangerous proportions by the physically attacking Isaac Mensah alias Ali Dawud guy from Distell Ghana Limited.

Information gathered from police sources indicate that, Isaac Mensah was asked by the police to report himself at the station on 14th November, 2017 but he sought for an excuse so as to be accompanied by his lawyers on 22nd November, 2017 but he failed to turn up whilst the complainant turned up at the police station.

This unfortunate incident led to the police rescheduling another meeting which was suggested by the accused on phone and was also in agreement with the complainant, Raphael Apetorgbor for both parties to report on 28th November, 2017.

The accused again dodged the meeting and failed to give a notice or response to calls placed to him by the police.

Police sources said efforts to apprehend the suspect is proving futile but they are optimistic he would make himself available for questioning immediately to avoid arrest.

However police source said the police will be left with no other option but to hunt him down if he keeps dodging their meeting.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The National Youth Organizer of New Patriotic Party, Samuel Awuku will on Tuesday, November 28th 2017, leave for Arusha Tanzania on an official assignment been facilitated by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

The Youthful political genius, and the leader of many parts will serve as resource person for a Strategic Training Workshop for center-right Chadema Party.

He is expected to also speak on themes such as: The role of youth in winning Elections, Political Communication, Mass mobilization amongst other interesting themes.

This effort is to bring Mr. Awukus enormous exposure and experience in those critical areas handy for the Chadema Party which campaigns on the platform of Anti-corruption.

Also on the trip is Mr. Kwaku Ohene Djan, an executive secretary of the youth wing, and recently elected Vice Chairman of the International Young Democrat Union (IYDU).

Mr. Kwaku Ohene Djan also affectionately called Osonoba is expected to address the meeting on some topical issues of interest.

The team is expected back to Ghana on Sunday, 3rd December, 2017.

Emmanuel Attafuah-Danso

Director of International Danso (Ag)

NPP Headquarters, Accra
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The Techiman Municipal Assembly is to establish a cashew processing factory to add value to raw cashew for export, Mr. Ebenezer Amoah, the Municipal Planning Officer said on Monday.

He said the Assembly had prioritised and captured the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) project in its medium term development plan, and added that it had sent a proposal to the government to that effect.

Speaking at an accountability forum at Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Mr. Amoah said the Assembly believed the 1D1F and the Planting for Food and Jobs programmes remained the surest way to create jobs for the youth and also reduce poverty.

The forum was organized by the Centre of Posterity Interest Organization (COPIO), an NGO with support from the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), international NGOs and attended by heads of departments, farmers, traders, assembly members and other stakeholders.

It was in line with a project being implemented by COPIO with support from GACC and OSIWA and aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency in the utilisation of public resources at the local level through active citizenship participation for enhanced service delivery and development.

The forum also offered opportunity for the general public to demand accountability from duty-bearers.

Mr. Amoah said the Assembly had also nursed thousands of cashew seedlings to be supplied to farmers engaged in the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

He said the seedlings would enable the farmers to produce enough raw materials to feed the factory.

Besides, Mr. Amoah added that the Assembly's medium term development plan had captured in its budget mechanization of boreholes, construction of toilets, paving of Nana Abena Market and extension of electricity to unserved areas in the Municipality.

Other prioritised projects include construction of additional Community-based Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds, organisation of mock examinations, malaria control and HIV/AIDS campaigns.

Mr. Amoah said works on the construction of a dumping site at Fiaso was progressing steadily, adding that very soon the Assembly would construct modern nurses and midwives quarters in the Municipality.

He observed that strayed animals were causing nuisance in the Municipality, saying the Assembly intended to embark on an exercise to arrest all such animals.

Mr. Elijah Mawutor, an Assistant Director in charge of Personnel at the Assembly, said citizens' participation in deepening public accountability could not be over-emphasized.

He said the Assembly frowned on corruption and appealed to the people to partner with the Assembly to expose corrupt officials to help fight the canker.

Mr. Mustapha Yeboah, the Executive Director of COPIO, commended the GACC and OSIWA for their commitment in helping to promote accountability and fight corruption in the country.

He said the project was yielding positive outcomes as its implementation had helped in deepening the local governance system in the Municipality.

Mr. Yeboah said the project had established Local Accountability Networks (LANets) which were currently monitoring execution of educational and health projects in the area.

In an open forum, Mrs. Siata Kusi, the Assemblywoman for Akisimasu Electoral Area appealed to the Assembly to provide ICT facilities to deprived schools in her area.

She also appealed for extension of the school feeding programme to some schools in the electoral area.

Mr. Zakari Mohammed, the Assemblyman for Tanoso-Ahenfi Electoral Area, said some newly developed areas in the electoral area lacked potable drinking water and appealed to the Assembly to extend water to those areas.

Mr. Kwaku Acheampong, the Assemblyman for Korfoso, also called on the Assembly to extend streetlights to some of the satellite communities to improve security.

Many of the Assembly members also expressed concern about the deplorable nature of some boreholes which needed urgent rehabilitation works.

GNA

By Dennis Peprah, GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The 2017 Ghana Energy Awards Committee says all is set to honour energy sector players for their immense contributions to the field on November 30 at the Labadi Beach Hotel.

The Awards Scheme is an industry owned initiative being executed in partnership with various government regulating agencies in the sector.

It was initiated by Energy Media Group and is on the theme: "Energy for National Development: 60 years and beyond."

Several individuals and corporate organisations have been shortlisted for the maiden national awards instituted to recognize innovations, achievements and excellence in the oil and gas sector of Ghana's economy.

The Awarding Panel Chaired by renowned Energy Expert Dr Kwame Ampofo told the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday that everything was set to announce grand winners on Thursday for the 20 categories listed.

The first ever national award in Ghana's growing energy sector is backed by the World Energy Council, Ministry of Energy and its agencies.

It was launched early this year and aimed to reward industry players for their achievements, success, efforts, innovation and excellence towards the growth of the country's energy sector.

It is also to celebrate the tremendous work of industry players competing in various categories.

The shortlisted nominees have been informed about their chance of winning the awards in the various categories but the committee said final recipients would be declared at the gala ceremony.

GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Mr Martinson Obeng-Agyei, Director of the Vodafone Cash, has called on professionals to adopt entrepreneurship programmes which would help address the high rate of youth unemployment in the country.

He said the issue of unemployment was quite alarming and would become national security issue if policymakers refuse to play an effective role.

Mr Obeng-Agyei made the call at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Alumni Dinner and Awards Night in Accra.

Mr Bernard Osei Tutu, Chief Executive Officer of the Dusk Finance Limited received the 'Professional Man of the Year' award while Dr Mrs Helen Akorful, a businesswoman was adjudged the 'Professional Woman of the Year'.

The 'Most Promising Alumni 2017' went to Mrs Jacquelyn Oyima, the ''Most Promising Entrepreneur' award was won by Mr Prince Obuobi Frempong, a businessman while Mr Abu Tanko, who had worked for the university for 39 years, was also honoured.

Mr Gabriel Akpalu was adjudged 'Most Enterprising Alumni' while Mrs Juliet Gbedemah, a Refugee Project Coordinator received a Citation.

Mr Obeng-Agyei urged them to focus on the transformation of the country and also be abreast with the current changing trend of the global age.

He urged them to pay regular visits to the university and help mentor the students and also impart the knowledge acquired.

Mr Obeng-Agyei commended the alumni for organizing the awards for four consecutive years expressed the hope that they would work tirelessly for its sustenance.

Dr Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, National President of the UPSA Alumni Association, commended Professor Joshua Alabi, former Vice Chancellor of the University for his immense contribution which had made the university what it is today.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was among other patrons that witnessed the enstoolment of Mr Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as the 'Sompahene' (Development Chief) at Breman Park, a suburb of Kumasi.

The enstoolment was heralded by high applause and cheers from the patrons including; Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, a former Majority Leader to register their joy and happiness

In a development that has enriched the cult of the already popular and highly respected Majority Leader, his pivotal role in the democratic culture of Ghana was celebrated by leaders of both Majority and Minority of Parliament on Sunday.

The enstoolment, which was under the auspices of His Royal Majesty, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, created the opportunity for his peers to acknowledge and celebrate the longstanding NPP Parliamentarian.

'I have come to praise him on behalf of all Ghanaians,' President Akufo-Addo said in a short speech at the Breman Park where an investiture had been organised to officially enstool the Majority Leader as 'Sompahene' (Development Chief).

President Akufo-Addo recalled his longstanding acquaintance with Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu from the formative days of the 4th Republic when a young Kyei Mensah Bonsu had helped to forge the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead.

The President who had danced with the Majority Leader before taking the podium underscored that even though Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is of the NPP stock, his leading role in Parliament as Minority Leader, when the NPP was in opposition, and as Majority Leader now has been pivotal to Ghana's democracy.

The President saluted the Majority Leader and thanked him for his invaluable contribution to Ghana's democracy.

The official investiture also attracted a galaxy of political stars from the national capital, Accra, down to Breman, near Suame, where the event took place.

Among them were; Mrs. Samira Bawumia, wife of the Vice President, Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Aaron Mike Ocquaye, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu, Presidential aspirant and longstanding NDC Parliamentarian, Hon. Alban Bagbin and former Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Lawyer Abraham Osei Aidooh.

Mr Aidooh, who is currently a Board Member of the Ghana Gas Company, mentored Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, who had deputised him while he was the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs under former President Kufuor.

'Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is the best MP ever to have come from the whole of the United Party (UP) tradition,' Lawyer Aidooh said in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the investiture ceremony.

According to him, on 7th January 1997 when the NPP first went to Parliament as a Minority group, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu was among the 61 NPP MPs who had been sworn into the August House at age 39 at the time.

'When I was Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei was my Deputy. He was such a brilliant young man, a very efficient planner. I remember marvelling at the fact that even though he was not a lawyer he commanded deep legal knowledge and aptitude.'

Lawyer Abraham Osei Aidooh also praised the current Majority Leader for his humility and God fearing disposition describing him as a gem.

'When we (NPP) were in opposition, Osei performed very well as Minority Leader and was very outstanding in the Minority Caucus,' Lawyer Ossei Aidooh said crediting the NPP's return to power, partly to the good performance of Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu.

Former Majority Leader, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin also extolled the Majority Leader in an address to the audience, confirming that Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu had indeed been only 39 years old when he first went to Parliament.

'In spite of his young age however, he said the young man conducted himself so well that he was quickly made the secretary to the NPP Caucus in Parliament.'

He said Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu's brilliance had since giving him the opportunity to lead delegations to so many continental bodies, including the ECOWAS Parliament.

'We have come down to Kumasi here to celebrate him; he has served Parliament well,' Hon. Bagbin said.

Among the political stars that also trooped down to Breman to celebrate Hon. Ossei Kyei Mensah Bonsu was an executive member of the opposition NDC in Tema East, Stephen Ashitey Adjei, alias Moshake.

Moshake who is also the leader of the ex GPHA workers whose severance benefits had remained unpaid since 2002 praised the Majority Leader for his contribution to Ghana's democracy saying Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has been a great talent for all Ghanaians.

'I am a member of the NDC but who can deny the pivotal role of the Majority Leader in Ghanaian politics? He deserves every praise given him. I congratulate him for his royal elevation and hope the efficiency that he has shown in Parliament so far will be brought to bare here too,' Moshake said.

Later, at a reception held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi, the Majority Leader expressed appreciation to his colleagues for the honor done him.

He however singled out Lawyer Abraham Ossei Aidooh as his senior who performed above par when he (Lawyer Aidooh) was the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Madam Afua Addotey, the Board Chairperson, Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF-Ghana), has called on government to reconstitute the Domestic Violence Management Board to enable a smooth implementation of section 41 of the D.V Act 2007, (Act 731).

The Domestic Violence Act is intended to protect all, especially women, and punish offenders of the crime.

Madam Addotey made the call at a press conference in Accra in a speech read on her behalf to launch the World Campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.

It commences on the International Day for the Elimination of violence against women from November 25th to December 10 on the theme "Leave No One Behind; End Violence Against Women and Girls".

Madam Addotey said a recent national Domestic Violence prevalence research conducted by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in 2016, indicated that nearly 28 per cent of women experienced at least one form of domestic violence in the 12 months prior to the survey.

There is therefore the need for an effective implementation of the Act, she noted.

She said the survey also recorded violence cases against men though they were lower than that of women called for the fight against all forms of violence against women.

Violence against women and girls have a devastating impact on individuals and society as a whole, she stated, adding that it drained resources which could be channelled into other useful ventures and created a cycle of violence against the most vulnerable in society.

The WILDAF Board Chairperson commended the Government making efforts to end the incidence including promulgating and amending laws to address gender based violence such as the recent passing of the Legislative Instrument (LI) of the Domestic Violence Act.

She therefore called on stakeholders to come together to end gender based violence.

"Build capacity of key actors including prosecutors, crime officers, medical officials among others to ensure proper management of domestic violence cases,' she said.

Mrs Susan Aryeetey, The Acting Executive Director, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) speaking on the rape in Ghana, urged traditional authorities not to shield perpetrators of those crimes but rather report them to appropriate authorities to protect women and children.

She called for a change in attitude in the country saying, 'If we are rigid about culture, processes, and systems then we will not get anywhere.

'This is important because things are changing and we need to change the narrative as well to be able to get the things we require as a country'.

The press conference was organised in collaboration with OXFAM in Ghana, Crossroads International and Care International Ghana.

Representatives of the development partners pledged their commitment to empower marginalised groups, especially the poor, women and the youth.
The Managing Director of Tema Lube Oil Company Limited, Mr. Amos Donkoh, says Ghana could do more for farmers in view of the tremendous role they play in the socio-economic development of the nation.

'For now we are trying, but there is more room for improvement. This is because they are doing a lot for the national economy, and if there is a way we can appreciate them the more I think it would boost their morale for productivity,' he said.

He said this on Tuesday in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of the presentation of 20 bicycles by Tema Lube Oil to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in support of the 2017 farmers' day celebrations.

In responding to the nature of support that must be given to farmers, he observed the need to invest more in storage facilities in the districts as a way of reducing post harvest loses 'which reduce the profit margins of most farmers.'

He added that, 'We should support farmers in their operations by providing them with seedlings, fertilizers, and technical know-how. In times when prices of products are going down they can be guaranteed good prices to give them security in their finances.'

He observed that the farmers and fishermen of Ghana have done a great deal of work for the nation 'so we should support them in anything that is done to uplift their image as fellow workers of this country.'

'It is something we have been doing for a long time and TMA knows that when it came to farmers' day, they could always rely on Lube Oil for support,' he added.

He congratulated the farmers and ask individuals and organizations to 'in their own small way support and encourage farmers in their activities.'
29.11.2017 LISTEN

A new Food Security and Climate Change Project, dubbed, 'Scaling-up Evergreen Agriculture Project' is to kick start in the Bawku West, Garu and Mion Districts of the Upper East and the Northern Regions respectively.

The European Union-funded project seeks to improve the livelihoods, food security and resilience to Climate Change of 500,000 Smallholder Farmers across Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting held in Bolgatanga to make inputs and review the project, Madam Phyllis Muthoni, the Resource Development Manager of World Vision Ghana (WVG), said the four-year project when successfully implemented would translate into about 62,500 households per country through the restoration of essential ecosystem services such as soil fertility, erosion control, and water cycle buffering on one million hectares of land.

She said WVG, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), OXFARM, Economics of Land Degradation-ELD (a project of GIZ), World Agroforestry Centre, and the Mion, Bawku West, and Garu District assemblies among others would be the implementing partners.

Madam Muthoni said the 'Evergreen Agriculture Project' is a form of Agroforestry where trees are incorporated directly into croplands and farm landscapes and stressed that under the concept, the land is kept under vegetative cover throughout the year.

'Evergreen Agriculture also incorporates conservation agriculture practices such as minimum tillage, use of organic compost, mulching among others. Key techniques to be promoted include the 'farmer managed natural regeneration and tree planting. All the above indicate the desire to keep our landscapes green, and families healthy, happy, and prosperous', she explained.

The Resource Development Manager who said the project would target communities and individual farmers including smallholder women farmers as well as Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), added that the new project would promote the development, adoption and spread of locally appropriate forms of evergreen agriculture.

Madam Muthoni said Evergreen agriculture was not a new project and that the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, being implemented in the Talensi and other parts of the Upper East Region as well as in Uganda, France, Niger and Burkina Faso were examples of the Evergreen Agriculture.

She mentioned among others key achievements of the FMNR being implemented by WVG in Ghana as 400 hectares of lands under forest cover with average tree density of 2,334 per hectares.

Madam Muthoni said other achievements chalked by WVG FMNR include a 600 hectare farmland covered under FMNR management being the average tree density of 57 per hectares as well as 6,288 Acacia trees planted by farmers along farm borders all under the FMNR.

Besides, she said, there are about 1.5 hectares Acacia provenance trial with 1,000 acacia trees.

'Also Faidherbia and other indigenous trees established by the WVG FMNR project also recorded Zero bush fires over 5 years in 90 per cent of FMNR communities in the regions', she said.

Mr Samuel Abassiba, Manager of WVG in charge of the FMNR, said the project would deploy steps by using success stories to re-greening, identifying and analysing existing re-greening strategies, practices and successes, building grassroots movement and mobilizing partner organisations, addressing technical, policy and legal issues and improving enabling conditions for re-greening, developing and implementing a communication strategy.

'It would also be implemented by developing and strengthening agroforestry value chains, expanding the activities that support further refinement of practices among others', he said.

Mr Rexford Bugre Yamdorg, the Upper East Region Based Operations Manager of WVG, who is also the Cluster Progamme Manager of WVG for the Bawku areas, explained that the purposes of the stakeholders meeting was to discuss the theories of change for both direct scaling up of the project and for influencing wider policy, practice, and investment decisions as well as Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan, Gender, Youth, and Inclusion Integration and the Discussion of Country Activity Plan.

He urged the stakeholders including the Staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority, Farmer Based Organizations, the Environmental Protection Agency, Civil Society Organizations, the Ghana Fire Service, the media among other agencies to help ensure that the project achieved its aims to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Developments Goals.

GNA

By Samuel Akapule, GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Nov. 28, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court was unable to commence hearing into the case of two Civil Engineers of Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development who allegedly took GHC3,000.00 as bribes in order to award contract to an anti-corruption campaigner.

This was because the substantive Prosecutor DSP George Amegah was in another court and a witness who was to give evidence was also stuck in Buipe in the Northern Region due to the rehabilitation of a bridge in the region.

Chief Inspector Georgina Sabi who held brief for the prosecution told the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh on Tuesday.

Mr Kasim Muniru and Mr Bernard Owiredu Donkor represented the engineers namely Benjamin Bampoh and Francis Kwadwo Torsoo.

The court at its last sitting ordered prosecution to get ready with their witnesses for hearing to start today.

The matter was therefore adjourned to December 12.

It further directed that the substantive Prosecutor must endeavour to be in court at the next sitting.

Bampoh and Torsoo are said to have collected GHE2,000.00 and GHE1,000.00 respectively from the anti-corruption campaigner.

They have been charged with conspiracy and corruption by a public officer.

The two have pleaded not guilty and the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh has admitted them to bail in the sum of GHE30,000.00 with a surety each.

DSP Amegah said Saka Salia, a farmer and an anti- corruption campaigner, the complainant is resident in Accra whiles the accused persons are attached to the Department of Urban Roads at Tema Metro and New Juaben Assembly respectively.

The prosecution said in May this year, Mr Saka received series of reports that that accused persons have been using their offices to amass wealth by awarding urban road contracts to persons after taking huge sums of money from them depending on the value of the contract.

To ascertain the truth or otherwise, Mr Saka and other witnesses visited the office of Bampoh at Tema Metro Urban Roads Office.

The prosecution said at a meeting with Bampoh in his office he convinced the complainant he can with Torsoo who is at the new Juaben Assembly could secure him and other witnesses lucrative contracts to construct some urban roads provided ' they do something,'' by parting with some monies.

Bampoh demanded and collected GHE2,000.00 and referred them to Torsoo to award some contracts at the New Juaben Municipal Assembly.

DSP Amegah said Bampoh arranged for a meeting between Torsoo, the complainant and other witnesses at African Regency Hotel in Accra.

At the meeting Torsoo promised them to award a contract. Bampoh and Torsoo and told the complainant that due to the strict measures put in place by the Director of Urban Roads they were going to hatch a plan to neutralise him to pave way for the contracts.

The Prosecution said the accused have meanwhile admitted taking money from the complainant but explained that the money was a gift.

GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday stressed the need for Africa and Europe to forge closer, meaningful partnerships that would promote trade and investment between both continents.

He said Ghana and the rest of Africa were looking forward to a more candid, equal, improved, mutually beneficial and not a one-sided, donor-recipient relation with Europe.

President Akufo-Addo made the call when addressing a press conference after holding bilateral talks with the visiting Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, at the Flag Staff House in Accra.

He said Africa sought clarity with regards to its relations with Europe, particularly long-term strategies for sustainable development and trade.

The President was optimistic that the European Union and the African Union Summit scheduled for Cote d'Ivoire on December 29, 2017, would redefine the relationship between the two continents.

"Looking at issues of common concern, the development of our economy, the issue of migration, issues of terrorism that confront both our commitments, it is my expectation and hope that Ghana and Italy will play very constructive roles tomorrow in defining this new understanding, this new relationship between Europe and Africa."

Commending Italy for its role in Ghana's infrastructural development, dating back to the independence era, President Akufo-Addo said Ghana had resolved to deepen its relations with Italy, as well as explore areas of interest that would be mutually beneficial to both countries.

He acknowledged the support Italy had given Ghana over the years, saying that, though investments between the two countries were modest, the Italian state owned petroleum company, ENI, has changed that equation by making the biggest investment so far in Ghana.

The President said the ENI investment was extremely important for Ghana's future, and was upbeat that the move would not only develop the country's oil deposits but its gas resources as well.

"The involvement of ENI in our oil sector gives us the opportunity to become increasingly self-sufficient in our energy generation. We are looking forward for greater intercourse with ENI that would allow us to go into other areas of the energy portfolio."

On his part, Mr Gentiloni said he was hopeful that the over 60 years of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Italy would be deepened by his visit.

He praised Ghana's stability and democratic credentials, which he said, was an example that other African states should emulate.

The Prime Minster said the EU-AU summit would mark the beginning of a new direction for trade and economic cooperation between countries constituting the European Union and the African Union.

He announced a 25 Million Euro grant to the government of Ghana that is targeted at Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to support the acquisition of machinery to help boost production.

GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Dr Ernest Kwamina Yedu Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), has bemoaned the low credit facility extended to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and the agricultural sector by banks and urged financial institutions to develop innovative products for the two sectors.

He said as at September this year, the agriculture sector attracted a paltry 3.7 per cent of the GHE38.70 billion credit advanced in the industry, adding that, the SMEs and the agricultural sector were seriously underserved, considering their relative importance to job creation and economic growth.

He said notwithstanding the high risk in these sectors, banks should be innovative by developing credit products that were suitable from them.

Dr Addison made this known at the 21st National Banking Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Accra, on Tuesday, on the theme: ''Building a Robust and Sustainable Banking System in Ghana''.

The event afforded stakeholders in the banking industry the opportunity to discuss the changing reforms in the local and international economy in order to make them resilient and robust in undertaking transactions as well as being responsive to the needs of their clients.

It brought together the top echelon of the financial institutions in the country who shared their experiences and ideas aimed at making them competitive and relevant in the changing banking sector.

The Governor of the BoG said for the sustenance of the financial market, the Central Bank and government were playing varied roles to ensure stable macroeconomic environment, saying; ''the stability of the financial system is in the public interest''.

Dr Addison said banking was a risky business and required appropriate regulatory environment and financial infrastructure to curtail risk inherent in the sector.

He said key factors fundamental to the regulation of the banking industry includes risk management, corporate governance, internal regulations and compliance.

He said the recent quality assets review undertaken by the BoG indicated that some banks assets management were deteriorating behind credit consideration in the energy sector

These banks, he said, were asked to submit capital restoration plan to ensure that they meet minimum capital requirement to safeguard the interest of shareholders.

Dr Addison said the Central Bank was taking adequate measures to ensure that banks remained in business, and, therefore, asked universal banks to increase their minimum capital requirement from GHE120 million to GHE400 million to enable them to undertake high value transactions.

He said complying with the regulatory framework would sustain the banking sector.

On market discipline, he said, the credit appraisal of the banking industry enabled proper disclosure requirement so that market participants would secure relevant financial information to make informed decisions.

He said, the BoG had issued a guide for financial publication in line with the international financial reporting standards and some regulatory specific disclosures.

Dr Addison said universal banks were supposed to publish both audited and unaudited financial statements annually and quarterly respectively, while disclosing MPL ratios, capital adequacy ratios and even breach and liquidity reserves.

Dr Addison said to ensure stronger banks, there was need to establish robust financial infrastructure to minimise credit losses in the banking sector and assured that, the Central Bank had instituted the credit referencing and collateral registry to help profile creditors and closing regulatory gaps in the financial sector. GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Mr John Peter Amewu, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said that the Ministry in collaboration with public and private stakeholders will join hands in solving the Sakumono Ramsar site's encroachment.

He said the Ministry will liaise with traditional rulers to ensure the safeguarding of the lands for its intended purpose, for which government signed the international treaty of the Ramsar Convention.

Mr Amewu said this on Tuesday when he visited the Sakumono Ramsar Site located in the Tema Metropolis of the Greater Accra Region with some personnel from the Forestry Commission, and later paid a courtesy call on the Nungua Paramount Chief at his Palace.

The Sakumono Ramsar site, with a total area of 1,365 hectares, has been encroached on despite the joint effort of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and the Tema Development Cooperation to control the rate at which the site has been invaded.

The site, which used to be a habitat for fishes and other water creatures, and also served as a stopover for migrating birds, has one-third, equivalent to 282.78 hectares of its total area invaded with illegal activities such as sand winning, dumping of solid wastes and removal of boundary pillars and trees.

Mr Amewu said the development posed serious threat to livelihoods and sustainability of the wetland and its species.

He said the Sakumono Ramsar site was getting out of hand, and that, all these problems boiled down to the inability of politicians and public and civil servants to act.

He said government will engage in a stakeholder meeting to discuss the issue to salvage the situation.

'If these solutions are provided and the authorities fail to implement them, then government would have to take drastic measures to curb the situation.

He said the development of the country is not the sole responsibility of the government but a collaborative effort of everybody.

King Noble Odaifio Welentse III, the Paramount Chief of Nungua said it appeared the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission lacked the capacity to protect the site, thereby allowing unscrupulous people to encroach on it with impunity.

He therefore appealed to government to demonstrate its commitment to the Ramsar agreement by removing all illegal structures at the site and restore its original natural value or come back to the stool to discuss a change of usage of the site.

Ramsar sites in Tema include areas around the Sakumono Lagoon Stretching from Communities Three, Five, Six, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Sakumono Estate, parts of Klagon Community 18 and Lashibi.

GNA

By Kwamina Tandoh/Thelma Abbey, GNA
"We are all sick. It's our health, and we are being conned," Moise Massala says angrily.

The 82-year-old is a retired geochemist who used to work in a uranium mine in Gabon owned by French nuclear giant Areva.

He and hundreds of other former workers say they fell ill from their work to extract the uranium -- a source of nuclear power and warheads, but toxic and potentially carcinogenic.

The miners worked for an Areva subsidiary -- the Compagnie des mines d'uranium de Franceville, better known by its abbreviation of COMUF.

Over 38 years, the mine extracted some 26,000 tonnes of uranium near Mounana, southeastern Gabon, before closing in 1999 after the global price of uranium fell and the seam of ore began to thin.

By the end of 2016, 367 former workers had died from "pulmonary respiratory infections" linked to working in the mine, according to MATRAC, a campaign group gathering 1,618 former employees.

The surviving miners, many of them old and sick, have unsuccessfully demanded compensation for 12 years in the belief they were exposed to dangerous levels of uranium contamination.

Areva, a multi-billion-dollar business majority-owned by the French state, has repeatedly denied that it has any case to answer.

"No occupational disease related to exposure to ionising radiation" has ever been detected, it says.

'Many serious diseases'

Seven years after the Mounana Health Observatory (OSM) was formed, not one former mine employee has been compensated

An internal company mail dating from 2015, seen by AFP and independently verified, acknowledges that the company was aware many of its former employees had developed serious ailments.

In the mail, Areva's health director, Pierre Laroche, wrote that "many serious diseases have been detected among former employees, for example contagious tuberculosis".

For former workers, this proves the company's liability and justifies their claims for compensation, even if it does not legally prove all their illnesses are directly linked to excessive levels of uranium exposure.

The firm has refused to give payouts to the vast majority of its employees, apart from compensation payments in 2011 to the families in France of two French former mine workers who died of lung cancer.

The company has repeatedly argued it was difficult to establish if the rate of cancer cases among former miners was greater than those occurring in the wider population.

"That there was radioactivity in Mounana is a reality. (But) to what degree and to what extent the workers were affected, it will be very difficult to establish," a former senior executive of the mine told AFP, on condition of anonymity.

In similar disputes elsewhere in the world, experts acknowledge the difficulty of pinning cancer and respiratory diseases on nuclear exposure at work.

Smoking and other "lifestyle" habits could, for instance, be a cause.

'We are sick'

Areva has been under pressure to compensate its employees for more than a decade.

In 2007, French NGOs Sherpa and Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World) carried out field surveys in Mounana and in Niger, another Areva uranium mining site.

They published a report denouncing what they described as high rates of cancer among former employees.

A man points at an old uranium extracting shaft in Mounana, Gabon, where hundreds of men used to work

Areva agreed to investigate the situation and launched a health initiative in 2009 -- the Mounana Health Observatory (OSM) -- promising to pay compensation and treat former miners who fell ill, provided scientific and medical panels confirmed their disease was attributable to industrial causes.

Seven years on, not one former employee has been compensated.

"I've had difficulty breathing for 10 years," says 77-year-old Roland Mayombo, who spent 27 years in the mine.

"I went to the OSM four times a year, but I have never had a result," he complained.

"We decided to stop going (to the OSM) because no one has ever given us our analysis results," said Estime Beno Ngodi, president of MATRAC, who says he is suffering from lung cancer.

COMUF accuses MATRAC of spreading "misinformation" and defends its handling of the health initiative.

It looked at more than 650 former workers but suspended the project in 2015 because of a boycott by MATRAC, says Gilles Recoche, COMUF's director of the board.

"We're proud of having set up a unique tripartite structure, which enabled former COMUF workers to benefit from a free medical visit," he adds.

For the surviving miners, their long battle to prove a direct link between their illness and uranium contamination goes on. But, for many, age and sickness are wearing them down.

"It's battle between David and Goliath," sighs Massala.
More than 80 African and European leaders will gather in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday to promote jobs and stability for Africa's exploding population, with some calling for a new "Marshall Plan."

The two-day summit in Abidjan opens as the European Union increasingly sees its fate linked to Africa's following the twin shocks of unprecedented migration and terrorist attacks.

It comes as China, India, Japan, the Gulf Arab states and others also compete for influence on a continent where the 28-nation EU remains as a whole the biggest economic and political player.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani told parliamentarians from both continents before the summit that there was little time to find ways to meet the needs of an African population set to more than double by 2050 to around 2.4 billion people.

"Africa will have to create millions of jobs to accommodate the new arrivals in the job market," Tajani said in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's economic capital.

"If this does not happen, our young people will lose hope," said the Italian politician.

"We will then be facing problems of radicalisation, especially in unstable regions such as the Sahel, but also much more widespread migration," he added.

Millions of Africans have already been on the move within the continent to seek jobs or flee conflict but also across the Mediterranean, mainly via Libya to Italy.

The EU this year began to reduce the flow through cooperation with the Libyan authorities following a more comprehensive deal with Turkey, which has sharply cut the flow of those fleeing the Middle East to Greece.

Africa 'Marshall Plan'

More that 1.5 million people from the Middle East and Africa have entered Europe in the last two years and EU officials fear new and even greater influxes in the future.

EU officials said the migrant influx, which sparked political divisions across the EU, as well as frequent Islamist attacks in Europe have been a wake-up call to tackle the root causes of why people leave their homes.

The EU has already set up multi-billion euro funds to promote Africa's economic development while deepening counter-terrorism cooperation with African countries where Islamist militant groups are spreading.

"I talk about a Marshall Plan for Africa, as we are facing an enormous task and have, moreover, little time to act," Tajani said.

The multi-billion dollar Marshall Plan launched by the United States after World War II is widely credited for helping Europe achieve its current prosperity and stability.

Ahmed Reda Chami, Morocco's ambassador to the EU who will attend the summit, has also called for a Marshall Plan for Africa but protected by anti-corruption measures and tailored to African needs.

Both the European and African supporters of a Marshall Plan hope billions in European public funds will seed even bigger private investment.

Visiting Burkina Faso before heading to the Abidjan summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said France is setting up a billion-euro ($1.2 billion) fund for small and medium sized African businesses.

At the start of his first African tour, Macron said the money could be used to help firms maximise value from agriculture, but also the digital sector.

The summit of 55 African Union and 28 EU leaders is also likely to deal with the outrage over US television footage of black Africans sold as slaves in Libya.

AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for "urgent measures" to stop the abuses, which critics say have been fueled by EU-Libyan cooperation to curb migrant crossings to Europe.
Every year Ghanaian farmers are celebrated in recognition of their contribution to nation building. At these occasions, various speeches are made and part of such presentations assured farmers of better life in the coming years. It was around last year and issues affecting farmers were identified. But as to whether these issues have been tackled is yet to be known.

Fortunately, another Farmers Day is approaching and various speeches will be heard. However, one issue that remains a pinch on farmers is the change in climate. And farmers will want to know some pragmatic measures that the state is putting in place to mitigate the impact of this menace.

Climate change is an environmental issue that threatens our survival. One of the environmental issues that needs urgent attention is deforestation. In Ghana, selling timber to multinational corporations has been one way to earn foreign exchange. Available data suggest that Ghanas intact forest has dwindled from about 8.2 million hectares in the 1900s to about 1.5 million hectares in 2010s. Timber from Ghana are used for furniture and roofing in Europe.

In the northern part of Ghana, wood is the available and cheap fuel for households. Some pick wood for fire while others process the wood into charcoal. All these activities depend on the trees in our forest. As the world continue to grow warmer, the function of the tree in taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen becomes more significant.

Farming activities such as bush fires and arbitrary use of chemicals contribute significantly to deforestation. This practice couple with urbanization continues to rob us of our forest. This has a devastating effect on the lives of the people. This year, farmers up north may slip into poverty. The violent rains did not only destroy homes. Farmlands, crops and live stocks were washed away by flood waters. It became difficult for farmers to predict rains and so when to sow or plant was left to try and error. Many blamed this on the indiscriminate felling of trees in the north.

Therefore, with these negatives in mind, this years farmers day should be used to set the stage to deal with deforestation. One of SADAs interventions in this regard was planting of trees. Unfortunately, this was a mess. The programme became a complete failure because there werent proper structures. The wrong timing for the planting and the lack of water facilities to support the farmers in the dry season contributed to the failure of the programme. If government is pursuing the same policy, then irrigation must be tackled even before the planting of the trees. Again, a lot of sensitization work ought to be implemented. In this way, farmers will have enough information regarding the best practices to handle trees and by extension our forest. Without these the government Planting for Food and Jobs programme will bleed dry thus, threatening food security in the area.

Fear continues to grip farmers in the north as they prepare for the next farming season. They fear there may be extreme harmattan, which could have dire consequences. Also, the uncertainty surrounding the begging of the next rainy season is a great worry to yam farmers. These and other untold stories among the farmers call for urgent responses to tackle the menace of deforestation.

The theme for this years farmers day Planting for Food and Jobs resonate with government programmes to create jobs through agriculture. And restoring our forest reserves can help create some jobs.

Zuberu Aliu

([email protected])
29.11.2017 LISTEN

When you mention Ahanta, nobody seems to know what Ahanta means or the kind of people they are but Ahanta was once referred to as a nation, country or a kingdom and not the paltry 2 million ethnic group of people who call themselves Ahantas of today. We seem to have lost everything so many Ahanta youths who do not know where we came from and how our forefathers lived in greatness, enjoyed power and supremacy shy away from the Ahanta personality. They have thus become social renegades who wish to belong to other tribes where they have no connection.

According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, Ahanta means the land of twins. As at how Ahanta became known as the land of twins is not certainly known since there are other meanings or accounts which seem more accurate and convincing than this one. It could be linked to the fertility of Ahanta women and multiple births which was very predominant then on Ahanta lands then. Some indigenous cultural practices around that time also saw births of twins as a taboo and for Ahanta to welcome the birth of twins is likely to earn her the title land of twins which I think we should pride ourselves with it but if we are to situate the land of twins account properly, then it precedes the migration of Ahantas from the Bono kingdom which occurred in 1229.

Ahanta is also believed to have come from the Fante word "hata" which matches with "yinda" in Ahanta language which means to dry or warm oneself after being wet or cold but geographically, the true definition of Ahanta is the land between Pra and Ankobra rivers. The stretch of land between these two rivers is how far and wide the once prosperous and flourished kingdom of the Ahantas covered. Our forefathers lived here in greatness and in supremacy particularly those of us who come from royal homes.

Ahanta belong to several Congo -Niger languages such as Igbo in Nigeria, Edo in Benin and all the Akan languages stretching across the South of the Sahara Desert from Togo to Cote D'Voire. It is one of the sub unit of several kwa languages across the forest belt of Sub-Sahara Africa. Ahanta is as old Methusalah but the sad thing is that our language faces possible extinction in the next 10 or 20 years as recently showed in a research conducted by the University of Cape Coast. We are not speaking it ourselves and for that matter, we are not teaching our children to pass it on to the generations that may come after us. Sekondi -Takoradi for instance has lost its Ahanta taste and fragrance.

As mentioned earlier, in 1229, Ahantas and Fantes moved from the Bono kingdom in the present day Takyiman after the death of Odapagyan who was then the leader of the Fantes to further south of the Sahara. On reaching the Pra river, the Ahantas crossed further southward to their present area of settlements. It is actually the crossing of the Pra River that gave birth to "hata" which means to dry or warm oneself in the sun. The oral account says that after crossing the Pra river, our forefathers decided to warm themselves in the sun and also to dry their clothes so they became known as "Ahatafo" meaning people who warm or dry themselves in the sun. It thus became our ethnic or tribal name.

This account is more precise, accurate convincing, consistent and backed by facts than the age old myth that Nana Badu Bonso and his descendants came from the mouth of a Whale. Legend has it that he fought his way through from the Pra river and settled at Busua which was then the abode of mighty Whales. He then established his authority over all the conquered lands and form his kingdom. It is worth mentioning here that before the arrival of Ahantas, the land was already inhabited by indigenes who were probably Guans so the present Ahanta people comprises of descendants of Guans, those who migrated from the Bono kingdom and other vassal states which later migrated into the Ahanta kingdom. It was the conquering exploits from the Pra river to the sea at Busua that rather earned the warlord of Ahanta Otumfour Badu Bonso contrary to the account that he came from the mouth of a Whale but whatever that it was, all the accounts surrounding the migration story of the Ahanta people make our history and culture rich. The royal title for Ahantahene was suspected to be "beduru bonso" which literally means to have reached the Whales and later corrupted to be Badu Bonso as years go by. He is believed to have possessed some whimsical powers that made him to conquer enemies with ease and thus the title Otumfour which means the powerful one.

Between 1300 and 1400 after arrival of Ahantas to their present location particularly the Bono group, they quickly organised themselves into a powerful kingdom which was made of chiefdoms along the Atlantic coast from the Pra to the Ankobra rivers. They had already lived in the Bono kingdom so organising themselves into kingdom and chiefdoms were something they did without much difficulties since they were already practicing most of traditions of the Bonos. A kingdom that enjoy prominence, glory, power and supremacy until the Europeans particularly the Dutch arrived in Gold Coast. The Ahanta kingdom then started to receive stiff opposition and interferences from foreign invasions particularly from the Dutch and started to lose its thresholds.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Gold Coast in 1471 and built their permanent trading post at Elmina in 1482. In 1515, they built Fort St. Anthony at Axim and in 1626, they built Fort Sebastian at Shama. The Portuguese have quickly expanded their trading activities across Ahanta from Shama to Axim covering almost the total land area of the Ahanta kingdom. The Dutch led by Barent Eriksz arrived in 1591 and by 1598, other Dutch traders had also arrived in Gold Coast and started to pose stiff opposition to the Portuguese. Through the efforts of General Jacob Clantius, the Dutch secured a permission to build Fort Nassau near Moree through the Asebu treaty.

In the preceding years, the Dutch constantly battled the Portuguese to drive them out of Gold Coast in order to gain control over the trade which eventually turned out to be a slave trade. In 1637, the Dutch captured Elmina Castle, Fort Sebastian at Shama in 1640 and in 1642, they had captured Fort Antonio in Axim. Aside ceasing Forts and Castles of the Portuguese, the Dutch built Fort Orange in Sekondi in 1642 and Fort Batenstein in Butre in 1656. By 1717 they have succeeded in driving the Portuguese away and gained control over the trade particularly in Ahanta areas.

Ahanta became the main trading grounds for the Dutch in Gold Coast. On 27th August 1656, the Butre treaty was sign between the Ahanta chiefs and the Dutch which made Ahanta a protectorate of the Dutch from the attacks of other European nations who had interest in the ongoing slave trade. A pact which lasted for 213 years until 1871 when the Dutch left the Gold Coast and the British took over. It was longest pact between an European nation and an African state. This pact became the basis for the annihilation and desolation of Ahanta as expedient forces marshalled by the Dutch marched on Ahanta on 30th June 1838 led by Major-General Jan Verveer from the Royal Netherlands Army. Major Ahanta towns like Takoradi and Busua were massacred and a large military presence was maintained in Ahanta. Asantehene alone offered 30,000 troops though the Dutch turned down his offer and believed it to be a ploy for the Ashantis to gain direct trading access with the Europeans at the coast.

In the course of war Badu Bonso II was captured and on 27 July 1838, he was hanged after which his head was removed and sent to Netherlands where it got lost for more than a century until it was rediscovered at Leiden University Medical Centre by one Arthur Japin who was conducting a research and had earlier on read about this great Ahanta king who stood against foreign invasion and interferences. The head had been stored in a jar of formaldehyde for about 170 years. In 2009, after a brief ceremony was conducted in Hague, the head was returned to Ghana previously known as the Gold Coast where it was originally taken away by the Dutch.

In 1871, the Dutch sold all their trade possessions to the British who have already built Fort Metal Cross at Dixcove in 1683 and were very active in the ongoing slave trade and left the Gold Coast after they have robbed Ahanta off everything including her pride and dignity. The British took over from the Dutch until 1957 when Gold Coast became independent and by then there was nothing left that Ahanta can boast of. From 1471 to 1957, Ahanta and other coastal Akan state were constantly oppressed and suppressed by several European nations particularly the Portuguese,the Dutch and the British.

In it all, foreign influence on Ahanta and other coastal Akan state lasted for 486 years. A period long enough to destroy everything Ahanta. Once a beautiful Ahanta kingdom was left disorganised till date.

Ahanta Apemenyimheneba Kwofie III

[email protected]

#Ahantadiaries_29_11_17
The Deputy Minister of Energy in charge of Power, Hon. William Owuraku Aidoo (MP) on Monday, November 27, 2017, paid a courtesy call on the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Krachi West, Hon. Douglas Osei-Nti at his district office.

Hon. Aidoo, who was in Kete krachi together with a delegation from the Ministry of Energy and World Bank to commission a 5 pilot Mini-Grid systems at Aglakope were cordially received by Hon. Osei-Nti.

Welcoming the Deputy Minister, Hon. Osei-Nti thanked Hon. Aidoo for the visit and briefed the delegation on the population distribution, sub-structure and socio economic facilities in the district.

ING Andrew Tonto Barfour, Ghana Energy Development and Access Project (GEDAP) Coordinator, introduced the Ministerial delegation and stated that the team were in Kete Krachi to officially commission the Mini-Grid systems.

The Deputy Minister on behalf of the entire delegation thanked the DCE for the warm reception and indicated that he is looking forward to the commissioning.

The five (5) pilot Mini-Grids constructed under GEDAP will provide 24-hour electricity service to a total population of approximately 3,500 people in island communities such as Aglakope in the Kete Krachi West District of the Volta Region, Kudorkope in the Kete krachi East District of the Volta Region, Atigagome and Wayokope in the Sene East District of the Brong-Ahafo District, and Pediatorkope in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region.

Other dignitaries present at the meeting were Mr. Wisdom AhiatakuTogobo, Director in charge of Renewable & Alternative Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Shinya Nishimura, World Bank GEDAP task team leader.
It was an ecstatic feeling at James Town on the 24th of November 2017 as Love Foundation Club in partnership with Lilies of the Field Academy visited the community on a donation exercise.

As is it well known of the ever hardworking and fast growing youth Non-Governmental Organization in the country, Love Foundation Club organized The Giving Project as the program to embark on when their friends and sister organization Lilies of the Fields, made up some student s from Suffield Academy USA, called on them to have a partnership with them which will be a project to champion the cause of showing love to the poor and less privileged.

The team visited the chief and elders of the James Town community to pay homage and seek their nod and support of the event. The people of James Town were very hospitable and expressed their joy and gratitude to LFC and the Students from Suffield Academy US.

The turn-out for the event was so great as compared to that of all the events held by LFC. The joy felt within those present at the event was so great that both the young and the old were moved into dancing with zeal on the tunes being played. There was donations food items among all particularly the children present.

The team then moved to Lilies of the Field Academy, Osu which is a home of children run by Ms. Kim Wiggin who is the leader of LFC friends and students from Suffield Academy in the US. There was a short festival of the Ghanaian culture which was displayed to serve as a goodbye wave to the team from the US as they go back home.

Love Foundation Club looks forward to visit other communities on such humanitarian events to preach the message of love to the poor and needy.

Love Foundation Club aims to do everything that will make life better for the less privileged and the afflicted through charity. As charity to humanity is the mother mission of Love Foundation Club, the organization in addition to the aim of eradicating streetism and poverty especially among children have in its agenda giving of support to orphanages, the sick, disabled and poor or deprived communities. The organization through funds raised by its devoted members is to give support to the needy in form of donations, visitation and other projects. Love Foundation Clubs arms are wildly opened for public support and donations.

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Under the terms of reference of the human rights regime, once a state had joined and ratified a human rights treaty, the said state party is expected to adhere to the treaty provisions (UN 1969).

Almost three decades ago, Louis Henkin opined that "almost all nations observe almost all principles of international law and almost all of their obligations almost all of the time."

But the all-important question is: do states really adhere to the national, regional and the international human rights regimes?

This article seeks to explore and analyse the creeping justice and the polemic of commitments and compliance in the international human rights regimes, with special emphasis on the recent African Court on Human and Peoples Rights stay of execution in Woyome versus the Republic of Ghana.

Interestingly, the extant literature is silent on how states commit to human rights treaties that have no reciprocate benefits, unlike trade and other financial agreements which extend mutual benefits (Hathaway 2003).

Besides, it is puzzling to see states committing to human rights treaties, given that the regime rather invites the international community to interfere in the affairs of the sovereign states, in particular, how states treat their citizens (Hathaway 2003; Wotipka and Tsutsui 2008).

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Court) is a continental court established by African countries to ensure protection of human and peoples rights in Africa. It complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

It is worth stating that the Court was established through Article 1 of the protocol on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, which was adopted by Member States of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June 1998.

Apparently, the Court has jurisdiction over all cases and disputes submitted to it concerning the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights , the (the Charter), the Protocol and any other relevant human rights instrument ratified by the States concerned. Specifically, the Court has two types of jurisdiction: contentious and advisory.

According to the Protocol (Article 5) and the Rules (Rule 33), the Court may receive complaints and/or applications submitted to it either by the African Commission of Human and Peoples Rights or State parties to the Protocol or African Intergovernmental Organizations.

Non-Governmental Organizations with observer status before the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and individuals from States which have made a Declaration accepting the jurisdiction of the Court can also institute cases directly before the Court.

Per Article 50 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the Commission can only deal with a matter submitted to it after making sure that all local remedies, if they exist, have been exhausted, unless it is obvious to the Commission that the procedure of achieving these remedies would be unduly prolonged.

The crucial question then is: did Woyome exhaust all the domestic remedies before submitting a statement to the Commission for onward submission to the African Court of Human and Peoples Rights?

The abusive African litigants may well explain why a number of states parties are refusing to endorse the competence of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights. As at July 2017, only eight (8) of the thirty (30) States Parties to the Protocol had made the declaration recognizing the competence of the Court to receive cases from NGOs and individuals. The eight (8) States are; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Mali, Malawi , Tanzania and Republic of Tunisia (ACHPR, 2017).

The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights was adopted on 27 June 1981, and came into force on 21 October 1986 (ACHPR, 2013).

African Charter on Human and People's Rights recognises the collective rights. It acknowledges the correlation between individual and peoples rights. It also recognises the right to development.

Take, for instance, Article four of the Charter incorporates the rights and duties pertaining to individuals and groups alike, for example, the right to life.

The Charter addresses specifically, the rights and duties of the community, inter alia the family, society and the nation in question. Moreover,, the Charter places emphasis on third generation rights, which are primarily the rights to peace, solidarity, a healthy environment and development.

More significantly, Article thirty of the African Charter established the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights. The Commission mandate is to promote human and peoples rights in Africa . It does this by gathering documents, undertakes studies and research on African problems in the field of human and peoples' rights, encourages national and local institutions concerned with human and peoples' rights and make recommendations to Governments (article 45, 1)(United Nations,2004).

Unlike the European system, the African Charter did not initially provide for a designated court on human and peoples rights. However, in 2006, an African court on human and peoples rights was established through the adoption of article one of the 1998 optional protocol to African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on establishment of African Court on Human and peoples Rights. The court has jurisdiction over cases concerning the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

But all said and done, the African system allows individuals to make applications of alleged violations to the commission. More importantly, the applicant does not have to be connected to the alleged violations; a state party can also report another state party, unlike the European system (United Nations, 2004).

The downside though, is, unlike the European system, whereby individuals have direct access to the European Court of Human Rights, the individual complainants in African system have to go through the Commission. In this regard, the African system appears somewhat complicated.

Given the circumstances, I cannot vouch for the effectiveness of the African Regional Human Rights system as compared to the European and the American systems, in the sense that the African system focuses primarily on promotion without any monitoring mechanisms. More room for improvement.

Interestingly, however, the world society approach theorists observe that most states only join the human rights regime to acquire legitimacy, and thereby deflecting possible future criticisms (Hafner-Burton and Tsutsui 2005).

Thus, some experts suggest that the same factors that urge a state to comply with human rights treaties, the same factors would dissuade a state from committing (Hathaway 2007). By inference, a sizeable number of states join the human rights regime without the desire to comply with the treaty provisions.

Similarly, Hafner-Burton and Tsutsui (2005) building on the influential legal models by Chayes and Chayes (1995), note three reasons that explain state compliance. To begin with, they stress that organisational power results in less costly compliance and more attractive in the absence of compelling grounds for noncompliance. Secondly, they observe that international treaties emanate from prolonged negotiations that represent the national interests of member states. Hafner-Burton and Tsutsui explicate that because states ratify treaties when their national interests are met, they are inclined to comply with the treaties they choose to join.

In a grand scheme of things, Human rights regimes require ratified countries to give in to the international community to interfere in their human rights practices towards their citizens.

The ratified countries, so to speak, would commit to human rights treaties not so much because of the costs and benefits in doing so, but as a result of genuine commitment to the principles of such a human rights treaty.

In the case of Woyome versus the Republic of Ghana, I am of the firm conviction that the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights lacks the jurisdiction to sit on the case as it is still pending in our apex court. If, indeed, Article 50 of the African Charter is anything to go by, then the Commission has erred by forwarding Woyomes complaint to the Court for determination.

In that regard, I will suggest that Ghana lodges a protest with the Commission, and if possible, takes the necessary steps towards denunciation.

Even if, the Africa Charter is somehow silent on denunciation, Ghana can still follow the footsteps of others and activate Article 56 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and denounce its endorsement on the competence of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights.

K. Badu, UK.
The subject of homosexuality has been discussed in Ghana for some years now. Until quite recently, homosexual practices were said to be very common and acute among some senior high students in boarding school. In 2003 and 2006, the subject received national attention when a group of homosexuals fronted and mooted the idea of organising homosexual conference in Ghana. John Agyekum Kufuor, then president, kicked against Ghana serving as the ground for such a conference. Issues related to homosexuality came to a high point in 2011 when the then British Prime Minister, David Cameron, threatened to cut aid to Third World countries, including Ghana, that failed to liberalise their stance on homosexuality. Following the footsteps of J.A. Kufuor and following public sensitivity of Ghanaians, John Evans Atta Mills called the bluff of British by refusing to decriminalise homosexuality.

A few weeks ago, patrons of social media  WhatsApp and Facebook  were inundated with pictures and video footage of an old student of Achimota School, Stephen Anertey Caesar, formalising his relationship with his gay partner, Ryan Lathrum, at Sonoma Valley in America. Recently, the presidents comment on the subject, following an interview he granted Al-Jazeera journalist, Jane Dutton, which reported on November 26, 2017. In all of these instances, Ghanaians have passionately discussed the subject.

Obviously, it is necessary to point out a few issues for further conversation. This has become necessary because the discourse on homosexuality is blurred by the partisan position assumed by both pro-gay activists and anti-gay activists. We, therefore, find a true and unequivocal expression of the politicisation of knowledge in the discussions on homosexuality. The first point I want to point out is that homosexuality is not foreign to Africans. Contrary to the propaganda of most anti-gay activists, homosexuality has always found expression in precolonial Africa. Here, I seek to argue against those who attempt to romanticise and create a pristine sexual morality for Africa prior to colonialism. Anti-gay rights activists have the penchant of attributing all forms of sexual perversion to external influence. Understandably, this forms part of the externalisation of every negative practice in Africa: a clear case of the reverse of the Hamitic Hypothesis.

Second, it is not also true that homophobia is foreign to Africans. From my interactions with some octogenarians and other senior citizens, the sense I get is that hostility towards homosexuality predates colonialism. The centrality of children among the Akan informed the uncompromising stance some Akan took against homosexuality. Among the Akan, and many African societies, children form the core of immortalising and memorialising the dead. In fact, the crucial place of children in fomenting inter-family relationship was expressed in the fact that in some cultures, complete payment of bridewealth was established after the bride has had children. Concomitantly, any act that militated against childbirth was resisted. Clearly, at a time when alternative means of producing children was unknown, one would appreciate the logical basis of the hostility towards homosexuality.

Third, scientists and psychologists do not have any consensus on homosexuality. Scientists and psychologists are sharply divided over the issue of homosexuality. Thus, there is no point of convergence among scholars on the subject. Largely, the lack of consensus on the subject is informed by the fact that scientists interpret their data largely in light of their entrenched belief system. Anti-gay scientists and psychologists will surely interpret their data against homosexuality. In the same vein, pro-gay scholars will interpret their data in support of homosexuality. To state it bluntly, most scholars are divided over the issue.

Finally, the tension that has sustained the debate over homosexuality is enmeshed in postmodernist and poststructuralist theories. These two theories undermine the quest for absolute values and also challenge received staple conventions. What this means is that values are relative while values of the past must be critically evaluated to determine how they conform to changing trends in society. Following the logic of postmodernism and post-structuralism God and ancestral traditions cannot be invoked to repudiate homosexuality.

Partly, the reevaluation of homosexuality in the so-called Global North in the 1960s was informed by may factors, among the these two overriding theories. Related to this is the issue of right. Pro-gay activists frame the discussion on homosexuality around human rights. Consequently, in most parts of the world, where homosexuality is legalised, the logic and rationale for such an initiative is the right of individuals. While the idea of human right is exciting, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. For example, what happens if the right of an individual clashes and conflicts with collective right? Can one have right if that right is not recognised by society? Who determines right: God, wo/man, society, or conscience?

I have briefly sketched out a few issues that need to be considered as we engage the conversation on homosexuality. I conclude by arguing that however we detest homosexuality, I do not think it is right to harm or discriminate against homosexuals. Passing laws for or against homosexuality should consider the fact that Ghana is constitutionally secular, where neither the Bible/Quran nor the sexual norms of ancestors form the standard against which values are measured. While most Ghanaians are deeply religious, it will be out of place to elevate the religious norms of a section of Ghanaians as the paradigmatic norms for all Ghanaians. Here, we should also guard against projecting a particular cultural norm as Ghanaian culture.

I think the phrase Ghanaian culture is very nebulous and confusing, since such phrases do not respond to the question of whether or not culture is static or dynamic. That said, we should also guard against foreigners imposing some values on us. From the point of view of my Christian faith, I am against homosexuality, but I humbly suggest that in responding to homosexuality, compassion is more powerful than condemnation. And the discussion on homosexuality should be informed by wisdom, dialogue and tact.

Satyagraha

Charles Prempeh ([email protected]), African University College of Communications, Accra
Former speechwriter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and current ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Aydn Unal on Monday threatened Gulen movement people in Turkey, saying tougher days lie ahead as a result of a case against Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian gold trader who was arrested in Miami in March 2016 on charges of evading US sanctions on Iran.

Accusing Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen of pushing the Zarrab case in the US, Unal in his column published in the Yeni Safak daily said: In fact there are more than 250,000 FETO [a derogatory term coined by ruling AKP to refer to Gulen movement] members who are not intelligent, do not flee, could not flee. There are in all about 1 million in Turkey. The Zarrab case will naturally make the conditions of FETO members more difficult.

If the Zarrab case is used as a political attack against Turkey, the peace of FETO members in Turkey and all over the world will be more difficult than it is today, added Unal.

Amid an ongoing witch-hunt targeting the faith-based Gulen movement, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Nov. 16 said 48,739 people had been jailed and eight holdings and 1,020 companies seized as part of operations against the movement.

Turkeys Justice Ministry announced on July 13 that 169,013 have been the subject of legal proceedings on coup charges since the failed coup. Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 judges, teachers, police and civil servants since July 15 through government decrees issued as part of the state of emergency.

The AKPs Unal claimed that the Zarrab case would be positive for President Erdogan in the 2019 elections, would not lead to grave economic consequences and that the West and NATO would lose Turkey. Unal also underlined that the current media structure would not allow the US to wield influence over people as it did during the Dec. 17/25, 2013 corruption operations.

Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian gold trader, was arrested in Miami in March 2016 on charges of evading US sanctions on Iran. Zarrab, 34, stopped appearing in court in the two months leading up to his scheduled trial, prompting Turkeys prime minister to suggest he had reached a plea deal with US authorities.

According to Reuters, Judge Richard M. Berman, the senior federal judge of the court, told potential jurors on Monday morning that Mehmet Hakan Atilla (47), an executive of Turkish state-owned Halkbank, would be the only person on trial.

Zarrab and eight other people, including Turkeys former economy minister and three Halkbank executives, have been charged with engaging in transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars for Irans government and Iranian entities from 2010 to 2015 in a scheme to evade US sanctions.

Zarrab was the prime suspect in a major corruption investigation in Turkey that became public in December 2013 in which with others from the inner circle of the ruling (AKP government and then-Prime Minister Erdogan for having paid Cabinet-level officials and bank officers bribes to facilitate transactions benefiting Iran.

After Erdogan cast the case as a coup attempt to overthrow his government orchestrated by his political enemies, several prosecutors were removed from the case, police were reassigned and the investigation against Zarrab was dropped in Turkey.
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has indicated that for government to carry out excellent road expansion projects throughout the country as per its manifesto pledge, it must consider the dualization of all major highways.

CILT said government must take keen consideration of this so as to avoid head-on collisions on these major roads and reduce its effects on the economy.

The President of CILT-Ghana, Ebo Hammond said this when the Institutes Council presented some policy recommendations to the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Anthony Abayifaa Karbo at the ministry, yesterday.

Ebo Hammond indicated that key highways including Elubo-Takoradi-Cape Coast-Accra-Aflao and Accra-Kumasi-Tamale-Paga need consideration since they are the key road-spine of the country.

Their development may be done in phases with funding arrangements such as BOOT and other PPP types, he said.

According to him, CILT Ghana as a professional body for transport, logistics and supply chain that wholly understand the core business of the ministry and its agencies is presenting some policy recommendations to the ministry in their efforts to support government to achieve its objectives in the road sector.

Whiles commending government for already taking certain bold steps in the road sector, CILT proposed that road projects, both new or re-modeled, in the cities should have dedicated lanes for emergencies and high occupancy buses to help facilitate emergency medical evacuation and to facilitate BRT.

He averred that the Institute holds government in a very high esteem over steps being undertaken to re-construct the 19.5 kilometer Accra-Tema Motorway into a six-carriageway to ease the flow of vehicular traffic.

Ebo Hammond mentioned that the steps will enhance the economic productivity of the nation and improve bridges to assure public safety. He said: The Institute is happy to hear the assurance by government to ensure value for money in the award and execution of roads contracts.

Among the Institutes recommendations, is the use of cement to construct roads in Ghana.

Elaborating on this, Ebo Hammond enumerated that CILT supports the proposed policy of using cement to construct roads in Ghana as announced by His Excellency the Vice President.

To them, it will help find new jobs for the masonry and other related cadres beyond the housing sector, apart from saving the nation its hard won foreign exchange and boosting local production of cement.

He also mentioned that though using cement to construct roads in Ghana might be expensive, it will be cost effective because it will last longer than the usual asphalt roads.

Government should consider purposively increasing the recruitment of physically challenged persons who have the ability to collect road tolls to help in social inclusion for this group. The MoRH may need to sanitize the illegal furniture on the highways and roads as there is a lot of clutter by inappropriately placed signboards/posts which sometimes block the view of motorists from seeing road signs/directions thereby endangering drivers and passengers, he said.

According to him, there is the need to ensure standards for erection of billboards to prevent them from endangering motorists and pedestrians during storms as has been witnessed during stormy weather conditions.

CILT also proposed a constant monitoring of major roads to ensure that faded road markings are remarked to improve night driving, especially in the absence of streetlights on most highways and roads, whilst a recommending that the ministry go back to study and take notice of the coherent and thoroughly researched Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) developed for Ghana in 2010 and forecasted through to 2035 for implementation; and also factor the content in the development of the new transport policy.

There is the need for most congested urban roads to be improved by opening up all access roads, slip roads, by-passes, one-ways connecting major roads to help decongest the cities and reduce urban travel time.

We recommend that the government always consider professionals to execute such complex road works for which professionals of CILT could offer their expertise in the various aspects of managing the logistical and research aspects, among others of road development, he said, adding The current quest for creation of new regions will undoubtedly impact on the country's road network as new regions will need to be linked to adjoining regions warranting the remodeling of existing road networks of any new region (s) created.

He however indicated that the Institute appreciates that for the purposes of focus, His Excellency the President has created various ministries with each taking care of aspects of the transportation system and advised that there should be constant coordination of strategies, programmes and plans among the transport-related ministries to help achieve synergy and avoid duplication of efforts.

He commended government and the Roads and Highways Ministry for the steps so far taken to review all road projects and urged the ministry to study the recommendations so that together, they can all fashion out modalities to make the road sector work better.

Receiving the recommendations from the CILT President, the Deputy Minister, Anthony Karbo gave the assurance that his ministry will take all stated recommendations to good use.

He however charged CILT to make further recommendations to government on possible ways of financing road projects in Ghana.

According to him, private sector involvement in the development of our roads is very important and that CILT must partner government to educate and create awareness on finding new financial mechanisms for the road sector.

On the use of cement for constructing roads, the Deputy Minister indicated that government is considering that strategy but decision will be taken after a committee set up to look at the cost benefits come out with its report and recommendations.

Anthony Karbo also mentioned that leakages at the toll booths will be addressed whilst extensive consultations are underway to get persons with disability to man the various toll booths.
Nov. 28 2017.

Justice Brobbeys Committee In Charge Of Creation Of A New Region Should Not Condone With Government Agenda Of Distorting Peace And The Little Progress In The Volta Region.

INTRODUCTION.

Distinguished men and women of the media, on behalf of the Association of Volta youth in U.S.A, we welcome you to our first ever press conference.

We have observed the activities of the Ghana government and some state institutions working to distort the peace and the little progress of the Volta Region and we deem it necessary to bring it to the fore of the general public, the world and most importantly the Hon. Justice Brobbeys committee in charge of creation of new regions, in order to register our dissatisfactions,

In spite of the fervent effort of Votarians to smoke away the reality of terribleness that their land has been regrettably reduced to, Ghanas continues imperialism and reoccupation of the formal German colony (Western Togo) of which Volta region is part of, have made the Votarians a wet puppy at the road side, of which street sign they cannot read or understand.

We were very much astonished when the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced his intention to create another region out of the Volta region. And to add insult to injury, lied to the world that he was petitioned by the Citizens of the land.

The shoddy work of Council of State led by Nana Otuo Siriboe by granting the president the go ahead to create a new region in the Volta Region is only another manifestation of the unspoken conviction that the descendants of the formal German colony are not supposed to feel complex emotions like despairs, love, range or desperation for anything that affects their land.

The problem of underdevelopment of the Volta Region is not a result of its size and shape but the mismanagement by various heads of State in Ghana.

FEATURES AND UNIQUENESS OF THE VOLTA REGION.

Volta Region was part of the Torgo (now Togo) land that was pronounced a sovereign State in 1884 by League of Nations. It became German Colony and enjoyed German suzerainty until 1914 when the allied forces of Britain and France divide the Torgo land and shared it among themselves as war booty after defeating German in the First World War. Volta Region became part of the Western Togo that went to Britain. League of Nations again in 1922 declare Western Togo as class B mandated territory and ask Britain to take care of the land under Rule of Law until they are ready for independence. United Nations (UN) was formed to replace the League of Nations and in 1946, UN adopted the 1922 resolution of League of Nations, Changed the mandatory status to trust territory and placed the land under the international trusteeship council and then laid embargo on the natural resources in the Volta Region and the rest of Western Togo until self-determination goal is reached.

FACTS

The Ewes are the true and only custodians of the Volta Region. The Region was not part of the Gold Coast that metamorphosed to Ghana. Volta Region did not signed the bond of 1844 that brought some tribes like Gas and the Fantis under British land (Gold Coast). Britain fought the Ewes but lost bitterly so they could not bring the Volta land in to the Gold Coast as they did to the Ashantis. Volta Region together with the Western Togo was forced against their will by the collaborators such as Ghana, Britain (the betrayer) and UN to undertake illegitimate plebiscite (Referendum) in 1956 in order to form a Union government with Ghana, a Union that have not been established up to date. Through compassionate and humanitarian grounds, the Ewes have allowed foreigners of different ethnic background who were war captive and failed to escape after the defeat, some of whom sees themselves as Ashante descendants, as settlers to settle in the land. Worawora who occupies the Buem (djansikan) land are example when they were defeated and was running away from Adubufuor war from the Akposor the Ewe settlers from Early Torgo.

WESTERN TOGOLAND RESERVE FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT.

In the 50s, Western Togoland of which Volta region is part of, own accumulated reserve was  13 million of which Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Collaborated with Sir Charles Noble Arden Clarke, the administering Authority who presided over the most degrading affair in British history by using  2 million of the Western Togo accumulated reserve to bribe and corrupt her own people to seek assimilation in the Gold Coast because of the discovery of aluminum and Uranium in the territory. The people were not consulted and no Togolander has been into the arrangement. From the time Britain hand over Gold Coast to Ghanaians, the remaining  11 million of the reserve have not been accounted for.

LAND AND CHIEFTAINCY DISPUTES.

It is regrettably to note that, ascending to the highest throne by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2001 led by former President J.A Kuffour introduced in to the Ghanaians political culture, divide and rule which led to extermination of yaa na, forced unqualified personnel on Gas to be the Ga mantse by the NPP. On the part of the Volta Region, J.A Kuffours administration imposed unqualified NPP personnel on the good people of Anloga to be the Awomefia which led to months of chaos and unrest, created tension and drove away businesses from the land. Thanks to the Gods who gave the indigenes the heart to resist till the right thing was done. Just as J. A Kufour took office, Alavanyo-Nkonya land dispute that was settled re-surface intensively than ever, claimed many lives. Thanks to Torgbui Sri, Togbui Fiti, Torgbui Gaosu, Torgbui Afede and other chiefs who exerted their influence to subjugate the over alarming conflict. But as fate have it, less than a year when Nana Akufo-Addo assumed office as President of the Republic, Alavanyo-Nkonya dispute re-surface again.

POLITICAL GERRYMANDERING.

In the face of the above disputes, NPP government is bent on creating political gerrymandering in the pretext of new Region in order also to satisfy Otumfuo Ashantihenes hegemonic intention over Worawora and Kratchi on the Volta land.

CREDIILITY OF JUSTICE BROBBEYS COMMITTEE.

Regardless of any other Region that NPP government want to divide, a background search of Justice Brobbey and the committee members reveals that none of the members have the skills, knowledge or involvement and experienced in the local government necessary for this exercise. None of the committee members have the fair knowledge of the Volta land, history and its problems. We not doubt the intellectual ability of the committee but we wonder if the appointment of the committee members were based on merit or cronyism.

FUTURE PROBLEMS.

After all that have been said against the creation of a new Region in Volta Region by gazetted Chiefs and good people of the Volta Region, and for the Hon. Justice Brobbey committee to pretend not to have understood why a political gerrymandering in a pretext of a new Region cannot be created and go ahead and applaud the government on its repulsive effort in this direction, will be an endorsement of collective suicide, endless tribal war of which no one will be spared.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE VOLTA REGION.

It is not true and there is no evidence supporting the assertion that the Volta Region can only see development by the means of dividing the Region. Evidence rather prove otherwise when the upper East and Upper West Region was created for the purposes of development. Is the two Regions Upper East and Upper West today singing the melody of development promises the Region? No! They are rather wallowing in impoverishment. It is so disparaging when individuals in government could think so low of their Citizens without appreciating the fact that there are equally intellectuals among the Citizens who are more qualified to form a government and can even deliver better than them.

CONCLUSION.

It is an open secret that successive government that have led Ghana have failed Volta Region and if Nana Akufo-Addos administration have anything better to offer the Region, then they should start by telling Volta Region where Ghana put Western Togo remaining  11 million reserve of which Volta Region stand to benefits.

If Volta Region have to be divided before it sees development, then we reject it with uncertain terms. NPP intention to create Oti Region to honour Otumfuo Ashantehene is unacceptable, we reject it with scorn. The attempt of the NPP to create divide and rule is unwelcome, we reject it with contempt.

Volta Region is united in peace and wish to remain united. We are committed in propagating the unity course and anything short of that will meet the denunciation from us and the entire land.

It is our hope that Justice Brobbeys committee will look in to this case carefully while taken in to consideration the warning signs on the wall against division and the wish of the legitimate Voltarians against Oti Region.

Above all, we wishes to inform the Committee for creation of a new Region that, creating of Oti Region out of the Volta Region is not of the interest of the people but rather government agenda. As at now, government have released state logistics to Krachihene for the purposes of gathering support for the division of the land. We therefore want to state on records that we will stop at nothing in an attempt to prevent the creation of a new Region in Volta Region. We will employ any democratic means necessary to stop this vile and repulsive agenda.

Thank you.

Dully Signed:

Emmanuel Mifetu

(Association President)

Torgbui Yesu

(Vice president)

Seth Mifetu

(General Secretary)

0013477725325.

Cc

United Nations (UN)

UN Security Council

UN decolonization

UNPO

Amnesty International.

International Criminal Court of Justice.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

President Akufo-Addo has described as a mockery of African solidarity, the slave auctions of Africans in Libya.

Earlier this month, CNN reported that migrants who use Libya as transit to travel to Europe are being kidnapped and sold as slaves to the highest bidder, a revelation which has sparked concerns in the international community.

The Libyan government has been reported by CNN to have launched an investigation into the matter.

Reacting to the bizarre situation, President Akufo-Addo posted on his Twitter account Tuesday evening that, the situation mocks the very bond that binds African countries together.

The current slave auctions of Africans in Libya are not only gross and scandalous abuses of human rights, but are also mockeries of the alleged solidarity of African nations grouped in the African Union (AU), of which Libya is a member, the post said.

Some 168 Ghanaians were early on reported to be caught up in the barbarous situation but authorities have confirmed that these Ghanaians are being kept in formal detention centers in Libya due to non-possession of proper travel documents and are awaiting deportation.

In a statement Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the detainees were arrested on illegal immigration charges and were already being held in detention camps.

Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway told Kojo Yankson on Joy FMs Super Morning Show on Wednesday that her Ministry is working to re-establish a consulate in Libya to deal with the issue of stranded Ghanaians in Libya.

The embassy in Libya was shut down after Libya collapsed as a state, she said.
The Italian government has offered to give an amount of $25 million to help develop Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.

Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, who led a high-powered delegation to Ghana on Monday, made the announcement in Accra yesterday during a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House.

As he and his other colleague leaders from the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) are converging in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, today for the EU-AU Summit, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni was sure the future of the youth would be discussed, touting Ghana for its efforts in the development of the youth.

He described the economic relationship between the two countries as very positive.

The collaboration between Ghana and Italy, according to him, is not only limited to oil and gas, but extends to other areas.

Mr Gentiloni, therefore, stressed his government's commitment to developing Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana.

Italy has always contributed to the development of Ghana and as the president rightly said, the various important infrastructure were done by Italy, he said.

For him, the stability of Ghana should serve as an example to all the countries on the African continent.

The Italian PM thanked President Akufo-Addo for the kind gesture accorded him and members of his delegation.

President Akufo-Addo also thanked his Italian counterpart for the visit.

He touted Italian investments in Ghana of which the ENI Energy Company is the biggest, describing it as extremely important for the future of our country.

That, he said, is because ENI is helping in the development of Ghana's oil deposits.

They will also develop our gas resources, their involvement gives us the opportunity to become increasingly self-sufficient in our energy generation, President Akufo-Addo emphasized.

Soon after the meeting, two foreign envoys, who have brought their duty tour of Ghana to an end, called on the president to inform him of their departure and to wish him well.

They were the Japanese Ambassador, Kaoru Yoshimura and the Lebanese envoy, Ali Halabi.

President Akufo-Addo expressed the gratitude of the government and people of Ghana to the two envoys for their time in the country.

He was optimistic they would promote the Ghanaian agenda wherever they might find themselves and wished them well in their future endeavours.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Our teacher Karl Marx was right when he postulated that it is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but on the contrary mens social existence is that which determines their consciousness. He further taught us that the existence of a social reality which will lead to mans progressive consciousness (a consciousness that enables men to develop art, science, culture, religion or philosophy) is dependent on how the socioeconomic system of a society develops its productive forces and organizes its means of production.

For men to develop arts, science, culture, religion or philosophy, they must have food to eat, clothes to wear, and house to live in. Food, clothes and housings are produced by someone, somehow. And the availability of these essential elements upon which society, civilization and culture are built is determined by the viability of the socioeconomic system which is responsible for developing the productive forces.

Liberia, my country, has a horrible social existence and it is due to the fact that consciousness as a commodity is in low supply; thus vast majority of the masses of Liberians parade the corridors of the society without any iota of progressive consciousness. Statistics have not only indicated that, but also personal life experience and observation can corroborate such claim. This is largely due to the fact that many Liberians lack access to basic essentials such as food, shelter, and clothing. As a result, other aspects of social development in this West African third world nation remain not only stagnated, but also producing the manpower to develop Liberian arts, science, culture, religion, or philosophy has been challenging and problematic. Obviously, this challenge is meted against us because of the decadence of our socioeconomic system, which has not being organized to improve our productive forces since the formation of this space in 1822 and the attainment of its so-called political independence on July 26, 1847.

When a socioeconomic system organizes a societys productive forces to benefit a privileged few and deprive the majority of the people, one does not need to be good at rocket science to discern that such society will have men and women whose social existence cannot permit them to develop the level of consciousness which can be utilized to advance civilization, culture and society on an industrial scale. Tell me which society ever in the history of mankind has advanced by mortgaging its land (the commanding height of its means of production) to monopoly capitals (predominantly foreign owned) that give back little in taxes and rents to government and paltry wages as reward for labor.

The people, in their horrific social existence, think that to resolve quantity of contradictions created by this wretched economic structure, it only requires changing those who preside over the socioeconomic system which has failed to develop the productive forces needed to engender social transformation and egalitarianism. Sadly, they think it is appropriate to leave the socioeconomic structure in place for another breed of people to occupy. As Ghanaians would say: Na the same old taxi oo, but na just new driver.

The capitalist bourgeoisies did not think that way when thought to shatter Feudalism to give birth to capitalism. In their quest to deal with the objective social reality created by such fouled social system that promoted land tenure in exchange for cheap labor and service, the capitalist bourgeoisies opted to efface the entire Feudal social system, and not a reform within the system. After the capitalist bourgeoisies victory over the Feudal lords, barons, and knights, a social system that espouses the private ownership of the means of productive was put in place.

It is important to state, however, that the apologists of capitalism intimated that this system would have deliver economic prosperity to the people, reduce inequality, and provide liberty and fraternity. Unfortunately, since the roll out of this system, economic genocide of colonialism was ignited in countries of the Third world in order for this system to flourish in Europe and America. Although slavery ended, African people have suffered the brunt and burst of this system, as their natural resources have been sold at a cheap cost to feed the industries in Europe and America.

So until Liberians can realize that there is an urgent need to overthrow this orthodox capitalist socioeconomic system, vast majority of them will continue to be victims of economic deprivation and inevitable poverty. Unit they can rise up to the occasion to fight for their liberation, they will continue to not only exist as exploited and oppressed masses but also as playthings living at the mercy of their oppressors (the agents of capitalism).

Until they can realize that the way in which their countrys productive forces are organize cannot enable the mobilization of enormous capital to independently fund capital intensive projects which will provide the necessary elements to improve other aspects of social development, they will continue to look to the Bretton Woods Institutions, controlled by imperialist nations for funding to build roads, hospitals, schools, and electric dams. Thus their countrys internal, external, and popular sovereignties will be placed in the hands of foreign interest. And the adverse effect is that the political leadership is more loyal to these institutions as opposed to the people in whose hands popular power rests. Conversely, this is why for us, we were not shaken nor taken aback when the American Embassy, in wanton disregard to our democratic institutions, issued a statement contrary to our Supreme Courts opinion to place a prohibition on the runoff election until the complaint of the Liberty Party and Unity Party can be looked into by the National Elections Commission.

The Liberian people must consider going the way of the left side of the political spectrum in order to attain collective actualization. Unlike this present socioeconomic system which has robbed them of the rights to full humanization, Socialism espoused to under the framework of democracy will place them at the centerfold of development in the 2lst century. Instead of being used as expendable cannon fodders, they will be subjects of their existence. Socialism, within the context of going outside the trappings of the Soviet Unions mishaps, will take into consideration the African culture and norms of economic activities and organize the countrys productive forces in other to resolve the quantity of contradiction created by the prevailing economic order. With this, our peoples social existence will breed a progressive consciousness upon which they can build a wholesome functioning society, civilization, and culture by all and for all.

How we intend to organize our productive forces for the benefit of the suffering people of Liberia instead of grooming the political and economic interests of foreign monopoly capitals and the indigenous bourgeoisie political class will be outlined in our next edition!

The author is a student of Political Science at the University of Liberia.
(From left to right) Odun Odunfa, MD/CEO; Mrs Karen Akiwumi-Tanoh, Board Chairperson, and Naa Dapkema Alhaji Alhassan Dawuni, Chief of Tamale after the opening of the bank

First Atlantic Bank has extended its first class banking products and services to Tamale and its surrounding communities in the Northern Region.

The bank opened its 31st branch at Changli on the hospital road in Tamale last Thursday.

It is expected to provide bespoke financial products and services to businesses and individuals and also serve the banks customers in the Upper East and Upper West regions.

Board Chairperson of the First Atlantic Bank, Karen Akiwumi-Tanoh, said the official opening of the branch was a clear demonstration of the bank's confidence in Ghana's future, especially the Northern Region.

This indicates our readiness to support the growth and needs of our customers in and around Changli, Sabonjida, Vitting, Gumani, Lamashegu, Sakasaka, Aboabo and its environs.

She thanked the bank's customers for their immense support over the years, citing the bank's rapid growth from a modest seven branches in 2012 to the current 31 branches.

It is on the back of the aforementioned broad objectives and the sterling performance that the bank has attracted an investment from the Africa Finance & Investment Group (AFIG) Fund II, a leading private equity fund management company registered in Mauritius.

Mrs Akiwumi-Tanoh reassured customers of First Atlantic Bank that the bank would raise more capital to meet and surpass the minimum capital requirement announced by the Bank of Ghana before the close of next year 2018.

The special guest of honour, Naa Dapkema Alhaji Alhassan Dawuni, Chief of Tamale, in a brief remark, thanked the leadership of the bank for choosing Tamale as part of its growth strategy and admonished the staff of the branch not to rest on their oars but soar higher to serve customers in the area.

Regional Coordinating Director Alhassan Issahaku also expressed his profound gratitude to management of the bank for bringing the Purple Experience to Changli and its environs.

He reiterated the regions preparedness to support the bank to serve the people of the Northern Region.
President of the ECOWAS Federation of Chambers of Mines (EFEDCOM), Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has enjoined large-scale mining companies in the sub-region to promote innovative mining practices that protect the environment and enhance the livelihoods of people.

This, he said, will promote responsible mining practices in West Africa.

Mr. Addo-Kufuor disclosed this while speaking at Nigeria's Mining Week celebration held in Abuja from 16th -19th October, 2017.

The event, which is the 2nd edition, brought together captains of the mining sector, entrepreneurs and businesses from other sectors of the Nigerian economy and the sub-region.

The Nigeria Mining Week celebration comes on the heels of the recent phenomenal development of the minerals sector in West Africa's economic powerhouse.

Mr. Addo-Kufuor praised the collaboration between the Miners Association of Nigeria and the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development which put together the event and emphasized the benefits of a well-developed mining sector for Nigeria's economy.

He stated that there is the need to look beyond tax revenues and to harness linkages between mining and other sectors of the Nigerian economy in order to drive the country's industrialization agenda.

He stressed the need for clear and consistent mining laws and regulations as a critical ingredient in enhancing confidence and attracting investment into the sector.

Touching on illegal mining, Mr Addo-Kufuor explained the complex and regional nature of the problem by sharing experiences from Ghana and steps being taken by government and other key actors to address the problem. He called for private sector collaboration with governments in the sub-region in exploring alternative livelihood opportunities to help address the challenge.

Mr. Addo-Kufuor is also the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

On his part, Nigeria's Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, stressed the importance of mining in the infrastructural development of the nation. Pursuant to this, Hon Fashola stated that: the Federal Government is seeking to invest US$5.9 billion in the building of a 3,000 megawatts hydro-electric dam. Most of the funds required would be spent on materials from quarries and this would invariably generate employment for the teeming youth.

He averred that although the cost of such a project may seem very daunting, the major beneficiaries would be the mineral producers and miners across the country, as well as the Federal Government as a whole.

He was optimistic developing greater linkages with other sectors of the Nigerian economy will go a long way to improve the lives of the teeming youth through well paid employment opportunities.

He urged the mining companies to collaborate on identifying common innovative technologies that can be deployed to improve the efficiencies in their operations.

Contributing to the discussion, Gov. Darius Dickson Ishaku, Governor of Nigeria's Taraba State, criticized the issuance of licences from the federal capital without prior consultation with the local governments, and warned that as governor, he will prevent operators with such licences from engaging in any form of mining in his area.

Gov. Ishaku further called for a ban on the importation of minerals when such minerals are available in his state and could be exploited for local use.
Ghanaians have been urged to expect the construction of about 10,000 housing units of various types this year in all the regional capitals of the country.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, presenting the 2018 national budget statement to Parliament, said government was committed to reducing the housing deficit through the provision of safe and affordable housing.

In this regard, the second phase of the Security Agencies Housing Project, comprising 368 housing units for the Ghana Navy, has been completed and ready for commissioning.

In addition, 216 of the affordable housing units at Kpone were allocated to the Ghana Police Service for completion. The stalled Government Affordable Housing Projects at Borteyman-Greater Accra and Asokore-Mampong, Kumasi were handed over to SSNIT for completion. Work resumed at the Asokore Mampong site for 1,030 housing units and the project is progressing steadily.

The Finance Minister revealed that in addition, the first phase of 5,000 housing units at SaglemiOld Ningo for 1,502 housing units was 75 percent complete.

The Ministry will commence the construction of Sea Defence Projects at Axim, Cape Coast, Ningo-Prampram, Shama and Mensa Guinea in Accra. The coastal protection works at Aboadze and Nkontompo was completed whilst the Adjoa, Blekusu, New Takoradi/Elmina Phase II and Dansoman are at 65 percent, 45 percent, 40 percent and 45 percent complete, respectively.

In 2018, construction of various reinforced concrete drains will be undertaken in Abuakwa South, Tano North, Subin, Effiduase in Sekyere East District, Okaikoi Central, Asutifi, Hwidiem, Tafo, Tamale, Ofoase-Korkorben, Odorkor, Bodi, Boanim, Dwinase, Asankragua, Nkrankwanta, among others.

Commenting on the country's railway sector development, the Finance Minister said this year, the Ministry's Railway Master Plan developed in 2013 will be reviewed and new rail line extensions incorporated to guide railway development with a focus on rail safety.

In addition, the Ghana Railway Law (Act 779, 2008) will be reviewed and the Ghana Railway Development Authority re-structured to decouple the infrastructure development from the regulatory functions.
The origin of vigilantism in recent times and the impunity associated with it is traceable to the days of the NDC at the helm. That is a fact not worth debating about because of its palpability.

Ghanaians do not have short memories as former President John Mahama said at the peak of his foulness when he could spew remarks with little or no self-censorship.

This time though we are dealing with a party General Secretary who has carved for himself a niche for twisting facts unashamedly.

Asiedu Nketia is not only doing democracy a disservice because of his penchant for turning truth upside down to win political leverage; he is dangerously cunning: giving politics a bad name. Unknown to him, he and others of his ilk have been identified as persons whose remarks should be taken with a pinch of salt.

His call on the international community to ask President Akufo-Addo to rein in vigilantes in his party is nothing but a political prank he is used to throwing up for diabolic effect. He tried to paint a picture which is not consistent with the true situation in the country when he said vigilantes from the NPP are on the loose attacking people in their houses.

We have moved on as a country from the early days of the Asiedu Nketia's political theatricals. Those who used to take his word hook, line and sinker no longer do so having found out his unenviable political pedigree.

Credibility counts in politics. When a politician lacks this important attribute, they must consider an occupational migration; politics being hinged on integrity.

The unruliness of party foot soldiers in the name of serving the interest of their parties is something President Akufo-Addo has abhorred time without number even before becoming head of state.

Indeed, he has ordered that the Police IGP take action against those arrested for the breaches no matter their political affiliations.

There are countless, if you like, instances of vigilantism which we can easily recall to underscore its place in the scheme of things of the NDC.

A few months before the people of Ghana decided to offer the baton of political leadership to the then Nana Akufo-Addo, his Nima residence was the target of a group of NDC vigilantes. Being a stone-throw away from a Police Station and with faces put on the criminality, it was a test case for the then government to show its disdain for vigilantism. Nothing came from it and the broken bottles which had been left on the compound as important pieces of evidence were eventually cleared since the vigilantes drew their impunity from their association with government.

We still have not heard anything about the so-called robbers who attacked Asiedu Nketia as per his cooked story. Is this a man to be believed?

NDC vigilantes are decorated foot soldiers who participated in various theatres of party-organised criminalities when they were in power.

When the NPP headquarters was attacked by NDC vigilantes, they reminded us about their earlier actions in by-elections in Atiwa, Chereponi and Talensi. What is Asiedu Nketia talking about when the rule of law has taken its rightful place in Ghana today?
The Supreme Court yesterday threw out an application filed by embattled businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, which was intended to halt attempts by the state to retrieve the GH51.2 million he fraudulently received as judgement debt.

Lawyers for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier filed the application at the apex court to stay proceedings, as well as curtail efforts by the state to evaluate his properties until a determination of another related case being heard at the African Court on Human and People's Rights in Arusha, Tanzania.

They argued that until the African Court had given its ruling, the decision of the Supreme Court would invariably affect the decision of the former  a position Deputy Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame vehemently opposed.

Even before a panel of five judges, presided over by Justice Jones Dotse could give its ruling, Woyome's lawyer, Osafo Buabeng, had moved another motion which sought to arrest the ruling of the court based on the application to stay proceedings.

He argued that the African Court had directed the government to halt the seizure of Woyomes properties and any other moves that could infringe on his rights, until it makes a final decision on the matter before it.

But Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame opposed the motion, saying that although Ghana is a signatory to the Treaty of the African Court, the protocol for the establishment of the court was not incorporated into the municipal laws of Ghana.

He said the decision of the African Court, therefore, could not be deemed as part of the municipal laws of Ghana which the Supreme Court is enjoined to uphold.

Pyrrhic Victory

Although the African Court had ordered the government to halt the attempts to retrieve the money, it was short-lived as the judges decided to set aside the order.

In a unanimous decision, they dismissed the motion for lacking merit, legal or factual basis to arrest the judgement of the apex court.

On the substantive application seeking to halt attempts by the state to retrieve the money, as well as oral examination into Mr. Woyome's sources of income, the court equally threw that out.

The panel of judges said the Attorney General is only carrying out its constitutional mandate in retrieving the money as imposed on it by the Constitution.

According to the judgment, the Supreme Court does not share its jurisdiction with any other court  be it national or international  and its decision is not affected by the directive of the African Court.

It is also the case of the panel of judges that Woyome and his lawyers failed to demonstrate how the courts action was an infringement on his human rights.

Since presenting an excuse to the court saying he was sick, Mr. Woyome has not attended any of the proceedings and was not in court when the five judges unanimously threw him out.

He was represented by his brother, Charles Amenyo.

Seizure Of Assets

The decision of the court to throw out the application gives the state the green light to continue to evaluate and seize more of Mr Woyomes properties.

The state has already begun the process of evaluation and seizure, and five of the NDC financier's properties, including those in Accra and the Volta Region, have been valued.

Mr Yeboah Dame earlier indicated that the state was leaving no stone unturned in identifying and seizing more of Mr. Woyomes properties.

He said the day of reckoning would come when Woyome would eventually pay the money he fraudulently received

African Court

The African Court, on November 24, 2017, ordered Ghana to suspend all efforts to retrieve the money until it determines an appeal filed by Woyome, who argued that his human rights are being abused by Ghana's Supreme Court.

Mr Dame told the media after the ruling that the Supreme Court had done what is needful because any contrary decision would have promoted discrimination.

If indeed this ruling [the ruling of the African Court] is made to stand, then it means it is promoting discrimination, he noted.

Mr. Dame said he was surprised by the order by the African Court since government had no representation when the order was given.

BY Gibril Abdul Razak
The registration of Ghanaians which was promised by the ruling government by the National Identity Authority (NIA) stoked controversy on the floor of the Parliament yesterday when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sagnarigu, A.B.A. Fuseini described the whole national registration exercise as fraudulent.

A.B.A. Fuseini, the ranking member on Communications Committee of parliament, who was contributing to the 2018 budget on the floor of the House, said that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government promised to carry out the national registration exercise in the first year of assumption of office but the year has almost ended without any sign of the registration.

He said a new LI to the amendment of the National Identity Register called the National Identity Register (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was laid in parliament about a week ago might not even mature before the end of the year.

Mr Speaker, as we speak now the Vice President who launched the new registration exercise does not have his national ID card. Mr Speaker as you sit there you don't have your ID card, he said, adding that the whole exercise is a sham with only one ID card printed for the President as a way of propaganda by the government.

He said the Digital and Property Addressing system by the government is also another fraud on the people of the country, stressing that the Ministry of Communications would be constrained to carry out all its outlined programmes for next year since the budget for the ministry has drastically been cut.

He said the budget for the Flagstaff House is far more than budget of seven key ministries put together.

It means the NPP government does not intend to bring any meaningful development to the people of the country, he added.

A Deputy Minister for Communications, who is also the NPP MP for Dadekopon, Vincent Odotei Sowah, stood on a point of order and told the House that the ranking member on communication was misleading the House in his contributions to the debate on the NIA.

He later told the parliamentary press corps that the ranking member was not telling Ghanaians the truth.

According to the deputy minister, everything is on course for the roll-out of the exercise.

He explained that there had to be an amendment to the old National Identity Register Bill following the ruling by the Supreme Court that National Health Insurance Card and driving licences cannot be used as a proof of citizenship.

He pointed out that all the procurement processes had been completed and logistics meant for the take-off of the programme had been secured.

Parliament passed the Amendment to the National Identity Register Bill under a 'certificate of urgency' on Friday, November 24 with Members of Parliament from both sides of the House unanimous in agreeing to the position of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee of parliament, which looked at the nitty-gritty of the bill that this particular bill needed to be passed under a 'certificate of urgency'.

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Banda, who is the deputy minority chief, Ahmed Ibrahim and NDC MP for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said it was important to register all Ghanaians for proper planning and development purposes.

They said it was important to have such database to distinguish between Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians in the country and boost development.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr
Former United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, appears to have made mockery of John Dumelo in a tweet over the government Toyota V8 vehicle, which was allegedly stolen by the actor cum political activist.

Woke up at the Dead Sea, had lunch in Turkey and now landing in London. What a day! Mr Dumelo had tweeted from Camden Town, London at exactly 1:45am on November 27, 2017.

However, the former High Commissioner, who has been at the actor's throat since the incident, reacted to the tweet by posting In London? If I see a freshly repainted V8 with its own private siren heading down the Embankment, I'll give you a wave. Enjoy our city.

His tweet on the actor's twitter handle was in reference to the stolen vehicle, which caused major public embarrassment to Mr Dumelo in March this year after DAILY GUIDE broke the story.

In response to Mr Benjamin's post, the alleged car thief, Mr Dumelo, who seems to have abandoned his boss, ex-President Mahama in the so-called 'Unity Walk' alone, said yepthat's me. I'm picking the Queen up for tea.

In March this year, a V8 vehicle belonging to the state was retrieved from a spraying shop in Accra, and surprisingly Dumelo was alleged to have transported the vehicle to the mechanics for re-spraying and changing of its details into his name.

Mr. Dumelo earlier told investigators that the vehicle was given to him by the former First Lady, Lordina Mahama but later made a U-turn.

By Melvin Tarlue
Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited (TPL) won the leading Pharmaceutical Company Award in the maiden Chamber Business Awards recently held in Accra.

Tobinco Group Chairman, Samuel Amoh Tobbin, commenting on the recognition, said the award goes to show that institutions and people monitor your works. We are honoured and happy to emerge as the leading pharmaceutical company.

We have always been guided by our vision to aspire to be the market leader in the provision of high quality pharmaceuticals and other healthcare products in Ghana, Africa and beyond. I believe this memento will urge us on to go the extra mile.
The National Blood Service Ghana (NBSG), in collaboration with the Rotary Clubs of Accra and Accra Ridge, has awarded voluntary unpaid blood donors and stakeholders in a short ceremony in Accra.

The event was to publicly acknowledge and appreciate voluntary unpaid blood donors and other stakeholders who have shown commitment to saving the lives of patients requiring blood transfusion therapy across the country.

The ceremony which coincided with the National Blood Donor Day celebration and the launch of the annual blood donation campaign also provided the platform for increasing awareness about achieving the national supplies based entirely on voluntary unpaid blood donation and emphasize the need for timely access to safe blood and blood products at all times.

Williams King Adamptey from the Eastern Region won the national best donor prize for donating 57 times and was rewarded with a citation and a double door fridge.

Christian Ababio from the Greater Accra Region, who had donated 53 times voluntarily, came in second and was rewarded with a citation and a deep freezer, while Maxwell Yaw Anokye who had donated 51 times from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) was third and got a citation and a flat screen television.

At the regional level, specifically the capital, Samuel Amissah, 49 donations, Winfred Dugbetey, 46 donations, Sam Frank Kweitecco, 45 donations took the first, second and third prizes, respectively. They also received citations and gifts.

Elizabeth Kpogo from the Greater Accra Region took the best female blood donor ward with 33 donations, while Richard Adzigbe took the best youth donor award with 29 donations.

Dr Ernest Aseidu, Head of Quality Management Unit of the Ministry of Health (MoH), lauded the organisers for the occasion, indicating it was important as it serves as a reminder for safe blood collections from regular voluntary blood donation sources.

He stated that although it is right for voluntary donors to be celebrated, it is important to note that the country's blood supplies still fall short of the units required by patients who need blood transfusion due to over reliance on family replacement system.

I would, therefore, like to use this occasion to appeal to all Ghanaians to accept voluntary blood donation as a civic responsibility and a duty to our society, he underscored.

He said a move from the family replacement system will enable us redouble our efforts to attain the 100 percent voluntary blood donation target by year 2020.

Government is committed to achieving this target by prioritising the passage of the National Blood Service Bill to provide the requisite legal framework to accelerate progress towards its achievement, he disclosed.

Dr Michael Ebo Acquah of the NBSG, who spoke on the theme for the celebration, 'Blood Donation in Emergencies', added that adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organised blood service and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year.

Only 36.2 percent of the 160,624 units of blood collected in 2016 were from voluntary blood donors, the rest 63 percent were from family replacement donors which is often known to be a hidden paid system that compromises the adequacy and safety of the national blood supplies of any country that depends on it, he said.

Dr Acquah explained that the country can move away from the worrying situation if just one percent of Ghana's population commits to donating blood regularly.

Mr Adotei Brown, Past District Governor, Rotary District 9102, in his remarks as the chair called on stakeholders to think of innovative ways of sustaining voluntary blood donations.
Premier lubricant manufacturing company in Ghana, Tema Lube Oil Company Limited (TLOC), has donated several bicycles to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) towards the 33rd Tema Regional Farmers' Day.

The company donated a total of 19 bicycles valued at GH8,000 to help in the movement of the award-winning farmers.

Presenting the items, Amos Donkoh, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tema Lube Oil, explained that the company has been involved in the celebration of farmers since its inception to empower farmers in the country.

According to him, the company was happy to be associated with the celebration of hard-working farmers who have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the nation.

The CEO further stated that the bicycles would support the farmers, who have worked very hard to feed the nation and also support the national economy.

He said the company would continue to support the agriculture sector to create many jobs for the youth.

The Chief Executive (MCE) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Felix Nii Annang-La, who received the bicycles on behalf of the assembly, expressed happiness and appealed to other institutions to emulate the shining example.

He expressed gratitude to the board and management of the Tema Lube Oil and hoped that the donation would go a long way to assist the farmers to hold the event.

TLOC manufactures steel drums for packaging the lubricants.

It also produces automotive oil, hydraulic oil, gear oil, industrial oil and marine oil under franchise for distribution to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

From Vincent Kubi, Tema
Three airlines have been named by the Aviation Minister as those currently been examined for the establishment of a national carrier.

Cecelia Dapaah says Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Air and indigenous carrier Africa World Air are currently deeply engaged with government for setting up a national carrier.

This follows recent policy approval by parliament for the Ministry to commence work on the establishment of a national carrier since the demise of Ghana Airways in 2004.

Speaking to JoyBusiness at the launch of the aviation safety week, Madam Dapaah said her ministry is seriously a the sessing proposal to find a suitable partner for government.

More soon
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not happy with recent news of slave auctions of Africans in Libya.

He described the situation as gross and scandalous.

Recent footages of maltreatment of African migrants in Libya have stirred anger among many.

World leaders have condemned the development, which have been captured on videos gone viral.

Horrified United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for immediate investigation into the slave trade.

I am horrified at news reports and video footage showing African migrants in Libya reportedly being sold as slaves, the Portuguese stated.

Taking to Twitter over the issue, President Akufo-Addo said it is mockery to the solidarity of the African Union for such act to take place in Libya, a member state.

Meanwhile, government has sent a delegation to Libya to have some 168 Ghanaians brought back home after they were held in detention camps for various offences.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

It is about a year now since the NPP assumed power to manage the affairs of this country and remarkably, some significant progress has been made and some criticisms have been drawn from some concerned citizens and detractors. The euphoria of the Party's victory has now died down and it is about time that the National Executive take absolute control of the Party, manage the current misdemeanours of party members and provide the President and his Executives the much needed freedom to govern our dear country.

The announcement of the programme for the elections of new Party Executives from Polling Stations, Constituencies and Regions in accordance with the Party's Constitution by the Ag. General Secretary has been welcomed by those who want to contest.

The criticisms from the NDC on the Government sound hypocritical, strange and bear unmistakably evidence of NDC's addictions to lies, deceit and propaganda. The criticisms are akin to the proverbial Akan bird Asantrofie anoma or anomakoko ne kone who goes upstream, muddies the waters and flies downstream and questions who muddied the waters?

Suddenly the NDC has forgotten the gargantuan debts bequeathed to the NPP and the state of the economy which contributed to their knockout defeat in the December elections. In exactly eleven months, the NDC wants the NPP to correct the errors and irregularities they created in eight years of governance. Obviously, such expectations must be coming from strangers and not fellow Ghanaians besides, Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction.- Lord Byron.

It is true that there are some people who hear without listening. The NDC is failing to observe that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl 3; 7). When people say silence is golden it simply means good silence is a listening silence, a humble silence. It leads to right hearing, right understanding, and right speaking.''(Our Daily Bread of 23rd November, 2017)

The NDC now claims President Mahama solved the dumsor but have forgotten Dr.Bawumia's advice to them to stop piling up debts through acquisition of fraudulent infrastructure such as AMERI power plant to solve the problem when in reality the solution only required the purchase of crude oil to feed the existing plants.

Another strange criticism is about the Komenda Sugar Factory and the NDC's query as to why the NPP has allowed the factory to lie fallow without producing sugar in the midst of its propaganda of one district, one factory and questions whether it has been abandoned because it was built by the NDC? Many Ghanaians know that when the factory was commissioned flamboyantly by the ex-President six months before the NDC was rudely uprooted, the factory had no raw materials  sugarcane to produce sugar. So how does NDC expect NPP to produce sugarcane within nine months when the gestation period of producing sugarcane exceeds one year?

The introduction of FREE SHS education in Ghana put smiles on the faces of parents; more particularly mothers and for once even children attending schools were so highly energised and had something to cheer about. In the face of these obvious facts, the NDC had the temerity to call a press conference to describe the Free SHS as a HOAX.

The restoration of the nurses' allowances announced by the President in Sunyani in October 2017, has also been described by the defeated MP for Nanton, Murtala Mohammed as a very dangerous decision. These strange criticisms to me, give the true meaning or the deep seated understanding of the NDC's philosophy when it comes to matters affecting the welfare of the ordinary man in our society. The destruction of NHIA, GYEEDA, SADA etc. during their tenure clearly demonstrates the Party's lack of empathy in the wellbeing of Ghanaians except their own registered card holders who are allowed to create, loot and share. I believe educating our youth is a good policy that must not be faulted and besides education, it is a way of spreading the national cake to cover many citizens instead of keeping the money to be shared the Woyome way.

The attacks on the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is a misplaced priority or strategy simply because he has exhibited in every word and gesture the serene confidence of one who has been tossed on Ghana's most turbulent political waves and has survived with no dents. Like the President, the NDC made him their target for destruction before the 2016 elections but failed miserably and the current attacks on him will also fail.

The truth of the matter is that the NDCwants to DERAIL the Government from its focus and therefore it is necessary for the Government to concentrate on what matters most, and that is firstly, stabilize the economy, secondly, create employment, thirdly, seriously tackle all corrupt cases, fourthly, issue National ID Cards, and last but not the least, clear the mess at the Electoral Commission to ensure credible elections in future.

To keep the Government in power as long as it is necessary for the President and his team to implement its programmes, the Party should resist the temptation to engage them in the dirty politicking and unnecessary bickering on the airwaves and press conferences. The Party should remember that prior to the last elections when the NDC and its leader were mimicking Usain Bolt's victory insignia, the NPP was seriously engaged with planning and training of the polling station and constituency executives in the fields, perfecting the collation of election results and the outcome is now history.

The objective can be achieved if the Party strengthens its lower structures and enforce rigidly its Constitutional provisions. Prior to Cape Coast, there were rumours that a proposal had been made which suggested that Members of Parliament/Candidates would nominate polling station executives.Such preposterous suggestions should not be countenanced, and besides, the Party's Constitution frowns upon it because it undermines the democratic principles on which the Party is founded. Secondly, it will collapse everything the Party had stood for and would amount to cutting their noses to spite their faces.

Article 5 of the Party's Constitution states that the Party shall be based on Constituencies, Regional, External and National Organisations. There shall be Polling Station Executives of five (5) members (Chairman, Secretary, Youth Organiser and Women Organiser) whose duties shall be; firstly, act as polling agents when appropriate; secondly, be responsible for house to house campaign, thirdly, act as Agents, fourthly, act as Agents during voter registration and cleaning of the voter register, fifthly, perform any other function that would be assigned them by a Constituency Officer. The last paragraph of this Article states that In Polling Station Executive elections, all card bearing and paid-up Members in good standing in the polling station area shall vote.

To make the provisions effective, all party members at the polling areas should be registered and the records kept in the Polling Station Register. Adequate publicity must be given on the date and time elections are to be held in any polling station. All party members who are qualified and wish to stand for elections must be allowed to stand. Under no circumstances must candidates be declared unopposed. The Party's inability to conduct elections strictly in line with the spirit and provisions underlined above has been the underlying causeof all misunderstandings among party members during Constituency elections for which many had resorted to civil courts in the past for redress of their grievances.The appointment of polling station executives undermines efficiency because the best are not chosen, encourages favouritism because those appointed owe allegiance to Constituency Executives and Parliamentary Candidates who sponsored them and finally creates divisions among executives. Lastly, a lot of effort must be made to reduce the level of illiteracy among Polling Station Executives by encouraging young teachers and graduates to contest elections.

The coming Polling Station elections must be conducted in the spirit of the Constitution, as highlighted, in order to build a strong united Party to ensure victory in 2020. The Party must appoint strong electoral teams to conduct all elections especially at the Polling Stations and should of necessity exclude Constituency Executives who have given an indication to for stand elections into any position. Elections which are conducted by the Party executives are usually faulted because of vested interest of executives seeking elections to higher positions.

Teams conducting the elections must not include any executive seeking elections into any office. To me this should be the topmost priority of the Party, to prevent the NDC from coming back to power to undo what the Government is doing now. NPP should not be bothered by the tantrums of strangers since they are diversionary and besides shallow streams make the most noise. When you live with strangers you should know how to cover your back.

The world suffers a lot not because of the VIOLENCE of bad people but because of the SILENCE of good people (Napoleon).

By Brig-Gen J. Odei






At least three Ghanaian migrants have reported being among those who were auctioned as slaves in Libya, Ghanas Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has revealed.

The claimants whose identities are yet to be established, are said to have told Ghanaian officials that they were abducted by their captors after they ran out of funds to continue their journey across the Maghreb region into Europe.

Video footage of migrants sold in apparent slave auction in Libya provoked worldwide outrage, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging the international community to unite in fighting this scourge.

In the grainy mobile footage, unidentified men are offered up as a group of "big strong boys for farm work" for as little as 300, international broadcaster, CNN reported.

Some 168 Ghanaians were early on reportedly caught up in the situation but authorities have confirmed that these Ghanaians are being kept in formal detention centers in Libya due to non-possession of proper travel documents and are awaiting deportation.

In a statement Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said the detainees were arrested on illegal immigration charges and were already being held in detention camps.

However, speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM a day after the statement was issued, the Foreign Minister indicated that the three persons who reported being victims to the act, are part of the 168 identified at the detention camp.

The Ghanaian authorities, with assistance from the UN-backed government in Libya, are investigating the issue to identify all Ghanaians and arrange for their repatriation, the Minister said.

Lack of access

They are, however, challenged mainly with the inaccessibility of other cities as the political situation in the country has led to the formation of three different governments and gaining entry into cities under the control of rebel governments is virtually impossible.

It is even difficult for you to be given entry into other cities under the control of other governments, Ayorkor Botchway told Kojo Yankson, host of the Super Morning Show, from Abdjan, Cote d'Ivoire where the AU - EU summit is taking place.

The Minister expressed surprise that families of migrants are not reporting to the authorities back home about their inability to establish contact with their relatives which could serve as the lead to initiate investigations.

You dont even know how many Ghanaians have been subjected to these cruel acts of human traffickingbecause people have not reported, she stated.

According to her, the Ghana government is working at re-opening its consulate in Libya by February 2018 after it was shut down due to fears of insecurity, following the political turbulence in the country.

Once it is approved by cabinet we will go through the processIm sure by the next two months it should be opened because we have properties there.

African Leaders meet

The matter is said to be key on the agenda at the ongoing fifth African Union - European Union (AU-EU) summit in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

The summit, which took off Wednesday, November 29 and expected to end on Thursday, the 30th, is themed: Investing in youth for a sustainable future.

Other priorities of the EU-Africa partnership to be discussed include governance and democracy, human rights, migration and mobility, peace and security, investment and trade, skills development as well as job creation.

At the summit, African and EU leaders will discuss the future of EU-Africa relations and focus on investing in the youth. This is a key priority for Africa and the EU as 60% of the African population is under the age of 25.

The AU-EU summit will be a key moment and opportunity to strengthen political and economic ties between the two continents.

2017 is a defining year for EU-Africa relations, as it has been ten years since the adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

Listen to Shirley Ayorkor Botchway:


The so called Legal Profession (Professional and Post-Call Law Course) Regulations, 2017 is nothing but a sham and a last-ditch effort by an out of touch General Legal Council (GLC) to legalize (i) a quota system, (ii) a fatally flawed entrance examination; and (iii) a subjective interview requirement. The proposed Regulation seeks to dismantle the objective, incorruptible, progressive and automatic admission requirements and replace them with subjective, corruptible, regressive and opaque requirements that entrench the GLCs power and augur ill for legal education in the country.

Given the acrimony, confusion and ultimately the Supreme Courts repudiation of these abhorrent admission policies, one would have expected the GLC to activate a broad consultation process to seek a way forward that is progressive and reflective of the underlying increase in the population of people interested in legal education.

Alas, the unrepentant GLC has doubled down on its sins and secretly drafted a fatally flawed and self-aggrandizing Regulation in the hope that it could be laid quietly in Parliament to mature into law in 21 days. Clearly, like the bourbons of yore, the GLC learnt nothing and forgot nothing!

The time is ripe for Parliament and all relevant stakeholders to concede that the School of Law, as conceived in 1958, where all LLB degree holders converge to a central location (or locations) to pursue professional courses is an obsolete concept. It is a 1958 solution to offering legal education to 10 law students in a newly emerged independent country, with 1 Law Faculty, that is entirely anachronistic in a matured country with 10 Law Faculties.

In today's world of distance learning and assorted electronic learning platforms, it is entirely unnecessary for students to converge at a centralized location or any central locations to study evidence, procedure, taxation, legal accountancy, interpretation, alternative dispute resolutions, conveyancing, family, company, labor, banking and insurance law. The Ghana School of Law has no comparative advantage in teaching these courses. Nor are these courses so unique that they cannot be taught at the 10 Law Faculties.

The obvious solution therefore is to require law students to take all courses at their Law Faculties after which they can apply to take the Bar examination, administered by a reconstituted GLC made up of fair minded people.

It is time to collapse the faux and unnecessary distinction between the academic and professional law courses. It is also time to restructure the moribund GLC.

No self-respecting Parliament will allow the unruly GLC to legalize and normalize its atrocious admission policies that have occasioned uncommon inconvenience, needless hardship and miscarried justice for thousands of qualified citizens. The Sierra Leone Parliament, faced with a similar set of circumstances, sided with justice and their constituents to reject a similarly fraudulent regulation. We expect no less from our 275 MPs.

The Regulation also seeks to impose additional and unnecessary burdens on Ghanaian lawyers trained in other common law jurisdictions with the primary, if not the sole, purpose of preventing them from practicing in Ghana. There is no reason why these lawyers must be required to attend classes for one year when they can be allowed to demonstrate their proficiency by writing an examination. In addition, these lawyers cannot be converted into cash cows by charging them exorbitant and extortionary entry fees.

The so called Legal Profession (Professional and Post-Call Law Course) Regulations, 2017 is dead at birth and must be returned to sender. Parliament must not go to sleep and allow the proposed Regulation to ripen into law.

Finally, it is time for Parliament to amend the Legal Profession ACT 32 (1960) to dissolve the GLC as currently constituted and to create a 21st century Council for Legal Education that is responsible for accrediting Law Faculties, administering Bar examinations, and setting and enforcing ethical and quality control standards for qualification and practice as a lawyer.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The National Union of Ghana Students, NUGS yesterday held their 51st Handing Over ceremony at the Accra International Conference Centre after the 51st Annual Residential Congress held at Methodist University College, Dansoman from the November 16th-19th, 2017.

The 2017/2018 NUGS Executives include Elisha Oheneba Essumang, President, Mercy Asamani, General Secretary, Dennis Frimpong,Treasurer, John Charway, Coordinating Secretary, Dominic K. Matasa Blay, Press & Information Secretary, Emmanuel Tabil Jnr, Financial Controller, Josceline Arthur, Women Commissioner, Eunice Foriwaa Bimpong -- International Relations Secretary, Eric Opoku Mensah, Programs & Projects Secretary and Afriyie Osei Owusu Education & Democratization Secretary, he added.

The August ceremony saw the likes of the Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Adutwum, the Gender and Social Protection Minister, Hon. Otiko Afisa Djaba, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, the CEO of NEIP, Lawyer John Kumah, Hon. Justin Kodua of YEA, Director of GETFund, representatives from the Scholarship Secretariat, Students Loan Trust Fund, Information Ministry, Security services, the press corps, alumni of the union, and members from the various institutions and blocs under NUGS under the chairmanship of the CEO of NEIP, Lawyer John Kumah.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Education Minister together with the Gender and Social Protection Minister charged the union along the same lines to stand for what it stood for and be more vibrant as it was in the past and ensure that the union serves its core mandate to the very people they seek to serve. The outgone Secretary, Mr. Akwasi Agyemang also charged the new executives to serve the interests of the students they seek to serve and ensure that the right things are done. He added that, the struggle continues but it is up to new executives to live above the struggles and make the union better.

In his acceptance speech, the Newly sworn-in President of NUGS Elisha Oheneba Essumang commended Government's efforts in ensuring that education is accessible to all. He further reiterated that, the union's core mandate was to ensure that education be a right and not a privilege to help all have access to it and was therefore grateful that the government was committed to ensuring that this is achieved. He commended the government over their decision to absorb the registration fees of BECE candidates in the Junior High Schools. He further commended the government for their decision to increase the Capitation grant by 100% from the initial 4.50p to 9 cedis as announced by the Finance Minister, Hon. Ken Ofori Atta in the 2018 budget statement.

The NUGS President further commended the Ministry of Education's " Basic Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (BSTEM)" program to be introduced in all basic schools which would solve the technological and digital gap between Ghana and the developed states in the near future which they intend to embark on beginning from next year and further welcomed the Ministry's commencement to review the Basic level Curriculum to emphasize on the 4 R's (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic and cReativity). Indeed, literacy, numeracy and creativity are the bedrocks of modern education and we cannot survive as a nation without them.

NUGS further commended the government for the all time best Educational Policy; Free SHS Policy which has not only increased the enrolment of students into the various SHS but also lessened the burden of parents who sometimes had to go for loans and pass through frustrating moments to send their wards to school. We commend the Ministry of Education for this life saving and enhancing policy and the union supports the call by some concerned citizens and leaders of the nation to challenge philanthropists of Education, donors, corporate bodies, and everyone who can to help fund the Free SHS/ TVET policy and that a realistic percentage of our GDP, 10% of import taxes and about 30-50% of oil revenue be considered to help sustain this great policy.

"While keeping our eyes on this outstanding initiative by the government of Ghana to ensure its sustainability and the help deal with the challenges it comes with-there is nothing without challenges especially in its early stages", As the umbrella Union that speaks for all students in Ghana, we want to also send a note of caution to all saboteurs of this marvellous policy to refrain from such habits.

The NUGS President observed that students of Ghana and the youth alike will not take it easy with any person or group of persons who would want to belittle, fight or destroy this all- time important policy. Without mincing words, we shall not hesitate to clamp down such enemies and foes of the nation.

The union also commends government's effort to scrap off the 25% corporate income tax paid by privately owned and managed universities and we call on the stakeholders of the various private universities to drastically reduce their fees to reflect the change. We further commend the restoration of the Nurses and Teacher Training allowances by the government.

The union is committed to ensuring that all Ghanaian students have quality, affordable and accessible education and greater opportunities to ensure that we build a better future for our nation; He added.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

Over 40 cases of a new dangerous type of Tuberculosis have been recorded in the Ashanti region, according to the Ghana Health Service.

The different type of Tuberculosis is resistant to the normal tuberculosis drugs. A cough from a victim, according to Tuberculosis specialist, Dr. Alberta Bretum at the Ashanti regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service spreads faster and contains at least about one thousand of strong bacteria.

We the health professionals on the medical field know it as a dangerous disease but I dont think the locals in the communities have understood it as such.

To able to treat it, victims have to go through daily painful injection for a period of eight months including daily intake of drugs for a period of about 24 months unlike the normal TB treatment which last for a period of six months, She said.

Dr. Anthony Emimil, head of Chest Clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital also revealed that the hospital has diagnosed a number of such cases for some time now.

What makes this disease dangerous according to Dr. Bretum is that victims stand the chance of losing their hearing ability.

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What makes the disease more dangerous is that, because we combine a lot of drugs in fighting the bacteria, the drugs become toxic in the body of the victim and the side effect is for the victim to lose his or her hearing senses after treatment, Dr. Bretum.

Ultimate FMs Isaac Bediako Justice who conducted an investigation in some hospitals in Kumasi indicated that, the Ashanti regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service has run out of drugs to treat the disease as funding for the disease comes from foreign donors.

Investigations by Bediako also uncovered that all the trained tuberculosis specialists and nurses who can screen people for the deadly disease from community to community are relaxing in their offices since there are limited logistics.

My brother the disease is fast spreading in the region, the 40 contracted cases recorded in the region is more than a year. As at now we dont even know the actual figures, a colleague in this facility has contracted the disease in this facility and as I speak with you she has lost her hearing ability, a Nurse revealed to Bediako on condition of anonymity.

The nurse added that the unfortunate aspect of fighting this disease is that the bacteria is now growing resistance to drugs because there are always shortage of TB drugs in the country.

She stressed all the staff of the hospital are worried about the disease and are calling on government to pay particular attention to the treatment of Tuberculosis in the country.
Stifled by the internet and 24-hour news channels as well as political pressures, Algeria's independent press born only 25 years ago is struggling in a crisis that has already killed off dozens of titles.

Algeria's "democratic spring" that followed widespread protests in October 1988 put an end to a quarter century of single party rule and a state monopoly of the media, with independent newspapers emerging on the scene.

Some of them have built up large circulations and are still going, such as the Arabic-language Echorouk and El-Khabar and French-language papers El-Watan, Liberte and Le Soir d'Algerie.

But since 2014, 26 dailies and 34 weeklies have vanished, Communications Minister Djamel Kaouane said last month.

The sales figures of the remaining 140 daily and weekly papers have slumped, and total circulation of the dailies has declined by 40-60 percent in the past five years, according to a study by Algiers University professor Redouane Boudjemaa.

For El-Khabar, as a leading example, circulation ran as high as 1.2 million in 2000 and has since plunged to the current figure of around 200,000 a day, said a former chief of the daily, Ali Djeri.

Boudjemaa said the launch of high-speed internet access in Algeria since 2014 has sparked an explosion in smartphone and tablet computer sales, while "the number of readers of the printed press has crumbled".

Newspapers have failed to adapt to their readership jumping ship to the free contents of online media, he said.

As for lifeline advertising, the lion's share has migrated to the rising number of private television channels, especially those offering round-the-clock news.

The government has promised to unblock next year a six-million-euro ($7-million) rescue fund for "financially troubled" media that has been frozen since the start of the decade because of disputes between management and journalists.

However, rights and press freedom activists accuse the authorities of putting an economic squeeze on papers through institutional ads that the communications ministry says account for 20 percent of the advertising sector.

Advertising a political 'tool'

"Public" advertising for administrative and state-run companies is managed by ANEP, an agency which critics say is used as a tool to reward or sanctions newspapers according to political criteria.

Critics say "public" advertising is used as a tool to reward or sanction newspapers in Algeria according to political criteria

Hadda Hazem, director of El-Fadjr newspaper, staged a week-long hunger strike this month in protest at her newspaper being "asphyxiated" and deprived of advertising following critical remarks about President Abdelaziz Bouteflika she had made on French television.

Several other publications have complained of similar treatment and called for the end to the state agency's monopoly over institutional advertising.

El-Watan director Omar Belhouchet said private companies have also come under pressure over their advertising allocations because their businesses often depend on maintaining good relations with the authorities.

"Since the presidential election of 2014, the paper's private advertising revenues have fallen by 60 percent," Belhouchet, who opposed a fourth term for Bouteflika, told AFP.

His paper's circulation has fallen to 90,000 from more than 160,000 in 2012, and it has had to hike its cover price by 50 percent in the past three years because of the decline in advertising revenues.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which ranks Algeria 134rd out of 180 countries on its press freedom index, charged in June that the North African country used "harassment" and "threats" to pressure journalists.
The Roads and Highways Minister Kwasi Amoako-Atta has stated that the repair works on the Buipe and Yapei bridges are being expedited and that it should be completed in four weeks.

Transportation crisis hit the Northern region following the closure of two major freeway bridges, causing massive gridlock and devastating trade activities in the country's largest region.

The bridges which also serve as an interstate highway linking the country to its neighbouring states such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso where millions of cedis in trade of goods and services are exchanged daily, were shut down on Tuesday, 21 October, for repairs at a cost of GH4m after it underwent similar purpose in February and May at GH449,000 and GH420,000 respectively.

The cries of stranded residents and commuters compelled Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu to cause the roads minister to be summoned to parliament to answer questions concerning the closures.

The Minority, however, faulted the minister for not making adequate arrangements for alternative routes before the closure of the bridges.

But on his address of the legislative chamber, Amoako-Atta assured the lawmakers that maintenance works on the two bridges are being quickened and that they will be ready in four weeks.

Justifying the closure, he said it was extremely necessary to enable emergency maintenance exercise to be carried out.

Mr. Speaker much as we sympathize and empathize with the traveling public and motorists for the inconveniences caused by the closure of the bridges at this point in time, it is critical and absolutely necessary to avoid a national disaster or a total collapse of either or both bridges, he stressed.
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The National Union of Ghana Students, NUGS has called on government to ensure the security and safety of Ghanaians living in Libya. This they said the poor and inhumane treatment of Ghanaians in Libya seems to have been on the rise.

Below is the full statement .

NUGS OFFICIAL

In April this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it had gleaned more evidence pointing to the existence of modern slave in Libya. Over seven months today, footages has emerged in international media proving this claim.

This week, a video released by the CNN showed a group of young men being sold as farm workers. In this footage, it appeared youths from Niger and other sub-Saharan countries were being sold to buyers for about $400 (300) at undisclosed locations in Libya. Moreover, uncensored images published on some global media outlets speaks to the inhumane and demoralizing treatments of these Africans on their soils. Some of the youth had their shirts filled with blood stains; some had swollen faces from the beatings meted out to them whilst some were chained with anchor-ropes at their necks, and kept in a dungeon-looking uncompleted rooms.

The international community and sub-regional bodies like the AU, remains shocked over what its Chairman, President Alpha Conde, terms as a despicable trade from another era. He called for prosecutions.

The international media reported that Migrants trying to reach Europe have spoken of being held by smugglers and forced to work for little or no money.

It is therefore important to issue a reminder that Ghanaian nationals especially students be given maximum protection under both international law and state sovereignty, in these times and subsequently. Efforts to reaching some of our brothers and sisters in this part of Africa has proven difficult , and this points to the fact that, there is the urgent need to ascertain if there are Ghanaians trapped in this crime: a call on the Foreign Ministry and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.

We hereby call on the aforementioned bodies and civil societies to conduct an investigations into the trapped slaves to ascertain the presence of Ghanaian youths; afterwhich rescue missions be conducted.

Whilst calling for these, we also want to use this rather sad incident to discourage Ghanaian youths who are or have already embarked on life-threatening journeys across the Mediterranean Sea in search of greener pastures. We should be reminded that the smugglers are always ready to make money out of us and to dispose us off after having their way. We are the youth of this nation. We should therefore be ready to mobilize for the future by working in our homeland to contribute to accelerated development.

We also call on government and international bodies to jointly repatriate such migrants back home, if found to be Ghanaian, rather than subjecting them to inhuman treatments and sometimes drowning them in the sea.

Signed...

Victor Elias SESHIE

International Relations Secretary Elect

+233207089679

Countersigned...

Frank Amoakohene

President Elect

Cc:

The Media.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs .
29.11.2017 LISTEN

The Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) has implored female celebrities to be ambassadors of decency in their chosen profession.

GRASAG Gender Commissioner, Saadatu Lawal Garbey said the promotion of decency will help to shape the minds of young girls to aspire for the best in life.

In a statement marking the beginning of the 16-day Activism against Gender-Based Violence across the world Monday, she noted respect for the basic Ghanaian values is critical for the countrys development.

It is important that they recognize their roles in shaping the lives of many young girls who aspire to be like them, she said of female celebrities.

This years 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is being organized under the theme: Leave No One Behind: End Violence against Women and Girls.

The event reinforces United Nations (UN)s commitment to ridding the world of all forms of violence against women and girls.

The GRASAG Gender Commission, which joins the campaign for the first time, has identified sexual harassment as its main focus.

The Association said touching of sensitive parts of a woman or girl without their knowledge, demanding sexual favours at the workplace, [and] using sexually directed messages or compliments are some of the harassments that go on daily in Ghana.

Saadatu Lawal Garbey lauded Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba for ensuring justice for a four-year-old girl allegedly defiled at Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

The issue became public following Joy News investigation into incidents of rape in the region.

We equally condemn the rapeand are calling on state institutions handling the matter to ensure that justice is duly served, GRASAG said.
The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly has this morning held a town hall meeting to strengthen its social auditing and accountability. This is the maiden edition of the Town Hall meeting in Cape Coast.

The event highlighted government flagship programmes such as the free Senior High School, One District, One Factory, Planting for food and jobs etc and the 2018 budget statement of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly. It also offered a cross-section of the populace the opportunity to seek clarifications from local authorities managing various sectors of the economy in the metropolis.

The Mayor of Cape Coast, Hon. Ernest Arthur in his welcome address reiterated governments commitment to fulfill promises in the governing partys 2016 campaign manifesto. "Upon assumption of duty in January 2017, the government has undertaken a lot of programmes including the 'Planting for Food and Jobs' and other policy initiatives", the MCE mentioned.

According to the MCE, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is focused on delivering good governance required to improve the wellbeing of all Ghanaians devoid of partisan and ethnic considerations.

The MCE used the occasion to reiterate his call for all hands on deck to the development of Cape Coast. "I have no doubt in my mind that, we will progress if we put our shoulders to the wheel as a United Team" .

On her part, the Deputy Minister of Education who is also the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North Constituency, Hon. Barbara Asher Ayisi called on Nananom and the entire citizens of Cape Coast to take advantage of the free SHS policy to turn the developmental fortunes of Cape Coast. On the challenges of the free SHS policy, the deputy education minister asked for the support of all stakeholders to help find solutions to identified challenges. "It is practically impossible to have a flagship programme such as this without challenges", she stated. According to Hon. Barbara, her ministry is working hard to find lasting solutions to the challenges. She also appealed to Nananom to help put measures in place to curb teenage pregnancy in the city.

Further, she indicated that her office and the Cape Coast Technical University have begun apprenticeship programme at the Technical University to give employable skills to the youth.

Mr. Samuel Kofi Appeatu, the Director of Audit at the Ministry of Information who represented the sector Minister recounted the importance of Town Hall meetings in deepening democracy in the country. According to him feedback is critical in the development process hence the Town Hall meeting to interact with all stakeholders.

In attendance were the President of the Oguaa Traditional Council, Osaberima Kwesi Atta II and his Chiefs, Metro Heads of Department and Unit, some students from the St. Augustines College and pupils from selected basic schools in the metropolis.

By: Public Relations Office

Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly
The Author

29.11.2017 LISTEN

The Gender Commission of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) National Secretariat, joins the International Community this year to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence which is observed on every 25th November to 10th December each year across the globe.

This campaign is marked every year by the UN Women in their quest to end all forms of violence against women and girls around the world. The campaign which started from the First Womens Global Leadership Institute was coordinated by the Center for Womens Global Leadership in 1991. The theme for this years campaign is Leave No One Behind: End Violence Against Women and Girls.

The Gender Commission of GRASAG joins the campaign this year for the first time with special focus on Sexual Harassment which the Commission believes it's the root cause of all forms of sexual violence in Ghana.

The Commission, which comprises GRASAG National Gender Commissioner and all GRASAG Womens Commissioners of various member institutions identifies the following as the most common forms of sexual harassment Ghanaian women, men and girls face daily as they go about their activities. These include: touching of sensitive parts of a woman or girl without their knowledge, demanding sexual favors at workplace, using sexually directed messages or compliments, calling women with sweet names such as Sweetie, family relations or neighbors addressing little girls as their wives or girlfriends, non- verbal conduct of sexual nature among many others which happen daily in our societies.

We equally condemn the recent case of rape involving a 4-year old girl as a victim in the Assin Fosu Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. We are calling on the State institutions handling the matter to ensure that justice is duly served and the perpetrators are punished according to the laws of the country. We hereby applaud the efforts and the role played by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Honourable Otiko Afisah Djaba in demanding and ensuring justice for the victim and her family.

As we embark on this campaign, we are calling on relevant institutions to join us as we use our social media platforms to sensitize the youth on the nature, forms and effects of sexual harassment in our part of the world.

Additionally, the Commission is urging female celebrities especially those in creative arts industry (music and film) to help promote decency and professionalism in their line of business. It is important that they recognize their roles in shaping the lives of many young girls who aspire to be like them.

Finally, young ladies must also recognize that we now live in a global village, and as such we dont have control over any sensitive personal information we put out on social media. Our integrity is at stake as individuals, hence we should be mindful of our actions, and be responsible for our actions and inactions towards human right issues.

*Signed*

*Saadatu Lawal Harney*

( Gender Commissioner, GRASAG)
BTA FM, a radio station located in the city of Labe, 450 km north of the Guinean capital Conakry, has been shut down for violating a presidential order to all radio stations not to interview a leading member of a striking teachers union.

Gendarmes reportedly stormed the premises on November 27, 2017, shortly after the forbidden interview and carried out the orders of the governor of Labe to close down the station. The action of the governor, Mamadou Saidou Diallo, came just two days after President Alpha Conde threatened to shut down any radio station which will give coverage to Aboubacar Soumah, Deputy Secretary General of the Free Union of Teachers and Researchers of Guinea (SLECG). Soumah is the coordinator of a general strike by members of the SLECG which in its second week and which President Conde has described as a rebellion.

The presenter of the Coup de Geule programme, Alpha Oumar Fogo Diallo, who interviewed Soumah, was taken to the department of national security, together with his colleague on the show, Mamadou Saidou Diallo, for interrogation. They were released after three hours.

The MFWA correspondent has reported that a day after the closure of BTA FM, 40 leading radio stations in Guinea ceased broadcasting for 24 hours.

The MFWA condemns the closure of BTA FM as a serious act of censorship and views the harassment of the stations presenters as brazen violation of their human rights. We reiterate our stands that the instruction to radio stations not to entertain Soumah on their platforms is untenable in a democratic dispensation and call on President Conde to withdraw the order.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called Wednesday for "all urgent measures" to end migrant slave trading in Libya as he opened an Europe-Africa summit meant to focus on long-term economic growth and stability.

The slavery revelations are casting a shadow over the Abidjan summit, which both sides hope will launch a deeper partnership to create jobs for Africa's exploding population while reducing mass migration and terrorism.

"Given this wretched drama which recalls the worst hours of human history, I would like to appeal to our sense of responsibility to take all urgent measures to put an end to that practice which belongs to another age," Ouattara told the summit.

He specifically referred to the "sad" migrant situation in Libya as he opened the gathering of 55 African Union and 28 European Union nations in the Ivorian economic capital.

Shock images

The summit comes just two weeks after US network CNN aired footage of black Africans sold as slaves in Libya, sparking outrage from political leaders and street protests in African and European capitals.

The AU-EU summit, one of the biggest top-level meetings in the world this year, aims at providing an economic boost to Africa as it faces a huge population challenge

"Negotiations are ongoing on a joint (summit) statement addressing the recent reports of slavery in Libya and how to cooperate with the Libya GNA and other actors to address this as a matter of urgency and priority," an EU source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

African Union and other critics have accused the EU of creating conditions for the slave trade as well as rape and torture of migrants by encouraging Libya's UN-backed GNA -- the Government of National Accord -- to detain migrants and stop them from coming to Europe.

The EU has been desperate to ease the worst migration crisis since World War II, with more than 1.5 million migrants entering the bloc since 2015.

In his speech to the summit, European Council President Donald Tusk acknowledged the "horrifying" treatment of young Africans.

But he also warned against starting "a blame game" and called for cooperation to fight criminals.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres added: "The recent horrific images of migrants sold in Libya remind us of the urgency to act."

Amnesty International accused Europe of being "complicit" in the abuses by funding, training and instructing the Libyans to detain migrants.

The group instead called on the African leaders to urge the Europeans to open more safe and legal migrant routes to Europe.

The EU has argued it is continuing to work with UN agencies that have returned 10,000 migrants voluntarily to their home countries in the last year.

But Ghana's president, Nana Akufo-Addo, in a statement before he headed to Abidjan, also made implicit criticism of Libya.

The "gross and scandalous" auctions made "mockeries of the alleged solidarity of African nations grouped in the African Union, of which Libya is a member," he said.

Separately, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement issued by his office, said it was appalling that his compatriots were being sold "like goats".

He vowed to repatriate and rehabilitate all Nigerians stranded in Libya, and reduce the numbers heading for Europe illegally via North Africa.

The EU published a statement it which it and its AU and UN partners agreed to set up a task force to protect migrants and refugees in Libya and along other routes.

This includes speeding up assisted voluntary returns to countries of origin, and the resettlement in Europe of those in need of international protection.

EU officials said the migrant influx, which sparked political divisions across the EU, as well as frequent Islamist attacks in Europe have been a wake-up call to tackle the root causes of why people leave their homes.

The EU has already set up multi-billion euro funds to promote Africa's economic development while deepening counter-terrorism cooperation with African countries where Islamist militant groups are spreading.

Equal partnership

Both sides are now calling for more resources for economic development, including for education and training for young people.

In his speech, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called for a "partnership of equals" and underlined EU plans for 44 billion euros ($52.2 billion) in investment for Africa until 2020.

He said Africa would make its own choices without Europe dictating.

EU leaders says there is little time to find ways to meet the needs of an African population set to more than double by 2050 to around 2.4 billion people.

Without fast-tracked development, millions could flee to Europe or turn to radical Islamist groups, EU and African leaders say.

Aready EU officials are warning Islamic State group fighters are fleeing from the collapsing caliphate in Iraq and Syria to Libya and other parts of North Africa.
Several people were killed in clashes between gold miners on the Mali-Guinea border this week, Guinean and Malian officials said Wednesday.

Despite having areas rich in gold, both Guinea and Mali are among the world's poorest countries, with many miners going it alone or in small groups to search for minerals, usually with little safety equipment.

Mali's armed forces said Wednesday that four gendarmes were killed while attempting to secure a mine in Niaouleni, southwestern Mali, on Monday.

"They were victims of gunfire from Guinean nationals linked to a dispute over a mining concession between the Malian village of Niaouleni and another Guinean village," a statement posted on the army's website said.

A Guinean security source told AFP earlier in the day that six people were killed in a revenge attack mounted on the Malian side by Guineans, which took the lives of "two Guineans and four Malians, one of them a gendarme".

The armed Guinean villagers were retaliating against Malian gold miners backed up by gendarmes who "attacked Guinean gold miners at a mine in the village of Faranokho," leaving two Guineans wounded, the same source said.

Bamako and Conakry have both since beefed up security in the area, where such disputes are common.
US military investigators said Wednesday that only enemy fighters were shot dead in a joint US-Somali raid in August, amid allegations that multiple civilians were killed.

At issue is an August 25 operation at a farm near Bariire in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, when Somali troops and US special forces attacked a suspected hideout for fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab group.

Soon after the overnight operation, community leaders accused troops of having killed civilians.

Local elders called a news conference in the capital Mogadishu and displayed nine bodies, two of them children, saying they were civilians killed in cold blood by Somali troops.

The same day, the US military's Africa Command released a statement saying it was conducting a credibility assessment into the allegations.

On Wednesday, it said it was confident those killed were jihadists. Officials did not make public the investigation itself.

"After a thorough assessment of the Somali National Army-led operation near Bariire, Somalia, on August 25, 2017 and the associated allegations of civilian casualties, US Special Operations Command Africa has concluded that the only casualties were those of armed enemy combatants," AFRICOM said in a statement.

US news site the Daily Beast published a lengthy story shortly before AFRICOM released its statement, saying it had uncovered strong evidence that US special forces troops had killed civilians in the incident.

The Beast interviewed several Somali intelligence officials and other people familiar with the case, and found bullet casings from US weapons -- apparently undermining the US claim that its troops were only in a supporting role.

Pentagon spokeswoman Major Audricia Harris said investigators would have looked at information "from all available sources," including other agencies, partner governments and nongovernmental organizations.
This ongoing Slavery and Human Trafficking of youths (men and women) going on for a while now in Libya has to stop. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

It is dis heartening seeing black people being sold by Africans in Africa all in a bid to get to Europe dangerously by dessert and sea.

Europe is full and have their own problems at the boarders too.

We need boots on ground sounding the alarm that it is dangerous. Those trying to escape are poor and having e no TV or access to what is out there.

Also we need to remand the people in Africa deceiving the migrants and collecting their money with promises of Europe in the first place.

Intensive work needs to be done by the Nigerian government and the governments in West/ east / north Africa to get the migrants out of Libya and more importantly tighter security at the african boarders to prevent the migrants trying to escape to Europe illegally.

This petition will be delivered to:

United Nations Peacekeeping

United Nations

Former Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton

mohammed buhari

Peter Okwoche

Dr Okei Odumakin

Joy Ogwu

Nigeria Government

African Wildlife Federation

libya government

Abike Dabiri

To sign the petition pls visit

https://www.change.org/p/united-nations-peacekeeping-stop-the-modern-day-slavery-of-migrants-bring-back-our-youths-from-libya/fbog/512202920?recruiter=512202920&fb_authed=1#_=_
Debt is a funny old thing. Its a bit like quicksand. Easy to get intovery hard to get out of.

Just ask China. After resorting to debt growth (AKA credit growth) to get out of the 2008/09 global recession, the Middle Kingdom is having a hard time getting off it.

Often, the only way you can get off anything addictive is via a stint in rehab. In finance or economic terms, that means dealing with a recession.

But China has control of its banking system. This means that, absent an external shock like a sharp US slowdown, it can manage its debt addiction without the rehab.

Even so, the following report and analysis from Reuters must be a little worrying

For years Chinas top officials have touted their ambitious policy priority to wean the worlds second-largest economy off high levels of debt, but there is not much to show for it. On the contrary, a Reuters analysis shows the debt pile at Chinese firms has been climbing in that time, with levels at the end of September growing at the fastest pace in four years. Reuters analysis of 2,146 China listed firms showed their total debt at the end of September jumped 23 percent from a year ago, the highest pace of growth since 2013. The analysis covered three-fifths of the countrys listed firms, but excluded financials, which have seen the brunt of government de-risking and deleveraging efforts so far. The analysis revealed that debt in the real estate sector multiplied the most over last five years, followed by industrials.

Access to debt is no doubt provided by central government decree via the state owned banking system. And the banking system has ample reserves to finance this lending through the large savings of the household sector.

Remember, China runs a large trade surplus with the rest of the world. This translates into a current account surplus of around US$140 billion annually (I extrapolated the first nine months of 2017 of US$106 billion to get that figure).

Thats another way of saying that China produces around US$140 billion worth of goods and services (and net return on foreign investments) more than it consumes. That is, its on track to save US$140 billion this year.

These savings go into the domestic banking system.

Without getting too technical, the point is that Chinas savings form the reserves of the banking system. It is the monetary base from which credit grows.

And when the authorities dictate the pace of this growth, well, who knows how long it can continue?

And thats the problem with trying to work out whats going on in China.

You cant make an assessment by looking at China through a western lens. Yes, debt is high. Yes, debt keeps growing beyond what you think is sustainable or healthy. Yet it keeps growing.

Thats partly because Chinas trade and current account surpluses provide the fuel for the credit fire to keep burning.

To get a better idea of how the Chinese economy is travelling, keep an eye on commodity prices like iron ore and oil. China is the major buyer of these crucial commodities. While their prices remain supported, you know the Chinese economy is doing OK.

Right now, some commodities are suffering thanks to Chinas attempts to control financial speculation. From Reuters

Nickel prices fell nearly 4 per cent, pressured by weakening demand for stainless steel in China, rising Chinese borrowing costs and Beijings regulatory crackdown on risky financing. Chinese stocks fell sharply amid worries that rising borrowing costs will hit company profits and that fresh moves to reduce risks in the asset management industry could hit banks and millions of small investors.

The trick is to distinguish between the effects of a crackdown and something more widespread and worryingsomething outside the control of the authorities.

But the fact is, China and the rest of the worlds economies are chugging along at a decent pace. And commodity prices are still emerging from a long bear market, as you can see in the chart below. It shows the Thompson Reuters CRB commodity index from the peak in 2011.



Source: Optuma

[Click to enlarge]



In other words, there are no obvious signs that China is overheated. The conclusion I would draw here is that the Communist Party is doing a reasonable job in trying to manage Chinas credit bubble.

That doesnt mean China wont run into some serious debt issues in the future. But while its economy grows fast enough to service the debts, it should be OK. And while the economy continues to generate substantial savings, thats a plus too.

Remember a little while ago the big worry about China was capital outflows?

In October, the country recorded its ninth straight month of rising foreign exchange reserves. The capital account saw an inflow of US$60 billion in the first nine months of the year, compared to an outflow of nearly US$390 billion in the same period last year.

Like most other economies, China has its challenges. But its political system is uniquely placed to meet them.

Given this view, Im tipping the commodity bull market will continue into 2018.

Regards,

Greg Canavan,

Editor, Crisis & Opportunity
This is something to watch. The bears are being wound up.

Hugh Hendry, one of Britains highest profile hedge fund managers, is winding down his managed fund amid sustained losses.

The Financial Times reports the long-time permabear is shutting the fund he founded in 2002, after years of losses.

The fund has turned $1.3 billion in assets in April 2013 into just $30.6 million.

This year his hedge fund lost 9.4% in value in the first eight months of this year. That comes after a drop of 4% in 2016.

Hendry put the losses down to the funds substantial risk book becoming strongly correlated with the maelstrom of President Trump and the daily news bombs emanating from the Korean Peninsula.

Too be honest Im not sure what all that means. But to blame the funds poor performance on Kim Jong-un and Trump shows a lack of ownership for the funds poor performance.

Hendry also made some classic calls on China to collapse in 2010, which have never come to pass.

Anyway, Hendry now joins fellow hedge fund permabear Crispin Odey, who managed the feat of turning $12 billion of client monies into $6 billion!

Combined the pair have managed to lose $7 billion in a raging bull market.

Mr Hendry and Odey both came to fame because they got one trade right. 10 years ago, betting against the banks in 2008.

There are real lessons in these stories for your own practical day to day trading.

Hendry and Odey have been finding out what its like when you start trading your own opinions, and not the markets.

Trading their opinions has been a costly exercise for investors in their funds.

Opinions are the last thing you want to bring to the market. Trading is simpler and far less stressful when you just trade the trend of the market.

The trend of all the major stock market indices has been strongly up since the March 2009 low.

Just trade that!

The other lesson that comes to mind, is never stick to or try and justify holding a losing position, like these guys.

You know the stuff you read from the contrarians. Things like, Well its a good company, they have a good product, theyre in a good sector, the market will eventually come around to our view.

That thinking is financial suicide.

Take your stop loss quickly, and move on.

Mr Odey, Mr Hendry and others of their ilk come out with alarmist predictions, dire forecasts and the media laps it up. Theyre presented as sages. But all theyre doing is losing their clients money. And fast.

These are the guys that handle billions in assets, and watch the market full time. They should know a little bit about markets.

Youd think.

But what have they achieved? Nothing. Other than losses.

That might be harsh, but you might expect better performance from people who watch the market full time.

Being contrarian and independent thinking are good things, but so is keeping your capital and making a return on capital. Any return!

Just trade what the market gives you. In other words just trade the trend, be it up or down.

But bringing your opinion to the market and trying to trade that can be a costly exercise. Well it has been for the clients in Odey and Hendrys hedge funds.

Trading markets is easier and far less stressful when you leave your opinions at the door and just trade the chart in front of you.

Regards,

Terence Duffy,

Editor, Money Morning Trader
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Valley Springs, CA  A prisoner that walked away from a work crew in San Joaquin County has Calaveras Sheriffs officials warning residents to Be On The Lookout as the inmate has ties to Valley Springs.

The San Joaquin County Sheriffs (SJSO) office notified neighboring counties of the 27-year-old escapee Corey Hughes after he took off from his work crew along I-5 near a country club around 1:30 p.m. He was housed in the Honor Farm after being sentenced on a weapons charge.

Calaveras County Sheriffs officials want to alert the public that Hughes may be in the Valley Springs area as he has resided there in the past. He has a very distinctive facial tattoo as can be seen in the picture in the image box. Anyone who may have seen Hughes or have information on his whereabouts is asked to call the SJSO dispatch at 209-468-4400.

Ironically, Hughes had a little over two months left on his sentence with his release date being February 6 of next year.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Net Neutrality

The FCCs Attack On Net Neutrality Is Based Entirely On Debunked Lobbyist Garbage Data [TechDirt]. That net neutrality didnt harm sector investment isnt really debatable. Just ask industry executives from Frontier, Comcast, Cablevision, Sprint, AT&T, Sonic and even neutrality public enemy number one, Verizon all of who are on public record telling investors the net neutrality killed sector investment claim simply isnt true. That this concept is a canard is also supported by public SEC filings and earnings reports, as well as the billions being spent on spectrum as these companies rush toward the fifth generation (5G) wireless networks of tomorrow.

The New Sewer Socialists Are Building an Equitable Internet [The Nation]. Chattanooga is widely known by a silicon-tinged moniker that sounds a bit more Santa Clara: Gig City, a reference to the Gig, the citys municipally owned fiber-optic network. Funded in part by a $111 million federal stimulus grant and maintained by the Electric Power Board (EPB), Chattanoogas public electric utility, the Gigs ambitions feel more collectivistand more fundamentalthan the superficial disruption on offer from private-sector techno-utopians.

Trade

The Trump administration took the rare step on Tuesday of self-initiating a trade remedy case against China, launching a pair of investigations that could lead to steep duties on imports of aluminum sheet valued at more than $600 million [Politico]. This strikes me as a bad time to drive the price up tinfoil up.

Politics

2017

Alabama Senate Special Election  Moore vs. Jones [Real Clear Politics]. Moore +2.0. (11/28: Jones +0.8). The pollster, JMC, comments: [T]here are three main takeaways: (1) Roy Moore has regained his lead in the polls; (2) Republicans have similarly regained the lead in the generic ballot test, and (3) allegations of sexual misconduct against Roy Moore have not materially impacted the race. If the polls model of electorate is correct, then, Moore voters are acting exactly like Democrats who support Bill Clinton act: They are saying that their candidates views on policy outweigh personal flaws. Isnt that  within reason  how we want voters to act?

2016 Post Mortem

UPDATE Bernie Sanders nominated for a Grammy [The Hill]. The former presidential candidate and actor Mark Ruffalo were nominated Tuesday in the spoken word category for the audiobook of Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In, Sanderss 2016 tome.

Trump Transition

Tax reform: Trump, Republicans back Democrats ideas to sell tax cut bill [McClatchy]. The Senates big, Republican-authored tax bill is teetering, needing the support of wavering GOP senators. To win the support of the last holdouts, the president and Republican leaders are suggesting sweeteners to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that have the imprimatur of two Senate Democrats. Alexander-Murray, of course! (This is from November 28, so the situation may have changed.) Manchin, Heitkamp wont rule out voting for GOP tax bill [The Hill]. Tennessee Republican [Bob Corker] negotiated a budget deal in September that the tax cuts cannot increase the national debt by more than $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. Now hes concerned about various gimmicks and overly rosy assumptions [incroyable!] in the bill that would almost certainly mean the true impact on the debt is far greater than that. So the retiring senator has been pushing in recent days to include a trigger that would automatically increase taxes down the road if the bill fails to generate the level of economic growth that Republicans leaders keep publicly predicting [WaPo]. Raising taxes in a recession? What could go wrong? Republican voters support for the House GOP tax plan dropped significantly in the past week, from 66% to 59%, per a new Politico/Morning Consult poll [Axios]. The poll found what voters consider the least popular provision in the plan  the Houses proposal to eliminate the state and local tax deduction (SALT) for income taxes (it will remain in place for property taxes up to $10,000). UPDATE Live Coverage of CNN Tax Bill Debate: Sanders & Cantwell vs Cruz & Scott [Progressive Army]. Live blog. Good collective effort by Progressive Army!

Realignment and Legitimacy

It took all of five minutes for Tom Perez to quote Hamilton. The DNC honcho was dispensing his stump speechhe had done about twenty of these events in the last couple weeksto a gaggle of millennials at the DNCs Young Professional Leadership Council Launch [The Baffler]. There were other signs that this was the same bloated corpse of a political racket that had stumbled through the 2016 election amid a steady stream of embarrassing revelations about its top-down, self-dealing managerial ethos. One corner of the bar had been cordoned off with velvet rope, behind which Perez, before he ascended the stage, schmoozed and took selfies with donors of a certain tier. Once he did take the mic, Perez praised his DNC colleague Meng and then for some reason saw fit to tell the room, She knows that the most important title shell have in her life is mom.' (Again, Meng is a member of Congress.) Read the whole thing. I didnt know whether to puke or go blind, as my father used to say. And dont miss the part about The Gyroscope; it reminds me of Baudrillards The Regulon, as described by Adam Gopnik (before he lost his mind). Democrats Missed Their Opportunity [Amy Walter, Cook Political Report]. We are reportedly at a watershed moment on the issue of sexual harassment From an electoral standpoint, this new focus on empowering and energizing women voters should be an opportunity for Democrats Given the lack of immediate consequences for Conyers and Franken, it isnt all that surprising that despite expectations of a flood of accusations, weve seen just a trickle. Democrats had the first shot at breaking new ground.. Imagine if, instead, Democratic leaders stood up and said, this is unacceptable, this is the line in the sand, and these are the consequences. Maybe it would have been public call for resignation or expulsion. Or, a loss of committee assignments. Or, the loss of their pension. Yes, it would be messy. Yes, it might be challenged in court. And, yes it would have caused intra-party friction. But, it would be a shock to the system. It would say to voters that we are able to exceed the low expectations you have set for us. Instead, the system  and the status quo  continue to survive. Strong piece from the level-headed Walter. For example An Anguished Congressional Black Caucus Is Trying To Figure Out What To Do About John Conyers [Buzzfeed]. We all just dont know what to think, said one senior Democrat, who agreed to speak to BuzzFeed News on the condition of anonymity. You dont want to believe anyone just would lie about something like this. But you dont want to believe he would do it, either, because we know him. And its one thing if its Harvey Weinstein, but its another thing when its somebody you know.' Weinstein was a fully paid-up member of the donor class, and enough of an insider to have email exchanges with DNC insiders (Mook wrote back replying to Weinsteins offer to meet up and discuss strategy: Are you kidding? Lets do it! Im here all week. This is all hands on deckits must win! Would tomorrow or Tuesday work?' Hi, Robbie! [waves]). And this senior Democrat didnt know Weinstein? Please. The Blatant Democratic Hypocrisy on Sexual Misconduct [Current Affairs]. Heres something that shouldnt need saying: if you claim to oppose some kind of conduct, but modify your stance on it based on whether the person who is engaging in it is a member of your political party, people will probably not believe that you are very sincere in your convictions. The test for whether youre actually principled is whether you are consistent. If someone condemns George W. Bush for some act, but defends it when Barack Obama does it, they dont really care about the act itself. Likewise, ones response to sexual misconduct by Democrats has to be the same as it would be to sexual misconduct by Republicans. Includes excellent Garrison Keillor takedown, which is sad, because I loved A Prairie Home Companion back in, oh, the early 80s, when Keillors schtick was still bitter, astringent, and uncurdled. Millennial poll: Strong majority want a third political party [NBC]. White millennials, at 75 percent, are most likely to express a desire for a third party, with strong majorities of African Americans (69 percent), Asian Americans (69 percent) and Latinos (64 percent) agreeing. Imagine taking a poll on third parties in the United States in 1853, a year before the Republican Party was founded, based on ascriptive identities like white and black, and not on issues, like Abolition! And imagine doing it with a straight face! This should be interesting: I've been working on this national electoral strategy doc for the last month & I'm looking forward to putting it out soon. pic.twitter.com/YSliIDHdZz  process truster (@LarryWebsite) November 29, 2017 @LarryWebsite in on the DSA National Political Committee, and seems to have done a lot of the on-the-road organizing work for many of the new chapters that emerged in the last year.

Stats Watch

GDP, Q3 2017 (Preliminary): Third-quarter GDP proved even more solid than the first estimate, revised 3 tenths higher in the second estimate to an as-expected 3.3 percent annualized rate [Econoday]. Turning back to inventories, whether builds are actually positive or negative for the outlook are always difficult to assess, but given this years general strength in consumer and business demand, the third-quarter build is probably a positive for the outlook, suggesting that businesses were stocking up for strength ahead including for the holiday shopping season Early expectations for fourth-quarter GDP are once again in the 3 percent range. And but: First revision has the consumer a bit weaker than expected, which means the savings rate isnt quite as weak as initially reported. The savings rate, however, is still unsustainabl[y] weak, meaning either consumer spending falls further or personal income growth reverses its deceleration. The other revisions include an increase in already too high inventories that have already turned negative in Q4, and a smaller trade deficit that is now showing increases in q4 [Mosler Economics]. And: The consumer spending declined, but the real improvement came from fixed investment. I am not a fan of quarter-over-quarter exaggerated method of measuring GDP  but my year-over-year preferred method showed moderate acceleration from last quarter [Econintersect]. And: Residential investment was revised up slightly from -6.0% to -5.1%. This was at the consensus forecast [Calculated Risk]. And: It was no secret that the economic activity was looking stronger in 2017, but now the talk of getting back to 3.0% growth in gross domestic product (GDP) is more of a reality than a theory [247 Wall Street].

Corporate Profits, Q3 2017 (Preliminary): Corporate profits, at an annualized rate of $1.86 trillion in the first estimate for the third quarter, rose 10.0 percent compared to the third quarter of 2016 [Econoday].

Pending Home Sales Index, October 2017: Led by a hurricane bounce in the South, the pending home sales index jumped a much sharper-than-expected 3.5 percent in October which points to continued gains for final sales of existing homes [Econoday]. But: The rolling averages are in negative territory. The data is very noisy and must be averaged to make sense of the situation. There is no signs of a surge in home sales, although the trends are now upward [Econintersect]. And: This was above expectations of a 1.0% increase for this index. Note: Contract signings usually lead sales by about 45 to 60 days, so this would usually be for closed sales in November and December [Calculated Risk].

MBA Mortgage Applications, week of November 24, 2017: Purchase applications for home mortgages rose by a seasonally adjusted 2 percent in the November 24 week, while applications for refinancing declined sharply again, falling 8 percent [Econoday].

Real Estate: [Real estate and logistics services firm CBRE Inc.] analyzed the average size of U.S. warehouses built during the 2002-07 development upswing and compared those figures to the 2012-17 period, when e-commerce took hold in the mainstream. The analysis found that the average facility size increased by 143 percent, to 184,693 square feet, and that the average warehouses clear height rose by 3.7 feet, to 32.3 feet [DC Velocity]. The largest expansions came in metropolitan areas with the big populations coveted by online sellers and the abundant land required by developers.

Real Estate: The concept of self-driving, or autonomous, trucks continues to receive more heightened attention. And that is for a variety of reasons, including the difficulty carriers are having in filling trucks with drivers, an aging workforce for active drivers in the market, as well as the impact of fuel on over all trucking costs, among others [Logistics Management]. This is interesting:

And it outlined what it termed the main consequences of real estate related to autonomous trucking technology, including: lower transport costs, with supply chains needing fewer warehouses, which may lead to fewer but larger warehouses being built in remote locations;

last-mile delivery facilities being crucial elements in the network, switching from diesel to electric, with these facilities needing to be able to receive large, or, semi-automated truck convoys and deploy electric city delivery vehicles. CBRE also said these sites will need to be equipped with extensive battery loading stations;

and all warehouses will need a courtyard that allows automatic maneuvering, accommodating self-driving trucks going to and from facilities

(Assuming we get to Level 5, because thats what autonomous means, which I dont.). But this courtyard. Readers? Whats up with that?

Shipping: A Christmas bonus for carriers as demand for air freight capacity goes crazy' [The Loadstar]. Intense demand for air freight space has led to shippers opting for sea freight as a faster option. Demand has gone crazy said one forwarder, citing a four-to-five-week wait for maindeck capacity from Europe to the US and Mexico. Ive never seen anything like it.'

The Bezzle: The scandal in Japan over faked quality data on industrial suppliers is widening and taking in more transport operations. Toray Industries Inc. says a manufacturing subsidiary falsified information on materials used to strengthen car tires and that irregularities hit shipments sent to at least 13 companies [Wall Street Journal].

The Bezzle: Tesla will charge $150,000 for the Tesla Semi model with a 300-mile range and $180,000 for the model with a 500-mile range, according to the Palo Alto, Calif.-based companys website. Trucks with internal combustion engines typically sell for slightly more than $100,000, so Teslas price tag is expensive but not too terribly crazy, said Doug Rabeneck, director in the operations excellence practice at business and technology consulting firm West Monroe Partners [DC Velocity]. Tesla said today it had increased the deposit required to reserve a Tesla Semi from $5,000 to $20,000. The company also announced it had set a fee of $200,000 to reserve a Founders Series edition of the semi, which represents the full price of that model. Tesla did not define what Founders Series meant, but published reports suggest the name refers to the first 1,000 vehicles to be produced. In other words, the *.0 release, which no sensible person should ever pay full price for.

The Bezzle: Elon Musk, We Have Some Questions Before Ordering Our Tesla Semi (PDF) [Stifel (via DC Velocity)]. This is excellent. Read the whole thing. One question: 3. What assumptions go into the total cost of ownership (TCO) and payback calculations? Not having answers here is a non-starter. Tesla claims a diesel truck will be 20% more expensive to operate than its electric Semi, but the company offers little information to support that claim. Outside of vehicle price, our key questions here are around the assumptions for miles driven and the use case for the vehicle. (Of course, if the real use case is robot trucks.)

The Bezzle: G.M. Unveils Its Driverless Cars, Aiming to Lead the Pack [New York Times]. On Thursday, G.M. will demonstrate its growing fleet of computer-operated, battery-powered Chevrolet Bolts in San Francisco to dozens of investment analysts, who are eager to evaluate the automakers advanced test vehicles. To emphasize the companys progress, Mr. Ammann said the cars would be ready for consumer applications in quarters, not years.' Hmm. GM only started testing robot cars in Manhattan recently, so Id like to know how many quarters. That said, I take GM more seriously than Tesla, let alone Uber, because they actually know something about cars. And I give credit to them for testing in Manhattan, as opposed to sunny Phoenix, with its wide, gridded streets. But Level 5? We shall see.

The Bezzle: A trivial addition to Yvess post this morning on the Uber v. Waymo trial. This is how I saw the industrial espionage moment flash by on the Twitter, live:

Q: Uber had a group dedicated to stealing trade secrets and confidential information from competitors, correct? [extremely long pause] A: I believe thats a hyperbolic way to state something  kate conger (@kateconger) November 28, 2017

[extremely long pause]. So awesome.

The Bezzle: Joseph Stiglitz: Bitcoin is successful only because of its potential for circumvention, lack of oversight. So it seems to me it ought to be outlawed. It doesnt serve any socially useful function [MarketWatch].

Tech: Apple releases a macOS security update to fix huge login security flaw [TechCrunch]. To describe the flaw  calling this a flaw is a bit like calling Fukushima an accident  in macOS High Sierra once more:

On the login screen or in the preference panel, you could bypass all security screens by entering the root username and no password. Multiple persons at TechCrunch tested the flaw and could replicate it effortlessly. After that, you can see everything on the computer even if its not yours. It even works with a screen sharing session. For hackers, its a great way to access your emails, personal data and more.

So, in other words, your Mac had zero factor authentication and was just as vulnerable as the stupidest Internet of Shit toaster or coffee maker or whatever. And this same technical culture is also going to be programming your robot cars and trucks. What could go wrong?

Tech: Watch Snapchats CEO explain the new app design in 60 seconds [Business Insider]. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel: One of the complaints weve heard about social media is that photos and videos from your friends are mixed in with content from publishers and creators and influencers. But your friends arent content  theyre relationships. The redesign separates the two forms of content. Note that this is precisely what Facebook does not do; Facebooks News Feed expresses the idea in UI/UX form that your transactions are friendly and your friends are transactional. (No wonder kids these days think libraries rent books.) So, contra Tech Crunch, I dont think algorithmic personalization of published content is the biggest deal here. Spiegel writes in Axios:

The combination of social and media has yielded incredible business results, but has ultimately undermined our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media. We believe that the best path forward is disentangling the two by providing a personalized content feed based on what you want to watch, not what your friends post. Our thought bubble: Its vitally important that future content feeds are built on top of a human-curated supply of content  rather than just anything that surfaces on the Internet. Curating content in this way will change the social media model and also give us both reliable content and the content we want.

I suppose Spiegel tracks me just as much as Zuck, but Im down to using Facebook for occasional messaging, the experience is so bad. Perhaps I should move on

Five Horsemen: Air hisses out of the Fab Five as the mania rotates to the financial sector. [Hat tip, Jim Haygood].

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 65 Greed (previous close: 64, Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 54 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed. Last updated Nov 29 at 11:49am. Mr. Market thinks the tax bill will pass?

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Little elves:

So I have found the worst thing. pic.twitter.com/aBEenJIgnp  Lydia Nicholas (@LydNicholas) November 28, 2017

Dear Old Blighty

Viagra to be sold without prescription in Britain [France24]. Noted.

Gaia

Moodys Warns Cities to Address Climate Risks or Face Downgrades [Bloomberg]. In its report, Moodys lists six indicators it uses to assess the exposure and overall susceptibility of U.S. states to the physical effects of climate change. They include the share of economic activity that comes from coastal areas, hurricane and extreme-weather damage as a share of the economy, and the share of homes in a flood plain. Based on those overall risks, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi are among the states most at risk from climate change. Moodys didnt identify which cities or municipalities were most exposed.

Guillotine Watch

The 1% have horrible taste:

My friend is showing me pictures of a super upscale sex shop and the amount of empty space is driving me crazy. "Look they're rich they can afford empty space" IT'S TOO MUCH I CAN'T HANDLE IT, IT'S SO MUCH IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK GOOD pic.twitter.com/EhlVO5IHvx  Kayin (@KayinNasaki) November 28, 2017

Class Warfare

Want to Stop Sexual Abuse in the Workplace? Unionize [PortSide]. Harassment occurs at all levels of the economy precisely because its bound up with economic hierarchy. Women (and sometimes men) are targeted because theyre dependent on someone else  be it a boss or customer  for an income, a job, a promotion, a career path, etc. Women in low-wage work also often face retaliation for trying to fight back: not merely the loss of a career, but the loss of a viable income of any form.

BLOOD SUCKERS: CALL CENTER WORKERS BATTLE ABUSIVE CUSTOMERS, MANAGERS, BEDBUGS [digboston]. Abraham Zamcheck had had enough. On Wednesday, Nov 8, the 32-year-old call center representative jumped onto his desk in the offices of downtown Boston security systems firm SimpliSafe and attempted to rally his fellow workers to fight for their rights. This time, it was an infestation in the companys third- and fourth-floor call centers at 294 Washington St in Downtown Crossing. The bed bugs issue, which has reportedly been a problem since April and continues to plague the companys Boston offices, was the tipping point for SimpliSafe workers. Holy moley. Solidarity is the antidote to precarity And bedbugs.

R.I.P. Douglas Oliver:

Restaurant kitchens are full of unsung heroes, obscurity toilers, invisible workers like Douglas Oliver, who died last month. For over three decades, Douglas worked as a pitmaster at Sweatman's Bar-B-Que in Holly Hill, SC. He called himself a "worker ant." pic.twitter.com/esNU0jchLD  Rien Fertel (@rienfertel) November 27, 2017

This tweetstorm is both joyful (I love good food and respect those who make it) and immensely sad.

News of the Wired

Thank You [Your Man for Fun in Rapidan]. A belated link to a Thanksgiving Post (and an example of the sort of small blog that would be utterly disappeared with the Packaged Internet brought about by ending net neutrality).

Internet of Shit:

Holy shit, someone really did it pic.twitter.com/z0v58bGWol  David Weiner (@daweiner) November 9, 2017

So what happens to the dog when the Internet goes down?

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please put it in the subject line. Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (CR):

From Cleveland, OH (though it could be out my kitchen window in Maine).

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the NC fundraiser. So do feel free to use the dropdown and click the hat to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat!
The Uber-Wayo trial, in which the Google unit is suing Uber over the alleged misappropriation of trade secrets in connection with Googles self-driving car initiative, had an explosive day yesterday that put Uber in serious hot water. Uber withheld considerable, critical, and directly relevant evidence from discovery and appears to have engaged in a systematic program of hiding and possibly destroying evidence. It also looks close to certain that some Uber executives, at a minimum its associate general counsel Angela Padilla, perjured themselves in depositions.

These revelations weaken Ubers odds of success in the Waymo trial and have the potential to put Uber in a world of legal hurt on other fronts. It isnt just, as the understandably furious judge, William Alsup, said that he can no longer trust Ubers attorneys and that he has delayed the trial, which was supposed to start next week, to allow Waymo to do more discovery. Its that under the principle of spoilage of evidence, judges in some jurisdictions can instruct juries to assume that the evidence was destroyed or withheld to hide bad conduct. They can also use spoilage to bar some types of evidence from being presented. And thats before you get to the fact that the content of the revelations are damaging and open up new paths of investigation that could be very helpful to Waymo.

To put it more simply: Uber is facing a jury trial. Juries do not like liars. Based just on the information revealed today, it will not be hard to get a jury to see Uber as a pathologically dishonest company.

Specifically, the hearing yesterday also revealed that Uber had a competitive espionage unit that sought to steal trade secrets from competitors. While any large company gathers competitor intelligence, there is a big difference between obtaining public information and misappropriating internal information. Moreover, Uber set up this unit (and one has to wonder if other units were organized along similar lines) on servers separate from Ubers regular servers, making as heavy use as possible of communication services that did not retain message content. Uber astonishingly took the position that nothing on this parallel system was subject to disclosure.

Even more surprisingly, these revelations came about because the US attorney that has an ongoing criminal investigation into Uber tossed a letter of its own, plus a 37-page letter from the attorney for a former Uber employee, Richard Jacobs, to Judge Alsup. It is unheard of for a prosecutor to provide information from a not-completed investigation into a somewhat-related civil trial. The most logical reason is that the US attorney thought the gambit would increase pressure on Uber.

The most complete press report I have read thus far on what happened in court comes from the New York Times, which appears to have had a reporter at the hearing. I have also embedded. Even with what little you can infer, its devastating. But the testimony by the former employee Jacobs was also a stunner.

Jacobs was fired by Uber in April 2017 yet curiously received a $4.5 million settlement which included payouts as a consultant for his help on a supposed ongoing internal investigation. Needless to say, this is a hell of a lot of hush money. It turns out that the 37-page letter from Jacobs attorney to Uber about what Jacobs had learned about Ubers so-called Market Analytics group was what triggered the settlement.

From the Financial Times:

Uber has been accused of operating a sophisticated unit dedicated to stealing trade secrets. Mr Jacobs, who split from Uber earlier this year and reached a confidential settlement with the company, described sophisticated techniques that Uber used to evade current and future legal discovery requests Mr Jacobs said he was aware that an intelligence unit at Uber was implementing encrypted and ephemeral communications intended to both protect and destroy communications that might be considered sensitive, and that employees were instructed to make phone calls or video calls, treating email as a last resort. Mr Jacobs alleged that the legal director for Ubers threat operations team had described the need to protect sensitive information and ensure we didnt create a paper trail that could come back to haunt the company in any potential criminal or civil litigation. He said that devices that could not be tied back to their users were used by the security team to communicate with third party vendors providing information about competitors, without having to store it on Ubers network, as well as information about protest groups and threat actors. Judge Alsup told Ubers lawyer: It turns out that the server is only for the dummies and the real stuff goes on the shadow system . . . You should have come clean with this long ago.

More juicy detail from the New York Times:

In discussions with other Uber employees, Mr. Jacobs testified, he learned of an internal organization that gathered trade secrets, code and other information about its competitors. It was called the marketplace analytics team, according to the letter, which had been redacted by Uber. The group frequented the code-sharing site GitHub, searching for private material that may have been accidentally revealed by competitors. This Uber team also led efforts to evade, impede, obstruct, influence several ongoing lawsuits against Uber, according to the letter. The team also tried to find out what other companies were doing. And in 2016, Uber hired a man named Ed Russo to help recruit employees of competitors to steal trade secrets, according to the letter. This group relied on anonymous servers separate from the rest of the Uber network, and some employees were expected to rely on devices that encrypted or automatically deleted messages after a certain amount of time, Mr. Jacobs testified. Email was a last resort.

Remember that Jacobs is still a consultant to Uber, which also paid for his travel costs to appear at the trial. Quartz describes how Jacobs tried to discredit what his attorney had previously written:

A Waymo attorney asked Jacobs under oath: Your lawyer sent letter that you approved alleging that Market Analytics exists solely to acquire code and trade secrets from competitors, yes? according to McPherson. Jacobs reportedly responded: I disagree with this now. I have no firsthand knowledge. No knowledge at all.

And from the Times:

Mr. Jacobs said this effort focused solely on overseas competitors and that he was not aware of the unit obtaining trade secrets from Waymo or other competitors in the United States. That contradicted an assertion in his letter, which said he was aware that this team had at least stolen trade secrets from Waymo The letter from Mr. Jacobss lawyer, parts of which were read in court, also said three Uber employees had gone to Pittsburgh to instruct the companys autonomous vehicle group, which is testing self-driving cars in the city.

Now why might Jacobs be so eager to say he wasnt on board with what his attorney had written, which clearly had to be based on what Jacobs had told him, and Uber must have recognized as credible, otherwise they never would have made such a hefty payout? As one commentor at ars technica pointed out, Accepting money in exchange for silence and/or perjury related to criminal activity is textbook conspiracy. The New York Times pointed out that the FBI is investigating Ubers conduct in its program to steal drivers from Lyft, and that the systems Jacobs described sounded similar to those used to try to sabotage Lyft.

Contrast Jacobs testimony with this section of Waymos letter about the Jacobs and US attorney letters:

Sure looks like perjury to me. And as you will see from the embedded letter, Waymos attorneys want to re-depose a pretty long list of people, staring with Travis Kalanick, along with other individuals whose names are redacted.

You can see that at spots, the document itemizes discovery requests, presumably ones that it is now clear were not satisfied, with big redacted sections following, and in some cases, phrases like concealing information are exposed.

The implications of these bombshells go beyond shifting the odds of success in this case in favor of Waymo. If the new revelations are firmed up to be facts, they have the potential to open new cans of worms other criminal and civil actions against Uber, and could even provide grounds for re-litigating old cases.

Ubers lawyers are also in hot water. It looks like they withheld information from the court that was required to be disclosed in a big way. Unless they can persuade the court that Uber kept them in the dark, they may face sanctions, which could include disbarment.

Pass the popcorn. Couldnt happen to a more deserving bunch.
The Complicated Legacy Of A Panda Who Was Really Good At Sex FiveThirtyEight. Meet Pan Pan, the genetic Genghis Khan of the modern panda population.

Worlds first smart condom collects intimate data during sex and tells men whether their performance is red-hot or a total flop Metro

Balis fiery volcano could end up temporarily cooling the entire planet Vox

Buick Introduces New Self-Buying Car The Onion

Meghan Markle and the Immigration Rules on marriage Free Movement (Richard Smith)

I cant eat or sleep: the woman threatened with deportation after 50 years in Britain Guardian

Big Brother IS Watching You Watch

DONT TURN BIG DATA INTO A FETISH  IT MISSED TRUMP, BREXIT, DUTERTE SCMP. I dont its the massive collection of data that worries (especially when misused by The Man, as it will inevitably be.)

macOS bug lets you log in as admin with no password required Ars Technica

Why I always travel with a paper map in hand TreeHugger. I do the same. But then, I dont own a smartphone my trusty dumbphone suits me fine. Sadly, Ive heard the skill of mapreading is much in decline among younger people.

Germanys weed killer approval gets a withering response from its EU neighbors Quartz

Health Care

Jack Bogle Now Old Enough Not To Notice Vanguard Going Active Dealbreaker. Is nothing sacred? I guess not when theres a muppet be be fleeced.

Imperial Collapse Watch

Puerto Rico

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Is Dubbed a Repeat Offender and Faces New Wrath from Its Regulator WSJ. Gretchen Morgenson, now at the WSJ.

Sex in Politics Not!

Net Neutrality

New Cold War

Suddenly, Im a Russian Agent! Counterpunch. Mentions both PropOrNot, with shout out to Naked Capitalism.

North Korea

Supreme Court seems reluctant to blow up a key weapon against patent trolls Ars Technica

Tax Reform

Stella McCartney calls for overhaul of incredibly wasteful fashion industry Guardian

Fashion Industry Report: One Truckload of Clothing Is Wasted Per Second EcoWatch (rjs). Hoisted from comments on yesterdays post about fueling power plants by burning fast fashion clothes.

Trump Transition

Clintons understated support from firm hired by Russian nuclear company The Hill. Much detail hidden under a ho hum headline.

Class Warfare

India

Why So Many Economists Are Disillusioned With the Gujarat Model The Wire. Another interesting pieceimportant as Modi seeks to extend this success to India. See also Jayati Ghoshs piece in yesterdays Links. Ivanka is Trump card in dads outreach to India Times of India. Note that Indian press coverage often fawns over powerful foreign guests even when a certain sitting US President openly, notoriously, and disrespectfully chewed gum while on the podium watching the solemn Republic Day parade (Ill leave it to readers to guess who that was.) India Restores Faith in Capitalism Bloomberg

Sports Desk

Syraqistan

Should we fear the rise of drone assassins? Two experts debate The Conversation

Antidote du jour:

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
The Government appears finally to be recognizing how weak its Brexit bargaining position is and how desperately it needs to avoid a no deal outcome. According to the Financial Times, Theresa Mays emissary Olly Robbins capitulated to the EUs demands on the Brexit divorce bill. That has the potential to resolve one of the three issues where the negotiations needed to show sufficient progress for the EU Council to agree to allow the negotiations to move on to discussing the future relationship meaning among other things, trade. From the Financial Times:

According to several diplomats familiar with the talks, the UK would assume EU liabilities worth up to 100bn although net payments, discharged over many decades, could fall to less than half that amount. Prime minister Theresa May is expected to formally present the breakthrough offer next week as part of package deal if agreement can be reached on the other issues of citizen rights and the contentious question of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Note that the story was originally reported at the Telegraph, but the pink paper appears to have independently verified it. However, Reuters got a frostier response:

A British government official said they do not recognize this account of the talks going on ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Theresa May to Brussels this coming Monday.

However, the press reports indicate that Britain has conceded (at least for negotiating purposes, as opposed to domestic messaging) to the EUs position, that the UK had a long list of outstanding EU commitments that needed to be cash settled and the two sides needed to agree on an approach as to how to value them. Heretofore, the UK had effectively taken the position that the EU was demanding a payment for the privilege of exiting, and they were engaged in what amounted to a hostage negotiation. From the Independent:

Sources in Brussels suggested to The Independent that talks have seen the two sides stances begin to align over the methodology for calculating the settlement, with the outcome increasingly acceptable to both sides. No figure has been explicitly agreed upon, but sources in Brussels highlighted that the EU had always been pushing for clarity on how the bill would be drawn up as opposed to an outright number.

Various UK papers are headlining the net value of the UK offer, given the lower value of payments staggered out over time, as between 45 and 55 billion, consistent with the Financial Times summary. This is finally within hailing distance of the net figure the EU had bruited about most often, of 60 billion. And if that 50 billionish net result is net of the UKs EU assets, which are at most 10 billion (5 to 7 billion is a reasonable guesstimate), the two sides may finally be aligned on financial terms.

However, the noises from the EU side seem more cautious, of the progress is being made sort. From Politicos daily European newsletter:

A senior EU diplomat told POLITICOs Jacopo Barigazzi that No agreement has been presented to member states. Agreement has to be on paper, not in papers. We let the negotiators do their work and cant comment [on] rumors. Another senior EU diplomat said its something fed to press that has not been translated yet into a negotiating position.

Mind you, as we and other observers have pointed out, the UK is far from having come to grips with the Irish border conundrum, as we will discuss shortly. Nevertheless, this is a huge climbdown for the Government. Strikingly, it is also at odds with recent press report of hard core Brexiters Boris Johnson and Michael Gove having gotten the upper hand in the seemingly never-ending power struggle in the Tory party and among Mays own ministers over Brexit. And let us not forget that May offered the EU a major concession in her speech in Florence, in which among other things she offered a hard currency payment for the UK to remain in the EU during a transition period. The uproar among the Tory ultras led that offer to look as it if was a deflated trial balloon.

Many Brexiteers seem to be rationalizing this concession as buying a trade deal when it does no such thing. First, theres no reason to believe that the EU has or is willing to budge from its position that the UK needs to pass its three hurdles for both sides to start talkin trade. Yet the Brexiters have talked themselves into the idea that this concession on the settlement total buys them something, in particular a trade pact, as opposed to being a necessary precondition for the talks moving forward. For instance, from the Financial Times:

Mrs May won the backing of her cabinet to break the deadlock in Brexit talks with an increased financial offer, but on the condition it was tied to a good trade agreement. British ministers have made clear that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Ahem, the ministers statement verges on being tautological. Yes, even though the terms are being negotiated sequentially, the talks can fall apart at any time, rendering any understandings reached to date moot. So its peculiar to see them treat an inherent feature as a win.

The Independent may have a better fix on how the diehard Brexit camp is rationalizing this climbdown. And if this line of thought is representative, its another demonstration of the pathology among the ultras:

Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin told The Independent: It better be worth it. It wont be unless they now roll out the red carpet for a Rolls Royce free trade deal.

Second, even if the two sides do reach a completed Brexit deal, it will not included a trade pact. Those agreements are complex and take years to negotiate. Sir Ivan Rogers, who had said in Parliamentary testimony that the UK would not have a trade agreement with the EU before the early-mid 2020s, underscored in a recent speech about how Cameron got to Brexit that a departure deal would only set the parameters of a future trade agreement. From his lecture last week at Hertford College, Oxford:

Political agreements, with high falutin aspirational guff are one thing. Legally binding agreements, treaty changes and trade deal texts are another. All we shall see, at very best, on U.K.-EU trade in 2018 is a political agreement on ambit, not legal texts.

Yet despite the fact that the UK is now more than halfway through the time period between when it voted for Brexit and the current departure date of March 2019, even those members of the British press that are starting to realize that the UK is going to face a world of hurt are still wedded to substantial elements of a deeply flawed, self-contratulatory narrative that is morphing into one of victimhood, with the EU rather than feckless British pols as the bad guy. From the Guardian in Brexit talks: for all Britains bluster, the EU has it over a barrel:

Now it looks as if Boris Johnsons taunt that Brussels could go whistle if it wanted a 60bn divorce settlement appears to have been the prelude to Britain sounding a full retreat. We have yet to discover just how much humble pie will be eaten by the foreign secretary, but early reports on Tuesday night suggest Downing Street has conceded a net bill of 60-65bn (53-58bn), equivalent to the indigestion-inducing gross total of up to 89bn. All the while, the EUs aims for the first phase of exit talks have only hardened. Where once it looked as if Brussels might be willing to temporarily park the requirement for a full agreement on keeping the Irish border open until trade and customs talks began, now Dublin has succeeded in making this the final test of Britains suitability for further talks. Privately, British officials have been telling ministers since July that they are unrealistic to expect the EU 27 will be any more forthcoming over trade, let alone agree to the cake-and-eat-it model of maximum market access and minimal sovereign compromise. Instead, leaked EU papers make clear that the only prize that Britain has bought with its 60-65bn is a stark choice between the low-access trade rights of Canada, or the low-sovereignty vassal state status of Efta members such as Norway.

This passes for informed commentary in the UK. EU leaders said from the morning after Brexit, with one voice, that the UK had to accept the four freedoms if it was to have access to the single market. The UK is insistent upon limiting EU immigration, which is a rejection of one of the four freedoms. That means it can choose only among third country options of the sort depicted as an insult above. This is not news if you have been paying attention. You didnt need leaked documents to hear what the EU was saying from the very outset. Nor is it news that the settlement of the so-called Brexit bill was not buying any concessions from the EU.

By contrast, Richard North was harrumphing about the fuzzy math of the Brexit financial settlement:

Needless to say, both sides are playing games on the financial settlement. Attempts are being made to obscure the size of any final payment  if it is accepted. Rather than a single sum, it appears that a complex payment method will be adopted, that allows for phased payments with no end date fixed and no overall figure published. Payments could continue for decades. Attempts will be made to massage the figure by offsetting the UKs European Investment Bank (EIB) capital, which will be returned to the Treasury, and by delaying payments until they are actually due, such as the RAL commitments and the pensions apportionment. Whether this will overcome the opposition from the ultras remains to be seen, but there will unhappiness at what will doubtless be called underhand dealing. This puts further political pressure on Mrs May but, as always, nothing emerges from the Westminster gossip machine that might suggest she might be deposed.

The Financial Times confirms Norths reading:

Under this model, pensions of EU officials, for instance, could be paid on the basis of annual costs, meaning there will be no final figure for the so-called Brexit bill until the final eligible EU pensioner is dead, many decades from today.

But the fact that the UK and EU have tentative deal on the divorce settlement does not mean that Britain has solved its pressing Brexit problems. Even though the Brexit bill was supposedly a UK red line, the Ireland border is the thorniest. Theres no indication that the UK is any closer to a workable solution. And to quote unnamed UK ministers: nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Update 5:30 AM: Richard Smith sent this optimistic take from the BBCs very well plugged in Robert Peston, via Facebook. Key section:

The full cabinet today approved the UKs negotiating position for the first phase of Brexit negotiations  which the prime minister hopes will lead to agreement from the rest of the EU in just over a fortnight for talks to move on to trade and transition. The three elements to the UKs offer are: 1. a pledge to keep open the border with the Republic of Ireland 2. a formula for the so-called divorce bill that would see the UK paying more than 40bn and less than 60bn in divorce payments 3. a system for guaranteeing the rights of 3m EU migrants resident in the UK that would allow Britains Supreme Court to refer issues up to the European Court of Justice, when it felt unqualified to adjudicate.

Help me. Item 1 is a non-starter. The UK by leaving the EU becomes a third country and as Richard North has described, that creates a hard border with the EU. The UK must subject imports from Ireland to the same border procedures as imports from the EU, or it will fall afoul of WTO anti-discirmination rules. Plus Ireland has made clear it wont accept UK handwaves.

Item 3 will also be unacceptable to the EU. It has held firm to the position that EU citizens must have the right to have access to the ECJ. A system under the control of the UK counts, in which it is entirely conceivable that no cases would ever be referred to the ECJ, isnt going to get a green light.

So what was the Brexit bill capitulation about? It is entirely conceivable that cabinet members are still so badly in denial that they though if they made one big concession, theyd be met more than halfway on the others. Or is it just a cynical ploy to present the Government as having gone the distance to a badly propagandized citizenry and assign blame to the EU for the coming train wreck?
I strongly condemn North Koreas new ballistic missile test. This is a further breach of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions, undermining regional and international security.

Recently, I visited NATOs regional partners, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and together we urged North Korea to refrain from further provocations, and abandon its nuclear and missile programmes. I repeat that call today.

North Korea needs to re-engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community.
(Natural News) President Donald J. Trump campaigned on a pledge to never allow North Korea to develop nuclear weapons or the capability to threaten the U.S. with them.

But after Tuesday Pyongyang appears on the verge of doing both following the successful test of an ICBM that flew longer and farther than previous ballistic missiles the North has launched over the past year.

In short, North Korea is forcing Trumps hand, especially after analysts at the Defense Intelligence Agency estimate that Pyongyang will field a nuclear-capable ICBM sometime next year.

As reported by CNN, Trump told reporters at the White House shortly after Pyongyang launched its missile that the United States will handle the situation in no uncertain terms.

We will take care of it, Trump promised, later adding that North Korea is a situation that we will handle.

Without question, Trump now has no choice.

Seated with the president during a meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Secretary of Defense James Mattis told reporters that the missile involved in the latest test traveled higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken.

Later, Mattis  who has said North Korea cannot hope to defeat the United States  told reporters that Pyongyang now has developed the capability to send a missile everywhere in the world, basically, obviously putting the U.S. in range  and in danger.

At the Pentagon, spokesman U.S. Army Col. Rob Manning III told reporters the North Korean ICBM was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1,000 kilometers before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Economic Exclusion Zone.

He added that the U.S. tracked the missile after it was launched.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies, Manning added.

The launch came just days after Japanese intelligence determined that a launch was imminent. As reported by Forward Observer, earlier this week Japan said its intelligence service believed a launch could come in the next few days, in a forecast that proved to be spot-on. (Related: Pentagon says a ground invasion of North Korea only way to secure nuclear weapons.)

One official in Tokyo said that the Japanese had intercepted radio signals from North Korea indicating that a launch was imminent.

Shortly after Pyongyangs launch, the South Korean military launched a missile of its own, demonstrating at precision strike capability that Seoul could target North Korean launchers and the countrys leadership with ease.

South Korea apparently used this launch to prove it has the ability to hit the Norths mobile missile launchers or leadership targets, Adam Mount, a North Korea expert and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told CNN.

It is a measured and pointed response but also a reminder that the peninsula remains on hair trigger alert, he added. In this situation, provocations or even mistakes could quickly escalate out of control.

In recent days the Russian government has praised the Norths restraint, noting that Pyongyang had not launched any missiles in two months. But Russian diplomats have also warned that the situation on the Korean peninsula could turn apocalyptic as well, and very quickly.

I hope that a common sense, pragmatism and an instinct of self-preservation would prevail among our partners to exclude such negative scenario, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said at an annual conference in South Korea.

It may come to that. Mound says that its become obvious that Pyongyang is more interested in developing what it believes will secure the regime of Kim Jong-un  a nuclear deterrence  than avoiding a possible retaliatory strike.

Todays test proves that Pyongyang still feels able to test at will, he told CNN, adding that it also indicates to the Trump administration that it has to get serious about deterring an atmospheric nuclear test.

He also noted that the 50-minute flight time suggests that this was a major ICBM test possibly in operational settings. He said it should disabuse U.S. officials from thinking military displays, sanctions, or threats are deterring North Korean tests.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

CNN.com

ForwardObserver.com

CBSNews.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
(Natural News) A prominent artificial intelligence expert is warning that facial recognition could make so-called killer robots even more lethal. University of California, Berkeley computer science professor Stuart Russell appears at the end of a short film called Slaughterbots, offering his take on the new wave of AI technology.

The film, which was produced by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, shows a dramatization of the risks to ordinary citizens posed by mini-drones operating with minimal human supervision. The production was screened at a recent international conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that considered whether to formally ban AI-powered autonomous weapons. The unsettling fictionalized footage starts off with a Silicon Valley-style tech product launch and ends with a swarm of palm-sized drones, equipped with explosives and facial recognition capabilities, hunting down and killing college students with shots to the head as they attempt to flee a classroom in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dr. Russell provides the epilogue to the film, the Mirror of London noted, in which he acknowledges that while AI technology can provide enormous benefits to the world, theres a catch.

[A]llowing machines to choose to kill humans will be devastating to our security and freedom  thousands of my fellow researchers agree. We have an opportunity to prevent the future you just saw, but the window to act is closing fast.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly warned that rapidly advancing artificial intelligence could give rise to self-replicating machines that might threaten humanity. Health Ranger Mike Adams, the founding editor of Natural News, has similarly cautioned that once AI technology develops into highly evolved, self-aware, systems, the human race has a big Terminator problem on its hands. Further developments in miniature-drone technology (rather than a supercharged cyborg with big arms and legs) as depicted in Slaughterbots could make the situation even more ominous. (Related: Read more about artificial intelligence at Robotics.news.)

Musk was one of about 100 robotics experts who signed an open letter in August recommending that the U.N. prohibit the use of AI weaponry.

The Human Rights Watch website implies that the Geneva meeting was a missed opportunity to address the killer robot threat. Instead, diplomats apparently decided to kick the can down the road, which politicians tend to do on many issues, with more talks scheduled for next year.

Said an official with Human Rights Watch:

A critical mass of states want to start negotiating new international law to prevent the development of killer robots, but this forum looks unlikely to deliver any time soon. Bold action is needed before technology races ahead and its too late to preemptively ban weapons systems that would make life and death decisions on the battlefield.

Although AI technology has gained currency in military applications, the scenario could become even more dire should autonomous drones (i.e., those operating independent of human oversight) fall into the wrong hands and be deployed in terrorist attacks or aggression by rogue regimes.

As of this writing, Slaughterbots has been viewed nearly 600,000 times on YouTube. Watch it below and draw your own conclusions.

Sources include:

Mirror.co.uk

HRW.org
(Natural News) When we hear experts talking about how global warming is going to destroy our planet in 25 years, its natural to wonder how much of a possibility that really is. Is Earth going to become completely inhabitable and cause all of us to die a miserable death? Theyve got a lot of predictions and projections, and they seem very convincing. However, it is worth keeping in mind that they said the same thing 30 years ago and it never came to pass.

For the last three decades, activists and scientist alike have been sounding the alarm that our planet is on the brink of experiencing a global warming apocalypse. If we dont stop using fossil fuels entirely, they insist that we are destined for a future of doom and gloom.

It would all be very frightening were it not for the fact that we keep hearing this over and over and it has yet to become reality. It has happened so often, in fact, that the Daily Caller recently put together a list of the many occasions on which experts have gotten their doomsday predictions completely wrong.

For example, there was the time 25 years ago when 1,700 scientists signed a letter to warn that society would collapse if pollution and overpopulation werent dealt with immediately. Their group, which now counts 15,000 members among its ranks, has recently issued another warning, and its hard to take them seriously considering how wrong they were the first time around.

In another highly publicized warning, Prince Charles said we had just 96 months to save the planet from an irreversible collapse in terms of climate and ecosystem. That was in July 2009, so some quick math tells us the deadline has come and gone. Were pleased to report that this predicted collapse did not occur, and we feel even better about the warning when we consider the fact that he lobbied lawmakers in the U.K. to institute policies that would help his own investments in a Bermuda sustainable forestry company.

Speaking of expired deadlines, if the group of world leaders who met at the Vatican are as prescient as they seemed to think they are, our last chance to save the planet passed two years ago. Likewise, at a May 2014 meeting with John Kerry, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said we had just 500 days to avoid climate chaos. Once again, the deadline came and passed  is the world now beyond the point of being saved?

Getting it wrong again and again

Some of these predictions merely failed to come to fruition, but others actually predicted the opposite of what happened. For example, environmentalist George Monbiot said in 2002 that within just ten years, the world would have to choose between using arable farming to feed our planets animals or using it to feed the people; doing both would no longer be possible at that point. Interestingly, at the time he wrote that, 930 million people were undernourished; that number has now dropped to 805 million.

In one of the most damning predictions, senior U.N. environmental official Noel Brown said that entire nations would be wiped off the planet by rising sea levels should we fail to reverse global warming before the year 2000 rolled around. That was 17 years ago, and we havent seen the sea swallow up a single nation yet. That hasnt stopped them from continuing to sound the same warning even now.

If that all sounds completely over the top to you, consider this: a cover story that recently appeared in New York magazine actually said that the extreme global warming alarmism that we keep hearing about  and that never pans out  is actually too tepid.

Sources include:

DailyCaller.com

NYPost.com
(Natural News) Its only a matter of time before artificial intelligence finds superiority over humans. As machines become more efficient at computing data and navigating algorithms, as they learn from their experiences and make complex decisions, they will inevitably challenge human thinking and human way of life. But will the advancement of AI lead to the extermination of the human race?

If the technology is used for war purposes, the possibility is high that AI becomes a threat. With super weapons already implementing AI technology, the risks are there. Inventor Elon Musk believes there is a 95 percent chance that artificial intelligence will threaten the survival of human populations. In a presentation to Neuralink employees, Musk said artificial intelligence is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization. Musk advocates very seriously that AI be proactively regulated for safety and that governments catch up on the concepts of AI before the technology overwhelms humans. His firm Neuralink is currently working on an implantable technology that connects the brain directly to computer interfaces. (Related: Russian President warns AI will be the ultimate weapons for world domination.)

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that we cannot be reactive in AI regulation; we must be proactive. Normally the way regulations are set up is when a bunch of bad things happen, theres a public outcry, and after many years a regulatory agency is set up to regulate that industry, he said. It takes forever. That, in the past, has been bad but not something which represented a fundamental risk to the existence of civilization.

Musk sees artificially intelligent super weapons becoming a grave threat. He also mentioned the possibility of computers outsmarting humans by manipulating information and starting wars. Russian weapons firm, Kalashnikov, has already unveiled automatic AI weaponry that can be programmed and learn from its experiences in battle. When these killing machines begin to override human decision making, war between nations will quickly become war between machines and humans. In an effort to stop the machines, humans will only make the machines smarter as they learn from their experiences. For more on the dangers of AI, visit Robotics.News.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Breitbart.com
A Spring Valley woman was killed, and her husband is missing after the couple went on a river outing on the big island of Hawaii over the weekend.

Police said 62-year-old Gladys Novinger fell into the water Saturday while crossing the Wailuku River above Rainbow Falls.

The Novingers were reportedly in Hawaii to visit family in the area.

The wife was found in the pool below the falls and was airlifted to Hilo Medical Center where she died.

The husband, 61-year-old George Novinger, is yet to be found and rescue efforts were suspended due to bad weather.

Heavy rain and flash flooding forced rescuers to suspend their search Monday, and authorities said bad weather is still hampering their efforts on Tuesday.

The Novingers own Vineyard Hacienda in Spring Valley.

Gladys Novinger helped to found the House of Peru, which is in the process of having its own cottage built at the International Cottages in Balboa Park.

George Novinger recently retired as a diplomat for the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service. He also served as the Chairman of the International Cottage Committee and spoke last year to NBC 7 about the group's efforts to expand the International Cottages to include more nine additional nations including Mexico, India, Palestine and Peru.

In that interview, Novinger said the International Cottages are designed to bring nations together, as a place to celebrate the art, food and culture of different countries.

The Rainbow Falls waterfall stands about 80 feet high and is a popular tourist attraction located on the northwest border of Hilo.

With a viewing area just east of the falls, people can walk out onto the rocks and get a close view of the waterfall from above.
A 21-year-old man has been identified as the suspect who is believed to have fired a gun at an elementary school in San Jose early Tuesday, according to police.

Nicholas O'Connor was taken into custody at his home and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail, according to police. He was booked for possessing a firearm in a school zone, shooting a firearm in a school zone, discharging a firearm at an uninhabited building and vandalism.

Officers on Tuesday surrounded Booksin Elementary School, which is located at the corner of Booksin Avenue and Dry Creek Road, after receiving a report of a man firing a gun in the area of the school, according to police.

Police searched the school and the surrounding neighborhood, but they were unable to find the man. Despite coming up empty, officers said the school and the surrounding neighborhood were safe.

Officers later found gunfire damage to a security camera near the school's library as well as damage to a nearby wall. It appears the damage may have come from shotgun rounds.

Police later found a shotgun in a nearby backyard. It is not yet clear if that firearm discovered was the one used in the shooting.

Karen Scherrer, who lives across the street from the school, said she called 911 after waking up to the sound of one gunshot. She then ran toward the campus and saw the man shooting at the security camera.

As she crept closer toward the man, Scherrer said he pointed the gun in her direction. She said she dropped to the ground before moving to a new location on the campus.

While moving, Scherrer said she heard the man shooting again. She and her husband decided to chase after the man, but they were unable to find him.

"I just wanted to give a description," Scherrer said. "I want it to stop. I'm tired of this. My daughter goes here. It's not fair for the kids. It's not fair."

Scherrer said gunshots were also fired at the school about two weeks ago. School district officials believe the gunman who opened fire on Tuesday could be connected to that shooting.

"A lot of parents kept their kids home," Scherrer said. "It's instilling fear in the community. It's not fair for us. I just wanted it to stop."

Booksin Elementary School temporarily suspended outdoor recess on Tuesday, and teachers were asked to keep classroom doors closed throughout the day.

The investigation is ongoing, police said, and anyone with information is asked to contact the San Jose Police Department's Assaults Unit at 408-277-4161.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story indicated, per sources, that the suspect was a minor. It was corrected when NBC Bay Area learned that the suspect is over 18.
A quintuple murder trial began winding down in San Francisco Superior Court Tuesday as a prosecutor told the jury that a 41-year-old man was responsible for the "horrific" slayings of five members of a family in their Ingleside District home in 2012.

"His DNA and his blood were all over the house," Assistant District Attorney Eric Fleming said in his closing argument in the trial of Binh Thai Luc. "He was guilty of wiping out that family."

But defense attorney Mark Goldrosen, while conceding that Luc, of San Francisco, was present in the house at some point, contended "he was not responsible for their deaths."

He told the jury there was no evidence of a motive for Luc or of a robbery, and suggested the murders might have been carried out by gangland-style enforcers.

"Nothing in the evidence would link Mr. Luc to this type of killing. Do not simply rubber-stamp a conviction without evaluating the evidence," Goldrosen urged the jurors.

The case is expected to go to the jury Wednesday following the completion of Goldrosen's closing argument and a prosecution rebuttal.

Luc is a Vietnamese citizen who works as a plumber and was a longtime friend of one of the victims, Vincent Lei, 32.

The trial in the Hall of Justice courtroom of Superior Court Judge Carol Yaggy began on Oct. 10.

The five victims, whose bodies were found in four different areas of the house, were Vincent Lei; his parents, Hua Shun Lei, 65, and Wan Yi Xu, 62; his wife, Chia Huei Chu, 30; and his sister, Ying Xue Lei, 37.

They were slain in the night of March 22-23, 2012, by being bludgeoned and stabbed, possibly with the blunt and claw ends of a hammer, and, in the case of Vincent Lei, strangled.

Fleming said "desperate" efforts were made to destroy and cover up evidence with bleach, Windex and flooding caused by dismantling of plumbing fixtures. As a plumber, Luc would have known how to disconnect the fixtures, Fleming noted.

Luc's blood was found in several places in the house, including inside a drawer of papers, and a fingerprint of his was found on a Windex bottle. Vincent Lei's blood was found on Luc's blue jeans and on the driver's seatbelt in Luc's car, Fleming told the jury.

Fleming said the prosecution doesn't have to prove a motive, but suggested that a motive could have been robbery of cash, which he said may have come from alleged marijuana dealings by some family members.

On the day of the murders, Fleming said, Luc's bank balance was $1.01 and he had recently lost money gambling at Artichoke Joe's casino in San Bruno. A week before the murders, Luc and his mother received a 14-day eviction notice for nonpayment of rent.

But on the night of the murders, Luc gave his mother $1,000 for the rent. When Luc was arrested on March 25, after the location of his phone was traced to the San Mateo motel where he was staying, he was found to be in possession of another $6,500.

The victims' bodies were discovered at about 7:45 a.m. on March 23, when Nicole Lei, another sister of Vincent Lei, stopped by the house so her 12-year-old daughter could pick up an item she needed for school.

The child ran back out of the house, telling her mother, "There are bodies," Fleming said.

The prosecutor said that before calling 911, Nicole Lei called her husband at 7:44 a.m. A teacher at a nearby high school testified that as he was walking on the street at that time, he heard a woman shouting on her phone, "They took the money!"

Goldrosen noted that the phone records showed that Nicole Lei's call to her husband lasted only 11 seconds and said there was no proof that she was the woman heard shouting.

He said Luc had a consistent pattern of keeping his bank balance low and could have been saving up cash from unrecorded winnings at the casino. He said the claim of a robbery was contradicted by the fact that a total of about $3,000 belonging to the victims was left in their wallets and other locations in the house.

The evidence "strongly suggests there was more than one person involved" in the killings, Goldrosen also claimed.

Fleming said, however, that even if another person participated, Luc could still be held responsible for all the murders as an aider and abettor.

"Whether you did the crime by yourself or with someone else, you are still guilty," he said.

Luc, who is being held in pretrial custody without bail, appeared in court Tuesday with two black eyes apparently incurred in jail.

Yaggy told the jurors the injury was "not related to any misconduct with the sheriff's deputies" and said, "You are to give it no consideration."
Jurors ended their fifth day of deliberations Wednesday without reaching a verdict in the murder trial that sparked a national debate over immigration policy.

Legal experts said that deliberations are taking longer than usual for a typical murder trial. They note that the case is complicated by the defendant's claim that the gun that killed Kate Steinle fired accidentally.

Jurors are deciding whether Jose Ines Garcia Zarate meant to shoot Steinle in 2015 or if they believe his claim that the shooting was accidental.

Longtime San Francisco Bay Area defense attorney Dan Horowitz says jurors may be struggling to find a compromise verdict short of murder.

[BAY MC, JG] In Photos: Kate Steinle Trial in San Francisco

"It's a heinous crime, but they may be having trouble deciding he's a monster like Charles Manson," Horowitz said. "On the other hand, none of them can imagine doing what he did. Besides, guns don't go off by themselves."

Jurors have been instructed that they can find Garcia Zarate guilty of murder or manslaughter.

University of California, Berkeley law professor Andrea Roth says the lengthy deliberations may mean the jurors are divided.

"It might have something to do with the Thanksgiving break, which gave jurors time to think, even if they weren't speaking with each other," Roth said. "It might suggest the jurors are polarized or there is at least one holdout for a minority position."

Roth and Horowitz also said all juries are different, and it's difficult to determine why jurors are moving at the pace they are until after the trial.

"Even if five days is on the long side, each jury is different, and it's very hard to draw inferences with any confidence," she said.

The Kate Steinle Murder Trial: Sketches From inside the Courtroom

Steinle was shot dead in July 2015 as she walked with her father on a San Francisco pedestrian pier. Garcia Zarate said he was sitting on the pier when he found a gun under his seat. He said the gun accidentally fired when he picked it up. The bullet ricocheted and fatally struck Steinle in the back.

A U.S. Bureau of Land Management ranger reported the gun stolen from his SUV parked in San Francisco several days before the shooting.

Garcia Zarate had been deported six times previous and was wanted for another deportation when the San Francisco sheriff released him from jail after a local marijuana charge was dropped. He was released despite a request from federal immigration authorities to detain him. San Francisco is a so-called sanctuary city and local law enforcement officials are barred from cooperating with most deportation efforts.

Donald Trump pointed to Steinle's death to support his call to stiffen immigration policies in the country while he campaigned for president.

President Trump has threatened to cut off funding to U.S. cities with similar policies.

Jurors resume deliberating Thursday.
In an area famous for tech, students at one Bay Area university are getting a unique experience by working for America's space agency controlling satellites.

At Santa Clara University, when engineering students Kayleigh Dobson and Leland Taylor sit down to study, it goes way beyond books. They operate in a trailer and in the lab, working on Earth and in space, at the same time.

"We take over, and we do some science experiments," Taylor said about the Mobile Mission Control Lab (MMCL), a 28-foot trailer that also makes the rounds at local grade schools to spur younger students' interest in STEM careers.

Santa Clara University is the only school in the country with a student-centric program that operates government and industry satellites on a professional basis, according to the university.

"I'm a student by day, NASA satellite operator by night," Dobson said.

The satellite, launched from the International Space Station, is about 3 feet by 2 feet and is currently on a health mission, testing E-coli in space.

"When the satellite is overhead, we will send it commands to ask for specific data pages," Dobson said, describing how the students operate.

"All the ground controls, all the operations for the satellite, all visuals, all the programming for it," Taylor added. " We pretty much do everything we can."

And they're running with it, putting the satellite through its paces, gaining valuable health information to help future astronauts; and perhaps even preparing for a future career.

"The first time we got data down from the satellite, I don't think the smile came off my face for hours," Dobson said. "It was the coolest experience."

The program has been around for about a decade at SCU and has seen good results. So far, four former students have left to work for Space-X.
A San Jose teacher says her students have been discriminating against her because of her religion, and her employer, the school district, isn't doing enough to stop it.

The teacher, who grew up in East San Jose, has filed a grievance with the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, claiming she's been repeatedly harassed by Fischer Middle School students over the past seven months because she's Muslim.

The teacher, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons, has worked at the school for five years. She said on Sept. 11, the door of her classroom was spray painted with slurs.

"It was the only classroom that was targeted," she said. "Very hateful words associated with terrorism."

The incident followed six others since April. She said students have called her names because she's Muslim and wears a head scarf.

"I've been called a terrorist, working with ISIS, 'She's going to kill us all,'" the teacher said, describing the other discriminatory incidents.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has reached out to help her with her grievance.

"It can be a great learning experience for everyone, on how we can educate folks to better understand the Muslim community," said Brittney Rezaei, a civil rights attorney.

The school district responded with a statement, saying in part: "Todays negative political climate at the national level continues to poison classrooms throughout our nation. We will never tolerate any behavior that makes either our students or team members feel marginalized."

The teacher said several students were identified and later suspended. Another was moved to a different school.

She hopes for more immediate action.

"It was very traumatic to be in a place, in a safe place, where I work, and a place where I have a deep love for what I do," she said.

A school district spokesman said he could not share what types of discipline the students received.

Here's the full statement from the school district:

"Todays negative political climate at the national level continues to poison classrooms throughout our nation.

"As difficult as these moments may be for our educators, they also present us with the opportunity to engage with our students and utilize these teachable moments to educate our classrooms on the importance of respecting diversity.

"At the Alum Rock Union School District, we will never tolerate any behavior that makes either our students or team members feel marginalized. For that reason, we will always do everything in our power to protect the unity of our school communities."
The National Weather Service is warning people along the coast about large swells that are expected to pound the California shoreline on Wednesday.

Waves are slated to peak anywhere from 10 to 14 feet in some spots throughout the day, according to the NWS.

Aside from the swells, the NWS is also warning the public about sneaker waves and rip currents.

Beaches along the Sonoma County coast all the way south to Monterey County are in the crosshairs for the large swells.
The Hartford community was invited to a forum Tuesday to get to know the person who may become Hartfords next police chief.

Lt. Col. David Rosado was born and raised in Hartford. He graduated from Bulkeley High School and UConn School of Law.

Mayor Luke Bronin said Rosado has a distinguished career in law enforcement and currently oversees field operations for about 700 troopers as the commanding officer of the Office of Field Operations for Connecticut State Police.

Bronin intends to nominate Rosado for the position of police chief. Current Hartford Police Chief James Rovella is set to retire early next year.

The mayor said that during his search for a replacement, Rosados name is the one that kept coming up.

"I think he is committed just as Chief Rovella has been committed and just as Im committed to a culture of accountability and transparency and community engagement," said Bronin. "I think he's somebody who brings a wealth of experience in law enforcement, a deep knowledge of the Hartford community, and a commitment to continuing the work of real, open, transparent community engagement."

Rosado says he plans to focus on serving the city and making sure officers have what they need, and he wants to expand and continue community policing. He says he'd look to enhance technology and make body cameras a priority. He also wants to prioritize diversity within the department at all levels.

"In my family, I have three unsolved homicides. I have four grandsons. The youngest is 18 and the oldest is 27. Every day I worry about them," said Hartford resident Steven Harris.

Harris has lived in the city for 70 years and attended Tuesday night's forum. He says his number one concern is community policing. He wants to make sure the officers who walk the beat are engaged and close to the community they serve.

"Most of the folks I know don't trust the police because most of their interactions aren't good interactions," said Harris.

Residents say the next police chief certainly has a challenging job ahead of them.

"I want whoever the chief is to do well," said Harris.

There will be one more community forum so residents can meet Rosado. It will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30 at The Lyceum at 227 Lawrence Street.

The city council has the final say on whether he will become the next police chief.
Cyber Monday was the largest online sales day ever, bringing in $6.59 billion, according to analysts from Adobe.

The record comes at a perfect combination for many companies: Consumer confidence is up, businesses are trying to prove their online platform, and theres a little bit of desperation from struggling retailers.

As retail disruption continues, companies are making a better-than-ever push to be available to the consumer wherever, and whenever, they want to shop.

Industry experts from Adobe told NBC Connecticut the smartphone has a lot to do with Cyber Mondays record-breaking sales. About one-quarter of the days revenue - $1.59 billion worth - came from shoppers on their mobile device.

Timing, however, hasnt changed much. Despite the seemingly blurred lines between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the week or two before and after, Adobe expert Taylor Schreiner still sees a pattern.

"Consumers will find the best deals on TVs on Black Friday," said Schreiner via phone interview. "Cyber Monday usually brings in the best prices on toys."

Schreiner predicts prices to stay low on electronics, toys and apparel until two weeks into December, before creeping back up for last minute shipping.

He also expects this holiday season will be the first to ever break $100 billion in online sales.
A conservative commentator giving a speech at the University of Connecticut was arrested Tuesday after a fight broke out at a speech titled, "It's OK To Be White."

UConn's College Republicans student group was sponsoring the appearance Tuesday evening by conservative commentator Lucian Wintrich.

Wintrich is the White House correspondent for the right-wing blog Gateway Pundit, which said the talk would be about "identity politics" in today's cultural and political landscape.

The event was controversial from the start and students who spoke to NBC Connecticut said they believed he should never have been allowed to speak on campus.

UConn has said it supports free speech and does not bar speakers on the basis of content.

The College Republicans said flyers advertising the event were torn down or defaced across campus. The speech itself, hosted at Schenker Hall, was constantly interrupted by heated debate.

In a live video feed of the event posted to the UConn College Republicans Facebook page, a woman appears to take something from the podium. Wintrich goes after the woman, grabbing her as she tried to walk away, at which point security and several others rush into the fray. Warning: The video below was a raw, unedited live feed and contains some inappropriate language.

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Darden Livesay, a UConn junior, described what he saw.

There was a girl who came she took the papers and I believe a microphone and she started walking up the stairs. And then Lucian went after her and then tried to put his arms around her and then from there it was just chaos," Livesay said. "Security came and jumped on him, one of the guys from his entourage came and was trying to get security off of him and then tried to get security off him, and they pinned them against the wall and they took him into the back room."

Police quickly stepped in and led Wintrich away. He was charged with breach of peace and later released.

Wintrich took to Twitter early Wednesday to blame UConn students for being "violent and disruptive."

"It's really unfortunate that some of the kids at @UConn felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the leftist media is turning Americans against each other," he wrote. "Tonight proved my point."



Reports that tear gas was dispersed are untrue, according to Reitz. No injuries have been reported.

The whole incident remains under investigation.
One person was sent to a hospital after an 18-wheeler crashed into a bridge over Interstate 30 in East Dallas Wednesday morning, officials say.[[460721973,R]]

According to police, a flatbed rig hauling another truck was heading westbound on I-30 when a portion of the trailer crashed into a support beam for the St. Francis Avenue bridge at about 4 a.m.



Early reports indicated one person was transported to a hospital with undisclosed injuries.

The St. Francis bridge was closed as inspectors investigated the damage. I-30 was reduced to one lane as crews cleared the damage.



Check back for updates on this developing story.


A Denton funeral director wants to provide a proper burial to an Army veteran whose body went unclaimed for weeks after he died.

Andrew DeBerry says it's a matter of doing what's right.

DeBerry received a call from a Denton hospital recently, regarding a man named John, who died in early October. The man's mother has dementia, and the hospital had no luck contacting other family members.

DeBerry Funeral Directors took the man's body, and Andrew DeBerry began investigating. Using military discharge records, he learned the man was a former soldier  a decorated Army veteran who served in Vietnam, earning several medals, including a Purple Heart.

"We've tried to contact some other family members," DeBerry said. "We haven't had any luck with that."

Wishing to honor a veteran, who by all accounts served his country well, DeBerry contacted Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, where the man will be laid to rest Wednesday.

"It's more than this soldier would have gotten," Deberry said. "I think we owe it not only to our veterans. We owe it to each other."

DeBerry still worried that while a funeral would be held for a decorated veteran, no one would show up. So he contacted local veterans groups to see if they could send representatives. He encourages others to attend the funeral, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at DFW National Cemetery.

"Our father, who started this business, always said everyone deserves a respectful and decent funeral," DeBerry said.

DeBerry hopes others feel compelled to pay their respects to let the world know this man will not be forgotten.

"He deserves it," DeBerry said. "He served for us. Who are we to not serve for him?"

MORE: DeBerry Funeral Directors


Police in Tampa, Florida charged a man with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with a series of shooting deaths that authorities had said could be the work of a serial killer.

Acting on a tip, detectives recovered a gun and found the suspect, identified as Howell Emanuel Donaldson III, 24, at the McDonald's restaurant in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood Tuesday, WFLA reported.

"Tonight is the beginning of when justice will be served, and then the process will occur when this individual rots in hell," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said during a Tuesday night press conference.

Police have said they believe the incident is connected to the recent murders in the Seminole Heights neighborhood, although they haven't said why.

BREAKING NEWS: Chief Dugan announced that Howell Donaldson III will face charges in connection with 4 murders in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/MuqAWLRyN9  TampaPD (@TampaPD) November 29, 2017

"We have recovered other firearms before, so we will see, Police Chief Brian Dugan said. Were going to go through this. Were in it for the long haul. Lets see where this leads.

Residents and police had been on edge since Oct. 9, when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death. Two days later, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa, was slain. And on Oct. 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. On Nov. 14, 60-year-old Ronald Felton was killed.

All of the October victims were either getting on or off a city bus, or were at a bus stop when they were shot, police said.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that a McDonald's employee said Donaldson was a fellow co-worker.

The employee said the co-worker handed a manager a gun and left to visit an Amscot. When the co-worker returned, Tampa police were waiting.

Dugan said the department had received more than 5,000 tips. He thanked those who called in the tip that led to Donaldson's arrest.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott praised the effort of Tampa law enforcement, one week after visiting the area.

"As a father and a grandfather, it is unimaginable what the families of these victims are going through. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them, and we will work to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve," Scott wrote in a statement. "In Florida, we have absolutely zero tolerance for this type of evil behavior and anyone responsible will be held to the fullest extent of the law.

CORRECTION (Nov. 29, 2017, 10:07 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this story misspelled Howell Emanuel Donaldson's name.


A woman was rushed to the hospital after her car collided with a Miami-Dade Police vehicle and burst into flames in North Miami early Wednesday, officials said.

The collision happened just before 3 a.m. at the intersection of Northeast 135th Street and Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami, Miami-Dade Police Det. Alvaro Zabaleta said.

Zabaleta said the police vehicle was stopped at a red light when it was hit from behind by the other car.

The officer, identified as a sergeant by Zabaleta, and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled the woman out of her vehicle after it caught fire. She was not conscious and was taken to Aventura Hospital as a trauma alert. Her identity wasn't released and her condition was unknown.

Biscayne Boulevard remained closed between 135th and 127th Streets for nearly five hours before later reopening.

The crash remains under investigation.
Two years after criminal investigators shut down nine corrupt heating oil companies, city lawmakers have declined to vote on a bill to crack down on crooked fuel truck drivers in the future.

The inaction has frustrated current and former investigators at the New York City Business Integrity Commission, known as BIC, who say a rip-off known as oil tank shorting continues to be pervasive.

Dominick Albergo, a lead investigator in the 2015 case, said that without reform, some of the people he put behind bars are likely to come back out and start shorting customers oil tanks again.

I can tell you there are people who are sitting in jail right now that would be happy to come out and buy oil trucks and go right back to the old game, Albergo said.

Ben Sarle, a City Hall spokesman, told the I-Team Mayor de Blasio supports Bill 1268 and wants to see the Council vote on it.

Despite that endorsement - and warnings from law enforcement that drivers are stealing from customers this winter, several key lawmakers told the I-Team they are heeding the concerns of heating oil companies and the union that represents fuel truck drivers  both of whom oppose the reform bill.

"I could bring this to a vote," said Council Member Antonio Reynoso (D-Bushwick), who chairs the Sanitation Committee. I just cant. Right now the parties involved, including the Teamsters, the [oil] industry, council members and myself, and BIC have not come to an agreement as to what this legislation should look like at the end date.

The heating oil reform proposal, known as Bill 1268, would give BIC broad authority to license and regulate fuel truck drivers in much the same way BIC currently monitors truck drivers who cart refuse for one of the citys private garbage haulers.

Dan Brownell, the BIC commissioner, says his agency has been successful in rooting out Mafia influence in the trash industry by doing background investigations on companies and denying licenses to drivers and owners with connections to organized crime. He said similar licensing authority can put a stop to the practice of shorting, where drivers giving building owners a few hundred gallons less than they paid for.

You know it's widespread enough that unless the government steps in and regulates this industry it is not going to stop, said Brownell.

Teamsters Local 553, which represents fuel truck drivers, opposes Bill 1268, largely because the union believes it will cost jobs and lower wages. Demos Demopoulos, Secretary-Treasurer of the union, said he has no tolerance for corruption in the heating oil business, but BIC is not the answer.

Workers in private sanitation have seen their wages decline and irresponsible, non-union companies grow under BIC's watch, and we do not want the same thing to happen here," Demopoulous said in a statement to the I-Team.

Both the Teamsters and the New York Oil Heating Association, a trade group representing heating oil dealers, say a new licensing requirement will drive small and medium oil companies out of business.

Its going to drive up costs, said Rocco Lacertosa, who heads NYOHA. Thats going to be bad for the consumer. Its bad for the company. Its bad for the city."

Though Reynoso, the Committee Chair, has declined to bring Bill 1286 to a vote this year, he says he does support the proposal and just wants more time to build consensus. He pledged to bring the bill to a vote before the end of next winter. The I-Team polled the other four members of the Sanitation Committee, and they all raised the same concerns about Bill 1268 costing jobs.

Even as lawmakers effectively side with the heating oil industry by withholding support for Bill 1268, many of them agree their constituents are likely being ripped off while they consider alternatives.

Its a shame on everybody who is supposed to [provide] oversight, be responsible, and protect New York. And that goes for the Administration and everyone who says that theyve made a commitment to serve New York, said Council Member Andy King (D-Bronx), who opposes the licensing oil truck drivers through BIC.
What to Know Police in Tampa said they will charge a man who was detained with a gun with four counts of murder in connection four shooting deaths

North Korea defied President Trump and the world again by firing another ballistic test missile

Facebook is turning to artificial intelligence to detect if someone might be contemplating suicide

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Tampa Police Make Arrest in Serial Killer Case

Police in Tampa, Florida, said they plan to charge a man who was detained with a gun at a McDonald's with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with a series of shooting deaths that authorities had said could be the work of a serial killer. Acting on a tip, detectives recovered a gun and found the suspect, identified as Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III, 24, at the McDonald's restaurant in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood, WFLA reported. Police have said they believe the incident is connected to the recent murders in the Seminole Heights neighborhood, although they haven't said why. Four people have been found shot to death in recent weeks in the same half-mile area north of downtown.

Prospects Brighter for Tax Overhaul, Success Not Assured

Prospects are suddenly looking brighter for the Republican tax overhaul. But the chances of avoiding a government shutdown? Not so much. Republicans held together and shoved their signature tax overhaul a crucial step ahead as wavering GOP senators showed a growing openness. But its fate remained uncertain, and a planned White House summit aimed at averting a government shutdown was derailed when President Trump savaged top Democrats and declared on Twitter, "I don't see a deal!" Trump lunched with GOP senators at the Capitol and declared it a "love fest," as he had at his previous closed-doors visit. But the day underscored the party's yearlong problem of unifying behind key legislation  even a bill slashing corporate taxes and cutting personal taxes that's a paramount party goal.

Nevada High-Rise Suspected Gunman Dead, Hostage Safe, Authorities Say

A gunman with a hostage opened fire from the eighth floor of a luxury high-rise condominium in Nevada onto the streets below, authorities said. No injuries were reported. The man died after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Reno police Deputy Chief Tom Robinson said. It wasn't immediately clear whether he was killed by police gunfire or his own. No one else, including the hostage, was hurt. The gunman's name has not been released. Robinson described him only as a young adult. The luxury high-rise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed dozens. But there were no reported injuries in the attack as the streets were mostly empty on a cold weeknight.

North Korea Launches ICBM It Claims Can Hit Whole U.S. Mainland

After 2  months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. The North said in a special televised announcement hours after the launch that it had successfully fired what it called the Hwasong-15, a new nuclear-capable ICBM that's "significantly more" powerful than the long-range weapons it's previously tested. Outside governments and analysts backed up the North's claim to a jump in missile capability. A resumption of Pyongyang's torrid testing pace in pursuit of its goal of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can hit the U.S. mainland had been widely expected, but the apparent power and suddenness of the new test still jolted the Korean Peninsula and Washington. The launch at 3:17 a.m. local time and midday in the U.S. capital indicated an effort to perfect the element of surprise and to obtain maximum attention in the United States. In a government statement released through state media, North Korea said the Hwasong-15, the "greatest ICBM," could be armed with a "super-large heavy nuclear warhead" and striking the "whole mainland" of the United States.

Facebook Turns to AI to Help Prevent Suicides

Facebook is turning to artificial intelligence to detect if someone might be contemplating suicide. Facebook already has mechanisms for flagging posts from people thinking about harming themselves. The new feature is intended to detect such posts before anyone reports them. The service will scan posts and live video with a technique called "pattern recognition." For example, comments from friends such as "are you ok?" can indicate suicidal thoughts. Facebook has already been testing the feature in the U.S. and is making it available in most other countries. The European Union is excluded, though; Facebook won't say why. The company is also using AI to prioritize the order that flagged posts are sent to its human moderators so they can quickly alert local authorities.
A hungry would-be thief tried to make a getaway with a handful of cash but instead only got away with a mouthful full doughnuts from a Dunkin' Donuts in Queens earlier in the month, police say.

The would-be thief posed as a customer by ordering doughnuts and handing over cash to the employee at the Jamaica shop back on Nov. 5, according to the NYPD. When the worker opened the register to complete the purchase, the man jumped onto the counter with a knife and tried to take the money, police said.

The employee quickly slammed the register shut before the man could take any cash, officials said. Police say the bearded man who was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and a hat then fled the shop.

NYPD

Video from the shop shows the man's epic fail at robbing the store. The video shows him jump the counter and pull a knife out of nowhere. When he realized he wasnt getting any cash, he grabbed the doughnuts he ordered and ran.

Investigators urge witnesses to call Crime Stoppers with tips that could lead to an arrest.

Top Tri-State News Photos
A convicted war criminal from Croatia swallowed what he said was poison and died Wednesday after a United Nations court in the Netherlands upheld his 20-year sentence for committing crimes against humanity during the Bosnian war of the 1990s.

In a stunning end to the final case at the U.N.'s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, former Croatian general Slobodan Praljak yelled, "I am not a war criminal!" in a courtroom and appeared to drink from a small bottle.

Medical staff at the tribunal in The Hague rushed to Praljak's side before he was taken to a local hospital, where he died, tribunal spokesman Nenad Golcevski told reporters at the court.

The courtroom where the dramatic scene unfolded was sealed off. Presiding Judge Carmel Agius said it was now a "crime scene" and that Dutch police could investigate. Police in The Hague declined to comment on the case.

Dutch police, an ambulance and a firetruck quickly arrived outside the court's headquarters and emergency service workers, some of them wearing helmets and with oxygen tanks on their backs, went into the court shortly after the incident.

Praljak and five other former Bosnian Croat officials were convicted as part of a criminal plan to carve out a Bosnian Croat mini-state inside Bosnia in the early 1990s. All had their guilty verdicts sustained by the U.N.'s war crimes court Wednesday.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic offered condolences to Praljak's family. Praljak's actions reflected the "deep moral injustice" done to the six Bosnian Croats, the prime minister said.

Croatian state TV reported that President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic cut short an official visit to Iceland and the government held an emergency session.

Praljak, 72, had been in the tribunal's custody before the hearing. Poison has not yet been identified as the cause of his death, and it was not clear how he would have gotten access to a lethal substance or managed to smuggle it into the courtroom.

A lawyer who has frequently defended suspects at the war crimes court told The Associated Press it would be easy to bring poison into the court.

Prominent Serbian lawyer Toma Fila said security for lawyers and other court staff "is just like at an airport." Security officers inspect metal objects and confiscate cellphones, but "pills and small quantities of liquids" would not be registered, Fila said.

Praljak was a Bosnian Croat writer and film and theater director turned wartime general. His indictment said he also worked as a professor of philosophy and sociology.

He was found guilty of crimes that included murder, persecution and inhumane treatment as part of the plan to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat territory in Bosnia.

Presiding Judge Carmel Agius overturned some of Praljak's convictions, but upheld others and left his sentence unchanged.

After Praljak heard his 20-year sentence, he swallowed what he told the court was poison. Agius immediately shut down the hearing and cleared the courtroom.

The hearing later resumed and ultimately, all six Croats charged in the case had their sentences, ranging from 25 to 10 years, confirmed.

The other suspects showed no emotion as Agius reconfirmed their sentences for their involvement.

In the past, two Serbs have taken their lives while in the tribunal's custody.

In July 1998, Slavko Dokmanovic, a Croatian Serb charged with in the deaths of over 200 Croat prisoners of war, was found dead in his prison cell in The Hague. Milan Babic, a wartime Serbian leader who was closely cooperating with prosecutors, took his life in a prison tribunal cell in March 2006.

Wednesday's hearing was the final case at the groundbreaking tribunal before it closes its doors next month. The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The appeals judges upheld a key finding that Croatia's late President Franjo Tudjman was a member of the plot to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia. The finding angered Croatian leaders, but was largely overshadowed by Praljak.

The original trial began in April 2006 and provided a reminder of the complex web of ethnic tensions that fueled fighting in Bosnia and underlies frictions in the country even today.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that his country's leadership during the Bosnian war could "in no way be connected with the facts and interpretations" in the appeals judgment.

Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia; Sabina Niksic and Amer Cohadzic in Sarajevo, Bosnia; Eldar Emric in Mostar, Bosnia; and Darko Bandic in Zagreb, Croatia contributed to this report.
Two years ago, an investor scooped up one of the swankiest private streets in San Francisco after its wealthy owners failed to pay property taxes for years, a sale that city leaders reversed Tuesday.

The city's Board of Supervisors voted 7-4 to rescind the 2015 sale of Presidio Terrace to a software manager for $90,000.

By taking up the issue, officials sparked criticism that the city is not as fair and equitable as it claims, but a playground for the rich who don't have to play by the same rules as everyone else. San Francisco has some of the most exorbitant property prices in the country and has become increasingly unaffordable for many people.

But those who live on Presidio Terrace said the city should never have sold their street without properly notifying them. They said the annual tax bills of $14 and auction notice were being sent to an outdated address.

City Treasurer Jose Cisneros says the association representing some three dozen homeowners was responsible for updating its address and should have paid its taxes on time. He backs new owner Tina Lam, a Silicon Valley software manager who bought the street, sidewalks and common areas for $90,000 in 2015.

Lam along with Michael Cheng toured their new property for the first time this year even though they bought it at auction back in 2015. They waited a year until they thought the statute of limitations had run on objections to the sale.

"When were two and a half years out, we didnt expect this would be brought up," Cheng said.

Supervisor Mark Farrell released a statement, saying in part: "As a matter of policy, I am proud of my seven colleagues who voted against allowing these speculators to get away with purchasing a neighborhood street and attempting to extort San Francisco residents that I represent into a quick $1 million payday. I am shocked that four of my colleagues sided with these out-of-town speculators."



The oval-shaped street in upscale Presidio Heights is lined with leafy palms, lush landscaping and multimillion-dollar mansions. Previous residents of the gated neighborhood include U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who wrote a letter that accused the city of bureaucratic bungling.

The issue is unprecedented in San Francisco, although supervisors in other California counties have reversed sales as allowed under state law.

Homeowners learned about the sale earlier this year and petitioned the board for a hearing.

The issue gave at least one supervisor voting pains. Aaron Peskin said he would side with the new owner in a "hot second" if he could because of the way the association has behaved. However, he said that the homeowners make a reasonable argument that government should not take property without better notice.

Still, he was annoyed by Feinstein's letter.

"That was another damning piece of evidence to vote with the buyer, who bought it fair and square," Peskin said.

It marks the second time the association has defaulted, but it won back the street in 1985 after paying up.

Amanda Fried, a spokeswoman for the treasurer, said the group has not paid taxes since 2000, which is as far back as records go. In 2015, the office posted for auction a lot that owed less than $1,000 in back taxes, penalties and other charges.

Fried said the office sent certified notices to nearly 1,500 addresses that properties were being auctioned off and more than half were returned as undeliverable, including for Presidio Terrace. Homeowners say at that point, the treasurer's office was required to do more to notify them that their property was for sale.

"It's a constitutional issue," said Matt Dorsey, spokesman for the homeowners association. "If the process of that sale was constitutionally impermissible, it settles the question. It should not have been sold."

Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with national consumer-rights organization Public Citizen who won a similar case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006, supported the homeowners. The court held that when a notice of a sale is returned undelivered, the government needs to strive further to alert property owners before selling.

Shepard Kopp, attorney for the new owner, argued in a scathing court brief that San Francisco should not give politically connected homeowners an out for failing to do what is expected of every other property owner in the city: pay their taxes on time.

He said the Supreme Court case might not apply because it involved a house and not vacant land. And before the vote, he was confident the supervisors would side with his clients.

"When people learn that this isn't the first time the homeowners association didn't pay taxes and lost title to the street, there's not a whole lot of sympathy for them after that," Kopp said.

NBC Bay Area's Mark Matthews contributed to this report.
A civil suit filed by the family of a woman found bound and hanged in 2011 is moving forward.

Rebecca Zahau's death in a Coronado mansion more than six years ago stunned the community. Her death was ruled a suicide, but Zahau's family has always maintained she did not kill herself.

Her familys attorney plans to present their case in a trial possibly set for February.

On July 13, 2011, Zahau was found hanged at the Spreckel's mansion belonging to her boyfriend Jonah Schacknai. Jonah Shacknai's brother, Adam found her. It happened just a few days after Jonah Shacknai's son, Max, died in an accident at the mansion.

The sheriffs department ruled Zahau's death a suicide, saying Zahua felt responsible for the death of Max. Zahau's family never accepted that, and filed suit.

Theres not a lot of money at the end of the rainbow in this case, said family attorney Keith Greer. The familys goal is to expose the murderer, let the world know their sister daughter is not the kind of person who would do this, hoping that the authorities will prosecute the case.

Greer says he will present experts in handwriting, DNA, fingerprints, blood, an expert at tying knots as well as a forensic pathologist.

We've had a lot of pleadings, a lot of allegations, the complaint has gone though many amendments, said Greer.

One of the amendments was a change in theory. At first, Greer said the evidence would point to Max's mother Dina Shacknai as the killer. That allegation was later dropped when a video from Rady Childrens Hospital showed her at the hospital with her son at the time of death.

Now Greer says his experts will give testimony to show it was Adam Schacknai who killed Rebecca Zahau.

In civil court, its just more likely than not, greater than a coin toss, said Greer referring to the standard of proof needed to be met in a civil case. If you set up the scales of justice and start piling evidence on each side, whichever has a feather more weight is where the victory is.

The information about the expert witnesses was presented in a motion recently filed by Greer. The motion was in response to a request by the attorney for Adam Shacknai to exclude those expert witnesses.

There is no criminal case. The San Diego Sheriffs Department has been adamant, that after a thorough investigation, Zahaus death was ruled a suicide.
A San Diego couple is facing criminal charges in Thailand for posting photos of their exposed backsides in front of Buddhist temples.

The photos were posted on the Instagram page "Traveling Butts" and from there, went viral.

Their house sitter tells NBC7 Joe and Travis DaSilva are in Thailand on their honeymoon one year after they married.

They were scheduled to return to San Diego December 5th but Bangkok police may have changed their plans.

Thailand, is known as the land of smiles, but after the DaSilva's posted these bare backside selfies, few are laughing.

"I was totally shocked I had no idea, neighbor Rick Edgil said.

We showed the couple's next door neighbor Rick Edgil the photos.

Personally I don't think it an international incident but different people have different standards," Edgil said.

The Bangkok Post reports, the DaSilvas were arrested at Don Mueang airport Tuesday night and charged with getting naked in public.

House sitter Nyx Blue, who answered our questions but stayed behind the screen door, says they're innocent.

"They didn't know it was a temple. Its just like a building," Blue said.

Not just any building. The two were standing in front of Wat Arun (Watt Ah-roon) , The Temple of Dawn and Wat Pho (Watt-Poh), home to the golden reclining Buddha. In the land of 10-thousand plus temples, these are considered two of the most holy places.

"Over dramatic to be honest with you. Over simple dramatic thing. A simple butt, Blue said.

The drama is now playing out in online newspaper comments. Some Bangkok Post readers wrote,

"You can die."

and

"There's a gun behind your back."

The Instagram page has been taken down. Blue says bare bottom photos are a gag the DaSilvas pull just about everywhere they travel.

If a picture is worth a thousand words here is what Edgil sees. He is also a retired San Diego police officer.

" I don't want to get involved with law enforcement in any way shape or form So I pretty much toe the line when I travel . It might be a lesson for people."

The house sitter says the DaSilvas are at the moment looking for a lawyer to represent them in court.

The charge doesn't appear to come with all that much of a penalty. Reportedly the maximum penalty is a fine of about 150 dollarA San Diego couple is facing criminal charges in Thailand for posting photos of their exposed backsides in front of Buddhist Temples.

The photos were posted on the Instagram page "Traveling Butts," and went viral from there.

Their San Diego housesitter, Nyx Blue, told NBC 7 that Joe and Travis DaSilva are in Thailand to celebrate their honeymoon, one year after they married.

They were scheduled to return to San Diego on December 5, but Bangkok police may have changed the couple's plans.

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, but after the DaSilvas posted their bare-backside selfies, few are laughing.

"I was totally shocked, I had no idea, neighbor Rick Edgil said after seeing the photos.

Personally I don't think it's an international incident, but different people have different standards," Edgil said.

The Bangkok Post reported the couple was arrested at Don Mueang airport Tuesday night and charged with getting naked in public.

The housesitter who answered NBC 7's questions, but stayed behind the screen door, said they are innocent.

"They didn't know it was a temple. Its just like a building," Blue said.

But not just any building. The two were standing in front of Wat Arun, The Temple of Dawn, and Wat Pho, home to the golden reclining Buddha. In the land of 10-thousand plus temples, these are considered two of the holiest places.

"Overdramatic to be honest with you," Blue said. "Over simple dramatic thing. A simple butt."

However, the drama is now playing out in online newspaper comments. Some Bangkok Post readers wrote, "You can die," and "There's a gun behind your back."

The "Traveling Butts" Instagram page has since been taken down. Blue said bare bottom photos are a gag the DaSilvas pull just about everywhere they travel.

As for Edgil, a retired San Diego police officer, he said people should be more cautious when they travel.

"I don't want to get involved with law enforcement in any way shape or form, so I pretty much toe the line when I travel," said Edgil.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, Edgil said he sees a lesson for people to learn.

The housesitter said the DaSilvas are currently looking for a lawyer to represent them in court.

The DaSilvas reportedly face a maximum penalty of a $150 fine, which may not seem that steep, but it is equivalent to about 4,881 in Thai Baht.
Prosecutors on Tuesday revealed that a wealthy Turkish-Iranian gold trader struck a plea deal to testify about a vast corruption scheme they say reached into the upper levels of the Turkish government  a development that could further strain relations between the United States and one of its key strategic allies.

Reza Zarrab will take the witness stand to detail how he and Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla laundered Iranian oil money in violation of U.S. economic sanctions against Iran, a conspiracy involving bribes and kickbacks to high-level officials, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Denton said in opening statements at Atilla's trial in New York City.

The scheme was "so large that it was protected by government ministers in Turkey and Iran," Denton said.

Zarrab, 34, was arrested last year and jailed before entering a plea to bank fraud, money laundering and other charges in secret on Oct. 26. A charging document unsealed on Tuesday alleged that he met with banking government officials  "including the then-governor of the Central Bank of Iran and the then-finance director of the National Iranian Oil Company"  in 2012 to discuss transferring Iranian natural gas proceeds to a Turkish bank, and that he spoke about paying a bribe to a bank executive.

Zarrab accepted responsibility for "busting sanctions and laundering money" and would "tell the inside story and expose the truth behind all those elaborate lies" told by his onetime co-defendant to cover up the scheme, Denton said.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Victor Rocco attacked the credibility of Zarrab by casting him as an international con man.

Zarab's cooperation agreement was a "deal of a lifetime" that won him his release from a U.S. jail and "shortcut back to his lavish life," Rocco said. The government witness, he added, has been "squirreled away somewhere with FBI agents in some unknown place" while waiting for his turn to testify, which could be as early as Wednesday.

The prosecution in Manhattan has been major news in Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly asked the U.S. to release Zarrab. Turkey's deputy prime minister recently said Zarrab, who is married to Turkish pop star and TV personality Ebru Gundes, was a "hostage" being forced to testify against Turkey's government.

Earlier this year, Zarrab hired former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey in a failed effort to broker a diplomatic end to the case.

On Tuesday, a Turkish prosecutor issued warrants for the detention of two citizens for cooperating with U.S. prosecutors. The move comes amid a crackdown by Erdogan following a 2016 coup attempt he said was orchestrated by Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Several Americans have also been arrested in that crackdown.

Erdogan has demanded that Gulen be handed over to Turkey, perhaps in exchange for detained Americans. Gulen has denied having any role in the coup.

The scheme in the U.S. case was originally uncovered by Turkish police before bribes to top public officials in Turkey led to a purge of Turkish law enforcement that included imprisonment for some investigators. Zarrab had initially been arrested in Turkey in 2013 in the probe that involved several top Erdogan lieutenants and Halkbank, the state bank. Those charges were later dropped.

"While bribes got rid of the case, they could not get rid of the evidence," Denton said, noting there were wiretapped conversations by Zarrab. "They did not see the light of the day, until now, until this trial in New York."

Atilla, 47, a former deputy CEO of Halkbank, was the architect of an effort to dupe U.S. banks into letting Iran move money around the world and blow "a billion-dollar hole in the U.S. economic sanctions," Denton said.

Rocco countered by saying the real mastermind was Zarrab, a dual citizen of Turkey and Iran who made hundreds of millions of dollars he used to buy jets and yachts and people."

Zarrab is "a liar, a cheat, a corrupter of men ... a one-man crime wave," he said.

By contrast, his client "is not corrupt," he told the jury. "He took no bribes. He is a hard-working person like all of you."
As new allegations of sexual harassment surface on Capitol Hill, the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to take its first step to try to stop the misconduct in the future.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., is taking a leading role in pushing for more reforms. While her Democratic critics have often complained she sidesteps controversial issues, Comstock has stepped squarely into the spotlight on the issue of sexual harassment, saying she wont rest until "we take out all the trash on Capitol Hill.

Comstock shared what a victim had disclosed to one of Comstock's friends.

This member asked a staffer to bring him over some materials to their residence and was greeted by the member in a towel, Comstock told a House committee on Nov. 14. It was a man, who then invited her in. At that point, he decided to expose himself.

Since then, Comstock has been leading the way in a bi-partisan push for reform, going on national shows like Meet the Press, to talk about the uncomfortable issue that faces Congress.

I think this is a watershed moment where we really are going to fundamentally change things, Comstock said. Its important that whatever bad apples are here, they move along.

On Wednesday, the House takes up a resolution co-sponsored by Comstock that mandates all interns, staff, and members undergo mandatory training aimed at preventing sexual harassment and discrimination. Comstock said she won't stop there. She wants major reforms in the office that's helped negotiate secret sexual harassment settlements.

As a Republican in a swing district that's turning increasingly blue, Comstock is preparing for a tough re-election battle next year. She rejected the suggestion from critics who said she's seizing the spotlight for political gain.

Political analyst Mark Rozell said her high profile on this issue could help her in 2018.

It is an important moment, politically, for her, and it does enable her to showcase herself as being able to take a position right on an issue that may harm some members of her own party, ultimately, Rozell said.

Comstock said she doesn't know the identity of the House member in the towel who exposed himself to the staffer. However, she did let her friend know that if the victim wants to come forward to tell her story, she stands ready to help.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians throughout the D.C. area should be extra careful to follow traffic laws in the coming week -- for their personal safety and their wallets.

Through Dec. 3 or later, police say they will ticket more drivers who fail to yield and pedestrians who jaywalk.

Tickets for traffic violations like jaywalking or failing to yield could cost you between $40 and $500 or points against your drivers license, officials say.

When Montgomery County police staked out an area on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda Tuesday, they gave drivers at least 26 warnings and 49 tickets.

They also warned pedestrians to stop jaywalking.

In that county, 8 pedestrians were killed in accidents last year. This year, 9 pedesterians have been killed so far. The increased enforcement will last through Dec. 9 in that county.

Officials hope strictly enforcing traffic laws will curb the usual spike in pedestrian-involved crashes that occur when days get shorter in winter.

The crackdown is the newest effort from Street Smart, a program sponsored by D.C., Maryland and Virginia governments to help cyclists and pedestrians stay safe.

Last year, 67 pedestrians and 10 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes, the group says.

Officials also released these tips to help drivers, cyclists and pedestrians stay safe this season:

If youre driving

Slow down and obey the speed limit.

Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks.

Be careful when passing buses or stopped vehicles.

When turning, yield to people walking and biking.

Look for bicyclists before opening your door.

Allow at least three feet when passing bikes.

Avoid using your cell phone and never text while driving.

If youre walking

Cross the street at the corner and use marked crosswalks when theyre available.

Use the push buttons.

Wait for the walk signal to cross the street.

Watch for turning vehicles.

Before crossing, look left, right, and left again.

Be visible. Wear something light or reflective after dark.

Watch out for blind spots around trucks and buses.

Avoid using your cell phone while youre crossing the street.

On an off-street trail, obey all posted signage and approach intersections with caution.

If youre biking
The University of Maryland announced a list of new protocols to handle hate crimes and racism on campus.

The new rules come after high profile incidents on the campus this year, included the stabbing death of a Bowie State University student, a noose found in a fraternity house, and at least three incidents of swastikas scribbled inside a restroom.

Dr. Roger Worthington, the chief diversity officer at the University of Maryland, said the new plan streamlines communications and reporting incidents to campus police.

We've seen a rise of incidents across the country of hate and bias, Worthington said. He said a hate bias response coordinator is being hired to lead a team of professionals to make sure that we have the proper preventative, medication training and response efforts anytime an incident takes place on our campus.

In May during final exams, Richard Collins, a visiting Bowie State student, was stabbed to death while waiting at a bus stop on the College Park campus. He was three days from graduating as a second lieutenant.

Sean Urbanski, a University of Maryland student, is charged with murder and a hate crime in the stabbing death. UMd. students believe the university didn't take strong enough action after the stabbing. They are making a documentary about the aftermath of Collins death.

It's being made to bring to light being a minority on this campus, said Brieion Goodson, one of the producers of the documentary. Lt. Collins was stabbed on campus just for being black. No other reason but just for being black. Being himself.

These is a historical contact for this crime, especially on this campus, said Kristian Simon, another documentary producer. This campus has had a history of racism. A lot of acts that led up to this incident.

The university hopes the new initiatives to combat hate and bias send a clear message to the campus community.

I think students need to understand that university is working very hard to make sure that this is the safest and most welcoming place that we can make it, Worthington said.
A federal court jury found a Libyan man guilty Tuesday of playing a role in the deadly 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. government compound in Benghazi, Libya.

But he was acquitted of charges that his actions killed four Americans, NBC News reports.

Five years after the raid that killed a U.S. ambassador, Ahmed Abu Khatallah was found guilty of helping to plan and carry it out. It is the first conviction to stem from the deadly raid.

Prosecutors said Khatallah was among 20 people who stormed the U.S. mission with machine guns and grenade launchers, set it on fire and later attacked an annex, killing U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans: Glen Doherty, Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods.

But in a big setback to prosecutors, the jury found Khatallah not guilty on charges that his actions led to the deaths of the Americans. Of 18 counts in the federal indictment, he was convicted of four: destroying U.S. government property, discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and two counts of providing support to a terror organization.


President Donald Trump's visit Wednesday to Missouri to promote a GOP tax plan may be less about winning Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill's support than boosting her opponent.

Trump, who called on McCaskill to vote for the tax plan earlier this year, lent his support to Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley's bid to unseat the vulnerable Democratic lawmaker, since McCaskill has refused to come on board.

Trump recognized Hawley from the stage as he returned to Missouri to try to push the tax plan across the finish line.

"He's going to be a great senator," Trump said, adding that Hawley "wants to see a major tax cut" while McCaskill "wants your taxes to go up."

"I said, 'Josh when you're ready, you have my word, I'm going to come here and campaign with you,'" Trump said.

McCaskill, a top Republican target in the 2018 midterm elections, voted against the GOP proposal in committee earlier this month, and is expected to vote against it when the full Senate takes up the measure.

In his speech in the St. Louis suburbs, Trump made a populist appeal for the Republican tax package, saying it would "bring Main Street rolling back."

"A vote to cut taxes is a vote to put America first again," Trump said in St. Charles.

But while the White House says the plan will be a boon to middle-income families by helping small-business owners and workers, sparking economic growth and simplifying the tax code, critics say both the House and Senate versions will disproportionately help the wealthy and corporations.

The visit marks Trump's second to the state to sell his plan. During his trip to Springfield in August, Trump pledged the plan would "bring back Main Street."

The trip comes a day after the Senate Finance Committee advanced a sweeping tax package to the full Senate, handing Republican leaders a victory as they try to pass the nation's first tax overhaul in 31 years. But the bill still faces hurdles in the Senate, where Republicans have just two votes to spare in their 52-48 edge over Democrats.

McCaskill is among 10 Senate Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in states won by Trump and is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents. She was among 45 Senate Democrats who in August sent a letter to Republican leaders and Trump saying they won't support any GOP effort to overhaul the tax system that delivers cuts to the top 1 percent or adds to the government's $20 trillion debt.

Trump said in August that if McCaskill didn't support his plan, voters should push her out of office.

"We must lower our taxes, and your senator, Claire McCaskill, she must do this for you. And if she doesn't do it for you, you have got to vote her out of office," Trump said then.

Several hundred Trump opponents and about 100 Trump supporters gathered outside the St. Charles convention center as the president spoke, holding signs and chanting competing slogans.
North Koreas latest ballistic missile test has raised serious concerns about that countrys nuclear capabilities.

"It sounds almost like science fiction for a tiny impoverished country like North Korea to credibly threaten to nuke Boston or New York City or Washington, D.C., but they are on the cusp of attaining that capability," said Tufts Fletcher School Professor Sung-Yoon Lee.

Experts say it was the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile Kim Jong Un has launched, traveling higher and further than ever before.

Professor Lee says with the Winter Olympics hosted by South Korea quickly approaching, he believes North Korea will use that opportunity to try to get the U.S. and its allies to at least discuss loosening sanctions.

"But before North Korea gets to that point of making a peace overture, North Korea has to raise the stakes even more and I believe a major hydrogen bomb nuclear test is coming in the next few weeks," said Professor Lee.

"Theres tremendous opportunity for miscalculation on both parts, both parties," said Pete Wolcott of Maynard, who recently traveled to South Korea and sees this as a very serious crisis.

"Its scary calculous to have to make if youre a leader thats for sure," said Wolcott.

Others are increasingly worried about North Koreas capabilities and how the United States response could be interpreted.

"Everyone gets pretty upset and concerned about the future and you know, if theres going to be a war," Graziela Tridapalli of Cambridge said.

Professor Lee says he thinks its "unlikely" North Korea will fire a nuclear missile at the U.S., but he believes North Korea will continue to do tests to try to scare the U.S. into giving them what they want.
The former owner of a Portland, Maine, market is scheduled to plead guilty to charges of conspiring to defraud the federal government.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has reached an agreement with 40-year-old Ali Ratib Daham, and he will plead guilty to three counts Tuesday. Federal officials will dismiss 22 of his 25 counts, but he still faces up to 20 years in prison for the remaining charges.

As a result of the guilty plea, Daham could also be deported from the country.

Daham's attorney confirmed Monday he plans to plead guilty.

Portland police say that between 2011 and 2016 Daham and his brother transferred millions from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) into a private account.

His younger brother faces similar charges and is expected in court next year.
A prominent voice in Vermont law enforcement is calling for the creation of supervised injection facilities, where IV drug users could inject heroin or other substances under the watchful eyes of medical professionals.

Keep an open mind, urged Chittenden County States Attorney Sarah George in announcing her support for the concept of supervised injection sites.

George made the announcement Wednesday, flanked by members of a study commission including human services providers, law enforcement, and medical experts who studied the issue for several months.

George said she and the committee are confident such sites would not encourage more drug use, and believe they would reduce the risk for deadly overdoses.

This was not so much a question of whether we should do this, but a question of when, George said.

One possible site that could house an injection site may be the Howard Centers Safe Recovery facility in Burlington.

Safe Recovery already operates a busy needle exchange program, and provides overdose-reversal kits and referrals for addiction treatment. Staff has also seen a spike in clients dying during the fentanyl epidemic, said director Grace Keller.

Our clients are terrified, they want helpthey want to stay alive, Keller said, noting that a survey found many Safe Recovery clients would take advantage of a supervised injection facility if one were established in Burlington.

According to numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, 106 people died in the state in 2016 from opioid overdoses. Experts on the front lines of the opioid addiction crisis have said they expect the number from this year to be similar.

While supervised injection centers do exist around the world, and as close as Montreal, George acknowledged that the notion is provocative and would take a lot of work to set up.

A prime area where the prosecutor said she would want to see safeguards is to find methods to ensure clients are not endangering the public by driving from a facility if they recently consumed drugs.

George and other members of the study commission said they wants to see the Vermont Legislature pass a bill to allow communities to establish these injection sites.

These have proven to save lives, and I think importantly, proven to be almost a half-step for people who arent quite ready to get treatment, said Sen. Chris Pearson, P/D-Chittenden County, who supports safer injection sites.

I think there could be other strategies more effective than this, and I think that it has the potential to create a huge controversy where we dont need one, countered Rep. Kurt Wright, R-Burlington, who added he still wants to study the topic more.

Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Tom Anderson emailed Vermont news organizations a statement on these sites, saying, in part: The better strategy is for Vermont to focus its limited resources on preventing the use of opioids and heroin in the first place, treating those who seek and want treatment for this disease, and supporting those in recovery. Facilitating the ongoing use of heroin through [supervised injection facilities] sends the wrong message, at the wrong time, to the wrong people.

The Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police also said in a statement it cannot support the idea right now.

This is a complex issue that deserves extensive research and consideration, Chief Jennifer Morrison of the Colchester Police Department wrote on behalf of the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police. The report issued by the Supervised Injection Facility Commission should be reviewed and considered by the [Governors Opioid Coordination Council].

However, University of Vermont Police Services Chief Lianne Tuomey did voice her support for the concept of supervised injection sites.

First responders would benefit by not having to come across or respond to these overdoses in uncontrolled environments, Tuomey said. Needle sticks, the current powdery substances that are mixed in with heroincarfentanil, fentanylendanger all the first responders, as well. So this really is a broad-reaching, thoughtful approach to improving public safety for everyone.

States Attorney George stressed that supervised injection is not the only answer and cant save every life, but she said it absolutely should be considered at the highest levels to give more people a chance at recovery.
IDG

Hyperconvergence is on a roll.

Enterprises are shifting storage investments from legacy architectures to software-defined systems in an effort to achieve greater agility, easier provisioning and lower administrative costs. Hyperconverged systems  which combine storage, compute and network functionality in a single virtualized solution  are on their radars.

Enterprise interest in hyperconverged systems as potential replacements for legacy SAN and NAS storage systems has in turn inspired major storage vendors to make hyperconvergence plays of their own, acquiring startups and building out their offerings.

All that attention has made an impact: The largest segment of software-defined storage is hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), which boasts a five-year CAGR of 26.6% and revenues that are forecast to hit $7.15 billion in 2021, according to research firm IDC.

HCI is the fastest growing market of all the multi-billion-dollar storage segments, says Eric Burgener, research director for storage at IDC.

The hype behind hyperconvergence

Hyperconverged platforms include a hypervisor for virtualized computing, software-defined storage, and virtualized networking, and they typically run on standard off-the-shelf servers. Multiple nodes can be clustered to create pools of shared compute and storage resources, designed for convenient consumption; companies can start small and grow resources as needed. The use of commodity hardware, supported by a single vendor, yields an infrastructure that's designed to be more flexible and simpler to manage than traditional enterprise storage infrastructure.

Ease of expansion is a key driver of HCI adoption. When your business grows and its time to expand, you just buy an x86 server with some additional storage in it, you connect it to the rest of the hyperconverged infrastructure, and the software handles all of the load balancing," Burgener says. "Its very easy to do that, and its a single purchase.

HCI systems were initially targeted at virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and other general-purpose workloads with fairly predictable resource requirements. Over time theyve grown from being specialty solutions for VDI into generally scalable platforms for databases, commercial applications, collaboration, file and print services, and more.

Small and midsize enterprises have driven most of the adoption of hyperconverged systems, but that may be changing as the technology matures. One development thats getting the attention of large enterprises is the ability to independently scale the compute and storage capacity, Burgener says.

One of the disadvantages of hyperconverged infrastructure, because you buy it all as a single node, is that you really cant adjust the amount of performance you need versus the amount of capacity, he says. If theres a performance mismatch, its often not relevant in a smaller environment. But in a large environment, a company might wind up spending a lot more on the processing component that it didnt want, just to get the capacity that it needs.

The solution is to allow companies to shift their HCI deployment to a disaggregated model, without having to do a data migration, as workloads require it.

In larger environments, its very attractive to be able to independently scale the compute and storage capacity, Burgener say. With a disaggregated model, if you have a workload that needs a lot more storage but doesnt need a lot more performance, then you dont end up paying for CPUs to get the storage capacity that you need.

One of things youre going to see from vendors in 2018 is that they will allow customers to configure their hyperconverged plays either as a true hyperconverged model or as a disaggregated storage model, he says. As customers grow larger, they dont want to lose those guys.

NVMe over fabrics

A second big development in the HCI world is the ability to create a hyperconverged solution using NVMe over fabrics. Most HCI systems today connect the cluster nodes over Ethernet, which creates a data locality issue as enterprises try to grow their HCI environments. This is one reason why people dont buy hyperconverged: When the data set is too big to fit in a single node, and you have to go out to another node to access data, that introduces pretty significant latency, Burgener says.

Looking ahead, the low latency and high throughput of NVMe over fabrics could vastly improve that issue.

If you can start to attach HCI nodes over NVMe over fabric, and use RDMA  remote direct memory access  now youre talking about maybe a 5-microsecond latency differential between whether the data is in the same node or has to go talk to another node. And in the big scheme of things, 5 microseconds is nothing, Burgener says.

NVMe connections could alleviate concerns about data locality issues, assuming everything is sitting within the same campus environment. Addressing those latency concerns will open the use of hyperconverged to larger data set workloads  which will be a draw for larger companies, he says.

Two of the reasons why [large enterprises] didnt like to buy HCI in the past are now being addressed with this disaggregated option and NVMe over fabric, which means the larger data set environments could actually be run on this architecture more effectively.
IDG

Earlier this year, Pure Storage announced Charlie Giancarlo as CEO. Prior to leading Pure Storage, Giancarlo was a managing director and senior advisor at Silver Lake Partners.

If Giancarlo's name is familiar to you, it should because he held a number of executive positions at Cisco, including chief technology officer and chief development officer, which is where I got to know him. Many people, myself included, consider Giancarlo one of the masterminds behind Ciscos meteoric rise, as he was one of the architects that moved the company into new markets, such as ethernet switching, VoIP, Wi-Fi and TelePresence.

Also on Network World: Get ready for new storage technologies and media

The one thing I always found impressive about Giancarlo is that we could be discussing the latest business and stock market trends and then a few minutes later transition into how the silicon inside a router was designed and the technical differentiation it creates.

Given Giancarlo's technical and business acumen, I was delighted to talk with him about why he decided to assume the role of head honcho at Pure Storage and what he sees coming up in the storage industry.

---------------------------------------------

Cisco has always been masterful at identifying market transitions, and you were a big part of building that culture. Is there a market transition coming in storage that creates an opportunity for share gain? If so, whats causing it?

Giancarlo: Thats an interesting question. If you had asked me at the beginning of 2017 if I would join a storage company, I would have said probably not. I was caught up in the conventional wisdom that the storage industry had reached its zenith, would soon be in decline and there was no room for differentiation. This meant the only way to compete would be through open-source or low-cost software on white box arrays.

If you look at the big dogs in the industry, such as IBM, Dell-EMC and HPE, the storage businesses at these companies are in decline and their strategies have been to reduce expenses and control costs. Large tech mergers are taking place, not for innovation but for cost reduction to compete better in an undifferentiated market.

As I dug in deeper, though, I realized that this was the opportunity for Pure Storage. My fundamental belief is that compute is a three-legged stool made up of processors, network and storage. If two of these accelerate, it creates an opportunity for the third. Network speeds are now at 40 and 100 Gig-E, NVMe is coming, and processing speeds have gone through the roof with the rise of multi-core CPUs, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and cloud-scale data centers. This means storage has become the bottleneck. Magnetic disks cant keep up at these speeds, and this creates an opportunity for flash storage.

Whats driving the need for faster networks, processors and storage?

Giancarlo: Well, there are a couple of different factors, and Ill describe these as new use cases and traditional ones.

First, lets look at new use cases. There are a bunch of things going on in data centers today that werent a factor even a couple of years ago. This includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, video processing and analytics. These only perform as well as the performance of the lowest-common-denominator in the underlying infrastructure. With advanced Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU-based applications, the goal should be to keep the massively parallel CPU busy so there are no idle cycles. Being able to keep the parallel processors fed means having an active data store that allows multiple groups to access the data at the same time. Magnetic disks arent fast enough to keep up, but flash is. Furthermore, legacy storage solutions that were designed for magnetic disk cannot deliver the speed that flash can provide without degrading flash performance.

Also on Network World: IT managers critique enterprise flash-storage products

Looking at more traditional standard applications (things like Oracle databases, ERP systems and others), there are several reasons why customers are looking at flash to replace magnetic hard drives beyond just the raw performance advantage. Its common today for databases on disk to be copied many times to ensure performance: copies for multiple users, copies for test/dev, copies for analytics, and copies for protection. Pures all-flash solution allows all these copies to be consolidated (and de-duped) on a single system. By coupling the performance of flash with our flexible software for snapshots, a single all-flash array can reduce all these wasted instances and make application development more agile, since developers can work off of the most recent version of production data.

There is a third use case for flash thats still emerging, and thats its use for large-scale unstructured data storage, such as big data, IoT information, and even backup. There is a Moores Law for flash where the price curve is declining quickly. The curve for magnetic is declining, as well, but flash is falling faster. Right now, its cheaper to store unstructured data on magnetic, but once flash drops another 50 percent, I believe there will be significant competition for flash versus magnetic in that market. Magnetic is a bottleneck as the world moves to real-time analytics  creating lots of opportunities for flash to enable new applications in the analytics space.

When do you see this cross-over happening?

Giancarlo: My prediction is that we will see a 50 percent decline in flash pricing in about three years and a 75 percent decline in six years. It could happen faster, as its also dependent on when magnetic storage stops declining. All of the storage vendors understand the future is flash, and that will limit the investments made in magnetic. Once magnetic investment curtails, the historical price declines we have seen over the last 40 years will end. The logarithmic curves we have seen on price performance are based on investment, not physics, and investment today is in flash.

My prediction is that we will see a 50 percent decline in flash pricing in about three years and a 75 percent decline in six years."

But the important thing to realize is that flash doesnt actually have to be cheaper than magnetic disk for the full transition to happen  it just has to be cheap enough for folks to be able to justify the conversion in terms of saving power, space, cooling, and manpower, and for folks to understand the business upside in moving to flash. ... That ROI equation already works for the vast majority of important business applications today, and we think the pivot for unstructured data applications will happen much faster than people anticipate.

What about the public cloud? Do you buy into the theory that the public cloud obviates the need for any kind of private data center?

Giancarlo: That may be true for some small businesses, but for enterprise-class companies, there are a few factors that work against that thesis. The first is that regulatory issues make public cloud problematic. Businesses need to worry about constantly changing data privacy and data sovereignty issues, and that is much easier to handle in their own infrastructure. Also, theres a cost issue. For businesses that can afford their own IT staff, the public cloud is much more expensive.

I think CIOs today have matured significantly in their understanding of how best to use the public cloud. I dont see very much its either all on-prem or all public cloud thinking anymore  rather folks realize that both are different tools for different applications. One thing that has changed, however, is that CIOs have realized they need to run their on-prem infrastructure leveraging the lessons of the public cloud: centralization, simplification, standardization, and automation. We have designed the product to operate well in all environments, and we sell to public cloud providers, SaaS providers, and traditional enterprise data centers.

So, why Pure Storage? Why go there versus another company?

Giancarlo: I wanted to go somewhere that had the opportunity to lead in an important industry, with a disruptive technology advantage  and I think I made the case for flash  and grow as an independent public company. Pure has all of the opportunity in the world to be the leader in driving the next generations of storage and continuing to enable greater computing performance.

One of many things I liked about Pure Storage was the feedback from customers. One key lesson I learned at Cisco was the importance of listening to the people who buy your products, and I spent a lot of time getting to know Pures customers. My key takeaway was that the product is highly differentiated and customers love it. In fact, Ive had customers tell me its the best product they have ever bought. I had not heard that since the days of delivering the first ethernet switches.

What, specifically do Pure customers love about the product?

Giancarlo: The aspect of our solution that customers like most is our Evergreen subscription pricing. With Evergreen, once a customer subscribes, that monthly fee is all they pay moving forward. Any upgrade to the hardware array, software updates or new features are included at no extra cost. For example, our new Active Cluster feature (synchronous replication) and deduplication are included, and that customer is subscribing to future innovation that comes with the product as well. If the flash goes bad and needs replacing, thats on our nickel. Obviously, if customers expand the amount of storage and need more capacity, they would need to pay for that, but any replacement, we cover. Our software lets us see the state of the flash, and we can predict when it might fail and will swap it proactively.

Our competitors typically require customers to upgrade to a new product every five years or so and often will end support on their earlier product, which forces an array change and software migration. This has an obvious cost to it, but it also requires the company to take the array down, which can be very disruptive. Our arrays are constantly being upgraded, which can be done while the system is running so there is never any downtime. Many customers live in fear of migrating, and with Evergreen, customers never need to.

Also, we have put a lot of work into our software to make sure our product is easier to use, and customer feedback has been that they need five to ten times fewer people to manage our product. This lets companies dedicate fewer resources to managing storage and more on strategic initiatives. In fact, we often see customers merge their storage and server teams to create full-stack generalists vs. having folks dedicated to storage.

Any other advice for the readers?

Giancarlo: The biggest thing is to not accept the status quo and to find a way to simplify operations. When I talk to storage managers, Im often reminded of an old magazine comic that stated: The beatings will stop when morale improves. What I mean by that is that storage customers are so used to the amount of work it takes to manage their environment, they cant accept the fact that there is an easier way. Call it Stockholm Syndrome. When we tell them that our product requires five to ten times fewer people per Terabyte, they often cant believe it. Whatever new solution IT managers evaluate, top criteria should be complexity reduction.

No matter whether its servers, network or storage, evaluate the vendor on their software. With storage, this means the management tools should be built specifically for flash and not be one designed for magnetic and then retrofitted. Network pros wouldnt run a software-defined network (SDN) with legacy management tools, and storage managers shouldnt be managing flash with software built for legacy disks.
"I've never been afraid to vote against my own party" Richard Benyon tells his Brexit critics

NEWBURY MP Richard Benyon has hit back at claims that he puts party loyalty ahead of his own beliefs after voting in favour of a bill which will determine the date the UK leaves the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May asked for cross-party approval of a clause in the EU Withdrawal Bill that states the UK will exit the European Union on March 29, 2019, at 11pm London time.

Fifteen Conservatives voted against and were subsequently labelled Brexit mutineers in a controversial article published on the front page of The Daily Telegraph last week  but Mr Benyon wasnt one of them.

That prompted Newbury Green Partys David Marsh to tweet: Sadly our once pro-remain MP @RichardBenyonMP does not appear but then he puts loyalty to the party before what he actually believes in.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News in response, Mr Benyon said: Im absolutely determined to respect the referendum result.

I think most of my constituents, whether they voted remain or leave, recognise there are negotiations going on and want us [the Government] to get on with it.

They dont want an MP who runs a constant guerrilla campaign to undermine the result of the referendum.

I have never been afraid to vote against my own party.

It amuses me that people think Im just a toady who wants a job within the Government.

I dont want a job, Im happy on the backbenches.

Mr Benyon said he, alongside Zack Goldsmith and Oliver Letwin, spent many hours with the secretary of state working on amendments to the original bill.

He added: There are some aspects with it [the bill] that Im not happy with and I know the Government is making some changes.

Mr Benyon said he voted against some of the amendments because he didnt think it was the right way forward, but added: I did not want to prevent the bill going through, but I wanted to improve it.

He said that all 15 Conservatives who voted against the amendment, with the exception of Ken Clarke, voted in favour of the second bill.

Speaking about The Daily Telegraphs front page, Mr Benyon said: There is a big difference between mutiny and scrutiny.

The front page of The Daily Telegraph was actually offensive. They made out these people [the 15] were somehow trying to thwart the will of the people and the referendum result.

I work with many of them.

I think some of them are wrong; I think most of them are right from where they start from.

They have chosen one route, to vote against.

I have chosen another, to work behind the scenes with ministers  thats just the way I prefer to get things done.

An MP is elected to use their judgement, and my judgement was I didnt want to prevent the bill going through.

This is a technical bill and if it doesnt pass, chaos ensues.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is growing to epidemic proportions worldwide. Investigators, hypothesizing that patients who received comprehensive cardiovascular care had a greater likelihood of survival during the first year following their initial diagnosis, found that cardiologist care was associated with a 32% lower death rate. However, views differ regarding whether this is a real effect requiring all AF patients to see a cardiologist, or an artifact of the study population. The study results are reported alongside an editorial in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

AF is a common disorder, consisting of skipped or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. There are an estimated 30 million cases worldwide. Untreated, AF doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a five-fold increased risk for stroke, according to the American Heart Association.

"Variations in AF care across medical specialties are well known," explained lead investigator Sheldon M. Singh, MD, Cardiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Assistant Professor of Cardiology/Electrophysiology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto. "Other than stroke prevention therapy, no other therapy has been associated with improved survival in patients with AF. Heart failure and sudden death account for 35-50% of AF deaths, so we hypothesized that comprehensive cardiovascular care beyond stroke prevention may improve overall survival in AF patients."

Investigators assessed the association between cardiologist care and all-cause mortality in new-onset AF patients by comparing data for patients aged 20-80 years with a new diagnosis of AF who saw a cardiologist within one year of diagnosis, to similar patients who did not see a cardiologist. They used population-level Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences databases, which contain health information on all Ontario residents and are linked to enable the creation of patient groups and long-term follow-up.

Investigators determined that one in 15 patients with new-onset AF died within a year of the diagnosis. The majority (85%) of new-onset AF patients saw a cardiologist. Patients who saw a cardiologist had more hospital visits within a year of their diagnosis than individuals who did not see a cardiologist, and cardiology care was associated with a 32% reduction in death in this population.

"Our work highlights the association between cardiology assessment and improved survival in new-onset AF patients. Our findings should stimulate further research to determine the specific components of care which may allow patients with AF to live longer. This is particularly important as access to cardiologist care is not universal," commented Dr. Singh.

In an accompanying editorial, Stephen Wilton, MD, Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta in Calgary, questions whether all AF patients need to see a cardiologist. He points out that the study data do not explain how, why, and whether the 15% of patients not seen by a cardiologist were never referred, or whether they declined a referral. "The most startling finding from this study is the high rate of death in the cohort overall. Therefore, a new diagnosis of AF, while not immediately life-threatening, should be regarded as an important marker of near-term risk of cardiovascular events. This observation alone provides a potential rationale for desiring early cardiovascular specialist evaluation for these patients."

Dr. Wilton continues, "But even if it were possible for every patient with AF to be cared for by a cardiologist, this should be unnecessary. Especially in the increasing proportion of those with AF who are asymptomatic, we can empower family physicians to perform initial investigations and initiate stroke prevention therapy. Instead of mandating that all patients with AF see a cardiologist, we should seek to promote collaborative, patient-centered models of care delivery that work within local contexts and preserve the vital role of primary care providers."

The crucial issue is whether the lower death rate resulted from specialized cardiology care (which would require all AF patients to see a cardiology specialist at least once in consultation), or whether the relatively small subgroup of patients who never saw a cardiologist were selected for factors (e.g. greater frailty, lower levels of medical compliance, etc.) that might increase their mortality risk while decreasing the chance that they would be referred to a cardiologist. Interestingly, similar findings have been reported from an American study this year (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70:78-86), suggesting that similar factors may be operative in different jurisdictions.
Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, received a $605,000 subaward from the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research to study a cognitive-behavioral intervention in the outpatient population with spinal cord injury (SCI). Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, is the lead site for the five-year grant, titled, "Reinventing yourself after SCI." The two sub-sites are Kessler Foundation in West Orange, New Jersey, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Investigators plan to enroll more than 250 individuals in this randomized controlled trial of this cognitive-behavioral intervention. Participants must be at least 4 weeks post discharge to the community. The intervention is a six-week structured program of group therapy based on helping individuals develop the confidence and skills necessary to fully participate in the community.

"We will look at the effects of this intervention on self-efficacy, emotional wellbeing, and community participation," explained Dr.Botticello, research scientist in SCI and Outcomes & Assessment Research at Kessler Foundation. "We anticipate that gaining a positive perspective on living with SCI will help individuals adjust to their disability, support their efforts to fully engage at home, at work, and in their community, and result in improved outcomes for this population."
Xiaocheng Jiang, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering at Tufts University, has been awarded an early-career award from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) for his work developing graphene-based microfluidics for ultra-high-resolution, dynamic bio-imaging.

The Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program annually awards funding to U.S. scientists and engineers who show exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research. Jiang will use the $450,000 grant to harness microfluidic technology in order to study cellular processes more closely.

Jiang will take advantage of the unique properties of graphene, a single-layer of closely-packed carbon atoms, to build a carbon-based microfluidic platform. The platform could enable the observation and tracking of molecular and cellular processes using atomic-resolution electron microscopic methods that traditionally have been incompatible with inspecting living biological specimens.

"This is a high-risk but potentially very high-reward direction. The new platform has the potential to transform the way that biologists study biomolecules and cells," says Jiang. "This award from AFOSR makes that innovation and development possible."

According to Jiang, observing and analyzing cell dynamics at this level may provide new insights about many biologically significant processes, such as bioelectrical signaling, cancer metastasis and intracellular drug delivery, which are difficult to achieve with traditional microscopic methods.

Jiang's research in this area is also supported through the Tufts' undergraduate research program with the work of sophomore biomedical engineering student Lydia Vignale. Vignale has been actively contributing to the research project, including idea formulation and proof-of-concept experiments, since 2016.

The Jiang Lab at Tufts is interested in exploring the unique physical and chemical interactions between living and artificial systems. Its main goals are to develop minimally-invasive engineering platforms to probe, interrogate and direct biological processes, and to pursue bio-derived materials and bio-inspired approaches for a broad spectrum of engineering applications ranging from biomedical sensing to energy harvest and storage.

Prior to joining the Tufts faculty in 2015, Jiang was an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. He was awarded a 2017 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) earlier this year.

The AFOSR announced this year it will award more than $19.1 million in Young Investigator Research Program grants to 43 scientists and engineers. According to AFOSR, the selection committee received 285 proposals in response to the office's broad agency announcement in major areas of interest to the Air Force. These areas of interest include: aerospace materials for extreme environments, aerothermodynamics, biophysics, computational mathematics, organic materials chemistry and space power and propulsion.

The objective of this program is to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators and increase opportunities for the young investigators to contribute to the U.S. Air Force mission and its related challenges in science and engineering.
A risk score can identify children at low risk for submersion-related injury who can be safely discharged from the ED after observation. That is the primary finding of a study to be published in the December 2017 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM).

The lead author of the study is Rohit P. Shenoi, MD, associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, attending physician, Texas Children's Hospital, and coordinator of the Houston Trauma Link Coalition.

Dr. Shenoi is active in research and surveillance of accidental pediatric injuries (due to automobile crashes, submersions, and other causes) in Houston and Harris County, Texas. His activities include the preparation of injury fact sheets and maps on accidental childhood injuries at the city, county, and regional levels using fire/EMS, crash, and state trauma registry databases. This data is used to guide injury-prevention programs by organizations such as the Houston Police Department and Greater Houston Safe Kids. His research group prepares the Annual TCH Non-Accidental Injury Report and is spearheading efforts in developing a state-wide electronic surveillance system for submersion injuries.

The study by Shenoi and colleagues suggests that while the pediatric submersion score is useful to a health practitioner in most clinical settings, further study is recommended to determine if the discriminative ability of the submersion score could be improved by including laboratory tests or chest radiographs.

Otwell D. Timmons, MD, a pediatric intensivist at Levine Children's Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, commented:

"Emergency physicians frequently face the question whether a pediatric submersion victim must be admitted to the hospital or if the victim can be safely discharged to the community. Considerable judgment is necessary. Data to support consistent high-quality decisions is lacking. "With further study and validation, the effort by Dr. Shenoi and colleagues will be important in future management of low-risk childhood submersion. They have collected information expressly to answer the clinical question whether submersion victims may safely go home from the emergency department. Collecting these data is a significant advance, and Dr. Shenoi's team used sophisticated statistical methods to develop a proposed guideline, the Pediatric Submersion Score, from the evidence. "As the authors have noted, their single-center experience must be validated in other institutions before physicians can confidently change their standard of care. It is likely that the proposed guideline can be improved over the coming years. Their contribution is a significant beginning. It should increase the safety and cost-effectiveness of this common emergency."
A new study has been published that suggests babies are physically affected by the stress level of their mother during pregnancy. It has been previously found that adversity in the womb enhances or hampers offspring development and performance.

Researchers from The Universities of New Mexico and Gottingen, as well as the German Primate Center, have now proposed a hypothesis that largely predicts why there are highly variable patterns in the growth rates of disadvantaged offspring across 719 studies on 21 mammal species.

"The idea is that prenatal stress affects offspring in two different ways depending on the timing of the stressor during pregnancy -- yielding different outcomes before birth, after birth, and after weaning" says Andreas Berghanel, evolutionary anthropologist at The University of New Mexico and lead author of the study.

For example, prenatal maternal stress late in gestation causes mothers to invest less energy in their offspring, which leads to slower grow in the womb and during infancy. Once the baby has reached nutritional independence, however, they are no longer affected directly by their mother's provisioning, and consequently grow at the same rate as non-disadvantaged offspring. Thus, maternal stress late in gestation leads to slow growth during dependent phases, but doesn't affect growth later.

By contrast, prenatal maternal stress early in gestation additionally causes the fetus to be entirely reprogrammed to deal with a reduced life expectancy. To "make the best of a bad job," the early challenged offspring switches to an accelerated pace of life and grows and matures faster than unchallenged offspring to ensure that it reproduces before it dies. Once set on the fast track, the offspring under early prenatal maternal stress remain on this trajectory even after weaning and therefore overshoot the usual body size for age throughout development.

"These new results may bear some translational value for understanding why girls start their menstrual cycles earlier in poorer neighborhoods." In combination, an infant's acceleration of their developmental processes together with a deceleration due to reduced maternal investment could then cancel each other out during phases of intense maternal investment--gestation and lactation. It is not until the infant is nutritionally independent that the programming effects become clear.

This new comparative study finds all of these predictions are supported in a large sample of studies that each measured the effects of prenatal stress on offspring size and growth compared to an unchallenged control group.

"We found that stress during late gestation reduces offspring growth during dependence, resulting in a reduced body size throughout development, whereas stress during early gestation results in largely unaffected growth rates during dependence but accelerated growth and increased size after weaning," says Berghanel.

All stressors seem to have the same effect, and the results are stable across a variety of experiments. Whether mothers were exposed directly to stressors via food restriction or other adversities or were experimentally manipulated to increase their "stress hormones" for example, cortisol, the patterns of offspring growth across developmental stage relative to the timing of the stressor remained the same.

Significance

These new results may bear some translational value for understanding why girls start their menstrual cycles earlier in poorer neighborhoods, why teenage pregnancies are more frequent in disadvantaged families, and why adverse conditions during early development, particularly in formula-fed children, often lead to obesity and other metabolic health problems later in life.

Maternal stress during gestation causes numerous effects on infant physiology that extend well into adulthood. Empirical tests of this hypothesis across mammals suggest that the timing of the stressor during gestation and a simultaneous consideration of maternal investment and adaptive growth plasticity effects are crucial for a full comprehension of prenatal stress effects on offspring growth. The results support an adaptive life history perspective on maternal effects that is relevant for evolutionary biology, medicine, and psychology.
Some individuals' skin appears more youthful than their chronologic age. Although many people try to achieve this with creams, lotions, injections, and surgeries, new research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology indicates that increased expression of certain genes may be the key to intrinsically younger looking - and younger behaving - skin.

"It's not just the genes you are born with, but which ones turn on and off over time," said lead author Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH, a dermatologist and President and CEO of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, who conducted research for the study while previously at Massachusetts General Hospital. "We found a wide range of processes in the skin affected by aging, and we discovered specific gene expression patterns in women who appear younger than their chronologic age."

To produce a comprehensive model of aging skin, Kimball and her colleagues collected and integrated data at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels from the sun-exposed skin (face and forearm) and sun-protected skin (buttocks) of 158 white women ages 20 to 74 years. As part of the study, the team looked for gene expression patterns common in women who appeared years younger than their chronologic age.

The physical appearance of facial skin was captured through digital images and analysis. Skin samples were processed for analysis and saliva samples were collected for genotyping.

The analyses revealed progressive changes from the 20s to the 70s in pathways related to oxidative stress, energy metabolism, senescence (aging) and skin barrier. These changes were accelerated in the 60s and 70s. Comparing sun-exposed and sun-protected skin samples revealed that certain genetic changes are likely due to photoaging.

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The gene expression patterns from the women in the study who were younger appearing were similar to those in women who were actually younger in age. These women had increased activity in genes associated with basic biologic processes, including DNA repair, cell replication, response to oxidative stress, and protein metabolism. Women with exceptionally youthful-appearing facial skin in older age groups also had higher expression of genes associated with mitochondrial structure and metabolism, overall epidermal structure, and barrier function in their facial epidermal samples, as well as dermal matrix production.

A better understanding of the genes associated with youthful-appearing skin may point to new strategies to enhance factors that slow the skin's aging process. This work also confirmed that ultraviolent (UV) exposure is a main driver and accelerator of skin aging.

"We were particularly surprised by the identification of a group of women who not only displayed a much more youthful skin appearance than would be expected based on their chronological age, but who also presented a specific gene expression profile mimicking the biology of much younger skin. It seems that their skin looked younger because it behaved younger," Kimball noted. "Improving our understanding of which choices and factors led to this specific profile is likely to be of great interest across the ages."
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the United States, resulting in an estimated 14,100 deaths and 22,500 new cases in 2017 alone. This high mortality is primarily caused by resistance to therapy and the diagnosis of ovarian cancer after it has already metastasized, which occurs in approximately 80 percent of patients.

A new study from Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) at Thomas Jefferson University investigator Christine Eischen, PhD, provides new insights into the mechanisms contributing to ovarian cancer. The Eischen group focused on the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have emerged as key regulators of genes. By evaluating the molecular changes that occur in large cohorts of ovarian cancer patients, the researchers were able to identify several lncRNAs that are linked to the disease. These lncRNAs were reproducibly altered in patients, and are responsible for a shift in cellular function that contributes to the metastatic properties of the cancer cells.

The research, which appears in a recent issue of Nature Communications, was spearheaded by lead author and bioinformatician Dr. Ramkrishna Mitra, a postdoctoral associate in the Eischen laboratory. Dr. Mitra undertook a large-scale bioinformatics approach to evaluate over 700 ovarian cancer molecular profiles from four patient cohorts. This analysis led to the identification of several lncRNAs that are overexpressed in a particular subset of ovarian cancer, those that are thought to be the most aggressive.

Further analysis revealed that overexpression of these lncRNAs in turn changed the expression of proteins that regulate a well-known developmental process, termed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is important for cell migration and invasion  two characteristic of metastatic cancer cells -- strongly suggesting that the link between lncRNAs and EMT contributes to the metastatic progression of ovarian cancer.

Following up on this idea, the researchers found that one of the lncRNAs was directly implicated in patient outcomes. "Overexpression of one of the lncRNAs, DNM30S, was significantly correlated with worse overall ovarian cancer patient survival," said Dr. Eischen.

Based on these observations, the researchers suggest that targeting of the lncRNAs might represent a viable treatment strategy for ovarian cancer. To test this idea, they experimentally reduced the expression of the DNM30S lncRNA, which resulted in reduced ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion. In future work, the Eischen laboratory aims to further understand the role of lncRNAs in ovarian cancer, and potentially translate their findings into clinical applications to reduce ovarian cancer metastasis.
Every November, like clockwork, she gets the same letter, said Dr. Lindsay Irvin, a pediatrician in San Antonio.

It's from the drug company Pfizer Inc., and it informs her that the price tag for the pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar 13 is going up. Again.

And it makes her angry.

"They're the only ones who make it," she said. "It's like buying gas in a hurricane  or Coke in an airport. They charge what they want to."

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a consultatory panel to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommends Prevnar 13 for all children younger than 2  given at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months  as well as for adults 65 and older.

It protects against pneumonia as well as ear and other infections. Many states require proof that children have received the vaccine in order to attend school.

The vaccine's formulation has remained mostly unchanged since its 2010 federal approval, but its price continues creeping up, increasing by about 5 or 6 percent most years. In just eight years, its cost has climbed by more than 50 percent.

It is among the most expensive vaccines Irvin provides her young patients.

Doctors and clinics purchase the vaccine and then, once they inject patients, they typically recoup the cost through patients' insurance coverage. In most cases there are no out-of-pocket costs.

But the steady rise in prices for branded drugs contributes indirectly to rises in premiums, deductibles and government health spending, analysts say.

A full pediatric course of the vaccine typically involves four shots. In 2010, a single shot cost about $109, according to pricing archives kept by the CDC. It currently costs about $170, according to those archives. Next year, Pfizer says, a shot will cost almost $180.

"Pfizer and other drug companies are raising their prices because they can," said Gerard Anderson, a health policy professor at Johns Hopkins University who studies drug pricing. "They have a patent, and they have a CDC recommendation, which is a double whammy  and a strong incentive for price increases."

The company disagrees  arguing vaccine pricing supports research for new immunizations, along with ongoing efforts to keep products safe and to improve effectiveness. For instance, Prevnar 13's shelf life was extended from two years to three years this year. Pricing also doesn't affect access.

"Thanks to comprehensive health authority guidelines, Prevnar 13 is one of the most widely available public health interventions, supported by broad insurance coverage and innovative federal programs that guarantee access to vulnerable populations," Pfizer spokeswoman Sally Beatty said in an email.

But such arguments don't justify the pattern of "consistent price increases," suggested Ameet Sarpatwari, an epidemiologist and lawyer at Harvard Medical School, who studies drug policy.

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"Does that explain what's going on? Probably not," he said. "The onus should be on them to show us why this is needed."

Consumers are not likely to feel a pinch from these increases directly. The Affordable Care Act requires that ACIP-recommended vaccines are covered by insurance, with no cost sharing.

There are other implications, though.

Higher vaccine prices make it harder for physicians to stock up, noted Michael Munger, a family doctor in Overland Park, Kan., and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

They have to buy immunizations in advance to provide them for patients. Insurance will eventually reimburse them  typically at cost  but it can take months for that to come through, which is an especially tough proposition for small practices on tight budgets.

"You've got to keep track of your inventory, and make sure you don't have any waste, and are going to get adequate reimbursement," he said. "The cost of vaccines is definitely something in primary care we worry about, because we're on thin margins.  You don't want to provide a service you lose money on, even if it's as important as immunization."

Gardasil, the HPV vaccine, has also seen its price climbing. And, in a similar response, OB-GYNs are providing it in smaller numbers.

A vaccine like Prevnar 13 is harder to make than older vaccines that are much cheaper, said William Moss, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who specializes in vaccines and global children's health. It provides immunization for 13 different variations of pneumococcal infection. That makes it a more effective vaccine, but also one that requires greater investment.

Critics, however, note that those investments were made by another company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer bought Wyeth in 2009, along with the rights to the vaccine.

KHN's coverage of prescription drug development, costs and pricing is supported by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
The university that employed a controversial herpes vaccine researcher has told the federal government it learned last summer of the possibility of his illegal experimentation on human subjects. But Southern Illinois University did not publicly disclose the tip or its findings about researcher William Halford's misconduct for months, according to a memo obtained by Kaiser Health News.

Last week, Kaiser Health News reported that Halford conducted an experiment in which he vaccinated patients in U.S. hotel rooms in 2013 without any safety oversight and in violation of U.S. laws, according to patients and emails they provided to KHN to support their allegations.

They told KHN those injections occurred three years before Halford tested a herpes vaccine he created on human subjects in a house in St. Kitts in 2016, again without routine safety oversight. Halford died of cancer at the end of June.

While the university has refused to respond to questions about the 2013 injections, an Oct. 16 memo to the federal government obtained by KHN under open-records law shows that SIU learned of such possible activity at the end of July. According to the memo, Rational Vaccines, the company that Halford co-founded, and another SIU professor disclosed that "human subjects research might have occurred prior to the  clinical trial in St. Kitts."

SIU reported in the memo to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration that its institutional review board, or IRB, found Halford's activities to be a "serious noncompliance" and said it recommended the university conduct a "confidential" investigation to determine if he committed any other misconduct.

"Dr. Halford willfully and intentionally engaged in human subjects research without the approval and oversight of the IRB, in violation of IRB policies and in violation of applicable law and regulation," SIU wrote in the memo.

Previously, the university had said it was not responsible for Halford's St. Kitts trial because he conducted it independently through Rational Vaccines.

Before releasing the memo to KHN, the university blacked out some of the details. It's unclear whether the "serious noncompliance" involved the 2013 injections or some other unauthorized human subject research.

"This is a very serious matter for the university," said Robert Klitzman, a doctor and director of the master's program in bioethics at Columbia University in New York.

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Klitzman said the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), the HHS division that oversees compliance with rules on human trials, could halt all of the university's research as a result of the finding. The National Institutes of Health could also freeze its funding to SIU, he added, even though Halford's research was not federally funded.

OHRP and the FDA said they have policies of not discussing potential or ongoing investigations. SIU did not respond to questions.

Several participants from both trials told KHN they have asked SIU for help. They said Tuesday that they felt the university should be informing them of its investigation into unauthorized experiments and its findings.

"Halford tested his vaccine on humans using SIUs facilities and resources," said one Colorado woman who has tried to talk to the university about her experience in the St. Kitts trial. "They [SIU] deny knowing anything about it. SIU hasnt been very forthcoming."

Klitzman said the university did have a responsibility to the participants who were injected with Halford's vaccine. Two of them  including the Colorado woman  have filed so-called adverse event complaints with the FDA, saying that Halford's vaccine may have caused side effects.

"Ethically, the university should contact the participants to let them know that some participants have developed adverse events," he said.

KHN's coverage of these topics is supported by Laura and John Arnold Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
WHO has delivered medicines to tackle an outbreak of diphtheria in Yemen, warning that sustained humanitarian access is critical to stopping its spread.

The shipment of 1,000 vials of life-saving anti-toxins and 17 tonnes of medical supplies arrived in Sanaa on Monday (November 27) after being stalled by the three-week closure of sea and airports.

"It is shocking that in 2017, there are children dying of an ancient disease that is vaccine-preventable and can be easily treated," said Dr Nevio Zagaria, WHO Country Representative in Yemen.

The anti-toxins can help stop the spread of the bacterium to vital organs in patients already infected with diphtheria. But no supplies were available in Yemen before the arrival of the WHO shipment on Monday.

Antibiotics and vaccines are also critical to treating and preventing the highly infectious respiratory disease - both of which are in short supply in Yemen.

"In recent days, children and adults have died while the medicines needed to save their lives were available only a few hours away. We need unconditional and sustained access to all areas of Yemen to stop these unconscionable deaths from malnutrition, cholera, and now diphtheria," Zagaria added.

Diphtheria is making an alarming comeback in the war torn country, with 189 clinically diagnosed cases and 20 deaths - mostly children and young adults - in the last three months.

Most diphtheria cases and deaths have been reported in Ibb governorate but the outbreak is spreading fast, already affecting 13 governorates. The closest points of entry to Ibb are in Sana'a and Hodeida, making it crucial that Sana'a airport and the port of Hodeida remain open.

Despite the conflict and recent closures, WHO, UNICEF, and partners have continued to work with available supplies, vaccinating 8,500 children under five years in al-Sadah and Yarim districts in Ibb governorate during November.

A vaccination campaign targeting 300,000 children younger than 12 months began on Saturday (November 25). Further vaccination rounds for more than 3 million children and young adults in priority districts are due in December.

Left unchecked, diphtheria can cause devastating epidemics, mainly affecting children.
First look - Han Solo's first "wife" Sana Starros in her first solo series

The Marvel Comics' original character Sana Starros gets her own series
GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us.
Give more Russian athletes have been banned for life. The International Olympic Committee will decide next week whether Russia can compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

As of Monday, the IOC has banned 19 Russian athletes and annulled 12 medals since it began two separate anti-doping investigations.

One of the Russian scientists kept ultra-detailed diaries of the state run doping program. He described the room where they had clean urine to get past the IOC testing at Sochi. In his diaries, the scientist was complaining that the clean urine arrived unsorted. He had to sort them alphabetically and by sport.
The German Aerospace Center, DLR, conducted an analysis of Falcon 9 first-stage reuse and concluded that SpaceX could begin to realize significant cost savings with as few as 20-25 launches per year, lower than previous outside assessments. SpaceX has launched 16 times in 2017, likely will end 2017 near 20 missions and plans to increase the per-year rate in 2018 to about 30 and even more in 2010 and beyond.

* Germany is not as committed as France and Italy to Ariane

* Europes launch sector may not remain viable

Ariane will be doomed without EU government support

SpaceX is launching Germanys three-satellite second-generation military radar satellite system, called SARah, in 2018 and 2019 on two Falcon 9 missions. The contract, awarded in 2013, was explained then as a special case given that Airbus had a long-standing SpaceX contract that could be leveraged for the SARah work at an unbeatable price. In 2017, SpaceX is ready to bid for Germanys first optical reconnaissance system, an apparently three-satellite network to be owned by the German Federal Intelligence Service, BND. Germany has long complained that Europes rockets are overly dependent on subsidies and are still too expensive.

European governments are expected to decide on some sort of Buy European Act for launchers in mid-2018.

ArianeGroup Ariane 6 can be successful with five mid-size payloads and an average of six Ariane 6 commercial missions a year.
The new permissions available thanks to the South Asia strategy mean the campaign is on the path to a win, the commander of NATOs Resolute Support mission and U.S. forces in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters today.

Army Gen. John W. Nicholson emphasized that the strategy is strictly conditions-based, not time-based.

We will be here until the job is done, the general said. The U.S. approach aligns with the NATO approach.  War is a contest of wills. The president has left no doubt in terms of our will to win.

The US is using military pressure, diplomatic pressure and social pressure.

Military Pressure

Afghan security forces will apply the military pressure, the general told reporters, aided by coalition advisors and air assets. That pressure will increase in the next year as new Afghan capabilities come on line and as U.S. and coalition advisers embed with smaller units.

Diplomatic Pressure

Afghan and coalition officials will apply diplomatic pressure on the enablers of the Taliban and the Haqqani networks.

Social Pressure

Social pressure will be applied through elections over the next two years.

Striking Taliban Revenue Stream

Operations under the new permissions have already begun, as Afghan and coalition forces struck the source of the Talibans finances: the narcotics trade.
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As Home Ministry contemplates ban, PFI expands to West Bengal, Assam

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Home Ministry is examining a detailed report of the National Investigation Agency with regard to the Popular Front of India. Top sources in the Union Home Ministry tell OneIndia that the report is telling and action will be taken on the basis of the same.

In the midst of the this, the Intelligence Bureau has now reported that the PFI has been making all attempts to expand its base beyond Kerala.

The IB report states that the outfit has been making attempts to expand to several other parts of the country. Its presence has been found in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam and West Bengal. It came to light that the PFI is pushing its agenda aggressively and has been raising the cause of Muslims. It has already held several meetings in these places, the IB report also states.

Further, the IB report also says that it has sent its headhunters to the above states and is scouting for recruits. Further, the IB goes on to say that based on the investigations that have been conducted it is found that the PFI is also indulging in forced conversions.

The NIA too had sent a report to the Home Ministry seeking that the PFI be banned. It had cited the case relating to the chopping a professor's hand, a training camp in Kannur where the NIA seized country-made bombs, the murder of RSS worker Rudresh and an Islamic State module case is what the NIA had stated.

The NIA says that the PFI follows a policy aimed at communalisation. It believes in a Taliban brand of Islam and triggers divide and also has a group of volunteers for physical activity.,

PFI had consistently been indulging in actions detrimental to overall national security." The NIA also cited the probe into the Love Jihad case. It said that it is using sister organisations such as Sathya Sarani based in Malappuram which carries out forced conversions.

The dossier pointed out that many of PFI's founding leaders were associated with SIMI before it was banned. This includes former PFI chairman E M Abdurahiman, who was all-India general secretary of SIMI in 1980-81 and 1982-93, PFI national vice-chairman P Koya who was with SIMI in 1978-79 and SDPI president E Aboobacker who was Kerala state president of SIMI in 1982-84, among others.

The outfit has squads of trainers and experts in making crude bombs and IEDs, an intelligence wing and action squads to run unlawful and violent activities. It has clandestine training centres, where training in martial arts and indoctrination is given.

The PFI has its presence in 23 states and is strongest in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. It has a machinery to meet violent ends, the dossier also states.

OneIndia News
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Haryana panchayat polls: Public holiday in several districts on Nov 9 and 12

Chandigarh stalking case: No relief to accused Vikas Barala

India

oi-Madhuri

Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, got no relief from court yet again as the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday dismissed his bail application. The next hearing will on December 7

His bail plea has been already rejected for the fourth time in a row by a trial court on November 13.

Barala, 23, is the main accused in the August 5 incident when he and his friend, Ashish Kumar, a co-accused, allegedly stalked Varnika and tried blocking her car. She called Chandigarh Police and got the duo apprehended.

They were reportedly under the influence of alcohol during the time of the incident. Both were booked under section 354D (stalking) of the IPC and under provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. Later, police added sections of attempted kidnap too.

On September 21, the trial court has sent a charge sheet for both the accused of kidnap bid, stalking and wrongful restraint.

The stalking and attempted abduction case had sparked outrage across the country, including Chandigarh, in August.

OneIndia News
Twitterati has fun with memes after Ivanka Trump's photoshopped images at Taj Mahal goes viral

Donald Trump is a warrior; needs four more years as president: Ivanka

Did Modi govt lift 130 million people out of poverty? Ivanka says yes, Chidambaram no

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Recommended Video

Ivanka Trump praises Modi for uplifting 130 million Indians from poverty, Congress differs |Oneindia

Hyderabad, Nov 29: The bonhomie between the Donald Trump administration and the Narendra Modi government is pretty evident once again as advisor to the United States (US) President Ivanka Trump was given a red carpet welcome to India on Tuesday.

The daughter of the US President is in India to attend the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, the inauguration of which took place on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Ivanka, who herself is a successful entrepreneur, profusely praised the Modi government during her address at the global event attended by hundreds from across the world.

However, it seems one of Ivanka's remarks regarding poverty in India has not gone done well with the opposition Congress. Senior party leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram contested the view of the daughter of the American President on the entire subject.

Speaking at the GES in Hyderabad, Ivanka said, "India has lifted more than 130 million people out of poverty by promoting entrepreneurship under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi."

Disagreeing with her statement, Chidambaram stated that Ivanka was alluding to the period of 2004 to 2014 of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime headed by the Congress when she said that India had lifted 130 million people out of poverty.

"When Ivanka Trump said that India had lifted 130 million people out of poverty she was referring to the UPA government's period of 2004 to 2014 (the number was 140 million)," Chidambaram tweeted.

When Ivanka Trump said that India had lifted 130 million people out of poverty she was referring to the UPA government's period of 2004 to 2014 (the number was 140 million).  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) November 28, 2017

This is for the first time India has hosted the international business summit. Ivanka also praised India for being one of the fastest growing economies globally, lifting millions out of poverty and for the progress achieved in science and technology.

PM Modi and Ivanka together inaugurated the gala event in Hyderabad.

"India is truly an inspiration to all of us all over the world. Through innovative talent and entrepreneurial ability, you have made remarkable strides" she said.

Ivanka was also full of praises for PM Modi. She lauded Modi "for all that you are doing to build India" and proving that "transformational change is possible".

"From your childhood selling tea to your election as India's Prime Minister, you've proven that transformational change is possible. And now you are bringing that promise to hundreds of millions of people across your country. Thank you," Ivanka said.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for joining us here today--and for all that you are doing to build India as a thriving economy--a beacon of democracy--and a symbol of hope to the world," she said.

Highlighting the importance of women entrepreneurs, Ivanka said, "Just consider if India closes the labour force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over $150 billion dollars in the next three years."

OneIndia News
From a chartered flight to 3 vehicles of her own: How Ivanka Trump travelled in Hyderabad

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The security checks in Hyderabad ahead of Ivanka Trump's visit was hectic and the Americans and Indian agencies spared no effort to make it fool proof. The daughter of US President Donald Trump who is also his adviser arrived in Hyderabad by a chartered flight with her own security which also included a bullet proof car.

17 vehicles including three belonging to her was part of her convoy from the airport to the Trident hotel in Madhpur. In all there were 10,400 security personnel from India drawn from various wings who were deployed for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit which she addressed.

Apart from Law and Order police, personnel from Traffic Police, Central Armed Reserve, Telangana State Special Police, Intelligence Security Wing, commandos of Greyhounds anti-naxal force, elite OCTOPUS anti-terror force, and dog squads werer be deployed in Hyderabad as part of the security arrangement.

No stone was left unturned to ensure that she had the best security. A visit to the Charminar was cancelled owing to security concerns. Too much population and congestions were some of the reasons that were cited.

Ahead of her visit too there were several concerns raised by the the US authorities. Jayesh Ranjan, secretary Information Technology and Commerce, Telangana government had said that when he tried contacting US officials whether someone from the state government was needed to pick her up at the airport, they had refused. This was because they would then have to disclose a part of her travel information. The secretary had also dismissed as rumours information shared on the social media regarding the time of her arrival.

Due to a heightened threat perception she has been awarded Presidential-level security.

OneIndia News
GES 2017: Need policies that support women in workforce, says Ivanka Trump

India

oi-Madhuri

Ivanka Trump, adviser and daughter of United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday addressed at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad.

Speaking at the 8th annual GE Summit, Ivanka said that need policies to support women in the workforce. She also said that Technology offers tremendous opportunity to women & women entrepreneurs.

''One thing I would like to throw out there is that these aren't women's issues, we are half the population so we need to start thinking about them as critical issues,'' Ivanka said at GES 2017.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries. This is her first visit to India in this capacity also that of a member of the First Family.

OneIndia News
No interim relief for Pahlaj Nihalani against censor cuts in his film 'Rangeela Raja'

No personnel interest says Delhi HC while junking plea to ban trailer of The Accidental PM

Govt can even misuse law for its purpose: 'S Durga' director

India

pti-PTI

Panaji, November 29: Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, director of Malayalam film"S Durga", lashed out at the government, saying people in power can go to any lengths to achieve their purpose.

The Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) ordered a re-examination of the film, which derailed its court-ordered screening at the International Film Festival of India that ended on Tuesday.

Sanal took to Facebook on Wednesday to say that he was ironically happy that people got a chance to witness how people in high places defy the judiciary. "I am not unhappy even a bit.

On the other hand, I am more than happy that my film has helped a lot of people who were asking 'what is the problem if the Sangh come to power?' to understand, what is the problem actually.

"It is simply proved that, those in power now, can go to any extent to destroy something which they don't like. They can even misuse law or ignore judiciary for their purpose."

The director claimed he saw many self-proclaimed supporters of the government over the days "depressed and disappointed by the dirty game played by the Ministry" against his film.

Yesterday, the CBFC said the makers cannot exhibit the film further until the board re-examines it. It said a suitable date and time will be conveyed to the makers soon.

Immediately after the CBFC order, IFFI director Sunit Tandon wrote to Sanal, notifying him that the movie will not be showcased due to the board's intervention. "S Durga" was dropped from the final IFFI list by the Information and Broadcasting ministry.

Sanal moved the Kerala High Court to challenge the decision and received a favourable verdict on November 21, a day after the festival began. The ministry tried to obtain a stay order on the Kerala High Court's decision but it was denied by the court.

Sanal and film's actor Kannan Nayar held a protest outside one of the screening venues of the festival. They held placards, reading 'Save Democracy', a twist on the film's title "S Durga".

PTI
Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth?

Grand Stupid Thought: PM Modi on Rahul Gandhis Gabbar Singh Tax jibe

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday for describing GST as 'Gabbar Singh Tax', saying those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

"Victory and defeat are a part of life. There was a time when our party would distribute sweets when we saved our deposits. These things happen in a democracy, Congress should not be consumed by such hatred," he said.

"During UP elections two leaders set forth to campaign and media went overboard in glorifying them. They wrote that Modi is finished. The result is for everyone to see. And, what did these two leaders do in UP? They called Gujaratis donkeys," PM Modi said in Navsari while referring to the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where Congress forged an alliance with Samajwadi Party.However, BJP claimed a landslide victory eventually.

There are three elections going on- one in UP local bodies, one in Gujarat and the third one for the Congress President. In the first two the BJP will surely win. And in the third one, no one except one family will win, he said.

Attacking Congress over Doklam issue, PM Narendra Modi, while speaking to the people of Navsari, said, "On the issue of Doklam my question to Congress is clear - Why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry?"

PM Modi made another reference to Rahul Gandhi's branding of GST as "Gabbar Singh" tax. "When we remember people, we remember Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Buddha, Sardar Patel, Netaji Bose, Bhagat Singh but they remember Gabbar Singh.

What more can I say about their thought process," he said.

"The Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich," he said.

"I fail to understand how someone can mock Swachh Bharat Mission and surgical strikes," he said while referring to the grand old party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed four back to back rallies in poll-bound Gujarat today, where assembly elections will be held on December 9 and 14.

The polling for the two-phase elections in the state, having total 182 assembly seats, will take place on December 9 and 14 and votes will be counted on December 18.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 19:37 [IST]
Cong for Muslims, BJP for Hindus: Did Rahuls temple visits in Guj help to bust the myth?

My meet with Rahul would have prevented BJP's Gujarat win: Hardik Patel

Gujarat elections: Morbi district likely to witness high-voltage campaign

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Morbi or Morvi is a city and a municipality in Morbi district of Gujarat will witness high voltage election campaign on Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PAAS leader Hardik Patel will be addressing campaigns in Saurashtra region.

Morbi is known as the hub of ceramic industry. Modi will address rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in south Gujarat today.

Will be addressing public meetings in Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari today. @BJP4Gujarat  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 29, 2017

Hardik Patel is scheduled to hold 10 public meetings over the next fortnight in key Saurashtra areas including a mega public meeting in Rajkot on Wednesday, followed by stops in Morbi, Somnath, Junagadh, and Himmatnagar.

Also, Congress vice president will resume the eighth leg of two-day 'Navsarjan Yatra' campaign tour. He will kick off the current trip with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will visit Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts where he will interact with people and hold public meetings, party sources told PTI.

(With agency inputs)
After SC said no Jihad, only Love in Hadiya case, father considers review plea

No more controversies over me, says Hadiya

Hadiya demands basic rights that every Indian citizen has

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Hadiya, a Kerala woman at the centre of an alleged love-jihad case after converting to Islam, demanded basic rights that every Indian citizen has.

Hadiya was brought to the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College in Salem amid tight security by Kerala police from Coimbatore.

She told media persons, "I am demanding basic rights that every Indian citizen has. It has nothing to do with politics or caste. All I want is to talk to people I like."

"I asked for freedom from the court. I wanted to meet my husband but the fact is that I'm not free till now and that's the truth," she said.

The 25-year old will be undergoing an 11-month internship at the institution as directed by the apex court on Monday. The court, after the proceedings, had freed Hadiya from her parents' custody and asked her to pursue her studies.

G Kannan, Principal of Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, said no special treatment will be accorded to Hadiya at the hostel.

He also added that he would not prevent the two from the meeting. However, he said that the meeting would take place only with his permission. "She can meet anyone she wants, but only with my permission," he further added.

OneIndia News
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

30 per cent down: How Haryana aced the decrease in stubble burning

Haryana panchayat polls: Public holiday in several districts on Nov 9 and 12

Now my dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah, says Suraj Pal Amu after resigning

India

oi-Madhuri

Haryana BJP Chief Media Coordinator Suraj Pal Amu resigned from the party on Wednesday.

While speaking to media, Suraj Pal said,''With a heavy heart I have resigned from the post I had in BJP. I am pained at the behaviour of Haryana CM. I have never seen a BJP CM so arrogant who doesn't respect party workers and community representatives.''

''Now my dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah on Lal Chowk, I challenge him to meet me there,'' Suraj Pal Amu said.

Suraj Pal's resignation comes a day after Haryana CM Manoharlal Khattar reportedly did not keep up his appointment with Rajput Karni Sena members, who have demanded a ban on the screening of 'Padmavati' movie.

Suraj Pal Amu had alleged that Haryana CM gave appointment to Rajput Karni Sena members and left without meeting them.

Suraj Pal recently made headlines for offering a Rs 10-crore bounty to anyone who would behead 'Padmavati's' lead actress Deepika Padukone, and for lashing out at West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for allowing the controversial film to be released in her state.

OneIndia News
Explained: Why has US removed India from its currency monitoring list

Indias first privately built rocket to be launched on Nov 15

India has become center point to world's desires, says PM Modi

India abstains on UNGA resolution calling for Russia to pay reparations to Ukraine

With eye on China, India and Singapore vow to boost defence ties

India

pti-PTI

India and Singapore on Wednesday signed an agreement to deepen maritime security cooperation in strategically key sea lanes and access each others naval bases, a move that comes in the backdrop of Chinas growing military manoeuvres in the Indo-Pacific region.

Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, after holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman, said his country will provide its naval bases for refuelling and berthing of Indian ships, which will add teeth to Indias operational reach in Malacca Strait and nearby areas.

In a joint statement, the two sides said also called for ensuring freedom of navigation, in an apparent reference to Chinas aggressive behaviour in the resource-rich South China Sea.

The Malacca Strait is a narrow shipping channel linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and is considered very critical for global commerce.

The two countries also resolved to boost overall defence cooperation with a particular focus on combating terrorism.

The pact on naval cooperation provides for increased engagement in the maritime security sphere, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each others naval facilities and logistics support.

Under provision of the pact, India will provide logistics support to Singapore include live firing drills in the Andaman.

"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackle the transnational security threats," Sitharaman said at a joint media interaction with Ng, noting that both sides agreed to ramp up overall defence cooperation.

The Singaporean defence minister called the talks "overwhelmingly successful and productive" and emphasised the need for concerted regional and global efforts to deal with terrorism and other challenges such as tackling chemical and biological weapons.

"We would encourage the Indian Navy to visit the Changi naval base more often," he said replying to a question on whether Singapore will provide logistics support to Indian war ships.

Referring to regional security scenario in the maritime domain, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law, a joint statement issued after the talks said.

Appreciating Indias leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Ng agreed to Indias proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in shared maritime space of the two countries, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional and ASEAN partners.

However, Ng, speaking at a think-tank yesterday, had expressed Singapores reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan and Australia.

Both sides also signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian armed forces.

The joint statement said both ministers look forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore- India maritime bilateral exercise next year.

They welcomed the renewal of agreement between the air forces of the two countries earlier this year and look forward to the successful renewal of a similar pact between their armies, the statement said.
Is Varun Gandhi quitting BJP to join Congress?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Recommended Video

Varun Gandhi can soon join hands with Rahul Gandhi to take on Modi | Oneindia News

New Delhi, Nov 29: Once again the report regarding Varun Gandhi, son of late Sanjay Gandhi and Union minister Maneka Gandhi, likely to join the Congress is doing the rounds in the media.

It is a known fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) from the Sultanpur constituency is one of the few "rebel" leaders from the saffron party who never shies away from criticising the Narendra Modi government openly.

As the 37-year-old leader, who was once considered as a blue-eyed boy of the party, has been relegated to the background by the current BJP regime, murmurs since long have been rife about Varun switching sides to join the Congress.

According to a report by India Today, Rahul Gandhi after becoming the party president of the Congress (which is likely to take place in December) would soon welcome his "estranged" cousin to join the grand old party.

Talking to India Today, senior Muslim leader Haji Jameeluddin said that Varun was being ignored in the saffron party and that no other leader other than Modi is allowed to say his or her "Mann Ki Baat" on public forums.

"Varun was one of the few people in the BJP who dares to have his own opinion in Modi's regime and he is paying the price for it by being sidelined in the party."

Jameeluddin revealed that several BJP supporters wanted Varun to be made the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh after the BJP won the state Assembly elections with a huge mandate earlier this year.

"But he was ignored in favour of Yogi Adityanath," said Jameeluddin.

Senior Congress leader Haji Manzoor Ahmed told India Today that ahead of 2019 parliamentary elections, Varun could be inducted into the Congress Working Committee (CWC) as a member or an office-bearer.

"Rahul and Varun could become a major force to be reckoned with, supported by Priyanka Vadra, who has always maintained cordial relations with Varun," Ahmed added.

Agra city Congress ex-president and Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) member Ram Tandon told India Today that Varun has never made any direct attacks on Rahul in his public meetings and with Rahul becoming the president of the party, it is likely that Varun may join the Congress.

However, many say these reports are just rumours as it is unlikely that Varun would leave his mother Maneka, who is a cabinet minister in the Modi government, in a lurch to join the Congress.

Although Varun shares a good relationship with Rahul and Priyanka, Maneka and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, both of whom are sisters-in-law, still share cold vibes.

Moreover, if Varun joins the Congress soon another fight to take control over the party would resume between the two cousins, said a political pundit.

"Varun is a very independent person. It would be difficult for him to remain under the shadow of Rahul for long," the political pundit added.

OneIndia News
Its just amazing, says Ivanka after visiting historic Golconda fort

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Ivanka Trump advisor to the US President visited Golconda Fort in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

On the second and last day of her visit to this city to attend Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), she visited the fort located about 15 km from the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), the venue of the summit.

After attending a session in the morning on the second day, Ivanka went back to Trident Hotel, where she is staying.

She later left for the fort, which was the capital of the Qutub Shahi kingdom from 1518 to 1687.

"It is just amazing to be here at the Golconda fort," she said and added that the conference and summit were phenomenal.

"PM Modi and the cabinet members who were with him were incredibly warm and gracious. It Was overall a very special experience, US President Donald Trump's daughter said.

Ivanka Trump batted for formulation of policies that support greater participation of women in workforce. She even referred to technology that can be used to allow women to work from kitchens and help reduce the gender gap.

According to Telangana police sources, out of the seven places identified by the local US consulate officials, the security agencies zeroed in on Golconda Fort tentatively for her visit.

Initially, US consulate officials identified Charminar, Laad Bazaar, Chowmahalla Palace, Golconda Fort, Quli Qutub Shahi tombs and Thub as possible places of visit for Ivanka. "While Charminar was ruled out for security reasons, finally, out of all these, only Golconda Fort is on the cards.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 17:36 [IST]
'Kantara' box office: Even as Bollywood's Akshays and Ajays struggle, this one hits Rs 75-crore mark

Karnataka Arya Vysya Charitable Trust to distribute scholarship

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Karnataka Arya Vysya Charitable Trust will organise an annual Higher Education Scholarship Distribution ceremony. The event will be held at NMKRV College campus in Jayanagar on December 10th, Sunday. The Arya Vysya Charitable Trust has provided the scholarship to 7900 students for the past nine years from 2008 to 2016.

Around 200 donors have contributed to the scholarship funds. Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde will be the chief guest of the program. Also, GMR Group head G. Mallikarjun Rao, BJP national secretary, P. Muralidhar Rao will attend the event.

The trust aims to provide education and wisdom students to enable them to become responsible citizens of society.

What - Higher Education Scholarship Distribution Ceremony

Where - NMKRV College, Third Block, Jayanagar

When - 10 am to 10.30 pm, December 10th, Sunday.

OneIndia News
Love Jihad: In Kerala, conversions are a systematic trap and hence dont appear forced

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Hadiya case was up before the Supreme Court a couple of days back. The court said that Hadiya should be permitted to study and it would hear the matter pertaining to her marriage with a Muslim man at a later date.

There are a couple of questions up in this case. One, whether it was a case of forced conversion and secondly was it a case of Love Jihad. Hadiya who was Akhila before she converted has denied both.

The NIA was sent in to probe cases of forced conversions in Kerala. The investigations were detailed and revealed a scary picture. What proves to be a stumbling block in the investigation is that the design is so fool proof that it would not look like a case of forced conversion. The Constitution only bars forced conversions.

It is a systematic trap that is set which makes it harder to call it a case of forced conversion. The NIA team in Kerala had taken the accounts of several persons who narrate their trauma. In most cases, it has been found that the conversion in the first place is a trap.

First they identify the lady who has troubled relations with their parents. Then they speak about the benefits of being part of Islam and brainwash them into believing that there is more freedom and peace.

They are then taken to a conversion centre and ensure that the girl lives in some hostel and does not go home. When the girl fails to go home, the obvious missing complaint is filed by the parents. The girl is obviously tense with the complaint and that is when the final step comes in. They tell the girl that the only way out of the mess is to get married.

NIA officers tell OneIndia that this has been noticed in each of the cases. Very few cases are voluntary in nature, the officer adds. As the probe went on, more such cases came up before us, the officer said.

When one looks at the four step process, prima facie there appears to be no illegality committed. The Constitution only bars forced conversions.

NIA officials say that there is a sustained effort in Kerala to trap such women. The idea is to shake the social fabric of society. It is also aimed at creating a communal divide and this is very evident in Kerala, an officer probing the case informed.

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 16:57 [IST]
'Beauty is not about how you look': Mamata Banerjee apologises for Trinamool minister's comments on President

Mamata hits out at Congress, warns of non-cooperation in Parliament

India

pti-PTI

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at opposition Congress for boycotting the Assembly almost every day during the ongoing Winter Session and warned that her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), would not cooperate with it in Parliament.

"Some people think that for the sake of getting their photos printed in newspapers, they will continue to spread canards and false allegations and keep on boycotting the House. Whom are they boycotting? They are boycotting their own principles and politics," she said at the Assembly.

"You (Congress) cannot do it every day. I have noticed it for five years that whenever I come to deliver a speech, they (Congress) leave the House on any excuse and boycott it. If you have anything to say, come to the House and speak," the chief minister added.

The TMC supremo claimed that the Congress sought her party's cooperation "even to move one step in Parliament" and added that the same party was boycotting the Assembly and spreading false allegations against the TMC in West Bengal.

"In Parliament, you (Congress) cannot move even a single step without the TMC and here, every day you are boycotting the House and spreading false allegations against the government. On price hike, you question the TMC. Why can't you question the BJP on price hike?

"Keep it in mind that the way you behave here, you will get the same treatment in Delhi. You cannot seek cooperation in Delhi and continue boycotting the House here every day," she said.

The opposition -- the Congress and the Left Front -- has boycotted the House proceedings several times during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly, after their demands for discussions on issues such as the dengue situation in the state were not allowed.

Banerjee laid the foundation for the proposed platinum jubilee memorial bhavan on the Assembly premises. Old documents related to the House proceedings and books would be conserved there.

PTI
Manish Sisodia challenges opposition to compete with Delhi's education

India

oi-Shreya

By Shreya

Deputy Chief Minister & Education Minister, Manish Sisodia, on Nov 29, challenged all the governments in the country to compete with the education standard in Delhi.

Challenging the BJP ruled MCDs to make a comparison between the schools of Delhi Government and those run by the MCDs, he said that such competition will ultimately benefit the students of Delhi.

"I challenge the MCDs and also governments of other states ruled by other political parties to compete with the work done in education sector by our government in Delhi. Let's start today and then compare after an year or two," Sisodia said.

"I am very happy that 'Education' is being discussed by the politicians who keep discussing issues Shamshan and Kabristaan. We said when we entered politics that we are here to change politics, and look how they have been forced to talk over education and schools," he added.

Calling out on the BJP and Congress, Sisodia alleged, "The only agenda these two political parties (Congress & BJP) had on education was to decide how many crores in bribe to be taken for giving recognition to private schools & colleges, or to lobby for land to private schools, or how to pocket heavy commissions in admissions, or how to pocket funds in schemes like Mid-Day meals etc. Be it a Congress ruled state or a BJP ruled state, Govt schools are being shut down, & private schools are increasing day by day, their fee is increasing day by day. All over the country, parents are frustrated over arbitrary fee hikes in private schools.

There is no transparency in EWS admissions in private schools in any of the states."

He said that it's great news for him that for the first time the two big political parties of the nation which have governments in many states, are at least talking on education and they have come to data related to education now.

Sisodia said that both the BJP and the Congress did nothing for the education sector. He added that previous governments gave lands for private schools, while the present Delhi Government doesn't get land for government schools.

"We changed the way education sector worked in Delhi. The government schools have gone through a visible change.

The schools which were dilapidated and were not maintained ever get whitewashed every year now, drinking water & sanitation has been taken care off. We appointed Estate Managers, the first time in India, to take care of the maintenance & management of the government schools," he added.

OneIndia News
PM Modi gifts Biden Kangra painting: What is the significance of this art from Himachal

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Modi mocks Congress repeatedly in Gujarat: Will it help BJPs poll prospect?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Gandhinagar, Nov 29: On Wednesday, after a gap of almost 24 hours when Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Gujarat to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming Assembly elections, he almost repeated his speeches from Monday's rallies to woo voters.

The content of his addresses are slightly different, but in essence all his speeches are the same--attack the Congress for the survival of the BJP in Gujarat, where the party is facing anti-incumbency wave after its long rule of 22 years.

So, there is no mention about the issues and problems concerning the voters of Modi's home state in his talks.

Like on Monday, when Modi addressed four rallies, on Wednesday, again the PM will take part in four public meetings.

During his very first rally on Wednesday, Modi targeted the Congress again. Mocking the Congress for distributing hand pumps in water-starved areas of the state, Modi in Morbi said, "For the Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For the BJP, it is SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters."

In Morbi, once again Modi "insulted" late Indira Gandhi by making a gesture of sealing his nostrils while trying to imitate the former PM who was photographed holding a handkerchief to cover her nose during her visit to the place.

"When Indira Ben (sister) came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smell, but for Jansangh/RSS the streets of Morbi are fragrant, it's the fragrance of humanity," Modi said.

On Monday, when he officially started the BJP's Gujarat election campaign, Modi decided to target the Congress by attacking the party's strongest leader ever, Indira Gandhi. He also called the former PM "anti-poor".

"Overnight, Indira Ji removed Morarji Bhai (Morarji Desai) from the Cabinet. She didn't open doors of the bank for the poor. When we got the opportunity to serve, the thing we did was to start the Jan Dhan Yojana and focus on financial inclusion," Modi said in Surat, where small-time traders and businessmen are openly expressing their anger against the Modi government over the demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The Gujarat Assembly elections are scheduled on December 9 and 14. The results will be declared on December 18. On Monday, Modi launched the BJP's Gujarat elections campaign with a series of rallies in Saurashtra and Kutch.

In all the election rallies, the PM's speech focussed on attacking the Congress and reiterating his special bond with Gujarat, Modi's homeland.

So far in Gujarat, Modi is trying his best to create an anti-Congress wave by portraying the grand old party as anti-poor, anti-Gujarat and anti-Gujaratis. The PM's election campaign strategy is also a mix of nationalism and Gujarati pride where he is trying to depict himself as the "son of Gujarat" who will do anything to save the pride of the state.

"Ye maati meri maa hai zindagi laga doonga iska karz chukane mein (This land is my mother, I will spend my whole life paying my debts to my motherland)," Modi said on Monday.

"We are not here for power, we are here for the 125 crore Indians. We want to take India to new heights of glory," he added. The PM added that "Gujarat is my soul and mother. My relationship with you is that of equality since you call me brother", highlighting the cardinal truth that Modi is the "son of the soil" and he understands the pulse of his voters well.

Political analysts say that Modi targeting the Congress won't help the BJP in winning polls as times have changed since 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

"Now, it's the BJP's government at the Centre and in Gujarat. The BJP is in power in Gujarat for the last 22 years. Modi has been ruling over India for more than three-and-a-half years.

"Blaming the Congress and playing the victim card won't help the BJP in Gujarat where there is a strong anti-incumbency wave against the saffron party," said a political commentator.

"I believe the issues raised by him are not striking a chord with the people because he has been talking about Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and incidents that are decades old," political observer Hemantkumar Shah told CNN-News18.

The voters want to hear Modi's plans to rescue the country from the twin economic blows of the demonetisation and the GST.

The Dalits, the OBCs and the Patidars, who are openly protesting against the BJP and the PM, want Modi to talk about them and their problems.

"Modi is running away from real issues. He is only targeting the Congress. We are not interested in fake talks, we want solutions," said a college-going student from Gandhinagar.

A BJP supporter in Gujarat said "no matter what Modi still enjoys a huge support base in Gujarat". "He is the pride of Gujarat and people will vote for Modi."

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 14:27 [IST]
Rahul as Congress President: Nomination papers on Dec 4

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Rahul Gandhi will file the nomination papers for the post of Congress President on December 4. The nomination papers would be filed at the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee in New Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi is likely to be elected to the top post unopposed. The elevation of Rahul Gandhi has been a much debated and discussed subject. He would take over the top post from his mother Sonia Gandhi.

At first, there was some question on the date of his elevation. It was said that he would take over the post of President only after the results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls are declared.Moreover, the Congress had also assured the Election Commission of India that it would complete this process before the end of 2017.

OneIndia News
Rally demanding separate state for Bodos hit Delhi

India

oi-Shreya

By Shreya

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Agitators demanding a separate state for Bodos in Assam on November 29th staged a massive demonstration in the national capital, also submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the issue to be solved at the earliest. The Bodos also signed the memorandum with 500000 blood thumb impressions and signatures as a part of their rally to grab the attention of the Centre.

According to All Bodoland Students' Union (ABSU) President Promod Boro, sending blood stained signatures to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister will convey the message that the Bodos are determined to get their demand and that the demand comes straight out of their heart.

The other groups that were also a part of the rally blamed the BJP for not delivering the promises made to them ahead of 2014, and that in spite of being one of the oldest movements in the country the Bodoland issue has failed to gain the attention of Centre.

The Bodos will also sit on hunger strike and will resort to indefinite economic blockade in the first week of December in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) as a part of their agitation.

OneIndia News
What the Karnataka High Court had said on hijab ban

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The curious case of missing Muslim factor in Gujarat Assembly elections

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Gandhinagar, Nov 29: Shh, don't talk about Muslims in times of hyper-nationalism.

The message is echoing loud and clear in poll-bound Gujarat. All political parties have jointly decided to take a 'maun vrat' (vow of silence) regarding the Muslims in the state.

They are 'comfortably' maintaining a stoic silence on the issues, challenges, and aspirations of the minority community in the state ahead of the all-important Assembly elections.

The Gujarat Assembly elections are scheduled on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will take place on December 18, as stated by the Election Commision (EC).

The 'M' word is almost profane, both politically and socially, in the western state. In Gujarat, nobody talks about desires, angst, and problems of Muslims, as if the 'persecuted' community simply doesn't exist in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state.

It looks like a magician has used his wand to erase the "Muslim factor" from Gujarat during this election season.

For the BJP, especially in Gujarat, Muslims have always remained "untouchables". The horrific Gujarat riots of 2002 ensured that the saffron party stays away from anything that is remotely connected to the minority community.

However, it's the Congress' "new trick" of ignoring the Muslims which has taken many by surprise.

The Congress, infamous for its Muslim appeasement, in its attempt to reinvent itself and appeal to the larger Hindu voters in Gujarat, has decided to ditch the Muslims, like its rival BJP, during the election campaign.

So, we get to see Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visiting temples after temples during his campaign in the state since September. But all these days, he did not even care once to stop and talk to anyone in a Muslim slum or a village in the state.

If for the Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, the Muslim voters don't matter at all, for the Congress, it's time to expand its base and reach out to the majority Hindus.

"The Muslims have been mostly loyal to the Congress since independence. They are surely going to vote for the Congress in Gujarat where the community has been almost silenced by the BJP," said a Congress leader.

"It is time for the Congress to woo Hindu voters openly. We have been always accused of indulging in Muslim appeasement, an allegation which is totally false," he added.

It is not that Muslims don't live in Gujarat. The minority community forms 9.67 percent of the total population of the state--out of which 5.91 percent lives in rural Gujarat and 14.75 percent resides in urban areas.

Along with the social and economic exclusion of Muslims in Gujarat, the upcoming elections completed the 'political ban' on the community as the Congress has fielded only six Muslim candidates and the BJP none for the 182-member state Assembly.

Instead of Muslims, religion, and riots, political parties are talking about Patidar agitation, Dalit angst, demands of the OBCs and anger of the business community over the demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) ahead of the two-phase polls.

"Muslims of Gujarat are completely missing from the ongoing electoral discourse, despite being almost every tenth person in the state and featuring prominently, albeit as the villanised 'other', in most recent polls. This 'absence' or exclusion is not just in terms of a minuscule number of candidates from the community," wrote author-journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay for The Economic Times.

"No issue specifically concerning Muslims is being raised in an election speech or publicity material. Social segregation has become more evident--for instance, no one is even apologetic about their discomfort at having to take a seat adjacent to a Muslim in a cinema hall. Muslim localities in cities and towns are not on the 'must-visit' list of any party," he added.

Talking about the total absence of Muslim factor from the election discourse in Gujarat, journalist Rahul Shrivastava wrote in DailyO that "India exists between nations either persecuting minorities or rendering them irrelevant.

"Hard and soft Hindutva are now being practiced more vigorously than the days of Ramjambhoomi temple movement."

The community members, even its activists, and intelligentsia, who are closely watching the development albeit silently, know one thing for sure--they are still not being disfranchised.

The Muslims will use their power to vote for a candidate whom they think is the best for the community and its interests.

OneIndia News
In Tripura, liquor shops and bars to remain closed during Durga Puja, Diwali

The Rohingya influx continues as Tripura police nets seven of them

Tripura and West Bengal state governments assure assistance to the family of slain scribe

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

The West Bengal Government has announced financial assistance to the family of slain Tripura scribe Sudip Datta Bhaumik.

Trinamool Congress MLA from Bengal, Sabyaschi visited the home of the slain scribe and handed over a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh to his widow.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also called up Putul Rani Dutta Bhowmik, the mother of the decease and assured her that the son of the victim will be given a Government job in West Bengal after he completes his education.

The son at present is undergoing an Engineering course in Odisha. Banerjee also stated that the West Bengal Government would take responsibility of the education of the deceased journalist's daughter Samridhi who is a Class 8 student in Tripura.

Meanwhile the Tripura State Government has announced an ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased journalist. This was decided at a Cabinet meeting presided by Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister, Tripura.

"The Tripura Government will also bear the cost of his daughter's education" stated Bhanulal Saha, Finance Minister, Government of Tripura talking to media persons.

On November 21, 48 year old Bhaumiuk, who was a crime reporter with Syandan Patrika, a Bengali newspaper of Agartala, had gone to meet the Commandant at the Tripura State Rifles camp.

He had prior appointment. However he had allegedly had an altercation with a PSO and the PSO allegedly shot him dead.

Both the Commandant Tapan Debbarma and the PSO constable Nandalal Reang were arrested.

Subal Kumar Dey, Editor of the Syandan Patrika had alleged that Bhowmik had exposed the misdeeds of the Commandant hence he was murdered in cold blood.

Agencies reports state that United Nations' culture organisation UNESCO on Tuesday condemned the killing of journalist Bhaumik last week in Tripura, dubbing it "the ultimate form of censorship" and urged that his killers be brought to justice.

"Journalists make a fundamental contribution to society by providing information which nurtures enlightened public debate," UNESCO Chief Audrey Azoulay had stated.

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 20:32 [IST]
West Bengal Government provides financial relief to the Hills of North Bengal

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

The Finance Department of the Government of West Bengal has issued two memos bringing relief to taxpayers and government employees in the Hills of North Bengal. Both had suffered financial loses owing to the recent Gorkhaland agitation including the 104 day long bandh.

The Memo (No. 2120-F.T.) states that normalcy had been affected in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills in North Bengal during the recent agitation. The taxpayers had faced difficulties in paying State government taxes and fees during the period. Penalty, late fee or fine is levied in case of delays.

"With the objective of giving relief to such taxpayers, the State government has decided to grant exemption to the taxpayers of the hill subdivisions of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts from payment of penalty, late fee or fine for the period from 9th June 2017 to 15th September 2017, for delayed payment of all State government taxes, by whatever name called including additional taxes, annual taxes, advance taxes and fees" declared the memo signed by HK Dwivedi, Principal Secretary, Finance Department.

The other memo (no. 7283-F(P2)/FA/O/2M/47/13) also from the finance department states that all government employees including those in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and Government Aided Institutions who attended office during the entire bandh period will get 15 days Special Casual Leave. The leave can be availed within March 31, 2018 on prior application to the head office.

Employees who attended partially during the bandh period will get the leave on pro-rata (proportional to the attendance) basis.

The employees who were absent during the bandh and whose salaries have been withheld will be granted 15 days Special Casual Leave and for the remaining period of absence, Half Pay Leave out of their accumulated Half Pay Leave will be granted to regularize the period of absence.

The teaching and non-teaching employees of Government -aided Schools and Colleges who will attend duty and take classes during winter vacation and other holidays to complete the prescribed syllabus will get their withheld salaries for the bandh period.

Incidentally the Hills were in the grip of an agitation since 8th June to September 15 in demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland. The agitation also included a 104 day bandh.

Initially the State Government through two orders on June 8, 2017 and June 11, 2017 had asked all employees working in the districts to report for duty failing which their salaries would be deducted for the days absent. There would be break in service also the orders had earlier warned.

However with the restoration of normalcy in the Hills, the decisions were reviewed.

During a recent visit to the district, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had assured that there would be no break in service.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 16:26 [IST]
Why the arrest of Naeem a.k.a Headley 2 is important

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

For the security agencies, the arrest of Abdul Naeem from Varanasi was a major breakthrough. His questioning has revealed some shocking details about his plans which spread across to Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, and Delhi.

In a joint operation conducted by the National Investigation Agency and the Uttar Pradesh ATS, Naeem was picked up from Varanasi.

NIA officials say that raids are still on in various parts of the country to nab his associates. His plans were on a very large scale and it was crucial and actionable intelligence that led us up to him, the officer also said.

Naeem according to sources was on a major mission. He was collecting data and other details of several important locations. He was on the verge of passing on this data to his handlers who were planning an attack in several cities on the lines of the Mumbai 26/11 strike.

He had also prepared several videos of Army bases and camps in Kashmir. He had also paid a visit to Kasol in Himachal Pradesh where he shot videos of Israeli tourists. We cannot reveal any further details, for now, said an investigating officer while adding that the operation is still on.

Naeem had been taken into custody in 2014. However, he managed to escape while he was in transit between Kolkata and Mumbai. Officers are now trying to find who his handlers were. They are also ascertaining to find out how much of the information he had sourced had been shared with his handlers. An officer said that he was working for the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

OneIndia News
I am the biggest supporter of LeT and like Hafiz Saeed, says Pervez Musharraf

International

oi-Madhuri

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Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that he is the biggest fan of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and that he likes Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

''I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me and JuD also likes me,'' Musharraf said while speaking to Pakistan's ARY News. He also said 'yes' on being asked if he likes Hafiz Saeed, added that, 'I have met him (Hafiz Saeed)'

''Was always in favor of action in Kashmir & of suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir & they are the biggest force (LeT), India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with US. Yes they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir & in Kashmir it is between we and India,'' said Musharraf to ARY News.

It can be recalled that the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head Hafiz Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism blacklist by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Saeed was put under house arrest after the Mumbai attack in November 2008 but he was freed by a court in 2009.

Nine of the Mumbai attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught and executed after a trial.

OneIndia News
Kim continues to irk Trump: Here is all you need to know about North Korea's missile program

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

After a hiatus of close to two months, North Korea on Wednesday successfully tested intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15, which can strike 'anywhere on the United States mainland'.

Hwasong-15, an upgraded version of Hwasong-14 missile, reached heights of almost 4,500 kilometers and covered a distance of around 950 kilometers before splashing into the sea around 210 kms from Japan's Aomori Prefecture. Experts opine that had the missile been fired on a standard trajectory, the Hwasong-15 would have been capable of traveling 13,000 kilometers.

The official KCNA news agency said the missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested and was capable of carrying "super-large heavy (nuclear) warhead".

This was North Korea's 20th test launch of a ballistic missile this year and it has reignited tensions in the region after a lull of more than two months.

North Korea's Missile program:

Before discussing about any nation's missile development endeavours, it must be noted that test firing a missile and it being in operation are very different things. Even after a country successfully test fires a missile, it takes years for production lines to be set up for missiles to be produced in good numbers.

North Korea's missile program began in the 1970s with Soviet-provided Scuds and a launch pad procured from Egypt. In 1984, first Scud-B missile was test fired.

By 1984 North Korea was building its own versions called Hwasongs, which had an estimated maximum range of about 1,000km, and could carry conventional, chemical and possibly biological warheads. Pyongyang subsequently developed Pukguksong, Nodong and Musudan series of missiles.

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Nodong was essentially an upscaled version of Hwasong missile with an extended range of 1,300km. Then came Musudan, also known as Hwasong-10, missiles series based on the Soviet R-27 'Serb' SLBM missile.

In 2016, Musudan missile was tested a number of times, with two apparent partial successes and a number of failures. North Korea claimed that at least one of the tests was a total success and with in excess of 3,000 kms it could hit US military bases in Guam and Okinawa.

On October 10, 2015, North Korea unveiled a potentially new ICBM, called the KN-14. It is a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile believed to be under development and said to have a range close to 10,000 kms. The design of KN-14 appears comes from the Soviet-era R-27/SS-N-6 missiles. There is also a KN-08 series of missiles about which very little is known, but what many experts say for sure is that it is an ICBM.

[Beware Kim, Minuteman can wipe North Korea off the map]

Although similar in appearance, KN-14 is slightly shorter, with a blunt and rounded nose cone compared to the KN-08. Currently, it is not precisely known whether the KN-14 is a two or three stage ICBM, however, the former is considered a higher possibility. The KN-14 may potentially be capable of delivering up to 700 kg payload. Pukguksong, Nodong and Musudan series of missiles are fully operational while the KN series is still under development and it is not known how many of these North Korea has in ready to fire mode.

KN-14 is also sometimes referred to as Hwasong-14 and the Wednesday (Nov 29)'s test was that of Hwasong 15, an upgraded version of Hwasong 14.

OneIndia News
US visa processing time expected to fall by mid-2023, says official

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Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid for 2024 presidency post

US: Republicans win control of the House with slim majority; Biden sends congratulatory message

Ballistic missile launch: US to impose more sanctions on N Korea

International

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The US will impose additional "major sanctions" on North Korea for its latest missile test, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday as he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to press Pyongyang to halt its "provocative actions."

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

The two leaders discussed North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, it said.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea yesterday, and travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone.

"Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!" Trump tweeted.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the additional major sanctions on Pyongyang which is already facing severe UN- imposed punitive measure for its frequent missile and nuclear tests.

The White House said that President Trump emphasised the need for China to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization.

Within hours of the North Korean missile launch, Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. .. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.

China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry today expressed "grave concern" over North Korea's ICBM test and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time."

Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world," he said.

During his phone calls with Abe and Moon, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan but also to the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

In New York, US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options were on the table.

"The Kim regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of this President or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States of America," Pence said in his speech at the Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

"As President Trump said today, we will take care of the situation. All options are on the table, and we will continue to marshal the full resources of the US to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes once and for all," he said.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on North Korea at the request of US Envoy to the UN Nikki Haley along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

Earlier, North Korea's state television said the country had achieved its mission of becoming a nuclear state.

The official Korean Central News Agency added that top leader Kim Jong-Un, who personally signed off on the launch, "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power".

PTI
Royal wedding: Prince Harry to wed US actress Meghan Markle in May 2018

International

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London, Nov 28: Britain's Prince Harry will marry his American actress girlfriend Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in May next year, Kensington Palace announced. The Royal Family will pay for the wedding, including the service, music, flowers and the reception.

The 36-year-old Markle, a Protestant Christian, will be baptised and confirmed into the Anglican faith before the wedding, the palace said. The 'Suits' actress also intends to become a British citizen and will work towards it in the coming years.

Prince Harry's communications secretary Jason Knauf described Windsor as a "very special place" for the couple, saying they had spent time there together since meeting in July 2016. The announcement has confirmed the speculation that the couple was due to get married in May next year after Prince William and Kate Middleton's third child is born in April.

The 33-year-old Harry, fifth in line to Britain's throne, in his first interview to the BBC after announcing his engagement yesterday said that he proposed to Markle over a "standard" dinner of at their Nottingham Cottage home in Kensington Palace in London. Harry, one of the world's most eligible bachelors, said he and Markle got engaged earlier this month.

The couple said that they had met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend in London last July and got to know each other while camping in Botswana, South Africa. "He went down on one knee. It was just an amazing surprise," Markle said, adding that the experience was " so sweet and natural and very romantic".

"The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect," Harry said. Markle, daughter of an African-American mother and white American father, is already involved with humanitarian work and is a women's advocate with the UN.

Earlier, Clarence House, the office of Harry's father Prince Charles, had announced that the pair had sought and received the blessings of Queen Elizabeth II. Harry revealed that during their meeting, his grandmother's corgi dogs had instantly taken to his bride-to-be.

PTI
From Paul Craig Roberts Website

The man who died twice



Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI who is working as a special prosecutor "investigating" a contrived hoax designed by the military/security complex and the DNC to destroy the Trump presidency, has yet to produce a scrap of evidence that Russiagate is anything but orchestrated fake news. As William Binney and other top experts have said, if there is evidence of Russiagate, the NSA would have it. No investigation would be necessary. So where is the evidence?

It is a revelation of how corrupt Washington is that a fake scandal is being investigated while a real scandal is not. The fake scandal is Trump's Russiagate. The real scandal is Hillary Clinton's uranium sale to Russia. No evidence for the former exists. Voluminous evidence for Hillary's scandal lies in plain view.

Why are the clearly false charges against Trump being investigated and the clearly true charges against Hillary not being investigated? The answer is that Hillary with her hostility toward Russia and her denunciation of Russian President Putin as the "New Hitler" is not a threat to the budget and power of the US military/security complex, while Trump's aim of normalizing relations with Russia would deprive the military/security complex of the "enemy" it requires to justify its massive budget and power.

Why hasn't President Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate Hillary? Is the answer that Trump is afraid the military/security complex will assassinate him? Why hasn't the Justice Department undertaken the investigation on its own? Is the answer that Trump's government is allied with his enemies?

How corrupt does Mueller have to be to agree to lead a fake investigation designed to overthrow the democratic election of the President of the United States? Why doesn't Trump have Mueller and Comey arrested for sedition and conspiring to overthrow the president of the United States?

Why instead is Mueller expanding his investigation beyond his mandate and bringing charges against Manafort and others for a decade-old under-reporting of income? Why instead is Congress harassing journalist Randy Credico for interviewing Julian Assange? How does an interview become part of the House Intelligence (sic) Committee's investigation into "Russian active measures directed at the 2016 U.S. election?" There were no such active measures, but the uranium sale was real.

Why haven't the media conglomerates that have produced presstitutes instead of journalists been broken up? Why can presstitutes lie 24/7, but a man can't make a pass at a woman?

Once you begin asking questions, there is no end of them.

The failure of the US and European media is extreme.

The presstitutes never investigate real events. The presstitutes never question inconsistencies in official stories. They never tie together loose ends. They simply read over and over the script handed to them until the official story that controls the explanation is driven into the public's head.

Consider, for example, the Obama regime's claim to have murdered Osama bin Laden in his "compound" in Abbottabad, Pakistan, next to a Pakistani military base. The official story had to be changed several times. The Obama regime claim that Obama and top government officials had watched the raid via cameras on the SEALs' helmets had to be abandoned. There was no reason to withhold the filmed evidence, and of course there was no such evidence, so the initial claim to have watched the killing became a "miscommunication." The staged photo of the top government officials watching the alleged live filming was never explained.

The entire story never made any sense: Osama, unarmed and defended only by his unarmed wife, was murdered in cold blood by a SEAL. What in the world for? Why murder rather than capture the "terrorist mastermind" from whom endless information could have been gained? Why forgo the political fanfare of parading Osama bin Laden before the world as a captive of the American superpower?

Why were no photographs taken? Why was Osama's body dumped in the ocean? In other words, why was all the evidence destroyed and nothing saved to back up the story?

Why the fake story of Osama being given a sea burial from an aircraft carrier? Why was no media interested that the ship's crew wrote home that no such burial took place?

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un shown after latest ICBM test

Yesterday North Korea test fired an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile which "apparently flew higher and longer than previous such launches" [1] landing in the Sea of Japan.

It was the first ballistic missile test of its kind by North Korea in over two months.

In that interim the US has sent three carrier task force groups off the Korean Peninsula, flown nuclear capable B-1 bombers over South Korea and conducted joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan in the waters off the Peninsula clearly seen as provocations by North Korea.

Then last week the Trump administration put North Korea on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a provocation that may have precipitated yesterday's ICBM launch.

What seems clear, Kim Jong-Un won't be bullied by Trump's threats of being "locked and loaded" and delivering "fire and fury".

But let's go beyond all the bluster and saber rattling to understand the reality facing North Korea.

Firstly, North Korea developed its nuclear arms and ballistic missiles as a deterrent against a US attack. Simply put the regime could not survive without it.

North Korea and Kim also know if they were to initiate a nuclear attack they would face certain annihilation. So they would never initiate an attack.

But make no mistake, if North Korea were attacked even with conventional weapons they would retaliate. Even with conventional weapons Seoul and Tokyo would suffer untold devastation.

It is known North Korea's long range artillery is buried deep within the mountains and could not be destroyed even by a nuclear attack.

But with all the US provocations volatility keeps getting ratcheted up and unintentional incidents or accidents could occur which could be interpreted by the North as a military attack.

Plus the neo-cons in official Washington, always itching for more war, could initiate a false flag attack, blame it on the North Korean's with them retaliating and a full scale war could commence that way.

Let's remember that is not beyond the realm of possibility as the US has initiated false flag attacks most prominently in the Tonkin Gulf in 1965 off the then North Vietnam coast blaming the North for initiating an attack on a US destroyer when in fact it was a CIA initiated attack provoking North Vietnamese gunboats to retaliate. As we know the truth of that false flag was kept secret at the time with the Congress "understanding" it as an unprovoked attack by the North. It then passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution which President Lyndon Johnson signed escalating the Vietnam war, resulting in the unnecessary death of over 57,000 GI's and millions of innocent Vietnamese.

During the cold war with the Soviet Union nuclear war was averted only because a Soviet radar technician didn't believe what he was observing on his screen, that the US was initiating a nuclear missile strike and didn't follow protocol calling for a Soviet retaliatory strike on the US.

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From Consortium News

The House Intelligence Committee, as part of its Russia-gate investigation, has issued a subpoena demanding the testimony of journalist-activist-and-satirist Randy Credico presumably because he produced a series on WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange, who oversaw the publication of leaked Democratic Party emails in 2016.

"Joe McCarthy is back," said Credico, who traced the committee's actions "to my 14-part series on Assange, 'Julian Assange: Countdown to Freedom,' which includes Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, his mom, and some of the most significant U.S. government intelligence agency whistleblowers in modern history. They [the Russia-gate investigators] also abhor my recent visits with Assange [at the Ecuadorian embassy in London], where he is still in exile after five and a half years."

Credico, a journalistic contributor to the Flashpoints program on Pacifica Radio, was served the subpoena through his lawyer Martin Stolar in New York City. The subpoena was dated Nov. 27 and followed a request for Credico's "voluntary" testimony that he rebuffed. The subpoena demands Credico's appearance on Capitol Hill on Dec. 15.

A letter dated Nov. 9 from Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in effect, demanded Credico's "voluntary" cooperation with the panel's "bipartisan investigation into Russian active measures directed at the 2016 US election."

Schiff also requested "the preservation and production of all documents, records, electronically-stored information, recordings, data and tangible things, including but not limited to graphs, charts, photographs, images and other documents, regardless of form other than those widely available (e.g. newspaper articles) related to the committee's investigation, your interview and any ancillary matters."

Credico told the Flashpoints show that he would not give testimony voluntarily and, if subpoenaed, he would not cooperate with the House Intelligence Committee's Russia-gate investigation. His lawyer informed the committee of Credico's position and was told that Credico would receive a subpoena to compel his testimony.

I spoke with Credico in New York City on the morning of Nov. 27 before the subpoena arrived.

Dennis Bernstein: I am looking at a letter dated Nov. 9, 2017. It says, "Dear Mr. Credico, as part of its bipartisan investigation into Russian active measures directed at the 2016 US election, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence requires that you participate in a voluntary, transcribed interview at the committee offices." What is this letter about and what is your response?

Randy Credico: I have no idea what they want from me specifically. I did a 14-part series on Julian Assange.

Dennis Bernstein: I want to read a little more from this letter. It says, "We respectfully ask that you produce to the committee by no later than November 24 your availability for the interview during the time identified above." You're not going, are you?

Randy Credico: I have declined to voluntarily testify. The counsel for the committee told my lawyer that I would be subpoenaed.

Dennis Bernstein: Will you respond to a subpoena?

Randy Credico: I am very reluctant to give credence to a broad-based witch hunt such as this.

Dennis Bernstein: Let me read on: "This letter also requests preservation and production of all documents, records, electronically-stored information, recordings, data and tangible things, including but not limited to graphs, charts, photographs, images and other documents, regardless of form other than those widely available (e.g. newspaper articles) related to the committee's investigation, your interview and any ancillary matters."

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SHIP'S LOG, February 15, 2018 -- How the Earthlings have survived is a mystery. Ever since the United States impeached and removed Donald Trump for accidentally live-streaming himself sexually assaulting a tourist (or was it really for refusing to bomb Moscow? unclear) events have spiraled out of control.

Trump is now residing on a private island, making offers by tweet of trillions of dollars to various nations in exchange for their willingness to bomb the United States. No nation is known to have yet accepted. Nor has anyone yet seen Trump's tax returns. He may or may not have, or have access to, trillions of dollars.

Some of the earthlings believe the impeachment process drove Trump out of his mind, while others blame the water supply on his island abode. But 92% in a scientific survey conducted in 43 countries this week actually volunteered or wrote in: "When was he not out of his mind -- WTF?"

This situation has put pressure on U.S. lawyers to concoct reasons why it would be illegal for countries to bomb the United States, while it was legal for the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf kingdoms to bomb Yemen, blockade Yemen, starve Yemen, and end up murdering millions of people in the worst disaster on Earth in decades.

The former president of Yemen, in exile, reportedly approved of attacking his former country. He did not have the power to overturn the U.N. Charter or the Kellogg-Briand Pact. War remained illegal. But he approved of the war, thereby making it a civil war, which is not a war. About two people and three dogs were located in Yemen who considered the former president legitimate, but he was exiled as the result of violence, thereby making him a legal party to a civil war. The country versus one guy (and his trillion dollar imperial allies).

That's the legal story, and the lawyers are sticking to it, even as it utterly fails to help them in the cases of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, et alia. But Trump maintains on Twitter, to the extent that sense can be made of his tweets, that he would not have been exiled if "the Antifa Terrorist Organization" had not smashed a bank window, and that more Trump supporters still exist in the United States than "the entire population in Yemen, if in fact that is a real place."

So, the lawyers would seem to have legalized a non-war civil war between Donald Trump (and anyone he can recruit) and the entire United States.

Or so it seemed until today. This morning at a widely publicized event in Washington, D.C., Secretary of State Ann Wright announced the following immediate steps being taken by her department.

Re-affirming commitment to the Kellogg-Briand Pact, and understanding "international controversies" to be any conflicts involving at least one nation. Re-affirming commitment to the U.N. Charter, and recognizing the absence of either self-defense or U.N. Security Council authorization for any Trumpian war on the United States or for any of the wars fought by the United States in recent decades. Recognizing murder to be a crime that does not vanish or diminish as it increases in number. Joining and committing to support the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Criminal Court, the nuclear weapons ban, the Paris climate agreement, the convention on the rights of the child, the conventions on land mines and cluster bombs, a ban on uranium weapons, and a ban on weapons in space. Ending all weapons sales and gifts as U.S. exports or by U.S. companies. Proposing a plan to provide foreign aid of five percent of current U.S. military spending annually for every 10 percent the U.S. military budget is reduced, recommending a 10-percent reduction annually.

If these creatures now end up surviving, it will remain a story of incredible luck and mystery. But if they do not, it will now widely be viewed as a damn shame.
When Erik Prince, the founder of the notorious Blackwater security firm, heads into a private meeting with staffers and members of the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday, the No. 1 topic will be a secret trip he made in January to the Seychelles islands to huddle with a Russian close to Vladimir Putin. According to the Washington Post, the rendezvous was arranged by the United Arab Emirates, where Prince moved in 2010 and formed a mercenary army for the regime, and this get-together was part of an attempt to set up a back-channel communication between Putin and Donald Trump, then the president-elect. The visit has drawn the attention of the FBI, which has been investigating contacts between Trump associates and Russia, but a Prince spokesman last April claimed the "the meeting had nothing to do with President Trump."

There is much congressional investigators can ask Prince about. He has had a long, controversial career buckraking in the dark corners of the national security world. The brother of Betsy DeVos, Trump's education secretary, Prince has been an avid cheerleader for Trump (donating $250,000 to help elect him), an informal post-election adviser for Trump, and a pal of Stephen Bannon. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, and Bannon recruited Prince earlier this year to draft a plan that would replace US troops in Afghanistan with for-profit mercenaries -- supplied, of course, by a military contractor like Prince. (The Pentagon said no thank you.) But perhaps the most important thing for Intelligence Committee members and staffers to keep in mind, as they try to pry information from Prince, is this: Prince is a fabricator.

During the election, the usually media-averse ex-Navy SEAL was a regular contributor to Breitbart News, the Bannon-backed far-right outlet, defending Trump and promoting conspiratorial swill.
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"Commercials don't work on me."

I'm one of those people who thinks I'm too smart to be influenced by propaganda. But revelations prove how wrong I am, time and again.

Mind control for political as well as commercial purposes is an ancient art, but in the 20th Century it became a science, founded and propelled by Freud's nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays believed in a paternalistic social order, because ordinary people lack the judgment to make decisions in a complex society. He thought too much democracy was a dangerous thing, and evolved techniques for managing public opinion. Bernays wrote a book on Propaganda, and when the word developed negative connotations, he invented Public Relations.

Since the 1970s, the science of propaganda has become devastatingly effective. In the 21st Century, it has been individualized with devices that collect information about us, so as better to sell to us and to influence our minds beneath the level at which we can evaluate rationally.

I'm writing this because I don't trust the people who are using this technology, and I'd rather trust you. Understand propaganda so you begin a long process of liberating your independent thinking.



Abby Martin interviews Mark Crispin Miller

And if you think you're already an independent thinker,

consider that that's exactly what They want you to think.



In the 1920s, Edward Bernays devised a campaign to convince women that smoking was a way they could assert their independence.

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In the 1920s, Edward Bernays devised a campaign to convince women that smoking was a way they could assert their independence.

"We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of." -- Edward Bernays


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Is vote suppression just another profit center?--Greg Palast

Follow the man, oh Muse, as he travels the worlds of society's dregs, from the poorest of the poor to the wealthiest on Earth, from sub-Saharan Africa to north of the North Pole, from foreclosed-on hovels and trailers to "cottages" in the Hamptons, from shots of his recovery from a quadruple bypass, IV tubes sticking out, to his return to hyperaction: confrontations eye to eye with the arch, money-groveling lunatics of the world responsible for untold amounts of human suffering.

The sentence above alludes to the crafty, well-traveled, and brilliant mythical hero Odysseus, but Palast's activism, yes activism not just investigative journalism, dwarfs the adventures of the immortal hero by a long shot and redefines heroism and even, believe it, altruism, for the twenty-first century. He puts us all to shame.

The book this film is based on [and updates], The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: A Tale of Billionaires and Ballet Bandits, combines the titles of his first and last blockbuster publications, both bestselling books, one published in 2002 and the other in 2012. I worried that this was a swansong, so I am relieved at this follow-up that adds on the 2016 presidential "election." The cast is star-studded, including Willie Nelson, featured to exemplify a name that appears often on voter rolls; Bobby Kennedy Jr., Rosario Dawson, and Ice-T. The music is energizing and varied. Skillful and witty animation and diversity of media captivate, while comedy weaves in and out of the carnage. The opposition is quoted and interviewed often, more often than supporters.

Toward the end of the film, amid the slime he can only expose but never vanquish, Palast gives up. The U.S. media refused to cover two gut-wrenching horrors, the Interstate Crosscheck voter database and the exporting of most Delphi Auto Parts jobs to China. Why bother?

We find him gorging himself on junk food in a sleazy restaurant. But the woman on the TV above him jars him with the pronouncement that he'd better get back to work. His chief investigatrix Badpenny thereupon phones him with his next assignment, a trip back to Ohio where SoS Husted is working his head off to hand his state over to the GOP in 2016. Palast goes.

But the first episode in the film pays homage to another major concern of Palast's [and all of us]: the environment. He flies to Kaktovik, Alaska, an island north of the Arctic Circle, in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR). Of course, at the root of his two main concerns, the environment and election corruption, are billionaire capitalists--none are victimless, he later quips.

The Inuit Itok, whale hunter and former University of California at Berkeley professor, tells him, with colorful language (the first spoken lines in the film) and serving him whale meat soaked in fermented blood (mikyup), that he and his people are the last of the Pleistocenes, who have lived there for 28,000 years and live on every part of the whales they harvest. The footage shows whale carcasses in profusion. Their way of life in one of the last untrespassed ecosystems in the world, nurturing hundreds of thousands of species endangered if not extinct elsewhere, is threatened by the warthog billionaires' (Kochs' and BP's) plans to drill for oil there. The Inuits will lose everything.

Palast has documented other scenarios where whole civilizations have been gutted. One example is the people of Prince William Sound, Alaska, whose whole way of life was gutted by the pollution as a result of the Exxon-Valdes oil spill of 1989. Twenty years later, as shown in this latest film, the ground is still soaked with the filthy oil Exxon had promised to clean up.

So the film's one allusion to environmental distress is a gut punch that stands out amid the main focus of the film: the corrupt decimation of the middle and lower classes--that is, most of the world's population--by a minuscule handful of multi-billionaires, who hold 50 percent of the world's wealth and want their fair share of it, all of it, as one of the Koch brothers refers to the Osage Native American reservation they bled of the invaluable oil hidden beneath its rag-tag, dried-up ground ("poorer than dirt"). The ultimate Koch take was $1 billion. And they got away with it by buying off Sen. Robert Dole, who could not even keep his take.

Palast takes us to the Edmund Pettus Bridge (named after a KKK Grand Dragon) in Selma, Alabama, to revisit MLK's brave attempts and ultimate success in crossing it in the long march to freedom that culminated at the statehouse in Montgomery. Blood, death, and hideous abuse and discrimination over a hundred years finally gutted Jim Crow when Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The dream was realized before demolished again by the heart-stabbing of the VRA in the Shelby County v Holder decision of 2013. The states most responsible for Jim Crow torture were the first to cash in, passing stringent legislation that gave renaissance to James Crow, Esq. This time the lynching ("white sheets") took the form of digital repression ("spreadsheets") on a massive scale. Palast pinpoints events throughout the era kicked off by the Florida 2000 debacle: the 94,000 "felons" scrubbed from the voter rolls by an outsourced data cruncher (costing taxpayers $4 million) that matched up common names throughout the country: if a man in North Dakota named John Jones had committed a felony at any point, even far into the future, then Jonathan Q. Jones in Florida was kicked off too, even when birthdays didn't match. Most of those eliminated were black--undoubtedly because the voters' race is one of the few data points. Much more skullduggery slimed the Florida scene, but this miasma, by far the worst, is discussed in a few sentences if that, by anyone other than the discoverer, Palast, who did his damnedest to reach the American public with this news before Bush v Gore selected G. W. Bush in 2000 and with him transferred the irreparable harm they saved him from to a good portion of the rest of humanity.

There is footage of the results of this disaster--the decimation of Bagdad, for example: blood, gore, crumbling buildings and infrastructure, untold lives lost or destroyed. Dick Cheney and Karl Rove's ugly countenances are studied in detail. Mission accomplished! Bush is shown proclaiming, commander and chief of annihilation.

Jump to Ohio 2004 and another miasma engineered by Rove and his henchmen SoS/Bush politico Kenneth Blackwell as well as the blighted Triad corporation. Rove began his brilliant career in direct mail and applied these skills to hand Ohio and hence the presidency in 2004 back to W via a variation on his pristine expertise, called caging. This technique discovers likely Democratic voters likely not to be at home because of foreclosure or military service. Then notices, unforwardable, are mailed to their addresses, informing the registered voters that they have a given period of time in which to respond by verifying their addresses; otherwise they are removed from voter rolls as punishment for having given an inaccurate address (RFK Jr. supplies this information and the fact that caging is illegal and a felony). The number of voters eliminated by this process, 350,000, vastly exceeds the 120,000-odd votes by which Bush took Ohio, stole Ohio, adding four more years of red politics and the destruction they wrought on democracy, this country, and the world.

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From Our Future

A Trump-appointed judge has issued his ruling. Mick Mulvaney -- the Tea Party Congressman turned Trump apparatchik -- will run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The political extremist who once said the CFPB was "extremely frightening," who called it "a joke" in a sick, sad kind of way" and said he would "like to get rid of it," is now its Acting Director.

Mulvaney didn't wait for the judge's ruling before taking the helm. He showed up at the office bearing doughnuts for the staff.

Were the condemned being served their last meal?

A quick review of the CFPB website on Monday showed that he had already placed himself at the top of the org chart.

On his first day on the job, Mulvaney froze all hiring and rule-making, bringing the bureau's critical work to an effective standstill. The banks had won the first round. And Trump proved once again that, when it comes to fighting for working Americans, he's just another fast-talking huckster.

Donald Trump was hostile to the CFPB from the start, and he said this as he shoehorned Mulvaney into the director's chair (in a tweet , naturally):

"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, has been a total disaster as run by the previous Administrations pick. Financial Institutions have been devastated and unable to properly serve the public. We will bring it back to life!"

Devastated? Wrong as usual, Mr. President. The CFPB began operations on July 21, 2011. Over the last five years, Bank of America stock has risen more than 180 percent. JPMorgan Chase's stock has risen more than 145 percent. Citigroup's has gone up more than 109 percent. Wells Fargo's is up more than 67 percent. None of these too-big-to-fail banks has suffered financially, despite committing the largest corporate crime wave in human history.

And now, Trump and Mulvaney plan to lift another burden from their shoulders. It's good to be kings ... of fraud. But then, Trump's been fighting for bad bankers from the beginning of his presidency -- that is, when he isn't appointing them to senior positions in his administration.

Who is Mick Mulvaney? He's Wall Street's flunky, a tool of the serial fraudsters who nearly brought down the global economy. Mulvaney took the lead in blocking an ethics investigation into the use of ex-lobbyists by the Trump administration, a move one Bush Administration ethics official called "unprecedented and extremely troubling."

Throughout the Obama years, Mulvaney insisted he was a hardliner on government deficits. He embraced his role as leader of the "shutdown caucus" that was willing to bring government to a halt rather than increase the nation's debt. He nearly derailed relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy victims with an amendment that would have blocked any expenditures that weren't offset by spending cuts elsewhere.

Then, as Donald Trump's Budget Director, Mulvaney embraced a package of tax cuts for the rich and for corporations that increases the deficit by $1.5 trillion, justifying it with f ringe economic ideas incubated in the far right.

That's a pretty convenient conversion. But no such conversion awaits Mulvaney at the CFPB. He hated it then and, as recent comments have demonstrated, he hates it now.

When the CFPB was created, Congressional Republicans immediately went on the attack. Sen. Richard Shelby attacked the bureau with a counter-proposal that would have forced regulators to "determine the economic impacts of proposed rule-makings, including their effects on growth and net job creation."

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Donald Trump screwed up again with a failed stunt, and Lawrence O'Donnell made him pay for it. O'Donnell turned the table on the empty chairs stunt in Trump's attempt to disparage Minority Leaders Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer. O'Donnell's analysis flipped the narrative. He showed what analytical journalism looks like in one well-designed segment.

Lawrence O'Donnell flipped the script on Donald Trump, the man who supposedly is one of the best controllers of the narrative. The stunt failed. O'Donnell turned the opening of his show into a clinic on how one should do journalism, fact-based analysis, and opinion.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer pulled out of a bipartisan meeting with President Trump, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell because in an earlier tweet the infantile president preempted the get together with a lying tweet. It was clear he just wanted a photo-op.

Meeting with "Chuck and Nancy" today about keeping government open and working. Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I don't see a deal

The president attempted to disparage the two Democrats with a stunt leaving two empty chairs for the photo-op/interview with reporters. And that is where Lawrence O'Donnell flipped the narrative on the president.

"The President of the United States held a photo-op today with the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the United States Senate to declare that they, the three of them are incapable of governing," O'Donnell said. "McConnell is the leader of 52 Republican Senators, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate. Paul Ryan is the leader of 240 Republican members of the House of Representatives, the majority of the House of Representatives. And they held a meeting today to publicly declare that among the three of them, the President, the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House, they are incapable of convincing all of the members of their party in the Senate and the House to vote for anything."

O'Donnell got even more poignant.

"They sat in a room with two empty chairs saying we cannot possibly govern without the guidance of Nancy Pelosi who they wish was sitting in one of those empty chairs," O'Donnell said. "And they were saying they could not govern without the guidance of Chuck Schumer who they wish was sitting in the other empty chair. "

O'Donnell said it made sense since Pelosi has more governing experience than Ryan and McConnell combined.

Trump probably thought he had a winning narrative. Lawrence O'Donnell turned it completely around with the proper analysis. Now, why can't Democrats do this for themselves?
From Sanders Senate Newsroom

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with six cosponsors in the Senate, introduced a comprehensive plan Tuesday to address the immediate humanitarian needs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and ensure that the islands not only recover, but are able to rebuild in a way that empowers them to thrive.

The Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act is cosponsored in the Senate by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Reps. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.), Nydia M. Vela'zquez (D-N.Y.) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.) will introduce a companion bill in the House. The bill is endorsed by 75 organizations.

More than two months after Hurricane Maria, much of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands remain devastated. More than half of Puerto Rico is still without power. In both territories, clean drinking water is difficult if not impossible to find in many areas and thousands of people are still living in temporary shelters.

The legislation introduced today would instruct the federal government to immediately address these humanitarian crises by mobilizing all necessary resources and assets to restore power, provide clean drinking water and food, safe shelter and access to health care. And, it would do so without forcing the territories to take on more debt.

The Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act emphasizes local control and sustainable rebuilding of the territories and instructs Congress to address Puerto Rico's debt -- a major impediment to a just and full recovery. And, it ensures that any federal disaster funding provided to the islands is protected from Wall Street vulture funds and acted upon with local input and local workers.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yuln Cruz offered her support for the bill: "The bill that Senator Sanders has introduced in the United States Congress is a comprehensive plan that provides the blueprint for the transformation of Puerto Rico. While dealing with all major areas of immediate concern: energy, health and education it also sets the foundation to make Puerto Rico a more equitable, just and fair society for all. Senator Sanders also shows a great deal of respect and faith in us when claiming that the recovery or Puerto Rico must be in Puerto Rican hands. The bill comes from Sanders' commitment of listening first hand to the hopes and aspirations of our people and must be given serious consideration by Congress."

"It is unconscionable that in the wealthiest nation in the world we have allowed our fellow citizens to suffer for so long. The full resources of the United States must be brought to bear on this crisis, for as long as is necessary," said Sanders, who visited Puerto Rico in October. "But we cannot simply rebuild Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands the way they were. We must go forward to create a strong, sustainable economy and energy system in both territories and address inequities in federal law that have allowed the territories to fall behind in almost every measurable social and economic criteria."

The bill addresses seven components necessary to rebuild and move the islands forward:

1) Debt and Privatization: Puerto Rico's debt must be addressed to ensure the territory can recover with dignity. Congress must also prevent the privatization of public institutions to benefit creditors in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is struggling with an unsustainable $74.8 billion of debt, much of which is held by Wall Street creditors, with an additional $49 billion in unpaid pension obligations. The territories' recovery should not add to existing debt.



2) Resilient and Renewable Energy: Instead of simply rebuilding an antiquated, centralized and inefficient system dependent on imported fossil fuels, the bill ensures the electric grids will be rebuilt to be more renewable and resilient, to provide less expensive electricity and create local jobs.



3) Medicaid and Medicare Parity: The health care systems in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were inadequate before the hurricanes made landfall, in large part because they receive far fewer federal dollars compared to states. The bill makes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands eligible for the same Medicare and Medicaid benefits as the rest of America.



4) Rebuild and Improve the VA Hospital and Clinics: Appropriates necessary funds to the VA for veterans in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.



5) Improve Public Schools, Colleges, and Childcare Facilities: In addition to rebuilding damaged schools and childcare facilities, we must face the fact that many of these facilities were inadequate before the storms hit. Hundreds of public schools in Puerto Rico have been closed because of austerity policies and schools in the Virgin Islands are struggling to prepare students for college and future careers. The bill appropriates necessary funds for services and facilities for public Head Start, elementary, secondary and higher education.



6) Invest in Infrastructure and Spur Economic Development: Underfunded infrastructure in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands contributed to the severity of the damage from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In addition to rebuilding damaged facilities, the legislation would make significant investments in the islands' physical infrastructure to spur the local economy and create jobs.





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Nov 29, 2017: Tracheotomy Tube Market Forecast 2023 Medtronic, ConvaTec, Pulmodyne, Kapitex

Tracheotomy Tube

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A market study  Global Tracheotomy Tube Market  examines the performance of the Tracheotomy Tube market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Tracheotomy Tube market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Tracheotomy Tube market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Tracheotomy Tube Market 2017 report includes Tracheotomy Tube market Size, Revenue, market Share, Tracheotomy Tube industry volume, market Trends, Tracheotomy Tube Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Tracheotomy Tube Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Tracheotomy Tube Market Forecast 2017:1. Medtronic2. Teleflex Medical3. Smiths Medical4. TRACOE Medical5. Sewoon Medical6. Fuji Systems7. ConvaTec8. Boston Medical9. Pulmodyne10. Kapitex11. Well Lead12. TuoRen13. SujiaFirstly, the report covers the top Tracheotomy Tube manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Tracheotomy Tube report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Tracheotomy Tube industry, Tracheotomy Tube industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Tracheotomy Tube Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Tracheotomy Tube research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Tracheotomy Tube market revenue worldwide.Finally, Tracheotomy Tube market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States
Nov 29, 2017: Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market Forecast 2023 Medtronic, Ethicon, Germed USA

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A market study  Global Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market  examines the performance of the Veterinary Surgical Instruments market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Veterinary Surgical Instruments market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Veterinary Surgical Instruments market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market 2017 report includes Veterinary Surgical Instruments market Size, Revenue, market Share, Veterinary Surgical Instruments industry volume, market Trends, Veterinary Surgical Instruments Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Veterinary Surgical Instruments Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market Forecast 2017:1. B. Braun Vet Care GmbH2. Medtronic PLC.3. Ethicon Inc.4. Jorgen Kruuse A/S5. Jorgensen Laboratories6. Neogen Corporation7. Smiths Group PLC.8. DRE Veterinary9. Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation10. Steris Corporation11. Germed USA, Inc.12. Surgical Holdings13. Sklar Surgical Instruments14. IM3 Inc.15. Antibe Therapeutics Inc.16. World Precision Instruments17. Surgical DirectVeterinary Surgical Instruments Market : By Application Forceps Scalpels Surgical Scissors Hooks & Retractors Trocars & CannulasVeterinary Surgical Instruments Market : By Type Small Animals Large AnimalsFirstly, the report covers the top Veterinary Surgical Instruments manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Veterinary Surgical Instruments report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Veterinary Surgical Instruments industry, Veterinary Surgical Instruments industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Veterinary Surgical Instruments research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Veterinary Surgical Instruments market revenue worldwide.Finally, Veterinary Surgical Instruments market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States
Nov 29, 2017: Vertical Synchronous Motor Market Forecast 2023 Emerson, Hitachi, Nidec, WEG SA

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A market study  Global Vertical Synchronous Motor Market  examines the performance of the Vertical Synchronous Motor market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Vertical Synchronous Motor market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Vertical Synchronous Motor market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Vertical Synchronous Motor Market 2017 report includes Vertical Synchronous Motor market Size, Revenue, market Share, Vertical Synchronous Motor industry volume, market Trends, Vertical Synchronous Motor Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Vertical Synchronous Motor Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Vertical Synchronous Motor Market Forecast 2017:1. ABB Ltd.2. Arc Systems Inc.3. Bosch Group4. Emerson Electric Co.5. General Electric6. Hitachi Ltd.7. Nidec Corporation8. Rockwell Automation Inc.9. Siemens AG10. Toshiba Corporation11. WEG SAFirstly, the report covers the top Vertical Synchronous Motor manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Vertical Synchronous Motor report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Vertical Synchronous Motor industry, Vertical Synchronous Motor industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Vertical Synchronous Motor Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Vertical Synchronous Motor research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Vertical Synchronous Motor market revenue worldwide.Finally, Vertical Synchronous Motor market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States
Nov 29, 2017: Water Purification Equipment Market Forecast 2023 AOSmith, Haier, Media, Honeywell

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Nov 29, 2017: Watch House Market Forecast 2023 Shundian, AHHJZN, XD, YBT

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A market study  Global Watch House Market  examines the performance of the Watch House market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Watch House market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Watch House market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Get Free Sample Of Report:The Global Watch House Market 2017 report includes Watch House market Size, Revenue, market Share, Watch House industry volume, market Trends, Watch House Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Watch House Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2023.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Watch House Market Forecast 2017:1. Shundian2. HengLiWei3. Steelmaid4. Dashenju5. AHHJZN6. YiTing7. JinLouPublic8. XD9. YBT10. Tianjin DayuanWatch House Market : By Application Fixed RemovableWatch House Market : By Type Municipal Police Parking LotFirstly, the report covers the top Watch House manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Watch House report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Watch House industry, Watch House industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Watch House Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Watch House research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Watch House market revenue worldwide.Finally, Watch House market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:Spire Market Research is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244United States
Honeymoon Trip 2017 Global Industry Key Players - TUI Group , Thomas Cook Group , Jet2 Holidays , Cox & Kings Ltd , Lindblad Expeditions , Travcoa , Scott Dunn Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Global Honeymoon Trip Market

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Global Honeymoon Trip MarketThis report studies the global Honeymoon Trip market, analyzes and researches the Honeymoon Trip development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeTUI GroupThomas Cook GroupJet2 HolidaysCox & Kings LtdLindblad ExpeditionsTravcoaScott DunnAbercrombie & Kent LtdMicato SafarisTauckAl TayyarBackroadsZicassoExodus TravelsButterfield & RobinsonRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoIslandlandscapePolar RegionOtherMarket segment by Application, Honeymoon Trip can be split intoMillennialGeneration XBaby BoomersOthersTo enquire about this report visit @Table of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Honeymoon Trip Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Honeymoon Trip1.1 Honeymoon Trip Market Overview1.1.1 Honeymoon Trip Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Honeymoon Trip 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 Honeymoon Trip Market by Type1.3.1 Island1.3.2 landscape1.3.3 Polar Region1.3.4 Other1.4 Honeymoon Trip Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Millennial1.4.2 Generation X1.4.3 Baby Boomers1.4.4 Others2 Global Honeymoon Trip Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Honeymoon Trip Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)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 TUI Group3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Thomas Cook Group3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Jet2 Holidays3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Cox & Kings Ltd3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Lindblad Expeditions3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Travcoa3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Scott Dunn3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Abercrombie & Kent Ltd3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Micato Safaris3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Tauck3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Honeymoon Trip Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Al Tayyar3.12 Backroads3.13 Zicasso3.14 Exodus Travels3.15 Butterfield & RobinsonContinued..Buy Report@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
High Purity Aluminum Market Is Expected To Grow Owing To Rising Usage In Coat Wires, Electrical Conductors & Chemical Applications Till 2021 | Million Insights

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Global high purity aluminum market is expected to grow at a steady CAGR in the predicted period. Aluminum of 5N or 6N grade, especially with low alpha emitter content, is widely used in specialty electronic and chemical applications. These comprisevacuum deposition of thin films and coatings used in electronic devices, integrated circuits and optical products.High purity aluminum is also used to coat wires, plates, particles (for use in flexible packaging for food containers and labelling) and electrical conductors. High purity alloys are shaped for the alumina catalyst market and for electronic ceramics such as aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride. These alloys are also used as sputtering targets in semiconductor, memory and LCD screen manufacturing.The analytical characterization of 5N or higher purity aluminum is not a simpletask, since very low detection limits for themajority of elements are compulsory. The ELEMENT GDTM features a glow discharge source coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer (GD-MS) and enables the analyst to routinely achieve ultra-low detection limits, down to the sub-ppb range in the solid, with a minimum of sample preparation effort.Full Research Report On Global Analysis available at:Aluminum is a comparatively soft, tough, lightweight, ductile, and malleable metal with appearance reaching from silvery to dull gray, contingent on the surface roughness. It is non-magnetic and does not ignite easily. A fresh film of aluminum serves as a good reflector (approximately 92%) of visible light and an excellent reflector (as much as 98%) of medium and far infrared radiation.The yield strength of pure aluminum is 711 MPa, while aluminum alloys have yield strengths ranging from 200 MPa to 600 MPa. Aluminum has about one-third the density and stiffness of steel. Hence, it is effortlessly machined, cast, drawn and extruded.Aluminum is extraordinary for the metal's low density and its ability to resist weathering through the phenomenon of passivation.Aluminum and its alloys are vital to the aerospace industry and important in transportation and structures, such as building facades and window frames. The oxides and sulfates are the most useful compounds of aluminum.High Purity Aluminum Market is segmented, By Applications Electronic Industry, Chemical Industry, High Purity Alloy, other. High Purity Aluminum Market is segmented, By Product Type Three-layer Liquid Electrolytic type High Purity Aluminum and Segregation Method type High Purity Aluminum. High Purity Aluminum Market is segmented, By Geographical Region United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, India.Key market players in the High Purity Aluminum Industry include Join world, HYDRO, SHOWA DENKO, Chinalco Baotou Aluminum, Kyushu Mitsui Aluminum, Huomei Hongjun, Dongyang Guanglv, Rusal, Sumitomo, Newchangjiang Aluminum, C-KOE Metals, Nippon Light Metal, Columbia Specialty MetalsRequest for Free Sample Copy:This report studies High Purity Aluminum 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, covering HYDRO Showa Denko Sumitomo Chemical Rusal Kyushu Mitsui Aluminium Nippon Light Metal Pechiney (Rio Tinto Alcan) Alcoa Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation Joinworld Chinalco Baotou Aluminum Huomei Hongjun Shenhuo GroupMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Region, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of High Purity Aluminum in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like North America China Europe Japan India Southeast AsiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into Type I Type II Type IIISplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of High Purity Aluminum in each application, can be divided into Application 1 Application 2 Application 3Related Reports of this Category available at Million Insights:About Million InsightsMillion Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive.Contact Details:Office No. 302, 3rd Floor, Manikchand Galleria,Model Colony, Shivaji Nagar, Pune, MH, 411016 IndiaPhone: 91-20-65300184Email: sales@millioninsights.com
The Mop & Bucket Murders by Pat Herbert

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bucket-Murders-Barney-Carmichael-mystery/dp/1944156534

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mop-Bucket-Murders-Pat-Herbert-ebook/dp/B0777PPHDC

ISBN #978-1944156534The Mop & Bucket Murders by Pat Herbert3rd novel in the Barney Carmichael British detective murder-mystery series is publishedAbout the Book:The year is 1961. Barney Carmichael is about to take on his toughest case yet when a mysterious and glamorous woman walks into his office unannounced. Her request is simple: find her son. It is soon clear that the task is far from simple, however. In fact, the more Barney and brother Jim delve into the mystery, the more confusing it becomes. Meanwhile, Barneys friend, Inspector Tony Halliday of Scotland Yard, seeks his help in solving a series of baffling murders. Charwomen at a big London office block are being picked off, seemingly at random, by an unknown assailant. The Carmichael Private Investigation agency has also taken on a bright new secretary, but when she is determined to do some investigating of her own, she makes a devastating discovery that changes her life forever. This is the third in the Barney Carmichael Private Investigator series.The Mop & Bucket Murders by Pat Herbert is available in paperback from Amazon at:and this book can be downloaded in e-book format from:About the AuthorPat Herbert lives in London, England and works as an administrator and receptionist at a private health clinic. She worked previously as PA to the Managing Director of Thomson Books before they were taken over by Penguin. Pat has written fourteen murder-mysteries to date, including:Reverend Paltoquet Supernatural Mystery Series:The Bockhampton Road MurdersHaunted ChristmasThe Possession of November JonesThe Witches of WandsworthSo Long at the FairThe Man Who Was DeathThe Dark Side of the MirrorSleeping with the DeadThe Corpse Wore RedSeeing DoubleBarney Carmichael Murder-Mystery Series:Getting Away With MurderThe Murder in Weeping LaneIn her novels, Pat likes to include all the hallmarks of a traditionally British murder-mystery series including quirky characters, dark deeds, humorous misunderstandings, and at times, a touch of the supernatural, and cosy cups of tea.Press/Media Contact Details:Darin Jewell (Pat Herberts Literary Agent)Managing DirectorThe Inspira Group Literary AgencyE-mail: darin@theinspiragroup.comNew Generation Publishing is a professional publishing house in the UK.107-111 Fleet StreetLondon EC4A 2AB
Global Facial Recognition Market-Forecast 2022

Facial Recognition

https://www.bharatbook.com/request-sample/644660

https://www.bharatbook.com/business-market-research-reports-644660/global-facial-recognition1.html

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Market Synopsis of Global Facial Recognition MarketFacial Recognition is a biometric application which captures image and uses it to identify individuals by applying facial analytics and comparing it with the existing database. Facial recognition systems are commonly used for security purposes, especially in the surveillance field but recently the use of facial recognition in other applications has progressed. The facial recognition market is driven by the increasing criminal activities, globally. Apart from it, the increasing security measures at ATMs and the growing installation of facial recognition systems at airports, and shopping malls drive the facial recognition market.Facial recognition market is segmented on the basis of technology as 3D Facial Recognition, 2D Facial Recognition, Thermal imaging and Skin Texture. To capture information about the shape of a face, the 3D facial recognition technology uses 3D sensors. The skin texture analysis uses visual details of the skin, as captured in standard digital or scanned images and analyzes unique lines, patterns, and spots apparent in a persons skin into a mathematical space. The ability of identifying a suspect from a large viewing angle with a high accuracy, is achieved by 3D facial recognition technology.The global facial recognition market provides two types of services as consulting services and cloud based services. Rising adoption of cloud technologies has resulted in the fastest growth of cloud based facial recognition services. The facial recognition market is classified on the basis of components as hardware and software components. The hardware component holds a larger share in the facial recognition market whereas the software component of facial recognition is expected to grow at a faster rate. The facial recognition technology is still in a developing phase therefore it has technological limitations. Lack of awareness has resulted as a major restrain for the facial recognition market.The global facial recognition market had been valued at USD 3.4 billion in the year 2016, which is expected to reach USD 8.93 billion by the end of the forecast period growing at ~19.6% CAGR.Request a free sample copy of Facial Recognition Market Report@Key PlayersThe key players of facial recognition market are Safran SA (France), NEC Corporation (Japan), Cognitec Systems (Germany), Aware Inc. (U.S), Daon Inc. (U.S.), Gemalto (Netherlands) FaceFirst Inc. (U.S.), Ayonix Corporation (Japan), Key Lemon Ltd. (Switzerland), Face++ (China) and others.Global Facial Recognition Market Analysis & Forecast, from 2016 to 2022 To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next ten years of the various segments and sub-segments included in global Facial Recognition market with analysis of its development and demand in the market Upcoming technologies, high growth geographies and countries were identified Regional and country specific demand and forecast for facial recognition were studied Key segments covered in the report are: technology, services, components and end-user. Unit breakdown for all different classification was finalized; and same was referred for forecasting, keeping few assumptions into factor For all the regions, forecast demand for all applications were identified and then with historical figure, data collected through primary and annual reports were triangulated to derive the regional market size Historical trend is identified to forecast and estimate the future value dataTarget Audience Technology investors End-user industries Research & consultant organization Market players GovernmentKey Findings The global facial recognition market is expected to reach USD 8.93 Billion by 2022. By Technology, 3D Facial Recognition accounts for the largest market share and is growing with approximately ~23.4% CAGR during forecast period. By End-user, Government industry holds the largest market growing with approximately 22.9% CAGR by the end of forecast period. Geographically, North America has been projected to have the largest market share in global Facial Recognition market, while Asia-Pacific has been projected to emerge as the fastest growing region.Regional and Country Analysis of Facial Recognition Market Estimation and ForecastThe global Facial Recognition market is expected to grow at a promising rate during the forecast period, 2016-2022. North America is projected to be the largest market for facial recognition. The growing demand of high end security is estimated to drive the facial recognition market in North America. It is followed by Europe, which would continue to hold a large share in the market. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market due to the increase of investments in the field of surveillance.Browse our full report with Table of Contents :The reports also cover country level analysis: North AmericaUSCanadaMexicoOthers EuropeGermanyUKFranceRest of the Europe Asia  PacificChinaIndiaJapanRest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldAbout Bharat Book Bureau:Bharat Book Bureau is the leading market research information provider for market research reports, company profiles, industry study, country reports, business reports, newsletters and online databases. Bharat Book Bureau provides over a million reports from more than 400 publishers around the globe. We cover sectors starting from Aeronautics to Zoology.Contact us at:Bharat Book BureauTel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773Email: poonam@bharatbook.comWebsite:Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus
Friction and leak-reducing additives in oil Market Analysis and Forecast Study for (2015 - 2023)

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With the influx of advanced machines and tools in the industrial sector to achieve efficiency in their performance, the need for lubricants for these machines and tools to produce desired output also arises. A lubricant is a thin film that minimizes friction between moving metal parts by preventing metal-to-metal contact. The application of lubricants to ease out the movement of machine parts is not new and has been there before the dawn of Iron Age. However with complexities present in the modern machineries, use of additives in lubricants to improve their properties is a must.A base fluid together with an additive package constitutes a lubricant. The main function of the base fluid is to lubricate and carry additives. Additives are added either to improve an existing property or to add a new property to the base fluid. The already existing properties include viscosity index, viscosity, oxidation resistance and pour point. The new properties which are added may include friction reduction, leak reduction, cleaning and suspending ability, corrosion control and anti-wear performance. A friction additive is used to reduce the friction between the moving metal parts. It functions by forming a durable low resistant lubricant film as it is absorbed on the metal surface via association with the base fluid. Common materials such as molybdenum compounds, long chin fatty acids and their derivatives can be used as additives to inhibit friction in oil. In addition to minimizing friction, these additives also help in reducing wear at low temperatures and enhance fuel efficiency. The aging of machine parts causes them to wear. At higher operating temperatures the thickened grease matrix gets destroyed thus resulting in oil leakage into the combustion chamber via other machine parts and get burned away with the fuels. Oil leakage also causes contamination of the lubricants. Hence, leak reducing additives are required that would prevent softening of the lubricant under high shear or at high operating temperatures. Chemical compounds used as leak reducing additives in oil are long chain, high molecular weight polymers.Request Report Brochure @Amidst the declining oil prices the friction and leak-reducing additives market is expected to grow in order to fast growing demands of the industries, especially the automotive industry among others. The key drivers for such market to develop are the abilities of the additives to improve fuel efficiency and ensure prolonged lifetime of the machineries. Furthermore, the frequent amendments in the emission norms around the globe may also contribute to such lubricant additives market to progress in the coming years. The stagnant demand for high end gasoline by the industries and huge investment involved in the research and development of such additives may intervene in such market development.Asia pacific is expected to be the largest market for friction and leak reducing additives market in the coming years as it is the global manufacturing hub of the world. Especially emerging economies like China and India maintaining their low cost of production may be attractive for the additives market to develop. Additionally the revised emission norms in these nations may also call for increased usage of friction and leak reducing additives, thus leading to such market to progress. North America and Europe are expected to follow Asia Pacific in such market growth. Europe is predicted to experience slow growth due to its economic slowdown. The Middle East and Africa are also projected towards slow growth of the lubricant additives market owing to ongoing political unrest over there.Visit For TOC@The lubricant additives market is segmented based on products such as grease, mineral oil, bio-based oil, and synthetic oil. Grease is formed by adding a thickener at apt proportion to the mixture of base oil and additives. A mineral oil lubricant uses mineral oil derived from crude oil as the base fluid. In synthetic oil lubricant synthetic oil containing synthetic hydrocarbons such as polyester, di-ester and many others is used as a base fluid. Bio-based oil used as a base fluid in bio-based oil lubricant.Some of the key players in friction and leak reducing market are BASF SE, Evonic Industries Ag, The Lubrizol Corporation, And Chevron Oronite Company,LLC.About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Green Packaging Market in APAC to grow at a CAGR of 12.33% during 2017-2021 - Amcor, Berry, DS Smith, Sealed Air, Tetra Pack

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Green packaging is a form of packaging that utilizes manufacturing methods or materials that have a low impact on the environment. Green packaging is developing as an important industry because of the problems faced due to pollution generated by packaging, especially in the developing countries. The green packaging market in APAC is considered in the report. Major developments in sustainable packaging techniques in Asian countries are considered, and the present and forecast market size of the industry is provided.The green packaging market in APAC to grow at a CAGR of 12.33% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the green packaging market in APAC for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.Click to get Sample PDF:The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEATechnavio's report, Green Packaging Market in APAC 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.View Complete TOC with Tables and Figures at:Key vendors- Amcor- Berry- DS Smith- Sealed Air- Tetra PackOther prominent vendors- Bemis Company- DuPont- International Paper- Mondi- Smurfit KappaMarket driver- Increasing plastic waste- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Biodegradable materials are expensive- For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report- What 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?ResearchMoz is the worlds 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. ResearchMozs 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.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Medical Laboratories Market Set to Surge Significantly During 2014-2020

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Medical laboratories are defined as the independent, commercial enterprises that provide information to the healthcare professionals about the severity, onset and reason of patients' physical ailments. Medical laboratories include biological, bacteriological, histological, pathological and chemical analysis, urinalysis and dental and medical X-rays. About 70% of the health care decisions taken by doctors for treatment of diseases are based on the results of laboratory testing which makes the medical laboratories a vital part of the global healthcare system. Based on the testing services, medical laboratories market is segmented into four major categories that include:Routine medical testingEsoteric medical testingAnatomical pathology testingDiagnostic imaging testingRoutine medical testing includes full body testing including eye checkup, blood test, diabetes testing and others. Esoteric testing includes tests for rare diseases or substances that are not performed in the routine medical testing. Anatomical pathology testing includes histological analysis and urinalysis. Diagnostic imaging testing includes radiation procedures such as X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound used for diagnosing the patients condition through imaging of internal organs.Request to View TOC @Medical laboratories market is growing at a faster pace majorly due to increasing need for medical testing in aging population. Additionally, rising shift towards preventive care testing, compelling for technological improvements and innovations is also driving the medical laboratories market. While the demand for medical laboratories has increased many folds in recent years, this market is also posing a major challenge in the form of inadequate skilled workers. Moreover, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare sector has decreased at an annualized rate of 0.6% over the last five years i.e. from 2009 to 2013.Lack of availability of skilled professionals has forced operators to boost the salaries to attract new talent and retain the current employees. However, the rising use of standardization and automation in medical laboratories has helped mitigate the wage costs.North America and Europe leads the medical laboratory market majorly due to scientific advances and aging U.S. population. According to the data of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2010 there were 40 million people aged 65 and above in the U.S. accounting for 13% of the total population and CDC projected that around 20% of the population of U.S. would be under this category by 2030.Moreover, the healthcare reform legislation formed in 2010 in U.S. has benefited the growth of medical laboratories market. With the help of this reform, access to medical insurance has increased in the U.S. boosting the demand for medical laboratories and shrinking the out-of-budget costs for the general population in availing the medical testing services. However, the reimbursement cuts on few medical testing procedures is restraining the market in U.S. and Europe as the reimbursement policies are available only on few testing procedures such as in high-margin esoteric tests and genetic testing.Request for Broucher @Asia-Pacific is growing rapidly in medical laboratories market majorly due to growing awareness about the medical testing services, government support to improve healthcare sector and introduction of new and improved testing procedures by major market players in this region. Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicines is the regional federation, which includes the members from seven countries of Asia-Pacific region. This federation is focused on spreading awareness and improving patient conditions with respect to the access medical laboratories and other testing procedures.Some of the market players in the medical laboratories market include Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, The British United Provident Association, Ltd., NHS Blood and Transplant, London Ambulance Services, Fargo Medical Laboratories, Labco Quality Diagnostics and LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services.ABOUT US:Transparency 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:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453
Iprodione Market Intelligence and Analysis for Period (2015 - 2023)

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https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=5249

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Iprodione is a colorless and odorless crystal and is soluble in water and other solvents such as methanol, ethanol, toluene, acetonitrile, acetone, benzene and dimethylformamide. Iprodione is a nematicide and hydantoin fungicide which is used in the agriculture industry across various parts of the world. Trade names for the commercial products that contain iprodione are DOP 500F, Chipco 26019, Kidan, NRC 910, LFA 2043, Rovral, and Verisan. Iprodione is used in formulations with various other fungicides including thiabendazole and carbendazim. Moreover, iprodione is compatible with most other pesticides. Iprodione is utilized on crops which are affected by Botrytis bunch rot, Sclerotinia Brown rot and other fungal diseases in plants. Iprodione is currently applied in a wide variety of crops such as fruit, ornamental trees, vegetables and scrubs and on lawns.Iprodione is a contact fungicide which inhibits the germination of fungal spores and iprodione blocks the augmentation of the fungal mycelium. Iprodione was developed originally by Aventis CropScience (formerly Rhone-Poulenc Agrochimie) which was acquired by Bayer in 2002. Furthermore, DevGen, a Belgium-based multinational agricultural biotechnology company invented that iprodione can kill nematodes and then subsequently filed for patent for those uses. Iprodione was approved in Turkey under the brandname Devguard for utilizing on cucumbers and tomatoes in 2009. Iprodione was approved for commercial use in Europe in 2010 and was approved in the U.S. market as an enclosure for utilizing in commercial peanut production in May 2010. Due to the rising global population, especially in the developing countries, the agricultural industry is emphasizing on escalating the overall agriculture output. Moreover, owing to the reduced availability of arable land, farmers are focusing on increasing the crop yield from the available arable land by using different types of fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides. Thus, the growing agricultural industry across the globe is expected to drive the demand for iprodione across the globe.Request Report Brochure @Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for iprodione and other types of fungicides and nematicides in the next few years. The main reason for this is the growing demand for fungicides and nematicides, especially iprodione, in China, India and South East Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand due to increasing need for better yield for fulfilling the rising food demand from the continuously escalating population. Moreover, the countries such as Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and Israel are increasingly focusing on improving the agriculture output. Furthermore, the U.S. and European economies are emphasizing on achieving maximum agriculture output from the available arable land. All these factors are creating a positive outlook for the global agriculture, fertilizer and fungicides industry. The increasing demand for iprodione fungicide in the agriculture industry across different geographies of the world, especially in the developing countries, is expected to drive the global iprodione market in the next six years. The major players operating in the iprodione market are largely emphasizing on the developing economies for tapping their enormous market potential. These companies are installing manufacturing facilities in the developing nations to fulfill the rapidly growing demand for iprodione from the agriculture industry. Therefore, the global iprodione market is anticipated to witness a notable growth in the next six years.Visit For TOC@Some of the key companies operating in the global iprodione market are Bayer Cropscience AG, Dow AgroSciences, BASF SE, E.I. Dupont De Nemours & Company and Syngenta AG.About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
SearchNative - "One of the most stable players in Digital Marketing" by START UP CITY magazine.

https://www.siliconindiamagazine.com/magazine/sales-startup-special-october-2017/#page=10

www.searchnative-digital.com

The latest sales & marketing special issue of START UP CITY magazine features the cover story on SearchNative India. The story denotes SearchNatives inspiring journey, while providing prolific social media & digital marketing services. The issue also covers insights about SearchNatives organizational culture, technical capabilities, and extensive range of services. SearchNative has been recognized as one of the Indias 10 best startups in Sales & Marketing.About the recognition, Ms. Nandini Mukherjee  Managing Editor of START UP CITY says, We recommend you read our Cover Story on SearchNative; an Ahmedabad based prolific Social Media & Digital Marketing Company that strives to offer their expertise in Digital Marketing, to push business into a hyper drive.Applauding the distinctive vision of SearchNative for worldwide arena of Digital Marketing, START UP CITY states, within just 2 years, carving a niche in the digital marketing space, SearchNative in total has completed more than 150 projects and has worked with about 70+ clients worldwide.The Director of SearchNative Mr. Abhishek Paliwal feels this recognition is a tribute to consistent performance of the all the employees and partners, as a team. Reacting to the huge recognition received by SearchNative, the CEO of SearchNative Mr. Gautam Sharma says SearchNative has been growing day-by-day because of the thorough professionalism and passion of Team SearchNative. And soon we are going to set up more bases in S. Korea, Europe, Middle-East, and Africa region.START UP CITY is published by Silicon India - the largest community of Indian professionals including VCs, Angel Investors, Funding Advisors, CEOs, CIOs, Entrepreneurs, and CXO of leading organizations. Read the full article online onAbout SearchNative India:Headquartered in Ahmedabad, INDIA, with its branch offices established in Frankfurt, Munich, Dubai, Muscat, Kuwait, and Cameroon; SearchNative offers extensive range of IT Development and Digital Marketing solutions worldwide. Especially in the Digital Marketing Sector, SearchNative has earned appreciations from some of the top brands in the world.SearchNative is known for applying innovative approach and latest technologies for IT and eCommerce web development, chatbot applications, mobile applications and web-app development services. SearchNative has the thorough experience in the earlier mentioned services for a variety of industry domains like Aviation, Fashion, FMCG, Lifestyle, healthcare, and Real Estate. The biggest asset for SearchNative is the highly experienced and creative team of professionals.For Further Information, Please ContactMr. Gautam Sharma - CEOSearch Native India Pvt. Ltd., AhmedabadEmail: gautam.sharma@searchnative.inPhone: +91 - 79 - 48000358Abhishek Paliwal is the founder and director of SearchNative India  one of the top IT & digital marketing agencies in India with a strong presence across the world.303, Sigma 2, Opp. Sales India, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India - 380052.
Fed Microbial Market is expanding rapidly with large CAGR

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https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18553

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/fed-microbial-market.asp

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Persistence Market Research presents a detailed forecast of the global fed microbial market in a new publication titled Fed Microbial Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012  2016) and Forecast (2017  2025). In this report, Persistence Market Research tracks the performance of the global fed microbial market across five key geographies and highlights the segmental performance of the global market based on a detailed market taxonomy. According to the forecast, the global market for fed microbial is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,163.6 Mn by the end of 2017 and this is anticipated to increase to US$ 1,715.4 Mn by the end of the forecast period in 2025. This reflects a CAGR of 5.0% in terms of value over the forecast period 2017  2025. In terms of volume, the global fed microbial market is estimated to be pegged at 82,629 Mn units by the end of 2017 and this is expected to increase to 116,722 Mn units by the end of 2025, witnessing a CAGR of 4.4% in terms of volume over the forecast period.Request to view Sample Report:Global Fed Microbial Market: Segmentation & ForecastThe global fed microbial market is segmented on the basis of Form into Powders, Liquids / Gels, Tablets; on the basis of Type into Bacteria (Lactobacillus, Other Bacteria), Yeast; on the basis of Livestock into Poultry, Ruminants, Swine, Aquatic Animals, Others (Equine & Pets); and on the basis of Region into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.Bacteria is anticipated to dominate the global market by Type, with an estimated revenue share of more than 60% during the forecast period. The Bacteria segment is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 1,110.6 Mn by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of 5.3%. In terms of volume, the Bacteria segment is anticipated to be pegged at 79,463 Mn units by 2025 end. The Yeast segment is expected to represent absolute $ opportunity of US$ 17.3 Mn in 2017 over 2016 and an incremental $ opportunity of US$ 174.0 Mn between 2017 and 2025.The Powder segment by Form is the largest segment in the global fed microbial market, with a market share of more than 45% during the forecast period. The Powder segment is expected to represent absolute $ opportunity of US$ 23.6 Mn in 2017 over 2016 and an incremental $ opportunity of US$ 273.8 Mn between 2017 and 2025.Among the Livestock segments, the Poultry segment is expected to dominate the global market with a value share in excess of 40% during the forecast period. The Poultry segment is expected to represent absolute $ opportunity of US$ 22.4 Mn in 2017 over 2016 and an incremental $ opportunity of US$ 265.5 Mn between 2017 and 2025.The North America Region is currently the leading regional market for fed microbial, with an estimated market valuation of US$ 366.9 Mn by the end of 2017. In the coming years however, Europe and Asia Pacific are expected to drive the global fed microbial market. The Asia Pacific regional market is slated to witness relatively high growth in terms of value over the forecast period.Request to download and view full ToC @Global Fed Microbial Market: Vendor InsightsThe report profiles the leading companies operating in the global fed microbial market such as Biovet S.A., Neospark Drugs and Chemicals Private Limited, Synbio Tech Inc., PERFORMANCE PROBIOTICS, LLC, Novoartis (Biocamp), Sci-Tech Premixes, Inc., Golden link, Tangerine Group Ltd, Archer Daniels Midland Company, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, DSM (PureGro), Novozymes, Lallemand Inc., A/B Technologies International, Diamond Mills inc., ASAHI CALPIS WELLNESS CO., LTD, ProbioFerm, American Biosystems, Fertrell, Hiland Naturals.View Report @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:
Second Generation Biofuels Market Forecast and Analysis by Transparency market research 2015 - 2023

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Second generation biofuels or advanced biofuels are the way forward from the first generation biofuels, which is made from vegetable oils and sugar. The only differentiating factor between first generation biofuels and second generation biofuels is the feedstock. Second generation biofuels are manufactured from various types of biomass. Biomass is mainly derived from plant sources. However, second generation biofuels can also be manufactured from animal derived biomass. First generation biofuels were dependent on food crops and production of adequate bio fuel was a challenge, as it competed with food supply. Moreover, greenhouse emissions of first generation biofuels were nominally less than that of fossil fuels. Dependence on food crops also rendered it a costly alternative to conventional petroleum leading to limited acceptance. Second generation biofuels are capable of overcoming these handicaps and produce significantly higher quantities of biofuels with higher environmental benefits and lower cost. The different thermo-chemical technologies currently in use or under development are gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction.The market for second generation bio fuel is driven by the need to produce clean and sustainable energy, with minimal environmental impact. Second generation bio fuel manufacturing technology enables production of commercially acceptable fuel from inedible biomass and avoid the food vs fuel dilemma. The main feedstocks used for second generation biofuels are agricultural and non food crop residues, wastes procured from forestry industry, energy crops, jatropha and algae. Feedstock cost accounts for over 50% of the product cost, and cheap availability of the feedstocks lead to cheaper product. Second generation biofuels are yet to achieve large scale commercialization and is expected to become cheaper over time with the development of technology. Some types of second generation biofuels are in production as of today. However, large scale commercialization is not expected to come in force until 2020, without government support. Second generation biofuels have tremendous future opportunities as automotive and aviation fuel. In recent years, biofuels have established their importance among various other fuels. With rising oil prices and mounting concerns over energy security, focus has shifted to renewable sources of energy. Biofuels, with ability to fuel transport sector with low carbon emission as compared to conventional fuels, have attracted investments from various large market players. Production of second generation biofuels is attractive for countries with no petroleum reserves as it helps to reduce foreign exchange spending towards import of petroleum.Request Report Brochure @There are no apparent restraints to the market apart from technology development and feedstock procurement. However, the highly volatile crude oil prices in the global market might reduce the market attractiveness for the second generation biofuels market. With crude oil prices plunging by more than 50% in a year, cost competitiveness is a factor for the market.North America is the largest producer of second generation biofuels, with high investments in research and development. Europe is the second most attractive market in terms of demand for biofuels. However, Asia Pacific with its enormous resource is gradually catching up with a few Chinese companies investing in the futuristic market. Global laws regarding recution of greenhouse gasses and production of clean energy is expected to drive the market with governments in North America and Europe providing incentive to the second generation biofuels manufacturers.Visit For TOC@Some of the major companies producing second generation biofuels are Blue Marble Biomaterials LLC, Algenol, Chemrec, DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, Fujian Zhongde Energy Co., Ltd, Gevo,Inc., Gushan Environmental Energy Ltd., PetroSun, Inc., Sapphire Energy and Solazyme, Inc.About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Solar PV Module Market 2017 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2022

Solar PV Module Market

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Solar PV Module Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Solar PV Module Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.Executive SummaryThis report studies Solar PV Module in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringCanadian SolarFirst SolarJinko SolarSharpSuntech Power HoldingsTrina SolarYingli Solar...Request Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Solar PV Module in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoMonocrystalline SiliconPolysiliconThin-filmOtherSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Solar PV Module in each application, can be divided intoCommercialResidentialIndustrialOtherFor further information on this report, visit -Table of ContentsGlobal Solar PV Module Market Research Report 20171 Solar PV Module Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Solar PV Module1.2 Solar PV Module Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Solar PV Module by Type in 20151.2.2 Monocrystalline Silicon1.2.3 Polysilicon1.2.4 Thin-film1.2.5 Other1.3 Solar PV Module Segment by Application1.3.1 Solar PV Module Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Residential1.3.4 Industrial1.3.5 Other1.4 Solar PV Module Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Solar PV Module (2012-2022)2 Global Solar PV Module Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Solar PV Module Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Solar PV Module Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Solar PV Module Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Solar PV Module Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Solar PV Module Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Solar PV Module Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Solar PV Module Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Solar PV Module Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Solar PV Module Production by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Solar PV Module Production Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Solar PV Module Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Solar PV Module Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Solar PV Module Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)4.1 Global Solar PV Module Consumption by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 North America Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Solar PV Module Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Solar PV Module Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Solar PV Module Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Solar PV Module Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Solar PV Module Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Solar PV Module Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Solar PV Module Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Solar PV Module Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Solar PV Module Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesContinuousBuy this Report @Contact Us:Norah Trentsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US); 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New Study Offers Detailed Insights on Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) Market 2015 - 2023

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Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is an organic compound and is a derivative of aniline. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a white solid and is peculiarly used as a component of composites and engineering polymers and also as an ingredient in hair dyes. Moreover, paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a typical precursor to fibers such as Kevlar and aramid fibers. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is also used as rubber antioxidants. Dyeing is one of the important applications of paraphenylenediamine. As paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is easily oxidized, the derivatives of paraphenylenediamine (PPD) are used as antioxidants in the manufacturing of rubber products. The substitutes such as naphthyl and isopropyl are also used in the production of rubber. However, due to the less effectiveness and hazardous health effects such as skin irritation, the derivatives of paraphenylenediamine (PPD) are mostly proffered as antioxidants by the rubber manufacturing industry. The optimistic growth in the rubber manufacturing industry is anticipated to propel the global paraphenylenediamine (PPD) market during the forecast period. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is also used as a developing agent in the color photographic film development process. Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) reacts with silver grains in the film and then forms color dyes which create the image. The growing demand for paraphenylenediamine (PPD) in such a diverse range of applications is expected to drive the global paraphenylenediamine (PPD) market in the next few years.Request Report Brochure @As far as regional markets are concerned, Asia Pacific is predicted to emerge as the fastest growing market for paraphenylenediamine (PPD) in the coming years. The main reason for the growing demand for paraphenylenediamine (PPD) in the Asia Pacific region is the shifting of manufacturing base of plastics products and rubber goods to China, India and South East Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, the population in these countries is rising at a rapid rate which is resulting in an increase in the overall customer base. Also, due to the economic development of these countries, the disposable income and the purchase parity of the consumers is rising which is ultimately increasing the number of potential customers across these emerging nations. Moreover, the countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Algeria, South Africa, Sudan, Nigeria, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Bahrain, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait and Israel are rapidly coming up with robust manufacturing infrastructure. Furthermore, the U.S. and European economies are showing strong signs of recovery after a severe economic turmoil. All these factors are ultimately creating a positive outlook for the global economy. Considering this outlook, the industries such as dyes and pigments, plastics and rubber are anticipated to record an astounding growth in the next few years. Due to this, the demand for paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is projected to record an amazing growth in the next few years. The major players operating in the paraphenylenediamine (PPD) market are mainly focusing on the developing economies for tapping their huge market potential. These companies are installing massive production facilities in the developing countries to fulfill the swiftly rising demand for paraphenylenediamine (PPD) from different end-user industries such as dyes and pigments, plastics, rubber and fiber. Therefore, the global paraphenylenediamine (PPD) market is projected to experience a significant growth in the next six years.Visit For TOC@Anhui Xianglong, RUI YUAN, Yixing Xinyu, Chizhou Fangda, Bayer AG, Lonsen, Alashan Lixin, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Taixing Shangshi, Suzhou Luosen and YSH are some of the important manufacturers of paraphenylenediamine (PPD).About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Genetic Analyzer Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012-2016 and Forecast 2017-2023

Genetic Analyzer Market

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Genetic analysis is a method of learning and research in genetics and molecular biology fields that involves use of wide group of applications while basic system of the analysis is usually pertained to the orthodox genetics. Customary forms of analysis of genetic includes the gene identification and inherited diseases analysis. Genetic analysis also implicit the patients physical observation and the microscopic evaluation of genetics as it is conducted for the long time. Genetic analysis is also applied in differential diagnosis during the analysis of specific diseases, in mutation detection, copy number changes in DNA.Factors like advancements in the technologies of genetic testing, rise in prevalence of the genetic diseases, growing in the awareness are boosting the genetic analyser market globally. Furthermore, initiatives taken by the governments and increase in R&D investment and activities in the genetic field are also driving the genetic analyzer market. However, due to certain factors genetic analyzers use is restricted. The operability of such kind of automated advanced machines requires technical expertise leaving little room for human error. Calibration is essentially needed for genetic analyzers. High cost of genetic analyzers resulting in their availability in a limited number of research organizations is also hampering the growth of the genetic analyzers market globally.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global genetic analyzer market is segmented on the basis of instruments, consumables, application, end-user and geographical regions.Based on product type, global genetic analyzer market is segmented as: Instrumentso DNA Microarrayso PCRo Next Generation Sequencingo Serial Analysis of Gene Expressiono Northern Blotting Consumableso DNA Chipso ReagentsBased on the end-user, global genetic analyzer market is segmented as: Diagnostics Centres Drug Discovery Research and Development OthersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Increase in the clinical genome sequencing, increase in incidence of neurodegeneration diseases such as Alzheimers, Huntingtons and Parkinsons disease and also cases of cancers prompts the interest in genetic analysis. High swift in the acceptance of pediatric genetic testing used for of screening adult onset disorders are the factors contributing to the genetic analyzer market growth. Some of the government initiatives are improving the healthcare delivery to different sections of population, mergers, acquisitions and product launches of the companies are the factors driving the growth of the genetic analyzer market.Need more information about this report @Geographically, genetic analyzer market is divided into Europe, Asia-Pacific North America, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. Global genetic analyser market is dominated by North America due to the rise in diseases prevalence by genetic disorders and rise in advancements technologically in the region. Asia-Pacific, is expected to show significant growth during the forecast period in the genetic testing market. India, China and Japan are expected as the fastest growing genetic testing markets in the Asia-Pacific region due to increase in R&D investment, a large pool of patients and rising government funding.Some of the major companies dealing in genetic testing market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), BioRad Laboratories (U.S.), Abbott laboratories (U.S.), AutoGenomics Inc.( U.S.), Celera Group (U.S.), PerkinElmer Inc.( U.S.), Quest Diagnostics Inc.( U.S.), ELITech Group (U.S.), Applied Biosystems Inc.( U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Switzerland), Transgenomic Inc.( U.S.).Get access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152  160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553
Water Utility Services Market Insights and Analysis for Period (2015 - 2023)

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The world population is increasing at the annual average growth rate of approximately 1.1%. This growing population is has created for efficiency in water market. The water market includes water utilities, waste water management, and sanitation management through water, among others. The water industry is estimated to grow by 4-5% in yearly basis and water utilities account near about 50% of this industry. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), has set on a target of reducing the number of people without having sustainable access to drinking water and sanitation. This target is shared among many countries worldwide, especially developing countries where the number ofpeople meeting the UNs criteria is high. This factors have led the increased investment in the water utilities market.The water utility industry comprise of the companies offering safe and suitable distribution of water and services such as wastewater treatment. Mostly the companies providing this services are local government body. However the recent trends show the involvement of private companies in water market. The water utilities all over the world function in different arrangement such as integrated water system and utilities separated by functions, among others. The integrated systems consist of a single entity handling the water supply, sanitation system and wastewater treatment. Conversely, in separated by function type arrangements, the different types of utilities will be handled by different organization.Request Report Brochure @The local authority has the maximum share in the water utilities sector. However the water utilities all over the world are facing multiple challenges. The change in regulatory models for Australia and UK, the water distribution network development in Middle East and Asia, and the aging infrastructures issues, such as in the US are part of the challenges faced by water industry. To solve these problems, the industry needs huge investment to develop operational efficiency, appropriate customer services, flexible supply, and deployment of innovative smart technologies. On addition to this, the water market is highly regulated and the policies and demand may change rapidly. The customer today is highly conscious about quality of the water and the efficiency of the related services. This creates additional burden on the government facing economic crisis such as in European region and in developing countries of Africa and Asia. However, these drivers have created huge investment opportunity for private companies. Many private companies have taken over the water utilities network in countries such as the France, Italy, Czech Republic and UK among the others. The investment in water utilities vary according to the region as the water distribution systems and demands varies from country to country.The local governments in many countries are selling their water utilities to the private companies to raise money for other responsibilities. This has created opportunities in countries such as US. The companies in this sector are following the policy of merger and acquisitions or entering the non-regulated market to increase their scope. The need for modernization and rehabilitation projects has created the demand for totex approach for investment. In the totex approach, investments are decided on the basis of cumulative consideration of capital and operational expenditures. The stress on expansion and increasing efficiency has also created a booming market for related services to water utilities.Visit For TOC@The European region is considered to be one of the most efficient service provider for water utilities. The private sector has already major share in Europes water industry. The US market facing the need of intensive refurbishment is another developing market for water utilities companies. Asia facing the lack of infrastructure and technological development, will create huge investment opportunities in water industry market. The Middle East and Africa are the other attractive markets as they have water supply shortage. The smart technology application and water and waste management are among the water utilities solutions estimated to have highest investment share in the forecast period.Some of the major companies in the water utilities market are Thames Water Utilities Limited, American Water Works Company, Inc., Messe Berlin GmbH, SAUR, Veolia Water Technologies, National Oilwell Varco Connecticut Water Co., LAYNE, Artesian Water Company, Pentair plc, United Utilities Group PLC, and Watts Water Technologies, Inc.About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Texture Paints Market Analysis and Forecast Study for (2016 - 2024)

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The continual evolution of the paint industry to deliver higher aesthetic and functional value has proliferated the demand for texture paints over the recent past. Texture paint refers to the textured feel and appearance on the exterior on interior walls of commercial or residential structures for an elegant look. Texture paints have added resins and additives to safeguard the texture even when the after the paint dries, which make them different from normal paints. The unique texture pattern embossed on the surface remains intact for long span of time.The report provides a granular analysis of the market dynamics will impact the development of the global texture paints market between 2016 and 2024.Global Texture Paints Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe high aesthetic value of texture paints along with their affordable cost is driving the global texture paints market. This, along with the growth in interior designing and increasing demand for home interiors is expected to fuel the growth of the texture paints market. Texture paints have certainly been distinguishable in the present home decorations segment. The unparalleled visual effects that can be created using texture paints offsets their high cost over regular paints. Additionally, several companies have color experts to provide assistance about pattern and paint selection, which includes stucco, metallic, drizzle, sand, and whirl.Texture paints extend the advantage of covering uneven surfaces and protecting the wall surface from damage. Not only this, texture paints have prices comparable to wallpaper and offer an extensive range of patterns that can be created using a mix of various colors. Thus, the aesthetic and functional value associated with these paints is expected to drive the texture paints market in the future.Request Report Brochure @Global Texture Paints Market: Regional OutlookThe global texture paints market is broadly divided into the regional segments of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. The emerging economies of Asia Pacific are expected to present lucrative opportunities to the texture paints market over the coming years. The rising middle class population that are spending huge sums on home decoration is resulting in an increased customer base for these products in these countries. Moreover, the massive rise in the number of commercial and residential complexes across. Additionally, the rapid economic development in countries such as China, India, Thailand, and Malaysia along with rising disposable incomes has further multiplied the demand for texture paints in the region. Hence, Asia Pacific is expected to be the most promising market for texture paints over the forecast period.Visit For TOC@The steady growth of the construction sector in developed regions post the economic slump of 2007 is expected to display demand for texture paints, thereby further boosting the texture paints market. In addition, the growth of interior designing in developed regions is expected to bode well for the texture paints market over the reports forecast period.Global Texture Paints Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the key companies in the global texture paints market include Akzonobel, Berger Paints, Kansai Neroloac Paints Ltd., Andura Coatings, Nippon Paint Group, Asian Paints, Spectra Texture Wall Coating Pvt. Ltd., Diamond Paints, and Valspar.The key players operating in the market are largely focused on emerging countries for tapping growth opportunities that are present herein. The top players are also strategizing for capacity expansion in developing countries such as India and China to serve the swiftly growing demand for texture paints.About Us  Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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.Contact Us:Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Industrial Gauges: Market share, Statistics, Qualitative analysis and Growth Prospects to 2022

Industrial Gauges Market Research Report

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Global Industrial Gauges Market Professional Survey Report 2017 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global Industrial Gauges Market.Request Sample of Global Industrial Gauges Market Professional Survey Report 2017 @:Global Industrial Gauges market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includes ENFM USA. Inc, Pyrosales Pty Ltd, WIKA Instrument, LP, Ashcroft Inc., Winters Instruments Limited, KOBOLD Messring GmbH, Baumer Holding AG, Grainger, Inc & Granville - Phillips CompanyGlobal Industrial Gauges (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Pressure Gauges & Temperature GaugesMarket Segment by Type 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Pressure Gauges xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Temperature Gauges xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%The research study is segmented by Application such as Hydraulic systems, Pumps, Compressors, Boilers & Others with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Global Industrial Gauges (Thousands Units) by Application (2017-2022)Market Segment by Application 2012 2017 2022 Market Share (%)2022 CAGR (%)(2017-2022)Hydraulic systems xx xx xx xx% xx%Pumps xx xx xx xx% xx%Compressors xx xx xx xx% xx%Boilers xx xx xx xx% xx%Others xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx 100% xx%Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Industrial Gauges in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringMarket Segment by Regions 2012 2017 2022 Share (%) CAGR (2017-2022)North America xx xx xx xx% xx%China xx xx xx xx% xx%Europe xx xx xx xx% xx%Southeast Asia xx xx xx xx% xx%Japan xx xx xx xx% xx%India xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx xx% xx%This independent 101 page research with title Global Industrial Gauges Market Professional Survey Report 2017 covers geographic analysis that includes regions/countries like North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan & India and important players/vendors such as ENFM USA. Inc, Pyrosales Pty Ltd, WIKA Instrument, LP, Ashcroft Inc., Winters Instruments Limited, KOBOLD Messring GmbH, Baumer Holding AG, Grainger, Inc & Granville - Phillips Company. With n-number of tables and figures examining the Industrial Gauges , the research gives you a perfect visual, products, submarkets and market leaders revenue forecasts as well as analysis to 2022Each player highlighted in the research study contains companies Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors, in-depth business overview, geographic footprint and contact information. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to SWOT Analysis.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @This study is the collection of primary and secondary data including valuable information from major vendors in the market and the projections are derived on data from 2012 to current date and projected forecasts till 2022 which makes the research study a valuable resource for industry personnel, and other people looking for key industry related data in readily accessible documents with easy to analyze graphs and tables. The report is a perfect answer to future development roadmap of Industrial Gauges based on ongoing outlook to assist industry player understand the development journey of Industrial Gauges Market.Key questions answered in this report - Global Industrial Gauges Market Professional Survey Report 2017What will the market size be in 2022 and what will the growth rate beWhat are the key market trendsWhat is driving Global Industrial Gauges marketWhat are the challenges to market growthWho are the key vendors in Global Industrial Gauges market spaceBuy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Industrial Gauges market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Industrial Gauges , Applications of Industrial Gauges , Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan & India, Industrial Gauges Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Industrial Gauges Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of ;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Pressure Gauges & Temperature Gauges], Market Trend by Application [Hydraulic systems, Pumps, Compressors, Boilers & Others];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of ;Chapter 12, to describe Industrial Gauges Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Industrial Gauges sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get customization & check discount for report @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.Connect with us atContact Us:CRAIG FRANCIS (PR & Marketing Manager)sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Global Forging Market: Small Players Face Capital Concerns amid Well-entrenched Players, says TMR

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The capital-intensive nature of the global forging market features clear dominance of large players that operate in global markets, says a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). This poses stiff challenges to small players that contend amongst large players with respect to quality, features, functionalities, and services. Further, the use of newer technologies by well-entrenched players that will add qualitative value to existing products and also lead to the development of novel products will intensify the competition.Some key participants in the global forging market include Arconic Inc., Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Bharat Forge Limited, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal, American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, and Thyssenkrupp AG.Request Sample Copy of the Report @As per estimates of a report by Transparency Market Research, the global forging market is expected to be worth US$96,433.7 mn by 2025 expanding at a CAGR of 4.4% between 2017 and 2025. The market stood at a valuation of US$66,049.8 mn in 2016.forging marketPowered by Industrialization in Emerging Economies, Asia Pacific Dominates MarketThe segments of the global forging market based upon type are closed die, open die, and rolled rings. Closed die forging holds the leading share in the market on account of the par excellence finish and performance of products obtained using this process. The segment is expected to continue dominance over the forecast period.Low-carbon & low-alloy steels metals is the leading raw material segment in the forging market. In terms of application, automotive holds dominance amongst other application segments owing to the high usage of automobiles and expansion of the automobile industry.Asia Pacific held the leading share in the global forging market in 2016. The growth of the region is primarily ascribed to the development of automotive and construction industries, particularly in China.Revival of Growth of Automotive Sector Favors MarketThe increasing demand for forging in the automotive industry is the foremost factor fuelling growth of the forging market. The automotive sector utilizes as much as 65% of forged metals that are produced every year globally. The growth of the automotive industry post the economic slump of 2007 is having a positive impact on the global forging industry.Globally, the industrial sector is expected to be on a growth trajectory in the upcoming years. This is anticipated to have a positive bearing on the forging market over the same period. Forged metals display a bevy of advantages over casting or any other metalworking process. The high strength and reliability of forged metals, and low cost of forging over other processes account for their widespread applications. Forged metals are extensively used in capital-intensive industries such as automotive, defense, aerospace, industrial equipment, and factory automation.Request for Customization @Along with these factors, investments in large and small forging units and globalization are projected to further drive the market.Posing a hindrance to the growth of global forging market are a host of factors that include high cost of forging quality steel, fewer partnerships between material manufacturers and forging units, non-profitable economies of scale, and volatile nature of end-use industries.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.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Wireless Power Transmission Market: Players Enter into Alliances with Technology Providers to Bolster Positions, finds TMR

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Some of the prominent participants in the global wireless power transmission market are Qualcomm Technologies, LG Electronics Inc., SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Co., Ltd., Inc., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Texas Instruments Inc. A key strategy leveraged by them is carefully-considered strategic alliances with global technology providers in the wireless power transmission market.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global wireless power transmission market is slated to expand at a cracking pace by clocking a CAGR of 19.2% during the period between 2017 and 2025 to become worth US$17.15 bn by 2025 from US$3.6 bn in 2016.Request Sample Copy of the Report @wireless power transmission marketAffordability of Inductive Coupling makes it Dominant SegmentThe global wireless power transmission market can be segmented based on different parameters such as range, technology, and application. On the basis of basis of technology, for example, it can be segregated into inductive coupling, resonant inductive coupling, and capacitive coupling, among others such as microwave, laser beam, radio frequency, etc. Currently, the segment of inductive coupling accounts for maximum share in the market owing to its relative affordability, reliability, and easy availability. In the years ahead too, the segment is slated to maintain its dominant share.Depending upon geography, the key segments of the global wireless power transmission market are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Among them, Asia Pacific leads the market. In held 40.0% share in 2016. North America, however, is slated to overtake Asia Pacific in the years to come. In the next couple of years, allocation of substantial funds by governments of nations such as India, Japan, and South Korea for industrialization and urbanization projects is anticipated to create substantial opportunities in the wireless power transmission market in the region. Rising demand for consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops, especially in India, South Korea, Japan, and China has contributed to an overall shift in market trends.Industrialization and Urbanization Stoke Market GrowthThe overall standard of living has improved worldwide, thanks to the swift face of industrialization and rampant urbanization. Demand for digitization and infrastructural development such as smart lightning, wireless charging roads for electric vehicles and bullet trains has been increasing significantly. This has propelled the usage of wireless power transmission technology, thereby encouraging wireless power transmission technology providers and system manufacturers across the globe to develop efficient products and solutions, explains the lead analyst of the report.Request for Customization @Apart from the aforementioned growth driver, the global market for wireless power transmission is also being stoked by the increasing spending capacity of people worldwide, the high degree of suitability, operational efficiency, reduced maintenance cost, digitalization, growing infrastructural activities, and innovation of numerous technologies to form a complete wireless power transmission solution for various applications, such as consumer electronics, healthcare devices, and automotive.One drawback in the wireless power transmission market is the initial cost of investment, which is high. The growing demand for wireless charging in consumer electronics, medical devices, and automotive industries is helping to overcome this challenge.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.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hitch Buddy Has Been Launched

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Garrett Kendrick, an inventor from Tehachapi, California announced that he has launched his innovative new product, Hitch Buddy, as a Kickstarter project. This patent-pending device is capable of streaming live video to a user's smartphone, tablet, or computer using a WiFi network it creates. Mr. Kendrick created the device to act as an aid in backing up to a trailer for hitching and for backing up a trailer safely. He said, "I wasn't happy with the options on the market. I didn't want to permanently install a camera or pay for an expensive wireless camera and receiver. Why not make use of something that most people already possess... a smartphone."After many hours of product design, development, and testing, the Hitch Buddy is ready for launch. Mr. Kendrick chose to launch the product on Kickstarter because of the success he had with a prior product, GPS AdventureBox. With that project, he brought in nearly $40,000 in just 30 days, exceeding his project goal of only $5,000. He was able to fulfill all of the backer rewards on time and was featured in many online publications such as Wired and TechCrunch and has an entire chapter dedicated to his project in The Kickstarter's Guide to the Galaxy.Through Kickstarter, backers will have an opportunity to purchase a Hitch Buddy for as little as $49. The Kickstarter project can be found atGarrett Kendrick is a service-connected disabled veteran with 24 years of electronics design experience. He resides in the Tehachapi Mountains with his wife of eighteen years and their two sons.Garrett KendrickPO Box 1438Tehachapi, CA 93581
Sheet Molding Compound and Bulk Molding Compound Market Forecasts Healthy Growth by 2025

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Global Sheet Molding Compound and Bulk Molding Compound Market: SnapshotThe global market for sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound is expected to advance with the launch of superior quality, lightweight, and more durable bulk molding and sheet molding compounds. By virtue of their higher line throughputs and lower production costs, these compounds are increasingly preferred by several leading manufacturers. As an augmenting number of advanced automobiles and luxury brands are deploying sheet molding compound (SMC) components, the market for sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound promises significant growth opportunities.For instance, the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster features a light-weight boot-lid that is made from SMC. Similarly, the 2018 Lexus LC 500 deploys glass sheet molding compound to curb weight. The inner panels of the trunk and doors of the vehicle are made using CRFP sheet molding compound.Several prominent market players have set their eyes on global presence, for which they have been expanding their capacities through new production facilities in new regions. For instance, in March 2017, Jushi Group Ltd. announced its plans to set up a production facility in Suez, Egypt by the second half of 2017. It has also been ramping up its product portfolio with the addition of SMC Class A and BMC chopped strands. Another leading firm, A. Schulman, Inc. announced in October 2016 its intention to expand its compounding capacity via the addition of a new sheet molding compound production site in Germany. Another new inventory facility, situated in Slovenia, will cater to the demands of its European customer base.Request Sample Copy of the Report@Global Sheet Molding Compound and Bulk Molding Compound Market: OverviewSheet Molding Compound (SMC) is a ready-to-mold, glass fiber protected polymer matrix composite material that finds use in different modern applications. This is because it can be molded into complex shapes. Bulk Molding Compound (BMC), on the other hand, is an amalgamation of cut glass strands and resin that is supplied in bulks or logs. BMC is suitable for either compression or injection molding. Some of the end-use industries utilizing SMCs and BMCs are electrical, automotive, transportation, aerospace, construction, marine, and consumer industries.Raw materials used in manufacturing SMC and BMC are resins and fibers. Depending upon the type of fiber, the market can be segmented into glass fiber and carbon fiber. Currently, glass fiber is widely used in the global sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound market. Depending upon the resin type, the market can be segmented into polyester, vinyl ester, and others. The glass fiber is the dominating segment in the global sheet-molding compound and bulk-molding compound market.Request TOC of the Report @A report by TMR Research conveys essential information about the global market for sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound, which are also known as thermoset compounds. It furnishes a granular analysis of the various factors promoting or hindering the markets growth in the near future and also provides information on the important players in the market.Global Sheet Molding Compound and Bulk Molding Compound Market: Drivers and TrendsSheet molding compound and bulk molding compounds are lightweight yet strong. They are fire, corrosion, and stain resistant and exhibit excellent electrical insulation. As a result of so many unique perceived benefits, SMC and BMC are being preferred over traditional materials such as steel, iron, and aluminum. They are being increasingly utilized in the burgeoning automotive sector. Sheet molding compounds, for example, are used in bonnets, hoods, front ends, decklids, and spoilers in automobiles. Bulk molding compounds too are used in various automotive parts, namely valve covers, ignition parts, and headlight liners. In the years to come, the growing urbanization worldwide, leading to the swift sale of vehicles, especially fuel-efficient vehicles, will drive the market substantially.Other factors benefitting the global sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound market are the increasing automation, integration of the complete value chain of the process industries, and rapid technological progress.Get Discount @Global Sheet Molding Compound and Bulk Molding Compound Market: Regional OutlookAt present, Asia Pacific holds a sway over the global sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound market on account of the robust demand for automobiles and rapid industrialization in the region. The same factors are slated to propel the market further in the near future. In fact, Asia Pacific, powered by China, is slated to outpace all other major geographic segments in terms of growth rate in the years ahead. Presence of a copious number of electrical and automobile manufacturers, which is a result of lesser raw material prices, has made China a key player in the Asia Pacific region. It is both a leading producer and consumer of SMC and BMC in the region.Europe trails Asia Pacific in the global sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound market. It is followed by North America, which is propelled by the U.S.  the main contributor to its growth.Companies Mentioned in ReportTo present an in-depth assessment of the competition prevailing in the global sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound market, the report profiles companies such as Menzolit GmbH, IDI Composite International, Showa Denko K.K., Citadel Plastics Holding Inc., Continental Structural Plastics Inc., Polynt S.P.A, Core Molding Technologies Inc., and Royal Tencate.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Nov, 29 2017: Inverter Duty Motors Market Forecast 2023 Adlee Powertronic, Regal Beloit, Baldor, Nidec

Inverter Duty Motors

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Inverter Duty Motors Market Research 2017A market study "Global Inverter Duty Motors Market" examines the performance of the Inverter Duty Motors market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Inverter Duty Motors market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Inverter Duty Motors market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Inverter Duty Motors Market 2017 report includes Inverter Duty Motors market Revenue, market Share, Inverter Duty Motors industry volume, market Trends, Inverter Duty Motors Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Inverter Duty Motors Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Inverter Duty Motors Market 2017 :Regal BeloitRockwell AutomationABBSiemensBaldorGeneral Electric Company (GE)Bison Gear and EngineeringHavells IndiaNidecCrompton Greaves LimitedAdlee PowertronicNord DrivesystemsWEGWestern EngineeringInverter Duty Motors Market : By ApplicationChemicals and Oil & GasMetal & MiningPaper & PulpFood & BeverageInverter Duty Motors Market : By TypeLaminated SteelCast IronAluminumFirstly, the report covers the top Inverter Duty Motors manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Inverter Duty Motors report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Inverter Duty Motors industry, Inverter Duty Motors industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Inverter Duty Motors Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Inverter Duty Motors research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Inverter Duty Motors market revenue worldwide.Finally, Inverter Duty Motors market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com
Aluminum Foil Packaging Market - Key Players, Growth, Analysis, 2017  2025

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A recent study by Transparency Market Research has detected that the global aluminum foil packaging market is extremely fragmented in nature, with the top 12 companies accounting for merely 10.1% of the overall shares in 2017. The key companies identified by the report who attain respectable positions in the global aluminum foil packaging market are: China Hongqiao Group Limited, Amcor Limited, United Company RUSAL Plc. Eurofoil, Pactic LLC, Hindalco Indistries Ltd, Hulamin Ltd, Ess Dee Aluminium Ltd, Alcoa Corporation, Novelis Inc., Penny Plate, LLC, Alufoil Products Pvt. Ltd, Wyda Packaging (Pty) Ltd., and Nicholl Food Packaging. Among these, China Hongqiao Group Limited held 3.7% of the global shares in 2017.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @As per the estimations of the TMR report, the demand in the global aluminum foil packaging market will augment at a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. The report projects the global valuation of the aluminum packaging market to reach US$31.5 bn by the end of 2025, considerably up from its evaluated worth of US$20.8 bn in 2016. As far as strategic moves of the key companies is concerned, China Hongqiao Group Limited is focused on increasing its production capacity via acquisitions and depends on its sales agents to maintain consistent demand. The company, based out of Zouping in China, targets household foil and heat sealing foil. United Company RUSAL Plc. too is aiming to invest in small but strategic acquisitions, catering for food and beverages packaging, consumer products, and tobacco packaging.Based on thickness, the global market for aluminum foil packaging serves maximum demand for 0.09 mn to 0.2 mn segment, and is projected for the most prominent growth rate, whereas unprinted foil category serves significantly more demand than printed foil. Food packaging is the most profitable application segment, accounting for more than a third of the total demand, while wraps and rolls is most valuable end-use. Geographically, vastly populated Asia Pacific is expected to remain the most lucrative region throughout the forecast period.Growing Popularity of Packaged Food Driving Demand for Aluminum Foil PackagingHigh preference for convenience packaging and growing demand for extended shelf-life of packaged food are two most important factors driving the global aluminum foil packaging market. Aluminum foil is a high preferred flexible packaging solution, which can be attributed to its convenience. Aluminum foil packaging scores very high in barrier properties, and retailers and vendors prefer packaging solutions that promise extended shelf-life. For instance, thin foil can protect the food from oxygen, light, air, and moisture. Growth of ready-to-eat meals and processed food is another key factor aiding to the prosperity of the global aluminum foil packaging market. According to the European Aluminum Foil Association (EAFA), almost three-fourth of the foil produced in Europe goes for packaging, i.e. flexible packaging and household.Browse Market Research Report @In the near future, growing use in pharmaceutical products and confectionary and frequent acquisitions are also expected to reflect positively on the global aluminum foil packaging market. Growing emphasis on consumer convenience and eco-friendly packaging and market expansion in emerging economies are other factors opening new opportunities in the aluminum foil packaging market.Unaccounted Sheets of Landfills Pose Threat to the Environment thus may Restrict MarketOn the other hand, impact on environment, health issues associated with aluminum foil packaging, and competition from alternatives are some of the challenges faced by the global aluminum foil packaging market. The report observes that despite being fully recyclable, most of the aluminum foil that are recycled, is from beverage cans, leaving thousands of tons of foil sheets unaccounted for. Moreover, the use of aluminum foil is considered unsafe as it can react with food in contact with the foil, by leaching out.About TMRTransparency 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Nov, 29 2017: Image Data Processors Market Forecast 2023 ON Semiconductor, Hitachi, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Image Data Processors

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Image Data Processors Market Research 2017A market study "Global Image Data Processors Market" examines the performance of the Image Data Processors market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Image Data Processors market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Image Data Processors market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Image Data Processors Market 2017 report includes Image Data Processors market Revenue, market Share, Image Data Processors industry volume, market Trends, Image Data Processors Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Image Data Processors Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Image Data Processors Market 2017 :HitachiNEC CorporationCanon Kabushiki KaishaON SemiconductorIntelSonySamsungToshibaFujitsuFirstly, the report covers the top Image Data Processors manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Image Data Processors report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Image Data Processors industry, Image Data Processors industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Image Data Processors Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Image Data Processors research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Image Data Processors market revenue worldwide.Finally, Image Data Processors market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com
Integration and Orchestration Middleware Market is Estimated to Register a Significantly high CAGR of 8.9% till 2025

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A recent report titled Global Integration & Orchestration Middleware Market 20162024, by Market Research Reports Search Engine focuses on the global integration and orchestration middleware market and presents an outlook of this particular market which consists of tools and software to integrate and exchange business transactions between enterprises. The first and foremost objective of this report is to offer market opportunities in the global integration and orchestration middleware market.Get free Sample Report @This report demarcates market dynamics that are predicted to influence the current nature and the future status of the global integration and orchestration middleware market between 2016 and 2024. The report commences with a market overview which explains the market and provides key market definitions. The section that follows discusses market dynamics including market drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends and key regulations. Through extensive research, Persistence Market Research provides useful insights to market players to plan their differentiating strategies capable of evolving with the changing market landscape.The report also indicates the segment wise definition of the market along with forecast during the assessment period. The publication focuses on identifying opportunities in the market and presents updates and insights pertaining to the various segments of the global integration and orchestration middleware market. Several macro-economic indicators have been considered to arrive at the indicated market numbers.Report structureThis report highlights Y-o-Y growth and anticipated growth projections of the global integration and orchestration middleware market. The report also examines the market taxonomy where the market is segmented on the basis of deployment type, application type, middleware type, and region type. Apart from this information, the focal point of the report is on market opportunities, pricing forecast, supply routes, and logistic providers catering to the global integration and orchestration middleware market.The last section of the report covers the competitive landscape that provides a dashboard view of companies that manufacture and provide services to the global market. The report contains company profiles of some of the key players and a strategic overview of mergers and acquisitions along with their expansion in regions.Key segments coveredBy Deployment TypeCloud-based deploymentOn-premise deploymentBy Application TypeBFSIHealthcareRetailIT and TelecommunicationGovernmentBy Middleware TypesIntegrated MiddlewareEvent-driven middlewareBusiness-to-business middlewareManaged file transfer softwareBy RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificThe Middle East and AfricaThe methodology followed in this reportTo deduce market size, the report considers the various factors that impact global IT expenditure; weightage is given to these factors and study of the top companies and their share in the global integration and orchestration middleware market. Furthermore, data points such as regional split and market split by deployment type, middleware type and application are analyzed and qualitative inputs from primary respondents have been incorporated to arrive at suitable market estimates. The forecast presented in the report evaluates the total revenue that is expected to be generated across the global integration and orchestration middleware market during the assessment period (20162024). When developing the market forecast, the starting point involves sizing up the current market, which forms the basis for forecasting how the market is anticipated to take shape during the projected period. Given the characteristics of the market, Persistence Market Research has triangulated the data on the basis of various analysis based on both supply side and demand side.Browse Full Report with TOC @It is imperative to note that in an ever-fluctuating global economy, the report not only conducts forecasts in terms of CAGR but also analyzes the market on the basis of key parameters such as Year-on-Year growth to understand the predictability of the market and to identify the right opportunities in the global integration and orchestration middleware market. The different market segments have been analyzed in terms of Basis Point Share (BPS) to understand the individual segments relative contribution to market growth. This detailed level of information is important to identify many key trends in the global integration and orchestration middleware market.Another key feature of this report is the analysis of the global integration and orchestration middleware market by deployment type, middleware type, application and region and its revenue forecast in terms of absolute dollar opportunity, critical in assessing the level of opportunity that a provider can look to achieve, as well as to identify potential resources from a sales perspective in the global integration and orchestration middleware market. Further, in order to understand key growth segments in terms of growth and performance in the global integration and orchestration middleware market, Persistence Market Research has developed a market attractiveness index to help providers identify real market opportunities.Send An Enquiry @About MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Intranasal Drug Delivery Applications Market Volume Analysis, Segments, Value Share and Key Trends 2013 - 2019

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Intranasal drug delivery systems administer drugs through nasal route for local or systemic action based on the desired therapeutic modality to the patients. Nasals drugs may be prescribed for acute or chronic treatments and include antibiotics, snuffs, vasoconstrictors, local anesthetics, pain relief drugs, calcium supplements and antihistamines and others. Such drugs are administered in several dosage forms like nasal sprays, ointments and solutions. Drug candidates with poor oral absorption and exposed to first-pass effect in the body are preferred in formulation of nasal drug delivery.The global intranasal drug delivery market is categorized by its therapeutic applications, Allergic infections,Analgesic, Osteoporosis, Pain management, Sexual dysfunction, Vaccines Globally, North America is the largest market for intranasal drug delivery application and is followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Developing countries of Asia, Middle East and Latin America are expected to witness maximum market growth due to development of economy, improved healthcare infrastructure, escalating penetration of medical insurances and growing incidences of chronic diseases.Request for Brochure @Patent expiration of blockbuster drugs, high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes, adoption of self administration practices, rising demand for home healthcare devices and increased focus on pediatric and elderly patients are some of the major factors impelling the market growth of intranasal drug delivery systems across the globe. Other factors driving this market include rapid research and development and adoption of new drug delivery technologies and devices, fast onset of action and reformulation of oral drugs and injections into the formulations to be administered by nasal route. However, drug formulation failure and market recalls, and technical barrier may pose a challenge to the growth of this market.Aegis Therapeutics LLC, Alza Corporation, AstraZeneca PLC., MedImmune, Inc., Baxter International, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., Marina Biotech, Inc., Merck & Co., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. and Rexam PLC are some of the major players contributing to the global intranasal drug delivery applications market.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include , North America ,Asia Pacific europe, Rest of the World This report provides comprehensive analysis of ;Market growth drivers ,Factors limiting market growth, Current market trends , Market structure, Market projections for upcoming yearsRequest for TOC @Transparency 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.Transparency Market ResearchState Tower90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453
Global School Furniture Market Overview 2017, Demand by Regions, Types and Analysis of Key Players

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The global school furniture market has been witnessing a steady growth over the past few years. This can be attributed to the rising demand for portable and adjustable furniture, and creating versatile and enjoyable learning environments for the students.Request sample report:The latest report by IMARC Group, titled School Furniture Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017-2022, finds that the global school furniture market reached a value of around US$ 4 Billion in 2016. Classrooms have evolved from static physical spaces into a dynamic learning environment, thus school furniture is designed in a way that is considered effective for human use and beneficial for physical health. It is made from various materials such as wood, plastic or metal, which makes them comfortable for school children and allows them to work with their full potential and concentration. Furniture should be portable and suitable to support group activities and organize classrooms to enable the students for long lasting and functional educational environment.Highlights of the global school furniture market:Furnitures functional role in the prevention of health and posture problems in classrooms are expected to be the major market drivers.Desks and chairs represent the most popular product type, accounting for the majority of the total share.North America dominates the global school furniture market, holding the largest share globally.Carrying heavy school bags, and using unsuitable and uncomfortable desks and chairs in classrooms can have an adverse effect on the health of the students and teachers. This has created a demand for ergonomically designed furniture which provides a convenient and flexible learning environment to the students and prevents health and posture problems amongst them. Further, technological advancements are expected to encourage the schools to adopt innovative furniture options, such as technology-enabled tables which are portable and adjustable. Owing to these factors, the global school furniture market is anticipated to reach a value of more than US$ 6 Billion by 2022, exhibiting a CAGR of around 10% during 2017-2022.On the basis of product type, the global school furniture market is segmented into desks and chairs, storage, lab equipment and others. Currently, desks and chairs represent the most popular product type. Based on material, the market is segmented into wood based, metal based, plastic based and others. Region-wise, North America accounts for the majority of the total global share, representing the largest market for school furniture. It is followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Other major regions include the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. On evaluating the competitive landscape of the market, it is found that the key players include Herman Miller, HNI Corporation, Steelcase, Knoll, Inc., and Smith System.Read full report with TOC:The report by IMARC Group has examined the global school furniture market on the basis of:Product Type:Desks and ChairsStorageLab EquipmentOthersMaterial Type:Wood BasedMetal BasedPlastic BasedOthersRegion:North AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaMajor Key Players:Herman MillerHNI CorporationSteelcaseKnoll, Inc.Smith SystemBrowse related reports:Cable Accessories Market:Ceiling Fan Market:About UsIMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.Contact usIMARC Group309 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USAWebsite:Email: sales@imarcgroup.comUSA: +1-631-791-1145Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal
Global Smart Cities Market is Projected to Rise at an Impressive CAGR of 14.0% from 2017 to 2022

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Smart cities are developed urban areas designed with a perspective of creating high quality of life and sustainable economic development by through advancement in several key sectors including technology, economy, environment, mobility, people, and government. The concept of smart cities is aimed to offer a set of infrastructure and new generation services with the support of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Globally, there has been rapid growth in urbanization; however, unplanned urbanization is leading to several constraints to sustainable growth. This is leading to demand for planned urbanization. The growth in urban areas is increasing due to better infrastructure, healthcare, the quality of knowledge communication and social infrastructure. The global smart cities market has observed significant growth in the past few years and is expected to continue growing at a significant rate. Some of the factors supporting the growth of smart cities include increasing rural to urban migration, energy consciousness, need for green infrastructure, and time savings among others.Get free Sample Report @The primary focus of smart city projects is on improving energy efficiency and reducing the dependence on non-renewable resources for fuel. Smart cities offer enhanced public safety and security by detecting problems early on. Between 2015 and 2050, the number of people living in cities is expected to grow from around 3.6 billion to around 6.3 billion. A majority of this growth is expected to be in developing countries including India, China, Korea, and others. Many of the worlds major cities including New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Cairo, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Singapore, Dubai, and others have embarked on the smart city projects. Continuous rise in the number of people migrating to urban areas is resulting in overpopulation in modern cities, thus, causing social, political, environmental and energy instability.This has created the need to incorporate a smart city concept to address all the arising challenges, by implementing modern infrastructure, enabling smart and intelligent solutions and technologies. As a result, the demand for smarter cities is expected to remain high in the coming years. The prospective growth of smart cities is attracting vendors throughout the value chain to invest in this sector. The problems and challenges faced by the countries globally include increasing congestion, rising pollution levels, migration of people from rural to urban areas, scarcity of resources, and increasing incidence of accidents among others in the metropolitan areas.The report provides thorough analysis of the global smart cities market with respect to market size and forecast for the period 2013  2019. The study covers regional and technological trends that are affecting the dynamics of this market. In-depth analysis of the major segments of smart cities and forecast for each segment is explained in detail. The global smart cities market is segmented by end-user applications and major geographies. The segment analysis identifies key opportunities for each application in global as well as regional markets. Porters five forces analysis helps industry players understand the degree of competition and formulate their respective strategies.Browse Full Report with TOC @The report profiles key industry players in the global smart cities market and highlights the key strategies adopted by them. In addition, this study covers recent developments in the smart cities market. This helps both new entrants and established players to develop their short- and long-term strategies. The report is expected to help suppliers, manufacturers, system integrators, policy-makers and the other key players to identify key opportunities in this industry.The report assists in better understanding of the market with the help of various highlights on the competitive situation across different levels of the Porters five forces analysis. Overall, the report provides detailed analysis of the global smart cities market, along with the forecast in terms of revenue (USD billion) for all the segments from 2013 to 2019.The global smart cities market is segmented into end user application segments and geographical markets as:Smart Cities Market, by End User Application TypeSmart homesSmart buildingsSmart energy managementSmart industrial automationSmart healthcareSmart transportationSmart securityOthers (smart education, smart water management, so on)Smart Cities Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the WorldSend An Enquiry @About MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Brushless Impact Wrenches Market 2017: Keyplayers HITACHI KOKI, MAKITA, Milwaukee

Brushless Impact Wrenches Market

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https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/report/global-brushless-impact-wrenches-market-research-report-2017

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QY Research Groups has released a latest report based on thorough research on Brushless Impact Wrenches Market . This in-depth report discusses this industrys market in forms of overview/definition, application, classification, predictions pertaining value and volume, and future predictions. It also prominently attributes the current situation and outlooks with industrial and financial aspect. Furthermore, it comprises of current events, latest market trends, schematic representation of the global companies with their prime developments, mergers & acquisitions, deals and agreements, expansions and investments, etc. Additionally, it talks about the vital prospects such as market restrains growth drivers, challenges and potential opportunities that may affect the overall Brushless Impact Wrenches Market .Get Sample Copy of this Report @Due to the constant altering business landscape, enhancements in the technology, the process of communication in several organizations have become intricate. Moreover, nowadays, customers demands have increased and expanded, this in return expects efficient and effective communication inside an organization. Escalated use of social networking websites, increased use of smartphones, and ascending demand for improved enterprise efficiency are the prime growth factors of the Brushless Impact Wrenches Market . Enhanced technologies and several Information technology tools better the productivity of the business and escalate functional efficiency. Additionally, many services and solutions are put to use in various industrial verticals which includes banks, insurance (BFSI), public sector, travel & hospitality, healthcare, energy & utilities, education, IT & telecom, transportations and logistics, retail, many other industry sectors such as media and communications.The methodological analysis which is used to approximate and forecast the Brushless Impact Wrenches Market starts with gathering data on vital vendors with the help of secondary research through various trusted sources that include news articles, presentations, journals and paid database. In addition, information which the vendors provide is also taken into consideration to analyze the segmentation of the market.This extensive professional market research report renders an in-depth study of this markets industry along with growth prospects for the forecast period with exclusive focus on the size and characteristics of the market, major market manufacturers, present trends, growth forecasts, competitive landscape for the predicted frame of time coupled with market restrains and prime success. Besides, this exclusive report cloaks the global Brushless Impact Wrenches Market based on applications, regions, competitive landscape and products. The report enlists profiles of several companies of prime market players, market share, financial metrics, business strategies, and forecasts and predictions.Browse More Insight @The Brushless Impact Wrenches Market report wraps: Industry summary with market definition, key elements such as market restrains, drivers, potential opportunities, challenges, trends in the market, etc. Market sectioning depending on product, application, geographical region, competitive market share Market size, approximates, forecasts for the said frame of time Distribution channel assessment Competitive analysis of crucial market manufacturers, trends, company profiles, strategies, etc. Factors accountable for the growth of the market Thorough assessment of prime market geographically Factual information, insights, market date backed by statistics and industryThis report focuses on top manufacturers in global market:Global Brushless Impact Wrenches market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including FEIN - C. & E. Fein GmbH HITACHI KOKI MAKITA Milwaukee Robert Bosch Elektrowerkzeuge? Stanley Apex Tool Group Great Wall Precision TTi Snap-on Inc. Ideal?IndustriesThe report is worth a buy because:This report on Brushless Impact Wrenches Market assists in analyzing the condition and situation of the market in primary regions of the world. Apart from rendering an overview of product manufacturing processes, the research report also renders impeded strategy of the industry, latest technological developments, cost structures, product specifications, etc. Future predictions based on the development of this industry are also covered. The report also reviews micro and macro factors vital for the new entrants along with the current market players.Some points from TOC:-Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Research Report 20171 Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Brushless Impact Wrenches1.2 Brushless Impact Wrenches Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Light1.2.4 High-torque?1.3 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Segment by Application1.3.1 Brushless Impact Wrenches Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Household1.4 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Brushless Impact Wrenches (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Brushless Impact Wrenches Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Brushless Impact Wrenches Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Brushless Impact Wrenches Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017).continuedDownload PDF Brochure of this Report @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Sarah JEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWebsite-
Global Health Insurance Market 2017 Covering Tax Reform and the Repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

ReportsWeb

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http://www.reportsweb.com/Global-Health-Insurance-Sales-Market-Report-Forecast-2017-2021

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Health Insurance Sales Market Report Forecast 2017-2021 The report classifies the global Health Insurance Market in a precise manner to offer detailed insights about the aspects responsible for augmenting as well as restraining market growth.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.The study is a source of reliable data on:Key market segments and sub-segmentsEvolving market trends and dynamicsChanging supply and demand scenariosQuantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecastingTracking current trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive insightsOpportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsGet Sample of this report atThis research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include:United StatesChinaEuropeJapanThe Major players reported in the market include:AXAAllianzJapan Post HoldingsPing An InsuranceAssicurazioni GeneraliChina Life InsuranceState Farm Insurance CosMetLifeMunich Re...Product Segment Analysis:Disease InsuranceMedical InsuranceLife Accident InsuranceApplication Segment Analysis:TravelResidentialEmployer-BasedBrowse complete Report atTable of Content1 Health Insurance Market Overview2 Global Economic Impact on Health Insurance Industry3 Health Insurance Manufacturing Cost Analysis4 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers4.1 Health Insurance Industrial Chain Analysis4.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing4.3 Raw Materials Sources of Health Insurance Major Manufacturers in 20154.4 Downstream Buyers5 Global Health Insurance Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application6 United States Health Insurance (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 China Health Insurance (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 Europe Health Insurance (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Japan Health Insurance (Volume, Value and Sales Price)10 Global Health Insurance Manufacturers Analysis10.1 AXA10.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.1.2 Product Type, Application and Specification10.1.3 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.1.4 Business Overview10.2 Allianz10.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.2.2 Product Type, Application and Specification10.2.3 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.2.4 Business Overview10.3 Japan Post Holdings10.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.3.2 Product Type, Application and Specification10.3.3 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.3.4 Business Overview10.4 Ping An Insurance10.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.4.2 Product Type, Application and Specification10.4.3 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.4.4 Business Overview10.5 Assicurazioni Generali10.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.5.2 Product Type, Application and Specification10.5.3 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.5.4 Business Overview11 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders12 Market Effect Factors Analysis13 Global Health Insurance Market Forecast (2017-2021)Purchase complete report atContact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Nov, 29 2017: High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market Forecast 2023 KUBOTA, Hitachi Koki, Beckman Coulter, NuAire

High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge

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http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-high-speed-refrigerated-centrifuge-market-2017-demand-insight-key-players-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

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High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market Research 2017A market study "Global High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market" examines the performance of the High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market 2017 report includes High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market Revenue, market Share, High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge industry volume, market Trends, High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market 2017 :Hitachi KokiNuAireKUBOTABeckman CoulterFirstly, the report covers the top High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge industry, High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market revenue worldwide.Finally, High-Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com
Cardiovascular Ultrasound System Market Size will Escalate Rapidly in 2025

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Global Cardiovascular Ultrasound System Market: SnapshotThe world cardiovascular ultrasound system market is foretold to take the first flight to maintaining a substantial progress with innovations and collaborations encouraged globally. The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), for instance, is looking to promote novel methodologies and techniques in the field of cardiovascular ultrasound a.k.a. echocardiography. The launch of its Echovation Challenge 2017 has brought together its members and various scientific communities to drive innovation and foster collaboration in the cardiovascular care domain.The cardiovascular ultrasound system market could see a classification based on four chief categories, viz. test, device display, technology, and end user. Segmentation of the global market allows the interested parties to make informed investment decisions and customize their penetration into the industry. The geographic segmentation offered in the report takes into account the crucial geographies prophesied to create approving prospects of growth.Request Sample Copy of the Report@The expert analysts at TMR Research have introduced and comprehensively examined the premium insights of the global cardiovascular ultrasound system market, including the market scope over the forecast period, competitive landscape, and supreme market drivers and opportunities.Global Cardiovascular Ultrasound System Market: TrendsThe cardiovascular ultrasound system market is expected to come forth strong and dominant on a global platform with the upper hand gained by echocardiography over invasive cardiac diagnostic operations. The analysts of the report presented herewith also credit the advancement in technology and rising occurrences of cardiovascular diseases for the escalating growth of the global market.However, the market is foreseen to stunt its growth nominally because of a few factors such as the economic effect of embracing newly discovered technologies and inauspicious reimbursement scenario.Request TOC of the Report @Nevertheless, industry players can look to rise above these restraints with opportunities birthed from miniaturization of ultrasound devices. Besides this, they can tap into the unexplored markets of emerging countries to find some favorable opportunities.Global Cardiovascular Ultrasound System Market: GeographyAlthough the international cardiovascular ultrasound system market has impacted different regions of the world, such as North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, there are specific geographies that have promised a considerable growth. Out of them, Europe is anticipated to impress the vendors by providing lucrative opportunities on the back of aggravating product commercialization. More opportunities could spring from the diversification of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in its clinical applications followed by their preliminary commercialization.The Asia Pacific region is not too far behind in the race. With countries such as New Zealand, China, Japan, India, Australia, and the Rest of Asia Pacific, it is envisaged to make every opportunity count to emerge as a faster growing market. For the forecast period 20172025, the Asia Pacific cardiovascular ultrasound system market is predicted to ride on various growth opportunities such as increased medical tourism, surge in innovation and research, and rising healthcare expenditure.Get Discount @Global Cardiovascular Ultrasound System Market: CompetitionThe publication compiled for the world cardiovascular ultrasound system market explores some of the key competitors making a statement in the industry. These are Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan), GE Healthcare (U.S.), Hitachi Medical Corporation (Japan), Philips Healthcare (The Netherlands), and Siemens Healthcare (Germany). The cardiovascular ultrasound system market report can be customized as per the business requirements of buyers such as manufacturers, research and consulting companies, distributors and wholesalers, OEMs, and CMOs. It can also be tailor-made with additional company profiling and further breakdown of regional markets.Our seasoned research experts have shed light on the strategies adopted by top players in the global market for scaling up their growth. Moreover, the report comes out as a detailed guideline to evaluate the recent developments, products offered, latest financials, and SWOT analysis of the companies listed.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Mobile Phones Packaging Market - Competitive Landscape & Technological Breakthroughs Analysis in Next Few Years

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The global mobile phones packaging market is largely dominated by small players, the majority of which are concentrated in Asia Pacific, notes a recent study by Transparency Market Research (TMR). However, these companies are catering to the needs of global brands that source local packaging materials for mobile phones. These vendors are focused on strengthening their sales channels and are striving to obtain standard certifications which give them an advantage when serving global clients.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @In this scenario, the top twenty companies hold a scanty approximately 15% share of the market. To maintain their foothold, these companies are focusing hard on mergers and acquisitions, capacity expansion, and are also attempting to enter regional markets.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global mobile phones packaging market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.4% between 2017 and 2027, for the market to become worth US$8,055.1 mn by 2027. The market was evaluated to be worth US$3,715.3 mn in 2016.Asia Pacific Emerges as Most Prominent RegionAmong the key packaging type segments of the global mobile phones packaging market are rigid boxes, folding cartons, flexible films, insert trays, thermoformed blisters, and other mobile phone packaging products. Folding cartons are expected to sustain their significant market position backed by the continued preference for mid-range mobile phones. However, rigid boxes made of high quality paperboard materials and premium print quality are expected to hold on to their dominant position over the forecast period.Asia Pacific, among other geographic market segments, is currently the prominent region with a share of 30.3% in the global market. The region is expected to display increased market share over the forecast period, driven by high growth rate in India and the entire South East Asia region.Medium to Support Branding Objectives Fosters Market GrowthThe key growth driver of the global mobile phones packaging market includes sales of packaging products catering to the packaging needs of mobile handsets, USB cables, charger, headphones, manual and other complimentary accessories that are provided at the time of purchase of mobile handsets.Browse Market Research Report @Another key factor stoking growth of the global mobile phones packaging market is the rising demand for expensive rigid boxes instead of affordable boxes such as folding cartons to support branding objectives. Cell phone manufacturers are increasingly recognizing the importance of packaging as part of their branding and marketing objectives. This, in turn, is compelling packaging companies to deliver packaging solutions that help their clients mobile brand stand out on retail shelves. Mobile phones packaging companies also need to consider effective utilization of space on retail shelves. This is because the way a mobile phone box is placed on the retail shelf makes a significant impact on gathering the attention of store customers. Therefore, mobile phone packaging companies are innovating in terms of design that is cost-effective as well.Along with this, the surging demand for bespoke packaging needs is anticipated to create opportunities for the mobile phones packaging market. The rising popularity of variable data printing (VDP), which is emerging as a marketing tool, allows packaging information to be personalized so as to target a specific audience or even an individual.About TMRTransparency 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Added value due to standard configuration  FuelCon test stations convince by integrated features

Evaluator Test Station with Test Item Wagon and custimized Interfaces

www.fuelcon.com

Testing and validating fuel cells is a highly complex procedure, where many single steps need to intertwine in order to eventually supply reliable measuring data and results. In dependence on the respective technology, this means especially an extensive preparation of test runs, where the test item, the test station and the test procedure as such must be enabled and adjusted for the corresponding requirements.As an experienced manufacturer of test stations for fuel cells and batteries, FuelCon is conscious of the special requirements, which result from the daily operations with test equipment and incorporates this knowledge in the test station design for years. This yields the advantages of a comprehensive safety concept and also a noticeable work simplification, which  as part of an overall concept  makes FuelCon products unique. Thus, all of our Evaluator fuel cell test stations are equipped with included features by default, that are one of a kind in the international competition and thereby establish a distinct unique selling proposition.Already when it comes to the ergonomics of a test station, FuelCon puts emphasis on optimal working conditions for users, as well as on ultimate safety during the test procedure. For instance, all of our fuel cell test stations, starting from short-stack class have a solid housing, which separates the test cabinet from the process technology and the environment. Hence, disturbing outside influences can be avoided exactly like dangers for the environment due to a test items dysfunction. If it comes to voltage, which is greater or equal to 60 V, the doors of the test cabinet get equipped with automatic locking mechanisms, in order to keep safe from unwanted contact and damage.Beside the safety for the environment, test item, test equipment and user, especially the ergonomics of the usage is an important factor and finds special consideration when it comes to the design. The test cabinets of our Evaluator fuel cell test stations are located in an optimal working height, in order to reduce physical strain. For bigger stacks as well as fuel cell systems, the test cabinet is conceptualized walkable or when necessary even drivable, so that test items can be rolled in directly or just contacted easily. For this, FuelCon offers test item carriages, whereon stacks and systems can be preassembled. Thus, the test item carriage with the test item can be rolled directly into the test cabinet and connected there.At that, especially the complete test cabinet illumination helps. It arises out of a fully integrated ceiling lighting. Consequently, there are constantly given optimal visibility conditions, both for operations at the test item and during the test run. Under these circumstances, even very extensive mounting of the test item can be realized easily. For customer-specific interfaces, FuelCon test stations have to offer optimized transfer points. They are located in close vicinity to the test item and allow the inclusion of external devices. Depending on the equipment, CVM modules can be attached directly to some test item carriages for fuel cell stacks and systems. As a result, the effort for wiring gets reduced even more. FuelCon puts emphasis on an optimized visibility concept for SOFC test stations as well, which noticeably simplifies the connecting process in a top-hat furnace.Summarized, these useful features, included in the standard equipment, create a considerable added value in contrast to conventional test equipment and support the user optimally. When necessary, every test station can be expanded with special solutions, that meet a customers needs to its full extent.Consequently intelligent: thats how we love solutions. FuelCon is the global leading supplier of test and diagnostic systems for fuel cells and batteries. For years, our name is recognized for innovative engineering and high quality, for highest safety standards and close consultation with our costumer.With our testing systems for fuel cells we offer optimal solutions for all typical technologies like PEM or SOFC in a power range between a few watts up to 250 kW. In addition, innovative test systems for evaluating electrolyser are available. With the Evaluator-B series we have developed a concept that fulfils the challenging testing requirements of modern batteries with high accuracy and flexibility.The test systems enable the comparison, evaluation and optimization of battery modules and packs, as well as simulation of different requirements for customized applications.FuelCon AGCarsten KrugerSteinfeldstr. 1D-39179 Magdeburg-BarlebenGERMANYT + 49 39203 514 400F + 49 39203 514 409carsten.krueger@fuelcon.com
Stationary Fuel Cells Market 2022: Keyplayers Panasonic, Toshiba, Siemens, Fuji Electric

Stationary Fuel Cells Market

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https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/report/global-stationary-fuel-cells-market-research-report-2017-d-101

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QY Research Groups has released a latest report based on thorough research on Stationary Fuel Cells Market. This in-depth report discusses this industrys market in forms of overview/definition, application, classification, predictions pertaining value and volume, and future predictions. It also prominently attributes the current situation and outlooks with industrial and financial aspect. Furthermore, it comprises of current events, latest market trends, schematic representation of the global companies with their prime developments, mergers & acquisitions, deals and agreements, expansions and investments, etc. Additionally, it talks about the vital prospects such as market restrains growth drivers, challenges and potential opportunities that may affect the overall Stationary Fuel Cells Market.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Due to the constant altering business landscape, enhancements in the technology, the process of communication in several organizations have become intricate. Moreover, nowadays, customers demands have increased and expanded, this in return expects efficient and effective communication inside an organization. Escalated use of social networking websites, increased use of smartphones, and ascending demand for improved enterprise efficiency are the prime growth factors of the Stationary Fuel Cells Market . Enhanced technologies and several Information technology tools better the productivity of the business and escalate functional efficiency. Additionally, many services and solutions are put to use in various industrial verticals which includes banks, insurance (BFSI), public sector, travel & hospitality, healthcare, energy & utilities, education, IT & telecom, transportations and logistics, retail, many other industry sectors such as media and communications.The methodological analysis which is used to approximate and forecast the Stationary Fuel Cells Market starts with gathering data on vital vendors with the help of secondary research through various trusted sources that include news articles, presentations, journals and paid database. In addition, information which the vendors provide is also taken into consideration to analyze the segmentation of the market.This extensive professional market research report renders an in-depth study of this markets industry along with growth prospects for the forecast period with exclusive focus on the size and characteristics of the market, major market manufacturers, present trends, growth forecasts, competitive landscape for the predicted frame of time coupled with market restrains and prime success. Besides, this exclusive report cloaks the global Stationary Fuel Cells Market based on applications, regions, competitive landscape and products. The report enlists profiles of several companies of prime market players, market share, financial metrics, business strategies, and forecasts and predictions.Browse More Insight @The Stationary Fuel Cells Market report wraps: Industry summary with market definition, key elements such as market restrains, drivers, potential opportunities, challenges, trends in the market, etc. Market sectioning depending on product, application, geographical region, competitive market share Market size, approximates, forecasts for the said frame of time Distribution channel assessment Competitive analysis of crucial market manufacturers, trends, company profiles, strategies, etc. Factors accountable for the growth of the market Thorough assessment of prime market geographically Factual information, insights, market date backed by statistics and industryThis report focuses on top manufacturers in global market:Global Stationary Fuel Cells market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Panasonic Toshiba Siemens Fuji Electric POSCO ENERGY Bloom Energy JX Nippon FuelCell Energy Ballard Power Plug Power Doosan PureCell America Altergy SOLIDpowerThe report is worth a buy because:This report on Stationary Fuel Cells Market assists in analyzing the condition and situation of the market in primary regions of the world. Apart from rendering an overview of product manufacturing processes, the research report also renders impeded strategy of the industry, latest technological developments, cost structures, product specifications, etc. Future predictions based on the development of this industry are also covered. The report also reviews micro and macro factors vital for the new entrants along with the current market players.Some points from TOC:-Global Stationary Fuel Cells Market Research Report 20171 Stationary Fuel Cells Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Stationary Fuel Cells1.2 Stationary Fuel Cells Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 0-1 KW1.2.4 1-4 KW1.2.5 > 4 KW1.3 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Segment by Application1.3.1 Stationary Fuel Cells Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Residential1.3.3 Telecommunications Network1.3.4 Secure Communications1.3.5 Other1.4 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Stationary Fuel Cells (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Stationary Fuel Cells Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Stationary Fuel Cells Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Stationary Fuel Cells Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Stationary Fuel Cells Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Stationary Fuel Cells Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion.continuedDownload PDF Brochure of this Report @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Sarah JEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWebsite-
Recent Study: Therapeutic Vaccines Market to Represent an Impressive CAGR Throughout 2016 - 2024

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Global Therapeutic Vaccines Market: OverviewThe global market for therapeutic vaccines is witnessing a phase of significant growth. Thanks to the efficiency of these vaccines, an upsurge in their demand is likely to continue over the next few years.Therapeutic vaccines trigger and build up the immune response of the body so that it can act against the disease and are administered for the treatment of specific medical conditions. With ongoing advancements, these vaccines have expanded the periphery of chronic disease therapeutics, which consequently, is likely to add to the growth of this market over the forthcoming years.The lengthy approval period, on the other hand, may distract this market from rising steadily in the near future. However, with an ever-expanding body of evidence about the efficiency of therapeutic vaccines, there is ample to look forward to in the worldwide market for therapeutic vaccines space.Request for Brochure @This research study on the global therapeutic vaccines attempts to present a detailed assessment of this market on the basis of its existing status and past performance. The key trends and the growth opportunities in this market have also been examined thoroughly in this research report to identify the markets future status.Global Therapeutic Vaccines Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe global market for therapeutic vaccines is heavily influenced by the significant rise in the prevalence of various chronic diseases, such as cancer, HIV, and cardiovascular diseases. The alarming increase in the need for efficient treatment has shifted the focus towards therapeutic vaccines across the world. A number of pharmaceutical companies have begun the research to develop novel vaccines for several diseases, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, Alzheimer. Although these developments are still in pipeline and are yet to be commercialized; they point towards a thriving future of the worldwide market for therapeutic vaccines.As of now, several multinational drugmakers have taken an active lead in the production therapeutic vaccines, opening new growth avenues for this market. Among the pioneers, is Provenge, the first FDA-approved immunotherapy drug, developed for prostate cancer treatment. Since the approval of this drug in 2010, there is no looking back for this market. A number of vaccines have been developed and are in the pipeline since then, exhibit lucrative potential for the market.On the other hand, together with huge research and development investments and lengthy approval processes, the developers of therapeutic vaccines have to deal with non-existent reimbursement policies for these vaccines too, which acts as a massive drawback for this market. However, in the view of the immense potential presented by therapeutic vaccines, the regulatory bodies across the world are trying to accelerate the policy formulation processes, which if implemented, will reflect positively on the global market for therapeutic vaccines in the near future.Global Therapeutic Vaccines Market: Geographical AnalysisNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World are considered as the prominent geographical segments of the worldwide market for therapeutic vaccines. With the presence of an advanced medical and healthcare infrastructure, North America has surfaced as the leading contributor to this market. The augment in the funding for the increase in research and development activities is likely to boost this regional market further, ensuring its lead over the forthcoming years.Europe and Asia Pacific are also witnessing a robust rise in the demand for therapeutic vaccines on account of the growing prevalence of various diseases. Europe, which currently stands at the second position, is likely to gain significantly from the technological advancements of the products in the near future. Asia pacific, on the other hand, is expected to benefit from the rising awareness among consumers pertaining to therapeutic vaccines and their advantages over the years to come.Companies mentioned in this reportThe global market for therapeutic vaccines demonstrates a highly competitive and fragmented structure. Merck and GlaxoSmithKline have emerged as the leading participants in this market, thanks to their strong pipeline of therapeutic vaccines. These companies are likely to outperform their competitors over next few years, states the research report. Sanofi-Pasteur, Cytos Biotechnology AG, Intellect Neurosciences, Agenus Inc., Celtic Pharma, Novartis, Bavarian Nordic, Dendreon Corp., Pfizer, and Transgene are some of the other important players operating in this market.Request for TOC @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.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
mHealth Services Market Driven at 23.9% CAGR by Demand for Homecare

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The global mHealth services market is detailed in a new market research publication from U.S.-based Transparency Market Research. The market is estimated to be rising at a flourishing 23.9% CAGR between 2014 and 2020, translating to a rise in valuation from US$5.79 billion in 2013 to US$23.39 billion by 2020.The report, titled mHealth Services Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020, segments the global mHealth market according to application, type of service, and type of end user. The segments of the market by all these criteria are submitted to thorough examination and historical and projected values are given for each segment. The performance of each segment in each regional segment of the global mHealth market is also detailed. This helps provide a comprehensive snapshot of the global mHealth services market.For more information on this report, fill the form @The global mHealth market benefits primarily from a combination of rising awareness about the benefits of mHealth services and rising ubiquity of 3G and 4G communication networks. The convenience of mHealth services to both doctors and patients has come to the fore in recent years, thanks to growing preference for homecare, as rehabilitation in the comforts in their own homes is preferred by a majority of patients. Homecare also eliminates the hospitalization bills for patients and frees up hospital resources for other, perhaps more urgent uses. This, according to TMR analysts, is one of the most prominent drivers of the mHealth services market.The growing demand for homecare is complemented by the emergence of next-gen communication technologies, which have made the rise of mHealth services possible. While mHealth was limited to calls between the patient and the doctor in the past, the emergence of 3G and 4G communication technologies has made it possible for the two parties to hold video calls, making the interaction more intimate.mHealth services also include monitoring and diagnostic services that would not have been possible without modern smartphone technology. Thus, the unending rise of the smartphone market has broadened the horizons of the global mHealth services market.Accordingly, the dominant application segment of the global mHealth market is that of remote monitoring, collaboration, and consultancy. This segment is expected to grow at a stunning CAGR in excess of 28% in the forecast period, considerably higher than the overall markets CAGR. This segment is also aided by the growing geriatric population all over the world, since elderly people are more likely to fall prey to chronic diseases that require long-term monitoring, and also to prefer homecare over hospitalization.Browse Market Research Report @Due to the prevalence of high-end communication technologies and easy incorporation of the same in existing healthcare infrastructure, the North America market for mHealth services emerged as the leader in the global market in 2013. Europe followed North America, but continuous advancement of the healthcare sector in Asia Pacific countries is expected to elevate the share of this regional market in the global market.The report also includes a detailed analysis of major companies operating in the global mHealth services market, such as AT&T Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Symantec Corporation, Vodafone Group plc, and Alcatel-Lucent Corporation.About TMRTransparency 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Price Comparison Websites Market with Emerging Trends and Technology Progress from 2017 to 2022

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The New Report "Global Price Comparison Websites Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" published by ReportsWeb, 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.This report studies the global Price Comparison Websites (PCW) market, analyzes and researches the Price Comparison Websites (PCW) development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeGoogle ShoppingCouponsBizRateShopAtHomeSlickDealsNexTagWootShoppingShopzillaShopFatWalletProntoPriceGrabberShopLocalDealNewsBecomeBing ShoppingProntoThe FindAmazon Product AdsRequest a Sample atMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Application, Price Comparison Websites (PCW) can be split intoRetail productsElectronic productsOtherBrowse Complete Report atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Price Comparison Websites2 Global Price Comparison Websites Competition Analysis by Players3 Company-Top Players) Profiles4 Global Price Comparison Websites Market Size by Application-2012-2017)5 United States Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook6 EU Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook7 Japan Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook8 China Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook9 India Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook10 Southeast Asia Price Comparison Websites Development Status and Outlook11 Market Forecast by Regions and Application-2017-2022)12 Price Comparison Websites Market Dynamics13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Research Finding/ConclusionPurchase Complete Report atContact Information:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
IoT in Automobile Market is Growing at 27% CAGR through 2022

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Global IoT in Automobile Market by Offering (Hardware, Software, Services), by Communication Type (In-vehicle, Vehicle to Vehicle, Vehicle to Infrastructure) and Application (Infotainment, Navigation, Telematics) - Forecast 2022Market ScenarioInternet of Things rather IoT is known as a concept or a paradigm that considers pervasive presence in the environment of a variety of things or objects that through wireless and wired connections and unique addressing schemes are able to interact with each other and cooperate with other things or objects to create new applications. It is basically the wireless connectivity of physical devices to achieve efficiency, business growth and quality. Also, internet of things in the automotive industry is helping the industry to redefine and reinvent. The automotive IoT transition is evolving through four phases.The key drivers for the growth of IoT in automobile market are real-time traffic and incident alerts, growing number of telematics mandates by various governments, and the growing demand for assisted & automated driving. The government funding for next generation vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure cars and the high consumers demand for smartphone features in cars. However, the concerns over security and privacy are hindering the growth of the IoT in automobile market.Geographically, North-America accounted for the largest market share in the global Internet of Things in the automobile market whereas Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a fast pace over the forecast period 2016-2022.Target Audience:IoT in the Automobile ManufacturersDistributorsResearch firmsConsultancy firmsSoftware DevelopersVendorsSemiconductor ManufacturersStakeholdersEnd-user sectorsResearch organizationsThe global IoT in automobile market is expected to reach USD 83 billion by the end of 2022 with 27% CAGR during forecast period 2016-2022Get Sample of Report @Market Segments:The Global IoT in automobile market has been segmented on the basis of offering, communication type, application and region. By offering, the market has been bifurcated into hardware, software, services.On the basis of communication type, the market can be segmented as in-vehicle, vehicle to vehicle, vehicle to infrastructure.On the basis of application the market can be segmented infotainment, navigation and telematics. Further, the market has been segmented into four regions which include- North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and RoW.Out of these, infotainment accounted for the largest market share because of device integration, high-speed connectivity, intuitive and multi-modal user interfaces in the systems installed in vehicles.Regional Analysis:Regionally, North-America accounted for the largest market share because of the boom in the ICT sector, the automotive sector, and the transportation sector which resulted in the emergence of the connected vehicle ecosystem.Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow over the forecast period, 2016-2022 especially in countries such as China and India countries because they are investing huge amount of money in the transportation sector.Key playersThe key players of global Iot in the automobile market report include Texas Instruments Inc. (U.S.), Intel Corporation (U.S.), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands), TOMTOM N.V. (Netherlands), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Cisco Systems Inc. (U.S.), Microsoft Corp. (U.S.) ,Thales SA (France), AT&T Inc. (U.S.), Vodafone Group (U.K.), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Google Inc. (U.S.), Apple Inc. (U.S.), General Motors (U.S.), Audi AG (Germany) , Ford Motor Company (U.S.) and others.Enquiry before Buying @The report for Global IoT in Automobile 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. 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.BRIEF TOC:EXECUTIVE SUMMARYRESEARCH METHODOLOGYMARKET DYNAMICSMARKET SEGMENTATIONREGIONAL MARKET ANALYSISCOMPETITIVE ANALYSISCONCLUSIONLIST OF TABLESLIST OF FIGURESAccess Full Report@About Us: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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FuturePune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone No. :+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Mooring Systems 2017 Global Key Players  Balltec, MODEC, Delmar Systems, SBM Offshore, Offspring International, BW Offshore Market Analysis And Forecast To 2022

Mooring Systems Market

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Mooring Systems Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Mooring Systems-Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Description:In this report, the global Mooring Systems market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Mooring Systems in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Mooring Systems market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingBalltecMODECDelmar SystemsSBM OffshoreOffspring InternationalBluewaterCavotecBW OffshoreLamprellNational Oilwell VarcoUsha MartinMampaey Offshore IndustriesTimberland EquipmentRequest for Sample Report@On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoTaut LegSpread MooringSemi TautDynamic PositioningCatenarySingle Point MooringOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Mooring Systems for each application, includingSingle Point Anchor Reservoir (SPAR)Tension Leg Platform (TLP)Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO)Enquiry before Buying @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Contents:Global Mooring Systems Market Research Report 20171 Mooring Systems Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Mooring Systems1.2 Mooring Systems Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Mooring Systems Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Mooring Systems Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Taut Leg1.2.4 Spread Mooring1.2.5 Semi Taut1.2.6 Dynamic Positioning1.2.7 Catenary1.2.8 Single Point Mooring1.3 Global Mooring Systems Segment by Application1.3.1 Mooring Systems Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Single Point Anchor Reservoir (SPAR)1.3.3 Tension Leg Platform (TLP)1.3.4 Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO)1.4 Global Mooring Systems Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Mooring Systems Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Mooring Systems (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Mooring Systems Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Mooring Systems Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Mooring Systems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Mooring Systems Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Mooring Systems Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Mooring Systems Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Mooring Systems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Mooring Systems Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Mooring Systems Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Mooring Systems Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Mooring Systems Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Mooring Systems Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion7 Global Mooring Systems Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Balltec7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Balltec Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 MODEC7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 MODEC Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Delmar Systems7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Delmar Systems Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 SBM Offshore7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 SBM Offshore Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Offspring International7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Offspring International Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Bluewater7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Bluewater Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Cavotec7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Cavotec Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 BW Offshore7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 BW Offshore Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Lamprell7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Lamprell Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 National Oilwell Varco7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Mooring Systems Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 National Oilwell Varco Mooring Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 Usha Martin7.12 Mampaey Offshore Industries7.13 Timberland EquipmentContinued..Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us: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.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
Utilities Global Market Other Key Strategies By Type & Geography Analysis & Forecast to 2022

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The Global Utilities market is accounted to be $4,575 billion in 2014 with CAGR of 8.60% is poised to reach $8,855 billion by 2022. There is global need in saving the energy by reducing consumption and controlling the usage. This helps to reduce the shortage of power, costs and environmental damage. The generation, transmission & distribution of electricity are done by Utilities and trade in a regulated market.For more information about this report:Global Utilities market is mainly segmented by Type, by source and by Geography. Based on Type, markets are segmented into Industry, Deployment, and Technology. Based on Source, markets are segregated into Energy, Oil and gas, Utilities. Utilities Market, by geography is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. North America has the largest Utilities market. The vast growth of Utilities Market lies in Asia Pacific due to high demand in energy for residential, industrial, and commercial consumers.The key players in the Utilities market include, Ecofactor, ABB, C3 Energy, Capgemini, SAP, Oracle, IBM, Tibco Software, Teradata.Request Sample Copy atWhat 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 8 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 advancementsCompany Profiling9.1 Ecofactor9.2 ABB9.3 C3 Energy9.4 Capgemini9.5 SAP9.6 Oracle9.7 IBM9.8 Tibco Software9.9 TeradataInquire before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
6.5% is an estimated growing CAGR for Vascular Imaging Market during 2016 to 2021

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According to the Global Vascular Imaging Market Research Report, the market is anticipated to grow at a 6.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2021 and it is estimated that the global market was valued at USD 4.35 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach USD 5.96 billion by 2021.Browse details of 175 pages research report on Global Vascular Imaging Market @Vascular imaging tests are used to assess how the blood flows through the veins and vesicles for the diagnosis of the disease. With the use of vascular imaging tests, surgeons can gather information required for performing surgical procedures. Vascular imaging trials are performed by using techniques like ultrasound, CT (computed tomography), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and others which provide detailed images of how the blood flows through the body and aids surgeons to examine blockages in the veins, weakening of the arterial walls, detect blood clots, evaluate the graft surgeries, analyzing the severity of varicose veins, plaque buildup that causes narrowing of the arteries. Vascular imaging techniques are extensively used for performing procedures like angiography with ease.Vascular Imaging Market Overview:The demand for vascular imaging systems is projected to witness high growth over the forecast period owing to growing number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally. Rise in the number of cardiovascular diseases is anticipated to propel the demand for vascular imaging systems required for the diagnosis of the CVDs. Introduction of new vascular imaging systems and an increase in the adoption of minimally invasive surgeries is anticipated to boost the demand for vascular imaging systems over the coming years. Moreover, technological advancements in imaging systems like the introduction of 3D imaging over 2D imaging is projected to boost the adoption rate of vascular imaging systems. Angiography is frequently performed in old people, increasing global geriatric population is also expected to raise the demand for vascular imaging systems. However, the high price of the systems and lack of expertise to handle imaging equipment and pricing pressure on the manufacturers due to fierce competition among market participants may hamper the growth of the vascular imaging systems market. Moreover, because of a large number of hospital network operating under one organization, these networks can leverage the price of the medical devices with the manufacturers of vascular imaging systems and in turn reduce their profitability margins.Request Free Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information, Get a Copy @Vascular Imaging Market Segmentation:The Global Vascular Imaging market is segmented into Procedure, Technology, Application and End User. On the basis of procedure, it is segmented into Coronary Angiography, Peripheral, Cerebral and Angiography. Coronary angiography segment is anticipated to account for the largest share of the market. Increase in the prevalence of CVDs and increase in geriatric population are major factors driving the growth this market segment. On the basis of Technology, it is segmented into CT, MRI, X-Ray, Ultrasound, and Nuclear Imaging. The MRI segment is expected to dominate this market segment. The increase in the use of MRI in vascular imaging is mainly due to its minimally invasive nature and high efficacy and increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases are the key factors driving the growth of this segment. On the basis of Application, it is segmented into Diagnostic and Therapeutic. On the basis of End User, it is segmented into Hospital and Clinical Laboratory. Hospitals are the largest end users of vascular imaging systems. It is also projected to register the highest growth. This can be credited to technological development, increase in the healthcare expenditure, and increase in usage of imaging systems in hospitals and hybrid ORs.Inquiry before buying @Geographical Overview:On the basis of geography, the market is analyzed under various regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to hold the major share of the market. High capital investment among end users like multi  specialty hospitals in the U.S. is expected to boost demand for vascular imaging systems in the North America region. Europe is expected to be the second most lucrative market in the vascular imaging systems market owing to high investment in the healthcare industry. Asia  Pacific excluding Japan market is expected to witness high revenue growth over the forecast period owing to growing geriatric population and increasing awareness about the new technologies in the vascular imaging systems.Key Players:The key players in the vascular imaging market are Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Samsung Medison, Shimadzu Corp., St. Jude Medical Inc., TERUMO Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Fujifilm SonoSite, Hologic Inc., Esaote SpA, Carestream Health Inc., Konica Minolta, Alpinion Medical Systems, Pie Medical Imaging, CorVascular Diagnostics LLC, Evena Medical Inc., LumedX Healthcare Technologies, Xograph Healthcare, Mindray Medical International Ltd., Novadaq Technologies Inc., Omega Medical Imaging LLC., BK Ultrasound, and Piur imaging GmbH.Request for discount @About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaInternational Business Development ManagerMarket Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.comVisit MarketDataForecast Blog @
Next Generation Batteries Market 2017: Industry Review, Research, Statistics, and Growth to 2027

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Market Research Future published a research report on Next Generation Batteries Market Research Report- Forecast 2027  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2027.Global Next Generation Battery Market, by Application (Industrial, Automotive, Aerospace, Oil & gas, Defence, Transportation), by Type (Li-ion battery, Ni-metal hydride battery, Ni-Cd battery) - Forecast 2027Industry News:- Hitachi has announced in June 2016 about its expansion of energy solution businesses in North America. This business will provide solution which can utilize digital technology, and IOT.- LG Chem has announced in year 2015 about its expansion of its TFT-LCD polarizer production in China. The expansion would increase LG Chem annual production capacity and would increase its client base.Market Synopsis of Next Generation Batteries Market:Market ScenarioThe major growth driver of Next Generation Batteries Market includes growing adoption of e-mobility industry, growing electric vehicle market, and growing consumption of consumer electronic appliances which is building demand for efficient power storage systems among others.Hence the market for Next Generation Batteries is expected to grow at XX% CAGR (2016-2027).However, technological limitation and high initial cost are some of the major factors which are hindering the growth of Next Generation Batteries Market.Get Sample of Report @SegmentsGlobal Next Generation Batteries Market can be segmented as follows:Segmentation by Type: Li-ion battery, Ni-Cd battery, and Ni-metal hydride battery among others.Segmentation by Application: Automotive, Transportation, Aerospace & defence, industrial, Oil & gas, among others.Regional Analysis of Next Generation Batteries Market:North America is expected to dominate the Global Next Generation Batteries Market with the largest market share due to growing electric vehicle market and government policies which are encouraging batteries market in U.S. region, and therefore accounting for $XX million and is expected to grow over $XX billion by 2027. Next Generation Batteries Market in Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow at CAGR of XX% from $ XX million in 2016 to $XX million by 2027. The Europe market for Next Generation Batteries Market is expected to grow at XX% CAGR (2016-2027).Key PlayersSome of the major players in Global Next Generation Batteries Market include Hitachi(Japan), LG Chemicals (South Korea), Panasonic (Japan), Saft group (France), Samsung (South Korea), Sanyo (Japan), Mitsubishi Chemical (Japan), Toshiba (Japan), Envia Systems Inc.(U.S.) and Uniross Batteries (South Africa) among others.Enquiry before Buying @BRIEF TOC:EXECUTIVE SUMMARYRESEARCH METHODOLOGYMARKET DYNAMICSMARKET SEGMENATATIONBY TYPEBY APPLICATIONREGIONAL MARKET ANALYSISCOMPETITIVE ANALYSISCONCLUSIONLIST OF TABLESLIST OF FIGURESThe report for Next Generation Batteries 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. 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.Access Full Report@About Us: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 , 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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FuturePune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone No. :+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Focuses on the Polypropylene Waxes Market Forecast to 2022

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"The Report Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Polypropylene Waxes Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Polypropylene wax is a chemical produced by cracked and pulverized by hot air. PP wax has a high melting point, low melt, good lubricity, good dispersion characteristics; it is a kind of high-performance additives in polyolefin processing.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Polypropylene Waxes in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.View Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversClariantCOSCHEMHoneywellLubrizolDeurexShamrock TechnologiesLion-chemtechMitsui ChemicalsEurocerasNanjing TianshiChengdu TongliMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversNormal PP WaxModified PP WaxMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPlastics & PolymerHot Melt AdhesiveInks & PaintsRelease AgentGet Sample Copy Of This Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Polypropylene Waxes market.Chapter 1, to describe Polypropylene Waxes Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Polypropylene Waxes, with sales, revenue, and price of Polypropylene Waxes, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Polypropylene Waxes, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Polypropylene Waxes market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Polypropylene Waxes sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Polypropylene Waxes Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Normal PP Wax1.2.2 Modified PP Wax1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Plastics & Polymer1.3.2 Hot Melt Adhesive1.3.3 Inks & Paints1.3.4 Release Agent1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Clariant2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.1.1 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Description2.1.1.2 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.1.2 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.1.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.1.2.2 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.1.3 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.1.3.1 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.3.2 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Market Share in Global in 20162.2 COSCHEM2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.1.1 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Description2.2.1.2 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.2.2 Clariant Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.2.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.2.2.2 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.2.3 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.2.3.1 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.3.2 COSCHEM Polypropylene Waxes Market Share in Global in 20162.3 Honeywell2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.1.1 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Description2.3.1.2 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.3.2 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.3.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.3.2.2 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.3.3 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.3.3.1 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.3.2 Honeywell Polypropylene Waxes Market Share in Global in 20162.4 Lubrizol2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.1.1 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Description2.4.1.2 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.4.2 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.4.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.4.2.2 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.4.3 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.4.3.1 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4.3.2 Lubrizol Polypropylene Waxes Market Share in Global in 20162.5 Deurex2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.1.1 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Description2.5.1.2 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.5.2 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.5.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.5.2.2 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.5.3 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.5.3.1 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5.3.2 Deurex Polypropylene Waxes Market Share in Global in 20162.6 Shamrock Technologies2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.1.1 Shamrock Technologies Polypropylene Waxes Description2.6.1.2 Shamrock Technologies Polypropylene Waxes Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.6.2 Shamrock Technologies Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.6.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.6.2.2 Shamrock Technologies Polypropylene Waxes Product Introduction2.6.3 Shamrock Technologies Polypropylene Waxes Sales, Revenue and Market ShareAbout 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.ContactMr. NachiketaState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Wakanow Wins Nigerias Best Online Travel Agency Award

For consistently pushing the frontiers of innovation in the African online travel scene and providing exceptional travel experience for Nigerians, Africas leading online travel company, Wakanow, has been declared Nigerias Best Online Travel Agency by the organizers of Nigerian Travel Week.According to the organizers, Wakanows impressive performance and excellent service model in the Nigerian travel industry earned the nod of its customers to emerge the nations best online travel agency.The annual award, which held at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotels on Saturday, is designed to celebrate the achievements of outstanding travel organizations, professionals and pacesetters in the nations tourism industry, with emphasis on excellent customer service and satisfaction.Speaking on the award, the Group Managing Director of Wakanow, Mr. Obinna Ekezie, described the award as a demonstration of Wakanows unwavering commitment to exceed the expectations of its customers.We are really excited by this win because it further demonstrates that the Nigerian travelling public pays attention and cherishes our contributions as Nigerias first online travel company.For us at Wakanow, this award is an inspiration to surpass the expectations we have set for ourselves as a company, and we will continue to lead from the front and shape a new narrative of travel in Africa and the world", he said.Wakanow is Africas largest online travel management portal with physical presence in Nigeria, UAE, UK, US, Kenya and Ghana. Leveraging heavily on technology and accelerated customer service models, Wakanow is rapidly changing the face of travel in Africa with bespoke solutions.Wakanow.comPlot 8, Elegushi Beach Road, Ikate Roundabout, Lekki, Lagos0700WAKANOW (07009252669), 07030095727 07028413705Email: info@wakanow.com
Growth of Isomalto-Oligosaccharide Market 2017 Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Research Report at MarketResearchNest.com

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MarketResearchNest.com adds Global Isomalto-Oligosaccharide Market Outlook 2017-2022 new reports to its research database. The report spread across 92 pages with tables and figures in it.Isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO) is a mixture of short-chain carbohydrates which has a digestion-resistant property. IMO is found naturally in some foods, as well as being manufactured commercially. The raw material used for manufacturing IMO is starch, which is enzymatically converted into a mixture of isomaltooligosaccharides.The report covers forecast and analysis for the isomalto-oligosaccharide market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the isomalto-oligosaccharide market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the isomalto-oligosaccharide market on a global level.Get more details about report atThe report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global isomalto-oligosaccharide market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile.Demand for this market rises from the Food and Beverage, Health Care, and other applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global isomalto-oligosaccharide market.Key Product Types Powder SyrupKey Applications Food and Beverage Health CareRequest a Sample Copy atKey Regions North America Europe Asia Pacific ChinaKey Vendors Showa Sangyo BioNeutra Miecf Baolingbao Biology Luzhou Bio-Chem Mitsubishi Shoji Nihon Shokuhin Kako Guangzhou Shuangqiao Shandong Bailong Cofco Rongshi Shandong Fuxin request free sample to get a complete list of companiesKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global isomalto-oligosaccharide market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the isomalto-oligosaccharide market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?Order a Purchase Report Copy atMarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends.Mr. Jeet JainSales Managersales@marketresearchnest.com+1-240-284-8070 / +44-20-3290-4151
Digital Forensics Market: Key Players and Production Information analysis

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The global digital forensics market is essentially consolidated with top five players holding more than 40% of the overall market in 2016, says Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a new report. Cisco, IBM Corporation, Guidance Software Inc., FireEye Inc., and MSAB are some of the key companies that operate in this market.Continuous innovation and research and development to enhance product portfolio is the focus of top companies in this market to curb sophisticated cyber attacks. For example, in April 2017, AccessData released a new version of AD eDiscovery 6.2, a software platform that provides customers with a support system to mitigate risk of cyber attacks.Obtain Report Details @Computer forensics stood as the leading type segment in 2016; however, mobile device forensics is expected to overtake in terms of growth due to the increasing demand for mobile device applications.The regional segments into which the global market for digital forensics is segmented are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these, North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe account for major revenue contribution to the global market.According to the report, growth of cyber threat and attacks is the key factor driving the digital forensics market. In todays scenario, cyber criminals are causing unprecedented level of disruption by using IT tools as well as cloud services. These cyber criminals follow a planned approach for systematically hacking valuable information from companies, stealing customer and credit card information. The gradual increase of mobile devices that provides access to company applications and different types of data is also posing security problems to safeguard information. These factors are collectively boosting the demand for digital forensics solutions.Obtain Brochure Of Report @The growth of this market is also driven by rising complexities and sophistication in digital crimes. Cyber criminals employ a combination of sophisticated technologies to be successful in their missions. They target individuals as well as businesses and rewards achieved are much greater with security protocols being somewhat lax at the other end. Not only this, cyber criminals use multiple channels and mislead security by a series of attacks that takes off the attention of security personnel from the main crime site.Increasing use of cloud based solutions and IoT technology is also accentuating the growth of digital forensics market, says the report. The increasing trend of cloud based technology and internet of things technology among consumers for everyday functioning is giving the opportunity to hackers to target the areas of least resistance. Due to this, there is constant threat of information leak posing risk to customers privacy and paving way for crime.Get Sample Of Report @However, the growth of the digital forensics market is deterred due to the rising complexities in mobiles. The widespread use of mobile platform for businesses has led to mobile-specific vulnerabilities leading to the use of malware and network-based attacks to expose business data. The growth of this market is also hampered due to lack of industry regulations and professional ethics. This is supplemented by factors such as inadequate training, limited resources, use of outdated equipment, and lack of standard protocol for examining digital evidences that have been documented.The review presented is based on the findings of Transparency Market Research report, titled Digital Forensics Market (Type - Computer Forensics, Network Forensics, Cloud Forensics, Mobile Device Forensics, and Database Forensics; Application - Health Care, Education, Banking, Financial Services, And Insurance (BFSI), Defense And Aerospace, Law Enforcement, Transportation And Logistics, and Information Technology) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Lithium Ion Cell Battery Pack Market: Applications and Global Markets

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) says that the global lithium ion cell and battery pack market is somewhat fragmented as top six players, namely Panasonic Corporation, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., BYD Co. Ltd., LG Chem Power Inc., Toshiba Corporation, and GS Yuasa Corporation held a little over 45% of the global market in 2016.Investments in research and development for cost-effective and energy efficient products is one of the key growth strategies that players in this market are focused on to sustain the continuously changing business scenario. For example, Tianjin Lishen Nattery Co. Ltd. is engaged in research and development in battery technology for upgrading its existing product portfolio. The company plans to invest US$0.22 billion in its research center in the next 5 years for carrying out research and development pursuits.Obtain Report Details @Mergers and acquisitions for expansion of product portfolio and to keep abreast with technological advancements is also one of the key growth strategies that companies in this market are adopting, says a TMR analyst. A case in point is Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. The company acquired the battery pack business segment of Magna International, a leading automobile parts manufacturer, to enhance the companys capabilities for the manufacture of battery packs.The 100-250 KWh power capacity segment stood as the most attractive segment mainly due to the high demand for high capacity batteries for specific applications such as in high loading electric vehicles.Asia Pacific accounted for almost 72.3% revenue to the overall market in 2016. The expanding consumer electronics and automotive industry in the region that exhibits substantial demand for lithium-ion batteries is attracting investments from top players.Obtain Brochure Of Report @The high energy density of lithium-ion batteries translating into longer runtime is one of the primary factors for their increasing use in consumer electronics. Lithium ion batteries with cobalt cathodes offers the best power density needed by handheld devices for wireless data transfer and brighter resolution.The rising demand for consumer electronics globally is predicted to have a positive impact on the demand for lithium-ion batteries over the forecast period. This is because lithium ion properties display properties of quicker density, lighter weight, and low self-discharge that make suitable for electronics such as laptops and smartphones.The rising demand for barcode and RFID scanner is also having a positive bearing on the growth of lithium ion cell and battery pack market. RFID systems and barcode play an important role in inventory management of large stores, for automated data recording, correction of warehouse errors, efficient tracking of assets, and other functions for which the runtime of these devices is important. This makes lithium ion batteries sought after for RFID systems and barcode.Get Sample Of Report @The growth of lithium ion cell and battery pack market is negatively impacted due to the high prices of lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries are high priced as compared to conventional batteries which is posing a challenge to the markets growth. Moreover, the functional limitations of lithium ion batteries in terms of low thermal stability and need for higher energy density is restraining the growth of lithium ion cell and battery pack market. However, the rising awareness related to the cost effectiveness of lithium ion batteries in the long run will help in the growth of this market in the coming years.The review presented is based on the findings of Transparency Market Research report, titled Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Pack Market (Power Capacity - 5-25 Wh, 48-95 Wh, 18-28 KWh, 100-250 KWh, and More than 300 KWh; Pack Type - Series Battery Pack and Parallel Battery Pack; Battery Shape - Cylindrical, Prismatic, Polygon, and Coin; Application - Consumer Electronics(Laptop, Digital Camera, Smartphone, and Automatic Identification and Data Capture ( Barcode Scanner, Handheld Scanner, RFID Scanner, and Mobile Computers)), Automotive, Medical, Grid Energy, and Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Pullulanase Market 2017 to 2022 Analysis of Global Key Players  Amano, Beijing Sunson, Chemzyme Biotechnology, Genencor, Jining Hemei Bio, Jining High Sun, Nanjing Bestzyme and Novozymes

Pullulanase Market Research Nest

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MarketResearchNest.com adds Global Pullulanase Market Outlook 2017-2022 new reports to its research database. The report spread across 102 pages with tables and figures in it.Pullulanase is a specific kind of glucanase, an amylolytic exoenzyme, which degrades pullulan. It is produced as an extracellular, cell surface-anchored lipoprotein by Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Klebsiella. Type I pullulanases specifically attack alpha-1,6 linkages, while type II pullulanases are also able to hydrolyse alpha-1,4 linkages. It is also produced by some other bacteria and archaea. Pullulanase is used as a processing aid in grain processing biotechnology (production of ethanol and sweeteners).The report covers forecast and analysis for the pullulanase market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the pullulanase market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the pullulanase market on a global level.Get more details about report atThe report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global pullulanase market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile.Demand for this market rises from the Beer, Food, and other applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global pullulanase market.Key Applications Beer FoodKey Regions North America Europe Asia PacificRequest a Sample Copy atKey Vendors Amano Beijing Sunson Chemzyme Biotechnology Genencor Jining Hemei Bio Jining High Sun Nanjing Bestzyme Novozymes request free sample to get a complete list of companiesKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global pullulanase market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the pullulanase market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?Order a Purchase Report Copy atMarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends.Mr. Jeet JainSales Managersales@marketresearchnest.com+1-240-284-8070 / +44-20-3290-4151
Prosperity of Industrialization to Drive Acetone Cyanohydrin Market During 2015 - 2021

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Acetone cyanohydrin is manufactured by the reaction of acetone and hydrogen cyanide in presence of water solutions such as KOH and NaOH. Tthe intermediate product however, is unstable in alkaline solution and hence is treated with sulphuric acid until its pHreaches 1-2. Acetone cyanohydrin is used as an intermediate product for manufacturing methylacrylates, methacrylamide, methacrylic acid and methacrylonitrile among others. Acetone cyanohydrin is majorly consumed in the manufacture of methylmethacrylates (MMA). Methylmethacrylates are used in the production of polymethyl methacrylate. In addition, acetone cyanohydrin finds applications in manufacturing of insecticides, flavoring agents and pharmaceuticals among others.The market for acetone cyanohydrinwas driven by substantial demand from methylmethacrylate. industry. Methylmethacrylate is further polymerized into polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). PMMA is used in various end-user industries such as electronics & electrical, signs and displays, medical & healthcare, automotive, building & construction, waste management and water treatment industries, among others. Electronics & electrical was one of the major industries for PMMA in the past decade. Another major outlet for acetone cyanohydrins was insecticides where it is used as a raw material. Acetone cyanohydrin is used to manufacture ethyl alpha-hydroxyisobutyrate, a pharmaceutical intermediate. In addition, acetone cyanohydrins are also used in the metal separation process in the form of a complexing agent.In spite of this variety of applications, acetone cyanohydrin is usually considered as potentially hazardous chemical as it releases hydrogen cyanide when in contact with water. These environmental and health regulations associated with acetone cyanohydrins in North America and Europe can have major impact on the market and is likely to hinder the growth of the acetone cyanohydrin market during the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading consumer for acetone cyanohydrinmarket. China had the largest demand for acetone cyanohydrin market owing to huge demand from methyl methacrylate industry. Huge demand for PMMA has been the key factor for growth of MMA industry. Moreover, other countries such as Japan, India, South Koreaand Taiwan are likely to exhibit more demand for acetone cyanohydrin in upcoming years owing to huge demand from MAA industry. Asia Pacificwas followed by Europe. Growing demand from agrochemical and MMA industry is driving the acetone cyanohydrin market in Europe.European countries such as Germany, the UK, Sweden and France were the major consumers of acetone cyanohydrin in this region. However, stringent health and environmental regulations associated with acetone cyanohydrin in European Union can act as a major restraint for the market in next few years to come. In 2012, North America had the third-largest demand for acetone cyanohydrin. The North America market for acetone cyanohydrin was led by The U.S.However, acetone cyanohydrin is considered as potentially hazardous material in U.S. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act which can constraint the growth of the acetone cyanohydrin market in this region.Rest of the World market is anticipated to stable demand for acetone cyanohydrin market in near future owing to demand for PMMA, subsequently driving growth for acetone cyanohydrin in next few years.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @The market for acetone cyanohydrin is concentrated and is dominated by major manufacturers. Some of the key manufacturers in theacetone cyanohydrinmarket areBASFSE, Evonik Industries AG, INEOS, Mitsubishi Chemicals Co. Ltd., The Dow Chemical Company, Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. and UNEP Chemicals among others.Persistence 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 UsAbhishek BudholiyaPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"This report studies the Propionic Anhydride market, propanoic anhydride is an organic compound with the formula (CH3CH2CO)2O. This simple acid anhydride is a colourless liquid. It is a widely used reagent in organic synthesis.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.View Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversEastmanCelaneseUPI ChemicalDaicelZengruiZhonggangJinonMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPharmaceuticalsSpicesChemical IndustryGet Sample Copy Of This Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) market.Chapter 1, to describe Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6), with sales, revenue, and price of Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6), in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6), for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Pharmaceuticals1.3.2 Spices1.3.3 Chemical Industry1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Eastman2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.1.1 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Description2.1.1.2 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.1.2 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.1.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.1.2.2 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.1.3 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.1.3.1 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.3.2 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Market Share in Global in 20162.2 Celanese2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.1.1 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Description2.2.1.2 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.2.2 Eastman Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.2.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.2.2.2 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.2.3 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.2.3.1 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.3.2 Celanese Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Market Share in Global in 20162.3 UPI Chemical2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.1.1 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Description2.3.1.2 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.3.2 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.3.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.3.2.2 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Product Introduction2.3.3 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.3.3.1 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.3.2 UPI Chemical Propionic Anhydride (CAS 123-62-6) Market Share in Global in 20162.4 DaicelAbout 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.ContactMr. NachiketaState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Industrial Analytics Market: An Insight On the Important Factors and Trends Influencing the Market

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The global industrial analytics market is foreseen to gain impetus due to the rising application of customer analytics in the near future. Part of the software component of industrial analytics, customer analytics could improve its adoption significantly while riding on the mounting need to evaluate the performance of key metrics such as the effectiveness of ad-campaigns, return on investment (ROI), and customer expectation. Industrial analytics solutions based on the cloud could be highly demanded in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because of their time and cost-efficient features. Besides the cloud, industrial analytics could be deployed on company premises.Obtain Report Details @The global industrial analytics market, as researched by Transparency Market Research (TMR), is forecast to rise at an 11.3% CAGR to reach a valuation of US$21.6 bn by the end of 2022. In 2017, the market held a valuation of US$12.6 bn.Market players are envisioned to find favorable prospects birthing from the rising requirement of industrial analytics software solutions in organizations associated with a range of industries. The manufacturing sector could adopt industrial analytics at a swelling rate owing to the need of gaining a competitive edge over other companies. This could be achieved with the strengthening of the relationship between ROI and decision-making and improvement in efficiency across product lifecycles.Obtain Brochure Of Report @The international industrial analytics market is anticipated to be cataloged according to four classifications, i.e. component, end user, application, and industry. On the basis of component, the market could be segmented into software, professional services, managed services, and other support services. As per the analysis of the report, software could hold a kings share in the market for the coming years. It is prognosticated to expand at a 10.6% CAGR.By end user, the international industrial analytics market could see a segregation into large enterprise and small and medium enterprise. With respect to application, key segments could be advanced robotics, advanced materials, smart factories, smart, connected machines, and other applications. By industry, oil and gas, energy and utilities, government, manufacturing, telecommunication, automotive, and others are expected to be prime segments of the market.Request A Sample Of Report @In terms of regional segmentation, the international industrial analytics market is prophesied to be classified into dominating geographies such as North America, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), and Europe. Seasoned analysts foresee North America to take a leading position in the market. By 2022, it could earn a valuation of US$6.3 bn. APEJ is predicted to be valued at a US$3.7 bn by the same year. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) secured only a 5.2% of the total revenue share in 2017. Japan could be another market with a slower growth. The report also studies Latin America as an important region.Companies looking to make a statement with their progress in the worldwide industrial analytics market could include General Electric Company, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, International Business Machines Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, SAP SE, Cisco Systems, Inc., Intel Corp., Oracle Corp, TIBCO Software, Inc., and Hitachi 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. 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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Caprylic Alcohol Market to Incur Rapid Extension During 2015 - 2021

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Caprylic alcohol also known as octanol is a colorless liquid with penetrating odor. Caprylic alcohol is insoluble in water and its vapors are heavier than air. Caprylic acid is a fatty acid alcohol mainly used as intermediate in chemicals and pharmaceutical industry. Caprylic alcohol is used as raw materials in manufacturing of surfactants, conditioners and disinfectants among others. It is also used as an intermediate in manufacturing of plasticizers. Caprylic alcohol also finds application in synthetic resins lubricants as an oil base and as emulsifiers in emulsion polymerization. Caprylic alcohol also finds applications in personal care and cosmetic products such as personal creams and ointments. Caprylic alcohol is used as a lubricant in metal rolling market.The market for caprylic alcohol was driven by chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Huge demand from chemical industry for caprylic alcohol as an intermediate is driving the market in past few years. Caprylic alcohol is used in anti-oxidants, detergents and plasticizers market. Cosmetics industry is another major outlet for caprylic alcohol where it is used as an ingredient in creams and ointments. Increasing demand from end-user industries such as plastics and disinfectants from emerging countries has been one of the major factors for the growth of demand for caprylic alcohol. Another, major factor driving the caprylic alcohol market is increasing demand for synthetic resin lubricants from developing countries. Increasing demand for caprylic alcohol from perfume industry is likely to offer major opportunity for the caprylic alcohol market in next few years. However, environmental regulations related to caprylic alcohol industry are anticipated to hider the growth of the market in next few years.A sample of this report is available upon request @In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in caprylic alcohol market in 2013. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing markets for caprylic alcohol due to increasing demand for detergents and cosmetics in this region. The market for caprylic alcohol in Asia Pacific was led by China. However, other Asian countries such as India, Japan and South Korea are likely to provide better opportunity for caprylic alcohol market owing to increasing consumption from pharmaceutical and chemical end-user industries. Asia Pacific was followed by Europe. Increasing demand for caprylic alcohol from personal care industry coupled with chemical industry has been driving the market for caprylic alcohol in Europe.Germany is the largest consumer of caprylic alcohol in this region. Other countries such as the UK, France and Italy are likely to exhibit stable demand for caprylic alcohol in next few years. In terms of consumption, North America had the third-largest share in the caprylic alcohol market in 2013. Increasing demand from pharmaceutical industry is driving the demand for caprylic alcohol in this region. The U.S. had the largest demand for caprylic alcohol owing to huge demand from end-user industries such as personal care, chemicals and pharmaceuticals among others. Rest of the World market is anticipated to show positive outlook for the caprylic alcohol market in near future. Latin America is anticipated to show fastest growth for the caprylic alcohol market in this region. The demand is huge owing to increasing applications in personal care and detergent applications.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the key manufacturers in the caprylic alcohol market are Azelis UK Life Sciences, Charkit Chemical Corp., Creasyn Finechem (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., Kao Corp., Sasol Germany GmbH and TCI (Shanghai) Development Co., Ltd. among others.Persistence 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 UsAbhishek BudholiyaPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Smart Watch Market: Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities

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Transparency Market Research has recently published a new research report that discusses the global smartwatches market. According to the research report, titled Smartwatches Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020, the global smartwatches market is expected to experience robust growth in the coming years due to several reasons. The research report also points out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by the global smartwatches market. The report also clarifies the doubts pertaining to the threats to players in the global smartwatches market and the intensity of the competitive rivalry.Browse the full Smartwatches Market [By Price Range - High-end Smartwatches, Mid-end Smartwatches, and Low-end Smartwatches; By Operating System - Android Wear, Watch OS, and Others] - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020report atAccording to the research report, the global smartwatches market was valued at US$701.2 mn in 2013 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 53.60% from 2014 to 2020. As the perception of smartwatches is changing from being just an expensive accessory to a fitness and time tracker, more and more users are looking to buy these devices for health reasons.The global smartwatches market is segmented on the basis of price range, operating system, and geography. As per the price range, these smartwatches are segmented into high-end smartwatches, mid-end smartwatches, and low-end smartwatches. On the basis of operating system, smartwatches are divided into Android Wear, iOS, and others. Geographically, the global smartwatches market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Europe.Get A Brochure Of Report @Back in 2013, the mid-end smartwatches segment dominated the overall market with a share of 44%. However, as the understanding and usage of these watches is undergoing a revolution, consumers across the world are likely to invest in high-end smartwatches in the coming years, thus spurring the growth of the segment in the forecast period.Amongst the operating systems, iOS smartwatches were a clear hit in 2014. Android trailed this segment closely in the same year. However, analysts predict thatwith Android Wear OS launched by Google Inc., the segment of smartwatches based on Android Wear OS is likely to accelerate at a CAGR of 57.90% from 2014 to 2020. The research report suggests that North America leads the global smartwatches market due to the huge pool of tech-savvy and health-conscious users in the region.Make An Enquiry @Some of the key players profiled in the global smartwatches market are Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Pebble Technology Corporation, Nike Inc., Apple Inc., Garmin Ltd., Fitbit Inc., Martian Watches, Qualcomm Incorporated, ConnecteDevice Ltd., and Sony Electronics Inc. The research report gives a clear idea of the competitive landscape of the smartwatches market by studying the company profiles of these players, assessing their financial overview, understanding their business and marketing strategies, analyzing their research and development activities, and anticipating the strategic mergers and acquisitions in the coming few years.The global smartwatches market is categorized into the following segments:Smartwatches Market, by Price RangeHigh-end SmartwatchesMid-end SmartwatchesLow-end SmartwatchesSmartwatches Market, by Operating SystemAndroid WearWatch OS (iOS)OthersAbout 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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Electrical Insulation Materials Market is Anticipated to Reach US$ 19.9 Bn by 2027 End

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A new report added to the repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine Electrical Insulation Materials Market: Thermoplastics Material Type Segment Projected to Create Highest Incremental Opportunity over the Forecast Period: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment 2017 - 2027 is a comprehensive repository of information, providing market share, size, and forecast.Request for Sample Report @Report DescriptionThis Future Market Insights report examines the global electrical insulation materials market for the forecast period 20172027. The prime purpose of the report is to find opportunities and trends in the market and provide insights pertaining to segments of the global electrical insulation materials market. To understand the opportunities and trends in this market, the report is categorically divided into three sections on the basis of material, application and region. The report analyses the global electrical insulation materials market in terms of value (US$) and volume (KT).Report StructureThe report starts with a market overview and provides market definition and analysis of the key drivers, restraints, and trends impacting the global electrical insulation materials market. The section that follows includes analysis of the global electrical insulation materials market by material, application and region. The three sections evaluate the global electrical insulation materials market on the basis of various factors covering the present scenario and future prospects. The report also provides data of local and international companies, and key developments within the electrical insulation materials industry.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The global electrical insulation materials market is segmented as follows:By MaterialBy ApplicationBy RegionOn the basis of material, the market is segmented into the following:ThermoplasticsEpoxy ResinsCeramicsFibre Glass CompositesOthersOn the basis of application, the market is segmented into the following:Wires & CablesMotors & GeneratorsTransformersOthersRegions covered in the report are as follows:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)JapanMiddle East & Africa (MEA)Research MethodologyMarket volume is inferred through in-depth secondary research and validated from industry experts through primary interviews. Each interview is thoroughly analysed and average market volume is deduced and reconfirmed prior to incorporating in the report. The price of different products are deduced on the basis of material type, where the average price of each material is inferred across all the seven assessed regions. The market value of the global electrical insulation materials market is thus calculated from the data derived from the average selling price and market volume. For the 10 year forecast of the global electrical insulation materials market, various macroeconomic factors and changing trends have been observed, giving an idea about the future of the market. Other important factors considered to arrive at market forecast include the size of the current market, inputs from the demand side and the supply side and other dynamics shaping the scenario of the global electrical insulation materials market. In the compilation of this report, the forecast is conducted in terms of CAGR, while other important criteria such as year-on-year growth and absolute dollar opportunity have also been incorporated presenting the client with crystal clear insights into future opportunities likely to emerge in the global electrical insulation materials market.Send an Enquiry @Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Advanced Driver Assistance Market: Technological Advancements, Evolving Industry Trends and Insights

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According to a new research report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) market is projected to reach US$50.48 billion in 2020. TMR states that the market, having a valuation of US$14.80 billion in 2013, will display an impressive 19.2% CAGR between 2014 and 2020.The report, titled Advanced Driver Assistance Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2020, is available for sale on the company website.Worldwide, increasing disposable incomes are boosting demand for sophisticated automobiles, which will lead to significant growth of the automotive sector. In developed countries such as the U.S, the U.K., and Japan, increasing emphasis on safety pertaining to automobiles stands as a key factor driving the ADAS market.Browse the full Advanced Driver Assistance Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2020 report atIn recent years, increasing importance of consumer safety and installation of ADAS in low-cost cars is also aiding the growth of this market. With the rising geriatric population worldwide and changing family structures, there is surging demand for comfort driving that employs the latest technology.ADAS technologies assist everyday driving tasks by reducing the demands on the driver and adding comfort, which helps enhance luxury and comfort, complementing safety with these benefits.However, production complexities and cost pressures associated with environmental factors that affect the systems performance hinder the growth of the global ADAS market, states the report.Get A Brochure Of Report @Adaptive cruise control registered as the largest segment of the market, accounting for 18.15% of the overall market in 2013. However, the tire pressure monitoring system segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth, at a CAGR of 21.1% from 2014 to 2020. Additionally, drastic and rapid economic reforms and mandatory legislations all over the globe will spur the growth of the market in coming years.In 2013, North America held the largest share of the global ADAS market. This was mainly due to strict safety and environmental regulations and favorable consumer preference to own advanced vehicles with the latest technology. Consumers in the region are inclined towards owning automobiles with advanced comfort systems and equipped with features that are compliant with health and safety regulations imposed by the government.Make An Enquiry @The ADAS market in the U.S. and Europe has a huge potential due to mandatory implementation of certain ADAS features in the automotive sector by regulatory agencies. For instance, the advanced driver assistance system characteristics like pedestrian protection and tire pressure monitoring system will be compulsory in Russia in coming years. However, Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth, at a CAGR of 20.5% from 2014 to 2020.Increasing vehicle demand, growing purchasing power, and changing buyer preferences are attributed as the major factors propelling the ADAS market in Asia Pacific. In the rest of the world, favorable policies in countries in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is contributing massively to the growth of the ADAS market. The report profiles some of the key participants in the global advanced driver assistance system market that are Autoliv Inc., Denso, BMW AG, Robert Bosch GmBH, Audi AG, and Continental AG.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Mushroom Market Key Players, Growth, Analysis, 2016  2024

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The global mushroom market has witnessed a great development in the recent owing to highly market competition. Growing number of companies and established players focusing consolidating their market presence by getting involved in activities such as distributors in new geographical regions, mergers and acquisitions, and collaborations. Some of the prominent names in the global mushroom market include names such as Okechamp S.A., Costa Group, Monterey Mushrooms Inc., Drinkwaters Mushroom Ltd., Monaghan Mushrooms, The Mushroom Company, CMP Mushrooms Greenyard NV (Lutece), Shanghai Finc Bio-Tech Inc., and Bonduelle SA. One of the key development in the competitive landscape of the global mushroom market involved Bonduelle Group acquire Ready Pac Foods. This acquisition has led to the generation of revenue over 2 billion euros over the financial year 2016-2017 for the first time in Bunduelles history. This surge in turnover is mark of resilience showed by the company despite of adverse market conditions such as drop in consumption in Europe, economic crunch in developing nations, and difficult harvests among others.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The global mushrooms market stood at an overall valuation of US$34.1 bn in the year 2015. The market is expected to reach the valuation worth US$ 69.3 bn by the end of the mentioned forecast period of 2016-2024. This growth is expected to be achieved at a healthy CAGR of 8.2% during the aforementioned forecast period. The Asia Pacific market for mushrooms is primarily driven by China and estimated to progress with a CAGR of 8.8% during the mentioned forecast period of 2016-2024. However, North America will continue its dominance over the global mushroom market as the region for maximum demand and is estimated to reach valuation of US$23.8 bn along by the fall of 2024.Advancements in Packaging Technology to Drive Global Mushrooms MarketThere has been a tremendous rise in the consumption of refined food and that coupled with increasing awareness among customers about the health advantages of mushrooms is primarily driving the global mushroom market. In addition to this, advancements in packaging technology has considerably enhanced the shelf-life of mushrooms. This has been also a significant driver for the growth in the global mushrooms market. It is also expected that there will be a great demand for processed mushroom such as dried, canned, and frozen.Obtain Report Details @Production of mushroom-based consumables such as mushroom-based beverages and health drinks and growing acquisitions and partnerships between the prominent market players has played an important part in the developing the mushroom market globally. People around the world have been heavily relying on processed food, imported products, and there has been increasing demand for mushrooms to be used in different food items and beverages in developed economies have considerably impacted the growth of the mushroom market. Also, there are various health benefits associated with the consumption of mushrooms. This factor is also expected to stimulate the market in a positive manner.Low Shelf Life and Lack of Sturdy Storage Facilities May Hinder Market GrowthLow production rate of mushrooms and lack of proper storage facilities are causing some concern for the global mushroom market to achieve its true potential. This factor is more evident in emerging countries. Moreover, low life on shelf subsequently leads to increased costs of storage and preservation. This may also hinder the development of the global mushroom market. Nonetheless, escalating food markets and food chain in the emerging nations backed with continuous research for yet unknown uses of mushrooms are most likely to open newer avenues for the global mushrooms 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:
Specialty Fuel Additives Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2014-2020

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Specialty fuel additives are chemical formulations which when added to fuel, enhance desirable properties of the fuel or suppress the undesirable properties of the fuel. An additive may be used unaided or may be combined with other additives to impart desired characteristics to the fuel. The additives are generally added for a multitude of functions such as to improve the power output, reduce the consumption of fuel, improve the efficiency and reduce the emissions on combustion, prevent corrosive effects etc.Request For Report Sample:The specialty fuel additives market can be segmented product wise intofuel antioxidants, lubricity improvers, corrosion inhibitors, deposit control additives, cold flow improvers, cetane number improvers, fuel system icing inhibitors,metal deactivators etc. Based on the application, specialty fuel additives market can be segmented on the basis of fuel types such asgasoline(petrol) additives, diesel additives, aviation turbine fuel additives, and others (heating fuels, marine fuel additives).The cold flow improvers product segment of specialty fuel additives market is expected to record a rapid growth in the next five years.The demand for diesel fuel additives is expected to emerge as the largest segment of specialty fuel additives market in the next five years owing to an increase in fuel consumption in Asia-Pacific, as well as the increase in demand for ULSD (ultra-low sulfur diesel).North America commands predominant share in specialty fuel additives market. However, North America and Europe are mature markets and have reached a saturation stage. In order to grow, manufacturers are pursuing opportunities in Asia Pacific specialty fuel additives market where there has been a significant growth in the consumption of fuel in recent past. Increase in vehicle fleet especially in China and India are fueling growth in specialty fuel additives market in the region.The APAC specialty fuel additives market is expected to exhibit moderate single digit growth over the next five years. The developed regions such as North America, Europe have witnessed an increase in demand for bio-fuel, this in turn willdrive the demand for specialty fuel additives in these markets.The growing emphasis on developing cleaner fuels while not compromising on performance and efficiency, the increasing awareness about conservation of resources and the need to comply with the stringent regulations emerge as the major drivers for the specialty fuel additives market. Moreover, in order to address the ever increasing competition, manufacturers are developing application specific differentiated products. However, an increase in demand for alternative fuels like LPG and CNG could hamper the growth of specialty fuel additives market to a certain extent.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):The major players in the specialty fuel additives market are Lubrizol Corporation, Innospec, Infineum, Chevron Oronite Company LLC, Evonik Industries AG, Chemtura Corporation, andBaker Hughes 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.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:
Chromatography Resins Market Projected to Witness a Double-Digit CAGR During 2015 - 2021

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Chromatography resins are used in the purification and separation of proteins and other bio-molecules in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, and environmental analysis.Chromatography resins are of three types: Synthetic, natural and inorganic media. Natural polymers include agarose, cellulose and dextran, among others, while synthetic resins include ion exchange resins. The natural and synthetic typesare the more preferred chromatography resins as compared to inorganic media. Chromatography resins are used in affinity, mixed-mode, ion-exchange,hydrophobic interaction and size exclusion techniques.In terms of revenues,Protein A resins accounted for the highest share of the market.In technology terms, ion-exchange chromatography witnessed the highest consumption in the past few years. On the other hand, affinity chromatography resins held the key share by revenue largely due to the higher selling costsassociated with affinity resinsThe main driver for the chromatography resinsis huge demand for monoclonal antibodies.There has been a huge demand for monoclonal bodies owing to a growing number of critical diseases resulting in thesetypes of therapeutics to swiftly gain significance.Food analytics is also one of the major drivers for the chromatography resins market. Chromatography resins are used in nutraceuticals and nutritional chemistry. Chromatography resins are used to detect food additives (adulteration) which has been major issue in the food industry. Biotechnology & pharmaceuticals are the leading end-users for chromatography resins and are likely to gain more importance in the near future.Chromatography resins are also used in industrial applications such as water treatment and environmental analysis.A sample of this report is available upon request @Some of the academic uses of chromatography resins are in genetic engineering and drug recovery which can provide various opportunities for the chromatography resins market. In spite of numerous applications, regulations associated with these applications can act as a major restraint for the chromatography resins market in the coming years.In terms of demand, North Americawas the leading region for the chromatography resinsmarket. The demand in this region was mainly driven by biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications. The U.S. exhibited a major demand for chromatography resins and this regions increasing health expense trendshave been indirectly driving the market for chromatography resins.Europe was the other leading market for chromatography resins in the past few years and is expected to show good growth numbers over the near future.Pharmaceuticals and food analytics were the major applications for the chromatography resins in this region. The major European countries such as Germany, UK, France and Italy were the major consumers of chromatography resins in the past decade. There is currently a huge demand for chromatography resins in Asia Pacific, particularly from China, South Korea and India due to the growing pharmaceutical industry in these countries.Additionally, the emergence of CMOs and CROs is further driving the chromatography resins market in the Asia Pacific region. The Rest of the World is likely to exhibit stable demand for chromatography resins market over the forecast period. South America and The Middle East region are anticipated to be the potential markets for chromatography resins.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the key players in the chromatography resins market are Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Tosoh Corporation, Merck KGaA, Life Technologies Corporation, Repligen Corporation, and Pall Corporationamong others.Lower prices with higher productivity and new innovative products had been the key strategies for the manufacturers to gain the competitive advantage in the market. Life Technologies is expected to unveil POROS chromatography resins in Biopharmaceutical Development & Production Week Conference (BPD) to be held in California. Purolite International Ltd. announced its plans to develop bio-separation chromatography resins based on the agarose media. The new product line is likely to meet growing demand of the biomolecules market.Persistence 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 UsAbhishek BudholiyaPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Medical Gas Analyzer Market will expand at a CAGR of 3.1% by 2024

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Medical gas analyzer are devices used for detection, measurement and qualitative & quantitative analysis of single or mixture of medical gases. Five types of medical gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrous oxide and medical air are widely used in hospitals and related healthcare industries. Single gas analyzer and multiple gas analyzer are two common types of medical gas analyzer used for analysis of medical gases. These medical gas analyzer detects, measures and analyze the concentration of medical gases and their mixtures at different levels using variety of gas sensing technologies such as electrochemical, infrared, optical, etc. Analysis and monitoring of medical gases in hospitals has become the integral and crucial part in patient diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutics. The use of medical gas analyzer in hospitals, and pharma and food industries is increasing across the globe for the safety of patients, medical professionals and operators in various healthcare facilities.Click here For Free Sample Report @Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: Growth DynamicsIncreasing number of hospitals and healthcare reforms for safety standards in developing countries across the globe are the factors expected to drive the growth for global medical gas analyzer market. New technologies have been developed for gas measurement such as electrochemical, paramagnetic, and infrared sensor technology. These technologies enable safer and quicker measurement of medical gases. Companies are spending more on R&D activities in order to develop products to measure trace levels of gases in the health care industry. Companies by using different technologies in one single device to measure multiple gases can target specific areas where accuracy is important. Paramagnetic and zirconia technologies for gas sensing are able to deliver these results. Majority of players in the gas analyzer market operate globally through strong distribution networks. Key players are expanding their business in developing and less developed countries through subsidiary companies and local distributors. The incorporation of multiple gas sensing technologies in single device to facilitate the analysis of multiple gases at a time lead to increased cost of these device which restricts the growth of medical gas analyzer market. Also lack of standardization to meet specific and precise needs in healthcare facilities in developing and under developed markets are the key restraints of global medical gas analyzer market.Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: SegmentationBased on type of analyzer, global medical gas analyzer market is segmented into single gas analyzer and multiple gas analyzer. Single gas analyzer accounts for largest share of global medical gas analyzer market. On the basis of gas sensing technology single gas analyzer are further classified into electrochemical, optical and infrared gas sensing technology. Owing to specific application of electrochemical gas sensing technology towards analysis of oxygen and nitrogen gas and its economic cost, electrochemical gas sensing technology dominated the global medical gas analyzer market. This segment is projected to gain its market share with highest growth rate during given forecast period. By end-user, medical gas analyzer market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, pharma and food industry and others. Medical gases have wide applications in hospitals which represents the high potential for medical gas analyzer. Hospital segment dominated the global medical gas analyzer market whereas pharma and food industries are projected to grow at exponential growth rate during forecast period. Both hospitals and pharma & food Industries represents the most attractive market for given forecast period owing to increasing expenditure on healthcare infrastructure and increasing number of hospitals and pharma and food industries, especially in developing countries.Click here For Browse Full Report With TOC @Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsGeographically, the global medical gas analyzer market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. These regions have been further segmented by countries, analyzer type and End-user segments. The competition matrix section included in the report is likely to assist the existing players to increase their market shares and new companies to establish their presence in the global medical gas analyzer market. The report also profiles major players in the market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, key business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major companies competing in the medical gas analyzer market, and profiled in the report include Fluke Inc., Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Servomex Group Limited, Geotechnical Instruments (UK) Ltd., TSI Incorporated, Maxtec LLC, WITT-GASETECHNIK GmbH & Co KG, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Sable Systems International, Systech Instruments Ltd. & Illinois Instruments, Inc., Critical Environment Technologies Canada Inc., and VISCIANO s.a.s.The global medical gas analyzer market has been segmented as follows:Global Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by Analyzer TypeSingle Gas AnalyzerElectrochemicalOpticalInfraredMultiple Gas AnalyzerGlobal Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by End-userHospitalsAmbulatory Surgery CentersPharma and FoodOthersGlobal Medical Gas Analyzer Market, by RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaMake An Enquiry @About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine(MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite :Read More Industry News At:
Baby Training Nappy Diaper Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022

Baby Training Nappy Diaper Market- Fact.MR

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Baby training nappy diapers are used in the practice of elimination communication, a sort of communication that takes place between the caregiver and the infant in order to cater to the need of an infant to eliminate waste. This process is commonly known as potty training. Due to the practice of elimination communication, the infants are trained to urinate and defecate in an appropriate place. This process of elimination communication or potty training is vital for the child, as it gives the child comfort and is a natural evolution of the child ultimately to maturity. However, care should be taken to ensure that potty training is not forced upon the child and there is no force used on the child to be potty trained. It is in this context baby training nappy diapers are used so that the child is able to follow their own natural rhythm in the process of waste elimination and gradually gets trained in this practice of elimination communication. As per the recent report of Fact.MR on the global baby training nappy diaper market, this market is slated to exhibit a robust CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period of 2017 till 2022. The market in the APEJ region is slated to demonstrate the maximum potential and attractiveness due to the rapidly growing population of the region.Request Free Sample Report-Following projections from the Fact.MRs global baby training nappy diaper market forecast is anticipated to be vital for markets future growthAs far as the global baby training nappy diaper markets product segments are concerned, the largest segment happens to be the ultra-absorbent segment, which represents more than two-third of the market value share in the year 2017. The ultra-absorbent segment is growing at US$ 819.1 Mn annually during the course of the forecast period, and this absolute growth is larger than any other segment.As per the forecasts of the Fact.MR report, the 18-48 months segment is poised to reach a value of US$ 7,181.6 Mn in 2022. This represents a steady CAGR growth during the assessment period. The 18-48 months segment is estimated to account for nearly one-third of the total revenue share of the age group segment by the end of the year 2017.MR forecasts that the online segment to touch a value of US$ 3,724.3 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the assessment period and is expected to gain a slightly higher market share by 2022-end. The online segment is exhibiting growing traction due to the fact that there is immense possibility of growth in the online marketplace arena of the developing world, especially the Asia Pacific region.Browse Full Report with TOC-Competition LandscapeThe prominent market players in the global baby training nappy diaper market are Delipap Oy, Torunskie Zaklady Materialow Opatrunkowych S.A., Kao Corporation, Abena A/S, Kimberly Clark Corporation, Domtar Corporation, First Quality Enterprise Inc., Ontex Group NV, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA., Europrosan SpA and The Procter and Gamble Company.Check Discount-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web:
Chlorinated Polyethylene Resins and Elastomers (CPE) Market Revenue, Opportunity, Forecast and Value Chain 2015 - 2025

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Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) resins and elastomersare thermoplastic polymers exhibiting enhanced physical and chemical properties. These are used as thermoplastic elastomer, modifier for various resins such as Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) andPolyethyelene(PE). Chlorinated polyethylene resins offer resistance against chemical, fire, heat, oil, weather, abrasion. Other properties of CPE include excellent mechanical and physical properties, high filler acceptance, tensile strength and low temperature performance. The applications of chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers include geomembranes, as impact modifier andflexible sheeting for automotive, roofing membranes, molded shapes, extruded profiles and cable jacketing and as a base polymer.Request For Report Sample:Growing demand for chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers in impact modification application is expected to drive the market growth. Impact modification is the largest application of CPE in terms of consumption. It is widely used for impact modification of PVC for fence, deck, window profiles, pipes and vinyl siding.CPEs are added into formulations of PVC, PE and PP plastic products to improve impact resistance, low temperature performance, welding strength, and weatherability. In addition, growing demand from flexible sheetingelectrical wires and cables, roofing applications and rubber products for seals and shoe soles.Flexible sheeting industry is experiencing high growth in Asia Pacific region due to growing construction and electrical industries. These two industries are driven by changing lifestyle and rising disposable income.Further, rising demand from automobile hoses and industrial hoses is expected to fuel the chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers market growth. Owing to properties such as ozone resistance, chemical resistance, oil resistance and temperature resistance, CPE has become ideal choice for applications such as oil tubes, power steering tubes, delivery tubes of cooling fluids. It can be also used for vent and vacuum tubes in automotive. Automobile industry is driven by global demand for various types of automotives for variety of applications. Industrial hoses are used for chemical delivery and oil delivery in difference machineries of manufacturing plants.However, rising crude oil prices and hence volatility in raw materials prices are expected to hamper the market growth for chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers. Polyethylene is manufactured from crude oil derivatives and is subjected to availability and price variations. In addition, high cost of processing to develop the application specific elastomer or resin is expected to hamper the market growth.Development of new applications in healthcare and pharmaceutical are expected to provide opportunities for the players in the market. Due to non-hazardous nature of chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers, it can be used for manufacturing plants of pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry.Asia Pacific was largest market for chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers in terms of consumption. China accounts for largest share in the global market in terms of production and consumption. Most of CPE in China is used for impact modifier and hoses application. Asia Pacific was followed by North America where the U.S. was the largest consumer. Demand from Europe and Rest of the World is expected to grow at moderate pace.Global chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers market is highly concentrated with few players dominating the market. Most of the players have their manufacturing plant in China and threat from Chinese players is moderate due to high cost of processing.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Key players in Chlorinated polyethylene resins and elastomers market include the Dow Chemical Company, Sundow Polymers Co. Ltd., Lianda Corporation, Du Pont, Novista - Sanyi Chemical, WeifangPolygrandChemical Co.Ltd., Shandong SanyiIndustrial Co. Ltd., Cevo Industry Company Ltd. 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.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.comWebsite:
Global Paints & Coatings Market is Determined to Cross $153 Billion By 2020

Global Paints & Coatings Market

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Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Paints & Coatings Market by Resin Type (Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyurethane, & Others), by Technology (Waterborne, High Solids, Powder, Solvent Borne, & Others), by Application (Architectural & Paints) - Global Forecasts to 2020The global paints and coatings market is expected to reach $125.0 billion by the end of 2015 and further increase to $153.6 billion by 2020, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9% over the next five-year period of 2015 through 2020.You Can Browse Full Report here:A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. The purpose of applying the coating is protective, decorative, functional, or both. The coating itself may be an all-over coating, completely covering the substrate, and cover parts of the substrate.The paint and coating market segmented in High Solids/Radiation Cure, Powder Coatings, Waterborne Coatings, and Solvent Borne Technologies. Also for the automotive sector it segmented for Aviation, Medical & Healthcare, Residential, Commercial uses.This report provides: An overview of the global market for paints and coatings and related technologies. Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020. Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for paints and coatings. Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications. Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include AkzoNobel N.V., Asian Paints Ltd., Bergers Paints India Ltd., Deutsche Amphibolin-Werke Von Robert Murjahn Stiftung & Company, Diamond Vogel, Dow Corning, Helios Group, KCC Corporation, Masco Corporation, PPG Industries etc. company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The market has been segmented as below:Paints and Coatings Market: by Product Segment Analysis High solids/radiation cure Powder coating Waterborne coating Solvent-borne technologies Others (including specialty coatings, etc.)Paints and Coatings Market: by End-user Analysis Automotives & aviation Medical & healthcare Residential Commercial Others (including other industries, special purpose, etc.)Paints and Coatings Market: by Regional Analysis North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldRequest Sample Report:Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 Research Methodology3 Executive Summary4 Premium Insights5 Market Overview6 Industry Trends7 Paints & Coatings Market, By Resin Type8 Paints & Coatings Market, By Technology9 Paints & Coatings Market, By Application10 Regional Analysis11 Competitive Landscape12 Company Profiles12.1 Introduction12.2 Akzonobel N.V.12.3 PPG Industries, Inc.12.4 The Sherwin-Williams Company12.5 Axalta Coating Systems LLC12.6 BASF SE12.7 Progressive Painting Inc.12.8 Jotun A/S12.9 The DOW Chemical Company12.10 Nippon Paint12.11 Asian Paints LimitedAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
BioID PhotoVerify enables automated online identity proofing with face recognition

BioID PhotoVerify enables accurate automated identity proofing without the need of 'face-to-face' video sessions or meetings.

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Nuremberg, Germany  29.11.2017: BioID, a leader in multimodal biometrics as a service, has announced the release of a PhotoVerify API as part of the BioID Web Service (BWS). With this service, online providers can verify the legal identities of their customers and users without the need for registration in person or via live video session. As such, it is an ideal solution for applications where legal identity must be known, such as registration for online banking, electronic document signing, online renewal of identity documents, or verifying attributes such as age.Accurate, convenient, privacy-assured ID checks now possible anytime, anywhereThe new API compares two live facial images against an image from a photo ID such as a passport or drivers license, making sure that (1) the live images are truly from a live person, not a photo or video, and (2) the live person matches the ID photo. Since no biometric templates or photos are stored and all data is deleted after the operation, it fulfills all requirements for an anonymous identity proofing service.Inconvenient registration and identification processes present a known barrier to adoption of a wide variety of online services, and anything companies can do to simplify these processes while remaining compliant with regulations serves to increase their user base, said Ho Chang, BioID CEO. With our new PhotoVerify API, we are happy to offer online services yet another strong tool for hassle-free identity management and authentication.Until recently, applications requiring verification of a persons legal identity have required appearing in person to present a photo ID. In some cases, this process is now carried out remotely via live video session, but this is still a costly and inconvenient process and often done by external service providers, adding further expense and complexity. Manual ID proofing is also subject to human error, because peoples appearances change from day to day and, for video-based processes, also due to poor-quality video streaming.Advanced face recognition with built-in liveness detection now makes it possible to replace this manual process with faster, more convenient automated ID verification that is more economical and can be integrated into existing services with only a few lines of code.The new API is available immediately through the BioID Web Service, please contact us atBioID is the cloud biometrics company with advanced liveness detection, offering multimodal face, eye and voice recognition with highest levels of data privacy, reliability and security. Guided by the vision that anonymous biometric recognition empowers internet users to secure their online identities with privacy, BioID offers a reliable link between a real person and digital identities by verifying the users presence in a convenient and natural way  just the way you look or the way you sound. BioIDs patented liveness detection makes online face-to-face services possible without the need of a live video session, taking online services to the next level with a great customer journey and experience. Privately held with R&D based in Germany, BioID has offices in Switzerland and the US and its technology has been proven through many years of use at enterprises, banks and government organizations.Press ContactAnn-Kathrin Schmitt+49 911 9999 898 0press@bioid.comBioID GmbHBartholomaeusstrae 2990489 NurembergGermany
Professional Growth of Energy Storage Systems Market in Global Industry 2017

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Albany, NY, 29th November : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Energy Storage Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" globally.The global energy storage systems market to become worth US$52.59 bn by 2025 from US$32.60 bn in 2016 by expanding at a steady CAGR of 5.6% from 2017 to 2025.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Global Energy Storage Systems Market: OverviewThe energy storage systems market report provides analysis for the period 20152025, wherein the period from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period and 2016 is the base year. The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing a key role in energy storage systems market growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence markets growth during the said period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the energy storage systems markets growth throughout the above mentioned forecast period in terms of revenue and volume (in US$ Bn), across different geographies, including Asia Pacific, South America, North America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).The market overview section of the report demonstrates the market dynamics and trends that influence the current nature and future status of this market. An attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every geographic region in the report, in order to give a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario of the energy storage systems market. Moreover, the report provides an overview of the various strategies adopted by key players present in the market. Product definition and introduction chapter helps in understanding different technologies of energy storage systems along with their applications which are included in the report.View Complete TOC with tables & Figures @Global Energy Storage Systems Market: SegmentationThe report segments global energy storage systems market on the basis of technology, application, end user and geography. On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into electrochemical storage, mechanical storage, thermal storage and other storage technologies. Electrochemical storage is further sub-segmented into lithium ion battery, lead acid battery, sodium sulfur (NaS) battery, flow battery and others. While the mechanical storage can be further sub segmented into pumped hydro energy storage, flywheel energy storage and compressed air & liquid air energy storage. The market on the basis of application is segmented into transportation and application. End users include residential, non-residential, utilities and automotive. Thus, the report provides in-depth cross-segment analysis of the energy storage systems market and classifies it into various levels, thereby providing valuable insights at the macro as well as micro levels.On the basis of country, North American market is divided into The U.S., Canada and Rest of North America. Similarly, Europe market is divided into Germany U.K., France, and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific has been segmented into China, Japan, India and Rest of Asia Pacific. Middle East and Africa covers the G.C.C., South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa. Similarly, South America region includes Brazil and Rest of South America. This report provides all the essential information required to understand the energy storage systems and its components. Also, the report provides insights related to the policies and regulations according to the various geographical regions mentioned above. These policies and regulations are directly or indirectly influencing the energy storage systems market.Global Energy Storage Systems Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report also highlights the competitive landscape of the energy storage systems market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their geographic presence and recent key developments. The comprehensive energy storage systems 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 porters five forces and value chain along with the current market dynamics affecting the energy storage systems market growth.Furthermore, Porters Five Forces analysis explains the factors which are currently affecting the energy storage systems market. This report also provides the ecosystem analysis for the energy storage systems which explains the participants of the value chain.ABB Ltd., BYD Company Limited, Calmac, Dynapower Company, LLC, EOS Energy Storage, Evapco, Inc., General Electric Company, Hitachi, Ltd., LG Chem, Ltd., Maxwell Technologies, Inc., NEC Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG and Tesla are some of the major players operating within the global energy storage systems market profiled in this study. Details such as financials, SWOT analysis, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.Global Energy Storage Systems Market,? by TechnologyElectro ChemicalLithium-Ion BatteryLead Acid BatterySodium Sulfur (NAS) BatteryFlow BatteryOthersThermal StorageMechanical Energy StoragePumped Hydro Energy StorageFlywheel Energy StorageCompressed Air & Liquid Air Energy StorageOther Storage TechnologiesGlobal Energy Storage Systems Market, by ApplicationTransportationGrid StorageGlobal Energy Storage Systems Market, by End UserResidentialNon ResidentialUtilitiesAutomotiveBrowse Report @Global Energy Storage Systems Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Global Airborne Early Warning Radar market 2017 - Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse/TI, AVIC

Global Airborne Early Warning Radar market

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Apex Market Reports, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Airborne Early Warning Radar Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Airborne Early Warning Radar Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Airborne Early Warning Radar industry, and estimates the future trend of Airborne Early Warning Radar market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Airborne Early Warning Radar Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportBoeingLockheed MartinWestinghouse/TIAVICThe market research report explores the Airborne Early Warning Radar market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Airborne Early Warning Radar Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Airborne Early Warning Radar market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Airborne Early Warning Radar. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Airborne Early Warning Radar market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Airborne Early Warning Radar is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Airborne Early Warning Radar market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Airborne Early Warning Radar market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The global Airborne Early Warning Radar market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Airborne Early Warning Radar production volume, data pertaining to demand and Airborne Early Warning Radar supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Airborne Early Warning Radar along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Airborne Early Warning Radar across the world.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite -
Global Signal Intelligence System Market 2017 - BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Saab

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In its approaching report Signal Intelligence System market covers detailed analysis on market trends, Market Drivers, market opportunities and other necessary details on the product. Besides, Signal Intelligence System market research report indemnifies threats, Signal Intelligence System market share size, revenue as well as Signal Intelligence System market growth. The industry report has been divided on the basis of drug, and region. The Signal Intelligence System market was valued at US$ XX billion in the current year, and which is expected to reach US$ XX billion till 2026. That means Signal Intelligence System market is growing at CAGR of XX%. Signal Intelligence System market report embraces the regional analysis which has been detailed in Signal Intelligence System market report.Download Free Sample report @On the basis of region, the Signal Intelligence System market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.The Signal Intelligence System market report offers full in-depth analysis of the Signal Intelligence System market, main alterations in Signal Intelligence System Market dynamics, division details of the Signal Intelligence System Market, erstwhile, constant, and predicted Signal Intelligence System market analysis in terms of proportion and utility, evaluation of niche industry expansion, severe Market share analysis, Key programs of major players in Signal Intelligence System market, unfolding segments and regional Signal Intelligence System markets, Testimonials to companies in order to secure their emplacement in Signal Intelligence System Market.Access full report @Diverse research methods were taken into contemplation while gathering the data for the market report. The top-down and the bottom-up approaches were used in order to analyze the data. SWOT analysis of the industry and the Porters Five Forces model helped in elucidating the future of the market players that are involved in the market.Thus, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global Signal Intelligence System market, offering market dimensions and evaluations for the period from 2017 to 2022, keeping in mind the aforementioned factors.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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
Fungicides Market 2017 Is Expected To Increase At High Growth Rates In The Coming Decade

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Fungicides Market research report helps to get access to industry data and upcoming trends which will give you avenues to know about the market. This report gives opportunities to go through with industry analysis, share and forecast, Providing brief description about the market size its competitors and product identification.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Fungicides in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest For Free Sample Of The Report @Global Fungicides market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingSyngentaUPLFMCBASFBayerNufarmPioneer (Dupont)Sumitomo ChemicalDow AgroSciencesMarrone Bio Innovations (MBI)IndofilAdama Agricultural SolutionsArysta LifeScienceForward InternationalIQV AgroSipcamAdvanGowanEverris (ICL)Certis USAAcme Organics PrivateRotamSinochemLimin ChemicalShuangji ChemicalJiangxi HeyiLier ChemicalOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoDithiocarbamatesBenzimidazolesChloronitrilesTriazolesPhenylamidesStrobilurinsBio-FungicidesOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Fungicides for each application, includingCereals and GrainsOilseeds & PulsesFruits & VegetablesOthersObtain Report Details @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About UsAlltake Market Research is division of the Alltake LLC. that offers premium quality market intelligence, market research, industry analysis reports & forecast data for different domains across the business industry.Alltake Market Research understands the importance of market analysis for any strategy that is implemented in any organization or association. In order to provide the best solution, Alltake Market Research have associated with major organizations within market research and consultancy firm. This portfolio offers market analysis report at one place for different business verticals. Alltake Market Research ensures to offer you with the most reliable and quality market research available.Contact UsAlltake Market Research16192, Coastal Highway Lewes,DE 19958, United StatesUS - 188 8587 9717UK - 4480 0680 0195Email sales@alltakemarketresearch.com
N-Hexane Market Worth US$ 1856.7 Mn by 2024 End

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According to the latest report published by Persistence Market Research titled, Global Market Study on n-Hexane: Oil Extraction End-Use Segment to Dominate Consumption over the Forecast Period , the global n-Hexane Market is anticipated to witness a Y-o-Y growth of more than 3% in 2016. Increasing population coupled along with shooting refined oil demand is expected to propel the demand for n-Hexane. As a special-purpose solvent, n-Hexane has applications across a diverse set of industries which is expected to boost demand of n-hexane.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global n-Hexane market dynamicsDemand for n-Hexane, especially in developing region such Asia Pacific, is expected to boost the demand of the global n-Hexane market over the forecast period. Excellent properties of n-Hexane to remove odor and unwanted taste are expected to propel the demand of n-Hexane from the edible oil industry. n-Hexane has the ability to remove unwanted taste and odor and this is the precise reason that the demand for n-Hexane has increased in edible oil industry. However, the consumers from developed regions are shifting from refined oil to cold-pressed oil owing to its superior health benefits. Cold pressing is a natural way to produce oil which does not contain solvent residues, no preservatives with natural antioxidants. In addition, Isohexane, a hexane isomer is used as a substitute of n-Hexane in few oilseed extraction applications. Due to toxic nature of n-Hexane, it has been substituted by n-heptane in some pharmaceutical applications. This may retard the growth of the n-Hexane market.Global n-Hexane market forecastBased on application, oil extraction will continue to lead the market share, representing nearly 57% of total revenues in 2016. High demand for n-Hexane in oil extraction owing to its effectiveness and high yield is expected to propel the global n-Hexane Market. Polymerization is expected to reach more than 200KT in 2016. Oil Extraction, Pharmaceutical, and Polymerization will remain top 3 end-users in global n-Hexane Market.Grade wise, oil extraction followed by industrial will dominate the Global n-Hexane Market in 2016 and is anticipated to reach more than US$ 600 Mn in 2016. Demand for industrial grade n-Hexane is expected to reach closed to 560 KT in 2016.On the basis of the region, APAC has the largest market in n-Hexane market across the world. China recorded a dominant market share of more than 40% in 2015. Asia-Pacific is estimated to lead the market in 2016, followed by Europe and North America. Moderate growth is expected from the mature markets such as North America and Europe. Europe will witness sluggish growth owing to the gradual economic recovery. In addition, important players in the market have been shifting their production bases to Asia Pacific region in order to capitalize on scale economies. Rising environmental concerns in developed regions over the use of n-Hexane and its adverse impact on health and environment may inhibit the growth of the n-Hexane market. APAC is expected to drive the global n-Hexane market and is expected to register closed to 5% of volume CAGR over the forecast period 2016-2024.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global n-Hexane market: Key playersKey participant of global n-Hexane market are Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd., Sak Chaisidhi Company Limited, Liangxin petrochemical company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Philips Chemicals LLC, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., , Royal Dutch Shell plc., Rompetrol Rafinare S.A, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dongying Liaoning Yufeng Chemical Co., Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. 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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Backhoe Loaders Market to Surpass US$ 4 Bn by 2026

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Top eight players account for 85% revenue share; center-mount loaders continue to outsell side-shift equipmentThe top eight global players accounted for nearly 85% revenue share of the US$ 2.14 Bn backhoe loaders market in 2015. JC Bamford Excavators Ltd (JCB) remains the largest player (20%), followed by CNH Industrial NV, and Volvo Construction Group. These three behemoths collectively account for nearly 44% revenue share of the global backhoe loaders market. The other five leading players in terms of revenue share include Komatsu Ltd., Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Terex Corporation, Caterpillar Inc., and Deere & Company.A sample of this report is available upon request @Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), the largest market in terms of volume and value, was worth US$ 866.6 Mn in 2015, and is projected to surpass US$ 1 Bn in revenues by 2018. India will continue to be the worlds most lucrative and largest market for backhoe loaders, growing at 6.9% -- higher than the 5.9% global CAGR  through 2026. On the back of strong demand from the US construction sector, North America will maintain its position as the worlds second largest market, followed by Latin America.According to Persistence Market Researchs report, Global Market Study on Backhoe Loaders: APEJ Expected to be the Most Attractive Regional Market for Backhoe Loader Manufacturers in Terms of Growth Rate , the India backhoe loaders market will continue to experience steady gains throughout the forecast period on account of a slew of factors. Government focus on infrastructure development coupled with easy finance schemes have ensured steady buoyancy, and the status quo is anticipated to remain unchanged throughout the forecast period. JCB remains the market leader in India as well, accounting for roughly three-fourth revenue share.Demand for backhoe loaders and other construction equipment is directly co-related to the pace of infrastructure development. India is going through a momentous phase of development of roads, railways, and dams receiving government support and FDI. Further, Indias real estate sector remained largely unaffected by the global housing crisis of 2007-08, and leading construction equipment manufacturers consolidated their position to compensate for sluggish demand in US and Europe. Since then, the India construction equipment market has been on an upswing, and our research projects the demand to remain buoyant throughout the forecast period.  Persistence Market Research analyst.Center-mount backhoe loaders will continue to outsell side-shift variants, with the former projected to account for over 86% revenue share of the market throughout the forecast period. Center-mount backhoe loaders remain sought-after among end-users in Asia Pacific and North America, whereas side-shift backhoe loaders are concentrated in Europe. Side-shifts were first introduced in Europe in the 1960s and since then they have remained the preferred choice; however, across the pond, end-users have shown a marked preference for center-mount machines. They also remain the preferred choice among end-users in India, influencing manufacturers to increase production capacity and broaden their range, adds the Persistence Market Research analyst.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Backhoe loaders find their application in a wide range of end-use industries, including construction & mining, utility, and agriculture & forestry. Construction and mining remain the largest end-use sector, accounting for nearly 53% revenue share of the market in 2016. Frenzied construction activity in Tier II cities, combined with the implementation of Smart City program are anticipated to provide an impetus to overall construction equipment sales in India, which in turn, is expected to have a crucial impact on prospects of the global market. Demand for backhoe loaders from the agriculture & forestry segment will remain steady, growing at 5.9% CAGR through 2026.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:
Global Holographic Films Sales to be Worth US$ 11,775 Million by 2024

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For every consumer goods product that has ever hit the shelves of retail outlets, a percentage of its production cost gets spent on branding the product by sticking a holographic film on its packaging label. Accordingly, billions of consumers goods sold daily from all parts of the world necessitate the expansion of global production capacity for holographic films. In 2015, global sales of holographic films exceeded US$ 5 billion, attesting the universal demand for iconic branding techniques. According to a recent research conducted by Persistence Market Research, the global holographic films market revenues are estimated to reach US$ 11,775 million in value by 2024.A sample of this report is available upon request @Persistence Market Researchs report titled Global Market Study on Holographic Films: Pharmaceuticals End Use Industry Segment Estimated to Increase 2.2X in Terms of Value over the Forecast Period , projects the US$ 5,767.3 million global holographic films market will expand at an impressive CAGR of 9.3% during the period of forecast - 2016-2024. Besides the branding demands, the active use of Fresnel lens technology in designing flexible packaging surfaces has become a proponent for consumption of holographic films, the combination of which is likely to create 3D effect for customers viewing the products stacked on store shelves. While secured packaging and anti-counterfeit measures promote the use of holographic films, volatile costs of film materials are likely to hamper the growth of the global holographic films market.Key Research FindingsDemand for Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film materials to remain high through 2024, accounting for almost half of the global market revenuesBranding measures undertaken by pharmaceutical and drug manufacturers, and companies in the FMCG sector will render them largest end-user industries for holographic filmsThe need for customer-centric designs and patterns on films will gain traction during the projected period, effectuating a higher market presence for customized offerings of holographic filmsThrough 2024, the value share ratio of lamination and printing as two main end uses in the global holographic films market is anticipated to be an estimated 60% to 40% respectivelyAPAC Holographic Films Market to Expand at Highest CAGRBy the end of forecast period, the holographic films sales from Asia Pacific (APAC) region will rake in revenues worth over US$ 4.3 billion. The APAC holographic films market is anticipated to be fastest growing region in the global market, registering an estimated CAGR of 10.8%. In 2016, the region accounted for one-third share of the global market value, followed by North America  which secured over 25% share of the global holographic films market size. Europes holographic films market is likely to join North America and APAC as regions lucrative for expansion of holographic films businesses. Meanwhile, the holographic films market size is to expand at a modest rate in regions such as Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA).Metallized Films & Anti-counterfeit Applications Procure High SalesSales of holographic films in the world have been largely concentrated towards two aspects  the type of film material preferred and its application. Product manufacturers and packaging industry players prefer using metallized holographic films over transparent films. Similarly, the use of such films finds greater application in anti-counterfeit measures of packaging companies. Surging instances of product duplicity have integrated holographic films into packaging operations that label symbols for identifying authentic products. Independently, metallized holographic films and anti-counterfeit applications are expected to account for over 70% of global market revenues throughout the forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Holographic Films Market: Key PlayersWhile local manufacturers of holographic films are expected to collectively account for over half of the global market, companies such as Uflex Limited and Polinas Plastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. will jointly hold company share of 14.2%. Leading holographic films manufacturers namely Toray Industries Inc., SRF Limited, and Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, are expected to exclusively focus on business expansion in regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Strategic acquisitions is pegged to be a top priority for Jindal Poly Films Ltd., API Group Plc., and Avery Dennison Corporation, while Cosmo Films Limited and K Laser Technology Inc. are expected to increase their global presence through product launch.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:
iStock/Thinkstock(LONDON) -- A 41-year-old man in Sweden who allegedly coerced girls from the U.S., Canada and Scotland into performing sexual acts in front of a webcam could be convicted of rape even though he wasnt in the same room as his victims.

No one has been convicted of rape in Sweden for sexual crimes committed via the internet, but on Thursday Sweden's Uppsala District Court will decide if this man's alleged crimes are an act of rape. Twenty-four of the 27 victims are American, according to Annika Wennerstrom, public prosecutor at the International Public Prosecution Office in Stockholm.

She said in a statment that "in such a serious crime as this one, it could be rape even if the suspect is not present in the same room where the sexual acts are performed.

Of the 27 victims, 18 were identified. All 18 victims were 15 years old or younger when the crimes were committed, Swedish prosecutors said.

"We have done research and interviewed victims and found that children are just as traumatized from online assault as physical assault," Wennerstrom told ABC News. "Actually, the online assault is even worse because the assault takes place in their rooms."

From his home in Sweden, the man allegedly made contact with the girls via social media, Wennerstrom said. He then researched the girls and used information such as where they lived to threaten to hurt them and some of their family members, she said. That's how he persuaded the girls to perform the sexual acts that he recorded, she explained.

"The girls were really terrified because they didn't know where he was and if he was really going to come for them," said Wennerstrom. In court, she argued that he should be convicted of at least 10 years in prison.

"In Sweden, that is a lot," she said. "Maybe that's not realistic, but that's what we think is appropriate."

The man has been indicted on charges of aggravated child rape, aggravated sexual abuse of children, exploitation of children for sexual posing, child pornography crimes among others.

The man's defense lawyer, Kronje Samuelsson, told Swedish media that he does not believe that someone can be convicted of rape if they are not in the same room as the victim.

"As we understand it, as the court of appeal has ruled [in a different case], if you are not in the same room then you cannot be convicted of rape," Samuelsson said.

The United Nations and FBI estimate that 750,000 child predators are online at any given time. It is difficult to know how many of them persuade children to perform sexual acts online, but law enforcement officials say that the predator population is huge  and increasing faster than they can catch perpetrators.

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Global 360 Degree Panoramic Camera Market 2017 - Samsung, Ricoh, Nikon, Canon, Nokia

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In its approaching report 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market covers detailed analysis on market trends, Market Drivers, market opportunities and other necessary details on the product. Besides, 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market research report indemnifies threats, 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market share size, revenue as well as 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market growth. The industry report has been divided on the basis of drug, and region. The 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market was valued at US$ XX billion in the current year, and which is expected to reach US$ XX billion till 2026. That means 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market is growing at CAGR of XX%. 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market report embraces the regional analysis which has been detailed in 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market report.Download Free Sample report @On the basis of region, the 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.The 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market report offers full in-depth analysis of the 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market, main alterations in 360 Degree Panoramic Camera Market dynamics, division details of the 360 Degree Panoramic Camera Market, erstwhile, constant, and predicted 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market analysis in terms of proportion and utility, evaluation of niche industry expansion, severe Market share analysis, Key programs of major players in 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market, unfolding segments and regional 360 Degree Panoramic Camera markets, Testimonials to companies in order to secure their emplacement in 360 Degree Panoramic Camera Market.Access full report @Diverse research methods were taken into contemplation while gathering the data for the market report. The top-down and the bottom-up approaches were used in order to analyze the data. SWOT analysis of the industry and the Porters Five Forces model helped in elucidating the future of the market players that are involved in the market.Thus, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global 360 Degree Panoramic Camera market, offering market dimensions and evaluations for the period from 2017 to 2022, keeping in mind the aforementioned factors.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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
Global MEMS in Medical Application Market Revenues to Exceed US$6.5 billion by the end of 2019

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According to a recently published report by Transparency Market Research, the global market for micro electro mechanical systems, or MEMS, in medical applications is set to register growth at a whopping 20.2% CAGR during the forecast period from 2013 to 2019. The report is titled MEMS in Medical Applications Market  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013  2019. As per the findings of the report, the global MEMS medical application market, which stood at US$1.8 billion in 2012, is expected to reach US$6.5 billion by the end of 2019.Read Report @The publication states that increasing healthcare expenditure, compounded by a rise in the global geriatric population, is driving the demand for MEMS in medical applications. Additionally, consumers around the world are increasingly demanding rapid means of diagnosis with minimum turnaround time. This has compelled leading vendors of medical devices to focus on the production of a single platform that can perform multiple diagnostic examinations efficiently. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the market and focuses on factors that producers should capitalize on in order to enjoy manufacturing advantages. It suggests that by leveraging the benefits inherent to MEMS, vendors will be able to produce more compact consumption connectors that can deliver high performance even on low power. Governments of various economies have realized the potential of introducing nanotechnology in the production process and MEMS in the healthcare industry. These factors have encouraged the global MEMS industry to provide the best market solutions.The report has segmented the MEMS in medical applications market into diagnostic devices, medical devices, surgical devices, and therapeutic devices on the basis of their use. The therapeutic devices market is expected to register the highest growth owing to the increased use of intrathecal pumps and other methods of drug delivery such as insulin delivery pumps. The market is also divided in terms of MEMS sensors, which includes sensors meant to monitor temperature, flow, pressure; accelerometers and gyroscopes; and optical sensors. According to the report, pressure sensors accounted for the largest share in the market with US$486.0 million in 2012 and are also expected to register robust growth at a 18.7% CAGR over the forecast period.Geographically, North America registered maximum demand for MEMS in medical application. The market for MEMS in North America was valued at US$800 million in 2012. However, the studies cited in the report indicate impressive growth prospects for emerging Asia Pacific economies such as India and China. Fuelled by growing awareness and rise in disposable incomes, India and China will emerge as the dominant markets for MEMS in medical applications.Request Sample Report@The report profiles leading companies such as Honeywell, E Sensing and Control, Texas Instruments, Measurement Specialties Inc, Freescale, STMicroelectronics, and other national and regional players, in order to study the competitive landscape of the 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.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Global Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market Estimated to become worth US$40.43 Bn by 2025

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market Estimated to become worth US$40.43 Bn by 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.The global hardware security module market is estimated to be worth US$40.43 bn by the end of 2025.The objective of the report is to define, describe, and forecast the security analytics market on the basis of applications, services, deployment mode, organization size, industry verticals, and regions and also to provide detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges).Global Hardware Security Module Market: OverviewHardware security module (HSM) market report provides analysis for the period 2015  2025, wherein the period from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast and 2016 is the base year. The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing an influential role in the hardware security module (HSM) markets growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to impact markets growth during the said period. The study provides a complete perspective on global hardware security module (HSM) markets evolution throughout the above mentioned forecast period in terms of revenue (in US$ Bn).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market overview section of the report demonstrates the market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints and opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market, key market indicators and trends. Key market indicators included in the report provide significance of the factors which are capable of changing the market scenario. These indicators are expected to define the market position during the forecast period. An attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every segment in the report. The attractiveness analysis will helps the readers to understand the most lucrative market segment. The report also provides an overview of various strategies adopted by key players present in the market.Global Hardware Security Module Market: Scope of Study and Research MethodologyThe comprehensive hardware security module (HSM) 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 hardware security module (HSM) market growth.This report provides all the essential information required to understand the key developments in the hardware security module (HSM) market, growth trend of each segment and companies strategies that helps them to efficiently compete in the market. Also, the report provides insights related to trends and their impact on the market. Furthermore, Porters Five Forces analysis explains the five forces namely buyers bargaining power, suppliers bargaining power, threat of new entrant, threat of substitute and degree of competition in the hardware security module (HSM) market. This report also provides the comprehensive value chain analysis for the hardware security module (HSM) market. It explains the various participants including raw material suppliers, manufacturers and distribution channel of the value chain operating in the market.Browse TOC @Global Hardware Security Module Market: Market SegmentationThe report segments the market on the basis of type, application and industry verticals. The type segment includes local interface, remote interface, smart cards and USB tokens hardware security modules (HSM). On the basis of application, the market is segmented as authentication, database encryption, document signing, secure socket layer (SSL), code signing, PKI/credential management, payment processing and application level encryption. On the basis of industry verticals the hardware security module market is segmented as banking and financial institutions, government, technology and communication, industrial and manufacturing, energy and utility, retail and consumer, healthcare and life sciences and others The report provides in-depth segment analysis of the global hardware security module (HSM) market, thereby providing valuable insights at the macro as well as micro levels.Global Hardware Security Module Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report also highlights the competitive landscape of global hardware security module (HSM) market, positioning all the major players according to their presence in different regions of the world and recent key developments initiated by them in the market.Utimaco GmbH, Futurex, Thales e-Security, Inc., Gemalto NV, IBM corporation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development L.P., Ultra Electronics Group, SWIFT and Yubico are of the major players operating within the hardware security module (HSM) market profiled in this study. Details such as financials, SWOT analysis, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.The global hardware security module market is segmented as follows:Global Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market, By TypeLocal InterfaceRemote InterfaceUSB tokenSmart CardsGlobal Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market, By ApplicationAuthenticationDatabase EncryptionDocument SigningSecure Sockets Layer (SSL)Code SigningPKI/Credential ManagementPayments ProcessingApplication Level EncryptionGlobal Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market, By Industry- verticalsBFSIGovernmentTechnology and CommunicationIndustrial and ManufacturingEnergy and UtilityRetail and Consumer ProductsHealthcare & Life sciencesOthersGlobal Hardware Security Module (HSM) Market, By GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.KGermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)IndiaChinaRest of APACMiddle East and Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of MEASouth AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaAbout 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 @
Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Global Market 2017: Key Players Altierre, Hanshow Technology, Panasonic, LG innotek

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In this report, the global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanKoreaTaiwanGET SAMPLE REPORT @Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingSES(imagotag)PricerDisplaydataOpticon Sensors Europe B.VAltierreHanshow TechnologyPanasonicLG innotekSolumOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLiquid Crystal Display (LCD) DisplaysE Papers DisplaysOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingDepartment Store/Mass MerchandiseGrocery/SupermarketDrug StoreTable of Content: Key PointsGlobal Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales Market Report 20171 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Electronic Shelf Label (ESL)1.2 Classification of Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) by Product Category1.2.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Displays1.2.4 E Papers Displays1.3 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Department Store/Mass Merchandise1.3.3 Grocery/Supermarket1.3.4 Drug Store1.4 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market by Region1.4.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Korea Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) (Volume) by Application.9 Global Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data9.1 SES(imagotag)9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 Product A9.1.2.2 Product B9.1.3 SES(imagotag) Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Pricer9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 Product A9.2.2.2 Product B9.2.3 Pricer Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.3 Displaydata9.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.3.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.3.2.1 Product A9.3.2.2 Product B9.3.3 Displaydata Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.4 Opticon Sensors Europe B.V9.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.4.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.4.2.1 Product A9.4.2.2 Product B9.4.3 Opticon Sensors Europe B.V Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.5 Altierre9.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.5.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.5.2.1 Product A9.5.2.2 Product B9.5.3 Altierre Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.6 Hanshow Technology9.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.6.2 Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Product Category, Application and Specification9.6.2.1 Product A9.6.2.2 Product B9.6.3 Hanshow Technology Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.7 PanasonicContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in 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Angioplasty Balloons Market Analysis, Size, Applications Share, Trends & Forecast, 2017-2024

Angioplasty Balloons Market

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Angioplasty Balloons Market size is projected to experience significant growth from 2017 to 2024.Growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary and peripheral artery disease will drive angioplasty balloons market growth. Increasing geriatric population base will serve to be a high impact rendering factor owing to their higher susceptibility towards heart diseases. As per NIH data, coronary heart disease risk in men increases after the age of 45 years. Increasing number of angioplasty procedures coupled with growing demand for minimally invasive procedures will fuel industry growth. Less recovery and hospitalization period associated with the procedure providing the benefit of resuming regular work life soon will aid adoption.Request In-depth table of contents @Growing obesity levels due to lifestyle changes such as adoption of sedentary lifestyle with lack of physical activity and consumption of fat and sodium rich junk foods will further fuel growth. Increasing high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and diabetes prevalence is leading to a higher risk of heart diseases among the population. Increasing incidence of smoking leading to blood vessel tightening and damage along with decreased oxygen supply to tissues would boost procedure demand. Angioplasty balloon technologies are witnessing rapid advancements. For instance, cutting and drug eluting balloons have now been developed. Risks associated with the procedure such as bleeding or infection at insertion site, artery dissection or perforation may deter adoption.Drug eluting angioplasty balloons are forecast to exhibit robust growth over the forecast timeframe owing to their advantages such as more homogenous drug distribution. Drug eluting balloon on expansion releases the drug into the vessel wall and prevents the buildup of neointimal scar tissue. The balloons also minimize the need for implantation of foreign materials such as stents. Cutting balloons are forecast to grow at rapid rate owing to their ability to reduce vessel stretch and injury through longitudinal vessel scoring. They decrease the risk of neoproliferative response by dilating the target vessels with less force.Make Inquiry about this report @Coronary angioplasty balloon segment is slated to witness lucrative growth owing to the increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease. As per WHO statistics, approximately 7.4 million people died due to coronary artery disease in 2015. Hospitals as end-user of angioplasty balloons held significant revenue share due to availability of advanced equipment and services along with experienced and skilled staff.U.S. angioplasty balloons market is forecast to undergo robust growth over the forecast timeframe due to increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. As per American heart association, 1 out of 7 deaths in the country was attributable to coronary heart disease. Growing elderly population along with increasing obesity, blood pressure and type 2 diabetes rates will fuel growth. Presence of major industry players in the region along with the availability of advanced technology will further aid industry expansion. For instance, U.S. FDA approved Lutonix 035 (C.R. Bard) in October 2014 and In.Pact Admiral (Medtronic) in January 2015 for peripheral artery disease treatment.Germany angioplasty balloons market should undergo rapid growth due to increasing incidence of heart diseases. Increasing number of angioplasty procedures is leading to an increase in demand. Rising elderly population along with growing obesity and diabetes prevalence will boost growth. The country has an advanced healthcare infrastructure providing improved access for cardiovascular disease. Presence of large number of PCI centers and increasing spending on cardiovascular diseases should augment future industry expansion.Prominent industry participants include Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, C.R. Bard, and BIOTRONIK. The industry players adopt strategies such as acquisitions, geographical expansion and new product launch in order to enhance their market position. For instance, in February 2015, Medtronic launched In.Pact Admiral drug coated balloon in U.S. for treatment of patients suffering from peripheral artery disease.About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Global Smart Coatings Market Is Projected To Reach Us$9.82 Bn By 2025

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Smart Coatings Market Is Projected To Reach Us$9.82 Bn By 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Smart coatings are one of the coatings that are technologically developed to change its properties in response to the environmental stimulus. The product have been developed in such a way that they react to the stimulus on its own which is why it is named as smart coatings. Various smart coating products available in the market are self-cleaning, self-healing, anti-corrosion, anti-microbial, self-dimming and others. These coatings are been used for various applications ranging from building & construction, automotive, electronics, military, medical and others.The report estimates and forecasts the smart coatings market on the global, regional, and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2016 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the product segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the smart coatings market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the smart coatings market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the smart coatings market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein applications and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for smart coatings between 2017 and 2025.Global Smart Coatings Market: SegmentationThe study provides a comprehensive view of the smart coatings market by dividing it on the basis of applications and geography segments. The smart coatings market has been segmented into building & construction, automotive, electronics, military, medical and other segment based on application type. Application type segment have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for smart coatings in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for various segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, India, China, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual applications in all the regions and countries.Global Smart Coatings Market: Competitive AnalysisThe report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report includes 3M, Dow Corning, PPG Protective & Marine Coatings, Royal DSM, NEI Corporation, BASF SE, and others. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).Browse TOC @Global Smart Coatings Market: Research MethodologySecondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The global smart coatings market has been segmented as follows:Global Smart Coatings Market, by Product TypeSelf-healingSelf-cleaningAnti-microbialAnti-corrosionSelf-dimmingOthersGlobal Smart Coatings Market, by ApplicationBuilding & ConstructionAutomotiveElectronicsMilitaryMedicalOthersGlobal Smart Coatings Market, by RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.ItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanASEANRest of Asia PacificMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaAbout 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 @
N Methyl 2 Pyrrolidone Market to Reach US$ 985.3 Mn by 2020 end

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The global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) market is expected to observe modest growth over a five-year forecast period, 2015-2020. Expanding at a 5.4% of CAGR during the assessed period, the global NMP market will possibly attain the revenues of US$ 985.3 Mn by 2020 end.The market for NMP in developing Asian countries will be primarily driven by increasing urbanization and industrialization, coupled with rampantly evolving infrastructure development realm. Attributed to its chemical properties, such as higher flame point and lower volatility, N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone finds various applications several end-use industries. This will remain a key factor driving the demand on a global level. Industrial applications in a sweeping range of verticals, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, petrochemical, agrochemical, paints and coatings, and industrial cleaning will also continue to drive the market for N-Methylpyrrolidone over the next few years.A sample of this report is available upon request @The flourishing consumer electronics sector is likely to generate substantial demand for NMP. With soaring demand for electronics production, the consumption of N-Methylpyrrolidone will also witness a significant hike. Moreover, increasing demand for agrochemicals is expected to elevate the revenue sales in the next few years. Another industrial sector estimated to support the growth of the global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone market is pharmaceuticals. Growing market in Asia Pacific are expected to play a vital role in boosting the demand throughout the forecast period, eventually fostering the market for NMP globally.Stringent regulations regarding usage of N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone may remain a long-term restraint to market growth. Moreover, the market has been experiencing a rapid setback in certain verticals, such as paints and coatings, and industrial cleaning. This can also be a major limiting factor impacting the market growth by 2020 end.By application, the electronics application segment is expected to remain dominant over other segments, including agrochemicals, petrochemical processing, industrial cleaners, pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, and others. Electronics application segment will possibly capture around 23% share of the entire market revenues in 2020, witnessing an optimistic CAGR of 6.7% during 2015-2020. Pharmaceuticals will continue to be the second largest application segment that was evaluated at US$ 122.7 Mn in 2015. This segment is anticipated to demonstrate a moderate CAGR of 6.3% by 2020 end, accounting for nearly 15% market value share.According to Persistence Market Researchs regional analysis, Asia Pacific is foreseen to remain the global leader with over 36% share of the market revenues in 2016. This growth is predominantly attributed to lower production costs in Asian countries. The second largest regional market, North America, will contribute around 30% share to the market in 2016.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @A few key market players include LyondellBasell Industries N.V., BASF SE, Ashland Inc., Abtonsmart Chemical (Group) Co. Ltd., and Shandong Qingyun Changxin Chemical Science-Tech Co., Ltd. A few other notable companies competing in the N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone marketplace are Zhejiang Realsun Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Hefei TNJ Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Puyang Guangming Chemicals Co., Ltd., and Balaji Amines Limited.Long-term Outlook: The global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone market is likely to reach a value of US$ 985.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period, 2015-2020.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:
Global Armored Cars Market 2017 - INKAS, The Raytheon Company, INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing

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In its approaching report Armored Cars market covers detailed analysis on market trends, Market Drivers, market opportunities and other necessary details on the product. Besides, Armored Cars market research report indemnifies threats, Armored Cars market share size, revenue as well as Armored Cars market growth. The industry report has been divided on the basis of drug, and region. The Armored Cars market was valued at US$ XX billion in the current year, and which is expected to reach US$ XX billion till 2026. That means Armored Cars market is growing at CAGR of XX%. Armored Cars market report embraces the regional analysis which has been detailed in Armored Cars market report.Download Free Sample report @On the basis of region, the Armored Cars market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.The Armored Cars market report offers full in-depth analysis of the Armored Cars market, main alterations in Armored Cars Market dynamics, division details of the Armored Cars Market, erstwhile, constant, and predicted Armored Cars market analysis in terms of proportion and utility, evaluation of niche industry expansion, severe Market share analysis, Key programs of major players in Armored Cars market, unfolding segments and regional Armored Cars markets, Testimonials to companies in order to secure their emplacement in Armored Cars Market.Access full report @Diverse research methods were taken into contemplation while gathering the data for the market report. The top-down and the bottom-up approaches were used in order to analyze the data. SWOT analysis of the industry and the Porters Five Forces model helped in elucidating the future of the market players that are involved in the market.Thus, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global Armored Cars market, offering market dimensions and evaluations for the period from 2017 to 2022, keeping in mind the aforementioned factors.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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
At A CAGR Of 4.54%, Global Searchlights Market Will Expand Between The Period 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "At A CAGR Of 4.54%, Global Searchlights Market Will Expand Between The Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.A searchlight is a device that usually combines an immensely luminous light source with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a high intensity beam of light in a specific direction. Searchlights always include the means for changing the direction of a light beam. Searchlights have vast applications in industries such as marine, defense and security, as well as architectural and extravaganza. Searchlights are powered by different light sources such as halogen, Xenon, and LED. Xenon is likely to have the maximum light beam range.Technavios analysts forecast the global searchlights market to grow at a CAGR of 4.54% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global searchlights market for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Searchlights 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.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Key vendorsThe Carliste & FinchFrancis CompanyIBAK Helmut HungerLUMINELLPerkoR. STAHL TRANBERGOther prominent vendorsACR ElectronicsDHREasy PhotovoltechGOLIGHTHella MarineJAINSONS ELECTRONICSKarl DoseKavita Solar EnergyPhoenix ProductsWISKAXeVisionXylemMarket driver Increasing demand from commercial and recreational marine sectorsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportBrowse TOC @Market challengeSlow growth of shipbuilding industry in ChinaFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIntegration of digital control systems with searchlightsFor 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?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 @
Prenatal and Newborn Genetic Testing Market analysis research and trends report for 2017-2024

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Prenatal and Newborn Genetic Testing Market size is projected to experience significant growth from 2017 to 2024.Growing occurrence of the genetic diseases is the major factor driving global prenatal and newborn genetic testing market. The demand for prenatal and newborn genetic testing is increasing as expecting parents seek to test and identify genomic abnormalities. Rising R&D activities for proteomics and genomics coupled with technological advancement will propel industry growth over the forecast period.Request In-depth table of contents @Advancing genome profiling technology including TaqMan PCR coupled with advances in fetal cell research are boosting the business growth. There is widespread existence of public as well as private organizations that support the research studies for genomic testing. For instance, the Max Planck Institute for molecular genetics and National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) capitalizes, promotes and conducts genomic research.Increasing awareness level in pregnant women for testing and screening about chromosomal abnormalities in fetus provides immense growth opportunities. The major challenge declining the industry growth is decreasing fertility rates globally eventually decreasing in pregnancy numbers and fertility rates, negatively impacting the market. As per, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Population Division analyzed the world fertility patterns in 2015 were 2.5 kids per woman worldwide.Make Inquiry about this report @According to the government of Western Australia Department of Health, approximately 5% of newborns in the Western Australia have birth defect. It is the major factor boosting the prenatal and newborn genetic testing market size. Several procedures are carried out in order to screen the birth defects such as, quad marker screen (Quad), serum integrated prenatal screen (SIPS), complete second trimester ultrasound for prenatal genomic screening, and integrated prenatal screen (IPS). Availability of these tests and increasing awareness among the pregnant women regarding these tests are propelling business growth.Diagnostics techniques accounted for major share in technology segment owing to wide-ranging applications in detection of the birth defects through genomic testing that include, array-comparative genetic hybridization (aCGH), fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is the most preferred and widely used technique due to its indispensable applications in medical and biological research along with capability to diagnose inherited diseases with functional analysis in genes.U.S. prenatal and newborn genetic testing market will witness substantial growth owing to existence of advanced technology that include real time and multiplex PCR techniques coupled with favorable government policies. Structure for screening programs including postnatal, prenatal, selective or universal differs within the U.S. advancement in molecular testing enabled diagnosis of intricate sickling disorders and thalassemia thereby, fueling business growth over the forecast timeframe.India and China prenatal and newborn genetic testing market is growing significantly due to improving healthcare facilities, increasing awareness about genetic disorders, thereby rising demand for screening techniques. Moreover, developing activities and government supporting policies coupled with growing economic progress are further boosting industry growth.Some of the industry players include, Roche Diagnostic, Elitech Group, Myriad Genetics, Biocartis, IntegraGen, Perkin Elmer, WaferGen Biosystem, Interpace Diagnostics, Quest Diagnostic, Bio-Rad, AutoGenomics, Bio-Rad, Abbott, Cepheid, EKF Diagnostics, Natera, Agilent Technologies, Illumina, Ariosa Diagnostics, Sequenom, and Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings. The industry players focus on strategic alliances, mergers, partnership and acquisitions for upsurge in firm growth. For instance, in September 2016, AutoGenomics and WuXi AppTec Lab testing division formed strategic partnership for introduction of advanced molecular technology of diagnosis to China. This will provide the company with regional expansion for its products.Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Financial Services Cybersecurity Systems and Services Market Estimated to Flourish by 2022

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Organizations working in the overall financial services cybersecurity systems and services market are expected to take advantage of the open doors birthing from building hearty hazard and security administration programs for financial establishments, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a research report. Such projects could help financial firms to enable their IT security while getting a charge out of the certainty to improve and contend unequivocally in their business. Merchants, for instance, Akamai Technologies, Inc., AlienVault, Inc., VMware, Inc., Alert Logic, Inc., and Avast Software S.R.O. could be among the best names in the market. The report gives a comprehensive profile record of every seller examined.The worldwide market for financial services cybersecurity systems and services is anticipated to enlist a CAGR of 14.1% amid the figure time allotment 2017 2022. By 2022 end, the market could post an income of US$24.3 bn. In 2017, it earned around US$12.5 bn. As indicated by end client grouping, the universal financial services cybersecurity systems and services market is anticipated to offer open doors in sections, for example, saving money, protection, credit unions, stock businesses, stock trade, venture reserves, purchaser financing services, installment card and portable installment services, and government-related financial services. Regionally, North America is guessed to make the cut in the global financial services cybersecurity systems and services market with an income of US$7.6 bn forecasted to be collected before the finish of 2022. Different markets, for instance, Japan and Europe could likewise offer promising prospects in the coming years.Request For Report Sample:The worldwide financial services cybersecurity systems and services market is prognosticated to pick up driving force from the order of government statutes, for example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act which require financial organizations to guarantee the classification and security of clients' close to home information. Such client information could incorporate standardized savings numbers (SSNs), records, wage, account numbers, telephone numbers, locations, and names. Besides, an increased reaction is normal from financial firms taking a gander at the taking off pervasiveness and advancement of cybercrimes since the most recent decade and a half.The worldwide financial services cybersecurity systems and services market is imagined to be marked as a quicker and bigger growing one for private division cybersecurity. Financial foundations and banks, for instance, Bank of America are anticipated to set no bar or requirement on cybersecurity expense because of the desperation of the time and energetically augmenting range of crimes pertaining to the internet. The American Bankers Association Banking Journal proclaimed in 2016 that digital connected hazards are presently located higher by CEOs than those related with resource bubbles, vitality costs, and financial emergency. Force point, in its 2015 Industry Drill Down Report, surefire that security occurrences in the financial services industry occur 300 times more often than in different business parts.The global financial services cybersecurity systems and services market is visualized to grant versatile undertaking administration as a commanding fragment anticipated that would secure a more grounded income of US$4.7 bn by 2022. Be that as it may, there could be more markets for financial services cybersecurity systems and services according to services and arrangement division indicating face. These could be character, endpoint security, and admission to administration, multipurpose security, datacenter security, occasion administration and security data, information misfortune aversion (DLP), firewall, and content security.Browse Premium Industry Research Report with Analysis: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.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:
Demand Response Management Systems Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Demand Response Management Systems Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Demand Response Management Systems market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Demand Response Management Systems in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Demand Response Management Systems market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingABBComvergeEatonEcobeeEnergyHubEnerNOCGeneral ElectricHoneywellJohnson ControlsNest LabsOracle OpowerSchneider ElectricSiemensThinkEcoTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoConventional Demand ResponseAutomated Demand ResponseOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Demand Response Management Systems for each application, includingResidentialIndustrialCommercialBrowse TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Demand Response Management Systems Market Research Report 20171 Demand Response Management Systems Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Demand Response Management Systems1.2 Demand Response Management Systems Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Demand Response Management Systems Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Demand Response Management Systems Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Conventional Demand Response1.2.4 Automated Demand Response1.3 Global Demand Response Management Systems Segment by Application1.3.1 Demand Response Management Systems Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Residential2 Global Demand Response Management Systems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Demand Response Management Systems Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Demand Response Management Systems Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Demand Response Management Systems Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Demand Response Management Systems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Demand Response Management Systems Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Demand Response Management Systems Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Demand Response Management Systems Market Competitive Situation and TrendsAbout 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 @
80 years of KIESELMANN: High-quality fluid technology

KIESELMANN Managing Director Klaus Dohle:"It is remarkable what we have achieved in just 80 years."

On 11.11.2017 Kieselmann GmbH celebrated its 80th company anniversary at the company headquarters in Knittlingen. In keeping with the Oktoberfest motto, many of the employees appeared dressed in dirndl and leather trousers in the festively decorated festival hall.In his welcoming address, Klaus Dohle, Managing Director of Kieselmann, spoke about the success story of the formerly small, Swabian contract turning shop, which has grown into an international group of companies in eight decades. The most recent sign of this growth is the new production and office building in which the celebrations were held that evening. It only took 171 days to complete the new building on time for the anniversary celebration. The atmospheric evening was accompanied by a comedic speaker and a rocking folk music band and rounded off by a hearty Bavarian buffet and the matching beer.At the end of the year, the Festhalle is to be used for its actual purpose: the production of stainless steel valves in order to process customer orders even faster. In the past two years, it had already become apparent that the order situation required an expansion of production capacity. On Monday after the anniversary celebration, for example, transporters with parts of the new machinery went to the courtyard of fluid technology experts.The name KIESELMANN stands for high-quality fluid technology, such as components and systems that enable the control, manipulation and production of liquid to pasty media. With safe, innovative and reliable products we give our customers in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries the means to meet the needs of their markets today and in the future.In more than 80 years of company history, KIESELMANN has achieved a leading position in the production of process valves and systems made of stainless steel for the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.Today, the Group is active in three complementary business areas. Component and valve technology from KIESELMANN, partly with electronic control and monitoring, are among the premium products of the industry. The scope of services of the second business unit Plant Engineering includes planning, production and installation of individual units up to complex process plant engineering. Specialist engineers, beverage technologists and an assembly team at KIESELMANN are employed for this purpose. In the third business unit, the beverage pipeline trade, KIESELMANN is now one of the largest in Germany, with a pipe warehouse with a total volume of approx. 200,000 meters of stainless steel pipe.KIESELMANN GmbHPaul-Kieselmann-Str. 4-1075438 KnittlingenGermanyFon: +49 70 43 371-0
Public Cloud Business Process Services Market Analysis, Forecast, and Assessment 2022

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The global public cloud business process services market has been foretold to register a colossal demand until the end of 2022 on account of the need to enhance agility in business processes. Moreover, the need for cost control measures could add to the demand for public cloud business process services. This could play a critical part in shaping the future of the market alongside cloud business process management (BPM). Both public cloud business process as a service (BPaaS) and cloud BPM have been anticipated to have a bright future across all major verticals while enjoying a lasting growth for years to arrive. One of the crucial factors spurring the growth of the market could be the rising demand for the virtualization and automation of workplaces.As per the statistics obtained by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global public cloud business process services market could reach a revenue of US$139.1 bn by the end of 2022 at a 21.7% CAGR between 2017 and 2022. In 2017, the market had scored a revenue of US$52.0 bn.Request For Report Sample:The world public cloud business process services market has been prophesied to receive a strong momentum in growth on the back of certain positive factors. A large count of business organizations have been demanding cost-effective solutions for streamlining their processes to survive neck-and-neck competitions. Moreover, there has been a growing trend of the deployment of cloud computing technology across the world. In addition to that, automated outsourcing and software development have been conducted in full swing. All of these factors have been envisioned to work as growth catalysts for the market.According to the lead authors of the report, the international public cloud business process services market could be segmented as per process, vertical, and enterprise. While there could be several processes upping the demand for public cloud business process services, human resource management services have been projected to hold on to an outdoing share of 27.1% in 2022. Human resource utilities could be largely adopted for the purpose of focusing on strategic initiatives, increasing operational efficiency, and curbing expenditure.The international public cloud business process services market could witness the supremacy taken over by Asia Pacific except Japan. This region has been predicted to post a mammoth CAGR of 46.6%. Even in respect of share, the regional market could win the race, putting behind major regions such as North America and Europe. Where Europe could rake in an average share in the market by 2022, North America has been expected to double its share from where it stood at in 2017. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan, however, could be on the slower side of growth.The introduction of new solutions and products in the worldwide public cloud business process services market could aggravate the level of competition. Companies could take to similar strategies to keep themselves afloat in the market. Oracle Corp., Amazon Web Services, Inc., Salesforce.Com, Inc., SAP SE, and VMware, Inc. have been foreseen to be among the leading players in the market.Browse Premium Industry Research Report with Analysis: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.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 Self-Care Medical Devices Market to Reach Worth US$16.8 bn by 2019

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A new research report published by Transparency Market Research states that the global self-care medical devices market has been a boon to many as it offers simple diagnostic solutions. The report, titled Self-Care Medical Devices Market  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013  2019, is aimed at being a guiding document for entrepreneurs and market enthusiasts to make well-informed business decisions.Read Report @According to the research report, the global self-care medical devices market was valued at US$10.5 bn in 2012 and is expected to reach US$16.8 bn by 2019 at a CAGR of 7.0% between 2013 and 2019. Speedy advancements in self-care medical devices such as blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, and heart rate meters will make a generous contribution to the growth of this market in the coming years. This market will also pace ahead due to the development and adoption of remote communication technology, which enables medical professionals to interpret the results of self-care medical devices for facilitating diagnoses and solutions.The global self-care medical devices market is segmented on the basis of device type and geography. The devices in the global self-care medical devices market are blood glucose monitors, body temperature monitors, blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, pregnancy/fertility test kits, pedometers, sleep apnea monitors, and heart rate monitors. Geographically, this market is segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World.Out of all the regions, North America held the lions share of about 40% in the self-care medical devices market in 2012. This region is expected to retain its leading position due to the rising prevalence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and other conditions resulting out of sedentary lifestyles. Furthermore, the advancements in the field of medical technologies and the growing preference for self-care devices due to the convenience they offer will propel this market in North America.On the other hand, Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at a rate of 9.90% from 2013 to 2019. Some of the major reasons responsible for this growth are sedentary lifestyles, rising stress levels, and a huge pool of the geriatric population, which is susceptible to conditions such as diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.Request Sample Report@Some of the important companies profiled in the self-care medical devices research report are 3M Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Inc., Philips Healthcare, and Johnson and Johnson. The research report gives an assessment of the financial overview, business strategies, marketing plans, profit maximization policies, product portfolios, and research and development activities to give a clear picture of the competitive landscape in the global self-care medical 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. 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.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Fragrance Packaging Market 2017  Global Industry Key Growth Factor Analysis & Research Study

Fragrance Packaging Market 2017  Global Industry Key Growth Factor Analysis & Research Study

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Fragrance Packaging Market Research Report 2017.The research article entitled Worldwide Fragrance Packaging Market offers very useful reviews into the generic market trends and also the features that propel this Universal market place. This sector analyse deeply covers the main features of the Global Fragrance Packaging Market about the Industry structure including landscaping plan, the issues, require opportunities, including the anticipated industry success.Scope Of The Report:This report focuses on the Fragrance Packaging in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America, Others. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Top Key manufactures of Fragrance Packaging Market are Gerresheimer AG, Swallowfield Plc, Saverglass, Verescence France SASU, Albea S.A., Intrapac International Corporation, Piramal Glass Ltd., Quadpack Ltd, Alcion Plasticos, Coverpla S.A., CCL Container (Hermitage), Inc., EXAL Corporation, General Converting Inc., Glaspray Engineering & Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Premi Spa, Continental Bottle Co. Limited, Fragrance Manufacturing, Inc.Get Sample PDF of Fragrance Packaging Market Report@Fragrance Packaging Market Segment by Type covers: Glass, Metal, Plastic, Paper Board.Fragrance Packaging Market Segment by Application covers: Perfumes, Deodorants.The Fragrance Packaging Market, presents critical information and factual data about the global Fragrance Packaging Market, providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread global Fragrance Packaging opportunities and trends are also taken into consideration in Fragrance Packaging industry.Check Discount on this report@Some points from TOC:1 Global Fragrance Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)2 Global Fragrance Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20163 Global Fragrance Packaging Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)4 Global Fragrance Packaging Market Competition by Players/Suppliers5 Global Fragrance Packaging Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)6 Global Fragrance Packaging Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data7 Fragrance Packaging Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Global Fragrance Packaging Market Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2017-2022)Pre Order Enquiry for Fragrance Packaging Market report @All aspects of the Fragrance Packaging industry report are quantitatively as well as qualitatively assessed to study the global as well as regional market comparatively. The basic information such as the definition, prevalent chain and the government regulations pertaining to the Fragrance Packaging market are also discussed in the report.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Castor Oil Market Size, Industry Analysis & Forecast Report 2017

Castor Oil Market Size, Industry Analysis & Forecast Report 2017

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Castor Oil Market Research Report 2017.The research article entitled Worldwide Castor Oil Market offers very useful reviews into the generic market trends and also the features that propel this Universal market place. This sector analyse deeply covers the main features of the Global Castor Oil Market about the Industry structure including landscaping plan, the issues, require opportunities, including the anticipated industry success.Scope Of The Report:This report focuses on the Castor Oil in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America, Others. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Top Key manufactures of Castor Oil Market are NK Proteins, Jayant Agro Organics, Ambuja, Adani Group, RPK Agrotech, Gokul Overseas, Kanak, Adya Oil, Taj Agro Products, Girnar Industries, Bom Brazil, Kisan, Thai Castor Oil.Get Sample PDF of Castor Oil Market Report@Castor Oil Market Segment by Type covers: Food Grade, Pharmaceutical/Cosmetic Grade, Industry Grade.Castor Oil Market Segment by Application covers: Food Industry, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Industry, Industrial, Others.The Castor Oil Market, presents critical information and factual data about the global Castor Oil Market, providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread global Castor Oil opportunities and trends are also taken into consideration in Castor Oil industry.Check Discount on this report@Some points from TOC:1 Global Castor Oil Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)2 Global Castor Oil Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20163 Global Castor Oil Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)4 Global Castor Oil Market Competition by Players/Suppliers5 Global Castor Oil Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)6 Global Castor Oil Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data7 Castor Oil Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Global Castor Oil Market Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2017-2022)Pre Order Enquiry for Castor Oil Market report @All aspects of the Castor Oil industry report are quantitatively as well as qualitatively assessed to study the global as well as regional market comparatively. The basic information such as the definition, prevalent chain and the government regulations pertaining to the Castor Oil market are also discussed in the report.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Residential Security Monitoring Recurring Revenue Market: Shares, Analysis, and Index, US, 2006 to Current, Quarterly

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Residential Security Monitoring Recurring Revenue Market: Shares, Analysis, and Index, US, 2006 to Current, Quarterly" to its huge collection of research reports.Home security monitoring services offer basic and enhanced services to homeowners. Basic security services have wired and wireless sensors installed on windows and doors to detect unauthorized and forced entry. The sensors trigger alarms that notify a central station that then notifies the homeowner and the police if appropriate. Services operate 24/7, even during power failures, and can contact the fire and paramedic units. Revenue reported herein is for the ongoing monitoring service.High-end home security monitoring services offer video surveillance. Mobile security solutions allow managing the security system from electronic devices. Personal emergency response may be part of the security package, where medical help can be summoned if needed. Energy management, environmental hazard monitoring, warning of water pipe bursts, and flooding generate alerts as wireless sensors trigger alarms that notify a central station. As with the basic service packages, the hardware is a large upfront cost that the customer initially pays only a small fraction of. Ongoing monitoring service is the recurring monthly revenue (RMR) that the companies receive. Thus, customers must be maintained for long periods of time to generate profits on each customer. Customer service and automatic payment methods are important for the profit margins of each company. Thus, maintaining customer is the most important part of this business.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Analysis can be customized by location and type of facility, such as residential, small business, or commercial. In the US additional breakdown of the revenue is offered by metropolitan statistical area (MSA). This edition of the index is limited to residential revenue from US dwellings. Residential monitoring includes single family and multifamily dwellings, but not small business. Analysis of additional regions worldwide or alternate type of facility can be provided upon request.Table of ContentsResidential Security Monitoring Recurring Revenue: Market Shares, Analysis, and Index, Worldwide, 2006 to Current, Quarterly (each quarter)Market Share 1st worksheetTables of yearly and quarterly market share revenue of each company in this sectorBrowse TOC @Chart Yearly 2nd worksheetGraph of yearly market share revenue of each company in this sectorChart Quarterly 3rd worksheetGraph of quarterly market share revenue of each company in this sectorMethods 4th worksheetMarket segment definition, methodology, and about WinterGreen Research textMarket Analysis 5th worksheetText describing analysis of the market share revenue and market share index which discusses strengths and weakness of market participantsMarket Index 6th worksheetTable and Graphs of yearly market share index which shows the percent growth of the companies since 2006. Table of quarterly market share index is also presented.Company Profiles 7th worksheetText describing the strengths and challenges of each company described in market segment.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 @
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Market share forecast to witness considerable growth from 2017 to 2024

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The research report Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, Italy, France, China, India, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia), Application Development Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024, by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Market size is projected to experience significant growth owing to rising geriatric population coupled with increasing incidence rates and prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension disorder, government initiatives to develop novel drugs. Prevalence of PAH disorder is growing owing to the factors such as HIV, smoking, changing lifestyle, alcohol, tobacco consumption, and other idiopathic condition.Pulmonary arterial hypertension occurs due to the rise in blood pressure in the small arteries inside lungs. The disease arise in association with several disorder, which includes lung and cardiovascular diseases. The most common primary causes are high blood pressure, connective tissue disorders, coronary artery disorder, congenital heart disorders and blood clots. The indication of disease includes chest ache, breathlessness, dizziness, and fatigue.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @According to the WHO, high blood pressure is projected to cause 7.5 million death rates across the world. Hypertension is one of the major risk factor for coronary heart disorder, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. It also results into peripheral vascular illness, heart failure, renal injury, retinal damage and visual loss. The low awareness levels about the disease and treatment in the undeveloped regions are the restraining factor of the industry.The patent expiry of drugs such as Adcirca, Tyvaso, Tracleer and Letairis is predicted to restraint the revenue share over the forecast timeframe, as their generic forms will be sold at lower prices compared to the branded drugs. Advancement in the treatment of PAH is likely to be a growth prospect for drug manufacturers, as existing drugs are not adequate to meet the therapeutic needs of individuals suffering from disease.The existence of a huge population over 60 years, which has less immunity levels and is more likely come in contact with such disease, which will drive the growth of the industry over the forecast timeframe. While the beginning age for this illness is 45 years, it is commonly observed in the population over 60 years of age. According to WHO and CDC, the prevalence of PAH across the world is estimated to be in the range of 100,000  200,000, and around 15 - 50 incidence rates per million people. Hence, the disease is considered as a rare disorder.Browse key industry insights from the report Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Market in detail along with the table of contents:Rise in the growth of pipeline drugs with increasing awareness levels of the illness in developed countries supported the progress of PAH market size. It is growing moderately owing to the launch of novel pipeline medicines that target different pathways to suppress the indication of disease. Early diagnosis of the disorder has played a key role in number of patients undertaking treatment.The endothelin receptor antagonists contributed for the major revenue share in 2016. The prostacyclin and prostacyclin analogs drug class is likely to grow at fast rate during the forecast period. In December 2013, Orenitram (treprostinil prolonged release drug) and in May 2016, Uptravi (selexipag) was approved by the European Commission. Adempas (riociguat) sGC stimulator is the only approved drug used to cure PAH. In October 2013, the drug Adempas was initially approved by the U.S. FDA.The U.S. pulmonary arterial hypertension market contributed for the highest revenue share in 2016, due to the supportive healthcare structure for the development and delivery of good quality treatment. Increased awareness levels and well organized reimbursement structure lead to excellent diagnosis rate. Furthermore, supportive laws in the U.S. such as the ODA 1983, and Rare Disease Act 2002 enhanced the development of new medicine for the disease.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at a significant rate owing to the rapid economic progress, increased population base and enhanced healthcare systems. Economic development in emerging countries is responsible for the development of the region. Furthermore, increased prevalence of disorders such as HIV accounted for the cause of PAH will create immense growth opportunities.Some of the companies operating in the industry include Actelion Pharmaceuticals, United Therapeutics, Pfizer, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Gilead Sciences, Bayer HealthCare, Merck & Co., Reata Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline and SteadyMed. The companies are focusing on growth strategies such as geographical expansion, collaboration, launch and development of new product. For instance, in October 2015, Gilead Sciences, the Letairis with Tadalafil used as novel treatment for PAH received approval from U.S. FDA. This helped the firm to upsurge their product penetration in the U.S.Browse Related Reports:Pressure Relief Devices Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, India, China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa), Application Development Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market provides an in-depth insight of Sales and Trends Forecasts to 2022

Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market provides an in-depth insight of Sales and Trends Forecasts to 2022

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Research Report 2017.The research article entitled Worldwide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market offers very useful reviews into the generic market trends and also the features that propel this Universal market place. This sector analyse deeply covers the main features of the Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market about the Industry structure including landscaping plan, the issues, require opportunities, including the anticipated industry success.Scope Of The Report:This report focuses on the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America, Others. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Top Key manufactures of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market are Saudi Aramco(SA), ADNOC(AE), ADGAS(AE), BP(UK), KNPC(KW), Gazprom(RU), Shell(NL), Exxon Mobil(US), Phillips66(US), Valero Energy(US), NIOPDC(IR), ConocoPhillips Company(US), Total(FR), Statoil(NO), PDVSA(VE), Sinopec(CN), CNPC(CN), Chevron(US).Get Sample PDF of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Report@Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Segment by Type covers: Natural Gas Processing, Crude Oil Refining.Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Segment by Application covers: Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Transport, Other.The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market, presents critical information and factual data about the global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market, providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) opportunities and trends are also taken into consideration in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry.Check Discount on this report@Some points from TOC:1 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)2 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20163 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)4 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers5 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)6 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data7 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Global Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2017-2022)Pre Order Enquiry for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market report @All aspects of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry report are quantitatively as well as qualitatively assessed to study the global as well as regional market comparatively. The basic information such as the definition, prevalent chain and the government regulations pertaining to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market are also discussed in the report.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Worldwide Market For Surgical Robots For The Spine Is $26 Million Anticipated To Reach $2.77 Billon By 2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Worldwide Market For Surgical Robots For The Spine Is $26 Million Anticipated To Reach $2.77 Billon By 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.Worldwide spinal surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth with the adaptation of robotic technology to the second most widely performed surgical procedure, spinal surgery. Aging of the population and hospital cost reductions through decreased length of stay are key market driving forces. Spinal surgical robots increase spine surgery repeatability and accuracy.Back conditions can result in instability and compression of the spinal nerves, causing back pain and/or radiating pain in the legs. Robotic procedures offer significant cost savings in terms of pre- and post-operation care costs and length of stay at hospitals. Technological advances and breakthroughs leverage new materials and new sensor configurations. Sophisticated software is further evolving product implementation.In the United States, there are 1.34 million spinal operations performed annually, worldwide there are 4.83 million annually. Patients have problems with degenerative conditions and injury. 11 million people in the U.S. and 78 million people worldwide suffer from chronic back pain in 2015, indicating the potential for more surgery if the accuracy and pain relief can be alleviated with better surgery from robots.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction is responsible for up to 30 to 35 percent of lower back pain. Surgery is performed to relieve the pain when other means do not work. Robots improve the accuracy of procedures and reduce the complication rates in spinal surgeries. The Mazor robots are flexible. Mazor Renaissance disposable kits are designed to easily adapt the RBT Device to a multitude of surgical applications and for the different mounting platforms utilized by the surgeon. Renaissance spine accessories are offered. Mazor Renaissance accessories include trays of reusable surgical tools.Pre-operative planning of the procedure is used for intra-operative control of the system. The surgery is performed according to the pre-operative plan. Renaissance provides increased safety and precision in corrective surgery. It allows surgeons to plan ahead before entering the operating room.Mazor Robotics advanced 3D planning software is used before surgery to create the procedure with modification and customization for each patients condition. During the operation, the physician does the actual work; Renaissance guides the surgeons tools according to the predetermined blueprint to place the implants safely and with the highest level of accuracy in the exact planned locations.Robot-guidance increases the accuracy and safety of surgical procedures. It allows these procedures to be performed with less intra-operative radiation exposure to patients and health care providers. Robot-guided spine surgery allows surgeons to perform less invasive surgical procedures with smaller incisions, less bleeding, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.Browse TOC @Minimally invasive surgeries to increase repeatability and accuracy through the use of robots. Surgical robots improve the accuracy of procedures and thus reduce the complication rates in surgeries. Robotic procedures offer significant cost savings in terms of pre- and post-operation care costs and length of stay at hospitals. Technological advances and breakthroughs leverage new materials and new sensor configurations. Sophisticated software is further evolving product implementation.Clinically efficient solutionsClinically less complex surgeryShorter length of stayMinimally invasive surgeryFinancially lower costOperationally more simpleOld people have trouble making their joints last as long as they do. The patient stability and the relief from pain provided by the robot surgery is compelling. The major suppliers are looking at providing spinal robots that are based on the Mazor state of the art devices.Spinal surgery has evolved dramatically over the years as advances in technology have made it possible to improve surgical techniques. Mazor is the market leader by far in the spinal surgical robot market, the only company with measurable market share. Spinal surgery involves the modification of the affected area of the back bones and nerves. The implantation of one or more screws or components is a very delicate surgery. The robot can achieve better precision than can a skilled surgeon. The robot is more consistent.Reconstructive spinal surgery depends on precision instruments. Robots are expected to grow significantly in surgery.Once, the penetration of spinal robots achieves the level of 35% of penetration in a country, all spinal surgeons will demand that hospitals offer spinal surgical robot capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better. The surgeons can give better pain relief to their patients, so naturally, given a choice of hospitals, they will pick the one that has the robot that gives superior outcomes.Spinal surgical markets have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to act as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers are examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is sure to increase. As Mazor grows its penetration of the market, the larger market participants in spinal surgery equipment will surely follow. Mazor is positioned to continue to dominate the market. As the first providers it builds a strong base of surgeons who are trained in using the equipment these surgeons will continue to purchase updated robots as they are offered to the market.The new are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Use of the robotic spinal surgery represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Robots provide an opportunity to transform orthopedics. New materials and new designs are bringing that transformation forward. By furthering the growth of innovation with spinal surgery robots, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire market will grow rapidly.The worldwide market for spinal surgical robots is $26 million anticipated to reach $2.77 billon by 2022. The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersAccel SpineAlliance SpineAlphatec SpineApollo SpineAscendx SpineBack 2 Basics SpineMarket ParticipantsAccel SpineAlliance SpineAlphatec SpineApollo SpineAscendx SpineBack 2 Basics SpineBoston ScientificBrainlab AGCaptiva SpineCentinel SpineElektaAbout 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 @
South-East Asia Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapeutics Market Expected To Increase In Value At A CAGR Of 4.7%, From $1.04 Billion To Over $1.4 Billion Till 2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "South-East Asia Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapeutics Market Expected To Increase In Value At A CAGR Of 4.7%, From $1.04 Billion To Over $1.4 Billion Till 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive and currently incurable autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints. It is characterized by synovial inflammation and gradual bone erosion over many years. Disease progression results in stiffness and pain, especially in the hands and feet, which hinders mobility. Without treatment, the disease leads to joint destruction and disability.The chronic nature of the disease, which requires ongoing treatment, and the relatively high annual cost of therapy (ACoT) have made RA treatment a highly lucrative market.The RA therapeutic market has become very competitive due to the high number of new drug approvals. Competition is fierce, particularly among TNF-? inhibitors, which dominate the treatment market for RA patients who are refractory to traditional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD). Despite this, 30% of RA patients fail to attain a clinical response when treated with TNF-? inhibitors. However, other targeted programs, as well as newly marketed small-molecule DMARDs such as the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor Xeljanz (tofacitinib), have the potential to replace ineffective TNF-? inhibitors. Recently published study results of Xeljanz have shown a significant reduction in the risk of developing cardiac diseases such as heart attack and stroke in patients with RA.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Despite the superior efficacy of recently marketed therapies over traditional DMARD therapies, there is a need to improve safety in the therapeutic landscape. Elevated rates of infection are a frequent consequence of the immunosuppression involved in treatments, but this is required to suppress the autoimmune responses responsible for the symptoms of the condition. As a result, these biological therapies are not recommended to patients who are susceptible to infection.In addition, there is a need to create biologics with more convenient and less invasive drug-delivery methods, as all existing therapies are administered subcutaneously or intravenously. These routes of administration are frequently associated with pain, rash, and allergic reactions at the injection or infusion site, and in the case of infusion flu-like illness, fever, chills, nausea, and headache. Therefore convenient and safe administration without significant compromise of therapy efficacy remains an unmet need.Although the recently approved drug Xeljanz is an orally administered small-molecule drug, indicated as a second-line treatment for RA patients who have not shown an adequate response to methotrexate, and as a third-line therapy for patients who have not responded sufficiently to biologics, it carries a black-box warning in the US due to the safety issues of serious infections and malignancy.Browse TOC @ScopeThe current South-East Asia RA market contains novel products, including Xeljanz, a JAK inhibitor; and Actemra (tocilizumab), an IL-6 receptor inhibitor.What are the competitive advantages of the existing novel drugs?There are over 450 active pipeline molecules, and most of the late-stage investigational drug candidates feature improved dosing regimens and administration routes in comparison to currently marketed products and combination therapies.Which classes of novel drugs are most prominent in the pipeline?What is the potential for pipeline products to address unmet needs in the RA market?Analysis of clinical trials since 2006 identified that the failure rates of RA molecules were highest in Phase II, at 72.6%, with the overall attrition rate for RA standing at 94.6%.How do failure rates vary by stage of development, molecule type, and molecular target?How do other factors, such as average trial duration and trial size, influence the costs and risks associated with product development?Over the 2015-2022 forecast period, the South-East Asia RA therapeutics market is expected to increase in value at a CAGR of 4.7%, from $1.04 billion to over $1.4 billion.Which markets make the most significant contribution to the current market size?What are the epidemiology trends in these markets?Will new market entrants lead to substantial changes in annual therapy costs?How will different treatment usage patterns impact growth in the eight assessed South-East Asia markets?Rising RA prevalence population and the uptake of newer therapies will lead to significant market growth over the forecast period, despite the launch of biosimilars of blockbuster anti-TNFs.Will the launch of biosimilars or emerging pipeline molecules threaten the commercial success of existing drugs?Reasons to buyThis report will enable you to -Understand the clinical context of RA by considering epidemiology, symptoms, etiology and pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment guidelines and options.Identify the therapeutic strategies, products, and companies that dominate the current marketed products landscape and recognize gaps and areas of unmet need.Identify key pipeline trends in terms of molecule type, administration route, molecular target, and novelty.Consider market opportunities and potential risks by examining trends in RA clinical trial size, duration, and failure rate by stage of development, molecule type, and molecular target.Recognize the late-stage pipeline molecules that have demonstrated strong therapeutic potential in RA by examining clinical trial data and multi-scenario product forecast projections.Compare treatment usage patterns, annual therapy costs, and market growth projections for South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.Discover trends in licensing and co-development deals concerning RA products and identify the major strategic consolidations that have shaped the commercial landscape.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 @
Smart Government Market Analysis, Segments, Key Players, Drivers, Trends by Forecast to 2023

Smart Government Market

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Smart Government Market Overview:The smart government market has been segmented on the basis of solution, service and deployment. The solution segment is further bifurcated into security, analytics, government resource planning system, remote monitoring, open data platform, network management and others. Out of these, remote monitoring solutions are expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. Remote monitoring helps in tracking the assets, provides safety and offers maximum efficiency. Another reason for the growth of remote monitoring segment is the decrease in the costs of sensors which is making deployment of solutions feasible.According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, The global market of Smart Government is forecasted to gain prominence over the forthcoming years due to the growing demand for digital mediums and smart technologies attributed to technological advancements. The Market is forecasted to reach to USD 37 Billion by 2023 growing with a striking double digit - 19% of CAGR during forecast period 2017-2023. High acceptance for cloud computing, even in countries that tend to be concerned about data privacy and security has driven the Smart Government global market.Smart Government Market relies on information systems and communication networks. It uses business models, innovative policies and technology for making everyday challenges easier. Major driving factors for the growth of smart government market are growing demand for digital mediums and smart technologies owing to technological advancements. Increasing demand for technological advancements and emerging technical adoptions is helping in driving investments in the smart government market.Additionally, growing data from multiple sources allowing the governments to process them for digital transformation, leading to the adoption of smart technologies consecutively driving the market growth of Smart Government.Sample Copy of Report @Major Key Players: Amazon Web Services, Inc. (U.S.) Capgemini SE (France) Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Entrust Datacard Corporation (U.S.) Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (China) IBM Corporation (U.S.) Imex Systems Inc. (Canada) Nokia Corporation (Finland) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) Symantec Corporation (U.S.)Smart Government Market  Competitive AnalysisCharacterized by the presence of several major well-established players, the global Smart Government Market appears to be highly fragmented and competitive. Well established players incorporate acquisition, collaboration, partnership, expansion, and technology launch in order to gain competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position. Strategic partnerships between Key players support the growth and expansion plans of the key players during the forecast period. The Key players operating in the market compete based on pricing, technology, reputation and services. These Players invest heavily in the R&D to develop a technology that is on a completely different level compared to their competition. These Key players strive to develop products with the adept technologies, unrivalled design and features.Smart Government Market Segments:The Smart Government Market is segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Solution: Comprises Government Resource Planning System, Security, Analytics, Remote Monitoring, Open Data Platform, Network Management and other.Segmentation by Service: Comprises Professional Services, Managed Services.Segmentation by Deployment: Comprises Cloud, On-Premise.Segmentation by Regions : Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Segment - Remote Monitoring Solutions on the basis of solution is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. Remote monitoring helps in tracking the assets, provides safety and offers maximum efficiency. Another reason for the growth of remote monitoring segment is the decrease in the costs of sensors which is making deployment of solutions feasible.Smart Government Market Regional Analysis:The global smart government market, by geography, has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market. The major growth in Smart government market in North America attributes to the technical advancements and increasing use of mobiles and tablets in that region.Across Europe, countries including Germany, France and the U.K. are anticipated to drive the growth of smart government market. In Europe, the presence of advanced infrastructure ensures higher penetration of mobile devices which ultimately helps in driving the market growth.Smart government market in the South America region is anticipated to witness relatively slower market growth. However, Brazil and Argentina among other countries are projected to witness slow yet steady growth.Smart government market in Middle East and Africa occupies a relatively smaller pie of the global smart government market. Within Middle East and Africa counties including UAE, South Africa and Saudi are driving the growth. Here smart government is gaining popularity and is expected to increase significant market share during the forecast period.Access Report Details @Table of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market StructureContinuedAbout 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune  411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Nitinol Medical Devices Deep Research on Industrial and Market studies - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Volume, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017  2025

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"Nitinol Medical Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Volume, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.. .Description-' '-- Global Nitinol Medical Devices Market: OverviewNitinol, an alloy of nickel and titanium, is one of the most important shape memory alloys having a wide range of biomedical applications. Characterized by superelasticity (or pseudoelasticity), exceptional elastic deformation, and marked biocompatibility, nitinol has gained vast acceptance in making a variety of medical devices. The factors such as increasing number of surgical procedures worldwide, rise in prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and increasing demand for minimal invasive procedures and among others are anticipated to contribute to the significant growth of the market during the forecast period.. .Get Sample Report With TOC @' '-- Global Nitinol Medical Devices Market: Research MethodologyThe research is a combination of primary and secondary research, conducted for understanding and arriving at trends, used to forecast the expected revenue of drugs employed in the treatment of nitinol medical devices in the near future. Primary research formed the bulk of our research efforts with information collected from in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry experts and opinion leaders. Secondary research involved study of company websites, annual reports, press releases, investor presentations, analyst presentation and various international and national databases. The report provides estimated market size in terms of US$ Mn for type of equipment, communication type, end-user, and geography for the period 2015 to 2025, considering the macro and micro environmental factors. The revenue generated from each product, application, and end-user was calculated by considering the preference for nitinol medical devices in different regions, and utilization of the nitinol based products across all the geographies.-- Global Nitinol Medical Devices Market: Market SegmentationThe market report comprises an elaborated executive summary, which includes market snapshot that provides information about various segments of the market. It also provides information and data analysis of the market with respect to market segments based on product, application, and end-user, and geography. The market overview section of the report analyzes market dynamics such as drivers, restraints and opportunities that influences the nitinol medical devices market in the current and future scenario. The report also provides key industry events and Porters five forces analysis for the market.Market share analysis among the market players is analyzed to signify the contribution of these players in the market in terms of percentage share. All these factors will help the market players to decide about the business strategies and plans to strengthen their positions in the global market. Based on geography, the market has been analyzed for major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The study also covers detailed country analysis contributing majorly in the nitinol medical devices market.-- Global Nitinol Medical Devices Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report also profiles the major players in the market and provides various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies, and recent developments. Companies profiled in the nitinol medical devices market report are B. Braun Melsungen AG, C. R. Bard, Inc., Arthrex, Inc., Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., Cook Medical, Medtronic, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Terumo Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, and Endosmart GmbH among others.The Nitinol Medical Devices Market has been segmented as follows:-- Nitinol Medical Devices Market, by Product, Revenue (US$ Mn) 2015-2025Nitinol StentsNitinol GuidewiresOrthodontic GuidewiresEndoscopic GuidewiresNitinol FiltersNitinol BasketNitinol CathetersOthers-- Nitinol Medical Devices Market, by Application, Revenue (US$ Mn) 2015-2025OrthopedicVascularDentalGastroenterologyOthers-- Nitinol Medical Devices Market Revenue, by Geography (US$ Mn), 2015-2025North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.FranceSpainItalyRussiaRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaAustralia & New ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesSouth AfricaIsraelRest of Middle East & Africa. .Report Enquiry and Other Query @ResearchMoz is the worlds 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. ResearchMozs 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.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
Barium Nitrate Market Value Projected to Expand by 2015-2023

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Barium nitrate is a salt composed of barium and nitrate ion. Chemical formula of Barium nitrate is Ba(NO3)2. Barium nitrate exists as white crystals at room temperature. Barium nitrate is odorless. Barium nitrate is soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol and acetone. Barium nitrate can occur naturally as nitrobarite. Barium nitrate can be manufactured synthetically by two processes. In the first process, heated solution of sodium nitrate is combined with barium chloride, which results in separation of barium nitrate crystals from the mixture. The second process requires dissolving small lumps of barium carbonate in nitric acid, letting iron impurities to precipitate, then filter, evaporate, and crystallize. Barium nitrate can be toxic to human beings if came into contact either by inhalation or ingestion. Barium nitrate when comes into contact can cause skin irritation, eye irritation, gastroenteritis, muscle spasm, slow pulse, and respiratory system irritation. The type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of barium nitrate involved and the nature of the exposure.Barium nitrate is most commonly used as an oxidizer to make green fireworks. Barium nitrate plays a vital role in manufacturing of various explosives used in the defense industry. Baratol which is typically used as explosive, consist of barium nitrate along with TNT and binder. Flash powder, a highly explosive product is produced by mixing barium nitrate with aluminum powder. Barium nitrate is mixed with thermite to form Thermate-TH3, which is important component of military thermite grenades. Barium nitrate also plays a vital role in the manufacturing process of barium oxide. Barium nitrate is used as a plaining agent in the manufacture of special glasses and optical glasses in place of the combination of alkali metal nitrate and arsenic. Barium nitrate is used to manufacture compounds like barium chloride and barium hydroxide.Request For Report Sample@Increase in the number of application of barium nitrate in the explosive industry is major driver for the growth of barium nitrate market. Barium nitrate is soluble in water and can be found in lakes, rivers, and streams. Because of its water-solubility barium nitrate can be spread over great distances. Fish and other aquatic organisms can absorb this barium nitrate which gets accumulated in their bodies and eventually enter food chain. Thus, barium nitrate can be harmful to environment and other living organisms. This can act as a restraining factor for the growth of barium nitrate market.Countries such as U.S., China, Russia, Japan, and India invest heavily in defense sector of their country. Eventually the consumption of barium nitrate, which is widely preferred in the production of various explosives, is higher in these countries. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing market for barium nitrate in the next six years. The main reason for this is the growing demand for barium nitrate market from countries such as China, India and Japan. The Asia Pacific market is expected to be followed closely by North America and European market. The global barium nitrate market is predicted to grow at a double digit CAGR from 2014 to 2020.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Some of the major companies operating in the global barium nitrate market are Solvay S. A., Degussa AG, Barium Chemicals Co. Ltd., Sakai Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., San Yuan Chemical Co. Ltd., Sigma Aldrich Corporation, Angene International Limited, and Hummel Corporation.About USTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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 USState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Website:Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Global Pressure Relief Devices Market: Long Term Care Centers End User Segment to Dominate the Market Through 2025

Market Research Report

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Pressure Relief Devices Market: Long Term Care Centers End User Segment to Dominate the Market Through 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Persistence Market Research in its new publication, Pressure Relief Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis (2013-2016) and Forecast (2017-2025), has given importance to the provision of after sales services, which is the key focus area of players in the global pressure relief devices market. Mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations and technology transfer agreements play a vital role in the global pressure relief devices market. The team of analysts who have extensively studied this market have understood the need to efficiently meet the requirements of various end users in different facility centers, while ensuring customized services. The team of experts have come to a conclusion that quality and positive outcome are of utmost importance to end use industries.Further, it has been noticed that acquisitions and collaborations are the key strategies adopted by global and local players for better service provision and to increase their consumer base in different geographies. For instance, in the last year Haldor Advanced Technologies ltd. and Hill-Rom entered into an exclusive global distribution partnership to distribute Haldors Orlocate suite of products.Report structure that incorporates in-depth analysis, key recommendations and overall market viewpointThe key part of this report is Persistence Market Researchs analysis and recommendations on the global pressure relief devices market. The report takes an overview of the global pressure relief devices market and also underlines factors influencing the growth of the global pressure relief devices market. The analysts have also provided key strategic recommendations for both existing and new players in the market to emerge sustainably profitable. The report covers the competitive landscape that provides a dashboard view of companies that manufacture and provide services in the global pressure relief devices market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report contains company profiles of some of the key players and a strategic overview of mergers and acquisitions along with companies expansion plans across regions. Apart from including these factors, the team of expert analysts have also taken into consideration the various macro-economic indicators such as pressure relief devices market outlook, gross domestic product and other pointers to arrive at the indicated market numbers. Top-down approach has been used to counter-validate the reached numbers in the Pressure Relief Devices Market, while bottom-up approach has been used to assess market numbers in the Pressure Relief Devices Market. Weighted average selling price (ASP) has been considered to deduce market values while examining the global pressure relief devices market in detail.Market SegmentationBy RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAPACMEABrowse TOC @By Product TypeMattress OverlaysPressure Relief MattressSpecialty BedsBy End UserHospitalsLong Term Care CentersHome Care SettingsSystematic research process to arrive at accurate market forecastsThe analysts at Persistence Market Research have performed systematic and exhaustive secondary research to acquire the required data points to arrive at the overall market numbers. The dedicated team of healthcare analysts at Persistence Market Research have listed market players across the value chain of technology developers, manufacturers, and distributors. Detailed questionnaires have been developed for each node in the value chain to extract the required market information through primary research interviews. These interviews are conducted using distinguished essential resources.The data so acquired pertaining to the global pressure relief devices market is validated using the triangulation method, wherein secondary and primary research and Persistence Market Research analysis contribute to the final data. For a better understanding of the market, the data is represented using charts, infographics, and presentation of key findings by region to provide actionable insights to all key stakeholders in the global pressure relief devices market.Competition LandscapeArjohuntleigh ABHill-Rom Global Holdings B.V.INVACARE CORPPARAMOUNT BED CO., LTD.Talley Group LimitedSTRYKER CORPORATIONSIDHIL LIMITEDMEDTRONIC PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANYSMITH & NEPHEW PLCApex Medical CorpProma Reha, s. r. o.Besco Medical Co., Ltd.Hirtz & Co. KGGF Health Products, Inc.ADL GmbH.Linet spol. s r.o.Others.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 @
Global Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices Market report 2013 - 2019: by product, end user by geography and company profile

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Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices are intended to treat heart failure. These devices aid in the proper synchronization of heart beats by sending small undetectable signals to lower chambers of the heart. This in turn enables the heart to pump blood and oxygen more efficiently. This implantable device is a tiny computer along with a battery enclosed in a small titanium metal case. Insulated wires known as leads are implanted along with the device in order to pass on the information signals from heart to heart device and carry electrical impulses to heart. A programmer is located in the doctors clinic, used to program and retrieve relevant information from the heart device to treat heart failure. The two major types of implantable heart devices are cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacemaker and a CRT pacemaker with defibrillation therapy. These devices improve blood flow and coordinate the hearts pumping action.Report Overview and TOCCRT along with a complete therapy program improves the patients quality of life by enhancing their exercise capacity, reducing symptoms of heart failure and help in carrying out their daily activities effectively. However, there are certain risks associated with these devices such as chances of infection at the surgical site, failure to deliver optimum therapy when needed (either extra therapy when it is not needed or no therapy delivered when it is needed), sensitivity to the device material. Also, the patients are restrained from the use of electric or gas powered appliances, away from magnetic or electromagnetic radiations and others.Request brochureThe cardiac resynchronization therapy devices market is expected to experience a double digit growth in the near future and can be segmented by product type and geography. The different product types include CRT-pacemakers and CRT-defibrillators. Technological advances, speedy evolution of cardiac devices, sedentary lifestyles contributing to rise in cardiac disorders and high acceptance of the cardiac devices are some of the factors driving the growth of this market. Economic fluctuations and stringent regulatory policies for approval and healthcare reforms may mask the growth of the market. Medtronic, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Cook Group, Inc., Johnson & Johnson and St. Jude Medical are some of the key players in cardiac resynchronization therapy devices market.For Specific and Customized requirements@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 yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Pre Book full 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.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Nov 28, 2017: Traffic Signal Control System Market Forecast 2023 Kapsch Trafficcom, Denso Corporation

Traffic Signal Control System Market

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Traffic Signal Control System Market Research 2017A market study  Global Traffic Signal Control System Market  examines the performance of the Traffic Signal Control System market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Traffic Signal Control System market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Traffic Signal Control System market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Traffic Signal Control System Market 2017-2023 report includes Traffic Signal Control System market Revenue, market Share, Traffic Signal Control System industry volume, market Trends, Traffic Signal Control System Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Traffic Signal Control System Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Traffic Signal Control System Market 2017-2023 : Kapsch Trafficcom Denso Corporation Lanner Electronics Iteri RicardoFirstly, the report covers the top Traffic Signal Control System manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Traffic Signal Control System report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Traffic Signal Control System industry, Traffic Signal Control System industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Traffic Signal Control System Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Traffic Signal Control System research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Traffic Signal Control System market revenue worldwide.Finally, Traffic Signal Control System market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@spiremarketresearch.com
Cyber Security Market 2017 Global Size, Segments, Growth and Trends by Forecast to 2023

Cyber Security Market

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Market Scenario:Cyber security is a body of technologies, processes and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from unauthorized access. Cyber security is basically computer security. There is a significant increase in the cyber security market because cyber security solutions increase cyber speed and offers number of options to save data.Major forces driving the growth of cyber security market are the need for stringent compliance and regulatory requirements. Increased deployment of web and cloud based applications are responsible for rapid growth of cyber security market.The cyber security market has been segmented on the basis of solution, service, security type, deployment and vertical. The security type is further bifurcated into network security, end point security, application security, cloud security, wireless security and others.The application security type is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period owing to internet of things and BYOD trends and connected number of devices.The global Cyber Security Market is expected to grow at approx. USD 251 Billion by 2023, at 11% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Major Key Players: Intel Security (U.S.) Symantec Corporation (U.S.) Hewlett Packard Enterprise (U.S.) IBM Corporation (U.S.) Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Rapid7, Inc. (U.S.) EMC RSA (U.S.) FireEye, Inc. (U.S.) Trend Micro, Inc. (Japan) Sophos Ltd. (U.K.)Request a Sample @Study Objectives of Cyber Security Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of thecyber security market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. 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 perspective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segmentation on the basis of solution, service, security type, deployment and vertical. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for cyber security To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the cyber securitySegments:Cyber security market can be segmented on the basis of following:By Solution: Identity & Access Management Risk & Compliance Management Unified Threat Management Disaster Recovery Firewall Antivirus Web Filtering OthersBy Service: Managed Services Professional ServicesTraining & Education Consulting Support & Maintenance Design & Integration Risk & Threat AssessmentBy Security Type: Network Security End Point Security Application Security Cloud Security Wireless Security OthersBy Deployment: Cloud On-PremiseBy Vertical: BFSI Manufacturing Healthcare Retail IT & Telecommunication Aerospace & Defense Government OthersRegional Analysis:The regional analysis of cyber security market is being studied for regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.The major growth in cyber security market in North America attributes to the technical advancements and increasing use of mobiles and tablets in that region.Browse Full Report Details @Intended Audience: Technology investors Integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) Research/Consultancy firms Government agencies Cyber security vendors Network solution providers Independent software vendors Consulting firms System integrators IT security agencies Managed Security Service ProvidersTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market StructureContinuedAbout 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Business Process Management Market Analysis, Segments, Top Key Players, Drivers and Trends by Forecast to 2023

Business Process Management Market

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Market Highlights:The key drivers of business process management market includes cloud solution technology that helps users to gain advantages from BPM solution at low cost. According to the study, by vertical segment BFSI sector is expected to account for highest market share owing to valuable service offered by BPM solution that helps in customer acquisition and retention in banking sector.The Business Process Management Market is segmented on the basis of solution, service, business department, deployment, organization size and vertical. By solution segment, it includes process improvement, automation, content and document management, integration, monitoring and optimization. Business process automation empower organization by managing the entire business activities efficiently, reducing human error and making it adaptable to environmental change. It helps human resource department by replacing traditional paper driven documents to automated on-boarding activities.Business process management is the process adopted by organization for improving the entire business operations. It empowers organization by managing workflow more efficiently, effectively and make more adaptable to environmental change. It helps organization in achieving specific goals such as increasing productivity of the business, efficient business workflow and return on investment.The Business Process Management Market is expected to grow at approximately USD 16 Billion by 2023, at 14% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Major Key Players: IBM Corporation (U.S.) Appian Corporation (U.S.) Software AG (Germany) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) Pegasystems Inc. (U.S.) Redhat, Inc. (U.S.) Open Text Corporation (Canada) Tibco Solution Inc. (U.S.) Verisae, Inc. (U.S.) Dell Emc (U.S.)Request a Sample Report @Business Process Management Market Segmentation:The business process management market has been segmented on the basis of deployment, solution service, business department, organization size and vertical. Service segment, is bifurcated into consulting, system integration and training & education. System integration service empowers organization by allowing them to take challenges of creating seamless connectivity.It helps to strengthen business by providing visibility and flexibility and making businesses more efficient and innovative.Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of business process management market is being studied for region such as Asia pacific, Americas, Europe and Rest of the World. The increasing demand for efficient software for business operation and presence of major BPM vendors is driving the market growth in North America region.Countries such as US and Canada contributes large amount of revenue in the business process management market in the region. AsiaPacific region is expected to be one of the prominent player in the market owing to huge investment by enterprises in increasing the business efficiency and productivity.Business Process Management Market (MRFR) Research Analysis:By business department segment, business process management market consists of human resource, accounting and finance, sales and marketing, manufacturing, operation and support others. BPM solution leverage human resource department by planning people requirement and managing and recognizing people performance.The study indicates that BFSI sector accounts for highest market share by implementing BPM solution. In banking and finance sector, BPM solution empowers organization by business process and enable them to offer better customer service and satisfaction. In helps in reducing the loan processing time and complication associated with it.Market Research Analysis:The Business Process Management Market in North America region is growing due to high adoption of cloud solutions by enterprise and need to improve business workflow in organizations. Changing healthcare regulation, that requires changes in documents and financial transaction is driving the market in the region. According to the study, the business process management market will remain steady in Europe region.Asia-Pacific market is estimated to be one of the fastest growing market as enterprises are continuously investing into research and development of business process management market. Increasing IT landscape is boosting the market in the region. The region is witnessing high adoption of business process management software by enterprises. Developing countries such as India and China are adopting business process management software at a large scale owing to increasing IT infrastructure, digitization and robust industrialization that is boosting the market in the region.Access Report Details @Intended Audience: Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers IT Solution ProvidersTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market StructureContinued.List of TablesTable 1 Business Process Management Market, By SolutionTable 2 Business Process Management Market, By ServiceTable 3 Business Process Management Market, By Business DepartmentContinued.List of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Business Process Management Market: By Solution (%)Figure 3 Business Process Management Market: By Service (%)Continued.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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
3D Cardiac Mapping System Market report 2016 - 2026: By Technology, End User, Geography and by Company Profile

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Cardiac mapping is a technique in which the information from cardiac electrograms is gathered and displayed. Cardiac mapping is used to diagnose the heart rhythms especially in case of arrhythmia. The cardiac mapping procedure is usually done by inserting catheter into the heart chamber percutaneously and recording the electrograms sequentially, this is done in order to correlate the electrograms with cardiac anatomy. The new 3D cardiac mapping systems create the three dimensional model of any chamber of heart and can track exact location of the catheter. This allows movement of the catheters without using X-ray. They are designed to improve the resolution and gain prompt cardiac activation maps.View Report Preview:3D Cardiac Mapping System Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe 3D cardiac mapping system market is anticipated to grow with a significant CAGR owing to the increase in number of patients with arrhythmia and other cardiac disorders, rising pressure to reduce diagnosis errors and increasing healthcare expenditure. The major factors driving the growth of 3D cardiac mapping systems is the precision and patient safety enabled by real-time monitoring. The increase in aging population who are more prone to chronic heart disorders will elevate the demand for the 3D cardiac mapping system. The increase in prevalence and diagnosis rate of cardiac illness is the major factors which is creating the demand for 3D cardiac mapping systems. The 3D cardiac mapping also help in reducing the time of diagnosis. The restraining factors for the 3D cardiac mapping system market are high cost of services and limited adoption rate of the systems.3D Cardiac Mapping System Market: SegmentationThe global 3D cardiac mapping system market are classified on the basis of technology, end use and geography.Based on the technology, the global 3D cardiac mapping system market is divided into following:Electroanatomical mappingBasket Catheter mappingReal-time positional management (Cardiac Pathways) EP systemBased on end user, the global 3D cardiac mapping system market is divided into following:HospitalsClinicsDiagnostic Centers3D Cardiac Mapping System Market: OverviewThe awareness of 3D cardiac mapping system is giving rise to the adoption of the systems. The elimination of errors in diagnosis helps the physician in providing better treatment and cure. The adoption rate of 3D cardiac mapping system by the hospitals is high as compared to that of independent clinics and is estimated to be the fastest growing segment. Electroanatomical mapping are used widely as it hold the potential to increase the safety, efficacy and efficiency of catheter. Real-time positional management (Cardiac Pathways) EP system contribute maximum share in the overall 3D cardiac mapping systems during the forecast period.3D Cardiac Mapping System Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of geography, the global 3D cardiac mapping system market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America contributes maximum share to the 3D cardiac mapping system market. European countries are expected to represent significant growth rates due to the growing healthcare practices. Amongst the Asian countries, India and China are more promising due to large population pool, increased prevalence of cardiac diseases, increasing awareness, rapid improvement in healthcare services with the saturation in the developed markets.Request to view Sample Report:3D Cardiac Mapping System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in 3D cardiac mapping system market are Biosense Webster, Inc., St. Jude Medical and Boston Scientific Corporation, Inc. The companies are majorly focusing in the improvement of services provided to customers with the new techniques that provide the physicians in better and quick diagnosis.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesT: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Immuno-Oncology Market is Anticipated to Collect of US$ 27,846.3 Mn By 2025

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Owing to higher efficiency as compared to conventional therapies such as radiation, chemo and surgery, doctors around the globe are increasingly prescribing immunotherapy to cancer patients. Immuno-oncology therapies have low toxicity, making it easier for the patients to undergo such treatment procedures. Increasing clinical approval of immunotherapy drugs continues to support speedy adoption of immuno-oncology treatments while higher investments to further improve immunotherapies is anticipated to create greater market opportunities for drug makers. Persistence Market Research (PMR) is its latest report projects that the global market for immune-oncology is set to witness a CAGR of 16.5% between 2016 and 2025, to reach a valuation of US$ 27,846.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period.View Report Preview @Collaborative efforts and initiatives to identify therapies for difficult-to-treat illnesses is a key factor driving the overall immune-oncology market. However, high drug pricing, development costs and limited technical expertise are some of the challenges likely to dampen the surging spirit of the market over 2025.Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy is widely used for treating several carcinogenic disorders. Immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs help the body fight against certain proteins that are normally used by various tumors to suppress immune responses. Sales revenue from immune checkpoint inhibitors drugs is anticipated to reach US$ 7,321.7 Mn by 2017-end. Of late, a number immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs have been approved by the US FDA including Yervoy (anti-CTLA-4), Opdivo and Keytruda (anti-PD1) and Tecentriq (anti-PD-L1). Demand for these drugs is expected to further gain traction, owing to a significant investment by biopharmaceutical companies in developing a robust pipeline. Meanwhile, immune system modulator is the second most preferred immune-oncology therapy and is expected to create an incremental opportunity of US$ 659.9 Mn between 2017 and 2025. Two major approved drugs that fall in this category include interferons and interleukins.Based on therapeutic area, demand for immune-oncology therapeutics for melanoma will remain high throughout the forecast period. By end user, hospitals account for the largest revenue share of the market and are expected to represent around US$ 5,557.1 Mn by 2017-end.Amongst regions, the immuno-oncology market in North America accounted for a revenue share of around 67.1% in 2016. The regions market is expected to witness a strong CAGR of 17.1% during the assessment period and retain its top position. In terms of revenue, the US dominates the North America immuno-oncology market and is projected to continue to do so in 2017 and beyond owing to the presence of prominent drug manufacturing companies in the country.Request to View Sample of Research Report @PMR is its report has profiled some of the leading companies operating in the global immuno-oncology market, which includes Amgen, Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dendreon Corporation, F.Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck & Co., Inc. Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Sanofi. In terms of revenue share, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) was ranked at the top in 2016, thanks to the success of its blockbuster products Opdivo and Yervoy.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:
Gene Expression Analysis Market to Reach US$ 4.5 Bn by 2022

Gene Expression Analysis Market

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According to the recently-published report by Persistence Market Research, the global market for gene expression analysis will reflect a steady growth during the forecast period, 2017-2022. By the end of 2022, the global gene expression analysis market is predicted to surpass US$ 4,500 Mn valuation, reflecting a robust CAGR in terms of revenues. The study throws a light on various factors influence the dynamics of global gene expression analysis market, and offers insightful projections, the highlights of which are mentioned below.Gene Expression Analysis Market: Regional ForecastThrough 2022, North America is anticipated to hold a leading position in the global market for gene expression analysis. Most of the companies operating in the expansion of global gene expression analysis market are based in the US. Moreover, North American research institutes contributing to the field of functional genomics continue to support the development of new drugs derived from gene expression analysis studies. Drug discovery is a key application of gene expression analysis, and the US healthcare markets are observed as lucrative grounds for players in the global gene expression analysis market.North Americas gene expression analysis market is pegged to be reach a billion dollar valuation by the end of 2017. The report projects that throughout the forecast period, the gene expression analysis market in North America will reflect a robust CAGR, wherein the US market will be observed as the largest contributor to this growth.Europe is also expected to reflect impressive growth as the gene expression analysis market in this region is poised to create an incremental opportunity of over US$ 200 Mn between 2017 and 2022.The gene expression analysis market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region is anticipated to record fastest growth. To the contrary, Japans gene expression analysis market is expected to reflect lowest CAGR during the forecast period.Widespread Adoption of Northern Blotting TechnologyOn the basis of technology, the report projects that northern blotting will be at the forefront of adoption, and will reflect highest share on global revenues of gene expression analysis market. DNA microarrays and PCR techniques are also projected to gain traction as preferred technologies used for synthesizing functional gene products through gene expression analysis. Advancements in RNA-sequencing, 2-D gel electrophoresis, western blotting, immunoassays, ChIP, mass spectrometry and other technologies are also expected to influence the future prospects of global gene expression analysis market.The report further projects that gene expression analysis will find higher traction in drug discovery & development applications. Towards the end of the forecast period, application of gene expression analysis in drug discovery & development is anticipated to procure over US$ 1,200 Mn in global revenues. Concurrently, the demand for gene expression analysis products with low- to mid- plex capacity will also witness considerable uptake during the forecast period. The report also anticipates that sales of products  kits & reagents  will reflect a sizeable share on the value of global gene expression analysis market throughout the forecast period. By the end of 2022, kits & reagents will register over one-third share on the global market revenues for gene expression analysis.The report has also profiled key players in the global market for gene expression analysis, which include Agilent Technologies, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., General Electric Company, Luminex Corporation, Illumina, Inc., Oxford Gene Technology IP, PerkinElmer, Inc., QIAGEN NV, Roche Holding AG, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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.comWeb:
Global Greenhouse Produce Deep Research on Industrial and Market studies Research Report 2017

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"Global Greenhouse Produce Market Research Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.. .Description-' '-- In this report, the global Greenhouse Produce market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.-- Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Greenhouse Produce in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEurope. .Get Sample Report With TOC @' 'ChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndia-- Global Greenhouse Produce market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingNyboers Greenhouse and ProduceYanaks GreenhouseLochs Produce and GreenhouseElk River Greenhouse and Vegetable FarmsRicks Greenhouse and ProduceLa Greenhouse ProduceMikes Greenhouse ProduceMitchells Greenhouse and ProduceSun Parlour Greenhouse Co-OpSchmidt GreenhouseHodgson GreenhouseBeacon Valley GreenhouseScott Farm & GreenhouseRed Sun FarmsAzrom GreenhousesOrgil GreenhousesTelman Greenhouses-- On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoIn-ground Soil CultureContainer CultureTissue CultureTransplant ProductionHydroponicsOthers-- On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingVegetablesFruitsFlowersHerbsOthers-- -- If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.-- --. .Report Enquiry and Other Query @ResearchMoz is the worlds 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. ResearchMozs 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.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
RAP Ventures, group company of SmartAudit, partners with Hotify to launch AI powered solutions for the BFSI industry

Chennai, November 29, 2017: RAP Ventures announced partnership with Bangalore based Hotify, a leading Enterprise AI Solutions & Cognitive Intelligence Platforms Provider, to launch AI powered solutions tailored to the BSFI and mutual fund industries.Rapid Acceleration Partners pedigree comes from its expertise in the mutual funds space with its sister company, the decade old SmartAudit, which deals with SIP, brokerage audits and transactional audits for the mutual fund and the microfinance industry. SmartAudit proudly boasts of a 30% market share in the SIP and brokerage audit space in India.RAPs strong domain & development expertise combined with Hotifys cognitive intelligence platforms will design wide variety of solutions designed to provide accelerated deployment for standard applications, and adapted solutions for the more idiosyncratic ones. The solutions include hand-written form/document recognition, response systems, risk & fraud detection and customer intelligence solutions, in addition to other standard automation.As Baskar Agneeswaran, Co-founder & Director at Rapid Acceleration Partners puts it, At the most basic level, these solutions will help achieve operational efficiency and smoothen out the entire process with significant cost saving potential both in the short and long run.Raghuraman Ramamurthy, Co-founder & Director, RAP, says, with AI gaining traction in enterprises, the solutions we have adapted for the BFSI industry is another small leap that will propel enterprises towards a more streamlined and seamless approach, help eliminate a number of time-consuming manual processes and human error, and most importantly, provide analysisof data for targeted action.Preethi Narayanan, President-AI Services, Hotify, said, our strength lies in the excellent domain expertise and nuances that partners like RAP bring to the table, and our joint strategy has helped us create cognitive solutions that can enable the enterprises to achieve tangible results of great magnitude.About Rapid Acceleration PartnersRapid Acceleration Partners provides AI powered automation solutions for enterprises to help them improve operational efficiency, productivity, reduce cost and improve customer engagement. RAP provides a wide array of solutions across industries like Mutual Funds, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance and Manufacturing.About Hotify AIHotify is an Enterprise AI solution provider headquartered in Bangalore, India. Hotify has a seasoned leadership team with hands-on experience across a wide range of AI domains and deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence. Hotify is presently working with leading enterprises in banking, financial services, manufacturing and consumer packaged goods companies. Hotifys Cognitive Intelligence Platform, provides an out-of-the-box ready-to-use AI backend, designed to accelerate development of intelligent systems and increase AI adoption. Hotify also offers AI advisory, consulting, solution architecture and other services organizations may require as they work toward the adoption of AI.About SmartAuditSmartAudit Services Private Limited is a leading player in the transaction, process and systems audit in the BFSI space. SmartAudit developed the worlds finest rating based audit system for the Micro Finance industry. SmartAudit also undertakes complex system based audits for validating accuracy of brokerage calculation in the Mutual Fund industry, in addition to providing transaction audits for Mutual Funds and RTAs.About Hotify AIHotify is an Enterprise AI solution provider headquartered in Bangalore, India. Hotify has a seasoned leadership team with hands-on experience across a wide range of AI domains and deep expertise in Artificial Intelligence. Hotify is presently working with leading enterprises in banking, financial services, manufacturing and consumer packaged goods companies. Hotifys Cognitive Intelligence Platform, provides an out-of-the-box ready-to-use AI backend, designed to accelerate development of intelligent systems and increase AI adoption. Hotify also offers AI advisory, consulting, solution architecture and other services organizations may require as they work toward the adoption of AI.Comezzo# 211, The Arcade, Brigade Metropolis,Garudacharpalya, Whitefield Main Road,Bangalore - 560048
UK RAF to provide strong host nation support at Air Mission Planning and Support conference 2018

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SMi reports: UK RAF to provide strong host nation support at SMis Air Mission Planning and Support conference in April 2018SMi's Air Mission Planning and Support conference, taking place on 17th and 18th April 2018 in London, will explore the technology and strategies necessary to take air mission planning into the next generation, providing agile end-to-end mission support to air crews. The conference will deliver an examination of emerging technologies in key areas, presented by industry and research leaders. This will be combined with operational case studies and key programme updates from commanders and military project leaders, to develop key requirements and solutions for enhancing air mission planning and executionSenior members of the UK RAF will provide strong host nation support at SMis two-day Air Mission Planning and Support conference. Representing the UK RAF are Air Commodore Julian Ball, Air Capability Development and Air Commodore Lincoln Taylor, Air Capability Delivery, HQ Air.Speaking on day one of the event Air Commodore Julian Ball will provide national updates to air mission planning covering Royal Air Force Capability Development for Operation Readiness. Speaking on day 2 of the event Air Commodore Lincoln Taylor will cover 5th generation planning and developments which will encompass The Royal Air Forces Air Capability Delivery in TheatreJoining the UK at the event will be NATO, Jordan, US, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and many more.One of this years focus at the conference will be on the F-35. This will be covered on both days by USAFE-AFAFRICA Warrior Preparation Centre, United States Air Force and will also be covered in the panel discussion on day two which is led by Norwegian Air Force, Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR), United States Air Force and University of Hertfordshire.If you are interested in attending, there is currently a 400 early bird registration discount for bookings made by 15th December visitfor more details.Air Mission Planning and Support17th-18th April 2018London, UK---ENDS---For sponsorship and exhibition queries please contact Sadia Malick at smalick@smi-online.co.uk . For delegate queries please contact James Hitchen on jhitchen@smi-online.co.uk. For media queries please contact Natasha Boumediene at nboumediene@smi-online.co.uk.About SMi Group:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the worlds most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at1 WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD
Report Overview: Wall Decor Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Wall Decor Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wall Decor in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversBed Bath & BeyondHome DepotIKEALowesTargetWal-MartArt.comCostcoEthan AllenFranchise ConceptsHavertysJ.C. PenneyKirklandKohlsMacys Inc.Pier 1 ImportsRestoration HardwareSearsWilliams-SonomaWayfair CompanyView Report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversWallpaperWall MirrorsWall ArtOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHouseholdOffice & BusinessMedical & Dental FacilitiesHotels & SpasRestaurants, CafS & BarsOtherGet Sample Copy Of This Report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Wall Decor market.Chapter 1, to describe Wall Decor Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Wall Decor, with sales, revenue, and price of Wall Decor, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Wall Decor, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Wall Decor market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Wall Decor sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of ContentsTable of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Wall Decor Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Wallpaper1.2.2 Wall Mirrors1.2.3 Wall Art1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Household1.3.2 Office & Business1.3.3 Medical & Dental Facilities1.3.4 Hotels & Spas1.3.5 Restaurants, CafS & Bars1.3.6 Other1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Bed Bath & Beyond2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.1.1 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Description2.1.1.2 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.1.2 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Product Introduction2.1.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.1.2.2 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Product Introduction2.1.3 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.1.3.1 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.3.2 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Market Share in Global in 20162.2 Home Depot2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.1.1 Home Depot Wall Decor Description2.2.1.2 Home Depot Wall Decor Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.2.2 Bed Bath & Beyond Wall Decor Product Introduction2.2.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.2.2.2 Home Depot Wall Decor Product Introduction2.2.3 Home Depot Wall Decor Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.2.3.1 Home Depot Wall Decor Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.3.2 Home Depot Wall Decor Market Share in Global in 20162.3 IKEA2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.1.1 IKEA Wall Decor Description2.3.1.2 IKEA Wall Decor Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.3.2 IKEA Wall Decor Product Introduction2.3.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.3.2.2 IKEA Wall Decor Product Introduction2.3.3 IKEA Wall Decor Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.3.3.1 IKEA Wall Decor Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.3.2 IKEA Wall Decor Market Share in Global in 20162.4 Lowes2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.1.1 Lowes Wall Decor Description2.4.1.2 Lowes Wall Decor Headquarter, Main Business and Finance Overview2.4.2 Lowes Wall Decor Product Introduction2.4.2.1 Production Bases, Sales Regions and Major Competitors2.4.2.2 Lowes Wall Decor Product Introduction2.4.3 Lowes Wall Decor Sales, Revenue and Market Share2.4.3.1 Lowes Wall Decor Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4.3.2 Lowes Wall Decor Market Share in Global in 20162.5 Target2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.1.1 Target Wall Decor Description2.5.1.2 Target Wall Decor Headquarter, Main Business and Finance OverviewAbout 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.ContactMr. NachiketaState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Medical X-ray detectors Market to be Worth More than US$ 3.3 Billion by 2022

Medical X Ray Detectors Market

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Increasing private and public investment in digital imaging technology particularly in the field of healthcare, the numerous benefits offered by digital detectors, analog X-ray reimbursement cuts, and reducing prices are the main factors driving the medical X-ray detectors market. Furthermore, technological advancements coupled with strong encouragement by venture capitalists should boost the medical X-ray detectors market throughout the course of the study period. The medical X-ray detectors market is poised to grow with a robust CAGR of 6.1% from 2017-2022.Digital X-ray systems are twice the size of retrofit X-ray systems in terms of module type and are expected to become even more popular in the days ahead. The digital x-ray systems medical X-ray detectors segment is on track to be worth more than US$ 2 billion by the end of the study period, making it imperative for key stakeholders to target this segment. Retrofit systems are slowly but surely fading in popularity. Nonetheless, this segment still accounts for a revenue share approaching a third of the medical X-ray detectors market in 2017 and companies cannot overlook it entirely in favor of digital x-ray systemsRead Report @Fixed detectors comprise more than half the medical X-ray detectors market by revenue share. North America alone has a third of the market in 2017 and is expected to be the only region in the medical X-ray detectors market to record a robust CAGR in excess of 6%. Europe is the second largest region in the fixed detector segment of the medical X-ray detectors market but MEA and Latin America are predicted to grow at a higher CAGR. Portable detectors occupy the balance revenue share in the modality segment of the medical X-ray detectors market. This segment is highly likely to see strong growth and companies can try to target this lucrative segment accordinglyLarge-area flat panel detectors are dominant in the medical X-ray detectors market by panel size segment in 2017 and are estimated to remain so going forward. The large-area flat panel detector segment in both North America and Europe is assessed to be worth more than US$ 600 million by the end of the forecast period, ensuring that all major players can be profitable in such a large market. The small-area flat panel detectors segment is particularly popular in North America with a high CAGR in the APEJ regionComputed radiography has a revenue share of just over a fifth of the medical X-ray detectors market by product type segment and is likely to lose popularity over the study period. A similar CAGR greater than 4.5% exists in Latin America and APEJ but the latter is considerably larger in terms of market sizeRequest Sample Report @North America is the largest region in the medical X-ray detectors market and the U.S. accounts for the lions share within the continent. The U.S. medical X-ray detectors market is anticipated to grow to more than a billion dollars by end 2022.The companies profiled in the medical X-ray detectors market report are Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, Rayence Co., KONICA MINOLTA, Hamamatsu Photonics, DRTECH Corporation, Canon Inc, Analogic Corporation, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Onex Corporation, and Agfa-Gevaert N.V.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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.comWeb:
KACO new energy designs energy system technology for prize-winning solar tower in Basel.

View of the solar facade of Grosspeter Tower in Basel: winner of two awards for combining architecture and solar technology.

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Neckarsulm, 29. November 2017  A Fabulous October for Grosspeter Tower in Basel: the high-rise office and hotel block with solar facade and solar roof has won two awards in the space of a month  the Swiss Solar Prize and the Architectural Award Building-Integrated Solar Technology. To make sure that the attractive form was matched by outstanding function, the planners commissioned photovoltaics specialist KACO new energy to develop the solar energy system technology for this landmark project.The Grosspeter Tower in Basel serves three purposes at once: hotel, office block and power plant. The bottom five storeys form the plinth and are used as a hotel. This is topped with a seventeen-storey office tower. The facade is made up of a grid of generously sized windows and solar modules with a total power of 440 kilowatts, which capture the sun's energy to supply power to the building. The photovoltaic plants on the flat roofs of the plinth and the tower provide a further 100 kilowatts. This allows for 28 percent of the energy demand for the entire skyscraper to be met by solar power.Utilising the facade for solar power presents particular challenges for the energy system technology. Around 450 types of variably sized thin-film modules were installed from the bottom to the top of Grosspeter Tower, over all elevations, covering an area of 5,000 square metres. Right from the outset, it was therefore necessary to account for the differing voltages of the modules. During operation, this situation is further complicated by the different amounts of solar radiation striking the four sides of the facade at any time. And in this tightly packed part of Basel, close to the station, the surrounding buildings also cast shadows on the solar arrays.In order to obtain the highest possible energy yield under these conditions, the solar contractor for the project, Planeco GmbH from Munchenstein, called on the systems expertise of KACO new energy and the solar planning team from energieburo in Zurich. We addressed the varying module voltages using DC optimisers. These are distributed between a number of DC cabinets with remote-controlled DC switches on each floor and are each connected to several module strings. This creates an equalised voltage level. For safety reasons, we then make use of a total of five DC buses to transport the solar power to the mechanical room in the basement. A control system is also provided, which can de-energise individual floors or the entire plant, says Georg Kress, project manager for KACO new energy.A central inverter feeds the solar power to the service grid for the hotel and offices in the tower. The inverter also provides the necessary earthing for the thin-film modules. Data loggers keep the building services management updated as to the status of the solar power supply, and enable remote monitoring.It is clear from the award of two separate prizes that the project effectively combines architecture and solar technology. On 6 October, the Grosspeter Tower received a Special Recognition Award as part of the Architectural Award Building-Integrated Solar Technology 2017 organised by the Solarenergieforderverein Bayern e.V. (Bavarian Association for the Promotion of Solar Energy). In the Prix Solaire Suisse 2017, announced on 20 October, the solar tower won the award for Best New Building.About KACO new energy:KACO new energy, headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany is one of the worlds largest manufacturers of inverters for grid-feed solar power. The product line-up covers the full power range, from single units designed for a family home up to complete systems for solar parks producing megawatts of electricity. Since 1999, KACO new energy has supplied inverters with a cumulative power output of 10 gigawatts. This offering has been extended to include solutions for PV self-consumption and energy storage, devices for grid management, as well as products and value-added services for utility-scale projects. KACO new energy is the first company in the photovoltaic industry to achieve CO2-neutral production and in 2014, celebrated the 100th birthday of the original parent company which, at the end of the 1930s, was one of first ever inverter manufacturers. More atPress information can also be found atprintable image material atContact:Kornelia LauserDirector Global Marketing & Power Plant SolutionsKACO new energy GmbHCarl-Zeiss-Str. 174172 NeckarsulmGermany+49 7132 3818-0+49 7132 3818-703pr(at)kaco-newenergy.de
Dairy Processing Equipment: Market Demand, Growth Analysis & Opportunity and Forecast to 2022

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This report studies Dairy Processing Equipment in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa, focuses on the top 5 Dairy Processing Equipment Players in each region, with sales, price, revenue and market share for top 5 manufacturer, coveringTetra PakGEAKronesSPX FLOWIMA GroupAlfa LavalIDMCIWAIA&B Process SystemsJBTTriowinGroba B.V.FeldmeierJIMEI GroupScherjonTECNALSDMFMarlen InternationalPaul MuellerAdmixRequest a Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales, revenue, market share of top 5 players in these regions, from 2012 to 2017 (forecast), likeNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Korea)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia etc.South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina)Middle East and Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia)Split by Product Types, with sales, revenue, price, market share of each type, can be divided intoPasteurizersHomogenizersSeparatorsFiltersSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Dairy Processing Equipment in each application, can be divided intoLiquid Dairy IndustryPowdery Dairy IndustryOther Dairy Products IndustryMake an enquiry of this Report @Table of Contents2017 Top 5 Dairy Processing Equipment Manufacturers/Players in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa1 Dairy Processing Equipment Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Dairy Processing Equipment1.2 Dairy Processing Equipment Segment by Types1.2.1 Global Sales Market Share of Dairy Processing Equipment by Types in 20151.2.2 Pasteurizers1.2.3 Homogenizers1.2.4 Separators1.2.5 Filters1.3 Dairy Processing Equipment Segment by Applications1.3.1 Dairy Processing Equipment Consumption Market Share by Applications in 20151.3.2 Liquid Dairy Industry1.3.3 Powdery Dairy Industry1.3.4 Other Dairy Products Industry1.4 Dairy Processing Equipment Market by Regions1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Asia-Pacific Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Dairy Processing Equipment (2012-2022)2 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue (value) and Market Share by Players2.1 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share in 2015 and 2016 by Players2.2 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Players in 2015 and 20162.3 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Average Price by Players in 2015 and 20162.4 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types by Players2.5 Dairy Processing Equipment Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Dairy Processing Equipment Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Dairy Processing Equipment Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue (Value) by Regions, Type and Application (2012-2017)3.1 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)3.1.1 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)3.1.2 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)3.2 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Price by Type (2012-2017)3.2.1 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)3.2.2 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)3.2.3 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Price by Type (2012-2017)3.3 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)3.4 Global Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 North America Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue and Price4.1 North America Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20164.1.1 North America Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share in 2015 and 20164.1.2 North America Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20164.2 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Price by Type (2012-2017)4.2.1 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.2.2 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.2.3 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Price by Type (2012-2017)4.3 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)4.4 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Country (US, Canada and Mexico) (2012-2017)4.5 North America Dairy Processing Equipment Import & Export (2012-2017)5 Europe Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue and Price5.1 Europe Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20165.1.1 Europe Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share in 2015 and 20165.1.2 Europe Top 5 Players Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share in 2015 and 20165.2 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Price by Type (2012-2017)5.2.1 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2.2 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2.3 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Price by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.4 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Sales and Market Share by Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia) (2012-2017)5.5 Europe Dairy Processing Equipment Import & Export (2012-2017)ContinuedPurchase Report @ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Amazon.com Market 2017- Revenue, Price and Gross Margin Research Report 2017

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Pune, India, 29th November 2017: WiseGuyReports announced addition of new report, titled Amazon.com: Retailer Profile with IT Spending by Geography.Summary"Amazon.com: Retailer Profile with IT Spending by Geography", report provides a technology overview of Amazon.com, including its ICT spend for 2016, information on key IT decision makers, and its primary IT contracts. Furthermore, the report focuses on the IT strategies adopted by the retailer, in order to provide actionable insights for ICT vendors and service providers when pitching their solutions to the company.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Amazon.com (Amazon) is an American eCommerce retailer and technology services provider (Amazon Web Services, or AWS). It offers a wide range of products with the main focus on books, media, electronics goods and general merchandise. Amazons eCommerce business is complemented with its Marketplace for third-party retailers and the Prime delivery service, which contribute to the continuous growth of its business. Amazon is continuously expanding its operations by increasing products and services and enhancing infrastructure to support its retail and services businesses. Amazons ability to innovate and adopt new technologies has revolutionized the retail industry to a great extent. The retailer can offer a better shopping experience through analytics, which caters to customers individual requirements by understanding their preferences and ever-changing needs.Scope- Amazon is a leader in data centers and cloud computing, both for its eCommerce operations, as well as through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which offers computing and storage resources for enterprises and governments around the world, as well as analytics and business intelligence solutions- Amazon is expanding into physical grocery and book stores with innovative concepts such as the checkout-free Amazon Go stores- Amazon wants to establish itself as an advanced technology leader by introducing IoT based order systems, voice recognition technology, mobile payment services, artificial intelligence services and security technologiesReasons to buy- Get a detailed understanding of Amazon's IT spending by technology and geography, and its strategic and IT related priorities. This profile can help you target the retailer with tailored solutions and access the right decision-makers.Table of Content: Key Points1 Introduction 32 Regional and Country Operations42.1 Overview 42.2 Amazon US 42.3 Amazon UK 52.4 Amazon Germany 62.5 Amazon Canada 72.6 Amazon Mexico 72.7 Amazon France 82.8 Amazon Italy 82.9 Amazon Netherlands 82.10 Amazon Spain 92.11 Amazon China 92.12 Amazon India 102.13 Amazon Japan 112.14 Amazon Australia 112.15 Amazon Brazil 123 Financial Information 133.1 Financial Breakdown of Countries Covered 133.2 Estimated IT Budgets for 2016 - Global 143.3 Estimated IT Budgets for 2016 - US 15ContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook: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 RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Offshore Supply Vessel Global Market by Revenue, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts to 2019

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Offshore support vessels are ocean-going vessels used for transporting cargo, goods, supplies, and crew, as well as for carrying out offshore exploration and production across oil platforms. OSVs support marine offshore drilling activities through transportation of offshore energy resources. They also facilitate installation of oil rigs. They are mostly used by oil and gas companies for exploration and production activities. The OSVs are either operated by ship owners or by companies that lease the OSVs. In addition, OSVs facilitate maritime logistic operations for different industries such as subsea and deep water mining.Publisher's analysts forecast the global OSV market to grow at a CAGR of 7.47% over the period 2014-2019.For more informationThis report covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global OSV market for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated by OSV service providers. It presents an in-depth analysis of different types of OSVs based on revenue generated, fleet size, age, engine type, and geographical presence.The report also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the top five vendors in the global OSV market. Vendors in the market are ranked on the basis of qualitative and quantitative parameters considered during research. In addition, it discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the market. It also summarizes the challenges faced by the vendors and the market at large, as well as the key trends emerging in the market.Based on the type of OSV, the market is categorized into the following:- AHTS- FSIV- MPSV- PSV- Other OSVs (diving support vessels, ROVs, cable and pipe laying vessels, standby and rescue vessels, SSVs, well stimulation vessels, and well intervention vessels)OSVs can also be categorized based on the following:- Fleet size- Age of vessel- Engine type- Geographical presenceRequest Sample CopyPublisher's report, Global Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) Market 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers APAC, EMEA, North America, and South America; it also covers the global OSV market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion on the key vendors operating in this market.Key regions- APAC- EMEA- North America- South AmericaKey vendors- BOURBON- Edison Chouest Offshore- SEACOR Holdings- Swire Pacific Offshore Operations- TidewaterOther prominent vendors- Abdon Callais Offshore- ABG Shipyard- Bass Marine- Bharati Shipyard- BP Shipping- China Oilfield Services- Deep Sea Supply- Eastern Shipbuilding- EMAS- Farstad Shipping- Gulfmark Offshore- Halul Offshore Services- Harvey Gulf International Marine- Havila Shipping- Hornbeck Offshore- Intermarine- Island Offshore Management- KG Offshore Services- Maersk Supply Service- Nam Cheong- Odyssea Marine- OGX- Pacific Richfield- Pemex- Rem Maritime- Remontowa- Sanko Line- Siem Offshore- Simon MAkster Shipping- Sinopacific- Solstad Offshore- Topaz Energy and Marine- Trico Marine Services- Vroon Group- Whitesea Shipping and Supply- Zakher Marine- Zamil OperationsMake an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market to clock a CAGR of 6.0% between 2017 and 2025.

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been serving as an active source to cater intelligent research report to enlighten both readers and investors. This research study titled Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends & Forecasts 2017  2025.Rigid Polyurethane Foams are manufactured using a combination of a polyol and a polyisocyanate. The blowing agent is also added during the chemical reaction. Rigid polyurethane is mostly and best suited for the insulation purposes. Saving energy is the prime need in the todays world and the energy is lost through walls, roofs and windows and also significant amount of the energy is needed to heat or cool the buildings. Rigid polyurethane foams work to reduce heating and cooling loss, improving the efficiency of the building. Infact, it is the best insulation material in the present era. Rigid polyurethane foam can be applied on different building parts and components for internal or external insulation, to save energy, ensure a comfortable living climate and reduce cost for heating and cooling. Due to its superb thermal insulation performance, it is increasingly used in various segments of building and construction industry, including residential and commercial buildings, warehouses, factories, supermarkets and stadiums. PU rigid foam is also the preferred material for the insulation of hot water tanks as well as for district heating/cooling pipes.Click here For Free Sample Report @Global Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market: Research MethodologyThe report estimates and forecasts the rigid polyurethane foam market on the global, regional, and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Bn) with 2016 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the end user segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the rigid polyurethane foam market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the rigid polyurethane foam market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitute analysis of rigid polyurethane foam market and global average price trend analysis.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the rigid polyurethane foam market. It comprises qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein products, processes, applications and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw Process availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for rigid polyurethane foam between 2017 and 2025.Click here Browse Full Report With TOC @Global Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market: Research MethodologySecondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.Global Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market: Market SegmentationThe study provides comprehensive view of the rigid polyurethane foam market by dividing it into end user and geography. The rigid polyurethane foam market has been segmented by end user into automotive, building and construction, industrial, and others.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast of rigid polyurethane foam in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Key countries such as the U.S., France, Germany, the U.K., China, India, ASEAN, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes amount of Rigid Polyurethane Foam consumed by product, process, and application in all the regions and countries.Global Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Major players profiled in the report include BASF SE, Covestro AG, DUNA CORRADINI S.p.A., DuPont, Huntsman Corporation LLC, ISOTHANE LTD, Kingspan Group PLC, Owens Corning, Rockwool International A/S, and Saint Gobain S.A. etc. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).The Rigid Polyurethane Foam market has been divided into the following segments.Rigid Polyurethane Foam Market End User AnalysisAutomotiveBuilding and ConstructionIndustrialOthersRigid Polyurethane Foam Market Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceK.RussiaTurkeyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaASEANRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaMake An Enquiry @About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine(MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite :Read More Industry News At:
At A CAGR Of 4.00% Global Coiled Tubing Services Market Will Grow During The Period 2017-2021 | Archer, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Superior Energy Services

Coiled Tubing Services Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Coiled Tubing Services Market 2017-2021" to its huge collection of research reports.A coiled tubing operation is performed through drilling derrick on an oil platform, which is used to back the surface equipment. Although on platforms with no drilling facilities a self-supporting tower can be utilized. For coiled tubing operations on sub-sea wells, mobile offshore drilling units (MODUS) such as drillship, semi-submersible, etc. must be used to support all the personnel and surface equipment, whereas wireline can be carried out from a lesser and inexpensive intervention vessel. Onshore, wirelines can be run using smaller service rigs, and for light operations, a mobile, self-contained coiled tubing rig can be employed.Technavios analysts forecast the global coiled tubing services market to grow at a CAGR of 4.00% during the period 2017-2021.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global coiled tubing services market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the new volume of coiled tubing units and excludes aftermarket services.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Coiled Tubing Services 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 vendorsArcherBaker HughesHalliburtonSchlumbergerSuperior Energy ServicesGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Other prominent vendorsC&J Energy ServicesCalfrac Well ServicesCudd Energy ServicesEssential Energy ServicesKey Energy ServicesNabors IndustriesRPCTrican Well ServiceWeatherfordMarket driverRising global oil and gas demandFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeDecline in oil rig countFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendChanging business models and portfoliosFor 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?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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Linear Bearings Market By Technologies, Services, Applications and Regions  Trends and Forecast from 2017-2022

Linear Bearings Market

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This report covers the global Linear Bearings market various parameters and the growth prospects. It covers the overall market scenario and gives an in-depth analysis of the various competitors and the market value.The Linear Bearings Industry split has been done according to the production, distribution, revenue and market share and the overall growth rate of Facial Surgery Equipment Package.Ask for Sample @The top competitors of Linear Bearings market along with the different parameters are production, price, revenue, market share for each manufacture are Nippon Bearing, KBS, Samick, MPS Microsystem, NBB-Bearing, Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, SKF, NSK Ltd, NTN Bearing Corporation, Norgren Inc., JTEKT Corporation, THK Co. Ltd., Ningbo Yinzhou Weixing Bearing Co. Ltd..The geographical split of this Industry is divided into the following with several key regions such as North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India.On the basis of product, this Linear Bearings industry report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each Type, primarily split into Ceramic Linear Bearings, Stainless Linear Bearings, Others.Major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Linear Bearings Market for each application, including Automotive Industry, Machinery & Equipment, Medical Devices, Aerospace, Others.Have A Query On This Report? @Some Points from TOC:1 Linear Bearings Manufacturing Cost Analysis1.1 Linear Bearings Key Raw Materials Analysis1.2 Key Raw Materials1.2.1 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials1.2.2 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials1.3 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials1.3.1 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers1.4 Linear Bearings Industrial Chain Analysis1.4.1 Raw Materials Sources of Linear Bearings Major Manufacturers in 20161.4.2 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders.Check Discount on this report@We at Reports Monitor provide a comprehensive analysis by providing in-depth reports of the various market verticals. Our Mission is to provide a detailed analysis of the vast markets worldwide, backed by rich data. Decision makers can now rely on our well-defined data gathering methods to get the correct and accurate market forecasting along with detailed analysis.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact Us:Office C & D - 4th Floor,Siddhi Towers,Above Rupee Bank,Kondhwa Road,Pune 4501318048,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-59501318Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Medical Image Analysis Software Market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 3,800 Mn in the year 2022

Medical Image Analysis Software Market

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Due to the advancements in technology the medical image analysis software is getting increasing utilized by the medical fraternity. Moreover, there is a rise in demand for imaging modalities and increased government spending on the healthcare sector are other factors driving the growth of this market. In addition, using medical image analysis software increases the efficiency and effectiveness of medical procedures due to which the use of such software is gaining in popularity. Moreover, there is an increase in the number of chronic illnesses like cancer, due to which also demand for medical image analysis software is increasing. Also, a growing awareness about the benefits of using such software in the medical community and the rise in geriatric population are also aiding the market growth. Besides, such type of images can be shared easily by doctors, and this speeds up the decision making process of doctors and therefore such type of medical image analysis software is becoming popular.Read Report @The global medical image analysis software market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 3,800 Mn in the year 2022 and grow at a robust CAGR during the assessment period.4 Forecast Highlights on Global Medical Image Analysis Software MarketAs per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the standalone software segment is slated to touch a value of nearly US$ 2,380 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the assessment period of 2017-2022. The standalone software segment is estimated to account for nearly two-third of the revenue share of the product type segment by the year 2017 and is forecasted to gain market share by 2022 over 2017.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the diagnostic centers segment will reach a value of nearly US$ 720 Mn in the year 2017. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the forecast period. The diagnostic centers segment is forecasted to account for more than one-fourth of the total revenue share of the end-user segment by the end of the year 2017 and is expected to gain in market share by 2022 as compared with the year 2017.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the computed tomography segment is slated to reach a value of nearly US$ 1,170 Mn in 2022. The computed tomography segment is expected to gain market share by the end of the year 2022. The largest share is contributed by the North America region in the computed tomography segment.Persistence Market Research forecasts the 2D imaging segment to exhibit an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2017 to 2022.Request Sample Report @The report has also included the profiles of some of the leading companies in the medical image analysis software market like Carestream Health, Inc., Analogic Corporation, Sciencesoft USA Corporation, AGFA Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, Esaote SpA, Philips Healthcare, AQUILAB, GE Healthcare Inc., Merge Healthcare Inc., Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation and Mirada Medical Limited.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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.comWeb:
Asset Management IT Solutions Market: Nascent Market Sees Entry of New Players

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The growing need for IT solutions for the management of assets such as equity, fixed income, real estate, commodities, and international investments is the key factor boosting the deployment and adoption of asset management IT solutions across the globe. Within the U.S., the need for asset management IT solutions is spurred by the increasing number and value of asset managers in the country.The U.S. Department of Commerce states that in 2015, U.S. asset managers held over US$51 trillion worth of long-term conventional assets under management, which amounted to slightly over 47.0% of the global funds that year.The growth in exchange traded funds has also created a need for the management of IT solutions in the U.S. The market for asset management IT solutions in the country is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.1% from 2016 to 2024, rising from a valuation of US$828.5 mn in 2015 to US$1,298.2 mn by 2024.Obtain Report Details @On-premise Solutions Gain Preference over Cloud-based Deployment ModelBy component, asset management IT services dominate the U.S. market. The service segment is expected to retain its lead throughout the forecast period as asset managers are looking to hire third-party service providers to automate their business processes. Within this segment, enterprise data management services hold the major share, followed by reporting solution and services. This sub-segment is also projected to register strong growth by 2024.Based on application, the asset management IT solution market area is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2024 owing to the growing number of wealth managers in the U.S. Within this segment, portfolio management accounted for the leading market share in 2015, which can be primarily attributed to the expanding customer base of investment management firms in the country.The U.S. asset management IT solution market, by deployment model, is segmented into cloud-based, on-premise, and hybrid. On-premise software solutions account for the prominent share, followed by hybrid deployment. Owing to rising security concerns over cloud-based services and the need to prevent the leakage of clients critical information, on-premise deployment is expected to hold a significant share in the coming years.Northeastern U.S. Records High Revenue GrowthThe northeastern region of the U.S. is expected to lead the asset management IT solutions market, accounting for a share of over 42.0% in 2016. Retaining its dominance throughout the forecast period, this region is fueled primarily due to the presence of a large number of asset managers.Request Sample @The asset management IT solutions market in the southern region of the country is expected to expand at a high CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the rise in number of investment management firms in order to meet the rising demand for asset management in the region. Furthermore, the adoption of Big Data in investment management supports the growth of the asset management IT solution market in the U.S.The U.S. asset management IT solution market is immensely competitive in nature and most companies have been strategically aiming for long-term alliances with investment management firms. Some of the key players offering asset management IT solutions in the U.S. are Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, FundCount, SoftTarget Inc., SimCorp Inc, QED Financial System, eFront Financial Solutions, Broadridge Investment Management Solutions, ProTrak International, SunGard Financials and CreditPoint Software.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
At A CAGR Of 10.08% Consumer Electronics And Home Appliances Market In India Will Grow During The Period 2017-2021 | Electrolux, Haier, LG Electronics, Robert Bosch, SAMSUNG, Whirlpool

Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances Market in India 2017-2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances Market in India 2017-2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Consumer electronics and home appliances are products intended for everyday use at homes. The market is mainly driven by an increase in labor costs and product innovation in terms of technology, performance, design, and capability. The rising average dual-household incomes of consumers is the primary factor that drives the consumer electronics and home appliances market in India. With the recovery from the economic crisis of 2012, consumers have started investing heavily in products like smart consumer electronics and home appliances.Technavios analysts forecast the consumer electronics and home appliances market in India to grow at a CAGR of 10.08% during the period 2017-2021.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the consumer electronics and home appliances market in India for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances Market in India 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 vendorsElectroluxHaierLG ElectronicsRobert BoschSAMSUNGWhirlpoolGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Other prominent vendorsArelikFagor AmericaHitachiHoover Candy GroupiRobotKoninklijke PhilipsMidea GroupMiele & Cie.PanasonicSears BrandsSMEGSonyTOSHIBAVestelMarket driverGrowth in government initiatives for electronic productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeData security issues associated with smart consumer electronics and home appliancesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendAdoption of smart and advanced features in home appliancesFor 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?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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Electronic Toll Collection Market - Industry Analysis,Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Electronic Toll Collection Market: OverviewElectronic toll collection (TEC) systems are devices that enable the central management of toll operations via a single integrated solution. Eliminating delay on highways and roadways, the system ensures that toll payment is made electronically in a hassle-free manner.The global electronic toll collection system market can be segmented by application, region, product type, and technology. By product type, the global market for electronic toll collection can be segmented into antennae, treadles, transponders, weigh-in-motion devices, film storage devices, cameras, communication systems, and scanning devices. By technology, the market can be categorized into global positioning system (GPS), dedicated short range communications (DSRC), radio-frequency identification, and global navigation satellite system (GNSS).Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Electronic Toll Collection Market: Key TrendsAs these systems eliminate manual operations by toll receivers and payers, the demand for electronic toll collection is likely to witness an upsurge. Cashless transactions offered by electronic toll collection systems do not only save travel time, but also minimizes traffic congestion near toll collection booths across roads and highways. Electronic toll collection systems offer cost-efficient solutions that are faster too. The need for multiple toll plazas is ruled out owing to the installation of electronic toll collection systems, saving additional costs. However, high dependence on government funding and high installation costs of these devices might restrain the growth of the market.Global Electronic Toll Collection Market: Market PotentialA number of emerging economies are increasingly addressing the need to adopt time and cost efficient electronic toll collection systems throughout the major cities. For instance, in India, the National Payments Corporation of India has been encouraging several highways to install electronic toll collection systems with a view to increase digital payments across the country, supporting the cashless economy initiative of the government.Request TOC of the Report @Nearly 14-16% of the toll collection in the country has been converted into electronic mediums, with the transaction number rising up to 7 million per month, reported the National Electronic Toll Collection in April 2017. The availability of advanced, easy, and convenient digital platforms for payment such as BharatQR and Samsung Pay has eliminated the waiting time required for card swipes.Similarly, in April 2017, the Transport Minister of Vietnam ordered swift installations of electronic toll collection equipment across the major highways of the country. Malaysia is another nation which has been promoting the adoption of electronic toll collection systems via its PLUS highways that offer cashless, fully electronic payments. Features such as Touch n Go Card, PlusMiles Card, and SmartTag have enabled smooth transactions, ensuring that 600 vehicles can pass through a TnG lane per hour, compared to 180 vehicles per hour that previously paid manually.Global Electronic Toll Collection Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global market for electronic toll collection market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to advance at a rapid pace due to the growing demand for safe, efficient, and secure toll collection infrastructure. The growing demand for electronic toll collection systems in Asia Pacific can be attributed to favorable government policies, growing investments in infrastructural development, and increasing adoption of automation across several regions. Singapore, India, Malaysia, China, and Thailand are expected to represent a large slice of revenue of the overall market.Get Discount @Global Electronic Toll Collection Market: Competitive AnalysisCubic Transportation Systems, Inc., 3M, EFKON AG, Kapsch TrafficCom, Xerox Corporation, Q-Free, Toll Collect GmbH, TransCore, Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co., Ltd., Transurban Limited, VaaaN, Raytheon Company, and Schneider Electric SE are some of the leading companies operating in the global electronic toll collection market.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Smart Education and Learning Market: Product Differentiation to Remain Key Determinant of Success

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The smart education and learning market in the ASEAN region is rising due to government initiatives towards digitizing education, increasing use of smartphones and tablets, internet penetration and developed information and communication (ICT) infrastructure.Virtual reality-infused classrooms and cloud-based smart education and learning solutions are gaining heightened popularity in the region and are becoming a standard across many educational institutions in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.Transparency Market Research estimates that the ASEAN smart education and learning market holds immense growth potential in the near future. The market is expected to exhibit a remarkable 19.7% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2020. If the prediction holds true, the market is expected to rise from US$36.84 bn to US$88.97 bn by 2020.Obtain Report Details @Simulation-based Solutions Witness Adoption at Promising RateThe ASEAN smart education and learning market has been segmented on the basis of delivery model into classroom-based, desktop/mobile-based and simulation-based solutions. Among these, the desktop/mobile-based segment was the leading segment, occupying approximately 67% of the market share in 2015. It is also expected to remain the leading segment throughout the forecast period.However, the segment is expected to lose prominence to the simulation-based delivery model in terms of the rate of growth over the period between 2016 and 2020. The segment is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 21% over the said period. This up-and-coming segment will, however, still be able to occupy a very small share in the market pie owing to the dominance of desktop/mobile-based and classroom-based smart education and learning solutions.The segment of classroom-based solutions is projected to see a decline in its share in the overall market by the end of the forecast period owing to the rising demand for simulation-based smart education and learning solutions.Request Sample @Malaysia and Thailand to be Potential Growth MarketsThe ASEAN smart education and learning market has been examined for seven regions: Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Rest of ASEAN (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Brunei). Malaysia currently leads the ASEAN smart education and learning market, accounting for a dominant share of 36.9% in 2015.The highly developed state of the information and communication technology (ICT) and vast penetration of smartphones have bolstered the Malaysia market for smart education and learning.Furthermore, government initiatives toward promoting the use of technology in education have resulted in the increased use of smartphones and desktops in delivering smart education to learners in the country. The market for in Malaysia is projected to remain the dominant regional market in the ASEAN smart education and learning market throughout the forecast period as well.The launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has bolstered the demand for English language courses in Indonesia. Additionally, high smartphone penetration and government initiatives towards delivering digitized education have further added to the growing market revenues in the smart education sector in Indonesia.The key market players operating in the ASEAN smart education and learning market include Blackboard, Inc., Educomp Solutions Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Adobe Corporation, Scholastic Corporation, Smart Technologies Inc., NIIT Ltd., Saba Software Inc., Scholastic Inc., and Extramarks Education Pvt., 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. 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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market report 2016 - 2024 : by product, Trends and Opportunities, by geography and company profile

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Biomarkers are measurable biological indicators that are used to diagnose or predict diseases, examine disease progression, and estimate treatment response. Biomarkers help in understanding the development of chronic diseases, its relationship with environmental chemicals, and identify subjects who are at high risk of developing disease. For several years, biomarkers have played a significant role in drug research and development of new drugs and in diagnostics. Moreover, biomarkers play important role in understanding disease mechanism, developing effective treatments, and improve quality of patient care.Report Overview and TOC :The development in related technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, and imaging system, has reflected on evolution of newer biomarkers. Considering the complexity of central nervous system (CNS), biomarkers are now expected to play a significant role in identification of several neurodegenerative diseases at early stage, provide enhanced diagnosis, and eventually better treatment. Consequently, the global market for central nervous system (CNS) biomarkers is projected for a double digit growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024. To provide a complete picture of the market, this report divides it into lucrative segments and also profiles some of the key players for their market share, product portfolio, and development strategies.The global CNS biomarkers market can be segmented on the basis of application, type, end user and geography. By application, the market can be divided into diagnostic development, personalized medicine drug discovery and development, and disease risk assessment. All of these segments are in high demand, contributing significantly in the growth of CNS biomarkers market.Request brochure :Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe report picks out the development in proteomics, genomics, and imaging system as the primary driver in the market. These developments has led to increased investment from government and private players, which is further fueling market. Moreover, the rise in diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), and other heart related diseases is another favorable factor for the market. Some of the other drivers highlighted by the report are: favorable government policies and regulations, successful clinical trials of several biomarkers, and FDAs approval to CNS biomarker drugs.Conversely, the report highlights two factors which may hinder the growth rate during the forecast period, which are the high cost of CNS biomarker tests and diagnostics and unclear reimbursement policies in many prospect country-wide markets. Untapped market in Asia Pacific is projected as an opportunity for players to invest with long-term prospects.For Specific and Customized requirements@Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, this market can be divided into the regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest the world. Currently, North America contributes to the maximum demand, owning to the rise in life-style oriented diseases such as cancer, stroke, and other heart diseases. In 2014, Europe served the second most significant demand but the emerging economies of China, India, Japan, and Korea are expected to turn Asia Pacific into a highly lucrative market during the course of the forecast period. These countries are aggressively investing in improving their healthcare spending, and have skilled labor at affordable cost. This as a result is creating immense opportunities for the players who are willing to take initiative.Companies mentioned in the research reportThe key players in global central nervous system biomarkers market include Thermo fisher scientific, Enzo biochem inc, Abiant Inc, EKF diagnostics holdings Inc, Abastar MDX Inc, Acumen pharmaceuticals Inc, Adlyfe Inc, Apitope international, Alseres pharmaceuticals Inc, Aposense, Banyan biomarkers, Avid radiopharmaceuticals Inc, Diagenic ASA, Avacta group plc, Applied neurosolutions Inc, Merc & co. Inc, and Exonhit therapeutics. The players strategically invest on research and development for innovative and technological advancements, and focus on partnerships with domestic players to expand their outreach.Pre Book full 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.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:
AMSCREEN PARTNERS WITH NEW UK BASED GLASS DISPLAY PROVIDER ROMAG

AMSCREEN PARTNERS WITH NEW UK BASED GLASS DISPLAY PROVIDER ROMAG

viewability and durability of their outdoor screen products Romag will provide specialist glass for all next generation outdoor advertising displays Screens are optimised for maximum outdoor viewability Toughened and heat strengthened with solar control interlayer to assist in heat regulation Amscreen further supports local UK industry and talentAmscreen, the leading outdoor screen solutions business, announced today a new partnership with Romag, UK specialists in bespoke glass manufacture. This new deal will see the provision of screen glass that has been designed specifically to optimise both performance and viewability across on-street screen networks.Romag have a strong pedigree in delivering bespoke glass projects having operated since 1943. The County Durham based business specialises in producing glass for a wide range of applications from curved structures to bullet resistant installs.The new product will initially feature across Amscreens latest portfolio of 75 outdoor displays. The anti-reflective glass has been optimised to maximise light transmission whilst minimising glare. The low-iron display is also toughened, and heat strengthened and includes a solar interlayer to help regulate internal temperatures.Mark Jones, Managing Director of Romag said Romag products are bespoke by nature, and our design and build approach has enabled us to compete in multiple markets. We are delighted to have won this contract with Amscreen. We have a shared philosophy of innovation and are thrilled to be able to supply our market-leading glass on such a prestigious contract.Simon Sugar, CEO of Amscreen commented All of our hardware and software is designed with the single-minded focus on the best performing product for our customers. Romag offered us a glass panel that met the very specific requirements needed in these varied and challenging environments. Their product and reputation for quality made them an obvious choice.We are also very happy to be able to continue to support the local industry and the talents that we are fortunate to have access to within the UK manufacturer sector.Amscreen now maintains a network of more than 15,000 screens. This partnership builds on recent product and service innovations including the patented RDM platform (Remote Device Monitoring) created to deliver reliability and ease of operations and maintenance for network owners across Europe.Amscreen are specialists in delivering wireless, real-time digital signage. With a network of more than 15,000 screens and 20 years experience in providing IoT and digital screen solutions, Amscreen are an established global leader in the screen solutions sector.The current partner portfolio includes blue chip retail businesses from BP, Shell and Tesco for indoor screens through to Outdoor Advertising Media Owners such as Clear Channel for sunlight readable large format screens.Amscreens portfolio of products range from 24 inch indoor screens to 75 inch Outdoor screens located at bus shelters, free standing with town centres and outside Asda and Sainsbury supermarkets.Amscreen offer a maintenance service using our innovative IoT Remote Monitoring System (RDM) to manage the screen network, ensuring service levels exceed customers expectations.Maximising screen uptime is important to us. We produce field serviceable products, where modular assemblies can be swapped out on site quickly without requiring any specialised expertise.Amscreen offer a full end-to-end service, where our experts get involved at the outset of a project to understand requirements and challenges; through to developing and delivering a fit for purpose product, that encompasses installation, maintenance, content creation and screen operation; as well as enhancing solutions over time as customers needs develop.Amscreen, Amscreen House, Paragon Business Park, Chorley New Road, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6HG
Gaming Headset Global Market by Technology, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts to 2019

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Initially, games were restricted to board games and associated video games. However, the introduction and popularity of PCs and electronic devices and a rise in the use of the internet have led to the development and commercialization of gaming. The gaming headset market is witnessing an exponential growth worldwide because of the rapid adoption of gaming. In terms of technology, gaming headset is classified into two: wired and wireless.The global gaming headset market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.80% during 2014-2019.For more informationCovered in this reportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global gaming headset market for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated through the sales of gaming headsets by vendors compatible to the following types of devices:- PC- ConsoleIt presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the key market vendors in the global gaming headset market. The report lists down all the key drivers' along with major constraints that are hindering the market growth. The report also discusses the top technological trends that are expected to take over in the forecast period.Key vendors- Cooler Master- Creative- Mad Catz- Sennheiser- SteelSeries- Turtle BeachRequest Sample CopyOther prominent vendors- Corsair- Gioteck- Kingston- Logitech- Razer- Roccat- Sades- Sentey- SkullcandyMarket driver- Growing popularity of e-sports league- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Availability of counterfeit products- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Technological advancements- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMake an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer servGaming Headsete and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Controlled Release Fertilizers Market Size, Share, Trends and Overview 2021

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Controlled Release Fertilizers Market by Type (Chemical Condensation Products, Coated and Encapsulated Fertilizers, Nitrogen Stabilizers and Other Controlled Release Fertilizers), by Application (Crop based (Grains & Cereals, Oil seeds and Fruits & Vegetables) and Non Crop based (Turf & Ornamental Grass and Others), and by Region - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021)The Global Controlled Release Fertilizers Market was worth $2400 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 5.8%, to reach $3181.56 million by 2021. These controlled and release fertilizers are recognized to improve the agricultural produce, which is a demanding need of hour due to fast urbanization and drip in the number of farming jobs as the younger population is pursuing other professions.Controlled release fertilizers are part of enriched productivity fertilizers. These are grainy fertilizers that discharge nutrients steadily into the soil. Controlled release fertilizers are generally coated or encapsulated with inorganic or organic constituents that control the level, pattern, and interval of plant nutrient release.Full report at:The difficulty of population outburst has led to reduction of arable land, which has generated a situation of increasing demand for higher food consumption and lower production. Reuniting these concerns has led to a great demand for controlled release fertilizers in the past few years. The increasing concerns of food security have persuaded several governments across the globe to approve these fertilizers to rise their produce and decrease their dependence on food imports. Consequently, in spite of the advantages of controlled release fertilizers, the market is facing issues such as increasing prices of these fertilizers, which has discouraged many farmers to invest in these products.Market Segmentation: By Design Type By FunctionKey Players: Mahindra & Mahindra Deere and Company AGCO tractorGlobal market for controlled release fertilizers is segmented by type into Chemical Condensation Products, Coated and Encapsulated Fertilizers, Nitrogen Stabilizers and Other Controlled Release Fertilizers. Based on application the controlled release fertilizers market is segregated into crop based and non-crop based fertilizers. Crop based fertilizers are further divided into Grains & Cereals, Oil seeds and Fruits & Vegetables. While non-crop based fertilizers are bifurcated into Turf & Ornamental Grass and other non-crop based fertilizers. Crop based controlled release fertilizers segment is expected to increase at highest rate due to increase in demand for crops because of increase in population.Geographically the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle-East and Africa. North America is the dominating region for controlled release fertilizers market. Asia Pacific is projected to be the substantial regional segment in the coming years. This regional demand will be led by China as the demand to nourish the bursting population base remains to ask for greater crop yields in the coming years.Request sample:The global market for controlled release fertilizers is described with strong competition with the large number of big and small players. The Chisso Corporation, Shandong Shikefeng Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Kingenta Ecological Engineering Group Co. Ltd., Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Agrium, Yara International, Israel Chemicals Ltd. (Israel), Compo GmbH Co., Sociedad Quimica Y Minera S.A. and Haifa Chemicals Limited are some of the big players in controlled release fertilizer industry.About Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit,Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.comVisit MarketDataForecast Blog @View latest Press Releases of MDF @
Global Automotive Parts Aluminium & Magnesium Die Casting Market Report 2017, Trends, Analysis, Share, Estimates and Forecasts to 2022.

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The Global Automotive Parts Aluminium & Magnesium Die-Casting market accounted for around $6.2 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach $10.8 billion by 2022 growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.2% during the forecast period 2014 to 2022.For More, Please Visit:Aluminum is becoming popular material gradually due to its ability to be easily recycled. Around 70% of aluminum consumed can be reused. North America is the leading market for automotive aluminum die casting worldwide. More than 90% of the aluminum die-casting produced in the United States is made from post-consumer recycled aluminum. Rising esteem for fuel-efficient vehicles and a need to reduce the vehicle weight significantly influenced the aluminium die casting parts in the UK automotive industry.Though Aluminium is dominating the current market, it is expected that Magnesium will be gaining a significant market share during the forecast period by growing at the highest CAGR. Capability to form casting with EMI and RFI shielding, complete recyclability, more electrical conductivity are some of the factors propelling the growth of magnesium market. China produces more than 50% of the global magnesium metal. Being magnesium cheap in China collapsed the main supply base of the western world. The International Magnesium Association (IMA) provided a forum for substitution of magnesium manufacturing and trade supporting the market growth.The key players in the Automotive Parts Aluminium & Magnesium Die-Casting market include Magic Precision Inc., Kinetic Die Casting Company, Texas Die Casting, Endurance Group, Sandhar technologies limited, Meridian Lightweight Technologies Inc, Sunbeam Auto Pvt. Ltd, Dynacast, Rockman Industries Ltd., and Castwel Autoparts Pvt Ltd.Product types Covered: Pressure die casting Semi-solid die casting Squeeze die casting Vacuum die castingApplications Covered: Body assemblies Engine Parts Transmission parts OthersRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canada Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spain Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Rest of the Worldo Latin Americao Middle Easto Africao OthersWhat 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 8 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 advancementsFor More, Please Visit:We offer wide spectrum of research and consulting services with in-depth knowledge of different industries. We are known for customized research services, consulting services and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) services in the research world. We explore the market trends and draw our insights with valid assessments and analytical views. We use advanced techniques and tools among the quantitative and qualitative methodologies to identify the market trends. Our research reports and publications are routed to help our clients to design their business models and enhance their business growth in the competitive market scenario. We have a strong team with hand-picked consultants including project managers, implementers, industry experts, researchers, research evaluators and analysts with years of experience in delivering the complex projects.STRATISTICS MRC17049 King James Way, Gaithersburg,MD, 20877, USA
Lens centering devices Market 2017 -2025: By Technique, End User, Geographical Region and Company Profile

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A Lens centering device is an ophthalmic equipment which requires optical elements which need to be positioned precisely and aligned to execute the correct optical function. Lens centering is essential to obtain the maximum performance from a centered lens system. For any optical lens, the design must be superior to deliver maximum performance. With the help of experienced designers, sophisticated software, the lens elements are manufactured accurately. In lens, centering involves the mount or holder which is necessary for securing proper positioning and alignment of the optical elements. The lens centering device is based on the geometrical relationship among the radius of curvature of the lens, diameter of the lens and the angle of the thread of the retaining ring. The lens centering device consist of a translucent first support plate, frosted screen and projector system through which the alignment and positioning of lens executed precisely. In lens centering active optical assembly techniques is widely attain more levels of concentration as compared with mechanical alignment.View Report Preview @The global lens centering market is driven by the increasing incidence of eye related disorder among children at early age due to the unhealthy lifestyle and increase usage of computer, television viewing is the major factor. With the increase in the user friendly devices and increase in the disposable income levels contribute to the increase in the global lens centering devices market. However, limited testing, untrained personnel and inadequate testing equipments are the factor which may hinder the growth of the overall global lens centering devices market.On the basis of end user the global Lens centering devices Market can beThe global Lens centering devices market is segmented on the basis of technique, end user, and geographical region. On the basis of technique it is segmented into mechanical alignment technique and active optical assembly technique. As active optical assembly technique is widely used because it give more accurate result than another technique. On the basis of end user it is segmented into hospital, specialized clinics, ambulatory surgical centers and medical centers. Hospitals and specialized clinics cover the major share in the global Lens centering devices market due to their easy availability of lens centering device and increasing patterns for the treatment of eye related disorder. . With the growing technology and increasing prevalence of eye related disorders among people will lead to the growth of the overall Lens centering devices market.By Region, Lens centering devices market is classified into five regions North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. North America is primarily driven by increasing prevalence of the ophthalmic disease among children and young age population High investment from the leading players and constant research is improving the manufacturer scale and supply chain management in the developed regions. The constant rise in the technology and acceptance of new & advanced products with excellent efficacy with accurate results in the ophthalmic sector is encouraging the overall growth of lens centering device during the forecast period.Request to View Sample of Research Report @The key players in the market are Essilor instruments, Coburn Technologies, Inc., Luneau Technology USA, Inc., Nidek Medical India, Shanghai YanKe instrument Co.,Ltd., US Ophthalmic, Weco and others. All the key players are focusing on innovative product development and increase distribution network to gain market share.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:
Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Global Market 2017 | Seagate Technology LLC, Toshiba Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, Transcend Information, Inc., HP Inc., Apple Inc., Lenovo Group Limited

Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Consumer Data Storage Devices market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Consumer Data Storage Devices for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanKoreaTaiwanTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Consumer Data Storage Devices market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Consumer Data Storage Devices sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingSeagate Technology LLCWestern Digital CorporationToshiba CorporationSamsungSony CorporationTranscend Information, Inc.PNY Technologies Inc.Kingston Technology Company, Inc.CorsairHP Inc.Apple Inc.Lenovo Group LimitedOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHard Disk DriveSolid State DriveMemory CardUSB Flash DriveOptical DisksOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingComputersCell PhonesMP3 PlayersOther Electric ProductsGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Table of ContentsGlobal Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Market Report 20171 Consumer Data Storage Devices Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Consumer Data Storage Devices1.2 Classification of Consumer Data Storage Devices by Product Category1.2.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Hard Disk Drive1.2.4 Solid State Drive1.2.5 Memory Card1.2.6 USB Flash Drive1.2.7 Optical Disks1.3 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Computers1.3.3 Cell Phones1.3.4 MP3 Players1.3.5 Other Electric Products1.4 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market by Region1.4.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Korea Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Consumer Data Storage Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Consumer Data Storage Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume) by Application3 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players5.3 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application6 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)6.2 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players6.3 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type6.4 Japan Consumer Data Storage Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationContinue...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.ResearchMozState 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 @
In Vitro Toxicology Testing Market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 7,750 Mn in the year 2022

In Vitro Toxicology Testing Market

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In vitro toxicology testing is carried out to identify the potential toxicity of new compounds when they are at an early stages of development during the discovery and development of new drugs. This type of testing is carried out to identity the presence or absence of certain toxins in drugs, agricultural chemicals and food additives. There is a sharp increase in R&D procedures which require in vitro toxicology testing and this is boosting the growth of this market along with latest technological developments. Moreover, the ban on animal testing has led to the increasing adoption of in vitro toxicology testing and the governments all across the world are providing increased funding for such type of testing.Read Report @The global in vitro toxicology testing market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 7,750 Mn in the year 2022 and grow at a robust CAGR during the assessment period.4 Forecast Highlights on Global In Vitro Toxicology Testing MarketAs per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the services segment is slated to touch a value of nearly US$ 2,400 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the assessment period of 2017-2022. The services segment is estimated to account for nearly one-third of the revenue share of the product & services type segment by the year 2017 and is forecasted to gain market share by 2022 over 2017.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the biochemical assays segment will reach a value of about US$ 1,800 Mn in the year 2017. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the forecast period. The biochemical assays segment is forecasted to account for nearly one-third of the total revenue share of the method segment by the end of the year 2017 and is expected to lose in market share by 2022 as compared with the year 2017.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry segment is slated to reach a value of nearly US$ 3,500 Mn in 2022. The pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical segment is expected to gain market share by the end of the year 2022. The largest share is contributed by the North America region in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical segment.Persistence Market Research forecasts the cell culture technologies segment to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% from 2017 to 2022.Request Sample Report @The report has also included the profiles of some of the leading companies in the in vitro toxicology testing market like Promega Corporation, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., SGS S.A., Qiagen N.V., Cyprotex PLC, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Merck KGaA, GE Healthcare Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and Eurofins Scientific Se.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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.comWeb:
Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market: Focus Shifts from Traditional to Technologically-advanced Learning Solutions in Business and Education

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In recent years, the increased efficiency of the Internet has promoted e-teaching and e-learning practices worldwide. This, coupled with advancements in networking technologies has enabled improved communication and integration, thereby resulting in flawless online learning and training sessions. This has had a significant impact on the emergence as well as development of learning management systems (LMS).The global LMS market is projected to witness steady growth over the forecast period. This can be attributed to factors such as the increasing preference for distance learning, developing network infrastructure in developing regions, the adoption of cloud-based LMS by SMEs, and corporate sectors offering online trainings to its employees.The market for learning management systems is projected to amount to US$18.8 bn by 2024, rising from a valuation of US$3.4 bn in 2015. If these values hold true, the market is expected to develop at an impressive CAGR of 19.9% therein.Obtain Report Details @Hosted Deployment of LMS to Surpass On-premise Deployment by 2024On the basis of deployment, on-premise deployment dominated the market in 2015, especially in the Middle East and Africa and South America. This can be primarily attributed to the adoption of learning management systems by large enterprises. However, analysts predict that hosted deployment is expected to lead the market in the coming years, with the increasing adoption of LMS by small and medium enterprises due to its cost benefits over on-premise deployment.By user group, the education and corporate sectors account for nearly the same share in the global LMS market and are likely to witness high growth during the forecast period. In recent years, corporate sectors have been emphasizing on online corporate trainings and orientation programs for employees. On the other hand, growing educational awareness in developing countries and government initiatives to provide quality education is expected to benefit the education segment of the global LMS market.learning management system marketRequest Sample @Rapid Adoption of Learning Management Systems in Developing Countries of APACLearning management systems are predominantly adopted in education and corporate sectors in North America, because of which, the region accounted for the leading share in the global LMS market in 2015. The U.S. has been the major contributor to the LMS market in North America, considering the established network facilitating e-learning in the country.The presence of a large number of universities offering online courses also contributes to the high adoption of LMS in the U.S. The rise in technological investments in the corporate sector has also supported the rapid adoption of online training and subsequently learning management systems. The proliferation of smart devices such a smartphones, laptops, and tablets has further influenced the LMS market in North America.The Asia Pacific market for LMS is projected to present high scope for growth during the forecast period. Developed countries such as Japan are the leading contributors in terms of the adoption of learning management systems in the region.Ongoing network infrastructure developments in India and Philippines and growing investments in the commercial sector are also anticipated to favor the LMS market in Asia Pacific. Government initiatives to promote digital education is another factor expected to create potential opportunities for LMS vendors in the coming years.The major companies in the global LMS market include ACS Technologies Group, Inc., Blackboard Inc., Cornerstone Ondemand, Inc., IST AB, IBM Corporation, McGraw-Hill Education, Oracle Corporation, Saba Software, Inc., SAP SE, Skillsoft Limited, Upside Learning Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and Instructure, Inc.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Gas Detection Equipment Market:Companies Bank on Differentiated Products to Beat Competition

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The global gas detection equipment market has been expanding at a steady pace over the past few years and is likely to exhibit a stable growth rate through the forecast period.Stringent government legislations regarding the safety of workers and property and the rising gas exploration activities around the world are the prominent factors supporting the growth of the gas detection equipment market. The soaring demand for energy has also accelerated the market growth as an increasing number customers worldwide have shown a preference for gas-powered equipment.However, the rising level of competition in the market is resulting in a decreased profit margin, thereby decreasing investments in this market. This factor acts as a major hindrance to the growth of the gas detection equipment market.The global gas detection market is poised to expand from a value of US$3.4 bn in 2015 to reach US$5.6 bn by 2024, registering a 5.6% CAGR therein.Obtain Report Details @Portable Gas Detection Equipment Offer Host of Advantages over Fixed DetectorsOn the basis of product, the global gas detection equipment market is dominated by the fixed gas detectors, which accounted for around 55.0% of the total revenue in 2015. The segment is expected to retain its lead position throughout the forecast period due to its increasing use in industrial set-ups requiring continuous monitoring.By technology, single gas detection equipment held the major share of nearly 74.0% in the market in 2015 owing to its compact as well as lightweight design. On the basis of type of gas, equipment used for the detection of combustible gases held the leading share, accounting for a share of 46.0% in 2015.Based on end use, the industrial sector accounted for the dominant share owing to the presence of a large number of heavy operating areas such as chemicals and food and beverages. The oil and gas end-use segment held the second highest revenue share in 2015. The growing demand for energy worldwide, particularly for gas, has rendered oil and gas the major end-use industry for gas detection equipment.Request Sample @Rapid Industrial and Infrastructural Growth Presents Lucrative Options for APAC MarketNorth America held the major share in the global gas detection equipment market in 2015, which is approximately one-third of the total market based on revenue. The rising adoption of gas detection equipment, mainly in government organizations, has contributed toward the growth of the market in this region.Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness significant growth in the gas detection equipment market due to high industrial growth and the increasing use of advanced technologies such as drones equipped with gas detectors across countries such as Singapore and Japan.Due to the rising number of gas exploration projects in Asia Pacific, the region is slated to provide tremendous growth opportunities for the gas detection equipment market in the coming years. TMR notes that the demand sources are comparatively higher in this region than that in developed regions such as North America and Europe and this will act as a major growth driver.Some of the key gas detection equipment manufacturers are Riken Keiki Co. Ltd., Industrial Scientific Corporation, Mine Safety Appliances, Siemens AG, Trolex Ltd., RAE Systems Inc., Sensidyne, LP, Honeywell Analytics, GE Measurement & Control Solutions, ESP Safety Inc., Schauenburg International GmbH, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, and Sensor Electronic.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Industrial Boilers Market Analysis, Market Size, Market Growth, Competitive Strategies, and Worldwide Demand during 2017-2024

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The Global Industrial Boilers Market accounted for USD 12.32 billion in 2016 and projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Request for Free Sample Report @Global Industrial Boilers Market By Fuel Type (Natural Gas & Biomass, Coal, Oil); Type (Water Tube, Fire Tube); Boiler Horse Power (10BHP-150BHP, 151BHP-300BHP, 301BHP-600BHP); End-Use Industry (Food, Chemical, Refineries, Primary Metal); Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Market Definition: Global Industrial Boilers MarketIndustrial boilers are an indispensable part of process plants where steam is used to supply heat to various processes being carried out. A lot of discussion happens around the attributes of a good industrial boiler. This article highlights ten features of industrial boilers which promise a good performance. It has its wide application in food, chemical, refineries, primary metal, and others. Increasing demand for clean and renewable energy sources and increasing natural gas usage may act as the major driver in the growth of Industrial boilers market. Strict emission standards may hamper the market.Complete report on Global Industrial Boilers Market Research Report 2017-2024 spread across 350 Pages, profiling Top companies and supports with tables and figuresKey Questions Answered in Global Industrial Boilers Market Report:-Our Report offers:- What will the market growth rate, Overview and Analysis by Type of Global Industrial Boilers Market in 2024? What are the key factors driving, Analysis by Applications and Countries Global Industrial Boilers Market? What are Dynamics, This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, and price analysis of top Vendors Profiles of Global Industrial Boilers Market? Who are Opportunities, Risk and Driving Force of Global Industrial Boilers Market? Who are the opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in Global Industrial Boilers Market? Business Overview by Type, Applications, Gross Margin and Market Share What are the Global Industrial Boilers Market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Market?Request for Detaild TOC:Top Key Players: John Wood Group plc Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. DEC GENERAL ELECTRIC Siemens AG Sofinter S.p.a BHEL Harbin Electric Corporation IHI Corporation Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. Thermax Global AB&CO ALFA LAVAL ANDRITZ Suzhou Hailu Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. Robey-Wellman Boilers & Furnaces Ltd. Taiyuan Boiler Group Co., Ltd. Superior Boiler Works, Inc. Vapor Power Bryan Steam Hurst Boiler & Welding Co, Inc. and others.Avail 10% Instant Discount on Purchase of this report Mail us on: sales@databridgemarketresearch.comMajor Market Drivers and Restraints: Increasing demand for clean and renewable energy sources Increasing natural gas usage High cost of installation Strict emission standardsFor more insightful information visit @Customize report of "Global Industrial Boilers Market" as per customers requirement also available.Market Segmentations:Global Industrial Boilers Market is segmented on the basis of Fuel Type Type Boiler Horse Power End-Use Industry GeographyMarket Segmentations in Details:On the basis of Fuel Type into natural gas & biomass, coal, oil, and others.On the basis of Type, the global industrial boilers market is segmented into lay-up, pultrusion, resin transfer molding, injection molding, filament winding, compression molding, and others.On the basis of Boiler Horse Power, the global industrial boilers market is segmented into 10BHP-150BHP, 151BHP-300BHP, and 301BHP-600BHPOn the basis of End-Use Industry, the global industrial boilers market is segmented into food, chemical, refineries, primary metal, and others.On the basis of geography North America South America Europe Asia-Pacific Middle East & AfricaCompetitive Landscape: Global Industrial Boilers MarketThe global industrial boilers market is consolidated due to the presence of limited number of players concentrated in few countries. These major players have adopted various organic as well as inorganic growth strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, and others to strengthen their position in this market.Speak to Author of the Report@Other ReportGlobal Ransom Ware Protection Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Ransom ware protection Market, By Geography, Solution (Standalone Anti-Ransom Ware Software, Secure Web Gateways, Application Control, IDS/IPS, Web Filtering, Threat Intelligence), Service (Managed Services, Professional Services), Application, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market ResearchData Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit BlogFollow us on LinkedIn:
Integrated Passive Devices Market - Industry Analysis,Trends and Forecast upto 2025

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Global Integrated Passive Devices Market: OverviewIntegrated passive devices are gaining popularity due to soaring needs for further reduction in size and cost and increment in functionality in handheld devices. These devices enable miniaturization of devices by combining different functional blocks, including couplers, impedance matching devices, harmonic filters, and baluns, and integrating them into one semiconductor chip. There are primarily three types of integrated passive devices, which are electrostatic discharge (ESD), electromagnetic interference (EMI), and radio frequency (RF). They find application in LED lighting, data converters, and EMI/RFI filtering. The report provides a 360-degree view of the global integrated passive devices market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Integrated Passive Devices Market: Key TrendsThe rising adoption of integrated passive devices in consumer electronics is one of the primary forces behind the remarkable growth of the global integrated passive devices market. Integrated passive devices are being increasingly acknowledged due to their ability to reduce costs and interconnection complexities in electronic devices and enhancing yield, reliability, and tolerance. The increasing integration of these devices with RF modules is also working in favor of the market.On the flip side, the higher cost of these devices as compared to discrete component is restricting the global integrated passive devices market from realizing its utmost potential. Moreover, the longer product design cycle due to the RF tuning of these devices is negatively impacting the growth of the market.Request TOC of the Report @Global Integrated Passive Devices Market: Market PotentialA raft of players are bonking on mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their product portfolio and enhance their visibility in the global integrated passive devices market. A case in point is Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., (Murata), which in October 2016 announced the acquisition of IPDiA. The acquisition will help the former in stepping up its game in the market and also strengthen its business within the sectors such as automotive, communication, and medical. Moreover, it will facilitate them in manufacturing leading edge integrated passive devices. The introduction of such devices is likely to revolutionize the global integrated passive devices market.Global Integrated Passive Devices Market: Geographical SegmentationThe key regions reviewed in the report are North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Europe will represent a substantial share in the global arena. A large number of integrated passive devices manufacturers are headquartered in the region. Moreover, the early adoption of novel technologies and strong demand for wearable devices and consumer electronics are creating fertile ground for the growth of the integrated passive devices market in the region.Get Discount @Asia Pacific is a highly promising market. The rapid development in the telecommunication infrastructure and rising demand for consumer electronics and communication devices are supplementing the growth of the region. Emerging countries such as South Korea, India, and China will be the sights of high growth rate in the region.Global Integrated Passive Devices Market: Competitive LandscapeThe majority of large players in the global integrated passive devices market are investing sizeable funds in research and development activities to introduce advanced and innovative products, which will help them in staying ahead in the market. Companies are also focusing towards mergers and acquisitions to expand and diversify their product portfolio. Some of the prominent global participants in the market are On Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies AG, Stats ChipPAC, Amkor Technology Inc., Murata-IPDiA, STMicroelectronics, Onchip Devices, and AFSC.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
IV Equipment Market is anticipated to witness a steady CAGR of 5% from 2017 to 2022.

Iv Equipment Market

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Rising cases of needle stick injuries, the shift in demand towards ambulatory surgical centers and fusion pumps, and a greater number of surgical procedures performed are poised to benefit the IV equipment market. Furthermore, a prevalence of chronic diseases in an ageing population in developed nations are positive signs for the IV equipment market. However, lack of wireless connectivity, regulatory mandates for new product launches and increasing cases of medication errors inhibit the unencumbered growth of the IV equipment market that is anticipated to witness a steady CAGR of 5% from 2017 to 2022.Read Report @The IV catheter segment is the most popular in the IV equipment market and should remain so for the foreseeable future. The IV catheter segment is expected to be worth more than US$ 2.7 billion in 2017 itself and companies are recommended to target this segment with gusto. The infusion pump segment is a close second in the IV equipment market in terms of product type segment and is likely to be the biggest winner in terms of market share. Key stakeholders in the IV equipment market would do well to focus their energy on the Europe infusion pumps market as the region accounts for more than a third of the revenue contributionThe securement device segment and stopclocks & valve segment have single digit revenue share in the IV equipment market. While the former is projected to lose market share, the latter is on track to gain share and companies may seek to take advantage of this. The stopcock & valves segment is estimated to grow with a CAGR of just under 6% from 2017 to 2022. Along with Europe, the stopcocks & valves segment has strong potential in APEJThe drip chamber and needleless connector segment have a revenue share of less than a tenth in the IV equipment market at the end of 2017. The needleless connector segment is predicted to lose substantial share in the near future while the drip chamber segment should fall slowly. The Europe drip chamber segment is assessed to grow past more than US$ 285 million at the end of the forecast period. The needleless connector segment also has the greatest potential in Europe. Along with Europe, companies could additionally target the North America needleless connector segmentHospitals hold the lions share in the IV equipment market by end user segment and are forecast to hold steady for the medium to long term. Hospitals are the most-well equipped to deal with any and every patient need pertaining to IV treatment. Europe is the largest region in the hospital segment of the IV equipment market but there is a close competition for the second place between APEJ and North AmericaThe companies profiled in the IV equipment market are AngioDynamics, Moog Inc., Terumo Corporation, C. R. Bard, ICU Medical, Smiths Group, Baxter International Inc., Fresenius SE & Co., B. Braun Melsungen AG, and Becton, Dickinson and CompanyRequest Sample Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based 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.comWeb:
Desiccant Wheel Market: Silica Gel to Remain Most Commonly Used Material in Desiccant Wheels

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Desiccant wheels are experiencing a vast rise in demand from a number of industry verticals such as food and beverages, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals for maintaining the regulatory standards associated to the relative humidity (RH) levels in production infrastructures. In the next few years, reduction in electricity costs and portability of desiccant dehumidifiers are expected to increase the popularity of desiccant wheels on a global front.Furthermore, desiccant dehumidifiers have demonstrated their ability to be much more effective than compressor-based dehumidifiers when it comes to extracting moisture in short time spans.Transparency Market Research states that the global desiccant wheel market will expand at a healthy pace in the next few years. The market is estimated to expand at a 4.9% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. If the number holds true, the market, which valued at US$296.5 mn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$ 463.0 mn by 2024.desiccant wheel marketObtain Report Details @Silica Gel to Retain Position as Dominant Desiccant VarietyOf the key varieties of desiccants commonly used in desiccant wheels in the global market, including activated alumina, molecular sieve, and silica gel, the segment of silica gel led, holding a nearly 68% of the global market in 2015. The segment dominated chiefly owing to silica gels comparatively cheaper costs than other alternatives. Silica gel desiccant wheels are also known to have extremely good moisture adsorption capabilities, resulting in the production of dryer air.Furthermore, silica gel desiccants are considered to be safe for use in food and beverage industry by several regulating authorities. Also, silica gel is non-flammable and has a higher shelf life, resulting in durable desiccant wheels.In terms of key application areas of silica gel desiccants, their applications in the food industry accounted for a significant share in the segments overall revenue valuation in 2015. The food industry has a high adoption rate of desiccant wheels due to the new and improved manufacturing processes requiring dry environment. Food safety rules and regulations have forced enterprises to install desiccant dehumidifiers within manufacturing facilities. Other desiccant varieties can contaminate the perishable goods present within the premises.Request Sample @Market in Asia Pacific to Lead to Most Lucrative ReturnsFrom a geographical perspective, the desiccant wheels market in North America held the dominant position in 2015. High adoption of desiccant wheels for dehumidification purpose across pharmaceutical and chemical sectors in the past few years has helped the North America desiccant wheels market stay ahead of other regional markets.Manufacturing units of pharmaceutical products need a controlled environment as these products are highly reactive to moisture. Raw materials used for tablet manufacturing are extremely hygroscopic and can absorb moisture quickly. Moisture can affect the weight, quality and firmness of the end product. Similarly, chemical manufacturing companies must maintain specific humidity levels within the premises as various chemicals show adverse reactions after interaction with moisture.However, due to the growing needs from the flourishing manufacturing sector and growing heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) needs from the expanding infrastructure, Asia Pacific desiccant wheels market is expected to outpace North America, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, the manufacturing sector in emerging economies such as China and India are anticipated to drive the desiccant wheel market.These countries have a large number of manufacturing plants and their number is expected to further grow during the forecast period. Furthermore, increasing concentration of desiccant wheel manufacturers and product varieties with comparatively lower prices is also expected to drive the market during the forecast period.Some of the key players operating in the global desiccant wheel market are Munters, NovelAire Technologies, DRI, Rotor Source, Inc., Trane, Proflute AB, Airxchange Inc., Seibu Giken DST AB, Greenheck Fan Corporation, and Flakt WoAbout 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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart Factory Market - Value Chain Analysis and Forecast upto 2025

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Global Smart Factory Market: OverviewThe global smart factory sector has been propelled by the need for efficient and precise ways of operating a manufacturing unit. The increasing adoption of industrial robots in the global manufacturing sector was the first step for the smart factory market. Modern factories incorporate sophisticated industrial robotic systems, Internet of Things technology, and machine communication technology to enable smooth automated manufacturing. The rising government support to the smart factory sector, due to their increased output and the benefit of the same on the nations economy, is likely to enable sustained growth of the smart factory market in the coming years.Global Smart Factory Market: Key TrendsThe rising demand for industrial robots and the steady technological progression of the industrial robotics sector is one of the key drivers for the global smart factory market. Industrial robots offer significantly higher precision and a lower error rate than human workers. Large-scale use of industrial robots also raises the productivity of the manufacturing unit, providing a significant cost advantage. As a result, human factory workers across the world could find themselves without a livelihood following steady growth of the global smart factory market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The booming automotive industry is one of the prime consumers in the global smart factory market and is likely to remain influential in the smart factory sector in the coming years. Due to the rising need for extremely precise engineering in automotive design, smart factory solutions such as industrial robotics are becoming popular in the automotive industry. The steady growth of the automotive industry due to the rising disposable income of consumers across the world is thus one of the key drivers for the global smart factory market in the coming years. The rising automotive industry in Southeastern and Eastern Asia could play a particularly important role in the global smart factory market in the coming years.Global Smart Factory Market: Market PotentialSouth Korea is likely to be a leading regional market for smart factory technology in Asia Pacific due to rising government as well as corporate interest. The South Korean government had earlier set the target of having 10,000 smart factories operational in the country by 2020. In April 2017, the government extended its support to the smart factory market in the country by upping the target to 30,000 smart factories by 2025. South Koreas determination to remain a leading light in the industrial sector has made it a pioneer in terms of the adoption of digital and automation technologies, which is likely to benefit the smart factory market immensely in the coming years.Request TOC of the Report @Global Smart Factory Market: Geographical DynamicsDeveloping countries in Asia Pacific are likely to be the dominant leaders in the global smart factory market in the coming years. Apart from South Korea, the smart factory market has also received steady government support in China, Japan, Taiwan, and India. The rapid pace of urbanization in these dynamic economies is a prime factor aiding the smart factory markets growth in the region.Get Discount @Global Smart Factory Market: Competitive DynamicsThe global smart factory market is dominated by companies that have established mutually beneficial partnerships with technology companies. Fanuc-Cisco and Kuka-Huawei are among the leading lights in the global smart factory market. ABB-IBM, a relatively recent collaboration, could also play a key role in the development of the global smart factory market in the coming years. Other key players in the global smart factory market include Emerson Electric Co., General Electric Co., Atos SE, Schneider Electric SE, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens AG, and Yaskawa Electric.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Facilities Management Market: Outsourcing Support Services Emerges as Key Trend in the U.S.

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The increasing emphasis of industries on process optimization and improved energy efficiency of services in business activities is the primary contributor to the growth of the North America facilities management market. In addition, an increasing focus on the development of sustainable solutions in business activities has had a high impact on the adoption of facilities management in North America.The rising adoption of automated equipment in the manufacturing and healthcare sectors has also resulted in the strong demand for technical services such as maintenance and repair, which in turn, benefits the facilities management market.The North America facilities management market was valued at US$198.26 bn in 2015 and is anticipated to reach US$610.21 bn by the end of forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 13.5% therein.Obtain Report Details @Soft Services to Exhibit Higher DemandBased on type of service, the demand for soft services is highest in the North America facilities management market. The hard service segment, on the other hand, is anticipated to exhibit a comparatively lower growth rate over the forecast period.Within the hard services segment, the mechanical and electrical maintenance sub-segment is expected to exhibit a comparatively higher surge in facilities management outsourcing, resulting in healthier market growth during the forecast period. The sub-segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 13.7% from 2016 to 2024. Within the soft services segment, the cleaning and pest control sub-segment is expected to hold a significant share in the market revenue throughout the forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 13.0%.Based on industry, the corporate sector is estimated to hold a leading share of 21.1% in 2016 in the North America facilities management market. The retail and commercial sector is expected to grow at a high CAGR of 14.1% from 2016 to 2024. This is primarily due to an increase in the outsourcing of non-core services such as cleaning, security, repair, and maintenance.Request Sample @Rising Demand for High-quality Services across Industries Drives U.S. MarketThe U.S. accounted for more than 50% of the total North America facilities management market in 2015. The rising demand for cost reduction and performance improvement and the need for enhanced service quality in business activities have led to the growth of the facilities management market in the country.Industries in the U.S. are emphasizing on outsourcing support services to gain third-party expertise in processes and to enhance their core business activities. The increasing demand for high-quality services throughout the service application is contributing to the growing market for facilities management in the U.S.Canada holds close to one-third of the North America facilities management market in 2015 and is anticipated to witness increased growth during the forecast period. This is primarily attributed to the increasing adoption of facilities management services across multiple industries.The Mexico facilities management market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% during the forecast period. The rapidly growing manufacturing industries and processes across the country are likely to result in the rising demand for technical services such as plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance, and fire protection.The key players operating in the North America facilities management market include Bilfinger HSG Facility Management GmbH, Cofely, Compass Group PLC, Cresa, LLC, Ecolab USA Inc., GDI Integrated Facility Services, G4S plc, ISS World Services A/S, Mitie Group PLC, and Sodexo, Inc.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Latin America Seed Treatment Market Size Report 2016 to 2021

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Latin America is an emerging agricultural powerhouse, growing at a rapid pace above the global growth average. Growth in this region is significantly contributed by the growth in Brazil and Argentina, which are the worlds most potent agricultural producers, expected to grow well above the regional average. Argentina is the emerging market in the Latin American seed treatment market.According to the report Latin America Seed Treatment market, published by Market Data Forecast, the Market was worth USD 1853 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 11.04 %, to reach USD 1098 million by 2021.Seed treatment can be defined as the application of chemical ingredients or biological organisms to the seed that enables in suppressing, controlling or repelling plant pathogens, insects, or other pests that attack seeds, seedlings or plants. The term describes both products and processes. Processes range from hot water treatment to priming. In all cases, the basis of application techniques such as seed coating and pelleting is to deliver the product to the seed at the correct dose and as uniformly as possible from seed-to-seed.The driving factors for this market are the increasing population and food requirements, rise in cost of fertilizers & pesticides, and easier residue management. Seed treatment gained popularity due to various factors, including increasing cost of farm-level seed treatment and conventional agrochemical application, increased yield of high-quality agricultural produce, increasing rates of crop rotation and raising awareness among farmers about the benefits of using high-end agro products.Free sample of the report is available @Latin America Seed treatment Market Segmentation by Crop type, Application, Function and Region1. Crop Type Corn/Maize Soybeans Wheat Rice Canola Cotton and Other products2. Application Chemical Agentso Insecticideso Fungicides and other chemicals Biological Agents3. Function Crop Protection Chemicals Seed Enhancement4. Region Brazil Argentina Mexico and Rest of Latin AmericaSyngenta, Bayer CropScience and BASF are the top three players in the seed treatment market. Monsanto, BioWorks Inc, Valent USA Corp, Adama agricultural solutions ltd, Advanced biological marketing inc, Brettyoung limited, Chemtura agrosolutions, Dupont, Germains seed technology are the other major players in the market.About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.com
Aqua Feed Market Key Players, Growth, Analysis, 2013  2019

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Transparency Market Research has published a new report on the global aqua feed market. As per the report, the global aqua feed market is expected to progress from US$57.7 bn in 2012 to US$122.6 bn by 2019. The report, titled Aqua Feed Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019, states that the market is predicted to expand at an 11.40% CAGR during the period between 2013 and 2019. The markets growth will stem from the mounting consumption of fish worldwide.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Aqua feed is food formulated specifically for fishes, which is commercially manufactured via numerous industrial procedures. Aqua feed is primarily available as pellets, which contain important ingredients that provide nutrition to fish. As per the fish species and size to be fed, these pellets are available in many sizes. Further, the properties of pellets can be easily changed so that they sink to the bottom of fish tanks or float on the surface of the water. The nutrient contents of the feed can be controlled and this has benefitted the global aqua feed market in the recent past. Also, there has been a growth in the farming aquatic species such as crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.The fluctuating cost of raw materials used in aqua feed is predicted to hamper the growth of the global aqua feed market in the next few years. However, the rising demand for functional and conventional aqua feed from China and Rest of Asia is expected to benefit the global aqua feed market in the near future. The growth of the global aqua feed market is projected in the next few years due to the increasing demand for fish in various foods. The human consumption of fish is predicted to increase in the years to come, thereby driving the global aqua feed market.Obtain Report Details @The global aqua feed market is segmented on the basis of geography and end-users. By end-users, the global aqua feed market is classified into crustaceans, carp, catfish, salmon, mollusks, tilapia, and others such as milkfish, eels, and trout. In 2012, by end-user, the highest demand for aqua feed was from the carps segment, accounting for 25% of the global aqua feed market. Carps have the highest demand in the retail industry whereas crustaceans have the highest demand in the food and the pharmaceutical industries. The rising demand for aqua feed from end-user segments such as mollusks and salmons is expected to propel the global aqua feed market in the near future.Based on geography, the global aqua feed market is divided into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. In 2012, Asia Pacific accounted for a share of 65% in the global aqua feed market. Europe is expected to be the second-largest contributor to the global aqua feed market after Asia Pacific.In 1970, the contribution of aquaculture to the worldwide fisheries market was merely 4%. In 2006, the contribution grew to nearly 36%. It is predicted that, by 2020, 120-130 million tons of aquatic products will enter the global fisheries market thanks to the aquaculture industry. This growth of the aquaculture industry is expected to boost the global aqua feed market. Alltech Inc., Avanti Feeds Ltd., BioMar A/S, Cermaq ASA, Aller Aqua A/S, and Beneo GmbH are some of the key companies operating in the global aqua feed market.Key Segments of Aqua Feed MarketAqua Feed Market by End-UsersCrustaceansMollusksCarpSalmonCatfishTilapiaOthers (Trouts, eels, milkfish, etc.)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:
Smart Meters Market - Detailed Analysis and Forecast upto 2025

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Global Smart Meters Market: OverviewSmart meters are electronic devices that keep track of electric energy, gas, and water consumption in uniform time intervals and sends the information digitally to utility for monitoring and billing. They have been designed to better understand energy usage and ensure accurate energy bills. Besides this, they are also effective in controlling the levels of radioactive emissions in the eco-system. Smart meters are used for electricity, gas, and water and can be deployed across residential, industrial, and commercial sectors. These meters use technologies such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and automatic meter reading (AMR).Global Smart Meters Market: Key TrendsGovernment policies are playing a vital role in the growth of the global smart meters market. The ever-rising demand for energy in form of electricity is compelling governments worldwide to pay attention to not just its production and transmission but also keep a check on losses due to theft and leakage. This is promoting the installations of smart meters across the globe. In addition, the growing emphasis on energy and water conservation is augmenting the market. The global smart meters market is also supported by the increasing deployment of smart grid. Furthermore, the rising awareness regarding environment conservation is stoking the growth of the global market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the flip side, the lack of awareness among consumers is limiting the widespread adoption of smart meters. Moreover, the high cost of installation makes end users less willing to switch to these meters from traditional meters, thereby hampering the growth prospects of the market.Global Smart Meters Market: Market PotentialThe majority of key players in the global smart meters market are enjoying the encouraging policies by governments in several parts of the world to set up smart meters. For instance, with the digitization of the Energy Turnaround Act in July 2016 in Germany, the legislation established guidelines for initial smart meter rollout, which is set to begin in 2017. These guidelines lay the foundation for a new phase in Energiewende. Similarly, in the U.K. in July 2016, British Gas decided to offer free daytime electricity for one day per weekend to over 2 million customers who had smart meters deployed. Such initiatives encourage people around the world to deploy smart meters, thereby boosting the sales.Request TOC of the Report @Global Smart Meters Market: Geographical SegmentationThe North America market for smart meters is a highly lucrative marketplace for global participants. Continuous efforts by governments to improve the infrastructure pertaining to electricity, water, and gas supply along with deployment of devices that monitor and prevent their leakage are escalating the growth of the region. Governments in several parts of the U.S., and Mexico are rolling out smart meters at subsidized prices, which in turn is encouraging the growth of the market in North America.Asia Pacific, on the other hand, is an emerging market. The robust growth of the industrial sector and the pressing need for reliable systems to address growing electricity and water scarcity are driving the region. Besides this, the increasing investments in repairing and upgrading aging infrastructure and the booming concept of smart city are supplementing the growth of APAC.Get Discount @Global Smart Meters Market: Competition ScenarioThe high capital investment and technical acumen required for the manufacturing and distribution of smart meters is restricting new players from venturing into the global smart meters market. However, government regulations and strategic partnerships could help new players in overcoming high entry barriers. To deal with the high competitive rivalry, players are resorting to strategies such as product innovation and mergers and acquisitions. Some of the key companies operating in the global smart meters market are Itron Inc., Kamstrup A/S, Holley Metering Ltd., Landis+Gyr, Honeywell International Inc., and Toshiba Corporation.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Southeast Asia Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market to Reach Valuation US$154.7 mn by 2020

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With the growing competition in terms of recruiting the best professional, the need for recruitment process outsourcing is also increasing, states Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a research report. The companies are working towards making their services more reliable, swift, and readily available so that they could get an upper hand over their competitors. The impact of globalization is clearly visible here as more and more companies are opting for recruitment process outsourcing for recruiting talented professionals from across different regions. Thus, the companies providing these services have also rolled up their sleeves to be prepared for an upcoming competition in the global market. Some of the top drawers companies operating in the market are Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group, Zyoin Web Pvt. Ltd., Hudson Global, Inc., Talent Fusion, Atterro Human Capital Group, and Randstad Holding NV.According to a TMR analyst, The Southeast Asia recruitment process outsourcing market is expected to witness a 19.3% CAGR from 2014 to 2020. The market was worth US$45.6 mn in 2013 and by the end of 2020 it is expected to touch a valuation of US$154.7 mn.Browse Report @On-demand RPO to be Leading Engagement TypeBased on the engagement type, the Southeast Asia recruitment process outsourcing market has been classified into end-to-end RPO and on-demand RPO. Among these engagement types, the segment of on-demand RPO dominated the Southeast Asia market with maximum share in terms of revenue in 2013. This dominant position can be credited to the grander advantages of on-demand RPO engagement in comparison to the end-to-end one. For instance, the on-demand RPO comprises outsourcing some portions of the complete recruitment procedure. This makes on-demand RPO services inexpensive in comparison to the end-to-end recruitment process outsourcing and permits client establishments to have enhanced control over their recruitment procedures.Region-wise, the market has been segmented into Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Rest of Southeast Asia. In 2013, the Rest of Southeast Asia held for the leading share of around 78% of the Southeast Asia recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) market. This progress can be attributed to equally high acceptance of these facilities in Singapore and Malaysia. Furthermore, the demand for recruitment process outsourcing in the Rest if Southeast Asia is also driven by the growing IT outsourcing industry in Myanmar and Philippines.Mounting Client Demand to be Favorable for MarketRecruitment process outsourcing (RPO) denotes to outsourcing of diverse recruitment procedures to an exterior service supplier. It is a sort of business process outsourcing (BPO) where the company removes all or a part of the recruitment processes to a RPO provider. The RPO providing corporations work as an allowance to the human resource subdivision of the client group and manages the recruitment process liable upon the necessities of the client. Diverse procedures outsourced by the client association include probing for candidates, arranging their interviews, careers posting and other significant roles in recruitment.Request Sample @The market for recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) in Southeast Asia is driven by high advantages obtainable by these solutions over traditional in-house recruitment processes. The most important benefit of outsourcing the recruitment processes is the decrease in the costs of operations. Moreover, RPO providers have a devoted team of recruiters that safeguard the capable management of the recruitment procedures of the client association. Other than this, RPO suppliers undertake the responsibility of hiring applicants and other recruitment procedures for the client establishments. Therefore, by outsourcing recruitment processes to the RPO provider, the client groups can pay attention on their essential competencies more professionally.About TMRTransparency 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.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453
Surgical Sutures Market - In-Depth Analysis & Forecast upto 2025

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Global Surgical Sutures Market: OverviewSurgical sutures are medical tools used to stitch open wounds and close the surgical incision. The growing awareness regarding healthcare, especially in low- and middle-income countries is impacting the global market for surgical sutures. On the basis of product, the global surgical sutures market can be bifurcated into non-automated sutures and automated suturing devices. Non-automated sutures can be absorbable and non-absorbable. Similarly, automated devices are disposable and reusable. Based on applications, the market can be segmented into general surgeries, cardiovascular surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, gynecology surgeries, and ophthalmic surgeries.Global Surgical Sutures Market: Key TrendsThe growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes is leading to the rising number of surgical procedures worldwide. This factor is, thereby, creating a staggering volume of demand for surgical sutures. The increasing focus on research and development activities is facilitating the launch of advanced sutures, which in turn is also working in favor of the market. Besides this, expenditure on the majority of surgical sutures is covered under insurance policies, therefore, the presence of favorable reimbursement scenario is stoking the growth of the market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the flip side, the growing preference for minimally invasive surgical procedures is creating a dent in the global demand for surgical sutures. Moreover, the lack of proper sterilization systems in healthcare organizations and presence of a number of substitute wound care management products are impeding the growth of the market.Global Surgical Sutures Market: Market PotentialTo ensure maximum profit, market players are focusing towards the development of innovative and safe sutures. For instance, in September 2016, Mellon Medical unveiled a precision-suturing instrument, Switch, which allows surgeons to suture tubular and layered structures about twice as fast as the traditional technique at reduced risk of complications. This is expected to allow enhanced patient outcome and reduced costs. The international market launch of this instrument is anticipated to happen by 2018. The advent of such suturing devices is likely to work in favor of the global surgical sutures market. The adoption in robotics in suturing procedures is also poised to open new avenues for market players.Request TOC of the Report @Global Surgical Sutures Market: Geographical SegmentationGeographically, North America will account for a large chunk in the revenue pie of the global surgical sutures market. The expanding pool of patients suffering from lifestyle disorders, rapidly growing geriatric population, and conducive healthcare reforms are contributing to the growth of the region. The domicile of a large number of key players also provides a competitive edge to North America over other regions.Asia Pacific is expected to witness healthy growth during the forecast period. Large population base, rising consumer spending on healthcare, and booming medical tourism sector are rendering the region highly opportunistic. The growth of the region can also be attributed to the growing number of people undergoing surgical procedures and improving healthcare infrastructure.Get Discount @Global Surgical Sutures Market: Competitive ScenarioKey companies are primarily focusing towards developing absorbable and anti-bacterial sutures, which will help them in enhancing their visibility in the global surgical sutures market. Several players are looking upon mergers and acquisitions as key growth strategies to expand their product portfolio. The market features high competitive rivalry among players in terms of pricing. Some of the prominent participants in the global market are Lotus Surgicals Pvt. Ltd., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Ethicon Inc., DemeTECH Corporation, Medtronic Plc., Smith & Nephew Plc., Sutures India Pvt. Ltd., CP Medical, Boston Scientific Corporation, and Teleflex Medical OEM.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Peripheral vascular device Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecasts (20162021)

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Peripheral vascular device is utilized as a part of the treatment of blood vessels outside of the heart and brain. The basic peripheral vascular disease incorporates the plaque developments which causes deficient blood flow because of the narrowing of the arteries. The people who have peripheral artery occlusive disease is consistently increasing globally and in this manner the peripheral vascular device market is venture to develop. The Global peripheral vascular device market was worth USD 7239.6 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 7.2%, to reach USD 10249.1 million by 2021.The global peripheral vascular device market will be driven by the rising interest for minimally invasive strategies, upsurge of peripheral vascular diseases, change in way of life and maturing population and the innovative technology in the development of new devices. Be that as it may, the market is limited by stringent administrative framework, repayment issues in many developing nations and highly fragmented market.Free sample of the report is available @The Global peripheral vascular device market is segmented by product type, Material, stents, Devices and by region1. By Product Type Normal balloon Cutting balloon Scoring Balloon Drug coated balloon2. By Material Non-Compliant Balloons Semi-Compliant Balloons3. By Stents Balloon expandable stent Self-expandable stents Covered stents4. By Devices Angioplasty Balloons and Stents Catheters Hemodynamic Flow Alteration Devices Plaque Modification Devices Vena Cava Filter Placement Devices Mechanical Atherectomy Devices Accessory Devices5. By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle-East & AfricaThe key market players in the worldwide scenario are Abbot Laboratories, Angioscore, Boston Scientific Corporation, Bayer AG, Emboline INC among numerous others.About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.com
Well Intervention Market - Future Market, Growth & Forecast upto 2025

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Global Well Intervention Market: OverviewWell intervention refers to assessing the potential of the well towards the end of its lifecycle. Well intervention operations provide an exact and an accurate analysis and diagnostics of the well to better the production levels through repairs and maintenance. The global well intervention market has been growing at a rapid pace due to the skyrocketing demand for energy. The unstoppable pace of urbanization and industrialization has instigated an unending demand for well maintenance, which necessitates timely interventions. The soaring demand for oil and gas is expected to be the key growth driver for the global well intervention market over the forecast period.Global Well Intervention Market: Key TrendsThe report suggests that the global well intervention market is likely to grow at a healthy CAGR due to rising number of deeper water activities as the subsea well count increases. The need for servicing is likely to soar due to increasing number of subsea wells. Rapid technological advancements have enabled production and exploration of oil and gas in extreme weather conditions and in toughest of terrains. This has resulted in depleting shallow water resources, thereby creating a need for well intervention.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Discoveries of newer oil fields and gas reserves have also triggered significant demand for well intervention. Analysts indicate that the demand for better recovery rates will also compel end users to opt for frequent well interventions in developed fields. Factors such as increased water or sand production, scaling in wells, and reduced pressure have been assessed to bolster the growth of the overall market.Global Well Intervention Market: Market PotentialThe fluctuating oil and gas prices across the globe has drastically affected the well intervention companies. To combat the fallout of volatile political conditions that are negatively impacting business, players in the global well intervention market are focusing on mergers and acquisitions to stay strong against the headwinds. For instance, GE Oil & Gas and Baker Hughes' joined hands in 2016 to add value to their product portfolio. The collaboration will be able to offer better intervention services to the aging oilfields. The companies are looking enable consumers to extract more hydrocarbons from current fields instead of developing new fields. This move is aimed at catering to consumers to are looking at making opex-driven decisions.Request TOC of the Report @Global Well Intervention Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographic point of view, the global well intervention market is segmented into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Of these regional markets, North America well intervention market is expected to lead the pack. Currently, the U.S. holds a dominant share in the regional due to ongoing activities in the shale gas industry. Analysts project that the increasing investments in shale gas in the U.S. are likely to drive the North America well intervention market throughout the forecast period.Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa market is also likely to experience a robust growth rate. Emerging economies of India and China are also likely to offer the global market a plethora of options to grow in the region of Asia Pacific. The burgeoning demand for oil and gas in these developing countries is expected to propel the Asia Pacific well intervention market over the forecast period.Get Discount @Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:Some of the key players operating in the global well intervention market are Baker Hughes Incorporated, GE Oil & Gas, Schlumberger Limited, Halliburton Company, Weatherford International plc, Archer Limited, Expro International Group Holdings Ltd., Welltec International ApS, Trican Well Service Ltd., TechnipFMC plc, Basic Energy Services, Inc., Key Energy Services, Inc., Superior Energy Services, Inc., and Lupatech SA , among others.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Abdominal Surgical Robots Global Market Research Report 2015 to 2021 | Chinese Surgical Robots, DePuy, Johnson & Johnson, Medrobotics, Titan Medical, Medtronic

Abdominal Surgical Robots

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Abdominal Surgical Robots: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 to 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Market Research announces that it has published a new study Abdominal Surgical Robots: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 to 2021. The 2015 study has 416 pages, 176 tables and figures. Worldwide abdominal surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth as next generation systems provide a way to improve traditional open surgery and decrease the number of ports needed for minimally invasive surgery.Intuitive Surgical owns the market as the sole participant with measurable market share in abdominal surgical robots. This leadership position will need to be defended as other products, now in clinical trials come to market. Advanced technology, an impressive installed base and a well trained group of surgeons able to manage the robots give Intuitive Surgical market advantage. Patients fare better when the surgery is done by surgical robots. The documentation of improvements in care delivery, the ability to ensure better outcomes from surgery promise that abdominal surgical robotics is a strong growth market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Abdominal robotic surgery is poised to eclipse open surgery. It is used in the categories of general surgery, urologic surgery, head and neck surgery, and gynecological surgery. Surgical robots are positioned to become the standard of care for hospitals in the delivery of abdominal surgery. The emerging group of several abdominal surgical robotic companies will collectively have enough marketing dollars and enough marketing clout to drive replacement of all open surgery.Abdominal surgical robots are evolving platforms that are useful for surgeons seeking to achieve excellence and repeatability in every surgery. Intuitive Surgical now dominates, is alone in the market, but several vendors with specialized products are targeting the large and rapidly growing abdominal robotic surgery market. The vendors expertise in a specialty gives them strategic advantage to address a large and growing market.Every surgeon working to perform gynecological surgery wants to practice at a hospital that has those abdominal robotic surgical devices, thus in order to attract physicians and patients, the hospitals have to purchase the robot surgical equipment. The penetration of the hospitals will go from 21% to 100% in the US within five years, as the surgeons migrate to the places that have the robotic surgical equipment. The abdominal surgical robots permit better surgery and the surgeons and patients know this.The technology uses metal tubes attached to the arms are inserted through the ports, and the cutting and visualization instruments are introduced through the tubes into the patients body. The surgeon performs the procedure while sitting at a console, manipulating the instrument controls and viewing the operation through a vision system. When a surgeon needs to change an instrument the instrument is withdrawn from the surgical field using the controls at the console and the nursing assistants switch instruments as per the physician instruction. This is done many times during an operation.Key elements of abdominal surgical robot strategy include a focus on key procedures. This study has a concentration on procedure analysis as that is the essence of the market. Existing procedures are easier, safer and more cost-effective than the alternative methods. The strategy is to broaden the number of procedures performed using a robotic surgical system and to educate surgeons, hospitals and patients as to the benefits of robotic surgery while understanding the numbers relating to procedure implementation.An analysis of abdominal robotic procedure volumes and variety procedures leads to the conclusion that Intuitive Surgical market position will be difficult to dislodge. Intuitive Surgical dominant position is based on technological excellence that keeps being improved. Competitors will have a difficult time catching up, much less improving on the Intuitive Surgical technology. True bedside units and lower cost will help other competitors emergeIntuitive Surgical has achieved close to market saturation in colorectal surgery in the US, it will work on increasing its presence in other surgical market sectors. The leading robotic surgical companies are poised to grow through acquisition, purchasing smaller companies that have developed as specialized product and gained FDA approval. As detailed in the market research study there are a lot of those in every medical specialty and more to come.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The surgical robot market is characterized enormous variety and innovation. A surgical robot recurring revenue business model is essentially a large one time purchase for a system complimented by replaceable or disposable instruments that cumulatively make the market a much larger and sustainable ongoing market. Vendors make money from the one time sale of a system and recurring revenue from sale of devices used in every operation.Initially, a vendor sells and installs the surgical system into new customer accounts. Once systems are sold into customer accounts, the vendor generates recurring revenue as our customers use the system to perform surgery. To do abdominal surgeries, the customers need to buy and consume instruments and accessory products. Vendors also generate recurring revenue from system service.The automated process revolution in surgery and communications is being implemented via robots. Robots automation of systems is providing significant improvement in the accuracy of surgery and the repeatability of process.According to Susan Eustis, lead author of the study, Existing open abdominal surgery can be replaced in large part by robotic abdominal surgery during the forecast period. Abdominal robotic surgical approaches complement existing open surgery techniques. Soon, all surgery will be undertaken with at least come aspects of robotic surgery replacing or complementing open surgery.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site. Surgeons no longer have to stand throughout the surgery and do not tire as quickly. Hand tremors are filtered out by the robots computer software. The surgical robot can continuously be used by rotating surgery teams.Abdominal surgical robot device markets at $2.2 billion in 2014 are anticipated to reach $10.5 billion by 2021 as next generation devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery through small ports in the body instead of large open wounds.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for abdominal robotic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Market Research is an independent research organization funded by the sale of market research studies all over the world and by the implementation of ROI models that are used to calculate the total cost of ownership of equipment, services, and software. The company has 35 distributors worldwide, including Global Information Info Shop, Market Research.com, Research and Markets, Bloomberg, and Thompson Financial. It conducts its business with integrity.Market Research is an independent research organization funded by the sale of market research studies all over the world and by the implementation of ROI models that are used to calculate the total cost of ownership of equipment, services, and software. The company has 35 distributors worldwide, including Global Information Info Shop, Market Research.com, Research and Markets, Bloomberg, and Thompson Financial. Market Research is positioned to help customers facing challenges that define the modern enterprises. The increasingly global nature of science, technology and engineering is a reflection of the implementation of the globally integrated enterprise. Customers trust Market research to work alongside them to ensure the success of the participation in a particular market segment.Market Research supports various market segment programs; provides trusted technical services to the marketing departments. It carries out accurate market share and forecast analysis services for a range of commercial and government customers globally. These are all vital market research support solutions requiring trust and integrity.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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Global Tissue Paper Market Research Report 2017 Key Players Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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In this report, the global Tissue Paper market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Tissue Paper in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest a Sample Report @Global Tissue Paper market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingProcter&GambleKimberly-ClarkGeorgia-PacificMetsaSvenska Cellulosa AktiebolagetSeventh Generation (US)Oji Holdings(JP)Wausau PaperSolarisCascadesSofidelRosesAtlasMerfinKrugerVonDrehleSoundviewYuen Foong Yu Paper(TW)Hengan Group(CN)APPVinda GroupCN)C&S Paper (CN)Dongguan White Swan PaperShandong TralinGuangxi Guitang GroupDongguan White Swan PaperJiangsu Shuangdeng PaperOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHandkerchief PaperNapkinKleenexOtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Tissue Paper for each application, includingHouseholdCommercialMake an enquiry of this Report @Table of ContentsGlobal Tissue Paper Market Research Report 20171 Tissue Paper Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Tissue Paper1.2 Tissue Paper Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Tissue Paper Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Tissue Paper Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Handkerchief Paper1.2.4 Napkin1.2.5 Kleenex1.2.6 Other1.3 Global Tissue Paper Segment by Application1.3.1 Tissue Paper Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Household1.3.3 Commercial1.4 Global Tissue Paper Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Tissue Paper Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Tissue Paper (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Tissue Paper Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Tissue Paper Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Tissue Paper Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Tissue Paper Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Tissue Paper Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Tissue Paper Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Tissue Paper Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Tissue Paper Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Tissue Paper Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Tissue Paper Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Tissue Paper Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Tissue Paper Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Tissue Paper Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Tissue Paper Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Tissue Paper Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Tissue Paper Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Tissue Paper Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Tissue Paper Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Tissue Paper Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Tissue Paper Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Tissue Paper Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Tissue Paper Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Tissue Paper Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Tissue Paper Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Tissue Paper Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Tissue Paper Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Tissue Paper Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesContinuedPurchase Report @ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Increasing Number of Restaurants in China and Hong Kong to Drive the Growth of Food Service Equipment Market in Future, According to Research Nester.

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The China & Hong Kong food service equipment market is segmented into product such as food preparation equipment, drink preparation equipment, cooking equipment, refrigerators and chillers and wash ware equipments. Furthermore, food preparation equipment is segmented into slicers and peelers, mixers and grinders, hand held food blenders, food processors and others. Among these segments, mixers and grinders segment is expected to occupy top position in overall food service equipment market during the forecast period. High adoption rate of mixers and grinders by residential and commercial (food chains, restaurants and others) end users is boosting the growth of the mixer and grinder market. Moreover, availability of low cost mixer and grinders is expected to fuel the growth of mixer and grinder market.China & Hong Kong food service equipment market is expected to flourish at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Moreover, the China & Hong Kong food service equipment market is expected to garner USD 4,181 Million by the end of 2023. Rapid urbanization coupled with increasing number of restaurants in China and Hong Kong is anticipated to fuel the growth of China & Hong Kong market.The quick service restaurants segment by end user is estimated to register a robust CAGR during the forecast period. Moreover, the quick service restaurants segment is expected to account for the largest share of revenue in China and Hong Kong market. Rapid growing quick service restaurants and improvisation in chain stores are expected to propel the growth of quick service restaurants segment. Further, development of new food brands and changing food eating habits of the people is increasing the demand for fast foods which further is anticipated to propel the growth of the China and Hong Kong quick service restaurant equipment market.Rising Demand for Fast FoodsIncreasing expansion of quick service restaurants is fueling the demand for fast foods. Moreover, as of 2015, the number of KFC and Pizza hut outlets was estimated to be 4800 and 1300 respectively. Further, as per a press release, Yum! China, the parent organization of KFC and Pizza hut, announced that is planning to open 20,000 restaurants in China by 2020, which is likely to stimulate the growth of food service equipment market during the forecast period.Request For Free Sample Pages:Rapid UrbanizationFactors such as rising per capita income, rapid urbanization, changing lifestyles are resulting in the augmented growth of the restaurants in China and Hong Kong. Moreover, as per World Bank, the consumer expenditure on eating out in China expanded to USD 507 Billion in 2016. These factors are expected to accelerate the growth of the food service equipment market.Although, high cost and regular maintenance of equipment and healthcare concerns such as high obesity risk associated with fast foods are some of the factors is likely to dampen the growth of food service equipment market during the forecast period.The report titled Food Service Equipment Market: China & Hong Kong Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023 delivers detailed overview of the China & Hong Kong food service equipment market in terms of market segmentation by product, by end user and by region.Further, for the in-depth analysis, the report encompasses the industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, BPS analysis and Porters five force model.Request For TOC Pages:This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the China & Hong Kong food service equipment market which includes company profiling of Dover Corporation, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Carlisle Companies Incorporated, John Bean Technologies Corporation, Manitowoc Food Service, Inc., The Middleby Corporation, Standex International Corporation, AB Electrolux, Fujimak Corporation and Rational AG. The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which encompasses business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. On the whole, the report depicts detailed overview of the China & Hong Kong food service equipment market that will help industry consultants, equipment manufacturers, existing players searching for expansion opportunities, new players searching possibilities and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to the ongoing and expected trends in the future.Request For Buy Now:Research Nester is a leading service provider for strategic market research and consulting. We aim to provide unbiased, unparalleled market insights and industry analysis to help industries, conglomerates and executives to take wise decisions for their future marketing strategy, expansion and investment etc. We believe every business can expand to its new horizon, provided a right guidance at a right time is available through strategic minds. Our out of box thinking helps our clients to take wise decision so as to avoid future uncertainties.For Table of Content & Free Sample Report Contact:Name:-Ajay DanielEmail: ajay.daniel@researchnester.comU.S. +1 646 586 9123U.K. +44 203 608 5919Website:-
Global Russia Beer and Cider Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis By 2021

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SummaryRussia Beer and Cider Market Insights 2017 report provides a complete overview of the Russia beer and cider industry structure offering a comprehensive insight into historical background trends, 2016 performance and 2017 outlook.ScopeCovering total market (on and off-premise) the report details -- 2011-2016 actual detailed beer consumption volume data by segment, brand, brewer, packaging and distribution (on-/off-premise), with 2017 forecasts.- Value by distribution channel 2011-2016, with 2017 forecasts.- Overview of the competitive landscape in the beer and cider market, with analysis of key company performance.- Insightful and valuable analysis of the drivers behind both current and emerging trends in the beer and cider market.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Reasons to buy- Gain an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and structure of the Russia beer and cider industry, from the latest competitive intelligence of both historical and forecast trends to enhance your corporate strategic planning.- Evaluate the current emerging trends and future growth opportunities in the Russia beer and cider market to support your brand development and marketing initiatives.- Understand volume vs. value trends and identify the key growth opportunities across the super-premium, premium, mainstream and discount segments to best target profitability.- Analyze domestic and imported beer brand performance and determine the key trends driving consumption preference to develop a competitive advantage.- Interrogate the unique granularity of our data to analyze the market on a variety of levels to make well-informed decisions on future threats and growth prospects in the marketplace for your company.Table of Content: Key Points1. Executive Summary2. Market Context3. Emerging Trends4. Brands and Private Label5. Market Share by Brewer6. Packaging Trends7. Channel and Pricing Trends8. Marketing and Innovation9. Outlook10. Appendix11. Methodology12. Product DefinitionsContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook: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 RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Electronic Health Records Software Market 2017 by Key Players - Drchrono, Greenway, Kareo, Epic Systems

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The Global Electronic Health Records Software Market report is an in-depth assessment, which includes enabling key trends, challenges, technologies, market drivers, standardization, deployment models, regulatory landscape, operator case studies, future roadmap, ecosystem player profiles, opportunities and value chain. The report also offers a market forecast for the readers investments from 2017 to 2022.The research report also enables the information sharing feasibility, minimizes or eliminates the duplication of efforts, preserves record, facilities organization of research results, maintains the official file and avails the basis of commerciality decision. The report focuses on industrial opportunities, challenges, specific drivers and restraints, along with the analysis of key micro markets strategically.Download Free Sample Report @The critical information has also been gathered by our market research team members that are essential for the determinations of capabilities of industry including industry practices, market trends, available technologies, standard terms and conditions, availability of services or products and competitive market forces.The growth rate majorly depends on the augmented use of the various networks of telecommunication as well as constant technological evolution in this sector. The report highlights a clear idea for the readers about entire market scenario to decide on this project further in the market. The growth can also be granted to signal clarity, if compared with the noise performance of better phase.Get Free Access @The global Electronic Health Records Software market has been accounted on the basis of types for the shares of the largest market in previous years, which are supposed to continue influencing the industry with crossing the forecasted period as well. The report also represents the data based on the recent developed key players along with their product picture and price.Report concludes that it covers all the essential categories and every feature of the Global Electronic Health Records Software Market right from the fundamental data of the market and moving towards the different important criteria. It also consists of information disclosing the main application areas for Electronic Health Records Software market based on their performance.About usQY Market Insights is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technologyindustry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in theindustry. QY Market Insights 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 existingprocesses. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.QY Market Insights provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clientsto increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@qymarketinsights.comWeb:Blog:
Mediterranean Automated Debris Collection Equipment Market: Rising Awareness Regarding Impact of Marine Debris to Drive Adoption across Region

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The issue of marine debris is becoming more complex and bigger with each passing year. This, combined with the poor infrastructure for marine debris collection in Mediterranean countries and advancement in the understanding of how marine debris impact the environment and marine ecosystems are driving developments and innovations in the field of marine debris collection equipment. In this scenario, the move from the tedious and slow varieties of manual equipment to the swifter and more efficient automatic ones seems inevitable.This market study provides an understanding and potential adoption of a conceptualized automated marine debris collection equipment across the Mediterranean region. The concept equipment is an unmanned or remotely controlled system (compact boat) designed to work in a self-contained environment, with the option of treating debris on-board or off shore.The system is typically expected to be capable of substituting the conventional hand-pick and mechanical litter collection methods. Transparency Market Research states that the market for such an automated marine debris collection equipment is anticipated to attain an average adoption level of 8% in the early year (2018) of introduction, reaching 10.2% by 2024.Obtain Report Details @This expected adoption level is measured for the estimated total accessible market in the Mediterranean region, comprising of users across segments such as government and municipality, fisheries, hospitality, others (NGOs, etc.). The anticipated level of adoption across these sectors is examined for the period between 2018 and 2024.automated marine debris collectionImportance of Cleaner Shores in Attracting Tourists to Drive Adoption in Hospitality SectorAmong the different targeted end-users of automated marine debris collection equipment, the hospitality and government and municipality sectors are expected to be the most lucrative ones, considering the direct relevance of clean environment (shores) for the hospitality business and the social stability of coastal countries.Owing to the same reasons, countries with flourishing hospitality sector and high pace of urbanization are also identified as potential markets for near term market success of automated marine debris collection equipment. The government and municipality end-use segment is anticipated to attain average adoption level contribution of 3.11% in 2018.Request Sample @Availability of Funds and Proactive Initiatives to Help France Take LeadCountries such as France, Italy and Spain in the Mediterranean are considered to be the potential early adopters of automated marine debris collection equipment as these currently have access to a larger share in funds provided by the Mediterranean Action Plan (initiated by United Nations Environment Program).In 2018, France, with a projected adoption level of 16.85% (TAM %), is anticipated to largely dominate the Mediterranean automatic marine debris collection equipment market followed by countries including Italy, Croatia and Spain.The increasing marine litter throughout the coastline and various coastal clean-up project and initiatives undertaken across these countries on a regular basis will lay the foundation for adoption of the more effective automated marine debris collection equipment across these countries. Apart from these countries Greece and Morocco are also anticipated to have significant adoption level for such equipment.There are no companies in the market who have tried their luck in the field of automated marine debris collection equipment so far. However, certain companies manufacturing manual debris collection boats are expected to be the potential contenders in the market in the near future.Some of the chief companies operating in the manual debris collection equipment market are United Marine International, Liverpool Water Witch Marine and Engineering Co. Ltd., U.S.?based Elastec, and Harbor Clean.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Probiotics in Animal Feed Market: Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments

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Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits if consumed in prescribed amounts. The probiotics in animal feed market is expanding at a significant growth rate due to the increasing awareness among shoppers regarding animal health. Consumption of probiotics provides animal with numerous health benefits. It supports the biological process and system of the animals and conjointly cuts back the over dependence of animals on antibiotics.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Increasing demand for meat and related products is expected to fuel the probiotics in the animal feed market. Additionally, increasing health issues among farm animals is projected to further boost the probiotic in animal feed market. Probiotics added to the animal feed doesn't deliver the mandatory nutrients that are required to nurture the animals. This, in turn, is estimated to restrain the probiotics in animal feed market in the near future.The global probiotics in animal feed market is anticipated to expand at a considerable growth rate in the near future due to the prohibition on the practice of administering antibiotics that encourage growth in animals. Globally, among all the regions, Asia Pacific is anticipated to hold a major share of the overall probiotics in animal feed market, followed by Europe, during the forecast period due to the presence of relatively sizable amount of customers in the region. International probiotics in the animal feed market is estimated to expand rapidly in Asia Pacific due the rise range of higher bourgeoisie population, which is likely to afford the expenditure on feed that contains extra ingredients such as probiotics. In Asia Pacific, China and Japan contribute significantly to the probiotics in animal feed market, in terms of revenue, owing to the rising range of higher bourgeoisie population in these countries. Moreover, the market in Europe is expected to expand considerably in the next three to five years due to the ban on the usage of antibiotics that promote growth in animals, which in turn is anticipated to boost the probiotics in animal feed market.Obtain Report Details @The global probiotics in animal feed market is segregated based on livestock, bacteria, and region. In terms of bacteria, the probiotics in animal feed market is segmented into thermophiles, lactobacillus, bifid bacteria, streptococcus, and others. The lactobacillus segment hold a prominent share of the market, followed by the others segment, and is predicted to exhibit important growth during the forecast period respectively. Based on livestock, the probiotics in animal feed market is segmented into swine feed, cattle feed, pet feed, and poultry feed. The pet feed segment is anticipated to expand at a steady pace in the next three to five years due to the rising demand for meat and meat products all around the world. Furthermore, In terms of region, the global probiotics in animal feed market is segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.Major players operating in the global probiotics in animal feed market includes DuPont, Nebraska Cultures, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Lactosan GmbH & Co. KG, Calpis Co. Ltd., Provita Eurotech Ltd, Alltech, Protexin, Lallemand Inc., and Suguna Foods Private Limited, Novozymes (Denmark). Companies operating in the market are primarily introducing new products and also intensifying their proficiencies in order to strengthen their position in the global probiotics in animal feed market. The market is expected to witness a rise in the trend of backward integration and strengthening of rooster processors. This, in turn, is anticipated to drive the adoption rate of feed additives, which is probiotics.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 LED Underwater Flashlight Market 2017 by Key Players - Underwater Kinetics, Light & Motion, Princeton Tec, UK Kinetics

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This is the research report on the Global LED Underwater Flashlight Market, which presents a comprehensive and elementary study of the market to deploy the most relevant data collected from the market research for the established market players as well as new entrants. The report mainly focuses on the analysis side of aspects of individuals that offers key business insights for the readers of report.The report gives a basic overview of the LED Underwater Flashlight Market, which consists of definitions, applications, supply chain, classifications and industry cost structure. The report also provides the manufacturing techniques and processes as well as development plans and policies that have been discussed earlier during the interviews with the prominent market players.Download Free Sample Report @The detailed market research has been conducted to build the report, which offers an analytical view of the LED Underwater Flashlight market by gaining the knowledge of several factors such as market growth, market trends, business price structures and consumption volume with the help of forecast amount from 2017 to 2022.Key features of the report:Most recent developments and technological trends in the marketLED Underwater Flashlight market forecasts and estimatesFactors such as drivers, limitations, and challenges that are helping in shaping the LED Underwater Flashlight market dynamicsCompetitive landscapeRecent industry trends and developmentsOffers of the market players regarding the products and servicesStudy of the industry strategies of the prominent players in the marketPotential segments and the regions that exhibit a promising market growthDetailed information about the parent marketGet Free Access @Highlights of the report:Evaluation and reporting of current developments in the industryCompany shares and strategies that are involved in the marketPast, present, and the future market position in terms of both volume and valueSuggestions to the companies for their growth in the marketMarket segmentation and sub-segmentationThe report is a source of trustworthy data:Market segmentation and sub-segmentationMark Company profilesMarket position and sizeSupply, Future predictions of the marketSales and demandMarket drivers and dynamicsCurrent challenges/opportunities/trendsTechnological advancementssales@qymarketinsights.comAbout usQY Market Insights is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technologyindustry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in theindustry. QY Market Insights 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 existingprocesses. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.QY Market Insights provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clientsto increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@qymarketinsights.comWeb:Blog:
Fuel Delivery Systems Market: Increasing Need to Maintain High Safety across Work Environment to Drive Uptake of Fuel Delivery Systems

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The global market for fuel delivery systems is heading towards overcapacity, a trend that can wreak havoc on the profit margins of large and small players, lead to an increase in the number of loss-making companies, and harm the future growth of human resources in the longer run.Considering the presence of a large number of manufacturers and suppliers in the market, the supply of fuel delivery systems is expected to continue to swell in the next few years. Focus of manufacturers on largescale production to achieve economies of scale is also expected to add to the ever-rising pile of fuel delivery systems and components in the global market.The inevitable supply-demand gap that will arise owing to the situation is expected to hamper growth of the market to a vast extent in the coming years. However, market will be able to gain sustainable growth opportunities owing to the rise in e-commerce activities, which has enabled manufacturers to achieve cross-border sales and reach developing regions that face a scarcity of supply.Obtain Report Details @Transparency Market Research states that the global fuel delivery systems market will exhibit a 3.4% CAGR from 2016 through 2024. As a result, the market, which had a valuation of US$4,330.7 mn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$5,969.1 mn by 2024.fuel delivery system marketStop Valves to Continue to Remain Dominant Fuel Delivery System ComponentsOf the chief components of a typical fuel delivery system, including stop valves, gas regulators, flow and pressure safety switches, sensors, and thermocouples, the segment of stop valves dominates, accounting for a nearly 54% share in the global market in 2015. Although the segment is expected to lose prominence to components such as flow and pressure safety switches and sensors in the next few years, it will continue to dominate the global market, albeit with a lesser share by 2024.The market for flow and pressure control systems will be driven by high demand across process industries, which utilize these systems for the efficient management of fuel delivery for a variety of industrial applications. In the past few years, the rising emphasis on automation of industrial operations and processes has played a vital role in the development of automated flow control systems.Request Sample @Emerging Economies in Asia and Africa to Present Lucrative Growth OpportunitiesOf the key regional markets for fuel delivery systems, the market in Asia Pacific is presently the most lucrative one. The region held a nearly 25% of the total global fuel delivery systems market in 2015. Presence of a large number of manufacturing units and suppliers and the availability of raw materials aid the fuel delivery systems markets growth in the region.The market for fuel delivery systems in the region is also driven owing to the vast expansion of energy industries in emerging economies such as India and China. Technological advancements in fuel delivery systems and the rising preference for automated systems in process industries is likely to benefit the market for fuel delivery systems in Asia Pacific in the next few years.Over the forecasting horizon, the market for fuel delivery systems in Middle East and Africa (MEA) is likely to present lucrative growth opportunities. The Middle East and Africa fuel delivery systems market is projected to exhibit a 4.7% CAGR from 2016 through 2024.The rapid expansion of the oil and gas and refining industries in the region will be the key factors presenting opportunities for manufacturers and suppliers of fuel delivery systems. Rising investment I n the energy sector in Africa will also generate lucrative growth opportunities for the fuel delivery systems market in the next few years.Some of the key vendors in the market are Bellofram Group of Companies, Metso, Honeywell International Inc., JANSEN Combustion and Boiler Technologies, Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company, Cashco Inc., Cameron (Schlumberger Ltd.), ARi Industries Inc., and Flowserve Corporation, and Emerson Electric Co.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
DesignTech CAD Academy 3D Diwali Contest

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29th, Nov 2017, Pune :- DesignTech CAD Academy, an authorized training partner of Siemens Industry software for their CAD and PLM solutions, Dassault Systemes for CATIA, and Altair Engineering for their CAE HyperWorks suite of Solutions, celebrated Diwali with a unique DesignTech CAD Academy 3D Diwali Contest for Engineering students across various cities in India.DesignTech CAD Academy conducted 3D Diwali Contest wherein students had to develop designs of artifacts that best represent the spirit of Diwali for them at the respective CAD Academys authorised training centres. The contest was extended to the external students as well besides CAD Academy students. They had to develop fully rendered designs in not more than 4 hours using NX or CATIA software. The Contest was judged by the Technical Experts of DesignTech Systems Ltd. with more than 15 years of experience exclusively in Product Designing.Mr. Prashant Deshpande, Sr. Business Manager- Education and Trainings, DesignTech CAD Academy stated DesignTech CAD Academy 3D Diwali Contest gave students a chance to demonstrate their creativity, talent and expertise in using the latest CAD Technology thus increasing their confidence of being able to harness the full potential of the software tool to develop remarkable intricate designs. This year we received an overwhelming response of 300+ registrations for our contest.The Topmost Winner across all centers makes a direct entry to the HR interview stage, which if cleared he/she gets an opportunity to work at DesignTech Systems, Engineering Services Division. The Written and Technical interview of the said winner candidate is considered passed.Rest of the winners also received exciting prizes including a smart DesignTech CAD Academy Backpack, Sony Powerbank and a Winner Certificate.All India 1st Prize winner is Dasam Ravisatya from DesignTech CAD Academy, Pune - J.M Road Center.The list of other winners as per the centers :First prize winner Prasad Shastri from Pune-Kothrud centerSecond prize winner Nikhil Pralhad More from Pune-Kothrud centerFirst prize winner Rahul Ulhas Bacche from Pune-Chinchwad centerSecond prize winner Rakesh Kumar Rana from Pune-Chinchwad centerFirst prize winner Neeraj Rittikar from Pune-Satara Road center.Second prize winner Shraddha Saptarshi from Pune-Satara Road center.First prize winner Dasam Ravisatya from Pune - J M Road centerSecond prize winner Sonali Kedar from Pune - J M Road centerFirst prize winner Penmatsa Venkata Durga Raju from Hyderabad centerSecond prize winner K Praveen Kumar from Hyderabad center.First prize winner K Nagaraju from Hyderabad-Kukatpally centerSecond prize winner Pentela Venkata Dilip Sai from Hyderabad-Kukatpally centerFirst prize winner Vivek Ganesh Kadam from Satara centerSecond prize winner Nikam Shubham Vilas from Satara centerFirst prize winner Patil Sourabh Shantinath from Kolhapur centerSecond prize winner Pratikkumar Patil from Kolhapur centerFirst prize winner Ankur Savita from Gurgaon centerSecond prize winner DiwanshNagori from Gurgaon center.All the contestants of DesignTech CAD Academy 3D Diwali Contest received participation certificate.About DesignTech CAD Academy:-DesignTech CAD Academy is an authorized training partner of Siemens Industry software for their CAD and PLM solutions, Dassault Systemes for CATIA, and Altair Engineering for their CAE HyperWorks suite of solutions in India. We offer training courses in CAD, CAE and PLM to students and working professionals / corporates. The training academy is an education wing of DesignTech Systems Ltd. For further information visitMs. Chitra SapkalManager - Corporate Communications , DesignTech Systems Ltd.+91  20  4131 1241chitra.sapkal@designtechsys.comDesignTech Systems Ltd.6 Commerce Center, Rambaug Colony, Paud Road, Pune 411038
Rolling Stock Market Research 2017: Innovative Business Strategies and Industry Analysis

Rolling Stock Market

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Progressive Markets added a report titled "Global Rolling Stock Market- Size, Trend, Share, Opportunity Analysis & Forecast, 2014-2025". As per the findings of expert analysts, the global rolling stock market is projected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. The data is acquired by core industry experts and research analysts by extensive research of the global rolling stock industry, the current and emerging market factors, and the key market dynamic factors. The report includes crucial statistics, figures, and tables, that add credibility to the information presented in the report.Visit:Rapid industrialization, along with globalization, has fueled the need for efficient transportation services for the public and for the shipment of goods and commodities. Rolling stock is a term used for railway vehicles that are used to enhance the overall transportation services offered for carrying passengers and industrial products. The cost-effective medium of goods carriers offered by the railways has attracted large investments from the governments, across the globe.Huge amounts are invested in the development and maintenance of the railway tracks and other essential components of the system, thus leading to its overall improvement. Adoption of rolling stock as the primary medium of transportation is expected to lead to the growth of the GDP of a nation. The country's supply chain demands are fulfilled completely as they offer transportation of every commodity such as the raw materials, goods, and several other essential products.Do Inquiry for Sample report:Drivers & Restraints:The rolling stock market analysis report highlights the key market dynamic factors responsible for the overall growth and development of the market. The rapid growth of the rolling stock market size can be attributed to the growth of the railway sector owing to rapid urbanization. Advancements in technology have led to the development of fast railway networks, thus propelling the growth of the global rolling stock market. Along with the support offered by the government, the rapid rate of industrialization in the emerging economies of the LAMEA and Asia-Pacific region, the rolling stock market is expected to grow at a significant rate during the analysis period. However, these vehicles demand regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance. In addition, the high initial investments required to set up the system hinders the growth of the rolling stock industry.Rolling Stock Market Key Segments:The global rolling stock market is segmented based on the type, technology, and the geography. By type, the market is categorized into locomotive, freight & passenger carriers, and rapid transit loco. The technology used include conventional and electrical. Based on the geography, the presence of the rolling stock market is analyzed across the regions of North America, Europe, LAMEA, and Asia-Pacific. The global rolling stock market share analysis is carried out for each of the mentioned segments. Elaborate figures and tables illustrate the market value by country, type, and technology, thus assisting the market players in identifying the most lucrative market segments based on the rolling stock market trends.Key Players:Leading players that account for the maximum rolling stock market share are profiled in the report. The prominent players include CSR Corporation Ltd., General Electric Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company, Bombardier Inc., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, CJSC Transmashholding, Alstom SA, Construcciones Y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A., Siemens AG, and Hitachi, Ltd. The rolling stock market report includes vital information such as the company overview, financials, and business segments, and the recent developments in the global industry.Ask for discount on full report:Key Benefits of the report:Comprehensive analysis of the global rolling stock market presents a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the industry and provides critical insights on the key market factors, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities. Competitive intelligence provides information about the top investment options across the geographies. The rolling stock market outlook evaluates the market attractiveness and the potential to grow during the forecast period.The rolling stock market forecast is based on the trends observed in the recent past. Detailed information about the key winning strategies adopted by the leading players in the industry aid the market players in devising strategic moves to expand their reach in the rolling stock market. In-depth analysis of factors influencing the dynamics of the market is carried out by core industry experts and research analysts, by adopting a rigorous research methodology.About ProgressiveThe company makes use of primary corporate research and secondary inputs from trusted sources to build its own reference base. It maintains consistency in quality as it keeps itself updated with changes in market dynamics and gauging its net effect on global business trends.Reach UsMr. Shriram Dighe4th Floor, Unit 12, Marisoft III,West Wing, Marigold IT Park,Kalyani Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411014,India: +91 20 66346040Toll Free: + 1-888-906-9222help@progressivemarkets.com
Advent of 3D Printing Compels Manufacturers of Specialty Printing Consumables in U.S. to Focus on Product Innovation

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The recuperating economy of the U.S. has offered a substantial growth opportunity to the market for specialty printing consumables in this country. The construction of new offices and the rejuvenation of older ones in order to support business activities have propelled the application of these consumables significantly.Additionally, the rise in demand for digital cameras as well as color laser printing is boosting the adoption of these consumables across the nation. The current trend among U.S. citizens of in-house printing of photographs is also adding significantly to this growing demand.Going forward, the growing application of specialty printing consumables in various printing procedures such as marking of tags and labels and printing on consumer products is expected to boost their demand substantially over the next few years. In 2015, the opportunity in the U.S. specialty printing consumables market was pegged at US$24.09 bn. Rising at a CAGR of 4.4% between 2016 and 2024, it is expected to be worth US$35.75 bn by 2024.Obtain Report Details @On the whole, the opportunity in this market looks rewarding; however, the lack of raw materials, coupled with stringent regulations regarding their usage, is likely to hamper the adoption of these consumables to some extent in the near future. Apart from this, the rapid advent of electronic media replacing the concept of paper printing in this country will pose a serious threat to the markets growth over the next few years.u-s-specialty-printing-consumables-marketToners to Remain Leading Specialty Printing ConsumablesInks, toners, chemicals, and specialty substrates are the key specialty printing consumables available in the global market. In 2015, the demand for toners was the highest among these with a share of just over 48%. The segment is likely to remain dominant for the rest of the forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 4.5%.The specialty substrate segment is also anticipated to register significant growth in the coming years. An upswing in the adoption of digital cameras is projected to boost the demand for these substrates at a 5.4% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.Lithographic Printing Extensively Used across Key Product TypesThe lithographic printing segment of the overall specialty printing chemicals market in the U.S. contributed majority market share in 2015 by printing process and is likely to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Digital printing, on the other hand, is anticipated to register a CAGR higher than any other segment from 2016 to 2024.Request Sample @TMR finds that lithographic printing as well as digital printing will continue to have a significant impact on the specialty printing consumables product market, be it toners, inks, specialty substrates, and chemicals.In 2015, the office and professional segment of the U.S. specialty printing consumables market emerged as the key contributor by application and is forecast to retain its lead through 2024. This segment is also projected to expand at a pace greater than other application segments.Research analysts at TMR have noted that while the office and professional application segment will retain its dominance in the specialty printing consumables product market, the segment expanding at the fastest pace will differ from product to product. The commercial printing and publishing sector has been identified as one of the rapidly growing application segments.The specialty printing consumables market in the U.S. is led by HP Development Co., Xerox Corp., DIC Corp., Canon Inc., and Eastman Kodak Co. Some of the other prominent manufacturers of specialty printing consumables in this nation are Claire Manufacturing Co., Arizona Chemical, American Ink Jet Corp., 3M, and FUJIFILM.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Barbados Cherries Market Size, Share, Analysis, Report and Forecast to 2025

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Market Introduction:Barbados cherries  Malpighia punicifolia (Acerola) are small-sized fruits of Caribbean origin, it contains up to 65 times more vitamin C (ascorbic acid) than orange. It is been used in the Amazon as medicinal plant for hundreds of years. Sometimes a single Barbados cherry contains 1000 to 2000 mg of vitamin C, the minimum daily recommended vitamin C requirements. Vitamin A is another important nutrient found in the Barbados Cherries. Vitamin A is involved in immune function, vision and reproduction. It also plays an important role in the maintenance of the kidneys, aids in weight loss, manages diabetes, prevent cancer, delays sign of ageing, boost the immune system, promotes heart health, promotes good digestion, promotes eye health, improve skin condition and many more. Ripe cherries must be carefully handled to avoid bruising and should be used as soon as possible or frozen for future use. Ripe Barbados cherries bruise easily and are highly perishable. The stem and bark of Barbados cherries contain high amount of tannin and has been utilized in leather industry.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Barbados cherries has been used extensively in food, bakery, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc. which is expected to fuel the growth of Barbados cherries market.Barbados cherries Market: SegmentationBarbados cherries market can be segmented on the basis of nature, by form, end-use applications and region.On the basis of nature, Barbados cherries market can be segmented into conventional and organic. Organic segment is expected to expand with significant CAGR as demand for organic products is increasing among consumers.Obtain Report Details @Barbados cherries market can be further segmented on the basis of form into raw cherries, powder cherries, liquid cherries and jams. Demand of powder cherries is expected to increase due to extensively used in bakery and confectionery industry.Barbados cherries market can be further segmented on the basis of end-use application into pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics and others. Food is further sub-segmented into bakery and confectionery, jams, desserts and ice-creams, syrups etc.On the basis of region, Barbados cherries market can be segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa.Barbados cherries Market: Drivers, Restraints, and TrendsOwing to developed taste for cherries among individuals across the globe, Barbados cherries market is expected to grow in terms of revenue across the globe. Barbados cherries have wide range of benefits, which is expected to fuel growth of the market. Individuals are getting health conscious and inclined to consume natural food products, which will expand the Barbados cherries market over the forecast period. Increasing demand for Barbados cherries in food, bakery, confectionery etc. is also expected to expand the Barbados cherries market.Weak distribution channel in some of the untapped markets is expected to hamper the sales of Barbados cherries, which could be considered as a restraint for Barbados cherries market. Cherries is trending across the globe as people are inclined towards the taste of cherries and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period.Barbados cherries Market: Regional OutlookDepending on the geographic regions, global Barbados cherries market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC, and MEA.In terms of consumption, Europe holds the largest share of Barbados cherries market followed by North America which also possess a large Barbados cherries market. Latin America comes after North America in terms of consumption.Asia Pacific Barbados cherries market is expected to grow at significant rate in terms of consumption during the forecast period because people getting aware of benefits of cherries and increasingly developing the taste for the same. The Middle East and Africa is expected to grow in the forecast period as disposable income is increasing in the region.Population around the globe is developing the taste for cherries which is expected to increase the sales for Barbados cherries market over the forecast period.Barbados cherries Market: Key PlayersSome of the prominent manufacturers of Barbados cherries are Diva Agro LTD, Coral Beach Farms Ltd, SAS SICA SICODIS, PROTO and other regional players.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:
Personal Cloud 2017 Global Market Key Players  Apple, Microsoft, Google, Box, Amazon Web Services  Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Personal Cloud Market

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Personal Cloud Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com adds Personal Cloud Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report studies the global Personal Cloud market, analyzes and researches the Personal Cloud development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAppleMicrosoftGoogleBoxAmazon Web ServicesSeagate TechnologyDropboxEgnyteBuffalo TechnologySugarsyncRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoDirect RevenueIndirect RevenueOtherMarket segment by Application, Personal Cloud can be split intoPersonalSmall BusinessesIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:Global Personal Cloud Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Personal Cloud1.1 Personal Cloud Market Overview1.1.1 Personal Cloud Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Personal Cloud 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 Personal Cloud Market by Type1.3.1 Direct Revenue1.3.2 Indirect Revenue1.3.3 Other1.4 Personal Cloud Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Personal1.4.2 Small Businesses2 Global Personal Cloud Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Personal Cloud Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)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 Apple3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Microsoft3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Google3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Box3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Amazon Web Services3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Seagate Technology3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Dropbox3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Egnyte3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Buffalo Technology3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Sugarsync3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Personal Cloud Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinued.Buy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Bio Vanillin Market size worth over $19mn by 2023

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Bio Vanillin Market size is expected to surpass USD 19 million by 2023; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.Increasing consumer preference towards natural ingredients in food & beverage and personal care formulations will drive global bio vanillin market demand. Natural ingredients have been steadily gaining acceptance with consumers, especially across evolved markets, along with regulatory support for labeling standards. Bio vanillin has been developed as an alternative to the synthetic ingredient, which accounts for over 95% of present global demand.Request for Sample Copy of this report @Food & beverages dominated the application landscape, worth over USD 8 million in 2015. Appeal of new flavors in the industry and strong demand for confectionery and bakery products along with persistent development are key stimulating factors.The product is at its initial development stage, while industry participants claim a natural product, there is some ambiguity regarding this classifications, as a few groups have claimed these products are artificial owing to its production from genetic engineering. Naturally derived vanillin from the pod remains in demand, however, a very high price and limited cultivation is unable to meet global demand.Biotechnology is also an important route in terms of addressing food waste and natural feedstock issues, permitting low value compound conversions to products of significant commercial interest. However, commercial success of the product will hinge on competitive bio vanillin market price trend.Synthetic biology vanillin process is likely to lead the biomass removal required for good agricultural soil. Synthetic organisms may also harm the ecology on their escape either intentionally or unintentionally into the environment from a lab which is likely to be a threat for industry growth.Browse key industry insights spread across 340 pages with 468 market data tables & 14 figures & charts from the report, Bio Vanillin Market Size By Application (Food & Beverage [Ice Cream, Chocolate, Confectionaries & Baked Goods], Fragrances, Pharmaceuticals), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, South Africa, GCC, Brazil), Production Routes, Downstream Application Potential (Methoxyhydroquinone, Vanillic Acid, Vanillyl Alcohol), Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023 in detail along with the table of contents:Key insights from the report include:APAC fragrance application may witness significant gains and surpass USD 1 million by 2023. Rising consumer interest in fragrances, personal grooming, changing lifestyle trends, increasing demand for premium fragrances, and development in per-capita are key trending factors to fuel regional demand.Global natural vanillin market is forecast to be worth over USD 140 million by 2023. End-use industry manufacturers are ready to pay premium prices for the natural ingredients owing to rising consumer preference for healthy products.North America led the regional industry demand and was valued at over USD 3 million in 2015. Brewery industry expansion accompanied by positioning as a premium product ingredient in food & beverages and fragrances are key driving factors.France bio vanillin market size is projected to grow at over 12.9% CAGR up to 2023.Vanillin downstream derivatives such as vanillyl alcohol, vanillic acid, and methoxyhydroquinone can serve as platform chemicals for 22 polymer compounds which can be used for the synthesis for polyesters, non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU) and epoxy resins.Global bio vanillin market share is nascent and at development phase. Solvay, Ennloys, Evolva, and Apple Flavor & Fragrance Group are major industry players.Global Market Insights has segmented the bio vanillin industry on the basis of application and region:Bio vanillin Application Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)Food & BeveragesChocolateIce-creamConfectioneries & baked goodsOthersFragrancesPharmaceuticalsBio vanillin Regional Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyUKFranceItalySpainAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaSouth KoreaLatin AmericaBrazilMEASouth AfricaGCCSynthetic vanillin Application Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)Food & BeveragesChocolateIce-creamConfectioneries & baked goodsOthersFragrancesPharmaceuticalsSynthetic vanillin Regional Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyUKFranceItalySpainAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaSouth KoreaLatin AmericaBrazilMEASouth AfricaGCCNatural vanillin Application Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)Food & BeveragesChocolateIce-creamConfectioneries & baked goodsOthersFragrancesPharmaceuticalsNatural vanillin Regional Analysis (Volume, Tons, Revenue, USD Million, 2012  2023)North AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMEAGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter
Rising Developments in Construction and Automotive Sectors to Fuel Adoption of Metal Fabrication Services Globally

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Investments in global infrastructure projects have been increasing rapidly over the past decade and this presents a growing opportunity for the prefabricated construction market to grow considerably in the coming years. This acts as a key factor driving the demand for metal fabricators, especially in developed regions such as North America.The global market for metal fabrication is also fueled by continued investments in electric furnace and metals processing, the growing aluminum consumption, the reshoring of manufacturing practices in the automotive industry, recovery in non-residential investments, and growing aerospace demand.The global metal fabrication market was valued at US$16.35 bn in 2015 and is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 3.0% to reach US$21.38 by 2024.Obtain Report Details @Soaring Application of Metal Fabrication in Construction SectorThe metal fabrication market is segmented on the basis of end use into construction, automotive, manufacturing, energy and power, electronics, and others. The construction sector is the leading end-use segment and its dominance in the metal fabrication market is characterized by the growing number of construction activities across developing economies.The most active consumer bases for metal fabrication services are the manufacturing and automotive sectors. In order to cater to the growing demand for metal fabrication in these two industries, metal fabrication units are focused on providing finished as well as fabricated metal products that can be directly used to assemble various parts.Request Sample @Germany, China Emerge as Influential Markets for Metal FabricationEurope was identified as the key metal fabrication market, holding approximately 1/4th of the global market share in 2015. The growing number of metal fabrication units in Europe is mainly attributed to the growing demand for metal fabricated products from the automotive and manufacturing sectors.In Europe, the industrial scenario is mainly adjudged by the overall growth in the manufacturing and automotive industries. Furthermore, favorable government regulations have strengthened the European metal fabrication market. Germany held the leading market share in the European region and is expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 4.3%.Asia Pacific is one of the key regions holding a comparatively larger share in the global metal fabrication market in 2015 and is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. China held the majority of the market share in Asia Pacific as well as globally and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 2.4% from 2016 to 2024.The establishment of new metal fabrication plants in Japan, China, India, Singapore, and South Korea is mainly driven by the rise in construction activities, the growing number of iron and steel manufacturing units, and an overall rise in the number of manufacturing plants. Furthermore, the growth of the industrial sector across Asia Pacific has positively influenced the expansion of the metal fabrication market in the past few years.Some of the leading players in the global metal fabrication market are ONeal Manufacturing Service, BTD Manufacturing Inc., Kapco Inc., Komaspec Pte Ltd., Mayville Engineering Company Inc., Watson Engineering Inc., Defiance Metal Products, Matcor-Matsu Group Inc., Standard Iron & Wire Works Inc., Ironform Corporation, LancerFabtech Pvt. Ltd., Interplex Holdings Pte. Ltd, and P & A International.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
CCFin Launch New Version of BMPs Multi-tier Plugin for IB Management

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Introducing the NEW and IMPROVED BMP Multi-tier IB management and automationPart of a brokerages business is driven by a introducing brokers (IB) who have a direct relationship with traders (clients). In general, the IB does not manage the task of floor operations and trade execution for his clients but will make recommendations and delegate these tasks to a brokerage.Across many brokerages, the concept of Multi-tier is often seen as a vital success component for the business and is used as such. This Multi-tier concept explains the structure of hierarchy in which there is a master IB(s) who can refer sub-IB(s) and who in turn can recommend traders, and other IBs. This is also known as a ladder structure and a good ladder structure will be able to generate a lot of trading volume and revenue for the business.However, as a ladder continues to grow, it can be a very tedious task for the brokerage to manage the master IBs, the sub IBs, the traders and their interdependent relationships. With each trade the brokerage will need to calculate the commision distributed to each IB partner in the ladder. This is time consuming as well as error-prone.To ease the process for users, Cloud Connected Financial (CCFin), a Boston based financial technology company have developed a plugin for their Brokerage Management Platform (BMP) which will automate those calculation. This plugin will enable the BMP to give brokerages existing IBs the ability to construct their own Sub-Ibs system. It will allow the users IBs to sign up an infinite number of IBs under them. These new sub-Ibs will also be able to construct their own Multi-tier system. After users set up the rebates for each master IB, the BMP will use those setting to compute the commission. In addition to this feature, the Multi-tier plugin can provide tracking and analytics across the entire ladder so that the IBs can review the trades of their referrals and the commissions generated.Initially, when the BMP Multi-tier plugin was first introduced, the system seems to be complicated and confusing to setup. A lot of trainings were required to setup the plugin and for brokers to get acquainted to the system. Having taken feedbacks from their clients, CCFin have recently recently improved their GUI for a better UX. They have implemented an IB ladder UI making it very straightforward for the admin to figure out how to set up the rebates.In addition to this improvement, the new Multi-tier plugin also offers marketing materials (referral/affiliate links, banners, tracked campaigns) for the IBs to create a powerful network utilizing CCFins technology.CCFin offers many more automation features implemented in the BMP platform, for more information or to request a free demo, please visit--END--About CCFinCCFIn - Cloud Connected Financial is a Boston based financial technologies company that provides solutions for small to medium size retail FX brokers. CCFin builds robust solution for growing brokerages that are looking to automate business operations in one central location, on the cloud. Our solutions give you the feel of work customized to your brokerage in functionality, with the smooth implementation of a cloud solution. Founded by industry veterans, CCFin has 20 years experience in the fx industry. Weve seen it all. We know what works, what doesnt, and how to bring our costs down so we the price can come down with it. More information can be found at:CCFin1643 Beacon Street #23 Newton, MA 02468ContactTheresa Chungtheresa@ccfin.co
Blood Group Typing Market - Detailed Analysis and Forecast upto 2025

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Global Blood Group Typing Market: OverviewBlood group typing consists of various methods and techniques that are used to detect the group of blood. The correct and reliable grouping of blood is vital to fulfil a variety of clinical ends, especially for safe blood transfusion and in organ donation processes. In recent years, there have been marked developments in the conventional detection methods. Constant technological advancements in microarray, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and other assay-based techniques have improved detection methods. As a result, the market has seen the advent of high-throughput devices that enable clinicians in multiplexed and quantitative detection of various blood group antigens. Advanced methods such as quantum dots (QDs) and magnetic beads in assays improve identification and enhance clinical safety of blood transfusion.Global Blood Group Typing Market: Key TrendsThe rising number of blood donations and increasing number of patients needing transfusion due to accidents and trauma are the primary factors driving the blood group typing market. The growing demand for blood group typing for pregnancy and prenatal testing has boosted the market. Blood typing is also crucial to detect the condition of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) in pregnant women, thereby stimulating the demand for such tests. Increasing application of blood group typing in forensic sciences is further expected to catalyze the market growth.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The advent of novel molecular diagnostic tools that help in reliable and rapid identification of group in a large blood samples is expected to provide abundant opportunities to market players. For instance, the molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups in large populations can be accomplished with the help of these methods.Global Blood Group Typing Market: Market PotentialA recent clinical study published in International Journal of Nanomedicine reveals that scientists have developed a novel multiplexed method for the identification of ABO blood groups. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, a prominent military institution of higher learning in China. Researchers conducting the study, quantified blood group A and B antigens with QD fluorescence assay (QFA). The assay integrates the traditional QD labeling with magnetic beads to make high throughput and quantitative method for rapid detection of antigens present in the ABO blood groups of fairly large volume populations. The scientists evaluated the efficacy of the method by testing the blood samples for 791 people and they confirmed that the accuracy was 100%; in addition, they asserted that when the conditions were optimized, even detection in weak samples produced satisfactory results.Request TOC of the Report @An estimate by the researchers states that the multiplexed detection can be completed within the short span of 35 minutes with over 105 RBCs (red blood cells). This study holds marked significance for blood transfusion safety. The findings of the study show promising prospect for the blood group typing market, since the testing process can be used to devise an effective clinical strategy to improvise on the identification methods for ABO blood groups.Global Blood Group Typing Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, North America is a prominent market for blood group typing devices and consumables. The regional market is expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years. The growth of the market is attributed to the constant technological advancements in PCR and assays for blood grouping leading to the design of cost-effective and novel blood-grouping platforms.Get Discount @Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is expected to provide lucrative avenues over the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. The impressive pace of growth of the Asia Pacific market for blood group typing is driven by some promising clinical studies in high throughput devices, increasing healthcare spending, and the growing number of blood transfusions.Global Blood Group Typing Market: Competitive AnalysisSeveral players are making innovations in their offerings and using advanced technologies to discover novel methods for blood group typing. Key companies operating in the blood group typing market are Novacyt Group, Day medical SA, Rapid Labs, Quotient, Ltd., AXO Science, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. Immucor, Inc., and Grifols, S.A.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Food Grade Mineral Oil Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Eastman Chemical, Radco Industries, Clariant, Solutia Inc, Petro Canada, Radco Industries, Dow Chemical and Others

Food Grade Mineral Oil Market

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Global Food Grade Mineral Oil market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Huntsman Corporation, Radco Industries, Clariant, Solutia Inc, Applied Thermal Control, Radco Industries, Dow Chemical, Eastman Chemical, Petro Canada, BASF, Flowserve Corporation and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Food Grade Mineral Oil Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Dow ChemicalEastman ChemicalPetro CanadaBASFFlowserve CorporationHuntsman CorporationRadco IndustriesClariantSolutia IncApplied Thermal ControlRadco IndustriesOthersGlobal Food Grade Mineral Oil Market: Key Product Type3#5#7#10#OthersGlobal Food Grade Mineral Oil Market: Key Application TypeRelease AgentProcessing Equipment LubricationOthersGlobal Food Grade Mineral Oil Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Food Grade Mineral Oil Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Food Grade Mineral Oil Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Food Grade Mineral Oil Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 3#1.2.1.2 5#1.2.1.3 7#1.2.1.4 10#1.2.1.5 Others1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Release Agent1.2.2.3 Others........................Continue (Global Food Grade Mineral Oil Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Leading recruitment agency Rullion has teamed up with Kingsbridge Contractor Insurance to deliver on client demands

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With insurance checks becoming a key factor in client audits and the contractor market under continual scrutiny, the new partnership is an essential step to help Rullion future-proof their compliance processes and satisfy their clients contractual requirements.Rullions Board Director, Phil Higgins states, This is an important move for us in making sure were meeting our clients needs. Were confident that Kingsbridges processes support our existing candidate base, offering a long-term solution in protecting our contractors, whilst improving the efficiency of the insurance checking process.Specialist contractor insurance brokers Kingsbridge () have a strong history of working with both recruiters and contractors in engineering, IT and banking sectors. As such, they are well placed to support Rullion in this recent endeavour.Thomas Wynne, Business Development Director at Kingsbridge commented:We are seeing more onerous terms being thrust upon recruiters, with clients asking them to take responsibility for the contractors actions. This has forced recruiters to educate themselves more thoroughly on the chain of liability, and the risks they face when signing these terms if their contractors are not covered.Nonetheless, we still find that many contractors operate uninsured and many recruiters are not checking either. This can result in a black mark against the agency when it comes to a client audit.Wynne further commented that: We have a natural affinity with Rullion as we understand the space they operate in and what their clients expect from them.Rullions association with Kingsbridge highlights the demonstrable risk recruitment agencies face, showing that it is possible to balance out client demands with proactive contractor compliance processes. Furthermore it highlights a duty of care gap that other recruiters could be missing, ensuring their contractor candidates are suitably protected to work through their limited companies.Kingsbridge are an insurance provider to more than 35,000 limited company contractors and compliance partner to more than 500 recruitment agencies and contractor accountancy partners. Established for over 17 years, the Kingsbridge Group is ranked in the UKs top 50 independent insurance brokers.Kingsbridge Risk Solutions Ltd9 Miller CourtTewkesburyGloucestershireGL20 8DNUKSamantha Magee  Kingsbridge Partnership Marketing Manager07483 300 861  Samantha@kingsbridge.co.uk
Lucintel anticipates that North America will be the fastest growing region for CMC in the global aerospace industry

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According to a new market report published by Lucintel, the future for CMC in the global aerospace industry looks positive with opportunities in the commercial aircraft, military aircraft, and space segments. CMC consumption in the global aerospace industry is expected to grow with a CAGR of 9% from 2017 to 2022. The major growth drivers for this market are increasing demand for lightweight materials in the aerospace industry and capability of CMC components for performing better at high temperatures.In this market, C/C, SiC/SiC, and Oxide/Oxide are the major types of CMC material. C/C will remain the largest market over the forecast period because it is commonly used in all commercial aircraft disc brakes.North America is expected to remain the largest region during the forecast period due to high procurement of CMC material by various CMC component manufacturers in the USA.Emerging trends, which have a direct impact on the dynamics of the industry, include increasing application of CMC materials in high temperature areas. 3M, General Electric, CoorsTek Inc., Albany International, and SGL Carbon SE are among the major manufacturers of CMC material for aerospace industry.Lucintel, a leading global strategic consulting and market research firm, has analyzed growth opportunities for CMC in the global aerospace industry by material type, application, end use industry, and region, and has come up with a comprehensive research report entitled Growth Opportunities for CMC in the Global Aerospace Industry 2017-2022: Trends, Forecast, and Opportunity Analysis. The Lucintel report serves as a catalyst for growth strategy by providing comprehensive data and analysis on trends, key drivers, and directions. The study includes a forecast for CMC in the global aerospace industry by material type, application, end use industry, and region, as follows:By Material Type (Volume (metric ton) and Value ($ million) from 2011 to 2022): Oxide/Oxide Sic/Sic C/C and OthersBy End Use Market (Value ($ million) from 2011 to 2022): Commercial Aircraft Military Aircraft SpaceBy Application (Value ($ million) from 2011 to 2022): Engine Landing Gear AirframeBy Region (Value ($M) shipment analysis from 2011 to 2022): North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of the WorldThis 108-page research report will enable you to make confident business decisions in this globally competitive marketplace. For a detailed table of contents, contact Lucintel at +1-972-636-5056 or helpdesk@lucintel.com. Lucintel offerings include Aerospace Report, Defense Market Report, Strategic Growth Consulting, Commercial Due Diligence Report and Business Strategy Consulting.Lucintel, the premier global management consulting and market research firm, creates winning strategies for growth. It offers market assessments, competitive analysis, opportunity analysis, growth consulting, M&A, and due diligence services to executives and key decision-makers in a variety of industries. For further information, visit222 Las Colinas Blvd West, Suite 1650, Irving, TX 75039, USAPh: +1-972-636-5056 Fax: +1-877-883-5140marketing@lucintel.com
Pure Cashmere Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Tianshan Wool, Gobi, GOYO, Cashmere Holding, Viction Cashmere, Dongrong Group, Sor Cashmere and Others

Pure Cashmere Market

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Global Pure Cashmere market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Kingdeer, Viction Cashmere, Dongrong Group, Ningxia St.Edenweiss International Enterprises Group, Tianshan Wool, Gobi, GOYO, Cashmere Holding, Sor Cashmere, Erdos Group and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Pure Cashmere Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:GobiGOYOCashmere HoldingSor CashmereErdos GroupKingdeerViction CashmereDongrong GroupNingxia St.Edenweiss International Enterprises GroupTianshan WoolOthersGlobal Pure Cashmere Market: Key Product TypeType 1Type 2Type 3OthersGlobal Pure Cashmere Market: Key Application TypeCashmere ClothingCashmere AccessoryCashmere Home TextilesOthersGlobal Pure Cashmere Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Pure Cashmere Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Pure Cashmere Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Pure Cashmere Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Global Market Overview1.1 Scope of Statistics1.1.1 Scope of Products1.1.2 Scope of Manufacturers1.1.3 Scope of Application1.1.4 Scope of Regions/Countries1.2 Global Market Size2 Regional Market2.1 Regional Production2.2 Regional Demand2.3 Regional Trade3 Key Manufacturers3.1 Gobi........................Continue (Global Pure Cashmere Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
The Global Cardamom Oil market is Envisioned to be Valued at USD 7.2 Billion by the end of 2024, According to Research Nester

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The global cardamom oil market is segmented into application such as cosmetic and personal care products, pharmaceutical industry, food and beverages industry, and others out of which, food and beverages segment is projected to grasp a remarkable CAGR by 2024. Likely, growing demand for cardamom oil from healthcare industry is also triggering the market of cardamom oil. In addition to this, growing usage of cardamom oil by pharmaceutical industry to develop drug for the treatment of muscle spasms, muscle pulls and others is also projected to propel the growth of cardamom oil market.Global cardamom oil market is anticipated to showcase a robust CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period i.e. 2017-2024. Additionally, the market is riding on the back of rising consumer concern towards health along with expansion of pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the global cardamom oil market is projected to account noteworthy sales of USD 7.2 Billion by the end of 2024.The blends segment by form type is projected to grab a remarkable CAGR over the forecast period. In terms of regional platform, Asia-pacific region accounted for the largest stake in the global market of cardamom oil. Moreover, India and Indonesia are the major countries witnessing the augmented demand for cardamom oil in this region. Apart from this, Africa is also predicted to attain a significant growth owing to positive GDP figures and rise in per capita income of middle class. Apart from this, North America and Europe region contributed a considerable share in the market due to growing demand for cardamom oil form healthcare sector.Rising Health AwarenessGrowing awareness among the population regarding the health benefits related with usage of cardamom oil such as it promotes clear breathing and respiratory health, ease digestion and others is projected to foster the growth of cardamom oil market over the forecast period. Furthermore, increasing adoption of cardamom oil by the healthcare industry is also predicted to foster the growth of cardamom oil market.Request For Free Sample Pages:Expansion of Cardamom IndustryAccording to Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India, during 2015-16, the projected production of cardamom small is 22,000 MT as against 18,000 MT during 2014-15 by witnessing an increase of 22.2% in India. Moreover, growing demand for cardamom oil from personal care products and cosmetic industry is expected to propel the growth of cardamom oil market.On the contrary, lack of awareness in underdeveloped regions and high cost associated with cardamom oil are some of the factors hampering the market of cardamom oil.The report titled Cardamom Oil Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2024 delivers detailed overview of the global cardamom oil market in terms of market segmentation by source type, by form type, by application, by distribution channel and by region.Further, for the in-depth analysis, the report encompasses the industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, BPS analysis and Porters five force model.Request For TOC Pages:This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the global cardamom oil market which includes company profiling of Aromaaz international, IL Health and Beauty Natural Oils, Nelixia, Green Field Oil Factory, Piping Rock Health Products, Green Leaf Extraction Pvt Ltd, Aksuvital, Natures Natural India and Shaanix Guanjie Technology. The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which encompasses business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. On the whole, the report depicts detailed overview of the global cardamom oil market that will help industry consultants, equipment manufacturers, existing players searching for expansion opportunities, new players searching possibilities and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to the ongoing and expected trends in the future.Request For Buy Now:Research Nester is a leading service provider for strategic market research and consulting. We aim to provide unbiased, unparalleled market insights and industry analysis to help industries, conglomerates and executives to take wise decisions for their future marketing strategy, expansion and investment etc. We believe every business can expand to its new horizon, provided a right guidance at a right time is available through strategic minds. Our out of box thinking helps our clients to take wise decision so as to avoid future uncertainties.For Table of Content & Free Sample Report Contact:Name:-Ajay DanielEmail: ajay.daniel@researchnester.comU.S. +1 646 586 9123U.K. +44 203 608 5919Website:-
Amenity Kits Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Orvec, W.K. Thomas, Linstol, Nowara, RMT, InflightDirect, 4Inflight, AMKO and Others

Amenity Kits Market

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Global Amenity Kits market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely InflightDirect, Linstol, Nowara, RMT, Orvec, W.K. Thomas, Zibo Rainbow, Aire Inflight, 4Inflight, AMKO, AVID, Buzz, Clip Ltd, GIP and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.An amenity kit is a compiled package of amenities given out to travelers. Airlines often give out amenity kits on flights, especially to higher-paying customers, which may include toiletries and sleep aids, such as eye masks, earplugs, toothpaste, and more.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Amenity Kits Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Aire Inflight4InflightAMKOAVIDBuzzClip LtdGIPInflightDirectLinstolNowaraRMTOrvecW.K. ThomasZibo RainbowOthersGlobal Amenity Kits Market: Key Product TypeFirst ClassBusiness ClassEconomy ClassOthersGlobal Amenity Kits Market: Key Application TypeWomenMenKidsOthersGlobal Amenity Kits Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Amenity Kits Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Amenity Kits Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Amenity Kits Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 First Class1.1.2.2 Business Class1.1.2.3 Economy Class1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 Women1.1.3.2 Men1.1.3.3 Kids........................Continue (Global Amenity Kits Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Diamond Bur Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Johnson Promident, Strauss, Lasco Diamond, MICRODONT, Horico, Komet Dental, Kerr Dental and Others

Diamond Bur Market

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Global Diamond Bur market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Microcopy, Hu Friedy, Strauss, Lasco Diamond, DFS-DIAMON GmbH, MICRODONT, Dentsply, Horico, Komet Dental, Kerr Dental, NTI, Mani, Johnson Promident and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Diamond burs are used for precise drilling and finishing and for grinding where material removal is not a concern. Diamond burs produce cleaner cuts and a higher polish than carbide burs. When choosing a diamond bur, consider its grit. The diamond burs grit determines the speed and type of polish. Diamond burs with finer grits achieve a higher polish and finish while diamond burs with coarser grits are suited for heavy material removal. Diamond burs are either standard or disposable. Standard diamond burs are reusable and should be sharpened and sterilized before use in another procedure. Disposable diamond burs are designed for single use and should not be reused in another procedure.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Diamond Bur Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:DentsplyHoricoKomet DentalKerr DentalNTIManiJohnson PromidentMicrocopyHu FriedyStraussLasco DiamondDFS-DIAMON GmbHMICRODONTOthersGlobal Diamond Bur Market: Key Product TypeType 1Type 2Type 3OthersGlobal Diamond Bur Market: Key Application TypeHigh-speed air driven hand piecesSlow bending hand piecesSlow straight hand piecesOthersGlobal Diamond Bur Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Diamond Bur Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Diamond Bur Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Diamond Bur Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Global Market Overview1.1 Scope of Statistics1.1.1 Scope of Products1.1.2 Scope of Manufacturers1.1.3 Scope of Application1.1.4 Scope of Regions/Countries1.2 Global Market Size2 Regional Market2.1 Regional Production2.2 Regional Demand2.3 Regional Trade3 Key Manufacturers3.1 Dentsply........................Continue (Global Diamond Bur Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Fly Fishing Reel Market Report for Period 2011 till 2022 Ross, Hatch, Abel, Daiwa, Okuma, Ross, Hatch, Tibor and Others

Fly Fishing Reel Market

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Global Fly Fishing Reel market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Tibor, Hardy, Galvan, Orvis, Daiwa, Okuma, Ross, Hatch, Abel, Nautilus, Waterworks Lamson, Sage Reels and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Modern fishing reels usually have fittings aiding in casting for distance and accuracy, as well as retrieving line. Fishing reels are traditionally used in the recreational sport of angling and competitive casting. They are typically attached to a fishing rod, though some specialized reels are mounted directly to boat gunwales or transoms.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Fly Fishing Reel Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:RossHatchAbelNautilusWaterworks LamsonSage ReelsTiborHardyGalvanOrvisDaiwaOkumaOthersGlobal Fly Fishing Reel Market: Key Product Type1-5 wt6-8 wt8-12 wtOthersGlobal Fly Fishing Reel Market: Key Application TypeShallow Water FishingDeep Water FishingShip FishingOthersGlobal Fly Fishing Reel Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Fly Fishing Reel Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Fly Fishing Reel Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Fly Fishing Reel Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Battery Type1.2.1.1 1-5 wt1.2.1.2 6-8 wt1.2.1.3 8-12 wt1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Shallow Water Fishing1.2.2.2 Deep Water Fishing1.2.2.3 Ship Fishing1.2.3 by Regions........................Continue (Global Fly Fishing Reel Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Hospital Lighting Market - Future Market, Growth & Forecast upto 2025

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Global Hospital Lighting Market: OverviewLighting in healthcare plays a critical role not only in enhancing the patient experience but also in improving the healthcare staffs ability of catering to the various levels of care required by the patients. As a result, the global market for hospital lighting is likely to reach new heights.By application, the global hospital lighting market can be segmented into dentistry, operating room, doctors offices, kitchen, maternity ward, patient rooms, laboratory, library, bathrooms, first aid ward, corridors and staircases, and waiting areas. Based on technology, the LED, CFL, florescent, and renewable energy. By product, the global market for hospital lighting systems can be segmented into surgical lights, surface-mounted lights, and troffers.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Hospital Lighting Market: Key TrendsSince good illumination ensures the safety of patients, allows smoother operation of activities, creates an amiable environment, and promotes a sense of well-being among the patients, the global healthcare lighting market holds vast potential for growth. The LED lighting is expected to emerge as the leading segment by technology, thanks to the growing deployment of LED based fixtures across various parts of hospitals.The florescent lighting systems are also gaining traction. They are being increasingly installed across hospitals by virtue of their relatively lower costs and power saving capabilities. By product, troffers are likely to claim the largest share in the global market for hospital lighting. By application, the patients wards segment might represent the largest share in the global market for hospital lighting.Request TOC of the Report @Global Hospital Lighting Market: Market PotentialEnhancement of user experience is increasingly being acknowledged by some leading hospitals. For instance, the new Beacon Childrens Hospital in South Bend (US), features a two-story atrium that has pleasant, soft-green lights. These firefly lights give a splendid appearance to the entire ambience of the hospital. The nature and healing theme of the hospital is designed to aid patients recover faster. With a forest mural, interactive games, and tree sculptures along with these lights, the hospital aims at boosting interaction between fellow patients, staff, family, and the physical space itself. The hospital welcomed its first patients in May 2017.The global market for hospital lighting has been witnessing collaborations, partnerships, and mergers. For instance, an emerging non-profit, Market Driven Community Corporation (MDCC) made an announcement in April 2017 pertaining to its signing a contract for installing LED lighting systems at Rochester General Hospital (New York, US).Get Discount @Global Hospital Lighting Market: Regional OutlookThe global market for hospital lighting can be segmented into Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and North America. North America currently holds the dominant position in the global market for hospital lighting. Beneficial government initiatives and technological advancements in the area of lighting solutions have been the key factors driving the growth of the market.The countries such as India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan are witnessing an increase in the number of hospitals. This can create significant opportunities for the growth of the market. The expanding healthcare infrastructure in Asia Pacific and growing preference for efficient lighting solutions in the region have also been accelerating the expansion of the hospital lighting market in the region. The Middle East and Africa and Latin America are also bursting forth with opportunities.Global Hospital Lighting Market: Competitive AnalysisKoninklijke Philips N.V., Acuity Brands Lighting Inc., KLS Martin Group, Eaton Corporation PLC, Hubbell Incorporated, General Electric Company, Cree Inc., Zumtobel Group AG, and Trilux Lighting Ltd are some of the leading companies operating in the global market for hospital lighting.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Laser Displacement Sensor Market Driven by High-value Industrial Applications

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) observes the global laser displacement sensor market to feature a moderately consolidated vendor landscape. The presence of a few large companies that operate globally renders a moderate degree of competition in this market.Key players in the global laser displacement sensor market to name are SICK AG, KEYENCE Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Cognex Corporation, TURCK GmbH Co., KG, OMRON Corporation, ZSY Group Ltd., Mechanical Technology Incorporated, Banner Engineering Corp., and MICRO-EPSILON.Obtain Report Details:According to a report by TMR, the global laser displacement sensor market is likely to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period between 2017 and 2025. Rising at this pace, the market which was valued at US$2713.2 mn in 2016 will become worth US$5,201.4 mn by the end of 2025.The segment of more than 300mm range laser displacement sensors holds the leading market share amongst all segments based on range. This is because of an extensive number of sensors that are available in this segment.The automotive segment led amongst the key end-use segments in 2016 and going forward too the segment is expected to continue to remain dominant. Geography-wise, Asia Pacific is likely to exhibit the leading growth rate amongst all key regional markets for laser displacement sensor. The growth in the region is driven by the presence of a large number of manufacturing units in countries such as China, Japan, India, and South Korea.Government Support for Industrial Automation Stokes GrowthThe laser displacement sensor market is predicted to witness an exponential growth in the forthcoming years on the back of rising trend of industrial automation along with cost saving practices in quality control. This is leading laser displacement sensors to find application across a number of application areas such as robotics, machine tools, and material handling among others.Apart from this, rising use of laser displacement sensors in consumer electronics and automotive sectors coupled with their rising demand from other industries is immensely benefitting the laser displacement sensor market, globally.Laser displacement sensors, which fall in non-contact type sensor category, overcome the shortcomings of contact type displacement sensors pertaining to variation in measurements, quick wearing of the sensor, and restriction of target motion among others.Make Enquiry @Further, laser displacement sensors are free of any limitations and thus find application across a number of end-use industries such as industrial, aerospace, and defense. These factors, along with the expected drop in prices of laser displacement sensors in the forthcoming years is likely to boost their uptake.The growth of the laser displacement sensor market has also been boosted by steady support extended by governments around the world to implement industrial automation. In addition, initiatives undertaken by governments such as Make in India by the Indian government to make India a global manufacturing hub is anticipated to drive the demand for laser displacement sensor in the region.High Price Factor Crimps GrowthOn the other hand, the high price and high maintenance cost of laser displacement sensor are acting as a key restraints on the markets growth.Get TOC @About TMRTransparency 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 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Mammography Market - Future Market with Current Trend Analysis upto 2025

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Global Mammography Market: OverviewThe global mammography market is growing at a significant pace, owing to the increasing cancer cases worldwide. The key players in the market, government organizations, and NGOs are making notable efforts to create an awareness and offer treatment to patients, which is expected to enhance the growth of the market in the near future. Thus, the market is likely to register a strong growth rate in the forecast period.Global Mammography Market: Key TrendsThe high prevalence of breast cancer worldwide and the rising number of innovations concerning screening and diagnostics are estimated to offer lucrative opportunities for key players operating in the market. The improving healthcare facilities in the developing economies are projected to supplement the markets growth in the coming years. Furthermore, governments across the globe are making efforts to provide treatments at low cost in order to reach a large number of audience in the near future.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Mammography Market: Market PotentialTechnological advancements in the healthcare sector and the emergence of innovative devices and effective therapeutics are the key factors projected to fuel the growth of the global mammography market throughout the forecast period. In addition to this, the rising number of cancer cases across the globe is expected to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the near future.On the other hand, the lack of awareness among patients in several developing economies and the high cost of treatment are estimated to curb the growth of the global mammography market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the use of digital mammography devices is predicted to generate promising growth opportunities for the key players in the market.Global Mammography Market: Regional OutlookIn the previous years, the North America market for mammography held a major share of the global market and is estimated to retain its position over the forecast period. The rising number of breast cancer cases and the increasing women population are the key factors anticipated to encourage the development of the North America market in the coming years. In addition, the availability of advanced therapeutics and healthcare infrastructure are predicted to accelerate the markets growth in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @On the other hand, the development of the economy and the rising popularity of medical tourism are projected to augment the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the next few years. The increasing contribution from China and India and the rising awareness among patients are predicted to supplement the markets growth in the forecast period. Moreover, the favorable government initiatives and the enhancement of the healthcare sector are likely to contribute towards the growth of the Asia Pacific market in the near future.Global Mammography Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global market is projected to grow progressive throughout the forecast period. The rising emphasis of the leading players on introducing new therapeutics and devices to offer enhanced products to patients is likely to encourage the growth of the overall market in the coming years. As a result, several new players are predicted to participate in the market in order to create a brand name across the globe.Get Discount @Some of the leading players operating in the mammography market across the globe are I.M.S. Srl, GE Healthcare, Hologic, Planmed Oy, Phillips Healthcare, Fujifilm, Siemens Healthcare, Mindray Medical International Limited, Toshiba Medical Systems, and Metaltronica. The research study provides a detailed overview of the competitive landscape and throws light on the key strategies and policies that have been adopted by them in order to sustain in the global market.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Gearbox Market 2017 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2022

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This report studies the Gearbox on United States and global market, focuses on the top players in US market and also the market status and outlook by type and application.The global Gearbox market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Gearbox in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaRequest a Sample Report @The major players in United States Gearbox market include ABB, Bonfiglioli, Emerson Electric, Rexnord, SEW Eurodrive, Siemens, Brevini Power Transmission, Cone Drive Operations, Curtis Machine Company, David Brown Engineering, Horsburgh & Scott, Oerlikon Graziano Drive Systems, IGW, Anaheim Automation.The On the basis of product, the Gearbox market is primarily split intoBevel GearboxHelical GearboxSpur GearboxWorm GearboxPlanetary GearboxOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversAutomotiveIndustrial EquipmentAerospaceConstruction EquipmentOthersMake an enquiry of this Report @Table of Contents2017-2022 Gearbox Report on United States and Global Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Gearbox Market Overview2.1 Gearbox Product Overview2.2 Gearbox Segment by Types (Product Category)2.2.1 United States Gearbox Sales and Growth (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)2.2.2 United States Gearbox Sales Market Share (%) by Types (Product Category) in 20162.2.3 Bevel Gearbox2.2.4 Helical Gearbox2.2.5 Spur Gearbox2.2.6 Worm Gearbox2.2.7 Planetary Gearbox2.3 United States Gearbox Segment by Applications2.3.1 United States Gearbox Sales (K Units) Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)2.3.2 Automotive2.3.3 Industrial Equipment2.3.4 Aerospace2.3.5 Construction Equipment2.3.6 Others2.4 Global Gearbox Market Comparison by Regions (2012-2022)2.4.1 Global Gearbox Market Size and Growth (%) Comparison by Regions (2012-2022)2.4.2 North America Gearbox Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2.4.3 Asia-Pacific Gearbox Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2.4.4 Europe Gearbox Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2.4.5 South America Gearbox Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2.4.6 Middle East and Africa Gearbox Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2.5 Global Gearbox Market Size (2012-2022)2.5.1 Global Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2.5.2 Global Gearbox Sales (K Units) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2.6 United States Gearbox Market Size (2012-2022)2.6.1 United States Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2.6.2 United States Gearbox Sales (K Units) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)3 United States Gearbox Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers3.1 United States Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Share by Players (2012-2017)3.2 United States Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2012-2017)3.3 United States Gearbox Average Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2012-2017)3.4 Players Gearbox Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types3.5 Gearbox Market Competitive Situation and Trends3.5.1 Gearbox Market Concentration Rate3.5.2 Gearbox Market Share (%) of Top 3 and Top 5 Players3.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion4 Global Gearbox Market Comparison by Regions4.2 Global Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.3 Global Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.3 Global Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.5 North America Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.6 Europe Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.7 Asia-Pacific Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.8 South America Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4.9 Middle East and Africa Gearbox Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)5 United States Gearbox Sales, Revenue, Price Trend by Types5.1 United States Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)5.2 United States Gearbox Revenue and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)5.3 United States Gearbox Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Bevel Gearbox5.4.1 United States Bevel Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)5.4.2 United States Bevel Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)5.5 Helical Gearbox5.5.1 United States Helical Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)5.5.2 United States Helical Gearbox Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)5.6 Spur Gearbox5.7 Worm Gearbox5.8 Planetary Gearbox6 United States Gearbox Market Analysis by Applications6.1 United States Gearbox Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)6.2 United States Gearbox Sales Growth Rate (%) by Applications (2012-2017)6.3 Automotive Sales Growth Rate6.4 Industrial Equipment Sales Growth Rate6.5 Aerospace Sales Growth Rate6.6 Construction Equipment6.7 OthersContinuedPurchase Report @ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
High-resolution Melting Analysis Market - In-Depth Analysis & Forecast upto 2025

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Global High-resolution Melting Analysis Market: OverviewHigh resolution melting analysis is a powerful and strong methodology in molecular biology for the purpose of detecting epigenetic differences, polymorphisms, and mutations in double-stranded DNA samples. It was first discovered and developed by the Idaho Technology and University of Utah. High resolution melting analysis has several advantages over genotyping technologies such as cost effectiveness, it is powerful and fast as compared to genotyping technologies, and it is comparatively simple. Based on products and services, the global high-resolution melting analysis market can be segmented into software and services, consumables and reagents, and instruments. In terms of application, it can be segmented into epigenetics, pathogen identification, species identification, mutation scanning, and SNP genotyping.The global market for high-resolution melting analysis is likely to have a fruitful future owing to ongoing research and developments in this field sponsored by several leading companies operating in this particular field. For instance, FDA in the U.S. approves many treatments which are made for addressing a specific genomic profile or genetic makeup of the tumor of the patient.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global High-resolution Melting Analysis Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe prime factors that are boosting the growth of the market comprise the growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, COPD, chronic diseases such as cancer, and other different infectious diseases. The prime benefits associated with high-resolution melting analysis are optimization of therapies, patient compliance, drug safety, cost savings on several treatments, and disease diagnosis. In return, these are also expected to propel the demand for DNA testing services. Moreover, rising awareness pertaining to the applications of high resolution melting analysis technologies for HLA typing, mutation discovery, and DNA mapping are additional aspects that are anticipated to propel the growth of the high-resolution melting analysis market during the forecast period. High resolution melting analysis is a technology employed for assessing melting curve plots of amplified gene. This particular technology is basically used for gene mutation scanning, microbial species identification, methylation profiling, and other different diagnostics based on PCR. Thus, mutation scanning and other applications are likely to gain prominence over time owing to rising prevalence of advancements in technology of molecular biology, genetic disorders, and growing awareness pertaining to SNP typing.Request TOC of the Report @Global High-resolution Melting Analysis Market: Market PotentialGrowing government budget provision for research and development in the field of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and applied life sciences is a crucial factor heightening the demand for numerous diagnostic techniques and tools. For instance, in 2015, the Obama led administration announced the introduction of the Precision Medicine Initiative with a huge investment of US$216 mn in the Presidents budget of 2016. This initiative is further expected to have positive impact on the growth of the high resolution melting analysis market.Global High-resolution Melting Analysis Market: Regional OverviewRegion-wise, the market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World. North America is expected to perform extremely owing to factors such as robust adoption of advanced technology in healthcare, numerous genetic testing centers, strong biotech and pharmaceutical industry, prevalence many academic universities, and high prevalence of diseases. Asia Pacific has also been identified as one of the potential regions where the market can grow steadily owing to dynamics such as rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as HIV, COPD, and cancer, growing cases of genetic disorders, and rising private and public expenditure on genetic testing and molecular diagnostic.Get Discount @Global High-resolution Melting Analysis Market: Competitive LandscapeThe top drawer companies operating in the market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Kapa Biosystems, Idaho Technology Corporation, and Roche Molecular Systems.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Offshore Decommissioning Market - Current Scenario and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Offshore Decommissioning Market: OverviewOffshore decommissioning is the process of disassembling offshore oil platforms, which also includes burying the holes drilled into the ground for exploration and extraction purposes. Mature oil platforms can have an adverse impact on the surrounding environment, which necessitates their removal. The global offshore decommissioning market is likely to remain a key sector of the global oil and gas industry in the coming years, as the latter is likely to emphasize increasingly on offshore petroleum extraction. Well plugging and abandonment is likely to remain the key segment of the global offshore decommissioning market in the coming years, with the extensive scale of the operation key in ensuring a steady dominant share for the segment in the global market.Global Offshore Decommissioning Market: Key TrendsThe global offshore decommissioning market is likely to exhibit steady growth in the coming years due to the rising number of mature oilfields, which no longer remain commercially viable. The high number of aging platforms in shallow water is also likely to remain a key driver for the global offshore decommissioning market in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other hand, the high cost of offshore decommissioning projects could hinder the growth of the global offshore decommissioning market. Due to the large scale of offshore oil and gas platforms, significant expenditure needs to be dedicated for effective offshore decommissioning projects. Since the expenses go toward removing a nonfunctional asset rather than expanding the existing capacity, many players in the global oil and gas industry have remained reluctant about offshore decommissioning. The technology required to carry out offshore decommissioning efficiently are also lacking in several regions, as is systemic support from the regulatory framework. This is also likely to restrain the global offshore decommissioning market in the coming years.The rising use of techniques to maximize and prolong the viability of oilfields is also likely to restrain the growth of the global offshore decommissioning market in the coming years. Refilling and other techniques can help extend the operational lifespan of oilfield by a few years, and result in further profits for the oil and gas operator. This remains a key challenge for the offshore decommissioning market in the coming years, as offshore decommissioning remains unprofitable both economically as well as logistically compared to these techniques.Request TOC of the Report @Global Offshore Decommissioning Market: Market PotentialOil and gas operations in the North Sea are likely to be vital to the global offshore decommissioning market in the coming years. The U.K. and Norway are among the leading oil producers operating in the North Sea and are likely to remain among the key consumers of offshore decommissioning technology in the coming years. As a result, Europe is likely to be the leading regional offshore decommissioning market over the coming years.Global Offshore Decommissioning Market: Geographical DynamicsFollowing Europe, North America is also likely to retain a significant share in the global offshore decommissioning market due primarily to the rising role of the U.S. in the global oil and gas sector. The U.S. has traditionally been a major player in the oil and gas industry and is a leading operator of offshore oilfields at present. The rising prominence of Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia in the global oil and gas sector is also likely to drive the Asia Pacific market for offshore decommissioning in the coming years.Get Discount @Global Offshore Decommissioning Market: Competitive DynamicsThe leading players in the global offshore decommissioning market include AF Gruppen ASA, Amec Foster Wheeler Plc, John Wood Group Plc, Ramboll Group, Aker Solutions ASA, and Tetra Technologies Inc.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Mushrooming Multi-brand Retailers and Food Joints to Fuel Commercial Refrigerator Sales in Asia Pacific

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Asia Pacific Commercial Refrigerators Market: Key TrendsThe commercial refrigerators market in Asia Pacific will continue to rise, with China leading the market from the front, Transparency Market Research says. As the region faces the mushrooming of convenience stores, hypermarkets, super markets, grocery shops, and restaurants, the installation of commercial refrigerators is expected to rise considerably in the forthcoming years. Along with this, the conspicuous demand for energy-efficient solutions will pave the way for research and development activities in the market.Download Brochure@With opportunities for foreign direct investment widening in the food retail sector, Transparency Market Research (TMR) expects the commercial refrigerators market in Asia Pacific to surge at a 9.8% CAGR between 2016 and 2024. Around this time, technologies such as magnetocaloric refrigeration, which offer 20% to 30% reduced energy consumption, will witness wider commercialization.The booming hospitality sector and the food retail industry will enable the commercial refrigerators market in Asia Pacific to reach US$38.83 bn by 2024, rising steadily from nearly US$16.99 bn in 2015.Considerable Presence of Local and Multinational Players Helps Keep Prices of Commercial Refrigerators in China in CheckThe commercial refrigerators market is gaining considerable traction across China, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. The rapid proliferation of quick service restaurants and the increasing penetration of multinational retailers in these countries have fuelled the demand for energy-efficient commercial refrigerators.China reports the highest demand for commercial refrigerators in Asia Pacific. It held over 33.5% of the Asia Pacific commercial refrigerators market in 2015. The country boasts a considerable presence of both local and multinational manufacturers; hence, commercial refrigerators are available at a comparatively lower purchasing cost in China. This will in turn propel the China commercial refrigerators market at a CAGR of 7.3% by revenue, from 2016 to 2024.Demand for commercial refrigerators is also likely to increase considerably in India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Rest of Asia Pacific.Demand for Beverage Refrigerators to Surge, Fuelled by Rising TourismThe market for commercial refrigerators has been segmented based on beverage refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated display cases, glass door refrigerators, retail channels, and fridge freezers. Based on beverage refrigerator type, the market has been bifurcated into beverage refrigerator and wine refrigerator. In terms of revenue, the beverage refrigerator segment emerged dominant in the market, accounting for a share of over 57.2% in 2015. The growth witnessed in the tourism sector is expected to positively influence the sales prospects of beverage refrigerators during the forecast period. However, the segment is expected to lose its market share to the wine refrigerators as alcohol consumption increases in the Philippines.The refrigerated display segment is further categorized into plug-in and remote refrigerated display. By freezer type, the market has been classified into vertical freezers, chest freezers, and ice-cream freezers. In terms of glass door refrigerators, the market comprises glass door refrigerators with storage capacities of 6.1 Cu. Ft. to 9.0 Cu. Ft., 3.1 Cu. Ft. to 6.0 Cu. Ft., 0.5 Cu. Ft to 3.0 Cu. Ft., and others with a storage capacity of more than 9.0 Cu. Ft. Likewise, the fridge freezer segment includes single-door and multi-door fridge freezers.By retail channel, hypermarkets in Asia Pacific are likely to demonstrate the highest demand for commercial refrigerators in 2015. As per TMR, the segment held approximately 30.6% of the market in 2015. Favorable policies encouraging the setting-up of hypermarkets across Asia Pacific will seal the dominance of this segment through the forecast period.Browse Report@Apart from this, the demand for commercial refrigerators is also expected to rise significantly across supermarkets, restaurants, and convenience stores in Asia Pacific.Some of the most prominent companies operating in the market include Haier Electronics Group Co. Ltd., Liebherr Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., GE Appliances, Fukushima Industries Corporation, and others.About Us:-Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation 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:-State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
High Pressure Washer Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Karcher, Nilfisk, Shanghai Panda, FNA Group, Himore, Alkota, Annovi Reverberi (AR) and Others

High Pressure Washer Market

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Global High Pressure Washer market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Clearforce, Stanley, Makita, Shanghai Panda, FNA Group, Lavorwash, Zhejiang Anlu, Himore, Alkota, Karcher, Nilfisk, Stihl, Briggs&Stratton, BOSCH, TTI, Generac, Annovi Reverberi (AR) and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.High Pressure Washer is a pressure washer or power washer that is a high-pressure mechanical sprayer used to remove loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles and concrete surfaces. The volume of a pressure washer is expressed in gallons or litres per minute, often designed into the pump and not variable. The pressure, expressed in pounds per square inch, pascals, or bar (deprecated but in common usage), is designed into the pump but can be varied by adjusting the unloader valve.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global High Pressure Washer Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:KarcherNilfiskStihlBriggs&StrattonBOSCHTTIGeneracAnnovi Reverberi (AR)ClearforceStanleyMakitaShanghai PandaFNA GroupLavorwashZhejiang AnluHimoreAlkotaOthersGlobal High Pressure Washer Market: Key Product TypeType 1Type 2Type 3OthersGlobal High Pressure Washer Market: Key Application TypeResidentialCommercialIndustrialOthersGlobal High Pressure Washer Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global High Pressure Washer Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global High Pressure Washer Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global High Pressure Washer Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Global Market Overview1.1 Scope of Statistics1.1.1 Scope of Products1.1.2 Scope of Manufacturers1.1.3 Scope of Application1.1.4 Scope of Regions/Countries1.2 Global Market Size2 Regional Market2.1 Regional Production2.2 Regional Demand2.3 Regional Trade3 Key Manufacturers3.1 Karcher........................Continue (Global High Pressure Washer Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Vacutainer Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 TUD, Hongyu Medical, Sekisui, Sarstedt, Gong Dong, CDRICH, Sanli, GBO and Others

Vacutainer Market

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Global Vacutainer market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Narang Medical, Improve Medical, TUD, Hongyu Medical, Sanli, Gong Dong, CDRICH, Terumo, BD, GBO, Medtronic, Sekisui, Sarstedt, FL medical and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.A vacutainer blood collection tube is a sterile glass or plastic tube with a closure that is evacuated to create a vacuum inside the tube facilitating the draw of a predetermined volume of liquid. Most commonly used to collect blood samples in venipuncture, they are also used as urine collection tubes and as serum separator tubes. Vacutainer tubes may contain additives designed to stabilize and preserve the specimen prior to analytical testing. Tubes are available with or without a safety-engineered closure, with a variety of labeling options and closure colors as well as a range of draw volumes.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Vacutainer Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:TerumoBDGBOMedtronicSekisuiSarstedtFL medicalNarang MedicalImprove MedicalTUDHongyu MedicalSanliGong DongCDRICHOthersGlobal Vacutainer Market: Key Product TypeSerum Separating TubesEDTA TubesPlasma Separation TubesOthersGlobal Vacutainer Market: Key Application TypeVenous Blood CollectionCapillary Blood CollectionOthersGlobal Vacutainer Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Vacutainer Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Vacutainer Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Vacutainer Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Serum Separating Tubes1.1.2.2 EDTA Tubes1.1.2.3 Plasma Separation Tubes1.1.2.4 Others........................Continue (Global Vacutainer Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Global Stent Graft Balloon Catheter Market 2016-2026: By Product type, By End User

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Stent graft balloon catheter, is a soft catheter with an inflatable "balloon" used during a catheterization procedure to enlarge a narrow opening in the coronary artery. These catheters are generally used for expanding vascular prosthesis or during temporary occlusion of large vessels thus used in many endovascular treatment of abdominal and thoracic aortic diseases. Generally the balloon stents are used in bypass graft surgery and balloon angioplasty. These stents prevent the risk of abrupt artery closure and re-narrowing that occurred in many patients operated for angioplasty.The stent graft balloon catheter market has evolved gradually from simple stents to modified balloon stent catheters. This market comprises of balloon catheters used for stent grafting during angioplasty.Stent Graft Balloon Catheter Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe primary factor for the growth of global stent graft balloon catheter market is the increasing number of hospital admissions attributed to rising incidence of atherosclerosis patients, and rising prevalence of CAD (Coronary Artery Disease) worldwide. Secondly growing healthcare expenditure levels and the introduction of advanced technologiesin balloon catheter drives the market growth for stent graft balloon catheter over the forecast period. However high cost of angioplasty procedures are the factors restraining the market growth of stent graft balloon catheter market over the forecast period.Read Report Overview@Stent Graft Balloon Catheter Market: SegmentationThis market is segmented on the basis of product type and end userSegmentation based by product typeNon Complaint Balloon Stents CatheterComplaint Balloon Stents CatheterSegmentation based by end userHospitalsCardiac CentersASCsStent Graft Balloon Catheter market is mainly dominated by trends such as introduction of drug eluting balloons. Also increasing inclination to opt for balloons with drug delivery, which can deliver the medication at the local site, are effective alternatives for administering the drug intravenously. However there are several types of balloon catheters available in the market, which helps in curing coronary artery diseases and many such trends expected to dominate the market over the forecast period.Stent Graft Balloon Catheter Market: OverviewDepending on geographic region, the stent graft balloon catheter market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.Request Sample Report@Globally, stent graft balloon catheter market is expected to witness healthy growth in the near future due to increasing prevalence of coronary artery disease and the rise in per capita expenditure on healthcare in the developing nations. Stent graft balloon catheter market is anticipated to show highest share is of North America followed by Europe owing to technological advancement, sophisticated healthcare infrastructure and increasing awareness regarding angioplasty procedures available in the market. Also it has been analyzed that balloon catheter stenting for coronary applications has been widely adopted in clinical practice and is associated with improved health outcomes in Europe. Asia-Pacific market is expected to register fastest growth owing to the rise in geriatric population and increasing obesity, which ultimately gives rise to the number of patients suffering for coronary artery diseases over the forecast period.Stent Graft Balloon Catheter Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in stent graft balloon catheter market includes Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott Laboratories, Cordis, Atrium Medical, W. L. Gore & Associates Inc., JOTEC GmbH, QXMedical, LLC etc. these players are entering into mergers & acquisitions, strategic collaborations, and product portfolio expansions, distribution agreements which are their key sustainability strategies. Secondly many local players have started entering in this lucrative 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.comWebsite :
Yoritex is conducting a unique Initial Coin Offering campaign 1+90

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November 29th 2017, Toronto, Canada. - Canadian FinTech Company, Yoritex Inc., is proud to introduce SimcoePay, the first European cross-border multicurrency online bank for both residents and non-residents of Europe.SimcoePay is officially announcing the start of its unique Initial Coin Offering (ICO) starting November 29, 2017 through to the 1st May 2018.The campaign has received accolades from experts in the field of financial technologies and crypto-currencies which will be initially introduced according to a 1+90 formula:# Pre-ICO stage will be available for 1 month from 29th November till 29 December 2017;# ICO will be will be available for 90 days  from 1st February till 1st May 2018  through sale of YRX tokens on the leading worldwide cryptocurrency exchanges.Against banking discriminationYoritex Inc. is introducing the first European Cross-border Multicurrency Online-bank which promises to solve the problem that non-residents of Europe are facing banking discrimination.According to Yoritex Inc. founder Leon Dain, Non-residents  legal entities and private individuals in Europe are not permitted to open bank accounts remotely in 99% of European banking institutions. As a result, non-residents of the EU face increased costs, by paying high currency trading commissions for trans-border payments; no access to inexpensive intra-European SEPA payments as well as unavailability of other cost reduction offers from traditional banks.Currently European and, for example, Canadian banks are ignoring another rapidly developing area cryptocurrency use in day to day life. No single European bank will offer cryptocurrency accounts with convenient and legal ways of cryptocurrency conversion to national currencies, says Leon Dain.For cost effective banking terms of serviceSimcoePay will provide the means to cost effectively make cross-border payments for both non-residents and residents of the EU. The terms of service will be the same for both crypto and national currencies.Each SimcoePay client will have the opportunity to open a multi-currency IBAN account with the ability to simultaneously use crypto (YRX, XBT, ETH, LTC, BCH) and fiat (EUR, CAD, USD, RUB, GBP) currencies and also:# wide range of multicurrency payment cards,# access to beneficial P2P and overdraft loans,# convenient instruments for currency exchange from crypto to fiat currency,# ample opportunities for rapid and inexpensive payments worldwide through the use of a network of three million ATMs worldwide for cash withdrawal,# Including other advantages.Customer service is important to usTokenization is a logical stage in development of Yoritex FinTech project. It is profitable for businesses to use blockchain in operations where transparency and authenticity is of high importance. The banking business is especially sensitive to these factors, says Leon Dain.Yoritex is planning to conduct an ICO campaign by formula 1+90; one month Pre-ICO from 29th November 2017 till 29th December 2017 and 90 days ICO from 1st February till 1st May 2018.Campaign is based on three fundamental principles  respect of equal rights of token buyers, market pricing mechanisms and a pure decentralized solution. Experts in the field of cryptocurrencies noted an original idea of ICO and unique mechanism of campaign structure.Yoritex Pre-ICOPeriod: 29th November - 29th December 2017.The concept of Make your Offer is the foundation of the Pre-ICO round and during it Yoritex Inc. is planning to sell up to 10% (51,000,000 YRX) from total YRX token issue.During this round, potential buyers can make Yoritex an offer to purchase any amount of Tokens at any price.If Yoritex agrees to the proposed offer, the deal will be closed on the terms of buyer.Currencies of payment: BT, ETH, LTC, USD, CAD, EUR.Volumes are unlimited.Yoritex ICOPeriod: 1st February  1st May 2018.During the ICO stage Yoritex is planning to sell up to 85% (433,500,000 YRX) from total YRX token issue. Buyers will be able to purchase Tokens on several world leading crypto-exchanges.On 1st February, 2018 on the 1st trade date, the price of YRX will be fixed on the level: 1 YRX = 0.00185 ETH.During next 89 days of trade, every day an equal quantity of additional YRX tokens will be listed on exchange by Yoritex Inc. The starting price of additional YRX tokens will be equal to closing price of the last day  correlating to LOFI concept - last out, first in (by analogy to widely known accounting method of inventory accounting). YRX tokens which were not sold will be destroyed.Currencies of payment: BT, ETH, LTC.Volumes are unlimited.By implementing of declared ICO concepts, Yoritex will ensure complete transparency of transactions and pricing in compliance with decentralized market mechanisms. Besides that, participants of Pre-ICO stage already within a month after entering the project will have an opportunity to exit. It is unprecedented defense of token holders interests, which we are ready to provide for our buyers, says Leon Dain.Join Yoritex community:Company Website:SimcoePay Online Banking (alpha version):sim-current-accountsSteemit:Slack:Medium:Yoritex Blog:blogTwitter:Facebook:Telegram:Github:Reddit:Linkedin:Pinterest:Imgur:BitcoinTalk:# # #About Yoritex Inc.Yoritex Inc. registered in Canada in 2009. Company has had a number of successful projects in the field of mHealth, engineering and IT-technologies. Development of First European Transnational Multicurrency Online-bank for non-residents SimcoePay was started in 2016.Yoritex Inc.5 KENNETH AVE, SUITE 1108,NORTH YORK ON M2N 6M7CanadaContact:Leon DainPhone (371) 22065135Email: leon.dain@yoritex.com
Third-Generation Sequencing Market | PacBio, Complete Genomics, Helicos

Third-Generation Sequencing Market

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HTF MI published a new industry research that focuses on Third-Generation Sequencing market and delivers in-depth market analysis and future prospects of Global Third-Generation Sequencing market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. The study is segmented by Application/ end users [Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science], products type [Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) DNA Sequencing, Nanopore-based Single-Molecule Analysis Technology & Other] and various important geographies like United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia].Get Access to sample pages @The research covers the current market size of the Global Third-Generation Sequencing market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data along with company profile of key players/manufacturers such as PacBio, Complete Genomics, Helicos & Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The in-depth information by segments of Third-Generation Sequencing market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Third-Generation Sequencing Market.The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global Third-Generation Sequencing Market, some of them listed here are PacBio, Complete Genomics, Helicos & Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The market is growing at a very rapid pace and with rise in technological innovation, competition and M&A activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Global Third-Generation Sequencing (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) DNA Sequencing, Nanopore-based Single-Molecule Analysis Technology & Other. Further the research study is segmented by Application such as Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Third-Generation Sequencing in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2017 to 2022.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @What this Research Study Offers:Global Third-Generation Sequencing Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersStrategic recommendations for the new entrantsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional marketsMarket Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimationsCompetitive landscaping mapping the key common trendsCompany profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developmentsSupply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Third-Generation Sequencing market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Third-Generation Sequencing , Applications of Third-Generation Sequencing , Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Third-Generation Sequencing , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, Third-Generation Sequencing Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Third-Generation Sequencing Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Third-Generation Sequencing ;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) DNA Sequencing, Nanopore-based Single-Molecule Analysis Technology & Other], Market Trend by Application [Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Third-Generation Sequencing ;Chapter 12, to describe Third-Generation Sequencing Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Third-Generation Sequencing sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get customization & check discount for report @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Ball Mill Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 Liaoning Provincial Machinery, DCD, Metso, Gebr. Pfeiffer, FLSmidth, Furukawa, Zhongde Heavy Industry, Hongxing Machinery and Others

Ball Mill Market

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Global Ball Mill market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Shenyang Metallurgy, Liaoning Provincial Machinery, Zhongde Heavy Industry, Henan Hongji Mine, Hongxing Machinery, Pengfei Group, Fote Heavy Machinery, Shanghai Minggong, DCD, Metso, FLSmidth, Furukawa, KHD Humboldt Wedag, Gebr. Pfeiffer, Outotec, MIKRONS, CITIC HIC and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.A ball mill is a type of grinder used to grind materials into extremely fine powder for use in mineral dressing processes, paints, pyrotechnics, ceramics and selective laser sintering.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Ball Mill Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:DCDMetsoFLSmidthFurukawaKHD Humboldt WedagGebr. PfeifferOutotecMIKRONSCITIC HICShenyang MetallurgyLiaoning Provincial MachineryZhongde Heavy IndustryHenan Hongji MineHongxing MachineryPengfei GroupFote Heavy MachineryShanghai MinggongOthersGlobal Ball Mill Market: Key Product TypeWet grinding Ball MillDry grinding Ball MillOthersGlobal Ball Mill Market: Key Application TypeMetal MiningMineral MiningOthersGlobal Ball Mill Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Ball Mill Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Ball Mill Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Ball Mill Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Wet grinding Ball Mill1.2.1.2 Dry grinding Ball Mill1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Metal Mining1.2.2.2 Mineral Mining1.2.2.3 Others........................Continue (Global Ball Mill Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
EON as a particular case of transactional business and regulations

EON blockchain is a hybrid system without any bottlenecks. It is safe, resilient, flexible, scalable with speed of client-server solutions. Due to all these features it can be applied in many industries and solve several problems. Three case studies listed further are representative.Case #1: Taxation. Current tax collecting system is generally outdated. Fraud, errors, bankruptcies and tax avoidance result in VAT gap. In 2015 the European Commission reported a VAT gap of 151.5 BILLION , it means a loss of 12% of the total expected VAT. Besides, people spend more and more time on preparing and paying taxes. According to the World bank, in 2016 an average person spent 218 hours on it, while in 2005 the figure was 196 hours. Taxation system based on EON blockchain can make tax collecting more effective. Most of workflow is done automatically and human factor is excluded, therefore errors, fraud and evasion are not possible. It is a win-win solution: although people cannot use grey taxation schemes, they do not need to worry about possible errors and spend hours paying taxes, and regulators enjoy tax collection at lower cost.Case#2 Healthcare. There are three major issues in healthcare industry that EON blockchain can solve: medical data storage, costs and security. Medical data is a very sensitive information, and it is important to store it properly. Currently, all the patient data is stored in local databases with few possibilities of sharing it between multiple organizations. Medical histories are often lost or forged, and the whole system of storage lacks transparency. Security is not less important here. Recently Health Service of Great Britain underwent a massive cyber attack. In result patient records were made unavailable, connections between computers and medical equipment were brought down, operations cancelled and appointment schedules, internal phone lines and emails were rendered inaccessible. Besides all that healthcare is losing billions on unnecessary services, excessive administrative costs and fraud. The global average loss from fraud rate from 1997 to 2016 is 5.58%, which is equal to $4.39 trillion. This sum is more than two-thirds greater than the UKs entire GDP and more than twice as much as the sum which Europe spent on healthcare in 2014. Administrative costs generally vary from 12 to 25 percent of the whole hospital spending.A decentralized system of patient data storage is a solution to all these problems. As data is not stored on one server problems which usually appear when server fails are removed. Blockchain provides the highest level of security, and EON flexibility allows to manage properly even the most sensitive data. All accesses in the system are personalized and there are different levels of access to patient data for healthcare organizations, patients and regulators. Privacy of access is mathematically provable. Most of the processes in the system will proceed automatically, it means that services and maintenance costs will be reduced dramatically. Due to EON blockchain transparency fraud will not be possible and human factor will be excluded.Case#3 Marketing and Client Loyalty Programs. Nowadays every brand has its own client loyalty program, with its own scheme and authorization method. Therefore, users have lots of different cards, most of which they never use. Not more than 20% of all the liability points are actually being used. A unified decentralized system of client loyalty programs based on EON is eager to simplify users life and helps brands to create engagement system. Each brand has its own loyalty program and issues its own tokens, having access only to its clients information. Several brands can collaborate developing multi brand loyalty programs of different levels of complexity. Although clients data is kept private and this privacy is mathematically provable, brands have wide opportunities for analysis. They can segment the generalized impersonal data about their customers and provide them with personalized offers. At the same time all the users have common identificator and have access to all the clients loyalty programs they participate in via their personal account.Exscudo strives to create a platform, which unites the world of traditional finance and the cryptocurrency market. Exscudo main goal is to create an easy-to-use, fast, legal, and secure access to the cryptocurrency market for every person with access to the Internet and credit card.TallinnMerirahu 58
Air Blowers Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 ANLET, Gardner Denver, GE Oil & Gas, Neuros, Kawasaki, Jintongling, Shandong Zhangqiu Blower, Shaangu-group, Taiko and Others

Air Blowers Market

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Global Air Blowers market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Siemens, Atlas Copco, Neuros, Kawasaki, Jintongling, Shandong Zhangqiu Blower, Shengu, Shaangu-group, Taiko, Unozawa, ANLET, Gardner Denver, GE Oil & Gas, Aerzen, Tuthill Corporation, Kaeser Kompressoren, Howden and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Blowers are mechanical or electro-mechanical devices used to induce gas flow through ducting, electronics chassis, process stacks, etc. wherever flow is needed for exhausting, aspirating, cooling, ventilating, conveying, and so on. Key specifications include intended application, blower type, port design, as well as the parameters of flow capacity, electrical ratings, and dimensions. Blowers cool electronic enclosures, induce drafts in boilers, increase airflow on engines, and are configured in a variety of designs such as centrifugal flow or rotary lobe styles. Motors usually drive blowers, though they can be powered by other means such as engines.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Air Blowers Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:TaikoUnozawaANLETGardner DenverGE Oil & GasAerzenTuthill CorporationKaeser KompressorenHowdenSiemensAtlas CopcoNeurosKawasakiJintonglingShandong Zhangqiu BlowerShenguShaangu-groupOthersGlobal Air Blowers Market: Key Product TypeCentrifugal BlowerRoots BlowerScrew BlowerOther TypesGlobal Air Blowers Market: Key Application TypeChemical and PetrochemicalWater Treatment PlantOthersGlobal Air Blowers Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Air Blowers Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Air Blowers Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Air Blowers Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Centrifugal Blower1.2.1.2 Roots Blower1.2.1.3 Screw Blower1.2.1.4 Other Types1.2.2 by Application........................Continue (Global Air Blowers Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Research Report Prospects the Duodenoscope Market

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Duodenoscope is a side viewing endoscope primarily designed for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to diagnose diseases associated with pancreas and bile ducts with the help of fluoroscopic imaging procedure. Duodenoscopes are flexible, light weighted tubes that are relieved through the mouth, throat, and stomach till the duodenum portion. Duodenoscopes are being used in more than 500,000 gastrointestinal procedures in the U.S each year as a minimally invasive way than traditional surgery to drain fluids from biliary and pancreatic ducts which are blocked by cancerous tumors, gallstones or other gastrointestinal conditions.The Duodenoscope is a more complex device than other endoscopes and more tough to clean and disinfect. While these devices play an essential role in the treatment of patients, there is an evidence that some patients have been transmitted with hospital born and other infectious agents, including antibiotic drug-resistant infections. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted the FDA regarding possible association of multidrug resistant bacterial infections and duodenoscopes. Even before FDA was reported of the infections by the CDC, FDA was working to reinforce cleaning and disinfection protocols of complex duodenoscopes devices to maximize patient benefit and reduce safety risks. Recently American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) brought together experts in epidemiology, infection control and endoscopy, FDA and CDC representatives, hospitals that practiced epidemics, and device manufacturers. The purposes of these organizations to confirm current FDA and industry guidelines for cleaning duodenoscopes and identify gaps in knowledge and issues to address going onward.Read Report Overview@Based on product type, global duodenoscopes market is classified as follows:Flexible Video DueodenoscopesFlexible Non- Video DueodenoscopesBased on End User type, global duodenoscopes market is classified as follows:HospitalsPediatric CentersClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersCurrently, owing to extremely spread of infection of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) bacteria, through duodenoscopes, the procedure is probably not performing in an outpatient facility such as clinics and ambulatory surgical centers.Increasing incidences of pancreatic, bile duct cancer tumors and various gastrointestinal conditions are the major origins contributing to the growth of the global duodenoscopes market. In addition, increasing FDA activities and CDC and manufactures collaboration is in identifying the causes and risk factors for transmission of infectious agents with duodenoscopes and developing new solutions to minimize patient exposure is another major driver, fueling the global duodenoscopes market growth over the forecast period. However, increasing FDA recalls for duodenoscopes owing to challenging cleaning and high-level disinfection procedures associated with complex designed duodenoscopes and rising multidrug-resistant bacterial infections caused by Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) such as Klebsiella species and Escherichia coli are major factors are expected to hamper the growth of global duodenoscopes market over the forecast period.Request Sample Report@Geographically global duodenoscopes market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific & Japan, Middle East Africa regions. North America region has been estimated as most dominant region in the global duodenoscopes market owing highly developed healthcare infrastructure and high rates of awareness regarding duodenoscopes and its associated infections among physicians. Asia-Pacific & Japan is a lucrative market for global duodenoscopes. Countries in the Asia Pacific regions include, greater China and India together account for largest population pool in the world and thereby have large pool of geriatric population are expected to fuel the growth of duodenoscopes market in the region.Some of the key companies contributing to global duodenoscopes market are Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG., Olympus Corporation, PENTAX Medical Company, and Hoya Corporation.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.comWebsite :
Car Subwoofer Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 Pioneer, Sony, Rainbow, Moral, Pyle Audio, Harman, KICKER, Rockford Fosgate, Alpine and Others

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Global Car Subwoofer market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely HiVi, MTX Audio, Dual, Focal, Rainbow, Moral, Pyle Audio, ZePro, Edifier, Alpine, Pioneer, Harman, Sony, JVC Kenwood, Polk Audio, KICKER, Rockford Fosgate, JL Audio and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.A car subwoofer is a woofer dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies known as bass. This product is intended to augment the low frequency range of loudspeakers covering higher frequency bands.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Car Subwoofer Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:AlpinePioneerHarmanSonyJVC KenwoodPolk AudioKICKERRockford FosgateJL AudioHiViMTX AudioDualFocalRainbowMoralPyle AudioZeProEdifierOthersGlobal Car Subwoofer Market: Key Product TypePowered SubwoofersPassive SubwoofersOthersGlobal Car Subwoofer Market: Key Application TypeUnder the Rear SeatUnder the Front SeatIn the TrunkOthersGlobal Car Subwoofer Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Car Subwoofer Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Car Subwoofer Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Car Subwoofer Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Market Segment Overview1.1.1 Product Definition1.1.2 Market by Type1.1.2.1 Powered Subwoofers1.1.2.2 Passive Subwoofers1.1.3 Market by Application1.1.3.1 Under the Rear Seat1.1.3.2 Under the Front Seat1.1.3.3 In the Trunk........................Continue (Global Car Subwoofer Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Global Hardware Encryption Sales Market Report 2017 : Toshiba, Winmagic, Netapp

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Hardware Encryption Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the global Hardware Encryption market has been developed by a selected group of professional market research analysts, with a solitary goal to present the current scenario of the market for Hardware Encryption and throw light on its growth prospects. The report targets audiences such as manufacturers of Hardware Encryption, government agencies, and other research consultancy services. The report presents comprehensive assessment of the major factors that may impact the demand in the global Hardware Encryption market, analyzes the challenges or pitfalls, and catches the latest trends, which the existing vendors must take a note of in order to stay ahead of the competition.To present a clear study of the revenue available in the global Hardware Encryption market, the report carefully segments it into smaller yet significant chunks, such geographically, product type, services and others. The report also provides the values of each of these segments and individual growth rates during the forecast period. The dominant as well as emerging trends have been picked out. With handful of tables, charts, and graphs, the report carries extensive pictorial representation to support its findings.This report studies sales (consumption) of Hardware Encryption in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringWestern Digital Corp.Samsung Electronics Co.Seagate TechnologyMicron TechnologyKingston TechnologyToshibaGet Complimentary Research Summary of the Report:This report on the global Hardware Encryption market provides estimations regarding the market size in terms of value (USD million). It includes both top-down and bottom-up views in order to estimate and validate the size of the Hardware Encryption market and of several other related submarkets in the overall global market. The opportunities open in the market for Hardware Encryption by manufacturing countries type and application, and presents forecast for the duration of 2017-2022 has also been discussed extensively in this research report.As this report targets the stockholders of the global Hardware Encryption market, some of the leading companies currently in this market are profiled in order to represent their market share, product portfolio, and recent strategic decisions. Leading players in the global Hardware Encryption market have been detected via secondary research, and their dominance in respective regions have been evaluated through rigorous primary as well as secondary research.Table of Contents1 Hardware Encryption Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hardware Encryption1.2 Classification of Hardware Encryption1.3 Application of Hardware Encryption1.4 Hardware Encryption Market by Regions1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Hardware Encryption (2011-2021)2 Global Hardware Encryption Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Hardware Encryption Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Hardware Encryption Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.1.2 Global Hardware Encryption Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.2 Global Hardware Encryption (Volume and Value) by Type2.3 Global Hardware Encryption (Volume and Value) by Regions2.4 Global Hardware Encryption (Volume) by ApplicationObtain Table of Content @9 Global Hardware Encryption Manufacturers Analysis9.1 Western Digital Corp.9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Hardware Encryption Product Type, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 External Hard Disk Drives9.1.2.2 Internal Hard Disk Drive9.1.3 Western Digital Corp. Hardware Encryption Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Samsung Electronics Co.9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Hardware Encryption Product Type, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 External Hard Disk Drives9.2.2.2 Internal Hard Disk Drive9.2.3 Samsung Electronics Co. Hardware Encryption Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)9.2.4 Main Business/Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Hardware EncryptionTable Classification of Hardware EncryptionFigure Global Sales Market Share of Hardware Encryption by Type in 2015Figure Global Sales Market Share of Hardware Encryption by Application in 2015Figure United States Hardware Encryption Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure China Hardware Encryption Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Europe Hardware Encryption Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Japan Hardware Encryption Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Global Hardware Encryption Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)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 US:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market Report for Period 2022 LG, Samsung, Philips, Xiaomi, iRobot, Ecovacs, Funrobot(MSI), Yujin Robot, Vorwerk and Others

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Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Mamibot, Funrobot(MSI), Yujin Robot, Vorwerk, Infinuvo(Metapo), Fmart, Xiaomi, Miele, iRobot, Ecovacs, Proscenic, Matsutek, Neato Robotics, LG, Samsung, Sharp, Philips and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is an autonomous Robotic Vacuum Cleaner that has intelligent programming and a limited vacuum cleaning system. Some designs use spinning brushes to reach tight corners. Others combine a number of cleaning features (mopping, UV sterilization, etc.) simultaneous to vacuuming, thus rendering the machine into more than just a robot vacuum cleaner.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:iRobotEcovacsProscenicMatsutekNeato RoboticsLGSamsungSharpPhilipsMamibotFunrobot(MSI)Yujin RobotVorwerkInfinuvo(Metapo)FmartXiaomiMieleOthersGlobal Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market: Key Product TypeBelow 150 USD150 USD to 300 USD300 USD to 500 USDAbove 500 USDOthersGlobal Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market: Key Application TypeHouseholdCommercialOthersGlobal Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Below 150 USD1.2.2 150 USD to 300 USD1.2.3 300 USD to 500 USD1.2.4 Above 500 USD1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Household1.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Others........................Continue (Global Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Global Iron and Steel Slag Market will likely rise at a lackluster CAGR of 2.7% from 2017 to 2025

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been serving as an active source to cater intelligent research report to enlighten both readers and investors. This research study titled Iron and Steel Slag Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017  2025.This report analyzes and forecasts the market for Iron and Steel Slag at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast based on revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (Kilo Tons) from 2017 to 2025. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global Iron and Steel Slag market. It also covers the impact of these drivers and restraints on demand for Iron and Steel Slag during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the Iron and Steel Slag market at the global and regional level.Click here For Free Sample Report @The report comprises a detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global Iron and Steel Slag market. Porters Five Forces model for the Iron and Steel Slag market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein applications are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.Global Iron and Steel Slag Market: SegmentationThe study provides a decisive view of the global Iron and Steel Slag market by segmenting it in terms of process, application, and region. These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for Iron and Steel Slag in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers demand for individual Foam segments in all the regions.Global Iron and Steel Slag Market: Competitive AnalysisThe study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global Iron and Steel Slag market. Key players in the Iron and Steel Slag market include Steel Authority of India Limited, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Edw. C. Levy CO., Stein, Inc., JFE Steel Corporation, Arcelor Mittal, TATA Steel, NLMK, Harsco Corporation, POSCO, TMS International, JSW Steel, and others. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, recent developments, and SWOT analysis.Global Iron and Steel Slag Market: DriversThe market for Iron and Steel Slag is primarily driven by the expansion of the construction industry and stringent environmental emission control regulations. Demand for Iron and Steel Slag has been rising primarily due to the increase in demand for granulated or finely crushed slag, to obtain concrete upon mixture with Portland cement, in the construction industry. This concrete containing slag has numerous benefits, such as it increases the binding capacity of the cement, thus providing the necessary strength to hold large structures.Browse Full Report With TOC @It is also successfully employed as an aggregate in the manufacture of asphalt. With the growth of the population the rise for the construction industry is also increasing. Construction can be residential as well as non-residential. Rise in demand for slag as an aggregate will depend on the overall construction spending on construction activities and on the success of the efforts by the industry to promote slag as a sustainable construction material. Growing population coupled with increasing numbers of nuclear families in Asia Pacific is encouraging growth of the construction industry in the region.The report provides the estimated market size of Iron and Steel Slag for 2016 and forecast for the next nine years. The global market size of Iron and Steel Slag has been provided in terms of revenue and volume. Market numbers have been estimated based on key process, foam, application and regional segments of Iron and Steel Slag market. Market size and forecast for each major process, and application have been provided in terms of global and regional/country markets.Global Iron and Steel Slag Market: Research MethodologyIn order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players process literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research also includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective, and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants insights, and recognizing business opportunities.Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, and SEC filings, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases, national government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market, National government documents, statistical databases, and market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market, World steel association, Euro Slag, Nippon Steel Association, Factiva, etc.Primary research involves e-mail interactions, telephonic interviews, and face-to-face interviews for each market, category, segment, and sub-segment across geographies. We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators in order to validate the data and analysis. Primary interviews provide firsthand information on market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape, and outlook, etc. These help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The Global Iron and Steel Slag market has been segmented as follows:Global Iron and Steel Slag Market: By ProcessBlast Furnace SlagGranulated Blast Furnace SlagAir cooled Blast Furnace SlagSteelmaking SlagConverter slagElectric Arc Furnace SlagGlobal Iron and Steel Slag Market: By ApplicationBuilding & ConstructionRailwaysFertilizersOthersGlobal Iron and Steel Slag Market: By Region/Country/Sub-regionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East & AfricaLatin AmericaMake An Enquiry @About UsMarket Research ReportsSearch Engine(MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite :Read More Industry News At:
Overhead Power Cables Market by Trends, Market Share, Size, Growth, Opportunities Forecast 2022

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Market HighlightsOverhead power cables are the fundamental part of power transmission and distribution infrastructure. Rising inclusion of renewable power resources, high quality and uninterrupted electricity, upgradation of aging grid infrastructure result in the growth of the overhead power cables market. Rapid urbanization and industrialization are the major factors in the Global Overhead Power Cables Market.Asia Pacific held the largest share within the overhead power cables market, and is expected to retain its majority by 2022. This region is expected to be fastest growing market for overhead power cables. China and India are the main drivers for the growth in Asia Pacific region. North America was the second largest market for overhead power cables in 2014. Hugh investments in power transmission and distribution infrastructure by Saudi Arabia and others countries are expected to drive the market in the Middle East. Middle East is expected to be second fastest growing market for transmission cables.Scope of the reportThis study provides an overview of the global overhead power cables industry, tracking market segments across the categorized five geographic regions. The report provides a six-year forecast for the market size in terms of value for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. The scope of the study segments the global Overhead Power Cables market based on services into product type, voltage, and Users.Request a Sample Copy @Key PlayersThe key players of Global Overhead Power Cables Market Report Include- General Cable Technologies Corp., Southwire Co. LLC, Zhejiang Shengda Steel Tower Co. Ltd., KEC International Ltd., Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd., Nexans S.A., Prysmian S.p.A., Shandong DingChang Tower Co. Ltd., Nanjing Daji Iron Tower Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.Urbanization and rapid industrialization will be the major factors for the development of the market. However, replacement of old grid infrastructure and rising inclusion of renewable power resources will impact the overhead power cable market. The market for overhead power cable market is expected to grow at a moderate pace during the forecast period.Enquire about this Report @Overhead Power Cables Global Market - SegmentsThe Overhead Power Cables Market can be segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation By Product Type : Comprises Conductors, Fittings, and Fixtures.Segmentation By Voltage : Comprises High, Medium, and Low.Segmentation By Users : Comprises Commercial, Industrial, and Residential.Segmentation By Regions : Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Table of Content1. Report Prologue2. Introduction2.1. Definition2.2. Scope Of The Study2.2.1. Research Objective2.2.2. Assumptions2.2.3. Limitations2.3. Market Structure2.4. Market Segmentation3. Research Methodology3.1. Research Process3.2. Primary Research3.3. Secondary Research3.4. Market Size Estimation3.5. Forecast Model4. Market DynamicsContinue.List of TablesTable 1 Global Overhead Power Cables Market: By Product Type, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Table 2 Conductors: Overhead Power Cables Market, By Region, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Table 3 Fittings: Overhead Power Cables Market, By Region, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Table 4 Fixtures: Overhead Power Cables Market, By Region, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Table 5 Global Overhead Power Cables Market: By Voltage, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Table 6 High: Overhead Power Cables Market, By Region, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Continue.List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Overhead Power Cables Market SegmentationFigure 2 Forecast MethodologyFigure 3 Five Forces Analysis Of Global Overhead Power Cables MarketFigure 4 Value Chain Of Global Overhead Power Cables MarketFigure 5 Global Overhead Power Cables Market: By Product, 2014-2022 (Usd Billion)Figure 6 Global Overhead Power Cables Market: By Voltage, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)Figure 7 Global Overhead Power Cables Market: By Users, 2014-2022 (USD Billion)ContinueBrowse Full Report Details @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.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Outage Management System (OMS) Market Rising Technology & Trend 2017

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HTF MI published a new industry research that focuses on Outage Management System (OMS) market and delivers in-depth market analysis and future prospects of Global Outage Management System (OMS) market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. The study is segmented by Application/ end users [Residential & Commercial], products type [Integrated System & Specific System] and various important geographies like United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia].Get Access to sample pages @The research covers the current market size of the Global Outage Management System (OMS) market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data along with company profile of key players/manufacturers such as Schneider Electric, GE Grid Solutions, ETAP, Siemens, Versify, DNV GL, Milsoft, Survalent & Alstom. The in-depth information by segments of Outage Management System (OMS) market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Outage Management System (OMS) Market.The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global Outage Management System (OMS) Market, some of them listed here are Schneider Electric, GE Grid Solutions, ETAP, Siemens, Versify, DNV GL, Milsoft, Survalent & Alstom. The market is growing at a very rapid pace and with rise in technological innovation, competition and M&A activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Get customization & check discount for report @Global Outage Management System (OMS) (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Integrated System & Specific System. Further the research study is segmented by Application such as Residential & Commercial with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Outage Management System (OMS) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2017 to 2022.What this Research Study Offers:Global Outage Management System (OMS) Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersStrategic recommendations for the new entrantsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional marketsMarket Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimationsCompetitive landscaping mapping the key common trendsCompany profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developmentsSupply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Outage Management System (OMS) market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Outage Management System (OMS) , Applications of Outage Management System (OMS) , Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Outage Management System (OMS) , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, Outage Management System (OMS) Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Outage Management System (OMS) Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Outage Management System (OMS) ;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Integrated System & Specific System], Market Trend by Application [Residential & Commercial];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Outage Management System (OMS) ;Chapter 12, to describe Outage Management System (OMS) Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Outage Management System (OMS) sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Global IUCD Market 2017 Key Vendors - Egemen International, DKT International, Melbea AG, Cepeo

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Global Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Devices Market is expected to reach USD 4,851.2 million by 2024 from USD 3,684.1 million in 2016, at a CAGR of 3.5% in the forecast period 2017 to 2024. The new market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Access Full Report @The Global Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Devices Market is highly concentrated to a few big players and rest to local players who cater to domestic markets only. Bayer AG dominated the IUCD devices market accounting for a highest market share in 2016, followed by Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., and Mona Lisa N.V. Some of the other players in this market include DKT International, Egemen International, Melbea AG, Ocon Medical Ltd., Pregna International Limited, Medical Engineering Corporation SA and, SMB Corporation and Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Medu Scientific Ltd, China RH Contraceptives Co., Ltd, Sanghai Jolly Medical Education Co., Ltd, Bernstein Leibhard LLP, ZheijangDaji Medical Instruments, Ltd., Nimble International, AME Line, Technico, Cepeo, Contraceptivos, InjeflexInd And Com Ltda, Bersil, Amed among others holds 34.0% of the IUCDdelivery market in 2016.BAYER HEALTHCARE AGFounded in 1863 and headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, Bayer AG is a provider of healthcare, nutrition, and high-technology materials and services. The company has three business segments, namely, HealthCare, Crop Science, and Material Science. The HealthCare segment offers a wide range of products under animal health, pharmaceuticals, consumer care, and medical care. The pharmaceutical business offers a wide range of products in the therapeutic area of oncology, haematology, and ophthalmology, and offers products for womens health and cardiology therapeutic applicationsRecent Developments:In October 2016, Bayer AG has successfully concluded the European registration procedure to gain EUwide marketing authorization for its new low-dose levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNGIUS). The product is named Kyleena and will be available in the market from 2017 January.In September 2016, Bayer AG has successfully received FDA approval for its new low-dose levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) Kyleena The launch of this product in October in U.S.TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LTD.Download Free Sample Report @Established in 1901 and headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel, Teva is one of the leading global companies in IUCD devices market. The company is engaged in developing, producing, and marketing affordable generic drugs as well as innovative and specialty pharmaceutical ingredients. Teva operates through two business segments, namely generic medicine and specialty medicine. Tevas specialty medicines business focuses on central nervous system (CNS), respiratory oncology, pain, and womens health therapeutic areas as well as biologics.MONA LISA N.V.:Mona Lisa N.V. was founded in 1996, and is a subsidiary for EurimPharmaheadquarterd in Germany. Prior to 1996 the company was known as Homesteel-Achel which was an exclusive sub-manufacturer for Organon from 1980 to 1996. Mona Lisa specializes in manufacturing class II and III medical devices used in the field of gynecology. Mona Lisa N.V products are Copper-Intrauterine-Devices (IUD), Aspiration needles and Consultation services / sub-manufacturing services.About Fior MarketsFior 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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-102, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Hot Runner Market Report for Period 2022 Milacron, Barnes Group, HASCO Hasenclever GmbH, INglass, Seiki Corporation, Gunther, INglass, Husky and Others

Hot Runner Market

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Global Hot Runner market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely CACO PACIFIC Corporation, HASCO Hasenclever GmbH, INglass, FISA, Hotsys, Mold Hotrunner Solutions Inc., KLN, YUDO, Milacron, Barnes Group, Husky, INCOE, Seiki Corporation, Gunther, INglass and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.This report studies the Hot Runner market, Hot runner system is an assembly of heated components hot halves, nozzles and gates and that inject plastic into the cavities of an injection mold. The system usually includes a heated manifold and a number of heated nozzles. The manifold distributes the plastic entering the mold to the nozzles, which then meter it precisely to the injection points in the cavities.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Hot Runner Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:YUDOMilacronBarnes GroupHuskyINCOESeiki CorporationGuntherINglassCACO PACIFIC CorporationHASCO Hasenclever GmbHINglassFISAHotsysMold Hotrunner Solutions Inc.KLNOthersGlobal Hot Runner Market: Key Product TypeOpen Gate Hot RunnerValve Gate Hot RunnerOthersGlobal Hot Runner Market: Key Application TypeElectronic IndustryMedical IndustryPackaging IndustryAutomotive IndustryOthersGlobal Hot Runner Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Hot Runner Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Hot Runner Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Hot Runner Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Hot Runner Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Open Gate Hot Runner1.2.2 Valve Gate Hot Runner1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Electronic Industry1.3.2 Medical Industry1.3.3 Packaging Industry1.3.4 Automotive Industry........................Continue (Global Hot Runner Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Battery Fuel Gauge Global Market 2017-2022 by Top Key Players: Texas Instruments, Dallas Semiconductor, Maxim Integrated

Battery Fuel Gauge

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HTF MI recently broadcasted a new study in its database that highlights the in-depth market analysis with future prospects of Battery Fuel Gauge market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, industry executives and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. Some of the key players mentioned in this research are Texas Instruments, Dallas Semiconductor, Maxim Integrated, Silicon Standard Corp, STMicroelectronics, Linear Technology, Cadex Electronics, ON Semiconductor, SparkFun Electronics, Farnell & Cadex Electronics.Get customization & check discount for report @The research covers the current market size of the Global Battery Fuel Gauge market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data. It also covers various types of segmentation such as by geography [United States, China, Europe, Japan, Korea & Taiwan], by product /end user type [Discrete Gauges, Battery Management Units (BMU) & Protection Integrated Gauges], by applications [Consumer Electronics, Battery Back up & Energy Storage systems, Medical, Industrial & Automotive] in overall market. The in-depth information by segments of Battery Fuel Gauge market helps monitor performance & make critical decisions for growth and profitability. It provides information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Battery Fuel Gauge Market.This study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of Global Battery Fuel Gauge Market, some of them are Texas Instruments, Dallas Semiconductor, Maxim Integrated, Silicon Standard Corp, STMicroelectronics, Linear Technology, Cadex Electronics, ON Semiconductor, SparkFun Electronics, Farnell & Cadex Electronics. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Global Battery Fuel Gauge (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Discrete Gauges, Battery Management Units (BMU) & Protection Integrated GaugesMarket Segment by Type 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Discrete Gauges xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Battery Management Units (BMU) xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Protection Integrated Gauges xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%The research study is segmented by Application such as Consumer Electronics, Battery Back up & Energy Storage systems, Medical, Industrial & Automotive with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Global Battery Fuel Gauge (Thousands Units) by Application (2017-2022)Market Segment by Application 2012 2017 2022 Market Share (%)2022 CAGR (%)(2017-2022)Consumer Electronics xx xx xx xx% xx%Battery Back up & Energy Storage systems xx xx xx xx% xx%Medical xx xx xx xx% xx%Industrial xx xx xx xx% xx%Automotive xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx 100% xx%Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Battery Fuel Gauge in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringMarket Segment by Regions 2012 2017 2022 Share (%) CAGR (2017-2022)United States xx xx xx xx% xx%China xx xx xx xx% xx%Europe xx xx xx xx% xx%Japan xx xx xx xx% xx%Korea xx xx xx xx% xx%Taiwan xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx xx% xx%Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Key questions answered in this report - Global Battery Fuel Gauge Sales Market Report 2017What will the market size be in 2022 and what will the growth rate beWhat are the key market trendsWhat is driving Global Battery Fuel Gauge marketWhat are the challenges to market growthWho are the key vendors in Global Battery Fuel Gauge market space?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Battery Fuel Gauge market?What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Global Battery Fuel Gauge market?Buy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Battery Fuel Gauge market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Battery Fuel Gauge , Applications of Battery Fuel Gauge , Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Battery Fuel Gauge , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, China, Europe, Japan, Korea & Taiwan, Battery Fuel Gauge Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Battery Fuel Gauge Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Battery Fuel Gauge ;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Discrete Gauges, Battery Management Units (BMU) & Protection Integrated Gauges], Market Trend by Application [Consumer Electronics, Battery Back up & Energy Storage systems, Medical, Industrial & Automotive];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Battery Fuel Gauge ;Chapter 12, to describe Battery Fuel Gauge Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Battery Fuel Gauge sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get Access to sample pages @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Global Lignin Market is Determined to Cross125 kilo Tons By 2021

Global Lignin Market

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Lignin market volume is expected to surpass 18 million tons during the forecasted period. The global lignin market anticipated to reach USD 6.0 billion in the forecast period. Kraft lignin market volume is anticipated to surpass125 kilo tons by 2021, with market size exceeding USD 5 billion. North America dominates the global lignin market owing to increasing demand for concrete and cement. Europe is second largest market for lignin owing to rise in demand for lignin in end-use industry.You can browse full report:The global lignin market is segmented based on its product which include ligno-sulphonates, kraft lignin, orgonosolv lignin and high purity lignin. It is also segmented based on its applications such as macromolecules and aromatics. The market segments in terms of geographical regions include North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific andRest of the World(ROW).This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for lignin and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for ligninmarket.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.Increasing demand for carbon fibers in construction industries is a driving factor for global lignin market. Also rising use of carbon fiber materials in automotive industries is triggering the market growth. As lignin being second largest source of carbon, the global market will be at peak in forecasted period. The lignin market is expected to show healthy growth as its major application includes in manufacturing macromolecules. Its proven benefits for use in production of insecticides and pesticides is one of the driving factors.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of lignin with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include: Borregaard LignoTech Mead-Westvaco Tembec Domtar Corporation Asian Lignin Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd. Northway Lignin Chemical Green Value SA Aditya Birla Group Changzhou Shanfeng Chemical Industry Company The Dallas Group of America Inc. Liquid Lignin Company LLC Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. Metsa Group Asian Lignin Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd Fibria and Lenzing A.G.Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Lignin Market has been segmented as below:by Product Ligno-sulphonates Kraft lignin Orgonosolv lignin High purity ligninby Application Macromolecules Aromaticsby Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World (ROW)Request Sample Report:Table of Contents1 Methodology And Scope2 Executive Summary3 Lignin Market Variables, Trends & Scope4 Lignin Market: Market Potential Outlook5 Lignin Market: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis6 Lignin Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis7 Lignin Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis8 Company Profiles8.1 Borregaard LignoTech8.2 Tembec8.3 Domtar Corporation8.4 Asian Lignin Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd.8.5 Northway Lignin Chemical8.6 Green Value SA8.7 Aditya Birla Group8.8 Changzhou Shanfeng Chemical Industry Company8.9 The Dallas Group of America, Inc.8.10 Liquid Lignin Company LLC8.11 Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.8.12 Metsa Group8.13 Fibria8.14 Lenzing A.G.About UsMarket Research Engine (MRE) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. MREs 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 Market Research Engines research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Global Mining Chemicals Market 2017 Business Players - DuPont, Clariant, Kemira, Orica Limited, BASF SE, Evonik

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The Global Mining Chemicals market report presents a deep analysis of the current state of the markets along with its regional trends. The report has been documented with all the research findings related to the industry in order to support acquisition decisions of the agencies in the Mining Chemicals market.Download Free Sample Report @All the information collected by our market research team members, even if it was critical to capture. These collected data are essential to fix several determinations for the industry capabilities such as available technologies, standard terms and conditions, industry practices, market trends, availability of services or products and competitive market forces.In the beginning of the report, the Mining Chemicals Market deals with its comprehensive overview that consists plenty of applications, market definitions, classifications and a complete chain structure of the market. This report is a guide for many key areas that have been mentioned in the market research report to assist the development of the sector of Strategy.The report further contains a competitive landscape of the Global Mining Chemicals market along with its development history as well as major development trends. The report documentation offers a platform for information sharing, minimize or eliminate of effort duplication, organization of the facilities out from the research results, records preservation, maintaining the official file, providing a base for commerciality decision.Access Full Report @Collecting the research data from Mining Chemicals market is very essential and this report gives a proper arrangement of that data, which is basically needed for the efficient and effective analysis of the report. This template is a guide to some key areas that should be considered in your market research report and to assist in developing the market research portion of your Acquisition Strategy Panel.The conclusion discloses the descriptive analysis of the most basic market which supported elite players, past as well as information of artistic movement that is capable of functioning of a profitable and trustful guide for all of the Global Mining Chemicals market competitors.About Fior MarketsFior 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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-102, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Smart Elevators Global Market 2017: Key Players  Otis Elevator, Mitsubishi Electric, Schindler Group, Hitachi, ThyssenKrupp

Smart Elevators Market

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Smart Elevators Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com adds Smart Elevators Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Smart Elevators Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Smart Elevators Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling and the financial health of the organization.This report offers an overview of the market trends, drivers, and barriers with respect to the Smart Elevators market. It also provides a detailed overview of the market of different regions across United States, Europe, China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Others. The report categorizes Smart Elevators market by by Component, by Control System Type, by Solution Segment Analysis, by Smart Elevator Type, by Speed, and application. Detailed analysis of key players, along with key growth strategies adopted by them is also covered in this report on Smart Elevators market.This report focuses Global market, it covers details as following:Key PlayersOtis Elevator (USA)Mitsubishi Electric (Japan)Schindler Group (Switzerland)Hitachi (Japan)Kone Corporation (Finland)ThyssenKrupp (Germany)Toshiba (Japan)Fujitec (Japan)Tyco International (Ireland)Honeywell (USA)CNYD (China)Schneider Electric (France)Yungtay Engineering (China Taiwan)SANYO (Japan)SJEC (China)Hyundai (Korea)Bosch Security Systems (Germany)Canny Elevator (China)Volkslift (China)Sicher Elevator (China)Request a Sample Report @Key RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain types of productsSmart Elevators Market, by ComponentControl SystemMaintenance SystemCommunication SystemSmart Elevators Market, by Control System TypeOn-call Control SystemBuilding Automation Control SystemLayer Control SystemIntercom Linkage SystemSmart Elevators Market, by Solution Segment AnalysisNew DeploymentModernizationMaintenanceSmart Elevators Market, by Smart Elevator TypePassenger ElevatorFreight ElevatorFire-proof ElevatorSmart Elevators Market, by SpeedLow-speed Elevator (less than 1.0 m / s)Fast-speed Elevator (1.0 to 2.0 m / s)High-speed Elevator (2.0 to 3.5 m / s)Super-speed Elevator (more than 3.5 m / s)Smart Elevators Market, by Key ConsumerCommercialResidentialInfrastructureIndustrialOthersComplete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:Global Smart Elevators Market Research Report 2017-2022 by Players, Regions, Product Types & ApplicationsChapter One Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source1.2.1 Secondary Sources1.2.2 Primary Sources1.3 DisclaimerChapter Two Smart Elevators Market Overview2.1 Market Coverage2.2 Global Smart Elevators Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-2017Chapter Three Smart Elevators by Key Players 2012-20173.1 Global Smart Elevators Sales Volume Market Share by Key Players 2012-20173.2 Global Smart Elevators Revenue Share by Key Players 2012-20173.3 Global Key Players Smart Elevators Key Product Model and Market Performance3.4 Global Key Players Smart Elevators Key Target Consumers and Market Performance.Chapter Six Global Key Players Profile6.1 Otis Elevator (USA)6.1.1 Otis Elevator (USA) Company Details and Competitors6.1.2 Otis Elevator (USA) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.1.3 Otis Elevator (USA) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.1.4 Otis Elevator (USA) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.2 Mitsubishi Electric (Japan)6.2.1 Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) Company Details and Competitors6.2.2 Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.2.3 Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.2.4 Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.3 Schindler Group (Switzerland)6.3.1 Schindler Group (Switzerland) Company Details and Competitors6.3.2 Schindler Group (Switzerland) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.3.3 Schindler Group (Switzerland) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.3.4 Schindler Group (Switzerland) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.4 Hitachi (Japan)6.4.1 Hitachi (Japan) Company Details and Competitors6.4.2 Hitachi (Japan) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.4.3 Hitachi (Japan) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.4.4 Hitachi (Japan) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.5 Kone Corporation (Finland)6.5.1 Kone Corporation (Finland) Company Details and Competitors6.5.2 Kone Corporation (Finland) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.5.3 Kone Corporation (Finland) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.5.4 Kone Corporation (Finland) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.6 ThyssenKrupp (Germany)6.6.1 ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Company Details and Competitors6.6.2 ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.6.3 ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.6.4 ThyssenKrupp (Germany) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.7 Toshiba (Japan)6.7.1 Toshiba (Japan) Company Details and Competitors6.7.2 Toshiba (Japan) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.7.3 Toshiba (Japan) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.7.4 Toshiba (Japan) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.8 Fujitec (Japan)6.8.1 Fujitec (Japan) Company Details and Competitors6.8.2 Fujitec (Japan) Key Smart Elevators Models and Performance6.8.3 Fujitec (Japan) Smart Elevators Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.8.4 Fujitec (Japan) Smart Elevators Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.9 Tyco International (Ireland)6.10 Honeywell (USA)Continued.Buy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market 2022: Key Players Crown Holdings Incorporated, Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Ball, Ardagh Group, Henkel, Eaton

Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market 2022

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The Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market Research Report 2017 renders deep perception of the key regional market status of the Metal Food & Beverage Containers Industry on a global level that primarily aims the core regions which comprises of continents like Europe, North America, and Asia and the key countries such as United States, Germany, China and Japan.The report on Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Metal Food & Beverage Containers industry a propos classification, definitions, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, etc.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @The potential of this industry segment has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with primary market challenges. The present market condition and future prospects of the segment has also been examined. Moreover, key strategies in the market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc., are discussed. Besides, upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also conducted.Report Includes:-The report cloaks the market analysis and projection of Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market on a regional as well as global level. The report constitutes qualitative and quantitative valuation by industry analysts, first-hand data, assistance from industry experts along with their most recent verbatim and each industry manufacturers via the market value chain. The research experts have additionally assessed the in general sales and revenue generation of this particular market. In addition, this report also delivers widespread analysis of root market trends, several governing elements and macro-economic indicators, coupled with market improvements as per every segment. Furthermore, the report contains diverse profiles of primary market players of Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market.Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including1. ORG Canmaking Corporation2. Hindustan Tin Works Limited3. Crown Holdings Incorporated4. Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH5. Ball6. Ardagh Group7. Henkel8. Eaton9. Daiwa Can Company10. Can Pack GroupBrowse full report with Table of Content @The report is generically segmented into six parts and every part aims on the overview of the Metal Food & Beverage Containers industry, present condition of the market, feasibleness of the investment along with several strategies and policies. Apart from the definition and classification, the report also discusses the analysis of import and export and describes a comparison of the market that is focused on the trends and development. Along with entire framework in addition to in-depth details, one can prepare and stay ahead of the competitors across the targeted locations. The fact that this market report renders details about the major market players along with their product development and current trends proves to be very beneficial for fresh entrants to comprehend and recognize the industry in an improved manner. The report also enlightens the productions, sales, supply, market condition, demand, growth, and forecast of the Metal Food & Beverage Containers industry in the global markets.Every regions market has been studied thoroughly in this report which deals with the precise information pertaining to the Marketing Channels and novel project investments so that the new entrants as well as the established market players conduct intricate research of trends and analysis in these regional markets. Acknowledging the status of the environment and products up gradation, the market report foretells each and every detail.So as to fabricate this report, complete key details, strategies and variables are examined so that entire useful information is amalgamated together for the understanding and studying the key facts pertaining the global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Industry. The production value and market share in conjunction with the SWOT analysis everything is integrated in this report.Some points from TOC:-2 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Metal Food & Beverage Containers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Metal Food & Beverage Containers Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion4 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Metal Food & Beverage Containers Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)Continued.Download PDF Brochure of this Report @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Sarah JEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWebsite-
Micro-LED Display Market 2022: Key Players PlayNitride, Apple Inc., Samsung, VueReal Inc., SONY Corporation, mLED Ltd., X-Celeprint Ltd., eLUX, Oculus VR, LLC

Micro-LED Display Market 2022:

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The Global Micro-LED Display Market Research Report 2017 renders deep perception of the key regional market status of the Micro-LED Display Industry on a global level that primarily aims the core regions which comprises of continents like Europe, North America, and Asia and the key countries such as United States, Germany, China and Japan.The report on Global Micro-LED Display Market is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Micro-LED Display industry a propos classification, definitions, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, etc.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @The potential of this industry segment has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with primary market challenges. The present market condition and future prospects of the segment has also been examined. Moreover, key strategies in the market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc., are discussed. Besides, upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also conducted.Report Includes:-The report cloaks the market analysis and projection of Micro-LED Display Market on a regional as well as global level. The report constitutes qualitative and quantitative valuation by industry analysts, first-hand data, assistance from industry experts along with their most recent verbatim and each industry manufacturers via the market value chain. The research experts have additionally assessed the in general sales and revenue generation of this particular market. In addition, this report also delivers widespread analysis of root market trends, several governing elements and macro-economic indicators, coupled with market improvements as per every segment. Furthermore, the report contains diverse profiles of primary market players of Micro-LED Display Market.Global Micro-LED Display market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including1. PlayNitride2. Apple Inc.3. Samsung4. VueReal Inc.5. SONY Corporation6. mLED Ltd.7. X-Celeprint Ltd.8. eLUX9. Oculus VR, LLC10. LUXVue Technology CorporationBrowse full report with Table of Content @The report is generically segmented into six parts and every part aims on the overview of the Micro-LED Display industry, present condition of the market, feasibleness of the investment along with several strategies and policies. Apart from the definition and classification, the report also discusses the analysis of import and export and describes a comparison of the market that is focused on the trends and development. Along with entire framework in addition to in-depth details, one can prepare and stay ahead of the competitors across the targeted locations. The fact that this market report renders details about the major market players along with their product development and current trends proves to be very beneficial for fresh entrants to comprehend and recognize the industry in an improved manner. The report also enlightens the productions, sales, supply, market condition, demand, growth, and forecast of the Micro-LED Display industry in the global markets.Every regions market has been studied thoroughly in this report which deals with the precise information pertaining to the Marketing Channels and novel project investments so that the new entrants as well as the established market players conduct intricate research of trends and analysis in these regional markets. Acknowledging the status of the environment and products up gradation, the market report foretells each and every detail.So as to fabricate this report, complete key details, strategies and variables are examined so that entire useful information is amalgamated together for the understanding and studying the key facts pertaining the global Micro-LED Display Industry. The production value and market share in conjunction with the SWOT analysis everything is integrated in this report.Some points from TOC:-2 Global Micro-LED Display Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Micro-LED Display Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Micro-LED Display Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Micro-LED Display Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Micro-LED Display Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Micro-LED Display Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Micro-LED Display Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Micro-LED Display Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Micro-LED Display Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Micro-LED Display Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Micro-LED Display Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Micro-LED Display Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 Taiwan Micro-LED Display Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)Continued.Download PDF Brochure of this Report @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Sarah JEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWebsite-
Luciferase Assays Market Report 2017 - 2027: By Application

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A bioluminescence experiment requires a paired set of biochemical: an enzyme named luciferase and a substrate, which is a molecule that emits light upon interacting with the enzyme or photoprotein. For each of the bioluminescent system required there is a unique co- factors and buffers that are required. Around us there are a lot of biological, natural and light producing systems which produces the enzyme named luciferases. The substrate of luciferases is coin as luciferins. Emil Heinrich DuBois-Reymond, a German physiologist coined both these terms. Luciferases and luciferins are both involved in totally different reactions. For instance, the most commonly used luciferase detects the biological energy molecule adenosine triphosphate.Read Report Overview @The market for luciferase assay is expected to upsurge owing to its penetrating usage in research to study the gene expression. Moreover, these luciferases has become powerful tool in molecular biology and genetic engineering where they have replaced chloramphenicol acetyltrans-ferase gene as a reporter. Bioluminescence is now filling its own niches as well as competing with chemiluminescence. ATP detection via firefly luciferase, for example, has no chemiluminescent counterpart. There is tremendous technological development in the luciferase assay market where the current luciferase technologies permit the quantitative visualization of gene expression at single-cell resolution by imaging its luminescence in real-time using a highly sensitive charged-coupled device (CCD) camera.These luciferases are used in bioluminescence assays as researchers believe that where there is light there would be ATP and measuring the light emitted while carrying out the bioluminescence assay is the measure of the metabolic activity. Today luciferases is used in all forms of testing to check the ATP. It is used to check the microbial contamination in many of the beverages company. There are a number of studies going on where the researchers link the interest gene with the luciferases to study the metabolic activity. The investigator through this linkage is able to follow gene expression at different stages of development in a transgenic organism.In terms of geography, luciferase assays market has been divided into seven regions including North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia- Pacific excluding Japan, Japan Middle-East & Africa and Latin America. North America is expected to remain the dominating region while Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as a fastest growing region. Strong research funding and government to study newer assay methods makes North America the dominating region. Economically developing regions such as Asia Pacific has many companies focusing their resources in this region and trying to explore the luciferase assay market potential.Request Sample Report @Some of the luciferase assays market participants are Life Technologies, Sigma Aldrich, Thermo Fisher, Promega, Clontech, Invivogen, Roche Applied Sciences, Switchgear Genomics, Origene, Perkin Elmer, EMD Millipore, Clontech, Gold Biotechnology, Lonza and GE Healthcare Life Sciences. New product launch, collaborations and acquisitions are few of the strategies the luciferase assays market players undertake. For instance, Promega Corporation introduced a new product named Nano-Glo Dual-Luciferase Reporter (NanoDLR) Assay, a two-reporter system that incorporates NanoLuc luciferase technology, providing increased data quality and greater sensitivity for biologically complex applications.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.comWebsite:
Veterinary X-Ray Illuminators Market Report 2017 - 2027: By End User

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X-Ray illuminator is a key element of x-ray devices. X-Ray illuminators provide a clear image of the body for the diagnosis purpose. Each x-ray illuminator include a ventilator system. With the increasing need for the diagnosis of animals demand of x-ray diagnosis for animals is also rising. These veterinary x-ray illuminators provide a clear image of animal body parts for the better diagnosis of problem faced by animals.Read Report Overview @The global veterinary x-ray illuminators market is expected to be drive by increasing awareness among people regarding the care of companion animals. Veterinary market is flourishing over the last few years as people has become highly concerned for their animals. Rise in the trade of animals is also expected to drive the growth of veterinary x-ray illuminators market as, no one is going to buy unhealthy animal. So in order to keep the animal keep people are getting their animals regularly checked. Veterinary x-ray illuminators market is expected to growth with the rise in the number of x-ray procedures. Veterinary x-ray illuminators market is also expected to grow due to rising number of veterinary clinics and veterinary offices.The global veterinary x-ray illuminators market is expected to show a significant growth over the forecast period. Rising number of healthcare infrastructure for animals is expected to drive the growth of veterinary x-ray illuminators market. With the rise in the number of veterinary clinics all over the world is also expected to drive the growth of veterinary x-ray illuminators market as rise in number of clinics will lead to the higher number of x-ray equipment installation specific to the animal diagnosis. Emotional attachment of people with companion animals is also expected to drive the growth of veterinary x-ray illuminators market. Increasing disposable income is also a factor for the growth of the veterinary x-ray illuminators market as people have large sum of money to spend on the health of animals. Veterinary hospitals segment is expected to dominate the market as these x-ray equipment require large sum of money to install and without the x-ray machine market of x-ray illuminators cannot grow.The global veterinary x-ray illuminators market can be segmented into regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America is expected to dominate the global veterinary x-ray illuminators market over the forecast period followed by Europe. People in North America region has large sum of disposable income and they can spend higher amount on animal health. Number of veterinary clinics and higher awareness among people regarding the animal care is also expected to drive the growth of veterinary x-ray illuminators market. Asia Pacific region is expected to be fastest growing market for the veterinary x-ray illuminators due to increasing veterinary healthcare infrastructure and higher number of animal population in the region.Request Sample Report @Some of the market participants in the global veterinary x-ray illuminators market are, Paragon Medical Supply, Inc., Protech Medical, DRE Veterinary, Wolf X-Ray, Easywell Technologies Co. Ltd., The Stevens Company Limited, DLC Australia, Maxant Technologies, Z&Z Medical, Inc., Apexx Veterinary Equipment and Cranford X-Ray.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.comWebsite:
Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Market Projected to Register 6.5% CAGR through 2027

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Air travel has taken off in APEJ like never before, spurred on by rising affluence and a greater disposable income amongst consumers in this dynamic region. This is anticipated to require additional ground support equipment ensuring that the aircraft ground support equipment market grows at a healthy rate for the foreseeable future. Future Market Insights in its upcoming report titled Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012 - 2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017 - 2027) predicts that the aircraft ground support equipment market could record a robust CAGR of 6.5%.Obtain Report Details @Equipment  Aircraft Service Segment Key in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketThe aircraft service segment had a market share of more than half by equipment type in the aircraft ground support equipment market at the end of 2017 and is projected to grow this share by 30 BPS going forward. This is largely at the expense of cargo loading and passenger service. Aircraft service segment is greatly benefited by the high cost of different products such as aircraft tractors, de-icing, and fire fighting vehicles that explains its dominance in the aircraft ground support equipment market.Power  Electric Power Provides Spark in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketThe electric segment is the most popular in the aircraft ground support equipment market and has seen rapid adoption in airport buses, de-icing vehicles, and aircraft tractors because of its reliability, support, and battery performance. Furthermore, advanced infrastructure in a number of airports in Europe and the US has led to electric chargers becoming commonplace fuelling the growth of the electric power segment in the aircraft ground support equipment market. The electric power segment is expected to cross a value of more than US$ 7.5 billion by end 2027, larger than the non-electric and hybrid segments combined.Region  APEJ to Double Market Share in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketIn terms of value, APEJ is predicted to double its market share during the course of the decadal study. Explosive growth in passenger traffic in China and India is largely responsible for this with the former contributing to the bulk of it. In addition to this, open sky agreements such as that recently signed between India and Japan should further the prospects of the APEJ aircraft ground support equipment market.Ownership  Rental Gaining Popularity in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketThe rental/lease segment is gaining greater acceptance in the aircraft ground support equipment market because of the high cost associated with it. There is a definite shift in focus of airline companies and airport management towards rental ownership as this saves capital, resources, and time. The rental/ lease segment is estimated to witness a CAGR of 7% for the forecast period.Application  Defence Unlikely to Topple Commercial Segment in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketThe commercial segment holds a lions share in the aircraft ground support equipment market by application and is on track to lose 70 BPS till 2027. However, it has a two-third share of the market in 2017 on account of substantial movement of commercial aircraft, requiring evermore aircraft ground support equipment units. An incremental dollar opportunity of approx. US$ 4.8 billion from 2017 to 2027 makes the commercial segment large enough for all stakeholders in the aircraft ground support equipment market.Competition Dashboard in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment MarketThe companies profiled in the report are JBT Corporation, ALVEST Group, Air T, Alberth Aviation Ltd., Cavotec SA, Clyde Machines Inc., Textron, Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment Co., China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Kalmar Motor AB, HYDRO Systems KG, Nepean Engineering & Innovation Pty Ltd., Tronair, Lektro, Charlatte Of America Inc., Schopf Maschinenbau GmbH, Mulag Fahrzeugwerk Heinz Wossner GmbH, Mallaghan Engineering Limited, SEMMCO, and DENGE Airport Equipment.Make an Enquiry @Important TakeawaysAPEJ has immense potential in the long-term because of skyrocketing passenger traffic and companies would do well to focus their attention on this continent. Western companies should shift their production bases there to take advantage of lower cost coupled with manufacturing expertise. Companies must develop efficient products that have minimal maintenance and innovations in power technologies could provide the necessary breakthroughs.About UsFuture 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 centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.FMIs team of over 200 research analysts provides market intelligence at global, regional, and country level. Our analysts are committed to provide independent insights, relying on our cognitive defusion training module, which conditions them to look at data objectively and unbiasedly.Contact UsFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Small Cell Power Amplifier Market to Reach a Valuation of US$8.53 bn by 2025

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Some of the prominent participants in the global small cell power amplifier market are Broadcom corp., Qorvo Inc., Texas Instruments, Anadigics Inc., Skywork Solutions, Tektelic Communication Inc., and NXP Semiconductors.As per a new market report published by Transparency Market Research, the global small cell power amplifier market will likely expand at a phenomenal 21.8% CAGR during the period between 2017 and 2025 to become worth US$8.53 bn by 2025 from US$1.45 bn in 2016.Depending upon the gain in amplifier, the global small cell power amplifier market can be divided into five types: small cell power amplifier with 27.5 dB gain, 32 dB gain, 36 dB gain, 39 dB gain, and other type of amplifier with other level of gain in amplification. Of these, the small cell power amplifier with 36 dB gain in amplifier holds the leading share. In 2016, its leading share came to about 29%. In the years ahead too, the segment is predicted to hold on to its dominant position as on account of the greater data coverage capacity of small cell power amplifier with higher gain in amplification.Read Report @Geographically, the key segments of the global small cell power amplifier market are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Of them, Asia Pacific is predicted to expand at maximum pace on account of growing investment in telecommunication infrastructure and soaring sales of consumer electronics.The global small cell power amplifier market has been witnessing robust growth, something it is predicted to maintain in the next couple of years as well. The stellar growth will primarily be brought about the growing internet penetration in urban and remote localities across the world. This is expected to bring about data congestion, which in turn, will generate demand for small cell power amplifier.Small cell power amplifiers are comprised of small cells and owing to its small cell radii, these amplifiers are able to improve data coverage and data transmission rate. Hence, growing demand for internet and increasing investment for telecommunication network is a crucial driving factor for the global small cell power amplifier market. Moreover, installation of small cell base stations is considerably low as compared to the installation of macro cells and this promotes the demand in the small cell power amplifier market. Pico cells are a famous type of small cell which can enhance data coverage, transmission rate and bandwidth and these factors lead network service providers to opt for small cell base stations. These factors are expected to improve the growth prospect of small cell power amplifier market in the upcoming years, explains the lead analyst of the TMR report.Majorly fuelling demand in the global small cell power amplifiers market is the small cell base stations as their installation is relatively inexpensive and simple. In addition they help to amplify the signal strength and data transmission. However, the global small cell power amplifier market is being hampered by the growth of macrocell usage, the difficulty in winning approvals for installations by service providers from municipalities, and the enormous backhaul generated in a telecom network.Request Sample 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:
New Report Offers Analysis on the Whole Genome Amplification Market

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Whole genome amplification was being developed in 1992. This technique is used for amplifying the entire genome from very small amount of genomic DNA; this helps in increasing the quantity of limited DNA samples, and so any gene can be studied in the organism by preserving the limited sample. Whole genome amplification is a useful technique and has various applications such as forensics and genetic disease research, apart from this, there are new techniques such as array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and next-generation sequencing, where a few DNA quantities but analyses is required. There are also various whole genome amplification techniques that are developed wherein they differ both in the protocol as well as replication accuracy. Whole genome amplification techniques utilize the principals of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) so as to copy enzymatically the DNA contained within a sample. Moreover, the amplification of the whole genome is non-specific and theoretically provides an increased amount in the copy number of all genomic sequences. The application of whole genome amplification is mostly in research studies where small DNA samples are regularly encountered. These applications comprise creation of probes from microdissected or flow-sorted chromosomes, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and study of ancient DNA samples.Whole Genome Amplification Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global whole genome amplification market is driven by the rising incidence of genetic disorders owing to rising population. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the study conducted by National Center for Health Statistics the estimated prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is 22.4 per 1,000 children in the age group of 3 to 17 years in 2013. In addition to this the whole genome amplification kits are easier and faster, apart from this only small amount of DNA is required for multiple samples. Growing awareness of applications of whole genome amplification techniques is expected to provide high growth opportunities for the whole genome amplification products such as kits manufacturers over the forecast period. Moreover, technological developments and emphasis on specificity and sensitivity of the kits is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for whole genome amplification product manufacturers. However, the whole genome amplification makes it difficult to derive accurate genomic information from single-cell genomes is expected to hamper market growth over the forecast period.Read Report Overview@Whole Genome Amplification Market: SegmentationThe global whole genome amplification market are segmented into product type and end userSegmentation based on product typeKitsSingle Cell WGA KitWGA and ChIP DNAWGA Reamplification KitComplete WGA KitDNA Amplification KitOthersSegmentation based on applicationMedical ApplicationsGenetic disordersForensicsPaternityFood safetyVeterinaryAgriculture researchSegmentation based on end userResearch CentersAcademic InstitutesHospitalsClinicsPharmaceutical and Biotechnology CompaniesWhole Genome Amplification Market: OverviewGlobally the whole genome amplification market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period owing to forensics labs trying to genotype five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and researchers collecting DNA from a buccal swab that only contains a few cells. The procedure is fast--six hours from start to finish are expected to gain traction over the forecast period, moreover increasing distribution network of manufacturers is expected to create high growth opportunities for the stakeholders of whole genome amplification market.Whole Genome Amplification Market: Region  Wise OutlookRegionally, whole genome amplification market is segmented into seven key regions, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ (Asia-Pacific excluding Japan), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA)Request Sample Report@North America is expected to dominate the whole genome amplification market over the forecast period. Western Europe is expected to follow next after North America owing to increasing awareness of whole genome amplification in this region. Increasing application of whole genome amplification in forensic and genetic disorders in Japan is expected to boost demand for whole genome amplification in this country. APEJ is expected to follow next regarding revenue growth owing to technological developments and the introduction of new products from the local players. Latin America and MEA regions are also expected to witness significant growth in whole genome amplification market over the forecast period.Whole Genome Amplification Market: Key PlayersSome key players in peripheral embolization market are Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC., QIAGEN, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., New England Biolabs., General Electric Company, LGC Limited, Genetica DNA Laboratories - a LabCorp brand, NuGEN Technologies, Inc., Illumina, Inc. and others. The companies are focused on understanding the fundamental epigenomic and genomic regulatory pathways underlying normal cell growth and tissue differentiation.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.comWebsite :
Food Packaging Equipments Market to Witness Unprecedented Growth In Coming Years

Food Packaging Equipments Market

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The Global Food Packaging Equipments Market Research Report 2017 renders deep perception of the key regional market status of the Food Packaging Equipments Industry on a global level that primarily aims the core regions which comprises of continents like Europe, North America, and Asia and the key countries such as United States, Germany, China and Japan.The report on Global Food Packaging Equipments Market is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Food Packaging Equipments industry a propos classification, definitions, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, etc.Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @The potential of this industry segment has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with primary market challenges. The present market condition and future prospects of the segment has also been examined. Moreover, key strategies in the market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc., are discussed. Besides, upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also conducted.Report Includes:-The report cloaks the market analysis and projection of Food Packaging Equipments Market on a regional as well as global level. The report constitutes qualitative and quantitative valuation by industry analysts, first-hand data, assistance from industry experts along with their most recent verbatim and each industry manufacturers via the market value chain. The research experts have additionally assessed the in general sales and revenue generation of this particular market. In addition, this report also delivers widespread analysis of root market trends, several governing elements and macro-economic indicators, coupled with market improvements as per every segment. Furthermore, the report contains diverse profiles of primary market players of Food Packaging Equipments Market.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering1. Arpac2. GEA Group3. IMA Group4. Coesia Group5. Ishida6. Multivac7. Nichrome India8. Bosch Packaging Technology9. Omori Machinery Co. Ltd.10. Oystar Holding GmbH11. Illinois tool works, Inc.12. Tetra Laval International S.A.Browse full report with Table of Content @The report is generically segmented into six parts and every part aims on the overview of the Food Packaging Equipments industry, present condition of the market, feasibleness of the investment along with several strategies and policies. Apart from the definition and classification, the report also discusses the analysis of import and export and describes a comparison of the market that is focused on the trends and development. Along with entire framework in addition to in-depth details, one can prepare and stay ahead of the competitors across the targeted locations. The fact that this market report renders details about the major market players along with their product development and current trends proves to be very beneficial for fresh entrants to comprehend and recognize the industry in an improved manner. The report also enlightens the productions, sales, supply, market condition, demand, growth, and forecast of the Food Packaging Equipments industry in the global markets.Every regions market has been studied thoroughly in this report which deals with the precise information pertaining to the Marketing Channels and novel project investments so that the new entrants as well as the established market players conduct intricate research of trends and analysis in these regional markets. Acknowledging the status of the environment and products up gradation, the market report foretells each and every detail.So as to fabricate this report, complete key details, strategies and variables are examined so that entire useful information is amalgamated together for the understanding and studying the key facts pertaining the global Food Packaging Equipments Industry. The production value and market share in conjunction with the SWOT analysis everything is integrated in this report.Some points from TOC:-2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Food Packaging Equipments2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Food Packaging Equipments2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Food Packaging Equipments2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Food Packaging Equipments3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Food Packaging Equipments3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Food Packaging Equipments Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Food Packaging Equipments Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Food Packaging Equipments Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Food Packaging Equipments Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Food Packaging Equipments Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Food Packaging Equipments Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Food Packaging Equipments Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Food Packaging Equipments Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Food Packaging Equipments Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Food Packaging Equipments Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Food Packaging Equipments Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)Continued.Download PDF Brochure of this Report @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on Global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Sarah JEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWebsite-
Global Ceiling Tiles Market Share will Increase US$ 43 Billion By 2023

Global Ceiling Tiles Market

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The Global Ceiling Tiles Market was valued at US$ 19.80 Billion in 2014 and is projected to cross US$ 43.00 Billion by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of more than 9.0% between 2015 and 2023.This market study analyses the market by its value chain. Value chain analysis starts with the analysis of feedstock products and ends with the analysis of end-user industry. The report uses Market Attractiveness Analysis and Porters Five Forces Model to analyze the diverse factors affecting the expansion of the market.You Can Browse Full Report here:The key players in global ceiling tiles market are Armstrong World Industries Inc., Chicago Metallic Corporation, Grenzebach BSH GmbH, Knauf, Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH, ROCKFON, SAS International, Saint-Gobain SA, and USG Corporation.a) Market Attractiveness Analysis  It provides the information about the most attractive and least attractive market segments by Product, Application and Geography.b) Porters Five Forces Model - It analyses the factors such as degree of competition, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat of substitutes and threat of new entrants.Why to Purchase this Report?1. It provides thorough analysis of the ceiling tiles market by key products (mineral wool, metal, gypsum and others) and its applications (residential, non-residential including hospitality, commercial and institutional.2. It also segments the market based on major geographies into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.3. This report provides volume and revenue for each application segment for each region.4. The report includes an overview of the market share of key companies in the global ceiling tiles market.This report segments the global ceiling tiles market by:By Product Segment Analysis Mineral Wool Metal Gypsum Others (Wood, Plastic, etc.)By Application Analysis Residential Non-residentialo Hospitality (Restaurants, Hotels, etc.)o Commercial (Offices, Shopping Plazas, etc.)o Institutional (Hospital, Educational Institutes, etc.) Industrial (Factories, Warehouses, etc.)By Regional Analysis North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Rest of the World (ROW)Request Sample Report:Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2. Assumptions and Research Methodology3. Executive Summary4. Market Overview5. Market Dynamics5.1 Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis5.2 Drivers5.3 Restraints5.4 Opportunity Analysis5.5 Global Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis and Forecast5.6 Porters Analysis5.7 Value Chain Analysis6 Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis, by Product Type7 Global Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis, by Application8 Global Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis, by Region9 North America Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis10 Europe Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis11 Asia Pacific Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis12 Latin America Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis13 Middle East & Africa (MEA) Ceiling Tiles Market Analysis14 Competition Landscape14.1 Ceiling Tiles Market Share Analysis by Company (2015)14.2 Competition Matrix14.3 Key Profiles14.3.1 Armstrong World Industries, Inc.14.3.2 Saint-Gobain S.A.14.3.3 USG Corporation14.4.1 Knauf14.4.2 Techno Ceiling Products14.4.3 ROCKFON14.4.4 MADA GYPSUM14.4.5 Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH14.4.6 SAS International14.4.7 New Ceiling Tiles, LLCAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Technological Advancements to Influence High Density (HD) Cell Banking Market Growth

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Cell banking is a process of separation and storage of cells belonging to a specific genome which are used in biological research, drug development, and medical use. The cell banking technique involves a lengthy process of extraction, and scale  up owing to which the cells become more susceptible to contamination and lot of time is wasted before the cells are actually used for research or clinical purpose. High density (HD) cell banking technique is used to eliminate delay and reducing the chance of contamination.. The HD cell banking technique reduces the number of expansion steps involved in the scaling  up process which are required in the traditional cell culture and turn reduces the process time and increases the level of automation in the process. In high-density cell culture technique, the cells are dispensed directly into single-use bioreactor or culture vessel which in turn speeds up the creation of homogenous cells and eliminates the need for centrifugation and dilution processes, moreover high-density cell culture reduces the interactions with the culture and in turn reduces the risk of contamination. High-density cell cultures market is expected witness robust growth over the forecast period owing to its technological advantages over traditional cell culture techniques.High Density (HD) Cell Banking Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe demand for High Density (HD) Cell Banking is fueled by growing research and development spending in biotechnology and medical industry. The growing life science industry and increasing applications of biological drugs derived through genetic engineering and cell culture techniques. High retention of the cells in the high-density cell culture, increases productivity owing to which HD cell banking market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period. Growing demand for stem cell research in therapeutic areas like cancer and autoimmune diseases worldwide is expected to boost demand for high-density cell banking over the forecast period. Moreover the adoption of cell culture processes for manufacturing of industrial enzymes and other proteins is growing especially in the developed and emerging economies which in turn is expected to boost demand for high density cell banking globally, however low awareness of the technology and lack of technical expertise is expected to hamper revenue growth of the high-density cell banking market over the forecast period.[RD1]Read Report Overview@High Density (HD) Cell Banking Market: SegmentationThe global high density (HD), cell banking market, is classified on the basis of end user and regional presence.Segmentation by End UsersPharmaceuticals CompaniesBiotechnology CompaniesChemical & MaterialAgricultureAcademic & Research InstitutesHigh Density (HD) Cell Banking Market: OverviewThe high density (HD), cell banking market, is largely penetrated by some key global players and is expected to witness healthy CAGR regarding revenue owing to increasing applications and high adoption rate of high density (HD) cell banking technique in research and academics globally. The entry of new players and development of enhanced technology in the high density (HD) cell banking market is expected to create fierce competition over the forecast period in the market.High Density (HD) Cell Banking Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the global high density (HD), cell banking market, is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Middle East and Africa (MEA).North America dominates the global high density (HD) cell banking market followed by Europe. North America and Western Europe (comprising EU5 countries) regions are expected to witness significant growth due to increased adoption of high density (HD) cell banking and due to awareness in these regions. APEJ is expected to witness significant growth as compared to other regions and countries owing to increase in spending in pharmaceutical sector and presence of several biotechnology and research and development institutions. Latin America and MEA regions are expected to witness sluggish growth due to low adoption of high density (HD) cell banking equipment. However, increasing healthcare spending may boost the growth of high density (HD) cell banking market in these regions during the forecast period.Request Sample Report@High Density (HD) Cell Banking Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players operating in the market for High Density (HD) Cell Banking are Genzyme Corporation, REPLIGEN CORPORATION, Pall Corporation, General Electric Company, Sartorius AG, Merck Millipore Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and others. Above manufactures are upgrading the traditional technology and concentrating on market penetrationABOUT 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.comWebsite :
Poe Injector Market is Expected to Surpass US$762.2 mn by 2022

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The global power over ethernet (PoE) injector market is envisioned to garner a colossal growth from connectivity applications with the soaring usage of the PoE technology and solutions. The PoE technology could be used to power PoE compatible devices such as wireless access points and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phones. Thus, with the growing usage of such devices, the demand for PoE injector is foretold to increase correspondingly. Wireless access points could find growth due to the mushrooming popularity of internet of things (IoT). The deployment of VoIP phones could witness a heightened increase in view of their benefits such as ease of installation and maintenance and low communication cost.The global PoE injector market is forecasted to attain a revenue valuation of US$762.2 mn by 2022 at a 12.5% CAGR between 2017 and 2022. In 2017, the market was valued at a US$423.4 mn.Read Report @A noteworthy trend predicted to take shape in the world PoE injector market could be the healthcare sector attracting a high attention since the last few years. Surging investments in research and development and snowballing usage of technologies and innovations in healthcare are foreseen to be a critical trigger of the demand in the market. The growth of PoE injector in the healthcare sector could also be attributed to the rise of diseases and elevating health concerns.Players operating in the world PoE injector market are prophesied to find favorable prospects because of the success of multi-port midspan, which could rise at a 14.4% CAGR. It could be a larger market by type and grab a handsome share of 67.4% by the end of 2022. By end use, there could be opportunities prevailing on the back of corporate offices, healthcare facilities, retail, telecommunication, other industrial sectors, and residential markets. In view of application, players could find new avenues opened up in key markets such as connectivity, security and access control, lighting control, and infotainment.Regionally, the market is anticipated to offer a wide room for growth while riding on the expected dominance of Asia Pacific except Japan (APEJ) in terms of revenue. Prognosticated to be an attractive market for PoE injector, APEJ could expand at a 15.1% CAGR. Another major revenue getter of the market could be North America with a US$156.5 mn envisaged to be earned by 2022. However, other geographies such as Europe and Japan could also be worth to keep an eye on.The international PoE injector market could be marked by the inclusion of several local, regional, and global vendors. A variety of end users are expected to be served with various application products offered by more than a few local and regional vendors. In the future, the competition could aggravate owing to increasing mergers and acquisitions and technological innovation. New entrants in the market could find it a challenging ground to compete against global vendors in respect of innovation, reliability, and quality. Some of the leading companies in the market could be Microsemi Corp., L-Com, Inc., Sixnet Holding LLC, ICP DAS Co., Ltd., and N-TORN Corp.Request Sample 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 requirementAbout UsUS Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Military Communications Market Research 2017: Industry Study and Global Impact Analysis

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Progressive Markets added a report, "Global Military Communications Market - Size, Trend, Share, Opportunity Analysis & Forecast, 2014-2025," which says that the market is growing at a considerable CAGR from 2014 to 2025.Visit:Military communication has been playing a vital role in warfare for a very long time. It refers to the sharing of information between the command base and deployed forces present in active war zones or troops conducting border patrols. The main aim of military communication is to ensure that the commanders maintain continuous control over their subordinate forces and that messages are conveyed to the forces at the proper time via a secure and low visible path. The messages can be regarding the threat of enemy attack, implementation of readiness, etc.In the current times, advanced communication systems are used for all defense forces such as land, air, sea, and underwater. They include radios, telephones, and satellite communication (SATCOM), cryptographic, and control devices. Messenger and postal communications are done by airplanes, helicopters, motor vehicles, and more. Signal communication is done using rockets, lights, flags, and sirens.Do Inquiry for Sample report:Market Drivers and RestraintsThe report includes the market drivers and restraints that play a role in the growth of the military communications market. Growing need for advanced communication solutions such as encrypted communication, integrated tactical communication systems, edge devices, and very high-frequency radios are likely to propel the growth of the market. In addition, the increase in technological advancements in the emerging economies and huge expenditure on the defense sector by emerging countries such as Russia, India, China, Brazil, Japan, and others are likely to provide opportunities for growth. Nonetheless, factors such as the high cost associated with system design and precise customization for varied forces cause hindrances to the market growth.Military Communications Market Key Segmentation:The military communications market analysis report studies the global market by its application, component, deployed platform, and geography. Based on the application, the market is classified as command & control, movement & maneuver, real-time awareness, and others. Based on the component, the market is divided into radio, SATCOM, intercom networks, and software suits. Based on the deployed platform, the market is classified as airborne, manpack/vehicular (land), navy fleet, and underwater.Based on geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, LAMEA, and Asia-Pacific. The market in the North-American region has been studied in Canada, U.S., and Mexico. The market in European region has been studied in Germany, UK, Italy, France, and the other parts of Europe. In the LAMEA region, the market has been studied in Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the rest of LAMEA. The military communications industry in the Asia-Pacific region has been analyzed across China, Japan, South Korea, India, and the other parts of Asia-Pacific.Market PlayersThe top players operating in the global military communications market include Raytheon Company, Thales SA, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Tactical Communications Group, LLC., BAE Systems PLC, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Harris Corporation, L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc., Ultra Electronics, and ViaSat, Inc.Key Benefits from the ReportThe report provides a comprehensive analysis of the military communications market, which constitutes the military communications market size, military communications market share, military communications market outlook, market dynamics, Porter's Five Forces Analysis, trends analysis, scope and definitions, market segmentation, and information about the leading market players. The overall military communications market size is analyzed in terms of value. The historical market size from 2014 to 2016 for each segment and region has also been included in the study. The military communications market forecast is performed from 2017 to 2015 based on the application, component, deployed platform, and regional distribution.Ask for discount on full report:The military communications market outlook is based upon past performance, prevailing economic factors, consumer demands, and opinions. The military communications market analysis report examines the strategies adopted by market players such as expansions, new product launches, and mergers & acquisitions in the market. The Porter's analysis helps understand the level of competitiveness prevailing in the market. It comprises the bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, industry rivalry, and the threat of new entrants. The market dynamics help market players and investors determine the factors influencing the market growth and accordingly plan business goals.About ProgressiveThe company makes use of primary corporate research and secondary inputs from trusted sources to build its own reference base. It maintains consistency in quality as it keeps itself updated with changes in market dynamics and gauging its net effect on global business trends.Reach UsMr. Shriram Dighe4th Floor, Unit 12, Marisoft III,West Wing, Marigold IT Park,Kalyani Nagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411014,India: +91 20 66346040Toll Free: + 1-888-906-9222help@progressivemarkets.com
Telecom Application Server Market Outlook to 2022: Emerging Trends and Will Generate New Growth Opportunities Status

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Telecom Application Server Market Professional Survey Report 2017 to its huge collection of research reports.The global Telecom Application Server market is influenced by a variety of regional and global factors and trends, a critical and elaborate assessment of which is covered in the report. The research presents a granular analysis of industry chain developments, notable trends and emerging prospects, and recent research and development activities shaping the growth trajectory. It further offers insights into the revenue share and size of various segments the global Telecom Application Server market and the regulatory landscape prevailing in various regions affecting their growth. In addition, the analysis tracks recent investment trends and governmental policy changes affecting their growth. Furthermore, the study the global Telecom Application Server market evaluates the impact of key drivers and restraints on shaping the dynamics.Recent industry developments likely to offer more room to technological innovations are offered in the analysis. Furthermore, the report offers insights into emerging strategic paradigms and disruptive technologies expected to significantly alter the course of the market in yet unexplored regions.Get Report Sample and Customization:The study takes a closer look at prominent business models adopted by players and their attractiveness in the overall regime is highlighted in the study. Recent industry collaborations and government initiatives expected to offer impetus to the global Telecom Application Server market are adequately covered in the analysis. To make reliable estimations and forecast about the market sizing of various segments, the report gleans through vast volumes of industry data gathered through primary as well as secondary sources. Business executives, budding entrepreneurs, industry leaders, policy makers seeking clear analysis and concise insights on the global Telecom Application Server market can peruse through the report. Emerging players looking to get cues of emerging opportunities in various segments and in untapped regions will find the research helpful. Using SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis, the study estimates the level of competition prevailing in the market and identifies imminent investment pockets in major regions.Table of ContentsGlobal Telecom Application Server Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Telecom Application Server1.1 Definition and Specifications of Telecom Application Server1.1.1 Definition of Telecom Application Server1.1.2 Specifications of Telecom Application Server1.2 Classification of Telecom Application Server1.2.1 Java-based1.2.2 Microsoft Windows-based1.2.3 Using open source technologies1.2.4 PHP application servers1.2.5 ?1.3 Applications of Telecom Application Server1.3.1 Residential broadband sevices1.3.2 Business sevices1.3.3 Converged services1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 IndiaAccess the full Report TOC in Detail @2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Telecom Application Server2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Telecom Application Server2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Telecom Application Server2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Telecom Application Server3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Telecom Application Server3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Telecom Application Server Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Telecom Application Server Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Telecom Application Server Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Telecom Application Server Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Telecom Application Server Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Telecom Application Server Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Telecom Application Server Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Telecom Application Server Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Telecom Application Server Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Telecom Application Server Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Telecom Application Server Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Telecom Application Server Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Telecom Application Server Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Telecom Application Server Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Telecom Application Server Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Telecom Application Server Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Telecom Application Server Market Share Analysis5.2 China Telecom Application Server Market Analysis5.2.1 China Telecom Application Server Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Telecom Application Server Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Telecom Application Server Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Telecom Application Server Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Telecom Application Server Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Telecom Application Server Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Telecom Application Server Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption AnalysisQYReseachReports.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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Growth of Copper Foil Market 2017 Analysis and Forecast to 2022 Research Report at MarketResearchNest.com

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MarketResearchNest.com adds Global Copper Foil Market Outlook 2017-2022 new reports to its research database. The report spread across 113 pages with tables and figures in it.Generally, copper foil is a foil form of copper less than the thickness of 70microm and there are a rolled copper foil and an electrolytic copper foil. Normally, copper foil can be divided into two major categories: rolled copper foil and electrolytic copper foil. With its high conductivity of electricity and heat, copper foil is versatile and used for everything from crafts to electricity. Copper foil is commonly used as an electric conductor for circuit boards, batteries, and etc.The report covers forecast and analysis for the copper foil market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the copper foil market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the copper foil market on a global level.Get more details about report atThe report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global copper foil market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile.Demand for this market rises from the PCB, Lithium-ion Battery, and other applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global copper foil market.Key Product Types Electrodeposited Copper Foil Rolled Copper FoilKey Applications PCB Lithium-ion BatteryRequest a Sample Copy atKey Regions North America Europe Japan Korea China TaiwanKey Vendors CCP Chinalco Circuit Foil Co-tech Fukuda Furukawa Guangdong Chaohua Guangdong Fine Yuan Hubei Zhongiyi Iljin Jiangxi Copper-Yates JX Nippon Mining and Metals Kingboard Krishna Group Lingbao Wason LS Mtron Mitsui Kinzoku Nippon Denkai NPC request free sample to get a complete list of companiesKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global copper foil market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the copper foil market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?Order a Purchase Report Copy atMarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends.Mr. Jeet JainSales Managersales@marketresearchnest.com+1-240-284-8070 / +44-20-3290-4151
Compunnel Named One of New Jerseys 50 Fastest Growing Companies

Plainsboro, New Jersey - Compunnel Inc., one of the premier staffing firms in the US, has been ranked #19 on NJBIZ Fast 50 List - 2017, an annual ranking of 50 fastest growing companies in New Jersey. This is the 5th consecutive year Compunnel Inc. has been recognized for its sustainable business growth by NJBIZ, a leading business publication house in the US. The achievement showcases Compunnels consistent YoY revenue growth which was one of the core selection criteria to win the award. The NJBIZ Fast 50 program honors New Jersey's most dynamic companies that progressively contribute to the success of the state's economic growth and stability.We are delighted to receive this recognition from NJBIZ, said Amit Gaur, Chairman, and CEO of Compunnel Inc. Our consecutive appearance in the prestigious NJBIZ Fast 50 list is the testament to our financial sustainability, progressive vision, and the trust our customers and employees have on us. Our teams hard work, result-driven approach and the commitment to go that extra mile is what has made this possible. This achievement is certainly a great motivation for all of us at Compunnel, and will help us produce more innovative solutions for our customers and achieve our business goals with more passion & commitment, he adds.To be eligible for the award, participant companies had to meet stringent selection criteria that include a revenue size of at least $500,000 within the past two out of three years, and revenue growth over a three-year period, dating from the fiscal year 2014 to 2016. NJBIZ and the program sponsor honored Compunnel and other winners during an awards ceremony which was held at The Palace at Somerset Park, Somerset, NJ on Nov 14th, 2017.About Compunnel: Headquartered in NJ, Compunnel has been a trusted staffing & workforce solution provider for over two decades now. Being one of the largest staffing firms in the US, Compunnel offers customized staffing solutions to diverse business and industry segments. Over the years, Compunnel is redefining the talent supply chain through its technology-enabled recruitment solutions; thereby helping organizations meet their dynamic staffing needs in more cost-effective and timely manner.Ashish YadavCompunnel, Inc.marcomcentral@compunnel.com(609) 606-9010103 Morgan Lane, Suite 102, Plainsboro, NJ- 08536, USA
LED Driver Market 2017 to 2022 Analysis of Global Key Players  Philips, Zumtobel, STMicroelectronics, NXP, ON Semiconductor, Toshiba, Infineon, Linear Technology, Osram, Texas Instruments and GE

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MarketResearchNest.com adds Global LED Driver Market Outlook 2017-2022 new reports to its research database. The report spread across 113 pages with tables and figures in it.An LED driver is an electrical device which regulates the power to an LED or a string (or strings) of LEDs. An LED driver responds to the changing needs of the LED, or LED circuit, by providing a constant quantity of power to the LED as its electrical properties change with temperature.The report covers forecast and analysis for the LED driver market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the LED driver market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the LED driver market on a global level.Get more details about report atThe report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global LED driver market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile.Demand for this market rises from the General Lighting, Automotive Lighting, Display Backlighting, and other applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global LED driver market.Key Applications General Lighting Automotive Lighting Display BacklightingKey Regions North America Europe Asia Pacific ChinaRequest a Sample Copy atKey Vendors Philips Zumtobel STMicroelectronics NXP ON Semiconductor Toshiba Infineon Linear Technology Osram Texas Instruments Maxim Integrated Macroblock Atmel Corporation GE request free sample to get a complete list of companiesKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global LED driver market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the LED driver market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?Order a Purchase Report Copy atMarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends.Mr. Jeet JainSales Managersales@marketresearchnest.com+1-240-284-8070 / +44-20-3290-4151
Global Cab Service Market 2017: Dallas Yellow Cab, Discount Cab, Megacabs, Badger Cab, Cowboycab

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The research Report titled Global Cab Service market is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview and depth perception of the key regional market standing of the Cab Service trade on an global level that especially focuses on the core regions such as North & South America, Europe, Africa, South & Middle East Asia and Australia and also the key countries like (USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia, India, China, South Korea and Japan).Get Sample Copy of Report Here:This Cab Service market state and future prospects of the segment have jointly been examined. Additionally, key methods within the Cab Service market that features partnerships, product developments, link-ups, and acquisitions, etc., mentioned. Besides, Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is equally carried out. Top Manufacturers Analysis in Cab Service market including;1. 13CABS2. Yellow Cab3. Yellow Checker Cab4. Dallas Yellow Cab5. DC6. Discount Cab7. Megacabs8. Eastern Car Service9. Badger Cab10. CowboycabEnquiry Here: Cab Service Market: Application Analysis1. Single passenger2. Small group of passengers3. OtherInitially, The Cab Service report covers the marketing research and forecast of Cab Service Market on a regional also the world level. The Cab Service report is generically divided into six components and each half aims at the summary of the Cab Service past, present and future conditions of the market, the feasibility of the investment on many methods and policies. Excluding the classification and definition, the Cab Service market report conjointly discusses the analysis crucial and export and explain a comparison of the Cab Service market that's targeted at the trends and development.After that, This Cab Service report deals with the precise info on the selling Channels and novel project investments. So the new contender, as well as the established market players, get the direction of trends and regional analysis in these markets. This report also supports the readers, investors, new entrants, and established players to decide which segment or sub-segment to invest on so as to reap maximum profits.Finally, Cab Service report, complete key details, methods, and variables are examined and also whole helpful data are combined together for the learning and understanding the key facts related the worldwide Cab Service market. The Cab Service market share and production price with the SWOT analysis everything is integrated into this report.About Us:Business Worldwide is a trusted brand in the research industry with a capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Business Worldwide, we believe in building long-term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries including Energy, Chemicals and Materials, Automotive, Software and Aerospace.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
Stationary Catalytic Systems Market Will Reflect Significant Growth Prospects during 2017-2025

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Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: SnapshotThe players operating in the global stationary catalytic systems market are anticipated to leverage on the heightened demand for steel. Moreover, players will also bank on the increased purchasing power of the construction and automotive industries. In the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, metal, petrochemicals, and chemical applications are predicted to gain great focus. This is especially true for emerging economies as these countries are witnessing a surge in the construction and infrastructure activities over the past few years, and shall continue to do so. The growing demand for oxidation catalysts for annihilating carbon emissions, volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde from gas turbine power generators is expected to push the growth of the global stationary catalytic systems market during the forecast period.The rise in industrialization is another major reason behind the growth of this market. In addition to this, the high requirement for power and the rapid increase in population will also drive the growth prospects of the global stationary catalytic systems market in the years to come. Power is in high demand from the commercial, residential, as well as the industrial sector and is expected to accelerate the growth of the stationary catalytic systems market.Request Sample Copy of the Report@Stationary catalytic systems find applications in manufacturing, refining, cement, and food sectors, among others. The growth in the food, cement, or manufacturing industry is therefore, directly aiding the global stationary catalytic systems market. Growing infrastructure developments in emerging economies will propel the petrochemicals and chemicals sector in the coming years.Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Inclusive InsightsStationary catalytic systems help in reducing the harmful emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from power-plants as well as petro-chemical and other manufacturing industries. Besides destroying carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons with oxidation catalysts, these stationary catalytic systems can also capture fine particulate matter and are are built to withstand high operating temperatures or thermal shock. With the growing environmental concerns across the world, global stationary systems market is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.Request TOC of the Report @This report on global market for stationary systems market is a comprehensive analysis of all the factors that are expected to impact the growth rate over the course of next few years, and presents estimations of the future scenario. Considering stringent guidelines set by several governments as a primary factor of this market, the report highlights some of the important regulations in place in various countries. One of the key feature of this report is the section on company profiles wherein some of the key players in this market have been analyzed for their market share, regional outreach, product portfolio, and recent strategic developments. The global stationary catalytic systems market can be segmented on the basis of technology into selective catalytic reduction and catalytic oxidation, and on the basis of application into power plants, chemical and petrochemicals, cement, and metal.Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Drivers, Restraints, and OpportunitiesRegulations pertaining to GHG emission, which are getting stricter every passing year due to growing environmental concerns, is the primary driver for the market. For instance, in the U.S., regulations such as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) is in place for industries to follow in order to reduce industrial pollutant emissions. Coal fired boiler replacement program in China is another recent development that will positively reflect on global stationary catalytic systems market. China, a country with vast population and landscapes, retrofitted 400,000 MW of existing coal-fired boilers with selective catalytic reduction in 2012. With an average life of 3 to 5 years, the country-wide market of china is expected to generate fresh demand for stationary catalytic systems during the forecast period. Some of the other factors complementing the growth rate are expanding adoption of oxidation catalysts to control pollutant emission from gas turbine power generators, varied application of catalytic incineration process at refining, chemical, metal, and food and beverage industry in Asia Pacific, escalating demand for electricity with growing population, and rapid industrialization.Get Discount @The report detects that selective catalytic reduction segment has the maximum demand in terms of product segment while application-wise, power plant stationary catalytic systems dominate owing to electricity demand from the commercial, industrial, and residential sector.Global Stationary Catalytic Systems Market: Regional OverviewCountry-wide markets of China and India make Asia Pacific the most lucrative region, and with growing number of power plants, the region is anticipated to remain highly profitable through-out the forecast period. Government of India has set aside a budget of US$44 bn for the development of 35,000 km road across the country, which will augment the demand for stationary catalytic systems. France generates maximum demand from Europe market while Canada dominates North America market. Canadian government has pledged an investment of US$11.9 bn for the improvements of social infrastructure that is in sync with environment.Companies mentioned in the reportDCL International Inc., Johnson Matthey, BASF, CORMETECH, Amec Foster Wheeler, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, MECA, APC technologies, Ducon Technologies, Air Clean LLC, and Hamon Corporation are some of the prominent names in global stationary catalytic systems market.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global High Performance Anti-corrosion Coatings Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been serving as an active source to cater intelligent research report to enlighten both readers and investors. This research study titled High Performance Anti-corrosion Coatings MarketGet Free Sample Report @High performance anti-corrosion coatings are advanced materials that are applied on metal and concrete components in various manufacturing plants that are exposed to severe corrosive surroundings. Epoxy coatings, acrylic coatings, and urethane coatings are major product segments of the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market. These coatings are broadly consumed in core industries. Oil & gas, tanks & pipes, construction, marine and power generation are major end-users of the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market. Oil & gas held the largest demand for high performance anti-corrosion coatings in 2014. However, the power generation segment is expected to create substantial growth opportunities for the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market during the forecast period. Use of waterborne process technology is likely to be one of the potential substitutes for solvent-borne coating systems in the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market by 2023.The report estimates and forecasts the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market on the global, regional, and country level. The study provides forecast from 2015 to 2023 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn).Browse Complete Report with TOC @The study offers a comprehensive view of the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market by dividing it into product segments such as epoxy coatings, acrylic coatings, urethane coatings, and others. In terms of end-user, the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market has been segmented into oil & gas, marine, construction, tanks & pipes, power generation, and others. End-user segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated from 2015 to 2023 in terms of volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). Regional segmentation includes current and forecast demand for high performance anti-corrosion coatings in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report includes country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for product and end-user segments. Key countries such as the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, as well as ASEAN and GCC are incorporated in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual products and end-users in all regions and countries.The report comprises a comprehensive value chain analysis that provides a broad view of the market. Value chain analysis also provides detailed information about value addition at each stage of the value chain. The report covers drivers and restraints for the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. Additionally, it includes the study of opportunities in the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market at the global level.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to gauge the degree of competition in the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market. The report encompasses a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users have been analyzed based on their attractiveness, growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated to derive general attractiveness of the market. The report also includes price trend analysis of raw materials derived from petrochemicals such as propylene, ethylene, and aromatics as well as high performance anti-corrosion coatings from 2014 to 2023.Send an Enquiry @Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of the research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and reinforcing our secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The report covers a detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Akzo Nobel N.V., The 3M Company, Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd., Nippon Paint Co., Ltd., Hempel A/S, Jotun A/S, PPG Industries Inc., and The Sherwin-Williams Company are key players profiled in the report. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview.This report segments the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market as follows:High Performance Anti-Corrosion Coatings Market  Product SegmentAnalysisEpoxy CoatingsUrethane CoatingsAcrylic CoatingsOthers (Alkyd Coatings, etc.)High Performance Anti-Corrosion Coatings Market  End-User AnalysisOil & GasMarineConstructionTanks & PipesPower GenerationOthers (Paper & Pulp, etc.)Check Discount @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market By Manufacturers, Countries, Type And Application, Forecast To 2025

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Global Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market: SnapshotEpoxidized soybean oil or ESBO refers to a collection of different organic compounds that are extracted from the epoxidation of the oil of soybean. It is employed as a stabilizer and plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride plastics. Epoxidized soybean oil is a yellowish viscid liquid. During the manufacturing process of vegetable oils are broadly employed as precursors to the epoxidized oil products as they have sizeable number of carbon-carbon double bonds that are accessible for epoxidation.Epoxidized soybean oil is used in the PVC gaskets that applied in the glass jars that are used to store food products. It acts as a scavenger and plasticizer for the hydrochloric acid which is released when the degradation of the PVC occurs thermally at the time when the food product goes through sterilization. The most lucrative opportunities for epoxidized soybean oil is likely to arise from the food and beverages, plastic, rubber industries. The global epoxidized soybean oil market is likely to be positive impacted by the growing adoption of organic stabilizers in PVC stabilization procedure and as an emerging substitute for oil-based lubricant in the short and medium run. In the long run the easy availability of ESBO in low price is anticipated to be a core driving factor.The challenges that this market is expected to face in the years ahead are the health hazards that are likely to occur in the industry of food and beverages to the excess use of ESBO and low product competitiveness that it creates.Request Sample Copy of the Report@Global Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market: OverviewThe global market for epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) is forecast to exhibit strong growth between 2017 and 2025. It will significantly gain from the increasing demand from the plastic additives industries, especially in North America. Besides this, research and development activities by the leading players, coupled with the recent merger and acquisition strategies they adopted will help this market rake high revenue over the forecast period. Additionally, the rising use of epoxidized soybean oil across diverse eco-friendly applications will aid the markets growth.This report presents a detailed assessment of the recent market developments besides strategically identifying the most lucrative segments. It covers the growth drivers and key restraints to help readers gain a better perspective of the global epoxidized soybean oil market. The report also profiles the leading market players and identifies their core competencies. The effect of Porters five forces on the overall market operations is evaluated as well.Request TOC of the Report @Global Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market: Trends and OpportunitiesAmong the key end-use segments, the market is gaining maximum from the rising use of epoxidized soybean oil in food and beverages packaging. As the retail sector gears for spike in the demand for processed food, the significance of phthalate-free plasticizers food packaging will scale higher. This will create significant opportunities for the market in the beverage can coating segment as well. Epoxidized soybean oil is available at a lower cost and offers high flexibility and thermal stability. It is also an eco-friendly bio-plasticizer hence, considered to be a food-grade product. It is due to the same reason that epoxidized soybean oil is extensively used in the food and beverages industry for packaging of products.By application, plasticizers will emerge as one of the key market segments. The segment includes PVA, PVC, and chlorinated rubber applications. The demand for epoxidized soyabean oil is thus considerably high in North America, wherein stringent environmental laws have compelled industries to lower dependence on phthalate plasticizers.Also, soybean oil is most likely to remain the leading segment among raw materials due to its extensive use in the production of epoxidized soybean oil. This vegetable oil is derived from the seeds of soybean and is known to have many inedible applications besides its use in food products. Out of the many inedible applications, soybean oil acts as an excellent additive and stabilizer in plasticizers. Plasticizers become more reactive when epoxidized soybean oil is added. Soybean oil is widely available and is an eco-friendly alternative due to which it is also preferred by oleo chemical producers. Spurred by these factors, the global epoxidized soybean oil market will exhibit robust growth in the forecast period.Get Discount @Global Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, the European markets will prove to be the most lucrative and faster growing. This trend is likely to continue through the course of the reports forecast period. In addition, the increasing demand from France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey, and the U.K., will seal Europes position as the dominant market for epoxidized soybean oil in the forthcoming years. The high demand for epoxidized soybean oil in Europe is ascribable to stringent environmental regulations in place in the European Union, which curbs the use of non-phthalate plasticizers in food and beverages packaging. Currently, Germany is one of the leading consumers of epoxidized soybean oil in the region and will continue to remain so through the forecast period.Global Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market: Vendor LandscapeAmong the companies who were able to establish strong foothold in the global epoxidized soybean oil market, Ferro Corporation (U.S.), Arkema SA (France), Galata Chemicals (U.S.), Hairma Chemicals (Gz) Ltd. (China), and The Chemical Company (U.S.), are a few of the prominent brands. The report analyzes their strengths and weaknesses using SWOT analysis, which also gives insights into the opportunities and threats they may face over the forecast period.About TMR ResearchTMR 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.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Calcium Carbonate Market is Projected to Reach US$ 25.0 Billion Mark By 2019

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This examination report on the overall calcium carbonate market goes for giving business sector members, specialists, and partners a reasonable comprehension of where this business sector is going. The report utilizes different investigative instruments, for example, market achiev ability, Porter's five strengths, and SWOT examination to introduce an exhaustive diagram of the worldwide business sector for calcium carbonate.Investigators have anticipated the business sector for GCC to ascend at a CAGR of 2.90% amid the gauge period, attributable to its popularity from capricious end clients and in addition from the paper, paints and coatings, and plastics commercial enterprises. Then again, the PCC business sector is accounted for to increment at a CAGR of 3.90%because of its brilliance, murkiness, and different properties.Browse Full Report here:The worldwide calcium carbonate market has been driven by Asia Pacific as far as volume created. The ascent in the interest for PCC and GCC from creating Asian economies, for example, China and India is the key purpose behind this development. This provincial business sector is prone to report a CAGR of 4.40%, over the estimate period from 2013to 2019. This is anticipated to be the second quickest development among all the provincial markets for calcium carbonate by 2019; the Rest of the World locale is expected to post the most fast advancement, at a CAGR of 4.50% amid the estimate period.In 2012, the calcium carbonate market in North America represented an offer of 20.70% in the worldwide calcium carbonate market, while the Europe market for calcium carbonate delivered 20.5mn tons. The business sector for calcium carbonate has cut out a specialty in the worldwide enclosure and the future additionally searches promising for this industry. Then again, investigators have anticipated that antagonistic impacts connected with extreme utilization of calcium carbonates may hamper the smooth development of the worldwide calcium carbonate market.The worldwide business sector for calcium carbonate draws quite a bit of its development from its rising application in the paper and in addition plastic industry. The expanding interest for calcium carbonate from the building and development industry has likewise been energizing this overall business sector as it were. Furthermore, the presentation of novel advancements for the creation of manufactured calcium carbonate is anticipated to open new streets for business sector members in the coming years.Hastened calcium carbonate (PCC) and ground calcium carbonate (GCC) are the significant items accessible in the overall calcium carbonate market, though the paper, building and development, pharmaceutical, plastic, and horticulture businesses are the key end clients of calcium carbonate over the world. Provincially, the worldwide calcium carbonate business sector is appropriated among Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, and the Rest of the World.Key highlights of this report:Outline of key business sector powers impelling and limiting business sector development.A la mode examinations of business sector patterns and innovative upgrades.Pin-point investigations of business sector rivalry flow to offer you a focused edge.An investigation of systems of real contenders.A variety of representation and SWOT investigation of real industry fragments.Point by point investigations of industry patterns.A very much characterized innovative development map with an effect investigation.Offers an unmistakable comprehension of the focused scene and key item portions.Request Sample Report:Table of Contentschapter 1 INTRODUCTIONChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Global Calcium Carbonate Market - Industry Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Value chain analysis3.3 Price Analysis3.3.1 Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) Coarse3.3.1.1 Global GCC Coarse Price (USD/ton) (2012- 2019)3.3.2 Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) Fine3.3.2.1 Global GCC Fine Price (USD/ton) (2012- 2019)3.3.3 Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) Fine3.3.3.1 Global PCC Fine Price (USD/ton) (2012- 2019)3.4 Market Drivers3.4.1 Growing paper industry3.4.1.1 Global paper consumption, volume 2008  2013 (Kilo Tons)3.4.1.2 Mineral loading levels of paper grades3.4.1.2.1 Global mineral loading levels of paper grades,(%), (1980  2020)3.4.2 Increasing demand from plastic sector3.4.2.1 Global plastic production volume, 20072013 (Million tons)3.4.3 Growing demand from building and construction industry3.4.3.1 Global building & construction market revenue, 2012  2019 (USD Billion)3.5 Restraints3.5.1 Adverse effects of excessive consumption of calcium carbonates3.6 Opportunities3.6.1 Growing Asia Pacific and Latin America market for calcium carbonate3.6.2 New process technology to manufacture synthetic calcium carbonate3.7 Porters five forces analysis3.7.1 Bargaining power of suppliers3.7.2 Bargaining power of buyers3.7.3 Threat from substitutes3.7.4 Threat of new entrants3.7.5 Degree of competition3.8 Global Calcium Carbonate Market: Company market share analysis (2012)3.9 Global Calcium carbonate market: Market attractiveness analysisChapter 4 Calcium Carbonate Market  Product Segment AnalysisChapter 5 Calcium Carbonate Market  Application Segment AnalysisChapter 6 Calcium Carbonate Market  Regional Segment AnalysisChapter 7 Company Profiles7.1 Excalibar Minerals7.2 Great Lakes Calcium Corp.7.3 Huber Engineered Materials7.4 Imerys7.5 Maruo Calcium Co.Ltd.7.6 Minerals Technologies, Inc.7.7 Mississippi Lime Company7.8 Okutama Kogyo Co.Ltd.7.9 Omya Ag7.10 Schaefer Kalk GMBH & Co KG7.11 Shiraishi Kogyo Kaisha Ltd.7.12 Solvay S.A.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Market Insights by Size, Share & Forecast 2022

High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Market

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HTF MI published a new industry research that focuses on High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) market and delivers in-depth market analysis and future prospects of Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. The study is segmented by Application/ end users [Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science], products type [Sequencing by Synthesis & Sequencing by Ligation] and various important geographies like United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia].Get Access to sample pages @The research covers the current market size of the Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data along with company profile of key players/manufacturers such as Illumina, Applied Biosystems (ABI), Roche (454), Helicos & LifeTechnologies. The in-depth information by segments of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Market.The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Market, some of them listed here are Illumina, Applied Biosystems (ABI), Roche (454), Helicos & LifeTechnologies. The market is growing at a very rapid pace and with rise in technological innovation, competition and M&A activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Sequencing by Synthesis & Sequencing by Ligation. Further the research study is segmented by Application such as Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2017 to 2022.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @What this Research Study Offers:Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersStrategic recommendations for the new entrantsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub-segments, and the regional marketsMarket Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimationsCompetitive landscaping mapping the key common trendsCompany profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developmentsSupply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) , Applications of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) , Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) , Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) ;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Sequencing by Synthesis & Sequencing by Ligation], Market Trend by Application [Oncology, Hereditary Disease Detection & Life Science];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) ;Chapter 12, to describe High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get customization & check discount for report @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.Connect with us atHTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Global Market Challenges, Drivers and risks of the cryptocurrency boom

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Market Research Future Adds Cryptocurrency Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2023 To Its Research Database.Description:This report studies the global Cryptocurrency Market , analyzes and researches development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China and India. This report focuses on the top players in global market, like37Coins (U.S.), Airbitz (U.S.), Bips (Denmark), Bitcoin Suisse (Switzerland), Bitgo (U.S.), Bitwala (Germany), Bitway (U.S.), Bitgo (U.S.), Bitinstant (U.S.), Coincheck (Japan), Gatecoin (Hong Kong) and others.Intended AudienceInvestors and consultantsSystem IntegratorsResearch/Consultancy firmsTechnology solution providersIT Solution ProvidersDistributors & RetailersSoftware ProvidersRequest for Sample Report @According to Market Research Future Analysis, cryptocurrency market has been valued at approximately USD 51 Billion by the end of forecast period with approx. 14% of CAGR during forecast period 2017 to 2023.out of the blue to hit another record highFinancial specialists give off an impression of being disregarding negative estimation identifying with the current "hard fork"Bitcoin has mobilized more than 500 percent this yearBitcoin Suisse is a One of Major key player in cryptocurrency market. The company has recently announced that it is working with Falcon Private Bank to provide additional cryptocurrency service such as Ether, litecoin and bitcoin cash (BCH) to the bank blockchain asset management services. Coincheck is the leading bitcoin and crypocurrency exchange company in Asia. The company offers dynamic service such as buy bitcoin in ten minutes the cryptocurrency includes bitcoin, ether, factom, xrp and many others in 10 minutes, the company offers 24/7 service for buying cryptocurrencies from anyplace and at any time. The company provides its own security technology known as Auth and Cold Storage for unauthorized access and identity theft.In cryptocurrency market, digitization and mobility is one of significant factor driving the market. Digitization helps organization by providing seamless platform to handle consumers information and increases efficiency and accuracy in business operations. Digital technology supports both upstream and downstream customer engagement activities. Cryptocurrency empowers organization to adopt digital currencies into their existing financial systems securely this is one of the significant factor boosting the Cryptocurrency market. By end-user segment, individuals and large enterprises acquires highest market share owing to better analysis of digital currency offered by cryptocurrency companies that is benefitting finance organization and is further fueling the market growth.Access Report Details @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.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:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
New Research on Global Inductor Market by focusing on Top Companies like TDK Corporation, TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD., Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, Pulse Electronics

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Global Inductor Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Global Inductor Market a proposed supply, demand, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures.For In depth Information Get Free Sample Copy of this Report@The Global Inductor Market accounted for USD 3.2 billion in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.94% du ring the forecast period of 2017 to 2024.The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Global Inductor Market By Type (Fixed, Variable) Core Type (Air, Laminated, Ceramic Ferromagnetic/Ferrite, Toroidal) Application (Automotive, Military & Defense, RF & Telecommunication, Industrial, Transmission & Distribution, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare) Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Complete report on Global Inductor Market Research Report 2017-2024 spread across 350 Pages, profiling Top companies and supports with tables and figuresKey Questions Answered in Global Inductor Market Report:-Our Report offers:- What will the market growth rate, Overview and Analysis by Type of Global Inductor Market in 2024? What are the key factors driving, Analysis by Applications and Countries Global Inductor Market? What are Dynamics, This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, and price analysis of top Vendors Profiles of Global Inductor Market? Who are Opportunities, Risk and Driving Force of Global Inductor Market? Who are the opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in Global Inductor Market? Business Overview by Type, Applications, Gross Margin and Market Share What are the Global Inductor Market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Market?Request for Detailed TOC:Top Key Players: TDK Corporation TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD. Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Panasonic Corporation Pulse Electronics Vishay Intertechnonogy Inc. Chilisin Electronics Corp. ABC Taiwan Electronics Corp. Coilcraft, Inc. Delta Electronics, Inc. Bourns, Inc. AVX Corporation SUMIDA CORPORATION Shenzhen Sunlord, Ltd ICE Components, Inc. among othersMajor Market Drivers: Growing usage in in automotive electronics and passive electronic component Rise of new and advanced electronic products Increase demand for wireless componentMarket Restraint: Continuous variation in the raw material pricesFor more insightful information visit@Customize report of "Global Inductor Market" as per customers requirement also available.Market Segmentations:Global Inductor Market is segmented on the basis of Type Core Type Application GeographyMarket Segmentations in Details:On the basis of Type, Global Inductor Market is segmented into fixed inductor and variable inductor. Fixed inductors are sub segmented into radio frequency (RF), coupled, power and multi layered inductors.On the basis of Core Type, Global Inductor Market is segmented into air, laminated, ceramic ferromagnetic/ferrite and toroidal core.On the basis of Application, Global Inductor Market is segmented into automotive, military and defense, radio frequency (RF) and telecommunication, industrial, transmission and distribution, consumer electronics and healthcare.On the basis of Geography, North America South America Europe Asia-Pacific Middle East & AfricaCompetitive Landscape: Global Inductor MarketThe Global Inductor Market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market.Speak to Author of the report @Other ReportGlobal Geotechnical Instrumentation & Monitoring Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Geotechnical Instrumentation & Monitoring Market, By Geography; Offering (Hardware, Software, Services); Structure (Tunnels Bridges, Buildings Utilities, Dams); Technology (Wired Networking Technology, Wireless Technology); Application (Pore Water Pressure, Soil Stresses, Lateral Deformation, Vertical Deformation), End-Users (Building, Infrastructure, Energy, Power, Oil, Gas, Mining)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit BlogFollow us on LinkedIn:
Nuclear Power in Spain Market Outlook to 2030

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ReportsWeb.com published Nuclear Power Market from its database. 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."Nuclear Power in Spain, Market Outlook to 2030, and Update 2017-Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles", is the latest report from Publisher, the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the nuclear power market in Spain.The Nuclear Power report provides in depth analysis on global nuclear power market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Spain (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewables) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details nuclear 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 Spain nuclear power market. A detailed coverage of nuclear energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to nuclear is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active nuclear reactors in the country, market size of major equipment and company snapshot of some of the major market participants.Request a sample copy@The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, secondary research and in-house analysis by Publisher's team of industry experts.Scope:-A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.-Historical period is during 2006-2016 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2017-2030.-Overview on the global nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by region in 2016, installed capacity split by major nuclear power countries in 2016 and investment trends.-Power market scenario in Spain provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewables) with forecasts up to 2030.-Details of Spain nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by reactor type, installed capacity share by contractor/owner and information on major active and upcoming projects.-Key policies and regulatory framework supporting nuclear power development.-Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Companies Mentioned:Nuclenor S.A.Iberdrola, S.A.Endesa, S.A.EDP HC EnergiaInquire for Report@Reasons to buy:-The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.-Identify key growth and investment opportunities in Spain nuclear power market.-Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for nuclear power market.-Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industry's growth potential.-Identify key partners and business development avenues.-Understand and respond to your competitors' business structure, strategy and prospects.Table of Contents:1 Table of Contents 22 Executive Summary 63 Introduction 84 Nuclear Power Market, Global, 2006-2030 145 Power Market, Spain, 2006-2030 276 Nuclear Power Market, Spain, 2006-2030 417 Renewable Energy Policy Framework, Spain 518 Nuclear Power Market, Spain, Company Profiles 609 Appendix 75For more information about this report@About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer Bauxite Mining and our customer support Bauxite Mining is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact Us:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028Phone : +91-20-67278686E-Mail : info@reportsweb.com
Global Polyhydroxyalkanoate Market to Reach at the Highest CAGR of 4.7% | Industry Research Report 2017-2024

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The Global Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Market accounted for USD 75.2million in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Get a Free Sample Report @Global Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Market By Type {PHA Monomers (Polyhydroxybutyrate, Polyhydroxyvalerate, Others), PHA Co-Polymers (P(4hb-Co-3hb), P(3hb-Co-3hv), Others), PHA Terpolymers (P(3hb-Co-3hv-Co-4hb), Others)} By Manufacturing Technology (Bacterial Fermentation, Biosynthesis, Enzymatic Catalysis)By Application (Packaging, Bio Medical, Food Services, Agriculture)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Company Share Analysis:The global polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market is fragmented with the presence of a large number of players across different regions. These major players have adopted various organic as well as inorganic growth strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, and others to strengthen their position in this market.Request for Analyst Call @Major Market Competitors: Metabolix, Inc., Kaneka Corporation, Meredian Holdings Group, Inc., Shenzhen Ecomann Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Biomatera, Biomer, Bio-On SRL, Newlight Technologies, LLC, PHB Industrial S.A., Polyferm Canada, Inc., Tianan Biologic Materials Co., Ltd, Tianjin Greenbio Materials Co., Ltd., Tepha, Inc., Bluepha Co., Ltd., Dayglo Color Corp., Bioamber, Inc., Full Cycle Bioplastics, Procter & Gamble Co., Dupont Tate & Lyle Bio Products Company, LLC, CJ Cheiljedang Corp., Biome Bioplastics Ltd., Cardia Bioplastics Ltd.Market Segmentation:The polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market is segmented on the basis of typeinto PHA monomers, PHA co-polymers, PHA terpolymers. PHA monomers is further sub segmented into polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalerate andothers. PHA co-polymersis further sub segmented into P(4hb-Co-3hb), P(3hb-Co-3hv) and others.PHA terpolymersis further sub segmented into P(3hb-Co-3hv-Co-4hb)and others.On the basis of manufacturing technology market is segmented into bacterial fermentation, biosynthesisand enzymatic catalysis.On the basis of application market is segmented into packaging, bio medical, food services, and agriculture.On the basis of geography, the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.Request for Detail TOC @Major Market Drivers: Sustainable green procurement policies Vast availability of renewable and cost effective raw materials Biodegradability driving consumption Risingconcerns about human health and safetyMarket restraint: High Price compared to conventional polymers Performance issues with polyhydroxyalkanoateRead more about This Market @Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog:Follow us on LinkedIn:
Aircraft MRO Market Segmentation Application, Technology & Market Analysis Research Report by 2022

Aircraft MRO Market

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EMEA Aircraft MRO Market Report communicates about the manufacturing process. The process is analysed thoroughly with respect three points, viz. raw material and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs (material cost, labour cost, etc.) and the actual process of whole Enterprise Aircraft MRO market. The Enterprise Aircraft MRO Industry research report is a resource, which provides technical and financial details of the Enterprise Aircraft MRO Market (Volume and Value).Aircraft MRO is the description of maintenance repair and overhaul to aircraft, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) is a key activity in the lifecycle of aircraft. Because of the typically long operational lifetimes expected from these costly assets, MRO is necessary to maintain these systems in a safe and functional condition, so that they can fulfill the operational role that they were designed for. This report mainly covers four market segments: Airframe, Engine, Component and Line.Get Sample PDF of Aircraft MRO Market Report @Aircraft MRO Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: Lufthansa Technik, GE Aviation, AFI KLM E&M, ST Aerospace, MTU, AAR, SR Technics (Mubadala), SIA Engineering, Delta TechOps, Haeco, Ameco Beijing, Iberia Maintenance, ANA, JAL Engineering, Korean Air, KAI.In this introductory section, the Aircraft MRO industry research report incorporates analysis of definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure.Aircraft MRO Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers: Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey), Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran), Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria).Aircraft MRO Market Segment by Type covers: Airframe, Engine, Component, Line.Aircraft MRO Market Segment by Applications covers: Air Transport, BGA.Pre Order Enquiry for Aircraft MRO Market report @Next part of Aircraft MRO Market Research Report contains additional information like key vendors in Market space, Aircraft MRO Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Aircraft MRO Market , opportunities, market risk and market overview. The process is analysed thoroughly with respect three points, viz. raw material and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs (material cost, labour cost, etc.) and the actual process.Apart from the mentioned information, growth rate of Aircraft MRO markets in 2022 is also explained. Additionally, type wise and application wise consumption tables and figures are also given.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries in EMEA. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.com
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Active Protection System Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Active Protection System Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Active Protection System MarketThis report studies the Active Protection System market, Active Protection Systems (APSs) are subsystems integrated into or installed on a combat vehicle to automatically acquire, track, and respond with hard or soft kill capabilities to a variety of threats, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). APS technologies are not new, and a number of nations have already employed APS on the battlefield.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Active Protection System in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversRafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.KBMIsrael Military IndustriesRheinmetall AGRaytheon CompanyArtis, LLCSaab ABAselsan A.S.Safran Electronics & DefenseAirbus Defense and SpaceMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)View Report @Market Segment by Type, coversSoft Kill SystemHard Kill SystemMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAir DefenseGround DefenseThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Active Protection System market.Chapter 1, to describe Active Protection System Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Active Protection System, with sales, revenue, and price of Active Protection System, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Active Protection System, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Active Protection System market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Active Protection System research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Active Protection System Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Soft Kill System1.2.2 Hard Kill System1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Air Defense1.3.2 Ground Defense1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 KBM2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 KBM Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Israel Military Industries2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Israel Military Industries Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Rheinmetall AG2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Rheinmetall AG Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Raytheon Company2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Raytheon Company Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Artis, LLC2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Artis, LLC Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Saab AB2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Saab AB Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Aselsan A.S.2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Aselsan A.S. Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 Safran Electronics & Defense2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 Safran Electronics & Defense Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.10 Airbus Defense and Space2.10.1 Business Overview2.10.2 Active Protection System Type and Applications2.10.2.1 Type 12.10.2.2 Type 22.10.3 Airbus Defense and Space Active Protection System Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Digital Notes Market Report with Key Vendors, Driver, Challenges & Trends, Vendor Landscape Analysis & Forecast by 2022

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CHINA Digital Notes Market Report communicates about the manufacturing process. The process is analysed thoroughly with respect three points, viz. raw material and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs (material cost, labour cost, etc.) and the actual process of whole Enterprise Digital Notes market. The Enterprise Digital Notes Industry research report is a resource, which provides technical and financial details of the Enterprise Digital Notes Market (Volume and Value).Digital note is a form of note taking using digital devices to connect to iPhone, iPad, or Android devices or computer to transfer anything written into a digital format. Digital note industry is vague as it is an application concept attempts either to save paper and make it easier for organizing all notes, or to skip the process converting the hand-writing notes into electronic copies. The approach of syncing the information is more tend to via wireless method instead of using cable. In this report, we have targeted two basic forms (digital notepad and smart pen) and concentrated mainly on the hardware side.Get Sample PDF of Digital Notes Market Report @Digital Notes Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: Wacom, Kent displays, Moleskine, Livescribe, Luidia, Neo smartpen, NoteSlate, I.R.I.S., Sony, ACE CAD Enterprise, E-pens.In this introductory section, the Digital Notes industry research report incorporates analysis of definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure.Digital Notes Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers: South China, Southwest China, East China, Northeast China, North China.Digital Notes Market Segment by Type covers: Digital Notepad, Smart Pen.Digital Notes Market Segment by Applications covers: Professional Design, Business, Education.Pre Order Enquiry for Digital Notes Market report @Next part of Digital Notes Market Research Report contains additional information like key vendors in Market space, Digital Notes Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Digital Notes Market , opportunities, market risk and market overview. The process is analysed thoroughly with respect three points, viz. raw material and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs (material cost, labour cost, etc.) and the actual process.Apart from the mentioned information, growth rate of Digital Notes markets in 2022 is also explained. Additionally, type wise and application wise consumption tables and figures are also given.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries in CHINA. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.com
The new edition DAVOSA Argonautic BG Automatic unites form and function

DAVOSA Argonautic BG Automatic

The Argonautic collection has always been an essential part of DAVOSAs divers watch portfolio. Just like Jason, the legendary Captain of the Argonauts, they are safe and reliable partners on dives that take you right down to 30 ATM  and back to the surface again. In the last few months, our product managers have dedicated themselves to making subtle yet important modifications to create a new edition of the three-hand DAVOSA classic: one that incorporates all the latest technological advances as well as input from fans of our brand.With the new Argonautic BG Automatic, Swiss watch manufacturer DAVOSA brings you a professional divers watch with a helium escape valve, first-class luminous properties, a ceramic bezel inlay and innovative colours.Preserving what is tried and trueThe Swiss Sellita SW 200-1 automatic movement in its screwed stainless steel case keeps perfect time on the way down. Scratch-resistant, anti-glare sapphire crystal guarantees a clear view of the tidily designed dial with its 15-minute scale on the bezel inlay to provide orientation in an emergency ascent. And thanks to the extension to the stainless steel strap with a safety clasp, the DAVOSA Argonautic BG Automatic can be easily worn on top of a wetsuit.Brightest luminosity with Super-LumiNova BG W9The state-of-the-art Super-LumiNova BG W9 luminous pigment ensures exceptional luminous properties. This material has been applied to the figures and hands, and now for the first time to the 15-minute scale and all the figures on the ceramic bezel. Under natural light, this best-in-class luminous pigment appears white; in the dark it shines brightly and clearly in clear blue.Helium valve for controlled pressure equalisationA helium escape valve protects the watch when ascending to the waters surface. When underwater, helium can permeate any seal, but it cannot escape quickly enough from the case when resurfacing. The danger is that the glass can burst out of its case. However, thanks to a manual helium escape valve, a controlled equalisation of pressure inside the watch can be achieved when ascending to the surface. Moreover, the valve at 10 oclock has been technically optimised and is now clearly identifiable thanks to the helium symbol on the crown face.Latest technology where it countsThe crown at 3 oclock is subject to considerable stress from being screwed open and shut. A diver must ensure it is properly closed before every dive, and this often occurs when the diver is already wearing gloves and under suboptimal climatic conditions. However, thanks to a new tube and crown construction, DAVOSAs technicians have found a way to optimise the interaction of these components, thus guaranteeing an even longer lifespan.Eye-catching, even onshoreBack to the surface and you will see the DAVOSA Argonautic BG Automatic also looks great on the wrist. Thanks to an elaborate furnace process, a sandy grey and a navy blue have been produced in high-tech ceramic in addition to the more classic black. The dials are coordinated with the bezel rings in colour as well as in their matt, slightly grainy texture. A high-precision finish results in a fine colour dot in the triangle, providing an additional colour accent on the bezel inlay in yellow, orange or white, depending on the model.The new Argonautic BG is now available from 758 euros from selected DAVOSA concessionaires.An overview of the DAVOSA Argonautic BG Automatic: References: 161.522.20 (black), 161.522.40 (blue) and 161.522.90 (grey) with metal bracelet and 161.522.25 (black), 161.522.45 (blue) and 161.522.95 (grey) with rubber strap Satined stainless steel case Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement Water resistance to 300 metres (30 ATM) Screwed crown and back Manual, screw-in helium escape valve Scratch-resistant, anti-glare sapphire crystal Bezel inlay of scratch-resistant ceramic with luminous figures/indices Photoluminescent Super-LumiNova BG W9 (blue) on indices, hands and bezel inlay Stainless steel strap with safety clasp and diving extension Dimensions: diameter 42.5 mm, height 13.5 mm Price: 798  with metal bracelet or 758  with rubber strapTradition in a contemporary guise | With an over 150-year long tradition in watchmaking, todays DAVOSA Watches brand has emerged from the companies Bohle and Hasler to become a key player in the watchmaking world. The companys success has not altered its philosophy of creating superb quality at a captivating price. With our team of highly qualified andpassionately dedicated employees, we produce individual mechanical and quartz watches with high-quality Swiss movements for increasing numbers of quality-conscious customers all over the world.DAVOSA WatchesAngelika KnollP.O. Box 112732585 VlothoGermanyTel: +49 (0) 5733 8350knoll@davosa.com
Instrument Transformer Market Size to See USD 7 Billion Worth by 2024: Growth Factors & Trends

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MarketStudyReport.com adds a new Instrument Transformer Market research report that provides a detailed market overview as well as industry analysis for / of companies, manufacturers and distributors covering data on gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, sale price and more.Rising demand for electricity owing to rapid urbanization across the globe have instigated concerns pertaining to grid stability, which in turn will drive the Instrument Transformer Market size. Ongoing urban migration adhered by rising infrastructural investments will further complement the deployment of effective monitoring and control T&D systems. Sustainable economic proliferation along with revamping lifestyles have led to an exponential rise in the peak load demand for energy. Hence, accruing energy demand across the globe subject to the ongoing economic and social reformation will appreciable augment the industry outlook.Request a sample copy of Instrument Transformer Market Research Report @Instrument Transformer market size will exceed USD 7 billion by 2024; as per a new research report.France instrument transformer industry size is set to exceed USD 100 million by 2024. Stringent regulatory reforms pertaining to emissions coupled with rapid technological transitions to sustain an energy efficient grid infrastructure will comprehensively thrust the business. Inclination towards clean energy adhered by rising investments across the renewable sector will further escalate the product penetration across the country. In 2017, the French government has led forward its plan to invest over USD 20 billion toward its energy transition plan. The framework lays grounds for a segregated investment mechanism catering towards energy efficiency, renewable integration and cleaner vehicle development.Oil immersed in 2016, accounted for over 50% of the instrument transformer market share. Effective insulation and di-electric strength when compared to its counterparts makes its adoption preferable. Applicability across high voltage applications coupled with economical cost structure will further escalate the product penetration. The technology since inception has witnessed sheer progression owing to its higher voltage output and operational flexibility with its prime application across utility and commercial electrical networks.Enquire about this report @Rising rural electrification demand across Asia Pacific & Africa supported by accruing investments by financial institutions including the World Bank, and Asian Development Bank (ADB) will foster the market size. Re-structuring of electrical grids across war affected nations including Iraq, Syria, and Sudan will further boost the industry growth. In addition, large scale grid integration of sustainable energy sources coupled with rapid expansion of T&D networks to sustain security of supply concerns will further proliferate the industry expansion. In 2017, the World Bank declared an investment worth USD 4 million towards expansion of an effective grid infrastructure across the Pacific Island.The U.S. instrument transformer market is projected to witness sustainable growth owing to rising demand for the upgradation of existing grid infrastructure along with rapid expansion of effective T&D networks. The transformer industry across the nation has witnessed significant upsurge on account of favorable regulatory reforms pertaining to energy efficiency and grid stability. Ongoing trends subject to the adoption of sustainable technologies along with briskly advancing monitoring & control technologies will further embellish the business outlook.Asia Pacific instrument transformer market is set to grow over 7% by 2024. The industry in the recent years has witnessed an appreciable escalation on grounds of favorable renewable integration reforms coupled with increasing rural electrification demand. Large scale migration across urban areas along with rapid expansion of utility based electricity networks to cater the rising energy demand will comprehensively thrust the business growth.Eminent players across the instrument transformer market include ABB, GE, Siemens, Crompton Greaves, Amran Inc, ITL, Weidmann, Raychem RPG, Meramec, ITEC, Schneider Electric, KONCAR, HEYI Electrical, EATON, Toshiba, TRENCH, BHEL, Mitsubishi, DENT Instruments, Mehru, Celme and Ruhstrat.Read full report description @Related Reports: -Global Instrument Transformer Market Professional Survey Report 2017This report studies Instrument Transformer in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in th...About Us:Centralize market research purchases across your entire organization in one place.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Black SiC Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Black SiC Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Black SiC MarketBlack silicon carbide consists of crystalline silicon carbide, which is produced from silica sand and petroleum coke in electric resistance furnaces at temperatures of > 2.300 C. Silicon carbide is iron-free, angular and extremely hard.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Black SiC in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSaint-GobainCumi MurugappaElsid S.AWashington MillsESD-SIC bvESK-SIC GmbHNavarroZaporozhsky Abrasivny CombinatKORUND BENTKYMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)Market Segment by Type, coversType 1Type 2Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoApplications 1Applications 2View Report @There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Black SiC market.Chapter 1, to describe Black SiC Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Black SiC, with sales, revenue, and price of Black SiC, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Black SiC, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Black SiC market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Black SiC research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Black SiC Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Type 11.2.2 Type 21.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Applications 11.3.2 Applications 21.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Saint-Gobain2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Saint-Gobain Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Cumi Murugappa2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Cumi Murugappa Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Elsid S.A2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Elsid S.A Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Washington Mills2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Washington Mills Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 ESD-SIC bv2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 ESD-SIC bv Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 ESK-SIC GmbH2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 ESK-SIC GmbH Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Navarro2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Navarro Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Zaporozhsky Abrasivny Combinat2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Zaporozhsky Abrasivny Combinat Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 KORUND BENTKY2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Black SiC Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 KORUND BENTKY Black SiC Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Chose Matrix Time-Attendance Solution to Increase Productivity of their Ahmedabad Premises

Company Profile:Intas is a leading, vertically integrated global pharmaceutical formulation development, manufacturing and marketing company headquartered in India. Intas is currently ranked 10th in the Indian Pharma Market with 2.80% market share. In the domestic market, Intas is the 4th largest corporate in Indian Chronic Pharma Market with a market share of 5.32%. Besides rapidly growing domestic prominence, Intas is also present in more than 70 countries worldwide with robust sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure in markets like North America, Europe, Central and Latin America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Asia-Pacific as well as CIS and MENA countries.Challenges:As per the guidelines provided by US-FDA, the employee needs to take certain man-hours of training as per their designation. Intas found it difficult to have a manual check over 1,000+ employees and count their training hours. They were in search of an automated solution which tracks training of every employee. Intas also wanted to integrate Matrix Time-Attendance software with their Training Module so that records of each employee are stored under a single roof. In short, they wanted to switch from manual cumbersome process to an easy on-click process.Solution Offered:Matrix offered its Biometric Time-Attendance solution to automate the training of Intas employees. The trainer comes to class with Matrix COSEC PATH BBU  a handheld biometric device. Employee marks a punch on Biometric device at the time of start and end. These events get stored in Matrix COSEC PATH BBU. As soon as the device is connected to server, all the stored events get auto pushed to the server. Matrix Time-Attendance software takes this events as input and gives output in the form of training man-hours of individual employees. The software seamlessly gets integrated with their training module. Thus, with Matrix Time-Attendance solution Intas was able to automate its training cell process in an easy way, while maintaining all the records digitally.Results: Automated the whole training cell process whereby everything is now maintained in a single software. Saved employee time and increased productivity as no manual calculation of training hours for 1,000+ employees is required.About MatrixEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. Matrix, an innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization, 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 IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, VoIP Gateways and Terminals, GSM Gateways, Access Control, Time-Attendance and Video Surveillance solutions. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global footprints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 1000 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.394, GIDC Makarpura, Vadodara-390010+91 0265 2630555
Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders Market is Progressing Towards a Strong Growth by 2019

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Sleep disorder is a deviation in the normal sleeping pattern. It can also be defined as difficulty related to sleeping that includes falling asleep at inappropriate time, excessive sleep and abnormal behavior associated with the sleep. Sleep disorders are classified into four categories namely, dyssomnias, parasomnias, proposed sleep disorder and medical disorder. Dyssomnia is the disturbance in quality, time and amount of sleep. It is further classified as intrinsic sleep disorder, circadian rhythm sleep disorder and extrinsic sleep disorder. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders (CRSD) are a family of disorders that affects the sleep of an individual.Report Overview and TOC @Increasing geriatric population coupled with rising prevalence of chronic disorders are some of the major factors driving the growth of CRSD market globally. The global population is aging, especially in developed countries that includes the U.S., Europe and Japan. It has been estimated that the global geriatric population would rise from 760 million (11%) in 2011 to 2 billion (2050). Thus, increasing geriatric population accentuates the growth of this market. However, lack of awareness among the patient population is one of the restraining factors for this market.Request brochure @Geographically, North America and Europe accounted for the largest share of the global CRSD market owing to increasing geriatric population and rising prevalence of chronic diseases. According to Eurostat (European Commission) report in 2013, around 17.8% of the European population was above the age of 65 years. Thus, this increase in geriatric population propels the growth of CRSD in European region.for Specific and Customized requirements@Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, VU University Medical Center, U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention are some of the manufacturers and research organizations engaged in developing therapeutics for the development of CRSD market.This report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Pre Book full report@About TMRTransparency 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.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:TMR Blog:
Solar Street Lights Market 2017 - Global Industry Size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Analysis and Forecast 2022

Solar Street Lights Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Solar Street Lights Market 2017 Forecast to 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.Solar street lights are raised light sources which are powered by photovoltaic panels generally mounted on the lighting structure or integrated in the pole itself. The photovoltaic panels charge a rechargeable battery, which powers a fluorescent or LED lamp during the night.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Solar Street Lights in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPhilipsTata Power Solar SystemsBisolLeadsunSu-Kam Power SystemsUrja GlobalSolar Electric Power Company (SEPCO)JiaweiYingli SolarKing-sunBYDShenzhen Spark Optoelectronics S&TMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversStandaloneGrid ConnectedMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoResidentialMunicipal InfrastructureOthersGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Solar Street Lights market.Chapter 1, to describe Solar Street Lights Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Solar Street Lights, with sales, revenue, and price of Solar Street Lights, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Solar Street Lights, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Solar Street Lights market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Solar Street Lights sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceMake 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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Connected Home Security System Market 2017 - Global Industry Size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Analysis and Forecast 2022

Connected Home Security System Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Connected Home Security System Market 2017 Forecast to 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.Connected home security system is a set of integrated systems connects to your home Wi-Fi network so you can monitor and control your security devices using your smartphone and an app. Entry-level systems typically include a couple of door and window sensors, a motion detector, and a hub that communicates with these devices using one or more wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, ZigBee, or a proprietary mesh network. You can add extra door, motion, and window sensors to provide coverage for your entire house and build a comprehensive system that includes door locks, garage door openers, indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras, lights, sirens, smoke/CO detectors, water sensors, and more.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Connected Home Security System in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversHoneywellADTSecuritasPanasonicSamsungVivintLifeShieldScout AlarmMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversMonitor SystemAlarm SystemMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoVillaApartmentOtherGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Connected Home Security System market.Chapter 1, to describe Connected Home Security System Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Connected Home Security System, with sales, revenue, and price of Connected Home Security System, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Connected Home Security System, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Connected Home Security System market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Connected Home Security System sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceMake 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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Violin Market 2017 - Global and United States Industry Size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Analysis and Forecast 2022

Global and United States Violin In-Depth Research Report 2017-2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global and United States Violin In-Depth Research Report 2017-2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The report is based on the market historical data from 2012 to 2016 and forecast the market trend from 2017 to 2022.This report focuses on the U.S. market and presents volume and value of market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also changes in prices. As an in-depth report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinions in Violin industry.Major CompaniesSuzuki(Japan)FineLegend(China)Kapok(China)JY(China)STENTOR(UK)HUADONG MUSICAL INSTRUMENT(China)LARK(China)FranzSandner(Germany)GCV(China)NGAIFAI MUDANJIANG HEYIN MUSICAL INSTREMENTS CO.,LTD(China Hong Kong)San Carlo(China)Fugim(China)Beijing Forest Violins(China)ernstkaps(Germany)To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Key RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCaliforniaTexasNew YorkOthersCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain types of productsViolin Market, by Size(1 / 10)(1 / 16)(1 / 4)(1 / 8)Others (2 / 4, 3 / 4, 4 / 4)Violin Market, by Material ClassificationSpruceChinese FirWhite PineMapleOther (Colored, Linden, Mahogany, Other)Violin Market, by CraftsmanshipFactory PianoHand PianoViolin Market, by String TypeSteel Stringnylon ThreadSword StringOthersViolin Market, by Key ConsumersIntermediateAdvancedMasterGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Table of ContentsGlobal and United States Violin In-Depth Research Report 2017-2022Chapter One Global Violin Market Overview1.1 Global Violin Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20171.2 Violin, by Size 2012-20171.2.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by Size 2012-20171.2.2 Global Violin Revenue Market Share by Size 2012-20171.2.3 Global Violin Price by Size 2012-20171.2.4 (1 / 10)1.2.5 (1 / 16)1.2.6 (1 / 4)1.2.7 (1 / 8)1.2.8 Others (2 / 4, 3 / 4, 4 / 4)1.3 Violin, by Material Classification 2012-20171.3.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by Material Classification 2012-20171.3.2 Global Violin Revenue Market Share by Material Classification 2012-20171.3.3 Global Violin Price by Material Classification 2012-20171.3.4 Spruce1.3.5 Chinese Fir1.3.6 White Pine1.3.7 Maple1.3.8 Other (Colored, Linden, Mahogany, Other)1.4 Violin, by Craftsmanship 2012-20171.4.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by Craftsmanship 2012-20171.4.2 Global Violin Revenue Market Share by Craftsmanship 2012-20171.4.3 Global Violin Price by Craftsmanship 2012-20171.4.4 Factory Piano1.4.5 Hand Piano1.5 Violin, by String Type 2012-20171.5.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by String Type 2012-20171.5.2 Global Violin Revenue Market Share by String Type 2012-20171.5.3 Global Violin Price by String Type 2012-20171.5.4 Steel String1.5.5 nylon Thread1.5.6 Sword String1.5.7 OthersChapter Two United States Violin Market Overview2.1 United States Violin Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20172.2 Violin, by Size 2012-20172.2.1 United States Violin Sales Market Share by Size 2012-20172.2.2 United States Violin Revenue Market Share by Size 2012-20172.2.3 United States Violin Price by Size 2012-20172.2.4 (1 / 10)2.2.5 (1 / 16)2.2.6 (1 / 4)2.2.7 (1 / 8)2.2.8 Others (2 / 4, 3 / 4, 4 / 4)2.3 Violin, by Material Classification 2012-20172.3.1 United States Violin Sales Market Share by Material Classification 2012-20172.3.2 United States Violin Revenue Market Share by Material Classification 2012-20172.3.3 United States Violin Price by Material Classification 2012-20172.3.4 Spruce2.3.5 Chinese Fir2.3.6 White Pine2.3.7 Maple2.3.8 Other (Colored, Linden, Mahogany, Other)2.4 Violin, by Craftsmanship 2012-20172.4.1 United States Violin Sales Market Share by Craftsmanship 2012-20172.4.2 United States Violin Revenue Market Share by Craftsmanship 2012-20172.4.3 United States Violin Price by Craftsmanship 2012-20172.4.4 Factory Piano2.4.5 Hand Piano2.5 Violin, by String Type 2012-20172.5.1 United States Violin Sales Market Share by String Type 2012-20172.5.2 United States Violin Revenue Market Share by String Type 2012-20172.5.3 United States Violin Price by String Type 2012-20172.5.4 Steel String2.5.5 nylon Thread2.5.6 Sword String2.5.7 OthersChapter Three Violin by Regions 2012-20173.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by Regions 2012-20173.2 Global Violin Revenue Market Share by Regions 2012-20173.3 Global Violin Price by Regions 2012-20173.4 North America3.4.1 United States3.4.1.1 California3.4.1.2 Texas3.4.1.3 New York3.4.1.4 Others in United States3.4.2 Canada3.5 Latin America3.5.1 Mexico3.5.2 Brazil3.5.3 Argentina3.5.4 Others in Latin America3.6 Europe3.6.1 Germany3.6.2 United Kingdom3.6.3 France3.6.4 Italy3.6.5 Spain3.6.6 Russia3.6.7 Netherland3.6.8 Others in Europe3.7 Asia & Pacific3.7.1 China3.7.2 Japan3.7.3 India3.7.4 Korea3.7.5 Australia3.7.6 Southeast Asia3.7.6.1 Indonesia3.7.6.2 Thailand3.7.6.3 Philippines3.7.6.4 Vietnam3.7.6.5 Singapore3.7.6.6 Malaysia3.7.6.7 Others in Southeast Asia3.8 Africa & Middle East3.8.1 South Africa3.8.2 Egypt3.8.3 Turkey3.8.4 Saudi Arabia3.8.5 Iran3.8.6 Others in Africa & Middle EastChapter Four Global Violin by Companies 2012-20174.1 Global Violin Sales Volume Market Share by Companies 2012-20174.2 Global Violin Revenue Share by Companies 2012-20174.3 Global Top Companies Violin Key Product Model and Market Performance4.4 Global Top Companies Violin Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Five United States Violin by Companies 2012-20175.1 United States Violin Sales Volume Market Share by Companies 2012-20175.2 United States Violin Revenue Share by Companies 2012-20175.3 United States Top Companies Violin Key Product Model and Market Performance5.4 United States Top Companies Violin Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Six Global Violin by Consumer 2012-20176.1 Global Violin Sales Market Share by Consumer 2012-20176.2 Intermediate6.3 Advanced6.4 Master6.5 Consuming Habit and PreferenceMake 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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Christmas Books That Change Lives - Joseph Ganci's New Spiritual Book, Gideon The Sound And The Glory,' Features Dramatized Biblical Mysteries

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The Holidays are the time of year when we pause to look at what is meaningful and significant in our lives. Naturally, this centers around our friends and family, and inwardly to our own spiritual progress. We celebrate by exchanging gifts with loved ones. While some gifts stay with us for a few weeks or even months, the most prized gifts fall into an exclusive category. These heirloom gifts are worthy of being passed down from generation to generation. Joseph Ganci's newest release, 'Gideon The Sound And The Glory' is one of those rare gift books that is set apart from the typical and ordinary spiritual book. A masterpiece long to be remembered rising up from dust and shadows.While many people have moved away from the Bible, thinking it is boring, hard to follow or perhaps unrelated to daily struggles, Ganci has proven that Biblical stories can be nothing short of awe-inspiring, entertaining, and can engage us at the level of a modern-day saga with a tremendous feature film potential.In 'Gideon,' Joseph Ganci pierces the veil with a penetrating vision of long-held Bible mysteries that are far and away daring and unusual. He works within a framework of an engaging and dramatized fiction that, while exceedingly rich in detail, remains faithful to uphold spiritual principles. He bases his work on three primary pillars:The rock-solid cornerstone is biblical history and geography.The creative arch is revelatory in its timing and issues.The research is concrete, firmly rooted in customs, languages, and traditions.The result is that book lovers are transported into the very midst of ancient conflicts and come away with an entirely fresh perspective on mystical teachings found in scripture, now living lessons filled with adventure that inspires wonder yet remain practical answering the challenges of everyday life.Gideon cover'Gideon: The Sound and the Glory' has received rave reviews from readers and reviewers alike. A recent reviewer stated, "Joseph Gancis prose is arresting, peppered with fantastic imagery and succinct descriptions of plot, characters, and setting. The themes are masterfully created, and they are woven into the story in a way that allows the reader to enjoy both the inspiration the story offers and the accompanying action. The book explores powerful spiritual and political themes, capturing the conflicts and the dynamics of life within the community of God's chosen people. Gideon: The Sound and the Glory will appeal to fans of political thrillers, adventure, and conflict-driven stories laced with intense action." Other reviewers have used phrases such as "riveting," "amazing" "deftly crafted" and "highly recommended."Ganci has announced he will make his book available as a fundraising tool for like-minded associations and charities. Donors can receive an eBook version of 'Gideon' in exchange for a donation to a worthy cause. For more details, contact Joseph via email.Members of the public who want to vote for Joseph Ganci in the 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading Book Awards can access his entry and vote at The Authors Show site. He is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at joseph@gideonsglory.com. 'Gideon: The Sound and the Glory' is available in both print, eBook, and a superb, ethnically correct audio narration. All from online retailers. More information is available at Ganci's website.Joseph Ganci is a Levite and a high priest and remains a passionate Italian. He is a Vietnam combat veteran and is the father of five daughters and five grandchildren. He resides in Texas.PO Box 1613Shallotte, NC 28459
Felix Shipkevich will present at IMTC World on the FinTech / Blockchain Regulatory panel and investment into token sales / ICOs.

Shipkevich ICOs Attorneys

https://www.shipkevich.com/services/icos-attorneys/

www.shipkevich.com

www.shipkevich.com

Felix Shipkevich, Principal and founder of Shipkevich PLLC, will be a panel speaker at IMTC World 2017, concerning regulation and investments into token sales / ICOs. Mr. Shipkevich will also be present on the IT Security panel for MSBs and MSB related CFPB issues.Felix Shipkevich is a business attorney and regulatory counsel. His practice focuses on providing counsel to FinTech and financial services firms, including financial technology, payments and emerging digital currency space.This year's conference presents a mutual opportunity for Mr. Shipkevich to provide legal commentary for the global payments industry as well as for the emerging digital currency space.International Money Transfer and Cross-border Payments (IMTC) is the largest financial services conference in the world, with over 480 participants in the money transmitter industry from about 50 countries.The Fintech / BLockchain panel will be held on Thursday, November 30th in the Nobu Eden Roc hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.For more information on legal services for ICOs please visit:Shipkevich PLLC is a hyper-growth, forward thinking law practice with offices in New York and London, featuring a team of world-class, diverse professionals relentlessly surpassing the outdated model of a traditional law firm. For more information, please visitShipkevich PLLC65 BROADWAYNew York City, New York,10006
Global and United States Tube Packaging Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report 2017-2022

Tube Packaging

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https://www.researchmoz.us/global-and-united-states-tube-packaging-in-depth-research-report-2017-2022-report.html/toc

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global and United States Tube Packaging In-Depth Research Report 2017-2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The report is based on the market historical data from 2012 to 2016 and forecast the market trend from 2017 to 2022.This report focuses on the U.S. market and presents volume and value of market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also changes in prices. As an in-depth report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinions in Tube Packaging industry.Major CompaniesAmcor ltd. (Australia)Albea Group (France)Huhtamaki OYJ (Finland)Constantia Flexible (Austria)Sonoco Product Company (U.S.)VisiPak ltd (U.S.)Essel Propack Ltd (India)Montebello Packaging (Canada)Unette Corporation (U.S.)MJS Packaging (U.S.)Dynamic Enterprises (India)Global Pack Machinery (India)Amson Engineering (India)Paper Tube Co. (U.S.)To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Key RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCaliforniaTexasNew YorkOthersCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain types of productsTube Packaging Market, by ShapeSqueeze tubesTwist tubesOthersTube Packaging Market, by MaterialLaminatedAluminumOthersTube Packaging Market, by Key ConsumersCosmetics & oral careFood & beveragePharmaceuticalsCleaning productsOthersGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Table of ContentsGlobal and United States Tube Packaging In-Depth Research Report 2017-2022Chapter One Global Tube Packaging Market Overview1.1 Global Tube Packaging Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20171.2 Tube Packaging, by Shape 2012-20171.2.1 Global Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Shape 2012-20171.2.2 Global Tube Packaging Revenue Market Share by Shape 2012-20171.2.3 Global Tube Packaging Price by Shape 2012-20171.2.4 Squeeze tubes1.2.5 Twist tubes1.2.6 Others1.3 Tube Packaging, by Material 2012-20171.3.1 Global Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Material 2012-20171.3.2 Global Tube Packaging Revenue Market Share by Material 2012-20171.3.3 Global Tube Packaging Price by Material 2012-20171.3.4 Laminated1.3.5 Aluminum1.3.6 OthersChapter Two United States Tube Packaging Market Overview2.1 United States Tube Packaging Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20172.2 Tube Packaging, by Shape 2012-20172.2.1 United States Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Shape 2012-20172.2.2 United States Tube Packaging Revenue Market Share by Shape 2012-20172.2.3 United States Tube Packaging Price by Shape 2012-20172.2.4 Squeeze tubes2.2.5 Twist tubes2.2.6 Others2.3 Tube Packaging, by Material 2012-20172.3.1 United States Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Material 2012-20172.3.2 United States Tube Packaging Revenue Market Share by Material 2012-20172.3.3 United States Tube Packaging Price by Material 2012-20172.3.4 Laminated2.3.5 Aluminum2.3.6 OthersChapter Three Tube Packaging by Regions 2012-20173.1 Global Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Regions 2012-20173.2 Global Tube Packaging Revenue Market Share by Regions 2012-20173.3 Global Tube Packaging Price by Regions 2012-20173.4 North America3.4.1 United States3.4.1.1 California3.4.1.2 Texas3.4.1.3 New York3.4.1.4 Others in United States3.4.2 Canada3.5 Latin America3.5.1 Mexico3.5.2 Brazil3.5.3 Argentina3.5.4 Others in Latin America3.6 Europe3.6.1 Germany3.6.2 United Kingdom3.6.3 France3.6.4 Italy3.6.5 Spain3.6.6 Russia3.6.7 Netherland3.6.8 Others in Europe3.7 Asia & Pacific3.7.1 China3.7.2 Japan3.7.3 India3.7.4 Korea3.7.5 Australia3.7.6 Southeast Asia3.7.6.1 Indonesia3.7.6.2 Thailand3.7.6.3 Philippines3.7.6.4 Vietnam3.7.6.5 Singapore3.7.6.6 Malaysia3.7.6.7 Others in Southeast Asia3.8 Africa & Middle East3.8.1 South Africa3.8.2 Egypt3.8.3 Turkey3.8.4 Saudi Arabia3.8.5 Iran3.8.6 Others in Africa & Middle EastChapter Four Global Tube Packaging by Companies 2012-20174.1 Global Tube Packaging Sales Volume Market Share by Companies 2012-20174.2 Global Tube Packaging Revenue Share by Companies 2012-20174.3 Global Top Companies Tube Packaging Key Product Model and Market Performance4.4 Global Top Companies Tube Packaging Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Five United States Tube Packaging by Companies 2012-20175.1 United States Tube Packaging Sales Volume Market Share by Companies 2012-20175.2 United States Tube Packaging Revenue Share by Companies 2012-20175.3 United States Top Companies Tube Packaging Key Product Model and Market Performance5.4 United States Top Companies Tube Packaging Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Six Global Tube Packaging by Consumer 2012-20176.1 Global Tube Packaging Sales Market Share by Consumer 2012-20176.2 Cosmetics & oral care6.3 Food & beverage6.4 Pharmaceuticals6.5 Cleaning products6.6 Others6.7 Consuming Habit and PreferenceContinue...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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Global Reactive Adhesives Market will Increase at a CAGR of 6.0 % By 2015 to 2022

Global Reactive Adhesives Market

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https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/reactive-adhesives-market-analysis

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The Global Reactive Adhesives Market was valued at US$ 8+ billion in 2014 and it is projected to cross USD XX billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 6.31% during the forecast period from 2014 to 2022.Browse Full Reactive Adhesives Market Report:Global Reactive Adhesives Market is Segmented on below points: By Product Type: Silicone Polyurethane Epoxy Acrylic Cyanoacrylate OthersBy End Users (Target Audience):Industrial and MachineryAutomotiveSolar CellsConstructionElectronicsPackagingWoodworkOthersBy Geography:North AmericaSouth AmericaAsia-PacificEuropeMiddle-East & AfricaRoWReactive Adhesives are characterized by the formation of durable bonds between substrates to offer resistance to moisture, heat and chemicals. They are usually made from two ingredients namely monomer (resin) and initiator. Reactive Adhesives have excellent bonding strength and long term durability under extreme environmental conditions, due to these qualities Reactive Adhesives are becoming an integral part of various commercial and industrial sectors.This market is driven by a number of factors, such as increasing demand for light-weight vehicles, rapid growth of solar electricity market, and global construction sector. However, this market faces certain drawbacks and these factors may act as a roadblock to the growth of the market. We have stated such market restraint points in this report.Request Sample Report:Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 Research Methodology3 Executive Summary4 Premium Insights5 Market Overview6 Industry Trends7 Reactive Adhesives Market, By Resin Type8 Reactive Adhesives Market, By Resin Technology9 Reactive Adhesives Market, By End-User Industry10 Reactive Adhesives Market, By Region11 Competitive Landscape12 Company Profiles12.1 Introduction12.2 3M12.3 Arkema S.A.12.4 Ashland Inc.12.5 H.B. Fuller12.6 Henkel AG12.7 Huntsman Corporation.12.8 Illinois Tool Works Inc.12.9 Scott Bader Company Ltd.12.10 Sika AG12.11 The DOW Chemical CompanyAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging healthcare technologies, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
zehnplus Launches the Worlds Most Advanced A.I. Driven FAQ Product

FAQtool by zehnplus

www.faq-tool.com

www.zehnplus.ch

Zurich, Switzerland (29th November 2017)  zehnplus, a leader in customer self-service digital solutions, today announced the launch of the worlds most advanced A.I. driven FAQ product, FAQtool (). With prices starting as low as $15 per month, FAQtool's A.I. algorithm technology provides the most superior customer self-service currently available on the market. Now available to companies of all sizes to instantly answer customer questions, directly addressing their top wants and needs, building trust and increasing sales rates.The zehnplus team developed this product with three key goals in mind: provide the best possible experience for end customers while helping company's sales rates rise and lifting the burden of their customer care teams. The latest versions of our artificial intelligence knowledge-based software are priced to be easily accessible to every business website in the world. stated Patrick Vogeli, the companys Managing Director with more than 15 years of customer care experience . Of questions answered by businesses, over 70% are always the same. With FAQtool, companies can answer these and the most relevant ones automatically, thus saving business valuable time whilst improving service to their customers.zehnpluss FAQ product enables both service and revenue growth when added to any website or self-service platform: With the new A.I. technology developments, the FAQ product allows companies to cater to their own and their customers needs; Eases customer purchases and builds trust by answering pre-sales questions about products and services, which results in higher sales; Relieves the workload of customer support teams and cuts costs by automatically answering high-frequency questions; Enables companies to learn about their customers and understand where their customers are running into issues, which allows them to determine where they can modify their approach; Enables companies to easily create, maintain and optimize content based on customer behavior reports and analyses; Allows companies to expand their customer base with its multilingual function.In turn, this product completely transforms the customers experience and provides invaluable insights into how a company's products and websites are performing. The FAQ software can be easily integrated with any existing sales website or any customer support platform and analytical tools.The FAQ software developed by zehnplus was so much easier to work with compared to other systems we were considering, stated Peter Johansson, Lead Product Support at XING. It is the only tool that catered to all our needs. The collaboration with the project team has been nothing short of stellar.Pioneering digital IT solutions since 2008 based in Zurich, we are experts with the latest technologies in Customer Interaction, A.I., and robotics for automated processes, together with knowledge and data management, whilst keeping the customer at the forefront of everything we do.Some of our competences:Delivering digital business transformation project management and consultancy.In-depth experience of digital technologies for e-care, self-care and knowledge management.Successful integration into existing systems and environments of customers of all sizes.Professional content management process integration for internal and customer facing environments.Flexible and fast support that is dedicated to customer service, we go the extra mile.We pride ourselves on providing our clients with no hidden costs and no vendor lock-in.zehnplus GmbHBinzmuhlestrasse 210, 8050 ZurichCanton Zurich, Switzerland+41 (0)43 288 58 49Presscontact:Ilona VaradiMarketing & Sales Manager zehnplus GmbHE-Mail: Ilona.varadi@zehnplus.chTelefon: +41 76 308 60 63
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene MarketExpanded Polytetrafluoroethylene is a sealing agent that is made of 100-percent pure PTFE. The expansion process produces a microporous fibrous structure which gives the product its unique mechanical properties. The material is specially targeted for sealing flange joints in pipelines and hydraulic and pneumatic systems.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversGOREGuarnitexGE EnergySaint-GobainKWODonaldsonZhejiang JiariNingbo ChangQiSumitomoMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)Market Segment by Type, coversMembraneSheetOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoFabricsSealantsFiltration & SeparationAdvanced Dielectric MaterialsOthersThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene market.View Report @Chapter 1, to describe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene, with sales, revenue, and price of Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Membrane1.2.2 Sheet1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Fabrics1.3.2 Sealants1.3.3 Filtration & Separation1.3.4 Advanced Dielectric Materials1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 GORE2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 GORE Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Guarnitex2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Guarnitex Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 GE Energy2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 GE Energy Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Saint-Gobain2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Saint-Gobain Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 KWO2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 KWO Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Donaldson2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Donaldson Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Zhejiang Jiari2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Zhejiang Jiari Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Ningbo ChangQi2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Ningbo ChangQi Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 Sumitomo2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 Sumitomo Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Price by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.4 Market Concentration Rate3.4.1 Top 3 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Manufacturer Market Share3.4.2 Top 5 Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Manufacturer Market Share3.5 Market Competition Trend4 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Market Analysis by Regions4.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.3 Middle East Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.4 Africa Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene by Countries, Type, Application and Manufacturers5.1 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.3 Germany Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.4 France Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.5 UK Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.6 Russia Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.7 Italy Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.8 Turkey Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales and Revenue (value) by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.1 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.2 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.3 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Europe Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Sales by Application (2012-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Automotive Glass Market To Cross USD 28,135.7 Million By 2023

Automotive Glass Market

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Market Highlights:The global market of automotive glass is growing rapidly. Focus towards improved efficiency, and technological advancement makes automotive glass popular among manufacturers and consumers. Automotive glass accounts for features such as safety, comfort and thus could conveniently be used in industries. Research and development into automotive glass manufacturers so as to introduce innovative features in automotive glass is a trend. With several driving factors such as the growing demand of passenger vehicles, growing urban population, increasing environment concerns, and rising disposable income of middle class population, the global automotive glass market is poised to grow over USD 28,135.7 million by 2023 at an estimated CAGR of 7.73% through the forecast period.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Automotive Glass Market: Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd (Japan) Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (Mexico) Xinyi Glass Holdings Limited (Hong Kong) Guardian Industries Corp (U.S.) Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co.Ltd (China) Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. (Japan) Central Glass Co. Ltd (Tokyo) Saint Global S.A. (Paris) Olimpia Auto Glass Inc.( Turkey) Shatterprufe (South Africa)Market Research Future Analysis:Market Research Future analysis states that the global market of automotive glass market is estimated to grow at USD 28,135.7 million by the end of year 2022. Windscreen consumes the largest area in automotive vehicles. However, the demand of automotive glass for windscreen is much higher as compared to other application. Windscreen segment dominates the global automotive glass market with a share of 38.7 % in 2016, in terms of value. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.01% during the forecast period. Changing life styles, and urbanization are some of the major factors driving the market of automotive glass. Rising preference for gorilla glass for high end premium vehicles replacing the traditional concepts and is more useful, comfortable, faster and more convenient. The Asia-Pacific market is leading the global automotive glass market whereas the market in North America & Europe is expected to grow rapidly due to increased domestic demand for automotive glass.Brief TOC:1 Executive Summary2 Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.3 Assumptions2.4 Market Structure3 Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size Estimation3.5 Forecast Model4 Market Dynamics4.1 Introduction4.2 Market Drivers4.2.1 Increase in Sales of New Vehicles4.2.2 Increasing Focus on R&D for Automotive Glass4.2.3 Accelerating urbanization led to growth of automobile industry4.3 Market Restraints4.3.1 Higher Cost of Smart Glass4.3.2 Strict Government regulation for Certification of Automotive Glass4.4 Market Opportunities4.4.1 Advanced Automotive Industry Technology4.4.2 Rising Preference for Gorilla Glass for High End Premium VehiclesContinueAccess Report Details @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 Components, Application, Technologies 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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Fuel Additives Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Fuel Additives Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Fuel Additives MarketFuel additives are compounds formulated to enhance the quality and efficiency of fuels used in motor vehicles. They increase a fuel's octane rating or act as corrosion inhibitors or lubricants, thus allowing the use of higher compression ratios for greater efficiency and power. Fuel additives can help to avoid problems such as rough idling, weak acceleration, stumbling and stalling.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Fuel Additives in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAfton ChemicalBASFLubrizolChevron OroniteInfeniumInnospecTotal ACSBPSinopecCNPCSTP3MRedline OilBRB InternationalIPACWynn'sCallington HavenEvonikSFR CorpAMSOILClariantBioborDorf KetalView Report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)Market Segment by Type, coversCleaner AdditiveMaintenance AdditiveOctane RegulatorOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoGasolineDieselAviation FuelOthersThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Fuel Additives market.Chapter 1, to describe Fuel Additives Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Fuel Additives, with sales, revenue, and price of Fuel Additives, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Fuel Additives, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Fuel Additives market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Fuel Additives research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Fuel Additives Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Cleaner Additive1.2.2 Maintenance Additive1.2.3 Octane Regulator1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Gasoline1.3.2 Diesel1.3.3 Aviation Fuel1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Afton Chemical2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Afton Chemical Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 BASF2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 BASF Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Lubrizol2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Lubrizol Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Chevron Oronite2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Chevron Oronite Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Infenium2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Infenium Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Innospec2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Innospec Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Total ACS2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Total ACS Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 BP2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 BP Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 Sinopec2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 Sinopec Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.10 CNPC2.10.1 Business Overview2.10.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.10.2.1 Type 12.10.2.2 Type 22.10.3 CNPC Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.11 STP2.11.1 Business Overview2.11.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.11.2.1 Type 12.11.2.2 Type 22.11.3 STP Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.12 3M2.12.1 Business Overview2.12.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.12.2.1 Type 12.12.2.2 Type 22.12.3 3M Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.13 Redline Oil2.13.1 Business Overview2.13.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.13.2.1 Type 12.13.2.2 Type 22.13.3 Redline Oil Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.14 BRB International2.14.1 Business Overview2.14.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.14.2.1 Type 12.14.2.2 Type 22.14.3 BRB International Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.15 IPAC2.15.1 Business Overview2.15.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.15.2.1 Type 12.15.2.2 Type 22.15.3 IPAC Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.16 Wynn's2.16.1 Business Overview2.16.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.16.2.1 Type 12.16.2.2 Type 22.16.3 Wynn's Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.17 Callington Haven2.17.1 Business Overview2.17.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.17.2.1 Type 12.17.2.2 Type 22.17.3 Callington Haven Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.18 Evonik2.18.1 Business Overview2.18.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.18.2.1 Type 12.18.2.2 Type 22.18.3 Evonik Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.19 SFR Corp2.19.1 Business Overview2.19.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.19.2.1 Type 12.19.2.2 Type 22.19.3 SFR Corp Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.20 AMSOIL2.20.1 Business Overview2.20.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.20.2.1 Type 12.20.2.2 Type 22.20.3 AMSOIL Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.21 Clariant2.21.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.21.2.1 Type 12.21.2.2 Type 22.21.3 Clariant Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.22 Biobor2.22.1 Business Overview2.22.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.22.2.1 Type 12.22.2.2 Type 22.22.3 Biobor Fuel Additives Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.23 Dorf Ketal2.23.1 Business Overview2.23.2 Fuel Additives Type and Applications2.23.2.1 Type 12.23.2.2 Type 2Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Gas Alarm MarketThis report studies the gas alarm (gas detector) market. Gas Alarm is devices that detect the presence of gases in an area, often as part of a safety system. This type of equipment is used to detect a gas leak or other emissions and can interface with a control system so a process can be automatically shut down. A gas alarm can sound an alarm to operators in the area where the leak is occurring, giving them the opportunity to leave. This type of device is important because there are many gases that can be harmful to organic life, such as humans or animals.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Gas Alarm in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversMSATyco InternationalIndustrial ScientificHoneywell AnalyticsRiken Keiki Co. Ltd.New Cosmos ElectricRAE SystemsEmersonCrowconTROLEXVictory Gas Alarm CompanyMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)View Report @Market Segment by Type, coversStationary Gas AlarmsPortable Gas AlarmMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustrialCommercialResidentialOthersThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm market.Chapter 1, to describe Gas Alarm Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Gas Alarm, with sales, revenue, and price of Gas Alarm, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Gas Alarm, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Gas Alarm market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Gas Alarm research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Gas Alarm Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Stationary Gas Alarms1.2.2 Portable Gas Alarm1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Industrial1.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Residential1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 MSA2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 MSA Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Tyco International2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Tyco International Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Industrial Scientific2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Industrial Scientific Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Honeywell Analytics2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Honeywell Analytics Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Riken Keiki Co. Ltd.2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Riken Keiki Co. Ltd. Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 New Cosmos Electric2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 New Cosmos Electric Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 RAE Systems2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 RAE Systems Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Emerson2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Emerson Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 Crowcon2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 Crowcon Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.10 TROLEX2.10.1 Business Overview2.10.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.10.2.1 Type 12.10.2.2 Type 22.10.3 TROLEX Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.11 Victory Gas Alarm Company2.11.1 Business Overview2.11.2 Gas Alarm Type and Applications2.11.2.1 Type 12.11.2.2 Type 22.11.3 Victory Gas Alarm Company Gas Alarm Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Price by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.4 Market Concentration Rate3.4.1 Top 3 Gas Alarm Manufacturer Market Share3.4.2 Top 5 Gas Alarm Manufacturer Market Share3.5 Market Competition Trend4 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Market Analysis by Regions4.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Gas Alarm Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 Europe Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.3 Middle East Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.4 Africa Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5 Europe Gas Alarm by Countries, Type, Application and Manufacturers5.1 Europe Gas Alarm Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 Europe Gas Alarm Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Gas Alarm Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.3 Germany Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.4 France Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.5 UK Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.6 Russia Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.7 Italy Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.8 Turkey Gas Alarm Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Gas Alarm Sales and Revenue (value) by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.1 Europe Gas Alarm Sales by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.2 Europe Gas Alarm Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.3 Europe Gas Alarm Sales by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Europe Gas Alarm Sales by Application (2012-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Medical Imaging Market Research Report by Arizton Advisory & Intelligence

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The global medical imaging market is expected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 5.47% over 20172023. The market is expected to cross $46 billion by 2023.The market is anticipated to grow at a moderate rate in the foreseeable future. Growth will be primarily driven by the emerging markets, which are focusing on building their healthcare infrastructure to embrace modern medical technology.Toshiba Medical Systems Inc., GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, Koninklijke Philips, and Fujifilm are the leading players in the market. The global market is going to witness dramatic shift during the forecast period. By product type, the nuclear imaging market will post the highest growth rate, whereas the x-ray segment will remain the largest segment. North America to remain the largest market followed by APAC.Request a Free Sample Report:The report provides a holistic view of the global market, the companies involved in the market, and the factors driving its growth. It also provides information on some of the latest trends that have started to surface and are likely to become strong market driving forces over the next five years. This report also provides the Porters Five Forces analysis along with a description of each force and its impact on the market. Further, the report also provides complete value chain analysis of the market.Medical Imaging Market: Key Vendor AnalysisThe global market is a highly competitive and oligopolistic market with a limited number of players occupying a clear majority of the market value.The major vendors included in the report are as follows:Toshiba MedicalGE HealthcareSiemens HealthineersKoninklijke PhilipsFujifilmOther prominent vendors in the global market include Ziehm Imaging Inc., Boston Scientifc, Shimadzu Corp., Varex Medical Systems, Carestream Health, Esaote Spa, Analogic Corp., Abirex Inc., Mindray Medical International, Samsung Healthcare, Konica Minolta, and NeuSoft Medical.Medical Imaging Market: DynamicsIncreasing elderly population to drive market growthThe elderly population is increasing globally. According to the World Bank population statistics, the percentage of 65+ population is set to rise to 11.5% by 2030. This increase in the global elderly population is leading to increased incidence of multiple chronic diseases including severe cardiovascular, neurological, and orthopedic disorders, which in turn is necessitating the need for all kinds of healthcare services including medical imaging.The adoption of advanced technology such as minimally-invasive image-guided surgeries is instrumental in increasing the demand for medical imaging devices globally.Medical Imaging Market: Segmental AnalysisNuclear imaging market to witness the highest growth over the next five yearsThe X-ray devices segment is expected to remain a dominant segment of the global market with a share of more than 33% due to the high adoption of these devices in all healthcare facilities. The MRI device market and the nuclear imaging market are expected to witness higher grow rates than other product segments. The nuclear imaging market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 7.73% during 20172023.The diagnostic centers segment accounts for major share, almost more than half of the global medical imaging equipment market followed by the hospitals segment.Medical Imaging Market: Geographical AnalysisThe APAC market to witness the highest growth over the next five yearsNorth America will continue to be a lucrative market for medical imaging devices due to high healthcare spending in this region. The region will remain the largest market during the forecast period. The demand for these devices in the market is, however, projected to grow at a marginal steady pace during the forecast period.One of the well-established markets world-wide, specific to diagnostic imaging technologies, the European medical imaging market is projected to grow at a marginal pace during the forecast period, owing to high market saturation and strengthened public healthcare cost containment strategies.APAC is the second largest market for medical imaging devices. The growth of the market in this region is anticipated to be highest, led by the emerging economies such as China and India showing increasing affinity to adopt digital technologies, cloud-based, and multimodality trends.Download a free sample:About Arizton Advisory & IntelligenceArizton  Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.Arizton has gained a paramount standpoint in the market research arena as it offers top of the line solutions to clients to assess market landscape and to finalize foolproof business strategies. We are committed to provide inclusive market research reports and consulting services to clients from diversified industries including Consumer Goods & Retail Technology, Automotive and Mobility, Smart Tech, Healthcare and Lifesciences, Industrial Machinery, Chemicals and Materials, IT and Media, Logistics and PackagingArizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.Arizton Advisory & IntelligenceChicago, Illinois, 60605Mail: enquiry@arizton.comCall: +1-312-465-7864
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Hot Forging Press Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Hot Forging Press Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Hot Forging Press MarketForging is the operation where the metal is heated and then a force is applied to manipulates the metals in such a way that the required final shape is obtained. Forging is generally a hot working process though cold forging is used sometimes.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Hot Forging Press in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSMSSumitomoTMPSchulerFagor ArrasateKomatsuLascoKurimotoFirst HeavyStamtecAjaxMitsubishiErieJ&HQingdao YiyouYandonNHIChina National Erzhong GroupMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)Market Segment by Type, covers< 10000 KN10000-100000 KN> 100000 KNView Report @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAutomotive IndustryHardware ToolsEngineering MachineryOthersThere are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Hot Forging Press market.Chapter 1, to describe Hot Forging Press Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Hot Forging Press, with sales, revenue, and price of Hot Forging Press, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Hot Forging Press, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Hot Forging Press market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Hot Forging Press research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Hot Forging Press Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 < 10000 KN1.2.2 10000-100000 KN1.2.3 > 100000 KN1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Automotive Industry1.3.2 Hardware Tools1.3.3 Engineering Machinery1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 SMS2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 SMS Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Sumitomo2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Sumitomo Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 TMP2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 TMP Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Schuler2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Schuler Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Fagor Arrasate2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Fagor Arrasate Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Komatsu2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Komatsu Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Lasco2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Lasco Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Kurimoto2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Kurimoto Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.9 First Heavy2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Type 12.9.2.2 Type 22.9.3 First Heavy Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.10 Stamtec2.10.1 Business Overview2.10.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.10.2.1 Type 12.10.2.2 Type 22.10.3 Stamtec Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.11 Ajax2.11.1 Business Overview2.11.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.11.2.1 Type 12.11.2.2 Type 22.11.3 Ajax Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.12 Mitsubishi2.12.1 Business Overview2.12.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.12.2.1 Type 12.12.2.2 Type 22.12.3 Mitsubishi Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.13 Erie2.13.1 Business Overview2.13.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.13.2.1 Type 12.13.2.2 Type 22.13.3 Erie Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.14 J&H2.14.1 Business Overview2.14.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.14.2.1 Type 12.14.2.2 Type 22.14.3 J&H Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.15 Qingdao Yiyou2.15.1 Business Overview2.15.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.15.2.1 Type 12.15.2.2 Type 22.15.3 Qingdao Yiyou Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.16 Yandon2.16.1 Business Overview2.16.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.16.2.1 Type 12.16.2.2 Type 22.16.3 Yandon Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.17 NHI2.17.1 Business Overview2.17.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.17.2.1 Type 12.17.2.2 Type 22.17.3 NHI Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.18 China National Erzhong Group2.18.1 Business Overview2.18.2 Hot Forging Press Type and Applications2.18.2.1 Type 12.18.2.2 Type 22.18.3 China National Erzhong Group Hot Forging Press Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Market 2017 Forecast to 2022

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"The Report EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Industrial X-ray Film MarketIndustrial X-ray Film is used in nondestructive testing (NDT). The photosensitive material in industrial X-ray film is silver halide. And the detection application fields include oil pipeline construction, aerospace, nuclear power, shipbuilding, pressure vessels, weapons production and railway construction.Get Sample copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Industrial X-ray Film in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market, covering Europe, Middle East and Africa, This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAgfa-GevaertFUJIFILMCarestream HealthFOMA BOHEMIAAshlandTianjin Media Imaging MaterialsChina Lucky Film CorpShanghai ShenBei PhotosensitiveMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversEurope (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Turkey)Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)Market Segment by Type, coversScreen Type FilmsNon-Screen Types FilmsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoOil Pipeline ConstructionAutomotive ManufacturingPressure VesselsWeapons ProductionOthersView Report @There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film market.Chapter 1, to describe Industrial X-ray Film Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Industrial X-ray Film, with sales, revenue, and price of Industrial X-ray Film, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Industrial X-ray Film, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, to analyze the market by regions, manufacturers, type and application, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 10, Industrial X-ray Film market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 11, 12 and 13, to describe Industrial X-ray Film research findings and conclusion, sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data sourceSend An Enquiry Request @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Industrial X-ray Film Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Screen Type Films1.2.2 Non-Screen Types Films1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Oil Pipeline Construction1.3.2 Automotive Manufacturing1.3.3 Pressure Vessels1.3.4 Weapons Production1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia and Turkey)1.4.1.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.4 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.5 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.6 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran)1.4.2.1 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 UAE Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 Israel Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Iran Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria)1.4.3.1 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 Algeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Agfa-Gevaert2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Agfa-Gevaert Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 FUJIFILM2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 FUJIFILM Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Carestream Health2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Carestream Health Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 FOMA BOHEMIA2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 FOMA BOHEMIA Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Ashland2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Ashland Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Tianjin Media Imaging Materials2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Tianjin Media Imaging Materials Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 China Lucky Film Corp2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 China Lucky Film Corp Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Shanghai ShenBei Photosensitive2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Industrial X-ray Film Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Shanghai ShenBei Photosensitive Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Price by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.4 Market Concentration Rate3.4.1 Top 3 Industrial X-ray Film Manufacturer Market Share3.4.2 Top 5 Industrial X-ray Film Manufacturer Market Share3.5 Market Competition Trend4 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Market Analysis by Regions4.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Industrial X-ray Film Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.3 Middle East Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.4 Africa Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5 Europe Industrial X-ray Film by Countries, Type, Application and Manufacturers5.1 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.3 Germany Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.4 France Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.5 UK Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.6 Russia Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.7 Italy Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.1.8 Turkey Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales and Revenue (value) by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.1 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.2.2 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2017)5.3 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Europe Industrial X-ray Film Sales by Application (2012-2017)Buy Now @About 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.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Micro Bioreactors Global Market 2017: Key Players  Pall Corporation, Sartorius, Eppendorf, M2p-labs, Applikon Biotechnology

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Micro Bioreactors IndustryDescriptionIn the reporting year, the sales Revenue of Micro Bioreactors increases from 177.51 M USD in 2012 to 256.84 M USD in 2016, with a CAGR of more than 9.68%.In the Europe, the region contributing the highest share of sales revenue of slightly more than 26% in 2016, despite stagnant macroeconomic environment in this region in the reporting year. The Emerging developing countries represented by China has Witnessed high rates increase in the reporting year, the sales revenue of China increases from 20.11 M USD in 2012 to 37.53 M USD in 2016, with an CAGR of more than 16.88%. However, high cost of instruments, lack of research and development of technology especially in emerging economies, and lack of laboratory technicians are expected to restrain the growth of this market.This report studies Micro Bioreactors 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, coveringPall CorporationSartoriusEppendorfM2p-labsApplikon BiotechnologyChemtrixCerCellINFORS HTLAVAL LABPBS BiotechRequest for Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Micro Bioreactors in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by Product Types, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into24 Parallel Bioreactors48 Parallel BioreactorsOthersSplit by applications, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Micro Bioreactors in each application, can be divided intoPharmaBiotechFood IndustryScientific Research InstitutesOthersLeave a Query @Table of Contents1 Micro Bioreactors Market Overview 11.1 Product Overview and Scope of Micro Bioreactors 11.2 Micro Bioreactors Segment by Types 21.2.1 Global Revenue Market Share of Micro Bioreactors by Types in 2015 21.2.2 24 Parallel Bioreactors 31.2.3 48 Parallel Bioreactors 41.2.4 Others 51.3 Micro Bioreactors Segment by Applications 61.3.1 Micro Bioreactors Revenue Market Share by Applications in 2015 61.3.2 Pharma 71.3.3 Biotech 71.3.4 Food Industry 71.3.5 Scientific Research Institutes 81.3.6 Others 91.4 Micro Bioreactors Market by Regions 91.4.1 USA Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 91.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 101.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 111.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 121.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 131.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2017-2022) 141.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Micro Bioreactors (2017-2022) 15....7 Global Micro Bioreactors Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis 487.1 Pall Corporation 487.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 487.1.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 497.1.3 Pall Corporation Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 517.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview 517.2 Sartorius 527.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 527.2.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 537.2.3 Sartorius Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 547.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview 557.3 Eppendorf 557.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 557.3.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 567.3.3 Eppendorf Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 577.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview 587.4 M2p-labs 597.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 597.4.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 597.4.3 M2p-labs Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 607.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview 617.5 Applikon Biotechnology 627.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 627.5.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 637.5.3 Applikon Biotechnology Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 647.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview 657.6 Chemtrix 657.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 657.6.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 667.6.3 Chemtrix Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 677.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview 687.7 CerCell 697.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 697.7.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 697.7.3 CerCell Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 707.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview 717.8 INFORS HT 727.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 727.8.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 727.8.3 INFORS HT Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 747.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview 747.9 LAVAL LAB 757.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 757.9.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 767.9.3 LAVAL LAB Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 777.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview 787.10 PBS Biotech 787.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors 787.10.2 Micro Bioreactors Product Types, Application and Specification 797.10.3 PBS Biotech Micro Bioreactors Production, Revenue, Gross and Price (2015 and 2016) 807.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview 81Buy now @Continued...Contact Us: Sales@Wiseguyreports.Com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us: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.Addres:Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdPune  411028Maharashtra, GlobalPh: +91 841 198 5042
Laboratory Water Purifier Market Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2022

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The global laboratory water purifier market is fragmented in nature with a host of small and large players competing against one another. This makes the competitive environment quite cutthroat. In order to outsell their rivals, key manufacturers are focusing hard on product differentiation through innovative technologies. Some of the prominent names operating in the market are Merck KGaA, Elga Labwater, Pall Corporation, Sartorious AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Aqua Solutions, Inc., Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, Purite Ltd., and Chengdu Ultrapure Technology Co. Ltd.Read Report Overview @A noticeable trend in the global laboratory water purifier market is the smaller players entering into partnerships with distributors and service providers to grow their market shares. Acquisitions are another means by which companies are growing their shares, especially the large ones. The well-entrenched manufacturers, with their robust distribution networks and strong after-sales service, are constantly striving to expand their outreach and retain their existing consumer base.A report by Transparency Market Research forecasts the global laboratory water purifier market to rise at a robust 11.6% CAGR between 2017 and 2022 to reach a value of US$19.259 bn by 2022 from US$10.060 bn in 2016.Technological Investments in China and Japan Propel Asia Pacific Market to the Top SlotDepending upon the end-use industry, the global laboratory water purifier market can be segmented into food, environment, oil and gas, academic and government, and healthcare. Among them, healthcare is again divided into hospitals, pharmaceuticals, and clinical diagnostics and OEM. At present the segment of healthcare dominates the market for laboratory water purifier. In 2016, the segments share in the market was a substantial 39%.Geographically, the key segments of the global laboratory water purifier market are North America, South America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Of them, Asia Pacific is a key region that accounts of maximum share in the market. In 2016 the regions share was about 41.0%. In the upcoming years, the region is also expected to clock maximum growth on the back of significant technological investment in the countries of China and Japan.Growing Application Areas Stokes Uptake of Laboratory Water Purification SystemsLatest technologies are helping to develop more advanced laboratory water purification systems with improved functionalities. Technological investments, particularly in the emerging economies of Asia Pacific, are providing a major boost to the global laboratory water purifier market. Another factor helping to catalyze growth in the market is the growing use of the systems in different applications. The expanding application areas of laboratory water purifiers in various laboratories activities is also generating high demand for laboratory water purifiers specifically in Asia-Pacific region, explains the lead analyst of the report.Request Sample Report @Besides the exploding ecommerce sector, the robust demand from the healthcare sector and the advent of industry specific laboratory water purifier systems in the developed countries of Europe and North America are also underpinning the growth momentum in the market.Lack of Awareness of Customers about Various Applications Crimps DemandOn the flip side, the growth in the global laboratory water purifier market is hampered by the dearth of awareness among customers as regards to which type of purification will be required for their application. However, continuous improvement technology is anticipated to present several growth opportunities over the forecast period, adds the lead analyst of the report.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.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
IP innovation at its best: A new state of the art broadcast facility at Al-Araby

State-of-the-art Al-Araby news agency

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How content control and management helps Al-Araby engage with its viewers.Launched in 2015, Al-Araby operates globally, with journalists in more than 20 countries bringing breaking news stories to its TV and website audiences. Because of the rapid expansion, the organisation moved to a new studio facility in North West London. Besides other specialities they needed a scalable IPTV solution that could handle 22 news and content channels within their site to 150 PCs and 30 screens located around the new building.As our certified and trained partner in the UK, Garland developed an outstanding cost-effective concept using our rock solid IP innovations and created an end-to-end solution that met all customer needs.Content is sourced from satellite and terrestrial DVB feeds as well as in-house channels. Our high-density DVB head-end converts signals from 16 separate transponders to IP streams. The most important feeds are directly send into the studio for monitoring by using an additional six DMM DVB satellite blade.Up to 12 in-house channels from both HDMI and SDI sources are converted to H.264 IP transport streams for presentation to the network using our ENC-400 encoder mounted in a single 1RU chassis with redundant power supplies.All 22 channels of HD content are distributed to Al-Araby's 150-member team by using our easily to install X-Player software application for PCs. For perfect and very convenient monitoring of any contents, Garland relied on our ICUE GRID video wall. In this case 16 HD channels can be presented at the same time in any combination and any layout. Furthermore they have the possibility to add more channels. No wonder at all it became the centrepiece of this beautiful new facility.Used IPTV Hardware and Software at a glanceThese Teracue products were used successfully to built this unique facility: Flexible and cost-effective DMM DVB head-end ENC-400 encoders X-PLAYER for HD content playout ICUE GRID video wallAbout Teracue GmbH:Under the name "inPhase Fernseh-Studiotechnik" the company was founded in 1991 as a German distributor for the broadcast products of Harris, formerly Leitch and Videotek. Modern networks as a channel for the transmission and delivery of video content in professional quality, made the company one of the pioneers in the market segment of video transmission in IP networks in the late 1990s. In 2014, the company be-came part of eyevis, a leading manufacturer of display and video wall systems.Teracue GmbH, Schlossstr. 18, 85235 Odelzhausen, GermanyPhone: +49 (0)8134 555 10, Email: info@teracue.com, Web:
Becton Dickinson And Company Is Going To Dominate the Injectable Drug Delivery Market Following With Pfizer And Baxter International, Inc. by 2024

Global Injectable Drug Delivery Market

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"Global Injectable Drug Delivery Market" is expected to reach USD 789.7 billion by 2024 from USD 330.6 billion in 2016, at a CAGR of 11.5% in the forecast period 2017 to 2024. This Report Contains no of pages is 868, no of tables is 955, no of figures is 50.Avail 10% Discount on Direct Purchase "Global Injectable Drug Delivery Market" Or kindly send the email @ Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comClick Here For Free Sample Report @:Global Injectable Drug Delivery Market, By Type (Devices {Conventional Injection, Self-Injection}, Formulations {Conventional Drug Delivery, Noble Drug Delivery, Long Acting Injection Formulations}, Applications (Autoimmune Diseases, Hormonal Disorders, Orphan Diseases, Oncology), Usage Pattern (Curative Care, Immunizations), Mode of Administration (Skin, Circulatory, Organs, Central Nervous System), End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Home Care Settings, Research Laboratories, Pharma & Biotech Companies), Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Major Players:Becton Dickinson and company is going to dominate the injectable drug delivery market following with Pfizer and Baxter International, Inc., along with others such as Gerresheimer AG, Schott AG, Alkermes Plc., Eli Lilly and Company, Sandoz, Terumo Corporation, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., Bespak, Antares Pharma,Elcam Medical, Haselmeier, Mylan N.V., Novo Nordisk, Owen Mumford Ltd, Sanofi, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc, Ypsomed Holding AG.Market Segmentation:Injectable drug delivery device market is segmented into conventional injection devices and self-injection devices. The injectable drug delivery formulation is segmented into conventional drug delivery formulation and novel drug delivery formulation.On the basis of application, the market is segmented into autoimmune disease, hormonal disorders, orphan diseases, oncology and others. The autoimmune diseases segment is further sub segmented based on indications into rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohns disease, psoriasis and others. Hormonal disorders are further segmented into indications such as diabetes, antithrombotic therapy, reproductive health diseases, anemia, osteoporosis and others.On the basis of usage pattern, the market is segmented into curative care, immunization and other usage pattern.On the basis of mode of administration, the market is segmented into skin, circulatory/muskoskeletal, organs and central nervous system.On the basis of end users, the market is classified into hospitals and clinics, home healthcare, research laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies and others. In 2017, the hospital &clinics segment is expected to dominate the market and is expected to continue this trend till 2024.Browse Full Report @Based on geography, the market is segmented into five geographical regions: North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East and AfricaThe geographical regions are further segmented into 29 major countries such as U.S. Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, U.K., Belgium, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Japan, China, Singapore, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa and others.Table Of Content :1. INTRODUCTION1.1. OVERVIEW OF GLOBAL INJECTABLEDRUG DELIVERY MARKET1.2. CURRENCY AND PRICING1.3. LIMITATION1.4. MARKETS COVERED2. MARKET SEGMENTATION2.1. MARKETS COVERED2.2. GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE2.3. YEARS CONSIDERED FOR THE STUDY2.4. CURRENCY AND PRICING2.5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.6. PRIMARY INTERVIEWS WITH KEY OPINION LEADERS2.7. SECONDARY SOURCES2.8. ASSUMPTIONS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1. DRIVERS3.2. RESTRAINTS3.4. CHALLENGES4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY5. PREMIUM INSIGHTS6. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, REGULATORY6.1. OVERVIEW7. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY TYPE7.1. OVERVIEW7.2. INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY DEVICES7.3. INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY FORMULATION7.3.2. NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY FORMULATIONS8. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY APPLICATION8.1. OVERVIEW8.2. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY APPLICATION8.3. HORMONAL DISORDERS8.4. ONCOLOGY8.5. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES8.6. ORPHAN DISEASE8.7. OTHER APPLICATIONS9. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY USAGE PATTERN9.1. OVERVIEW9.2. CURATIVE CARE9.3. IMMUNIZATIONS9.4. OTHER USAGE PATTERN10. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY MODE OF ADMINISTRATION10.1. OVERVIEW10.2. SKIN10.3. CIRCULATORY/ MUSKOSKELETAL10.4. ORGANS10.5. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM11. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY END USER11.1. OVERVIEW11.2. HOSPITALS AND CLINICS11.3. HOME HEALTHCARE SETTINGS11.4. RESEARCH LABORATORIES11.5. PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL COMPANIES11.6. OTHER END USERS12. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL12.1. OVERVIEW13. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY13.3. EUROPE INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET13.4. APAC INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET13.5. SOUTH AMERICA INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET13.6. MEA INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET14. GLOBAL INJECTABLE DRUG DELIVERY MARKET, COMPANY SHARE14.1. COMPANY SHARE ANALYSIS: GLOBAL15. COMPANY PROFILES15.1. BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY15.2. PFIZER15.3. BAXTER INTERNATIONAL15.4. GERRESHEIMER AG15.6. ALKERMES INC.15.7. ANTARES PHARMARequest for Detail TOC@Related ReportGlobal Hemostats Market- Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Hemostats Market, By Product Type (Thrombin Based, Combination, Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose Based, Gelatin Based, Collagen Based Hemostat), By Indication (Wound Closure, Surgery), By End-User (Hospitals, Clinics, Ambulatory Centers, Community Healthcare, Others), By Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa)  Trends and Forecast to 2024About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sales@databridgemarketresearch.comInvestor: investors@databridgemarketresearch.comVisit Blog
Automotive Clutch Market Outlook, Industry Trends, Size, Value, Analysis & Forecast to 2022

Automotive Clutch Market

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Market Scenario:The growth in the Automotive Industry has led to a significant increase in demand for automotive Clutch market. Automotive Clutch helps to enjoy a smooth start and facilitate shaft. It also prevent the transmission overload and reduce the impact of torsional vibration. Features such transmitting required power as well as serve as safety device are acting as a primary factor for the growth of market. Stringent emission norms, need for fuel efficiency as well as technological advancement such as the dual clutch transmission system are driving the market of Automotive Clutch Market. Moreover, shifting preference towards manual or fully-automatic transmission systems spur the market growth.Request for a Sample Copy @Key Players of Automotive Clutch Market:The major player operating in the market of Global Automotive Clutch are Eaton Corporation, Magneti Marelli, Valeo, Aisin Seiki, EXEDY, FCC, Schaeffer, BorgWarner Clutch Auto Limited and ZF Friedrichshafen.Regional AnalysisAsia pacific is dominating the market of clutch due to majority of automotive sales in the region as well as technological advancement such as duel clutch transmission system and automated manual transmission systems which helps the market to grow in this region. Development of automotive manufacturing industries in developing economies such as china and India are driving the market for automotive Clutch. Factors such as availability of low-cost manual transmission clutches as well as consumer preference towards convenient mode of transmission are some of the factors pushing the market of automotive Clutch. Whereas, increasing vehicle purchase as well as shift towards electric vehicle are some of the factors driving the demand for clutch market in the North American region.Brief TOC:1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope Of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure1.3.1 Global Automotive Clutch Market: By Transmission Type1.3.2 Global Automotive Clutch Market: By Clutch Type1.3.3 Global Automotive Clutch Market: By Vehicle Type1.3.5 Global Automotive Clutch Market: By Region2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Transmission Type2.2 Primary Researchpt2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size Estimation2.4.3 Market Crackdown & Data Triangulation3 Market Dynamics3.1 Introduction3.2 Market Drivers3.3 Market Challenges3.4 Market Opportunities4 Executive Summary5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.2 Supply Chain AnalysisContinueBrowse Full Report @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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Indian and Chinese petcoke production recover in October; Brazil remains pressured

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According to CW Researchs Petcoke Market Data, in the second half of 2017 production of green petcoke in India and China has been on the rise, slowing down the need for imports from the US and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, in Brazil, petcoke output remains pressured by a slim demand.In India, discussions on banning petcoke as a fuel have shaken up the industry. While a nationwide ban is still being discussed, other measures have already been put into place, such as stricter regulations on emissions and the imposition of bans in the National Capital Region (NCR), Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Nonetheless, green petcoke production continued to rise steadily, in an attempt to meet domestic demand. In the first ten months of the year, green petcoke output has climbed to 10 million tons, up 10 percent on a yearly basis, when compared to the same period in the previous year.As observed by Filipe Gouveia, analyst with CW Research: this ongoing debate in India has clouded the domestic market with uncertainty during 2017. Petcoke prices sank during June and July, while the National Green Tribunal deliberated over what measures would be applied. In October, the market was looking healthier than before, with consumer confidence and prices improving. Notwithstanding these positive indicators, concerns remain over what the future holds for the Indian petcoke market.CW Researchs petcoke statistics show output of the commodity in China fell both MoM and YoY in October. The countrys industrial sector is starting to lower production levels to meet the governments requirement of reducing production during peak season. Despite this small decline in October, year-to-date petcoke production for the first ten months of the year is up eight percent.On the other hand, Brazil continued to show a lackluster performance in terms of petcoke output. Year-to-date production is currently down six percent on a yearly basis for the first 10 months of the year. The countrys economy continues to underperform, thus bringing down demand.****For more information, placing an order, or interview inquiries, please contact Liviu Dinu, Market Services & Marketing Consultant, CW Group, by phone at +40-744-67-44-11, or e-mail at ld@cwgrp.com.About Petcoke Market DataCW Researchs Petcoke Country Market Data analysis, part of the CW Groups premium PetcokeWeek market reporting service, extensively covers petcoke volume trends across the globe. Particular emphasis is given to demand & supply volumes for the largest petcoke producing and consuming markets around the world. Presented in an objective, easy-to-understand format, the Petcoke Country Market Data is an indispensable tool for producers, suppliers, investors and end-users who wish to always be updated on all the relevant petcoke trends.Additional coverage on petcoke news and updates can be found here:About CW GroupThe Greenwich (Conn.), USA headquartered CW Group is a leading advisory, research and business intelligence boutique with a global presence and a multi-industry orientation. CW Group is particularly recognized for its sector expertise in heavy-side building materials (cement), light-side building materials, traditional and renewable power & energy, petrochemicals, metals & mining, industrial minerals, industrial manufacturing, bulk cargo & shipping, among others. We have a strong functional capability, grounded in our methodical and quantitative philosophy, including due diligence, sourcing intelligence, feasibility studies and commodity forecasting.PO Box 5263, Greenwich, CT 06831, USA
Automotive HVAC Market Analysis, Trends, Opportunities, Demand & Global Forecast 2022

Automotive HVAC Market

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Market Highlights:Automotive HVAC is a system combining three major functions such as heating, ventilation and air- conditioning. Factors such as increasing demand for thermal insulations for energy efficient applications, and growth in the automotive sector are driving the market of Automotive HVAC. Recent trend shows that Companies, such as Audi, Mercedes, and BMW, focus on customized and consumer-friendly HVAC systems and supports automatic air conditioning, fogging sensor, and automatic climate control system. Moreover, Due to least level of human intervention, the automatic HVAC system are being installed in large extent, especially in premium and luxury segment passenger vehicles. Additionally, R&D focuses on automotive HVAC market for improving fuel efficiency, reducing environmental effect and lowering the weight of HVAC system. Government initiatives acts as a driving factor for the growth of Automotive HVAC market. Awareness about the environment in countries such as China and India lead to the growth of Automotive HVAC market.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Automotive HVAC Market: Denso Corp Valeo SA Behr GmbH Halla Climate Control Corp. Delphi Automotive Visteon Corp. Sanden Corp. Air International Thermal Systems Calsonic Kansei DelStar TechnologiesMarket Research Analysis:The Asia-Pacific region dominating the market of Automotive HVAC. Presence of automobile manufacturers and growing demand for automobiles in developing countries such as China and India. Increasing adoption of premium automobile brands in developing nation such as India and Brazil provides growth opportunities for industry players. Whereas, Japan referred as one of the largest automobile manufacturing companies in the world such as Toyota and Honda. Increasing production capacities, investment in R&D and requirement for hybrid technology drive the HVAC automotive market. Moreover, favorable government policies pushing the market towards growth. Moreover, demand for effective thermal systems in electric and hybrid powertrains. Vehicles require low-temperature cooling equipment along with normal equipment for regulated battery cooling. Whereas, increasing vehicle production and stringent government regulations to encourage the energy efficiency are driving the market in North America.Brief TOC:1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure:1.3.1 Global Automotive Hvac Market: By Technology1.3.2 Global Automotive Hvac Market: By Vehicle Type1.3.5 Global Automotive Hvac Market: By Region2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Technology2.2 Primary Researchpt2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size Estimation2.4.3 Market Crackdown & Data Triangulation3 Market Dynamics3.1 Introduction3.2 Market Drivers3.3 Market Challenges3.4 Market Opportunities4 Executive Summary5 Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.2 Supply Chain AnalysisContinueScope of the Report:This study provides an overview of the global Automotive HVAC industry, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global Automotive HVAC market as type, component, and application. On the basis of technology it is segmented as manual and automatic. On the basis of Vehicle type it is segmented as passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle. On the basis of component it is segmented as pipes, ducts and others.Access Report Details @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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
U.K Children Personal Care Market: Rise in Opportunities for Small Businesses

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https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/childrens-personal-care-products-uk-november-2017-report.html

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Market Research Hub has added a new research report to its repository titled Childrens Personal Care Products Market in UK - November 2017. This exhaustive research report is intended to cater the business who are looking for opportunities to expand in the industry of products that assist younger children. The children personal care products market in UK is opening doors to a lot of opportunities for business with the rising concerns of parents over their childs health. The parents in UK, are seen preferring more of the products with natural ingredients. However the products with natural ingredients are on the side of a higher price range, which may turn down some customers who are not willing to spend much.Request Free Sample Report@In such a scenario, the market is witnessing growth of smaller brands who are working hard to persuade the customers. They are taking advantage of the quiet advertising setting by using social media to connect with parents, which helps them prove results and build trust. A new research report on the market scenario of UK, gives a complete overview of the trends that are following the children personal care products market, the drivers and also the restraints that are limiting their growth. It will help the businesses to understand as to which is the most lucrative section of the market in the month of November 2017, and how can they make full use of it.Composition of the Report on Analysis of Childrens Personal Care Market U.K.This research report consists of all the components of childrens personal care products market. The report starts by covering the motive behind this report, i.e. a summary on what is being covered, it also includes the children personal care products covered in the report. The summary section of the report includes summary of the strong characters of the market, the financial worries and an understanding on the demands of parents.This is followed by a descriptive analysis of all the new product developments in the children personal care market of U.K. This section shows gives a complete view of the present scenario of the product developments in the market and their progress in the market. Furthermore the report also educates the people on issues like how appearance is still a worry for children, behavior analysis of parents while buying children personal care products, packaging trends of the products, current advertising activities and innovations.Browse Full Report with TOC@Reasons to Invest in this Research ReportThis comprehensive research report has focused on a wide area of business. It includes the data related to the children personal care products market of U.K. in November 2017, which covers all the major statistics of market growth, new product developments, the consumer behavior and preferences, price analysis, major market players etc. The data provided is being revaluated to assure the accuracy.Other than this, the competitive scenario provided in the report can help the market players in a number of ways. The report shows brief profiles of the key players in the market and their strategies during the forecast period. This assists the new entrants in the market as well as the competitors to make efficient counter strategies.Enquire About this Report@About Market Research Hub:Market 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.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: - 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email:- press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:-Read Industry News at :-
Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market Size, Top Players, Trends and Growth Forecast 2017-22

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The market for Global extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) equipment has been undergoing a transitional phase over the recent past. The continual advancements in technologies and the swift increase in infrastructural development projects have influenced the demand for Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market substantially over the past few years. The swift rise in urbanization and the significant increase in the disposable income of people are likely to maintain the demand pace of Global extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) equipment market research report 2017 in the near future. The augmenting interest of investors, government funding, and the rising trend of automation are also projected to reflect positively on this market in the years to come.Request Free Sample Report@Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingCanonNikonASMLNuFlare TechnologySUSS Microtec AGUltratechVistec Semiconductor Systems...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoVacuum TubeMirrorsMultilayer ObjectOn the basis of the end users-applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications-end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingFoundryMemoryIDMOthersBrowse Full Report with TOC@Table of ContentsGlobal Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market Research Report 20171 Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment1.2 Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Vacuum Tube1.2.4 Mirrors1.2.5 Multilayer Object1.3 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Segment by Application1.3.1 Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Foundry1.3.3 Memory1.3.4 IDM1.3.5 Others1.4 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) Equipment Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Continued.The research report also presents a thorough assessment of the competitive landscape of the Global extreme ultraviolet lithography euvl equipment market research report 2017 by reviewing the company profiles of the leading players functioning in this market. The market hierarchy has also been identified in this study by analyzing the current developments and future prospects of these players.Enquire About this Report@About Market Research Hub:Market 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.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: - 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email:- press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:-Read Industry News at :-
Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Ambulatory Surgery Center Market Report with Size, Scope, Status, Trends and Growth Forecast to 2022

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Ambulatory Surgery Centers known as ASCsare modern health care facilities focused on providing same-day surgical care, including diagnostic and preventive procedures. An ambulatory surgery center is a specialized outpatient facility where patients undergo surgical procedures without having to be admitted to a hospital. Patients leave the same day they are treated - usually within a few hours. In general, patients walk into the operating room and upon recovery walk out escorted by a family member or loved one. To study the market for Ambulatory Surgery Centers in a precise manner, Market Research Hub (MRH) has included a new research report. The report is titled Global Ambulatory Surgery Center Market 2017 Forecast to 2022, which enlightens the readers about the market share as well as growth rate during the period 2017-2022. The research study estimates that the Ambulatory Surgery Centers sector would be rising with a positive CAGR during the same stated forecast period.Request Free Sample Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Ambulatory Surgery Center in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversEHHTHCMednaxHCA HealthcareTeam HealthSurgical Care AffiliatesQHCSurgery PartnersSurgCenter DevelopmentMedical FacilitiesASCOANueterra HealthcareMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversSingle-specialty CentersMulti-specialty CentersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoOphthalmologyPain ManagementGastroenterologyOrthopedicsOthersBrowse Full Report with TOC@There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Ambulatory Surgery Center market.Chapter 1, to describe Ambulatory Surgery Center Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Ambulatory Surgery Center, with sales, revenue, and price of Ambulatory Surgery Center, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Ambulatory Surgery Center, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Ambulatory Surgery Center market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Ambulatory Surgery Center sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Enquire About this Report@About Market Research Hub:Market 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.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: - 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email:- press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:-Read Industry News at :-
World-class Speakers, Leading Legal IT Vendors, The British Legal Technology Forum returns in March 2018

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The British Legal Technology Forum (BLTF), Europes largest showcase of legal technology and innovation is set to return on Tuesday, 13th March 2018 and will be even larger than the mega event in 2017.Spread over two floors, The BLTF will return to the Old Billingsgate in London, and will play host to more than 90 exhibitors and five presentation stages. With all previous BLTF events posting full capacity weeks in advance, this years event will once again accommodate over 1,200 visitors is expected to do the same.BLTF2018 will include keynote presentations from Dave Coplin, the former Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft, and Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development at the University of Oxford. Law firm IT and security directors from national, international and global law firms will also speak at the event, including representatives from Taylor Vinters, BLM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Clyde & Co, Dentons and more. From an in-house legal prospective, the General Counsel from KPMG will be on-hand to share his thoughts. For the fourth year in succession, the BLTF will be chaired by Prof. Richard Susskind OBE, President of the Society for Computers and Law.Additional speakers for BLTF2018 include Shawnna Hoffman, co-founder of IBM Watson Legal, and the University of Liverpools Prof. Katie Atkinson, who assists Riverview Law with its AI-related activities. Further high-profile speakers from the legal innovation community are expected to be confirmed shortly.BLTF2018 will have a significant focus on top-level market transformation and will offer presentations on technology-led disruption within the legal sector, resulting from innovations such as legal AI, blockchain, chatbots and the use of big data.The event will also include numerous presentations and discussions which focus on the day-to-day IT-related challenges of running modern law practices including ethical hacker Freaky Clown who will share his insights into the activities of cyber criminals. Additionally, real-world solutions providers, covering everything from practice, case and print management, will be among the dozens of market-leading vendors exhibiting at the event.Commenting on BLTF2018, Frances Armstrong, Netlaw Medias UK & EMEA Managing Director, says: Each year, the event gets bigger and better whilst continuing to examine the latest tech-led transformations that are taking place across the UK and European legal sectors. Ideas which appeared implausible or radical at our first BLTF in 2015, have now been turned into tangible products, many of which will be demonstrated at BLTF2018. Not only does the event allow visitors to road-test the current best-of-breed legal technology, it also offers the opportunity to explore the future direction of the entire legal IT market.Notes:For more information, please contact:Mekenzi Kempen, Events AssistantTel: +44 (0) 203 176 4200Email: eventops@netlawmedia.comAdditional event speakers and exhibitors for The British Legal Technology Forum 2018 will be announced over the next few weeks.To keep up-to-date with the latest BTLF news, follow @BritishLegalIT on Twitter or visitNetlaw Media is a UK based legal media and events organisation providing world-class media, websites, events, exhibitions, conferences and training programs to the UK, European and Global legal sectors.NO.4 First FloorSteeple House, Church LaneChelmsfordEssexCM1 1NH
Retail Automation 2017 Global Market Key Players  First Data Corporation, NCR Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Honeywell, Toshiba  Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Retail Automation Market

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Retail Automation Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com adds Retail Automation Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report offers an overview of the market trends, drivers, and barriers with respect to the Retail Automation market. It also provides a detailed overview of the market of different regions across United States, Europe, China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Others. The report categorizes Retail Automation market by By Type, By Implementation, and application. Detailed analysis of key players, along with key growth strategies adopted by them is also covered in this report on Retail Automation market.This report focuses Global market, it covers details as following:Key PlayersDatalogic S.p.A (Italy)First Data Corporation (US)NCR Corporation (US)Fujitsu Limited (Japan)Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US)Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US)Kuka AG (Germany)Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany)Zebra Technologies Corporation (US)Pricer AB (Sweden)Posiflex Technology, Inc. (Taiwan)E&K Automation GmbH (Germany)ChinaPnR (China)TNC (China)Lefu (China)Request a Sample Report @Key RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain types of productsRetail Automation Market, by TypePoSInteractive KiosksSelf-Checkout SystemsBarcode & RFIDAutomatic Storage and Retrieval (ASRS)Retail Automation Market, by ImplementationIn-storeWarehouseRetail Automation Market, by Key ConsumerHypermarketsSupermarketsSingle Item StoresFuel StationsRetail PharmaciesComplete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:Global Retail Automation Market Research Report 2017-2022 by Players, Regions, Product Types & ApplicationsChapter One Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source1.2.1 Secondary Sources1.2.2 Primary Sources1.3 DisclaimerChapter Two Retail Automation Market Overview2.1 Market Coverage2.2 Global Retail Automation Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-2017Chapter Three Retail Automation by Key Players 2012-20173.1 Global Retail Automation Sales Volume Market Share by Key Players 2012-20173.2 Global Retail Automation Revenue Share by Key Players 2012-20173.3 Global Key Players Retail Automation Key Product Model and Market Performance3.4 Global Key Players Retail Automation Key Target Consumers and Market Performance.Chapter Six Global Key Players Profile6.1 Datalogic S.p.A (Italy)6.1.1 Datalogic S.p.A (Italy) Company Details and Competitors6.1.2 Datalogic S.p.A (Italy) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.1.3 Datalogic S.p.A (Italy) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.1.4 Datalogic S.p.A (Italy) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.2 First Data Corporation (US)6.2.1 First Data Corporation (US) Company Details and Competitors6.2.2 First Data Corporation (US) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.2.3 First Data Corporation (US) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.2.4 First Data Corporation (US) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.3 NCR Corporation (US)6.3.1 NCR Corporation (US) Company Details and Competitors6.3.2 NCR Corporation (US) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.3.3 NCR Corporation (US) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.3.4 NCR Corporation (US) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.4 Fujitsu Limited (Japan)6.4.1 Fujitsu Limited (Japan) Company Details and Competitors6.4.2 Fujitsu Limited (Japan) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.4.3 Fujitsu Limited (Japan) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.4.4 Fujitsu Limited (Japan) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.5 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US)6.5.1 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US) Company Details and Competitors6.5.2 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.5.3 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.5.4 Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Inc (US) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.6 Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US)6.6.1 Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US) Company Details and Competitors6.6.2 Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.6.3 Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.6.4 Honeywell Scanning and Mobility (US) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.7 Kuka AG (Germany)6.7.1 Kuka AG (Germany) Company Details and Competitors6.7.2 Kuka AG (Germany) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.7.3 Kuka AG (Germany) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.7.4 Kuka AG (Germany) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.8 Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany)6.8.1 Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany) Company Details and Competitors6.8.2 Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.8.3 Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.8.4 Wincor Nixdorf AG (Germany) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.9 Zebra Technologies Corporation (US)6.9.1 Zebra Technologies Corporation (US) Company Details and Competitors6.9.2 Zebra Technologies Corporation (US) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.9.3 Zebra Technologies Corporation (US) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.9.4 Zebra Technologies Corporation (US) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin6.10 Pricer AB (Sweden)6.10.1 Pricer AB (Sweden) Company Details and Competitors6.10.2 Pricer AB (Sweden) Key Retail Automation Models and Performance6.10.3 Pricer AB (Sweden) Retail Automation Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast6.10.4 Pricer AB (Sweden) Retail Automation Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross MarginContinued.Buy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US: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.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
eBridge, One of Two Companies Awarded Reverse Auction Provider Contract, for the State of New York

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ALBANY, NY  November 29, 2017  eBridge Business Solutions, LLC, a fully managed reverse auction provider for the public and private sectors, announced it is one of two awarded contractors for Online Reverse Auction Services (Statewide) for the State of New York.New York is the third state to award a contract to eBridge. Currently, eBridge is the sole reverse auction provider for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the State of South Carolina. As an experienced eProcurement partner, eBridge has worked with 235 public agencies nationwide over the last 10 years.The agreement enables New York state agencies, as well as, cities, towns, municipalities, schools, and other government organizations to use eBridge reverse auctions for the procurement of goods and services.Reverse auctions are the fastest way to find market value and cut costs without cutting quality or service, said eBridge President, Cindy Sisloff, eBridges innovative methods and procurement expertise can be used to increase competition and transparency while saving taxpayer dollars.eBridge offers a secure, real-time sealed bid platform that allows suppliers to compete for business by placing multiple lowering bids. This dynamic bidding process replaces the traditional RFP static process of a one-bid-per-supplier response.To learn more about eBridge, please visit:About eBridgeFounded in 2007, eBridge provides eProcurement services to both the public and private sectors, including state government, cities, towns, municipalities, and the medical, educational, and corporate sectors. Through its strategic sourcing and web based procurement platform, eBridge assists its buyers in achieving true market value for goods and services. Significant cost reductions and purchasing efficiencies have allowed eBridge's buyers to save millions of taxpayer, corporate, and investor dollars. For more information, please visit:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Farrah Powers RichardsoneBridge Business Solutions, LLC877.245.8880farrah.powers@ebridgeglobal.com
Beverage Packaging Market Analysis by Key Players, Industry Growth, Size, Share, Trends, Sales Forecast and Supply Demand to 2022

Beverage Packaging Market to See Strong Growth and Business Scope from 2017 to 2022

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Beverage Packaging Market Research Report 2017.The analysis content entitled The whole wide world Beverage Packaging Industry offers very beneficial review articles into the standard market action combined with specification that propel this Widespread market place . This business evaluate greatly includes the specifications of the World wide Beverage Packaging Market around the Industry format inclusive of landscape design , the troubles , want possibilities , including the expected market good results .Scope Of The Report:This report focuses on the Beverage Packaging in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America, Others. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Top Key manufactures of Beverage Packaging Market are Crown Holdings, Amcor, Ball, Ardagh, Owens-Illinois, Mondi Group, CKS Packaging, Allied Glass Containers, Silgan Holdings, Can-Pack, Printpack, Sonoco, Promens, AptarGroup, CCL Industries, Saint-Gobain, Plastipak Holdings, Inc.Get Sample PDF of Beverage Packaging Market Report@Beverage Packaging Market Segment by Type covers: Plastic, Glass, Metal.Beverage Packaging Market Segment by Application covers: Dairy, Alcoholic Beverages, Non-Alcoholic Beverages.The Beverage Packaging Market, presents critical information and factual data about the global Beverage Packaging Market, providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread global Beverage Packaging opportunities and trends are also taken into consideration in Beverage Packaging industry.Check Discount on this report@Some points from TOC:1 Global Beverage Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)2 Global Beverage Packaging Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20163 Global Beverage Packaging Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)4 Global Beverage Packaging Market Competition by Players/Suppliers5 Global Beverage Packaging Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)6 Global Beverage Packaging Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data7 Beverage Packaging Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Global Beverage Packaging Market Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2017-2022)Pre Order Enquiry for Beverage Packaging Market report @All aspects of the Beverage Packaging industry report are quantitatively as well as qualitatively assessed to study the global as well as regional market comparatively. The basic information such as the definition, prevalent chain and the government regulations pertaining to the Beverage Packaging market are also discussed in the report.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
In-Depth Analysis on CAS9 Technology Market & Global Forecast to 2022

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CAS9 technology Market Analysis by application, by medium (Enzyme, RNA, others), by delivery (IV Infusion, Injection, Inhalation others), By Key Companies (Editas Medicine, Horizon Discovery Group plc., New England Biolabs., Transposagen Inc., CRISPR Therapeutics) by end-users (hospitals, cardiac care centers, ambulatory and others) - Forecast till 2022Market Synopsis of CAS9 Technology Market:Market Scenario:CAS9 is an exceptional technological innovation that empowers genetic and therapeutic analysts to alter parts of the genome by removing, including or changing sections of the DNA. This technology right now is less complex, most adaptable and has precise technique for genetic manipulation hence it is causing a buzz in the science world. CAS9 is a genome altering technology that is creating a buzz in the science/healthcare world. It is faster in operation, monetarily less expensive and more efficient than previous technology used for altering DNA and has an extensive range of potential applications.This technology is yet to be performed upon humans, focus is currently on animals and on isolated human cells. It will help the healthcare/science industry to treat patients with fatal diseases. Based on the promising results of this technology, companies are investing massively in its research and development and are hoping to get the technology out of clinical trials as soon as possible. Globally the market for CAS9 technology is growing steadily and has a bright future.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Regional Analysis of CAS9 Technology Market:Globally North America is the largest market for CAS9 technology. Europe is expected to be the second-largest market. Furthermore Asia Pacific market is expected to be the fastest growing market for CAS9 Technology.Key Players for CAS9 Technology Market: CRISPR Therapeutics Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Lonza, Agilent Technologies GenScript Editas Medicine Horizon Discovery Group plc. New England Biolabs Transposagen Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics Albany Molecular Research Inc.Study objectives of CAS9 Technology Market: Giving detail analysis of the market structure along with its growth forecast for the next 7 years related to various segments and sub-segments of the CAS9 Technology market. Providing an insight about factors affecting the market growth. Analyzing the market based on various factors which includes price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters Five Force Analysis etc. To provide historical and forecasting the future revenue of the markets segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa. Providing the country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and estimated growth of the market. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to technology used, by application, by medium, end-user and its sub-segments. Presenting an overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the in the market. Tracking and analyzing competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, new product developments along with research and developments in the global CAS9 technology marketBrowse Full Report Details @Segments:CAS9 technology market has been segmented on the basis of medium which comprises of enzyme, RNA and others. On the basis of application the market is segmented into DNA sequence, DNA repair, gene library development, cell line engineering, genetic engineering, cancer, hepatitis B, gene therapy and others. On the basis of delivery IV infusion, injection, inhalation. On the basis of end-user, market is segmented into hospitals, biotechnology companies, research centers, and others.The report for CAS9 Technology 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. 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 markets segments and regionsContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global CAS9 Technology Market Research Report- Forecast To 2022 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.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.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices Market 2022: Comprehensive Research Study

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Global Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices Market Analysis by Type (gas monitors, standalone capnography monitors, depth of anesthesia, and MRI compatible anesthesia monitors), by End User (Hospitals, Clinics, ambulatory services) - Forecast to 2027Market Synopsis of Advance Anesthesia Monitoring DevicesMarket Scenario:Globally the market for Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices is increasing rapidly the main reason for this is the growth in safety of patients. The factors that influence the growth of Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices market are the increasing technology development in healthcare devices, Healthcare organizations encouraging patients to go undergo anesthesia monitoring. The market is also growing due to usage of Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices in wide range of treatment.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players Nihon Kohden Corporation (China) GE Healthcare (U.K.) Philips Healthcare (The Netherlands) Draegerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Germany) Masimo (U.S.) Infinium Medical (U.S.) Medtronic (U.S.) Mindray Medical International Limited (China)SegmentsThe market for Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices is segmented in mainly two parts i.e. by Type, by end users and its various sub-segments; by type include gas monitors, standalone capnography monitors, depth of anesthesia, and MRI compatible anesthesia monitors, and others. Whereas end-users segment include, hospitals, research laboratories, clinics, ambulatory services and others.Study Objectives of Advance Anesthesia Monitoring DevicesTo 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 Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices marketTo provide insights about factors affecting the market growthTo Analyze the Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices 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- Americas, 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 prospectiveTo provide country level analysis of the market for segment by Type, End Users and 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, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices market.Browse Full Report Details @The report for Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices 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. 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.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Advance Anesthesia Monitoring Devices Market Research Report - Forecast to 2027 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.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.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Mobile Robotics Market: Quantitative Market Analysis, Current and Future Trends

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The growing competitions among major players such as Alibaba, Amazon, and JD.com, characterizes the competitive landscape in the global Mobile Robotics Market, finds a new study by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The established participants are investing significantly in research and development as well as marketing resources, owing to which the competition within this market has intensified.With the producers focusing on manufacturing products at competitive prices, which are similar in functionality and performance and the rising number of new entrants, the degree of competition in this market is likely to remain high over the next few years, states the research report.Sample With Latest Advancements @As per TMRs estimations, the global market for mobile robotics, which was worth US$8.58 bn in 2016, is anticipated to rise at a healthy CAGR of 15.60% during the period from 2017 to 2025 and reach US$30.96 bn by the end of the forecast period. Unmanned ground vehicles have emerged as the key products in this market and are expected to retain their position over the next couple of years.Increasing Deployment of Mobile Robots in Manufacturing Sector to Ensure Asia Pacifics DominanceIn this research report, the worldwide market for mobile robotics has been classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America on the basis of geography. Asia Pacific led the global market in 2016 with 32.20% and is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the period of the forecast. The increasing deployment of mobile robots in the manufacturing sector is likely to drive the Asia Pacific mobile robotics market in the near future. Apart from this, the surge in the investment in defense and logistics sectors is also anticipated to increase the uptake of mobile robots in the coming years, reflecting greatly on the growth of this regional market.Browse Our Press Releases For More Information @According to the market study, mobile robots are mostly deployed in industrial and service applications. Among the two, mobile robots find a higher demand in the industrial application segment and the trend is likely to remain so over the next few years, states the reserch report.Increasing Usage of Mobile Robots for E-Commerce Logistics to Boost Markets GrowthThe increasing usage of mobile robots for e-commerce logistics is the key factor behind the substantial growth of the global market for mobile robotics, states the author of this research report. The recent rise in the e-commerce sector has fueled the demand for efficient order fulfillment, resulting into the rising integration of automation with manual labor to make the delivery system more efficient and reduce the online retail fulfillment costs. This, as a result, has impacted this market positively and is expected to have a high influence over the coming years.Browse Our Table of Content @The increasing demand for factory automation and the rising adoption of mobile robots in emerging economies, especially China, are also expected to stimulate this market over the forecast period. However, the high initial investments required for the deployment of mobile robots may hamper the growth of this market in the years to come, states the research study.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.Each TMR 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 wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Electronically Scanned Arrays Market Key Players and Production Information analysis 2024

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Electronically scanned arrays refer to a phased array antenna which is used to electronically steer a beam of radio waves in different directions. This type of arrays are primarily utilized in radars. In order to provide an in-depth analysis of the market, the global electronically scanned arrays has been segmented on the basis of product type, end users, range and geography. Based on product type, the market is categorized into AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Arrays) also known as APAR (Active Phased Array Radars) and passive electronically scanned arrays (PESA) or passive phased array. Electronically scanned arrays also finds its application among various end-user segment of defense sector including land, naval and airborne. Moreover, the operational range of an electronically scanned arrays can be classified into long, medium and short. The market of electronically scanned arrays market is anticipated to witness a high growth during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024 owing to increasing investment in upgrading of the radar system in order to increase their operational efficiency.The primary requirement to replace the traditional radar system across different regions is the most important factor expected to boost the demand of technologically advanced electronically scanned arrays in the coming years. In addition, the growing preference for technologically advanced radar for providing all weather battlefield surveillance against incoming threat is also expected to propel the demand of electronically scanned arrays during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.View Report-However, long replacement cycle of the radar system is of the primary factor anticipated to negatively affect the demand of electronically scanned arrays to some extent in the coming years.Based on product type, the active electronically scanned arrays (AESA) is predicted to experience the highest growth in terms of revenue during the forecast period. AESAs are fitted with receivers and transmitters, which yet again consist of several small modules of transmitter/receivers. AESAs have high capability of spreading emissions across a very wide range of frequencies. Thus, it is utilized extensively across wide area for sea and land surveillance.On the basis of end user segment, the naval sector is predicted witness the most promising growth in the coming years. For tracking and detection of naval activities, naval radars are extensively used. The primary function of naval-based radar system is locating warships, offshore patrol vessels (OPV), submarine and various other vessels of naval vessel. Radar-based naval systems are also used extensively for detecting ammunitions and anti-ship missile.On the other hand, medium range category of the electronically scanned arrays is forecasted to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period. These radars are utilized to locate targets in the range of 50 km to 150 km. These radars work in the frequency of 8 to 40 GHz and are used efficiently in the management of warships, maritime activities, naval activities and management of air trafficGeographically, the market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and South America. In 2015, North America held the largest share in the electronically scanned market among different regions. Huge concentration of electronically scanned manufacturers coupled with increasing investment in research and development activities is the primary factor behind this regions dominance. However, Asia Pacific region is anticipated to experience the highest growth in the coming eight years. The growing threats of terror activities in the region and is anticipated to drive the need for upgradation of surveillance capabilities. This in turn is predicted to accelerate the demand of electronically scanned arrays in Asia Pacific region. In addition, various territorial disputes across the borders of different countries in the Asia-pacific region and this has furthermore contributed to the increase in military budget to enhance capability of anti-missile. This has led to the increasing demand of AESA in the region of Asia-pacific.Request a brochure of this report -The global market of electronically scanned arrays is fragmented with many large and well-established players occupying a strong position worldwide. Also, many new players are also trying to enter the high electronically scanned arrays market owing to the expected high growth of the market.Some of the major players of the high voltage electronically scanned arrays market are Northrop Grumman Corporation (the US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (the US), Ericsson (Sweden), Saab AB (Sweden), Thales Group (France), Toshiba (Japan), Elta (Israel),The Raytheon Company (the US), Mitsubishi (Japan), Defence Research and Development Organization (India) amongst many others.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:
Brakes Market Key Developments with Forecast until 2026

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A brake is a mechanical device, which is used for slowing down or stopping a vehicle by absorbing the energy from the moving system. Most of the brakes used in vehicles utilize friction between two surfaces applied together to convert kinetic energy of the moving vehicle into heat. Regenerative braking helps in the conversion of the energy generated by the moving object into electrical energy, which can also be stored for later use. There are three major types of brakes such as frictional, pumping and electromagnetic. Frictional brakes are the most common type of brakes, which can be categorized into pad and shoe brakes. Frictional brakes are rotating components with stationary pad and a rotating wear surface.View Report-There are three vital configurations of frictional brakes, which are commonly known as band brake, drum brake and disc brake. Brake shoes contracting to rub on the outside of a rotating drum is called a band brake. Drum brake is a rotating drum with shoes, which expand to rub on the interior of a drum. A disc brake is one that has a pad grasped on to a rotating disc. Ceramic brakes are high-end frictional brakes in which the rotors and brake pads are made of porcelain. This ensures better stopping capabilities with high resistance to heat. As ceramic brakes are very expensive, therefore it is not easily available as compared to metallic brakes. However, the high performance of ceramic brakes makes it highly efficient for use in motorsports and is quite popular among racers, who prefer better performance.Increasing production of vehicles and rising demand for passenger cars are major factors driving the growth of brakes market globally. In addition, growth in the automotive sector coupled with economic reforms and increasing private equity investments in automotive brake manufacturing companies across the world is influencing the growth of this market positively. Moreover, high penetration of global brake manufacturing companies into the emerging markets of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America is also a key factor motivating the growth of brakes market. Increasing stringent norms set up by the government of various countries relating to the safety of vehicles is also driving the growth of brakes market globally. However, high cost associated with superior braking systems such as electronic brake systems and hydraulic brakes is set to inhibit the growth of this market partially in the short term.The brakes market can be classified by type and by application. The type segment can be classified into frictional, pumping and electromagnetic. By application, the market can be segregated as two-wheeler, three-wheeler, passenger cars, light commercial vehicle and heavy commercial vehicle.Request a brochure of this report -In the brakes market, Asia Pacific holds the largest market share followed by North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Increasing production of vehicles and growth in the automotive sector is driving the growth of brakes market in the Asia Pacific region. Countries such as China, India, Japan and South Korea are the major contributors to the brakes market of Asia Pacific. The market in North America and Europe tends to be a bit saturated but the market is expected to remain stable during the forecast period. Middle East and Africa, and Latin America is expected to provide huge scope and opportunities to the global brakes manufacturers and are expected to be significant markets in the future.The key players in the brakes market include Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Japan), Federal-Mogul Corporation (U.S.), Delphi Automotive LLP (U.K.), TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (U.S.), Continental AG (Germany), Mando Corp. (South Korea), Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd. (Japan) and Brembo S.p.A. (Italy) among others.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:
Smart Advisors Market Analysis and Key Trends 2026

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A smart advisor, also called a smart advisor program, is an application program that is used to understand the natural language and complete all the electronic tasks for an end user. Such a task, which can be performed by a smart advisor and were performed by personal assistants in past, includes taking dictations, reading texts or emailing messages aloud, look up for phone numbers, anticipate requests, place calls and remind the end users about the appointments. Today's smart advisors are programmed with the artificial intelligence, voice recognition and machine learning technology.View Report-As the end users interact with their smart advisors, the Artificial Intelligence program uses the sophisticated algorithm for learning from data inputs and becomes better in the prediction of an end user's need. Tomorrow's smart advisors would be built on a modern cognitive computing technology which allows a smart advisor understanding and carrying out multi-step request and then performs more complex task like making a plane reservation. Smart advisors are a contrast to other type of consumer facing Artificial Intelligence programming called digital assistants. Smart advisors are subject oriented, on the other hand digital assistants are task oriented. For Example a Smart Advisor enables an organization to automatically identify physician with the highest or lowest cost and performance. By use of an intelligent IT (Information Technology) platform, a Smart Advisor filters the entire population of physicians in the database to extract out only those physicians which are warranting assessment based on statistical significance level, case load volume, and other key criterias.The major driver for the smart advisors market is the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence in different industries for automation of tasks. Another driver driving the smart advisors market is the increasing of mobile phones and social media. Increasing use of smart advisors by banks and financial institutions is also major factor for the growth of the smart advisors market. Increasing use of smart advisors by both small scale and large scale enterprises is another factor leading to the growth of the smart advisors market. Increasing use of the technology in healthcare to provide virtual physicians is another factor leading to the growth of the smart advisors market. The market is also driven by growing need of machine operations in performing different tasks. The major challenge faced by the smart advisors market is the huge investments required during the initial stage of adopting the technology. Another challenge faced by the smart advisors market is the complexity of the technology which requires more understanding, training and skills.The smart advisors market can be segmented based on the type (Software, and Services), usage (websites, social media, mobile platform, and contact centers,), application (Financial Services, Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, Retails, Travel & Hospitality, Government, Education and Others) and based on geography (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America).Both Software and Services accounts for the large smart advisors market as there is growing need of artificial intelligence in these sectors. Consumer Electronics accounts for the largest market when market is segmented by application as consumer electronics find the maximum use of the technology. North America is the largest market for smart advisors and is anticipated to be the largest market in the coming years owing to the increasing use of technology. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for the automated optical inspection systems in the region owing to the rise in application of the technology in different industries in the region.Request a brochure of this report -Some of the key players include Artificial Solutions (Stockholm, Sweden), Nuance Communications Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S.)BM Watson (New York, U.S.), Next IT Corporation (Washington, U.S.), Creative Virtual Pvt. Ltd. (U.K.), eGain Corporation (California, U.S.), CX Company (The Netherlands), 24/7 Customer Inc. (U.S.), Codebaby (iDAvatars) ( U.S.), and Speaktoit Inc. (California, U.S.).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:
Locomotives Market Value Chain Analysis and Forecast up to 2026

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Locomotives are powered rail transport vehicles which provide motive power to trains with no payload capacity, and their only use is to pull the trains along tracks. However, nowadays push-pull operations have become common, in which the trains have locomotives at the rear, front, or at both the ends. Electric locomotives are preferred since, they deliver high performance, lower maintenance cost, and lower energy costs and reduced pollution levels.Increase in urbanization, environmental sustainability, and a broad spectrum of impending rail projects, growth in demand for energy efficient rolling stock, and an expanding infrastructure of rail networks are the major factors driving the locomotives market. The extensive rail networks globally further supporting the growth of electric locomotives to meet the demand as a public transport. In addition, technological progress such as launch of the SiC module, IGBT module and the auxiliary power units has resulted in a surging demand for locomotive engines. This progress has reduced the emission level, escalated the fuel efficiency, and lowered overall weight. This has led to a reducing power loss when switching the current state.View Report-However, there are certain restraining factors which are impeding the growth in the global locomotives market. Capital intensiveness of rolling stock, high maintenance cost, and overhaul cost are the key restraining factors hampering the growth of the market. In spite of these market challenges, the global market is expected to grow at a decent rate in the coming years. Increase in mining and industrial activities coupled with technological advancement in the field of SiC inverters will further drive the growth of the locomotives market.The global locomotives market is segmented on the basis of motive power, power conversion component, technology, end use, operational engine, wheel arrangement, and regions. On the basis of motive power, the market is segmented into steam, diesel, gasoline, electric, hybrid, steam diesel hybrid, fuel cell electric, atomic electric, and gas turbine electric. Motive power is a natural agent such as water, steam, electricity, and wind which helps in imparting motion to the engine of a locomotive. The diesel locomotives are further classified into early oil locomotive engines, first true diesel engines, modern diesel engines, and slugs or drones. Besides, the market is segregated based on power conversion component into rectifier, traction, inverter, alternator, and auxiliary power conversion unit.Some of the functions of power conversion components include, conversion of electric energy from one form of energy, adjusting voltage frequency and converting alternate current to direct current. Moreover, based on technology, the market is categorized into GTO thyristor module, IGBT power module, and SiC power module. Gate Turn-Off Thyristor module is a high powered semi-conductor device, while IGBT power modules are found in traction invertors. SiC module or silicon carbide module are used as oil additives to reduce friction, and emissions. Furthermore, the market is divided on the basis of end use into passenger, freight, and shunting or switcher locomotives. Additionally, on the basis of operational engine, the market segments are train engine, banking engine, pilot engine, station pilot, and light engine. The market is further segmented based on wheel arrangement into AAR, Whyte notation systems, and UIC classification. Wheel arrangement is a system for classifying the distribution of wheels of a locomotive. Since the wheels of a locomotive are optimized for different use, they form an integral part in the functioning of the locomotive system.Request a brochure of this report -Based on geography the locomotive market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest market share. It is also the fastest growing region.Some of the leading companies operating in this market are, Hitachi Ltd. (Japan), Siemens AG (Germany), CSR Corporation (China), Bombardier Transportation (Canada), Alstom SA (France), and AEG Power Solutions (Germany).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:
Embedded Analytics Market Analysis and Key Trends 2026

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Embedded analytics aims at providing higher accessibility of business intelligence and analysis of data to the various users of an organization. Traditional business analytics or intelligence is aimed at extraction of data and performing basic level of analysis. However, such applications are seldom capable of solving high level analytic problems. Embedded analytics aids in solving such problems as they are capable of analyzing huge quantities of multi domain data and extracting business specific data from the same. Embedded analytics are now being provided as an in-built part of most business applications such as customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) among others.View Report-Business intelligence is an aggregate of independent systems, such as people processes and technologies among others, which provides a central view point on the multi domain data gathered and analyzed. Such systems are primarily utilized for performing data analysis and involve many different types of applications. Embedded analytics, on the other hand, are a part of modern business applications and are aimed to provide specific information for supporting specific business actions or decisions. Currently, business intelligence vendors, such as Tableau Software and Sisense among others, develop embedded analytic tools, which is then integrated into business applications by the application developers and provided to the end-users.The market for embedded analytics is primarily being driven by the increased integration of such capabilities under commonly available business applications, compared to traditionally available business intelligence platforms. The integration of embedded analytics within business applications, such as accounting software and ERP, has enabled the users to generate visualization tools and specific analytical data immediately, which in turn has been promoting the growth of the market. Additionally, the huge growth in demand for internet of things (IOT), industrial internet of things (IIOT) and big data has led to generation of huge amount of multidisciplinary data. Analysis of such data, for offering customized solutions to customers and achieving competitive edge over rivals, has become of prime importance for business entities. It in turn has been boosting the growth of embedded analytics market. Furthermore, there is a strong growing demand for smart phones and connected electronic devices. It has also been generating huge amount of multidisciplinary data, of specific interest to various companies, which has been further promoting the growth of the embedded analytics market globally. A key trend in this market, mostly involving enterprises, is the development of in-house embedded analytics solutions, which can be customized by the end user.On the basis of applications, the embedded analytics market has been segmented into two types, namely commercial and non-commercial. Commercial applications segment was the largest segment in 2015 and is expected to remain the same during the forecast period. Such large market share can be attributed to the higher usage of commercial business intelligence applications having in built embedded analytics. On the basis of end-use industry, the market has been segmented into seven types. They are banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI), retail, manufacturing, consumer goods, healthcare, education and others. Others segment include construction and government among others. BFSI was the largest segment in 2015. The global embedded analytics market has again being segmented into five regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South America and Middle-East & Africa (MEA). North America was the largest segment, by region in 2015 and is expected to lose significant amount of its share to APAC during the forecast period.Request a brochure of this report -The major companies of the embedded analytics market globally are Sisense, Inc. (U.S.), Pentaho Corporation [Hitachi Data Systems]. (U.S.), Yellowfin Business Intelligence (Australia), MicroStrategy, Inc. (U.S.), Tableau Software (U.S.), Birst, Inc. (U.S.), Logi Analytics, Inc. (U.S.), TIBCO Software, Inc. (U.S.), BellaDati (U.S.) and GoodData Corporation (U.S.), among various other companies.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:
Currency Validating Machine Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2021

Currency Validating Machine Market 2017

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - Currency Validating Machine Market by Manufacturers,Types,Regions and Applications Research Report Forecast to 2021.The Currency Validating Machine industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Currency Validating Machine market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 2.55% from 293 million $ in 2013 to 316 million $ in 2016, The analysts believe that in the next few years, Currency Validating Machine market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2021, The market size of the Currency Validating Machine will reach 334 million $.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comThis Report covers the manufacturers data, including: shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the manufacturers.Section:-Section 1: FreeDefinitionSection (2 3): 1200 USDManufacturer DetailCrane Payment InnovationsCummins AllisonGlory Global SolutionsJapan Cash MachineFraudFighterGlobal Payment Technologies (GPT)JofemarInnovative Technology Ltd (ITL)CoincoCassidaInternational Currency TechnologiesMagnerHenry-techBaijiaShanghai Guao ElectronicWeirongKangyiBst-counterCometRongheJulongSection 4: 900 USDRegion SegmentationNorth America Country (United States, Canada)South AmericaAsia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)ContinueAsk Query @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsSection 1 Currency Validating Machine Product DefinitionSection 2 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview2.1 Global Manufacturer Currency Validating Machine Shipments2.2 Global Manufacturer Currency Validating Machine Business Revenue2.3 Global Currency Validating Machine Market OverviewSection 3 Manufacturer Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.1 Crane Payment Innovations Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.1.1 Crane Payment Innovations Currency Validating Machine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.1.2 Crane Payment Innovations Currency Validating Machine Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 Crane Payment Innovations Interview Record3.1.4 Crane Payment Innovations Currency Validating Machine Business Profile3.1.5 Crane Payment Innovations Currency Validating Machine Product Specification3.2 Cummins Allison Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.2.1 Cummins Allison Currency Validating Machine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.2.2 Cummins Allison Currency Validating Machine Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 Cummins Allison Currency Validating Machine Business Overview3.2.5 Cummins Allison Currency Validating Machine Product Specification3.3 Glory Global Solutions Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.3.1 Glory Global Solutions Currency Validating Machine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.3.2 Glory Global Solutions Currency Validating Machine Business Distribution by Region3.3.3 Interview Record3.3.4 Glory Global Solutions Currency Validating Machine Business Overview3.3.5 Glory Global Solutions Currency Validating Machine Product Specification3.4 Japan Cash Machine Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.5 FraudFighter Currency Validating Machine Business Introduction3.6 Global Payment Technologies (GPT) Currency Validating Machine Business IntroductionSection 4 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Region Level)4.1 North America Country4.1.1 United States Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.1.2 Canada Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.2 South America Country4.2.1 South America Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.3 Asia Country4.3.1 China Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.3.2 Japan Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.3.3 India Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.3.4 Korea Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.4 Europe Country4.4.1 Germany Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.4.2 UK Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.4.3 France Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.4.4 Italy Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.4.5 Europe Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.5 Other Country and Region4.5.1 Middle East Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.5.2 Africa Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.5.3 GCC Currency Validating Machine Market Size and Price Analysis 2013-20164.6 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Region Level) Analysis 2013-20164.7 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Region Level) AnalysisSection 5 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)5.1 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) Market Size 2013-20165.2 Different Currency Validating Machine Product Type Price 2013-20165.3 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) AnalysisSection 6 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Industry Level)6.1 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Industry Level) Market Size 2013-20166.2 Different Industry Price 2013-20166.3 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Industry Level) AnalysisSection 7 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Channel Level)7.1 Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Channel Level) Sales Volume and Share 2013-20167.2 Global Currency Validating Machine Global Currency Validating Machine Market Segmentation (Channel Level) AnalysisContinue.Buy 1-User PDF @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US: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.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Passenger Vehicles Market in India 2017

Passenger Vehicles

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Passenger Vehicles Market Research Report The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Publisher' latest market research report titled Passenger Vehicles Market in India 2017 states that the passenger vehicles in India is expected to reach 5.4 mn units by FY 2022, expanding at a CAGR of 12%. The passenger vehicles market is segmented into Passenger Cars, Utility Vehicles and Vans. Passenger cars has 69% share and occupies the larger pie of the passenger vehicles market. Utility Vehicles and Vans have 25% and 6% share respectively. With advancements in technology, car manufacturers are gearing efforts to bring cutting edge technology to their vehicles. New technological developments such as connected cars, autonomous driving systems, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and IoT related technologies is redefining the automotive industry in India.In Mar 2017, ban on sale and registration of BS III vehicles put pressure on several vehicle manufacturing companies in India. Demonetization has severely affected the domestic sales of passenger vehicles in India. The major players in the market such as Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Honda Cars India Ltd., Tata Motors Ltd. have witnessed a sharp decline in sales of vehicles across the country. However, several government initiatives such as implementation of GST and Make in India campaign is fueling the passenger vehicles segment in the country. Implementation of GST is expected to act as an antidote against demonetization.Get Free Sample of this ReportCoverage:Overview of the passenger vehicles market, and historical and forecasted market size data over FY 2011 to FY 2026eOverview of the passenger cars market, and historical and forecasted market size data over FY 2011 to FY 2026eOverview of the utility vehicles market, and historical and forecasted market size data over FY 2011 to FY 2026eOverview of the vans market, and historical and forecasted market size data over FY 2011 to FY 2026eTrade analysis of passenger vehicles in IndiaQualitative analysis of the major drivers and challenges affecting the passenger vehicles marketAnalysis of the competitive landscape and profiles of major public and private players operating in the marketKey recent developments in the Indian passenger vehicles marketWhy Buy-Get a broad understanding of the passenger vehicles market in India, the dynamics of the market and the current state of the industryDevise market-entry strategies by understanding the factors driving the growth of the marketUnderstand major competitors' business and market dynamics, and respond accordinglyGet complete access of this report@Passenger Vehicles Market Company ProfilingPublic Companies1. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.2. Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.3. Tata Motors Ltd.Private Companies1. Ford India Pvt. Ltd.2. Honda Cars India Ltd.3. Hyundai Motor India Ltd.4. Renault India Pvt. Ltd.5. Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd.6. Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd.About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queriesContact Us:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028Phone : +91-20-67278686E-Mail : info@reportsweb.com
Tom Poland is the author of 12 books and more than 1,000 magazine features. A Southern writer, his work has appeared in magazines throughout the South. He writes a weekly column for newspapers in Georgia and South Carolina about the South, its people, traditions, lifestyle, and changing culture and speaks often to groups across South Carolina and Georgia, Georgialina. Visit Tom Polands website at www.tompoland.net. Email Tom about most anything. tompol@earthlink.net.
Were lucky Donald Trump is a monumentally stupid villain.

Were lucky Mike Flynn is a monumentally stupid villain.

Were lucky Steve Bannon is a monumentally stupid villain.

And were lucky that James OKeefe, founder of Project Veritas, is also a monumentally stupid villain.

I mean, put the morality of the Washington Post sting aside for just a second and bask in how luxuriously stupid this plan was.

Here are the things OKeefe had to count on for the plan to work. First and foremost, James OKeefe believes Trump when he calls the 51-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post fake news. OKeefe also would have had to believe the paper was politicized far enough to the left that its bias would blind it to the innumerable holes in a sensational fake story. OKeefe also either concocted or approved of this bombshell story, fully aware that no one on earth would be able to corroborate any of it. He then calculated that the Post would run this game-changing story without even looking into it, even though the Post published its first Roy Moore assault story on the strength of not one or two or three or ten but thirty sources.

Were not even to the liberal media part yet.

So in addition to betting his organizations reputation that all of the above was highly likely to be true, OKeefe also believed the (51-time Pulitzer Prize-winning) paper was so leftist and unprincipled it had engaged in a covert campaign to smear Roy Moore for political gain. And on top of that he believed that if they were, theyd admit it in the first meeting with a stranger who came to them with an outrageous tip that couldnt be substantiated. On top of that, either he didnt think he/his newly hired young operative would be caught or that if they were caught it wouldnt matter, either to the Post or, most insultingly, to the public.

Were not even to the consequences yet.

OKeefe thought the sting was within the unique scope of his powers, and that he alone had not only the capacity but the responsibility (ethically; morally; politically; all of the above) to do this incredibly heinous, incredibly, incredibly stupid thing that would almost certainly work out in his favor. He then gamed it out and concluded that, should the plan succeed, it would persuade enough citizens of Alabama to vote for an accused serial sexual offender in a state election in order to send a message to the national media as well as to all the women who through that media shared their stories (substantiated thirty times over) about being sexually assaulted by Roy F***ing Moore, who also defended a Klansman.

OKeefe also believed he could not only undermine the mainstream media and the accusations of sexual abuse from multiple women (many of which Moore hasnt denied), but that this wouldnt inspire other Moore victims to step around the media and come forward on their own, as many, many people have shown theyre happy to do. He also made the bet that it would be a net gain to discredit not only the mainstream media but also the voices of real victims of sexual abuse all in order to, again, get the alleged child molester who allegedly sexually abused them elected to the Senate so that Congress couldnt block a Supreme Court nominee.

In the chance a vacancy opens.

Within the next year.

But this isnt just about some arrogant dipshit dipshitting arrogantly. This is one more data point that shows weve passed a point of no return: that whataboutism is indeed the biggest threat to the democratic process in modern U.S. history.

But that will have to wait a few minutes while we unravel the dysfunctional slipknot this jackass tied for himself.

James OKeefe also thinks, stupidly, cynically, and in an atrociously un-American, unconstitutional way, that it would be a net gain for democracy if the free press were to lose much of its capacity to function as a credible check on political power and a voice for the truth. (Especially atrocious for assault victims.) It then didnt occur to him that if his paper-thin plot failed (though theres a high probability this didnt occur to him), it wouldnt backfire in every way and strengthen all the things he calculated needed to be undermined because their strength would in the end defeat Moore. And at the same time with undeniable certainty, undermine his own operation.

Which he has the temerity and arrogance to name after the truth.

What a historically stupid piece of shit.

(The whole thing also reeks of Steve Bannon, another megaton idiot.)

But MORALLY? Holy Toledo.

Lets walk through that decision-making process. What are the problems youre trying to solve; how youre going to solve them; which ends would be most effective and most delight you and, perhaps most sadly, your base; how you can maximize the destruction of the press and assault victims themselves; how you can inoculate a sex abuser against future claims, even at the cost of intimidating other victims (of politicians of any party) into staying quiet; etc.

First we have to recognize the primary problem wasnt even the Washington Post. The primary problem, the one OKeefe really needed to solve, was the effect that the multiple accusations that Judge Roy Moore, candidate for the U.S. Senate, sexually and habitually assaulted underage girls was having on the race. This must be stopped at all costs!

Solution? Well, since OKeefe must have concluded the victims werent lying (the far easier thing would have been to prove one or two of them were liars, not the Post; this also ended up adding credence to the claims) then hed have to go around them, like a coward, and tarnish the messenger. For what its worth, other victims out there should note this is how much strength and support your stories have if you come forward with the truth.

We also know OKeefe thinks a good way to prove someone is lying is to lie about it. Despite the fact he got caught, publicly shamed, and convicted in a court of law for failing at this same stunt in 2010. OKeefes Project Veridumb also still boasts as a member this dude named Robert Halderman, who in the same year got sentenced to six months in jail for trying to blackmail David Letterman.

Can you imagine the process of coming up with this idea, let alone deciding to go ahead with it? Can you imagine how massively malicious and stupid and shitty and myopically arrogant a person youd have to be not only to germinate the thought, but then to take the step of telling someone else, and then game the whole thing out, consider the risks, and go forward with it?

They kept the operation going for SEVERAL DAYS, even when the paper said it would fact-check everything before taking more steps.

Thanks again, right-wing dipshits! The press has never looked better.

This isnt anything new. We saw a similar attempt over the summer to discredit Rachel Maddow with a falsified leaked document related to the Russia scandal. Rachel Maddow is a Rhodes scholar. She looked into it. The dumb plan didnt work, and of course Maddow turned it around and scored a win for her show and the MSM overall.

I dont know whether Project Veridumb was behind that, but it wouldnt surprise me. If they werent, youd think OKeefe must have at least heard about it, then either forgot or didnt learn the lesson.

I mean, my dude. Come on. Gullible dopes in general dont work their way up to showcase political reporter positions at Pulitzer Prize-winning institutions.

This isnt partisan, either. Rabidly anti-Trump sensationalist citizen journalists such as Louise Mensch (the worst of the bunch) and Claude Taylor fell for the same type of hoax that Maddow was experienced and professional enough to sniff out.

Did I mention OKeefe did all of this in order to get a credibly accused (several times over) child molester elected to the Senate in the off chance Trump got to nominate a Supreme Court justice within the next year?

You have to laugh a little. Because then you see the bigger picture

Perhaps more tragic than all of this is that its just one more data point that reinforces my belief that weve passed a point of no return. Im talking here about the dispiriting invincibility of whataboutism, perhaps the most treacherous epidemic of political rhetoric in modern U.S. history.

Because lets pretend weve teleported to some alternate moron reality in which OKeefes gambit worked. After all, the only thing had to do was burn the right reporter at the right paper. From that moment until who knows when, that hoax would be an infinitely reloadable bullet in the right-wings whatabout gun. And not just for sexual assault claims, but for any report.

Oh yeah? What about the Roy Moore story? FAKE NEWS!

The thing about the whatabout bullet is it doesnt have to work. It just has to be a bullet. You shoot it and as long as youre convinced its a real bullet, it works. Its cowboys and indians for delusional right-wing dingbats.

Listen, the horrible human thing were now having to come to grips with is that belief is ultimately a personal choice. No amount of evidence matters if you simply choose not to believe it. The power of the whatabout gun is that, for someone looking for a reason to dismiss any piece of evidence no matter how plain, you only need the one bullet. After the attacks on CNN this summer, including a scandal where CNN upheld its integrity by firing reporters who violated their standards, as well as another Veridumb failure, no one on the right wing will ever again admit as truth or evidence anything CNN reports that challenges their preconceived worldview. If it reaffirms their worldview, no problem. Its up to you when you want to pull the trigger.

You only need one reason. And if you can write off the source, it doesnt matter if you do it in good conscience. And so weve arrived at that point of no return: A world in which the ends justify the means.

Even if that means electing a damn pedophile.

Excuse me: an alleged damn pedophile. Journalistic standards, you know.
I havent protested Donald Trump and the Republican Party in 2017 yet. I mean, I have, as this section demonstrates every day, but I have yet to protest them in the physical world. I made plans to go to the womens march earlier this year, but my move down to Atlanta to work for Paste threw a wrench into that idea. Now that I cover these schmucks all day every day, it has basically rendered any extracurricular political activity overly exhaustive, and I genuinely fear for my sanity if I spend too much time embedded in our political hysteria.

But Im back home visiting my family in Colorado for Thanksgiving this week, and they have been helping me make up for lost time. On Tuesday, I accompanied them to an Indivisible protest against the farce that is the GOP tax bill. Heres what I observed.

Some on the right tend to look at these protests and think that they are unorganized morasses of humanity binding together to exert a primal scream. What I observed was a group with a very clear strategy. The event was staged across the street from Republican Senator Cory Gardners office in downtown Denver, and it lasted an hour.

We arrived ten minutes before the rally began, and local TV stations and newspapers were already set updespite the fact that there were only a handful of organizers there. Initially, I thought I had wasted my afternoon attending a non-event, but people soon began showing up in droves, and eventually about 150 packed the sidewalk across the street from the target of their message. The organizers set up a livestream to broadcast on the web, and the protest signs that people brought rotated in the background behind each speaker, who was shedding light on the various evils hidden in the Republican tax bill. This was not a rambling group of anti-Trumpists, but an organization who very clearly understood all the various methods needed to effectively broadcast a message, and the Republican Partynot Trumpwas the primary target of their collective action. The success of organizations like Indivisible is likely a factor in the 84% of voters who say this tax plan will not reduce their taxes.

The Congressional Budget Office exists so we have a politically independent source to verify our representatives financial claims. They score every bill in order to ascertain its effect on the budget. The CBO doesnt go as far to say the GOP plan is a lie, but its impossible for both the CBOs and the GOPs claims to be true. The Republicans say this will be a boon to the middle class, and that it wont hurt the poor, but thats a claim that just isnt based in reality. If youre making $40,000 or lessat bestyoull receive a tax cut in 2019, but have your taxes raised going forward. By 2027, those making $75,000 or less will also see a tax hike. Its written very clearly in their own plan. The GOP is effectively waving their hand in front of our faces and telling us these are not the droids you are looking for.

The CBO said that the tax bill will automatically cut Medicare by $25 billion per year. The crowd here skewed older, and nearly everyone I spoke to feared that their health and/or financial stability is in serious jeopardy. However, plenty also offered the caveat that they couldnt be completely certain of their childrens futures, because the Republicans refuse to tell us much of what is in this bill.

Hatch says changes to tax bill probably wont be public until they are made on the floor.  Alan Rappeport (@arappeport) November 27, 2017

The Republicans are fond of saying that this is an average tax cut for the middle class, and they're right. Well, they're right in the same way that if Bill Gates stood next to me, on average we would be billionaires. Whenever you hear a politician use the word average to defend one of their plans, your BS detector should go off. This tax plan is so transparently fraudulent that ForbesForbes!published a piece titled How The GOP Tax Plan Scrooges Middle Class, Retired And Poor.

So much of this push is fraudulent, but what really gives it all away is what the plan keeps permanent. In order to comply with Senate rules, this plan cannot add too much to the debt, and in order to stay in bounds, the Republicans have come up with a novel idea: keep some tax cuts in place forever, while letting others expire in a decadewhich means that corporations get to keep their giveaway, while any benefits to individuals expire in 2027.

I love this. We need more wonkish protests. I tried to find the woman holding this sign after the speakers concluded, but her friends told me that she had to leave early to go back to work. So did the woman who organized this entire protest outside Senator Gardner's office. How apropos.

This is why this is all happening. The donor class needs a return on their down payment. We live in a rich banana republic where politicians are more accountable to their donors than their voters. This is a wildly unpopular bill40% of GOP voters don't even support itbut our oligarchs have decided that their insatiable desire to liquidate our society in order to further line their pockets cannot be deterred by small annoyances like democracy. During one of the speeches, a man jokingly screamed from the crowd eat the rich! Initially I recoiled at the quipbecause I believe that dehumanizing our political opponents is partially to blame for our present malaisebut once logic took root, I concluded that was simply a proportional response to their assault on the rest of us (note: 400 millionaires have signed a pledge asking Congress to raise their taxes, so they're not all baddies).

Hell yes. This is the winner of my unofficial sign contest. All our representatives come out of Congress richer than they entered regardless of party, so why do they need to be paid a living wage? Lastly, to all Republicans who think that it's only the politically active who are organized against your effort to defraud America, the end of this video I took is instructive.

Hey @SenCoryGardner, if you think that the only people opposed to the #GOPTaxScam are @indivisibleden, watch this video until the very end. pic.twitter.com/VgpZMFYymK  Jacob Weindling (@Jakeweindling) November 28, 2017

Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.
West, northern Michigan brace for storm that could bring foot of snow
Andrew Juskaitis, Global Marketing Manager, Giant Bicycles

...because we are so big and because we want to have great product and the latest and the greatest stuff available, because want to to keep track of our products, model year is just a necessary thing for us to do to make sure that at the end of the day the consumer gets the best possible bicycle from us.

Here's today's burning question: Does the tradition of rolling out new bikes each year still make sense? The "model year" system has been alive and well in the bike industry for decades now. You know how it worksevery year, sometime between Eurobike and the annual Christmas-shopping orgy, new fleets of bikes roll into bike shops.It's a new year, so we must have "new" bikes, right?Well, maybe. And then again, maybe not. While the model-year production cycle might make sense for car dealerships desperate to lure you into years of credit-card bondage, many observers have pointed out that the same phenomenon seems a bit pointless in the bike industry. After all, bike models don't usually undergo wholesale transformations every 12 months. Why, then, must we keep rolling out "new" versions when the most noteworthy change many a model will undergo from one year to the next is limited to it transitioning from a "Violent Eggplant" paint job to something in a fetching "Enduro Blue"?Clearly, there are two sides to this coin. Plenty of bike companies (particularly the larger ones) still adhere to the model-year system. A growing number of small to mid-tier companies, however, follow a more on-the-fly business model in which they update existing models as new components become available and only roll out "new models" when they've actually updated the chassis. Which system makes more sense and how does all of this actually impact the average rider? We put the question to Andrew Juskaitis, Global Marketing Manager at Giant Bicycles, and Josh Kissner, Santa Cruz Bicycles' Product Manager.

So, what are the general benefits of bringing out new versions of bikes every year?

Even when there isnt a significant frame update to a bicycle series (i.e. Anthem, Trance, Reign, Glory etc.), the component specification, frame details and colors/graphics always progresswhich translates into providing customers the very best product (i.e. up-to-date) that they can purchase.In some cases where market change is not as dynamic, such as select youth bikes as well as our Momentum line of mobility bikes, we do apply the carry-over concept where a model year can last a few yearsbut these are rare exceptions to our standard procedure of model year.

Similar question, but a bit more pointed: Why does the model year system work well for Giant?

Like car brands, model year has a practical use for us in terms of cataloging/bike dating/ bike tracking. This is especially important for customer service/support reasons. With over 156 models in the Giant USA product line (and over 500 in the global lineup), from a production/logistical standpoint, we simply have to organize this massive product range by model-year. Simply put, we HAVE to change SKUs every year to keep production/warranty/sales on track.

But what if a brand like SRAM rolls out a new, awesome component like they did with Eagle in the middle of the year. Lets say some new drivetrain rolls out to the public in April of 2018, but the model-year 2018 Giant models sold at bike shops in late 2017 or winter 2018 dont have those new components. Doesnt that suck for consumers who want the latest parts on their complete bike? Wouldnt the consumer get a better bike if Giant had a more flexible, on-the-fly system where new bikes are rolled out and updated, based on the availability of new parts?

year

A new model every year? That's how Giant rolls.

So, what you just described there might be a great idea for a smaller brand that has that kind of flexibility, but would be a fairy tale proposition for a brand of our size. Small to maybe mid-size brands, like our friends at Pivot, may be able to move that quickly, but keep in mind that we own our factory, and at that factory every minute of production on every single day is booked onein advance; so its simply impossible for us to take advantage of something that suddenly pops up mid-year like that.Now also keep in mind that we, Giant, are big enough that we have significant pull with component manufacturers. I know that might sound arrogant, but its just a reality for us because we make and manufacture more quality bikes than any other brand, particularly when you factor in the bikes we build for others. The bottom line is that companies at Shimano, SRAM, Fox or RockShox come to us first and work with us to make sure that the timing of the release of their components is syncd up to our manufacturing process.Sometimes that works out. Occasionally it doesn't work. The new Dura Ace, for instance, will be available in April and thats just not the right time for us, but sometimes component manufacturers will delay the availability of a product so that we can get it on our bikes first. We just have that kind of mass to make that happen.

So is this a question of scale thendoes model-year bike production just make better sense for larger brands?

soon

Giant manufactures everything in-house...including the unidirectional fabric used in their composite frames.

Absolutely, it comes down to company size. Naturally, thats a double-edged swordit has its pros and cons too. Again, we have to plan every minute of every day for production in our factory so that we are not going to be able to jump on something mid year that suddenly pops up because again, for us everything is negotiated 12 months in advance.That mid-year component release is also, to be fair, a recent development in the grand scheme of things, isnt it? There was a time when brands like Shimano rolled out their new components at Interbikeso that they were timed with the debut of new bike models. Product launches almost always happened on a very set and predictable calendartypically between June and September. The advent of next years suspension forks consistently debuting in April, during Sea Otter, has been going on now for less than a decade.Sure. Its been going on for something like five years now. But showing a new product at Sea Otter and saying something like The new Dura Ace disc brake will be available isnt the same thing as actually making the new disc brake available at Sea Otter. Marketing folks are trying to launch products at what they feel is the right time of year, but when will that product actually be available for us to actually put on our bicycles? Thats an entirely different question.Weve been burned on that a number of times in the past. For example, when SRAM hydro [ed. hydraulic road disc brakes] came out, we were very excited about putting that product on a bunch of our cross bikes, so we built two bikes, using SRAM hydro. Then lo and behold: production delays, production delays, production delaysIt was so bad that we had to cancel those models. The same thing has happened with other component brands that bring out new products that, for a variety of reasons, just arrive too late in the production cycle for us to put on our bikes.In short, were a little gun shy about new products showing up at Sea Otter or some other launch in April or Maywhat really matters for us is when that product is going to show up at our factory.

So youre saying that consumers may have an expectation that you should have those new parts on your bikes mid year, the moment they show up at Sea Otter, when many of those products are still months away from being available to anyone?

Absolutely. There is just no way you are going to see a product at Sea Otter and Giant is going to launch a bike in July with that product on it. That timing is far fetched.But again, Giant is so large a company and customer of those component brands that were often involved with new products a full year ahead of even early-season events like Taichung Bike Weekwhich is when a lot of other brands often first see the new components coming down the pike. So we generally stay ahead of the curve already when it comes to specing the latest and the greatest.For instance, Fox has a new electronic suspension system in the works and weve been riding every iteration of that suspension for the last three years. There are very few surprises for companies our size. We are aware of just about everything that will be important thats coming down the line and we jump on those trends that we think will be advantageous for the rider.

Does the model-year system help or hurt bike shops?

Josh Kissner, Product Manager, Santa Cruz Bicycles

One way we differ from our larger competitors is the willingness to introduce new models or changes anytime we feel the bike is ready....



I suppose we could finish a project and just hold it until later, but why wait? So we generally just introduce bikes when they are done and ready to ship.

Thats a great question. While it seemingly might cause dealers and consumers some headaches, what really matters to the rider is that they can rest assured that every year the product line improves-with the very latest frame updates, component specification and colors/graphics that they desire for their hard-earned cash.I will say that because of who we arebecause we are so bigthe model-year system helps bike shops order the right product. It helps us keep inventory and manage inventory of the right product. Now for your consumers at the other end of the computer, it can be a bit confusing, I can imagine, or off-putting. But because we are so big and because we want to have great product with the latest and the greatest stuff on it, and because want to to keep track of our products...model year is just a necessary thing for us. It helps us make sure that, at the end of the day, the consumer gets the best possible bicycle from us.

Santa Cruz has never been a strict model-year kind of brand. Why not?

Santa Cruz, HQ.

We have had what we consider to be model years for as long as I can remember, and I've been here since 2001. Maybe we're just a bit more flexible about what that term means, and are willing to make exceptions more than other bike companies. One way we differ from our larger competitors is in our willingness to introduce new models or changes anytime we feel the bike is ready. Our engineering team is always working on new stuff, and we call the bike done when its ready - not based on some arbitrary time of the year. I suppose we could finish a project and just hold it until later, but why wait? So we generally just introduce bikes when they are done and ready to ship. We're way too excited to sit on that stuff for months.In addition, we build all our wheels and bikes in our factory in Santa Cruzand the team in assembly would get bored if they didn't have new bikes to build all year round. A new model intro in the fall or winter keeps things moving and we have great riding all year long on our local trailsso it's more natural for us.Generally though, we don't introduce a new bike right before there are some big changes coming. For instance, we had to hold the recent Nomad back a month while we waited to get the latest suspension, GX Eagle, and the new Code brakes from SRAM. Well worth the wait for all of that stuff, and our dealers and customers end up much happier.We haven't always done it right, but we're getting better. Our customers aren't the least bit shy about giving us feedback/criticism (not even a tiny bit) and we try to listen.

Is this just a question of scaledoes the model-year system simply make better sense for larger brands and less sense for smaller brands?

The model-year system makes sense for all of us, but certainly is more critical for larger brands. It is a bit hard on dealers (and manufacturers like us) to be so predictable, as I think people have learned what times of year are good for buying bikes, and when it's not. We'd rather be selling bikes all the time. I suppose we could purposefully be more erratic, but we'd rather deal with the former than feel like we're trying to trick anyone.

Most companies that dont release a new version of each model in their line every year tend to be smaller brands. That was certainly true of Santa Cruz at one point, but the brand has clearly grown since the `90s. Given the PON acquisition, Santa Cruz seems poised to only grow larger. Will Santa Cruz eventually move to a stricter model-year bike roll out?

The factory floor--in this case, at Trek Bicycles.

If you look waaaaaay back to the olden times (like 2005), bike parts didn't change nearly as often. An XT group stuck around for 5 years. Rear shocks didn't change for maybe three years. Back then, we could get away with rolling in changes when convenient, and it wasn't a big deal. We offered eight colors, so we didn't need to change them.....practically ever. Nowadays bikes are so competitive and quick-changing, I can't imagine going back to that pace. It's a lot of work for everyone, but look at the bikes we're riding now!As far as the new owners, it doesn't impact that part of our business. We're still building bikes in Santa Cruz, and still have the same people and systems in place that we had three years ago. The big change is that we now have the resources we need (more engineers!) to make wheels and new bikes and keep everything on top of its game. That includes new paint schemes on a regular basis as well. No one wants a Sriracha color Hightower if all their riding buddies have them already. And we get bored of them toowe need to keep things fresh.

Does the model-year system help or hurt bike shops?

I think the upsides outweigh the downsides for shops. Things have to change at some point to keep making improvements. The model year system at least adds some predictability to the cycle. I've certainly heard shops ask for a bit more stability/longevity so they can keep product on the floor current for longer, and that would be really convenient for us too. But having awesome product that is the absolute cutting edge will always be win out. New bikes get riders stoked.I'm happy that the industry has more or less settled on a system. Not sure if the time of the year to make changes is necessarily the most ideal, but it could be worse.

Does the model-year system help or hurt the average rider?

I'm not sure if it hurts or helps... I guess it depends on when somebody wants to buy a bike. If you want the latest and greatest, time your purchases appropriately as an early adopter. If you don't, just look on the used market after the bike you're looking at gets a freshening up.I certainly hear and understand the people who are concerned about the resale value of their two-year-old carbon spaceship, but you can't have it both ways. Either you want the super-rad shit that was just introduced, or you don't care as much. Fine either way, there will always be something to ride. Just don't get the latest thing and then ask that the whole world takes a pause while you get your money's worth and sell it on (to finance your next spaceship)!

Does refraining from the model-year system allow some bike brands to be more responsive to mid-year product releases? In other words, does it allow you to shift spec at any point in the year if new forks, brakes or drivetrain components suddenly become available?

Where we differ from a lot of other companies is that we build all our bikes in-house, they aren't assembled in Taiwan or China and sent in a container to a warehouse twice a year. Our agility and ability to make exceptions to the model-year rule comes from the fact that we make bikes to order in our Santa Cruz Factory. If someone comes out with a new part that is just too life-changing for us to wait, we can make it happen quite quickly. I just have to bribe our purchasing team with beer and sample bike parts! This is our advantage as a smaller company that builds bikes ourselves every day. I can walk 50 feet and talk to our operations team, and go downstairs to the loading dock to see if new widgets have arrived yet. And if there's confusion about a mid-year change, we're all in the same building and can deal with itit's not endless meetings with people from far-away lands.

Some industries are very wedded to model-years. The automotive industry is a good example. Other industriessuch as the tech sectorseem to simply roll out new products as soon as new technology arises. Where should the bike industry fit in all of this? Does it make sense for us to continue along with the model-year approach to rolling out new product?

I couldn't say what drives the car industry to be so strict with their model years, but you need the year of a car's manufacture to determine its value, used or new. I'd hypothesize that the tech industry can be so flexible because they can update their products in a less obvious way, through software updates. Completely new models don't come out as often, but when they do come, it's usually timed strategicallyalmost like a model year. I'm pretty sure the iPhoneX timing to come out just before holiday shopping isn't coincidentaland big tech companies have conferences annually where they introduce new products. Hardware isn't visibly dated with a time-stamp (or model year) because they use software that is revised regularly, and people are comfortable with that system. We could call bike names with version numbers and update part spec & color at random times, but I'm not sure there is any reason to do that...
FULL SPECTRUM: SINGLETRACK 6, 2017 Portraits from the Back of the Pack photography: robin oneill // words: lisa richardson The fires changed our landscape this year; as seen in this surreal sunset

Going into its fth year in 2018, Singletrack 6 is starting to attract riders from all around the world. But theyre not the racers youd expect.

Camp set-up, Rossland.

Answer enough?

Date Week.

Evgeniya Sidorenko and Anton Ilin

Evgeniya Sidorenko and Anton Ilin finishing back of the pack. First finisher on this final stage was 2:02:55

Q: What motivated you to finish the days your rode? A: "Our irresistible desire of pleasurable riding did us uncrushable."

Q: "What motivated you to sign up for this race?" A: "Jane."

Easier than the day job.

Dan Lewark, Executive Chef, four-time Singletrack 6 finisher. 'I look forward every year to this.'

Dan Lewark

The best way to travel alone.

Jose Maria da Silveira, an agronomist, biotechnology expert and professor of economics at Sao Paola's prestigious University of Campinos, took up mountain biking 10 years ago.

da Silveira wouldn't have made it to the start line were it not for the "flower people's" inspirational video from their appearance in 2016. And he wouldn't have made it to the finish line, were it not for the great medic support team.

A moment of self-inquiry for Robin O'Neill. "It's about riding new trails, community and exploring BC's wilderness with friends and Chris."

Rossland, BC.

When you wrap up your ride in under three hours, there's plenty of downtime for exploring the local food scene.

Post race, nobody counts calories. Food Truck, Nelson

Last minute tire repair and race prep

Race recovery tactics. Chris Clark leaps into Kootenay Lake

Will race for homemade huckleberry pie and ice cream. Teresa's Coffee shop.

Mt Buchanan Fire lookout - looking over Kaslo

Exploring what BC has to offer on our way home, New Denver

Evolving from the seminal sufferfest, the TransRockies Challenge, Singletrack 6 has remained a test-piece multi-day stage race for core riders from across BC since it began in 2014.Singletrack 6's 4th iteration at the end of July attracted its biggest, and most global eld yet. 324 riders from 18 countries came to test themselves against the stout trails, techy descents and steep climbs of Rossland, Nelson and Kaslo. The pack front-runners ate up each dusty stage in a little over two hours.At the back of the pack, though, an entirely different experience was unfolding. There, with the sweeps riding by their sides, riders might spend ve or six hours on the trail each day, some on hardtails, battling their inexperience with technical singletrack, stopping at the feed stations, or getting off the bike to take photos or forage for wild raspberries.What were they even doing there?Too far back to be caught up in the rush, hum and momentum of the race-pack, these riders tap a different source of energy to complete the 956km course, relying on a camaraderie that develops with one another and the 60 crew and volunteers who staff the feed stations, ag and sweep the trails, offer rst aid, and cheer the stragglers on.It's not a race.For these riders, nishing Singletrack 6 is a personal challenge. It's also a travel experience, an epic of exhaustion, a community gathering, and their favourite week of the year.Photographer Robin O'Neill spent her downtime meeting a few, to find out what made them tick.Anton Ilin (31), an oncologist, and Evgeniya Jane Sidorenko (33), an "upriser", from Saint Petersburg, Russia bought bikes a year and a half ago. Hardtail Olimpia F1s. Singletrack 6 was their chance to see Canada and enjoy the best riding in the world. Theyd been in local races before, but had never ridden anything on the scale that BC offers. The biggest climb at home is 300 metres! explains Ilin.Singletrack 6 doesnt break you in gently. On day 1, riding out of Rossland, the couple had to square up to 40.2 km of riding, and 1600 metres of climbing. Until that moment, theyd never even ridden two consecutive days in a row before. Six days later, theyd logged 36 hours and 42 minutes on their bikes, riding together from start to nish.Crossing the nish line was their sweetest shared moment, although the feed stations, and foraging for wild raspberries, were highlights. By day 3, morning started coming around too soon. But maybe that was to blame on the extra-curricular activities? The highlights of their downtime included walking around, eating, reading, and having sex. Would they do it again? "FOR SURE." After all, what could be more romantic?Dan Lewark (64), is an award-winning executive chef at a large country club in Seattle. He took up mountain biking at the age of 56. A year later, a friend invited him to do the TransRockies Challenge. "I thought he was nuts. But I started to train and was excited to try. His training regimen involved daily stretching, gym work, and grinding up gravel re roads for endurance. Then his partner backed out, leaving Lewark hanging. The next year, TransRockies changed the requirement that riders race as teams of two, so Lewark signed up. He hasn't missed one since."My work life is hectic and demanding. His schedule only permits him to ride twice a week. But riding six back to back days at Singletrack 6 is not punishment. Its his reward. For one week, I get to play with the most amazing people with the most amazing hearts." People like Dax Massey, a 42 year old mountain biker from Colorado, and multiple TransRockies and Singletrack 6 competitor, who rode sweep for the last two days of the race, kitted out with good vibes, a camelback and whatever tools and supplies he'd need to help with a at tire or mechanical. By day 4, Lewark was in the hurt locker. Massey came to his rescue. "Dax showed up, started pacing me. The longer we rode together, the stronger I got. Thats the kind of people I nd in this sport. Big, big hearts."Jose Maria da Silveira (62) spent the most time on trail. Of anyone. Stage 3 was Rossland's Seven Summits Trail. It became Dr da Silveira's 7:26;13.0 mission. Evan Guthrie won that stage in 2:04:50.1. While Guthrie and the frontrunners were enjoying their time, Dr Silveira was grinding it out on the best trail of my life. But his EPIC FSR expert 29 was not really up to the challenge. "I suffered a lot." Including a broken seat post. "It's not a bike for those downhills."Since he started racing, ve years into his mountain bike career, da Silveira takes part in a dozen events a year -- La Ruta de losa Conquistadores, the TransAndes, the Brasil Ride Warm Up. He's not there to compete, but to enjoy the challenge and discover new trails.He was inspired to sign up for Singletrack 6 after seeing a video posted by fellow Brazilians, racers Adriana Boccia and Luli Cox, who coordinate outts, prepare dance routines for the end of each stage and instagram all their adventures around the world. He was carried by the vibe and left with a lasting impression. People in Canada are so full of energy and fun.No matter how inclusive organizers make it  and in 2018, theyre adding the option of picking any 3 days to give more exibility to participants  Singletrack 6 is still a core race.Ask any one of the front-runners battling to take a stage, the overall race, or one of the downhill focussed timed descents within each stage.But at the back of the pack rides the reminder that this is not just a sufferfest. Its a celebration of singletrack. A global community. An adventure. A chance to stretch yourself.Its whatever you need it to be.
Masked Bandit Robs Bellagio Poker Room, Remains At-Large (Updated with Video)

December 01, 2017 Mo Nuwwarah Editor

An armed, masked suspect robbed the Bellagio poker cashiers cage at gunpoint late Tuesday afternoon, and authorities are still searching for the bandit as of late Tuesday night.

According to a report from CBS' local Las Vegas affiliate, the attack occurred a little after 3:45 p.m. and involved a lone robber with a mask and a handgun. The suspect demanded money and then fled in a silver Chevy Cruze with Nevada license plates reading 37D147.

One of the first reports out of the poker world came from the Twitter account of bracelet winner Randy Ohel. The noted mixed game player apparently stumbled onto the crime scene moments after the robbery when he showed up for a cash game. Ohel said the suspect made off with an unknown amount of loot from a cashier's drawer and then exited via the valet on the north side of the property, facing Flamingo Rd.

Ohel didn't believe anyone had been harmed and said it happened "very quickly."

James Woods, playing poker a stone's throw from the targeted cage, said hardly anyone even realized the robbery was occurring. He praised Bellagio staff for calmly handing over the money to help make sure nobody got hurt.

Doyle Brunson also reported being present at the Bellagio during the robbery, saying the high stakes room housed about $200,000 in cash mere yards away that went untouched.

Las Vegas police are reportedly looking for a white male driving the aforementioned vehicle.

It's not the first time the Bellagio has been the target of an armed robbery. Back in 2011, the infamous "Biker Bandit" made off with $1.5 million after targeting and successfully robbing a high-limit craps table at the luxurious Las Vegas casino. The perpetrator, who turned out to be one Tony Carleo, foolishly attempted to sell the pilfered chips via TwoPlusTwo and found himself on the business end of a nine-year prison sentence.

UPDATE: On Thursday, Las Vegas police released surveillance video of the armed robber at the Bellagio poker cage and making his way out of the casino.

Las Vegas police release surveillance video showing suspect robbing the poker room cash cage at the Bellagio Hotel. https://t.co/eWy1fTUHMR  ABC News (@ABC)

According to reports, the unknown man had stolen a 2011 Chevrolet Sedan, tied up the owner of the car, and fled the scene in the stolen vehicle after executing the robbery inside the casino. The car was later recovered with the owner unharmed, and the robber is still at large.

This is a developing story.

Lead image c/o Tomas Del Coro
France Pushes for Shared Poker Liquidity Launch in Early 2018

November 29, 2017 Valerie Cross

After the monumental agreement was struck between France, Italy, Spain and Portugal to allow their respective countries to share online poker player pools for the first time, the poker world  or at least those lucky soon-to-be beneficiaries in Europe  rejoiced.

That was back in July. As the end of 2017 approaches, interested parties are naturally beginning to wonder, when will the shared liquidity take effect?

Frances online gambling regulator ARJEL is one of the more vocal interested parties. Italy's AssoPoker reported on Monday that ARJEL President Charles Coppolani contacted their Italian gambling regulator counterpart in an effort to gauge the countrys progress toward shared liquidity realization.

Delays in Italy

While France, Spain and Portugal appear to be ready to merge player pools in early 2018, as per the July agreement, Italy may be lagging. According to Casino News Daily, the delay is likely due in part to the fact that Italy has not yet opened the bidding process for current operators to renew licenses or for new operators to apply to enter Italys online gambling market through the local regulator.

While the call for license applications was expected from the countrys regulators in mid-September, reasons for the delay have not been offered. Even so, France seems keen on sticking to the original timetable.

According to Casino News Daily, France and Spain may get started on a shared online poker liquidity network early in 2018 without the other two initially, with Portugal joining them shortly thereafter. Once Italys regulatory delays are resolved, the country is expected to join the project, likely later in 2018.

Operators Ready

PokerStars, the only online poker operator with licenses in all four participating countries, confirmed anticipation of the initial phase of shared liquidity to take place in early 2018. French operator Winamax has also been making moves to prepare for expansion upon the launch of shared liquidity, as evidenced by their signing of Italys Mustapha Kanit and Spains Adrian Mateos as Team Pros and their acquisition of Italian gaming license of bet-at-home.

These operators and plenty more parties will have much to celebrate when the European shared liquidity takes full effect, even if it does happen in stages next year. Be sure to continue following PokerNews for the latest on the launch.

The Stars Group owns a majority shareholding in iBus Media
"The Room" has arguably been labeled as the worst movie ever made  but in the age of irony and millennial humor, it's been transformed into a comedic yet dark biopic directed by none other than James Franco.

Known for "Freaks and Geeks," "Pineapple Express," "Spring Breakers" and more, Franco has dabbled in most film and television genres. Now, he's cast his little brother alongside his favorite colleague  and presumably best friend  Seth Rogan.



Even though recent trailers seem to focus on both Greg Sistero (Dave Franco) and Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) equally, the movie's actual protagonist is Sistero  who wrote the memoir "The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside 'The Room,' the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made."

From their initial meeting in an acting class, Wiseau takes Sistero to Hollywood from San Francisco and starts writing the script for his infamous film. With a strangely endless source of funding, Wiseau then begins on this new venture with his new best friend  that seemingly hints at weird romantic undertones.

This film seems like it was basically made for the top spot on Franco's portfolio  it's easily one of his strongest and strangest roles yet which will demonstrate to his fans how dynamic his talents can be.

Actors Nathan Fielder, Paul Scheer, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, director/actor James Franco, actors Seth Rogen, Jacki Weaver, Ari Graynor and Josh Hutcherson attend AFI FEST 2017 Presented By Audi - Screening Of 'The Disaster Artist' at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 12, 2017 in Hollywood, California Getty Images

However, it will be a challenge since some of the actors among him will include Zac Efron, Alison Brie and Bryan Cranston. The cast is mostly made out of comedic actors so we can be sure to expect a few laughs too.



I am hesitant about laughing and joking about a character that has been labeled as loopy and strange in the past. However, the film does currently have a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes along with a 3.5 out of four stars for Rolling Stone.

And although it's not mandatory for you to watch "The Room" or read Sistero's first hand account, it certainly would help. Some even say the genre of the entire movie even relies on your previous knowledge of Wiseau. I know I'd probably be lost without some kind of a guide.



However strange the film seems now, more will be understood in a week. You'll probably just have to watch "The Disaster Artist" yourself on Dec. 1 and decide on your own how to feel about it.

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Charles Duff is perhaps Britains pre-eminent theatre historian and a highly regarded arts journalist and former actor. He comes from a noted aristocratic and theatrical family and his upbringing brought him into contact with everyone from Joe Orton to the Queen Mother. But home life was a mix of deceits, half-truths and out-and-out lies. He had been adopted at infancy by Sir Michael Duff and Lady Caroline Paget and brought up at Vaynol, a grand country estate in Wales occupying 1,000 acres. As a child, he was told a series of falsehoods about his birth parents. For years, rumours circulated that he was the child of Princess Margaret. In 2005, the BBC aired a documentary about him and the enduring mystery of his past (Vaynol  The Secret Behind The Walls), which prompted him to start work on his memoirs, just published, documenting in vivid detail his extraordinary childhood among the famous and infamous, his descent into alcoholism and destitution, and eventual emergence from both.

Had his father lived just eight months longer, Duff would have inherited a large ancestral home (Vaynol, North Wales) and its contents. Instead, he found himself destitute, his only consolation a lethal combination of methylated spirits and milk known as purple flashes. In 1980, the law that had previously prevented adopted children from making a claim on their parents estate was reversed. But it was too late.

Duff spoke with me about his recently published memoir, Charleys Woods. Its the story of someone who grew up in an environment where leading figures of stage and screen mingled with royalty both major and minor. Its the tale of a gay man whose upper-class adoptive parents were both homosexual and needed a marriage of convenience to erect a social facade, and then a child/accessory to help keep the edifice standing. Its about a prep-school survivor and recovering alcoholic, a preternaturally perceptive man whose talents  diminished and scorned by his family  are salvaged and encouraged by others.

Charleys Woods, an unexpurgated account of an extraordinary life could, in lesser hands, have been a misery memoir. Given the anguish visited on the author by those who should have loved him, scarcely could he have been blamed for treading that lucrative path; his young life brought him into contact with a gallery of grotesques that seemed to get inordinate pleasure from the suffering of others. But instead, hes chosen to be a reliable narrator, composing a delightful literary work throughout which, even when revisiting the darkness of his past, he sprinkles gaiety and humour.

When recalling some of the twisted personalities with whom his professional and social paths converged, he does so without rancour or ill-will, but with generous restraint and a lightness of touch. He doesnt let everyone off the hook, but hes more frank and unflinching about his own flaws and failings than anyone elses. And he is far quicker to draw attention to the good qualities of his supporting cast than the bad, committing to print enchanting descriptions of Maria Callas, Tallulah Bankhead, Princess Margaret (a rumour that Duff was the lovechild of Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend endures to this day, despite being disproved) and many others.

His isnt just a tale of parents delegating the care of their child to hired hands, as was common among the upper classes. They also delegated the obligation of loving their child to third parties, seemingly incapable of dredging up any prolonged fond feeling. Indeed, the kindest sentiment either of them extended to Duff was indifference (his father) and fleeting tenderness (his mother) but more often they showed him extraordinary malice. This was particularly true of his father, Sir Michael Duff, 3rd Baronet of Vaynol, who is revealed as a petulant man-baby, sometimes capable of charming people but, at his core, unlovely and unloved.

Duffs mother, Caroline (nee Lady Caroline Paget), was the more attractive personality, an actress and socialite who was sometimes playful and friendly with her son, making her ultimate abandonment of him all the more startling (in the 70s, at which point Duff believes himself on good terms with her, she abruptly announces she is sacking him and never sees him again). Duffs unhappy childhood was divided between Vaynol, a Paultons Square (London) property owned by Caroline, and a succession of boarding schools.

I wanted to tell my side of the story, he explains. The world my father moved in had only heard his side. Id been portrayed as hopeless, dishonest, alcoholic, a loser and a reprobate. I wanted to show people that if I had ever been like that (and I dont think I ever really was), that Id been adopted by this very bizarre couple and, given that it was pretty difficult, I survived it remarkably well. Pretty difficult is a characteristically understated assessment. One of his earliest memories is of being told at three-years-old the lie that his father had died in a car crash and his mother died giving birth. Can you imagine! Telling a child theyd killed their mother. That must have affected me. At the time of Michaels wedding to Caroline, Caroline was pregnant by Prime Minister to be, Anthony Eden, and was going to pass the child off as Michaels. When the baby was stillborn, people in high places set wheels very quickly in motion to acquire a replacement. Cue Duffs entrance.

Michaels unkindness to his son takes form in most peculiar ways. He makes careful note of which toys, books and trinkets are most cherished by Duff and then hides or destroys them. When Duff is a young actor on the stage, he arranges for acolytes to attend each performance and boo him throughout. Without provocation and apropos nothing, he spreads slanderous falsehoods about his son, discrediting him with friends, colleagues and relations. Michael  bitter and incapable of love  comes to be thought of by his son as diabolos and not without reason. Among the lies he spreads is that his son has attempted to murder a schoolboy by tying him to railway tracks. Not one word of love for his son ever passes Michaels lips.

Michaels marriage to Caroline in 1949 should have given both of them exactly what they wanted, allowing them to conform to public expectations while pursuing their real relationships in private. Carolines partner since her late teens was the actress, Audrey Carten, while Michael had a coterie of young, upwardly mobile male admirers, proffering themselves in the hope of acquiring status and riches in exchange. But it didnt work. He felt his marriage to Caroline had wrecked his life and that theyd lost their senses in adopting a child and that I, too, had wrecked his life.

Whereas Caroline had the benefit of an enduring relationship (although it wasnt straightforward; Audrey was alcoholic and then became senile), Duff suspects that his fathers predilections made it impossible for him to acquire the same. Caroline always longed for him to get a boyfriend. She said her life was much easier when he had someone else. But he always fell out with them. His sexual tastes were odd. Id say S&M with an emphasis on Mcigarettes being stubbed out on the soles of his feet, that sort of thing. Im not 100 per cent sure, but I think so. And he attracted the worst kind of social climber. Hed say, Ive got this wife whos a bitch and this so-called adopted son, whos hopeless. So all these young men thought, Oh goody goody! Im going to inherit this huge house and estate and lots of money! But then it would all go to dust and go terribly wrong.

Duff found deliverance from the emotional brutalities of home and school in three ways; he would wander the grounds of Vaynol alone (hence, Charleys Woods), constructing in his mind an elaborate world more real to him than the world to which he returned once indoors, he immersed himself in theatre and opera, with which he formed a deeper relationship than his parents had, and he explored the worlds of spiritualism and faith. Thanks to an ability to store memories as if in aspic  a knack that kicked in at the age of two  hes able to share wonderful, crisp descriptions of the famous and infamous supporting players who wander on and off stage at Vaynol. Of the Queen Mother, he says:

She had two faces, I noted: an upper face with hard calculating little eyes which missed nothing, and observed the world with a marked lack of charity; and a lower face, all smiles and compliments. She seemed most put out by my presence. The few sideways glances I received were free of warmth.

Of the ordeals of prep school, he writes only a little. Several parts of the memoir have a personal resonance for me (my beloved Godmother, Georgie Mount, was adopted in order to make her gay fathers marriage of convenience seem more plausible), and this is one of them. Many English boarding schools were underpinned by the belief that love enfeebled male children, and that they should be separated from love in order to become strong. That belief, along with the elaborate, pseudo-sexual (and sometimes just plain sexual) punishments meted out to boys by strange men, did not begin to die out until the 90s. It was seen as a good thing for little boys to be beaten up by grown men, Duff agrees, detailing in the book how he was punched by one teacher so debilitatingly that he asked Caroline to intervene. She said she couldnt possibly do such a thing, he recalls. Prep school masters were traditionally the dregs of the private teaching world.. . a truly woeful collection of paedophiles, psychopaths and losers.

After he survives home and school, Duffs young adult life plays out across London, Paris, and Tangier. The author is amusingly blunt about the attractions of the latter: I couldnt wait to leave England for the gay capital and drug centre of the world. The memoir has the feeling of a quest, the quest of a man, thrown into opulent chaos and told falsehoods about his provenance, to find himself. He writes:

I believethat every alcoholic is on a spiritual search. However, it is a mistaken spiritual search, because the addict tries to fast-track that which can only be attained through the hard graft of a spiritual programme.

Caroline predeceased Michael by four years and, upon Michaels death in 1980, Duffs cousin Andrew Tennant swooped in for the jackpot, and set about selling Vaynol piecemeal, sharing not a penny of the proceeds with Duff, who was living in penury, having just gone into recovery from alcoholism. Most families, of whatever social bracket, try to help if theres a member whos destitute, and its a family disgrace if they dont, he tells me. The fact that he sold Vaynol as soon as he could and I got nothing from it was very bad behaviour. I dont think hes an admirable human being and I hope he doesnt come out of the book well. He certainly doesnt. A passage in which Duff, as a child, first meets the man, two decades his senior, who will one day be party to his disinheritance and downfall, is chilling:

This is your cousin, Andy, said my mother. The man in the fawn duffle-coat looked at me quite impassively, his faced unflickering, his eyes dead. Whatever pleasure I might have found at the encounter was clearly not shared. Those eyes gave out no light at all. They were without any inner spirit. Here was no friend.

Duffs relinquishing of drink and re-emergence into life has not always been smooth. Its been very difficult and its taken a long time, he says. Life had reinforced low self-esteem the idea that Im not worth more, that thats the way Im going to be treated because thats the way I deserve to be treated. With adopted children, theres always some terrible insecurity because youve been given up at a very young age. I had no confidence and didnt think that I deserved better. There was another side  I was flamboyant and socially adept  but underneath there was low self-esteem that could only be cured by drinking.

After finding an alternative cure, Duff flourished. His previous works include the The Lost Summer: Heyday of the West End Theatre and he lectures internationally to this day. Theatre people, like all artists, deal with the truth, not with pretend, and I think thats the difference. Vaynol was just drama! There were no sexual boundaries and they behaved badly. But the theatre is about revealing great human truth, ennobling the human spirit and helping people have a better knowledge of the human heart. My adopted family was just about fancy dress  not the same thing.

His fathers death enabled Duff to eventually trace his family of origin, a search that led him to Ireland. He remains in contact with them to this day.

One of the most striking features of Charleys Woods is its absence of score settling. There are no grudges or resentments, says Duff. Ive forgiven Michael and Ive lost interest. To this day, his experiences inform the way he conducts himself, particularly in teaching:

The basis of all good teaching is kindness and the instilling of self-belief. I realised that teaching had to be an act of generosity, whose three aims were to instil the student with a belief in their own abilities, to pass on the teachers love of subject, and for the teacher to have engraved on his heart Platos dictum that all knowledge is but remembrance. It was not until I left drama school that I swore an oath that no student under my aegis would ever leave my care without an added belief in him or herself.

Theres no doubt in my mind, after spending just a short time with him, that this expectation of himself is one that he has not only met but excelled at.
Ah, the High Sixties, pinnacle of a certain strain of sleek, glamorous, sophisticated thriller spawned by a stylish brew of influences: James Bond, Alfred Hitchcock, the heist caper, and a European New Wave sensibility. Credibility wasnt required, or even desired. Some of us eat these things up, which is why well appreciate new Blu-rays of Pierre Rouves Cop-Out (1967) and Ralph Thomass The High Commissioner (Nobody Runs Forever) (1968). Besides falling on the disposable end of the spectrum in sophisticated thrillers, they share a secret ingredient that well get to in a moment.

Cop-Out makes more sense under its British title, Stranger in the House, based on a similarly titled novel by Georges Simenon that had been filmed in France in 1942 and would be remade in 1997. This movie functions most effectively as a vehicle for James Mason as John Sawyer, a bitter, self-loathing, alcoholic barrister with no time for his daughter Angela (Geraldine Chaplin), a sullen, close-cropped lass who works in a law office. We can hardly blame him.

Shes hanging out with the wrong crowd of swinging toffs plus one poor Greek immigrant boy (Paul Bertoya) whom shes fallen for. The latter becomes the scapegoat when a weirdly abrasive American refugee (Bobby Darin) is found dead in Sawyers attic, where Angela had stashed him for reasons that are entirely unclear and unconvincing, and her father pulls himself together long enough to defend the Greek against the incestuous old-boy system thats eager to railroad him.

This film isnt about its far-fetched story but its mod style, both in design and its complicated sequence of flashbacks. The opening scene features the back of a mans shirt declaring I HATE YOU ALL as he strolls into some groovy club where the kids are sharing a toke and the Animals play a song written for the movie, Aint That So. The song reappears when the gang goes on a desperate music-video lark on an unpeopled ship, and they all look like theyve been laboriously directed to pretend a frantic good time. Masons alcoholic insider-turned-outsider will be the figure who puts these wasted youths in their place, along with their pompous ass parents, in an easy bit of cynical truth-telling. The resolution involves a repressed sexual secret and reading aloud from Dostoyevsky.

This is the only film directed by BBC broadcaster Pierre Rouve, who also wrote it and had some experience as a producer. At no point do credibility or even conviction feel like priorities, as Rouve seems to encourage melodramatic overplaying as its own form of spectacle to fit into the bric-a-brac. Angelas room seems designed as a stage set rather than a bedroom, complete with Godardian interplay of posters, and the abandoned theatre where Darins character first hides is a similar warehouse of propmasters detritus. Sawyer is granted a couple of his own flashbacks, designed in stylized snow white with people in black like chess pieces.



The High Commissioner (Kino-Lorber DVD)

No more swallowable yet action-packed is The High Commissioner, known in England as Nobody Runs Forever. Its one of the many collaborations between producer Betty E. Box and director Ralph Thomas for the Rank Organisation. Based on a novel by Jon Cleary, it stars the prolific Rod Taylor playing, for once, what we really was: Australian.

Hes Sgt. Scobie Malone, a rough and ready copper flown in from the Outback to pommy London in order to arrest a prominent Aussie diplomat, Sir James Quentin (Christopher Plummer), for an old murder. Scobies dispatched on this assignment by a politician (uncredited Leo McKern) whos described as a rival to Quentin and his opposite in every way: short, gruff and vulgar to Quentins tall, aristocratic elegance.

Part of the beautiful set design of Quentins world is the array of gorgeous, sophisticated, international women. Lilli Palmer plays Quentins distraught wife, forever wringing her hands. Camilla Sparv plays his Swedish secretary whose specialty is smirking. Striking Israeli actress Daliah Lavi plays were never sure what, for shes gowned and headgeared and made up like an ambassador from another planet on Star Trek. She lures Scobie into bed for reasons of her own, and he proves pliable.

This is the sort of movie where were assured that Quentin is in the middle of crucial peace talks between many nations that should wrap up in a few days, not that were ever really sure what thats about, and meanwhile he goes to Wimbledon for an elaborately staged public murder attempt one day after being shot at outside his house. Time is filled with two-fisted action (one bout occurs in front of a poster for another Thomas/Box thriller from the previous year, Ralph Thomass Deadlier Than the Male), foiled assassination setpieces, and an utterly ridiculous finale, all scored by Georges Delerue with lush majesty as we tour lavishly appointed mansions.

The common ingredient of these two films is executive producer Selig J. Seligman, whose Selmur Productions contributed to these international affairs. According to IMDB, he served as a U.S. Army lawyer at the Nuremberg trials before moving into a successful career in TV production. For ABC, he produced Accused, re-enactments of court cases that drew on his legal interests. Selmur made the WWII shows Combat, an important early project for Robert Altman, and Garrisons Gorillas.

Seligman moved into a busy career of features, including a bit of mod madness Id love to see on Blu-ray, the spy spoof beach party known as Out of Sight (1966). International co-productions of 1967-68 include Desmond Daviss Smashing Time with Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave, Ralph Nelsons Charly, with Cliff Robertson in an Oscar-winning role, John Boormans Hell in the Pacific, with Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune, and the expensive all-star fiasco (not without interest) called Candy, which deserves its rep as a typical example of Sixties excess. In other words, Seligman was contributing to an interesting batch of titles before his untimely death at age 51 in 1969.

Kino Lorbers Blu-rays of Cop-Out and The High Commissioner look good and offer trailers as the only extras.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Cloudy skies. High 53F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable.
Straight No Chaser is celebrating its silver anniversary with a three-month tour that would exact a physical toll on any performer  vocalists especially. Yet despite the grueling schedule (they are almost exactly in the middle of more than 60 performances), SNC performed an outstanding show Nov. 13 at the Charleston Gaillard Center. Read moreReview: Straight No Chaser delights young and old on a cappella tour
Khichdi is so fundamental to Indian cuisine that its one of the first solid foods that many Indian babies eat. But when word recently circulated on social media that the Indian government planned to assign the title of national dish to the spiced rice-and-beans, backlash was immediate. Read moreKhichdi is the most Indian dish of all
Recovery Room Tavern owner, Chris "Boston" DiMattia, owns the property, and after Palace Hotel moved out during the COVID-19 pandemic, he came up with the idea to do something with the space himself. Read moreLucky Luchador is now open with Irish pub, Mexican cantina influences
The trial for Russell Laffitte, a former top executive for Palmetto State Bank, continues this week in Charleston's U.S. District Court. He stands accused of helping Alex Murdaugh defraud his former law clients, while using money from his family's bank to prop up the disbarred attorney's shaky finances. Read moreBank official reported Russell Laffitte's handling of Murdaugh client checks as suspicious
There was a combination of superlative hysteria and political opportunism behind the warnings about the end of democracy leading up to last weeks elections, but it wasnt inconceivable that wed have flare-ups of violence and intimidation, that people who embrace the fantasy that the 2020 e Read moreEditorial: Election 2022 gave everybody something to celebrate
Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.
Let me tell you about a man and a place far away from the cornfields of the Midwest: Jeff Pleadwell and Jeffs Pirates Cove at 111 Route 4, Ip Read moreJeffs Pirates Cove: A place of history
Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market

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Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market" research report published by Market Data Forecast estimates that the market is growing with a CAGR of 6.8% to reach USD 1139.6 million by 2021, from USD 820.2 million in 2016, which amounts to a cumulative growth of USD 319.4 million.Diagnostic Electrocardiograph Market is a device used to record electrical activity of the heart by placing electrodes on a persons body. These electrodes can detect the tiny electrical changes on the skin that arise from the heart muscle's electrophysiologic pattern of repolarizing and depolarizing during every heartbeat. It is a very commonly performed cardiology test.The resting ECG devices segment accounted for the major share in the product segment while Holter diagnostic ECG device is estimated to be the fastest growing segment due to technological advancements.Free Sample for report: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-diagnostic-electro-cardiographs-market-211/request-sample The report also presents detailed analysis of multitude of factors affecting Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market bearing either positive or negative outcomes. Some of those factors are Technological advancements in communication Low power circuit design for safer ECG devices along with portability features Lower power consumption more accuracy Capacity to incorporate latest diagnostic features. Increasing geriatric population Growing incidence of cardio vascular diseases Unstable reimbursement policies High cost of Electro Cardiograph devices Economic instability in the Asian countriesCustomized report URL: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-diagnostic-electro-cardiographs-market-211/customize-report For granular level understanding, the Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market is segmented based on product, Lead type and End User each being provided with Market Size Estimations and Y-o-Y Forecasts. On the basis of Product the market is further sub segmented into Resting ECG Systems, Stress ECG Systems and Holter Monitors. By Lead Type market is further sub-segmented into Single-Lead Type ECG Devices, 36 Lead Type ECG Devices, 12-Lead Type ECG Devices and Other Lead Type Devices. By End user the market is segmented into Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers, Home/Ambulatory Care research centers, Diagnostic Centers, Clinics, Physician Offices and surgical centers.Inquire Before Buying: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-diagnostic-electro-cardiographs-market-211/inquire On the basis of geography Asia-Pacific market for diagnostic electrographs is analyzed under various regions namely China, India, Japan and Rest of Asia-Pacific. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market for diagnostic electrocardiographs due to its high patient base. China is the largest market within the region accounting for a share of approximately XX%, while India is estimated to be the fastest growing segment.Request Discount: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-diagnostic-electro-cardiographs-market-211/request-discount Some of the major companies covered in the report are BPL Ltd, Cardiac Science Corp, Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Inc, Philips Healthcare, Spacelabs Healthcare, Inc, Mortara Instrument, Inc, Midmark Corp, Mindray Medical International Ltd, Nihon Kohden Corp, Scottcare Corp, Schiller Ag, Welch Allyn Inc and Cardionet.Buy Now: https://www.marketdataforecast.com/cart/buy-now/asia-pacific-diagnostic-electro-cardiographs-market-211 The Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market report offers wide-range of scope: Regional and country-level analysis that provides an individual perspective of Asia-Pacific region and the aforementioned countries Know more about key areas of industry growth via detailed Segment-level analysis on basis of product, Lead type and End User with market size forecasts and y-o-y estimations Detailed explanation of major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) that affect the market and impact the ever-shifting market dynamics Strategic Analyses containing PESTLE and Porters Five Forces Analyses which are obtained by studying the macro & micro environmental factors that affect the market demographics Comprehensive listing of key market players along with Company overview, product portfolios, financials (subjected to availability), SWOT analysis and analyst overview Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies Market Outlook - Investment opportunities devised by stand in experts to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketFor more reports related to the Asia-Pacific Diagnostic Electro Cardiographs Market:Asia-Pacific Cardiovascular Therapeutic Drugs Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-cardiovascular-therapeutic-drugs-market-1429/ Asia Pacific Ovarian Cancer Therapeutics Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-ovarian-cancer-therapeutics-market-1471/ About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options.For more info kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 11:55:45

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# 569 Words

531/MIG-II, Rd Number 1, Kukatpally Housing Board Colony, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500072contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626

According to the report Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market, published by Market Data Forecast, the market is projected to reach USD 382.67 million by 2022, at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017 to 2022.Fluoroscopy is the imaging technology that uses x-rays in order to obtain images by scanning different parts of the body. It gives a clear view to the physician to see internal parts of the body. In modern days, it is used for diagnosis and therapy in various applications like radiology, image guided surgeries and many others. It is similar to X-ray computed tomography and radiography that generates images using X-rays but gives better results comparatively.Get a comprehensive overview of the Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/Asia-Pacific-fluoroscopy-market-2069/ Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market: Drivers & RestraintsRise in number of cancer cases, technology advancements in the healthcare industry, developed infrastructure in medical sector, rise in disposable income, favourable reimbursements and the high investments by government organizations and private companies in the medical industry are the factors driving for the Asia-Pacific fluoroscopes market.But, high rate of fluoroscopes and increase in utilization of refurbished gadgets are hindering the market growth.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market. Request a sample to stay up-to-date on the main trends affecting this market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/Asia-Pacific-fluoroscopy-market-2069/request-sample Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market: SegmentationBy Type Fixed systems Bio systemsBy Application Biopsy Cardiovascular mediations Orthopedic surgeries Other ApplicationsBy End User Clinics Hospitals Diagnostic centresBy Geography Asia-Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japano Australiao South KoreaFrom simple data collation through secondary and primary research to ad-hoc research requests relating to specific information, we provide our services via customization. Get customization at http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/Asia-Pacific-fluoroscopy-market-2069/customize-report Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market: OverviewIn 2017, cardiovascular medications have the largest share in terms of revenue while orthopedic surgeries is growing at a fastest rate with high CAGR. In end-user segment, hospitals have the highest revenue due to the rise in diseases owing to the increase in population and favourable reimbursements in the healthcare sector.On the basis of geography, the Asia-pacific market is analysed under various regions namely Japan, China, Australia, India and South Korea. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at a high CAGR due to the rise in the healthcare industry, migration of western pharmaceuticals companies into this region and presence of emerging economies like China and India.Asia-Pacific Fluoroscopy Market: Key PlayersThe key players in the market are GE Healthcare, Siemens Medical Solutions, Shimadzu Corporation, and Hologic Inc. Other companies include Hitachi Ltd., Orthoscan Inc., Ziehm Imaging GmbH, Carestream Health, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Amico X-ray advancements and Philips N.V.About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options.For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Asia-Pacific Food Colors Market by Type, Synthetic Color, by Application, by Form (Liquid, Liquid Gel, Gel Paste and Powder), by Solubility (Dyes and Lakes) and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021)

Asia-Pacific Food Colors Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 11:59:43

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# 816 Words

531/MIG-II, Rd Number 1, Kukatpally Housing Board Colony, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500072contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626

According to the report published by Market Data Forecast named Asia-Pacific Food Colors Market, the market is estimated at $621.4 million in 2016 and poised to grow $951.72 million by 2021 with a CAGR of 8.9% in the forecast period.Food colorants are additives that impart color when added to food or drink. They come in different varieties such as gels, paste, powder and liquid. Currently food market products use these food colorants to enhance the look and feel of food. Food color is used in a variety of other applications including cosmetics, home craft projects, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.Free Sample for report: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-colors-market-1499/request-sample Food color enhances consumer visual observation of the food product. It not only impacts consumer on a conscious level but also on a sub-conscious level. Color and food combinations can be particularly powerful by leveraging the sensitive connection to taste. Asia-Pacific is expected to see a high CAGR largely attributed to increasing economies and growing consumption of processed foodsThe report also presents detailed analysis of various drivers driving Food Colors market as well as constraints of the market that binds it. Some of those factors are Increasing demand of quality food products. Shift from synthetic food to natural food. Increasing demand for quality food. Increasing investment in R&D.For Full Report refer to: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-colors-market-1499/ For granular understanding Food Colors Market is segmented by type, application, form and solubility. Each sub segment is accompanied with Market Size Estimations and Y-o-Y Forecasts as well.Asia-Pacific Food Colors market is segmented by type into Natural colors, synthetic colors and nature-identical. Natural colors are sub-segmented into Anthocyanins, Carotenoids and Caramel. Synthetic colors are also sub divided into Red, Yellow, Blue and Green. Based on application the market is bifurcated into Beverages, Bakery and Confectionery, Dairy and Meat. On the basis of form food colors market is segregated into Liquid, Liquid Gel, Gel Paste and Powder. The market id divided among Dyes and Lakes based on solubility. The dyes segment is likely to be the biggest and fastest growing segment during the forecast period.Customization option available at: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-colors-market-1499/customize-report Geographically the market is segmented into China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia. The Asia Pacific food colorants market is led by Australia, followed by Japan and China.Various companies are contributing for this market such as LycoRed, DD Williamson, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Sethness Products, Fiorio Colori, Chr. Hansen S/A, Roha Dyechem, Sensient Technology Corporation, Koninklijke DSM N.V., San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Inc., WILD, DSM, Naturex, Phytone, GNT Group. and FMC Corporation.Enquire about the report: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-colors-market-1499/inquire The Asia-Pacific Food Colors Market report offers wide-range of scope: Regional and country-level analysis that provides an individual perspective of Asia-Pacific region and the aforementioned countries Know more about key areas of industry growth via detailed Segment-level analysis on basis of type, application, form and solubility along with market size forecasts and y-o-y estimations Detailed explanation of major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) that affect the market and impact the ever-shifting market dynamics Strategic Analyses containing PESTLE and Porters Five Forces Analyses which are obtained by studying the macro & micro environmental factors that affect the market demographics Comprehensive listing of key market players along with Company overview, product portfolios, financials (subjected to availability), SWOT analysis and analyst overview Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies Market Outlook - Investment opportunities devised by stand in experts to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the market.Checkout other related studies in the Food and Beverages Segment:Asia-Pacific Food Emulsifiers Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-emulsifiers-market-564/ Asia-Pacific Food Preservatives market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-food-preservatives-market-535/ Asia-Pacific Water Enhancers Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-water-enhancers-market-550/ About usMarket Data Forecast is a firm working in the areas of market research and business intelligence. We have rich experience in research across major industry segments like Healthcare, Agriculture, Food & Beverages etc. and we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our research services contribute to key business areas like business process improvement, key decision making and developing appropriate corporate strategy. We are truly committed to our clients and other stakeholders for providing customized research services of the highest quality all the while being an organization thats trusted for its integrity, respected for its accountability, and admired for its excellence, by both clients and competitors alike.Contact:Abhishek ShuklaManager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Asia-Pacific Agrochemicals Market by Type, by Application and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021)

Asia-Pacific Agrochemicals Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 08:34:44

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Market Data Forecast

531/MIG-II, Rd Number 1, Kukatpally Housing Board Colony, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500072



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email

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# 763 Words

531/MIG-II, Rd Number 1, Kukatpally Housing Board Colony, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500072contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626

Asia-Pacific Agrochemicals Market" research report, published by Market Data Forecast estimates that the market is growing with a CAGR of 3.64% to reach USD 120.64 billion by 2021, from USD 100.90 billion in 2016, which amounts to a cumulative growth of USD 19.74 billion.Agrochemical is the abridgement of agricultural chemicals, a term for numerous chemical products used in agricultural activities. These chemical products consist of pesticides, hormones, synthetic fertilizers and chemical growth agents.The agrochemicals function to assure crops, preserve the quality of food and soil, enhance crop supplies and to revise the augmentation of plants. Agrochemicals assist peasants to reach the food demands of the increasing population by growing the per hectare cultivation which is directly proportional to higher return on investment. Besides, augmentation of horticulture and floriculture, rising literacy rate among peasants along with rising enlightenment towards use of agrochemicals is advancing this market.The report also presents detailed analysis of multitude of factors affecting the diagnostic imaging market bearing either positive or negative outcomes. Some of those factors are Divergence of pest control applications of agrochemicals, Advancement to newer technologies, Restricted availability of cultivable land, Stringent government regulations, Evolution of better alternatives such as bio farming, Tedious use effects the humans.For Full Report refer to: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-agrochemicals-market-975/ For granular level understanding the Agrochemicals Market is segmented based on type and application, each being provided with Market Size Estimations and Y-o-Y Forecasts.Based on Type the market is segmented as Fertilizers (Nitrogenous, Phosphate and Potassic Based Fertilizers), Pesticides (organophosphates, pyrethroids and biopesticides), Plant Growth Regulators (Auxins and Cytokinins) and Adjuvants (Activator Adjuvants and Utility Adjuvants). Based on Application it is further segmented into Crop Based (Oil seeds, Fruits & Vegetables, Grains & Cereals) and Non Crop Based (Turf , Ornamental Grass and others ).India and China are the major economies which have unexplored customer base covered in the study. The report also focuses on other regions like Japan, Australia, South Korea and Rest of Asia-Pacific. China is expected to possess the major chunk of the Asia-Pacific Agrochemicals market.Free Sample for report: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-agrochemicals-market-975/request-sample Some of the key players that operate in the Asia-Pacific Agrochemicals market include Bayer Crop science, Syngenta AG, BASF SE, Agrium Inc., Monsanto Company, Israel Chemicals Ltd., Yara International ASA, Makhteshim Agan Industries Ltd, Dow Agro Sciences, Monsanto, Syngenta, Agrium,CF Industries Holdings and Potash Corporation. Due to technological advancements and end-user preferences there is an increase in the competition among key players.Enquire about the report: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-agrochemicals-market-975/inquire The Asia- Pacific Agrochemicals market report offers wide-range of scope: Regional and country-level analysis that provides an individual perspective of Asia-Pacific region and the aforementioned countries Know more about key areas of industry growth via detailed Segment-level analysis on basis of type, application, along with market size forecasts and y-o-y estimations Detailed explanation of major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) that affect the market and impact the ever-shifting market dynamics Strategic Analyses containing PESTLE and Porters Five Forces Analyses which are obtained by studying the macro & micro environmental factors that affect the market demographics Comprehensive listing of key market players along with Company overview, product portfolios, financials (subjected to availability), SWOT analysis and analyst overview Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies Market Outlook - Investment opportunities devised by stand in experts to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketCheckout other related studies in the Agrochemical Segment:Agricultural fumigants Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-agricultural-fumigants-market-1818/ Agricultural micronutrients market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-agricultural-micronutrients-market-1825/ Global Agricultural Adjuvants Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-agricultural-adjuvants-market-1127/ North America Bioherbicides Market: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-bioherbicides-market-1833/ About us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options.For more info kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
Coherent Market Insights

PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 08:45:30

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Coherent Market Insights

Mr. Shah





Coherent Market Insights





1001 4th Ave,





#3200 Seattle,





WA 98154





Tel: +1-206-701-6702





Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com



Mr. Shah

CEO

+1-206-701-6702

email

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/liquefied-natural-gas-market-985





# 778 Words

Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200 Seattle,WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comCEO+1-206-701-6702

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a liquid form of natural gas. The primary purpose for liquefaction of natural gas is to ease its transportation from source to destination. Liquefied natural gas market is projected to witness significant growth over the forecast period, due to increasing demand in power generation and industrial applications. Key drivers such as changing trend towards clean energy sources, increasing demand for liquefied natural gas in transportation, and government initiatives to improve production capacity in collaboration with global manufacturers across every region are expected to fuel growth of the global liquefied natural gas market over the forecast period.Liquefied natural gas is an odorless and colorless liquid, which is formed by cooling natural gas to -1620C. The liquefaction process shrinks the volume of gas by 600 times, making it easier to store and ship. When liquefied natural gas reaches to its destination, it is again converted into gas by regasification process and transported through vessels and pipes to end-use consumers. Liquefied natural gas is an emerging fuel due to its cleanest burning nature as compared to petrol, diesel, and other fuels. Key drivers such as increasing demand for clean source of energy by end-use industries, government initiatives to strengthen gas pipeline infrastructure, and significant growth in global natural gas liquefaction capacity are expected to fuel growth of the global liquefied natural gas market over the forecast period. According to International Gas Union report, the global nominal natural gas liquefaction capacity is increased to 336.7 million tons per year in 2017, which was accounted to 304.4 million tons per year in 2015.Request Sample copy of report@ https://goo.gl/w57Caq The liquefied natural gas market is highly fluctuating market due to larger dependency on oil prices. Mostly, spot price of liquefied natural gas in emerging markets is set via oil linkage. Moreover, changing trade and sales strategies across every region is propelling growth of the market. For instance, in Europe, wholesale gas is sold via long term contracts, whereas, in North America, gas prices are set at liquid trading hubs.Among application, power generation segment held highest revenue share in 2016 and projected to retain its dominance over the forecast period. This is mainly due to shifting preference towards cleaner source of energy for power generation. According to Mexicos National Energy Ministry (SENER), more than 60% of Mexicos electric capacity additions between 2016 and 2020 are projected to come from natural gas-fired power plants.Market DynamicsThe increasing focus on developing gas pipeline infrastructure and favorable government regulations is projected to fuel growth of global liquefied natural gas market over the forecast period. Asia Pacific held highest revenue share in the global liquefied natural gas market in 2016 and is expected to maintain its dominance in the near future. This is mainly due to presence of largest LNG exporter countries in the region such as Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Increasing utilization of advanced biofuels in transportation sector, as it is a clean and readily available alternative source to fossil fuels, is expected to fuel growth of the liquefied natural gas market over the forecast period.Key features of the study: This report provides in-depth analysis of liquefied natural gas and provides market size (US$ Billion) and Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR %) for the forecast period (2017  2025), considering 2016 as the base year It elucidates potential revenue opportunities across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrix for this market This study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approval, regional outlook, and competitive strategy adopted by the leading players It profiles leading players in the global liquefied natural gas market on the basis of the following parameters  company overview, financial performance, product portfolio, geographical presence, distribution strategies, key developments and strategies, and future plans Key companies covered as a part of this study include Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total SA, BP Plc, PetroChina, China Petroleum and Chemical Company, and Conoco Philips Insights from this report would allow marketers and the management authorities of companies to make informed decisions regarding their future product launch, technology upgrade, market expansion, and marketing tactics The global liquefied natural gas market report caters to various stakeholders in this industry including investors, suppliers, liquefied natural gas manufacturers, distributors, new entrants, and financial analysts Stakeholders would have ease in decision making through the various strategy matrices used in analyzing the liquefied natural gas marketFor more Information https://goo.gl/PLMAAe About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 14:49:02

Digi Communications N.V.: Release of 2018 Financial Calendar

For Digi Communications NV

Serghei Bulgac

Phone no: +4031 400 4444

ipo.relations@digi-communications.ro

investor.relations@rcs-rds.ro

The Company informs the market and its investors that the Financial Reporting Calendar for 2018 is available on the Companys websites: http://investors.rcs-rds.ro and www.digi-communications.ro.

About Digi Communications NV

Digi is the parent holding company of RCS & RDS, a leading provider of pay TV and telecommunications services in Romania and Hungary. In addition, RCS & RDS provides mobile services as an MVNO to the large Romanian communities living in Spain and Italy.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290056
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 03:49:14

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# 393 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Far Resources Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Far Resources Ltd. (CSE:FAT). has issued a press release with the following headline:Far Resources Issues SecuritiesTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Far Resources Ltd., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Far Resources Ltd.Source: Far Resources Ltd. (CSE: FAT, FWB: F0R, WKN: A2AH8W, ISIN: CA30734R1001, OTC Pink: FRRSF)Date: November 28, 2017Time: 9:48 PM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Far Resources Ltd. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 10:32:03

Retail sales up 40% underpinned by international growth

Feelunique Reports Record Black Friday Sales

For Feelunique

Ben Simons / Antonia Pollock

Vigo Communications

Tel: +44 (0)20 7830 9704

feelunique@vigocomms.com

Feelunique, Europes leading online beauty retailer, delivered record retail sales of over 6 million during its Black Friday-Cyber Monday promotion, representing a 40% year-on-year growth. This was underpinned by strong performance from international websites, with retail sales more than doubling in both China and France.

Feeluniques average order value grew by 17 per cent and a record-breaking 400,000 products were shipped during the promotion to 83 countries. Best-selling products included: Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette; Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick and Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm.

Joel Palix, CEO of Feelunique, said: Feeluniques trading through the Black Friday promotion is further compelling evidence of the shift in the beauty sector to online purchasing. The focus we have given to establishing the leading technology-led digital platform in the sector, building an online community and solidifying our brand relationships, is really coming to fruition. In particular, to achieve more than 100 per cent sales growth in China and France, compared to Black Friday last year, is testament to the success of our international expansion strategy  and we continue to develop this, and other, high growth international markets.

-ENDS-

About Feelunique

Founded in 2005, Feelunique has grown to become Europes largest online beauty retailer with a choice of more than 30,000 products and 500 brands across makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance and electricals

Feelunique is a cross-border online retailer, shipping to over 120 countries and with dedicated websites in the UK, France, the EU, Germany, Norway, China and the US

Feelunique has over 130,000 site visits and sells more than 15,000 products every day, with 65% of sales coming from customers under the age of 35

Feelunique has a rapidly growing international beauty community of more than 1.3 million people across our social media platforms

Feelunique carries major brands including Chanel, Dior, Tom Ford and Nars - we are the only online beauty pure player to have built up such an extensive portfolio of premium brands across all beauty categories

Feeluniques innovative use of technology  such as our proprietary Makeup Live app which allows customers to try on products virtually, with amazing accuracy, on their smartphones - is changing the way consumers experience buying beauty products online

Feelunique is at the forefront of the digital beauty revolution and is a socially connected retailer  we believe content is key to succeeding in e-commerce and our dedicated editorial platform offers our customers inside knowledge on beauty including industry interviews, video tutorials and recommended products

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290054
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 00:25:07

Press Information

Fortress Networx

9320 Chesapeake Dr. #104



San Diego, CA 92123



Gretchen Lingham

PR Manager

858-633-1126

email

http://www.fortressnetworx.com



Published by

Gretchen Lingham

858-633-1126

e-mail

https://www.fortressnetworx.com/







# 379 Words

9320 Chesapeake Dr. #104San Diego, CA 92123PR Manager858-633-1126Gretchen Lingham858-633-1126

With its recent award of a Prime U.S. Navy Contract, Home2Office Computing Solutions, Inc. (DBA C3 Networx) has decided to spin off its commercial services division. There are a number of auditing and accounting requirements that complicated the management of our two divisions as a single company, and as we continue to mature it just seemed to be in the best interest of our clients, employees and industry partners to make each division its own separate entity, said Edmon Hagee, CEO of C3 Networx.Since C3 Networx/Home2Office must retain its existing EIN, name, and corporate identity related to its SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) status, the commercial division was presented with the challenge of establishing a new company name and identity.It wasnt difficult, really; it took about two or three days to formalize our new company name, said Martin Grunburg, president of Fortress Networx. Wed just finished a quarterly strategy meeting in which we painted a vision for enhanced cybersecurity practices, services and solutions for our commercial clients. The cybersecurity landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years, and many IT solutions providers are trying to solve todays threats with the same old technology and solutions that just dont work effectively. Grunburg cites an alarming trend: Cyber breaches and ransomware attacks are at an all-time high, and at least 50% of these attacks are aimed at small businesses. Just look at the recent major breaches: the NSA, Equifax, Office of Personnel Management, Target, Yahoo  pick your story. Not to be too alarmist, but nearly every person reading this has already been breached  whether they know it or not. Todays vulnerabilities are shaping the future of Fortress Networx. Weve unveiled nearly a half dozen new solutions and technologies and will be offering more soon. So our new name and brand, Fortress Networx, represents our service intentions perfectly now and will into the foreseeable future, Grunburg explains.While all the terms of the separation were not disclosed, Grunburg retains sole ownership and operation of the commercial services division along with the same technology team and talent. The commercial services division is a former two-time Better Business Bureau Torch Award Winner for Marketplace Ethics. For more information, visit www.fortressnetworx.com
Latin America Hydroponics Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 12:03:54

Press Information

Market Data Forecast

2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza,





Kavuri Hills



Mr. Abhishek Shukla

Sales Manager (International Business Development)

Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

email

http://www.marketdataforecast.com





# 274 Words

2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza,Kavuri HillsSales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

The Latin America Hydroponics Market had a market value of USD 38.21 million in 2016 and is forecasted to exhibit a CAGR of 16.7% and reach USD 82.01 million by 2021.Browse details of 132 pages research report on Latin America Hydroponics Market @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-hydroponics-2118/ Market Conditions:Hydroponics is a part of hydroculture where plants are developed with their roots suspended specifically into water with no soil. This is just a type of hydroponic cultivating known as N.F.T. and there are many methods known as hydroponic cultivating. Hydroponics removes the restrictions for growing crops like seasons or climate.One of the important drivers is that hydroponics gives higher yield compared with conventional agricultural techniques. It additionally gives farmers the capacity to develop crops in regions that can't support crops in soil. Moreover, hydroponics removes the use of counterfeit maturing operators and pesticides, which helps in making nutritiously superior vegetable items. Lack of awareness about the hydroponic agriculture system and high investment are some of the factors restraining the market growth to an extent.Avail Free Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information, Get a Copy @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-hydroponics-2118/request-sample Latin America Hydroponics Market Segmentation: By Equipment: Introduction, HVAC, LED Grow Light, Communication Technology, Irrigation Systems, Material Handling and Control Systems By Type: Introduction, Aggregate and Liquid By Crop Type: Introduction By Input Type: Introduction By Geography: Introduction, Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin AmericaSome of the Market Leaders involved in Latin America Hydroponics Market: Argus Control Systems Koninklijke Philips NV Greentech Agro LLC Logiqs B.V. Lumigrow, Inc.Inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-hydroponics-2118/inquire
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 15:44:01

Mayar Fund Receives 5-Star Rating from Morningstar

Mayar Capital Management

Sophie Forsyth

sophie.forsyth@mayarcapital.com

Mayar Capital Management Ltd is pleased to announce that its flagship product, Mayar Fund (Bloomberg: MAYARFD KY), has received Morningstars highest rating, 5-stars, for the overall period of returns as of October 31, 2017. The rating is based on risk-adjusted returns.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290057

Mayar Fund rated 5 Stars by Morningstar (Photo: Business Wire)

Mayar Capitals Managing Partner, Abdulaziz A. Alnaim, commented, the Mayar team and I are very excited to receive a five-star rating from Morningstar. It further confirms our belief that long-term success comes from sticking to our value investing strategy, our checklist-driven investment process, and Mayar Capitals Partnership Principles. He further added, I continue to believe that even in a world that seems to be ruled by short-termism, patience, discipline, and the long view will continue to payoff for us and our partners.

Mayar Funds (Bloomberg: MAYARFD KY) principal investment objective is to achieve long-term growth of capital by investing in equities and other securities to generate satisfactory risk-adjusted returns over the long term.

MORNINGSTAR RATING FOR FUNDS

This is a proprietary Morningstar data point.

Morningstar rates mutual funds and ETFs from 1 to 5 stars based on how well they've performed (after adjusting for risk and accounting for sales charges) in comparison to similar funds and ETFs.

Within each Morningstar Category, the top 10% of funds and ETFs receive 5 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. Funds and ETFs are rated for up to three time periods-three-, five-, and 10-years and these ratings are combined to produce an overall rating. Funds and ETFs with less than three years of history are not rated.

Ratings are objective, based entirely on a mathematical evaluation of past performance. They're a useful tool for identifying funds and ETFs worthy of further research, but shouldn't be considered buy or sell signals.

For more information visit: http://www.morningstar.com/InvGlossary/morningstar

Morningstar Rating as of 31/10/2017

 2017 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results

ABOUT MAYAR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Mayar Capital Management aims to generate excess returns over the long term by applying a disciplined value investing strategy across global securities markets. Mayar Capital Group, its subsidiaries and affiliates, provide investment advisory and asset management services to institutions, family offices, and high net-worth individuals globally.

For more information about Mayar Capital visit www.mayarcapital.com

Visit Mayar Funds profile on Morningstar at: http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/funds/snapshot/sna

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290057

Mayar Fund rated 5 stars by Morningstar
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 08:24:01

MedLumics Appoints Medtech Industry Veterans James Greene as Chief Executive Officer and Giovanni Leo as Member of the Board of Directors

For MedLumics

MEDIA CONTACT U.S.:

Diana Soltesz, 818-618-5634

diana@noblesgc.com

or

MEDIA CONTACT EUROPE:

Giorgio Pirazzini, +33 (0) 6 42 41 30 55

gpirazzini@medeuronet.com

MedLumics, a medical device company developing an optically guided cardiac ablation platform for the treatment of Atrial fibrillation (AF), announced today it has appointed James Greene as Chief Executive Officer and named Giovanni Leo to the board of directors. The addition of two medical device industry veterans positions the company for its next phase of growth toward the commercialization of its AblaView catheter, intended for the treatment of AF and other arrhythmias. Eduardo Margallo Balbas and Jose Luis Rubio, MedLumics Founders, continue to spearhead MedLumics scientific innovation and product development as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer respectively.

Mr. Greene, until recently a member of the MedLumics board of directors, brings 30 years of experience as an effective business leader in the medical device industry. He joins MedLumics from Seroba Lifesciences, a venture capital firm based in Dublin, where he was a partner. In that role, Greene served as board director for the firms medical device portfolio companies and mentored portfolio company management teams. Prior to Seroba, Greene founded and led cardiovascular device companies based in the U.S. and Europe, including VERSO Technologies, APK Advanced Medical Technologies, APICA Cardiovascular, and MitralSolutions, for which he found a diversity of successful industrial acquirers. Greene has also held leadership positions at large medical device companies, including Medtronic, Guidant Corporation, and Abbott Diagnostics.

I am honored to be chosen to lead MedLumics as CEO, said Greene. MedLumics innovative AblaView optically guided ablation technology enables clinicians to finally confirm in real time the creation of transmural scars without relying on a surrogate marker. The gravity of this innovation is the potential to reduce recurrence rates of AF, improve patient care and provide a more cost-effective solution for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in today's value-based medicine environment. MedLumics has a stellar team of professionals focused on developing innovative product solutions that offer clinicians better options for treating patients who suffer from AF and other arrhythmias.

MedLumics also added new technical expertise to its leadership team with the appointment of Giovanni Leo to the board of directors. Before joining MedLumics board, Mr. Leo served as vice president of research and development for St. Jude Medical. He also previously co-founded and served as chief technology officer for Endosense, which invented the novel contact-force sensing catheter ablation technology for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and was acquired by St. Jude in 2013. Leos extensive industry and engineering background will help guide MedLumics in its efforts to further advance optically guided minimally invasive instruments.

There is a growing need for new technologies to further advance the catheter ablation treatment of arrhythmias, and MedLumics has an opportunity to deliver on this with its highly advanced optics technology, said Leo. I look forward to lending my expertise as the company focuses on raising the bar in this field.

Olivier Litzka, MedLumics chairman of the board noted, With Jim and Giovanni joining at the top management level, and with some further technical AF medtech experts having recently come to work at the company, MedLumics has nearly completed its leadership team. With such profound medtech company building and electrophysiology expertise along with the outstanding technology platform developed by the founders, MedLumics is in good shape to deliver on its technical and clinical milestones.

AF is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. An estimated 33.5 million people worldwide suffered from AF in 20101, and prevalence of the disease is expected to increase as the number of people over the age of 65 continues to expand2. Although many technologies have emerged over the last several years to improve the catheter ablation treatment of AF, the procedure remains highly complex and in part difficult to predict. Broad registries reveal recurrence rates of up to 60 percent at the one-year follow-up time point. The major widely accepted cause of recurrence after initially successful treatment is pulmonary vein reconnection due to ineffective lesion formation.

MedLumics frontline product, AblaView, is a catheter-based radiofrequency (RF) ablation technology that optically guides catheter positioning and ablation treatment strategy using Optical Coherence Reflectometry (OCR). AblaViews proprietary multibeam technology provides real-time, direct visual, confirmation of catheter contact, contact stability, and lesion transmurality during tissue ablation, reducing recurrence rates and reducing procedure technical complexity while increasing procedural safety3. Although AF patients are expected to benefit most from this innovation, AblaView is a platform technology with multiple therapeutic application using RF ablation. The company is currently completing development of the AblaView Multibeam catheter and preparing for first in human clinical studies.

Earlier this year, MedLumics announced it raised 34.4 million Euros in financing to help advance the product and clinical development of the companys AblaView catheter. The financing was the largest in the history of medtech in Spain and one of the largest in Europe in 2017.

About MedLumics

Founded in 2009, MedLumics is an ISO13485 and ISO9001 certified cardiology device company specializing in optically guided medical devices. Its proprietary integrated optics platform technology combines optical and electrical components in a miniature chip, enabling for the first time multi-view optical sensing for high-quality real-time images during cardiac ablation. The systems allow physicians to improve diagnostic and therapeutic procedures through a non-invasive optical evaluation of tissue. MedLumics is backed by Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Seroba Life Sciences, Innogest, Ysios, Caixa and an undisclosed corporate partner. For more information, visit www.medlumics.com.

1. Chugh A., et al. Worldwide Epidemiology of Atrial Fibrillation: A Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study. Circulation. Dec. 17, 2013.

2. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_she. Accessed Jan. 11, 2017.

3. Gonzalez-Suarez, A., Herranz, D., Berjano, E., Rubio-Guivernau, J. L. and Margallo-Balbas, E. (2017), Relation between denaturation time measured [..]. Lasers Surg. Med.. doi:10.1002/lsm.22771

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711280066
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 04:41:51

Press Information

Fire Rating Solutions

7-11 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC, Australia 3006







03 9419 1393

email

https://www.fireratingsolutions.com.au/



Published by

Cam Wilkes

006499503888

e-mail

https://www.pureseo.co.nz







# 463 Words

7-11 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC, Australia 300603 9419 1393Cam Wilkes006499503888

In July 2017 the New South Wales Government announced a series of building regulatory reforms, largely with respect to fire safety, which came into effect on 1 October 2017. Its off the back of increased attention to this in the market (and fire safety in general due to the external cladding issues worldwide). NSW is leading the charge by legislating that the people who perform these inspections be competent.Trusted experts in passive fire protection FRS can provide annual fire inspection reports that include photographs in order to ensure every building is compliant to Australian safety standards. These reforms are possibly the most important change to the fire protection industry in decades, and FPA Australia is working closely with government and industry to ensure the reforms both improve fire safety outcomes and is practical for the industry. FPA Australia has developed several resources for fire protection practitioners and building owners in response to the NSW reforms.FRS offers a range of services that involve installation of penetration fire sealing products and fire proofing. They certify all their work to Australian standards. Fire audits determine if a blaze can be contained in the area in which it originated and also check if the buildings essential structural parts are guarded from collapsing due to excessive heat. Both these factors determine how lives and property can be saved in the event of a fire.The horrors of the Grenfell Tower fire in London are a sobering reminder that there is no room for short cuts or complacency when it comes to fire protection. It appears several fire protection systems within the Grenfell Tower failed resulting in the catastrophic raging chimney effect. Here in Australia, building owners and managers must be sure their buildings are up to code and maintained at all times. Fire Rating by way of the protection of structural steel and penetration sealing is required by The Building Code of Australia to ensure that all buildings have measures in place to protect life and property.FRS can check if fire rated products are correctly installed. They offer advice on any passive fire related issues that may come up. They can offer ongoing maintenance programmes along with regular inspections of the facilities. FRS can inspect if electrical, plumbing and mechanical services are fire rated to protect against smoke, fire and gas. Their penetration stopping products can be used for internal and external areas to provide maximum protection. These include walls, floors, pipes and cables, paints and other coatings.FRS has been providing a wide range of quality passive fire protection services to its customers in Melbourne and greater Victoria since 1990 and is a recognised leader within the Australian industry.For more information: https://www.fireratingsolutions.com.au/fire-compliance-audit To Contact FRS: Phone: (03) 9419 1393; E-mail: admin@ frsaust.com.au
Reference is made to the convertible bonds issued by Prosafe SE ("Prosafe" or "the Company") on 16 December 2016, with ISIN NO0010780992 and ISIN NO0010781008 ("Convertible Bonds").

Notices for part conversion have been received on the basis of which Convertible Bonds of nominal value NOK 136,137,000 have been converted into 4,537,900 new ordinary shares in the Company today, based on the conversion price of NOK 30 per share. Following the conversion, the remaining outstanding principals of the Convertible Bonds with ISIN NO0010780992 and ISIN NO0010781008 are reduced to NOK 101,955,000 and NOK 165,000,000, respectively. The number of outstanding shares in the Company has increased to 75,944,909 shares, each of nominal value EUR 0.1.

Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The Company is headquartered in Larnaca, Cyprus and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to www.prosafe.com

Larnaca, 29 November 2017

Georgina Georgiou, General Manager

Prosafe SE

For further information, please contact:

Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO

Prosafe Management AS

Phone: +47 47 80 78 13

Cecilie Helland Ouff, Senior Manager Finance and Investor Relations

Prosafe AS

Phone: +47 51 64 25 20

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Prosafe acting as commercial managers for the Axis Offshore owned Safe Swift has won a contract to support the TechnipFMC managed Bahr Essalam, Phase II development in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

The Safe Swift accommodating over 200 persons will operate gangway connected to the Sabratha platform, which is situated approximately 110km off the Libyan coast in a water depth of approximately 190m.

Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The Company is headquartered in Larnaca, Cyprus and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to www.prosafe.com

Larnaca, 29 November 2017

Georgina Georgiou, General Manager

Prosafe SE

For further information, please contact:

Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO

Prosafe Management AS

Phone: +47 47 80 78 13

Cecilie Helland Ouff, Senior Manager Finance and Investor Relations

Prosafe AS

Phone: +47 51 64 25 20
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 10:02:01

QMA continues to build global platform; hires John Gee-Grant as first head of international distribution

Prudential Financial, Inc.

Judi Flynn, 973-802-9939

judith.flynn@prudential.com

John Gee-Grant will join QMA in the newly created role of head of international distribution and global consultant relations, as the company continues to expand its global capabilities in client and business development.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290052

John Gee-Grant, Head of international distribution and global consultant relations (Photo: Business Wire)

Based in London, Gee-Grant joins the firm as an employee of PGIM Limited and will be wholly dedicated to QMA. He will report to Adam Broder, head of global distribution for QMA, the quantitative equity and dynamic asset allocation business of PGIM, the $1 trillion plus global investment management businesses of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). QMA managed $133 billion as of September 30, 2017. Broder was hired in October 2017 by QMAs new chief executive officer and chairman, Andrew Dyson.

Gee-Grants hire is part of Broders build out of a global team that will draw upon the depth of QMAs expertise while leveraging the full scale of PGIM, to further develop sales and client service, marketing and consultant relations.

With 30 years of experience at BlackRock and its predecessor companies, working with institutional clients and consultants, Gee-Grant held a number of roles in research, marketing and institutional client relationship management before going on to develop one of the first consultant relations team in the U.K. and leading it through two large mergers.

Most recently, Gee-Grant served as head of Global Consultant Relations at BlackRock, where he led the team across North America, EMEA and Asia. He was also a member of the Global Institutional Executive Committee. His appointment is effective January 2018.

As we expand our platform globally, John will work to devise new ways to deliver QMAs decades-long quantitative investing and asset allocation expertise to existing and new clients, Broder said. Johns deep knowledge of client investment needsand global experience at the worlds largest asset management companywill help us to strengthen current relationships and build new ones as we look to grow our footprint in a rapidly evolving world.

Gee-Grant is an associate member of CFA U.K. and was a board member of the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives (AIMSE) for 20 years, which included chairing AIMSE International from 2006 to 2010. He earned a B.Sc. in management sciences from Lancaster University in 1987.

QMA, the quantitative equity and dynamic asset allocation business of PGIM, applies a disciplined, research-driven approach that seeks to identify and capture alpha opportunities and combines factor exposures to create diversified, risk-aware strategies designed for long-term, consistent performance.

Founded in 1975, QMA manages portfolios for a worldwide institutional client base, including corporate and public pension plans, endowments and foundations, multi-employer pension plans, and sub-advisory accounts for other financial services companies. As of Sept. 30, 2017, QMA had approximately $133 billion assets under management.

About PGIM and Prudential Financial, Inc.

With 14 consecutive years of positive third-party institutional net flows, PGIM, the global asset management businesses of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), ranks among the top 10 largest asset managers in the world with more than $1 trillion in assets under management as of Sept. 30, 2017. PGIMs businesses offer a range of investment solutions for retail and institutional investors around the world across a broad range of asset classes, including fundamental equity, quantitative equity, public fixed income, private fixed income, real estate and commercial mortgages. Its businesses have offices in 16 countries across five continents. For more information, please visit pgim.com.

Prudentials additional businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities and retirement-related services. For more information about PGIM, please visit pgim.com. For more information about Prudential, please visit news.prudential.com.

Learn about QMA: QMAllc.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201711290052
PR-Inside.com: 2017-11-29 17:15:32

Press Information

the web project

3 Drayton House Court



nick maynard

Director

01865890552

email

http://www.thewebproject.co.uk/



Published by

Nick Maynard

01865890552

e-mail

http://www.thewebproject.co.uk/







# 368 Words

3 Drayton House CourtDirector01865890552Nick Maynard01865890552

There comes a time in every websites life when it needs a facelift and as a leading digital marketing agency it pays to keep your shop window looking sharp. Naturally theres much more to slick design than a shiny surface and thats why weve worked hard on everything from UX to CRO. At the web project we think it looks great, and it performs even better, but we would say that wouldnt we?Its said that you cant judge a book by its cover (although online attention spans would suggest otherwise) and thats why weve also been messing around with the mechanics of the site. Keen-eyed visitors will notice that the new site is built with Wordpress and thats because more of our clients are asking for a user-friendly CMS. Built-in blogging capabilities hardly need to be mentioned and few platforms are more mobile friendly.Weve also included a broad range of new services that we have been working-on over the years, but have kept relatively quiet about. Having just relaunched our own site you wont be surprised to read that one of these is website migration and we have also decided to push our expertise in local search and reputation management.As for the social side of things we have taken a strategic decision to get more chatty by beefing-up our third-party offerings, so friends and fans can now follow us on their platform of choice. Of course youll still find reams of expert electronic insight on the blog and we are always keen to hear your thoughts.The web project is Oxford's oldest digital marketing agency, over the years we've grown from gaming Google to providing sustainable SEO results that put real money in the bank. Not only have we got bags of experience, but weve got genuine insight coming out of our ears, and youll have to go a long way to find another digital marketing agency that comes close. If youre in the area feel free to drop-in at any time or give us a call and we can see where we can help: www.thewebproject.co.uk
The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) on Wednesday said it disbursed more than N7 billion loan to 800 beneficiaries in 2017.

Its Managing Director, Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed this at the FMBN 2017 Management Retreat in Abuja, with the theme Towards Improving FMBN Transaction Turnaround Time.

Mr. Dangiwa noted that the focus of the banks loan was to ensure completion of ongoing projects and recover FMBN financial outlay presently tied.

He said that the bank recovered N2.4 billion in 2017 against a cumulative figure of N8.3 billion as at 2016.

According to him, the retreat will underscore the intention of the new management for a quick positive turn-around in all facets of the banks operations.

Mr. Dangiwa said that the bank was micro-managing some of the housing estates to forestall diversion of funds and ensure recovery of loans.

The new management has also made a total refund payment of N6.6 billion to 44,370 beneficiaries in 2017 against a cumulative figure of N7.4 billion as at 2016.

Our backlog of unaudited accounts is expected to be cleared before the end of the year, he said.

The FMBN boss said the banks effort to implementing risk management framework was ongoing, while it was being assisted by the Institute of Directors to make the bank an institute of sound cooperate governance culture.

He said the mortgage market was subject to myriad of legislative requirements including the requirement for governors consent before a mortgage transaction could be legal.

In order to address this, he said, the bank created the Internal Records Office as an interim measure to secure its loans and provide some form of equity to cover loan facilities.

He said that the National Housing Fund (NHF) collection was growing steadily, adding that as a result of its strategic engagements, several non-contributing states had indicated readiness to re-join the scheme.

In a keynote address, the Minister of State II for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Zarma, tasked the bank to ensure adequate liquidity, develop secondary mortgage market and promote home ownership.

He said the challenges of a significant national housing deficit, the dearth of long-term funding and the high cost of housing delivery also placed enormous responsibility on the bank.

The minister challenged the bank to look into the NHF registration, collection and loan processes and initiate possible review towards reducing the current transaction turnaround time.

These services are critical as they form the bulk of areas of the service needs of the public, and the manner the bank delivers on these services form most important indicators of the quality of services provided, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat was attended by FMBN staff nationwide as well as delegates of Real Estate Development Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria.

(NAN)
Paul Okoye, the one half of the now defunct music group, PSquare, has said that he regrets tweeting about his family feud at the heat of the crisis.

Paul, who now goes by the moniker, Rude Boy, revealed this in an interview with Olisa Adibua and Maria Okan, on Beat FM, Lagos, on Wednesday.

When asked about the issue with his family, he said he doesnt want to play politics with music and wont be talking about his family issues in public.

I think I was very stupid to have tweeted about our issues and I think something got into me. I regret making those comments and I want my fans to forgive me.

According to him, it is not right to discuss details of his family issues in public. He, subsequently, refused to answer some questions fans sent regarding his brother.

The interview was centred on his solo music career and what his fans should expect.

In the interview held days ago but aired on Wednesday, Rudeboy said from the first day of November, he made a decision to take everything seriously and move on from the drama with his brother Mr P, in preparation for 2018.

Rudeboy also revealed that he doesnt know if there will be a P Square song again or if he is interested in doing one.

When asked if he was going to perform alone, Paul said he had a solo performance at the just concluded PhynoFest in Enugu.

When asked if he wont feel awkward looking across the stage and not seeing his brother, Paul responded saying, Its a new year for me and all that is gone is gone since November 1st.

The music star also said he plans to release a solo album next year. He also added that he wasnt supposed to drop his new singles but felt he needed something to start his new year (November 1st).

I have been living in the studio for the past few weeks and I have 90-100 songs available. I could drop two albums today if I want to. My eye don open, dey just free lion commot for cage.

When asked how he feels when people say he cant sustain his career alone, his response amidst laughter was that his music will speak for itself.

A fan sent in a question, asking if the brothers could make up and get back together. He replied saying, No be me sign paper say I wan commot.

Lastly, he was asked about his working relationship with his brother, Jude Okoye.

There used to be three of us, now theres two of us; Jude is still my manager, he said.

Watch the full interview below:
Popular Nigerian comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, has apologised to Nigerians for posting a false claim that veteran comedian, Moses Adejumo, popularly known as Baba Sala, died.

Mr. Adeyinka issued the apology via his Instagram page where he had earlier made the false claim on Tuesday night.

Good evening please DISREGARD the news of Baba Salas demise. The source has since recanted. So sorry for the misinformation.

Feeling very stupid that I just took his word for it. Sorry again, the standup comedian wrote.

Adeyinkas untrue claim was deleted soon after it was posted, but many blogs had published it without verifying from the family of Baba Sala.

When PREMIUM TIMES called Emmanuel Adejumo, one of Baba Salas sons on Wednesday morning, he dismissed the story as false.

It is not true that Baba is dead. He is alive .I dont know where those peddling the death rumour got it from.

When this newspaper informed him of the news as reported by the comedian and asked him to call his father, he said, How can I call my dad when I am right next to him. Baba is very much alive.Thank you for calling.

This is the second time in less than six months that such rumour would be peddled about the comedian.

In August, a similar rumour was published by many blogs, however, it was swiftly debunked by Emmanuel.

Good morning Nigerians, I want to thank you all for your love I would like to inform us that my Daddy, Hon Moses Olaiya Adejumo MON is alive, he is doing well. Please, ignore any death rumour, Emmanuel had posted on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Baba Sala, is currently down with stroke and urgently needs financial assistance.

His health condition came to the fore at a press briefing organised in Lagos on Friday to shed light on his biography due for presentation on December 4.
Police on Wednesday confirmed that two American men were arrested and fined 154 dollars each for baring their buttocks at Thai temples.

The men triggered anger in Thailand for taking photos of their exposed butts at well-known temples in Bangkok which they posted on November 23 on their joint Instagram account @Traveling_butts.

The now-deleted account had 14,400 followers.

The pair, identified only as Joseph and Travis, both 38, left Thailand for Cambodia a day after posting the controversial photos.

They were nabbed at a Bangkok airport late Tuesday while in transit to another country, said Jarupat Thongkomol, chief of the Bangkok Yai district police.

The pair was put under the immigration watch list. We also have surveillance footage that showed they were at the temples and other eyewitnesses who said they were there, Jarupat said.

Both men were charged with indecency.

According to Jarupat, they admitted to the crime and paid a 5,000-baht (154-dollar) fine each.

They are being detained at an immigration centre in Bangkok.

He said that police are awaiting court approval to charge the pair with computer crimes since the obscene content was posted online, which could lead to a maximum jail term of three years.

Visitors to temples in predominantly Buddhist Thailand are obliged to wear decent clothing and cover themselves up.

(dpa/NAN)
Britain could take steps to stabilise Zimbabwes currency system and extend a bridging loan to help it clear World Bank and African Development Bank arrears.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Wednesday on the sidelines of an African Union-EU summit in Abidjan that such support, however, depends on democratic progress.

Those are indeed the things that we would try to do to help Zimbabwe forward, but weve got to see how the democratic process unfolds, he said.

Zimbabwe is due to hold elections in 2018.

Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as president on November 24 after the resignation of Robert Mugabe, and has said his government will focus on economic growth.

Mr. Johnson said: Recent events in Zimbabwe offer a moment of hope for the country and its people.

This is a time to look to the future and to make clear that Britain shares the common vision of a prosperous, peaceful and democratic Zimbabwe.

I am encouraged by President Emmerson Mnangagwas words so far.

During his inauguration speech, he promised to reform the economy and give investors the security of title they need if Zimbabwe is to fulfil its potential and create the jobs that are sorely needed.

For as long as the President acts on his words, then Britain is willing to work alongside him and offer all the support we can.

The UKs relationship with Africa and the African Union will continue to go from strength to strength and as we leave the EU I want to work even more closely with my counterparts in the region.

(Reuters/NAN)
The British Foreign Office said it had summoned the North Korean ambassador to condemn Wednesdays ballistic missile test.

North Korea said it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile in a breakthrough that put the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

I summoned the North Korean Ambassador to the Foreign Office to make clear to him our condemnation of this latest ballistic missile test, Minister for Asia and Pacific, Mark Field, said in a statement.

North Korea claims it wants to bring security and prosperity to its people. But its actions are creating only insecurity and deepening its isolation, said Mr. Field.

Britain is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The latest test was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, and it landed in the sea near Japan.

U.S President, Donald Trump, who has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes, spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday and urged Beijing to rein in its ally North Korea.

North Korea said the new missile reached an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles)  more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station  and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight.

Experts said the new Hwasong-15 missile theoretically gave North Korea the ability to hit the U.S. mainland, including the East Coast, although it was not clear whether it could carry a nuclear weapon.

North Korea, which conducted its largest nuclear bomb test in September, has tested dozens of ballistic missiles under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions.

Previous U.S. administrations have failed to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and a sophisticated missile programme.

Mr. Trump has also struggled to contain Pyongyang since he came to office in January.

The Republican president on Wednesday again urged China to use its leverage on North Korea and promised more sanctions against the country, two strategies that have borne little fruit so far.

Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.

China, the Norths sole major ally, has so far refrained from taking some of the most drastic steps against North Korea, such as imposing an oil embargo.

White House spokeswoman, Sarah Sanders said the U.S. sanctions would come very soon and would add maximum pressure on North Korea.

Mr. Kim personally guided the test and said the new launcher was impeccable, state media said.

He described the new vehicle as a breakthrough.

North Korea also described itself as a responsible nuclear power, saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from the U.S. imperialists nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat.

U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japans exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM.

(Reuters/NAN)
Nigerian soldiers on Tuesday rescued another 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists after they cleared remnants of Boko Haram insurgents from some villages in the northern fringes of the Sambisa forest, an official said.

According to a statement by the army spokesperson, Sani Usman, the soldiers also captured one Boko Haram commander, Ameer of Chawa, Amman Judee, and killed four terrorists.

Mr. Usman said the captured leader was undergoing interrogation, while the rescued persons were being documented and underaged children among them administered oral polio vaccines.

The latest rescue of the 212 victims is the second mass rescue in a week.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the rescue of 30 victims on Saturday after soldiers killed 11 Boko Haram suspects in separate battles in eight villages of Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

While the army has continued to achieve successes against the terror group, the Boko Haram still carry out attacks, mainly on soft targets, in various parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

About 100,000 people have been killed since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday lamented that Nigeria is daily splitting along ethnic and religious lines and that the country, as currently constituted, is not working.

He said this at the 2017 Annual Conference and Induction Ceremony of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) tagged, Myth and Reality of Agitations: The Place of Consensus Building, in Abuja, where he said that division is not only becoming wider by the day, but gradually destroying the future of the country.

As a nation, however, we have to tell ourselves the hard truth. Nigeria, as currently constituted, is certainly not working well. Nigerians are not only dangerously split along ethnic, religious, and sectional lines, the gap is widening on a daily basis.

The trend of insults and divisive verbal attacks traded by younger ones against one anothers ethnicities, sections, and religions on the social media on every matter do not also inspire any hope of a brighter future.

Therefore, I believe the constituent parts of this country must come together around the table immediately to discuss and agree on how to fix the country. I also believe that the 2014 National Conference Report is a starting point, he said.

According to him, the 2014 National Conference report remains the most recent roadmap produced by every shade of opinion and group in the country.

Mr. Ekweremadu expressed confidence that the nation can overcome her problems through the deployment of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He added that mediation and conciliation had been necessary tools in dispute resolution.

Disappointed that the report (2014 conference report) had been ignored for long, he said, It is rather unfortunate that several months after the Senate requested Mr. President to transmit the report to the National Assembly for legislative actions, nothing has happened. We only read a recent statement credited to the presidency to the effect that it has no confidence in the confab report.

I do not believe, in good conscience, that a report produced by the cream of all spheres and units of the Nigerian society is worthless. Does the present government intend to set in motion a process to convoke another conference, whose outcome it can trust? That will be a waste of time and resources. But, whichever way we look at it, Nigerians must work out a blueprint for a workable, equitable, and prosperous nation, he said.

He however applauded the fact that the ADR now thrives in the country and practitioners are eager to lend their expertise and weight to the consensus building efforts.

Mr. Ekweremadus position aligns with that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who recently at an event in Abuja also urged the government to implement aspects of the 2014 report which he said had panacea for the nations numerous challenges.

Meanwhile, a professor of African History, Isaac Albert, at the event called on President Muhammadu Buhari to embrace the instrument of mediation and reconciliation in order to resolve the intractable Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east and militant activities in other parts of the country.

While stressing that key players in the Boko Haram insurgency were profiting from the crisis and as such would not want it to end, he urged Mr. Buhari to, embrace the leader of the insurgent group, Abubakar Shekau, as a way of bringing the battle to an end.

President of the ICMC, Emeka Obegolu, said the Institute preferred the promotion of mediation and conciliation for dispute resolution.

They are vehicles to the enthronement of political, communal and ethno/tribal peace and harmony in Nigeria. We are challenged to continue to interrogate the incessant crisis that bedevils the polity and threatens to tear the social fabric of our society apart, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has given the clearest hint so far that he will seek re election in 2019.

He gave the hint in far away Abidjan, Cote dIvoire where he is attending the 5th European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Summit.

He was accompanied on the trip by a leader of the governing APC, Bola Tinubu, and governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi states among others.

The president arrived late to an interactive session with the Nigerian community in Cote dIvoire Tuesday night and said he had to wait for the two governors to accompany him to the meeting because of their electoral value.

First I want to apologise for keeping you for too long sitting, this is because I insisted on the governors attending this meeting.

This is why I came along with them so that when we are going to meet you, when you are going to meet the rest of Nigerians, if you tell them that their governors were in the company of the president, I think that will be another vote for me in the future. Im very pleased that they were able to turn up, Mr. Buhari said to thunderous laughter and clapping by the audience.

I AM FOR EVERYBODY

Mr. Buhari had during his inauguration on May 29, 2015 stated that he will be for everybody as well as for nobody.

He reiterated that position on Tuesday, saying that was responsible for his support of Akinwumi Adesina to emerge as the President of African Development Bank, AfDB, despite serving as a minister in a PDP-led administration.

Mr. Buhari was reacting to Mr. Adesinas remark earlier expressing gratitude for the support he received in his bid to emerge as the AfDB president.

Mr. Buhari had shortly after assumption of office dispatched former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to lobby President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to support the candidature of Mr. Adesina, a move that was key in getting the former Minister of Agriculture the job.

Mr. Adesina is the first Nigerian to head the continental bank since it was set up in 1964.

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who forgot to mention that he was serving in the PDP government as minister but all the same I picked him and recommended him for AfDB.

I think it emphasised what I said during my swearing in that I am for everybody and I am for nobody. As long as you are a Nigerian, be prepared to be on the receiving end from me, the president said.

Mr. Buhari also told the audience that he just received a beautiful piece of information from Mr. Tinubu which he was never aware of. He thanked the APC leader for the information.

He however, did not disclose what the information was.

I also thank our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has brought me a very beautiful piece of information, which I was not aware of it until I sat down and read it this evening (Tuesday night). Thank you very much for your hard work and I will discuss that paper with you.

Mr. Adesina in his remarks noted that the the Nigerian economy picked up soon after Mr. Buharis health challenges appeared over, adding that so it seems there is a correlation between the Presidents health and the improved economy.

On security, Mr. Adesina said the bank has released $250 million for the construction and rehabilitation of the North-east, destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents.

He also said the AfDB has constructed a big building behind the YarAdua Centre in Abuja, which will serve as its office in Nigeria.

He said it is the first of such buildings by AfDB outside its Abidjan headquarters, which he will want President Buhari to commission.

I want to thank you immensely. I want to thank God for your health because I must say that for all of us that has been a big concern. But seeing you fit as a fiddle and seeing you back in action, we thank God for that and may God continue to give you great strength.

Mr. President as you must have noticed, there is a very strong correlation between your health and the economy and when you came back the economy picked up after that. So we wish you great health so that the the economy can continue to pick.

I also want to congratulate you for the economic growth and recovery plan that you have put in place and the incredible plan that you have put in place to bring the economy out of recession and also in terms of the fact that Nigeria has moved up in the World Bank ease of doing business index.

It is to your leadership, vision and commitment that we want to from the African Development Bank commend you, Mr. President, and to assure you of our strong support behind you and your government for the efforts to try and move Nigeria forward. We are solidly behind you, you can count on that.

I also want to thank you for your leadership on the Boko Haram issue because to draw investments into Nigeria, you absolutely have to have security.

I think that securing our borders is very very important thanks to your leadership for that. I also thank you for all the efforts you have made in the Lake Chad Basin Area.

I was with you in Paris where you led the efforts in reviving the Lake Chad Basin. As you know Mr. President, the bank is very strongly behind that. We put in $250 million to support the North-east of Nigeria rebuilding. I know you were criticized for rebuilding but I dont see anything wrong, if things get destroyed they have to be rebuilt and the African Development Bank has contributed $250 million towards that, Mr. Adesina said.
Revenue allocation from the federation Account to the three tiers of government summed up to about N4.55 trillion between January and September 2017, the latest edition of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Quarterly Review has showed.

The publication issued on Wednesday in Abuja showed that of the total amount, about N1.76 trillion was shared in the third quarter of 2017, as against the N1.377 trillion and N1.41 trillion disbursed in the second and first quarters of the year respectively.

Information and data on FAAC disbursements for the third quarter of 2017 as well as the mid-year budget implementation also showed the federal government received about N1.851.32 trillion for the three quarters of the year.

This was followed by the state governments, which collected about with N1.509 trillion and the 774 local governments about N913.8 billion.

Further analysis of the revenue allocation showed that about N271.78 billion went to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR; Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, as cost of revenue collections.

The Review attributed the increases in FAAC disbursements to the three tiers of governments in the third quarter to what it called positive developments in the oil sector  evidenced from resurgent oil prices and increased production levels.

The third quarter also represents the summer season when global oil demand and consequently oil prices are generally higher than other times of the year and this could possibly explain the higher revenue accruals to the Federation account in these third quarters, the report said.

The NEITI Quarterly Review is based on analysis on data obtained from FAAC, National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office of the Federation.

NEITI attributed the rising trend in the FAAC disbursements to the three tiers of governments to the positive improvements in all sources of oil revenues, with the exception of rents, in 2017 than 2016 first halves.

The report said governments half year projections was about N2.67 trillion for oil and N2.70 trillion for non-oil revenue.

However, actual revenue for the first half of the year fell short of projections, with actual oil revenue of about N1.587 trillion, representing a shortfall of N1.079 trillion, about a 40.4 per cent underperformance.

The increased disbursements, the report said, were in line with recent developments in the oil sector, where global oil prices have rebounded and Nigerias oil production has risen.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, data showed that oil production averaged 1.953 million barrels per day in June 2017, the highest level recorded since March 2016 when about 1.957 million barrels per day was produced.

The increased production was attributed to the return of normalcy in the Niger Delta region, with the suspension of hostilities by the armed Niger Delta Avengers and resumption of oil export at the Forcados Terminal after many months.

Actual oil revenue was N1.587 trillion, representing a shortfall of N1.079 trillion, or 40.4 per cent underperformance.

Non-oil revenue fared slightly worse, as only 41.6 per cent of the projected revenue was realized. Actual non-oil revenue totalled N1.125 trillion, indicating a shortfall of N1.575 trillion.

Equally, revenues from non-oil sector also recorded huge improvements, with Value Added Tax, VAT, making the largest contribution with about 16 per cent increase over 2016 figures.

The report attributes the development to increase in economic activities, expansion in the tax base and the improvement in performance of revenue collecting agencies.

However, the report notes that there was no revenue recorded from solid minerals and dividends from investments funded by FAAC despite the abundant solid minerals deposits in the country.

The NEITI Quarterly Review noted that FAAC disbursements to the states in the first three quarters of 2017 were about 42 per cent lower than the states budgetary requirements.

States will have to aggressively raise their internally generated revenue, IGR in order to be able to actualize their budgets. The alternative is increased borrowing. About half of the states (15) have FAAC disbursements as a ratio of budgets lower than 20 per cent, the report said.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has suspended its nationwide strike, 15 days after the industrial action began.

This was confirmed by the chairman of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic chapter of the union, Kola Abiola, on Wednesday night.

Mr. Abiola said the union suspended the strike based on certain conditions.

We signed a memorandum of understanding with the federal ministry of education and ministry of labour before calling off the strike, he said.

According to a report by Channels Television, the National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, also announced the suspension on Wednesday during the unions 14th National Delegates Conference at the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi State.

Mr. Dutse said the decision to suspend the strike followed the series of meetings held between the leadership of the union and the federal government.

The union considered the suspension to give an opportunity for implementation of the content of Memorandum of Settlement and Action, and shall be reviewed according to the timelines outlined in the MoS, Mr. Dutse said.

The decision to commence an indefinite strike was the outcome of the National Executive Council meeting of ASUP which held on November 11 at the Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State.

According to the union, the industrial action followed the failure of the federal government to implement all the agreements it entered with them since 2016.

Some of the demands included non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report, and shortfalls in personnel releases and withdrawal of allowances.

Others were non-passage of the amended bill of the Polytechnic Act, alleged infractions in the appointment of rectors, as well as improving the conditions of state-owned institutions.
The Nigerian Senate has again failed to confirm a Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, nominee, Bello Mahmud, from Zamfara State.

The Senate first rejected Mr. Mahmuds nomination last Thursday for allegedly not being an indigene of the state.

On Tuesday, the lawmakers agreed to revisit the rejection after Kabir Marafa, Zamfara-APC, raised a point of order and sought the leave of the Senate to revisit the controversial rejection.

Presenting the motion on Wednesday, Mr. Marafa asked the Senate to rescind its earlier decision and approve the confirmation of the nomination of Ahmad Bello Mahmud, to represent Zamfara State as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr. Marafa said that even though the committee had claimed that its recommendation was based on careful deliberations and consultations, at no time was he consulted on the confirmation of the nominee despite being a Senator from the state.

He said that the report of the committee had in itself confirmed that the nominee is from Zamfara state.

The Senate is aware that item 4.1.2 on page 6 of the Screening Committees Report has confirmed that the nominee was born in Gusau, Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State;

The Senate is aware that the report has confirmed that the nominee had both his primary and secondary education in Gusau and Anka Local Government Areas of Zamfara State respectively;

The Senate is aware that the nominee was a one-time Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Zamfara State and the Chairman, Zamfara State Anti-Corruption Commission, amongst others;

The Senate is aware also that the methodology adopted by the Committee as contained in item 3.0 on page 3 of the report made no reference whatsoever to indigeneship as a basis for consideration and for clearing any nominee;

The Senate is further aware that the assertion by the senator representing Zamfara North Senatorial District that the nominee is from Kebbi State and not from Zamfara State is therefore false.

He prayed that the Senate rescind its earlier decision of rejection and approve the confirmation of the nomination of Ahmad Bello Mahmud.

The Senate rejected the two prayers.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said the Senate can only refer the matter back to the committee to reconsider.

The issue really at hand is the work of the committee and I believe that any decision we take here, we must allow the committee to be able to defend itself, he said I think in going forward, what should be the prayer based on what you said. Im sure a lot of people have listened to you and have some points raised for us to refer it back to the committee to take care of the points that you raised because any decision we raised here will be indicting the committee and that will not be fair on the committee.

The Senate agreed to refer the issue back to its committee on INEC and report back in one week.
Authorities in northern India have fined Swiss food giant, Nestle, $96,500 (about N35 million), after food inspectors found contamination in samples of its popular Maggi noodles, two years after the controversy first surfaced.

Uttar Pradesh states Shahjahanpur district fined the Swiss firm 4.5 million rupees and its distributors 1.7 million rupees, taking the total penalty to 6.2 million rupees ($96,500).

Food quality tests on Maggi samples found the product to be substandard.

The ash content, which include heavy metals, found in the samples were above permissible limits for human consumption, district food quality chief DP Singh told dpa by phone.

The samples were collected during raids on various distributors in 2015.

The fine was only imposed two years later after authorities had heard detailed representations from Nestle and its distributors, Singh said.

A spokesman for Nestle India asserted that Maggi noodles were 100 per cent safe for consumption.

Nestle said it appeared to be a case of application of incorrect standards and it would appeal against the order.

Maggi noodles was banned in June 2015 for six months after Indias food regulator said the product was unsafe and hazardous levels of lead.

Production began after the ban was relaxed later that year.

Singh said while the 2015 ban was because of high levels of lead, the penalty was because of elevated levels of ash content.

The yellow-and-red packages of Maggi noodles are a popular snack in India and can be found in shops in the furthest reaches of the country.

(dpa/NAN)
Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative, MANI, a non-governmental organisation, has won the 2017 Nelson Mandela-Graca Michel Innovation Awards in mental health, according to a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

Grant Clark, Senior Media Advisor to 2017 International Civil Society Week, said in the statement issued on Wednesday that MANI was selected from among 300 nominations across the globe as the winner in the Civil Society Organisation category.

The awards seek to recognize outstanding bravery and achievement towards social change.

From humble beginnings, MANI, which promotes mental health awareness in Nigeria, has grown to be the largest and most active mental health NGO.

He said that former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, praised MANIs achievement.

We commend the work of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative for opening the space to improve the lives of young Nigerians living with mental illness, who are too often stigmatized and the cause of great suffering for many people, Ban was quoted as saying.

Clark identified other winners as an Egyptian activist and journalist, Khaled Elbalshy; a young Guyanese change-maker, Jubilante Cutting, and a German philanthropist organisation, Guerrilla Foundation.

The awards, named after human rights icon Nelson Mandela and former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique, Graca Machel, honour remarkable bravery and innovation in creating social change and empowering future generations.

Ms. Machel said at the award presentation that Awards like this are so significant because the winners truly are sparks of hope with the potential to inspire many others.

It is important that those of us with the freedom to speak out, use our voices to lift up these courageous individuals and organisations.

Victor Ugo, founder of MANI and himself a medical professional, said: This is an auspicious moment for us and we want to dedicate it to every Nigerian youth coping with mental illness.

We are motivated to keep up the discussion and hope our voice will continue to resonate both within and beyond our borders.

(NAN)
Some academic and religious scholars have advised states and the federal government to institutionalise payment of Zakat by wealthy Muslims as effective weapon in the fight against poverty.

They made the call at the 2017 Zakat Distribution ceremony organised by the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, ZSF, in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ZSF is a poverty alleviation arm of The Muslim Congress, TMC, a faith-based organisation.

Zakat is the payment made annually under Islamic laws on certain kinds of property and the proceeds are used for charitable purposes.

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam.

NAN also reports that the foundation distributed cash and materials totalling N108.28 million to 494 beneficiaries at the ceremony in Lagos State.

It had distributed Zakat to beneficiaries in Delta, Ondo, Ado-Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe earlier in the year.

Speaking at the occasion in Lagos, a religious scholar, AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef, called on relevant organisations to sponsor bills in states House of Assembly and National Assembly to institutionalise payment of Zakat.

Mr. Abdul-Lateef, who is the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, said that Zakat was meant to help the needy, regardless of religion.

He, therefore, expressed the belief that members of the public must understand the need to push private member bill to support the institution of zakat.

As important as zakat is, the redistribution of wealth is what can save the economy; we are not poor, it is just that we have refused to redistribute wealth.

So, members of the civil society organisations and leaders, as well as citizens generally, can call for the institution of zakat to help the poor.

Zakat is meant to help the needy, regardless of the religious inclination.

So, I believe that members of the public must understand what it means to push a private member bill.

Even members of the House of Assembly can do it; the whole essence is to complement the efforts of government.

Government, every day is talking about public-private partnership, the whole essence is that government cannot do it alone.

There are so many well-meaning Nigerians whose wealth, if the zakat is paid, will assist in mitigating the hardship faced by so many people, the commissioner said.

Lai Olurode, a don and Chairman of the occasion, said there was nothing wrong if the federal government could institutionalise zakat and sadaqat as means of alleviating poverty among Nigerians.

There is nothing wrong if you institutionalise zakat and sadaqat.

It will then make it mandatory for wealthy Muslims to pay zakat just as we are talking about the partnership to complement governments efforts.

But, because of religious illiteracy and religious prejudices, Nigerians dont think deeply that zakat is a strong economic tool that can be used to stem poverty.

Even in Christian dominated countries, they are buying into Sukuk, they are buying into Islamic banking, but in Nigeria, they make it unnecessarily emotional and make it appear as if it is an attempt to Islamise the country, Mr. Olurode said.

The Professor of Sociology, who is also the Chairman, University of Lagos Muslim Community, said poverty does not draw boundary between people in terms of their religion.

It does not draw a boundary in terms of their ethnicity; it does not draw a boundary in terms of their nationality, poverty is poverty, whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, you are going to be.

So, whatever anybody can do to move people away from poverty should be done regardless of the institution.

So, it doesnt really matter where the money is coming from, whether it is from Muslims, from zakat or whatever source.

What is important is that you want to touch humanity, you want to touch a life, you want to give hope to people.

In Nigeria today, not less than 70 per cent of Nigerians are surviving on less than two dollars a day.

So, whatever you can do to partner with government to move people out of poverty, it should be done regardless of the religious inclination or thinking, Mr. Olurode said.

Sulaiman Olagunju, the Executive Director of ZSF, said that as at October, the foundation had mobilised Zakat totalling N191 million in 2017.

According to Olagunju, the figure is an increase of N71, 907,592 over Zakat of N119, 196,760 last year.

O the Zakat distributed in 2017, the director said N45.2 million was given for economic empowerment purposes.

Beneficiaries with health-related challenges were assisted with N31.06 million, education assistance to students gulped N11.17 million, while N11.49 million was spent on welfare support.

NAN reports that items distributed at the occasion included tricycles, motorcycles, photocopier machines, pepper-grinding machine, sewing machines, deep freezer, Braille machine and books for blind students, among others.

(NAN)
Cancer patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, may soon breathe a sigh of relief as plans are underway to increase the coverage and treatment of the disease under the scheme.

The acting executive secretary of the agency, Attahiru Ibrahim, disclosed this in his office in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Project Pink Blue, a non-governmental organisation involved in cancer advocacy in Nigeria.

Mr. Ibrahim said the agency is aware that funding for illnesses in Nigeria is quite difficult adding that the scheme is currently seeing how it can integrate treatment of more diseases not yet covered.

The NGO had visited the agency to solicit that cancer treatment be included as part of the health treatment package enrolees of the scheme benefit from.

Mr. Ibrahim explained that part of cancer treatment and some drugs are no longer excluded in the NHIS benefit package adding that the agency is currently doing a general review with a view to adding new procedures and drugs to the list of what it previously covered.

Mr. Ibrahim said Nigerians, especially enrolees, need to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations of the agency as this is how they can have a better understanding of what their insurance package covers and can demand for these from health providers.

He said most Nigerians complain about the scheme due to ignorance as they are usually unaware of its immense benefits and their privileges as enrolees.

Mr. Ibrahim disclosed that previously, NHIS had been handling the treatment of some cancer patients as part of the centenary celebration, but had not incorporated it in full into the scheme because of the lack of funds.

He explained that the NHIS intervention in cancer treatment started around 2014 and was targeted at taking care of just 100 people, at that time as part of the centenary celebration.

NHIS is ready to do more but we cannot because of our meagre resources, I said meagre resources because prior to the time we were not part of the Treasury Single Account, TSA, we were able to invest our money and get returns on it. But now that TSA has commenced till date, our money keeps declining because our money is tied up in it and we have argued that the government should allow us have the money so that we can invest it and grow the money but they are saying it is against the TSA, he said.

He however urged the government to improve on getting more people enrolled into the scheme.

Until health insurance is compulsory for all its citizens, we cannot achieve a universal health coverage and that is the only way most Nigerians can immensely benefit from it in terms of wider health coverage and funding, he said.

Gloria Oriji, a breast cancer survivor and the governor of the Abuja Breast Cancer Support Group, ABC-SG, in her remarks during the visit urged the health agency to include cancer treatment as a regular disease to be funded by NHIS.

She said it is hard enough for a person to be diagnosed with cancer and, much harder when the person has to start seeking funding on how to battle with the aliment.

We are here to advocate that cancer treatment and medication should be included as part of what is covered under the NHIS scheme especially for those patients who registered (for) it. The treatment of cancer is very expensive and most people cannot afford it. We need the scheme to cover some of the progress as this will help ease the financial stress for the patients and their families, she said.

Ms. Oriji explained that cancer affects a person emotionally, physically and psychologically, and it is high time the government assists those diagnosed with the disease to make life easier through easy funding and access to treatment.

She added that most patients will be able to survive the battle with the disease if they had access to affordable treatment.

We are using this medium to call on NHIS and the government to help ease the pain by collaborating with some of the manufacturing pharmaceutical companies, if they can also sell most of the needed cancer drugs at subsidised prices to assist with treatment, she said.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked against the new local language policy proposed by the Nigerian Army.

The House also urged the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a lieutenant general, to stop the implementation of the policy.

The House noted that the policy sought to compel all personnel to be proficient in three major Nigerian languages: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba by December 2018.

The resolution was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion, sponsored by two members, Abiante Dagomie and Diri Douye.

Moving the motion, Mr. Dagomie reiterated the need for the Army to continue with the practice of communicating in English language in a multi-lingual Army.

Mr. Dagomie, who said that the policy infringed on the fundamental rights of the minority languages in the country, added that it would serve no purpose beyond fractionalisation and marginalisation in the Army.

He said, Nigeria is home to languages, numbering about 400 and that language gives insight into the personality and culture of a people.

Therefore, such a local language policy proposed by the Nigerian Army infringes on the fundamental rights of the minorities not to be foisted with the linguistic and cultural hegemonies of major languages

This situation, should it continue unabated, will lead to discrimination and exclusion from employment opportunities, promotion and ambush of the legitimate aspirations of overwhelming numbers of non-native speakers of Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa in the Army.

Nigerian society is heterogeneous and as such, in contemplating policies, care must be taken to steer discourse to what is integrating, progressive and amenable.

This is to ensure mass involvement in the national development and democratic processes rather than pandering to primordial or tribal biases

The policy flies in the face of an increasingly globalising world where proficiency in an international language is the current inclination.

When we all use the same language, we have a common understanding of precisely what we mean and what is expected.

The Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, presided over the plenary, referred the motion to the Committee on Army to interface with the Chief of Army Staff on the policy with a view to ensuring a stop to it.

The committee is to report back in four weeks.

(NAN)
A Nigerian firm has developed a mobile application that enables students, teachers, and parents access past questions of school and professional examinations, curricula and other key information in the education sector.

Bilyak Consulting Firm launched the application mAcademy www.mylearningacademy.com in Abuja on Wednesday.

A representative of the firm, Oladayo Pelumi, said the platform will ensure availability of quality learning through online courses and assessment to a vast number of Nigerians.

He said the application will bridge the educational and learning gap, noting that it will ensure that quality learning reaches all individuals in all walks of life at an affordable cost

According to him, the e-learning platform is for learners and teachers. He said teachers can upload their contents on the platform for students to access at N100 for seven days.

It cuts across about 98 categories and over 400 courses in various areas for all ages and professions, he said.

Mr. Pelumi said the application has been endorsed by the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Open University of the United Kingdom.

The school curriculum is according to NERDC standard, he said.

Recently, we are all aware of the pass rate of teachers in the public sector; it was quite poor and we cannot send them back home, we have to train them.

The Teacher Education For Sub-Sahara Africa, TESA, module is on the platform to retrain the teachers.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, a co-founder of the firm, Hadiza Mohammed, said the standard of education in Nigeria has deteriorated, noting that no one wants to identify with a public secondary or primary school these days.

Everything is moving to technology and we decided to come up with this product where education should be moved to a phone. We feel the launch will give us the government endorsement that we need, she said

Madu Caro from the Federal Ministry of Education said the application will help improve the education sector.

I am not aware of any support from the government for the platform but it is a good one for the sector, she said.
The global fight against malaria may suffer a setback following reduction in funding by international donors and governments of high burdened countries across the world.

According to a press statement by World Health Organisation on Wednesday, the 2017 World Malaria Report, indicated that global progress in malaria control has stalled.

The report said 216 million people in 91 countries were infected with malaria in 2016, an estimated five million more cases than in 2015.

The report also indicated that malaria death last year stood at around 445,000, a similar figure to that of the previous year.

WHO in the annual malaria report said a major problem of the campaign for malarial control and eradication was insufficient funding at both domestic and international levels, resulting in major gaps in coverage of insecticide-treated nets, medicines, and other life-saving tools.

The report shows that Africa continues to bear an estimated 90 per cent of all malaria cases and deaths worldwide in 2016.

Fifteen countries,all but one of them in sub-Saharan Africa, carry 80 per cent of the global malaria burden.

According to the report, Nigeria falls among the African countries with the high burden of malaria cases and deaths.

The report stated that while the rate of new cases of malaria had fallen overall since 2014, the trend has levelled off and even reversed in some regions.

Malaria mortality rates followed a similar pattern.

Malaria is a common health issue in Nigeria where drugs to treat the disease are commonly sold at drug stores. Most Nigerians also do not also use mosquito treated nets, in spite of appropriation of huge funds by many states to malaria elimination programmes.

Government at federal and state levels, in partnership with international health donors and non-governmental agencies, always embark on campaigns against malaria by distributing drugs, especially pregnant women, and mosquito treated nets.

Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said if countries are to get the global malaria response back on track, supporting the most heavily affected countries in Africa must be the primary focus.

In recent years, we have made major gains in the fight against malaria, we are now at a turning point. Without urgent action, we risk going backwards, and missing the global malaria targets for 2020 and beyond, he said.

The new report also outlines additional challenges in the global malaria response, including the risks posed by conflict and crises in malaria endemic zones.

WHO is currently supporting malaria responses in Nigeria, South Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen, where ongoing humanitarian crises pose serious health risks.

In Nigerias Borno State, for example, WHO said it supported the launch of a mass antimalarial drug administration campaign this year that reached an estimated 1.2 million children aged under five years in targeted areas.

Early results point to a reduction in malaria cases and deaths in this state

According to WHO, an estimated $2.7 billion was invested in malaria control and elimination efforts globally in 2016, which is below the $6.5 billion annual investment required by 2020 to meet the 2030 target of the WHO global malaria strategy.

In 2016, governments of endemic countries provided US$ 800 million, representing 31% of total funding. The United States of America was the largest international funder of malaria control programmes in 2016, providing US$1 billion (38% of all malaria funding), followed by other major donors, including the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, Germany and Japan, the international health agency stated.

Pedro Alonso, Director of the Global Malaria Programme, commenting on the findings of this years report, said the world is at a crossroads in the response to malaria and expressed the hope that this report would serve as a wake-up call for the global health community.

Meeting the global malaria targets will only be possible through greater investment and expanded coverage of core tools that prevent, diagnose and treat malaria, he said.

Robust financing for the research and development of new tools is equally critical. The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria calls for reductions of at least 40% in malaria case incidence and mortality rates by the year 2020. According to WHOs latest malaria report, the world is not on track to reach these critical milestones, he said.
The Senate on Wednesday debated the alleged auction of Africans, mostly Nigerians, in the North African country of Libya.

The lawmakers took turn to condemn the act which has drawn public outcry following gory pictures and videos currently in circulation on social media.

Presenting the motion, Baba Kaka Garbai, Borno-APC, said that the inhuman condition aired in the latest report by CNN is a humiliation not just to Nigeria and Africa as a whole but also to human civilization and the fundamental principles of human rights under the United Nations Charter.

He noted that even though protests are ongoing in European countries such as Paris and Brussels, we who are the most affected as these are our children, our brothers and sisters, our youths, are indifferent.

The report by Libyan officials is that its detention centres are full and they have only deported five per cent of the 20,000 in the detention centres because of lack of response from the home governments of the migrants;

The Libyan government does not have the means nor the commitment to crack down on the perpetrators as their hands are full. Hence these smuggling networks are killing, torturing, extorting and detaining migrants at will.

In his contribution, Dino Melaye, Kogi-APC, expressed surprise that the federal government has remained silent since the emergence of videos of the slave trade.

Mr. President, the social media has been awashed for over a month now with different video clips with very excruciating pictures of Nigerians being humiliated, he said. It is high time we resigned to citizen diplomacy as practised by the United State of America. Nigeria and Nigerians must take the life of every Nigerians not only seriously but to defend Nigerians anywhere in the world. I am particularly surprised Mr. President that these video footages has been on YouTube and social media for over one month and theres not been one very drastic position by the federal government to condemn and take very proactive position on the lives of Nigerians outside the shores of this country.

He urged government at all levels to take the security of Nigerian citizens as priority.

Ali Wakili, Bauchi-APC, wants the government to give more attention to education as a way to nip the menace in the bud.

We need to address the root causes of these issue of illegal migration. There is the issue of poverty that is bedevilling our people. There is the issue of poor governance, there is the issue of fact that we have corrupt leaders that have taken our wealth to the western countries and it is not helpful to them, nor to their descendants nor to us people, he said.

Our education needs to be looked into. We churn out graduates that are not employable, especially in the digital period in which we find ourselves. Our education system need to be looked into so that we can have vocational training and others so that they can meet up with local challenges.

The Senate resolved to condemn in totality the current depravity and sheer animalism being exhibited by these Libyans selling fellow Africans as slaves, urge the federal government to urgently investigate how many of our people are affected and urgently commence the process of repatriation and rehabilitation of Nigerian citizens caught up in these despicable treatment and human rights abuses.

The Senate also resolved to invite the Libyan ambassador in Nigeria to brief the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and urged the government at all levels in Africa to take steps to ameliorate economic hardship feeding this migration crisis.

The lawmakers also adopted an additional prayer by Bala Ibn NaAllah, Kebbi-APC, that President Muhammadu Buhari should seize the opportunity of the ongoing EU-AU all summit in Abidjan to table the matter.
The senator representing Osun Central Senatorial district, Olusola Adeyeye, on Wednesday called for a reduction in allowances of all politicians including senators.

The senator threw the red chamber into a rowdy session when he made this remark while speaking on the 2018 budget appropriation.

The budget has faced series of criticisms from the lawmakers since the start of the debate on Tuesday.

Mr. Adeyeye said the allowances of all politicians, including senators, must give way to make the budget realisable.

If we are all going to complain, lets face it, he said. I dont want deficit budget. If we dont want it and we want to slash the budget of N8 trillion to N4 trillion, some things must give way including the allowances of all politicians.

This remark was followed by shouts of it begins with you from other Senators as they urged Mr. Adeyeye to take the lead in the recommendation.

Yes, I agree, he replied.

Im just saying that there is no gain without pain and we all know it. I agree with you, beginning with me, I agree.

Here in this place, weeks after weeks, we create new entities that will consume more money at a time when we know the revenue is not increasing. Even this N8 trillion that we are talking about, I bet you, all of us, including myself will go and ask for more things for our constituency, where do we want the money to come from?

If we are going to face the truth, we must face the truth together.

Following public outcry, leaders of the National Assembly, for the first time in about eight years, made public, details of the National Assemblys budget in 2017.

Before then, details of the budget of the two arms of the legislature had always been shrouded in secrecy much so that some of the lawmakers had no knowledge of it.

The 33-page document released in May 2017 revealed that the National Assembly budget was increased by N10 billion to N125 billion, from the N115 billion proposed by the executive.

Of the N125 billion, N85.8 billion was assigned to total overhead costs, N23.7 billion for personnel costs and N14.9 billion for capital projects.

About N9.6 billion was also proposed for legislative aides of the 469 lawmakers in the two chambers.

The Management of the National Assembly was allocated N14.9 billion, Senates budget was put at N31.4 billion, while the House of Representatives got a total of N49 billion.

However, the information released did not specify the breakdown of the budgetary sub-head for overheads, thus fuelling the suspicion that this is where the senators get paid the quarterly running cost for each of their offices.

The two legislative chambers have commenced work on the N8.6 trillion2018 appropriation bill submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The presidency on Wednesday released a statement on the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to resolve the migrant crisis affecting Nigerians.

Thousands of Nigerians seeking greener pastures are stranded in Libya, many seeking to travel the risky Mediterranean to Europe.

After CNN reports showed that some migrants including Nigerians were being sold as slaves in Libya, President Buhari on Wednesday condemned the practice, saying the government would ensure all Nigerians stranded in the North African country return home.

On Wednesday evening, the presidency shared a factsheet on the migrant crisis involving Nigerian citizens.

The statement outlined seven steps the government has taken to achieve its aim including the constitution of a Committee of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and law enforcement agencies to address the issues.

Read the full factsheet below.

The Buhari Administration recognises the seriousness of the migrant situation, across West Africa, the Sahel, North Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and is taking steps to decisively address the situation. The President has described news reports of the enslavement of persons in Libya as appalling and unacceptable.

2). President Buhari has assured that all Nigerians in Libya and elsewhere will be assisted to return safely to Nigeria. More than 5,000 Nigerians have returned home in 2017, according to NEMA. About 90 percent of them returned from Libya, and the remaining from Saudi Arabia. Repatriation is ongoing.

3). President Buhari has directed the constitution of a Committee of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and law enforcement agencies to address the issues.

4). In line with the Presidents mandate, on Wednesday November 29, Vice President Osinbajo chaired a meeting attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Directors-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).

5). The three agencies have been working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to resettle and reintegrate returning Nigerians. These agencies are also stepping up their education and sensitisation campaigns, targeted at vulnerable persons.

6). Nigerias security agencies are also collaborating to arrest and prosecute the local and international criminal networks responsible for human trafficking and enslavement.

7). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is strengthening its engagements with concerned foreign governments, to ensure that Nigerian citizens are better treated and protected abroad.
The police in Gombe have confirmed the murder of a village head and his son in the state.

Adamu Garba, the head of Tula Chiefdom in Daktibe Jaligo village, and his son, Muhammed, were murdered in the early hours of Wednesday by yet to be identified persons.

The State Police Commissioner, Shina Olukolu, confirmed the incident on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Gombe.

Mr. Olukolu said investigations have commenced to arrest the suspects.

Also, the Chairman of Tula Traditional Chiefdom, Abubakar Buba, condemned the killings.

He called on the government and security agencies to put more efforts to arrest the perpetrators.

Although details of the incident are still sketchy, a resident said before the Wednesday attack, gunmen had tried unsuccessfully three times to attack the village head. The source said Mr. Garbas wife and other children were also injured during the Wednesday attack and were receiving treatment at a hospital.
The federal government has flagged off its Home-Grown School Feeding Programme with 726,033 Primary One to Primary Three pupils in Jigawa State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Nuhu Muhammad Sunusi Primary School, in Dutse.

Speaking at the occasion, the states Deputy Governor, Hassan Ibrahim, who officially flagged off the exercise, said that N147 million would be spent weekly to feed the pupils.

Mr. Ibrahim added that over 30,000 cooks would be employed to cook the meals.

We are happy to flag off the school feeding programme in Jigawa, where some 726,033 pupils of from Primary One to Primary Three will be fed daily, across the state.

The sum of N147 would be spent weekly and N500million monthly, on the programme, Ibrahim said.

He commended the federal government for the gesture, adding that it would enhance attendance and retention of pupils in schools.

The deputy governor noted that the programme would also improve the standard of education and provide employment to people in the state.

This goes beyond education, into the employment of cooks, market men and women, butchers, foodstuff dealers and many more will also benefit from the programme, he said.

According to him, the state government would soon complement the FGs effort by feeding Primary Four to Primary Six pupils in the state.

In our own part, we will feed pupils in Primary Four, Five and Six, to complement the federal government effort.

We have encountered some delay due to the inability of the cooks to be accredited but as soon as that is sorted out, the Jigawa government will be feeding the classes four to six pupils, he explained.

Mr. Ibrahim also stated that a monitoring and evaluation committee was put in place to ensure proper execution of the programme.

He cautioned cooks to be strict in the recommended menu, stressing that no cook was allowed to change the menu without the approval of the committee.

This is to ensure the sustainability of the programme and the programme is not only being implemented in Jigawa but throughout the 36 states of the federation.

And we are happy to announce that we have started noticing an increase in attendance since the commencement of the programme some days back, he added.

(NAN)
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Wednesday presented budget proposal of N146. 659 billion for 2018 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the budget proposal is 15 per cent above the 2017 budget of N127.921 billion.

The 2018 budget, tagged Budget of Growth, has N79. 8 billion voted for capital vote, while N66. 8 billion was proposed for recurrent expenditure.

The governor said the budget proposal had a deficit of N26.56 billion which would be funded through internal and external financial interventions from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Special programme and World Bank.

He said the budget was planned with 45 dollars bench mark crude oil price with a production of 2.3million per day and increased state internally generated revenue.

We envision a future that will create jobs; the 2018 budget will consolidate on the infrastructural and socio-economic gains of the outgoing year 2017, Mr. Obaseki said

It will drive our transformation agenda in various sectors such as infrastructural development, enhancement of social welfare and sustainable environmental projects.

The budget breakdown shows that N51.7 billion was allocated to infrastructure development, N9.7 billion for economic growth and employment, N6.3 billion for education, while health will gulp N3.3 billion.

(NAN)
Emeka Ojukwu, the son of the late Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu has been described as, a politician with an inflated ego, who has no electoral value in the South-east and the entire country.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications to the Governor of Anambra State, Oliver Okpala said this in response to Mr. Ojukwus recent statement addressing Governor Willie Obiano over his (Ojukwu) defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Ojukwu, dumped the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA for the APC on November, 15 during President Muhammadu Buharis visit to Anambra State for the grand finale campaign of the APC candidate for the November 18 Anambra governorship election, Tony Nwoye.

On Monday, he spoke with journalists in Awka where he claimed he was being lobbied by Mr. Obiano to return to the party.

He vowed not to return to APGA as he was toeing his late fathers footsteps by joining the APC.

Mr. Ojukwu also asked Governor Willie Obiano to stop disturbing his peace on the matter, describing the governors knocks on him on the issue as infantile and ignorance of the working of Nigerian politics.

But Mr. Okpala, in a reaction on Wednesday, affirmed that he (Ojukwu) is politically inconsequential in state, zonal and national politics as he has no base.

It is now very clear from his actions that Ojukwu Junior cannot claim to have the same sound intellectual background or pedigree with the late Ikemba even though he is a direct descendant of the Ikemba, he said.

The aide described Mr. Ojukwus claim that Governor Obiano is lobbying him to come back to APGA as pure pathetic fallacy.

One wonders on what ground anybody would ever lobby him to return to APGA while he never held any important position to warrant being described as a stakeholder or a leader of the party when he was in APGA. In fact, nobody knew that he was a member of the party, so on what grounds was he relevant to the fold?

Though too many people have linked their paternity to the late Ikemba because of his greatness, only the late leader can say who is who.

In his lifetime, the Great Ikemba was the champion of the struggle for the rights and emancipation of his people, standing firm with his Igbo brothers and sisters, never betraying their cause. But for anybody associated with the great Ikemba to work against the political interest of his people is to say the least an act of monumental betrayal and grand treachery.

I wonder what the Great Ikemba would be thinking when his supposed son openly denied the only political entity which he left for us the Igbos as a unifying political umbrella. Ojukwu would no doubt shudder in his grave, Okpala said.

Mr Okpala, however, likened Ojukwus defection to APC from APGA to the betrayal of Jesus Christ in the Bible by his apostles

Wonders they say will never end. Even though Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ in the Bible and Peter denied the Master three times before the cock crew, no sane human being would want to be associated with these negative and unworthy stance in the Bible.

From the statements and actions of the junior Ojukwu, it is now very clear that he did not quite grow under the guidance of the late Ikemba who as a senior military personnel respected constituted authorities and seniority despite his greatness and wisdom.

Mr. Okpala wondered how a son of the late Ikemba can describe his elder and Governor of his State as one playing juvenile and local politics?

Is he aware that all the major political parties in the country were made up of sectional political organisations representing the interest of their people which they used as a bargaining instrument for the formation or integration into national political parties?

Since the junior Ojukwu has remained as an infant without complete knowledge of the great philosophies of his late father, he should reach out to his elders to educate him properly on the outstanding qualities of the Ikemba so that he will quickly refrain from using mercantile politics in destroying the outstanding legacies his late father left for posterity.
An Ikeja Division of the Lagos State High Court on Tuesday ruled that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, is applicable to the Government of Lagos State and does not require domestication by the state to have effect.

Justice Beatrice Oke-Lawal, while dismissing a preliminary objection raised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health in a suit instituted against the Ministry and the Lagos State Government by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) over its failure to disclose records and information requested by the organisation under the FOI Act, held that the Act was validly enacted by the National Assembly and applicable to the federal and state governments.

The suit arose from a Freedom of Information request made by MRA in November 2016 to the Ministry, asking for:

 Details and copies of plans put in place by the institution to provide the Araromi Zion Estate located in Akiode Area of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) with health care services;

 Details and copies of plans put in place to provide the Araromi Zion Estate with health care services taking into consideration the peculiar needs and circumstances of the community;

 Details of any research or assessment carried out on the needs of the community and its residents as well as copies of relevant research or assessments report or reports;

 An outline of the timeframe for the implementation of the plans, if there are plans to provide the Estate with primary health care facilities, and

 Details of the budgets and costs estimates for the implementation of the plans, if any.

Following the failure of the ministry to respond to MRAs request despite a reminder issued to it, the organisation, through its lawyer, Mosunmola Olanrewaju, filed a suit against the ministry and the Attorney-General of the Federation asking the court to declare that the ministrys refusal to provide it with the requested information is wrongful and to compel the disclosure of the records and information to the organisation in accordance with the FOI Act.

However, the ministry filed a notice of preliminary objection to the suit in which it contended that the court had no jurisdiction to determine the suit and asked that the suit be struck out on the grounds that:

 The substance of MRAs case is not contained in the Exclusive Legislative List under the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution to confer exclusive power on the Federal Government to make the FOI Act for the Federation;

 MRAs grievance is against the Lagos State Government which is not an agency of the Federal Government;

 Even if the FOI Act is applicable to Lagos State, MRAs application for judicial review was filed outside the 30-day time limit stipulated by section 20 of the Act; and

 The Lagos State Ministry of Health is not a juristic person that can sue or be sued.

Ruling on the ministrys preliminary objection, Justice Oke-Lawal noted that three issues arose for determination in the matter namely, whether the FOI Act is applicable to Lagos State, whether MRA was out of time in filing the suit and whether the Lagos State Ministry of Health is a juristic person.

On whether the FOI Act is applicable to Lagos State, after an analysis of Section 4(5) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the judge ruled that the National Assembly has the power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the federation on any matter included in the Concurrent Legislative List, adding that if any law enacted by a State House of Assembly is inconsistent with any law made by the National Assembly, the law made by the National Assembly would prevail.

She said based on the provisions of these sections of the Constitution, she was of the opinion that the wordings of the Constitution are clear as to the powers of the National Assembly to make laws for the federation as long as the issue is within the Concurrent and Exclusive Legislative lists.

The judges decision is seen as a blow for the Lagos State government, renowned for ignoring FOI requests on its activities from journalists and civil society organizations.

The judge also upheld Mrs. Olanrewajus argument that the FOI Act was validly enacted by the National Assembly and as such applicable to the federation and that it is not dependent on states adopting it for it to become applicable in such states.

She cited, in support of her position, the decisions of the Supreme Court dismissing similar challenges made to the validity and applicability of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act to the states.

Justice Oke-Lawal, therefore, held that the FOI Act applies to the federal and state governments.

On whether MRA was out of time when the organisation filed its suit against the Ministry and the State Government, the judge said having critically examined the processes filed by the parties to the suit, going by the date MRAs freedom of information request was made and the date the originating processes were filed by MRA, it was clear that when it filed the suit, the organisation was within the time stipulated by the FOI Act for filing an application for a review of the decision of any public institution not to disclose requested information.

On the argument of the Lagos State Ministry of Health that it is not a juristic person that can sue or be sued, Justice Oke-Lawal said there was no evidence to support the claim that the ministry is not a juristic person. She upheld the submission of Mrs. Olanrewaju that the creation of Lagos State by the State (Creation and Transitional Provisions) Decree No. 14 of 1967, on May 27, 1967 automatically conferred legal status on the ministry as one of the institutions that took off with the state.

She ruled that the preliminary objection raised by the ministry lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.

The judged fixed hearing in the substantive suit for December 20, 2017.
A 42-year old commercial motorcyclist on Tuesday pleaded with an Igando customary court to rescind the dissolution of his nine-year old marriage to Awawu Useni.

Ibrahim Useni, a native of Kotangora in Niger State, had been dragged before Moses Akinniyi, the president of the customary court, by his estranged wife over allegations of frequent fighting, infidelity, public embarrassment and lack of care.

She had approached the court on October 26, seeking dissolution of the marriage, stating that living with my husband is like punishing myself.

She also accused the husband of being lazy and not wanting to work as well as keeping her in an uncompleted building where, she said, she had no privacy.

In his response, Mr. Useni told the court that he always worked except on occasions when his motorcycle was faulty.

He also denied that he always cursed her without reason saying, It is only when her mother curses me that I curse her.

In its ruling, the court said its decision was based on the fact that the respondent who claimed he did not understand English was later discovered to be able to speak the language.

The court said that deceitful act by the respondent showed he might not be truthful in his submissions.

It therefore ruled that the marriage be dissolved, and the couple should go their separate ways unmolested.

The court also directed Ms. Awawu to refund the bride price paid on her by Mr. Useni, noting that the payment would serve as a freedom from the mans molestation.

The court further said its ruling should not be hindered as it would amount to criminal act, and added that Ms Awawu should have unrestricted access to the seven-year-old son produced by the marriage between 8 a.m and 6 p.m. The boy was reported to be living with Mr. Usenis parents in Kano.

After the court pronouncement, the husband speaking in pidgin English, said, I no fit leave my wife.

He was, however, advised to appeal the case within 30 days if he was not satisfied with the court judgement.
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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.




Maggie Pu, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Canton Fair, emphasized that innovative design is gradually replacing traditional manufacturing as the core value for various industries. "Good products can bring value to brands and orders, and the orders will then motivate companies to create better products," Pu said. "We are willing to invest resources in design and innovation to help facilitate a virtuous cycle."

Canton Fair Promotes Design Concepts

Through special design exhibitions connecting designers and companies as well as hosting the Awards, the 122nd Canton Fair has guided many companies to improve their capabilities in product design and innovation.

The 105 design institutions that attended the 2017 Canton Fair received more than 20,000 design service inquires, 48.6 percent of which had follow-ups. The Canton Fair also hosted a series of discussion forums on creative design and technology R&D to promote further development of the design fields.

Gao Xiaolin, General Manager of Graceful Arts Industrial, noted that the company's focus is now on investing more on design. "We came to Canton Fair not only because it's a platform to connect with our clients and gain insights of the industry, but also because it's a stage to demonstrate our strength in design," Gao said. "Graceful Arts Industrial has always been creating its own style and innovative products, and we are leading the trends of several fields in global home decoration."

New Product Launch at the Canton Fair

Stanislas Gnassounou, manager of global sourcing Asia for Carrefour, noted that at the 121st Canton Fair many manufacturers that attended showed significant accomplishments in design and innovation as well as improvements in both the exterior design and functionality of their products. "What's different from the past is that companies used to focus on the number of orders; now they are talking about design concepts and new development, I think it's a very good improvement and trend," Gnassounou said.

Million Stone, a leading framer from Xiamen, arranged its display at the Fair in the style of a classic museum. The company brought a series of creative products made using recycled newspaper, magazines, tree leaves and seashells, combining the environmental protection concept with innovative design to turn waste into valuable art products.

"Our fundamental principle is to be environmentally-friendly and use recyclable materials. Creativity is the core value of our products," said Yang Ruixiang, general manager of Million Stone.

About Canton Fair

The China Import and Export Fair has been held biannually in Guangzhou since 1957. It is the largest exhibition with the widest array of products, most diverse selection of buyers and highest business turnover in China.

Visit: http://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/index.aspx

SOURCE Canton Fair

Related Links

http://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en/


Dogs are a major pillar for the automaker as more than half of Subaru drivers are pet owners, with over 48% of them owning at least one dog. For years, Subaru has supported various pet-focused organizations that help to improve the lives of our four-legged friends and features dogs throughout their advertising. The all-new U.S. built Subaru Ascent is the automaker's largest vehicle ever built boasting three full rows, fitting up to eight passengers, second row captain's chairs as an option on some trim levels, its legendary Subaru Symmetrical all-wheel drive and an impressive all-new 2.4-liter turbo engine.

"The Subaru Ascent has been designed specifically for families with adventurous lifestyles, so it is fitting that we had our four-legged family, The Barkleys, on hand to unveil our latest vehicle," said Thomas J. Doll, president and COO of Subaru of America. "Our customers wanted a larger, go-anywhere SUV that families can be excited to get in and drive without sacrificing space. The Subaru Ascent delivers in a big way  it's the biggest and most comfortable vehicle we've ever brought to market."

Subaru has seen 71 consecutive months of record sales fueled by high conquest rates supplementing its loyal owner base. Subaru looks to continue the trend with the all-new Ascent, which marks the automaker's entry into the mid-sized SUV segment. The Ascent expands on the brand's pedigree of safety and reliability with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist Technology standard on every trim level. Space and safety aren't the only features that come standard on the Ascent, the new vehicle is also designed with style and function in mind, featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, stylish interior and exterior that follows the Subaru "Dynamic x Solid" theme with powerful fender flares and a large, bluff grille. The all-new Ascent uses the company's new Subaru Global Platform which has earned high praise in the recent Crosstrek SUV. It will be built at the Subaru of Indiana, Inc. assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana and will be sold exclusively in the North American market starting in summer 2018.

For additional information and details on the all-new Subaru Ascent, visit: http://media.subaru.com/pressrelease/1229/1/subaru-america-inc-presents-all-new-2019-ascent.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $120 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.

For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Michael McHale

Subaru of America, Inc.

856-816-1231

[email protected]

Diane Anton

Subaru of America, Inc.

856-488-5093

[email protected]

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.subaru.com


Now the flood gates have opened and some major personalities are jumping on the train of Maoli show, "Go Big or Go Home." Last week, when the show featured Maoli with the Amazing Kreskin, one has to ask, "Was he revealing the secret to his success?" After all, Kreskin is renowned as mentalist and reader of thoughts. Does Maoli have that ability, too?

As it turns out, Maoli's interview with Kreskin focused on getting into the mind of an entrepreneur and the attributes that have made both men highly successful in their careers. It seems successful people have certain character traits that drive them to persevere and succeed.

Both men employ what each describes as "theater of the mind," an interesting term, since it was originally coined to describe early radio soap operas. In the case of Kreskin and Maoli, it refers to a positive state-of-mind, one that's committed and singularly focused toward achieving a goal and then projecting that image out to an audience. With Kreskin, the audience is sitting in seats; with Maoli the audience is in a board room

"Clear your mind, focus, and put your blinders on," stated Maoli. Kreskin added, "You listen to your inner thoughts, and focus on them."

Kreskin's biography entails over 50 years as a mentalist. During that time, Kreskin has had a television series, his own board game by Milton Bradley, twenty published books, and a major motion picture inspired by his work, which starred Tom Hanks, and he has flown more than 3 million miles. In the 1970's Kreskin headlined his own television series for five and a half seasons called, "The Amazing World of Kreskin," which can now be viewed on www.hulu.com. In the 2010 movie, "Dinner for Schmucks," the character played by Zach Galifianakis has as his hero and influence The Amazing Kreskin, which further exemplifies the wide scope of Kreskin's exposure and attention. It is showcased with his record breaking number of appearances, which, in Kreskin's estimation, number in the hundreds, on Johnny Carson, Regis Philbin, David Letterman and most recently Jimmy Fallon, Neil Cavuto and Howard Stern.

Through the years Kreskin has received worldwide recognition for extraordinary predictions, often dealing with international affairs and sports. On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Kreskin predicted the 2012 United States Presidential Election 18 months before Election Day. And, in 2015, a full year before the 2016 election, Kreskin predicted a Donald Trump victory. Maoli laughs, "I could have told you Trump would win."

Maoli has been employing his "theater of the mind" approach his entire career, which includes real estate holdings throughout New Jersey and New York, an elite automotive dealership group, Celebrity Motorcar Company, and other investments. He has always balanced his business and entrepreneurial ventures with philanthropic giving and speaking to university students about tapping into their own "theater of the mind" approach to preparing for their future careers.

Listeners to Go Big or Go Home can reach Maoli directly by calling 1-800-848-WABC (1-800-848-9222) during the Sunday night broadcasts, through email questions to his website  www.Tommaoli.net, or by posting to his Tom Maoli Facebook page.

See Kreskins web site http://www.amazingkreskin.com/wabctommaoli/

SOURCE Tom Maoli

Related Links

http://www.tommaoli.net


AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Amherst Holdings, LLC ("Amherst") announced today that its Single Family Residential platform has completed the 2017 Agreement announced in March to sell up to 3,500 single family rental properties to Altisource Residential, L.P. ("Altisource Residential"), an operating partnership controlled by Altisource Residential Corporation (NYSE: RESI), a publicly traded REIT. In total, 3,465 single family properties were sold in 2017 for an aggregate sale price of $534.9 million. Amherst Single Family Residential will remain the property manager for the 3,465 properties through its subsidiary, Main Street Renewal, LLC, a vertically-integrated property acquisition, repair, and management business that currently manages more than 16,000 single family rental properties in 17 states across the United States.

Today's closing represents the third and final transaction under the 2017 Agreement. As part of the third transaction, 1,957 single family rental properties were sold to Altisource Residential for a sale price of $305.1 million. Under the terms of the 2017 Agreement, Altisource Residential purchased a fee simple interest in the properties, and Amherst-sponsored entities provided seller financing equal to 75 percent of the sale price or $401.2 million for the three transactions. Concurrent with the close of today's transaction, the seller financing was sold to an institutional investor in a private transaction. Amherst Pierpont Securities served as the introducing broker.

"We are pleased to have successfully executed our commitment to Altisource Residential pursuant to our 2017 Agreement," said Drew Flahive, President of Amherst Single Family Residential. "This further exemplifies our platform's ability to identify, acquire, renovate, lease, and ultimately deliver portfolios of professionally-managed, cash-flowing rental properties to third parties. We expect to continue to scale operations and capital commitment to the single family residential sector to help facilitate continued institutional investment in this asset class."

Amherst-sponsored entities and Altisource Residential closed on the sale of 1,508 single family rental properties in the first two closings under the 2017 Agreement during the first half of 2017. Including the September 2016 portfolio sale of 4,262 properties to Altisource Residential, Amherst-sponsored entities have sold more than 7,700 single family rental properties to Altisource Residential during the past 14 months.

The Amherst Single Family Residential platform continues to pursue acquisitions in target markets in order to facilitate continued institutional investment in the single family residential asset class. Keith Ramsden, the Chief Investment Officer of Amherst Single Family Residential said, "The platform has demonstrated strong performance fueled by targeted acquisition activity. Over 5,500 acquisitions in 2017 have allowed us to strengthen our presence and enhance our scale in key markets and expand into areas of high growth, such as Phoenix, Columbus, and Las Vegas." Ramsden continued, "We continue to identify acquisition opportunities to build on our momentum and drive our performance."

Amherst received legal counsel from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Mayer Brown LLP.

About the Amherst Single Family Residential Platform

The Amherst Single Family Residential platform currently manages multiple pools of capital that invest in single family rental properties. Since the platform was created in 2012, it has raised over $4.0 billion of debt and equity capital in support of its investment in this asset class. Main Street Renewal, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amherst Single Family Residential, is an internally managed, vertically-integrated property acquisition, repair, and management business. Main Street Renewal, LLC currently manages more than 16,000 properties across 17 states.

The Amherst Single Family Residential platform provides a comprehensive suite of services to facilitate the ownership of single family rental properties, including property management services, asset level financing and asset management services. With a deep understanding of and proprietary analytics on the single family home and mortgage markets, Amherst's platform combines a unique combination of national scale with local market knowledge and execution.

About Amherst Holdings

For over 20 years, Amherst and its affiliates have provided institutional investors with a broad suite of financial services related to the U.S. real estate, mortgage and securitized product markets. During this period, Amherst has made extensive investments to develop data, technology resources and proprietary analytical tools that have helped position the firm as a market leader in the areas of real estate risk analysis and behavioral economics. Amherst was one of few mortgage specialists to anticipate the mortgage crisis and has continued to use its experience and analytic resource advantages to evaluate new risks and opportunities in the real estate markets. The firm is majority owned by its employees and employs approximately 775 professionals across its single family residential, asset management, investment banking and technology platforms. For more information, please visit www.amherst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements, including certain statements regarding market and demographic trends, our long term business strategy, and our ability to expand our single family residential platform's activities and capabilities. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Actual events or results may differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including general political, financial market, and economic conditions, market and operational risks and our ability to obtain financing and achieve our business objectives. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account information currently available to us. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

SOURCE Amherst Holdings, LLC
Former Forum for Democratic Change Party president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu has broken the silence regarding his future at the countrys largest opposition party.

Muntu who recently lost the party presidency to Patrick Amuriat, drawing reports of him planning to quit the party.

However, addressing a news conference this morning, Muntu said no conclusive decision can be taken yet about the future of the FDC as a party.

He said that now plans to work with the partys structures to focus on mobilizing all Ugandans across party lines to participate in Local Council elections.

He also calls for open and exhaustive discussion with all stake holders in addressing some of what he describes as irreconcilable differences at grass roots

Muntu says this work starts after when he officially hands over office to Amuriat on Friday this week.
The event will be webcast live beginning at 9:00 am ET and may be accessed on Antero's investor relations website at http://investors.anteroresources.com . A replay of the webcast will also be available on Antero's investor relations website.

Antero Resources is an independent natural gas and oil company engaged in the acquisition, development and production of unconventional liquids-rich natural gas properties located in the Appalachian Basin in West Virginia and Ohio. The Company's website is located at www.anteroresources.com.

Antero Midstream is a limited partnership that owns, operates and develops midstream gathering, compression, processing and fractionation assets as well as integrated water assets that primarily service Antero Resources Corporation's properties located in West Virginia and Ohio. Holders of Antero Midstream common units will receive a Schedule K-1 with respect to distributions received on the common units.

AMGP is a Delaware limited partnership that has elected to be classified as an entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Holders of AMGP common shares will receive a Form 1099 with respect to distributions received on the common shares. AMGP owns the general partner of Antero Midstream and indirectly owns the incentive distribution rights in Antero Midstream.

SOURCE Antero Resources Corporation; Antero Midstream GP LP; Antero Midstream Partners LP

Related Links

http://www.anteroresources.com


DRAPER, Utah, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With drastically improved phosphorus retention and application rates at only 4 ounces per acre, Aqua-Yield (www.aquayield.com), today introduces NanoPhos at the Agricultural Retailers Association at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, AZ. NanoPhos is now available for a worldwide release. Established research and development results indicate what farmers have been waiting for and wanting for years; NanoPhos maximizes crops' responses to phosphorus utilized in root, flower and general growth. It improves soil structure, organic matter, and is a critical ingredient in soil microbe populations' health.

Aqua-Yield team at Agricultural Retailers Association,Phoenix, AZ November 29,2017

Clark Bell, CEO and Aqua-Yield co-founder, says; "Aqua-Yield is taking a huge step with the release of NanoPhos. Why? -- because we simply have to become a more efficient nation in how we apply phosphates to our crops. Today's application methods for phosphorus make it the most wasted crop nutrient in use. We were absolutely committed to creating a better and more ecological way to apply this necessary nutrient. Our 2.5-gallon product containers easily care for 80 acres and therefore immediately take center stage as one of the most environmentally friendly phosphorus applications ever offered."

Laboratory, clinical and practical research clearly indicates that NanoPhos enhances energy maintenance in crops and helps them better respond to changes in the environment. NanoPhos also increases plant tillers, enhances seedling, spring and young tissue growth rates. The product also improves macro and micronutrients' uptake, improves crops' stress tolerance, yield and quality of crop and promotes root growth.

Aqua-Yield Chief Science Officer, Landon Bunderson Ph.D stated; "NanoPhos leverages a unique nanotechnology that was designed specifically to penetrate plant leaf and root cells. Liquid fertilizers are widely used to provide highly available and immediate nutrition to crops. While this strategy does improve crop nutrient status, it is often inefficient and wasteful. NanoPhos delivers phosphorus faster and more efficiently through root and shoot tissue giving growers the benefits of liquid nutrition without the common drawbacks."

Mr. Bell added, "Aqua-Yield's years of research and development, coupled with our proven methods of instantaneous absorption of nutrients throughout the plant, allows for all traditional methods in applying NanoPhos; Foliar spray, pivot injection, drip irrigation and even airplane. With NanoPhos, farmers will spend less, use less, drastically cut down on waste and immediately improve overall quality and yields. NanoPhos is a win-win for the farmers and the environment and Aqua-Yield is proud to offer this incredible product."

Aqua-Yield is a rapidly-growing sustainable fertilizer technology company. Co-founded in 2014, Aqua-Yield has introduced the "smallest innovation in agricultural history". Aqua-Yield's technologies deliver materials directly to the plant's cells leading to a much higher overall efficiency. Aqua-Yield's process introduces liquid nanotechnology to agriculture leading to significant advantages for the grower. Results of the company's unique technologies include; higher yields, lower cost inputs, shorter crop cycles, less environmental impact and an increase in nutrient impact.

For information on Aqua-Yield visit www.aquayield.com

Contact: Clark T. Bell, 801-449-9220, [email protected]

SOURCE Aqua-Yield

Related Links

http://www.aquayield.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Billionaires Row proudly announces a partnership with U.S. Stone Castle Imports to launch the all-new, finest quality Billionaires Row Brandy.

Billionaires Row Champagne has become a favorite drink of billionaires and successful people worldwide Billionaires Row Champagne and Billionaires Row Brandy are redefining the entire luxury adult beverage industry. The mission of this partnership company, Billionaires Row Brandy is to introduce a Billionaires Row brand that can define success and class.

Classic, Smooth Billionaires Row Brandy Billionaires Row Brandy

"It is a tradition inherited generation to generation, from the oldest to the youngest since 1953. This knowledge brings the blessing and care to our vineyards. We age it for a decade before filling our beautiful Billionaires Row bottles with the golden brown nectar," Spokesperson, U.S. Stone Castle Imports.

Billionaires Row Brandy made by Stone Castle Vineyards and Winery, located in Rahovec, Kosovo is the largest winery in Kosovo and among the largest in the Balkans. Billionaires Row Brandy is prepared under the highest quality standards. Each step in the distillation process is monitored to bring only the finest Billionaires Row Brandy that simply shouts sophistication and success.

"Stone Castle's method of manufacturing the brandy and wine distillate, supervised by some of the world's leading experts in the distillation industry ensures Billionaires Row Brandy is the perfect addition to our Luxury Spirits line. We started with Billionaires Row ChampagneStone Castle and Billionaires Row Brandy will redefine fine adult beverages worldwide," Spokesperson, Billionaires Row Brandy.

The New York-based Billionaires Row Brandy in the classic BILLIONAIRES ROW designed one-liter bottles is aiming to reshape a centuries-old, classic industry. New York is known for its classic distilled beverages. Billionaires Row Brandy is living up to the classic traditions blended with modern technologies.

Updates and Information on upcoming launch of Billionaires Row Brandy, please visit or email:

www.BillionairesRowBrandy.com

[email protected]

SOURCE Billionaires Row Brandy

Related Links

https://www.billionairesrowbrandy.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the selection committee for the 2017 U.S. Mayors Challenge, a nationwide competition that encourages city leaders to think big, be bold, and uncover inventive ideas that confront the toughest problems U.S. cities currently face. More than 320 cities are taking part in this year's competition, the fourth Mayors Challenge Bloomberg Philanthropies has held since 2013. Former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Former Xerox Chairman and CEO Ursula Burns will co-chair the selection committee, which is comprised of distinguished policy experts, artists, academics, business executives and social innovation leaders, that will choose the winning cities.

"We're glad to have such a dynamic set of experts from around the United States making up this committee. Determining the winning ideas won't be easy, but I know this group will help us ensure a successful competition," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of New York City.

The Mayors Challenge returns to the U.S. as the first investment in the American Cities Initiative, a suite of new and expanded programs from Bloomberg Philanthropies to strengthen cities. The 2017 edition of the U.S. Mayors Challenge features a six month testing phase for 35 "Champion Cities" who will receive up to $100,000 to refine their idea. In October 2018, five Mayors Challenge winners will be selected. One city will win the $5 million grand prize and four others will receive $1 million awards.

"It is incredibly exciting to see cities embracing technology and innovation to address today's most pressing challenges," said Ursula Burns, former Xerox Chairman and CEO. "I am honored to co-chair this year's selection committee, and eager to explore the proposed approaches to improving cities across the country."

"Innovation and creative problem solving requires bold leadership. Each of the mayors who have applied to the U.S. Mayors Challenge have the vision and initiative needed to develop, execute, and sustain ideas to make their cities even stronger," said Caroline Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

The selection committee was chosen by Bloomberg Philanthropies for their diversity in expertise and experience across multiple sectors. Each member brings unique insight into the evaluation process that will ensure that the most innovative proposals are advanced through each round of the challenge. Among the prominent individuals that comprise the selection committee are playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith; former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy; Founder & CEO of Black Girls CODE, Kimberly Bryant; and HuffPost Founder, Arianna Huffington.

The 324 Mayors Challenge applications offer a snapshot of the top issues facing U.S. city leaders. The top three issues are related to Health (15 percent), Youth (13 percent), and Citizen Engagement (10 percent). Combined, these represent nearly 40 percent of applications. Responses to the nation's opioid epidemic represent the biggest concern for all health-related applications, while city leaders are evenly prioritizing issues related to early childhood development, and job training and skills development for youth. In addition, nearly a third of cities are turning to technological solutions, including mobile apps, for engaging their residents.

Compared with the 2013 U.S. Mayors Challenge  the first year the challenge was held  several issues surfaced more prominently this year, including health, housing, and income inequality. Other key insights include:

Smaller cities need infrastructure support: Of cities proposing ideas related to infrastructure, the vast majority - 79 percent - were small cities.

Of cities proposing ideas related to infrastructure, the vast majority - 79 percent - were small cities. Climate change is top of mind for the American West : Of cities proposing ideas related to climate change, 37 percent were located in the West.

: Of cities proposing ideas related to climate change, 37 percent were located in the West. The housing crisis is hitting medium-sized cities particularly hard: Of cities proposing ideas related to housing, 58 percent are medium-sized cities.

Of cities proposing ideas related to housing, 58 percent are medium-sized cities. Jobs are a top concern beyond the coasts: Of cities proposing ideas related to job creation, 33 percent of applications came from Midwestern cities.

The 2017 Mayors Challenge builds on the success of previous Bloomberg-sponsored Challenges in the U.S. (2013), Europe (2014), and Latin America and the Caribbean (2016). Previous Mayors Challenge grand prize winners include: Sao Paulo, Brazil with a program to increase farmers' income and reduce urban sprawl; Barcelona, Spain for work to create digital trust networks that support at-risk elderly citizens; and efforts in Providence, RI to measure and reduce the "word gap" among low-income children during pivotal brain development years. For more information, visit mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org and @BloombergCities on Twitter and Instagram.

Selection committee members include:

Kimberly Bryant , Founder & CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit dedicated to introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to technology and computer science. Prior to starting Black Girls CODE, Kimberly spent more than 20 years as an Engineering Manager for Fortune 50 companies such as Genentech,Merck, and Pfizer.

Founder & CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit dedicated to introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to technology and computer science. Prior to starting Black Girls CODE, Kimberly spent more than 20 years as an Engineering Manager for Fortune 50 companies such as Genentech,Merck, and Pfizer. Ursula Burns is the retired Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Xerox Corporation. Burns is the Chairman of the Board of VEON Ltd and a director of American Express, Exxon Mobil, Nestle, Datto, and Diageo. Burns also provides leadership counsel to the Ford Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Corporation, Cornell Tech Board of Overseers, the New York City Ballet, and the Mayo Clinic. Burns is a member of the National Academy of Engineers and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

is the retired Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Xerox Corporation. Burns is the Chairman of the Board of VEON Ltd and a director of American Express, Exxon Mobil, Nestle, Datto, and Diageo. Burns also provides leadership counsel to the Ford Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Corporation, Cornell Tech Board of Overseers, the New York City Ballet, and the Mayo Clinic. Burns is a member of the National Academy of Engineers and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Anna Deavere Smith , Actress, playwright, and professor. She is a University Professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts . Smith has received the National Humanities Medal presented by President Obama, the MacArthur Award, a George Polk Award in Journalism, The Ridenhour Courage Prize and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Award.

, Actress, playwright, and professor. She is a University Professor at . has received the National Humanities Medal presented by President Obama, the MacArthur Award, a Award in Journalism, The Ridenhour Courage Prize and the Award. Manny Diaz , Former Mayor of the City of Miami, Florida , and former President of the United States Conference of Mayors. Diaz transformed Miami and launched nationally innovative programs in urban design, sustainability, and education. He is on the Board of Directors of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

, Former Mayor of the , and former President of the United States Conference of Mayors. Diaz transformed and launched nationally innovative programs in urban design, sustainability, and education. He is on the Board of Directors of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Shaun Donovan , former Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget under President Obama. Donovan previously served as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2009-2014). He also served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, worked in the private sector on financing affordable housing, and was a visiting scholar at New York University .

, former Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget under President Obama. Donovan previously served as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2009-2014). He also served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, worked in the private sector on financing affordable housing, and was a visiting scholar at . Rosanne Haggerty , President and CEO of Community Solutions. An expert on homelessness, she is also a MacArthur Fellow, Ashoka Senior Fellow, Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur and recipient of the National Design Award and Jane Jacobs Award.

, President and CEO of Community Solutions. An expert on homelessness, she is also a MacArthur Fellow, Ashoka Senior Fellow, Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur and recipient of the National Design Award and Award. Arianna Huffington , Founder of HuffPost and Founder and CEO of Thrive Global. Her last two books, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder and The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night At A Time , both became instant international bestsellers.

, Founder of HuffPost and Founder and CEO of Thrive Global. Her last two books, and , both became instant international bestsellers. Caroline Kennedy , Former Ambassador to Japan . Caroline Kennedy is an attorney who served as the United States Ambassador to Japan . Kennedy is the author or editor of eleven New York Times best-selling books on law, civics, and poetry. She is Honorary President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Honorary Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Harvard University Institute of Politics. Kennedy also served as Vice Chair of the Fund for Public Schools.

Former Ambassador to . is an attorney who served as Ambassador to . Kennedy is the author or editor of eleven New York Times best-selling books on law, civics, and poetry. She is Honorary President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Honorary Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics. Kennedy also served as Vice Chair of the Fund for Public Schools. Mukti Khaire , Girish and Jaidev Reddy Professor of Practice at Cornell Tech. and the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Prior to joining Cornell Tech, Mukti taught entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School and was visiting faculty at Brown University . Her recent book, 'Culture and Commerce: The Value of Entrepreneurship in Creative Industries,' was published by Stanford University Press.

Girish and Jaidev Reddy Professor of Practice at Cornell Tech. and the Cornell SC of Business. Prior to joining Cornell Tech, Mukti taught entrepreneurship at and was visiting faculty at . Her recent book, 'Culture and Commerce: The Value of Entrepreneurship in Creative Industries,' was published by Press. Vijay Kumar , professor, author, consultant and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, social organizations, and governments. Kumar is a professor at the IIT Institute of Design in Chicago . For more than 12 years he was the chief methodologist at Doblin (now a member of Deloitte) a leading global innovation firm.

professor, author, consultant and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, social organizations, and governments. Kumar is a professor at the IIT Institute of Design in . For more than 12 years he was the chief methodologist at Doblin (now a member of Deloitte) a leading global innovation firm. Dr. Vivek H. Murthy , 19th Surgeon General of the United States . As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he launched the TurnTheTide campaign, catalyzing health professionals to address the nation's opioid crisis. An internal medicine physician and entrepreneur, Dr. Murthy has co-founded a number of organizations: VISIONS, an HIV/AIDS education program in India ; Swasthya, a community health partnership in rural India ; software company TrialNetworks; and Doctors for America.

, 19th Surgeon General of . As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he launched the TurnTheTide campaign, catalyzing health professionals to address the nation's opioid crisis. An internal medicine physician and entrepreneur, Dr. Murthy has co-founded a number of organizations: VISIONS, an HIV/AIDS education program in ; Swasthya, a community health partnership in rural ; software company TrialNetworks; and Doctors for America. John Minor , President and Chief Investment Officer at JobsOhio. John has 14 years of investment banking experience, advising companies on strategic and capital raising transactions. John was a Managing Director at Evercore Partners and a senior Vice President in the Financial Institutions Group at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital.

President and Chief Investment Officer at JobsOhio. John has 14 years of investment banking experience, advising companies on strategic and capital raising transactions. John was a Managing Director at Evercore Partners and a senior Vice President in the Financial Institutions Group at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein , Inaugural Director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, Professor of the Practice, and Associate Dean for Public Health Practice and Training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He previously served as the Health Commissioner of Baltimore , as the Health Secretary of Maryland , and as the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies works in over 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $600 million. For more information, please visit www.bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.

Media Contact

Bloomberg Philanthropies, Courtney Greenwald, (212) 205-0361, [email protected]

SOURCE Bloomberg Philanthropies
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital BlueCross and UPMC Pinnacle today announced the CareConnect Gatekeeper PPO insurance plan is now offering members access to more physicians and hospitals than ever before. The expanded network results from UPMC Pinnacle adding Carlisle, Hanover, Lancaster and Lititz hospitals and their related physician practices to its organization. The CareConnect plan connects Capital BlueCross' high-quality benefits and services with the renowned doctors and facilities of UPMC Pinnacle's growing network.

The industry leaders teamed up in 2014 to launch the CareConnect health insurance plan, the first of its kind in the market. Built upon the idea of providing members with quality care at a lower price point, it is centered on UPMC Pinnacle's primary care physician network. Members benefit from lower out-of-pocket costs when using a UPMC Pinnacle primary care physician to coordinate care with all other providers in their network.

"Our priority at Capital BlueCross is to offer our members high-quality benefits and services at the most affordable price," states Gary D. St. Hilaire, president and CEO of Capital BlueCross. "As a community-based health insurer, we strive to provide members with access to care where they feel most comfortable. Through our partnership with UPMC Pinnacle, and its growing network, our CareConnect members now have even more choices within the expanding health system."

CareConnect members can access any physician within the network directly, but receive the most cost savings when coordinating their care through a primary care physician in the network.

"UPMC Pinnacle is dedicated to providing solutions that improve quality and address the growing costs of health care," said Philip W. Guarneschelli, president and CEO, UPMC Pinnacle. "Using the medical home model and the primary care physician relationship to eliminate gaps in care, encourage preventive care and focus on chronic disease management can improve overall health and address the escalating costs associated with poorly managed conditions such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure."

CareConnect is possible through the existing accountable care arrangement between Capital BlueCross and UPMC Pinnacle. Accountable care arrangements are designed to improve care and health outcomes, create a better patient experience, and reduce health care costs. At the model's core is rewarding health care providers for quality of care and patient satisfaction instead of paying by the traditional fee-for-service method, which is based on quantity of services.

About Capital BlueCross

Capital BlueCross, headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., is the leading health solutions and insurance company in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. A partner in the community's health for nearly 80 years, Capital BlueCross offers health insurance products, services and technology solutions that provide peace of mind to consumers and promote health and wellness for our customers.

More than a health insurer, the company delivers innovative solutions through a family of diversified businesses that is creating a healthier future and lowering health care costs. Among these solutions are patient-focused care models, leading-edge data analytics, and digital health technologies. Additionally, Capital BlueCross is growing a network of Capital Blue stores that provide in-person service and inspiration to help people reach their health goals. Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit capbluecross.com.

About UPMC Pinnacle

UPMC Pinnacle is a nationally recognized leader in providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare services in central Pennsylvania and surrounding rural communities. Its more than 2,900 physicians and allied health professionals and approximately 11,000 employees serve a 10-county area at outpatient facilities and eight acute care hospitals with 1,360 licensed beds: Carlisle, Community Osteopathic, Hanover, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lititz, Memorial, and West Shore. The not-for-profit system anticipates caring for more than 1.2 million area residents in FY 2018. For more information, visit www.upmcpinnacle.com.

SOURCE Capital BlueCross

Related Links

http://www.capbluecross.com


The HeartLight System is a visually guided laser balloon technology for controlled and consistent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) treatment of AF. Its direct visualization, titratable laser energy, and universal balloon design make it a new standard for PVI procedures. It provides an effective and safe treatment option for patients whose heart arrhythmias are insufficiently controlled with medication. More than 2.3 million people in the U.S. suffer from AF, and the numbers are climbing along with the aging population. 1

"We strategically partnered with select U.S. medical centers to execute the successful controlled launch of the HeartLight System. Initiating a program at a tenth U.S. site is a notable milestone and underscores the company's commitment to advancing the treatment options offered to a large and underserved AF market," said Paul LaViolette, CardioFocus Executive Chairman. "We look forward to continued momentum as we significantly accelerate commercial expansion of the HeartLight System to the substantial number of leading hospitals that have expressed interest in initiating programs. We are also looking forward to introducing our next-generation technology, the HeartLight Excalibur Balloon to the U.S. market next year."

To rapidly advance U.S. product awareness, training and customer adoption of the HeartLight System, CardioFocus has built a national sales force consisting of a team with more than 150 years combined experience in the fields of cardiology and electrophysiology. Through its direct efforts, the team has established a robust pipeline of more than 100 additional U.S. cardiology centers that have noted a strong interest in initiating HeartLight programs.

Physician experience with the HeartLight System has been positive, with users affirming their excitement about the technology's unique features.

"Several unique characteristics make the HeartLight System a technology that is transformational in the way it enables us to treat AF," said Sanjay Deshpande, MD, Medical Director, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Columbia St. Marys Hospital  Milwaukee, part of Ascension. "For the first time, we are able to see within the heart and visually direct the application of therapeutic laser energy. The system also allows for procedural flexibility through a highly compliant balloon that easily accommodates diverse anatomies."

Michael Mangrum, MD, Associate Professor, University of Virginia agreed, adding that early patient outcomes in the commercial setting have also been promising.

"In our clinic, we are seeing outcomes that make us confident to offer the HeartLight System as an ablative therapy for patients with paroxysmal AF in whom medication alone is insufficient," said Dr. Mangrum. "There is a tremendous opportunity for this technology to change the way we are managing the treatment of AF patients."

About CardioFocus, Inc.

Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., CardioFocus Inc. is a medical device innovator and manufacturer dedicated to advancing ablation treatment for cardiac disorders such as Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The company's first product, the HeartLight Endoscopic Ablation System is a revolutionary catheter ablation technology designed for the treatment of AF, the most common heart arrhythmia. The device received CE Mark in 2009, U.S. FDA approval in April 2016 and Japan PMDA approval in July 2017. More than 4,500 patients with AF have been successfully treated with the system. For more information, visit www.cardiofocus.com.

Media Contact:

Helen Winkler

Phone: 949.606.2008

[email protected]

1 Go AS, et al. Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults. JAMA. 2001;285:2370-2375.

SOURCE CardioFocus, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cardiofocus.com


MIAMI, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest leisure travel company, today announced that CEO Arnold Donald, chief procurement officer Julia Brown and Holland America Line president Orlando Ashford have been named among the "100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America" by Black Enterprise magazine. The magazine  a premier business publication for African Americans  annually compiles an exclusive listing of talented leaders from the top 1,000 publicly traded companies and international corporations with gross revenues of at least $1 billion who have had a significant influence in their company and industry.

Donald, Brown and Ashford were selected from a list of the highest-ranking leaders who have significantly contributed to their company's growth and success.

As Donald approaches his five-year anniversary in 2018 as CEO of the world's largest leisure travel company, Carnival Corporation has delivered an exceptional financial performance while continuing its relentless focus on consistently exceeding guest expectations. In this time, the company's market cap has grown from roughly $27 billion in 2013 to over $48.2 billion as of late November 2017, an increase of about 75 percent.

In addition, Carnival Corporation has expanded innovation in all areas of its business and achieved significant growth, including doubling its adjusted earnings since 2013 and recording the most profitable year in its history in 2016. Donald also recently topped the 2017 EMpower 100 Ethnic Minority Leaders List and was named a 2017 Catalyst CEO Champion for Change, recognizing his leadership and commitment to improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

With over 25 years of leadership and global procurement experience, Brown oversees global strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management as chief procurement officer of Carnival Corporation. With over 33,000 suppliers globally, she works closely with the company's nine cruise line brands and their leadership teams to strategically procure goods and services to further strengthen the company's supplier relationships and leverage its global scale.

Brown is on the board for the Executive Leadership Council. She also serves on the board of the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. She has been named as one of the top 100 most "Influential Blacks in Corporate America" by Savoy Magazine, the top "100 Women to Watch" by Today's Chicago Woman and the "Top 75 Most Powerful Women in Business" by Black Enterprise magazine.

As president of the company's Holland America Line brand, Ashford manages all aspects across the highly regarded premium brand's 14-ship fleet, including sales, revenue management, itinerary planning, deployment, hotel operations, strategy and marketing.

With global experience in several senior leadership roles, Ashford is skilled at developing and leading high-performance teams to drive results and enhance the customer experience. Under Ashford's leadership, the cruise line has refreshed its brand in the marketplace and elevated the onboard experience. He firmly believes in the transformational power of travel and has inspired Holland America Line's commitment to a higher purpose to open minds, build connections and inspire shared humanity for its guests and staff as they travel the world.

Ashford holds additional notable honors, including Savoy magazine's list of Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America; a Travvy Award for Most Innovative Executive, Mid-sized Cruises from travAlliancemedia; the 2016 Leadership Award from Bethune-Cookman University; and the 2017 StreetWise Champion by StreetWise Partners. Ashford is also Chairman of the Board for the Executive Leadership Council. His book "Talentism" addresses the global disconnect between available jobs and the millions of eligible workers.

Diversity and inclusion are business imperatives for Carnival Corporation with 10 global brands and over 120,000 employees from more than 100 countries, along with over 100 cruise ships visiting more than 700 ports around the world. Under Donald's leadership, the company has furthered its efforts to foster innovation and creative solutions through "diversity of thinking," producing competitive advantages to better serve guests and consistently exceed their expectations.

In addition to individual executive achievements, Carnival Corporation was named as one of the "50 Best Companies for Diversity" in 2016 by Black Enterprise magazine for its inclusivity, including workforce education, board member diversity, senior management, employee base and procurement, and was named one of the top "100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2017" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine, ranking No. 23, the highest among firms in the travel and tourism sector and the only cruise company to make the list.

About Carnival Corporation & plc

Carnival Corporation & plc is the world's largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of 10 dynamic brands that include nine of the world's leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, the corporation's immersion and enrichment experience brand.

Together, these brands operate 103 ships with 231,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 18 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2018 and 2022. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only dual listed company in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival Corporation as being among the "Top 10 Most Innovative Companies" in both the design and travel categories. Fast Company specifically recognized Carnival Corporation for its work in developing Ocean Medallion, a high-tech wearable device that enables the world's first interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly personalized and elevated level of customized service.

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com, www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.pocruises.com.au and www.pocruises.com.

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

Related Links

http://www.Carnivalcorp.com


NETANYA, Israel, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) (TASE: CEL) (hereinafter: the "Company") announced today that following the Company's notice of 2017 annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled to take place on November 29, 2017, in which the Company's shareholders will be asked to approve an amendment of the Company's compensation policy (the amended compensation policy was attached as Appendix A to the proxy statement of such meeting), the Company shall include in its amended compensation policy the following additional amendments:

(1) the increase of the prior year EBITDA threshold from 60% to 75%, as follows: "Any payout of Annual Cash Bonuses for any year will be subject to an additional minimum requirement of achieving an annual EBITDA of not less than 75% of the Company's EBITDA for the previous year."

(2) the addition of a new requirement as follows: "Total compensation cap. The Company's CEO's total annual compensation shall not exceed NIS 6 million, out of which the fixed element shall not exceed NIS 3 million. Each of the Company's other executive officers' total annual compensation shall not exceed NIS 3.6 million, out of which the fixed element shall not exceed NIS 1.8 million*.

* the value of equity-based awards refers to their value at the date of grant (in accordance with applicable accounting principles) per each vesting annum (calculated on a linear basis)."

Furthermore, the Company notes there was an omission in the description of the maximum payout for the Special Cash Bonus in the version of the Compensation Policy attached to the proxy statement. The correct description is as follows: "the greater of (a) 9 base salaries for our CEO and 7 base salaries for our other executive officers, or (b) 150% of the Target Bonus minus any Annual Cash Bonus payout for the relevant year."

There are no changes to the other items of the proxy statement.

The annual shareholders meeting is hereby postponed to December 4, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. (Israel time), at the offices of the Company, 10 Hagavish Street, Netanya, Israel.

For additional details, see the Company's most recent annual report for the year ended December 31, 2016 on Form 20-F dated March 20, 2017 under "-Item 6. Directors, senior management and employees  B. Compensation  Compensation policy" and the Company's current report on Form 6-K dated October 19, 2017 under "Item 4  Amendment of the Company's Compensation Policy".

About Cellcom Israel

Cellcom Israel Ltd., established in 1994, is the largest Israeli cellular provider; Cellcom Israel provides its approximately 2.805 million cellular subscribers (as at September 30, 2017) with a broad range of value added services including cellular telephony, roaming services for tourists in Israel and for its subscribers abroad and additional services in the areas of music, video, mobile office etc., based on Cellcom Israel's technologically advanced infrastructure. The Company operates an LTE 4 generation network and an HSPA 3.5 Generation network enabling advanced high speed broadband multimedia services, in addition to GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. Cellcom Israel offers Israel's broadest and largest customer service infrastructure including telephone customer service centers, retail stores, and service and sale centers, distributed nationwide. Through its broad customer service network Cellcom Israel offers technical support, account information, direct to the door parcel delivery services, internet and fax services, dedicated centers for hearing impaired, etc. Cellcom Israel further provides OTT TV services (as of December 2014), internet infrastructure (as of February 2015) and connectivity services and international calling services, as well as landline telephone communications services in Israel, in addition to data communications services. Cellcom Israel's shares are traded both on the New York Stock Exchange (CEL) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (CEL). For additional information please visit the Company's website http://investors.cellcom.co.il.

Company Contact Investor Relations Contact Shlomi Fruhling Ehud Helft Chief Financial Officer GK Investor & Public Relations In partnership with LHA [email protected] [email protected] Tel: +972 52 998 9755 Tel: +1 617 418 3096

SOURCE Cellcom Israel Ltd.

Related Links

http://investors.cellcom.co.il


BOSTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), selected a CH2M-led joint venture with Burns & McDonnell (BMcD) to design an advanced Compound Semiconductor Laboratory  Microelectronics Integration Facility at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center located on Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts. The CH2M team was competitively selected for the project-specific Architect-Engineering contract in accordance with the Brooks Act.

Funded by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), the new laboratory will be fitted for developing advanced technologies that are applied to problems of national security.

Currently spread across several buildings, including some 1950s-era facilities, MIT Lincoln Laboratory is confronting the limitations of an infrastructure that is aging and not structurally designed for modern research. "This modernization will consolidate the aging facility into an energy-efficient building, with state-of-the-art features," said CH2M Senior Vice President and Department of Defense Portfolio Lead Tim Byers.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides systems architecture, long-term technology development, prototyping and system demonstration in diverse mission areas such as:

Air, missile and maritime defense.

Homeland protection and air traffic control.

Communications systems.

Cyber security.

Space control.

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

"The CH2M  BMcD JV team will provide design and construction-phase services to support the Laboratory's ability to meet changing mission needs over the next 30 years," said Byers.

Ranked No. 1 in semiconductor design, No. 2 in manufacturing and No. 4 in government offices by Engineering News-Record, CH2M has spent the last three decades pioneering and leading design of high-tech facilities in the semiconductor and related microelectronics industries. The firm has designed more than 5 million square feet of Class 10 clean rooms and 250 semiconductor research and manufacturing projects worldwide. CH2M has served the USACE for approximately 50 years and the Air Force for 30 years.

Burns & McDonnell has designed more than 250 new and renovated research, manufacturing, chemical, medical, and pharmaceutical laboratories. Ranked in the Top 50 Design Firms and No. 7 in government offices by Engineering News-Record, the company has worked with the AFCEC and USACE for more than 20 years.

About CH2M

CH2M leads the professional services industry delivering sustainable solutions benefiting societal, environmental and economic outcomes with the development of infrastructure and industry. In this way, CH2Mers make a positive difference providing consulting, design, engineering and management services for clients needing world-class solutions in environmental; industrial and advanced facilities; transportation; and water markets, from iconic infrastructure to global programs like the Olympic Games.

Ranked among the World's Most Ethical Companies and top firms in environmental consulting and program management, CH2M in 2016 became the first professional services firm honored with the World Environment Center Gold Medal Award for efforts advancing sustainable development. Connect with CH2M at www.ch2m.com; LinkedIn; Twitter; and Facebook.

Contact: Tom Doerr

CH2M, Corporate Marketing and Communications

720-286-3004

[email protected]

SOURCE CH2M

Related Links

http://www.ch2m.com


POULTNEY, Vt., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It's that time of year when prospective college students are researching and applying for college admission. Students are eager to find the right college to prepare them for the career and life of their dreams. A top concern of prospective students, and their parents, is the cost of that dream education, and how to pay for it. Green Mountain College (GMC), recognized as the nation's number-one ranked curriculum for environmental, social and economic sustainability, prepares students for productive and fulfilling lives to make a positive difference in the world. And the college is equally dedicated to making their "First in Sustainability" education affordable.

"Part of our dedication to creating the next generation of sustainability professionals is ensuring a GMC education is accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances," said Robert (Bob) Allen, President, Green Mountain College. "We offer an extraordinary range of financial aid programs and unique affordability guarantees, including freezing tuition for all four years at the student's first year rate."

100 percent of GMC students received financial aid for the 2017/2018 academic year, and 90 percent received at least $20,000. GMC offers a level of financial predictability not found at most private or public schools: in addition to freezing tuition at the first-year rate, GMC will cover tuition for extra semesters if the student takes more than 4 years to graduate. GMC matches stated University of Vermont (UVM) tuition for Vermont residents and Community College of Vermont graduates automatically qualify for this Vermont Tuition Match. In many cases, it is less expensive to attend GMC than the student's state school. And every semester, all campus-based undergraduate students get all of their required textbooks on the first day of class for no additional charge. Because of GMC's commitment to affordability, GMC students that do graduate with student loan debt have less to pay back than the national average. And, GMC student loan debt has decreased by $9,000 per student over the past 3 years.

This commitment to educating students who want to make a difference while making a living is also evident in GMC's coveted First in Sustainability Scholarship Award. Now in its second year, the Scholarship covers four years of tuition, room, board and fees, a value of approximately $200,000. This award is based on an essay outlining how the student would use a GMC education to make a change for a better, more sustainable world. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2018.

For more information on how to afford an education from a "top green school" as consistently ranked by The Princeton Review, Sierra Magazine, and The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), please visit www.greenmtn.edu/financialaid.

About Green Mountain College  First in Sustainability

The nation's number-one curriculum for sustainability, Green Mountain College prepares students to build meaningful careers pursuing social, economic and environmental sustainability. The college's holistic sustainability-based education, built on a core sustainability focused general education curriculum, enables students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our rapidly changing world. The college also offers online master's degree programs, and a three-year B.S. degree in partnership with The Killington Resort. For more information, visit www.greenmtn.edu.

Contact: Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications

[email protected] or 781-449-8456

SOURCE Green Mountain College

Related Links

http://www.greenmtn.edu


By Damali Mukhaye:

The opposition Forum for Democratic Change president elect Patrick Amuriat plans to put in place a disciplinary committee to specifically handle members who are reportedly spying on the party for other political parties.

This comes as several fingers continue to point at former party president Maj Gen.Mugisha Muntu accusing him of being a mole, a claim he has often denied.

Now Amuriat who officially assumes office tomorrow, says the committee will help identify the people they think may be working as undercover agents within the party.

He says in the past there were deliberate actions to isolate moles and they were subjected to disciplinary action while others like the minister for Kampala Betty Kamya had to quit.

Amuriat has thus vowed not to tolerate people who are working with enemies of the FDC to pull it down.
A key to REDS' success comes from understanding that if an electric vehicle is to function in new ways, it cannot be designed using the visual language of traditional cars. "REDS breaks away from conventions. We are entering a fourth age of car design, but designers are hesitant because of the fear of doing things differently. This car is, for me, the demonstration that we can have something that is extremely emotional with immediate appeal, and at the same time highly functional and intellectually engaging," says Bangle.

The choice of Los Angeles for REDS' worldwide premiere came up during the development phase. "We want to know what people think about REDS and its evolution. Californians are opinion leaders in the future of mobility: this is why we present here real solutions for the real world," says Mr. WANG Jinan, Assistant President of CHTC Group, Chairman of CHTC Motor.

REDS stands for enjoyment, whether the car is parked or in drive. Its simple and fun design performs the complex feat of integrating the radical negative windshield and zero-tumblehome greenhouse into a familiar image. The complete form of the car reveals a unique figure-8 silhouette, huge side windows, and the Cartesian doors that open on an unexpectedly wide internal space. "We've created a new design language that is at once friendly and immediate, but at the same time subtle, ambiguous, and textually layered. This gives REDS character, the kind you will enjoy looking at for many years," says Bangle.

Built in Turin, Italy as a fully functional running prototype, REDS is full of innovation. Slightly longer than a Smart Fortwo, but with a smaller turning radius, it can seat four adults when moving and five when stopped; it has space for one or two suitcases depending on configuration, and has a rotatable driver's seat even with the doors closed. Engineered to have best-in-class 0-50 km/h acceleration, REDS smoothly moves in traffic; it has a planned range at the top of its class supported by the largest solar panel roof in its category, as well as excellent crash test results thanks to the aluminum space frame surrounding the batteries. REDS welcomes the driver and passengers to a safe, technologically advanced, and emotionally engaging environment: when stopped it becomes a multi-functional, interconnected working space (helped by a drop down table in development); the quiet venue for a meeting or a presentation; or a place to truly relax while enjoying a film with friends on its 17'' screen. It can be the alter ego of an urban mom that can rely on its flexibility at all times during the day. "It's about time we made a car that not only has a wrap-around love seat but is also best-in-class for diaper changing," says Bangle (see Highlights Doc for complete overview on innovations).

THE BACKGROUND AND THE NEXT STEPS

In 2014 CHTC asked Chris Bangle Associates (CBA) to lead a series of workshops on the future of EVs in China's megacities. CHTC operates  among their various sectors of activities  as a commercial vehicle manufacturer, owns subsidiaries in both China and Europe, and is today one of the main EV truck manufacturers in China. The workshops with Chris Bangle and his team focused particularly on the real time construction of full-scale models that explored the idea of space in an electric car. With this experience, in 2016, CHTC started developing REDS for production with CBA providing the design. CHTC also registered a new company in ChinaREDSPACEto be the home of REDS. After the premiere in Los Angeles the car will go through testing, and REDSPACE will develop and finalize production plans and sites as well the suppliers network.

SOURCE REDS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Codiak BioSciences, Inc., the leading exosome therapeutics company, today announced the closing of a Series C financing round of $76.5 million. In its two years as a company Codiak's funding totals $168.5 million. Codiak's initial investors, including ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Pioneering, Fidelity Management and Research Company, the Alaska Permanent Fund, and Alexandria Venture Investments, participated in the Series C round, and were joined by new investors, including Qatar Investment Authority, Boxer Capital of the Tavistock Group, Sirona Capital, EcoR1 Capital, and Casdin Capital.

Codiak intends to use the proceeds of the Series C financing to advance its initial product candidates into clinical trials, and to continue to develop the company's transformational exosome therapeutic platform.

"Investors are clearly seeing the versatility of exosomes as a therapeutic platform with broad utility and the capacity to address currently undruggable targets, offering multiple paths to clinical and commercial success," said Doug Williams, Ph.D., president and CEO. "Codiak has created a proprietary platform for exosome design and manufacturing that allows for precise targeting of important molecular pathways involved with human disease."

About Exosomes

Exosomes are nanometer-sized membrane sacs, or vesicles, that are released and received by nearly all cells. Exosomes are an ancient system of intercellular communication, through which they deliver various molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids) from cell to cell. Upon delivery, exosomal cargo can change biological functions in recipient cells according to the instructions encoded by the payload. Exosomes traffic to specific cellular targets, thereby offering the potential to deliver diverse therapies to specific cells and modulate cellular function to achieve therapeutic benefit.

Codiak BioSciences is taking advantage of the natural propensity of exosomes to deliver macromolecule payloads either on or in the exosome, to cells, to treat a variety of human diseases.

About Codiak BioSciences

Codiak, founded in 2015, is the leader in the rapidly developing field of exosome therapeutics. The company was formed on the basis of research from the VentureLabs innovation unit of Flagship Pioneering; the research of Jan Lotvall, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Krefting Research Centre at University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D., at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Contact:

Daniel J. McIntyre

617-716-9107

[email protected]

SOURCE Codiak BioSciences Inc.

Related Links

http://www.codiakbio.com


"What makes this campaign unique is that it promotes our pediatric services while simultaneously focusing on the need for donor support of the hospital's mission by investing in new technologies, therapies and research," said Ramon Soto , senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell .

The staff at Cohen Children's, the New York metropolitan area's first pediatric hospital when it opened in 1983, is driven by its mission to improve the health of children throughout the New York area, a commitment to high-quality of care, the pursuit of pediatric research to deliver better medical outcomes, and an appreciation for the generous donors who make the impossible possible. Those values are highlighted by the fact that Cohen Children's does not turn away patients  especially those who are uninsured or unable to pay. In 2016 alone, Cohen Children's provided $11 million in financial assistance to families in need.

"We're mission-focused caregivers who rely heavily on the support of the communities we serve," said Charles Schleien, MD, executive director of Cohen Children's, and senior vice president, executive director and chair of pediatrics at Northwell Health. "Donor support has enabled us to thrive in strengthening our research and clinical capabilities, as demonstrated by US News & World Report ranking us among the nation's top 50 children's hospitals in nine pediatric specialties, including five in the top 25."

The largest provider of pediatric health services in New York State, Cohen is the only children's hospital in New York State to earn Magnet status  the gold standard for nursing excellence  from the American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC), reflecting the highest standards of nursing professionalism, collaboration, teamwork and superiority in patient care delivery.

"The Cohen fundraising campaign is focused on continuing the hospital's mission of serving and saving children, not only through frontline care, but also by investing in new technologies, therapies, staff and research," said Brian T. Lally, senior vice president and chief development officer at Northwell Health. "Its state-of-the-art care includes children's medical, surgical, psychiatric and dental needs in both inpatient and outpatient settings, from premature babies to adolescents and young adults up to age 21."

To highlight Cohen's exceptional care, Northwell Health launched its first-ever direct response fundraising TV spot, as well as a direct-mail and digital campaign. The direct-response TV spot tells the powerful story of Elly, a former patient at Cohen Children's. Her sudden illness and remarkable journey to recovery inspires viewers to commit a recurring, monthly donation toward the life-saving research and advanced treatments that are taking place every day at Cohen Children's.

"There are other areas where you will see this campaign come to life, all designed to spotlight our culture of giving, expand donor volume and drive awareness of Cohen Children's as a non-profit organization," said Michael J. Dowling, president and chief executive officer of Northwell Health. "It's all about being able to continue our mission of serving and saving children."

Pediatric services throughout Northwell Health operate under the umbrella of Cohen Children's, which means families get the very best standard of care, ranging from routine wellness check-ups to treatment for life-threatening conditions, regardless of location.

The 11 Northwell hospitals with maternity programs delivered more than 40,000 newborns in 2016, which accounted for about 17 percent of all births in New York State. In addition, it is the only level one pediatric trauma center on Long Island or in Queens. A donation to Cohen Children's will help Northwell to continue to save and serve children in New York and beyond.

All donations are tax-deductible. To learn more about supporting Cohen Children's Medical Center, go to helpcohen.org.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider and private employer, with 22 hospitals, about 600 outpatient facilities and nearly 15,000 affiliated physicians. We care for more than two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 63,500 employees  15,000+ nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners  are working to change health care for the better. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institute. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu.

Contact: Jason Molinet

516-321-6705/6701

[email protected]

SOURCE Cohen Children's Medical Center
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Synopsis

In real terms, the Swiss construction industry recovered in 2016, after registering a relatively low performance in 2015 due to slow economic growth. This slowdown in construction activity in 2015 was particularly due to the overvaluation of the country's currency against the euro by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), which had an adverse impact on export trade activity. Additionally, rising unemployment rates and poor private consumption held back economic growth. Consequently, in 2015 the industry posted growth of 0.1% in real terms, following an average annual growth of 2.0% during the preceding three years. The industry rebounded in 2016, supported by a gradual improvement in economic conditions coupled with government investments in the development of the country's overall infrastructure.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05223335



The industry is expected to gain some momentum and expand over the forecast period (20172021), supported by a revival in both investor and consumer confidence on the back of an improving economy; this is expected to accelerate the flow of investment in construction projects. Though the persistence of currency overvaluation is expected to weigh on the industry's performance, a slight deceleration in the Swiss franc by the SNB is expected to offer a relatively positive outlook for the industry over the forecast period.



The industry's output value in real terms increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.52% during the review period (20122016), and is expected to post a CAGR of 2.02% over the forecast period.



Summary

Timetric's Construction in Switzerland  Key Trends and Opportunities to 2021 report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Swiss construction industry, including:

 The Swiss construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity

 Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the Swiss construction industry

 Profiles of the leading operators in the Swiss construction industry



Scope

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Switzerland. It provides:

 Historical (20122016) and forecast (20172021) valuations of the construction industry in Switzerland using construction output and value-add methods

 Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector

 Breakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost (materials, equipment and services)

 Detailed profiles of the leading construction companies in Switzerland



Reasons To Buy

 Identify and evaluate market opportunities using Timetric's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies.

 Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts.

 Understand the latest industry and market trends.

 Formulate and validate strategies using Timetric's critical and actionable insight.

 Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures.

 Evaluate competitive risk and success factors.



Key Highlights

 Timetric expects the residential construction market to remain the largest segment, accounting for 32.3% of the industry's total value in 2021. The growing influx of migrants into the country is expected to drive demand for new housing units over the forecast period.

 Timetric expects infrastructure construction to be the industry's fastest-growing market over the forecast period, with a CAGR of 3.34% in nominal terms. The market is expected to be supported by government investments in transport infrastructure. In August 2016, the government announced plans to invest CHF13.2 billion (US$13.3 billion) during 20172020 to upgrade and maintain the national rail network infrastructure.

 Under the Energy Strategy 2050, the government is planning to increase the country's energy production capacity from renewable sources. Accordingly, to take advantage of the vast potential of renewables in the municipality of Poschiavo, in November 2016 the federal government of Graubunden announced plans to develop a hydroelectric storage plant with a total installed capacity of 1,000MW.

 The Swiss city of Lausanne is preparing to host the Winter Youth Olympics in 2020. Accordingly, in May 2017, construction of a new Olympic village called 'Vortex' began. With an estimated investment of CHF156.0 million (US$158.5 million), the site includes the construction of a ring-shaped building and a 2.8km spiral-shaped ramp.

 In order to transform the tourism sector into one of the major drivers of economic growth, the government is focusing on developing the country's leisure and hospitality infrastructure. Accordingly, the government offers support to the hotel industry through the Swiss Society for Hotel Credit (SGH) which provides financial assistance for the construction and expansion of hotels.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05223335



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's two leading dairy organizations applauded Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday for allowing school districts to offer low-fat (1%) flavored milk as part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. An interim final rule implementing the regulatory changes needed to reinstate low-fat flavored milk in schools was announced today on the Federal Register site and goes into effect for the 2018-2019 school year.

The regulation implements changes that Secretary Purdue proposed earlier this year to streamline the process by which schools can serve low-fat flavored milk without first obtaining a special exemption. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture eliminated low-fat flavored milk as an option in the school meal and a la carte programs, which resulted in a large drop in milk consumption in schools. Students consumed 288 million fewer half-pints of milk from 2012-2015, even though public school enrollment was growing.

"We appreciate the Secretary's understanding that the regulatory process needed to move quickly so schools may include low-fat favored milk in their menu planning and procurement processes," said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). "Today's action will help reverse declining milk consumption by allowing schools to provide kids with access to a variety of milk options, including the flavored milks they enjoy."

"Secretary Perdue's willingness to provide greater flexibility to schools recognizes that a variety of milks and other healthy dairy foods is critically important to improving the nutritional contributions of child nutrition programs in schools," said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). "The math here is quite simple: More milk consumption equals better nutrition for America's kids."

Earlier this year, Congress passed the FY 2017 omnibus appropriations bill that included provisions to allow schools to offer low-fat flavored milk. In addition, Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) have introduced legislation, the School Milk Nutrition Act, to expand the ability of schools to offer various milk options. Their ongoing efforts in Congress have led to a greater awareness of the milk shortfall challenge in schools that today's USDA action begins to address.

In a joint letter last June, IDFA and NMPF urged Secretary Perdue to quickly finalize plans for low-fat flavored milk's return to school menus for the 2018-2019 school year.

The publication of the interim final rule will allow school districts to solicit bids for low-fat flavored milk next spring before the 2018-19 school year begins, giving milk processors time to formulate and produce a low-fat flavored milk that meets the specifications of a particular school district. The USDA action now allows schools to offer low-fat flavored milk during the next school year without requiring schools to demonstrate either a reduction in student milk consumption, or an increase in school milk waste.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF's cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more on NMPF's activities, visit our website at www.nmpf.org.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers with a membership of nearly 525 companies within a $125-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's nearly 200 dairy processing members operate more than 600 manufacturing facilities and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. Visit IDFA at www.idfa.org.

SOURCE International Dairy Foods Association

Related Links

http://www.idfa.org/


TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG, US ADR: DGRLY) (hereinafter: "Delek Group" or "The Group") announced today its results for the three month period ending September 30, 2017. The full financial statements are available in English on Delek Group's website at: www.delek-group.com

Highlights

Net profit in the third quarter of 2017 amounted to over NIS 1 billion (compared with NIS 85 million in the corresponding quarter);

Oil and gas exploration continues to make a significant contribution to the Group's profits, and amounted to a net profit of NIS 341 million in the first nine months (a 16% growth over the corresponding period).

The completion of the sale of the Phoenix to the international insurance company Sirius is expected to contribute to the Company over NIS 2.3 billion in cash;

The Group intends to realize in the short term the rights to its royalties from the Tamar Field through an issue on the stock exchange or by way of selling its rights to a third party;

The Group is to distribute a dividend of NIS 120 million to its shareholders;

Mr. Asaf Bartfeld, President and CEO of Delek Group, commented, "We concluded the third quarter with record profits of over NIS 1 billion, which are in line with our strategy to focus on energy, and at the same time to expand our operations into international markets. The transaction for the sale of Phoenix to Sirius is progressing according to the milestones set out in the agreement between the parties. Once completed, we expect it to bring an addition NIS 2.3 billion in cash plus interest to the group. We hope that in the short-term we will receive the necessary regulatory approvals for its completion. The Delek Group continues to focus on its goal of becoming an international energy company, and our recent acquisition of Ithaca is an important platform for our continued consolidation in the global market and for the implementation of this goal."

Results Summary

The Delek Group, headed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Gabi Last, and managed by Asaf Bartfeld, today published its third quarter results of 2017. The results indicate that the Group's net profit increased in the third quarter of the year, with record profits of NIS 1.024 billion, compared to a net profit of NIS 85 million in the corresponding quarter last year.

The strong increase in the Group's profits in addition to the results of the first and second quarters of 2017, bring Delek Group's net profit in the first nine months of the year to NIS 1.424 billion, compared with net income of NIS 250 million in the first nine months of last year.

Oil and Gas E&P Highlights

In the third quarter of 2017, the sale of 9.25% of the holdings of Delek Drilling in the Tamar reservoir to the Tamar Petroleum partnership was completed, resulting in a net profit of NIS 873 million. The sale of the rights was made in accordance with the gas outline, in which the partnership undertook to sell all its holdings in Tamar by the end of 2021. After the sale of the rights, approximately 22% of the rights in the Tamar reservoir will remain exercisable.

The Group's activities in the oil and gas exploration and production sector in Israel and worldwide amounted to a net profit of NIS 341 million in the first nine months of the year, compared with NIS 294 million in the first nine months of last year, reflecting a sharp increase of 16% in net profit. The Group's revenues in the third quarter totaled NIS 604 million, compared to NIS 493 million in the same quarter last year.

The Group announced that it intends to realize its high-level royalties from the Tamar and Dalit reservoirs, already in the short- term. The total royalty rate of the Delek Group and Delek Energy from the Tamar reservoir is expected to jump from a total of 1.5% (total royalty rate from the Tamar reservoir held by the Delek Group and Delek Energy) to 6.5% and that as of the date of repayment of the investment in the Tamar reservoir. The realization of the high-level royalty is expected to be done by transferring the right to royalties from the Company to a special-purpose company, and the listing of that special-purpose company on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange or by way of sale to a third party.

With regard to the possibility of exporting natural gas from Israel to Egypt, the Group reiterated that there was no change in the Partnership's assessments regarding the possibilities of gas exports, and that the negotiations between the parties continue with the aim of signing significant long-term export agreements. A recent independent report by Wood Mackenzie Company on demand and supply forecasts from Egypt over the next few years demonstrates that Egypt's natural gas demand is expected to exceed the domestic supply in Egypt. This, even if the" Zohar" reservoir is fully developed in accordance with the original timetables set for it. It concludes that a shortage of natural gas is expected in Egypt over the coming years, which supports the Partnership's existing assessments that Egypt continues to be a major target for the export of gas from the Tamar and Leviathan projects.

A major step in the implementation of the Delek Group's strategy to become an international exploration and production (E&P) company was the successful completion of the acquisition of the entire shares of the international energy company Ithaca Energy, an international energy company operating in the North Sea region, with proven capabilities in the field of operations, drilling reservoirs and producing deep-water oil and gas, and its activities are synergetic with the Group's activities.

In the third quarter of 2017, Ithaca Energy's revenues amounted to $74 million, compared to $45 million in the corresponding quarter last year, representing an increase of 64%. The increase is mainly due to an increase in the company's sales, due to the start of the production from the Stella reservoir, alongside the increase in oil barrel prices and a decrease in production costs. The average selling price per barrel increased from $44 a barrel in the third quarter of 2016 to $51 per barrel in the current third quarter, in line with the rise in the price of Brent. In this context, it should be noted that as of the date of publication of the financial statements, the price of the barrel is about $61 compared to the average price of $40 per barrel, which it was at the time of Delek Group's acquisition of control of Ithaca.

Sale of Phoenix to Sirius

In the third quarter, Delek Group and international insurance company Sirius, which operates in the insurance and finance sector in the United States, England, Australia and Hong Kong, signed an agreement regarding the sale of all the Group's holdings in The Phoenix for a total cash consideration of NIS 2.5 billion, plus interest. In the first stage, Sirius acquired 4.9% of Phoenix's share capital from the Group for NIS 208 million in cash. A few days ago, Sirius announced that it had completed Phoenix's due diligence examination and that it was exercising its option to acquire the balance of the Group's holdings in Phoenix (approximately 47%) for an additional NIS 2.3 billion plus interest, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement of the binding sale between the parties.

Dividend

The Delek Group concludes the third quarter of 2017 with cash balances, liquid financial investments and unutilized credit facilities in the amount of NIS 2.3 billion. The balance of the Company's retained earnings is NIS 3.4 billion.

The company's board of directors announced the distribution of a dividend to the shareholders in the amount of NIS 120 million.

Conference Call Details

The Company will be hosting a conference call in English on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 3:00pm (Israel Time), 8:00am (ET), 1:00pm (UK). To participate in the conference call, please dial:

Israel: 03-918-0664

The USA: 1-888-407-2553

The UK: 0-800-917-9141

International: +972-3-918-0664

This follows a Hebrew language call which will take place on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 11:00am (Israel Time). To participate in the conference call, please dial: 03-9180687.

A day following the conference calls, a recording of both the calls will be hosted on the Company's website at: http://ir.delek-group.com.

About Delek Group

Delek Group is an independent E&P and the pioneering visionary behind the development of the East Med. With eight consecutive finds in the Levant Basin, Delek is leading the region's development into a major natural gas export hub. In addition, Delek has embarked on an international expansion with a focus on high-potential opportunities in the North Sea and North America. Delek Group is one of Israel's largest and most prominent companies with a consistent track record of growth. Its shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:DLEKG) and are part of the TA 35 Index.

For more information on Delek Group please visit www.delek-group.com or email: [email protected]



Contribution of Principal Operations to Net Income* (NIS millions)



1-9

2016 Q3

2016 Q2

2016 Q1

2016

1-9

2017 Q3

2017 Q2

2017 Q1

2017 Oil and Gas E&P operations1 294 111 72 111

341 84 130 127 Fuel Operations in Israel 45 37 4 4

80 34 26 20 Automotive Operations 50 15 - 36

50 14 18 18 Contribution to continuing operations

before sold-off operations,

discontinued operations, and capital

and other gains 389 162 76 151

471 132 174 165 Profit from sale of operations and

assets in oil and gas2 - - - -

873 873 - - Gains from the sale of oil and gas

assets (139) (77) 4 (66)

80 19 6 55 Finance expenses & others

















Net Income attributed to

Group's Shareholders 250 85 80 85

1424 1024 180 220



















1Also includes the Company's share in the results of development and production of gas and oil assets in the North

Sea. 2In July 2017, Delek Drilling sold its 9.25% working interest in Tamar and Dalit, and therefore the group recognized

net profit after tax of NIS 873 million.





















The full report, including the full notes for the above items, is available on the Group's website at www.delek-group.com

Highlights from the Consolidated Income Statements (NIS millions)



1-9 2017 1-9 2016 Q3

2017 Q3 2016 FY

2016











Revenues 4,937 4,280 1,777 1,554 5,778 Cost of revenues 3,451 2,742 1,288 986 3,744 Gross profit 1,486 1,538 489 568 2,034











Sales, marketing and gas

station operating

expenses 426 427 144 145 567 General and

administrative expenses 148 131 59 51 182 Other income (expenses),

net 1,322 (50) 1,332 (18) 201 Operating profit 2,234 930 1,618 354 1,486











Finance income 250 212 48 53 391 Finance expenses (785) (694) (214) (206) (828) Profit after finance

expenses, net 1,699 448 1,452 201 1,049











Gains (loss) from disposal

of investments in

investees and others, net 150





- Group's share in earnings

(loss) of associate

companies and

partnerships, net (91) 58 (142) 15 50 Profit before income

tax 1,758 506 1,310 216 1,099











Income tax (tax benefit) 96 (48) 39 49 (118) Profit from continuing

operations 1,662 554 1,271 167 1,217 Profit from

discontinued

operations, net 821 196 390 135 343 Net profit 2,483 750 1,661 302 1,560











Attributable to -









Company shareholders 1,424 250 1,024 85 625 Non-controlling interest 1,059 500 637 217 935

2,483 750 1,661 302 1,560

Contacts

Leah Berman Investor Relations Delek Group Ltd. Tel: +972 9 863 8444 [email protected] Ehud Helft External Investor Relations GK Investor & Public Relations Tel: +1 646 201 9246 [email protected]

SOURCE Delek Group Ltd
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Edward Jones has been named one of the 2017 Best Workplaces for Parents, ranked by research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine. The firm ranked No. 6 on the list of 50 companies.

This accolade was based on more than 440,000 employee surveys from organizations nationwide. It considered 50-plus factors that contribute to team members' success, with a strong emphasis on the well-being of co-workers raising children.

"Creating a family-friendly work environment aligns with our firm value to respect individuals and their contributions," said Edward Jones Managing Partner Jim Weddle. "Ultimately, we believe offering a supportive work environment for parents and for all associates will make our firm more successful in the long term. It helps us attract and retain the top talent necessary for us to grow and deliver an unsurpassed client experience."

At the Best Workplaces, nine in 10 parents said they're planning long-term futures with their organizations. A similar share of mothers and fathers both said they consider their positions more than "just a job," reflecting the dedication common among parents at the leading employers.

"Our research shows that parents bring a high degree of commitment to their positions and find a deep sense of purpose in their work. The Best Workplaces for Parents earn superior performance from their teams by tapping into the full potential of their colleagues with children," said Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work.

The Best Workplaces for Women is among a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. Edward Jones also was ranked as a Best Workplace for women, millennials, Gen Xers, those close to retirement, giving back, camaraderie and flexibility.

About Edward Jones

Edward Jones, a FORTUNE 500 firm headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of its branch offices, caters to individual investors. The firm's 15,000-plus financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients and care for $1 trillion in assets under management. The Edward Jones website is www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For" and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics such as revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance.

SOURCE Edward Jones

Related Links

http://www.edwardjones.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Empiric Health, an independent company launched earlier this year by Intermountain Healthcare and Oxeon Partners, today announced that the company closed a $3 million Super Seed financing from Intermountain Healthcare. Empiric will use the financing to commercialize and expand the company's service offering and workflow optimization tools, which will help health systems uncover and address variations in procedures and improve outcomes.

Today, it is a challenge for many health systems to align clinical and operational staff and goals. Empiric's offering and tools empower health systems with data-driven insights on variation in their facilities. Applying these insights, health systems can dramatically impact their costs, quality, and outcomes.

The company's offering is based on Intermountain Healthcare's ProComp program, which created operational efficiencies that saved Intermountain and its patients more than $90 million.

"It's our goal to build out Empiric's proprietary analytics framework and services so that clinicians and healthcare leaders can easily access relevant information that enables them to deliver high-quality, affordable care," said Rick Adam, chief executive officer of Empiric Health. "It is our responsibility to provide tools and services that empower clinicians and benefit patients. This funding will help us do that. We are honored to partner with and be supported by Intermountain as we continue our work at Empiric Health."

Intermountain Healthcarea not-for-profit health system based in Salt Lake City, Utahis internationally recognized for being a leader in healthcare innovation and transformation. Its commitment to helping people live the healthiest lives possible expands to supporting and nurturing entrepreneurs that also share this goal. In 2013, Intermountain created Intermountain Innovations to commercialize intellectual property and facilitate industry collaboration, resulting in an increase of meaningful health solutions to the marketplace.

"Intermountain is committed to accelerating proven solutions that will affect positive change in healthcare," says Bert Zimmerli, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Intermountain Healthcare. "We are excited to partner with companies such as Empiric Health, enabling us to work together to improve quality and manage costs for our patients and communities." For more information on Empiric Health, please visit www.empirichealth.com.

About Empiric Health

Empiric Health is a technology-enabled service platform that lowers cost and improves outcomes for health system customers through data-driven physician practice change. Empiric differentiates with a proprietary comparative analytics methodology and proven ability to change physician behavior, so that care providers can understand and optimize for high value, episodic care. For more information, visit www.empirichealth.com.

About Intermountain Healthcare

Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 180 clinics, a Medical Group with about 1,500 employed physicians and advanced practitioners, a health plans group called SelectHealth, and other medical services. Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information, visit www.intermountainhealthcare.org.

About Oxeon

Oxeon Partners is a highly specialized healthcare growth services firm that connects its company partners with the fundamental drivers of business growth: great people, transformational business development partnerships, strategic investments, next-generation business ideas, and human capital advisory. Oxeon's Venture Studio focuses on building companies de novo, with entrepreneurs or with strategic partners and anchor customers. For more information, visit www.oxeonpartners.com.

SOURCE Empiric Health

Related Links

empirichealth.com


NEW YORK and TORONTO and LONDON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Exiger, the global regulatory, financial crime, risk and compliance company, has been named RegTech Company of the Year at the Canadian FinTech and AI Awards for its AI-based regulatory technology -- DDIQ. The judges recognized DDIQ as one of the most innovative and impactful technologies for transforming how financial institutions comply with financial crime regulations, worldwide.

DDIQ is a compliance technology that accelerates and enhances the ability to assess risk regarding individuals and corporations related to investments, transactions, third parties and counterparties; and is relied upon by many of the world's leading financial institutions and corporations. The ability to effectively apply AI to compliance processes is a revolutionary advancement. DDIQ harnesses the power of machine-learning and natural language processing to transform routine and difficult tasks and, thereby, accelerate and enhance critical Know Your Customer (KYC), due diligence and reputational risk management practices with exceptional cost savings.

"We are proud to be named RegTech Company of the Year. Financial institutions are under pressure to satisfy shareholder demands to meet financial metrics amidst the weight of an increasing regulatory environment. This award further evidences that by leveraging the power of AI, DDIQ is leading the way in creating a truly cost effective, sustainable compliance solution," said Michael Beber, President and CEO of Exiger.

"Canada is a hub for AI innovation and we're proud that DDIQ is a leader in transforming critical compliance processes. As a company, we achieved major milestones in 2017 that will continue to disrupt the marketplace. We've merely scratched the surface with AI and its ability to transform compliance, globally," said Dan Adamson, President of DDIQ and Global Head of Cognitive Computing at Exiger Tech.

The Canadian FinTech and AI Awards celebrate Canadian innovation in financial technology and artificial intelligence. The Awards ceremony was held in Toronto on November 27, 2017 at The Carlu.

About Exiger

Exiger is a global regulatory and financial crime, risk and compliance company. Exiger arms financial institutions, multinational corporations and governmental agencies with the practical advice and technology solutions they need to prevent compliance breaches, respond to risk, remediate major issues and monitor ongoing business activities. Exiger works with clients worldwide to assist them in effectively managing their critical challenges while developing and implementing the policies, procedures and programs needed to create a sustainable compliance environment. A global authority on regulatory compliance, the company also oversees some of the world's most complex court-appointed and voluntary monitorships in the private and public sectors, including the monitorship of HSBC. Exiger has four principal business units being: Exiger Advisory; Exiger Diligence; Exiger Government Services; and Exiger Tech, including AI-based automated due diligence solutions DDIQ and Insight 3PM. Exiger operates through offices in New York City, Silver Spring (DC Metro), Miami, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Contacts:

U.S.

John Roderick

[email protected]

631-584-2200

Europe

James Rossiter

[email protected]

44 0203 195 3240

Canada

Heidi Davidson

[email protected]

914-441-6862

SOURCE Exiger

Related Links

http://www.exiger.com


MONTEREY, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While much of the country slumbers beneath blankets of winter snow, sunny Monterey County is awake and alive with winter wildlife. Whether it's the delicate, migratory monarchs, the gentle giants of the sea or abundant birdlife, the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau invites visitors to come and explore the incredible biodiversity of our coastal region.

WINTER MONARCH MECCA

Witness fluttering clouds of orange and black descend upon charming Pacific Grove, also known as Butterfly Town, U.S.A. California's central coast is the only place in America where monarch butterflies migrate to in the winter. They begin arriving in October and stay through February, creating spectacular effects as they flit and float through the air and hang in clusters from eucalyptus, pine and cypress trees in Pacific Grove's Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary. Because monarch butterflies have a lifespan of less than one year, their migration remains a mystery. They arrive each year, never having been to this destination before. Visit in the early afternoon, the warmest time of day, to see these delightful creatures when they're most active.

WHALE WATCHING BY LAND AND SEA

Winter is prime time for spotting whales along California's central coast. From December through mid-April, giant gray whales travel more than 10,000 miles from the icy Alaskan waters to the warm birthing lagoons of Baja California and Mexico. They're often accompanied by pods of orcas, and a variety of dolphins (lured by tempting anchovy treats filling Monterey Bay). Hop aboard a whale watch cruise for up-close views of these gentle giants. Landlubbers can stroll along sandy beaches in places like Garrapata State Park and Marina State Beach to view whales from the shore when they come to feed in the Monterey Submarine Canyon, the third largest in the world.

MONTEREY COUNTY IS FOR THE BIRDS

Monterey County is part of the Central Coast Birding Trail. So, birding enthusiasts, pack up your spotting scopes to view an intriguing mix of wintering birds including rhinoceros auklets (cousin to the puffin), murrelets and uniquely beaked northern fulmars. Elkhorn Slough is one of the last remaining coastal wetlands in California, providing varied habitats for wintering shorebirds such as black turnstones, surfbirds, brown pelicans and dozens of duck species including buffleheads and mergansers. You can kayak amid diving loons and grebes, or enjoy a free birding tour along boardwalk trails the first Saturday of each month.

Dark-eyed juncos and towhees flutter and forage around willows and underbrush in Pinnacles National Park. The park's rocky peaks are also home to the endangered California condors; keep an out for these majestic birds soaring in the skies in the early morning or early evening. Fragrant forest of rare Monterey Pine in Jacks Peak Park offers breathtaking ridgetop vistas and the potential to glimpse migrating hawks and swifts. The Marina Dunes Preserve and sandy shores of Carmel River State Beach play host to flocks of threatened snowy plovers, and the beach's freshwater lagoon attracts many wintering species including champion-flyer Arctic terns.

BABY SEALS, SEA LIONS & OTTERS, OH MY!

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the best places in the world to see seals, sea lions and sea otters. You can typically hear the piercing bark of playful, raucous sea lions before you see them packed together on rocks, jetties and under wharfs. Shy harbor seals can be seen resting on rocks and secluded beaches just offshore. While sea otters float on their backs near kelp forests, newborns can be seen cuddled up against their mothers' tummies. From late winter through spring, witness the antics of the adorable pups at places like Elkhorn Slough, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and all along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail.

The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau invites visitors to grab life by the moments and explore the wild side of winter in Monterey County! For more information on lodging, attractions and restaurants, please visit SeeMonterey.com.

CONTACT:

Jessica Keener, Monterey County CVB

(831) 657-6413

[email protected]

SOURCE Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Related Links

http://www.seemonterey.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the heels of Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to generosity and giving back, Farm Aid announced today that it distributed more than half a million dollars in grant funding this year, investing in organizations working to build resilient systems of agriculture and food. In 2017, Farm Aid has granted $732,351 to 83 family farm, rural service and urban agriculture organizations in 34 states and the District of Columbia, as well as to more than 60 farmers and youth for leadership development and advocacy. Farm Aid also made grants to 297 farm families for emergency and natural disaster relief.

"Thanks to the continued generosity of supporters from across the country, today Farm Aid sends critical funds to hardworking organizations who share Farm Aid's mission," said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. "Farm Aid grants strengthen the family farmers who are working to stay on their land and knit communities together by providing healthy food and an economic bedrock for rural and urban communities."

In 2017, Farm Aid invested funds in programs that:

Build and strengthen infrastructure for local and regional food systems and raise awareness of their value;

Enhance access to good food in impoverished communities by building relationships between family farmers, youth and low-income consumers;

Recruit and train beginning farmers and increase their access to farmland;

Help farm families stay on the land with legal support, business planning, financial assistance and counseling;

Support farmer transition to organic, sustainable and regenerative farming techniques;

Build and support resilient systems of agriculture in the face of climate change and increasing patterns of extreme weather;

Confront corporate concentration in agriculture and ensure competitive markets by advocating for fair farm policies on behalf of all family farmers;

Address antitrust and contract violations;

Strengthen the grassroots around a unified vision for our food and farm system; and

Build an effective farmer voice in advancing food system reform.

"With the 2018 Farm Bill quickly approaching, it is critical that family farmers are organized and their voices are heard," said Executive Director Carolyn Mugar. "We are honored to partner with grassroots organizations that build resilient systems of agriculture to combat the impacts of natural disasters and climate change; work for fair policies that work for family farmers and eaters; fight discrimination in our farm and food system; protect our soil and water; and ensure everyone has access to fresh, healthy foods."

In Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, where Farm Aid held its annual music and food festival at KeyBank Pavilion in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, this past September, Farm Aid invested $50,500 in eight programs that support family farmers to thrive, take action to change the farm and food system, and grow the Good Food Movement. Awardees include:

Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) in Athens, Ohio , to provide livestock and specialty crop farmers in Appalachian Ohio with resources and assistance to reach new market opportunities;

, to provide livestock and specialty crop farmers in Appalachian Ohio with resources and assistance to reach new market opportunities; Fayette County Community Action Agency in Uniontown, Pennsylvania , to connect farmers and entrepreneurs and develop a productive farm and food business climate in 38 counties of Pennsylvania , West Virginia and Maryland ;

, to connect farmers and entrepreneurs and develop a productive farm and food business climate in 38 counties of , and ; Grow Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , to support urban farmers, promote urban agriculture and remove barriers for people growing food in Pittsburgh and surrounding urban landscapes;

in , to support urban farmers, promote urban agriculture and remove barriers for people growing food in and surrounding urban landscapes; Keystone Development Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania , to provide technical assistance and business planning to Early Bird Farmers' Cooperative, which markets certified organic eggs from member farms;

, to provide technical assistance and business planning to Early Bird Farmers' Cooperative, which markets certified organic eggs from member farms; Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association in Columbus, Ohio , to engage farmer leaders and advocates in the work of the 2018 Farm Bill;

, to engage farmer leaders and advocates in the work of the 2018 Farm Bill; Organic Farmers Association in Kutztown, Pennsylvania , to mobilize its farmer members to establish and advocate its policy platform, influence policy in Washington, D.C. , and begin to unify the national organic farmer network through stronger relationships among organic farmer organizations;

, to mobilize its farmer members to establish and advocate its policy platform, influence policy in , and begin to unify the national organic farmer network through stronger relationships among organic farmer organizations; Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) in Millheim, Pennsylvania , to develop and host farmer educational events, study sustainability indicators chosen by farmers, develop a Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship program and grow their Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program; and

, to develop and host farmer educational events, study sustainability indicators chosen by farmers, develop a Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship program and grow their Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program; and West Virginia Food & Farm Coalition in Charleston, West Virginia , to develop and advocate for local, state and federal policies that reflect the voices of the food and farm community and support a resilient and equitable local food system.

Earlier this year, Farm Aid granted $18,500 to farm and ranch families in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado who lost land, livestock, fences, buildings and equipment to wildfires. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, Farm Aid granted $114,500 to farm families in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who lost their crops, livestock, pasture, barns, equipment and other essentials to maintaining their livelihoods. Farm Aid continues to work with long-term partners in these regions to assess the needs of impacted farmers and ranchers. In addition, Farm Aid's Farmer Leadership Fund awarded more than $32,000 this year to elevate farmer voices in policy discussions, develop leadership skills and send youth involved in urban farming to sustainable agriculture conferences.

Farm Aid's grant-making is one aspect of its work to keep family farmers on the land, growing good food for all. In addition, other Farm Aid programs inspire an increased demand for family farm food; bring farmers, advocates and activists together for trainings and other opportunities; advocate for policies that serve farmers and consumers alike; and invite everyone to be part of building a thriving family farm system of agriculture.

For a complete listing of Farm Aid's 2017 grants, visit www.farmaid.org/2017grantees.

Farm Aid welcomes donations at www.farmaid.org/donate.

Farm Aid's annual music and food festival is a major effort of the organization, offering the opportunity for tens of thousands of people to gather together each year to show support for family farmers. The annual festival features performances donated by top artists, HOMEGROWN Concessions made with family farm food and the HOMEGROWN Village of hands-on activities that showcase family farmers, soil, water and ways we all connect to the roots of our food.

For updates throughout the year, follow Farm Aid on Twitter (@FarmAid), Facebook (facebook.com/FarmAid), Instagram (@FarmAid) and visit farmaid.org/concert.

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 30 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $50 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

SOURCE Farm Aid

Related Links

https://www.farmaid.org


GREENSBURG, Pa., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) grants totaling $10,000 to 14 Pennsylvania teachers in the company's West Pennsylvania Power Company (West Penn Power) utility service area. The grants will be used for a variety of hands-on projects, workshops and teacher development programs in classrooms across the service area.

The grant winners, their schools and projects are:

Bonita Burgess , Cameron County School District, Emporium  Building electric motors and circuits to learn about electricity.

, School District, Emporium  Building electric motors and circuits to learn about electricity. Charles M. Chamey , Johnsonburg Area High School, Johnsonburg  Vocational program students will learn how to climb utility poles as preparation for attending FirstEnergy's Power Systems Institute utility line worker training program.

, Johnsonburg Area High School,  Vocational program students will learn how to climb utility poles as preparation for attending FirstEnergy's Power Systems Institute utility line worker training program. Kristen Fulgenzio , Burgettstown Area Elementary Center , Burgettstown  Building and programming robots.

, Burgettstown Area Elementary ,  Building and programming robots. Kurt Jones , West Greene High School, Waynesburg  Learning about aquaponics, devising monitoring schemes and devices to calculate how much solar power is necessary to make the operation self-sustaining.

, West Greene High School,  Learning about aquaponics, devising monitoring schemes and devices to calculate how much solar power is necessary to make the operation self-sustaining. Sue Melton , Springdale Junior-Senior High School, Springdale  Learning to program lights in synch with music.

, Springdale Junior-Senior High School,  Learning to program lights in synch with music. Lyla Mitchell , Adelphoi Education, Fairchance  Building one of three types of robots.

, Adelphoi Education,  Building one of three types of robots. Greg Reger and Jackson Knoll , McGuffey High School, Claysville  AP physics students will work in pairs to design and construct buildings for a model town, while AP chemistry students will design battery cells that can produce power for the town.

and , McGuffey High School,  AP physics students will work in pairs to design and construct buildings for a model town, while AP chemistry students will design battery cells that can produce power for the town. Dawn Schwartz , Western Beaver Junior-Senior High School, Industry  Using Global Positioning Satellite devices to learn about area, perimeter and using coordinates to determine distance.

, Western Beaver Junior-Senior High School, Industry  Using Global Positioning Satellite devices to learn about area, perimeter and using coordinates to determine distance. Emilie Shogan, Penn Trafford School District, Harrisson City  Learning about math and science in a before-school program.

Amber Urick , Sunrise Estates Elementary School, Irwin  Use building materials to learn lessons in a variety of disciplines.

, Sunrise Estates Elementary School, Irwin  Use building materials to learn lessons in a variety of disciplines. Jodi Weismann, Trafford Elementary School, Trafford  Practicing concepts using various materials throughout the school year.

 Practicing concepts using various materials throughout the school year. Lauren Windstein and Tara Kohowski , South Fayette Intermediate School, McDonald  Reviving the school's rooftop garden.

"FirstEnergy has long supported educational activities in communities served by our Pennsylvania utilities, particularly those that encourage students to pursue careers in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Dee Lowery, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation. "We are pleased to provide assistance to so many STEM projects this year to support our students, schools and educators as they work to help build a strong workforce for the future."

FirstEnergy offers grants up to $1,000 to individual teachers and administrators at schools served by its electric utility operating companies and in communities where it has facilities. Company-wide, these grants totaled almost $70,000 in 2017.

Grant recipients are recommended by local educators who make up FirstEnergy's Educational Advisory Council. As part of the program, recipients must furnish a written summary and evaluation of their projects that can be shared with other educators in FirstEnergy's service area.

West Penn Power serves about 720,000 customers in 24 Pennsylvania counties. Connect with West Penn Power on Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestPennPower.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com


READING, Pa., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has awarded Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) grants totaling more than $5,000 to seven teachers in the company's Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed) utility service area. The grants will be used for a variety of hands-on projects, workshops and teacher development programs.

The grant winners, their schools and projects are:

Lorraine Coomber , Shallow Brook Intermediate School, Manchester  Using teamwork to solve math and technology problems.

, Shallow Brook Intermediate School,  Using teamwork to solve math and technology problems. Daniel Dellinger , Red Lion Area Junior High School, Red Lion  Growing trout from fertilized eggs to learn about the life cycle of brook trout, water chemistry, fish biology and watershed health.

, Red Lion Area Junior High School,  Growing trout from fertilized eggs to learn about the life cycle of brook trout, water chemistry, fish biology and watershed health. Eric Musselman , Central York High School, York  Practicing electrical wiring in a typical residential setting, wiring outlets, light switches and receptacles.

, Central York High School, York  Practicing electrical wiring in a typical residential setting, wiring outlets, light switches and receptacles. Shannon O'Donnell , Muhlenberg Middle School, Reading  Practicing engineering skills through a variety of tasks with different types of material for building and inventing.

, Muhlenberg Middle School,  Practicing engineering skills through a variety of tasks with different types of material for building and inventing. Ashley Pastor , Tulpehocken Area School District, Bernville  Investigating and identifying agricultural problems in various regions of the world, then creating vertical grow systems that could be used to solve these specific problems.

, Tulpehocken Area School District,  Investigating and identifying agricultural problems in various regions of the world, then creating vertical grow systems that could be used to solve these specific problems. Karen Sipe , New Oxford Middle School, New Oxford  Expanding after-school building toys program to include more students.

, New Oxford Middle School,  Expanding after-school building toys program to include more students. Amber Stewart , Boiling Springs High School, Boiling springs  Using hydroponics to grow a winter garden.

"FirstEnergy has long supported educational activities in communities served by our Pennsylvania utilities, particularly those that encourage students to pursue careers in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Dee Lowery, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation. "We are pleased to provide assistance to so many STEM projects this year to support our students, schools and educators as they work to help build a strong workforce for the future."

FirstEnergy offers grants up to $1,000 to individual teachers and administrators at schools served by its electric utility operating companies and in communities where it has facilities. Company-wide, these grants totaled almost $70,000 in 2017.

Grant recipients are recommended by local educators who make up FirstEnergy's Educational Advisory Council. As part of the program, recipients must furnish a written summary and evaluation of their projects that can be shared with other educators in FirstEnergy's service area.

Met-Ed, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., serves approximately 560,000 customers in 15 Pennsylvania counties. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com


Summer McClintock , Pleasant View Elementary, Hedgesville  Exploring the life cycle of a chick, from incubating eggs to donating the chicks to a local farm.

, Pleasant View Elementary,  Exploring the life cycle of a chick, from incubating eggs to donating the chicks to a local farm. Julie Sole , Disability Action Center, Fairmont  Working with the Homestead Farm Center to bring programs to disabled students for whom classrooms have not been modified to meet their abilities.

, Disability Action Center,  Working with the Homestead Farm Center to bring programs to disabled students for whom classrooms have not been modified to meet their abilities. Toniqua Williams , Morgantown Early Learning Facility, Morgantown  Learning scientific procedures to build and create robotic machines.

"FirstEnergy has long supported educational activities in our West Virginia service area, particularly those that encourage students to pursue careers in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Dee Lowery, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation. "We are pleased to fund several STEM projects this year to support our students, schools and educators as they work to help build a strong workforce for the future."

FirstEnergy offers grants up to $1,000 to individual teachers and administrators at schools served by its electric utility operating companies and in communities where it has facilities. Company-wide, these grants totaled almost $70,000 in 2017.

Grant recipients are recommended by local educators who make up FirstEnergy's Educational Advisory Council. As part of the program, recipients must furnish a written summary and evaluation of their projects that can be shared with other educators in FirstEnergy's service area.

Mon Power serves about 385,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power on Twitter @MonPowerWV, or visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MonPowerWV. Potomac Edison serves about 257,000 customers in seven Maryland counties and 137,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison on Twitter @PotomacEdison, or visit us on Facebook as https://www.facebook.com/PotomacEdison. Visit FirstEnergy on the web at www.firstenergycorp.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

Related Links

http://www.firstenergycorp.com


"Walmart's commitment to buy $250 billion in products supporting American jobs is having a tangible impact on communities across America, including Albuquerque," said Rob Holland, CEO, Flagship Food Group. "In a world where there is incredible competition for foreign-grown and foreign-made food products, we're working with Walmart to promote products made and grown right here in New Mexico. Thanks to Walmart, we've gone from about 20 employees in New Mexico in 2013 to almost 400 today."

Based on data from Boston Consulting Group, it's estimated that 1 million new U.S. jobs will be created through Walmart's initiative, including direct manufacturing job growth of approximately 250,000, and indirect job growth of approximately 750,000 in the support and service sectors.

"Our customers have told us that second to price, where products are made influences their purchase decisions," said Cindi Marsiglio, vice president, U.S. manufacturing, Walmart. "We are focused on buying great quality products that create jobs in communities across the U.S. It makes sense for our customers, our communities and our company."

Flagship's popular 505 Southwestern brand ("505" signifies Albuquerque's area code) is produced in New Mexico and certified as a "New Mexico True" product. Through its work with Walmart and innovative approach to new products, Flagship has developed more than 30 new items for Walmart over the last 2 years, leading to accelerated growth and the ability to expand its operations locally.

"On the heels of 48 consecutive months of job growth, this is great news," said Richard J. Berry, Mayor of Albuquerque. "It's because of companies like Flagship Food Group that believe in Albuquerque that our city and our economy continue to rise."

About Flagship Food Group

Flagship Food Group is a global, diversified food company serving the retail, club store, and food service channels across a broad array of product lines. Its brands include TJ Farms, Lilly B's, 505 Southwestern, Chris & Pitts, and Su Ming. It also serves as a valuable supplier to private label customers and provides industry services to food companies through its logistics and packaging divisions. Flagship is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and its more than 500 employees serve the company in its key facilities and offices in or near Denver, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Boise, Indianapolis, and Minnesota.

SOURCE Flagship Food Group

Related Links

http://www.flagshipfoodgroup.com


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian clean technology company, Fenix Energy (Fenix) has been awarded a consulting contract with a "prolific" Vancouver-based developer to share green energy expertise. The partnership focuses on master-planning thermal energy solutions for the iconic L.A. Times Building district by upgrading historic structures and incorporating clean technology systems for two new high-rise towers.

Fenix Energy to transform downtown L.A. with thermal energy solution

Spanning an entire city block in downtown Los Angeles, the initiative will prove the business case for creating a "green energy" asset; enabling the buildings to harvest, store, reuse and potentially trade the thermal energy created from the day-to-day activities of occupants and mechanical systems.

"With cities on the frontline of the climate change struggle; we must look at our buildings and how to make them as sustainable as possible. We focus on their thermal energy and how to enhance and harness that heating and cooling input/output relationship," commented Edward Smith, Managing Director, Fenix Energy. "We're working on a number of projects in Canada and this latest one in the USA is helping us reinforce the business case to real estate developers, utilities and municipalities that our cities have significant untapped environmental and economic potential. Harnessing thermal energy is not just a dream, it is a reality that creates an impressive win-win. With the right turnkey Design, Build, Own, Operate service approach, it can easily become a new reality for our growing urban centres."

About Fenix Energy www.fenixenergy.com

Founded in 2010 with a vision to create the greenest cities across North America one building at a time, Fenix Energy is growing a reputation among developers, municipalities and utilities for leading the delivery of thermal energy solutions. By upgrading the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems of high-rise buildings (new or old), Fenix turns developments into Thermal Energy Assets that harvest, store and trade energy. The company's systems accommodate many thermal tie-ins like water heat recovery, solar, geo-exchange and biomass. And solutions are completely scalable; working for a single building, multiple buildings within a development (Network Energy System), or across a city (Eco-District). Fenix Energy helps create a win for the environment and the bottom line; making the business case for investing in renewables an undeniable one.

Media Enquiries

Linda Ryan, Operations Manager

+1 604.684.7241

E [email protected]

Press release: http://fenixenergy.com/fenix-energy-shares-green-thermal-energy-expertise-to-transform-iconic-l-a-times-building

Media Kit: http://fenixenergy.com/news/media-kit/

SOURCE Fenix Energy

Related Links

http://www.fenixenergy.com


BURGESS HILL, England, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Ringdale, the provider of FollowMe, the complete document output management solution, receives a 2018 Pick award from the analysts at Keypoint Intelligence - Buyers Lab (BLI) as the Outstanding Data Loss Prevention Solution.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/476805/FollowMe_Ringdale_Logo.jpg )



Keypoint Intelligence, a leading independent evaluator of document solutions has recognized FollowMe by Ringdale with a BLI 2018 Pick award for being the "Outstanding Data Loss Prevention Solution"

FollowMe receives the 2018 Pick award in large part thanks to its ability to set and enforce policies, preventing confidential information from being printed and adding relevant watermarks to documents based on content, and is recognized for leading industry innovation in securing and tracking document based processes

The latest Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities set the latest version of FollowMe apart from its competitors. The platform's printer and MFP support is noted as the best within the industry

"FollowMe by Ringdale was a clear choice for the 2018 Pick award as Outstanding Data Loss Prevention Solution," said Jamie Bsales, BLI Senior Editor. "For organizations looking for a complete solution to handle secure printing with integrated DLP, for office and mobile printing applications, FollowMe is an excellent choice."

"The DLP features FollowMe delivers are impressive and allow organizations to monitor, discover, and prevent data breaches. In addition the Branch Office printing features enable remote offices to take advantage of FollowMe's secure printing capabilities, without the need for a server component at the remote office."

"The FollowMe platform offers a remarkable level of flexibility, providing enterprise customers with forensic capabilities to meet evolving information security demands and new regulatory requirements" said Eric Crump, Director of Strategic Alliances, Ringdale. "We are pleased that BLI has honored Ringdale with the 2018 Pick award for being the Outstanding Data Loss Prevention Solution, recognizing the company's continued leadership for class-leading document and secure printing technology."

The full BLI Platinum rated Solution Report for FollowMe is available to download here.

About Ringdale

Ringdale invented FollowMe and the print roaming technology in 1997 and has continued to be at the forefront of the industry for over three decades. With offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan, Ringdale has a strong global partner network and relationships with the world's leading printing manufacturers including Brother, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Oce, OKI, Ricoh, Sharp, Toshiba and Xerox.

For further information on FollowMe, visit www.followme.ringdale.com.

For details on FollowMe or the Ringdale partner support programme, contact Charlotte Baker, Ringdale, Tel: +44-(0)-1444-871 349 or Email: [email protected].

About Keypoint Intelligence - Buyers Lab

Keypoint Intelligence is a one-stop shop for the digital imaging industry. With our unparalleled tools and unmatched depth of knowledge, we cut through the noise of data to offer clients the unbiased insights and responsive tools they need in those mission-critical moments that define their products and empower their sales.

For over 50 years, Buyers Lab has been the global document imaging industry's resource for unbiased and reliable information, test data, and competitive selling tools. What started out as a consumer-based publication about office equipment has become an all-encompassing industry resource. Buyers Lab evolves in tandem with the ever-changing landscape of document imaging solutions, constantly updating our methods, expanding our offerings, and tracking cutting-edge developments.

About Buyers Lab Software Pick Awards

Buyers Lab Document Imaging Software Picks stand alone in the industry and are hard-earned awards as they are based on rigorous testing, including evaluation of key attributes such as features, usability, and value. Each product that passes our lab test earns Buyers Lab's Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze rating, with the best performers qualifying as Pick contenders.

Ringdale, FollowMe and their respective logos are registered trademarks of Ringdale UK Ltd and Ringdale, Inc. All other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE FollowMe by Ringdale
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The historic Atlantic hurricane season this year made clear the devastation that can result from extreme weather events. As climate change continues to send global temperatures upward, climate scientists expect severe hurricanes, rising sea levels, wildfires and other natural disasters to become more common and more frequent.

In the U.S., the South represents the front line of the climate crisis, particularly in poor communities and communities of color forced to live on land most vulnerable to flooding, pollution and dislocation. Unfortunately, foundations and other donors have not stepped up to support communities working to alleviate the impacts of climate change.

The good news is that donors who want to help these communities prepare, adapt and thrive in spite of these challenges while protecting the environment can do so by learning from those already doing important work and applying four recommendations found in a new report on climate justice in the South.

Grantmakers need to step up

"As the South Grows: Weathering the Storm," a new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP; www.ncrp.org) and Grantmakers for Southern Progress (GSP; http://www.nfg.org/as_the_south_grows) explains why national and Southern grantmakers must invest in Southern climate resilience and how they can do so effectively and sustainably.

The report tells the stories of nine Southern community leaders in Eastern North Carolina and Southern Louisiana who are working to address the environmental threats caused by climate change. However, their efforts aren't being matched by support from foundations, especially work that involves grassroots community organizing and advocacy.

"Climate change presents an exponential and existential threat for people across the South  and for the nation more broadly  but foundation grantmaking to date does not reflect that reality," report authors Ryan Schlegel and Stephanie Peng wrote. "Southern communities' and our national complacency with racialized poverty puts whole communities and the whole region in greater danger from climate crises."

Funding per person in the region by the country's grantmakers is only a small fraction of the national funding rate.

The country's grantmakers gave the equivalent of $31 in funding per person in Southern Louisiana (excluding Orleans Parish) and $67 in funding per person in Eastern North Carolina from 2010-2014. Compare this to the national funding rate of $451. Source: Foundation Center.

Between 2010 and 2014, only 4 percent of foundation funding in Eastern North Carolina went to community organizing, policy change and other strategies that seek to address problems that put vulnerable communities at risk. In Southern Louisiana, only 8 percent of funding went to such strategies; outside New Orleans that number was just 0.3 percent.

How can foundations step up?

"As we contend with the very real and devastating impacts of climate change in the region, philanthropy must not only name equity and inclusion as a strategy, but commit to deep institutional learning and practices that center people of color, low-wealth communities," said Lavastian Glenn, co-chair of GSP and program director at the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. "In particular, funders of the environment and concerned with climate change must engage the people who have been pushed to these low-laying lands prone to flooding, or exposed to toxic dumping from coal-fired power plants because of institutional racism, as allies and as part of the power-building equation that saves us all in the end."

Schlegel and Peng interviewed dozens of community leaders, nonprofits and grantmakers about their experiences with philanthropy in Eastern North Carolina and Southern Louisiana.

From these conversations, they developed four key recommendations for donors who are ready to invest in strategies to address the effects of climate change in the region:

Explore opportunities to fund solutions to climate, economic and social challenges in the South.

opportunities to fund solutions to climate, economic and social challenges in the South. Include underrepresented communities in the planning and decision-making process.

underrepresented communities in the planning and decision-making process. Establish healing and honest relationships with funders and grantees.

healing and honest relationships with funders and grantees. Commit to making social change an important part of their strategies.

"It is time for other foundations  both in the South and nationally  to meet these pioneers where they are and bring their own resources to the table," Schlegel and Peng wrote. "Any funder concerned about health, economic prosperity, access to opportunity or the physical and spiritual survival of coastal communities can and must find a way to invest in Southern climate resilience."

"As the South Grows: Weathering the Storm" offers practical tips and resources, including a list of Do's and Don'ts that will help grantmakers and donors to have lasting impact through their climate philanthropy. The report, as well as the first in the series, "As the South Grows: On Fertile Soil," and the second, "As the South Grows: Strong Roots," is available on www.ncrp.org. The final two reports will be released in 2018.

About NCRP

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy amplifies the voice of nonprofits and the communities they serve in the philanthropic sector. Through research and advocacy, it works to ensure that grantmakers and donors contribute to the creation of a fair, just and equitable world.

About GSP

Grantmakers for Southern Progress is a network of southern and national funders who are committed to fostering thriving communities in the American South, characterized in part by racial and gender equity.

SOURCE National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Related Links

ncrp.org


JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recognized top companies in Indonesia at the 10th annual Indonesia Excellence Awards banquet on 28 November at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Jakarta.

Mr. Hazmi Yusof, Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets, Frost & Sullivan said that the awards identified many outstanding companies in Indonesia for superior leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development across various industries.

"The 2017 Frost & Sullivan Indonesia award recipients have once again continued to show exemplary business performance in their respective industries. We hope this recognition will continue to help drive innovation, excellence and a positive change in the Indonesian economy," he added.

PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk, PT Telekomunikasi Selular and PT Aplikanusa Lintasarta are among the companies that earned multiple recognitions at the awards banquet.

The recipients of the annual Frost & Sullivan Indonesia Excellence Awards were identified based on in-depth research conducted by Frost & Sullivan's analysts. The award categories offered each year are carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and include new emerging trends.

The short-listed companies were then evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy.

Frost & Sullivan congratulates all the recipients of the 2017 Frost & Sullivan Indonesia Excellence Awards:

AWARD TITLE AWARD RECIPIENT Indonesia Facilities Management Growth Excellence Leadership COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL INDONESIA Indonesia Facilities Management Competitive Strategy and Innovation Leadership PT CBRE CONSULTANCY SERVICES Indonesia Facilities Management Company of the Year PT JONES LANG LASALLE Indonesia Smart Building Solutions Entrepreneurial Company of the Year PT SYSTEMA GLOBAL SOLUSINDO Indonesia Domestic Road Transportation Service Provider of the Year PT SIBA SURYA Indonesia Domestic Warehouse Services Provider of the Year PT KAMADJAJA LOGISTICS Indonesia Domestic Express Service Provider of the Year PT POS INDONESIA (PERSERO) Indonesia E-commerce Logistics Service Provider of the Year PT TIKI JALUR NUGRAHA EKAKURIR (JNE) Indonesia Domestic Distribution Service Provider of the Year PT BHANDA GHARA REKSA (PERSERO) Indonesia Domestic Logistics Service Provider of the Year PT PUNINAR JAYA Indonesia Niche Logistics Service Provider of the Year PT INDIKA LOGISTIC & SUPPORT SERVICES (ILSS) Indonesia Innovative Logistics Entrepreneurial Company of the Year HappyFresh Indonesia Hospital Growth Excellence Leadership OMNI HOSPITALS GROUP Indonesia Enterprise Health Management Company of the Year PT FULLERTON HEALTH INDONESIA Indonesia Laboratory Services Company of the Year PT PRODIA WIDYAHUSADA TBK Indonesia Medical Imaging Company of the Year PT PHILIPS INDONESIA COMMERCIAL Indonesia Diagnostic Services Company of the Year PT ROCHE INDONESIA Indonesia Hospital of the Year PT SILOAM INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALS TBK Indonesia Contact Center Outsourcing Service Provider of the Year INFOMEDIA NUSANTARA Indonesia Contact Center Applications System Integrator of the Year PT HALIK SELINDO ALPHA Indonesia Managed Service Provider of the Year PT SIGMA CIPTA CARAKA (TELKOMSIGMA) Indonesia m-money Service Provider of the Year PT TELEKOMUNIKASI SELULAR FOR TCASH Indonesia Digital Services Provider of the Year PT TELEKOMUNIKASI SELULAR Indonesia Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year PT XL AXIATA TBK Indonesia Fixed Broadband Service Provider of the Year PT TELEKOMUNIKASI INDONESIA TBK Indonesia Data Center Service Provider of the Year PT APLIKANUSA LINTASARTA Indonesia Telco Cloud Service Provider of the Year PT APLIKANUSA LINTASARTA Indonesia Independent Tower Company of the Year PT PROFESIONAL TELEKOMUNIKASI INDONESIA (PROTELINDO) Indonesia Mobile Service Provider of the Year PT INDOSAT TBK (INDOSAT OOREDOO) Indonesia Telecom Service Provider of the Year PT TELEKOMUNIKASI INDONESIA TBK

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. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact Us: Start the discussion

Media Contact

Fuad Misbah

Corporate Communications  Indonesia

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

http://www.frost.com


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (OTCQB: FFRMF) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the previously announced acquisition of a 120-acre industrial hemp farm in Amity, ME. With this acquisition, Future Farm is now strategically positioned in both the fast-growing hemp market as well as the cannabis market.

Future Farm expects to harvest 1,700 plants per acre of the 120-acre farm, which translates into approximately 10-kilos of CBD distillate per acre, which further translates into $90,000 per acre in revenue, or on 120-acres a projected revenue of $10,800,000.00. With Maine's current favorable economic climate for hemp in place, the Company is moving aggressively to acquire more land and is in discussion with existing farm operators to farm another 200-acres of organic hemp on existing farmland in Maine.

"We are thrilled to be able to acquire this prime land to farm hemp as we will leverage our oil extraction techniques into the CBD business," comments Bill Gildea, CEO of Future Farm. "We are excited to be working with Derek Ross on this project as well as on other projects which are in our pipeline."

Derek Ross, CEO of Cannatech comments, "I'm excited to grow this business with Future Farm. Partnering with Future Farm will allow us to scale up to full production faster and enable us to process large amounts of hemp flower into highly pure CBD concentrates, which is where the market is." Mr. Ross continues, "We are actively looking for more land to farm so that we may rapidly scale production in 2018 as the market demand for CBD oil continues to expand."

Hemp is a fast growing, high margin closely-related business to the cannabis business growing at a 22% CAGR currently valued at over $688 million, and estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2020 in the USA. As consideration for the acquisition of the Farm, Future Farm paid Derek Ross $80,000, payable in equal installments over the course of six months, and 250,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

For further information, contact William Gildea, CEO and Chairman, at +1-617-834-9467.

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea, CEO & Chairman

About Future Farm

Future Farm Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with projects throughout North America including California, Florida and Maryland. The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants, with a focus on cannabis. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generate yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including 90% less water, fertilizer and land used, less travel costs, seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability. The Company also utilizes a leading cannabis oil extraction technology, which enables the Company to process 20lbs/hour of cannabis plant to yield approximately 908 grams/hour of oil.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com, which caters to B2B customers, is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com, which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

The Company recently acquired the exclusive right to use a patented, augmented reality (AR) technology in the cannabis industry. The Company will work with its partner to merge AR and ad-tech with the cannabis industry through the CannaCube Live platform.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts

responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press 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, exploitation and exploration successes, 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.

For further information, contact William Gildea, CEO and Chairman, at +1-617-834-9467.

SOURCE Future Farm Technologies Inc.
LONDON, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Future of the Philippines' Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2022







Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4040266







Summary

Philippines' defense expenditure recorded a historic-period CAGR of 11.55% by the end of 2017. The growing strength and assertiveness of the Chinese Navy with regards to territorial claims in the South China Sea has spurred the government to enhance its military capabilities. The consequent demand for defense equipment will revolve around fighter and multi-role aircraft, frigates, infrastructure construction, submarines, naval vessels and surveillance equipment. As a percentage of GDP, defense expenditure will post a forecast-period CAGR of 0.9%.



Capital expenditure allocation, which stood at an average of 38.5% during the historic period, will increase over the forecast period due to the procurement of fighter aircraft, frigates, and infrastructure construction projects. The share of revenue expenditure decreased from 61.5% during the historic period to 59.1% over the forecast period, as the defense department is increasing efforts to reduce operational costs. Population growth will inflate the per capita defense expenditure at a CAGR of 10.28%.



During 2012-2016, the US emerged as the largest supplier of military hardware to the Philippines with a 40%+ share of defense imports, followed by Indonesia and South Korea. The US mainly supplied aircraft and naval vessels, a trend anticipated to continue over the forecast period due to the country's dependence on the US as a defense supplier. However, the government is beginning to widen its supplier base and plans to procure equipment from Indonesia, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Poland, Australia and Israel.



Homeland security budget will record a historic period CAGR of 1.40% to value US$2.3 Billion, driven by investments in counter terrorism and drug smuggling activities.



The report "Future of the Philippines' Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2022" offers detailed analysis of the Philippines defense industry with market size forecasts covering the next five years. This report will also analyze factors that influence demand for the industry, key market trends, and challenges faced by industry participants.



Particularly, this report provides the following -

- The Philippines defense industry market size and drivers: Detailed analysis of the Philippines defense industry during 2018-2022, including highlights of the demand drivers and growth stimulators for the industry. It also provides a snapshot of the country's expenditure and modernization patterns.

- Budget allocation and key challenges: Insights into procurement schedules formulated within the country and a breakdown of the defense budget with respect to capital expenditure and revenue expenditure. It also details the key challenges faced by defense market participants within the country.

- Porter's Five Force analysis of the Philippines defense industry: Analysis of the market characteristics by determining the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitution, intensity of rivalry, and barriers to entry.

- Import and Export Dynamics: Analysis of prevalent trends in the country's imports and exports over the last five years.

- Market opportunities: Details of the top five defense investment opportunities over the next 10 years.

- Competitive landscape and strategic insights: Analysis of the competitive landscape of the Philippines defense industry. It provides an overview of key players, together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives, and a brief financial analysis.



Companies mentioned in this report: United Defense Manufacturing Corporation (UDMC), Leonardo, Remington Arms Company, ELTA Systems Ltd and Raytheon



Scope

- The defense budget of Philippines for the year 2017 is US$2.9 billion. For the historic period, 2013-2017, the defense budget of the country registered a CAGR of 11.55%. The defense budget is currently being driven by efforts to modernize the army, threats from terrorist organizations, and tensions in the South China Sea.

- During the historic period, the Philippines MoD allocated an average of 38.5% of the total defense budget to capital expenditure, while an average of 61.5% was reserved for revenue expenditure. Over the forecast period, allocation towards capital expenditure is expected to increase at an average of 40.9%.

- The MoD is expected to invest in multi-role aircraft, diesel electric submarines and infrastructure construction.



Reasons to buy

- This report will give the user confidence to make the correct business decisions based on a detailed analysis of the Philippines defense industry market trends for the coming five years

- The market opportunity section will inform the user about the various military requirements that are expected to generate revenues during the forecast period. The description includes technical specifications, recent orders, and the expected investment pattern by the country during the forecast period

- Detailed profiles of the top domestic and foreign defense manufacturers with information about their products, alliances, recent contract wins, and financial analysis wherever available. This will provide the user with a total competitive landscape of the sector

- A deep qualitative analysis of the Philippines defense industry covering sections including demand drivers, Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Key Trends and Growth Stimulators, and latest industry contracts



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4040266



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded the Mission Training Complex Capabilities Support contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command. The multiple award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of approximately $975 million with a five year ordering period.

Work under the contract will consist of simulation and training support including live, virtual, constructive and first-person gaming exercises. Additional support will include technical, logistical and administrative services for designated mission training complexes.

"As a leader in mission-command and integrated training capabilities, General Dynamics is well positioned to support the active Army and the National Guard in strengthening readiness," said Rich Farinacci, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Information Technology's Professional Services and Training Solutions sector.

For more than ten years, General Dynamics has supported the Army's mission training complexes with integrated training capabilities. The company continues to be a trusted partner in supporting the Department of Defense and other federal agencies as a primary source of training, network and system engineering, installation, maintenance and logistical services.

For more information about General Dynamics Information Technology, please visit www.gdit.com.

SOURCE General Dynamics Information Technology

Related Links

http://www.gdit.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Genprex, Inc., a clinical stage gene therapy company, announced today that is has been selected as a finalist in this year's Fierce Innovation Awards: Life Sciences Edition brought to you by the publisher of FierceBiotech and FiercePharma. Genprex was recognized as a finalist in the Fierce Technology Innovation Award category.

Genprex was selected as a finalist for its innovative lead product candidate, Oncoprex immunogene therapy, currently being studied in a Phase I/II clinical study for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncoprex is a unique, first-in-class multimodal therapy based on the Company's proprietary platform technologies with the potential to sensitize cancer cells and enhance the therapeutic effect of other targeted therapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Combining the features of gene therapy, immunotherapy and nanotechnology, Oncoprex interrupts cell signaling pathways that promote replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and modulates the body's innate immune response against cancer cells. Preclinical and clinical data show that, if approved, Oncoprex may provide a novel treatment option for the majority of NSCLC patients who are not eligible for existing targeted therapies or may become resistant over time.

"We are very pleased to have been selected as a finalist for the Fierce Technology Innovation Award," said Rodney Varner, CEO of Genprex. "Genprex is dedicated to advancing Oncoprex as a potential new treatment for non-small cell lung cancer and we are honored to be recognized alongside other companies working to improve the lives of patients in areas of high unmet medical need through unique scientific advances and innovation."

Finalists' applications were reviewed by an expert panel of judges to determine which companies demonstrate innovative technologies and services that have the potential to make the greatest impact for biotech and pharma companies. All applications were evaluated based on the following criteria: effectiveness, technical innovation, competitive advantage, financial impact, and true innovation. A full list of judges can be found at https://questex-lifesciences2017.secure platform.com/a/page/lifesciences-judges-2017.

Winners will be announced and featured in the Innovation Report scheduled to publish on Monday, December 11. To learn more about the Fierce Innovation Awards: Life Sciences Edition, please visit https://questex-lifesciences2017.secure-platform.com/a/.

To learn more about Genprex, visit https://www.genprex.com/.

About Genprex, Inc.

Genprex, Inc. is a clinical stage gene therapy company developing a new approach to treating cancer, based upon a novel proprietary technology platform, including Genprex's initial product candidate, Oncoprex immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genprex's platform technologies are designed to administer cancer fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins that are missing or found in low quantities. Oncoprex has a multimodal mechanism of action whereby it interrupts cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells, and modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance.

About FierceMarkets

FierceMarkets, a division of Questex, LLC, is a leader in B2B e-media, providing information and marketing services in the telecommunications, life sciences, healthcare and technology industries through its portfolio of email newsletters, websites, webinars and live events. Every business day, FierceMarkets' wide array of digital publications reaches more than 2 million executives in more than 100 countries.

Current publications include: LifeSciences: FierceBiotech; FiercePharma; FierceVaccines; FierceBiotechResearch; FiercePharmaManufacturing; FierceMedTech; FierceCRO; FiercePharmaMarketing; and FierceLifeSci Weekly Digest; Telecom: FierceWireless; FierceWireless Tech; FierceTelecom; FierceOnlineVideo; FierceCable; and FierceBroadcasting; Healthcare: FierceHealthcare; FierceHealthIT; FierceHealthFinance; FierceHealthPayer; FiercePracticeManagement; FierceHospital Impact; Technology: FierceTechExec; FierceRetail; and FierceCEO

Contact:

Stephanie Carrington

ICR, Inc.

646-277-1282

[email protected]

James Heins

ICR, Inc.

203-682-8251

[email protected]

SOURCE Genprex, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.genprex.com


SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumio today announced that Goldman Sachs has recognized Illumio CEO and co-founder Andrew Rubin as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2017 at its Builders + Innovators Summit in Santa Barbara, California.

For the third year in a row, Goldman Sachs selected Rubin as one of 100 entrepreneurs from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event.

"We are pleased to recognize Andrew Rubin as one of the most intriguing entrepreneurs of 2017," said David M. Solomon, President and Co-Chief Operating Officer at Goldman Sachs. "This is the sixth year that we've hosted the Builders + Innovators Summit where emerging business leaders gather to discuss their common interests in building prosperous organizations."

Under Andrew's leadership, Illumio has in four years reinvented a decades-old technology of segmentation and become the leader in the growing cybersecurity market of micro-segmentation. Enterprises such as Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas, Salesforce, Workday, and Oracle NetSuite are using Illumio to reduce cyber risk and achieve regulatory compliance across their global data centers and cloud computing environments.

"We founded Illumio to provide enterprises with a new foundation for data center and cloud security," said Andrew Rubin, CEO and co-founder of Illumio. "Our mission from the beginning has been to enable our customers to operate safely and, therefore, allow them to build and maintain trust with their customers. Being recognized by Goldman Sachs for the third year in a row is a tremendous validation of our vision for where the cybersecurity industry is headed and what our outstanding team has accomplished."

For more than 145 years, Goldman Sachs has been advising and financing entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses. In addition to honoring 100 entrepreneurs, the Summit consists of general sessions and clinics led by Goldman Sachs experts, seasoned entrepreneurs, academics and business leaders as well as resident scholars.

About Illumio

Illumio, the leader in micro-segmentation, prevents the spread of cyber threats inside data centers and cloud environments. Enterprises such as Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas, Salesforce, Workday, and Oracle NetSuite use Illumio to reduce cyber risk and achieve regulatory compliance. Illumio's Adaptive Security Platform uniquely protects critical information with real-time application dependency mapping and micro-segmentation that works in any data center, public cloud, or across hybrid deployments on bare-metal, virtualization and containers. For more information about Illumio, visit: https://www.illumio.com/what-we-do and follow us @Illumio.

SOURCE Illumio

Related Links

https://www.illumio.com


GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the new Department of Justice (DOJ) initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing, Grace Hill has made sexual harassment training available online to the entire multifamily industry for free. Grace Hill is the leading provider of online training in the multifamily industry, providing fair housing and other online training to more than 1400 multifamily companies and over 75 percent of the largest companies.

As part of the risk-reduction services that Grace Hill provides to its clients via Compliance Plus, the company works with a team of lawyers at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd to constantly monitor compliance-related issues and concerns that impact the industry. Grace Hill has been providing step-by-step guidelines for its clients on how to strengthen their sexual harassment policies in light of the Justice Department's new initiative. The DOJ initiative is a signal that a strong anti-harassment policy is more important than ever. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited under this law.

"Grace Hill is uniquely positioned to make sexual harassment training available for free to the industry, and we felt it was an important step to take," Dru Armstrong, CEO of Grace Hill, explained. "Grace Hill is rigorous in following both federal and state guidelines, such as California's, and including all relevant information in our courses and other Compliance Plus materials. Helping our clients to create and strengthen their sexual harassment policies helps to prevent costly harassment claims. More importantly, by ensuring that sexual harassment training is available to everyone in the industry, we are helping to ensure that everyone feels safe at work and in their homes."

"Grace Hill's sexual harassment training courseware is based on the same learning science principles as the rest of our courseware, which results in better outcomes for learners," Ellen Clark, Director of Assessment for Grace Hill, explained. "Grace Hill's sexual harassment courses include short learning modules that can be completed in 15 minutes, and allow learners to self-pace as they make their way through the course. The courses provide examples from real life, which makes them more memorable for learners, and quizzes track mastery of learning objectives. Grace Hill uses research-based strategies to facilitate the kind of learning that positively impacts job performance."

Sexual harassment training is available for free in both English and Spanish language versions. The free sexual harassment courses may be accessed on Visto at gowithvisto.org, a platform that Grace Hill launched with the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) to provide property management professionals with easy access to credentials, industry training and continuing education.

Media Contact:

Kimberly Cadena

Phone: 202.669.0802

Email: [email protected]

About Grace Hill

Grace Hill develops best-in-class online training courseware and administration solely for the Property Management Industry. For more than 20 years, Grace Hill has helped people, teams and companies in the multifamily industry improve performance and reduce risk. These days, we're creating a new level of performance-based online training courseware and administration with Vision, our industry-leading learning management system. Vision combines the latest in Learning Science and digital technologies, with white-glove customer service and support.

About Visto

Grace Hill launched Visto in partnership with the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI). Visto gives property management professionals easy access to career-building credentials, job-enhancing continuing education, and valuable Industry information. Years of industry training experience and expertise, creating innovative training products, and an unwavering commitment to customer success have helped make Grace Hill the industry's number one partner in raising performance.

SOURCE Grace Hill
JOHNSTOWN, N.Y., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dynamic Energy Solutions, LLC (Dynamic Energy) congratulates Hamilton Fulton Montgomery Board of Cooperative Educational Services (HFM BOCES) on flipping the switch for their hosted 725 kW ground-mounted solar PV system on Tuesday, October 3. District Superintendent, Dr. Patrick Michel, welcomed local government officials, executives from Dynamic Energy and the HFM BOCES staff, faculty, and students. The electricity produced by the solar facility is expected to save HFM BOCES an estimated $800,000 over a 20-year period.

HFM BOCES Board of Education President Joanne Freeman flips the switch on the new solar farm. HFM BOCES Board of Education President Joanne Freeman flips the switch on the new solar farm.

"In addition to being a source of revenue, the solar farm will also be an educational resource for our students," said Dr. Patrick Michel, HFM BOCES District Superintendent. "By undertaking this project, we also demonstrate our true commitment to the environment and the planet and serve as an example to our students and the entire community."

Dynamic Energy, a turnkey solar energy provider, built the solar project on approximately three acres in front of the BOCES main campus in Johnstown, New York. The system is expected to generate 945,000 kWh of electricity annually, enough to offset nearly 90% of the school's electricity cost. WGL Energy Systems, Inc., (WGL Energy) will own, operate and maintain the system. WGL Energy has more than 250 MW of solar under contract across 23 states and the District of Columbia.

"We are pleased to be involved in the successful development of a solar facility working closely with a proven team of project partners," said Sanjiv Mahan, President of WGL Energy. "WGL is committed to continue delivering a diverse mix of energy solutions to our customers that provide several benefits including lowering energy spend and improving the community."

"Congratulations to Dr. Michel and HFM BOCES on completion of this exciting solar project," said Brett Thibodeau, President & COO of Dynamic Energy. "This solar system represents a true commitment to a clean energy future for the students, faculty and staff of HFM BOCES as well as for New York State."

The project received funding through The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) under the NY-Sun initiative, a statewide solar incentive program under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to increase the number of solar electric systems across the State.

NYSERDA President and CEO Alicia Barton said, "Congratulations to Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES for collaborating with its partners in developing this solar array on campus. Not only will it save money and help protect the environment, but this project also is an example of how New York's institutions can take a leading role in educating future generations about the benefits of clean energy."

The clean power generated by the solar system is expected to offset 703 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, which is the equivalent of removing 151 passenger vehicles from New York roads or the amount of carbon sequestered by 828 acres of U.S. forest each year.

Follow Dynamic Energy on LinkedIn/dynamic-energy, Twitter @dynamicenergyus and Facebook @dynamicenergyus.

Follow WGL Energy on Twitter @wglenergy.

Media Contact:

Sabnam Pandey

[email protected]

4843231176

SOURCE Dynamic Energy Solutions, LLC
PALM DESERT, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Artists commenting on current political events? Yawn! What else is new? The books are full of art works that had their five minutes of relevance before they became obsolete. Hohmann. Who is always striving to select art work of longevity, is going out on a limb to prove that art can be timeless and urgent at the same time - if done well. For the presentation at this year's Context Art Miami, Hohmann chose artists with a solid artistic education and background, but works that display relevance right now and, if all goes wrong, in the decades to come.

David Cerny "X-Ray Violin" Roger Reutimann "The Rape of Democracy"

Swiss-born sculptor Roger Reutimann, whose work has always been inspired by art history, has voiced his thoughts on current political events in a sculpture he has titled "The Rape of Democracy", which is a play on the Titian painting "The Rape of Europa". His sculpture is inspired by the Statue of Liberty, which has welcomed immigrants into this country for well over a century. She is also seen as a symbol of democracy. In Reutimann's version she is stripped of her dignity, naked, without law book and torch. Her body has been butchered into pieces and forcefully re-assembled. Her crown-like headpiece evokes images of monarchy.

Also, this year, Hohmann will feature two portraits by the world famous Czech Artist and enfant terrible, David Cerny. In a proprietary mind-bending technique, Cerny casts hundreds of three dimensional objects that appear to be translucent, as if x-rayed into a polymer resin to form and shape the portraits of Wernher von Braun and Robert Oppenheimer, the minds responsible for the realization of nuclear weapons. This process illuminates the elements of brilliance, that can also breed catastrophe. These two featured portraits are coming directly from Northern Germany where they were exhibited at NordArt, an annual international exhibition of Visual Arts. David Cerny was the focus artist of this year's edition.

Many of Cerny's works have stirred international controversy, for example when the outspoken anti-communist artist literally flipped off the communists in Prague by placing a 30-foot-tall sculpture of a hand raising the middle finger right in front of the Palace, four days before election day. Cerny has gained international attention with his larger than life art installations that can be found far beyond his native Prague.

Painter Manzur Kargar, born in Afghanistan and living and working in Berlin Germany, will be featured with one of his seductive paintings that combine the slick world of glamour, fame, fashion and opulence with elements of the underlying reality: bullets, pills, semen, blood and butterflies.

Last but not least, the Quantum Physicist turned Sculptor, Julian Voss-Andreae will show his two-latest, over-life-size installations. Several impressive public commissions over the last couple of years have put Voss-Andreae into the limelight. His idea of using art to make theories of Quantum Physics visible and understandable have garnered him national recognition.

Contact: Christian Hohmann (760) 346-4243 or [email protected]

Context Art Miami - Booth C210

More info: www.hohmann.art/miami2017

SOURCE Hohmann Fine Art

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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the government of the Republic of Honduras thanked the people of Honduras, the national and international electoral observers, and the country's political parties for helping Honduras carry out a peaceful, democratic election last Sunday.

The TSE is continuing to count ballots from across Honduras as they arrive at TSE headquarters in Tegucigalpa. Electoral observers from the European Union and the Organization of American States are monitoring the vote counting.

At a press conference Monday, Jorge Quiroga, head of the Electoral Observers Mission from the Organization of American States and a former president of Bolivia, asked Hondurans to remain calm while the ballots are counted. "We are calling for a continued spirit of tranquility in the hours to come, until the final vote is counted," he said in remarks reported by Honduran media.

Quiroga said that 2.4 million ballots, or about 43 percent of all votes cast, had yet to be processed.

"There has been a partial count in the presidential election, the results are close, we must process the rest of the records to respect the public's will," Quiroga said.

Quiroga also said that every political party who participated in the election will receive a copy of TSE's final election report in order to confirm the results.

Media Contact:

Andrew Grafton

[email protected]

(202)-471-4228 ext. 119

www.keybridgecommunications.com

SOURCE Republic of Honduras
Dominion Diagnostics employs over 300 nationally diverse individuals whose expertise drives new solutions to the challenges its customers face daily. In two of the last three years, Dominion Diagnostics has been recognized among the Best Places to Work in Rhode Island (2015, 2017). The company has also been honored for three consecutive years as one of the Healthiest Employers in Rhode Island , and has achieved exemplary winner status for two consecutive years in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island Worksite Health Awards .

"Our employees are the foundation of our Company; it's thanks to our people that we have grown and thrived for over two decades doing this important work," says Bob Garvey, Dominion Diagnostics Chief Executive Officer. "There will be challenges and learnings that lie ahead of us for the next 20 years  with respect to regulatory changes and guidance, the growing concerns related to our nation's opioid epidemic and evolving drug use trends  but with our team and our experience, we are ready for those and we will continue to focus on delivering positive outcomes to patients' lives."

Dominion Diagnostics is headquartered in a 50,000-square foot state-of-the-art laboratory in North Kingstown, Rhode Island (located within the Quonset Development Corporation network) and delivers the vast majority of its services through Rhode Island. Two additional laboratories in Williston, Vermont and Greensboro, North Carolina allow for dedicated regional support in both the Northeast and Southeast. Critical national logistics and supply partnerships, as well as numerous patient service center locations, allow Dominion to support the expanding needs of its customers who represent like-minded addiction treatment centers, behavioral health facilities, pain management practices, primary care practices and hospital systems.

"Congratulations to Dominion Diagnostics on 20 successful years," said Steven King, P.E., Managing Director of the Quonset Development Corporation. "These kind of successful companies are what makes the Quonset Business Park the leading engine of job growth in Rhode Island."

In 1997, a group of scientists recognized a need to deliver a higher standard of drug testing than was available at the time and founded Dominion Diagnostics with special interest in the addiction medicine field. The small start-up team of three missioned "to discover, develop and perform diagnostic laboratory procedures that improve the quality of life." Now twenty years later, Dominion's services span across more than 75% of the United States and have touched the lives of millions of patients and their families  in fact, just this year alone the company will reach a milestone of testing over one million unique patient samples  most of whom were affected by the ever-expanding national drug use epidemic. Compounding its history, Dominion's expert research and development team has over 40 years of combined experience in bioanalytical method development and validation, affording the company a leading edge in proprietary method development and discovery to address emerging needs in patient care.

For more information about Dominion Diagnostics, please visit www.dominiondiagnostics.com.

Press Contact: Julie Lenahan, [email protected], 401.667.0876

SOURCE Dominion Diagnostics, LLC

Related Links

http://www.dominiondiagnostics.com


DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinia ML, an advanced machine learning company that delivers transformative automation solutions and predictive analytics to Fortune 500 businesses, announced today the appointment of Robbie Allen as Chief Executive Officer. Allen rounds out a founding team of AI experts with experience across a range of industries including healthcare, security, and business process automation. Leveraging top machine learning luminary Dr. Lawrence Carin, the Duke University Vice Provost for Research and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and $10 million in funding from noted private equity firm Carrick Capital Partners, Allen will accelerate the business with aggressive hiring plans.

"Due to the global shortage of people that understand complex machine learning techniques such as deep learning, nearly every large enterprise has a backlog of opportunity for our automation and predictive solutions," said Allen. "Most top machine learning teams are part of west coast companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. Infinia ML provides a new option for technical talent looking to work with leading ML experts in an affordable area with a high quality of living."

Earlier in his career Allen founded and ran the first natural language generation company, Automated Insights, which Vista Equity Partners acquired in 2015. Previously, he was a Distinguished Engineer at Cisco and author of several technical books. Allen has a bachelor of science in computer science from East Carolina University, two Master's degrees from MIT, and has been pursuing his Ph.D. in computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence at the University of North Carolina.

"Robbie combines a proven operations background with a deep technical understanding of AI, machine learning, and neural networks. His experiences, which include growing a company in the AI space from the ground up, are exactly what our team needs to meet market demand and serve our rapidly growing client base including enterprise and Fortune 500 companies," said Lawrence Carin, Infinia ML chief scientist.

"Because of the caliber of Lawrence and the company's core nucleus of machine learning experts, Infinia ML is in a unique position to attract and train technical experts interested in learning about ML. This is a critical differentiator. Unlike most companies that are limited by the shortage of senior engineers with AI and ML experience, we can leverage our team's expertise to train our workforce," Allen explained. "I'm very excited about the opportunity to work with Lawrence and build a leading machine learning company," he added.

About Infinia ML

Infinia ML empowers companies to make smarter decisions and automate complex business processes by leveraging the latest breakthroughs in machine learning. Infinia ML has a team of leading AI researchers and deep learning experts that have published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers through top machine learning conferences and journals. The Durham, North Carolina company is led by CEO Robbie Allen, an experienced AI entrepreneur, and Chief Scientist Lawrence Carin, Ph.D., the Duke University Vice Provost for Research and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Learn more online at www.InfiniaML.com.

SOURCE Infinia ML

Related Links

http://www.InfiniaML.com


ROSEVILLE, California, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: INND) announced today a successful launch as part of the INND.com website an Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) E-Commerce Store for its Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) and its Hearable/Wearable hearing products. The Company prides itself on giving consumers direct access to top quality hearing products from around the world and plans on adding new products to the website as they are developed. The Company continues to expand infrastructure and growth capabilities within its new E-Commerce platform, beginning with the launch of its E-Commerce DTC Store.

InnerScope Hearing Technologies DTC E-Commerce Store launched with 2 ear-level PSAP products with its universal fitting earpiece that fits approximately 94% of all consumers and can be worn comfortably all day. In addition, the store also offers 2 Hearable/Wearable PSAP products that can be used to understand conversation better in a variety of situations and difficult listening environments. The Hearable/Wearable products, have Bluetooth functionality and is able to be adjusted by the user for more advance hearing features using a smartphone with the Android app as well as having the options for streaming capabilities via audio input for music/movies.

"We are very excited and thrilled when we went live with our E-Commerce DTC Store," said Matthew Moore, president of InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND). "Building an E-Commerce platform is part of the company's vision for our strategic expansion and a key component to create a continuous "Revenue Eco-System". This revenue-driven strategy and innovation allows us to stay competitive in this era of digital transformation by capturing the customer's hearing needs and experiences at every stage of their journey to find a solution to help them hear better. Sticker Shock of the cost of traditional hearing aids from $4,000 to $6,000 coupled with the inconvenience of making multiple trips to get the hearing aids fitted, results in 80% of the population that seek help, deciding not to get hearing aids or help of any kind. We have built our E-Commerce platform specifically for those individuals who are not receiving the help they need and deserve. The PSAPs and Hearables/Wearables technology products that we are offering through our DTC E-Commerce Store are fast becoming an alternative hearing solution over the high cost and inconvenience of hearing aids. It is estimated approximately 1.2 billion people are suffering with 25 db or greater hearing loss that could consider using PSAP's and or Hearables for helping with their hearing needs.

About PSAPs:

A study in the July 4, 2017, Journal of the America Medical Association found that less expensive over-the-counter Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) might be a good alternative for some people.

In the study, researchers compared the effectiveness of a traditional hearing aid with five of the most common PSAPs among 63 adults, average age 72, with mild to moderate hearing loss marked by trouble hearing soft sounds from a distance (such as sitting in the back of a room at a meeting) or in a crowded environment (such as a busy restaurant).

Researchers had the two groups repeat back sentences under different background noise conditions. They found that the hearing aid group was able to repeat back 88% of words spoken to them. In comparison, four of the PSAPs helped people repeat 81% to 87% of spoken words, which was clinically equivalent. (The fifth PSAP had only a 65% success rate.) The researchers noted that for some people, a PSAP might be a low-cost option for people with situational hearing loss.

About InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND):

InnerScope Hearing Technologies (INND) is a technology driven company with highly scalable B2B and B2C solutions. The Company offers a B2B SaaS based Patient Management System (PMS) software program, designed to improve operations and communication with patients. INND also offers a Buying Group experience for audiology practice, enabling owners to lower product costs and increase their margins. INND will also compete in the DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) markets with its own line of "Hearables", and "Wearables" and revolutionary APPs on the iOS and Android markets.

INND has plans on opening, operating and expanding a chain of audiological and retail hearing device clinics. INND's seasoned team of professionals, with collectively over 200+ years of experience in the hearing aid industry, including successful operations in hearing aid manufacturing and retail store management. Our team has the knowledge, relationships, and the experience to quickly deploy new products and software to serve approximately 1.2 billion people around the globe that are suffering with 25 db or greater hearing loss. For more information, please visit http://www.innd.com.

Contact:

InnerScope Hearing Technologies, Inc.

Matthew Moore

[email protected]

+1-916-218-4100

http://www.innd.com

SOURCE InnerScope Hearing Technologies, Inc.
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As an extremely destructive hurricane season ends, many in Texas and Florida are still rebuilding. Hurricanes such as Harvey and Irma left behind billions of dollars in damage. IonTuition and its parent company, Ceannate Corp, have joined the effort to aid people affected and displaced by the storms.

CEO Balaji 'Raj' Rajan rallied employees to join in on the fundraising efforts, pledging a dollar-for-dollar match from the company for every employee contribution. We are pleased to announce that over $8,800 was raised to support the affected in their recovery efforts, along with donations of more than 500 nonperishable food and hygiene products.

Donations have been made to The American Red Cross, The Texas Diaper Bank and Feeding Florida. Through the Ceannate Cares program, IonTuition and its affiliates have made charitable giving a priority in 2017. We are proud to have the chance to improve lives and strengthen our communities.

About IonTuition

IonTuition is the industry leader in student loan benefit solutions. We provide employee-centric support throughout the student loan borrowing and repayment lifecycle. Our dedicated counselor concierge service and interactive, user-friendly student loan management platform are proven to help all of those affected by student loan debt, whether their own or that of a family member.

Media Contact:

Madeline Mains

FortyThree, Inc.

831.401.3175

[email protected]

SOURCE IonTuition
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Press Academy (IPA) today announced its nominations for the 22nd Annual Satellite Awards in Motion Pictures and Television, along with naming VFX luminary Robert Legato as the 2017 Tesla Award recipient and multi-talented writer/actor/director Greta Gerwig ("Lady Bird") as this year's Auteur honoree.

Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" joins "The Shape of Water," "Get Out," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," "Lady Bird," "The Big Sick," "I, Tonya," "God's Own Country," "Call Me by Your Name," and "Mudbound" in the category of Best Picture.

IPA's TV nominees reflect the spectacular arc of storytelling on the small screen. From Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon in FX's "Feud" about Davis and Crawford, to HBO's "Big Little Lies" to Hulu's "Handmaid's Tale" to "Rillington Place" from Sundance Now, these are a few picks.

Other notable awards include critically acclaimed Harry Dean Stanton-starrer "Lucky" as Best First Feature for character actor John Carroll Lynch, and the Humanitarian Award goes to "Wonder" director Stephen Chbosky. Netflix's release "Mudbound" is this year's honoree for the Ensemble Award: Motion Picture. BBC series "Poldark" has been tapped as Best Ensemble: Television.

The 2017 Tesla recipient Robert Legato follows John Toll. Legato is a three-time Academy Award winner whose deft atmospheric command of Visual Effects can be seen in movies as diverse as "The Jungle Book" to "Hugo," as well as in iconic films such as "Titanic."

All nominations can be found via the link below, but this year is marked by outstanding competition in the Best Actress category, with Frances McDormand, Sally Hawkins, Margot Robbie, and Diane Kruger, among others.

The IPA selects nominees from domestic and international submissions for 32 categories: 19 Motion Picture and 13 Television. Nominations are derived from advance screenings, film festivals worldwide (i.e.; BAFTA, Cannes, Sundance, Telluride, TIFF), as well as consideration screeners and/or sanctioned links as available by the deadline.

The IPA's Mary Pickford Award and Games/Blu-ray & DVD nominees will be revealed on Jan. 9. The 22nd Annual Satellite Awards will be held on Feb. 10, 2018 in Los Angeles. More details and a full list of nominations can be found at www.pressacademy.com.

CONTACT: Mirjana Van Blaricom

Telephone: (818) 989-1589

[email protected]

www.pressacademy.com

SOURCE International Press Academy

Related Links

http://www.pressacademy.com


PLANO, Texas, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeOmega, a Gold level member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), announced today that it has achieved Oracle Validated Integration of Jiva 6.1, the end-to-end population health management platform from ZeOmega, with Oracle Healthcare Foundation (OHF) version 7.1.1.

With this collaboration, health plans and providers can achieve near-seamless integration with Jiva 6.1 and OHF to pursue a strong population health management (PHM) strategy. Clinical, claims, and care management data can be leveraged for holistic care planning and effective care coordination. Additionally, integration risk can be reduced, costs lowered, and the patient and member experience improved.

To achieve Oracle Validated Integration, Oracle partners are required to meet a stringent set of requirements based on the needs and priorities of the customers. To prove integration abilities, ZeOmega had to effectively insert and extract data into the OHF framework. To illustrate this process, ZeOmega successfully passed OHF claims data to Jiva where it was used to power a breast cancer screening compliance measure dashboard, attesting to one of the countless benefits the integration creates.

"We are very excited to be collaborating with one of the pioneering companies in the high-tech industry," says ZeOmega's Vice President of Business Development, Arie van den Akker. "Oracle's data acquisition and storage expertise will help our clients by promoting interoperability. In turn, Oracle will have access to our PHM platform. This bi-directional interfacing generates enriched information exchange that is needed to truly move value-based healthcare forward."

"Having partners who achieve Oracle Validated Integration provides our customers with a certain level of confidence that integration with the Oracle Healthcare Foundation solution is functionally sound, performs as tested and creates additional functionality for our clients as they work to achieve population health and value-based care," said Jonathan Sheldon, PhD, Global Vice President, Oracle Health Sciences.

ZeOmega is one of the first leading population health management vendors, providing solutions for both the payer and provider markets, to achieve Oracle Validated Integration. This accomplishment is already creating opportunities for ZeOmega to work with other divisions within Oracle, something ZeOmega is eager and excited to explore. Collaborating with Oracle has the potential to make a big difference in people's lives, a healthy advancement that could impact the masses.

About ZeOmega

ZeOmega's powerful population health management platform delivers high-value, strategic solutions enabling payers and care-delivery organizations to improve individual health and provider performance. With deep domain expertise and a comprehensive understanding of complex population health challenges, ZeOmega serves as a "true-north" partner for clientsoffering flexible deployment and delivery models that leverage an innovative platform designed to integrate workflow, analytics, content and communication capabilities. By consistently meeting customer expectations and project benchmarks, ZeOmega has earned a sterling reputation in the industry for responsiveness and reliability. For more information, visit ZeOmega's website or call 214-618-9880. Follow ZeOmega on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

About Oracle Validated Integration

Oracle Validated Integration, available through the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), gives customers confidence that the integration of a complementary partner software product with an Oracle "on-premises" Application has been validated and the products work together as designed. This can help customers reduce risk, improve system implementation cycles, and provide for smoother upgrades and simpler maintenance. Oracle Validated Integration applies a rigorous technical process to review partner integrations and partners who successfully complete the program are authorized to use the "Oracle Validated Integration" logo. For more information, please visit Oracle.com at https://solutions.oracle.com/scwar/scr/AboutPartners/validated-integration/index.html.

About Oracle PartnerNetwork

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracle's partner program that provides partners with a differentiated advantage to develop, sell, and implement Oracle solutions. OPN offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle's products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle's growing product portfolio, partner base, and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to be recognized and rewarded for their investment in Oracle Cloud. Partners engaging with Oracle will be able to differentiate their Oracle Cloud expertise and success with customers through the OPN Cloud program  an innovative program that complements existing OPN program levels with tiers of recognition and progressive benefits for partners working with Oracle Cloud. For more information, visit http://www.oracle.com/partners.

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

SOURCE ZeOmega
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Jobs for Kentucky's Graduates and AT&T (NYSE: T) are working together to help raise the high school graduation rate and support career paths for underserved students. Because of its success in keeping kids in school, Jobs for Kentucky's Graduates was one of 24 state affiliates selected to share in $3.5 million from AT&T.

The JAG program equips students to overcome obstacles to a high school diploma or High School Equivalency Test. The program does this through mentoring, academic support, links to social services, and other interventions. Students are guided into post-secondary education, entry-level jobs with pathways to successful careers or the military.

Jobs for Kentucky's Graduates will use the $130,000 to launch six new programs throughout Kentucky.

"Helping students develop the skills they need to succeed in 21st century careers is a critical step to building the diverse workforce we need to power our company  and our country  for the future," said Hood Harris, AT&T Kentucky President. "JAG Kentucky has a track record of success and this funding will allow them to provide even more students the opportunity to thrive."

In 2016, JAG Kentucky reported a 100% high school graduation rate, compared to the national graduation rate of 83% in 2015.1 Currently, the JAG model is offered in nearly 1,250 public high schools, community colleges, and alternative learning centers in 34 states.

"We are thankful to for the opportunity to partner with AT&T," said Lisa Handziak, President, JAG Kentucky. "The funding provided by AT&T will help us reach our mission of leading our graduates through a successful transition into the workforce, training or postsecondary education."

In more than three decades of operation, JAG has helped more than 1.2 million young people stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education and secure quality entry-level jobs leading to career advancement opportunities. The JAG Graduating Class of 2016 achieved 84% successful outcomes, meaning students were enrolled in post-secondary education, were employed, or some combination of the two within 12 months after they graduated from high school.

Since 2008, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have provided more than $11.4 million in funding to JAG and its local affiliates. This support is part of AT&T Aspire, which helps provide access to education and training people need to get and keep good jobs. Since 2008, AT&T has committed $400 million to help millions of students in all 50 states and around the world.

About Jobs for America's Graduates

Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), is a non-profit youth development program committed to helping America's most at-risk kids excel in high schools, prepare for success in college, and embark on a rewarding career. Since its inception in 1980, JAG has served over 1.2 million at-risk kids, and is currently serving over 57,000 students in 34 states. JAG students have a graduation rate of over 90 percent, and approximately 80 percent of those graduates go on to postsecondary education, military service and/or full-time employment.

About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. We have a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities, promote academic and economic achievement, and address community needs. Our AT&T Aspire initiative uses innovation in education to drive student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $400 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.

1 Alliance for Excellent Education. U.S. High School Graduation Rate Hits All-Time High: A Time for Celebration and Rededication, October 25, 2016.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

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(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612325/KAICIID_Infographic.jpg )



The tools provided by the platform include:

Online Course on Interreligious Dialogue: KAICIID is offering an online course in interreligious dialogue, taught by leading scholars from renowned universities. Users can apply to take the course in English or French.

Peace Map: An interactive map of over 500 organizations working in the field of interreligious dialogue. The map can be used to find organizations using interreligious dialogue to achieve goals as diverse as conflict resolution, gender equality, and youth empowerment. Contact details for each organization are provided.

Promising Practices: Drawn from KAICIID's network of beneficiaries, the Promising Practices database is a library of innovative, tested activity ideas and implementation instructions to be used by anyone wanting to practice interreligious dialogue in their own communities.

Dialogue Voices- A global mosaic of religious leaders' and dialogue experts' viewpoints on the importance of interreligious dialogue. The dialogue voices explore how and why interreligious dialogue is practiced around the world.

Statements for Peaceful Coexistence- A powerful refutation to the allegation that people of faith are silent in the face of violence in the name of religion, the database includes statements by religious leaders and organizations calling for peace and coexistence.

Almanac of Cyclical IRD Events and Interfaith Calendars- A calendar of dates of key significance from a variety of religions, and important interreligious events.

Professor Patrice Brodeur, KAICIID Senior Adviser, said: "The Dialogue Knowledge Hub is a step towards achieving KAICIID's mission to enhance interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The more people practice interreligious dialogue, the more effective it is. The more people can participate in shared activities with those of other religions, the less likely they are to view others with fear or suspicion, or tolerate racism or xenophobia in their communities."

SOURCE The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID)
(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612444/MBRF_Knowledge_Summit_2017.jpg )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151123/290068LOGO )

The Summit constitutes a global knowledge platform bringing together decision-makers, experts and academics from various disciplines to discuss the opportunities and challenges brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as its impact on societies.

The Knowledge Summit's sessions discussed the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the history of the previous industrial revolutions, as well as their impact on decision-making. Moreover, experts looked into the future of these developments and their effects on knowledge and other aspects of human life. The sessions also examined the impact of the industrial revolution on media, technology, education, healthcare and the economy, in addition to broader subjects, such as artificial intelligence and the future of robotics.

The sessions explored 3D-printing human organs, genetic editing and cell engineering, as well as digital surgery and medical developments in the treatment of common diseases. Furthermore, the Summit discussed the legal and environmental changes under the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in addition to the future of the economy - especially exploring the participatory economy, shadow economies, the emergence of virtual currencies and the impact of these developments on employment.

Moreover, MBRF announced the results of the Global Knowledge Index at the Summit. The Index was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and seeks to support knowledge projects, as well as economic and community development strategies around the world, while serving as a roadmap for the sustainable development of societies. It includes 131 countries from all regions of the world and comprises a total of 133 distinct variables, from different sources, and with strict data availability inclusion rules. Plans are underway to increase data availability and include more countries in the future.

Last but not least, the winners of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award 2017 were announced at the Summit, where Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All (USA); Dr Hiroshi Komiyama, Chairman of the Mitsubishi Research Institute (Japan); and the Mohammed bin Salman (MiSK) Foundation (Saudi Arabia), were honoured for their contributions to the knowledge sector. The Award seeks to establish a knowledge economy and recognise and reward intellectual achievement.

SOURCE Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF)
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Koddi, the leading metasearch platform for global travel brands, won first place for small companies in the 2017 Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth awards.

This annual competition honors the top 25 employers in Fort Worth in two categories: small-to-medium companies and large companies. This recognition is presented by Panther City Media Group which owns local publications, FW Inc. and Fort Worth Magazine.

"We're proud to be headquartered in Fort Worth, an entrepreneurial city with some of the world's best digital advertising and technology talent," says Nicholas Ward, President, and Co-founder of Koddi. "It's a huge honor for us to be ranked among such an outstanding list of companies. We see this as great validation that the model of bringing on talented people and giving them the tools and environment they need to thrive pays off long-term."

The company is a leading innovator in the travel space and consistently drives results for its clients. As a result, Koddi works with the travel industry's best talent and largest brands. Every employee is empowered to make a massive impact for clients and take control of their career roadmap.

"Koddi gives its employees the ability to shape the direction of their own careers and empowers them to succeed," says Zachary Rector, Account Manager. "Every day at Koddi offers a unique challenge to overcome and the opportunity for personal growth. All of your coworkers are fully committed to one another's success and help each other learn. Koddi is a fast-paced, ever-changing and engaging place to work."

As a leading technology provider, Koddi has cultivated an engineer-friendly environment. Koddi engineers work quickly and innovate often. They have direct input on development priorities and help direct the path the engineering team follows. Koddi is a results-focused environment that regularly rewards its team members' positive contributions.

Koddi offers a full range of benefits including unlimited vacation, health insurance, 401k with employer matching, gym membership reimbursement, and more. As the company continues to grow, it hopes to maintain a focus on fostering culture as well as hiring and retaining the best talent.

The company continues to expand its global reach with the recent opening of its first international office in Germany. Employees that want to gain overseas experience are encouraged and given the opportunity to travel to the Dusseldorf office.

"Working for Koddi has been a truly unique experience," says Sarah Smith, International Account Manager. "As a campaign analyst, I was given the ability to work directly with our international clients and found my passion for helping Koddi grow internationally. When the opportunity to move to Germany and help build our European office was presented, I jumped at the idea."

You can find Koddi in the feature story of the November/December issue of FW Inc. magazine.

About Koddi:

Koddi is the leading software as a service provider of marketing technology for the travel industry. Large hotel groups, online travel agencies, digital marketing agencies and other travel brands leverage the Koddi platform and its fully automated and customizable reporting features to manage metasearch and Facebook ad campaigns for hundreds of thousands of hotel properties.

Koddi has office locations in Fort Worth, Texas and Dusseldorf, Germany. To see our current job openings, visit https://www.koddi.com/careers.

Media Contact:

Leah Richardson

[email protected]

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Koddi Team Photo

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Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth

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Fort Worth's Best Small Company

Related Links

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Koddi Blog

SOURCE Koddi
EAGLE, Idaho, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "Battlefield to Backcountry" captures the soul and fiber of the Kryptek Outdoor Group. Kryptek has the only family of camouflage patterns extensively tested by the U.S. Department of Defense, selectively used by U.S. and Coalition Special Operations units, and available to hunters at retail stores around the globe. In light of Kryptek's global momentum, they have formed a strategic partnership with Boyt Harness Company. Boyt will facilitate Kryptek's distribution in North America, focusing on the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Boyt Harness Company has been in continuous operations since 1901 and like Kryptek, Boyt shares common ground of product supporting U.S. military forces. The Boyt Harness Company family of brands includes Bob Allen, Mud River Dog Products, Rattlers, Secure Vault, Bug Out and The Outdoor Connection.

"Boyt not only has an immense amount of experience, but they also have unquestionable integrity, honor, and an outstanding reputation within the industry. When you pair Kryptek's brand momentum with Boyt's sage logistic capability to get product into the hands of retailers on time, with precision, it is an ideal relationship. We are also excited to utilize Boyt's manufacturing expertise to further enhance the Kryptek Gun Case and shooting accessory programs. This is Boyt's center of gravity and their involvement will accelerate the commercialization of industry-leading Kryptek product."

-Butch Whiting, CEO of Kryptek

Boyt will work hand-in-hand with the Kryptek sales representatives, The Evans Group, for the continental United States and Canada while standing up distributors in Mexico.

"Kryptek is a unique brand in the outdoor industry. They have penetration into the hunting market, shooting sports, tactical, and lifestyle, all at the same time, very similar to Boyt's existing distribution model. I have watched their rapid growth, and appreciate the strong authenticity and credibility of the brand. We look forward to assisting Kryptek in the trajectory they have established."

-Tony Caligiuri, President of Boyt Harness

ABOUT KRYPTEK OUTDOOR GROUP: Kryptek provides combat proven features and designs in ultra high-performance technical and tactical outdoor adventure apparel. Kryptek products are continuously tested and proven in austere combat environments and extreme hunting conditions. Constant improvement and feedback is implemented into future designs with the end-goal of providing our products to outdoor adventurers who demand the utmost in quality and overall performance in their gear. Learn more at http://Kryptek.Com

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Michelle Scheuermann, BulletProof Communications LLC; [email protected]; 651.964.0264

SOURCE Kryptek Outdoor Group

Related Links

https://www.kryptek.com


PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE: LCI) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Aralez Pharmaceuticals Trading DAC, an Irish designated activity company, to become the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the authorized generic version of Toprol-XL (Metoprolol Succinate) Extended Release Tablets in 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200mg. For the 12 months ended September 2017, total U.S. sales at Average Wholesale Price (AWP) of Metoprolol Succinate extended release tablets 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg were approximately $690 million, according to IMS. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Metoprolol Succinate is a widely prescribed medication and will be an important addition to our cardiovascular product offering," said Arthur Bedrosian, chief executive officer of Lannett. "We expect to launch the product, under the Lannett label, in the near future."

Metoprolol Succinate extended release is a beta-blocker used to treat chest pain (angina), heart failure and high blood pressure. Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.

About Lannett Company, Inc.:

Lannett Company, founded in 1942, develops, manufactures, packages, markets and distributes generic pharmaceutical products for a wide range of medical indications. For more information, visit the company's website at www.lannett.com.

This news release contains certain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events or future business performance. Any such statement, including, but not limited to, successfully commercializing Metoprolol Succinate extended release tablets 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg, whether expressed or implied, is subject to market and other conditions, and subject to risks and uncertainties which can cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's Form 10-K and other documents filed with the SEC from time to time, including the prospectus supplement related to the proposed offering to be filed with the SEC. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Contact: Robert Jaffe

Robert Jaffe Co., LLC

(424) 288-4098

SOURCE Lannett Company, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.lannett.com


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leesa Sleep, the leading direct-to-consumer online luxury mattress retailer, today announced Beth Kaplan, former President & COO of Rent The Runway, as the newest member of its Board. Kaplan, who still serves on the Rent The Runway's Board of Directors, is the latest of a bevy of high-profile executives  including John Replogle, former CEO of Seventh Generation  to join the Leesa team. With its third anniversary coming up, Leesa has made 2017 its breakout year  from a $23M round of Series B funding, to an exclusive west elm retail partnership, to inclusion among 25 companies on Forbes' list of Next Billion Dollar Startups, Kaplan is impressed by the brand's acceleration and excited to be a part of its continued growth.

As a certified B Corp, Leesa measures its impact on the world just as heavily as it does its financial success. In addition to the company's impressive business growth, Leesa has also lifted its social impact program to new heights. Through Leesa's One-Ten Program, wherein they donate one mattress for every ten sold, the company has donated more than 22,000 mattresses and 10 million nights of sleep to nonprofits that serve people seeking refuge from homelessness, domestic risk and human trafficking.

"I have been involved in repositioning and growing legacy brands as well as scaling start-ups, and see enormous potential in Leesa," said Beth Kaplan, Board Member to both Rent The Runway and Leesa Sleep. "They understand the mattress industry and offer consumers the high quality they are seeking at great value, while also making their social impact program central to their brand mission. That is the kind of company I want to be a part of."

As evidenced by her work in helping to build Rent The Runway as well as bring GNC public, Kaplan has extensive corporate success  and further, she is not a mattress industry novice. After previously serving on the Board of Sleepy's, she understands the landscape and is drawn to the evolving direct-to-consumer market.

"Kaplan's extensive and varied background in retail, marketing and mattresses makes her a literal perfect fit for Leesa," said David Wolfe, co-founder and CEO of Leesa. "We are honored that she has decided to become a part of our Board, and know that she will be integral to our growth and strategic direction moving forward."

For more information on Leesa, visit https://www.leesa.com/

About Leesa Sleep, LLC

Based in Virginia Beach, Va., Leesa is a direct-to-consumer online luxury mattress company that offers American-made mattresses delivered directly to consumers' doors. From its start, Leesa has measured its own success not just by the bottom line, but by the company's overall social impact. To date, Leesa's One-Ten program has provided more than 22,000 mattresses to those in need. Leesa offers a 100-night risk-free trial, free shipping, and no-hassle returns. In 2016, Leesa was recognized as a certified B Corp, joining forces with more than 2,100 companies using business as a force for good. The company currently offers free shipping to the U.S., U.K. Germany and Canada. For more information visit www.leesa.com.

Media Contact:

Erica Cooper

Leesa Sleep, Head of PR & Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Leesa Sleep, LLC

Related Links

http://www.leesa.com


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. ("the Company" or "LiCo") (TSX-V: LIC) (OTCQB: WCTXF) is pleased to report assay results for diamond drill holes GB1706 to GB1707 from the recently completed drill program on the Glencore Bucke Property located 6km northeast of Cobalt, Ontario and provides a drilling update.

"We are very pleased with the higher-grade cobalt mineralization that has been intersected at our Glencore Bucke property," says Tim Fernback, President & CEO of LiCo, "and not only have we intersected cobalt style mineralization in every drill hole completed, we are happy to report that 4 of the 7 holes assayed to date have higher than average grades of more than 1% cobalt. We are also finding very good silver and copper results in our assays which is equally exciting. So far, we have drilled a combined 3,728 m with 30 drill holes on our Glencore and Teledyne Ontario properties as part of our 2017 flow-through work program."

A summary of the most significant results of the recent drill core assays are:

GB17-07 1.11% Co, 16.6 ppm Ag over 2.0 m, incl. 7.64% Co, 9.1 ppm Ag over 0.26 m

GB17-06 4.45% Co, 34.2 ppm Ag over 0.30 m from 44.40 to 44.70 m

GB17-06 0.25% Co over 1.75 m, incl. 0.58% Co, 28.9 ppm Ag over 0.5 m

On the Glencore Bucke Property, the Company has completed a total of 21 diamond drill holes totaling 1,900 m, testing the Main and Northwest zones. The drilling has confirmed and extended the cobalt mineralization on the property and which are consistent with historical grades and widths in the overall Cobalt Camp. Visual cobalt camp style mineralization has been noted in every drill hole that the Company has logged to date. The drill program has been completed as planned. The drill program was designed to provide the company with sufficient drill hole information to create a geological model and a 43101 complaint resource estimate.

The results for diamond drill holes GB17-06 and GB17-07 are summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Summary of Diamond Drill Results

Core To Length Co Ag Cu Zn Pb DDH From (m) (m) (m) (%) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) GB17-06 22.5 24.25 1.75 0.25 12 288 132 6 Incl. 23.25 23.75 0.5 0.58 28.9 714 39 6 GB17-06 29 29.5 0.5 0.34 0.6 44 32 2 Incl. 29.25 29.5 0.25 0.60 1 84 31 2 GB17-06 30.5 30.75 0.25 0.53 0.5 4 38 2 GB17-06 44.4 44.7 0.3 4.45 34.2 460 2600 159 GB17-06 45.75 48.6 2.85 0.02 53.7 1798 393 829 Incl. 45.75 47 1.25 0.03 109.9 3344 801 1558 GB17-07 40.5 46.2 5.7 0.00 2.9 1640 18 44 GB17-07 81.25 83.4 2.15 0.00 11.5 2313 111 641 GB17-07 98.5 100.5 2 1.11 16.6 971 82 103 Incl. 99.79 100.05 0.26 7.64 9.1 441 44 16

Note: Intervals reported in Table 1 represent core lengths and not true widths.

On the Company's adjoining Teledyne Property, a total of 1,828 m has been completed in 9 diamond drill holes. Drilling has intersected Cobalt camp style mineralization in each drill hole that has been logged to date. Diamond drilling is expected to continue testing the planned targets throughout the remainder of November.

Qualified Person

The Glencore Bucke and Teledyne Properties are managed by Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo., (LiCo's QP), and supervised by Dwayne Melrose, Director and Head of the Technical Advisory Board of LiCo.

The overall drilling program will be conducted as part of LiCo's flow thru financing and work commitments for the Glencore Bucke and Teledyne Properties.

About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/.

LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company whose primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries.

Glencore Bucke Cobalt Project, Cobalt, Ontario : The Company has entered into a property purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest from Glencore Canada Corporation (subsidiary of Glencore plc) in the Glencore Bucke Property, situated in Bucke Township, 6 km east-northeast of Cobalt, Ontario, subject to a back-in provision, production royalty and off-take agreement. Strategically, the Glencore Bucke Property consists of 16.2 hectares and sits along the west boundary of LiCo's Teledyne Cobalt Project. The Property covers the southern extension of the #3 vein that was historically mined on the neighbouring Cobalt Contact Property located to the north of the Glencore Bucke Property. Diamond drilling in 1981 on the Glencore Bucke Property delineated two zones of mineralization measuring 150 m and 70 m in length.

Ontario Teledyne Cobalt Project:

The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto property currently under option to LiCo Energy Metals.

Chile Purickuta Lithium Project:

The Purickuta Project is located within Salar de Atacama, a salt flat encompassing 3,000 km2, being about 100 km long, 80 km wide and home to approximately 37% of the worlds Lithium production. The salar possesses a very high grade of both Lithium (1,840mg/l) and Potassium (22,630mg/l and is close to power, labour, communications, transportation and other infrastructure. The property of 160 hectares is enveloped by a concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM") and lies, significantly, within a few kilometers of the property of CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) where its leases to both SQM and Albermarle's Rockwood Lithium Corp Together these two companies have combined production of over 62,000 tonnes of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) annually making up 100% of Chile's current lithium output. The unique characteristics of Salar de Atacama make finished lithium carbonate easier and cheaper to produce than any of its peer group globally.

Purickuta is a smaller exploitation concession rather than a large exploration concession thereby accelerating the task of taking the project to production once a measured reserve can be established. Currently, the Chilean government retains ownership of lithium separate from other minerals and thus production can only proceed upon receipt of a special lithium operation contract know as a "CEOL". In the future, it will be necessary for LiCo and partner to negotiate a production contract with CORFO concurrently with completing any positive feasibility study. "Chile, which has one of the world's most plentiful supplies of lithium, is pushing ahead with new policies to develop those reserves". (Reuters Jan 2, 2017).

Nevada Dixie Valley Lithium Project:

The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The geologic setting and presence of lithium in active geothermal fluids and surface salts in Dixie Valley match characteristics of producing lithium brine deposits at Clayton Valley, Nevada and in South America.

Nevada Black Rock Desert Lithium Project:

The Company has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, in the Black Rock Desert Lithium Project in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada.

The Company is planning an exploration programs on a number of its properties over the next several months. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo., an independent consulting geologist and a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Tim Fernback, President & CEO

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.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information:

This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Phone: (236)521-0207

LiCoEnergyMetals.com

SOURCE LiCo Energy Metals Inc.
A: We have seen a drastic change in the United States toward the use of simple, clean materials with less decorative elements. The evolution of international design is often influenced by urban city design and the use of raw materials inside the house such as concrete and untreated or even refurbished solid woods.

A more natural approach creates a much more environmentally friendly kitchen that is perhaps less chic but more harmonic and soothing for the eye. We have also seen more appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers hidden behind these natural materials.

Q: Is a "smart/connected kitchen" necessary in today's modern homes?

A: Yes and No. This depends on how we manage our food and storage needs. The necessity can be dependent on homeowners being willing to share their cooking habits and try out new ways of preparing meals and managing their shopping habits.

Connecting multiple appliances with each other, such as cooktops with range hoods and ovens, brings a practical automatic control that can adjust seamlessly while making changes during cooking such as searing to simmering and all the way to serving.

We can now monitor if the refrigerator is closed or if we need to change the temperature in the food storage to accommodate certain foods and beverages. This can be especially critical for wine refrigerators.

Q: What are the three most important features when specifying a refrigerator?

A: We consider our clients and ask ourselves three important questions. 1) What size do they really require for their food and beverage storage needs? 2) What percentage of space do they want to dedicate as freezer space? 3) Does the refrigerator's form, design, and function complement the kitchen's materials and design language?

For more info on Liebherr news and events visit https://www.liebherr-pressroom.com/.

SOURCE Liebherr Appliances
"Though Amrinder Toor is opening his first location with us, he has been an integral part of the Dickey's family since the tragedy that struck Houston by Hurricane Harvey," says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "Toor is one of the Dickey's owners that smoked free barbecue for his community in their time of need. It is owners like Toor that make me proud to be part of the Dickey's Barbecue Pit family."

Dickey's will offer the following specials and giveaways for the next four weeks:

Thirsty Thursdays: Guests will receive a free Big Yellow Cup with free refills all day.

Philanthropy Fridays: "You Give, We Give"  Guests who donate to Dickey's charitable foundation, Barbecue, Boots & Badges, will receive a gift card as a thank you for their donation. All uniformed first responders also receive 50 percent off their meal.

Smokin' Saturday: Guests may purchase $2 Pulled Pork Sandwiches from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., limit two per guest.

Kids Eat Free Sundays: Kids eat free with an adult purchase of $10 or more.

This location will be the first opened by Toor, though he has much experience with smoking delicious, Texas-style barbecue and serving his community. "I am excited to open my first Dickey's location and continue to serve our community the delicious food that I am incredibly passionate about," said Toor.

To join Dickey's Big Yellow Cup Club and receive members-only specials and discounts, click here.

The new Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Houston is located at 9440 Shady Drive #C Houston, TX 77016. The phone number is 713-999-1858.

To find the location nearest you, click here.

Find Dickey's on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

To learn more about franchising with Dickeys, visit www.dickeys.com/franchise or call 866-340-6188.

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and home style sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 550 locations in 44 states. In 2016, Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" list and in 2017 again won a top 10 on the list. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Times, and Nation's Restaurant News. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

Media Contact:

Callie Head

[email protected]

Ashley Richardson

[email protected]

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue

Related Links

http://www.dickeys.com


"At Dickey's Barbecue Pit, we are proud to have franchisees like Tiffany and Chad who are passionate about the art of great barbecue and who go above and beyond to give back to their community," says Laura Rea Dickey. "We look forward to seeing their success in their new Peoria location."

Dickey's will offer the following specials and giveaways for the next four days:

Grand Opening, Thursday: Guests may purchase $2 Pulled Pork Sandwiches on Thursday, November 30 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., limit two per guest.

Philanthropy Fridays: "You Give, We Give"  Guests who donate to Dickey's charitable foundation, Barbecue, Boots & Badges, will receive a gift card as a thank you for their donation. All uniformed first responders also receive 50 percent off their meal.

Giveaway Saturday: Guest may register in-store to win free barbecue for a year.

Kids Eat Free Sundays: Kids eat free with an adult purchase of $10 or more.

This is the second Dickey's Barbecue Pit location that Oder and Burge have opened in the month of November. "Dickey's Barbecue is a well-known brand nationwide with a strong presence in the Phoenix area," says Oder. "We are excited to open our Peoria location and have the opportunity to serve the members of this community."

To join Dickey's Big Yellow Cup Club and receive members-only specials and discounts, click here.

The new Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Peoria is located at 16955 N. 75th Ave., Suite 110 Peoria, AZ 85382. The phone number is 623-412-2954.

To find the location nearest you, click here.

Find Dickey's on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

To learn more about franchising with Dickeys, visit www.dickeys.com/franchise or call 866-340-6188.

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and home style sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 550 locations in 44 states. In 2016, Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" list and in 2017 again won a top 10 on the list. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Times, and Nation's Restaurant News. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

Media Contact:

Callie Head

[email protected]

Ashley Richardson

[email protected]

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue

Related Links

http://www.dickeys.com


"The testing was conducted by Soldiers and Lockheed Martin personnel over several months at two major military installations in a variety of mission scenarios," said Kathryn Hasse, Combat Manuever Systems director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Soldiers operating the AMAS vehicles provided us very positive feedback about how the system freed them up to do the job of a Soldier instead of the job of a truck driver."

AMAS is an applique kit comprising sensors, actuators and controls that can be installed on virtually any military tactical wheeled vehicle. AMAS provides driver warning/driver assist and semi-autonomous leader/follower capability, significantly increasing safe convoy operations for military vehicles. The system reduces manpower needs for convoy operations, freeing Soldiers up for other tasks and removing them from exposure to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other enemy activity while on resupply missions.

The EWE was sponsored by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and managed by the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC).

Testing of the AMAS system during the EWE included using Palletized Loading System vehicle convoys in which the lead vehicle was driven by a Soldier and the following vehicles (three to four) followed robotically.

"AMAS continues to prove itself as a valuable asset for our military by safely operating in complex environments," Hasse said. "We believe that AMAS is ready to move forward toward the ultimate goal of widespread fielding across multiple military applications."

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

UNCLASSIFIED: Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Disclaimer: Reference herein to any specific commercial company, product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or the Department of the Army (DoA). The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government of the DoA, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

https://www.lockheedmartin.com


PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Ventures, Inc., (OTCQB: INTV) is pleased to announce that a research report on the company is now available for review.

Report Highlights:

- Launched Cryptocurrency Mining Operations

- 65 Mining Units Received and 50 Installed

- Liquid Equity Position Valued at $133K

- Improved Revenue Outlook

- Improving Cash Position

- Easily Manageable Convertible Debt Level (under $37K)

- 8.3 Million Shares Outstanding

- Low Market Cap Valuation



Summary:



In the report, Ludlow Research made note of Integrated Ventures, Inc commencing its Cryptocurrency Mining operations, improving revenue outlook, decreasing convertible debt,

and low market cap valuation compared to others within their sector as points of highlight.



Based on the Company's successful launch of Cryptocurrency Mining operations, and low market cap valuation, Ludlow Research has initiated research coverage on Integrated Ventures, Inc. (INTV).



To download the full report, risks, and disclosures on this Company, please visit

http://www.ludlowresearch.com/reports.html.



About Ludlow Research



Ludlow Research is a New York based equity research firm that focuses on providing research coverage and investor awareness services to emerging small-cap companies. For over 15 years, we have worked to provide our readers with a simple way of evaluating the current and potential value of small-cap companies, while garnering these clients greater market awareness to new investors.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.ludlowresearch.com.

Contact:



Ludlow Research

Phone: (347) 483-0121

Email: [email protected]



About Integrated Ventures, Inc.



The Company is focused on acquiring, launching and operating companies, primarily in the mobile technologies, ride share transportation and cryptocurrency sector consisting of digital asset mining, hosting, pooling, mining equipment manufacturing and the development of blockchain based applications for financial markets. More details about the Company is available at www.integratedventuresinc.com.



Safe Harbor Statement:



The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, and various other factors beyond the Company's control.

SOURCE Integrated Ventures, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.integratedventuresinc.com


In June, McCann Health won Network of the Year at the prestigious Cannes Lions Health Awards once again for the 2nd year in a row, and in August, McCann Health won Network of the Year at the London International Awards.

Jeremy Perrott, McCann Health Global Chief Creative Officer, said, "Winning three Network of the Year Awards from the industry's top three awards shows in a single year is unprecedented in the healthcare communications industry, one of the most highly regulated industries in the world. This unparalleled creative achievement means that every agency in our global network is consistently performing at the highest level and is a testament to our ability to bring creativity and innovation to the sector. It's also an incredible tribute to our McCann Health teams and our clients, without whose terrific support we would not be able to raise the bar and set new standards of creative excellence in our industry."

John Cahill, McCann Health Global CEO, added, "IdeaCentricity and groundbreaking creativity is at the heart of everything we do at McCann Health. We believe that winning the industry's top creative awards drives innovation and attests to the strength of our relationships with our clients. I'm grateful to our clients for the trust they put in us to bring this creativity to their brands and customers."

About McCann Health

McCann Health, two-time Network of the Year winner at Cannes Lions Health, and winner of an unprecedented total of three Network of the Year titles from the industry's top three creative award shows in 2017, is one of the world's most awarded global healthcare communications companies. McCann Health consists of a global creative agency network, a global medical communications network and a global consulting group and specializes in a wide array of professional, consulting and consumer health and wellness practices. McCann Health is part of McCann Worldgroup and the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG).

SOURCE McCann Health

Related Links

http://www.mccannhealthcareworldwide.com/


CALGARY, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - WestJet will host an Investor Day on December 6, 2017 in Calgary from 8:30 a.m. MT (10:30 a.m. ET) to 12:00 noon MT (2:00 p.m. ET). Investors and analysts will hear presentations from members of WestJet's Executive team. Attendance is by invitation only and the media and other interested persons are welcome to listen in via the webcast.

Date: Wednesday, December 6, 2017



Time: 8:30 a.m. MT (10:30 a.m. ET) to 12:00 noon MT (2:00 p.m. ET)



Webcast: Listen to the live webcast via the Media and Investor Relations section of westjet.com or through the following link:





http://services.choruscall.ca/links/westjet20171206iday.html

Please note that this URL will not be active until the date and time noted above. The webcast will be available for 90 days following the presentation.

About WestJet

WestJet is proud to be named Best Airline in Canada and one of the best Low Cost Airlines in North America, based on authentic reviews from the travelling public on Trip Advisor, the world's largest travel site. We are one of very few airlines globally that does not commercially overbook. Together with our regional airline, WestJet Encore, we offer scheduled service to more than 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe and to more than 175 destinations in over 20 countries through our airline partnerships. WestJet Vacations offers affordable, flexible vacations to more than 60 destinations and the choice of more than 800 hotels, resorts, condos and villas. Members of the WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout our network and those of our partner airlines.

WestJet is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol WJA. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.

Recent recognition includes:

2017 Five-Star Airline in the Low-Cost Category (The Airline Passenger Experience Association)

2017/2016 Canada's Most Trusted Airline (Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria)

2017 Best Airline in Canada and Travellers' Choice Winner Mid-Sized and Low Cost Airlines  North America (TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards for Airlines)

2016 Canada's most reputable company for Corporate Social Responsibility (Reputation Institute)

2016/2015/2014/2013/2012 Ranked top three for Canadian Brands (Canadian Business Magazine)

2016/2015/2014/2013 WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (MoneySense magazine)

2015/2011/2010/2008/2007/2006/2005 Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture (Waterstone Human Capital)

2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)

Connect with WestJet on Facebook at facebook.com/westjet

Follow WestJet on Twitter at twitter.com/westjet

Subscribe to WestJet on YouTube at youtube.com/westjet

Read the WestJet blog at blog.westjet.com

SOURCE WestJet

Related Links

http://www.westjet.com


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy skies. A few flurries are possible. High around 30F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 22F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center says, "We are the top branded source in the United States for nuclear power workers who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, especially if they are a skilled tradesman. As we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303, skilled tradesman with mesothelioma who were exposed to asbestos at a nuclear power plant could easily be looking at a financial compensation settlement of over one million dollars. However, to achieve this it is critical a person in this circumstance deals exclusively with the nation's elite mesothelioma attorneys if they care about getting properly compensated.

Nuclear Power Plant Asbestos Warning Sign

"A skilled tradesman with mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure at a nuclear power plant may have worked at multiple facilities and/or states during their career. There is a very good chance they learned about nuclear power in the US Navy and carried this skill set with them after their service. The types of skilled tradesmen we are talking about include steamfitters, electricians, machinists, mechanics, millwrights, insulators, and maintenance crew members." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

The US States with the highest number of nuclear power plants include:

Arizona

Mississippi

New Jersey

Virginia

Florida

Michigan

Illinois

Connecticut

Ohio

South Carolina

Pennsylvania

New York

Washington (Plants are being decommissioned)

If the Mesothelioma Compensation Center had one extremely vital compensation tip for a skilled tradesman who now has mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure at a nuclear power plant, it would be: "Don't act impulsively when it comes to hiring a lawyer. Acting impulsively and hiring a law firm advertising nonsense about a 'mesothelioma claims center,' 'no lawsuit needed,' or 'billions recovered' will most likely result in the diagnosed person being under compensated, overcharged by the law firm, or both. Before you hire a lawyer to assist with a mesothelioma compensation claim please call us at 800-714-0303 anytime and we'll see to it that you have instant access to the nation's top mesothelioma lawyers for the best possible compensation for their clients - not the best possible outcome for lawyers. There is a gigantic difference between these two, as we would like to discuss." http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

For a comprehensive list of all power plants in the United States please refer to the US Energy Information Agency's website on this topic: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=767&t=3

According to the CDC, 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 Compensation Center receives, a power plant worker with confirmed mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, 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 workers, 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 all US Citizens who are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma.

Media Contact:

Michael Thomas

800-714-0303

[email protected]

SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center

Related Links

http://mesotheliomacompensationcenter.com


"When it comes to HVAC unit cost effectiveness, bigger is almost always better," said Kimberly Raduenz, marketing communications manager for Modine. "A larger unit, like the 60 ton Atherion D cabinet, makes more financial sense than multiple smaller units when the building or application can handle the larger unit."

The new Atherion D cabinet's range of capabilities include:

Airflow Range (CFM) Cooling Ratings (Nominal Tons) Heating Rating in MBH Heating Rating in kW 4,000 to 12,000 30, 40 400 to 1,600 40 to 200 7,000 to 18,000 52, 60

In addition, the Atherion D cabinet comes with top mounted PF Aluminum Microchannel condenser coils with EC condenser fan motors and right and left side access doors for ease of blower, filter, damper and heat section maintenance.

"This unit is perfect for any large building that needs ventilation and/or makeup air because it effectively and efficiently heats, cools and dehumidifies and filters high volumes of outside air for superior indoor air quality (IAQ)," Raduenz said. "From hotels, labs and restaurants to multi-unit dwellings, malls and factories, the Atherion D cabinet has the airflow capacity to handle a variety of applications. It has a wide range of modulating capability, so the unit can match capacity to the load, which results in high part load efficiency with superior temperature and dehumidification control, regardless of climate extremes."

While the 30 and 40 ton units are available now, the 52 and 60 ton units will be available in early 2018.

For more information about the Atherion D cabinet, visit: http://modine-atherion.com/.

For more information about Modine's other HVAC solutions or to find your local representative, visit http://www.modinehvac.com.

About Modine

Modine, with fiscal 2017 revenues of $1.5 billion, specializes in thermal management systems and components, bringing highly engineered heating and cooling components, original equipment products, and systems to diversified global markets through its three complementary business units: Vehicular Thermal Solutions (VTS); Commercial & Industrial Solutions (CIS); and Building HVAC Systems (BHVAC). Modine is a global company headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin (USA), with operations in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. For more information about Modine, visit www.modine.com.

Media Contact: Heather Ripley

(865) 977-1973

[email protected]

SOURCE Modine Manufacturing Company

Related Links

http://www.modine.com


RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MundoVino, a member of The Winebow Group, is pleased to announce that it is the exclusive U.S. importer of the wines of Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle, a pioneering producer that marries its French heritage with the expressive terroir of Chile to produce luxury wines with a rich sense of place.

"We are thrilled to expand our Chilean portfolio to include Lapostolle, a producer whose vision very much aligns with our own: to increase awareness of Chile's superb terroir on the world stage," said Diego Lo Prete, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MundoVino. "With its distinctively French sensibility and commitment to biodynamic practices, Lapostolle is producing Chilean wines of great depth, complexity, and quality. Through this partnership, we look forward to growing the Lapostolle brand and positioning MundoVino as a premiere importer of Chilean wine."

In 1994, owners Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband, Cyril de Bournet, discovered within the Apalta region a plot of un-grafted Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1920. The Marnier Lapostolle family soon ushered in a new era of Chilean winemaking, culminating in their flagship Clos Apalta wine. Having played a vital role in the recognition of the Apalta region as Chile's first grand cru, the family's mission continues today under the leadership of seventh generation Charles de Bournet Marnier Lapostolle, son of Marnier Lapostolle and Bournet, who was appointed CEO of Lapostolle in 2013.

"Our objective has always been clear: to create world-class wines using our French experience and the magnificent terroir of Chile. We've continued our work toward that objective by investing in our vineyards and winemaking, with a focus on biodynamic practices," said Bournet Marnier Lapostolle. "We are very excited to be working with MundoVino  who is as dedicated to Chile as we are  and I'm confident that we are embarking on a successful journey together with this new partnership."

MundoVino will import the following wines from Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle: Lapostolle Le Rouge, Le Rose, Grand Selection, Cuvee Alexandre, Collection, and Borobo, in addition to Clos Apalta and Le Petit Clos.

MundoVino will also import Kappa Pisco and Lapostolle Pisco.

About MundoVino

MundoVino, a member of The Winebow Group, is a voyage of authentic taste and exceptional discovery that redefines the Old and New Worlds. With a portfolio that comprises a comprehensive collection of wineries reflecting the very best of Argentina, Chile, Spain, Portugal, and beyond, MundoVino represents some of the most iconic, family-owned properties in these areas, as well as a new generation of winemakers dedicated to innovation and quality. These producers craft vintages of true character that capture the unique essence of their terroirs, regions, and histories. For more information, please visit www.mundovinoimports.com.

SOURCE MundoVino

Related Links

http://www.mundovinoimports.com


LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MuslimOnly, a revolutionary new app, brings together modern Muslims who are looking for love in a culturally diverse world.

Contrary to popular belief, many Muslims are not interested in arranged marriages, especially in this modern age, where metropolitan cities are increasingly multicultural. Finding the love of your life is hard enough - finding a person of your faith who will be the love of your life can be daunting.

MuslimOnly APP

Most of us are aware of some of the potential perils of arranged marriages. The couple may not have personalities that complement each other. One may come to love his or her spouse, only to find that love unrequited.

Most of the considerations that go into traditional matchmaking have nothing to do with the couple's compatibility and personal history, so it can be like going into a lifelong commitment blind. Arranged marriages are the complete antithesis to modern dating, where harmony in the relationship is assessed through getting to know each other long before the marriage stage.

For modern Muslims, finding a mate is more about love, not convenience or status, but it is important for the courtship to follow Islamic rules. Most general dating apps out there don't ask the right questions, and largely cater to those looking to "hook up". While there have been Christian and Jewish dating sites in the past, Muslims are finally able to benefit from the technology that is helping like-minded people find each other, and be proud of their faith.

On MuslimOnly, all new profiles are reviewed on a daily basis in order to assure member safety, privacy, and appropriateness. Registration is free, after which MuslimOnly members can enter information about qualities they are seeking in a friend or a mate. They can also personalise their profiles and add photos. The Spark feature allows users to swipe right or left depending on whether they are interested in a particular person.

By marrying together the centuries old matchmaking tradition with the ease and reach of online dating, MuslimOnly gives Muslims the choice to find their perfect partners, on their own terms.

MuslimOnly is available for iOS devices at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/single-muslim-dating-app-for-marriage-muslimonly/id1116028852?mt=8 , but is being presently being developed for the Android platform as well.

More information appears on the MuslimOnly website at

http://www.muslimonlyapp.com/

SOURCE MuslimOnly

Related Links

http://www.muslimonlyapp.com


SAN DIEGO, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NanoCellect Biomedical Inc., a developer of microfluidic cell sorting technologies for cell-based assays, today announced the completion of a $10 million Series B financing round, including convertible notes. The financing included the participation of new investors Illumina Ventures, Anzu Partners, Vertical Venture Partners, and 5 Prime Ventures. Also participating in the round were existing investors FusionX Ventures and Agilent Technologies.

"We are thrilled to be backed by a stellar group of new and current investors, and view the strength of the participants as further validation of the potential of our WOLF Cell Sorter to play a significant role in modernizing cell-based assays," said Jose Morachis, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of NanoCellect. "The proceeds from this financing will enable us to continue to expand our commercial activities and accelerate our efforts in highly promising application areas in cell line development, genomic sample preparation, CRISPR gene editing, and antibody discovery. We look forward to working together with our new partners in making cell sorting easy and accessible."

NanoCellect also announced today that Alexis Ji, Partner at Illumina Ventures, has joined the company's Board of Directors. Illumina Ventures invests in early-stage companies that are pioneering new applications of genomics and enabling precision medicine  including life sciences tools, clinical diagnostics, and therapeutics platforms.

"The ability to sort distinct populations of cells has wide-ranging applications for the research and biopharmaceutical industries," said Ji. "NanoCellect's plug-and-play, easy-to-use, and maintenance-free microfluidic solutions are a significant leap in making cell analysis and sorting more accessible and affordable. We are excited to work with NanoCellect and our co-investors as the company continues to modernize the cell discovery workflows."

About NanoCellect:

NanoCellect is a life science tools company manufacturing cell sorters that use proprietary microfluidic technology. NanoCellect's WOLF cell sorter and N1 single cell plate dispenser allows researchers to perform antibody discovery, cell line development, genomic sample preparation and CRISPR genomic editing faster, safer, and without contamination. The compact, sturdy, and affordable system allows researchers to safely perform cell sorting and single-cell plating experiments at their convenience.

SOURCE NanoCellect Biomedical Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nanocellect.com


ATLANTA and WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new review by the American Kratom Association (AKA) of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows that, from 2011-2017, not a single death has been attributed solely to kratom anywhere in the United States, including Georgia. One of the nation's leading experts on addiction today urged FDA and state officials, including those in Georgia, to tone down their overheated rhetoric about the non-opiate botanical kratom. The AKA urged responsible parties to focus on how to regulate kratom in a way that would benefit the three million consumers of the product, avoiding the drastic step of a ban that could backfire and push more people into the deadly opioid epidemic.

Dave Herman, chair of the board, American Kratom Association said: "Our message today is very simple. Kratom is a safe botanical that does not kill people. If the Government bans kratom, more people will die. Kratom is an alternative to opioids, not a gateway to opioid abuse. The American Kratom Association supports appropriate FDA regulations to ensure product quality and safety for consumers."

Addiction expert Dr. Jack Henningfield, vice president of Research, Health Policy, and Abuse Liability at PinneyAssociates, said: "Recently there have been reports of kratom-associated deaths in the media. It is important to understand, and the FDA's own data confirms this, that there has not been a single verified report of an acute poisoning death that we can say with certainty was caused by kratom use. Most of the kratom-associated deaths occurred in people who had various pre-existing illnesses and/or were taking multiple substances with known serious health risks that may have been significant contributors to or causes of the reported deaths. The contribution of kratom, if any, to these deaths, is not known."

Dr. Henningfield added: "We need every asset to dig our way out of the deep hole that is the opioid crisis. We need to find a path for kratom to continue to realize its benefits to help keep kratom available as a path away from opioids, and to not replace the legal marketplace with the black market that will surely emerge in the vacuum of a lawful market. It makes no sense to take kratom out of the equation and risk avoidable opioid epidemic deaths."

The American Kratom Association reviewed the 2011-2017 data in the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and found no deaths attributed solely to kratom.

Mac Haddow, legislative director, American Kratom Association, said: "The 'signal' for public action on kratom is incredibly insignificant in the broader context of deaths reported and adverse events reported under the FAERS system. The point is that this should not even be consuming the resources of the FDA given its status in the overall reporting of adverse events and deaths. It clearly illustrates a political agenda, rather than a scientific agenda, at the FDA. Out of just 42 times that kratom is mentioned in FAERS since 2011, there is not a single death associated with kratom itself, and every one of them is related to the co-administration of other toxic levels of a prescription drug or illegal substance. The point is that the FDA did not even use its own reporting system to validate the Health Advisory on kratom. They looked to outside publicly available literature that is far vaguer and open to interpretation because their own data does not support their thesis."

Haddow cited examples of other products, including Heparin and Loperamide, that became the subject of death-related concerns and were subjected to tighter quality controls and testing, rather than a ban. Dr. Henningfield and Haddow noted that fairness alone would dictated that kratom, with a market of three million consumers, should receive the same kind of treatment.

At a news conference in Atlanta, AKA also unveiled a "statement of principle" on kratom: "The American Kratom Association recognizes that every effort should be made to keep kratom risks low, and protect consumers from adulterated and contaminated kratom products. With appropriate FDA consumer regulation, we can maximize the potential for kratom to be responsibly used for the improvement of the health and well-being of individuals and public health in America. To that end, AKA supports the following efforts:

REGULATION: AKA supports appropriate FDA regulations to ensure the safety and purity of kratom products. AKA is committed to working with the FDA to share information and collaborate in the development of reasonable regulations that will protect consumers from adulteration and contamination of kratom products.



CHILDREN: While Federal surveys have not identified the use of kratom products in children as an emerging problem, AKA nonetheless supports efforts to prevent youth use, such as consideration of minimum age of procurement laws, e.g., age 18.



CHILD EXPOSURE CONCERNS: Although we are not aware of any child or infant poisonings, AKA supports appropriate child resistant packaging.



PRODUCT PURITY: AKA believes that most manufacturers compete to provide the highest quality and purest products, and to ensure consumers can have confidence in the kratom products they purchase. AKA supports standards for product purity just as there are for most food products.



POTENTIAL ADULTERANTS: AKA believes that responsible marketers do not adulterate their products with other substances, which is a concern that has been raised by FDA. However, AKA would welcome FDA standards to prevent contamination or adulteration of kratom products with dangerous substances. AKA also supports appropriate monitoring to reassure consumers that their lawfully purchased products meet purity and manufacturing standards.



CLAIMS CONSISTENT WITH THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACT OF 1994 (DSHEA): AKA is committed to limiting claims associated with the use of kratom products to conform to the standards set in DSHEA for dietary supplements. AKA is committed to continuing to work with dietary experts and legal counsel, and will work with the FDA to ensure that AKA's statements do not constitute inappropriate claims.



LABELING: AKA welcomes FDA development of labeling and encourages FDA to work with manufactures and marketers to develop labeling that is appropriate and helpful to consumers."

Dr. Henningfield previously served as chief of the Clinical Pharmacology Research Branch of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and is currently an adjunct professor of Behavioral Biology in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Henningfield and his PinneyAssociates colleagues conducted a comprehensive review of publicly available data on the same eight factors that the DEA and FDA weigh on in deciding to control a substance.

According to that analysis, kratom is not an opiate, it has not been linked to any known deaths, and the plant has little potential for abuse and dependence  as low or lower than such widely used (and federally unscheduled substances) as "nutmeg, hops, St. John's Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut."

SOURCE American Kratom Association, Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New Frontier Data, the leading provider of data, analytics and business intelligence in the cannabis industry, and MassRoots, Inc. (OTCQB: MSRT), the largest social media platform in the cannabis space worldwide, have partnered to elevate digital marketing practices and better understand social consumer behavior at a pivotal time in the cannabis industry.

"It is an exciting time in the cannabis industry whereby large financial, research, and consumer-focused enterprises are now looking to understand risks and opportunities stemming from this booming industry. MassRoots is the largest social media platform dedicated to cannabis in the world, with incredible engagement from its members, creating a unique opportunity to learn from them and educate brands, investors, and mature markets entering the cannabis arena," said Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, CEO and founder New Frontier Data.

"This past year at MassRoots we have been focused on taking our amazing cannabis community to the next level with a new leadership team and its vision to take the company beyond the social media platform and this partnership with New Frontier Data should allow us to achieve that. This industry has evolved from a movement into a thriving market that is hungry for data to serve its shareholders and consumers. Only through the data analytics provided by New Frontier Data and our understanding of our community can we believe we can move this emerging market and pioneering platform forward," said Scott Kveton CEO at MassRoots.

New Frontier Data's data engine will enable MassRoots to aggregate, analyze and monetize the large volume of consumer engagement data being collected by the MassRoots mobile application and web portal. By combining MassRoots consumer data with New Frontier Data's Big Data Engine and market leading industry analytics, we will then be able to generate greater insights into the 3 million users in the MassRoots eco-system and establish correlations between their interests and interactions across multiple channels. This collaboration is expected to will create broader applications allowing for far more sophisticated and targeted digital advertising, as well as more advanced consumer engagement.

About New Frontier Data:

New Frontier Data provides objective, rigorous and comprehensive analysis and reporting for the nascent and underserved cannabis industry. New Frontier's data and reports have been cited in over 65 countries around the world to inform industry leaders. New Frontier, the premiere Big Data shop in the sector looks beyond the plant cultivation and distribution, to raise the industry bar and improve visibility into what will inevitably soon be a mature and more complex industry. Founded in 2014, New Frontier is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has additional offices in Denver.

New Frontier Data does not take a position on the merits of cannabis legalization. Rather, its mission and mandate are to inform cannabis - related policy and business decisions through rigorous, issue-neutral and comprehensive analysis of the legal cannabis industry. For more information or media inquiries, please visit www.newfrontierdata.com or contact Gretchen Gailey at 202-489-3821 or [email protected].

About MassRoots, Inc.:

MassRoots is one of the largest technology platforms for the regulated cannabis industry. The Company's mobile apps enable consumers to make educated cannabis purchasing decisions through community-driven reviews. MassRoots is proud to be affiliated with the leading businesses and organizations in the cannabis industry, including the ArcView Group and National Cannabis Industry Association. For more information, please visit MassRoots.com/Investors.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "encouraged" and similar expressions and include statements regarding the partnership with New Frontier Data allowing the Company to move beyond the social media platform, the data analytics provided by New Frontier Data and our understanding of our community moving this emerging market and pioneering platform forward and this collaboration being expected to create broader applications allowing for far more sophisticated and targeted digital advertising, as well as more advanced consumer engagement. The forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, our ability to move beyond the social media platform through the partnership with New Frontier Data, the contribution of the data analytics provided by New Frontier Data to moving this emerging market and pioneering platform forward, our ability to create broader applications allowing for far more sophisticated and targeted digital advertising, as well as more advanced consumer engagement, our ability to execute our business strategy, the on-going effects of the enactment of legislation relating to the production of and the commercialization of cannabis products and the other factors described in our filings with the SEC. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release based on new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE MassRoots, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.MassRoots.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two leading advocates for normalizing trade with Cuba announced the release of a new white paper Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Cuba: A White Paperthat examines how 16 farm states could benefit if the United States repeals longstanding restrictions on food sales to the island nation.

The paperproduced by Cuba Trade Magazine, the national monthly publication covering trade and investment with Cuba; and the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), the largest U.S. agricultural coalitionis based on research analysis provided by the University of Florida and Texas A&M. The analysis uses current and historical data from national and state farm bureaus, federal agriculture agencies, academic analysts, and the Cuban government to illustrate the potential net benefits to U.S. states with the greatest potential for agriculture sales to Cuba.

"This white paper provides some of the most convincing evidence to date regarding the detrimental effects that the U.S trade sanctions on Cuba trade are having on America's pocketbook," said Cuba Trade Magazine Publisher Richard Roffman. "The negative impact that these trade barriers continue to impose on agricultureextensive as they arein fact can be multiplied across all of America's industrial sectors. For this reason, we believe policymakers soon will see the great valueto the United States and Cuba alikein rescinding these constraints and reopening the natural flow of trade."

"The research contained in this report provides a state-by-state look at missed opportunities," said USACC co-chair Paul Johnson. "This white paper paints a clear picture of the benefits that U.S. farm states could be enjoying if not for the unfair barriers imposed by outdated U.S. trade policy. We believe this paper will help reignite momentum to the growing effortin both the public and private sectorsto finally make open trade with Cuba a reality."

Two lawmakers who support easing restrictions on trade with CubaSen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.)who have championed bills that would ease barriers that farmers currently face in selling their products to Cuba by allowing them to sell their products on credit, which currently is forbidden under U.S. law, applauded the white paper.

"This new report from Cuba Trade and USACC goes a long way toward highlighting how much U.S. farmers and agricultural businesses have to gain by eliminating outdated trade restrictions such as the credit ban," said Crawford, lead sponsor of the Cuba Agricultural Export Act of 2017. "For example, while U.S. producers are already permitted to export agricultural commodities to Cuba, they must do so on a cash-for-crop basis. That cash-only requirement renders export transactions nearly impossible, because foreign importers almost exclusively do business on financing and credit. That's why Cuba buys rice from faraway Vietnam at a higher cost, when it could be buying U.S.-grown rice at an affordable cost from nearby Arkansas. It simply makes no sense."

"The results of this study are another clear indicator that opening up the Cuban marketplace to American agricultural products is a win for Arkansas farmers, ranchers and our nation's economy. Our close proximity to Cuba offers an incredible market opportunity for American agricultural producers. I will continue advocating to open this market and break down barriers our producers face in exporting our safe and high-quality food to Cuba," said Boozman, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and co-lead sponsor of the Agricultural Export Expansion Act of 2017.

"We believe this paper will serve as an important reference tool that policymakers can use to make the case for sensible Cuba trade policy," said J.P. Faber, editor-in-chief of Cuba Trade Magazine. "The benefits of trade have seldom been as clearly illustrated."

The white paper is sent out to all members of Congress, to all members of the legislatures in each of the 16 states covered in the report, and to all farm bureaus and state agriculture commissions in those statesas well as to the full readership of Cuba Trade Magazine, and top executives at the largest U.S. agriculture companies.

About Cuba Trade magazine: Cuba Trade is the first national magazine devoted to covering the emerging world of trade and investment between international corporations and Cuba, with a special focus on U.S. companies. Each month, Cuba Trade portrays the people, the politics, and the deals driving the opening of Cuba's economy.

For more information visit: www.CubaTradeMagazine.com

About the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba: The USACC is a coalition of more than 100 prominent members of the U.S. food and agriculture community that seeks to advance trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba by re-establishing Cuba as a market for U.S. food and agriculture exports. The USACC believes that normalizing trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba will provide the U.S. farm and business community with new market access opportunities, drive enhanced growth in both countries and allow U.S. farmers, ranchers and food companies to efficiently address Cuban citizen's food security needs. Under current sanctions, U.S. food and agriculture companies can legally export to Cuba, but financing and trade restrictions limit their ability to serve the market competitively. The USACC ultimately seeks to end the embargo and allow for open trade and investment.

For more information about the coalition, visit www.usagcoalitionforcuba.org

SOURCE Cuba Trade Magazine

Related Links

http://www.CubaTradeMagazine.com


JACKSON, Miss., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Newk's Eatery, the fast casual restaurant known for its culinary-driven menu, continues its growth with four franchised restaurants opening in Georgia in December. Over the last three years, Newk's has opened more than 45 new company-owned and franchised locations, growing the brand by over 60 percent.

The Georgia expansion includes locations in Albany and Smyrna, opening Monday, Dec. 4; as well as Canton and Columbus, opening in mid-December. The addition of these four restaurants will bring the total count in Georgia to 13.

"Our committed franchise partners are the key to driving our expansion in the Southeast and beyond," said Newk's CEO and Co-founder Chris Newcomb. "Newk's continues to offer an elevated fast casual dining experience that has been heartily embraced in the Georgia communities where we have restaurants, and we look forward to introducing our creative and flavorful dishes to new guests in Smyrna, Albany, Canton and Columbus."

Newk's Eatery serves made-from-scratch sandwiches, entree salads, kettle-batch soups and hand-crafted pizzas for lunch and dinner. Every dish is prepared in Newk's open-view kitchens with premium ingredients, such as petite tenderloin steak, Atlantic salmon, all-white meat chicken breast and sushi-grade ahi tuna.

The centerpiece of the Newk's dining room is The Roundtable, where guests customize meals with complimentary condiments and extras, including house-roasted garlic in Italian extra-virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, capers, imported pepperoncini, Torinesi-style breadsticks, hand-cut house-made croutons and guest favorite bread-and-butter pickles.

For more information about Newk's Eatery, visit www.newks.com.

About Newk's Eatery

Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk's Eatery is leading the next generation of fast casual with its culinary-driven menu prepared in Newk's open kitchens, featuring made-from-scratch soups, fresh tossed salads, hand-crafted pizzas, grilled and toasted sandwiches and fresh-baked cakes from Newk's very own bakery. Founded in 2004, Newk's currently operates and franchises more than 115 units in 15 states. The company is gaining national attention for its accelerated growth and commitment to community, including Newk's Cares, an ongoing program which has raised more than $720,000 for ovarian cancer research and awareness. The award-winning brand is consistently named among Fast Casual's Top "Movers and Shakers;" was named to Franchise Times' "Fast and Serious" list for three consecutive years; is listed in the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report; and was named among NRN's Top 200 and Top 5 Fastest-Growing Chains and Restaurant Business' Top 40 Fast-Casual Chains. For more information, visit Newks.com, join the Roundtable Club or follow Newk's on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Pamela Hughes

[email protected]

214-379-7000

SOURCE Newk's Eatery

Related Links

https://www.newks.com


MIAMI, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Next Group Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NXGH) today announced that the Company has signed Definitive Material Agreements with its four current and only Convertible Note Holders that will retire all convertible debt held by them, in exchange for one-time total cash payments of $430,000, and 20,600,000 total common shares of NXGH stock. All shares currently held in reserve accounts by the noteholders will be released and returned to NXGH Treasury.

"This is a tremendous step forward for the Company, as Next Group is no longer encumbered by this convertible debt, for which we negotiated extremely favorable retirement agreements," said Michael De Prado, Next Group Holdings President.

Added Arik Maimon, Next Group Holdings CEO, "Now that all shares that have been held in reserve accounts by the noteholders with the company transfer agent will return to the Company Treasury , we will deliver shares to Limecom Inc., owners and their escrow agent, in compliance with their agreed-upon extension to deliver NXGH common shares on or before December 1. With Limecom's annual revenue for 2017 expected to exceed $125,000,000, we are truly on our way to building what we know will be a leading global prepaid product and payment technology, including a telecommunications rewards program that is destined to be an industry standout."

Following are the noteholders, and their agreed-upon proceeds in exchange for retirement of convertible notes:

LG Capital Funding LLC will surrender $681,565 in convertible notes in exchange for $280,000 in cash and 11,473,289 shares of NXGH common stock.

in convertible notes in exchange for in cash and 11,473,289 shares of NXGH common stock. Cerberus Finance Group, Ltd. will surrender $259,438 in convertible notes in exchange for $60,000 in cash and 5,698,321 shares of NXGH common stock.

in convertible notes in exchange for in cash and 5,698,321 shares of NXGH common stock. Quarum Holdings, LLC will surrender $158,997 in convertible notes in exchange for $60,000 in cash and 2,828,480 shares of NXGH common stock.

in convertible notes in exchange for in cash and 2,828,480 shares of NXGH common stock. Mountain Ranch Partners Inc. will surrender $51,000 in convertible note in exchange for $30,000 in cash and 600,000 shares of NXGH common stock.

About Next Group Holdings, Inc.

NXGH is a corporation headquartered in Miami, Florida, which, through its operating subsidiaries, engages in the business of using proprietary technology and certain licensed technology to provide innovative mobile banking, mobility, and telecommunications solutions, including wireless MVNO, to underserved, unbanked, and emerging markets. NXGH's principal executive offices are located at 1111 Brickell Avenue, Suite 2200, Miami, Florida 33131, and its telephone number at that location is (800) 611-3622. NXGH's web address is http://www.nextgroupholdings.com.

THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS", AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION 27A OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 21E OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED. STATEMENTS IN THIS NEWS RELEASE, WHICH ARE NOT PURELY HISTORICAL, ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INCLUDE ANY STATEMENTS REGARDING BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE. EXCEPT FOR THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN, MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS, INCLUDING STATEMENTS THAT ARE PRECEDED BY, FOLLOWED BY, OR THAT INCLUDE SUCH WORDS AS"ESTIMATE", "ANTICIPATE", "BELIEVE", "PLAN" OR "EXPECT" OR SIMILAR STATEMENTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE INCLUDE STATEMENTS RELATING TO OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPANY.

Contacts:

NXGH Investor Relations:

Dave Gentry

RedChip Companies Inc.

[email protected]

407-491-4498



For Next Group Holdings, Inc.:

Paul Gendreau

PGPR

[email protected]

678-807-7945



SOURCE Next Group Holdings, Inc.
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) today launched its Nielsen Marketing Cloud in APAC empowering its regional and global clients - including advertisers, agencies and media owners - to improve their advertising and content marketing effectiveness with an unrivaled combination of global audience data, technology and sales measurement solutions. Nielsen Marketing Cloud begins its APAC expansion in Hong Kong with enterprise client Television Broadcasts Limited ("TVB"), the largest TV broadcaster in Hong Kong and one of the largest Chinese content producers in the world. Nielsen Marketing Cloud anticipates additional APAC market launches in the near future.

Regional and global clients will be able to leverage Nielsen Marketing Cloud's closed-loop suite of marketing applications including:

The Nielsen DMP for first-, second- and third-party data management, audience segmentation and omnichannel media activation

Insights 360 - a consumer intelligence engine that provides granular insights into people's interests, purchase behavior, device usage, demo- and psychographics and cross-media engagement

Nielsen AI - a unique machine learning technology that responds to real time shifts in consumer behavior and composition

Nielsen campaign analytics and sales attribution to measure and optimize all marketing tactics on-the-fly

"Our expansion into the APAC region is a testament to the incredible Nielsen data, technology and measurement capabilities we've unified under one roof," said Damian Garbaccio, EVP - Nielsen Marketing Cloud. "We're bringing an advanced marketing stack to a market that constitutes more than half of the world's internet users. It's a very exciting growth market for us and one that Nielsen has had a strong presence in for decades."

"As a pioneer in the Hong Kong TV industry, TVB knows the advantages of being a first-mover. Nielsen Marketing Cloud is enabling us to be the first broadcaster in our region to fully transform itself into a data-driven organization," said S.K. Cheong, Executive Director and General Manager of TVB. "Nielsen Marketing Cloud will help all of our advertiser and agency clients achieve the best marketing ROI across TVB digital platforms with deeper consumer analytics, better campaign optimization and addressable TV advertising capabilities. It will also enable TVB to better personalize its content across all channels to increase engagement and improve customer experience."

Using the Nielsen DMP's advanced segmentation, artificial intelligence and real-time data syndication capabilities, TVB will be able to seamlessly personalize and target its content and its clients' advertising to specific audiences across all its online, mobile, social and OTT-TV channels. TVB will use the next generation consumer intelligence capabilities of the Nielsen DMP to better manage, segment and provide cross-channel insights into all of its first-party linear and digital audience data, which includes its set-top box, OTT-TV, mobile app, social media and website channels.

The Nielsen Marketing Cloud is currently being used by Nielsen global clients across industries including food and beverage, personal care, pet care, wine and spirits, digital media, cinema, television, audio and retail.

ABOUT NIELSEN

Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen's Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content  video, audio and text  is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry's only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries that cover more than 90 percent of the world's population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.

Media Contact

Nielsen Marketing Cloud

Brett House - [email protected]

SOURCE Nielsen

Related Links

http://www.nielsen.com


PALM BEACH, Florida, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

As the cannabis, legal marijuana and hemp industry continues to mature and consumer demand in turn rapidly rises, leaders are staying ahead of the curve through the expansion of grow operations in order to boost supply ahead of rising demand. Companies are investing millions into state-of-the-art grow facilities to enhance cultivation methods in terms of volume, as well as quality. The legalization movement in across North America is continually bearing fruit for 'Cannabis stocks' which have significantly outperformed other major indexes of recent and is fueling speculative investment opportunities based on anticipated expansion of new legal markets globally. Notable cannabis names in the headlines this week include: Future Farm Technologies Inc. (OTC: FFRMF) (CSE: FFT), Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd.'s (CSE: GLH) (OTC: GLDFF), Namaste Technologies Inc. (CSE: N) (OTC: NXTTF), Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc.'s (TSX-V: EMH) (OTC: EMHTF), MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF)

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: FFRMF) (CSE: FFT.CN) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the previously announced acquisition of a 120-acre industrial hemp farm in Amity, ME. With this acquisition, Future Farm is now strategically positioned in both the fast-growing hemp market as well as the cannabis market.

Future Farm expects to harvest 1,700 plants per acre of the 120-acre farm, which translates into approximately 10-kilos of CBD distillate per acre, which further translates into $90,000 per acre in revenue, or on 120-acres a projected revenue of $10,800,000.00. With Maine's current favorable economic climate for hemp in place, the Company is moving aggressively to acquire more land and is in discussion with existing farm operators to farm another 200-acres of organic hemp on existing farmland in Maine. Read this and more news for Future Farm at: http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/ffrmf.html.

"We are thrilled to be able to acquire this prime land to farm hemp as we will leverage our oil extraction techniques into the CBD business," comments Bill Gildea, CEO of Future Farm. "We are excited to be working with Derek Ross on this project as well as on other projects which are in our pipeline."

Derek Ross, CEO of Cannatech comments, "I'm excited to grow this business with Future Farm. Partnering with Future Farm will allow us to scale up to full production faster and enable us to process large amounts of hemp flower into highly pure CBD concentrates, which is where the market is." Mr. Ross continues, "We are actively looking for more land to farm so that we may rapidly scale production in 2018 as the market demand for CBD oil continues to expand." Hemp is a fast growing, high margin closely-related business to the cannabis business growing at a 22% CAGR currently valued at over $688 million, and estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2020 in the USA. As consideration for the acquisition of the Farm, Future Farm paid Derek Ross $80,000, payable in equal installments over the course of six months, and 250,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

Additional developments in the industry today include:

Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd.'s (CSE: GLH.CN) (OTCQB: GLDFF) subsidiary, Medical Marijuana Group Corp. (MMG), was granted a cultivation licence for its marijuana grow facility located in St. Thomas, Ont. MMG's St. Thomas facility is expected to use the most current and advanced growing technologies to maximize its 6,000-square-foot space to yield high-value crops difficult to replicate in greenhouse operations. MMG expects to submit expansion plans for additional growing space, oil extraction labs and edible production space at the St. Thomas facility. "Receiving this licence represents a landmark step for Golden Leaf, as it will provide entry into what we expect will be a burgeoning Canadian cannabis market in 2018," commented William Simpson, chief executive officer of the company.

Namaste Technologies Inc. (CSE: N.CN) (OTCQB: NXTTF) has signed a stock purchase agreement with ESC Hughes Holdings Ltd. to sell the company's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, Dollinger Enterprises U.S. Inc. The agreement includes the sale of the domain names Everyonedoesit.com and NamasteVapes.com which combined represent less than 7 per cent of Namaste's current gross revenue, both of which are currently operating at a net loss. Due to the political uncertainty surrounding the legalization of cannabis in the U.S., Namaste's management has deemed it appropriate to shift its focus to legal cannabis markets and management believes that the company will be better aligned with its long-term interests by divesting its U.S. operations. Management also feels it is prudent to divest these assets in preparation for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana in Canada. This decision better aligns Namaste with many of its Canadian counterparts and will enable the company to capitalize on more accretive opportunities moving forward.

Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc.'s (TSX-V: EMH.V) (OTCQX: EMHTF) licensed producer application (submitted through its subsidiary, Emerald Health Botanicals) for its new Richmond, B.C., greenhouse facility under Access to Cannabis for Medical Purpose Regulations (ACMPR) has met the requirements of the paper-based review of Health Canada's Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC). The OMC confirmed satisfactory provision of information regarding the security plan, record keeping and tracking systems, quality assurance reports, and security clearance for key personnel, among other items. Emerald aims to harvest from this new 75,000 square feet of cultivation space by Q3 2018 and plans to have over 500,000 square feet of cultivation space built at this site by year-end.

MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM.CN) (OTCQB: MYMMF) and PUF Ventures Inc.'s PUF Ventures Australia (PUFA) have engaged renowned Dutch greenhouse builder KUBO for engineering and the tendering process for the construction of the 1.2-million-square-foot fully automated greenhouse to be built in New South Wales, Australia. "Our goal is to have the highest-quality and lowest-cost medical cannabis grown under the sun and KUBO's global presence and advanced designs gives it the necessary experience to excel in Australia's challenging environment," said Michael Horsfall, Chief Executive Officer of PUFA. "We are impressed with KUBO's Ultra-Clima greenhouse design that will make our facility one the most advanced cannabis production facility. As the medical cannabis market matures having a low-cost operation will be critical to the long-term success of the Northern Rivers project, as announced on Sept. 27, 2017. We envision creating over 300 jobs in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales with opportunities for many downstream businesses. The support from all levels of government has been overwhelming and we are currently working toward completing the licensing and permitting stage of the project."

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU has been compensated twenty-four hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by Future Farm Technologies Inc by a non-affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +1(561)325-8757



SOURCE MarketNewsUpdates.com
HUNTINGTON, Ind., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc., (OTCQB: NIDB), the parent company of First Federal Savings Bank, is proud to announce that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $0.50 per share on the Company's common stock. The record date will be December 8, 2017 and the payment date will be December 22, 2017.

Commenting on the announcement, President and CEO Michael S. Zahn stated, "As we continue to maintain high earnings and capital levels, the Board of Directors is rewarding our shareholders with this additional dividend."

The book value of NIDB's stock was $29.97 per common share as of September 30, 2017 with 1,214,879 shares outstanding. Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. is headquartered at 648 N. Jefferson Street, Huntington, Indiana. The Company offers a full array of banking and financial brokerage services to its customers through its main office in Huntington and five full-service Indiana offices in Huntington (2), Warsaw and Fort Wayne(2). The Company is traded on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (www.otcmarkets.com) utilizing the OTCQB platform under the symbol "NIDB". Our web site address is www.firstfedindiana.bank.

SOURCE Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.firstfedindiana.bank


WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recently, National Taxpayers Union (NTU) President Pete Sepp joined Arizona Senator Jeff Flake for an employee town hall on tax reform at Geco, an aerospace technology company located in Mesa, Arizona.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8230651-ntu-jeff-flake-tax-reform-town-hall/

"It was an honor to join Senator Flake in his home state for this important discussion on the need to overhaul our burdensome tax code," said Pete Sepp, president of NTU. "With the House and now the Senate moving tax reform legislation, we are on the verge of delivering a tax system to the American people that will unleash the nation's full economic potential and deliver relief for middle-class families. Going forward, it is vital Congress work toward a final bill that will reduce rates, close loopholes and simplify laws while treating all sectors of our economy equally; lawmakers should not levy punitive taxes on any targeted industries. Businesses of all sizes will then be empowered to expand, invest more capital and hire more employees. Moreover, taxpayers will not be forced to waste nearly 7 billion hours and cough up more than $262 billion just complying with a tax code that no longer works. America's tax system has stood still for far too long, driving businesses overseas and causing us to fall farther behind our global competitors. As the legislative process gathers momentum, I look forward to working with Senator Flake and others in Congress to get a tax reform package across the finish line."

NTU is a non-partisan citizen group with thousands of supporters across the country and in Arizona. The organization's "Tax Reform Toolkit," which includes briefing papers, links to broadcast ads and video, and a link to an historical archive detailing NTU's work on the 1986 tax reform bill, is available here.

SOURCE National Taxpayers Union
BOSTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Optimus Ride, a MIT spinoff company developing self-driving vehicle technology, announced a first of its kind partnership with renowned real estate developer LStar Ventures, to provide Union Point's residents with access to self-driving vehicles. This agreement represents the world's first revenue generating autonomous vehicle pilot program.

Under terms of the 18-month pilot agreement, Optimus Ride will have part of its autonomous vehicle fleet on-site within Union Point, the 1,550-acre urban development located 12 miles south of Boston. Union Point residents and visitors will be able to experience driverless vehicles to travel within the site and connect to mass transit, specifically the on-site South Weymouth commuter rail station. Optimus Ride expects to begin moving passengers by early 2018.

Earlier this year, Optimus Ride announced it had received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to test highly automated vehicles in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Over the last several months, Optimus Ride has been testing its self-driving vehicles in Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park, located along the South Boston Waterfront.

This initiative represents Union Point's latest effort to evolve the former air base into a living laboratory for smart city technologies and sustainability solutions that benefit all its multigenerational residents. Earlier this year, LStar Ventures announced a partnership with GE to install the company's high-tech street sensors and solar panels as well as other experimental technology in the coming months and years.

"My colleagues and I are truly honored to be partnering with a visionary like LStar Ventures on this unique, first of its kind pilot," said Ryan Chin, CEO, Optimus Ride. "Union Point's people-centric vision and smart city mission aligns with the values of Optimus Ride's founding team, and we look forward to our future shared success."

"Our team is incredibly excited to be bringing Optimus Ride's cutting-edge vehicles to Union Point, and we look forward to watching our residents of all ages and backgrounds benefit from this greater mobility access," said Kyle Corkum, CEO, LStar Ventures. "This latest deal is an important step in our journey to become one of the world's leading smart cities that enhances the way our residents live, work and experience Union Point."

The Union Point site has additional special significance for Optimus Ride's founding team. In 2007, Optimus Ride's President, Sertac Karaman, and CTO, Albert Huang, were part of the first MIT team that successfully completed the DARPA Urban Challenge, a competition put on by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense to learn whether autonomous vehicles could maneuver through urban settings. In advance of ultimately finishing the 90-kilometer course, Sertac and Albert conducted most of their early testing at what was then the South Weymouth Naval Air Station, trialing early versions of the algorithms that are now commonly used throughout the industry.

"A decade following our success at the DARPA Urban Challenge, it's rewarding to have come full circle and be back in South Weymouth," said Sertac Karaman, President, Optimus Ride. "We're incredibly proud to be deploying this 21st-century transportation system on this site that has now evolved to be one of the world's most forward-looking communities."

About Optimus Ride

The unique makeup of the Optimus Ride team includes over 30 years of shared experience on the cutting edge of interdisciplinary research in self-driving technologies, electric vehicles, mobility-on-demand and other transportation systems. The team also has a decade of industrial and entrepreneurial experience spanning manufacturing robots, medical robots, shared vehicle fleet management and urban design. Building on this significant knowledge, the company will continue to leverage the latest advances in complex sensor fusion, mapping, computer vision and machine learning to ultimately deploy a new form of transportation system that enables efficient, sustainable and equitable mobility access.

About Union Point

Union Point is a 1,550-acre mixed-use development located 12 miles from Boston. Union Point will comprise nearly 4,000 homes and apartments and 10 million square feet of commercial development opportunity perfectly balanced with more than 1,000 acres of green space and 50 miles of hiking/biking trails. The site is a transit-oriented development with direct pedestrian access to the South Weymouth Commuter Rail Station. Development is being led by LStar Ventures, with master planning and design by Elkus Manfredi Architects. For more information, visit www.unionpointma.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UnionPointMA and follow us on Twitter at @UnionPointMA.

SOURCE Optimus Ride

Related Links

https://www.optimusride.com


NEW YORK and MIAMI, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Parkinson's Foundation is pleased to announce $60,000 in funding for six innovative patient-centered research projects. The awards, the first of their kind in the Parkinson's community, support patient-scientist teams in their efforts to develop innovative models of patient engagement. The projects are supported through the Parkinson's Advocates in Research (PAIR) Leadership Awards.

"As a leader in the patient engagement space, we are proud to support researcher-patient teams who are developing innovative ways of working together," said John L. Lehr, chief executive officer of the Parkinson's Foundation. "It is more critical than ever that we guide research to better meet the needs of our community, and including patient voices is key."

PAIR Leadership Awards are an extension of Parkinson's Advocates in Research, a pioneering program established by the Foundation to advance researcher-patient collaborations. They reflect the foundation's commitment to targeting research to meet patient needs by building collaborations between scientists and people who live with Parkinson's disease (PD). Awards are available for up to $10,000 for patient-centered research projects.

Among this year's awardees is a team from Emory University School of Medicine, a Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence: Madeleine Hackney, PhD, and Ron Wincek, a foundation research advocate who lives with Parkinson's. Their project, "The DREAMS Team: Galvanizing Research Participation in the Parkinson's Disease Underserved Community," aims to train underserved older adults in the PD community to serve as advisers on study teams and to aid recruitment efforts of underserved participants with PD by local clinical trials.

"Over the years, our team has found that patients have valuable and often surprising insights that can improve our work in research, care and support," said Dr. Hackney. "I applaud the Parkinson's Foundation for investing in our efforts to encourage research participation in underserved communities."

2017 PAIR Leadership Awards:

Development of a Virtual Case Manager for People with Parkinson's Disease

Bastiaan R. Bloem , M.D., Ph.D., Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence, Netherlands

John Andrejack , Parkinson's Foundation Research Advocate



Optimizing Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program for Accessibility, Feasibility, Comfort, and Effectiveness for People with PD

Michelle Burack , M.D., Ph.D., and Dan Kinel , University of Rochester Medical Center, Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence



PAIRing up to Address Neuropsychiatric Concerns in Parkinson's Disease

Jennifer Goldman , M.S., M.Phil., Rush University Medical Center, Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

Don Simmonds , Parkinson's Foundation Research Advocate



The DREAMS Team: Galvanizing Research Participation in the Parkinson's Underserved Community

Madeleine Hackney , Ph.D., and Ron Wincek , Emory University School of Medicine , Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence



An Investigation of Tracking Technology in the Setting of an Established Exercise Program for Individuals with Parkinson Disease

Sarah Ingersoll , M.B.A., and Kris Mendenhall , University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine



Assessment of Changes in Gait Patterns during Cognitive and Visual Dual-Tasking using the Xbox Kinect System

Joe Signorile , Roberto Chen , University of Miami , Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence

About the Parkinson's Foundation

The Parkinson's Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson's disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience, and passion of our global Parkinson's community. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).

About Parkinson's Disease (PD)

Affecting nearly one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson's and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

SOURCE Parkinson's Foundation

Related Links

http://www.parkinson.org


SILICON SLOPES, Utah, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pluralsight, the enterprise technology learning platform, today announced that its philanthropic entity Pluralsight One will host Utah's first-ever Hour of Code workshop for LGBTQ+ youth at Encircle's IGNITE summit on Saturday, December 2nd at Utah Valley University.

Committed to celebrating diversity and democratizing technology by promoting an inclusive technology ecosystem where all are welcome, Pluralsight One will kick off Computer Science Education week by hosting an Hour of Code track, entitled Create the Future, at IGNITE. The track will include three workshops focused on inspiring youth through experiential learning opportunities around technology. A champion of diversity and inclusion, Pluralsight CEO Aaron Skonnard will deliver a keynote address and share encouraging remarks with attendees.

"We are committed to democratizing technology education. Ensuring that all youth, regardless of their sexual orientation, have the chance to learn tech skills is deeply important to Pluralsight," said Aaron Skonnard, co-founder and CEO of Pluralsight. "Today, in partnership with Encircle's IGNITE conference, we hope to inspire the courage needed for these young leaders from across our state to create their own future and open the door to endless opportunities. We welcome them with open arms."

Encircle's IGNITE summit is designed to equip young LGBTQ+ high school students with the tools they need to nurture creativity, foster individuality and kindle their desire to innovate. Speakers will discuss pressing issues and interests of today's LGBTQ+ youth and facilitate access to crucial educational and career opportunities.

Pluralsight One's support of IGNITE and LGBTQ+ youth is one of many ways the organization has made progress on delivering on its mission since it launched in late September of this year. In less than three months, Pluralsight One has joined Pledge 1%, committed $10 million over the next five years to support K-12 computer science education in the United States, and brought Project Homeless Connect to Utah.

To get learn more, register or volunteer for IGNITE, visit www.EncircleTogether.org/ignite.

For more information about Pluralsight One, visit pluralsightone.org.

About Pluralsight

Pluralsight is an enterprise technology learning platform that delivers a unified, end-to-end learning experience for businesses across the globe. Through a subscription service, companies are empowered to move at the speed of technology, increasing proficiency, innovation and efficiency. Founded in 2004 and trusted by Fortune 500 companies, Pluralsight provides members with on-demand access to a digital ecosystem of learning tools, including adaptive skill tests, directed learning paths, expert-authored courses, interactive labs and live mentoring. For more information, visit pluralsight.com.

Media Contacts

Pluralsight PR

Mariangel Babbel

Director, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Pluralsight

Related Links

http://www.pluralsight.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation, a coalition of more than 50 organizations working to reduce youth tobacco use, thanks the Plymouth City Council for voting tonight to put kids above tobacco industry profits by raising the minimum tobacco sale age to 21.

Momentum toward increasing the tobacco age to 21 is building in Minnesota and nationally. Tonight's vote brings the total number of Minnesota communities that have raised the age up to four. Plymouth joins Edina, St. Louis Park and Bloomington among Tobacco 21 communities, with others around the state considering similar moves. So far, five states and more than 270 communities across the country have raised the tobacco age to 21. Public support for raising the age is strong: A 2015 national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that three out of four American adults support the move.

"Plymouth city leaders took bold action to prevent young people from ever getting hooked on tobacco products. The City Council showed true leadership, making a decision in the best interest of their constituents, and not bowing to tobacco industry pressure," said Molly Moilanen, Director of Public Affairs at ClearWay Minnesota and co-chair of the Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation coalition. "Raising the tobacco age to 21 is a life-saving policy. It will help keep more of today's young people from suffering the addiction, disease and premature death caused by tobacco."

Local parents, youth advocates, medical professionals, employers and public health experts asked the Council to support raising the tobacco age to 21 during the public hearing. A few of their comments:

"Employers like us in Minnesota have 15 to 19 percent of employees who are addicted to nicotine," said Joel Spoonheim, Director of Health Promotion at HealthPartners. "Let me restate that: Tonight you are being pushed to worry about 2 percent of tobacco sales for retailers when I'm here to talk about the impact on nearly a fifth of our employee base, which is for most employers their largest cost."

Robbinsdale High School sophomore Sara Schiff also emphasized the high cost of tobacco use. "Too many of my friends and their families have lost someone because of tobacco use," said Schiff. "Big Tobacco spends so much money and time trying to get young people like me to use their deadly products."

Dr. Lisa Mattson, a local physician and parent, pointed out that e-cigarettes have become the most popular tobacco product for Minnesota youth. "High schoolers are now vaping at a rate more than double that of conventional cigarettes. For that reason, I applaud the Council's decision to include e-cigarettes in this ordinance," said Mattson.

Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation supports policies that reduce youth smoking and help end the death and disease associated with tobacco use, including raising the tobacco age to 21, limiting youth access to menthol-, candy- and fruit- flavored tobacco, keeping tobacco prices high and funding tobacco control programs.

Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation partners include: A Healthier Southwest, African American Leadership Forum, Allina Health, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association in Minnesota, Apple Tree Dental, Association for Nonsmokers  Minnesota, Becker County Energize, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, CentraCare Health, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, ClearWay MinnesotaSM, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio  CLUES, Essentia Health, Four Corners Partnership, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, HealthEast, HealthPartners, Hennepin County Medical Center, Hope Dental Clinic, Horizon Public Health, Indigenous Peoples Task Force, ISAIAH, LAAMPP Institute, Lake Region Healthcare, Lincoln Park Children and Families Collaborative, Local Public Health Association of Minnesota, March of Dimes, Mayo Clinic, Medica, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers, Minnesota Cancer Alliance, Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Minnesota Council of Health Plans, Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Oral Health Coalition, Minnesota Public Health Association, Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc., NAMI Minnesota, North Memorial Health Care, NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, PartnerSHIP 4 Health, Perham Health, Rainbow Health Initiative, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Tobacco Free Alliance, Twin Cities Medical Society, UCare and WellShare International.

Find out more at: smokefreegenmn.org.

SOURCE Minnesotans for a Smoke-Free Generation

Related Links

http://smokefreegenmn.org


"At PSEG Long Island, responding to crises and helping those in need, is what we do best," said Dan Eichhorn, president and COO of PSEG Long Island. "Our employees showed no hesitation when asked to volunteer and join NYPA and New York's other utilities to support Puerto Rico and reconstruct the electrical grid to provide safe electrical power. This is a prime example of our employees' commitment to always being there to help others in need, just as Long Islanders were supported after Superstorm Sandy."

PSEG Long Island vehicles were driven to Pennsauken, NJ and loaded on to a barge which transported the trucks and equipment to Puerto Rico. Personnel will fly down today to meet up with the equipment.

A small contingent of employees arrived in Puerto Rico in early November and they have been assessing the damage. The additional personnel are in the process of deploying and will assist in restoring power across the island just as soon as they arrive.

Mutual aid allows for the sharing of resources such as labor and equipment during emergencies.

PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority's transmission and distribution system under a 12-year contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE: PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $9.1 billion.

Keep in Touch:

www.psegliny.com

PSEG Long Island on Facebook

PSEG Long Island on Twitter

PSEG Long Island on YouTube

PSEG Long Island on Flickr

Psegliny.com/blog

Contact: Media Relations Pager

516.229.7248

[email protected]

SOURCE PSEG Long Island

Related Links

http://www.psegliny.com


"Each of these new leaders embodies qualities for which Quorum stands, including a dedication to empowering end users and developing solutions to lead the digital transformation of the oil and gas industry," said Perry Turbes, President and CEO of Quorum . "We look forward to having them help shape our organization in roles that will grow and evolve our software and the industry."

Kip Amedeo, Vice President of Sales and Business Development

Kip Amedeo, vice president of sales and business development, brings more than 20 years of technology sales experience to Quorum. In his new role, he drives the company's strategy and execution on revenue-connections within the business. Amedeo joined Quorum from Diebold Nixdorf, where he led the North America Software Sales Organization, driving the organization's transformation from a hardware-centric to a software and services-oriented company. Prior to Diebold Nixdorf, Amedeo held a variety of leadership roles during his six years at SAP including vice president of sales, vice president of strategic alliances and vice president of channels. During his preceding 10 years with Siemens, he held roles including vice president of sales and director of corporate strategy and development. Amedeo holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Texas A&M University and an MBA in technology commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin.

M. Sean FitzGerald, Vice President of Engineering

M. Sean FitzGerald brings 20 years of software engineering leadership experience to Quorum. As vice president of engineering, his primary responsibility is overseeing the development, release and maintenance of Quorum's software applications and establishing the engineering group's strategic long-term goals. Prior to joining Quorum, FitzGerald led large-scale and high-availability software products and services at Diablo Management Group, Visual Numerics, Rogue Wave Software and X-ISS. He holds bachelor's degree in information systems and an MBA in IT management from the University of Athabasca in Canada. FitzGerald sits on Auburn University's Computer Science & Software Engineering (CSSE) Advisory.

Charles Jeffery, Vice President of the WellEz Division at Quorum

Charles Jeffery joined Quorum in 2017, following Quorum's acquisition of WellEz to complement the company's upstream software portfolio. He brings more than 35 years of international experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, including 17 years at WellEz since founding the company in 2000 to launch an innovative SaaS-based field reporting platform. During his time at WellEz, the business became the premier provider of field data reporting for the upstream oil and gas sector. As Vice President of the WellEz Division, Jeffery will continue to expand Quorum's software services.

Dan Wallin, Vice President of Products

Dan Wallin joined Quorum in 2017, following more than 20 years in various technology leadership roles with SunGard Data Systems. He is responsible for leading Quorum's product strategy and roadmap, as well as overseeing the customer support function. In his time at SunGard, Wallin had P&L responsibility for multiple software products in insurance, health care, and financial services. He also led services teams and implemented projects for a variety of clients including Fortune 100 companies. Wallin has a bachelor's degree in economics from John Brown University and an MBA from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.

About Quorum

Quorum offers an industry-leading portfolio of finance, operations and accounting software that empowers energy companies of all sizes to conquer their most complex business challenges. From the field to the back office, defying complexity is coded in our DNA and our software. This unmatched experience is why Quorum is the choice of eight of the largest public energy companies worldwide, 75 percent of LNG exporters throughout North America and 80 percent of all natural gas processed in the United States. Designed for digital transformation, the myQuorum software platform delivers open standards, mobile-first design and cloud technologies to empower innovation at the speed of thought. At Quorum, we're helping visionary leaders transform their business, and the energy industry, for a digital world. For more information, visit www.quorumsoftware.com.

CONTACT: Genevieve Shoemaker, 1-713-377-6438, [email protected]

SOURCE Quorum

Related Links

http://www.quorumsoftware.com


LEBANON, N.J., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Recordati Rare Diseases Inc., a biopharmaceutical company committed to providing orphan therapies to underserved rare disease communities in the U.S., today announced a new Check Ammonia awareness initiative. The campaign is intended to help healthcare practitioners (HCPs) recognize the signs and symptoms of hyperammonemia in infants, children and adults, act quickly to test ammonia levels, and to call a metabolic geneticist, as high ammonia levels can be toxic and may be the result of a rare metabolic disease.

Created in collaboration with the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation (NUCDF), the Check Ammonia initiative includes a website, http://checkammonia.com, that provides educational and supportive resources for HCPs. The website is designed to help HCPs quickly recognize the signs and symptoms of hyperammonemia, find out when, why, and how to test for ammonia, and to help connect them with metabolic geneticists in their area. This initiative also features a video that addresses hyperammonemia through the personal accounts of caregivers' and patients' experiences, underscoring the importance of early detection and testing for the condition.

Although hyperammonemia is a medical emergency, early detection may be seen as a challenge. It is critical for healthcare practitioners to suspect hyperammonemia and quickly test for the conditionespecially with any unexplained alteration in consciousness or encephalopathy.1 Delayed diagnosis or treatment of hyperammonemia, regardless of cause, can lead to neurological damage and potentially a fatal outcome.2

"Hyperammonemia due to inborn errors of metabolism can strike at any age," said Cynthia Le Mons, Executive Director of NUCDF. "It's our hope that the Check Ammonia initiative will be a valuable resource for medical professionals to help them recognize the early signs of hyperammonemia in infants, children, and adults so patients can receive swift intervention to prevent coma and death."

"People affected by rare diseases are our top priority and at the core of everything we do, so we're grateful to have the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation working with us on this important disease awareness initiative," said Paul Stickler, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Recordati Rare Diseases. "In infants, children, and adults, hyperammonemia requires early detection and prompt intervention from medical professionals. Our goal is to help physicians quickly identify the condition by recognizing the signs and symptoms of hyperammonemia, checking patient ammonia levels, and consulting with a metabolic geneticist to determine the next steps."

About Hyperammonemia

Hyperammonemia, a metabolic condition characterized by excess ammonia in the blood, can be life-threatening and may affect patients at any age.1 Clinical signs and symptoms of hyperammonemia are typically neurological in origin, but they can be generally nonspecific and may suggest several diagnostic pathways.1 The clinical presentation of neonatal hyperammonemia, which can mimic sepsis, includes non-specific symptoms that are mainly neurological in origin.3,4 Hyperammonemia in infants (beyond neonates), children, and adults may be more episodic, difficult to recognize and precipitated by catabolic events, protein overload or certain drugs.4,5,6 The causes of hyperammonemia are diverse. Some of the more common causes include liver disease, reactions to drugs, hemolytic disease, or gastrointestinal bleeds and urea cycle disorders (UCDs) or other inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs).3,7,8

About Recordati Rare Diseases Inc.

Recordati Rare Diseases Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed to providing often overlooked orphan therapies to the underserved rare disease communities of the United States. Recordati Rare Diseases and our sister company, Orphan Europe, are part of the rare disease business within the Recordati Group, a public international pharmaceutical company committed to the research and development of new specialties with a focus on treatments for rare diseases.

Recordati Rare Diseases' mission is to reduce the impact of extremely rare and devastating diseases by providing urgently needed therapies. We work side-by-side with rare disease communities to increase awareness, improve diagnosis and expand the availability of treatments for people with rare diseases.

The company's U.S. corporate headquarters is located in Lebanon, NJ, with global headquarter offices located in Milan, Italy.

For more information, visit http://www.recordatirarediseases.com and follow @RecordatiRare on Twitter.

About the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation

The National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation (NUCDF) is dedicated to saving children and adults from the catastrophic effects of UCDs. NUCDF is a leader in the fight to conquer UCD, raising awareness to improve early diagnosis, catalyzing research, and is a vital resource of information and education for families and doctors. NUCDF is a lifeline for affected families seeking guidance and support, providing mentors for newly diagnosed families and networking UCD families together for support.

For more information, visit http://www.nucdf.org

References

Haberle J. Clinical practice-The management of hyperammonemia. Eur J Pediatr (2011) 170:21-34. Auron A, Brophy PD. Hyperammonemia in review: Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Pediatr Nephrol 2012;27:207-222. Broomfield A, Grunewald S. How to use serum ammonia. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2012;97:7277. Summar ML, Tuchman M. Proceedings of a consensus conference for the management of patients with urea cycle disorders. J Pediatr 2001;138 (1 Suppl): S6-S10. Summar ML, Barr F, Dawling S, Smith W, Lee B, Singh RH, Rhead WJ, Sniderman King L, Christman BW. Unmasked adult onset urea cycle disorders in the critical care setting. Crit Care Clin 2005;21: S1-S8. Haberle J, Boddaert N, Burlina A, Chakrapani A, Dixon M, Huemer M, Karall D, Martinelli D, Sanjurjo Crespo P, Santer R, Servais A, Valayannopoulos V, Lindner M, Rubio V, Dionisi-Vici C. Suggested guidelines for the diagnosis and management of urea cycle disorders. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2012;7:32. Orton DJ, Gifford JL, Seiden-Long I, Khan A, de Koning L. Critically high plasma ammonia in an adolescent girl. Clin Chem 2016;62(12):1565-1569. Burton BK. Inborn errors of metabolism in infancy: A guide to diagnosis. Pediatrics 1998;102(6): E69.

NP-HA-US-0040

SOURCE Recordati Rare Diseases Inc.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With installation costs plummeting, American schools are switching to solar energy at a rapid pace, reducing their electricity bills and freeing up resources to invest in education. There are now 5,489 K-12 schools in the United States that use solar energy, nearly double the total solar capacity that was installed at schools in 2014, according to a major new report by The Solar Foundation, Generation 180, and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The dramatic growth in solar school adoption has been driven by rapidly declining installation costs. The average price of a solar school installation has dropped 67 percent in the last 10 years, and 19 percent in 2016 alone, this report found.

Nearly 4 million students in the U.S. attend schools with solar power, with a combined capacity of 910 megawatts (MW), an increase of 86 percent over 2014. The amount of electricity these schools produce annually, at 1.4 million megawatt-hours, is enough to power over 190,000 homes.

The report, Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools, 2nd Edition, is the most comprehensive study to date on solar at K-12 schools nationwide. As a follow-up to the first study released in 2014, this report captures the accelerating trends of solar adoption in U.S. schools.

California leads the nation in the number of solar schools by state, with 1,946 solar schools and a 489 MW capacity, followed by New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts, and New York. Nevada has the highest adoption rate, with 23 percent of schools using solar energy statewide. Arizona has the most solar school capacity on a per capita basis, at 86 watts per student.

Complete data on solar schools nationwide and in all 50 states and the District of Columbia is available in the full report. An interactive map of solar schools across the United States and resources to help schools go solar are available at gosolarschools.org.

"Solar can help school districts save millions on electricity bills, freeing up funds for additional teachers, improved facilities, and enhanced academic and extracurricular programs," said Andrea Luecke, president and executive director of The Solar Foundation. "In addition to cost savings, solar energy installations can serve as hands-on STEM laboratories for students to learn about clean energy from the sun."

At the same time that costs are going down, schools have more financing options that minimize up-front investment. In recent years, most schools have financed their solar installations through power purchase agreements (PPAs), in which a third-party finances, builds, owns, and maintains the system. This allows schools and districts to purchase solar with very little initial cost. Within the last three years, nearly 90 percent of the schools for which data is available used a PPA to install solar.

"There's a reason solar is spreading so quickly across America's school districts, and it's pretty simple  when schools go solar, the entire community benefits," said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA's president and CEO. "By switching to solar energy, schools immediately see their electric bills go down, leaving more money for learning. Plus, what teacher wouldn't want a life lesson in science and conservation right there on school grounds? It's a win all the way around."

Solar Schools Campaign

In conjunction with this report, clean energy nonprofit Generation 180 is launching a national Solar Schools Campaign to mobilize parents, students, school districts, and local leaders to support the transition to solar energy in their communities. The campaign is creating volunteer teams and will leverage a detailed "how-to-guide" in the report that provides advice on how schools can muster support, assess economic feasibility, identify financing options, generate proposals, and select installers for solar energy systems.

"Many school districts need champions to help make stakeholders aware of the opportunities for going solar," said Tish Tablan, National Organizer for Generation 180. "Our Solar Schools Campaign is designed to equip these champions with the information and tools they need. Once they see the financial, educational, and environmental benefits, we are confident that many schools will make the transition for a brighter future."

Case Studies Capture Many Approaches to Going Solar

The Brighter Future report includes several in-depth case studies that demonstrate how schools across the United States have gone through the process of installing solar. These systems are going up on school rooftops, parking lot structures, and offsite. The report identifies numerous cases where schools expect to save millions of dollars in electricity bills over the next two to three decades, helping them balance the budget and pay for educational expenses. Some of the solar projects were initiated by students themselves, while others got started at the administrative level or were part of a school's capital improvement campaign.

In Bozeman, Montana at Sacajawea Middle school, an eighth grader led a successful campaign to raise $115,000 to install solar. The funds are expected to be paid back through electricity bill savings within nine years.





at Sacajawea Middle school, an eighth grader led a successful campaign to raise to install solar. The funds are expected to be paid back through electricity bill savings within nine years. In Reno, Nevada , Washoe County School District meets 12 percent of its energy consumption from 4.2 MW of solar installations at 35 schools, which will help the district meet its 20 percent renewable energy goal by 2020.





, School District meets 12 percent of its energy consumption from 4.2 MW of solar installations at 35 schools, which will help the district meet its 20 percent renewable energy goal by 2020. In New York State , Broadalbin-Perth Central School District is developing an 8,000-panel, 2 MW offsite solar array to help offset the costs of a capital improvement campaign. The installation is expected to save $5.3 million on electricity bills over 25 years.





Broadalbin-Perth Central School District is developing an 8,000-panel, 2 MW offsite solar array to help offset the costs of a capital improvement campaign. The installation is expected to save on electricity bills over 25 years. In Arlington, Virginia , Discovery Elementary School uses solar as part of its net-zero design that is a large part of the school's interactive energy curriculum, saving $100,000 annually on electricity bills.





Discovery Elementary School uses solar as part of its net-zero design that is a large part of the school's interactive energy curriculum, saving annually on electricity bills. In Bakersfield, California , Kern High School District is installing 22 MW on 27 sites, saving an estimated $80 million over 25 years.





Kern High School District is installing 22 MW on 27 sites, saving an estimated over 25 years. In Illinois , Grayslake Community High School District is meeting 36 percent of its energy consumption through rooftop solar on two high schools and a third, ground-mounted system, saving an estimated $10 million over 25 years.

To read the full report and view an infographic of the major report findings, visit https://www.seia.org/research-resources/brighter-future-study-solar-us-schools-0

To view the interactive map and other resources for schools that seek to go solar, visit gosolarschools.org.

About SEIA:

Celebrating its 43rd anniversary in 2017, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry, which now employs more than 260,000 Americans. Through advocacy and education, SEIA is building a strong solar industry to power America. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to build jobs and diversity, champion the use of cost-competitive solar in America, remove market barriers and educate the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.

SOURCE Solar Energy Industries Association

Related Links

http://www.seia.org


McCuaig is located on the prolific Mine Trend in Red Lake, approximately six kilometres southwest of the Company's Phoenix Gold Project. See Diagram 1 at the end of the news release for a map of Rubicon's Red Lake Properties, including the location of McCuaig. McCuaig is comprised of three unpatented mineral claims and cover approximately 126 hectares. Since 1997, Rubicon has carried out geochemical surveying and modelling, geological mapping, geophysical surveying and drilled 71 holes totalling over 22,000 metres ("m") on McCuaig. McCuaig has not been drilled since 2007.

Historical highlight drill assays include (not true widths):

MC-07-01AW: 15.65 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 1.55 m MC-02-32: 22.83 g/t Au over 3.10 m (including 75.91 g/t Au over 0.70 m) MC-02-27: 25.48 g/t Au over 1.07 m and 18.08 g/t Au over 0.45 m

The Company is currently evaluating the exploration opportunities on its Red Lake Properties, including McCuaig. Rubicon does not anticipate commencing regional grassroots exploration activities until the positive advancement of the Phoenix Gold Project and adequate funding for the exploration activities is secured.

About Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Rubicon Minerals Corporation is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls over 280 square kilometres of prime exploration ground in Red Lake and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com.

RUBICON MINERALS CORPORATION

"George Ogilvie, P.Eng."

President and CEO

Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the exploration opportunities on the Company's Red Lake Properties, including the anticipated details and timing of such exploration.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the 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 Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 29, 2017 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Related Links

www.rubiconminerals.com


BEIJING, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RYB Education, Inc. ("RYB" or the "Company") (NYSE: RYB), a leading early childhood education service provider in China, issued an update following the local police authority's release of a follow-up report on November 28, 2017 (the "Follow-up Report") regarding the investigation of the case initially described in RYB's press releases issued on November 24, 2017.

According to the Follow-up Report, the police found maltreatment involving a former female teacher's use of sewing needles as a way to "discipline" children during post-lunch naptime at the RYB-operated kindergarten in violation of law. The police reported that no evidence has been found indicating further misconduct and that additional claims had been fabricated.

Safety of the students is the highest priority of the Company. RYB is deeply saddened to learn about the latest findings in the Follow-up Report. The Company also understands that there have been additional parent complaints regarding other RYB-branded kindergartens and will continue to cooperate fully with the police and other authorities in this matter. The Company remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the well-being of all the students and is in the process of implementing a comprehensive self-inspection across all RYB teaching facilities.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's brand recognition and market reputation; student enrollment in the Company's teaching facilities; the Company's growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; trends and competition in China's early childhood education market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; the expected growth of the Chinese early education market; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Company's industry and general economic conditions in China. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About RYB Education, Inc.

Founded on the core values of "Care" and "Responsibility," RYB Education, Inc. is a leading early childhood education service provider in China. Since opening its first play-and-learn center in 1998, the Company has grown and flourished with the mission to provide individualized age-appropriate education to stimulate and nurture children so they can realize their full potential. During its nearly two decades of operating history, the Company has built "RYB" into a well-recognized education brand and helped bring about many new educational practices in China's early childhood education industry. RYB's comprehensive early childhood education solutions meet the needs of children from infancy to six years old through structured courses at kindergartens and play-and-learn centers, as well as at-home educational products and services.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

RYB Education, Inc.

Investor Relations

Tel: 86-10-8767-5752

E-mail: [email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Ross Warner

Tel: +86 (10) 5730-6200

E-mail: [email protected]

In the United States:

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Alan Wang

Tel: +1-212-481-2050

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE RYB Education, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA), and Alcohol Justice are not surprised by Senator Scott Wiener's (D-San Francisco) latest attempt to push the legislature in the direction of increasing profits for the late night industry at public expense. They are however puzzled by the timing of Wiener's announcement on the day that the California state legislature began hearings on sexual harassment in the Capital.

"Senator Wiener is tone deaf to the important matters of the day," stated Sara Cooley Broschart, Alcohol Justice Advocacy Manager. "As he talks about the importance of late night alcohol revenue, women in Sacramento are testifying about sexual misconduct by legislators at bars or fundraisers serving alcohol. The costs of this legislation to women, commuters, and neighbors far outweigh the benefits to a few bar owners. Senator Wiener needs to get his priorities straight."

The unintended consequences of extending alcohol last call include:

quality of life deterioration for adjacent neighborhoods

drinkers driving from areas where bars close earlier to bars with later last calls

late night drinkers sharing the road with early morning commuters

increased DUI accidents and fatalities

limited budgets and personnel to deal effectively with the extra service calls

There is also vast peer-reviewed evidence that shows that two more hours of alcohol sales will nearly double alcohol-related violence, crime, police calls, emergency visits, etc.

"The Journal of the American Medical Association found that over 90% of domestic abusers were abusing alcohol not just regularly but at the time of the incident," stated Margot Bennett, Executive Director Women Against Gun Violence. "To protect families and communities at large, we must not only provide reasonable regulation of guns but also provide reasonable regulation of alcohol that includes restrictions on the hours it can be sold. A 4 a.m. last call is far from reasonable and will only push incidents of alcohol-related violence further into the early morning hours."

"The idea of bringing forward a bill to allow bars to serve alcohol until 4 a.m., especially in light of all the recent claims of sexual assault is unconscionable," said Patty Hoyt, Alcohol Policy Coordinator at Discovery Counseling Center. "Serving alcohol until 4 a.m. will only increase the opportunities for unwanted advances and possible assaults as it will increase the amount of time people can consume and end up intoxicated."

Wiener's failed first attempt this year (SB 384) was a dangerous piece of legislation that would have stripped away the standard protections of a normal 2 a.m. closing time. SB 384 drew the ire of local health, prevention, and recovery groups as well as MADD and law enforcement organizations that rallied at every opportunity to express strong opposition. They drew the attention and support of a steadily growing chorus of elected representatives, determined to call out the damage their constituents would suffer from an ostensible "local control" bill.

"The cost of extending hours for California's 'nightlife industry' is not factored into their 6-billion-dollar economy: drunk driving, sexual assault or damage to personal property impact lives and public costs but not bar owners' balance sheets," said Lisa Bridges, Co-Chair of CAPA - California Alcohol Policy Alliance. "Senator Wiener should know that CAPA, a diverse statewide coalition, is deeply committed to defeating any new attempt to keep bars, restaurants and clubs open past 2 a.m."

For More Information go to: www.AlcoholJustice.org or www.alcoholpolicyalliance.org/

CONTACT:

Michael Scippa 415 548-0492

Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336

SOURCE Alcohol Justice; California Alcohol Policy Alliance

Related Links

http://www.AlcoholJustice.org


NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SANDOW, the diversified media, technology and information services company, continues to expand its New York City presence with the announcement of its newly opened headquarters. The company has invested in a larger, state-of-the-art, 45,000-square-foot space in the iconic, H.J. Kalikow & Co., LLC-owned 101 Park Avenue building to support significant growth.

As SANDOW continues to invest in its businesses, expand its brands and hire new talent, the relocation of its headquarters comes not only as a result of this expansion, but also in preparation for the 2018 launch of SANDOW's disruptive new technology and logistics platform, Material Bank.

SANDOW has taken an entire floor of the Class A building, one of the largest single floor plates in the city. This is the second time that Newmark Knight Frank (NKF) President of the NY Tri-State Region David A. Falk and Senior Managing Director Jason T. Greenstein have represented SANDOW in its negotiations. The company previously occupied the 17th floor of the Time-Life Building at 1271 Avenue of the Americas.

"I look at the investment in this move as more than just office space, but as a platform for growth and innovation," said Adam I. Sandow, Founder and CEO of SANDOW.

Designed by Gensler and with incredible views of Park Avenue and Grand Central Station, the office was renovated to include a new Material ConneXion library, the world's largest resource for innovative materials, an in-house Starbucks, a theater and multiple large-scale event spaces to be used by SANDOW brands for events, activations and exhibits.

About SANDOW

Founded in 2003 by visionary entrepreneur Adam I. Sandow, SANDOW delivers powerful products, services and experiences to a highly selective audience. Serving consumers and businesses across the luxury, design and beauty categories, SANDOW's diverse portfolio includes media brands Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, NewBeauty and Worth, as well as the newly founded beauty solutions company, Beauty Engine, innovative retailer, Fred Segal, and the global materials consultancy, Material ConneXion.

Media Contact:

Rachel Lexier-Nagle

[email protected]

(917) 934 2903

SOURCE SANDOW
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SBA Administrator Linda McMahon released the following statement regarding President Trump's speech in St. Charles, Missouri this afternoon.

The President, Administrator McMahon, Secretary Mnuchin, Members of Congress and other federal officials were in St. Charles today, where the President spoke on the tax-reform effort currently underway in Washington.

"In my role as SBA Administrator, I've been traveling across the nation meeting with small businesses owners, so that I can better advocate on their behalf back in Washington.

I consistently hear the same message: they want cuts to the current tax rates and a simplified code, so they can better utilize the time currently spent preparing their taxes. I also hear from owners that they would use any money gained from tax cuts to reinvest in their businesses, resulting in more jobs for hard working Americans. America was built on the backs of our entrepreneurs; reforming the tax-code will help to revive that entrepreneurial spirit and spur further economic growth. I want to commend the President, and Congressional leadership for their efforts and vision, and look forward to seeing it cross the finish line."

About the Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. To learn more about SBA, visit http://www.sba.gov .

Release Number: 17-73

Contact: Casey Brinck, (202) 664-0758

Internet Address: www.sba.gov/news

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook , Instagram & Blogs

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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In the book , Straus, who teaches at University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how ideas and political messages can become tipping points for genocide. His original research examines patterns and circumstances that have resulted in genocide and contrasts those with similar situations where genocide seemed likely to happen but did not. Straus contends that the "founding narratives" of national leaders can determine whether an ethnic minority is tolerated or deemed a threat to the state.

"Straus's work alerts us to the circumstances under which genocide emerges and he identifies key points when action by national leaders, and efforts by the international community, can halt the slide into mass violence," said Charles Ziegler, award director and a member of UofL's department of political science.

Straus specializes in the study of genocide, political violence, human rights and African politics. He has written extensively about violence in Rwanda. His Grawemeyer Award-winning book and others have garnered high acclaim. His honors include an appointment to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by President Barack Obama. Before starting in academia, Straus was a freelance journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya.

All 2018 Grawemeyer Award winners will be announced this week, pending formal approval by the university's board of trustees. The University of Louisville presents the prizes annually for outstanding works in music composition, ideas improving world order, psychology and education, and gives a religion prize jointly with Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The 2018 winners will present free lectures about their award-winning ideas when they visit Louisville in April to accept their $100,000 prizes.

#WeAreUofL

SOURCE University of Louisville

Related Links

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TEL AVIV, Israel, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Seebo, the leading platform for Internet of Things (IoT) planning and delivery, announced today an $8 million extension of its Series A funding, for a total of $16.5 million. The investment, which brings the Company's total investments to $22 million, will support Seebo's industrial IoT (IIoT) platform, with business solutions addressing product resilience, produce efficiency, and data-driven product innovation. Additionally, the funds will be used to help extend the Company's recently signed and soon-to-be announced strategic partnerships.

"Since its inception, Seebo has been focused on building the leading platform for IoT planning and delivery," said Seebo CEO and co-founder Lior Akavia. "We've succeeded in driving customer adoption and outstanding product value. Today we see a surge in market demand from industrial manufacturers in dozens of verticals - such as mining, packaging machinery, water filtration equipment and industrial pumps - in addition to top-notch B2C brand manufacturers that we continue to serve."

The emergence of big data analytics, new integration standards, and the coming-of-age of cloud technologies are leading industrial companies to develop and deploy connected products. Developing connected products, however, is a complex and lengthy process which requires new skills and is fraught with risk. Additionally, once the products are in market, product teams must sort through reams of data in order to improve product resilience, efficiency, and safety.

Seebo's software uniquely combines IoT modeling, simulation and execution tools to quickly and cost-effectively turn existing machinery into smart, connected systems that report their health and usage data. Behavioral analytics are automatically layered on top of this big data to provide insights that drive ongoing product improvement and new business value to customers.

Over the last six months, Seebo has significantly enhanced its offering, including IoT Simulation and Behavior Analytics, closing the IoT development loop, and powering data-driven services, user insight, and product resilience.

The new investments, which bring Seebo's total funding to $22 million, come from existing investors TPY Capital and Viola Ventures, as well as Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Japan's Global IoT Technology Ventures.

"Seebo's recently-struck partnerships with giants in the world of CAD and IoT Cloud providers is a tremendous validation of the unique value proposition and complementary toolset that Seebo's platform brings to enterprise manufacturers," said Guy Yamen, Managing Partner of TPY Capital and Seebo's Chairman of the Board. "We look forward to helping the company accelerate its reach with global enterprises."

"We're excited to see the impressive strides that Seebo has made," said Zvika Orron, Partner of Viola Ventures. "With Seebo's strong vision and technological innovation, we believe it could transform the way enterprises and startups ideate, design and build IoT solutions."

About Seebo

Seebo is the leading platform for manufacturers to plan and deliver superior IoT systems that drive outstanding customer value. Seebo's cloud-based software uniquely combines tools for IoT Modeling, Simulation, Execution, and Behavior Analytics into pre-packaged business solutions that address new product innovation, product resilience, venue operational excellence, and data-driven services.

The company serves manufacturers from dozens of industries, including Multotec, Oseco, Durabrite, and Stanley Tools. Established in 2012, Seebo has offices in San Francisco, Tel Aviv, and Shenzen. Seebo was named a 2017 Gartner Cool Vendor in the Internet of Things.

Media Contact:

Matthew Krieger

GKPR

+972-544-676-950

[email protected]

SOURCE Seebo
The December show in West Salems Marie W. Heider Art Gallery will feature a schoolteacher turned adventurer. When Ellen McDonah retired from teaching elementary school in Holmen a few years ago, she looked forward to having more time to work on her artsomething shes always loved to do.

Still, like many aspiring artists, McDonah struggled to find her own style. Plus, she found that even though she now had more time to work in her studio, inspiration did not always make its appearance.

Creativity is such a weird thing, McDonah said. The harder you chase it the more elusive it is.

After struggling with that concept, McDonah settled on a strategy that seems to work well for her. I immerse myself in an adventure and let the inspiration come, she said. Its a process she calls adventurism art.

Itd be safe to say that when McDonah immerses herself in a situation, she commits totally. In 2014  the year she turned 60  McDonah paddled a 14-and-a-half-foot kayak on a 2,350-mile solo journey from the source of the Mississippi to where it enters the Gulf of Mexico. She was not only the first woman ever to accomplish the feat but undoubtedly also the first to bring art supplies along the entire way.

While traveling on the river, I was overwhelmed with so many images that inspired meand living outside is so beautiful, McDonah said.

The trip itself took 107 days. On 73 of those days she was paddling completely alone, while another 24she called them zero dayswere spent ashore waiting for rains to stop and/or floodwaters to recede. McDonah discovered that she didnt have a lot of time for full-scale oil paintings.

For something like this you really learn to try stuff and if it doesnt work you need to modify your approach, McDonah said.

In the end, most of her luminous oil paintings were finished later from sketches she took along the way.

Thats why my journal was so critical, McDonah said. In some ways putting things down in paint is an afterthought for me. I kind of work out in my head what I want to do ahead of time.

She explained that, after St. Louis the river spreads out so that finding camping spots becomes easier. One of her favorite paintings recalls a magical night she experienced while camping out under an extremely bright moon in Mississippi. It was just like daylight, McDonah said.

When McDonahs journey was over she wrote a book about her experiences. Its called One Womans River: A Solo Source to Sea Journey on the Mighty Mississippi. The book, along with paintings and sketches from her trip will be on display during the reception for her at the Heider Center on Thursday, Dec. 7 (the book is also available at her website: ellenmcdonah.com)

One of the paintings from the bookSaving Higgins Eye ClamsFrontenac, Minnesota was awarded Grand Prize Fine Art in the 2017 Mississippi River Photo and Art Shootout competition. McDonah said shes looking forward to the Heider show and the reception because it allows her to share larger format versions of the paintings people may have seen in the book. It really does make a difference, she said

Meanwhile McDonah said theres been a good response to the book. Ive been speaking about it a lot locally even though Im not particularly gregarious, she said. I think its important that I share what I learned on the riverand not only artistically.

Since her Mississippi River adventure, McDonah found another famous river to be inspired by. This summer she completed a trip down the length of the Missouri. That one she did in two parts during the summers of 2016 and 2017.

As of today, McDonah said she hasnt decided on what her next adventure will be, but she doubted it would be anywhere but on a river, stream or lake. I like the water too much, she said.
Seldat has opened a distribution center in Bogota, Colombia, lead by Seldat Colombia CEO Andres Gonzalez Cajiao. Andres joined Seldat in January 2016, bringing 20 years of global management experience to the team. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Colombia's University Javeriana and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

The company also recently opened sales offices in Guayaquil, Ecuador; Panama City, Panama and will soon be in Lima, Peru. Seldat has appointed Rony Betesh as LATAM Sales Director. With 27 years of experience in international commerce, retail negotiation and international purchasing, Rony is in charge of Seldat's regional corporate strategy. He will focus on portfolio growth, strategic partnerships and building strong customer relationships.



"With our new LATAM offices, we can research products for new markets, and make U.S. businesses aware of our customers' products. It's a win-win." Betesh said. He emphasized Seldat's commitment to the region. "Seldat's goals include more than forging alliances between companies for financial benefit. Our LATAM expansion will help employees, their families and others by creating jobs and promoting responsible business partners that are dedicated to development in their countries."

"This is a great opportunity for our global alliances and for the development of Seldat's global footprint," added Andres Gonzalez. "Our major strengths are our human resources, operations teams and capacity to quickly adapt to market needs."

About Seldat

Seldat Distribution Inc. provides innovative, scalable solutions and services that help companies in every link of the supply chain grow and prosper. Our mission is to empower businesses and consumers worldwide to find, buy and sell anything  without the limitations of borders and logistics challenges. Headquartered in South Plainfield, New Jersey, Seldat employs more than 2,200 people in multiple New Jersey locations, as well as in Los Angeles, New York, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Ecuador, Israel, Panama and Vietnam. To learn more, visit www.seldatinc.com

Contact:

Anne Journick, Global Marketing Director

Phone: 908.315.5979 x112

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Seldat Distribution Inc.

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Sharp will reveal how dealerships can provide their customers with complementary products that will help their businesses grow through leveraging Sharp's new global business alliances and partnerships. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet Sharp senior executives, attend informative educational seminars and experience new technologies first hand through an impressive product fair that will feature the company's award-winning product line, new adjacent products, and more than 50 third-party exhibitors and sponsors, including VIP sponsors: Clover Imaging Group, Docukit and DLL.

"We are very excited about this year's event," said Doug Albregts, President and CEO, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "Our flagship dealer event is not only focused on educating our dealers about our newest products, but also helping them understand how they can leverage our partners' complimentary offerings to provide tailor made solutions for their customers."

At the event, Sharp will show more than 20 new document systems products, 10 office display products as well as products in new categories, such as network storage and office water generation.

New Line of Monochrome Workgroup Document Systems

Sharp will showcase its new line of ledger-size monochrome workgroup document systems, launching in December, which include 10 models from 30  60 ppm, based on the previously released color Advanced and color Essentials Series. Built on a clean sheet, single-engine design, the new monochrome Advanced and monochrome Essentials Series offer users crisp, high-quality output with exceptional ease of use. These new models are designed with the customer in mind, providing a seamless user experience while leveraging integrated solutions through the easy-to-use touch-screen interface common to Sharp's color Advanced and color Essentials Series. The new monochrome Advanced Series models include the MX-M3070, MX-M3570, MX-M4070, MX-M5070 and MX-M6070 document systems. The new monochrome Essentials Series models include the MX-M3050, MX-M3550, MX-M4050, MX-M5050 and MX-M6050 document systems.

Additionally, Sharp will announce two new 26 ppm ledger-size, entry-level workgroup models, one color model available in December and one monochrome model, which will be available in the spring. Both models are based on Sharp's Essentials Series and offer a similar feature set.

New Line of Monochrome Desktop Document Systems

Sharp will also showcase its new line of letter/legal size monochrome desktop document systems, which include two Advanced Series models, available in December - two Essentials Series models and two printer models that will be available in the spring. The two models in each series will have print speeds of 35 ppm and 45 ppm. The MX-B355W and MX-B455W Advanced Series models use controller technology from Sharp's new ledger-size monochrome Advanced Series, offering high productivity and strong features, all in a small, compact design.

The MX-B355W and MX-B455W models also offer out-of-the-box copy, print scan and fax capabilities and come equipped with Sharp's multi-layered security suite, which includes 256-bit data encryption, up to 10-times data overwrite protection and an End-of-Lease feature, which erases all data and personal information at time of trade in.

Sharp's new models also come equipped with the newest version of Sharp OSA technology for easy integration with network applications and cloud services.

New High-speed, Light Production Color Document Systems

The new Pro Series MX-7090N and MX-8090N Color Document Systems, launching in December, round out Sharp's high-speed light production product lineup, offering copy and print speeds up to 80 pages per minute. Replacing the MX-6500N and MX-7500N models, these new document systems feature Sharp's customizable touchscreen display that includes the same familiar interface and controller architecture as the color Advanced and Essentials Series. The new Pro Series offers a choice of three powerful controllers, including two optional Fiery Print Servers that feature the latest FS300 Pro and FS300 platforms, enabling customers the freedom to choose the right fit, custom tailored to their workflow requirements.

The MX-7090N and MX-8090N are built for color critical and Print On-Demand markets, and feature groundbreaking edge-to-edge printing capability, enabling print professionals to print beautifully finished full-bleed booklets inline at up to 120 pages long. The new external MX-PE13 Fiery Print Server is available for environments such as central reprographics departments (CRDs), and in-plant printing facilities that require precise color control, job management and workflow automation. Job management is made easy with full access to Fiery Command WorkStation right from the operation panel of the MFP, saving time and eliminating the need for additional workstations, a feature not offered on competitive models. The embedded MX-PE14 Fiery Print Server is also being offered optionally for those customers looking for high-quality output and the signature Fiery job management they require at an entry level price.

All of Sharp's newest document systems offer users powerful multitasking features, enabling them to quickly execute tasks in today's busy work environments. They also include a customizable touchscreen display, providing users with a friendly graphical interface that offer a clean design, simplified Easy Modes and integrated operation guides.

Network Storage Devices

Sharp will be offering both enterprise level and small business level network storage devices from Thecus through its distribution channel. Embedded with an Intel Celeron processor J1900 Quad Core 2.0 GHz SoC and Mini-UPS battery, the Thecus N5810Pro empowers SMB users with lightning fast performance while providing impenetrable data integrity. The Thecus N12910SAS is an enterprise-class SAS-enabled NAS that includes a 12 bay network-attached storage and offers massive scalability, trail-blazing speed with uncompromising reliability for optimal data storage performance.

Professional Displays

In addition to its expansive portfolio of MFPs, Sharp will also showcase some of its award-winning line of professional displays at the National Dealer Meeting, including an amazing demonstration of its 8K technology, featuring 16 times the pixel resolution of 1080p. To date this year, Sharp has launched more than 20 professional AV products.

Skywell Atmospheric Water Generator

Sharp will also showcase the market's first smart atmospheric water generation (AWG) dispenser for offices---which produces water right from the air's natural moisture. Through its strategic alliance with Skywell, a leading water technology company, Sharp is giving office workers the power to control their own water and eliminate reliance on plastic bottles, which addresses increased workplace demand for sustainable solutions. Skywell dispensers collect moisture from the air through condensation and then use a six-stage water filtration system to create clean, pure drinking water. In addition, it can easily be installed into a variety of work environments, with no plumbing or water lines required.

About Sharp Electronics Corporation

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation. Sharp is a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, professional displays, robotics and energy systems. Sharp Imaging and information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, markets Sharp's business products, including MX Series multifunction print (MFP) systems, professional and commercial displays and Skywell atmospheric water generators.

For more information on Sharp's business products, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, 100 Paragon Drive, Montvale, N.J., 07645. For online product information, visit our website at siica.sharpusa.com.

Become a fan of SIICA on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram and watch us on YouTube.

Peppercomm for Sharp

Paul Merchan

212.931.6172

[email protected]

SOURCE Sharp Electronics Corporation
SHANGHAI, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) ("SMIC," the "Company," or "our"), one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world, announces

(1) PLACING OF NEW SHARES UNDER GENERAL MANDATE

(2) PROPOSED ISSUE OF US$65 MILLION PERPETUAL SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES

(3) PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF DATANG

(4 PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF CHINA IC FUND AND

(5) PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF COUNTRY HILL

PLACING OF NEW SHARES UNDER GENERAL MANDATE

The Board is pleased to announce that on 29 November 2017, the Company entered into the Placing Agreement with the Joint Placing Agents whereby the Company conditionally agreed to place, through the Placing Agents, 241,418,625 Placing Shares to not less than six independent Placees at a price of HK$10.65 per Placing Share. The Placing Shares will be allotted and issued pursuant to the General Mandate and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Shares. The issue of the Placing Shares is not subject to the approval of the Shareholders.

Assuming 241,418,625 Placing Shares are successfully placed, the Placing Shares represent (i) approximately 5.17% of the existing issued share capital of the Company as at the date of this announcement; and (ii) approximately 4.92% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the issue of the Placing Shares (assuming that there will be no change in the issued share capital of the Company between the date of this announcement and completion of the Placing save for the issue of such Placing Shares).

The Placing Price represents (i) a discount of approximately 4.91% to the Closing Price of HK$11.20 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange on 28 November 2017, being the last full Trading Day immediately before the execution of the Placing Agreement; (ii) a discount of approximately 9.59% to the average Closing Prices of approximately HK$11.78 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last five consecutive Trading Days up to and including 28 November 2017; and (iii) a discount of approximately 8.74% to the average Closing Prices of approximately HK$11.67 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last ten consecutive Trading Days up to and including 28 November 2017.

The gross proceeds of the Placing will be approximately HK$2.57 billion and the net proceeds of the Placing (after deduction of fees, commissions and expenses) will amount to approximately HK$2.55 billion. The net proceeds raised upon completion of the Placing will be approximately HK$10.56 per Placing Share. The aggregate nominal value of the Placing Shares will be HK$7,535,544.

An application will be made to the Stock Exchange for the listing of, and permission to deal in, the Placing Shares.

Completion of the Placing is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent in the Placing Agreement. Please refer to the section headed ''The Placing Agreement'' below for further information.

PROPOSED ISSUE OF US$65 MILLION PERPETUAL SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES

On 29 November 2017, the Company and the Joint Managers entered into the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which each of the Joint Managers has agreed to subscribe and pay for, or to procure subscribers to subscribe and pay for the Placed PSCS to be issued by the Company in an aggregate principal amount of US$65 million.

Based on the initial Conversion Price of HK$12.78 and assuming full conversion of the Placed PSCS at the initial Conversion Price, the Placed PSCS will be convertible into approximately 39,688,654 Placed Conversion Shares, representing (i) approximately 0.85% of the issued share capital of the Company on the Last Trading Day (ii) approximately 0.81% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the Placing Shares (assuming that there is no change in the issued share capital of the Company, save for the issue of the Placing Shares); and (iii) approximately 0.80% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the Placing Shares and assuming the full conversion of the Placed PSCS at the initial Conversion Price (assuming that there is no change in the issued share capital of the Company, save for the issue of the Placing Shares and Placed Conversion Shares).

The Placed Conversion Shares will be allotted and issued pursuant to the General Mandate and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Shares then in issue on the relevant conversion date. The issue of the Placed PSCS is not subject to the approval of the Shareholders.

An application will be made to the Stock Exchange for the listing of, and permission to deal in, the Placed Conversion Shares. An application will be made to the Singapore Exchange for the listing and quotation of the Placed PSCS.

Completion of the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent in the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement. In addition, the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement may be terminated in certain circumstances. Please refer to the section headed ''The Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement'' below for further information.

PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF DATANG

Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 10 November 2008 in relation to the Datang Purchase Agreement.

Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, Datang has a pre-emptive right to subscribe for (i) a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by Datang immediately prior to the issue of such securities; or (ii) should such issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares result in a single investor or investor group acting in concert beneficially owning more Shares than Datang and its wholly-owned subsidiary, one Share more than the number of Shares proposed to be beneficially owned by such prospective largest shareholder of the Company. Datang's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement and the Listing Rules, completion of any such issue of the Datang Subscription Securities to, and subscription of the Datang Subscription Securities by, Datang upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the approval of the independent Shareholders.

Any exercise by Datang of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the Datang Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the Datang Pre-emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS).

The Company has notified Datang in accordance with the terms of the Datang Purchase Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement, Datang is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice.

As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by Datang in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription, up to the amount it is entitled to under the Datang Purchase Agreement based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the Placing and the issue of the Placed PSCS. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.

Datang has also indicated to the Company that it intends to subscribe for the Datang Further PSCS, in addition to the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placed PSCS, for a principal amount (for the Datang Further PSCS only) of approximately US$100 million (subject to adjustment).

The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.

PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF CHINA IC FUND

Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 12 February 2015 in relation to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement.

Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, China IC Fund has a pre-emptive right to subscribe for a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by China IC Fund immediately prior to the issue of such securities. China IC Fund's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement and the Listing Rules, completion of any such issue of the China IC Fund Subscription Securities to, and subscription of the China IC Fund Subscription Securities by, China IC Fund upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the approval of the independent Shareholders.

Any exercise by China IC Fund of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the China IC Fund Pre- emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS).

The Company has notified China IC Fund in accordance with the terms of the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement, China IC Fund is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice.

As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by China IC Fund in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription, up to the amount it is entitled to under the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the Placing and the issue of the Placed PSCS.

China IC Fund has also indicated to the Company that it intends to subscribe for the China IC Fund Further PSCS, in addition to the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placed PSCS, for an aggregate principal amount (for the China IC Fund Further PSCS and China IC Fund Pre- emptive PSCS) amounting up to an aggregate of approximately US$300 million.

The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.

PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF COUNTRY HILL

Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 18 April 2011 in relation to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement.

Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, Country Hill has a preemptive right to subscribe for a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by Country Hill immediately prior to the issue of such securities. Country Hill's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre- emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, completion of any such issue of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities to, and subscription of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities by, Country Hill upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals.

Any exercise by Country Hill of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the Country Hill Pre- emptive PSCS).

The Company has notified Country Hill in accordance with the terms of the Country Hill Subscription Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, Country Hill is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right with respect to the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice.

As at the date of this announcement, the Company has not been notified by Country Hill whether it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.

SHAREHOLDER LOCK-UP UNDERTAKINGS BY DATANG HK AND XINXIN HK

Reference is made to the information of the Shareholder lock-up undertakings by Datang HK and Xinxin HK as set out in the Company's announcement dated 28 November 2017 in relation to, among other things, the potential exercise of pre-emptive rights by Datang and China IC Fund.

Each of Datang HK and Xinxin HK has given a lock-up undertaking in relation to the Shares held by it directly (or through nominees) for a period of 90 days to facilitate an orderly marketing, distribution and trading of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS.

Each of Datang HK and Xinxin HK has also given a lock-up undertaking in relation to the Shares to be issued to it (or its nominees) upon exercise of pre-emptive right by each of Datang (in the case of Datang HK) and China IC Fund (in the case of Xinxin HK) in connection with the Placing for a period of 90 days in order to further facilitate an orderly marketing, distribution and trading of the Placing Shares.

USE OF PROCEEDS

The gross proceeds from the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS will be approximately US$394 million.

The net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS will be approximately US$391 million.

It is estimated that, assuming Datang and China IC Fund each exercise their respective preemptive right, in accordance with their respective letters of intent, the net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares, the Placed PSCS, the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities would be approximately US$969 million.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares, the Placed PSCS, the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities for the Company's capital expenditure for capacity expansion and other general corporate purposes.

LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS

As each of Datang and China IC Fund is a substantial shareholder of the Company and thus a connected person of the Company, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription or the China IC Fund Further Subscription (including any issue of Shares on conversion of the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS, the Datang Further PSCS and the China IC Fund Further PSCS) will constitute a connected transaction of the Company and will be subject to independent Shareholders' approval under the Listing Rules. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by each of Datang and China IC Fund in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to fully exercise its pre-emptive right it is entitled to under the Datang Purchase Agreement (in the case of Datang) or the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement (in the case of China IC Fund) and to subscribe for the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities respectively, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placing Shares and/or the Placed PSCS. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary if any agreement(s) is/are entered into by the Company with Datang or China IC Fund regarding the above matters.

Shareholders and potential investors should note that the completion of the Placing and the completion of the issue of the Placed PSCS are subject to the fulfilment of the conditions under the Placing Agreement and the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement, respectively. As the Placing, the issue of the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription may or may not proceed, Shareholders and potential investors are reminded to exercise caution when dealing in the Shares.

For the rest of this announcement please see the full announcement: http://www.smics.com/eng/investors/ir_filings.php

About SMIC

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"; NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and the largest and most advanced foundry in mainland China. SMIC provides integrated circuit (IC) foundry and technology services on process nodes from 0.35 micron to 28 nanometer. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SMIC has an international manufacturing and service base. In China, SMIC has a 300mm wafer fabrication facility (fab) and a 200mm fab in Shanghai; a 300mm fab and a majority-owned 300mm fab for advanced nodes in Beijing; 200mm fabs in Tianjin and Shenzhen; and a majority-owned joint-venture 300mm bumping facility in Jiangyin; additionally, in Italy SMIC has a majority-owned 200mm fab. SMIC also has marketing and customer service offices in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Taiwan, and a representative office in Hong Kong.

For more information, please visit www.smics.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

(Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995)

This document contains, in addition to historical information, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on SMIC's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. SMIC uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "target," and similar expressions to identify forward looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of SMIC's senior management and involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SMIC's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements including, among others, risks associated with cyclicality and market conditions in the semiconductor industry, intense competition in the semiconductor industry, SMIC's reliance on a small number of customers, timely wafer acceptance by SMIC's customers, timely introduction of new technologies, SMIC's ability to ramp new products into volume, supply and demand for semiconductor foundry services, industry overcapacity, shortages in equipment, components and raw materials, availability of manufacturing capacity, financial stability in end markets, orders or judgments from pending litigation, intensive intellectual property litigation in semiconductor industry, general economic conditions and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

In addition to the information contained in this document, you should also consider the information contained in our other filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 27, 2017, especially in the "Risk Factors" section and such other documents that we may file with the SEC or The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited ("SEHK") from time to time, including current reports on Form 6-K. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this document may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated or, if no date is stated, as of the date of this document. Except as may be required by law, SMIC undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:

Investor Relations

+86-21-2081-2804

[email protected]

SOURCE Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation

Related Links

http://www.smics.com


DALLAS, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network (ACN) has saved the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) more than $73 million over the past three years, including nearly $37.3 million in 2016, while maintaining a Quality Score over 95 percent, according to the latest figures. The savings rank the Southwestern Health Resources ACN No. 7 in the nation.

Dr. Mack Mitchell Dr. Dan Varga

The Southwestern Health Resources ACN manages care for nearly 87,500 Medicare beneficiaries, more than any other Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in North Texas. This is part of a national initiative to reduce costs by coordinating and delivering better health care for Medicare patients. When an ACO exceeds quality and financial thresholds  demonstrating achievement of high-quality care and wiser spending of health care dollars  it is able to share in the savings generated for Medicare.

"These impressive figures demonstrate that our efforts to improve quality while reducing costs for CMS are both successful and sustainable," said Dr. Mack Mitchell, Chief Medical Officer for the Southwestern Health Resources Physician Network and Accountable Care Network, and Interim Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs at UT Southwestern. "Our success provides further evidence that our efforts to coordinate care for patients combined with identifying opportunities for savings without sacrificing quality are on target."

"We believe that our accomplishments result from our clinically integrated program and the ability to coordinate and manage care inside the high-performing network that is Southwestern Health Resources," said Dr. Dan Varga, Senior Executive Officer of Southwestern Health's Physician Network and Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of Texas Health Resources. "We continue to be very proud of our successes in achieving a reduction in the cost of care while delivering better quality and outcomes. Ultimately, these results demonstrate how Southwestern Health Resources will benefit patients, health care providers, and the general public."

As one of the participants in the CMS ACO program, the Southwestern Health Resources ACN has maintained a 95 percent or better Quality Score since launching in 2014 while saving:

More than $6 million in 2014, resulting in $2.9 million in shared savings;

in 2014, resulting in in shared savings; Nearly $30 million in 2015, resulting in more than $14 million in shared savings;

in 2015, resulting in more than in shared savings; More than $37 million in 2016, resulting in more than $17.4 million in shared savings.

During that period, quality scores improved 5 percent among established measures and 13 percent on preventive measures.

The ACO has been among the country's top-performing programs since 2015.

"What further underscores the effectiveness of our model is that savings and quality ratings have continued to rise while both the network of people served and the quality measures have expanded. That speaks to the focus of our model," said Danny Irland, Chief Financial Officer for the Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network and Vice President for Market and Payer Relations for Southwestern Health Resources. "Successful Medicare ACOs are on the cutting edge of health care reform, and these latest results reveal how effective, necessary, and advantageous an integrated network of hospitals and doctors can be, both for patients and physicians."

"We've proven that with the right analytics, data sharing through integrated electronic health records, population health services and high-performing, talented physicians, we can address many of the issues facing the health care system," said Suresh Gunasekaran, Senior Executive Officer for the Population Health Services Company of Southwestern Health Resources, and Vice President and Chief of Operations for the UT Southwestern Health System. "Our data shows that our quality of care is higher and our cost of care is lower for patients managed by Southwestern Health physicians along with a network of Southwestern Health facilities."

Originally created by UT Southwestern, the accountable care network includes UT Southwestern Medical Center faculty, Texas Health Physicians Group members, and independent community physicians. Formerly called the UT Southwestern Accountable Care Network (UTSACN), the Medicare accountable care organization was a Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). These ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that come together to provide coordinated high-quality care to their Medicare patients.

Southwestern Health Resources formed in 2016 by Texas Health Resources and UT Southwestern Medical Center, blending the strengths of both Texas Health and UT Southwestern from preventive care to the most advanced interventions to better serve North Texas residents. The integrated network builds on more than 50 years of collaboration between the two institutions to improve the health of North Texans. Southwestern Health is made up of a physician network, hospital network, and population health services company, which provides clinical and quality data along with analytic services necessary to support the physician and hospital networks.

Southwestern Health network consists of 31 hospital locations, as well as an expansive network of physicians to provide higher value and easier access to all levels of care, from primary care to emerging therapies using the latest scientific discoveries. The network serves more than 7 million people across 16 counties in North Texas. In total, Southwestern Health ACN coordinates care for 300,000 lives, including the 87,500 Medicare beneficiaries.

"High-performing networks like Southwestern Health are about creating efficiencies and quality enhancements that ultimately improve outcomes and help control costs," said Marinan Williams, Senior Executive Officer, Market and Payer Relations for Southwestern Health Resources.

Additional Resources

Visit the Medicare Shared Savings Program News and Updates webpage to access the CMS press release and fact sheet, the link to the Performance Year 2015 results file, and to learn more about the program.

SOURCE UT Southwestern Medical Center

Related Links

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu


The Federation has partnered with Rhode Island-based food technology company Crave Food Systems to build and promote this first unifying local food brand and online marketplace.

In a time when shopping trends juxtapose a consumer desire for local, farm-fresh food against their affinity for convenient, online shopping, the Federation found an increasing need to be competitive.

"Our markets are losing customer base because consumers are looking for more convenient means of food shopping," said Diane Eggert, executive director of the Federation. "The FreshFoodNY app will help our markets overcome the downward trend we're seeing in customer participation by connecting farmers and consumers online to make buying local easier."

The technology is designed to benefit New York's purveyors and consumers. By making local food accessible online, the app will increase business for purveyors and draw consumers into farmers markets to pick up their pre-ordered groceries.

"We're incredibly excited for this opportunity to empower the Farmers Market Federation of New York with this technology and for the positive impact it will make for the farmers, fishermen and artisans of the great state of New York," Matt Tortora, co-founder and CEO of Crave Food Systems said. "The convenience the FreshFoodNY app offers will make it possible for more consumers to support their farmers and will also finally give those producers eCommerce capabilities."

The FreshFoodNY app is slated to become available for consumer download in early 2018. For more information, eaters can visit ny.sourcewhatsgood.com.

About Crave Food Systems: Crave Food Systems Corporation (CFS), established in 2014, is a food technology company that brings eCommerce and marketing tools to farmers, fishermen, artisans and the local communities they serve. CFS believes the right technology can open the door to healthier food for all. Its digital platform, the WhatsGood Marketplace, helps buyers discover local food sources and purchase food online, all in support of the local food community.

About the Farmers Market Federation of New York: The Farmers Market Federation of New York is a grassroots membership organization of farmers' market managers, market sponsors, farmers and market supporters. The Federation has developed a spectrum of services to increase the number and capacity of farmers markets in the state and improve the ability of markets to serve their farmers, their consumers and their host communities.

Media Contact:

Allison Farrelly

Content Marketing Specialist, Crave Food Systems.

401-332-8238

[email protected]

SOURCE Crave Food Systems
WORCESTER, Mass., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) today announced it has expanded its product recall coverage to include additional protections for manufacturing companies. These investments reinforce The Hanover's commitment to provide relevant, comprehensive insurance solutions for its agent partners.

"We're committed to continually developing solutions and enhancing our capabilities to provide our agents with ways to better protect and serve their customers," said Scott Grieco, president, middle market at The Hanover. "The frequency of recalls combined with the potentially staggering financial implications puts manufacturers at risk. In assessing some of these risks, it was clear there was a need in this market for an expanded insurance solution that could deliver protection for the diverse needs of this industry."

The company's product recall coverage offers reimbursement for expenses incurred to remove a defective product from the marketplace, including shipping, transportation and disposal, as well as the cost to notify customers. It also helps cover the cost of inspecting and testing defective products to determine if a recall is warranted.

In addition, the company offers the following optional coverages to further enhance manufacturers' product recall protection.

Repair, replacement or repurchasing coverage: This covers costs incurred to repair a defective product, replace a product with a similar one, repurchase a product or reimburse customers for payments. It can also cover costs to redistribute and install replacement products or parts.

This covers costs incurred to repair a defective product, replace a product with a similar one, repurchase a product or reimburse customers for payments. It can also cover costs to redistribute and install replacement products or parts. Customer's lost profit coverage: This can protect manufacturers when a product recall affects a customer's ability to deliver their goods. It covers the customer's resulting profit losses.

This can protect manufacturers when a product recall affects a customer's ability to deliver their goods. It covers the customer's resulting profit losses. Good faith advertising coverage: This covers the costs to help repair a company's damaged reputation after a product recall through paid advertising, social media and public relations services.

The Hanover also offers product recall liability coverage, which differs from its general liability insurance. This optional coverage offers protection if a company is sued for costs associated with a recall and covers claims for damages and legal representation costs.

These coverage enhancements are additions to The Hanover's broad offering of tools and products to serve the manufacturing industry, and will be available for commercial package policies starting with renewal dates of Jan. 1, 2018.

For more information, please visit hanover.com.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. The company provides exceptional insurance solutions in a dynamic world. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, The Hanover offers standard and specialized insurance protection for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com .

All products are underwritten by The Hanover Insurance Company or one of its insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates ("The Hanover"). Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions and is subject to the company underwriting guidelines and the issued policy. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage. For more information about The Hanover visit our website at www.hanover.com.

2017 The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hanover.com


JERUSALEM, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the New York Academy of Sciences and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities announced today the 2018 Laureates of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel.

The Blavatnik Awards honor exceptional young scientists and engineers by highlighting their extraordinary achievements, recognizing remarkable promise for future discoveries, and accelerating innovation in their research. Established in the United States in 2007, the Blavatnik Awards are a signature program of the Blavatnik Family Foundation that are administered by the New York Academy of Sciences. Awarded in Israel for the first time  in collaboration with the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities - three of the country's most outstanding young scientists and engineers will receive US$100,000 each, one of the largest unrestricted prizes ever created for early-career researchers in Israel.

From 47 nominees, encompassing Israel's most promising scientific researchers aged 42 years and younger and nominated by Israeli research universities, a distinguished national jury selected three outstanding laureates, one each from the disciplines of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Physical Sciences & Engineering.

Among the members of the Scientific Advisory Council for the awards are Professor Nili Cohen, President of IASH, and Co-Chairs Professor Aaron Ciechanover, IASH member and Nobel Prize Laureate, and Mr. Ellis Rubinstein, President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences. The selection committee in each of the three prize areas included scientific leaders from Israel and abroad.

The 2018 Blavatnik Awards in Israel Laureates are:

Dr. Oded Rechavi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University (Age at nomination: 36)

Dr. Rechavi's groundbreaking work uncovers novel mechanisms of inheritance  he has shown how acquired traits can be passed to the next generation without changes to the DNA code. His studies can help us to understand how complex traits and diseases are inherited  a first step towards treatments for many diseases where genetic causes have not been identified.

Dr. Charles Diesendruck, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (Age at nomination: 37)

Dr. Diesendruck shows exceptional promise in the growing field of "mechanochemistry", where mechanical force is used to drive chemical reactions or changes. Through these reactions, materials' properties can be altered, creating smart mechanoresponsive materials.

Prof. Anat Levin, Associate Professor, The Andrew & Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (Age at nomination: 39)

Professor Levin has made ground-breaking contributions to the emerging field of computational photography, which utilize computational techniques to develop novel imaging capabilities that overcome the limits of traditional optical (or other imaging) systems.

"These three exceptional young scientists and engineers exemplify the innovative spirit and remarkable scientific breadth of Israeli academic and research institutions," said Len Blavatnik, Founder and Chairman of Access Industries and Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. "The work of these brilliant researchers will enhance science throughout the world for generations to come."

Professor Nili Cohen, President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, noted that, "The Blavatnik Awards fill the need for recognition and support of young scientists in Israel who demonstrate outstanding merit. The scientific evaluation committees had a challenging responsibility to identify the most exceptional scientific accomplishments among scores of outstanding young Israeli researchers."

Mr. Ellis Rubinstein, President and Chief Executive Officer at the New York Academy of Sciences, said, "By identifying and supporting the most promising innovators in Israel, these Awards not only will inspire Israel's children to choose science and technology careers but Israel's best and brightest will join the Blavatnik Awards' international community online and in person, forming global collaborations of unprecedented impact. Moreover, through the New York Academy of Sciences' worldwide network, Israel's scientific and engineering prowess will become even better known than it is today."

The inaugural Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel will be honored at a formal ceremony in Jerusalem on February 4, 2018. The Laureates will join a network of their peers as members of the Blavatnik Science Scholars community, currently comprising over 220 Blavatnik Award honorees from the decade-old U.S. program. Laureates will also be invited to attend the annual Blavatnik Science Symposium in New York City each summer, where the Scholars come together to exchange new ideas and build cross-disciplinary research collaborations.

About The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists

The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, established in 2007 by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and administered by the New York Academy of Sciences, honor exceptional young scientists and engineers by celebrating their extraordinary achievements, recognizing outstanding promise, and accelerating innovation through unrestricted funding. The Awards were established in New York and began as regional awards for young scientists and engineers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists were established in 2014 and are awarded to faculty-rank scientists annually across the United States. To date, there have been over 2,900 scientists nominated from over 280 institutions, with more than 220 recipients from both the Blavatnik Regional and Blavatnik National Awards. In 2017, the Awards were also launched in the United Kingdom, to recognize faculty-rank young scientists and engineers from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. For more information go to www.blavatnikawards.org.

About The Blavatnik Family Foundation

The Blavatnik Family Foundation is an active supporter of leading educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and throughout the world. The Foundation is headed by Len Blavatnik, an American industrialist and philanthropist. Mr. Blavatnik is the Founder and Chairman of Access Industries, a privately-held U.S. industrial group with global interests in natural resources and chemicals, media and telecommunications, venture capital, and real estate. Among other things, Access Industries owns the Israeli Clal Industries group. For more detailed information, please visit: www.accessindustries.com.

About the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been driving innovative solutions to society's challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org and follow us on Twitter at @NYASciences.

About the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities is the preeminent scientific institution in Israel. It was established by law in 1961, and acts as a national focal point for Israeli scholarship in all branches of the sciences, social sciences and humanities. The Academy comprises 125 of Israel's most distinguished scientists and scholars who operate in two sections  the sciences section and the humanities section.

It is tasked with promoting Israeli scientific excellence; advising the government on scientific matters of national interest; publishing scholarly research of lasting merit; and maintaining active contact with the broader international scientific and scholarly community.

For media inquiries regarding the Blavatnik Awards please contact:

Kamala Murthy: [email protected], (212) 298-3740

SOURCE The New York Academy of Sciences

Related Links

http://www.nyas.org


LANGLEY, BC, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Trinity Western University (TWU), a small Christian university located in British Columbia, will appear before the Supreme Court this week to argue that it should be able to open a law school. The oral argument, which involves TWU, the Law Society of British Columbia, the Law Society of Upper Canada and an unprecedented number of interveners, will take place in Ottawa over the course of two days on November 30 and December 1.

"Our law school will not rely on taxpayer funding and will provide access to justice to many Canadians," said Earl Phillips, executive director of TWU's proposed School of Law. "The law school will also offer a concentration in charity law, at a time when non-profits are the second fastest growing sector in Canada. Of the 21 common law schools in Canada only three offer charity law courses and none offer a specialty."

TWU applied to open the law school since 2012 but opponents argue that its distinctly Christian approach and community covenant are discriminatory. The covenant, a 2,000-word document that calls for all who attend and work at TWU to "cultivate Christian virtues, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, compassion, humility, forgiveness, peacemaking, mercy and justice," also defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"Not a single student has ever been expelled for being a member of the LGTBQ+ community. All we ask is that, while at TWU, students live according to our community covenant," says TWU President Bob Kuhn. "We believe this case is not just about TWU. This case is about freedom for all faith communities and other minorities in Canada. As the BC Court of Appeal stated when it decided in favour of the law school, 'a society that does not admit of and accommodate differences cannot be a free and democratic society'."

Brayden Volkenant and Jessie Legaree are TWU Alumni who are now pursuing careers in law. Both Legaree and Volkenant would have applied to the TWU School of Law to continue their education at TWU if the opportunity had been available. They are both available for media comment.

"A TWU law school graduate would receive the same quality legal training as a lawyer from other Canadian law schools. The law is the same, no matter where you study it," says Jessie Legaree, a law school graduate from the University of Toronto and a practicing lawyer in Abbotsford, BC.

Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University offers liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media and culture.

SPOKESPERSONS AT THE COURT IN OTTAWA FOR INTERVIEWS:

Bob Kuhn  President of Trinity Western University

Earl Phillips  Executive Director of proposed TWU School of Law

Janet Epp Buckingham  Director of TWU's Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa

Brayden Volkenant  Petitioner in the case, law student and TWU alumni

Jessie Legaree  Affiant in the case, practicing lawyer and TWU alumni

The National Post, the Globe and Mail and the Vancouver Sun have editorialized in favour of the law school. The editorials, along with statements of support from individuals of many faiths, are found here: https://www.twuserves.ca/support/

MEDIA RESOURCES:

Microsite for media: www.TWUserves.ca

Media kit with biographies, photos, videos and B-roll: http://bit.ly/2jNL3EY

Legal timeline and background information: https://www.twuserves.ca/twu-legal-case/

SOURCE Trinity Western University

Related Links

http://www.twu.ca


"We wanted to give back to this amazing city by assisting the people in it who need help the most and allowing everyone to enjoy the holiday season," said CEO Adrian Hyde. "It's exciting for us to support the great work of The North Texas Food Bank, an organization that cared for some of our team members during the holidays when they were children."

A leader in outsourced sales, Trust Group works to increase market share and build the customer base of some of the world's most well-known brands. The company serves as a face-to-face liaison between the client and customer, providing a personalized yet professional approach to customer retention, promotional marketing, and sales.

In addition to bringing outstanding results to the client, Trust Group provides an energetic, positive, and fun environment where excellence is encouraged. The firm's continued growth allows for increased opportunity for team members seeking to grow personally and professionally. Trust Group values its community and believes in giving back through philanthropic activities with the North Texas Food Bank among other nonprofits.

Like Trust Group on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check them out on Instagram.

About Trust Group

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trust Group is a leading outsourced sales and marketing firm that represents premier clients in the telecommunications industry. The highly trained sales professionals at Trust Group provide excellent service to the client while working to increase their market share and customer base. For more information, call 972-807-9319 or contact them at http://trustgroupdallas.com/.

Contact: Trinh Nguyen 972-807-9319

SOURCE Trust Group

Related Links

http://trustgroupdallas.com


Denzel T. Sanders, 26, of Black River Falls was arrested Monday after leading an armed four-hour standoff with police in the grove area of Black River Falls.

After Sanders was arrested, four guns were found in the apartment he was barricaded in during the standoff with police at 119 S. Third St.

We after the fact found that there were four (guns). The guns had a long range or were a high-powered rifle all the way up to pistols with different calibers, Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera said.

The incident ended after Black River Falls Police Chief Kelly Bakken negotiated with Sanders for 45 minutes, ending the standoff peacefully with no guns fired at 6:24 p.m.

She had the primary link during this situation where she was the negotiator. She did have a good conversation with him and was able to negotiate well and get him to comply with her requests and come on out, Waldera said adding that Tom Sharp with the Department of Corrections also aided in the negotiation process.

Bakken was also the previous negotiator for the Jackson County Sheriffs Office when she was the captain there before becoming the Black River Falls Police Chief.

During the standoff, Sanders was also using Facebook Live to broadcast the event from inside the apartment, which is something the Jackson County Sheriffs Office is currently working on obtaining the full video.

We will get that of course because of our preservation of that information, but he was publishing something on Facebook that we are trying to get right now, Waldera said.

The parts of the video Waldera has seen do show Sanders smoking marijuana, so Waldera expects drug usage may have been a factor in the standoff. Waldera did not have any information that the standoff was related to alcohol usage.

How the incident began

The standoff started when a woman called in a disorderly conduct situation between herself and Sanders. A Jackson County Sheriffs Office deputy went to the womans residence, but Sanders found out and left the area.

He made comments that he was going to go downtown, possibly get a gun and harm her. So we had to do a quick intervention, Waldera said.

The deputy was able to gather Sanders vehicle information from the woman. A separate deputy in downtown Black River Falls found the vehicle and attempted to make contact and stop the vehicle, but instead Sanders continued driving a short distance.

The vehicle stopped and the person fled and went up into the residence. The deputy did a short foot pursuit, but because of the allegations of possible firearms, backed up and then called out for resources, Waldera said.

Communication was sparse with Sanders initially, with the only contact being with deputies through open windows.

The issue that we had was that the persons emotions were pretty elevated. He made comments that he was going to harm others. He was very much upset with the domestic relationship issues that were going onvery upset with the person reporting the issue, Waldera said.

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office has also discovered that the home the suspect barricaded himself in was not his primary residence.

We dont know exactly the details, but there was a residences apartment that he went to, but we are getting information that he was temporarily staying there. It wasnt a primary residence because of the situation he was in, Waldera said.

Up to two blocks away from the apartment were asked to be evacuated, including two evacuations that were serious across the street and in an apartment next to the event.

We did have to do an emergency evacuation on two residences because they were within the threat area, Waldera said. Based on the information we had, there was a pretty immediate threat to that general area.

We appreciate the patience that the residents of Black River Falls had while law enforcement controlled the scene. Several of the residents were asked to leave their homes for safety reasons and several others were not allowed into the area. We are thankful that everything ended safely and no one was injured during the situation, Bakken said in a statement Tuesday morning.

Sanders was out on probation with a domestic violence past, so he was not supposed to have firearms.

Sanders was charged with failure to comply with officers attempt to take into custody, domestic disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and a probation violation.

Sanders and the woman do have children in common. Waldera said the woman is definitely fearful after this event.

The Black River Falls Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, La Crosse County Sheriffs Department and Black River Falls Municipal Utilities assisted at the scene.

The incident remains under investigation.
ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Defense and Security Solutions, IDSS, today announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded a base contract, valued at approximately $4.4 million for a 12-month development effort related to the new TSA Accessible Property Screening System (APSS). Under the contract, TSA will acquire several prototypes of the DETECT 1000 screening system with support, and options to purchase additional prototype systems in the future.

In parallel, since June, TSA has been demonstrating the DETECT 1000 operationally at Boston's Logan Airport. Several other U.S. and international customers have also obtained IDSS systems for operational evaluation.

This award complements several other development contracts IDSS has recently been awarded by other agencies. These contracts, totaling over $8 million in funding, are with other government agencies for systems and for adding new capabilities to the DETECT 1000 to automate the detection of certain threat types, as well as to develop new solutions for other security applications.

"The IDSS team is comprised of a number of security technology experts that are responsible for many of the systems in use by TSA and overseas customers today. This new contract will further expand the benefits from our DETECT 1000 technology to counter the serious and growing threats to the aviation industry," said Joe Paresi, IDSS CEO. "We are focused on supporting the TSA and our international customers with the most advanced automated screening solution available and appreciate TSA's recognition of our capabilities to bring Next Generation technology to airport checkpoints to improve threat detection and increase passenger throughput, while also making the screening process much more convenient for all passengers."

"We regard the TSA as the world's leading authority on aviation security. We view this new contract as another important step toward providing the most advanced means to protect passengers against attempts against our freedom and way of life," said Jeffery Hamel, President of IDSS Security. "To us, this award is continued recognition of the incredible talent and commitment of the IDSS engineering team."

For more information, please visit www.idsscorp.net

About Integrated Defense and Security Solutions

Founded in 2012 by experienced security technology developers, IDSS is focused on delivering high performance, next generation security systems to replace the existing manual detection approach of X-ray based systems, currently in use at most airports worldwide.

IDSS designed the DETECT 1000 to meet the operational requirements of today's threats with the ability to expand its capabilities as threats continue to evolve.

To learn more about IDSS, please visit the company's website at www.idsscorp.net.

IDSS is headquartered in New York with engineering and production facilities in Boxborough, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.IDSScorp.net.

IDSS and the logo are registered trademarks of IDSS Corporation. DETECT 1000 is a trademark of IDSS Corporation.

For Further Information:

Contact: Pat Krall

IDSS Director, Business Operations

914-273-4000 [email protected]

SOURCE IDSS

Related Links

http://www.idsscorp.net


SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuition.io, the nation's first and most comprehensive employer-funded student loan repayment assistance platform, welcomes two new hires this week  Bob Wall, vice president of engineering and Mark Irvine, chief revenue officer. Wall will be based in Tuition.io's Santa Monica headquarters and Irvine will work from the company's San Mateo location.

As the student loan crisis continues to impact multiple generations of workers, companies are quickly realizing that student loan repayment assistance is not only a powerful tool to improve recruitment, engagement, and retention, but is also a meaningful benefit that gives back years of financial freedom to employees. Since January, Tuition.io has seen more than a hundred percent increase in the number of student loans being managed on its platform.

"We're seeing the immediate impact of student loan debt on young professionals - from delaying home purchases to starting a family and saving for retirement - and this doesn't even cover the long-term consequences," said Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io. "The time for companies to address this issue is now. With the addition of Bob and Mark we have the best team in place to help employers across all industries implement this benefit. It's no longer going to be a question of why you should offer this benefit but how could you not?"

Prior to Tuition.io, Wall was most known for his role as founder and CTO of on-demand laundry startup  Washio. During his tenure, Wall grew the company from four to 90 employees and expanded operations from one city into six markets, achieving an impressive 300 percent increase in revenue year after year. In 2016, Washio's tech team was acquired by Alliance Laundry Systems, where Wall led the development of the company's next-gen laundry management system that was built and launched internationally in less than a year.

"It's an exhilarating time to join a team that's leading the charge in making student loan repayment assistance a national, and even international, employee benefit standard," added Wall. "Tuition.io's platform is already processing billions of dollars in loan payments and with the expanding client base, I'm looking forward to further scaling the platform and introducing exciting new products and features that will continue to make this benefit an irresistible offering for any company."

Irvine joins Tuition.io from Enlighted, an IoT solutions company that delivers the leading technology platform for smart buildings, and was previously at Mojix, an RFID technology and IoT platform solutions company, where he led as senior vice president of global sales. As CRO at Tuition.io, he will focus on scaling the business and refining the go-to-market strategy to connect Tuition.io's targeted customers in a crossfunctional revenue generating process that leverages the sales teams to continuously provide customers the best product experience for their employees.

Fresh off the heels of a Series B round, Tuition.io continues to expand its roster of clients, which now includes Live Nation, Staples, Fidelity Investments and the recently announced City of Memphis  the first city in the country to offer a student debt reduction program for city employees.

ABOUT TUITION.IO

Tuition.io is the nation's leading employee benefit platform empowering employers to better attract, retain and engage their next generation of talent who are saddled with stifling student debt, by helping their employees reduce and better manage their student loan burden. Tuition.io works with companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies such as Live Nation, Fidelity Investments and Staples, to startups including ChowNow and Chegg, as well as public entities such as the City of Memphis. Tuition.io is on a mission to provide an impactful solution for employers and employees across the country. For more information, visit www.tuition.io.

Media Contact:

Zella Panossian

Illume PR for Tuition.io

[email protected] / 310.452.4446

SOURCE Tuition.io

Related Links

https://www.tuition.io


BOSTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-five food industry entrepreneurs from Greater Boston's underserved neighborhoods have been selected to participate in Santander Bank's signature philanthropic small business initiative  Cultivate Small Business. Announced in May, Santander and its program partners, CommonWealth Kitchen, Babson College and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), developed Cultivate Small Business to empower women, minority and immigrant-owned businesses. The program is designed to connect early-stage entrepreneurs with some of the key ingredients needed to succeed in the food business, including industry-specific business management skills, technical assistance, small capital grants, and access to a local network of established food-industry experts.

Participants met specific criteria to apply for Cultivate Small Business and the 25 member inaugural group kicked off the program last month with a welcome reception and the first of eight business education courses at Babson College's downtown Boston campus. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the inaugural class's participants represent female-owned businesses, 72 percent (72%) of the business owners live or work in low- and moderate-income communities and 40 percent (40%) of participants are people of color.

"Small business entrepreneurs help create jobs and strengthen their local economies," said Gwen Robinson, Santander's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility. "To do that, they need the right backing and support. Women, minority and immigrant-owned businesses not only lack access to traditional sources of capital, but they often lack access to the important networks that are critical in the early stages of growing a business. Cultivate Small Business addresses these support gaps by bringing together customized resources to offer these diverse and passionate entrepreneurs invaluable skills and guidance to help them achieve sustainability."

Entrepreneur and Cultivate Small Business participant Linh Tran commented, "I find the program is helping me stay focused on the big picture, as I often get too caught up in the day-to-day operations of my business. One of my big goals for 2018 is fundraising and, so far, the program has really helped me think critically and in the language of a business plan. Another great perk of being part of this group is that I'm able to get to know so many other entrepreneurs and I've gained some really good insights from them."

The 25 entrepreneurs admitted to Cultivate Small Business's inaugural class are:

Jennifer Turner  Miam Miam Macaronerie LLC/ South Boston

Renee Scharoff  Blonde on the Run/ Dorchester

Melissa Stefanini  Buenas/ Dorchester

 Buenas/ Sherie Grillon  Nola Fresh / Dorchester

/ Teresa Maynard  Sweet Teez Bakery/ Dorchester

Blonde Beauchamp  thisHAITI/ Dorchester

Heather Yunger  Top Shelf Cookies/ Dorchester

Linh Tran  XOI, Inc./ Dorchester

Audrey Yap  Noodle Lab/ Dorchester

Margaret Crowley  Third Cliff Bakery/ Dorchester

Narosmi Auguste  La Belle Creole Cuisine/ Mattapan

Caroline Huffstetler  Nutty Life/ Stoneham

Ellie Tiglao  Olio Culinary/ Somerville

Nikki Economides  Sweet Nicole LLC, DBA Fixx Chocolates / Winthrop

 Sweet Nicole LLC, DBA Fixx Chocolates / Amanda Escamilla  Tex Mex Eats/ Cambridge

Lucero Leon-Chi  Whipped - Urban Cupcake Co./ Boston

Luther Pinckney  One One Nine / Roxbury

/ John Hopkins  5 Ways Food/ Dorchester

Alex Khitrik  Inna's Kitchen/ Dorchester

Mark Finnegan  Prospect Ciderworks/ Roxbury

Alexandre Duarte de Britto Pereira  Zing Bowl Brazilian Healthy Food, LLC/ Brookline

Vishal Thapar  Boston Chai Party/ Medford

Morad Bouzidi  MDAB LLC DBA MO'ROCKIN FUSION/ Abington

Ryan Nahas  No Joke Smoke BBQ, LLC/ Swansea

Jon Huang  The Savory Cater LLC/Randolph

Cultivate Small Business is a nine-month initiative implemented in collaboration with Santander's three strategic partners, each of which is providing one of the four key components of the program:

Networking  Calling on its impressive network of inner-city business owners, research resources and policy expertise , ICIC coordinates the program's design, manages the application process and will evaluate the pilot to inform the next round of Cultivate Small Business .

Calling on its impressive network of inner-city business owners, research resources and policy expertise coordinates the program's design, manages the application process and will evaluate the pilot to inform the next round of . Education  Designed specifically for food-industry entrepreneurs, Babson College is delivering an interactive business education curriculum that provides participants with in-person classes at its downtown Boston campus supplemented by additional online courses.

 Designed specifically for food-industry entrepreneurs, is delivering an interactive business education curriculum that provides participants with in-person classes at its downtown campus supplemented by additional online courses. Mentoring  To provide a community setting where participants can learn from established food industry businesses, CommonWealth Kitchen offers shared commercial kitchen space, customized technical assistance as well as industry-specific advice and support.

 To provide a community setting where participants can learn from established food industry businesses, offers shared commercial kitchen space, customized technical assistance as well as industry-specific advice and support. Capital Grants  Santander Bank provides small capital grants to each entrepreneur to help improve business performance. The grants are funded by Santander and administered by CommonWealth Kitchen. Program participants also have access to Bank volunteers who are available to offer financial management advice.

Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks with more than $79 billion in assets. With its corporate offices in Boston, the Bank's 9,700 employees, more than 650 branches, 2,100 ATMs and 2.1 million customers are principally located in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) - one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. It is managed by Santander Holdings USA, Inc., Banco Santander's intermediate holding company in the U.S. For more information on Santander Bank, please visit www.santanderbank.com.

Media Contacts:

Ann Davis

617-757-5891

[email protected]

Nancy Orlando

617-757-5765

[email protected]

SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A.

Related Links

http://www.santanderbank.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation has named Elva Lima, former Global Diversity and Inclusion Director for Verizon Communications, as its interim Executive Director effective Monday, November 27, 2017. Lima will oversee all Foundation operations on an interim basis until the Foundation concludes its search for an executive to fill the role permanently.

"The USHCC Foundation is proud to welcome Elva Lima to our team," said USHCC Foundation Board Chairman Nina Vaca. "She brings a wealth of experience in advocacy and governance to this role both from the corporate and nonprofit sectors. I have the highest trust in her ability to oversee the Foundation's operations and to deliver the outstanding programs and services for which the Foundation is known."

Lima served in several key positions during her tenure with Verizon Communications that made her an ideal candidate for this role. Recently, as Global Diversity and Inclusion Director, she oversaw a multimillion dollar budget and partnered with the Verizon Foundation to help increase the Foundation's focus on diverse and underrepresented communities. Previously, while serving as External and Government Affairs Director she managed and invested nearly $9 million in annual charitable giving and played a key role in developing strong relationships with minority organizations and leaders.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue the growth and expansion of the Foundation and its many programs and services," said Lima. "I have long admired the Foundation and its accomplishments. It is an honor to lead the efforts of an organization that champions Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs."

Lima's primary focus is to ensure that the Foundation continues supporting the next generation of Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs. To this extent, Lima has been working with the Foundation's board to put processes and a transition plan in place and coordinating with staff from the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on the plan. Lima is also working with the board and leading the search committee to find a permanent Executive Director for the Foundation.

Lima holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy and Administration and a Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Management.

About the USHCC Foundation

The USHCC Foundation is the philanthropic and educational arm of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the USHCC Foundation is to enrich experiences of current and future leaders in the world of business through life-long learning and support. The Foundation's initiatives awaken and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit, support business growth, strengthen local chambers and foster leaders. Major Foundation programs include At the Table: Women in Business and Leadership; BizVenture Collegiate Entrepreneurship Program; the Chamber Training Institute (for local Hispanic Chambers of Commerce); the Local Chamber Grant Program; National Day of Service; and USHCC Foundation Scholarships. For more information, visit www.ushccfoundation.org.

SOURCE USHCC Foundation

Related Links

http://www.ushccfoundation.org


NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SD Urban Retail, a Manhattan-based owner and developer, announced today that it has executed a lease with Victoria's Nail & Spa at its shopping center, The Shops on Broadway, located at 5740 Broadway, Bronx, New York 10463. Victoria's Nail & Spa will occupy 6,000 square feet of space on the ground floor of SD Urban Retail's newly constructed shopping center that opened in 2016 containing 24,000 square feet of ground floor retail in total. Victoria's is expected to open in Spring of 2018 and will offer a full line of spa services including, manicures, pedicures, facials, massage and more.

"We are thrilled to attract Victoria's Nail & Spa, one of the best nail and spa operators in the New York Metro area," says Daniel Alvarez of SD Urban Retail. Alvarez adds, "Victoria's other locations are in some of the most exclusive malls in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island."

Victoria's will be joining the current tenants, FedEx and Kabuki, an Asian Bistro & Hibachi concept that is currently building out their space, which will be opening in Q1 of 2018. The signing of the Victoria's at the center leaves two, 6,000 square foot areas (that can be demised into smaller areas) available for lease.

Peter, the owner of Victoria's, said that he was considering other centers in the market for his next location, but signed with SD Urban Retail because of the center's easy access off Broadway, its 14-foot-high ceilings, and 90 parking spaces available to their customers.

SOURCE SD Urban Retail
MANCHESTER, N.H., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneia (www.Geneia.com), an analytic solutions and services company that is simplifying the evolution to value-based care, announced a partnership with VillageMD New Hampshire to deploy the Theon analytics, insights and care management platform throughout its New Hampshire practice sites. Physicians and staff from the two largest independent physician groups in the state, Derry Medical Center and Southern New Hampshire Internal Medicine Associates, will be using the multi-payer Theon platform to manage and care for patients affiliated with an accountable care organization (ACO) and two health plans.

"At VillageMD New Hampshire, we're committed to a clinically-driven, patient-centric model that equips primary care physicians with the leading-edge tools they need to succeed in value-based care," said VillageMD New Hampshire Market President Tom Buchanan. "With Geneia, we're giving our physicians access to timely, actionable and prioritized insights to improve care and outcomes for their patients. We chose Geneia for the strength of the company's analytics platform, its commitment to creating technology solutions that restore the Joy of Medicine for physicians and patients, and its strong results."

Geneia's track record of helping providers succeed in value-based cost and quality arrangements through the use of the Theon platform includes:

Achieving a 7.2 percent reduction in inpatient hospital admissions and a nearly 15 percent reduction in Medicare readmissions

Lowering emergency department visits by 8 percent

Exceeding the regional performance for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS  ) quality measures for leading chronic diseases

) quality measures for leading chronic diseases Saving 90 minutes in administrative time per provider per day

"Geneia and VillageMD New Hampshire share a commitment to improved patient outcomes and lower costs," said Geneia CEO Mark Caron, CHCIO, FACHE. "The Theon platform's predictive and prescriptive analytic insights embedded directly into the clinical workflow will help VillageMD New Hampshire physicians focus on proactive, patient-focused care while simultaneously meeting their quality and cost performance goals."

ABOUT GENEIA

Geneia LLC is an analytic solutions and services company that helps our clients improve outcomes, lower costs and restore the Joy of Medicine to physician practice. Our team of physicians, nurses, technologists, analytics experts, and business professionals have created a suite of clinical and analytic solutions that enable health plans, hospitals and employers to better understand, evaluate and manage the health of their populations. The company has offices in Harrisburg, PA and Manchester, NH. To learn more, visit Geneia.com or connect with us Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT VILLAGEMD

VillageMD New Hampshire is part of VillageMD, a leading national primary care provider supporting physicians moving toward a primary care-led, high-value clinical model. VillageMD delivers data analytics, a physician practice-based care coordination model, leading technology, and on-the-ground support resources to make improvements at the point of care, resulting in high quality clinical outcomes across all markets and all patient populations. VillageMD also provides access to value-based reimbursement contracts that reward physicians for delivering high quality, cost effective care. VillageMD works with physician groups, independent practice associations, and health systems to improve quality, deliver a first-rate patient experience, and lower total medical costs in the communities they serve. For more information, visit VillageMD.com, Twitter or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Geneia

Related Links

http://www.geneia.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), has been awarded Corporate Secretary Magazine's 2017 Corporate Governance Award for Best Compliance and Ethics program in the small to mid-cap category for the second consecutive year.

Voya was recognized for its strong culture of ethics and integrity, and leadership in driving best practices in corporate governance, compliance and ethics. This includes a keen focus on new and innovative ways of enhancing ethics and compliance awareness within Voya that integrates these topics into employees' daily conversations and activities.

"It's an honor to be recognized by Corporate Secretary Magazine for the second year in-a-row," said William M. Welch II, chief compliance and ethics officer, Voya Financial. "At Voya, we are proud of our values. Our commitment to doing the right thing is a business imperative that begins with our board of directors and extends to every Voya employee."

Corporate Secretary Magazine's Corporate Governance Awards celebrate the best efforts of individuals, teams and companies in the world of governance, risk and compliance. The Best Compliance and Ethics Program award assesses the coordination of governance, compliance, ethics and risk management processes across the entire corporation and its subsidiaries. Judges consider the level of understanding and integration of good governance principles across all disciplines and a truly non-silo approach to achieving an ethical governance environment.

The award was presented at Corporate Secretary Magazine's 10th Annual Corporate Governance Awards on November 9, 2017 at Cipriani in New York City before an audience of more than 400 governance, risk and compliance professionals.

Media Contact:

Tiffany Hawks

Voya Financial

Office: (212) 309-8949

Cell: (321) 684-1168

[email protected]

About Voya Financial

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings  to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $541 billion in total assets under management and administration as of September 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time  Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.voya.com


PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Designed for licensed registered nurses, the Warner Pacific RN to BSN degree combines the broader scope of courses RNs need with the clinical experience they already have to advance their nursing careers through an education that leads change and promotes health.

The RN to BSN degree prepares nurses for positions of leadership, and provides education and instruction in person-centered care beyond a patient's immediate physical needs. Courses focus on understanding systems; improving communication and collaboration skills; leading and following; making data-driven decisions; thinking critically about managing care; and working with patients, families, communities, and vulnerable populations from diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.

BSN Opens Doors to Nursing Careers

The RN to BSN degree program is ideal for practicing nurses who want to advance in their current position and qualify for the healthcare industry's most in-demand jobs. As careers in nursing continue to grow at all levels, earning a BSN opens doors to a wide variety of professional options, including roles with responsibilities that equate to higher incomes such as:

Nurse Educator

Hospice Care

Public Health

Military and V.A. Appointments

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing is also the first step to more advanced nursing careers such as nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.

Warner Pacific Nursing

The RN to BSN is the first degree offered by the Warner Pacific Nursing Program. Backed by 80 years of higher education experience, Warner Pacific Nursing exists to educate students from diverse backgrounds to embody the professional role of the nurse as an advocate for patients, families and communities.

"Our institutional dedication to Christ-centered, liberal arts education guides the vision for this new endeavor," explains Dr. Andrea Cook, President of Warner Pacific College. "The Warner Pacific Nursing Program will be an innovative, diverse, formational learning community known for developing self-aware and culturally competent nurses who demonstrate professional skill, ethical practice, compassionate care, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to lifelong learning and excellence."

A leader in relational learning, Warner Pacific is the most diverse private college in Oregon with 63 percent of the student body identifying as racial or ethnic minorities and 57 percent of students being the first in their family to attend college. Through personalized service, relational connections, and holistic education, Warner Pacific empowers and equips diverse leaders in all fields to use their degree to serve the city.

At the helm of the Warner Pacific Nursing Program is Dean of Nursing, Dr. Linda Campbell, Ph.D., RN, CNS, CNE. Dr. Campbell served the Loretto Heights School of Nursing (LHSON) in the Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, for 13 years. Most recently, she was the Director of Accelerated Nursing and Clinical Learning Unit at LHSON. Dr. Campbell's engagement in scholarship and service illustrates her commitment to building excellent programs for students and the communities they will ultimately serve. In addition to her academic posts, Campbell has been the Principal of "Moving Mountains" (Christian private nursing practice), Health, Education, and Leadership Services (HEALS).

"I am honored to be present at the inception of Warner Pacific's Nursing Program," affirms Dr. Campbell. "We share a vision of higher education for nursing: one that is Christ-centered and grounded in the liberal arts to convey reverence for recipients of care, increase diversity in the nursing workforce, and respond to a national nursing shortage."

The first RN to BSN degree cohort starts in February 2018 and is now accepting applications. Plans for a full, four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing are slated for 2019. Learn more or apply at warnerpacific.edu/RN-to-BSN.

Media Contact:

Melody Burton, Director of Marketing

Phone: 503.517.1369

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

image1.jpg

Dr. Linda Campbell

image2.jpg

Dr. Andrea Cook

image3.jpg

Warner Pacific RN to BSN

Related Links

Website

RN to BSN Application

SOURCE Warner Pacific College

Related Links

http://www.warnerpacific.edu


COLUMBIA, S.C., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) veterans and their family members answered the call for help from those in need by volunteering with Harvest Hope Food Bank. Volunteers fed the hungry across 20 South Carolina counties and helped their community by distributing food and offering emotional support to area residents this holiday season.

"Helping at a food bank is something I have wanted to do for a long time," said Laura Efrid, wife of an Army veteran, "but I was always unable to because of my schedule. It was a very rewarding experience and has me thinking about volunteering at a smaller local food bank."

The gathering served as an opportunity for wounded warriors to connect with their community while feeling empowered through helping others.

"The highlight of the event was the instant camaraderie shared by the warriors and their family members," said Army veteran Steven Dobbs. "It was easy to give of our time when a quick bond forms and organizes the volunteers."

The warriors sorted and handed out squash donated by a local farmer and bagged plasticware, yogurt, and canned goods for people coming in to shop for their household needs. They also supported each other emotionally.

"I was talking to the spouse of a wounded warrior," Laura said. "She suddenly opened up to me and was so discouraged in her home life and dealing with her husband and his post-traumatic stress disorder. I shared some of my experiences, and it really helped her."

Harvest Hope distributed over 27.5 million meals last year and fed approximately 48,000 people a week. The food bank uses nearly 11,000 volunteers per year to keep operations running at their facilities.

"It could be me at these events," Steven said. "All of the mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially stigmatizing parts of me are completely normal when I'm in the presence of other warriors."

To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org, and click on multimedia.

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project

Related Links

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org


ZURICH, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- zehnplus, a leader in customer self-service digital solutions, today announced the launch of the world's most advanced A.I. driven FAQ product, FAQtool (www.faq-tool.com). With prices starting as low as $15 per month, FAQtool's A.I. algorithm technology provides the most superior customer self-service currently available on the market. Now available to companies of all sizes to instantly answer customer questions, directly addressing their top wants and needs, building trust and increasing sales rates.

FAQtool by zehnplus

"The zehnplus team developed this product with three key goals in mind: provide the best possible experience for end customers while helping company's sales rates rise and lifting the burden of their customer care teams. The latest versions of our artificial intelligence knowledge-based software are priced to be easily accessible to every business website in the world," stated Patrick Vogeli, the company's Managing Director with more than 15 years of customer care experience . "Of questions answered by businesses, over 70% are always the same. With FAQtool, companies can answer these and the most relevant ones automatically, thus saving business valuable time whilst improving service to their customers."

zehnplus's FAQ product enables both service and revenue growth when added to any website or self-service platform:

With the new A.I. technology developments, the FAQ product allows companies to cater to their own and their customers' needs;

Eases customer purchases and builds trust by answering pre-sales questions about products and services, which results in higher sales;

Relieves the workload of customer support teams and cuts costs by automatically answering high-frequency questions;

Enables companies to learn about their customers and understand where their customers are running into issues, which allows them to determine where they can modify their approach;

Enables companies to easily create, maintain and optimize content based on customer behavior reports and analyses;

Allows companies to expand their customer base with its multilingual function.

In turn, this product completely transforms the customer's experience and provides invaluable insights into how a company's' products and websites are performing. The FAQ software can be easily integrated with any existing sales website or any customer support platform and analytical tools.

"The FAQ software developed by zehnplus was so much easier to work with compared to other systems we were considering," stated Peter Johansson, Lead Product Support at XING. "It is the only tool that catered to all our needs. The collaboration with the project team has been nothing short of stellar."

About zehnplus

Pioneering digital IT solutions since 2008 based in Zurich, we are experts with the latest technologies in Customer Interaction, A.I., and robotics for automated processes, together with knowledge and data management, whilst keeping the customer at the forefront of everything we do.

Contact zehnplus

Ilona Varadi

Marketing & Sales Manager zehnplus GmbH

E-Mail: [email protected]

Telefon: +41 76 308 60 63

www.zehnplus.ch

SOURCE zehnplus

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ONALASKA  Onalaska School District voters who went to the polls Tuesday clearly wanted an end to Jake Speeds disruptive school board term.

Former board member Deanna Verdon outpolled Speed by a margin of almost 15-to-1 in a recall election midway through the incumbents first term. Verdon received 1,408 votes to Speeds 95.

Verdon said she was thrilled to see voters come out in such numbers to show their support and put her back on the school board; the vote clearly showed the community cares about the future of the school district.

I am really looking forward to getting back together with all the school board members and to be able to look at the issues ahead of us, she said.

Verdon, a special education teacher at Viking Elementary School in Holmen, left the board after her first three-year term earlier this year but was convinced by recall proponents to run against her former colleague.

In March, Speed told a radio station the school district illegally spent $3,500 on attorneys fees. A month earlier, Speed told the same radio station that he filed a complaint with the FBI and La Crosse County district attorney over malfeasance in the district.

On April 10, the board unanimously censured Speed for his confrontational relationship with district staff and fellow board members.

Speed regularly declined to talk to the Tribune, calling it fake news, and declined to answer any questions in its pre-election questionnaire.

Speed won election to the board April 5, 2016, after challenging the validity of the nomination papers circulated by incumbents Ann Garrity and Tim Smaby. Wisconsins Government Accountability Board granted Speeds challenge, removing Garrity and Smabys names from the ballot, leaving the La Crosse Tea Party founders name alone on the ballot. Garrity edged fellow incumbent Tim Smaby for the second seat on the board in that election, both running as write-ins.

The effort to recall Speed, led by Onalaska chiropractor Mark Cassellius, gathered 2,285 qualified signatures, 32 percent more than than the 1,743 required by state law to force a recall election.

Hopefully the school board and the district can move on, put this behind them and have a full focus on the business that is the most important, he said.

School Board President Ann Garrity said it was a pleasant surprise to see how many people took an interest in the makeup of the board.

Cassellius has said the recall effort was motivated by concern about the activities, actions and behavior of Speed  activities and behaviors Garrity characterized as disappointing to put it mildly.

She described Speed as at times unprofessional, threatening, demeaning and condescending to fellow board members and faculty.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elite personal trainer Meryl Hawk, owner of ZipZapFit (www.zipzapfit.com), is committed to helping women and girls achieve gender equality and enhance their confidence and self-esteem through physical fitness, health and wellness. To further that mission, she has made ZipZapFit speaking events available in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Meryl Hawk (ZipZapFit Owner) Speaks To High School Students ZipZapFit Speaking Events Now Available in Los Angeles

ZipZapFit speaking events are ideal for schools, companies and organizations looking for an inspiring presentation on the lifelong benefits of nutrition and fitness. Hawk's focus in these events is on how women can experience newfound confidence by embarking on a physical fitness journey. Moreover, she explains how navigating life as a woman is so much simpler and rewarding when one feels fully in control.

"Once a woman goes through a health and fitness transformation, she realizes that she is capable of just about anything. That kind of empowerment is invaluable," says Hawk. "I know this, because I see it happen every day with the women I train. They immediately stop all of the self-denial, throw away the powerless and fixed mindset that society has always encouraged in them, and finally take control of their lives and stand up for the equality they know deep down they deserve."

Gender equality is an issue facing women around the world. The United Nations Department for the Advancement of Women has added to this important discussion with the publication of "Women, Gender Equality and Sport." The report states that "the participation of women and girls in sport challenges gender stereotypes and discrimination, and can therefore be a vehicle to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls."

Hawk noted that the UN published the previously mentioned report in December 2007, yet women are still fighting for gender equality. "It has been almost a century since women made their first big leap of progress in 1920 with Women's Suffrage," says Hawk. "How much longer before gender equality is going to be a real thing?"

For Hawk, ZipZapFit is an important contribution to female empowerment. She believes that fitness is a promising gateway to gender equality, because it engenders confidence in oneself that isn't necessarily achievable via the routines of modern life. For instance, completing (and mastering) unfamiliar, challenging tasks like push-ups, squats, crunches and other advanced physical exercises provide a sense of accomplishment that give one an entirely new perspective on life.

Recently, one of Hawk's former teachers, Reggie Childress, invited her to speak to his physical education classes and impart her knowledge and enthusiasm to the younger generation. "Meryl is a master of her craft and incredibly bright individual," said Childress. "She has a wealth of knowledge in the health and fitness industry. Meryl has a warm and spontaneous personality that makes her workouts fun for each of her clients. She's brimming with the brains to help anyone achieve their goals. Simply stated, Meryl is the BEST!"

Beginning in 2018, ZipZapFit will be expanding its online offerings. First up is "ZipZapFit  In 4 Minutes!", an online instant access product designed to help budget-conscious women get the body and life they desire. The 4-minute home workout requires no equipment and can be done practically anywhere.

About ZipZapFit

ZipZapFit offers Women's In-Home Personal Training in the Greater Los Angeles area, aiming to improve the overall health, fitness and confidence level of as many women as possible. For more information on this topic, please email ZipZapFit Media Relations at [email protected].

Contact:

ZipZapFit Media Relations

[email protected]

www.zipzapfit.com

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Hotel Palisade in Sydneys Millers Point has sold to an investment firm for $31.5 million, as hotel transactions keep up their brisk pace in 2017.

The property is in one of the most historic parts of Sydney close to two of the citys oldest pubs, the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel and Hero of Waterloo Hotel as well as the Millers Point terrace houses, which are currently being sold off to wealthy occupiers and investors.

The freehold property was sold to First Master Capital, according to hospitality news website The Shout . It is an Epping based company with Chinese born director, Xin He.

Earlier, the Clovelly Hotel in Sydneys eastern suburbs changed hands for $34 million, while another waterfront pub, the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay, fetched $70 million.

Hotel Palisade was renovated and reopened in late 2015, and enjoys views of Sydneys Harbour and surrounding areas.

The renovation saw eight boutique accommodation rooms added plus a ground floor public bar, the rooftop Henry Deane Bar and Restaurant as well as some private function rooms.

The property went to the market with expectations of more than $30 million.

The hotel is perched above The Rocks and overlooks Barangaroo Reserve as the multi-storey hotel was originally bought last May by Richard Sapsford, a British entrepreneur, who paid $20 million for it.

He then spent a further $5 million restoring the 1915-built property into a botique hotel and public bar after spending eight years vacant.

In November, the hotel unveiled the Henry Deane rooftop bar and restaurant.

The selling agents were John Musca and Peter Harper of JLL Hotels.
Lendlease has lodged approval for a new precinct and office tower on George and Pitt street in the heart of Circular Quay.

The development application proposes a 55-storey premium grade office tower, Circular Quay Tower, with a mixed-use podium, retail-lined laneways and a new hospitality offering at Jacksons on George.

The proposal offers a range of public benefits with more than 45 per cent of the precinct dedicated to community infrastructure being delivered for the City of Sydney, including George Street Public Plaza, Rugby Place Public Plaza, a Public Cycle Facility, public art and a three-storey community building.

Mark Menhinnitt, managing director of urban regeneration, said the proposed design is a major win for Sydney as it looks to find new ways to reinvent spaces in the CBD.

In collaboration with the City of Sydney and Foster + Partners, we have developed a scheme that opens the ground plane to create as much community infrastructure as possible, he said.

Circular Quay has long been a renowned attraction in Sydney. Our ambition for this project is to create a place that workers, visitors and the surrounding community love.

"We want to create a place that people are drawn to  from retail-lined laneways and public plazas to a landmark tower worthy of its prime location.

World leading architect firm Foster + Partners was chosen to progress the design of the tower which could become Sydneys tallest office building with 55 storeys and a height of up to 263 metres, with its architectural roof feature.

Gerard Evenden, senior executive partner at Foster + Partners, said they had considered everything in the design  from the towers scale and floorplates to the amenities and technology  to provide flexibility, connection and wellbeing for tenants workers.

With many levels boasting spectacular views of Sydneys landmarks, the tower will encompass functionally flexible open space floorplates that enjoy north facing workspaces, said Mr Evenden.

The companys sustainable approach to architecture aligns closely with Lendleases sustainability principles, with the entire precinct targeting 6 Star Green Star certification and a 5 Star NABERS Energy rating.

The development application, which is subject to approval by the Central Sydney Planning Committee, is now on public exhibition. Consent has been granted for the demolition development application for the site. Early works are underway with demolition expected to start soon.

In December 2016, Lendlease confirmed Ping An Real Estate and Mitsubishi Estate Asia as development partners.
A shopfront in Adelaides Rundle Mall occupied by clothing retailer Connor has been listed with expectations of between $9 million and $10 million.

The property at 109 Rundle Mall has long been occupied by Connor Clothing Pty Ltd, which has signed a lease term until January 2022, plus renewal options.

The store earns an income of more than $550,000 per annum.

The property is being marketed by Savills Australias Peter Isaksson and Rino Carpinelli through an expressions of interest campaign which closes on November 30.

Isaksson said enquiry was expected from local as well as offshore buyers, particularly from Singapore and Malaysia.

Very few of the malls assets have traded in the past 10 years so the sale of 109 Rundle Mall presents a rare opportunity to secure a piece of Adelaides history and its future, Isaksson said.

As a landmark asset unmatched in its location, prominence and character, and surrounded by city-defining developments, the Connor retail space generates a solid cash flow and is anticipated to continue outperforming like assets in the CBD and beyond.

Rundle Mall is arguably one of Australias busiest and most successful pedestrian retail malls, with more than 400,000 customers per week, added Carpinelli.

It is home to several South Australian flagship stores of many renowned Australian retailers.

Established in 2007, Connor has grown to encompass more than 140 stores across Australia and forms part of the countrys largest menswear retail specialist, Retail Apparel Group, alongside Tarocash, Yd, Rockworth and Johnny Big.
The Langer family's GLG Group has paid around $25 million to buy on High Street, Armadale.

It is more than a dozen shops running from 1167-1193 High Street.

It was in an off-market deal believed by Fairfax Media to have been struck on a yield well under 4%.

High Street, Armadale ranks as one of Melbourne's better performing retail strips with the vacancy rate falling to 3.9% in July from 6.4% a year ago, according to Knight Frank.

GLG director Campbell Blennerhassett said the site was bought because it was a "magnificent piece of land in the middle of Armadale".

It may look to refurbish the shops which were sold by a local Goodrich family.
The AMP Capital Shopping Centre Fund (ASCF) and the AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund (ADPF) have each acquired a 25 per cent stake in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

They've bought it from Eureka - Real Assets, acting on behalf of Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC), in a deal worth more than $800 million.

AMP Capital has assumed management of the super-regional centre on behalf of investors, which is located seven kilometres from the Brisbane CBD in the citys affluent inner west.

Operational since 1970, the centre underwent a major redevelopment in 2014 and currently comprises a gross lettable area of 116,447 sqm.

Indooroopilly Shopping Centre represents a compelling investment opportunity for the funds investors due to its long-term asset management and development potential underpinned by leases to seven major tenants such as Myer, David Jones, Coles and Woolworths, and 14 mini majors including H&M and Uniqlo.

The asset benefits from favourable demographics, with average household income in the centres catchment area 22 per cent higher than the Brisbane average; good transport links; and strong trade area fundamentals including growing retail spend.

Retail spend in the area is forecast to increase from $3.2 billion currently to $3.8 billion in 2021. The centre also offers long-term mixed use development opportunities including the potential to add 90,000 square metres in gross floor area.

AMP Capital Shopping Centre fund manager Conrad Sinclair said the acquisition of a stake in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre on behalf of our investors is in line with the funds strategy of owning super- regional retail assets that dominate their trade area and with further potential for expansion.

"The funds investors now have an 81 per cent exposure to regional and super-regional shopping centres," he said.

"The deal follows a successful $200 million equity raising for ASCF, which was oversubscribed indicating the appeal these assets hold for investors.

AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund Manager Kylie OConnor said Indooroopilly Shopping Centre is a good fit for ADPFs portfolio.

"It is consistent with the funds strategic objective to hold a diversified portfolio of high-quality assets across sectors, with a higher weighting towards regional and super-regional retail assets," she said.

"We also believe now is the right time to invest in south-east Queensland due to improving economic conditions and strong population growth in the state.

AMP Capital has a strong presence in south-east Queensland, with a portfolio that includes the recently- redeveloped Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast.

AMP Capital Global Head of Real Estate Carmel Hourigan said Indooroopilly Shopping Centre is in the sweet spot of what AMP Capital does well for its investors.

Simon Rooney of JLL and Lachlan MacGillivray of Colliers International handled the transaction.

They said there was a lack of transaction evidence in the regional shopping centre sector over 2015 and 2016, but three regional shopping centres have traded in 2017.

In addition to the sale of Indooroopilly, Highpoint Shopping Centre reflected a yield of 4.25% and Chatswood Chase reflected 4.75%  although both were direct off-market transactions.

Selling for a sub-4.5% yield, Indooroopilly services the inner western and southwestern suburbs of Brisbane and represents one of only four super-regional centres in Brisbane. Located in an extensive trade area comprising close to 650,000 people, Indooroopilly is a major retail destination attracting an estimated 12 million customer visits a year.

The average per capita income in the main trade area is 30% above the Brisbane metropolitan average and the population growth in the past 5 years has been 2.3% per annum, significantly higher than the Australian average of 1.7%.

Originally built in 1970, Indooroopilly was expanded in 1987, 1998 and most recently in 2014 to approximately 116,447 sqm of total lettable area. The shopping centre is anchored by Myer and David Jones; Kmart and Target; and two supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths.

There is a 16 screen cinema; 14 mini majors; more than 300 specialty shops; and parking for close to 4,600 cars.

Its recent $450 million redevelopment, completed in 2014, included the addition of the first Uniqlo and the first H&M stores in Queensland.

The total site area is approximately 7.8 hectares.
Vital Signs: five economic red flags to watch for in 2018

We dont know for sure if any of these things could happen, but if they do were in for a wild ride in 2018. Image sourced from shutterstock.com Richard Holden, UNSW

Vital Signs is a weekly economic wrap from UNSW economics professor and Harvard PhD Richard Holden (@profholden). Vital Signs aims to contextualise weekly economic events and cut through the noise of the data affecting global economies.

This week: A break from weekly data to look forward to the year ahead.

With a data-light week, and the end of 2017 looming, this is a good time to touch on five issues to watch out for in 2018.

1. Trump loses patience with NAFTA

US President Donald Trump has made clear his contempt for a variety of international agreements to which the US is a signatory. The North American Free Trade Agreement is certainly one of them. 2018 could be the time when Trump engineers either a renegotiation of NAFTA, or (scarily) a US exit from it.

Right now, the administration is trying to extract concessions from China and Mexico on the deal, and has set a March 2018 deadline for an agreement.

A US exit from NAFTA would be calamatous. The three economies have become heavily integrated since NAFTA began, and its almost hard to imagine what the US economy would look like without, for example, cheap goods and agricultural produce from Mexico.

2. We find out Australia had a housing bubble, because it bursts

Is there a bubble in the Australian housing market? I have consistently said that I dont know, and I wouldnt know how to prove it even if there was. But there are some troubling markers, including investment bank UBSs report warning about the potentially large number of so-called liar loans.

Ill add one more marker that I havent heard discussed before. A respected mortgage industry insider said the data in the UBS report doesnt make sense, and that mortgage brokers arent encouraging people to falsify loan applications. But the same expert said any instances of bad behaviour are isolated, that statistics arent facts, and he rejected the idea that incentive payments to brokers encourage them to push bigger loans to borrowers. Basically, believe me!

2018 should give us a pretty good read on whether there will be a slow deflation of Sydney and Melbourne property prices (at least in real terms), or whether there will be an abrupt reduction in prices, a series of fire sales, and trouble for the banks. I think the balance of evidence now suggests the latter.

3. Theres a take back of the Brexit vote

The UK will continue to negotiate its exit from the European Union, and 2018 will be both important and consequential. There is a very specific timeline for the UKs exit  11pm GMT, Friday March 29, 2019 to be exact.

The four big issues are: (i) what the UK owes the EU financially, (ii) the Northern Ireland border, (iii) what happens to UK citizens living in the EU, and EU citizens living in the UK, and (iv) the biggest of all  trade.

Theresa May  when not defending inappropriate behaviour from her male colleagues, or falling for sophomoric pranks when speaking in public  is sticking to her hard Brexit line. 2018 will show whether this is even vaguely possible. I strongly suspect not  and there are a whole host of interesting things that could happen.

One, May could easily lose the prime ministership. Two, there could end up being another vote to take back the Brexit vote. If you think thats crazy then listen to Tony Blair discussing how it could happen.

All of this could cause major upheaval in financial markets. London remains a fundamentally important international capital market.

4. US financial regulation softens

Janet Yellens departure as US Federal Reserve Chair in February, and her replacement by Jay Powell, is unlikely to materially alter US monetary policy. Expect gradual rate rises throughout 2018.

What could differ  and not in a good way  is the Feds stance on financial regulation. Powell is thought to be more hostile to Dodd-Frank (as the regulatory response to the Great Recession is known) than Yellen. 2018 will be revealing in this regard, because the Trump White House is known to despise those regulations and there could be a concerted effort to remove them using whatever means available.

This would be dangerous and foolish, and lay the groundwork for the next financial crisis.

5. The European experiment fails

With a wave of populist sentiment across Europe, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel having a hard time forming a coalition, there is the slim but scary prospect of the EU essentially disintegrating. This could be the result of a sovereign default by a major country like Italy or Spain, that is too big to bail out. Or it could come from a German government that is no longer willing to support the European Central Bank the way it has to date.

It could well be that none of the worrying scenarios outlined above actually occur. But any number of implicit and explicit deadlines make 2018 look like a more eventful year than most.

Richard Holden, Professor of Economics and PLuS Alliance Fellow, UNSW

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Sydneys investors are still keen to buy apartments, just not necessarily in Sydney, Nerida Conisbee, chief economist at realestate.com.au suggests.

Her recent analysis on the most searched-for new apartment locations by Sydney property seekers showed that inner-Sydney Alexandria was the most searched location.

The No 2 location was the Melbourne CBD.

With the exception of Alexandria, the Victorian capital is far more popular among Sydney buyers than any other Sydney suburb.

After Alexandria and the Melbourne CBD, the most searched-for suburbs for new apartments by Sydney-based property seekers were inner-city Waterloo, Parramatta in the west, and the middle-ring northern suburb of Macquarie Park, all in Sydney.

"The simple fact is, prices for apartments in Sydney are far higher than in Melbourne or Brisbane," Conisbee noted.

The median for apartments in Sydney is now $735,000 compared with Melbourne at $550,000 and Brisbane at $398,000.

"The majority of investors and first-home buyers tend to be very price sensitive, so much so that its very difficult for us to tell the difference between the two groups on the website when analysing their behaviour.

"A price differential of more than $150,000 can make a big difference as to whether a first homebuyer or investor can afford to buy or not.

"The other group that contributes significantly to demand for apartments in Australia is offshore buyers.

"Our monthly analysis of Chinese-buyer demand continues to show increases in property seekers from China looking to Melbourne and Brisbane.

"At the same time, demand for Sydney apartments among this group has dropped by 10 per cent over the past 12 months," she said adding offshore buyers are more likely driven by overseas students looking at alternatives to Sydney as a preferred place to study in Australia with the list of searched suburbs dominated by those close to universities.

In Melbourne, inner-city Carlton makes the list, while in Brisbane, St Lucia, the home of the University of Queensland features heavily.

The only Sydney location to rank is Westmead, in the citys west, home of the Westmead Clinical school, a favourite among Indian property seekers.
Tokyo-listed Daiwa House has expanded into Australia's house building sector with the acquisition of Rawson Homes, which is ranked the fifth-biggest home builder in NSW.

Daiwa House will collaborate with the Rawson Group to further expand the Rawson Group's businesses in Australia, the company said in a statement.

Limited terms of the deal were announced by Baker McKenzie.

Baker McKenzie acted for the Tokyo based Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd in the cross-border acquisition of the Rawson Group in Australia

Transaction documents were signed on 28 November 2017.

The Daiwa House is Japan's largest homebuilding company, is listed on both the Tokyo Stock Exchange and has approximately 40,000 employees globally.

The Rawson Group is a residential housing construction and land development business located in Sydney, Australia.

Baker McKenzie Head of Corporate Markets in Australia, Ben McLaughlin noted the Rawson Group was a 40 year old private corporation focused on land development and the construction of single-family homes in Sydney.

"The acquisition marks the Tokyo-based, Daiwa House Industry Co, Ltd's accelerated expansion through acquiring overseas businesses which are expected to see medium to long term growth," he said.

The transaction was led in Tokyo by Partner Mr Tetsuo Tsujimoto and his colleague Mr Tsubasa Kubota, and in Sydney by Mr Lawrence Mendes and Ms Emily Hunter who are members of Ben McLaughlin's team.

Rawson, Australia's 20th-largest home builder with 1188 housing starts in the year to June, according to the HIA-Colorbond Steel Housing 100 report, made net sales of $544 million and a net profit of $35 million, Daiwa House said.

It will take possession of the shares  owned by brothers Mark, Peter and Lawrence Rawson  next January, subject to the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Pizza visionary Wayne Mosley, co-founder of Rocky Rococo pan-style pizza, which has endured in Madison for 43 years, died Tuesday.

Mosley, 70, died of a heart attack in his Verona home, said Rocky Rococo general manager Sam Brown, the son of Mosley's longtime business partner, Roger Brown.

"I'm in shock," said Roger Brown. "It's quite unexpected, although he's had some health problems lately."

The elder Brown met Mosley in college at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, when Brown was an undergraduate and Mosley was in law school.

Mosley didn't have the name for it, but he formulated the idea for Rocky's while he was in law school. At the time, he was a regular customer of Garcia's Pizza in a Pan, where Brown was working.

Mosley passed the Illinois bar and could've have gone into law, his partner said, but he wanted to pursue his dream of starting a pizza business. He knew Brown through a mutual friend and recruited him. "I didn't have anything better to do and he was so enthusiastic about his vision of what this could be, and I got caught up in it," Brown said.

Mosley brought Brown in and made him an equal partner, for which Brown is "eternally grateful." He credits Mosley for everything he has, especially since he met his wife through Rocky's.

Pan-style pizza was just starting to emerge from Chicago and Mosley saw its potential. "We grew up on it, but the rest of the country hadn't really had it available," Brown said.

A five-state Midwest area that included Wisconsin was really the strongest pizza market in the nation, "so a lot of stars really lined up," he said.

Mosley realized that Rocky's could be a sit-down restaurant and also sell grab-and-go slices like on the East Coast.

"It just needed someone to get it organized and do it well. That was his insight," Brown said. "He was just a born restaurant guy, but his family wanted him to be a lawyer."

Mosley's legal background really helped the business, too, Brown added.

The two men wanted to open their pizza place on another Big Ten campus, borrowing what they liked about Garcia's. The decision was between Madison and East Lansing, Michigan, and they settled on a Madison location on Gilman Street just off State Street.

Hashing out names on the drive between Chicago and Madison, they came up with Rocky Rococo -- the name of a character on an album by the Firesign Theatre comedy troupe. They almost called it The Pizza Factory.

The partners also created a Rocky's pizza character who became the public face of the business for 40 years -- a tough-talking gangster who was in fact a pizza-loving softie. That figure in the white jacket, round-rimmed sunglasses and fedora became a Madison icon. And the man who played him, Jim Pederson, died last year at 68.

Mosley, Brown and Pederson had some fun with their early TV spots. One had Rocky dressed in medical garb, saying, "Nine out of 10 doctors recommend my pizza and the tenth ain't recommending nothin' no more."

Gilman Street gradually took off, but the big development came in 1975 when the partners found a more visible State Street location near Lake Street. Franchising came later.

The company would eventually expand to more than 120 restaurants across the nation. In 1988, Mosley and Brown sold the rights to the company brand to their minority partners.

Mosley and Brown currently own seven Madison-area Rockys and three in La Crosse. They have an additional partner involved in the La Crosse operations.

Sam Brown, Rocky's general manager, calls Rocky's 43-year run amazing. "My father's always joked that it's been too long."

Rocky's longevity is a testament to the product, the younger Brown said. "It's remarkable, actually. Restaurants especially don't have long lives and somehow we're still around."

Mosley is survived by his daughter, Jessica Mosley, brother Brian Mosley, sister Stefanie Darbyshire, and also special friend Patricia Keller. Funeral arrangements are pending.
An out of tune estate agent in Canberra has used a rather unusual marketing ploy to advertise one of his recent listings.

Ben Lewis is no Rock n' Roll Star but is an agent at LJ Hooker Kaleen.

He has tried his hand at the former and used the tune of Oasis' world hit Wonderwall to describe the house.

He opens with: "Today is gonna be the day that I'm gonna show this home to you. By now, you should have some how realised that its right for you."

The home in Ngunnawal, a suburb in the district of Gungahlin in Canberra, is also advertised on its listing as 'Wonderwall in Ngunnawal'.

Again with a nod to the famous Manchester band, the home was described as being located in "Ngunnawal's oasis".

The three bedroom home has two living areas, a garage and a backyard.

Property Observer is not sure if the trend of appropriating Oasis tunes to spruik houses will catch on All Around the World, if it will Live Forever or simply Slide Away.

Some Might Say to Ben: Hey Now, we'll Roll With It.

Don't Look Back in Anger , we appreciate the effort.
A Gold Coast home has become the fourth home in as many days to be listed with a Bitcoin payment.

The Sovereign Islands mansion has been listed by financial planner David Jenkins and wife Sandra for 500 Bitcoins, or offers over $5.15 million in layman's terms.

David Jenkins told realestate.com.au he noticed other users of the currency were swapping major assets for the digital money.

People had mentioned Bitcoin over the years and I didnt know anything about it, Jenkins said.

When I ended up looking into it I realised it was a pretty good opportunity so I become involved.

It needs to be clear though that this is a personal investment only  I cant advise my clients on it.

It is unlikely a whole transaction can be made using Bitcoin, with the state laws needing to be worked around given legal sanctity of the trust fund accounts.

The home (below), that cost David and Sandra $3.4 million in 2015, is set in the pricey Knightsbridge precinct of Sovereign Islands.

All four levels are serviced by a commercial lift, including the top level penthouse with ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and a balcony with panoramic views of the Broadwater and the hinterland.

It has four bedrooms, a 10 seat gold class style home cinema, wine cellar, home office and garaging for 10 cars.

The full concrete home was built by a former prominent politician.

The first home to hit the headlines offering Bitcoin was a home in Melbourne's The Basin. The vendor was only interested in a part Bitcoin payment for the home.

A home in Far North Queensland followed, willing to accept a 100% payment in Bitcoin for the $1.2 million home. That would equate to 100 Bitcoin at its current average price of around $12,000.

The 32 hectare rural estate known as Wooroonooran Falls at the foot of Mt Bellenden Ker, is happy to take the full transaction in Bitcoin.

The home is steeped in history. It was owned by one of the first settlers in the area, the Hon. Victor Nelson Hood, the nephew of Lord Nelson and the Godson of Queen Victoria.

The four bedroom, one bathroom Queenslander was built in 1948. Views from the front verandah look over the sugar cane fields.

Grandview, another Victoria home, this one north of Melbourne at Mount Macedon, was advertised as happy to also take full Bitcoin payment for the home, priced at $2.5 million.
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The fifth China Shanghai International Childrens Book Fair (CCBF), which wrapped up earlier this month, brought together approximately 350 exhibitors for an exploration of the Asian publishing market. Weve rounded up a selection of photo highlights from the fair, from book talks to tots with books. All photos by Teri Tan.

This years CCBF marked the fifth edition of an event that kicked off as a trial program to host and match-make publishing, rights, and distribution players interested in the vast Chinese childrens book market.

A showcase of the winners of the 2017 Chen Bochui International Childrens Literature Award, Winners for the Best International Picture Book category include Carson Elliss Du Iz Tak?, Adrien Parlanges Le Ruban, and Urszula Palusinskas Lazing About, Facing the Sky.

Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski (Maps) with illustrator Javier Zabala (La Bambina e la Gallina) at a talk hosted by Beijing Dandelion Publishing Houses founder Sally Yan (r.).

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has a new fan.

Kids read aloud animal-themed stories by bestselling Chinese author Shen Shixi.

Kids and parents are entertained by a balloon twister provided by JD.com, which is Chinas second biggest online bookstore.

Disney artist Philo Barnhart signs books and gives out sketches.

K.T. Hao, founder of Taipei-based Grimm Press, speaks to fans. Hao has written more than 66 titles, including bestsellers Best Friends, Little Stone Buddha, and One Pizza, One Penny.

Games and prizes at Everafter Books.

National Geographics eye-catching booth.

Kids try out sound-module books.

Fairgoers explore a colorful tree of knowledge by Shenzhen Booking Imp & Exp Co., the Chinese supplier for Flying Start Books.
Before digging into creating the cover for debut novelist Hermione Hobys Neon in Daylight (Catapult, Jan. 2018), Claire Williams Martinez, one-half of the design team Strick&Williams, said that she and partner Charlotte Strick read Hoby's complete manuscript. With fiction in particular, Martinez explained, the pair finds it visually crippling not to know the whole story. While weve found that most cover ideas come within the first half of the book, not knowing what happens to the characters in the end makes the project feel incomplete and a little dishonest.

In the novel, an Englishwoman flees her PhD program, and her boyfriend, to seek a new life in contemporary New York City. The idea of escape, Martinez said, recurs throughout the book. When we looked for symbols that would simultaneously represent escape and New York, we landed on the fire escape, which appears incidentally, and repeatedly, in the novel.

In the above comp, the large type provides a backdrop for the architectural image, Martinez said, and feels a bit like type you'd see painted on a wall in an art galleryalso a very New York kind of space that makes its way into the novel. The fire escape, she said, has a compelling angle, but it looks more like it belongs to a loading dock than an East Village walk-up.

Another image that wound its way through the novel, Martinez said, is cigarette smoke. Nearly every character takes a drag at one juncture or another, signaling their self-destructive tendencies. The cigarette comp, she said, "allowed for a poster-like solution. We imagined the hand-drawn, purposely messy and exaggerated ember to burn in a neon orange ink."

But in the end, the fire escape proved to be the winner.

At some point in the process, Catapult publisher Andy Hunter had suggested adding a brick wall, Martinez said. This backdrop lent the warmth of human experience, which had been missing in the first round, to the design.

The finished cover, below, incorporates elements of earlier versions, including a color palette that remained consistent throughout.

To get the fire escape details just right, Strick&Wiliams hired photography wizard and building whisperer Marc Yankus, Martinez said. The three of us finessed the angles to get the composition to be believable, while also retaining a surreal urban landscape.
As European authorities watched thousands of aspiring jihadists leave their countries to fight in Iraq and Syria in 2012 and 2013, few laws were in place to prevent them from taking a holiday in Istanbul, a well-known euphemism for jihadists seeking to travel to Syria. As law enforcement and intelligence agencies prepare for the return of some of those who left, European officials may be wondering whether they have the policies, authorities and capabilities to effectively deal with any threats returnees may present.

To successfully combat the threat posed by returning foreign fighters who intend to do harm, European Union officials may need to aggressively root out potential terrorists before they are able to organize and conduct attacks on European soil. This will require continued coordination between national intelligence agencies and police forces in disrupting crime linked to terror.

Of the more than 5,000 European citizens who traveled to Iraq and Syria over the past several years, approximately 1,700 have returned to their countries of origin. Half of the fighters who hail from Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom have returned home. To be sure, the increase in terror-related prosecutions is linked to the phenomenon of foreign fighter returnees, although it remains unclear just what percentage of these cases the returnees comprise. Germany has experienced a nearly fourfold increase in terrorism-related prosecutions in 2017 alone, with approximately 800 cases related to radical Islamists.

There is one potential silver liningthere are far fewer returnees than expected. And the vast majority should pose little or no threat, since many are likely disenchanted with life under the caliphate and will seek to quietly reintegrate back into European society. Others, however, may attempt to sneak back into the country surreptitiously, with the goal of committing acts of terror.

Since the attacks in Paris in November 2015 and Brussels in March 2016, European nations have gone to great lengths to improve border security and increase the surveillance of potential suspects. With assistance from the United States, many intelligence and law enforcement agencies throughout the EU have made substantial progress in identifying and countering the terrorist threat.

But even with critical improvements in capabilities, the challenge remains vexing. These advances have not eliminated the scale of the threat, and many of the issues that have plagued interoperability of European intelligence services remain, including distrust between certain nations and a hesitance to share how specific information is gathered.

Foreign fighters may seek to regroup in Turkey, which they can use as a staging ground and logistical hub to infiltrate Europe. The old refugee route into Europe remains intact and EU borders have been described as less fluid yet still penetrable. British officials have publicly voiced concerns that returning fighters may seek to strike the UK. As terrorism expert Lorenzo Vidino recently noted, lawmakers throughout Europe are struggling to keep up with a constantly shifting threat environment.

European authorities lament that their already finite resources have been stretched thin by the sheer volume of potential suspects that need to be identified and tracked. The security forces will need more manpower simply to monitor and surveil. From the work it has done in Iraq and Syria, the U.S.-led coalition has scrutinized captured computers, documents and cellphones to put together a global profile of ISIS members and sympathizers, a list with approximately 19,000 names on it that has been shared with Interpol. European intelligence services, along with Interpol, have worked to create more comprehensive databases with information gleaned on suspected foreign fighters and potential returnees.

Even though European authorities have improved their ability to track potential returnees, and the number is expected to be small, it seems inevitable that at least a fraction of the criminal jihadists will attempt to return and cause trouble. What can authorities do to mitigate the threat?

The obvious answer is to focus resources where the threat is most palpable. Many of those who left Europe to fight in Iraq and Syria had criminal backgrounds, and it seems likely that those who attempt to slip back home under the radar will return to criminality to survive. As a recent report ( PDF ) by The Soufan Center pointed out, there are numerous similarities between the drivers that lead people towards violent extremist groups and the drivers that lead them towards more traditional criminal gangs. As Rajan Basra and Peter Neumann of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence highlighted in their research on jihadists with criminal backgrounds, the central point is not just that they are criminals, but that their criminality is relevant to their extremism.

To detect and apprehend returning jihadists who re-engage with the criminal underworld, European authorities will likely need to make a more concerted effort to connect individuals and units specializing in this area from the top to the bottom levels within their countries as well as across the continent, which is no easy task. The typical obstacles present will need to be overcome, including language and cultural issues, budget limitations, the stove-piping of information and previously mentioned issues of trust. What appears to be a mere criminal incident in Switzerland could very well turn out to be a terrorist-related issue in Holland. Local police in one country need to be able to pass information seamlessly to national-level officials in another country. This is the only way to effectively map the protean network used by criminal jihadists.

To date, 40,000 foreign fighters have been identified in Iraq and Syria, but an unknown number of jihadists remain unaccounted for. As European governments begin grappling with the fear of the unknown, law enforcement officials and intelligence agents should consider being proactive in hunting for returnees. One method worthy of consideration would be to rely more on undercover officers or informants who can operate in well-known illicit marketsincluding the black market trade in antiquities. For the past several years, Islamic State fighters looted valuable antiquities throughout Iraq and Syria, which they could use to earn money once back in Europe.

The European Union has long suffered from the lack of an integrated common security and defense architecture. The return of dangerous foreign fighters to European soil should be motivation enough for an overarching review of each countrys vulnerabilities.

Ultimately, any assessment or evaluation of existing capabilities should be coupled with an increased effort to improve training and coordination between local, state and federal police forces, and policymakers of national governments across the continent.

Colin P. Clarke is a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. He is also an associate fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT)-The Hague.

This commentary originally appeared on Georgetown Journal of International Affairs on November 25, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Both Western leaders and those involved within the region have been eager to declare victory over the Islamic State after retaking the major cities, such as Mosul and Raqqa, that the group has controlled since 2013. But it's too soon to be complacent. The Islamic State is already thinking about how to regroup. The Philippines is a long way from the group's birthplace in the Middle Eastbut the jihadis have already seized and held a city there for three months, and exerted a grim cost on the country's security forces to retake it.

The Philippines has a long history of Islamic militancy dating back to the 1970s, when the Moro National Liberation Front began battling the government in its quest for greater autonomy from the central government in Manila. After various splits and splintering within the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front emerged in 1984 and continued to wage a low-intensity insurgency throughout the southern Philippines. Another Islamic militant organization, the Abu Sayyaf Group, formed in the early 1990s and has formed links with al Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups throughout Southeast Asia, including Jemaah Islamiyah.

Islamic State is a latecomer to the islands. It had only limited interest in the Philippines before 2016, when its caliphate in the Middle East was already under severe strain. Moreover, while over a half-dozen Philippine factions pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, the organization didn't reciprocate: It never publicly acknowledged an official wilayat, or franchise, in the Philippines. In a video produced at the end of June 2016 by the Philippines media office, the Islamic State highlighted the formal relationship between its core and the militants in the Philippines, but this was not an official wilayat announcement.

Southeast Asian militants also have little battle experience with the Islamic State. The nearly 1,600 South and Southeast Asian foreign fighters who traveled to Iraq and Syria to join the group would have made up just 5 percent of the total number of Islamic State foreign fighters, estimated to be pushing 30,000, according to a report by The Soufan Center, an international consulting company.

And yet, despite receiving far less attention than other Islamic State franchise groupsincluding in Libya, the Sinai Peninsula, and AfghanistanIslamist militants who have espoused an affinity for the Islamic State were able to dramatically seize Marawi, the largest city in Mindanao's autonomous region, with a population of 200,000. And even though militants in the Philippines never received official Islamic State wilayat status, there are strong ideological links that have even extended to something more tangible. The combined counteroffensive against the militants failed to recapture Marawi from a loose coalition of these Islamic State-linked factions, including the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Maute group, whose effectiveness was bolstered by Islamic State material support. The core group reportedly sent nearly $2 million to militants in the Philippines to help the group wage battle. The Philippines fits the Islamic State's template of seeking to instigate and latch onto existing ethnic conflicts with sectarian issues, with Muslims from the south competing with Christians from the predominantly Catholic north.

Despite intense assaults and heavy doses of firepower by Philippine security forces, the militants were able to hold the city for more than three months. The feat was even more impressive considering the counterinsurgent force included elite U.S.-trained special operations forces, andreportedlyU.S. forces that operated quietly alongside them on the ground.

The situation on the ground in the southern Philippines is uncertain today. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte proclaimed Marawi liberated on Oct. 17, one day after his security forces killed Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the top two leaders of the jihadis in Marawi. However, looming insecurity and a humanitarian crisis will pose a major challenge to reconstruction efforts in Marawi, and extremism is likely to increase among the population in response to the bloody government counterterror campaign and threaten the peace process between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Meanwhile, experts suspect Duterte might have inflated enemy casualty statistics in order to declare Marawi liberated, making it possible for surviving fighters to return to localities where they enjoyed local support and to regroup for future combat.

Marawi may be a taste of things to come. With its Middle Eastern strongholds destroyed, the Islamic State is likely to become more fragmented and to shift greater attention to new regions, from Southeast Asia to sub-Saharan Africa. The foreign fighters who came to Iraq and Syria from around the world may become the nucleus of expanded movements in their home regions. And with its caliphate gone, the Islamic State may attempt to revisit its strategy of designating official franchise groups in an attempt to give its brand a much-needed refurbishment and boost.

Southeast Asia has long been a hotbed of Islamic extremism and violence. For example, neighboring Indonesiathe world's most populous Muslim countrywas the original home of key al Qaeda leaders before the 9/11 attacks. More recently it has seen an uptick of arrests related to terrorist plots by Islamic extremists. Still, the nucleus of jihadis actively fighting in, and possibly returning to, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries is relatively small compared to other countries in other regions such as North Africa. Nonetheless, as the core Islamic State unravels, the Philippines is likely to continue to become increasingly useful to the group as a safety valve outside of the Middle East.

The Philippines is likely to remain a ripe target due to its large Muslim population, the presence of pre-existing radical Islamist violent and nonviolent fringe movements, the permissiveness of its formal and informal financial systems, weak local institutions, and a leader in Duterte who is heading an administration that has overseen a crisis in Marawi that has resulted in dozens of civilians killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.

For much of the past 15 years, U.S. special operations forces were active in the Philippines supporting elite Philippine military and law enforcement counterterrorism units as part of the global war on terror. This light-footprint effort is considered among the most successful counterterrorism campaigns in Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, the largest U.S. counterterrorism effort in the Pacific theater during the war on terror.

The United States ended this campaign in 2015, and whatever successes it had now are in jeopardy of being short-lived: By early 2017, an Islamic State-linked group had captured and held a major city U.S. special forces had helped defend for over a decadedrawing immediate concern from U.S. policymakers.

Although the U.S. counterterrorism support to liberate Marawi from Islamic State-linked groups demonstrates a willingness to intervene in the Philippines in the event of a crisis, it does little to indicate that the kind of U.S. military support provided to Philippine security forces previously is feasible as a longer-term solution for preventing the Philippines from becoming a safe haven for radical Islamic terrorists. Given the degree to which U.S. forces are already overstretched worldwide, there seems unlikely to be much enthusiasm for a serious commitment to yet another country.

Trump and Duterte dealing on terms that included a longer, more open-ended commitment of troops would be uncharacteristic for either leader. Both have demonstrated a preference for shorter, more decisive actions. This cuts off the possibility of an indirect approach that would involve training, equipping, and advising Philippine counterterrorism units as part of a longer-term commitment to help ensure a potential crisis could be stemmed before it could grow to the scale of the one in Marawi. The mass killings undertaken by Philippine security forces, backed by Duterte, under the cover of a war on drugs also call into question the form of potential U.S. military support.

Islamic insurgency and terrorist activity are alive and well in the southern Philippines. Before this fight is over, more punches and counterpunches between the Islamists and the regime will surely be thrown.

And although the Duterte administration has claimed it is committed to finishing this fight, the Philippines' history as a major hub for insurgents motivated by radical Islamic ideology demonstrates that quelling the fighting will be far more difficult in practice.

Even if the Philippines fails to mature into a major node in the Islamic State's protean global network, it will likely remain fertile ground for the future recruitment, financing, and propagation of propaganda inspired by or directly supporting the Islamic State and its violent agenda.

Patrick B. Johnston is a senior political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Colin P. Clarke is a political scientist at RAND Corporation and an associate fellow at the International Centre for Counter-TerrorismThe Hague.

This commentary originally appeared on Foreign Policy on November 27, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Two new spans over the Mississippi River in Winona and La Crosse are among eight North American projects to receive honors from an industry group.

The American Segmental Bridge Institute selected the I-90 and Hwy. 43 bridges as winners of its 2017 excellence awards for projects in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 4-year, $189 million project to replace the 49-year-old Dresbach bridge was completed in November 2016.

The selection committee called it a world-class Mississippi River crossing and cited innovative approaches to design, materials and rapid construction. The committee said it combined aesthetically pleasing shapes with two 508-foot concrete spans that are the longest in Minnesota and allowed it to be built with only one pier near the main channel.

The new $78 million Winona bridge was completed in August 2016 adjacent to the existing 75-year-old Hwy. 43 bridge, which is currently being rebuilt and expected to reopen in 2020.

The selection committee commended the bridges graceful haunched superstructure and elegant twin wall piers and called the project an amazing feat of engineering considering the winter construction.

The Winona bridge also received a 2017 award from the American Concrete Institute, while the Dresbach bridge was selected as one of the nations top 10 projects by Roads & Bridges.
After a months-long lull in activity, North Korea test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on what appears to have been a lofted trajectory. According to the Pentagon, the weapon flew for a distance of one thousand kilometers before splashing down near Japan. Very few details were immediately available.

Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said in a statement. The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000km [621 miles] before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

The South Korean Yonhap wire servicewhich initially reported the North Korean missile test based on its sources in Seouloffered some additional details. According to the wire service, the weapon flew a horizontal distance of 960 kilometers (597 miles) but reached an altitude of 4,500 kilometersor 2796 miles.

That means that the missile flew a high lofted trajectory out into spacewell above the orbit of the International Space Station at 408 kilometers (253 miles)before coming back down after its roughly fifty-three-minute journey, landing some 210 kilometers (130 miles) off the Japanese coast. The missile also flew significantly higher than North Koreas previous ICBM test on July 28, which reached a comparatively paltry 3,700-kilometer (2,300-mile) altitude.

While it is too early to be certain as to exactly what kind of missile the North Koreans tested, analysts are starting form a consensus that the weapon was a HS-14 ICBM. It was a Hwasong 14 with a bigger upper stage, Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey told theNational Interest.

Others agreed with that assessmentand suggested that further North Korean missile tests would push the envelope further as Pyongyang attempts to perfect an ICBM capability that could strike directly at the U.S. mainland. Im guessing its a HS-14 with an improved second stage, Joshua H. Pollack, editor of theNonproliferation Review and a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told the National Interest. Based on what we saw them do with the HS-12 earlier this year, the next step would be to go over Japan, preferably in a lightly populated area like Hokkaido or northern Honshu.

While it should have been apparent to everyone after North Koreas July 28 ICBM test that Pyongyang now possesses a weapon that can strike directly at the United States, this latest missile test removes any doubt that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has the capacity to hold the American homeland at risk. That holds true even if the North Korean weapon has not yet been perfected.

Todays test is North Koreas third successful ICBM test since July. The test flew longer and higher than the previous two tests, suggesting that North Korea has improved the capability of its (likely) HS-14 ICBM, Kingston Reif, director for disarmament and threat-reduction policy at the Arms Control Association told theNational Interest. North Korea is likely to want to conduct additional tests to increase confidence in its capabilities, particularly an ICBM on a minimum energy trajectory and its reentry systems. But if North Korea hasnt already mastered the required technologies, on its current testing and development pace it will likely do so soon.

Arms-control expert and president of the Ploughshares Fund Joseph Cirincione told the National Interest that todays test was a significant event. This is a major development, Cirincione said. Their third successful ICBM test with the longest potential range yet. It appears to have the potential to go 13,000 miles, depending on the weight of the warhead.

While some had assumed that external pressure from the United States and its allies had convinced North Korea to hold off on testing, arms-control experts never bought that line of reasoning. Lewis had hypothesized that the lull in North Korean missile tests was probably seasonal, but there could also be other reasons. Indeed, as Reif notes, President Donald J. Trumps policies have only exacerbated the standoff with North Korea.

The Trump administrations current strategy of maximum pressure and no meaningful engagement is failing, Reif said. Since Trump's fire and fury threat on August 8 North Korea has: conducted its third ICBM test; OKed a plan to test IRBMs at Guam; tested three SRBMs; tested two IRBMs over Japan; and conducted its sixthand biggestnuke test.

Cirincione noted that North Korea missile and nuclear tests are driven by the Kim regimes internal dynamics rather than by Trump. I generally believe that North Koreas test schedule is driven by its own internal dynamics, but they certainly timed this well, Cirincione said. They watch the United States very closely, and whether intentional or not, they tested at a time when the President is wrapped up in domestic politics, limiting his ability to respond. They also tested this ICMB with a lofted trajectory, which minimized the threat profile, and, of course, did not test this missile with a live, nuclear warhead.

What todays missile test does highlight is the fact that Washington must find a diplomatic solution to this crisis as North Korea continues to rapidly advance its nuclear-weapons and missile programs. North Korea's progress speaks to the urgent need to marry continued economic pressure on North Korea with pursuit of diplomatic off rampswithout preconditionsaimed at reducing tensions and freezing Pyongyangs long-range missile and nuclear testing, Reif said. The Trump administration does not appear to have such a coherent strategy. That needs to changeand fast.

While the outlook is bleak, there is a potential silver lining. North Korea might be nearing the completion of its test series. That could mean that there might be some potential for a diplomatic solution.

One possible positive sign in this test: North Korean Foreign Minister Ri said at the U.N. in September that they were finally only a few steps away from the final gate of completion of the state nuclear force. That could mean they intend to conduct one or two more missile tests and then declare their nuclear deterrent complete, Cirincione said. That could finally open the door to negotiations. A door we should have walked through long agobefore they had a nuclear-armed ICBM that could hit any part of the United States.

Of course, the situation could deteriorate further if relations with the volatile North Korean regime are not handled carefully. This was probably their first go-round with an upgraded second stage. Next time, theyll go over Japan. They may do that a couple of times to be sure it works as intended before they try Juche Bird (a live nuclear missile shot), Pollack said. I dont think they want to do that, in particular. They have adhered to the global norm of underground testing until now. But if and when they find that their successful demonstration of an ICBM into the South Pacific hasnt moved the U.S. off its policy stance, then they'll feel compelled to up the ante.

Only time will tell how the situation develops, however, at this point, it is likely that the United States will simply have to live with a nuclear-armed North Korea. That means that deterrence is probably the only viable solution.

Reprinted with permission from The National Interest. Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @Davemajumdar.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, Joao Victor Vidal, a junior graphic design major, stood vigil on a tarp on the corner outside of the Starbucks on College Avenue for two hours wearing no shoes and with numerous pockets sewn onto his clothing.

Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of downtown Athens on a weekend, Vidal had with him a bucket full of sand and a cardboard sign that read Put your weight on me.

The whole performance, as he called it, was part of a project for his Hypermedia art class. However, the project ultimately ended up transforming into something more than what Vidal had initially thought it would be.

The hypermedia art class that Vidal is enrolled in is a studio art course that focuses on theory and practices in contemporary art and hypermodernity. The overarching theme throughout the semester for Vidals specific class was an exploration on the malaise plaguing modern society. Students then had to perform or produce four different projects throughout the course of the semester that either related to one specific malaise or different ones.

Vidals performance on Nov. 11 was the third of his projects that explore the idea of relationships between people. His emphasis this time was to consider the importance everyone has in life.

You know how every time you meet someone, a little bit of themselves end up on you? Vidal said. My idea was I was going to translate concretely [that idea]  that we leave a bit of ourselves every time we meet someone.

Vidal first started out with a piece of tape over his mouth, leaving most of the action up to the people that interacted with him.

He wanted the work to speak for itself, said Brian Wilkerson, a sophomore aart major with an emphasis in ArtX from Dacula, Georgia, and friend of Vidals.

The problem he soon encountered was that, with the tape serving as a barrier of communication, many passers bys werent able to fully grasp what he was doing.

People were going through like I was invisible, like there was nothing there, Vidal said.

You know how every time you meet someone, a little bit of themselves end up on you?

-Joao Victor Vidal, junior graphic design major

To other people, he wasnt as approachable with the tape preventing him from speaking with people.

His friend, sophomore graphic design major Katie Wallace, who was on site filming Vidal, offered a bit of advice to him after 15 minutes of very little response from passing pedestrians.

I told him if you took the tape off and start talking to people and explaining the project, then you change the meaning  youre telling people that these are burdens instead of letting them figure it out, Wallace said.

One of Vidals strengths according to himself and many of his friends is that hes an incredibly talkative and sociable person. In taking the tape off his mouth, he enabled himself to utilize that strength to interact with people.

Hes a very sociable person and he can talk to anyone, Wallace said. When he changed it, it made it a little bit more effective. People could tell him their stories and he could in turn interact with that.

Although he had slightly shifted the message to the project, Vidal seemed to get much more meaningful reactions from people. Not only did people want to learn more about what he was doing and why, but they were more willing to open up and literally put their weight on him.

I understood people wanted to talk to me more than they wanted be part of the project, Vidal said. I thought people would be cold, but they wanted to talk.

In the two hour time period that Vidal stood at his post, he took on many peoples burdens and weights as they poured their scoop of sand into his makeshift pockets. He heard students stress about their classes or high schoolers worry about their futures. He heard about peoples days and how they were feeling. However, one specific girls story stuck with him.

She came in really happy and we started talking. I turned my back and she was putting sand in my back and she said yeah, I just found out my mom has cancer, Vidal said. Thats when I realized people would start talking to me about their problems if I explained what was going on.

Even after standing outside in the November cold without shoes on for two hours, Vidal stated he didnt want to leave.

I think it put people in a lighter mood, Vidal said. Im happy I did it. I would have stayed there for another two hours.

I think it put people in a lighter mood. Im happy I did it. I would have stayed there for another two hours.

-Joao Victor Vidal, junior graphic design major

Although Vidals project first started out as a form of performance art for a class, it evolved into something that Vidal himself thoroughly enjoyed and took a lot away from. By talking with people and letting people figuratively and literally put their weight on him, he made a small impact on them the same way they did on him.

What I was trying to do was trying to get people to understand that people disregard the connections we have that people you wouldnt expect, Vidal said. Everyone has an importance in your life. Even the smallest person has an importance in who you are. Thats what I was trying to get across."
University of Georgia graduate students walked out of their labs and classrooms at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29 to meet on the North Campus Quad to express their disapproval of the the GOPs proposed tax bill.
Martinsville is building a new police station. What you need to know.
TASHKENT -- An Afghan Kam Air passenger jet landed at Tashkent International Airport on November 29 after making the first-ever direct commercial flight from Kabul to Uzbekistan's capital.

The Uzbek government said earlier that talks on starting direct flights between the two capitals were under way and that a Kabul-Tashkent flight would begin operating twice a week as of December 8.

Without a direct flight, passengers from Afghanistan have to spend roughly 17 to 32 hours to reach Tashkent via Istanbul and Dubai.

The new flight from Kabul to Tashkent takes 90 minutes.

It is expected that Kam Air will use Tashkent airport as a hub for connections to European countries.

Media reports cited Uzbekistan Airways officials as saying that it will start operating flights from Tashkent to Kabul in the near future.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who came to power following the death of longtime autocrat Islam Karimov last year, has said that improving ties with Uzbekistan's neighbors is a major foreign policy priority.
WASHINGTON -- The United States should establish a permanent military presence in the Southeastern Europe to help stabilize the Western Balkans and prevent further inroads by Russia, a Washington-based think tank says.

A new report published by the Atlantic Council ahead of a November 29 conference on Southeastern Europe in Washington said that such a move "would demonstrate an enduring U.S. commitment to security in the region and anchor the United States' long-term ability to influence developments."

The report titled Balkans Forward  A New U.S. Strategy For The Region called the Western Balkans a "region in flux" and cautioned over Russias aggressive moves in the area.

It cited "notable progress" and movement toward the West among Southeastern European countries, but stated that the "final outcome" was no longer assured.

"The Western Balkans remain the unfinished business of a Europe whole and free," it said. "As the United States and Europe focus on internal concerns, Russia and other countries are reshaping the geopolitical landscape across the region."

It said a U.S. military presence could be modeled on the current Camp Bondsteel facility in Kosovo. Camp Bondsteel, established in the late 1990s, is the main U.S. Army base in Kosovo and is used by NATO forces.

"Troops would be used both to help strengthen local authorities' terrorist interdiction capabilities through training and sharing of best practices, and to provide aid in humanitarian catastrophes, should they arise," it said.

U.S. Embassy Downplays Idea

The U.S. Embassy in Belgrade downplayed the suggestion in the think tank report.

"Many academic and research institutions in the United States participate in public debates on foreign policy issues on a daily basis and this is an important part of the democratic process," the embassy press office said in a statement.

"Discussions and debate on ideas help the public and policymakers to better understand the important issues that we face in the world, but these academic and research institutions do not have a formal role in creating the official U.S. policy," it added.

The Atlantic Council report also said the United States and the European Union should pursue a "historic" rapprochement with Serbia in an effort to move it toward the West and away from traditional ally Moscow.

"Belgrade can and should be a close partner and ally in the region, but it can only become one if it begins to meaningfully distance itself from Russia."

"This is not a trivial pivot for Serbian leadership, but neither should it be something on which the United States or the EU should compromise," it added.

Fragile States

Other recommendations by the Atlantic Council urged the United States to play the role of "honest broker," especially in longstanding disputes between Montenegro and Greece and between Serbia and Kosovo.

The report stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability and warned of the dangers of potential Russian actions in the region.

"If a Balkans political crisis escalates to the point of skirmishes or civil war, it would speed up the weakening of already fragile states like Macedonia and Kosovo," it said.

"As they serve as buffer states for refugee flows, destabilization could lead to a radicalization of heretofore secular Muslim societies, both in Macedonia and Kosovo, and critically, further north in [Bosnia-Herzegovina]," the document said. "Either outcome poses a looming threat to European security and represents a positive outcome for the Kremlin.

The report said that the last two years have seen "breathtaking attempts by Russia to capitalize on the regions lingering pathologies to undermine the European project," including the "failed Russian-backed coup" in Montenegro, Serbian "agitprop" on the border with Kosovo, and "lingering tensions" in Macedonia.

It also warned of Turkish efforts to "cultivate its clients," mainly in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania.

The U.S. military and NATO have already begun bolstering their presence in Eastern European NATO-member states in the face of a more assertive Russia after its illegal annexation of Ukraines Crimea region in March 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Balkan Service
On November 9, 1993, one of Bosnia-Herzegovina's cultural treasures became a casualty of war. The Old Bridge in Mostar, built in 1566 during the Ottoman Empire, was destroyed by shells fired by Croatian gunners amid fierce fighting with Bosnian Muslims.



The destruction was ordered by Slobodan Praljak, a former commander of Bosnian Croat forces, who was found guilty of the crime in 2013 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). "It's just an old bridge," Praljak was quoted as saying in 1993. Praljak's 20-year sentence was upheld by judges on appeal in The Hague on November 29, 2017.



A new bridge built largely from the original stones was unveiled in Mostar in 2004, becoming a symbol of postwar reconciliation. These combination photographs compare the war-ravaged sites of Mostar with the reconstructed city.



(This gallery was originally published in April 2013.)
A U.S. government witness has testified that he paid over $50 million in bribes to Turkey's economy minister in 2012 as part of a $1 billion scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions.

Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab described his arrangement with former Turkish Economy Minister Mehmet Zafer Caglayan on November 29 at the beginning of several days of testimony at the New York trial of Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who is charged as Zarrab's accomplice in a conspiracy to evade Iran sanctions and bribe public officials.

Zarrab, 34, who has pled guilty to fraud charges in the case and is cooperating as the government's star witness, described discussing the scheme to evade sanctions with Caglayan, including using suitcases full of gold to launder Iran's money.

"I can help with this, provided there is a profit share of 50-50," Zarrab quoted Caglayan as saying.

Caglayan has been indicted in the case, but he remains at large. He has denied the charges.

Caglayan was economy minister when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was prime minister. He resigned at the end of 2013 when Turkish authorities started investigating whether he and other ministers took bribes from Zarrab to help Iran evade UN sanctions. Zarrab was arrested in Turkey at the time, but Turkish authorities eventually released him and dropped all charges.

U.S. authorities have acknowledged their case picked up from the Turkish investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sidhardha Kamaraju told the court Zarrab orchestrated a high-level conspiracy to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions and enable $1 billion in Iranian revenues from oil and gas sales to move through U.S. and global banking markets.

Zarrab testified that he ran into resistance when he approached an executive from the the Turkish government-owned bank Halkbank in late 2011 or early 2012 to try to gain access to Iranian money.

The executive, he said, feared that Zarrab's celebrity as the husband of Turkish pop star Ebru Gundes would draw scrutiny to the trades.

"I was a person who was in the public eye all of the time," said Zarrab, who was born in Iran but has Turkish citizenship.

Zarrab said he then met with Caglayan, who told him he would smooth the way for his transactions, but only if he got half the profits. Zarrab testified that Caglayan's share ended up totaling more than $50 million.

At one point, Zarrab drew diagrams for the jury to illustrate the elaborate web of transactions used to beat U.S. sanctions, which prohibit Iran from using U.S. dollars or the U.S. financial system. Zarrab said he made a fortune as a middleman in the scheme.

Zarrab said he used the proceeds from Iranian gas and oil sales to Turkey to buy gold, and had couriers carry the gold in suitcases to Dubai, where the gold was converted back into cash that was deposited into an account owned by a front company.

The money was further laundered through multiple bank transfers, including some through U.S. financial institutions in violation of the sanctions, he said.

Zarrab testified that the sanction-evasion scheme was done in consultation with Atilla, 47, who at the time was a top executive atHalkbank. He said Attila helped to doctor the trades so that the Iranian origin of the funds would not be detected by U.S. banks.

Atilla has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A lawyer for Atilla has attacked Zarrab's credibility, portraying him as "liar" and sophisticated con man.

The U.S. indictment describes Caglayan's role in the gold-transfer scheme and in another scheme in which he and other Turkish government officials allegedly helped disguise the movement of Iranian oil proceeds by claiming the money was connected with the sale of food and medicine to Iran and thus exempt from sanctions.

Erdogan has called on U.S. authorities to "review" the decision to indict Caglayan, saying the former minister did not engage in any wrongdoing because Turkey never imposed sanctions on Iran. Ankara views Tehran as an important trading partner.

Before Zarrab turned into the government's top witness, Erdogan repeatedly demanded that the United States release him. His ministers have asserted that the case was "fabricated" and Zarrab is being held "hostage" to force him to testify.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters


Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking Chinas resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Im RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish.

Before we get started, a few announcements: The newsletter is now biweekly, rather than going out only on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. To subscribe, click here.

And I will also be launching Talking China In Eurasia, a new podcast. Im joined by the Royal United Services Institutes Raffaello Pantucci to talk about Xi and Putin. Listen to the first episode here or below.

Xi Gets Pragmatic About Russia At The G20

It was light on optimism, but U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping injected a healthy dose of pragmatism back into the U.S.-China relationship with their meeting in Bali at a time when global anxiety is rising over Russias war against Ukraine.

Finding Perspective: The meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit was far from a breakthrough, but it did repair some damage from the recent backslide in relations between both countries and send some signals that the world isnt necessarily destined for Cold War 2.0.

The more than three-hour talks saw some blunt exchanges over contentious issues like Taiwan and North Korea, but the two leaders also pledged more frequent communications and decided that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Beijing for follow-up talks in 2023.

Of particular note, Biden raised Russias invasion of Ukraine and threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons. Both leaders reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought, according to a White House readout.

While far from a sea change for Chinese policy, thats notable. The credibility of Beijings claims to be neutral on the Ukraine war continue to come under scrutiny, and China has shown discomfort of late with the Kremlins nuclear saber-rattling.

Xi made similar comments after a November 4 summit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and during another G20 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the French readout.

Why It Matters: Xi is not abandoning Putin, but this marks the latest shift for Beijings balancing act over Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Four Chinese officials briefed on the February 4 meeting between Xi and Putin, where they declared a no-limits partnership, told the Financial Times that Putin didnt tell Xi the truth about the invasion and that Beijing was caught off guard by it.

What Xi knew about Putins war plans has been a topic of debate, and there is evidence to support both the idea that Xi was aware and that he was caught off guard.

Many analysts are of the opinion that Xi knew about Putin's decision to invade but expected a quick victory, which perhaps was what Putin believed at the time.

Others point to a steady stream of dismissals from Chinese officials and experts about the likelihood of an invasion in February and the fact that Beijing did not evacuate its citizens from Ukraine  like Western nations did  as evidence that China was not expecting a war.

China certainly has its own interests in keeping a distance from Moscows war and using that space to do some upkeep with the West. But perhaps the most important point here is that even if Putin did blindside Xi, China has stuck with Russia despite its battlefield failures, political isolation, and the atrocities its troops are accused of committing.

Again, this is pragmatism more than anything else. As Chinese experts often say, even if Russia is looking unattractive these days, why would Beijing abandon its main anti-Western partner as China continues to be in the crosshairs of rising American pressure?

Read More

 Want to hear more about Russia and Chinas complex relationship amid the Ukraine war? Then tune in to the debut of Talking China In Eurasia today at 2 p.m. CET/ 8 a.m. EST. You can listen live here and find the episode on RFE/RLs website and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

 Condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine and its global fallout is shaping up to be the key theme of the G20, with the Financial Times reporting that a joint communique from the summit takes aim at Moscow.

Expert Corner: The Future Of The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Readers asked: Did Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs recent trip to Beijing breathe new life into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)? How do Islamabad and Beijing really feel about the project after all these years?

To find out more, I asked Filippo Boni, an expert on China-Pakistan relations at the Open University in Britain:

Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China was high on symbolism and relatively low on substance. While the two sides were keen to reaffirm and emphasize the strength of their strategic partnership, no significant new commitment was made. Apart from a few memorandums of understanding and attempts from the Pakistanis in the run-up to the trip to address some of CPECs issues  including payments to Chinese independent power producers  nothing major came from the visit. This is despite Sharif's attempts at revitalizing CPEC since April and the very close ties he enjoys with the Chinese leadership.

The outcome of this visit is not entirely surprising, especially if interpreted against the backdrop of Pakistan's current domestic predicaments. The security situation for Chinese nationals has deteriorated, the economy is struggling, and political instability is at one of its highest points in recent years. All these dynamics, coupled with the global scaling down of Belt and Road Initiative financing, have likely impacted Beijing's lack of commitment to new projects.

After almost 10 years and $25 billion worth of projects, there seems to be a general consensus on both sides that the first phase of CPEC  the one focused primarily on energy projects  was largely successful. The same cannot be said for the second phase, including the slow progress on the development of Special Economic Zones, and for the port of Gwadar, where little progress has been made for the ports full commercial functioning.

Do you have a question about Chinas growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and Ill get it answered by leading experts and policymakers.

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. 'Sweep It Under The Rug'

Recent allegations of China operating 54 overseas police stations have fueled controversy around the world and sparked investigations, but in Hungary and Serbia the new findings are being met with swift denials by authorities, despite growing evidence.

The Details: My colleagues Akos Keller-Alant from RFE/RLs Hungarian Service, Mila Durdevic from RFE/RLs Balkan Service, and I reported on the fallout from these revelations and the slew of probes launched in many European countries recently.

The stations are overseas operations of the public security bureaus from two Chinese provinces and are used to persuade citizens to return to China, including through pressure on family members at home. While most of those involved appear to be suspected of crimes such as telecommunications fraud or corruption, dissidents have also reported that the stations have been used to monitor and threaten them.

Fourteen governments have already launched investigations into the overseas police stations, and the Dutch and Irish governments have ordered China to shut down the facilities in their countries.

But in Hungary and Serbia  two countries where Beijing is said to operate such facilities and whose governments prize their warming political and economic ties with China  officials appear to be trying to sweep it under the rug, as one analyst characterized it, despite growing scrutiny from opposition lawmakers in each country.

2. Global Ripples Hit Central Asia

Political and economic shocks from Moscows war in Ukraine, coupled with added strains from tensions between Beijing and Washington, are taking their toll around the world, especially in Central Asia, where countries in the region are closely tied to both China and Russia.

What It Means: As RFE/RLs Uzbek Service reported, Vladimir Norov, the countrys foreign minister, warned about geopolitical tensions affecting stability in the region and beyond while addressing his counterparts at an Organization of Turkic States meeting in Samarkand.

The breakdown in global cooperation is felt particularly strong in Central Asia. While some economies have been able to benefit by becoming a new home for businesses and capital relocated from Russia, others are seeing investment dry up and their economies coming under strain.

World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde recently warned that Uzbekistan needs to continue with its market reforms in order to withstand the global economic shocks that are to come.

RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service also reported that the countrys government is trying to court more investment but that questions remain from investors about Kyrgyzstans stability and investment climate. According to official statistics from January to June of this year, China is the leading source of foreign investment, with $129 million during that span.

3. The Tech In Moscows Iranian Drones

A new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, looked into electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 drone, which Russia has used in its war in Ukraine, and found that theyre far from homegrown.

What You Need To Know: 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 technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

The investigation also found drone components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm.

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.

The international tech in the drone not only highlights the complex ecosystem that allows firms and buyers to circumvent sanctions slapped on both Iran and Russia, but also the close networks between Chinese and Western tech companies that still exist, despite a recent push to break some of those linkages.

Across The Supercontinent

On The Mainland: The watchdog group Freedom House recently launched a new project called the China Dissent Monitor, which tracks protests and other forms of dissent inside China. Read it here.

Censored: Chinese authorities behind a major trade expo in Shanghai pulled an opening ceremony address by European Council President Charles Michel that was set to criticize Russia's illegal war in Ukraine and call for reduced European dependency on China, Reuters reported.

Backtracking: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has softened his countrys stance toward China, moving away from his predecessor Liz Trusss decision to label it a threat.

One Thing To Watch

How long will Chinas stringent COVID policies stay in place?

New infections are rising as a winter wave hits and popular frustration continues to boil over inside the country as investor confidence stays dented over the measures. New footage also showed crowds of residents in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou escaping a compulsory lockdown and clashing with police.

Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have.

Until next time,

Reid Standish

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your in-box on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
The presidents of Kazakhstan and Belarus hailed their countries' trade and economic ties after a bilateral meeting in Minsk.

The talks took place on November 29, a day ahead of a collective security summit of six former Soviet republics in the Belarusian capital.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev on November 29 stressed the "historically friendly relations" between the two former Soviet republics and called Belarus "Kazakhstans reliable partner."

His Belarusian counterpart, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, called Nazarbaev's visit "important," and expressed hope that bilateral trade and economic ties would increase further.

Nazarbaev pointed out that, for the first nine months of 2017, trade volume between the two countries increased more than 60 percent to $441 million.

Without being specific, the Kazakh presidential press service said agreements expected to be signed during Nazarbaev's two-day visit to Belarus would further boost ties between the two nations.

Kazakhstan and Belarus are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, along with fellow founding members Russia, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan.

On November 30, Nazarbaev and Lukashenka are expected to take part in a summit in Minsk of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led regional security group of former Soviet republics that also includes Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

The CSTO was formed in 1992.


QARAGHANDY, Kazakhstan -- Two men in the central Kazakh city of Qaraghandy are being tried on charges of inciting ethnic and religious hatred.

Uali Aliasqarov, 66, and Mikhail Tkachyov, 28, pleaded not guilty as their trial got under way on November 29.

Investigators say the defendants are members of a Russia-based semi-religious group called the Union of Co-Creators of the Holy Russia. Its acronym is SSSR, the same as the Russian variant of U.S.S.R.

According to the investigators, Aliasqarov and Tkachyov used the Internet and in-person gatherings to promote ideas that insulted and diminished representatives of an unnamed ethnic group.

Since 2014, amid heightened government concern sparked by Russia's interference in Ukraine, several Kazakh citizens have been convicted of inciting ethnic hatred or separatism in Internet posts.

Russia occupied the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and fomented separatism in eastern Ukraine, where it has backed separatists in a war that has killed more than 10,000 people since that April.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to justify Moscow's interference in part by citing what he said were concerns about the life, security, and rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine.

Those developments, as well as calls for the creation of a "Russian World" linking areas with large Russian-speaking populations, sparked concerns that Moscow might set its sights on the swath of northern Kazakhstan along the border with Russia.


The dispute between the governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is affecting many aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries, but one result that seems very likely is that Kazakhstan's government will be taking a much greater interest in Kyrgyzstan's domestic politics in the years to come.



Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev might have sparked the current tensions when he met with the head of Kyrgyzstan's Respublika party, Omurbek Babanov, on September 19 in the Kazakh capital, Astana.



Babanov was running for president of Kyrgyzstan at the time and his main challenger was Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who was supported by sitting President Almazbek Atambaev. Jeenbekov eventually won the October 15 election.



But since that meeting in Astana it has been Atambaev who has been dumping fuel on the fire Nazarbaev touched off.



First there were some angry statements exchanged between the two countries' foreign ministries.



At an award ceremony in Bishkek on October 7, Atambaev addressed the Nazarbaev-Babanov meeting, calling it "meddling in Kyrgyzstan's internal affairs," and adding some uncomplimentary comments about Kazakhstan's government and Nazarbaev.



Kazakhstan closed the border with Kyrgyzstan on October 10, less than one week before Kyrgyzstan's presidential election.

The 'Entourage' Strikes Back



On October 18, three days after Jeenbekov won the Kyrgyz presidential election, Atambaev made a feeble attempt at an apology by saying that Nazarbaev "is a trusting person ... [and] much like any president, [Nazarbaev] trusts his entourage, but his entourage are oligarchs who think of their own future, not about Kazakhstan and Nazarbaev."

This is a good time to move things forward a few weeks.

Nazarbaev has not publicly responded to anything Atambaev has said about Kazakhstan and its leader. But some of Nazarbaev's "entourage" has.

Mukhtar Kul-Muhammad is the deputy chairman of Kazakhstan's ruling Nur-Otan party, founded on March 1, 1999, with the intention of seeing Nazarbaev reelected president.

Kazakhstan's Tengrinews information website printed an article on November 27 titled Mukhtar Kul-Muhammad: This Is A Complete Failure For Atambaev.

The Nur-Otan deputy chairman questioned Atambaev's knowledge of Kyrgyz and Kazakh history, but later got right to the heart of it.

"Lately the expressions heard from the mouth of Atambaev ... (give) the impression that this is a person in prison or a hospital. (Words like) 'flunky, a**hole, mankurt [a completely Sovietized Central Asian], idiot, stinky, bastards, sh*t' have already become commonplace in the lexicon of Atambaev."

Kul-Muhammad's article came after Tengrinews carried an piece on November 20 by Nurlan Nigmatulin, the speaker of the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament.

Nigmatulin wrote: "Concerning Atambaev, it is obvious to everyone that during the years of his presidency he could not accomplish even one result in the economy, or in politics."

Atambaev had continued with his intermittent criticism of Kazakhstan through late October and into November. On November 15, Atambaev said he would not apologize to the "aged president," a clear reference to Nazarbaev. Atambaev said Kazakhstan continued to impose a "blockade" on the border with Kyrgyzstan.

"Some people seem to say that Atambaev must bend his knee in front of the rich neighbor and apologize," he continued. "It is not Atambaev but those who impertinently meddle in our affairs who must apologize."

He had more to say.

That prompted not only the responses from Nigmatulin and Kul-Muhammad, it also elicited comments from Kasymzhomart Tokaev, who as speaker of the Senate, the upper house of Kazakhstan's parliament, would constitutionally take over as president (temporarily) in the event that Nazarbaev cannot perform the duties of his office.

'Hysterical Speech'

Tokaev used Twitter to respond to Atambaev on November 15.

"The latest hysterical speech of Atambaev, with foul attacks on Kazakhstan, only work to the detriment of relations of genuine good-neighborliness," he said. "Such emotion has no place in politics. There is no talk of a blockade on Kyrgyzstan. The norms/demands of the EEU [Eurasian Economic Union] need to be fulfilled. This is a subject for negotiations."

Tokaev was not finished. On November 23, one day before Jeenbekov took the oath of the office of Kyrgyzstan's president, Tokaev posted another tweet about Atambaev.

"WikiLeaks published comments of U.S. Ambassador [Stephen] Young based on information of Turkish doctors about Atambaev's psychiatric afflictions and his dependence on alcohol that contribute to his paranoia. Everything becomes clear then! We're hoping for his recovery," he said.

Tokaev's earlier experience as Kazakhstan's foreign minister shows in the diplomatic language of his tweets, but more importantly, Tokaev is one of the most powerful figures in Kazakhstan. Nigmatulin and Kul-Muhammad are also part of the elite. They help determine policy and should Nazarbaev, who is 77, be unable to perform his presidential duties these three would have a lot of say in the succession.

Tokaev, Nigmatulin, and Kul-Muhammad, as well as other Kazakh officials, have been very careful to distinguish Kyrgyzstan's people from Atambaev in their comments.



But those three, and others in Kazakhstan's elite, probably have a different view of Kyrgyzstan now than anyone in Kazakhstan had just three months ago.

There were hopes that after Jeenbekov officially took over as Kyrgyzstan's president this unpleasant episode would start to wind down.

But in the first few days of Jeenbekov's presidency there have been no signs of a thaw.

Jeenbekov decided to make his first trip as Kyrgyzstan's president to Russia, not Kazakhstan.

In Jeenbekov's defense, the Kremlin invited him and he needs to travel on to Minsk on November 30 for the 15th anniversary summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Nazarbaev should be in Minsk also, but there were no reported plans for the Kazakh and Kyrgyz leaders to meet on the sidelines of the summit.

Since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in late 1991, Kazakhstan has been a benign neighbor that worked with Kyrgyzstan but did not ever seem to interfere in internal Kyrgyz politics.

But possibilities for Kazakhstan to exert influence on Kyrgyzstan's internal dynamics exist.

Ties between groups on both sides of the border are strong.

Certainly, there is the potential for groups or individuals in Kazakhstan, many of whom have access to vast amounts of money, to finance political parties or candidates in Kyrgyzstan, though of course under Kyrgyzstan's laws this would be illegal.

One thing seems sure -- many of the elite in Kazakhstan will not want to see a repeat of this ongoing saga with Kyrgyzstan and they will be much more interested in Kyrgyzstan's domestic politics.
Turkish broadcaster Haberturk reports that Turkey has extradited two Russians accused of espionage in exchange for the release of two Crimean Tatar leaders jailed in Russia-occupied Crimea.

Haberturk said on November 29 that the alleged spies, identified as Aleksandr Smirnov and Yury Anisimov, were extradited to Russia last month as the two Crimean Tatars, Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov, were released from custody and flown to Turkey.

http://www.haberturk.tv/burasi-turkiye/haber/1733724-rus-ajanlar-tahliye-edildi

Smirnov and Anisimov were detained in Istanbul in April 2016 and accused of being part of a lead unit responsible for killing seven Chechens between 2000 and 2015, Haberturk reported.

It said the suspects rejected the charges against them, which included attempting to obtain secret state information for political or military espionage purposes and helping in voluntary manslaughter.

Haberturk said that during a hearing of the case at an Istanbul court on October 24, a state prosecutor demanded the two alleged spies to be released, citing a decree issued in August that allows for the exchange of foreigners jailed in Turkey for certain people being held abroad.

Haberturk added that the two Russians were freed from detention hours before authorities in Russian-controlled Crimea unexpectedly released Chiygoz and Umerov on October 25.

Turkish and Russian officials have not commented on the report.

At the time of the releases, Nikolai Polozov, a lawyer for Chiygoz, told RFE/RL that they were the result of "huge judicial, diplomatic, and political work" by Mustafa Dzhemilev, a veteran Crimean Tatar leader who is now a Ukrainian lawmaker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and others.

Chiygoz and Umerov, both deputy chairmen of the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatar self-governing body that has been outlawed by Russian authorities, were sentenced to prison in September on charges of organizing an illegal demonstration and separatism, respectively.

Rights groups and Western governments have condemned the convictions, calling their trials part of a campaign of pressure and abuse conducted by Russia since it occupied and seized control of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The Crimean Tatars are a Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim minority whose members were largely opposed to the Russian takeover.

With reporting by Haberturk, dpa, and hurriyetdailynews.com
A lawyer for a Russian historian who is being tried on child pornography charges his supporters say are politically motivated has asked a court to move his client from jail to house arrest.

Defense attorney Viktor Anufriyev made the request at a November 29 hearing in Yury Dmitriyev's trial in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the northwestern region of Karelia.

The judge did not rule on the motion and adjourned the trial until November 30 after hearing testimony from witnesses.

Dmitriyev, who heads the Karelia chapter of the human rights group Memorial, has worked for decades to expose crimes committed there by the Soviet state under dictator Josef Stalin.

Investigators say Dmitriyev intended to use 49 nude photos of his foster daughter Natasha that were found in his personal computer to create pornographic material to share online. He is charged with "preparing and distributing child pornography."

Dmitriyev, his lawyer, and colleagues say the photos were taken because medical workers had asked him to monitor the health and development of the girl, who was malnourished and unhealthy when he and his wife took her in at age 3 with the intention of adopting her.

Each photograph was accompanied by notation of the girl's height, weight, and general health. Many of them appear to have been taken ahead of scheduled visits by social workers, possibly to document that Natasha had been well treated. According to social-services reports, nothing suspicious was ever noted.

Dmitriyev was arrested in December 2016 and went on trial on June 1.

With reporting by rk.karelia.ru
KAZAN, Russia -- Tatar language classes are no longer mandatory in Russia's Tatarstan region, a senior official has announced.

Tatarstan Prosecutor-General Ildus Nafikov said on November 29 that children in the region's schools will study Tatar for two hours a week on an optional basis and with written parental consent.

The change is certain to alarm advocates of the Tatar language who have warned that it would violate the region's constitution, discourage learning of the language of the indigenous ethnic group, and undermine Tatarstan's cultural identity.

Nafikov's announcement contradicted a recent statement by Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who said on November 8 that Tatar language classes would remain mandatory but be scaled back from six hours to two hours per week. Minnikhanov said at the time that the federal authorities in Moscow had agreed with the plan.

Controversy over mandatory Tatar language classes flared after Russian President Vladimir Putin said in July that people must not be forced to learn a language "that is not their mother tongue" and ordered prosecutors to determine whether that was happening.

Putin's statement and order were followed by calls from Russian-speaking parents for schools in so-called "ethnic" regions -- where indigenous, non-Russian ethnic groups are well represented -- to abandon mandatory studies of languages other than Russian.

That sparked protests in Tatarstan and in neighboring Bashkortostan and Chuvashia, where local languages are officially state languages along with Russian.


A Russian court on November 28 refused to impound four German-made power turbines that ended up in Russia-annexed Crimea, dismissing a lawsuit filed by industrial giant Siemens to block what it contended was an illegal transfer.

The Moscow court threw out Siemens' lawsuit against Technopromexport, a subsidiary of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, which was filed in July after Siemens learned that the turbines it had delivered to a power plant in southern Russia ended up in Crimea, in violation of European Union sanctions imposed over Russia's illegal seizure of the peninsula in 2014.

Russian news agencies said the court "rejected" Seimens' request to seize the turbines, which are used to generate electricity. Crimea has historically relied on power lines from Ukraine for electricity and suffered power shortages after the Russian takeover.

After a series of blackouts on the peninsula, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to construct new electrical facilities in Crimea to address the shortages. Technopromexport sent the Siemens turbines to two new power plants it is building in Simferopol and Sevastopol.

Siemens said that it was not aware that the turbines would be diverted illegally to Crimea and contended in its lawsuit that the transfer was a breach of its contract with Technopromexport.

Russian authorities insisted that the turbines were transferred to Crimea legally.

In response to the turbine dispute, the EU expanded its sanctions against Russian officials and companies, a move Moscow called "hostile" and politically motivated.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS


Serbia began work on November 28 on a China-funded railway line that is part of Beijing's "new Silk Road" network and promises to expand China's reach and influence in Europe.

The project was launched on the outskirts of Belgrade as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was meeting in Budapest with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a summit with 16 Central and Eastern European nations.

Serbia borrowed $297.6 million from China's Exim Bank in May to modernize a stretch of the railway line between Belgrade and the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

The high-speed rail link between Belgrade and Budapest is expected to cost $3.8 billion in all and is slated to become the main transport route for Chinese goods that arrive by sea at the Greek port of Piraeus to other parts of Europe.

Brnabic said that the 30-kilometer stretch of the railway line from Belgrade to the northern town of Stara Pazova will be a key step forward.

She said she was hopeful that the railway project will help Serbia "establish itself as a central hub of this part of Europe."

"It is the first project between China and the EU involving Serbia," she said.

At the summit, Li said the rail line would help to "shore up the weak links in globalization" and would be "good for the healthy development of globalization."

Serbia has enjoyed good relations with China since the 1990s, when Belgrade was economically isolated for its role in the Balkans wars.

Hungary on November 27 invited a procurement tender for a modernized railway link with Belgrade. The construction of the Hungarian stretch, worth around $2.1 billion, is expected to start in 2020, with China's Exim Bank providing 85 percent of the credit.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters


WASHINGTON -- An American stockbroker who made a fortune in the Russian market in the 1990s and 2000s and later co-founded a posh Moscow nightclub before leaving the country died of blunt force injuries suffered as a result of a fall from a Washington, D.C. building.

The findings, released on November 16 by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), confirm that Dan Rapoport died on August 14 after falling from a height, but do not conclusively explain the circumstances leading up to his death.



Washington police told RFE/RL that an investigation into his death had ended and declined further comment. Earlier this year, a police spokeswoman told RFE/RL that foul play was not suspected, but that final conclusions were pending the autopsy.

Rapoport's untimely death triggered much speculation because he had voiced support for ardent Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny before leaving Russia and, while living in Kyiv in recent years, had been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Washington metropolitan police found Rapoport's body on August 14 on the sidewalk outside 2400 M Street, a nine-story apartment building in the northwest part of the city.



The medical examiner's report said Rapoport, 52, died of multiple blunt force injuries due to fall from height and described the death as sudden/unexplained. The report also said the manner of his death was undetermined.



The OCME said no other information would be immediately released.



A preliminary police report said officers responded to a report of a jumper on the evening of August 14, and the man, later identified as Rapoport, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.



The apartment building has an open rooftop with a pool, running track, and seating area for residents.

The police report said officers found $2,620 in cash on Rapoport when they discovered his body on the sidewalk, along with headphones, a cracked cell phone, a Florida drivers license, and other items.



He was wearing flip-flops, perhaps indicating he had been at the pool on the roof prior to falling.



Brianna Burch, a police spokesperson, told RFE/RL in August that there did not appear to be anyone with Rapoport at the time and there were no listed witnesses. In follow-up correspondences with RFE/RL through early November, the police continued to say they did not suspect foul play.



Rapoport had recently moved back to Washington after spending several years working in finance in Ukraine. He told RFE/RL in an interview in Washington in June that business had been tough due to the countrys high political risk and war with Russia.



While some friends said they did not believe he would have committed suicide, others said he had appeared depressed.



Go-To Location



A native of Latvia and a fluent Russian speaker, Rapoport emigrated with his family to the United States in 1980. After graduating from a U.S. university, he moved to Russia in the early 1990s as a wave of privatizations swept across the country.



The sale of former state-owned companies created a booming stock market, minting a new generation of millionaires, Russian and foreign.



Rapoport was respected within Russian financial circles, where he worked for more than a decade at a local brokerage called CenterInvest, making his way up to managing partner. He claimed his clients included some of the nation's wealthiest tycoons.

In 2007, he opened a swanky nightclub in downtown Moscow called Soho Rooms, which became the go-to location for Moscows elite.



In 2012, he left Russia and returned to the United States, saying the stock brokerage industry that had made him a fortune "had died" as commission fees shrunk with improvements in technology.

But in a media interview prior to his departure, he also criticized the direction Russia had taken under Putin and expressed support for Navalny, who was jailed last year on what Western governments say were trumped-up charges.

It has really become unbearable to live in Russia, Rapoport told media outlet FinParty in June of that year. We are all now dependent on one ruler. If this person decides that you will give birth to his child, then you will give birth, and if he decide to put you in prison, then you will serve time.

He told FinParty that he would give up his American citizenship and return to Russia if Navalny became president, saying the opposition leader was sincere in his desire to fight corruption.

He is a real hero of our time and deserves respect, Rapoport said of Navalny.

Rapoports frustration with Russia and his decision to leave may have been triggered by pressure on his businesses, friends and family have said.

Under Putin, the raiding of profitable businesses by -- or with the help of -- the nations security services has flourished. Rapoport allegedly lost his stake in Soho Rooms when his partners teamed up with security officials.

"Our flight to Washington is in 12 hours. It's sad to leave Russia, but for thoughtful people, living here has become unbearable and disgusting," Rapoport wrote on his Facebook page on June 13, 2012.

When Rapoport moved to Washington, where he said his parents lived, he set up a company called Rapoport Capital to advise and assist technology startups as well as venture capital funds on fundraising options.

In 2016, four years after leaving Russia, Rapoport set up an office in Kyiv and opened a private equity fund. It was tough going. Ukraines economy struggled amid an ongoing war with Russia-backed separatists in two eastern regions and the slow implementation of Western-backed reforms.

In social-media posts over the ensuing years, he was a vocal supporter of Ukraine and an outspoken critic of Putin.

Rapoport gained a degree of publicity in January 2017 after The New York Times reported that the daughter and son-in-law of newly elected President Donald Trump had purchased a mansion owned by him and his first wife. The mansion was located in an exclusive neighborhood of the U.S. capital.

In 2018, the open-source investigative organization Bellingcat reported that Rapoport, who was Jewish, had been the creator of a fictional persona named David Jewberg, who was frequently quoted in Ukrainian media as a senior Pentagon analyst.

With reporting by Todd Prince in Washington, D.C. and Mike Eckel in Prague
WASHINGTON -- The organization overseeing media access to the U.S. Congress has stripped Russia state-funded TV channel RT of its press credentials.

The move by the Executive Committee of the Congressional Radio And Television Correspondents Gallery comes just weeks after the TV channel complied with an order by the U.S. Justice Department to register under a decades-old law known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

In a letter dated November 29 and addressed to RT's U.S. operating unit, T&R Productions, the committee said that the company became ineligible for congressional press credentials upon registering under the FARA law.

The letter said that the organization's rules clearly state that credentials cannot be issued to an applicant employed "by any foreign government or representative thereof."

It said the committee voted unanimously to strip RT's credentials on November 21.

A call placed to the corporate listing for T&R Productions was not immediately returned, but RT Editor in Chief Margarita Simonyan criticized the decision in a comment e-mailed to RFE/RL on November 30.

Suggesting that the committee's move undermined assertions that FARA registration would not restrict RT's reporting in the United States, Simonyan said that "withdrawal of congressional credentials speaks much louder than empty platitudes."

The Radio And Television Gallery, which serves as a liaison between the broadcast media and U.S. Congress, is controlled by an executive committee of correspondents who determine which media qualifies for access.

On November 13, RT, formerly known as Russia Today, filed FARA registration for T&R Productions, a move that followed accusations by U.S. authorities that the channel was spreading propaganda.

RT and Russian government officials have complained repeatedly about being forced to register, saying it will require onerous new paperwork and other efforts.

Last week, in what Moscow called a "symmetrical response" to U.S. pressure on Russian media, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation that empowers the government to designate media outlets receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents."

The Russian Justice Ministry is expected to release a list of designated media in the coming days. Among those organizations that Russian agencies and lawmakers have suggested could be targeted are Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America, CNN, and Germanys Deutsche Welle.

Asked whether U.S. media outlets could be deprived of or refused accreditation to cover Russian government bodies in response to the move by the Radio and Television Gallery committee, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that was possible.

The new Russian law "creates the opportunity to act in a way that mirrors" steps taken by other countries, Lavrov said on state-run Rossia-24 television on November 30. "As the president said, that is what we will do."

RT is not the only foreign media outlet that has registered under FARA. At least six other organizations, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Japans NHK, China Daily, and others were also listed under the most recent Justice Department compliance record, published earlier this year.

Simonyan suggested that the Executive Committee of the Congressional Radio & Television Correspondents Gallery was acting selectively and singling out RT, saying in the e-mailed comment that "it looks like only RT is denied congressional accreditation on the basis of FARA status, while the likes of NHK and China Peoples Daily carry on business as usual."

Another Russia-funded news organization, Sputnik, has also been accused by U.S. authorities of engaging in spreading propaganda. That organization has not registered under FARA to date, though a U.S. radio station that Sputnik is contracted with to carry its broadcasts in the Washington, D.C.-area was forced to register earlier this month.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law declaring December 25 a public holiday.

Poroshenko made the move on November 29, nearly two weeks after Ukrainian lawmakers adopted the legislation officially recognizing the day celebrated by Catholics and Protestants as Christmas Day.

January 7 will remain a public holiday in majority Orthodox Christian Ukraine.

About 9 percent of Ukraine's 42 million population is Catholic or Protestant.

Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of Ukraine's Security and Defense Council, described the vote in parliament on November 16 as "historic," saying it would allow Ukrainians to "distance ourselves from Moscow's calendar and Russian imperial standards."

Kyiv and Moscow have been locked in a bitter feud since Russia occupied and illegally annexed Ukraines Crimea region in March 2014.

Moscow has also provided political, military, and economic support to separatists who gained control over parts of eastern Ukraine, sparking a war that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and gazeta.lviv.ua


The Ukrainian Defense Ministry says one Ukrainian soldier was killed and two were wounded in the previous 24 hours as Russia-backed separatists shelled government positions in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

A ministry statement on November 29 said the separatists shelled government positions 27 times since the morning of November 28. It said Ukrainian forces returned fire 11 times.

The Ukrainian military claimed that cease-fire violations by the separatists disrupted plans for Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and UN representatives to visit the towns of Travneve and Hladosove.

It said they had planned to assess the humanitarian situation in the two towns, which are close to the front line in the Donetsk region.

After a Moscow-friendly president was pushed from power by pro-European protests in Kyiv, Russia seized Crimea and fomented separatism in eastern Ukraine, where the ensuing war has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

Fighting persists despite an internationally backed 2015 deal that established a cease-fire and set out steps to resolve the status of separatist-held areas in eastern Ukraine.
Dutch prosecutors are investigating how a Bosnian Croat war criminal managed to commit suicide on November 30, apparently after drinking poison he had smuggled into the UN war crimes court in the Hague, in scenes that were broadcast live.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in a nearby hospital on November 29 despite efforts to save him, a spokesman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Nenad Golcevski, told reporters on November 29.

There was no immediate information about the nature of the liquid he drank.

Dutch prosecutors declared the court a crime scene and opened an investigation that they said would focus on what killed Praljak and whether he had received any outside help in obtaining the suspected poison.

"For the time being the inquiry will focus on assisted suicide and violation of the Medicines Act," the Dutch Public Prosecution Service said in a statement late on November 29, AFP reported.

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic earlier offered condolences to Praljaks family, saying at a press conference, "we have all unfortunately witnessed his act by which he took his own life."

Praljak, a former commander of Bosnian Croat forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina's 1992-95 war, was one of six Bosnian Croat defendants in court to hear rulings on the appeal of their sentences at the ICTY.

He appeared to take a drink moments after judges at the tribunal confirmed his 20-year sentence on appeal.

"Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I reject the verdict with disdain," he shouted.

Presiding Judge Carmel Agius quickly halted the November 29 hearing.



WARNING: This video contains scenes some viewers may find disturbing.

Police, an ambulance, and a fire engine could be seen outside the building and emergency rescue workers went into the court, while a helicopter hovered above the scene.

Agius had overturned some of Praljak's convictions but left his sentence unchanged.

Praljak, who was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in 2013, was one of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders standing before the court.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mostar, Then And Now (click to view)

Photo Gallery: Mostar, Then And Now On November 9, 1993, one of Bosnia-Herzegovina's cultural treasures became a casualty of war. The Old Bridge in Mostar, built in 1566 during the Ottoman Empire, was destroyed by shells fired by Croatian gunners amid fierce fighting with Bosnian Muslims. The destruction was ordered by Slobodan Praljak, a former commander of Bosnian Croat forces, who was found guilty of the crime in 2013 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). "It's just an old bridge," Praljak was quoted as saying in 1993. Praljak's 20-year sentence was upheld by judges on appeal in The Hague on November 29, 2017. A new bridge built largely from the original stones was unveiled in Mostar in 2004, becoming a symbol of postwar reconciliation. These combination photographs compare the war-ravaged sites of Mostar with the reconstructed city. (This gallery was originally published in April 2013.) Share on Facebook

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Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had ruled "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population."

The blown-up Ottoman-era bridge became a symbol of Bosnia's devastation in the war. It was later rebuilt, but Mostar saw the worst of the Croat-Muslim clashes, with nearly 80 percent of the city's east destroyed in the fighting.

In their November 29 ruling, the judges actually allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been a legitimate military target during the conflict. They also had overturned some of his convictions, but refused to reduce his overall sentence.

Croat leaders seized upon Praljak's suicide as evidence of the failings of the war crimes tribunal, which was handing down its final judgement before shutting down.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told a news conference.

"I want to voice my deepest condolences to the family of General Slobodan Praljak," Plenkovic said, voicing his "dissatisfaction and regret" over the verdicts.

Croatia's President, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, decided to cut short an official visit to Iceland, while the government called an emergency session.

The chairman of Bosnia's three-man presidency, Dragan Covic, a Bosnian Croat, said "this is not a court of justice, but a political one."

Bakir Izetbegovic, a Muslim member of Bosnia's presidency, expressed his condolences to the victims of war crimes during the conflict in the former Yugoslav republic.

"We will never forget either the victims or criminals," he said. "This was the way to put the international seal on a dark side of the truth about the reasons for creating and actions of Herceg-Bosna," the wartime statelet formed by Bosnian Croats.

Besides Praljak, the other five defendants included Bosnian Croat leader Jadranko Prlic, who appealed his 25-year term imposed by the court in The Hague, and four others, who are also appealing long prison sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years.

Before the hearing was halted, Prlic had also had his 25-year jail term upheld.

Prlic had been found guilty of being part of a criminal enterprise by the wartime Croatian government of late President Franjo Tudjman, to create an ethnically pure state.

Judges upheld that key finding, despite Croatian officials having denounced it and calling for it to be overturned.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo called the courts verdict an "important step toward holding to account those individuals responsible for the tremendous suffering of the people" of Bosnia.

It also urged all parties to respect the verdict, and "rededicate themselves to the continued reconciliation and peaceful coexistence essential to the future of a stable, secure" Bosnia.

The appeals hearing comes a week after the judges sentenced former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic to life in prison.

It marks the end of two decades of work by the court, set up in 1993 at the height of the Balkans conflicts to prosecute Europe's worst atrocities since World War II.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters
BRUSSELS -- A U.S. diplomat has dismissed the idea that the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline will ever be built.

Speaking to European journalists in a telephone briefing on November 29, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John McCarrick said that U.S. officials "don't see the possibility that Nord Stream 2 can be built."

"That is not something we are going to assume is going to happen," said McCarrick, who works at the State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources.

When pressed for details, McCarrick responded that "there is a variety of reasons why it shouldn't happen.... The bottom line is we are against this. We don't see this happening, so why would I entertain any other sort of option or possibility?

Earlier this year, the United States introduced sanctions that call for penalties against European companies that participate in the Nord Stream 2 and other Russian energy projects in Europe.

If built, the pipeline will run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, bypassing several European transit countries. It is scheduled to be completed by 2019.

Berlin has so far supported the pipeline, which would deliver 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Germany from Russia.

Several EU members in Central and Eastern Europe have expressed concern that the project would strengthen Moscow's hand by increasing European reliance on Russian natural gas.

They have also voiced concern that it would reduce gas-transit revenues for Ukraine, damaging the country's fragile economy at a time when its forces are fighting Russia-backed separatists who control part of two eastern provinces.

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels
The U.S. State Department said that a new law allowing Russia's Justice Ministry to brand foreign-media outlets as "foreign agents" poses a threat to press freedom and urged Moscow not to use the measure to tighten control over the media.

"Freedom of expression, including speech and media which a government may find inconvenient, is a universal human rights obligation Russia has pledged to uphold," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement late on November 28.

Nauert said Russia already has used its existing foreign-agents law covering nonprofit groups "to justify a constant stream of raids, harassment, and legal proceedings that effectively obstruct nongovernmental organizations from doing their work."

"Expanding the Foreign Agents Law to include media outlets opens the door to onerous requirements that could further stifle freedom of speech and editorial independence in Russia," she said.

The new law affecting media, signed by President Vladimir Putin on November 25, enables the Kremlin to require foreign media to disclose their funding sources and to label the news they provide to Russians as the work of foreign agents.

The legislation was rushed through Russia's parliament in two weeks after the U.S. Justice Department required Russian state broadcaster RT to register its U.S.-based affiliate company as a "foreign agent."

Nauert rejected any comparison between the U.S. and Russian laws, saying the American law does not put limits on foreign media news coverage or operations within the United States.

The U.S. Justice Department required the RT affiliate to register under a long-standing U.S. foreign-agent law after U.S. intelligence agencies came to the conclusion that the Kremlin used state media to try to influence U.S. voters in last year's presidential election.

With reporting by Reuters


State media reports in Uzbekistan say President Shavkat Mirziyoev has reshuffled the cabinet, replacing long-serving ministers of economy and trade.

The reports say that Mirziyoev signed an order on November 27 replacing Galina Saidova, the economy minister since 2011, with Botir Hojaev. Hojaev had been finance minister before the appointment.

Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Qochqarov was given additional responsibilities as the finance minister.

Elyor Ganiev, who served as minister of economic ties, investments, and trade since 2012, was removed from the post, the reports said. It was not clear who would replace him.

Central Bank chief Suhrob Halmurodov was named a deputy prime minister and chief of an agency responsible for investments, innovations, free economic and industrial zones, and tourism.

Halmurodov will also supervise the newly established Innovational Development Ministry and a related innovation foundation.

Mirziyoev was named to replace President Islam Karimov after the autocrat's death was announced in September 2016 and was elected in a tightly controlled vote in December.

He has removed several Karimov-era officials and taken steps aimed to improve the struggling economy in the Central Asian country of some 30 million.

With reporting by podrobno.uz and gazeta.uz
WASHINGTON -- A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to his role in the 2014 hack of Yahoo's e-mail servers, the latest development in a mysterious investigation that has ensnared officers of Russia's main security agency.

Karim Baratovs plea, on November 28 in U.S. federal court in San Francisco, raises the possibility that he will cooperate with U.S. investigators probing not only the Yahoo hack but the role of Russian intelligence agencies in hacking U.S. political party computers during last years presidential election.

Baratov, who was born in Kazakhstan and immigrated to Canada, was one of four people indicted by U.S. grand jury in February for the 2014 hack, which is one of the largest security breaches at an Internet company ever.

Two others named in the indictment were officers with the Center for Information Security, the main cyberdivision of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia's main intelligence and security agency. One was identified as Dmitry Dokuchaev, a deputy chief at the center who, three months earlier, had been arrested in Moscow and charged with high treason.

U.S. prosecutors said Baratov hacked into e-mail accounts of individuals of interest to the FSB and then sent passwords to those accounts to Dokuchaev in exchange for money. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors said, Baratov admitted to working for the FSB, as well as other "customers" looking for hacked e-mail accounts.

Russian officials accused Dokuchaev and his superior, Sergei Mikhailov, of passing classified information to Western intelligence agencies. At least two others are also facing treason and other serious charges, including a former Interior Ministry cybercrime investigator who later worked for Kaspersky Lab, the famed Moscow-based IT company. The head of the FSB center was later reportedly pushed into early retirement.

'Systematic Hacking Effort'

Experts who have followed the case closely say the treason allegations are obscuring a more complicated, and potentially more consequential, series of events stretching back several years, as well obscuring hard evidence that Russian intelligence agencies oversaw a systematic hacking effort aimed at U.S. political parties, government agencies, and other politically influential figures.

The FSB cyberunit and U.S. law enforcement cooperated for many years in investigating international cybercrimes, such as hacking, stolen credit card information, bitcoin theft, child pornography and other crimes.

One of the other Russians indicted in the Yahoo hack was Aleksei Belan, who was wanted for major cybercrimes by the FBI for years. Last December, Belan, who is believed to be in Russia but is not known to be under arrest, was named by the U.S. Treasury Department as one of several individuals and entities involved in hacking the computers of the U.S. Democratic Party and other political organizations.

Since the arrests, the treason case has been shrouded in secrecy with only cryptic anonymous leaks being published in some Russian media.

'Case Of The Century'

Ivan Pavlov, a defense lawyer for one of the Russians charged in the case, told RFE/RL in an interview that his client, whom he requested not be named, had been arrested on the same day as the FSB officers, and was a private citizen.

He said it was unclear when any of the cases might actually go to trial, and he suggested that Russian authorities may not be seeking prosecution, but rather to prevent the release of information that could embarrass or undermine Russian intelligence agencies.

"We believe that the charges that are formulated first of all cannot be understood, and they cannot be understood for the simple reason that it is just a pretext: a piece of paper in order to hold them in isolation," he said.

"I will tell you right away: this is an extraordinary case. Perhaps this is case of the century," Pavlov said.


The bottom line is, its a continued effort to build a threat , a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly, the United States, the defense secretary Jim Mattis said. North Korea said Wednesday that it had successfully tested its Hwasong-15, a newly developed ICBM that it said could deliver heavy nuclear warheads anywhere in the continental United States. North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, watched the launch, reading a prepared statement on the Norths Central Television.

Its muscle-flexing to show the U.S. that theyre going to continue to make progress, said David Wright, a scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. In a statement, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson condemned the launch. But he added, Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. After the launch, the United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the issue for Wednesday afternoon. North Korea has persisted in its nuclear weapons and missile development despite nine rounds of sanctions that the Security Council has imposed since its first nuclear test in 2006.
They where arrested when trying to leave the country at Bangkoks Don Mueang airport. Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, would be fined and deported for disrespectful and offensive attitude to Buddhist religion. Once they are through with the charges, the Thai immigration police will revoke their visas and push for deportation. They will also be blacklisted from coming back to Thailand,

Deputy spokesman of the Thai immigration police, Col Choengron Rimpadee, told to media.Just to remember, there are some special rules which apply in Thailand.First, Violators of laws related to illicit drugs, e.g., having and holding for use, or being a producer, seller, or transporter are subject to the death sentence. Another Thai law is dont defile any image of the Thai King, you can be arrested. The drinking age in Thailand is 20, it can result in jail.Oh, and its illegal to leave the house in Thailand if you are not wearing underwear. In 2015, four European tourists received jail terms and fines in Malaysia for posing semi-nude on Mount Kinabalu, which is considered sacred.
Okay, the judge said. We suspend the We suspend Please, the curtains. Dont take away the glass that he used when he drank something. An ambulance was called. The former commander of the main staff of the Bosnian Croat defence forces (HVO) was jailed for crimes against humanity. Slobodan Praljak has 3 university degrees. In 1970 he graduated as an electrical engineer at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Zagreb. In 1971 he graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy. In 1972 he graduated from the Film Academy and began working in theater and TV.



Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands

During 1970s and 1980s, he was a director of theaters in Zagreb, Osijek and Mostar. In 1991 he signed up for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and reached the rank of major general. he was closely involved in all aspects of not only the Herceg-Bosna/HVO military planning and operations but the actions of the Herceg-Bosna/HVO civilian police too.
My family conversations over Thanksgiving were all about health care, Mary shared with me. Its all so confusing.

Marys family is not alone. From recent conversations, Im betting that health care dominated talk at many Thanksgiving gatherings.

Premiums are too high. Young people worry about finding money to buy insurance. Older people are trying to figure out Medicare. Many are struggling with unpaid or surprise bills.

Everyone has a health care story.

My employer pays $3,000 for my HSA (health savings account). What happens if they decide not to pay?

My premium is almost double what it would be if I lived across the river in Minnesota. Why?

The insurance company told us the doctor was covered. Then we got a bill for $2,800. Insurance said he was NOT covered. How can this be?

Becky turned 26. We cant keep her on our plan. The company offered to cover her  alone  for another $876 a month. Can you believe it? They are not charging us any less now that Beckys not on our plan. How can that be?

Do I stay on my individual plan or do I move my small business to a small business health options Obamacare plan? Can I deduct my insurance as a business expense?

Great uncertainty this fall about the future of health insurance has fueled confusion. Efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare at the federal level and the governors plan to have the state self-insure state workers left insurance companies uncertain about the future. Some left the market.

Previously available plans, through the healthcare.gov marketplace, are no longer available.

Six plans previously offered to state employees no longer cover them. My plan was one of them. I researched options, trying to find a covered doctor within an hours drive. I couldnt find one within a two-hour drive! I called the human resources person. He spent several days researching my problem. Eventually, he came to my office.

Both of us worked on different phone lines. While waiting on hold for a long time, we chatted. The HR people were very busy. I learned 20-30 lawmakers lost their coverage and their providers. Many other state workers lost their providers. The information provided on the websites was not accurate. One plan offered a provider on the website but told us the provider was NOT covered on the phone. Another plan told us on the phone they DID offer a provider but that provider was not listed on their website.

I represent about 172,000 people. Im worried; if I cant figure health care out, how can everyone else?

Norman, my brother-in-law, echoed the same concern. After a long discussion of the problems facing our family members, he exclaimed, I am a doctor turned accountant whos now retired. Ive got the time and the knowledge. And I cant figure this out. How can anyone else understand it?

One source of confusion is different deadlines. All of them rapidly approaching.

For those who buy insurance for themselves, the sign-up period is much shorter than prior years. By Dec. 15, people need to sign up for individual health insurance at healthcare.gov. Sign up is important for everyone who buys insurance on their own. Its especially important for adults in their late 20s who may have previously been able to stay on their parents plan.

Small business owners may have a choice to also use the Small Business Health Options Program. This deadline is also Dec. 15. If you work with an agent, be sure to contact them much sooner. Agents are very busy helping folks talk through decisions.

Medicare recipients have until Dec. 7 to make their choices for the new year. Others have differing deadlines depending on your employer.

The more insurance companies invent their own rules, the federal government waffles on its commitments and the state fails to provide leadership, the less the public has sympathies for government, insurers or providers.

Confusion over health coverage is driving many Ive spoken with to throw up their hands and tell me, Ive never said this before, but cant we just have some kind of National Health Insurance?

Democrat Kathleen Vinehout, Alma, represents the 31st state Senate District.
What happened in Notre Dame hoops home game vs. Southern Indiana?

Home games against upset-minded non-conference opponents are coming fast and furious this time of year for Notre Dame men's basketball team
Liquid water may still flow on Mars, but that doesn't mean it's easy to spot. The search for water on the Red Planet has taken more than 15 years to turn up definitive signs that liquid flows on the surface today. In the past, however, rivers and oceans may have covered the land. Where did all of the liquid water go? Why? How much of it still remains?

Observations of the Red Planet indicate that rivers and oceans may have been prominent features in its early history. Billions of years ago, Mars was a warm and wet world that could have supported microbial life in some regions. But the planet is smaller than Earth, with less gravity and a thinner atmosphere. Over time, as liquid water evaporated, more and more of it escaped into space, allowing less to fall back to the surface of the planet.

Where is the water today?

Liquid water appears to flow from some steep, relatively warm slopes on the Martian surface. Features known as recurring slope lineae (RSL) were first identified in 2011in images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The dark streaks, which appear seasonally, were confirmed to be signs of salty water running on the surface of the planet.

"If this is correct, then RSL on Mars may represent the surface expression of a far more significant ongoing drainage system on steep slopes in the mid-latitudes," a research team member told Space.com in 2012.

In 2015, spectral analysis of RSL led scientists to conclude they are caused by salty liquid water. [Related: Salty Water Flows on Mars Today, Boosting Odds for Life]

"The detection of hydrated salts on these slopes means that water plays a vital role in the formation of these streaks," the study's lead author, Lujendra Ojha, of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, said in a statement. Vast deposits of water appear to be trapped within the ice caps at the north and south poles of the planet. Each summer, as temperatures increase, the caps shrink slightly as their contents skip straight from solid to gas form, but in the winter, cooler temperatures cause them to grow to latitudes as low as 45 degrees, or halfway to the equator. The caps are an average of 2 miles (3 kilometers) thick and, if completely melted, could cover the Martian surface with about 18 feet (5.6 meters) of water.

Frozen water also lies beneath the surface. Scientists discovered a slab of ice as large as California and Texas combined in the region between the equator and north pole of the Red Planet. The presence of subsurface water has long been suspected but required the appearance of strange layered craters to confirm. Other regions of the planet may contain frozen water, as well. Some high-latitude regions seem to boast patterned ground-shapes that may have formed as permafrost in the soil freezes and thaws over time.

The European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft captured images of sheets of ice in the cooler, shadowed bottoms of craters, which suggests that liquid water can pool under appropriate conditions. Other craters identified by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show similar pooling.

Evidence for water on Mars first came to light in 2000, with the appearance of gullies that suggested a liquid origin. Their formation has been hotly debated over the ensuing years.

But not everyone thinks that Mars contains water today. New research reveals that RSL may actually have formed by granular flows formed by the movement of sand and dust.

"We've thought of RSL as possible liquid water flows, but the slopes are more like what we expect for dry sand," lead author Colin Dundas said in a statement. "This new understanding of RLS supports other evidence that shows that Mars today is very dry."

That idea may have been washed away by the recent discovery of a possible subsurface lake near the Martian South Pole.

An underground lake?

Researchers made a big splash when they announced that Mars might be hiding a lake beneath its southern pole. The European Mars Express spacecraft used its Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) to detect the proposed water. Ground-penetrating radar sent radar pulses to the surface, then timed how long it took for them to be reflected. The properties of the subsurface layers affect how long it takes for the beams to return.

MARSIS' investigation revealed that the Martian south pole is composed of multiple layers of ice and dust to a depth of about nearly 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) spread over a 124-mile-wide (200 km) region.

"This subsurface anomaly on Mars has radar properties matching water or water-rich sediments," Roberto Orosei, principal investigator of the MARSIS experiment and lead author of the new research, said in a statement.

MARSIS also revealed the presence of a subsurface lake among the pockets. According to the radar echoes, the lake is no more than 12.5 miles (20 km) across, buried nearly a mile beneath the surface. The scientists aren't certain of the lake's depth, but they have confirmed that it is at least 3 feet (1 meter) deep. According to the researchers, the lake must have salt to keep from freezing.

"This is just one small study area; it is an exciting prospect to think there could be more of these underground pockets of water elsewhere, yet to be discovered," Orosei said.

Not all researchers are as certain about the presence of liquid water.

"I think it's a very, very persuasive argument, but it's not a conclusive or definitive argument," Steve Clifford, a Mars researcher at the Planetary Science Institute in Arizona, told Space.com. "There's always the possibility that conditions that we haven't foreseen exist at the base of the cap and are responsible for this bright reflection."

More than three decades ago, Clifford proposed that Mars could harbor liquid water beneath its polar caps in the same way that Earth does. On Earth, lakes beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are created when heat from within the planets melt the glaciers in patches. Clifford told Space.com that a similar scenario could happen beneath the Martian polar ice caps.

"The bright spot seen in the MARSIS data is an unusual feature and extremely intriguing," Jim Green, NASA's chief scientist, said in a statement. "It definitely warrants further study. Additional lines of evidence should be pursued to test the interpretation."

"We hope to use other instruments to study it further in the future," Green said.

At the center of this view of an area of mid-latitude northern Mars, a fresh crater about 6 meters (20 feet) in diameter holds an exposure of bright material, blue in this false-color image. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona [ Full Story ])

Searching for an oasis

When Mariner 9 became the first craft to orbit another planet in 1971, the photographs it returned of dry river beds and canyons seemed to indicate that water had once existed on the Martian surface. Images from the Viking orbiters only strengthened the idea that many of the landforms may have been created by running water. Data from the Viking landers pointed to the presence of water beneath the surface, but the experiments were deemed inconclusive. [Mars Explored: Landers and Rovers Since 1971 (Infographic)]

The early '90s kicked off a slew of Mars missions. Scientists were flooded with a wealth of information about Mars. Three NASA orbiters and one sent by the European Space Agency studied the planet from above, mapping the surface and analyzing the minerals below. Some detected the presence of minerals, indicating the presence of water. Other data measured enough subsurface ice to fill Lake Michigan twice. They found evidence that ancient hot springs once existed on the surface and sustained precipitation once fell in some areas. And they found patches of ice within some of the deeper craters.

Impact craters offer a view of the interior of the red planet. Using the ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists were able to study rocks ejected from the planet's interior, finding minerals that suggested the presence of water.

"Water circulation occurred several kilometers deep in the crust some 3.7 billion years ago," Nicolas Mangold, of the University of Nantes in France, said in a statement.

But orbiters weren't the only objects launched toward Mars. NASA's Curiosity rover is the fifth robot to land on the surface of the Red Planet in the last 15 years. Pathfinder, Phoenix, Spirit and Opportunity all took detailed measurements of the planet; all but Phoenix traveled across the surface collecting a treasure trove of information.

Images of one of Phoenix's struts taken by the lander's robotic arm camera on Sols (or Martian days) 8, 31 and 44 of th emission. The two spheroids enclosed by the circle appear to merge with each other, which some Phoenix scientists argue is a sign that the globs are liquid water. (Image credit: Renno, et al., NASA)

The probes dug into the ground, examining rocks and performing experiments. In 2008, Phoenix turned up small chunks of bright material that disappeared after four days, leading scientists to surmise that they were pieces of water ice. The lander went on to detect water vapor in a sample it collected and analyzed, confirming the presence of frozen water on the red planet.

Spirit and Opportunity, the twin rovers, found traces of water enclosed in rock. In a shining example of a problem becoming a solution, a broken wheel on Spirit scraped into the top of the Martian surface, revealing a layer beneath rich in silica that had most likely formed in the presence of water.

Curiosity has found yet more evidence of water flowing on ancient Mars. The 1-ton rover rolled through an ancient stream bed shortly after touching down in August 2012, and it has examined a number of rocks that were exposed to liquid water billions of years ago.

Mars missions aren't the only way to search for water on Mars. Scientists studying rocks ejected from the Red Planet found signs that water lay beneath the surface in the past.

"While robotic missions to Mars continue to shed light on the planet's history, the only samples from Mars available for study on Earth are Martian meteorites," lead author Lauren White, of the JPL, said in a statement.

"On Earth, we can utilize multiple analytical techniques to take a more in-depth look at meteorites and shed light on the history of Mars."

Historical landforms

In addition to examining the relatively recent (geologically speaking) presence of water, the various missions have also studied the surface of the planet in a historical context. The river beds of Mars don't run wet today, but scientists can study them to learn more about the evolution of the planet. [Photos: The Search for Water on Mars]

The flatter northern plains of Mars may once have hosted an ocean, or possibly, as the planet cycled through dry periods, two. The more recent body of water would likely have only been temporary, seeping into the ground, evaporating, or freezing in less than a million years, scientists say.

Riverbeds and gullies indicate that water ran, at least briefly, across the surface of Mars. A hundred times more water may have flowed annually through a large channel system known as Marte Vallis than passes through the Mississippi River each year, according to estimates. The gullies themselves are smaller, likely forming during brief torrential rainstorms when fast-moving water could have carved them across the land.

Curiosity found indications that at least one region of Mars, Mount Sharp, was built by sediments deposited in a lake bed millions of years ago, suggesting large pools existed on the planet for significant time periods.

"If our hypothesis for Mount Sharp holds up, it challenges the notion that warm and wet conditions were transient, local, or only underground on Mars," Curiosity deputy project scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a statement.

On Earth, the land around rivers and lakes is wetter, made up of mud and clays. Such deposits exist on Mars as well, trapping water and indicating where larger bodies may have once existed.

Water on Mars may be doing something more than sitting pretty. A new study reveals that when the liquid boils, thanks to low pressures, it can make the sand levitate.

"Sediment levitation must therefore be considered when evaluating the formation of recent and present-day Martian mass wasting features, as much less water may be required to form such features than previously thought," the researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications (opens in new tab).

Liquid gold

Water may seem like a very common element to those of us stuck on Earth, but it has great value. In addition to understanding how Mars may have changed and developed over time, scientists hope that finding water will help them to find something even more valuable  life, either past or present.

Only Earth is known to host life, and life on our planet requires water. Though life could conceivably evolve without relying on this precious liquid, scientists can only work with what they know. Thus they hope that locating water on celestial bodies such as Mars will lead to finding evidence for life.

With this in mind, NASA developed a strategy for exploring the Red Planet that takes as its mantra "follow the water." Recent orbiters, landers and rovers sent to Mars were designed to search for water, rather than life, in the hopes of finding environments where life could have thrived.

That has changed, however, with the flood of evidence these robots have returned. Curiosity determined that Mars could indeed have supported microbial life in the ancient past, and the next NASA rover  a car-size robot based heavily on Curiosity's basic design  will blast off in 2020 to look for evidence of past Red Planet life.

Additional resources

Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd, Facebook or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+.
The history of the town of Viroqua is well recorded in a book published in 1884 called The History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. This weeks column features facts about the early days of the city of Viroqua. Many businesses were established to support the influx of settlers to the area. A growing town needed goods and in 1850, a general store was established by Rufus Dunlap, who brought his goods with him from Dane County. In 1852 Henry Nichols & Sons established a general store, 20 x 30 feet and one story high. During the 1850s and 1860s, many other merchants offered general merchandise to the public. They included Henry W. McAuley, Anson Keeler, Herman Greve, Johnson Smith, Isaac Pennell, William F. Lindemann, James H. Tate, and Ingalls K. Buck.

Tin and hardware stores were important resources as well for early settlers. The first exclusive hardware store was operated by Nelson W. Winter around 1860. Winter was a tinsmith by trade. Edward Everett, also a tinsmith, started a hardware store shortly after the end of the Civil War. He sold out to Laurentius W. Ady & Co. in 1883. Ady was later partners with his father-in-law, David Strawn. In 1884, August J. Smith and James Lytle operated Smith & Lytle Pioneer Hardware Store.

Early settlers obtained the furniture they needed from carpenters, some of whom were Ole Larson, Thomas J. De Frees, William W. Weeden and Calvin Morley. Thomas B. Brown and Charles C. Brown opened the first furniture store in 1857.

David C. Hope, born in Indiana, was a 20-year-old watchmaker when he established the first jewelry store in Viroqua. By 1870, he resided in Sparta, Monroe County and later moved to Eau Claire. Another jewelry merchant was Joseph Buckley, who came to Viroqua in 1854. He also dealt in general merchandise.

The first hotel in Viroqua was erected in 1850 by Rufus Dunlap. It was a 16 x 24 feet log building, a story and a half high. A wing on each side made it about 24 x 36 feet. This six-room building was later covered with boards. Dunlap, who was married to Martha and had 10 children, died in 1857 at age 42. The building materials were later repurposed as a barn.

William F. Terhune and William A. Bullard erected the second hotel, the Buckeye House, in Viroqua in 1852. The next landlord was Jeremiah M. Rusk, who arrived in Vernon County from Ohio in 1853. Several others owned the hotel before it was destroyed by fire in 1878.

Another hotel served the public beginning in 1854 when the North Star House was erected by Henry Nichols. The hotel, which sat where the Hotel Fortney currently sits, had many managers including Sylvester C. Lincoln, Jeremiah M. Rusk, Isaac Pennell, James A. Somerby and Lewis R. Decker. It was torn down in 1874 and a new hotel, the Tremont House was built in its place by Lloyd and Ed Coe.

The second Dunlap House, built in 1858 by Hillyer Dunlap and his mother Martha Dunlap, stood on the site of what is now Viroquas City Hall. This building was erected as the Farmers Bank in 1917 after the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1909. Hillyers brother Warren served as landlord for many years. There were several other landlords including Charles Skippens (whom Martha Dunlap later married), Hiram Haskell and Henry Connor.

Built in 1868, on the site of what is now the Royal Bank, a second Buckeye House was erected in 1868 by J.H. Layne & Sons for use as a shipping center for hops. It was later used as a dwelling for Lindsey Layne. In May of 1882 it was opened as a hotel. It had several owners and names but was last known as the Farmers Hotel. It was later used as an apartment building until it was destroyed in 1965 for an expansion for the A & W Restaurant. We will continue with more history of Viroqua at a later date.

The book Viroquas Main Street History  1846-1996 was an excellent resource for additional information for this column. It would make an excellent Christmas gift. We invite you to visit the Vernon County Museum to see what other books we have for sale.
A selfie sent from Antarctica to the International Space Station demonstrated an extra-robust communication network that promises to make an interplanetary internet more reliable. NASA announced the achievement on Monday (Nov. 27).

In space, wireless communication networks are critical. They function as a virtual tether, keeping astronauts and spacecraft in contact with Earth and each other. A network failure could leave something, or someone, dangerously cut off from the resources needed to survive. So far, space missions either directly communicate with Earth or go through only a single relay, like an orbiting satellite, making them especially vulnerable to this problem.

Introducing redundant pathways, in which a signal can get from one point to another in multiple ways, increases the resilience of a system, but this can be difficult to accomplish when a network is still small. What's more, the spacecraft that make up the network don't always have a clear view of each other, so a complete, or end-to-end, connection isn't always available, according to NASA. A traditional network requires an end-to-end path to transmit data. [Dial-Up Space Communications System Gets 'High-Speed' Upgrade]

NASA engineers Mark Sinkiat, Peter Fetterer and Salem El-nimri pose at McMurdo Station in Antarctica with a picture of Vint Cerf, a visiting scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who helped develop the disruption-tolerant networking (DTN) technology that sent the selfie to the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA)

Alternatively, each node in the network can temporarily store the data that goes through it and wait for the best moment to pass that data along. This kind of system, called disruption-tolerant networking (DTN), allows for small interruptions in connectivity without the loss of information, NASA said. The last node simply sends the remaining bundles of data once the connection has returned. Not only does this ensure that data isn't lost, but it also decreases the time needed to send and receive messages, as NASA illustrates in the video above.

Here's how the picture got from Antarctica to low-Earth orbit. On Nov. 20, NASA engineers took a selfie at the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station in Antarctica. DTN software on a mobile phone sent the data from McMurdo ground station to NASA's White Sands Complex in New Mexico via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system, a constellation of communication satellites. From there, the data traveled through a series of DTN nodes, devices on the network, to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which is the access point to the DTN network aboard the space station, according to NASA.

Flight engineer Mark Vande Hei sets up the final DTN node aboard the International Space Station, which then displays the Antarctic selfie (Image credit: NASA)

Once the data was beamed up to the space station, it was routed to the Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) demonstration payload. The final DTN node then extracted the photo for the astronauts to see.

Unlike familiar computer-to-computer IP connections, disruption-tolerant networking accommodates temporary disruptions as well as long delays, NASA said in the Nov. 27 statement. These conditions happen in space, but they also occur in remote locations on Earth, like Antarctica, NASA said.

"The Antarctic is an excellent analog for space operations," Patrick Smith, technology-development manager with the U.S. Antarctic Program, said in the statement. "Researchers are conducting important scientific investigations, operating in extreme conditions, with minimal infrastructure, so it's not surprising that we are using NASA space technology to advance science in the Antarctic."

The technology could also have applications in disaster zones, where connectivity is often limited, the statement said.

Email Harrison Tasoff at htasoff@space.com or follow him @harrisontasoff. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
WASHINGTON  Nineteen satellites launched on a Soyuz rocket Nov. 28 are now widely assumed to be lost, with one of the companies involved in the mission stating that the launch was a failure.

The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East early Nov. 28. After initial reports of a successful launch, the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos said it could not contact the vehicle's primary payload, the Meteor-M No.2-1 weather satellite, because it was not in its planned orbit.

Neither Roscosmos nor Glavkosmos, the company that arranged the launch of 18 secondary payloads on this mission, have provided further updates. However, Canadian satellite operator Telesat, which had a prototype satellite on the rocket, said later Nov. 28 that the launch had failed.

"Telesat learned this morning that the Soyuz 2 launch vehicle that was to place 19 spacecraft into orbit, including Telesat's first Phase 1 LEO satellite, has failed," the company said in a brief statement.

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifts off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome Nov. 28. Controllers have not been able to contact the rocket's primary payload, a Meteor-M weather satellite. (Image credit: Roscosmos)

The satellite was one of two ordered by Telesat to demonstrate its planned low Earth orbit broadband constellation. The satellite lost on the Soyuz was built by the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies Space Flight Laboratory in partnership with Space Systems Loral.

A second satellite, built by British company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., is scheduled to launch on the return-to-flight mission of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, now expected in late December or early January. This failure, Telesat said, did not impact its long-term constellation plans.

"Notwithstanding this failure, Telesat's plans to develop a state-of-the-art, high capacity LEO constellation that will deliver transformative, low latency, fiber-like broadband to commercial and government users worldwide, remain on track," the company said in its statement.

Other customers of the launch have refrained from commenting on the apparent launch failure to date. Nick Allain, spokesman for Spire, which had 10 of its ship-tracking and weather data cubesats on the Soyuz, told SpaceNews Nov. 28 that the company would not comment on the launch until Russian officials "have completed their own investigation."

He added, though, that Spire has a diversified launch strategy, minimizing the effect of this failure. That includes three launches planned in December and a deployment of satellites from the International Space Station next week.

Two other companies with satellites on the Soyuz mission  Astro Digital, with two Earth imaging cubesats, and Astroscale, with an orbital debris measurement small satellite  did not respond to requests for comment Nov. 28 on the status of their spacecraft.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
An artist's illustration of China's Dark Matter Particle Explorer satellite  called "Wukong" after the fabled Sun Wukong, the Monkey King is studying cosmic rays to help scientists understand the origins of dark matter.

By analyzing cosmic rays in space, China's "Monkey King" satellite is now helping pin down the identity of dark matter, a new study finds.

The Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) satellite, launched in 2015, is China's first space observatory. DAMPE's aim is to help find the origins of dark matter  the mysterious, invisible substance that researchers suspect makes up about five-sixths of all matter in the universe.

DAMPE is nicknamed "Wukong" after Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, the mischievous, shape-shifting hero of the epic Chinese tale "Journey to the West." "Wu" means "understanding" and "kong" means "void," so Wukong can also mean "understanding the void"  hence, the name underscores DAMPE's mission to help scientists understand dark matter. [The Search for Dark Matter in Images]

DAMPE is specifically designed to detect the highest-energy beams of light, known as gamma rays, as well as cosmic rays. The latter are particles that zip through outer space with extraordinarily high amounts of energy. Many cosmic rays are composed of the nuclei of atoms, but some are electrons, while others are the positively charged antimatter counterparts of electrons known as positrons.

Some models of dark matter suggest that it can break down into cosmic rays  specifically, pairs of electrons and positrons. When these positrons hit electrons, they annihilate each other, releasing gamma rays. However, there are many other potential sources of cosmic rays and gamma rays, such as pulsars  which are rapidly whirling collapsed stars  or supernova remnants, which are debris from stars that died in catastrophic explosions. DAMPE measures the amount of energy in gamma rays and cosmic rays to help shed light on what their sources are.

Previous balloon- or space-borne experiments analyzing cosmic rays only directly measured energies up to 2 trillion electron volts, while ground-based telescope arrays could indirectly measure energies up to about 5 trillion electron volts. (One trillion electron volts is about the amount of kinetic energy packed by a flying mosquito.)

In comparison, DAMPE can detect cosmic-ray electrons and positrons with energies of about 10 trillion electron volts. "It extends the direct measurement of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons to the highest energies so far," Jordan Goodman, a particle astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, who did not take part in the DAMPE research, told Space.com. [100 Years of Cosmic Rays: The Discovery Explained]

So far, DAMPE has detected more than 3.5 billion cosmic rays, the most energetic of which exceed 100 trillion electron volts. DAMPE is expected to detect more than 10 billion cosmic rays over its projected lifetime of more than five years.

Notably, DAMPE found a "spectral break"  a dip in the number of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons  at about 900 billion electron volts. "No one is sure why there is a break," Goodman said.

Previously, the five-telescope H.E.S.S. array in Namibia and the CALorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station had seen signs of this spectral break, but the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope had not.

"Our measurements have clarified the behavior of the electron and positron spectrum at trillion-electron-volt energies," study co-author Yi-Zhong Fan, a particle astrophysicist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Nanjing, told Space.com. "The first results of DAMPE demonstrate its ability to explore new astrophysics."

Dark matter particles could explain this spectral break if the masses of those particles lie right below 900 billion electron volts, Goodman said. (Energy is equivalent to mass, as Einstein's famous equation E = mc^2 proved.) As such, these findings challenge models that suggest dark matter particles might have different masses.

On the other hand, this spectral break might be due to cosmic rays from pulsars or supernova remnants somehow cooling on their way through space, Fan said. "Either way, we are now getting solid data against which any model must be tested," Goodman said.

The scientists detailed their findings (opens in new tab) in the Nov. 30 issue of the journal Nature.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Algiers, Nov 28. 2017 (SPS) - The South African Ambassador to Algeria, Mr. Delmo Denis, affirmed the responsibility of the United Nations in implementing the resolutions of the international legitimacy regarding the Sahrawi issue during his reception by the Saharawi Ambassador in Algeria, Mr. Bouchraya Hamoudi Bayune at the Saharawi Embassy in Algeria

They appreciated the excellent historical relations between the two countries and the prospects of strengthening them in many fields.

Bouchraya Hamoudi Bayune has briefed his guest on the latest developments in the Saharawi issue, pointing out the solidarity dimension SADR enjoyed at the level of the African Union.

For his part, Delmo Denis renewed his country's support for the Saharawi people in their just cause, stressing the responsibilities and the role of the United Nations in enforcing international legitimacy in order to enable the Saharawi people to determine their destiny for freedom and independence. SPS

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Chahid El Hafed (Saharawi Refugee Camp), Nov 28, 2017 (SPS) - President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) Brahim Ghali on Monday expressed satisfaction with the position of SADR within the African Union (AU), greeting the Union's "firm" position in favour of the strict respect of its constitution and founding principles.

In an address he made Monday at the Saharawi refugee camp of Chahid El Hafed, marking the 42nd anniversary of the creation of the Saharawi National Council, SADR's president and secretary general of the Frente POLISARIO expressed his satisfaction with the "position occupied now by the Saharawi State within the African Union."

The Saharawi leader cited his country's "cooperation and partnership with other countries and international organizations."

Gali also hailed African Union's firm position regarding the necessity for all members to abide by its constitution and founding principles, especially in relation to the post-independence borders and member country's sovereignty."

In this respect, he called on the United Nations "to assume its responsibility in the decolonization process of the last colony in Africa (Western Sahara) and to speed up the implementation of the mandate of MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara).

The president of SADR advocated Western Sahara people's right to decide on their own fate through a referendum on self-determination, in line with the United Nations Charter and the various UN resolutions in favour of independence of colonized peoples and countries."

The Saharawi president stressed the need for the "UN Security Council to fully assume its responsibility in the face of Moroccan occupation authorities' attempts to undermine the efforts made to settle the conflict."

The Saharawi president recalled the latest Security Council's decision concerning the violation of the ceasefire agreement and the first military covenant in the region of Guerguerat.

The Saharawi leader warned against Security Council's failure to provide an "effective support to the UN chief's personal envoy for Western Sahara, Horst Kohler, as it was done with his predecessor, Christopher Ross."SPS

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T he UK has some truly world-beating businesses, but not enough of them and they are concentrated in too few sectors.

It also has a lot of other businesses which barely have a presence on the domestic stage let alone the global one and are quite happy to be going nowhere. But in between, there are many small to medium-sized companies which have something to offer international customers but cannot afford to.

The problem with being an SME with ambitions to export is the risk. You may think your product would go down a bomb in China or Brazil or Russia but how do the customers there find out about it. Most of these businesses operate on very thin margins. Theres no advertising budget and the manufacturer certainly cannot afford to hire an employee of the required quality and send him or her out to any of these markets to drum up business. These places are expensive to visit and it would take the person a year to find out how the place works and another year to land anything meaningful. Small businesses do not have the resources to take that big a gamble.

Even success in winning orders brings problems of pricing. The sterling exchange rate is set by financial flows in and out of the City and it is too high most of the time for manufacturing to be comfortably competitive. Worse, it also moves around a lot. So the next danger is that in the time between landing an order, fulfilling it and getting paid, the exchange rate has moved so much it wipes out all the profit.

The overseas customer is then alienated when the British SME whacks up the price for any follow-up business, or if it was really badly burned, simply says it cant afford to supply at all. Either response kills any chance of a long-term relationship; the demoralised British company resolves to stay at home in future; the angry Chinese to shop next time in Germany.

Variations on this script have been acted out in hundreds of small firms over the past few decades, and is one reason our export performance disappoints. But it may be that, thanks to technology, life is about to get simpler for these would-be exporters because of an initiative by Alibaba, the Chinese tech company, a corporate behemoth which is most commonly referred to as that countrys equivalent of Amazon, but which is really very much more.

Alibaba does many things  as befits a company with a market capitalisation of almost $500 billion  and has the modest ambition to double the number people who use its retail market 500 million to a billion in the next five years. For todays purposes one way it hopes to achieve this is by rolling out internet platforms which will give the worlds small companies, including those in Britain, direct access to Chinese consumers.

Alibaba accumulates vast amounts of data every day because virtually every Chinese household uses it. This gives it a unique knowledge of what its customers are looking for and, crucially, what products are popular but hard to find. Armed with this data Alibaba can then go looking abroad for companies which no one in China will ever have heard of but which have the products which could meet Chinese needs.

Thus, it might  indeed, it has already done so  approach Tangle Teezer a UK maker of hairbrushes and separately, the Cambridge Satchel Company as well as better-known names such as Whittard the tea and coffee retailer and Holland & Barrett. What it then does is offer guidance to these UK firms on how they could supply the Chinese market and what sort of service and delivery customers there would expect.

The data Alibaba can supply dramatically reduces the uncertainty around what will sell and the risk to the supplier in trying to get into the market. Then if both parties agree, it offers the suppliers access to its technology platforms, so its Chinese customers can find them in a search, place an order online and expect it to be fulfilled.

There are different platforms for firms depending on their stage of development and their willingness to make a commitment. Thus there are more sophisticated services for better-known retail names such as Burberry, Topshop, Next, Ted Baker and Mothercare which they use to create brand awareness and generate business in the Chinese market.

In addition there is Alibaba.com  a platform which gives access the other way round and is used by British businesses looking for Chinese suppliers. There is also a cross-border payment platform Alipay which you might find in Harrods or Selfridges.

There is also a logistics platform which helps UK firms to understand what Chinese customers expect when it comes to speed of delivery, and this has partnered with, among others, Royal Mail and Metapack.

All this puts the UKs flirtation with fintech into perspective. What is being done in Britain is good, innovative and challenging. But it is dwarfed by what is already happening in China, the apps which are being developed, the platforms which exist, the level of integration of the digital and real economies, and their global ambition.

The sheer scale of what is happening is hard to comprehend. Entire logistics and payments platforms are being built in developing countries which will end their reliance on primitive infrastructure. Soon they too will be opened up and plugged into the world via Chinese technology platforms and networks. The ability of a British firm to find and supply customers anywhere in the world is becoming easier every day thanks to Chinese technology.

Alibabas founder Jack Ma had a vision when he started the business almost 20 years ago of using technology to connect all the worlds consumers and producers so that Earth could become one marketplace with order fulfilment and payment being both intuitive and easy.

He is getting very close to delivering on it. It is hard to underestimate the power and knowledge that will result.
T he Metropolitan Police has London on a severe threat level. That means a terrorist attack is highly likely. To counter the bad guys, Britain has invested more than any other country to make its streets safe, be that with security bollards to protect pedestrians or beefed-up surveillance technology.

UK equipment makers who cut their teeth during the IRA threat are world leaders but other countries firms are capitalising too. Here are some of the mini industries flourishing from the terror threat.

NEVER MIND THE BOLLARDS

The most visible presence of Londons anti-terrorism drive are the bollards strewn around the capitals tourist venues to make places such as the Palace of Westminster resemble Baghdads Green Zone.

The biggest, and ugliest, are known in the trade as barges. From above, theyre shaped more like canoes, with sharp points fore and aft to block lorry or car attacks and bombs. Made by Tata Steel Security, they consist of waist-high thick metal on the outside, filled with concrete. The barges, which work alongside Tatas bright yellow pedestrian arches, are used widely because they are quickly and easily transported and deployed from the government stockpile in Suffolk. Tata does not break out sales or profits from its security business.

Security experts say the hideous look of the Tata system is part of its charm: it is a visible response to the terror threat that says the police are on high alert.

Less of an eyesore are the Westminster bollards: the slim, black-painted bollards often featuring the Westminster crest or that of other boroughs, depending on the geography. Theyre made from manganese steel by ATG Access, a Liverpool company backed by private equity firm LDC. ATG also makes the cylindrical telescopic bollards that rise or retract from the road to block or open access. Bare concrete bollards of the type widely found on the Continent can do more harm than good in an attack because they splinter into deadly shrapnel if blown up.

Sales and marketing director Gavin Hepburn says: It feels a bit bad saying terrorist tragedies are boosting our business, but Im afraid its true. Sales have grown from 12.5 million in 2015-16 to an expected 20 million this year. Last year, the company made 1 million profit and paid a 2 million dividend, with a growing order book overseas.

Other big players in perimeter security are stock market-quoted Hill & Smith and pavement-maker Marshalls, although they do not separate out their security revenues.

EYES (AND EARS) IN THE SKY

Ask the police or security services about aerial surveillance and youll often meet a flat no comment. But listening to and watching us from above has become big business for a small group of specialist companies.

Stock market-quoted Gama Aviation likes to talk of how it flies the worlds super-rich on private jets. It is less vocal about a more sensitive piece of work: a 4 million, four-year contract to service a new breed of police surveillance aircraft. In January, the first of four new Vulcanairs, capable of staying in the air for 10 hours at a time, will be delivered, kitted out with the latest surveillance gadgetry by Airborne Technologies.

Also shy about its services in this field is 2Excel, a firm that reputedly runs surveill-ance planes for the military, along with its more conventional civilian work. Run by ex-RAF pilots, 2Excels turnover leaped from 11 million to 18 million last year and it made a 2 million profit. Security researcher Alan Turnbull of website secret-bases.co.uk says 2Excels planes sometimes switch their transponder codes  signals used to identify planes to air traffic control and other pilots  to military IDs on some spook flights. 2Excel did not return calls or emails.

Turnbull said the Metropolitan Police uses secret Cessna spy planes registered at the Civil Aviation Authority to a firm called Nor Leasing. The company gives the address of a Mailboxes Inc PO Box branch in Surbiton and is not registered at Companies House.

Turnbulls research suggests MI5 has its own surveillance planes which carry out similar operations.

Drones are increasingly being used as an additional tool by police and other authorities. The Met is trialling the Skyranger surveillance drone made by Canadian manufacturer Aeryon. Sussex police are also using it to patrol Gatwick airport. Having cut its teeth in battlefield drones for the military, the Skyranger is designed to work in all weathers and conditions. In 2015, Aeryon secured $60 million of funding from Uber backer Summit Partners. It recently expanded its UK sales and support team, citing Britains position as one of the biggest users of unmanned aircraft. Skyrangers carry a zoom and an infrared camera but Aeryon does not rule out other payloads in future, such as mobile-phone jamming or listening and data capture devices.

CANDID CAMERAS

The jury is out over CCTVs usefulness in counter-terrorism. Some say it acts as a deterrent and makes it harder for suspects to meet and prepare for their attacks. Others claim that it is only really useful to find culprits after an incident.

Controversially, the biggest maker and supplier of CCTV in the UK is a vast Chinese company, Hikvision, whose biggest shareholder is the state. Nigel Inkster, the former director of operations at MI6, has said he is concerned about Chinese intelligence services potentially using its cameras here for malign purposes.

Hikvisions UK operation is run by general manager Jian Yang. Still only 27, he was made a director when he was 24  just four years after leaving Zhejiang University. The UK division is only there to service customers but has nearly trebled in size over the past year, with turnover up from 1 million to 2.6 million. Camera sales are booked through the tax-lite Netherlands, and no UK revenues or profits are available.

Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) is a growing part of the police and security services anti-terror armoury. Stock market-listed defence group Petards runs the Metropolitan police ANPR. While not declaring its revenues from the technology, a glimpse can be seen in the sales of a handheld ANPR devices business it bought last year called QRO; in the first eight months under Petards ownership, QRO brought in revenues of 1.2 million.

CSI LONDON

Investigations into and after terror plots invariably rest on the forensic examination of phones and computers. Israel-based Cellebrite and Micro Systemation of Sweden are two of the biggest providers of the code-cracking software that can access the data on these devices, even if blown up, thrown in rivers or otherwise largely destroyed.

Cellebrite made UK sales of 4.6 million last year, and Micro billed UK clients 3 million. It bizarrely claims to supply 97% of Britains 43 police forces.

GUNS 'N' AMO

The Met increased spending on weapons and ammunition sixfold in the past year, largely because of the terror threat. In response to a Freedom of Information request, it said it spent 9.4 million on guns, bullets, Tasers and smoke and stun grenades as the force builds back up to 2010s level of having 7000 firearms officers.

Taser is made by US company Axon and does not state UK sales or profit figures, but the Met doubled its purchases last year. A recent tender document states that the Met uses pistols from Austrian firm Glock, German Heckler & Koch carbines (pictured above, left) and US-made SIG Sauer assault rifles (above, right).

The only British weapon it uses is Accuracy Internationals sniper rifle. AIs profits jumped this year to 494,000 from 364,000 a year earlier on revenue up 1 million to 13.2 million, although UK sales were broadly flat at 2.3 million.

Terrorists hope to cause damage to cities economies. But in London, at least, they are only helping more companies make money.
Q uentin Tarantino couldnt have written it better. After weeks of everyone at the London Stock Exchange pointing guns at each other, Reservoir Dogs-style, on Wednesday they all pulled the trigger.

The final scene: Xavier Rolet takes one to the head, Donald Brydon reels from a gutshot, hedge funder Sir Chris Hohn makes a break for it, only to meet a hail of bullets offstage.

A gory, unedifying, end to a film that, though being great box office, leaves all the cast bloodied.

Rolet looks truculent in the extreme. Despite his what, me? statement today condemning the unwelcome publicity around his departure, its hard to believe he couldnt have stopped all this weeks ago by having a quiet word with Hohn  through intermediaries if the gagging order on him prevented direct contact.

Clearly, and understandably, he was miffed about getting the boot. But by letting the row run for so long, he has self-immolated a successful next career in City chairmanships. Who would hire him now? The manner of his ending will overshadow his extraordinary achievements turning the LSE around.

Brydon may limp on until 2019, but he is left looking hopelessly inadequate.

Not only did he fail to make Rolet what they call in HR a good leaver, but his board slapped gagging orders on everyone, making it impossible to clarify the position afterwards. The lack of transparency irritated shareholders, and should serve as a lesson to other boards.

Why did the board not agree with Rolet a longer-term succession plan when the Deutsche Borse deal collapsed, perhaps timed for his 60th birthday in two years? Instead, the board allowed Rolet  who had originally said hed be leaving if the German merger happened  to declare he was staying on indefinitely.

Hohn has succeeded in highlighting a few issues of corporate governance, but generally looks defeated. Although he raised central questions about transparency, his key demand, the reinstatement of Rolet, has not been met.

This whole film would be fun were it not for the fact that the LSE is weakened just as it needs to be at its strongest.

The Stock Exchange is about as essential to the Citys future financial dominance as you can get, and with Brexit coming, it has rarely been so challenged by EU rivals.

The only character to emerge with reputation enhanced, is Mark Carney. Back in the day, the Governor of the Bank of England could order companies into line with a raise of the eyebrow. Carney lifted his beetle brow yesterday, declaring himself mystified by the whole affair. Within 24 hours, the squabble was over.

A star performance.
H ousebuilders on Wednesday gave the thumbs-up to London Mayor Sadiq Khans new plan for the capital, saying greater planning freedom would help address the capitals housing shortage.

Telford Homes chief executive Jon Di-Stefano broadly welcomed the Mayors plans for more densely built homes, saying: There are lots of locations in London where planning guidance and historic planning rules have kept a cap on height for no reason at all, for example.

There is no real harm in [denser building] where transport infrastructure can support it, he added.

Telfords interim profits fell 3% to 8.7 million.

Killian Hurley, the boss of Mount Anvil also welcomed the plan.

Antony Stark, a director at London developer Linea Homes  which has built homes in Bow, Hendon and Enfield  said denser building and the use of high-rise near transport hubs should promote the increase in supply and reduction in car use for Londoners.

But Stark added that it remained to be seen if Khans ambitions of affordable housing making up to 50% of developments can work in practice.

He said: I see it as too stringent and sites that have already been purchased will probably not come forward as they wont be able to afford the burden. Sites to be purchased can of course now budget for this, but convincing land owners they must now take less is unlikely to be achieved.
In November the Coon Valley Lions held a special recognition night with District Governor Pat Hart, from the Warrens Lions Club, as the guest of honor.

Hart presented honors to the Coon Valley Lions club and its members.

The most prestigious award was the Lions Eye Banks highest award, known as the Knight of Sight Fellowship presented to Arvid Holey.

This award is presented to a club member that has displayed exceptional efforts in his club and community of promoting sight programs and other Lions projects that exemplify the Lions moto We Serve.

Member in attendance said, With all the projects that Lion Arvid has initiated and overseen, it was a most deserving thank-you from the Coon Valley Lions Club.

Hart, leading the seven county area of Wisconsin that includes Coon Valley presented a District Governor Award of Excellence award. One such award is presented in each of the 49 organizations in the district. The award is presented to the grass roots Lion member that has been a steady, always reliable, and is an under recognized member of each organization, but who is so vital to the success of a club. The recipients of his award were long time members Mike Brye and Albert Hohlfeld. Together they have served the Coon Valley area for 86 years.

The Lions Chevrons awards represent years of club membership and were presented to members in five year increments. Receiving those awards were:

10 years: Gary Tricker, Loren Rumpca, and Roger Harris.

15 years: Arvid Holey and Dennis Nerison

20 years: Trent Strangstalien.

25 years: John Ward and Bernard De Florian.

30 years: Curtis Horman.

45 years: Roger Sorensen

The Lions organizations began in 1917 and has grown into the largest service organization in the world.

Special membership recruitment awards were presented to Holey and Tim Seland.

Holey received a Gold Membership Retention award for sponsoring a new member that has continued his membership for at least two years. Seland was recognized for having sponsored at least two new members earning him a special key award pin.

The meeting was also the groups annual lutefisk, lefse and meatball dinner

Submitted by Cedric Veum
L ast week I spent an invigorating afternoon at Wormwood Scrubs speaking to members of the inmates book club under the auspices of the excellent organisation Prison Reading Groups. In a long discussion we talked about identity groups, the future of pluralism (a word raised by one of the prisoners, not me), and the necessity of trust in a healthy society.

A wide range of ethnicities was represented in the semi-circle of library chairs. A mood of optimistic civility prevailed throughout. I left thinking: if they can, why cant we?

What does this have to do with the engagement of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle? At first glance, not much. Such an announcement is a form of national enchantment, the latest instalment in a centuries-old saga of institutional continuity and generational change. In this particular case, the story has the added fairytale appeal of a couple self-evidently besotted with each other and the Hollywood glamour of the bride-to-be. But there is also social content to this union of souls.

It has long been alleged that Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, although a German princess by birth, may have been of partially African ancestry. Sir Walter Scott observed venomously that she was ill-coloured, hailing from a dynasty of ill-coloured orangutans. It has been suggested  on the basis of pretty thin evidence  that she was descended from a part-Moorish branch of the Portuguese royal family.

Yet such claims are the stuff of contemporary rumour and subsequent historical detective work. In marked contrast, there is no mystery or controversy about Ms Markles background.

She has written about her pride as a strong, confident mixed-race woman and what she imagines was her white fathers initial attraction to her mothers sweet eyes and her Afro. But the fact that she is biracial clearly  and, need it be said, correctly  played no greater part in her engagement than Prince Harrys English, German, Scottish, Hungarian, Danish and French ancestry.

There were even those who doubted Kate Middletons suitability as a future queen on the pathetic grounds that she was of middle-class origins. Nobody is doubting her suitability today

Heres the paradox: the fact that it is no big deal is a very big deal indeed. Traditionally, the marital decisions of the royal family have been matters of spectacular sensitivity. It is easy to forget that the Duke of Edinburgh was initially considered an unconventional choice for the hand of Princess Elizabeth in 1947: a scion of the Greek and Danish royal families baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church.

Many younger viewers of the first season of The Crown (that Prince Harry watched with relish, I gather) were startled that, in 1955, Princess Margaret was unable to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend because he was divorced. Much more recently  and extraordinarily  there were even those who doubted Kate Middletons suitability as a future queen on the pathetic grounds that she was of middle-class origins and therefore, in the ghastly terminology, a commoner. Nobody is doubting her suitability today.

In Ms Markles case there has been barely a lip pursed, or a string of pearls clutched and this is in itself a breakthrough.

It is 15 years since David Brent struggled to toe-curling effect in The Office with the ethnicity of one of his employees Youre half n half, arent you?... Thats my favourite... Mixed race My favourite... Best of both worlds.).

Yet BBC research indicates that there may already be as many as two million Britons of mixed ethnicity, the fastest growing ethnic-minority group in the UK. What Ricky Gervaiss Brent was confronting in his well-meaning but clod-hopping way was the new normal of the social landscape.

As travel, itinerant work and population mobility continue to be one of the principal engines of 21st-century life, so the idea of ethnic homogeneity  already redundant  will increasingly become a distant memory.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engagement announcement 1 /36 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engagement announcement Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Eddie Mulholland-WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle photo call today on the announcement of their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace PA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Reuters Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Sky News Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace PA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, after the announcement of their engagement PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave following a photocall after announcing their engagement in the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk away after posing for the media in the grounds of Kensington Palace AP

As the nurse Belize puts it with wonderful poetry in Tony Kushners Angels in America, we are entering an age in which all the deities are Creole, mulatto, brown as the mouths of rivers. As has often been said, the best way to upset a racist is to tell him that his great-grand-children will be beige.

This is why the royal engagement has social significance beyond its pairing of a hugely popular prince with a successful television actor and the prospective pageantry of the wedding itself.

In the past five years, and especially since the EU referendum, we have lost some of the confidence in British pluralism that shone through the 2012 London Olympics, and its opening ceremony in particular.

Our political class agonises over immigration as a proxy for a much broader identity crisis about national trajectory and social cohesion.

Too often we retreat into tribal groups, safe spaces and digital cantons. Instead of celebrating our historic talent for co-existence, we imagine ourselves more brittle than we are, bombarded by those who claim that we are somehow at breaking point, that diversity is undesirable rather than a well-established source of strength, and  most spuriously  that the non-existent British Volk is under threat from the Other.

All this is utter nonsense, but it has gained an alarming measure of traction in the Brexit era.

Highlights from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first interview

In their understated way the prince and his bride-to-be have summoned us back to a much more optimistic reality. Their uncomplicated and infectious happiness is a reminder that the mind-forged manacles of ethnic friction should be, and can be, a thing of the past. We expect the institution of monarchy to keep pace with social change. In this case, it is quietly leading the way. If they can, why cant we?
A s Damian Green stepped up to the dispatch box for Prime Ministers Questions today, he was a politician not just battling the opposition but battling to save his career. Green, the First Secretary of State, Theresa Mays de facto deputy and one of the prime ministers closest allies, is being investigated after Kate Maltby, a writer and Conservative activist, alleged that he had made unwanted sexual advances towards her.

May has been criticised for allowing Green to deputise while she is in the Middle East. Asked last night what her decision says about her support for victims of sexual harassment, she said: Obviously considerations of these issues are continuing but he is First Secretary of State, he has done PMQs before and I am sure he will do a very good job.

The result of the inquiry into Greens behaviour  led by Sue Gray, director-general of propriety and ethics at the Cabinet Office  will be published soon. However, Downing Street has said that the official report may never be made fully public. Maltby alleges that Green had made sexual advances after offering political mentorship to her and then sent a suggestive text after seeing a photograph of her in a corset beside an article about the history of the garment. The inquiry has since been widened to look into claims by an ex-police chief that pornography was found on a computer in Greens office in the Commons nine years ago. Green has strongly denied all the claims.

Today I can reveal a fresh allegation against Green: that Maltby believes he was offering her help to get a job. She later clarified to me that this would be a job within the party with a view to getting on the Conservative candidates list, such as working for an MP or at CCHQ. Green has also denied this allegation.

In a series of private Facebook messages Maltby sent me in 2016  the first arriving four minutes after the now-infamous corset text from Green  she set out her version of events. When I realised I had these messages I contacted Maltby, who informed me that she had submitted them to the inquiry, and therefore requested I not release them until the inquiry had concluded. She has left London today and declined to comment. However, The Evening Standard felt that  in light of Green doing PMQs  these messages should be made public.

Maltby and I have been friends for three years. Four minutes after Green texted her she wrote to me: When youve wondered if you were unfair to think that your old Tory MP whos friends with your parents was hitting on you when he offered you a job (and you said no on that basis) ... and then he texts out of the blue after months to say Long time no see. But having admired you in a corset in my favourite tabloid, I feel impelled to ask if you are free for a drink any time?

A problem shared: above, Kate Maltbys messages to Rosamund Urwin following her interaction with Damian Green

Oh God, I replied. That is awful.

Maltby then wrote: I mean, literally, I know him because he was at Oxford with my parents.

I asked if he was married. Yes, of course, said Maltby. I then asked if she would tell me who the MP was. Swearing me to secrecy, she told me it was Green.

He is three decades Maltbys senior and a peripheral family acquaintance. When she first approached him for advice a year before our exchange, she thought it was in a professional capacity. He invited her for a drink in Waterloo.

Four weeks ago Maltby wrote about this meeting in an article in The Times. She wrote that Green asked if she was mulling a career in politics. Maltby then alleges that he steered the conversation to the habitual nature of sexual affairs in parliament, he mentioned that his own wife was very understanding and then she felt a fleeting hand against my knee, so brief it was almost deniable. Maltby moved her legs away, ended the drink in a friendly way and didnt contact him for a year.

Damian Green: the First Secretary of State / AFP/Getty Images

A spokesperson for Damian Green said: It remains completely untrue that Mr Green has ever made any sexual advances on Ms Maltby, nor did he ever offer her any role. Any discussions about her future career were had in terms of a sitting MP offering advice and nothing more.

Under the 2010 Equalities Act, determining whether sexual harassment has taken place takes into account the perception of the alleged victim, the other circumstances of the case and whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have that effect.

From the start Maltby said she was angry and wanted people to know. She said she would have reported this to official channels if she felt there were any. She also told me that she didnt trust the whips to deal with this information ethically. She decided against going public. I wasnt the only person she told, though, because she was unsettled.

She spoke to Jodie Ginsberg, the chief executive of Index on Censorship, and she told Helena Kennedy QC, who revealed this in the Evening Standard earlier this month. I know that she also discussed it with select friends in Westminster, who would worry for their political careers if they went public.

Six weeks after the corset text Green was promoted to the cabinet. He went from being a backbencher who had fallen out with David Cameron  a political has-been  to the best buddy of the PM.

On the day he was appointed to the Cabinet, July 14 2017, Maltby messaged me, asking for advice about whether she could now avoid working with Green professionally: I am wondering whether I now ignore him forever or accept I have to use him as a contact. I was in Mexico, so my messages were only coming through sporadically.

'Attack': Journalist Kate Maltby accused Mr Green of sexual misconduct / Elizabeth Handy

A few hours later another friend who knew the story messaged Maltby to sympathise, saying that Green had just been appointed at the Department for Work and Pensions. Maltby wrote back that she was upset, but more worried hed get culture (with which I occasionally have contact). Maltby is a theatre critic, and in 2014 had written a chapter on conservative culture policy for a collection of essays published by the think tank, Bright Blue. It was to discuss this essay collection that she asked Greens advice in 2014. But even with Green in a department with which she had less contact, the continuing conversation showed that she felt compromised. As she wrote in The Times: I had felt a meaningful political relationship was developing  suddenly, Id been made aware that there might be a price I was not prepared to pay.

Maltby agonised over the awkwardness of having to text him. Three days later she did. The conversation was friendly. Although Maltby is not a lobby journalist, for all commentators, contacts are all. Given her involvement in Bright Blue, she also felt it was important to maintain relationships with leaders of the liberal conservative faction in the cabinet, of which Green had just become one of the most prominent.

When Maltby came forward, she expected an apology from Green. Instead, he denied all her allegations.

The texts have been a main plank in Greens defence. We [Maltby and I] have had a drink as friends twice-yearly, he said in an earlier statement. The text I sent after she appeared in a newspaper article was sent in that spirit  as two friends agreeing to meet for a regular catch-up  and nothing more. This untrue allegation has come as a complete shock and is deeply hurtful, especially from someone I considered a personal friend. He has given the text messages to the inquiry as an indication that he and Maltby still had a friendly relationship after the alleged knee-touching.

When the inquiry is complete, the attention may well focus on the porn allegations. But what sparked this investigation is a simpler question: how did a powerful man make a young woman feel?
I f you asked anyone even a decade ago if they thought you could travel the globe by simply posting a photo to an app, they would have asked you what an app was.

But now travel influencers have one of the most lusted-after jobs on the planet.

In this day and age, where Instagram travel influencers are in abundance, it can be hard to find to sort the wheat from the chaff - so we've done the hard work for you.

Here are 30 of our favourite travel-based Instagram accounts that are sure to get your wanderlust hearts fluttering.

1. @emitoms

As the marketing manager for Amazon, you can say Emily Thomas leads a pretty hectic life. But this doesnt stop the Seattle, Washington-based woman from moonlighting as an Instagram storyteller.

Her feed is full of lush pictures of nature and Emily sure has a knack for lighting.

2. @polabur

Originally from Russia, Polina Burashnikova now resides in Amsterdam but travels often.

Her feed is full of florals, adventures to stunning locales, delectable foods and rose-tinted hues.

3. @bemytravelmuse

From Southern California, Kristin Addis is now travelling the world solo and sharing her adventures with her 109,000 followers.

Kristin has been travelling around the globe since September 2012 with no plans to stop anytime soon. Her feed showcases some of the worlds most gorgeous natural wonders  always pleasing to the eye.

4. @clairemenary

Claire Menary is a London-based travel blogger with an eye for detail. Her feed is filled with visits to London hotspots and snippets into the lives of other cultures.

5. @thetravelista

Jess Gibson is a luxury travel blogger based in the UK. Her mission is to see the world in style  something shes clearly achieving. Jess feed contains luxe pictures of her travels to some of the worlds greatest cities.

6. @the.travel.project

London-based duo Charlie and Jess quit their jobs in 2016 in order to pursue world travel. Uninspired by conventional travel, the pair dreamt of a new way of travelling  one that would allow them to experience places through local eyes.

Thus, the Travel Project was born with Charlie and Jess continuing to travel the world and see amazing places. Expect to see stunning photos of wildlife and nature throughout their feed.

7. @roaminggreen

The new kids on the travel Instagram block, Chloe and Jayvee are two environmental scientists planting their green footprints one day at a time.

Currently hiking through Cambodia and Nepal, expect gorgeous shots of Himalayan sunrises and deep mountain valleys.

8. @prettylittlelondon

Created by Andrea Di Filippo and Sara Helen Santini, pretty little London is a page devoted to finding all of the cute, hidden spots across the capital.

Their feed documents the high life of London town, from the depths of the South to the colourful storefronts and facades of the Seven Dials.

9. @doyoutravel

Jack Morris is travel Instagram royalty. With a cool 2.7million followers (and counting) the Australian man is travelling the world, one exotic location at a time.

Expect incredible images of his travels, and check out his girlfriends feed too  Lauren Bullen of @gypsea_lust who has an impressive 1.9million followers of her own.

10. @nicole_franzen

Nicole Franzen is an interiors, travel and food photographer based in New York City.

Her feed is an inspired melange of the above, showcasing snippets of her travels as she wanders the world.

11. @lebackpacker

Johan Lolos is a Belgian-born self-taught travel photographer who spent two years in Australia and New Zealand before settling down in his hometown of Liege, Belgium.

Now he travels the worlds, this year spending five months across Europe working on a personal project called Peaks of Europe. The fruits of his labour are visible on his feed.

12. @millykr

Camille Kenny-Ryder, aka Milly KR, is a lifestyle, food and travel blogger and co-founder of The Weekend Journals. We recently labelled her as one of the top 10 Foodie influencers, but her travel pictures are equally as impressive.

Expect to see a mixture of food and luscious locales as Milly travels the world.

13. @ _itsbeautifulhere

Georgia (Gigi) Hopkins, from Melbourne Australia, quit her corporate job in 2012 with a burning desire to follow her bliss. Now she lives out of her suitcase, compiling travel guides as she goes.

Gigis feed is full of inspiring experiences, dynamic architecture and has a focus on culture.

14. @girleatworld

One for all you foodies who love to travel, Melissa is literally eating her way around the world.

Her feed is full of delicious-looking food photographed in front of incredible locations.

15. @dorisanddicky

Roxane Gergaud is the co-founder behind Doris & Dicky, a website and Instagram account dedicated to bringing you the best budget boutique hotels from across the world for around 100 a night.

Their feed is filled with luxe hotels and will provide endless amounts of travel inspiration.

16. @alexstrohl

Based in Whitefish, Montana Alex Strohl is an internationally-acclaimed travel photographer, something his 1.9million Instagram following can attest to.

His feed is filled with gorgeous nature shots, mainly from around North America.

17. @anneparavion

Anne Cui is the mind behind Anne Par Avion.

Her feed is filled with eclectic visuals from across the world, with a specific focus on art, culture, design and textiles.

18. @hebdomania

Thibault Charpentier is a travel and lifestyle photographer based between Paris and Bali.

Obsessed with lines, his feel is full of just that  clean lines and gorgeous scenery.

19. @worldwanderlust

Australian travel blogger, Brooke Saward has crafted a living out of documenting her luxury travels  and her feed will give you a serious case of wanderlust.

Brookes feed is filled with incredible shots of the worlds most famous landmarks, and she always manages to travel in style.

20. @beautifuldestinations

Its all in the name, but Beautiful Destinations is a feed that celebrates some of the worlds most  you guessed it  beautiful destinations.

Their 9.9million followers are a testament to their gorgeous feed.

21. @lucywilliams02

Known for her site, Fashion Me Now, Lucy Williams feed is full of fashion, travel, beauty and everything in between.

You can expect deliciously aesthetic shots on the models feed that artfully blends travel and fashion.

22. @theslowtraveler

The UK-based traveller and photographer has seamlessly turned her Instagram influence into a business, writing about how to take better pictures and grow your audience.

Her delectable feed is a millennial haven filled with houseplants and artful images from around Edinburgh and the UK.

23. @lucylaucht

Lucy Laucht is a photographer, content creator and travel expert who has made a career out of her lifelong wanderlust.

Her feed follows her travel to some of the worlds most off-beat places, always presented in stunning fashion.

24. @parisinfourmonths

What started as a documentation of Swedish native Carin Olsson moving to Paris has become a well-renowned travel gram with over 951,000 followers.

She made the permanent move to Paris in 2013 and hasnt looked back, sharing stunning pictures of her adopted city left, right and centre.

25. @tiffpenguin

Tiffany Nguyen is the definition of a multi-tasker. Both a dentist and travel photographer, there isnt much this LA-based woman cant do.

Her feed is filled with out-of-this world landscape shots that will make you want to pack up your bags and spend the rest of your days travelling.

26. @funforlouis

YouTuber-come-travel-blogger-extraordinaire, Louis Cole both vlogs on YouTube and posts photos on Instagram daily of his travels.

He is currently on a 90-day round-the-world adventure so expect to see some amazing shots.

27. @rosielondoner

London-based travel blogger Rosie initially started her blog as a way to stay in touch with friends and family but her Instagram following has since grown to an impressive 321,000.

Her feed is filled with gorgeous shots of London and the UK along with her luxe travels across the world.

28. @wonderful_places

Wonderful places is just that  a collection of wonderful places from across the globe compiled into one glistening Instagram account.

Expect gorgeous shots from across the world from small mountain villages in Italy to the twinkling London Christmas lights.

29. @nakedplanet

With 3.2million Instagram followers, its safe to say naked planet  a community of eco travellers  know a thing or two about gorgeous travel shots.

You can expect breath taking images from around the globe.

30. @theprettycities

Its all in the name with the pretty cities - an account the showcases some of the prettiest cities, towns and villages from across the globes.

The only way we can really describe this feed is magical.
A rmed police have arrested a 20-year-old man in north London and a 21-year-old man in Birmingham on suspicion of being involved in terrorism.

The pair are being held "on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism", the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers from the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command were supported by officers from the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit and the Met Police Firearms Command for the operation.

They made the arrest in north London at around 2.50pm and the other in south-east Birmingham at approximately 4.30pm on Tuesday.

The men are now both being held in custody at a police station in the capital.

Searches at the addresses in London and Birmingham are ongoing, police said.
S erial killer Levi Bellfield has confessed to the murder of a mother and child more than 20 years ago, the solicitor of the man convicted of the killings has said.

Lawyers acting for Michael Stone who was convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in Kent in 1996 say they have new evidence of his innocence, including a "very detailed confession" to the killings from serial killer Bellfield.

Stone has twice been convicted of the murders of the mother and daughter but has always protested his innocence.

Now his solicitor Paul Bacon has claimed Milly Dowler's murderer Bellfield admitted the killings in prison.

He told a press conference in London: "We have now received evidence of a full confession by Levi Bellfield to the Russell murders.

Lin Russell and daughter Megan / PA

"In the confession, Bellfield describes how he came across Lin Russell and her two children, how he attacked them with a hammer and his motivation for the killing.

"The confession is detailed and has a number of facts which are not in the public domain."

Stone is serving three life sentences for bludgeoning Lin Russell and Megan, six, to death in an attack near Chillenden in which her other daughter, Josie, nine, suffered severe head injuries and the family's dog, Lucy, was killed.

It is not the first time Stone's legal representatives have pointed the finger at Bellfield.

Shaun Russell, with wife Lin and daughters Megan (second left) and Josie at an Italian restaurant in 1996 / PA

In 2011, Mr Bacon claimed Milly's killer was a better match for the e-fit of the suspect issued during the police manhunt.

Bellfield, who now calls himself Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole-life tariff after being found guilty at the Old Bailey of abducting and killing schoolgirl Milly. He was jailed in 2011.

The 13-year-old was snatched from the street while on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.

Bellfield was already in jail for the murders of Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy.

In 2008 he had been given a whole-life term for murdering Ms McDonnell, 19, in 2003, and murdering Ms Delagrange, 22, and attempting to murder Ms Sheedy, 18, in 2004.
S cotland Yard have launched a murder probe as a man died after an assault in a north London cafe.

A man in his 40s was assaulted in the Bethel Cafe on Seven Sisters Road, in Islington on Tuesday.

The victim, who was not named, died from his injuries on Wednesday in a north London hospital.

Police have appealed for witnesses of the incident, which they said happened around 10pm.

A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

No arrests had been made in connection with the incident, Scotland Yard confirmed.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the incident room on 020 8345 3865 or via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A street artist was stopped and searched by police as he drove a van decorated with a naked Prince Harry and scantily-clad Meghan Markle close to Buckingham Palace.

Passers-by stopped to ogle and take pictures as artist Pegasus paraded the eye-catching mural through London on Wednesday in celebration of the royal couples recent engagement.

The anonymous artist, who was born in the US and now lives in London, began preparing the stencil painting last Monday as speculation of the couples engagement reached fever pitch.

Im a huge fan of the royal family, Pegasus told the Standard. I actually really love and admire them.

I know my work sometimes comes across a rude but its more of my twisted mind. I love to do tongue in cheek pieces.

In the nude: Prince Harry with bride-to-be Ms Markle.(@pegasusart/Instagram) / @pegasusart

His latest piece, sprayed onto the back of a black van, shows a mock scene from the royal couples stag and hen nights alongside the word party in bright pink lettering.

Ms Markle, 36, is pictured baring her midriff while wearing the costume made famous by Madonna in her 1984 hit Like A Virgin music video, with the words Boy Toy written above her crotch.

Meanwhile her fiance Prince Harry, 33, is shown in the buff holding a can of spray paint and what appears to be a crown in front of his genitals.

Prince Harry and Ms Markle appeared for the first time as an engaged couple on Monday. / Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Artist Pegasus, who keeps his identity hidden, is known for his spray paintings across London including Hillary Clinton as Wonder Woman and other stars such as Kim Kardashian, Cilla Black and Kate Middleton.

The moving art installation was driven through the streets of London and passed Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and busy Bond Street.

He said he was pulled over by police officers who noticed the mural and heard the sound of soup cans, which he had tied to the vehicle to attract extra attention.

The van was driven through central London on Wednesday. / @pegasusart/Instagram

I think the van raised a few red flags, Pegasus said.

The police wanted to search inside the van so pulled us over. One asked, what are you actually doing? I said Im celebrating the announcement.

They asked, do you think its funny? and said dont drive round this area.

Last November, the street artist was quick off the mark with his first piece of street art of Meghan Markle, showing the Suits actress accompanied by two Queens Guards on a wall in Highbury and Islington alongside the caption Harrys girl.

The painting of Meghan Markle on a wall in north London last November. / Pegasus

Pegasus is such a fan of the royals that he is signed up for Google alerts for news of the famous family and said he started planning todays Harry and Ms Markle piece a year ago, shortly after the couple went public with their relationship.

When I sat down designing this piece I was listening to Madonna and I had this theme in my head, Pegasus said.

I started to think of a hen party, I have seen lots of girls dress up as Madonna for hen parties and thought it would be fun.

What we know so far about Harry and Meghan's wedding

He said Harry has been a good boy lately but thought a stag party scene would be an opportunity to show the princes wild past.

Pegasus said the couple's engagement is the thing we need to pick us up.

Its been a tough year, he said. Something like this is the thing we have all been waiting for.

Pegasus Street Art - In pictures 1 /41 Pegasus Street Art - In pictures Amy Winehouse @pegasusart A Karl Lagerfeld Street Art tribute by Pegasus in London with assistance from Global Street Art @pegasusart Meghan Markle @pegasusart Donald Tump Statue of Liberty @pegasusart Madonna @pegasusart Tribute to George Michael @pegasusart Kim Jong Un @pegasusart Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Getty Images Aretha Franklin @pegasusart Pegasus Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Moving Street Art Installation around London @pegasusart Pegasus strikes with a powerful Donald Trump artwork @pegasusart Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' @pegasusart Kate Moss @pegasusart David Bowie @pegasusart Amy Winehouse Jeremy Selwyn Tribute to Carrie Fisher @pegasusart Renowned graffiti artist Pegasusass Charlie Chaplin in new artwork for exhibition launching at landmark development, Two Fifty One Theresa May and Donald Trump @pegasusart Hillary Clinton @pegasusart Depiction of a Syrian boy pulled from the rubble after airstrikes in Aleppo @pegasusart Street artist Pegasus poses for photographers at an exhibition celebrating the life of musician Amy Winehouse at the Jewish Museum in Camden, Joel Ryan/Invision/AP Tribute to George Michael @pegasusart Amy Winehouse Jeremy Selwyn Tribute to Carrie Fisher @pegasusart Amy Winehouse @pegasusart St Giles Hotel unveils works by London street artist Pegasus @pegasusart St Giles Hotel unveils works by London street artist Pegasus Nigel Howard Renowned graffiti artist Pegasusass Charlie Chaplin in new artwork for exhibition launching at landmark development, Two Fifty One Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' @pegasusart A new street art mural of Madonna in Shoreditch @pegasusart Stonewall trubute: Love always wins @pegasusart

The couple announced on Monday they are to wed following a 16-month relationship after being introduced by a mutual friend.

The wedding will be held in May next year at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Speaking in their first interview since getting engaged, Harry said he asked his fiancee to marry him during a night in while they were roasting a chicken.

Harry designed the ring himself using a stone from Botswana, where the couple holidayed together after just a few dates, and two diamonds from his late mother Princess Dianas personal collection.

The pair will visit Nottingham on Friday for their first official royal engagement together.
T heresa May was today warned of a public backlash over Britain paying a Brexit divorce bill of around 50 billion.

Britain and the EU were reported to be closing in on a deal on the bill which would allow the start of trade talks.

However, Leave campaigners, ministers and MPs - who pledged that quitting the EU would mean an extra 350 million a week for the NHS - face having to explain to millions of voters the size of the divorce bill.

Former Tory party chairman Lord Tebbit said: I dont think they will react very nicely to it.

Theresa May's Brexit in her own words

But at the end of the day, provided we escape from the rule of an unelected government, its worth it.

The divorce settlement is expected to be paid out over a period of many years despite Mrs May, who is on a visit to the Middle East, stressing in her January 2017 keynote Lancaster House speech that: The days of Britain making vast contributions to the European Union every year will end.

Chris Grayling, a Leave leader, refused to put a figure on how much it could be. / PA

The Government, though, may never tell the public exactly how much the bill could rise to in the end.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, a Leave leader, refused to put a figure on how much it could be.

He added on BBC radio: We dont want to walk away on bad terms, we dont want to walk away from obligations that we built up during our membership.

Officials close to the negotiations were reported as saying there was broad agreement on a framework for the UK to settle liabilities expected to total around 45-55 billion euros (40-49 billion).

Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith stressed: We should of course only ever pay what we are absolutely legally required to pay.

However, he believes that Britain will still be many tens of billions of pounds better off once the current payments into EU coffers end.

Leading Brexiter MP Peter Bone said a divorce settlement of 50 billion would be damaging for the Tories at the next election.

He said: If the Government give billions away to the EU it will be very bad news for the Conservatives and the Government electorally. Thats how it translates in this country - at the ballot box.

Tory MP Nigel Evans stressed Britains stakes in EU headquarters in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg had to be included in the calculations, adding: As long as we are not paying any ransom sums, Im content for us to pay what we owe and leave as quickly as possible.

However, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: Its a humiliating, abject surrender - and not in our national interest.

Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke, who campaigned for Remain, said: Its about making sure that whatever contribution we make, we get more out of it  thats key. If we end up making a net contribution to the EU then thats beyond the pale. There has to be a situation where theres far more advantage to paying this settlement.

Sir Nicholas Soames MP said: This is clearly progress and that is what we need to see.

However, differences with Dublin over the status of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland could still block progress at the European Council summit on December 14-15.

EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier said today that the bloc is still awaiting sufficient progress from London on all three major divorce issues: citizens, money and the Irish border.

We are not there yet, Mr Barnier told a conference in Berlin.

The work on the three main subjects continues this week in a constructive spirit with the UK.

However, Mr Barnier said the summit on 14 and 15 December would only go so far as to open talks on transition, with trade talks beginning next year.

A spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European Union said: We are exploring how we can continue to build on recent momentum in the talks so that together we can move the negotiations onto the next phase and discuss our future partnership.
D amian Green is standing in for Theresa May in today's Prime Minister's Questions despite an ongoing investigation into allegations surrounding his conduct.

The First Secretary of State, regarded by many as the Prime Minister's de facto deputy, will fill in for Mrs May while she visits Jordan.

He faces the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry, who is standing in for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Kate Maltby, who is three decades younger than Mr Green, told The Times that he "fleetingly" touched her knee during a meeting in a Waterloo pub in 2015 and a year later sent her a "suggestive" text message after she was pictured wearing a corset in the newspaper.

Mr Green said any allegation that he made sexual advances to Ms Maltby was "untrue (and) deeply hurtful".

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates.
T heresa May has dashed hopes of a Bank Holiday to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following calls from MPs and the public.

The Prime Minister suggested that simply seeing two young people in love would sufficiently please the nation when quizzed on the issue.

Harry, 33, announced his engagement to the American actress, 36, on Monday after the pair had dated for 16 months.

But as she spoke onboard an RAF Voyager aircraft as she made her way to the Middle East for a whistlestop tour, Mrs May declined to say if the country will get an extra bank holiday to celebrate their nuptials.

Larking around: Harry and Meghan pull faces in footage not shown in the BBC engagement interview / BBC

When pressed on whether Britons will receive a day off work to cheer the country up, she said: "You talk about cheering people up, I think seeing two young people in love, and actually that was obvious from - I didn't see all of the BBC interview, I saw some snatches of it - and I think that was obvious.

"I think what was also obvious was that they have given a lot of thought of what it means to be a modern royal couple in today's age."

Mrs May added: "I wish them great happiness for the future and I think the country is delighted to see this engagement and collectively we wish them all the best."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engagement announcement 1 /36 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engagement announcement Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Eddie Mulholland-WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle photo call today on the announcement of their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace PA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Reuters Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Sky News Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace PA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, after the announcement of their engagement PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave following a photocall after announcing their engagement in the Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk away after posing for the media in the grounds of Kensington Palace AP

It comes after various MPs echoed public desires of a national day of celebration on the wedding.

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen backed the idea saying the move would be great news for the economy and for tourism".

Labour MP John Woodcock has also backed calls for the Government to change its position tweeting only curmudgeons will be in the office anyway.

There have previously been no Bank Holidays to mark the weddings of Prince Andrew or Prince Edward, in 1986 and 1999, respectively.

Unseen footage gives insight into Harry and Meghan's relationship

However, a Bank Holiday was permitted to mark the wedding of Princess Anne in 1973 - meaning it can apply to those not directly in line to the throne.

Prince Harry and Ms Markle have been almost inseparable since they were introduced via mutual friends in London.

In their first TV interview, shortly after the announcement, the couple revealed Harry got down on one knee during a "typical night in" at their home Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

They will continue to live in the cottage after their wedding, set to take place in St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle in May.
Friday  December 1

(1st Friday)

Westbys Bekkum Library: Free Santa Time and Cookie Decorating. Santa arrives at 6 p.m. (Replacing Gingerbread Christmas). For more information, call 634-4419.

Christmas re-sale extravaganza and bake sale, Stoddard United Methodist Church, 900 Broadway St., Stoddard, 2-6 p.m.

Holiday Faire A Joyful Wassail for Adults, Pleasant Ridge

Coon Valley Knutson Library: Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m.

Driftless Al-Anon: Good Shepherd; Back Door; 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Viroqua Area Rotary Club: The Grille, Viroqua Area Medical Office Building, noon-1 p.m.

Community Meal: The Other Door (Located Downstairs in the Family & Childrens Center, Viroqua), 5:30 p.m.

McIntosh Memorial Library: 6-14-year-old activities, Viroqua, 3:45-5 p.m.

Holiday Faire A Joyful Wassail for Adults, Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, 431 E. Court St., Viroqua, 6-10:30 p.m.

Saturday  December 2 Westby Chamber hosts Seeking Santa sales around town.

17th Annual St. Marys Craft Show at the Coon Valley Village Hall, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Norskedalens old-Fashioned Christmas, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.. Santa arrives at 1 p.m.

Christmas re-sale extravaganza and bake sale, Stoddard United Methodist Church, 900 Broadway St., Stoddard, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Christmas cookie walk, Westby United Methodist Church, 202 E. State St., Westby, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Holiday Faire A Festive Day for the Entire Family, Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, 431 E. Court St., Viroqua, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

11th annual St. Charles steak fry dinner, Retreat Sportsmens Club, E3460 Hwy. N. De Soto, 5-7:30 p.m.

Chaseburg Snowtrailers Snowmobile Safety Class, Chaseburg Village Hall, 9 a.m.-Noon.

Sunday  December 3

Viroqua Eagles Community Childrens Christmas Party, Eagles Club, 216 S. Rock Ave., Viroqua, noon-2 p.m.

Holiday variety show with Joe Craven and Stanton West, Landmark Center Auditorium, second floor of the Landmark Center, 500 E. Jefferson St., Viroqua, 1-2:30 p.m.

Caroling of the Choirs, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua, 7 p.m.

Monday  December 4

(1st Monday)

Westby Area School District survey deadline. Call 634-0100 for more info.

Coon Valley Knutson Library: After school fun; 3:15 p.m.

Westby/Christiana Fire Department: 6:30 p.m.

Coon Creek Fire Department: Fire Station; 7 p.m.

Coon Creek Fire Commission: Fire Station; 8 p.m.

Vernon County Alzheimers Support Group, second-floor fellowship hall, Maplewood Terrace, Viroqua, 4-5 p.m.

Produce distribution: Living Faith Food Pantry, Viroqua, 1-3 p.m.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: La Farge United Methodist Church, 212 W. Penn St., La Farge, 6:30 p.m.

Progressive Bingo: Viroqua American Legion, 7 p.m.

Tuesday  December 5

(1st Tuesday)

Stoddard Food Pantry, first and third Tuesdays of the month, 300 North Main; 2:30 -5 p.m.

Annual Bethel Home tree lighting with music by Wayne Sherry, Bethel Home fellowship room, 2 p.m.

Bethel Home Auxiliary meeting, Kirkeeng Room, Bethel Home, Viroqua, 1:15 p.m.

Coon Valley Knutson Library: Knitting & Needles, 6:30 p.m.

Westby Bekkum Library: Tech drop-In Help; 10-11 a.m.

Westby Bekkum Library: Rumble and Read, 3:30 p.m.

McIntosh Memorial Library: Viroqua, Story time 1-5-Year-Olds, 6:30-7 p.m.

McIntosh Memorial Library: Viroqua, Story Time 1-3-year-olds, 10:30-11 a.m.

Euchre Club: Westby VFW; 1 p.m.

Good Shepherd Clothes Closet & Food Pantry: Viroqua Good Shepherd; 1-3 p.m.

Come for Supper: Westby Our Saviors Church, Westby; 4-6 p.m.

Wednesday  December 6 (1st Wednesday)

Westby Bekkum Library: Preschool Story Time, 10 a.m.

Vernon County Toys for Tots Chili Supper, Viroqua Fire Station, 702 E. Broadway, Viroqua, 4-8 p.m. or until the chili is gone

McIntosh Memorial Library: Viroqua, Story Time for 3-5-Year-Olds, 11-11:30 a.m.

Viola Al-Anon Family Group: 108 Commercial St., Viola, 7 p.m.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: Basement Community Room 3, VMH, Viroqua, 7 p.m.

Bingo: Westby VFW; 6 p.m.

VFW Supper: Westby VFW; 5 p.m.

Food Pantry: Viroqua Living Faith; 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

T.O.P.S. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): Immanuel Church, Viroqua, Weigh-in, 10-10:15 a.m.; Meeting, 10:15-10:45 a.m.

Thursday  December 7

(1st Thursday)

Westby Elementary School holiday concert, school gym, 1:30 and 7 p.m.

Coon Valley Knutson Library: Bunco Bunch 2 p.m.

Good Shepherd Clothes Closet, Viroqua, 1-3 p.m.

Weight Watchers, Viroqua Church of Christ, Viroqua, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Friday  December 8

(2nd Friday)

Coon Valley Knutson Library: Conversations with Coffee, 10:30 a.m.

Coon Valley Business Association Bingo Night, Village Hall, 6 p.m.

Westby Bekkum Library: Family Movie Night (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Westby Community Center, 7 p.m.

Polar Express and More! event for adults and children, McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua, 3:45-5 p.m.

Driftless Al-Anon: Good Shepherd; Back Door; 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Viroqua Area Rotary Club: The Grille, Viroqua Area Medical Office Building, noon-1 p.m.

Community Meal: The Other Door (Located Downstairs in the Family & Childrens Center, Viroqua), 5:30 p.m.

To stay up-to-date on everything happening in the area send your event information no later than Friday noon for the following weeks edition. Email information to dorothy.robson@lee.net
T heresa May was hit with a backlash today over Britain paying a Brexit divorce bill of up to 50 billion.

The Prime Minister was warned that agreeing to hand over the giant sum to Brussels risked damaging the Conservative party and the Government.

Britain and the EU were today closing in on a divorce settlement, reportedly of between 40-49 billion, to allow talks to move on to a trade deal.

However, former chancellor Lord Lamont, who backed Brexit, said: Im in favour of a deal. But if the figure is a net figure after receipts that come back to us during a transitional period then it seems a very high price indeed.

Leave Tory MPs also voiced concerns. Peter Bone said: If the Government give billions away to the EU it will be very bad news for the Conservatives and the Government electorally. Thats how it translates in this country  at the ballot box.

MP Steve Double said: For me it seems high. Its certainly at the very top end of what I would be willing to support but it depends on our future relationship.

I would not support agreeing a figure of that size without knowing what the future trading relationship would be. Its all very one-sided at the moment.

Fellow MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: This figure would be more than our transport or defence budgets. I dont think the public are going to like it very much. But if that is what the Government considers our liabilities are then we will have to pay it.

Former Tory party chairman Lord Tebbit also believes the public will be surprised by the huge sum. I dont think they will react very nicely to it, he said.

But at the end of the day, provided we escape from the rule of an unelected government, its worth it. Tory MP Bernard Jenkin said: We pay nothing if there is no deal, and we are not committed to any exit payment unless we get a good deal.

The divorce settlement is expected to be paid out over many years, despite Mrs May  on a visit to the Middle East  stating in January that the days of Britain making vast contributions to the European Union every year will end.

The Government, though, may never tell the public exactly how much the bill could rise to in the end.

Officials were reported as saying there was broad agreement on a framework for the UK to settle liabilities expected to total about 40-49 billion. But former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: Its a humiliating, abject surrender  and not in our national interest.

Differences with Dublin over the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland could still block progress at the European Council summit on December 14-15.

EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier said today that the bloc is still awaiting sufficient progress from London on all three major divorce issues: citizens, money and the Irish border.

Mr Barnier said next months summit would only open talks on transition, with trade talks next year.
A Labour MP today apologised after being caught on camera making an apparently threatening remark to a pregnant TV reporter.

Tulip Siddiq said her comments to Daisy Ayliffe, a producer on Channel 4 News, were an off-hand and ill-judged attempt to deal with what I thought was a hostile situation.

In remarks interpreted by Channel 4 Newss chief correspondent Alex Thomson as apparently threatening, Ms Siddiq said to Ms Ayliffe: Thanks for coming Daisy, hope you have a great birth, because child labour is hard!

Ms Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, made the remarks on Saturday after being asked about the case of British barrister Ahmad bin Quasem, who has disappeared in Bangladesh.

Tulip Siddiq was confronted by a C4 news crew at an event for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Her office manager put his hand over the camera.

The incident was broadcast on Channel 4 News last night, sparking a complaint to the Labour party from the programmes editor Ben de Pear and calls for Ms Siddiq to apologise.

Ms Ayliffe had tweeted last night: The perils of being a pregnant journalist: An MP might use it against you.

She was filmed making an 'apparently threatening' remark about Daisy Ayliffe's unborn baby

Campaigners fear Mr bin Quasem has been disappeared by the countrys security forces. They want Ms Siddiq to intervene because her aunt is Bangladeshs prime minister and because she has campaigned prominently for the release of her constituent Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is being held in Iran.

Today Ms Siddiq said in a statement: I want to apologise unreservedly for my comments to Channel 4s producer, which were and off-hand and ill-judged attempt to deal with what I felt was a hostile situation. I would never want to upset her and I hope she accepts my apology.

With regard to the Channel 4 news report itself, and as I made clear prior to the event on Saturday, I was born in London and serve as a British member of Parliament. The focus of my work is spent on delivering for the residents of Hampstead and Kilburn who elected me to represent them.

Ms Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, made the remarks on Saturday after being asked about the case of British barrister Ahmad bin Quasem, who has disappeared in Bangladesh

The fact some members of my family are involved in politics in Bangladesh has long been a matter of public record which I have not hidden from. That said, I have no capability nor desire to influence politics in Bangladesh.

The apology from Ms Siddiq, who sits on the women and equalities committee in Parliament, emerged shortly after the Metropolitan police confirmed that it had received a complaint from her alleging common assault in her exchanges with the Channel 4 crew.

Channel 4 was aware of this on Sunday but was mystified by it. Mr Thomson told the Standard today: Since there was no assault, we were surprised she had called the police.

Chanel 4 News was today broadcasting the entire 10 minutes of footage of its exchanges with Ms Siddiq, which was filmed at a vigil in West Hampstead for Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

The Met statement said: Police were called at approximately 13:00hrs on Saturday, 25 November by a woman, aged in her 30s, alleging an incident of common assault.

"The incident happened in West End Lane, NW6 earlier that day. Enquiries continue.
T heresa May has condemned Donald Trump as "wrong" to share a string of anti-Muslim far-right videos online.

The US President triggered a furious global backlash when he retweeted several unverified videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen.

The trio of anti-Islamic videos, which Mr Trump posted to his 43.5 million Twitter followers on Wednesday, includes footage of migrants allegedly assaulting a boy on crutches and a video claiming to show a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Prime Minister Theresa May faced growing pressure to condemn President Trumps retweets but for hours the UK Government was silent, releasing no official statement.

At shortly after 4pm, Number 10 told the Standard: "Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.

"They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents  decency, tolerance and respect.

"It is wrong for the President to have done this."

Home Secretary Amber Rudd had not immediately responded in the House of Commons when Labour MPs Stephen Doughty and Yvette Cooper raised Mr Trump's retweets as a point of order.

Donald Trump has been repeatedly blasted for his inappropriate tweets and gaffes since becoming president. / AFP/Getty Images

Opposition party leader Jeremy Corbyn called on the Government to respond, calling the retweets dangerous.

"I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump," said Mr Corbyn. "They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

Caroline Lucas, the joint leader of the Green Party, said: The President of the USA has just retweeted a convicted British fascist.

Theresa May must publicly condemn him immediately. We cannot stand by and watch Donald Trump spew this hate.

Author Emma Kennedy tweeted: Dear god, Theresa May, step up. Condemn him. Trump has thrown his support behind an organisation responsible for the murder of your colleague.

Her claims refer to the death of politician Jo Cox, whose killer Thomas Mair repeatedly shouted Britain First before shooting and stabbing her.

Second World War veteran, writer and activist Harry Leslie Smith said: After tweeting Britain First and promoting a racist agenda, Theresa Mays government should table a motion not only condemning Donald Trump but ban him from setting foot in Britain.

Scores of other people called on the PM to cancel Mr Trumps visit to the UK, which is set to take place early next year.

If Theresa May goes ahead with the Donald Trump visit, she will be met with the biggest, angriest mass demonstration in British history, said left-wing campaigner Owen Jones. Dont even try it.

James Melville said: For once, Theresa May must show some leadership and deny Donald Trump an official visit to the UK.

The hate-filled tweets had been originally posted by Jayda Fransen, 31, from Penge, who is currently on bail facing four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment.

Brendan Cox, the widower of Jo Cox, Piers Morgan and Labour MP David Lammy were among the first to criticise the US leader.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Jo Swinson joined in with the condemnations, saying the mask has yet again slipped and exposed the atrocious views of President Trump.

It is incredibly dangerous for someone in his position of responsibility to sow such division and hatred at every turn, she said.

Donald Trump shares 'Muslim crime' videos tweeted by Britain First leader

"Trump needs to do the world a favour and delete his account.

Mrs May was criticised just weeks after Mr Trump's inauguration as president for failing to condemn his divisive travel ban.

She later said she did "not agree" with the policy, which banished people from seven Muslim-majority from entering the US.

Brexit minister Lord Callanan said Mr Trump may have not been aware of the "appalling" nature of Britain First, but said the incident showed the president should be "more careful" in his tweeting.

'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands 1 /17 'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk along the White House Colonnade PA British Prime Minister Theresa May laughs during a news conference with President Donald Trump AP Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office PA President Donald Trump reaches out to shake hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May with US President Donald Trump during their joint press conference PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump by a bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the Oval Office PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer posted this photo on Twitter. PA

The Conservative peer told BBC Radio 4's World At One: "Britain First is an appalling organisation and there is no excusing the things they stand for.

"I can only assume that he has made a mistake and that he did not realise who Britain First were. Most people in the UK don't know who Britain First are.

"I'm not excusing it. He clearly needs to be more careful what he tweets to 44 million followers. This is manna from heaven for them - we are doing exactly what they want in publicising them and giving coverage to their awful views, and Trump has helped them in that."

But Lord Callanan said the incident should not affect Mr Trump's invitation to visit the UK, insisting the Government needs to "separate out the man form the office" and show "respect for the office of the President of the United States".

In the Commons, Stephen Doughty MP said the videos were "highly inflammatory" while Yvette Cooper said the president had given Ms Fransen a "huge platform" as one MP shouted "Disgraceful" and others said "Go on, stand up" at Home secretary Ms Rudd.
M eghan Markle has given up her charitable roles in order to start her royal life with a "clean slate".

The American actress, who has worked with World Vision Canada and as UN women's advocate, has stepped away from her commitments to focus on touring the country with Prince Harry and getting to know the UK.

Meghan became a World Vision Global Ambassador in 2016 after travelling to Rwanda to help with a new clean water pipeline.

Former Suits actress Ms Markle, who will wed the Queen's grandson at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May, will join Prince Harry in travelling around different towns and cities ahead of her nuptials, Kensington Palace said.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle 1 /108 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leaves after attending a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Pauls Cathedral AP Freedom Gala AP Christmas 2021 Alexi Lubomirski Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House Samir Hussein/WireImage Oprah Winfrey interviews Duke and Duchess of Sussex PA Media Misan Harriman Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kiss on the steps of St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding in St George's Chapel PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding their son Archie during a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation in cape Town, on day three of their tour of Africa PA Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 Reuters Prince Harry and Meghan Markle embrace following the polo at Coworth Park on 7 May 2017 Rex Features Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace EPA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet Pony Major Mark Wilkinson and regimental mascot Cruachan IV during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square on 25 September 2017 in Toronto, Canada Reuters Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto PA Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Getty Images Prince Harry arrives with girlfriend actress Meghan Markle at the wheelchair tennis event during the Invictus Games in Toronto Reuters Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square on 25 September 2017 in Toronto, Canada Getty Images Prince Harry with girlfriend Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Getty Images Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto Karwai Tang/WireImage Prince Harry arrives with girlfriend actress Meghan Markle at the wheelchair tennis event during the Invictus Games in Toronto, Ontario Reuters Meghan Markle attends the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Invictus Games at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada PA Meghan Markle on the cover of Vanity Fair Peter Lindbergh exclusively for Vanity Fair Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 Getty Images Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Larking around: Harry and Meghan pull faces in footage not shown in the BBC engagement interview BBC Meghan Markle visits Nottingham for her first official public engagement with fiancee Prince Harry Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, to attend a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair on their first official engagement together PA Meghan Markle arrives at the Terrance Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary Getty Images The royal brothers and their partners on Christmas Day. AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle listen to a broadcast through headphones during a visit to youth-orientated radio station, Reprezent FM, in Brixton PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Brixton EPA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle visit Reprezent 107.3FM in Brixton Getty Images Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle visit Reprezent 107.3FM in Brixton Getty Images Loved up: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Cardiff Castle EPA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle attend a street dance class during their visit to Star Hub in during their visit to Star Hub on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will visit the people of Edinburgh Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh AFP/Getty Images rince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle meet a Shetland Pony as they arrive at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Frank Augstein/AP Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak with patrons at the Social Bite in Edinburgh AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA Meghan Markle arrives for a visit in Birmingham on International Women's Day PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham Splash News Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet members of the public on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet members of the public on a walkabout during a visit to Millennium Point in Birmingham PA The Reverend Canon David Stanton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave after attending a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbet AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ride in an Ascot Landau along the Long Walk after their wedding PA Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel PA Harry and Meghan leaving Windsor Castle for the glamorous evening reception PA Harry and Meghan leaving Windsor Castle for the glamorous evening reception PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex head back down the Mall to Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018 Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex talk to members of OneWave, an awareness group for mental health and wellbeing at South Bondi Beach on October 19, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex are seen during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia, 27 October 2018 EPA Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the Hubb Community Kitchen to see how funds raised by the 'Together: Our Community' Cookbook are making a difference at Al Manaar, North Kensington on November 21, 2018 in London Getty Images Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Britain's Prince Harry unveil a plaque to officially open Number 7, a 'Feeding Birkenhead' citizens supermarket and community cafe, at Pyramids Shopping Centre, as part of a visit to Birkenhead, northwest England, Monday Jan. 14, 2019 AP Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visits the National theatre in central London on January 30, 2019 AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a visit to the Bristol Old Vic theatre, which is undergoing a multimillion-pound restoration PA Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, reacts as they visit Bristol Old Vic theatre in Bristol, south-west England on February 1, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R) and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (C) help volunteers in the kitchen as they pack food parcels to go in the charity outreach van during a visit to One25 charity in Bristol, south west England on February 1, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards at Drapers Hall in London on February 7, 2019 AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex try some food during a cooking school demonstration at Villa des Ambassadors in Rabat on the third day of their tour of Morocco PA Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duke & Duchess of Sussex, pet a horse at the Moroccan Royal Federation of Equestrian Sports in Rabat on February 25, 2019 AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle wearing a short Reiss dress on International Women's Day AFP/Getty Images Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House, where they meet young people who demonstrate a Canadian spring tradition of making maple taffy (maple syrup cooled on snow to make sweets) on March 11, 2019 in London Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave following a Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, London PA Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London WireImage Members of Britain's Royal family leave after attending the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey AP The Duchess of Cambridge (left) talks with the Duchess of Sussex (right) as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex hold their baby son in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, Berkshire on 8 May 2019 REUTERS Archbishop Desmond Tutu kisses the forehead of baby Archie as his mother smiles on warmly Reuters The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive for a visit to the Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in South Africa, on day two of their tour of Africa. PA Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex at The Fields of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey Jeremy Selwyn pixel8000

"She wants to spend this time learning about the UK.

"This is the country that's going to be her home now," Harry's Communications Secretary Jason Knauf said.

Her introduction to the UK begins with an away day to Nottingham on Friday, her first official royal engagement after she and Prince Harry announced their nuptials on Monday.

Her commitment to becoming a full-time royal was clear when the Palace confirmed she will become the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry after the wedding.

What we know so far about Harry and Meghan's wedding

It is likely to be renamed, depending on which dukedom Harry is given on the morning of his wedding by his grandmother the Queen.

The Foundation is behind programmes such as the Heads Together mental health campaign.

Mr Knauf said Ms Markle was behind the decision to end her current charitable work before she begins her working with the Royal Foundation and carving out her own charitable interests.

Larking around: Harry and Meghan pull faces in footage not shown in the BBC engagement interview / BBC

"Ms Markle is incredibly grateful for the opportunities that she has had with World Vision Canada and the UN women," he said.

"She has, through the organisations, been able to meet incredible smaller organisations right around the world.

"But she has made the decision that she wants to start with a clean slate and focus on the UK, and getting to know this country, and travelling around the Commonwealth.

"So the only the role that she will begin with is as patron of the Royal Foundation.

Kate 'absolutely thrilled' by Harry and Meghan's engagement

"That has been a decision that she has taken."

He added: "This is the country that's going to be her home now and that means travelling around, getting to know the towns and cities and smaller communities."

But the soon-to-be royal is also set to take some time off before her high-profile wedding to see family and friends.

Palace aides revealed the American star is planning to head off abroad and that she is still waiting for her belongings to be shipped over from the US.

It is thought Ms Markle might go to her former home Canada - or to see her father Thomas Markle, who lives a quiet life in Mexico, and could even take fiance Prince Harry with her.

The prince has yet to meet his future father-in-law face to face.
M eghan Markles father wants to walk his daughter down the aisle at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, according to the bride-to-bes half-sister.

Thomas Markle is reportedly determined to give Ms Markle away to Prince Harry at the Royal Wedding even though he was divorced from her mother, Doria Ragland, when their daughter was six.

The 73-year-old Emmy-winning former lighting director, who worked on hit US TV shows including Married.. With Children, released a joint statement with his ex-wife after the engagement was announced saying they were incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry.

Ms Markle describes her mother, a 61-year-old yoga instructor who lives in Los Angeles, as her best friend.

It is not known how much of a role the 36-year-old has planned for her father, who she has credited as being a huge influence on her own TV career.

Meghan Markle - In pictures 1 /53 Meghan Markle - In pictures Actress/model Meghan Markle attends the pARTy! - celebrating 25 years of P.S. ARTS on May 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California Getty Images Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Street artist Pegasus' art work which appeared in Highbury and Islington. @pegasusart Meghan Markle in Ibiza Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle attends Glamour and L'Oreal Paris Celebrate 2016 College Women Of The Year at NoMad Hotel Rooftop on 27 April 2016 in New York City Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images Actress Meghan Markle attends P.S. Arts' The pARTy at NeueHouse Hollywood on 20 May 2016 in Los Angeles, California Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Meghan Markle.. 'Today' Show, New York in 2016 MediaPunch/Rex Features Meghan Markle, Lexus-mosphere, Lexus Street Style, Day Two, MADE Fashion Week, New York in 1015 BFA/Rex Features Meghan Markle Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle attends the NBC's 2015 New York Summer Press Day at Four Seasons Hotel New York on 24 June 2015 in New York City Robin Marchant/Getty Images Meghan Markle attends Wes Gordon runway show during MADE Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Milk Studios on 13 February 2015 in New York City Getty Images Meghan Markle attends the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios in 2015 Getty Images Model Meghan Markle attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 28, 2014 in New York City Larry Busacca/Getty Images Meghan Markle attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street powered by CIROC Vodka on 28 October 2014 in New York City Getty Images Meghan Markle poses backstage at the Herve Leger By Max Azria fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2014 at The Theatre at Lincoln Center on 08 February 2014 in New York City Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Meghan Markle arriving for the World Premiere of The Hunger Games : Catching Fire, at the Odeon Leicester Square, London in 2013 Matt Crossick/PA Meghan Markle attends the London Global Gift Gala at ME Hotel on 19 November 2013 in London Getty Images Meghan Markle attends the ELLE Women in Television Celebration presented by Hearts on Fire Diamonds and Wella Professionals held at Soho House on 24 January 2013 in West Hollywood, California Getty Images Actress Meghan Markle attends the Rising Stars: 2012 Producers Ball during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2012 in Toronto, Canada Getty Images Meghan Markle Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle Meghan Markle/Facebook Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits Meghan Markle in Anti-Social: Special Edition - Trailer Meghan Markle in Anti-Social: Special Edition - Trailer Meghan Markle in Anti-Social: Special Edition - Trailer Meghan Markle in Anti-Social: Special Edition - Trailer Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits (Season 5) NBC Universal Media

Ms Markles half-sister Samantha Markle, 53, told Us Weekly: Im sure he wants to walk her down the aisle. I know he wants to do it.

Hes a shy guy now, hes a quiet man, but hell speak when he feels its appropriate. He gave me permission to say how happy he is, but hell talk when hes ready.

Baby Meghan with Thomas Markle

Hes very excited, just like the statement he released, he is truly happy about their union, she added.

But whats importants important if its Prince Harry or anyone else, you want to make sure someone you love gets married, that they know enough about the person theyre marrying and theyve had a while to get to know each other.

So now my father and I are both so excited because theyve had a long time to get to know each other and they know what they want to do. Thats really important for us.

Samantha, who has multiple sclerosis, is Thomas Markles daughter from his first marriage to Roslyn Markle. She said she is unsure whether she will get an invite as the half siblings have not spoken since 2008.

What we know so far about Harry and Meghan's wedding

The mother-of-three from Florida said: It would be challenging in a wheelchair, but I would love to go and show her how much I love her and how happy I am for her.

She said the royal romance had caused some friction in the extended Markle family.

It created some rifts with us, but people across the pond think were mean people saying bad things about her, but thats not the case, she told US Weekly.

She also insisted a memoir she is writing called The Diary of Princess Pushys Sister is not about Meghan.

Everyone assumes my book is a slamming tell-all, which it is not. It is important historically. Samanthas mother Roslyn, 72, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, said yesterday: Meghan and Harry look blissfully happy. She is ready to step into the role that Diana filled  especially with all her charity work. I think she will make Prince Harry a very happy man.

Another relative, Meghans niece TJ Dooley, 26, from Grants Pass, Oregon, reportedly said yesterday: Id probably come to the UK for the wedding  even if Im not invited. I am thrilled.
T emperatures look set to plunge to -10C as a cold snap grips Britain.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for ice in parts of Wales, the North West and West Midlands as councils revealed they were preparing for freezing temperatures on Wednesday.

Drivers and commuters in remote areas have been urged to be cautious as overnight temperatures dipped to 1C in Northern Ireland, 1.2C in Myerscough in Lancashire and as low as minus 2.9C in Cairnwell, Scotland.

Motorists have been warned road temperatures could be 1C to 2C lower than the air figures. The ice warning has been issued from 6pm on Wednesday to 11am on Thursday.

Thursday is tipped for the coldest night of the year so far, with the mercury expected to fall as low as -10C in parts of Scotland, -6C in the glens and -5C in parts of England and Wales.

Cold weather in London 22/01/2017 1 /12 Cold weather in London 22/01/2017 A deer stands in frost-covered grass in Richmond Park PA Walkers in Richmond Park, south west London, PA Photographers stand in frost-covered grass to photograph a deer in Richmond Park PA A deer stands stands in front of the rising sun in Richmond Park PA A deer stands stands in front of the rising sun in Richmond Park PA Frost covers grass in Richmond Park PA Frost covers boats moored on the River Thames near Richmond PA Cold weather: A frost sunrise over Primrose Hill on Sunday morning as temperatures dropped to -7C PA A family takes a selfie in front of a stunning backdrop in Primrose Hill PA

The Met Office said in London, temperatures would remain just above freezing over the next few days, dropping as low as 2C on Thursday and 1C on Friday. Experts said temperatures will even out at around 9C over the weekend.

The south east of England will be cold and breezy but sunny for most of the week, with temperatures hovering at around 3C to 4C.

Meteorologist Martin Bowles, from the Met Office, said: "We've got a very showery situation, with some showers coming through overnight and it's quite cold so where you get showers and then the surface gets wet and freezes over, you can get problems with ice on pavements and roads."

Gritting trucks get ready before heading out onto the highways / Getty Images

Speaking of the possibility of snow, Mr Bowles said: "All this week there's going to be showers down the eastern side of the country, even today and tomorrow we're likely to get some snow on higher ground, places like the North Yorkshire moors.

"And because Thursday is that much colder, there's potential for snow a bit further south, places in East Anglia, Lincolnshire and perhaps some snow reaching city levels, such as Newcastle and Durham."

The colder conditions come as the Local Government Association's (LGA) annual winter readiness survey shows that councils are well prepared for plummeting temperatures with a substantial stock of grit.

Some 92 per cent of councils have either more salt in stock for this year, or the same level as they did last year, and the LGA said gritters would be out treating thousands of miles of roads whenever overnight temperatures drop below zero in the coming days.

Councillor Martin Tett, the LGA's transport spokesman, said: "Winter is fast approaching and temperatures are already starting to drop - but councils are prepared.

"Planning for winter remains a key priority for councils, despite ongoing funding pressures and competing demands on their limited resources. Across the country, local authorities have taken the steps necessary to protect their residents from floods, ice, and wintry conditions.

"Councils are constantly monitoring the weather, with up-to-the-minute reports to stay one step ahead. Depots are filled with 1.5 million tonnes of salt and gritters are ready to be deployed at a moment's notice to make sure our local roads are clear and open to our residents where possible.

"As always, council teams will also spend the winter months checking in on elderly and vulnerable residents to make sure they are OK but communities need to be on the look-out for each other. Whether it's a quick knock at the door to check on an elderly neighbour, or helping to carry out emergency repairs, everyone has a role to play to keep each other safe this winter."

The weather warning is in place until 10am on Tuesday.

Additional reporting by PA.
A young British woman was arrested and is being detained in Dubai after witnessing a physical altercation in a hotel lobby.

Asa Hutchinson, 21, of Chelmsford, in Essex, was held by police after a group of her male friends took selfies with a man in his 50s who had fallen asleep on a sofa.

The man, reported to be a technology company executive, allegedly began punching the pranksters when he woke up, a number of whom suffered blows to their heads.

Ms Hutchinson claims she was not present during the incident but has been charged with assault and theft and campaigners are now warning she faces the risk of jail.

Reports say Asa Hutchinson faces jail time in Dubai / Facebook

She said: "The man woke up and began punching the boys. I heard the commotion and came back to see what was going on.

"He called the police and made official complaints about the boys for taking pictures of him and for being rude."

The men had been visiting ex-pat Asa when the incident happened nearby Dusty's bar in the DIFC district.

They have since left Dubai, allegedly leading police to charge her as if she were responsible for their actions.

Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said: "Visitors to the UAE need to be aware that justice does not operate the same way as it does in countries with mature legal systems.

"In Dubai, if two parties are in dispute or arguing, the first person to speak to the police is usually the one who is believed. Often it is a race to get to the police first.

"By making this complaint, the man may have been safeguarding himself from being charged himself.

"Also, it is clear in this case that Asa was a bystander, not involved with the fight and is only being victimised because the alleged culprits have left the country."

Asa claims she was nowhere near the incident when it happened / Detained in Dubai

Asa's mother, Lucie, said: "You always worry about your kids, especially in these Middle Eastern countries.

"There is so much on the news about the way they treat British visitors, but Asa was having a great time.

"She loved the work and made so many friends. She is a quiet, sensible girl and really is the last person to start any trouble."

Briton Jamie Harron was recently freed in Dubai, following a three-month imprisonment for touching a man's hip.

The Standard has approached the Foreign Office for comment.
D onald Trump sparked a global backlash today after retweeting a string of unverified anti-Islamic videos posted by far-right group Britain Firsts deputy leader.

The US President shared the anti-Muslim messages from Jayda Fransen out to his 43.5million followers.

The first of the three videos he shared claimed to show Muslim migrants beats up Dutch boy on crutches!

Moments later he shared a second video, also initially posted by Ms Fransen, which claimed to show a "Muslim" destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Trump caused a huge backlash after retweeting the videos / Twitter

A third post carried the message: "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!"

It was not immediately clear if the tweets were deliberately retweeted from the US leader's account.

Fransen, 31, from Penge, south-east London, is on bail facing four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment.

She is being investigated by Kent Police over the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos during a trial held at Canterbury Crown Court in May.

Social media users took to Twitter to condemn the retweets from Mr Trump.

Among them was Piers Morgan, who wrote: Good morning, Mr President @realDonaldTrump - what the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists?

Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets.

Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted.

Trump caused a huge backlash after retweeting the videos / Twitter

He is no ally or friend of ours. @realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in my country and my city.

Brendan Cox, widower of MP Jo Cox who was murdered by a right-wing extremist, said the US leader "should be ashamed of himself".

He wrote on social media: "Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself."

Paul Joseph Watson, the UK-based editor of far-right conspiracy website Infowars, said: "Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trump's Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics."

Ms Fransen will also appear in court in Northern Ireland in December, charged with using threatening and abusive language in connection with a speech she made at an anti-terrorism demonstration in Belfast on August 6.
C anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fought back tears as he spoke about historic convictions against the LGBT community.

Speaking to the Canadian House of Commons, Mr Trudeau teared up as he recounted the devastation caused by the convictions of gay members of the military and Civil Service.

During the Cold War, hundreds of men and women were fired from their government jobs and the military for their sexual orientations.

Mr Trudeau said: This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government  people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives,

These arent distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit.

The address was accompanied by the announcement that the Canadian government has set aside $145 million dollars to compensate those who were convicted.

The funding is being set aside as part of a class-action law-suit settlement.

Over $100 million will be spent on compensation claims, while $250,000 will go towards tackling homophobia through LGBT projects.

Mr Trudeau also proposed a bill to parliament that would allow the courts to expunge the records of people criminalised for their sexuality.

In order to identify people as homosexual, authorities used a creation called the Fruit Machine.

The device was created by a university in Ottawa and functioned by showing military personnel or civil service members sexually explicit photos and measuring their reactions.

This programme did not cease to operate until the late 60s.

Mr Trudeau said: While we may regard modern Canada as a forward-thinking and progressive nation, we cannot forget our past.

His apology was met by warm applause from all parties.

Mr Trudeau had vowed earlier this year that the government would tackle the historic injustices.

He said: Our government believes in equality and equal treatment for all Canadians.

That is why we are moving forward on legislation that makes it possible to erase the convictions of Canadians who were unjustly convicted of a crime  simply for who they were, or who they loved.
A Foreign Office minister today appealed to Iran to free jailed London mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe before Christmas.

Lord Ahmad urged Tehran to allow humanity to prevail and ensure the British-Iranian charity worker can return to her family within weeks.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 38, who is serving a five-year sentence, is believed to be facing another court hearing in just under a fortnight on a new charge of spreading propaganda.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who erroneously said she had been teaching journalists in Iran, is due to fly to Tehran shortly to seek her release.

In an exclusive interview with the Standard, the FCOs human rights minister Lord Ahmad said: The Foreign Secretary has been very instrumental in both representations at the highest level and he has expended a great deal of time and effort in working towards the release of not just Nazanin, but others  consular cases that we have.

Suffering: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe feels on the verge of a nervous breakdown in prison

We would hope, with Christmas on the horizon, its our hope and indeed its our earnest prayer that wherever people are being held, that countries appeal to their human values and release them in time so they can spend time with their families and loved ones.

Pressed on whether he meant Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe being able to come back to Britain before Christmas, he added: Thats what I said.

Hopes rose today that the mother-of-one from Hampstead may be freed after it emerged that she had had a health assessment to determine whether she is well enough to remain in prison.

She is reported to be suffering from post-traumatic stress, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, to have collapsed recently and at one stage to have lost feeling in her legs.

Irans penal system allows prisoners jailed for less than 10 years to be freed having served a third of their time  which Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe will have done in December  and shown good behaviour.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella / PA

An Iranian judiciary spokesman is reported to have said that diplomatic issues would not be taken into consideration but added: The question now is whether this person is subject to (conditional) release or not.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffes husband Richard said: Two positive things have happened, one is comments from the judiciary and the other is the medical assessment which took place on Sunday.

What we have got is still two paths, a good path and a bad path and its not quite clear which path we are on.

Lord Ahmad, speaking after news emerged that six British former soldiers  the so-called Chennai Six  were being released from an Indian jail after winning an appeal against convictions on weapon charges, emphasised the work done on such consular cases.

Its about nurturing relationships, its about working with governments, its about ensuring those representations are made, and ultimately its that humanity which should prevail, he explained.

The fresh charge has raised fears that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, whose daughter Gabriella is three, could be given a longer sentence.

She was arrested at Tehran airport in April 2016 after a holiday to visit her parents with her daughter. The exact original charges against her remain unknown but she was accused of plotting to overthrow the Islamic Republic.
A merica has warned North Koreas successful launch of a new style of intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated the rogue regime has the ability to hit everywhere in the world.

The ominous warning from US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the test helped North Korea achieve its long-held goal of becoming a nuclear power.

The new missile, topped with a super-large heavy warhead, reached an altitude of around 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the international space station.

It flew 950 km (600 miles) during its 53 minute flight.

North Korea: America has warned that the rogue state's successful launch of a new style of ballistic missile demonstrated it has the ability to hit everywhere in the world. / REUTERS

It comes as images of an executive order on a test-launch from Kim Jong Un was broadcast on the country's state television that read: fire it bravely for the party and the motherland.

The handwritten order visible on a screen, dated November 28 by Kim Jong Un, reads: "I order a test launch. Carry out on Nov 29 at dawn. Fire it bravely for the Party and the motherland!"

It was shown on screen during a broadcast of the missile being launched.

Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a possible range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington DC, according to the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot they've taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, Mr Mattis told reporters at the White House.

North Korea: The new missile was topped with a "super-large heavy warhead" / AP

The bottom line is, it's a continued effort to build a threat - a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States, he added.

President Trump spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, with all three leaders reaffirming their commitment to combat the North Korean threat.

President Trump addresses the latest North Korean missile launch

It is a situation that we will handle, insisted Mr Trump, just a week after he put North Korea back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

The North Koreans, who have defied international sanctions to conduct dozens of missile tests under Kim, claimed yesterdays launch made history to make the nation a responsible nuclear power.

After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a Pyongyang television presenter.

People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile / AP

The statement said the strategic weapons were intended to defend North Korea from "the US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now but he warned that the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic travelling to North Korea.

Graphic News

Experts warned that Pyongyang is close to developing the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead atop an intercontinental ballistic missile, if it hasnt already.

We don't have to like it, but we're going to have to learn to live with North Korea's ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.

Senator Lindsey Graham, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, went one step further and raised the spectre of a looming nuclear conflict.

He told CNN that, If we have to go to war to stop this, we will. If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change.

The UN Security Council was scheduled to meet today to discuss the launch, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned.

This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community, his spokesman said in a statement.
S hocking footage of a Japanese hunting fleet using exploding harpoons to slaughter whales has been released after a five-year legal battle.

Australian authorities refused to release the video at the request of charity Sea Shepherd in 2012 over fears it would damage the countrys relationships with Tokyo.

But the shocking footage  filmed in 2008 by a customs official  has now been made available after a prolonged Freedom of Information bid by the anti-whaling group.

The video shows a so-called Japanese research vessel slaughtering minke whales, capturing the moment one is hit by an explosive harpoon before being reeled into the ship.

Jeff Hansen, Sea Shepherds managing director, said the whales were being hunted in an Australian Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.

The footage was released after a lengthy legal battle between the Australian authorities and the anti-whaling group / Sea Shepherd

Eventually they come up exhausted and when these whales are hit by an explosive harpoon, it sends shrapnel through their bodies and then hooks come out, he said.

So there is no way for these whales to escape. Theyre thrashing around, trying to get away from these harpoon ships, but this cable drags them back up to the surface. It takes a long time for these whales to die.

Mr Hansen said hunting continues in the sanctuary. He urged Australia's government to take action or risk Japanese whalers continuing to hunt years from now in the country's waters.

Whaling: The Japanese 'research' vessel uses exploding harpoons / Sea Shepherd

Does the Australian government represent the wishes of the Australian public, who want to see an end to whaling, or Tokyo? he said.

Its time the Australian government stepped up and sent a vessel south.

It is understood that Japan intends to catch about 4,000 whales over the next 12 years, and ultimately plans to resume commercial whaling.

The video evidence was gathered  but not tendered - for a case Australia brought before the International Court of Justice against Japanese whaling. The court ruled in 2014 that Japan's claim it killed whales for research purposes was not supported under International Whaling Commission rules.

Japan cancelled its 2014-15 hunt as a result, only to resume it the following season under a new programme.

Tokyo said it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting for a traditional source of food.

Japanese whaling vessels left port three weeks ago for their annual hunting voyage in the Antarctic, with the intention of killing 333 minke whales between December and March, amid international calls for them to stop.
W ashington DC could now be in range of North Korean missiles following the countrys longest test, an American expert has claimed.

The missile fired early on Wednesday was probably capable of reaching the US capital or anywhere else in the country, according to David Wright, co-director of the United Concerned Scientists global security programme.

North Korea later also claimed in a public broadcast that its new intercontinental-ballistic missile could target the entire US mainland.

The state television said the Hwasong 15 was "significantly more" powerful than the previous long-range weapon tested.

North Korea announces test of new long-range missile

However, Mr Wright claimed it is unlikely the missile could yet carry a heavy nuclear warhead as far as the US.

He wrote in a blog post: If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometres (km) (8,100 miles).

This is significantly longer than North Koreas previous long range tests, which flew on lofted trajectories for 37 minutes (July 4) and 47 minutes (July 28).

Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States.

The launch is North Korea's first since it fired an intermediate range missile over Japan on September 15.

In response to the launch, Donald Trump said the United States will "take care of it", adding: "It is a situation that we will handle."

President Trump addresses the latest North Korean missile launch

A week ago, the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, further straining ties between governments that are still technically at war.

Washington also imposed new sanctions on North Korean shipping firms and Chinese trading companies dealing with the North.

North Korea called the terror designation a "serious provocation" that justifies its development of nuclear weapons.

Echoing the initial US assessment, Japan's defence minister Itsunori Onodera said the missile was likely an intercontinental ballistic missile.

He said it was launched on highly lofted trajectory and reached a high point exceeding 2,400 miles, exceeding the height of previous missile tests.

He said it flew for about 53 minutes.
T he White House has defended Donald Trump after he shared a string of anti-Muslim videos, claiming the tweets were about national security.

President Trump was blasted on Wednesday for retweeting several unverified videos posted by the deputy leader of hateful far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen.

Downing Street said Mr Trump was wrong to share posts from the group, which it said uses hateful narratives to peddle lies and stoke tensions.

The three anti-Islamic tweets include footage of migrants allegedly assaulting a boy on crutches and a video purporting to show a Muslim damaging a statue of the Virgin Mary.

But on Wednesday evening, a White House spokesman stubbornly refused to acknowledge Mr Trump had done anything wrong.

Donald Trump shares 'Muslim crime' videos tweeted by Britain First leader

It's never the wrong time to talk about security and safety for the American people," said Trump aide Raj Shah.

Speaking aboard Air Force One as the US president travelled to Missouri, Mr Shah said the tweets "were about national security and protecting" Americans.

He said Mr Trump has long raised security and immigration issues in speeches and tweets and the videos are nothing different.

Donald Trump's shakes - in pictures 1 /18 Donald Trump's shakes - in pictures North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the start of their historic US-North Korea summit AFP/Getty Images North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the start of their historic US-North Korea summit AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un as they sit down for their historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore AFP/Getty Images Mr Trump and Kim shake hands for the cameras before sitting down to sign a document Reuters US President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea leader Kim Jong-un at the Capella resort on Sentosa AP Le Crunch Trump and President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands at the US ambassador's residence, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, in Brussels AFP/Getty Images The Hug Swerve Back in 2016, Hillary Clinton swerves a hug from Trump following the first presidential debate AFP/Getty Images The Comey Shimmy FBI director James Comey rejects a Donald Trump handshake in favour of a handshake The Soft Touch Theresa May shakes hands with Trump in Washington earlier this year Getty Images The Power Struggle President Donald Trump reaches to shake hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office AP Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin AFP/Getty Images US President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump shake hands during a transition planning meeting in the Oval Office at the White House AFP/Getty Images Vice president-elect Mike Pence and Republican president-elect Donald Trump shake hands Getty Images

Press secretary Sarah Sanders also defended the president, telling reporters Mr Trump shared the videos to start a conversation about security.

"Whether it is a real video, the threat is real," Ms Sanders said, according to CNN.

"The threat needs to be addressed. The threat has to be talked about and that is what the President is doing in bringing that up."

Downing Street condemns Donald Trump's 'Muslim' retweets

Theresa May had faced growing pressure to condemn President Trumps retweets with many calling on her to scrap his upcoming UK visit.

Number 10 told the Standard: "Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.

"They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents  decency, tolerance and respect.

"It is wrong for the President to have done this."

The hate-filled tweets had been originally posted by Jayda Fransen, 31, from Penge, who is currently on bail facing four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment.

Brendan Cox, the widower of Jo Cox, Piers Morgan and Labour MP David Lammy were among the first to criticise the US leader.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Jo Swinson joined in with the condemnations, saying the mask has yet again slipped and exposed the atrocious views of President Trump while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the tweets abhorrent.
J essica Chastain accepts she might be blacklisted for her stance on equal pay but feels its a risk worth taking.

The actress says she is taking a stand against the gender pay gap in Hollywood, adding: Im not going to get paid a third less than my male co-star who has equal experience.

"If you want to blackball me for that then OK, but I wont participate in the disease.

Chastain was nominated for an Oscar for her role as a Sixties Mississippi housewife who rejects racism in 2011s The Help and as a CIA agent hunting Osama bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty, released the following year.

with Idris Elba in Mollys Game / Alamy Stock Photo

She told ES Magazine: Weve gotten used to seeing women as plot devices or props to push the male story forward.

"So I look for scripts with women who have an inner life and their own goals and objectives. People say Oh shes strong, but shes just a realistic character.

TODO: define component type brightcove

The actress, 40, grew up in poverty in California and was raised by her stepfather, a firefighter, and mother, a chef who had three children by the age of 22.

She said: We stole food at the store because we didnt have any money. And some people knew she was doing it but didnt stop her. So there is kindness everywhere.

She hinted at a stint in the West End, saying: Im talking about doing theatre in London in 2019. I cant wait. I love it. Marylebone, the shopping, Liberty... and the Indian food  its better than in India.

On the tide of sexual harassment allegations sweeping Hollywood, following revelations about the disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, Chastain said: He normalised the abuse, but everyone in the industry is complicit.

Were all part of the problem. I heard the rumours even before I entered the industry. So we have to ask ourselves, Why was it okay? Why are agents sending actresses to meetings in hotel rooms?

Progress, she said, would be to have movie studios with a board thats not one gender. More women filmmakers, writers and producers.

"The one huge thing that weve never tried in Hollywood is putting more women in positions of power.
M aya Jama may not be nominated, but she made sure to stand out as she braved the cold for the MOBO Awards.

The TV presenter looked stunning as she hit the red carpet outside Leeds First Direct Arena ahead of tonights ceremony.

Jama, who is hosting the show alongside Marvin Humes, turned heads in a jewel embellished mini dress which she teamed with heels and accessorised with a fur stole.

Jamas boyfriend Stormzy received huge cheers as he trailed behind her. The London-born grime artist is up for five gongs including Best Male Act and Best Album for his debut Gangs, Signs & Prayer.

MOBO Awards 2017 1 /24 MOBO Awards 2017 Maya Jama Maya Jama attending the 22nd Mobo Awards PA Tulisa PA Stefflon Don PA Stormzy PA Nadia Rose PA Mabel McVey PA Stefflon Don PA Jessie Ware PA Ray Blk PA Marvin Humes PA Sarah-Jane Crawford PA Stormzy Danny Lawson/PA The Chicken Connoisseur PA Maya Jama PA Oti Mabuse PA Emma Weymouth PA Loyle Carner PA Chelsee Healey & Jennifer Metcalfe Getty

Speaking to reporters he teased the release of a second album, saying: Album two Im not stopping. Another body of work.

Labour leader and avid Stormzy fan Jeremy Corbyn posted a video message ahead of the ceremony, thanking grime artists for motivating youngsters to vote in last years general election.

All smiles: Stormzy posing on the red carpet / Danny Lawson/PA

He said: MOBOs play a crucial role in the music industry. Its more important than ever that we celebrate black excellence and recognise the achievements of black communities.

This year grime artists played a huge part in setting the agenda for British music. And in the general election your contribution helped secure the highest youth turn out in a quarter of a century showing the positive impact grime has on our society.

Best Female Act nomiee Stefflon Don complained about the cold as she stepped out in a tartan coat, while former X Factor judge Tulisa appeared to shrug off the chilly temperatures in a plunging black dress with a thigh high split.

Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse took a break from rehearsals to attend, while the Chicken Connoisseur was all smiles as he posed up a storm.

Other stars in attendance included Nadia Rose, Jessie Ware, Sarah-Jane Crawford, Naughty Boy and Mabel McVey.

MOBO Awards highlights will be on Channel 5, tonight at 11pm.
A s Strictly and X Factor tussle for ratings, Blue Planet astonishes audiences and Im A Celeb dominates our evenings, the pre-Christmas telly extravaganza rumbles on.

But away from the giants of British entertainment, one of the biggest TV events of the year is happening. And you probably havent even heard of it.

Friday, 1 December is the biggest TV night of the year if you live in Ireland, for one reason: The Late Late Toy Show.

The cultural phenomenon, part panto, part talent show, is a parade of Christmas toy-infused mayhem. For Irish people, the Late Late Toy Show ushers in the festive season with a bang. But you dont need to be in Ireland to watch it.

Here's everything you need to know.

So what exactly is it?

Its a late night show, all about toys, and its genuinely the most-watched programme on Irish television. Last year, 1.4 million viewers tuned in.

There are songs and dances, showcases of the best gifts of the year and tons of children who are bursting with excitement about this years must-have presents.

Is James Corden involved?

No, thats the wrong Late Late Show. The Irish chat show is a weekly Friday institution currently presented by Ryan Tubridy, and in December it gets an annual festive make-over for a two hour extravaganza.

Why is it so popular?

Well its not just Ireland that loves it. Viewers from 102 countries also joined in the fun by streaming the show remotely last year, from places as far away as Qatar and the Cayman Islands. But its most popular foreign audience is us, here in the UK.

Is there a theme?

Recent years have seen the emergence of overall themes for the big opening number and staging for the show. These are usually kept under wraps until a week or so before the big day. Last years theme was the Jungle Book.

This year, it's the Nutcracker.

How can I watch it?

You can watch The Late Late Toy Show on RTE One at 9.35pm on Friday, December 1. But if youre not in Ireland, you can join thousands of people all over the world live-streaming it through the RTE player in your browser or via their app.

Can I/my kids get involved in person?

Auditions for child performers have long passed, and over 80,000 fans applied for a spot in the 200-seat studio audience this year. So no, youre a bit too late this time. Maybe next year?

So there you have it  another Christmas viewing tradition to add to your TV list alongside Doctor Who and the Queens Speech.
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In the last month the Arab coalition has become more aggressive on the ground and keeps advancing slowly, just to let the Shia rebels know that long-term, they will lose. But everyone knows the coalition does not want to take a lot of casualties by quickly seizing all or most of the rebel held territory, or even just the capital Sanaa. While the Arab coalition has control of the air and can accurately hit targets anywhere in the country, on the ground the government and the coalition do not have enough troops to maintain order throughout the entire country.

Meanwhile the Iran backed Shia rebels and some Sunni groups control most of the northwest (to the Saudi border), the capital and key towns and cities that must be fought over and garrisoned before the government can claim more territory. The government and coalition forces have taken most of the Red Sea coast but have not got enough troops to stop the rebels from moving about and continuing to receive weapons and other equipment smuggled in by Iran.

Large areas in the east and south are controlled or, more frequently contested by separatist tribes that will work with AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula), especially if the local AQAP faction contains members from that tribe and AQAP pays it way. Because of longstanding popular support for Islamic terrorism in these parts of Yemen as well continued support from wealthy Arabs in the region (including Saudi Arabia) AQAP survives. But it is not thriving. Attacks are still carried out but less frequently. American surveillance and airstrikes are having an effect on AQAP but that does not change the fundamentals; tribal support and cash flow.

The Arab coalition has internal disagreements which limit what the group can do. What all the coalition members share (aside from oil wealth) is fear of Iran. What is going on in Yemen reinforces that fear. Iran has created a serious threat to the Gulf Arabs while spending far less than the half billion dollars a month the Yemen effort is costing the Arab coalition. Iran has only a handful of Iranians in Yemen. Most of what are described as Iranians in Yemen are Lebanese (Shia Arabs belonging to Hezbollah). The Iranians have always been able to do a lot more with a lot less and this worries the Arabs more than anything else.

Qatar

Since June 5th, when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Bahrain cut diplomatic, economic and military relations with Qatar over problems that had long been kept quiet, not much has changed. All four countries are monarchies and the ruling families have long histories and long memories. What happened in June was that one of the major Arabian clans, the one that rules Qatar, was called out for bad behavior (at least by local standards). In short, Qatar was accused of betraying the other Arabian monarchies and backing ancient enemy (of Arabia) Iran. This is not about religion or commerce, its about loyalty and unity.

In the region it was widely known that Qatar had long provided aid and assistance to the Shia rebels in Yemen. Actually that was no surprise as Qatar, like many of the small coastal Arab states in the Persian Gulf have long survived by being open to work with anyone. What was different this time, according to the Saudis, was that Qatar actively worked with Iran to promote the Yemeni Shia rebellion in 2014 that nearly took over all of Yemen by early 2015. Qatar denies this extreme version but its fellow Arabian states side with the Saudis and since June the evidence continues to pile up.

On June 5th ambassadors were expelled, borders were closed and Qatar was made to feel very unwelcome. Yemen and several other Moslem nations followed the suit. In addition Qatar was expelled from the coalition that sent forces into Yemen in early 2015. Qatar contributed about a thousand troops, apparently with the understanding that they would not be required to do any heavy fighting. Thus the Qatari troops have been stationed in the north, to guard a usually quiet portion of the border with Saudi Arabia and only reported six of their troops wounded (or injured) during their time in Yemen.

The expulsion came after years of disagreements over support for Islamic terrorism and the perception among Arab states that Qatar could not be trusted. Cutting ties with Qatar was partly retaliation against the Qatar based and subsidized al Jazeera satellite news network which often reports on real or imagined (depending on who you ask) bad behavior by Sunni Arab security forces, including the Arab coalition bombing campaign murder of civilians and trying to pass that off as a clash with Islamic terrorists. While that happens, al Jazeera also gives sympathetic treatment to Islamic radical and terrorist groups, especially in Egypt and Syria, that hardly anyone else (Moslem or otherwise) has much sympathy for. Qatar also openly supports Palestinian terror group Hamas, although they recently ordered some senior Hamas leaders to leave Qatar for another sanctuary. Al Jazeera reporters have a hard time avoiding arrest (or worse) in Egypt and other Moslem states but they are often abused by Islamic terror groups as well. Qatar is also seen as siding with Iran in the current struggle between Shia Iran and the Sunni Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia. This sort of behavior is not uncommon in the region and the small Arab Gulf states like Qatar, Kuwait and the member states of the UAE have survived for centuries using these methods. One could say Qatar has been too successful and the current unpleasantness is the price of that success. As is the local custom secret meetings will be held, demands discussed and agreements made. How long this takes will depends how much pressure can really be applied to Qatar, which has close ties with Iran, Turkey and the United States. Six months on Qatar is still open for business and entertaining new offers.

November 27, 2017: In the northwest (the port village of Salif, north of Hodeida) a small cargo ship with commercial goods was allowed through the blockade for the first time in three weeks.

In central Yemen (Baida province) American UAVs used missiles to attack AQAP Islamic terrorists in two locations over the weekend, killing at least ten of them. Several of the dead were later confirmed as key AQAP members. This follows two airstrikes a week ago (10th and 20th) in Baida that left over a dozen AQAP personnel dead or badly wounded.

Last month most of the American UAV activity was directed at ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) camps in Baida province. These attacks killed nearly a hundred ISIL members, mainly in Baida, wounded at least as many and seems to have caused ISIL to seek another remote area to hide in and set up a training camp. These were the first major American air attack against ISIL in Yemen this year. ISIL and AQAP cooperate but maintain separate facilities and now the attacks are concentrating on AQAP, which has always been the dominant Islamic terror group in central and southern Yemen. ISIL attacks are largely in Aden and nearby urban areas. It is easier to hide small groups (cells) of ISIL members in the cities, as long as you move around a lot and keep the cells small. The targets in Baida were larger bases.

November 26, 2017: In the northwest (the port city of Hodeida) a ship carrying foreign aid was allowed to pass the blockade and dock. This comes after the port was closed for three weeks by the Saudi blockade.

In the south (Lahj province, just north of the port of Aden) police raided a home where some AQAP men were believed hiding. The two men in the house opened fire and one was killed (and later identified as a senior AQAP leader) and the other captured. One policeman died in the gun battle.

November 25, 2017: In the north (rebel held Sanaa) aid related flights were allowed to land and take off from the airport outside the capital for the first time since early November. The first flights arriving carried vaccines to protect over half a million children from things like whooping cough, diphtheria, tuberculosis, meningitis and so on.

November 24, 2017: Saudi Arabia said it had proof that the ballistic missile components used for the missile that had been fired at the Saudi capital on the 5th was smuggled in through the port of Hodeida. The one specific rebel (and Iranian) vulnerability has always been the Red Sea port of Hodeida which currently is the only way for the rebels to accept legitimate imports. Those aid shipments contain a lot of smuggled items. The smuggling is no secret and UN officials are unable to do much to stop it. Russia will also use its veto to block any serious UN moves to investigate or punish Iran for this sort of thing. Help with this Information War edge Iran has is one reason for the increasingly active and public Arab alliance with Israel. It is no secret in the Arab world that the Israelis have been most effective is dealing with these propaganda and Information War tactics, usually when used by Iran, the Palestinians or increasingly numerous anti-Israel groups in the West.

Hodeida has been the main port for the delivery of foreign aid for civilians in rebel held areas and, in theory, government controlled areas. The UN has been, without much success, trying to get the rebels to allow the UN to police the port and basically control the smuggling and diversion of foreign aid the rebels have been engaged in. Evidence of rebel theft of foreign aid and depriving civilians of essential supplies is piling up and has become difficult to ignore. But Iran has organized an effective media and diplomatic campaign to divert pressure from Hodeida to the impact of the Arab coalition airstrikes on Yemeni civilians. These casualties are largely the result of the rebels deliberately moving and hiding in the midst of civilians. This does offer a lot of protection but does not make the rebels immune to air attack. Iran would use air power the same way the Arabs do and have when they had the opportunity during the 1980s war with Iraq. It was Iran that began using ballistic missiles against Iraqi cities (which were closer to the border than major Iranian cities were). These tactics are being used once more in Yemen but have been thwarted so far by Arab anti-missile defenses. But the Iranians are much better at manipulating the mass media and UN politics (where the Arabs have spent a lot more money for access and influence over the past few decades) and are demonstrating that and enjoying the pain it is causing the Arabs.

November 22, 2017: In the south (Aden) a car bomb exploded outside the Finance Ministry compound leaving two dead and three wounded.

November 20, 2017: The United States presented evidence of an Iranian international counterfeiting program which included producing large quantities of counterfeit Yemeni currency.

November 17, 2017: Saudi Arabia made public its evidence of Iranian missiles in Yemen. This became a critical issue for the Saudis last July when a Yemeni rebel ballistic missile was fired deep into Saudi territory. This one was intercepted about 69 kilometers south of Mecca and a nearby airbase. Rebels later admitted that the missile was aimed at the King Fahad airbase in Taif province. The Saudis accused Iran of trying to disrupt the annual Haj pilgrimage at Mecca. Examination of the debris indicated it was another Iranian designed Burkan missile.

The Shia rebels captured a number of SCUD and SS-21 ballistic missiles when they moved south in early 2015. Many army units joined the rebels, including troops who knew how to operate these missiles. In 2016 Iran apparently brought in some technical personnel and smuggled in some needed components so that Yemeni Scuds could be modified to increase their range (with a smaller warhead) to at least 800 kilometers. Iran had done this before and called this the Qiam missile. In Yemen this makes it theoretically possible to his the Saudi capital or one of the larger Saudi bases. These modified Burkan/SCUDs are not very accurate but they can hit somewhere in a large city or military base, providing the rebels with some positive propaganda. The first Burkan was fired in late 2016 and since then at least eight have been fired. All were intercepted. It appears that Iran has been able to smuggle in enough components to enable the Shia rebels and their Iranian technical advisors to build new Burkans.

The Iranians employ their standard response to the Saudi evidence. In short the Iranians deny everything and insist that the Shia rebels built these ballistic missiles themselves using components from black market smugglers. If pressed the Iranians will blame Israel. After all many Moslems in the region believe that ISIL and al Qaeda are creations of the United States and Israel as were the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Never underestimate the effectiveness of the big lie frequently repeated. For many folks that sort of thing is comfort food for the mind and highly addictive.

November 16, 2017: In the south (Aden) the government appointed mayor (or governor) of the port city and temporary capital of the elected government, attempted to resign. The reason was the massive amounts of corruption present in the city making it difficult to get anything done. President Hadi, who spends most of his time in Saudi Arabia (its safer and that is where the money and Hadis major supporters are) refused to accept the resignation and agreed to do something visible about the corruption. The everything is for sale atmosphere has long been a major problem in Yemen and at the root of most all of the problems that afflict the country. The corruption is why the Shia rebels were able to gain the support of many Sunni tribes and quickly occupy most of the country in 2014-15. The Shia rebels did really want to reduce the corruption but have since been shown to be pretty corrupt themselves. On another level the corruption simply makes it difficult to do any kind of profitable and sustainable business in Yemen. For example a recent international survey, of Global Competitiveness, ranked 137 countries on how well the local conditions (low corruption, economic freedom and opportunity and robust economy) facilitated the ability of that nation to compete in global markets. The top five were Switzerland, the United States, Singapore, Netherlands and Germany. Saudi Arabia was number 30, Israel 16, UAE 17, Qatar 25, Egypt 100, Iran 69, China 27, India 40 and so on to the bottom five; Mauritania, Liberia, Chad, Mozambique and Yemen. Being last in this survey is a dubious distinction but it explains much of what goes on in Yemen.

November 6, 2017: Saudi Arabia declared a total blockade on rebel held ports and air space. This was in response to another ballistic missile fired into Saudi Arabia. This was a longer range Iranian missile that was intercepted near the airport outside the Saudi capital. Saudi intel had already been collecting debris from earlier ballistic missiles believed to be Iranian and this one was later confirmed to be a Burkan. Saudi Arabia called this an act of war but did not announce a military response.

November 5, 2017: In the south (Aden) an ISIL suicide car bomb and over a dozen ISIL gunmen attacked the security headquarters compound and after hours of fighting leaving over 30 dead, most of them civilians or soldiers.

November 4, 2017: Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) the Saudi crown prince (and soon to be king as his father plans to abdicate soon) launched a major anti-corruption operation in Saudi Arabia, arresting or detaining hundreds of wealthy Saudis, many of them members of the extended Saud family. This, and his coming assumption of the throne, will keep MBS from doing anything drastic in Yemen, but once he is king (and deals with any opposition) big changes in strategy and tactics used to deal with Iran (and Yemen and so on) are expected. That is not likely to happen until 2018. But with MBS you never know.
Complaints have been mounting over display and audio issues with Googles Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, launched just three weeks ago.

Consumers have reported a screen burn-in problem with the Pixel 2 XL, which refers to embedded functions leaving a ghost-like image on the display.

In addition to the Pixel 2 XL display issue, there have been numerous reports of high-pitched noises and strange clicking sounds occurring during calls on the Pixel 2.

The demand for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL has exceeded our expectations, and were thrilled with the positive reaction to our new phones, both from the reviewers who have tried and tested our devices thoroughly and from consumers who are switching to Pixel, said Mario Queiroz, vice president, product management at Pixel. We take all reports of issues very seriously, and our engineers investigate quickly.

The company will provide updates as soon as it has conclusive data, he said.

The Pixel 2 XL uses pOLED screens, which can display a leftover image when fixed backgrounds or pictures remain on them for a long period of time, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

Anyone who has a pOLED device should be using active backgrounds and make sure no one image remains on the phone for an extended period of time, he told TechNewsWorld.

Some games do have fixed grids, suggesting long-time game players need to watch this as well, Enderle added.

Sales Slowdown

If the reports about the scope of the complaints turn out to be accurate, Google will face a major test in the marketplace, said Werner Goertz, research director for personal technologies at Gartner.

I think it is a grave concern that these devices have been put into the market, he told TechNewsWorld, though certainly with excellent features on paper.

Concern about Googles ability to field a quality device has the potential to impact not only future sales, but also pending deals, Goertz said, including the US$1 billion agreement to acquire HTCs smartphone business, announced last month.

There are people who are going to speculate on the upcoming HTC integration, he added. People will argue maybe in anticipation of new design resources coming on board that maybe they overlooked that.

Despite those concerns, Google has some inherent positives to fall back on, Goertz said, noting that the original Google Pixel did not have the same issues, suggesting that Google has its internal design capabilities in place.

Its unlikely that the reported display issues will lead back to LG, he said, noting that its a company that typically knows what it is doing.

Although the complaints may dampen Pixel sales, Google will be able to absorb the blow, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

Apple and Samsung have both had major product defects and survived, he told TechNewsWorld. Im sure Google will survive a product setback.

Every major company faces product issues like this at some point, McGregor said, often the result of too-aggressive scheduling.

Flagship Flounders

The Pixel 2 complaints come more than a year after Samsung went through a massive recall of its flagship Galaxy Note7 smartphones, which were the subject of a massive recall due to overheating batteries that exploded or caught fire.

Samsung ultimately halted production of the Note7 devices, because replacements were found to have similar problems.

Just over a month ago, iPhone and iPad users began reporting a host of problems with the upgraded iOS 11, the new mobile operating system from Apple. Consumers reported the new OS led to battery drainage issues, slow speeds, and problems with WiFi and Bluetooth.
Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android and CEO/founder of Essential, has taken a leave of absence from the company behind the Essential Phone following a report detailing his reasons for leaving Google in 2014.

Many thought Rubin quit Google after nine years to start projects such as Essential, but it appears he left the company after an internal investigation found he had maintained an "inappropriate relationship" with a female employee who worked for him, according to The Information.

Google reportedly began its investigation after the woman in question made a complaint to human resources. While her exact reasons for filing the report are unclear, Rubin's spokesperson, Mike Sitrick, said that "[any] relationship that Mr. Rubin had while at Google was consensual." He added that "Mr. Rubin was never told by Google that he engaged in any misconduct while at Google and he did not, either while at Google or since."

Google policy requires employees entering into relationships with each other to disclose them so one person can be moved to a different section. The woman worked in the Android division at the time, which was headed by Rubin.

Although Rubin left the Android department in 2013, the investigation took place in 2014. It concluded that "Rubin's behavior was improper and showed bad judgment."

Despite his spokesman claiming he is innocent and the relationship was consensual, Rubin announced to Essential that he was taking a leave of absence shortly after The Information told him about the report. He never revealed why he was departing his company and how long he intended to be away.
Apple on Wednesday filed a countersuit against chipmaker Qualcomm, escalating the legal battle between the two companies to new heights.

In the suit, Apple contends that Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile processors infringe on patents owned by Apple. Reuters, first to report on the countersuit, highlights Apple's claim that it owns "at least" eight battery life patents that Qualcomm has violated.

The patents specifically involve things like improving sleep and wake functions, turning off parts of the processor when they aren't needed and ensuring that each aspect of a phone's processor draws the minimum amount of power needed, all of which lead to improved battery life. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and 820 chips were mentioned by name.

According to Apple's suit, it began seeking the patents years before Qualcomm began seeking the patents it asserts in its suit against Apple.

The Cupertino-based company is seeking unspecified damages in the countersuit.

Apple and Qualcomm have spent the better part of 2017 waging war against each other in courts around the globe.

Qualcomm earlier this year, if you recall, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple and asked the International Trade Commission (ITC) to ban the import of select iPhones (those that use Intel wireless chips) into the US. Before that, Apple sued Qualcomm for close to $1 billion over a royalty dispute. Qualcomm later dragged Apple's manufacturing partners into the legal mess.

Qualcomm is also dealing with a lawsuit from the FTC over allegations of anti-competitive practices.

Lead image via Mark Lennihan, AP Photo
According to the President of the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC), twelve airlines have requested to operate with Venezuela. | Read More
Arrow Electronics SAM Car Achieves New Speed Record in Veterans Day Demonstration at Nellis Air Force Base

CENTENNIAL, Colo.The Arrow Electronics, Inc. SAM car, driven by quadriplegic racing legend Sam Schmidt, established a new record top speed of 190 mph on Saturday during a Veterans Day demonstration at Aviation Nation, the annual airshow hosted by the U.S. Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

The new record is nearly 40 mph faster than the SAM cars previous speed record of 152 mph, which Schmidt set in 2016 during demonstration laps prior to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

At Nellis, Schmidt completed three official demonstration runs down a two-mile long runway, racing low-flying vintage and jet aircraft during each run.

Paralyzed from the chest down since a racing accident in 2000, Schmidt thought he would never drive again. In 2014, Arrow engineers modified a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 to create a smart, connected vehicle with a human-to-machine interface that Schmidt can operate safely and independently using only the motions of his head.

The theme of this years airshow was ?Breaking Barriers, and thats what our SAM car project is all about: breaking barriers with technology, said Joe Verrengia, Arrows global director of corporate social responsibility. We want to highlight to the disabled veterans community how technology can provide them with not only improved mobility, but also with inspiration and opportunities. We wanted to do our best for them, and to hit a new speed record on Veterans Day with the Air Force is definitely a proud moment for this project.

All of the technology Arrow developed for the SAM Car is open-source and has promising broader applications for independent living. In fact, Arrow and Schmidt are currently exploring the potential of SAM-enabled forklifts, tractors, long-haul trailers and other equipment that can be modified to help expand employment options for disabled veterans.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017

If your schedule and personal travel budget allow, please consider being a Judge in the 2018 Ukrainian Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The competition will be held in Ukraine from 9-11 February, 2018. Register at https://goo.gl/rrucBU before 10 December 2017.

The 2017-2018 season marks the 59th year of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Jessup is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 645 law schools in at least 95 countries (and this year, maybe more than 100 countries!). The Competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. One team is allowed to participate from every eligible school. Teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.For other information about the Jessup competition, visit the Jessup Page on the website of the International Law Students Association by clicking here.

And yes, judges are also needed in at least 94 other countries, so please visit the Jessup Page to register as a judge.

(mew)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/international_law/2017/11/be-a-jessup-judge-in-ukraine.html
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/11/2017 (1814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg company with a strong Southeast connection has seen sales of one of its products on the rise, now that that product has been clinically proven to be safe and to be effective at fighting cold and flu-related bacteria.

Innotech Nutrition, which has been in business since 2001, currently supplies more than 20 natural health products to retailers across Canada.

Innotech CEO Wayne Friesen, who was born and raised in Steinbach, said the company has been selling their Colflex throat spray product for about the last five years, and sales have been climbing steadily despite the fact they have put minimal promotion or advertising into the product.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Innotech Nutrition CEO Wayne Friesen (far right,) is seen during the production of Innotechs Colflex throat spray at the companys Winnipeg headquarters. The Colflex throat spray has now been clinically proven to be safe and effective at fighting cold and flu-related bacteria.

The product, according to Friesen is made from a combination of oregano, thyme, spearmint and lemon, and an approximately $20 bottle comes with about 165 sprays.The Colflex label suggests using the product two to three times per day to help stop bacteria growth in the throat.

Friesen said there are countless natural products available on the Canadian market, but he added doctors are reluctant to suggest products that havent been clinically tested and proven to be safe for regular use.

Innotech recently decided to have their Colflex throat spray clinically tested by the University of Manitobas Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.

The company wanted the spray tested both for its safety for users, as well as its effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of bacteria associated with colds and flu.

Friesen said the results have come back, and those results are something that those at Innotech are very happy about.

He said that through testing, the product was proven to have halted the incubation of staph, strep, e-coli and salmonella bacteria in less than 30 minutes.

The tests also found the spray safe for daily use, as tests showed it had no effect on the glucose levels, lipids, or liver enzymes of those who used the spray over a four week period.

Friesen said that with all the positive feedback they had been getting about the product over the last few years, it made sense to get the product clinically tested.

After we got our license for the Colflex we did a bunch of test marketing and after a couple of years went by we realized many people who had tried our product absolutely loved it, Friesen said.

So we thought Lets run this through a clinical trial.

He added there are myths associated with natural health products so he feels the trials add some validation to the Colflex throat spray product, and they have already seen the results of that validation.

Since the clinical trial was published sales are up sharply, Friesen said.

Friesen now hopes the product will lead to less over-use of antibiotics to fight ailments related to throat bacteria.

We know a good portion of the population never walk into a health food store, Friesen said. But now with these results we hope they will consider grabbing this before they run for antibiotics.

The Colflex throat spray product is currently available at Good n Natural Health Food Store in Steinbach.

More information on Innotech Nutrition and their products can be found at innotechnutrition.com.
Corey Hughes. Photo: San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office

Once upon a time, a young man named Corey Hughes went to get a skull tattoo and was like nah, man, on my entire face. Fast forward to today, when hes an escaped inmate and probably wishing he had gone with something more subtle.

The Washington Post reports that Hughes, 27, has been serving a weapons-related sentence at Honor Farm, a minimum-security prison in Californias Central Valley. He was out with a work crew when he went missing on Monday afternoon, and police are currently still searching for him.

As for Hughes maybe he can try, uh, drawing on a mustache?
A healthcare company has produced two lullabyesone composed by a human, the other by a machine, and they're calling on you to decide which is better. (CO0 / modified by Tom Ozimek)

A Bit Creepy: A Machine-Created Lullaby Wants to Put You to Sleep Faster Than a Human

A healthcare company is trying its hand at playing the human versus artificial intelligence (AI) contestand wants us to play along.

Health services company AXA PPP Healthcare commissioned two pieces of musicone composed by a human and another by AIand has challenged the public to decide which makes you more sleepy, reports the Mirror.

The first tune is by renowned composer Eddie McGuire, while the other is the product of a machine that used artificial neural networks and didnt get any help from a human.

McGuire calls his composition (above) Lyrical Lullaby. It was created in conjunction with Bede Williams, head of Instrumental Studies at the University of St. Andrews.

Lots of people report of a falling sensation as they fall asleep, and many lullabies mimic this by containing melodies made up of descending patterns in the notes. Lyrical Lullaby has this essential feature and many other musical devices which can induce in us a state of restfulness, Williams told the Mirror.

In order to come up with Lullaby, an AI-capable machine was taught to compose using sheet music in computer-readable format.

An artificial neural network is essentially a representation of the neurons and synapses in the human brainand, like the brain, if you show one of these networks lots of complex data, it does a great job of finding hidden patterns in that data, said Ed Newton-Rex, creator of the machine that produced the composition, according to the Mirror.

We showed our networks a large body of sheet music, and, through training, it reached the point where it could take a short sequence of notes as input and predict which notes were likely to follow.

Once a network has this ability, it essentially has the ability to compose a new piece, as it can choose notes to follow others its already composed.

The company behind the stunt is AXA PPP healthcare, part of the AXA Group.

The gimmick seems harmless enough compared to recent bold strides in the area of machine-human relations, such as granting citizenship to a robot. The Mirror reported recently that a humanoid robot created by a company in Asia was granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia at a special ceremony in Octobergiving the machine more rights in the country than women.

And one need not strain to hear alarm bells ringing. Elon Musks now legendary campaign cautioning against producing excessively intelligent machines has famously compared work on AI to summoning the demon.

I have exposure to the very cutting edge AI, and I think people should be really concerned about it, Musk told attendees at the National Governors Association summer meeting on Jul. 15, 2017. I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they dont know how to react, because it seems so ethereal.

Less dramatic but equally salient remarks were recently made by John Giannandreawho leads AI at Googleto MIT Technology Review.

The real safety question, if you want to call it that, is that if we give these systems biased data, they will be biased, Giannandrea told MIT Review.

Giannandrea worries that as cloud-based AI becomes more accessible, it will make it easier for bias to creep in. With people in the drivers seat without the technical knowledge or the ability to assess underlying data and algorithms for quality and bias, machine intelligence could actually increase the incidence of bad choices.

If someone is trying to sell you a black box system for medical decision support, and you dont know how it works or what data was used to train it, then I wouldnt trust it, Giannandrea said.

And as intelligent technologies become more advanced, they become more mysterious, which is a problem if they are to be relied on to run our everyday lives. In an MIT Technology Review article titled The Dark Secret at the Heart of AI, a compelling case is made to consider restricting developmentor at least deploymentof AI to a level that does not go beyond the human ability to understand it.

We havent achieved the whole dream, which is where AI has a conversation with you, and it is able to explain, says Carlos Guestrin, a professor at the University of Washington. Were a long way from having truly interpretable AI.

What interpretable means in the context of AI is simply that an explanation of how it works can be provided in a way that is rational and understandable to humans. However, cutting-edge machine learning, or deep learning, is heading in the opposite directiontowards greater complexity.

To some, what makes the promise of machine intelligence so enticing is that it can do what humans cant. But thats also where the danger lies because it can only accomplish this objective by becoming too complex for humans to grasp.

Tufts University to meet with Daniel Dennett, a philosopher and cognitive scientist from Tufts University told MIT Review, I think by all means if were going to use these things and rely on them, then lets get as firm a grip on how and why theyre giving us the answers as possible, Dennett says.

Otherwise, the machines may become too smart for our own good.

If it cant do better than us at explaining what its doing, he says, then dont trust it.

And a final message from your friendly neighborhood news reporter 

Please help support independent journalism by sharing this article far and wide on social media. Thanks!

Also, a special thank youthe compositions referenced in this material have been provided by the AXA PPP healthcare sleep center: https://www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/health-information/sleep/
Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney (C), President Donald Trump's pick for acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, walks to the White House from the CFPB building on his first day of work in Washington on Nov. 27, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

An Unusual Power Struggle Over Control of a Federal Agency

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has turned into a new partisan battleground

WASHINGTONThe Trump administration and Obama-era bureaucrats are dueling over who will lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), with each side relying on a statute to support its position.

The consumer watchdog agency has been contentious since it began operations in 2011. President Donald Trump has called the CFPB a total disaster and vowed to dismantle it. The choice of who leads the agency will be crucial for determining what role the CFPB plays going forward.

Financial Institutions have been devastated and unable to properly serve the public, Trump wrote in a tweet on Nov. 25 about the CFPB. We will bring it back to life!

He appointed Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to lead the CFPB until a permanent director is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. Mulvaney himself, while in Congress, characterized the CFPB as a sad, sick joke and has called for an overhaul of the agency.

By appointing Mulvaney, Trump intends to curtail the powers of the CFPB and roll back some of its rules. However, the transition of power at the agency has turned into a legal battle.

There is no way the Founding Fathers would condone the CFPB.  Richard Parsons, author, Broke: Americas Banking System

Former CFPD Director Richard Cordray, an Obama administration appointee, was a controversial figure, said Evan Weinberger, a senior banking reporter at legal news service Law360. Republicans and business lobby groups have accused Cordray of being aggressive and called him an imperial director, Weinberger said.

The conflict over the CFPB accelerated when Cordray stepped down on Nov. 24. In his resignation letter, he named his chief of staff, Leandra English, as the acting director of CFPB using the succession provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act. Passed by the Obama administration in 2010 in the wake of the 20082009 financial crisis, the act, among other provisions, created the CFPB.

Hours after Cordray appointed English, the Trump administration moved to take control of the agency by appointing Mulvaney as acting director of the CFPB under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.

The conflict turned into a tricky legal fight when English sued the Trump administration on Nov. 26 and asked for a temporary restraining order to block Mulvaney from taking control of the bureau.

It is really just a fight over temporary leadership of the bureau, said Weinberger.

The president has the right to appoint a permanent CFPB director. However, there are conflicting legal claims for the appointment of interim leadership.

The White House claimed that the law was clear and that the president had the power to appoint an acting director, while Democrats asserted the law said otherwise.

At a hearing on the evening of Nov. 28, a U.S. District Court judge denied Englishs request for an emergency order blocking the appointment of Mulvaney, saying English had not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of the case. Englishs attorney said the judge did not have the final say in this matter, and he and his client were considering their options.

Democrats Defend CFPB

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who is credited with having established the CFPB, accused Trump of overriding the Dodd-Frank Act.

Trump has put a cloud of uncertainty over the @CFPB by attempting to override Dodd-Frank, she wrote in a tweet on Nov. 26. Mulvaney should take no action until this dispute is decided in the courts.

Warren defended the role of CFPB by tweeting that the agency has returned $12 billion to working families who were cheated. Thats government that works for the people, she said.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) called Mulvaneys nomination a deeply suspicious and provocative appointment.

Not only does ordering President Trumps OMB Director Mulvaney to moonlight as the CFPB director contradict the plain language of the CFPB statute, but it also makes a mockery of the idea of an independent federal agency, he said in a press release.

CFPB has helped uncover credit abuses by banks. The bureau, for example, fined Wells Fargo last year for opening millions of fake bank and credit card accounts.

However, critics argue that the bureau, while tasked with a critical mission, needs urgent reform.

Once this dispute is resolved (which we expect relatively quickly), the first task for the new interim CFPB director will be to set a new and likely very different course for the bureau, states a Law360 report.

The bureau has pushed the bounds of its authority, restricted consumer access to credit, and imposed high compliance burdens on small banks, the report argued.

Richard Parsons, author of Broke: Americas Banking System and a former banker who spent 31 years with Bank of America, criticized the actions of the CFPB officials.

The authors of the Federalist Papers which gave birth to the ConstitutionMadison, Hamilton, and Jayhave to be rolling over in their graves, he wrote in an email.

There is no way the Founding Fathers would condone the CFPB.

A lawsuit filed by a Texas bank in 2012 argues the CFPB is unconstitutional and asks that the law be revoked. The suit is still ongoing.

In October 2016, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the structure of the CFPB was unconstitutional and decided that the president had the power to remove and supervise the agencys director. The full court of appeals has agreed to hear an appeal from the CFPB, which the Trump administration has signaled it will not support.

According to Parsons, the U.S. financial services regulatory system is the worst-designed system for supervising banks in the world. It is a patchwork of competing and overlapping agencies, he argued.

The CFPB is part of a larger problem facing banks and challenging the safety and soundness of the U.S. banking system.

Please help support independent journalism by sharing this article far and wide on social media. Thank you!
Australian Labor Party's Senator Sam Dastyari speaks to the media in Sydney on Sept. 6, 2016, to make a public apology after asking a company with links to the Chinese Government to pay a US $1,273 bill incurred by his office. Later Dastyari quit the Labor frontbench after admitting Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo paid a legal bill for him. Dastyari is now in trouble after a report said that he told Huang that his phone was probably being tapped by security agencies. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)

Australian Senator Slammed for Surveillance Tip-Off to Chinese Billionaire

The loyalty of an Australian senator has been publicly questioned by the countrys prime minister after media reports revealed he warned a Beijing-linked benefactor that his phone was likely being tapped by intelligence services.

Australias Fairfax Media reported on Nov. 29 that Sam Dastyari, a senator with the opposition Australian Labor Party, told wealthy Chinese Communist Party-linked political donor Huang Xiangmo that he was likely to be under surveillance, by government agencies, including those of the U.S. government.

According to reports, Dastyari met face to face with Huang at the Chinese billionaires mansion in the affluent Sydney suburb of Mosman last year. Dastyari advised Huang to leave their phones inside while they went outside to talk. Along with informing Huang about surveillance, Fairfax reported an official source saying that the Australian senator blamed the U.S. government for the scandal that he and Huang had been caught up in last year.

Labor Senator Sam Dastyari warned Chinese donor he was under surveillance by the Government pic.twitter.com/yQIODuU0gE  Gray Connolly (@GrayConnolly) November 28, 2017

Several weeks before the meeting, Dastyari was forced to quit a Labor frontbench position after his links with Huang were revealed. Among the revelations were how Huang paid a $5,000 (US$3,792) legal bill for Dastyari and how he had asked Dastyari to act on his behalf in attaining Australian citizenship, a process that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) put on hold due to security concerns.

Huang is a person of interest to Australian intelligence services because of his connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including how he was until very recently the head of a Sydney organization associated with the United Front Work Department  a CCP political lobbying and propaganda agency. Huang is also on record telling a CCP newspaper that political demands and political donations should be linked.

.@theage: Labor senator Sam Dastyari warned a Chinese Communist Party linked political donor that his phone was likely tapped. #headsup pic.twitter.com/Zztp7dDU7X  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 28, 2017

The revelations about the Dastyari-Huang meeting has increased pressure on the Iranian-born politician, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull questioning his loyalty.

Whose side is Senator Dastyari on? Not Australias it seems, said Turnbull according to the ABC.

Other high-ranking government officials have said likewise, with Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop accusing Dastyari of actively seeking to thwart a potential intelligence investigation.

Bishop said that Dastyari must publicly reveal each and every discussion he had with his Chinese benefactor.

Senator Dastyari was acting against Australias national interest and against Australias national security concerns. That would make his position as a senator untenable, she said.

Attorney-General George Brandis  who has responsibility for ASIO  said the most recent reports about Dastyari raises a series of serious questions.

And one has to ask the question: why would anyone acting in good faith warn a benefactor to have a conversation consistent with engaging in counter-surveillance activity? Brandis asked. Why would an innocent person do that? What was he trying to hide?

So far, Dastyari has denied the allegations and explained to Fairfax why he met with Huang during the time in question.

After the events of last year, I spoke to Mr Huang to tell him that I did not think it was appropriate that we have future contact. I thought it was a matter of common courtesy to say this face to face, said Dastyari.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has criticized his party colleague.

I have made it clear to Senator Dastyari that this is not the first time his judgement has been called into question, but I certainly expect it to be the last, Shorten said, reported the ABC.

Meanwhile, Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said he had no concern about Dastyaris loyalty to the country and called it a whole lot of innuendo. Albanese said that Huang has also been photographed with ruling conservative-Liberal party figures including Turnbull and past Australian leader Tony Abbott.

The relationship between Dastyari and Huang was exposed last year as part of an in-depth investigation carried out by Fairfax and the ABC that revealed the extent of CCP interference in Australias political system and within the Chinese-Australian community.

In response to the investigative reports, the government said it has planned to create laws to counter interference from Beijing and other state-players.

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From NTD.tv
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang accompanies Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outside the Great Hall of the People on Aug. 31, 2016 in Beijing. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Canadas Pursuit of Free Trade with a State-Run Economy

As Trudeau heads to China, opposition parties and Canadians warn of the pitfalls of a free trade deal with Beijing

NEWS ANALYSIS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is off to China again on Dec. 3, making his second official trip to the Asian giant since taking the helm as PM. On the agenda are trade and tourism, and a commitment to raise issues like human rights and the rule of law.

While the official statement by the Prime Ministers Office doesnt explicitly mention free trade talks, a Liberal MP The Epoch Times spoke with last week confirmed that such talks are on the agenda.

Since soon after the Liberals won the 2015 federal election, there has been talk of a possible free trade deal between the two countries. And earlier this year the Chinese ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye, made it clear that Beijing wants Chinas state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to have unfettered access to the Canadian economy, including the ability to buy Canadian companies without having Ottawa cite national security concerns. Lu also said Beijing wishes to keep human rights out of any negotiations.

Meanwhile, China has already been allowed a couple of high-profile Canadian takeoversnamely, the satellite communications firm Norsat International and the high-tech firm ITF Technologiesdespite warnings from security and intelligence circles and even our neighbour to the south.

Ahead of this trip, however, Trudeau will have a clearer picture of where Canadians stand on free trade with China thanks to the recent release of the results of the governments public consultations on the issue.

Among the concerns cited by stakeholders were the inconsistent rule of law in China, skepticism that Beijing would live up to any trade agreements, competition from Chinese SOEs, and the impact on Canadian jobs and resources; and the businesses arent so sure that a free trade agreement would resolve these fundamental issues.

While some in certain sectors such as farming and forestry like the idea of better access to the Chinese market, many in various business sectors, civil society groups, academia, and private citizens cited the challenges inherent in such a deal.

Many stakeholders highlighted the complex nature of the Chinese market, with its state-run economy and the prominence of its SOEs, reads a summarized report on the consultations. Some also expressed that increased engagement with China could lead Canada to compromise on its values.

Polls have shown the majority of Canadians arent sure a free trade deal would be in Canadas best interests. Annual polls by Angus Reid have in fact shown that interest among Canadians for developing closer trade ties with China has been in decline since the research company first began its periodic polling on the subject in 2014. The pollsters September survey shows that even among the Liberals own support base, i.e. those who voted Liberal in the 2015 federal election, support for a free trade deal is less than two in five.

A more recent poll by UBCs Institute for Asian Research (IAR) claimed to show higher support for free trade with China, displaying a discrepancy with previous polls. However, The Financial Posts Kevin Libin showed how the IAR poll used unconventional methods and how the academic behind the poll is on record as favouring closer ties between Canada and China.

Citing the ambiguity in the PMOs announcement about whether free trade talks will be part of Trudeaus agenda while in China, the NDP raised concerns about yet unanswered questions regarding such an agreement.

China has no free press, torture is widespread, workers do not have a right to collective bargaining, and hundreds of human rights defenders and dissidents have been detained, Tracey Ramsey, NDP critic for international trade, said in a statement.

Chinas record on currency manipulation and unfair trade practices; its not having a market economy, which would mean an unlevel playing field for other players; and the lack of protection for intellectual property are just a few of the concerns raised by Ramsey.

Before making a decision on whether to begin formal negotiations, the government needs to clearly address all these concerns, and consult with Canadians before rushing into a deal that is against their interests, she said.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has also been clear that hes not in favour of a free trade agreement with China.

Not every country shares Canadas commitment to a free market economy, protections for workers and the environment, protection of intellectual property, and transparent governance, he wrote in an op-ed earlier this year. This is why Conservatives oppose Justin Trudeaus rush to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with the Peoples Republic of China.

No legitimate court system

Clive Ansley, a British Columbia lawyer who practised law in China for over a dozen years, knows all too well how the legal system works in the communist country.

The whole system is so incredibly corrupt and so totally politically controlled that there is no legitimate court system, he said in a phone interview.

This would potentially leave any Canadian operating in China without a fair legal system to resort to if encountering unfair practices. In the worst case scenario, Canadians may even be vulnerable to arbitrary detention and incarceration.

Thats the situation for Sun Qian, a Canadian citizen and successful businesswoman who is currently being detained, against Chinas own laws, for her belief in Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practice being persecuted by the communist regime.

The courts in China are simply low-level administrative organs of the Chinese Communist Party, and they take their orders directly from the Chinese party-state, Ansley said.

Canadian husband-and-wife winery owners John Chang and Allison Lu of Lulu Island Winery in B.C. faced their own troubles with the Chinese legal system when they were arrested last year over a customs issue. While not knowing the specific details of the case, Ansley said he has a great deal of skepticism regarding charges brought by Chinas legal system against anyone because its all politically controlled.

As for making human rights part of free trade negotiations, Ansley said its not likely to happen in any deal with China.

Any time there is a clash between human rights and trade, trade trumps every single time, he said.

At a time when were looking at the continuing perpetration of the greatest crime against humanity since the Third Reich, since the days of the Nazis in Germany, with the organ pillaging [from Falun Gong prisoners of conscience] in China, and its totally ignored by Western governments simply because theyre too timid to speak out about small things like mass murder for organs, or genocide, or crimes against humanity.

Those are all relatively minor issues to our Canadian government, and Western governments, in general, to be fair, and all of that takes a back seat. As a matter of fact, it almost escapes mention. There is no question that the governments know about it.

Abiding by Agreements

Chinas candid requests about having unfettered access to buying key Canadian companies beg the question whether Beijing would ever allow the opposite to happen.

Theres absolutely no way that would happen, Ansley said. The Chinese government virtually never abides by their agreements. They get the privileges in Canada.  There will be special discriminatory laws introduced to ensure that foreign companies [in China] are never allowed into certain sectors.

There are tens of thousands of Taiwanese who conducted business in China who have been taken advantage of by Party officials or local business people with high-level connectionsdespite China and Taiwan having an investment protection agreement in place. Their ordeals are chronicled in the 2013 book Taiwanese Businessmen Escape, championed by Kao Wei-Pang, director of the Taiwanese Victims of Investment in China Association. The book tells the stories of only a small fraction of the 28,000 such cases recorded up until then.

Kao, a Taiwanese who did his post-graduate studies at Canadian and American universities and taught for two years at Montreals Vanier College, went on to become a successful businessman. However, after making a large investment in China in 1997, he lost a fortune when his firm was taken over by his well-connected vice general manager backed by local officials and the courts.

The way they take away your assets is so surprising. They can do anything, even things beyond your imagination, Tong Wenxun, a Taiwanese human rights lawyer, said in a previous interview with The Epoch Times sister media NTD Television.

According to the Prime Ministers Office, Trudeau will travel to China from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, making a stop in Beijing to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and then visiting Guangzhou to meet with Li Xi, Party secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Additional reporting by Becky Zhou
Chicago Bakery That Supplied Buns for McDonalds, Loses 800 Staff After Immigration Raid

Earlier this year a bakery in Chicago lost 800 of its workers after an immigration raid revealed they were illegal immigrants.

Cloverhill Bakery, a Swiss-based company that makes hamburger buns for McDonalds, lost about 35 percent of its workforceafter employees failed to provide sufficient documentation that they were legally in the country, according to Bloomberg.

The bakery, located in Chicagos Galewood neighborhood and owned by Zurich-based Aryzta AG, makes food products for fast-food chains and supermarkets. The company said its employees were supplied by a job placement agency that went through federal audits earlier this year, Bloomberg reported.

The staffing agency was not named in any of the reports.

The chief executive officer of the company, Kevin Toland, said on a call with analysts that it is struggling to get back on track.

Its proceeding very, very slowly because its like having a brand new factory and a brand new workforce, Toland said. Thats presenting a lot of challenges, as you can imagine.

According to Bloomberg, the raid on Cloverhill is one of the largest U.S. employment incidents reported by a European company so far.

The bakery has lost $21 million this year due to the immigration incident, according to WGN-TV.

Aryzta AG said it is striving to replace its staff and that it is facing mounting pressure to raise wages for its employees.

Toland said that the situation caused a 7 percent decline in Aryztas sales from North America, just in the past three months through October, Bloomberg reported. The CEO also said increased employment costs are affecting retailers and restaurants nationwide, adding that it will soon affect consumer prices as well.

Aryzta was not able to vet its workers to see if they had the necessary documents because the employees were brought in by an outside staffing agency, according to interim Chief Financial Officer David Wilkinson.

Wilkinson said the companys board did not know how much the extent of the immigration problem existed in the business.

From NTD.tv

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Colorado Police Form Cuddle Watch for Miracle Boy

When baby Axel Winch was born at 29 weeks, he had all sorts of issues genetically, physically to the point where the news was pretty devastating, his father, Adam Winch, told WTHR.

More than three months after his birth, doctors are still getting a handle on all the medical issues the baby boy may face throughout his lifetime.

Hes completely a mystery baby to this Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Adam Winch told 9 News. It is world-class, still trying to figure it all out. Theres a lot of different theories, but theyre not sure exactly what it is yet.

Despite undergoing numerous surgeries and procedures, Axel proved to be resilient and continues to show everyone around him that miracles are possible.

Axel has died in our arms multiple times, Adam Winch told 9News. His nurses have saved his life. We have watched miracle after miracle.

Adam Winch is a former police officer who is now a business owner. Melissa Winch, Axels mom, is a police officer in Grand Junction, Colorado. When the couple had to return to work, they couldnt face the prospect of leaving the baby.

Leaving is heartbreaking, Melissa Winch told 9 News. The first time we left, I cried not all the way home, but majority of the way home. Its terrible.

But baby Axel had a bigger family than anyone knew.

I didnt want him to be alone, Sgt. Mike Pitrusu from the Aurora Police Departments Employee Support and Wellness unit told 9News. [I] came up with the idea that we would set up basically a watch, that we would have officers sign up for times to come in here and spend time with Axel.

After Pitrusu came up with the idea, around 20 officers spent time with Axel.

Somebody called it the cuddle watch, Pitrusu said. I dont know where that came from. I think we probably wouldve come with something tougher. Well go with cuddle watch.

The Aurora Police Department started helping the Winch family in August when someone learned that a fellow police officer was going through a tough time with a child at the hospital. Since then, the officers have raised money to help the couple. One fellow officer even let the parents stay in her home.

I think it was a win-win for both Axel and the officers that came in here, Adam Winch told 9News.

When you look down inside the heart and soul of a police officer, theyre there because of love, he added. They showed the very best side of that here, every day.

Little Axel got so much love from the Aurora PD officers that now his parents have a bit of a problem.

Theyve kind of spoiled our boy now, Melissa Winch told WTHR. He just wants to be held all the time now.

We dont know what the future holds yet, but right now hes happy and healthy for us, the couple told 9News.

Adam Winch has been posting regular updates about Axel on Facebook. One post on Nov. 12 shows the couple leaving the hospital with Axel in a car seat. A photo in that post shows them with Axel outdoors.

But with the baby going home, the warm-hearted officers who formed a bond with him now feel like they need another baby to cuddle.

We almost need to set up a cuddle watch for Childrens Hospital, just give the opportunity to come in and take care of the little ones, Pitrusu told 9News.

Axel has been at home for more than two weeks and spent Thanksgiving with his family. Below is his fathers latest update on Nov. 23 on the boys life:

Axel has been out of the hospital and home for a little less than two weeks on this Thanksgiving Day. And its been a ride. He is on a feeding schedule every three hours using a pump and hoses that go through his G-tube and straight into his stomach. These feeds take breast milk mixed with fortifier, along with some daily medicines. Once the feeding is done, Axel has to be burped or vented using a hosed escape valve to allow the air and stomach gases to vent out through the G-tube. This allows some food and trapped air bubbles in his stomach to come back out until only milk is left to slowly drain back in. The entire process takes about an hour from beginning to end, and then he usually needs burped once or twice more between the next feeding within an hour or two.

As Melissa said while shaking her head the other day, the process seems to never end. Typical baby, the little warrior manages to tear up diapers on a regular basis. Yesterday morning, he went through five  yeah, five  in about an hour or so. And several of those were runny and odoriferously impressive. Melissas shopper ingenuity at finding diapers less expensive online is quickly becoming a necessity. Stock tip  maybe buy shares in Pampers; Axel alone will not let them go out of business and has probably increased their profit share during this last quarter.

And unlike the intelligent Melissa, Axels other parent is still learning to not stand in the line of fire when venting his stomach or when changing his diaper. Getting nailed with urine, the other stuff, or somewhat digested stomach contents.well, it should be a self-correcting problem the first timebut Axel is a devious marksman with an uncanny ability to find that half-second of a parents lackadaisical moments. Wed moved during Axels hospital stays, with a huge amount of help from friends and incredible GJPD friends. Everything was put in the new house, basically turning it into a glorified storage shed before we locked the door and left for Aurora again.

Now back in this new house, weve been slowly  ever so slowly  unpacking and trying to turn this house into a home  somewhat dependent on work schedules and highly dependent on Axels tolerance for attention to be elsewhere. Ive been blessed to get back to work, restarting my companys schedule, and Melissa has been to work a few times.

Shed run out of vacation hours (PTO) that could be used for the care thats necessary for her to be at home with Axel. Wed begun to wonder what to do; if anyone has to be at home with Axel, its Melissa, but with no time off from work left, we were at a quandary.

The Grand Junction Police Department stepped up to the plate once again, fulfilling a huge need. A multitude of GJPD Officers donated their own paid time off hours so Melissa could finally be an at-home mom for twelve (12!) weeks with Axel. Another answer to prayer, love once again on display by the LEO community. The wonderful people of GJPD, GJFD, Clifton Fire, and a Mesa County Sheriffs Deputy, in association with the good folks at the Glacier Ice Rink in GJ, put on a Broomball fund raiser to help with Axels already-huge and growing medical bills. We even got to stop by and watch a little of the ending as the GJPD team stomped the living day light out of the Fire Department team. Axel was carefully introduced around, his first small trip into the outside world. A note of Axels health and current condition:

Hes healthy and usually a happy baby. We change his G-tube dressings daily, rotating the out-spout with the same regularity, and are constantly cleaning the related supplies dealing with his flowing stomach contents. He needs a little more attention than a normal baby, and its a joy to get to do so, especially after finally being out of the hospital.

He smiles often, by far more at his mom than anyone else, and engages in the usual baby stuff of sleeping, diaper destruction, and eating. He actually can breast or bottle feed some, and its a joy to hear and watch Melissa laugh to the point of almost tears as he plays at eating more than actual eating. He has a growing character we watch with curiosity to see who this little man is, and its interesting that hes just as curious as we are.

He likes to test out his voice, obviously listening to himself while constantly talking and making noises, occasionally suddenly yelling as he tries to find his own volumes. He stretches and wiggles constantly, smiles and stares at his mom with trusting love and adoration and me with curiosity, or occasionally with alarm when he gets daddy-mugged. We have been duly warned over and over by medical folks to extremely limit any and all human contact with Axel and to rarely take him places. We were warned to rarely or not take him to the store or church, definitely never to any school, and not to family gatherings or any other gathering. Basically, they told us with a seriousness so many times to not allow even the sweetest grandma or our best friends touch him.

After so many setbacks and medical terror, his lungs and system are suspect; we have no real clue how strong his immunities are and the slightest things would most likely put him back in danger and the hospital.

One  we love him and will protect him from physical contact from even the best-intended, loving people who want to meet this little miracle child. His body is still too fragile, especially during this season of prevalent germs.

Two  we cant afford another hospital stay. We just received one of many medical bills yesterday. It is for $709,000. Thankfully, insurance is covering the first $359,000. And we have STACKS of other Axel medical bills just like it, all ridiculously high sums.except for that one for $39. Therefore, no more hospital stays, if we can help it. So, when, if, we get to introduce Axel, we ask you not be offended if we keep him from any actual contact, possibly even out of breathing range. It is only for Axels safety; he cannot stand to deal with even small germs passed on due to second, third, or fourth person contact someone may not even realize theyd had that could be dangerous for Axel. We have so much to be thankful for. Axel is home (!), a thing we honestly didnt believe would happen before Christmas, and occasionally feared may never happen. Axel is alive, happy, and growing fatter everyday, with all the signs of less complications through his life than initially suspected. Melissa is a loving mom, ever conscious of not spoiling Axel, viciously protective of him, and heartwarming to see her smile light up in that way only a mother can. Weve been uplifted by unexpected help and kindness from friends and strangers more than we can express. Fund-raisers and donations have helped so much; we honestly dont know what we would have done without such help.

The doctors and nurses weve encountered during Axels fight for life have impacted us with their skill and love, many becoming friends we hold dear.

St. Marys nurses Courtney, Jen, Jill, and others whose husbands are LEOs or FD personnelChildrens Hospital nurses who were Axels primary nursesJessica, Tayler, Taylor, Chelsey, Chelsea, Sarah We fell in love with each of you in GJ and Aurora, stood often in awe of your skill and gentle love towards Axel, and cannot thank you enough.

To you ladies in Aurora, our offer is sincere, our home is always open to you and yours and you are always wanted and welcome. Axel would love to see you again as much as we. Aurora PD.you all touched our lives throughout Axels struggle in ways that are impossible to thank you enough for. Sgt. Pitrusu, Detective LM, Chief Metz, DC Flynn, and so many others.we stand in awe of who you are and what youve done for Axeland us throughout this challenging time, starting when we were complete strangers to you at firstwe thank you with all our hearts. On this Thanksgiving, we give thanks to God Almighty for Axels life and for the impossible miracle after miracle we witnessed almost daily. Our faith in God was bolstered in ways I could never imaginedand living worthy of such love is a challenge once again accepted. For when we, or I, do fail, Im so grateful for Christs salvation granted through His sacrifice on the cross that allows a believer to still stand fast before this merciful God. Being home, all three of us together, enjoying Thanksgiving with Melissas truly wonderful parents, playing with the dogs, eating delicious, non-hospital food, rejoicing in family and seeing Axel sleep-smile through this day.when this was completely unexpectedis heart-swelling to people who thought theyd still be in the hospital. Axel is alive and well, an honest miracle child gifted to us all for purposes still to be seen. God is still the giver of miracles and King, no matter how bad the world may seem, with a promise for all willing to see and come to know Him. There are highly skilled people who work day and night to keep those such as Axel alive. We have so much to be grateful for. On this day, we give thanks to God for all He has brought Axel through so far. In particular, I also give thanks for the strength Ive watched in Melissa as she dealt with the fear, stresses, hardships, and challenges of the last five months. That womans fortitude, spirit, and love is exemplary. And we thank you; youve made the almost-unbearable bearable, bringing help and peace where it was unexpected and needed.

From NTD.tv
Company Behind Trump Dossier Paid Journalists, Court Documents Show

House intelligence committee seeks records from Fusion GPS on payments to journalists who reported on Russia allegations

Fusion GPS, the firm behind a controversial dossier on Donald Trump, paid journalists who reported on topics related to alleged Russian interference in the elections, court documents show.

The documents, filed in the District of Columbia by the deputy general counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Scott Glabe, show that at least three journalists received payments from the company.

The House committee, currently investigating accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, is seeking the records of the payments. So far, Fusion GPS has refused to provide these.

The journalists in question have reported or written on matters within the scope of the committees investigation, the court documents show.

It strikes me as ironic that this work involves journalists who are skilled in investigative reporting. Its the very sort of arrangement investigative reporters love to call attention to.  Fred Brown, vice chair, SPJ Ethics Committee

Fusion GPS was hired to produce a dossier on then-presidential candidate Trump in 2016. The company paid a former British MI6 agent, Christopher Steele, to write the dossier. Steele had previously been deployed to Russia.

Steeles 35-page report relies almost exclusively on Kremlin-linked sources. These include a senior Kremlin official, a senior Russian official in the Russian Foreign Ministry, and a former top-level Russian intelligence officer still active in the Kremlin.

On Oct. 24, The Washington Post revealed that the payments for the dossier came from the Clinton campaign and the DNCsomething both had denied up to that point. Payments were routed through a law firm, Perkins Coie LLP, and mislabeled in FEC filings, allowing them to avoid detection.

Fusion GPS was co-founded by Glenn Simpson, a former journalist with The Wall Street Journal.

The company specializes in using media reporting to advance the interests of their clients. In the case of Trump, that meant spreading the unsubstantiated narrative that Trump colluded with the Russian government. The company has also represented a Russian-owned company seeking to overturn the 2012 Magnitsky Act.

Fusion GPS understands how the media operates, how to kill a story, how to manufacture enough doubt to throw off a journalistic investigation, and what it takes for an editor to disqualify a journalist from pursuing a story, said Thor Halvorssen, president and CEO of the Human Rights Foundation, in a testimony before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on July 26.

On its website, Fusion GPS says that it offers a cross-disciplinary approach with expertise in media, politics, regulation, national security, and global markets.

Journalists gather outside the headquarters of Orbis Business Intelligence, the company run by former intelligence officer Christopher Steele, in London on Jan. 12, 2017. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Court documents from the UK, where Steele and his company are currently being sued for libel by a Russian businessman mentioned in the report, show that the former spy gave briefings to journalists on the contents of the dossier.

Steeles defense attorney says in the court documents that Steele was instructed by Fusion GPS to brief reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, CNN, and Yahoo News on the contents of the dossier. The briefings were done in person and verbally.

Steele also participated in further meetings at Fusions instruction with Fusion and The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Yahoo News, the court documents say.

The House committee documents, however, contain the first revelations that the company made payments to journalists.

Fusion GPSs counsel, Joshua Levy, told The Epoch Times in a statement that the company does not pay journalists to write stories.

They are not permitted to publish any articles based on that work, nor do we pay journalists to write stories, Levy said.

Instead, Levy said, the company sometimes works with contractors that have specialized skills seeking public records under open-records laws.

However, according to the House committee, each of the journalists in question has written on matters pertinent to the Russia investigations.

Given the clear relevance of journalists and researchers to Fusion GPSs activities of relevance to the committees investigation, the requested records therefore include records related to nine payments to three additional journalists and/or researchers who have reported or written on matters within the scope of the committees investigation, the court documents say.

The House committee points to the example of Yahoo News, whose reporter, after a briefing from Steele, wrote an article on allegations involving Trump campaign adviser Carter Page that were substantively similar to the allegations contained in the dossier.

Page announced in September that he had filed a defamation lawsuit against Yahoo and the Huffington Post.

According to Fred Brown, vice chair of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Ethics Committee, reporters who were paid by Fusion GPS to conduct research should have included a disclosure of their relationship with Fusion if they did reporting on the same subject matter.

It strikes me as ironic that this work involves journalists who are skilled in investigative reporting. Its the very sort of arrangement investigative reporters love to call attention to, Brown said in an email.

He said it would be an ethical problem in a scenario where journalists were directly paid to publish articles.

The SPJ Code of Ethics states that journalists should avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, as well as avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or damage credibility.

The House committee is also seeking records from Fusion GPS involving 12 transactions associated with payments from Media Company A. However, the name of the media company in question is redacted, and the nature of the payments is unclear.

Impact of Fusion GPS Dossier

Following Steeles research for Fusion GPS, his reports were actively spread among Congress and media organizations, despite its findings not having been verified.

A representative of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) met with Steele to discuss the contents of the documents, according to the UK court documents.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) speaks to reporters at the Capitol on July 13, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

McCain admitted in a statement in January to having personally delivered the document to then-FBI Director James Comey.

I delivered the information to the director of the FBI, McCain said in the statement published on Jan. 11.

The Washington Examiner reported on Nov. 19 that FBI and Department of Justice officials told congressional investigators that they have not been able to verify or corroborate the accusations of collusion outlined in the dossier.

The statements echo those of former director of national intelligence James Clapper, who oversaw a joint intelligence agency investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the election last year.

Speaking under oath before a Senate judiciary subcommittee on May 8, Clapper said that there had not been any evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Former director of national intelligence James Clapper (L) and former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates testify before the Senate Judicary Committees Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism on May 8, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

High-ranking Democrats, such as Senate judiciary committee ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), have also said there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The narrative of collusion, however, has been widely reported as truth by many media organizations, as well as used by Trumps political opponents in an attempt to discredit him.

Fusion GPSs Russia Connections

Simpson, who cofounded both Fusion GPS and investigative firm SNS Global, is alleged to have broken the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) with his previous work for a Russian-owned company.

A FARA complaint filed at the Department of Justice on July 15, 2016, alleged that Simpson was lobbying on behalf of Russian-owned Prevezon Holdings Ltd. to repeal the Magnitsky Act.

The complaint was filed by London-based investment company Hermitage Capital Management, whose CEO, William Browder, was instrumental to the passage of the Magnitsky Act in 2012.

William Browder, CEO of investment fund Hermitage Capital Management, testifies at a Senate judiciary hearing on July 27. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Magnitsky Act put sanctions on Russian officials, including a freeze on overseas assets, who were believed to have been involved in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian prison in 2009 after allegedly undergoing torture.

Magnitsky, who was hired by Browder, had allegedly uncovered a massive corruption scandal involving Russian officials. After giving testimony under oath, Magnitsky was arrested, detained, and eventually died in custody.

Russian authorities have sought for years to overturn the Magnitsky Act. In response to its passing, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill banning the adoption of Russian children by parents in the United States.

According to the FARA complaint, Simpson had been hired by Prevezon to lobby for the anti-Magnitsky Campaign.

Neither Glenn Simpson, SNS Global, or Fusion GPS has submitted any LDA or FARA filing in respect of its lobbying activities in relation to the anti-Magnitsky campaign, which is clearly seeking to influence U.S. public opinion on policy issues (namely to repeal the Magnitsky Act and derail the Global Magnitsky Act), the document said. LDA is the acronym for the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which requires lobbyists to file quarterly reports with each house of Congress.

The problem of individuals not registering under FARA was underscored by Feinstein when Browder testified before the Senate judiciary committee on July 27.

There is a significant problem with under-enforcement of the law. Individuals who lobby and engage in political activities on behalf of foreign government and interests in the United States do not register in a way that works with the Justice Department, Feinstein said.

Another person accused back in July 2016 of failing to register as a foreign agent was Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer who worked for Prevezon.

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya in Moscow on Nov. 8, 2016. (YURY MARTYANOV/AFP/Getty Images)

According to the document, Veselnitskaya played a key role in organizing a screening of a film intended to rewrite the history of Sergei Magnitsky. She has also been active in Washington in an effort to get the act repealed.

On information and belief, in doing so she is being directed by the Russian government, and therefore should be required to file under FARA, the documents state.

Veselnitskaya is the lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. on June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower. Trump Jr. said that he had accepted the meeting because he believed she would provide potentially damaging information on Hillary Clinton that could be useful during the campaign.

However, it appears that Veselnitskaya was conducting her lobbying work against the Magnitsky Act instead.

We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow-up, Trump Jr. said in a statement on July 8, after The New York Times reported on the meeting.

On Nov. 7, Fox News, citing a confidential source and court documents, reported that Veselnitskaya met with Simpson before and after her meeting with Trump Jr. in June 2016.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, requested information on July 11 on why Veselnitskaya was allowed to enter the United States without a visa.

The chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), in Washington on Sept. 20, 2016. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

In a letter requesting the information from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, Grassley says that Veselnitskaya was granted a parole letter in 2015, after having initially been denied a visa, to participate in a court case in the United States.

The parole expired on Jan. 7, 2016, and a request for an extension was denied on Jan. 4, 2016.

This raises serious questions about whether the Obama administration authorized her to remain in the country, and if so, why? Grassley said in a statement.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017

The Ohio Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended a convicted attorney for taking a client's farm as his fee rather than honoring his promise to sell the farm, deduct his fee and remit the balance to the client.

The board found that by retaining the proceeds from the sale of Heukers land, Bucio essentially misappropriated his clients funds. Although the presumptive sanction for such conduct is disbarment, the board concluded that an indefinite suspension was appropriate here, citing two similar misappropriation cases...

We agree with the board that Bucios egregious misconduct here was tantamount to misappropriation of client funds. But we also agree that similar to Peterson and Harris, sufficient mitigating factors weigh against the presumptive sanction of disbarment, including Bucios lack of prior discipline, the imposition of other penalties for his misconduct, his restitution, and his acknowledgment, albeit belatedly, of the wrongfulness of his actions. Accordingly, we adopt the boards recommended sanction.

The Dayton Daily News reported the conviction

A suspended Troy lawyer convicted of felony unauthorized use of property involving land obtained from a client in 2010 was sentenced Friday to five years of community control and a $5,000 fine in Shelby County Common Pleas Court.

Christopher Bucio, 38, pleaded guilty Nov. 30 before visiting Judge Timothy Campbell of Greene County. The Ohio Supreme Court earlier this month suspended Bucios license for an interim period and referred the case for disciplinary proceedings.

Before sentencing, Bucio said he had learned a lot in the seven years since the incident. Clearly, I would have done things differently, he said. I am really regretful.

Matthew Donahue, an assistant Ohio attorney general, handled the prosecution. He said although prison was not likely under sentencing guidelines, the court could order community control with added sanctions such as local jail time.

It is a dark day for our profession and an even darker day for the victim, Donahue said.

Bucio was accused of taking 22 acres of farm land owned by a Shelby County woman in payment for legal representation of its owner, selling the land and keeping the proceeds.

Troy lawyer Jeremy Tomb spoke for the victim, who attended sentencing. He said Bucio spent little time, a couple of days, representing the woman who at the time was in a vulnerable state. Tomb said Bucio sold the land, then stalled when the woman tried to contact him and later misrepresented the womans situation to the investigating Ohio Supreme Court. The woman this week received restitution reached in an agreement, Tomb said. The amount is confidential under the agreement terms A plea form filed in the court stated prosecutors would not file other charges related to the representation of the woman or the issues directly arising out of it which have been investigated by the special prosecutors. The charge was a fourth-degree felony, which carried a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Judge Campbell said he hoped the experience would mean Bucio, if ever in a position of trust for someone again, would treat them appropriately. If Bucio violates the community control he could receive up to 17 months in prison. Bucio practiced with the firm of Roberts, Kelly and Bucio that had offices in Miami, Shelby and other counties. He no longer is included in the firm known as Roberts and Kelly. Bucios lawyer, David Greer of Dayton made no comment before sentencing relying on a sentencing memorandum filed before the hearing Another former lawyer with the Bucio firm, Joshua Albright of Shelby County, pleaded last year in Miami County to felony unauthorized use of property for theft of client funds from the law firm. He was sentenced to community control but ordered to serve 90 days in the county jail. He also pleaded to felony forgery of documents in a custody case in Shelby County, where he was ordered to serve 90 days in jail consecutive to the Miami County time. Albright was ordered to pay $60,650 restitution to the firm, whose office manager testified at a hearing that an insurance company had paid another $25,000. Albright resigned from practice last year and the case was referred for disciplinary proceedings. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/11/the-ohio-supreme-court-has-suspended-a-convicted-attorney-the-dayton-daily-news-reported-the-conviction-a-suspended-troy.html
A crime scene investigator photographs the site of a car crash in which five people, including three children, were killed after a stolen car crashed into a tree on Stonegate Road, in Leeds, northern England on Nov. 25, 2017. (Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)

Fifteen-Year-Old Charged Over Five Deaths After Stolen Car Hit Tree in Leeds

A 15-year-old was due to appear in a Leeds court today charged with causing the deaths of five young people in a crash over the weekend described by police as carnage.

Three children and two young adults were killed when the stolen car they were travelling in crashed into a tree on Stonegate Road, Meanwood on Saturday Nov. 25.

The teenager, whose identity cannot be released for legal reasons, has been charged with five counts of causing death by dangerous driving in relation to a collision in Stonegate Road, Meanwood, on Saturday, said a statement from West Yorkshire Police.

The deceased were all traveling in the Renault Clio, together with the accused, when it ploughed into the tree on Stonegate Road.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Griffiths said the effect was catastrophic.

When I arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning it was a scene of total carnage and it would have been a horrendous situation for anyone, DCI Griffiths told a press conference, reported The Yorkshire Evening Post.

I would not like to compare it to anything else I have seen.

The names of the deceased were released on Saturday.

Two brothers Ellis and Elliot Thornton-Kimmitt, aged 12 and 14, died in the crash along with 15-year-old Darnell Harte and 24-year-old Robbie Meerun. A 28-year-old father-of-two whose partner is pregnant with a third child, Anthony Armour, also died. All are from Leeds.

First picture of tragic brothers killed together in Leeds stolen car crash released https://t.co/fdHNaDxong  The Sun (@TheSun) November 26, 2017

Police said that emotions were running high in the community after families had suffered a devastating loss.

All seven people involved in Leeds car crash were in the vehicle, police say https://t.co/VLr0LsuVhq  BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) November 27, 2017

A vigil was on held on Sunday evening for the young victims, with dozens of mourners gathering at the scene of the crash, in Stonegate Road, Leeds, reported The Sun.

Family members payed tribute to their loved ones killed in the crash.

Carr Manor Community School said in a statement on its website, We are deeply upset to learn that one of our pupils, Darnell Harte, is amongst the fatalities involved in this tragic incident and our sympathies and condolences go out to the family and all those affected by the loss of this young life.

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Lifestyle: If You're Not Getting Closer to Achieving Your Goals, Try Using a Different Metric
Thomas Jadlowski may face charges for fatally shooting a neighbor while hunting after dark. (Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office)

Hunter Who Shot Neighbor After Dark May Face Charges

The hunter who fired a shot in the dark and killed a New York state neighbor may face charges for his actions.

Thomas Jadlowski fired a shot from his high-powered hunting handgun from about 200 yards at what he thought was a deer in a field behind the residence of Jamie and Rose Billquist in the town of Sherman, New York.

His shot struck Rose Billquist, who was out walking her dogs. The bullet struck her hip and caused fatal damage.

Jadlowski did not have permission to hunt on the property. He was also hunting 40 minutes after sunset, which is illegal.

A grand jury will decide whether the man should be charged with any crimes, WGRZ News reports.

Jadlowski rushed to her aid when he heard Billquist scream. He immediately called 911 and tried to apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.

Ranged against him are a number of acts: though a licensed hunter, he did not have permission to hunt on that property. He was hunting after the legal time limit for the day. And he contravened basic gun safety rules by firing at a target he could not definitively identify.

Potentially Serious Charges, Serious Jail Time

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson told The Buffalo News on Nov. 27 that he would be meeting with representatives from the Sheriffs Office and the state Department of Environmental Conservation to consider the case.

District Attorney Swanson said that if criminal charges are filed, they would likely be either second-degree manslaughter based on reckless conduct causing death or criminally negligent homicide, the Buffalo News reported.

Second-degree manslaughter is also called reckless manslaughter. The New York state homicide statute reads:   a person is guilty of Manslaughter in the Second Degree when that person recklessly causes the death of another person.

Second-degree manslaughter is a class C felony and carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail.

A criminally negligent homicide occurs when, with criminal negligence, he causes the death of another person.

Criminally negligent homicide is a class E felony with a maximum penalty of four years in prison.

District Attorney Swanson identified the weapon as a Thompson/Center Contender, a pistol which Swanson said is essentially a rifle. The Thompson fires the same ammunition as a rifle, but its dimensions fit just within the legal definition of a handgun.

Tight-Knit Community

The town of Sherman, New York, has about 1,600 residents. Rose Billquist was well-known in town. She was an avid runner and cyclist who liked to help out in the community, her husband told WGRZ News.

Jadlowski lived about a mile from the Billquist residence.

District Attorney Patrick Swanson grew up in Sherman and knew both families, but not enough to need to recuse himself.

I dont know either party well enough to have a strong feeling one way or the other, he told WGRZ News.

Swanson says that he appreciated that Jadlowski immediately called 911 and rushed to help the victim. He is also aware that public opinion is strongly against Jadlowski. None of that matters he said, saying theyd consider the conduct that led to the result, not the reaction of people afterward.

The public response to Jadlowskis actions has been overwhelmingly negative.

Former DA Explains the Legal Details

WGRZ interviewed former New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco about why it was taking so long for charges to be announced, and what those charges might be.

Vacco explained that in a case involving serious injury or death, the legal establishment had to take much greater care in determining what and when a suspect thought and knew before acting.

While Vacco said there was negligence involved, the question he put forth was whether or not it was criminal negligence.

I think that the DAs office and the Sheriffs Department ultimately want to know, was this conduct that the hunter engaged in, was it criminal, and if it was criminal, whats the difference between criminally negligent conduct versus reckless conduct, Vacco told WGRZ.

Theres a big difference because under our homicide statutes if they chose to charge him with criminally negligent homicide it means that he didnt perceive the risk, he didnt understand that there was a risk in the fashion that he shot that pistol that night.

Whereas, reckless conduct, which results in a potentially higher charge under our homicide statutes, manslaughter in the second degree, involves whether or not the hunter knew that there was a risk and disregarded it, he said.

Do you think Thomas Jadlowski should be charged and if so, with what crimes? Post your comments below.

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From NTD.tv
Husband Punches Wife for Every Like on Facebook

Social sharing turned into a nightmare of cruelty for a 21-year-old woman in Uruguay, whose husband hit her for every like post she got on Facebook.

Police said Adolfina Camelli Orhigoza, the young woman in the photograph who enjoyed sharing beautiful moments of her life on her Facebook page, became so badly disfigured from constant beatings by her husband that she needed extensive reconstructive surgery, reported the Daily Mail.

(WARNING: GRAPHIC images below)

The womans reportedly furiously jealous partner, Pedro Heriberto Galeano, would fly into fits of rage whenever the photos Orhigoza posted of herself on Facebook received likes, said her lawyer.

But with time, Gelanos behavior allegedly took a twisted turn. He started to physically assault his wife whenever her friends reacted to her posts. Then he took over her social media profile and himself started posting photos of Orhigoza. Any reaction to the posts would spark a brutal beating.

Her mouth was all broken, she was very damaged, her skin was hanging off because of the blows, said Arnaldo Martinez, the lawyer representing Ortigoza, according to the Daily Mail.

Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza pictures,punished by her husband Pedro Heriberto Galeano https://t.co/RQFPIB5sV1 pic.twitter.com/NZnKmBcbxK  infowe (@infowe) November 29, 2017

Martinez said the only thing that saved her teeth from being knocked out was the fact that her husband would stuff a rag into her mouth to keep her from screaming out loud.

He would put a cloth in her mouth so that she would not scream during the brutal beatings that she suffered daily, said the lawyer, reports Daily Mail.

#Terrible | Palo de escoba, cable y mazo para moler carne, fueron los instrumentos que utilizo Pedro Heriberto Galeano (29) para torturar a su joven pareja, segun datos proveidos por los intervinientes.? https://t.co/3W5VuysFp4  Paraguay En Noticias (@ParaguayEnNoti1) November 10, 2017

Martinez spoke of the terror the woman told him she felt when her husband would post a new photo of her on Facebook, in anticipation of the flurry of punches and kicks that were sure to come.

He controlled the victims social networking sites, he controlled the messages and photos, and for every like she received from her friends, the woman received a beating because he accused her of having a relationship with them, Martinez said.

Pedro Heriberto Galeano es la bestia que golpeo brutalmente a su pareja. Ahora esta en la fiscalia de Nemby y tiene verguenza anga salir en la prensa! Pero nada de verguenza tuvo cuando golpeo sin piedad a una mujer! pic.twitter.com/Yu7WgCtbxP  Noelia Diaz Esquivel (@noediazesqui) November 10, 2017

The womans friends reportedly had no idea about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of her spouse.

The mans father alerted the authorities after he discovered she was being horribly abused, fearing that if he didnt intervene, she might lose her life, writes the Mirror.

Jealous husband beats wife for every Facebook like she receives https://t.co/jJRKdjy6ee pic.twitter.com/ZDo4fln4Xt  trendsilk.com (@trendsilk) November 29, 2017

Ortigoza was so disfigured from the abuse that she had to undergo reconstructive surgery of her nasal septum and lips.

Galeano was arrested and could face up to 30 years in prison on charges of attempted homicide, deprivation of liberty, and coercion.

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Illegal Alien Charged With Death of Cheerleader After Thanksgiving DUI Crash

A man is being charged with the death of Rhyan Moody, 14, after he allegedly crashed drunk into the car she was traveling in. The crash occurred on the evening of Thanksgiving at Lake Worth, near Fort Worth, Texas.

Jose Victor Chaparro-Saenz, a Mexican national who is in the United States illegally, has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest, according to reports.

Moody was a student and cheerleader at Colleyville Heritage High School.

She was coming home from dinner with her grandmother and grandfather in Fort Worth, Caines Johnson, Moodys stepfather, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The driver was going 68 [miles per hour] in a 40 and T-boned their car.

Moody later died in hospital of the blunt force head trauma she sustained in the accident, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Moody, with the title Heavens newest cheerleader, and the text is written as if by Moody herself.

I had a heart of gold and my personality filled the room, the page stated. I am leaving behind a devastated family who will suffer from this tragedy for the rest of time. I have 2 broken hearted sisters who were my best friends. My grandmother and grandfather were in the accident as well, and both have outrageous medical bills. They will be recovering throughout the holidays with broken bones and broken hearts.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, the $10,000 goal had been surpassed, with $17,980 donated.

Any remaining funds will be used to send a student in need to college, the page stated.

One message on the page by Sharon Wezniak, reads, We are so very sorry for your loss. Rhyan was such a funny, talented, lovely young woman. Cassie loved how Rhyan always had a smile on her face. Our prayers of healing go out to your family.

Illegally in the United States

Sabine Durden, who lost her son Dominic Durden in a 2012 crash involving an unlicensed illegal alien, expressed her frustration on Twitter.

While Dems threaten 2 shut it down over DACA, this family now knows my grief bc of illegal alien. Fight 4 [Americans], Durden tweeted on Tuesday.

While Dems threaten 2 shut it down over DACA,this family now knows my grief ?bc of illegal alien. Fight 4 ??s https://t.co/lK4vNMk48j  Sabine (@sabine_durden) November 28, 2017

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed an immigration detainer on Chaparro-Saenz on Nov. 24 after his arrest, according to a statement from ICE to The Epoch Times on Wednesday. The detainer requests that local law enforcement transfer custody of Chaparro-Saenz to ICE after he has been through the criminal justice process. ICE would then place Chaparro-Saenz in deportation proceedings.

According to ICE records, Chaparro-Saenz was encountered illegally entering the United States in 1998 and was voluntarily returned to Mexico the same day, ICE said. Chaparro-Saenz has not been encountered by U.S. immigration authorities since then.

ICE explained that non-criminal aliens from Mexico who are encountered by immigration authorities may be granted a voluntary return to their home country, which has lighter legal consequences than an official removal, or deportation. Aliens who accept a voluntary return usually go home within one or two days.
Suspect located: Goran Hadzic, the last fugitive wanted by the UN war crimes court in The Hague, was arrested today in a forest near the village of Krusedol at the Fruska Gora mountain north of capital Belgrade. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Last War Crimes Suspect of Former Yugoslavia Arrested

Goran Hadzic, the last remaining fugitive wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court for Former Yugoslavia, was arrested Wednesday in the mountains near Belgrad.

Serbian authorities apprehended Hadzic and he is expected to be extradited to The Hague, the seat of the ICTY, within days, according to a press briefing at the court.

Hadzic, former president of the self-proclaimed, breakaway Republic of Serbian Kraijina, is suspected of having committed crimes against humanity as well as war crimes in eastern Croatia between 1991 and 1992 during the Balkan wars.

The 52-year-old Serbian is charged with taking part in the persecution as co-perpetrator with Croat and other non-Serb civilians in order to create a Serb-dominated state in the Republic of Croatia.

The campaign included murder, torture, destruction of villages, and plunder. His indictment mentions the massacre of 250 people in the town of Vukovar, one of the first atrocities of the wars.

Judge O-Gon Kwon, acting president of the ICTY, called the arrest a milestone in the Tribunals history, according to an ICTY press release.

After being on the run for seven years, Hadzic was found by the police in the Fruska Gora mountain, near the Krusedol village, some 50 miles north of Belgrad, according to the Croatian newspaper Slobododna Dalmacija. He is believed to have been hiding in a nearby monastery.

The arrest comes less than two months after Serbian authorities extradited to The Hague, former Bosnian Serb military commander, Ratko Mladic, accused overseeing the massacre of over 8,000 Bosniak civilians in Srebrenica, Bosnia.

Observers expect that these extraditions will help Serbia move towards the European Union, a key goal of Serbian president, Boris Tadic. French Foreign Minister Juppe called Hadzics arrest a key condition for Serbias ascension into the EU.

European leaders have called Serbias cooperation with the court as one the last hurdles to move forward with Serbian membership application. It is expected that Serbia will now be able to obtain official candidate status for inclusion in the EU by the end of the year.

The ICTY was established 18 years ago by the United Nations Security Council in order to deal with the war crimes committed during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. It is the first international criminal court created since the post-WWII courts of Nuremberg and Tokyo.

We can now say that no indicted person has successfully evaded the Tribunals judicial process. This is a precedent of enduring significance, not only for this Tribunal, but also for international criminal justice more generally, ICTY Persecutor Serge Brammertz said in a press briefing.

So far, more than 60 individuals have been convicted by the court and over 40 others are still in process.

The ICTYs mandate is only to bring to justice the worst perpetrators. Brammertz pointed out at the briefing, the Tribunal is part of a much broader process for establishing accountability for atrocities committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia. The victims of thousands of other crimes are still waiting for justice.
Man Arrested for Four Murders in Tampa

Fears of a serial killer in Tampa have ended with the arrest of a 24-year-old man in connection with four fatal shootings.

Howell Emanuel Donaldson III faces four counts of premeditated murder in the killings of Benjamin Edward Mitchell, Monica Caridad Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa, and Ronald Felton, according to Tampa police chief Brian Dugan.

Donaldson was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 28 after a McDonalds employee said he handed a gun to a manager. The manager then contacted a police officer who was also in the building, reported WTSP.

Dugan told CBS News: When I think I found out there was a gun, and when we looked at his description, it was a little more than what we really had. It just felt right. I kinda had a feeling that we were going to get a break.

Police have been searching for the killer of the four people who were all residents in the Seminole Heights neighborhood since Oct. 9. according to the news outlet. All the killings happened close to each other and werent robberies, police said, sparking fears they could have been carried out by a serial killer.

After police released security video footage showing a hooded suspect running from the scene in the moments following the murder of 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell on Oct. 9, police chief Dugan made the following statement: Ive come up with four reasons why this person is running. One, they may be late for dinner. Two, theyre out exercising. Three, they heard gunshots. And number four, they just murdered Benjamin Mitchell.

Over the following month, three more people would be shot and killed: Monica Hoffa, 32, on Oct. 11; Anthony Naiboa, 20, on Oct. 19; and Ronald Felton, 60, on Nov. 14.

Although Seminole Heights is only slowly becoming gentrified and petty crimes are fairly common, residents have said there has been nothing like this before, according to CBS News.

Dugan said police are still determining Donaldsons connection to the neighborhood.

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Sayfullo Saipov, the suspect in the New York City truck attack, is seen in this courtroom sketch appearing in Manhattan federal courtroom in a wheelchair in New York, NY, U.S., Nov. 1, 2017. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

Man Charged in New York Truck Attack Pleads Not Guilty

NEW YORKThe Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path in October pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan on Nov. 27. A court-appointed lawyer representing him, David Patton, declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the Oct. 31 attack in which he plowed a truck down a bike lane on Manhattans West Side. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest assault on New York City since Sept. 11, 2001.

Saipov, a legal permanent U.S. resident, was hospitalized after he was shot by a policeman and arrested.

On Nov. 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing material support to ISIS and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty, though it is not yet clear whether prosecutors will seek it. President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Twitter for Saipov to face the death penalty.

Following the attack, Saipov told investigators he was inspired by watching ISIS videos and began planning the attack a year earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors the day after the attack.

The complaint said Saipov was particularly motivated by a video where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi  the leader of ISIS  exhorted Muslims in the U.S. and elsewhere to support the groups cause.

Saipov also said he felt good about what he had done and asked for permission to display the flag of the militant group ISIS in his hospital room, the complaint said.

Saipovs sister, Umida Saipova, told Reuters in a phone interview earlier this month from Tashkent, Uzbekistan that she believed her brother had been brainwashed.

An Uzbek acquaintance of Saipov living in Ohio, Mirrakhmat Muminov, told Reuters that Saipov became religious after moving to the United States in 2010.

Five of the victims were Argentinians who were part of a group in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation. A Belgian woman, a New Yorker and a New Jersey man were also killed.

The next hearing in Saipovs case is set for Jan. 23.
Man accidentally kills himself after taking the pin out of a grenade and then posing to take a photo with it (Stock photo / AU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images)

Man Dies after Sending Photo of Grenade without Pin

A Russian man was killed moments after he posted a picture of himself holding a hand grenadewith the pin pulled out.

According to the Independent, Alexander Sasha Chechik, 26, was killed in an instant when the explosive unexpectedly detonated in his hand. The incident took place in the city of Labinsk in south-west Russia.

Russian news service Kuban.kp.ru reported that Chechik had been sitting in his car, texting people. In one of the text exchanges, a friend asked Chechik where he was and whether he was doing OK.

It depends on what you mean OK, Chechik replied, reports the Independent. The dispatched text included a close-up photograph of his hand holding a grenadewith the pin lying on the seat beside him.

Russian man dies after posing for photo with hand grenadehttps://t.co/TYtmP8ddGD pic.twitter.com/qXsA3OhU8Q  Droolin Dog (@droolindog) November 28, 2017

Concerned, the friend texted him a warning not to mess around and followed it up with a question as to Chechiks whereabouts.

There was no response.

According to the police, the force of the blast killed Chechik instantly. A graphic police photograph obtained by Kuban.kp.ru and posted on their website shows the horrific damage to Chechiks lower body caused by the detonation.

Russian man posing for selfie with live grenade dies after accidentally pulling pin https://t.co/imb2fSFXlZ #Alexander Chechik #Alexander Sasha Chechik #Russian man poses for selfie with grenade  Scallywagandvagabond (@ScallywagNYC) November 28, 2017

According to the Daily Mail, police said they believe Chechik expected the grenade would not detonate so long as he kept hold of the device without releasing the lever.

As he had also sent pictures to other friends, police have categorized his death as an accident, not suicide, according to reports.

The Russian Investigative Committee is looking into the incident, according to official Natalia Smyatskaya, reports Daily Mail.

Police are treating the death as an accident, rather than a suicide.

And as these military grenade-training-gone-wrong videos show, handling explosives requires the utmost care and caution, and should only be performed by trained personnel.

Watch a video report of the incident (below).

And a final message from your friendly neighborhood news reporter 

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Mom Charged with Murder of Newborn Son Tells Police She didnt Know She was Pregnant

Police arrested a western Pennsylvania woman on Sunday after her father found the lifeless body of a newborn boy in a plastic bag underneath the porch of the family home.

Brittany Nicole Robinson, 23, gave birth on Friday in a bathtub at her family home, Centre Daily Times reported, citing police. Robinson told investigators that she did not know she was pregnant and that the baby did not have a heartbeat when he was born.

Robinson told police that she put the baby in a dresser drawer and went to work. She then moved the newborns body into a crawlspace underneath the porch at the family home.

The baby was a viable 7-pound baby boy, state police Lt. Eric Hermick told KDKA-TV. The baby was born alive and cleaned up and then placed under there.

Robinsons father discovered the body when he was running wiring for holiday lights. Police said the newborns body was wrapped in a T-shirt and placed in a Walmart plastic bag, a difficult sight for first responders.

Everybody thats been to that scene, that was present, who had to observe that has had a rough day, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Eric Hermick told WSB-TV.

When youve seen this baby, its not what everybody envisions as you see theres a baby that appears to be dead or decomposed, Hermick said. This baby was in excellent physical condition. It still looked like it was alive at the scene.

Investigators executed a search warrant at the home and found clues suggesting that Robinson did know of her pregnancy prior to giving birth.

Robinson lived at the home with her father, two brothers and another man. Investigators spent hours questioning the residents. All of the inhabitants said that Robinson kept the pregnancy a secret.

Theyve all indicated to us they werent aware, that she kept it a secret, Hermick told KDKA. There are laws in place that protect mothers if they dont want their child. They can drop it off at a police station, a hospital, fire department. There are a lot of families out there that want children, that cant have children.

Robinson was taken to UPMC Horizon Shenango Valley hospital for treatment related to childbirth. She was arrested by state troopers as soon as she was discharged.

Robinson was charged on Monday with criminal homicide, concealing the death of a child, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. She is being held at the Lawrence County Jail.

Robinson also has an 8-year-old child but does not have custody.

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Remembering those who died in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Photos submitted by family members to accompany their obituaries in the Albany Democr
This picture from North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) taken on Aug. 29 and released on Aug. 30 shows North Koreas intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 lifting off from the launching pad at an undisclosed location near Pyongyang. North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Tuesday after 74 days without a missile launch. (STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

More Details on North Koreas Missile Launch

It flew 620 miles and reached 2,800 miles high

North Korea fired the missile, its first launch since mid-September, a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism.

The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has launched what the US military has described as an intercontinental ballistic missile. @Shea_Cotton says New York & Washington DC could now be within reach. More: ? https://t.co/v1CiFv6USM pic.twitter.com/oBhok8AKu5  BBC World Service (@bbcworldservice) November 28, 2017

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

The South Korean military said the missile, fired on a steep trajectory, reached an altitude of around 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and flew 960 km (600 miles) before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone.

North Korea launched a missile that flew higher than any previous launch https://t.co/tnwTktJAaK pic.twitter.com/2ZMeLsVYLF  Bloomberg (@business) November 28, 2017

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House.

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke by phone and agreed to boost deterrence capability against North Korea, Yasutoshi Nishimura, deputy chief cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo.

MAP: Range of North Korea's latest missile includes all of the United States; South America and portions of Africa are the only places out of reach pic.twitter.com/PrpBHYivq6  BNO News (@BNONews) November 28, 2017

It is a situation that we will handle, Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking about the latest test.

Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea.

ALL OPTIONS

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.

Other than carrying out existing U.N. sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic traveling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement.

The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss North Koreas latest missile launch. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons programs and re-enter diplomatic talks.

"North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, at dawn today," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Map: pic.twitter.com/DWGshG8FkB  Ivan Pentchoukov ?? (@IvanPentchoukov) November 28, 2017

The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and traveled about 1,000 km (620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies.

U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE?

Japanese officials said the missile flew for 53 minutes and broke up before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory.

If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles)  Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said.

However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added.

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the launch had been anticipated and that the government had been preparing for it. Moon said there was no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure and sanctions against North Korea.

The situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology, Moon said, according to the Blue House after a national security council meeting.

North Korea shouldnt miscalculate the situation and threaten South Korea with a nuclear weapon, which could elicit a possible pre-emptive strike by the United States.

U.S. stocks briefly pared gains on the news but the S&P 500 index was up almost 1 percent at the close.

A U.S. intelligence official said the initial indication was that the engine was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong-14  a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July.

After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in September, following a missile it fired that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15 and far out into the Pacific Ocean.

North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defense against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement.

A U.S. government source familiar with official reporting and analyses said the U.S. assessment was the launch was the latest in a well-calculated and serious series of tests to develop and perfect North Korea missile systems rather than any response to Trump.

Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.
Mother Arrested for Allegedly Throwing Her Newborn at Babys Father and Breaking Childs Skull

A 24-year-old Louisiana woman has been arrested after allegedly throwing her 26-day-old son at the father during a fight, police said.

The newborn was left with a cracked skull on Thanksgiving Day.

Heidy Rios of Terrytown has been charged with cruelty to a juvenile, according to Jefferson Parish Sheriff.

The father initially took his son to Childrens Hospital in New Orleans where the child was diagnosed with a fracture of the right temporal bone.

Detectives who interviewed him were told he and his girlfriend were having an argument when she allegedly took the newborn and threw him at the boyfriends feet.

At first Rios denied even holding the baby during the argument, telling investigators she had no idea how her son was hurt, according to nola.com.

But after a neutral witness said that she had indeed been holding the baby, Rios changed her story, saying she may have dropped the child during the argument.

The babys injuries werent life-threatening, a spokesman for the sheriffs office told nola.com.

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This picture from North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) taken on Aug. 29, 2017, and released on Aug. 30 shows North Koreas intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 lifting off from the launching pad at an undisclosed location near Pyongyang. North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Tuesday after 74 days without a missile launch. (STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

North Koreas New Missile Threatens World: Mattis

President Donald Trump said nothing has changed in how the U.S. government will deal with North Korea in light of the communist regimes ballistic missile launch two hours earlier.

We will take care of that situation, said President Trump in an impromptu press briefing Tuesday afternoon. We have a very serious approach and nothing changed.

Defense Secretary Gen. Jim Mattis said the ICBM launch revealed a new threatening capability.

It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken. Its a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world.

He confirmed that the South Koreans had fired pinpoint ballistic missiles out into the ocean to make sure North Korea understood it could come under fire from the U.S. ally.

The bottom line is, its a continued effort to build a threata ballistic missile threatthat endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly, the United States.

The Pentagon released a statement saying the missile was launched at 1:15pm EST from Sain Ni, North Korea and traveled about 1000 km (approximately 620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which extends about 200km (124 miles) off the coast.

We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment of the launch, said the statement.

The Pentagon said The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile did not pose a threat to North America or its allies.

Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation, said the statement.

South Korea responded immediately with a precision missile strike drill.

South Koreas army, navy, and air force staged the 20-minute combined drill close to the Northern Limit Line that separates South from North in the East Sea at 3:23 am, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) told Yonhap News Agency.

The JCS deployed the armys missile unit, and the navys Aegis ship, as well as a KF-16 fighter jet, each firing a missile at a simulated target set based on the the distance to the site where North Korea fired its missile.

The three missiles, a Hyunmoo-II, Haesong-II, and SPICE-2000, hit the target simultaneously, said the JCS

North Koreas ICBM launch breaks the regimes 74-day pause in ballistic missile tests.

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Police Name Two Persons of Interest in Missing 24-Year-Old Womans Case

The Lincoln Police Department in Nebraska said Tuesday they are searching for two persons of interest in the mysterious disappearance of 24-year-old Lincoln woman, Sydney Loofe.

According to a press release, the department is asking for the publics help in locating the two persons, adding that the two individuals have ties to multiple states.

Police identified the two as Aubrey C. Trail, a 51-year-old male, and Bailey M. Boswell, a 23-year-old female.

Trail is described as 6 feet tall, 284 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, while Boswell is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and Hazel eyes.

Sydneys family reported her missing on Nov. 16 after she failed to show up for work and was not contactable. Police said the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are concerning, according to the news release.

According to CBS affiliate KOLN, the last known residence of the two people was in Wilber, Nebraska.

Lincoln Chief of Police, Jeff Bliemeister also confirmed that the last sighting of the missing girl was in Wilber, back on Nov. 15. However, he did not give a specific location.

If you have information about these individuals or Sydneys whereabouts, please call 402-441-6000.

In a media briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 28, Bliemeister said that authorities are doing their best to find her.

I can assure you that we are making every effort to locate Sydney and we will continue to do so until shes found, he said in the briefing.

An official Facebook page organized by Sydneys family, called Finding Sydney Loofe, posted an updated photo of Sydney including identifying markers.

The full media briefing can be seen below.

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Washington Post reporter Dan Lamothe explains the anti-Trump bias of his publication in an undercover video released by Project Veritas. (Screenshot Project Veritas/Epoch Times)

Project Veritas Exposes Anti-Trump Bias at Washington Post

Project Veritas released a new undercover video on Nov. 27 showing employees at The Washington Post explaining the publications bias against President Donald Trump, and revealing the influence of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who purchased the news outlet for $250 million in 2013.

The video is part of the ongoing American Pravda series from Project Veritas to investigate bias and conflicts of interest in legacy news outlets. It follows videos in which CNN staff said the networkss reporting on the Russia investigations was all about ratings, and videos in which New York Times staff said bias against Trump was part of the company culture.

The expose on the Washington Post begins with Dan Lamothe, a national security reporter at the paper, telling an undercover reporter that there are two camps at the news outlet when it comes to political coverage.

On the news side, he said, the reporters are typically trying to be critical of Trump, but also give him credit where theres credit. Yet, on the editorial side, he said, the Washington Post institutional voice has a strong and open bias.

Those have become critical to the point where Ill read some of them and Im like whoa! Like I work for this place? Lamothe said.

He said while some journalists on the news side are still covering the news, the editorial side of the Washington Post is trying to, like, educate people but with a point of view.

Lamothe described it as a very different mission, and also noted the publication is criticized for sensationalizing certain topics, such as Hurricane Irma, while avoiding issues that affect everybody, such as political policy.

He said at the Washington Post, the focus on criticizing Trump sucks so much oxygen out of the room. Its just so much emphasis on what he said and what he tweeted.

I cant tell you how many times we get an email at work: Oh did you see what he just tweeted? What are we gonna do about it?' he said.

Lamothe added that several other legacy news outlets have a similar bias, noting Some of the New York Times reporters are way over the top. CNN is always over the top. He said the reporting can raise the question of whos in charge of your newspaper?

The second half of the video features an undercover video of Joey Marburger, director of production at the Washington Post, who explained some of the influence owner Bezos has had on the publication.

I talk to him all the time, Marburger said, referring to Bezos and noting that my job is basically responsible for every way that you interact with our journalism, except print.

Among the key points he revealed was that when the Washington Post changed its tagline to Democracy Dies in Darkness shortly after the elections, the phrase was selected by Bezos.

We narrowed it down to like three different taglines, and, Jeff was like, you know what? I think were just going to go with Democracy Dies in Darkness. You know why? Because its dying in darkness right now, he said. And were like [expletive] it, lets do it. So we did it.

Marburger also revealed that a large chunk of the internet traffic at Washington Post comes through its coverage of Trump. If Trump just disappeared tomorrow, he said, our traffic would drop by forty percent.

The Washington Post caught wind of the Project Veritas investigations, and published its own video and article ahead of the release, adopting some of the same methods involving hidden cameras used by Project Veritas.

A woman who allegedly worked for Project Veritas as an undercover reporter approached the Washington Post with false claims that she was impregnated as a teenager by Roy Moore, a candidate in the Alabama senate elections. The false claims are similar to claims published by the Washington Post, which are still unproven.

The Washington Post said the woman, who used the name Jaime Phillips, had inconsistencies in her story and had made previous posts on the internet that made them question her intentions. It also alleged that Washington Post reporters saw the woman walk into the New York offices of Project Veritas.

Project Veritas has openly used similar methods in the past. Its founder and CEO James OKeefe told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that In order to get the information to the public, we have to use surreptitious means and we have to be guerrilla in how we distribute the information because were handicapped; because were facing overwhelming forces that are trying to shut us down, suppress the truth, and propagandize the people.

The reason why the media investigations were doing are so important is because the media arguably has more power than Congressit has more power than the legislature. It informs the culture, he said.

The Washington Post sent reporters to interview and record OKeefe outside his offices, and published the videos online. In the video, OKeefe tells the reporter, I think its really cute that you guys are borrowing our techniques.

OKeefe later approached the Washington Post reporters with his own camera to ask questions, which resulted in both sides briefly attempting to interview the other.

The video exposing the Washington Post is the first in a series that Project Veritas plans to release on the company.
Massage Envy franchises face over 180 claims of sexual assault, according to an article by digital media Buzzfeed.(Nicole S Glass/Shutterstock)

Report: Countrys Biggest Massage Franchise, Massage Envy, Faces Over 180 Sexual Assault Claims

Massage parlor franchise Massage Envy is facing over 180 sexual assault claims by clients at franchise locations across the country, according to a recent Buzzfeed article.

According to the article, numerous clients said that Massage Envy had a limited to nonexistent response to their claims, and some didnt seem to know what to do about it or seemed indifferent.

It was clear that she had no idea what to do, said client Danielle Dick, describing the response of the desk manager at a Virginia Massage Envy when she told her about a massage therapist who had assaulted her, according to Buzzfeed. She was like a deer in the headlights.

Kate Hardy, a former front desk associate and clinic manager at a Massage Envy in Montana, said slow or unsatisfactory reactions to sexual assault claims are due to internal policies. She says an internal review policy from headquarters is not in place to protect the client.

Hardy says that [i]ts in place to protect the company. Its centered around defusing the situation so the client doesnt call the police. You dont want cop cars showing up at your location the next day, Buzzfeed reports.

Lawyer Adam Horowitz, who has sued dozens of Massage Envy franchises, says that many Massage Envy therapists are directly out of school and have little experience, and that franchise owners and managers often have no experience with massage. He says it is easy for sexual assault to occur under such conditions.

An inordinate amount of people are attracted to massage therapy because of sexual interest, Horowitz, who also represented clients in sex abuse cases against the Catholic Church, told Buzzfeed.

Just like there was opportunity in the priesthood, theres opportunity in the massage room. When you get a massage, your guard is down completely. Youre not expecting to be violated.

At 1,170 locations and 1.65 million members, Massage Envy is the first and largest massage franchise in the United States. Forty-nine states have Massage Envy franchises, and in 2016 the company expanded to Australia, according to Massage Envys main website.

An unnamed source who worked in the corporate office told Buzzfeed that inappropriate conduct had the national company scared if someone connects the dots of how many sexual assaults have occurred across the country.

In a statement given to Fox News on the Buzzfeed report, Massage Envy stresses that the claims represent a tiny fraction of their overall business.

The article references 180 reported incidents. These occurred over a span of 15 plus years and 125 million massages. But, we believe that even ONE incident is too many, so we are constantly listening, learning, and evaluating how we can continue to strengthen our policies with respect to handling of these issues.

The assault victims worry that massage therapists continue to be employed and continue to sexually assault new clients as claims against them are ignored or mishandled. Susan Ingram called the police over Massage Envys alleged inaction, and the massage therapist, James Deiter, confessed to police. He ultimately pleaded guilty to indecent assault and related counts against nine women.

Ingram is scheduled to go to court with seven other women in January in a case against their local Massage Envy in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Massage Envys corporate offices.

In court documents and public statements, Massage Envy corporate claims that it is not liable for sexual assaults that take place at their franchises because of their contract with them, and that each location is independently run, according to Buzzfeed.

Melanie Hansen, general counsel of Massage Envy Franchising, said: Our right as a franchisor is generally limited to enforcement of our contractual rights under the franchise agreement (and other related agreements), including, when appropriate, terminating the franchise. Hansen said the company has terminated over 20 franchises for inappropriate conduct.

Attorneys for clients with lawsuits against Massage Envy say, however, that the corporate office is responsible because they set the policies for and provide the training to employees at the franchises.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) at the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill September 25, 2017 in Washington, DC. Graham warns that war on the Korean Peninsula is looking more likely if a diplomatic solution can't be found. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sen. Graham Warns North Korea to Take Trumps Threats Seriously

President Donald Trump doesnt want a war on the Korean Peninsula, but he is ready for one if thats what it takes to stop North Korea from getting a nuclear weapon capable of striking the United States.

Thats the summary of the Presidents position Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) gave during an interview on CNN on Nov. 29.

The president has said,Well take care of itnot the United Nations, not ChinaWell take care of it. My hope is that North Korea will realize he is serious about this. The president is not going to allow North Korea to have a nuclear weapon in their hands that can hit America, Graham told CNNs Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.

Were not going to let this crazy man in North Korea have the capability to hit the homeland.

Graham said that he was clear that war against North Korea would be a grim affair with profound effects on the region. But in a choice between regional stability and the security of the United States, the homeland came first, he said.

If theres a war with North Korea, it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and were headed toward a war if things dont change.

Grahams comments come after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into space that afternoon, coming down near the coast of Japan after reaching an altitude of 2780 milesover 10 times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station.

The launch was a date to be marked in the history books, the regimes KCNA news agency reported, claiming the ICBM completed North Koreas state nuclear force.

The regime claims the missile is capable of carrying a super-heavy nuclear warhead but analysts remain doubtful, believing Kim Jong Un still has a way to go before he can launch a nuclear-armed ICBM that can reach the United States.

War on the Korean Peninsulawhere Seoul sits just 35 miles from the missile and artillery-laden perimeter of the demilitarized zonewould be catastrophic.

Its not lost upon me what a war with North Korea would look like, said Graham. We would win it, but a lot of people would get hurt and killed.

Graham echoed Trumps calls for a diplomatic solution and said the president was not trying his hand at regime change or spread democracy to the North Korea.

But North Korea possessing a nuclear-tipped ICBM would not be allowed, he said.

At the end of the day, the president has to pick between homeland security and regional stability.

The President is picking America over the region and I hope the region will help us find a diplomatic solution.

Grahams words could also be a signal for China. The senator, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said China should take note of Trumps resolve.

If President Trump has to pick between destroying the North Korean regime and the American homeland, hes going to destroy the regime. I hope China understands that also, Graham said.
Son Posts Selfies on Facebook After Brutally Murdering Father

A Chicago man murdered his father and mutilated the old mans body before posting pictures of himself on Facebook accompanied by bizarre messages with odd spelling and punctuation.

Police charged 26-year-old Carlton Edmondson with first-degree murder after discovering the body of his 61-year-old father, Carl Edmondson, in the basement of the old mans home in the West Pullman neighborhood in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 25.

The fathers skull was crushed with brain matter splashed on the floor and walls. The mans genitals were cut off, Fox News reported.

Edmondson muttered, ranted, and laughed during a court hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday. Assistant State Attorney Julia Ramirez informed those present that the suspect violated an order of protection obtained by his father on Nov. 20, days before the murder.

The order of protection is gone, Edmondson said while smiling, according to Chicago Sun-Times. He is no longer living.

Edmondson also laughed softly as the prosecutor described how his fathers body was discovered at the home on the 11500 block of South Bishop Street.

The suspects behavior led to Judge Stephanie Miller ejecting him from the courtroom before she ruled that he is to be held without bond.

Police went to the victims home after receiving a call from Carlton Edmondsons uncle, who reported that he saw his nephew inside the home even though he was barred from entering.

The officers who knocked on the door came face to face with Carlton Edmondson who told them that his father was in the hospital. The officers took Edmondson into custody and later discovered his fathers body.

The officers found a Bowie knife, a circular saw and a concrete capstone near the corpse. They also said the body smelled of gasoline and discovered a gas can nearby. Investigators also recovered a black jacket, which the suspect appears to wear in Facebook photos he posted after the murder.

Edmondson posted a photo of himself smoking a cigarette and smiling with an oddly punctuated and spelled caption. The message accompanying one photo stated EyEm OAWn mA pEriOd #beebop #silenceofthelambs #gdshit #chevezwhatupfolkz. Another message sent around 7 a.m. said EyE sIlEnCed thE LahmeDs.

A report from the Cook County Medical Examiner said that Edmondsons father died from multiple injuries from an assault.

Edmondson has an extensive record of arrests. Just five day before the murder, he was taken into custody for throwing a brick through the window of his fathers house. He was released on a bond.

Edmondson was arrested six times since September on a variety of charges, according to court records. He was taken in for refusing to give his name to police officers, stealing a $16 pair of sunglasses, and taking a 70-year-old womans cellphone.

Before obtaining an order of protection in November, Edmondsons father had also requested one in August.

At the court hearing, Assistant Public Defender Kevin Ochalla asked that Edmondson be evaluated at the jail hospital.

He got my death-body, G! Edmondson said, pointing a finger at Ochalla. Ima kill him.

Edmondsons Facebook page has been removed, but his other social media pages are still accessible. Edmondson posted 29 tracks of rap music on Soundcloud. He went by the name Cryptonitebeatz.

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This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People's Army (KPA) during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (AFP/Getty Images)

South Korea Fires Missiles into Water after North Korea Missile Test

South Korea fired several missiles into the water after North Korea launched an inter-continental ballistic missile on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports.

Seoul fired pinpoint missiles into nearby waters to make sure that Pyongyang understands that it can be taken under fire by the South, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said, Fox News reported.

North Koreas ICBM is believed to have flown 620 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan, prompting alarm among Japanese officials.

Mattis noted that the North fired its highest-ever ICBM, posing a threat to the world. The last missile launch was in September.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. President Donald Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States, Reuters noted.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, Mattis said in Washington, D.C.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said the missile did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies, according to Fox News.

We are in the process of assessing the situation, and we will be providing additional details when available, Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning III told Fox News.

The missile flew 2,800 miles into space, Yonhap reported. That represents a 1,000-mile increase over the regimes first launch in July.

It is a situation that we will handle, Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking about the latest test.

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Australian Labor Party's Senator Sam Dastyari fronts the media in Sydney on Sept. 6, 2016, to make a public apology after asking a company with links to the Chinese regime to pay a bill incurred by his office. Dastyari then told reporters he made a mistake, but had not been asked to resign and would not tender his resignation. That may change given more recent revelations. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)

Tape Exposes Australian Senators Pro-Beijing Remarks on South China Sea

For Australian politician Sam Dastyari the hits keep coming and he is now under pressure to resign after being ordered by his party leader to step down from his parliamentary responsibilities. The pressure comes after a recording of a speech the Australian Labor Party senator gave last year where he backed Beijings aggressive moves in the South China Sea went public on Wednesday, refuting claims he made earlier that downplayed what he had said.

News of the report came just hours after Dastyari made front-page headlines for allegedly warning a Chinese Communist Party-linked benefactor that his phone was probably being monitored by intelligence agencies.

In relation to what he said about the South China Sea, initial reports from last year offered scant details but indicated that Dastyari had supported Beijings stance during a press conference.

A new recording has raised more questions about the conduct of powerful Labor Senator Sam Dastyari and his dealings with a wealthy Chinese donor. @QuentinMcDermott says the recording is "highly significant." pic.twitter.com/gw9ytQymo7  ABC News (@abcnews) November 29, 2017

Despite Dastyari downplaying what he said, it cost him a frontbench position with the opposition ALP which has a foreign policy position opposed to Beijings historical claim to virtually the entire 1.4-million-square-mile chunk of open ocean.

Dastyari later insisted during an interview with ABCs Australian Story what he said were just unscripted replies to questions thrown at me from the Chinese media.

But audio of the press conference reveals that Dastyari instead gave a scripted, deliberate and detailed defence of Beijings antagonistic moves in the South China Sea, reported Fairfax Media.

The ABC has secret audio of Sam Dastyari defending China's South China Sea stance to Chinese media in defiance of ALP policy. #auspol @politicsabchttps://t.co/N8Z2wi6AzL pic.twitter.com/BnrQMVCGWG  ABC News (@abcnews) November 29, 2017

In the audio recording, broadcast by numerous TV stations on Wednesday evening, Dastyari is heard clearly stating that the Chinese integrity of its borders is a matter for China.

The senator then talked about Chinas historical defense of its land claims in the disputed area and referred to how Australia and his partys policy should deal with the matter.

[T]he role Australia should be playing as a friend is to know that with the several thousand years of history, thousands of years of history, where it is and isnt our place to be involved, he said.

And as a supporter of China and a friend of China, the Australian Labor Party needs to play an important role in maintaining that relationship and the best way of maintaining that relationship is knowing when it is and isnt our place to be involved.

I find it inconceivable that Sam Dastyari would warn any foreign national that a phone might be bugged and how they might avoid surveillance. What did he have to say that was so at odds with Australia's national interest? MORE: https://t.co/auJ4fhUcd8 #Credlin pic.twitter.com/fKbavw4lpt  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 29, 2017

At the press conference, Dastyari made his remarks while standing behind a podium engraved with the Australian coat of arms next to Chinese Communist Party-linked billionaire Huang Xiangmo.

Fairfax reported that Dastyaris statement at the press conference occurred a day after ALP defense spokesman Stephen Conroy openly castigated Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea. He called them destabilizing and absurd. Conroys criticism resulted in Huang informing the ALP that he was withdrawing a promised $400,000 donation for their 2016 election campaign.

In response to the growing scandal, leader of the ALP Bill Shorten on Wednesday evening sacked Dastyari from his role as deputy senate whip and his position as a senate committee chair, reported ABC.

Shorten told Dastyari his mischaracterization of the South China Sea comments made his position untenable. The pressure is now on the senator to resign.

Before reports on Dastyaris comments went public on Wednesday evening, the senator had already been pummeled during the day by media reports detailing a face-to-face meeting he had with Huang last year where he advised the Chinese property developer to not talk near their phones because of surveillance concerns.

Fairfax also reported that an official source said the Australian politician, during the meeting, blamed the U.S. government for the scandal that he and Huang had been caught up in earlier.

.@TurnbullMalcolm: Why is @samdastyari trying to alert a Chinese donor to the possibility he could be under surveillance? Whose side is he on? MORE: https://t.co/auJ4fhCAOy pic.twitter.com/IZFbdMk37U  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 29, 2017

Last year many of Dastyari links with Huang were revealed by the press, among them how Huang paid a $5,000 legal bill for Dastyari and how he had asked Dastyari to act on his behalf in attaining Australian citizenship, a process that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) put on hold due to security concerns.

Huang is a person of interest to Australian intelligence services because of his connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including how he was, until very recently, the head of a Sydney organization associated with the United Front Work Department, a CCP political lobbying and propaganda agency.

Huang is also on record telling a CCP newspaper that political demands and political donations should be linked.

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From NTD.tv
The Willamette Valley Ag Expo is set for Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 15 through 17, at the Linn County Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road E. in Albany.
Texas Man Sentenced to 1,000 Years in Prison for Abuse

A Texas man was sentenced to more than 1,000 years behind bars after he was convicted of abusing two girls.

Robert Benjamin Franks, 39, of San Marcos, repeatedly abused two girls  aged 9 and 10  who were also his relatives, Fox7 reported.

Franks on Monday got two life sentences as well as 1,000 years for continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and other charges, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Both girls testified in court against Franks.

It does send a message to not expect leniency if you commit these kinds of crimes, Hays County criminal district attorney Wes Mau told Fox7. I hope it tells the offenders, This is not a risk you want to take, he said.

He was also told to pay $93,000 in fines.

One of the girls brought the abuse to light when she told her father that Franks had done disgusting things, the Fox affiliate reported. After she reported the abuse, another girl came forward with similar claims. A third victim, who is an adult, also testified saying he abused her when she was 10.

Words cannot really express the depth of the betrayal and outrage warranted by conduct like this, committed by a man who should have been caring for and protecting these children, Mau added, according to KVUE. The jurys sentence speaks more eloquently than I can to make clear how our community feels about crimes like these.

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NBC host Matt Lauer during the NBC News Commander-in-Chief Forum with presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald trump, in New York City on Sept. 7, 2016. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Today Show Hosts Announce Matt Lauers Firing, Holding Back Tears

Today show host Savannah Guthrie was seen fighting back tears as she announced the firing of co-anchor, Matt Lauer, amid sexual assault allegations.

On Wednesday, the longtime host was fired after a colleague accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Savannah Guthrie announces Matt Lauer has been fired from NBC after a complaint of sexual harassment. pic.twitter.com/St9pG73r2H  Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) November 29, 2017

This is a sad morning here at Today and NBC News, Guthrie said. Then, she read a letter from NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack that was sent to employees at NBC, saying that Lauers offense may not have been isolated.

We learned this moments ago, just this morning. As you can imagine, we are devastated. And we are still processing all of this, said Guthrie. I will tell you, we do not know more than what I just shared with you. But we will be covering this story, as reporters, as journalists. Im sure well learn more details in the hours and days to come. We promise to share that with you.

Lauer was the longest tenured morning show host as well as the highest paid, commanding an annual salary of $25 million.

The New York Post reported that an NBC staffer working at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 came forward and made the accusations against Lauer, saying he sexually assaulted her.

Hoda, I mean, you know, for the moment, all we can say is we are heartbroken. Im heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner. And he is beloved by many, many people here, said Guthrie on the show. And Im heartbroken for the brave colleague that came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell.

We are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these weeks. How do you reconcile your love for someone with the recognition that they have behaved badly. And I dont know the answer to that, said Guthrie. But I know this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important. Its long overdue. And it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected.

Lack, in his letter, sent it out to NBC employees before the airing of the show. Why he chose to release it then is unclear. Via CNN, heres his full statement:

Dear Colleagues, On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident. Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender. We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization  and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions. Andy

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Pyongyang residents watch a big screen near the Pyongyang Railway Station showing the news on the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15 in Pyongyang on November 29, 2017. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on November 29 his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new missile capable of hitting anywhere in the United States. (KIM WON-JIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Announces New Major Sanctions against North Korea

U.S. allies and China agree to increase pressure on North Korea

North Korea will come under significant new sanctions, President Donald Trump announced via Twitter on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

Trumps announcement comes as major regional players rally around efforts to increase economic penalties against North Korea after its latest missile test. The regime launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into space on Nov. 28.

Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!, Trump tweeted.

Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party affirmed Trumps announcement and Chinas commitment to stopping North Korean dictator Kim Jong Uns nuclear program. The Peoples Daily reported that Xi told Trump that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula is Chinas unswerving goal.

Chinese President #XiJinping on Wed told @realDonaldTrump over the phone that the denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula is China's unswerving goal and China is ready to join the US in pushing the issue towards a peaceful settlement pic.twitter.com/uLseAky6g6  People's Daily,China (@PDChina) November 29, 2017

South Korea and Japan are also prepared to push the United Nations to take further action, South Koreas Yonhap News Agency reported on Nov. 29.

The leaders of South Korea and Japan agreed Wednesday to seek additional U.N. sanctions against North Korea, saying they can no longer tolerate North Korean provocations, reported Yonhap.

The announcement came after a 20-minute phone call between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The two leaders agreed to use an upcoming Nov. 30 meeting of the U.N. Security Council to increase pressure against the North Korean regime.

Moon also said that when he visits China in December he will ask Xi to take further steps in stopping North Koreas provocations. The Japanese leader concurred.

Prime Minister Abe emphasized that it was important for China to play a greater role in putting pressure on North Korea, Moons chief press secretary Yoon Young-chan told reporters.

Yoon said Moon wanted to meet with Abe and Xi in Tokyo soon.

North Korea has prompted the United States and its allies to take further action against the isolated regime after it fired its first missile in 75 days.

With the launch, North Korea is claiming it has completed its state nuclear force.

With this system, the DPRK [North Korea] has become possessed of another new-type inter-continental ballistic rocket weaponry system capable of carrying super-heavy nuclear warhead and attacking the whole mainland of the U.S., reported North Koreas state-run KCNA on Nov. 29.

The article said the launch should be specially recorded in the history of the country.

But experts remain doubtful the missile is as capable as Pyongyang is boasting.

North Korean media outlets did not mention whether a warhead could withstand the extreme heat and pressure of reentry.

To test the reentry technology, there is a need to fire a missile on a standard trajectory. The North probably did not succeed in (mastering) it, Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at Korea Aerospace University told Yonhap.

Despite those doubts, the missile marks a new level of capability for the North Korean regime, drawing criticism from several world leaders.

After the launch, U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said the United States should pursue space-based missile defense.

Speaking on Fox News, Rep. Franks also warned of the dire consequences if North Korea ever attacked the United States.

North Korea must understand that if they successfully launch a nuclear weapon and it hits any civilian population of the U.S., they will need a Geiger counter to find Pyongyang, he said.

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Andrew Thomas (L) and Keenan G. McGriff have been arrested by Syracuse police and accused of recklessly causing the death of Earnest Collins on Aug. 26, 2017. (Syracuse Police Department)

Two Men Who Allegedly Beat and Left Victim on Road to Be Run Over Charged with Manslaughter

Two Syracuse men have been charged with manslaughter for their role in a bizarre incident. A man was beaten by three assailants and left lying in a road, then he was struck and killed by a passing car.

Andrew Thomas, 22, and Keenan G. McGriff, 25, have been charged with second-degree manslaughter, reported syracuse.com. If convicted on this felony charge, they face a minimum sentence of 1 to 3 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 5 to 15 years.

Thomas and McGriff are accused of recklessly causing the death of Earnest D. Collins in the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2017, police said, reported syracuse.com

Collins was first beaten by three men and as he was lying in the road in the 300 block of North Salina Street, Syracuse, New York, he was struck by a passing car, video surveillance reportedly showed. The driver did not spot Collins in time to avoid him, police said, and was not charged for his role in the incident.

There was evidence indicating that their actions were determined to be a factor in the death of Earnest Collins, and as a result, indictment warrants were issued for their arrest. We do know that they were in the area prior to Mr. Collins being struck by the car, said Syracuse Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Richard Helterline.

According to a 90-second video (WARNING: GRAPHIC), three men walk away from the victim, who is lying in the road. As the three men walk away, the victim stands up and starts to walk in the opposite direction. The men return and appear to strike the victim and then kick him while hes down on the ground.

The three men walk away, leaving the victim lying on the road in the northbound lane. The video shows two cars in the southbound lane approaching and slowing down, while one driver can be heard trying to alert oncoming northbound traffic by honking his horn. A northbound car apparently fails to notice the warning and runs over the victim.

Collins, who was conscious after being run over, was transported to a hospital in Syracuse and pronounced dead sometime later.

Warrants for the arrest of Thomas and McGriff were issued following a Syracuse Police Department investigation.

After a thorough investigation was completed, and after coordinating with the Onondaga County District Attorneys Office, warrants were issued for suspects that are believed to have been involved in the death of Earnest Collins, a police statement said.

This investigation is continuing, the statement said, and additional arrests are possible.

Syracuse police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

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A wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces, Slobodan Praljak, is seen during a hearing at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in the Hague, Netherlands, November 29, 2017. (ICTY via REUTERS TV)

War Crimes Convict Dies After Drinking Poison in Court

A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a U.N. war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital in the Hague after he was seen drinking from a flask or glass as a U.N. judge read out the ruling against him and five other suspects, state TV reported, citing unnamed sources.

The apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgment at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which closes next month.

I just drank poison, he said. I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction.

Bosnian Croat general dies after drinking poison in court during war crimes appeal. https://t.co/1bHABNDSvr  Devon Peacock (@devonpeacock_) November 29, 2017

After gulping down the drink, Praljak sat back down and slumped in his chair, a lawyer who was in the courtroom at the time said.

U.N. court representatives and Dutch hospital officials declined to comment on his condition.

Croatian General Marinko Kresic, speaking earlier on Croatian TV, said he had spoken to the wife of another defendant, Milivoje Petkovic, who was in The Hague. She confirmed that he drank the poison and that he is in a very grave health condition, he said.

#UPDATE "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict." Bosnian Croat war criminal's last words before fatally drinking poison during his hearing at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) https://t.co/XKvF4fnrJx pic.twitter.com/cHrwH85zTk  AFP news agency (@AFP) November 29, 2017

The presiding Judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearings and paramedics raced to the courtroom, which was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As forensic investigation got underway, the courtroom was sealed off, and the public was instructed to leave.

Dont take away the glass, Agius said, instructing the guards to lower blinds and block a glass-partition separating the court from the public.

In the chaotic moments that followed, guards and paramedics raced in and out of the courtroom. Ambulances were seen leaving the tribunal, but there was no official confirmation of Praljaks condition.

A reading of the judgment, which was also deciding on charges against five other suspects, resumed more than two hours after Praljak said he had poisoned himself.

The Dutch authorities have already commenced an investigation into what happened this morning, he said.

The incident upstaged the appeals ruling, which was important for Croatia, where parliament was suspended so lawmakers could follow the reading of the verdict.

NOT A WAR CRIMINAL

The court upheld convictions of Praljak and five other Bosnian Croats: Jadranko Prlic, the political leader of the Croatian province of Bosnia, along with military and police figures Bruno Stojic, Milivoj Petrovic, Valentin Coric and Berislav Pusic.

Judges upheld findings that there was a criminal conspiracy that included the regime of neighbor Croatia under then-President Franjo Tudjman with the goal of ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population of parts of Bosnia to ensure Croatian domination.

The defendants on Wednesday received sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years. The decision cannot be appealed.

The chairman of Bosnias inter-ethnic presidency, Dragan Covic, a Croat, said: He showed before the whole world what kind of sacrifice he is ready to make to prove that he is not a war criminal.

The ICTY, established in 1993 by the U.N. Security Council, indicted 161 war crimes suspects from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Of the 83 convicted, more than 60 of them were ethnic Serbs.

The courts lead suspect, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, died of a heart attack in March 2006 months before a ruling in his genocide case.

Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic was found guilty of genocide by the U.N. war crimes tribunal last week and sentenced to life in prison for his role in massacres and ethnic cleansing during Bosnias war.

Two defendants awaiting trial committed suicide by hanging themselves in their U.N. cells, according to court documents. Slavko Dogmanovic died in 1998 and Milan Babic was found dead in his locked cell in 2006.
(L-R) President Donald Trump hosts Fleming Begaye, Thomas Begay, and Peter MacDonald, Navajo Code Talkers from World War II, in the Oval Office at the White House on Nov. 27. (Oliver Contreras-Pool/Getty Images)

WWII Navajo Code Talkers Honored at White House

WASHINGTONThree of the 13 surviving Navajo Code Talkers of World War II met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Nov. 27.

Speaking at the event, Peter MacDonald, 90, president of the surviving code talkers, said he enlisted in the Marine Corps to become a code talker in 1944, when he was 15.

In the early part of World War II, the enemy was breaking every military code that was being used in the Pacific, MacDonald said. This created a huge problem for strategizing against the enemy.

In early 1942, the suggestion was made to use the Navajo language as a code. MacDonald said the Marine Corps recruited 29 young Navajos. After basic training, they were taken to Camp Elliott near San Diego.

The Navajo Marines created 260 code words, committed to memory only.

On Aug. 7, 194275 years agothe 1st Marine Division hit the beaches of Guadalcanal with 15 Navajo Code Talkers, MacDonald said. This was the first battle where the Navajo code was to be tested in actual battle to test to see how our memory would be under heavy enemy fire.

MacDonald said that three weeks after the landing, Gen. Alexander Vandegrift, commander of the 1st Marine Division, sent word back to the United States saying the code was working and to please send more Navajos.

Eventually, by the time the war ended, 1945, there were 400 of us that went to war, MacDonald said.

He said the code grew to 600 words by the end of the war, still by memory only, and Navajo was used for all top-secret messages in battle. English was used for all other communications.

In every battlefrom the frontline, beach command post, command ship, all other shipscode talkers were used, MacDonald said. The successful taking of Iwo Jima was attributed to the Navajo Code Talkers.

Accompanying MacDonald at the White House were Navajos Fleming Begaye and Thomas Begay.

Begaye, 97, survived the Battle of Tarawa, MacDonald recounted. His landing craft was blown up, and he literally had to swim to the beach to survive. He also landed on Tinian, where he got shot up real badly, survived one year in naval hospital.

Begay was a code talker on Iwo Jima with the 5th Marine Division, said MacDonald.

Also, as if Marine Corps was not enough, he enlisted to be United States Army and served in the Korean War. Survived that awful battle at Chosin, he said.

MacDonald said the 13 remaining Navajo Code Talkers still have one mission left: to help build a national Navajo Code Talker museum.

What we did truly represents who we are as Americans, MacDonald said. America, we know, is composed of diverse community. We have different languages, different skills, different talents, and different religion.

But when our way of life is threatened, like the freedom and liberty that we all cherish, we come together as one. And when we come together as one, we are invincible. We cannot be defeated.

Thats why we need this national Navajo Code Talker museum, so that our children, the future generation, can go through that museum and learn why America is so strong.

Trump said he invited the code talkers to the White House to honor their contribution and promised to help bring the museum to fruition.

You are special people. You are really incredible people, he said. And from the heart, from the absolute heart, we appreciate what youve done, how youve done it, the bravery that you displayed, and the love that you have for your country.

Trump asked his chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, to say a few words.

What these men did, the advantage they gave our Marines when they invaded Iwo Jima was reallyand I think it was pointed outwas one of the very few factors that allowed us to be successful on that island, Kelly said.

What they did, very small number of men, sir, made the difference. We lost 6,000 Marines and 25,000 wounded on that island in 28 days of battle. It would have been a lot worse had we not had the Navajo Code Talkers. And I thank you.
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Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface.

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The following companies are subsidiares of UnitedHealth Group: 1070715 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, 1st Avenue Pharmacy Inc., 310 Canyon Medical LLC, 4C MSO LLC, 4C Medical Group PLC, 5995 Minnetonka LLC, ABCO International Holdings LLC, ACN Group IPA of New York Inc., ACN Group of California Inc., AHN Accountable Care Organization LLC, AHN Central Services LLC, AHN Target Holdings LLC, AMIL International S.a.r.l., APS  Assistencia Personalizada a Saude Ltda., ASC Holdings of New Jersey LLC, ASC Network LLC, ASC Operators-East Bay LLC, ASC Operators-San Francisco LLC, ASC Operators-San Luis Obispo LLC, ASC Operators-Santa Rosa LLC, ASC Operators-South Bay LLC, ASV-HOPCo-SCA Cornerstone LLC, ASV-HOPCo-SCA Florida LLC, AbleTo Behavioral Health Services P.C., AbleTo Inc., Accurate Rx Pharmacy Consulting LLC, Administradora Clinica La Colina S.A.S., Administradora Country S.A.S., Administradora Medica Centromed S.A., Advanced Surgery Center of Clifton LLC, Advanced Surgical Center LLC, Advanced Surgical Hospital LLC, Advocate Condell Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate Southwest Ambulatory Surgery Center L.L.C., Advocate-SCA Partners LLC, Aliansalud Entidad Promotora de Salud S.A., All Savers Insurance Company, All Savers Life Insurance Company of California, Alliance Surgical Center LLC, Allina Health Heart and Vascular Surgery Center LLC, Allina Health Surgery Center-Brooklyn Park LLC, Aloha Surgical Center LLC, Ambient Healthcare Inc., Ambient Holdings Inc., AmeriChoice, AmeriChoice Corporation, AmeriChoice of New Jersey Inc., American Health Network of Indiana Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Indiana II LLC, American Health Network of Indiana LLC, American Health Network of Kentucky LLC, American Health Network of Ohio Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Ohio II LLC, American Health Network of Ohio LLC, American Physicians Inc., Amico Saude Ltda., Amil, Amil Assistencia Medica Internacional S.A., Angiografia e Hemodinamica Madre Theodora Ltda., Anne Arundel-SCA Holdings LLC, Anne Arundel-SCA Surgicenter LLC, Antelope Valley Surgery Center L.P., Analisis Clinicos ML S.A.C., Apothecary Holdings Inc., AppleCare Medical Management LLC, Aquitania Chilean Holding SpA, Arcadia JV Holdings LLC, Arcadia Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., ArchWell Health LLC, ArchWell Health MSO LLC, ArchWell Health Professional Services Holding Co., ArchWell Health Professional Services of Alabama LLC, ArchWell Health Professional Services of North Carolina P.C., ArchWell Health Professional Services of Oklahoma LLC, Archwell Health Professional Services of Arizona LLC, Archwell Health Professional Services of Nebraska LLC, Arise Physician Group, Arizona Physicians IPA Inc., Arlington Surgery Center LLC, Aspectus Inc., Associacao Lusiadas Knowledge Center  Health Education and Research, Audax Health Solutions LLC, Aurora Hospitalist P.C., Austin Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., Avella Specialty Pharmacy, Aventura Medical Tower Surgery Center LLC, Avery Parent Holdings Inc., Aveta Inc., AxelaCare Intermediate Holdings LLC, AxelaCare LLC, B.R.A.S.S. Partnership in Commendam, BOSC Holdings LLC, BSC Holdings LLC, Ball Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Banmedica Colombia S.A.S., Banmedica Internacional SpA, Banmedica S.A., Barranca Surgery Center LLC, Beach Surgical Holdings II LLC, Beach Surgical Holdings III LLC, Beach Surgical Holdings LLC, Beaver Medical Group P.C., Bedford Physicians Risk Retention Group Inc., Behavioral Healthcare Options Inc., Beltway Surgery Centers L.L.C., Benefit Administration for the Self Employed L.L.C., Benefitter Insurance Solutions Inc., Bergan Mercy Surgery Center LLC, Bergen-Passaic Cataract Laser and Surgery Center LLC, Bessler MD PLLC, Bind Benefits Inc., Bind LH Holdings Inc., Bind Re Inc., Birmingham Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Birmingham Outpatient Surgical Center LLC, Bloomfield ASC LLC, Blue Ridge Day Surgery Center L.P., Blue Ridge GP LLC, Blue Ridge Properties LLC, Boca Raton Outpatient Surgery & Laser Center LTD., Bordeaux Barbados Holdings I SRL, Bordeaux Barbados Holdings II SRL, Bordeaux Barbados Holdings III S.r.l., Bordeaux Holding SpA, Bordeaux International Holdings Inc., Bordeaux UK Holdings I Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings II Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings III Limited, Bosque Medical Center Ltda., Brandon Ambulatory Surgery Center LC, BriovaRx Infusion Services 102 LLC, BriovaRx of Florida Inc., BriovaRx of Maine Inc., BriovaRx of Massachusetts LLC, CCEC Anesthesia Management LLC, CDC Holdings Colombia S.A.S., CLISA  Clinica de Santo Antonio S.A., CMO  Centro Medico de Oftalmologia S/S Ltda., CMS  Central de Manipulacao e Servicos Farmaceuticos Ltda., COI  Clinicas Oncologicas Integradas S.A., Cabin Enterprises LLC, Cabin Holdings LLC, California Medical Group Insurance Company Risk Retention Group, Camp Hill Ambulatory Centers, Camp Hill-SCA Centers LLC, Capital City Medical Group L.L.C., Cardinal Holding Company LLC, Care Improvement Plus Group Management LLC, Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus Wisconsin Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus of Texas Insurance Company, Care Logistics LLC, CareMount Dental Member LLC, CareMount Health Solutions ACO LLC, CareMount Health Solutions Employer LLC, CareMount Health Solutions LLC, CareMount Holding LLC, CareMount Medical Foundation Inc., CareMount Value Partners IPA LLC, Carr PLLC, Casa de Saude Santa Therezinha Ltda., Castle Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Castle Rock SurgiCenter LLC, Catalyst360 LLC, Catamaran 2 Unlimited Company, Catamaran Finance Ireland Unlimited Company, Catamaran S.a.r.l., Cedar Park JV Partners LLC, Cedar Park Surgery Center LLC, Cemed Care  Empresa de Atendimento Clinico Geral Ltda., Center for Quality Improvement LLC, Center for Restorative Surgery at Maple Grove LLC, Center for Surgery of North Coast L.P., Central Indiana Care Organization LLC, Central Ohio Care Organization LLC, CentriHealth Corporation, CentrifyHealth LLC, Centro Medico Hospitalar Pitangueiras Ltda., Centro Odontologico Americano S.A.C., Centro de Entrenamiento Capacitacion en Reanimacion y Prevencion Limitada, Centro de Servicios Compartidos Banmedica SpA, Centromed Quilpue S.A., Centros Medicos y Dentales Multimed Ltda., Centura-SCA Holdings LLC, Centurion Casualty Company, Channel Islands Surgicenter L.P., Channel Islands Surgicenter Properties LLC, Charleston Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Charleston Surgery Properties LLC, Charlotte Surgery Center LLC, Charlotte Surgery Properties LTD., Charlotte-SC LLC, Chatham Orthopaedic ASC LLC, Childrens Surgery Center LLC, Citrus Regional Surgery Center L.P., Claims Management Systems Inc., Cleburne Surgical Center LLC, Clinical Partners of Colorado Springs LLC, Clinton Partners LLC, Clinica Alameda SpA, Clinica Bio Bio SpA, Clinica Ciudad del Mar S.A., Clinica Davila y Servicios Medicos S.p.A., Clinica Iquique S.A., Clinica Medico Cirurgica de Santa Tecla S.A., Clinica Portoazul S.A., Clinica San Felipe S.A., Clinica Santa Maria S.p.A., Clinica Sanchez Ferrer S.A., Clinica Vespucio S.A., Clinica del Country S.A.S., Coachella Valley Physicians of PrimeCare Inc., Coalition for Advanced Pharmacy Services Inc., Cobranzas Banmedica SpA, Cogent Healthcare IPA of New York Inc., Cogent Healthcare Inc., Cogent Healthcare Management of New York Inc., Cogent Healthcare of Arizona P.C., Cogent Healthcare of California Prof. Corp., Cogent Healthcare of Georgia P.C., Cogent Healthcare of Illinois LLC, Cogent Healthcare of Iowa P.C., Cogent Healthcare of Jackson MS LLC, Cogent Healthcare of Jacksonville LLC, Cogent Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Cogent Healthcare of Missouri Inc., Cogent Healthcare of Montana P.C., Cogent Healthcare of New Jersey P.C., Cogent Healthcare of North Carolina P.C., Cogent Healthcare of Oregon P.C., Cogent Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Cogent Healthcare of Pensacola L.L.C., Cogent Healthcare of Tennessee P.C., Cogent Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Cogent Healthcare of Washington P.C., Cogent Medical Care P.C., Cogent Patient Safety Organization Inc., Cogent/Endion Medical Care of New York P.C., Collaborative Care Holdings LLC, Collaborative Care Services Inc., Collaborative Realty LLC, Colmedica Medicina Prepagada S.A., Colonial Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Colorado Innovative Physician Solutions Inc., Colorado Springs Surgery Center Ltd., Comfort Care Transportation LLC, Comprehensive Hospital Physicians of Florida Inc., ConnectYourCare Inc., ConnectYourCare LLC, Connecticut Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Connecticut Surgery Properties LLC, Connecticut Surgical Center LLC, Consorcio Regenero S.A., Constructora Inmobiliaria Magapoq S.A., Consumer Wellness Solutions Inc., Continuum Physicians Group Inc., Continuum Physicians Group of Washington PLLC, Cornell Surgicenter LLC, Cornerstone Surgery Center LLC, Cornerstone Surgicare LLC, Corpus Christi Endoscopy Center L.L.P., Country Scan Ltda., Critical Care Physician of New York P.C., Critical Care Physicians of Illinois LLC, Critical Care Physicians of New Jersey PC, Critical Care Physicians of Pennsylvania P.C., Cross Timbers Surgery Center LLC, Cypress Care Inc., DBP Services of New York IPA Inc., DSP Flint Real Estate LLC, DSP-Building C LLC, DTC Surgery Center LLC, DWIC of Tampa Bay Inc., Dallas Inpatient Specialist PLLC, Danbury Surgical Center L.P., Day-Op Surgery Consulting Company LLC, Definity Health, Dental Benefit Providers Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of California Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of Illinois Inc., Denton Endoscopy Surgery Center LLC, Denton Surgery Center LLC, Derry Surgical Center LLC, Diagnostico Ecotomografico Centromed Ltda., Diasnostico por Imagenes Centromed Ltda., Digestive Disease Center L.P., Dilab Medicina Nuclear Ltda., Diplomat Blocker LLC, Diplomat Corporate Properties LLC, Diplomat Pharmacy, Diplomat Pharmacy Inc., Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy Great Lakes Distribution Center LLC, Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy of Chicago LLC, Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy of Ft. Lauderdale LLC, Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy of Los Angeles County LLC, Distance Learning Network Inc., Divisadero Holdings LLC, DocASAP Inc., DocASAP India Technologies Private Limited, DocASAP US LLC, Doctor + S.A.C., Dry Creek Surgery Center LLC, Dublin Surgery Center LLC, Duluth Surgical Suites LLC, Durable Medical Equipment Inc., E Street Endoscopy LLC, EM Orange Tree LLC, EP Campus I LLC, EPIC Health Plan, EPIC Management Services LLC, East Bay Endoscopy Center L.P., East Brunswick Surgery Center LLC, Echo Locum Tenens Inc., Electronic Network Systems Inc., Elual Participacoes S.A., Emerald Coast Surgery Center L.P., Emisar Pharma Services LLC, Emmaus Holdings LLC, Emmaus Surgical Center LLC, Empire Physician Management Company LLC, Empremedica S. A., Endion Hospitalist North P.C., Endion Hospitalist of Western New York P.C., Endion Medical Healthcare P.C., Endion Medical Services P.C., Endoscopy Center Affiliates Inc., Enterprise Life Insurance Company, Equian, Equian LLC, Equian Parent Corp., Esho  Empresa de Servicos Hospitalares S.A., Everett MSO Inc., Excelsior Insurance Brokerage Inc., Executive Health Resources Inc., Executive Surgery Center L.L.C., Eye Clinic Oftalmologia Clinico Cirurgica e Diagnostico Ltda., Eye Specialists Surgery Centers LLC, FMG Holdings LLC, Family Health Care Services, Family Home Hospice Inc., Ferrell Physician Services P.C., Fideicomiso Clinica Barranquilla Portoazul FA-517, First Coast Orthopedic Center LLC, First Family Insurance LLC, Florence Surgery Center L.P., For Health Inc., For Health of Arizona Inc., Fort Sutter Medical Building a California Limited Partnership, Fort Worth Endoscopy Centers LLC, Fortified Provider Network Inc., Foundation Surgery Affiliate General of Huntingdon Valley LLC, Foundation Surgery Affiliate of Huntingdon Valley L.P., Franklin Surgical Center LLC, Freedom Life Insurance Company of America, Freeway Surgicenter of Houston LLC, Frontier Medex Tanzania Limited, FrontierMEDEX Inc., FrontierMEDEX Kenya Limited, FrontierMEDEX US Inc., Fundacion Banmedica, GLBESC LLC, GRANTS PASS SURGERY CENTER LLC, Gadsden Surgery Center LLC, Gainesville Surgery Center L.P., Gainesville Surgery Properties LLC, Genoa, Genoa Healthcare Inc., Genoa QoL Wholesale LLC, Genoa Technology Canada Inc., Genoa Technology Inc., Genoa Telepsychiatry Inc., Genoa of Arkansas LLC, Gladiolus Surgery Center L.L.C., Glenwood Surgical Center L.P., Glenwood-SC Inc., Global One Ventures LLC, Golden Gate Endoscopy Center LLC, Golden Outlook Inc., Golden Rule Financial Corporation, Golden Rule Insurance Company, Golden Triangle Surgicenter L.P., Grandview Surgery Center LTD., Greater New Haven ASC LLC, Greensboro Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Greenville Surgery Center LLC, Greenway Surgical Suites LLC, Grossmont Surgery Center L.P., Grove Place Surgery Center L.L.C., H&W Indemnity SPC Ltd., H.I. Investments Holding Company LLC, HCP ACO California LLC, HCentive Technology India Private Limited, HFHS-SCA Holdings LLC, HMG Holding Corporation, HMG Holdings LLC, HMP of Baltimore  USH P.C., Harken Health Insurance Company, Harrison Endo Surgical Center LLC, Hawthorn Place Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Hays JV Partners LLC, Hays Surgery Center LLC, Health Care-ONE Insurance Agency Inc., Health Inventures Employment Solutions LLC, Health Inventures LLC, Health Plan of Nevada Inc., HealthCare Partners ASC-LB LLC, HealthCare Partners Affiliates Medical Group, HealthCare Partners Management Services California LLC, HealthCare Partners RE LLC, HealthEast Surgery Center-Maplewood LLC, HealthFirst IPA Inc., HealthMarkets Group Inc., HealthMarkets Inc., HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Inc., HealthMarkets LLC, HealthMarkets Services Inc., HealthSCOPE Holdings Inc., HealthScope Benefits Inc., Healthcare Solutions Inc., Healthplex America LLC, Healthplex Dental Services Inc., Healthplex I.P.A. Inc., Healthplex Inc., Healthplex Insurance Company, Healthplex of CT Inc., Healthplex of DC Inc., Healthplex of MD Inc., Healthplex of ME Inc., Healthplex of NC Inc., Healthplex of NJ Inc., Healthplex of TX Inc., Heartland Heart and Vascular LLC, Help Seguros de Vida S.A., Help Service S.A., Help SpA, Hemonefro  Hemodialise e Nefrologia Ltda, Highlands Ranch Healthcare LLC, Home Medical S.A., Honodav SpA, Hospice Inspiris Holdings Inc., Hospitais Associados de Pernambuco Ltda., Hospital Alvorada Taguatinga Ltda., Hospital Ana Costa S.A., Hospital Santa Helena S.A., Hospital de Clinicas de Jacarepagua Ltda., Hospitalist Medicine Physician of Broome County PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physician of New York - Binghamton P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physician of New York - Buffalo P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physician of New York - Newburgh P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physician of New York - Nyack P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physician of New York - Patchogue P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Alabama  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Alabama  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Alaska  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Alaska  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Goodyear Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Nogales Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Phoenix II Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Phoenix Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Sierra Vista Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Tucson II Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona - Tucson Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arizona  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arkansas  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Arkansas  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Buncombe County PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Apple Valley PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Bakersfield PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Camarillo PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Crescent City PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Fairfield PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Fremont PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Grass Valley PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Jackson PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Oceanside PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Oxnard PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Salinas PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - San Bernardino II PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - San Bernardino PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - San Leandro PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Sonoma PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Stockton II PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Stockton PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Thousand Oaks PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California - Vacaville PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of California  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Colorado - Brighton PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Colorado - Denver PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Colorado  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Colorado  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut - Manchester LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut - Rockville LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut - Wallingford LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Connecticut  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of DC PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of DC  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of DC  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Delaware  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Delaware  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida - Ft. Lauderdale LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida - Jacksonville II LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida - Jacksonville LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida - Palm Coast LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Florida  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Fredericksburg LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia - Atlanta PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia - East Point PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia - Lavonia PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia - Savannah PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Georgia  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Hawaii - Kealakekua Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Hawaii  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Hawaii  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Idaho - Nampa PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Idaho  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Idaho  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois - Downers Grove LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois - Elmhurst LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois - Rockford LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois - Winfield LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Illinois  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana - Clinton LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana - Mishawaka LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana - Terre Haute LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Indiana  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Iowa - Cedar Rapids PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Iowa - Mason City PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Iowa PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Iowa  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Iowa  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Kansas - Topeka LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Kansas - Wichita II LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Kansas - Wichita LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Kansas  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Kansas  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana - Alexandria Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana - Bossier City Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana - Lake Charles Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana - Shreveport Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Louisiana  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maine - Bangor PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maine - Lewiston PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maine  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maine  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland - Cheverly PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland - Cumberland PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland - Frederick PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland - Laurel PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland - Rockville PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Maryland  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Brockton PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Dorchester PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Framingham PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Holyoke PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Natick PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Norwood PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Springfield PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Stoughton PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Taunton PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts - Worcester PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Massachusetts  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Alpena PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Dowagiac PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Escanaba PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Grand Blanc PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Grayling PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Kalamazoo PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Plainwell PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Port Huron PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Saginaw PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan - Tawas City PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Michigan  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Minnesota  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Minnesota  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Mississippi LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Mississippi  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Mississippi  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Missouri - Bridgeton Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Missouri - Richmond Heights Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Missouri  TCG Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Missouri  TCS Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana - Billings PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana - Butte PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana - Miles City PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana - Missoula PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Montana  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Multiple Practice Sites LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nebraska  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nebraska  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada - Henderson Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada - Henderson II Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada - Las Vegas Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada - Las Vegas II Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada  TCG Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Nevada  TCS Bessler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Hampshire  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Hampshire  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Jersey - Hackensack PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Jersey - Paterson PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Jersey - TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Jersey  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Mexico - Clovis LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Mexico - Rio Rancho LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Mexico - TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New Mexico - TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of New York PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - Burlington PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - Clyde PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - Elizabeth City PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - Jacksonville PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - New Bern PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina - Rocky Mount PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Carolina  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Dakota  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of North Dakota  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Akron Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Batavia Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Canton Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Cincinnati II Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Cincinnati III Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Cincinnati Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Circleville Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Columbus II Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Columbus Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Dover Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - East Liverpool Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Fairfield Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Martins Ferry Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Westerville Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio - Youngstown Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio  TCG Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Ohio  TCS Professional Corporation, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oklahoma - Oklahoma City LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oklahoma  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oklahoma  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oregon - Portland PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oregon  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Oregon  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Pennsylvania P.C., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Pennsylvania  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Pennsylvania  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Rhode Island  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Rhode Island  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Richland County Ltd., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of San Luis Obispo County Inc., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Carolina - Aiken LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Carolina - Rock Hill LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Carolina  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Carolina  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Dakota  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of South Dakota  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Tennessee  Columbia PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Tennessee  Franklin PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Tennessee  TCG PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Tennessee  TCS PC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Amarillo PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Atlanta PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Austin II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Austin PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Bryan PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Burnet PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Corpus Christi II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Corpus Christi PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Cypress PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Dallas PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - El Paso II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - El Paso III PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - El Paso PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Fort Worth II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Fort Worth PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Fredericksburg PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Houston PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Humble PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Kerrville PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Kyle PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Livingston PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Lubbock PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Lufkin PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Mount Pleasant PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Plainview PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Rockwall PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Round Rock PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio III PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio IV PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio V PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio VI PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Antonio VII PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - San Marcos PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Texarkana PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas - Tyler PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Texas  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Utah  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Utah  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Vermont  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Vermont  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Alexandria LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Front Royal II LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Front Royal LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Mechanicsville LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Midlothian LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Richmond II LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Richmond LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia - Winchester LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Virginia  TCS LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Arlington PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Auburn PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Bellingham PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Bremerton PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Burien PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Coupeville PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Enumclaw PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Federal Way PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Gig Harbor PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Lakewood PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Mount Vernon PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Puyallup PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Tacoma II PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Tacoma III PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Tacoma PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington - Vancouver PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington County LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Washington  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia  Martinsburg PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia  South Charleston PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia  TCG PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia  TCS PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of West Virginia  Wheeling PLLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Wisconsin Ltd., Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Wyoming - Casper LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Wyoming  TCG LLC, Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Wyoming  TCS LLC, Hospitalists Management Group LLC, Humedica, Humedica Inc., Hygeia Corporation, Hygeia Corporation Ontario, IEC Holdings LLC, IHD Holdings LLC, INOV8 Surgical at Memorial City LLC, INSPIRIS of Texas Physician Group, Illinois Independent Care Network LLC, Imagen Technologies Inc., Impel Consulting Experts L.L.C., Impel Management Services L.L.C., InTouch Pharmacy LLC, Indiana Care Organization LLC, Indiana Endoscopy Centers LLC, Inland Surgery Center L.P., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3001 S.A., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3600 Ltda., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo S.A., Inmobiliaria Clinica Santa Maria S.A., Inmobiliaria Vinamed Ltda., Inmobiliaria e Inversiones Alameda S.A., Inpatient Services P.C., Inpatient Specialists of California P.C., Inspiris, Inspiris Inc., Instituto Radium de Cammpinas Ltda, Inter-Hospital Physicians Association Inc., International Healthcare Services Inc., Inversiones Clinicas Santa Maria SpA, Ironman Holdco Inc., Ironman Intermediate Holdco LLC, Isapre Banmedica S.A., JPM Healthcare LLC, Johnston Surgicare L.P., Joliet Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Jordan Ridge Family Medicine LLC, Joyable Inc., Kansal Inc. A Professional Corporation, Knox Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, Kokomo Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, LDI Holding Company LLC, LDI Management Services LLC, LGH-A/Golf ASTC L.L.C., LHC Group, La Esperanza del Peru S.A., Laboratorio ROE S.A., Laboratorios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., Landmark Group Holdings LLC, Landmark Health Holdings LLC, Landmark Health LLC, Landmark Health NY IPA LLC, Landmark Health NY PO LLC, Landmark Health Technologies Private Limited, Landmark Health of California LLC, Landmark Health of Massachusetts LLC, Landmark Health of North Carolina LLC, Landmark Health of Oregon LLC, Landmark Health of Pennsylvania LLC, Landmark Health of Washington LLC, Landmark India LLC, Landmark Intermediate Holdings LLC, Landmark MSO LLC, Landmark Medical of Idaho PC, Landmark Medical of Massachusetts PLLC, Landmark Medical of Tennessee PC, Landmark Primary Care LLC, Laser Acquisition Holdings III LLC, Leehar Distributors LLC, Lemhi Ventures Fund I LP, Lemhi Ventures Fund II LP, Level2 Medical Services P.C. Alaska, Lexington Surgery Center Ltd., Liberty Anesthesia Services LLC, LifePrint Health Inc., LifeWell. Ltd. Co., Lifeprint Accountable Care Organization LLC, Limestone Medical Center LLC, Litomedica S.A., Logan Surgical Suites LLC, Lotten-Eyes Oftalmologia Clinica e Cirurgica Ltda., Louisville S.C. Ltd., Louisville-SC Properties Inc., Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook Inc., Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook L.P., Lusiadas - Parcerias Cascais S.A., Lusiadas A.C.E., Lusiadas Algarve S.A., Lusiadas S.A., Lusiadas SGPS S.A., Lutheran Campus ASC LLC, MAMSI Life and Health Insurance Company, MCNA Health Care Holdings LLC, MCNA Insurance Company, MCNA Systems Corp., MD Ops Inc., MD-Individual Practice Association Inc., ME AHS UC LLC, MGH/SCA LLC, MHC Real Estate Holdings LLC, MIAMI SURGERY CENTER LLC, MSLA Management LLC, Main Line Spine Surgery Center LLC, Managed Care of North America Inc., Managed Physical Network Inc., Mansfield Endoscopy Center LLC, March Holdings Inc., March Vision Care IPA Inc., March Vision Care Inc., March Vision Care of Texas Inc., Marin Health Ventures LLC, Marin Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Marin Surgery Holdings Inc., Marlin Holding Company LLC, Maryland Ambulatory Centers LLC, Maryland-SCA Centers LLC, Massachusetts Assurance Company Ltd. PIC, Massachusetts Avenue Surgery Center LLC, McKenzie Surgery Center L.P., MedExpress Primary Care West Virginia Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care Alabama LLC, MedExpress Urgent Care Inc. - Ohio, MedExpress Urgent Care Maine Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care New Hampshire Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care of Boynton Beach LLC, MedSynergies, MedSynergies LLC, Medical Clinic of North Texas PLLC, Medical Hilfe S.A., Medical Support Los Angeles Inc., Medical Surgical Centers of America Inc., Medical Transportation Services LLC, Melbourne Surgery Center LLC, Memorial City Holdings LLC, Memorial City Partners LLC, Memorial Houston Surgery Center LLC, MemorialCare Surgical Center at Orange Coast LLC, MemorialCare Surgical Center at Saddleback LLC, Mesquite Liberty LLC, Metro I Stone Management Ltd., Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee, Midlands Orthopaedics Surgery Center LLC, Midwest Center for Day Surgery LLC, Mile High SurgiCenter LLC, Mississippi Medical Plaza L.C., Mobile Medical Services of New Jersey PC, Mobile-SC LTD., Modality Accountable Care Organisation Limited, Moen M.D. P.C., Mohawk Surgery Center LLC, Monarch Management Services Inc., Montgomery Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Monument Health LLC, Moore Orthopaedic Clinic Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Morris County Surgical Center LLC, Mt. Pleasant Surgery Center L.P., Multiangio Ltda., Murrells Inlet ASC LLC, Muskogee Surgical Investors LLC, Mustang Razorback Holdings Inc., My Wellness Solutions LLC, NAMM Holdings Inc., NPN IPA Washington PLLC, NSC Channel Islands LLC, NSC Greensboro LLC, NSC Greensboro West LLC, NSC Lancaster LLC, NSC Seattle Inc., NSC Upland LLC, Naperville Surgical Centre LLC, National Foundation Life Insurance Company, National Pacific Dental Inc., National Surgery Centers LLC, Navigator Health Inc., Nebraska Spine Hospital LLC, Neighborhood Health Partnership Inc., Netwerkes LLC, Nevada Pacific Dental, New Orleans Regional Physician Hospital Organization L.L.C., New West Physicians Inc., New York Proton Management LLC, Newton Holdings LLC, Niagara Hospitalist P.C., Nomad Buyer Inc., North American Medical Management California Inc., North Coast Surgery Center Ltd. a California Limited Partnership, North Dallas Surgical Center LLC, North Kitsap Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, North Puget Sound Oncology Equipment Leasing Company LLC, Northern Nevada Health Network Inc., Northern Rockies Surgery Center L.P., Northern Rockies Surgicenter Inc., Northern Utah Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Hills JV Partners LLC, Northwest Medical Group Alliance LLC, Northwest Spine and Laser Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Surgicare LLC, Northwest Surgicare Ltd. an Illinois Limited Partnership, OC Cardiology Practice Partners LLC, OCC MSO LLC, OSB  Tecnologia e Servicos de Suporte Lda., Omesa SpA, OmniClaim LLC, Oncocare S.A.C., One World Surgery, Ophthalmology Surgery Center of Dallas LLC, Optimum Choice Inc., Optum Bank Inc., Optum Biometrics Inc., Optum Care Inc., Optum Care Networks Inc., Optum Care Services Company, Optum Care of New York Management Inc., Optum Clinics Holdings Inc., Optum Clinics Intermediate Holdings Inc., Optum Compounding Services LLC, Optum Digital Health Holdings LLC, Optum Direct To Consumer Inc., Optum Financial Inc., Optum Frontier Therapies Holdings LLC, Optum Frontier Therapies II LLC, Optum Frontier Therapies LLC, Optum Genomics Inc., Optum Global Solutions Colombia S.A.S., Optum Global Solutions India Private Limited, Optum Global Solutions International B.V., Optum Global Solutions Philippines Inc., Optum Government Solutions Inc., Optum Growth Partners Holdings Inc., Optum Growth Partners LLC, Optum Health & Technology Holdings US Inc., Optum Health & Technology Hong Kong Limited, Optum Health & Technology India Private Limited, Optum Health & Technology Servicos do Brasil Ltda., Optum Health & Technology Singapore Pte. Ltd., Optum Health & Technology US LLC, Optum Health Plan of California, Optum Health Services Canada Ltd., Optum Health Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Optum Health Solutions UK Limited, Optum Health and Technology FZ-LLC, Optum Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services LLC, Optum Inc., Optum Infusion Services 100 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 101 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 103 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 200 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 201 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 202 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 203 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 204 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 205 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 206 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 207 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 208 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 209 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 301 LP, Optum Infusion Services 302 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 305 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 308 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 401 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 402 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 403 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 404 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 500 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 501 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 550 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 551 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 553 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 554 Inc., Optum Insurance of Ohio Inc., Optum Labs Inc., Optum Labs LLC, Optum Life Sciences Canada Inc., Optum Management Consulting Shanghai Co. Ltd., Optum Networks of New Jersey Inc., Optum Operations Ireland Unlimited Company, Optum Oregon MSO LLC, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Pennsylvania Inc., Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Texas Inc., Optum Perks LLC, Optum Pharma Services Holdings Inc., Optum Pharmacy 601 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 700 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 701 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 702 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 704 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 705 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 706 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 707 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 800 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 803 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 805 Inc., Optum Pharmacy 806 Inc., Optum Public Sector Solutions Inc., Optum Rocket LLC, Optum SCA CS JV Holdings LLC, Optum Senior Services LLC, Optum Services Inc., Optum Services Ireland Limited, Optum Services Puerto Rico LLC, Optum Solutions UK Holdings Limited, Optum Technology LLC, Optum UK Solutions Group Limited, Optum Venture Global Partners II LP, Optum Venture Global Partners LP, Optum Venture Partners II LP, Optum Venture Partners III LP, Optum Venture Partners LP, Optum Washington Network LLC, Optum Women's and Children's Health LLC, Optum of New York Inc., Optum360 LLC, Optum360 Services Inc., Optum360 Solutions LLC, OptumCare ACO New Mexico LLC, OptumCare ACO West LLC, OptumCare Clinical Trials LLC, OptumCare Colorado ASC LLC, OptumCare Colorado LLC, OptumCare Colorado Springs LLC, OptumCare Endoscopy Center New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Florida CI LLC, OptumCare Florida LLC, OptumCare Holdings Colorado LLC, OptumCare Holdings LLC, OptumCare Management LLC, OptumCare New Mexico LLC, OptumCare New York IPA Inc., OptumCare Portland LLC, OptumCare South Florida LLC, OptumCare Specialty Practices LLC, OptumHealth Care Solutions LLC, OptumHealth Holdings LLC, OptumHealth International B.V., OptumInsight Holdings LLC, OptumInsight Inc., OptumInsight India Private Limited, OptumInsight Life Sciences Inc., OptumRx Administrative Services LLC, OptumRx Discount Card Services LLC, OptumRx Group Holdings Inc., OptumRx Health Solutions LLC, OptumRx Holdings I LLC, OptumRx Holdings LLC, OptumRx Home Delivery of Ohio LLC, OptumRx IPA III Inc., OptumRx Inc., OptumRx NY IPA Inc., OptumRx PBM of Illinois Inc., OptumRx PBM of Maryland LLC, OptumRx PBM of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx PBM of Wisconsin LLC, OptumRx PD of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx Pharmacy Inc., OptumRx Pharmacy of Nevada Inc., OptumRx of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumServe Technology Services Inc., Oregon Healthcare Resources LLC, Oregon Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., OrthoNet Holdings Inc., OrthoNet LLC, OrthoNet New York IPA Inc., OrthoNet West Inc., OrthoNet of the South Inc., OrthoWest MSO LLC, Orthology Inc., Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County LLC, Orthopedic Surgery Center of Palm Beach County LLC, Orthopro Management LLC, Ovations Inc., Owensboro Ambulatory Surgical Facility Ltd., Oxford Benefit Management Inc., Oxford Health Insurance Inc., Oxford Health Plans CT Inc., Oxford Health Plans LLC, Oxford Health Plans NJ Inc., Oxford Health Plans NY Inc., P2P Link LLC, PCCCV Inc., PHC Subsidiary Holdings LLC, PHYSICIANS DAY SURGERY CENTER LLC, PMI Acquisition LLC, PMSI Holdings LLC, PMSI Settlement Solutions LLC, POMCO Inc., POMCO Network Inc., PPH Holdings LLC, PPH Management Company L.L.C., PPH-Columbia Inc., PPH-Gardendale Inc., PS Center LLC, PacifiCare Health Systems, PacifiCare Life Assurance Company, PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company, PacifiCare of Arizona Inc., PacifiCare of Colorado Inc., Pacific Cardiovascular Associates Medical Group Inc., Pacific Casualty Company Inc., Pacifico S.A. Entidad Prestadora de Salud, Panama City Surgery Center LLC, Park Hill Surgery Center LLC, Parkway Surgery Center LLC, Patient Care Associates L.L.C., PatientsLikeMe, Patrimonio Autonomo Nueva Clinica, Payment Resolution Services LLC, Peninsula Eye Surgery Center LLC, Penzo Enterprises LLC, Peoples Health, Peoples Health Inc., Perham Physical Therapy LTD, Perimeter Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., Pharmaceutical Technologies LLC, Physician Alliance of the Rockies LLC, Physicians Health Choice of Texas LLC, Physicians Health Plan of Maryland Inc., Physicians' Surgery Center of Downey LLC, Pinnacle III LLC, Plano de Saude Ana Costa Ltda., Plus One Health Management Puerto Rico Inc., Plus One Holdings Inc., Pocono Ambulatory Surgery Center Limited, Polar II Fundo de Investimento em Participacoes Multiestrategia, Polo Holdco LLC, Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center L.P., Post-Acute Care Center for Research LLC, Practice Partners in Healthcare LLC, Preferred Care Network Inc., Preferred Care Network of Florida Inc., Preferred Care Partners Holding Corp., Preferred Care Partners Inc., Preferred Care Partners Medical Group Inc., PreferredOne, PreferredOne Administrative Services Inc., PreferredOne Insurance Company, Premier Choice ACO Inc., Premier Surgery Center of Louisville L.P., Premiere Medical Resources LLC, Presidio Surgery Center LLC, Prime Health Inc., PrimeCare Medical Network Inc., PrimeCare of Citrus Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Corona Inc., PrimeCare of Hemet Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Inland Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Moreno Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Redlands Inc., PrimeCare of Riverside Inc., PrimeCare of San Bernardino Inc., PrimeCare of Sun City Inc., PrimeCare of Temecula Inc., PrimeDoc St. Francis P.C., PrimeDoc of Richmond P.C., ProHEALTH Care Associates L.L.P., ProHEALTH Care Associates of New Jersey LLP, ProHEALTH Medical Management LLC, ProHealth Physicians ACO LLC, ProHealth Physicians Inc., ProHealth Proton Center Management LLC, ProHealth/CareMount Dental Management LLC, Procura Management Inc., Professional Coverage Services PLLC, Progressive Enterprises Holdings Inc., Progressive Medical LLC, Promotora Country S.A., Pronounced Health Solutions Inc., Prosemedic S.A.C., Prospero Benefits Management LLC, Prospero Care Management LLC, Prospero Management Services LLC, Providence & SCA Development LLC, Providence & SCA Off-Campus Holdings LLC, Providence & SCA On-Campus Holdings LLC, Providence & SCA Outreach Markets Holdings LLC, Pulse Platform LLC, QoL Acquisition Holdings Corp., R Cubed Inc., RABessler M.D. P.C., ROC Surgery LLC, ROCS Holdings LLC, RX Ricardo Campos Ltda., Rally Health Inc., ReMedics LLC, Real Appeal Inc., Redding Surgery Center LLC, Redlands Ambulatory Surgery Center, Redlands-SCA Surgery Centers Inc., Reliant MSO LLC, Reliant Medical Group Inc., Reliant Medical Group The Endoscopy Center LLC, Research Surgical Center LLC, Resonancia Magnetica de Colombia Ltda., Resonancia Magnetica del Country S.A., RightCare Solutions Inc., River Valley ASC LLC, Riverside Corporate Wellness LLC, Riverside Electronic Healthcare Resources Inc., Riverside Medical Management LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Meadowlands LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Newark LLC, Robert A. Bessler MD PLLC, Rockville Eye Surgery Center LLC, Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization Incorporated, Rush Oak Brook Surgery Center LLC, SC Affiliates LLC, SCA AHN JV Holdings LLC, SCA Alaska Surgery Center inc., SCA Athens LLC, SCA Austin Holdings LLC, SCA Austin Medical Center Holdings LLC, SCA Aventura Holdings LLC, SCA BOSC Holdings LLC, SCA Bloomfield Holdings LLC, SCA Cedar Park Holdings LLC, SCA Clifton LLC, SCA Colorado Springs Holdings LLC, SCA Community Service Foundation, SCA Cottonwood Holdings LLC, SCA Danbury Surgical Center LLC, SCA Denver Holdings LLC, SCA Development LLC, SCA Duluth Holdings LLC, SCA Duncanville Holdings LLC, SCA Duncanville MSO LLC, SCA ESSC Holdings LLC, SCA Englewood Holdings LLC, SCA Global One Holdings LLC, SCA Greenway Holdings LLC, SCA Grove Creek Holdings LLC, SCA Guilford Holdings LLC, SCA Hays Holdings LLC, SCA Health Value Enterprise LLC, SCA Heartland Holdings LLC, SCA High Point Holdings LLC, SCA HoldCo Inc., SCA Holding Company Inc., SCA Holdings Inc., SCA IEC Holdings LLC, SCA Indiana Holdings LLC, SCA Lutheran Holdings LLC, SCA Maple Grove Holdings LLC, SCA Mohawk Holdings LLC, SCA Murrells Inlet LLC, SCA Northern Utah Holdings LLC, SCA Northwest Holdings LLC, SCA Outside New Jersey LLC, SCA Pacific Holdings Inc., SCA Pacific Surgery Holdings LLC, SCA Palisades Holdings LLC, SCA Pennsylvania Holdings LLC, SCA Pinnacle Holdings LLC, SCA Premier Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, SCA Providence Holdings LLC, SCA ROCS Holdings LLC, SCA Rockledge JV LLC, SCA Rush Oak Brook Holdings LLC, SCA SSSC Holdings LLC, SCA Sage Medical LLC, SCA Sage Medical MSO LLC, SCA San Diego Holdings LLC, SCA Skyway Holdings LLC, SCA South Ogden Holdings LLC, SCA Southwestern PA LLC, SCA Specialists of Florida LLC, SCA Specialty Holdings of Connecticut LLC, SCA Stonegate Holdings LLC, SCA Surgery Holdings LLC, SCA Surgicare of Laguna Hills LLC, SCA Teammate Support Network, SCA West Health Holdings LLC, SCA Westgreen Holdings LLC, SCA Woodbury Holdings LLC, SCA eCode Solutions Private Limited, SCA of Clarksville Inc., SCA-Albuquerque Surgery Properties Inc., SCA-Alliance LLC, SCA-Anne Arundel LLC, SCA-Applecare Partners LLC, SCA-Bethesda LLC, SCA-Blue Ridge LLC, SCA-Bonita Springs LLC, SCA-Brandon LLC, SCA-Castle Rock LLC, SCA-Central Florida LLC, SCA-Charleston LLC, SCA-Chatham LLC, SCA-Chevy Chase LLC, SCA-Citrus Inc., SCA-Colonial Partners LLC, SCA-Colorado Springs LLC, SCA-Connecticut Partners LLC, SCA-DRY CREEK LLC, SCA-Davenport LLC, SCA-Denver LLC, SCA-Denver Physicians Holdings LLC, SCA-Derry LLC, SCA-Doral LLC, SCA-Downey LLC, SCA-Dublin LLC, SCA-Encinitas Inc., SCA-Eugene Inc., SCA-First Coast LLC, SCA-Florence LLC, SCA-Fort Collins Inc., SCA-Fort Walton Inc., SCA-Franklin LLC, SCA-Frederick LLC, SCA-Freeway Holdings LLC, SCA-Ft. Myers LLC, SCA-GRANTS PASS LLC, SCA-Gainesville LLC, SCA-Gladiolus LLC, SCA-Glenwood Holdings LLC, SCA-Grove Place LLC, SCA-Hagerstown LLC, SCA-Hamden LLC, SCA-Hilton Head LLC, SCA-Honolulu LLC, SCA-Houston Executive LLC, SCA-IT Holdings LLC, SCA-Illinois LLC, SCA-JPM Holdings LLC, SCA-Kissing Camels Holdings LLC, SCA-MC VBP Inc., SCA-Main Street LLC, SCA-Marina del Rey LLC, SCA-Mecklenburg Development Corp., SCA-Memorial City LLC, SCA-Memorial LLC, SCA-Merritt LLC, SCA-Midlands LLC, SCA-Midway Management LLC, SCA-Mobile LLC, SCA-Mokena LLC, SCA-Morris Avenue LLC, SCA-Morris County LLC, SCA-Mt. Pleasant LLC, SCA-Naperville LLC, SCA-Naples LLC, SCA-New Jersey LLC, SCA-Newport Beach LLC, SCA-Northeast Georgia Health LLC, SCA-PORTLAND LLC, SCA-Palm Beach LLC, SCA-Palm Beach MSO Holdings LLC, SCA-Panama City Holdings LLC, SCA-Paoli LLC, SCA-Phoenix LLC, SCA-Pocono LLC, SCA-Practice Partners Holdings LLC, SCA-River Valley LLC, SCA-Riverside LLC, SCA-Riverside Partners LLC, SCA-Rockville LLC, SCA-Sacred Heart Holdings LLC, SCA-San Diego Inc., SCA-San Luis Obispo LLC, SCA-Sand Lake LLC, SCA-Santa Rosa Inc., SCA-Somerset LLC, SCA-South Jersey LLC, SCA-Sparta LLC, SCA-Spartanburg Holdings LLC, SCA-St. Louis Holdings LLC, SCA-St. Louis LLC, SCA-St. Lucie LLC, SCA-SurgiCare LLC, SCA-Swiftpath LLC, SCA-VERTA LLC, SCA-VLR Holdings Company LLC, SCA-Wake Forest LLC, SCA-Western Connecticut LLC, SCA-Westover Hills LLC, SCA-Winchester LLC, SCA-Winter Park Inc., SCA-Woodlands Holdings LLC, SCAI Holdings LLC, SCLHS-SCA Holdings LLC, SCP Specialty Infusion LLC, SHC Atlanta LLC, SHC Austin Inc., SHC Hawthorn Inc., SHC Melbourne Inc., SJ East Campus ASC LLC, SRPS LLC, SSSC Holdings LLC, SVHS-SCA Florida JV LLC, Sacred Heart ASC LLC, Saden S.A., Sage Medical Prof. LLC, Salem JV Holdings LLC, Salem Surgery Center LLC, Salveo Specialty Pharmacy Inc., San Diego Endoscopy Center, San Diego Sports and Minimally Invasive Surgery Center LLC, San Francisco Endoscopy Center LLC, San Luis Obispo Surgery Center a California Limited Partnership, Sand Lake SurgiCenter LLC, Santa Barbara Endoscopy Center LLC, Santa Cruz Endoscopy Center LLC, Santa Helena Assistencia Medica S.A., Santa Rosa Surgery Center L.P., Santos Administracao e Participacoes S.A., Sanvello Health Holdings LLC, Sanvello Health Inc., Sanvello Health Limited, Scanner Centromed S.A., Seashore Surgical Institute L.L.C., Seisa Servicos Integrados de Saude Ltda., Senate Street Surgery Center LLC, Senior Benefits L.L.C., Serquinox Holdings LLC, Servicios Integrados de Salud Ltda., Servicios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., Servicios Medicos Bio Bio Ltda., Servicios Medicos Ciudad del Mar Ltda., Servicios Medicos Santa Maria Ltda., Servicios Medicos Vespucio Ltda., Servicios de Entrenamiento en Competencias Clinicas Ltda., Serviclinica Inmobiliaria S.A., Serviclinica S.A. Ex Los Leones La Calera, Servisalud Inmobiliaria S.A., Servisalud S.A. Ex Los Carrera Quilpue, Shark Holdings P.C., Sierra Dental Plan Inc., Sierra Health Services Inc, Sierra Health Services Inc., Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company Inc., Sierra Health-Care Options Inc., Sierra Home Medical Products Inc., Sierra Nevada Administrators Inc., Sistema de Administracion Hospitalaria S.A.C., Small Business Insurance Advisors Inc., Sobam  Centro Medico Hospitalar S.A., Sociedad de Inversiones Santa Maria SpA, Solstice Administration Services Inc., Solstice Administrators Inc., Solstice Administrators of Alabama Inc., Solstice Administrators of Arizona Inc., Solstice Administrators of Missouri Inc., Solstice Administrators of North Carolina Inc., Solstice Administrators of Texas Inc., Solstice Benefit Services Inc., Solstice Benefits Inc., Solstice Health Insurance Company, Solstice Healthplans Inc., Solstice Healthplans of Arizona Inc., Solstice Healthplans of Colorado Inc., Solstice Healthplans of New Jersey Inc., Solstice Healthplans of Ohio Inc., Solstice Healthplans of Tennessee Inc., Solstice Healthplans of Texas Inc., Solstice of Illinois Inc., Solstice of Minnesota Inc., Solstice of New York Inc., Solutran LLC, Somerset Outpatient Surgery L.L.C., Sound Inpatient Physicians Inc., Sound Inpatient Physicians Medical Group Inc., Sound Inpatient Physicians of Ohio LLC, Sound Inpatient Physicians of Texas I Inc., Sound Inpatient Physicians  Michigan PLLC, Sound Intensivists of Nevada RBessler M.D. PLLC, Sound Kenwood Hospitalists of Cincinnati Inc., Sound Kenwood Hospitalists of Cincinnati LLC, Sound Physicians Advisory Services Inc., Sound Physicians Alaska Hospitalist Group LLC, Sound Physicians Anesthesiology of Texas PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Arizona Inc., Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Georgia P.C., Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Illinois LLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Kansas LLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Kentucky PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Louisiana Inc., Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Michigan PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Nevada Bessler PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of South Carolina LLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Southern California P.C., Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Texas PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of Washington PLLC, Sound Physicians Emergency Medicine of West Virginia PLLC, Sound Physicians Holdings LLC, Sound Physicians Intensivists of Arizona Inc., Sound Physicians Intensivists of Georgia PC, Sound Physicians Intensivists of South Carolina LLC, Sound Physicians Intensivists of Virginia LLC, Sound Physicians Intensivists of Washington PLLC, Sound Physicians Palliative Care of Maryland P.C., Sound Physicians Telemedicine Inc., Sound Physicians of Florida IV LLC, Sound Physicians of Georgia III P.C., Sound Physicians of Hawaii Inc., Sound Physicians of Idaho PLLC, Sound Physicians of Illinois LLC, Sound Physicians of Indiana LLC, Sound Physicians of Iowa PLLC, Sound Physicians of Kankakee Illinois LLC, Sound Physicians of Massachusetts II P.C., Sound Physicians of Massachusetts Inc., Sound Physicians of New Jersey LLC, Sound Physicians of New York PLLC, Sound Physicians of North Carolina PLLC, Sound Physicians of South Carolina LLC, Sound Physicians of Wyoming LLC, South Arlington Surgical Providers LLC, South County Surgical Center LLC, South Sound Inpatient Physicians PLLC, Southern California Medical Practice Concepts LLC, Southland Hospitalists P.C., Southwest Medical Associates Inc., Southwest Michigan Health Network Inc., Southwest Surgery Center LLC, Southwest Surgical Center LLC, Space Coast Surgical Center Ltd., Spartanburg Surgery Center LLC, Specialists in Urology Surgery Center LLC, Specialized Pharmaceuticals Inc., Specialty Benefits LLC, Specialty Billing Solutions LLC, Specialty Surgical Center LLC, Spectera Inc., Spectera of New York IPA Inc., Sports and Spinal Physical Therapy Inc., St. Cloud Outpatient Surgery Ltd. a Minnesota Limited Partnership, St. Cloud Surgical Center LLC, St. Louis Cardiovascular Institute LLC, St. Louis Specialty Surgical Center LLC, Stonegate JV Partners LLC, Stonegate Surgery Center L.P., Summer Street ASC LLC, SunSurgery LLC, Surgery Center Holding LLC, Surgery Center at Cherry Creek LLC, Surgery Center at Cottonwood LLC, Surgery Center at Grove Creek LLC, Surgery Center at Kissing Camels LLC, Surgery Center at South Ogden LLC, Surgery Center at St. Vincent LLC, Surgery Center of Boca Raton Inc., Surgery Center of Colorado Springs LLC, Surgery Center of Des Moines LLC, Surgery Center of Easton LLC, Surgery Center of Ellicott City Inc., Surgery Center of Fairfield County LLC, Surgery Center of Fort Collins LLC, Surgery Center of Lexington LLC, Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, Surgery Center of Maui LLC, Surgery Center of Mt. Scott LLC, Surgery Center of Muskogee LLC, Surgery Center of Rockville L.L.C., Surgery Center of Southern Pines LLC, Surgery Center of The Woodlands LLC, Surgery Centers of Des Moines Ltd. an Iowa Limited Partnership, Surgery Centers-West Holdings LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates, Surgical Care Affiliates LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates Political Action Committee, Surgical Care Partners of Melbourne LLC, Surgical Caregivers of Fort Worth LLC, Surgical Center of Greensboro LLC, Surgical Center of San Diego LLC, Surgical Center of South Jersey Limited Partnership, Surgical Center of Tuscaloosa Holdings LLC, Surgical Eye Experts LLC, Surgical Health LLC, Surgical Health of Orlando LLC, Surgical Hospital Holdings of Oklahoma LLC, Surgical Management Solutions LLC, Surgicare LLC, Surgicare of Central Jersey LLC, Surgicare of Jackson LLC, Surgicare of Jackson Ltd. a Mississippi Limited Partnership, Surgicare of Joliet Inc., Surgicare of La Veta Inc., Surgicare of La Veta Ltd. a California Limited Partnership, Surgicare of Minneapolis LLC, Surgicare of Minneapolis Ltd. a Minnesota Limited Partnership, Surgicare of Mobile LLC, Surgicare of Mobile Ltd., Surgicare of Oceanside Inc., Surgicare of Owensboro LLC, Surgicare of Salem LLC, Surgicenters of Southern California Inc., Symphonix Health Holdings LLC, T.M. 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Running from 2006 to 2019, BLIMEY! was dedicated to British comics past and present. The images of old comics on my blog are copyright their respective publishers and are only used here for review purposes. They have been scanned from my own personal comics collection, in over 50 years of collecting.The prose articles, with the exception of press releases, are Copyright  Lew Stringer and must not be reproduced without permission.




Lexington Middle School is partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive through the Future Blood Donor program. This program introduces students to the importance of blood donation and helps ensure hospital patients receive the blood that they need.

The blood drive will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30, in the Lexington Middle School student lounge. Donors are to enter the school on Washington Street and sign-in at the office.

Students have been recruiting blood donors, but registrations are still being accepted and walk-ins are welcome too, said LMS special education teacher Lindsay Rosner, who is coordinating the drive.

She reminds potential donors of the need to drink plenty of water in advance and to bring an ID with them.

To sign up for an appointment visit http://www.redcrossblood.org and use code lexnems. If you have additional questions please feel free to contact Rosner at lindsay.rosner@lexschools.org.
Noem tells NYT former President Trump doesn't offer 'best chance' for GOP

In an interview with The New York Times, Gov. Kristi Noem spoke about her reservations about former President Donald Trump announcing his bid for re-election.
OVERTON  Overton Rescue was paged at 12:18 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a single-vehicle rollover in the eastbound lane of I-80 near mile marker 250.

The out of state vehicle had landed on its top in the median of the Interstate.

A subsequent radio call announced that a nurse was on scene, reporting that one person had died.

Overton volunteer firefighter Tim White said no EMT was available from Overton so Elm Creek was called for assistance. Nebraska State Patrol and the Dawson County Sheriffs office also responded to the incident.

White said the jaws of life were used to extricate the driver of the vehicle who was transported to CHI Good Samaritan Hospital by Elm Creek Rescue. The persons condition is unknown.

A spokesperson for Nebraska State Patrol in North Platte confirmed that it was a fatality accident and said no further information was available as troopers were in the process of notifying next of kin.

Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.
One of the largest chambers of commerce in Canada is calling for wider privatization of electricity distribution companies to increase competitiveness in an attempt to drive down costly Ontario electricity prices over the long-term.

In a report to be released Tuesday and obtained by The Canadian Press, the Toronto Region Board of Trade makes sweeping recommendations aimed at changing the provinces troubled energy sector.

In the first of several reports to be released ahead of Ontarios 2018 provincial election called Agenda for Growth, the board urges the provinces political parties to adopt its findings to fix the system.

Read more:

Hydro Ones proposed Avista takeover cut its profit 6% compared to last year

Hydro Ones prepaid meter proposal sparks criticism

Hydro rates to remain stable through 2020: energy plan

Board CEO Jan De Silva said the one of the reports key recommendations is to privatize  by a maximum of 10 per cent initially  portions of local hydro distribution companies which are now run by municipalities. That would lead to more innovation, more efficient operation and would benefit businesses and consumers, she said.

I think the big opportunity to truly transform how we get ahead of a problem that weve backed ourselves into on hydro is looking at opportunities to privatize, she said. To bring more competitive forces into play.

The (distribution companies) that are sitting under government control are the ones where choices get made for a number of reasons over time but they have really burdened businesses and taxpayers with an unaffordable hydro system, she added.

In 2015, the Liberal government announced it would sell 60 per cent of Hydro One shares with the intent of raising billions to fund transit and infrastructure projects. More than a year before the Liberal government announced in 2015 that it would partially privatize Hydro One, polling showed strong opposition to the idea.

Pollara conducted research at the governments behest in January and February of 2014 asking people for their thoughts on selling Hydro One, and just 25 per cent of respondents supported the idea.

De Silva conceded the recommendation wont be popular because of the large public backlash to the provincial privatization of Hydro One, but said a broader discussion of the benefits of business involvement needs to start. Ontarios NDP have adamantly opposed the sale, vowing to buy back shares of the utility and restore it to full public control if the party is elected in 2018.

The challenge is public opinion, De Silva said. I would say (the) Hydro One (share sale) is going to prove itself out as being in the best interests of consumers. Theres a lot of investments that have been made in innovation in that organization that werent happening before and a wholesale consumer focus that wasnt happening before.

De Silva stressed that the board is hearing from its members that thousands of manufacturing jobs are heading to neighbouring jurisdictions which have cheaper hydro prices. Part of the aim of the report is to combat the stigma privatization has taken on the public consciousness, she said.

There seems to be this fear that when you privatize things consumers are going to get squeezed in terms of having to pay more, she said. What our report is trying to point to is that governments operating these entities havent done a good job in protecting consumers.

The report also calls for reform of the provincial electricity pricing system, including changing how price increases are communicated numerous times every year.

We should only have price changes happening once a year as opposed to three or four times a year, she said. Its very difficult for residents and businesses to keep track of things. For businesses, it adds additional administrative and regulatory costs to their systems.

The report also recommends that cap and trade costs should be broken out and explained clearly in electricity bills. That runs counter to an Ontario Energy Board ruling in 2016 which said the costs would not be reported on a separate line on a consumers bill for natural gas, which is used to heat most homes in the province.

We think that people need to know where the source of their costs are coming from in order for them to make decisions or have choices on what things they can do to influence the amount that theyre having to pay for their sources, Da Silva said.

The report also endorses carbon pricing but says regardless of the system implemented by government it must be revenue neutral through tax cuts or rebates to businesses and consumers.

Providing businesses and residents with tax cuts and rebates will create more long-term support for it.

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OTTAWAHeritage Minister Melanie Joly came under fire Tuesday when opposition MPs accused her of failing to protect Canadas struggling print news industry, one day after a deal between two media companies involving 41 newspapers resulted in the closure of almost three dozen publications.

New Democrat MP Rachel Blaney challenged Joly during question period to explain how she can sit back and do nothing while people in the newspaper industry lose their jobs.

The heritage minister has been talking the talk about the news industry crisis. She had options, yet did nothing to prevent this disaster, Blaney charged.

Joly responded that her thoughts are with workers who lost their jobs and that its up to Torstar and Postmedia to explain their decisions.

The exchange came hours after Joly took a swing at Postmedia Network Inc. and Torstar Corp., the Stars parent company, for signing the deal. The companies announced Monday morning that they had struck a deal over a series of local newspapers and commuter dailies in a business deal aimed to increase efficiency and focus on key regions.

Torstar said it would keep publishing the Welland Tribune, Peterborough Examiner, Niagara Falls Review and St. Catharines Standard, while Postmedia will maintain the Exeter Times-Advocate and Exeter Weekender.

Joly, who on Monday lamented the loss of jobs and pledged to support media companies transitioning from print to digital, took to Twitter Tuesday morning to trash the deal.

The decision to shut down these community papers on the same day is cynical and disappointing, the minister said.

Jolys disapproval comes two months after the government did not include new spending to support newspapers in its updated cultural policy. Joly said at the time that Canada would not bail out industry models that are no longer viable, and instead would support innovation, experimentation and transition to digital.

The federal government had been urged for months to make tax changes or provide direct support to Canadian media businesses that are struggling with dwindling ad revenues and competition from American digital giants like Facebook and Google.

The Public Policy Forum published a report in January that described the precipitous fall of revenues for traditional media companies that has led to job cuts and closures across the country.

The report recommended the creation of a new, $100-million fund to support digital innovation, local news media and Indigenous reporting. The report said the government could raise $400 million per year, which could go to the proposed fund, by taxing the digital ad revenues of Google and Facebook.

A coalition of newspaper publishers also asked Ottawa in June to create a $350-million fund to help Canadas struggling print and online media industry.

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OTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce his selection for a vacant seat on Canadas top court Wednesday.

In an invitation sent to faculty and students at the University of Ottawa law school, Trudeau revealed hell name the person to fill the Supreme Court of Canada seat that, by tradition, has been held by a judge representing the West.

That invitation said the nominee will participate in a question-and-answer session, likely held by an ad hoc parliamentary committee on Dec. 5.

It is widely believed that Trudeau wants to make history with this appointment, possibly by appointing Canadas first Indigenous Supreme Court judge.

Many have speculated about a possible appointment of Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, who became Saskatchewans first female Aboriginal judge when she was named to the provincial court in 1998.

An accomplished legal scholar, Turpel-Lafond has a doctorate in law from Harvard, has taught and written extensively on Indigenous law and law reform. She gained a national profile in her work as B.C.s childrens advocate.

However, some in the legal community have also suggested to the Star she would appear not to meet certain qualifications set out in the Supreme Court Act. That act says a Supreme Court judge is someone who is or has been a judge of a Superior Court of a province, or a barrister or advocate of at least 10 years standing at the bar of a province.

Turpel-Lafond was admitted to the Nova Scotia bar in 1991, and was named to Saskatchewans provincial court bench  which is not a Superior Court  in 1998, after seven years at bar. Her appointment could spur some of the kinds of objections that met the past Conservative governments appointment of Marc Nadon to a Quebec seat on the court.

Other possible names that have floated around the legal community for several weeks are Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Sheilah Martin and Saskatchewan Court of Appeals Justice Georgina Jackson.

An independent judicial advisory committee offered the prime minister a short list from which to choose.

Earlier Tuesday, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould told reporters she was honoured to recommend a candidate to the prime minister after receiving the shortlist.

Its his decision, but we clearly laid out criteria around a very meritorious jurist, one that's functionally bilingual and reflects the diversity of Canada, she said.

In June, the Trudeau government elevated Sheilah Martin from the Alberta Court of Queens Bench, Albertas superior trial court, to the Court of Appeal. She also sits as a judge of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories and the Court of Appeal of Nunavut.

Georgina Jackson was named to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal in 1991. Prior to that, she had been a practicing lawyer and worked at the provinces department of justice in the property registration branch. She is regarded as an expert in judicial ethics.

It is not clear whether Trudeau will make the bold move of elevating someone from outside the Supreme Court of Canada straight into the chief justices job, or wait until after Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin retires to name that person from sitting judges on the bench, as has been custom.

An informal tradition has seen the chief justices job alternate between francophone and anglophone judges, which has the effect of also alternating between a common law judge and a civil law judge. However, that custom has been dropped on occasion, most recently by Trudeaus father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, when he was prime minister.

The opening on the high court was created when McLachlin announced her retirement, effective Dec. 15.

Trudeau invited applications from functionally bilingual candidates from the West and North to replace McLachlin who, although she was born and raised in Pincher Creek, Alta., was a B.C. judge when she was first appointed in 1989 by then Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney.

It was a Liberal prime minister, Jean Chretien, who made her chief justice, the first woman to hold that position. She has spent 17 years in that post, making her Canadas first female and longest-serving chief justice.

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MONTREALAs the Supreme Court prepares to hear a landmark case on provincial beer and liquor monopolies, a new poll indicates Canadians overwhelmingly want to tear down trade barriers to alcohol  and any other legal product  across the country.

The right-leaning Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) commissioned a poll by Ipsos Public Affairs, which surveyed 1,103 Canadians in an online panel between Oct. 26 and Nov. 1

Eighty-nine per cent of respondents said Canadians should be able to bring any legal product from one province to another  which is currently illegal when it comes to alcohol. Of the 89 per cent, 72 per cent said they strongly agree, while 17 per cent said they somewhat agree.

Read more: Supreme Court of Canada case on state-run alcohol monopolies would likely impact provinces legal pot plans

Provinces such as New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario maintain strict laws limiting the free trade of beer and spirits.

A New Brunswick man learned this the hard way and his case will be heard in front of the countrys highest court Dec. 6-7.

In 2012, the RCMP arrested Gerard Comeau on his return to New Brunswick after he had bought alcohol in Quebec.

He was fined for violating New Brunswick law, which limits the amount of booze that can be brought into the province from elsewhere in Canada.

Comeau contested the ticket, arguing Sec. 121 of the Constitution Act, 1867, mandates that all Canadian goods be admitted freely across the country.

His lawyers argued the fathers of Confederation wanted a single market for all products made in Canada.

The Ipsos poll suggested about 25 per cent of Canadians heard about the Comeau case, and 78 per cent of respondents said the New Brunswick man should win.

Eighty-four per cent of respondents said Canadians should be permitted to order wine from any winery in the country, while 78 per cent said they should be allowed to bring any amount of wine or beer purchased in one province into another province.

Fewer than 15 per cent of respondents said they strongly agreed or somewhat agreed alcohol monopolies should be maintained.

Howard Anglin, executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), said provinces continue to enforce prohibition-era laws on alcohol because of inertia and fear of change.

The CCF is a charity that raised money to fund the legal team defending Comeau. Anglin said provincial governments can continue to receive the same revenues from alcohol by taxing beer and liquor sales as opposed to running liquor stores.

Alberta privatized its liquor industry and Anglin said the province has much more variety and selection, he said.

Some stores specialize in whiskys and others in French wines, he added. They tend to reflect the owners passion and interests.

A Quebec government report released in 2015 recommended its liquor monopoly be privatized. The provinces auditor general followed up with her own report in 2016 claiming the government-run corporations structure prevents it from getting the best prices for consumers.

Quebecs alcohol monopoly brings in more than $1 billion in revenues that help fund services, making privatization a politically difficult move.

Comeaus date with the Supreme Court will also likely have an influence on the plans to create provincial cannabis monopolies, according to legal experts.

If the justices rule in Comeaus favour, the decision will almost certainly trigger lawsuits across the country seeking to dismantle similar government-run corporations for marijuana when it becomes legalized next summer.

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The federal government will help the people of Grassy Narrows First Nation build a new care home for those suffering from mercury poisoning.

For nearly four years, Grassy Narrows leaders have been asking for help for survivors of the industrial pollution that has sickened the community for decades.

Many ill residents have had to leave the community to get the care they need in Kenora, Ont., or other towns and cities further from home.

In an interview with the Star Wednesday, Jane Philpott, the federal Minister of Indigenous Services, acknowledged that the people of Grassy Narrows and nearby Whitedog First Nations were suffering from symptoms and syndromes that are associated with mercury exposure.

They have been asking for a very long time for a treatment centre to address these particular health needs and I made the commitment to them today that we would support them in the development, planning, design and construction of the treatment centre in Grassy Narrows.

Philpott made the promise at a closed-door meeting earlier in the day that was attended by provincial and federal government officials as well as leadership from Grassy Narrows and nearby Whitedog, which is also affected by mercury. Those in attendance said Simon Fobister, the Chief of Grassy Narrows, repeatedly pressed the minister to commit to building the home. When she did, it was met with applause.

It means a lot to our people . . . it means people with disabilities can stay in this residence, can stay with their families, Fobister told the Star after the meeting.

The government of Canada is stepping up to build this building for our people.

Judy DaSilva, a grandmother and health advocate in Grassy Narrows, said it was surreal to hear the promise.

But at the same time I couldnt help but think of the people that have passed on and suffered and the people that are struggling right now. It felt bitter sweet.

Earlier this week, Peter Luce, an engineer and project manager working with Grassy Narrows, unveiled a proposed $4.5-million care home that would be built near the shoreline and could include rooms for eight residents, an exam room and customized showers and tubs  all essential things that a current community clinic does not offer.

Such a facility could also be a home for needed palliative care, physiotherapy, counselling and traditional healing.

Next, wed like to (get a) detailed design so we can go to construction in the summer, Luce said Wednesday after the meeting.

Philpott told the Star there is currently no set timeline for the construction of the home, but added she has asked officials in her department to work with the community on the design they have put forward to determine whether it adequately meets their needs.

Theres work to be done, I think, in the area of defining exactly what they need, whether its both an inpatient and outpatient facility and exactly what will be offered, she said.

In the meantime, she said she is committed to offering help in other ways, including services for mental health, programs for at-risk youth and for children who are dealing with learning disabilities in schools.

In addition to the promise to build the home, Philpott said she has also committed to conducting a community health assessment survey in Whitedog that would help assess the impacts of mercury poisoning on the community there and determine what their needs are.

A community health assessment survey is currently being conducted in Grassy Narrows in collaboration with Dr. Donna Mergler, a researcher in environmental health and a mercury expert from the Universite du Quebec a Montreal. Results of that survey are expected to be released to the community soon. Mergler and others are also in the process of compiling all of the information on mercury exposure in Grassy Narrows that has been collected by governments and researchers since 1970  including hair, blood and cord blood tests  to examine the consequences the neurotoxin has had on the lives of the people who have lived and continue to live there. It is the first such epidemiological study.

The legacy of mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows and nearby Whitedog began in the 1960s, when a pulp and paper mill upstream dumped 10 tonnes of the neurotoxin into the river English-Wabigoon River. The mercury contaminated the fish and poisoned the people who live downstream.

An ongoing Star investigation has revealed that in 1984, the then-environment minister recommended that the river be cleaned up, but the government of the day ignored his recommendation and chose instead to let the river clean itself naturally. For decades, politicians repeated that this strategy was working, until recently. Test results from soil, fish and river sediment reveal there are still dangerously high levels of mercury which suggest there is an ongoing source from the site of the paper mill.

In a historic announcement this past summer, Ontario pledged $85 million to clean up the river system.

But earlier this month Premier Kathleen Wynne was scrambling to determine why she was in the dark about an explosive report detailing mercury-contaminated soil and groundwater on mill property upstream from Grassy Narrows.

As the Star revealed, the report, which was commissioned by the current owners of the mill, Domtar, and in the governments possession for more than a year, said the environment ministry was told in 1990 that mercury was visible in soil under a building on the mill site. Further, the document said, companies that previously owned the mill tested groundwater wells on the property throughout the 1990s and until 2006. Those tests showed elevated levels of mercury. Just last year, Domtar had several of these wells tested and one result showed an elevated mercury level.

There is no suggestion that Domtar, a pulp manufacturer several owners removed from Reed Paper, is responsible for any source of mercury.

Since the mercury was dumped in the river more than 40 years ago, the neurotoxin has sickened generations who consider walleye from the river a dietary staple. It has also had tremendous social impacts. The pollution decimated a robust fishing industry and many of the people in Grassy Narrows, who worked as guides, lost their jobs.

Physical symptoms of mercury poisoning include loss of muscle co-ordination and tunnel vision. Fetuses are particularly vulnerable to cognitive damage. Recent research by Japanese experts shows residents  including the younger generation  continue to have symptoms of mercury poisoning.

Philpott was appointed to her new role as Indigenous Services minister in August, having previously served as the minister of Health. The newly created department will focus on improving what she has called the deplorable gaps in health outcomes faced by First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples in Canada.

Philpott acknowledged that the people of Grassy Narrows have heard promises from government officials before that have not been realized. (For example, in 2014 provincial Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister David Zimmer said he was going to seek federal help and that the provincial government was considering a treatment centre in the community.)

I expressed empathy for the fact that that they have not had their needs appropriately addressed, said Philpott. But Ive said this is a new day. We have a new relationship with Indigenous peoples where we recognize their rights. . . and its understandable that it will take some time to trust us. But I gave them my firm commitment that we will respect those rights and we will support them through the troubles that they are facing.

With files from Robert Benzie

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The current plan for what politicians and city officials say will be improved transit for Scarborough leaves Malvern and other residents in the northeast part of the city with commutes that are similar to the lengthy trips they make today, city data shows.

Earlier this year, local councillor for the area, Neethan Shan, claimed the plan to build a single-stop subway extension of the Bloor-Danforth line to the Scarborough Town Centre would save his Ward 42 (Scarborough-Rouge River) residents up to 30 minutes in travel time each way.

It was coupled with a powerful, emotional argument about what it would mean to have an extra hour each day with your family.

But that is not supported by any city, TTC or independent study of the funded transit plan.

Read more:

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A subway, which is proposed to replace the aging Scarborough RT, would save commuters travelling from the Malvern area to Kennedy Station only eight minutes each way, including the time saved by eliminating a transfer to travel west of Kennedy, compared to the existing network, according to city data compiled by the Star. The improved trip would still include a lengthy bus or car ride.

Transit travel times from Malvern Town Centre to Kennedy Station OPTION TRAVEL TIME

TRANSFERS BEYOND KENNEDY

Bus + Scarborough RT

35 min

2 Scarborough LRT

16 min

1 Eglinton Crosstown East

33 min*

1 Bus + Scarborough Subway Extension

30 min

1

(Source: Scarborough LRT Environmental Assessment, 2010; Scarborough-Malvern LRT EA, 2009; Scarborough Subway Extension updated business case, 2017) *The original design for the Eglinton Crosstown East (then called the Scarborough-Malvern LRT) considered an extension terminating at Sheppard and Morningside Aves., not the Malvern Town Centre, so travel times would be longer

A public meeting Wednesday will ask residents for feedback on another element of the transit plan  a light rail line that would run from Kennedy Station along Eglinton Ave., up Kingston Rd. and north on Morningside Ave. to the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.

Ahead of that meeting, Shan  who has backed the one-stop subway  has launched a campaign to Connect Malvern, arguing the LRT should be extended further north.

But as the cost of the subway extension grows  today estimated at $3.35 billion  and with only $3.56 billion available, the Eglinton East LRT, as it is dubbed, remains unfunded.

A cancelled plan that was approved instead to replace the SRT with a seven-stop light rail line paid in full by the province would have cut the current travel time and future travel times with the subway in half for Malvern residents, according to studies already completed for that line.

That LRT would have stopped at Sheppard Ave. and Markham Rd. at the edge of Malvern. Phase two of the project was expected to see the line extended to stop at Malvern Town Centre.

Cherise Burda, who heads Ryerson Universitys City Building Institute, called the bid to extend the Eglinton East LRT to Malvern a consolation prize for agreeing to a subway that serves very few people.

Its really unfortunate that the people of Scarborough and councillors are now understanding the implications, I think, of the poor political decisions that were made, she said In light of that, they should be presented with all the options in a fresh way. Put them all on the table.

Shan said extending the Eglinton East line to Malvern has been discussed for years and it should not be left for a later date.

Scarborough has had no rapid transit expansion in the last 30-plus years, he said. Scarborough Centre being a subway destination, a hub, is very critical for Scarborough to have the economic activity.

When asked why that connection needed to be a subway and how the current plan takes transit access away from residents, Shan said: Ive listened to the folks in my ward, and people know what it means to have a subway extended to Scarborough and what it would bring to Scarborough.

His travel-time-savings claim, he said, was based on believing people currently avoiding the LRT would be driven to the new subway stop or catch a new express bus route that is currently not part of the transit network.

On the Eglinton East LRT, it would take 33 minutes to travel from where a Malvern stop was conceived  just southeast of the Malvern Town Centre at Sheppard Ave. and Morningside  to Kennedy Station, according to a 2009 environmental assessment, a provincial requirement in the planning process.

A separate environmental assessment for the LRT line that would have replaced the Scarborough RT  a plan that was scrapped under former mayor Rob Fords administration in 2013 in favour of a subway  would offer the quickest connection to Kennedy Station at 16 minutes.

That cuts the current travel time in half when accounting for 23 minutes on the bus from Malvern Town Centre to Scarborough Centre and eight minutes on the SRT to Kennedy, according to a 2010 TTC presentation. Travel time on the SRT is currently estimated at 12 minutes, according to a 2016 city report on Scarborough transit, which puts the current commute at 35 minutes.

A subway extended to Scarborough Centre would still require the 23-minute bus trip, but offer an improved trip  just seven minutes  to Kennedy on the subway, according to travel time figures in the 2016 document. That commute would total 30 minutes  twice as long as the cancelled LRT.

Residents expect their local representatives to be honest with them, put people and facts before their own political interests, and support the transit plan that will get Malvern residents to where they want to go in the quickest time possible, said Councillor Josh Matlow, who has challenged the lack of information to justify a subway. He has advocated for a return to the LRT network plan.

Its unclear if the Malvern extensions of either LRT were ever publicly costed. A city spokesperson said staff were not able to locate costs. Metrolinx could not provide estimates before deadline.

Earlier studies found that both LRT extensions were not needed together, and the LRT running in the SRT corridor would be the preferred line for extension. The preferred alignment for that extension was designed to be partly tunneled and another part elevated, which would be more expensive than building the line at grade.

A 2010 study found a third of all passengers on the SRT travelled from the Malvern area. By 2031, that use by Malvern residents was expected to grow and would therefore strengthen the need for the SRT extension, an environmental assessment, a provincial requirement in the planning process, said.

Without better connections, Scarborough transit users lose out, said longtime transit advocate Steve Munro, who has documented the former studies on his website.

The whole focus on getting the subway to (Scarborough Town Centre) and abandoning the idea of going further northeast really is a slap in the face of riders from that area.

A public meeting on the Eglinton East LRT proposal is being held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Malvern Community Centre, 30 Sewells Rd.

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A Toronto judge sombrely declared a mistrial in a murder case Wednesday after jurors, who began deliberations only hours earlier, listened to part of an audio recording they werent supposed to hear.

This should never have happened, Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian MacDonnell said before discharging the jury.

Shakeil Wheatle, 24, is charged with the random fatal shooting of Daniel Davis, 27, early July 19, 2012 in a playground behind an elementary school in Flemington Park, near Lawrence Ave. W. and Allen Rd.

A key to the prosecutions case was an audio recording taped by a police agent that allegedly captures Wheatle describing his role in the Davis murder. Testifying in his own defence last week, Wheatle said he falsely confessed to the killing because he wanted to sound tough and cool.

After hearing two weeks of evidence in downtown Superior Court, the jury retired Wednesday morning armed with exhibits and other material, including an audio recording of the secretly taped conversation.

But a few hours later they sent the judge a note flagging concerns about the recording.

MacDonnell asked the foreman what happened.

The foreman said that when jurors began listening to the tape, instead of two men speaking they heard what appeared to be background noise, and maybe a TV. The jurors fast forwarded the recording, and stopped it at a place where it sounded like a discussion of a different crime, not played in court, the foreman told court.

After conferring with counsel, MacDonnell said he had no choice but to declare a mistrial.

That part of the recording should never have been taken into the jury room, MacDonnell told the jury. The part that shouldnt have been heard is a part that, in my view, has the potential to undermine the fairness of the trial.

Before letting them go, MacDonnell praised the jurors.

You did everything exactly the way that we would want it to be done and I am grateful for that, he said. The fault for it being there is certainly not yours.

After jurors departed, prosecutor Scott Clarke apologized to the judge.

This is obviously a matter of great embarrassment . . . and its rightly borne by the Crown, Clarke told MacDonnell. Its been a waste of . . . precious court time and resources that we dont quite frankly have to spare.

Clarke apologized to Wheatle, court staff, and the victims family. Daviss mother was in the courtroom during the discussion about the recording but left before the jury was discharged.

MacDonnell said he was available for the retrial, and suggested it could happen within weeks.

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A Toronto forensics lab is examining DNA from a body found in the Rosedale ravine in August as police investigate whether the remains are those of a missing transgender woman.

There isnt any evidence at this point to suggest the body is that of 27-year-old Alloura Wells, also known as Alloura Hennessy, according to Const. Jenniferjit Sidhu.

But investigators confirmed that the deceased woman is transgender several days after the body was found, Sidhu said, and are still trying to confirm her identity.

The Centre of Forensic Sciences is testing the DNA, which was submitted to it earlier this month. Sidhu said it isnt clear exactly how long it will take to get results.

Wells was last seen in downtown Toronto in July. A report was made to Toronto police of her disappearance on Nov. 6.

Her sister previously told the Star that Wells had been homeless for about three years. Michelle Wheeler said Toronto police told her father that Wellss disappearance was not high priority because of her homelessness.

Thats certainly not the proper response from any part of this organization, Toronto Police spokesperson Mark Pugash told the Star.

He added that Supt. Tony Riviere of 51 Division had taken a personal interest in Wells disappearance and that he had tried reaching out to her family to apologize.

Friends and family organized a search for Wells earlier in November and held several news conferences to make the public aware of her disappearance.

Andrea Sterling, the chair of Maggies: Toronto Sex Workers Action Project, said Wellss disappearance wasnt taken seriously because she was a sex worker. Wells was known to the organization, she said.

We are fed up that police have really not cared for trans sex workers and theyve written (them) off (and decided) that their lives are not valuable, Sterling previously told the Star.

With files from Alanna Rizza

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In a speech about honest leadership and the importance of sticking by principles, former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden told a crowd at the Metro Convention Centre that running for U.S. president in 2020 was not completely out of the question.

I will sit down with my family in the next calendar year and see, he said on Tuesday. "No man or woman has the right to run for president of the United States unless they can look you in the eye and say, I guarantee you, you have my whole heart, my whole soul and all my attention.

The American politician was the headline speaker for a conference called The Art of Leadership that took place on Tuesday afternoon, which brought together leaders and motivational speakers such as journalist Amanda Lang and creative director Welby Altidor.

Read more: Michelle Obama and Joe Biden in Toronto Tuesday for speaking engagements

Biden, 75, served as the 47th vice-president during the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. Biden, who ran for presidential leadership twice, is considered by many to be one of Americas most well-known and influential vice-presidents.

On Tuesday, he described his relationship with former president Barack Obama as one founded in loyalty. He highlighted the administrations achievements, hinting at his own role in each.

Trusted by former president Barack Obama, Biden was often involved in significant assignments, such as implementing the economic stimulus plan and leading several international missions.

We trust each other completely, absolutely, totally, he said on Tuesday. I trust him with my life.

On Dec. 6, Vice President Joe Biden jokes about his own talk on seeking the presidency in 2020. On his way into a meeting with House Democrats Tuesday, Biden said, I'm going to announce right now in response to questions about whether he'll run. (The Associated Press)

Biden, who represented Delaware as a senator from 1973 until his term in the White House, also spoke about his new memoir, Promise Me, Dad, which details the illness and death of his elder son, Beau, who died of brain cancer at 46 in 2015.

He said Tuesday that his difficult decision not to pursue the Democratic nomination for president in 2016 rested in the difficulties of dealing with the death.

I didnt write this book to dwell on grief but to let people know that I understand it, but there is hope and purpose and a way to get through, he said. I know people have suffered much more than I have.

Biden, who introduced the Violence Against Women Act in the 1990s, told the audience violence against women is deeply rooted in American culture and that leaders need to stand up against such issues regardless of the cost to ones position or career.

He listed several qualities important to leadership, which included empathy, being engaged and principled and not confusing academic credentials with good judgment.

Everyone in my constituency who wanted to run for office in the future came to me and said whats the secret? he told the audience. I said, have you figured whats worth losing for. If you havent dont do it, go do something else.

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Affordable apartments are becoming increasingly difficult to find across the GTA, with vacancy rates hitting a 16-year low amid steadily rising rents, a new report shows.

The details around the rising costs of rent and the decline in available apartments are spelled out in the latest Rental Market Survey for the Greater Toronto Area, from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

The overall vacancy rate for the GTA was at 1.1 per cent, down from 1.4 per cent in 2016. The Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), which covers much of the GTA, was at 1 per cent, down from 1.3 per cent the previous year.

The average cost of an apartment rose to almost $1,300 a month, across the GTA.

Rising costs of home ownership forced more people to seek and remain in rental accommodation. The resulting average vacancy rate for private purpose-built apartments in the Toronto CMA declined to reach its lowest level in 16 years, the authors wrote.

That lack of supply and high demand, the authors wrote, also allowed landlords to charge significantly higher rents after tenants moved out and still remain competitive.

The average cost of a purpose built apartment in the GTA, according to the report, was about $1,300 and almost $2,080 to rent a condominium.

Greg Suttor, a senior researcher at the Wellesley Institute said $1,300 was a bit of a milestone, in a rental market that has been ticking up for years.

In Canada, spending 30 per cent of annual gross income on rent is defined as affordable. Suttor pointed out that an annual gross income of $52,000 would be needed, to meet that standard in what is now the average cost of a Toronto apartment.

That means lower-income residents must choose between living in housing they cant afford, or being pushed to the margins of the city, he said.

We know that the market is very tight, there is only so much supply and there is huge demand, said Suttor, noting that average rental costs have gone up more than 5 per cent and the cost of renting a condo has gone up more than 10 per cent, since last year.

In Toronto, an average one-bedroom costs $1,194, up from $1,132 the previous year, the report showed, and across the GTA that figure rose to $1,191 from $1,129.

In central Toronto, a one-bedroom apartment was slightly easier to find, with a vacancy rate of 1.9 per cent, up from 1.4 per cent, however the cost of the unit was at $1,498 up from $1,336 from the previous year.

In addition to demand, major repairs, renovations and replacement investments by property-owners may have also been factors for stronger rent increases in 2017, the authors wrote.

In Ontario, monthly rent can automatically be raised each year but only by a set amount established by the government. Landlords can apply for an additional increase if they can prove they have done necessary capital repair work on buildings.

Once a tenant moves out, there is no limit on how much a landlord can charge.

Tenant advocates contend those legal rent increases tied to repairs are used to force lower-income tenants out of older buildings, so they can jack up the rent.

Earlier this year, tenants in buildings run by MetCap Living Management Inc. went on a rent strike to protest increases, which ended with a settlement.

The settlement included a reduction in planned rent increases at six buildings in Parkdale and the creation of a new rent-relief or assistance program run by MetCap staff to provide more security for lower-income tenants.

Earlier this month, the federal government released the National Housing Strategy, which includes a pledge to create a rent supplement program which should help low-income Canadians access what would otherwise be unaffordable apartments.

That program is expected to be in place in the next two to three years.

Across the GTA, developers have responded to demands for new rental units and benefited from favourable lending conditions in recent years, but still couldnt meet the demand, particularly for newer rental units with condo-like features, according to the report.

This year in the GTA, the number of purpose-built private rental units under construction surpassed 7,000  its highest level ever, and developers completed about 2,240 rental units between June 2016 and June of this year, a 31 per cent increase from the previous 12 months, the report showed.

However, this pace of completions was modest relative to the record number of units currently under construction and not significantly above the past 10-year annual average of 1,800 units, the authors wrote.

The number of actual rental units increased by 2,577, in part, thanks to the completion of some housing projects.

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Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal MPP (Ottawa-Orleans), Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, and Cheri DiNovo, NDP MPP (Parkdale-High Park) on their Political Blind Date:

What was your first impression of your date?

LALONDE: I knew Cheri as a passionate member of the legislature and my impression was the same on our date. I knew her a bit because I worked with her during the follow-up to my private members motion to honour the first two female MPPs in the Ontario Legislature with a permanent monument.

DINOVO: I didnt know Marie-France at all really. She has always seemed pleasant, and we had worked on a project together. Like most Liberals, I assumed she was very practical, just found herself in a position of power and had more questions than answers.

Was there a moment when you thought, what have I got myself into?

LALONDE: Not at all! I was quite pleased that Cheri was my political blind date.

DINOVO: No, not really. I was honoured to meet our coroner [Dr. Dirk Huyer, on one of the dates], and its always a thrill for me as an LGBTQ2SI activist to hang out with trans heroes and corrections brothers and sisters.

What facts of viewpoints had you not considered/heard before?

LALONDE: Cheri has lived experiences that inform her views, and she is very vocal about urban issues. Ive heard these views before, but it is always different and more meaningful coming from someone who has experienced it.

DINOVO: I was impressed with the competence and knowledge of the coroner, and the hard work of those who work in our better corrections facilities, even though many questions remain. Isnt there a better way to address the needs of victims and perpetrators?

How much did your view change about the issue?

LALONDE: You know I dont think Cheri and I were very far apart on many issues to begin with. We both want corrections reform done right.

DINOVO: I see the complex systems that as one cabinet minister with limited power finds difficult to make inroads. How long it takes to learn whos who, whats going on, and then the battle to make changes with our own government, and all those concerned.

What was the best strategy your date used to persuade you?

LALONDE: I think that her passion is a great tool, and she effectively uses it to move people to her side.

DINOVO: Marie-France convinced me its not all bad in corrections by showing me the best of. But then again, theres so much that isnt best.

What was the worst?

LALONDE: I wouldnt say there was a worst or bad strategy. We sometimes just agree to disagree on issues, and thats OK.

DINOVO: Listening to Boyd Kodaks experience [on being a trans man held in a womens jail], and the lives of corrections workers.

What part of your date do you wish you could do over?

LALONDE: I wish I could do-over the part where I took the wrong exit on the 401. Having a GPS would have been helpful. Since Im not from Toronto, Im not as familiar with all the roads as Im sure Cheri is.

DINOVO: I would have liked to ask more about those incarcerated awaiting trial. A disgrace. It was hinted at, but we didnt really go into it. My fault. Should have pushed.

The next time you run into your date will it be awkward?

LALONDE: It wont be awkward at all! Ive always enjoyed working with Cheri and I see her often at the Legislature.

DINOVO: Not at all! We consider each other friends.

What surprised you most about your date?

LALONDE: I realized that all of us MPPs dont have much time during the session to get to know one another. It was during my time on this date that I got to know Cheri much better and, Im thankful for that.

DINOVO: The complexity of our corrections system. Good, good people caught up in a system in desperate need of overhaul. Where to start? The difficulty in Marie-Frances role.

How would you rate this political blind date out of 10?

LALONDE: 10

DINOVO: 8. Truly educational. Ive always believed that working across partisan lines is the way to go. Our problems are large. Lets work together to change Ontario. Good to know her reality.

NEXT WEEK: HOUSING

The Canadian government recently announced details of its 10-year national housing strategy, but in the meantime, theres a shortage of adequate public housing. Liberal MP Adam Vaughan takes Toronto Councillor Maria Augimeri, who grew up in public housing, to Alexandra Park to convince her there is reason to be optimistic.

Toronto City Councillor Maria Augimeri and Liberal MP Adam Vaughan debate public housing in Toronto on episode 5 of TVO's Political Blind Date series.

VAUGHAN: We had critics at the start who said dont do this; its gentrification. Dont put private housing next to public housing.

AUGIMERI: What Ive seen is the plan for a true renaissance here...Its a rebirth of a community. But Im under no illusions that you can re-fabricate this in the suburbs.

Political Blind Date Episodes

The six-part series airs Tuesdays on TVO at 9 p.m. and on tvo.org. See thestar.com for weekly pre- and post-show coverage.

Nov. 7  MARIJUANA

Garnett Genuis, Conservative MP, Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, and Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal MP, Beaches-East York.

Nov. 14  TRANSIT

Doug Ford, former Toronto councillor, and Jagmeet Singh, NDP federal leader.

Nov. 21  SAFE INJECTION SITES

Matt Brown, London, Ont. mayor, and Giorgio Mammoliti, Toronto councillor, York West.

Nov. 28  CORRECTIONS

Cheri DiNovo, NDP MPP, Parkdale-High Park, and Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal MPP and Minister, Ottawa-Orleans.

Dec. 5  HOUSING

Maria Augimeri, Toronto councillor, York Centre, and Adam Vaughan, Liberal MP, SpadinaFort York

Dec. 12  CARBON TAXES

Arthur Potts, Liberal MPP, Beaches-East York, and Shannon Stubbs, Conservative MP, Lakeland.

Political Blind Date is produced by Open Door Co., Nomad Films and TVO, which airs the show Tuesdays at 9 p.m., and on tvo.org. The Toronto Star is the series media partner.

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Do the right thing.

Thats the advice from Premier Kathleen Wynne to Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown on the need for transparency when police are investigating your political party.

Brown is refusing to say whether Tory officials would be forced to step down if they are charged following a criminal probe into a Hamilton-area PC nomination.

Weve been fully co-operative in everything the investigation requires, the Tory leader said Tuesday in Scarborough, deflecting questions about anyone potentially being asked to resign.

Hamilton police detectives are looking into unnamed Conservatives in connection with the partys May 7 candidate nomination in the riding of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.

Read more:

Wynne says PC Leader Patrick Browns hope of finding painless cuts is nonsense

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Browns rivals pan his plan

Wynne noted she accepted the resignation of key Liberal Patricia Sorbara, after she was charged with an Election Act violation related to a 2015 byelection in Sudbury. Sorbara was exonerated at trial last month and has rejoined the Liberal campaign.

Hes got to look to his own conscience on this, the premier told the Star from Nanjing, China, where she is on a trade mission.

Throughout the whole process I did what I believed was the right thing to do  to do what I said I was going to do  and I answered a million questions about every aspect of this. A million, said Wynne, who waived parliamentary privilege to testify as a Crown witness in the Sudbury trial.

I would do the same again. I would do it exactly the same way that I did it. Hell have to look to his own integrity on this. Its important to be transparent.

Over the past two years Brown repeatedly urged Wynne to remove Pat Sorbara from her office  even before she was charged.

Brown said its an unfair comparison to liken the Tories current troubles with past Liberal imbroglios.

There was a nomination there that was overheated, he said about the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas controversy.

Here in Toronto, youve got criminal charges that are actually laid.

That was a reference to the trial of David Livingston and Laura Miller, two top aides to former premier Dalton McGuinty. A verdict in that trial is expected to happen on Jan. 19.

Livingston and Miller have pleaded not guilty to attempted mischief to a computer and unauthorized use of a computer. Those charges stemmed from the Liberals cancellation of gas-fired power plants in Oakville and Mississauga before the 2011 election.

In the Tories nomination controversy, Vikram Singh, a Hamilton lawyer and runner-up in the four-contestant Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas nomination, launched a civil suit against the PC party alleging wrongful insertion of false ballots.

Singhs action  which names Brown, Tory president Rick Dykstra, party executive director Bob Stanley and senior Brown aide Logan Bugeja  is separate from the criminal fraud probe.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said it is disappointing and worrisome that the Tory leader appears unwilling to follow the established precedent at Queens Park should criminal charges be laid.

Hes having a bit of trouble in terms of his leadership and the way he organizes his party, Horwath said.

If theres a scandal or wrongdoing thats being investigated and charges are being laid then its time for people to withdraw and remove themselves from the . . . activities of the party, she said.

Its about trying to maintain a sense of public trust and integrity. When these kinds of things occur, youve got to do the right thing.

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A Canadian man pleaded guilty in an American court Tuesday to nine charges stemming from a massive breach at Yahoo that authorities said was directed by Russian intelligence agents and affected about 500 million user accounts.

Karim Baratov appeared in a jail jumpsuit before a U.S. federal judge and entered the pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and eight counts of aggravated identity theft. He gave yes and no answers to questions from the judge about his pleas, but said nothing more.

U.S. law enforcement officials have called Baratov, 22, a hacker-for-hire and said he was paid by members of the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, to access more than 80 accounts.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Baratov used spearphishing schemes that would trick victims into entering their account credentials into webpages he built to appear to be from their webmail providers.

Once he obtained their log-in information, he would send it to his clients, the statement said.

Cybercrime is not only a grave threat to personal privacy and security, but causes great harm to individuals who are hacked and costs the world economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year, district attorney Brian Stretch said in a statement.

These threats are even more insidious when cyber criminals such as Baratov are employed by foreign government agencies acting outside the rule of law.

Baratovs lawyers told reporters outside court that their client hacked only eight accounts and did not know that he was working for Russian agents connected to the Yahoo breach.

Read more:

Alleged Yahoo hacker Karim Baratov waives extradition to go straight to U.S. to face prosecution

Accused Yahoo hacker Karim Baratov to stay in custody after bail decision upheld

Parents of alleged hacker in disbelief over U.S. charges

Hes been transparent and forthright with the government since he got here, said lawyer Andrew Mancilla.

Baratov, a Canadian citizen born in Kazakhstan, was arrested in Hamilton in March under the Extradition Act after American authorities indicted him for computer hacking, economic espionage and other crimes.

In August, Baratov decided to forgo his extradition hearing to face the charges in California. His Canadian lawyer at the time said the move was to speed up the legal process.

Before going to the U.S., he was held without bail because an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled that he was too much of a flight risk to be released prior to the extradition hearing.

The judge also found that Baratovs parents would not make appropriate sureties since they had not been suspicious of their sons alleged activities while he lived under their roof.

Also facing charges are Russian agents Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin, who prosecutors say used the information they stole from Yahoo to spy on Russian journalists, U.S. and Russian government officials and employees of financial services and other private businesses.

Dokuchaev, Sushchin and a third Russian national, Alexsey Belan, were also named in the indictment filed in February, though its not clear whether they will ever step foot in an American courtroom since theres no extradition treaty with Russia.

Though the U.S. government had previously charged individual Russian hackers with cybercrime, this was the first criminal case to name as defendants sitting members of the Russian Federal Security Service for hacking charges, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

With files from The Associated Press

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MANITOWOC, WIS.A Wisconsin man convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in a case featured on the Netflix series Making A Murderer has once again been denied a new trial.

Steven Averys request was rejected Tuesday by Sheboygan County Circuit Judge Angela Sutkiewicz. Avery had asked the judge to reconsider her Oct. 3 decision rejecting his request for a new trial.

Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey were sentenced to life in prison for the 2005 slaying of 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. Avery insists police framed him.

Averys attorney says she had new testimony and evidence to present that warranted a new trial. But the judge said Tuesday that she finds no basis to reverse her earlier decision.

Avery is also seeking an appeal of the ruling with the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Read more:

No immediate release for Brendan Dassey from Making a Murderer, appeals court rules

Brendan Dassey from Making a Murderer was coerced into confession, judges affirm

New trial requested in Making a Murderer case

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WASHINGTONCanada will assist the United States in co-hosting a major international meeting on North Korea in an attempt to find a non-military solution to a nuclear crisis, which escalated Tuesday with a record-setting missile test by the rogue state.

They will convene foreign ministers from the countries involved in the Korean War and from important regional actors like Japan in a meeting whose date has not been set but which will likely occur in Canada early next year.

Read more:

North Korea escapees expose realities of life under Kim Jong Un

U.S. totally prepared to handle North Korea, Trump says

North Koreas weapons testing stirs worries in Japan

The conference had been under discussion for weeks between Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and her U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and they chose to announce it late Tuesday after North Korea carried out its longest-ever missile test.

A meeting of this magnitude hasnt been done before, one Canadian official said.

Its been years since diplomatic conversations went dormant ... This is part of an effort to involve all the players who should be involved ... It helps give legs to a diplomatic solution.

A statement by the U.S. State Department said: Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. It said the U.S. remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.

That message stands in contrast to recent remarks from the U.S. president. Donald Trump has expressed skepticism that diplomacy might work and even questioned the point of his secretary of state participating in political talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the White House Tuesday afternoon about the latest North Korean missile launch, saying "we will take care of it." (The Associated Press)

Trump was curt in public comments Tuesday.

I will only tell you that we will take care of it, Trump told reporters at the White House.

It is a situation that we will handle.

He made the remarks during a meeting attended by Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who added context about what had just occurred.

Mattis said that mid-day, Washington time, North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan. He said it represented a milestone in North Koreas decades-old nuclear program, which has been used in the past to build leverage and extract concessions from other countries.

The North said in a special televised announcement that it successfully fired what it called the Hwasong-15, a new nuclear-capable ICBM thats significantly more powerful than the Norths previously tested long-range weapon.

The missile travelled about 1,000 kilometres, flew for 53 minutes, and landed within 370 nautical kilometres of Japans coast.

It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, Mattis said.

Its a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, basically.

He said the South Koreans responded by firing some pinpoint missiles into the water, to make the point that it could fire upon its neighbour and rival. Mattis called the North Korean action a threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and the United States.

In a statement, Freeland called this latest launch a reckless and dangerous act that presents a direct threat to the world that cannot be tolerated.

With files from The Associated Press

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Former White House strategist Steve Bannon told CNN Tuesday he is going to campaign for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore at a rally in the state next week, making a strong show of support for the embattled Republican a week before the special election.

The announcement came hours after The Associated Press reported that Bannon, who had not campaigned for Moore since days before the Sept. 26 Republican runoff, had no plans to campaign for Moore.

Two Bannon associates had told The Associated Press that Bannon was not planning to return to Alabama before the Dec. 12 election. The associates spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

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But Bannon told CNN later, I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate and send shock waves to the political and media elites.

Bannon uses deplorables as a term of endearment for supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the 2016 campaign, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton once described some of Trumps supporters as a basket of deplorables.

A person close to Bannon confirmed to The Associated Press the former Trump strategists plan to campaign for Moore. That person insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

On Monday night, in the small town of Henagar, Alabama, Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore spoke to about 100 supporters, denying the sexual allegations and adding that he, too, wants to "make America great again" alongside U.S. President Trump. (The Associated Press)

Moores campaign is the opening battle in what Bannon has described as his war on the Republican establishment.

Bannon has been absent from Alabama since the primary, though he had dispatched a team of reporters with the conservative news network he runs, Breitbart News.

Bannons decision to visit comes on the heels of the White House announcement Monday that Trump does not plan to campaign for Moore, a former state Supreme Court judge who appeared headed to easy victory until decades-old allegations he preyed on teenage girls as a man in his 30s emerged.

Bannon said shortly after the first allegations came to light came to light two weeks ago, Until I see additional evidence on Judge Moore, Im standing with him.

That was before a chorus of calls from Republicans in Congress and around the country  most notably Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  calling on Moore to step down.

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WASHINGTONThe U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday that North Koreas latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile  which some observers believe could reach the Eastern U.S.  brings us closer to a war the U.S. isnt seeking.

Nikki Haley, speaking at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, said that if war comes as a result of further acts of aggression like Tuesday's launch, make no mistake the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed.

The dictator of North Korea made a decision yesterday that brings us closer to war, not farther from it, Haley said. We have never sought war with North Korea and still today we do not seek it.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

The Trump administration threatened new sanctions on North Korea after the reclusive government shattered 2  months of relative quiet with its most powerful weapon test yet.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about Pyongyangs provocative actions, and he vowed that additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! Trumps top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said the U.S. could target financial institutions doing business with the North.

At the emergency security council meeting, Chinas deputy UN ambassador Wu Haitao reiterated the China-Russia proposal for North Korea to suspend all nuclear and missile tests and for the U.S. and South Korea to suspend all military exercises.

Russias UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also urged North Korea to stop the tests and called on the U.S. and South Korea to cancel large-scale military manoeuvres scheduled for December.

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The fresh deliberations about new forms of punishment for North Korea came after its government said it successfully fired a significantly more powerful, nuclear-capable ICBM it called the Hwasong-15. Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

A resumption of Pyongyangs torrid testing pace in pursuit of its goal of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can hit the U.S. mainland had been widely expected. But the power of the missile and suddenness of the test jolted the Korean Peninsula and Washington. The launch at 3:17 a.m. Wednesday local time  early Tuesday afternoon in the U.S. capital  indicated an effort to perfect the element of surprise and obtain maximum attention in the U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa met at the State Department Wednesday. During a photo-op, Tillerson said the U.S. has "additional potential sanctions," it could apply against North Korea. (The Associated Press)

In a government statement released through state media, North Korea said the Hwasong-15, the greatest ICBM, could be armed with a super-large heavy nuclear warhead and is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S. The North said the missile reached a height of 4,475 kilometres and travelled 950 km before accurately hitting a sea target, similar to the flight data announced by South Koreas military.

After the launch, it said leader Kim Jong Un declared with pride that his country has achieved its goal of becoming a rocket power. State TV said Kim gave the order Tuesday, and it broadcast a photo of Kims signed order where he wrote: Test launch is approved. Taking place at the daybreak of Nov. 29! Fire with courage for the party and country!

Speaking later Wednesday, Trump could not resist taking a dig at Kim. Digressing during a speech in Missouri on tax reform, Trump called Kim Little Rocket Man and described him as a sick puppy.

The North Korean launch was a message of defiance to the Trump administration, which a week earlier restored North Korea to a U.S. list of terror sponsors. It also ruins nascent diplomatic efforts, raises fears of war or a pre-emptive U.S. strike and casts a deeper shadow over the security of the Winter Olympics early next year in South Korea.

A rattled Seoul responded by almost immediately launching three of its own missiles in a show of force. South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed worry that North Koreas missile threat could force the U.S. to attack the North before it masters a nuclear-tipped long-range missile.

The launch was North Koreas first since it fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan on Sept. 15 and may have broken any efforts at diplomacy. U.S. officials have sporadically floated the idea of direct talks with North Korea if it maintained restraint.

The missile also appeared an improvement on North Koreas past launches.

If flown on a standard trajectory, instead of the lofted angle of the test flight, the missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometres, said U.S. scientist David Wright, a physicist who closely tracks North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. "Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States," Wright wrote in a blog post for the Union for Concerned Scientists.

Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said the missile landed inside Japans special economic zone in the Sea of Japan.

A big unknown, however, is the missiles payload. If, as expected, it carried a light mock warhead, then its effective range would have been shorter, analysts said.

In his call with Xi, Trump made clear the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies, according to a White House statement. Trump also emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization.

The Trump administration bolstered U.S. sanctions against North Korea last week and imposed new restrictions on North Korean shipping firms and Chinese companies that deal with the North.

Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that China remained determined to clear the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons, and to preserve peace and stability in Northeast Asia. Xi said China wants to maintain communications with the U.S. and others, and jointly push the nuclear issue toward the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations.

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WASHINGTONU.S. and Chinese generals engaged in an unusual set of security talks on Wednesday, just hours after North Koreas most powerful missile test yet, focused on how the mighty American and Chinese militaries might communicate in a crisis.

As President Donald Trump greeted the Norths launching of another intercontinental ballistic missile with familiar demands for China to get tougher with its ally, the low-profile and unpublicized meeting at the National Defense University in Washington was taking place amid signs China is more willing to discuss how the two world powers would manage an even worse emergency on the divided Korean Peninsula.

The Pentagon stressed the talks were scheduled long before North Koreas surprise missile launch in the early hours Wednesday in Asia. Officials insisted the dialogue wasnt centred on North Korea or anything else in particular.

Read more:

Trump vows new sanctions after North Korea tests its most powerful missile yet

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North Korea fires ballistic missile for first time in more than 2 months

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having the capability to strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped missile  using military force if necessary. He is running out of time: Some experts said the missile fired on a high trajectory that splashed down in the Sea of Japan showed North Koreas ability to strike Washington and the entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the White House Tuesday afternoon about the latest North Korean missile launch, saying "we will take care of it." (The Associated Press)

The threat of a military confrontation is making China rethink its resistance to discussing contingencies involving North Korea, according to experts. Such discussions have long been off-limits for Beijing, which fought on North Koreas side against the United States in the 1950-53 Korean War and remains its treaty ally.

In a phone conversation with Trump on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his desire for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff with North Korea.

Objectives for Wednesdays military consultations appeared modest.

The engagement will serve as an opportunity to discuss how to manage crises, prevent miscalculations, and reduce the risk of misunderstanding, the office of Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Associated Press in a statement.

The U.S. and China agreed on the talks when Dunford met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing in August. While in China, Dunford observed a Chinese military drill at Shenyang, about 120 miles from the North Korean border  an unusual stop for an official visit.

Wednesdays talks were being led by Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke, the Joint Chiefs planning director, and Maj. Gen. Shao Yuanming, a senior Chinese military official. Theyre especially noteworthy given the deep strategic mistrust between the U.S. and China, and Beijings increasing challenge to Americas post-World War II dominance in the Asia-Pacific.

China has been more explicit in saying what the talks are about.

Yao Yunzhu, a retired general who specializes in U.S.-Chinese defence relations at Chinas Academy of Military Science, said this summer they should include Northeast Asia, where North Korea is located. She also mentioned the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Yun Sun, an expert on Chinese foreign policy at the Stimson Center think-tank , said Dunford raised North Korean contingencies at the August meeting and the two sides discussed the potential danger of a conflict or a nuclear disaster. U.S. officials wouldnt confirm that account. Sun said she anticipated those talks would continue Wednesday.

While such discussions have occurred in recent years among non-government experts, they hadnt yet happened at official levels.

However, Oriano Skylar Mastro, a Georgetown University professor, said her Chinese contacts indicated willingness to broach North Korea contingencies in the military dialogue.

Things are shifting right now in both China and the United States. There seems to be an opening, said Mastro. She expected the talks would still be at a preliminary stage.

This type of discussion is difficult among friends. Its much more difficult between potential adversaries, but absolutely necessary, Mastro said. The type of war that might break out (with North Korea) is one that would be more costly than anything that generations of Americans have experienced.

Political limitations exist on both sides, making some experts skeptical that progress would be made or even that North Korean contingencies would be addressed at all. The U.S. must be wary of offending South Korea, which isnt in the dialogue. China risks further alienating a paranoid ally at a time Beijing is supporting increasingly tough U.N. sanctions on North Koreas economy in response to its missile and nuclear tests.

The Chinese side is very worried that if North Korea gets word it might turn them into a hostile neighbour, said Frank Aum, a former Pentagon adviser on North Korea.

Chinese opinions are divided. But in a sign of growing antipathy toward Pyongyang, some Chinese intellectuals have called for radical policy change. Not only is North Korea a liability for Chinas global standing, it also poses a nuclear risk on its doorstep.

A collapse of North Koreas state, or another crisis, could push Beijing into conflict with the U.S. and South Korea. Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, mentioned North Korean nuclear facilities within 50 miles of the Chinese border, and said both sides could try to secure loose nukes.

There have been grave miscommunications before. Abraham Denmark, a former senior U.S. military official for East Asia, cited the run-up to the Korean War, when Washington thought Beijing knew it would not seek to invade China; the Chinese thought the Americans knew that if U.S. forces advanced north of the 38th parallel into North Korea, China would intervene.

Both sides at the time thought that they were being extremely clear, but neither side had any idea of what was going on, Denmark said. That suggests to me that both sides need to be very up front with one another.

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THE HAGUESeconds after a U.N. judge confirmed his 20-year war crimes sentence on Wednesday, former Bosnian Croat military commander Slobodan Praljak shouted, I am not a war criminal! threw back his head, drank liquid from a small bottle and told the court he had taken poison. A flustered judge halted the hearing and Praljak was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Shocking images of the 72-year-old former philosophy professor and theatre director who became a wartime general shouting and drinking what he said was poison were streamed live on the courts website and around the Balkans.

The death cast a pall over the last case at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Judges upheld sentences ranging from 10-25 years against Praljak and five other Bosnian Croat wartime political and military leaders for their part in a plan linked to Croatias late former president Franjo Tudjman to violently carve out a Croat-dominated ministate in Bosnia during the Balkan wars by killing, mistreating and deporting Muslims.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic offered his condolences to Praljaks family and said the former generals actions reflected the deep moral injustice done to him and the five others whose sentences were also upheld by the appeals judges Wednesday.

In their ruling, the judges confirmed that Praljak was guilty of crimes including murder, persecution and inhumane treatment as part of the plot to establish a Croat entity in Bosnia in the early 1990s, as well as the 20-year sentence initially handed to Praljak in May 2013 at the end of the six mens trial.

Ironically, Praljak, who surrendered to the tribunal in April 2004 and had already been jailed for 13 years, could have soon walked free because those who are convicted are generally released after serving two-thirds of their sentences.

After Praljaks outburst, Dutch police immediately were called in to launch an independent investigation. Questions the detectives will attempt to answer include: What was the liquid Praljak drank and how did he manage to get it into the tightly guarded courtroom?

The courtroom where the dramatic scene unfolded was sealed off. Presiding Judge Carmel Agius said it was now a crime scene.

A Serbian lawyer who has frequently defended suspects at the U.N. war crimes court in the Netherlands told The Associated Press it would be easy to slip poison into the court.

Read more: Ex-Bosnian Serb chief Ratko Mladic found guilty of genocide, sentenced to life in prison

Attorney Toma Fila said that security for lawyers and other court staff is just like at an airport, with security staff inspecting metal objects and confiscating cellphones, but pills and small quantities of liquids would not be registered.

Nick Kaufman, an Israeli defence lawyer who used to work as a prosecutor at the tribunal, also said a defendant could find a way to bring in a banned substance.

When deprived of authority over the masses and the attention which formerly fuelled their ego and charisma, such defendants can often be extremely resourceful with the little power they retain, he said.

In the past, two Serbs have taken their lives while in the tribunals custody.

In July 1998, Slavko Dokmanovic, a Croatian Serb charged in the deaths of over 200 Croat prisoners of war, was found dead in his prison cell in The Hague. Milan Babic, a wartime Serbian leader who was closely co-operating with prosecutors, took his life in a prison tribunal cell in March 2006.

Wednesdays hearing was the final case at the groundbreaking tribunal before it closes its doors next month. The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The original trial began in April 2006 and provided a reminder of the complex web of ethnic tensions that fuelled fighting in Bosnia and still underlies frictions in the country today.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that his countrys leadership during the Bosnian war could in no way be connected with the facts and interpretations of Wednesdays judgment.

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NEW YORKNorth Koreas latest intercontinental ballistic missile test has provoked understandable alarm, particularly among Americans worried about the threat.

But many analysts reacted with something closer to grizzled stoicism, greeting the launch as dispiriting but unsurprising confirmation of North Koreas capabilities and intentions. For them, news of the test, like the missile program itself, is unwelcome and concerning but not too terrifying.

Its worth reviewing, then, some of the fundamentals that guide those experts views of North Korea and its weapons.

1: Its over. North Korea is a nuclear power now.

Policy-makers will debate for years the precise moment at which the door closed to preventing or rolling back North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. But that door is most likely now closed.

The North Koreans have little reason to give up their weapons programs, which bring them security against their otherwise vastly superior adversaries, and we have no way to make them.

Well, theres one way: an invasion. But North Koreas missiles are mobile, meaning it could fire off at least one or two before the United States could take them out. Full-on war would be virtually guaranteed to bring an attempted North Korean nuclear strike against a major American city. (This assumes North Korea can mount a warhead on a missile, but we have little reason to doubt that it can.)

In technical terms, that is described as a credible deterrent capability. In non-technical terms, it means the world has few options but to accept North Koreas nuclear status as a fact of life.

2: North Korea can probably strike Washington and New York now.

Past tests demonstrated that North Korean missiles could reach major West Coast cities in the United States. This test, according to analysts, showed that it can reach East Coast cities now, too. That probably includes Washington and New York. (It also includes Canadian cities like Toronto and Montreal, which are closer to North Korea on the polar route any missile would take.)

3: North Korea is rational, which means its unlikely to start a war.

The good news is that North Korea has no apparent intention of starting a war, which it would surely lose. In other words, no, North Korea is probably not going to nuke your city out of the blue.

This often gets lost in portrayals of Kim Jong Un, North Koreas leader, as a wild-eyed lunatic. But while Kim might be eccentric, he has repeatedly proven himself to be rational. Ruthless and morally reprehensible, but rational. And no rational leader invites national suicide, which is all Kim would achieve by provoking a war.

The United States has its own nuclear weapons, as well as overwhelming conventional military superiority, to deter North Korea. Historically, deterrence works. Its how the United States has lived for decades with the threat of Russian and Chinese nuclear weapons.

4: China might not be able to solve the North Korea problem.

American leaders have, since North Koreas nuclear program began, invested their hopes and their strategies in China. If only Beijing were properly motivated, the conventional wisdom goes, it could rein in its North Korean ally and neighbour.

But it may be time to consider why this strategy never seems to work.

North Korea is convinced that giving up its nuclear weapons would invite an American invasion, similar to what happened to Libya after it surrendered its own warheads. China can put a lot of pressure on little North Korea, but its not clear that such pressure scares Kim more than the threat of national destruction.

In any case, North Korea and China have been increasingly at odds. North Koreas weapons tests often seemed timed to humiliate and defy Beijing. China has imposed its own sanctions in response. So while Americans sometimes perceive China as supporting North Koreas provocations, in fact the opposite is often true.

5: North Korea has shown it can endure extreme economic punishment.

Even the most severe sanctions might not be able to impose anything that North Korea hasnt survived before. In the 1990s, the countrys economy and food supply collapsed simultaneously, setting off a famine that killed up to one-tenth of the population.

Since then, North Korea has improved its agricultural practices. So while Kim would rather avoid another economic collapse, he probably believes, with some reason, that his country could survive one.

6: North Korea may not want war, but its still scary.

No one knows for sure what Kim wants except for Kim, of course. But North Koreas actions still speak pretty loudly. And they suggest one of two long-term strategies. Analysts disagree about which is more plausible.

What these strategies have in common is a desire to secure North Koreas place in the world.

Theory one, most widely held among experts, says that North Korea wants to use its weapons to pressure the world into accepting it as a legitimate member of the international community. This, the thinking goes, would bring trade and normalization while keeping Kims government in power, sort of like Chinas opening in the 1970s. Thats scary because it means Kim isnt giving up until the world accepts his government as it is  cruel, provocative and nuclear-armed.

Theory two, more controversial, says that North Korea ultimately wants to reunify with South Korea. The North can never be truly secure, in this view, as long as the freer and more prosperous South remains independent, implicitly undermining the Norths reason to exist as a separate state. This doesnt mean invading and conquering South Korea outright, but rather slowly building ties between the two Koreas  and breaking the South away from its American protectors  until they reunify bloodlessly.

7: Worry, but dont burst a blood vessel.

The greatest risk, analysts tend to say, is from an accident or miscalculation that might send North Korea and the United States into an unintended conflict. Thats how war would start.

Maybe, for instance, the United States sends a bomber near North Korea as a symbolic threat, but the bomber veers off course toward Pyongyang, which North Korea perceives as the start of a war, leading it to fire missiles in perceived self-defence.

These sorts of scenarios are unlikely, and require a number of things to go wrong. But the odds arent zero and, if it happened, entire cities could be destroyed.

Its hard to know how to conceptualize that sort of high-risk, low-probability event. Its worth worrying about. But Americans are still at far greater risk from, say, smoking. Or a car accident. Or not having sufficient health care.

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On Nov. 20, members of the homeless community, front line workers, homeless activists, and representatives from CUPE 79 called on councillors to address the ongoing shelter crisis.

They described a shelter system bursting at the seams. They told of homeless men and women unable to find shelter, others forced to sleep on chairs and on the concrete floor at the citys referral centre, and of a 24-hour womens drop-in centre sheltering up to 60 women on a nightly basis, in a space meant for no more than 30 women.

After hearing close to two hours of emotional deputations, the community development and recreation committee voted 4 to 1 on a motion calling on Mayor John Tory to declare an emergency in the shelter system, which he has the authority to do.

The committee also called on the mayor to request that the federal government allow the city to use the Moss Park Armoury and Fort York Armoury to shelter the homeless. Another motion was passed asking city staff to address overcrowding by opening another 1,000 shelter beds.

The mayor has refused to call an emergency, and both he and city staff are unwilling to acknowledge that the shelter system is in crisis. The mayor continues to put forth city staffs position that the use of the armouries would not be safe or an adequate option for shelter space. This argument, however, ignores the history of the citys use of the armouries.

On Feb. 4, 1996, after three homeless men froze to death, the Moss Park Armoury opened its doors to the homeless. The armoury, which remained open for two weeks, sheltered 150 homeless on a nightly basis. Mayor Barbara Hall and the city were able to negotiate the use of the armoury in a matter of days.

On Oct. 24, 1998, Toronto city council declared homelessness a national disaster and asked the federal government to intervene. Three weeks later, the Fort York Armoury was opened after Mayor Mel Lastman and the city reached a deal with the federal government to allow the municipality to operate an emergency shelter at the facility for two months.

On April 15, 1999, the Fort York Armoury temporarily reopened its doors to the homeless for six weeks. Shortly after it closed, John Jagt, head of hostel services, opened an emergency shelter at Metro Hall in response to the continuing homeless crisis. On June 23, with the Metro Hall shelter still operating, the Department of National Defence announced it had reached an agreement allowing the city to operate an emergency shelter for 150 people at the Fort York Armoury for the next six months.

In January 2004, Mayor David Miller approached the federal government and requested the use of the Fort York Armoury. A 24-hour shelter for 100 homeless was subsequently established at the armoury and remained open for a month.

It is clear from the above examples that the armouries were a viable option for several Toronto mayors over the last two decades and that city staff welcomed the opportunity to operate emergency shelters out of these two facilities.

The immediate opening of the armouries would relieve pressure from an already strained hostel system. It would also offer better conditions than what exist in some of the citys warming centres where there are insufficient washrooms, no showers and overcrowding, all of which contribute to the spreading of disease.

Since the beginning of this year, 83 homeless people have died in Toronto. The opening of the armouries would save lives. Mayor Tory should stop hiding behind city bureaucrats unwillingness to acknowledge the obvious  that the city shelter system is in crisis. He should declare an emergency. And like his predecessors, Mayor Tory should call on the federal government to open the armouries immediately to shelter the citys homeless.

Gaetan Heroux is a member of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and co-author with Bryan D. Palmer of Torontos Poor: A Rebellious History.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can take pride in his appointment of Justice Sheilah Martin to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Justice Martin seems perfectly qualified for the top court. Educated in Montreal, she studied both civil and common law. She has served as a judge in Alberta and on appeal courts covering that province, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.

Martin is bilingual and has been at the forefront of arguing in favour of womens rights before the courts. She is also known as an advocate for increasing the representation of minorities  including Indigenous people  in the legal profession and the courts.

Shes just the kind of judge the Trudeau government wants to promote, and for good reason. It elevated her to the Alberta and northern appeal courts last year when it made its first round of judicial appointments, and has now finished the job by installing her on the top court. Theres every reason to believe she will do well.

Still, Justice Martins appointment leaves the government with two important items on its judicial to-do list.

Although well-versed in Indigenous issues, she is not herself Indigenous. As we and many others have argued, it is high time to see an Indigenous judge on the Supreme Court and the longer it takes the more pressing the demand will be.

The government must balance many factors in naming judges to the top court, aside from expertise in the law  representation for the civil law (essentially, Quebec) tradition; regional considerations; bilingualism; judicial philosophy; plus gender and other types of diversity.

Adding an Indigenous voice wont be easy, but its essential for many reasons. It would be highly symbolic at a time when reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is more important than ever and they are vastly over-represented in the prison system. It would broaden the top courts collective experience in dealing with Indigenous issues. And it would increase public confidence in one of the countrys key institutions.

The government must continue the work needed to make sure the pool of available candidates grows quickly. That means appointing more Indigenous lawyers to the bench, and giving those already serving as judges every chance to succeed and be promoted to higher levels.

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould has made a good start on that. On Wednesday she noted that just over 4 per cent of the governments judicial appointments have been Indigenous (about in line with the general population) and 14 per cent have been visible minorities. That work must continue to increase the diversity in a court system that is still much too traditional.

The government must also soon name a replacement for Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, who is stepping down on Dec. 15 after almost 18 years in the job. She leaves a fine record, and should be especially proud of standing up to the Harper government when it tried to impugn her reputation during its ill-fated attempt to name Judge Marc Nadon to the Supreme Court.

The top court should be led by someone with that type of integrity. By tradition, the position of chief justice alternates between judges from the common law and civil law traditions, which makes the senior Quebec judge on the court, Richard Wagner, the odds-on choice to succeed McLachlin.

That would be the predictable move, but the government should consider another way. Once McLachlin steps down, Justice Rosalie Abella will be the senior judge on the top court and would make an excellent chief justice.

Justice Abella is one of the most accomplished and honoured judges in the world. In January she was named Global Jurist of the Year by Northwestern Universitys school of law, and has an unparalleled record on issues of human rights and inclusiveness. Her personal integrity is beyond question. She has only three years to go before reaching the courts mandatory retirement age but could make a tremendous contribution in that time.

The government should consider following up its appointment of Justice Martin with an unconventional pick for chief justice.

Correction  November 30, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled Justice Sheilah Martins given name in the headline.

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I admit it, Ill no longer be able to call Patrick Brown the man with no plan.

Thats the tag Brown so richly deserved for his failure over the first 30 months of his leadership of the Ontario Conservatives to outline a set of policies he would pursue if elected premier.

But last weekend Brown finally stiff-armed critics like myself who had focused on his lack of policies by unveiling an election platform jammed with 147 promises in a document he calls the Peoples Guarantee.

The platform covers everything from taxes and subways to education, jobs and winter tires. Whats more, it comes with a guarantee that if Brown fails to deliver on key promises by the end of his first term as premier, he will quit.

Shamelessly, Brown has stolen many of his ideas from the Liberals and NDP. Its a cynical, calculated platform aimed at convincing centrist voters to believe the Conservatives are no longer the hard-right party once dominated by Mike Harris and his acolytes.

Its a strategy that might just work, but its one that is being savagely attacked even by commentators in conservative-leaning publications.

Andrew Coyne, a National Post columnist, calls it a platform of such iridescent vapidity it might have better been titled Nothing to See Here, dismissing Brown an impenetrably vacant leader.

The Toronto Sun said in an editorial that parts of Browns platform could almost have been written by (Premier Kathleen) Wynne. And Ben Eisen, director of the right-wing Fraser Institutes Ontario Prosperity Initiative, laments that Browns tax plan falls short on boosting the provinces long-term growth prospects.

But buried deep in the 78-page document is a hidden gem.

Its Browns welcome promise to spend an extra $1.9 billion over the next 10 years to build a comprehensive mental health system. He describes the pledge as the largest mental-health commitment in Canadian provincial history.

Called a sleeper issue, mental health problems affect millions of Ontarians.

In the past decade, there has been a 40-per-cent jump in the number of children seeking psychiatric help, with one child in five experiencing some form of a mental health problem at any given time, but with barely one in six getting any specialized treatment.

These problems include depression, eating disorders, drug overdoses, attempted suicides and more.

As well, its estimated that 50 per cent of Ontario residents will have experienced some form of mental illness by the time they are 40 years old.

Currently, Ontario spends about 6 per cent of its overall $54-billion health-care budget on mental health. Thats down from 11 per cent in the early 1980s. Under Browns plan, a Conservative government would increase spending by $151 million in the 2018-19 fiscal year, by $190 million in 2019-20 and by more than $200 million in each subsequent fiscal year.

Ottawa has already committed to spend another $1.9 billion over the next decade for mental-health services in Ontario.

Browns proposals would be aimed, among other things, at reducing wait times for mental-health services for children and youths: increasing suicide prevention counselling, especially for Indigenous communities; expanding crisis outreach programs; and adding supports in schools to improve mental-health awareness programs and investing in programs to help Ontarians diagnosed with dementia.

Importantly, polling has found that more than 90 per cent of Ontario residents support more funding for mental health, with 89 per cent rating mental health as a hot-button issue in health care.

Beyond mental-health issues, Brown promises to reduce hospital and emergency room wait times. He promises to work with the home care sector to ensure resources go towards high quality patient care. He promises to treat doctors with respect by consulting them on future reforms to the health care system.

All are good  and all have similarly been promised by the Liberals and NDP.

A word of caution for Brown: Be careful of some of those doctors with whom you consult.

Lately, he has been cozying up with hardline doctors, some of whom have attended private fundraising events for Brown. Also, his campaign manager, Walied Soliman, a Bay Street lawyer who was been co-counsel for the Coalition of Ontario Doctors, a hard-nosed group of physicians that has fought both the Ontario Medical Association and the Wynne government over doctors fees.

Brown must still outline how he would pay for his health-care platform. But these promises are a good start toward a comprehensive program.

They also put an end to the notion that Browns a man with no plan.

Bob Hepburns column appears Thursday. bhepburn@thestar.ca

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Patrick Browns feint to the left will cheer Red Tories in his Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. But history shows it may not be enough to put him in the premiers chair.

Brown is riding high after launching his election platform this week. Titled the Peoples Guarantee it bears an uncanny resemblance to the platform that Justin Trudeaus federal Liberals used to win power nationally.

It would lower taxes for middle income earners and small businesses, introduce a new child care benefit and have the government play a more active role in social policy.

Like the Trudeau platform, it is unusually casual about deficits and, indeed, promises to temporarily put the provinces finances back into the red.

While savagely critical of Premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberals, it borrows shamelessly from her playbook.

Like the Wynne Liberals, the Brown Tories would lower electricity rates by sleight of hand  using money that already belongs to taxpayers to subsidize residential hydro bills.

While they would delay Wynnes plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, they would not reverse it.

They would keep the Wynne Liberals modest pharmacare program and introduce a very rudimentary form of denticare for the elderly poor.

For all of this, Brown has been lauded by the tribunes of the centre left. His platform has been compared to that of former premier Bill Davis, the last Red Tory to govern Ontario.

In fact, if all Ontario Tory voters were red, Brown would be virtually guaranteed victory in the next provincial election, scheduled for June.

But as a former PC leader named John Tory found out to his chagrin, not all Ontario Tories are red.

Tory is now Toronto mayor. But in 2007, he was seen as the man who could return the Ontario PC party to its Red Tory roots  and to power.

The reigning assumption then was that the PCs, having taken a brief detour to the hard right under former premier Mike Harris, were ready to take up their traditional centrist role again.

Tory, a former Davis aide, was seen as the one who could do the job. His plan for public funding of all faith-based schools was seen to be the vehicle.

But Tory forgot how divided his party was over the school funding issue. Some PC voters thought the idea of publicly funded Jewish or Muslim schools just fine. But many did not.

Tory faced grumbling in his caucus. Two weeks before the election, that grumbling turned into open revolt.

He tried to backpedal on the funding issue to appease voters on the right of his party. But it was too late. The PCs were clobbered. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty, who had gone into the election campaign as a weakened force, emerged with a second majority government.

The Conservatives, convinced that Red Toryism no longer worked, chose the ill-fated Tim Hudak, a Mike Harris acolyte, as their new leader,

Can Brown avoid John Torys fate? Will right-of-centre Conservatives accept the Trudeauesque package released this week? Or will they stay at home on voting day? Will enough PC voters migrate to minor groupings, like the Christian Heritage Party or Trillium Party to make a difference?

Can Brown manage his own party?

Certainly, he has had his troubles. Social conservatives used to support him. But now, after he shifted his position on same-sex marriage, abortion and sex education, many shun him.

He has also had difficulty navigating the reefs and shoals of the Ontario PCs. All political leaders run into trouble in some local nomination races as they try to balance electability against democracy. But Brown has been unusually prone to this. He has faced embarrassing controversy in at least six nomination battles.

In one case, an entire riding executive resigned to protest the direction their party was taking. In another, police are investigating allegations of ballot-box stuffing.

Ontario Conservatives of all hues may hold their noses and come together behind Browns centrish platform  simply to get rid of Wynne. But they are an obstreperous breed. In the end, many may not.

Thomas Walkom appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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The Trump Hotels brand is struggling as a trio of hotels have either dropped the Trump name or will soon.

The new majority ownership of Trump International Hotel and Tower Panama, Miami-based Ithaca Capital Partners, has served notice to Trump that it no longer wants the Trump brand associated with the Central American hotel nor does it want Trump managing the property, according to the Associated Press.

In August, Ithaca purchased the three restaurants, the 30,000-square foot conference center as well as 202 unsold condo hotel units in a transaction arranged with bondholders, investor Newland International Properties Corp. as well as hotel operator Trump International. At the time of the transaction Ithaca had plans to work with Trump, according to an Ithaca statement.

Ithaca didn't respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for Trump Hotels wrote in an email that "we have a valid, binding and enforceable long term management agreement" regarding the Trump International Hotel in Panama.

In the email, the spokesman claims that business is fine. FairFx, a London travel data firm, says that room rates for the Panama hotel are down 32% since the beginning of the year.

The changes at the 70-story Panama hotel, as reported by the AP, come after a report by NBC News earlier this month said that some of the hotel's condominium units were purchased by parties looking to launder money from the drug trade and other illicit activities.

The Trump Organization responded to that report by saying it did not develop nor own the hotel and was unaware of those issues. Since the building opened in 2011, the Trump Organization reportedly has received $32 million in payments from the property.

Ithaca's move to oust Trump is not the first time Panama investors have looked to make a change with the building. In 2015, unit owners were allegedly unhappy with the company's management of the property, firing Trump's manager from the building's board of directors. Trump responded to the crisis by filing an arbitration action, but then settled the claim and retained the hotel management contract.

The Panama property is one of several looking to shed the Trump name. Los Angeles-based private equity investor CIM Group recently bought Trump out of its licensing contract as well as its management pact for the Trump SoHo Hotel in Manhattan. CIM won control of the building after a 2014 foreclosure auction. The condo hotel which has carried the Trump name for nine years has been slumping and its restaurant Koi was shuttered in June. Neither Trump nor CIM revealed how long the agreement was for nor the terms of the buyout except to say the CIM-Trump divorce will be final by the end of the year.

The separation from CIM won't end Trump's SoHo woes. Some of the original financing for the building came from Russia, that Russian native and former Bayrock Managing Director Felix Sater was part of the original SoHo team --Bayrock even had an office in Trump Tower in New York, according to the New York Times. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is looking at Sater's ties to Trump, Trump's ties to Russia and Russia's ties to the 2016 presidential election.

Sater caused ripples for Trump before Mueller since he has a criminal rap sheet that includes assault as well as involvement in a pump and dump stock scheme which SoHo investors didn't know about. Sater's name also came up in a series of emails that went public with Trump attorney Michael Cohn regarding a proposed Trump Tower in Russia that was never built.

Last June, JCF Capital ULC announced it was stripping the Trump brand from the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto. The luxury hotel has hit hard times and has been the scene of occasional anti-Trump protests. The change required a payment of $6 million to the Trump Organization according to Bloomberg. The hotel has been rebranded under the St. Regis flag, which is owned by Marriott International. The hotel is now known as the Adelaide Hotel Toronto.

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Even when the news has been good, the Trump hotel brand has suffered. While Trump converted an old post office into the splashy new Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C., the property has become a target of partisan politics as Democrats and Trump detractors have pointed at guests of foreign governments staying at the hotel, saying that it's illegal for the President to receive profit from foreign officials under the Emoluments Clause. The hotel operation has even been a subject of a lawsuit over the emoluments issue brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

The president's sons, Eric and Donald Jr, have gotten into the act, introducing two new Trump hotel brands, Scion and America Idea, earlier this year. In keeping with all things Trump, the new brands were announced with much pomp and circumstance. But after claiming that there were many agreements in the works regarding the two new flags, the Trump Organization has been quiet regarding signed transactions, aside from four deals in Mississippi.

Editor's note: This article originally appeared on The Deal , our sister publication that offers sophisticated insight and analysis on all types of deals, from inception to integration. Click here for a free trial.

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European stocks are set for a mixed open Wednesday, with Wall Street's record-setting session overflowing onto Continental markets but a stronger pound holding down gains in the United Kingdom following reports of a breakthrough on Brexit talks.

The pound was marked 0.4% higher at 1.3392 amid multiple media reports that officials in London and Brussels had agreed broad terms on the so-called Brexit divorce bill, a prerequisite to moving talks onto the crucial -- and far more complex -- issue of trade and the single market. EU national parliaments, however, will need to sign-off on any agreed deal, which doesn't include a resolution on the contentious issue of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The pound's gains are likely to keep a lid on the FTSE 100, which is called 0.35% lower by financial bookmakers IG, although European stocks should rise in the updraft of global markets, ignited yesterday by news that U.S. tax reform passed a key stage in Congress when it moved from the Senate Banking Committee to the broader floor. The decision helped lift U.S. stocks to another set of fresh record highs and futures price suggest further gains on Wall Street at the start of the trading session.

Asia markets, however, were unwilling to ride the optimistic tide, owing largely to concerns over regional safety after North Korea fired another missile into the Sea of Japan, in direct violation of international sanctions. The move rattled currency markets and kept investors in a cautious mood, particularly in China, where the benchmark CSI index continues to suffer from government moves to crackdown on risky lending outside the official banking sector.

That said, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index did manage to rise 0.13% into the close of trading while Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.5% to end the day at 11,597.20 points thanks to a solid session for banking and financial sector stocks.

Cheaper oil prices also underpinned the Asia session, with global crude sliding in overnight trade amid reports that Thursday's OPEC leaders' summit in Vienna may not yet have an agreed consensus to extend the current pact on production cuts -- which are currently taking 1.8 million barrels from the market each day -- from their March deadline into the end of next year.

Brent crude futures for January delivery, the global benchmark, were marked 0.6% lower at $63.25 while WTI contracts for the same month were seen 0.4% lower at $57.77 as traders reacted to private sector data showing domestic crude supplies grew by 1.8 million barrels to 457.3 million last week.

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Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) - Get Free Report , overhauling its board after a harsh rebuke from shareholders, named three new directors to replace outgoing Chairman Stephen Sanger and two other departing members.

The bank's new hires will start Jan. 1 and include Theodore Craver, former CEO of the Southern California electric utility Edison International (EIX) - Get Free Report , as well as Celeste Clark, former head of corporate communications and public affairs at Frosted Flakes maker Kellogg Co. (K) - Get Free Report , according to a press release. The third appointee is Maria Morris, former head of technology and operations at life insurer MetLife Inc. (MET) - Get Free Report

The board of San Francisco-based Wells Fargo has come under fire from shareholders for failing to prevent abusive practices by the bank against consumers, including opening millions of unauthorized accounts and charging some 490,000 car-loan customers for unneeded insurance. At the company's annual meeting in April, Wells Fargo shareholders reelected Sanger, a former CEO of Cheerios-maker General Mills Inc. (GIS) - Get Free Report , as a board member with just 56% of votes -- tantamount to a rejection in corporate elections where approval ratings below 90% are rare.

The scandals have weighed on the bank's shares, leaving the stock price up just 2.8% this year as competitors JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - Get Free Report , Bank of America Corp. (BAC) - Get Free Report and Citigroup Inc. (C) - Get Free Report have posted gains of 20% or more.

In August, Wells Fargo named Elizabeth "Betsy" Duke, a former Federal Reserve governor, to replace Sanger as chairman on Jan. 1, while simultaneously announcing the retirements at the end of the year of Cynthia Milligan and Sue Swenson.

As a result, the board's size will remain at 16 members following the year-end shakeup. Wells Fargo has said it wants the board in a range of 14 to 16 members.

Duke said in the press release that the selection of the new directors was informed by "feedback from shareholders and other stakeholders."

"The board's composition has changed significantly as it remains focused on being responsive," Duke said.

The bank didn't say whether additional directors will depart, such as Enrique "Rick" Hernandez Jr., who received just 53% of votes at the annual meeting -- the lowest among all nominees.

Hernandez has been criticized by corporate-governance experts for collecting some $24.4 million in payments from the bank for his private security company while supposedly looking out for shareholders as an independent director. California Treasurer John Chiang, who's responsible for allocating some $2 trillion a year in state banking transactions, has called for Hernandez to step down.

Mary Jo White, a former SEC chairwoman who earlier this year assisted the Wells Fargo board in a self-evaluation, said in an interview in August that the company hoped to recruit more directors with financial expertise.

Among the new directors announced Wednesday, Craver alone has worked at a bank, though Morris has experience in the insurance industry, based on the descriptions of their careers in the press release.

Prior to joining Edison in 1996, Craver served as executive vice president and corporate treasurer of First Interstate Bancorp, a long-troubled Los Angeles-based bank that was bought that year by Wells Fargo for about $11 billion.

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A U.S. Senate bill loosening Dodd-Frank Act rules for small and mid-size banks is a step in the right direction, allowing the government to adjust its supervision based on risk rather than size alone, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told lawmakers.

While Dodd-Frank, passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, "provided an excellent road map to a series of changes that have led to a far safer and sounder banking system," Yellen told Congress's Joint Economic Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 29, that "it's appropriate to tailor regulations." The U.S. central bank has long favored raising some of the asset-size thresholds at which heightened standards are applied to firms, she said.

The Senate proposal to modify the 2010 law, a compromise between Republicans including Banking Committee Chair Mike Crapo and at least eight Democrats, would raise the size at which banks are subjected to heightened supervision to $250 billion in assets from $50 billion, while maintaining the Fed's authority to apply stricter rules to firms with $100 billion to $250 billion. The legislation also exempts banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the Volcker Rule's ban on proprietary trading.

"Community banks face substantial regulatory burdens," Yellen noted, and "it's very appropriate for the Fed and other bank regulators to look at ways to reduce the compliance burdens they face." Federal Reserve officials have met a number of community bank executives to discuss their concerns, she added.

Along with addressing such concerns by stretching the intervals at which smaller banks are examined by regulators, the Senate plan contains a number of other provisions such as easing the standards for mortgage loans that are supported by the American Bankers Association, a lobbying group for the $17 trillion banking industry.

"The bill, if passed, will be the most significant piece of regulation since Dodd Frank" though it's more modest than either a proposal by U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling that stalled in the House or recommendations by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, said Greg Hertrich, head of U.S. depository strategies for Nomura. It's unlikely to get a vote by the full Senate before the end of the year, he wrote in a report.

The compromise plan jibes with Yellen's past support for only incremental revisions to post-financial crisis regulations, as opposed to the broader changes sought by President Donald Trump, a real-estate mogul who argued that excessive rules have hampered U.S. economic growth.

Such rules -- which would remain in place for the biggest Wall Street firms -- include a requirement that companies from JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - Get Free Report to Citigroup Inc. (C) - Get Free Report and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) - Get Free Report undergo annual stress tests that gauge whether they have adequate reserves needed to weather a severe downturn.

Additionally, they must regularly complete resolution plans, or living wills, detailing how they could be wound down in the event of a collapse. The government intended the latter measure to prevent the confusion that ensued with the September 2008 failure of investment bank Lehman Brothers, which froze global credit markets and prompted billions of dollars in taxpayer bailouts.

Citigroup is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer and the AAP team buy or sell the stock? Learn more now.

Both stress tests and living wills remain important tools for the Fed, particularly in oversight of the largest banks.

"It's important that the Fed retain authority to impose enhanced prudential standards on banking firms," particularly in the $100 billion- to $250 billion-asset range, Yellen said Wednesday. "Stress testing, we think, is a particularly important component of the safety-and-soundness approach." Yellen's term as Fed chair ends in February.

Trump's nominee to replace her, Jerome Powell, expressed similar views on tailoring post-crisis rules during a confirmation hearing a day earlier.

"I'm not going to characterize what we're doing as deregulation," Powell told Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who has supported stronger oversight of Wall Street. "I would rather think of it as looking back over eight years of what is very innovative regulation in many cases -- things that have never been done, like liquidity requirements, resolutions, stress-testing -- looking back over what we did and making sure it makes sense."

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Associated Banc-Corp, a bank holding company, provides various banking and nonbanking products to individuals and businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The company operates through three segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty; Community, Consumer, and Business; and Risk Management and Shared Services. Its Corporate and Commercial Specialty segment offers lending solutions, including commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction loans, letters of credit, leasing, asset based lending, and loan syndications; deposit and cash management solutions, such as commercial checking and interest-bearing deposit products, cash vault and night depository services, liquidity solutions, payables and receivables solutions, and information services; specialized financial services such as interest rate risk management, foreign exchange solutions, and commodity hedging; fiduciary services such as administration of pension, profit-sharing and other employee benefit plans, fiduciary and corporate agency services, and institutional asset management; and investable funds solutions such as savings, money market deposit accounts, IRA accounts, CDs, fixed and variable annuities, full-service, discount and online investment brokerage; investment advisory services; and trust and investment management accounts. The company's Community, Consumer, and Business segment offers lending solutions, such as residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, auto loans, business loans, and business lines of credit; and deposit and transactional solutions such as checking, credit, debit and pre-paid cards, online banking and bill pay; and money transfer services. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 215 banking branches. Associated Banc-Corp was founded in 1861 and is headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. provides reinsurance and insurance products around the world. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Bermuda with offices in Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Singapore, and the US.

The company operates through two segments that include multiple underlying businesses and investment vehicles. The two main segments are Property and Casualty & Specialty. The company operates through intermediaries that include DaVinci Resinsurance Inc, Top Layer Reinsurance LTD, and RennaisanceRe Syndicate 1458 among others.

Top Layer Re is the first major venture and was started in 1999. It is a joint venture with State Farm targeting high layers of the US reinsurance business. DaVinci Re was formed in the wake of 9/11 to assist with capacity and it was given added capacity in the wake of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Medici was formed in 2009 and is an open-ended fund intended to spur investment in the catastrophe bond market.

The Property segment writes catastrophic insurance policies to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes. These include but are not limited to hurricanes, floods, freezes, and terrorism.

The Casualty & Specialty segment provides a wide range of consumer products including business insurance, malpractice insurance, liability insurance, workers' compensation, mortgage insurance, and health insurance among others.

Among RenaissanceRes Specialty businesses is capital management. The firm offers 6 investment vehicles and has more than $11 billion under management making it the #1 ILS or insurance-linked asset manager in the US. In regards to its credit ratings, the firm and all of its vehicles carry an A or better rating from every credit rating agency.
KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.
CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
Full coverage of the Delphi murders: Look back at 5 years of stories
Galaxy S8 owners are complaining about problems with the handset's rear camera. But Samsung suggests a fix might be available.





(Image credit: Tom's Guide)



According to several Galaxy S8 owners on the Samsung Community Forum, a bug is preventing the Galaxy S8's rear camera from automatically focusing when users are trying to snap photos with the built-in Camera app and third-party apps. What's more, the manual focus also isn't working, creating a lose-lose for users. SamMobile earlier reported on the problem.



It's unclear at this point whether the issue is hardware or software related, and Samsung itself hasn't said what the cause could be. Instead, the company offered up some possible fixes.



According to Samsung (opens in new tab), the first thing you need to do when facing the flaw is to ensure your operating system and applications are updated. The company also asks users to clear application data. To ensure it's not a hardware problem, Samsung also said you should try tapping the back of the Galaxy S8 near its camera to see if components came loose. The tapping maneuver could push those components back into place.

MORE: Samsung Galaxy S9 Rumors: Everything We Know So Far

If all else fails, Samsung says you should perform a full factory reset and start anew  not exactly the best-case scenario for folks who aren't interested in losing all of their data.



But even in those cases, Samsung acknowledges the problem might not be fixed. So in those cases, the company urged its customers to send in the unit to be repaired under its one-year warranty.



It doesn't appear those fixes work in every case. Some users said that those options didn't fix the problem and others said it did. No one was able to confirm the actual nature of the problem.



The camera bug comes just months ahead of the launch for the Galaxy S8's replacement, the Galaxy S9. That device is expected to be unveiled in January and could hit store shelves soon after.
Business leaders, investors, innovative start-ups and young and women entrepreneurs from Africa and Europe met at the 6th EU-Africa Business Forum that took place in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire on 27 November 2017.

High level political participation at the Forum began with HE Andrus Ansip, Vice President of the European Commission; H.E Victor Harrison, Commissioner for Economic Affairs for the African Union Commission (AUC) and HE Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote dIvoire. The Forum will formally close in the presence of HRVP, Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission. High-profile European and African representatives from private sector were also present to lead discussions.

The Forum takes place in the context of the EUs ambitious External Investment Plan (EIP) that will encourage private investment in partner countries in Africa and the EU Neighbourhood region.

Andrus Ansip, Vice President responsible for the EU Digital Single Market, stressed that Investing in business opportunities for young people particularly in the digital economy is crucial for both continents. The Forums strong accent on digital and youth and the mainstreaming of digitalisation into EU development policy via the Digital4Development Strategy are a first major step in the right direction.

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said: Improving the conditions for investment in Africa is essential to create jobs and promote sustainable development. The EU is committed to team up with Africa and has set up a 44 billion euros External Investment Plan to unlock the untapped potential in sectors such as infrastructure, digital transformation and trade.

With its overarching theme of Investing in Job Creation for Youth, the Forum looked at the challenges and opportunities for investment in Africa in line with strategic priorities, such as the digital economy, agriculture & agribusiness and renewable energy. It also aimed to provide solutions, particularly for the growing number of youth and women entrepreneurs. Through high level panel discussions, solutions sessions and investment pitches, the private sector showcases its commitment for sharing the role with the public sector in the implementation of the global sustainable development goals.

A young generation of entrepreneurs hold the future of Africa and Europe in their hands. By 2050, the African continents youth population is expected to double, but for the estimated 10-12 million people entering the workforce each year, only 3 million formal jobs are created. The Forum provides a unique platform for 135 young entrepreneurs and startups from both continents to showcase their projects in The Digital Start-up Fair where they can express their vision for the future of Africa and Europe, to exchange with mature companies and to interact with government representatives.

The 6th EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF) took place just ahead of the 5th Africa Union-European Union Summit (29 & 30 November) in Abidjan. Business involvement is crucial to eradicate poverty and ensure sustainable development in Africa, as aid alone will not be enough. A Business Declaration will be delivered for presentation at the Summit of Heads of States and Governments.

The European Union, through instruments like the European Investment Plan, is determined to strengthen partnership and promote a different model of participation with the private sector in Africa and the neighbourhood. Not only working through a mechanism of financial guarantee, but also closely collaborating with business and relevant stakeholders in order to improve investment climate notably through the Sustainable Business for Africa (SB4A) platform. With a contribution of 4.1 billion from the European Commission, the External Investment Plan is expected to leverage more than 44 billion of investments by 2020.

The European Commission is working closely together with European and international financial institutions, including the African Development Bank and European Investment Bank. In this way public funding is used as a catalyst to attract public and private investment and to create decent jobs for the people of Africa.

During the Forum, five regional transport projects supporting the construction or rehabilitation of crucial road corridors across West Africa, a project aiming at developing a solar power station in Benin and another financing the modernisation of Senegal Electricity were to be signed. These projects are the result of the fruitful collaboration between the EU, ECOWAS, UEMOA, African Development Bank (AFBD), the French Development Agency and the European Investment Bank.

Moreover, two projects, the West Africa Competitiveness Programme and the Trade Facilitation Programme aimed at strengthening private sector competitiveness in selected value-chains that have a significant potential for job creation and at improving free circulation of goods in the region were launched. These projects represent a significant contribution to improve investment, competitiveness and create more and better jobs in West Africa, in cooperation with the West Africa regional organisations.

Pierre Guislain, Vice President of the African Development Bank (AFBD) noted: Private Sector development, SME financing for the underserved, local currency funding and private sector risk-sharing schemes are part of the Banks priority focus areas in its partnership with the European Union. Through its participation in EIP and other initiatives the Bank wants to catalyze more private investment to accelerate Africas economic transformation. We consider the EIP Technical Assistance window as a great opportunity to provide more focused support to our Regional Member Countries in the areas of regional integration, private sector investment and preparation of bankable infrastructure projects.

Ambroise Fayolle, Vice President in charge of development at the European Investment Bank (EIB) said: The extension to this programme that we are signing today for the modernisation of the electricity transmission and distribution network in Senegal will extend connections to around 55,000 people  meaning 149,000 in total will benefit. This will help to foster agricultural development and food security, in turn contributing to create and stabilise jobs. This agreement shows the EU and its Bank working in a joined up way to support development in Africa that improves the lives of people and its economies.

The EABF is an integral part of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES). The Forum in Abidjan concludes a series of business-related events held in Africa and Europe in the course of 2017 that highlighted the importance of investment, job creation and public-private dialogue for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth in Africa. The EABF is vital for creating the appropriate forum for knowledge share that will form the basis and impetus for reinvigorating Africas business and creating opportunities for investment in the long term.
President Paul Kagame yesterday congratulated his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan people during Kenyas presidential inauguration in Nairobi.

Speaking in Swahili, Kagame conveyed regards and congratulations to the Kenyan people.

Citizens of Kenya, I am here to congratulate you. The people of Rwanda send you their greetings and congratulations for your well-deserved election victory, he said.

The inauguration was attended by heads of state and government from across the continent  and Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu  who were later hosted to a state banquet.

At the event, Kenyatta announced that his government was opening up the country to Africans by adopting a visa on arrival regime for Africa passport holders.

The free movement of people on the continent has always been the cornerstone of African brotherhood and fraternity. Today, I am directing that any African wishing to visit Kenya will be eligible to a visa at the port of entry. To underscore Kenyas commitment, this will not be done on the basis of reciprocity, Uhuru said.

He said, by opening up borders, the continent will appreciate diversity, embrace integration and reduce negative identity politics.

Kenyatta also pledged to scale up efforts toward the East African Community to deliver prosperity.

To our brothers and sisters in the East African Community, you are our closest friends; our fate and yours are joined at the hip; our troubles and triumphs are yours, and yours are ours. I will work with you, my brothers, the leaders of the East African Community, to bring a renewed energy and optimism to our union, he said.

Kenyas new government will also improve integration across the region by making it possible for citizens of all the six EAC member states to work, do business, own property and live in Kenya without requiring a visa.

As a mark of our continued commitment to the East African Community, from today, you will be treated like Kenyans. Like your Kenyan brothers and sisters, you will need only your identity card. You can now work, do business, own property, farm and if you wish, and find a willing partner, you can marry and settle in Kenya. And this commitment we make with no conditions for reciprocity but driven by our desire for deeper regional integration, the Kenyan president said.

The decision by Kenya is viewed as a great step toward achievement of a visa-free Africa, which could improve opportunities for all Africans.

Under a tripartite arrangement, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have for the last three years allowed free movement of their citizens across their borders. Kenya has now opened up to the citzens of the other regional states  Tanzania and Burundi and South Sudan.

Speaking to The New Times from Nairobi, Rwandan High Commissioner to Kenya James Kimonyo encouraged more regional states to be part of the move as it was a sure path to regional integration.

He said the move by the three countries has had a great impact, especially in investments and commerce.

The African Union is currently working toward realisation of free movement of Africans across the continent.

The 2017 African Visa Openness Index report by African Development Bank showed that movement across the continent still poses a challenge.

The report showed that African passport holders require visa to access 54 per cent of countries on the continent with only 10 countries that do not require a visa for Africans, while only 24 per cent countries have provisions for visa-on-arrival.

Commenting on the development on Twitter, African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki called on other nations to follow suit to improve free movement of Africans.

Delighted by Pres @UKenyattas announcement to issue visas at arrival for all Africans visiting Kenya. Congratulations on this historic decision! I urge all African states that have not yet done so, to take similar measures towards free movement for all Africans across Africa, he tweeted.

With the decision, Kenya joins countries like Rwanda, Mauritius and Seychelles in not requiring visas for Africans prior to arrival.

Recently, in a first, Rwanda went a step further opening its borders with a new visa regime that allows citizens from every nation across the world to receive a visa upon arrival.
Ahead of the fifth African Union-European Union summit taking place in in Abidjan this week the European Investment Bank (EIB) has formally agreed financing to support more than EUR 230 million of private sector investment across Africa.

The new initiatives, backed by the European Unions long-term lending institution, will enhance access to credit by African smallholders and microenterprises, increase investment in health and education targeting low-income families across West Africa, foster growth of African digital and technology, start-up companies and promote financial inclusion of rural communities in Ethiopia.

In addition to this:

The EIB has also signed its first transaction with the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) for EUR 100 million to support trade-related investments and projects between Europe and Africa.

Major financing of EUR 35 million from the EIB was also agreed with the Cote dIvoire government to modernise the countrys water supply networks. This comes alongside grant support from the European Commission and co-financing from the French Development Agency (AFD). The project will supply drinking water to an expected 700.000 people.

The EIB will commit up to EUR 15 million for SME support via the Maghreb Private Equity Fund The Fund will target primarily growth capital investments in small and medium-sized private companies in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, covering sectors like healthcare and pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, manufacturing, retail and financial services, transportation and logistics, agro-industry, education and information technology.

And a new agreement between the European Commission and the EIB, also signed in Abidjan, will extend the reach of reliable and clean electricity via the Senelac programme to another 55,000 people living in one of the poorest regions of Senegal.

Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank said: The EIB, as the EU Bank, is committed to supporting new investment in Africa that unlocks economic opportunities, creates jobs and tackles a changing climate. As African and European leaders gather in Abidjan, we are pleased to confirm support for fresh investment across this continent that will support priority sectors, improve provision of key services for the most vulnerable and ensure a better future for generations of young women and men.

The broad range of new investment which we have agreed this week reflects the European Unions policy priorities and shows the unique engagement of the EU Bank in Africa. These new contracts would not be possible without the hard work and professional engagement of our partners across this vibrant continent. The EIB is working alongside its fellow EU institutions to promote sustainable growth, foster innovation and create the new jobs that will benefit people living in Europe and Africa alike.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, responsible for Development said: At the EIB we are now doubling our efforts to find even better ways to target what needs to be done in term of productive investments that generate jobs in Africa and support its sustainable development. That means supporting key infrastructure  such as the energy and water projects announced here in Abidjan  as well as fostering innovation and small businesses.

We know that by 2050, Africas population may hit 2.4 billion of predominantly young people. That is why we are pushing initiatives like Boost Africa for innovative start-ups, in partnership with the African Development Bank and the European Commission, as well as the new financing for microenterprises and SMEs such as we have signed this week.

The fresh EIB financing for microenterprise and SMEs includes both long-term loans and equity financing totalling more than EUR 55 million. This will support an expected EUR 230 million of investment by partners in West and East Africa.

Supporting vulnerable communities in Africa

New cooperation with West African partners will benefit people in the most vulnerable communities in the region.

A joint financing initiative managed in Ghana and the Cote dIvoire by Oasis Capital Ghana will help to support small and medium-sized enterprises in a range of sectors, including health and education, and create jobs for low income populations in the two countries.

A new lending programme targeting agricultural communities, in partnership with ADVANS Cote dIvoire, will provide technical support and new microfinance financing for smallholders across the country. This will include support to address specific challenges faced by cocoa producers.

The EIB will also support private equity investment across Ethiopia though the new USD 100 million Cepheus Growth Capital Fund that will increase financing for companies all over Ethiopia involved in manufacturing, consumer goods, agriculture and agro-processing and strengthen employment opportunities for displaced people. This represents the EIBs first backing for an Ethiopia-focused fund and one of the several engagements with a single-country private equity fund in Africa by Europes long-term lending institution.

Strengthening financial inclusion in Africa

The EIB also confirmed backing for the MBirr mobile banking platform that will help to enhance financial inclusion in Ethiopia, including facilitating the ability for financial institutions to reach their customers in remote regions and assisting with the electronic delivery of social payments to vulnerable communities including farmers threatened by drought.

New cooperation with microfinance partners in Senegal and Mali will strengthen financing for entrepreneurs and microenterprises in the region and unlock additional support from international and local investors. These are the first loans under the West Africa Microfinance Facility  namely EUR 4 million for MicroCred Senegal and EUR 4 million for MicroCred Mali. They are financed under the Investment Facility, managed by the European Investment Bank.

Ensuring African entrepreneurs can develop 21st century companies

In addition, in Abidjan the EIB signed a new commitment of EUR 10m in Partech Africa, a new initiative expected to unlock a total of EUR 100m of new financing for innovative and technology-focused start-ups across Africa. This will include backing young entrepreneurs developing innovative business models at early stage, in sectors such as fintech, consumer online services, mobility, enterprises services, health-tech and online service providers , active in both English-speaking and Francophone Africa.

Overcoming trade finance challenges

The EIBs first, landmark agreement with the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), will involve a seven-year finance facility for EUR 100 million. The loan will finance trade-related long-term eligible investments and projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. The eligible investments will be directly financed by the borrower or, in the case of loans for SMEs, indirectly through local commercial banks in relationship with Afreximbank.

Connecting people in Senegals poorest region

The Programme signed by the European Commission and EIB in Abijdan this week concerns the upgrading and modernisation of the electricity transmission and distribution network in Senegal. It involves connecting several currently isolated networks as well as rural electrification in the Casamance region, one of the poorest in the country facing a particular migration challenge. The Programme is part of the PNUER (Programme National dUrgence dElectrification Rurale) programme developed by the Government of Senegal and the PASE (Projet dAppui au Secteur de lElectricite) project financed by the World Bank.

This part of the programme is thanks to a EUR 12.8 million EU grant via the AfIF (African Investment Facility) blending facility of the EDF (European Development Fund).The EU has identified rural electrification as an essential factor to foster agricultural development and food security, The operation thus supports EU priorities for the country and contributes to improving quality of life and reducing poverty in Senegal. The electrification of Casamance through the Programme also complements another project financed by the EIB to bring through an electricity interconnection, energy to Senegal from the Republic of Guineas hydropower plant of Kaleta.

Providing drinking water and modernising supply for thousands in Cote dIvoire

This project will support the government of the Cote dIvoire in its efforts to improve access to drinking water, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). At the same time it will have a major public health impact benefitting 700.000 people with 300.000 others connected for the first time to the modernised network.

Supporting the Venture Capital Market and SMEs in Europes Southern Neighbourhood

Maghreb Private Equity Fund IV is managed by AfricInvest. The EIB investment is contributing to the development of the North African private equity industry that was severely affected by the uncertainty that followed the events of 2010-2011. The project falls under the Risk Capital Facility for the Southern Neighbourhood countries, financed by the Bank and the European Union.

Background

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It is the worlds largest international public bank. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. The EIB has been active as an investment bank in Africa since 1963 with around EUR 25 billion invested in more than 1300 private and public sector projects  all in the delivery of the EUs policy goals. Over the last five years the EIB has provided more than EUR 11.4 billion for new infrastructure and private sector investment across Africa.
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The fire department had received 31,801 calls this year for help in removing snakes, three times as many as in 2012.

Eight-foot long pythons rising from the toilet to sink their fangs into the flesh of an unsuspecting toiletee is the stuff of urban legends ... except that it is also the stuff of truth in places like Bangkok, Thailand. And the appearance of snakes in homes is an occurance that is increasing in the city, according to a recent story by Richard C. Paddock and Ryn Jirenuwat in The New York Times:

It could be argued that snakes have always owned this corner of Thailand, and that the people of Bangkok are merely borrowing it from them. The main airport, Suvarnabhumi, was built in a place called Cobra Swamp, and the city itself took shape on the Chao Phraya River delta  a marshy reptile paradise.

But this year, the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, which removes snakes from homes, has been busier than ever.

As of The Times report, the fire department had logged 31,801 calls so far this year for panicked residents looking for help in removing snakes. Last year there were 29,919 calls; in 2012 just 10,492. On one recent day alone, the fire department was called 173 times for snakes. On the same day, they had five fire alarms. Theres no way we could survive if there were more fires than snakes, said Prayul Krongyos, the departments deputy director.

And as The Times points out, those numbers don't include the many snakes killed or removed by residents without the help of the fire department.

While the fact that it has been a wet year has likely added to the snakepocalypse  the expanding city is also to blame. With more than 8.2 million people, the city already takes up 605.7 square miles (1,568.7 square kilometres) of space in the delta. As the manmade environment inches into previously wild places, it's not like the snakes are just going to run in the other direction. And as Prayul notes, most of the calls are coming from developments on the edge of the city where housing is creeping into the snakes' dwindling domain.

When people build houses in their habitat, of course they will seek a dry spot in peoples houses because they cant go anywhere else, he says.

Nonn Panitvong, a biodiversity expert and leader in efforts to help people identify snakes rather than just kill them, echos the observation. In Thailand, homes continue to expand into the natural environment," he says, "so there will be always more snakes in the homes." It's a problem that humankind is seeing wherever we plough into habitats of other creatures  bears and coyotes come to mind for those of us in North America. We conquer their neck of the woods, then when they appear in our yards (which were previously theirs) we freak out and shoot them.

But in Bangkok it might not be all grim news for the snakes; loss of habitat aside. (Which is pretty grim.) They reportedly perform helpful services in keeping rodent populations down, and are considered by some to be a sign of good luck. With efforts like Nonn's identification project and the fact that most of the snakes rescued by firefighters are taken to a wildlife center and later released back to the wild, it's evident that some compassion for the reptiles clearly exists.

Still, the poor snakes. It's not their fault that we have invaded their turf; and unless we point our sprawl skyward and build denser cities, we are going to continue having to deal with sharing the space with the creatures that lived there before us. If that means 8-foot long snakes in the toilet, maybe they can serve as a cautionary tale and we can start thinking twice about ravishing every last wild place left on the planet.
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Schiphol only has scanner pedestals or pillars. There is no turnstile or gate. Single use tickets should be scanned on one of the yellow NS scanners before entering the train to Amsterdam. This shows you activated the ticket and that it will be invalid an hour later. If you get on the train without scanning the ticket, and an NS ticket checker asks for your ticket, it will come up as unscanned on their little machine. 99.9% of the time the NS conductor will realize you are a tourist and simply inform you that all tickets need to be scanned before boarding and then probably ask about your trip or welcome you to the netherlands.

When you get to Amsterdam central you can walk out as the turnstiles there are permanently open and scanning out with your ticket is meaningless since it will auto expire.

When heading back to schiphol you should scan the ticket at the turnstile at Amsterdam Centraal. When you get to Schiphol you dont have to check out, again the ticket will auto expire.

This all sound like nonsense, and it mostly is, but if you didnt scan the ticket before boarding, & no one checked the ticket on the train, your ticket was never used, and you could use it again for a similar trip(and play dumb saying i didnt know I had to scan it). This is why all tickets should be scanned before boarding. In addition if you were going somewhere other than Centraal, and that station had the real turnstiles that were closed, your unscanned ticket wouldnt let you out of the station and through the turnstile since it was never turned on anywhere.

So while you should scan every ticket before boarding, unless you are getting off somewhere other than Centraal AND/OR you happen to get the meanest NS conductor in the fleet, forgetting to scan it probably won't affect you.

I hope this helps.
Hi,

We are planning on spending 15 Nights/16 days in Australia in April-May 2018 and are just starting to figure out our itinerary. We would be lending at Melbourne and might pick a return flight from Sydney or Cairns We would love suggestions.

1) Will that be right time to visit this country (Climatically)?

2) We would like to see popular destinations, landmarks, beaches and other attractions. We are ready to rent a car and drive through popular highways, which are scenic and beautiful and also won't mind boarding flights for long distances and boring highways to save on time.

Please suggest suitable itinerary. I know Australia is a vast country and 16 days are just not enough to see it but can't help it. I have few places in my mind like Melbourne, Great Ocean Drive, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton Island/Whitsundays and Hobart.

Thanks

We will be visiting first time to Australia and Tasmania fast travelers who like to see a wide variety of sights and have a lot of different experiences without lingering too long in any one place. We have never been to Australia and so do not have a handle on how long to allow for each spot. Thanks for your help.
My husband and I will be visiting Austraila March 21 - April 8 for our 35th aniiversary. We will be going to the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne Mar 22-25. We have reservations in Port Douglas for 5 nights beginning Mar 29. We have to be in Sydney for return flight Apr 8.

We are trying to figure out how best to spend the remaining time. We would like to do/see things that are unique to Australia. We are in our 60's and not particularly fit, so nohiking or bridge climbing suggestions. :) I am an avid photographer, so scenics are of interest to me. Would love to see wildlife, too, such as koalas, kangaroos and native birds.

Here are some ideas wehave been tossing around:

1) take tours from Melbourne to 12 Apostles and Phillips Island penguins while hubby is watching time trials.

2) spend 2 or 3nights at Uluru to do sunset camel ride and the field of lights

3) 5 nights in Port Douglas - GBR and Daintree, chill out too

4) spend 2 or 3 days in Blue Mountains - visit a couple wineries and Scenic World

5) spend rest of time in Sydney - harbor boat tour, and relax befor long trip home.

Thanks!!!
The http://www.laquintanewyorkcityqueens.com/ is actually in Sunnyside and walking to/from Queens Plaza, while possible, may not be the most efficient - especially with luggage - as the 7 train is closer to the hotel. http://www.laquintanewyorkcityqueens.com/en/map-directions.html

To go to the hotel by public transport you'd take the Airtrain ($5/person - pay at exit) and then the E train ($2.75/ride w/ Metrocard) to Queens Plaza (not Queensboro Plaza an adjacent but separate stop) http://web.mta.info/maps/submap.html OR do the free in-station transfer from the E to the 7 train at Jackson Heights and get off at either 40th/Lawson or 33rd/Rawson - the hotel is about halfway between the two stops. The whole area is fine, but the area around 40th has more in the way of shops/dining if you need anything.

You've accidentally posted on the NY State forum. The New York City forum is a better for your questions.

There is a good "how to ride the subway link at the right side of the (full) webpage on the NYC forum. When needed, you can transfer to/from the 7 to go to the destinations mentioned.

Which type of Metrocard to buy depends on your anticipated number of rides. http://web.mta.info/nyct/fare/FaresatAGlance.htm Up to 4 people can share one pay-per-ride. The break even point on an unlimited is ~13/rides/person

Edited: 4 years ago
Starting to plan - mid march 2019 for 1 week  first time to Costa Rica ( Easter isn't until April in 2019). Spring break for my kids from college (they will be 20 & 22)

-I have been doing research online - so many nice areas (seems like it will be hard to get to pacific or Caribbean coast a 1 week period).

- Looking to not totally break the bank but I know its going to cost $$$ ( single mom and 2 kids  will be their surprise graduation gift for both) .

-Seems like we will have to stick to the more  well known areas for this trip :

-Looking for suggestions within each area as it seems like you can do the same thing in many different areas. What are the best ?

1. Arenal / La Fortuna ( the tree house hotel sounds great near la fortuna- if tour companies will go there and pick us up is the question) - Proyecto Asis sounds great.

- All these activities sound great  but how best & where to do as many in just a couple of days:

-Zip line, canopy tour, hanging bridges, water falls ( La Fortuna)? , vocanco, hot springs, safari float / boat tour ( which recommend) , safari on Sarapiqui River, Bravlio Carrillo Natl Park

2. Monteverde Cloud Forest ( is that the same as the monteverde cloud forest reserve? )

- Selvatura Park - hanging /canopy bridges - Sky trek / sky tram ? , zip lines , what else recommend as the best ?

** ( where better to do zip lines and hanging bridges/ canopies - Monteverde Cloud or in Arenal or La Fortuna ? )

3 Manual Antonio ( though from what I have read  a lot of people) and far trip from northern areas. Best way to get there ( shuttle van  which company) ?

Would like to go to the National park, snorkel (if nice fish and more to see there ) , raft or kyack maybe the Savegre river , Playa Manual Antonio

{ Unless any other towns that would be fun that are closer to arenal/la fortuna and monteverde cloud areas - maybe would skip Manual Antonio. }

-Looking for hotels that are relatively inexpensive $100-150 nightly (not the big chains)  that have a costa rican vibe and definitely a good chance to spot animals on property ( if attached to trails / preserve- hot springs/ waterfalls - would be a bonus) .

-easy transportation ideas that will get us from 1-2-3 and hopefully wont cost a small fortune - as well as from hotels to tour/ attraction area

thanks for help / suggestion !
Hi All,

We are planning an intergenerational extended family trip to Costa Rica in February (6 adults and 4 kids). We are flying into Liberia, and are trying to make our accommodation plans now. The youngest member of the party is 10 months old (there are three other children ages 2, 5 and 5), and we have an older traveler with us as well. We are looking for lodging suggestions as well as activities. For lodging, if it is a VRBO it would be ideal If we have an option to hire housekeeping and a chef at least part-time.

Things we would like to do. On one half of our 10 days trip :: beach time (ideally close enough to a small town or other area where we can walk or take a short cab ride for lunch or an ice cream/other activities).

On the other half :: spend some time near Arenal for a taste of the canopy/mountain/adventure side of Costa Rica.

We are open to lots of options, so any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
I am writing this to warn everyone planning a trip to East Africa (Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania) not to use a tour company called Tanzania on Foot (TOF) operated by a scam artist called William Wagana and the driver for Ngorongoro, Goodwin. Here is their website - https://tanzaniaonfoot.com/

People we dealt with at TOF should be in jail for extortion, scam, and endangerment of tourists. Goodwin, one of TOF guide in Arusha, ran away with our cash payment when he dropped us off at the kenyan border. We ended up reporting TOF to both the Tanzanian and Kenyan police. William Wagana (the sales director) over-promised and under-delivered, causing us many logistical and monetary headaches. TOF took pre-payment from us and sub-contracted the tour to local guides, which they never transfer the payment and we had to pay each local guide a second time upon arrival. They were suppose to organize 2-days of Uganda gorilla trek, 6-days Kilimanjaro climb and 5-days Tanzanian/Kenya safari for 4 of us. Below are the unethical practices that cause monetary, logistics and safety issues during our trip:

1. Our safari guide ran away with $1500 of cash payment when he was suppose to deliver us to Kenya for the safaris on day 3

2. William made us wire $600 per person plus wire fee for the Uganda gorilla trek 3 months prior to our trip on the pretense that we need to 'reserve' our permit spots. He claimed not have received the first wire transfer which we wired again the second time. Upon arriving to Uganda gorilla park, the local guide claimed never received payment from William and made us pay $600 per person at the park again.

3. William told us that transportation to/from Uganda gorilla to Rwanda is included but again the local driver claim never to receive the payment from william and we each had to pay the driver $250 per person just to be taken to the next destination

4. They never sent a driver to pick one of us from Arusha airport as promised

5. For Kilimanjaro trek, William informed us that we'll have oxygen tank, portable toilet, Flying Doctor evacuation plan, and gawnam bag which our tour guide had none. One of our hikers fell really sick from altitude sickness, they had no emergency oxygen tank for her and no Flying Doctor emergency evacuation. She had to be carried down on porters back and a man-made stretcher over rocky path for 7 hours. The journey itself made her more sick

6. Throughout the trip, the safari guide (Goodwin) had unexpected fees and shady practices. One of our group members had to leave on day 3 to go back home. Her transportation fee to airport is agreed at beginning but then the
Hi.. I'm flying direct from the UK to Phu Quoc island for 21 days so no visa is required. During our stay we plan to travel across to Cambodia for a couple of days

1. Do we need a visa to do this

2. If so, do we need a Cambodian visa or Vietnamese Visa.

Cheers : ]
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- Tanzanians expressed their anger after President John Magufuli skipped Uhuru's inauguration at Kasrani stadium

- Tanzanians felt Magufuli's move will strain the country's relationship with Kenya

- Some said his absence suggests he sides with Raila Odinga who has refused to recognised Uhuru's win

- Uhuru Kenyatta attended Magufuli's swearing-in ceremony upon his election to takeover from Jakaya Kikwete

- Magufuli instead sent his Deputy Samia Suluhu to attend the rally along several other international leaders

Tanzanians expressed disappointment after learning their president, John Magufuli, failed to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, for President Uhuru Kenyatta's swearing in ceremony on Tuesday, November 28.

Apparently, the Tanzanian State House had previously announced several times that Magufuli would represent his country at the event, only for his deputy president, Samia Suluhu, to show up at the ceremony at the last minute.

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According to a report by Tanzania's The Citizen on Tuesday, November 28, Tanzanians believed this move would make the relationship between Kenya and their country frosty amid speculation that Magufuli was pro-Raila Odinga instead of supporting the Kenyan government of the day.

READ ALSO: Ni nani aliyekuwa mumewe Ann Waiguru haswa? Pata jibu

Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli. Photo: The Citizen.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Arrest Raila now-Duale's ex-lover tells Uhuru

"That was not the right thing for President Maguuli. His absence will even intensify rumours that he sided with Raila Odinga during the electioneering period in Kenya," said Justin Ole Ngeresa.

Another Tanzanian was of the opinion that his country would suffer in regional and international diplomacy after Magufuli skipped President Uhuru's swearing in ceremony.

READ ALSO: My driver was shot at and rushed to hospital - Raila's daughter claims

President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second and final term at the Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday, November 28. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

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According to prior TUKO.co.ke reports, the Tanzanian government did not give a concrete reason for Magufuli's absence, a week after the foreign leader met with National Super Alliance's Raila Odinga.

The Magufulis and the Odingas during a past meeting. Photo: Raila Odinga/Facebook.

READ ALSO: Mike Sonko's beautiful family dazzles at Uhuru Kenyatta's inauguration

It was reported that Raila and Magufuli met in Zanzibar during Raila's short stay but the particulars of the meeting remained scanty.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Raila Odinga's youngest daughter Winnie claimed his driver was turned away at Mama Lucy hospital after he was shot by police on Tuesday, November 28

- Nairobi Governor Polycarp Igathe rubbished Winnie's claims saying the hospital attended to her driver and other patients

- Winnie told off Igathe in a Facebook post detailing the turn of events on the day Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second and final term

A war of words erupted on Wednesday, November 29 between Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe and Raila Odinga's daughter Winnie Odinga over claims Mama Lucy Hospital turned away her driver after he was shot by police.

Winnie took to her Facebook to share her frustrations on Tuesday, November 28 after her driver was rushed to the hospital for treatment after he was shot in the head.

Raila Odinga's daughter Winnie Odinga reacts at a past event. Photo: Winie Odinga/Facebook

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READ ALSO: Mama Lucy Hospital confirms live bullets were used during NASA supporters confrontation with police officers

"Today my driver John Ogwati was shot in the head from close range by a Teargas launcher. After falling to the ground he was then trampled on. He was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital by friends who were wearing "Resist Tshirts". The staff upon seeing this group, which included John bleeding profusely from his head, informed the patient, "we don't treat watu wa Baba hapa." He has since been moved to another facility. (Two other patients who were injured by police and taken to that facility were also chased away.)" she posted on her Facebook page.

But Igathe rubbished her claims by posting a letter from the hospital on his Twitter page explaining that no patient was turned away.

Allow me to clear the air about an article in the social media by one Winnie Odinga that we chased away NASA patients yesterday, which is a lie they were all attended to free of charge ~ Dr. Musa Mohammed - Medical Superitendent Mama Lucy Hospital," he said in one of his tweets.

READ ALSO: Police deny accusations of killing 7-year-old boy during NASA supporter's confrontation with police

Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe during an event in the past. Photo: Polycarp Igathe/Facebook

In a series of tweets, Igathe said that Winnie's statement was meant to trigger violent protests against the hospital.

But in a quick response, Winnie shot back at Igathe explaining in detail what transpired insisting opposition supporters were discriminated after they sought assistance from the hospital.

"Bwana DG, Unless Dr . Muhammed is also the superintendent at Metropolitan hospital BuruBuru and unless he entered my phone and sent money for the hospital bill I'm saddened to inform you that his attempt at calling me a liar has failed! The hospital discriminated. Deal with that, not with me! (No further questions)" she fired back.

The hospital has since said it received 32 people patients with four gunshot wounds.

Four people were killed including a 7-year-old boy who was shot while he was on the balcony of their house in Pipeline estate.

The NASA and police face off at Jacaranda rally - on TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Time to get the drinks, popcorn and other goodies out as you prepare to support your favouri
The Defense Ministry and Microsoft Ukraine LLC have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, the ministry's press service reports.

The subject of the Memorandum is cooperation in the implementation of modern information technologies in the defense sector taking into account the NATO standards and approaches.

According to the Defense Ministry's IT Department, the cooperation involves application of the existing experience of Microsoft's cooperation with the armed forces of the NATO member states, European Union and United States to build a protected IT infrastructure of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, introduce defense information systems and ensure the needed level of their reliability, as well as support in training of IT specialists of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry," reads a report.

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One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another two were wounded in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine over the past day.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson for ATO issues Andriy Lysenko said this at a press briefing on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"As a result of enemy attacks near Avdiivka, one soldier was killed. We express our condolences to the family of the soldier who gave his life for Ukraine. Another two soldiers were wounded in an anti-tank missile attack near Orikhove. Those injured were taken to hospitals," he said.

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Economic relations between Ukraine and Moldova have been developing dynamically. The trade turnover between the countries has increased by 30% this year.

Deputy chairman of the Ukrainian Prism foreign policy council Serhiy Herasymchuk announced this during presentation of the research "Ukraine-Moldova: New Challenges and New Opportunities in Bilateral Relations" at the Ukrinform news agency.

"Ukraine is one of the main trade and economic partners of the Republic of Moldova. Ukraine is among ten largest trading partners of Moldova. According to the data released by Prime Minister of Moldova Pavel Filip as of October 2017, the trade turnover between the countries increased by more than 30% compared to the same period last year," Herasymchuk said.

According to him, together with other GUAM partners  Azerbaijan and Georgia  Ukraine and Moldova reached an agreement on establishment of the free trade area between the GUAM member states.

According to the expert, this will give an additional impetus to trade and economic cooperation and will enhance the GUAMs transportation capacities.

As Herasymchuk stated, Ukraine and Moldova have an ambitious goal in the energy sector to elaborate and implement a joint action plan to integrate the energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova into the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity.

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President Petro Poroshenko and Ambassador of Spain Silvia Cortes Martin have confirmed mutual unwavering support of territorial integrity of Ukraine and Spain, particularly in the context of recent events in Catalonia.

This issue was discussed during a ceremony when President Poroshenko received credentials from the ambassadors of Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, and Spain, the presidents press service reported on Tuesday evening.

During the conversation with Ambassador of Spain Silvia Cortes Martin, the interlocutors confirmed mutual unwavering support of territorial integrity of Ukraine and Spain, particularly in the context of recent events in Catalonia. President Poroshenko expressed hope that Spain will support the extension of sanctions against Russia because of its aggression against Ukraine. In her turn, the Ambassador of Spain thanked for special support of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom, reads a report.

Also, President Petro Poroshenko and Ambassador Silvia Cortes Martin noted significant potential for deepening the cooperation between Ukraine and Spain in the trade, economic and investment spheres and agreed to maintain regular contacts at the highest level, including through exchanges of visits at the highest level.

In addition, President Poroshenko thanked Spain and Australia for co-authorship in the renewed draft resolution Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine) submitted by Ukraine for consideration by the 72 UN General Assembly.

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Washington will not accept any resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which will not lead to a complete restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said this in Washington on Tuesday, while speaking at the Wilson Center on the topic "The U.S. And Europe: Strengthening Western Alliances," an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The United States recognizes that the war in Ukraine - in which people are still dying every day - must come to an end. We have repeatedly urged Russia to begin the path to peace by honoring its commitments under the Minsk agreements. Any resolution of the war that does not entail a fully independent, sovereign, and territorially whole Ukraine is unacceptable," he said.

Tillerson said that the United States and Europe "have stood shoulder-to-shoulder since 2014 in confronting this Russian aggression with a coordinated sanctions policy."

He said that transatlantic unity would not stand for Russia's flagrant violation of international law. "We hope Russia will take steps to restore Ukraine's full sovereignty and territorial integrity and fully implement its Minsk commitments, allowing us to begin then the process of restoring normal relations," Tillerson said.

At the same time, he said that the U.S. sanctions policy against Russia remains unchanged.

"Let me be clear, Minsk-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia reverses the actions that triggered them," the U.S. Secretary of State said.

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko plans to visit Vietnam in 2018, the press service of the head of state has reported.

The prospects of the visit were discussed during the ceremony to receive credentials from the ambassadors of Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia and Spain, the press service reported.

"During a conversation with Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, mutual interest was confirmed in further deepening the bilateral dialogue... The prospects for the visit of the Ukrainian president to Vietnam in 2018 were discussed," the statement reads.

The interlocutors paid attention to the development of trade and economic cooperation, noting the positive dynamics of bilateral trade in the current year. In this context, the results of the meeting of the Ukrainian-Vietnamese intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, which took place in Kyiv in October this year, were positively assessed.

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo is expected to visit Ukraine in 2018, the press service of the Ukrainian president has reported.

The issue of the upcoming visit was raised during the ceremony to present credentials to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko from the ambassadors of Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia and Spain.

"During a conversation with Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Mr. Yuddy Chrisnandi, the head of state emphasized the prospects for developing partner relations between the countries in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, in particular in the context of the agreements reached after the Ukrainian president's state visit to Indonesia in 2016. The interlocutors exchanged views on deepening cooperation as part of international organizations. The question of the forthcoming visit of the president of Indonesia to Ukraine next year was raised," reads the statement.

The sides also discussed preparations for the next meeting of the Ukrainian-Indonesian intergovernmental commission on economic and technical cooperation, which is to be held in Kyiv in 2018.

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The Senate of Australia has passed a motion to mark the beginning of the 85th anniversary commemorations of the Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-33.

"Today my motion to mark the beginning of the 85th anniversary commemorations of the Holodomor famine in Ukraine in 1932-33 passed the Senate," author of the motion, Senator Catryna Bilyk posted on her Facebook page.

Thus, the Australian Senate condemns the actions of the Stalinist regime aimed at destroying the national, cultural, religious and democratic aspirations of Ukrainians and also recalls that up to seven million Ukrainians starved to death as a result of Stalins policies in 1932 to 1933 alone.

In addition, the Senate recognizes the importance of remembering those terrible events to ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated. The Senate of Australia calls for honouring the memory of those who lost their lives during Holodomor and also pays its respects to the Australian Ukrainians who lived through this tragedy. "The Senate joins the Ukrainian Australian community and the international community in commemorating this tragic milestone under the motto, Ukraine Remembers The World Acknowledges," the document reads.

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Ukrainian journalist Pavlo Sharoiko, who was detained in Minsk, should be released as soon as possible, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said.

He said this in comments to reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"It's really a pity. We hope that this journalist will be released as soon as possible," Mingarelli said, while commenting at the request of an Ukrinform correspondent on Sharoiko's detention in Minsk.

As reported, Ukrainian citizen Pavlo Shariko, a UA: Ukrainian Radio correspondent in Belarus, was detained in Minsk on October 25. He was charged with "espionage."

Sharoiko is suspected of creating an agent network in the republic. The Belarusian KGB states that after his arrest, Sharoiko admitted that he "is an intelligence officer and works undercover as a colonel."

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This week, more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, business executives and government officials are in Hyderabad India to discuss ways to empower people to start businesses and build networks. The focus of the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit is women, who still lag behind men when it comes to founding businesses and getting funding. Michelle Quinn reports from Hyderabad.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has condemned what he called Russia's continued behavior toward its neighbors, especially Russias interfering in election processes and promoting non-democratic ideals. An analysts tells VOA's Zlatica Hoke that the U.S. president's support is crucial for the success of Tillerson's mission.
European Union lawmakers have asked for protection when they visit Malta this week to probe accusations of high-level corruption on the island, citing death threats made against some members of the EU parliament.

The legislature passed a motion this month voicing concerns about democracy and the rule of law in the EUs smallest state, following the killing of a journalist who had accused some political leaders of graft and money laundering. A group of seven MEPs will visit Malta on Thursday and Friday.

In a letter seen by Reuters, Manfred Weber, the German leader of the center-right bloc, wrote to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Wednesday asking him to remind the Maltese authorities of their duty to protect the delegation and allow them to carry out their duty free from fear.

The stark terms of the letter underscored the depth of feeling in Brussels about recent developments in Malta. It also reflected Tajanis call on Monday for the Polish government to ensure the safety of MEPs after a far-right protest there over an EU parliament motion about democracy in Poland.

Centre-left Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says Malta does not tolerate crime and promised justice for the murdered journalist, who had leveled personal accusations against him as well as against members of the center-right opposition party.

Sven Giegold, a German member of the EU parliaments Greens party and a leading campaigner on financial crime who will be part of the delegation, told Reuters he was not very worried but added: I hope the security will be guaranteed.

Weber, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, wrote that there were serious concerns about the independence of the Maltese police and referred to MEPs being threatened with their lives for speaking out in defense of the rule of law in Malta.

One of his groups members, Maltese center-right MEP Roberta Metsola, has faced public death threats on social media after speaking on the issue, parliamentary officials said.

Maltese government officials and parliament speaker Tajani did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The Air Forces failure to report the Texas shooters domestic abuse offenses to civilian law enforcement was not an isolated incident, the military branch said Tuesday.

Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Tuesday preliminary findings from a review after this months deadly shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, by a disgraced former airman showed similar reporting lapses occurred at other Air Force bases.

The Air Force did not report the airmans 2012 domestic violence conviction into the FBI's database, as required by federal law and the Pentagon. Authorities say that measure, had it been properly entered, should have stopped the shooter from legally buying the rifle he used in the massacre.

Although policies and procedures requiring reporting were in place, training and compliance measures were lacking, Stefanek said.

The Air Force said it has implemented corrective measures to prevent future occurrences, and will implement additional actions in the next few weeks.

Among the new procedures is a leadership requirement to verify that information from applicable cases is registered with the FBI's National Crime Information Center's Interstate Identification Index.

The Air Force added that officials are correcting all identified failures to report to civilian law enforcement as they are discovered.

The disgraced former airman, Devin Kelley, murdered 26 people at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday. He shot himself in the head after being wounded by a neighbor and chased by the neighbor and police.
The departure into exile of one of Venezuela's main opposition leaders  the ousted mayor of Caracas  speaks of a crisis, humanitarian and political, that is reaching new proportions.

For most of the nearly two decades after the late President Hugo Chavez launched his Bolivarian revolution with the promise of spreading Venezuela's vast oil wealth among all its citizens, Antonio Ledezma  like many Venezuelans  chose to stay, wait and see.

But in 2015, Venezuelan authorities seized the mayor and placed him under house arrest for voicing his opposition to the government of President Nicolas Maduro, Chavez's successor. Ledezma was charged with conspiracy and working to overthrow the Maduro government, and had been under house arrest until last Friday.

That day, the 62-year-old joined what is estimated to be more than one million Venezuelans who have left the country since the 1990s and made a risky 900-kilometer escape to the border of Colombia, his jump-off point to a life in exile in Spain.

"When a human being wants to recover his freedom, he will take any risk and that is what I did," Ledezma said in an interview Wednesday with the VOA Spanish Service. "I took a personal risk to recover my freedom after more than one thousand days deprived of my human rights."

The nation he left is a shadow of its former self. Venezuela is one of the top oil producers in OPEC and as recently as 2011 topped Saudi Arabia as having the largest proven reserves among members of the cartel. Now Ledezma, like other exiles, laments chronic food shortages and empty shelves in once gleaming supermarkets, and often nonexistent basic medical supplies and services.

Maduro has said his country's economic problems are not the result of bad policy or a failure of the Chavista socialist model, but rather the outcome of U.S. sanctions and an "economic war" waged by Venezuela's remaining business elite. The Venezuelan leader has also refused to roll back government controls enacted during the Chavez years.

Now free to travel, Ledezma visited Washington this week to meet with the head of the Organization of American States, give speeches at think tanks, and make media appearances in a bid to call attention to the plight of a nation he said is being held hostage.

"That is my role, to be one more of these wave of Venezuelans who had to flee Venezuela and seek refuge in other parts of the world because they feel persecuted politically in the country or because they simply feel that to stay in Venezuela is to wait to be shot in the head," he said.

"Or at the very least die of hunger," he added, referring to rising malnutrition and low wages.

Oil and Cuba

OPEC figures show Venezuela's oil production tumbled in recent months, reaching a 28-year low in October. Analysts say the state-owned oil company, PDVSA, has been unable to find enough money to maintain wells and pipelines and keep other parts of the production infrastructure working. Critics blame mismanagement and corruption.

The crisis has deepened to the point where Maduro has begun appointing members of the military to run the company. This week, he named a general, Manuel Quevedo, to run PDVSA, and sources at the company told Reuters more military officers are to be appointed.

Critics question whether the moves are truly anti-corruption measures, suggesting they are really meant to give Maduro more control of Venezuela's oil industry, which accounts for 90 percent of the country's overall exports.

Ledezma sees no hope of resurrecting Venezuela's collapsed economy as long as Maduro remains in power and maintains the links to communist Cuba that were established by Chavez, who offered Havana preferential terms on oil contracts. Like many in the Venezuelan opposition, Ledezma accuses Cuba of siphoning off Venezuela's oil wealth  with Caracas' consent.

"Venezuela is the only country with a government that is paying so that it can be invaded. Venezuela is financing the Cuban regime, handing over oil money that we need for food and medicine that are scarce now," Ledezma said. "We have told the international community it needs to be vigilant of what is happening in Venezuela because its people have been taken hostage."

'Hope' or 'vampire'?

Reaction to Ledezma's flight into exile and his new crusade in the world has been mixed. Supporters showered praise during a Facebook Live appearance on the VOA Spanish website. One blogger wrote, "You are our hope."

Venezuela's president also expressed approval, albeit sarcastically, of Ledezma's departure. In a speech to supporters, Maduro laughingly described the Caracas mayor as "the vampire that is flying free about the world," and called for Spain not to return him.

There is little chance Ledezma will go back while Maduro is in power. In Wednesday's interview, the ousted mayor indicated that any negotiations would have to include discussions on Maduro's exit.

In starting his life in exile, Ledezma has plenty of company. Venezuela researchers say the number of Venezuelans living outside the country has risen by 2,000 percent since the 1990s.
A former navy captain known as the "Angel of Death'' was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for human rights violations committed at a notorious clandestine detention and torture center during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship.



Verdicts were also read against 53 other people in the largest trial of its kind in Argentina's history. In total, 29 people were jailed for life and 19 sentenced to between 8 years and 25 years. Six others were acquitted.



Former Capt. Alfredo Astiz sat motionless as a judge read the charges against him that included kidnapping, torture, homicide and stealing minors. Astiz's nickname came from his cherubic looks and for his work delivering dissidents to the military junta as an undercover agent. He previously was convicted of kidnapping, torturing and murdering two French nuns and a journalist and was already serving a life sentence.



Throughout the trial, Astiz remained unrepentant.



"Human rights groups want persecution and vengeance,'' he said. "I'll never say I'm sorry.''



In the past, Astiz had accused former President Cristina Fernandez of promoting unjust and illegitimate prosecutions for her own political gain. Her late husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner, encouraged the trials after Argentina's Congress and Supreme Court removed amnesties that had protected junta veterans.



Hundreds of people outside the courtroom celebrated as sentences were read. Some held a large poster with photos of the 54 defendants with a letter "P'' for "perpetua,'' referring to life sentences, scribbled over the men's faces. Others held banners about the disappeared that read: "Tell us where they are.''



"We're living a historic moment,'' said Taty Almeida, an activist with the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group that has campaigned to find people disappeared by the junta.



"More than ever, we're going to keep demanding justice,'' she said.



Prosecution of the crimes began in two previous trials in 2007 and 2009. The third trial that concluded Wednesday was the largest and involved crimes against humanity committed against 789 people at the Naval Mechanics School  the era's biggest clandestine torture center. An estimated 5,000 prisoners were held there. Some were drugged and later thrown alive from airplanes into the River Plate or to the sea in "death flights.''



"In Argentina's history, the death flights will always be regarded as an incomparable monstrosity,'' said human rights activist Eduardo Jozami. "It's key that this vision held by most Argentines has been ratified with this sentence.''



The Naval Mechanics School, a leafy former military campus, is now home to a museum dedicated to preserving evidence of crimes against humanity. The grounds also used to house a maternity ward where pregnant detainees were held until they gave birth and then were made to "disappear.''



Human rights groups estimate about 30,000 people were killed or forcibly disappeared during Argentina's brutal dictatorship.



"The reparation of victims and of society is only possible if the state complies with its obligations to investigate, sanction and reconstruct history,'' said the Buenos Aires-based Center for Legal and Social Studies, which was part of the legal team representing plaintiffs in the case.
A federal jury in Washington on Tuesday convicted a Libyan man of terrorism in the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, but acquitted him of the most serious charge, murder.

The 2012 attack killed four people, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens.

U.S. commandos captured Ahmed Abu Khattala in 2014 and brought him to the United States for interrogation and trial.

His attorneys argued the evidence against him was shaky. They also said questioning him about the attack before advising him of his rights under U.S. law was illegal.

While prosecutors convinced the jury that Khattala led the militant group that attacked the consulate, they failed to prove he was directly responsible for the deaths of Stevens and the others.

But Khattala will still most likely spend decades in federal prison after he is sentenced.

Another suspect, Mustafa al-Imam, was captured last month and also faces trial.
Bolivia's highest court struck down limits on re-election in the country's constitution and election laws on Tuesday, paving the way for socialist President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019.

In September, Morales' Movement to Socialism (MAS) party asked the South American country's highest court to rescind legal limits barring elected authorities from seeking re-election indefinitely, arguing that these violate human rights.

"All people that were limited by the law and the constitution are hereby able to run for office, because it is up to the Bolivian people to decide," Macario Lahor Cortez, head of the Plurinational Constitutional Court, wrote in the ruling.

In the decision, the court cited the American Convention on Human Rights, a multilateral treaty signed by many countries in the Americas.

The ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

Morales, who took power in 2006, had previously accepted the results of a 2016 referendum, when 51 percent of Bolivian voters rejected his proposal to reform the constitution to end existing term limits.

He later reversed course and said that while he would happily give up office, his supporters were pushing for him to stay.

The landlocked Andean country has enjoyed relative prosperity and calm under Morales, the country's first indigenous president.

But his efforts to extend term limits have set off protests across the country, with opponents arguing Morales was trying to tighten his grip on power in the vein of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist ally.

Opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina said on Twitter that the court decision was "a blow to the constitution."
Bolivias socialist President Evo Morales on Wednesday hailed a decision by the countrys highest court to allow him to run for another re-election as a great surprise for the people, for the revolutionaries, for the anti-imperialists.

The opposition said it would march against the ruling announced on Tuesday by the Constitutional Court, which paved the way for Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019. The court decision was final and cannot be appealed.

The ruling guarantees a democratic continuity, but also guarantees stability, dignity and work for the Bolivian people, Morales said during a news conference.

Call for protest marches

Opposition leaders called for several marches to be held on Wednesday, protesting what they say is the end of democracy in the land-locked, natural gas-producing country.

It means a coup detat, it means trampling the constitution and the most worrying is that Bolivia is approaching the road that Venezuela is on, Samuel Doria Medina, leader of the National Unity party, told Reuters.

Supporter of Maduro

Bolivia is allied with Venezuela, where leftist President Nicolas Maduro is struggling with a severe economic crisis.

Morales, in power since 2006, had previously accepted the results of a 2016 referendum, when 51 percent of voters rejected his proposal to end existing term limits. He later reversed course, saying that while he was willing to leave office, his supporters were pushing for him to stay.

In September, Morales Movement to Socialism (MAS) party asked the court to rescind legal limits barring elected authorities from seeking re-election indefinitely.
British lawmakers reacted angrily Wednesday to President Donald Trumps retweeting of anti-Muslim videos initially posted by a far-right British leader whos been convicted of hate speech.

Several lawmakers called on Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel a scheduled working visit by the president scheduled for next year.

He is no ally or friend of ours, said Labour lawmaker David Lammy, adding that the U.S. president is not welcome in Britain.

WATCH: British Fury as Trump Retweets Extreme Right Group's Videos

London Mayor Sadiq Khan also said it is increasingly clear Trump should not be welcomed and that many in Britain will see his Twitter activity as a betrayal of U.S.-British relations.

The Prime Minister of our country should be using any influence she and her government claim to have with the president and his administration to ask him to delete these tweets and to apologize to the British people, Khan said Thursday.

Prime Minister Mays spokesman said Trump was wrong to retweet the videos. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents  decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the president to have done this, he said.

Even normally pro-Trump British politicians criticized Trump for sharing three Twitter posts by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of the far-right anti-immigrant group Britain First, which calls for a return of traditional British values and an end to Islamization.



Trumps retweets came Wednesday morning with the first unverified video claiming to show Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches. Moments later the president shared a second video, also initially posted by Fransen, which claimed to show a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

A third post carried the message: Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!

Fransen and Britain First

Fransen has had several run-ins with police for hate speech as have other leaders of Britain First who have been accused of religious harassmentand incitement. Earlier this month, Fransen was found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment after she verbally abused a Muslim woman for wearing a hijab.

She was charged in September with religiously aggravated harassment along with Britain Firsts leader, Paul Goldings, for the distribution of inflammatory leaflets in the southern English town of Canterbury and is awaiting trial. In December she is due in court in Northern Ireland to face charges of using threatening and abusive language during a speech she made at an anti-terrorism protest in Belfast.

Britain Firsts ideology is thought to have inspired the assassin of British lawmaker Jo Cox. Thomas Mair, Coxs killer, shouted Britain first just before slaying her during the Brexit referendum campaign last year. At his trial, no formal link was found between Mair and the group Britain First, which was founded in 2011 by former members of the British National Party. The group claims to have 6,000 members and has almost two million likes on its Facebook page.

The murdered lawmakers widower, Brendan Cox, also responded Wednesday to the Trump re-tweets, tweeting back: Trump has legitimized the far-right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences and the president should be ashamed of himself.

Politicians, Muslims react

Consequences were immediately apparent on the floor of the House of Commons. I hope our government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society, said Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

As Labour lawmaker Stephen Doughty questioned government ministers on the floor of the House of Commons over the tweets, other lawmakers, including Conservatives, could be heard interjecting and calling them absolutely disgraceful.

Labours Yvette Cooper, a former government minister, urged the ruling Conservatives to condemn the significant and serious posts, saying, the woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in this country. She added that Trump had given her a huge platform. Several lawmakers called for Trumps planned 2018 invitation to visit to be withdrawn.

Among them was Chuka Umunna, an opposition lawmaker. At some point youve got to draw a line, he said.

British Muslim groups joined the criticism of the U.S. President. AMuslim Council of Britainspokesperson said: It is outrageous that the president of the USA is sharing anti-Muslim content from a renowned far-right extremist group in the UK. We hope our prime minister and home secretary will distance ourselves from Mr. Trump and his comments, and will reiterate the governments abhorrence to all forms of extremism.

Dilemma for May

While the backlash grew, Britain First supporters celebrated the presidential retweets. Fransen herself tweeted: God bless you Trump! God bless America!, signing off with the abbreviation OCS, meaning Onward Christian Soldiers.

Some British populists who are normally supportive of Trump question the wisdom of the retweets. Paul Joseph Watson, a Britain-based editor of the far-right conspiracy website Infowars, said: Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trumps Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics.

Steven Wolfe, a British lawmaker in the European Parliament, was highly critical of the presidents sharing of the Britain First videos, but said Trump should still visit Britain next year as it would provide an opportunity for people to talk some sense to him about immigration and culture.

For Prime Minister May the retweets pose a dilemma. She has been critical of Trump publicly before for his tweets, notably in connection with terror attacks in Britain. But at the same time, her government is desperate to make progress in talks on a free trade deal with the U.S. to help make up for the economic impact of Brexit.

Opinion polls have consistently shown disapproval for a Trump visit. Last month, British and U.S. officials revealed that a scaled-down working trip was being planned for next year, most likely January, that would not include the U.S. president meeting the queen or staying at Buckingham Palace.

Shortly after his inauguration, May invited Trump for a state visit to Britain. But lawmakers from across the political spectrum criticized the invitation, including John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, who announced he would oppose Trump being allowed to make an address to the British Parliament.Amid an unprecedented backlash among lawmakers and the threat of mass protests, the trip was delayed.
Burning bricks made of dry chili, dung and water could stop endangered elephants raiding crops in Africa and Asia, reducing conflicts with farmers trying to secure harvests to feed their families, experts said Wednesday.

Resin from crushed dry chilies irritates elephants' trunks, acting as a repellent, said a study in northern Botswana, published in the journal Oryx.

"This is an excellent non-lethal and low-cost opportunity for local farmers to keep elephants away from their crops," Rocio Pozo, a researcher at the University of Oxford, said in a statement.

The findings could help to protect elephants, whose population in Africa has plummeted in the last decade due to ivory poaching.

Lines of chilies could be used to separate farms from elephant paths, teaching the animals which routes were safe to use, said Anna Songhurst, director of the Botswana-based Ecoexist and co-author of the study.

Botswana has the largest population of African elephants, and in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, where Ecoexist works, an equal number of animals and humans  15,000 of each  compete over water, food and land.

"For an individual farmer, their whole year's supply of food for the whole family could be destroyed in just one night," Songhurst told Reuters by phone.

The study is part of a wider strategy to reduce human-elephant conflicts, including providing food security for the animals as well as humans, she added.
A Chinese court's conviction of a Taiwanese activist, on charges that his social media posts incited subversion of state power, will spawn fresh suspicion in his homeland toward an already distrusted Beijing government, observers say.

The five-year sentence handed Tuesday to Lee Ming-che for pushing for democracy through a Chinese social media group will make other Taiwanese wonder about their fate if they live under Beijings rule someday, academics and fellow activists say.

Communist China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan and insists on eventual unification.

Taiwanese have grown used to free speech, including advocacy of different political systems, without getting into legal trouble since their own government democratized in the late 1980s after decades of authoritarian rule.

We think this is a so-called verdict that Taiwanese cant accept, Taipei-based Judicial Reform Foundation lawyer Kao Jung-chih told a news conference in Taipei after Chinas official Xinhua News Agency announced the sentence from a courthouse in Hunan province.

Are other Taiwanese next?

Lee had posted to the Internet in Taipei, Kao said, but got charged later in China. Other Taiwanese post freely, he added, and then travel to the other side.

Basically, though (China) is ruled by law in name, this verdict lacked even a basic legal foundation, he said. So, in the end, Id like to appeal to Taiwanese that the Lee Ming-che matter is not just about one person, rather a matter for all. We need to stand up. Otherwise there will be a day, after weve been eroded away bit by bit, when we cant stand up.

China hopes Lees sentence will send a message that Taiwanese should avoid discussing political issues with mainland Chinese people, even from home, activists and scholars in Taipei believe.

The message may deter people from unnecessary travel, said George Hou, a communications lecturer at I-Shou University in Taiwan.

For Taiwanese people, theyll be more worried, Hou said. This matter will make Taiwanese people, when going into the regulation side of things, find that China is an undeveloped country, or you could say that when you go, make sure to be more careful and wary.

From one to three million Taiwanese live in China long term, often as investors and their relatives. China now encourages younger Taiwanese to come as interns or employees of startups, a chance to earn money in an $11.2 trillion-plus economy that is growing at nearly 7 percent.

Impact on China-Taiwan relations

The Taiwan governments Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement Tuesday the Lee case will inevitably have a serious negative effect on cross-Strait relations. It also forecast damage to mainland Chinas international image.

About 3,000 individuals and workplaces in Taiwan are displaying yellow ribbons to advocate for Lees release.

In 2012 Lee joined a China-Taiwan social media group formed by Chinese national Peng Yuhua, who received a seven-year sentence Tuesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The group aimed to overthrow the current form of Chinese government, Xinhua said. Lee had faced up to 10 years in prison.

He had worked in Taipei as a university program manager while helping do research for local human rights organizations.

Xinhua did not link the case to other aspects of China-Taiwan relations.

Taiwanese following the Lee trial, including bits that were released on video, wonder whether Lee confessed to charges under pressure and why he didnt have more help from a lawyer. His disappearance from the Chinese territory of Macau in March before being charged in mainland China raised further suspicion.

China already frustrated with Taiwan

Lees case came on the back of perceived economic and military pressure from China, prompting questions about whether it was related.

Since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016, China has sent an aircraft carrier around the island, scaled back tourist arrivals and persuaded two countries to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, Taiwan officials say.

China and Taiwan have been separately ruled since Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists rebased in Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war. Officials in Beijing see formal dialogue as a conduit to unification and resent Tsai for rejecting their dialogue condition that both sides belong to one country, China.

The two sides talked briskly from 2008 to 2015.

The London-based advocacy group Amnesty International linked Lees case to more than 240 other political activists who have faced pressure in China since 2015.

Lees prison term is a one-off for Taiwanese, but others occasionally get detained, including a Taiwanese practitioner of the banned spiritual group Falun Gong in 2015.

Despite condemnations from the government and Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party, some activists want more official follow-up to the Lee verdict.

We think for the presidential office or the ruling Democratic Progressive Party just to use the means of sending out statements is extremely inadequate, said Chiu Yi-ling secretary general with the NGO Taiwan Association for Human Rights. They cant set aside our rights and always be oppressed or evaded by China.
The U.S. Congress, confronting allegations of sexual misconduct by several lawmakers, has approved legislation requiring all 535 members and their staffs to undergo mandatory anti-sexual harassment training.

The Senate approved the training earlier this month and the House of Representatives unanimously approved the new measures Wednesday amid a wave of accusations in recent weeks against prominent executives in the U.S. film industry, corporate chieftains, political figures and well-known journalists. Numerous men have been fired or forced to resign their high-profile positions, while others have apologized or denied the accusations.

"Sexual harassment has no place in any workplace, let alone in the United States Congress," House Speaker Paul Ryan said ahead of the House vote.

"The fact that some people [who] end up walking these halls are subjected to a threatening or hostile work environment when they came here to serve their country, to serve their ideals  thats wrong, thats a disgrace," Ryan said. "We cannot and we will not tolerate that kind of behavior.

A bi-partisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday that if passed would end a two-decade old practice of paying settlements with taxpayer funds. The Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act would require transparent disclosure of the nature of claims settled in the office of Congressional Compliance.

Lawmakers said that there had been 268 settlements totaling more than 17 million dollars since 1995, although it is unknown how many of them claims are related to sexual harassment complaints.

The effort is in response to widespread public outrage following the revelation of the payment system.

"For too long sexual predators have roamed freely through the halls of Congress - the people's House - while survivors of sexual assault have essentially been isolated, bullied and shamed into silence," said bill co-sponsor Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii.

Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from New York, told reporters the practice sent the wrong message to voters.

"What it confirms for the American people is that there's one set of rules for them - and one set of rules for elected officials here in the bubble that is Washington, D.C.," Rice said.

Some members of the Congressional Black Caucus, according to news accounts, are pressuring the longest-serving House member, Representative John Conyers of Michigan, to resign after former members of his staff accused him of sexual misconduct.

Settlement acknowledged

The 88-year-old Democrat last week acknowledged reaching a $27,000 settlement with one woman, but continued to deny her allegation of an unwanted advance. Conyers said he settled the case to avoid protracted litigation over the claim, but the House Ethics Committee is investigating whether he used taxpayer money from his congressional office accounts to pay the settlement. Since then, two other former staffers have accused Conyers of inappropriate sexual conduct.

Facing condemnation of his behavior, Conyers relinquished his position as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

Two other lawmakers have apologized for their actions.

Democratic Senator Al Franken of Minnesota offered an apology for groping broadcaster/model, Leeann Tweeden, who had performed with him on a 2006 tour to entertain U.S. troops in the Middle East before he was elected to the Senate. Subsequently, other women accused him of unwanted advances when they posed for pictures with him.

Republican Representative Joe Barton of Texas last week apologized after a nude photo of him surfaced on social media.

Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state said, "Like many Americans, Im troubled by the reports of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Its rocking Capitol Hill as well as elsewhere across the country. This is not who we are. We can and we must do better."

'Larger issue of civility'

She called for Americans "to take a step back to the larger issue of civility and how we treat each other in this country. Each one of us must be doing our part to lead by example and rebuild the moral fabric in our country.

Democratic Representative Joseph Crowley of New York said that requiring the training was a good start for reforms.

"I believe that Congress should be not the gold standard, but the platinum standard," Crowley said. "We should be a beacon on a hill to say that sexual harassment or harassment of any kind is not acceptable in the workplace anywhere."

In addition to moving toward mandatory anti-sexual harassment training, Congress is considering an overhaul of its antiquated process to handle such complaints.

Currently, accusers are required to sign nondisclosure agreements if they file a complaint, and any financial settlement reached is kept secret and paid for by U.S. taxpayers.

Some lawmakers are supporting legislation that would end such requirements, forcing lawmakers who settle claims to reimburse the government.

VOA's Katherine Gypson contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump says "major sanctions" will be imposed on North Korea, after Pyongyang tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that experts say is likely capable of hitting anywhere in the U.S. mainland.

In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the "provocative actions" of North Korea. He again vowed that the "situation will be handled," but did not elaborate.

"President Trump underscored the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime," the White House said in a statement on the call with Xi.

WATCH: President reacts to Pyongyang's missile launch

The readout also said Trump "emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

North Korea on Wednesday said it tested a Hwasong-15 missile "tipped with a super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S."



U.S. officials and independent experts said the test represents a key accomplishment for Pyongyang's missile program, and shows it can send rockets higher and further than ever before.

"It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken," said U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday. "It's a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically."

The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss the incident. The body has imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on the North in response to its nuclear and missile tests.
Just days after the worst terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Wednesday gave his security forces a three-month deadline to restore "security and stability" in the troubled northern Sinai, the epicenter of an increasingly brutal militant insurgency.

In a televised ceremony marking the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, el-Sissi authorized his new chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Farid Hegazy, to use "all brute force" against the militants.

Hegazy, appointed last month, rose up from his front-row seat and stood in rigid attention as el-Sissi, a general-turned-president, addressed him.

"I am mandating Maj. Gen. Mohammed Farid Hegazy before you and the entire people of Egypt to restore security and stability in Sinai," said el-Sissi. "With God's benevolence and your efforts and sacrifices, you and the police will restore security and use all brute force, all brute force."

This is the second time since Friday's horrific massacre in a sleepy Sinai village that el-Sissi ordered the use of "brute force" against the militants. It was not immediately clear what the use of such force would entail, but it suggested a scorched earth tactic that many of the president's loyalists in the media have been calling for.

Friday's attack on a mosque in the northern Sinai village of al-Rawdah was the deadliest assault by Islamic extremists in Egypt's modern history. Among the 305 dead were 27 children; another 128 people were wounded.

The so-called Islamic State group hasn't yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack but the over two dozen gunmen who unleashed explosives and gunfire to mow down the worshippers during Friday prayers carried the black banner of the IS militant group. The mosque belonged to followers of Islam's mystical Sufi movement, considered by IS to be heretics. Militants have in the past targeted them in Sinai as well as elsewhere, like in Iraq.

El-Sissi has frequently said that Islamic militants have benefited from the care his security forces routinely take to ensure that civilians are not caught in the cross-fire. But rights groups and Sinai activists have in the past spoken of civilians enduring collective punishment, usually in the aftermath of major attacks, and of hardships resulting from military operations, including lengthy power, water and phone outages.

Giving his security forces a three-month deadline to quieten Sinai may turn out to be a risky gamble by el-Sissi, who is widely expected to seek a second, four-year term in office in elections due in less than six months. Failure in Sinai would dent the president's standing as the general who won office in a 2014 election mostly on promises of restoring security.

However, only state-owned Egyptian media with unquestionable loyalty to the government are allowed to travel to northern Sinai, leaving authorities in near-total control of the narrative on how the war there is going.

Against the backdrop of such restrictions, an absence or a continuation of attacks by militants during the next three months and after that would likely be the best indicator of the situation.

Egypt's military and police have for years been waging a tough and costly campaign against militants in the towns, villages and desert mountains of northern Sinai. In the past year, militants have bombed churches in the capital of Cairo and other cities, killing dozens of Christians.

A local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group now spearheads the insurgency. It is believed to have been behind the October 2015 downing of a Russian passenger jet that killed all 224 people on board, decimating the country's vital tourism sector.

The insurgency has gathered steam and on occasion spread to the mainland following the ouster in 2013 by the military, then led by el-Sissi, of Mohammed Morsi, an Islamist president whose one year in office proved divisive. Also, a series of recent attacks in Egypt's vast Western Desert suggests the opening of a new front. Authorities believe attacks there are carried out by militants based and trained in neighboring Libya.
U.S. ethanol producers, looking to relieve a growing domestic glut, are hunting for new international fuel markets to replace China and Brazil after trade disputes slashed exports to those top buyers.

Without new markets, U.S. producers may have to pare output after spending hundreds of millions of dollars on biofuel production plants in recent years. Currently, the most promising potential destinations for U.S. fuel exports appear to be Mexico and India, industry executives said.

China and Brazil accounted for 41 percent of the 1.17 billion gallons the United States exported last year. Shipments to the two shriveled in September, making U.S. exports for that month the smallest in more than a year.

"There are only so many times you can replace your top market," said Tom Sleight, president of the U.S. Grains Council, which officials said has been calling on potential buyers in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria.

China's demand plummeted by more than 100 million gallons this year after it removed a preferential tariff rate. Brazil's imports tumbled after it put a quota on imports in September to protect its domestic producers.

Selling points

To drum up new customers, Illinois-based ethanol producer Marquis Energy has sent executives to India, China, Thailand and the Philippines, promoting the corn-based fuel additive as a smog- and oil-import fighter.

"I've had a lot of people over there almost nonstop over the last three months," the company's chief executive, Mark Marquis, said of the hunt for buyers in Asia. Archer Daniels Midland Co and Flint Hills Resources also have stepped up efforts to sell into Mexico, traders said.

U.S. ethanol prices have slid to nearly a two-year low as daily domestic production last week hit a record 45.1 million gallons, making the search for new export markets more urgent.

Output this year could reach about 16 billion gallons, nearly triple that of 2007.

U.S. exports fell since hitting 2.5 million gallons per day in the first eight months this year. Shipments to Brazil sank to 19 million gallons in September, the smallest monthly volume in more than a year. Exports to China through September were just 60,880 gallons, a precipitous drop from 198 million gallons a year earlier, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

The marketing effort could pay off in Mexico, whose energy regulatory commission (CRE) is to vote soon to ease the flow of fuel imports through state-run Pemex facilities to several Mexican states bordering the United States.

If approved, significant new volumes of gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol could begin flowing in 2018 into Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas states, CRE Commissioner Luis Guillermo Pineda told Reuters.

"The largest supplier is logically the United States, but it can be from anywhere," Pineda said of the ethanol blend.

Import prediction

Ray Young, ADM's finance chief, last month told analysts Mexico could be importing 200 million gallons annually by 2019.

U.S. ethanol exports to Mexico last year totaled about 30 million gallons.

U.S. inventories reached 920 million gallons in the week ended November 17, up 16 percent from a year earlier, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said. Ethanol futures have fallen to $1.36 per gallon on the Chicago Board of Trade, down 20 percent from their 2017 high in April.

U.S. producers are pitching China and India on ethanol's smog-fighting potential. This month, United Airlines canceled flights to India's capital, New Delhi, citing heavy smog as a public health emergency. China ordered Beijing and more than two dozen other cities to start meeting limits on airborne pollution starting this month.

Ted McKinney, a USDA official interviewed during a biofuel-promotion trip to India, expressed optimism that country could import much more U.S. ethanol for cars and trucks. But others were not so sure.

India's government wants to promote biofuel production using its own agricultural waste, said Jai Asundi, research coordinator at a Bengaluru-based think tank, the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy.

"There is a potential for producing ethanol from locally available sources without depending on imports," Asundi said.
European and African leaders are gathering Wednesday in Ivory Coast for a summit focused on issues that affect both continents, including economic cooperation, job creation, migration, and peace and security.

The two-day European Union-African Union summit in Abidjan is bringing together heads of state from 55 AU member states and 28 in Europe.

"We strive to enhance societal and political resilience on the continent for the benefit of current and future generations," AU Commission Deputy Chairperson Kwesi Quartey said at a ministerial meeting ahead of the summit.

Governments on both continents have in the past few years faced the challenge of migrant flows through North Africa and across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, with debates over resettlement and how to improve safety along the route that leaves thousands of people dead each year.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Tuesday that the summit is not itself a meeting on migration, but that the issue has to be addressed.

"We cannot close our eyes on the common responsibility we have to protect lives, save lives, open also regular channels for migration and mobility, offering economic alternatives to our young people in Africa, but first and foremost to dismantle the criminal networks that are making money out of sometimes slavery," she said.

The EU said the summit will address a commitment to preparing young people for job opportunities by investing in education, science and skills development. There will also be a focus on promoting trade within Africa, as well as peacebuilding and preventing conflict

"I think that today the security challenges we are facing, starting from radicalism and terrorism to trafficking and criminal organizations, are binding us together and there are only common solutions if you want to have effective solutions," Mogherini said.
Europe and Africa have joint responsibility for making migration more humane and orderly so they can end horrifying abuses being committed against African migrants by people smugglers, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at a two-day Africa-European Union summit that was meant to focus on development and investment in youth, but had inevitably been overshadowed by the migrant crisis.

Reports this month of white Libyan slave traders selling black African migrants at markets in Libya - a grim echo of the trans-Saharan slave trade in centuries past - have drawn worldwide horror.

The outcry threatened to put migration to the top of the summit agenda and shine a light on a thorny issue for European leaders faced with a surge in far-right, anti-immigration parties at home.

"It is clear that migration is a joint responsibility. It is in all our interests to have orderly migration that is more controlled, more humane and sustainable," Tusk said in his opening remarks.

"The recent reports about the treatment of Africans - especially young people - by smugglers and traffickers are horrifying," he said, adding that 5,000 migrants had drowned in the Mediterranean last year.

Soon after CNN aired grainy images from Libya this month appearing to show migrants being sold as slaves, African governments began recalling diplomats from Tripoli.

Protests erupted in France, Senegal and Benin. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called for Libyan slave traders to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.

"Let's work together to bring more humane solutions to this migration crisis that taints relations between the North and the South," said Guinea's president, Alpha Conde, the chairman of the African Union.

Libya has promised to investigate the reports, but many African citizens also blame European policies for abuses along the migrant trail.

"The worst we can do is to start the blame game. What we need now are common solutions and stronger cooperation to save lives, protect people," Tusk said. "Our common duty is to step up the fight against these unscrupulous criminals."

But European leaders - including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, who head the Franco-German axis at the heart of the EU - are hamstrung by electorates that are increasingly anti-immigration.



Despite pressure at home, Merkel on Wednesday highlighted the need to create legal avenues for migration.

However, Gunter Nooke, her special envoy for Africa, later told Reuters that alone would not solve the problem. "There wetalk about thousands, tens of thousands. But with (illegal) migration we talk about millions."

He added that no country is going to allow hundreds of thousands of students in from developing nations unless they can be sure most will go back within four years, which he said rarely happened.

In a joint statement, the United Nations, African Union and European Union announced the creation of a joint task force "to save and protect lives of migrants and refugees along the routes and in particular inside Libya," and to speed up returning migrants to countries of origin.

European and African leaders met late on Wednesday to discuss the reports of slavery in Libya and the migrant crisis.

"We must not only denounce it, we must act, by collectively attacking these smuggling networks," Macron, who has called the abuses in Libya a crime against humanity, said at the meeting. "We are going to ... to carry out targeted sanctions."
Facebook said on Wednesday that it was removing 99 percent of content related to militant groups Islamic State and al-Qaida before being told of it, as it prepared for a meeting with European authorities on tackling extremist content online.

Eighty-three percent of "terror content" is removed within one hour of being uploaded, Monika Bickert, head of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, head of counterterrorism policy at Facebook, wrote in a blog post.

The world's largest social media network, with 2.1 billion users, has faced pressure both in the United States and Europe to tackle extremist content on its platform more effectively.

In June, Facebook said it had ramped up use of artificial intelligence, such as image matching and language understanding, to identify and remove content quickly.

"It is still early, but the results are promising, and we are hopeful that AI (artificial intelligence) will become a more important tool in the arsenal of protection and safety on the internet and on Facebook," Bickert and Fishman wrote.

"Today, 99 percent of the ISIS and al Qaeda-related terror content we remove from Facebook is content we detect before anyone in our community has flagged it to us, and in some cases, before it goes live on the site."

ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State.

The blog post comes a week before Facebook and other social media companies such as Alphabet's Google and Twitter meet with European Union governments and the EU executive to discuss how to remove extremist content and hate speech online.

"Deploying AI for counterterrorism is not as simple as flipping a switch. ... A system designed to find content from one terrorist group may not work for another because of language and stylistic differences in their propaganda," Facebook said.

The European Commission in September told social media firms to find ways to remove the content faster, including through automatic detection technologies, or face possible legislation forcing them to do so.
Zimbabwe's former first lady, Grace Mugabe, was present at times for talks that led former president Robert Mugabe to resign, says a Catholic priest who helped mediate the talks between the president and military generals who moved to oust him.

Father Fidelis Mukonori gave an exclusive interview to VOA's Zimbabwe service this week, days after Mugabe, 93, ended his 37-year reign as Zimbabwe's supreme leader.

The military took over state institutions and put the Mugabes under house arrest after the president fired his then-deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa on November 5 and indicated he would appoint his wife to replace him, putting her just a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Asked if Mrs. Mugabe participated in the discussions, Mukonori said, She came in when she had to.

Mukonori though was quick to add, But she was not the major focus. We were zeroing in on the commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces, and the head of state and government and first secretary of ZANU-PF, President Robert Mugabe. For us that was the center of focus. We didnt want to lose focus.

Elimination of General Chiwenga?

There were unconfirmed reports that as part of the plot to fire Mnangagwa, Grace Mugabe and her backers planned to arrest or otherwise eliminate Army General Constantino Chiwenga, an ally of Mnangagwa who ultimately led the effort to topple Mugabe.

Asked about the reports, Father Mukonori said, It was denied [by the former first lady]. He added, I brought up the issue personally during the discussion period with the commanders.

There were also allegations that a statement read by Kudzi Chipanga, the now detained former leader of the ruling party's Youth League, had been authored by the former first lady or her office.

Father Mukonori told VOA that when that issue was raised, President Mugabe personally called in the first lady to explain to the generals the source of the statement.

Mrs. Mugabe denied the allegation that she had authored it. In the press statement, Chipanga said youths were prepared to defend Mugabe to the last man.

Said Chipanga: "These people should be warned that we, the youth, are watching in our millions and those who wish to ride on the back of the tiger will end up inside. As a revolutionary party, ZANU-PF is evolving and placing itself at the forefront of the constitutional dispensation we fought the oppressor for and obtained.

The remarks were a direct response to warnings given by General Chiwenga that ZANU-PF should not purge war veterans from its ranks.

After being allegedly abducted and beaten up by the army, Chipanga offered an apology.

He said, I was ill-advised to read a document that was handed over to me by one Rodney Dangarembizi." Dangarembizi is a close associate of Grace Mugabe who organized her 50th birthday dinner in 2015.
Just days before U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is scheduled to visit Pakistan for crucial talks, the top American general in Afghanistan has alleged the Pakistani spy agency continues to maintain ties with the Haqqani terrorist network and allows Taliban leaders to operate out of havens in the country.

Pakistani officials have promptly rejected as "nothing new" the charges made by General John Nicholson, who commands U.S. troops and NATO's Resolute Support Afghan mission.

Speaking via video phone Tuesday from his Kabul base, the general told Pentagon reporters while "tactical-level" leadership of the Taliban is in the field in Afghanistan, "senior leadership" of the insurgency still resides in Pakistan. It is believed the leadership is in Quetta and Peshawar.

"They [Pakistanis] identified certain steps that they were going to take. We have not yet seen those steps play out ... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," Nicholson said. He was referring to talks U.S. officials have held with Pakistani counterparts since President Donald Trump announced his strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

Trump denounced Pakistan for what he said was its support of terrorist groups and urged the country to enhance cooperation with U.S. efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

A senior Pakistani military official, when contacted by VOA for his reaction, said Pakistan "has been rejecting such allegations and some have been leveled again." The official requested anonymity, saying an official government response is being formulated.

A spokesman for the provincial government in Quetta, capital of southwestern Baluchistan province, while responding to the U.S. general's allegations asserted they are based on "conjectures" and are not helpful in achieving regional peace.

"Any actionable intelligence if shared with authorities on Pakistan side, our security forces will promptly act, as it is primarily in our interest to fight menace of terrorism," Anwar-ul Haq Kakar told VOA.

Nicholson replied Tuesday, when asked whether Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has ended its support for the Haqqani network.

"The chairman of the joint chiefs and the secretary of defense were asked these questions on the Hill recently. I think they affirmed that those relationships still exist. So, I would leave at that and I concur with their assessment," the general said.

The assertions, analysts say, show Washington is not "satisfied" with Islamabad's claims of dismantling terrorist infrastructure linked to Afghan war on Pakistani soil, and Haqqani network's activities are expected to dominate discussions Mattis will hold with Pakistani leaders.

U.S. officials have not yet announced dates for his visit, but Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said last week Mattis will be in Islamabad on December 3.

The United States designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization in 2012 after the then-top U.S. military officer, Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, told Congress the network was a "veritable arm" of the ISI directorate.

Pakistan military and civilian officials maintain the country has no links to insurgent groups in Afghanistan, saying "neither Haqqanis nor Taliban need sanctuaries" on Pakistani soil when more than 40 percent of Afghan territory has been "rendered ungoverned" after militant advances in recent years.

Nicholson noted on Tuesday the Afghan government controls about 64 percent of the population, the Taliban controls about 12 percent of the population and the other 24 percent live in contested areas.
The state of Hawaii on Tuesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to allow President Donald Trump's latest travel ban, partly blocked by lower courts, to go into full effect.

The ban would bar U.S. entry to people from six Muslim-majority countries.

Lawyers for the Democratic-governed state, which filed a legal challenge to the ban, were responding to the Trump administration's request last week asking the conservative-majority court to allow the ban to go into effect completely.

Hawaii's lawyers wrote that the latest ban, Trump's third, discriminates against Muslims in violation of the U.S. Constitution and is not permissible under immigration laws.

On November 13, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the ban to go partly into effect, lifting part of a district court judge's nationwide injunction.

The Republican president's ban was announced on September 24 and replaced two previous versions that had been halted by federal courts.

The ban currently applies to people from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Chad who do not have connections to the United States. Those with family relationships and other formal connections with the United States, such as through a university, can enter the country.

In a separate case in Maryland spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge partly blocked the ban.

The administration has also asked the Supreme Court for that injunction to be lifted.

The ban also covers people from North Korea and certain government officials from Venezuela, and lower courts have allowed those provisions to go into effect.

Trump has said the travel ban is needed to protect the United States from terrorism by Muslim militants. As a candidate, Trump had promised "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."
The result of Honduras' presidential election was in limbo on Tuesday, with diplomatic sources saying closed-door negotiations were holding up the announcement of a winner despite clear signs that a gregarious TV host was on course for a surprise victory.

Among the poorest nations in the Americas, Honduras has been blighted by years of gang violence, giving it one of the world's highest murder rates.

Incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez, who won praise in the U.S. government for helping tackle the flow of migrants and deporting more drug cartel leaders, had been expected to win before the vote.

But a delayed, partial count on Monday morning pointed toward a victory for TV entertainer Salvador Nasralla, 64.

Inexplicably, election authorities have not given any more results since.

Official results may not come until Friday or Saturday, one diplomat said, a lag that risks stoking tension in a violent country that suffered a coup in 2009.

Nasralla, a self-described centrist, headed a left-right coalition called the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, and claimed victory on Monday - as did Hernandez.

Election official Marcos Ramiro Lobo told Reuters on Monday afternoon that Nasralla was leading by a margin of five points, with about 70 percent of ballots counted.

The only results officially released so far came out early on Monday morning and showed a similar lead for Nasralla with 57 percent of ballots counted.

Lobo said Nasralla appeared certain to win, signaling that experts at the electoral body regarded his lead as irreversible.

Difficult Negotiations

Even so, Honduran officials still seemed far from declaring an official winner. On Tuesday, Hernandez reiterated that he had won, and refused to concede, telling supporters they should wait for final results.

"Nobody can call it an irreversible trend," he said, "Not even 60 percent of the ballots are counted."

The election tribunal's delay in publishing results was due to difficult negotiations between Hernandez's National Party, which had assumed it would win, and Nasralla's outsider alliance, according to two European diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Behind closed doors, the parties are discussing immunity from prosecution for current officials and how to carve up positions in government, the diplomats said.

Hernandez's National Party appears set to retain control of Congress in the election, giving it the second-most important perch in the country.

The European Union's chief observer for the election, Marisa Matias, urged officials to maintain an open channel of communication as they finalized the results.

"After two days without announcing new results, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal must establish a more fluid communication, making public balances of partial results," she said.

The electoral body was so certain that Hernandez would win that it showed unprecedented transparency during the contest, one of the diplomats said. That left the body with little room to maneuver when Nasralla came from nowhere to take a strong lead.

Nasralla's lead appears too large for Hernandez to overcome, Lobo told Reuters on Monday. He did not say what percentage of the vote Nasralla secured. The initial tally encompassing more than half of ballots early on Monday gave Nasralla 45 percent and Hernandez 40 percent.

With a booming voice and finely coiffed hair, Nasralla is one of the country's best known faces as the host of game shows that feature scantily-clad women by his side.

He is backed by former President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a 2009 coup after he proposed a referendum on his re-election. The possible return to a position of influence for one-time leftist Zelaya risks fuelling concern in Washington.

The United States has longstanding military ties to Honduras and few ideological allies among the current crop of Central American presidents. In Mexico, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador leads opinion polls for next year's presidential election.

Hernandez, 49, was credited with lowering the murder rate and boosting the economy, but he was also hurt by accusations of ties to illicit, drug-related financing that he denies.

His bid for a second term, which was made possible by a 2015 Supreme Court decision on term limits, divided opinion in the coffee-exporting nation of 9 million people.
Hazera Khatun says she has spent every day for the last four years praying for the safe return of her son, Sajedul Islam Sumon, a well-known leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who disappeared in Dhaka, along with his five friends in December 2013.

In front of 20 or 25 witnesses from two or three vans, on which RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) was written, some men got down and picked up my son and his party co-workers. The men were in RAB uniform. Soon, we went to the headquarters of RAB, but they said my son was not in their custody, Khatun, who is now 71 years old, told VOA.

Police did not let us file any complaint. They said they would not accept any complaint if we blamed the (elite paramilitary force) RAB for the disappearance.

Khatun filed a petition to the High Court seeking action.

But the case is also not at all moving in the court. I cannot make out where I will go now? Who will help me find out my son? she said.

Sajedul Islam Sumon was 37 years old when he disappeared.

Hundreds disappeared

The disappearance of Sumon and his friends in that 2013 incident is not an isolated case in Bangladesh. In recent years, hundreds of people have disappeared in Bangladesh and the countrys security agencies are alleged to have been behind most of the cases.

Some were found dead, others were later formally arrested and some were allowed to return home. Many others remain missing.

According to the Bangladeshi human rights group Odhikar, between January 2009 and October 2017, at least 402 persons became victims of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. So far, the group said, some 81 people have been "disappeared" this year. The group documents only those cases where the witnesses alleged that the victims had been taken away by men who claimed or appeared to be from law enforcement agencies.

Among the 402 cases documented by Odhikar at the end of October, 52 were found dead, 198 were later shown arrested or freed alive, while 152 persons, including Sumon and his five friends, remain untraced.

According to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the countrys main opposition party, in about 80 percent of the cases of forced disappearances the victims were leaders, activists and supporters of the different parties in the opposition alliance.

In recent weeks, among 12 persons who disappeared in the country there is one university professor and a journalist.

Mubashar Hasan, a researcher on terrorism related issues who has been published in leading academic journals, disappeared from Dhaka on November 7 soon after he met some U.N. officials. In a report published by an Indian news portal, friends of Hasan said they suspected he was in the custody of a Bangladeshi security forces. However, Bangladeshi authorities denied the claim.

Dhaka-based human rights activist Nur Khan said human rights workers in Bangladesh investigating such disappearances have found that accusations against the security agencies to be true in many cases.

The law enforcement agencies usually do not want to accept complaints in such cases if the complainants accuse the agencies for the disappearances. After people move the court seeking relief, the court orders the law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases. In such situation often there is a possibility of the investigations being biased or it becomes difficult to conduct the investigations independently, Khan told VOA.

With the State apparently not taking any action, the incidences of disappearance is rising.

Government denials

The government insists it is not at fault.

Two weeks ago, Bangladesh police chief AKM Shahidul Haque said secret abductions had been taking place since the British colonial period.

When people come to police to report such cases, we accept the complaints and we try to solve the cases. I know that we succeed to rescue around 75 percent of the victims (of disappearances), Haque said.

Last week Bangladeshs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was not the only country where citizens were vanishing and that people were disappearing also in developed countries.

According to statistics of 2009, 275,000 British citizens disappeared. Among them, 20,000 have remained completely untraced. If you consider the case of America, the situation of disappearance is even worse, Hasina said in the Parliament.

Compared to those countries the situation is much better in Bangladesh. We are taking action as soon as one disappears.

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said Hasina and her colleagues in the government were in the habit of providing misleading information to justify their wrongdoings and distract the international community.

"The situation of the human rights condition in Bangladesh is clearly reflected in the statement of the prime minister. She has virtually admitted that her government has been involved with the disappearances in the country," Rizvi told VOA.

Rights activists

Rights activists too have been critical of Hasinas statement on disappearances.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said Hasina is comparing apples to oranges when she tries to compare her governments shoddy record on enforced disappearances to persons who have gone missing in the U.S. and Britain.

The major difference is the role of Bangladesh law enforcers who enjoy near total impunity, ranging from ordinary police to the infamous, black garbed Rapid Action Battalion, who have a long record of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings, Robertson told VOA.

Rather than casting around for excuses, Sheikh Hasina should ensure independent and impartial investigations into disappearance cases, and prosecute security officials in any instance where evidence is found that they have committed abuses, he said.

Hong Kong-based rights activist Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman said that inaccessibility to the justice mechanism in the cases is a key reason for which the enforced disappearances are continuing in Bangladesh.

Records clearly show that Bangladeshs justice institution is incapable of upholding fair trial and administering justice in the cases of enforced disappearances. The state attorneys and judges have been insincere in guaranteeing judicial remedies to the victims, Ashrafuzzaman, liaison officer of Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), told VOA.

The head of the government's justification of enforced disappearances guarantees impunity to the perpetrators and transmits a chilling message to the victims that there is no end to such incidents in the country.

An earlier version of this story misspelled Hazera Khatun.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held up the pictures of her two grandsons. Both of them, Sayed Mujtaba and Sayed Ismail, were in the Afghan army a couple of years ago. When the Islamic State started gaining ground in Syria, Iran used its religious influence with Shiites in neighboring countries, like Afghanistan, to get volunteer fighters.

Mujtaba and Ismail were two of the many who answered the call. Then last year, Qamar Bibi received news that they had died fighting. One of them left a young wife and a little child behind.

Since 2013, Iran has supported and trained thousands of Afghansto fight in Syria, according to a report by the Human Rights Watch that came out in October this year.



They even have their own unit, a group that an Iranian newspaper close to the government, Kayhan, described as the Fatemiyoun Brigade for Defense of the Holy Shrines, made up of devout Afghan Muslims. Some reports suggest the unit has since been elevated to a division.

Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian government affiliated news agency, also described the Fatemiyoun as an all-Afghan unit.

According to a recent report by the New York Times, members of the Fatemiyoun division wear a shoulder patch recounting words of praise from Irans supreme leader as a badge of honor.

Recently, Afghanistans Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, stirred controversy when, during a trip to Tehran, he praised fighters, including Afghans, who participated in the war in Syria against the IS. This was the first time a senior level Afghan official had acknowledged that Iran enlisted Afghans, possibly thousands of them, for participation in the Syrian conflict.

Mohaqiq also reportedly praised Major General Qasim Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps international Quds force. The Iranian general is supposed to be one of the founders of the Fatemiyoun Division.

Many of the recruits for the unit came from the more than two million Afghan refugees that have been living in Iran for decades. However, others, like Mujtaba and Ismail, left from Shiite dominated areas of Afghanistan.



While the Afghan foreign ministry maintains that it is investigating reports of Iran sending Afghans to fight in Syria or Iraq, an influential warlord and former governor of Herat province, Ismail Khan, believed it was common knowledge in his region.



Many families have brought back bodies of those killed in Syria and held their funerals here. It has been frequently reported in local media. An Iranian leader even had a meeting with the families who lost men in the Syrian war, Khan said.



The Afghans going to fight often went willingly. According to Bibi, her grandsons were so eager to go, they left despite their familys opposition.

Their parents, all of us, we begged them not to go, but they said they were going to defend our holy sites. They left secretly, first to Iran and from there to Syria and called us from there to tell us they were there, she said.

The two Shiite Afghans fought in Syria for two years. Their funeral was held in the Iranian city Mashhad. Bibi said the graveyard, called Bahisht-e-Raza, was large and full of graves of people who died in Syria.



The government of Iran paid for the funeral and arranged for their father to visit Karbala in Iraq, one of Shiite Islams holiest sites. Bibi did not know if their family has received any other help, but they still live in Iran.

In Shiite-dominated Heart province, where Irans cultural influence could be seen all around, locals said recruitment for the war in Syria was done openly. Shiite clerics in the region often used their pulpits to encourage locals to join the fight in Syria, in order to defend their holy sites against groups like the Islamic State.

However, with the IS in Afghanistan claiming several large scale attacks against the Shiites, and trained Shiite fighters returning home, the possibility of a sectarian conflict in the country could not be ruled out.

There was always talk about that; the commander would say that one day you will go defend in your own country, one of the returning Afghan fighters told the New York Times.

Additionally, the war in Syria is winding down, and tensions between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran are increasing internationally. Afghan officials worry the returning Afghan fighters could also become proxies in a battle between the two regional rivals.


A large iceberg broke off the Grey glacier in southern Chile, authorities said on Tuesday, adding that the cause of the rupture was unclear.

Chile's CONAF forestry service shared photos on social media of the enormous block of blue-white ice, which measured 350 meters (1,148 feet) long by 380 meters (1,247 feet) wide, as it floated free in waters of a glacial lagoon near the southern tip of the South American continent.

Park officials at Chile's Torres del Paine National Park, home to the glacier, said such ruptures were rare and had not occurred since the early 1990s.

Torres del Paine is one of Chile's most popular tourist attractions, famous for its mountain views and visited by more than 115,000 tourists annually, according to CONAF.
North Korea's test-firing of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the first since September, has ratcheted up tensions as Pyongyang announced it can now hit the United States mainland with a warhead.

"The newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-15 has been successfully test-launched according to the political decision and strategic judgement of the Workers' Party of Korea, read an announcer Wednesday on North Koreas state-run KRT television.

Following previous launches, the North has claimed its projectiles can hit any part of the continental United States, but this would be the first time it would be able to do so with this new type of upgraded missile, which both North Korean and U.S. officials said could fly higher than the ones the country has tested earlier.

North Korea can hit US

The ICBM Hwasong-15 weapon system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with a super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S.," said a statement carried by North Koreas KCNA news agency.

The statement said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched the launch and then declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power.

It was not immediately clear if Pyongyang was claiming to have mastered the capability of miniaturizing and mounting a nuclear warhead on an ICBM, which South Korean officials have said could happen within a matter of months.

Analysts also question North Koreas technical mastery of ICBM re-entry, which plays a key role in targeting. In the event of a launch at the U.S. mainland, U.S. missile defense systems would be employed.

Nonetheless, North Koreas stepped-up threat was acknowledged by the United States and its allies, who vowed to increase pressure on Pyongyang.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot they have taken, said the U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis. It's a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world basically.

Allies respond

Commenting on the Norths missile test, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters we will take care of it.

Trump did not elaborate but said there would be no change in the U.S. approach, which consists of maximizing pressure on North Korea and keeping all options on the table.

"Nothing changed. Nothing changed. We have a very serious approach. Nothing's changed. We take it very seriously, added Trump.

WATCH: President responds to missile launch



South Korea responded to North Koreas missile test within minutes, test-firing missiles of its own as a warning to Pyongyang of Seouls rapid and precision response capabilities.

Moon issued a stark warning to Pyongyang.

We must prevent the possibility that North Korea may misjudge the situation and threaten us with its nukes or the United States may consider a preemptive strike, Yonhap news quoted the president saying through his spokesman Moon Young-chan.

Moon said Pyongyangs action endangered international peace and security.

South Korea and the United States, along with the international community, have no other choice but to continue applying strong pressure and sanctions.

Trump spoke separately by phone with Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss Pyongyangs ICBM test and how best to respond.

Abe called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.



DPRKs defiance

North Koreas ICBM test came just a week after the U.S. tightened sanctions against Pyongyang and Trump returned it to the U.S.s list of state sponsors of terrorism, which some analysts believe could explain the timing of the test.

While it can be argued that the DPRK was likely to test an ICBM in any case, the timing of this launch was unusual, said Frank Jannuzi, President and CEO of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, in e-mailed comments to VOA. DPRK missile testing is far more frequent in the spring than in the fall. I cannot help wondering whether Trump's exquisitely poor timing on the terrorism list issue hasn't squandered a chance to get dialogue started.

Others argue Pyongyang wanted to demonstrate it would not bow to increased pressure.

Kim wants us to believe that the new pressure from the U.S. and China has not had an impact. At a minimum, it looks like it forced him to launch at night fearing a preemptive strike, said Georgetown University Assistant Professor Dennis Wilder, who was National Security Council senior director for East Asian affairs during the George W. Bush administration.

That he launched in the middle of the night was interesting  perhaps fear of pre-emption, agreed Atlantic Council Senior Fellow Robert Manning. But getting spun up every time he acts is dumb, counter-productive and helps Kims victim-threat narrative, boosting him internally.

Trumps hysterical, ridiculous tweets and taunting of Kim were key instigators in creating this pseudo-crisis atmosphere, Manning adds.

I would not blame or give credit to the presidents tweets, countered David Maxwell, associate director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University. I do not think Kim Jong Un is provoked by tweets. I think they conducted this test/strategic demonstration-not a provocation-for one or all of three reasons: A necessary test to advance the program, the regime believes it can gain some advantage in some way and domestic purposes in support of the military elite.

The key question, according to Maxwell, who is a retired special forces colonel with multiple tours on the Korean peninsula, is what advantage does Kim think he might be obtaining with a launch at this time or is he really responding to Chinas actions, international and U.S. sanctions, a 60-day "moratorium," or something else? And the second key question, he added, is how should the United States respond?

WATCH: How people reacted to Pyongyang's latest missile launch



Nuclear deterrence

North Korea tested less powerful ICBMs in July and its sixth, and most powerful, nuclear device in September. Pyongyang says its nuclear and missile programs act as a strong deterrent to prevent an attack from the U.S., while analysts say the alleged U.S. threat is used by North Korea to maintain power over its people since fighting in the Korean War ended.

Regardless of nuclear arms, all agree a return to war on the Korean peninsula would be devastating as the area around Seoul, which is within North Korea's artillery range and home to half of South Korea's population. South Korea and Japan have U.S. military bases while China and Russia share borders with North Korea.

I think that all actors are deterred and the constraints are robust and real, says Troy University in Seoul analyst Daniel Pinkston. And any unilateral military action by any actor in Northeast Asia to change the status quo militarily would fail miserably. That includes North Korea and all the other actors and stakeholders including the U.S. and China, Japan and South Korea, Russia. So, were kind of stuck in this sub-optimal equilibrium. Everyone is dissatisfied and doesnt like it, added Pinkston.

While tougher sanctions are on the horizon - raising the costs for Pyongyang's defiance - many question whether it can be pressured into giving up its nuclear and missile programs.

These capabilities are not something that can be negotiated away, says Pinkston. Its part of their identity, its part of their national security policy. They view all of the U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting these activities as illegitimate and they will continue to challenge those U.N. Security Council resolutions and challenge the international community.

But, Pinkston said the good news is that we have a lot of experience with deterrence. We did it against a much more menacing adversary in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we have much greater capabilities and resources and alliance partners and everything else. So, theres no need to panic.
Chinas growing military strength and a resurgent Russia will pose growing challenges to the trans-Atlantic alliance in coming years, and NATOs moves to bolster its capabilities could trigger a new Cold War-style arms race, a NATO report said.

The report, completed once every four years, identifies 20 global trends that are likely to affect the alliance through 2035, ranging from artificial intelligence and accelerating technology development to climate change and growing inequality.

General Denis Mercier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, told Reuters the report showed a higher risk of major interstate war than in the 2013 report.

We see a considerable increase in the risk of a major interstate conflict, Mercier said in an interview on the sidelines of the Berlin Security Conference.

His command will release a companion report that maps out what NATO should do to respond to these trends in the spring, with both documents to inform the 2019 NATO political guidance.

Having a global awareness is more necessary than before. We have to be ready for any kind of scenario, Mercier said, noting that globalization meant NATO had to weigh factors outside its region, including military expansion by China and India.

Easy access to technology and the global nature of cyberspace would make it easier for terrorist networks to expand, challenging the current near-monopoly that state actors have on high-tech weapons, the report said.

Environmental factors would also play a bigger role, from higher rates of natural disasters to the increased opening of the Arctic, the report said, as well as a growth in global debt and erosion of trust in financial institutions.

The report said defense spending had begun increasing after Russias annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014, and projections called for further increases through 2045.

But it warned that the increases might create a security dilemma and start an arms race, as was the case during the Cold War.

It said competing budget priorities and fiscal constraints in member states could hamper their ability to meet NATO alliance requirement in the future.

Mercier said NATO was already working to expand its capabilities in the cyber domain, and to ensure cyber protections were baked into every weapons system and network from the outset.

In NATO, we are under permanent attack in cyber, he said, noting that the alliance had proven quite good at protecting itself thus far, but needed to remain vigilant.
A former North Korean economic official says Washington's recent decision to put Pyongyang back on the list of nations that sponsor terrorism is "a critical measure" that could cripple the country's economy, even though many experts are skeptical the move will force the DPRK to stop efforts to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Ri Jong Ho previously served in central agencies of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, overseeing the country's overall production and trade. He previously worked in Office 39, a North Korean government branch that U.S. officials say "engages in illicit economic activities and managing slush funds and generating revenues for the leadership."

His last posting was in Dalian, China, as the head of the Korea Daehung Trading Corporation. Ri defected in late 2014 and now lives in the greater Washington, D.C., area.

President George W. Bush took North Korea off the terrorism list in 2008 in the hope of making progress on a deal limiting nuclear and missile developments, but the agreement fell apart within a year.

"In the eyes of North Korea, the terror-sponsor designation is a critical measure that would pose a grave threat to the regime," Ri told VOA Korean, "because it means the country will be treated at a level similar to international terrorists, which would undermine the leader's authority, further deepen its isolation and squeeze its economy."

Along with the stricter crackdown on North Korea's exports and the growing list of goods that cannot be sold to North Korea  including military supplies and "dual-use" items which have civilian and military applications  Pyongyang's imports of steel, electronic and rubber products could also be at stake, Ri said. A cutoff, or even a decline, in these goods  which cannot be produced domestically  would hurt North Korea's military, as well as its political leadership.

"If North Korea's imports of rubber goods become subject to sanctions, manufacturing activities that use rubber will come to a full stop," which would lead to a shortage of tires, Ri said. "They've experienced the situation in the past  in late '90s and early 2000s."

Trump-era sanctions

Ri noted that Trump-era sanctions leveled against the regime are "powerful and severe," and they are "fundamentally distinct" from previous North Korea sanctions in that they target all Pyongyang's possible sources of revenue.

"The past sanctions have mostly targeted specific individuals, companies and banks while leaving North Korea's revenue streams and its markets intact, so there were many loopholes and ways out," Ri said. "But now, with one sanctions regime, the U.S. can designate hundreds of North Korean companies and banks, in tandem with Chinese companies and banks that do business with the North."

With sanctions banning close to 150 North Korean ships from sailing and cutting large amounts of imported goods including oil supplies, Ri said in a year or two, the country may face another severe famine and financial crisis similar to that experienced in the mid-1990s. But this time, a crisis could come when North Korea's relations with China, its largest trading partner, are deteriorating.

"Beijing was never on board with sanctioning Pyongyang until today, which suggests that the China-North Korea relations are at an all-time low," Ri said. "And recently, China's envoy returned [to Beijing] without meeting Kim Jong Un, which is another sign that the relations have declined markedly."

Terror designation

Ri spoke as many North Korea experts cast doubt on the effectiveness of the U.S. re-designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terror, asking if it would change North Korean behavior or pressure the regime to return to the negotiating table.

Andrew Yeo, a politics professor at Catholic University of America in Washington, said it's a symbolic move with little practical effects.

"Officially naming North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism is more about further vilifying North Korea," Yeo said. "North Korea is already heavily sanctioned, so there are few practical implications at this point beyond making American businesses even more reluctant or wary of associating with North Korea."

In an apparent protest against the recent U.S. move, North Korea fired a ballistic missile early Wednesday local time, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
North Korea says it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the continental United States.

The regime announced the news early Wednesday on state-run television. The statement said after watching Tuesday's successful launch of the Hwasong-15, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force."

WATCH: Reactions to N. Korea ICBM test

The 53-minute flight of the Hwasong-15 began at a launch site from Sang Ni, north of the capital, Pyongyang. The North said the missile reached a maximum height of 4,475 kilometers, and flew 950 kilometers before falling into the Sea of Japan, in Japan's exclusive economic zone, which is sovereign Japanese territory.

Hours after the North Korean ICBM test, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that "it is a situation we will handle," without being specific. But Trump did say the U.S. approach toward North Korea has not changed.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said this missile flew longer and higher than any previous North Korean test launch. He called it part of North Korea's efforts to build missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world." Mattis said North Korea is a danger to world peace.

The Union of Concerned Scientists says the missile would have enough range to strike anywhere in the continental United States, including Washington. But it says such a missile would be unable to carry a nuclear warhead because the weapon would be too heavy.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has asked for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and vowed to protect the Japanese people. "We can never accept this violence and have strongly protested to North Korea," Abe told reporters.

The U.N. Security Council has confirmed it will meet at 4pm Wednesday.

Trump spoke to Abe by telephone. The White House says both leaders agree North Korea's actions undermine North Korea's own security and further isolate it from the international community.

Trump also talked with South Korean President Moon Jae-in who, along with Trump, said the North's missile launches are a grave threat not only to Korea and the United States, but the entire world.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, called the launch "another reckless act by a regime that is more intent on building up its ballistic missile and nuclear capability than it is on looking after its own people."

This was the first North Korean missile test since September and the first since the United States put the North back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. A pause in missile tests after a spate of them earlier this year led some analysts to speculate that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was holding out a sliver of goodwill toward the U.S.

Some experts believe he had decided to freeze test flights at least until after February's Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

"We should have known better than to think there was any particular conclusion to draw from 60-plus days of quiet," Robert Manning of the Atlantic Council told VOA. He said getting worked-up every time Kim Jong Un makes a move is dumb and makes Kim look like a victim and the one who is threatened.

"Trump's hysterical, ridiculous tweets and taunting of Kim were key instigators in creating this pseudo-crisis atmosphere," Manning said.

The latest North Korean launch comes as the United States and South Korea are preparing a five-day joint exercise called Vigilant Ace from December 4-8 with thousands of military personnel and more than 230 aircraft, including six F-22 Raptor fighter jets deployed to South Korea for the first time.

Pyongyang routinely condemns such military drills using belligerent language and military threats.
1 In this photo provided by the ICTY, former Bosnian Croat military commander Slobodan Praljak (C) appeared to dring poison seconds during a Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, after judges upheld his 20-year prison sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.
The Pakistan armys mediation role in ending a disruptive and deadly 20-day protest in the capital has sparked allegations that the powerful military is again going beyond its limits at a time of tense relations with the country's civilian government.

Supporters of the small Tehreek-i-Labaik party had been camped out for the last three weeks, demanding the resignation of a law minister over an omitted reference in a parliamentary bill that Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet in Islam.

The minister, Zahid Hamid, apologized for the omission, saying it was a clerical error that was later corrected.

Some say the deal Pakistan's government struck with the Islamist group Monday to end the protest represented a complete capitulation to all of the protesters demands  including the resignation of Hamid  and then some. The protest leader claimed the army had yielded on issues that hadnt even been on the list of demands.

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal justified the deal in a tweet, saying it was not desirable but there was little choice because if situation had persisted another 24 hours there would be riots.

Court and media criticism

During a hearing on the case Monday, a top judge of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddique, lashed out at the government and the army for not playing their constitutional roles and said the civil administration had been stabbed in the back.

How long is the state going to bear all this? Siddique asked. "Who is the army to adopt a mediator's role?"

Government officials said they were presented with a done deal that they had no choice but to sign to avoid riots that could have spun out of control.

The Dawn newspaper called the deal a devastating blow to the legitimacy and moral standing of the government and all state institutions.

It is a surrender so abject that the mind is numb and the heart sinks, Dawn said in an editorial. In one brief page and six gut-wrenching points, the state of Pakistan has surrendered its authority to a mob that threatened to engulf the country in flames.

In addition to raising questions about who really holds power in a country where the army has staged coups and otherwise interfered repeatedly in civilian affairs, the end of the protest was in line with Pakistans increasingly conservative path in which all religions are being marginalized behind mainstream Islam with a blasphemy law used to suppress dissent.

Khadim Hussain, a Pakistani author on militancy, told VOA Deewa that the militarys direct role in defusing the Islamists protest shows its political ambitions and shows its motive of destabilizing the civilian government.

Religious parties protest

The protest began when members of three religious political parties began a sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange, which connects the two busiest highways between Islamabad, the capital, and the garrison city of Rawalpindi. The roads were closed, and the main bus service was shut down.

The protest focused on a change to election law that had required candidates to declare an oath on the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat  the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad. The words on oath were omitted in what government officials called a clerical error, and they were restored.

After the demonstrators defied officials calls and court orders to disperse, the Islamabad High Court ordered their eviction by any means necessary.

Subsequent negotiations failed, and the protesters were given until Saturday morning to leave.

When the deadline passed, the government ordered a police operation to clear the area that left up to six dead and dozens injured. Protests broke out in other cities and more protesters rushed to Faizabad. Most private TV networks and social media sites were shut down.

The government then called the army for help, but it refused to use force. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Qamar Bajwa told Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that public trust in the army can't be compromised for little gains." He then became the chief negotiator, spawning the agreement and the end of most of the unrest Monday.

The terms of the agreement included blanket immunity for all those arrested during the crackdown, compensation for the protesters and public funds to pay for the property damage that they caused.

The government has been humiliated and the military leadership has further improved its standing with sections of the public for helping end the protests  but at what cost to the country and its people? the Dawn editorial asked. "A menacing precedent has been set by the protesters that will surely embolden others and invite copycats. It is no exaggeration to suggest that no one is safe.
U.S. President Donald Trump is actively considering ways to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday.

Pences comments were received with great enthusiasm at an event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations vote that led to the creation of the State of Israel.

As a presidential candidate, Trump had repeatedly promised to move the embassy, a decision that would be welcomed by Israel but fiercely opposed by the Palestinians.

In June, Trump backed off the pledge as his Mideast envoy sought to reinvigorate peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The White House said at the time that the president was only delaying  not abandoning  his campaign pledge to relocate the embassy.

The move would violate a longstanding U.S. policy, which maintains that Jerusalem should remain on neutral ground until the citys status is determined during peace talks. Such a move is likely to ignite violence as Palestinians would view it as a threat to their hopes of having a part of Jerusalem as their future capital.

But, the Trump administration is facing a deadline within days on whether to move the embassy, and Pence's comments suggest the administration may be closer to agreeing to a key Israeli wish.

While, for the past 20 years, Congress and successive administrations have expressed a willingness to move our embassy, as we speak, President Donald Trump is actively considering when and how to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Pence said.

The vice president is traveling to Israel next month and noted that he would deliver an address at the Knesset and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial during his visit.
Pope Francis urged Myanmar's long-suffering people to resist the temptation to exact revenge for the hurt they have endured, preaching a message of forgiveness Wednesday to a huge crowd in his first public Mass in the predominantly Buddhist nation.

Local authorities estimated some 150,000 people turned out at Yangon's Kyaikkasan Ground park for the Mass, but the crowd seemed far larger. Catholics had to apply to attend through their local churches to enter the park venue, and many dressed in matching outfits or with hats bearing the pope's image.

Francis has said his aim in coming to Myanmar is to minister to its Catholic community, which numbers around 660,000 people, or just over 1 percent of the population of about 52 million.

His trip has been overshadowed, though, by Myanmar's military operations targeting the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state. The crackdown, which has been described by the U.N. as a campaign of "textbook ethnic cleansing,'' has drawn international condemnation.

In his first public comments on Tuesday, Francis told Suu Kyi and other government authorities that Myanmar's future lay in respecting the rights of all its people - "none excluded'' - but he refrained from mentioning the Rohingya by name. The violence, including the looting and burning of Rohingya villages, has resulted in more than 620,000 people fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh in Asia's worst refugee crisis in decades.

In his homily Wednesday, Francis referred to the suffering that Myanmar's ethnic and religious groups have endured, a reference to the decades of conflicts between Myanmar's ethnic minorities and the military that continue today in parts of the country. Myanmar recently emerged from nearly half a century of military dictatorship, but minorities including the Kachins are still subject to discrimination and other forms of violence.

"I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible,'' Francis told the crowd in Italian that was translated into Burmese. Although he said the temptation is to respond with revenge, he urged a response of "forgiveness and compassion.''

"The way of revenge is not the way of Jesus,'' he said, speaking from an altar erected on a traditional Buddhist-style stage.

Before Mass, Francis looped around the park in his open-sided popemobile, waving to the flag-waving crowds that continued to pour in as the service began. Local government officials and senior members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party were on hand, as were members of Myanmar's mostly Christian Kachin minority, many of whom traveled two days by train from Kachin state to see the first pope ever to visit Myanmar.

Despite the high humidity, the scene at the park was joyous.

"I can't express how happy I am,'' said Henery Thaw Zin, a 57-year-old ethnic Karen from Hinthada, a four-hour drive from Yangon. "I can't imagine, or can't expect to get a chance like this again, not just in this life, but in my next life as well.''

The country's first-ever cardinal, Charles Bo, told Francis that his visit had changed Catholics in Myanmar forever.

"A miracle has been enacted today,'' Bo said at the end of Mass."Thank you. And this little flock prays for you.''

Later Wednesday, Francis is to meet with Myanmar's Buddhist leadership and then speak to the country's Catholic bishops. He celebrates a Mass for young people Thursday and then heads to Bangladesh for the second leg of his weeklong South Asia tour.
Honduras grappled with a slow-motion political crisis on Wednesday, with its president, a crime-fighting U.S. ally, edging ahead of his rival, a TV star whose supporters protested as his early lead in the weekend election evaporated.

Three days after polling stations closed in Honduras' presidential election, there was growing international concern and still a fifth of ballots left to count with no clear victor.

With around 82.89 percent of ballots counted, center-right President Juan Orlando Hernandez had 42.2 percent of the vote and challenger Salvador Nasralla was on 42.1 percent, the election tribunal said, with the president 3,000 votes in the lead.

Hernandez's blue-clad supporters celebrated, chanting the president's name at a base of his National Party in capital Tegucigalpa, TV images showed.

The flamboyant Nasralla, 64, who heads a coalition made up of leftist and centrist parties, had initially taken a strong lead against the center-right Hernandez.

But after issuing the first batch of results on Monday, the election tribunal went silent for about 36 hours, which it said was because results had been slow to arrive. It began issuing a fresh count sporadically from Tuesday afternoon.

Immediately, Hernandez began closing the gap, prompting Nasralla to say his victory was being stolen, and urge his supporters to take to the streets in protest.

"We've already won the election," Nasralla said in an angry television interview late on Tuesday. "I'm not going to tolerate this."

However, both candidates committed to respect the final result once every disputed vote had been scrutinized, issuing identical signed statements brokered by the Organization of American States on Wednesday afternoon.

International observers said the delays were damaging the credibility of authorities and threatened to undermine the legitimacy of the next president.

On Wednesday, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman urged Honduran authorities to review the election results without undue delay.

"It's critical that Honduran election authorities be able to work in a free and transparent manner without interference. We urge all candidates to respect the results," Heather Nauert said.

Pre-election opinion polls indicated that Hernandez had been favorite to win the vote in the poor Central American nation, which struggles with violence, drug gangs and corruption and has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Nasralla's supporters accused the electoral tribunal of only releasing results from regions that support Hernandez.

About 8,000 people heeded Nasralla's call on Wednesday, and marched through the capital, Tegucigalpa.

"I'm here so that justice and the will of the people is carried out, because we elected Salvador Nasralla, and Juan Orlando Hernandez wants to steal his victory," said 22-year-old David Ramirez, a red political flag draped over his shoulder.

Behind closed doors, the parties of Hernandez and Nasralla were discussing immunity from prosecution for current officials and carving up positions in government, two diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday.

As the vote count progressed at a glacial pace, Hernandez's National Party appears set to retain control of Congress.

Washington Concern?

With a booming, game-show host voice and finely coiffed hair, Nasralla is one of the country's best known faces, the host of programs that feature scantily clad women. In one interview, he boasted of his penis size and his sexual performance.

He is backed by leftist former President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup in 2009 after he proposed a referendum on his re-election. The possible return of Zelaya risks fueling concern in Washington.

The United States has longstanding military ties to Honduras but few ideological allies among the current crop of Central American presidents.

Hernandez has won U.S. praise for helping tackle a flow of migrants to the north and extraditing drug cartel leaders to the United States. He was credited with lowering the murder rate and boosting the economy, but was also hurt by accusations of ties to illicit, drug-related financing that he denies.

A foreign diplomat in Tegucigalpa, who asked not to be named, said the U.S. would be concerned by a victory for the coalition led by "maverick" Nasralla.

But the diplomat added that a slim victory for Hernandez might be "the worst case scenario," as it would likely trigger protests and demands for a full vote count from an election tribunal with little credibility.
The Washington-based Atlantic Council is calling for a permanent American military presence in the Balkans to stabilize southeastern Europe amid increased Russian efforts to exert political influence across the region.

In a report published Tuesday, the nonprofit international affairs group said that announcing the arrival of U.S. troops, ideally at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, "would demonstrate an enduring U.S. commitment to security in the region and anchor the United States long-term ability to influence developments."

"When it comes to security, it should be clearly stated that U.S. influence and power will be a long-term, stabilizing force in the region," Damon Wilson, Atlantic Council executive vice president and one of the report's authors, told VOA's Serbian service.

"And it has nothing to do with the forces in Kosovo," he said. "Our presence in northeast Europe has served as a stabilizing force for our allies, so the military structures and the constant presence in southeastern Europe should ... provide a real sense of security for political leaders to make difficult decisions and to undertake necessary risks."

The Atlantic Council, which functions independently of the U.S. government, will host Balkan officials for a November 29 conference to discuss policy proposals aimed keeping the region "firmly embedded within the trans-Atlantic community."

Some proposals unveiled in the new report align with prior calls by U.S. policy hawks, such as Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican, who in April called for a substantially strengthened U.S. commitment to the region.

In an op-ed titled "The Balkans are heating up again  and Washington is nowhere to be seen," McCain called an October 2016 Russian-backed coup attempt in Montenegro, which the Kremlin has vigorously denied involvement in, the most dramatic example of a broader campaign to destabilize Western-leaning democracies in the region.

In June, a Montenegrin court confirmed prosecution indictments against 14 people, including two Russians, for masterminding the coup attempt, which was aimed at preventing Montenegro from joining NATO. The other 12 suspects, mostly Serbs, allegedly planned to take over parliament in the capital, Podgorica, and kill then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.

Also citing political instability in Bosnia and Macedonia, insufficient youth employment and widespread corruption, McCain described the broader Balkans region as ripe for exploitation by terror organizations seeking a foothold on European soil.

Some age-old, some new tensions in the region require our attention, and my concern is that as our attention has been diverted to Ukraine, the Middle East, to China ... its very clear the Russians are trying to extend their malign influence in the [Balkans] region, McCain told VOA in April. The attempt at a coup in Montenegro is a graphic example of that.

According to Wilson, Atlantic Council experts are advocating a more proactive U.S. role on the ground in order to "be ahead of the events, to determine our interests and to promote the U.S. strategy," instead of reacting to Russian activity in the region.

Improved US-Serbian ties

Tuesday's report also called for improved economic prospects for the region's predominantly Muslim youth  specifically via large-scale infrastructure projects designed to interlink Balkan nations and improve access to the European mainland  and a historic U.S.-Serbian rapprochement.

"Belgrade can and should be a close partner and ally in the region, but it can only become one if it begins to meaningfully distance itself from Russia," the Atlantic Council report said. "This is not a trivial pivot for Serbian leadership, but neither should it be something on which the United States or the EU should compromise."

Last month, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin criticized remarks by Hoyt Brian Yee, the top U.S. diplomat in the region, who had called on Belgrade to choose between aligning itself with either Washington and Brussels or Moscow.

The "statement was not made by a friend or a person respecting Serbia, respecting our right to decide independently," Vulin said.

Yee later expressed appreciation for the historical, cultural and religious links between Belgrade and Moscow, but said Serbia's leadership needed to "make very clear what its policies are.

"There is a great chance for Serbia, under [President Aleksandar] Vucic's leadership, and the United States under this administration, to try to bring about a historic reconciliation between the two countries that recognizes that there are many more areas in which we can cooperate," Wilson told VOA. "And, as is evident in surveys and other sources, the electorate in Serbia understands that the future is in Europe."

In June, the State Department expressed concern about a disaster relief center Russia is operating in Serbia, which some Western groups and military analysts see as a subtly disguised military base set up by the Kremlin to spy on U.S. interests in the Balkans.

The upcoming Balkans conference will be followed by meetings between high-level Balkan and U.S. officials in the State Department and White House.

Milena Djurdjic of VOA's Serbian service contributed to this report.
An El Salvador court on Tuesday ruled in a civil case that former President Mauricio Funes and one of his sons had illegally enriched themselves and ordered them to pay nearly $420,000 in restitution to the government, a prosecutor said.

The country's second civil court ruled that Funes could not justify $206,665 of his assets, while his son Diego Funes could not prove the origin of $212,484, government prosecutor Cecilia Galindo told reporters following a closed-door ruling.

The court also recommended that prosecutors file criminal charges against Funes, she said.

El Salvador's attorney general had sought to recover $1.23 million from Funes and his family.

The court acquitted Funes' ex-wife and the current social inclusion minister, Vanda Pignato, of similar charges, Galindo said. She did not specify why the court had levied a smaller fine than was sought by prosecutors.

Funes, a former journalist, was elected in 2009 and brought the party formed by a former leftist guerrilla group, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), to power for the first time following a 1980-1992 civil war.

His term ended in 2014 and he sought asylum in Nicaragua last year after claiming he was being politically persecuted.

Funes said in his Twitter account that he rejected "the unjust and arbitrary sentence" of the court.

"You can not condemn defendants for stealing money from the state and say their assets are illegal just because there is pressure from the Right to do so. We will appeal this sentence," Funes said in a post.
Suspected militants attacked worshipers outside a Shiite Muslim mosque, killing at least one person and wounding four others late Wednesday in the Pakistani capital.

Police said four gunmen arrived on motorbikes at the mosque in Islamabads I-8 residential sector and opened fire on worshipers as they were coming out after offering evening prayers.

Members of the minority Shiite community swiftly took to the streets to protest the violence and denounce the government for failing to protect them.

No one claimed responsibility for the violence. Security cameras installed around the mosque captured shots of gunmen spraying bullets with automatic weapons before fleeing the scene.

Militant groups from the majority Sunni Muslim population in Pakistan are blamed for being behind the sectarian violence. The rivalry between the two Muslim sects in the country has claimed thousands of lives over the years.

Wednesdays attack came amid an uptick in militant violence in the country that has killed dozens of people including several top police and military personnel this month.

It came a day after activists of a hardline Sunni group ended a demonstration that had blocked a main entrance to Islamabad, effectively paralyzing the capital city.

The protesters were demanding the federal law minister resign for allegedly committing blasphemy and dispersed after the beleaguered federal government accepted the demand.

Analysts and newspaper continue to criticize authorities for what they are denouncing as a "surrender to extremism."
In South Sudan, a gang killed 43 people  mostly women and children  abducted more than 50 others, and stole cattle in an attack on Duk-Payuel County on Monday night and Tuesday morning, Jonglei state officials said.

News reports said some local aid workers were among the dead.

Officials dispatched security forces to investigate the incident and track down the killers, Jonglei state deputy governor Agot Alier told South Sudan in Focus on Wednesday.

Alier blamed authorities in neighboring Boma state for failing to stop the vicious cycle of killings, abductions and cattle raids in Jonglei state. Alier said he will seek help from the national government and the United Nations to get the abducted children, women and cattle returned.

Boma state security adviser Lokoli Leme condemned the attack, saying peace cannot happen until the cattle raids and revenge killings end in Jonglei and Boma states. He added that Boma authorities will take action against the youth who attacked Jonglei's Duk-Payuel County.

Alier called on First Vice President Taban Deng Gai to intervene. Gai mediated a peace deal earlier this year between Jonglei and Boma state authorities to ensure that abducted women and children in previous cattle raids were safely returned to their homes.

Gai condemned Tuesday's attack and called on the Murle and Dinka Bor communities to "exercise restraint and avoid further escalating the situation."

The statement said those responsible for the attack will be "thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to book."

Alier urged the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to take action.

"You abduct people from their own parents, their own mothers and fathers, for the purpose of selling them to other needy families. This is more of human trafficking and amounts even to slavery that has been abolished a long time ago," Alier said.

UNMISS spokesperson Daniel Dickinson condemned the incident in a recorded message released to VOA. He said U.N. peacekeepers were being sent to the region.

"UNMISS deplores any incidents in which innocent civilians are killed. The mission is working to send an integrated peacekeeping patrol including human rights monitors to the area," Dickinson said.

Ayuen Guer Roor, spokesperson for the group Dinka Bor Youth Union, said young people do not recognize the cessation of hostilities agreement that leaders of the two communities signed earlier this year.

"We have no agreement with Murle. We are there for war and we must revenge this killing of our people and abducting of our children and women and elders," Roor told South Sudan in Focus.

Gai said national officials summoned Jonglei state governor Philip Aguer and his Boma state counterpart, Ismail Kony, to Juba to explain why members of their communities continue to violate the secession of hostilities agreement, which was signed in May.
Almost 14,000 archeological sites and national monuments in the United States could be lost by the year 2100 as seas rise due to climate change, scientists said on Wednesday.

The findings offer a glimpse into the vast amount of global cultural heritage that could be destroyed, the study said. One in 10 archeological sites that it analysed on nine southeastern coastal states risk inundation.

The data are sobering: projected sea level rise ... will result in the loss of a substantial portion of the record of both pre-Columbian and historic period human habitation, the authors said in the journal PLoS ONE.

(There are) serious concerns over the threat of global climate change to the archaeological and historic record. Scientists predict sea levels are on track to surge by an average of one meter globally by 2100.

'A tiny fraction'

In the first study on such a scale, researchers combined data on the elevation of archeological and historic sites along in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts with sea-level rise predictions.

This is only a tiny fraction of what's out there, co-author David Anderson, an archeology professor at the University of Tennessee, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by

phone.

The record of human occupation of coastal regions goes back thousands of years and we stand to lose a lot of that.

Salvaged history

Florida's 17th century Castillo de San Marcos fortress and Fort Matanzas, which date back to European colonial struggles for the New World, are among the historic national monuments that could disappear. Other sites are in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

The authors called for a debate about which fragments of human history should be salvaged through relocation and documented for posterity.
Syrian government negotiators have arrived in Geneva to join United Nations-led peace talks aimed at ending nearly seven years of fighting.



The talks began Tuesday with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura meeting with the opposition delegation. He said afterward the two sides would have a chance for direct negotiations in Geneva.



"We are going to offer it. We will see if this takes place. But we will be offering that," he said.



Syria's state-run SANA news agency said the delayed arrival for the government delegation was due to the opposition's demand that President Bashar al-Assad step down as part of any political transition.



That issue has lingered as a sticking point in years of U.N. attempts to get the government and rebels to agree on a roadmap for Syria's future.

De Mistura said ahead of the talks he believes it is possible for the two sides to narrow their differences as they negotiate under a framework approved by the U.N. Security Council that calls for a new constitution and elections; but, he reiterated his mediation team will not accept either side entering the talks with preconditions.



"This crisis, one of the worst in the history of the United Nations, now has the potential to move toward a genuine political process," the envoy said."We see the emergence of international consensus, and we must begin to stitch the process into concrete results, enabling Syrians to determine their own future freely."



University of New South Wales senior lecturer Anthony Billingsley said with the gains the Syrian military has made with the backing of Russia and Iran, rebel hopes of toppling Assad are not realistic at this point.



"Everybody apart from some of the opposition groups, and perhaps the U.S., has accepted that Assad need not necessarily go," Billingsley told VOA. "So there's a fundamental problem there if the Geneva talks are going to make any progress."



'Starve and surrender' strategy

The Syrian government, meanwhile, agreed Tuesday to a cease-fire in rebel-controlled Eastern Ghouta, according to de Mistura.

The town east of Damascus is among the last remaining opposition strongholds in Syria and one of four "de-escalation zones" that were established to reduce violence. Residents have been under siege by pro-Assad forces since mid-2013. In the past two weeks, the military has intensified its bombing of the area.

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Wednesday that he is "extremely worried" about severe food shortages there.

"Despite efforts made to reach them, only 100,000 people out of an estimated population of 400,000 in the enclave have received food assistance this year," he told Security Council members. "And those people are only getting occasional one-off deliveries."

"The available evidence suggests severe acute malnutrition rates among children in Eastern Ghouta have increased five-fold in the past 10 months," Lowcock warned. The U.N. Children's agency, UNICEF, says such rates this month in Eastern Ghouta are the highest recorded since the beginning of the nearly seven-year long war.

"The Syrian regime is pummeling a population of starving, desperate people," U.S. envoy Michele Sison told council members. "It's the latest version of the Assad regime's despicable starve and surrender strategy," she added, accusing the regime of seeking domination, not peace.

"Civilians in Eastern Ghouta are actually under an internal siege imposed by the different armed organizations present there and which are being supported by member states  by permanent members of this council," Syrian deputy U.N. Ambassador Mounzer Mounzer said, dismissing accusations against his government.

The fighting in Syria began after the government cracked down on peaceful anti-Assad protests in 2011, eventually leading to a multi-party conflict that has left more than 400,000 people dead and 13 million in need of humanitarian assistance.
Togo's opposition parties pledged Wednesday to maintain the momentum of anti-government protests, as thousands took to the streets once more ahead of promised talks with the president.

The leader of the National Alliance for Change (ANC), Jean-Pierre Fabre, led the crowds in the capital but similar protests were banned on security grounds in the north.

"Mobilization will continue, even during talks. We are not going to give up the fight," Fabre told AFP.

A source in Togo's second-largest city of Sokode  the stronghold of Tikpi Atchadam, the Panafrican National Party leader behind the demonstrations  said the streets were calm.

Many young people who had fled into the countryside fearing repercussions have not yet returned home, the source said, adding that sporadic arrests were still occurring.

Wednesday's march was the first of three planned for this week to put pressure on Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe to resign.

Gnassingbe has been president of the West African nation since 2005, taking over after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years.

Fourteen opposition parties want two-term limits for presidents which would be applied retroactively to prevent Gnassingbe from contesting the 2020 and 2025 elections.

At least 16 people have been killed in three months of protests after opposition supporters clashed with police and security forces, especially in the north.

Gnassingbe  who left for an Africa-Europe summit in Ivory Coast on Wednesday morning  said last week that preparations were being made for talks with the opposition in the coming weeks.

But demonstrators said they wanted the issue addressed at the summit.

"I would like the heads of state and France in particular to get involved personally and speak face-to-face with Faure Gnassingbe," said Abla, a student in Lome.

No meeting has been scheduled so far between Gnassingbe and President Emmanuel Macron, from Togo's former colonial power, France.

Franck Paris, a spokesman for Macron's office, said last week that "Togo will be an important subject of talks on the ground."

Macron, in an interview Wednesday with France 24 television and Radio France Internationale (RFI), said he hoped Togo's citizens "could express themselves freely."

"I hope there can be an electoral process ... which allows either a democratic confirmation or transition of power," Macron said.

"Keeping power for a long period of time without any electoral processes, without a framework of pluralism, is not a good thing."
U.S. President Donald Trump is heading Wednesday to Missouri to tout his tax overhaul, trying to convince working class Americans that their taxes would go down and more jobs would be created if Congress adopts the plan.

Trump is set to speak to about 1,000 people in St. Charles, a suburb of the big midwestern city of St. Louis. His remarks come a day after the Senate Finance Committee advanced the tax legislation, sending it to the full Senate for consideration later this week.

"Our focus is on helping the folks who work in the mail room, in the machine shops of America, the plumbers and the police officers, the store clerks and secretaries," Trump says, according to advance excerpts of his speech. "All of the people who give their best each and every day to take care of their families and the people that they love. It is not enough for the middle class to keep getting by, we want them to start getting ahead."

In a Twitter remark before heading to Missouri, Trump boasted, "Economy growing!"

According to the newest government estimate, the U.S. economy, the world's largest, advanced at a brisk 3.3 percent pace in the July-to-September period. Trump noted that the Council of Economic Advisers said that absent the effect of several devastating hurricanes in the U.S. the growth would have been 3.9 percent.

"Stock market at a new high, unemployment at a low," Trump said. "We are winning and tax cuts will shift our economy into high gear!"

The Senate Finance panel cleared the legislation on a party line 12-11 vote, with all Republicans supporting it and all Democrats opposed. But its fate in the full Senate is still uncertain, with a half dozen Republicans voicing sometimes conflicting objections to various provisions that could derail the legislation if their concerns cannot be resolved and they ultimately vote against the measure.

Republicans, with a narrow 52-48 edge in the Senate, can only afford to lose two dissenting votes, with Vice President Mike Pence poised to break a 50-50 tie in favor of what would be the country's biggest set of tax changes in three decades. No Democratic lawmaker has announced support for the legislation.

The House of Representatives has already approved its version of the tax overhaul, but both chambers would have to pass the same tax provisions before Trump could sign them into law.

Both the Senate and House versions would cut the country's corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent, but differ in rates for individual taxpayers.

Over the next decade, the proposals would add at least $1.4 trillion to the U.S. national debt of $20 trillion, a fact that worries some conservative Republican lawmakers, while Democrats have attacked the legislation as heavily favoring corporations and the wealthiest taxpayers at the expense of individuals who earn far less.

Senior administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the Missouri speech said Trump once again would single out Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, a top Republican target in her re-election contest a year from now, for her lack of support for the tax legislation.

In August, in another visit to Missouri, Trump said, "We must lower our taxes, and your senator, Claire McCaskill, she must do this for you. And if she doesn't do it for you, you have got to vote her out of office."
A deal signed by Turkish and Iranian ministers Sunday to enhance efforts to break Saudi Arabian trade sanctions against Qatar, is only the latest move by Ankara against Riyadh. The two once close allies are increasingly finding themselves on opposing sides in the region.

There is this fear [by Turkey] an axis is developing between Saudi Arabia, [the United States], and Israel in the region definitely, said Haldun Solmazturk, head of 21st Century Turkey Institute, an Ankara based research organization.

Saudi Arabia's increasingly tough stance against Iran has been matched by Turkey's increasing cooperation with Iran.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared the frequency of meetings with his Russian and Iranian counterparts to cooperate over Syria would increase.

Tougher Saudi policy

Turkeys gravitation towards Iran is in part a reaction to Saudi Arabias more assertive foreign policy under Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Prince Salman has more aspiration in the region, even to cooperate with Israel and Egypt, notes international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankaras Middle Eastern Technical University, "This alliance supported by America is automatically against Turkish policy in the Middle East, Turkey is excluded, Turkey is isolated in the Middle East.

The Saudis assertive new policy is a personal blow to the Turkish president. Erdogans roots are in political Islam and he has devoted much of his 15 years in power to deepening relations with Riyadh, President Erdogan was the most closest one [Turkish leader] to Saudi Arabias ideology, this is why he is considered an Islamist prime minister and president and now with Saudi Arabias growing influence in the region we see how disappointed Erdogan is, he bet on the wrong horse, Bagci claims.

Bagci an international relations professor who has informally advised Erdogan on foreign affairs, says the Turkish presidents disappointment is exacerbated by the unprecedented lengths he went to court the Saudis.

When the King of Saudi Arabia visited Turkey, Erdogan and the then Turkish President Abdullah Gul, visited the king [at his hotel] and this was one the mistakes of foreign policy and this one [of the] biggest concessions ever to Saudi Arabia, Bagci says. Erdogan was strongly condemned by opposition parties for ignoring traditional diplomatic protocol where by a visiting head of state goes to the countrys leader's residence.



Morsi's ouster



The start of the unraveling in Saudi Turkish relations, analysts claim, can be traced back to the ousting of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

It goes back to the coup in Egypt, says political columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor website, Islamists in Turkey discovering the land of Wahhabism fundamentalism is behind a secular coup in Egypt and they can't make sense of it and had to attack it.

Erdogan, a close ally of Morsi, was in the forefront of condemning the coup. He continues to uses the four finger sign of Rabbia, used by Morsi supporters as a gesture of solitary.

Ankara not only blamed Riyadh for the coup, but also what was perceived as the tacit support of Washington. According to Idiz, the suspicion the two countries are increasingly seeking to shape the region, was exacerbated by the Crown Prince Salman declaration of seeking to adopt a moderate Islamic approach to his country and the region.

In Turkey the notion of moderate islam is a trip wire [alarm sign] ever since former Secretary of State Colin Powell referred to Turkey as a moderate Islamic republic. This idea of moderate Islam as an American inspired project to control the region has very much taken hold in Ankara, notes Idiz.

Islam cannot be either moderate or not moderate. Islam can only be one thing, Erdogan said earlier this month. Recently the concept of moderate Islam has received attention. But the patent of this concept originated in the West, he added.

Economic cost



But the price for Ankaras falling out with Riyadh is likely not to be cheap. Turkey was richly rewarded for a decade of unprecedented close ties with the kingdom, with it becoming a major investor in the Turkish economy. The latest official figures placed Saudis as first among foreign buyers of Turkish residences.

Saudi Arabia was seen by Erdogan as a key player in his efforts dilute the economic dependence on European investment. Analysts warn such plans will need to be reassessed, Substantial foreign direct investment from Saudi Arabia is not going to happen, it's an illusion, warns political consultant Atilla Yesilada, of the New York based Global Source Partners.
The United States is suffering through an unprecedented wave of opioid and prescription drug abuse. An estimated 2.5 million people are addicted to prescription opioids or heroin, and on average 91 people per day die from an opioid-related overdose.

A new study comparing two of the top medications for treating addiction found they were equally safe and effective in curtailing opioid use, relapse, treatment dropout and overdose.

The most commonly prescribed treatment is buprenorphine-naloxone, often administered to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation. The problem is that it has opioid-like effects and holds the potential for abuse.

In contrast, the drug naltrexone  marketed as Vivitrol  blocks the effects of opioids. But patients must be completely off opiates to start taking it.

Joshua Lee, at New York Universitys School of Medicine, said the two drugs are used in very different ways.

"Naltrexone is an opioid blocker, and so it's used after people have gotten off opiates ... and then want to maintain in an opiate-free state, using naltrexone to help them," he said. "Buprenorphine is used in more of a maintenance model where people switch without fully detoxing from a unhealthy opioid  say, heroin  to buprenorphine, which can be taken on a daily basis and then maintained for months and months in terms of long-term recovery."

Lee and his colleagues led a study to compare the two therapies.

A group of 570 opioid-dependent adults who were still trying to kick their heroin habits in detox were given either a daily oral dose of buprenorphine while in treatment, or six monthly injections of naltrexone after completing treatment. Results showed that both therapies worked with about the same effectiveness.

"Over the course of six months, about the same amount of people that had started did OK in terms of avoiding opiate relapse and kind of surviving on treatment, doing reasonably well in terms of traditional outpatient opiate treatment goals," Lee said.

One caveat: Twenty-five percent of the people scheduled to take naltrexone weren't able to complete detoxification, so they weren't able to get the shots, while only 6 percent of members in the other study group were unable to start their daily doses of buprenorphine.

The researchers hope their finding that the medications were equally safe and effective encourages clinics to expand their treatment offerings  and save lives.
A U.N. war crimes tribunal upheld the convictions Wednesday of six Bosnian and Croat political and military leaders who were convicted in 2013 of war crimes during the 1990's.

The ruling was the last to be handed down by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which was created by the United Nations in 1993. The court is scheduled to close when its mandate expires at the end of the year.

The officials were convicted four years ago of participating in an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against Bosnian Muslims during Bosnia's war.

Among the officials was former defense minister Jadranko Prlic, who had been convicted of participating in a criminal enterprise by the Croatian government of late President Franjo Tudjmano to create an ethnically pure state.

The Croatian government insisted it had "clean hands" during the 1992-95 war and wanted that finding overturned.

Several convictions for specific crimes for Prlic and the other defendants were reversed in an appeal, but the presiding judge said "all six remain convicted of numerous and very serious crimes."

The hearing was suspended after one of the suspects, former military commander Slobodan Praljak, drank from a bottle in court and claimed to have ingested poison. As he drank from the bottle, Praljak yelled "I am not a war criminal" moments after the court confirmed his 20-year sentence.

The court's original conviction said Tudjman played a leading role in a plan to create a small Croat state in Bosnia.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States would respond to North Koreas latest intercontinental ballistic missile test flight by slapping more sanctions on Pyongyang.

Trump mentioned new major sanctions in a tweet and said they would be unveiled later in the day. Administration officials declined to provide details when asked by reporters.

Later, however, a State Department spokeswoman said details on a "new level" of maritime interdiction for North Korea was being worked out.

We want to do everything we can to put maximum pressure on North Korea, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in response to a question from VOA about whether the administration thought the new sanctions would be effective. Were going to continue doing that in every way possible  both diplomatically, economically, and working with our partners and allies and ask them to step up and do more in this process as well.

In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the "provocative actions" of North Korea. He again vowed that the "situation will be handled," but did not elaborate.

"President Trump underscored the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime," the White House said in a statement on the call with Xi.

The readout also said Trump "emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

Speaking to reporters on the way to Missouri on Air Force One, White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah declared the North Korean threat is very grave following Pyongyangs claim it tested a Hwasong-15 missile "tipped with a super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S."

The missile reached an altitude of 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles)  more than 10 times higher than orbit of the International Space Station  before splashing into Japans exclusive economic zone east of the Korean Peninsula, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from its launch site.

The test represented a key accomplishment for Pyongyang's missile program, showing it can send rockets higher and farther than ever before, according to U.S. officials and analysts.

It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday. It's a research-and- development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically.

Each missile launch or atomic weapons test by Pyongyang highlights the risks of a very dangerous nuclear flashpoint, according to Robert Manning, a senior fellow on international security at the Atlantic Council, a global affairs policy research group.

The North Korean nuclear problem is part of a larger Korea question, the last vestige of the Cold War, said Manning. It holds the potential to reshape geopolitics in East Asia toward either a more cooperative future or a confrontational one. The risks of nuclear war and proliferation, chaos in North Korea, and how the eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula occurs are likely to have a transformative impact on U.S.-Chinese relations, U.S. alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan, and the strategic equation in the region and beyond.

The U.N. Security Council was to convene an emergency meeting later Wednesday to discuss the incident. The body has imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on the North in response to its nuclear and missile tests.

The ranking Democratic member on the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff of California, noting that North Korea will soon be capable of delivering a nuclear weapon to American shores, said its well past time for the administration to use whatever diplomatic strategy it has.

And if they do not, they need to develop one fast, as the military options are nothing short of disastrous," he said Wednesday.

That sentiment was echoed by the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Yesterday, the bluster continued as the president uttered his third red line to address the North Korea nuclear challenge, but so far has failed to put in place the people or strategy that could do just that, said Representative Eliot Engel of New York.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, asked Wednesday how much more time he was willing to give to the pressure campaign, replied in regard to the diplomatic approach, We keep working on it every day.
The number of international visitors to the United States through June fell sharply from last year, according to government data released Wednesday.

And the number of business travelers fell by much more than the drop in tourists, according to the monthly report from the Commerce Departments National Travel and Tourism Office.

Total foreign visitors fell four percent compared to the first six months of last year, with travelers from Mexico down more than nine percent and from Britain down six percent, but visits from Canada up nearly five percent.

Excluding Canada and Mexico, overseas visitors fell nearly six percent, but business travel dropped nearly nine percent compared to a 5.6 percent decline in tourists.

President Donald Trump in his first year in office repeatedly promised to build a wall on the border with Mexico, and has ordered bans on visitors from several Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Visits from the Middle East plunged 30 percent in the first half of the year, and from Africa dropped 27 percent. There also were double-digit declines in visitors from South and Central America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe.

Among the top 20 countries with the most visitors, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and India saw travelers fall well over 10 percent.

In contrast, arrivals from South Korea jumped 18 percent, while Ireland saw a 4.7 percent increase, Italy was up 4.2 percent, Spain 3.5 percent and France 1.5 percent, according to the monthly data.
The top U.S. general in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that he had not seen a change in Pakistan's support for militants so far, despite President Donald Trump taking a tougher line against Islamabad.

U.S. officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistan's reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks on neighboring Afghanistan.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants.

He accused Pakistan of harboring "agents of chaos" and providing safe havens to militant groups waging an insurgency against a U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

U.S. officials expressed hope that relations between the two countries could improve after a kidnapped U.S.-Canadian couple and their three children were freed in Pakistan in October. The couple was abducted in neighboring Afghanistan.

"We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis ... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson told reporters.

"We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said.

He said that he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was in Afghanistan.

Nicholson added that he agreed with other senior U.S. officials that Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the Haqqani network militant group.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan says it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists.

The four-star general said he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it.

'On our way to a win'

The United States has sent more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan as a part of Trump's South Asia strategy.

Nicholson said over 1,000 troops would be advising Afghan troops at the battalion level, putting them closer to the fighting and at greater risk.

Nicholson gave an optimistic view of the situation, saying he believed "we are on our way to a win."

U.S. officials have made similar statements during the course of the 16-year-old war, but the situation according to many U.S. officials remains in a "stalemate."

According to a recent report by a U.S. government watchdog, the Taliban had increased the amount of territory it has influence over or controls in Afghanistan in the past six months.

The figures are a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country, even as the United States has committed more troops.
Delays in the time between becoming infected with HIV and getting a diagnosis are shortening, helped by efforts to increase testing for the virus that causes AIDS, U.S. health officials said.

The report, released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that 50 percent of the 39,720 people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 had been infected for at least three years, a seven-month improvement compared with 2011.

Nevertheless, 25 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 were infected for seven years or more before being diagnosed.

CDC Director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald said the report shows the nation is making progress in the fight against HIV, but the gains are uneven, and challenges remain.

"Too many people have HIV infections that go undiagnosed for far too long," Fitzgerald said in a conference call with reporters.

Shortening the time between HIV infection and diagnosis is key to prevention. The CDC estimates that about 40 percent of new HIV infections are caused by people who did not know they were infected.

Although testing rates increased overall, an estimated 15 percent of people living with HIV in 2015 did not know they were infected, and half of people who were unaware of their infection in 2015 lived in the South.

The report found many other disparities, with delays in diagnosis varying significantly by race/ethnicity and gender.

For example, the estimated time from HIV infection to diagnosis was a median of five years for heterosexual men, twice as long as heterosexual women. The median was three years for gay and bisexual men.

"The report tells us some groups, particularly heterosexual men and racial and ethnic minorities, live with HIV longer than other groups before they are diagnosed," Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, told the briefing.

Among high-risk individuals, many reported not being tested in the prior year, including 29 percent of gay and bisexual men, 42 percent of people who inject drugs and 59 percent of heterosexuals at increased risk for HIV.

Two-thirds of those who had not been tested for HIV in the prior year had seen a health care provider, which Mermin considered a missed opportunity for testing.

People who are diagnosed and take medications to control HIV are significantly less likely to spread the disease.
The U.S. Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it may be open to new limits on the government's ability to track someone's movements by accessing data on that person's cellphone.



A case before the high court could result in a landmark decision in the ongoing debate over civil liberties protections in an era of rapid technological change.



At issue is whether law enforcement will be able to access cellphone data that can reveal a person's whereabouts without having to first obtain a court-issued search warrant.



The case stems from the conviction of Timothy Carpenter for a series of robberies back in 2010 and 2011. Prosecutors were able to obtain cellphone records that indicated his location over a period of months, information that proved crucial to his conviction.



Get a warrant

On Wednesday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union argued that law enforcement should be required to obtain a court-ordered search warrant before obtaining such information.



They also argued that allowing law enforcement to access the cellphone data without a warrant would violate the prohibition on unreasonable search and seizures contained in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.



"It is impossible to go about our daily lives without leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs that reveal where we have been over time, what we have done, who we spent time with," said ACLU attorney Nathan Freed Wessler, who spoke to reporters outside the Supreme Court following oral arguments. "It is time for the court, we think, to update Fourth Amendment doctrine to provide reasonable protections today."



Some of the justices also raised concerns about privacy in the digital age.



"Most Americans, I think, still want to avoid Big Brother," Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who often sides with the liberal wing of the court, said.



Chief Justice John Roberts, who often sides with conservatives on the court, said the central question was whether the cellphone information should be accessible to the government "without a warrant."

Privacy versus security



Justice Department lawyers defended the process of obtaining the data without a court warrant, arguing that even though the technology has changed, the need to rapidly obtain such information for law enforcement has not. The government also argued that privacy rights are not at issue because law enforcement agencies can obtain information from telecommunications companies that record transactions with their customers.



Justices Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy indicated they were open to the government's position in the case.



Legal experts say whichever way the court eventually rules could have an enormous impact on privacy rights in the digital age.



"I don't think that this is a world that anybody anticipated a couple of decades ago," Stanford University law professor David Alan Sklansky said via Skype. "These new data capabilities are rapidly increasing the things that government can do for good and for evil. And figuring out how we allow the government to make full use of these new capabilities, without endangering political liberties and endangering the privacy that is necessary for us to have the kind of flourishing democratic social life we want, is a huge ongoing challenge."



Sklansky added that the United States "has historically been a leader in thinking about privacy rights, particularly with regard to privacy from the government."



And he predicted that other countries will be closely following the high court case as they wrestle with similar conflicts. "This is a global problem. Countries around the world are trying to figure out how to deal with it. I think that people in all democratic countries should care about how the United States winds up resolving this question," he said.



Past rulings



Twice in recent years the Supreme Court has ruled in major cases related to privacy and technology and both times ruled against law enforcement.



The court ruled in 2012 that a warrant is required to place a GPS tracking device on a vehicle. And in 2014, the high court ruled that a warrant is required to search a cellphone seized during an arrest.



A decision in the current case, known as Carpenter v. U.S., is expected sometime before the end of June.
Venezuelan leftist President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday evening held a ceremony to swear in a military officer as the new head of state oil company PDVSA in the presence of the militarys top brass and cheering red-shirted oil workers.

In a surprise move, the unpopular Maduro on Sunday tapped Major General Manuel Quevedo to lead both PDVSA and the Oil Ministry, giving the already powerful military control of the OPEC nations dominant industry.

He's a man of the people  and, most importantly, hes honest! said Maduro, as workers cheered and chanted that they wanted a clean up in PDVSA! after a series of corruption scandals.

Maduro also announced he was naming Ysmel Serrano, the head of the trade and supply division, as vice president of PDVSA, which oversees the world's largest crude reserves. Maduro said he would seek to name the countrys former energy minister, Ali Rodriguez, as honorary president of PDVSA.

More military officers are set to be named to senior management posts as part of a shakeup the government says is aimed at fighting corruption, two company sources told Reuters on Monday.

Sources in the sector also said Quevedo's appointment could quicken a white-collar exodus from PDVSA and worsen operational problems at a time when production has already tumbled to near 30-year lows of under 2 million barrels per day.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh are at risk from a possible outbreak of diphtheria, the World Health Organization said in a report published Tuesday.

More than 620,000 people from Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority have fled to Bangladesh since the end of August and are camped in squalor after escaping a military crackdown the United States said included "horrendous atrocities" aimed at "ethnic cleansing."

In a weekly roundup of illness among the displaced Rohingya population, totaling about 820,000, the WHO said a 30-year-old woman was found to have suspected diphtheria on Nov. 10, but she disappeared during treatment two days later.

WHO investigators failed to find her, but on Nov. 19 a man in the same area, the Balukhali makeshift settlement, was also reported to have suspected diphtheria, and another member of his household was sick.

Tests on throat swabs are still pending, the report said.

The WHO describes diphtheria as a widespread, severe infectious disease that has the potential for epidemics, with a mortality rate of up to 10 percent.

It is caused by bacteria that produces a toxin that can harm tissues and organs. Treatment involves administering anti-toxin to neutralize the toxin, and antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

Many of the refugees were not vaccinated against diphtheria as children so there is little immunity against the disease.

"Therefore, obstacles to optimal vaccine delivery must be identified and forceful measures taken to improve immunization coverage immediately," the report said.

After the flood of migrants began, health officials rushed to vaccinate against cholera, averting what was seen as the greatest single risk. When measles broke out, causing 1,270 suspected cases, they rapidly vaccinated 135,000 children against measles and rubella.

But conditions are still dire, and testing of water supplies between Sept. 18 and Nov. 14 showed 82 percent of water tested positive for fecal contamination with E.coli bacteria. Between Aug. 25 and Nov. 18, there were 45,790 cases of acute watery diarrhea and 11 deaths.

There have been 190 cases of acute jaundice syndrome and risk of a hepatitis E outbreak, which can kill 30 percent of pregnant women who catch it.
Many countries are moving toward eliminating malaria, among them Madagascar, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

But a World Health Organization report warns that in other areas, progress has stalled. Malaria cases increased by more than 20 percent from 2015 to 2016 in eight African countries  including Rwanda, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the same time, funding for malaria prevention and treatment has leveled off, reaching $2.7 billion in 2016, less than half of the 2020 target.

"That amount of funding internationally has plateaued; possibly it has reached the realistic maximum now," said David Conway, a professor from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "And it has always been assumed, indeed it has been important that countries themselves should commit to funding malaria control. And I think the big opportunity now is for those countries to step up and realize that this is good value."

Overall, Africa continues to bear the highest burden of the disease, with approximately 401,000 deaths in 2016, a slight decrease from the previous year.

In addition to improving the coverage of existing methods of malaria prevention, the WHO calls for urgent investment in new tools.

"More research is needed to develop an effective malaria vaccine that could cover the populations that, at the moment, have high malaria rates and that, perhaps, do not use the available interventions even when they are being funded," Conway said.

Several malaria vaccines are under development. The WHO is planning a major trial of the so-called RTS,S vaccine starting next year in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi.

However, its latest report warns the world is at a crossroads. Without better funding and more effective rollout of tools to tackle malaria, the progress made in recent decades could be undone.
Colombia's palm oil industry and big businesses have pledged to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains as the country battles to reverse the growing destruction of its tropical rainforests.

The commitment signed this week makes Colombia the first country in the world to launch its own chapter of the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, a global effort by governments, companies and nongovernmental organizations.

The TFA 2020 Colombia Alliance aims to help businesses shift to deforestation-free supply chains by sharing best practices, monitoring forest clearance and training small farmers in sustainable agricultural methods.

It also aims to promote development of certified sustainable products from beef to palm oil for consumers to buy in local supermarkets.

Rainforests in Colombia, Latin America's largest palm oil producer, are coming under increasing pressure, and deforestation is rampant.

Deforestation in the country's Amazon region rose 23 percent and across the country rose by 44 percent from 2015 to 2016, said Vidar Helgesen, Norway's environment minister.

Norway is one of four main donor countries, along with the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands, backing the TFA 2020, an initiative hosted by the World Economic Forum.

"These numbers have been higher than what we expected and that's why it is important to intensify efforts," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Getting the private sector to commit to deforestation-free supply chains is a "critical part of the puzzle" to protect forests, he said.

First such cooperation

"This is the first time in Colombia we see the government and the private sector joining forces like this," he said.

"My hope and belief is that this partnership will find ways of ensuring that it is not only an agreement on paper but something that will happen in practical terms."

Protecting forests helps cut carbon emissions, a key driver of climate change. When forests are degraded or destroyed, the carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere.

Colombia is home to a swath of rainforest roughly the size of Germany and England combined and has declared a goal of zero net deforestation by 2020 and halting the loss of all natural forest by 2030.

Its rainforests have been increasingly threatened since a 2016 peace deal to end its decades-long civil war opened up former conflict areas to business, agriculture and development, Helgesen said.

Trees also are being cleared for cattle ranching, illegal mining and growing coca  the raw ingredient for cocaine.

Signing up with the Alliance are about 25 palm oil producers and buyers, Colombia's Federation of Oil Palm Growers and Alqueria S.A., its third-largest dairy company. Also signing up are retail giant Grupo Exito and international companies operating in Colombia such as consumer goods company Unilever.

"The launch of the TFA 2020 Colombia Alliance is important as a strengthening mechanism for joint action in Colombia to reach our deforestation goals," said Mariana Villamizar, a spokeswoman for Grupo Exito.

Producers and buyers from the beef, dairy and timber sectors are expected to join the partnership soon.

Each company will set targets to achieve zero deforestation across their often complex supply chains, and the government and NGOs will help monitor deforestation.
A Zimbabwean pastor and political activist has been acquitted of charges of subversion against the government of ex-President Robert Mugabe.

High Court Judge Priscilla Chigumba ruled Wednesday there was no evidence that Evan Mawarire called for Mugabe's overthrow last year when he led a large citizen protest against the longtime autocratic leader. Mawarire, who launched the social media #ThisFlag protest movement on social media, posted a series of videos urging people to stay home and not work or shop.

"The whole journey has been absurd," Mawarire told reporters outside the courtroom after the ruling was announced. He said "a lot more needs to be seen for us to determine" if the country's judiciary will become more independent than under Mugabe.

The 93-year-old Mugabe, who ruled the southern African country for 37 years, resigned under pressure last week after he was removed from power by the military and lost support of lawmakers in his ruling ZANU-PF party.

Mawarire warned newly installed President Emmerson Mnangagwa that if he fails to respect human rights as Mugabe did, Zimbabweans will take to the streets again.
Henry Fusirayi Nzarayebani, an elder in Zimunya, a village in eastern Zimbabwe, walks slowly toward plants growing at the edge of a narrow dirt path.

He plucks a few leaves from a shrub nearly hidden amid a thicket of invasive Lantana camara plants, then rubs the leaves between his hands and sniffs the scent.

"These leaves are used to treat stomachaches," Nzarayebani said with a smile. "You either boil the leaves, then drink the water, or you can chew the leaves raw and swallow the juice. These leaves are good for treating any kind of stomach upset."

But such medicinal plants are growing rarer in Zimbabwe these days. Overharvesting can be a problem, as can competition from other plants. But one of the most serious problems appears to be the country's lengthening droughts, associated with climate change.

"Unfortunately, this plant is becoming scarce," said Nzarayebani, standing near a small dry riverbed, which in wetter seasons gushes  temporarily  with water.

"Ever since the 1992 drought, this plant has been disappearing, and is now only found in a few spots near the river. At times people are now traveling high up the mountains to look for some of these herbs," said the expert in traditional herbal medicine, a skill passed down in his family for generations.

More drought, less medicine

Zimbabwe experienced a devastating drought in 1992, and has since seen increasingly frequent and recurring dry spells.

Between 2015 and 2016 the country suffered a crippling drought, linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon, that wiped out crops, wild plants and livestock.

That is a particular problem for the large number of people in remote rural areas who rely on medicinal herbs because they live too far away from clinics or because the clinics  short of foreign currency  don't stock the drugs they need.

In particular, many people turn to plants to treat high blood pressure, stomachaches and sexually transmitted infections, among others, herbalists said.

But those plants are disappearing. Nzarayebani said he had seen 10 plants he has long relied on disappear in the past few years.

"Even when the rains come, some of the plants are not coming back. It seems they have disappeared forever," he said.

"This year we received very good rains but some of the herbs, particularly those used to treat sunken fontanel in babies, have completely disappeared," he said.

He said he still held out hope that some would return if rains remained good.

Another village elder, Albert Mutasa, said the disappearance of the long-relied-upon plants was a growing concern for many local people.

"We are worried that our source of medicines is fast disappearing," Mutasa told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I used to get a plant known locally as mutsombori to treat various sicknesses at the wetland nearby, but due to the droughts experienced in the past years, the wetland is gone and the plants are gone, too."

He said prolonged droughts appeared to have killed even the underground tubers or bulbs that had once helped plants regenerate once rains returned.

"The plants are disappearing, both fruit and herbal medicines, but we cannot do anything. Some of these plants need a lot of water. The water is now scarce," he said.

Lawrence Nyagwande, a plant expert with Environment Africa, an environmental organization based in Zimbabwe, said there was little doubt that droughts linked to strengthening climate change were a big contributor to the loss of Zimbabwe's medicinal plants.

"Definitely there is a link," he said. "If some plants are disturbed by droughts they will not regenerate even when the good rains come."
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong heads to Harare Wednesday for a two-day visit.

Chinas Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said the visit follows an invitation by the Zimbabwe government. Chen will be the first high-level Chinese official to visit since President Robert Mugabe resigned.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the two countries have had strong and friendly relations for 37 years. He said their cooperation has brought real benefits for the people of the two countries.

Although its relationship with Zimbabwe began under former President Mugabe, Beijing has congratulated his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, following his inauguration last week.

China, one of Zimbabwes largest trading partners, has said it is up to Zimbabweans to choose their government. Beijing has pledged to continue the relationship under the new government.
For 37 years under the iron-fisted rule of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe has been battered by human rights abuses, endemic corruption, and mismanagement that sank the economy and reduced the nations once-strong agricultural sector to ruins.

The nations new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, sees only one way forward for his wounded nation: forgiveness.

I thus humbly appeal to all of us that we let bygones be bygones," he said in his inaugural address last week, in which he described Mugabe as a mentor and father figure.

Mugabe's government, in which Mnangagwa served as vice-president, was repeatedly accused of rigging elections, using force against opposition parties, jailing, beating and torturing critics, and other human rights violations. Endemic corruption grew especially intense after diamond fields were discovered in 2006.

Tuesday, Mnangagwa announced his government would allow a three-month amnesty for those willing to return state funds they took during the previous administration.

"Upon the expiry of the three-month window," his edict read, "Government will proceed to effect arrest of all those who would not have complied with this directive."

But just a day after the new president urged his nation to let go, the state jailed former Mugabe-era minister Ignatius Chombo on massive corruption charges. He is one of several Mugabe cronies to face what some critics are saying is political retribution, not true justice.

Equal justice?

Constitutional scholar Lovemore Madhuku is representing Chombo. He spoke to VOA outside the Harare Magistrates Court this week.

I think that they are just using [Chombo] to try and portray an image of dealing with corruption and so forth. But the cases that my client is facing, these are very old cases, he said. "...Its just to harass him and try to create an impression that we are dealing with corruption.

Human rights lawyers say there are worse crimes, and more serious culprits, who are being protected.

Renowned Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa told VOA she fears justice is not being applied equally. If there are crimes that are being committed, everybody should in fact be put on trial, she said. It shouldnt be selective at all. It shouldnt depend on which faction you belong to, are you on our side, or the other side.

Activist Patson Dzamaras older brother Itai was abducted in 2015 for opposing Mugabe. He is still missing, and Dzamara told VOA he believes these high-profile trials are not targeting the real crimes. He says hes angry, and wants accountability.

The current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, played a very major role, he said. And so hes complicit. He is, or he was, a part of that arrangement in government. And for us to sweep that under the carpet, and say that was that and life just has to go on as though nothing happened, I dont think its proper.

Church role

At the Life and Liberty Church Zimbabwe, in central Harare, Bishop Noah Pashapa says he wants to encourage forgiveness, but understands why some people are not ready for it.

I have not experienced what they experience that has gotten them to that place of finding it difficult to forgive, said Pashapa, who says he led a delegation of church leaders to advise Mnangagwa on his inaugural address. So I will appreciate how they feel and I will respect how they feel. And yet, I will seek to appeal to them to appreciate that, these things do happen. ... Sadly, wherever we human beings struggle for power, they do bad things to each other.

Pastor Chris Oparoacha says he looks to other African nations for guidance, like Zambia.

Chiluba, who was the outgoing president, was not given any immunity. He had to pay for the crimes that he did," Oparoacha says. "He might not be sentenced to prison, but whatever evil has been done, should be brought to light so those people are dealt with.

There is, scholars agree, no clear way forward that will make all Zimbabweans happy. Justice and forgiveness, as many other African nations have learned, is a slow and complicated process.

South Africas post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission has come under criticism for being too easy on perpetrators and failing to adequately compensate victims. Sierra Leones post-war Truth and Reconciliation Commission worked in theory, scholars said, but the government failed to completely implement the commissions recommendations.
Rome's Methodists remember Henry James Piggott.

A commemoration to mark the centenary of the death of Henry James Piggott, the founder of Wesleyan Methodist missions in Italy, will be held at the Non-Catholic Cemetery at 11.00 on 30 November. A presentation in the cemetery chapel will feature two brief addresses by the Rev. Jacqui Horton, reflecting on Piggotts life and ministry before coming to Italy, and Rev. Dr Tim Macquiban, reflecting on Piggotts ministry in Italy 1861-1917. This will be followed with a commemoration at Piggott's grave side with a hymn and a prayer. The event is open to the public.

The following article was written by Rev. Dr Tim Macquiban, the Minister of Rome's Ponte S. Angelo Methodist Church.

Henry James Piggott, the founder of Wesleyan missions in Italy

The founder of Wesleyan Methodist missions to Italy was born in Lowestoft, England, in 1831, the son of a former missionary to Sierra Leone. He was educated at Kingswood School and Wesley College Taunton, before attending the University of London where he obtained a first class degree in Classics. He entered the ministry of the Wesley Methodist Connexion and served in local churches in Oxford, Hastings and Hammersmith in London. He resisted the call to overseas work until challenged to respond to the new opportunities for mission to Italy following the Risorgimento.

In 1861 he and Richard Green came to Italy. Piggott initially worked in the north, and then the Veneto, founding churches in Ivrea, Intra, Cremona, Parma, Padova and La Spezia. Then in 1873 he moved the centre of his work to Rome where he remained until his death in 1917. He was superintendent of the work of Methodism in the Italy District until his retirement in 1903, during which time he travelled and preached throughout the country. With the demand for more ministers, as the denomination increased in numbers of members and preaching places, schools and a theological college were established.

Piggott was a great advocate for Protestant missions in Italy, writing articles in the British religious press. He also contributed to the work of biblical scholarship in Italian (he was President of the Italian Bible Society as well as its Sunday School Union). He admired the work of the great orator and founder of the Italian Free Church, Alessandro Gavazzi, former chaplain to Garibaldi (buried here in Zone 1.13,15), whose Rome base at Ponte S. Angelo Church came into Wesleyan Methodism in 1903 when the churches merged. It is there that the memorial tablet, formerly housed at the church in Via della Scrofa where he lived, is now displayed, recording his death in Rome on 30 November 1917 after 56 years of ministry in Italy. In his grave (Zone 2.14.22) there are also buried his wife and daughter Mary. This great preacher and pastor, scholar and theologian, was the bedrock upon which Methodism in Italy was established and grew.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., is surrounded by reporters as he goes to vote on Capitol Hill on Nov. 7. (Susan Walsh/AP)

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) watched angrily last fall as his fellow Republicans gave up on his reelection campaign, convinced he was doomed and that their dollars and hours would be better spent elsewhere. A year later, Johnson is still in the Senate but also a key holdout vote in the Republican effort to overhaul the tax code  and those political calculations, along with the ill will they bred, are coming back to haunt Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his fellow heads of the GOP.

Johnson surprised party leaders this month when he said he would vote against the Senate version of the GOP tax plan, saying it favors corporations over other businesses. To vote for the bill, he is asking for a large-scale restructuring that could add more than $100 billion in benefits for certain businesses.

Republican leaders, who probably can afford to lose a maximum of only two GOP votes if they hope to move their measure through the Senate, are working to win over Johnson with a mixture of cajoling and concessions. But as the leaders negotiate, theyre working with a senator who feels little obligation to repay any party favors.

What I think is important to understand is how much [Johnson] detests Senate leadership, said Charlie Sykes, a longtime Milwaukee-area conservative radio host who is deeply plugged in with Wisconsin Republicans. I do think a lot goes back to last fall when they left him by the side of the road politically dead. Very liberating for him.

When polling showed Johnson trailing Democrat Russ Feingold, GOP campaign operatives allied with McConnell (R-Ky.) turned off the money and channeled it into states such as Indiana and Missouri that appeared to have more winnable Senate races.

As national Republicans expressed doubts about his reelection and pulled plans for expensive ad campaigns, Johnson launched low-budget, homespun spots he wrote and shot with the help of his brother Dean Johnson, the host of a PBS home-improvement program.

One ad showed Johnson changing his grandsons diaper as his wife and daughters sat in the family kitchen. Just like Dad helps out with the kids, hes exactly the guy we need to clean up the mess in Washington, one daughter said.

In the final weeks, the McConnell-allied Senate Leadership Fund had gotten into the race with millions to help Johnson. But it was too late to convince the lawmaker that the party had his back, as he privately fumed to associates that he had been abandoned and had had to win on his own. He eventually did, comfortably defeating Feingold on the same night President Trump won his shock victory.

The lingering tension exploded Tuesday when Johnson clashed with Trump during a closed-door Capitol meeting of Senate Republicans.

Johnson stood up to complain that he understood business and figures better than others in the Senate, but that no one listened to him, according to several GOP officials in the room or briefed on the exchange.

Johnson angrily asserted that this body doesnt understand numbers, the sources said.

Trump returned fire with fire, telling Johnson, You dont get to vote no for a stupid reason like that.

Then Johnson complained that no one would talk to him about the negotiations, to which Trump said he has called him and talked to him.

Youre the only one, Johnson said in a thinly veiled shot at McConnell.

Johnson is demanding better treatment for certain businesses that are effectively taxed through the individual tax code rather than with corporate rates  such as the plastics manufacturing company in Oshkosh, Wis. that he still partially owns.

The extraordinary exchange with Trump took some fellow GOP senators aback as the depths of Johnsons anger became clear. And it left some GOP leaders and aides questioning whether Johnson could ever get to yes on the tax bill, even though as a conservative businessman he would seem to be a natural constituency for the legislation.

Its a big number, its north of a hundred billion, Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the third-ranking Senate Republican, said of the changes Johnson is seeking.

Johnson wants pass-through companies to be treated more like other corporations that are seeing their rates reduced from 35 percent to 20 percent under the GOP legislation. Instead the Senate bill proposes that owners of pass-through companies can take a 17.4 percent tax deduction off some of their income, a figure that GOP leaders have proposed raising to 20 percent to mollify Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Johnson.

Johnson has said its not enough and has claimed that he has not been privy to such an offer.

Ive got no offers, Ive received no offers. None. No, Johnson said late Monday as he threatened to vote against the legislation in the Budget Committee on Tuesday, which could have upended the process and embarrassed leadership. I know people are talking about things, but I certainly havent received any offers other than to give me information, which has been pretty slow to come.

The Senate procedure Republicans aim to use to pass the bill allows them to pass it with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes typically needed to overcome minority -party opposition. But the procedure also limits how much the bill can add to the deficit, and that is complicating Republican efforts to secure Johnsons support, as adding new tax breaks for pass-through companies requires finding new revenue elsewhere  changes that could drive other members to oppose the bill.

The Senate tax bill would permanently slash the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent starting in 2019 and temporarily lower the tax rates paid by individuals and families through 2025. Multiple nonpartisan analyses have shown the bulk of the benefits would be reaped by corporations and the very wealthy, and many in the party are looking for ways to redistribute the tax cuts, leaving leaders scrambling to accommodate individual demands without making the measure unpalatable to the party as a whole.

Johnson has proposed paying for his changes by eliminating state and local property tax deductions for corporations, saying that would raise more than enough revenue to pay for them. And on Tuesday he grudgingly cast a yes vote in the Budget Committee, saying he wanted to keep the process moving.

But Johnson left open the question of whether he would be a yes vote in the end, leaving McConnell and other GOP leaders to wonder how or whether they can satisfy him.

Big complicated bills like this are challenging, McConnell said Tuesday, but everyone has an opportunity to weigh in, he said  adding that some were still doing so.

Mike DeBonis and Paul Kane contributed to this report.
Follow Thursday's updates here: McCain announces support for tax bill in boost to GOP effort

A massive GOP tax bill cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Wednesday, as lawmakers voted 52 to 48 to move the legislation forward toward a showdown vote on final passage by weeks end.

The party-line vote was an important victory for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and President Trump, signaling support and momentum for the legislation that overhauls the tax code for the first time in three decades while delivering enormous cuts to corporations and the wealthy.

But it was not a guarantee of ultimate success, as several Republican lawmakers agreed to open debate on the bill so they could pursue amendments and have not yet committed to voting for final passage. Key issues that remained included how to prevent the bill from driving up the federal deficit by too much and whether to shift more of the legislations rewards from corporations, which are some of the bills main beneficiaries, to working-class families, who receive more modest benefits.

Passing tax reform is the single most important thing we can do right now to shift the economy into high gear and deliver much-needed relief to American families, McConnell said on the Senate floor ahead of Wednesdays vote, as he urged fellow Republicans to support the measure to open debate.

Passage of the motion to proceed started the clock on 20 hours of debate on the legislation, which will be followed by a vote-a-rama in which lawmakers can offer endless amendments into all hours of the night Thursday. Then will come the final vote.

With Democrats unanimously opposed, McConnell can lose only two GOP senators in the closely divided Senate and still prevail on the bill. Despite well-documented disagreements between McConnell and Trump, the tax legislation is the top goal for both men as they pursue a tax cut sought by donors and corporations, as well as a political victory to present to voters ahead of next years midterm elections.

Numerous issues were being negotiated throughout the day Wednesday, the most problematic being demands from GOP Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) and others for a trigger to kick in and raise taxes if economic growth estimates dont pan out.

Corkers demand for the trigger provision stems from concern over how the bill would affect the federal budget. The total package of tax cuts is projected to add $1.4 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years to the federal budget deficit.

Republicans have promised that the package of tax cuts would spur more economic growth, leading to more investment, hiring and higher wages for workers. But many economists dispute these forecasts, and Corker has sought assurances that some steps would automatically be taken if growth doesnt materialize.

Details of Corker's trigger idea remained in flux Wednesday. Negotiators were looking at a package that would raise taxes by as much as $350 billion if the economy doesn't grow by more than 0.4 percent yearly above a baseline established by the Congressional Budget Office, according to several people briefed on the discussions. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to reveal private negotiations.

Lawmakers were still discussing where the new taxes would come from. One idea being considered would include raising the bills proposed corporate tax rate of 20 percent up to 21 percent, reinstituting the corporate alternative minimum tax, and reinstituting the alternative minimum tax paid by individuals and families.

A lot of people hate it, but it may be the only way to get the tax bill passed, said Steve Moore, a top economic adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign.

But the idea faces sharp opposition within the GOP. Several Republicans said they were strongly opposed to a trigger, worried that the possibility of future tax increases could dampen corporate enthusiasm.

Theres one word: Its certainty, said Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.). I do not support triggers.

Other GOP senators raised similar concerns but said they were trying to work out a solution that all Republicans could live with. I dont want to see this bill destroyed because of a pursuit for perfection, said Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.).

One possibility discussed by several senators Wednesday would use a trigger to prompt spending cuts, not tax increases. But GOP aides warned that could cause procedural issues, threatening the partys ability to pass the bill with a simple majority vote.

The trigger issue was being negotiated along with other matters  including demands about additional relief for businesses whose owners pay taxes through the individual code, known as pass-throughs.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) who has been working with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on the issue, announced that he had secured a deal increasing a tax deduction the owners of such businesses can take on their income from 17.4 percent to 20 percent, which he said would raise $60 billion for them.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she was pleased with promised changes from Trump that would allow Americans to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes from their taxable income.

Allowing Americans to deduct $10,000 in property taxes could add more than $100 billion to the cost of the tax package over 10 years. But the House bill included the provision, and numerous GOP lawmakers there have said it must be included in the final bill. Senate leaders are looking at prohibiting corporations from deducting state and local taxes as a way to raise some of the offsetting revenue, although no final decision has been made, the people briefed on the talks said.

Other issues remained outstanding.

Collins, for instance, was seeking assurances that the Senate will vote on a companion health care bill if the tax legislation retains a provision repealing the Affordable Care Act mandate for nearly all Americans to carry health insurance or pay a fine.

Susans got a concern,; its a real legitimate concern. Ron Johnsons got a concern. Theres a deficit concern, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) said. Its like making a cocktail. If youve got to add more of this and less of that, Im fine. Failures not an option.

Republican leaders were under pressure to make another change that could alter the bill significantly. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are pushing an amendment that would expand child tax credits to millions of poor families, particularly those who dont pay income taxes. To offset the cost of this change, they propose lifting the corporate tax rate in the bill from 20 percent to 22 percent.

The change would essentially transfer some of the benefit of the bill away from corporations and toward low-income Americans.

They are unlikely to get enough GOP support in the Senate to pass their amendment, but Democrats could band together and push the amendment into the bill if they receive help from only one or two more Republicans. That could force GOP leaders to make a last-minute decision about whether to back the child tax credit amendment or decide whether to pressure the lawmakers to withdraw it.

Success on the Senate floor can never be assured, as illustrated in July when a dramatic eleventh-hour defection from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) sunk the GOPs efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But momentum was slowly gathering in leaderships direction, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who opposed a repeal of the Affordable Care Act this year, saying she planned to back the legislation.

Although the legislation would still have to be reconciled with a House version, passage on the Senate floor this week would clear the bills toughest hurdle and hand a major victory to Trump and GOP leaders.

Republicans are moving at breakneck speed, shutting Democrats out of the process completely as they push a tax code rewrite that few understand and that could have uncertain impacts on the entire economy and every American over decades to come.

Numerous analyses have found the bill disproportionately benefits the wealthy and even hurts poorer Americans over time. Trump, GOP leaders and many businesses nonetheless insist it would be a boon for the economy that would boost growth and help the middle class.

Our focus is on helping the folks who work in the mail rooms and the machine shops of America, Trump said during a speech Wednesday in St. Charles, Mo. The plumbers. The carpenters. The cops. The teachers. The truck drivers . . . The people that like me best.

[Johnson, a key Senate holdout for the GOP tax bill, is still fuming over 2016]
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump takes part in a welcoming ceremony with China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing, November 9, 2017. On Tuesday, his administration took rare trade action against Chinese aluminum imports into the U.S. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

The Trump administration took unusual action against what it said were unfair Chinese trade practices on Tuesday, dusting off a weapon last used in 1991 and announcing two investigations into the pricing of aluminum products imported into the U.S.

The Commerce Department move comes two weeks after President Trump, fresh from a 12-day Asian tour, boasted of the rapturous welcome and lucrative business deals that had greeted him in Beijing.

But the actions  though highly symbolic  had been widely expected for Trump who accused China of raping the U.S. economy during the presidential campaign and threatened to label the country a currency manipulator.

President Trump made it clear from day one that unfair trade practices will not be tolerated under this administration, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on a conference call with industry executives. Todays action shows that we intend to make good on that promise to the American people.

Ross said that the Chinese government has subsidized excess production of common alloy aluminum sheets, flooding the U.S. market with products that are sold well below fair value.

The flat-rolled aluminum sheets are used in items such as gutters, street signs and electrical boxes.

Such investigations, which have risen 65 percent this year, typically begin following a complaint from an affected U.S. industry. But Ross said he took the first step in the face of evidence that U.S. producers were suffering injury because of the Chinese practices.

Tuesdays actions may signal the move from rhetoric to action that Trumps supporters have craved.

The act of starting the investigation itself  and not waiting for the U.S. aluminum industry to request it  is another signal that the Trump administration is eager not only to impose trade protection, but also to confront China, said Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

China could view the Commerce Department action as a deliberate escalation of trade tensions and impose its own trade barriers against U.S. companies, he said.

The Commerce Department investigations could lead to the imposition of duties designed to compensate for Beijings subsidies and prices that may be 56.54 to 59.72 percent below fair value, the department said.

Ross said that he anticipated further complaints from U.S. industries bruised by Chinese trade practices and he invited executives on the call to come forward so that Commerce can defend against such inequities.

Todays announcement is permitted under World Trade Organization rules. But China is likely to complain about any eventual duties since Commerce will judge it as a nonmarket economy, despite Beijings long-standing insistence that the state no longer determines prices.

Final decisions in the both investigations are expected in late 2018.

For all his tough rhetoric on the campaign trail, Trump struck a conciliatory tone during his recent Beijing trip, praising Chinese President Xi Jinping and blaming his White House predecessors for the U.S. trade deficit with China.

And for all its symbolism, Tuesdays action was limited to just $603.5 million in imports of one product. The administration is evaluating a host of other measures that could have far more serious repercussions for the $577 billion in two-way U.S. trade with China, the worlds second largest economy.

Administration officials are weighing whether to invoke national security considerations to combat rising Chinese steel and aluminum imports more broadly, a move that trade analysts fear could trigger a wave of similar measures by U.S. trading partners.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer also is investigating whether the U.S. should crack down on Chinas technology transfer and intellectual property policies for unfairly discriminating against U.S. companies.

The U.S. has long complained about Chinese overcapacity in key industries. Through energy subsidies and cheap loans, Beijing has encouraged the growth of far more aluminum and steel production than it can use at home.

From 2011 to 2015, Chinese aluminum production doubled, eventually accounting for more than half of total global production. That led to sharp declines in world prices, the outgoing Obama administration reported in January.

In recent years, U.S. and Chinese officials repeatedly discussed potential remedies for the excess aluminum including at a September 2016 summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Obama.

Tuesdays move left some analysts wondering whether the administrations goal is to persuade China to change the policies that are allegedly damaging U.S. companies or simply to shield an embattled Rust Belt industry from foreign competition.

For this administration, protection may be an end in itself, said Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Shortly after announcing online that she was joining the conservative media movement, Jaime Phillips checked into an Airbnb apartment for a two-week stay in the basement of the Capitol Hill home of Brad Woodhouse, the former communications director for the Democratic National Committee, Woodhouse said Tuesday.

Woodhouse said he recognized Phillipss name and image in a Washington Post story Monday that described how she falsely told reporters that Roy Moore, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, impregnated her as a teenager. Phillips appears to work with Project Veritas, an organization that uses deceptive tactics and secretly records conversations in an effort to embarrass members of the mainstream media and left-leaning groups.

I was stunned, Woodhouse said Tuesday night. It took a little while to sink in and then it was like, Really? Are you kidding me? 

James OKeefe, the Project Veritas founder, declined to answer questions about whether he dispatched Phillips to rent from Woodhouse. Phillips did not respond to inquiries.

Woodhouse provided The Post with a record of Phillipss Airbnb booking, which included her name and her photo and said she was from Atlanta. In an interview last week, Phillips showed a Post reporter a Georgia drivers license with an Atlanta address.

Woodhouse recalled chatting with Phillips several times during the July stay and recalled that she had a dog, Leo. He recalled no unusually intrusive inquiries.

Woodhouse remained a prominent Democratic consultant after leaving the DNC in 2013. He was appointed in September to be campaign director of Protect Our Care, which advocates for the Affordable Care Act.

Weeks before the 2016 election, Woodhouse was president of Americans United for Change when two people associated with the liberal advocacy group were secretly filmed by OKeefes organization.

Scott Foval, a field operative, was recorded talking about disrupting Republican events and about how an organization might cover up voter fraud. Foval was fired. At the time, Foval said the video did not deserve attention from legitimate news organizations.

Robert Creamer, whose consulting firm Democracy Partners used Foval as a contractor, left his job working for the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign after the video surfaced. In a lawsuit filed in June, Democracy Partners and Creamer accused Project Veritas of violating federal laws on wiretapping in its undercover sting, an allegation OKeefe has denied.

That he had one of his operatives stay in properties of mine less than a year after he targeted me in one of his discredited scams seems hardly coincidental, Woodhouse said.

Woodhouse said Phillips also stayed in another Capitol Hill property he owns, for one week in August. She wanted to stay longer, he said, but it was not available.

Woodhouse said he was unaware until Mondays Post story that two months before she stayed in his basement apartment, Phillips had posted a GoFundMe online fundraising appeal that said she was laid off from her job as a mortgage broker and was moving to New York to combat the lies and deceit of the liberal MSM.

OKeefe declined to answer questions Monday and Tuesday about whether Phillips worked for him, but he appeared to indirectly confirm the connection in a fundraising appeal after The Post published its story. Post reporters watched as Phillips walked into Project Veritass office in Mamaroneck, N.Y, Monday morning, five days after presenting her with the GoFundMe page during an interview about her allegations against Moore.

Following months of undercover work within The Washington Post, our investigative journalist embedded within the publication had their cover blown, he said in the email. Please donate so our team can FULLY follow through on our promise to expose the Establishment Media in 2017 and 2018.


Crow Canyons splatterware baking set for children includes a cookie sheet, a muffin pan, two cake pans and a loaf pan $59.95, amazon.com). (Crow Canyon)

Enamelware is everywhere again. The centuries-old kitchenware is showing up in boutiques, general stores, lifestyle blogs, adventure outfitters and mass-market retailers. Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of the durable, light tinware once considered a poor mans ceramic.

Unlike the boldly patterned, vintage European pieces that sell for top dollar at auction, todays offerings are simple, casual and budget-friendly, charming tokens of Americana sculpted into sleek, contemporary silhouettes that make as much sense in a downtown loft as in a log cabin. How could one material have such universal appeal? For many, the draw is its old-fashioned sensibility.

[The not another wine bottle guide to host and hostess gifts]

It has a nostalgic quality to it, but its not in your face, says Sheri Moretz, a spokeswoman for Mast General Store, a small retail chain that dates to 1883 and has shops in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Its just the right amount of retro. Her colleague, Greta Hollar, remembers stocking up on enamel plates and bowls to take her kids camping, the same way her parents and grandparents did. Its sentimental, but its also functional, Hollar says. Theres a reason weve been using it this long.

Mast sells the classic colorful splatterware along with more modern solids. Both have seen a spike in sales in recent years. Moretz and Hollar suspect this is because the region is a big draw for campers and hikers who buy vacation homes near the Appalachian Mountains, and tinwares light weight and durability make it a perfect outdoor companion (Hard to mess up, easy to clean, Hollar says). But the enamelware craze stretches far and wide.



Mast General Stores eight-cup enamel percolator $27.99, mastgeneralstore.com). (Mast General Store)

In New York City, housewares brand Fishs Eddy recently announced an enamelware line due out in January inspired by vintage farmhouse design. And on Nov. 8, Anthropologie debuted a line of enamelware in a collaboration with Soho House, the worldwide private members club, which is making a foray into housewares. Most of the lines enamelware sold out in a matter of days.

Londons Falcon Enamelware is experiencing new life thanks to creative director Emma Young, who, with the help of a small team, helped revitalize the nearly 100-year-old brand. A self-described materials fanatic, Young studied product design at Central Saint Martins and discovered the brand in 2011 while designing interiors for restaurants and hotels. The opportunity to expand was obvious. Its incredibly versatile, she says. Its urban and rural, masculine and feminine, casual and refined. Its universal.



Falcon Enamelwares mini tumblers $8 each, us.falconenamelware.com). (Falcon)

Youngs timing was nearly perfect. She and her husband, Kam, bought Falcon shortly after the Great Recession as design was making a dramatic shift back to basics. Everyone was reevaluating their lives, their stuff, she says. It was all about simplification. Utility became chic again. Their updates were subtle: cleaner lines, slimmer silhouettes, and no cutesy prints, patterns or phrases. Colors are neutral with occasional bold, limited-edition batches to test demand. And the pieces are packaged in corrugated cardboard, a nod to the hardware store and enamelwares utilitarian feel. The result is stylish and understated, a perfect complement to todays modern farmhouse craze. We were conscious not to over-elevate it into a design statement, Young says. Its a family material.



Soho Homes Hempton enamelware collection at Anthropologie includes a stockpot $45), colander $42) two sizes of roasting pans $30-$38) and more anthropologie.com). (Anthropologie)

Enamelware is metal, aluminum or cast-iron cookware coated in a porcelain lining that makes it easy to clean, safe to heat and long-lasting. Although its best known for being lightweight, some say that makes it feel cheap or childish. It feels like paper plates to me, says Los Angeles designer Alison Kandler. Great for families, but not a dinner party. Thats too casual, even in California.

It can also chip easily, though enamel-lovers are quick to argue that small nicks and dings add to the look. It can be stuck in an oven, hung on a hook or stored in a freezer, Young says. You can live with it.


Requin at the District Wharf is Mike Isabellas latest. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post)

Columnist

Before opening Requin on the Southwest waterfront in October, Mike Isabella tasked its eventual chef, Michael Rafidi, to include on the menu "a good roast chicken, escargots and foie gras," recalls the serial restaurateur and visionary behind the French-Mediterranean dining room. The chef obliged. His boss never brought up salads, but Rafidi, whose spirited Spanish-Moroccan cooking at Arroz in the Marriott Marquis landed that restaurant on my list of Top 10 newcomers in my fall dining guide this year, did what he typically does and came up with a seductive first impression.

That's a roundabout way of telling you to home in on the pear salad at Requin, the captivating spinoff of the (now-casual) brasserie of the same name in the Mosaic District in Fairfax. There are other great dishes to mull at Isabella's latest venue, but none that put you in as seasonal a frame of mind as this sepia-toned composition. Pears are featured three ways  fresh, poached and compressed-then-bruleed  and arranged with yam puree and pleasantly bitter chicory. Blue cheese weighs in with its sharp edge. A crumble of bread crumbs and fried, spiced black walnuts contributes crunch. The finishing touch is a brown butter vinaigrette that links the different notes to form a joyous concert, the edible equivalent of leaves turned the color of fire and a nip in the air.

[2017 Dining Guide]

The last major restaurant to open at the 25-acre District Wharf is the first one many visitors see upon arrival, thanks to Requin's front-and-center placement in the expanse and a steel-and-glass facade that has been called both a jewel box and a fish tank. (Requin is French for "shark." Gone from the project: Jennifer Carroll, Isabella's fellow "Top Chef" veteran.)

Everyone has something to fix their eyes on. Patrons brought to the back, which is dressed up with a zinc-paved bar and 16-foot-long glass chandeliers, can take in the waterfront. Cooking-show enthusiasts should request a table near the open kitchen, in which some inhabitants work thisclose to the people they are feeding. To watch a cook assemble a tartine from toasted country bread made in-house and (take your pick) smoked cauliflower, glistening diced tuna or bayonne ham is to watch good ingredients morph into a beautiful, splittable open-face sandwich.



A fanciful bite: Escargot croissants with green Chartreuse butter. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post)

The most imaginative hors doeuvre rolls two French traditions into one fanciful bite. Using a recipe he developed at the helm of RN74, the much-missed wine restaurant in San Francisco, Rafidi tucks snails that have been poached in duck fat into flaky balls of puff pastry and bakes them to order. Voila! Escargot croissants, each morsel a little celebration of crunch, warm meat and hot Chartreuse butter.

The course you want to focus on is petits plats, whose portions fall somewhere between an appetizer and a main course  ideal for sharing, your waiter might suggest. Petits plats include the aforementioned pear salad, an excellent scallop crudo and snowy halibut tiled with crisp potato coins and set on sunchoke creme fraiche. Loveliest of all is the twisted pasta (caramelle) stuffed with pumpkin and arranged with ocean-fresh stone crab and soft Brussels sprouts petals. Before it is served, truffle butter and lobster sauce are added. As busy as the presentation sounds, each of its elements plays a crucial role, evinced by the clean plate that goes back to the kitchen.



Brussels sprouts leaves and stone crab decorate a plate of pumpkin-stuffed pasta. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post)

The prize of the shareable main courses, or plats principaux, is a succulent roast chicken that Rafidi calls an homage to the bird at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco. That beloved restaurant stages the draw, worthy of a pilgrimage, on a bread salad scattered with pine nuts and currants. Requin's buttermilk-brined chicken is a far richer version, fashioned with croutons flavored with chicken fat and dropped off with whipped potatoes that are equal parts vegetable and butter. Preventing anyone from crying uncle is a mustard jus to balance the fat. A riff on duck a l'orange is shy on its promised citrus note; if preserved kumquats were in the mix, my fork didn't find them. But the confit leg is pitch-perfect, shattering skin yielding to luscious flesh, and the accompanying beluga lentils are pure comfort.

[Michelin is too buttoned-up to see the stars of D.C.s dining scene]

Taha Ismail and Jennifer Knowles ensure you will sip memorably. Theyre the drinks guru and general manager-wine director, respectively. The cocktails include a mezcal-forward Allo Allo that goes down like a Mexican daiquiri, in the words of a helpful server, and a martini escorted by house-pickled onions and extra gin in an icy carafe. I have yet to do a deep dive into the wine list, but only because Knowles reads a table like a map to figure out the best wine for your party. (Shes confident to recommend much-maligned chardonnay and has a soft spot for syrah.) Should there be liquid remnants, the sommelier might top them with a spritz of argon gas to protect the wine from coming into contact with oxygen till the bottle is reopened  a deft touch that finds grateful recipients toasting Requin days later at home.

The chefs seeming Midas touch does not extend to every dish. Steak frites is a pleasant piece of beef, cooked to the color you want, served with thick-cut potatoes that need more time in the fryer and a better swab than the blank-tasting bearnaise. And the bouillabaisse, crammed with beautiful sea treasures, among them red snapper, steamed mussels and octopus crisped on the plancha, is dragged down by a broth that tastes anemic despite the presence of wine, shallots, green olives and smoked pork sausage.



Pavlova with pear ice cream and pear compote gets a pour of red currant coulis. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post)

Servers need to get a better grasp on things, too, sometimes literally, as on the night my dining companion kept track of the number of times dishes crashed to floor. "Six!" he whispered before the evening concluded, without the coffee he asked for.

Good things come to those who get dessert. Pavlova brings a white dome of softly crisped meringue and pear compote around which a server pours a striking red currant coulis. Warm beignets dusted with powdered sugar and offered with chestnut cream streaked with caramel send us into giddy coughing fits. Less dramatic, but just as joy-inducing, is the sundae built with three flavors of ice cream set off with a crisp palmier and candied hazelnuts. If you order nothing, you still get something along with the bill: a custard-centered canele, a lovely last impression.

It is admittedly early in the life of this Requin. But the waterfront bauble already demonstrates a maturity in the kitchen, and a fresh take on French standards, to rival its location, location, location.

2017 Fall Dining Guide

The latest trend I loathe in restaurants: No space between tables

Michelin is too buttoned-up to see the stars of D.C.s dining scene

For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine.

Follow the Magazine on Twitter.

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Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com.

REQUIN

(Good/Excellent)

100 District Sq. SW.

202-827-8380.

requinbymic.com/dc.

Open: Dinner daily.

Prices: Snacks and petits plats, $5 to $23; main courses to share, $36 to $75.

Sound check: 76 decibels / Must speak with raised voice.
The annual White House holiday party for the news media is usually a placid affair, with cookies, punch and a photo opportunity. The president and first lady pose for souvenir photos amid festive decorations with journalists who normally would be hurling tough questions at the commander in chief.

This year, things will be a little different. And a little awkward.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump will host the party as usual on Friday, but it wont be the usual party.

CNN, which the president criticized repeatedly and sharply on Monday, said Tuesday it won't attend. "In light of the President's continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests," a spokesman said. Instead, the network will cover the event as a news story and report on it "if news warrants."

In response to CNN's decision, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders offered a taunting tweet: "Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from @CNN."



Trees are decorated for the holidays at the White House. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Tensions between the president and the people who cover him are at a low point, or at least are at the same low point they've always been at since Trump began calling the news media "fake" and the "enemy of the American people." That dynamic seems to have made the event like a dinner among distant relatives who try to keep up a brave face despite despising each other.

Trump ducked out of his last official social engagement with the news media, the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April. He kissed off the dinner in a tweet in February, without explaining why he wanted no part of it: "I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year," he wrote. "Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!"

The first couple will attend the holiday press party, Melania Trump's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, confirmed on Tuesday. "The President and First Lady look forward to opening their home to members of the media in the spirit of the Christmas season," she said in an email.

But thats all she confirmed. Grisham declined to answer any further questions  such as, will the president address his guests at the party? Will he and Mrs. Trump mingle with the assembled journalists? Will they stick around for photos?

The latter is a big ask, and seems on the face of it unlikely. In years past, the president and first lady have stood for hours as a long line of reporters and their guests gathered for photos with them. The White House gives the photos to guests for framing or for posting on social media.

Which leads to another question: If Trump does stand for pictures, will reporters take one with him?

Yes, said Jonathan Karl, White House correspondent for ABC News. Karl said he intends to attend the party "unless news interferes." He notes that this year's party will be held at 2 p.m., close to deadline for network correspondents. Previous parties were held during evening hours.

As for the photo, Karl said, I have done photos with other presidents and dont have an issue doing one again.

Among those not invited this year is April Ryan, the White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks and a CNN contributor.

Ryan doesn't know why she didn't get a golden ticket this year, but she suspects it may be payback for her various run-ins with Trump and his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, during the past year. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, for example, Ryan questioned Sanders's claim to having baked a magazine-perfect chocolate pecan pie. Ryan tweeted: "Show it to us on a table," which sparked "#piegate," a debate about presidential credibility.

In an interview, Ryan said, Ive given up trying to figure out why she wasnt invited to this years soiree. He has the right to invite whoever he wants. He chose not to invite me. Im good.

Well, not that good.

I dont think I was overlooked, she continued. I think they dont like me. For whatever reason, they have disdain for me.

Ryan noted that this is first time in 20 years of covering the White House that she hasnt been welcome at the annual party. Shes attended parties hosted by presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama (she said no one time during the Bush years because she was pregnant). And that includes years in which shes tangled with other press secretaries, including Obamas first, Robert Gibbs.

Its not clear whether any news organizations will follow CNNs lead and boycott the party.

Several reporters from The Washington Post have been invited to the event. Post managing editor Cameron Barr said the newspapers journalists can make their own, individual decisions about whether to attend.

Bloomberg correspondent Margaret Talev, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said the journalists' organization has no control over how the party is organized or who's invited.

Reporters who are invited typically attend when their schedules permit, in recognition of the institution and the honor conveyed on them as representatives of the public, Talev said. The Trump administration has decided to continue this tradition this year.

Talev said shell be at this years party, just as she was when invited by the Obama White House.
Lauer became co-host of the morning program in 1997.

Co-anchors Hoda Kotb, left, and Savannah Guthrie embrace on the set of the Today show in New York after NBC News fired Matt Lauer for inappropriate sexual behavior. Craig Ruttle/AP
Richard Prince, editor of Journal-isms, an online journal about the media and diversity. (Courtland Milloy, Jr./TWP)

Columnist

As editor of a thrice weekly online journal about media and diversity, Richard Prince starts his day perusing at least 30 news-related websites. Working at a laptop from his home in Alexandria, Va., to produce Journal-isms, he checks social media, reads newsletters that arrived overnight by email and tunes into a mix of broadcast programs.

Despite the proliferation of new media outlets, much of what he sees is old and tiresome. A lack of diversity in top management, the perpetuation of racial stereotypes in coverage, a penchant for ignoring the pervasiveness of racism  problems Prince says existed when he began working as a reporter at The Washington Post in 1968.

That same year, a commission appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered a report on civil disorders that included a critique of the media, which still resonates nearly 50 years later.

The media report and write from the standpoint of a white mans world, the commission said, adding that the white press, as many black people call it, repeatedly, if unconsciously reflect the biases, the paternalism, the indifference of white America.

There has been some change.

Last month, while doing his daily survey of the news landscape, Prince saw an announcement by NBC that the network was creating a nine-member team to cover the media industry. But the only person of color on the team was an Asian woman with a background in technology, Prince recalled.

Prince posted a news brief about the NBC announcement, with a headline that said it all: NBC Names Team to Cover Media; Scant Diversity. Last week, much to his surprise, NBC announced that Eric Deggans, a well-known media critic who is black, was being added to the team.

I wont say I had anything to do with it, but I think its great, said Prince, who at age 70 has been editor of Journal-isms since 1991. That team needed somebody who was attuned to the importance of diversity and racial issues in news coverage.

Prince stressed that you dont have to be black to be attuned to diversity issues. Its just the people initially selected for the NBC team had backgrounds in other areas, and black journalists who were experienced with diversity in the media had been overlooked.

But one hire hardly makes a dent in the problem that troubles Prince the most.

More than 230,000 newspaper jobs were lost between 2001 and 2016, more than half of the industry's employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The recession and the shift to digital media contributed to significant job losses for everyone, but journalists of color were disproportionately affected.

Between 1997 and 2013, the number of black journalists working at daily newspapers in the country dropped 40 percent, according to the American Society of News Editors. That represented a loss of almost 1,200 black journalists  from 2,946 in 1997 to 1,754 in 2013.

The rate of job losses for white journalists was 34 percent, ASNE said. And in the past 16 years, the ranks of Hispanic and Asian journalists have also declined, losing 13 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

Nevertheless, whites still make up more than 80 percent of the nations newsroom workforce, even though the country is roughly 40 percent people of color.

Among the nations growing cadre of media watchdogs, Prince stands alone with a singular, 24/7 focus on making newsrooms more diverse and improving the coverage of people of color, no matter what.

His interest in the issue dates to the late 60s, soon after his graduation from New York University. Newspapers in urban areas throughout the country were suddenly in need of black reporters to cover riots.

In 1972, four years after joining the Posts local staff, Prince and other black reporters presented executive editor Ben Bradlee with a memo containing 20 questions for him to answer.

Among the questions: Why were there no black assignment editors on the foreign, national, sports, financial and style desks? Why only one black reporter assigned to the national desk?

Not satisfied with Bradlees response, the group filed a racial discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Commission.

The commission found that the reporters had grounds to pursue the case in D.C. federal court but lacked to funds to pay an attorney.

Still, the reporters had made their point.

Over the next few years, more black reporters would be hired  and some even promoted into management. During the Great Recession, however, newspapers were especially hard-hit. After a few rounds of buyouts, layoffs and a hiring freeze, many of those gains were erased.

Prince, who had returned to The Post as a copy editor on the foreign desk, was among those who left.

But not for long. He had more questions.

In May, he wrote an article for Journal-isms headlined, Where Are the Black and Brown Journalists Probing Trump? And he got answers, one from Dean Baquet, executive editor of the New York Times, that illustrate the complexities of race and the media that Prince wrangles with every day.

There are not enough investigative reporters who happen to be African American or Latino, replied Baquet, who is black.

When Prince asked what the Times was doing to increase the pipeline of investigative reporters, Baquet wrote, I should point out three Black editors  me, [national editor] Marc Lacey and [deputy international editor] Greg Winter are deeply involved in Trump Coverage.

Scott Wilson, then-national editor of The Washington Post, also gave an upbeat answer, emailing Prince to say that diversity in the newsroom is well-represented on some of the biggest beats and assignments by African American and Latino reporters.

The Post does fare better on diversity than any of its large competitors.

Sixty-eight percent of the staff is white, while journalists of color make up 31 percent of the staff. At both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, journalists of color make up 18 percent of the staff.

Yet the answers from editors at the nations top two newspapers were thought-provoking, and they would provide more grist for Prince to probe how the media deals with racial issues in the Age of Trump.

There were lots of stories about the oppressed white working class believing Trump had the cure for their economic woes, Prince said.

The black working class sure didnt believe it, but nobody asked them.

To read previous columns, go to washingtonpost.com/milloy.
A judge has ordered Rowena Joyce Scott, a minister who once led the board of the Park Southern Apartments, to return more than $240,000 to the nonprofit that controls the low-income housing complex. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

A former political power broker in Southeast Washington must repay more than $240,000 she improperly diverted from a nonprofit that owned and managed a low-income housing complex, a judge has ruled.

Rowena Joyce Scott, a minister who until recently was property manager for Park Southern Apartments and board president of the Park Southern Neighborhood Corp., must return $242,605 to the organization, D.C. Superior Court Judge John M. Mott ordered this month.

The judgment comes after a civil suit by D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D), whose office alleged that Scott violated Washingtons Nonprofit Corporations Act. In court documents, the attorney general said Scott lived rent-free at Park Southern and paid herself an excessive salary even as the 360-unit building in Ward 8 lapsed into disrepair and fell behind on utility payments and a government loan.

Racine said in a written statement that the judgment was a victory in a city where affordable housing is scarce.

Preserving habitable affordable housing is a top priority for my office, Racine said. The people charged with carrying out a not-for-profit mission to support such housing cannot be allowed to misappropriate funds for their own benefit.

[D.C. housing complexs decline raises questions about management, politics]

Scotts attorney, Johnny Barnes, said Scott is weighing her legal options and that he has urged her to appeal. He said she was not granted a jury trial and that the court made a number of decisions that disadvantaged her.

Mott first ruled in May that Scott violated her obligations under D.C. law to act in the best interests of the nonprofit and held a subsequent bench trial to determine how much she owed the group.

I have encouraged Pastor Scott to appeal for the range of reasons that in my view tilted the scales of justice unfairly towards the government, Barnes said. He declined to discuss those reasons, stating that they would be revealed in a brief if Scott chooses to appeal.

Motts ruling brings closer to its conclusion the long-running saga of Scotts controversial leadership at Park Southern, a hulking apartment building that sits on the Districts southeastern border with Maryland.

Scott, a former chairwoman of the Ward 8 Democrats, was once sought out by D.C. politicians for her influence with the poor and predominantly African American voters east of the Anacostia River. In 2004 she moved into Park Southern and in 2007 was elected board president, court documents state.

[Rev. Joyce Scott draws scrutiny amid problems at Ward 8 housing complex]

In 2014, after years of aligning herself with then-Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), she shifted her allegiance to Muriel E. Bowser (D), then a Ward 4 council member  a defection that infuriated Gray. Bowser went on to win the Democratic primary and general election.

Around the same time, Park Southern residents, city officials and news reports began to disclose the buildings decrepit state  infestations of cockroaches, defective ventilator fans, broken security doors, and cracked, mold-covered walls and ceilings.

The nonprofit managing the building had also fallen into financial disarray, failing to make payments on a $3 million loan from the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development and racking up unpaid utility bills amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Scott lived at the building without paying rent and collected tens of thousands annually for management duties she said she performed, according to court documents.

Scott diverted [the Park Southern Neighborhood Corporations] money into her own pockets and away from its non-profit mission, Mott wrote in May, when he first ruled against Scott. She also presided over the physical deterioration and financial mismanagement of the Park Southern Apartments, failing in her duty to serve as a caretaker for the corporations most valuable asset.

Racine had already secured rulings in the case that allowed for the election of a new board of directors at Park Southern and the buildings sale in January.
Mount Airy Elementary School in Mount Airy, Md., is part of the Carroll County public school system. County school officials have canceled school-relatedtrips to Baltimore, citing escalating violence. (Carroll County schools photo) (Carroll County Public Schools photo)

Carroll County school officials have halted school-related trips to Baltimore  including a marching bands scheduled performance in the Mayors Christmas Parade on Sunday  citing escalating violence in the city, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Schools spokeswoman Carey Gaddis said the order is based on a recommendation from the county Sheriffs Office and will stay in place until the beginning of the next semester in late January, when it will be revisited.

She said the order was sent to school principals last week.

Sheriff James T. DeWees recommended the measure during a meeting with school system officials in response to parent concerns regarding the safety of students during field trips to venues in Baltimore City, according to a statement from the sheriffs office. The move is intended to limit the risk to students and staff.

In light of recent violence in the traditional tourist areas of the city, the sheriff agrees that the best course of action is to temporarily suspend travel to Baltimore City venues, spokesman Cpl. Jonathan Light wrote in the statement.

This month the citys homicide count surpassed 300 for the third year in a row. Residents in some neighborhoods have complained of more assaults and robberies in recent months.

Mayor Catherine E. Pugh recently called crime in the city out of control and ordered 30 agency heads to attend daily meetings at the Police Department.

Nevertheless, the mayor is disappointed by the Carroll County Public Schools decision and hopes they will reconsider, spokesman Anthony McCarthy said in a statement.

The events and sights the students were set to participate in and visit are unique and represent positive experiences for these young people, he said.

Field trips are still being considered on a case-by-case basis, Gaddis said, but the policy has caused at least two forthcoming trips to be canceled: a planned field trip Friday to the Maryland Science Center by third-grade students from Westminster Elementary School, and Francis Scott Key High Schools band appearance in the Christmas parade in Hampden.

Both schools cited the countys new policy as the reason for the cancellations.

Due to escalating violence reported in Baltimore City, and consultation with law enforcement and Maryland Center for School Safety, we will not be sending any students on field trips to Baltimore City at this time, said an email sent to Westminster parents and guardians Nov. 22.

Gaddis said the school system is most concerned about field trips in which students are allowed time and freedom to roam.

When theyre not contained but theyre walking around an area, walking around the city . . . we dont have as much control, she said. The Sheriffs Office does not send a deputy along with students on field trips, she said.

School officials said the decision followed an email DeWees, Superintendent Stephen Guthrie and members of the Board of Education received from a Hampstead Elementary School parent.

The parent said a school class was visiting the Maryland Science Center on a field trip Nov. 3, at the same time police were taking a 15-year-old into custody at nearby Rash Field with a replica gun.

DeWees responded to the email, expressing great concern about school trips to the city.

I have three children in [Carroll County Public Schools] and will not allow them in Baltimore City without me present, the sheriff wrote.

Kirby Fowler, president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, acknowledged recent crime but called the school systems decision to call off field trips frustrating.

There are 300,000 people in downtown every day, and sometimes disagreements occur or someone takes advantage of someone else, Fowler said. There are few, if any, incidents I know of violence affecting school trips in the city.  Thousands of families in the city are taking their children to school, church and attractions, and will continue to do so.

In 2015, following the rioting after the death of Freddie Gray, several school systems around the region, including Carroll, temporarily canceled field trips to Baltimore.

School officials in Anne Arundel, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard and Baltimore counties said they have no plans to cancel field trips now.

Gaddis said Carroll County officials could not recall any previous incidents on field trips to the city. Board of Education President Devon Rothschild said she found the recommendation confusing because no incident of violence was cited but as a board, we obviously cannot ignore the recommendation of the sheriff.

Other Carroll County schools have sent bands to perform in the mayors Christmas parade in past years, but this would have been the first for Francis Scott Key High School in Union Bridge.

Thomas Kerr, chairman of the annual holiday parade, said he was notified of the decision by the schools band director.

I was really taken aback by it, Kerr said. It was a great band. We had a sponsor for them and everything.

School bands from Baltimore County and Baltimore City, and from Philadelphia and Virginia, are scheduled to perform.

Kerr does not expect other school cancellations.

The parade is in its 45th year and is expected to include at least 115 balloons, floats, bands and groups of marchers, making it one of the areas largest holiday parades. Though named for the mayor, the parade is funded through donations and private fundraising, including sponsorships of floats and bands, Kerr said.

He said he was disheartened crime in the city was discouraging people from coming to a fun and positive event for the city.

Where does it end? he asked. Were trying to get something good in the city and thats what we do  we get real good crowds, people come from all over the city.

Joanie Mayle, president of the Francis Scott Key Instrumental Music Boosters, said the group supports the move to suspend field trips to the city.

As a parent and volunteer, I appreciate that our childrens safety is and continues to be the highest priority at CCPS, Mayle wrote.

Delegate Brooke Lierman, a Baltimore Democrat who lives downtown, called the notion the city is unsafe for visitors misguided and disappointing.

While we are experiencing an uptick in crime, theres no denying that, it is still a safe place to visit and walk around and explore our cultural sites, she said. I love living in downtown Baltimore and want and hope students from around the state can come visit the great neighborhoods and institutions we have in the city.

Andy Smith, the Hampstead parent who sent the email to the sheriff and school officials, said he is satisfied with the school systems decision.

This is one of those things where being overly cautious is probably the best policy, rather than waiting for something to happen that you cant undo, Smith said.

Gaddis said any parents who have concerns about the canceled trips should call their school principal. Were trying to keep in mind the safety of our students, she said. Thats something we have to pay attention to.

Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter Catalina Righter and Baltimore Sun reporters Sarah Gantz and Talia Richman contributed to this article.

Baltimore Sun

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Several hundred students at Laytonsville Elementary School in the Maryland suburbs were evacuated Tuesday after a gas leak was discovered outside the building, officials said. No one was injured.

About 11:45 a.m., students were ushered from classrooms and other areas to a field behind the Gaithersburg school, said Derek Turner, spokesman for Montgomery County public schools. Buses later transported the students to Rosa Parks Middle School, where they had lunch and remained the rest of the school day, he said.

Classes are expected to be held Wednesday at Laytonsville, Turner said. The school has an enrollment of about 380 students.

A spokesman for Washington Gas said the leak was caused by construction workers hitting the gas line. Gas company crews planned to remain on site Tuesday night until repairs are completed, said Bernie Tylor, the gas company spokesman, in an email.
Maryland's top legislative leaders are backing a proposal to expand the state's automatic-weapons ban in 2018 by prohibiting the sale of bump stocks, a device used to accelerate the firing of semiautomatic weapons, including during last month's Las Vegas mass shooting.

Legislative aides for Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) said Wednesday that the lawmakers would support prohibiting sales of such mechanisms, a development first reported by the Baltimore Sun.

There is no reason that bump stocks should exist, Busch said. Think of the number of people who could have been saved in Las Vegas if there wasnt a bump stock.

Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and Del. David Moon (D-Montgomery) have promised to introduce a bill next year to ban such devices, and Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said during a news conference Tuesday that it is worth discussing doing something about bump stocks.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a Maryland law that bans the sale of semiautomatic guns with certain military-style features. The law had been upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

Amy Hunter, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association in Maryland, said the organization thinks that bump stocks and similar devices should be subject to additional regulations. She did not respond to a request for comment on prohibiting sales of such items.

Jen Pauliukonis, the lead legislative advocate with Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, said she is excited to have leaders in Maryland that take gun violence seriously and work toward policies that will make the public safer.

She said her organization is anxious to see whether Hogan will move from a willingness to talk about bump-stock measures to backing a ban on such devices.

Theres still an extra step, and hopefully he takes it, she said.

If the legislature, which has large Democratic majorities in both chambers, passes a ban, Hogans stance on the issue could become a factor in his bid for a second term in 2018.

Maryland has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, including a 2013 law that bars the sale of nearly all semiautomatic rifles and ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 bullets.

The proposal from Moon and Ferguson would not prohibit possession of existing bump stocks or the inheritance of such items if they have already been purchased legally. Moon said banning bump stocks and other devices that make semiautomatic rifles function more like fully automatic weapons would be a common-sense response to uphold the spirit of existing laws in Maryland.

In the Las Vegas shooting, which killed at least 59 people and wounded hundreds more, the perpetrator fitted at least a dozen guns with bump stocks, firing them at concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.


Nicholas Young, right, with his father at his graduation from the police academy. Young, who worked for the Metro Transit Police Department, is the only U.S. police officer to ever face terrorism charges. (Family photo)

Nicholas Young is sure a jury will agree hes no radical Islamic terrorist.

First he might have to convince jurors hes not a neo-Nazi.

I cant wait to go to trial, Young said in a phone interview from a Virginia jail. Frankly, my case isnt like any other terrorism-related case that anyones ever brought forward.

Hes right. Young is the only U.S. police officer to ever face terrorism charges  a case brought after he was under FBI surveillance during six of the 13 years he patrolled the D.C. Metro system.

The 36-year-old Alexandria native is also a Muslim convert who used to dress up as a Nazi officer in reenactments, according to court documents, and kept a prayer list that included Saddam Hussein and Adolf Hitler. And hes a Ron Paul supporter who used his vacation time to fight in a civil war on the other side of the world.

At a trial set for this week in Alexandria, federal prosecutors plan to pursue a novel argument. They will paint Young as a violent-minded believer in an alliance between Islamist and white supremacist terrorism at a time when both are sowing fear across the country.



An image of Young from a Nazi reenactment that was seized during a search of his home last year and filed in Alexandria federal court. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia)

Its a unique case; its a unique defendant, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg said in court last month. The defendant was an adherent of both . . . The common enemy is hatred of the Jews.

[Police officer for D.C. subway system accused of trying to help ISIS]

Young says his historical enthusiasms and dark sense of humor have been distorted to wrongly portray him as a man with long-standing terroristic proclivities. His only crime, he contends, was trying to help a friend who turned out to be an FBI informant. His defense team argues he was entrapped.

Theyre really grasping at straws here, trying to take everything I said out of context and take it in the most sinister light, Young said. During an hours-long interview from the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Va., this summer, he discussed his interest in military history, his relationship with the FBI and his two trips to join rebel groups battling Moammar Gaddafi in Libya.

The alleged crime for which he was arrested in the summer of 2016 was nonviolent; he is accused of lying to the FBI about someone he thought had joined the Islamic State and sending that person $245 in mobile messaging cards. There was no threat to the Metro transit system, officials emphasized at the time.

But Youngs words and interests, some of which a judge has ruled could be used against him at trial, were incendiary. He honored a pre-Nazi far-right German group on his license plate, tattooed the logo of an SS unit on his arm and used Hitlers birthday as an online password. Authorities say he joked with informants about wanting a female slave, smuggling weapons into federal court, and torturing and killing FBI agents.

On the FBIs radar

Young was first contacted by the FBI in 2010 as authorities were investigating an acquaintance he knew through college and a local mosque. Court papers say Young told agents he was shocked by the allegations against Zachary Chesser , who was ultimately convicted of trying to join an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group and threatening the creators of "South Park." (Chesser, the defense says, later indicated he remembered Young as a conservative police officer "not interested in jihad.")

In the years that followed, Young never left the FBI's radar. He said alarming things to an undercover officer, according to court papers, including vowing that anyone who betrayed him would end up at the bottom of a lake and bragging about his stockpile of weapons. The officer introduced him to Amine El Khalifi, who would later be convicted of plotting to bomb the Capitol.

While Youngs violent comments kept him under scrutiny, for years his behavior never crossed a criminal line. Friends and family say he is no extremist or racist, just unusual. They point out that he had friends and girlfriends of various races and religions.



Young with his sister Ashley Young, is shown in this undated photo. (Family photo)

My brother doesnt have an aggressive bone in his body, said his sister, Ashley Young. He talks about violence only in a cartoonish, Quentin Tarantino-esque way, she said. He loves fantasy and anime.

You would have to know him to know that, she said. If you put it in print, it looks different. . . . The only thing extreme about my brother is his video-game playing.

[I make friends easily: How Nicholas Young allegedly supported the Islamic State]

The two had a happy and unremarkable childhood in the D.C. suburbs, raised by divorced parents who stayed on good terms. Nicholas Young considered joining the Army out of high school but did not want to upset his father, a teacher. So he enrolled at George Mason University and joined ROTC, where he learned following military orders was not for him.

Attention issues kept him from earning a degree. Though he was interested in getting a job with Fairfax police or the FBI, Young ended up leaving college to work in security. In 2003, he became a Metro Transit Police Department officer.

Young told his family about his new career by leaving invitations on their doorsteps to his academy graduation.

Hes very stubborn and independent, except if hes in a relationship  then its whatever the girl hes with wants, Ashley Young said.

Raised Catholic, Young said he began studying Islam in college and decided to convert in 2006, the year his father died. He didn't like how Catholic doctrine would change, he said, and came to see Islam as a more constant faith.

Religion shouldnt evolve unless new prophets come around, he said.

As a transit officer, Young said he never used his gun, baton or pepper spray. In 2006, he earned a commendation from the D.C. U.S. Attorneys Office for apprehending  without using a weapon  a robber who had a large knife.

But he said he was once or twice reprimanded for not issuing enough tickets to turnstile-jumpers.

I was a little soft on things, he said. The person doing that doesnt have the money to pay; Im not really doing them any favors by giving them a $6 ticket.

Fellow officers said Young was considered strange because of his penchant to prattle on about history and his passive approach to the job.

Nick wasnt just your average police officer, former station manager Henry Marrow said. He didnt like to push people over. . . . He didnt believe that people should be arrested for minor stuff.

But Facebook rants about the government and his known history as a Nazi reenactor also made many fellow Metro police officers wary, as did the long beard Young began to grow. Around 2008, officials there took their concerns to the FBI, although the agency did not begin investigating Young for another two years.

If Young was concerned about his co-workers opinions, he didnt show it. In 2011, he openly used his paid leave to help topple the Libyan government. By his telling, his first trip to the war-torn country was a decision born of impulse and a canceled vacation.

Young said he had made plans to go to a death metal concert in Japan, but the Fukushima nuclear disaster scared him off. With vacation time saved up, he needed something else to do.

Young had been following news of the unfolding civil war in Libya. Moved by the struggle of people there and excited by the idea of a revolution, he decided to join rebel groups. Later that year, he went a second time.

During my entire time there, I never shot at anyone because I didnt need to; everyone shooting at me was too far away, he said.

He disputes that the men he fought with were extremists, though court papers say that in a text message later on he asked about members of an Islamist militia.



An image of Young seized during a search of his home last year and filed in Alexandria federal court. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia)

Nothing was transmitted to me about sharia law or any other kind of political ambitions, he said. His comrades in arms, he added, wanted help from the American government, as well as Michael Jackson cassettes and Los Angeles Lakers paraphernalia  they were just normal guys.

A co-worker warned Young that the FBI was looking into his travel, and he quickly returned home.

A sympathetic figure

When Young arrived back in the United States, he was met at the airport by two FBI agents.

Authorities debated whether they could arrest him then, court documents show, but the Justice Department ultimately declined. Instead, the agents suggested he become an undercover informant.

They were very fake-friendly, Young said, offering financial and professional help.

He turned them down.

I would have just been going after people, looking for their weaknesses, so they could tailor something to infiltrate their life, Young recalled.

Now he says the same thing happened to him, with informants repeatedly coming his way. In 2014, a shy 20-something named Mohammad stuck.

They very cleverly created this character of a sympathetic figure, Young said. When he was talking about going overseas, the reason was to fight [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad. . . . It was totally humanitarian. . . . Hes killing women and children, hes killing civilians, people are being buried alive. And at no time did he show himself to be particularly religious.

A friend who asked not to be named to keep his family out of the public eye said he also met the informant. You couldnt read the kid; he was very awkward, very weird  a putz, the friend said. He pulled at Nicks heartstrings . . . I told Nick, I think this guy is an informant. And Nick laughed.

The friend said he believes that to get Young to send the gift cards, Mohammad told him some sob story about needing to reach his family.

According to the criminal complaint, however, the undercover operative made clear that the cards would be used to help Islamic State supporters join the terrorist group. Young would not comment on the details of the gift-card allegation.

[The Islamic States suspected inroads into America]

Authorities in court papers say Mohammad exposed Youngs radical inclinations, not his tenderheartedness. In recorded conversations, Young expressed disdain for mosques that preach jihad of the pen and argued that terrorist attacks were understandable reactions to Western aggression.



An image of Young's tattoo of an SS unit logo. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia)

At no time did I ever praise the attacks, Young maintained, nor ever encourage any attacks against civilians. He once called the Islamic State a gang of criminals, according to defense filings, and repeatedly told informants he would not break the law.

To make a case that he was entrapped by the FBI, Young will have to show he was not predisposed to support terrorism before he was first contacted by agents in 2010. Thats why the Nazi evidence, which predates his known interest in radical Islam, is important to the governments case.

Young said much of the offensive material found in his home and on his computer was from a college class on European racism. And that, along with Nazi knives and pins, his collection included a Vietnam-era British flak vest, a Scottish breaksword, a Japanese samurai sword, Russian navy medals and a medieval coat of arms.

The World War II reenactments in which he dressed up as an SS officer were just good fun, he said. Its dead politics  it was a political movement that took place 60, 70 years ago.

But Young is unabashedly anti-Israel, agreeing with former congressman Ron Paul that American support for the country has only caused more problems in the Middle East. Evidence shows he used an Israeli flag as a doormat and drove with a bumper sticker reading Boycott the terrorist state of Israel.

Nicholas Smith, a defense attorney for Young, said in court last month that the government was smearing his client in a way that defied common sense. Smith added, White supremacism and militant Islam are mutually inconsistent.

Kromberg disagreed, pointing to Youngs own apparent interest in the historical connections between Hitler and Muslim leaders. One witness, Kromberg said in court, will testify that after going to a fascist rally in 2000, Young opined, Dont discount the idea of an alliance with the Muslims to combat the Jews. 

Young went to that rally, held by the far-right British National Party, as part of his George Mason class, he says. He earned an A- in History 387  Myth of a Master Race.

Young, whose trial is set to begin Tuesday on charges of attempted material support for terrorism and obstruction of justice, is confident that such explanations will show he is neither a neo-Nazi nor a Islamist militant.

Ive been rotting away here in jail, he said. Im ready to restart my life.
The conviction Tuesday of Libyan militia leader Ahmed Abu Khattala on terrorism charges  but not murder  in the 2012 Benghazi attacks would not weaken efforts to try a second defendant in Washington or the potential prosecution of future suspects, current and former FBI and Justice Department officials said.

Carlos T. Fernandez, a former senior FBI counterterrorism official whose New York City-based agents investigated the attacks in which four Americans were killed, said the potentially lengthy prison sentence facing Abu Khattala, the only person prosecuted to date in the attacks, marked a victory for investigators and prosecutors.

Tremendous creative work was done by the FBI and prosecutors with the U.S. attorneys office of the District to get these charges, in an environment where no one was willing to take any risk, Fernandez said. This certainly isnt going to stop any of their efforts.

I feel confident they will continue pursuing each and every lead for as long as they possibly can, he said, adding that investigators and prosecutors are limited only by the ability of their leaders in terms of getting the job done.

At least eight of Abu Khattalas militia members were caught on U.S. surveillance video at the two attack scenes  a U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex  according to evidence shown at the trial in Washington. Abu Khattala himself identified three dozen individuals to FBI interrogators, the court heard in testimony. At the time that U.S. commandos captured him in Libya in 2014, U.S. officials said more than a dozen others had been charged in a sealed complaint.

[Accused Benghazi ringleader convicted on terrorism charges in 2012 attacks that killed U.S. ambassador]

Fernandezs comments came as Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente said after Tuesdays verdict in Washington that the Justice Department will not rest in its pursuit of others involved in the attacks that took place overnight Sept. 11 to Sept. 12, 2012. Scores of militants overran and set fire to the U.S. diplomatic mission and fired mortars at the nearby CIA facility, killing U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and fellow Americans Sean Smith, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty.

The White House set a tone similar to Boentes when it approved federal prosecution of a second Libyan suspect, Mustafa al-Imam, whose capture President Trump announced Oct. 29 had been carried out on my orders. The president added: Our memory is deep and our reach is long, and we will not rest in our efforts to find and bring the perpetrators of the heinous attacks in Benghazi to justice.

Imam has pleaded not guilty.

The Trump administrations high-level endorsement of a second civilian trial and the hunt for suspects comes amid a seeming shift in Congress since the 2010 federal trial of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani. The former Guantanamo Bay detainee was acquitted of all but one count of conspiracy in the deaths of hundreds of people in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Ghailani was imprisoned for life, but senior Republican lawmakers called for the abandonment of civilian trials for foreign terrorism suspects.

By comparison, several past congressional supporters of trial by military commissions declined to comment on the Imam case and the Abu Khattala verdict. That group of lawmakers includes Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), chairman and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, respectively, and Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee.



A courtroom sketch from Oct. 2, 2017, shows Ahmed Abu Khattala listening to an interpreter through earphones at his trial in federal court in Washington. (Dana Verkouteren/AP)

A District jury deliberated for five days before finding Abu Khattala, 46, guilty of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorism, malicious destruction of the U.S. special diplomatic mission in Benghazi and a firearms violation, but acquitted him of several murder and attempted-murder counts and of attacking the CIA annex.

Abu Khattala, who led an extremist-Islamist brigade, faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison at sentencing early next year before U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper of Washington.

[Thirteen days in the history of the accused leader of the Benghazi attacks]

One reason the acquittals in the Abu Khattala case may not have been seized on by critics of civilian prosecution of terrorism suspects is that Abu Khattala will still almost certainly face an exceptionally long sentence, and because of the lack of a realistic alternative, said Robert Chesney, a University of Texas law professor who specializes in national security.

Military commissions have a worse track record, he said, noting new problems just this month in a Guantanamo Bay case involving detainee Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who is accused of masterminding the deadly bombing of the USS Cole in a Yemeni harbor in 2000.

It also is far from clear, Chesney added, that the government can show that Benghazi suspects are eligible for detention at Guantanamo Bay by virtue of being enemy combatants or members of groups with which the United States is at war, such as al-Qaeda.

[U.S. judge upholds ship-based interrogation of Benghazi terror suspect seized overseas]

Still, the Abu Khattala verdict did not satisfy some of those most affected by the attacks, including CIA security contractors who defended the U.S. facilities, some of whom have called the trial a political show.

One CIA security operator injured in the attack, Mark Geist, tweeted Tuesday that it was "an honor" to testify at the trial and as what he called a voice for fallen comrades Woods and Doherty.

"As for Abu Khatala he thinks he will be Martyred. He will have to enter a greater court, give an account to a greater judge and no doubt will receive a greater sentence," Geist said in his tweet.

Alice Hunt Friend, who was a Pentagon official working Africa security policy from 2009 to 2014, said it is important to distinguish between the goals of trials and the objectives of ongoing, real-time intelligence and military counterterrorism efforts in Libya and the wider region.

"What these kinds of trials allow the U.S. government to do is hold individuals accountable for illegal acts. . . . That is separate from military operational goals," Friend said. "The focus of the United States in Libya today is more about Islamic State," she said, than about the shifting assortment of Abu Khattala's and other Islamist militant groups in the country five years ago.
The Archdiocese of Washington is suing Metro after the transit agency rejected an ad for the organizations annual Find the Perfect Gift charitable campaign, which features a biblical Christmas scene.

In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, attorneys for the archdiocese argue that Metro's ban on subway and bus ads that "promote . . . any religion, religious practice or belief" has infringed on the organization's First Amendment rights.

The rejected ad conveys a simple message of hope and an invitation to participate in the Christmas season, archdiocese spokesman Ed McFadden said.

The banner ads, designed to be placed on Metrobus exteriors, are relatively minimalist in their design. The display highlights the phrases Find the Perfect Gift and #PerfectGift, and includes a link to the campaigns website, which encourages people to attend Mass or donate to a Catholic charitable groups. The words of the ad are overlaid on a tableau of a starry sky; in the corner are three figures bearing shepherds rods, along with two sheep.

In the lawsuit, the archdiocese argues that the ad posters contain no explicit references to religion, religious practice, or belief. McFadden noted that Metros policies allow much more latitude for Christmas-themed ads that are commissioned by commercial entities seeking to get people to buy their products.

If Christmas comes from a store . . . then it seems [the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority] approves, McFadden said. But if Christmas means a little bit more, WMATA plays Grinch.

The archdiocese is asking a judge to declare that Metros ban on religious ads infringes on the Catholic organizations freedom of speech and religion, and it wants the court to force Metro to accept the ad within the next week.

[From anti-Reagan art to Milo Yiannopoulos: 35 years of controversial ads on Metro]

Metro does not comment on pending litigation, but spokesman Dan Stessel said the archdiocese is free to submit another advertisement free of religious imagery.

Metro is not in a position to provide design guidance; however, if another version is submitted, it will be considered, Stessel said.

The dispute is the latest legal fight prompted by the transit agencys aggressive enforcement of stringent guidelines, adopted in 2015, governing what can be advertised on trains, buses and inside stations.

In the past year, Metro has been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union, an abortion provider, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, controversial author Milo Yiannopoulos and an Egyptian human rights advocate  all because their respective ads were rejected under the 2015 policy.

[August 2017: ACLU sues Metro over rejection of controversial ads, citing First Amendment]

The sweeping clampdown on any ads that could be considered politically or socially charged is a significant shift for the transit agency. For years, the agencys policy was relatively lax. Since the 1980s, the transit systems stations, trains and buses have played host to ads that mocked President Ronald Reagan, criticized the Catholic Church, claimed that abortions resulted in breast cancer and promoted the legalization of marijuana.

Then, starting in 2012, Metro did an about-face. Transit agency officials rejected several ads that featured images considered intentionally incendiary and offensive to Muslims. Officials feared that posting the ads would spark violence or terrorism. (That fear wasn't without basis. When the same images were displayed at a 2015 event in Texas, the venue was attacked by two gunmen.)

A legal back-and-forth ensued, and in 2015, the Metro board instituted broad changes to the agencys advertising policy. It banned issues-oriented advertising, as well as anything related to religion or politics, as part of an effort to avoid legal wrangling altogether.

[May 2015: Metro says no to issue-oriented ads]

In recent months, Metro officials have defended the stance with a simple argument: Theyre merely enforcing the policies that were approved by the board two years ago. If people want a different policy, they say, they need to go to the Metro board.

Chairman Jack Evans said Tuesday that the policy serves its purpose of protecting the system while still allowing free speech.

I dont have any interest in revisiting the policy, he said.

But in the lawsuit, attorneys for the archdiocese argue that Metro enforces the policy haphazardly, allowing, for example, ads by the Salvation Army, a Protestant charitable group. Metro also has recently approved posters that promote yoga and espouse the practices benefits as a means to an inner journey of self-discovery and acknowledgment of one soul to another, the archdiocese said.

They also note that they successfully advertised with Metro in the past, commissioning posters in the system in spring 2015  months before the new policy was implemented  that highlight[ed] the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the liturgical season of Lent.

The ad submitted to Metro for the most recent campaign was far less explicitly religious than a similar promotional display that will appear on bus shelters around the region that are not owned by Metro. Those ads quote the Gospel of Luke, telling passersby: Behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy.

Metro's rejection of the Christmas-themed ad comes as officials are scrutinizing other parts of the agency's advertising policy as part of an effort to raise cash to help fund operations. Board members have offered tepid support for a proposal to sell station naming rights for multimillion-dollar fees, although there has been no official action.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that the report on Metro he commissioned from former U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood will be officially released Tuesday.

The Washington Post obtained and published the study this month, but the formal rollout will include supporting documents explaining why LaHood believes his proposal to replace the Metro board with a smaller reform board is legally possible without amending the Metro Compact. The compact spells out how the agency is governed and financed.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) supports the reform board in principle but has said it would require amending the compact, a lengthy and burdensome process. McAuliffe (D) and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) agree with LaHood that the board structure could be changed without reopening the compact.

The reports official release also is expected to prompt the Transportation Department to provide its first public comment on the proposal.

LaHood concluded that Metro needs an additional $500 million a year in dedicated funding, but he did not address the politically charged question of what kind of tax or other mechanism should be used to provide it.

[LaHood report on Metro urges dedicated funding, bus fare hike, trim in pension costs.]

He also proposed that all 16 members of the Metro board resign, to be replaced temporarily by a five-member board that would aggressively pursue an overhaul.

So far the LaHood plan has drawn a mixed response, with the Hogan administration offering strong objections. Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn told The Post this week that he needed to see a more detailed, bottom-up analysis of Metros finances before he would agree that the transit agency needs as much additional money as LaHood and Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld have requested.

By contrast, McAuliffe strongly supports the proposal.

Appearing Wednesday on WTOPs Ask the Governor, McAuliffe reaffirmed that the state budget he will propose in December will include dedicated funding to raise Virginias share of the additional $500 million sought by Metro.

Its in my budget, McAuliffe said. Virginia is taking care of its responsibility. . . . Its going to be contingent on a reform board, and its going to be contingent on the other jurisdictions coming up with their share of the money.

Bowser supports the reform board, but only on the condition that its linked to a long-term, dedicated funding. Hogan has declined to make that commitment, proposing instead a four-year, $2 billion injection of additional money.

[Maryland transportation secretary raises new objections to LaHood plan for Metro.]

McAuliffe said he hopes Hogan and Bowser will attend the release event at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Hall of States in the District.

There have been differing accounts about why the reports release has been delayed. The McAuliffe administration said LaHood has been free to release it at his discretion. McAuliffe said he expected it to be released while he was away on a trade mission in Europe starting Nov. 8.

But LaHood said from the beginning that he wanted the report to be released at a press event, presumably with McAuliffe present. He said there was a delay while his staff and McAuliffes were trying to agree on how to release it.

In addition, LaHood said he wanted to have final meetings with Hogan, Bowser and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to review the report and test the temperature.

He has met with Chao and DOT Deputy Secretary Jeffrey A. Rosen, and had a half-hour phone conversation with Bowser and her staff. He has requested a meeting or phone conversation with Hogan, but none has been scheduled.

He and Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne declined to say how much LaHood is expected to be paid for the report, which was commissioned in March.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, left, Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, center, and University of Maryland President Wallace Loh are among the signers of an agreement on Nov. 28 to preserve affordable housing, create jobs and protect businesses along the 16-mile Purple Line corridor. (Katherine Shaver/The Washington Post)

Government, business and community leaders from Montgomery and Prince Georges counties agreed Tuesday to preserve affordable housing and create jobs along the Purple Line corridor where construction is expected to drive up land values around its 21 stations.

The agreement, thought to be the second of its kind in the country, isnt legally binding. But signatories called it a public commitment to help those who live and work in the 16-mile light-rail corridor stay and benefit from the states $5.6 billion transit investment.

There are billions of dollars that will be invested to build this shiny new transit system, and thats good . . .The question is, whos going to be along the corridor in five years, 10 years, 15 years when its built? said David Bowers of the nonprofit group Enterprise Community Partners.

Without governments, foundations and developers working to maintain affordable housing, Bowers said, residents will be displaced.

We know its happening, Bowers said. You can go 15 minutes down the road to the nations capital and go neighborhood by neighborhood.

[Suburbs seeking transit look for ways to keep residents from being priced out]

Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) said he has heard from residents, particularly in the heavily Latino Langley Park area, who welcome the Purple Line but are concerned about being priced out.

This agreement says, We hear you,  Baker said. Were looking at ways . . . to give them every opportunity they want to stay there.

Purple Line supporters have long touted the light-rail project, which started construction in August, as a way to rejuvenate aging suburbs between Bethesda and New Carrollton, in addition to providing faster, more reliable public transportation. It was no coincidence that the signing occurred before nearly 200 people amid the scent of new carpet at The Hotel at the University of Maryland, upscale lodgings that opened two months ago on Route 1 in College Park, near the site of a future Purple Line station.

But even Purple Line supporters say they are well aware that the new hotels, restaurants, shops and homes that the Purple Line will attract could push aside lower-income residents who most need it to reach jobs and schools.

Officials said it took three years to work out the agreement reached by members of the Purple Line Corridor Coalition, a group formed by the University of Marylands National Center For Smart Growth. It includes community officials, nonprofit groups and businesses along the route.

Gerrit Knaap, executive director of the National Center for Smart Growth, said the discussions grew out of concerns voiced by CASA, an immigrant rights organization in Langley Park.

[Report: Purple Line threatens affordable housing in Langley Park]

Knaap said the coalition modeled the pact on one in the Seattle area.

You can feel the energy here, Knaap said after the signing. People are here with the right frame of mind and the tools to really pull this off.

The agreement doesnt prescribe how the suburbs will accomplish the four goals: supporting and growing local businesses, creating jobs, maintaining lower-income and workforce housing, and supporting vibrant, sustainable communities.

All of them, Knaap said, will require cooperation among governments, the private sector, nonprofit organizations and community groups.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) said he wished the county had had a similar commitment in place to protect small businesses as downtown Silver Spring was redeveloped.

With the Purple Line coming, Leggett said, Were trying to get out in front of those bumps and challenges.

[For low-income communities, the Purple Line is an opportunity and a threat]

The Purple Line, which is estimated to cost $2.4 billion to build, is scheduled to open in 2022. It is being built as part of a 36-year public-private partnership valued at $5.6 billion. A lawsuit opposing the project's ridership projections is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Knaap said the smart-growth center will continue to analyze rents, home sales, wages, unemployment and other economic indicators annually as the Purple Line is built and after it opens.

Our goals is to hold us all accountable, Knaap said. If its not moving in the right direction, well change course.
Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), who is emerging as a leader in Congress on the issue of sexual harassment, talks about the issue Tuesday in her office in Washington. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Wherever Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) goes these days, shes stopped by women who thank her for speaking out about sexual harassment on Capitol Hill.

The two-term congresswoman from Northern Virginia sits on the House committee charged with reforming a system that made it possible for members to settle complaints anonymously and with taxpayer dollars.

But she drew national attention two weeks ago during a committee hearing when she recounted a story she had heard about a young Hill staffer who abruptly quit after a congressman exposed himself.

I do think this is a watershed moment, she said in an interview Tuesday in her Capitol office. What happened in Hollywood, what happened in media, in other industries sort of broke it all open that it didnt matter where you came down politically, that a predator is a predator.

[Congressional leaders face pressure to act on harassment]

Comstock, who has been making the rounds of the Sunday talk shows, is working across party lines to co-sponsor a resolution with Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) that would require members and staff to complete mandatory anti-harassment training. The full House is expected to vote on the resolution Wednesday.

Comstock and Speier have called the resolution a first step toward amending the process victims use to report harassment. They want to overhaul the complaint process laid out in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, which will be the subject of a Dec. 7 hearing in the Committee on House Administration.

The current system has allowed sexual harassment to continue without consequences for the perpetrators, Speier said.

Speier introduced the Me Too Congress Act, or the Member and Employee Training and Oversight On Congress Act, to allow complaints to be made anonymously and prohibit nondisclosure agreements as a condition of initiating a complaint.

It would also take final approval of settlements out of the hands of committee leaders, who currently must sign off on these agreements.

This is a cultural revolution, Speier said in a phone interview.

The issue comes as Comstock faces a tough reelection in 2018 and is working to cement a brand distinct from President Trump, who polls show is unpopular with the suburban female voters who are a significant voting bloc in her Northern Virginia district.

[With blue wave in Virginia, Comstocks road to reelection just got tougher]

Although Democrats have criticized her for not denouncing more of Trumps actions, Comstock was among the first lawmakers to call for then-candidate Trump to drop out in October 2016 after he was heard in the Access Hollywood video bragging about groping women. Since then, a tidal wave of stories about sexual abuse and harassment has washed through the media, Hollywood and Capitol Hill, implicating a variety of powerful men from television host Charlie Rose and journalist Mark Halperin to Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Kevin Spacey.

Congress is grappling with what to do if Roy Moore, the Senate candidate accused of initiating sexual contact with teenagers as young as 14, wins an Alabama special election next month.

[Comstock: Moore should not serve in the Senate]

Former staffers of Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) have accused him of unwanted sexual advances, and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has apologized after a woman alleged that he groped her during a 2006 United Service Organizations tour.

For all these reasons, Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.), who also sits on the House Administration Committee and is co-sponsoring the Speier-Comstock resolution, likened the moment to a radical culture shift.

It should just be an unthinkable thing, he said.

Asked about Conyers, the longest-serving member of Congress, Raskin said the age of looking the other way is over.

That is going to be a very painful process for people who are used to the old norms, he said in a phone interview. Some peoples careers are going to end in a much different way that they had perhaps expected.

Comstock said she and former Democratic congresswoman Donna F. Edwards of Maryland commiserated about the everyday sexism and particular challenges of being the only women in their states House delegations. Comstock said her colleagues in the regional delegation treat her differently than her male predecessors, something she attributes to subtle sexism.

Yet Comstock, a former congressional intern, staffer and counsel before becoming a member herself in 2015, said she was shocked to read media reports about years of abuse that Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes, who died this year, perpetrated against women she knew, Laurie Luhn and Kellie Boyle.

Stories of sexual harassment on Capitol Hill are particularly disheartening for the congresswoman who started a summer program to mentor young women in her district.

You come in, youre excited, youve been in the top of your class, and youre idealistic and youve worked and volunteered, and now youre here to work for your congressman, whos an icon, Comstock said. And youre told when you go home, Well, everyone knows any young woman in that office is there because youre sleeping with him. 

Before the hearing earlier this month, Comstock called Dorena Bertussi, who filed the first successful harassment complaint in 1988.

She just was really strong and inspiring to talk to in real life, she said. Wow, 30 years ago, that would be hard to have stood up and done all that and faced that.

Comstock said she hopes to be able to represent women who have faced abuse but dont yet feel comfortable coming forward.

For the people who cant fight back, I feel I can, she said. For the person whos afraid to say it, I can be their voice.
Workers are erecting bleachers and the reviewing stand in preparation for the January inauguration of Virginia Gov.-elect Ralph Northam at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. (Steve Helber/AP)

RICHMOND - Gov.-elect Ralph Northam on Tuesday appointed Carlos Hopkins to stay on as Virginias Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs.

Hopkins has been serving in that role since Sept. 1. He was appointed by outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe to fill out the term of retired Adm. John Harvey Jr., who left the administration to take a position with the federal Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria.

Hopkins, who serves in the Virginia Army National Guard, had been McAuliffes Counsel to the Governor and before that was Richmonds deputy city attorney.

He is a graduate of the Citadel - a fact that Northam, as a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, made sure to note in making the announcement. We have to realize, dont we, that not everybody can get into VMI, Northam joked to the department staff.

Northam is building a cabinet that so far is heavy on names from the current administration. He is keeping Suzette Dinslow in her job as deputy chief of staff, and named current transportation secretary Aubrey Layne to the position of Secretary of Finance, replacing the long-serving Ric Brown, who is retiring.

Northam, who has spent the past four years as lieutenant governor, tapped his own chief of staff - Clark Mercer - to play the same role in the governors office.

Northam will be sworn in as Virginias 73rd governor on Jan. 13.
A thousand or more cups of urine arrive most nights by express mail to Comprehensive Pain Specialists clinics. The samples are tested for narcotics and other drugs, both legal and illegal. (Heidi de Marco/KHN) (Heidi de Marco/Kaiser Health New)

In April 2014, state and federal drug agents raided Jeffrey Campbells medical clinic in Jeffersonville, Ind. Police cars blocked the parking lot as bewildered patients scattered and the agents carted off boxes of records from the doctors office.

Some of the seized records would show that Campbell endangered patients by prescribing opiates without any medical need, according to federal prosecutors. Campbell, who collected millions of dollars from Medicare for urine tests run at his office lab, also failed to act when test results revealed patients were abusing prescription and illegal drugs, according to a government medical experts report.

Four patients died from drug-related causes under his watch, the report said. Others flunked two dozen or more urine tests, but the clinic kept prescribing them pills. One patient with a history of overdoses failed 46 urine tests and was never confronted about it. Campbell denied wrongdoing.

The nation's opioid crisis has prompted an explosion in urine testing. The scourge has driven huge profits for many pain clinics across the U.S., an ongoing Kaiser Health News investigation shows. Spending on urine screens and related genetic tests quadrupled from 2011 to 2014 to an estimated $8.5 billion a year  more than the entire budget of the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a KHN analysis of billing data from Medicare and private insurance billing from the Mayo Clinic.

Medicare and other insurers pay for urine tests with the expectation that clinics will use the results to detect and curb dangerous abuse. But some doctors have taken no action when patients are caught misusing pharmaceuticals, or taking street drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Federal pain guidelines say doctors should discuss test results with patients and taper medication if necessary.

Medicare and private insurers acknowledge that they lack the resources to routinely verify that doctors who order a high volume of drug-related tests do so to improve patient care, not fatten the bottom line.

This is a big issue, said Louis Saccoccio, who heads the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, a group formed by private insurers and government officials. There are abusive practices out there.

In nearly a dozen recent criminal cases, prosecutors have cited evidence that doctors supplied opiates to patients with repeated abnormal urine test results.

One such doctor was Alabama pain specialist Shelinder Aggarwal, who billed Medicare and private insurers over $9 million for urine tests solely "because he served to profit," according to prosecutors in Alabama. He pleaded guilty to illegal prescribing and health care fraud. Earlier this year, a judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

This Kaiser Health News story can be republished for free (details).

Theodore Parran, who has served as an expert witness for the federal government, predicted more doctors could face fraud charges, or discipline by state medical licensing boards, over lab testing that appears to be profit-motivated.

This is certainly on their radar, Parran, a professor of medical education at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, said in an interview. Ignoring repeated abnormal urine tests is bad medicine that endangers the safety of the patients and the community.

The KHN investigation earlier this year found that dozens of pain doctors with their own labs took in $1 million or more in 2015 from Medicare for running urine and, in some cases, genetic drug tests. Some doctors derived at least 80 percent of their Medicare income this way.

Campbells office was among the clinics billing Medicare the most in the country, according to KHNs data analysis of Medicare billing records.

Campbell and his staff at Physicians Primary Care PLLC billed the government agency a total of nearly $6 million for urine testing during 2014 and 2015, according to the KHN analysis.

In June, more than three years after the Indiana raid, a federal grand jury in Kentucky indicted Campbell and two associates. The charges  which were announced July 13 as part of a national health care fraud sweep  include multiple counts of illegally distributing prescription drugs and health care fraud; one fraud count accuses Campbell of ordering costly genetic tests through an outside lab that were not medically necessary and never interpreted. All of the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Neither Campbell nor his attorney, Page Pate, would comment for this story. However, in an interview with KHN several months before his indictment, Campbell said the governments case was without merit. He denied he ran a pill mill and said he relied on his state-of-the-art lab, which serves the Jeffersonville clinic and a branch just across the Ohio River in Louisville, to help keep patients safe.

We do a lot of drug testing for patients and we do it appropriately, Campbell said.

Indeed, deciding how often to order these tests, and for which patients and drugs, can be a judgment call. Doctors also sometimes disagree over what action they should take against patients with dirty urine: Some doctors kick out drug abusers, while others argue that is unethical. Instead, doctors should counsel these patients and refer them for substance abuse treatment, they say.

Donald White, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, said if test results are disregarded, why is the test being ordered in the first place?

When abnormal urine drug test results are not acted upon by the physician who ordered the test, it raises concerns not only that the testing itself is not medically reasonable and necessary, but also that the doctors treatment of the patient may fall below the standard of care, White said.

Prosecutors say Campbell kept them at bay for years by asserting that records seized in the raid, including computers and emails, contained privileged attorney communications. Clearing that hurdle delayed them from sending medical records to an outside expert for review, prosecutors said.

Indiana anesthesiologist Timothy King, who wrote the government medical experts report in the Campbell case, examined 19 patient files this year for his report. He concluded that Campbell fails to practice medicine according to generally accepted medical principles and standards of care, and routinely prescribed opiates without a medical purpose.

King said Campbell gave four patients a brew of pills known as the Holy Trinity, which King called a street-popular combination of opiate, sedative and muscle relaxant that produces a heroin-like euphoria.

These four patients were prescribed refills despite repeated abnormal urine tests. Two failed two dozen or more urine screens, according to Kings report.

All 19 patients repeatedly failed their tests, which King described as an obvious warning sign that they were ingesting prohibited drugs, or possibly peddling unused pills on the street.

Urine drug screens are routinely inconsistent [which can indicate] medication misuse, abuse and diversion, the expert concluded.

The four people who died showed telltale signs of trouble such as admitting they had diverted some of their medicine, or had been visiting other doctors to feed pill habits according his report.

A 25-year-old woman identified only by the initials CM had vague complaints of lower-back pain and used drugs for purposes of abuse and diversion, according to King. She died three days after the clinic issued her a prescription for painkillers methadone and hydrocodone, King wrote. EL, who was homeless and disabled, died from a drug overdose in July 2014, also three days after her office visit, according to the report.

King also said Campbell appeared to order unnecessary tests, including X-rays, to optimize billing.

Less than a month after prosecutors received Kings report, a federal grand jury in Louisville indicted Campbell and nurse practitioners Dawn Antle and Mark Dyer.

All have pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.

Indiana officials quickly suspended their licenses to practice.

Prosecutors also are seeking forfeiture of Campbells Jeffersonville office building and other proceeds.

Attorneys for Antle and Dyer also had no comment. In the earlier interview with KHN, Campbell argued his practice attracts many difficult patients who have no other option to seek relief from pain. Nobody else will see these people, he said.

He ordered tests for a slew of substances because none of his drug-abusing patients ever just uses one drug. They use everything they can get their hands on.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Alex Azar testifies Wednesday during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on his nomination to be the next health and human services secretary. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

Alex Azar, in line to become the next health and human services secretary, testified Wednesday that prescription drug prices are too high and that the federal government has a role in trying to make medicine more affordable for consumers.

The focus on drug costs during Azars nomination hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee reflected an attempt to get ahead of criticism that the decade he just spent as a top executive at a major pharmaceutical company makes him ill-equipped to wrestle with one of the most vexing financial issues in the U.S. health-care system.

I think there are constructive things we can do to bring down the price of medicines, Azar said, sitting alone at the broad witness table in a paneled Senate hearing room. He said he favors fostering competition between brand-name drugs and generic equivalents  an issue he worked on in the early 2000s while he was the HHS general counsel during the George W. Bush administration. We have to fight gaming in the system by patents and exclusivity agreements.

He said he also supports wider use of drug rebates, but he did not mention any potential constraints on the prices that pharmaceutical companies set.

The HELP Committees ranking Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), quickly retorted that the prospect of Azar presiding over federal policy on drug prices would be akin to the fox guarding the henhouse.

Drug prices were one of four central priorities that Azar said would guide him as HHS secretary if he is confirmed. The others, he testified, would be making health care more affordable and available, shifting Medicare further in the direction of creating incentives for good health outcomes rather than the volume of medical care, and fighting the scourge of the opioid epidemic. He did not address how he would approach the other three priorities.

In response to questions from Democratic senators about his views on health coverage of contraceptives  an ideological flash point  Azar largely sidestepped. He said he had not studied a 2011 recommendation from what was then the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine that women should have access to free prescription birth control. And he said the administration already has struck a balance between making affordable contraceptives available and respecting the conscience objections of people and organizations opposing that.

He indicated that he favors a goal of the president and many GOP conservatives to convert the Medicaid program for poor Americans from its half-century tradition as an entitlement system open to anyone eligible into a block grant that would allot states a fixed sum and more freedom from federal rules. I support it as a concept to look at, he said, adding that it can be an effective approach.

Azar was pressed on whether he agreed with steps Trump and administration officials have taken to undercut the Affordable Care Act. My understanding was that the choices made were about whats working and whats not working, he said. He gave a variant of that answer to questions about funding cuts for enrollment navigators who provide guidance to consumers, as well as on Trumps decision to end payments to insurers to offset discounts the ACA requires them to give lower-income customers on deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.

As for a 90 percent reduction in federal money for advertising and other outreach activities to encourage consumers to sign up, Azar said that move regularized funding  an apparent reference to HHS officials assertion that the cut brought ACA advertising money in line with that for long-standing Medicare drug benefits. At some point the insurers have to do their own doggone job, he said.

On another theme, the nominee maintained that electronic health records often remain to difficult to transfer, despite years of the governments push for improvements. It is ridiculous, he said.

Azars confirmation has been considered highly likely, with no Republican wavering on his nomination since President Trump selected him earlier this month. At the hearing, however, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said his vote would hinge on whether the nominee backs a controversial strategy of lowering drug prices by reimporting ones manufactured domestically and sold for less in other countries. Specifically, he challenged Azar to describe a method by which HHS could certify as safe certain drugs sold in Europe.

If you cant do that, I cant support you, Paul said. You need to convince those of us who are skeptical that youll be part of fixing [the problem of high drug prices] and wont be beholden to big pharma.

Azar responded that there are clearly abuses, senator, in the system, adding that he is against unsafe reimportation. When he noted that both Democratic and Republican HHS secretaries had been unable to certify that importing drugs sold in Europe would be safe, Paul countered, Theyve been wrong and beholden to the drug companies.

The three-hour hearing was the first of two that senators will conduct on Azar's nomination. Wednesday's session was a so-called courtesy hearing because the HELP Committee does not vote on the confirmation. That power rests with the Senate Finance Committee, which has not yet scheduled its hearing.

Azar, 50, would succeed the president's first HHS secretary, Tom Price, who resigned under pressure in late September amid investigation of his use of noncommercial planes for official business at taxpayers' expense.

Azars background is distinctive. All but one previous HHS secretary has come out of politics or academia. A lawyer by training, Azar would be the first who has worked as a senior executive in the pharmaceutical industry, plus held previous senior roles at HHS.

Azar was the departments general counsel from 2001 to 2005, then spent two years as its deputy secretary. The Senate confirmed him for each of those positions.

From there, he was hired by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly as its senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, and he rose to become president of its largest affiliate, Lilly USA, in 2012.

He resigned that position early this year, saying he wanted to explore new leadership opportunities, and formed a consulting firm.

Asked by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) about the influence of his years at a pharmaceutical company, Azar replied: This is the most important job I will ever have in my lifetime, and my commitment is to the American people and not any industry I have worked for.

Read more

The Trump administration is taking on drug prices  but not drug companies

Key things to know about HHS nominee Alex Azar
Alex M. Azar II will have his first Senate hearing Wednesday on his nomination to be the next health and human services secretary. (Tod Martens Photography)

Alex M. Azar II faces his first Senate hearing Wednesday on his nomination by President Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Azar, 50, would succeed the president's first HHS secretary, Tom Price, who resigned under pressure in late September amid investigation of his use of noncommercial planes for official business at taxpayers' expense.

Azars session before the Senates Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is called a courtesy hearing because the panel does not vote on the nomination. That power rests with the Senate Finance Committee, which has not yet scheduled its hearing.

Here is a primer on the nominee.

What kind of career has he had?

All but one previous HHS secretary has come out of politics or academia. A lawyer by training, Azar would be the first with a background in the pharmaceutical industry, plus previous senior roles at HHS.

Under President George W. Bush, Azar was the departments general counsel from 2001 to 2005, then spent two years as its deputy secretary.

From there, he was hired by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly as its senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, and he rose to become president of its largest affiliate, Lilly USA, in 2012.

He resigned that position early this year, saying he wanted to explore new leadership opportunities, and formed a consulting firm.

How conservative is he?

Azar is regarded as bright and competent by health-policy leaders across the ideological spectrum, and he has a history of broad working relationships. Still, he is a conservatives conservative.

After Yale Law School, he clerked for a noted conservative on the Richmond-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, Judge J. Michael Luttig, and then for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Azar worked as an associate in the law firm that included Kenneth W. Starr, whom Azar would later refer to as a mentor. When Starr was named independent counsel in 1994 to pursue the Whitewater investigation into President Bill Clinton, Azar was among the first people he hired onto his staff.

In a 2005 questionnaire for his confirmation to become HHS deputy secretary, Azar wrote that he was a member of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy and had been an attorney on the Bush-Cheney Recount Committee in 2000.

During the 2016 campaign, he first supported Jeb Bush and served on his Indiana steering committee.

After Trumps nomination, Azar donated $2,700 to the Trump Victory committee. As the head of a large Indiana-based company, he already had a rapport with the man who would become vice president: Gov. Mike Pence.

With bipartisan concern about drug prices, how aligned is Azar with the pharmaceutical industry?

In a financial filing with the Office of Government Ethics, Azar reported that he received nearly $2 million from Lilly this year in salary and bonus, plus a $1.6 million severance payment. He said he no longer owns Lilly stock.

Over the years, he has been wary of government intervention with drug companies.

"A vigorous and profitable drug industry is not a problem to be solved but a goal to be encouraged," Azar said in a 2006 speech. In those remarks, he said that "governments lean too much toward short-term savings and succumb to the temptation to control expenditures through direct price controls, cuts in reimbursement rates, delayed market access and other subtle and not-so-subtle practices that either restrict the amounts paid for innovative products or reduce consumption of innovative medicines and devices."

During his five years as president of Lilly USA, the list price of its top-selling Humalog insulin doubled.

The company was one of three insulin manufacturers sued for alleged overpricing in a class action filed in January.

But allies point out that Azar played a pivotal role as HHS general counsel in rewriting a federal rule that significantly curbed the ability of brand-name drugmakers to fend off competition from lower-priced generics.

Asked at an industry conference in May about drug pricing, he replied: We have a problem. This is not something to put our head in the sand about. . . . Patients are paying out of pocket too much money.

The cause, he continued, was not increases in pharmaceutical prices but health insurance changes that compel consumers to pay more of the bill. Extending drug rebates to help with those out-of-pocket expenses is one solution, he said.

A spokeswoman for the pharmaceutical industrys main trade group praised Azars nomination, citing his broad health expertise and extensive experience in the public and private sectors.

Where does he stand on the Affordable Care Act?

Azar has shown no sign of disagreeing with the presidents intense opposition to the 2010 health-care law.

During the past several months, he has said in interviews that the Affordable Care Act is "certainly circling the drain" and a "fundamentally broken system" that should be replaced by free-market principles and a smaller federal role. What is he likely to be asked during the HELP Committee hearing?

With no sign of defections  or even hesitation  among the committee's Republicans, the tough questioning will fall to Democrats. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts released a 21-page letter Tuesday, detailing questions she has for the nominee. As with other Democrats, her main focus is Azar's positions on drug prices, the Affordable Care Act and women's health care and reproductive rights. Democrats also will try to flesh out his views on federal funding to help curb opioid addiction.

Read more:

Fifth years ACA enrollment season opening with daunting obstacles

The Trump administration is taking on drug prices  but not drug companies
WASHINGTON  The university that employed a controversial herpes vaccine researcher has told the federal government it learned last summer of the possibility of his illegal experimentation on human subjects. But Southern Illinois University did not publicly disclose the tip or its findings about researcher William Halfords misconduct for months, according to a memo obtained by Kaiser Health News.

Last week, Kaiser Health News reported that Halford conducted an experiment in which he vaccinated patients in U.S. hotel rooms in 2013 without any safety oversight and in violation of U.S. laws, according to patients and emails they provided to KHN to support their allegations.

They told KHN those injections occurred three years before Halford tested a herpes vaccine he created on human subjects in a house in St. Kitts in 2016, again without routine safety oversight. Halford died of cancer at the end of June.

While the university has refused to respond to questions about the 2013 injections, an Oct. 16 memo to the federal government obtained by KHN under open-records law shows that SIU learned of such possible activity at the end of July. According to the memo, Rational Vaccines, the company that Halford co-founded, and another SIU professor disclosed that human subjects research might have occurred prior to the  clinical trial in St. Kitts.

SIU reported in the memo to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration that its institutional review board, or IRB, found Halfords activities to be a serious noncompliance and said it recommended the university conduct a confidential investigation to determine if he committed any other misconduct.

Dr. Halford willfully and intentionally engaged in human subjects research without the approval and oversight of the IRB, in violation of IRB policies and in violation of applicable law and regulation, SIU wrote in the memo.

Previously, the university had said it was not responsible for Halford's St. Kitts trial because he conducted it independently through Rational Vaccines.

Before releasing the memo to KHN, the university blacked out some of the details. Its unclear whether the serious noncompliance involved the 2013 injections or some other unauthorized human subject research.

This is a very serious matter for the university, said Robert Klitzman, a doctor and director of the masters program in bioethics at Columbia University in New York.

Klitzman said the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), the HHS division that oversees compliance with rules on human trials, could halt all of the university's research as a result of the finding. The National Institutes of Health could also freeze its funding to SIU, he added, even though Halford's research was not federally funded.

OHRP and the FDA said they have policies of not discussing potential or ongoing investigations. SIU did not respond to questions.

Several participants from both trials told KHN they have asked SIU for help. They said Tuesday that they felt the university should be informing them of its investigation into unauthorized experiments and its findings.

Halford tested his vaccine on humans using SIUs facilities and resources, said one Colorado woman who has tried to talk to the university about her experience in the St. Kitts trial. They [SIU] deny knowing anything about it. SIU hasnt been very forthcoming.

Klitzman said the university did have a responsibility to the participants who were injected with Halfords vaccine. Two of them  including the Colorado woman  have filed so-called adverse event complaints with the FDA, saying that Halfords vaccine may have caused side effects.

Ethically, the university should contact the participants to let them know that some participants have developed adverse events, he said.
ILLINOIS

Gutierrez wont seek reelection to House

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a longtime advocate for comprehensive immigration overhaul and a strident critic of the Trump administration, announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection.

The congressman said he will complete his term in Congress, which expires in early 2019.

Gutierrez made the announcement in Chicago a day after held an event there alongside Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The 63-year-old congressman has served his Chicago district since 1993 and is a senior member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Gutierrez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is leading a bipartisan push to send tens of millions of dollars in federal aid to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico. He was also arrested this year outside Trump Tower in New York for protesting the presidents strict immigration enforcement policy.

But Gutierrez also was among the harshest liberal critics of President Barack Obama, a fellow Chicagoan, whom he called the deporter in chief for ordering immigration agencies to deport hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants.

 Ed OKeefe

MASSACHUSETTS

Scaramucci steps down from Tufts board

Anthony Scaramucci resigned Tuesday from his role at Tufts University, after threatening to sue a student who had written an unflattering opinion piece about him in the student newspaper.

Scaramucci, who was briefly a spokesman for President Trump, is a graduate of the university and began serving on the Board of Advisors to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 2016.

This fall, a petition circulated among students, graduates and some faculty asking that Scaramucci be removed from the board because they felt he had displayed poor judgment on several public occasions. A student at Fletcher, Camilo Caballero, wrote two opinion pieces for the student newspaper, the Tufts Daily, this month saying that Scaramucci was unfit for the role. An attorney retained by Scaramucci sent a letter to Caballero and to Gil Jacobson, the editor in chief of the paper, demanding a retraction and an apology, and threatening a defamation suit.

University officials had invited Scaramucci to talk with students Monday evening but canceled the invitation after learning of the letter.

 Susan Svrluga

TEXAS

Lawsuit blamed Air Force in church shooting

A couple whose son was among eight members of one family killed in a Texas church shooting has filed a legal claim with the U.S. Air Force, saying the military branch is partly to blame.

Joe Holcombe and his wife Claryce say the Air Forces failure to report the gunmans criminal history to an FBI database used to check backgrounds of gun buyers helped cause the Nov. 5 shooting in Sutherland Springs that left more than two dozen dead.

They filed the claim Tuesday in their 60-year-old son Bryan Holcombes death. It could lead to a lawsuit if the Air Force denies it was at fault. An Air Force spokeswoman didnt immediately reply to an email seeking comment. The shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, was later found dead.

 Associated Press

University settles over lake-jump death: Ohio State University will pay $450,000 to settle a negligence claim over the death of a student who died of accidental trauma caused by diving into shallow water during a traditional cold-weather lake jump. Austin Singletary, 22, died Nov. 25, 2015, in the Mirror Lake jump that drew thousands of students. The settlement agreement was filed Nov. 21 in Ohio's Court of Claims. The university doesn't admit any liability and will install a family-donated bench honoring Singletary on campus. Ohio State announced after the death that it would end the lake event.

 Associated Press
NATIONAL SECURITY

Admiral in Fat Leonard case is censured

The Navy announced Wednesday that it has censured a retired admiral for personal misbehavior and accepting illicit gifts in the Fat Leonard corruption case.

Kenneth Norton, who retired in December 2014, is the fourth admiral in the case to receive a letter of censure, or a formal rebuke. In a statement, the Navy said a review determined that Norton had demonstrated exceedingly poor judgment and leadership and had brought ill-repute and disgrace upon the U.S. Navy.

The Navy said Norton improperly accepted gifts from Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a Singapore-based contracting firm headed by Leonard Glenn Francis, known within maritime circles as Fat Leonard because of his 6-foot 3-inch, 350-pound frame. Francis has pleaded guilty in a long-running corruption investigation to bribing Navy personnel and overcharging the Navy by more than $35 million to resupply U.S. vessels in Asia.

Two admirals in the case have been charged with federal crimes by the Justice Department. In addition, about 60 admirals have come under investigation for possible violations of military law or federal ethics rules in their dealings with Francis, who was legendary within the Navy for entertaining officers with wildly expensive dinners and all-night parties featuring prostitutes.

Navy officials disclosed few details about Nortons misconduct but said it dated to his service as the commanding officer of the USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier, between 2008 and 2010.

 Craig Whitlock

TREASURY DEPARTMENT

Alleged drug smugglers assets frozen

The Treasury Department on Wednesday named a Colombian indicted on cocaine charges as a designated narcotics trafficker, freezing any assets he may have in the United States.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control said Tito Aldemar Ruano Yandun is a drug kingpin responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States. His drug organization also was sanctioned, as was Onofre Junior Aguino Arboleda, who the Treasury Department said helped coordinate maritime smuggling.

According to U.S. officials, Ruano Yanduns drug organization smuggled cocaine from Colombia and Ecuador through Central America and Mexico using submarines, fishing boats and small, self-propelled submarines.

Ruano Yandun and Aguino Arboleda were indicted in January in federal court in New York on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine internationally.

 Carol Morello

MINNESOTA

Settlement for woman who recorded boyfriends shooting

Diamond Reynolds, who broadcast to the world what happened after a Minnesota police officer fatally shot her boyfriend, Philando Castile, has agreed to a settlement worth $800,000, authorities announced this week.

This agreement comes months after the officer, Jeronimo Yanez, was acquitted in a high-profile trial. He was subsequently dismissed from his police force in St. Anthony, Minn., and the city reached a settlement with Castiles family.

Reynoldss settlement must be approved by a court, which would mark an end to what probably would be the last major legal chapter stemming from the July 2016 shooting.

Castiles death drew widespread attention because of the dramatic footage Reynolds captured of the encounter on the night of July 6, 2016, in Falcon Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

 Mark Berman
Members of the Nevada State Assembly work late into the night in this file photo from 2015. Republicans in the state are using a relatively new tool for Nevada, the recall election, to target Democrats. (Lance Iversen/AP)

Republicans here in the suburban desert have begun recall campaigns against three Democratic state senators without giving an official cause, raising concerns nationally that they are using recalls to give the GOP the power to redraw legislative district lines after the 2020 elections.

The recall campaigns, which are being challenged in court as of last week, target state senators who represent politically divided middle-class neighborhoods. The coordinated efforts began less than a year after the senators won election to four-year terms and rely on a Nevada law that allows voters to recall state officials without stating a reason. The campaign has drawn allegations from Democrats  and at least one high-ranking Republican, Gov. Brian Sandoval  that a provision designed to help voters hold elected officials accountable is being used to advance partisan goals.

If successful, the test here could provide a model for other states that also allow recalls without any allegations of malfeasance. That could change the balance of power as congressional and legislative districts are redrawn across the country. In states that, like Nevada, lack independent redistricting commissions, the party in control after the 2020 elections will oversee redistricting  a procedure that has often included gerrymandering of boundaries to give one party an electoral advantage.

With control of Congress potentially at stake, Republican and Democratic organizations have promised resources to help shape the outcome of state races next year and in 2020, with a focus on Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico and Nevada. At the neighborhood level, the contest is already underway.

In the Desert Shores community, along Huber Heights Drive and Surfwood Drive, residents have been besieged in recent weeks by petition efforts for and against the recalls. Voters in this western Las Vegas suburb are still recovering from the last election, and few have a firm grasp of what all the activity is about.

Almost every day someone has been here, said Republican voter Floyd Turner, 63, who was working under the hood of his daughters silver-gray Mustang one recent morning. I just think there is so much crap going on right now, by both sides.

The recall is a relatively new tool, and it is gaining popularity. Fearing a precedent, the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has raised nearly $1 million to beat back the recalls here, big money for races often determined by just a few hundred votes. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, run by former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr., has pledged $50,000 to the anti-recall effort.

Theres real reason to think that the kind of gamesmanship we have seen would go into hyper-drive ahead of an election where the stakes are so high, said Wendy Weiser, who runs the Democracy Program at the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law.

Weiser noted that since 2010, the election preceding the last redistricting process, Republican-led efforts in 20 states have imposed new requirements for voter registration and for casting ballots. Critics have argued in court that such measures are designed to suppress minority voting, a charge being raised about the Nevada recalls as well.

[The 2020 redistricting war is (already) on]

Nevadas legislature will draw the states new legislative and congressional boundaries, with the governor having a veto over the final maps. Until recently, Nevada was a Republican stronghold, but the partisan balance in the state capital changed abruptly after the last election, when Democrats won control of the Assembly and Senate. Republicans now are in charge of just the executive branch, and Sandoval cannot run for reelection next year because of term limits.

Political observers here say Republicans have opportunities before 2020 to retake the Assembly, whose 42 members all face election next year and again two years later. The GOPs regaining control of the Senate by then is far less likely.



Nevada Sen. Joyce Woodhouse D-Henderson) speaks on the Senate floor at the Legislative Building in Carson City, Nev., in 2013. Woodhouse is the target of a recall effort. (Cathleen Allison/AP)

So they want to change the map, said Aaron Ford, the Democratic leader in the state Senate. These are sore losers asking voters to think again about elected leaders, and these are excellent senators who they voted for less than a year ago.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia allow the recall of state officials, and fewer than half require voters to give a reason. Of those that do, the cause usually must involve malfeasance in office, a stipulation meant to prevent strictly partisan recall campaigns.

Marc Elias, the attorney for Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee, said the recalls in Nevada arise simply because the Republicans will not accept the election results. He filed a lawsuit seeking to block the recalls, arguing that a new election would violate the Voting Rights Act.

In Nevada recalls can be employed as a political tactic, to force a do-over election with a smaller electorate, composed of fewer racial minorities, for no reason other than dissatisfaction with the outcome of the prior election, Elias argues in the lawsuit. Turnout is often lower in special elections, especially where language barriers exist, as they do in these districts.

Republicans say the efforts comply with Nevada law and that it is hypocritical for Democrats to complain about recall elections. In 2011, Democrats launched recalls in Wisconsin against six Republican state senators and Gov. Scott Walker (R) over legislation that severely restricted collective-bargaining rights for public employees.

The campaigns could have swung control of the Wisconsin Senate to Democrats, but just two of the six were recalled. Elias worked for Democrats in Wisconsin during the recall.

Nevada Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson (R) called the recalls in his state democracy in action.

Now, Hillary Clintons D.C. attorney wants to undercut the constitutional rights of Nevada voters by telling us who we can and cannot vote for, Roberson said in a written statement. Hillary Clintons D.C. attorney thinks its wrong to recall Democrats in Nevada, yet he was more than happy to help with the recall of Republicans in Wisconsin.

The three state senators are Patricia Farley, Joyce Woodhouse and Nicole Cannizzaro, who represents the district that includes Desert Shores.

Farley was elected in 2016 as a Republican, then changed her party affiliation to independent and aligned herself with Democrats. Soon after the recall effort was announced against her, she said she did not intend to run again, leaving the seat open.

The signatures collected to recall Woodhouse, a former elementary school principal now in her third and final term, were certified this month. Woodhouse would face the same Republican candidate she defeated last year if the recall vote is held.

Cannizzaro remains in limbo, the recall petitions targeting her yet to be certified. A deputy district attorney and the first in her family to graduate from college, Cannizzaro was elected last year to her first term, narrowly winning an open seat formerly held by Republicans.

The recall effort has divided state Republicans, all of whom have been reluctant to discuss it. Sandoval, a popular governor, told the Nevada Independent that "there really wasn't, I think, a legitimate reason for the recalls."

So it just kind of escalates the politics, mean-spiritedness politics, he continued. I think both parties will now use it on a regular basis, and thats not what Nevada politics has ever been and thats not what it should be. Sandovals communications staff did not respond to a request for comment.

Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison (R) called the recalls "empowering" in an interview with the Independent. His law firm is representing the recall committees, although he said in the interview that he is not involved "in terms of setting some sort of broad policy." Hutchison did not respond to requests for comment.

The voters behind the recall efforts also are elusive. Stephen Silberkraus, a former state assemblyman heading the Woodhouse recall, did not respond to requests for comment. The phone numbers listed on the Cannizzaro committee forms have been disconnected. Neil Roth, a leader of the Cannizzaro recall committee, declined to meet with a Washington Post reporter and declined requests to comment.

Woodhouse, 73, learned about the recall against her from a friend in her district, who called asking, What in the world is going on? The friend had just been solicited by a door-knocker to sign a recall petition.

Nobody had heard anything about it, Woodhouse said. Needless to say, I was shocked to begin with because Ive spent my entire life and certainly my career both as an educator and as a legislator working for private citizens in my district. So it was big-gulp time.

The recent Nevada legislative sessions took on several big national issues, including a Medicaid-for-all health-care bill, legislation to boost the solar-panel industry and expanding school choice  a major GOP priority.

The health-care bill passed but was vetoed by Sandoval. The solar-panel measure became law, and the school-choice legislation was defeated. All have provided grist for a recall effort that both sides say has distorted the truth.

Cannizzaro, who learned about her recall from a reporters tweet, said much of the legislation she sponsored secured Republican support, leaving the 34-year-old dismayed over why she is a target.

In canvassing her district during the signature-gathering process, Cannizzaro said she has been told misleading stories about her record that door-knockers are pitching to would-be voters.

Its just bizarre, she said. I have heard that Im extremely anti-law-enforcement and that I hate police officers. My day job is a prosecutor with the district attorneys office. They have said I am trying to let all the criminals out of jail, which I think is antithetical to what I have spent my professional life doing.

The confusion is clear along the loop of Huber Heights and Surfwood in Desert Shores, where David Fallon, a retired driver for the supermarket chain Vons, cleared his yard of vines and weeds on a recent morning.

They told me she was forcing through some budget legislation and that she supports Obamacare, and I dont know how much more of that I can take, said Fallon, 77, who signed the petition and echoed the explanation several others in Desert Shores gave for doing so.

Shes a Democrat, he said, and Im a Republican.

Eloy Fernandez, 56, a retired Department of Energy employee, is a Democrat who lives down the street. He, too, signed the recall petition. He supported Cannizzaro in 2016 and will vote in the special election, if it happens.

If I vote for someone, I expect that person to do the job, Fernandez said. Ill look into this more before I vote next time.
HONDURAS

Vote outcome in limbo, but challenger has lead

The result of Hondurass presidential election was still in limbo early Tuesday, even after initial results suggested a flamboyant TV host was on course for a surprise victory over the U.S.-friendly incumbent, Juan Orlando Hernandez.

With about 70 percent of ballots counted, challenger Salvador Nasralla was leading by five percentage points, election official Marcos Ramiro Lobo said Monday afternoon, by which time updates of the results had ground to a halt.

An initial tally encompassing more than half of the ballots early Monday gave Nasralla 45 percent and Hernandez 40 percent.

Later Monday, the president of the electoral tribunal said it might be ready to deliver more definitive results by Thursday, a gap that risks stoking tension in a nation known for electoral strife.

Nasralla, a self-described centrist leading a left-right coalition, claimed victory on Monday  as did Hernandez. Nasralla is backed by former leftist president Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a 2009 coup.

Hernandezs bid for a second term was made possible by a 2015 Supreme Court decision voiding a single-term limit. He was credited with lowering the nations high homicide rate and boosting the economy, but he was also accused of ties to drug-related financing.

 Reuters

IRELAND

Deputy leader quits to prevent snap election

The deputy prime minister of Ireland resigned Tuesday to avert a parliamentary vote that would have collapsed the government and triggered a snap election at a crunch time for Brexit talks.

Frances Fitzgerald quit hours before lawmakers had been due to vote on a no-confidence motion targeting her, filed by the opposition party Fianna Fail.

Fitzgerald said she was stepping down to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilizing general election at this historically critical time.

Fianna Fail wanted her ousted over a long-running police scandal. It accuses a previous government, in which she was justice minister, of failing to defend a whistleblower exposing corruption in the nations police.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkars Fine Gael party backed Fitzgerald, and she denied wrongdoing.

The resignation comes at a sensitive time in the Brexit process. European Union leaders will decide at a Dec. 14-15 summit whether there has been enough progress to start discussions over Britains future ties with the bloc.

A key barrier to progress is the Irish border. Varadkar is pressing Britain to spell out how it can keep the currently invisible Ireland-Northern Ireland frontier free of customs posts and other barriers when it leaves the E.U. while Ireland remains a member.

 Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS

WHO says fake drugs are rife in poor nations

About 11 percent of medicines in developing countries are counterfeit and probably responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of children from diseases such as malaria and pneumonia every year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

It is the first attempt by the U.N. health agency to assess the problem. Experts reviewed 100 studies involving more than 48,000 medicines. Drugs for treating malaria and bacterial infections accounted for nearly 65 percent of fake medicines.

The WHO said the problem affects mostly poor countries. Between 72,000 and 169,000 children may be dying of pneumonia every year after receiving bad drugs. Counterfeit drugs may be responsible for 116,000 malaria deaths, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, said scientists working for the WHO.

Counterfeit drugs include those that regulators have not approved, fail to meet quality standards or deliberately misrepresent an ingredient, according to the WHO, which said the cases of fake drugs it found are only a small fraction.

 Associated Press

Syrian opposition, U.N. open talks in Geneva: The eighth round of Syria peace talks got underway with an opposition team meeting with the U.N. envoy in Geneva, but President Bashar al-Assad's delegation was absent. The Syrian government said its team would show up Wednesday. Moscow has sought to organize parallel talks, but those efforts have sputtered.

Troops kill 14 militants after Sinai massacre: Authorities in Egypt said security forces killed at least 14 Islamist militants in Sinai and an adjacent province, after an attack at a mosque in the northern part of the peninsula last week killed 305 people. The Interior Ministry said 11 militants were killed in Ismailia province and six were arrested. A military spokesman said three militants were killed in central Sinai.

 From news services
Alan Simpson is a former Republican senator from Wyoming. Erskine Bowles served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 1998. They co-chaired the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Seven years and almost $7 trillion in new debt ago, we released a bipartisan package of tax and spending reforms as co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. At the time, we declared that the era of deficit denial was over. Sadly, the debate on tax reform in the House and Senate suggests deficit denial is not only back but also stronger than ever. Yet the fundamental fiscal challenges we identified in 2010 remain.

We said then and believe now that Congress and the president should come together on a balanced plan that reduces deficits and promotes growth. We called for fundamental tax reform that would cut tax breaks to reduce tax rates and  rather than add to the debt  generate new revenue.

We called for a more internationally competitive corporate tax code but also pressed for continued investment in education, infrastructure and high-value-added research so that the United States can compete effectively in the knowledge-based global economy. We also said tax reform should raise $1 trillion in revenue for debt reduction and be paired with spending cuts and reforms of entitlement programs to bring spending growth under control.

Unfortunately, the tax plan under discussion in Congress ignores nearly all the hard choices we proposed  incorporating only the "goodies." It reads as if it were developed for a country whose debt problems have been solved, when in reality debt is the highest it has ever been other than around World War II.

When this tax reform discussion started, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for revenue-neutral tax reform. While ultimately more revenue is needed, deficit neutrality is likely the best that can be expected in the current political environment.

Yet Congress abandoned even this minimum standard of fiscal responsibility and decided to proceed with a $1.5 trillion tax cut instead. With debt already twice as high as its historical average, financing tax cuts with even more borrowing is reckless.

And the actual bills in the House and Senate are even worse than the $1.5 trillion sticker price  because both include about a half-trillion dollars in phony savings from artificial "sunsets" and other gimmicks. With interest, that means these tax cuts could add $2.2 trillion to the debt.

When we released our fiscal commission report, we were worried about keeping deficits below $500 billion per year and debt below 70 percent of gross domestic product. But if the tax cuts in the current bill are adopted, deficits would exceed $1 trillion by 2020 and debt would exceed 99 percent of GDP by 2027.

Economic growth isn't going to wash away this debt. Real tax reform can provide a boost to the economy, but higher debt works in the opposite direction. According to the dynamic models from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, the House and Senate tax bills will increase the growth rate by only 0.03 to 0.09 percentage points per year  and that growth will cut their costs by only one-eighth or less.

This country cannot afford another debt-busting tax cut. Luckily, there is another way. The current tax code will give away roughly $18 trillion of tax breaks over the next decade. Our commission called for repealing most of them to pay for lower rates and reduce deficits, adding back only the most-needed ones and only in the most efficient way. By comparison, the latest Senate bill cuts only $3.7 trillion of tax breaks. Most of the largest tax expenditures  including the tax-free treatment of employer-sponsored health care, the mortgage-interest deduction and tax-free bonds  are virtually untouched.

This country critically needs tax reform to improve economic growth. But higher levels of debt will crowd out productive investment, slow wage growth and ultimately undo any gains from reform.

Bringing our debt under control will require reforming and slowing the growth of health and retirement entitlements. Enacting debt-financed tax cuts will make that harder, both substantively and politically. Substantively, because by worsening the debt situation, it will entail more painful changes; politically, because Democrats will be less likely to agree to entitlement reforms if Republicans wont allow for sufficient revenue.

Many members of Congress have privately told us they would be willing to make the tough votes for ambitious tax and spending reforms as part of a substantive fiscal plan but only if members on the other side jump in the canoe at the same time.

This is the moment of truth for lawmakers who share our concern about our nations fiscal future. They can return to the era of deficit denial, or they can stand up for future generations.
Columnist

The friendly words exchanged between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping this month softened the edge of a Chinese economic and military buildup that a recent study commissioned by the Pentagon described as perhaps the most ambitious grand strategy undertaken by a single nation-state in modern times.

At the Beijing summit on Nov. 9, Xi repeated his usual congenial injunction for "win-win cooperation," and Trump responded in kind, calling Xi "a very special man." Trump also complained about the Chinese trade surplus, but the visit was mostly a serenade to Sino-American cooperation.

What caught my ear was Xis hint of Chinas big ambitions in his toast that night. He quoted a Chinese proverb that no distance, not even remote mountains and vast oceans, can ever prevent people with perseverance from reaching their destination. Xi then cited an adage from Benjamin Franklin: He who can have patience, can have what he will. Thats an apt summary of Chinas quiet but relentless pursuit of becoming a global superpower.

China's rise has been so rapid yet gentle in tone that it's easy to miss how fast Beijing has expanded its ability to project power. The mesmerizing go-slow style of the pre-Xi years, summarized in the Chinese slogan "hide and bide," has been replaced by what U.S. analysts now see as an open power play.

Trump's "America first" strategy has facilitated China's buildup, unintentionally. The administration's rhetoric on fair trade has been strong, but the actual gains have been modest. Meanwhile, Trump has shredded the Trans-Pacific Partnership and stepped back from other U.S.-led alliances  opening the way for China's new network of global institutions, including the "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) plan for Eurasian trade and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to finance Chinese-led projects.

The scope of Chinas challenge to the American-led order is described in two unpublished and unclassified studies commissioned by the Air Force.

One study argues that China's Eurasian reach is beyond that of the 1947 Marshall Plan, which cemented American power in postwar Europe. The report estimates that the OBOR framework would provide up to $1 trillion in Chinese support for more than 64 countries, while the Marshall Plan provided about $150 billion in current dollars, mostly to six countries. The report describes OBOR as "a program of unprecedented size and scope with the strategic intent of constructing a Chinese-led regional order in Eurasia."

China is building the infrastructure of power. The study describes, for example, how Beijing is financing a string of ports in the Indian Ocean region, including in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Burma, Djibouti, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. The proposed investment is nearly $250 billion.

China has also invested $13.6 billion in Greece, buying control of the port of Piraeus and big shares of Greek utilities and fiber-optics companies. "Greece serves as a strategic beachhead for China into Europe," notes the report.

The Asian infrastructure bank, meanwhile, has approved $16 billion in projects in 10 countries, including long-standing U.S. allies such as Egypt, India and Oman. And the Chinese are building rail lines to Europe and every part of Asia, allowing them to bypass U.S.-controlled sea lanes. China already has 40 rail routes to nine European countries.

American dominance has been built partly on the primacy of our scientific and technological laboratories, which have drawn the best and brightest from around the world. But the Chinese are challenging here, too. China is building at least 50 joint-venture science and technology labs with OBOR countries and plans over the next five years to train up to 5,000 foreign scientists, engineers and managers, the study notes.

As foreign scientists pull back from some U.S. labs because of visa and government-grant worries, the Chinese are doubling down. According to the second Air Force study, China surpasses the United States in annual patent applications, is now No. 2 in peer-reviewed research articles and in 2014 awarded more than twice as many degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.

China is mobilizing its best tech talent for this global empire. China Telecom plans to lay a 150,000-kilometer fiber-optic network covering 48 African nations. IZP, a big-data company, plans to expand soon to 120 countries. BeiDou, a government agency, is building a GPS-like satellite navigation system for all Eurasia.

There's an eerie sense in today's world that China is racing to capture the commanding heights of technology and trade. Meanwhile, under the banner of "America first," the Trump administration is protecting coal-mining jobs and questioning climate science.

Sorry, friends, but this is how empires rise and fall.

Twitter: @IgnatiusPost

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A LOOPHOLE in federal gun law allowed the gunman in the Las Vegas mass shooting to modify his weapons to perform like machine guns. A lapse in the national instant background-check system allowed the gunman in Sutherland Springs, Tex., to purchase his weapon despite what should have been a disqualifying conviction for domestic violence. Congress has before it sensible solutions to address both problems. Will it enact them this time or, as after other tragedies, fold under the pressure of the gun lobby?

After a gunman in Las Vegas killed 58 people and injured hundreds on Oct. 1 by using bump stocks to spray bullets into a crowd listening to country music, congressional action seemed almost certain. Bipartisan support emerged for legislation to ban the devices, which essentially circumvent laws banning automatic weapons made or imported after 1986. Even the National Rifle Association said the accessories should be subject to regulation. But the momentum for action was short-lived, the NRA's seeming support was a subterfuge, and Congress has failed to act, saying the matter was better left to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Never mind that agency says it lacks authority under the law to do so.

Some states and cities are trying to fill the gap. Massachusetts this month became the first state to ban bump stocks since the Las Vegas massacre, and several others are considering similar restrictions. "We've come to the conclusion that Congress just won't act on this issue, gun control, so we've decided to try to do as much as we can on a state level and on a state-by-state measure," said Massachusetts state Rep. David Linsky (D).

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Dec. 6 on rules regulating firearm accessories, but prospects for action before Congress adjourns are not seen as good. Gun-control advocates are more hopeful about legislation advanced by a bipartisan group of senators that would require federal agencies and states to improve their reporting of criminal offenses and other information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The failure of the Air Force to report the conviction of the gunman in the Sutherland Springs shooting underscored the holes in the system. That Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), a fierce opponent of most gun control, is helping lead the effort is seen as boosting its prospects.

Of course, neither of these modest measures would be sufficient to address gun violence. Congress should reimpose the ban on the military-style semiautomatic guns that have  even without bump stocks  become the weapon of choice of mass killers. This week the Supreme Court let stand a Maryland law banning the sale of these weapons. Hopefully that will encourage more states to take similar action while they wait for Congress to do its job.
Columnist

The Founding Fathers would be gobsmacked by an iPhone (although I bet Ben Franklin would catch on quickly). Yet if we asked them what branch of government should take the lead in adapting policy to a revolution in technology, they would say thats a job for Congress.

Alas, I reckon they would be gobsmacked by todays Congress, too. The august creation of Article I of the Constitution cant walk and chew gum at the same time. Often, Congress cant even walk. Gridlock in Congress stalls all causes: the bitterly divisive ones and the vital nonpartisan ones, too. The mobile digital age presents pressing issues, from privacy to the price of broadband. But Congress does, basically, diddly.

So the need for action falls to the executive branch and the courts  both of them problematic.

Relying on executive-branch regulators can result in radically shifting rules of the road. The Federal Communications Commission is a good example. Under Trump-appointed Chairman Ajit Pai, the FCC is preparing to reverse existing policy on "net neutrality," which requires that broadband providers treat all data equally. A change of presidents produces a screeching U-turn.

As for the courts, their limitations will be on display Wednesday in Washington, when the Supreme Court hears arguments over cellphone privacy. You might not realize that your cellular provider keeps track of your travels even when you have your GPS switched off. Each call, text, email and alert that enters or leaves your phone must pass through a nearby antenna.

In the case before the court, Timothy Carpenter's cellular provider supplied investigators a record of his smartphone's whereabouts. The pings placed Carpenter in the vicinity of several armed robberies in Ohio and Michigan. Now behind bars, he is asking the justices to find this a violation of his Fourth Amendment right to be safe from warrantless searches of his private domain.

Lower courts ruled that pre-iPhone case law was adequate to uphold Carpenters conviction. Under existing law, if a person passes information through another entity  a third party such as a phone company or shipping firm  the fact of the transaction is not private. If you send a letter, for instance, the writing on the outside of the envelope can be read. If you dial a phone number, the fact of the call (though not its content) is information owned by the phone company. And the carrier can share that fact with police.

Carpenters appeal is supported by big tech firms, leading civil liberties groups and digital privacy advocates. They argue that the transformative capabilities of the smartphone demand new protections against search and seizure of our personal digital property. If our entire lives  not just conversations but also shopping, studying, dating, navigating, playing, dining and documenting our experiences  take place with and through these devices, should all of it be public? Yet we have no choice but to use these increasingly indispensable tools.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor saw this issue coming. Writing in 2012, she found existing law "ill suited to the digital age, in which people reveal a great deal of information about themselves to third parties in the course of carrying out mundane tasks."

No doubt other justices share this insight. Judges are human, after all, and few humans with smartphones havent fretted over the breadth and depth of the data collected by our digital overlords. And the problem doesnt stop with collection. The capacity to store nearly infinite amounts of data assures that our virtual trails will never go cold.

The need for new privacy protections seems clear. But in such an intricate web of issues, the courts arent well suited to making policy. Their mandate is to decide the discrete legal questions presented one case at a time. A fully formed body of law from the bench may require decades of maturation through a series of cases.

Which brings us back to Congress  and, more hopefully, to state legislatures. The legislative branch is best equipped to define big issues, gather research, hold hearings, weigh competing interests and draft comprehensive reforms. Writing as a friend of the court in the Carpenter case, George Washington University law professor Orin Kerr, an authority on the Fourth Amendment and writer for the Volokh Conspiracy blog hosted by The Post, has urged the justices to restrain themselves. "The Court should continue to allow legislatures to debate and decide how much protection cell-site records should receive," Kerr asserted, pointing out that California recently passed very strict new privacy laws.

Partisan game-playing and mutual suspicion in Congress come at a high price. Pressing decisions that ought to be made by elected representatives in open deliberation are instead pushed into the cloistered chambers of the Supreme Court. Lawmakers claim to resent judges who legislate from the bench  but theyre making it a last resort.

Read more from David Von Drehle's archive.
COUNTERTERRORISM AUTHORITIES have long been concerned that as the Islamic State loses territory in Iraq and Syria it will seek to establish new bases in other parts of the region. If so, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula is looking like fertile ground for the jihadists. For four years, brutal but inept repression by the regime of Abdel Fatah al-Sissi has served only to strengthen the Islamic State's "Sinai province," made up of Egyptian as well as foreign militants. Last Friday it staged its bloodiest assault yet, killing more than 300 worshipers at a mosque in northern Sinai.

The merciless attack also reflected the incompetence that has characterized Egyptian security forces. A militant commander in Sinai publicly vowed to "eradicate" the al-Rawda mosque, which is affiliated with the Sufi Muslim strain. Weeks before the assault, Islamic State leaflets were distributed in the town threatening Sufis, according to The Post's Sudarsan Raghavan and Heba Farouk Mahfouz. But Egyptian troops, who have saturated northern Sinai under a state of emergency, never deployed in the village of Rawda during Friday prayers  leaving the mosque totally exposed to an assault by some 30 militants who reportedly arrived in pickup trucks.

Mr. Sissi's response was familiar: an angry television speech promising "brute force," a showy bombing raid, and attacks on media reporting. Following the example of President Trump, the foreign ministry assailed CNN for its "deplorable coverage "; the network had the temerity to question why Egyptian authorities have banned most journalists from the Sinai, making independent reporting on the fight against the Islamic State virtually impossible.

Even when reported from a distance, the Sissi regime offers a textbook example of how not to respond to Islamist extremism. The army patrols Sinai in tanks and armored personnel carriers; rather than protecting the population, it is known for summary executions, torture and wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure. In Cairo, the regime has used terrorism as a pretext for the most severe political repression in Egypt's modern history. Tens of thousands of political activists, including prominent secular and liberal figures, have been imprisoned, independent civil society stifled and the media silenced.

Many Egypt experts have pointed to the desperate need for development programs in Sinai to give hope to a restive population. U.S. officials have argued for years for a reorientation of the Egyptian military toward counterterrorism training and tactics. Mr. Sissi is deaf to all such appeals. An Egyptian scholar who presciently warned of the dangers of repression in Sinai, Ismail Alexandrani, has been jailed for more than two years. The regime meanwhile continues to spend billions on tanks, fighter jets, submarines and other conventional gear that is of little or no use against the Islamic State.

Though his administration was compelled by law to cut some aid to Egypt several months ago, Mr. Trump remains a fan of Mr. Sissi. He called the strongman after the Sinai attack and tweeted, inexplicably, that it showed the need for "the WALL" and "the BAN." When it comes to preventing the growth of the Islamic State in Egypt, Mr. Trump and Mr. Sissi are partners in obtuseness.
Columnist

American criminal law is based on the cherished notion of habeas corpus, Latin for you shall have the body.

President Trumps hostile takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, by contrast, relies on the rather less cherished legal principle of habeas cuppedia, Latin for you shall have the pastries.

Its not entirely clear that Trumps choice to run the CFPB, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, has legal authority to assume the role. But he does have confections. Mulvaney showed up for his first day on the job Monday carrying a shopping bag full of Dunkin Donuts in Christmas-themed boxes.

This apparently was just the sweetener Mulvaney needed to be recognized as acting director, because his spokesman, John Czwartacki, tweeted out a photo showing empty boxes of doughnuts (except for one half-eaten chocolate-frosted treat) and the message "Donuts were a big hit at cfpb."

Czwartacki also tweeted photos of Putative Acting Director Mulvaney meeting with staff and holding a lightly attended news conference, an image showing Mulvaney's name atop the CFPB org chart, and an article from Axios titled "Mulvaney aide: CFPB transition 'could not have been smoother.' " The aide quoted in the article: Czwartacki.

Doughnuts alone do not a director make. Under the statute that created the CFPB, the watchdog agency set up after the 2008 crash to police lending abuses, it should now be rightfully run by Leandra English, the deputy director who succeeds the just-resigned director, Richard Cordray, until the Senate confirms a permanent replacement. Trump found another statute that he says lets him appoint Mulvaney. English filed suit to defend her legitimacy, Mulvaney submitted doughnuts, and a Trump-appointed federal judge, to nobody's surprise, ruled in Trump's favor. An appeal is likely.

On the sidewalk Tuesday in front of the CFPB offices, in a brutalist structure a block from the White House compound, a couple hundred demonstrators assembled by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) denounced the takeover.

Mick Mulvaney is an impostor! bellowed Ben Wikler of the liberal group MoveOn.org. We are going to fight this attempt at a coup at the CFPB.

But, ultimately, the "coup" will succeed. Whether it's Mulvaney (who has called the bureau he now proposes to lead a "joke") or somebody else, Trump will eventually be able to install a director who can defang the watchdog  and Wall Street bankers and corporate lobbyists will plant their flag of conquest at another agency. Already, Mulvaney says he's freezing new hiring, new rules and payouts to consumers from a penalty fund..

Even for this phony populist president, who instead of draining the swamp stocked his White House and Treasury Department with Goldman Sachs executives and sprinkled billionaires and lobbyists across the government, the move on the CFPB is brazen. Thats because Trumps legal justification for taking control of the CFPB was written by a lawyer who until just a few months ago was defending a foreign payday lender against the agencys attempts to punish it for lending abuses.

As the Intercept's David Dayen reported, Steven Engel, the Justice Department lawyer who wrote the memo justifying Trump's takeover, was a lead counsel for Canadian payday lender NDG Financial, which the CFPB cited for misleading and overcharging U.S. customers. The Intercept reported that Engel was active in the case, which remains in court, until August  after he was nominated to serve in the administration.

It's difficult to imagine something swampier than a corporate lawyer joining the government and then orchestrating the disarming of a federal agency in litigation with his former client. NDG  and the lenders who had to give back some $12 billion to consumers because of shady practices caught by the CFPB  can celebrate.

Theres nothing the forgotten man, thus swindled by Trump, can do now to keep big banks from regaining the upper hand over consumers. Outside CFPB headquarters, the demonstrators were doing about the only thing that could be done: shouting. They attempted to settle on a rallying cry, alternating between Put consumers first/Mulvaney is the worst and Hey-hey, ho-ho, Mick Mulvaney has got to go.

Warren, declaring that no one should get cheated, punched the air with her fist and pounded the lectern so hard that she sent a digital recorder crashing to the ground.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) attempted a call-and-response with the crowd: There is a legitimate director right now, and that persons name is?

From the confused audience came a muffled sound akin to Mush!

English, Merkley coached. Leandra English.

The judge gave a different answer. And the federal government, soon to be out of the business of policing abusive lenders, will instead deliver them doughnuts.

Twitter: @Milbank

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Regarding the Nov. 25 The World article " 'We dare not squander the moment,' Zimbabwe's new leader tells nation":

Zimbabwe celebrates the end of the despotic rule of Robert Mugabe. For decades, the world has decried Mr. Mugabes open flouting of the rule of law and egregious abuse of the democratic process and its norms. However much Mr. Mugabes departure might be welcomed, the extraconstitutional machinations of entrenched elites who seek to keep their places at the feeding trough in Harare have conferred power on Emmerson Mnangagwa, who held no government position and had fled Zimbabwe. They did so while a constitutional successor to Mr. Mugabe, Zimbabwes second vice president, was in place.

The African Union and Southern African Development Community must take action immediately, but given that the South African election observers' report on Zimbabwe's 2002 elections was released only in 2014 after a Constitutional Court ruling, Jacob Zuma's South Africa may play a spoiler role. Therefore, the position of the United States will be critical, particularly as Mr. Mnangagwa is a specially designated national under U.S. law. But to date, the United States has limited its statement to an ambiguous "whatever short-term arrangements" might be determined, elections must follow. Short-term arrangements have a tendency to transform themselves from tadpoles into frogs.

Joseph Sala, Washington
Columnist

President Trump could not have been more clear.

The drug companies, frankly, are getting away with murder, he said in mid-October. He had used the same getting away with murder line previously, adding that pharma has a lot of lobbies and a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power.

Yet just four weeks later, Trump nominated the former president of Eli Lillys U.S. business to run the Department of Health and Human Services. If drug companies are murderers, Alex Azar is the guy with the rusty hatchet.

Azar was deputy secretary at HHS during the George W. Bush administration before he cashed out and made millions at Lilly while the companys prices for insulin and other drugs soared. Now hes taking another spin through the revolving door  nominated by a phony populist who had promised to drain the swamp but is instead handing over the government to corporations and the treasury to the rich.

The Senate will probably confirm him. This Senate would confirm Mr. Fox as secretary of henhouse security. But even a couple of the Republicans at Azars first confirmation hearing Wednesday were squeamish about the spectacle of a Big Pharma executive being installed as the ultimate policeman of drug prices.

Youve got some convincing to make me believe that youre going to represent the American people and not Big Pharma, said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). And I know thats insulting . . . but we all have our doubts, because Big Pharma manipulates the system to keep prices high.

And that was restrained compared with the Democrats treatment of Azar.

Your resume reads like a how-to manual for profiting from government service, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), noting the $3.5 million payout Azar got last year from Eli Lilly. I think the American people have a right to know that the person running HHS is looking out for them and not for their own bank account or for the profitability of their former and maybe future employers.

Azar offered little beyond an acknowledgment that drug prices are too high. When it came to reducing prices, he tossed out the usual objections offered by the pharmaceutical lobby  for example, that we cant reimport drugs from the European Union, where prices are lower, because the medicines wouldnt be reliable and safe.

Its a canard, Paul said. Thats BS, and the American people think its BS.

If the forgotten man and woman were thinking Trump was really going to lower their drug prices  well, they can forget about it.

They certainly shouldnt be surprised. Theyve already seen Trump stock his administration with corporate titans and billionaires and begin to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Nor should they be shocked to discover that they arent getting that big, beautiful tax cut Trump promised. The Tax Policy Center projects that under the cut, the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans will get 62 percent of the benefit in 2027, while the bottom 95 percent will see no real change.

Tax distribution analysis is hard to understand. Putting a drug executive in charge of drug pricing is easy. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the committee holding Wednesdays hearing, tried to inoculate Azar against the inevitable accusations of plutocracy. What do you say to the skeptics, he asked at the start, who question the increase in insulin prices while you were a leader at Eli Lilly?

Azar explained that his knowledge of how the money flows would be an asset  in much the way Trump said that his experience gaming the tax system qualified him to fix it.

Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the ranking Democrat, asked how he would reduce prices. Azar spoke about the need to stop gaming in the system of patents.

Paul asked him to acknowledge Big Pharmas role in manipulating patents. Azar repeated that there are abuses in the system.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) asked Azar how he would explain the tripling of insulin prices during his tenure at Eli Lilly to a father of diabetics.

Azar explained, once more, that the problem is that system.

The system? Baldwin asked. So I should just tell them its the system?

Warren asked Azar whether the $515 million criminal fine Lilly paid in 2009 was adequate accountability  even though the company made billions from the illegal marketing. Azar said it was. Asked whether Lillys CEO should have been held personally responsible, Azar merely replied, Im satisfied with our discussion.

The plutocrat was not helping matters. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) tossed Azar a lifeline. Would he do some homework and come back to us in six months with recommendations to end the gaming of the system?

Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, the nominee replied.

How reassuring.

Twitter: @Milbank

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THERE ARE already so many bad things in the Senate GOP tax bill, what's one more? Well, ask the polar bears. On Tuesday, Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee added to their already malformed tax legislation a provision that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and natural gas drilling. This is a poor idea that senators should resist sneaking into law while most of Washington is preoccupied with a major tax overhaul.

We do not oppose offshore drilling everywhere. The policy then-President Barack Obama established shortly before leaving office was too strict. It would be defensible for President Trump to loosen restrictions on offshore drilling along the Atlantic Coast and to maintain open waters in the Gulf of Mexico. As long as the United States demands oil and does not slake some of its appetite from domestic production, even more drilling will occur in places with environmental standards that are more lax.

But that principle does not justify drilling everywhere there is a drop of recoverable oil. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge deserves special protection. Known as "America's Serengeti," it is one of the last pristine wildernesses in the world, an expanse of rivers, permafrost and ocean-side habitat that teems with life. Caribou, polar bears and musk oxen depend on this untouched land. Birds migrate to the refuge from all over the world. Whales live just offshore. This zone is off-limits to development.

For generations, Alaskan members of Congress generally have wanted to exploit what may be significant deposits of oil and gas beneath a coastal plain in the refuge, while environmentalists have fought to preserve it undisturbed. Today proponents insist that new technologies would enable drillers to reach oil with a minimal footprint. Yet successfully exploiting the refuge's dispersed resources would likely require many wells distributed across the coastal plain, linked by pipelines and serviced by gravel mines and other infrastructure. The warming climate would over time make ice-based travel less useful, calling for more traditional gravel road building. Oil development is simply incompatible with what should be the purpose of the refuge  preserving a unique environmental marvel.

When some in Congress previously tried to open the refuge, a broad group of lawmakers killed the plans. If this issue were taken up on its own, drilling would struggle to attract the 60 votes it would need to overcome a Senate filibuster. But if the proposal remains in the Senate tax legislation, it would be just one small piece of a giant bill  a bill that requires only 51 votes to pass. Senators who defended the refuge in the past must insist on removing it  or, better yet, simply vote against the whole unworthy package.
Columnist

President Trump has promised to "give the American people a huge tax cut for Christmas  hopefully that will be a great, big, beautiful Christmas present." Unfortunately for millions of Americans, what they will be getting instead is a lump of coal in the form of a tax increase  courtesy of the GOP.

When George W. Bush campaigned for his 2001 tax cuts, he was able to truthfully say that "everybody who pays taxes is going to get tax relief." Republicans can't say that today, because it isn't true.

According to Congress's nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), almost 1 in 10 Americans would see their tax bills go up under the Senate version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Tax Policy Center comes to a similar conclusion. In 2019, about 9 percent of all taxpayers would see an average tax increase of about $2,700, including about 11 percent of middle-income taxpayers, who would see their tax bills rise by nearly $1,000. In 2025, 12 percent of taxpayers would see an average increase of $2,750, with 14 percent of middle-income taxpayers seeing their tax bills rise by $1,170. In all, just 76 percent of Americans would see their taxes go down under the Senate bill, while a quarter of all taxpayers would either see no benefit or see their tax bills go up  in many cases substantially.

This should never happen under unified Republican government. There are four words that no American should ever be able to utter: Republicans raised my taxes. To be clear, Democrats err when they claim that half the country will see a tax increase when the individual tax cuts expire in 2025 under the Senate bill, because everyone knows that they wont all be allowed to expire  just like the Bush tax cuts were not allowed to expire under President Barack Obama except for those at the very top. But there are millions of Americans, including individuals and families at every income level, who would see their taxes hiked under the GOP plan.

At the American Enterprise Institute on Tuesday, I asked House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) about this. "I dispute those analyses," he said, because they "describe an America that doesn't exist, an America where the economy never grows, and paychecks never increase." He pointed to a recent analysis in the Wall Street Journal by conservative economists who say tax reform would boost GDP by 3 to 4 percent long term, and said that as a result, "You're going to see increases in paychecks. That matters for families as well. So, there's more than just the rates in this tax reform." In other words, even those who see their tax bills go up will be better off under the GOP plan.

That is a hard sell to voters. A new poll shows that while 73 percent of Americans believe in principle that Congress should cut taxes on individuals and small businesses and simplify the tax code, a 54 percent majority oppose the current Republican tax reform plans working their way through Capitol Hill. Why? Because 54 percent of Americans believe Republicans are going to raise their taxes. Many are wrong, but some are not. This should not even be a question in voters' minds.

Americans see Republicans spending $1.5 trillion to fund a massive corporate tax rate reduction from 35 to 20 percent. The multinationals are taken care of, as is the donor class. The middle class? Not so much. They are losing many of their cherished tax deductions in exchange for a doubling of the standard deduction, an increase in the child tax credit and a tiny reduction in their tax rates. They are left on their own to figure out whether they are winners or losers under the GOP plan.

When Republicans reform the tax code, there should be no losers, especially not the middle class. For years, Republicans have been telling Americans: Its not the governments money, its your money, and we want to let you keep more of it to spend, save or invest as you see fit. If they raise taxes on millions, congressional Republicans will be violating that fundamental principle.

Fortunately, Brady says the bill could still change. At every step weve worked to improve this, he told me. I would say, at the end of the day, wait till the final bill. There are lots of middle-class taxpayers  and Republican voters  who hope hes right.

Read more from Marc Thiessen's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
A woman checks her cellphone as she waits in line to enter the Supreme Court on Wednesday. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A majority of Supreme Court justices seemed to agree Wednesday that the abundance of private information available about Americans in the digital age might require new restraints on governments ability to access it.

In the specific case before the court, these new limits could require law enforcement officials to prove more to a judge about suspected criminal wrongdoing before they are able to collect cell-tower records, which can provide a detailed record of a persons whereabouts.

But the justices indicated that the explosion of digital information, which is transforming Americans expectation of privacy, is raising a wide range of legal issues.

This is an open box, Justice Stephen G. Breyer said. We know not where we go.

[Supreme Court confronts how technology impacts U.S. notion of privacy]

Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the most insistent on protections. Most Americans, I think, still want to avoid Big Brother, she said, while also acknowledging the publics increasing reliance on the modern technology that makes surveillance easier.

Deputy Solicitor General Michael R. Dreeben said that the governments use of cell-tower records, an important tool for solving crime, did not violate an individuals constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.

The records are kept by an individuals carrier, he noted, and in disclosing them the company is acting as a potential witness to a crime.

But Nathan F. Wessler, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the records serve as a time machine for law enforcement to reconstruct a persons minute-by-minute movements.

Wessler represents Timothy Carpenter, who is serving a 116-year sentence for his role in armed robberies in 2010 and 2011 at RadioShack and T-Mobile stores in and around Detroit  as part of a gang stealing smartphones.

One of the men arrested identified Carpenter as the ringleader who typically organized the robberies, supplied the guns and acted as a lookout. Authorities asked cellphone carriers for 127 days of records that would show Carpenters use of his phone.

Such records indicate where a cellphone establishes connections with a specific cell tower and give a fair representation of the vicinity of the user. Wessler claimed new technology can be specific to an area about half the size of the justices grand courtroom.

In Carpenters case, the mass of information showed his phone at 12,898 locations, including close to where the robberies occurred when they took place.

Carpenters attorneys say that the governments actions violated their clients rights under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches. Authorities should have had to convince a judge that there was probable cause to get the records, they say.

Instead, under the Stored Communications Act, authorities had to meet a lesser standard, that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the records sought are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.

The government contends that its actions fit squarely with the Supreme Court's prevailing precedents. In the 1979 decision in Smith v. Maryland, the court ruled that requesting records that showed the numbers called from a traditional home phone did not constitute what would be considered a "search" under the Fourth Amendment.

Because the callers information was voluntarily transmitted to a third party  the telephone company  the caller had no reasonable expectation that the numbers called would remain private.

Wessler said Supreme Court precedents relied upon by the government were decided four decades ago.

The court could not have imagined the technological landscape today, he said. In the future, he added, highly sensitive digital records like search queries entered into Google, a persons complete Web browsing history showing everything we read online, medical information or fertility tracking data from a smartphone . . . would be vulnerable.

Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Anthony M. Kennedy seemed most accepting of the governments arguments.

I agree with you, that this new technology is raising very serious privacy concerns, Alito told Wessler, but I need to know how much of existing precedent you want us to overrule or declare obsolete.

Kennedy disputed Wesslers assertion that most Americans dont know that they are creating lasting records of their whereabouts when they place calls.

I think everybody, almost everybody, knows that, Kennedy said, getting a laugh when he added, If I know it, everybody does.

But Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said there was little Americans could do to avoid disclosing sensitive information. You really dont have a choice these days if you want to have a cellphone, he said.

Dreeben noted that the case involved information about the routing of the calls, not about their content.

But Sotomayor voiced worries about the future. As I understand it, a cellphone can be pinged in your bedroom. It can be pinged at your doctors office. It can ping you in the most 10 intimate details of your life. Presumably at some point even in a dressing room as youre undressing, she said. So I am not beyond the belief that someday a provider could turn on my cellphone and listen to my conversations.

Justice Elena Kagan indicated the courts concerns were a natural progression from recent cases involving technology. Five justices, she noted, had expressed concern about governments long surveillance of a suspect using a GPS device.

The obvious similarity is that, in both cases, you have reliance on a new technology that allows for 24/7 tracking, she said.

But while the justices seemed to have a shared concern, there was little apparent agreement on the reasoning the court might use to justify a restriction of the governments access to the records.

Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, a conservative, seemed as concerned as some of the liberal justices about the governments ability to get the information.

He offered that the cell-tower records could be seen as Carpenters property, and thus not available without a warrant, a proposal that did not seem to draw in other justices.

Dreeben said Gorsuchs proposal would be unlike any of the courts previous decisions. He urged the justices to go slowly.

The technology here is new, he said, but the legal principles that this court has articulated under the Fourth Amendment are not.

The case is Carpenter v. U.S.
The week after President Trumps inauguration, national security adviser Michael Flynn forwarded a memo written by a former business associate and told his staff to fashion it into a policy for President Trumps approval, according to two people familiar with the exchange.

The proposal  to develop a Marshall Plan of investment in the Middle East  was being pushed by a company that Flynn said he had advised during the 2016 campaign and transition. The firm was seeking to build nuclear power plants in the region.

His advocacy for the project in the White House surprised some administration officials and raised concerns that Flynn had a conflict of interest. From August to December 2016, he said he served as an adviser to the company, IP3, reporting later on his disclosure forms that he ended his association with the firm just weeks before joining the administration.

To push the idea in the first week of the administration without any policy process made no sense, said a person familiar with episode who, like others with knowledge of the incident, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. It was a business proposal in the form of a policy paper.

IP3 said in a statement that the memo did not make a specific request on behalf of the company.

A top House Republican last month referred questions Democrats have raised about Flynns involvement in the project to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

Last week, Robert Kelner, an attorney for Flynn, shut down communications with Trump's legal team, a sign that Flynn may be willing to cooperate with the special counsel.

Kelner declined to comment. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment. A White House attorney, Ty Cobb, declined to comment.

A White House official said the National Security Council staff handled Flynns apparent conflict of interest appropriately. They did their best to tamp it down, the official said.

[Michael Flynns role in Mideast nuclear project could compound legal issues]

IP3 said in a statement that the company never paid Flynn and that he did not accept its offer to serve as an adviser, despite his statement on the disclosure form that he held such a role.

However, Flynn advocated for a plan that would help the company after entering the White House, according to people familiar with the exchange. In late January, Robert Bud McFarlane, a co-founder of IP3 and a former adviser to President Ronald Reagan, laid out in an email to Flynn what he called a Marshall Plan for the Middle East, IP3 officials said in a statement. The memo, which the company declined to provide but was described to The Post by someone who had read it, included a focus on nuclear nonproliferation, one of the IP3s selling points for its plan.

The memo was first reported upon by the Wall Street Journal.

Flynn forwarded the email to members of his National Security Council staff and instructed them to essentially put it on White House letterhead and send it to the president for approval, according to a person with knowledge of Flynns directions.

Some of those who worked with Flynn on the National Security Council were aware of Flynns connection to IP3 and another company pursuing a similar project. John Eisenberg, a legal adviser to the council, worried that Flynn had a conflict and urged him to recuse himself from the project discussions, according to an administration official familiar with the conversations. Eisenberg declined to comment.

IP3 said that in his memo, McFarlane did not make a specific request on behalf of the company, adding it made sense to send it to Flynn because of his role overseeing national security policy.

"Mr. McFarlane was asked to prepare some thoughts on both NSC process and more specifically the Middle East, nuclear non-

proliferation concerns and Russia's aggressive movements in the Middle East," the company said. "He provided this to the NSC team at their request."

Some of Flynns allies continued to pursue the idea, including one aide, Derek Harvey, whom he deputized to help work on the policy document, according to a person familiar with the efforts. Harvey did not return a request for comment.

It is unclear whether the proposal was ever presented to Trump. An administration official said the memo was not stored as a permanent record by the National Security Council. The idea to approve the use of U.S. nuclear technology on foreign soil lost momentum in the spring, the official said.

Before his association with IP3, Flynn served as an adviser from April 2015 until June 2016 to ACU Strategic Partners, which had its own plan to help build nuclear plants in the Middle East, in conjunction with Russian interests.

In June 2015, he traveled to Egypt and Israel on a trip paid for by ACU to promote the plan. Flynn later failed to disclose the trip in his security clearance renewal application in 2016, according to Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, an omission they said may have violated federal law.

On Tuesday, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), renewed his request for information from the White House about Flynns activities. He also wrote a letter to McFarlane asking for all communications with Flynn, the Trump transition team and administration regarding the proposed plan for nuclear power plants in the Middle East.
When Washingtons grand Haft mansion near Embassy Row changed hands in 2006, it was one of the most expensive home sales in the history of the city  and one of its most mysterious.

The 23,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom home  featuring Italian marble floors and a chandelier that had once hung in the Paris Opera House  was sold by discount retail magnate Herbert Hafts widow for $15 million in cash to a company incorporated in Delaware, according to filings. The buyer was never identified.

But interviews and documents reveal for the first time that the mansion is connected to a Russian billionaire who is a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a longtime business associate of Paul Manafort, the recently indicted former chairman of President Trump's campaign.

The Washington Post found that for more than a decade, Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska has secretly held ties to one of Washingtons most prestigious addresses, a property in the heart of the city that is surrounded by powerful political figures and foreign embassies.

In May, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and her family purchased the home next door for $7.7 million. Vernon Jordan, a close adviser to President Bill Clinton, lives across the street.



Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian metals magnate Oleg Deripaska walk to attend the APEC Business Advisory Council dialogue in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 10. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AP)

Several people familiar with the mansion told The Washington Post that Deripaska was known to them as the propertys owner. He directed major renovations and has visited the house several times since 2010, they said. A New York-based company called Gracetown that oversees the property is run by a business associate of Deripaskas, corporate filings show.

The stone edifice, ringed with security cameras, is located on less than an acre behind a high gate on a winding street near Embassy Row. It is less than half a mile from the Naval Observatory, the home of Vice President Pence, and about a mile from the Russian Embassy.

Some of the citys most prominent figures live just on the other side of Rock Creek, including former president Barack Obama and Trumps daughter and son-in-law, White House aides Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

Charles Davidson, executive director of the Kleptocracy Initiative at the Hudson Institute, said the mansion is a striking example of how the world's uber-wealthy can quietly invest in high-end real estate, obscuring their identities through front companies.

This could be the most spectacular example of it yet  right in our midst, he said.

Lawyers for Deripaska in New York and London and his spokeswoman in Moscow did not respond to requests for comment.

With a net worth recently estimated by Forbes at $5.2 billion, Deripaska, 49, is one of Russias richest men and considered part of Putins inner circle. A U.S. diplomatic cable from 2006, published by WikiLeaks, referred to Deripaska as among the 2-3 oligarchs Putin turns to on a regular basis.

News photographers captured images of Deripaska conferring with Putin earlier this month during trade meetings in Vietnam that were also attended by President Trump.

Deripaska is known to own a luxury yacht and a private plane and has held property in various cities such as Tokyo and London, according to news reports.

But he has fought to keep secret details of his assets in the United States. In a pending lawsuit in New York related to another Russian-born businessmans claims that Deripaska owes him money, Deripaska has argued that his contact with the United States is too minimal for the states courts to assert jurisdiction over him. His lawyers successfully argued that hundreds of pages of documents that detail his business and his footprint in this country should be kept under seal, asserting they contain no information that is of public interest or concern.

However, public portions of the filings show that Deripaska said that he established a trust in the British Virgin Islands that purchased two homes in Manhattan  a $4.5 million townhouse in the West Village in 2006 and a $42.5 million house on the Upper East Side in 2008. Each was purchased by separate companies controlled by the billionaire.

The Haft home was not mentioned in the public court documents. D.C. property records show it was purchased in 2006 by yet another entity: a limited liability company incorporated that year in Delaware called Hestia International, named for the Greek goddess of home and hearth.

The seller was Myrna Ruben Haft, whose marriage to discount retail magnate Herbert Haft two weeks before his 2004 death had sparked headlines and legal action by his children. She had put the home on the market for $20 million.

In an interview, Haft said she did not know the identity of the buyer and had simply been thankful at the time that the sale was conducted quickly and discreetly. The whole process was done very confidentially, she said.

A man who answered the buzzer at the houses gate last week referred questions about the property to a New York company called Gracetown Inc. A SUV parked in the homes driveway is registered to Gracetown, public records show.

According to New York corporate records, Gracetowns chief executive is a Graham Bonham-Carter, a second cousin to the actress Helena Bonham Carter. He lives in London and, according to his LinkedIn profile, works for a company called Terra Services, which British regulatory filings show is owned by Deripaska. He did not respond to requests for comment sent through Facebook and LinkedIn.

People who have seen the mansion since the 2006 sale said the interior has been largely gutted and refurbished. D.C. construction permits show that the kitchen was remodeled and some of the house's 11.5 bathrooms were overhauled in the past decade. In addition, the basement was redone, a rear terrace was reconstructed and a new pool and elevator were installed.

The mansion includes a cinema in the basement, a commercial-grade kitchen and a dining room that seats 16.

Deripaska got his start in the aluminum business, thriving in the Wild West days of 1990s post-Soviet capitalism. Since then, he has expanded his business empire into energy, agriculture and aviation.

He also has been a business associate of Manaforts, paying the U.S. political operative to serve as an investment consultant after Manafort began work as a consultant in Ukraine in 2005.

In 2014, Deripaska filed suit in the Cayman Islands, alleging that Manafort had disappeared after taking nearly $19 million intended for investments and failing to account for the funds.

It is not clear how that dispute was settled, but last year, while serving as Trumps campaign chairman, Manafort wrote emails to a Russian former employee indicating he would be willing to conduct private briefings about the campaign for Deripaska. Manaforts spokesman has said the emails were an innocuous effort to collect past debts, and Deripaskas spokeswoman has said he never got the message and received no briefings. Deripaska has denied any involvement with the U.S. presidential election.

[Manafort offered to give Russian billionaire private briefings on 2016 campaign]

Deripaska's lawyers said in court documents that he has been generally barred from visiting the United States because the U.S. government has refused to extend him visas  meaning he has not been able to visit his Washington home at will.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2007 that Deripaskas visa struggles stem from suspicions that he had been involved in organized crime, an allegation he has long denied.

Putin has publicly bemoaned Deripaskas visa problems and top Russian officials have routinely raised the matter in private meetings with their U.S. counterparts, according to former U.S. officials familiar with the appeals.

Deripaska did enter the United States a handful of times using a diplomatic passport, issued to him by the Russian government so he could help assist at summit meetings and other trade missions, according to documents filed in the New York court case.

People traveling on a diplomatic visa are generally barred from conducting personal business, said David Leopold, a former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Deripaska said in a 2016 court filing that he has had difficulty getting a visa to travel to the United States but used his diplomatic passport to visit New York 10 times since 2009.

People familiar with the D.C. home said that, on some of those trips, he also visited Washington, staying at the house and reviewing renovations.

It is unclear when Deripaska most recently visited  and whether any of his neighbors know of his tie to the property.

Conway did not respond to requests for comment.

Jordan said he did not know who owned the home.

I get to look at it when Im turning onto my street, he said. Nobodys ever there. It seems like its abandoned. But they do a good job with the trees and the shrubbery.

Carol D. Leonnig, Tom Hamburger and Juliet Eilperin contributed to this report.


Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer D-N.Y.) delivers remarks at President-elect Trumps inauguration ceremony. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Donald Trump always had a soft spot for his fellow outer-borough kid who made it big. He recalls giving Chuck Schumer $500 when the young state legislator from Brooklyn first ran for Congress  the first of several donations. Trump attended a fundraiser for Schumer thrown by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. And Trump entertained Schumer at parties and fundraisers in Trump Tower and at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Trump and Schumer were never pals, but they got along fine, two power players who had never quite been accepted in the inner circle of their chosen fields, two sharp-elbowed guys who led with their mouths and won power in part by mastering the art of being in the news.

Now, as Trump enters a pivotal passage in his new presidency, champing for a big win ahead of the 2018 congressional campaign, people in both parties thought the relationship between Trump and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, might provide a path out of Washingtons political paralysis. But on Tuesday, when Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) pulled out of a scheduled meeting at the White House, the limits of that relationship became palpably evident. And the chances for a deal ahead of a Dec. 8 spending deadline grew that much smaller.

Schumer said he's still open to negotiating with Republicans in Congress, but any quick New Yorker-to-New Yorker agreement to avert a government shutdown and resolve the status of the "dreamers," about 600,000 young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, appeared to be stillborn. Schumer and Trump traded snippy remarks late Tuesday. The senator called the president "a destructive force." Trump, sitting between empty chairs set behind Schumer's and Pelosi's nameplates, accused the two of being "weak on military" and "all talk . . . no action."

The connection between Schumer and Trump has already been among the most volatile, promising and surprising of many mercurial relationships in the short history of the Trump administration. On the morning after this month's terrorist attack on Manhattan's West Side, Trump tweeted a shot at Schumer, calling the diversity visa lottery under which the accused terrorist entered the United States "a Chuck Schumer beauty."

Whereupon Schumer opined that "I guess it's not too soon to politicize a tragedy." Following which Trump's spokesman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the president didn't intend to blame Schumer for the attack.

The sniping continued Tuesday, when the president tweeted that  Chuck and Nancy . . .want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I dont see a deal!

That prompted Schumer and Pelosi to cancel the meeting with Trump and Republican leaders. But congressional Republicans, who grumble privately about Trumps frequent attacks on his own party, believe Trump may yet find occasional alignment with Schumer and the Democrats  on infrastructure, illegal immigration or spending.

If were going to get results, its going to be from those two, said Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a Long Islander who says Trump makes deals best when hes at ease with those on the other side. Trump has no patience for all that polite circumlocution of Washington. He didnt realize how much he really is a New Yorker till he was away from the city for a few months. With Schumer, he can be a wiseguy. They interrupt each other, finish each others sentences. The president feels comfortable.

Schumer has clearly been on the presidents mind. At a meeting with six members of Congress just before his trip to Asia a few weeks ago, Trump kept bringing up Schumers name, even though the senator was not present. He raised Schumers name often, in a very personal, very playful way, said a Senate source familiar with the meeting. Hed talk about something he was going to do with China, and hed say, Chucks not going to be happy about that. 

Schumer boasted to a Senate colleague, in a conversation caught by a C-SPAN microphone earlier this fall, that Trump likes us. He likes me, anyway. . . . Oh, its going to work out.

But that same morning, Trump had tweeted that "no deal was made" with Schumer and Pelosi to let the dreamers stay in the country.



President Trump meets with congressional leadership in the Oval Office on Sept. 6. Trump sided with Democrats in the meeting on a plan to fund the government for a three-month stopgap. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

Is a jocular, comfortable vibe enough to forge deals across party lines?

Neither the presidents attempts to flatter nor his name-calling have an effect on the relationship, said Matt House, a spokesman for Schumer, who declined to be interviewed for this article. What drives the relationship and ultimately leads to agreements or conflict is the presidents policy proposals, House said.

If Trump proposes ideas that dont violate Democrats values and principles, Schumer will work with him, the spokesman said. But if the president continues to pursue an agenda that takes us backwards, Senator Schumer will hold the line.

Barbs and blame are routine in the Trump-Schumer relationship, not because they are political enemies  after all, Trump was a Democrat for much of his career as a brash Manhattan developer  but because of where theyre from and how they operate.

One of the roughest parts of the presidents transition from Trump Tower to the White House has been finding his new posse. A man of deeply ingrained habit, Trump, despite his TV-polished reputation for firing people, kept the same tight circle of advisers for decades. Many of those were fellow New Yorkers.

The president, who often grates against the stilted manners and glacial pace of Washington, visibly loosens in the presence of fellow New Yorkers, especially outer-borough and Long Island guys such as Fox News host Sean Hannity or erstwhile White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, according to people who have watched such encounters.

When Trump met with congressional Republicans in the spring about health care, he told Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) that if he didnt support Trumps plan, Im going to come after you.

A lot of Republicans grumbled about that, King said, and the president said, Hey, Im kidding around. Those guys just dont get that kind of language. But thats how we are. When hes talking to Chuck, he doesnt have to worry about that. They both just want to get the goddamn thing done.

Trump knows he can slam Schumer as head clown or Crying Chuck and the senator will keep talking to him. In a 40-minute meeting Trump held with at least eight officials from New York and New Jersey last month to talk about transportation projects, Schumer and Trump dominated the conversation and Trump kept reaching across economic adviser Gary Cohn to shake Schumers hand, according to a participant in the meeting.



Schumer talks to Trump in the Oval Office on Sept. 6. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Schumer and Trump share a classic outer-borough combination of tough talk and sensitivity about not being taken quite as seriously as the fancy guys from Manhattan. Both of them spend many hours on the phone, schmoozing friends and foes alike.

They also share an approach to humor that can land with a thud in Washington. At their dinner in September, the president could joshingly invite Schumer to have some meatballs  theyre kosher, without fear that hed take offense, according to a guest who witnessed the exchange.

In the old World War II movies, there was always some numbskull from Brooklyn, the straight-talking lug who everybody loved because you always knew where you stood with him, said Jim Kessler, a former Schumer senior staffer who now works at Third Way, a policy nonprofit. Trump and Schumer talk like that. Trump can feel like he speaks a foreign language to a lot of Americans, but New Yorkers know that language of insults.

But two people can share a sense of which barbs are just jests and still be quite different.

Trump is red carpet, and Chuck is the Sheepshead Bay co-op annual meeting, Kessler said. Trump is fine china, and Chuck is Chinese takeout. Trumps dad was a millionaire; Chucks dad was an exterminator.

Inside the White House, many advisers remain wary of working with Schumer. When Schumer and Pelosi emerged from a Blue Room dinner with Trump in September and announced that they had a deal to permit the dreamers to stay in the country, they went further than what Trump had accepted, a White House official said.

There was a lot of warmth and feeling in the dinner, the official said, but Schumer and Pelosi were under such pressure to produce something that they got ahead of themselves. Yet White House budget director Mick Mulvaney emerged from the dinner confirming that we have the makings of a deal with Schumer and Pelosi.

Both sides in the relationship portray the other as being captive to his base. Schumers camp argues that the president, left to his own devices, would hew closer to the moderate Democratic leanings he expressed most of his life. Under pressure to cater to the Republicans who put him in office, they say, he reverts to a hard line on immigration and security issues.

Trump aides, however, say its Schumer who cant be flexible because his base is dead set against cooperating with the president. Even before Trump took office, protesters gathered outside Schumers Brooklyn home with signs that said, Make Us Proud or Well Primary You. Dont Cut Deals With the Devil.

They have a good rapport, but its a complicated relationship, said Marc Short, the White House legislative affairs director. If you look at confirmation of our appointments, Schumer has been as obstructionist as possible. Its absurd. We havent see a lot of cooperation.

Schumer, 67, and Trump, 71, grew up in the same New York political arena. Trumps developer father took his teenage son with him to neighborhood Democratic clubs in Brooklyn on weekends, visiting local party chieftains whose help he might someday need. Schumers mother volunteered in her neighborhood and pressed her son to succeed by studying hard.



Schumer speaks to Capitol Hill journalists June 22 about the Senates attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Schumers path took him from valedictorian at his public high school to a perfect 1600 on his SAT and on to Harvard and Harvard Law. He joined Sen. Eugene McCarthys (Minn.) 1968 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and soon made his own run for a state Assembly seat. Trump, never the studious type, was already devoting much of his time to the family business while he was in college.

Once Trump broke off on his own to build hotels and office towers in Manhattan, he needed political cover, just as his father had. Even in his 20s, Trump cultivated politicians, held fundraisers and invited officeholders to his many news conferences.

When Republican Tom Kean was governor of New Jersey in the 1980s, he would run into Schumer at Trumps big parties. Trump would make sure the rich and powerful were there, as well as the politicians he might need to get permits for his next project, Kean said. He and Schumer both liked to know everybody.

Trump even put Schumer up as a prize on his TV reality show, The Apprentice. In 2006, contestants on the show vied for an awards package including a meeting with the senator.

Between 1996 and 2010  when Schumers career was blossoming and Trump was variously a Democrat, a Republican and an independent  Trump donated $9,000 to Schumer.

They came head to head on New York issues only rarely. In 2007, they were on opposing sides of a conflict over Starrett City, the countrys largest subsidized housing complex, with nearly 6,000 apartments in 46 buildings near Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn.

Schumer sided with tenants who feared that the sale of their homes might mean huge rent hikes or even eviction. Trump, whose father had been a major investor in the complex in the 1970s, still owned about 4 percent of the property and was pleased to cash out.



Trump shakes hands with Schumer as he signs his Cabinet nominations into law at the Capitol on Jan. 20. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

Schumer called the decision to sell disgraceful and accused the owners of trying to maximize every nickel they can get at the expense of the tenants.

Trumps retort: You cant stop free enterprise. This is not Communist China.

But the two men stayed on the fringes of the issue. The complex is now in the process of being sold, a deal that could produce a $14 million payoff to Trump.

In 2014, Trump and Schumer found themselves on the same side of an effort to keep the Buffalo Bills in New York. Schumer was deeply involved for months, calling owners, scouting ways to ensure that the franchise remained in Buffalo, one of the leagues smaller, more frigid cities. Trump, who put himself forward as a possible owner of the team, never seriously pursued it, according to a source close to Schumer.

Trump likes to do business with people who, as he sees it, can take a punch. Thats who he is, said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has crossed swords with Trump and occasionally found common cause with him. He comes from construction workers and builders, that Queens blue-collar, white-ethnic world. He built himself into a New York personality, an environment where Page Six and the tabloids mean something to him.

Sharpton argues that Trumps affinity for fellow outer-borough guys  and they are nearly always men  comes out of a place with a certain racial dynamic and attitudes that are different from the rest of the country. Trump learned politics watching [former New York mayors] Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani, whereas he looks at a McConnell or Ryan and he just doesnt get that.

The feeling may be mutual. Soon after Trump took office, McConnell emerged from a White House meeting and allowed that I enjoyed the president and Sen. Schumer talking about all the people they knew in New York.

Despite their common New York DNA, the president and a leader of the party that defines itself as the resistance to Trump may not be able to bridge the gulf between them.

Trumps dealt all of his career with the kind of bleeding liberals that Chuck represents, the union bosses he needed to get his buildings built, Sharpton said. But for them to make any deals, Schumers got to come out of the room with something to take back to Brooklyn, and Donald Trumps got to take something back to the 21 Club. Right now, theyre in such different places that it could just end with a series of stalemates.
The political future of Congress's longest-serving member, Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), appeared precarious Wednesday as Democratic leaders and some female lawmakers pressured him to resign over allegations that he had sexually harassed multiple female aides.

At the same time, members of the Congressional Black Caucus refused to publicly call for Conyerss resignation, underscoring the tensions among Democrats over whether the 88-year-old should step down.

After a meeting of House Democrats, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.) and Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) huddled in an adjoining basement conference room. Emerging an hour later, Richmond would not say whether his caucus would call for Conyers to resign his seat.

Both Richmond and Clyburn responded abruptly when reporters noted that other prominent men accused of harassment  such as NBCs Matt Lauer and CBSs Charlie Rose  were fired or stepped down from their positions faster than Conyers.

Who elected them? Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, said as he and Richmond boarded an elevator.

[Conyers steps down from House Judiciary Committee]

Conyers, who has denied wrongdoing, flew back to Detroit from Washington on Tuesday night without explanation. His attorney, Arnold Reed, said CBC members were not pressuring him to resign in a meeting that took place on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon.

The tenor of the meeting was to discuss how he was doing, how he was handling things. . . . They are not trying to force him to resign, Reed said late Tuesday. We will be having a conversation about the allegations and how we move forward. It may be tomorrow, it may be the next day, but it will occur.

Sexual harassment and a forthcoming House vote over workplace behavioral training consumed discussion at House Democrats weekly closed-door caucus meeting, according to multiple people present or familiar with the conversation. While nobody in the room called for Conyers to resign, lawmakers discussed workplace issues facing Capitol Hill, including how congressional offices field, investigate and settle complaints of harassment and discrimination.

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), one of the few Democrats who has publicly called for Conyers to resign, left the conference meeting early, saying leaders focused on a proposal to require sexual harassment training but did not grapple with the Conyers issue.

Lets talk about the big elephant in the room, said Rice. I dont have time for conversations that are not real, that are not going to advance the ball.

[Rep. John Conyers Jr. accused of sexual harassment by another former staffer]

A Democratic aide with knowledge of the meeting said that Rice did not speak before leaving and that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suggested party members meet separately to discuss harassment.

Rice, meanwhile, suggested that House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) could advance the debate if he allowed a Conyers accuser bound by a confidentiality agreement to go public. Im calling on the speaker, who clearly has the power, to release her from her nondisclosure agreement, Rice said. We cant say we stand for victims as a body if we hold her to a confidentiality agreement that allows her accuser  her abuser  to talk about her but leaves her in the lurch.

Few other Democrats, and few Republicans, have called on Conyers to resign ahead of an investigation launched by the House Ethics Committee.

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), the partys conference chairman, told reporters that Conyers was probably talking to family and constituents in Detroit to figure out his next move. But Crowley and vice chair Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) refused to call on Conyers to quit, saying that a rush to judgment was not the way to handle harassment complaints.

[Why could John Conyers Jr. lose his job over sexual harassment allegations while other politicians stay?]

Ive seen cases where the allegations dont have merit. We need a fair process, Sanchez said.  . . . You dont want character assassinations.

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said that the entire conversation was complicated and that each accusation was going to play out differently.

This man has done good things, and thats part of the problem, said Dingell. Good men have done good things but at the same time have used their positions of power to assault women.

Conyers has become the focus of debate over sexual harassment in Congress as decades of misconduct and a pattern of secret settlements between lawmakers and staff members come to light.

While he has insisted he will not resign, the veteran lawmaker stepped down as ranking Democrat of the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday. The move was seen as a concession to critics who said Conyers should no longer occupy such a powerful perch as allegations against him mount.

Asked Wednesday whether Conyers should resign, Ryan declined to say.

Look, I know what I would do if this happened to me, Ryan said at a news conference. I will leave it up to him to decide what he wants to do. I think he made the right decision in stepping down from his leadership position.

Conyers was not spotted at votes Tuesday evening, where members of the CBC held a rare huddle on the House floor.

Conyerss seniority and participation in the civil rights movement have given some colleagues pause about calling for his resignation. Pelosi called him an icon on Sunday talk shows, only to face immediate criticism from womens rights advocates and others.

"I don't think we should rush to judgment on decisions," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.), ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. "It's his decision to make, and I would look forward to him at some point making that decision."

A report published Tuesday in the Detroit News could make it harder for Conyers to defy calls to resign. The paper reported that Deanna Maher, who worked for Conyers between 1997 and 2005, said he propositioned her once and inappropriately touched her twice.

Multiple allegations have surfaced since last week, when BuzzFeed reported that Conyers reached a financial settlement in 2015 with a former employee who said she was fired for refusing his sexual advances.

In court documents filed earlier this year, another woman, Maria Reddick, accused Conyers of harassing her while she worked as his scheduler.

And in an interview with The Washington Post, a well-known lawyer specializing in congressional ethics accused Conyers of harassing and verbally abusing her when she worked for him in the 1990s.

On Tuesday, Judiciary Committee member Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said Conyers must resign given the pattern of misconduct alleged by former aides.

This is a watershed moment where, finally, the country seems to be waking up and realizing we need to have a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment, she said in a statement. I believe these women, I see the pattern, and there is only one conclusion: Mr. Conyers must resign.

Mike DeBonis and Kimberly Kindy contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
TWIN FALLS  When Erin Rigel learned two days ago of a plan to renovate the building shes leasing, it came as a shock.

In August, Rigel, the owner of Fashion 15 Below, signed a three-year lease for the spot, and the last shed heard, the building owners plans for renovation were going to happen a couple years from now. But on Wednesday, the Urban Renewal Agency approved a deal that would push that renovation up to January.

Rigel uses the space for her online order pickups. Up to 200 people pick up their orders there every day.

Its not just a warehouse space, she said, noting that she has more than $100,000 of merchandise inside.

The URA voted 6-1 to deed a portion of the old Rogerson Hotel wall to the owner of 147 Main Ave. E., allowing her to construct an entrance facing the downtown plaza during a major renovation of the building. Board members were, however, conflicted about the potential impact this would have on Fashion 15 Below.

As important as it is to refurbish businesses, we also need to keep businesses, URA chairman Dan Brizee said. Retention is as important as redevelopment.

After the URAs decision, Rigel spoke with her landlord, Debra Gates. Gates said she plans to accommodate Rigels business and continue with her lease  although long-term plans show the building housing a potential restaurant.

In the short-term, Rigel will need to decide how she will cope with the front of her building being under construction come Jan. 2.

Im going to have to figure out in the next couple of weeks on what were going to do, Rigel said. She approves of the buildings proposed look.

The agreement signed by the URA deeds the portion of the Rogerson Hotel wall that is a supporting structure for the building. The space had been planned for a public mural, but the URAs decision will move the mural down the wall next to five art windows that will be used to display public art in the downtown plaza at Main Avenue East and Hansen Street.

The URA owned the wall when it purchased the Rogerson, but couldnt tear it down because of its structural importance to Gates building. The URA plans to refinish the wall as a public art space starting in January. As a condition with the memorandum of understanding, Gates exterior renovations must be completed in conjunction with work on the plaza wall.

That wall is one of the first items that needs to happen, Brizee said. Its go time on the plaza.

For a large portion of the meeting, the URA was hung up on whether they should allow business access directly into the plaza. URA Executive Director Nathan Murray said that it would help to create an active plaza.

The architect for the building, Colby Ricks, showed up late to the meeting after saying he hadnt known about it. He assured that Gates did not intend to have outdoor seating for a possible future restaurant. The door was needed, however, for fire access because Gates intends to build a mezzanine on the second story.

Suzanne Cawthra cast the dissenting vote, saying she was concerned about effects to Fashion 15 Below, a successful business. She also opposed tables and chairs for the restaurant going out in the plaza.

Gates plans a renovation valued more than $300,000. The project aims to open up the building to a variety of uses, such as a restaurant, coffee shop or office space.

The tax revenue estimated to be generated by those improvements is a couple thousand dollars a year, Murray said.

The downtown plaza is slated to be completed next spring with a restroom facility and splash pad.
Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) has no immediate plans to resign and intends to fight allegations of sexual harassment and mistreatment from former female aides, his lawyer said Wednesday.

The congressman is a very deliberate person and doesnt want to make a hasty decision, Michigan-based attorney Arnold Reed said in a phone interview. These allegations are untrue, and Mr. Conyers wants the public to know they are untrue. We will weigh and continue to assess his options.

The statement came as members of the Congressional Black Caucus declined to call for Conyers to step down, complicating efforts by Democratic leaders to ease the veteran lawmaker toward an exit.

We are not urging John Conyers to resign, CBC chairman Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.) said Wednesday afternoon. Were not. We think that is a decision for him and his family and his constituents to make.

Conyerss remained at home in Detroit as his colleagues in Washington grappled with how to address a growing public outcry about sexual harassment in Congress, which some female lawmakers have described as rampant. In a small step, the House approved legislation Wednesday mandating workplace harassment training for all members and staff.

But the political future of Conyers, 88, dominated discussions on Capitol Hill after a fourth woman accused the congressman of unwanted sexual advances when she worked for him. Conyers flew home abruptly Tuesday night after stepping aside as ranking Democrat of the House Judiciary Committee at the urging of House leaders.

Detroit station WDIV-TV, citing two unnamed sources, reported late Wednesday that Conyers intends to announce his decision not to run for reelection in January. Reached at his office, Reed said the report was based on rumor, not fact. That is not true. That is not true, he said.

Reed said he and Conyers did not discuss plans for the congressman to return to Washington during a Wednesday meeting.

Its been an ugly scene around their home, Reed said. When I went over there, [reporters] were out there like vultures. Mr. Conyers is awfully concerned about that. This does not involve his family.

Conyerss accusers continue to draw media attention. One of the women, Deanna Maher, described an alleged incident involving Conyers in a television interview Wednesday night.

It was violent in my mind, she told Fox News.

For [Conyers] to grab you . . . and force you against the wall and stick his tongue down my throat at my age, which I was 61 at the time  that was pretty devastating. I cant tell you how ashamed I felt. Dirty, she said.

Only a few Democratic lawmakers have explicitly called for Conyers to step aside, and some allies urged caution as the House Ethics Committee examines the charges.

Ive seen cases where the allegations dont have merit. We need a fair process, said Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.), vice chair of the Democratic conference. You dont want character assassinations.

Conyers and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who has been accused of inappropriately touching several women, are now subjects of ethics investigations.

[Conyers steps down from House Judiciary Committee]

Franken, 66, returned to Washington on Monday from Thanksgiving break and apologized for his behavior.

Conyerss decision to step aside from his committee post was seen as a concession to critics who said he should no longer occupy such a powerful perch as allegations of misconduct mount.

Asked Wednesday whether Conyers should resign, Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) declined to say.

Look, I know what I would do if this happened to me, Ryan said at a news conference. I will leave it up to him to decide what he wants to do. I think he made the right decision in stepping down from his leadership position.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) addressed the situation indirectly on Wednesday afternoon, before the House voted to mandate anti-harassment training.

Zero tolerance means consequences for everyone, Pelosi said in a floor speech. No matter your contribution to our country, you do not get a pass to harass or discriminate. No matter how great the legacy, it is not a license to harass or abuse.

Conyerss legacy is a complicating factor for colleagues as they weigh how to respond to the misconduct allegations. His legislative seniority, influence on past policy debates and ties to the civil rights movement have made him a revered figure among House Democrats.

Confronted Wednesday by reporters, Richmond and Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) responded abruptly when one journalist noted that other prominent men accused of harassment  such as NBC's Matt Lauer and CBS's Charlie Rose  were fired or stepped down from their positions quickly after facing similar accusations.

Who elected them? said Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, as he boarded an elevator.

Later, members of the CBC refused to answer questions about Conyers as they exited a meeting. Inside the room, Conyers, Franken and other members who have dealt with harassment allegations were discussed.

[Rep. John Conyers Jr. accused of sexual harassment by another former staffer]

There was talk about how the system was probably created by men and not by a table that had diversity around it, Richmond said.

Sexual harassment also consumed discussion at the House Democrats weekly closed-door caucus meeting, according to people who were present. Lawmakers discussed workplace issues facing Capitol Hill, including how congressional offices field, investigate and settle harassment and discrimination complaints.

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), one of the few Democrats who has publicly called for Conyers to step down, joined Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday to introduce legislation to revamp the process for handling sexual harassment claims in Congress.

She left the Democrats meeting saying that leaders were focused on a proposal to require sexual harassment training but did not grapple with the Conyers issue.

Lets talk about the big elephant in the room, Rice said. I dont have time for conversations that are not real, that are not going to advance the ball.

Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) have also said Conyers should resign. "Obviously that's his decision, but I would think he should," Blumenauer said in an interview with C-SPAN on Wednesday morning.

[Why could John Conyers Jr. lose his job over sexual harassment allegations while other politicians stay?]

Rice suggested that Ryan could advance the debate if he allowed a Conyers accuser bound by a confidentiality agreement to go public. Im calling on the speaker, who clearly has the power, to release her from her nondisclosure agreement, Rice said. We cant say we stand for victims as a body if we hold her to a confidentiality agreement that allows her accuser  her abuser  to talk about her but leaves her in the lurch.

The bill she unveiled with DeSantis and Blackburn, who is running for Senate, would eliminate the fund used to pay out harassment settlements, retroactively reveal who had settled and require those politicians to pay back the money with interest.

[Garrison Keillor, ex-host of A Prairie Home Companion, fired after allegations of improper behavior ]

Mike DeBonis and Kimberly Kindy contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), center, is joined in a Nov. 29 hearing by, from left, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), a staff aide and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) as the panel meets to craft a Republican bill to expand gun owners' rights. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

A House panel advanced a GOP measure Wednesday that would greatly expand the ability of Americans to carry concealed weapons across state lines, while also moving on a bipartisan basis to close loopholes in the federal background check system for gun buyers.

The two bills are the first firearms-related legislation to advance on Capitol Hill since mass shooters in Las Vegas and Texas killed a combined 84 people. The House Judiciary Committee approved the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act on a 19-11 party-line vote, then passed the Fix NICS Act on a 17-6 bipartisan vote.

The National Rifle Association this week called the concealed-carry bill, which requires states to honor permits issued elsewhere, its "highest legislative priority in Congress." The group says mandatory reciprocity would prevent "abuses" in states with strict firearms laws and allow gun owners "to exercise their rights nationwide with peace of mind."

"Your fundamental right to keep and bear arms should not end at the state line," the group said in urging its members to contact their representatives and call for its passage.

But groups that support increased gun controls decry the bill, arguing that it will undermine the ability of individual jurisdictions to set their own standards for who can carry a gun. Many states have existing reciprocity agreements, typically with states that have similar licensing standards.

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, called the bill a ploy to weaken state gun laws and allow untrained people and people with dangerous histories to carry hidden, loaded handguns across the country in a statement released before the committee vote.

Under the bill, a person holding any state concealed-carry permit and a photo ID would be able to legally carry a weapon in any other state that allows concealed carry. He or she would still be obligated to follow state or local laws governing where or what type of concealed weapons may be carried.

But standards for the issuance of concealed-carry permits vary from state to state, and opponents of the bill argue that the bill would in effect force states to accept lower standards than they have set for themselves. Some states, for instance, require gun safety classes or prohibit the issuance of permits to people convicted of stalking and domestic-related misdemeanors, while others do not.

The bill could come to the House floor before the end of the year, said its sponsor, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.). Ive been telling leadership since July weve had the votes, and its just been a matter of scheduling, he said Wednesday.

The bills prospects in the Senate are less clear. It would take a 60-vote supermajority to advance the controversial legislation, and Republicans have a majority of only 52. A Senate reciprocity bill authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) has not received committee consideration.

In the aftermath of the Oct. 1 Las Vegas shooting, lawmakers expressed openness to a new gun restriction  cracking down on the use of bump stocks that can be attached to semiautomatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of illicit machine guns. The shooter in that incident, Stephen Paddock, used the devices to spray fire from a high-rise hotel room on a concert crowd below.

But the NRA suggested that the matter was better handled administratively by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, and a bipartisan effort to ban bump stocks has stalled.

[House Republicans shy away from action on bump stocks, hoping the ATF deals with it]

The Nov. 5 shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Tex., has prompted the bipartisan push for the gun-related bill that advanced Wednesday  one tightening the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, also known as NICS.

The Texas assailant, Devin P. Kelley, should have been barred from purchasing the murder weapon because he was court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his wife and child while enlisted in the Air Force. The Air Force, however, never entered the disqualifying offense into the federal system.

The Fix NICS Act is meant to ensure that federal and state authorities swiftly and accurately submit records to the database. Democrats hailed the bill as a rare step forward for gun safety, but Republicans cast it as an effort to better enforce existing laws.

The House bill includes a provision asking the Justice Department to prepare a report that specifies the number of times that a bump stock has been used in the commission of a crime in the United States but does not propose any restriction on those devices.

A Senate version of the Fix NICS Act does not mention bump stocks; the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing on regulating them for Dec. 6.

Democrats spent several hours attacking the concealed-carry bill Wednesday at the committee meeting before it received a vote, offering amendments that would exclude persons convicted of violent misdemeanors or domestic offenses, as well as one that would set a national minimum age for the interstate recognition of concealed carry permits. All were defeated on party-line votes.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said the Hudson bill shakes the underpinnings of public firearms safety laws.

This bill would overrule restrictions on the concealed carrying of firearms that states have carefully crafted to make this practice safer, based on the needs and circumstances in each state, Nadler said. Suffice it to say that public safety would suffer if we were to unwisely adopt this legislation.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said the bill was in keeping with recent Supreme Court decisions establishing an individual right to own and carry arms.

We know that citizens who carry a concealed handgun are not only better prepared to act in their own self-defense, but also in the defense of others, Goodlatte said. This bill is about the simple proposition that law abiding Americans should be able to exercise their right to self-defense even when they cross out of their states borders. That is their constitutional right.

Hudson, in an interview, said his bill would allow weapons permits to be treated the same way that drivers licenses or marriage licenses are  that states would grant mutual recognition to documents issued by other states.

"All we're saying is, Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution says each state should give full faith and credit to the laws of every other state, and the Congress has the responsibility to determine how those documents are recognized," he said. "You've got a lot of Americans who are put into jeopardy every day because they cross invisible lines. It's important that we protect law-abiding citizens who are trying to do the right things."

Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
President Trump makes a statement from the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Nov. 28, 2017, sitting next to the empty chairs of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), left, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) after they canceled their participation in the meeting. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Everything seemed to be going so smoothly just after Labor Day. President Trump tweeted favorably about dealing with Chuck and Nancy, and the two Democrats returned the favor.

He likes us. He likes me anyway, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in mid-September. He was caught on a live microphone on the Senate floor explaining to another senator how he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reached a pair of major fiscal deals with Trump.

By Tuesday, every last ounce of goodwill had been drained out of the Donald-Chuck-Nancy partnership. The implosion left the fate of funding for the Pentagon and domestic federal agencies up in the air heading into the holiday season. Perhaps more important, it seemed to poison the well for reauthorizing a childrens health program and resolving the fate of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country when they were children.

It also served as the latest lesson in what it is like to negotiate with a president whose dealmaking experience came in the real estate world, where he was known to back away from nearly cinched agreements as a ploy to leverage better deals.

Trump began the day by denouncing the Democrats, on Twitter, for wanting illegal immigrants in the country. He predicted that no deal would come together on a year-end package to fund the government and the other key issues.

Schumer and Pelosi then canceled plans to attend an afternoon meeting with Trump, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), fearing Trump no longer saw the huddle as a chance to map out final deals.

Were not going to sit down just for a photo op. This is too serious, Schumer told reporters later. And Pelosi went to Twitter to express her dissent, intentionally using the presidents social-media tone.

"[H]e's more interested in stunts than in addressing the needs of the American people," Pelosi tweeted. "Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!"

Schumer caught on hot mic: Trump likes us

Its a long way from where things stood in mid-September, after Trump acquiesced to the two Democratic leaders on a plan for short-term funding of the federal government and allowing the Treasury to increase its borrowing limits to finance the national debt.

The president also told the Democrats that he would support permanent legal status and eventually a path to citizenship for the Dreamers, the young undocumented immigrants, in exchange for beefed-up funding for border security.

These talks floored Republicans. They wanted to work on a longer timeline on the fiscal disputes and were flummoxed when, after his harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration during his campaign, Trump sided with Democrats whom he had previously denounced as supporting open borders.

Pelosi wanted clarity from Trump after he gave Congress six months to resolve the fate of the Dreamers or he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era executive order halting deportations for those young undocumented immigrants. So she asked the president to tweet his support for no deportations during that period  and the tweet landed in the middle of a House Democratic caucus meeting.

For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about, Trump wrote.

Most Democrats encouraged their leaders to continue the talks, but they also expressed great concern about being set up for a double-cross. Particularly concerned were members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. They always feared that a man who began his campaign calling Mexicans rapists would not keep his word about signing legislation formalizing the DACA protections.

With little to lose, Democrats cautiously share the drivers seat with Trump

But Schumer maintained his optimism as bipartisan negotiations took place among congressional negotiators, suggesting this month that he had little fear of a partial federal government shutdown amid a standoff over immigration. We wont come to that. I think well have Republicans joining us to support DACA, he said.

That optimism came crashing down Tuesday. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi did not show up for our meeting today, Trump told reporters at the White House. Im not really that surprised. We have a lot of differences. Theyre weak on crime, theyre weak on illegal immigration. They want the illegal folks to come pouring into our border.

So, what happened?

The staffs were making great progress until the president stepped in. We were very close on a number of issues, Schumer told reporters. He said that Trump got in the way of what were serious, mature negotiations on a major piece of legislation.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said that other Republicans had told him Trump was stunned by the negative reaction he got from the conservative base after he started wheeling and dealing with the Democratic leaders.

And since then his whole rhetoric has changed, Durbin said.

Now its unclear whether Trump wants to try to bring about a shutdown of the federal government  funding runs out Dec. 8  in a bid to force congressional Democrats to back funding of the border wall that he has long supported.

That sort of confrontation, something that most of the public would despise, might be exactly the kind of fight that Trumps base wants. It is unclear whether Ryan and McConnell are prepared to jump into that abyss with the president, knowing that it is their members who are on the ballot in next years midterm elections.

Schumer always saw this coming. In his hot-mic moment in mid-September, he told his colleague that he had warned Trump about going to the far right.

If you have to step just in one direction, youre boxed. He gets that, Schumer said.

In a whisper, Schumer even predicted his new negotiating partner might transform Congress. Oh, its going to work out, and hell make us more productive, too, he said.

That prediction remains very much in doubt.

Read more from Paul Kane's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.), right, and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and arrive for votes on Capitol Hill on Monday evening. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

A Republican senator on Wednesday appeared to corroborate Democrats complaints that the Trump administration has been trying to strong-arm its judicial picks through Congress instead of consulting with lawmakers to find mutually agreeable candidates.

Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) told his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee that White House Counsel Don McGahn had been very firm . . . to the point that he was on the scarce side, in one conversation, of being polite, in informing him that the administrations nominee to fill a vacant seat on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 5th District was attorney Kyle Duncan  someone he had never met.

Full credit: [McGahn] came back later and apologized, Kennedy said. But his firmness he did not relent on.

Kennedy made his comments at a confirmation hearing for Duncan and 8th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee David Stras, whose candidacies have become a test for whether the GOP will prioritize the presidents judicial picks over achieving congressional consensus.

Traditionally, federal judge nominations do not receive congressional consideration unless the senators from affected states agree to consider the candidate. But neither Duncan nor Stras received every senators assent before committee chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) scheduled their confirmation hearing.

Democrats have accused Grassley of applying a different standard for President Trumps circuit court nominees than he did for those of former president Barack Obama, to help Trump load up federal bench vacancies with picks some members find objectionable.

The Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), said Wednesday that Grassley had always waited for senators from affected states to agree to a nominee's candidacy before scheduling confirmation hearing when Obama was president. She accused Grassley of blindsiding Democrats with Wednesday's hearing and ignoring their requests to reconsider.

The only difference is who sits in the White House, Feinstein said.

Republican leaders warned earlier this year that they might curtail the practice of waiting for all affected senators to sign off on "blue slips" before scheduling a confirmation hearing for circuit court nominees. They argued that when multiple states are affected, one senator should not be able to hold up a process for political reasons. Grassley stressed on Wednesday that the vast majority of Judiciary Committee chairmen have made exceptions to the blue slip rule and that he felt senators had been given ample time to resolve their complaints about nominees with the White House.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who says he was only informed, not consulted, about Strass nomination, accused the White House of regularly ignoring the time-honored practice of joining with home state senators to identify nominees and find consensus candidates.

Franken charged that the White House had outsourced the job of identifying potential Supreme Court nominees to the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, two conservative organizations, instead of turning to lawmakers for their recommendations.

I do not think that the Senate should cede its power to the executive branch, Franken said.

Kennedy refused to comment when asked after the meeting whether he thought the Trump administration was routinely ignoring senators input when it came to judicial nominations. He noted to Duncan on Wednesday that he was surprised the nominee had indicated on his preliminary questionnaire that Kennedy supported his nomination when they were unacquainted, and challenged him to prove that he was the second coming of Justice Holmes or Justice Scalia, and not the second cousin of somebody who is politically connected in the Washington swamp.

Duncan made a point of apologizing to Kennedy for being iced out of the selection process.

It sounds from your opening comments that you were disrespected in this process, and I deeply regret that, Duncan told Kennedy on Wednesday. Kennedy appeared to be pleased by the gesture.

Read more at PowerPost
North Korea's claim to have built a new intercontinental ballistic missile "tipped with super-large heavy warhead" that can hit any part of the United States marks another unwelcome step from Kim Jong Un's nuclear program. But beyond the bluster and the boasting, some analysts see a tiny glimmer of hope.

Counterintuitive as it may seem, could the regime  with its pronouncement that it has completed its missile development  now be more open to talks with the United States?

Many have expected that Pyongyang would not be ready to negotiate until it deemed it had achieved a deliverable nuclear deterrent, said Laura Rosenberger, a North Korea expert with the German Marshall Fund in Washington.

Now Kims regime says it has achieved that deterrent.

North Korea called Wednesday's launch of a new model of intercontinental ballistic missile, called the Hwasong-15, a "great success." This "most powerful ICBM" meets its "goal of the completion of the rocket weaponry system development," according to a state media announcement.

North Koreas claims to have the entire United States in range do appear to be justified, experts said, with the missile tested Wednesday showing the range to reach the easternmost parts of the country.

[Trump pledges new wave of major sanctions on North Korea]

But Kims rocket scientists have not proved that North Korea has the ability to attach a warhead to the missile and have it survive reentry into Earths atmosphere, let alone deliver it to a target.

I dont believe their claim that they have achieved nuclear missile capability, said Shin Won-sik, a former deputy commander of the strategic planning department of South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. North Korea has not shown any evidence or data proving they have obtained the reentry technology, so I dont think North Korea has yet completed its nuclear program.

Although this is difficult, the North is expected to achieve it in time, given the energy it is pouring into its weapons program. North Korea is moving fast with its nuclear weapons technology, Shin said.

Like Shin in Seoul, Yu Koizumi, an expert on missile development at the Institute for Future Engineering in Tokyo, said he did not believe that North Korea had crossed the finish line.

This is definitely a milestone, but its not complete yet, Koizumi said. The Hwasong-15 has been launched only once, so they will need to test it more.



This photo released Wednesday by North Korea shows the order signed by Kim Jong Un for the test-firing of the Hwasong-15 missile. (Korean Central News Agency/KNS/AFP/Getty Images)

[North Koreas missile launch suggests weapons testing lull was seasonal, not strategic]

North Korea has proved to be an unreliable negotiating partner over the past two decades, reneging on every deal that it has signed. But despite President Trumps repeated talk of military options for dealing with Pyongyang, most analysts say that diplomacy remains the only realistic course.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now.

The language that North Korea used Wednesday  saying it had achieved a priceless victory and completed the missile development process  gave some analysts hope that Pyongyang was positioning itself to negotiate, albeit on its own terms.

Once Pyongyang is convinced that we are convinced that it can reach the U.S. mainland with an ICBM, said Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, it will be willing to discuss a freeze  in testing, not a verifiable freeze of its missile or nuclear programs  in return for what it really wants, which is a lifting of sanctions.

[North Korea could now almost certainly strike London or Berlin. Why isnt Europe more worried?]

Rosenberger agreed that North Korea could be more open to talks if it felt it had achieved a technological milestone.

This may mean the North is preparing to shift to a negotiating posture, she said, but one in which it will seek to be treated as a nuclear power and as a peer to the U.S., greatly complicating the goal of talks aimed at denuclearization.

North Korea has said it is willing to talk to the United States  although not about giving up its nuclear program  once Washington drops its hostile policy. The U.S. government has privately signaled it is willing to talk without preconditions.

China and Russia have, meanwhile, been calling on both sides to agree to a freeze for freeze whereby North Korea would stop testing while the United States and South Korea stopped military exercises  an idea rejected by both sides.

[Missile test poses fresh challenge for Trumps relationship with China]

In talks with former U.S. officials, the North Koreans have been insisting on being recognized and treated as a nuclear power  something that is anathema to Washington.

Wendy Sherman, who dealt with North Korea and Iran while she was a senior official in the State Department, said that North Korea appeared to be setting the table for negotiation.

Sherman cited Choe Son Hui, director of American affairs in North Koreas Foreign Ministry, who appeared on two panels at a nuclear conference in Moscow that she attended last month.

What they said was not brand new, in terms of the U.S. having to give up its hostile policies and their taking a very hard line on their nuclear weapons, Sherman said. But in between the lines, there was a lot of nuance in what they said. Most people came away believing that this was a preparation for some kind of dialogue.

Some analysts say that part of the rationale for North Koreas steady pace of testing this year was to get itself in the strongest possible position before sanctions inflict real pain on Pyongyang.

The latest rounds of sanctions imposed through the United Nations, in August and September, included potentially crippling bans on North Korean exports of coal, iron, seafood and garments. But they are expected to take several months to bite, and only if China fully enforces the resolutions.

Others see no more reason than usual for any optimism.

I dont think we should have any more confidence than before that this signals a consolidation of their abilities or that theyre interested in talks, said Toby Dalton, co-director of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It would be nice if that were the case.

Melissa Hanham, a North Korea expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif., said the latest developments underscore the need to redouble efforts to talk to Kims regime, rather than giving up on diplomacy.

North Korea has been a spoiler and has backed out of many deals before, but to not negotiate with them or engage with them in positive ways, she said, would lead them to decide they can build more trucks to use as missile launchers or build more nuclear warheads.

Then we will have even bigger problems.

Yoonjung Seo in Seoul and Yuki Oda in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Read more:

North Korea could now almost certainly strike London or Berlin. Why isnt Europe more worried?

With technology, these researchers are figuring out North Koreas nuclear secrets

Kim Jong Uns North Korea: Life inside the totalitarian state

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
A wealthy Turkish gold dealer stepped back into the public eye Wednesday, testifying at a federal trial here that he paid more than $60 million in bribes to Turkey's then-economy minister as part of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran.

After more than a year in jail, Reza Zarrab, 34, became the star witness Wednesday at what was originally meant to be his trial. Instead, he cut a deal with the Justice Department to testify against others in the case.

Asked why he decided to flip against his alleged co-conspirator, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish bank official, Zarrab answered, Cooperation was the fastest way to accept responsibility and get out of jail.

Zarrab said the agreement with prosecutors came after a failed attempt by his American attorneys to arrange a prisoner swap between the United States and Turkey.

Wearing brown jail scrubs, Zarrab said he pleaded guilty to seven charges, including money laundering, evading sanctions, fraud and bribing a U.S. prison guard to smuggle him alcohol and let him use the guards cellphone.

[A gold dealers trial in New York deepens mistrust between the U.S. and Turkey]

Zarrab said he and Atilla were key players in an international financial scheme to get Iranian oil-sale profits back to that country despite U.S. sanctions against such transactions.

In the early days of the scheme, Zarrab said, he moved 5 million to 10 million euros a day for Iranian clients, but he wanted to do more. In early 2012, he approached executives at Halkbank, where Atilla was a senior official, suggesting that they deal with him directly and use gold purchases to disguise money transfers, he said.

At first, a senior executive at the bank rejected the offer because Zarrab was too well known as the husband of a Turkish pop singer, he said. Zarrab said he then appealed to Turkeys economy minister at the time, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan, to intercede on his behalf. Caglayan asked about the profit margins, and he said, I can broker this, providing theres a profit share, 50-50,  Zarrab testified.

Zarrab said he agreed to split his profits with the minister, and prosecutors showed a spreadsheet detailing more than 30 million euros worth of payments in about a year.

All told, Zarrab said, he believed he paid bribes to the minister of about 45 million to 50 million euros as well as about 2 million Turkish lira and about $7 million.

The Turkish government has said that Caglayan acted within the law.

Zarrab said that he helped move a few billion euros from Halbank accounts for the Iranians, under the disguise of gold transactions.

Asked by prosecutors to walk the jury through his scheme, Zarrab became animated, standing in front of an easel and drawing an increasingly complex diagram charting the flow of funds designed to conceal the movement of Irans profits from oil and gas sales to Turkey.

Prosecutors also introduced transcripts of wiretapped phone calls in which Zarrab spoke with others about complications and missteps in the scheme. At one point, according to the transcripts, an Iranian oil company mistakenly sent a transfer of 70 million euros directly to Zarrab  which would have been an obvious violation of the sanctions. In the calls, Zarrab persuaded a bank official to void the transaction and make it appear as if it never happened, according to the transcript.

As his hand-drawn chart grew crowded with boxes indicating the entities involved, Zarrab showed how it took 10 transactions to properly launder the funds.

Since Zarrabs arrest in March 2016, the case has roiled U.S.-Turkey relations. Zarrab is described by U.S. authorities as connected to senior members of the Turkish government, which, in turn, has called his prosecution an attack on its country.

Turkish prosecutors announced Nov. 18 that they had launched an investigation into two of the U.S. prosecutors who have overseen the Zarrab case, to determine whether evidence was illegally obtained. U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim, one of the officials Turkey claims it is investigating, called the accusations ridiculous on their face.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has personally lobbied the U.S. government to release Zarrab and has linked the case to a failed 2016 coup attempt against him, claiming that the same forces behind the putsch  which he blames on a cleric named Fethullah Gulen who lives in Pennsylvania  are behind the sanctions case against Zarrab.

This month, after it became clear that Zarrab might be cooperating with U.S. investigators, Turkeys foreign minister called him a hostage who was being forced to testify against the Turkish government.
Criticism that the State Department is being hollowed out really irks the man blamed for it, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

There is no hollowing out, Tillerson said somewhat defensively on Tuesday when asked about it during a question-and-answer session after he gave a speech at the Wilson Center in Washington. These numbers that people are throwing around are just false. Theyre wrong.

For months now, questions about sagging morale and planned staff cuts at Foggy Bottom have stalked Tillerson. Dozens of senior diplomats have quit or taken early retirement. Some left feeling pushed out. Many senior positions are filled temporarily by people who have the word acting in their titles, and some leadership positions are already in their second and third rotation.

[State Departments plan for staff cuts causing new worry in Congress]

As journalists have chronicled the churn, members of Congress have written letters to Tillerson complaining they have not been kept informed. Former diplomats and the Foreign Service officers' union have raised alarms about the potential for downsizing in such a perilous time, and questioned whether the department will be crippled for years to come.

Tillerson probably saw the question coming, once again, after his speech. On Monday, a former corporate executive Tillerson hired in August to oversee the reorganization he calls a redesign abruptly quit. Maliz Beams was the third person assigned the job Tillerson recently called the most important task he will accomplish during his tenure, and though she was not widely known within the building, her departure only raised more questions.

Also Monday, two distinguished former diplomats, Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker, wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times decrying what they characterized as the brain drain of so many experienced diplomats. They said Tillerson's proposal for an 8 percent staff cut, ordered by the White House, was not just belt-tightening but was a deliberate effort to "dismantle" the State Department.

With the criticism fresh, Tillerson seemed prepared to push back on Tuesday.

Were keeping the organization fully staffed, he said, calling the 2016 budget of almost $55 billion a record high that is not sustainable.

Tillerson said he was stunned when he arrived in February and saw an organizational chart with 82 senior diplomats reporting directly to him.

But after going through three reorganizations at ExxonMobil  "I enjoy doing it," Tillerson said Tuesday  he realized he was uniquely prepared to restructure State for the 21st century. At the end, he said, the work would be more effective and personally satisfying to employees.

But Tillerson said reports describing the changes underway have overstated the turmoil. The total number of employees is about the same, largely because he has approved more than 2,300 exemptions to the hiring freeze and turned down only eight. Although the number of career ambassadors, the most elite diplomats in the Foreign Service, is down more than 60 percent, the raw numbers are small  just two remain after four retired.

It sounded like the sky was falling, he said.

Tillerson called the complaints offensive to the employees.

I am offended on their behalf when people say somehow we dont have a State Department that works, he said. I can tell you its functioning very well from my perspective.

[USAID cancels jobs for dozens of applicants amid State Department hiring freeze]

But the resignation of Beams served to underscore a State Department that often appears to be struggling. The redesign is still something of a mystery despite Tillersons touting it almost from the day he arrived. Some 35,000 employees have filled out questionnaires, and about 300 have been interviewed more in depth. Now, in phase three, the department is holding workshops on topics such as technology and organizational structure.

But there is still no timeline for when the work will be completed.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Beams told her Monday she came to set the vision for the redesign, and she accomplished it in her 14 weeks on the job. I feel good about it, Nauert quoted Beams telling her.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Wednesday that he had beendubious of a 2016 law that effectively took away the Drug Enforcement Administrations most potent weapons against distributors and manufacturers of prescription opioids and he would support new legislation to expand the agencys arsenal.

At a news conference at the Justice Department, Sessions said that the DEA faced more challenges than it would have had the law not passed and that he would support a new law to make sure were fully able to carry out effective enforcement policies.

I was dubious about the law when it passed, said Sessions, who was a senator before being appointed attorney general. I believe I was maybe the last person that went along with it after the department and DEA agreed to accept it. . . . We do need legislation. We can listen to the concerns that certain people had and draft good legislation, but I would be supportive of new legislation to be able to have a full toolbox in dealing with the problem of improper sale policies.

[The drug industrys triumph over the DEA]

The remarks came after Sessions and acting DEA administrator Robert W. Patterson laid out steps they plan to take in an effort to stem the opioid crisis.



Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Federalist Societys National Lawyers Convention this month in Washington. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

Sessions also announced $12 million in grants and a new DEA division overseeing the Appalachian region to help law enforcement officials combat illicit drugs, especially prescription opioids, and said he has directed his U.S. attorneys to designate an opioid coordinator in their offices.

Today we are facing the deadliest drug crisis in American history, Sessions said. Weve never, ever seen the death rates that weve having today  64,000 died last year.

The DEA will establish its new division, the Louisville Field Division, on Jan. 1 to unify its drug trafficking investigations, officials said. The division will include Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, will have about 90 special agents and 130 task-force officers, and focus on illicit drug trafficking in the Appalachian Mountains.

Kellyanne Conway, one of President Trumps top advisers, has been tasked with overseeing White House initiatives to combat opioid abuse, Sessions said. She attended the announcement Wednesday, standing off to the side.

The president has made this a White House priority. Hes asked her to coordinate and lead the effort from the White House, Sessions said, calling Conway exceedingly talented.

Sessionss remarks on the 2016 law came in response to a question from a reporter asking about an investigation by The Washington Post and 60 Minutes that highlighted how drug distributors worked with a handful of lawmakers at the height of the opioid epidemic to push through legislation that stripped the DEA of an important weapon. The law  which passed without opposition  made it virtually impossible for the DEA to freeze questionable shipments of pain pills from drug companies.

After the bill passed, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John J. Mulrooney II wrote in a soon-to-be-published law review article that by changing a few words in the law that governs drug distributors' responsibilities, Congress virtually eliminated the DEA's authority to use immediate suspension orders.

Mulrooney also wrote that the law weakens another powerful DEA enforcement tool, known as orders to show cause, that forces companies accused of failing to report suspicious orders of narcotics to show why they should be allowed to continue to operate in the face of alleged violations. Under the new law, those companies are allowed to submit corrective action plans before the DEA can impose sanctions on them.

Mulrooney likened that provision to allowing bank robbers to "round up and return ink-stained money and agree not to rob any more banks."

[Former DEA officials call for repeal of law that weakened enforcement]

Sessionss announcement was the latest action taken by the Justice Department to try to stem increasing opioid-related overdose deaths. Earlier this month, the department announced a change in the way fentanyl is classified so that anyone who possesses, imports, distributes or manufactures a fentanyl-related substance can be criminally prosecuted.

[Justice Department to prosecute traffickers of any fentanyl-related substance]

In October, federal prosecutors charged two Chinese nationals who sold fentanyl to Americans over the Internet in a large international conspiracy case. The Justice Department alleged that one of the men ran websites selling fentanyl directly to U.S. customers and also operated at least two chemical plants in China that were capable of producing tons of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.

[Justice Department reveals charges against Chinese fentanyl distributors]

The truth is clear: Most fentanyl enters the United States from China, Sessions said Wednesday. There is no doubt about that. I raised it with a recent Chinese delegation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in a recent visit to China, made it an important issue with them, and the recent trip by President Trump to China involved his personal raising of this issue and strongly emphasizing it to our Chinese neighbors. So were going to need more support from China. Hopefully we will get that.

In a memo to his U.S. attorneys, Sessions said that by Dec. 15, each must designate an opioid coordinator who is responsible for opioid, heroin and fentanyl cases and for developing a strategy to combat the drug epidemic.

The ongoing opioid epidemic is destroying the lives of countless Americans, Sessions wrote.
TWIN FALLS  A Twin Falls man charged with counts of arson, possessing destructive devices, and eluding police did not appear in court on Tuesday as scheduled.

The jury trial for Lamont J. Dewitt, 56, was vacated so he could undergo a mental evaluation. The evaluation will determine whether Dewitt is capable of understanding the trial proceedings and assisting his attorney in his defense.

Dewitt is accused of starting a house fire in January, then fleeing the scene. On the night of Jan. 6, Dewitt was heard yelling threats before throwing something at a house that started a fire, according to a police statement. Residents of the house put out the fire quickly, and no one was injured.

A car chase down North Blue Lakes Boulevard ended at Eastland Drive North and Falls Avenue when police deployed spike sticks. Officers reportedly found several bottles containing flammable liquid inside Dewitts car.

He is charged with two counts of arson, possession of destructive devices or bombs, and attempting to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle.
Tito Aldemar Ruano Yandun of Colombia is accused of smuggling several tons of cocaine into the United States. (Guadalupe Pardo/Reuters)

The Treasury Department on Wednesday named a Colombian indicted on cocaine charges as a designated narcotics trafficker, freezing any assets he may have in the United States.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control said Tito Aldemar Ruano Yandun is a drug kingpin responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States. His drug organization also was sanctioned, as was Onofre Junior Aguino Arboleda, who the Treasury Department said helped coordinate maritime smuggling.

We are freezing assets and cutting them off from the financial system to send a strong message to Ruano Yandun and other criminals who export poison and violence across our borders that we intend to target and dismantle these illicit networks, said John E. Smith, the director of the office handling international sanctions.

According to the U.S. officials, Ruano Yanduns drug organization smuggled tons of cocaine from Colombia and Ecuador through Central America and Mexico, using submarines, fishing boats and small, self-propelled submarines.

Ruano Yandun and Aguino Arboleda were indicted in January in federal court in New York on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine internationally.
Tania Felgengauer in her Moscow apartment. I love journalism, I love my morning show, I love my radio station, she said. The attempt on my life will not change it. (David Filipov/The Washington Post)

Tania Felgengauer can recall nearly every frantic moment when a listener broke into the Moscow radio station where she works last month and stabbed her repeatedly in the neck. Then she remembers waking up in a Moscow hospital bed, under heavy anesthesia, with "tubes everywhere" and a stack of panicked notes from colleagues and friends.

At first, doctors wondered whether Felgengauer, an outspoken, popular host for the Echo of Moscow radio station, would ever speak, or breathe on her own, again.

On a recent Friday, she sat in an Italian cafe sipping tea and calmly ticking off her injuries (damage to her jugular vein and salivary gland, cuts on her neck and hands) in a soft but resolute voice that proved her remarkable recovery from a near-fatal attack.

Already she was plotting her return to drive-time radio, where she co-hosts a talk show that pokes fun at Russian politicians and newsmakers.

I love journalism, I love my morning show, I love my radio station, said Felgengauer, 32, who has worked for Echo of Moscow, where she serves as deputy editor in chief, since she was a teenager. The attempt on my life will not change it.

With a slight smile, she added: Ill probably have to come up with some jokes about my throat.

[Assailant stabs top journalist at leading Moscow radio station]

Her good-natured banter covered up real trauma. Felgengauer said that since the stabbing she has avoided reading about her attacker, a 48-year-old man named Boris Grits, who disabled a security guard and then fell on her with a knife in the radio stations green room.

Photographs of the bloodstained floor provoked outrage on social networks among Russians who saw this as yet another in a series of assaults on well-known journalists.

Some elements of the attack on Felgengauer recalled a long campaign of violence against Russian journalists. Others seemed at odds with that history.

In Russia, journalists who rile powerful interests, particularly the local business executives and politicians who dominate the countrys regions, can be met with violence or pressure from the police. This year, a colleague of Felgengauers, a columnist for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper named Yulia Latynina, fled Russia after her car was set on fire. After the attack on Felgengauer, the editor of Novaya Gazeta said he would arm his newsroom with rubber-bullet pistols.

The murders of some journalists, including Novaya Gazeta correspondent Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 and Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov in 2004, became national scandals. Those who ordered the killings, the zakazchiki, were never caught. [Here are 10 critics of Vladimir Putin who died violently or in suspicious ways]

Far from the gangland assassinations or courtyard beatings that have targeted journalists in the past, the attempt on Felgengauers life seemed less calculated and more chaotic.

When questioned by police, Grits said Felgengauer had harassed him for years using telepathy. He seemed crazy. For days afterward, debate raged among Moscow circles of journalists and liberals as to whether the attack could have been part of a conspiracy to silence a critical voice.

Felgengauer said she was trying not to jump to conclusions.

"I love conspiracy theories, but not in this case," she said. In security camera footage of the attack, "he was confident . . . but from there we could say 'it was all planned,' and then someone would take my words out of context. I want to have the results of the investigation."

The attack received worldwide attention. In a speech Nov. 15 at the International Press Freedom Awards, held yearly by the Committee to Protect Journalists, actress Meryl Streep named Felgengauer as one of several journalists who "paid hard for their questions this year." Streep also mentioned Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese investigative reporter killed in a car bombing last month, and Kim Wall, the Swedish freelance journalist who died aboard a small submarine in August (the submarine's owner has been charged in her death).

For Felgengauer, who spends much of her time in the newsroom, the comparisons led to some soul-searching.

It is a big honor for me, she said. But I thought, Is it appropriate to mention my name among other journalists who suffered because of their work? 

She sighed, then answered as though thinking out loud.

I understand that if I had not been a journalist, if I had not had my shows or done interviews, if I had not been myself, someone would not have found a reason to kill me, she said. So, I am confident that the attempt on my life was connected with my work.

She said she hoped the media attention would address the safety of other journalists across Russia, noting one case last year when several reporters in Ingushetia were beaten savagely and had their van set on fire. The attackers have not been caught.

As long as the Russian authorities do not want to deal with the problem and solve it, the problem will not disappear, no matter what celebrities or stars say, she said.

At the same time, intervention from prominent figures in the Russian government may have saved Felgengauers life. The Moscow mayors office rushed an ambulance to Echo of Moscow and cleared the way for her to be admitted to one of the countrys best hospitals.

Another high-ranking official, whom Felgengauer declined to name, offered his support in terms of medical treatment.

State-run television may also have played a role in the attack. Before Grits broke into Echo of Moscows downtown studios, Felgengauer featured prominently in a documentary on the Rossiya-24 channel that accused her of taking money from the U.S. State Department.

We laughed when we watched them, Felgengauer said. I just cant take them seriously. Not as a provocation or anything else  it is awfully unprofessional work.

Far longer than the United States, Russia has been embroiled in a fake news crisis. Society is split between those who watch television, where federal channels aggressively back the Kremlins politics, and those who find other sources of news.

Aggression  toward journalists and toward people with opposing points of view  is growing. Just watch the political talk shows, Felgengauer said.

When people every day see that at a political show you can attack your opponent, beat him, and this will be shown on TV, they think that they can do the same in real life, she said.

She added: This is a really painful topic for me.

Read more

Alex Ovechkin is one of Putins biggest fans. The question is, why?

Russian legislators pass law targeting international media as foreign agents

Editor of Russias biggest opposition newspaper says he will arm his staff

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
In a sharp personal rebuke, the British government told President Trump he was "wrong" to retweet on Wednesday a series of anti-Muslim video clips promoted by a leader of a far-right fringe group that uses "hateful narratives" and lies.

Trump had alerted his millions of followers to three video posts by Britain First, a small group of ultranationalists whose supporters march in front of mosques with crosses and whose leaders decry what they describe as a takeover of British Christian society by foreign infidels who want to impose Islamic law.

The three videos Trump shared were titled Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!, Muslim destroys a statue of Virgin Mary! and Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!

The videos provide no context. The Netherlands Embassy tweeted to Trump that the video about the Muslim migrant had been mischaracterized: Facts do matter. The perpetrator of the violent act in this video was born and raised in the Netherlands. He received and completed his sentence under Dutch law. The embassy did not reveal his religion.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended Trumps post as evidence he wants to promote strong borders and strong national security.

Whether its a real video, the threat is real, and that is what the president is talking about, Sanders told reporters.

Trump retweeted an item from Jayda Fransen, 31, deputy leader of Britain First, who in an interview with The Washington Post expressed gratitude for what she said was Trumps endorsement of her and her group.

The British establishment no longer supports free speech, but the president of the United States, Donald Trump, clearly does, and thats why he tweeted, as a public display of support for Britain First and its deputy leader, she said.

Fransen faces a charge of hate speech for remarks she made about Muslims at a recent rally in Belfast and a charge of "religious harassment" for a social-media campaign she waged against several Muslim men convicted in a rape case.

Criticism of the presidents retweets came thick and fast in Britain, drawing in Prime Minister Theresa May, whose office said Trump was wrong to promote the videos.

Mays office condemned Britain First for its use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.

The statement continued, The British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents  decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the President to have done this.

Trump did not apologize or explain. Instead, Wednesday night he tweeted a response directly to the British prime minister: @Theresa_May, dont focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!

British leaders across the political spectrum said they were amazed and appalled by Trump's tweets endorsing a group that usually draws just a few dozen supporters to its rallies. Some said Trump was trying to legitimize the far right in Britain, while others were so flabbergasted that that they wondered whether he was perhaps either naive or ignorant.

Britain First is an appalling organization, Martin Callanan, a Conservative Party politician and government minister, told the BBC.

Referring to Trump, Callanan said: I can only assume he has made a mistake and that he didnt realize who Britain First were.

Asked about the presidents response to Mays statement, a deputy White House press secretary, Raj Shah, told reporters: The president has the greatest respect for the British people and for Prime Minister May.

When a reporter asked why the president was retweeting posts from a far-right, anti-Muslim party condemned by the British leadership, Shah said: Were going to be focusing on the issues that are being raised, which is safety and security for the American people. He noted that Trump had supported extreme vetting of foreigners traveling to the United States and other measures to crack down on possible entry by terrorists.

None of the videos appeared to deal with people traveling to the United States.

[Analysis: Trumps anti-Muslim and anti-media tweets demonstrate deep insecurity]

Britain First leaders were ecstatic about the recognition from the U.S. president.

"DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP!" Fransen tweeted.

Britain First was founded in 2011 by Jim Dowson, an antiabortion campaigner, and Paul Golding, a former local-government councilor for the British National Party.

Britain First soon became known for its Christian patrols and for driving around in paramilitary-style vehicles and wearing uniforms.

Its members are notorious for targeting mosques and majority-Muslim areas and then producing short, selectively edited videos of their provocative tactics.

Over the past spring and summer, for instance, a few dozen activists with Britain First marched in front of the East London Mosque, waving the Union Jack and carrying white crosses.

In one exchange, a counterprotester shouts, What youre doing is disgusting! And someone shouts back, This is still a British Christian area, and this is our country.

The videos show scuffles, kicking, cursing and egg-throwing as police struggle to keep the two sides apart.

In a video clip from June, Golding is shown in front of the mosque saying, This used to be our area, and vowing, It will be our area again.

He narrates that his group walked past the mosque and that we were very quickly surrounded by an ever-increasing mob of Muslims and white liberals screaming abuse.

"We had things thrown at us, we had people spit at us, and this was for the heinous crime of standing on a British pavement and filming. That's all we did. . . . Whose country is this?"

[Anti-Muslim group picks a fight in British Muslim neighborhood, and gets one]

In August 2016, the groups leaders were banned from entering all mosques in England and Wales and from encouraging their followers to do so.

Later that year, Golding was jailed for violating the ban.

On his release from prison, he put out a chilling video in which he rants against the establishment, liberals, the media and foreign infidels.

In the video, Golding threatens to confront and oppose every traitor in this county. As he condemns traitors, the short video shows images of the British prime minister wearing a headscarf and meeting young Muslim girls.

Golding said he was jailed because he had the courage and conviction to confront the hard-line Muslim cleric Ali Hammuda, the imam at a mosque in Cardiff that is home to several Britons who traveled to join the Islamic State militant group in Syria.

Last year, a court in Luton found Fransen guilty of verbally abusing a Muslim woman.

They have been quite provocative over the years, said Dilowar Khan, director of finance and engagement at the East London Mosque. They come to provoke the local youths and intimidate them. They get them to react, take video and then post it on their website and say, Look how nasty Muslims are. They are a blatantly anti-Muslim group.

Once, he said, members of Britain First entered the mosque with their shoes on, making sure to walk over prayer rugs, and then delivered a Bible to the receptionist. On another occasion, he said, supporters of the group drank alcohol outside in hopes of triggering a response. On yet another occasion, they reportedly blocked the mosque's entrance with a large cross.

[The murky origins of the Britain First videos Trump retweeted]

Its not appropriate for any politicians to show direct or indirect support for groups that are blatantly anti-Muslim and trying to divide communities, Khan said.

Even Paul Joseph Watson of the far-right, conspiracy-minded Infowars tweeted that giving Britain First a megaphone is not a good look for Trump.

Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trumps Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics, Watson wrote.

Nick Ryan, a spokesman for Hope Not Hate, an anti-extremist research organization, said it was astonishing that the U.S. president would knowingly retweet the Britain First posts.

A politician would have to be blind not to understand that this is a particularly nasty far-right organization that is in trouble with the law, electoral authorities, and reviled by 99 percent of the population, Ryan said.

Although Britain First draws no more than a few hundred people to its rallies, it has a massive following online  its Facebook page has nearly 2 million likes. But Hope Not Hate has questioned the legitimacy of the online support.

We think they may have bought a proportion of their followers, Ryan said.

[Analysis: Did a U.S. neo-Nazi group inspire the slaying of British lawmaker Jo Cox?]

In June 2016, a Labour Party member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was shot and stabbed to death by an assailant alleged to have shouted Britain first! Leaders of the Britain First group said there were no ties between the attacker and their organization. The assailant had links to neo-Nazi groups.

On Wednesday morning, Coxs widower, Brendan Cox, tweeted, Trump has legitimized the far right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself.

Britain First has tried its hand at electoral politics but has failed to get any candidate into office.

Griff Witte in Berlin contributed to this report.

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TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls two newest elementary schools have grown even faster than expected.

Pillar Falls Elementary School now has 640 students, while Rock Creek Elementary School has about 600  dozens more than predicted.

Rapid growth isnt uncommon for new schools, Twin Falls School District superintendent Brady Dickinson said, especially since the two campuses are in the high-growth northeast and northwest areas of the city.

Theyve exceeded growth projections just in two years theyve been open, he said.

South Hills Middle School opened in August to help address rapid enrollment growth.

The school district, which has more than 9,400 students, has seen 2-4 percent growth each year. But that same trend isnt being felt across Idaho.

Idahos public school enrollment still expanded this year in elementary through high schools, but at a slower rate than previous years. Here in the Magic Valley, though, many school districts are seeing growth rates hold steady.

The Idaho State Department of Education released preliminary fall enrollment numbers Monday to the Times-News in response to a data request. Its for the first Friday in November.

In total, the state has 299,368 students  up 581 students from last year.

It may sound like a big gain, but its less than years past. Over the last decade, Idaho schools have typically gained a few thousand students per year.

Possible reasons behind the enrollment slowdown this year are unclear. No one at the Idaho State Department of Education would comment about the trend.

Here in the Magic Valley, more companies are coming into the area and some existing ones are expanding operations. That has led to a boom in school enrollment.

Several school districts have opened new schools or added classroom wings within the last few years. Along with the new Twin Falls schools, John V. Evans Elementary School opened in Burley in August, and Kimberly is constructing a new elementary school slated to open in June.

The Twin Falls School District has 280 more students than last year, as of the fourth Friday in September, which is 3 percent growth.

Dickinson doesnt anticipate the growth will speed up or slow down, but we dont have a crystal ball, he said. We take our indicators from whats happening in the community.

New subdivisions are planned in south Twin Falls, Dickinson said, which will raise questions about capacity at Oregon Trail Elementary School. Its the only elementary school in the area and will become crowded sooner rather than later, he said.

He also expects northwest Twin Falls, served by Rock Creek Elementary, to continue to grow.

If a 3-4 percent yearly growth rate holds steady, the school district will likely be five years out from needing another elementary school, Dickinson said.

Were in really good shape with middle schools for a long time, he said, and he doesnt expect high schools to be full until 2030.

Here are the enrollment trends five other school districts are seeing:

Jerome

Jerome School District has 4,027 students in preschool through 12th grades, up 72 compared with November 2016.

For the last five years, the district has grown by about 100 students per year.

Superintendent Dale Layne said he expects the growth to remain about the same  between 75 and 100 students per year  for the next two years and it could level off a bit after that.

But of course, that all depends on business and housing and all that kind of thing, Layne said.

He said he met with Jerome city officials Monday and learned new home construction is still underway, but not at the same pace as Twin Falls.

Cassia County

Cassia County has 5,585 students, as of Nov. 21. Thats a 73-student increase compared with the same week last year.

The school district has gained 203 students since 2014.

Pam Teeter, an administrative assistant for the Cassia County School District, said she doesnt think the growth will slow down anytime soon since new businesses and families are coming to Burley.

Its not a surprise the school districts enrollment is growing, said school district spokeswoman Debbie Critchfield. In fact, it happened a little more quickly than what we anticipated.

The Burley and Declo areas are seeing most of the growth, she said, largely due to economic development. But even Albion has seen its enrollment nearly double, from 26 students in 2009 to 49 this year.

Oakley schools saw a bubble of students a few years ago and numbers have since dropped off a little, but theyre still higher than historically. Enrollment in Raft River schools has remained flat.

Critchfield said she has heard from real estate agents that there are people whod like to move into smaller communities such as Oakley, but theres a lack of housing inventory.

Hansen

Hansen School District has 350 students, a number that hasnt changed much over the years.

Enrollment increased a little this year, but the school district has a very transient population, with students coming and going frequently, Superintendent Kristin Beck said.

Blaine County

Blaine County School District has an estimated 3,470 students, up 30 from November 2016.

The school district had a big dip in enrollment during the 2011-12 school year, but has slowly seen numbers increase since 2013.

Buhl

Buhl School District has 1,355 students and typically gains 25 to 30 each year. Three years ago, there was a much larger influx: more than 100 additional students.

We expect the growth rate to remain about the same, Superintendent Ron Anthony said, unless a new business moves into the area.

Another factor, he said, is we dont have the housing for people to get a big growth.
TWIN FALLS  Across from the new City Hall and adjacent to the future downtown commons plaza, one wall of the historic Rogerson Hotel still stands.

It wasnt initially planned that way.

Its a very problematic wall, said Leon Smith, former Urban Renewal Agency chairman.

Smith had helped to determine what, if anything, was salvageable from the Rogerson before demolition. Around that time, it was discovered that the 18-inch-thick wall not only supported the hotel, but the roof and floor of the building next door. The space at 147 Main Ave. E. is now being used for online order pickups and processing for Fashion 15 Below.

We decided to save the wall and turn it into an art wall, Smith said.

On Wednesday the URA will consider deeding the portion of the wall supporting the building to that buildings owner, Debra Gates. If it does, the agency will also allow her to build an entrance facing the plaza during an extensive remodel of the building.

The portion of wall had been planned for a mural, but URA staff recommends moving the mural to another part of the wall instead. The wall extends beyond the building, along the plaza.

The conflict, URA board member Perri Gardner said, has been whether that 28-foot section of wall should be for public art or for business development.

Im not sure the board will decide to deed that wall space, said Gardner, who is the liaison to the downtown public art committee.

But Smith, who is the chairman of the public art committee, says its a workable solution.

The URA has called a special meeting for Wednesday to decide whether to sign a memorandum of understanding with Gates. The board meets at 9 a.m. in City Council Chambers, 305 Third Ave. E.

The design compliments what the URA has planned for the commons, said Gates, who lives in Oregon but plans to return to Idaho.

She hopes to do the work in phases coinciding with the commons work, with a reface of the front and side walls. The designs also show a balcony and a mezzanine.

Once complete, the space should have the flexibility to house a coffee shop, office spaces, a restaurant or possibly a wine bar, Gates said.

Fashion 15 owner Erin Rigel said she has a contract to lease the building until August 2020. More than 100 people per day come in to pick up online orders, she said.

Gates said the work would be phased so Rigel could move her business to the back part of the building while the front was being completed. She said she fully supports the tenant and plans to make it as convenient to her as possible.

URA Executive Director Nathan Murray said Gates remodeling will probably cost close to $400,000; the memorandum requires the remodeling to be at least $300,000.

We want to accommodate her, Murray said. I dont think anyone wanted to hold up potential development.

On its own, the wall isnt worth much, so the URA will deed that portion over to Gates for free if the board approves.

The most important thing to Gardner is that Gates work be completed at the same time the plaza opens.

Certainly you can see how desirable that would be to have a balcony and a door into that plaza, she said. Im looking forward to getting it resolved.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/11/2017 (1815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Delta 9 Cannabis has signed a deal with Canopy Growth Corporation to distribute medical cannabis through Canopys online store.

Its the latest tie-up between the two companies, both of which are federally licensed to produce and sell cannabis to registered medical users. Delta 9 and Canopy are also working together on a plan to operate private cannabis retail stores in Manitoba after marijuana is legalized, which is expected in mid-2018.

Canopy Growth, which is considerably larger than Delta 9 and owns a number of subsidiary cannabis producers, will sell Delta 9s product through its online store, called Tweed Main Street.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Employees groom plants in one of the newly converted shipping containers for the production of medical marijuana at Delta 9 in Winnipeg.

Any medical cannabis user who is legally registered to buy from Canopy Growths subsidiary Tweed Inc. can purchase products through the Tweed Main Street store, said Jordan Sinclair, director of communications with Canopy Growth. Canopy has more than 60,000 registered clients across Canada, he said. Health Canada reports 201,398 registered medical cannabis clients as of the end of June.

Winnipeg-based Delta 9 is the ninth cannabis producer to partner up with Canopys store, but only the second partner that holds a federal sales license needed to actually sell through the store, according to Sinclair. (Health Canada issues separate licenses for cannabis cultivation and cannabis sales, and most of Canopys partners for Tweed Main Street havent yet received both licenses.)

Even though Delta 9 and Canopy Growth are direct competitors in the medical marijuana market, Sinclair said Canopy will benefit from selling Delta 9s product.

We get the advantage that comes from having a bunch of different products on the shelf, he said.

Other producers can look at us as a way to showcase their products to consumers, and that way they dont have to worry about coming up with a (customer) care centre and an e-commerce site and all the rest of it, they can just focus on production and distribution and we can really focus on the rest.

Canopy Growths Tweed Main Street store will continue selling to medical cannabis users after recreational cannabis is legalized, added Sinclair. But the website also serves as a proof of concept for Canopys plan to operate online cannabis sales in some provinces.

We wanted to present what looked like a good e-commerce solution to provincial governments, and we really hope  even if it isnt part of the first wave of legalization  that maybe it would follow afterwards We think we have a good, secure model that could transition really, really easily over to (recreational cannabis sales).

Cannabis produced by Delta 9 will not be immediately available on the Tweed Main Street store, said Sinclair. He estimated it could take ten weeks for Tweed Main Street customers to see Delta 9s Manitoba-grown marijuana on Canopys virtual shelves.

solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca

@sol_israel
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/11/2017 (1815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Askar family matriarch has landed in Winnipeg.

Sixty-year-old Badar Asha Askar was barely halfway down the airport steps Tuesday afternoon when her nephew, Marcus Askar, enveloped her in a hug. Both aunt and nephew smiled hugely, wiped tears from their eyes and then, for a long moment, pressed their foreheads together and whispered overdue hellos.

Its been more than 20 years since theyve seen one another.

Marcus Askar has been here in Winnipeg, where hes lived since arriving as a Somali refugee back in 1996, while Badar has been in Djibouti, waiting for her claim to be processed.

It was a long wait. Tom Denton of Hospitality House said the Askar family file is the oldest on the agencys books, dating back to 2002. On Tuesday, their wait was over. Askar, her three children and her five grandchildren finally arrived.

The nine new arrivals bring the tally of family members Askar has sponsored to 160, although only 50 or so have made permanent homes in Winnipeg. But while every moment has been joyful and filled with the requisite teasing about Winnipegs cold, Askar said this arrival felt particularly poignant because his aunt is the familys true matriarch.

The last time he saw her, he said her eldest daughter  his cousin  was just a baby. Now shes a mother of three, her youngest perched on her hip, a wide-eyed one-year-old taking in the welcoming crew.

PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Marcus Askar stands holding a welcoming sign for nine members of his clan arriving at Winnipeg's Richardson International Airport Tuesday. Cousins and the family matriarch his aunt Farah Mahmoud arrived after a decades-long seperation.

Askar struggled at first, watching the flight board flash delayed and then arrived, with how to explain how he was feeling.

Im going to faint when I see them, he said, clutching a handmade Welcome home sign.

Only a handful of relatives came to the airport, Askar said, because they didnt want to cry in public. The Askar family only got the good news a week or two ago. Since then, its been a scramble to find an apartment, to get bedding and winter jackets, scarves, hats and mittens.

But on Sunday, he said, theyll celebrate.

There will be food, hugs and kisses, Askar said. Itll be a chance for Badar to meet the babies born in Canada that shes never had a chance to know.

Were going to put her in a  what do they call it?  a golden chair, he laughed. Shell sit and well make a line to kiss and hug.

Theres still one member of the Askar family who hasnt made it to Winnipeg yet, but Denton said hes working to track him down. Tuesdays arrival was momentous for him as well, he said, because its been so many years in the making. He flipped through the lengthy sponsorship file that represents 15 long years of trying to reunite brothers and sisters with cousins and aunts and grandmothers.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/11/2017 (1815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Darryl Kippen wore his military uniform to the 1978 Winnipeg air show. His parents were proud of their son, who dreamed of a future serving Canada through missions abroad. A year later, the military expelled him for being gay.

It altered his life; it was something morally destructive for him, Kippens brother, Mike, recalled. It was hard on him, because he thought he had a future there.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized to LGBTQ* Canadians who suffered persecution through military and public-service purges, discriminatory convictions and police raids.

SUPPLIED Darryl Kippen died in 2016.

These arent distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit, Trudeau told the House of Commons.

It is our collective shame that this apology took so long. Many who suffered are no longer alive to hear these words, and for that, we are truly sorry.

Among those is Kippen, who died in August 2016. The 58-year-old had struggled to carve out a new life, with mixed success.

At 18, Kippen enlisted in the Canadian Forces, going for training at CFB Cornwallis in Nova Scotia. He knew he was gay, but the military never said it would be an issue.

In an interview, Kippen recalled the harsh words of his sergeant:

He told us during class that the armed forces is no place for queers, and that if anyone was approached by a queer they should get a bunch of the guys, take him into the barracks and beat the shit out of him, Kippen said in a March 1983 interview with The Body Politic magazine.

Kippen avoided any romantic relations. But the military figured out he was gay three years into training, after an official followed his movements around the base. They pushed him out under sexual deviation.

Mike recalled his brothers excuse: He told us he quit because there were too many gays in the military.

At 21, Kippen married a woman, but separated months later. He came out to his family, and took a job with Big Brothers, mentoring children. The organization later fired him when officials found out he was gay.

In July 1987, he told the Manitoba legislature about being sacked for his homosexuality. I did not catch it, I was not recruited, and homosexuality is not transmittable, he said during hearings when the government amended its human rights code.

I hold in disdain those legislators who have compared my life to people who engage in bestiality, necrophilia and pedophilia, he said.

On Tuesday, Trudeau referenced the witch hunt fuelled by those ideas. Their names appeared in newspapers in order to humiliate them, and their families.

The prime minister spoke at length about police entrapment and unjust laws. He mentioned the so-called Fruit Machine, which had public servants and RCMP employees watch pornography while having their pupils, perspiration, and pulse measured, to test for an erotic response.

We cannot forget our past. The state orchestrated a culture of stigma and fear, he said.

Trudeau promised $145 million, mostly to settle a class-action lawsuit and compensate people who were purged from the military, RCMP and public service. Of that funding, $15 million will be used for a national monument, museum exhibits, archives and educational campaigns. There will also be a toll-free support number (1-800-487-7797).

The Liberals also tabled a bill that would expunge criminal convictions for consensual sexual acts. They earmarked $4 million so bureaucrats can screen an estimated 6,000 sentences for buggery, anal intercourse and gross indecency. People who were convicted, or their next of kin, would have to apply, free of charge.

Other party leaders spoke about the lost potential of Canadian soldiers, the hard work of activists and Canadas criminal laws on HIV exposure, which remain among the toughest in the world.

A few Conservatives did not stand or applaud, including Provencher MP Ted Falk.

Jim Kane paid to fly to Ottawa from Winnipeg to take in the apology. He was among the 250 people who marched in Winnipegs first Pride parade in 1987.

It was more thorough than Id anticipated, he said, amid a celebratory toast. It showed that weve come a long way.

Kane recalled a friend  who turns 80 soon  who served six months at the Headingley jail for holding hands with a man near the Manitoba legislature grounds.

Im just glad that this was done before he passed on, he said, breaking into tears. We fought so long and hard.

Among those was Kippen, who refused to stay in the closet.

He spent the rest of his career working at a halfway house and eventually running a Transcona employment centre, where he supervised Kevin Walsh. The two became close friends, talking at length about politics.

When his parents died, Kippen used his inheritance to help bring two LGBTQ* Iranian refugees to Winnipeg, travelling to Turkey to meet them.

Thats who he was, said Walsh. He was always about helping people.

In his spare time, Kippen painted and drove the cars he collected. But he was increasingly reliant on alcohol, and his brother, Mike, said a few drinks would send Kippen into a spiral.

He just got very vocal about stuff in the military. He couldnt let it all go. You could tell it was something that really stuck with him, all his living days, really. It held him back.

Walsh recalls similar incidents. Those last few years just ate away at him. He was so angry. Underneath, there was an untrusting of everyone.

Kippen died in August 2016, after falling down a flight of stairs; a coroner ruled it accidental and not related to alcohol. Friends also then learned he had no money.

Hed phone and ask if I wanted to help with some of his business projects. And we found out later this was money he needed to survive.

Mark recalled the last time he saw his brother, when they camped at a lake over the Canada Day 2016 weekend. Hed mentioned repeatedly that an apology would be coming.

Walsh said the apology almost became an obsession in his last months of life.

It just really destroyed him inside. This day was going to mean so much to him.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/11/2017 (1815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Patients in a beige waiting room at Grace Hospital will be surrounded by some colourful cheer, thanks to a new art donation program launched Tuesday.

Art is uplifting, it helps the spirit, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority interim president and CEO Real Cloutier said.

The program was launched by Artists in Healthcare Manitoba, a non-profit organization that brings music and art to the hospital bedsides of patients around the province. The group collects donations of art, and gives it to different health-care facilities in Manitoba. In turn, the facilities are free to display the art or auction it at a charitable event.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS At left, Jenna Voth with Landscape Dancing (The School of Contemporary Dancers) perform at the launch of the Art Donation Program for Health Care Facilities Tuesday at Grace Hospital.

The program wouldnt have been possible without Gary Scherbain, the longtime owner of the Wah-Sa Gallery, who created the program and donated almost 200 pieces of Indigenous woodlands art from his personal collection.

Were here to honour Gary, Shirley Grierson, executive director of Artists in Healthcare Manitoba, said at a news conference Tuesday.

We think hes developed the best model. Once its given to a health-care facility  its yours.

The 75-year-old gallerist and art collector was happy to help.

As a member of our community, we have to give back, Scherbain said.

Scherbains been donating to the Grace Hospital Foundation for decades, but wanted to branch out, so he contacted Artists in Healthcare Manitoba with his idea. Together, the planning started.

I personally made a substantial contribution, and now were going to invite the community of Winnipeg to, too, said Scherbain.

Theres more benefit to donating than just feeling good.

Donors receive a charitable tax receipt, and can choose which health-care facility their art will go to.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Gary Scherbains donated art from his Wah-sa Gallery hangs in a waiting room at Grace Hospital.

Other facilities participating in the program include Concordia Foundation; Deer Lodge Centre Foundation; Jocelyn House Hospice; Misericordia Health Centre Foundation; Pan Am Clinic Foundation; Riverview Health Centre Foundation; Selkirk Mental Health Centre; St. Boniface Hospital Foundation; Victoria General Hospital Foundation and A Port in the Storm  a residence for people who come to the city for health care.

When Scherbain started planning the art program, he thought patients and their visitors would benefit most.

But when he began doing some research (he called Vancouver General Hospital, which started a similar program in 2000), he was surprised to learn it was hospital staff that appreciated it most.

Theyre there every day, said Scherbain. You come into a hospital and theres just blank walls.

Not any longer, if everything goes right.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 28/11/2017 (1815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manuel Ruiz, a 3rd Degree Black Belt and Jiu-Jitsu Instructor, in 2000.

A Winnipeg firefighter accused of sexually assaulting three females is back in jail after he allegedly tried to communicate with them after his arrest.

Manuel Ruiz, 52, has been charged with obstruction of justice and was arrested Nov. 24, about a month after he was first granted bail. He is accused of asking another man to locate the victims and interfere with the course of justice, court documents show.

The obstruction of justice offence is alleged to have happened Oct. 2, before Ruiz was released on bail Oct. 25.

He is set to appear in court later this week.

In September, the firefighter and martial arts instructor was charged with several offences stemming from his alleged abuse of two youths and an adult woman dating to 2001. The Winnipeg Police Service has said it believes some of the alleged crimes happened at Ruizs jiu-jitsu studio.

Hes charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and other sexual offences, as well as forcible confinement, luring a child via telecommunication, providing liquor to a minor and drug possession.

As previously reported by the Free Press, court records show three different women sought court-ordered protection from Ruiz in 2001, 2006 and 2010. All three requests were denied by the court, including one made after the death of Ruizs 21-year-old girlfriend, Melissa Nelson. She died while on vacation with Ruiz in Cuba in 2006. Cuban authorities ruled her death accidental.

In divorce-related documents filed in court in 1985, Ruizs ex-wife accused him of beating her and subjecting her to physical and mental cruelty, starting within the first few months of their marriage.

She later dropped the divorce petition, and Ruiz joined the Winnipeg fire department and opened a jiu-jitsu studio, offering self-defence classes and doing contract work in various Manitoba communities. The couple separated in 2000, and their divorce was finalized in 2011.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/11/2017 (1814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man is dead and a woman is in stable condition after semi-trailer truck collided with the farm tractor they were driving on the Trans-Canada Highway Sunday.

A 51-year-old man from the RM of Reynolds was pronounced dead at the scene while a 33-year-old woman from the RM of Ste. Anne was rushed to hospital in unstable condition with serious injuries. She is now listed in stable condition, Steinbach RCMP said Wednesday.

Police said charges are pending against the 70-year-old driver of the semi-trailer, who is from Montreal. He was not injured in the collision.

The collision happened on Highway 1 near Road 54 East in the RM of Reynolds Sunday at about 7:15 p.m.

The man and woman were on the tractor travelling westbound on the highway when the westbound truck collided with them, tossing them from the tractor onto the road.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/11/2017 (1814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman received minor injuries after being shot in the back with a pellet gun at a local youth centre Monday.

Winnipeg police responded to a 911 call from the agency in the 400 block of Selkirk Avenue on Monday about 6:45 p.m.

The victim was slightly injured in the attack and did not require hospital care. Her assailant fled immediately afterward.

The location given by police is the address of the Ndinawe Youth Resource Centre, an agency supporting urban Indigenous children.

Police arrested a 17-year-old girl the next day. She faces a variety of charges including with assault with a weapon and three counts of failing to comply with a sentence.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
This column is prompted by some devastating news I received a few days ago. A young woman I have known since she was in college received word that she had stage 4 colon cancer. She had initiated her visit to the doctor because of fatigue and the concern of her friends. Although she has good insurance through her employer and a living wage, she had not gone to the doctor in years. There are others like her. And the consequences of not seeking regular medical advice extend beyond the patient.

The truth is, not going to the doctor and not following doctors advice drives up the cost of health care. I am wondering how much this behavior also plays into the opposition to the Affordable Care Act. My current theory is that the answer is quite a bit.

A Google search pulled up a 2000 article from the New York Times that said that one large reason for not going to the doctor was fear. Many people have so much dread of finding something serious during an annual checkup that they use WebMD or look for natural remedies. I think some of people in this category believe that easy access to health care will lead to overuse. Why cant they do like I do and stay healthy?

Another reason people dont go to the doctor is because they dont have a personal relationship with one. Specialists, who generally allow more time per visit, are not a substitute. They are unlikely to perform a full physical, including blood and urine tests, that could catch another emerging condition. People who fall into this group may think, I cant see a doctor who cares about me now. Why should I support more people looking for doctors?

The third reason people dont go to the doctor is that they are waiting for Medicare. This government program is almost a bonus for getting old. Most people who have reached 65 and are covered by Medicare may not have had a lot of serious health problems until they retired. They also may not have experienced the debilitating costs of serious illness and therefore dont understand why health care for younger people should be subsidized by the government to the extent it is for them.

The ACA addresses the need for a personal doctor patient relationship by encouraging health care systems to adopt the primary care physician model. There is more medical training in establishing a trusting relationship with patients. And being familiar with the patient makes it easier to see physical changes that suggest investigation. Family Health Services and St. Lukes both encourage choosing a physician who you feel comfortable with and seeing them at least once a year.

Without our entire population engaged in the health care system, the data used to set insurance premiums, to determine best practices, and to find areas where more care needs to be provided is not complete. Bad health habits are not the only thing driving up costs.

All of us can do more to make sure that our health care dollars go a long way. We need to look after our own health as well as see to it that health care is accessible to everyone. And yes, follow doctors orders when they suggest we give up our unhealthy habits.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/11/2017 (1814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Recent events at Wilfrid Laurier University have raised questions about the limits to free speech on Canadian university campuses.

Lindsay Shepherd, a graduate student teaching assistant, was brought before a three-person secret tribunal to address student accusations that they had been exposed to dangerous course material. She had shown a video of a debate on the use of gender-neutral pronouns between University of Toronto psychologist Jordan Peterson and Nicolas Matte, a sexual-diversity scholar from the same university.

Shepherd, unbeknownst to her interrogators, secretly taped the meeting and later made the recording public.

Has she no shame?

The offending video was shown in a communications class, which obviously is no place for a debate about communications.

Shepherd knowingly exposed her students to a set of dangerous ideas, and was chastised by her graduate supervisor for not properly contextualizing the video before showing it.

Quite right.

She failed to draw the appropriate moral equivalence between Jordan Peterson and Hitler. She thus abrogated her primary caretaker responsibility for her students: to provide a safe learning environment.

By exposing her students to the odious views of Dr. Peterson, she ran the small but non-zero risk that some students might be persuaded by his arguments.

Such breaches of fiduciary responsibility are fortunately becoming increasingly rare at Canadian universities, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.

It is critical to protect students from contrary thinking and novel ideas that do not strictly adhere to modern concepts of social justice.

If we allowed students to read Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal in a humanities class, we might stir atavistic capitalistic instincts causing them to engage in the commercial exploitation of babies for food.

No one wants that.

The world is a dangerous place and words can be violence. Why, just today, I began to read a piece in a university publication when I was stopped dead in my tracks: the authors surname was Savage.

Literally.

This brutal surname was immediately triggering.

Upon seeing it, I needed to retire to a quiet, safe place where I could enjoy a hot cup of cocoa and turn on a video of frolicking puppies to recover from the shock.

Surely I am not the only one who has noticed that surnames can be brutal, sexist, racist and, yes, hateful.

Some of these elements are intrinsic, such as: Rich (implied social inequality); Best, Bright or Good (fosters unhealthy competition); Tallman (discriminatory against short people); Strong or Savage (aggression, war-like imagery); Black or Brown (cultural appropriation).

Even the surname Green is problematic, unless the individual has a Tesla in the driveway or a verified track record of responsible composting.

Some surnames are multiply offensive. Goodman: a combination of inequality and sexism. Goodmanson is a triple threat, adding bias against non-male genders of offspring.

Hatename legislation could proscribe acceptable replacements. Goodmanson would become Averagepersonoffspring.

Other hatenames are acquired such as the name of our first prime minister  He-who-must-not-be-named, a genocidal white supremacist, according to a recent Manitoban editorial, and many others.

Quite properly, we must expunge his name from schools and other public buildings.

In the spirit of free but safe speech conducted at Canadian universities, we might debate how far to go. Within carefully proscribed limits, of course.

The argument that we should be mindful of applying modern standards of social justice to historical figures is clearly specious and can be dismissed immediately.

Rather, the surname of Prime Minister He-who-must-not-be-named is shared by many. Should all with the same offensive surname be required under human rights legislation to change it? Or just those with the given name  trigger warning  John or Jack? Should we broaden hatename coverage to similar-sounding names such as  trigger warning  McDonald? This creates an additional hamburger controversy, but we should all be vegans anyway.

We might want to discuss eliminating all prime ministerial names from public usage. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a white supremacist terrorist, according to a Black Lives Matter spokesperson. Indeed, all prime ministers from He-who-must-not-be-named to the current PM have been stewards of an oppressive colonial or post-colonial heteropatriarchal power structure that has engaged in many reprehensible acts.

New hatename legislation could banish their mention in any public forum. This does create an additional problem for Wilfrid Laurier University.

Perhaps like Kentucky Fried Chicken, which rebranded itself KFC when fried food became socially unacceptable, it could become WLU.

It is quite proper to limit speech to the universal principles of social justice that we all share. While we encourage diversity of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation (religion, not so much) we must draw the line at diversity of thought.

The system evolving at Canadian universities produces greater intellectual efficiency. Critical thinking is hard. Teaching critical thinking is even harder. It is simpler, easier and just downright safer to have someone else doing the thinking for you.

Scott Forbes is an ecologist at the University of Winnipeg.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/11/2017 (1814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just before the delegates for the annual Conference of the Parties on climate change started meeting in Bonn this month, the Lancet, the leading British medical journal, published yet another major studyshowing that climate change is a growing health hazard.

The study revealed that hundreds of millions of people around the world are already suffering due to climate change. Infectious diseases are spreading faster due to warmer temperatures, hunger and malnourishment is worsening, allergy seasons are getting longer and sometimes its simply too hot for farmers to tend to their crops.

But what would happen if we treated climate change as a health problem rather than an environmental one?

ALASTAIR GRANT / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES A legislated change in cigarette packaging was part of a push to link the act of smoking with its negative effects on health.

As an expert in the political economy of climate change, I contend we can learn useful lessons from some relatively successful public health campaigns. Take smoking, for example.

We have successfully used advertising bans and warnings on cigarette packages to change perceptions about the dangers of burning tobacco, so perhaps a similar strategy will work to focus on the dangers of burning gasoline and diesel.

After all, most of climate change is caused because humans are burning fossil fuels at prodigious rates. This combustion generates carbon dioxide. Its accumulating rapidly in the atmosphere, warming the planet and making storms, heat waves and droughts an increasing problem for people in many places.

Climate health warning

Cigarette advertising was actively promoting a hazardous product, and so the public health case was made for restricting advertising of cigarettes. Alarmed by the damage to human health caused by tobacco smoking, public authorities gradually transformed the public image of cigarettes from symbols of sophistication into objects of danger. Social life has now been largely disconnected from smoking.

Many countries require packaging that alerts smokers to the dangers of the cancer sticks they are purchasing, and many cartons carry dire health warnings. In some cases, images of the grievous bodily harm caused by prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke must be printed on cigarette cartons. Its all designed to discourage smoking and make plain the damage it causes.

Campaigns against smoking have also emphasized the dangers to third parties, and children in particular, when they inhale second-hand smoke.

Now there are health hazards from another form of combustion. The health impacts of climate change are clear. So, perhaps its time to adapt the success of the campaign against burning and smoking tobacco to policy actions against burning gasoline and diesel in vehicles.

Like cigarettes used to be, internal combustion-engined vehicles are ubiquitous. According to advertisers, their possession and use apparently infers social status. Equated with freedom, despite the amount of time drivers spend stuck in traffic, gasoline-burning cars are supposedly the ultimate symbol of individualism, autonomy and power.

But they are hazardous to both the driver and other people as well. Internal combustion engines generate urban pollution. They cause climate change. Everyone is endangered by climate change whether they drive or not. Climate change is the automobile equivalent of second-hand smoke.

Ban car advertising?

So, how about a ban on advertising internal combustion engine-powered vehicles? No longer could they be shown as a symbol of glamour and sophistication to young people. Instead, the consequences of their widespread use could be highlighted.

Cigarette packaging displays health warnings, so why not have gasoline- and diesel-fuelled cars decorated with images of disasters, floods, damaged buildings, hurricane devastation and the like?

Consumer choice need not be unduly restricted here. If people really want to buy this increasingly outdated technology, then regulations could easily allow each model of car to be sold with a choice of flood, pestilence, drought or fire damage decor.

The car companies would no doubt protest, as did the tobacco firms before them. But the larger public health concerns are much more important than automobile producers business plans.

While these practical measures alone wont alone solve the climate change problem, they would surely help people focus on the need to move rapidly away from internal combustion engines and towards a safer and more healthy world.

Simon Dalby is CIGI chair in the political economy of climate change at Wilfrid Laurier University.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
Retro resorts tipped for comeback

Game of Thrones fans are among those flocking to Malta

A resurgence in "retro destinations" will bolster profits for the travel industry, tour operator Thomas Cook is predicting.

Destinations Costa Brava, Madeira and Malta, which have fallen out of favour in recent years, will once again grace travel brochure pages, attracting new breeds of travellers into fresh new hotels and revitalised resorts.

Reinforcing profits

As Thomas Cook reveals a 40% plunge in its UK revenues, the firm is expecting profits for 2018 to be bolstered with the comeback of former bucket-and-spade locales.

Chris Mottershead, UK managing director for Thomas Cook, says: "We've seen destinations move up and down the popularity stakes and next year we're predicting that Malta, Madeira and Costa Brava will catch the attention of holidaymakers who perhaps didn't think they ticked the right box for their needs.

"From Michelin star restaurants in Costa Brava to music festivals in Malta and outstanding natural beauty in Madeira, these retro destinations really will challenge holidaymakers' misconceptions."

Last week, the organisation reported underlying earnings for the British division of 52 million in the year to September 30, compared with 86 million the previous year.

Rising accommodation costs, sterling's poor performance and intense competition in the Spanish market are all said to be contributing factors.

Back in fashion

For the first time since 2009 Spain's Costa Brava will be appearing on the shiny pages of Thomas Cook brochures, with a push to enjoy its revised reputation for food and wine.

Dated accommodation has led the region to fall out of fashion since its 1980s hey-day, but popularity is once again increasing as new and refurbished hotels continue to pop up, and Gaudi-inspired architecture attracts a different crowd.

Madeira - a firm favourite with the older crowd - was dropped from the tour operator's offering in 2015 but will make its comeback on the pages of 2018's brochures.

Now, the Portuguese archipelago has reinvented itself as a hotspot for younger visitors, with a convivial nightlife and outdoor adventure activities to enjoy, including mountain climbing and tobogganing.

Annual music festivals, I Love MTV and Annie Mac Presents, are drawing British holidaymakers back to the island of Malta, and as a filming location for Game of Thrones, Malta's drawing in both music lovers and TV buffs.

Anyone planning a trip to Spain, Malta or Portugal can protect against the unexpected by taking out European travel insurance.
This appeared in Mondays Washington Post:

As Congress dithers, the fates of some 700,000 dreamers, undocumented young immigrants brought to the United States as children, hang in the balance. Legions of chief executives, university presidents, advocacy groups and others have pleaded for lawmakers to lift the veil of uncertainty under which these immigrants, American in all but the legal sense, have lived since September, when the Trump administration announced it planned to end the protection from deportation they have enjoyed since 2012. Despite those pleas, Congress, facing a March deadline, has provided no legal means for dreamers to remain in the country where theyve grown up, gone to school, worked and, in most cases, paid taxes.

Instead, the dreamers have become a bargaining chip, held in reserve by politicians seeking political advantage in Washingtons unending partisan battles. Large majorities of Americans favor allowing dreamers to stay in this country legally, as do top executives across the technology, retail, financial and other sectors. Still, an eminently solvable problem remains unsolved.

The haggling over dreamers is Washington at its dysfunctional worst. President Donald Trump pledged publicly to back a straightforward deal with the Democrats under which the immigrants are granted legal status, in return for some simple concessions on border security. Then, under pressure from hard-liners in the Republican base, he pivoted to a set of maximalist demands, including funding to build a border wall and reductions in legal immigration.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on dreamers, most of them in their teens, 20s and early 30s. Owing to the administrations decision to terminate Obama-era protections for them, about 30,000 will lose their protected status each month starting in March unless Congress acts.

Last month, tech giants such as Intel, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and others joined a lobbying coalition organized to urge Congress to act to protect dreamers. Not to worry, said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.: A fix is in the works. But in the next breath, Ryan said any fix would require a lot of other things in the way of border enforcement. Not exactly a recipe for hope.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall had the perfect way of welcoming Meghan Markle to the family: Americas loss is our gain.

She was speaking a day after her stepson Prince Harry announced that he and Meghan are to wed in the spring. Later today, it is expected that palace officials will reveal the month and the venue for the nuptials.

Camilla, 70, told reporters that she is absolutely thrilled  its brilliant.

She added, Americas loss is our gain. We are all absolutely delighted. As you can see, theyre so happy. Sometimes in a climate where were surrounded by a lot of bad news, its a real joy to have a bit of good news for once.

Camilla visited the English city of Stoke on Tuesday alongside her husband, and Harrys father, Prince Charles. It was Charless office that made the first announcement of the big news.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Harry and Meghans wedding takes place during an exciting year for the royal family  Harrys brother Prince William and sister-in-law Princess Kate are expecting their third child in April.
When Meghan Markle said yes to Prince Harrys proposal, she was agreeing to much more than marriage. Beyond just her new title and new royal duties, shes also relocating to a new country, and with that, comes a new citizenship. The British royal family announced Tuesday that Markle intends to become a citizen of the United Kingdom after marrying Harry.

A spokesperson for the family says its too early to say if Markle will retain her American citizenship after she becomes a British citizen. While shes going through the process to become a British citizen, she will remain an American citizen.

There isnt much precedent when it comes to foreigners marrying into the British royal family. The last time an American married into the family, it caused a constitutional crisis: King Edward VIII was forced to abdicate the throne to marry his divorced American fiancee, Wallis Simpson.

Though clearly times have changed, and this American is being welcomed into the royal family with open arms, theres still a few hurdles shell have to jump through  even if she gets a fast pass to British citizenship.

Normally, moving to the United Kingdom as an American is no easy task. If Markle was just an American engaged to an average Briton, shed have to apply for a fiancee settlement visa. Her fiance would need to sponsor his other half for the move, and the sponsor must make a salary of 18,600 at minimum  not an issue for Harry, of course! The couple also would have to prove that theyre in a genuine relationship, and arent just getting married for visa purposes. (Harry and Meghans engagement interview should be proof enough of that!) Shell also need to prove she can financially support herself (again, shouldnt be an issue!) and has a solid knowledge of English, which again, wouldnt be a problem, as Markle grew up in the U.S.

Once thats approved, a couple has six months to tie the knot  on British soil. Then, the foreigner in the situation would have to apply for a marriage visa. This lasts 60 months, then you get another one for 33 months. And finally, after this collective 93-month period, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Once you get Indefinite Leave to Remain, youll have a year before you can apply for U.K. citizenship.

Story continues

However, its hard to imagine that the fiancee of the fifth-in-line to the throne would have to go through the same bureaucratic process that the average person would.

For more on the couple, watchPrince Harry & Meghan Markle: The Royal Engagement available now, PeopleTV. Go to PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite mobile or connected TV device.

But will Markle have to give up her American citizenship? As of now, it doesnt seem so. Since shes not marrying the heir to the throne, theres less pressure all around. And she doesnt come from royalty herself, as Prince Philip did (he had to renounce his title of Prince of Greece and Denmark before marrying Queen Elizabeth in 1947). Holding onto her American citizenship wouldnt be quite as controversial as retaining a foreign title would have been.

The citizenship dilemma is one that several other European royals have already dealt with  and Harry and Markle might look to those who have dealt with this exact situation in recent years for inspiration.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who was an Australian citizen, relocated to Denmark while she was dating Crown Prince Frederik, but it wasnt until they announced their engagement that she had to deal with the question of changing her citizenship. The Danish parliament ended up passing a special law  fittingly called Marys Law  that granted her Danish citizenship after she married Frederik. She also renounced her Australian citizenship upon her marriage, making her solely a Dane.

For Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who was born an Argentinian citizen, a similar procedure was followed: She was granted Dutch citizenship two months after her engagement to King Willem-Alexander was announced in March 2001. She did, however, retain her Argentine citizenship and remains a dual citizen of both countries.

Princess Madeleine of Swedens husband, Christopher ONeill, however, took a different approach. A dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, he declined both Swedish citizenship and a royal title, preferring to remain a commoner so he could continue his career in finance. ONeill, Madeleine and their two (soon to be three!) children reside full-time in London.

All three instances have one thing in common: The person marrying into the family is offered citizenship to their new country at the time of their wedding, or even before. Its hard to imagine that the royal family wont follow suit for Markle before she becomes a part of the fold.
Its the most wonderful time of the year  for fake news.

As First Lady Melania Trump unveiled this years White House Christmas decorations on Twitter Monday morning, some of her followers celebrated by reigniting previously debunked rumors that former President Barack Obama banned Nativity scenes from the White House last year.

The Nativity Scene was removed when the American hating Obamas [sic] were disgracing our White House along with our country, one Twitter user claimed.

Obama critics even rejected photo proof of the Nativity scene on display in the Obama White House last year.

That photo looks like if they took it in the storage where the nativity sits, one tweeter said. Thats why Trump won.

The decorations are up! @WhiteHouse is ready to celebrate! Wishing you a Merry Christmas & joyous holiday season! pic.twitter.com/d6ZuyeFvrw  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) November 27, 2017

Apparently you do not know Snopes is not a creditable source, The Nativity Scene was removed when the American hating Obama's were disgracing our White House along with our country.  creepy texas cracka (@Aundria_Hamby) November 27, 2017

That photo looks like if they took it in the storage where the nativity sits. That's why Trump won.  Angela. T. (@angbonzo) November 27, 2017

In reality, a Nativity scene was on display at the White House during every holiday season of Obamas eight-year presidency, Snopes.com reported in December 2016 in response to claims to the contrary. The official White House model depicting the birth of Jesus Christ, known as the White House Creche, has been displayed in the East Room during the holiday season every year since 1967.

Story continues

The Nativity scene on display at the Obama White House in 2016

The lies about Obama, a Christian, and the Nativity scene recirculated around this same time last year, and similar claims were made nearly every year Obama was in office, according to Snopes.

The misinformation goes hand-in-hand with the idea  often pushed by Fox News and other conservative outlets and pundits in recent years  that liberals like Obama are waging a War on Christmas.

People who believe Christmas is under attack point to inclusive phrases like Happy Holidays as (liberal) insults to Christianity, The New York Times said in a piece examining the phenomenon last December. The Times also noted the controversy surrounding Starbucks use of secular seasonal cup designs over traditional Christmas greetings.

President Donald Trump railed against the so-called War on Christmas repeatedly on the campaign trail last year, promising that he would bring back the phrase Merry Christmas if elected.

When was the last time you saw Merry Christmas? You dont see it anymore, then-candidate Trump said in a campaign speech in January 2016. They want to be politically correct. If Im president, you will see Merry Christmas in department stores, believe me, believe me.

Obamas' Holiday Card Doesn't Mention Christmas for 8th Yearhttps://t.co/wNY4yyzwHE  Fox News (@FoxNews) December 14, 2016

For the Trumps first year in the White House, the first lady designed a Time-Honored Traditions theme to pay respect to 200 years of holiday traditions at the White House, a press release from her office said.

The decorations include an homage to the first themed White House Christmas  which was the Nutcracker Suite in 1961  a Christmas dinner display featuring the china from President Ronald Reagan, and the official White House Christmas tree, which is adorned with glass ornaments depicting the seal of each State and territory.

First Lady Melania Trump watches ballerinas dance at the White House

First Lady Melania Trump plays with children at the White House

Christmas decorations in the White House Red Room

A Nativity scene on display at the White House in 2017

But the festive decor is not all about tradition. The press release also announced the debut of Mrs. Trumps signature Christmas wreaths  quickly sparking Twitter speculation over what, exactly, makes the wreaths unique to the first lady.

Melania Trumps

This years Gingerbread House I was baked w 300 lbs of dough & features @FLOTUS signature wreaths! #TimeHonoredTraditions pic.twitter.com/igUw7dS93J  Stephanie Grisham (@StephGrisham45) November 27, 2017

Mrs. Trumps communications director, Stephanie Grisham, did not respond to PEOPLEs request for comment about the story behind the signature wreaths.

it's a green circle with a red bow, it's every wreath. did she invent wreaths?  Laura???????????? (@laurastacotruck) November 27, 2017

How are Pretty generic green wreaths with big red bows @FLOTUS signature ? Is she trying to get a royalty on every other one that looks exactly the same, sold in Dollarama and Hobby Lobby? #wreathgate  Gillian Bracking (@GillianBracking) November 27, 2017

claiming that wreaths are a "signature" of melania trump is an almost respectable level of ridiculousness  Harry Hawkings (@HarryHawkings) November 27, 2017

FLOTUS signature wreaths seem like something that will be sold real soon now  CIODOJO (@ciodojo) November 27, 2017

Photos the first lady shared of herself decorating the White House with various coats draped over her shoulders also became the subject of ridicule on Twitter.

Preparations are underway to celebrate the holidays at the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/N5qZ1NP8ez  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) November 22, 2017

When putting decorations on Christmas tree I often feel the need to casually drape a cashmere coat over my shoulders, said no one ever. pic.twitter.com/EVJA02WGna  Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) November 22, 2017

When putting decorations on Christmas tree I often feel the need to casually drape a cashmere coat over my shoulders, said no one ever, one tweeter teased of the look thats popular among the fashion set.

Another suspected the style was more ready-to-run than ready-to-wear.

Melania wearing a coat in her own home. Just in case she finds an opportunity to flee. https://t.co/iW2Lm8Iqwn  April (@ReignOfApril) November 24, 2017

Melania wearing a coat in her own home. Just in case she finds an opportunity to flee, joked activist April Reign.

Even director Ava DuVernay couldnt resist a tongue-in-cheek quip in response.

How dare you say such a thing about these very natural looking photos highlighting her everyday behavior and organic homemaking instincts complete with cozy coat? Shame on you.  Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 24, 2017

How dare you say such a thing about these very natural looking photos highlighting her everyday behavior and organic homemaking instincts complete with cozy coat? Shame on you, she said.
So far, Comcast investors arent worried about losing the host of NBCs long-running Today morning show.

Shares of NBC parent company Comcast jumped 4 percent on Wednesday morning to nearly $38 a share in the hours after NBC announced it had fired Today show host Matt Lauer for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.

NBC  which falls under the Comcast banner  has routinely won the coveted ages 25-54 demographic for its morning shows.

The 59-year-old Lauer had been with the Today show for 23 years, and co-hosted alongside Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and weatherman Al Roker.

Also Read: Trump Under Fire for Resurfacing 2001 Death of Joe Scarborough Intern

Something Comcast investors were likely happy to shed: Lauer raked in a $25 million-a-year salary, according to Forbes.

The news was broken on-air by Today host Savannah Guthrie, who looked shaken. I am heartbroken, she said while sitting next to her colleague Hoda Kotb.

In a memo to employees sent early Wednesday, NBC News chairman Andy Lack said that he had received a detailed complaint from a staffer on Monday night about Lauers behavior in the workplace.

It represented, after serious review a clear violation of our companys standards, Lack wrote. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Related stories from TheWrap:

How Post-Charlie Rose 'CBS This Morning' Covered Matt Lauer's Firing (Video)

Trump Calls for Firing of MSNBC President and Joe Scarborough

ESPN Lays Off 150 Employees: Read Boss John Skipper's Internal Email Here




Marvel Studios has finally released the first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War and boy, its a doozy. Watch it in full above.

The first trailer debuted live on Good Morning America, and its already sending fans into a frenzy, making the wait for its release in April 2018 seem like an impossible task.

The first trailer shows the Avengers, and the many inhabitants of the MCU facing their biggest challenge yet  Thanos, as played by Josh Brolin.

Avengers: Infinity War directors tease trailer drop

All of the main Avengers are present and correct including Robert Downey Jr.s Iron Man, Chris Evans Captain America, Mark Ruffalos Hulk, and Chris Hemsworths Thor, alongside newcomers like Chadwick Bosemans Black Panther, Benedict Cumberbatchs Doctor Strange, and Tom Hollands Spider-Man.

And lets not forget the Guardians of the Galaxy who crop up right at the end of the trailer.

Marvel also released the first poster for the film via a Tom Holland livestream overnight, but it doesnt offer many clues about the events of the film.

Avengers: Infinity War poster (Disney/Marvel Studios)

Avengers: Infinity War arrives in UK cinemas on 27 April 2018.

Read more

20 new Marvel movies in development

Tom Holland breaks nose on Avengers 4

Where are the Infinity Stones now?


In Style [MUSIC]

Was this years Victorias Secret Fashion Show the best ever? You be the judge, but as far as the Fantasy Bra is concerned, the 2017 edition is hard to top.

Each year, one lucky model gets to sport a fantastically bejeweled piece that costs more than most of us will ever make in a lifetime. This time none other than 27-year-old Brazilian model Lais Ribeiro walked down the Victoria's Secret runway in Shanghai, China, in the $2 million bra.

During the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which aired Nov. 28 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, Ribeiro looked gorgeous as she strutted her stuffed in the piece across the catwalk:

I've been holding this secret for too long and I am beyond honored to announce that I will be wearing the Champagne Nights Fantasy Bra this year! I am very happy and thankful for my Victoria's Secret family for trusting me and all the support from my on family, friends and fans! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! ???????????? its official!! ???????? A post shared by Lais Ribeiro (@laisribeiro) on Nov 1, 2017 at 6:19am PDT

Ive been holding this secret for too long and I am beyond honored to announce that I will be wearing the Champagne Nights Fantasy Bra this year! she wrote alongside a photo of herself wearing the $2 million piece.

RELATED: Victoria's Secret Is Launching a Collab with Balmain

I am very happy and thankful for my Victorias Secret family for trusting me and all the support from my own family, friends and fans! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Its official!!

In a video, Ribeiro becomes super emotional after finding out shes this years Fantasy Bra model during a fitting. Wouldnt you?

The piece was designed by Mouaward jewels and is without a doubt breathtaking.
For the past six months, Bianca Innes has been fighting for her life. Diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2017 at age 20, the aspiring journalist has since undergone 12 chemotherapy sessions, two surgeries, and been admitted to the hospital 10 times  all while suffering from constant fatigue and bone pain.

These photos were taken 12 months apart almost to the day. Bianca Innes at ages 20 and 21. (Photo: Instagram/biancainnes)

What started out as a small lump on the right side of her breast tripled in size within weeks. Before Inness 21st birthday, doctors told her she had Grade 3 breast cancer  an extremely rare diagnosis for a woman her age.

This is me today sitting in the back of an ambulance, still attempting to smile through what I will gladly say was one of the hardest days of chemo so far. First round back into chemo after a few weeks off due to surgery and it has absolutely rattled me. Here's to tomorrow being a brighter and better day! #pinkhopeaus #pinkhope #knowyourrisk #bcna #breastcancerawareness #checkyourbreasts A post shared by Going Topless Blog (@biancainnes) on Sep 12, 2017 at 3:09am PDT

After many tests I was diagnosed with Grade 3 Stage 2b Triple Positive breast cancer, Innes, who hails from Australia, told the Australian site Mamamia.

Innes had no family history of cancer, and testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer gene came back negative.

My diagnosis came as a huge shock to not only me, but my family and friends too, she said. The first question I asked was, Will I lose my hair? At that time, it was the most important thought in my mind.

Earlier this week, Innes shared a touching Instagram post with two images taken just 12 months apart. In the first photo, she appears healthy, with thick dark hair framing her face. The second image shows how cancer and chemo have ravaged her body.

HAVING A MASSIVE WTF MOMENT THIS SATURDAY MORNING! These photos were taken 12 months apart almost to the day. On the left, a healthy, happy and normal 20 year old girl. On the right, a 21 year old girl fighting a battle she thought shed never be faced with. Breast Cancer, she captioned the image.

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The average age of diagnosis of breast cancer for women in the U.S. is 62  fewer than five percent of women diagnosed with it are younger than 40. In Canada, about 11 percent of women develop breast cancer by the time they reach 90 years old, while 20 percent of cases are diagnosed in women younger than 50. In the U.K., 81 percent of breast cancers occur in women older than 50, while 75 percent of new breast cancer cases develop in women older than 50 in Australia.

Inness case is an anomaly. Her doctors say shes one of the youngest patients they have seen who have no family history of cancer.

This is a stark reminder that cancer does not discriminate, Innes warned. It doesnt give a f**k about your age nor your financial status. My entire journey Ive tried to stay positive and show the raw realities of cancer at this age through my blog by spreading awareness to young women far and wide.

Innes will undergo the next phase of her treatment in December. Until then, shes building up her physical and emotional strength.

I take the good and bad days for what they are. I am proud to say that although I have breast cancer, I am happy, living life to the fullest and positive about the future, she said.

I can thankfully say that I am looking forward to being another step closer to being cancer-free.

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Photo credit: Courtesy of The Pierre

From Town & Country

Best Fancy Tea: The Pierre

Our first choice for an elegant and indulgent afternoon tea, this high tea service includes blinis topped with caviar, sweet ginger scones, and caramel eclairs. The Pierre, 2 East 61st Street, New York



Photo credit: Courtesy of The Taj

Best Tea Parlor: Bosie's

A West Village favorite, this warm, welcoming tea parlor offers over 100 different varieties of tea and serves pastries and macaroons, all handmade by their in-house French pastry chef. Bosies's, 10 Morton Street, New York

Photo credit: Gilt City/Giles Ashford

Best Afternoon Tea: The Carlyle Hotel

Head to the Gallery at this revered institution for English afternoon tea in an old New York setting, inspired by the sultan's dining room at the Topikapi Palace in Turkey. The Carlyle, 35 East 76th Street, New York

Photo credit: courtesy The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel

Best Champagne Tea: The Crosby

Tucked away amidst the hustle and bustle of Soho, we love the Crosby's bar for its champagne tea and savory scones. Have a glass of Ruinart before moving onto exotic teas by Harney & Sons. The Crosby, 79 Crosby Street, New York

Photo credit: Simon Brown

Best Whimsical Tea Shop: Alice's Tea Cup

Have some tea in the Looking Glass Room at Alice's Tea Cup, conveniently located only a few blocks from Central Park. Like something straight out of Lewis Carroll's classic storybook, this shop is a colorful wonderland for the whole family to enjoy.

Alice's Tea Cup - Chapter II, 156 E 64th Street, New York

Best Single-Concept: MatchaBar

Matcha lovers flock to the single-concept MatchaBar for variations on the Japanese-imported finely ground green tea and a food and dessert menu catered by Watty & Meg. MatchaBar, 93 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn

Best Family Tea: The Plaza

There are few things more New York than the Eloise-themed tea at the Plaza. The Eloise Shop makes for a glamorous backdrop, and the service is tailored toward young Eloises-to-be. The Plaza, 768 5th Avenue, New York

Photo credit: Courtesy of The Plaza

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Hillary Clinton admitted she was ticked off at Matt Lauer in her memoir

Matt Lauer made headlines today, November 29th, after being fired from NBC over allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace. And while many are shocked, a look back shows that Lauer has behaved questionably towards women in the past to varying degrees. In fact, in her recent memoir, What Happened, Hillary Clinton wrote she was ticked off at Lauer for his line of questioning at the Commander-in-Chief Forum before the 2016 election.

In the book, Clinton noted that Lauer focussed intently on her private email server, repeatedly returning to the topic even after it had been thoroughly discussed  all while throwing relatively easy questions Donald Trumps way.

Now I was ticked off, she wrote. NBC knew exactly what it was doing here. The network was treating this like an episode of The Apprentice, in which Trump stars and ratings soar [] Lauer had turned what should have been a serious discussion into a pointless ambush. What a waste of time.

Hillary Clinton and Matt Lauer

Clinton wasnt the only one disappointed by Lauers line of questioning. All in all, Lauer spent one-third of Clintons allotted 30 minutes questioning her about her emails, which meant she had little time to discuss complex issues like terrorism or the economy.

Critics also pointed out that Lauer continually interrupted Clinton, but not Trump.

Some also noted that Lauer failed to fact-check Trumps claim that he had always opposed the war in Iraq  which would have been a relatively easy point to tackle. Twitter users expressed frustration with Lauers performance, accusing him of sloppy journalism.
Alejandra Borundas two kids are among those covered by CHP+ and who would lose out if the program goes away. (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/the Denver Post via Getty Images)

Colorado has become one of the first states to tell its residents to research private insurance plans in the event that the federal government fails to reinstate funding to CHIP, the joint state- and federal-government-funded program that provides health insurance for 9 million children from middle- and low-income families nationwide.

The states Department of Health Care Policy and Finance (HCPF) released a statement Nov. 27 announcing that it began sending a letter to families encouraging them to look into new health plans. The letter explains that federal funding for CHIP expired on Sept. 30. Colorado has state funds to cover the program costs only until Jan. 31, 2018. After that, families will have to pay for private plans should the government fail to renew.

Each year, the federal government votes to allocate funds to the program and each state matches that money. To receive funding, both the Senate, and then the president, must sign off on the program budget. The House passed the bill to fund CHIP for the next five years on Nov. 3, but progression stopped short of the Senate. With no pass day in sight, states like Colorado are facing pressure to take action.

It is critically important for families to start planning for potential changes in their health coverage if the federal government doesnt renew funding for the CHP+ program, Gretchen Hammer, Colorados Department of Health Care Policy Medicaid Director, said in the press release. We remain cautiously optimistic Congress will renew federal funding, but we want our families enrolled in CHP+ to be aware that changes may be coming and not be caught off guard should the program come to an end.

CHIP has brought the U.S.s rate of uninsured children down to 5 percent  a record low  per the Kaiser Family Foundation. CHIPs Plus plan in Colorado alone currently insures more than 75,000 kids and nearly 800 pregnant women.

These are families, theyre not making a whole lot of money, Marc Williams, Public Information Officer at Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. They make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but they make enough to qualify for CHIP program, because their employer may not provide health insurance.

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He said the loss of CHIP funding would add an additional financial burden on these families.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, agrees. She tells Yahoo Lifestyle that even the smallest lack of coverage in terms of time can have deep effects.

Even a short period of no coverage is not good for kids health and it puts families at risk for financial risk, she said. As any parent knows, a kid can break a bone or need stitches any day of the week. If youre uninsured, even for a short period, [it] can have a devastating effect on a familys finances.

Breaking news: Colorado announces that it has started sending letters out to CHIP families warning them that their coverage is in jeopardy. This is the first state I am aware of.https://t.co/OE70sKaddJ  Joan Alker (@JoanAlker1) November 27, 2017

Some, including Alker, speculate the CHIP program hasnt been a priority for lawmakers with the focus on the Affordable Care Act. The bill itself, though traditionally bipartisan, has also caused disagreement among Democrats, who strongly support the program but fear Republicans want to take money from other assistance programs like Medicaid to fund it.

Alker wants them to take action, before its too late.

Im optimistic Congress will get this done and that terrible outcome can be avoided, but really, its very unfortunate were having this conversation. This could have been an easy win for congress months ago, yet its still not done, she said.

The U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey (ACS), 44 states have seen improvements in coverage for children since the ACA took effect in 2014, with gains in Nevada, Montana, Florida, Arizona, California, Idaho, and Colorado.

With CHIPs fate in purgatory, the future of kids coverage remains more uncertain. Williams says the state has been in contact with representatives in Congress, but should the government fail to act, the department will send a letter at the end of December, around the holidays, officially announcing the end of CHIP coverage.

Were in a holding pattern until Congress decides what its going to do, Williams tells Yahoo Lifestyle. At the same time, we want to be proactive with our families so they can take measures to inform themselves.

Alker says she believes theres a lack of awareness with respect to how much it takes to run programs like these. But just because states have funding until the end of the year doesnt mean its OK to delay the bill.

Theres a lot more to it than that, Alker says. They cant live on a promise. Its not a good way to run government, to leave states with this level of uncertainty.

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Prince Harry revealed exactly what he thought the first time he saw Meghan Markle

Imagine if your friend set you up on a blind date with a British prince. Youd probably be pretty nervous about making a great first impression. But when a real-life set up happened between Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle, it was Harry who felt the need to impress.

Harry revealed in an interview with BBC News that he knew nothing of Markle before they met. He had never watched her in Suits and needed a bit of background when their mutual friend told him about her. But when Harry first saw Markle upon arrival at their blind date, he said,

I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her, and there she was sitting there. I was like, Okay, well Im really going to have to up my game here. And sit down and make sure Ive got a good chat.'

The two hit it off so well during their first date in July 2016 that they immediately planned two more back-to-back dates in London. Then, about four weeks later, Harry convinced Markle to join him on a humanitarian trip to Botswana.

And we camped out with each other under the stars, Harry said. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.

Image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

And Markle admitted she didnt know much about Harry either, despite his royal status.

Because Im from the States, you dont grow up with the same understanding of the royal family, Markle said during the BBC News interview. And so while I now understand very clearly theres a global interest there, I didnt know much about him.

The two spent a year and a half getting to know each other and falling in love  though Harry revealed in a press meeting with journalists that he knew Markle was the one the first time they met.

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Cue the awws.

His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle are "thrilled and happy" to be engaged. Here they appear at a photocall at Kensington Palace Gardens this afternoon, on the day their engagement is announced. A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Nov 27, 2017 at 8:24am PST

Harry and Markle will be married in spring 2018 and we absolutely cannot wait.
The roles Prince George and Princess Charlotte will likely play in Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding

With their beloved Prince Harry now engaged to Meghan Markle, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are preparing for two people to join their inner circle. Markle and their baby brother or sister are due to become a part of the family next spring.

And while their wedding obligations have not been officially announced, we have a couple guesses about how the pint-size royals will be a part of their uncles big day. Earlier this year, Prince George followed in his fathers footsteps and served as a page boy at his aunt Pippa Middletons nuptials.

Back in 1986, Prince William (who was the same age as 4-year-old George at the time), was a slightly restless page boy at his uncle Prince Andrews wedding to Sarah Ferguson.

Related article: Take a look at Meghan Markles stunning engagement ring

Princess Charlotte will probably take on the same role in her aunts wedding. In May, the 2-year-old was an adorable bridesmaid. Similar to her little one, Princess Kate was also a bridesmaid for her uncle when she was 9, according to People.

And the brother and sister have a great track record thus far. Following their aunts wedding, People reported that guests said the tots were very well-behaved.

Because the official date of the wedding has not been announced, its unclear whether George and Charlottes new siblingdue in Aprilwill make it to the ceremony. On Monday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge issued a statement about Prince Harry and Markles engagement.

We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.
Jennifer Lawrence is dropping some hints as to why she and Darren Aronofsky might have broken up.

The actress  who started dating the director while working on Mother!  is making the press rounds ahead of awards season and she was asked about how she handled the negative reviews. While critics were split, the film received a rare F cinemascore from audiences. Naturally, that created a bit of a rift in their relationship.

Jennifer Lawrence and Darren Aronofsky attend the premiere of Mother! at Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 13 in New York. (Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Normally, I promote a movie, you put the work in to promoting it, ask people to go see it, and then its just kind of out of your hands. I normally just kind of let it go, Lawrence told Adam Sandler while participating in Varietys Actors on Actors series. Dating the director was different, because wed be on the tour together. Id come back to the hotel, and the last thing I want to talk about or think about is a movie.

That wasnt the case for Aronofsky.

He comes back from the tour, and thats all he wants to talk about, she explained. I get it, its his baby. He wrote it; he conceived it; he directed it. I was doing double duty trying to be a supportive partner while also being like, Can I please, for the love of God, not think about Mother! for one second?

Again, thats not exactly what the director/boyfriend had in mind.

And then he would start reading me reviews, and I finally was like, Its not healthy. Im not going to do it, because if I read it, I start getting defensive, she said. Especially because its my man. I dont want to sound in an interview that Im defending what were doing in any way. Its awesome, what we did. The people who hate it really hate it. But its nothing that needs to be defended. If I read a negative review, I just feel defensive.

Aronofsky and Lawrence split last month after about a year of dating; however, things are clearly amicable. They sat together at the Governors Awards two weeks ago, after they were already broken up. During their relationship, they were relatively low-key, and even on the press tour tended to keep any soundbites mostly professional.

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A few weeks ago, Lawrence shared how sparks flew between the pair at first.

I had a crush on him when he pitched to me, she told the Hollywood Reporter, and that was like a year before we started rehearsing, but he was a professional, which only made it worse for me. So we just kind of formed a friendship. He knew how I felt, he never told me how he felt  I mean, I assumed  but we just formed a friendship, and then the friendship turned into a partnership for the movie once we started working, and then, when the movie was done, I was like, All right, youre my boyfriend! And he was like, All right, Im your boyfriend.'

Lawrence admitted that they frequently disagreed about how to sell the movie. I dont think any audience member should go in blindly, she said. Darren and I disagree on that constantly.

Aronofsky was previously in a nine-year relationship with Rachel Weisz  they share one son  but they split in 2010. Weisz went on to marry Daniel Craig. Lawrence has dated Coldplays Chris Martin and actor Nicholas Hoult.

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Barely two weeks after the most awe-inspiring Corvette in modern history, the bewinged and beastly 2019 Corvette ZR1 coupe, made its debut at the Dubai auto show, that cars drop-top counterpart roared into Los Angeles, the next-sunniest city on the major-auto-show circuit. Not only does the 2019 Corvette ZR1 convertible look incredible, but Chevrolet promises that the first convertible since 1970 to earn the vaunted ZR1 designation will be every bit as thrilling to drive as its coupe counterpart.

Convertible versions of performance cars as extreme as the ZR1which is powered by a supercharged LT5 V-8 with 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torqueoften require structural reinforcements that add weight to the detriment of ultimate performance. As with the lesser Corvette convertibles, that appears not to be the case with the new ZR1 variant.

Chevrolet claims that the strength of the Corvettes aluminum chassis meant that structural changes for the convertible are reduced to repositioned seatbelt mounts and accommodations for the folding top. The result is a car that weighs within 60 pounds of its coupe counterpart.

The power top can be operated while driving at speeds of up to 30 mph, and it also can be opened or closed from outside the vehicle when parked, via the remote key fob.

The ZR1 convertible shares most everything below the beltline with its coupe sibling. That includes its ZR1-specific front fascia, fenders, and hood, the latter featuring a giant cut-out through which the top of the LT5 V-8 is visible. Like the coupe, the convertible comes standard with the Low Wing on its tail (optimized for top speed), while the adjustable High Wing (optimized for downforce) is optional, part of the $2995 ZTK Performance package. The open-topped car also is available with a seven-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic.

While the ZR1s chassis was tuned a bit more for comfort than that of the more track-focused Z06, there was no further softening of the suspension for convertible duty. Thanks to the strong structure, said chief engineer Tadge Juechter, the suspension tuning between coupe and convertible models is identical, meaning the ZR1 convertible offers the same benchmark performance, including a top speed of over 200 mph. (The coupe is good for 212 mph.) Chevy also promises a zero-to-60-mph time of less than three seconds and a quarter-mile time under 11.0 seconds.

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We will of course be verifying such claims ourselves, but over and above the ZR1s massive performance potential, the ability to drop the top should make for an especially inebriating way to experience its exhaust system, which, in Track mode, is said to be even louder than the already anti-social blare trumpeting from the Z06s quad pipes.

For more details on the ZR1, check out our initial in-depth coverage of the 2019 Corvette ZR1 coupe from its Dubai debut. In that story, we speculated that the coupe would cost about $120,000 when it arrives next spring, but it turns out we were off by five dollarsthe ZR1 coupe starts at $119,995 and the convertible comes in four grand higher, at $123,995. That makes the ZR1 convertible the most expensive Chevrolet passenger car ever. And it will likely hold that title until the oft-spied mid-engine C8 Corvette arrives next year. Fasten your (newly repositioned) seatbelts, its going to be a wild ride in Corvette land.
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Nearly half a decade after the demise of Subarus Tribeca SUV, the Japanese brand will jump back into the three-row crossover game with the 2019 Subaru Ascent. Built on the scalable Subaru Global Platform that also underpins the latest Impreza, the Ascent rides on a 113.8-inch wheelbase and contains a formidable 152 cubic feet of passenger space in its boxy body, comparable to the Honda Pilot (152 cubic feet) and the Volkswagen Atlas (153 cubic feet) but falling short of the massive Chevrolet Traverse by five cubes.

The Ascent offers standard seating for eight, thanks to three-across benches in both the second and third rows. A pair of second-row captains chairs, a no-cost option on all but the base Ascent, limits seating to seven. Regardless, the three-row Subaru provides 20 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row and 73 cubes with both the second and third rows folded.

Max Power

Powering the Ascent is a new turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine making 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, the latter at a low 2000 rpmthats 10 more ponies than the turbo four in the Mazda CX-9 but 33 lb-ft less torque. The Ascents turbo four, however, is torquier than the V-6s offered in the Traverse, Pilot, and Atlas and significantly more than Subarus own 3.6-liter flat-six powerplant.

As in every Subaru not named BRZ, the Ascent comes standard with all-wheel drive. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) serves as the middleman between the engine and the axles, and a set of steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters accesses eight preset ratios for simulated stepped gearchanges. Subaru claims the Ascent can tow up to 5000 pounds when properly equipped, a figure that betters the Mazda by 1500 pounds and matches the maximum towing capacities of the Chevy, Honda, and Volkswagen.

Safe and Sound

Standard on every Ascent is Subarus EyeSight suite of safety features, which includes automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning. Additionally, all Ascent trims feature a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The display measures 6.5 inches in the base Ascent but grows to 8.0 inches in the Premium, Limited, and Touring models. Ascending the trim-level ladder adds comfort and convenience items such as a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, heated seats for the first two rows, and a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. A reverse automated braking system, a power liftgate, and a proximity key with push-button start are optional on the Premium but come standard on Limited and Touring trims.

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Additionally, the Limited model features leather upholstery, LED headlights, and retractable second-row sunshades, while the top-of-the-line Touring adds ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, a camera-based rearview mirror, navigation, and a panoramic sunroof. Both the navigation system and the sunroof also are available as options on Premium and Limited models.

Subaru has announced that the Ascent will go on sale next summer with a starting price of around $35,000, and we expect fully loaded versions to top out at or near the $50,000 mark.
Federal agents have joined the search for a missing three-year-old girl.

Toddler Mariah Kay Woods of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was reported missing by her mother early Monday morning, according to the Onslow County Sheriffs Office.

Kristy Woods said she last saw her daughter  who has brown hair, blue eyes and weighs about 30 pounds  on Sunday night around 11 p.m., after she put her to bed.

On Monday, authorities issued a statewide Amber Alert as they began investigating. By Tuesday, the FBI had joined them, Reuters reported. The agency was asking the public to help provide any relevant information.

Our focus right now is to find her, to bring her back and then to find out what happened, Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Miller said authorities will not rule out any situation that may have occurred.

An online FBI poster for Mariah Woods, a missing three-year-old. (Photo: FBI)

Please, bring her back ... Shes my baby, shes my everything, Woods said at a press conference on Monday. Just to be able to touch her and hold her and not let her go again, Id give anything.

The child uses orthopedic braces on her feet to walk, her grandmother Melissa Hunter told reporters.

Mariahs father, Alex Woods, who does not live with her mother, has expressed skepticism about the circumstances surrounding his daughters disappearance.

Someone just walked right up in there, grabbed the three-year-old out of the bed and she didnt cry, she didnt scream? he told local ABC News affiliate WCTI News on Tuesday morning. Nobody heard anything? Four people in the house, two adults and two kids, someone just comes up and snatches the baby and walks out?

Woods, who said he only found out his daughter was missing when the Amber Alert went out, told WCTI that he had been given custody of the young girl and her brothers last year while child protective services investigated an incident involving their mother, but that he had not seen the children since.

The first 48 hours after a child goes missing are a critical period for authorities to locate and return the child safely. Each year, hundreds of thousands of children go missing in the United States  and the vast majority return home alive.

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.@FBICharlotte is asking for the public's assistance to locate 3-year-old Mariah Woods, missing since November 27, 2017: https://t.co/MuJOfZH2rR #FBI pic.twitter.com/UVcz2P6gQj  FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) November 28, 2017

Anyone with information about Mariah is asked to call the FBIs Charlotte Field Office at (704) 672-6100, or the Onslow County Sheriffs Office at (910) 455-3113.

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Access Hollywood set the record straight on Monday about recent reports that President Trump now claims the leaked tape in which he bragged about groping women was fabricated.

Trump suggested to a Senator and an adviser this year that the Access Hollywood tape  in which he said he can do anything to women because hes a celebrity  was not authentic, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Shortly after it was leaked in October 2016, Trump acknowledged his comments and apologized for them.

We wanted to clear something up that has been reported across the media landscape, Access Hollywood host Natalie Morales said during the show on Monday. Let us make this perfectly clear  the tape is very real. Remember his excuse at the time was locker-room talk. He said every one of those words.

Asked during Mondays press briefing whether Trump believes the tape is real, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders avoided a direct answer.

Look, the President addressed this. This was litigated and certainly answered during the election by the overwhelming support for the President and the fact that hes sitting here in the Oval Office today, she said.

Asked again whether Trumps apology for the tape indicated that he believes its authentic, she said: No. Like I just said, the President hasnt changed his position. I think if anything that the President questions, its the medias reporting on that accuracy.
It sounds like the premise for a zany holiday movie, but its real: Over 15,000 American Airlines (AAL) flights between Christmas and New Years have no pilot assigned to them due to a computer glitch.

Heres what happened. American Airlines uses an app called Trip Trade in which pilots are assigned flights. Pilots can use the app to shuffle and trade flights to make their own schedules. Flights that are green can be dropped or traded at will, and flights that are red, the crucial ones, are locked in. Pilots can swap red flights with each other, but they cant drop them.

Typically, flights during high-volume weeks such as between Christmas and New Years are red, but some sort of computer glitch turned all of these flights green.

All the trips turned green, so everyone dropped trips, one American Airlines captain told Yahoo Finance. The pilot requested anonymity, citing sensitivity in the ongoing negotiations. It wasnt a failure to assign [pilots], its just no one said, I want to work Christmas.

In a statement to Yahoo Finance, the airline said it expects to avoid cancellations this holiday season via reserve pilots and paying pilots who pick up certain open trips 150% of their hourly rate, as much as we are allowed to pay them per the contract.

The Allied Pilots Association union told pilots that American Airlines has not guaranteed to pay 150% for all flights during this time, though negotiations were ongoing. The APA did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finances requests for comment.

Even if 150% of the hourly rate is agreed upon for all trips, it may not be enough to convince pilots to fly.

I think theres going to be some pilots who dont have young kids who are going to fly for time-and-a-half, said the American Airlines captain. But I aint gonna work on Christmas  sure as hell not for time-and-a-half. Double time  Id probably go do that.

FILE PHOTO  An American Airlines Boeing 757 aircraft takes off at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy, France, August 9, 2016. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen/File Photo GLOBAL BUSINESS WEEK AHEAD SEARCH GLOBAL BUSINESS OCT 23 FOR ALL IMAGES

An ongoing issue

The union has been trying to get increased holiday pay for the past few contracts, and is taking this snafu as an opportunity to ask again. But according to the pilot, American Airlines is not interested in renegotiating.

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The company isnt interested in making an adjustment to the contract, because itd cost them, the American Airlines captain said. Theyd rather just throw it to chance.

For the pilots, the main attitude on the ground  or in the air  seems to be one of circumspection. Since the flights were all green in the app, most pilots are not on the hook to fly when they dont want to fly, a positive result given the lack of the holiday pay bumps theyve asked for.

Im not upset, said the American Airlines captain. I just dont wanna fly on Christmas. Nobodys too excited, but all the guys the glitches worked in their favor for are excited.

So what will this look like for people with flights booked from Dec. 17 to 31 if a deal cant be struck?

So far, no ones picking the flights up, so who knows whats gonna happen, said the pilot. But its probably better to incentivise, economically, people to come to work than to hope everythingll work out.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Confidential tip line: FinanceTips[at]oath[.com].

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By David DeKok

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) - Fourteen more former fraternity members pleaded guilty to reduced charges and were sentenced to probation on Wednesday for the 2013 hazing death of a New York college freshman, a day after 15 men entered similar plea bargains in the case.

Altogether, 36 former members of Pi Delta Psi, an Asian-American cultural fraternity at Baruch College in Manhattan, were charged in the death of Chun "Michael" Deng, 19.

Deng died from head injuries suffered during a fraternity hazing initiation on Dec. 8, 2013, at a rented home in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.

On Wednesday, 14 defendants pleaded guilty in Monroe County Court of Common Pleas in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to misdemeanor charges including hindering apprehension, simple assault, hazing and conspiracy, said Assistant Monroe County District Attorney Kimberly Metzger.

Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington sentenced all 14 to probation, with former national fraternity president Andy Meng given the harshest punishment of 36 months probation. Meng is the brother of U.S. Representative Grace Meng of Queens, New York.

"I thought it should have been better," said Meng's defense lawyer, Michael Ventrella. "But you take a risk in going to trial and possibly getting a much worse sentence. They used him as sort of a scapegoat."

Robert Munley, an attorney for defendant Steven Chen, who was given 18 months of probation, said: "I thought it was an appropriate outcome."

In all of the plea bargains reached on Tuesday and Wednesday, the defendants pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, reduced from felony crimes, such as hindering apprehension.

The toughest sentence in the case so far was given to fellow fraternity member, Ka-Wing Yuen, who pleaded guilty to similar offenses last January and was sentenced to five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a $100 fine. Yuen waited until the second day of his trial to plead guilty.

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Four other defendants face prison time when they are sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to felony charges of voluntary manslaughter and hindering apprehension. State sentencing guidelines recommend 22 to 36 months behind bars.

The national fraternity faces fines and suspension from operating in Pennsylvania at a January sentencing. Prosecutors and defense lawyers said it was the first U.S. fraternity to be convicted in a pledge hazing death.

(Editing by Andrew Hay and G Crosse)
Libyan media question CNN report on modern slave auctions in the country, a sign of US presidents attacks having real world effect

A woman holds a placard as she attends a protest against slavery outside the Libyan embassy in Paris. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters

A tweet by Donald Trump accusing CNN of purveying fake news has been seized on by Libyan media to challenge a report by the US broadcaster which suggested modern day slave auctions were being held in the country.



Over the weekend, Trump resumed his attacks on the US network, saying: CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!

But in a sign that the US presidents persistent attacks on the credibility of American news outlets has a real world effect, the broadcaster Libya 218 used the tweet to question the credibility of the CNN video.

What is modern slavery?

About 150 years after most countries banned slavery  Brazil was the last to abolish its participation in the transatlantic slave trade, in 1888  millions of men, women and children are still enslaved. Contemporary slavery takes many forms, from women forced into prostitution, to child slavery in agriculture supply chains or whole families working for nothing to pay off generational debts. Slavery thrives on every continent and in almost every country. Forced labour, people trafficking, debt bondage and child marriage are all forms of modern-day slavery that affect the world's most vulnerable people.



How many people are enslaved across the world?

The UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that about 21 million people are in forced labour at any point in time. The ILO says this estimate includes trafficking and other forms of modern slavery. They calculate that 90% of the 21 million are exploited by individuals or companies, while 10% are forced to work by the state, rebel military groups, or in prisons under conditions that violate ILO standards. Sexual exploitation accounts for 22% of slaves.

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Where does slavery exist?

Slavery exists in one form or another in every country. Asia accounts for more than half of the ILO's 21 million estimate. In terms of percentage of population, central and south-east Europe has the highest prevalence of forced labour, followed by Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.



Who is profiting?

In 2005, the ILO estimated that illegal profits from forced labour amounted to more than $44bn. The UN's global initiative to fight trafficking says people trafficking is the third-largest global criminal industry (pdf) behind drugs and arms trafficking. The ILO estimates that people in forced labour lose at least $21bn each year in unpaid wages and recruitment fees. Slavery also exists within global supply chains, generating huge profits for those who control this industry in free labour.

It suggested many of CNNs reports often arose out of collusion to serve political objectives, and said: Here the possibility arises that the channel has published the report of slavery in Libya to secure an as yet hidden political objective.

The Libyan broadcaster said it was striking that the presidents tirade came only days after the CNN report, which prompted global outrage when it was published earlier this month.

Libyan authorities announced that an investigation would be opened into the allegations of the report  which included footage apparently showing more than 10 men being sold at auction outside Tripoli.

But on Monday, Libya 218 suggested Trumps remarks may lead to an investigation of CNN itself.

Libyan diplomats in Africa have also hit back at the CNN reports, saying they were designed to tarnish the image of Libya. The Libyan broadcaster also highlighted a statement by the Niger ambassdor to Libya denying it had any knowledge of a Nigerien citizen being sold as a slave in Libya.

The head of the UN-backed government of national accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, has promised to mount an urgent investigation into the claims after being handed detailed information by CNN more than a week ago, but his officials have also questioned whether the modern day slave auctions had actually taken place in areas of Libya under the control of his Tripoli based government.

What happened after the Libyan revolution?

Muammar Gaddafi was ousted as president in 2011 after more than 40 years in power. But deep division between his supporters and adversaries persisted. An internationally recognised National Transitional Council took over, but quickly succumbed to schism, particularly between east and west.

How did things get so chaotic?

The transitional authorities found it impossible to extend their writ across the whole country, which was splintering into myriad factions: former regime loyalists, revolutionary brigades, local militia, Islamists, old army units, tribes, people trafficking gangs.

What about elections?

A General National Congress was elected in 2012 and established itself in Tripoli. But when a national parliament was elected in 2014, the GNC refused to accept the result; the new body had to install itself in the eastern city of Tobruk. Libya now effectively had two governments - the former buttressed by Islamist militias in its Tripoli stronghold, the latter supported by Khalifa Haftar, a renegade army colonel now head of the armed forces.

What about the international community?

Libya has become too unsafe for diplomats and most aid workers. The UN pulled its staff out in 2014 and foreign embassies followed suit. Tripoli international airport is largely destroyed by fighting.

Where has this left Libya?

The conflict has killed 5,000, ruined the economy, driven half a million from their homes and trapped hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to get north to Europe in a nightmarish network of brutal camps. Diplomatic attempts at reconciliation have proven fruitless thus far.





At an emergency session of the United Nations security Council in New York, France led calls for targetted sanctions to be applied against individual found to be guilty of running a slave auction.

People take part in a demonstration against slavery in Libya on 25 November. Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

French president Emmanuel Macron, currently visiting Africa, will attend the European UnionAfrican Union summit in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, where he will discuss plans to help evacuate migrants stuck in Libyan detention camps.

French UN ambassador Francois Delattre said the UN should use sanctions to help stamp out trafficking in Libya. France will propose to assist the sanctions committee ... in identifying responsible individuals and entities for trafficking through Libyan territory, Delattre said. We count upon support of the members of the council to make headway to that end.

He added we cannot wait for ... the political (track) to succeed, in order to act in a decisive way against human trafficking in Libya. There is no time to waste.

Under a sanctions regime set up in 2011, the security council is able to impose a global asset freeze and travel ban on individuals and entities involved in or complicit in ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, the commission of serious human rights abuses against persons in Libya.

France can propose names for targeted UN sanctions but needs to win consensus support within the security councils 15-member Libya sanctions committee.

William Swing, the head of the UNs international organisation for migration, said it was necessary to empty the 30 Libyan government-run detention centres containing as many as 15,000 migrants.
Katheryn Winnick as Queen Lagertha in Vikings. (Photo: Jonathan Hession)

On Vikings, great power comes with great responsibility  as the sons of Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) are learning after the kings death in Season 4. But which one of them is truly fit to take on the great rulers mantle?

The finale saw Ragnars family and friends scattered, with eldest son Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) raiding the Mediterranean, Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hgh Andersen) murdering brother Sigurd and taking control of the Great Army, a grieving Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) sailing into the unknown, and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) ruling over Kattegat. Now, the focus shifts to the next generation and new perils, conflicts, and antagonists.

In advance of Season 5, which premieres Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. on History, creator Michael Hirst participated in our Ask the Fans series, where TV producers pose questions theyve always wanted to ask viewers. He submitted eight questions, and Vikings fans responded in droves. We collected viewers thoughts and reported them back to Hirst.

He thanked fans for the overwhelming response and promised, Season 5 is the best yet.

If you thought that youd seen the best of Lagertha, just wait until you see what she does in the new season. Im very proud of it, Hirst added. There are some absolutely amazing episodes in this new season. Ill see people on the other end.

Now, heres how he responded to your answers.

Michael Hirst asks: What did you think of Ragnars death last season?

Analyzing the answers: Many Vikings fans are also history buffs, so they knew Ragnars end was coming at some point. That didnt make his death any easier to watch. As Neo said, It was very brutal for me.  It was a beautiful death but so devastating. This is a true story, though: the day after that [Dec. 28] episode, I was rushed to the hospital because I had severe dehydration. I dont know if it was because of the tears but I definitely blame the tears. I spent my New Years hospitalized.

Constantino wrote, I knew that this was coming, it was no surprise to me. However it was well executed in the show.

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Michelle insisted, Ragnars death affected me more than any other character on a show Ive watched. It doesnt matter how many times they kill off someone in Game of Thrones.

Michael Hirst and stars Alexander Ludwig, Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgard, and Alex Hgh Andersen attend the Viking Funeral Ceremony at San Diego Comic-Con 2017. (Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for History)

Hirst responds:

I share their devastation. I knew that I had to kill Ragnar at some point. Id always said that this was the story of Ragnar and his sons and I meant that, and I wanted to move on to the sons, some of whom became actually more famous than he was. But nevertheless, youre talking about a lot of time, a lot of years Id spent with the cast and with Travis. And Travis was the most amazing and beautiful Ragnar, who was my ideal Viking because he wasnt loud and shouty and stupid. He was deep and thoughtful and beautiful, so it was difficult for me to write and to say goodbye to a friend.

Travis and I spent a long time together working on the final scenes, what he would say, what he wouldnt say, how he wanted it to be. It was shot in the worst conditions in Ireland at the time  it was winter, it was pouring with rain, poor Travis is up in the cage. At some point, he did rock the cage and say, I hate Michael Hirst, because he was stuck in the cage for about three or four hours.

But for both of us, it was a deeply emotional experience. As a writer, you do get to love your characters, so I was killing someone that I loved. It wasnt an easy thing to do. Whatever the fans have felt, I have to say I probably felt that and possibly more.

Hirst asks: Who is your favorite character on Vikings?

Analyzing the answers: Of course, Ragnars name popped up a lot in the emails, tweets, and comments. Andreia wrote, He set everything in motion, he dared to go against the custom in so many ways, sailing west, learning a foreign language and religion, talking and making alliances instead of just raiding  and again, amazing casting of Travis Fimmel for this role!

But almost every major character was represented, and Lagertha was a particular favorite, with Jill gushing, Lagertha is the BEST character on the show. Her strength and grace surpass anyone who has been on the show or in the cast. She is truly the first TV fictional character I have loved.

I cannot imagine her anything but victorious.

Evelyn said, I have a crush on Floki and my fiance is ok with it. I think Floki is the perfect man.

Meanwhile, Paul wrote, I love Ivar as hes cruel, damaged, vulnerable, vicious, and multi-faceted.

Hirst responds:

Thats a good reaction. It would be disappointing if everyone had chosen two characters. Id think, Well, why have I wasted time developing all these other characters that nobody likes particularly? The fact is, Vikings is an ensemble piece. Thats why I felt very confident when I killed Ragnar, that people wouldnt turn off. It wasnt about Ragnar, it wasnt about Ragnar and Lagertha  it was about this world we created and the world is full of really interesting characters, including a lot of interesting female characters.

So, I cant say how thrilled I am that people like characters across the board. I dont have a favorite character, because Im in love with all my major characters, even the ones who arent necessarily lovely. Ivar is in so many ways a monster, but I love him. Hes amazing to write about, he has the worst childhood and hes crippled; Im fascinated by him. I adore Lagertha, of course, and Ive thrown everything at her. And Im amazed how she deals with all the terrible things, the political and power stuff shes had to go through. And of course, I loved Ragnar.

I suppose if I had to identify with a character at all it would be the Seer. Because the Seer and me, we quote T.S. Eliot together, were kind of on the same wavelength. We read the same poets.

Hirst asks: If you could fight alongside one Viking, who would it be?

Analyzing the answers: This, too, provoked answers across the board. The king himself was a popular choice, with Nancy saying, Ragnar was a fearsome warrior. He was what you think of when you think Vikings.

Christine begged to differ: If anyone says anything other than Lagertha, they are lying.

Meanwhile, Mel chose Ivar, Mostly because I dont want to fight against him.

And Lukas said, I would fight alongside Rollo. He is awesome with a big axe.

Hirst responds:

I would say Lagertha. Let me put it like this: All our actors do physical stuff. The guys are huge and strong and Travis was a farmer from the Outback in Australia. The only one who actually had martial arts experience is [Winnick]. Shes a black belt in tae kwon do. I dont care how big Rollo is or Ragnar is, Id want the girl who can do martial arts. I think shes the one whod actually protect me the best.

Hirst asks: If you could bring back any character from Valhalla, who would it be?

Analyzing the answers: With Ragnars death so fresh in fans minds, many wanted to bring him back, but they also nominated characters from the entirety of the series.

Liam said, I would definitely bring back Athelstan but he probably ended up in heaven rather than Valhalla. It was always fascinating to watch him being torn between these two worlds.

Megan would try to help poor Floki, whos experienced so much tragedy in his life: I would bring back Helga so that Floki could be happy again.

John would prefer to reunite two enemies: Aslaug. A proper fight between her and Lagertha would be epic.

Hirst responds:

I think the guy who said Athelstan is right  Im sure Athelstan is in heaven, so you cant bring him back. But I kind of identified with Athelstan. When I first started writing, Athelstan was the bridge from my world  a Christian world  into a distant, lost Viking world. And then, Athelstan became a character and he became a real person to me. Then, Ragnar connected to him and the scenes between them are so amazing.

In fact, I think it mightve been Episode 10 of Season 2, where it finishes with Ragnar and Athelstan together. There was a lot of dialogue Ragnar had to do, and Travis came to me privately and said, I dont want any of the dialogue, give it to someone else. All I want to say in this episode is the Lords Prayer, that Athelstan is teaching me. I said, OK, Travis, but you cant tell the Americans [laughs] because theyre paying you to say a lot of words.'

Hirst asks: If the Seer gave insight on how your future was going to be shaped, would you want to know?

Analyzing the answers: Fans were split. On one side were people like Teresa, who said, No. I dont think so. I fear if I knew what was going to happen to me, I would try to change it and force fate to become true. See what happened to Macbeth.

On the other side were folks such as Jessica, who wrote, I would absolutely want to know. Im one of those weirdos that even likes to know my Christmas gifts.

Hirst responds:

I wouldnt want to know, but Im constantly fascinated by this idea of fate. If the gods had already written your fate, you could just sit in a chair all day and not do anything, because its going to happen to you anyway. But Im not sure it works that way  maybe its taking into account your actions, your attitude towards the gods, your fighting ability, whatever it is that can influence your fate. So its a very complicated situation. Personally, I want to view the future as a totally open-ended book. And Ill be very sad that the book closes.

Hirst asks: Which son do you think is the rightful heir to Ragnars throne?

Analyzing the answers: All of Ragnars sons had their supporters, including the ruthless Ivar. Emre said, He is a natural leader with ability to rule with logic and much less emotions. He is also a great strategist and a very clever guy.

Some, like Raluca, think its Bjorns right as the eldest: Not only is Bjorn Ragnars firstborn, but I believe hes the most experienced and wisest of them all. Also, out of all his sons, Bjorn got to spend the most time with his father and learn from him.

Others pointed out that Bjorn doesnt seem to want to be king. Julianne wrote: I dont see Bjorn ruling, hes more of an adventurer. Ubbe, being the second oldest, would make an excellent ruler of Kattegat. He was born and raised there and was witness to the transformation of Kattegat over the years. Hes grounded and possesses a sense of responsibility, he cares about the people and would make an excellent King.

Hirst responds:

Again, thats interesting, that people are investing in the different sons, which for me as a writer is incredibly important that they all carry weight, that theyre all inheritors of Ragnar. The last answer about Ubbe is right; Ubbe is in many ways the most like Ragnar. Hes on the liberal wing of the Viking party  hes the one who wants, like his father, to establish farming land for the folk. He even looks like the young Ragnar.

The deeper question is, would you want the throne? Unlike in Game of Thrones, where there seems to be this idea that everyone wants to be king or to rule, I think Vikings asks this more important question of why would you want to be king? What does it mean to be a king? And Ragnar hated it. It happened to him by circumstances; he didnt want it.

I think all the sons, in one way or another, are attracted to the idea of power and would like to rule in Kattegat, but most of them have grown up knowing its also a poisoned chalice. Theres no doubt that Ivar is the one who is most committed to rule and of course he is, because hes the most disadvantaged, so he wants to be the most advantaged as we move forward.

Hirst asks: Do you want Lagertha to find love again after Ragnar?

Analyzing the answers: While many fans were captivated by their tumultuous love story, most seem to want Lagertha to do her own thing now that Ragnar is gone.

As Mat said, Maybe, but Im not sure she really needs to. Lagertha is a strong independent woman and maybe shell decide not to get too attached to anyone.

Then again, others feel she should get to enjoy another romance. Carter wrote, Absolutely. Lagerthas freedom (and the freedom of Viking women in general) is one of the things that makes the show (and Scandinavian culture) great.

And then theres a small contingent, including Amber, who said, I want Lagertha to DIE.

Hirst responds:

I have a kind of Wuthering Heights attitude toward romantic love. I think that nothing would replace the love between Lagertha and Ragnar, even though they screwed it up between themselves. I dont think either of them ever stopped loving each other. Lagerthas had relations with other men and women, but personally, deep down I dont think anyone ever came close to what they had. Thats because they fell in love when they were younger and they were just farmers and all that rubbish about power and politics didnt impinge on them.

Im just romantic about them and I take very seriously Lagerthas last remark to Ragnar that in my dreams were always together. Im not sure shell ever find anything as intense and beautiful and consuming as her love for Ragnar, which is kind of sad, but beautiful.

Hirst asks: Snake pit or Blood Eagle?

Analyzing the answers: By 2 to 1, the fans overwhelmingly chose Blood Eagle, which they felt was the more honorable way to die. Lisa wrote, I want to go out like a king. But Kelly chose the snake pit, saying, At least its fast.

Hirst responds:

I dont know how to answer this, in a way. Heres an insight into the show: Some people might have thought we showed the Blood Eagle because we were being sensationalist and wanted to show horrible things. But no, I wanted to show it because it was an opportunity for the guy who was being Blood Eagled to show he felt no pain, which made sure hed go to Valhalla. That was the drama. The drama was on the face of Thorbjrn Harr that played Jarl Borg  slightly named after Bjorn Borg, one of my heroes. It was an opportunity for Jarl Borg to show he was so brave that he deserved to go into Valhalla.

I would not like to be Blood Eagled, for obvious reasons; it just doesnt look like a nice way to die. But I dont think dying by snake bites is a particularly nice way to die. I think the best way to die is when youre like 103, and youre walking on the beach with your wife and you just keel over and fall in the sand, having admired the beauty of the sunset.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Dubai (AFP) - Bahrain's jailed Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to new charges of working with the kingdom's Gulf rival Qatar to overthrow the Sunni minority government.

The trial comes amid a bitter diplomatic spat now approaching its seventh month pitting Bahrain and its allies against Qatar, which is accused of being too close to Iran.

Salman, who has been behind bars since 2014 serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred, had refused to appear in court for a first planned hearing in the new trial on Monday.

"Sheikh Ali denied the charges levelled against him," a judicial source told AFP.

The court set the next hearing for December 28.

Salman and two members of his banned Al-Wefaq movement, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad -- neither of them in custody -- are charged with "communicating with a foreign state to commit acts hostile to the state of Bahrain".

In August, Bahraini authorities accused Salman of having collaborated with Qatar in 2011 to encourage protesters to take to the streets.

The accusations came after Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut ties with Qatar in June over alleged support for Islamist extremism and ties with Shiite-dominated Iran. Doha denies the allegations.

Ruled for more than 200 years by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain is home to a Shiite majority that for years has complained of political marginalisation.

The archipelago, which is located between regional arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, has been rocked by protests demanding an elected government since 2011.

Al-Wefaq was the largest party in parliament before the demonstrations erupted but its members all resigned in protest at their bloody suppression.

Over the past six years, Bahraini authorities have tightened their grip on all dissent, jailing dozens of high-profile activists and disbanding both religious and secular opposition groups.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced a bill Tuesday to rebuild and modernize the infrastructure of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with a massive federal investment of $146 billion.

The ambitious legislation, titled The Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017, would transform the U.S. territories energy, housing, education, agriculture, transportation and health care systems, addressing problems that have bedeviled the islands since long before two massive hurricanes plunged them into a state of full-on humanitarian crisis in September.

In total, the bill would grant $62 billion to the governments of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to address their fiscal challenges, $27 billion for infrastructure projects and $51 billion for economic development.

The bill that Senator Sanders has introduced in the United States Congress is a comprehensive plan that provides the blueprint for the transformation of Puerto Rico, Carmen Yulin Cruz, mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, said in a statement. While dealing with all major areas of immediate concern: energy, health and education it also sets the foundation to make Puerto Rico a more equitable, just and fair society for all.

Cruz, a vocal critic of President Donald Trumps response to Hurricane Maria, hosted Sanders during his fact-finding and solidarity mission to the island in late October.

Sen. Sanders also shows a great deal of respect and faith in us when claiming that the recovery of Puerto Rico must be in Puerto Rican hands, Cruz added in her statement. The bill comes from Sanders commitment of listening first hand to the hopes and aspirations of our people and must be given serious consideration by Congress.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz shows Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) the damage from Hurricane Maria during Sanders' visit to the island on Oct. 27. (Photo: Alvin Baez / Reuters)

Sanders bill already enjoys the support of Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.).

Democratic Reps. Nydia Velazquez (N.Y.) and Darren Soto (Fla.) are due to introduce a companion bill in the House of Representatives. Democratic Rep. Stacey Plaskett, the delegate representing the Virgin Islands, also is co-sponsoring the House version of bill.

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The bills also have the backing of scores of progressive organizations and labor unions active in Puerto Rico, such as the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers.

The legislation nonetheless faces a bleak future in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Seventeen Republican senators already voted against a $36.5 billion, bipartisan disaster recovery bill in October that set aside $4.9 billion in loans for Puerto Rico and other hurricane-stricken territories on the grounds that it was fiscally irresponsible. (Sanders and his peers in the Senate Democratic Caucus all voted for the successful bill.)

Regardless of the outcome, however, Sanders bill is an attempt to map out a progressive vision for developing the islands and relieving Puerto Rico, in particular, of a debt burden that has crippled its economy for years.

Among the changes the bill proposes are the elimination of the cap on federal Medicaid spending in Puerto Rico, which deprives the island of the funding it would otherwise merit based on its per capita income, and increases in Medicare reimbursement rates for medical providers on the island that would bring them closer to rates on the mainland.

Experts are especially impressed, though, with the legislations efforts to shore up the energy and power delivery systems in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The bill allots $13 billion in additional Federal Emergency Management Agency funding for the rebuilding of the territories electric grids with more modern, resilient technologies, according to a summary of the bill provided by Sanders office.

The White House argues that the Stafford Act of 1988 allows the federal government to rebuild only what existed in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands before the hurricanes. That means exposed, fossil fuel-dependent grids that are vulnerable to the sea level rise and violent storms that are expected to become more common as climate change worsens will not change.

Judith Enck, the former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator in charge of Puerto Rico from 2009 to January 2017, said the Democrats bill offered a fantastic alternative to the Trump administrations plan to erect an old, unreliable, dirty, rickety grid.

The sad reality is there will be more Hurricane Marias and Irmas in the years ahead, she told HuffPost by phone Monday. So it doesnt make sense to put up the same grid that was devastated by these hurricanes.

Enck urged lawmakers to introduce individual legislation as amendments to the budget bill set to be debated on Dec. 8.

Can this wonderful bill be passed as a standalone bill, or might it make some sense to take these excellent ideas and incorporate them into the budget supplemental bill? Enck said. My only fear is that this gets left on the cutting room floor.

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands languished for decades as economic development hinged on how it would benefit corporate interests on the mainland. As a result, the islands contributed little to the total carbon dioxide emissions of the U.S., which has by far the largest cumulative footprint despite falling behind China in present-day pollution output.

Yet the island territories are among the few places in the U.S. that burn oil to produce electricity, and their residents pay significantly higher rates than those in most states. As islands located farther south than any point in the continental U.S., they also feel the effects of a warming planet more tangibly than the northern portion of the country that historically enjoyed most of the benefits of industrialization, such as jobs and infrastructure investment.

It plays into an ongoing story of exploitation, Catalina de Onis, a professor of civic communication at Willamette University in Oregon, told HuffPost in September. We see now in 2017 with Hurricane Maria that its another type of colonialism that marks certain areas as expendable, as a sacrifice zone.

The recent hurricanes have renewed attention on Puerto Ricos financial troubles. The Puerto Rican government owes its bondholders some $74 billion and has $49 billion in unfunded pension obligations for its public workforce. The unsustainable debt burden is the product of many forces, including Congresss phase-out of business tax benefits beginning in 1996, local corruption and predatory Wall Street lending practices.

In its efforts to recover from the escalating debt crisis, Puerto Rico has also lacked many of the tools available to mainland states. For example, Puerto Ricos municipalities and public corporations do not enjoy the federal bankruptcy protections at the disposal of financially distressed mainland cities, such as Detroit.

As a result, since the financial crisis of 2008, Puerto Rico has adopted increasingly harsh austerity measures to repay its lenders. The policies have devastated the islands economy and infrastructure, driving the poverty rate up to 44 percent.

In June 2016, President Barack Obama and the Republican-controlled Congress passed the PROMESA Act, which was intended to provide relief to the island.

The law created a fiscal board equipped to oversee Puerto Ricos budget and, if board members saw fit, mandate debt restructuring. But critics on the island argue that it has done virtually nothing for the islands residents, even as it has eroded what was left of Puerto Ricos financial sovereignty.

Meanwhile, in late September, Hurricane Maria inflicted additional damage on Puerto Rico that Gov. Ricardo Rossello estimated will cost $95 billion to repair  nearly the islands yearly economic output.

In addition, the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were hit hard by Hurricane Irma earlier in September, face their own financial troubles that predate the storm damage. The archipelago of 100,000 people owed its bondholders and other creditors over $2 billion as of August, a sum that has put enormous strain on the islands health care system, among other public resources.

Sen. Bernie Sanders at a rally for supporters of his 2016 presidential bid at the University of Puerto Rico on May 16, 2016. (Photo: David F. Gasser/LatinContent via Getty Images)

Still, it is hard not to see at least some political benefit for Sanders in burnishing his policy chops in Puerto Rico. Courting the Puerto Rican vote is important for any potential Democratic presidential candidate.

Since Hurricane Maria alone, some 100,000 Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, have moved to Florida and other mainland states where they can immediately register to vote. Voters who remain on the island get to vote in the Democratic presidential primary as well, albeit not in the general election.

Sanders, who has beefed up his staff and taken other steps that have fueled speculation about a 2020 presidential bid, has consistently made addressing Puerto Ricos financial struggles and limited sovereignty a part of his broader pitch to build a more egalitarian and just society.

The Vermont senator made a point of not only voting against the PROMESA Act but also speaking out against the law as a 2016 presidential candidate. Although he frames his new bill as a form reconstruction aid, it also provides an alternative path forward from the one charted by PROMESA.

His bill calls for Congress to issue a resolution affirming Puerto Ricos right to major debt relief, along with a resolution insisting that in both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands any efforts to privatize public institutions must be rejected, according to the summary of the law.

Sanders office released a set of progressive principles for rebuilding Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to accompany the aid bill. The principles, which include prioritizing the humanitarian needs of the islands and addressing pre-existing inequities with the U.S. mainland, provide as good a window as any into the narrative informing the senators proposals.

Congress must ensure that these territories not only recover, but that they are able to rebuild in a way that empowers them to thrive, Sanders office stated in the preamble to the precepts. We must confront the difficult reality that we have neglected these territories, and the U.S. citizen residents who live there, and allowed them to fall behind in every measurable social and economic criteria.

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A woman reacts while looking at the damage to her house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Toys are seen in a damaged house in Guayama.

Lightposts lay on the ground after being damaged in San Juan.

Fishing boats with severe damage at Club Nautico in the San Juan Bay.

A damaged supermarket in Guayama.

A mattress, that fell from the third floor lays at ground level surrounded with debris from neighboring apartments at Ciudadela complex in Santurce.

A man runs on the street next to debris and damaged in Guayama.

A woman reacts while she looks at the damages in the house of her mother in Guayama.

A damaged banana plantation in Guayama.

A car is viewed stuck in a flooded street in Santurce, in San Juan.

A gas station is damaged in San Juan.

Trees block the streets at Escambron Beach in San Juan.

An uprooted tree in San Juan.

Residents of San Juan, Puerto Rico, deal with damage to their homes on Sept. 20, 2017, as Hurricane Maria batters the island.

Damage is seen in Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Maria slammed into Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017, cutting power on most of the U.S. territory as residents hunkered down in the face of the island's worst storm in living memory.

Rescue workers help people after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Former US President Bill Clinton speaks at Georgetown University's Gaston Hall in November (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Housekeepers working in President Bill Clintons White House were afraid to bend over in his presence, a former staffer has claimed.

Linda Tripp, the White House employee who helped expose the relationship between her colleague Monica Lewinsky and Mr Clinton, said housekeepers were constantly concerned about the President.

The housekeeping staff was afraid to bend over in his presence, Ms Tripp told the Weekly Standard, a conservative magazine.

Ms Tripp said White House employees who cleaned the offices learned to avoid Mr Clinton amid rumours about his libidinous impulses.

In addition to observing the housekeepers behaviour, Ms Tripp said she witnessed the aftermath of an alleged assault against former White House volunteer Kathleen Willey in November 1993.

Ms Tripp said that seeing Ms Willey after the alleged incident made her suspect Mr Clinton was a predator by pattern.

Shortly after, Ms Tripp was transferred from the White House to the Pentagons public affairs office, where she became friends with Ms Lewinsky, another West Wing exile.

Ms Lewinsky, who was 22 at the time, told Ms Tripp about her relationship with the President - conversations that Ms Tripp secretly recorded and later gave to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who was investigating Mr Clinton.

It was not consensual, and it was not an affair, Ms Tripp said about the relations between Mr Clinton and Ms Lewinsky. It was a servicing agreement on his part. She was a kid. She may have been 22 and had a voluptuous body and was misguided in her choices... To say that Monica Lewinsky was a woman at that point in her life was a stretch beyond comprehension.

Ms Tripp said the recent flood of sexual assault and harassment allegations against powerful men has forced her to relive a lot of what happened in the 1990s. The new criticism of Mr Clinton's alleged behaviour is a day late, and its a dollar short, because the politician has nothing to lose, she said.

A spokesperson for Mr Clinton did not respond to The Independent's request for comment.
LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia's highest court struck down limits on re-election in the country's constitution and election laws on Tuesday, paving the way for socialist President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019. In September, Morales' Movement to Socialism (MAS) party asked the South American country's highest court to rescind legal limits barring elected authorities from seeking re-election indefinitely, arguing that these violate human rights. "All people that were limited by the law and the constitution are hereby able to run for office, because it is up to the Bolivian people to decide," Macario Lahor Cortez, head of the Plurinational Constitutional Court, wrote in the ruling. In the decision, the court cited the American Convention on Human Rights, a multilateral treaty signed by many countries in the Americas. The secretary general of the Organization of American States, which is responsible for enforcing the treaty, said the clause cited in the decision "does not mean the right to perpetual power." "Besides, presidential re-election was rejected by popular will in a referendum in 2016," Luis Almagro wrote on Twitter late on Tuesday. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed. Morales, who took power in 2006, had previously accepted the results of a 2016 referendum, when 51 percent of Bolivian voters rejected his proposal to reform the constitution to end existing term limits. He later reversed course and said that while he would happily give up office, his supporters were pushing for him to stay. The landlocked Andean country has enjoyed relative prosperity and calm under Morales, the country's first indigenous president. But his efforts to extend term limits have set off protests across the country, with opponents arguing Morales was trying to tighten his grip on power in the vein of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist ally. Opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina said on Twitter that the court decision was "a blow to the constitution". (Reporting by Daniel Ramos and Monica Machicao; Writing by Luc Cohen; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
The launch on Tuesday followed tests of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14, pictured earlier this year - REUTERS

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile, US and South Korean officials have confirmed.

The missile flew to the east and landed in the sea near Japan, analysts said. US officials confirmed the launch to Reuters, while South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also confirmed details to the news agency Yonhap.

The Pentagon said it had detected a "probable" missile. Spokesman Colonel Rob Manning added: "We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available."

The South's unification minister added that signs of unusual activity had been detected in North Korea. Japan ordered an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers, the government's chief cabinet secretary said.

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Korea's military conducted a missile-firing test in response to the provocation, the South Korean military said.

Two US government sources said earlier that US government experts believed North Korea could conduct a new missile test within days, in what would be its first launch since it fired a missile over Japan in mid-September.

North Korea has this year escalated its nuclear weapons programme, launching a series of hydrogen bomb and missile tests, leading analysts to conclude the rogue state could soon be in striking distance of the US mainland.

Reports of the launch came after the US announced it would begin testing its nuclear warning siren system in Hawaii for the first time since the Cold War.

More to follow.
When the news broke that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had got engaged, the nation could scarcely contain its excitement. And, for much of the day, our television screens were plastered with shots and footage of the happy couple.

But, for one man who travelled from Edinburgh, Scotland, to London to talk about his depression and suicide attempt on TV, the day did not turn out to be as joyous. Brian Wilkie's scheduled appearance on ITV's This Morning was cut from the show to make way for the royal wedding news. And, many people have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment that this man's story wasn't heard.

SEE ALSO: 6 things you need to know about Meghan Markle now that she's about to become a royal

Last week, Ellie Wilkie tweeted a photo of her and her dad Brian with some words about his experience of living with mental illness.

"This year began with my dad mentally suffering depression and suicide attempt. Today he ends the year starting his new career in becoming a recovery support worker," she wrote.

This year began with my dad mentally suffering depression and suicide attempt. Today he ends the year starting his new career in becoming a recovery support worker. Words cant describe how proud we are #breakthestigma Its okay not to be okay pic.twitter.com/HyUu3ZeO2S  badiddy (@ellzthelephant) November 22, 2017

"Words can't describe how proud we are," she added. "It's okay not to be okay."

Her tweet went viral, and led to them both being invited to appear on ITV's This Morning show to tell their story.

Cannot believe due to this tweet me and my dad have now arrived in London. Ready to tell our story tomorrow on This morning, eeeeek!!!!!  my heart beams with pride  badiddy (@ellzthelephant) November 26, 2017

But, due to the royal engagement news, their segment was cut from the show's schedule.

Story continues

Unfortunately today was not the day for our story to be heard. Due to breaking news our story was cut off live tv. The royal wedding will go ahead however mental health issues will always remain  until next time Dad. #breakthestigma pic.twitter.com/jbjcDeNvkl  badiddy (@ellzthelephant) November 27, 2017

"Due to breaking news our story was cut off live TV," Ellie wrote. "The royal wedding will go ahead however mental health issues will always remain. Until next time Dad."

Ellie's tweet gained a great deal of attention online, with many people stating their disappointment that the segment was cut.

Some felt that given the princes' extensive campaigning on mental health, the royals would have wanted the segment to go ahead.

Considering the work the 2 princes have done for mental health awareness I would like to think that they would have wanted the story told. @thismorning you got this wrong  Michael Earles (@michaelearles1) November 27, 2017

The funny thing is I believe that Prince Harry is a mental health advocate. It might be no surprise that he could be disappointed in @thismorning. Mental health awareness is very significant!! They should get their priorities straight  Ally (@AllysonIdamae) November 27, 2017

Many criticised This Morning for its decision to prioritise the engagement news.

Thats terrible. @thismorning should be ashamed of themselves.  Beauty By The Jingle Bunny  (@beautybythebun) November 27, 2017

Absolutely disgusting @thismorning get 2 people who cancelled 2 days plans to travel to London from Scotland as use wanted to hear there story. The whole show didn't need to be about the engagement surely mental health is more important #breakthestigma it's okay not be okay.  Leanne Neil (@leanneneil2602) November 27, 2017

While I am happy for Harry and Meghan, there was no need for your story not to be heard. An engagement notice takes 1 minute to do and has little to no meaning to anyone else beside the couple and their families whereas your story could have educated people and even saved lives.  The Martian Gardiner (@YasTheCatLady) November 27, 2017

Im so sorry you didnt get to tell your story on @thismorning  its disgusting that they prioritised an engagement above your dads story which is SO much more important! Hope you and your Dad are doing okay   Soph (@Sophie_1993_x) November 27, 2017

ITV did not immediately respond to Mashable's request for comment.
Zagtouli (Burkina Faso) (AFP) - West Africa's biggest solar power plant goes onstream on Wednesday as Burkina Faso, one of the world's poorest countries, inaugurates a novel scheme to boost renewables and cut energy dependence on its neighbours.

The 55-hectare (135-acre) plant at Zagtouli on the outskirts of the capital Ouagadougou will be able to churn out 33 megawatts -- enough to power tens of thousands of homes.

Presiding over the opening ceremony will be Burkinabe President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and his visiting French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, whose country partially funded construction of the facility.

"For the past six weeks the plant has been in a test phase with production of 14 MW, and will reach a peak of 33 MW during December, sufficient sunshine permitting," said the site's construction manager, Stephane Nosserau.

"This is west Africa's largest plant in terms of installed capacity," added construction overseer Saidou Nana.

The plant's 129,600 260-watt solar panels are capable of annually pumping out 56 gigawatts -- equivalent to five percent of current production -- into the network of national power firm Sonabel, he said.

"We import energy from Ivory Coast and there have been difficulties obtaining supplies at times," said Nana.

"That is why we decided with financial backers to provide Sonabel with a source of energy from photovoltaic panels to respond to the public's needs, which are growing at an annualised 13 percent," he explained.

The added power will help reduce power shortages, said Nana, which greatly hamper the economy.

Burkina Faso produces only about 60 percent of the electricity it consumes -- and just 20 percent of the overall population is hooked up to the grid. Many people use wood or butane gas bottles.

- Solar boon -

The 47.5-million-euro cost of the plant ($56.7 million) has been funded via 25 million in donations from the European Union and a loan of 22.5 million from France's development agency.

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Cegelec, part of the French firm Vinci Energies, built the facility, designed to be a pilot scheme.

"With the financing terms that we have, the price per kilowatt-hour is considerably cheaper than for thermal production, which will allow us to reduce operating costs within Sonabel," Nana said.

Energy produced by the Zagtouli plant will cost some 45 CFA francs (seven euro cents; 8.4 US cents) per kilowatt-hour.

That is around a third of the 145 CFA francs per kilowatt-hour it costs to produce electricity at fossil-fuel plants, according Sonabel's operations manager, Daniel Serme.

Zagouli's capacity is dwarfed by some of the behemoths emerging in the fast-growing sector of sun-powered energy.

The world's biggest solar plant is a 648-MW facility in Kamuthi, in India's Tamil Nadu state. A 40-MW solar plant on a lake over a collapsed coal mine in Huainan, China, is the largest floating solar-powered generator globally.

Despite such comparisons, Burkina Faso has big ambitions.

Located in the Sahel belt on the rim of the Sahara, the country has sunshine aplenty.

It hopes to meet 30 percent of its electricity needs from photovoltaic solar panels by 2030, and -- maybe one day -- become self-sufficient in electricity production.

Ghana, as well as Ivory Coast, export electricity to the landlocked country to meet its needs.

A 17 MW extension is already being planned at the Zagtouli site to take overall production capacity to 50 MW.

Other schemes in the pipeline include two solar plants, one further west at Koudougou (of 20 MW) and a 10 MW version at Kaya, northeast of the capital, Nana said.
(Reuters) - A right-wing pundit was arrested following a scuffle with students at the University of Connecticut at the end of a speech titled "It's OK to be white," university officials said on Wednesday.

Video posted online of the Tuesday night event in Storrs, Connecticut, shows a woman approaching the lectern where Lucian Wintrich of the Gateway Pundit website was speaking and grabbing some papers. Wintrich then followed the woman into the crowd and appeared to grab her, after which a scuffle broke out that involved a police officer.

Wintrich, 29, was arrested by university police and charged with breach of the peace, then released on $1,000 bail, university spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said in an email.

A second man, Sean Miller, was charged with breach of the peace and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking a window, she said. Miller, 19, is a student at the school.

Police were still investigating who threw a smoke bomb into the room where Wintrich spoke, she said.

"Thoughtful, civil discourse should be a hallmark of democratic societies and American universities, and this evening fell well short of that," university President Susan Herbst said in a statement. " Between the offensive remarks by the speaker, who also appeared to aggressively grab an audience member and the reckless vandalism that followed, that was certainly not the case on our campus tonight."

Wintrich called the disruption "unfortunate" on Twitter.

"It's really unfortunate that some of the kids at @UConn felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the leftist media is turning Americans against each other," he said. "Tonight proved my point."

The UConn College Republicans club organized the event, according to the school's student government.

Before the speech, the student government issued a statement expressing concern about Wintirich's message.

"The title 'It's okay to be white' implies a type of speech that is offensive, divisive and counterproductive," the group said. "We must stand for inclusion, respect and acceptance."

(Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Zagreb (AFP) - Croats on Wednesday expressed shock and paid tribute to war criminal Slobodan Praljak, who died after appearing to drink poison at court in The Hague as UN judges upheld his 20-year sentence.

The dramatic turn of events came as judges were ruling on the appeals of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders over their roles in the 1990s Bosnian war. All of them had their jail terms confirmed.

Croat leaders in the Balkans seized upon Praljak's apparent suicide as evidence of the failings of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which was handing down its final judgement before shutting down.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told a news conference.

"I want to voice my deepest condolences to the family of General Slobodan Praljak," Plenkovic said, voicing his "dissatisfaction and regret" over the verdicts.

The judges upheld that 72-year-old Praljak and his five co-accused were part of a "joint criminal enterprise" to ethnically cleanse Bosnian Muslims with the aim of uniting Croats across Croatia and Bosnia.

- 'Humiliation' of court -

After the judges confirmed Praljak's sentence, the former military commander yelled that he rejected the verdict before swigging liquid from a brown bottle. He was then rushed to hospital, where he died.

His act demonstrated "what sacrifice he was ready to make in front of the whole world in order to show that Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal," said Dragan Covic, the Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

"It is a humiliation of this institution (the court) which has existed since 1993."

Croatia's President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic interrupted a visit to Iceland to "urgently" return home to Zagreb as the news came in from The Hague.

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Significantly, the judges upheld the original trial's finding that the "ultimate purpose" of the joint criminal enterprise in Bosnia was shared by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, seen as the "father" of his country.

It is a ruling at odds with the view from Zagreb, where Croatia's own 1990s war is seen as one of liberation and self-defence against Belgrade aggression as Yugoslavia fell apart.

In the Croatian capital last week, a message from Grabar-Kitarovic was read out a book launch praising the "contribution of General Slobodan Praljak in defending both Croatia and Bosnia" from Serbian aggression.

She expressed hope for "a just verdict and his liberation".

- 'Should have served sentence' -

Praljak's name remains closely tied to the destruction of the iconic Ottoman-era bridge in Bosnia's southern city of Mostar in November 1993, during fierce clashes between Croats and Muslims.

Although the bridge was rebuilt after the war, the city remains sharply segregated along ethnic lines, which was clearer than ever on Wednesday evening.

The Muslim-dominated eastern side of the city was deserted, while on the western side, mostly home to Croats, mourners lit candles for Praljak in the square.

"He is a hero," said 62-year-old Nada Peric, insisting that the ex-commander was "defending his people".

Earlier in the day, Bosnian Muslim veterans who were detained by Croat forces during the war had gathered to hear the ruling -- and had very different reactions.

When they saw Praljak drinking his vial, one of them quipped that it was alcohol.

"It's sad, he should not have done that," said former detainee Almir Zalihic. "He should have served his sentence for all he did."

Croatian political analyst Zarko Puhovski said Praljak's death would overshadow the verdict and make him a new "Croatian saint".

And although the court was meant to promote reconciliation in the Balkans after the region's bloody wars, he said Wednesday's judgement may have the opposite effect.

"It will certainly harm inter-ethnic ties," Puhovski told AFP.
PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech center-left government of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stepped down on Wednesday, making way for billionaire Andrej Babis, who won an election last month, to take power in time for an EU summit in December. "The government approved its resignation, the resignation will be delivered to the president today," Sobotka told reporters after a regular government session. Sobotka's coalition government was the first in 15 years to complete a full four-year term and presided over robust economic growth that helped cut unemployment to the lowest level in the EU and push up wages at the fastest pace in a decade. However, voters tired of politics as usual opted for anti-establishment candidates, punishing traditional parties at the polls. Babis's ANO party, with pledges to fight political corruption and run the state with a business touch, was the biggest benefactor of this shift despite being part of the outgoing cabinet with Sobotka's Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats. ANO has failed to convince any of the other eight parliamentary parties to join a coalition. Babis has instead sought a minority cabinet, expected to be appointed by President Milos Zeman on Dec. 13 and take power immediately. This would enable Babis to attend the summit of EU leaders on Dec. 14-15, where the main topic will be progress in negotiations with Britain over its departure from the EU. Parties have shunned Babis, a businessman worth $4 billion and ranked by Forbes as the second richest Czech, because of police charges he illegally received a 2 million euro EU subsidy a decade ago for a farm and convention center by hiding ownership. He denies any wrongdoing. As a lawmaker, he has immunity from prosecution, which the outgoing parliament voted to suspend but which comes into effect again with the new parliament. Some lawmakers who voted to allow him to face prosecution in the past have hinted they will uphold his immunity, suspending proceedings for this parliamentary term. Only the small Communist party has said so far that it could consider tolerating Babis's minority government, but its 15 votes are not enough to secure victory in a confidence vote in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies, where ANO holds 78 seats. Initial votes in the new parliament have shown ANO voting along with the Communists as well as the far-right, anti-EU and anti-NATO SPD party, but the latter has so far said it would not give backing or tolerance to Babis in a confidence vote. Once appointed prime minister, Babis would remain in the position even if he loses a confidence vote, pending talks on an alternative solution. (Reporting by Robert Muller and Jason Hovet; Editing by Peter Graff)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Another actress added her name Monday to the dozens accusing movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of a litany of depraved sexual misconduct as he was forced to quit Hollywood's directing union.

More than 100 women have come forward since October to accuse the veteran producer of various degrees of bullying and degrading behaviour over the past 40 years, from intimidation to rape.

In the latest case filed in a New York federal court, aspiring British actress Kadian Noble is accusing Weinstein of inviting her to a hotel room in France and sexually assaulting her.

The civil lawsuit says the producer violated US federal sex trafficking laws during the incident in Cannes in 2014.

Weinstein is accused of groping Noble, pulling her into his hotel bathroom and forcing her to pleasure him, telling her that "everything will be taken care of for you if you relax".

Noble is seeking unspecified damages, accusing Weinstein of being able "to force or coerce" her into sexual activity in his hotel room by promising to find her a film role and to use his influence on her behalf.

A statement issued on behalf of Weinstein -- who is reportedly undergoing sex addiction therapy at a facility in Arizona -- repeated his denial of allegations against him.

"Mr Weinstein denies allegations of non-consensual sex. Mr Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances," the statement said.

The new allegations emerged as the spokesman for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) confirmed that Weinstein had resigned from the association, several weeks after president Thomas Schlamme announced disciplinary charges against the tycoon.

The spokesman refused to comment further.

Weinstein has been involved in more than 300 movies spanning six decades but has just two directing credits, for the 1987 animated film "The Gnomes' Great Adventure" and the 1986 comedy "Playing for Keeps".

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- 'Scourge' -

The 65-year-old filmmaker has already been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which runs the Oscars, and has resigned from the Producers Guild of America.

He also parted ways with The Weinstein Company, the production house he and his brother Bob co-founded, and was suspended by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Noble is also suing The Weinstein Company and Bob, alleging they were aware of Weinstein's behaviour and of contributing to his foreign travel to recruit women into "forced or coerced sexual encounters".

Two women-led investor groups are interested in taking over The Weinstein Company -- which is on the verge of bankruptcy -- with a figure in the region of $275 million reportedly on the table.

The DGA had condemned the "scourge" of sexual harassment when it announced disciplinary action against Weinstein in October, calling for a zero-tolerance approach to abuses of power.

"This isn't about one person. We must recognise sexual harassment is endemic in our society, and painfully, in our industry. We believe that every individual has the right to a safe workplace," the guild said.

"For far too long, many have not spoken out -- directors, agents, crew, executives, performers, producers, writers. This shameful code of complicity must be broken."

Police in New York, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and London have confirmed that they are investigating allegations of sexual assault made against Weinstein.
CNNs Don Lemon could not hide his sheer bewilderment Tuesday night as he reported that President Donald Trump has resumed questioning the authenticity of former President Barack Obamas birth certificate.

Throughout Obamas presidency, Trump was one of the noisiest leaders of the racist birther conspiracy theory movement that falsely claimed the nations first black president was not born in the United States. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Trump has been questioning Obamas birthplace in recent closed-door conversations.

The president also has begun questioning the authenticity of the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump brags about sexually assaulting women. Though Trump publicly apologized f or his comments, he reportedly now suggests in private conversations that the tape is fake.

Every single day and every time I come on, I am at a loss for words about how much this devolves into an alternative universe, Lemon said of Trumps latest antics. Its not even factual anymore ... I dont know where weve gone.

Lemons subdued reaction came one night after the CNN host unloaded on Trump for his racist attack against Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

Just because you say youre not racist doesnt make it so, Lemon said Monday night. Especially if you say, do and defend racist behavior over and over and over again. Especially if you have lost your credibility by telling countless lies, big and small.

Take a look at the full segment on Lemons loss for words in the video above.

h/t Raw Story

Also on HuffPost

1. Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte motions for Trump to step forward.

2. World leaders begin to take each other's hands. Trump turns to Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

3. Trump uses his right hand, instead of his left, which is required for such a handshake. Phuc turns to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who also offers the wrong hand.

4. Trump notices something is amiss. Medvedev just sticks with it.

5. Trump begins switching his hands.

6. But the reach is a little far for him.

7. He gets there.

8. Though he appears to look a tad uncomfortable.

9. More than a tad.

10. There we go.

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Donald Trump has hit back at British Prime Minister Theresa May after she condemned the US president for sharing a series of anti-Muslim tweets from far-right extremist group Britain First.

Ms May's said Mr Trump was "wrong" to retweet the videos contained in the posts - but Mr Trump tweeted that she should focus focus "on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom".

Downing said had also said before Mr Trump's latest tweet that an invitation for him to make a state visit to the UK would not be withdrawn, despite calls to do so from MPs.

The first video retweeted by Mr Trump, originally shared by Britain First's deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account, claimed to show Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches.

A second re-post was captioned Muslim destroys statue of Virgin Mary, while a third read Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death.

White House Press Secretary defended President Trump by saying that "whether it is a real video... the threat is real". Adding that Mr Trump's goal is to "promote strong border security".

Mr Trump's early-morning retweets came days after Ms Fransen was arrested over a speech made at a rally in Belfast - the latest in a series of incidents over alleged hate speech, religious harassment and incitement by Britain First members.

Ms Fransen has been charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism Rally and is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on 14 December.

Her account celebrated the shares, claiming that Mr Trump himself had retweeted the videos to almost 44 million followers around the world.

God bless you Trump! God bless America! read a tweet, signed off with the abbreviation OCS, meaning Onward Christian Soldiers.

Britain First's supporters were celebrating the publicity amid a furious reaction by politicians from all UK political parties.
Investigators want to know what attendees of a Trump Tower meeting with campaign officials discussed in a subsequent meeting: Utrecht Robin/action press/REX

In 1980, under pressure to begin construction on what would become his signature project, Donald Trump employed a crew of 200 undocumented Polish workers who worked in 12-hour shifts, without gloves, hard hats or masks, to demolish the Bonwit Teller building on New York's Fifth Avenue, where the 58-story, golden-hued Trump Tower now stands.

The workers were paid as little as $4 (3) an hour for their dangerous labour, less than half the union wage, if they got paid at all.

Their treatment led to years of litigation over Mr Trumps labour practices, and in 1998, despite frequent claims that he never settles lawsuits, he quietly reached an agreement to end a class-action suit over the Bonwit Teller demolition in which he was a defendant.

For almost 20 years, the terms of that settlement have remained a secret. But last week, the settlement documents were unsealed by Loretta A Preska, a US District Court judge for the Southern District of New York, in response to a 2016 motion filed by Time Inc. and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Preska found that the publics right to know of court proceedings in a class-action case was strengthened by the involvement of the now-president of the United States.

In a 21-page finding, Preska wrote that the Trump Parties have failed to identify any interests that can overcome the common law and First Amendment presumptions of access to the four documents at issue.

On the campaign trail and as president, Trump has made curbing immigration one of his top priorities, seeking to close the borders to people from certain Muslim-majority countries and to deport immigrants who are here illegally. The settlement serves as a reminder that as an employer he relied on illegal immigrants to get a dangerous and dirty job done.

Katie Townsend, litigation director of the Reporters Committee, called the decision a major victory that goes beyond this one case. It makes clear that both the First Amendment and common law rights of public access apply to settlement-related documents in class actions, she said.

Story continues

Lawyers for Trump were not immediately available for comment.

The documents show that Trump paid $1.375 million to settle the case, known as Hardy vs Kaszycki, with $500,000 of it going to a union benefits fund and the rest to pay lawyers fees and expenses. According to the documents, one of the union lawyers involved asked the judge to ensure prompt payment from Trump, suggesting within two weeks after the settlement date.

Trump jumped in to object. Thirty days is normal, he said.

For the demolition work, Trump hired an inexperienced contractor, William Kaszycki of Kaszycki & Sons, for $775,000 (585,000). Kaszycki specialized in window and job-site cleaning. His company was renovating an adjoining building for Bonwit Teller, where he employed undocumented Polish workers.

Trump would later testify that he never walked into the adjoining building or noticed the Polish workers. But a foreman on the job, Zbignew Goryn, testified that Trump visited the site, marvelling to him about the Polish crew.

He liked the way the men were working on 57th Street, Goryn said. He said, Those Polish guys are good, hard workers.'

The demolition began in January 1980. It was hard, dirty work, breaking up concrete floors, ripping out electrical wiring and cutting pipes while labouring in a cloud of dust and asbestos.

A smaller group of union demolition workers, who were paid much higher wages and, unlike the Poles, overtime, often made fun of their Polish co-workers, according to the testimony of Adam Mrowiec, one of the Polish labourers. They told me and my friends that we are stupid Poles and we are working for such low money, he said.

In 1998, Wojciech Kozak described to The New York Times the backbreaking labour on the job.

We worked in horrid, terrible conditions, Kozak said. We were frightened illegal immigrants and did not know enough about our rights.

Today, Kozak, now 75, lives at the ODonnell-Dempsey Senior Housing building in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

He has blue eyes and a strong handshake, but speaks through a special device because he had a tracheotomy for cancer. He proudly showed off his citizenship papers, dated Nov. 3, 1995.

Kozak still recalls the work, and seeing Trump at the site in 1980.

We were working, 12 to 16 hours a day and were paid $4 an hour, he said. Because I worked with an acetylene torch, I got $5 an hour. We worked without masks. Nobody knew what asbestos was. I was an immigrant. I worked very hard.

But Kaszycki stopped paying the men, and they eventually took their complaints to a lawyer named John Szabo. Szabo went to Thomas Macari, a vice president of the Trump Organization, threatening to place a mechanics lien on the property if the men werent paid.

Still, there were problems. Szabo filed the lien, prompting Trump to ask for help from Daniel Sullivan, a labour consultant. Sullivan later testified that Trump described his difficulties, and that he had some illegal Polish employees.

Trump, however, testified that he did he not remember that there were undocumented Polish workers on the job, or signing paychecks for the crew. I really still dont know that there were illegal aliens, Trump said on the stand.

Trump did, according to Szabo, have his lawyer call Szabo with a threat to call Immigration and Naturalization Service to have the men deported.

Szabo got the Labor Department to open a wages-and-hours case for the men, which ultimately won a judgement of $254,000 against Kaszycki.

Kaszycki had signed a contract with Local 79 of the House Wreckers Union. But while Kaszycki or Trump paid into the union welfare funds for the handful of union workers on the job, they had not done so for the bulk of the workforce, the undocumented, nonunion Poles.

A union dissident and former boxer, Harry Diduck, brought a case in federal court in 1983 against Kaszycki and, eventually, Trump and others, claiming that Kaszycki, the union president and Trump had colluded to deprive the welfare funds of about $600,000.

A judge ruled that Trump was a legal employer of the Poles, but both sides appealed elements of his decision, with the possibility that the total welfare funds could get reduced to $500,000 (380,000). On the eve of a second trial, Trump settled.

New York Times
Donald Trump has retweeted videos posted by Jayda Fransen

The White House has said Donald Trump was right to retweet three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First as Downing Street condemned the Presidents actions.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said: Whether its a real video, the threat is real. His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security.

Im not talking about the nature of the video.

Youre focusing on wrong thing. The threat is real, what the president is talking about, the need for national security and military spending, those are very real things, theres nothing fake about that.

The President posted the clips from the account of Jayda Fransen, who was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment in November 2016 after verbally abusing a woman wearing a hijab.

Downing Street said: Britain First seeks to divide communities in their use of hateful narratives which pedal lies and stoke tensions.

This causes anxiety to law abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right, which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents: decency, tolerance and respect.

It is wrong for the president to have done this.

However a spokesman said that plans for Trumps State Visit to the UK remain in place.

At least one of the videos retweeted by the Presidents is fake, and none of them are verified.

The clip titled VIDEO: Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches! originates from Dutch website Dumpert, and has since been taken down.

It shows a person who is neither a Muslim nor a migrant, according to Dutch authorities.

One video titled Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death is four years old.

A second titled Muslim destroys a statue of Virgin Mary is two years old.

The source of the videos is not clear.

Fransen was arrested again earlier this month following comments she made during a speech in Belfast and taken to Northern Ireland for questioning. She was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Story continues

Paul Golding, the leader of Britain First, told Yahoo News UK that Mr Trumps retweets are a reaction to Fransens arrest by the President.

Free speech is dead in this country. President Trump has seen the facts and this is the result.

To retweet her three times consecutively shows he has heard about her plight and is disgusted by it, said Mr Golding.

I think this information has made its way to the White House and the President is sharing his disgust about this Micky Mouse nonsense stoping her free speech.

One of the videos was shared by Ann Coulter, a U.S. conservative commentator whom Mr Trump follows on Twitter.

Britain First is known for posting inflammatory and unverified videos on social media that they claim show the Islamification of the UK.

Jayda Fransen at a Britain First rally in support in London (Rex features)

The group responded to The Presidents actions with a tweet saying: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSENS TWITTER VIDEOS!

DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS!

GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan slammed the move, saying: Britain First is a vile, hate-fuelled organisation whose views should be condemned, not amplified.

Jayda Fransen of Britain First at a demonstration in London, opposed by anti-fascist groups, (Rex features)

A number of politicians and prominent figures shared their horror and dismay, even including Paul Watson, editor of far-right conspiracy website Infowars.

Good morning, Mr President @realDonaldTrump  what the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists?

Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets.  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 29, 2017

Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. @realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in my country and my city.  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) November 29, 2017

Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trump's Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics.  Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) November 29, 2017

Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox who was murdered by a far-right activist who shouted Britain First before killing her, said that Trump should be ashamed of himself.

Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself.  Brendan Cox (@MrBrendanCox) November 29, 2017

The issue was raised as a point of order in Parliament Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Stephen Doughty, who asked the Home Secretary to respond.

After posting the clips, Mr Trump then tweeted a message urging a boycott of CNN, slamming the network as Fake News. He then posted about the U.S. stock market, saying: I guess somebody likes me.

Great, and we should boycott Fake News CNN. Dealing with them is a total waste of time! https://t.co/8zJ3j7g5el  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017
Donald Trump told a group of Native Americans there was a representative in Congress called "Pocahontas" - the racial slur he frequently uses in reference to Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Speaking in the White House to Navajo Native American code talkers, military veterans who used their indigenous language as a code to pass messages during the Second World War, he said they had been in the country long before any of us were here.

Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago, he added. They call her Pocahontas.

As Mr Trump spoke in the Oval Office, the veterans stared at him. They said nothing and nobody laughed at the Presidents supposed joke. He then quickly put his hand on the shoulder of one of the veterans and said: But you know what - I like you, because you are special."

Mr Trumps comments were immediately condemned as racist by Ms Warren and others.

This was supposed to be an event to honour heroes, people who put it all on the line for our country, she told MSNBC. It is deeply unfortunate that the president of the United States cant even make it through a ceremony honouring these heroes without throwing out a racial slur.

Her fellow Massachusetts senator, Ed Markey, said: What Mr Trump said about my partner, Senator Warren is a slur. It disparages the Native American war heroes, standing right beside the President, who risked their lives to protect his right to make such a disgusting comment.

Many pointed out that Mr Trump's words appeared all the more insensitive given that they were made in front of portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh US president who forced hundreds of thousands of indigenous people from their land in the 1830s.

Tara Houska, a Native American activist, told The Independent Mr Trump's words were "appalling and disgusting". Pocohantas was a real person - her name was Matoaka, she said.

Its incredibly disgusting he would make a comment that reduces an entire demographic of Native American women to the name Pocohantas, in front of native men he was supposed to be honouring.

Story continues

The White House sought to dismiss the criticism. Asked if the word was racist, White House press secretary Sara Huckabee Sanders, said: I don't think that it is.

She was then asked why the President would say something that was offensive to many people while honouring the Navajo code talkers - genuine American heroes.

She responded: I think what most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career.

Earlier, Peter MacDonald, a Second Wold War veteran and former chairman of the Navajo tribe, gave introductory remarks by going through the history of the code talkers in the Pacific military theatre, including at the battles at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Their vital contribution was featured in the 2002 film Windtalkers, starring Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach.

Mr Trumps chief of staff, former general John Kelly, spoke of the role the men had played in helping secure victory in places such as Iwo Jima.

What @realDonaldTrump said about my partner @SenWarren is a slur. It disparages the Native American war heroes, standing right beside the President, who risked their lives to protect his right to make such a disgusting comment.  Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 27, 2017

What these men did was one of the very factors that allowed us to be successful on that island, said Mr Kelly.

During the 2016 election campaign, Mr Trump frequently used the word Pocahontas in reference to Ms Warren the Massachusetts senator, who has said she has Native American ancestry.

I am very proud of my heritage, Ms Warren told an interviewer in 2012. These are my family stories. This is what my brothers and I were told by my mom and my dad, my mamaw and my papaw. This is our lives. And Im very proud of it.

Mr Trump used the word to mock someone who has been one of his most outspoken critics. He even claimed he had invented her claimed heritage.

She made up her heritage, which I think is racist. I think she's a racist, actually because what she did was very racist, he said.
WASHINGTON  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday rallied progressive activists against President Donald Trumps appointment for interim head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Warren, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and leaders of major liberal groups, including the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, MoveON and Demos, rallied outside the consumer agencys headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., as CFPB employees congregated at their office windows to watch.

For six years, this agency has fought to give consumers a chance. For six years, this agency has fought for working people, Warren declared as demonstrators cheered behind her. And now its time for us to fight for the agency.

Trump on Friday appointed White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to serve as interim CFPB director, and Mulvaney showed up at the agency on Monday. But last week, outgoing CFPB director Richard Cordray named deputy director Leandra English as the interim agency head. English has sued to lead the watchdog.

Warren is credited with conceiving the CFPB. She and other boosters of the agency argue that the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law that created the CFPB insulates it from a presidential appointment of an interim head like Mulvaney. They maintain that English can hold the post until Trump nominates a permanent leader who is confirmed by the Senate.

This is about Wall Street banks versus families, and right now Donald Trump has put himself firmly on the side of Wall Street banks, Warren told reporters after delivering her prepared remarks. Its like a double kiss to Wall Street this week  trying to push forward tax reform that gives a trillion and a half dollars in tax cuts to giant corporations and at the same time, trying to hollow out the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

I say we start by following the law, she added. If Donald Trump wants to name a nominee, name him and bring him over to the Senate for the hearing.

Story continues

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks to reporters after a rally in support of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's independence. (Photo: Yuri Gripas / Reuters)

Conflict over the CFPBs leadership created scenes of chaos on Monday: English tried to assume her role at the helm, and Mulvaney, who brought employees doughnuts on his first day, instructed employees to disregard her.

It is unclear how English will fare in federal court. She sued the White House on her own with representation from Deepak Gupta, a progressive D.C.-based attorney.

The CFPBs general counsel, however, drafted a legal memo in support of Mulvaney. (The attorney who wrote the internal White House memo justifying Mulvaneys appointment represented a payday lender in front of the CFPB last year.)

Experts on the CFPB say that the legal dispute over the agencys leadership is a matter of legitimate disagreement. Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), whose name is on the law creating the watchdog group, conceded Monday that there was some legal complexity to the issue.

I think my side is right, Frank said during an appearance on CNBC. But it is also clear that peoples view of the law here on the whole is influenced by what they want to see.

As speakers were keen to note on Tuesday, Congress indeed created the CFPB with a leadership and funding structure specifically designed to safeguard its independence. Unlike many federal agencies run by panels of officials from both major political parties, the CFPB is run by one individual who serves a five-year term and can only be dismissed for very narrow reasons. Its funding also comes from the Federal Reserve, a feature that insulates it from yearly appropriations battles.

Financial institutions and conservative jurists have long argued that the structure of the agency is unconstitutional, because it is not subject to real oversight from either the president or Congress. In October 2016, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the agencys structure is unconstitutional; the full bench of the federal appeals court has yet to issue its ruling.

For Warren, one of Wall Streets most loathed foes, and many of her progressive supporters, the fight over Mulvaneys appointment is just as much about the matter at hand as it is about a long-simmering battle over the future of financial regulation.

David and Allyne Pittle, retirees from Alexandria, Virginia, showed up to show their support for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's mission on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo: Daniel Marans/HuffPost)

Prior to winning a Senate seat in 2012, Warren was a Harvard law professor and Congress chief overseer of the Wall Street bailout programs. She envisioned the CFPB as a regulator of potentially dangerous financial products such as predatory loans, similar to how the Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates more conventional consumer products.

Consumer financial protection had not been the primary focus of any Federal agency, and no agency had effective tools to set the rules for and oversee the whole market, Warren testified before Congress in May 2011, when she was helping the Treasury Department set up the agency.

The result was a system without effective rules or consistent enforcement, she said. We have seen the results, both in the 2008 financial crisis and in its aftermath.

Conservative Republicans and banks didnt hide their opposition to the CFPBs creation at the time. Their resistance to Warrens nomination to lead it in 2012 forced then-President Barack Obama to name Cordray instead.

Mulvaney himself called the CFPB a sick, sad joke as recently as 2014.

The agency has earned a reputation as an effective check on the abusive practices of financial institutions such as banks, payday lenders, credit card companies and student loan agencies. The CFPB has distributed nearly $12 billion in compensation and other forms of financial relief to 29 million consumers since 2011, according to agency figures.

One of its most notable achievements occurred in September 2016, when the agency discovered that Wells Fargo had been opening fee-generating accounts for consumers without their knowledge. The enforcement action resulted in the payment of $190 million in penalties and reimbursements. Following Warrens tough questioning at a Senate hearing, the incident even prompted the resignation of Wells Fargo CEO John Stump and the clawback of his bonus.

Many Democrats and consumer advocacy groups now fear that, one way or another, Trump will defang the agency and make it more amenable to the financial industry.

David and Allyne Pittle, septuagenarian retirees from Alexandria, Virginia, said they showed up at Tuesdays rally after reading about in The Washington Post.

Im here to bear witness to the importance of this agency. This agency protects consumers from the unfair practices of banks and the abuse of Wall Street, said David Pittle, 79. Its taken us 200 years to get an agency like that and this administration is trying to do damage to it already.

Several speakers at the rally said Trumps attempts to reshape the CFPB run counter to his promise to fix a political and economic system stacked against ordinary people.

Donald Trumps elevation, in part, came from people who thought the system is rigged, Ben Wikler, Washington director of MoveOn, told the crowd. So this is a betrayal of Donald Trumps core supporters.

When a reporter asked Warren whether Trumps alleged attempts to diminish the CFPB would be a winning issue for Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections, she responded, Boy, it sure ought to be.

This isnt about politics, she said. This is about, Whose side are you on?

This article has been updated with additional details about the creation and operation of the CFPB.

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Brussels (AFP) - Estonia on Wednesday presented a compromise proposal on the relocation of refugees which it said would be "fair" to all EU member states, deeply divided over how to deal with asylum seekers arriving in Europe.

"We hope it can lay the foundation for future discussions," said a spokesman for Estonia, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

He went on to describe the proposals as "fair" without giving details.

The proposal, which was shared with the 28 national ambassadors to the EU at a meeting in Brussels, aims to reform a stalled programme to relocate asylum seekers around the bloc.

In the works for over a year, the redesign of the controversial "Dublin rule" has stalled due to the refusal of countries like Poland and Hungary to take any asylum seekers at all under the shared programme.

According to a diplomatic source, Estonia envisions an "early warning system" by which the European Commission could warn of a disproportionate increase in asylum applications in some countries.

The EU executive would then recommend financial solidarity measures between countries but member states would be invited to take in some of the asylum-seekers from European countries under excessive pressure. The member states would respond on a voluntary basis at this stage.

A second step would be initiated in case of a "crisis" in a country, as measured by a migratory pressure indicator, taking into account the economic capacity and population of EU countries.

The Estonian proposal makes clear that any actual transfer of asylum seekers from one EU country to another would remain conditional on an agreement between the two countries, according to the diplomatic source.

The plan however strongly alters the proposed reforms as imagined by the commission, which wants to ensure that quotas can be imposed in cases of exceptional influx of asylum seekers.

The European Parliament for its part has called for a "permanent and automatic mechanism" for relocation to replace the Dublin rule.

Under the Dublin scheme, would-be refugees were required to file for asylum in the first bloc member-state they enter.

The programme expired in September after two years, having seen less than a fifth of a planned 160,000 Syrians and other asylum-seekers relocated around the bloc from Italy and Greece by the use of compulsory quotas.
Abidjan (AFP) - Libya agreed Wednesday with key EU and African leaders to allow migrants facing abuse in detention camps to be evacuated within days or weeks, mostly to their home countries, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The decision was taken after Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called for "all urgent measures" to end slave trading and other migrant abuses in Libya at an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan.

The leaders of Libya, France, Germany, Chad, Niger and four other countries "decided on an extreme emergency operation to evacuate from Libya those who want to be," Macron told reporters after their emergency talks on the summit sidelines.

The summit comes just two weeks after US network CNN aired footage of black Africans sold as slaves in Libya, sparking outrage from political leaders and street protests in African and European capitals.

"Libya restated its agreement to identify the camps where barbaric scenes have been identified," Macron said, adding Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez "Sarraj gave his agreement that access be assured".

African Union, European Union and United Nations officials at the meeting offered increased support for the International Organisation of Migration "to help with the return of the Africans who want it to their home countries," said the French leader who called the emergency meeting.

"This work will be carried out in the next few days, in line with the countries of origin," he said, adding in some cases they could be given asylum in Europe.

- 'Wretched drama' -

EU sources earlier said UN humanitarian agencies like the IOM had arranged for some 13,000 migrants to return voluntarily to their home countries mainly in sub-Saharan Africa in the last year after a deal with Libya.

The furore over slavery as well as torture and rape of black African migrants in Libya prompted the select group of countries -- which also included Spain, Italy, Morocco and the Congo -- to undertake other measures.

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The group also decided to work with a task force, involving the sharing of police and intelligence services, to "dismantle the networks and their financing and detain traffickers," Macron said.

The AU, EU and UN officials also pledged to freeze the assets of identified traffickers while the AU will set up an investigative panel and the UN could take cases before the International Court of Justice, he added.

Opening a European Union-Africa summit that was meant to focus on the continent's long-term economic development, Ouattara immediately lashed out at slavery as a "wretched drama which recalls the worst hours of human history."

Other African, EU and United Nations leaders also condemned the slavery revelations when they met at the summit in Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan.

"I would like to appeal to our sense of responsibility to take all urgent measures to put an end to that practice, which belongs to another age," he said, opening the gathering of 55 African Union and 28 EU leaders.

African Union and other critics have accused the EU of creating conditions for the slave trade as well as rape and torture of migrants by encouraging Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) to detain migrants and stop them from coming to Europe.

- Root causes -

The EU has been desperate to ease the worst migration crisis since World War II, with more than 1.5 million migrants entering the bloc since 2015.

In his speech to the summit, European Council President Donald Tusk acknowledged the "horrifying" treatment of young Africans.

But he also warned against starting "a blame game" and called for cooperation to fight criminals.

An EU source told reporters on condition of anonymity that it was European pressure that forced Libya to open up and make it easier for journalists to film slave auctions that migrants had in fact reported were going on well before EU-Libyan cooperation began.

EU officials said the migrant influx, which has deepened political divisions across the EU, as well as frequent Islamist attacks in Europe have been a wake-up call to tackle the root causes of why people leave their homes.

The EU has already set up multi-billion-euro funds to promote Africa's economic development while deepening counter-terrorism cooperation with African countries where Islamist militant groups are spreading.

The summit, due to wind up on Thursday, is intended to focus on providing stability and long-term economic growth for a continent likely to have 2.4 billion people by 2050, more than double what it is now.

Without fast-tracked development, millions could flee to Europe or turn to radical Islamist groups, EU and African leaders say.
Bret Boone decided to mock sexual assault victims for some reason. (AP Photo)

Former Seattle Mariners second baseman Bret Boone may want to re-examine the things he finds funny. The 48-year-old three-time All-Star decided to mock sexual assault victims in an unprompted rant Wednesday morning.

Boone decided to joke about being sexually harassed to Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Stephen Cohen on Twitter.

In the first message, Boone says he was sexually harassed twice Wednesday morning when a girl at Starbucks smiled at him and a woman at Rite Aid flirted with him. He concluded that message with lol.

When asked why he thought it was a good idea to make light of sexual assault, Boone gave the standard its a joke/sorry if you were offended line. Then, inexplicably, he responded with yet another message joking about being harassed.

Boones comments were sent as direct messages on Twitter. For those who arent aware, direct messages are meant to be private. In a previous tweet, Cohen said he wasnt sure he was going to share the conversation publicly, but decided to go ahead with it.

Boone later issued a public apology on Twitter, saying there are zero excuses for his comments regarding sexual harassment. He added, it will never happen again.

All, there are zero excuses for what I said earlier. None. It was 100% wrong. It was offensive. It was inappropriate. It was not remotely productive to any conversation regarding harassment. I apologize and it will never happen again.  Bret Boone (@theboone29) November 30, 2017

As Cohen notes, Boones initial rant was completely unsolicited. He didnt reach out to Boone for a comment or anything like that. It appears Boone saw some of Cohens earlier tweets about former host of A Prairie Home Companion Garrison Keillor being fired due to improper behavior, and decided to spew his thoughts.

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Keillor is one of the more recent men in prominent positions to be accused of sexual harassment or sexual assault since October. Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein stepped down after a number of women came forward to accuse him of sexual assault.

Weinsteins allegations have spurred others to come forward with their stories of being sexually assaulted. Actor Kevin Spacey was fired from Netflix show House of Cards after similar allegations emerged. NBC fired anchor Matt Lauer early Wednesday morning for inappropriate sexual behavior. Thats far from a definitive list.

We have no idea why Boone decided to weigh in on this subject, or why he thought mocking sexual assault victims was the way to go. His decision to do so is incomprehensible.

      

Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Source: Facebook

Facebook (FB) wants to make it a little easier to help people with new features that allow people to become a mentor for children, sign up to become a blood donor and help organizations like the Red Cross reach disaster victims faster.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new features at Facebooks second annual Social Good Forum in New York on Wednesday.

Of course, while the Social Good Forum is meant to allow Facebook users to give and receive help, it also allows the company to provide a bit of good news during a time that has seen it repeatedly questioned for its role in allowing Russian agents to spread fake news in the run-up to the 2016 election.

Zuckerberg didnt mention the matter, keeping the discussion to the days events, but its certainly not an issue that will go away anytime soon.

No transaction fees

The CEO did, however, kick off his keynote by explaining that Facebook will no longer charge transaction fees for donations made to nonprofits through Facebooks charitable giving program.

So now, 100% of the money that people donate on Facebook is going to go to the causes they care about, Zuckerberg explained. And I know this is something that a lot of you have talked to us about for a while, so thank you for the feedback.

Thats a big deal, as it ensures your donation, at least when you send it through Facebook, will go directly to the people you want to help. GoFundMe, which is frequently used to raise funds for nonprofit campaigns, charges a 2.9% transaction fee. Of course, Facebook is an absolutely massive operation, so its not like those fees will hurt its bottom line.

Beyond cancelling transaction fees, Zuckerberg said the company will make a $50 million annual donation to charitable causes on Facebook.

Community Assistance

The CEO also announced that Facebook is expanding its Community Help tool to organizations like the Red Cross. Community Help, which was announced in February, allows individuals to ask for help when theyre in need, and others to offer help when they can. Zuckerberg explained how two friends from Texas A&M used the feature in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey to save 20 people from the storms floodwaters.

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By expanding the Community Assistance to disaster response organizations, Facebook says groups will be able to see when and where people need help and get to them quickly.

Blood donors and suicide prevention

Facebook said it will also expand its new blood donation feature. The current program, which was started in September in India, has already seen 4 million people register as donors. Thats an enormous new supply of blood for an area that Facebook said sees thousands of posts from people asking for blood donations each week.

In 2018, the feature will be rolled out to Bangladesh where there is a similar blood shortage. Theres no word on if the feature will come to the U.S., though.

Zuckerberg also gave the audience an update on Facebooks suicide prevention initiative. The program, which has saved more 100 people so far, flags posts from individuals who express suicidal thoughts and then uses human moderators to reach out to first responders to help the person in need.

So, now were starting to roll out these tools in most other countries around the world and thats something that Im really proud of the work that were doing there, Zuckerberg said.

Mentoring

Finally, Facebook said it is launching a new mentoring and support program. Launching as a pilot with the help of iMentor and The International Rescue Committee, Mentoring and Support will allow people to volunteer as and search for mentors based on their specific needs.

Facebook says that matching mentors and their mentees will be handled by the specific nonprofits, which takes the task out of Facebooks hands.

The program will also only be open to people 18 and older, which leaves out young people who might need help during their formative years.

Theres no doubt that we live in a challenging time right now, Zuckerberg said. But one of the things that strikes me so much is the deep sense of optimism you all have.

More from Dan:

Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on the future of net neutrality at its next meeting on December 14, potentially ending the internet as we know it. With Republicans in control of the FCC, its pretty much a done deal. So why exactly is the FCC getting so salty and defensive in its fact sheets?

The FCC released a three-page document Tuesday that claims to bust a whole bunch of myths around net neutrality, which is the long-held principle that internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T should not be allowed to throttle, tier, or otherwise control how people use the internet.

While the document lists 14 individual myths and offers a corrective fact for each, the whole thing basically just repeats the same talking points over and over. For instance, the fact sheet mentions some minor variation of the Obama Administrations 2015 heavy-handed Internet regulations six different times to explain its current actions.

The fact sheet doesnt offer any explicit overarching thesis or takeaway, but the message is clear enough from how often it is repeated: The FCCs 2015 decision was an act of onerous regulation that has stifled business, and all the current plan will do is restore things to the pre-2015 status quo. Since net neutrality existed before the FCCs 2015 decision, the fact sheet argues, what non-alarmist reason would someone have for thinking things would be any different once things go back to how they were?

That argument, though, ignores just why the FCC made its 2015 decision, and what exactly that decision was. The earlier FCC moved to reclassify ISPs from information providers to whats known as common carriers, which is basically an acknowledgment that telecommunication companies dont actually create any of the content people go to the internet to see. And the impetus for that move came from the 2014 D.C. District Court case Verizon Communications Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission, which held the FCC couldnt enforce net neutrality rules unless ISPs were common carriers.

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So remove telecommunications companies common carrier status, and the whole notion of net neutrality as something the FCC can regulate  which it did before 2015, though often with great legal difficulty  collapses instantly. The fact sheet has an answer for this, which is basically that the free market will reward companies that abide by net neutrality and punish those that dont, assuming net neutrality is actually something consumers care about. Anyone who has dealt with cable companies might have some doubts about the value of consumer choice when it comes to ISPs, but thats the FCCs argument.

The thing is, the FCCs makeup  chairman Ajit Pai, the architect of the proposed new rules, is a Trump appointee, and hes joined by two Republican commissioners for a decisive 3-2 advantage  means theres no particular reason the commission needs to explain itself to the public at all. But the outcry over net neutrality has been so serious, with Pai saying his children are facing harassment over his proposals, that the fact sheet must feel warranted.

Considering how repetitive and shaky the documents logic is, not to mention its reliance on heavily disputed claims that the 2015 regulations have stifled investment, its probably fair to say the FCCs anti-net neutrality stance isnt about to enjoy a sudden positive reversal of fortune in the court of public opinion.

Photos via Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla

Photos via Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla

Written by Alasdair Wilkins

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By Kate Kelland

LONDON, (Reuters) - Progress in the global fight against malaria has stalled amid signs of flatlining funding and complacency that the mosquito-borne disease is less of a threat, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

Malaria infected around 216 million people in 91 countries in 2016, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year, the WHO said in its annual World Malaria Report. It killed 445,000 people, about the same number as in 2015.

The vast majority of deaths were in children under the age of five in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

"Globally ... after an unprecedented period of success, we are no longer making progress," said Abdisalan Noor, a WHO expert on malaria and lead author of the report. "I am concerned that we have become complacent."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added that "in some countries and regions, we are beginning to see reversals in the gains achieved".

Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO's global malaria programme, said that partly due to funding, and partly due to governments shifting focus away from malaria, the progress seen in the past decade is no longer being sustained.

"We want (this to be) a wake-up call to the malaria community," he told reporters on a teleconference. "We are not on track, and we need to get back on track."

Overall funding for malaria has levelled off since 2010. In 2016, an estimated $2.7 billion was invested in malaria control and elimination efforts globally. In 2015, funding totalled $2.9 billion - almost the same as in 2010.

The WHO says a minimum annual investment of $6.5 billion is needed by 2020 to meet targets on controlling malaria by 2030.

The WHO report found that when analysed on a country-by-country per capita basis, funding in countries where there is a high threat of malaria has fallen to an average of less than $2 per year per person at risk.

Noor said that alongside stagnating funding, the report found "equally concerning" gaps in access to and use of vital malaria prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools such as bed nets, indoor spraying and primary healthcare.

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Fewer than half of households in countries in sub-Saharan Africa have enough bed nets to protect against mosquito bites, and only about a third of children in Africa with a fever have access to free public health sector medical care.

Tedros, who spent many years as a government minister fighting malaria in Ethiopia before coming to the WHO, said it would take robust financial resources and political leadership to swing the pendulum back towards a malaria-free world

"We are up against a tough adversary. But I am also convinced that this is a winnable battle," he said.

(Editing by Alison Williams and William Maclean)
Lucian Wintrich, a conservative commentator, was arrested after a fight broke out during his speech at the University of Connecticut on Tuesday, November 27. The event was organized by UConn College Republicans.

This video, shared by a student at the event, shows the moment Wintrich, a Gateway Pundit contributor, clashed with a female protester and was escorted from the room by police.

Moments before the altercation, the protester was reported to have removed paperwork from the lectern where Wintrich was giving his speech. entitled Its OK to be White, the Hartford Courant said.

Wintrich was arrested on suspicion of assault, WTNH reported. Credit: Facebook/Omar Taweh via Storyful
Prince Mutaib was once seen as a contender for the throne and controlled Saudi Arabias powerful national guard force, making him a potential rival to Crown Prince Mohammed - AP

A senior Saudi prince who once led the countrys national guard was reportedly freed on Tuesday, more than three weeks after he and hundreds of others were arrested on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, the son of former King Abdullah, is the highest-profile prince to have been released since a major purge of senior royals and businessmen began on November 4.

Prince Mutaib was arrested on allegations of corruption and is believed to have been imprisoned at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

The 65-year-old prince was once seen as a contender for the throne and controlled Saudi Arabias powerful national guard force, making him a potential rival to Crown Prince Mohammed, who has dramatically consolidated his own power since June.

The crown prince, often referred to by his initials as MBS, ordered Prince Mutaibs arrest and swiftly replaced him as national guard minister with a little-known prince.

The Saudi government has insisted that the wave of around 200 arrests was part of an anti-corruption drive, rather than a power play to strengthen the hand of MBS.

Mohammed bin Salman has dramatically consolidated his own power since becoming crown prince in June Credit: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images

Prince Mutaib is the first senior prince believed to have been released but there is no clear judicial process for the arrested men and it is possible that less high-profile figures have already been freed.

The arrests have thinned the ranks of potential rivals to MBS and left him as the country's most powerful figure. His ailing 81-year-old father, King Salman, has already given widespread authority over the country's military and economic policies.

Prince Mutaib was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding his own companies a $10 billion (7.6 billion) contract for walkie-talkies and bulletproof gear, according to Reuters.

Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah al Saud got released today and hes back to his home in Riyadh, a spokesman for a senior Saudi princess tweeted.

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Prince Miteb bin Abdullah al saud got released today and hes back to his home in #Riyadh



               #__pic.twitter.com/o3Vz79CNXt    (@moaidmahjoub) November 28, 2017

Several royals also appeared to tweet confirmation that he had been freed but there was no official confirmation from the Saudi government.

It is not clear under what terms Prince Mutaib was released. In an interview with the New York Times, Crown Prince Mohammed said that 95 per cent of the accused men had agreed to plea bargains which would see them pay millions to the state treasury.

He said that prosecutors expected to take in around $100 billion in settlements.

It is not known if Prince Mutaib paid a settlement. He may also be confined to house arrest upon his release.

Prince Mohammed bin Nayaf, who was the crown prince until he was replaced by MBS in June, was reportedly confined to his palace after being stripped of his post.

A number of high-profile prisoners, including the billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, are still being held in custody.
By Marine Pennetier OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - France's President Emmanuel Macron told African youths on Tuesday that he belonged to a new generation of French leaders who would build partnerships with the continent rather than tell it what to do. But a youth protest against him, stones pelting one of his delegation's vehicles and a botched grenade attack on French troops hours before his arrival in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou showed the hostility that still lingers after decades of an often tense France-Africa relationship. Macron was also subjected to rowdy student questions at the university after his speech in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, and was sometimes left fruitlessly hushing as he struggled to get his answers heard above the crowd. In his speech, peppered with references to African nationalists such as Nelson Mandela and Burkina's revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara, Macron promised a break with a past in which France often seemed to call the shots to former colonies. "I am from a generation that doesn't come to tell Africans what to do," Macron said during a speech to university students in the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou, prompting an applause. "I am from a generation for whom Nelson Mandela's victory is one of the best political memories." The 39-year-old is on a three-day visit to Burkina Faso, Ghana and Ivory Coast aimed at boosting cooperation in education, the digital economy and migration. "I will be alongside those who believe that Africa is neither a lost continent or one that needs to be saved," he said. The grenade attack missed the French soldiers but wounded three civilians hours before Macron arrived. No group claimed responsibility. Stones were thrown at a delegation convoy, however Macron was far away from it at a meeting with his Burkina counterpart, Roch Marc Kabore in the presidential palace. Dozens of local youths clashed with security forces in the centre of the capital throwing stones. Police responded with teargas. Protesters burnt T-shirts with images of Macron and carried slogans including "Down with new-colonialism" and "French military out of Burkina". BREAK WITH PAST? It was not the first time a French president has promised to break with past French politics on the continent. Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande declared while visiting Senegal in 2012 that "the time of La Francafrique is over", referring to a shadowy network of diplomats, soldiers and businessmen who manipulated African leaders for decades after independence. But it comes at a tense time, when French troops are being sucked deeper into a years-long battle to quell Islamist militancy in the Sahel region. France has 4,000 troops deployed there, and there are mixed feelings about their presence - highlighted in a bitter row between France and Mali over the deaths of 11 Malian troops being held captive by Islamist militants in a French air strike. The French are pinning their hopes on the so-called G5 Sahel force being set up by regional country's with French and American backing. It launched a campaign on Oct. 28 amid growing unrest in the desert reaches of the region, where jihadists allied to al Qaeda or inspired by Islamic State roam undetected. Macron earlier told journalists G5 had been too slow to get established. He said he would call for greater co-operation between Europe and Africa to tackle human trafficking and he touted a European initiative to rescue African migrants from being enslaved in Libya. The exchange with heckling students was typical Macron, who during his presidential campaign often managed to turn initially hostile crowds in his favour by answering questions head on. "You speak to me like I'm a colonial power, but I don't want to look after electricity in Burkina Faso. That's the work of your president," he retorted to one hostile questioner. (Additional reporting by John Irish, Richard Lough and Michel Rose in Paris; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alison Williams)
Apologies in advance, but 2018 will probably be every bit as crummy as 2017. Thats the glum, but probably realistic, forecast of a report put out by McAfee Labs Wednesday morning.

In its report, the firm which was spun off by Intel (INTC) in April, expects continued risks from malware authors, phishing attackers, ransomware scams and even, perhaps, the companies selling smart home devices.

On the bright-ish side, McAfees report isnt calling for a rise in attacks on newer online defenses like two-step verification or biometric unlocking for your mobile devices. Instead, were in store for more of the same annoyances.

Hackers arent the only ones that might be targeting you this year. (Image: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aaron Stout)

Machine learning can make the bad guys more efficient too

McAfees report leads off by predicting that the same artificial-intelligence techniques used to guess what you want to read or buy will soon be pointed at you for offensive purposes.

For example, it suggests that machine learning could strengthen social engineering attacks that prey on peoples inclination to trust something that they think comes from a friend.

We expect to see more advancements in the use of machine learning and analytics by attackers to accelerate and sharpen social engineering attacks  phishing, fraud, spyware, and scams  across more industry sectors than they can do today using manual reconnaissance techniques, said McAfee Labs vice president Vincent Weafer.

But its not a one-sided fight. The companies trying to defend you online are using techniques to keep your data safe. Facebook (FB), for instance, already runs every login through a bunch of machine-learning algorithms to see if it falls outside your usual habits.

And there might even be an upside here. Malware authors will now have to worry about machines taking their jobs, just like everybody else.

Ransomware isnt going away, but it may go away from you

McAfees researchers think that ransomware  when an attacker implants software on your device that encrypts your data and locks you out unless you pay a ransom  is becoming slightly less profitable.

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McAfee Labs saw total ransomware grow 56% over the past four quarters, but evidence from McAfee Advanced Threat Research indicates that the number of ransomware payments has declined over the last year, the company stated in its report.

Whats next? Going where the money is. McAfee suggests well see targeted actions to annoy or embarrass particular targets chosen for their bank accounts.

We believe it more likely and more profitable for cybercriminals to place ransomware on a wealthy familys thermostat in the dead of winter, than to set the homes of millions ablaze through their coffeemakers.

The two biggest ransomware stories of 2017, however, involved neither demands for money nor targeting the comfortably rich. The WannaCry and Petya attacks subjected entire European countries to generalized irritation and worse as they locked up computers (many running the obsolete, insecure Windows XP) controlling everything from transit ticket-vending machines to hospital data systems.

McAfees researchers remain unclear who staged those attacks and for what end, but they do know this much: Well probably see insurance companies move into selling ransomware policies.

The continued privacy risks of IoT devices

The most depressing part of the report is the section  written with input from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights group  that warns that some of the bigger threats of 2018 may be the companies weve already given our data and money to. It takes particular aim at Internet of Things device manufacturers and the firms that provide services to those in-home gadgets.

In 2018, connected home device manufacturers and service providers will seek to overcome thin operating margins by gathering more of our personal data  with or without our agreement  as we practically surrender the home to become a corporate virtual storefront, the report warns.

A prediction that a substantial number of corporations will break privacy laws, pay fines and still continue such practices, thinking they can do so profitably is not unusual in privacy-activist circles. But I cant remember when I last read something like that from an established, if not establishment firm like McAfee.

McAfees Weafer suggested that 2018 could be a pivotal year both in terms of customers waking up to that risk and in terms of governments moving to protect them. The catch: That regulation, the European Unions sweeping General Data Protection Regulation, wont do much for U.S. customers unless companies that have to revise products to comply with GDPR requirements elect to bring those changes to their U.S. customers too.

Otherwise, well be stuck with the advice that appears near the end of the report, and which you may have seen so often you can recite it from memory: Pay attention to what you buy and install, turn off unnecessary features, and change the default passwords to something much stronger!

More from Rob:

Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro.
Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (AFP) - The final judgement at the International Criminal Tribunal (ICTY) ended in chaos on Wednesday when Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak died after apparently drinking poison during the court hearing.

The UN court had upheld on appeal jail terms for war crimes during Bosnia's 1992-95 conflict against Praljak and another five defendants who were leaders of a self-declared statelet for Bosnian Croats.

Here are details about the breakaway "republic", which they eventually hoped to merge with neighbouring Croatia:

- War breaks out -

When war broke out in Bosnia in 1992 as Yugoslavia fell apart, the country's Catholic Croats fought alongside Bosniak Muslims against Orthodox Serbs in the ethnically diverse country.

But the nationalist leaders of ethnic Croats, who made up about 17 percent of Bosnia's population of 4.4 million, gradually became more open about their desire to be part of a "Greater Croatia".

The project, backed by the nationalist Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, strained ties with Bosnian Muslims.

In May 1992, Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Radovan Karadzic and his Croat counterpart Mate Boban reached a deal that looked much like a partition of Bosnia at the expense of its Muslim people.

Sporadic clashes between Croats and Muslims eventually grew into bitter fighting between the former allies in 1993.

In August of that year, Boban proclaimed the "Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna".

The "republic" had a parliament, a government and a 50,000-strong army as well as independent financial structures. It also adopted the Croatian currency.

- Mostar bridge destroyed -

Croat separatists chose the southern city of Mostar, once a symbol of a multi-ethnic Bosnia, as their "capital".

Their forces controlled the west of the city and Bosnian Muslim forces controlled the east, nearly 80 percent of which was destroyed in the fighting.

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The destruction of Mostar's Ottoman-era bridge by Croats in November 1993 became a symbol of the savagery of the war.

The Old Bridge, a World Heritage site, has been rebuilt since the war thanks to international financial assistance, including from Croatia.

In March 1994 a ceasefire agreement was reached in Washington between Croat and Muslim leaders, who founded the Muslim-Croat Federation.

This semi-independent entity still exists in Bosnia today, alongside the Serb-run Republika Srpska.

- War crimes charges -

Six leaders of the Bosnian Croat statelet -- which was formally dissolved in 1996 under international pressure -- were convicted in 2013 by the ICTY.

They were found guilty of taking part in a scheme to remove Bosnian Muslims "permanently and create a Croatian territory" during the war, in which 100,000 people died.

Their sentences ranged from 10 to 25 years in jail, all of which were upheld on Wednesday.

The most senior among the group is Jadranko Prlic, 58, who served as prime minister of Hercog-Bosna. Boban died in 1997 while Praljak was confirmed dead on Wednesday after drinking a liquid in court.

- Statelet's legacy -

Dreams of more autonomy are still a live among Bosnian Croats.

In March 2001 they proclaimed a "temporary Croat autonomy", but the bid failed and the international community immediately sacked Bosnian Croat leader Ante Jelavic as a member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

After Catalonia proclaimed independence in October, graffiti appeared in Mostar, which remains deeply divided along ethnic lines, announcing that "Herceg-Bosna" will be the next to make the move.

Today Bosnian Croats are seeking their own federal unit, arguing that the country's Serbs have their own entity while Muslims dominate the federation.

The current Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Dragan Covic, said recently that if Herceg-Bosna had not existed "it is hard to think that there would be Croat people" remaining in Bosnia.
Halloween is now weeks back in our rear view mirror, but something just happened in Japan that sounds like the plot of a horror movie. A busted up fishing vessel ran aground near the city of Oga, coming in from the Sea of Japan, and the remains of its eight-man crew were in just as bad of shape as the boat itself.

The bodies of the men were decomposing, leaving just ragged skeletons behind, and the ship had apparently been drifting for quite some time. Authorities now believe that the ship may have come from North Korea, and its unfortunate crew is thought to have been defectors fleeing the troubled country in search of a new life elsewhere.

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As reported by Kyodo News, the ship was first spotted offshore by the Japan Coast Guard but officials couldnt get close enough to investigate it due to dangerous weather conditions. Eventually it washed up on the shore and investigators climbed aboard to see whether anyone was stowed away.

Aside from the decomposing bodies, officials discovered a handful of clues as to the ships origin. Empty packs of cigarettes and life vests both featured North Korean writing, and it seems clear that the ship hadnt simply gotten lost. The most likely explanation is that the men were refugees hoping to escape North Korea only to meet their untimely demise in the Sea of Japan.

The cause of death of the crew has not been officially announced, but it would seem likely that the men starved and suffered extreme dehydration. The east coast of North Korea is several hundreds of miles away from where the ship washed up, and the journey would have been impossible without sufficient supplies of both food and water. The boat itself was in very rough shape, and while its not clear exactly how long it was adrift in the Sea of Japan, its clear that the vessel was floating aimlessly for quite some time.

Due to North Koreas secretive nature, its not exactly like Japanese authorities can reach out to them for help in identifying the men or notifying their families, so this sad story might never have a final chapter.

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Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli court on Wednesday sentenced three Palestinians to life in prison over a gun attack that left four people dead at a popular Tel Aviv nightspot in 2016.

Cousins Mohammad Makhamrah and Khaled Makhamrah, the gunmen, and accomplice Younes Zein were found guilty last month of four counts of murder and 41 counts of attempted murder over the June 2016 attack at Sarona Market, a restaurant and shopping complex.

On Wednesday, the Tel Aviv district court sentenced each to four consecutive life sentences, one for each death, and an additional 60 years for the 41 counts of attempted murder.

The three were also ordered by the court to pay the families of the deceased and wounded compensation, the sentencing read.

Israeli security officials said the two gunmen, 20 and 21 at the time of the attack, were inspired by the Islamic State group.

In the incident at the Sarona Market, the Makhamrah cousins walked into a busy cafe wearing suits and carrying briefcases, blending with the crowd before opening fire on customers at random.

Three people were shot dead, while a fourth died of a heart attack. Four people were seriously wounded, while another 37 suffered lighter injuries or shock, the court said.

Zein supplied the weapons and helped plan the assault, the court said.

The Shin Bet domestic security agency which interrogated the men has said they wanted to carry out "a revenge attack against Israel in the name of the Islamic State" group during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of at least 303 Palestinians or Israeli Arabs, 51 Israelis, two Americans, two Jordanians, one Eritrean, one Sudanese and one Briton, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.

Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Ivanka Trump touted female entrepreneurship at a summit in Hyderabad, India on Tuesday, while continuing to face scrutiny over the working conditions at the factories that produce her clothing line.

Trump led the American delegation to the annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit and touted the theme of women first, prosperity for all in her keynote address.

I am proud to say that for the first time ever, women make up the majority of the 1,500 entrepreneurs selected to attend this summit, she said. Only when women are empowered to thrive, will our families, our economies and our societies reach their fullest potential.

The city of Hyderabad prepared for her visit by repairing roads, banning beggars from the streets and rounding up hundreds of people who are homeless, the Associated Press reported.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Im excited to be in Hyderabad, India for #GES2017. https://t.co/1U08h5L9Rm  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 28, 2017

It was an honor to meet with you Prime Minister Modi. Thank you for co-hosting the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit! @StateDept https://t.co/lb3gKv4N26  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 28, 2017

Trump  who stepped back from daily management of her fashion brand when she became an assistant to the President  has been criticized because her clothing company relies on overseas manufacturing in countries including India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and China, where mostly female factory workers often suffer poor working conditions and low pay, according to a Washington Post report on the business.

This month, 23 workers rights groups called on Trump to release information about the factories that manufacture her clothing line and to raise standards for workers in the United States and around the globe, especially those that make clothing bearing your name.

Our administration is advancing policies that enable women to pursue their careers and care for their families, policies that improve workforce development and skills training, and policies that lift government barriers and fuel entrepreneurship so that Americans can turn their dreams into their incredible legacies, Trump said in her address on Tuesday.
Kate Middleton is sharing her excitement with the world. The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out for the first time since the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles engagement broke. During a visit to the Foundling Museum in London on Tuesday, November 28, Prince William's wife spoke publically about her brother-in-law's upcoming royal wedding for the first time. "William and I are absolutely thrilled," she said. "It's such exciting news. It's a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment."

CLICK FOR FULL GALLERY

VIEW GALLERY Kate said she and William are "thrilled" about Harry's engagement news Photo: Getty Images

GALLERY: KATE MIDDLETON MATERNITY STYLE

Kate, who is expecting her third baby this spring, showed a hint of her baby bump in a patterned dress during the visit. While there, she learned about the museum's history and the way it uses art and creativity to support children and vulnerable families. The Duchess, who studied art history while at college, bonded with a group of youngsters as she heard how they benefit from the museum's education and outreach programs.

VIEW GALLERY Kate stepped out at the Foundling Museum for her first appearance since the news broke Photo: Getty Images

MORE: Kate Middleton and Prince William expecting baby number three

The Foundling Museum explores the history of the Foundling Hospital, the UKs first childrens charity and first public art gallery. The Hospital, which continues today as the childrens charity Coram, was established in 1739 by the philanthropist Thomas Coram to care for babies at risk of abandonment. Through a dynamic program of exhibitions and events, the museum celebrates the ways in which the arts have helped improve childrens lives for over 275 years and aims to inspire everyone to make a positive contribution to society.

prince-harry-meghan-markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement on November 27 Photo: Getty Images

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Kate's outing took place as royal watchers across the world continue to celebrate Harry and Meghan's engagement. Clarence House announced the happy news on Monday, revealing that the Prince proposed in London earlier this month at his home in Nottingham Cottage. The wedding will take place in spring 2018.

MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first joint interview

"It was just an amazing surprise," Meghan said during the couple's first TV interview together on BBC. "It was so sweet, and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee." Harry, 33, added: "She didn't even let me finish. She said, 'Can I say yes?' Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger. I said, 'Can I give you the ring?' She said: 'Oh, yes, the ring.' It was a really nice moment. Just the two of us."

WATCH KATE SHARE HER JOY BELOW
Beirut (AFP) - Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri flew Wednesday night to Paris for a family visit, a source close to him said.

"He left half an hour ago and will spend a few days with his family in Paris," said the source.

Hariri's shock resignation announcement from Saudi Arabia early this month, followed by a lengthy stay in Riyadh, had prompted speculation that he had been forced to quit and was not free to travel.

He headed to the French capital at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron before returning to Lebanon last week.

The next day, at Lebanese President Michel Aoun's request, he agreed to suspend his decision to resign pending talks on the political situation.

Some analysts described his departure for France as an "exfiltration" by Paris.

Hariri announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, citing Iran's "grip" on his country and threats to his life.

In a speech broadcast by the Al-Arabiya news network, he accused Tehran of "creating a state within a state" and blasted its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah.

Iran rejected what it called "unfounded accusations".

Hariri has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain prime minister, demanding that Hezbollah respect a policy of non-interference in regional conflicts.

The Lebanese Shiite movement has fought on the side of the Iran-backed regime in neighbouring Syria.
A look into Japan, a nation torn between peace and preparation The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, or Genbaku Dome, has been preserved in the same state it was in immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped on Aug. 6, 1945. It is seen here as leaves begin to take on autumn colors, on Nov. 8, 2017. (Photo: Michael Walsh/Yahoo News)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abes desire to remove pacifist constraints on the Self-Defense Forces from Japans post-WWII constitution has found more support among the Japanese people now that North Korea has nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, Abes objective can be a hard sell for many Japanese citizens, who view peace as central to the nations identity.

Yahoo News journalist Michael Walsh traveled to Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki from Nov. 5 to Nov. 11 on a fellowship from Foreign Press Center Japan to discuss the nations current security challenges, commitment to pacifism and collective memory of the atomic bombings. Every person interviewed shared a commitment to keeping Japan safe while promoting peace and nuclear disarmament. But there was disagreement over the right path to this goal. (Michael Walsh/Yahoo News)

Photography by Michael Walsh/Yahoo News

Read: Japans atomic dilemma: Pacifism and the threat of North Korea 

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Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland addresses the media to close the second round of NAFTA talks involving the United States, Mexico and Canada at Secretary of Economy headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico, September 5, 2017. (Reuters)

Analysts have warned that failure to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement is apt to drive the Canadian dollar downwards to the mid- to low-60 cents against the greenback. But it could also rewrite Canadas economic approach.

Political posturing and antagonism have pockmarked negotiations of the three-nation pact, since U.S. President Trumps trade team officially came to the table in August. While the process is likely to flow into 2018, analysts have already begun outlining their doomsday scenarios for a post-NAFTA world, and in them, the Canadian dollar is in for a shock.

In JPMorgan Chase & Co.s October note, a team of strategists led by Daniel Hui warned that: Even if the only trade relationship materially disrupted is the U.S.-Mexican one, Canada would still suffer from negative impacts due to the disruption of supply chains that span all three countries.

If that happens, the loonie could fall from the high 70-cent range where it stands now to 66- or 62-cents against the U.S. dollar.

The Canadian dollar, though less vulnerable to a NAFTA breakdown than the peso, could move to the 1.34-1.38 per dollar range if such a scenario were to play out that included an unwinding of recent Bank of Canada hikes and a weakening of WTI (West Texas intermediate crude) oil prices to around $35 a barrel, he says.

Walid Hejazi , an associate professor of economic analysis and policy at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management, says that the JPMorgan number is reasonable assuming you snap back to the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

If we dont itd be much worse, says Hejazi. Theres no question that a disruption to the NAFTA is going to hurt the Canadian economy and with that, its going to take the wind out of our sails.

One of the obvious immediate impacts would be an unwinding of the Bank of Canadas benchmark overnight rate, which was increased twice this year by a quarter-of-a-percentage-point in both cases.

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(But) we dont have much room to unwind, says Isaac Holloway , assistant professor in the business, economics, and public policy group at Western Universitys Ivey Business School. Its fairly likely that the Fed might hold off on its rate tightening as well.

In other words, if the Bank of Canada drops rates by another quarter of a per cent or even a full 50 basis points and the Feds hold, there will likely be some downward pressure on the Canadian dollar.

The thing about NAFTA is its a trade agreement so to some extent, if both Canada and the U.S. revert back, were still looking at zero tariffs for most goods, he says. So the bilateral relationship is not going to be facing more tariffs, it probably is more of a business uncertainty environment thats the problem.

And Canada would bear the brunt of that uncertainty from an export perspective. According to research by University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe, Michigan and Vermont are the only U.S. states where trade with Canada exceeds 10 per cent of their annual economic output. Compare that with Canadian provinces like Ontario where 49 per cent of its GDP depends on trade with the U.S., Alberta, where its 31 per cent and Quebec where the U.S. makes up 23 per cent of the provinces GDP.

All of our supply chains are linked into the U.S., says Hejazi. It would be incredibly disruptive, as these supply chains have to become re-oriented.

But, in some ways, says Hejazi, it offers an opportunity to examine the value of putting too much stock in the U.S. as a trading partner.

The sub-story to all of this is Canadian companies  and the government needs to encourage this  need to increase their footprint in emerging markets, we dont want to be too vulnerable to the Trumps of the world, he says. The positive spin is the falling dollar makes our exports easier (read: cheaper) to sell elsewhere.

Holloway is quick to point out that while finding new trade partners is a conversation that should be had in light of the current U.S. administration, deliberately saying they want to cut their ties to our economy and build a metaphorical wall through getting out of these trade agreements, diversifying is easier said than done.

If we think of the economic law of gravity, youre going to trade more with countries that are big and youre going to trade more with countries that are close, he says. And (that law) is difficult to break  especially for a province like Ontario which would have so far to go to have someone like China replace its trade relationship with the States.

Holloway points out that while its important to discuss the potential impact on the Canadian dollar, its very difficult to forecast the degree to which markets and businesses get scared off by a collapse of NAFTA .

We could make some educated guesses but frankly, we dont really know, he says adding that there are sectors that benefit from a low dollar like the tourism sector and exporters who arent facing any other tariffs. Weve had a fairly low dollar (recently) in a sense that were not at parity like we were a couple years ago, so theres been some lead time for firms to think about a strategy.

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The Senate tax bill went through a familiar cycle on Tuesday. In the morning, Republican lawmakers raised doubts about it that seemed irreconcilable. In the afternoon, they voted for it.

The Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to move the bill forward, allowing it to hit the Senate floor later this week, with the support of two Republicans who had criticized it hours before: Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

Its a cycle that, so far, has kept hope alive on a bill that has raised concerns among both deficit hawks and those who wish it cut taxes further, while attracting no Democratic support so far, all while facing broad skepticism among the public. (Just 25% of respondents approved of the plan in one recent poll.)

The most contentious issue within the Republican conference is the bills impact on the debt and deficit. Those who support it have repeatedly said that its sweeping tax cuts  many of which disproportionately benefit the wealthy  wont hike the national deficit by more than $1.4 trillion over the next decade, but a number of deficit hawks are skeptical.

At least four Republican Senators  Corker, and also Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Todd Young of Indiana  have expressed concerns that the bill will cost much more, and when it does, that Congress wont act to rectify the situation.

The solution that some of them are calling for is simple: a so-called trigger mechanism that will reign in tax cuts if economic growth under the tax reform bill doesnt meet forecasts.

Weve got to be able to make it where a backstop is set up and people arent afraid of it, Lankford told reporters late Tuesday afternoon. And you hope its never used! Its only designed for if were not hitting revenue totals and were kicking in more deficit.

But snark from other Senate Republicans suggests that this isnt something that will be added easily to the bill.

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I am not going to vote to automatically implement tax increases on the American people, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said. If I do that, consider me drunk.

These conflicts were the subject of discussion at a weekly luncheon of Senate Republicans on Tuesday, which President Trump attended. There, he seemed amenable to adding the trigger mechanism, according to Bloomberg.

I wish you could have been inside that room, Trump said later in the day. It was very, very special  the camaraderie. It was somewhat of a lovefest.

Maybe so. But the stark truth is that Republicans, who hold a slim majority of 52 seats in the Senate, can afford to lose just two votes in order to pass the bill along party lines. In an interview with TIME earlier this month, Flake said he would not vote for a bill that would balloon the deficit.

We can do tax reform in ways that will grow the economy but we cant just ignore the debt and deficit, he said.

Republican lawmakers have not yet unveiled specific tweaks to the bill that will appease its skeptics. Two Republican Senators who previously spoke out against it on the grounds that it harmed small businesses, Johnson and Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, seemed only somewhat less ambivalent on Tuesday. Johnsons yes vote in committee served only to keep moving the process along, a spokesperson told Axios.

Theres also Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican who has criticized the bills repeal of Obamacares individual mandate. She has called for a compromise: support for the so-called Alexander-Murray bipartisan bill, named for its sponsors, Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Patty Murray of Washington, that would stabilize insurance marketplaces. Trump reportedly said he would support the legislation, though in the past hes spoken out in harsh terms against it.

The margins are thin. The bill in its current form is unlikely to get any Democratic support: even moderates from red states, such as Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, have called for additional compromises first. And lawmakers farther to the left are apoplectic.

It gives huge tax breaks to the people who need it the least  the very very wealthy, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, said during the hearing on Tuesday. I have not the slightest doubt that this bill if, God forbid, it is passed, the Republican leadership is going to come back and say oh, we need to deal with the deficit  and then theyll cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and education.

But despite the criticism of the bill from inside and outside the Republican caucus, it keeps moving along.
The Marlins have no intention to contend even if Giancarlo Stanton comes back. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

If Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton truly wants to play on a contender, hell have to accept a trade to another team. Because if the reigning National League MVP decides to come back to the Marlins, the team will just deal away everyone else.

The Marlins reportedly told the 28-year-old outfielder that if he didnt waive his no-trade clause and accept a trade to another club, they would still reduce payroll by selling off other talented players, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

Spencer points out this wasnt presented to Stanton as an ultimatum, but the intent is clear. If we have to keep paying your high salary, expect to be surrounded by a terrible supporting cast. Stanton will make $25 million in 2018, and thats conveniently close to the amount the Marlins are reportedly looking to shed before next season.

The club is already floating both Martin Prado and Dee Gordon in deals. If Stanton returns, its possible theyll also look to trade Edinson Volquez, Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich.

The optimist might look at this and say, at least the Marlins are being honest with Stanton. By telling him they plan to tear things down, they are giving him the opportunity to leave and play on a contender.

The Marlins, however, probably dont deserve the benefit of the doubt at this point. The teams new ownership group  led by Derek Jeter  hasnt exactly made a good first impression  or second or third impression  on anyone. Jeters group has fired franchise legends, parted ways with beloved broadcasters and not so quietly declared they are going to strip the teams payroll yet again.

Given all that, the clubs message to Stanton reads more like a ploy of desperation and disrespect. They are telling Stanton that he better accept a deal or else, even if its to a place he doesnt want to play. Its an intimidation tactic, and no way to treat the franchises best player over the past eight seasons.

Its also a slap in the face to the fans. Even if Stanton wanted to stay in Miami and make things work, the team isnt going to support him. The team has no ambitions to contend even with the NL MVP. They would rather waste another year of Stantons prime.

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Jeters group was supposed to represent a new era in Miami. Instead, its tough not to look at these tactics and immediately be reminded of Jeffrey Loria.

Stanton already put up with that for eight years. We cant imagine hell want to do it all over again.

      

Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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Matt Lauer, Bill OReilly, and Corey Feldman. (Photo: Getty Images)

After Matt Lauers swift firing from NBC following a complaint about inappropriate sexual behavior, the former host of the Today show is in the hot seat. Lauer has now been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in a report published by Variety.

The veteran TV journalist has conducted several interviews on the topic of sexual harassment in the last three months  and theyre all especially awkward to look back at now. Here are a few:

Bill OReilly

Lauer scored an interview with the former The OReilly Factor host, who was let go by Fox News after his own sexual harassment scandal earlier this year.

You were probably the last guy in the world that they wanted to fire, because you were the guy that the ratings and the revenues were built on. You carried that network on your shoulders for a lot of years, Lauer said. So doesnt it seem safe to assume that the people at Fox News were given a piece of information, or given some evidence, that simply made it impossible for you to stay on at Fox News?

Thats false assumption, OReilly retorted. It was a business decision that they made. But there isnt any smoking gun.

But you dont let your No. 1 guy go unless you have information that you think makes him.  Lauer said, before OReilly jumped in with, Sure you do.  Thats not true. There are billions of dollars at stake in business deals, and they made a business decision that they could possibly prosper more without me.

Later on, Lauer asked, So why didnt you sue those women if you say you did absolutely nothing wrong?  Think about those five women and what they did. They came forward and filed complaints against the biggest star at the network they worked at. Think of how intimidating that must have been, how nerve-wracking that must have been. Doesnt that tell you how strongly they felt about the way they were treated by you?

Politics aside and keeping in mind the events of today, the entire eight-minute sit-down is uncomfortable, to say the least.

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Julia Roberts

A few weeks ago, Lauer chatted with the actress about her film Wonder, and he brought up the prevalent topic. While Robertss family and career are on track, the movie industry has been derailed by recent revelations and admissions about sexual abuse by several powerful men in Hollywood, Lauer says in a voiceover. As a staple in the business, I asked Julia to weigh in.

After Roberts condemned what has been going in in Hollywood, Lauer brought the #MeToo movement in, asking, I mentioned youre a huge name in Hollywood, but it wasnt always the case. You were a young and up-and-coming actress  did you have these experiences? After Roberts said she was lucky not to have experienced harassment, Lauer asked, Do you think as a 21-year-old  that Mystic Pizza Julia Roberts  you would have known how to deal with it? Being put in one of those situations?

In Varietys article, Lauer has been accused of focusing his attention on attractive young women with career ambitions.

Corey Feldman

Last month, former child star Corey Feldman was interviewed by Lauer about his plans to expose Hollywood pedophiles in an upcoming feature film. The Today host opened the interview by asking Feldman how prevalent the abuse in Hollywood is.

I believe theres a lot of darkness in Hollywood right now.  As weve seen with the Harvey Weinstein scandal, it continues to unfold. New names come forward every day  its going to continue unraveling, Feldman said. Everything youre seeing is building up to what I believe is going to be a dam breaking open.

The entire interview was contentious. Feldman was quick to explain his thoughts about the hostile sit-down on Twitter after news of Lauers firing broke.

HMMMMM INTERESTING..THIS MIGHT EXPLAIN THE HOSTILE INTERVIEW WHILE I WAS TRYING 2 EXPOSE THE #TRUTH.EH MATT? NBC Fires Matt Lauer Over Sexual Misconduct Allegation  The New York Times https://t.co/ZYQVSLR4U4  Corey Feldman (@Corey_Feldman) November 29, 2017

Ronan Farrow

The NBC News correspondent helped blow open the Harvey Weinstein scandal with his piece for the New Yorker. It contained on-the-record accounts from some of the disgraced producers alleged victims, as well as the first allegations of nonconsensual sex (something Weinstein has denied). Farrow sat down with the Today show and talked with co-hosts Lauer and Savannah Guthrie about his story. At the end of the three-minute interview, Lauer told Farrow, Its an extraordinary article; nice job.

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For more than 20 years, people have invited Matt Lauer into their homes while they sipped their coffee in pajamas and got ready for work. Hes been a stoic figure during tough times in the world, but he has also shown a lighter side, dressing up as Dolly Parton on Halloween, goofing off with Al Roker, and cuddling puppies. So, despite the current post-Harvey Weinstein climate, the news on Wednesday of his firing over allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior sent shockwaves.

Matt Lauer with his wife, Annette Roque Lauer, at the 2015 Hamptons Classic Grand Prix. (Photo: Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)

While Lauers co-host Savannah Guthrie got emotional delivering the news, the people affected the most by this  in addition to the person accusing him of sexual misconduct  are his family members. Lauer has been married to Annette Roque Lauer, a former model from the Netherlands, since 1998, and they have three children: Jack, Romy, and Thijs. Its his second marriage  the first, to Emmy-winning TV producer Nancy Alspaugh, ended in 1988.

Roque, who has modeled for Victorias Secret and J.Crew, was photographed on the red carpet with Lauer as recently as August, when they attended Apollo in the Hamptons, where they own a $36.5 million estate that they purchased from Richard Gere in 2016. At the benefit, they posed with another high-profile Hamptons couple: Howard and Beth Stern.

Matt Lauer and Annette Roque Lauer with Howard Stern and Beth Ostrosky Stern at Apollo in the Hamptons 2017 in East Hampton, N.Y., on Aug. 12, 2017. (Photo: Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Their public appearances together, however, are infrequent  maybe once a year. For as much as Lauer reports to us about other people, hes kept his personal life fairly private. Maybe (or maybe not) thats because his marriage made major headlines in 2006 when Roque, while pregnant with their third child, filed for divorce from Lauer, citing cruel and inhumane treatment. The court documents, obtained by the tabloid National Enquirer, stated that Lauer demonstrated hostility and anger toward her.

Obviously, they worked things out (rather quickly), but that tarnished his squeaky-clean facade. It also led to many more rumors about Lauers personal life  mostly that he was unfaithful. A few years later, in 2010, the Lauers found themselves denying a report that they split and Lauer had moved out of their home, which included gossip about his gallivanting with women at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. In an interview with People, he acknowledged past difficulties in the marriage, but he called reports that he cheated on his wife ridiculous and offensive.

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Have we had a completely perfect, easy marriage? No, he told the magazine. But the stories youve read over the years are not true.  I dont think were any different than any married couple thats been together for 12 years. The accusations [of infidelity] are ridiculous, and Im not going to [dignify] them with an answer. Its not true.

Annette Roque Lauer, who was interviewed separately by the mag, said that while they had had past marital difficulties, we have worked through it.

In 2015, Matt Lauer said during a Facebook chat, There are very few things I like more than standing at the top of a [ski] slope with Annette and the kids. However, he also said that his work-home life was a difficult balance. Its a challenge for me just as its challenging for everyone else, he shared. There are times when the schedule of this job interferes with things I want to be a part of at home. He also talked about how his kids visited him on the Today set, especially when an act they liked was performing during the summer concert series, but said that his fame bothers them. Im not famous at home, he said. Im just Papa.

Matt Lauer married Annette Roque at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church on Long Island in 1998. (Photo: John Roca/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

While the rumors of his infidelity never really stopped after the almost divorce, they really kicked up again in 2016 when Natalie Morales left the Today show to take a job in Los Angeles. There was chatter that the two had had an inappropriate relationship and that she was shipped off after it ended. Both Morales and Lauer strongly denied the gossip, and she called it absurd, hurtful, and extremely sexist.

On Wednesday morning, CNN broke the news that Lauer had been let go. NBC News chairman Andrew Lack told staffers in a memo that the media organization had received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. (Unconfirmed reports say it took place during the 2014 Olympics.)

Matt Lauers then-girlfriend Annette Roque accompanied him to the Taj Mahal in India on April 4, 1998, for the Today shows Where in the World Is Matt Lauer? (Photo: NBC/NBC NewsWire)

It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards, Lack wrote. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

The memo continued: Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender. We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization  and do it in as transparent a manner as we can.

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London (AFP) - Meghan Markle will embark upon her transition from US actress to British royal by getting baptised in the Church of England ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry in Windsor Castle next May and applying for British citizenship, royal officials said on Tuesday.

"She intends to become a UK citizen. The process for that takes a number of years. She'll retain the US citizenship during that process," Harry's spokesman Jason Knauf told reporters at a briefing.

Knauf said Harry and Markle, who are both passionate charity campaigners, planned to put their personal stamp on the wedding, adding: "They will be making sure it reflects who they are as a couple."

They "want the public to feel part of their day".

The couple will go to Nottingham in central England on Friday for their first joint visit since announcing their engagement on Monday.

Knauf said Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth II's weekend residence near London, was a "very special place" for Harry and that he and Markle, 36, had spent time there together during their 16-month romance.

Harry, 33, was also baptised in the chapel and it was the place where Charles and Camilla, who were both divorced at the time, received a religious blessing following their civil wedding ceremony in 2005.

It has been the scene of numerous royal marriages, in particular during and after the 63-year reign of Queen Victoria, beginning in 1837.

- 'America's loss is our gain' -

Kensington Palace, Harry's official residence, said in a statement that the royal family would pay for the wedding and Elizabeth II "had granted permission for the wedding to take place in the chapel".

The exact date of the wedding will be revealed later.

The queen has expressed her approval and tributes continued to pour in on Tuesday from other royals.

During a visit to a museum in central London, Prince William's wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, said she and her husband were "absolutely thrilled".

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"It's a really happy time for any couple," she said.

Prince Charles's wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, said: "It's brilliant! America's loss is our gain. We're all absolutely delighted."

Being American, a divorcee, an actress, a vocal feminist and of mixed-race heritage, Markle has an unusual background for a member of the British royal family and this has drawn extensive commentary.

"When I looked at the royal family there was no one who looked like me, there was no one I could really relate to," Afua Hirsch, author of the book "Brit(ish)", said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"There is this pressure to always try and make your difference invisible or to say: 'We don't see race, it's fine, it will hopefully go away'.

"She's the antithesis of that... It's a change in narrative as well as just the visual difference with visibly black heritage in the royal family."

- No gender work -

Markle's father is Presbyterian, her mother is Protestant and she attended a Catholic school.

Royal officials said she would get baptised and confirmed in the Church of England.

The palace said she would also be discontinuing her UN work on gender equality and other campaigning activities as an actress and would instead concentrate on her charity activities as a royal.

In Nottingham on Friday, the two will visit an AIDS charity fair and a school, as well as going on a walkabout to meet members of the public -- a tradition for newly-engaged royal couples.

Knauf said Harry was looking forward to going with Markle to Nottingham and introducing her to "a community that has become very special to him."

Knauf also revealed that one of Markle's two dogs, Guy, would stay with her in Britain but the other, Bogart, would not be joining her.

"Bogart is now living with friends," he said.
Photo credit: Getty

From Prima

It's only just been confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged, but there's already speculation that the actress will be joining the Queen for Christmas at Sandringham this year.

The Suits star is expected to be invited to the three-day celebrations at Norfolk's Sandringham House with the royal family, following Clarence House's confirmation that she and Harry are to marry in spring next year (via The Telegraph).

It would go against usual royal protocol however, as the Duchess of Cambridge was not invited to join Prince William for Christmas in 2010, despite announcing their engagement a month before.

Markle was recently omitted from the Queen and Prince Philip's 70th wedding anniversary celebrations at Windsor Castle, as was Princess Eugenie's boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank.

But it is being rumoured that the royals will also be toasting Markle and Harry's exciting news during their Christmas festivities.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness. https://t.co/aAJ23uSbao - The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 27, 2017

The Queen released a statement to declare that she and her husband, Prince Philip, 'are delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness', a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

Harry and Markle  who have been dating since last summer  secretly got engaged earlier this month.

The happy news was announced by Clarence House in the following statement: 'His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle.

'The wedding will take place in spring 2018. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.

'His Royal Highness and Ms. Markle became engaged in London earlier this month. Prince Harry has informed Her Majesty The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle's parents.

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'The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.'

William and Kate added that they were 'very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together'.

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Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto designated an ocean region near the southwestern coast of Mexico as a protected area. Uniquely rich in marine biodiversity, the area is North America's largest marine reserve, at nearly 58,000 square miles (150,000 square kilometers).

On Friday (Nov. 24), President Nieto signed a decree to create the Revillagigedo Archipelago National Park in a region of the Pacific Ocean that surrounds four volcanic islands: Clarion, Roca Partida, Socorro and San Benedicto. The islands, which are uninhabited by people, are located about 240 miles (390 km) to the southwest of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

Remarkably diverse communities of ocean life call these waters home. These organisms include four species of sea turtles, more than 37 species of sharks and rays, and at least 366 species of fish, dozens of which are found nowhere else on Earth, representatives of the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project (PBOLP) said in a statement. The PBOLP nonprofit collaborated with Mexican conservation organizations and federal officials to establish the reserve. [In Photos: Mexico's New Ocean Reserve Protects Stunning Biodiversity]

The Revillagigedo Archipelago also serves as an important route for migratory marine animals, such as seabirds, dolphins, whales, sea turtles, tunas and sharks, with humpback whales lingering in the area throughout the winter months, according to the statement.

Outstanding natural beauty

In July 2016, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the archipelago as a World Heritage site in recognition of the area's outstanding natural beauty and importance as a habitat for threatened species, UNESCO officials announced that year in a statement. President Nieto's declaration prohibits gas and oil extraction, commercial fishing, and development for tourism in the area, ensuring that human activity will not disrupt the ecosystems, PBOLP Director Matt Rand told Live Science.

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"This decree will create a gold standard for marine conservation, a sanctuary for ocean life," Rand said.

A manta ray swims in Revillagigedo Islands waters, off the coast of Mexico. Pelagic Life

Around the archipelago, two ocean currents converge over seamounts, underwater mountain ranges on the seafloor. Volcanic peaks from these mountains emerge above sea level, forming the islands of the archipelago. Together, the seamounts, the movement of the currents and nutrients in the waters give rise to ecosystems where diverse species large and small can collect and thrive, Rand explained.

Actions that protect Earth's ocean environments are critically important right now, he said. In recent years, much of the world's oceans have undergone worrying drops in top predatory fish populations, such as sharks, because of overfishing, which upsets the balance in marine food webs, Rand said.

"And then, on top of that, we're starting to see significant decline [in fish populations] because of climate change. Waters are warming, becoming more acidic and, in some instances, deoxygenated," he said.

Large-scale marine reserves are not only more resilient to the impacts of climate change; they are also more likely to keep their own ecosystems intact and can even help to replenish ocean environments that have been depleted, Rand said. This is particularly true of coral reef ecosystems, which have been especially hard-hit by climate change, he said.

"It's called the spillover effect," he explained. "If we have healthy ecosystems that are fully populated, we have corals spawning. The polyps travel and can regenerate coral reefs in areas at significant distances, hundreds or thousands of miles."

A sailfish approaches a bait ball near the Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico. Pelagic Life

To maintain healthy and sustainable ocean ecosystems, scientists and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have recommended that at least 30 percent of the world's oceans be designated as protected areas, according to the PBOLP. And we have a long way to go to get there, Rand told Live Science. Currently, less than 10 percent of the ocean is protected at all, and under 2 percent is fully protected from all types of natural-resource extraction and development, he said. [Marine Marvels: Spectacular Photos of Sea Creatures]

Conservation progress

However, there have been promising steps toward this objective. In early 2016, U.S. President Barack Obama expanded the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii to cover more than 582,000 square miles (1.5 million square km) in the Pacific Ocean. And then, in October 2016, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) voted to create the world's biggest marine protected area in waters near Antarctica, designating a reserve in which 598,000 square miles (1.55 million square km) in the Southern Ocean would be off-limits to commercial fishing, Live Science previously reported.

Also underway are proposals to create the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary in New Zealand, home to the second-deepest trench on the ocean floor; the Coral Sea Marine Reserve in Australia; New Caledonia's Natural Park of the Coral Sea; and the South Sandwich Islands, where half of the world's penguins live, Rand told Live Science.

"We're excited because we've seen a significant increase in the last decade for large-scale marine reserves globally," Rand said.

"But with the impacts of increasing commercial extraction and climate change, the science is clear  30 percent of the ocean needs to be protected. We need to continue to push the needle on marine reserves. We need a serious uptick globally to reach that goal," he said.

Original article on Live Science.

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By Andrea Shalal

BERLIN (Reuters) - NATO should defend Sweden and Finland in the event of an armed aggression, although neither country is an alliance member, a senior NATO official said on Wednesday at an event that underscored growing concerns about Russia's military buildup.

Commodore Hans Helseth, special adviser to the NATO Joint Warfare Center in Norway, said the two nations' growing ties to the western alliance increased their risk and NATO had a moral obligation to come to their assistance if they were attacked.

"Their non-membership actually lowers the threshold of an armed aggression against the two countries. In my opinion, NATO simply has for moral reasons and other reasons to come to the two countries' assistance," Helseth said at the Berlin Security Conference.

He said NATO remained open to welcoming both nations as members if they chose to join.

Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland agreed this month to step up defence cooperation and exchange more air surveillance information, part of a broader effort to build up their defences to counter Russian activities.

Officials from both Finland and Sweden spoke at the conference about their concerns about Russia's military buildup in the Arctic and northern Europe in general, citing its 2014 annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine as a wakeup call.

The two countries take part in NATO military drills, but they are not covered by Article V of NATO's foundational treaty which says an attack on one member is an attack on all. Both countries know any move to join the alliance would create a backlash in Moscow, which opposes any expansion of NATO.

A senior Russian foreign ministry official on Tuesday called for efforts to rebuild ties with European countries, including more communication among military experts.

But Helseth said there could be "no return to business as usual" with Russia given its annexation of Crimea and its role in supporting violence in eastern Ukraine, as well as its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and use of "unfriendly attacks in the cyber domain".

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Top military leaders from NATO and member countries spoke at the two-day event about their efforts to build up a bigger deterrent to any military aggression by Russia.

U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, who heads U.S. Army forces in Europe, said Russia had missed a big opportunity to mend ties with the West by not being more transparent about military exercises this year.

U.S. and NATO officials say Russian forces far exceeded the 13,000 threshold beyond which a country is obligated to invite military observers. Russia says western officials are exaggerating the scope of the exercises.

Hodges said western nations had achieved an unprecedented level of information-sharing during the exercise, and said he hoped that would continue even as NATO expands its own capabilities to rapidly move forces to the eastern flank.

He cited concerns about recent activities by Russia, including its purchase of 2,000 vehicles to transport tanks by road and moves to take advantage of melting ice in the Arctic.

"Russia is not sitting around waiting to see what happens."

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Peter Graff)
Navajo Nation president Russell Begaye - seen here in Washington, DC on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 - reacted to Donald Trump's comment by referencing the "unfortunate historical legacy" of prejudice against Native Americans: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Members of the Navajo Nation are excoriating Donald Trump for mockingly referring to a political adversary as Pocahontas during a White House event.

During an event honouring Navajo code talkers, who drew on their native language to help the US military send coded communications during World War II, Mr Trump referenced a representative in Congressthey call her "Pocahontas"."

The President has turned the name Pocahontas into an insulting nickname for Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who has faced pushback for referencing her slight Native American ancestry. His decision to derisively invoke a celebrated Native American at an event honouring Native Americans swiftly drew condemnations from Navajo people.

Navajo National Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty blasted the Presidents remarks as the latest example of systemic, deep-rooted ignorance of Native Americans.

The reckless appropriation of this term is deeply offensive and dangerous to the sovereignty and identity of our peoples, she said, adding that The Navajo Code Talkers are not pawns to advance a personal grudge, or promote false narratives.

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye was more reserved, saying his people had no interest in wading into a political dispute and noting in a statement that all tribal nations still battle insensitive references to our people. But family members of Navajo Code Talkers reacted with disbelief.

It was uncalled for, Marty Thompson, the great-nephew of a code talker, told the Associated Press. He can say what he wants when hes out doing his presidential business among his people, but when it comes to honoring veterans or any kind of people, he needs to grow up and quit saying things like that.

Michael Nez, the son of a prominent code talker, told the AP that Its too bad he does put his foot in his mouth.

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Why he does it? I dont know, Mr Nez said.

The White House has tried to tamp down the outrage, with White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying what most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career. Ms Warren has repeatedly denied having invoked her heritage for personal gain.

I think that's a ridiculous response, Ms Sanders told reporters.

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By Gina Cherelus and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - NBC News fired popular "Today" show host Matt Lauer after a colleague accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior, the network said on Wednesday, making him yet another rich and powerful man to be felled this year by accusations of harassment. His termination sent shockwaves through U.S. morning television, where Lauer has been a fixture since becoming a "Today" anchor in 1997, going on to reportedly earn $20 million a year. The married 59-year-old news star was the latest public figure to be embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct that have recently struck down high-profile men in entertainment, politics and media. Just hours later, U.S. radio host Garrison Keillor said he had been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over an accusation of inappropriate behavior. The complaint made by an unnamed female colleague on Monday night was a "clear violation" by Lauer of the company's standards, NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said in a statement. "While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident," Lack said. Lauer's agent Ken Lindner did not respond to requests for comment. The news was announced by "Today" co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb at the start of the talk show, a staple of U.S. morning television for more than six decades that, NBC says, averages more than 4 million viewers. "We just learned this moments ago just this morning," Guthrie said, visibly shaken. "As I'm sure you can imagine we are devastated." Lack's statement did not say who made the accusation, but promised that NBC News would cover Lauer's firing in "as transparent a manner as we can." The woman had met with New York Times reporters on Monday before meeting with NBC's human resources and legal departments that evening to share her allegation, the Times reported, saying that she said she was not ready then to publicly identify herself. The woman's Washington-based lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld, said the meeting with NBC officials lasted several hours. "In fewer than 35 hours, NBC investigated and removed Mr. Lauer," Wilkenfeld wrote in a statement. "Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace." The complaint said the sexual misconduct occurred while Lauer and the female colleague were covering the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics in Russia, NBC News reporter Stephanie Gosk said on air. The misconduct continued after the Games, Gosk said. An NBC representative did not respond to a request for more details. Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable television company, owns NBCUniversal. Its shares rose 2.4 percent to $37.13. "Today" earned $509 million in advertising revenue last year, more than any of its competitors, New York-based analysts Kantar Media said. Lauer joined "Today" in 1994 and has interviewed presidents George Bush and Barack Obama and broadcast from seven Olympic Games. He had been due to join his co-hosts for the nationally-televised lighting of the giant Christmas tree at New York City's Rockefeller Center on Wednesday night. According to Fortune Magazine, he signed a two-year deal in 2016 that would pay him $20 million per year. U.S. President Donald Trump responded with messages on Twitter calling for some of Lauer's colleagues to be fired too, and adding to his recent attacks against U.S. news outlets for their reporting on his administration. "Wow," Trump wrote about Lauer. "But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News." During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-Republican candidate Trump was accused by 13 women who publicly said that in the past he had physically touched them inappropriately in some way, the Washington Post reported. Trump denied the accusations, accused rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign, and went on to win the election. (Reporting by Gina Cherelus and Jonathan Allen; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington, Jessica Toonkel in New York and Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Alden Bentley, Howard Goller and Nick Zieminski)
The latest launch by North Korea has for the first time theoretically put Washington DC in range of Pyongyangs missiles, an expert has calculated.

While it was unlikely the missile fired in the early hours of Wednesday could yet carry a nuclear payload, the missile itself probably had the capability of reaching the US capital, or anywhere else in the country, said David Wright, co-director of the global security programme at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

This is significantly longer than North Koreas previous long-range tests, which flew on lofted trajectories for 37 minutes and 47 minutes, Mr Wright wrote in a blog.

Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC.

Reports suggest the latest missile travelled 620 miles and reached a height of about 2,800 miles before landing off the coast of Japan. This meant it had been fired almost straight up on a lofted trajectory, similar to North Koreas two previous ICBM tests.

Mr Wright said it the missile had flown on a standard trajectory designed to maximise its reach, this missile would have a range of more than 8,100 miles. Washington DC is 6,850 miles from Pyongyang.

He said that experts did not yet know what sort of payload the missile carried, but presumed it was a very light, mock warhead.

If true, that means it would not be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to this long distance, since such a warhead would be much heavier, he said.
Ottawa (AFP) - Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer on Wednesday called for the resignation of Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau over perceived ethics breaches and allegations he profited from his own tax policies.

"In my capacity as leader of the opposition, I am officially calling on Bill Morneau to resign as finance minister," Scheer said.

"It is clear that under a cloud of investigation and serious questions about his dealings going unanswered, he should not continue in his role," he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, stood by the man he credits for Canada's strong economic performance, saying: "I continue to have full confidence in the minister of finance.

"Just look at the half a million new jobs created, he dropped taxes for the middle class, increased them for the richest one percent... He is managing an economy that is doing the best in the G7."

Despite his boss's praise, Morneau has been a drag on the ruling Liberals popularity in recent months, while enduring stinging criticism from the opposition benches in parliament.

It started over the summer with a backlash over Morneau's proposed changes to Canada's small business tax regime.

The opposition Tories used the furor to accuse the minister of hypocrisy by targeting small business owners while doing little to stop Canada's richest people and large corporations from stashing monies in overseas tax shelters.

The finance minister also faced criticisms for failing to disclose his full holdings to the ethics commissioner, including a villa in southern France and shares in his family firm Morneau Shepell.

Morneau had led most to believe that he placed his assets in a blind trust when he was elected in 2015 to avoid any conflicts of interest, until it was revealed he had not.

Throughout Morneau defended his actions as simple administrative failures.

This all came to boiling point Tuesday when Morneau angrily rejected insinuations that he profited from insider knowledge of changes in government tax policies, and threatened to sue his accusers for defamation.

"If the opposition want to continue with these absurd allegations, which have no basis in any sort of fact, they take them outside of the House (where they would not be shielded by parliamentary privilege) and I will give them a sense of exactly how our legal system works," Morneau said.
The first thing that popped into many peoples heads upon hearing the news that Matt Lauer has been fired from the Today show was Ann Curry.

And for many on Twitter, the very next thing that came to mind was the word karma.

When I heard about Matt Lauer, I immediately thought about Ann Curry. He was awful to her. Karma is a bitch.  Brenna (@BookishBren) November 29, 2017

Good for him. This is karma for bullying Ann Curry off the network, a few years back. Good riddance... pic.twitter.com/YEBESidYvz  TheCynicalOptimist (@EccentricGem) November 29, 2017

Matt Lauer just caught his karma bus and Ann Curry was driving pic.twitter.com/zxjVPTBYfz  T Sanders (@troiselaine) November 29, 2017

On Wednesday, NBC announced that the longtime Today host had been fired following allegations of workplace misconduct. The termination reminded many of Lauers relationship with former co-host Curry and the role he played in her departure from the show in 2012.

According to a report by New York Magazine, the two morning co-hosts did not get along. Lauer apparently did not like Curry and didnt put any real effort into improving their awkward on-air interactions.

According to The New York Times, Curry also felt a boys club atmosphere behind the scenes at Today undermined her from the start. She told those close to her that her last few months at the job felt like professional torture.

Curry was allegedly fired from Today because the shows ratings had fallen behind rival Good Morning America. But internal research reportedly found that when the two were onscreen together, it was Lauer who was less appealing to viewers, not Curry.

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He was looking aloof, a little bit holier-than-thou, and pompous, a former NBC executive who viewed the research told New York Magazine.

When Curry announced her departure on air, she openly wept and turned away from Lauer.

It was a moment etched in many viewers memories.

They should make Matt Lauer give a tearful, emotional goodbye on live television like they did to Ann Curry.  Brohibition Now (@OhNoSheTwitnt) November 29, 2017

In response to Lauers firing, Curry told People on Wednesday afternoon, Im still really processing it.

The womens movement got us into the workplace, but it didnt make us safe once we got there, she said in regards to the allegations surrounding Lauer. And the battle lines are now clear. We need to move this revolution forward and make our workplaces safe. Corporate America is quite clearly failing to do so, and unless it does something to change that, we need to keep doing more ourselves.

Before Curry publicly responded, people on Twitter were imagining her reaction to the news of Lauers firing, with many using the phrase Somewhere, Ann Curry ... to express their own karma-is-a-bitch fantasies.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Somewhere, Ann Curry just made her orange juice a mimosa https://t.co/YoNmo0tqfo  Ira Madison III (@ira) November 29, 2017

Somewhere Ann Curry is having a nice bowl of Frosted Karma Flakes.  Dirk Peterson (@PacosFriend) November 29, 2017

Ann Curry upon hearing Matt Lauer has been fired...#karma pic.twitter.com/ch9BR5Gm3j  just_one_elisha (@just_one_elisha) November 29, 2017

So Lauer is out at the Today Show. Hmmmm. Somewhere Ann Curry and Tamron Hall are somewhere doing this: pic.twitter.com/k3cZaMQRCA  Toya Gatewood (@ToyaGatewood) November 29, 2017

A representative for Curry did not respond to HuffPosts request for comment.

This post has been updated to include Currys comments in other media outlets.

Also on HuffPost

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
By Alex Dobuzinskis

(Reuters) - A Somali immigrant who wounded 11 people in a car and knife attack at Ohio State University a year ago was influenced by the ideology of militant group Islamic State, but had no outside help in planning the violence, the FBI said on Wednesday.

Abdul Razak Ali Artan, 20, on Nov. 28, 2016, plowed into pedestrians with a car and then exited the vehicle to stab other victims, before a police officer at the campus shot him.

Artan, who was born in Somalia and became a lawful permanent U.S. resident, was pronounced dead at the scene in Columbus, the state capital.

Islamic State a day later claimed responsibility for Artan's actions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation initially said Artan appeared to have been inspired by the group, but the agency at the time said it had found no evidence others were involved in planning the attack.

After a year-long investigation, the FBI said on Wednesday it had confirmed its initial assessment.

"The evidence from the extensive investigation indicates the perpetrator acted alone and was not directed by a terrorist organization," the FBI statement said, adding that the agency's investigation was complete.

A spokesman for the FBI could not be reached for further comment.

Ohio State officials marked the one-year anniversary of the attack on Tuesday with a solemn ceremony on campus.

A university spokesman said on Wednesday the school had no immediate comment on the FBI's statement.

A Franklin County grand jury in Columbus ruled in May that no crime was committed when a police officer shot and killed Artan to end the attack.

County prosecutor Ron O'Brien said at the time that an investigation by local police also found Artan acted alone.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, editing by G Crosse)
Tampa (AFP) - US police arrested a suspected serial killer on Tuesday who faces charges of murdering four people over a period of several weeks in Tampa, Florida.

The murders took place between October 9 and November 14 in a seven-block area of the city's working-class Seminole Heights neighborhood, prompting the offer of a $100,000 reward for information to help solve the case.

Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III, aged 24, was arrested after police received a tip that he had a firearm at a McDonald's fast food restaurant where he worked.

Police Chief Brian Dugan said Donaldson handed a co-worker a handgun and left the McDonald's to go to a check-cashing business. When he returned, officers were waiting for him.

He was taken to Tampa police headquarters, and "after several hours, (police) had enough information to charge Donaldson with all four of the homicides that have occurred in the Seminole Heights area," the department said in a statement.

The statement did not mention whether or not the tipster would receive the $100,000 reward, which police previously said came from law enforcement organizations and private donations.

Dugan said at a news conference on Tuesday that Donaldson would be charged with four counts of first-degree murder, which can carry the death penalty in Florida.

"Fifty-one days ago, I said this was a struggle between good and evil," Mayor Bob Buckhorn told the same news conference.

"Well tonight, goodness has won. Tonight, in the battle between darkness and light, light has won," he said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott hailed the "the relentless effort" by law enforcement and Tampa's mayor.

"It is unimaginable what the families of these victims are going through," Scott said in a statement.

"We will work to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve."

The victims were Benjamin Mitchell, 22, Monica Hoffa, 32, Anthony Naiboa, 20, and Ronald Felton, 60.

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They were alone on the street at the time they were killed, and were shot dead for no apparent reason. None of them were robbed.

After striking, the killer melted into the night, eluding police even after patrols were stepped up. His apparent knowledge of the neighborhood's ins and outs led to suspicions that he lived there.

After the killings began, police asked locals not to leave home alone after dark, urged them to keep their porch lights on and to hand over any security camera footage they may have of suspicious activity.
President Donald Trump caused waves across the pond Wednesday morning by retweeting three anti-Muslim videos posted on the social media platform by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First.

The videos Trump retweeted to his 43.6 million followers are called Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!, Muslim Destroys a Statue of Virgin Mary! and Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!

Fransen, who, along with Britain First leader Paul Golding, was charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment earlier this year, tweeted God bless you Trump! God bless America! in capitals in response to the Presidents retweet, followed by the abbreviation OCS, standing for Onward Christian Soldiers.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA! OCS @JaydaBF @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/BiQfQkTra9  Jayda Fransen (@JaydaBF) November 29, 2017

The 31-year-old is set to appear in court in Northern Ireland in December, charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in connection with a speech she made at a Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally in Belfast on August 6.

Britain First, a controversial anti-immigration group which describes itself as a political party and a street defense organization, was formed in 2011 by a former member of the similarly far-right British National Party in order to oppose the rise of radical Islam.

The group gained notoriety in 2015 when it shared a photograph of the slain British soldier Lee Rigby, who was killed by two Islamists in 2013, on its Facebook page. The group also made headlines in 2014 when it posted videos online of the group entering and disrupting mosques across London and the northern city of Bradford.
(WASHINGTON)  President Donald Trumps year-end agenda is at a critical juncture as he heads Tuesday to Capitol Hill to rally Senate Republicans on taxes  and then pivot to negotiations with Democrats pressing for victories of their own in a separate, high-stakes showdown over the budget and immigration.

Trump is still seeking his first marquee win in Congress, but the White House and top GOP leaders have work to do to get their tax bill in shape before a hoped-for vote later this week. Party deficit hawks pressed for a backstop mechanism to limit the risk of a spiral in the deficit, even as defenders of small business pressed for more generous treatment for Main Street.

On a separate track from taxes is a multi-layered negotiation over a huge Pentagon budget increase sought by Trump and Republicans and increases for domestic programs demanded by Democrats. Democrats carry leverage into the talks, which have GOP conservatives on edge.

A temporary spending bill expires Dec. 8 and another is needed to prevent a government shutdown. Hurricane aid weighs in the balance and Democrats are pressing for legislative protections for immigrants known as Dreamers, even as conservative Republicans object to including the issue in the crush of year-end business.

Tuesday would bring Trumps third visit to the Capitol in little more than a month  this time to make the sale to Senate Republicans on his signature tax bill. But among the holdouts are GOP Trump critics, including Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee  though GOP leaders are seeking to rope in straggling Republicans with a flurry of deal-cutting.

Theres still some loose ends. Were not quite there yet, said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. But I think were going to get there, I really do.

Trumps sessions with big groups of Republicans tend to take the form of pep rallies, and when visiting a Senate GOP lunch last month Trump spent much of the time on a rambling account of the accomplishments of his administration.

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Later on Tuesday, the bipartisan top four leaders of Congress  Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for the House and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.  will head to the White House to touch gloves on a range of year-end issues.

Topping the bipartisan agenda is a heavily-sought year-end spending package to give both the Pentagon and domestic agencies relief from a budget freeze.

Trump hasnt engaged much with Pelosi and Schumer since a September meeting that produced an agreement on a short-term increase in the governments so-called debt limit and a temporary spending bill that is keeping the governments doors open through Dec. 8.

Trump reveled in the bipartisan deal for a time and generated excitement among Democrats when he told then he would sign legislation to protect from deportation immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

Trump in September reversed an executive order by former President Barack Obama that gave protections to these immigrants, many of whom have little or no connection to their home country. Shortly afterward, he told Pelosi and Schumer he would sign legislation protecting those immigrants, provided Democrats made concessions of their own on border security.

Since the president is such a wild card, neither Democrats nor Republicans were speculating much about what Tuesdays meeting might produce.

Hopefully, we can make progress on an agreement that covers those time-sensitive issues and keeps the government running and working for the American people, Schumer said.
The newly engaged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have scheduled their first official event since announcing their engagement: an appearance on World AIDS Day, as a tribute to the legacy of Harrys mother, Princess Diana.

World AIDS Day is Friday. Kensington Palace says the couple will undertake their first official engagement by meeting representatives of organisations supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle will undertake their first official engagements together in Nottingham this Friday. pic.twitter.com/6RQYdyZ2t2  Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2017

In a series of tweets, Kensington Palace said Harry is looking forward to introducing Ms. Markle to a community that has become very special to him and that they will spend the day visiting a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair.

Later in the day, the couple plans to visit with the staff at the Full Effect program, which helps prevent young people from turning to violence and crime.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle will speak to staff and mentors @NottinghamAcad about the Full Effect programme which is helping prevent young people from turning to violence and crime.  Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2017

Harrys mother spent a good portion of the mid-1980s educating the world about HIV and AIDS. She publicly challenged stigmas associated with the disease, famously shaking the hands of a man with the illness without gloves on in front of global media during a time when people thought the disease could be transmitted via touch. She also opened the UKs first purpose built HIV/Aids unit that exclusively cared for patients infected with the virus, at London Middlesex Hospital.

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In a statement obtained by Elle UK, the palace said, Prince Harry has spent a significant amount of private and public time in the city, and His Royal Highness is looking forward to introducing Ms. Markle to a community that has become very special to him.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down for their first interview after the announcement of their engagement on November 27. The 33-year-old Prince and the 36-year-old actress only had eyes for each other as they shared the details of their romantic proposal and relationship  with BBCs Mishal Husain. Harry said the stars aligned when he met the love of his life  before he decided to propose after a year of being together. Watch below for all the major moments from Harry and Meghans interview.

prince-harry-meghan-markle

The Prince and his bride-to-be sat down for their first televised interview Photo: Getty Images

The proposal

Harry and Meghans engagement may have been announced on November 27, but the pair revealed that they have been engaged for a few weeks. The romantic proposal took place at their home in Nottingham Cottage during a cozy night in roasting a chicken with the Suits star admitting that she was taken by surprise. It was just an amazing surprise, Meghan said. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.

The ring

During the interview, the pair were asked about one of the most important aspects of their engagement  the ring. Harry designed the sparkler and noted the importance of including yellow gold, which is Meghans favorite, a stone sourced from Botswana  a place close to their hearts  and two additional stones from Princess Dianas collection. When talking about the stunning piece of jewelry, the pair couldnt keep their eyes off the rock, with Harry joking, make sure it stays on that finger.

The secret to making their long-distance love work

After months of privacy in their relationship, and living in Toronto and England, Meghan shared that the key to maintaining their love was finding time to see each other, despite their busy schedules. I think we were able to really have so much time, just to connect, Meghan said. And we never went longer than two weeks without seeing each other, even though we were doing a long-distance relationship. We made it work.

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On putting their relationship ahead of everything

The 33-year-old Prince admitted that he feels a sense of responsibility for his bride-to-be. Harry shared that from the moment he met the 36-year-old and decided that they would be a pair  it was his job to make sure they put their relationship ahead of anything thrown their way. I know that at the end of the day she chooses me and I chose her," he said. "And at the end of the day, whatever we have to tackle together or individually, will always be us together as a team. Shes capable of anything.

The "exciting" moment Meghan met the Royal Family

Harry and Meghan have received solid support from his family. Harry shared that it was exciting when Meghan finally had the chance to meet members his family including, his father Charles, brother William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton. William was logging to meet her and so was Catherine, he noted. Catherine has been absolutely amazing as is William as well, a fantastic support. With Meghan adding that the whole family has been amazing.

Meeting the Queen  and the corgis

Meghan valued every moment she had with the Queen. The actress shared that it was great to meet her as not only the Queen, but as one of the most important women in her future husbands life. The love that he has for her as his grandmother, all of those layers have been so important for me, so that when I met her, I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. The pair noted that the Queens five corgis all took an immediate liking to Meghan as well.

Harry says Meghan and Diana would have been close

Although Harrys mother, Princess Diana passed away over twenty years ago, the Prince wanted to make sure that she was included in this special moment. Meghans ring, which was designed by the Prince, includes two of the Princess of Wales stones. The 33-year-old Prince noted that his mother would be over-the-moon for the pair. I think they would be thick as thieves, he said. It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news, but with the ring and everything thats going on, Im sure she is with us, jumping up and down somewhere else.
Wedding planning can be stressful for any couple whose families come from different religious and cultural backgrounds. Big decisions  like who will conduct the wedding and where it will take place  are made even more complicated when one of the partners has a grandmother who is the royal head of a state church.

On Tuesday, Kensington Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II gave Prince Harry and Meghan Markle permission to have a church wedding at St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle. Markle, who was raised Protestant and attended a Catholic school as a child, will be baptized and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding, the Telegraph reports.

Part of what makes the upcoming royal wedding so remarkable is that Markle is a divorcee whose former partner is still alive  a fact that just a few years ago would have caused a headache for the British monarchy and scandalized the church.

But thankfully for these lovebirds, times have changed. The steps Markle has to take to secure her place in Harrys family are less involved than what others seeking to enter the royal family had to go through in the past.

Actress Meghan Markle will reportedly be baptized into the Church of England, the Telegraph reports. (Photo: Toby Melville / Reuters)

Remarriage In The Church Of England

Remarriage after a divorce has been a tricky subject for royal couples. The complications come from the fact that the British monarch is also the supreme governor of the Church of England.

Although theres little chance that Harry will inherit that position, hes still just fifth in line to the throne, which places him under the scope of the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013. That means he requires the Queens consent to marry. His relationship was likely closely evaluated by the church and by the monarchy.

The churchs position on divorce was much stricter in the past. But since 2002, the Church of England has said that a divorced person may marry again in church while a former spouse is still alive in exceptional circumstances.

Norman Doe, an expert on Anglican canon law at Cardiff University, told HuffPost that any member of a Church of England parish has a legal right to have their marriage held at their parish church. However, that right doesnt apply in cases where one or both partners are divorced, and whose former spouse is still alive.

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In the end, Doe said each clergy member decides whether or not to conduct the marriage as a matter of personal conscience  meaning, he or she is able to object to the remarriage.

Britain's Prince Harry poses with Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, London, on Nov. 27, 2017. (Photo: POOL New / Reuters)

Markles Road To Being Welcomed Into The Church

The Church of England encourages clergy members to ask a couple questions to find out how committed they are to their upcoming marriage.

Philip Williamson, a historian of religion and the British monarchy at Durham University, told HuffPost he wouldnt be surprised if Markle has already met privately with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby or another church leader to discuss her previous marriage and receive counseling. (The archbishop leads the Church of England and traditionally presides over royal weddings.)

I have no idea about Ms. Markles marital history, but I would guess that before a wedding consecrated by the Church she would be asked some questions, probably by the archbishop of Canterbury, about the circumstances of the divorce, Williamson told HuffPost in an email. Id be surprised if this has not already been done, with a successful outcome. The implications of messages from the Palace and the archbishop seem to be that there will be a religious wedding, and neither would want to be put on the spot and find themselves embarrassed.

The Church of England has a leaflet with advice for couples seeking marriage after a divorce. In it, the church advises the partners to be prepared to reflect on a few questions with their local parish priest.

The pamphlet includes some questions to consider.

Adult baptism and confirmation in the Church of England is a similarly involved process. Candidates are typically asked to attend a few sessions to explore their faith with a vicar. During the baptism service, the candidate will be given the opportunity to repent of their past sins and declare that they accept Christ as their savior. A priest will either pour water on the new members head, or fully immerse him or her in a pool of water.

Flowers and a card addressed the Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen attached to the railings of Kensington Palace in London on Nov.28, 2017. (Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi / Reuters)

A Break From The Past

The Church of England hasnt always been as gracious about royalty marrying divorced individuals. Markle faces a much easier road to acceptance in the royal family than some of her predecessors.

In 1936, King Edward VIII caused a scandal by falling in love with the twice- divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. At that point, the Church of England banned members from remarrying a divorced person whose previous spouse was still alive.

Williamson, the Durham University professor, told HuffPost that like other divorcees at the time, Simpson first had to prove that she was not the guilty party who caused her first marriage to break down before she could be received at any functions in the royal court.

She even had to produce copies of her divorce papers for the Lord Chamberlains office, Williamson said.

Edward VIII eventually had to abdicate his throne to marry Simpson.

In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II, under pressure from the Church of England and the government of Winston Churchill, refused to give her sister Princess Margaret permission to marry the divorced Captain Peter Townsend unless Margaret was removed from the line of succession. (Margaret later decided not to continue the relationship.)

More recently, in 2005, bishops in the Church of England were torn about how to handle the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. By this time, the churchs rules about remarriage had shifted toward acceptance in some circumstances. The problem here was that both parties had admitted to having an affair while they were still married to other people, according to the BBC, which goes back to the churchs reluctance to allow those responsible for the breakdown of a marriage to wed once again.

Even for an established church close to the monarchy, there was a serious problem of seeming to make allowances for royalty which were not available for other worshippers in the church, even aside from moral and religious principle, Williamson said.

The couples solution was to have a civil ceremony off church grounds followed by a service of prayer and dedication in St. Georges Chapel presided over by Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury at the time. The church service included a reading of the act of penitence, where Charles and Camilla joined the congregation in acknowledging their manifold sins and wickedness.

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Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles inside St. George's Chapel for the service of prayer and dedication following their civil wedding ceremony. (Photo: Tim Graham via Getty Images)

While his predecessors struggled to come to terms with divorced individuals marrying into the royal family, the current archbishop of Canterbury welcomed news of Harrys engagement.

Welby issued a statement on Monday saying he is happy the couple has chosen to make their vows before God.

I am absolutely delighted to hear the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now engaged, Welby said. I wish them many years of love, happiness and fulfillment and ask that God blesses them throughout their married life together.

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CUDDLE ALERT.

Too cute.

<3 <3 <3

Why so serious?

MORE cuddles.

Meghan's mom was there, too!

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Addis Ababa (AFP) - A renewed bout of clashes between two of Ethiopia's largest ethnic groups killed more than 20 people last week, the state-controlled broadcaster reported on Monday.

Fighting again broke out between the Oromo and Somali peoples along the border of their ethnically-demarcated federal regions but the cause of the violence was unknown, according to the Fana Broadcast Corporate.

Hundreds of people were killed and tens of thousands displaced in a string of clashes between the ethnic groups in September until the military intervened to quell the bloodshed.

"Conflicts claimed the lives of more than 20 people from both regional states," the broadcaster said, citing government spokesman Negeri Lencho.

It added that while the security situation has improved since September's bloodshed "it is impossible to say that the conflict is totally ended."

The reports of the new clashes came after the government said 103 people had been arrested on suspicion of stoking the September fighting, though it was unclear if the arrests and the violence were connected.

Somalis and Oromos have for years squabbled over access to arable land along their borders, but the clashes two months ago were much more widespread, with one local official in a city near the border saying 67,800 Oromos alone had fled.

Ethiopia's government has prioritised ending the conflict and helping the survivors, and three other regions in the country have donated 30 million birr ($1 million, 919,000 euros) to assist people displaced by the crisis.
Leigh Corfman, the first woman to accuse Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her, has written an open letter to the former judge demanding that he stop calling her a liar.

I demand that you stop calling me a liar and attacking my character, Corfman wrote in the letter, published by AL.com on Tuesday. I am telling the truth, and you should have the decency to admit it and apologize.

Earlier this month, the Washington Post published a report detailing sexual misconduct allegations against Moore by four women, including Corfman. She told the newspaper that in 1979  when she was 14, and Moore was 32  Moore partially undressed her and himself, touched her over her undergarments and guided her hand to touch him.

When the Washington Post approached me about what you did to me as a child, I told them what happened, just as I had told family and friends years before, Corfman wrote in her open letter. I stand by every word.

Corfman was the first of nine women to publicly accuse Moore of various forms of misconduct. All but one said they were teenagers when Moore pursued sexual relationships with them.

Moore has fiercely denied misconduct allegations, and denied even knowing Corfman.

On Wednesday, his campaign tweeted a link to a video report that attempts to smear his accusers.

WATCH: Moore Accusers Have Ties to Drug Dealers & Washington Post | One America News Network #ALSen https://t.co/roycwckHhm  Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 29, 2017

At a rally in Henagar, Ala., on Monday night, Moore called the charges against him completely false and described them as a conspiracy concocted by Democrats and establishment Republicans.

These allegations are completely false, he said. They are malicious. Specifically, I do not know any of these women, nor have I ever engaged in sexual misconduct with anyone.

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Last week, in an appearance on NBCs Today show, Corfman elaborated on her alleged encounter with Moore.

Referring to Moores assertion that he doesnt even know her, she remarked: I wonder how many mes he doesnt know.

I gave an interview on television so that people could judge for themselves whether I was telling the truth, she wrote in the open letter. You sent out your spokesmen to call me a liar. Day after day. Finally, last night, you did the dirty work yourself.

The initial barrage of attacks against me voiced by your campaign spokespersons and others seemed petty, so I did not respond, Corfman continued. But when you personally denounced me last night and called me slanderous names, I decided that I am done being silent. What you did to me when I was 14 years old should be revolting to every person of good morals. But now you are attacking my honesty and integrity. Where does your immorality end?

Roy Moore during a campaign rally in Henagar, Ala., on Monday. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Moore campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moore and Democratic candidate Doug Jones are vying for the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by Jeff Sessions when he was appointed attorney general. The special election is scheduled for Dec. 12.

At the White House last week, President Trump said that people in Alabama should vote for Moore because Jones is a Democrat.

When he was asked by reporters whether having an alleged molester in the Senate was preferable to seating a Democrat, the president pointed to Moores denials.

Well, he denies it, Trump said. Look, he denies it.

He says it didnt happen, and you know, you have to listen to him also, the president added.

(Cover tile photos: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images, NBC News TODAY via AP)

Read more from Yahoo News:
Nine women have accused Roy Moore of sexual misconduct. Some of Moore's supporters say those women are being paid to lie. (Photo: Marvin Gentry / Reuters)

HENAGAR, Ala.  Two weeks before Alabamas Senate election, some of Roy Moores supporters say they are giving him a pass on the allegations of sexual misconduct against him because they think his female accusers are lying and being paid by billionaire Democratic donor George Soros.

I do not believe the allegations, said Edna Bogue, 72. Its George Soros.

Bogue was one of about 200 people who came out to a Moore campaign event on Monday night in this tiny conservative town. She, like the other half dozen attendees HuffPost talked to, said the timing of the allegations against the Republican nominee seemed fishy. He has been in public office for decades, and Bogue said the fact that nine women are publicly accusing him of sexual misconduct seems politically calculated to deny Moore a U.S. Senate seat.

Asked why she thinks Soros has anything to do with Moores accusers, Bogue said she read about his influence on politics in a book by conservative author Sharyl Attkisson.

She tells everything about where the money goes, she said.

Illa Bong, a retiree from Fort Payne who was sitting nearby, said the allegations against Moore are totally wrong and that she, too, thinks Soros money is behind it. She speculated his money is being funneled through foundations to the women.

These special little money foundations come in, and he puts all this money to the things that he wants to go his way, said Bong. I would guess, yes, that he was part of it.

Absolutely, Bogue chimed in.

"I think he's putting money toward them," David Sipsy said of his belief that George Soros is paying women to accuse Roy Moore of sexual misconduct. (Photo: Jen Bendery/HuffPost)

To be clear, there is zero evidence that Soros is paying women to make up stories about Moores inappropriate sexual advances on them. But the idea fits with other unfounded right-wing conspiracy theories about Soros being a ringleader of a secret radical left agenda.

The fake news site InfoWars posted a video last year titled George Soros Is About to Overthrow the U.S. Former Fox News host Bill OReilly has described Soros as off-the-charts dangerous. Some have noted an anti-Semitic streak to the theories about Soros, as the claims against him are similar to false claims that the Rothschild family secretly controls the worlds wealth. Breitbart News, a conservative website that serves as a platform for white nationalists, published tweets last year calling Soros an octopus  an image Nazis used to refer to Jews controlling the world in the 1930s and 1940s.

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Moore has suggested that Soros is targeting him in his race against Democrat Doug Jones. He tweeted a Breitbart story in September about a George Soros-backed organization attacking Roy Moore. The story was actually about the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan legal group thats received funding from Soros son, filing a complaint against Moores foundation for violating laws relating to charities.

"George Soros-backed Organization Attacking Roy Moore As Alabama Heads to Tuesday Vote" >>> https://t.co/am3OMvX8Qb #ALSen  Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) September 23, 2017

The reality is that Soros is just a really rich guy whos given lots of money to Democrats. He also gave a whopping $18 billion to his Open Society Foundations, his philanthropic organization that promotes democracy and human rights in 120 countries. The foundation has spent more than $1.5 billion on democratic reforms in the United States, too.

A spokesperson for Open Society Foundations had only this to say when asked if Soros is, in fact, paying women to falsely accuse Moore of sexual misconduct: No.

For some of Moores supporters, though, its more believable that powerful Democrats are trying to rig Alabamas Senate election than it is to believe the allegations against a man they see as a good Christian.

David Sipsy of Gaylesville said he definitely thinks someone is paying women to lie about Moores past behavior, but hes not sure if its Soros or other Democrats in Washington.

Youve always got George Soros. I think hes putting money toward them, said Sipsy, 61. And thats paying these people, like Black Lives Matter.

His brother Ricky, a 59-year-old truck driver from Fort Payne, said he thinks Moores accusers are being paid by Democrats and by establishment Republicans who dont want Moore in Washington.

Listen to Mitch McConnell, he said.

Asked if he was saying that he thinks the Republican Senate majority leader is paying women to lie about Moore, Ricky said he didnt know.

Im saying, hes with everybody who speaks out about him, he said. Hes involved in it.

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"I was with this American flag. All. Night. Long."

"Got a last-minute tip on some cattle thieves -- had to spring into action!"

"I was trapped in a sort of Christian phantom zone -- you know, like from 'Superman'?"

"I was reading 'Infinite Jest.' Just finished."

"Just plum forgot, my bad!"

"Heh, sorry, I was thinking of this joke I heard. What's legal now, you say?"

"What? Sorry, just got lost in my thoughts for seven months."

"Caught up in a high-five marathon with myself, you know how it is, amirite?? High five!"

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Roy Moore, the Republican nominee for an Alabama U.S. Senate seat, accused Democrats on Tuesday of attempting to register felons in order to sway the special election to his Democratic opponent.

What he failed to acknowledge is that the new voters are all people who have done their time or are in the process of paying their debt to society, and now have had their right to vote restored by the Alabama Legislature.

BREAKING: Democrat operatives in Alabama are REGISTERING THOUSANDS OF FELONS all across the state in an effort to swing the US Senate election to Doug Jones! #ALSen https://t.co/tIaKPMJDPd  Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 29, 2017

At the turn of the 20th century, Alabama passed a law blocking anyone convicted of a crime of moral turpitude from casting a ballot, a measure that was used largely to keep African-Americans off the voting rolls. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the law in 1985, the state narrowed its scope to felonies of moral turpitude and reinserted it in the state constitution.

But that state never provided a clear definition of what those felonies were. The ambiguity left local election officials with broad discretion to decide what crimes would block people from voting, and the law was applied inconsistently across the state. Last year, Alabama was sued on the grounds the law was unconstitutionally vague and racially discriminatory.

In May, Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed a new law passed by the Republican-controlled legislature defining 42 crimes  including murder, kidnapping and rape  as felonies of moral turpitude. The clarification meant that many people who may have been told they couldnt vote in the past were now clearly eligible. But Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill (R) said his office didnt have to take any special action to educate people about the law.

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So over the last few months, several organizations  including Legal Services Alabama, the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama and the Campaign Legal Center, which helped bring last years lawsuit  have been holding clinics to give Alabamians the good news and register people to vote. Activists estimate theyve registered thousands ahead of the Nov. 27 deadline for the special Senate election.

This is not a Democratic or Republican issue; its a democracy issue with a lower case d, said Danielle Lang, a Campaign Legal Center lawyer who spent last week in Alabama holding these clinics.

A bipartisan majority of the Alabama Legislature passed a law defining for the first time in decades who has the right to vote and who does not, she wrote in an email. ... Pursuant to that law, we are making sure that every lawful voter knows about their rights since the Secretary of State has done a dismal job of that. All candidates should want to compete on a fair playing field where all eligible voters are able to participate.

Asked for comment on Moores tweet, Merrill spokesman John Bennett said, Secretary Merrills only goal through all of this has been to ensure that each and every eligible U.S. Citizen that is a resident of Alabama is a registered voter with access to a government issued photo id.

The Alabama race has been at the center of national attention since several women came forward to accuse Moore of inappropriate sexual conduct when they were teenagers  allegations that the candidate has denied. National Republican lawmakers have called on Moore to drop out of the race, and polls show a tight contest between him and Democrat Doug Jones. The election is set for Dec. 12.

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Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, who has suggested Nicholas II's killing was a 'ritual murder,' stands in front of a photograph of the tsar and his family in 2015. - AP

Authorities will investigate an anti-semitic theory that the 1918 killing of Tsar Nicholas II was a ritual murder following comments by a bishop close to Vladimir Putin.

Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, who is heading a Russian Orthodox Church commission investigating the execution of the Romanov family by firing squad in Yekaterinburg, said at a conference on Monday that many members of the commission believe it was a ritual murder that held special significance for Bolshevik commander Yakov Yurovsky and his men.

Ritual murder has in the past referred to a theory that the last emperor was the victim of a Jewish conspiracy, as Mr Yurovsky was of Jewish heritage.

Russia's investigative committee said it would look into the claim by Mr Shevkunov, who is reputed to be Mr Putin's confessor.

The announcement drew an outcry from Jewish groups.

Police detain a protester at the October premiere of Matilda, a controversial film about Nicholas II's romance with a ballerina. Credit: Kirill Kurdyavtsev/AFP/Getty Images

Rabbi Boruch Gorin, a spokesman for the federation of Jewish communities, told Interfax news agency that this ritual murder investigation was a shocking example of medieval ignorance, noting that the myth of Jews ritually killing people to extract their blood for matzo bread has figured in anti-semitic propaganda for many decades.

The controversy comes before Mr Putin for the first time takes part in the church's annual bishops council on Wednesday.

Speaking at the conference, patriarch Kirill said he had hard questions about the tsarist murder investigation, which they re-opened in 2015, and called on the authorities not to rush it. Yekaterinburg news agency Ura.ru quoted a source close to the church leadership as saying the patriarch feared that the ritual murder allegations could provoke uncontrollable outbursts of ultranationalism.

Patriarch Kirill also said the Russian Orthodox Church had not yet taken a position on the continued analysis of the Romanov family's remains. Despite DNA testing showing their identity, the church has recognised neither the remains of Nicholas, Alexandra and three children interred in St Petersburg cathedral in 1998 nor the remains of his two other children found in 2007.

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Bishop Tikhon and Patriarch Kirill accompany Vladimir Putin on a visit to the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow in May. Credit: Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File

Church officials have said they need to be extra sure of the remains' provenance since Nicholas II, who was a cousin of King George V, his wife Alexandra, who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and their children were canonised in 2000.

Forensic medical expert Dr Viktor Zvyagin told the conference that the remains discovered in 2007 were those of a boy aged 12-14 and a young woman aged 18-19, which would match the ages of Nicholas' heir Alexei and his daughter Maria. He said he believed that further remains of the two are located nearby.

Peter Sarandinaki, the US-based descendant of a loyalist general who took Yekaterinburg days after the tsar was killed, said DNA testing he organised of the 2007 remains proved conclusively they were those of Alexei and Maria, but was skeptical more would be found.

The grave of the two children was shallow. It could be that animals might have carried them away but I do believe that most of the bones were destroyed by fire set by the Bolsheviks, he told The Telegraph.
CNN has decided its reporters will not be guests at the annual White House Christmas party as the network continues to feud with the Trump administration.

In light of the Presidents continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests. We will send a White House reporting team to the event and report on it if news warrants, a CNN spokesperson told HuffPost.

When White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got wind of CNNs decision, she could hardly contain her excitement.

Christmas comes early! she tweeted, sharing a link to the article on Politico.

The event is scheduled to take place on Friday afternoon, according to Politico, and generally offers reporters an opportunity to mingle with members of the administration in a casual setting.

CNNs decision highlights growing tension between President Donald Trump and certain media outlets he derisively labels fake news.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted, without evidence, that CNN was a major source of (Fake) news.

.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2017

The network responded on Twitter, saying:

It's not CNN's job to represent the U.S to the world. That's yours. Our job is to report the news. #FactsFirst   CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 25, 2017

CNN anchor Jake Tapper also responded to the presidents tweet by highlighting network reporters who cover sensitive and life-threatening situations around the globe:

Story continues

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Thinking about @cnni and my brave and hard-working colleagues there who cover famines and wars and politics and terrorism and everything else. Amazing men and women, thank you for your continued excellence. https://t.co/9sVaB0z4Li  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 25, 2017

That didnt stop Trump. On Monday, he tweeted that CNN should be in the running to win a FAKE NEWS TROPHY!

We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

In tweets containing several inaccuracies, the president has also accused The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC and other outlets of publishing false or misleading articles.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
By Saeed Azhar RIYADH (Reuters) - Senior Saudi Arabian prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, has been freed after agreeing to pay over $1 billion to settle corruption allegations against him, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, high officials and senior businessmen rounded up this month in a crackdown on graft that has strengthened the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The official, who is involved in the crackdown and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching "an acceptable settlement agreement". The official said he believed the agreed sum to be the equivalent of over $1 billion. "It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases," the official said, without giving details. According to the official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms, including a deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear. Prince Miteb is the first senior figure known to be released among those detained. Around 200 people in total have been questioned in the crackdown, authorities said earlier this month. The allegations, which include kickbacks, inflating government contracts, extortion and bribery, could not be independently verified. Saudi authorities, who estimate they could eventually recover around $100 billion of illicit funds, have been working on reaching agreements with suspects detained at Riyadh's luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom. Apart from Miteb, the Saudi official said that at least three other suspects had finalised settlement agreements and that the public prosecutor had decided to release several individuals. The prosecutor has decided to put at least five people on trial, the official said without disclosing their identities. The fate of billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of investment firm Kingdom Holding <4280.SE> and one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent international businessmen, was not known. Kingdom issued a statement earlier this month saying it was continuing to operate normally but has not responded to queries about his status since he was detained early this month. Two Saudi sources told Reuters that Prince Alwaleed has so far refused to reach a settlement and had asked for access to his lawyer in order to fight allegations against him. Relatives, his lawyer and officials in his office could not be contacted to comment. STOCK MARKET RISES Saudi Arabia's stock market <.TASI>, where many investors have been alarmed by the corruption probe, rose after news of the settlements by Prince Miteb and others. The main index was trading 0.4 percent higher around midday on Wednesday. The settlements may mean authorities can soon wind down parts of the probe, reducing the risk of damage to the economy through the freezing of hundreds of bank accounts, and easing the danger that firms linked to detainees could be affected. Officials from Prince Miteb's office could not be reached for comment about his release, and it was unclear if he was able to move freely or whether he would be put under house arrest. An acquaintance of the family said earlier on his Twitter account that Prince Miteb was receiving brothers and sons at his palace in Riyadh. The arrests of royals and top businessmen have been welcomed by many Saudis who are frustrated by corruption, but the crackdown is also seen by many people as a pre-emptive step by Prince Mohammed to remove any possible challenge to his control over the worlds top oil exporting country. The round-up follows a meticulously planned palace coup in June through which Prince Mohammed ousted his elder cousin Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as heir to the throne. Prince Miteb, as overlord of the 100,000-strong National Guard, represented the last great competing power center left after the toppling of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. In September, religious and intellectual critics of the government were jailed. (Reporting by Samia Nakhoul Writing by Sami Aboudi and Andrew Torchia; Editing by Michael Georgy and Raissa Kasolowsky)
The Today shows Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb appeared to turn to each other for support after news broke that their colleague Matt Lauer was terminated from NBC over allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior.

During commercial breaks of Wednesdays show, Guthrie and Kotb could be seen through the sets iconic windows consoling each other and regaining their composure during the much-needed pauses in the broadcast.

We just learned this, moments ago, just this morning, said Guthrie, her voice shaking as she made the announcement that Lauer was let go. As Im sure you can imagine, we are devastated and we are still processing all of this. And I will tell you right now, we do not know more than what I just shared with you. But we will be covering this story as reporters, as journalists. Im sure we will be learning more details in the hours and days to come, and we promise we will share that with you.

At one point, Guthrie and Kotb were seen hugging.

Lauers firing came as both The New York Times and Variety confirmed they have been working on exposes detailing claims of misconduct against the disgraced newsman.

The woman met with reporters from The Times earlier Monday, but said she was not ready to discuss it publicly, the newspaper reported.

Rumors about Lauers personal life have dogged him for years.

His wife, former model former model Annette Roque, filed for divorce in 2006, calling him extremely controlling, cruel and inhuman. She later withdrew the divorce papers and they have remained married.

The couple and their three children split their time between Manhattan and a sprawling horse farm in the Hamptons.

At the Today show, fans of the broadcast struggled to come to terms with the news.

"I'm totally shocked," Marilyn Cale of Miami told APTN. "He's one of my favorite news anchors, and I hope it's not true."

I mean he's a huge icon for NBC and the Today show, so I think it's going to be a major, major change for them alone and a lot of people look to him and you know feel like they know him personally, so I can only imagine what they're feeling, New York native Christina Mazzarella said.

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President Donald Trump spoke out about Lauers firing, taking to social media to issue a blistering tweet.

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, wrote Trump, who has faced his own allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News, Trump continued.

Others at NBC also shared their perspectives on the news.

Megyn Kelly at first praised Lauer for his support in her transition to NBC News, but ultimately condemned his alleged misconduct.

As painful as this moment is for so many here at NBC today, at CBS earlier this month, at Fox News over the last year, in Hollywood this fall, it is a sign of progress, of women finding their voices, their courage, and of the erosion of a shameful power imbalance that has been in place for far too long, she said.

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Part of the cover of the New York Times Magazine featuring Sean Hannity. (Photo: New York Times Magazine)

Sean Hannity really doesnt like the picture the The New York Times chose for its cover story of him in the newspapers Sunday magazine.

Look at that, the Fox News host complained on his show on Tuesday. I mean, could you pick a worse picture?

He also tweeted:

So @nytimes takes 100s and 100s of pics. Obviously they picked the best one? https://t.co/6c0yV1lupe  Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 28, 2017

The center image below is the one used on the cover, with the headline How Far Will Sean Hannity Go?

How did a conservative media personality become power broker, spokesman and arbiter of the Republican base? https://t.co/QqP2B7uOPv  NYT Magazine (@NYTmag) November 28, 2017

Hannity doesnt like any of them.

They all suck, he said. They took hundreds and hundreds of pictures. This is the best they could take? Not exactly flattering.

The Times defended the photos.

Our photography team was delighted by how energetic and animated Sean Hannity was at the photo shoot, a Times spokesperson told The Hill.

Also on HuffPost

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an "acceptable settlement agreement" with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. Miteb, who was head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and current and former senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry at least partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Prince Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching "an acceptable settlement agreement". "The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but it is believed to be more than one billion US dollar equivalent," the official said. "It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases," the official said. At least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalized settlement agreements, the official told Reuters, adding that the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities. (Reporting by Samia Nakhoul Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
SheKnows

In an unsurprising move, Donald Trump announced his third run for president on Tuesday night at Mar-a-Lago. While the former president still has his supporters, there are plenty of Republicans who are now criticizing his decision to campaign because they believe hes hurting the GOP after his midterm elections disaster. Donald Trumps former chief of []
(TELLURIDE, Colo.)  FBI agents and police searched a high school campus for weapons and explosives in the scenic Rocky Mountains resort of Telluride on Monday after a tip about alleged plans for a Columbine-style attack shut down the school and led to the arrest of a student and the seizure of a handgun and rifle at his home.

Officials said no weapons were found on the campus of Telluride High School and that it would reopen Tuesday with extra security as a precaution.

The investigation into the social media threats  reported to school officials on Sunday  was continuing, said Susan Lilly, a spokeswoman for a multiagency task force conducting the search.

The threats rattled Telluride, a former mining town turned resort destination that is surrounded by mountains and attracts celebrities to its ski slopes and its annual Telluride Film Festival.

The male student taken into custody is a juvenile who is suspected of posting on Snapchat a threat to detonate explosives on the campus of the school, which has about 255 students, Lilly said. His name and age were being withheld and he had not been formally charged by late Monday, she said.

Lilly did not provide additional details about the guns seized at the homes and no other details about the search were disclosed.

Authorities were trying to determine the author of an earlier Snapchat post that threatened a shooting at the school and specifically referred to the 1999 Columbine High School shootings in suburban Denver, Lilly said. Thirteen people were killed at Columbine, and the two student gunmen took their own lives.

The Columbine massacre, in Littleton, has led to dozens of copycat plots or incidents nationwide. It also led to more aggressive prevention efforts and police responses to active-shooter situations at schools.

We take every threat seriously and run down all leads to ensure safety of students and staff, school superintendent Mike Gass said in a message to parents.

Investigators were speaking to several students as part of their probe, Lilly said. None were considered suspects as of late Monday.

FBI agents were involved because the case potentially involved explosives or firearms, Lilly said.
A student who was suspended for sexual harassment is suing the University of Vermont, accusing the school of discriminating against men in its sexual misconduct policy. The students lawsuit cites Education Secretary Betsy DeVos description of such policies as a failed system that has neglected due process rights.

The plaintiff, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe, was accused of groping a freshman, identified as Jane Doe, at an off-campus party hosted by the schools rugby club in April, when he was sophomore, according to the lawsuit. He is currently serving a one-semester suspension.

In the face of Jane Does criticism that UVM was not doing enough for female students, the Universitys administrators chose to make an example of John Doe, even though there was no evidence to support, or corroborate, Jane Does false allegations against him, the lawsuit states.

The suit references DeVos recent move to roll back Obama-era Title IX guidelines on how universities should investigate complaints of sexual misconduct on campus. In a speech in September, DeVos faulted the Obama Administration for creating a failed system that has clearly pushed schools to overreach.

UVMs procedures for adjudicating sexual misconduct complaints is precisely the type of system referenced in DeVos statement, the lawsuit against the University of Vermont states. UVM students accused of sexual misconduct, like John Doe, have no meaningful opportunity to be heard and no meaningful right to an appeal. Moreover, they are presumed guilty from the start.

DeVos action on sexual misconduct investigations has drawn heavy criticism from victims of sexual assault and their advocates, who fear a policy change will further discourage victims from reporting assaults and fuel a narrative that complaints need not be taken seriously.

The University is committed to eliminating, preventing, and addressing the effects of sexual harassment and misconduct, and to providing a fair and impartial process for investigation and adjudication of reported incidents, University of Vermont spokesperson Enrique Corredera said in statement on Tuesday.

The University is confident it has acted legally and appropriately, he added. Not surprisingly, the plaintiffs claim, appearing in various news outlets, provides only one part of the story. The University looks forward to its opportunity to present the facts and the relevant law governing this case in a public court of law.

Other universities have also recently been hit with lawsuits from students who claim they were falsely accused of sexual misconduct and say their disciplinary proceedings were mishandled. In the wake of DeVos announcement, students accused of sexual assault at the College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina University have sued the universities over the investigations, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.
An image of John Adams. Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Supreme Courts newest justice, Donald Trump appointee Neil Gorsuch, invoked the framers of the U.S. Constitution on Wednesday while questioning a government lawyer about a high-profile digital privacy dispute.

Gorsuch questioned whether the framers might have been concerned about the government using third parties to access your cellphone location data without a warrant, in a case that turns on a decades-old legal concept known as third-party doctrine.

That doctrine says that if you voluntarily hand over information to third parties  like a cellphone network provider such as AT&T (T) or Yahoo parent Verizon (VZ)  then you lose the expectation that it will remain private.

Isnt that argument exactly what the framers were concerned about?

In citing the Constitutions framers, Gorsuch seemed to question the legitimacy of this doctrine, which the government says allows it to search cellphone records that track suspects movements without a warrant.

You know, John Adams said one of the reasons for the war was the use by the government of third parties to obtain information forced them to help as their snitches and snoops. Why  why isnt this argument exactly what the framers were concerned about? Gorsuch asked Michael Dreeben, deputy solicitor general at the Department of Justice, according to the court transcript.

Dreeben countered: Well, I think that those  those were writs that allowed people acting under governmental power to enter any place they wanted to search for anything that they wanted.

That answer prompted this response from Gorsuch: Isnt that exactly your argument here, that so long as a third partys involved, we can get anything we want?

Gorsuch was not the only justice to raise privacy concerns during Wednesdays hearing, with liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor noting that Americans want to avoid Big Brother. She added, They want to avoid the concept that government will be able to see and locate you anywhere you are at any point in time.

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Still, Justice Anthony Kennedy, the swing voter on the court, pointed out that a persons location is less private than private bank records. Your whereabouts are publicly known. People can see you. Surveillance officers can follow you, he noted.

Does the Fourth Amendment protect cellphone location data?

The case argued Wednesday, Carpenter v. U.S., will look at whether the Fourth Amendment  which guarantees your right against unreasonable searches and seizures  protects you against warrantless searches of cellphone records that track your movements.

The dispute fittingly stems from a string of robberies of T-Mobile (TMUS) and Radio Shack locations involving the theft of smartphones. Police used cellphone location records to help convict a man named Timothy Carpenter in the case, which he argues violated his Fourth Amendment rights.

If the court does find the Fourth Amendment protects against warrantless access to cellphone location data, the justices could usher in a new wave of privacy rights in the U.S.

I think Carpenter could significantly increase protection for the electronic data, Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of Berkeley Law and a Supreme Court expert, previously told Yahoo Finance in an email message.

He added: The court may well overrule its earlier decisions that there is no privacy interest if third parties have the information.

Erin Fuchs is deputy managing editor of Yahoo Finance.
By Tina Bellon

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Parents of one of the victims killed in the Nov. 5 shooting rampage at a Texas church filed a claim on Tuesday against the U.S. Air Force in what appeared to be the first legal action in connection to the incident.

The administrative claim, which was filed directly with the Air Force in Washington, said the military acted negligently when it failed to report the criminal record of gunman Devin Kelly to a federal database that would have prevented him from legally purchasing a firearm.

Kelly killed 26 people and wounded more than 20 at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

The Air Force said in a statement it did not comment on specific claims. "Every claim that is filed is thoroughly processed and researched in accordance with established law and regulations," said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman.

The claim was filed by Joe and Claryce Holcombe, parents of Bryan Holcombe, who was fatally shot in the back while walking to the church pulpit to lead the congregation in worship, according to the filing.

The San Antonio couple lost nine relatives in the shooting.

The claim filed on Tuesday is the first step plaintiffs need to take if they want to sue an entity of the U.S. government. A lawsuit can be filed six months later, during which time the government can investigate the accusations and offer a settlement.

Legal experts have said the Air Force would not be able to claim federal immunity in the case, but cautioned that any lawsuits faced a prolonged uphill battle over specific legal questions.

Kelly was convicted five years ago by a general court-martial of assaulting his then-wife and stepson while he was in the Air Force, offenses that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

The Air Force said in a statement on Nov. 7 that it did not enter that information into a federal database used in background checks for firearms purchases, something it was legally required to do.

On Tuesday, the Air Force said there were at least several dozen cases of serious crimes involving its personnel that it failed to report to the federal database.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers have asked for "protection" when they visit Malta this week to probe accusations of high-level corruption on the island, citing death threats made against some members of the EU parliament. The legislature passed a motion this month voicing concerns about democracy and the rule of law in the EU's smallest state, following the killing of a journalist who had accused some political leaders of graft and money laundering. A group of seven MEPs will visit Malta on Thursday and Friday. In a letter seen by Reuters, Manfred Weber, the German leader of the center-right bloc, wrote to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Wednesday asking him to "remind the Maltese authorities of their duty to protect" the delegation and "allow them to carry out their duty free from fear". The stark terms of the letter underscored the depth of feeling in Brussels about recent developments in Malta. It also reflected Tajani's call on Monday for the Polish government to ensure the safety of MEPs after a far-right protest there over an EU parliament motion about democracy in Poland. Centre-left Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says Malta does not tolerate crime and promised justice for the murdered journalist, who had leveled personal accusations against him as well as against members of the center-right opposition party. Sven Giegold, a German member of the EU parliament's Greens party and a leading campaigner on financial crime who will be part of the delegation, told Reuters he was not very worried but added: "I hope the security will be guaranteed." Weber, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, wrote that there were "serious concerns" about the independence of the Maltese police and referred to MEPs being "threatened with their lives for speaking out in defense of the rule of law in Malta". One of his group's members, Maltese center-right MEP Roberta Metsola, has faced public death threats on social media after speaking on the issue, parliamentary officials said. "Mr Weber can rest assured that, as in previous occasions, Malta will offer maximum hospitality to the MEP delegation", a spokesman for the Maltese government told Reuters. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday he was offended by claims that the State Department is being hollowed out, saying his agency is functioning well, contrary to scathing criticism from former diplomats. In the latest salvo, two retired senior U.S. diplomats said the agency is being undermined by proposed budget cuts of about 30 percent and is being deliberately taken apart. "President Trump's draconian budget cuts for the State Department and his dismissive attitude toward our diplomats and diplomacy itself threaten to dismantle a great Foreign Service," Nicholas Burns and Ryan Crocker wrote in the New York Times on Monday. "This is not about belt tightening. It is a deliberate effort to deconstruct the State Department and the Foreign Service," Burns, a former No. 3 official at the agency, and Crocker, a six-time U.S. ambassador, added. The forcing out of many senior diplomats, the failure to nominate or to win Senate confirmation for officials to fill many major agency roles, and a perception that Tillerson is inaccessible have eroded morale, according to current officials. Tillerson said, however, the department is running well and that the department budget had grown dramatically. The planned cuts would restore it to historical norms, he said. He also praised officials serving as acting assistant secretaries of state, typically among the agency's key jobs, saying they have helped to devise approaches on issues from North Korea and Syria to Iran and Ukraine. "There is no hollowing out," Tillerson said after a speech at a think tank. "I am offended on their behalf when people say, somehow, we dont have a State Department that functions ... I can tell you, its functioning very well from my perspective." Tillerson said the process of winning Senate confirmation of appointments has been "excruciatingly slow." However, the Trump administration has failed to nominate people to serve in many key agency slots, leaving the Senate unable to consider them. According to a database compiled by the Washington Post newspaper and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, there are no nominees for the assistant secretaries of state for African, East Asian, South and Central Asian, Near Eastern or Western Hemisphere affairs. This means that the top diplomats for major regions do not enjoy status that comes from being chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Pelosi and Schumer to deal directly with Republicans in bid to avert shutdown

Trump suggests hes unwilling to negotiate on healthcare and immigration

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said: We dont have any time to waste, so were going to negotiate with Republican leaders who may be interested in reaching a bipartisan agreement. Photograph: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images

Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said they would boycott a meeting between congressional leaders and Donald Trump after the president said I dont see a deal, suggesting he would not negotiate with them on spending, healthcare and immigration.

In a statement, the two Democratic leaders said that instead of meeting the president, they intended to negotiate directly with their Republican counterparts in an attempt to avert a government shutdown next month.

Schumer and Pelosi said: Given that the president doesnt see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead.

Rather than going to the White House for a show meeting that wont result in an agreement, weve asked Leader [Mitch] McConnell and Speaker [Paul] Ryan to meet this afternoon. We dont have any time to waste in addressing the issues that confront us, so were going to continue to negotiate with Republican leaders who may be interested in reaching a bipartisan agreement.

Their decision not to attend the meeting followed a morning tweet from the president:

Meeting with Chuck and Nancy today about keeping government open and working. Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I dont see a deal!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2017

But Republican leaders McConnell and Ryan dismissed the Democrats offer and challenged them to attend the White House meeting if they wished to negotiate over a spending plan.

We have important work to do, and Democratic leaders have continually found new excuses not to meet with the administration to discuss these issues, the two Republicans said in a statement. Democrats are putting government operations, particularly resources for our men and women on the battlefield, at great risk by pulling these antics. There is a meeting at the White House this afternoon, and if Democrats want to reach an agreement, they will be there.

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The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, echoed that, saying the meeting would proceed as scheduled with McConnell and Ryan. The presidents invitation to the Democrat leaders still stands and he encourages them to put aside their pettiness, stop the political grandstanding, show up and get to work, Sanders said.

The meeting between Trump and the Congressional leaders was intended to discuss the year-end spending bill to keep the federal government running and avert a shutdown.

The last time the leaders met with Trump to discuss government spending earlier this year, he unexpectedly sided with Chuck and Nancy, infuriating Republicans.

He and the Democrats made a deal to increase the debt limit and finance the government through early December in an effort to avert a government shutdown. That deadline is now coming up.

Tax test

Meanwhile, Trump faces a critical test of his ability to persuade Senate Republicans to rally behind a tax overhaul that would largely benefit Americas highest earners. A handful of GOP senators threaten to derail the effort and deprive the president of what would be his first major legislative success.

Behind the scenes, GOP leaders are frantically tweaking the plan in a hurried attempt to win over the Republican holdouts and pass tax reform by Christmas.

At least a half-dozen Republican senators have expressed concerns about various aspects of the bill including how small businesses are taxed and whether the cost of health insurance will rise.

On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Trump will attempt to rally Republicans around his tax overhaul plan. After he departs, the Senate budget committee, upon which Republicans hold a one-seat majority, is expected to vote on the proposal.

Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican on the committee, indicated on Monday that he would vote against the measure if his concerns over how the plan treats certain businesses known as pass-through entities were not addressed. A failure to clear the vote in committee could force leaders back to the drawing board and delay the swift timeline set for the plans approval.

Susan Collins of Maine  whose opposition helped sink Republican repeal of Obamacare  opposes the provision to completely eliminate the estate tax and has suggested including the removal of the Obamacare individual mandate is a mistake.Deficit hawks like Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona, frequent critics of the president, are wary because the tax plan will raise the federal deficit.

But on Monday, Republicans sounded confident they would have the votes to pass tax reform by the end of the week.

McConnell said on Tuesday: Were working hard to get it across the finish line this week.

Senator John Cornyn, the majority whip, predicted a great victory later this week.

Unlike the debate and votes we had on healthcare, every single member of the Republican conference is working to get to yes, Cornyn said.

The final shape of the Republican plan is far from certain. Republicans, who control the chamber with a slim 52-48 majority, can only afford to lose two votes to pass the bill without Democratic support. In the event of a tie, Mike Pence would cast the deciding vote.

They are using a special budget process known as reconciliation that would bypass a filibuster if Democrats refuse to support the plan. Democrats, who have largely been excluded from the crafting of the tax plan, say the overhaul helps only the wealthiest Americans.

Trump had been trying to woo a handful of moderate Democrats who hail from conservative states, including senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.

But on Tuesday, those Democrats held a press conference with more than a dozen of their colleagues urging Republicans to abandon their tax plan and work with them on legislation they say would benefit the middle class and not the rich.

Yet when pressed on how they would vote, Manchin, Donnelly and Heitkamp did not rule out supporting the tax proposal.

Its unfair to ask that question, Heitkamp said. Its still a moving target.

The House passed its own version of the tax overhaul earlier this month, without a single hearing on the more than 400 pages of legislation that would cut the corporate tax rates from 35% to 20% and condense the number of tax brackets from seven to four.

Republican leaders in both chambers are determined to pass tax reform by the end of the year, after repeated failures to repeal the healthcare law. If the Senate passes their tax plan, House Republicans will probably come under pressure to approve the proposal. Alternatively, there would be a conference to reconcile the different plans.

A report released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the Republican tax plan would hurt Americans earning less than $30,000 while benefiting the highest earners. A report by the joint committee on taxation also found that the rich would be the biggest beneficiaries under the plan.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ivanka Trump plugged her fathers tax plan on a two-day trip to India.

Trump told a crowd of business leaders and entrepreneurs that her fathers administration was laser-focused on passing long-overdue tax cuts, which she said would deliver much-needed relief to working families and American businesses of all sizes.

Additional reporting by Michael Safi
The Presidents attacks on CNN were said to be effectively 'advertising CNN to people who don't like Trump': AP

Donald Trumps favourite channel Fox News has experienced a year-on-year drop in advertising revenue, while CNN and The New York Times continue to grow despite the President attacking them as fake news and failing.

Despite the President constantly tweeting his love of Fox News, the right-wing, unashamedly pro-Trump network suffered a 2 per cent drop in advertising revenue for the third quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year, analysts Standard Media Index (SMI) have revealed.

By contrast, CNN  repeatedly branded fake news by Mr Trump  saw its third quarter ad revenues grow by 9 per cent year-on-year.

And the day after Mr Trump told his 43.5m Twitter followers that MSNBC had terrible ratings, SMIs National TV Index report showed the networks third quarter ad revenues had grown year-on-year by an impressive 22 per cent.

Meanwhile The New York Times, the newspaper Mr Trump calls failing and enemy of the people, has announced it is gaining 100,000 subscribers a quarter, up from the pre-election growth rate of 23,000-33,000 new subscribers a quarter.

The newspapers chief executive, Mark Thompson, told Marketing Week that subscriptions were building very nicely on the back of Mr Trumps outbursts.

The good news is that their ratings are terrible, nobody cares! https://t.co/I7h4Ryin3h  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

UK media commentator Alice Enders, head of research at Enders Analysis, told The Independent: These figures suggest the so-called Trump bump is helping the media he attacks more than Fox News.

She explained that most media  whether leaning to the left or right  had grown thanks to the massive appetite for news generated by the 2016 election and Mr Trumps hectic, drama-filled presidency.

But Ms Enders said the Fox figures  the first year-on-year decrease in one of the big three US cable news networks since the 2016 election  might mean that the media outlets Mr Trump attacks are the ones benefiting the most.

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We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

One potential reason for this, said Ms Enders, was that in launching constant attacks on the fake news media, Mr Trump is also giving an awful lot of free publicity to CNN. Hes effectively advertising CNN to people who dont like Trump  and lets not forget his approval ratings are incredibly low and have been declining. In turn, the appeal of these news channels to advertisers is driven first and foremost by [the size of] their audiences.

Ms Enders added that the subscription growth of The New York Times suggested Mr Trumps attacks were providing a similar boost for the newspaper.

Part of that growth, said Ms Enders, is people saying, Donald Trump hates The New York Times; therefore I like The New York Times.

Ben Fenton, the former chief media correspondent of the Financial Times who runs a media consultancy at global communications firm Edelman, added: There is a sense in the US that Trumps support is retreating to a very hard core, which would be supported by those statistics.

Mr Fenton said a single year-on-year fall did not necessarily signify a general trend towards an overall decline in Fox News advertising revenue, and both commentators said that the comparison between the third quarters of 2017 and 2016 would be a particularly tough one for the network.

Ms Enders said this was because it was a comparison between 2017 and what was likely to have been a boom period for Fox News, which probably drew in more political advertising than its less overtly partisan rivals during the 2016 election.

She said: It is very possible that politically-motivated advertising as the election campaign intensified would have been much more attracted to Fox News than CNN, which is actually not viewed as a Democrat mouthpiece.

It remains to be seen whether Mr Trump will redouble his support for Fox News in the light of the new statistics. It is also not entirely clear how he could be more supportive of the network.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump vowed to impose additional "major sanctions" against North Korea on Wednesday in response to its latest groundbreaking missile test.

"Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea," Trump tweeted.

"Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson explained that the sanctions would be announced by the US Treasury and would target "additional financial institutions."

This suggests that secondary measures could target foreign banks that still deal with North Korea. A Chinese bank has already been hit in this way.

"We have a long list of additional potential sanctions," Tillerson told reporters.

Asked how long Washington could continue to mount peaceful pressure on Pyongyang without resorting to military action, Tillerson said: "Diplomatically, we keep working at it every day."

For more news videos visit Yahoo View.

During his call with Xi, the White House said Trump urged Beijing to use "all available levers" to press North Korea.

On Tuesday, Pyongyang fired what is believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting Washington.

The US president has threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" if it continues to threaten the United States or its allies with work toward an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear payload.

The latest test came after a more than two-month pause, which had prompted speculation that talks could end the nuclear standoff.

Since coming to office, Trump has ratcheted up the diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime of Kim Jong-Un, demanding he abandon nuclear and ballistic weapons.

As part of that effort, Trump has repeatedly pressed China to break trade ties with its dependent neighbor and has applauded countries for shuttering Pyongyang's diplomatic installations, which have long been used to gather illicit finance.

Earlier this month, Trump declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism -- a symbolic move, but one which amps up diplomatic pressure on the regime.

The UN Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting later Wednesday to discuss the response to Pyongyang's latest test.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert Beijing's pressure on North Korea after Pyongyang said it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the White House said.

"Trump emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization," the White House said in its statement after the two leaders spoke earlier on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Susan HeaveyEditing by Chizu Nomiyama)
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., will meet with the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee next week, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the agreement. Representatives for Representative Mike Conaway, the Republican leading the panel's investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion by Trump's campaign, and Representative Adam Schiff, the panel's top Democrat, said they could not comment on whether Trump's eldest son was going to appear before the committee. Schiff told reporters that he could not comment on when or if Donald Trump Jr. might appear, but described him as a key witness. The younger Trump played a central role in his father's campaign. "Obviously, when Donald Trump Jr. comes before the committee there are innumerable areas that we're going to be interested in. It's hard to find a more central figure in this," Schiff told reporters at the U.S. Capitol. Schiff also said he thought it would "very likely" be necessary to bring the president's son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, to testify again before the intelligence panel. The panel questioned Kushner behind closed doors in July. A lawyer for Donald Trump Jr., Alan Futerfas, did not respond to a request for comment. CNN said the meeting with lawmakers would be held next Wednesday. The House intelligence panel is one of the three main congressional committees, as well as Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller, investigating the issue. In September, the younger Trump spoke privately with Senate Judiciary Committee staff. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican Senator Richard Burr, has said his panel planned to interview Donald Trump Jr. in December. Trump's son, who has denied any wrongdoing, met with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in New York in June 2016. Earlier this month, he released exchanges he had with the Twitter account of WikiLeaks, which released emails stolen from Democrats, during the campaign. The House Intelligence Committee will hear on Thursday from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose contacts with Russians during the campaign have also come under scrutiny, as well as from Erik Prince, who founded the private military contractor Blackwater and was a supporter of Trump's presidential campaign. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball, Susan Heavey and Patricia Zengerle in Washington, and Karen Freifeld in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey's main opposition party leader on Tuesday claimed he had documents to prove President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's family sent millions of dollars to a company in a tax haven.

Republican People's Party (CHP) chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu alleged members of the president's family, including his brother, transferred around $15 million to Bellway Limited, based in the low-tax British Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man.

"We have all the records of this company. Was money sent to this company? Yes it was sent," Kilicdaroglu told CHP party members in Ankara.

He then listed the alleged transfers made by family members including Erdogan's son, Ahmet Burak Erdogan, between 2011 and 2012 to the company.

Other CHP members at one point chanted "Tayyip, resign!" during the speech.

"You say to citizens, 'give taxes otherwise I will give a three-fold penalty' but you will have another established for your children, loved ones and send millions of dollars from Turkey!" Kilicdaroglu said.

Erdogan at the weekend promised that he would "not stay one minute more as president" if Kilicdaroglu could prove his claims.

Calling on Erdogan to resign in light of his accusations, Kilicdaroglu said: "If you are an honourable man, you will do what is necessary."

It was not possible to immediately verify the CHP leader's accusations.

Erdogan's lawyer Ahmet Ozel was quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu saying that the documents Kilicdaroglu presented were "fake".

AKP MP Bulent Turan dismissed the claims as "foolish and unfounded" and said all the accusations were "lies".

Turan also urged Kilicdaroglu to resign, arguing he had not proved his claims.

Erdogan has yet to react to the claims but in speeches during the past week he has repeatedly railed against the CHP leader and his party.

When Kilicdaroglu previously demanded to know whether Erdogan was aware that his family were "sending millions of dollars of money to tax havens", the president responded by suing him for hundreds of thousands of dollars last week.
Reza Zarrab has been held in US custody since March 2016: AFP/Getty Images

A Turkish businessman whose name has been mentioned in relation to Robert Muellers investigation into Russias meddling in last years presidential election pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring to evade US sanctions on Iran, and plans on testifying against his co-defendant.

The guilty plea by Reza Zarrab could have implications for former national security adviser Michael Flynn if his cooperation with federal authorities also involves Mr Muellers investigation. Mr Mueller is said to be scrutinising Mr Flynn's lobbying work in Turkey, while Mr Zarrabs release was allegedly one of two issues that Turkish officials brought up with Mr Flynn during a meeting last December, when Donald Trumps team was working on his transition to the White House.

During that meeting, Turkish officials reportedly offered $15m for the release of Mr Zarrab  who has been held in US custody since March 2016  alongside the extradition of exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Mr Gulen is reportedly living in Pennsylvania.

The Turkish government has denied that officials from the country discussed any offers of money for the extradition or release of the men, and said that it has not worked toward their goals in any extra-judicial manner. Mr Flynn's lawyers have also denied the allegations.

"Out of respect for the process of the various investigations regarding the 2016 campaign, we have intentionally avoided responding to every rumour or allegation," Mr Flynn's lawyers, led by Robert Kelner, said in a statement. "But today's news cycle has brought allegations against General Flynn, ranging from kidnapping to bribery, that are so outrageous and prejudicial that we are making an exception to our usual rule: they are false."

Speculation has been fuelled about potential cooperation between Mr Zarrab and Mr Muellers investigation because it appears unlikely that Mr Mueller's probe would worry about securing Mr Zarrabs help over the trial of alleged co-conspirator Mehmet Atilla, who is comparatively lower profile.

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Mr Zarrab and Mr Gulens release has been brought up repeatedly by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with US officials from both the administrations of President Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Mr Zarrab will describe a multibillion-dollar international money laundering scheme from the inside, Assistant US Attorney David Denton said during his opening statement in the New York federal court trial of Mr Atilla, the deputy general manager of Turkey's Halkbank .

Mr Atilla's lawyer, Victor Rocco, told jurors in his opening statement that Mr Zarrab was prepared to lie in order to avoid jail time and and lacked credibility.

US prosecutors have charged nine people in the criminal case, though only Mr Zarrab and Mr Atilla are known to be in US custody. The other defendants include the former head of Halkbank, Suleyman Aslan, and the former economy minister of Turkey, Zafer Caglayan.

Mr Erdogan's government has said the case has been fabricated for political motives, adding to tensions between Ankara and Washington, both Nato allies.

Mr Flynn was forced to resign from his White House post weeks after Mr Trumps inauguration, after it was determined that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russian sources.

The former national security adviser has reportedly met with Mr Muellers team since then, and his legal team has distanced itself from Mr Trumps by reportedly indicating that they could no longer engage in privileged discussions about defence strategy. That distancing has been interpreted as meaning Mr Flynns legal team may be discussing a possible plea deal.

An email to Mr Flynns lawyer seeking comment on Mr Zarrabs plea and other particulars was not immediately returned.
Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab has pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to his role in a scheme to evade U.S. economic sanctions on Iran, according to documents unsealed Tuesday. The explosive case could implicate senior Turkish officials  potentially reaching as far as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  in a massive bribery scheme.

Turkish officials have complained that Zarrabs prosecution represents a plot against their country and have repeatedly pressed their American counterparts to drop the case. Erdogan had urged President Donald Trump to drop the prosecution, but with Zarrabs guilty plea and willingness to testify on behalf of the prosecution those efforts appear to have failed.

Among the Turkish governments potential concerns about the case is the possibility that Zarrabs testimony could implicate high-level officials, including Erdogan, in the sanctions-busting and bribery scheme, making Zarrab a potential liability for Erdogan.

Prosecutors allege that Zarrab supplied massive amounts of gold to Iran in exchange for oil and gas, and supplied senior members of the Turkish government with bribes to expedite shipments and ensure that local authorities looked the other way. The scheme allegedly helped Iran evade U.S.-led sanctions on its oil exports, which were hammering its economy.

Zarrabs fate has been the subject of intense speculation in the run-up to this weeks trial in a federal courtroom in Manhattan, as the defendant was mysteriously moved from federal lockup and his lawyers missed a series of filing deadlines.

Zarrab pleaded guilty to seven counts, including one tacked on after his March 2016 arrest. Prosecutors said Tuesday that Zarrab will testify against Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a deputy CEO at Turkish Halkbank, the only one of Zarrabs seven co-defendants facing trial. The other six remain at large, including a former Turkish economy minister, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan.

According to media reports from inside the New York courtroom, prosecutors described Zarrab on Tuesday as their star witness and said that he will tell the inside story of a sprawling, potentially multibillion-dollar scheme beginning in 2010 to trade gold for Iranian oil and gas, before laundering the proceeds through American financial institutions.

Sanctions at the time aimed to squeeze the Iranian economy and force the country to the negotiating table and suspend its nuclear program, which U.S. officials feared was aimed at building an atomic weapon. Zarrabs alleged scheme provided Tehran with a lucrative source of revenue at a time when its economy was under intense pressure by American and European sanctions.

Atilla and his lies played a crucial role in giving Iran access to U.S. dollars and U.S. banks, Assistant U.S. Attorney David William Denton Jr. told jurors Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. Iran did not need soldiers. Iran needed a banker.
By Scott Malone

BOSTON (Reuters) - The United States deported a former El Salvadoran army colonel on Wednesday to Spain, where he faces charges related to the massacre of six Roman Catholic priests in 1989 during the Central American country's civil war.

Inocente Orlando Montano Morales, 74, has been in U.S. custody since 2011 when he was arrested outside Boston on immigration fraud charges after the Spanish government indicted 20 former Salvadoran army officers for the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter.

The group was targeted because one of the priests, Father Ignacio Ellacuria, was a prominent critic of the country's military dictatorship. The massacre was among the bloodiest acts of a decade-long civil war during which 75,000 people were killed and 8,000 went missing.

Montano Morales, who has proclaimed his innocence, is accused of overseeing a radio station that urged the priests' murder and participating in meetings a day before the deaths when a colleague gave the order to kill the men.

"Criminals and those lawfully charged with criminal offenses overseas should not be able to find safe haven in the United States," U.S. Acting Assistant Attorney General John Cronan said in a statement. "Today's extradition demonstrates our firm commitment to honoring our obligations under extradition treaties."

Attorney Jay Todd, who represented Montano Morales in his extradition proceedings in federal court in North Carolina, said his client had denied having a role in the killings.

"He has always adamantly denied any involvement in their conspiracy theory," Todd said in a phone interview. He noted that in the extradition hearings the judge accepted as fact evidence presented by Spanish prosecutors that he said would not have met U.S. standards of probable cause.

"I hope the Spanish justice system will afford him the due process that we expect any country would," Todd said.

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The massacre occurred early on Nov. 16, 1989, when a group of soldiers entered the campus of the Central American University where Ellacuria was rector, according to a United-Nations-sponsored Truth Commission.

The soldiers ordered the priests to lie face down on the ground and shot them. They also killed the priests' housekeeper and her 13-year-old daughter and then left a note claiming the murders were carried out by left-wing guerrillas.

The war ended in 1992. After a criminal investigation, two army officers were convicted for the Jesuit murders and jailed, but later released after an amnesty law passed in 1993.

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Kara Van Pelt CHARLESTON, W. Va. (Reuters) - Health groups, environmentalists and a former coal miner criticized the Trump administration's proposal to dismantle an Obama-era rule to slash carbon emissions from power plants at a public hearing held in the heart of coal country on Tuesday. The hearing also heard from many coal supporters who said that the plan would cost utilities billion of dollars, which would likely result in mining job cuts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted the two-day hearing in West Virginia on its proposal to axe the Clean Power Plan (CPP), the centerpiece of former President Barack Obama's strategy on climate change. It was the only meeting scheduled on the rule, which President Donald Trump has said would devastate the coal industry. Stanley Sturgill, a 72-year-old retired coal miner from Kentucky who has black lung disease, urged the EPA to "stop listening to the corrupting power" of the fossil fuel industry and to start doing everything possible to protect human health and the climate. Under Obama, the EPA in 2015 finalized the CPP, which sought to reduce emissions from power plants to 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. But the plan never took effect. The Supreme Court stalled it after energy-producing states sued the EPA, saying it had exceeded its legal reach. Health groups told the hearing the plan would save billions of dollars on hospital bills because it would slash emissions of particulates that can harm lungs and hearts, from both coal plants and fires spurred by global warming. "Revoking the CPP gives power plants a license to pollute," said Kevin Stewart, an advocate at the American Lung Association, a nonprofit health group. 'MASSIVE COSTS' Robert Murray, the CEO of private coal mining company Murray Energy who was the first party to file a lawsuit against the CPP, referred to the rules as the "no power plan." If it is not repealed American consumers would face massive costs, said Murray, who was accompanied by about 20 miners in hard hats from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Scott Segal, the head of the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, said the CPP is expensive and illegal because it requires some utilities to reduce emissions "beyond the fence line" or far away from the power plants themselves. Comments were also heard on the EPA's October declaration to propose a new rule on carbon emissions in the "near future," which would likely go easier on coal-fired plants than Obama's CPP would have. Former Obama EPA staffers complained that the agency has scheduled only one hearing on the plan to ditch the CPP. Liz Purchia Gannon, a former spokeswoman, said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is "just checking a box ... and making it more difficult for Americans across the country to weigh in." Under Obama, the EPA held 11 public listening sessions before it proposed the CPP and four hearings during its public comment period. The EPA criticized the Obama administration for never holding a hearing in West Virginia, saying it denied coal workers a chance to comment in person. It is encouraging stakeholders to submit online comments about the proposal and any requests for additional public meetings. The agency will receive written comments on the CPP until Jan. 16, and a spokesman added: "We will do our best to respond to requests for additional meetings." (Reporting by Kara Van Pelt and Timothy Gardner, writing by Timothy Gardner; editing by Dan Grebler and Susan Thomas)
By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that he had not seen a change in Pakistan's support for militants so far, despite President Donald Trump taking a tougher line against Islamabad. U.S. officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistans reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks on neighboring Afghanistan. In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants. He accused Pakistan of harboring agents of chaos and providing safe havens to militant groups waging an insurgency against a U.S.-backed government in Kabul. U.S. official expressed hope that relations between the two countries could improve after a kidnapped U.S.-Canadian couple and their three children were freed in Pakistan in October. The couple was abducted in neighboring Afghanistan. "We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson told reporters. "We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said. He said that he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was in Afghanistan. Nicholson added that he agreed with other senior U.S. officials that Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the Haqqani network militant group. The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization. Pakistan says it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists. The four-star general said he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it. The United States has sent more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan as a part of Trump's South Asia strategy. Nicholson said over 1,000 troops would be advising Afghan troops at the battalion level, putting them closer to the fighting and at greater risk. Nicholson gave an optimistic view of the situation, saying he believed "we are on our way to a win." U.S. officials have made similar statements during the course of the 16-year-old war, but the situation according to many U.S. officials remains in a "stalemate." According to a recent report by a U.S. government watchdog, the Taliban had increased the amount of territory it has influence over or controls in Afghanistan in the past six months. The figures are a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country, even as the United States has committed more troops. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell and Lisa Shumaker)
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee are close to an agreement on how to overhaul a controversial National Security Agency surveillance program and hope to complete legislation soon, the top Democrat on the panel said on Wednesday. Representative Adam Schiff said he had proposed a compromise that would let intelligence agencies query a database of information on Americans in national security cases without a warrant, but would require a warrant to use the information in other cases, such as those involving serious violent crime. "This would prevent law enforcement from simply using the database as a vehicle to go fishing, but at the same time it would preserve the operational capabilities of the program," Schiff told reporters. At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the NSA to collect vast amounts of digital communications from foreign suspects living outside the United States. U.S. intelligence officials consider Section 702 among the most vital of tools at their disposal to thwart national security threats. But the program, classified details of which were exposed in 2013 by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, incidentally gathers communications of Americans, such as when they compete with foreigners. Currently, those communications can then be subject to searches without a warrant. Congress must renew Section 702 in some form by Dec. 31 or the program will expire. Schiff said he believed the compromise would be acceptable to many lawmakers, as well as the intelligence community and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is similar to legislation backed by the House Judiciary Committee. However, there are still deep divides in both the Senate and the House over what to do about Section 702, as lawmakers balance demands for more privacy protections with spy agencies' desire to preserve what they see as a valuable tool. There are different renewal proposals in the House and Senate. One Senate bill would not require any warrants, which Schiff said he did not think could pass the House. It was not clear whether lawmakers will vote on a standalone 702 bill or whether it would be part of a broader must-pass bill, such as a spending measure Congress must pass next month to keep the government open. Another possibility would be a short-term extension to keep the current surveillance system in place and give Congress more time to come up with a solution that could become law. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Leslie Adler)
After 16 years of war, the United States and its Afghan partners have turned the corner and momentum is now with Afghan security forces, the top U.S. general there told reporters on Tuesday.

Gen. John Nicholson, head of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said the Trump administrations plan to beef up the U.S. battlefield presence is a game-changer that puts Kabuls battered forces on a path to a win.

Nicholson is at least the eighth top commander in the last decade to forecast a pathway to victory in a war that has dragged on nearly all century, and his optimistic forecasts contrast starkly with deteriorating Afghan government control and a resurgent Taliban.

Nevertheless, Nicholson said that over the next two years, U.S. troops will work to double Afghanistans special operations forces, dial up airstrikes, and deploy more than 1,000 U.S. troops into combat alongside Afghan forces for the first time since the end of official combat operations in early 2015.

The renewed pressure will force the Taliban to reconcile, face irrelevance, or die, Nicholson said, promising that we will be here until the job is done.

The United States currently has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, after President Donald Trump deployed an additional 3,000 in the fall. At the height of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, there were 100,000 troops on the ground, yet the Taliban hung on.

U.S. commanders, defense officials, and even presidents have not been shy about predicting a win in Afghanistan. In 2007, Gen. Dan McNeill declared that we have [seen] great progress and significant gains in the Afghan National Army, which was on track to take over the combat duties. Afghan units wouldnt take over the fighting until January 2015.

In 2011, President Barack Obama boasted that the United States had turned a corner in the fight after his 33,000 troop surge in 2010. During a visit that same month to Kabul, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates proclaimed we have enjoyed a lot of success over the last year to 18 months, and if Afghan forces can hold those gains, we can say weve turned a corner here in Afghanistan.

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Before handing over command of the war in July 2011, Gen. David Petraeus reported that Afghan forces had turned a corner, having said months prior that the momentum of the Taliban has been halted in much of the country and reversed in some important areas.

In a September 2012 speech, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that the Obama surge did accomplish its objectives of reversing the Taliban momentum on the battlefield and dramatically increasing the size and capability of the Afghan national security forces, adding, we have turned the corner.

But the Afghan forces havent been able to hold those gains, and the Taliban has regained control over huge chunks of territory. According to an October report released by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a congressionally mandated watchdog, the Afghan central governments control deteriorated to its lowest level since SIGAR began analyzing data in 2015. The government only controls about 56 percent of the country, a six-point decline from 2016.

Since the end of combat operations for U.S. and NATO forces in January 2015, Afghan forces have taken staggering losses as the Taliban has regrouped and retaken territory that American forces had secured through fierce fighting during the Obama surge.

To begin to claw that back, Nicholson confirmed Tuesday that over 1,000 U.S. troops will begin accompanying Afghan forces on combat missions that will place Americans at greater risk, but will allow for more airstrikes and increased tactical advice to Afghan units in the fight.

And the fighting has been intense. In the first four months of this year, 2,531 Afghan security forces were killed and 4,238 wounded, according to figures released by SIGAR. About 7,000 Afghan soldiers were killed in combat in 2016.

The government in Kabul has since asked the Pentagon to classify casualty figures, obscuring a key metric about the effectiveness of a force American taxpayers have spent over $60 billion to train and equip.

But the top U.S. general said he was confident that some additional U.S. troops and support for Afghan forces will somehow prevail where previous troop surges did not.

The Taliban cannot win in the face of the pressures that I outlined, Nicholson said.
(Corrects title of PLO office's chief representative in paragraph 11, in this Nov. 21 story)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States wants the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to keep its Washington office open and is in talks with Palestinian officials about the issue despite a U.S. decision that could trigger its closure, the State Department said on Tuesday.

A State Department official on Saturday said under U.S. law, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could not renew a certification for the PLO office to operate "given certain statements made by the Palestinian leaders about the International Criminal Court."

Under the law, the PLO, the main Palestinian umbrella political body, cannot operate a Washington office if it urges the ICC to prosecute Israelis for alleged crimes against Palestinians.

In September, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations called on the ICC "to open an investigation and to prosecute Israeli officials for their involvement in settlement activities and aggressions against our people."

Speaking at a briefing, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the matter was under discussion and that, as far as she knew, the office was up and running for now.

"We are in contact with the Palestinian officials about the status of that PLO office. I don't want reporters to get ahead of themselves in reporting on this," she added, suggesting that talk of the office's closure might be premature. "We'd like for them to be able to keep it open."

According to a weekend report by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the Palestinian presidency expressed surprise at the U.S. certification decision, first reported by the Associated Press.

WAFA quoted Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki as saying that Palestinian leaders would not give in to blackmail or pressure regarding the operation of the PLO office or negotiations on an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

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It was not immediately clear what effect the State Department's move might have on the Trump administration's efforts to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which are led by Jared Kushner, the U.S. president's son-in-law and senior adviser.

The PLO office in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A source familiar with the matter said that the office remained open and that Arab television channels had taken footage of its chief representative entering the building this week.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Tom Brown and Sandra Maler)
ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Britain could take steps to stabilise Zimbabwe's currency system and extend a bridging loan to help it clear World Bank and African Development Bank arrears, but such support depends on "democratic progress", Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.

"Those are indeed the things that we would try to do to help Zimbabwe forward, but we've got to see how the democratic process unfolds," he said on Wednesday on the sidelines of an African Union-EU summit in Abidjan.

Zimbabwe is due to hold elections next year.

(Reporting by Joe Bavier; Editing by Catherine Evans)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's newspapers were rife with speculation on Wednesday about the mystery matchmaker of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry and his fiancee American actress Meghan Markle who met on a blind date in London last year.

In a televised interview on Monday when they announced their engagement, the couple were coy about the identity of the "mutual friend" who had brought them together.

"We should protect her privacy and not reveal too much of that," said Markle, with Harry adding: "We'll protect her privacy yeah. But it was - it was literally - it was through her."

On its front page, the Times newspaper declared that it was the fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who was born in Bahrain and raised in London.

The paper said her estranged husband is Alexander Gilkes, who went to the same exclusive school, Eton College, that Harry, 33, attended, while she is also a close friend of Markle and went on holiday with her in the summer of 2016.

However, the Daily Telegraph had a different solution. It said Violet Von Westenholz, who had been friends with Harry since he was a teenager, was behind the romance.

Westenholz, a PR director for fashion label Ralph Lauren, had helped organize a publicity day for "Suits" in London in June last year, the U.S. TV legal drama in which Markle was one of the cast's stars.

Harry and Markle, 36, began dating the following month.

"I might leave that for other people to say (who the matchmaker was)," she told the Telegraph. "It's a great love story and I am sure they are going to be very happy together."

News of the engagement has drawn huge global interest thanks to Harry's royal status and the Hollywood sparkle added by his wife-to-be.

The couple announced on Tuesday they would wed in March next year at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. [L8N1NY5BK]

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On Friday, the couple will take part in their first official royal engagement as a couple in the central English city of Nottingham, visiting charities working to prevent HIV/AIDS and youth crime.

While the couple's nuptials have dominated the news in Britain, a poll suggested more than a half of Britons were fairly non-plussed. A YouGov survey for the Times found 39 percent were pleased by the engagement, four percent disappointed and 52 percent indifferent.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail newspaper's front page was dedicated to a 21-year-old picture of Markle sitting on railings with friend Ninaki Priddy outside Buckingham Palace, one of her future in-laws' London homes.

"I'm not shocked at all. She was always fascinated by the royal family," Priddy was quoted by the paper as saying. "It's like she has been planning this all her life. She gets exactly what she wants and Harry has fallen for her play."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Raissa Kasolowsky)
The Hague (AFP) - Dutch prosecutors are investigating how a Bosnian Croat war criminal managed to dramatically take his own life Wednesday, apparently after drinking poison he had smuggled into a UN court, in scenes that were broadcast live.

In shocking footage beamed around the world, Slobodan Praljak drank from a small brown glass bottle and exclaimed he had taken poison moments after UN judges upheld his 20-year jail term for atrocities committed during the 1990s Balkans conflict.

The 72-year-old died in hospital after being rushed from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), casting a cloud over what should have been a successful end to the court's tenure.

Prosecutors said their investigation would focus on what killed Praljak and whether he had received any outside help in obtaining the suspected poison.

"For the time being the inquiry will focus on assisted suicide and violation of the Medicines Act," the Public Prosecution Service said in a statement late Wednesday, adding it would not be commenting further.

The unprecedented drama came as judges handed down their very last verdict at the court in the appeal case of six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders.

Praljak, a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, shouted out angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict."

Standing tall, with a shock of white hair and beard, he then raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and tipped it into his mouth. The hearing was quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer interjected: "My client says he has taken poison."

ICTY spokesman Nenad Golcevski told reporters that Praljak "quickly fell ill" and died in hospital. He could not confirm what was in the bottle.

The stunning events caused a shockwave in Croatia and intense embarrassment at a war crimes tribunal that closes next month more than two decades after being set up at the height of the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict.

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Among the questions to be answered will be how he managed to evade tight security to smuggle the bottle into the tribunal.

And if the liquid was indeed poison or noxious, how did he acquire it in the UN detention centre in The Hague where he was being held?

- Moral injustice -

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic slammed the "injustice" of the UN tribunal and expressed his condolences.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," he told reporters.

Praljak's act demonstrated "what sacrifice he was ready to make" to show he was "not a war criminal," said Dragan Covic, the Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

"It is a humiliation of this institution which has existed since 1993."

Late Wednesday candles were lit in the former breakaway statelet's capital Mostar by Bosnian Croats and other residents in tribute to the late general.

It is not the first time that defendants have taken their own lives at the ICTY.

Former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic killed himself in his cell at the UN detention centre in 2006, after another Croatian Serb, Slavko Dokmanovic, in 1998.

And former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic was found dead in his cell in 2006 from natural causes before his trial could be completed.

- Serious crimes -

In the complex ruling, the judges upheld the jail terms against all six defendants, including a 25-year sentence imposed on Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, known as Herzog-Bosna.

Praljak had been specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993.

In their ruling, the judges allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been "a military target at the time of the attack." But they refused to reduce his overall sentence.

The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw some brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart.

The appeal judges said all six men, who had been found guilty of seeking to remove Bosnian Muslims from the territory, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes".

In statements sure to anger Zagreb, the judges upheld the original trial finding that the men had been part of a joint criminal enterprise whose "ultimate purpose was shared" by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, and other leaders.

The aim of the scheme was to set up "a Croatian entity that ... facilitated the reunification of the Croatian people."

Terms ranging from 10 to 20 years were also upheld against the four other defendants.

Wednesday's verdict comes a week after the judges imposed a life sentence on former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic.

His judgement had also descended into confusion when he accused the judges of lying and had to be dragged away into a nearby room.

The ICTY closes its doors on December 31, having indicted and dealt with 161 people.
Convicted war criminal Slobodan Praljak died on November 29 after drinking what he said was poison during an appeal in The Hague at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

Former Croat general Praljak drank the liquid after declaring that, Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal and that he rejected with disdain the ICTY verdict, according to a translation of his remarks from Radio Free Europe.

He then drank from a small vessel, before saying what he had drunk was poison.

Some time later, Croatias state-run HRT reported Praljak had died, citing sources close to his family.

Later, this was confirmed by Nenad Golcevski, a spokesman for the tribunal, who told reporters, Mr Praljak drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill. The ICTY medical staff immediately assisted Mr Praljak. Simultaneously an ambulance was summoned. Mr Praljak was transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical assistance, where he passed. Credit: United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia via Storyful
Washington (AFP) - US military investigators said Wednesday that only enemy fighters were shot dead in a joint US-Somali raid in August, amid allegations that multiple civilians were killed.

At issue is an August 25 operation at a farm near Bariire in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, when Somali troops and US special forces attacked a suspected hideout for fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab group.

Soon after the overnight operation, community leaders accused troops of having killed civilians.

Local elders called a news conference in the capital Mogadishu and displayed nine bodies, two of them children, saying they were civilians killed in cold blood by Somali troops.

The same day, the US military's Africa Command released a statement saying it was conducting a credibility assessment into the allegations.

On Wednesday, it said it was confident those killed were jihadists. Officials did not make public the investigation itself.

"After a thorough assessment of the Somali National Army-led operation near Bariire, Somalia, on August 25, 2017 and the associated allegations of civilian casualties, US Special Operations Command Africa has concluded that the only casualties were those of armed enemy combatants," AFRICOM said in a statement.

US news site the Daily Beast published a lengthy story shortly before AFRICOM released its statement, saying it had uncovered strong evidence that US special forces troops had killed civilians in the incident.

The Beast interviewed several Somali intelligence officials and other people familiar with the case, and found bullet casings from US weapons -- apparently undermining the US claim that its troops were only in a supporting role.

Pentagon spokeswoman Major Audricia Harris said investigators would have looked at information "from all available sources," including other agencies, partner governments and nongovernmental organizations.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague itself became a crime scene on Wednesday when a convicted war criminal committed suicide with poison he had smuggled into the courtroom.

Slobodan Praljak, a commander of Croat forces during the 1990s war in Bosnia, swigged poison from a flask moments after a panel of appeals judges upheld his 20 year sentence for war crimes on Wednesday morning.

He was pronounced dead two hours later. Dutch police declared the courtroom a crime scene and have opened an investigation.

Praljak, 72, was jailed in 2013 for his role in war crimes including a massacre of civilians in central Bosnia and the deliberate destruction of Mostar bridge during the siege of the city by Croatian forces in 1993.

He committed suicide when Carmel Agius, the presiding judge, read out a verdict rejecting his appeal.

Refusing to sit, he said: Judges, Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. With disdain, I reject this verdict.

Ignoring a request to sit down, he swigged from what appeared to be a small flask and announced: What I drank was poison.

Slobodan Praljak screamed 'I am not a war criminal' before raising the liquid to his mouth

He brought the liquid - in a small brown bottle - to his mouth

Slobodan Praljak tipped his head back as he seemingly drained the liquid

Judge Agius immediately suspended proceedings and called a doctor while Praljaks lawyer shouted my client says he has taken poison!

An ambulance was called and Praljak was reported to be receiving medical treatment before his death was confirmed in the early afternoon.

It is unclear how he managed to smuggle poison into the courtroom. Dutch Police have opened a criminal investigation.

Slobodan Praljak, centre, was among the defendants at the Hague international court Credit: ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN /AFP

Praljak was in court to hear the result of a joint appeal he and five other senior figures in the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), the Bosnian-Croat force in the 1992-1995 war, had lodged against convictions for war crimes.

The court upheld convictions against all six men, including a 25-year sentence imposed on Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the breakaway Bosnian Croat state known as Herzog-Bosna.

Praljak, who was commander of the HVO main staff in the war, was appealing convictions on multiple charges including aiding and abetting or failing to prevent the killing of civilians, attacks on international personnel, and the needless destruction of buildings including the historic Old Bridge and mosques during the siege of Mostar.

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Harry de Quetteville

The most notorious charge related to his role in the massacre of Bosnian Muslim civilians in the village of Stupni Do, a village near the central Bosnian municipality of Vares, in the October 1993 .

At least 37 people were killed after Praljak issued an order to sort out the situation in Vares showing no mercy towards anyone. Find people who are up to both the times and the tasks.

Those who received the order included Ivica Rajic, a Croat commander in central Bosnia whose troops carried out the massacre and committed rapes in Stupni Do on October 23 and October 24. Rajic was found guilty of crimes including wilful killing and abuse including sexual assault in 2006.

Tuesdays appeal verdict was the last judgement by the International Criminal Tribunal, which was established in 1993. The court is to close next month.

Additional reporting by Alya Zayed
Earlier this year, House Democrats accused retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn of secretly lobbying for a huge Middle East nuclear power deal while serving as President Donald Trumps national security adviser. New details have emerged this week of just how far Flynns alleged lobbying effort mightve gone.

Flynn, who was ousted from the White House in February for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S., attempted to push a proposal for the nuclear power scheme  linked to companies he had previously advised  within days of taking office in Trumps White House, reported The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

Soon after Trumps inauguration, Flynn received a memo from his former business associate Robert McFarlane, co-founder of the company IP3, about the plan, which envisioned a large consortium of countries, including the U.S. and Russia, building a fleet of nuclear reactors across the Middle East.

Flynn, who had served as an adviser to IP3 in 2016, reportedly told a staffer on the National Security Council to transform McFarlanes memo into a policy directive for Trump to sign.

To promote such a plan in the first week of the administration without any policy process made no sense, a source familiar with the event told the Post. It was a business proposal in the form of a policy paper.

According to the Journal, Flynn also talked favorably about the proposed scheme  dubbed by McFarlane as the Marshall Plan for the Middle East  to Thomas Barrack Jr., a friend of Trumps who served as chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. This discussion reportedly triggered several conversations about the deal between Barrack and White House officials including Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

These conversations, however, are said to have amounted to nothing. There is also no sign that the policy memo was ever reviewed by Trump.

A White House spokesman told the Journal that the White House and National Security Council have rigorous processes in place to ensure that all outside proposals are thoroughly evaluated for their potential legal and policy implications.

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HuffPost has reached out to the White House for comment.

In September, Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote a letter expressing concern about Flynns close ties to the Middle East deal. They said Flynn had failed, in security clearance interviews, to disclose details of his work for IP3 and ACU Strategic Partners, a company that had paid Flynn to travel to Egypt and Israel in 2015 to promote a similar nuclear power deal. These omissions may have been violations of federal law, the Democrats noted.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating Flynns relationship with IP3 and ACU Strategic Partners, reported the Journal.

Flynn is also under investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the probe into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential race. Mueller is reportedly scrutinizing Flynns contacts with Russian officials during and after Trumps presidential campaign, as well as his purported ties to and undisclosed payments from the Turkish government.

Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney who was fired by Trump, said Sunday that Flynn is likely cooperating with Muellers investigation.

My view is based on how things used to operate in my office and based on how the world works, [which] is that theres a substantial likelihood that theyre at least in discussions with regard to cooperating, Bharara told CNN.

ABC News reported this week that Flynns attorney had met with members of Muellers team.

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The Donald can't seem to keep his hands off the phone while in the White House, but the same rules may not apply to his staff in the near future. The White House is mulling a personal cell phone ban for employees and possibly visitors, citing cybersecurity concerns.

A handful of administration officials have been chatting with the press about the ban in the last couple of days, including White House chief of staff John Kelly, whose smartphone was reportedly hacked by foreign operatives.

Kelly noticed his phone wasn't working properly and handed it over to White House tech support, only for them to find it had been "externally breached," according to a segment in October where Rachel Maddow detailed the incident.

All mobile devices have since been banned in the West Wing.

The new ban is just a proposal for now, according to Yahoo News, and it's not clear when or if it would be imposed. However, if it does go into effect, it would apply to the personal mobile devices of all White House staffers.

The ban would also mean no one would be able to send texts from the White House as official White House-issued mobile devices are not capable of sending texts.

While that might cut down on some of the leaks coming from inside, which Trump has been vocally upset about since taking office, it also would place a hardship on staffers needing to communicate with family members. Some have expressed concerns the ban would have "unintended consequences" or they could be accused of wasting government resources for placing outside calls on staff-issued phones, according to Yahoo News.

Also note that any calls, personal or otherwise, on a White House mobile phone are required to be kept as a government record and would eventually be archived and made public.

Opponents of the ban have raised concerns over violations of their personal privacy. However, national security concerns may win out in the end. We'll just have to see if the White House goes through with the ban.
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's former finance minister, Ignatius Chombo, who is facing graft charges dating back more than 10 years, was denied bail Monday by a magistrate's court.

"The court is of the view that indeed there are compelling reasons to deny the accused person his right to bail,"magistrate Elisha Singano said.

"I concur with the state that if the accused is released at this time there will be a public outcry."

He also said the risk of Chombo fleeing was high.

Chombo is a former secretary for administration in the ruling ZANU-PF party and the last finance minister under President Robert Mugabe.

On Saturday, he became the first Mugabe loyalist to be charged following the military intervention that forced the 93-year-old leader from office.

He was remanded in custody on fraud charges dating from 2004-2009, when he held a different ministerial role.

Chombo -- seen as an ally of Grace Mugabe, the ex-president's controversial wife -- told the court on Saturday that armed men in uniform had detained and questioned him for days at an unknown location.

Chombo appeared on Monday in the same court that denied bail to Kudzai Chipanga.

The former ZANU-PF youth league leader is facing charges of causing disaffection in the military after he denounced the army chief, Constantino Chiwenga.

He was remanded in custody to December 8.
By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, on Tuesday announced a three-month amnesty window for the return of public funds illegally stashed abroad by individuals and companies. Upon the expiry of the amnesty at end of February next year, the government will arrest and prosecute those who have failed to comply, Mnangagwa said in a statement. Mnangagwa was sworn-in as president on Friday and promised to tackle corruption, which had become endemic under former president Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule. "Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of the three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalized funds and assets in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the long arm of the law," Mnangagwa said. Zimbabwe's new president is under pressure to deliver, especially on the economy, which is in the grip of severe foreign currency shortages that have seen banks failing to give cash to customers. Mnangagwa told heads of government ministries on Tuesday that he was putting together a "leaner" government, which would see the merging of some departments to enhance efficiency. Critics say Zimbabwe has a bloated civil service, which chews more than 90 percent of the national budget. Mnangagwa, however, said only workers of retirement age would be laid off. He promised to rebuild the economy and improve the livelihoods of Zimbabweans. "My government will have no tolerance for bureaucratic slothfulness, which is quick to brandish procedures as an excuse for stalling service delivery to citizens, investors and other stakeholders," Mnangagwa said in a statement read to the government officials. After recovering under a unity government between the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition between 2009 and 2012, the southern African nation's economy has unraveled with the unemployment rate above 90 percent. Mnangagwa is expected to announce a cabinet this week, with all eyes on whether he breaks with the past and names a broad-based government or selects old guard figures from Mugabe's era. An official at parliament said Mnangagwa had asked for curriculum vitaes of ZANU-PF legislators on Tuesday as he moves to put the new cabinet in place. Meanwhile, deputy parliament speaker Mabel Chinomona told the house that she had been informed by ZANU-PF that the party had recalled five legislators from parliament, indicating the five had been dismissed as ZANU-PF lawmakers. The members, all linked to the G40 group that supported Mugabe's wife Grace, include former ministers Savior Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and Ignatius Chombo, who is facing corruption charges in court. (Editing by James Macharia and Richard Balmforth)
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Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon was reportedly given an ultimatum on Tuesday by the ruling Likud party: either vote with the coalition in favor of the recommendations bill or face elections.

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The legislation would bar the police from making recommendations on indictments in instances when the investigation includes an attorney, with the official reason being the attorney would be the best authority to decide the chances of conviction.

Most notably, the recommendations bill would apply to the current investigations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thus preventing the police from issuing a recommendation to indict him if their investigations lead to that conclusion.

(Photo: Yair Sagi)

Over the past 24 hours, Kahlon has been fielding heated criticism for voting in favor of the bill in the preliminary Knesset reading on Monday.

The recommendations bill was approved Monday in its first reading with a 46 in favor and 37 against. Earlier Monday, it passed a preliminary vote in the Internal Affairs Committee.

During the first reading vote, Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria exited the plenum, so as not to vote in favor of the bill.

Such demonstrations will be unacceptable during the upcoming second and third readings of the bill, as all members of the coalition were given an update on Tuesday that no offsetting will be allowedmeaning that all coalition members are expected to vote in favor of the bill.

During the bill's first reading, the plenum included a sparse showing of coalition MKs, many of whom were absent due to flight and events outside the Knesset. The second reading vote will take place next Monday, December 4.

Kahlon insists bill not about Netanyahu

Kahlon defended voting in favor of the bill on Tuesday. "Whoever says the recommendations bill is about the prime minister, is flat-out lying," he said at a conference in Eilat.

"The law differentiates between ongoing investigations and investigations from here onward," said Kahlon.

(Photo: Olivier Fitoussi)

Regarding whether the bill would apply to the current investigations against Netanyahu, Kahlon said that "the attorney general will decide."

Kahlon maintained he has always opposed publicizing police recommendations. "We began working on the bill 17 years ago. I dont believe that recommendations ought to be publicized. I dont deny that the timing is problematic, but the bill was submitted two years ago," stressed Kahlon.

"I believe there is a negative public climate, and I wish that many bills were never advanced. However, this particular bill is legitimate and I support it. I dont require anyone's opinion, I believe in it. Everything I did was with the close cooperation of the AG. I didn't move a milimeter without Mandelblit."

The Kulanu chairperson added that he "does not believe there is any reason in the world that an Israeli citizen should appear on Google as one whom the police recommended for an indictment that was later withdrawn, so whenever their name comes up in a search, people will see they were recommended for an indictment. I believe that citizens have rights."

The discussion on the legiation in the Internal Affairs Committee on Monday became heated when it became clear that Kahlon backtracked from his request that the investigation of the prime minister be excluded from the bill.

Responding the the backlash he has received for supporting the bill, Kahlon said, "I am not deterred by the festival of hypocrisy by those who are not satisfied with the decision."

Kahlon stressed he was not subject to pressure to change his decision to support the bill.

Talking about the 'French Bill,' which would bar the investigation of a sitting prime minister, Kahlon claimed he had managed to remove it from the Knesset's agenda. "I said the French bill would not pass, and Amsalem informed me it had been withdrawn, at my request."

Regarding the current investigations involving Netanyahu, Kahlon suggested to "allow the attorney general to carry out his investigation and see where it goes."
The United Nations and Israel will be commemorating the landmark voteheld on November 29, 1947to grant the state of Israel independence with a special ceremony at the site of the original vote in Flushing Meadows, Queens. In honor of the vote, many dignitaries as well as laymen and women sent telegrams and letters to the Jewish Agency lauding the occasion.

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These historical documents were originally safeguarded at the Agency's political department and in the personal archive of Moshe Sharett, the Zionist organization's delegate to the vote. Today the documents are enshrined in the Central Zionist Archives in Jerusalem.

The fateful UN vote on November 29, 1947

"Godspeed, with love," wrote David Ben Gurion, later Israel's first prime minister, to Sharett, who later became the country's first minister of foreign affairs.

Ben Gurion's telegram

Holocaust survivors also wrote the Jewish Agency, saying, "We recognize your successful labor, on the field of redemption, may the divine spirit rest upon the building and creation of the land, and may Jews return to their homeland from all four corners of the Earth."

Sharett received many letters expressing joy at the vote passing

75-year-old Avraham Horowitz of Ahuzat Shmuel wrote, "The aforesaid congratulations spring forth from the heart of a Zionist whofrom the first moment the later Dr. Herzl headed the Zionist movementvolunteered for the movement and for settling this land without pause until he himself came here. I'm seventy five now and regret not being able to express my feelings another way on this historic day."

Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Herzog, the grandfather and namesake of Opposition Chairman Yitzhak Herzog, wrote Sharett, telling him, "You have my congratulations on your historic efforts that, with the help God Almighty, were successful. Dawn is rising. A new light will now shine on Zion, by the grace of He who made the light."

Sharett himself sent a telegram to Golda Meir, who would later also become prime minister but then replaced Sharett as director of the Jewish agency's political department in Jerusalem. "I have been with you and the rest of the department's people through every stage of this tense, difficult campaign. The tidings of safety emanating from Jerusalem were a constant source of encouragement and inspiration," Sharett wrote her.

Some of the people alive during the 1947 vote could not send their letters of joy to the Jewish Agency, however, as they were children or very young adults at the time. Nevertheless, November 29 was a date they will never forget.





Israel, 1947 (Photo courtesy Yehudit Aricha)

Sarah Peri was not yet in then-Palestine at the time. "I was about nine years old, and a survivor of Majdanek. My mother survived Auschwitz. We were also glued to the radio. I remember the outbursts of joy, dancing and hugging. I heard cries of 'We have a state, we have a state.' The joy went on for days, it was euphoric. These are people who emerged from the inferno, who left the camps, who were living skeletons and whose humanity was removed and suddenly a country was founded. For us, after 2,000 years it was a grand thing.

"When we got here by boat and saw the lights of Haifa from afar, everyone forgot their bad feelings and started feeling happy again. We got ashore and were helped off the ship. When we got to land, we kissed the ground with joy. When we came here, the situation wasn't so great. There were problems, but still I said Israel was wonderful. It's our land, and we have none other. My childhood actually started in Israel, when I was ten," she reminisced.

Yehudit Aricha (Photo courtesy Yehudit Aricha)

Yehudit Aricha was born in Tel Aviv, but in 1947 she had been living in Nahliel (later Hadera). "Of course we were very moved. I knew not everything was going to be great from the very start, but we couldn't wait. I was so pleased to hear the vote ended in our favor and hoped for the best. I was in the early stages of pregnancy then and my husband was away. He was a member of Haganah (the Jewish armed defense organization that would later serve as the basis for the IDF) and was taken the very same day to defend places they knew would be assailed by Arabs. I didn't know how he was getting on, but was happy for him as well.

"Not all of the homes had radios, but my grandfather's parents had a brand new one and I decided to go there. When I got close I found a large crowd of youths, children, mostly school-age. I decided to stay with them rather than go inside. Excitement during the vote was outstanding. The young boys and girls, all pupils, started counting. This one tallied a yes vote, that one tallied a no vote, they got confused and angry at each other for bungling the count. It was great. And when the moment arrived and we heard we won the vote, everybody applauded," she recounted.

Bella Kopatsch (Photo courtesy Bella Kopatsch)

Aricha said the days immediately after the vote were difficult in light of the security situation. "I expected the move to an independent state would be much easier. Unfortunately it was hard, due to Arab attacks and the War of Independence, which claimed many victimsmany of which we knew. So while there may not have been peace or calm when the state was declared, at least we knew we were fighting for an actual state," she said.

Bella Kopatsch came to Palestine two and a half years before that fateful day. "I was about 14 and lived in Yagur. After going through the hell of the Holocaust, I came here with other children. We all huddled around the radio, listening to the yeses and no's until they finally announced  yes. We wept with joy," she remembered.
The head of a Russian Orthodox Church panel looking into the 1918 killing of Russia's last czar and his family said in a statement that angered many angered Jewish groups the panel was investigating whether it was a ritual murder.

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Father Tikhon Shevkunov, the Orthodox bishop heading the panel, said after Monday's session that "a large share of the church commission members have no doubts that the murder was ritual."

A representative of the Investigative Committee, Russia's top state investigative agency, also said that it will conduct its own probe into the theory, which further inflamed tensions among Russia's Jews.

Father Tikhon, heading the commission, spoke about the czar's execution having ritual characteristics (Photo: AP)

Boruch Gorin, a spokesman for the Federation of Jewish Communities, Russia's largest Jewish group, expressed a strong concern Tuesday about the claims that he described as a "throwback to the darkest ages."

Some Christians in medieval Europe believed that Jews murdered Christians to use their blood for ritual purposes, something which historians say has no basis in Jewish religious law or historical fact and instead reflected anti-Jewish hostility in Christian Europe.

Nicholas II, his wife and their five children were executed by a Bolshevik firing squad on July 17, 1918, in a basement room of a merchant's house where they were held in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. The Russian Orthodox Church made them saints in 2000.

The speculation that the czar and his family were killed by the Jews for ritual purposes has long been promoted by fringe anti-Semitic groups.

Putin associate possibly embroiled in anti-Semitism

Gorin said his group was shocked and angered by the statements from both the bishop and the Investigative Committee, which he said sounded like a revival of the century-old "anti-Semitic myth" about the killing of the imperial family.

Nicholas II and his family were executed at the outset of the Bolshevik Revolution (Photo: AP)

Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill attended Monday's meeting of the church panel investigating the killing of the czar and his family. He didn't address the issue of whether the killing was ritual, but emphasized that the church needs to find answers to all outstanding questions and "doesn't have the right for mistakes."

Bishop Tikhon's words carried particular weight given his reported close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and influence within the church.

The bishop elaborated on his statement Tuesday, telling the state RIA Novosti news agency that the "Bolsheviks and their allies engaged in the most unexpected and diverse ritual symbolism." He claimed that "quite a few people involved in the executionin Moscow or Yekaterinburgsaw the killing of the deposed Russian emperor as a special ritual of revenge" and added that Yakov Yurovsky, the organizer of the execution who was Jewish, later boasted about his "sacral historic mission."

Father Tikhon (L) is considered close to Russian president Putin (center) (Photo: AP)

While Tikhon steered clear of singling out Jews as those responsible for the killing, Gorin said that the use of the term coined by anti-Semites of all stripes was "extremely alarming."

"Bishop Tikhon's invectives undoubtedly cast a shadow over the Russian Orthodox Church," he said. "And a representative of the Investigative Committee talking about the same theory yesterday casts a shadow on the government as a whole."

Gorin said he expects both the church leadership and Russian government officials to provide explanation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a one-day visit to Kenya on Tuesday, to take part in celebrations for the inauguration of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. This is Netanyahu's third trip to Africa in the past year.

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Netanyahu took off to Kenya Tuesday morning and landed in the capital of Nairobi, where he was greeted by an honorary guard. He is due to return to Israel around 5am (technically Wednesday).

Netanyahu was the only western leader to take part in the celebrations, which included ten African leaders. Communications Minister Ayoob Kara joined him on the trip.

Despite original reports that he was planning to attend the inauguration itself, the Israeli premier only joined the celebrations amid security concerns that threatened to erupt during the ceremony.

Netanyahu lands in Nairobi (: ")

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After arriving in Nairobi, Netanyahu participated in a celebratory meal with the other leaders, during which he was seated next to Kenyatta on his big day.

Netanyahu was also the only foreign leader to be asked to speak at the lunch, during which he congratulated Kenyatta on the birth of his granddaughter and offered him a picture with a blessing for the newborn.





Netanyahu is greeted upon his arrival (Photo: Haim Tzach, GPO)

Netanyahu used the opportunity to conduct a series of diplomatic meetings with foreign leaders, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, with whom Netanyahu is currently in negotiations to transfer over 10,000 illegal infiltrators to Rwanda, with Israel paying for each person that will be transferred to the African country.

Honorary guard awaits Netanyahu in Nairobi (Photo: Haim Tzach, GPO)

During their meeting, Netanyahu announced that Israel will be opening an embassy in the country's capital of Kigali, "as part of deepening the cooperation between Israel and African countries."

The prime minister also met with the presidents of Gabon, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, South Sudan, Botswana and Namibia, as well as with the prime minister of Ethiopia.

During the meetings, Netanyahu discussed furthering cooperation in a variety of fields, including energy, agriculture, technology and security. The leaders reportedly thanked Israel for its help and asked for further assistance in matters of security, intelligence and agriculture.

(Photo: Haim Tzach, GPO)

"We want to work with you and each of your countries, to connect Africa to electricity," said Netanyahu during the celebratory lunch. "We believe in Africa. For each of your initiatives, there will be an initiative of ours to take advantage of the future and make life better and safer for your people."
ISTANBUL  Turkish prosecutors have issued detention warrants for 360 people in an operation targeting supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen within the army, broadcaster CNN Turk and other media reported on Wednesday.

They said the operation was focused on Istanbul and that 343 of those facing arrest were soldiers. Ankara accuses Gulen and his network of orchestrating an attempted coup last year. Gulen denies the charge.
The Israel Medical Association and Ministry of Health reached a partial agreement regarding limiting the taking in of doctors, after an overnight discussion at the labor court.

Pursuant to the agreement, Wednesday's morning will last only two hours, in accordance with each medical institution's hours of operations.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry says both Israel and Egypt pushed the United States to "bomb Iran" before the 2015 nuclear deal was struck.

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Defending the deal during a forum in Washington, Kerry said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "genuinely agitating toward action."

Kerry speaking about his meetings with Mubarak and Netanyahu ( : )

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While he was chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kerry met with Netanyahu, Saudi King Abdullah and then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

"Each of them said to me, 'you have to bomb Iran, its the only thing they are going to understand,'" he said.

Former secretary of state John Kerry (Photo: EPA)

"I remember the conversation with president Mubarak," Kerry added. "I looked at him and I said, 'That's easy for you to say. I bet you'd be the first guy to criticize us for doing it.' And he said, 'Of course' (and laughed)."

But Kerry said that was "a trap" in many ways because the same countries would have publicly criticized the US if it bombed.

While admitting he doesn't know whether Iran will resume pursuing a nuclear weapon in 10 to 15 years after restrictions in the deal sunset, he argued it was the best deal the US could get.

"Without exaggeration, the likelihood is very high that we would have been in a conflict (without the deal)," he noted.
There are few success stories in history like the 70 years of the State of Israel, certainly in the recent generations.

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I remember the night of November 29 as though it were only yesterday. Since then, weve only had a few joyful moments. As a child, I remember the groups of dancers on the streets and the vehicles that crossed the streets of Tel Aviv, chanting Aliyah hofshit, medina Ivrit! (Free immigration, a Hebrew state).

Celebrating UN vote on November 29, 1947. There are few success stories in history like the 70 years of the State of Israel (Photo: Hans Fine, courtesy of IDF Archive at the Defense Ministry)

I also remember the silence that prevailed the following day, as an Egged bus was attacked near Petah Tikva and its passengers were killed. Among the dead was an acquaintance of my family, Pnina Federman, may her memory be a blessing, who was one of the first people to die for the State of Israel on its first day.

Seventy years have passed and the State of Israel still exists, and there is no other country like it in the entire world. We are an unusual economic success story, an inconceivable success story in military and security policy, a place where every Jew would like to live if it were possible.

Thirty-three states voted for the State of Israels establishment 70 years ago. Today, the United Nations includes some 200 members, and most of them were not even states at the time. Although we suffer greatly from the UN and the Security Council Resolutions, we must thank this international institution, which was founded after World War II, for its agreement and willingness to establish a state for the Jewish people.

On that same occasion, the UN suggested and sought to establish an Arab state alongside the Jewish state. The Arabs made an unforgivable historic mistake in turning down the Partition Plan. The mistake was inconceivable, and we are lucky that David Ben-Gurion imposed his will and agreed to the advancement of a Jewish state. The Arabs kept living under illusions and believing that they would defeat the State of Israel, but they were defeated themselvesand this defeat too led to the great wonder called the State of Israel.
While initial police evaluations concluded that Monday's explosion in a Jaffa building materials store was caused by a gas leak, investigators are now considering the possibility that it may have been an arson attack, according to a source on the investigative team.

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"We don't know exactly what happened but something doesn't add up. Traces of 'other' materials that may have caused the explosion were found and sent to the lab," the source said.

"They aren't necessarily flammable materials from the store itself, which is why that angle is being looked into. which we are looking into it more deeply. It may end up being intentional arson," the source said.

Helmet cam footage of the firefighting operations (:   )

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Initial evaluations chalked the explosion, which claimed the lives of three people and wounded four, up to a cooking gas leak, which is said to have caused the blast that toppled the shop in the city's Yeffet Street.

The explosion also damaged several adjacent residential buildings.

Police investigators said the explosion may have been caused by arson (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The Jaffa building following the explosion (:  ,  ,   ")

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Walid Kabub, the attorney of one of the suspects, who was released shortly after his arrest, said his client denies any allegations against him.

"My client is a businessman and son of a normative family. He laments the terrible disaster to strike his fellow residents. My client denies any relation to the regrettable incident and thanks the investigative team for seeing fit to release him without remand, as his account was examined and found to have no relation to the incident."

The victims of the explosion were later identified as Ali Abu Jamaa, 22, of Tayibe, Rimon Huri, 20, of Jaffa, and Mohammad Yassin of Tulkarem.

Jamaa and Huri, who worked in a restaurant in the city, were found dead in their beds behind the store, which collapsed from the explosion's impact. Firefighting teams announced Tuesday afternoon that search efforts were called off after determining that no more people were trapped.

The victims (L-R): Mohammad Yassin, Ali Abu Jamaa and Rimon Huri

The store was situated among residential buildings in Jaffa's Ajami neighborhood. Due to its storage of gas canisters, forces on-site ordered that the neighbors be vacated for fear they might explode.

Multiple fire teams were called to the site (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Six fire crews, including firefighters from the Tel Aviv station and from the elite "Flame" unit, only used in special circumstances, were called to extinguish the flames.

A large contingent of Home Front Command's National Search and Rescue Unit also arrived on the scene, as well as dogs and their handlers from the elite Oketz unit.

George Abu, who lived nearby and whose home was damaged, recounted the events leading up to the explosion, clearly audible across Tel Aviv.

"I sat down to eat, went to grab a plate and the moment I stepped back into the living room I heard a boom. I thought it was an earthquake at first but then I heard a series of explosions. The entire home was torn up and I still feel unwell. I'm sick and my wife is on dialysis. I've never felt anything like it," he said.
Security forces completed the first demolition in the Netiv Ha'avot neighborhood in the Elazar settlement Wednesday of a carpentry shop, after the High Court of Justice (HCJ) ruled that it was built illegally on privately-owned Palestinian land.

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The order was part of a larger injunction calling for the demolition of a total of 17 illegal structures from the Gush Etzion settlement by March next year.

Security forces attempt to remove residents (:  )

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(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Amona evacuees attempted to block security forces from entering the neighborhood to carry out the demolition, with hundreds of protesters assembling around the site.

(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

The protesters also lay barbed wire, among other obstacles, along the access roads leading to the shop, littered the routes with burning tires and overturned a car.

Others barricaded themselves into the shop, forcing security personnel to forcefully remove them.

(Photo: Elisha Ben Kimon)

Last December, the Civil Administration removed a memorial dedicated to an IDF Sayeret Matkal special forces soldier, Lt. Col Emmanuel Moreno, who was killed in Lebanon.

(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

The shop court marked for demolition

In addition to the shop and the memorial, the HCJ has ordered that 15 other structures be evacuated.

In accordance with orders from the political leadership, security forces have begun demolition the illegal structure in Netiv Ha'avot, the IDF said in a statement.
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon allegedly instructed paid jobs be offered to multiple Likud activists, including deposed Nazareth Illit mayor Shimon Gapso, according to the latest details regarding suspicions that he paid millions of shekels in public funds to party members and their families for support in the party's primaries.

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According to a Channel 2 News investigative report broadcast on Tuesday, Danon handed out jobs in the "Making Zionism" non-profit organization, in collusion with his confidant and the organization's director Yaakov Hagoel, in return for primary support.

Activists and their children received jobs as "Zionism coordinators" with the non-profit.

New allegations against Danon came to light (Photo: Ido Erez)

The instructions Danon allegedly gave the organization included contacting Likud MK Jackie Levy in Beit She'an, finding someone in Or Yehuda acceptable to the mayor, waiting on Andrei Ouzan (the cousin of the minister of the Negev and Galilee) in Be'er Sheva, finding a man close to Likud activist Shlomo Levy in Rishon Lezion and speaking to the mayor of Nazareth Illit.

The Nazareth Illit mayor in question was Gapso, a longstanding Likud activist removed after being convicted of accepting bribes.

Following the conversation with Gapso, the report claimed, his son Eliran was given a paid position at the organization's director of Zionist activity in the non-Jewish sector.

Former Nazareth Illit Mayor Gapso's son was allegedly given a paid job by Danon (Photo: Avishag Shaar-Yashuv)

In reality however, Eliran Gapso's role was to bring together Druze activists to operate on behalf of Danon in the Likud primaries. The report also published an email Gapso had sent during the 2014 primaries to the organization that included a list of Druze party members expected to support Danon.

In addition, the non-profit's list of paid coordinator for 2017 was presented, and was shown to include the daughter-in-law of a Likud activist, a Likud Central Committee member, a Likud branch chairman and others that raised suspicion.

The organization has also been planning conferences for Danon using its own funds, the report said. In one example, it organized an event which was attended mostly by Likud activists, and in which Danon gave the keynote address.

Other examples included an event two years ago reenacting the November 29 UN vote on Israeli independence, with Danon and Hagoel onstage. A year later, when Danon was already UN ambassador, he spoke at the organization's anti-BDS conference.

AG Mandelblit received demands Danon be investigated (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

Following the reports, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit received three demands to open a criminal investigation into Danon's conduct.

Responding to the allegations, Danon told journalists in New York he had been involved in no misconduct.

"An historic occasion is taking place here, where the historic vote leading up to the founding of the State of Israel took place. Last night, in unsurprising time, a report was broadcast ahead of this important event. I have been active in the civil service for over 20 years in a variety of roles and my conduct has never been questioned," Danon said.

"Before being appointed ambassador to the UN, I served as chairman of the World Likud Movement for nine years. Anyone familiar with these national institutions knows they are made up of departments according to political parties," he explained.

"The Likud movement also has one department headed by a Likud man, and I believe national institutions have a place for members of Meretz, Labor and Likud. I'm committed to continuing to promote and work on behalf of Zionist values as I'm doing today," he added.

The Making Zionism organization also responded to the broadcast, dismissing the claims as "absurd and baseless."

"The organization's people are administering their duties based on the values of Zionism, love for Israel and (a desire to) contribute to the country."
An old friend called me from Jordan on Monday. Help me out of the imbroglio, he requested. I have an urgent personal issue, and I must get to Tel Aviv. I need no explanation from my friend: the Israeli Embassy in Amman has been under lock and key for four months now, and there is no one to issue him an entry visa and stamp his passport.

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Heres a reminder: King Abdullah is angry with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to end the security guard affair. The Jordanian street is furious over the unsolved death of two citizens. Israel promised to hand over the investigation report and bring the guard to justice. The king and the street have lost their patience.

A solution has already been found for hundreds of passports that got stranded in the empty embassy building, including passports from Egypt which were sent to Amman after the Israeli Embassy in Cairo was shut down. In Jordan, new documents were issued. In Cairo, anyone wishing to visit Israel is required to first of all present the yellow note. The process of obtaining that note, in the general security services offices, is deterring. No one wants their name and address to be listed, as someone may pay them a visit at night to inquire why they are rushing to Tel Aviv. No one wants to get caught in normalization either.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO)

A new kind of peace is taking shape before our eyes. Its no longer cold, indifferent and hostile peace, but peace hiding in the highest places of the government echelons. Leader vis-a-vis leader, in Egypt's case, and apparatus vis-a-vis apparatus, in Jordans case.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announces at his own initiative that he talks to Netanyahu, and the prime minister makes a comment about an interesting conversation with the Egyptian president. As for the angry king of Jordan, the street no longer has to launch protests against signs pointing to normal relations. Everything is concealed, and Israel is drifting away.

Now, a third partner is entering the picture. The young crown prince from Saudi Arabia, who is imposing a new political, economic and maybe even social order. As far as hes concerned, the skys the limit. Who should we believe: Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is scattering statements about covert contacts and cooperation, or Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who is firmly denying this, and insisting that such things never happened?

I'm going to guess that had there really been no contacts, the Saudi minister would have allowed himself to keep quiet. There are too many signs stacking up on the ground that there is, in fact, a dialogue going on at a high rank. Riyadh and Jerusalem are connected by a whole lot of interests under the rug, led by the Iranian threat. Im willing to believe the Saudi foreign minister when he insists that we have yet to reach the path of open relations. The test will take place soon: will the Saudis issue entry visas for the Israeli chess team, and how will be greeted, if at all?

Jordan's King Abdullah (Photo: AFP)

The new peace draws the boundaries of the good guys camp versus the bad guys camp in our neighborhood, between the moderate Sunni-Muslim axis and the evil Shiite axis, as Iran has already succeeded in settling in four capitals: Baghdad, Damascus, Sanaa and Beirut. The Revolutionary Guards are not on an annual field trip; they have come to gain strongholds.

The moderate axis is learning how to walk on eggshells. If a conflict breaks out in one of the places, the next war will be the worst and toughest war weve ever experienced, with weapons we never dreamed of, soaked with blood and destruction. It wont be a war between states. It will be a war within the Muslim camp which everyone is now trying to curb, and Israelbeing stuck in the middlewill have trouble evading it.

Together, the new peace partners are learning to assess the dimensions of the next conflict. We should take note of the warnings from one side (Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah) and the all clear signals from our side. No one is planning to initiate an adventure in Lebanon against the Iranians and Hezbollahs missile arsenal. No one in Riyadh, Cairo and Amman will assume responsibility for taking the first step against Iran, when no one knows where and how it will end. And peace? It will remain in its new, covert place, moving away from the civil level, because the leaders are busy.
New York City's famed Times Square landmark will mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations' Partition Plan resolution on November 29, 1947, which gave rise to the State of Israel, on Tuesday night by screening a video featuring key moments from the country's history, as well as Israelis celebs saying "I love Israel."

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The screen, owned by the Reuters international news agency, is 700 sq.m. in size and 22 stories high.

The video, prepared by the World Zionist Organization's department for combating anti-Semitism and titled "I love Israel," is expected to be viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.

Promotional footage of the WZO video (:     )

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Starring turns include Visionary of the State Theodor Herzl leaning on the Basel hotel's balcony, first prime minister David Ben-Gurion speaking as the votes were being tallied during the UN vote, as well as more contemporary faces, such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, Bar Refaeli, Noa Tishby, David Blatt and others.

A dance troupe of dozens of Israeli dancers will perform immediately after the screening, with dancers clad in authentic period costumes and dancing the traditional Jewish dance of the "Horah," as countless people did right after the original vote.

Still from Times Square video showing first PM Ben Gurion (Photo: WZO)

World Zionist Organization Vice Chairman Yaakov Hagoel said, "November 29 is a date with immense historical significance, with the United Nations' General Assembly recognizing the Jewish people's right to a national home in the land of Israel. We're proud to screen the moment of the result's declaration, this time in the very heart of the world, on a huge screen, befitting the occasion."

"We must commemorate this important event leading up to the founding of Israel for ever and ever, and remember nothing should be taken for granted in our reality," Hagoel pointed out.
The Tel Aviv District Court gave life sentences to the three terrorists who committed the Sarona terrorist attack in June of last year, which claimed the life of four people.

The three terrorists Muhammad Mahmara, Khalid al-Muhamra and Younes Zaynwere convicted last month of four murders and 41 counts of attempted murder for the deadly attack.

The court also sentenced the terrorists to 60 additional years in prison for the attempted murders, and NIS 258,000 in compensation to each of the victims' families.
Three terrorists who were convicted of the murder of four Israelis in a shooting attack at the Sarona Market in June 2016 were given four life sentences and an additional 60 years each on Wednesday.

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Last month, Mohammad Mahmara, Ayash Musa Zayn and Khaled Mahmara were convicted on four counts of murder and 41 counts of attempted murder.

Two of the terrorists from the attack in the Max Brenner cafe in Tel Aviv's popular market, cousins Mohammad Mahmara and Khaled Mahmara, opened fire using makeshift Carl Gustav rifles.

The terrorists, l-r: Mohammad Mahmara, Ayash Musa Zayn and Khaled Mahmara (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

In a separate sentencing the same day, the Ofer District Court handed down a 30-year prison term to Saadi Ali Abu Hamed from the village al-Eizariya, who in February 2016 brutally attacked with an ax and critically wounded 48-year-old Tzvika Cohen, an unarmed security guard in a Maale Adumim shopping mall.

Ayash Musa Zayn, a friend of the 21-year-old cousins from Yatta, was supposed to join them, but the two eventually stopped him from carrying out the attack because he had financial debts, which according to Muslim faith prevents one from becoming a martyr.

Tzvika Cohen (Photo: Eli Dasa)

The judge also ordered the terrorists to pay NIS 258,000 in compensation to each of the victims families.

Additionally, each victim who was seriously wounded in the attack will be paid by the terrorists NIS 200,000, while each person the terrorists attempted to murder will receive NIS 20,000 from the terrorists.

Three Israelis were killed in the shooting itself: Ido Ben-Ari, 42, from Ramat Gan; Dr. Michael Feige, 58 from Midreshet Ben-Gurion; and Mila Mishayev, 32, from Rishon LeZion.

The four victims, l-r: Ilana Nave, Dr. Michael Feige, Mila Mishayev and Ido Ben-Ari (Photos: Ben-Gurion University, Danny Machlis)

Ilana Nave, 39, from Tel Aviv, fled the scene of the attack when the shooting began, fell and lost consciousness. She was later declared dead at a Tel Aviv hospital. The Tel Aviv District Court determined the defendants were responsible for Nave's death as well.

Condemning the Tel Aviv terrorists to their imprisonment, Judge Sara Dotan described the moments when the terrorists indiscriminately sprayed the area with bullets.

The defendants owe for the many damages caused to the victims of the offenses and their families, she said. The ideology behind their attack cannot be ignored.

Attorney Tammy Anis, from the District Attorneys Office, noted that under the terms of the sentencing, the terrorists would not be able to be released under any future prisoner exchange deal.

I hope that the punishment given today will bring a little relief to the families of the murdered and wounded victims.
The Knesset plenum voted in a preliminary reading Wednesday afternoon to approve the amendment to the Hours of Work and Rest Law stipulating that before giving out permits to work on Shabbat, the labor and welfare minister will be required to take into account the traditions of Israel.

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The amendment, brought forward by MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) and supported by the coalition, came into being following promises given by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Haredi parties in the wake of Health Minister Yaakov Litzman's resignation over Shabbat train maintenance work.

When the labor minister considers providing irregular Shabbat work permits, the amendment says, he must take into account considerations relating to the traditions of Israel, or in other words the religious prohibition on working on the Jewish day of rest.

MK Gafni's amendment to the Hours of Work and Rest Law passed its preliminary reading (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

"It has come to light recently that governmental bodies such as Israel Railways and the National Roads Company of Israel have turned the Sabbath into a preferred day to carry out infrastructural works on the country's railways and roads. These works are carried out in public and damage both the country's Jewish character and the feelings of its millions of religious and traditional residents," the bill's explanatory statement said.

"Works are also detrimental to laborers, including many Jews who value Israel's traditions and who are forced to bid their families farewell in order to desecrate Shabbat. Some of the laborers belong to society's lower strata and have no choice but to work on Shabbat, out of the fear that if they refuse they will be fired altogether," the statement further claimed.

During the plenum's debate on the bill, MK Gafni said, "A minister cannot take into account Israel's traditions today. The minister was not obligated by the bill, but said he may consider it. It's not a coercive law, nor does it chance a status existing in other laws. Not taking into account Israel's traditions means forgetting we're Jews."

Permits for train maintenance works on Shabbat may no longer be provided (Photo: Hagai Dekel)

"The heads of Zionism and leaders of the new Jewish settlement of Israel took Shabbat into account. I'm not proposing a law forcing anyone to do anything. We're not seeking coercion and know where we live. We're merely saying the Knesset should give the minister the option of taking it into account. There's nothing hiding behind it," Gafni added.

Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid also spoke during the discussion and harshly criticized the bill. "The God of Israel does not require your bills. Israel's traditions have gotten on fine without you. All you're doing is fabricating laws to propagate hatred in Israel. Israel's traditions are not yours and you don't own them, they're mine as well. There is no one single version and we won't accept your idea that there is," he stated.

Lapid said the laws were merely religious coercion (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

"This is not Israeli tradition but religious coercion laws," Lapid added before turning to Minister Ze'ev Elkin and saying, "Israel's tradition has always been predicated on the love of Israel, dialogue and everyone being in it together. Your side, on the other hand, all of the Likud, bought a small faction of the Jewish people and don't care about anyone else. You won't force Judaism on us because it isn't yours to manipulate."

In a Ynet studio interview Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman voiced his own objections to the Likud-Haredi agreement to promote the Shabbat bills, including the " supermarket bill ," which while not applying to Tel Aviv will provide Interior Minister and Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri with vast authorities to overrule municipal bylaws.

Despite dismissing the Shabbat-related bills as "trifles," Lieberman said the proposal was "wrong. We must not interfere in daily life, in the delicate fabric of society in different cities."

Defense Minister Lieberman said each city had its own character

"There is no reason for the government to interfere in bylaws, which are entirely under the responsibility of municipalities... There is no reason to open stores in Bnei Brak, and no reason to close stores in Ashkelon. Each city has its own character," he said.

Lieberman lamented the fact that "instead of being an embracing Judaism, we're creating a new type of Judaism that is tough, unfriendly, and rejectionist. And in my opinion, this is a strategic mistake," he said.
Israel plans to appoint a new ambassador to Jordan in a bid to calm Amman's anger over the current envoy's handling of a shooting by an embassy guard in July, an Israeli diplomatic source said on Wednesday. During July's incident, an Israeli security guard shot and killed a Jordanian teenager who stabbed him with a screwdriver in the Amman mission compound, as well as the Jordanian landlord, who was killed by stray bullets.

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Mossad Head Yossi Cohen has been reported to be the one carrying out negotiations on Israel's behalf with Jordan, to return an Israeli ambassador to Amman.

A senior official confirmed that current Ambassador to Jordan Einat Schleinwho was photographed with the guard and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli mission was hastily called backwill not be returning to Amman. "The Jordanians don't want her back, and this has been a big obstacle in patching things up."

Current Ambassador to Jordan Einat Schlein with PM Netanyahu and the guard (Photo: Haim Zach/GPO)

It has been further speculated that Israel will express regret over the death of the landlord, and that it will pay his family compensation.

Despite the move, Israel has shown no sign of meeting Jordan's demand that it launch criminal proceedings against the guard, who killed two Jordanians after one of them stabbed him with a screwdriver without provocation.

The Jordanian daily Al-Rad published shortly after the attack a picture and identity of the Israeli security guard, Ziv Moyal, 28, and his diplomatic identity card, delivering a blow to Israel which had censored the publication of his details.





Jordanian authorities say they suspect the shooting was unprovoked but could not investigate the guard due to his diplomatic immunity. A televized welcome he and Schlein received from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outraged Amman.

Since Schlein's departure on July 24 the embassy has been shuttered, casting a pall over Israel's ties with Jordan, a U.S-backed regional security partner and one of only two Arab countries that recognise Israel.

Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, declined comment on the case.

PM Netanyahu and the guard after his repatriation (Photo: Haim Zach/GPO)

Israeli officials have said they were looking into the possibility of compensating the family of the second man caught in the crossfire.

They say it is highly unlikely Israel would prosecute the guard, as demanded by Jordan. His prospects of continued work in Israeli diplomatic security abroad were in doubt, however, after a Jordanian newspaper published his details.

Israel's consulates in Turkey have been handling Jordanian applications for Israeli visas since the incident.
A special committee appointed by the Interior Ministry's director general recommended Wednesday to bring together several settlements in the Samaria region of the West Bank to create a new city.

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The city-to-be will be comprised of settlements Etz Efraim, Sha'arei Tikva, Oranit and Elkana. The decision effectively means construction on the land between each of the four settlementsthus far prohibited mostly due to political considerationswill be made possible.

The committee's recommendations were forwarded to the heads of the four local authorities upon publication.





Interior Minister Deri's committee decided to create a new Samaria city (:  )

The Finance Ministry was expected to invest more than NIS 100 million in the unification, the committee evaluated, in allow the new city to grow an at accelerated pace. Despite the expenditure, the committee also noted unification would actually save the state vast amounts of money, since the four authoritiespopulated by some 22,000 peoplehave thus far been forced to maintain four different service systems, while they could have been reduced to a single system.

"In light of the fact the authorities financial prowess is not significant, which means they need to dip into the state's budget to be able to administer their duties, this committee is of the opinion that reducing and unifying roles will better maximize governmental budgets at this juncture," the committee said.

The unification move was first brought up several years ago, and was stalled in different committees each time. If the plan was to go through, it would be considered a landmark decision as no Samaria cities have been declared since Ariel, 20 years ago.

'Only five minutes from Highway 6'

Creating the new city will allow to promote construction in the adjacent region. The committee mentioned in that respect unification will "allow planning and development to go through on the Sha'ar HaShomron area in a quicker and more efficient manner. The new city will carry great significance, close as it is to the Green Line and still only five minutes away from Highway 6."

Samaria's Sha'arei Tikva may soon be consolidated into a city (Photo: Ido Erez)

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely commented on the decision, saying, "Unifying the four Samaria settlements and creating a new city is the correct, appropriate decision and constitutes a clear, meaningful statement to the world: the settlement grows and strengthens."

"It also signifies an enormous budgetary investment in Samaria by the Finance Ministry, while also being a cost-saving measure for the state and strengthening Judea and Samaria. Every additional city in Judea and Samaria is an important increase in strength. (Interior) Minister Aryeh Deri is worthy of every praise for this important move," she said.

Welfare Minister Haim Katz also commented. "I'm pleased Interior Minister Deri took this undertaking upon himself. There's immense importance to creating a new city in the Samaria in this point in time. It's a momentous, important occasion for the State of Israel and all of Jewish settlement," he said.
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Robert Ilatov said in a letter to coalition chairman David Bitan (Likud) that the party would vote against the "supermarkets" bill.

The law stipulates that the Minister of the Interior will be authorized to approve municipal bylawsincluding the opening of supermarkets on Shabbat.
A seminar held by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) took place Wednesday, despite reports on Tuesday that the seminar that had reportedly been canceled on Tuesday by Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, over allegations that the ACRI supported terrorists and their families.

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Specifically, Bennett's decision to cancel the event was announced following a letter signed by the members of 45 bereaved families, objecting to the alleged cooperation between the ministry and the association over its alleged support of terrorists and de-legitimization efforts against the state.

ACRI decided to hold the event without the participation of the Ministry of Education; though a seat was reserved for a representative of the ministry, it remained empty.

Shir Hajaj's mother, Merav, speaks out during the seminar (Photo: Rami Ben Ari)

ACRI Dir. Gen. Sharon Avraham-Weiss, who spoke at the seminar, thanked those who came and saod that there are those who decided not to come out of fear of retaliation from the heads of the Education Ministry.

During the seminar, Merav Hajaj, whose daughter Shir was murdered in the Jerusalem vehicluar attack in January, spoke out against the ACRI. "I came today to give voice to the bereaved families' cries, which the de-legitimization organizations that protect terrorists in the High Court of Justice do not listen to. The aid you provide terrorists who have murdered our loved ones is a spit in the face of the families," she said.

The chair reserved for a representative of the Education Ministry

In response to Hajaj's words, Ruby Demelin, whose son was killed in 2002 during his reserve service, invited Hajaj to a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian bereaved families.

The ACRI issued a statement prior to the seminar, saying that "all are invited to come and express their support. We worked on the conference in full partnership with the Center for Civic Education and the Center for Educational Technology for months, and therefore will not lend a hand to the campaign to delegitimize the civilian organizations that dare to criticize the government's activities.

"We invite you to call upon those who hold their rights in high regard to come and hear about workers' rights and not lend a hand to silencing."

Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The association's statement came a day after Bennett announced he will "not provide any assistance to an organization wishing to harm the State of Israel" following the bereaved families' letter.

"The Association for Civil Rights is an extremist de-legitimization organization whose many actions against the State of Israel include directly fighting us, bereaved families, while defending the terrorists who murdered our children, parents, brothers, wives and husbands," their request read.

It continued by writing that "unfortunately, the same de-legitimization organizations repeatedly protect these loathsome murderers. It is unthinkable that the Education Ministry would support this organization. Defenders of terrorism must be aggressively fought, not given budgetary support that comes out of all our pockets."

As a result of the letter, Bennett decided to cancel the seminar and have Education Ministry, Dir. Gen. Shmuel Abuhav, look into the allegations.

Sources within the Education Ministry stated that "the education minister will not provide any assistance to an organization wishing to harm the State of Israel. As such, if indeed this will be found to be the case, there will be no more cooperation, ever. Actions of the organization for the benefit of terrorists go against the important and significant values that the education system promotes."
Former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, confirmed on Wednesday past reports that in 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made him an offer to resettle Palestinians in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, as part of a land swap with the Palestinian Authority.

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According to Mubarak, he flat-out refused Netanyahu's offer. "During that meeting, I immediately told him in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't even hear of such offers in that context."

According to British broadcasting network BBC, however, Mubarak did agree to the resettlement plan, as long as it was part of a larger agreement aimed at ending the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Netanyahu (L) and Mubarak (Photo: AP)

The BBC further reported that Mubarak had received a similar resettlement offer in the early 80s. British documents seemed to confirm this, in addition to confirming Mubarak had, in principle, agreed to resettle Palestinians from Lebanon in the Sinai Peninsula following a US request.

Mabarak's position on the matter was stated in 1983, during a meeting held with then-UK prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.

Mubarak's issued current the statement eight months after he was released from military hospital and acquitted of all charges lobbed against him, as part of the Egyptian revolution that deposed Mubarak and ushered in "the Arab Spring." Following the toppling of his regime, Mubarak had been tried and found guilty of being complicit in the deaths of protesters during the 2011 revolt that led to his ouster.

His present statement, denying his accepting Netanyahu's resettlement plan, was published on a Facebook page called, "We apologize, Mr. President"known for being a supporter of the Mubarak family. It was later quoted throughout Egyptian media outlets.

Part of the UK documents that stated Mubarak's agreement to resettle Palestinians in Sinai (Photo: BBC)

Mubarak explained that back when Netanyahu had made the offer, the First Lebanon War was taking place, and Egypt was overseeing the exits of Palestinians under siege in Lebanon's capital of Beirutmost notably, PLO Chairperson Yasser Arafat.

"But the claims that Egypt or I had agreed to settle the Palestinians in Egypt, and particularly those who were then in Lebanon, are groundless," said Mubarak. "There were efforts made by some to convince me to settle some of the Palestinianwho at the time were in Lebanonin Egypt. I utterly refused."

Mubarak's current stance somewhat moves away from an interview he had given the Al-Youm al-Saba'a paper in 2011. Even so, he now stresses that "I rejected all attempts and efforts to settle the Palestinians in Egypt, or even to just think about it."

Mubarak ended his message by saying that he would never agree to give up any piece of Egyptian land that his generation had fought for. "This is seen in our determination to regain any piece of land that is ours, and which was conquered in 1967 (by Israel, during the Six-Day Wared), through Taba's complete return to Egyptian sovereignty," added Mubarak.
Israel on Wednesday launched a program to provide shuttle service for Gazans who need to travel to the US Consulate in Jerusaleman operation that could ease one of the many restrictions it places on Palestinians who want to exit the blockaded territory.

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Israel allows only a small number of Gazans to travel through Israelmostly for medical care or other humanitarian grounds. It cites security considerations for the tight restrictions.

In recent months, it has barred Gazans from entering Israel for visa interviews at the US Consulate after some applicants fled into hiding in Israel to seek work. The restrictions have prevented several hundred people from applying at the Consulate for visas to travel or study in the US.

Gaza side of Palestinian border crossing (Photo: AFP)

About 100 Palestinians were allowed Wednesday to cross into Israel and board two buses bound for Jerusalem. They were accompanied by officials from the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee, an office that coordinates cross-border movement with the Israelis.

Ahmed Ouda, who went to the consulate with his wife and teenage son, came home disappointed. Hoping to visit his brother, a US citizen who lives in California, Ouda said the entire family, including younger children who remained behind in Gaza, were turned down for visas after his interview.

"We spent 12 hours, mostly without access to water and services, and we were rejected at the end," he said. "It's an exhausting process; thank God my young children did not need to come and experience it."

Mohammed al-Maqadma, spokesman for the civil affairs committee, said Israel is expected to run similar shuttles in the future, though no schedule has been set.

"It could be two days a month, one day every two months," he said. "I think this is part of the Israeli policies that we don't know their goals."

Wednesday's pilot program suffered a setback on its first day, however, with the apparent disappearance of two Gazans. Travelers on the shuttle said one man fled into a taxi at the border crossing, while a second person did not return on the bus. The travelers requested anonymity, fearing trouble with Israeli authorities.

The Coordinator of Government Activities (COGAT), which coordinates cross-border movement, said Wednesday's shuttle came after months of work with both the American Consulate and Palestinian officials. It said the program, meant to balance the needs of Palestinian civilians with Israeli security concerns, would continue.

"In the near future, additional shuttles will be scheduled on dates to be determined by the American Consulate in coordination" with Israel, it said.

Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the territory from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Both countries say the blockade is needed to prevent the flow of Hamas militants and weapons across Gaza's borders.

But the closure has had a devastating impact on Gaza's economy, and tens of thousands of Gazans remain unable to travel abroad for jobs, family visits and study opportunities. Those who need visas to travel to the US make up a tiny fraction of all travelers stuck inside Gaza.

A US State Department official said, "We seek to facilitate travel to the United States for all legitimate and bona fide travelers, including residents of Gaza." The official, speaking on condition of anonymity under department regulations, referred questions about exit permits to Israel.

The State Department requires people to schedule visa appointments online. The website advises Gazans to schedule an appointment over 60 days in advance to allow time to apply for a permit from Israel. It says the shuttle will take applicants directly to the Consulate for their interviews.

The application process is arduous, requiring an Israeli security check and sometimes an interview with Israeli security agents. Israel says the checks are needed because Hamas tries to exploit the system to smuggle cash or goods across the border.

The new system is a far cry from a previous arrangement in which Israel granted Gazans full one-day permits, allowing them to go on their own. In some cases, people would take advantage of the coveted permit and go into hiding, while searching for work in IsraelGaza's unemployment rate is well over 40 percent.

According to al-Maqadma, the new mechanism will strain the liaison committee staff who will accompany the interviewees back and forth. Over 400 applicants are still waiting for their permits to be cleared.
Mossad Head Yossi Cohen has been reported to be the one carrying out negotiations on Israel's behalf with Jordan, to return an Israeli ambassador to Amman. This following a deadly shooting in July, in which an Israeli security guard shot and killed a Jordanian teenager who stabbed him with a screwdriver in the Amman mission compound, as well as the Jordanian landlord, who was killed by stray bullets. The incident put a significant strain on Israeli-Jordanian relations.

A senior official confirmed that current Ambassador to Jordan Einat Schleinwho was photographed with the guard and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli mission was hastily called backwill not be returning to Amman. "The Jordanians don't want her back, and this has been a big obstacle in patching things up."

It has been further speculated that Israel will express regret over the death of the landlord, and that it will pay his family compensation.
Palestinian rival Hamas and Fatah on Thursday called for the postponement of the transfer of power in Gaza, two days away from the deadline they had set for themselves in the reconciliation agreement brokered by Egypt.

"Hamas and Fatah call on Egypt to postpone the transfer of power (in Gaza) from December 1 to December 10 to finalize certain provisions," according to a statement by the Islamist Hamas movement.

Hamas agreed to transfer authority over the strip to Fatah, which controls the West Bank, as part of the reconciliation attempt, which seeks to end a decade long conflict between the two factions.
Russia's UN envoy has clashed with the world body's humanitarian chief as well as US and other Western diplomats over extending the delivery of humanitarian aid across borders and conflict lines in Syria which has helped thousands of people in rebel-held areas.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that the current mandate expiring in December "cannot remain as it presently stands," saying it undermines Syria's sovereignty.

The Security Council has authorized cross-border aid deliveries since 2014.

UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told council members that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the mandate's renewal, saying it is "essential to save lives."

Lowcock said that in the first 10 months of 2017, "over 750,000 people on average each month were reached through UN cross-border activities."
Emperador Inc. will issue another 121.391 million new shares worth P832.26 million to Arran Investment Private Ltd., an affiliate of Singapores sovereign wealth fund.

The issuance of new shares represent the accrued interested due under its private placement in 2014. Under that deal, Arran Investments invested P17.6 billion in Emperador comprising of the purchase of common shares and equity-linked securities convertible to common shares.

The GIC affiliate agreed to buy 1.12 billion common shares in Emperador at P11 eachor for P12.32 billion, equivalent to a 6.95-percent direct equity stake.

It will have 9.64 percent holdings in Emperador by the time the brandy makers equity-linked securities are converted into 480 million common shares valued at P5.28 billion.

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Arran Investment also has an option to invest an additional P4.4 billion in the listed liquor company.

The private placement transaction gives Emperador fresh capital that will help fund its expansions locally and globally.

Emperador is the worlds largest brandy company that owns Spanish brandy and sherry brands, namely Fundador and Scotch whisky led by The Dalmore and Jura.

Emperador reported a net income of P4.44 billion in the first three quarters of the year, down 9.7 percent from P4.92 billion recorded in the same period a year ago.

Nine-month revenues fell 1.1 percent to P26.9 billion from a year ago level of P27.2 billion.

Net income in the third quarter increased 18 percent to P1.7 billion from P1.4 billion on year, while revenues dropped to P9.1 billion from P9.4 billion in the third quarter of 2016.

Emperador plans to introduce new products to the Philippine and overseas markets to boost the companys profitability .

This is in line with ongoing efforts in pursuit of premiumization strategy in the Philippines as well as our strategy to grow Scotch whisky business worldwide and also potentially partake in the comeback of international brandy particularly in the luxury end of the spectrum, Emperador president Winston Co said. Jenniffer B. Austria

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The deaths of 15 suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) in Batangas on Tuesday night indicates the end of insurgency in the province.

This is the assessment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' 202nd Infantry Brigade Commander Brigadier General Arnulfo Burgos.

Burgos hails the result of the operations conducted by the soldiers from the 730th Combat Group and the Nasugbu Police.

Nine suspected NPAs were initially killed in an encounter with government forces in Barangay Kaylaway at 8:30 pm.

This was followed by another battle in Barangay Aga.

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Burgos said the fatalities in the suspected NPA's side included the platoon leader and the secretary of Guerilla Unit 3 based in Batangas.

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The former head of the Saudi National Guard was freed Tuesday from detention after he agreed to pay back to authorities more than $1 billion in the anti-corruption clean-up directed by powerful Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, aka MbS, an official involved in the campaign has said.

Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was among around 200 current and former ministers, senior officials and business tycoons detained at Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

Prince Mutaib, according to the official who spoke under condition of anonymity, signed an acceptable settlement agreement with authorities in exchange for his freedom.

The 63-year old Prince agreed to pay more than $1 billion. He was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms including a $10bn deal for walkie-talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals, the source added.

The Prince was dismissed on November 4 by King Salman from his position as Head of the elite National Guard; a body that regroups around 100,000 forces.

The Prince has made no comment but reports citing an acquaintance of his family said he was receiving his brothers and sons at his palace in Riyadh.

It is unclear whether the one who was formerly touted to contest the throne can move freely or have been put under house arrest.

Son of late King Abdullah, Mutaib is believed the main target in the purge, as he represented the last obstacle in the way of the 32-year old Crown Prince in his ascendance to the throne after axing his elder cousin and former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

The source noted three other prominent detainees in the anti-corruption crackdown have been also released after signing agreements, while five others have been targeted by prosecution.

Authorities have said that they could recover at least $100 billion from the operation and those detained were expected to release up to 70 per cent of their assets linked to illegal operations.
President Hassan Rouhani Tuesday accused Saudi Arabia of using his country as a scapegoat to cover up its defeats in the region.

Saudi Arabia was unsuccessful in Qatar, was unsuccessful in Iraq, in Syria and recently in Lebanon. In all of these areas they were unsuccessful, he said in the live interview broadcast on state television.

So they want to cover up their defeats.

The Iranian leader was responding to questions reviewing his first 100 days in power in his second term.

Iran and its regional rival have stopped short to take military actions against each other this month limiting just to war of words.

Tension has flared up between the two following a series regional events.

Teheran and Riyadh became involved in the botched resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri who, on November 4, announced his resignation in a broadcast from Riyadh. Two weeks later, upon returning to Lebanon, he suspended his move at the demand of President Michel Aoun.

Riyadh, also early this month, openly criticized Tehran for giving support to Yemen Houthi rebels who launched a ballistic missile into Saudi Arabia that was intercepted near Riyadh international airport. Riyadh said Tehran supplied the missile.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a Pan-Arab coalition in Yemen since 2015 with the aim of restoring the rule of President Mansour Hadi, chased out of capital Sanaa by the Iran-backed rebels. The rebels have held firmly the capital and now occupy vast swathes of the country.

Qatar has resisted Saudi Arabias and its allies demands for reduction of diplomatic ties with Iran, shutdown of Al Jazeera news network among other demands as conditions to re-establish ties with the tiny Gulf country accused of funding terrorism.

Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia form a line of resistance in the region, which has worked towards stability and achieved big accomplishments, Rouhani said.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry Tuesday vigorously chided Israel, rejecting comments by Israeli minister of Social Equity who called for the establishment of the Palestinian state in the Sinai instead of boundaries set by the Oslo accords.

Head of the department, Sameh Shoukry personally conveyed Egypts dismay over the comments that he deemed outrageous to Egypts sovereignty.

The Egyptian domestic affairs should not be included in any statements by foreign parties most importantly when these statements touch Egyptian sovereignty, Shoukry said in a news conference.

The Egyptian land in Sinai, which was watered with the blood of our sons and martyrs, is not something that can be given away or allowed to be attacked, he added.

Cairos reaction came after Gila Gamliel last week during her visit to Cairo reportedly indicated that Israel could not tolerate the erection of a Palestinian state next to Israel pointing out that the Sinai could be a suitable alternative.

A Palestinian State is a dangerous idea for the State of Israel, she was quoted as saying.

Between the River Jordan and the [Mediterranean] sea there cannot, and must not, arise a Palestinian state.

This call could be unacceptable to the international community and to the Arab countries, which are neighbors to Israel, but it is based on our primary and historic right to the land of Israel, she underscored.

The Israeli government protected itself arguing that the ministers comments did not reflect the stand of Israel.
Several African leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thousands gathered in Kenyas largest stadium for the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday.

President Kenyatta, accompanied by his deputy William Ruto, has been sworn-in for a second term as president at the 60,000-seat Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

The inauguration was delayed by two disputed polls and a series of sometimes deadly street protests.

The Tuesday ceremony began amid heavy security in parts of the capital, Nairobi, following a call by the opposition for peaceful demonstrations in memory of dozens killed by police during the post-election riots.

Kenyatta was officially re-elected with 98% of the vote on 26 October but just under 39% of voters turned out.

The original election on August 8 was held over again after being annulled by the Supreme Court on grounds of irregularities.

After taking the oath of office, President Kenyatta gave his inaugural second term speech, focused on an economic transformation plan and reconciliation of Kenyans.

The current political crisis draws on a deep well of social, ethnic and geographic grievances in the country of around 48 million people.

Kenyan police have confirmed at least 14 deaths in the lead up to last weeks Supreme Court ruling. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in October, up to 67 people could have been killed nationwide.
Kenyas main opposition leader, Raila Odinga on Tuesday, promised supporters that he would be sworn-in as president on December 12.

Odinga said he will take oath of office using Chapter 1 of the Constitution, which states that sovereign power belongs to the people.

The swearing-in, he said, will be based on the results of August 8 presidential election, which he claims he won but was rigged out through manipulation of figures.

The move of the NASA coalition leader comes shortly after the inauguration of his main challenger incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta who won the October presidential rerun by 98 percent of the vote.

Kenyas Supreme Court ruled last week that the October 26 presidential rerun met all constitutional requirements, paving the way for Kenyatta to take the presidential oath of office again for a second five-year term.

Raila Odinga, who pulled out of the October 26 repeat presidential election, has vowed not to recognize Kenyattas presidency.

On Sunday, Kenyatta urged the countrys politicians to put aside their differences to build a stronger Kenya as he embarks on a second term.

The countrys Apex bank last week said Kenyas economy is expected to grow by 5.1 percent in 2017 and to pick up strongly in the medium term supported by a stable macroeconomic environment.
Frances President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday told youths in Burkina Faso that he belonged to a new generation of French leaders who want to break with Frances past politics with its former colonies known as the francafrique.

The 39-year-old leader who was on a visit to Burkina Faso, part of a tour leading him also to Ghana and Cote dIvoire, said he would build partnerships with the continent rather than tell it what to do. His trip aimed at boosting cooperation in education, security, the digital economy and migration.

In his address to about 800 students at the University of Ouagadougou, where he spent more than an hour discussing migration, innovation, climate change and terrorism, Emmanuel Macon promised to facilitate innovation in Africa by creating a multi-billion euro fund that can generate about 450 million jobs by 2025 in Africa.

Emmanuel Macron who believes that the growth of the world will be played in Africa said France will no longer invest solely in government-to-government operations. It will no longer invest for large groups to participate in organized corruption operations. He said.

The investments in Africa should directly benefit the youth, he said.

Speaking about Migration, Macron said he would call for greater cooperation between Europe and Africa to tackle human trafficking. He also announced a European initiative to rescue African migrants enslaved in Libya.

Macron is due to address the European Union-Africa summit in Abidjan this Wednesday, focusing on education, investment in youth, migrants and economic development.
In a speech from Ouagadougou, French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Moroccos King Mohammed VI for his eminent, leading role in the fight against obscurantism and religious ex-tremism.

Speaking to 800 students in the Ouagadougou University in Burkina Faso Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron praised King Mohammed VI for his drive to eradicate religious radical-ism and extremism that is rampant on the continent and around the world.

I want to speak to your consciences. You can be atheists or you can believe, but never let the religion in which you believe convince you that it is an adventure of destruction of the oth-er.

We must not leave any room for religious extremism by combating it everywhere, in schools, universities, in all forms of citizenship. Always fight it, in political speeches and in all forms. I want here to pay tribute to the King of Morocco for having always found the suitable words, given the prominent role that is his, Macron said in reference to the Moroccan Kings counterterrorism and anti-religious radicalism strategy and his upholding of the Islam of the Middle Path.

King Mohamed VI has dramatically changed the image of his country, which has become the only state in North Africa to have been spared terror attacks.

The monarch has launched laudable programs and reforms that have planted seeds of peace and religious coexistence and significantly reduced radicalism in the country and on the continent.

The king-backed training programs for Imams and female preachers known as Mourchidates have contributed increas-ingly to the promotion of peace and acceptance of other reli-gions.

The training programs for the Imams have garnered interna-tional accolades and have been requested in Europe.

The programs are benefitting other African countries whose students are granted scholarships the King.

European countries have repeatedly lauded Moroccos efforts to fight religious extremism, calling it a major partner in the fight against terrorism and the only stable country at the gate of Europe.
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Georgia Plans New Greenhouse Strategy Using Israeli Approach

(TBILISI) -- Georgias Ministry of Agriculture Ministry hopes to launch a new greenhouse association in the countrys western regions, according to a press release issued by the ministry.The association will be established by the Agriculture Projects Management Agency and positioned as a regional hub for producing and distributing various vegetable crops and herbs.The idea for the association came in the wake of a visit to Israel by Georgias Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili, where he saw local greenhouses and met with the heads of Israels largest agricultural companies.Israel is one of the leading countries in terms of greenhouse technology. It is important that we learn from their experience when it comes to creating greenhouses, implementing modern technologies, creating effective irrigation and organized logistics systems, said Davitashvili.During his visit, Davitashvili held talks with the Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Uri Ariel.
Albania expects all deadlines for TAP to be met  deputy energy minister

(TIRANA, Albania)  The Albanian government expects deadlines set for the launch of the the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, will be met, Enis Aliko, Tiranas Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, told news outlet Trend on Monday.Aliko pointed out that all licenses and permits are in place and most private property issues have been resolved, or are in the process of being resolved, with the support of the Albanian government."The construction (of the pipeline) is moving at a rapid pace; 62 percent of the pipeline has been welded, 52 percent of it has been laid...We remain optimistic that all of the deadlines will be met," said Aliko.Aliko said the Southern Gas Corridor, of which the TAP is an essential part, is critical to Albania as the Balkan nation is looking forward to the diversification of its energy supply.The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the EU through Georgia and Turkey.The nearly 900-kilometer-long TAP will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy.TAPs shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
South Ossetias Secessionist Authorities Close Border Checkpoint for Public Holiday

By Gvantsa Gabekhadze

(TSKHINVALI, South Ossetia) -- Georgias breakaway region South Ossetia announced Tuesday that it would unilaterally close its lone border checkpoint with Georgia from November 22 to November 24 as a precautionary security measure during a public holiday.Georgias Reconciliation Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili condemned the decision, saying it creates unprovoked problems for the local population on both sides of the border."This is a very heartbreaking habit (by the rebels) when they close the only checkpoint it prevents local residents from moving freely, especially those who live in the (Russian) occupied (South Ossetia) region, said Tsikhelashvili, before adding that she expected the rebel authorities in South Ossetias capital, Tskhinvali to open the checkpoint by the end of the week.Russian-backed secessionists in South Ossetia have periodically closed the checkpoint since the August 2008 Russia-Georgia War that killed hundreds and left tens of thousands as internally displaced persons (IDPs).Russia and its close allies, Venezuela and Nicaragua, later recognized the independence of South Ossetia and the much larger and more strategic region Abkhazia on Georgias northern Black Sea coast.The tiny South Pacific island of Nauru also joined the Moscow-led troika in recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which later led to sharp retaliatory diplomatic measures by the US, UK and EU.Abkhazia, long prized by Georgians and Russians as Georgias economic and agricultural crown jewel on the Black Sea, attempted to break away from the central authorities in Tbilisi following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991-1992.After a series of disastrous moves by the government of Georgias then-President, ultra-nationalist Zviad Gamsakhurdia, a vicious 14-month war erupted in the region that resulted in war crimes being committed by both sides. In September 1993, Russian regular military units, volunteer fighters from the North Caucasus and their Abkhaz allies captured the local capital Sukhumi.In the chaos that followed the fall of Sokhumi, Abkhaz and Russian forces ethnically cleaned the region of its historic population of nearly a quarter of a million Georgians.There are currently about 280,000 registered IDPs in Georgia; 13.75 percent of the countrys total population of 3.7 million. All of which are from either Abkhazia or South Ossetia.
The News in Brief

Abolishing EU, NATO Ministers Office without Consultations Unacceptable



(TBILISI)  More than two dozen Tbilisi-based civil society organizations released a joint statement Monday voicing their concerns about the proposed merger of the Office of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



The existence of the Office of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration demonstrates that Georgias European integration policy is a national priority...Against this backdrop, it is unacceptable to merge the two into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without prior consultations with the public and experts, the organizations wrote in a statement.



The organizations noted that the decision on the change was made behind closed doors and the public was not informed about the gravity of the merger.



It is questionable how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, which is tasked to conduct foreign policy, can coordinate the various activities implemented by various state agencies as part of the countrys European integration commitment, the organizations stated. An open discussion about the political role and function of the Office is necessary in order to ensure that the suggested structural changes will not hinder the strategically important integration of Georgia into the Euro-Atlantic alliance.



The Office of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration was established in 2004 and has been tasked to facilitate the countrys integration with the European Union and the NATO. Victor Dolidze, a former member of the Free Democrats Party, has held the post who since November 2016. (Civil.ge)







Fireworks Ban to be Lifted for New Year



(TBILISI) -- The Ministry of Internal Affairs will lift a nationwide ban on the use of fireworks from 21:00 of December 31 to 23:00 of January 2 and from 21:00 of January 13 to 23:00 to January 14, as reported by Georgian outlet Interpressnews. (ipn)







Saakashvili says he is ready to head Ukrainian government as PM



(KYIV)  Georgias former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who recently served as governor of Ukraines Odessa region, told a protest rally in Kyiv that he is ready to create a new government and to become the countrys next prime minister, Radio Liberty reported Monday.



"Ukraine needs the urgent formation of a new government, Saakashvili told several hundred people in front a tent city of protesters outside the Ukrainian parliament on November 19. Im ready to spearhead this process with you and to head this government if necessary.



Anti-government protesters set up a tent camp outside the Verkhovna Rada  the Ukrainian parliament - on October 17. They are calling for the cancelation of parliamentary immunity, the creation of an anticorruption court, amendments to election laws, and legislation on the impeachment of the President Petro Poroshenko.



The protests were initially called by Saakashvili, a onetime ally of Poroshenkos, but many of Ukraine's opposition political leaders have also joined the demonstrations.



Saakashvili, who heads the opposition Movement of New Forces party, told protesters that if the authorities fail to meet their demands, they should begin a popular impeachment of Poroshenko and other leaders starting on December 3.



"December 3 will be the beginning of 'popular impeachment,'" he said. Before December 3, we will continue to do what we have started to do. December 3 is Day X for all of us. Let us get organized. I will be traveling across the country to raise people peacefully."



Saakashvili served as Georgias president from 2004-2013,. In 2015, he was appointed by Poroshenko to be governor of the Odessa region and surrendered his Georgian citizenship to take the post. He resigned in November 2016, saying his reform efforts had been blocked by Poroshenko's allies.



Saakashvili was then stripped of Ukrainian citizenship by Poroshenko in June 2017 in a move he is challenging in court.



He left the country as a stateless person, but on September 10 he defied authorities and crossed back into Ukraine from Poland -- helped by hundreds of supporters amid scenes of chaos -- vowing to return to politics and calling for protests.



Ukraine's powerful prosecutor-general, Yury Lutsenko, has accused Saakashvili and his supporters of plotting a coup backed by foreign financing, says Radio Liberty with reporting by TASS, Interfax, and The Kyiv Post. (Interpressnews)




In the case of League of Women Voters of Florida et al v. Gov. Rick Scott, the legal issue is whether Scott or his successor has the authority to replace Pariente and two other justices, Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince, who face mandatory retirement and whose terms all will expire on the day Scott will leave office about 13 months from now.
A day after the Florida Chamber held a day-long "prosperity summit" to focus on Florida's growing population of people in poverty, a left-leaning advocacy group has launched a website and social media ad buy highlighting Gov. Rick Scott's economic record -- and focusing on the regions of the where the economy has not improved during his term.

RicksRecession.com is the work of For Florida's Future, an organization that calls itself a "working families advocacy group" and which also operates a super PAC. The data comes from the Florida Chamber Foundation, the FIU Metropolitan Center, and uses media reports over the last year -- such as how 36 of the state's 67 counties have still not returned to pre-recession employment levels and how 45 percent of all Floridians are considered "working poor."

Blake Williams, For Florida's Future communications director, said the group is highlighting the issues in a "significant" social media ad buy on Facebook and Twitter.

Not a single thing Scott has focused on - slashing funding for public schools, refusing to expand Medicaid for millions of low-income Floridians or giving taxpayer funding to corporations who donate to his campaigns - has helped everyday Floridians,'' he said in a press release.

"If were going to dig our way out of Ricks recession, the first thing we need to do is start prioritizing working and middle class families, something Scott clearly hasnt done.

An economic analysis compiled for the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau by Florida International Universitys Metropolitan Center in October 2016 showed that in 40 of the states 67 counties there were fewer people working in 2015 than were working in 2007. Only South and Central Floridas metropolitan areas had seen employment levels return to  or exceed  pre-recession levels.

Scott spokesman John Tupps called the information on the web site "outdated and misleading."

Florida has been a national leader in job creation since Gov. Scott took office and the state has gone from losing 800,000 jobs in the four years before he took office to adding more than 1.4 million in less than seven years,'' he said.

The Herald/Times asked the governors office to provide answers to the following questions, as well as to supply information on what the governors office is doing to narrow the prosperity gap in the counties that have not recovered the lost jobs. We will update this post if they do.

Can you provide me with an update of the data you allege is outdated on ricksrecession.com?

Do you dispute the Florida Chamber claims and concerns about the widening prosperity gap in Florida?
The May special election to find Montanas new congressional representative just keeps coming back into play.

Tuesday, Missoula County Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors told the County Commission about her offices survey into their handling of rejected ballots.

The survey was done at the request of Secretary of State Corey Stapleton, who, according to Connors asked the same of each Montana county elections office. And if the local offices didnt want to, his office would.

Stapletons request for the surveys came after an email exchange between him and Connors that was made public after the commissioners decided to respond. In the emails, Stapleton accused Missoula County of not taking voter fraud seriously and asked why 91 illegal signatures on mail ballots are once again going to be silently set aside on the shelf of indifference.

The exchange between Connors and Stapleton really piqued his interest in how the rejected ballot process worked, Connors said.

Were going to do it, were going to do it awesome, she decided.

Bradley Seaman, Connors deputy and Carol Bellin, vice chair of the Elections Advisory Committee led the survey, attempting to track down all 91 people who turned in rejected ballots.

They asked the people what led to the circumstances that led to rejection (signing the wrong envelope, turning a ballot in late, etc.) and how/if the elections office could have helped them turn it in correctly.

Of those ballots, 35 came in after the election, 39 had a mismatched signature and 13 had no signature at all. The remaining four were rejected for voters not having an ID and a voter had died.

This is nothing new to us, Seaman said. This is a process weve been following for years.

Seaman and Bellins research found most of the mismatched signatures were due to people in the same household signing the wrong envelope, likely because the name is printed on a different part of the envelope, away from the signing line, Seaman said.

A majority of the voters Seaman and Bellin reached said they heard from the elections office about their ballot and got instructions on how to resolve the issue, but many said they were too busy  or lacked easy access to a computer  to make it happen before the election.

One voter was irritable and in a hurry when Seaman and Bellin contacted him.

He was upset that we did not recognize that the signature was his, the survey said. He didnt want to do anything to resolve it. His suggestion: Find a better way than a signature to verify ballots.

Which I do think is coming, Bellin added.

Another voter was out of the country and asked her mom to fill out the ballot and send it in. Her mom signed the ballot with her own signature with a note that she was signing for her daughter.

More than a few commented they knew they could fix their ballot, but decided it wasnt worth the effort after the election ended, even though the office can fix them until one day after the election.

Seaman tracked some data on rejected ballots during the recent city election as well, just for comparison.

After the survey over the special election, he thought their ballot checkers were more cautious and rejected more ballots than they may usually have.

It was hard on our receiptors when there were the allegations of widespread voter fraud, Seaman said.

Their staff resolved 90 of 261 total rejected ballots (by determining they were swapped between household members or by re-checking signatures), while another 69 were resolved with the help of voters.

More than 100 ballots were left unresolved, for the same three reasons: mismatched signatures, no signatures or no ID.

I would hope that the Secretary of State takes note of the level of effort we took to ensure the integrity of our voting process, Commissioner Dave Strohmaier said.

Seaman and Bellin told the commissioners their office contacts voters by phone, email and letter to try and resolve the ballot issues.

For the survey, they did all three and knocked on some doors as well, to try and get the highest turnout possible. They ended up talking to about half of the 91 voters with rejected ballots.

My favorite comment is find better candidates,  Commissioner Cola Rowley said.

We cant help with that one, Connors replied.
The work is only beginning for the U.S. Forest Service when the last wisp of smoke disappears from any large wildfire.

After more than 700,000 acres of national forest lands burned in Montana this summer, the agency decided the usual way of doing business wasnt going to cut it this year.

Somewhere close to 2,000 fires were reported on national forest lands.

Thirty-six of those grew large enough to require what the agency calls a burned area emergency response (BAER). Those efforts consider everything from replacing culverts and reshaping roads to keep sediment from roaring down hillsides, to deciding which burned trees can be salvaged for timber and where trees will need to be planted.

The bulk of that work has to be done quickly in order to be ready for spring runoff and to ensure the timber thats set aside for harvest retains its value for local mills.

In a normal year, most of that work would be accomplished by employees working on the individual forests where the fires started.

But more than 700,000 acres burned in a single season in one region isnt normal.

Regional Forester Leanne Marten recognized that when she formed, for the first time, a regional post-fire response incident management team and charged it with using the most up-to-date technology to rapidly zero in on areas where both emergency work to protect the landscape and timber salvage could be accomplished.

Mike Elson led the 20-member team.

The employees that normally do the BAER work are also the same employees who respond to the wildfires, Elson said. It was a really grueling and hard year. Employees are typically working 16 days, getting one day off every two weeks. They were breathing smoke and dealing with the anxiety that large fires bring just like everyone else. People were really wiped out at the end of the year and then they were faced with this huge workload.

By taking a regional approach, Elson said the team could help those forests, like the Lolo, that faced work on numerous large fires and provide a consistent way of getting it accomplished.

Like it or not, everything we do is highly scrutinized and we have to explain to a judge why we did it, said the teams deputy incident commander, Steve Brown. If we are all doing it consistently, it becomes a whole lot easier to explain.

With time of the essence, the team turned to technology to help it pinpoint the places needing emergency work to manage runoff, and places where burned timber could be salvaged.

With so much devastation, we had to make decisions on where to put our attention, said Vince Archer, the regional BAER coordinator.

During the past decade or so, the Northern Region has developed a vegetation database through satellite imagery and bio-physical modeling that was used in deciding where timber could be salvaged.

That helped us identify, in a consistent manner on different forests, what the fire had burned through and where some of the opportunities for salvage might be found, Brown said.

The maps allowed the agency to create a coarse filter that could identify areas that wouldnt either be economically or environmentally feasible for timber salvage.

For instance, the Sunrise fire burned about 26,000 acres southeast of Superior.

Brown said when the team used the mapping resource to exclude areas that werent national forest lands or were considered wilderness, roadless or protected riparian areas, the potential acreage for salvage dropped to about 17,000.

The next filter looked at accessibility and marketability of the timber. The slopes adjoining roads couldnt be more than 35 percent above road. The timber needed to be no more than 1,500 feet from the road. That cut the potential area down to about 9,000 acres.

Finally, the acreage that was left had to hold enough trees to make a salvage sale worthwhile to local mills.

Those areas that have a road to them are places where the agency has done previous timber management, which cut into the potential for salvage sales. To be considered, the team decided there had to be at least 5,000 board feet per acre with a minimum average stand size of a 10-inch diameter.

That reduced the amount of acreage available for salvage down to 2,400 acres, with the potential of about 22 million board feet.

After completing the analysis, the team determined that about 48,000 acres, or about 6.7 percent of what burned, had the potential for salvage timber sales, which could provide up to an estimated 516 million board feet.

But after working with the local wood products industry representatives about what they could actually harvest in the shortened time period that salvage timber would remain merchantable, Brown said the number dropped to somewhere between 250 million and 370 million board feet.

At this point, 11 fires have been selected for salvage projects, including Rice Ridge near Seeley Lake, Caribou near Eureka and Sunrise near Superior. Nine of the fires will require an environmental analysis before any salvage work will begin.

The region is applying for an emergency situation determination that would shorten the environmental analysis by 90 days by removing the objection period.

There are some fires where salvage isnt being considered, including the Lolo Peak fire.

Brown said the main reason is capacity of both the Forest Service and industry.

Once it went through the whole ranking process, it didnt rank out as having high opportunity, Brown said. There are limited roads and where the roads are, theres not a lot of merchantable timber.

Most of the timber that could be harvested would require a skyline system. Thats the same system that will be used on other salvage sales in the area.

With the ultimate goal is be able to sell these, Lolo Peak wouldnt compete well with the other ones that will be offered, Brown said.

It also takes good deal of time and effort to complete an environmental analysis.

We already have to contract some of the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) analysis to handle just what we have now, Brown said. We could call in all the troops from across the region to focus just on this, but that would create a big impact to other work including the increases in expected output we are getting from Washington.

Elson said industry representatives werent interested in making that tradeoff.

They dont want to see a boom and bust cycle either, Elson said.
A century after Missoula-born Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to U.S. Congress, two elementary schools under construction will be the first in Montana named after the pioneering suffragist and pacifist.

Earlier this month, Kalispell trustees voted that a new South Side school should carry her name. At the same time in Missoula, students and parents of Cold Springs Elementary pondered possibilities and voted on their favorite choices for their new building set to open in the fall. Nearly half of the 735 ballots supported Jeannette Rankin over Maloney Ranch, Miller Creek, Mountain View or Three Rivers.

On Tuesday night, Missoula trustees agreed, unanimously voting to name the to-be-built school Jeannette Rankin Elementary.

Fifth-graders Mary Jaeger, 10, and Ella Seaver, 11, sat in the audience with their parents. Seaver was so nervous she teared up. Her mom rubbed her back. Jaeger crossed fingers on both hands and bounced in her chair. When Trustee Diane Lorenzen moved to name the school after Rankin, Jaeger grabbed her dad's arm and smiled.

Several trustees spoke in support of the motion, including Board Chair Marcia Holland, who hoped it would inspire students "to learn more about the history of people from Montana who have made a difference in the world."

Seaver said the name is a reminder of equality, noting girls, even today, have people "tell us we can't do some things."

Jaeger hoped the choice would encourage students to be confident and comfortable about who they are.

"No matter who thinks you are less than them, you are really not," she said.

The kids from Cold Springs had launched a social media and letter-writing campaign earlier this fall to support the choice of Jeannette Rankin.

Two weeks ago, they testified before trustees.

I believe everyone should be equal. Jeannette Rankin fought for the rights of women to be equal to men, Jeager said that night. The timing of this is amazing because this year is the 100th anniversary of Jeannette Rankin being elected to U.S. Congress.

Seaver said Rankin would be a powerful role model for youth to stand up for their beliefs.

Even when times were tough and no one was on her side, she still stuck with what she believed, Seaver said.

Beyond becoming the first woman elected to federal office in 1916, Rankin was known for her unflinching pacifism. On her third day in office, the progressive Republican joined 49 other representatives to oppose the 1917 declaration that brought the United States into World War I. Later, she was the only member of Congress to oppose entering World War II after the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. She also was known for her work to protect children.

Rankin often said her proudest achievement was being the only woman to vote on the passage of the 19th Constitutional Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

In the first debate of the issue on the U.S. House Floor, Rankin asked, How shall we explain to them the meaning of democracy if the same Congress that voted for war to make the world safe for democracy refuses to give this small measure of democracy to the women of our country?

Rankin was born on Grant Creek Ranch just outside Missoula, where her mother, Olive, was an elementary school teacher. Her father, John, was a rancher and lumber merchant. Jeannette was the oldest of seven children, and graduated with a biology degree from what is now the University of Montana before moving to San Francisco and New York to be a social worker and then leading suffrage activism in several states. She was critical in securing the right for women to vote in Montana elections in 1914, setting her up for her first election to Congress. She died in 1973 in Carmel, California.

In 2015, Rankins name was on the short list of options for a new Billings middle school. It did not receive the most votes from students polled and trustees ultimately named the school after Ben Steele, a local art educator and survivor of the Bataan Death March.
Not a lot is known about Jerry Sauve, and there was no one at his funeral Tuesday to shed more light.

Those who attended at the Western Montana Veterans Cemetery in Missoula came down the Bitterroot from Corvallis, after American Legion Post 91 there put out word of Sauves service with full military honors.

He didnt have any loved ones to mark his passing. His fellow veterans are here to mark his passing, post chaplain Martyn Reiss said in a short address.

Only the bare specifics of Sauves military service are available. Cemetery manager Curt Aasved documented enough to qualify him for the veterans cemetery. Sauve served in the U.S. Army for 23 months from January 1963 to December 1965 and was honorably discharged as a Specialist E-4. He had no overseas service.

Sauve lived in the Noxon area but died of natural causes in April 2016 in Spokane at the Veterans Administration hospital. He was 70 years old, with no family to make funeral arrangements.

Apparently the VA had called around and didnt come up with anything, said Tom Grymes of Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel in Hamilton.

Hes not sure how the social worker from the VA got his funeral homes number, but Grymes, who was in the National Guard for 25 years, agreed to take on burial duties.

Its quite a situation from our perspective on how do you handle these things, Grymes said. With Jerry in particular. He did have a friend who was able to tell us he wanted to be cremated, and he wanted to be placed in a veterans cemetery.

The first part went smoothly. Grymes has a friend in the mortuary business in Cheney, Washington, who agreed to do the cremation for what he believes was a cut-rate charge to Daly-Leach. The ashes were shipped to Hamilton, where theyd been kept ever since.

We were still trying to get all documents we needed in order to qualify him for a VA burial, Grymes said.

He tried unsuccessfully to procure the $70 county burial fund from Sanders County, where Sauve lived. Even the VA, which courted Daly-Leach in the first place, was uncooperative, saying it would not pay a funeral claim to a funeral home, only to the families.

Then we applied as a funeral home for unclaimed individuals and they said you arent pre-approved to do so. So, no, we dont do that either, Grymes said.

Finally all the documentation was in place. Grymes talked to Doug Mason, adjutant of Corvallis Legion Post 91.

He said theyd be honored to come and do the honors service for us, Grymes said.

And so, more than a year and a half after Sauves death, he was laid to rest.

Representatives of the Montana National Guard were on hand, and the Post provided the gun salute.

Bob Kollermeier took the afternoon off for the service. His wife, Shawna, was one of a handful of people who witnessed the short ceremony in the committal shelter. A folded American flag with three rifle shells on top was handed to her to carry across the grounds to the columbarium.

That was by default, I guess, she said later. I didnt know if I could even handle it. Im pretty emotional even when I dont know somebody at a funeral.

Shawna Kollermeier stood next to Keely Jankunas, also of Corvallis, and Jankunas daughter Georgia.

They drove down for the ceremony a day after Al Simmons, a World War II veteran and Keelys father, passed away at his home in Hamilton at age 92. Services for him will be in Corvallis on Friday.

Were just coming to support veterans, Jankunas said. Theres nothing sadder than having a family whos not here. I dont know anything about the situation, other than he had no family here.

The ceremony was over in less than 20 minutes, when Mason placed the urn containing Jerry Sauves ashes in front of the open niche at the columbarium.

His military documentation and funeral were carried out without bringing the Missing In America project into the picture.

Its exactly what we do, but with this scenario it was lucky they were able to verify his veteran eligibility, said Marty Malone of Park City, the projects Montana state coordinator.

He complimented Daly-Leach for taking on the project and Aasved for doing the research.

Thats awesome that they would step up and do that, Malone said.

Since 2009, Missing in America has processed 33 veterans remains, many of them indigent, and qualified them for proper burials. Malone said his current working list has more than 100 names that his team is poring through genealogical and service records to document.

Jerrys situation is sad in a lot of ways, said Grymes, who said it was the first time in his 27 years in the business that the VA contacted the funeral home about an unclaimed person.

The fact that its being taken care of in an appropriate way is a good thing. But its an unfortunate thing, the fact that theres no family to be here.
Some of the University of Montana programs given preliminary rankings as top priorities for growth are also some of UM's most costly to teach.

The faculty cost for each degree in undergraduate music, for instance, is $50,000, according to data collected to set program priorities. Nonetheless, UM's program review task force voted to rank music as a top priority for growth.

The faculty cost for a degree for undergraduate media arts is just $9,100, according to the same data. There, growth has been explosive, according to the program's report. Yet the media arts undergraduate program isn't ranked as a top priority for future investment.

To be sure, the process to set priorities is far from over, and many steps remain, including official recommendations from the task force.

Also, faculty cost per degree, which is determined by taking the annual tenured and tenure-track faculty costs and dividing by the average number of degrees, is only one limited way to measure a program. It doesn't take into account research productivity or faculty who, for example, teach a required English class to students who won't ever become English majors.

But a key driver of the prioritization project is the flagship's lopsided budget, which is considered overly heavy with personnel.

With cuts to tenured faculty potentially on the table, the stakes are high. But a clear picture of how UM can save money has yet to emerge.

"It just happened too fast," said Emily Stone, department chair of math.

She said it's apparent that UM could make cuts but not end up saving money. "If you look at what they're going to cut, it's not adding up. So something else is going to have to be done. Everybody knows that."

Brad Allen, director of the School of Art, agreed the timeline was fast, and he praised the task force for evaluating units "on an impossible timeline." But he said the process hasn't been designed to measure efficiency and productivity, so results could lead to "a smaller version of UM, not a better one."

"This process was born out of an enrollment crisis," Allen said in an email. "We should be searching for cost savings, especially considering faculty and staff will lose their jobs.

"We should take every step possible to understand a unit's efficiency alongside its scale  alongside production, service, and alignment with the strategic plan."

***

Mathematics was also voted a top priority for growth, and it also has a high faculty cost per degree, about $76,000.

Stone, though, said that's a program where faculty teach many general education courses for many different majors, and unless professors in other programs want to start teaching math, it's going to remain a priority for UM.

Indeed, each faculty FTE (full time equivalent) in math teaches on average 402 student credit hours a year of general education, according to another measure identified in unit reports. That's a chunk more than the 85 general ed student credit hours taught in undergraduate music, whose professors likely count more one-on-one classes with majors as well. (Dean Stephen Kalm could not be reached for comment via voicemail Tuesday.)

As for math, UM recently joined an initiative called Complete College America that aims to help students graduate and take less time doing so, and it means faculty in math are going to be teaching some courses that are part of a new program, Stone said.

"I have told (the provost) from the get-go that they can't cut our resources ... and ask us to develop a new program. It's like flogging a dead horse," said Stone, who noted resources have already been reduced.

She figured the stable enrollment in the undergraduate degree is another reason math is rated tops for growth at this point.

At least by the measure of faculty cost per degree, some of the programs that weren't voted as top priorities for growth are more affordable.

The faculty cost per degree in health and human performance is $13,800, and it has counted a steady enrollment since 2010, according to its report.

The faculty cost per degree is $9,400 in undergraduate sociology.

***

President Sheila Stearns will ultimately make decisions intended to redirect the flagship.

A task force is slated to deliver recommendations to her Thursday, and next month, faculty, staff and students will weigh in. If necessary, the Montana Board of Regents will consider major changes.

"The point is not so much budget, but rather best use of finite resources to meet students and Montanas needs," Stearns said in an email.

In this regard, she said "sustainability" is the key factor she'll use to evaluate recommendations.

"I think the general lens most reviewers use, as I will in the next couple weeks, is the sustainability of good programs in their current form," Stearns said.

Some programs may cost more, but they also may have many students, graduates, and long waiting lists, she said. On the other hand, she said some programs, "expensive or not, may be discontinued if the data show they arent sustainable in their current form." And she said some essential programs may require restructuring to achieve savings.

Provost Beverly Edmond, who chaired the task force on prioritization, said efficiency and productivity were front and center for those evaluating programs. At the same time, she said it's more challenging to quantify those issues compared to, for example, graduation rates or number of publications.

However, Edmond also said sustainability is key, and UM isn't just looking at places that need cuts but for areas that need support.

"What has driven this in my mind is the ability to provide adequate resources to those programs that, in many instances, have been starved of the resources they need to sustain themselves," Edmond said.

Stearns has noted that the prioritization process is just one of several approaches UM is taking to get its budget in order and push its spending on personnel down closer to 75 percent of its operating budget from the current nearly 90 percent.

Estimating the faculty cost of a degree is a crude measure of a program and an impossible way on its own to account for the value to UM and Montana. Somewhere along the way, though, at least some faculty closely watching the process want productivity measures to be closely considered.

Allen, in the School of Art, is among those calling for an outcome that takes efficiency into account and dispenses with "sacred cows." UM would be "wise to protect some of the existing units that carry mid-level majors numbers, that see students through to graduation, but do it with modest resources and constant innovation."

"If ever there was a time to reimagine what the institution values, which units echo the identity of our mission, it is now," Allen said.
When the chainsaw roared Tuesday and the chips began to fly off the base of the 79-foot Engelmann spruce destined to light up the U.S. Capitol
BISMARCK, N.D.  Environmental groups being sued by the developer of the Dakota Access pipeline have asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

Netherlands and U.S.-based Greenpeace and Netherlands-based BankTrack argue in court documents that their opposition to the $3.8 billion project to move North Dakota oil to Illinois is protected free speech, not an illegal effort to undermine the developer.

Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners in August filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace, BankTrack and Earth First, alleging they disseminated false and misleading information about the Dakota Access project, interfered with its construction and damaged the company's reputation and finances through illegal acts.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in North Dakota cites "a pattern of criminal activity and a campaign of misinformation for purposes of increasing donations and advancing their political or business agendas," and seeks damages that could approach $1 billion.

Attorneys for Greenpeace and BankTrack in court documents filed Tuesday argue that the lawsuit is without merit and an attack on free speech.

"Greenpeace's political advocacy criticizing Energy Transfer's practices is within the core of First Amendment protection," the attorneys wrote.

In the lawsuit, ETP levies numerous accusations against what it describes as a vast network of co-conspiring groups and people that committed crimes to further their agendas.

Greenpeace attorneys argue in their response that many of the lawsuit's examples of allegedly defamatory statements were made by groups not being sued, and that Greenpeace only released factual statements aimed at "swaying public opinion."

"Energy Transfer is quite literally trying to transform First Amendment-guaranteed associational rights into criminal affiliations," Greenpeace said.

BankTrack attorneys echoed Greenpeace's arguments, calling ETP's claims frivolous. Earth First has not yet responded to the lawsuit, and the company has not replied to Associated Press requests for comment.

In reference to its filing of the lawsuit, ETP has told the AP that it has an obligation to its shareholders, partners and stakeholders.

The 1,200-mile pipeline began operating June 1, after months of delays caused by legal wrangling and on-the-ground protests. Police made 761 arrests in North Dakota between August and February. Four American Indian tribes in the Dakotas are continuing to fight the project in federal court, hoping a federal judge in Washington, D.C., will shut down the line.
The Montana Innocence Project is reviewing a 1983 homicide that relied in part on now-debunked science to imprison a Billings man for 110 years.

The Innocence Project has not yet taken up the case against Bernard Pease Jr., saying more evidence is needed for the group to pursue litigation. But it is working to determine what evidence still exists and has deposed two witnesses.

A jury convicted Pease in 1984 of deliberate homicide in the death of 23-year-old Maria Philbrick, also known as Maria LaFramboise.

Philbricks body was found naked, with her throat slit and stab wounds to the chest on Dec. 1, 1983, beside a dumpster in the alley behind the Pease family stove business at 122 North 12th St. No blood was found on site, and investigators determined Philbrick was killed in a back room of the Pease business, Fireplace Stove Specialists.

Philbrick, of Sisseton, South Dakota, had been living in Billings for only a couple of months and was working as a prostitute at the time of her death. She was last seen by her pimp, John Salas, outside of the Empire Bar, 2713 Montana Ave., around 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving, a week before her body was found.

The medical examiner in the case could not determine the exact date or time of death. Prosecutors theorized that Philbrick was likely killed around 3:30 or 4 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, according to court documents filed by the Montana Innocence Project.

The case against Pease relied in part on microscopic hair analysis, which compares factors like the color, thickness and texture of hair strands to determine if evidence found at the scene matches hair samples provided by suspects. The practice has since been discredited, with the FBI announcing in 2015 that 90 percent of the cases it testified in using microscopic hair analysis were erroneous.

Hair is not like fingerprints, because there arent studies that show how many people have identical-looking hair fibers, wrote then-FBI Director James Comey in a letter to governors in 2016. The letter warned that FBI examiners may have misled judges and juries for decades by testifying about hair evidence in a way that went beyond the limits of science.

The hair analysis in Peases case was provided by a former Montana State Crime Lab director, Arnold Melnikoff, who came under fire after his hair evidence testimony helped wrongfully convict three men, including Jimmy Ray Bromgard, who spent 15 years in prison for a high-profile child rape case out of Yellowstone County.

At trial, defense attorneys brought in their own expert witness, who contradicted Melnikoffs testimony, saying a hair found under Philbricks fingernail did not belong to Pease. Both the defense expert and Melnikoff testified that their conclusions were not absolute, and that hair analysis is highly subjective.

Prosecutors brought in a witness who testified that her boyfriend had told her he witnessed Pease stab and kill Philbrick. The boyfriend later denied making such a statement. That inconsistency was part of Pease's unsuccessful appeal of his conviction.

Prosecutors also introduced evidence that secretions found on a used condom in the room where Philbrick was killed could belong to Pease, to his father, Bernard Sr., or to Peases brother-in-law, Michael Franklin. The condom also contained blood that could have belonged to Philbrick, a forensic scientist testified.

Prosecutors also wrote that a used condom found in the room where prosecutors believe Philbrick was killed was the same brand as condoms later found in Peases bedroom. The brand was distinctive, the affidavit reads.

Pease was one of four people with access to the room in the family business where prosecutors say Philbrick was killed, according to the affidavit.

A sleeping bag was found about a month after the murder in a nearby fenced area, bloodied and with cuts consistent with stab marks. A witness told investigators that Pease owned the sleeping bag, but Pease told police he did not.

Attorneys for Pease appealed the conviction to the Montana Supreme Court but the court upheld the conviction. They then filed a writ of habeas corpus, but were denied relief, a decision later upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Yellowstone County District Judge Gregory Todd served as defense co-counsel for Pease in the case.

The Montana Innocence Project believes the Billings Police Department and the Montana Crime Lab may have evidence that could help push the case forward.

But unearthing that evidence takes time, and sometimes a court order, said Toby Cook of the Montana Innocence Project. Theres still no guarantee the group will take on the case.

A lot of it will depend on what evidence and what witnesses still exist, Cook said in a phone interview Monday.

Attorneys with the Montana Innocence Project conducted "perpetuation" depositions of Peases parents, Bernard Sr. and Betty, on Nov. 17. Perpetuation depositions are done when witnesses may not be available for the life of the case. Peases parents are elderly.

The Montana Innocence Project is a branch of the national Innocence Project, which has exonerated 351 people since its start in 1992. Its mission is to exonerate innocent people and prevent wrongful convictions.

Since its inception in 2008, the Montana chapter has secured two exonerations and favorable outcomes, such as a vacated conviction and order for retrial, for three other clients. It typically litigates five or six cases at a time but investigates anywhere from 30 to 50 cases at a time for possible litigation.
Earlier this decade Bozeman underwent a symbolic change when the name "Gallatin Field" disappeared, replaced by "Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport." The change wasn't to inform locals of our proximity to a national treasure. No, the change reflected the continuing evolution of Montana's economy and continuing growth of tourism and outdoor recreation.

As we continue to chart a course in the 21st century, Montana's largest economic drivers and job creators are shifting from resource development to health care, tourism and outdoor recreation. Suddenly, less revenue is being generated by traditional sources: agriculture, oil and coal.

This is one of the reasons why the governor, Democrats and leadership in both parties proposed a balanced solution in last week's legislative special session.

Our simple pitch: Patch the state's budget gap produced by a revenue shortfall and a historic fire season with three equal parts: difficult budget cuts, money transfers of existing funds and increased revenue from hotels rooms and rental cars, which are predominantly utilized by out-of-state visitors.

Increased revenue from these sources would avoid further budgetary cuts harming Montanans.

More than a million passengers transit through Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport annually; thats the population of our entire state. This number includes countless tourists and out-of-state visitors who use our roads, state lands and public services without paying their share.

As a state and community, we are subsidizing vacations from 49 other states with our infrastructure and our tax dollars at a time when many Montanans cant afford their own trips. We should pass reasoned legislation to capture these out-of-state dollars while embracing the successes of our 21st century economy.

If we dont, then Montana will be forced to revisit this budget crisis again.

Unfortunately, during the special session this idea was met with intransigence from Republicans who put their political party over their neighbors.

Republican legislative leaders ignored the need for an open process and sober analysis of our financial standing. Instead they used their legislative majority to skirt transparency laws by hosting secret meetings steeped in political gamesmanship, introducing tax bills with no financial analysis and passing malicious legislation targeting small populations with no pertinence to state revenue.

Most galling, Republicans created a lose-lose situation for Montana by passing just two options: Approve a pork barrel kickback with a Shelby-area private prison benefiting an out-of-state corporation and local legislators or cut $32 million more from Montanas most vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens.

On Friday, Gov. Steve Bullock made the right call and announced his intent to veto legislation which had been jammed through by partisans to furlough hardworking employees at our state agencies. When the author of the legislation, Rep. Barry Usher, R-Billings, was asked why his furlough legislation only waylaid employees of Montanas executive branch, and not the state employees who write bills for the legislature, he told the Billings Gazette because it was difficult to ask someone to draft a bill that would potentially result in their furlough.

Capturing that sentiment: If a difficult eye-to-eye conversation is what it takes to sympathize with Montanans about how additional cuts will hurt seniors, working families and students, then wed like to make a standing offer to our legislative colleagues who oppose new revenue generated from out-of-state visitors.

We are happy to broker a conversation between you and a senior who is losing services, a college student dropping out due to rising costs, teachers buying classroom supplies with their own money or a family working full time but still unable to make ends meet.

If a difficult conversation is the difference between cutting more services and raising revenue from out-of-state sources, they'd be happy to meet with any legislator.
The special session of the Montana Legislature is behind us  yet another thing to be thankful for in this season. Taking center stage was concern for the most vulnerable populations in Montana. What avenues should be taken to address taking care of them? How can we do the most to avoid cuts to their services? The governor seemed to suggest that the only way to avoid deeper cuts was to raise taxes, and the Republicans were having nothing to do with that.

Its an unfortunate reality that our states budget is such that the governor has to make cuts, but the $49 million in cuts is a far cry from the $227 million threat prior to the special session. Republicans knew that raising taxes at a time when Montanas economy is less than great would only exacerbate the proclaimed crisis. Furthermore, with local property taxes coming due, peoples pockets are already feeling lighter.

However, it should be noted that further relief for our most vulnerable is an ongoing part of the solution to the special session. In a gesture of cooperation, the genius of an additional $15 million windfall was laid at the governors feet to use at his discretion. The language in the legislation presented to the governor  while unable to force him to take a specific action  strongly suggests that this additional funding be used to further relieve the governors cuts to services of the most vulnerable.

Every service provider and recipient of services should be keeping a watchful eye on the governors priorities as he makes his decisions. Lets hope that we see this put towards services for those who need them most.

Montana is living through some rough economic times but, as Montanans always do, we will find a way to be stronger than before. There is always a lesson to be learned and its important to shine a light in the darkest of times to highlight that which can be improved.

In a recent opinion by a prominent Democrat, it was noted that the chief negotiator for the Democratic side was the governors budget director. The same budget director who was charged with overseeing Montanas budget as we watched it dwindle from a high of over $550 million to a projected $30 million by 2019, without taking appropriate steps to alleviate the problem. Furthermore, one has to wonder why the governors budget director is permitted to interject himself at such a level in state legislative business.

For obvious reasons, it now becomes apparent the legislature and the executive branch should continue as two separate branches of government. If the Democrats are disconcerted, and now questioning the budget directors ability to perform, what does that say about his qualifications to continue managing Montanas $10 billion economy?

The Legislature will continue to do the work of the people and keep a close watch over the purse strings, as we were elected by the people of Montana to do.
Protect net neutrality. Neutrality on the internet is the only way to allow democratic participation in communication, education, employment, community and public service, and access to health, safety and other information.

Do not allow a few corporations to rule the internet, to censor what we see, to charge higher fees and deliver less.

None of the internet service providers invented or developed the internet and the web.

U.S. taxpayers paid for its early development. The defense and research network called ARPANET was online from 1969 into 1989. That became the internet. Research, development and expansion was courtesy of government  taxpayer  funding.

The world wide web arrived in 1991, courtesy of Tim Berners-Lee in particular. Berners-Lee, often while working at CERN (a European particle physics laboratory) in Switzerland, designed a global hypertext database with each data package having a universal and unique identifier, and this on a network he called the world wide web. He made the web available on the internet in 1991.

Berners-Lee, a Brit, championed web openness to the point of not filing for intellectual property rights, not taking royalties and not selling his invention. He gave the web to the public. He gave us net neutrality!

Do not give this global public resource to a few corporations no matter how much they "donated" to politicians and no matter how much they spend in advertising and hiring trolls to promote their greedy objective.

Of course, the ISPs want to charge the public  you and me  more and deliver less. But the service is already lousy.

The United States ranks 47th in the world in mobile internet speed. While the U.S. ranks higher in fixed broadband speed, our nation is not among top nations globally, according to Speedtest.

Montana ranks among the states with the slowest internet speeds. That is when and where a person can even get online in Montana.

The internet should be regulated as the public utility it has become.

But first, protect net neutrality.

Dont let the Federal Communications Commission give corporations the power to censor what you see by determining access and access speeds by how much you can pay. You and I cannot afford to pay what corporations and the 1 percent can pay. We will suffer if we lose net neutrality.

One brave FCC commissioner, Jessica Rosenworcel, asks you to fight for net neutrality. Now. See her plea in the Los Angeles Times.

Please write to the commissioners today. Their names and email addresses are:

Fight for what we have.
Back in the 1980s when I first moved to Livingston, if you were to ask locals what drove the economy of Park County, most residents looking in a rear-view mirror of the countys economy would have answered mining, logging, ranching and farming.

Yet an economic analysis done in the late 1980s showed that all these industries combined contributed to no more than 5 percent of the personal income in the county. By contrast, more than 40 percent of the countys income at that time came from outside of the county via transfer payments such as pensions, investments outside of the county and other income streams.

Since the 1980s the economy of Park County and Montana has diversified and is even more heavily dependent on the preservation of its wildlands and outdoor opportunities. Footloose entrepreneurs who can live anywhere, and a growing legion of retirees moving from other place are increasingly attracted to the state due to the proximity of wild lands and intact functioning landscapes.

According to a recent study by the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation is the largest sector in Montanas economy supporting 70,000 jobs. By comparison, the Economic Profile System listed 3,543 Montana timber jobs in the state. These included 720 in "forestry, logging and support," 2,159 in milling (sawmills, plywood, etc.) and 664 in other wood products manufacturing. The total 3,543 jobs in "timber" were 0.94 percent of total private employment in Montana in 2015.

Yet despite this obvious limited and declining economic value of natural resource extraction industries, the Montana congressional delegation still favors the old industries like timber, ranching and mining over protection of wild lands and wildlife in legislation and policies.

Wild lands are central to Montanas outdoor recreation, and the attractiveness of states communities for people with transferable incomes. These wilderness lands provide clean water for trout streams, habitat for elk, bighorn, wolverine and lynx, and the beautiful scenery that graces the states landscape.

Unfortunately, Montanas delegation seems to be looking in at rear-view mirror regarding Montanas economy. A few examples make this point.

Congressman Greg Gianforte is unwilling to publicly oppose gold mining in Paradise Valley south of Livingston adjacent to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Both Gianforte and Sen. Steve Daines support the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017 introduced in the House, as well as similar legislation in the Senate.

These bills are Trojan horses with innocuous-sounding names that would circumvent environmental laws, limit citizen oversight and provide greater taxpayer subsidies to the timber industry.

Daines opposes closing the Sheep Experiment Station in the Centennial Mountains even though it negatively impacts grizzlies and the potential reintroduction of bighorn sheep.

Montanas forests are not the nations woodbox or feedlot. But our forests are critical to the new economy that is focused on quality of life attributes that includes scenic beauty, healthy rivers and abundant wildlife.

Its time to stop looking in the rear-view mirror.
After months of smoke-filled skies, the blanket of winter has returned to the Northern Rockies. Our stunning vistas are once again visible. 2017 was a record-breaking fire season here in Montana, as 141 wildfires burned across our state  affecting over a million acres. Montanans were evacuated, homes were lost, businesses were hurt, and federal and state budgets were severely impacted.

However, Montanans are a resilient bunch, and we rolled up our sleeves and helped one another. Our elected officials were there with us, providing help and taking an interest in what was happening to our forests and our communities. While the fires burned, everyone stood together. Yet as the smoke cleared, it became easier to assign blame and look for silver bullets to solve the problem.

We traveled to Washington, D.C., a couple weeks ago and were surprised to see Congress proposing new laws to reform forest management faster than one can assign them a bill number. While we appreciate the effort, this reactive frenzy of bill drafting is not in the best interest of our forests or Montanans. Most of the current bills lack bipartisan support and are likely to hurt  not help  our forests and communities. Undermining bedrock environmental laws, silencing public opinion, and weakening accountability by limiting public engagement and review are just a few of the potential outcomes of the proposed legislation.

There is one piece of legislation that will help make our forests more sustainable, fire resistant and adaptable to the changing climate: the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. More intense wildfires, a longer wildfire season and people moving into fire-prone areas are driving up firefighting costs. These increasing costs are chipping away at other public lands programs, forcing agencies to take funding from other programs such as forest restoration, recreation, trails and land use planning.

Have you noticed reduced levels of maintenance and public service on your national forest? We sure have. The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act fixes that problem by stabilizing suppression funding and funding the 1-2 percent of costly wildfires as we do earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes: as national disasters. This will significantly reduce the need to borrow funds, and allow more stable budgeting for fire prevention, forest restoration and other programs. Unfortunately, efforts in Congress to include more controversial proposals for changing forest management are holding hostage the solutions  like WDFA  that everyone agrees on.

As we look over the areas that were shrouded in smoke all summer, we see a significantly changed landscape. It is not 1 million acres of blackened trees but a mosaic of burned, unburned and partially burned forest and grasslands  closer to what we suspect the landscape looked like prior to mans intervention with fire suppression, early logging and grazing.

This landscape raises a lot of questions with no simple answers. Would more logging have slowed the rate of spread? Would more prescribed burning have decreased fire intensity? Where does climate change and the record setting drought fit in? All these questions should be answered in a collaborative manner with professional resource managers, the timber industry, conservation groups, business owners, ranchers, outfitters, recreationists and many more.

For years, Montanans have been meeting at kitchen tables across the state to hammer out common-sense solutions to tough issues. When we need help from Congress, we will be the first to ask.

We have asked for a fix to the wildfire funding issue, and they have responded. Lets get that bill passed and let the more complex issues concerning forest management reforms be worked out across the table and over a cup of coffee.
The legislative leadership, especially Rep. Austin Knudsen, are bragging again that they imposed no new taxes on hardworking Montanans. That is a big lie.

Check last years school tax on your property tax bill and compare it to this years. We send our local property taxes to Helena and get monies back through entitlements. The Legislature simply did not fund the block grants to schools and passed on a tax increase to the counties.

And the Legislature just eliminated another $13 million in education grants to the local school districts in the special session. Local school boards, county and state officials are stuck trying to work through this.

The state used to pay an in-lieu payment to nine Montana counties with over 6 percent state land to help make up the difference in lost local taxes. This has been nearly eliminated, with no correlation between state land ownership and taxes, with the locals making up the difference in taxes. This is totally unfair and wrong.

It seems many politicians are more concerned about access on these lands than paying their fair share for owning them. Either pay up or sell them to get them on the tax roles.

Steve Carney,

Scobey
A blog that focuses on our unique program that teaches natural horsemanship, heritage breed conservation, soil and water conservation, and even folk, roots, and Americana music. This blog discusses our efforts to prevent the extinction of the Corolla Spanish Mustang. Choctaw Colonial Spanish Horse, Marsh Tacky, and the remnants of the Grand Canyon Colonial Spanish Horse strain.
We are lucky to live in an age of pomegranates. It may not roll off the tongue like the Age of Aquarius, but last I checked you can't eat an Aquarius. With more pomegranates being grown and consumed than ever before, the inevitable pomegranate renaissance is upon us. And we can immediately begin enjoying the fruits of it.

In California, the pomegranate harvest is in full swing. About 95 percent of the crop is the large, dark variety called Wonderful. California's 2017 yield is expected to be a bit light, as the trees recover from a multi-year drought. But while yields will be down, the quality of the fruit is expected to be high, as sometimes happens with fruit trees. Expect California pomegranates to be larger, juicier and sweeter. But maybe not cheaper.

Worldwide, pomegranate consumption is on the rise for culinary and health reasons, and there also is demand from cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, all of which makes for attractive pricing on a fruit that grows by the hundreds on a healthy tree. The trees are low-maintenance, and can adapt to many conditions, including heat and drought. India, the number one producer of pomegranates, continues to expand its pomegranate acreage by replacing dried up apple orchards with pomegranates. Spain and Italy have invested big in recent years as well, aiming to feed a growing European demand, while China has invested the most, including large plantations of soft seeded Tunisian pomegranates, destined mostly for Asia.

While entering new landscapes, like California, Spain and Kenya, pomegranates are an ancient fruit with a deep history in Central Asia, Persia, the Middle East and the Caucuses. Cookbook author Feride Buyuran is from Azerbaijan. From an early age, she told me by email, she saw pomegranates everywhere.

"In front yards, in backyards, and randomly even in parks. They're cheaper than apples," she says. "There are dozens of pomegranate varieties, some sweet, others tangy, some with dark ruby arils, others with light pink and even white."

The arils, of course, are the fleshy seeds inside that tough-skinned, angular sphere. And there are many ways to get them out. A peeled pomegranate looks like the world's biggest and most delicious freshly cut jewel, but takes a little work. Buyuran's website, azcookbook.com, has a video in which she demonstrates how to quickly remove the arils by cutting along the membranes that run between the arils, rather than through them. She then swats the arils from their clingy membranes with a wooden spoon, making it look easy. Alas, I usually end up clawing it apart with my fingers and dumping the arils in a bowl of water so the membranes float out. But I don't try to remove every last shred, as the membranes are where a many of the fruit's potentially medicinal compounds reside.

Buyuran also has posted a recipe or a dish called narnumru, from her new book "Pomegranates and Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan". It's basically fried eggs atop fried pomegranate arils, which burst open in the pan's heat and steam the egg sunny side up in the covered pan. It's a shocking dish, both visually and intellectually. But in your mouth, it all makes perfect sense.

She starts with 1/2 cup chopped onion in a pan with butter and a little olive oil. When the onions are translucent, she adds 2 cups of arils (for two eggs), and fries them for a few minutes, before cracking the eggs on top, and covering briefly. If you have a glass lid you can watch the eggs turn white before your eyes in the pomegranate steam.

Everyone in my house thought the idea of frying eggs on pomegranate arils would be awful  even those who professed to love both pomegranate and egg.

"It makes me queasy," my wife said.

"It will be disgusting," my son concluded, ahead of the experiment.

I made a batch, personalized with bacon and browned bits of deer meat prior to the addition of onions. The haters were wrong, of course. And they never got to find out how wrong they were, because I ate it all.

Then I began stir-frying meat with pomegranate seeds, onions and garlic, while playing around with various spice mixtures from pomegranate country. Egyptian dukkah was a standout.

Soon enough, I was marinading meat in pomegranate juice, as Buyuran told me she does with kebabs. If you don't have venison then any red meat, especially a strong-flavored meat like lamb or goat, is wonderful in a pomegranate juice marinade.

Buyuran also adds pomegranate juice to meat stew. Plain juice only, she emphasizes, unsweetened. Back home, she says, "the fresh juice is simmered for long hours to obtain pomegranate molasses, or nasharab, a prized condiment that is particularly enjoyed with grilled fish." As it happens, I have a jar of pomegranate molasses in the fridge that I use for dipping shrimp.

By far, the simplest way to cook with pomegranate is to make what you are going to make, and then sprinkle fresh pomegranate seeds on it. Don't buy the seeds prepackaged; get them out yourself. Sprinkle them on salad, soup, meat, rice, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and see what works. There is no end to the ways we can use the bright juicy tang, balancing the fat in food with a burst of acid. In much the same way that a sip of coffee helps eggs, and wine helps prime rib, a pomegranate helps both.

That's why, once you jump on board the pomegranate train, you stay on. Wherever it goes.
Maroon Magic set for Dec. 6

Butte Central High School presents Maroon Magic 2017 at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, in the high school auditorium.

The choir, pep band and guitar classes will perform, along with solo performances. Admission is free but donations are accepted.

Judges needed for speech meet

Volunteer judges are needed for Butte Central High Schools speech and debate meet on Saturday, Dec. 9.

No experience is necessary. Judging clinics will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, and 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in the high school library. It's recommended that new judges attend and veteran judges are welcome for a refresher course.

For details or to sign-up, contact David Stonehocker at david.stonehocker@buttecentralschools.org or 406-593-1614.

DAR to celebrate 120th anniversary

The Silver Bow Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution will celebrate the 120th anniversary of their Chapter on Dec. 7.

The public is invited to join in the celebration with an open house held at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz St., at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

The mission of the DAR has been to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism and Silver Bow Chapter has been doing that in the community for more than a century.

Major Gen. McLean to be honored

ANACONDA  Veterans and family members of William T. McLean, Major General, U.S. Army, retired, will gather to honor his Army experiences at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Courthouse. His uniform will be on display for three months. The public is encouraged to attend. Details: 406-980-0340.

Rescue Mission benefits from tree sales

The Butte Rescue Mission will receive a portion of all sales of Christmas trees and wreaths sold this holiday season by Matosich Christmas Trees.

The trees are setup at Silver Bow Pizza, 3500 Harrison Ave. The hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or later.

For more than 40 years the Butte Rescue Mission has worked to help the hungry and homeless in a seven-county area in southwest Montana. Currently closed, the Rescue Mission will soon begin site preparation for a permanent mission at 610 E. Platinum St., in Butte. Details: Rocky Lyons, 406-782-0925.

Retired mine workers plan holiday dinner

Retired Mine Workers will meet Friday, Dec. 8, at the Butte Country Club. The meeting is at 6 p.m., and the dinner will follow. For reservations, call Tom Holter at 406-494-7953.
Holiday Home Tour set for Dec. 9

The Butte Symphony Guild presents the annual Holiday Home Tour from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. The event benefits the Butte Symphony.

The event is followed by a tea and cookie reception from 3 to 5 p.m. at The Springs of Butte from 3 to 5 p.m.

This years hosts are Glenn and Jane Johnson, Fran Doran and Neal Egan, Ristene Hall, Marilynn Mason and the Rev. Theresa Kelley.

Tickets are $10 and are on sale at Books & Books, Keenan Jewelers or email wanamakercreative@gmail.com.

Autumn season concludes with Redes

CINEMAtech concludes the autumn season at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the Montana Tech Library Auditorium, with a Mexican film so dangerous the Nazis had it burned.

Redes has been described as utterly engrossing.

Early in his career, the Austrian-born future Oscar winner Fred Zinnemann codirected with Emilio Gomez Muriel the politically and emotionally searing "Redes.'' A singular coming together of talents, "Redes,'' commissioned by a progressive Mexican government, was co-written and shot by the legendary photographer Paul Strand.

Standard looking for Santa photos

Remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait to sit on Santa's lap so you could tell him all the things you "just had to have" for Christmas?

Sometimes a photograph was taken to capture the moment.

The Montana Standard is looking for just these photos, particularly if it's on the humorous side.

Send your photo in jpg format to editor@mtstandard.com, or call Tracy Thornton at 406-496-5552 to set up a time to scan your treasured photograph. Deadline for submission is Monday, Dec. 18.

The best photographs will be featured Christmas Eve in our Big Sky section. All photos will be viewed in a gallery online.

Uptown Toasters announce winners

This weeks competition winners for the Uptown Toasters, Toastmaster Club No. 9765 include Jean Matteucci, best speaker; Rob McDowell, best evaluator; and Bev York and Rob McDowell, best table topics respondents.

The next meeting is at noon Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St. Details: 406-782-3280.

BARC meeting set for Saturday

Butte Area Rising Coalition (BARC) will have its monthly meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Carpenter's Union Hall, 156 Granite St.

The meeting will address bi-partisan issues. Guest speaker Angie Dansie of Dillon will discuss the efforts of Wolf-PAC and other groups in addressing the corruption of money in politics since the 2010 Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United. Topics will include using the Article 5 Convention, which allows citizens, through their state Legislatures, to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution regulating corporate, PAC and special interest groups' spending on elections and legislation.

Hens found on Highway 2

These are animals that have been picked up by Butte Animal Control. If you think one of the following animals is yours please call Chelsea Bailey Butte-Silver Bow Animal Shelter at 406-497-6528 or stop by from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Chickens:

Four adult hens, black with brown feathers, picked up on Highway 2

Cats:

Older female, medium-haired, picked up Monday on 3200 block of Harvard
A letter sent to the Gallatin County prosecutor by a Democratic primary candidate for Montana's U.S. House seat illustrates the delicate political dance facing challengers seeking to capitalize on a scandal in a potential opponents past.

John Heenan, one of six Democrats running for the House, asked Gallatin County Attorney Marty Lambert Tuesday to bring charges against Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, for lying to investigators after Gianforte assaulted a reporter on the eve of his election to the House last May.

In June, Gianforte pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for body slamming Ben Jacobs, a reporter for the Guardian. Gianforte paid a fine, restitution and completed community service and anger management classes. In addition, he made a $50,000 donation to the Committee to Protect Journalists to avoid civil litigation.

Documents released by a Gallatin County court earlier this month show that Gianforte misled investigators immediately after the assault. Speaking to a Gallatin County Sheriff's sergeant on the eve of the election, Gianforte said Jacobs instigated the assault by grabbing his wrists and said the "liberal media" was "trying to create a story." Others who witnessed the assault, including a Fox News television crew, contradicted Gianfortes account.

Gianfortes campaign sent out a press release the night of the assault blaming Jacobs, but the congressman later admitted he was the aggressor and apologized to Jacobs both in court and in a letter, saying Jacobs "did not initiate any physical contact with me."

Although investigative documents released by the court show Gianforte misled investigators, his office issued a statement the day of the document release that said "no one was misled'' the night of the assault "and anyone who says otherwise was mistaken.''

That assertion prompted a letter to Gianforte on Monday from the Guardian demanding he "immediately cease and desist from making any further false and defamatory statements about Mr. Jacobs," the reporter.

On Tuesday, Heenan released a letter he sent to Lambert, the prosecutor, saying that Gianfortes false statements to law enforcement should be considered a separate crime and urging Lambert to bring charges against the congressman. Heenan, who is a lawyer, also offered to serve as a special prosecutor in the case.

Lambert said Tuesday he would not bring further charges and expressed dismay at Heenan's offer to help prosecute.

In his letter, Heenan wrote: I am making this offer with the sincere hope that it will be accepted. I do intend, however, to make my concerns as expressed in this letter public as I know that I am not the only one concerned that our congressional representative will be allowed to get away with the crime.''

Heenan said his move wasnt purely political.

What I see is someone who has committed a crime that hasnt been charged for it and therefore hasnt been punished, he said. As a concerned citizen, I wanted to urge Mr. Lambert on behalf of the Gallatin County Attorneys Office to bring those charges. This isnt me as a candidate. This is me as a concerned citizen and as a lawyer that knows the law and knows when other people lie to law enforcement, theres repercussions.

Heenan is in a crowded primary with six Democrats who have announced they would like the opportunity to unseat Gianforte next fall. They include former nonprofit director Grant Kier of Missoula, Bozeman legislator Tom Woods, former state legislators Kathleen Williams of Bozeman and Lynda Moss of Billings and Jared Pettinato, an attorney from Whitefish who now lives in Bozeman.

Though the others have taken jabs at Gianforte, Heenans action Tuesday may be the most overt.

You cant ignore the scandal because you want people to think about it, said Jeremy Johnson, an associate professor of political science at Carroll College in Helena. But in a Republican-leaning state where a Democrat is trying to win, thats not sufficient. You have to make a case for yourself while trying to discredit someone else.

At this point, no Democrat is running against Gianforte; they're facing off against each other to win that chance. But a strong message against the congressman could be enough to push a candidate through to a primary victory in a crowded field, one in which Johnson said no one appears to have a strong advantage based on existing name recognition.

Most of them dont have a large, statewide, strong profile yet, Johnson said. You have to build yourself up for the primary electorate. Theres not much of a downside in strongly criticizing Gianforte for a Democratic primary electorate.

Kier said its fair for us to hold the congressman accountable for  his behavior attacking a reporter and lying about it after to the fact. But, Kier added, for his campaign its important to pivot to other issues.

My desire to run for this office is about serving Montanans, not about beating up on one particular candidate, Kier said. To me were the best poised in the primary if we focus on what it is were going to do for Montanans.

On Twitter, Kiers campaign manager, Jake Brown, was more direct, tweeting: I'm all for holding (Gianforte) accountable, but ultimately that's a decision for law enforcement. Dems in Montana need to present Montanans with a clear message on how to serve them on the issues, and not just more political grandstanding.

Heenan said one of the reasons hes running is he believes no one is above the law, and this seems like further evidence thats not the case.''

"Its been important for me to have an honest platform with an honest position that I think shows the contrast between myself and Rep. Gianforte,'' Heenan said. "Ive answered every question that's been posed to me. Ive put clear positions on our website. One of the biggest things that frustrates me about politicians on both sides is when they dont say what they stand for and give platitudes.''

Heenan said he hasnt heard from Lambert, but on Tuesday the county attorney said he felt there were no grounds for charges.

Misleading the cops or lying to the cops in and of itself is not a crime, Lambert said. Something has to result from that that actually sets back the investigation or results in the loss of evidence or it results in the inability to find a witness.

Lambert said neither law enforcement nor his office had any problems bringing charges that Gianforte ultimately admitted to.

The facts arent there to justify additional prosecution for lying to investigators, Lambert said. On top of that, to offer  when you have announced as a political candidate to run against a crime suspect  to serve as a special deputy county attorney, I have never had that happen.

Jordan Gross, a law professor at the University of Montana, said people can be charged under some circumstances for making false statements to law enforcement in instances where the false statement is meant to harm an investigation, but emphasized it is up to the discretion of the prosecutor.

When we have politically charged scenarios like this, I would hope people would trust the system, trust the prosecutors, trust the judges to be fair and objective.
We are proud and wowed by the hundreds of Montanans who braved the weather to attend four public hearings and voice concerns about the mine being proposed in the headwaters of the iconic Smith River.

Our Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) heard your clear message: Montanans want to protect the Smith Rivers wealth of sustainable virtues  recreation, angling, scenic beauty, cultural treasures, and outdoor economy  rather than allow a foreign mining company to risk those values and our grandchildrens legacy for short-term profit. The DEQ is now reading through the more than 10,000 written comments people have submitted raising the same concerns we heard at the live hearings.

In the Great Falls hearing, Mayor Bob Kelly insisted on a bigger reclamation bond for the project in case pollution from an environmental event at the mine reaches the Missouri River. The city of Great Falls needs to be formally declared as having standing as an injured party and be able to seek and receive payment for reclamation and reparation of the damage that may occur to our water source, said the mayor. He was one of many people who recognized the threat this mine poses to downstream interests including clean water, fish, irrigation, property values, human health and the recreation economy.

In White Sulphur Springs, Smith River landowner and engineer Warren Hopper expressed concern about the tailings liner leaking over time: In my line of work, I have seen double- and even tripled-lined impoundments eventually leak. Other opponents reminded DEQ of the track record of modern mines shuttering when the global market dictates, leaving locals with environmental contamination and taxpayers with the cleanup costs.

For most Montanans, mines like Black Butte are a threat to good jobs rather than a boon. In Helena, more than 200 people showed up to the hearing, many coming straight from having paraded drift boats and rafts sporting No Smith River Mine signs around the capitol and rallying against the mine on the lawn.

At the hearing, representatives from leading businesses such as Simms, Orvis and Costa spoke of the role the outdoor economy plays in Montana and their businesses. Lifelong outfitters and guides told DEQ that this mine makes them worry about their livelihoods. I have built a business of the Smith River. I have watched my business put kids through college. We provide good paying jobs. Why risk it? asked Brandon Boedecker, owner of Pro Outfitters.

Finally, in Livingston, we heard concerns of forever impacts mines like the Black Butte project leave behind after shipping Montanas natural resources and profits overseas. Tim Stevens, of Livingston, said of the mine, The impacts are going to be forever, and thus, bonding, and analysis of impacts on things like roads and water quality, wildlife and the local way of life also needs to be forever.

Though the scoping period ended Nov. 16, this is not the last time for concerned citizens to make a difference. Next spring, be prepared for DEQ to release a draft document detailing the possible environmental impacts of the mine. The public will have the opportunity to review and comment on those impacts and the course DEQ should take with this mine proposal. This will be another crucial time for Montanans to speak up and make sure this mine presents zero risk to the Smith River watershed.

Montana Trout Unlimited would like to thank the DEQ for hosting these hearings and listening to the concerns of the public. Now its time for the DEQ to take those public concerns seriously.
When we saw the recent news that the U.S. House had passed a massive tax cut for multi-national corporations that would add over $1.5 trillion to the national debt, we recalled a moment in 2010 when then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said the national debt was the single biggest threat to our national security. Having personally spent time overseas countering the terrorist threat to the United States, we understand the seriousness of Admiral Mullens assessment and know personally whats at stake. We are deeply concerned that Congress is on the verge of adopting a tax policy that would greatly undermine our countrys strength at home and its ability to project power abroad.

Dont get us wrong. Some deficit spending to fund targeted investments in infrastructure and education could make our country stronger and more competitive, but the policy Congress is advancing sets us on the wrong course. Our rivals on the world stage know the strategic value of massive investments in public education. China, for example, already graduates more than eight times the number of graduates in science, technology, engineering and math than the United States. Weve seen too clearly how other countries have quickly advanced their cyberwarfare capabilities. Without decisive investment in the future, there will not be enough highly-skilled Americans trained and ready to fight back.

The U.S. Houses proposed changes to the tax code would gut American higher education and weaken national security. For example, tuition waivers allowing graduate students to engage in advanced studies would be redefined as taxable "income." The result?

Overnight, the tax burden on graduate students would more than double. Countless American students would be shut out from top programs in computer science, nuclear engineering and critical languages like Chinese and Arabic. These are the fields our military and civilian agencies need to defend against rapidly evolving threats to American security.

Imagine if our space program wasnt staffed by top scientists, but by mediocre ones simply lucky enough to be born into wealth. Imagine if the analyst deciphering chatter on terrorist networks rose to their position not because they were the brightest, but because they were among the few with a trust fund to pay for their education. This would be the new reality under the proposed tax regime and would not only compromise American national security, but also cause the United States to fall further behind the world in scientific achievements, thereby damaging our country for generations to come.

Most Americans wont even see any significant short-term benefits of the House tax bill. Millions, including small business owners, will actually see their taxes rise. Eliminating personal exemptions and deductions for state taxes will hit Montanans particularly hard. Thirteen million Americans are expected to lose health insurance. Premiums are guaranteed to rise, as will medical-related bankruptcies.

Who will benefit?

According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, those with incomes above $730,000 will get a big tax break. The heirs of the wealthiest people in America will now collect their inheritance with little to no taxes paid. Corporations will have greater incentive to fire Americans and ship their jobs overseas. The few provisions meant to provide middle class tax relief are temporary. The corporate tax cuts? Permanent.

As individuals who have served our nation overseas in harms way, we say this with great seriousness: The senators and representatives who support such policies are threatening American national security. These politicians should be willing to release their own tax returns, to show just how much they will personally benefit. If they are unwilling to do that, then you know whose interests theyre really serving. Its not the United States of America, and its not the people of Montana.
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MUSCATINE  City, county and industry leaders gathered Tuesday in downtown Muscatine to celebrate winning a $500,000 grant to support four local projects.

In July, a local committee applied for a Community Attractions and Tourism (CAT) grant from the Enhance Iowa Board, to bring in money to fund the "Pearls of Progress" projects: the new Musser Public Library, the Westside Trail, cabins at Deep Lakes Park and a Community Dog Park.

The Enhance Iowa Board awarded the grant this past month as long as Muscatine raised $500,000 to match, according to City Planner Andrew Fangman. Last month, the city said it had to raise more than $200,000 to close the gap.

Tuesday night, members of the city government, Muscatine County Board of Supervisors, as well as business and industry leaders, said the fundraising effort was a success, with the community collecting around 238 donations.

Greg Jenkins, president and CEO of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said 28 businesses donated to the projects, contributing around 60 percent of the funding.

"It's a combination of industries, small businesses in the community, as well as local banks, that joined together to make this happen," he said. "And you can't diminish the contributions by the individuals as well because they were significant."

The four projects, he said, were kick-started when HNI Corporation donated its old headquarters to be used as a new library. Jenkins said securing the building, at 408 E. 2nd St., which is valued at around $4.8 million, helped Muscatine appear more competitive when applying for the CAT grant.

Its going to be such an exciting facility, Gary Carlson, with HNI, said. Its going to be the epicenter of the downtown for activities and for vitality. And the timings perfect with what weve got going on in the community.

Jenkins also praised Kent Corporation, as it matched every community donation to help reach the fundraising goal this month.

Look at everything going on in Muscatine; its just amazing whats happening, Rich Dwyer, with Kent Corp., said. In Muscatine, I dont know if weve ever seen this much change going on and this [many] positive things going on right now.

Dwyer presented Muscatine Mayor Diana Broderson with a check for more than $354,000.

"We wouldn't have gotten there without the businesses," Jenkins said. "When you start looking at HNI's contribution to pull that library off, it's awesome. And then for Kent to step up and say we're going to make this happen, it's like, holy cow."

Combined, the "Pearls of Progress" projects total more than $8 million. Dwyer said the amount of donations exceeded expectations, meaning all projects should be fully funded, including additional amenities at the dog park.

Construction is already beginning on the new $6 million HNI Community Center and Musser Public Library. Work on the library should wrap up next spring, and the other projects should be completed within the next few years.

A 14-acre leash-free dog park off Houser Street, across from Kent-Stein Park, could open next year. An extension of Muscatine's trail system, to be built from Kent-Stein Park to Discovery Park, should be completed in 2019. And, next year, Muscatine County hopes to open the first rentable cabins at Deep Lakes Park.

This month's announcement is not the first time Muscatine has won a state CAT grant. In 2002, Fangman said the program contributed $1 million to help build the Muscatine Aquatic Center, the Environmental Learning Center, the skate park at Musser Park and the Riverview Center.

While community leaders celebrated Tuesday night, Dwyer and Carlson said it is time to continue planning for Muscatines future, asking the group, whats next?
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 []
Napa County looks likely to have a new priority heading its federal and state lobbying wish listswildfire recovery aid.

A proposed county lobbying platform for 2018 mentions seeking maximum wildfire loss reimbursements for the county and its residents. It mentions supporting legislation and regulations to ease wildfire loss burdens and promote recovery.

What specific disaster aid the county seeks in wake of Octobers Atlas, Nuns and Tubbs fires remains to be seen. The fires destroyed or badly damaged more than 600 homes.

We intentionally left it vague because we werent quite sure what we need to ask for yet, Deputy County Executive Officer Molly Rattigan said.

But the countys state lobbyists are game. Paul Yoder of Shaw/Yoder/Antwih, Inc. said the county secured $20 million in state funding for a new county jail after the existing jail was damaged during the 2014 South Napa earthquake.

Yoder called this making lemonade from lemons.

Thats the kind of work we anticipate doing for the county in response to the fires, he said.

Napa County each year adopts a list of its state and federal legislative priorities. The county Board of Supervisors is to vote on the 2018 version on Dec. 5.

As a prelude, supervisors discussed legislative matters at various meetings over the past two weeks.

Napa County could try adding its voice to the federal tax reform debate underway in the Congress. Among the countys priorities is keeping the full deductions for state and local income and property taxes and the full deduction for home mortgages. These deductions are at risk.

Steve Palmer of Van Scoyoc Associates considered whether tax reform in the Republican-controlled Congress is taking aim at California. Van Scoyoc does federal lobbying for the county.

Id say, no, its not really anti-California, but its definitely anti-blue state, he told supervisors.

Existing versions of tax reform would hurt California, New Jersey and New York the most, he said. Those states combined have six Democratic senators.

A new item on the countys draft federal wish list is securing a $15 million grant to replace the main and secondary runways at Napa County Airport. The runways, aside from minor repairs, have the same pavement from when they were constructed 70 years ago, county officials said.

Without the project, continued degradation of the pavement could render them inoperable, the draft platform says.

A new item on the countys state wish list is to use state-owned land in Napa County for affordable housing. The draft platform specifically mentions unused portions of Napa State Hospital and the Veterans Home of California at Yountville.

But critical state-owned open-space land should remain for the publics enjoyment as open space, the draft platform says.

Were not trying to take state park land or Skyline Park for this purpose, Rattigan said.

In a holdover item from previous years, the county could once again seek to buy Skyline Wilderness Park along Imola Avenue at fair market price. It presently leases the 850 acres with 25 miles of hiking trails from the state.

The county first needs the state Legislature to pass a bill allowing the state and county to negotiate a price for Skyline. Previous 2010 legislation allowed the two parties to negotiate through 2015, but they failed to reach a deal before the expiration date.
Near record-breaking rain last winter resulted in a bumper crop of Chinook salmon, but not of steelhead trout.

The Napa County Resource Conservation District recently released the results for its annual fish monitoring program. Researchers during the spring catch, count and release fish at a Napa River location north of the city of Napa.

California environmental regulators want to see more steelhead and salmon. Millions of public and private dollars have been spent over the past decade restoring Napa River segments and trying to reduce sediment runoff, in part to create a more fish-friendly environment.

The Napa County Resource Conservation Districts ninth annual fish count provides a clue to how salmon and steelhead are doing. The focus is on juvenile fish as they migrate from the Napa River to the ocean.

Local researchers counted 2,315 salmon smolts in 2017, compared to 580 in 2016 and none 2014 and 2015. Only the 2011 count of 7,377 was higher.

The count comes on the heels of the third-highest annual rainfall total  45 inches  recorded at Napa State Hospital since 1892. Those rains broke a five-year drought.

Lots of water resulted in lots of Chinook salmon, though it also posed a potential threat.

The concern was all those big rains would wash off the eggs and kill the fry, said Jonathan Koehler, senior biologist for the Napa County Resource Conservation District.

Instead, the Chinook salmon appear to have thrived. But the steelhead count was low for the fourth consecutive year.

Researchers caught 70 steelhead trout smolts, six fry and six adults, for a total of 82. That compares to 3,105 counted in 2013.

Koehler said the effects of the five-year drought are lingering for the steelhead in a way that hasnt happened for the salmon. He attributes this to a difference in the way the two species live.

Chinook salmon leave the river for the ocean the same year they are born, so last winters rain benefits showed up immediately in last springs high count. Steelhead can stay one to three years in the river system before leaving, so higher counts of migrating smolts may come in future springs.

Its kind of a delayed effect, compared with the Chinook, Koehler said.

An unknown for next years count is how the recent Napa County wildfires will affect the salmon and steelhead populations. Wildfires burned vegetation along slopes, leading to an increased risk of mudslides that can wash fish-harming sediments into waterways.

Koehler said the potential exists for ash and more sediment to end up in local creeks that feed the Napa River. The fires burned around sections of Milliken, Redwood and Dry creeks.

The spring 2017 count yielded about 93 percent native fish, a figure Koehler said reflects a healthy ecosystem. In contrast, non-native fish dominate in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Much of the Napa River turns into a raging torrent in the winter and the non-native fish dont like those high flows, Koehler said. He sees that as the most plausible explanation of why the river in its Napa Valley stretch has largely escaped invasive species.

I think its just the nature of the Napa River, Koehler said. Its certainly modified. Its not a pristine river by any stretch. But its still wild enough that the natives do well compared to the non-native.

The annual fish count is done with a rotary screw trap. This is an eight-foot-diameter metal funnel that is floated half-submerged on the Napa River north of Trancas Street. It turns with the current and guides fish into a water-filled compartment trap to await counting.
Napa County Supervisors Belia Ramos and Alfredo Pedroza were elected Tuesday to the Latino Caucus of California Counties Executive Committee during the 123rd annual California State Association of Counties annual meeting in Sacramento.

Pedroza will serve as caucus vice president for the coming year. Ramos will serve as treasurer.

The caucus is affiliated with CSAC and works to provide a stronger voice in representing the growing Latino population statewide on issues such as agriculture workers and workforce support, among many others.

It is the first time two Napa County supervisors have been named to the caucus.

Being elected to the caucus means Napa County has a stronger voice at the table when it comes to advocating legislatively for issues that directly impact our community and our economy, Ramos said. Im honored to serve in this capacity and am ready to get to work.

The more opportunities we can create to bring in resources to champion our Napa County community, the better, Pedroza said. Our participation helps us strengthen our statewide partnerships, and Im proud to be part of the discussion.
Economic sanctions on misbehaving nations such as North Korea havent worked. So, perhaps more of them will.

Thats pretty much where the Trump administration and its Asian allies are right now as they continue a decades-long international effort to halt that recalcitrant rogue regimes rapidly-advancing nuclear weapons development program.

In recent years, sanctions against countries, individuals and companies have become the go-to political ploy for Western nations needing another press release to appear to show theyre really doing something to rein in another country. President Donald Trump laid more of them on Pyongyang the other day. The toughest ever, he said, while strengthening U.S. military forces in the area.

Trump also finally restored North Korea to the list of nations officially sponsoring terrorism. A list it never should have left in 2008 by the hands of George W. Bush.

Heres the problem: Asian nations, friend and foe alike, have been around for millennia. They know U.S. administrations  and their policies  come and go in a few years. So they ignore threats, nod politely or simply wait out the tough talk. Back in the mid-1970s Jimmy Carter was alarmed by growing trade deficits with Japan. He waged word wars against Tokyo trade policies. It didnt work.

Now, its Trumps turn.

Sanctions are supposed to inflict such economic pain on their targets that the misbehaving nation and its leaders change course to make them stop. President Barack Obama slapped sanctions on Russia and Putin aides in 2014 over the annexation of Crimea and inciting Ukrainian insurrection.

Obama claimed the restrictions hurt Russias economy and ruble. True, they did. Trouble is, that wasnt the goal. The goal was to change Putins policies. And thats totally failed. Same for Obama sanctions on Syria and its dictator Bashar al-Assad, which even included freezing his British-born wifes credit cards. Assad used poison gas on Syrians at least twice this year.

Now, Trump officials say sanctions are hurting North Koreas economy. The result? North Korea has launched 10 percent more missile tests this year so far.

But wait! Maybe the sanctions arent the problem. Maybe the problem is actually inconsistent Western policy patterns toward the North. Policies that appear to Western eyes to punish and look tough in its media but actually over time tacitly acquiesce to the Norths recalcitrance and incremental drive to acquire a nuclear arsenal.

In 1988, Pyongyang was labeled a state sponsor of terror for downing a South Korean airliner killing 115 and assassinating Seoul diplomats in Burma.

Does 1988 sound familiar? Twenty-nine years ago last week, a Libyan bomb downed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 243. Longtime strongman Muammar Gadaffi later paid compensation to families and, in return for Western promises of forgiveness, also relinquished his flourishing nuclear weapons program.

Gadaffis reward? Obama joined European forces to overthrow the Libyan leader in October 2011. A mob tore him apart.

Nine weeks later, another coincidence. Kim Jung-un became North Koreas dictator. Think maybe he noticed Western duplicity?

Under a succession of ruthless Kims since the early 90s, the impoverished North agreed to rein in its weapons programs in return for economic goodies like foods and a winters-worth of heating oil.

Under a succession of hopeful and painfully patient U.S. presidents unwilling to display a credible threat of force, the Norths program has continued to progress to such a point that Washington intelligence officials now estimate Kims nuclear missiles could reach the U.S. mainland as early as next year.

Inevitably, the Communist regime was caught serial cheating, lured back to the table with further concessions, then renewed its cheating. It has exported missiles and rockets to Iran. Kims regime has kidnapped Japanese, abducted Americans and bombarded South Korean islands and boats.

In February using a banned nerve agent, Kim agents in Malaysia assassinated his exiled elder brother, rumored as a possible puppet replacement if the current Kim was ousted.

In 2007, the North helped Syria build a nuclear reactor for weapons development. The U.S. declined to do anything. Israel bombed it into rubble.

Just nine months later, President Bush erased the North from the terror list, vainly hoping once more to encourage change. If North Korea continues to make the right choices, Bush said, it can repair its relationship with the international community. Continues?

While appealing to China for stricter sanctions help, Trump has said he will not allow this country to become a hostage to Kims nuclear threats. The dictatorship, he said, must stop supporting international terrorism and end its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development.

Months away from the Norths calculated capability to hit the U.S. mainland, three American carrier strike groups, including nuclear subs, now cruise the Western Pacific with allies, a rare occurrence certainly representing a credible force.

While saying he much prefers a diplomatic solution, the American commander-in-chief has stressed an end to a quarter-centurys worth of ineffective strategic patience, meaning U.S. administrations have finally run out of street to kick the North Korean can down the road.
Early Wednesday, President Donald Trump retweeted three videos shared by a far-right British activist.

One purportedly depicted a "Muslim migrant" beating up a Dutch boy on crutches (in fact, reports suggest the assailant was neither Muslim nor a migrant). Another showed a Muslim smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary. The third claimed to capture an "Islamist mob" shoving a boy off a roof. All religions have contemporary adherents who behave badly, but Trump has never singled out their individual acts of extremism, let alone through video clips of questionable provenance, until now.

The user who shared the clips, Jayda Fransen, was convicted by a British court in January of religiously-aggravated harassment for hurling unprovoked abuse at a Muslim mother in front of her four children. Fransen's organization, Britain First, is notorious for invading local mosques and confronting parishioners - conduct which led its own founder to resign, saying, "no matter how hard I tried, you cannot escape from the fact that the group is being overrun with racists and extremists."

By sharing Fransen's tweets with his 43 million followers, Trump yet again mainstreamed a bigot and their ideas into the public discourse, much as he did during the campaign when he retweeted anti-Semites and neo-Nazis.

Neither Trump's anti-Muslim animus nor his cavalier attitude toward publicizing its purveyors should come as a surprise. After all, during the 2016 campaign, he openly declared "Islam hates us."

As a Jew and journalist who reports regularly on anti-Semitism and is frequently the target of it, I'm quite familiar with this sort of hateful generalization. To the bigot, there are not many different kinds of Jews with many different kinds of views, there is only "the Jews," who are singled out and reduced to their most reviled actions and exemplars, real or imagined. To Trump, there is only one kind of Muslim and one kind of Islam.

In the space of a tweet, a vibrant faith is recast as a mendacious monolith.

It is all too easy to fall into the Trump trap when it comes to stereotyping other religious communities. After all, most Americans have never met any Jews, who constitute just 2 percent of the U.S. population, or any Muslims, who constitute even less. Tellingly, these two groups experienced the most religiously-motivated hate crimes in 2016, according to the FBI's newly released statistics, with Muslims seeing the greatest spike over the last year and Jews seeing the most overall incidents.

How can we break out of this destructive dynamic? It begins with getting off Twitter and forging real-world relationships between our own communities and the American Muslim community. One remarkable organization engaged in this work is the Muslim Leadership Initiative of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Jewish nonprofit. Founded in 2013 under the direction of Duke University's Imam Abdullah Antepli and Hartman's Yossi Klein Halevi, the initiative brings a yearly group of American Muslim leaders to Jerusalem to learn with Jews and build bridges between the two communities.

As one might imagine, this is not always easy. But the goal of the program is not to deny differences or avoid deep disagreements between Muslims and Jews, but to engage them honestly - including when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The initiative has connected American Muslims and Jews in ways previously unseen, helping forge the Muslim-Jewish Council of the American Jewish Committee and Islamic Society of North America, inspiring a day of interfaith learning in New York on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and prompting articles by Muslim writers at my own Jewish publication, Tablet Magazine.

(Disclosure: I'll be the paid moderator of an MLI-sponsored conversation on Sunday between program alumni Rabia Chaudry, of "Serial" podcast fame, and Umair Khan of the New York City Public Advocate's office on building bridges between the American Jewish and Muslim communities.)

As with any outreach to the other, there will be resistance by those committed to their silos and stereotypes. As Chaudry, an attorney and author who is Muslim, has put it, "The walls have been built so high that breaching them to reach out to the other side is tantamount to treason."

Trump's Twitter tirade Wednesday amply demonstrates that our country could use a little more such "treason." If we want a society that looks less like the president's prejudices, it's probably time to follow in the footsteps of these brave Muslims and Jews.
Dan Walters is right that there is a fierce battle over public education in California that is sure to heat up as the 2018 elections draw nearer (Californias school war flares up on three fronts, Nov. 20). However, the framing of an entrenched establishment pitted against altruistic reformers is naive or misleading.

The real fight is over who controls the money in the states second largest budget line and what that means for our notion of government.

Do we update our public school system around the protections and oversight built into its foundation? Or do we privatize the system, handing over money and children to a free-market of charter school choices on little more than a promise to be responsible and effective?

Setting aside for the moment that the purpose of public school is more than achievement on standardized tests, one factor to consider is that the charters, which are publicly funded and privately managed, arent doing any better than the traditional public schools, according to the often-cited CREDO study.

Cal State Sacramento Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Julian Vasquez Heilig told me that in many cases, California charters have a negative impact on student learning. Even where any impact is positive, it is minuscule, he said. This is especially important when charters are compared to other education reforms like universal pre-kindergarten or class size reduction, both of which have shown far larger positive impacts.

In fact, these are among the reforms sought by the Equity Coalition, the group referred to in the op-ed. But Walters doesnt mention those reforms. Nor does he tell readers the primary objective of the Coalitions lawsuit: A larger overall education budget.

It seems no matter the topic of education policy, the so-called reformers claim that charter schools are the only answer.

This view puts them in close alignment with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who seeks to privatize public education through charters and vouchers. Her home state provides a stark example of the failure of the free market.

Education historian and author Diane Ravitch writes, Since Michigan embraced the DeVos familys ideas about choice, Michigan has steadily declined on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. From 2003 to 2015, the states NAEP rankings on fourth grade reading and math have dropped from 28th to 41st, and from 27th to 42nd, respectively, she writes.

And what about the money?

Every day, new reports of financial scandals at charters are posted by Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education. A study last year by consumer watchdog In the Public Interest found that California taxpayers have spent $2.5 billion for charter school facilities alone, many of them in areas that already had surplus classrooms. The Spending Blind report also underscored the CREDO findings: The education offered at three-fourths of the charters was worse than that provided at nearby district schools.

Walters also asserts that civil rights groups are behind the push for more charters, a talking point of the privatizers. While an affinity for charters exists among many civil rights groups, the nations oldest and foremost civil rights organization, the NAACP, has called for a moratorium on new charter schools. Following a nationwide series of public hearings, the NAACP said it rejects the emphasis on charter schools as the vanguard approach for the education of children, instead of focusing attention, funding, and policy advocacy on improving existing, low performing public schools

Next years election of a new state superintendent will amplify the school wars. That race pits Tony Thurmond, a former school board member on the pro-public schools side, against Marshall Tuck, formerly of Salomon Brothers, for the privatizers.

There is even more at stake in the race for governor. Both frontrunners, Antonio Villaraigosa and Gavin Newsom, have ties to charter funders. Villaraigosa has a long track record of trying to advance the corporate reform agenda. Newsoms platform is less clear. Current State Treasurer John Chiang has called for greater transparency and accountability for charters to even the playing field with pure public schools.

Beyond the stories the candidates tell, the question they should answer is Who will they entrust with educating California students? Profit-seeking corporations or locally elected school boards.

Editor's Note: This letter has been modified from its original form to correct the previous employment of Marshall Tuck. He worked for Salomon Brothers.
Like the proverbial old gray mare, our elm tunnel aint what it used to be, but we still love it as much as ever. Its good to see Caltrans giving it some much-needed TLC, even if it means removing 10 dead and dying trees. Expect three weeks of one-way traffic between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, ending Dec. 15.

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The Star needs your help, Dear Readers. Its compiling a list of the Best Gifts in St. Helena, according to readers. What treasures have you found while perusing St. Helenas shops? Send your gift ideas to jduarte@sthelenastar.com by Dec. 8, with a brief explanation of what makes your item such a perfect gift.

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If you want your Christmas cards to sparkle this year, Helen Jane Hearn can help. Shes teaching a printmaking workshop on the production of block-printed holiday cards at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Nimbus Arts. Youll learn about how to create your own cards using the techniques of rubber-block printing. Theres a $35 fee, and the class is recommended for ages 13 and up. Pre-register at NimbusArts.org.

***

The aforementioned website will give you a taste of Nimbus other classes, such as Tiny Shiny with Melissa and Mercedes Baker, Glass-Fused Ornaments & Gifts, and Sip & Paint  the latter two taught by Helen Jane Hearn, who seems to be a busy lady. Register, attend, create, and have fun.

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I wouldnt ordinarily mention this, but Calistoga has had a rough year and nonprofits like Hearts & Hands Preschool of Calistoga could use all the support they can get. The preschool is inviting people to donate money or buy raffle tickets with a chance to win some nice prizes: a mixed case of wine, a room and breakfast at Mount View Hotel and Spa, coffee from the Calistoga Roastery and books from Copperfields, champagne brunch for two at Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa, or an As/giants hat with two magnums of wine. Tickets are $5 for one, $20 for five, or $50 for 13. For details email info@heartsandhandskids.com, call 942-1224, or send a tax-deductible donation to the school at 1504 Myrtle St., Calistoga, CA 94515.

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Dentist Daniel Eyer sends a note announcing the end of his 40-year St. Helena practice. He graciously thanks the three generations of families who have been his patients and friends. My career has been dedicated to providing conservative, quality-based dental care for my patients over the years and I trust that you have benefited from my endeavors, he writes. Thank you for your patronage, friendship and loyalty. And we thank you, sir.

***

Do you remember the late Jack Christianson? He was a longtime member of both a small mens group and Grace Episcopal Church. The mens group is planning a Christmas breakfast in his honor ... he passed away 11 years ago ... and are inviting the community. It will be 7 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 13 at Grace Episcopal Church, 1314 Spring St. One of those planning the breakfast, Rick Crebs, asks if youre planning to attend, please send him an RSVP at rick@peg-inc.net.

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Attention teachers, current and aspiring. The California Rural Teachers Association of Napa Valley is offering scholarships in the names of former educators Edward W. Solomon and Judith B. Cutcomb. Theyre available through the Napa Valley Community Foundation website, napavalleycf.org. Solomon scholarships are available to all teachers and paraprofessionals in Napa County, and the annual Cutcomb scholarship goes to a St. Helena Unified School District teacher or a St. Helena High School graduate whos ready to transfer to a four-year college to pursue a career in education. Applications are due March 5.

***

Word has it that Steve Sheanins BBQ Hero Ribs are now available at Sunshine Foods. Steve has had quite the career path, spending 40 years in magazine publishing before getting into the barbecue business in January  at 75 years young! Best of luck, Steve.

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Congratulations to winemaker Andy Pestoni (son of Bob) and his wife Shannon  their Jelly Jar Wines brand, which they started in 2008, is now part of the WX Brands portfolio. The name hearkens back to the old days when families and friends would gather around the table to sip wine out of jelly jars.

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Clive Richardson, proprietor of the Calistoga Roastery and a native of Sussex, England, hears the same question every year: Do the Brits celebrate Thanksgiving? Think about the event thats being celebrated, he says, and youll realize that it appeals strictly to us here in the colonies. However, during Clives decades in the U.S. hes learned to appreciate and enjoy our annual day of gratitude ... and maybe gluttony. Just one more question, Clive: How do the Brits celebrate the Fourth of July?
Sex. Power. Stupidity. Ego. Alcohol. These are some of the key words repeated in recent conversations with women wine professionals in Napa Valley.

After the avalanche of wretched and criminal behavior by politicians, actors, and Hollywood power brokers, I wanted to gauge whether a selection of our successful wine women had similar stories to tell.

In both Hollywood and politics, the number of individuals who have climbed to the top of the greasy pole (thank you, Benjamin Disraeli) is very small. The list of multimillionaire actors, writers, producers, directors is short. There are thousands beneath them that have striven mightily yet have not emerged on top. Similarly, in politics, for every winning candidate, consultant, senior staffer, there are great numbers who have not succeeded.

The few guys at the top  and it is mostly guys  have great power and influence. That can bring a sense of entitlement. And that can lead to behavioral problems.

In the wine world, great and continued success amid huge competition is also not that common. And historically, that success has been a story of men.

But its changing. Among the women I spoke to is Renee Ary, chief winemaker at Duckhorn, who worked her way up from the winery lab to craft the 2014 Three Palms Merlot, recently crowned wine of the year by the Wine Spectator.

Ary reminded me that winemaking starts with farming, and that agriculture has a long-time history of being a male-dominated industry, but  more and more females have chosen this as a career path. Over the last three years, 90 percent of our intern applicants for harvest production positions have been female, so that says a lot.

I spoke with women in all aspects of the wine trade: farming, winemaking, managing and marketing. Just one cited instances of sexual harassment.

Winemaker Amy Aiken is willing to report on the record several cases of random and inappropriate groping at wine celebrations both here in the valley and outside. One technique she used to avoid this very bad behavior was to sit her former husband next to her at wine functions to form a physical barrier. To her, these are episodes influenced by alcohol.

A highly successful winemaker, who asked that her name not be used, reminisced to me about her early days  at one job interview she was bluntly told, Women cant pull their weight in the wine industry. To her such negative comments show that this prejudice is an ego and control issue. But she emphasized this reaction was not common; she says, I was welcomed into the inner circle.

She concluded, There are egos in Napa Valley, but maybe not to the extent of politics and Hollywood. Here, its less a harassment problem and more a chauvinistic problem.

Several of the women I spoke to asked that their names not be used, perhaps reflecting the sensitive nature of the subject.

Similarly, wine marketer Robin Gerber says shes had no bad experiences in Napa. But in a comment that I heard several times, she recalls dealing with one especially odious and drunken man at an out-of-town tasting.

St. Helena winemaker Nicole Abiouness concurs. She told me, Ive had problems only at tastings when the influence of alcohol has exacerbated inappropriate sexual comments. I asked her how shes handled these situations. She said, I try to defuse or ignore it.

So we do have reports of inebriated men who dont know the difference between tasting and drinking and try to impose themselves on women who are simply being sociable so they can promote and sell their wines.

But Abiouness emphasized that she never was discriminated against as she learned to be a winemaker. Once, early in her career, she was promoted over two men who had more experience.

Aside from describing episodes at dinners and large-scale tastings, the women I talked to were secure in their ability to distinguish the very fine line between flirting and being a jerk, as one of them put it.

Several identified with the comments of famed magazine editor Tina Brown, who recently told the Hollywood Reporter, We need to differentiate between actual hostile harassment and unwanted advances and dumb, clueless guys who say the wrong thing. There are degrees of bad behavior and they shouldnt be treated the same way.

As a guy who shares with many of my fellow males a sense of endless mystification when it comes to women, that sentiment sounds reassuring. But the bad guys dont make things easier for the rest of us.

A couple of the wine women expressed concern that accepted norms of regular male-female interaction could be bruised in the current climate and said its perfectly sensible to meet a romantic partner in a wine work setting. They suggested that if you work many hours, where else are you going to meet someone?

Its a complicated social world out there, but the confidence I heard in the voices of these wine women gives me hope that we can navigate through it.
All 28 members of St. Helena Volunteer Fire Department are committed to protecting life and property in St. Helena and the surrounding community.

Our members are your friends, neighbors and business associates. They are also dedicated community members who gave up their time responding to over 800 emergency calls in 2016 and over an estimated 900 emergency calls in 2017. These great citizens are our first responders for all accidents, fires, emergency medical aid and assistance for the elderly.

During the recent fires that devastated Napa and Sonoma counties with the destruction of more than 8,000 structures and the loss of 43 lives, your firefighters answered the call. St. Helena Fire Department worked tirelessly to combat the Tubbs, Nuns and Atlas Peak Fires. Over 10 days, many worked over 48 hours with no rest or sleep. In addition, the station was staffed in 24-hour shifts for the duration of this disastrous event. Going beyond our city limits, St. Helena Fire Department sent three engines and one task force leader to defend the evacuated City of Calistoga from the oncoming blaze.

Our firefighters provide these invaluable response services as volunteers. It is very unique that St. Helena is able to maintain a volunteer firefighter team that relieves the budgetary burdens of a full-time career fire department. But we would not be able to operate as a volunteer response department without the financial assistance from our community residents and business owners.

St. Helena Volunteer Fire Department is dependent on your generous contributions to sustain our work. Your support ensures that our department is able to maintain the highest level of training and safety standards for our community.

Once a year, we ask each resident, business and property owner to make a vital financial contribution. You may contribute online at sthelenafire.org or by sending a check to St. Helena Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 266, St. Helena, CA 94574.

Thank you in advance for supporting our incredible community and your St. Helena Volunteer Fire Department. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who lost loved ones and homes during these fires.

Fire Chief John K. Sorensen

St. Helena
Superintendent Dr. Brian Binggeli abruptly and mysteriously resigned from the Plano School District on Tuesday, just two years after he had left Brevard Public Schools in the wake of a multi-million dollar software purchasing scandal.

Bingellis resignation in Plano comes just days after BPS and the software contractor announced a settlement encompassing the scandal.

Binggelis resignation also coincided with another surprise resignation by Plano School District board member Greg Myer. A spokesperson for the Plano School District told the Dallas Morning News that the only thing [the resignations had] in common is the timing.

Binggelis termination agreement from the Plano School District discharges him from  any and all claims, actions and causes of action of any nature whatsoever related to Binggelis employment with District

The agreement defines claims as  . any and all theories or recovery of whatsoever nature which each Party may have asserted, or could have asserted, against the other Party, regarding any issues related to Binggelis employment with District, whether known or now unknown .

Despite announcing a resignation in the middle of the school year, the Plano School District will pay Binggeli $307,000 in accrued vacation time plus nine months salary, CBSDFW reported.
Emorys top university governance groups have contacted Capitol Hill about tax reform legislation under deliberation in the U.S. House and Senate  individual bills advanced by both bodies that include provisions that would negatively impact higher education.

In letters sent to U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) and David Perdue (R-Ga) and all Georgia members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Emorys University Senate and Faculty Council express serious concerns about the treatment of higher education in both bills.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1), which was passed by the House, includes provisions that would place new tax burdens on colleges and students, impacting issues such as courtesy scholarships for employees and tuition waivers for graduate students, as well as endowments and charitable contributions.

While the GOP bill now being considered in the Senate doesnt completely mirror the House bill provisions  it doesnt include taxation of courtesy scholarships and graduate student tuition reductions and waivers  Emorys governing groups contend the current proposal would:

Drive down resources for student financial support, resulting in tuition increases.

Impose a 1.4 percent excise tax on university endowments and repeal tax-exempt bond financing, leaving less money for scholarships.

Effectively reduce the availability of higher education for many students, including those from historically disadvantaged groups.

Limit deductions for high medical expenses and sunset dependent care flexible savings accounts for employees.

The U.S. Senate bill could possibly reach a floor vote this week, though several senators have publicly expressed lingering concern with a variety of its provisions.

The letters from the University Senate and Faculty Council add to a growing chorus of concern already voiced by many in the Emory community. Earlier in November, Emory President Claire E. Sterk, Laney Graduate School students and representatives from Emorys Office of Government and Community Affairs (OCGA) also engaged with lawmakers regarding the proposed legislation, and those efforts are continuing.

Robust advocacy efforts

The University Senate and Faculty Council voted to take action following recent presentations on the tax reform bill by Cameron Taylor, vice president of government and community affairs, and Jessica Davis, director of federal affairs.

Taylor and her team have been deeply engaged with legislators, she told the governance groups, leaving no stone unturned. In its advocacy efforts, Emory has partnered with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Laney Graduate Student Council, the Georgia Research Schools graduate student councils, the Academic Health Center (AHC) Working Group, and the Georgia Independent College Association, as well as the university's peer institutions nationally.

On Tuesday, Emory joined in a letter sent by the AHC Working Group to majority and minority leaders in the Senate and House. The current tax reform proposals "could negatively impact our enterprises to the detriment of our patients, the clinicians we train and the neighborhoods around us," states the letter, which was signed by leaders of 15 of the country's leading academic medical centers, including Jonathan Lewin, Emory's executive vice president for health affairs.

Advocacy efforts have also included the engagement of Emory trustees with lawmakers, meetings with Senate staff and coordination with professional academic associations and other universities.

Laney Graduate School students have organized to make calls and write letters to their representatives and have also been featured in the national press about the potential effects of the proposed revisions on their educations and their lives. As the House debated the bill on Nov. 16, U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) had an Atlanta Journal-Constitution column by Emory Ph.D. student Jenny C. Bledsoe entered into the Congressional Record.

These efforts will continue as the Senate considers its own version of what Taylor calls the most sweeping tax reform in decades. Once the Senates version of the bill is passed, the House and Senate versions must be conferenced into one bill, or the House could simply pass the Senate version and send the bill directly to the president, according to Taylor.

Its estimated that the House bill would reduce benefits for higher education by $60 billion in the coming decade, she said.

To date, the Senate Finance Committee has already approved its version of the tax bill; on Nov. 28, the Senate Budget Committee also voted to pass the $1.5 trillion tax package, clearing the way for full Senate consideration later this week.

In letters emailed to legislators, Emorys University Senate and Faculty Council expressed appreciation for the advocacy that Isakson and Perdue have shown during the formulation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  particularly their role in ensuring that the Senate version doesnt tax scholarships and educational assistance, which would put higher education out of reach for many of our employees and their families.

But the governance groups also noted serious concerns about remaining provisions that would create hardships for many members of our community and increase financial burdens for many Emory employees.

The letters strongly urge lawmakers to continue to advocate against the repeal of protections on courtesy scholarships and tuition reductions and on tax-exempt bond financing, an added tax on university endowments, and to oppose limitations on deductions for high medical expenses and the elimination of dependent care flexible savings accounts.

Letters sent to Georgia representatives also emphasize that:

Taxing scholarships and educational assistance would negatively impact many Emory employees and their families.

Taxing tuition reductions/waivers would negatively affect Emorys graduate students and likely decrease the overall number of Ph.D. graduates, especially in STEM fields.

A proposed excise tax on university endowments will shrink funding for scholarships.

Limiting deductions for high medical expenses and sunsetting dependent care flexible savings accounts will increase financial burdens for many employees.

Read the University Senate's letter to Georgia's senators, the University Senate's letter to Georgia's representatives, and the Faculty Council's letter to senators.

In response to inquiries on how to share concerns with members of Congress, the OGCA team offers aletter template for adaptation.To determine your representative, enter your zip code here. The OGCA team encourages community members to use the language provided in the template in order to convey a clear, consistent message regarding issues of concern to higher education.
Need to take a "paws" from preparing for finals and writing papers? Emory Libraries brings back its Pet Therapy Study Break on Thursday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Jones Room at the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

By signing up ahead of time, students have the opportunity to escape the end-of-semester stress by spending a few minutes with one of three dogs (a fourth dog will be available for walk-ins).

The furry friends come from Canine Assistants and Pet Partners, two organizations that train therapy dogs. In addition, Emory Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is introducing their newest canine employee  Finn, who has joined Beowulf as one of CAPS therapy dogs, and will visit the study break session. The two Native American Indian dogs, a breed with hair that can be more easily tolerated by people with allergies, are available through CAPS to help Emory students fight off stress and anxiety throughout the year.

Woodruff Librarys Outreach and Education team has organized the study break since its beginning.

Its wonderful to see the students reactions, says librarian Erin Mooney, who leads the team. They check in, looking a little worn-out from the stress of the semester and exams. Then they go in and start petting on the dogs, and right away you can see them transform  they calm down and the smiles come out.

This pup study break, which marks its sixth year in the Woodruff Library, is one of Emorys most popular and memorable events. The dogs consistently charm and rejuvenate students.

Megan Jiang, a junior majoring in biology and classics, went to the study break last year as she was dealing with the pressure of exams and extracurricular activities. I left feeling more refreshed than I had in a while, Jiang says.

Kate Nowak, a senior majoring in history, echoes this sentiment. It was really a great way to relax even with exams right around the corner, and Ill definitely be signing up to go back and see them again this year, she says.

Since the study break is a library event, it is easily accessible for students.

Sindoos Awel, a junior majoring in human health and anthropology/human biology, says that the dogs were in a convenient location since most students were already in the library studying for their finals.

The dogs were playful and energetic, which was an interesting contrast compared to the students, including myself, who were drained and a little less lively, she quips.
- Return to Myanmar from Bangladesh puts Rohingya in more danger, experts warn.







- Many of their villages are already burnt.





- More than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh since August 25th.

A senior Bangladeshi opposition politician has stated that the repatriation of over 600,000 Rohingya currently in Bangladesh back to Myanmar will only put them in more danger especially as many of their villages have been burnt down.





Bangladesh's main opposition party criticised the government for "selling itself" to the Myanmar government in order to get an agreement to remove the Rohingya.





"Where are you sending the Rohingyas? They fled from the grasp of a tiger in fear of death, but you're again pushing them towards the same tiger," Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP secretary-general, said on Sunday.





"One will get an impression going through the deal that the government has accepted whatever Myanmar said."





Olof Blomqvist, a researcher with Amnesty International, told journalists that it was "far too premature" to start talking about repatriating the community.





"With whole villages burned to the ground, where will the Rohingya live?" he said.





"Rohingya are still fleeing across the border into Bangladesh on a daily basis, and back in Myanmar, they are living under a system of state-sponsored discrimination and segregation that amounts to apartheid.





"While Rohingya refugees have the right to return to Myanmar, under international law, no one should be forced back to a situation where they could face persecution or serious rights violations".
KIEV - A State-owned Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation Ltd on Tuesday signed an agreement with Ukraine's state road agency Ukravtodor to upgrade the Kiev-Chop highway, which connects the capital of Ukraine with the city on the Hungary's border.

The contract, worth about 42.3 million euros (about $50.16 million), was signed in Kiev by Xu Fei, Sinohydro representative in Ukraine, and Slavomir Novak, an acting head of the Ukravtodor.

Under the document, the Chinese company will modernize a 22.3-kilometer-long section of the highway near Ukraine's northern city of Zhytomyr, expanding the road from two into four lanes in one direction.

Besides, the road upgrading project will cover the construction of four road interchanges, the reconstruction of three overpasses over railway tracks, building two pedestrian bridges over the highway and modernizing another bridge.

Once completed, the upgrade works are expected to enhance the capacity of the 821-kilometer-long Kiev-Chop highway, one of the logistic arteries of Ukraine, and reduce the traffic jams on the Zhytomyr section, which serves about 10,000 motorists per day.

The project, which will start at the beginning of 2018, is set to be completed within two years. It is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

It will be the second project for the Chinese companies on carrying out the modernization of Ukrainian roads.

According to Novak, the Ukrainian side is well aware of the vast international experience of the Chinese partners and highly values cooperation with them.

"We treat you like Chinese ambassadors in the Ukrainian market and I would like to underline that it is a huge responsibility in your hands," Novak said at the agreements signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, Xiong Lixin, the executive vice president at the Power China, the parent company of Sinohydro, said the Chinese side is developing other projects related to road construction and energy sector in Ukraine.

"We really believe in this market. Therefore, this is not a single project, but only the beginning. We hope that the Ukrainian market will become an important part of our activities abroad," Xiong told Xinhua.
File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) talks with French President Emmanuel Macron (R) during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Concorde Square in Paris, France on July 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Jack Chan)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over phone with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday, discussing Syrian situation and other issues, said the White House.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of the UN-based Geneva process as the only forum for achieving a political solution in Syria, the White House said in a statement.

In the phone call, Trump and Macron also discussed the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, it said.

The UN Security Council on Monday urged all Syrian parties to participate actively in the Geneva political process without preconditions. The Geneva peace talks is scheduled for Tuesday but the Syrian government is yet to confirm its participation in the talks.

The Syrian armed conflict broke out in 2011 and quickly turned into a full-fledged civil war. UN figures show that the war has killed more than 330,000 people and displaced millions in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 00:26:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran announced on Tuesday that the Islamic republic and the Eurasia Economic Union will ink preferential tariffs agreement in the near future, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"A new opportunity will be created for the development of cooperation (between Iran and Armenia) soon by signing the preferential tariffs agreement between Iran and the Eurasia Economic Union," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

Iran and the Eurasia Economic Union have finalized negotiations on the agreement, Zarif made the remarks addressing a joint forum of the Iranian and Armenian businessmen in Yerevan on Tuesday.

He also underlined the Iranian private sector's willingness to play the role of an active partner in developmental projects in Armenia.

In April, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani voiced Tehran's readiness to boost economic and trade ties with Eurasian countries.

"There are now good capacities for reinforcing free trade between Iran and the five Eurasian states," Rouhani said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 01:47:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 terrorists were killed and 14 other suspects were arrested in Egyptian police and military raids inside and near North Sinai province, official security statements said on Tuesday.

A statement from the Interior Ministry on Tuesday said that a raid on a farm in Ismailia province northeastern the capital Cairo and western North Sinai province killed 11 terrorists who exchanged fire with the police during the raid.

The farm was used by the terrorists for shelter, training and storage of weapons and explosives to prepare for their aggressive operations against the state, said the statement.

Other raids in the provinces of Ismailia, Sharqiya and North Sinai arrested nine terrorist suspects with a large number of wireless devices and bike spare parts to be smuggled and handed to terrorists in North Sinai.

On the other hand, the military spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday that army raids in central Sinai, the southern part of North Sinai, killed three terrorists, arrested five others, seized a truck loaded with a large amount of explosive material and destroyed eight hideouts used by the terrorists.

"The army raids also destroyed a four-by-four vehicle and three motorbikes belonging to the terrorists, in addition to busting a truck loaded with a large amount of drugs," military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay added in the statement.

The police and military raids are part of continued campaigns launched over the past couple of days since a terrorist attack on Friday against a mosque in a small village in North Sinai killed at least 305 worshippers and wounded 128 others in the bloodiest attack and the first against a Muslim mosque in the country's modern history.

Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack, fingers are pointed at a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group, which has claimed most of the large terrorist operations in Egypt over the past few years.

Terror attacks rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Since then, most of the attacks focused on restive North Sinai and killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, before they later started to extend to other provinces and target the Copts at churches and most recently to Muslims at a mosque.
A girl is seen at the Red Square, downtown Moscow, Russia, Jan. 6, 2017. (Xinhua/Wu Zhuang)

MOSCOW, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday proposed a series of measures to encourage births as the native population is declining in the world's largest country.

"Today we need to take a set of measures that will make it possible to stabilize the situation and prevent a decline in the population in the coming decade," Putin said at a governmental meeting.

He warned that the demographic situation in Russia is worsening, mainly due to heavy losses during World War II and economic problems in the mid-1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

To improve the situation, he proposed to increase financial support to large families and families with modest incomes, especially young ones, as well as create additional incentives for the birth of a second or third child.

Putin suggested the government start monthly cash payments from next year. The money would be provided at the birth of the first child and continued till the child became 18 months old.

He also called for extending an existing financial support program for families with a second child or more to the end of 2021. In its present form, the program is to expire in 2018.

Other incentives include special mortgage lending programs for families with two or three children, better kindergartens, nurseries and medical care facilities for children.

Russia had 146.8 million people as of February 2017, slightly up from 146.5 million a year ago, according to the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), the official statistics agency.

However, Rosstat data showed that the increase was caused by inflows of migrants, while the number of native people was gradually declining.

The number of deaths in Russia exceeded the number of births by 8.3 percent in January-September 2017, it said.

The agency forecast that if the current situation continued, the Russian population may remain unchanged by 2036 or decline to 138.4 million in the worst case.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 01:57:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI congratulated on Tuesday Uhuru Kenyatta on the occasion of his re-election as president of the Republic of Kenya.

In a message of congratulations to the Kenyan president, the king expressed his "warmest congratulations and best wishes" for continued success in his mission to lead the Kenyan people towards further progress and prosperity.

"I avail myself of this opportunity to say how keen I am to continue working with Your Excellency to give strong momentum to cooperation between our countries and to expand it to all sectors," the king pointed out.

The bilateral cooperation should help serve the two peoples' shared interests and reflect the brotherly African bonds, mutual esteem and active solidarity between our countries, he added.
A Su-30 SM fighter is seen during the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2017 in Zhukovsky, Russia, July 23, 2017. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

MOSCOW, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian military confirmed Tuesday that its warplane drove away a U.S. Navy aircraft last week over the Black Sea.

Russian air control detected a target rapidly approaching the Russian border over international waters of the Black Sea on Nov. 25, said the press-service of Russia's Southern Military District.

A Su-30 fighter took off, approached the air target and identified it as a U.S. aircraft P-8A Poseidon, it said.

After spotting the Russian jet, the P-8A changed its route and flew away from the Russian border.

CNN reported Monday that a Russian Su-30 fighter made an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. P-8A Poseidon aircraft Saturday while it was flying over the Black Sea.

The U.S. plane "was operating in international airspace and did nothing to provoke this Russian behavior," a Pentagon spokeswoman was quoted by CNN as saying.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 04:02:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Defense Department said on Tuesday that it had detected a "probable" missile launch from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We detected a probable missile launch from North Korea (DPRK). We are in the process of assessing the situation," Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning told reporters.

The DPRK launched an unidentified ballistic missile from an area north of Pyongyang local time early Wednesday, South Korea's military also said.

The latest missile launch from the DPRK came a week after the United States designated the DPRK as a state sponsor of terror and slapped a new round of sanctions against the country, which was seen by some experts as likely to escalate the ongoing confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 04:18:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAPE TOWN, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The National Council of Provinces (NCP), the Upper House of Parliament, on Tuesday passed the International Arbitration Bill (IAB) without amendments, which will replace the country's domestic arbitration regime inconsistent with international developments.

The IAB provides for incorporating into South African law the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, as adopted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the NCP said.

The Model Law is seen as the gold standard for international and domestic arbitration internationally.

The IAB will provide for recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, repeal the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Act of 1977 and amend the Protection of Businesses Act of 1978, according to the NCP.

South Africa's existing international arbitration regime -- the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards Act of 1977 -- has been criticized for not being in line with international developments.

Concerns have also been raised that the Arbitration Act of 1965 is inadequate for international arbitration purposes, is outdated and needs revision to meet modern commercial needs.

In 1998, the South African Law Reform Commission recommended that South Africa adopt a Model Law, which would harmonize national laws related to international arbitration procedures.

The National Assembly, the Lower House of Parliament, passed the IAB on October 24.

The IAB will now be submitted to President Jacob Zuma for assent.

If enacted, the Bill will regulate international arbitration proceedings in South Africa and govern the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.

The IAB is expected to assist businesses in resolving their international commercial disputes and will ensure that South Africa is an attractive venue for parties around the world to resolve their commercial disputes.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 04:43:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHICAGO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Radiologists can now use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve medical image analysis and speed up the reading of scans and X-rays, said experts at the on-going Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference in Chicago.

Infervision, a tech company using AI and deep learning, a subset of AI, to assist and improve medical image analysis, introduced on Tuesday an AI platform to help radiologists detect and diagnose stroke faster.

The new stroke screening system can assist doctors to determine which type of stroke a patient may have suffered, either a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke or an ischemic (blood clot) stroke, so that patients can receive effective and faster treatment, said the company.

To develop this diagnostic capability, the platform applied deep learning technology and trained many thousands of data sets of annotated medical images.

"We are committed to helping doctors speed their diagnosis of stroke so patients can get the best and most appropriate treatment as fast as possible," said Kuan Chen, CEO of Infervision.

Researcher Hugo Aerts, from Harvard University in Cambridge, the U.S. state of Massachusetts, likened the impact of AI on radiology to that of self-driving cars on transportation.

Just as self-driving is capable of exceeding human performance in some instances, AI can assist radiologists in areas where they have limitations, such as determining if a lung nodule found on screening is benign or malignant, he said.

"Benign and malignant nodules often look similar to humans," Aerts said. "By finding very subtle differences in the nodules, AI can go beyond human performance."

Current methods for sampling lung tumors such as invasive needle biopsy have limitations, said Aerts, as they are often unable to fully capture the spatial state of the tumor.

In contrast, radiomics, which represents the quantification of tumor characteristics through medical imaging, is ideally suited to tracking a tumor's physical characteristics before, during and after treatment.

"Through the application of AI in radiology, we can extract more information from the image than meets the eye, improving treatment for the patient," Aerts added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 06:03:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese-Chinese cultural relations are developing "from the Silk Road into the Silk Highway," said Lebanon's Minister of Education Marwan Hamadeh Tuesday.

Hamadeh hailed the rapid expansion of cultural ties between the two countries, mentioning 30 scholarships for Lebanese and Arab students to continue studies in the Chinese city of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The scholarships, offered by the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce (SRCIC), are seen as the latest proof of the Lebanese-Chinese friendship, he said.

Hamadeh said "the burden Lebanon is undertaking in the issue of Syrian refugees, particularly in the field of education, is huge. But with the help of the donors' countries, including China, some of this burden is relieved."

He revealed that the number of Syrian refugee students who enrolled in the current academic year in Lebanon has reached 250,000, including 30,000 in the secondary phase and the rest in the basic and elementary phases.

Hamadeh also stressed the need to upgrade the existing agreement signed between Lebanon and China in the fields of education and culture.

"There is an agreement between Lebanon and China regarding educational and cultural issues," he said, adding that this agreement "needs an upgrading, particularly in the issue of language teaching."

He noted that although the Confucius Institute in the Saint Joseph University is in place to teach Chinese, he still hopes Chinese language could be introduced into the college curriculum to save time for the Lebanese students who wish to continue higher education in China, so that they don't need to spend an extra year in language study.

The same is to be applied on Chinese students, he added, so they could be able to integrate into the Arab world in various fields like construction, sciences and business.

Hamadeh also thanked the Chinese government for the aid it provided early this year in the form of stationery to the Syrian refugees students.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 06:33:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NEW YORK, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The suspect in New York City's deadliest terror attack since Sept. 11, 2001 pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, briefly appeared in a federal court in New York City for his arraignment on a 22-count indictment.

The Uzbek native who came into the United States legally in 2010 is charged in connection with the Oct. 31 terrorist attack, in which he plowed a truck onto a busy bike lane in Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring 12 others.

The 22-count indictment against Saipov include eight counts of murder and 12 counts of attempted murder, both in aid of racketeering, and one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) group, among others.

According to the indictment, Saipov allegedly told authorities he was inspired to carry out the attack by IS videos he had watched on his phone.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for Jan. 23.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 06:43:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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OTTAWA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday delivered a formal and historic apology in the House of Commons to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit Canadians (LGBTQ2) oppressed and discriminated by past federal legislation, policies and practices.

Speaking to a packed and emotional chamber, Trudeau said "it is our collective shame that Canadians who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or two-spirit were unjustly treated - fired from jobs, denied promotions, surveilled, arrested, convicted, and vindictively shamed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

"People lost their livelihoods, their families, and, some, their lives. Today, we offer a long overdue apology to all those whom we, the Government of Canada, wronged. We are sorry. We hope by acknowledging our failings we can make the crucial progress LGBTQ2 people in Canada deserve, " he said.

Trudeau apologized specifically for the historical unjust treatment of LGBTQ2 federal public servants. "Those who admitted they were gay were fired, discharged, or intimidated into resignation. They lost dignity, lost careers, and had their dreams and indeed, their lives, shattered."

Between 1950s and 1990s, the Canadian government interrogated and fired or demoted thousands of members of the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and public service for their sexual orientation. Before the law changed in 1969, thousands of Canadians were convicted for same-sex acts, which were illegal.

"This is going to be an important day obviously, for the LGBTQ2 community. It's also an important day for all Canadians. We need to recognize ills of the past in order to be able to move forward and that' s what we're taking responsibility for," added the Canadian prime minister.

Earlier Tuesday, the Trudeau government introduced legislation - Bill C-66, the Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act - that will put into place a process to permanently destroy the records of convictions for offences involving consensual sexual activity between same-sex partners.

Bill C-66 also allows for spouses, parents, siblings, children or legal representatives to apply for record expungement on behalf of deceased persons.

The government has earmarked more than 100 million Canadian dollars (about 78 million U. S.dollars) to compensate members of the military and other federal agencies whose careers were sidelined or ended due to their sexual orientation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 06:54:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SANTIAGO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A large chunk of the Grey Glacier in Chile's southern Patagonian region has broken off from the massive field, authorities reported on Tuesday.

After park rangers reported the development in Torres del Paine Park, the regional director of Chile's national forest service CONAF, Maria Elisabeth Munoz, said "high temperatures in recent days could have had something to do with the phenomenon."

According to the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), "what is most singular" about the incident "is that it is an iceberg of very large dimensions, and that really draws the attention."

The INACH said it was monitoring the situation via satellite to determine the potential environmental impact on the area's ecosystem and navigation.

The front of the glacier is about 800 meters wide and "that is where the ice mass, measuring approximately 350 meters by 380 meters, separated," said INACH glaciologist Ricardo Jana.

Melting icebergs can raise sea levels and "often impede the normal flow of ships," said Jana.

He added the chunk currently appears compact and whole, "but it can become a threat as it moves and breaks up into smaller pieces."

"The detachment of the Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine demands we redouble our efforts in the fight against Climate Change," Claudio Orrego, intendant of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, said via Twitter.
File photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 13, 2017 shows a test firing of a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 on Feb. 12, 2017. (Xinhua/KCNA)

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have launched a ballistic missile, the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) said.

Assessments from both the U.S. Defense Department and the ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) showed that the missile was launched at 1:17 p.m. EDT Tuesday, or 3:17 a.m. Seoul time Wednesday (1817 GMT).

There was no official confirmation from the DPRK yet.

The U.S. Defense Department said that an initial assessment showed the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The missile was launched from Sain Ni in the DPRK, and it traveled about 1,000 kilometers before splashing down into the sea of Japan, said Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning in a statement.

Meanwhile, the JCS said that "an unidentified ballistic missile" was launched from a site near Pyongsong in the DPRK's South Pyongan Province.

The ROK military conducted a "precision strike" missile launch in response, according to the JCS.

U.S. President Donald Trump had been briefed about the missile launch, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the reported launch of the missile.

The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula, he said in a statement.

The latest missile launch from the DPRK came a week after the United States redesignated the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and slapped a new round of sanctions against the country, which was seen by some experts as likely to escalate the ongoing confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 07:09:05|Editor: Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday approved the Republican tax bill to overhaul the U.S. tax code, sending it to the Senate floor for a vote later this week.

The Republican-led Senate panel approved the legislation with a vote of 12-11, along the party lines. The full Senate could vote on the tax bill as early as Thursday, according to local media.

While Republicans have a majority of 52 seats in the Senate, they can only afford to lose two votes of GOP senators to pass the tax bill without any support from Democrats.

Democrats in the upper chamber have criticized that the tax bill would mostly benefit the wealthy and large corporations and increase the fiscal deficit.

The House of Representatives had passed its own version of tax reform legislation earlier this month, which contained significant differences from the Senate version.

If the Senate passes its own tax bill this week, Republicans plan to convene a conference committee next week to reconcile the House and Senate versions.

Overhauling the tax code is a top priority of Republicans and they are hoping to send the legislation to President Donald Trump's desk before Christmas.

However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Sunday warned in a report that the Senate tax bill would negatively impact lower-income Americans, who earn less than 30,000 U.S. dollars per year.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) also said in a recent analysis that the Republican tax bill is unlikely to generate more than 0.1 percent points of increased growth per year, and over the long run it may actually slow the U.S. economic growth.

It remains unclear whether the Republican-controlled Congress will be able to pass a major tax overhaul, which could shape the congressional midterm elections next year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 07:19:24|Editor: Lifang

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A UN official has warned that foreign terrorist fighters, who are returning home or being relocated in third countries as a result of major military defeats of the Islamic State (IS), pose a global threat.

"There are at least 5,600 fighters from 33 countries who have returned home. Many returnees are very well trained and equipped to carry out attacks in their own countries; others hope to radicalize and recruit new followers to their cause; there is a number of those who have rejected terrorist ideologies and pose no threat to society," Vladimir Voronkov, UN undersecretary-general for counter-terrorism, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

"This is a truly global challenge that demands an urgent and concerted multilateral response," he said.

At one stage over 40,000 foreign terrorist fighters from more than 110 countries may have traveled to join terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, Voronkov noted.

As the IS has suffered great losses on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, a significant number of terrorists are trying to relocate to countries such as Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan, he said.

UN member states need to enhance cooperation and exchange of information, develop effective border controls and strengthen their criminal justice systems, in accordance with the rule of law and human rights standards, suggested Voronkov.

Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose an enormous challenge with no easy solution, he said, adding that full compliance with international law is vital to combat the threat.

"Ultimately, addressing the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters requires addressing the underlying conditions that are conducive to young men and women being lured by violent extremism."

There is an urgent need for governments and security agencies to collaborate far more effectively in fighting terrorism, while respecting human rights, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 07:34:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (3rd R) meets with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

BUDAPEST, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday pledged to expand cooperation in various fields with Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on the sidelines of a meeting of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC).

In a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Li said that under a comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Serbia have achieved fruitful win-win cooperation in many fields.

The Hungary-Serbia railway, for instance, has seen a "major progress" on Tuesday with the start of construction from Belgrade to Stara Pazova in Serbia, Li noted.

The premier said he hopes the design work for the Novi Sad to Subotica section in Serbia would speed up, so as to complete the flagship project of 16+1 cooperation at an early date and inject impetus into the construction of China-Europe land-sea express line and into regional connectivity.

The Hungary-Serbia railway will connect Budapest with Belgrade, with a total length of 350 km, reducing traveling time between the two capitals from eight hours to three hours.

Meanwhile, China stands ready to work with Belgrade to push for such infrastructure and industrial cooperation projects as road, steel plant and industrial parks, as well as extend the industrial chain to achieve win-win results, he said.

For her part, Brnabic thanked for China's support for the Serbian economy and called bilateral cooperation results "outstanding" in 16+1 cooperation.

The Serbian side is willing to work with Beijing to jointly speed up the construction of the Hungary-Serbia railway and conduct cooperation in such fields as industrial parks, e-commerce and logistics, she said.

Belgrade welcomes Chinese firms to take part in its transportation and infrastructure construction, and hopes for the opening of direct flights at an early date to promote tourism and people-to-people exchanges, she added.

On the same day, Li also met with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar, expressing his hope that both countries would work together to make full use of the 16+1 platform to bolster China-CEEC cooperation and China-EU cooperation.

China is satisfied with the rapid growth of bilateral ties, Li said, noting that the two countries have witnessed many outcomes of agricultural, tourism, research cooperation.

China is ready to import competitive agricultural products from Slovenia, support more Chinese tourists to go to the Central European country, and help Chinese firms to participate in car manufacturing in Slovenia, and people-to-people exchanges to further expand bilateral cooperation.

Cerar, for his part, said the two countries have maintained friendly relations and achieved remarkable progress in economy and trade cooperation.

Slovenia is willing to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, automobile, tourism, aviation, scientific research, education and winter sports, increase the added value of their cooperation, and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Slovenia appreciates China's proposals to promote 16+1 cooperation and stands ready to partner with Beijing to promote CEEC's or even the EU's cooperation with China, he added.

Li also met with Denis Zvizdic, BiH Chairman of Council of Ministers.

Noting the continuous growth of practical bilateral cooperation, Li said his country would work together with BiH to maintain high-level contact, promote bilateral ties and facilitate cooperation.

China eyes to speed up energy cooperation, a pillar of their practical cooperation, and hopes to facilitate such energy projects as power plants, Li said.

The two countries should also deepen cooperation in infrastructure, make use of BiH's location advantage to facilitate cooperation between China and the Balkan region, expand cooperation in agricultural product processing and equipment manufacturing, Li said.

Moreover, the two countries should step up cooperation on people-to-people exchanges and tourism, given the opportunity presented by the visa-exempt agreement signed during the 16+1 meeting.

Stressing that developing ties with China is a critical part of his country's diplomacy, Zvizdic said the BiH government attaches great importance to cooperation with China and win-win cooperation under the 16+1 mechanism.

The country is ready to implement the consensus reached so far, and push ahead with cooperation in inter-connectivity, transportation infrastructure, power plant, agriculture, tourism, and culture.

Li arrived in Budapest on Sunday for the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries and an official visit to Hungary.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 07:54:29|Editor: Xiang Bo

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File photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 13, 2017 shows a test firing of a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 on Feb. 12, 2017. (Xinhua/KCNA)

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have launched a ballistic missile, the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) said.

Assessments from both the U.S. Defense Department and the ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) showed that the missile was launched at 1:17 p.m. EDT Tuesday, or 3:17 a.m. Seoul time Wednesday (1817 GMT).

There was no official confirmation from the DPRK yet.

The U.S. Defense Department said that an initial assessment showed the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The missile was launched from Sain Ni in the DPRK, and it traveled about 1,000 kilometers before splashing down into the sea of Japan, said Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning in a statement.

Meanwhile, the JCS said that "an unidentified ballistic missile" was launched from a site near Pyongsong in the DPRK's South Pyongan Province.

The ROK military conducted a "precision strike" missile launch in response, according to the JCS.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said immediately after the reported launch of the missile.

The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula, he said in a statement.

Moreover, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said the missile launch was a higher trajectory than any missile launched by the DPRK thus far.

"It went higher frankly than any previous shots they have taken," said the Pentagon chief while attending a meeting at the White House Tuesday afternoon.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who was at the same meeting with Mattis, said that "It is a situation that we will handle."

The latest launch came a week after the United States redesignated the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and slapped a new round of sanctions against the country, which was seen by some experts as likely to escalate the ongoing confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry called for more efforts to ease tension on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and settle the issue through dialogue and consultation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 08:44:42|Editor: Lifang

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SYDNEY, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A British tourist has been bitten on the leg by a saltwater crocodile in far northern Australia.

A video posted to social media by the victim's friend shows a crocodile up to 2.5 meters in length leaping out of the water at Queensland's Cape Tribulation to bite the 24-year-old woman.

The woman was treated for lacerations to the thigh at the nearby Mossman Hospital on Tuesday night and released shortly after.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) confirmed that officers would assess the site on Wednesday before attempting to capture and remove the reptile overnight.

Bob Katter, a Federal Member of Parliament (MP) representing north Queensland, said the attack was proof that programs to remove crocodiles from populated areas needed to be ramped up.

"We are trying to track down the people involved (in the Cape Tribulation attack)," Katter told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday.

"We are averaging an incident every month now."

"Our proposition is total removal (of crocodiles and their eggs) from more populated areas."

Katter has previously advocated for legalizing crocodile hunting trips in Queensland, describing the reptiles as pests.

Katter's Australia Party (KAP) looks likely to win three seats in Queensland's state election with Bob saying the radical crocodile management plan would be a key focus of the party.

"This issue is for the state members to decide," he said.

"The near-balance of power situation in Brisbane (will mean) we will have the leverage to get something done."

"For all those people that voted for us to do something about crocodiles, God bless you, and those that didn't, well let it (crocodile attacks) be upon your conscience."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 08:59:47|Editor: Lifang

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SYDNEY, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Torres Strait Islander was elected to an Australian parliament Tuesday for the first time in history.

Cynthia Lui was announced as the winner of the seat of Cook in the Queensland state election on Tuesday, making her the first person from the Torres Strait Islands, a group of 274 small islands between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Queensland, to be elected.

Lui, who grew up on the remote Yam Island, is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) which looks likely to win the election as counting continues.

"Every step was a milestone for me as a Torres Strait Islander, and getting to this point now is just the most significant step in the history of Australia, I believe, because I am the first Torres Strait Islander to enter Parliament," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday.

"I am proud, I am excited, emotional, but I think there are lots of good days ahead."

Lui now lives in the mainland city of Cairns, more than 1500 kilometers north of Brisbane, where she said she has been confronted by the issues facing indigenous Australians.

"Growing up on a remote Indigenous community, I experienced a lot of the challenges with remote living," she said.

"My work took me across the Cook electorate, working with families in child protection, and I want to give back to my community and get better outcomes for communities."

Queensland has the biggest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders outside of the Northern Territory (NT).

Lui will be only the fourth indigenous person to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) in Queensland.

She said she hopes both the ALP and Liberal National Party (LNP) do more to ensure there is adequate indigenous representation in parliament.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 09:04:49|Editor: Lifang

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SYDNEY, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists have identified a series of coral reefs which could be used to replenish the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), a report published on Wednesday said.

The "robust source reefs" lie on the outer edges of the GBR where cooler water is pushed towards the surface, reducing the impact of warming oceans.

Scott Condie from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere department in Tasmania is optimistic that the source reefs could be used to supplement parts of the GBR which have been hit hardest by coral bleaching.

"They're the bank for the future of the reef," Condie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday.

"Even though they represent a small percentage of the total reefs, they have the ability to actually replenish probably almost half the reefs within a given season, which is very encouraging."

Authors of a report published on Wednesday, including Condie, identified 112 reefs which met the criteria for a source reef.

Importantly, the reefs have a "lower risk of conveying a crown of thorns starfish outbreak."

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) estimated that three waves of crown of thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks between 1985 and 2012 were responsible for 50 percent of the GBR's total decline in that period.

COTS feed on coral and can reach plague levels when the conditions are right.

Authorities have begun to actively remove the starfish from the reef but Condie said it was time to look at interventionist strategies.

"The situation has gotten bad enough now that we're really being forced to (look at intervention) and the (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) is talking about options in this direction," he said.

"They could be engineering solutions like actually pumping colder water from deeper onto these reefs to stop bleaching."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 09:29:53|Editor: Lifang

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YANGON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Four more bodies were uncovered from Monday's coal mine blast in Minbu, Myanmar's central Magway region, bringing the total death toll to six, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.

The accident happened after a pipe used for injecting oxygen into the tunnel of the mine exploded.

The blast, which took place at a depth of 45 to 90 meters of the tunnel of the mine, also injured four and trapped eight in the mine.

The injured were sent to the hospital and rescue operation is underway to save the trapped miners, including a Chinese national, according to the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 10:00:05|Editor: Lifang

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BRUSSELS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Tuesday lashed out at the latest test launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying the move is "a further unacceptable violation" of its international obligations.

"This launch represents a further grave provocation, and a serious threat to international security," a spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, said in a statement.

The spokesperson urged the DPRK to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue, aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions."

The 28-nation bloc on Oct. 16 adopted a total ban on EU investment in the DPRK in a bid to ratchet up economic pressure on the Northeast Asian country over its ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The DPRK fired a ballistic missile into its east waters early Wednesday, South Korea's military said.

"An unidentified ballistic missile" was launched from a site near Pyongsong in South Pyongan Province, at around 3:17 a.m. local time on Wednesday (1817 GMT on Tuesday), the Yonhap News Agency cited South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying.

The DPRK successfully tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles and a hydrogen bomb this year, triggering two new rounds of economic sanctions by the UN Security Council.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 10:15:07|Editor: liuxin

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Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic (C) speaks at the opening ceremony for the construction works at Belgrade-Stara Pazova segment of Belgrade-Budapest railway in Belgrade, Serbia on Nov. 28, 2017. Work to modernize and reconstruct the Belgrade-Stara Pazova segment of Belgrade-Budapest Railway started on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Wang Huijuan)

BELGRADE, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Work to modernize and reconstruct the Belgrade-Stara Pazova segment of Belgrade-Budapest Railway started on Tuesday.

The 34.5 km-long segment, the railway's first part to start construction, is expected to be completed in three years.

The segment in Serbia, with an investment of 350 million U.S. dollars, was kicked off at a ceremony at Zemun railway station in Belgrade by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Minister of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic, and Wang Xiaotao, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China.

The railway linking Budapest with Belgrade is the first cross-border project jointly realized by Serbia, Hungary and China within the framework of the cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), said Brnabic.

It has a total length of 350 km, with 184 km in Serbia. It is designed for electrified passenger and cargo trains with a maximum speed of 200 km per hour.

Brnabic said that Serbia had the most projects among the regional participants of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 16+1 cooperation format between China and the CEEC.

"Project Belgrade-Budapest implies that Serbia is developing in a smart and a strategic way," Brnabic added.

"Our wish is to attract people to use trains, as well as those who transport cargoes across Serbia," Mihajlovic said, noting that with this project Serbia has truly become a part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Yang Zhongmin, chairman of state-owned China Railway International Company Ltd., said that the railway was a leading project in the 16+1 cooperation format and an example of the comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Serbia.

Yang said the Chinese companies will fulfill their obligations concerning procedures, employment and environment,and adhere to Serbian regulations.

"We are looking forward to the opening of Belgrade-Budapest railway -- the day when we will together with the people of Serbia enjoy the fruits of the development of Serbia-China cooperation," Yang said.

Wang said that since the project to modernize the Belgrade-Budapest railway was initially agreed on at the 2013 China-CEEC leaders' meeting in Bucharest, China and Serbia have carried out close cooperation.

"I hope workers from the two countries will work devotedly and complete the project with high quality, to make the Belgrade-Budapest railway a road of friendship, cooperation and development and to become a new milestone of China-Serbia friendship," Wang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 10:35:13|Editor: Lifang

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WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has launched a ballistic missile, the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) said Wednesday. However, there has been no official confirmation from the DPRK yet.

Assessments from both the U.S. Defense Department and the ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) showed that the missile was launched at 1:17 p.m. EDT Tuesday, or 3:17 a.m. Seoul time Wednesday (1817 GMT).

The U.S. Defense Department said an initial assessment showed the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The missile was launched from Sain Ni in the DPRK, and traveled about 1,000 km before splashing down into the sea of Japan, said Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning in a statement.

The ROK military conducted a "precision strike" missile launch in response, according to the JCS.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said immediately after the reported launch of the missile.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said the missile launch had a higher trajectory than any missile launched by the DPRK thus far.

"It went higher frankly than any previous shots they have taken," said the Pentagon chief while attending a meeting at the White House Tuesday afternoon.

This launch represents "a further grave provocation" and "a serious threat" to international security, said a spokesperson of the European External Action Service in a statement, urging the DPRK to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue to pursue the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

"The situation continues along a predictable path," said Avery Goldstein, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, adding: "For now, the hope is that military conflict can be avoided even as each side sticks with its position."

The latest launch came a week after the United States redesignated the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and slapped a new round of sanctions against the country, which was seen by some experts as likely to escalate the ongoing confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry called for more efforts to ease tension over the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and settle the issue through dialogue and consultation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 10:55:22|Editor: Yang Yi

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for comprehensive measures to tackle the problem of foreign terrorist fighters.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on the issue of foreign terrorist fighters, Wu Haitao, the charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations (UN), said comprehensive measures must be taken to remove the root causes and hotbed of terrorism.

Terrorism is a common enemy of mankind. Facing this challenge, the international community must realize that we are all in a community of shared future and thus enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, bring into full play the leading role of the UN and the Security Council, respect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of all countries, said Wu.

He also stressed the need to follow a uniform standard and to reject the practice of associating terrorism with specific ethnicity or religion.

Wu said effective measures must be taken to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters.

The countries neighboring conflict zones in particular should strengthen border control and law enforcement cooperation and take concrete measures to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, he said.

The UN counter-terrorism agencies and relevant international organizations should play their due role, establish databases and information exchange platforms on the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, share intelligence and block the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, and assist member states in capacity building on the basis of respecting their sovereignty, he said.

Wu also called for more efforts to combat terrorist activities conducted by using the Internet.

The flow of foreign terrorist fighters and financing for terrorism have become easier, more hidden and more international, he noted. The Internet and social media are being used by terrorist organizations to conduct incitement, recruit fighters and plan terrorist attacks.

The international community should block the use of social media for the spread of extremist ideologies, strengthen Internet supervision, and stop terrorist organizations from using the Internet to expand and finance, he said.

Wu asked to respect the diversity of civilizations and tackle the root causes of terrorism: wars and conflicts, ethnic hatred, and poverty and backwardness.

The international community should remain committed to assisting member states in poverty alleviation, strengthening political settlement of regional issues, promoting inclusive, universal and balanced development, creating a sound environment for dialogue on equal footing and peaceful and harmonious coexistence of different civilizations and religions, establishing a new order of international relations and building a community of shared future, he said.

China is firmly opposed to terrorism in all its forms and has participated actively in multilateral cooperation mechanisms. China is ready to join hands with other countries and international organizations to address the challenges of terrorism and maintain world peace and stability, said Wu.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 10:55:23|Editor: Lifang

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TOKYO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that Japan will maximize pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in coordination with the international community following the latest missile launch.

The DPRK fired a missile around 3:18 a.m. local time on Wednesday (1818 GMT Tuesday), and the missile flew for about 53 minutes and was likely to have fallen into the exclusive economic zone of Japan, said the Japanese government.

The missile reached a record-high altitude of over 4,000 kilometers on a steep angle and appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Japanese defense ministry.

Abe told reporters at his office following the missile launch that such "violence" was "intolerable" and Japan has lodged a strong protest against the DPRK.

He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and that Japan will maximize pressure on the DPRK in coordination with the international community.

Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 11:15:26|Editor: Lifang

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SUVA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Fijian police, supported by Fijian rescuers and island villagers, continued on Wednesday their search for the third victim after two foreigners died in a landing barge accident which happened in the western part of Fiji on Tuesday.

According to a police statement on Wednesday, the Fijian police resumed on Wednesday an aerial search for the missing person and the bodies of the two South Korean nationals who died during the accident have been airlifted to a hospital in Lautoka, the second largest city of the South Pacific island state.

The landing barge with 12 persons on board including crew and passengers, which belongs to All Engineering in Lautoka, left Lautoka at around 2:00 p.m. local time on Monday and headed for Bukama in the Yasawa Group which is an archipelago of about 20 volcanic islands in the Western Division of Fiji, but the barge Kaiwai, which was transporting building materials for a resort under construction, went down in the rough seas off Bukama island in Yasawa early Tuesday.

The two dead and one missing, all South Korean nationals, are believed to have been asleep in the vehicles onboard when the accident happened. One of the South Korean victim was working for Grace Roads International while the other was a 36-year-old mechanic of Lautoka.

A police spokesperson said they could not draw assumptions on what caused the barge to sink and investigations were continuing.

Meanwhile, there remains a heavy rain alert in force for most parts of Fiji for the next few days.

Fiji has entered the cyclone season from Nov. 1, 2017, that will end on April 30, 2018, and the cyclone season outlook for 2017 to 2018 in the state indicates a possibility of at least four to six tropical cyclones to form in the Pacific region alone.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 11:20:28|Editor: Lifang

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HAVANA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) organized its annual meeting here on Tuesday in a bid to expand cruise travel to Cuba during its tourism boom which began in 2015.

Established in 1975 and located in Washington, D.C., CLIA is the world's largest cruise industry association, providing a unified voice of the global cruise community.

Twelve of the world's most important cruise line companies, most of them American, held a two-day forum to discuss with Cuban officials cruise tourism to the island despite the new trade and travel regulations enforced by the Trump administration.

The opening of the event was chaired by Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca and the island's Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero, as well as other governmental representatives.

Top industry officials and CEOs of various U.S. cruise companies said recent travel regulations approved by Washington did not overly affect them, although they would like all U.S. citizens to freely travel to Cuba as tourists.

In December 2014, Obama announced plans to normalize ties with Cuba, with the United States opening an embassy in Cuba, increasing flights to Cuba and encouraging people-to-people exchanges. Some U.S. businesses expanded into the island nation for the first time in five decades.

However, the Trump administration announced a rollback in Cuba policy in mid-June, and put into force new restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba on Nov. 9, setting back many aspects of the rapprochement between the two countries.

Since early November, Americans seeking to travel to Cuba are required to travel as part of organized tour groups run by U.S. companies, rather than individual people-to-people travel as allowed by the Obama administration.

U.S. companies are prohibited from engaging in business with 179 Cuban firms and ministries, particularly those linked to the military and Interior Ministry.

U.S. citizens are also prohibited from staying at any of Cuba's 83 state-owned hotels operated by the Gaviota tourism group, which is part of the military's giant holding company, GAESA.

"The cruise industry is very much supportive of Cuba's remaining open as a destination. All brands are doing fantastic in terms of business and we want to see it open in the future," Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines, told reporters.

"We are hopeful the governments can work out their differences because the good news is we are still here and guests are happy coming to Cuba," he added.

Del Rio said these new regulations had not affected U.S. cruises to Cuba and their expectation was that the market would continue to grow in the years to come.

"We did not need much help before the regulations were changed because the ships were full and continue to be full. We see a minimum impact in our business because of the new regulations," he stated.

The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines said Cuba had been one of his company's best destinations in terms of customer satisfaction and called for "all impediments" to bilateral ties to be removed.

"I'd like relations to be fully normalized, I'd like to see all the impediments removed. It has been too long, almost 60 years. What lasts 60 years? Nothing does," he said.

Cuba plans to implement a broad program of port infrastructure development aimed at boosting cruise activity in different parts of the country.

Currently, the cruise ships have docked in Havana, the city of Cienfuegos in southern Cuba and the eastern port of Santiago de Cuba.

A steady flow of cruise ship visitors to the island was reported until the end of October 2017, with Havana being the main destination receiving 28 cruise ships.

Cuba expects to close this year with around 4.7 million foreign visitors, a figure that will represent a record for the industry and solidify the island as one of the top destinations in the Caribbean.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 11:25:30|Editor: Lifang

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MANILA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen suspected communist rebels have been killed and two others wounded in a clash with Philippine army in central Philippines, the military and news reports said on Wednesday.

The military said five soldiers have also been wounded in the "encounter" which took place around 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday night.

A female rebel wounded in Tuesday's clash also reportedly died in the hospital on Wednesday, bringing the number of the dead to 15.

The military recovered 12 high-powered firearms from the New People's Army (NPA) rebels who were on board a jeepney when fired upon by soldiers.

The NPA is the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The clashes occurred several days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte terminated the government's peace talks with the rebels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 11:45:34|Editor: ZD

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NINGBO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to four following an explosion in east China's Zhejiang Province Sunday, authorities said Wednesday.

Two previously missing victims have been confirmed dead after police conducted a thorough investigation at the site of the blast at a demolished factory in Jiangbei district of Ningbo city. The explosion occurred around 8:50 a.m. Sunday.

The two victims were the father and cousin of the man who owned the explosives, surnamed Shan.

Disposal of illegally produced explosives caused the blast, which injured 19 others.

Police found that disposal of the illegally manufactured explosives began at the site Saturday night. Disposal operations resumed at 8:40 a.m. Sunday.

Technicians from the local public security department said they believed errors during disposal operations caused the explosion, and authorities had ruled out the possibility that the explosion was intentional.

Shan was detained by police in Hubei Province Monday. He had previously been wanted by the police on suspicion of illegally manufacturing and selling explosives.

Shan confessed that he had asked family members in Ningbo to destroy the explosives.

Residents affected by the blast have been relocated to two sites. Maintenance work has started in nearby residential communities. Affected residents are expected to receive subsidies after evaluation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 12:35:44|Editor: Lifang

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying it is "a clear violation of Security Council resolutions."

"The secretary-general strongly condemns the launch of yet another ballistic missile by the DPRK. This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"The secretary-general urges the DPRK to desist from taking any further destabilizing steps. The secretary-general reaffirms his commitment to working with all parties to reduce tensions," the statement added.

DPRK successfully test fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile early Wednesday morning, the country's Korean Central Television reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:00:50|Editor: Lifang

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LA PAZ, Nov. 28 (Xinhua)-- Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP) unanimously ruled Tuesday that the political rights of President Evo Morales and other elected authorities were not restricted by term limits.

TCP President Mario Lahor Cortez announced at a press conference that elements of Bolivia's electoral law, which set term limits, were "unconstitutional" as the new ruling allows officials to be re-elected "in a continuous manner."

However, the move will be seen as controversial because in February 2016, Morales lost a referendum on whether to allow him to run for a fourth term, as 51 percent of Bolivians voted against the idea.

His supporters in civil society and Congress had put forward a raft of legal measures and staged protests in order to allow him to run again in 2019.

The opposition was quick to express its total rejection of this move and said it intended to take the matter to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, alleging the TCP overstepped its role by changing the constitution.

The head of the opposition Democratic Unity (UD) party, Samuel Doria Medina called the move "an attack against democracy."

Morales, the first indigenous president, was first elected in 2005 with 54 percent of the vote, and took over the presidency in January 2006. He was re-elected in 2009, after a shortened term, before finally winning his third term in 2014 to govern from 2015 to 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:10:53|Editor: Lifang

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HOUSTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The parents of a son who was among the 26 victims killed in a mass shooting in a Texas church earlier this month have filed two suits against the U.S. military.

According to documents obtained by local TV station on Tuesday, Joe and Claryce Holcombe accuse the U.S. Department of Defense, including the Air Force, of failing to report the criminal history of the gunman who killed people inside the small church on Nov. 5.

"These entities negligently, recklessly, carelessly and/or egregiously failed to report pertinent criminal arrest, conviction and military discharge information of the shooter into a federal database, as was required, which would have prevented and barred the shooter from purchasing, owning and/or possessing the firearms, ammunition and body armor that he used in the shooting," read the document.

The Holcombes are the parents of Bryan Holcombe, who was serving as the visiting pastor the day of the shooting. He was among eight members of the family, spanning three generations, who died.

Devin Kelley gunned down 26 people in a South Texas church in Sutherland Springs on Nov. 5, wounded another 20. Kelley was found dead inside his vehicle.

Kelley received a bad-conduct discharge from the U.S. Air Force for assaulting his wife and child, and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

He served in Logistics Readiness at the Holloman Air Force Base in the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico from 2010 until his discharge, U.S. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told media.

Stefanek also confirmed the Air Force didn't report the shooter's domestic violence conviction to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, leaving the door open for him to buy weapons.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:15:56|Editor: Lifang

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CANBERRA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia is currently in the midst of a rental affordability crisis, according to a report handed down on Wednesday which analyzed how much of an average household's weekly income was spent on rent.

The Rental Affordability Index (RAI) is a biannual report published by community groups SGS Economics and Planning, National Shelter and Community Sector Banking, and it monitors the proportion of Australian suburbs which are deemed anywhere from "unaffordable" to "acceptable".

According to the RAI, an unaffordable rental market is one in which housing costs exceed 30 percent of a low-income household's gross income. A low-income household is that deemed to be in the lowest 40 percent of income earners.

According to Adrian Pisarski from National Shelter, one of the organizations which published the RAI, there is "virtually no affordable housing in any Australian city" for low income earners.

Speaking to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio on Wednesday, he said the overall average percentage of income spent on rent was 29 percent in Sydney, 28 percent in Hobart and 25 percent in Melbourne, but low income earners were worse off.

According to the statistics, 47.1 percent of low income-earning households were spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent in greater metropolitan areas.

"This is now representative of a true housing crisis in Australia and a true market failure," he said.

Sydney remains the least affordable city, followed by the Tasmanian capital, Hobart, and beach holiday destinations such as Noosa Heads in Queensland.

"Those (holiday) areas used to be relatively cheap places to rent. This just isn't the case anymore," Pisarski said.

Pisarski said the flow-on effects from "rental stress", as it's known, could include a sharp rise in the number of homeless Australians.

"All of the reports that we get from homeless services is that they are under increased stress," he said on Wednesday.

"We also know there are many reports of older Australians, women in particular, suffering from homelessness."

Pisarski said that government needed to have the "right incentives" in place to make legislation changes to keep rental properties affordable.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:15:57|Editor: Lifang

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CANBERRA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian city of Raqqa is no longer under the control of Islamic State (IS) forces, Australian foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday, meaning Australians will no longer face criminal charges for travelling to the former "de-facto capital city" of the terrorist organization.

Travel to the city was made a crime by the Australian government in December 2014 to discourage possible extremists from joining the fight in the Middle East, while laws were also passed stripping dual citizens of their Australian passports should they be found to be in the war-affected nations.

But speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said while the travel ban had been lifted after coalition forces retook the city, both Syria and Iraq retained their "do not travel" warnings.

She admitted the liberation of Raqqa was a "major step forward" in the fight against IS, but added that it was still an incredibly dangerous place to visit.

"We have confirmation that the city of Raqqa in al-Raqqa province in Syria is no longer under the control of the terrorist organization IS as a result of military action taken by the anti-IS forces, backed up by the coalition forces, including Australia," Bishop told the press.

"This means that Australian citizens who travel to Raqqa will no longer be subject to the criminal code defences that made it an offence to travel to Raqqa without legitimate purpose.

"This is an important milestone in the fight against Islamic State, because the retaking of Raqqa deprives this terrorist organization of an operating base in Syria."

Bishop said while IS had been driven out of the city, the terror group "remains a dangerous threat", hinting that factions would continue to emerge in other parts of the world, as it has in the Philippines.

"(IS) is likely to emerge elsewhere, with its violent insurgency activities, and we will continue to be committed to the fight against (the group)," the minister said.

The government added that those who traveled to Raqqa between Dec. 5, 2014 and Nov. 28, 2017 would still face prosecution.

Meanwhile, Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis, who also spoke at the press conference, said that it was still illegal for Australians to travel to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

"Any Australian who travels to Mosul should know that they will be detected and they will be prosecuted, as five Australians are currently subject to prosecution," he said.

According to the government, it "remains illegal for Australian citizens to... fight with any armed group in Syria or any terrorist organisation listed under Australian law".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:15:57|Editor: Lifang

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CANBERRA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A report handed down by an Australian senate committee has urged the federal government to distribute more funding to cancers with low survival rates, claiming rarer cancers are being left behind while research on more prevalent but less deadly cancers continues to increase.

The report was handed down by the committee late Tuesday, and declared that not enough funding was being allocated to rarer cancers with a lower chance of survival. It has offered the government 25 unanimous recommendations to help fight cancers with higher mortality rates.

Among the recommendations were that the "National Health and Medical Research Council considers identifying low survival rate cancers as a National Health Priority Area", while it also ordered further funding and better access to clinical trials of drugs for rare forms of cancer.

Currently in Australia, cancer funding is allocated overwhelmingly to more common forms of cancer such as breast cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer, and the report has said more needed to be done to stop rarer forms of the illness such as brain cancer and pancreatic cancer.

According to the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, just one in 10 sufferers of brain cancer are expected to survive more than five years, as opposed to nine in 10 for breast cancer.

The recommendations also called for a national strategy to increase five-year survival rates for low survival rate cancers to 50 percent or more in the next decade by 2027.

In comments published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday, senate committee chair Catryna Bilyk said "elevating" rare cancers to "priority status" would raise the profile, and therefore funding and research of rare, killer cancers.

"When low survival rate cancers are elevated to that priority status, they'll get looked at more often by more people - so they would get more awareness and more interest so we can make inroads into research," Bilyk said.

"I'm really proud to have brought down this report because I think it's going to make a significant difference to people with low survival rate cancers."

The senate committee received more than 300 submissions for the report from medical professionals, sufferers, researchers and charities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 13:31:05|Editor: liuxin

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Michele Coninsx (front), executive director of UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, addresses a Security Council meeting on foreign terrorist fighters, at the UN headquarters in New York, Nov. 28, 2017. UN officials have warned that foreign terrorist fighters who are returning home or being relocated in third countries as a result of major military defeats of the Islamic State (IS) pose a global threat. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN officials have warned that foreign terrorist fighters who are returning home or being relocated in third countries as a result of major military defeats of the Islamic State (IS) pose a global threat.

RETURNING TERRORIST FIGHTERS POSING GLOBAL THREAT

"There are at least 5,600 fighters from 33 countries who have returned home. Many returnees are very well trained and equipped to carry out attacks in their own countries; others hope to radicalize and recruit new followers to their cause; there is a number of those who have rejected terrorist ideologies and pose no threat to society," Vladimir Voronkov, UN undersecretary-general for counter-terrorism, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

"This is a truly global challenge that demands an urgent and concerted multilateral response," he said.

At one stage, over 40,000 foreign terrorist fighters from more than 110 countries might have traveled to join terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, Voronkov noted.

As the IS has suffered great losses on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, a significant number of terrorists are trying to relocate to countries such as Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan, he said.

UN member states need to enhance cooperation and exchange information, develop effective border controls and strengthen their criminal justice systems, in accordance with the rule of law and human rights standards, suggested Voronkov.

Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose an enormous challenge with no easy solution, he said, adding that full compliance with international law is vital to combat the threat.

"Ultimately, addressing the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters requires addressing the underlying conditions that are conducive to young men and women being lured by violent extremism."

There is an urgent need for governments and security agencies to collaborate far more effectively in fighting terrorism, while respecting human rights, he said.

MORE TERRORISM WITH EVOLVING METHODS

Briefing the Security Council at the same meeting, Michele Coninsx, executive director of UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, also said that over the past two years, the rate at which foreign terrorist fighters have returned home or relocated to third countries has accelerated.

Over roughly the same period, the percentage of terrorist plots resulting in fatalities has increased significantly, owing in part to the activities of returnees, but also to terrorists' evolving methods, she said.

Of particular concern is the increasing trend toward attacks carried out by lone terrorists, who are often guided by handlers located in other parts of the world, she warned. Attacks by individuals inspired by the IS and other terrorist groups often require few resources, but can have devastating consequences.

Many recent attacks that appear to have been inspired by the IS, conducted in its name, or claimed by the IS, were initially reported as "lone actor" attacks. Subsequent investigations have shown, however, that those individuals received support or resources from elsewhere, often via the Internet or social media, she said.

Terrorists are also increasingly using new technologies to transfer funds to such individuals, she said.

UN member states have made progress in many areas, but major challenges remain, she said, citing the example of fewer than 60 states having so far introduced measures requiring airlines to provide advance passenger information.

This means that it remains very difficult for over 190 UN member states to check for the possible presence of foreign terrorist fighters on board aircraft flying into or out of, or transiting through, their airports, she told the Security Council.

Many states require assistance in establishing the necessary connectivity between national databases and border posts. They also continue to face legal challenges relating to transfer of data, protection of data privacy, and the establishment of the necessary legal and administrative frameworks, she noted.

International cooperation continues to be undermined by practical and political challenges, as well as by inconsistent compliance with human rights obligations. States should also do more to downgrade and share intelligence on foreign terrorist fighters and those who return to their countries of origin or relocate to third countries, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:16:15|Editor: Lifang

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Security Council will hold an urgent meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss the latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), diplomatic sources said here on Tuesday.

According to the "Program of Meetings and Agenda" for Wednesday published on the UN website, the 8118th meeting of the Security Council will focus on "Non-proliferation/Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

Sources said that the United States, Japan and South Korea have requested the meeting to address the DPRK's launch of the ICBM which the Japanese defence ministry said probably fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone.

It is the first launch since Sep. 15, when the DPRK fired a ballistic missile over northern Japan into the Pacific Ocean.

Since November last year, the Security Council has imposed export bans on coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, restricted joint ventures and blacklisted a number of DPRK's entities in response to the country's missile and nuclear tests.

It has also banned the hiring of DPRK's guest workers and capped oil exports.

Under UN resolutions, DPRK is barred from developing missiles and a nuclear weapons capability, but Pyongyang argues that the arsenal is needed for self-defense against the "hostile" United States.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the latest missile launch by the DPRK.

"The secretary-general strongly condemns the launch of yet another ballistic missile by the DPRK. This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:21:17|Editor: Lifang

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KABUL, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have arrested nine people in connection with drug-related cases over the past one week, Criminal Justice Task Force (CJTF) said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The alleged drug traffickers, according to the statement, were detained in Kabul, Logar, Herat and Baghlan provinces.

Among the arrested persons is a man who was planning to smuggle 406 gram heroin to India, the statement added.

The contraband confiscated from the possession of the arrested traffickers includes 406 gram heroin, 102 kg opium poppies, 435 kg hashish and 124 kg more substance used in manufacturing heroin, the statement added.

War-affected Afghanistan has been regarded as a major opium poppy producing country as the country produced 9,000 tons of the raw material used in manufacturing heroin in 2017, said a report of United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) released recently.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:21:18|Editor: Yang Yi

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duty investigations into Chinese aluminum products using a rarely-used "self-initiation" tactic, despite worries about potential harm to China-U.S. trade ties.

The move to self-initiate investigations into imports of Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet marks the first time in decades that the U.S. government has launched such probes without requests from U.S. companies or industries.

The last self-initiated anti-dumping investigation dated back to 1985 when it ran against semiconductors from Japan and the last self-initiated anti-subsidy duty one dated back to 1991 against softwood lumber from Canada.

When the department set preliminary dumping margins on imports of aluminum foil from China in October, Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said it was "a serious distortion" of the real situation.

China urged the United States to fulfill international obligations and take action to correct the wrong practice, while China will take measures to protect the legal rights of Chinese companies, according to the MOC statement on Oct. 31.

"An administration that self-initiates an investigation is sending an aggressive signal that it is eager to impose import protection," said Chad Bown, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-D.C. based think tank.

A final decision on whether to impose punitive duties on Chinese aluminum products is still months away, as self-initiated investigations would follow the same processes that normal trade cases do.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), another trade authority, will conduct its own investigations and make its preliminary determinations around Jan. 16, 2018. If the agency determines that there is no injury or threat of injury, then the Commerce Department investigations will be terminated.

Cao Hui, a trade lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, an international law firm, told Xinhua that the problem with self-initiated cases is that the Commerce Department takes on the dual roles of the plaintiff and the arbiter, which might lead to a lack of impartiality in the investigations.

Cao believed that the Commerce Department's action on Tuesday is a highly political and symbolic move, but the department is unlikely to self-initiate such cases against China in a large scale.

In 2016, imports of common alloy sheet from China were estimated at 603.6 million U.S. dollars, according to the Commerce Department.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:26:20|Editor: liuxin

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U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson speaks at the Wilson Center in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Nov. 28, 2017. The U.S. top diplomat pledged on Tuesday to strengthen ties with Europe amid mounting disputes that seem to pull the traditional allies apart. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S top diplomat pledged on Tuesday to strengthen ties with Europe amid mounting disputes that seem to pull the traditional allies apart.

The United States places "highest importance" on security relationships with Europe, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson in a speech delivered at a think tank in Washington.

"Any attack by any actor on a NATO member-state will trigger Article 5," a clause of mutual defense, said Tillerson at Wilson Center.

Tillerson's remarks came ahead of his Europe tour next week, which is seen as a chance to push ahead the trans-Atlantic relations which had been at the risk of going sour since U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

In June, Trump pulled out of the Paris climate treaty, triggering widespread condemnation by its old allies in Europe, including Germany and France.

Their divergence on climate change was just another drag on trans-Atlantic relations on top of Trump's support for Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), and his position on NATO defense expenses.

In his roughly 30-minute speech, Tillerson also asked the European countries to "contribute more to their own defense."

"We once again urge European partners who have not done so already to meet the 2 percent of GDP target for defense spending," the former Exxon Mobil CEO said.

Earlier this year, Trump called the NATO "obsolete" and threatened to "moderate" its commitment to it if NATO partners fail to meet the mandated defense spending target of 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

In his remarks, Tillerson also urged its European partners to share the United States' position on the Iran nuclear deal, which has already moved further to ditch the landmark deal.

Trump alleged last month that Iran had committed "multiple violations" of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, and threatened to abandon the accord if it was not amended.

"The JCPOA is no longer the only point of U.S. policy toward Iran," Tillerson repeated Trump's rhetoric in the speech.

However, in sharp contrast with Trump's stance, EU leaders reaffirmed in October their commitment to the international accord signed with world powers.

Last week, Iran and the EU started their third round of high-level talks in Tehran, seeking to boost cooperation.

In Tuesday's speech, Tillerson also stressed the importance of enhancing European energy security and beefing up U.S.-EU cooperation in areas of cyber attacks and counterterrorism.

Referring to Brexit, Tillerson urged both the EU and Britain to move this process forward "swiftly and without unnecessary acrimony."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:46:25|Editor: Lifang

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Eight Afghan civilians were killed and two others injured when a militants' landmine struck a vehicle in Kandahar province, south of Afghanistan on Tuesday, a local official said Wednesday.

"The incident occurred along a dusty road in remote Arghistan district on Tuesday evening, killing eight people and injuring two others," Zia Durrani, the provincial police spokesperson, told Xinhua.

Among those killed were three women, he added.

More than 2,640 civilians were killed and over 5,370 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of the year in Afghanistan, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.

The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and landmine explosions were the third largest cause of civilians' casualties following ground fighting and suicide attacks while unexploded ordnance and explosive remnants of war also frequently cause casualties among the Afghans elsewhere in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:51:27|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, has dispatched a team of inspectors to check on teacher ethics and work styles across the country, in an effort to prevent child abuse in kindergartens.

The State Council has required immediate punishment and rectification of any problems discovered during the inspections.

The State Council's office for education supervision issued a notice on Friday ordering special inspections of all kindergartens across the country.

The move follows reports last week of child abuse at an RYB Education New World Kindergarten in Beijing.

Police said Tuesday evening they had not found any evidence that the children had been sexually exploited.

According to police, the investigation showed that a female teacher surnamed Liu, 22, allegedly using sewing needles to "discipline" children who would not sleep. Liu has been detained.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:51:28|Editor: Yang Yi

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WUHAN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China is encouraging industrial tourism, with plans to build 100 such tourism bases on the national level by 2020.

The National Tourism Administration has unveiled a roadmap for the development of the sector for the next three years. It has appointed 20 enterprises as state-level tourism bases, covering a wide range of industries, including wine-making, alcohol, dairy products and cosmetics.

At a national industrial tourism conference that began Tuesday in central China's Hubei Province, the administration also issued a standard that regulates industrial tourism.

China hopes to attract 240 million visitors annually in industrial tourism, with an annual revenue goal of more than 30 billion yuan (4.5 billion U.S. dollars) for 2020.

Last year, industrial tourism sites received 140 million tourists, bringing in revenue of 21.3 billion yuan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 14:56:29|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has confirmed that it successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) early Wednesday morning.

The latest missile test by DPRK has drawn strong condemnation from countries and international organizations.

Confirming the test-launch, the DPRK government said: "The development and advancement of the strategic weapon of DPRK are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from the U.S. imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat, and to ensure the peaceful life of the people."

"It is DPRK's solemn declaration that the missiles would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon," said a statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency.

The latest launch came a week after the United States redesignated the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and slapped a new round of sanctions against the country.

The ROK military also conducted a "precision strike" missile launch in response, according to the South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

DPRK's missile launch gave rise to wide condemnations.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said at the White House that the missile launch had a higher trajectory than any missile launched by the DPRK thus far.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Japanese and South Korean leaders separately over the missile launch, said the White House.

During their talks, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed their commitment to combating the DPRK's nuclear threat, while Trump and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in in another phone call condemned the DPRK for developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned DPRK's latest missile launch, saying it is "a clear violation of Security Council resolutions."

"The secretary-general urges the DPRK to desist from taking any further destabilizing steps. The secretary-general reaffirms his commitment to working with all parties to reduce tensions," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Condemning the missile launch, the European Union said the move is "a further unacceptable violation" of its international obligations.

A spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, urged the DPRK to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue, aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions."

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said "North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs present a direct threat to the world."

Canada said that it is set to convene a meeting of foreign ministers, co-hosted with the United States, to address this pressing issue.

Given the complex and sensitive situation on the peninsula, China has been calling for more efforts to ease tensions and settle the issue through dialogue and consultation.

To help soothe the situation, China has proposed a dual-track approach, seeking to advance denuclearization and establish a peace mechanism in parallel. Beijing, in its "suspension for suspension" initiative, calls on Pyongyang to pause its missile and nuclear activities, and calls on Washington to put its joint military drills with South Korea on hold.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 15:11:35|Editor: liuxin

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ajay Banga, president and chief executive officer of Mastercard, was honored Tuesday by the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America's leading global companies.

Banga received USCIB's International Leadership Award at a gala dinner at the United Nations headquarters in New York, in recognition of Mastercard's ongoing leadership to extend the benefits of an expanding economy to all segments of society.

"Ajay Banga and Mastercard were among the first to recognize that financial inclusion can set in motion a virtuous cycle of equitable economic growth," said USCIB Chairman Terry McGraw, chairman emeritus of McGraw Hill Financial (now S&P Global).

"Many companies have joined the movement to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Mastercard was one of the first supporters when the goals were launched in 2015, and the company has been working to help address issues such as poverty, hunger and gender equality," he said.

McGraw added that the gala provided a platform to underscore ongoing American and global business support for the SDGs, policies that promote more open cross-border trade and investment, and robust U.S. engagement with the UN and other international bodies.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed attended the gala. She called upon the business sector to work with the United Nations and realize its 2030 SDGs as scheduled.

She also pledged that the United Nations would continue to reform its management so as to enhance its efficiency to better serve all people around the world.

Mastercard has connected more than 300 million people around the world to the formal economy, providing critical access to services that allow them to live and work with greater efficiency, security and dignity.

Banga is a member of the U.S. President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, and is a founding trustee of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum. He served as a member of President Obama's Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

Prior to Mastercard, Banga was chief executive officer of Citigroup Asia Pacific. He began his career at Nestle in India, where he also spent two years with PepsiCo. He is a graduate of Delhi University and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Established in 1980, USCIB's International Leadership Award is presented annually to a leading CEO, international figure or institution, recognizing outstanding contributions to global trade, finance and investment, and to improving the global competitive framework in which American business operates.

Recent recipients included Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, and Roberto Azevedo, director general of the World Trade Organization.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 15:21:39|Editor: liuxin

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TUNIS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A terrorist was shot dead by Tunisian army units in an exchange of fire in the heights of Kasserine, (center-west of the country) late Tuesday night, announced Colonel Belhassen Oueslati, spokesman of the Tunisian Ministry of Defense.

According to the same source, briefly spoken on the airwaves of a private radio station in the capital, the terrorist killed was among an armed group entrenched in these heights.

A large sweep operation was launched throughout the perimeter to hunt down other armed elements.

Suspicious movements were detected Tuesday, in the heights of Kasserine which led to a confrontation with this group of extremists, revealed the spokesperson of the Tunisian Ministry of Defense without giving more details.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 15:31:42|Editor: liuxin

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by Muhammad Tahir

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A three-week siege of the Pakistani capital Islamabad peacefully ended earlier this week after a religious group signed a deal with the government of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The confrontation also led to the resignation of the country's Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

The group "Tehrik Labaik Ya Rasoolullah," or TLYR, started sit-in at the edge of Islamabad on Nov. 6 as a protest against the alleged change of the law regarding the "finality of the Prophethood."

Under the Pakistani law, those who do not believe in the finality of Prophethood are non-Muslim.

While the deal was hailed across the country, it also evoked some criticism after the government accepted the group's demand for the resignation of the law minister, who had been accused by the group of introducing changes in the law.

Under the six-point deal, the government agreed to withdraw all cases, including terrorism charges, against the activists of the TLYR, for attacking and injuring nearly 100 policemen, torching police vans, and damaging a government-run Metro Bus station.

Critics and political analysts are of the view that the government has "surrendered" to the pressure of religious groups.

Government ministers, however, defended the agreement and insisted the negotiated settlement was the best option to peacefully end the sit-in, which had badly affected life in the twin-cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Media reports said the protest caused the losses of nearly 4 billion rupees (38 million U.S. dollars) to the national exchequer as the government would bear the cost of the police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies.

The agreement, which was brokered with the help of the security establishment, also says the government will pay for the repair of all damages to the properties caused by the protesters.

Zahid Hussain, a senior columnist and political analyst, argues that the agreement with the religious group has set a negative precedent as it would encourage other extremist groups to adopt similar way of protest to exert pressure on the government for acceptance of their illegal demands.

"I think the government signed the agreement on the dotted lines of the religious group. This shows the failure of the government as it has set a bad tradition as now other groups would follow the same procedure to implement their demands," Hussain told Xinhua.

Security expert Sayed Nazeer Momand was critical at the way the religious group staged sit-in to mount pressure on the government through closing roads and disrupting the lives of hundreds of thousands of common people.

"The government should not given more time to the TLYR to continue its protest at a key location to lay a siege of the country's capital city. The government even could not implement the court's order to disperse the protesters and the police action was aborted one," Momand, a retied army brigadier, told Xinhua on Wednesday.

He said the government should have adopted an effective strategy at early stage of the sit-in to block the arrival of more supporters of the protesters. However, he said a relatively peaceful settlement of the issue was a good point on the part of the government and the military.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 15:46:46|Editor: Yurou

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Suspected Taliban militants stand in Ghazni province, eastern Afghanistan on Nov. 29, 2017. Seventeen militants were killed and 19 others injured during the serious of operations conducted by Afghan security forces across the country over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said Wednesday.(Xinhua/Sayed Mominzadah)

KABUL, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen militants were killed and 19 others injured during the serious of operations conducted by Afghan security forces across the country over the past 24 hours, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

"Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have carried out 13 clean up operations and 19 special operations in 10 provinces over the past 24 hours. As a result 17 insurgents were killed, 19 injured and four others arrested," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates.

The security forces also seized weapons and ammunition over the period.

Taliban militants fighting the government have yet to make comments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 15:51:47|Editor: liuxin

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LONDON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- British banks are ready to bear the worst instability that an unsatisfactory Brexit could deliver, according to the annual Financial Stability Report (FSR) of the Bank of England (BoE) published Tuesday.

The BoE, the central bank of Britain, subjects the seven major British banks to annual stress tests, a custom first introduced in 2014. The seven banks are Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), Santander UK Group Holdings and Standard Chartered, all with a substantial British and international presence.

The stress test scenario provided a harsher set of economic and financial conditions than last year's, which the banks said was worse than the financial crisis.

The test by BoE's Financial Policy Committee (FPC) modeled a 2.4-percent fall in world GDP, a 4.7-percent fall in British GDP, a 33-percent drop in British property prices, a 4.7-percentage-point increase in unemployment, and a 350-basis-point rise in the bank rate.

"In our judgment, banks are now resilient to the risks of a disorderly Brexit," said Mark Carney, BoE governor. "The question is: what if something else were to happen at the same time?"

The BoE said the tests had found the banking system could absorb 50 billion pounds (66 billion U.S. dollars) of losses in Britain and also 40 billion U.S. dollars in overseas assets in the next few years.

The banks could also withstand a further 40-billion-pound (52.8 billion dollar) loss arising from misconduct costs and fines by regulatory authorities.

"The biggest threat is that the banking system faces a cocktail of risks at the same time; a global recession, a disorderly Brexit and a surge in misconduct fines," Paul Hollingsworth, British economist at Capital Economics, a London-based financial data analysis firm, told Xinhua.

"The FPC noted that this would result in tougher financial conditions relative to the stress scenario, and would constrict bank lending," the economist said.

The FPC thought that Britain is now in a "standard" risk environment and subsequently, pressed ahead with increasing the counter-cyclical capital buffer from 0.5 percent to 1 percent, effective from November next year.

"Given that this has already been signalled, and the strengthening in capital positions that has already taken place, this should not provide a threat to bank lending, or prevent the FPC from tightening monetary policy, over the next few years," Hollingsworth said.

In 2016, two banks, Barclays and RBS, failed the tests which showed that both would not have the capital levels required to pass the test. But the BoE assessed that since then both had improved their capital positions.

The FPC remained concerned about the rapid growth in consumer credit, which in a downturn could generate a disproportionate amount of losses, the vulnerability posed by Britain's large current account deficit, and some asset valuations, including London commercial property and some sterling corporate bonds.

RISK SURVEY POINTS TO BREXIT FEARS

Linked to the FSR is the BoE's Systemic Risk Survey (SRS), a twice-yearly survey of financial markets practitioners, examining the potential pitfalls over the coming years and gauging the confidence of banks in the stability of the British financial system. It is published at the same time as the FSR.

The survey found practitioners' confidence had increased, saying that the probability of a high-impact event in the British financial system in the short and medium term had "fallen modestly".

Confidence in the stability of the financial system over the next three years had increased, with the proportion of respondents judging themselves to be very confident or completely confident increasing slightly.

The greatest perceived risk was political, mentioned by 91 percent of respondents, up 9 percentage points since the last survey. Ninety percent of respondents that cited British political risk explicitly referred to the implications of the Brexit vote.

The FSR noted that the risk of a disorderly Brexit was unlikely but Governor Carney warned that if a disorderly Brexit did take place "there will be pain associated with that".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:01:53|Editor: liuxin

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DOHA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Charity was awarded the best Arab charity in 2017 amid recent sanctions by some Arab countries on the tiny Gulf state, Qatar News Agency reported Wednesday.

Commenting on the award, Yousef bin Ahmed al Kuwari, chief executive officer of Qatar Charity, said the award is not for his charity, but "for all the Qatari people and the good people everywhere who give us confidence through the implementation of charity.''

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, along with its Arab allies including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen, severed diplomatic ties with Qatar as well as all air, land and sea links to the Arab Gulf state, a move that has sent shock waves across the Middle East and beyond.

Earlier, the quartet announced a list and sanctioned 59 individuals and 12 institutions, including Qatar Charity, for their financial links with Qatar over the country's suspected support of terrorism and extremism. Doha has repeatedly denied the accusations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:01:54|Editor: Liangyu

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by Xinhua Writers Li Kun and Yin Siyuan

TIANJIN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- All his life, Zhang Yu has insisted on having only one store, despite the fact that a single work with his signature on it can fetch over 10,000 U.S. dollars.

"I must guarantee the quality of my work," says Zhang, the sixth generation clay figurine maker in his family.

"Clay Figure Zhang" is a household name of traditional folk art in China, and such artwork has a history of over 180 years.

Located in a traditional street in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Zhang's workshop only creates a dozen figurines a year, each with a limited production of exactly 59.

Due to the extremely delicate craft, it usually takes three months to complete a fine figurine, hence the high prices.

Tianjin has witnessed the fierce collision of Chinese and western culture in modern times, providing much inspiration for Zhang's clay figurines.

"Without the unique culture of Tianjin, the creations would lose their vitality," Zhang says.

With that in mind, Zhang says he will never expand his business beyond Tianjin.

"What I want is to devote my limited energy to the only store here in Tianjin, and focus on the art," he says.

Back in the 1840s, craftsman Zhang Mingshan rose to fame for his vivid clay figurines that combined traditional Chinese sculpture with western techniques, and were coined "Clay Figure Zhang," a brand his offspring have continued for six generations.

"Being proficient in traditional clay sculpture skills, Zhang Mingshan also absorbed other art forms such as painting and wood carving," says Li Dan, deputy director of the Clay Figurine Zhang Art Gallery.

In the 1930s, an average of 10 clay figurines were sold each day, and two days of sales could buy a square courtyard in Beijing.

A century passed, and it was time for Zhang Yu to carry on the family craft. He took charge of the family business in 1996, when he was just 18 years old.

As time changed, so the craft and brand has evolved.

"An art or skill can by no means prosper without artists," he says. This year, he launched a campaign to promote himself and his artists, using advertising posters around the city.

Instead of making figurines and selling them like a street vendor, he has hired art managers to exploit and market the artistic value of his work.

Besides kneading clay figurines, Zhang also teaches in several universities, even taking on apprentices from other countries.

"As long as the spirit of craftsmanship is passed down, the young generation should be given the opportunity to learn whatever traditional Chinese culture they are interested in, and promote it with their own ideas," Zhang says.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:16:57|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China said on Wednesday it was seriously concerned about and opposed to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) test-firing of a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.

"China strongly demands the DPRK abide by the UN Security Council resolutions and refrain from actions that heighten the tension on the Korean Peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular news briefing.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:22:00|Editor: Lu Hui

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GENEVA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A fresh round of peace talks on Syria, the eighth of its kind, kicked off in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday under the auspices of the United Nations, without the presence of one of the main parties, the Syrian government.

However, the Bashar al-Assad government took an apparently last-minute decision to join the talks and a delegation on Wednesday.

Inter-Syrian negotiations in the past had often been thorny, given the complexity of the conflict.

Although seven rounds of talks have been held in Geneva since the beginning of 2017, little progress has been made due to serious differences between the rival parties.

The dragging talks are now focused on four main topics -- the establishment of "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian" governance, drafting a new constitution, holding elections under the supervision of the United Nations, and continuing the fight against terrorism.

The negotiations are still deadlocked as Syrians face new challenges in the course of a crisis that has raged more than six years, leaving some 330,000 dead, according to UN figures.

The main stumbling block is the fate of President Assad. The opposition had been insisting on his immediate ouster from power before restoring peace in the country, a demand categorically rejected by the government delegation.

The government forces' victories on the battlefield, however, have since strengthened its stature, both in Syria and in the international arena, and also weakened the rebels, making it difficult to imagine Assad's departure under current circumstances. The opposition may be forced to lower their demands.

Second, the opposition still remains fragmented. A sign of tensions among them was the resignation of several members of the High Negotiations Committee, which had represented the opposition in Geneva, ahead of the new peace talks.

Last week, at another round of negotiations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sponsored by the Saudi government, various factions of the Syrian opposition, including groups backed by Cairo and Moscow, agreed to send a unified opposition delegation to Geneva. Still, a unified voice of the opposition and its real weight on the Syrian crisis remains debatable.

Other platforms to end the conflict in Syria are also in place, such as a "Syrian national congress" in Sochi, southwest Russia.

The idea was proposed in Sochi last week during a trilateral summit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, it has been rejected by the Syrian opposition and criticized by the West, who are sticking to the Geneva process.

The Syrian crisis has also been complicated by external factors, including the involvement of world and regional powers, as well as the issue of Syria's Kurdish community, who are demanding autonomy and proportional representation in the central government. All this indicates it's still a long way to go before the Syrian conflict is resolved.

However, finally, a real chance to end years of bloodshed in Syria has emerged, thanks to the defeat of extremist groups, notably the Islamic State forces, said Xie Xiaoyan, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Syrian issue, after his meeting with Mistura on Tuesday.

Xie hoped that all Syrian parties would adopt flexible positions and advance the political process through dialogue, in order to restore national stability and social order in Syria.

Related:

UN envoy unsure if new Syrian peace talks will be direct dialogue

GENEVA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) special envoy for Syria, Staffan De Mistura, said Tuesday that it is still not sure whether the upcoming new round of Syrian peace talks will take place in the form of a direct dialogue between both sides. Full story

UN Security Council calls for progress in Geneva talks for Syria

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Monday called for progress in the UN-brokered Geneva talks between the Syrian government and the opposition. Full story

"Moment of Truth" arrives in Syria talks: UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Monday that he believed that the "moment of truth" had arrived for the Syria talks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:32:04|Editor: Yurou

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Photo taken on Nov. 29, 2017 shows the site of a car bombing attack in Aden, Yemen. Five Yemenis were killed when an explosives-laden car blew up near Yemen's Finance Ministry headquarters in the southern port city of Aden early Wednesday, local officials said. (Xinhua/Murad)

ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- About five Yemenis were killed when an explosives-laden car blew up near Yemen's Finance Ministry headquarters in the southern port city of Aden early Wednesday, local officials said.

According to the Aden-based officials, a group of militants detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and targeted the Ministry of Finance building in KhorMaksar district of Aden.

Residents told Xinhua that the blast was so powerful that it sent a large plume of smoke up over the area, causing partial damage to nearby residential buildings.

"Five people were killed and a number of other citizens are being treated in hospital. Some of them have light injuries due to shattered glass, most of them civilians," Col. Nasser Babad, director of the police station in KhorMaksar, told Xinhua.

Another security source said the blast occurred in the early hours when no government workers or employees were present at the ministry building and all the offices empty.

However, the explosion badly damaged the building and engulfed it with flames for hours, leaving everything including important government documents on fire.

Security forces, backed by armored vehicles, cordoned off the area as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

But the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for two previous suicide attacks against security buildings in Aden in November, which killed more than 47.

According to observers, the suicide attacks and repeated drive-by shootings in Aden point to a spectacular intelligence failure and the fact that terrorists have managed to move and launch attacks despite the heavy presence of Yemeni troops backed by the United Arab Emirates.

The port city of Aden is considered Yemen's temporary capital, where the Saudi-backed government has based itself since 2015.

During the past two years, the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and other terrorist groups including the IS had an active presence in southern Yemen.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces including the capital Sanaa in 2014.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military intervention coalition in Yemen since 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, where seven million Yemenis are on the brink of famine and cholera has caused more than 2,000 deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:37:07|Editor: liuxin

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A local court in India's western state of Maharashtra Wednesday sentenced three men to death for being convicted in rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, officials said.

The men in their 20s in July last year raped the teenager in Kopardi village of Ahmednagar district, about 302 km east of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.

"All three convicts in the Kopardi rape and murder case have been given death penalty today by Ahmednagar district court," a court official said. "The conviction was announced by the court on 18th of this month."

The victim, a class 8 student, belonged to the upper-caste Maratha community while as the accused men were low caste Dalits, formerly known as untouchables.

The incident triggered massive outrage across the state with thousands of Marathas taking to the streets for protest.

In December 2012 a fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi brought spotlight on crimes against women in India.

The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women and girls continue to be reported across India.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:42:08|Editor: liuxin

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least three children have been killed and two others injured in a wall collapse in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Wednesday, police said.

The incident took place at Sarthauli village in the state's Shahjahanpur district, some 180 km from state capital Lucknow.

"A group of children were playing in the vicinity when the wall of a compound collapsed on them while foundation was being laid for another wall," local police chief K.B. Singh told the media.

While three children, all aged below 12 years, died on the spot, the injured have been admitted to the district hospital, he said.

"The bodies have been sent for an autopsy. A probe has also been ordered into the incident," the official added.

Building and wall collapses are common in India because of use of sub-standard construction materials and lack of adherence to safety standards.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 16:57:16|Editor: liuxin

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TOKYO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo shares closed higher Wednesday tracking the advance in U.S. stock market overnight despite renewed geopolitical concerns following the latest ballistic missile launch of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Shares opened higher Wednesday tracking gains in the U.S. stock market overnight as Wall Street cheered on strong sales in the holiday season while signs of progress in the U.S. tax reform raised market expectations for higher corporate earnings and economic growth.

According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday approved the Republican tax bill to overhaul the U.S. tax code, bringing the upper chamber closer to a floor vote.

Gains, however, were capped by renewed geopolitical concerns of market players after the DPRK fired a missile early Wednesday which flew for about 53 minutes and fell into the Sea of Japan.

The DPRK said later that the missile was a new intercontinental ballistic missile that is capable of hitting anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 110.96 points, or 0.49 percent, from Tuesday at 22,597.20.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 14.08 points, or 0.79 percent, higher at 1,786.15.

Among all shares listed on the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,501 to 477, with 59 ending the day unchanged.

Gainers were led by iron and steel, insurance and bank issues while decliners were led by electric machinery and coal and oil products issues.

Bank issues were among the leading gainers after U.S. Federal Reserve chair nominee Jerome Powell said on Tuesday that the current regulatory rules on financial institutions are tough enough and he supported easing regulatory burdens on some institutions.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group advanced 21.10 yen, or 2.8 percent, to 784.50 yen and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group rose 75 yen, or 1.7 percent, to 4,504 yen.

On the main section, 1,701.83 million shares changed hands, rising from Tuesday's volume of 1,482.18 million shares.

The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to around 2,868.3 billion yen (25.72 billion U.S. dollars).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:02:19|Editor: Zhou Xin

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CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army's chief of staff on Wednesday to restore security and stability in the restive part of the Sinai Peninsula within three months.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:02:20|Editor: Zhou Xin

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COLOMBO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- One hundred Chinese couples will visit Sri Lanka next month to take part in a mass wedding celebration in the island country, Sri Lanka's Megapolis and Western Development Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The ministry said the event, which will be the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, is expected to further increase ties between Sri Lanka and China.

The mass wedding will be held on Dec. 17 in capital Colombo, under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Some 400 guests will be attending the event.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga told reporters that the event will help promote the island country as an ideal wedding destination.

The mass wedding will be followed by a Sri Lanka-China food festival which will be held at a luxury resort in Colombo. Leading chefs from both China and Sri Lanka will take part in the festival.

The couples will later be taken on a tour of Yala, Sigiriya and Kandy, popular tourist spots in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has become a popular destination for Chinese tourists with China currently being the second largest market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:17:26|Editor: Zhou Xin

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CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army's chief of staff on Wednesday to restore security and stability in the restive part of the Sinai Peninsula within three months.

"I bear you responsible before all the Egyptian people to restore security and stability in Sinai within three months," Sisi spoke directly to Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid Hegazy while delivering a speech aired on the Egyptian state TV.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:17:27|Editor: Zhou Xin

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SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at Stanford University have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) technology to determine people's political leanings from their cars.

Fei-Fei Li, associate professor of computer science at Stanford, led a team who used computer algorithms to analyze millions of publicly available images on Google Street View, and then determined the political leanings of a neighborhood by looking at the cars on its streets.

Their study, published Tuesday in the official journal of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, found a "simple linear relationship" between cars, demographics and political persuasion.

For instance, if a neighborhood has more sedans than pickups, there is an 88 percent chance that it will vote for Democrats.

But if the neighborhood has more pickups than sedans, there is an 82 percent possibility the vote will go to Republicans, according to Li's study.

"Using easily obtainable visual data, we can learn so much about our communities, on par with some information that takes billions of dollars to obtain via census surveys," she said in a press release issued by the university Tuesday.

"More importantly, this research opens up more possibilities of virtually continuous study of our society using sometimes cheaply available visual data," said Li, who is also director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab and the Stanford Vision Lab, where the research was done.

The method recognized the make, model and year of manufacturing of every car produced since 1990 in over 50 million Google Street View images from 200 American cities. Then the data on car types and location were examined against a comprehensive demographic database and also compared with the presidential election voting data to estimate demographic factors such as race, education, income and voter preferences.

Li's research was conducted on a publicly available, regularly updated image database built and paid for by Google Street View. It generates analyses in near real time.

It took only two weeks for Li's AI algorithm to sort the cars in all 50 million images into 2,657 categories by make, model and year.

The same task would cost a human 15 years even if it was done at a relatively high rate of six images a minute.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:17:28|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction with the latest U.S. anti-dumping probes on Chinese general aluminum alloy sheets exported to the country.

"China is strongly discontent with the trade protectionism tendency shown in the U.S. move," an MOC statement quoted ministry official Wang Hejun as saying.

The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into Chinese general aluminum alloy sheets in a rare "self-initiated" tactic.

The self-initiated trade investigation into imports of Chinese general aluminum alloy sheets marks the first time in the past 25 years that the U.S. government has launched such probes without requests from U.S. companies or industries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 17:52:36|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BANGKOK, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Members of the public in Thailand are given more time until the end of December to visit the royal crematorium earlier used in the cremation ceremony for the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said on Wednesday King Maha Vajiralongkorn has approved the extended period for the public viewing of the royal crematorium from Nov. 30 to Dec. 31.

The public are allowed to visit the magnificent crematorium at Sanam Luang ground next to the Grand Palace from 07:00 a.m. local time until 10:00 p.m. local time daily.

A total of 2,387,800 people, including 11,726 foreigners, have visited the royal crematorium between Nov. 2 and Nov. 28, the culture minister said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 18:22:44|Editor: liuxin

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by Nemanja Cabric, Wang Huijuan

BELGRADE, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has valuable governance experience and outstanding capability to come up with ideas to tackle domestic and global challenges, a Serbian veteran politician has said.

Zarko Obradovic, vice president of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and the man who had started Chinese language study in elementary and high schools when he was education minister, said the dialogue would be an opportunity to pool global wisdom for improving the living standards of all.

The former minister made the remarks ahead of his trip to Beijing for a high-level dialogue between the CPC and other parties from across the world.

EFFICIENT INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

As the CPC governs a big country with a population of 1.3 billion plus, he said it was very important that the CPC has its own concept of organization and management so as to lead the society ahead.

He noted that in China, the officials are elected from the best candidates who have rich experience to turn development ideas into practice.

And he called the CPC's focus on strict governance of the party the best way to maintain the party's healthy development so that it can continue to meet the needs of the people.

Through its efforts to guide China's reform and opening-up, the CPC, he said, has learned how to seek and find the best solutions and adapt to "the moment, the place, the role and the relations within the international community," he said.

ALL-WIN INTERNATIONAL PROPOSALS

Under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC has promoted China's role as a major country in the world, Obradovic said.

He particularly mentioned the concept of "building a community of shared future for mankind" advanced by Xi and reiterated at the landmark 19th CPC National Congress last month.

The message of this is that "if we pay attention to the future and our common life, we have to also harmonize our plans," he commented.

The Belt and Road Initiative can play an important role in that, Obradovic said.

Proposed by Xi in 2013, the initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and aims to build a trade, investment and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

"The Belt and Road is the first global initiative that absolutely fits into the concept of a community of shared future for mankind, as well as the first concept that has a developmental component relating to such a great number of countries," Obradovic said.

"It will bring huge benefit to mankind," he added.

CLOSER INTER-PARTY COOPERATION

Regarding the upcoming high-level dialogue, which will open Thursday and conclude Sunday, Obradovic said he is looking forward to Xi's keynote speech at the dialogue's opening ceremony and communicating with other participants.

"In one place we can exchange plenty of ideas, and hear and get to know plenty of examples on how cooperation between countries can become even better and make the world a safer place to live in," he said.

Leaders from more than 200 parties and political organizations in more than 120 countries have registered for the meeting, according to Guo Yezhou, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

"The dialogue is held in response to the request from parties around the world for in-depth knowledge of the 19th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and the concept of building a community of shared future for mankind and a better world," Guo said.

"It is aimed at providing an opportunity for equal communication between global parties and pooling their wisdom to deal with development difficulties and challenges the human society is facing," Guo noted.

It will be the first high-level dialogue the CPC holds with parties from the globe.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 18:52:53|Editor: liuxin

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CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army's chief of staff on Wednesday to restore security and stability in the restive part of the Sinai Peninsula within three months.

"I bear you responsible before all the Egyptian people to restore security and stability in Sinai within three months," Sisi spoke directly to Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid Hegazy while delivering a speech aired on the Egyptian state TV.

"You and the Interior Ministry are responsible for that," Sisi continued, assigning part of the responsibility to the police as well, allowing both to use all kinds of massive force to achieve Sinai's security and stability.

Made on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad's birthday celebrated by Muslims worldwide, Sisi's remarks came less than a week after a terrorist attack against a mosque in North Sinai killed at least 305 Muslim worshippers, including children, and wounded over 120 others.

"Marking the birthday of the Prophet of mercy this year comes a few days after a painful attack that grieved our hearts and shocked the whole world. It is a cowardly terrorist attack that targeted worshippers at one of the places of worship. It's been committed by criminals stripped of the least meanings of humanity," Sisi told the attendees, including top police, army and religious officials.

Later military and police raids in reprisal for Friday's mosque attack left about two dozens of terrorists dead and a similar number of suspects arrested.

On Tuesday, police and military raids in the provinces of North Sinai, Ismailia and Sharqiya killed 14 terrorists and arrested 14 other suspects.

A police statement said that six of them were arrested in North Sinai while plotting terrorist activities and "a series of aggressive operations against the state's vital institutions as well as Coptic churches to negatively affect the security and economic conditions in the country."

Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack, fingers are pointed at a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group, which has claimed most of the large terrorist operations in Egypt over the past few years.

Sisi said that Egypt has been fighting terrorism over the past few years that affected the progress of the country's development and economic growth.

He added that 12 countries have been suffering terrorism for long years that dramatically affected their security and stability, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

"At least 250 billion U.S. dollars are required for Syria's reconstruction," Sisi said, noting that terrorism can ruin countries in a way that armies cannot do.

Terror attacks rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Since then, most of the attacks focused on restive North Sinai and killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, before they later extended to other provinces and targeted the Copts at churches and most recently the Muslims at a mosque.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 18:57:55|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction with the latest U.S. anti-dumping investigations into Chinese common alloy aluminum sheets exported to the country.

"China is strongly dissatisfied with the trade protectionism tendency shown in the U.S. move," an MOC statement quoted Wang Hejun, head of the ministry's trade remedy and investigation bureau, as saying.

The U.S. Commerce Department Tuesday launched anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into Chinese common alloy aluminum sheets in a rare "self-initiated" tactic.

The move marks the first time in the past 25 years that the U.S. government has launched such an investigation without a request from a U.S. company or industry.

Such a tactic is "rare in the history of international trade," Wang said.

Chinese and U.S. aluminum industries are complementary and aluminum trade between the two countries is two-way, he said.

"It will hurt both Chinese and U.S. interests to artificially impede the normal order of bilateral aluminum trade," he warned.

A final decision on whether to impose punitive duties on Chinese aluminum products is still months away as self-initiated investigations follow the same processes as normal trade cases.

Wang said he hopes the United States will abide by the consensus reached by Chinese and U.S. leaders on economic and trade cooperation and meet China halfway to support healthy, stable development of bilateral economic ties.

China will take necessary measures to defend the rights of its own enterprises, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:08:01|Editor: liuxin

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Brunei is set to inculcate awareness on the use of safe social media in school curriculum, which is intended to enhance understanding of the moral and ethical elements involved in the use of social media, said Haji Suyoi, Brunei's minister of education.

According to local media on Wednesday, Haji Suyoi said 207 people have become victims of cybercrime until mid-November 2017, compared to 190 in 2016, citing the statistics from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Royal Brunei Police Force.

"Of the victims, 123 are those aged 18-35 years. This is a worrying trend and we do not want to see such negative things coming along with information technology, especially on social media. This will upset the various initiatives planned and implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE)," the minister said.

"It seems that the development of social media can no longer be controlled, and it cannot be denied that social media applications pose serious and powerful challenges to the world," he said.

"Social media has also been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression and poor sleep. The findings match what is happening in our country and we need to act to protect the younger generation, especially students, from challenges posed by social media," the minister noted.

The minister added that the social media learning package will be used starting 2018 to educate students on how to use social media in a smart, ethical, safe and responsible manner.

It is hoped that awareness initiatives such as these can protect and restrain children and teenagers from being victimized by the advancement of information technology and educate them on how to take advantage of the social media platforms prudently, said the minister.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:18:03|Editor: Zhou Xin

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Chinese PremierLi Keqiangdelivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the seventh China and the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) Economic and Trade Forum in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 27, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Experts and politicians from Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) have spoken highly of the fruitful results of cooperation between China and their countries, as well as a speech delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a China-CEEC forum.

In a keynote speech to the seventh China-CEEC Economic and Trade Forum held in the Hungarian capital city of Budapest on Monday, the Chinese premier called for enhancing links between China and CEEC, making very pragmatic proposals to advance their cooperation.

Marceli Burdelski, a professor specializing in Far East studies from Poland's Jagiellonian University, said Li's remarks on cooperation between China and 16 CEE countries, dubbed 16+1, were far-reaching, covering both the mechanism's past achievements and future development.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the launching of 16+1 cooperation. Li said the 16+1 cooperation has been growing in the past five years, becoming an influential trans-regional mechanism with substantial projects and cooperation results.

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka told a press conference after attending the meeting of heads of government of China and CEE countries that the 16+1 cooperation is full of vitality.

Calling the 16+1 cooperation a very important platform for coordination and communication, Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Senida Mesi said the mechanism will lead to further cooperation of more win-win results.

Everybody wins in the 16+1 cooperation, Otto Gajdics, acting editor-in-chief of Hungarian Times said, noting that the cooperation has been based on rational and practical partnerships among the participants, and that's why it is efficient and is able to develop at a fast pace.

Wieslaw Klimczak, president of Poland's Civil Association "Polish House," calling the 16+1 cooperation a mutual beneficial mechanism of win-win results, praised China's pledge to promote the balanced development of bilateral trade by importing more agricultural products such as meat and diary products, as well as honey and fruit from CEE countries.

China has also pledged financial support for the region's construction, which, he said, is good news to every CEE country and will boost regional development.

Experts also took notice of the remarks on financial cooperation in Li's speech.

In the speech, Li announced the establishment of China-CEEC Inter-Bank Association and the second phase of China-Central and Eastern Europe Investment Cooperation Fund.

David Kovacs, deputy director at the Chengdu Shuangliu Innovation & Pioneering Enterprise Service Co. Ltd, said financial cooperation between China and the CEE countries will channel more money to the region, promoting the launch of more major development projects.

Closer financial cooperation will also facilitate trade between China and CEE countries, the Hungarian national added.

Experts agreed that the advancing financial cooperation between China and CEE countries testifies to the strong willingness of both sides to further strengthen their partnership of cooperation and will inject fresh impetus to cooperation in various fields.

Meanwhile, the Chinese premier also said the 16+1 cooperation is not a geopolitical tool, but an incubator for pragmatic trans-regional cooperation, adding that the cooperation is conducive to the balanced development of China-European Union (EU) relations.

As an important part of and a helpful complement to China-Europe ties, cooperation between China and the 16 CEE countries has promoted the development of China-Europe relations, Li said.

Tamas Matura. assistant professor of international relations at Corvinus University of Budapest, said the 16+1 cooperation boosts closer exchange between Chinese and European civilizations.

The mechanism helps the two sides deepen mutual understanding and expand political and economic cooperation, he said.

The Paris-based Nouvelles d'Europe, the biggest Chinese newspaper in Europe, said in an article that China has been both a beneficiary of and a contributor to economic globalization, and that China's development unleashes fresh opportunities to the world as a whole.

The vision of building a community of shared future for mankind embodied by the 16+1 cooperation could be an inspiration for Europe to resolve the dilemma in relation to European integration, the article said.
A picture taken on November 25, 2017, shows the Rawda mosque, roughly 40 kilometres west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish, after a gun and bombing attack. (AFP PHOTO)

CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the army's chief of staff on Wednesday to restore security and stability in the restive part of the Sinai Peninsula within three months.

"I bear you responsible before all the Egyptian people to restore security and stability in Sinai within three months," Sisi spoke directly to Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid Hegazy while delivering a speech aired on the Egyptian state TV.

"You and the Interior Ministry are responsible for that," Sisi continued, assigning part of the responsibility to the police as well, allowing both to use all kinds of massive force to achieve Sinai's security and stability.

Made on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad's birthday celebrated by Muslims worldwide, Sisi's remarks came less than a week after a terrorist attack against a mosque in North Sinai killed at least 305 Muslim worshippers, including children, and wounded over 120 others.

"Marking the birthday of the Prophet of mercy this year comes a few days after a painful attack that grieved our hearts and shocked the whole world. It is a cowardly terrorist attack that targeted worshippers at one of the places of worship. It's been committed by criminals stripped of the least meanings of humanity," Sisi told the attendees, including top police, army and religious officials.

Later military and police raids in reprisal for Friday's mosque attack left about two dozens of terrorists dead and a similar number of suspects arrested.

On Tuesday, police and military raids in the provinces of North Sinai, Ismailia and Sharqiya killed 14 terrorists and arrested 14 other suspects.

A police statement said that six of them were arrested in North Sinai while plotting terrorist activities and "a series of aggressive operations against the state's vital institutions as well as Coptic churches to negatively affect the security and economic conditions in the country."

Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack, fingers are pointed at a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group, which has claimed most of the large terrorist operations in Egypt over the past few years.

Sisi said that Egypt has been fighting terrorism over the past few years that affected the progress of the country's development and economic growth.

He added that 12 countries have been suffering terrorism for long years that dramatically affected their security and stability, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

"At least 250 billion U.S. dollars are required for Syria's reconstruction," Sisi said, noting that terrorism can ruin countries in a way that armies cannot do.

Terror attacks rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:23:06|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesman on Wednesday warned political figures in Taiwan not to obstruct the national reunification.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a press conference.

The reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is a common aspiration of all Chinese people and also a fundamental interest of the Chinese nation, Ma said.

"We pin our hopes on the people in Taiwan," the spokesman said. "Political figures in Taiwan should, at least, not do things that obstruct the national reunification, let alone to carry out separatist activities."

While answering a question about increasing willingness by Taiwan residents to seek job and academic opportunities on the mainland, the spokesman said that more members of the public in Taiwan will come to realize that compatriots of the two sides belong to one community of shared future.

"The mainland's policies towards Taiwan have helped more people in Taiwan understand that our commitment to seeking welfare for Taiwan compatriots is sincere and that the mainland's development is an opportunity, not a threat, to Taiwan," he said.

He noted that "Taiwan independence" would harm the fundamental interests of people on both sides and the immediate interests of people in Taiwan.

While answering a separate question, Ma pledged to support local Party and governmental departments in Fujian in piloting more programs to promote the welfare of Taiwan compatriots and cross-Strait integrated development in economic and social fields.

He also said the one-China principle is a trend that is in line with the will of the people and a consensus in the international community, expressing opposition to the United States and Taiwan developing military relations, and to any official exchanges between Taiwan and countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:33:09|Editor: liuxin

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MANILA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines sent back to Vietnam on Wednesday five Vietnamese fishermen who were detained after they were caught poaching in Philippine waters last September.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte led the send-off ceremony for the five Vietnamese fishermen.

During his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam early this month, Duterte apologized for the death of the two Vietnamese fishermen and promised to send the five fishermen back to Vietnam.

The two Vietnamese fishermen were killed on Sept. 23 when a Philippine navy patrol caught six Vietnamese fishing boats fishing off Cape Bolinao.

According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the navy patrol boat went after the Vietnamese fishing vessels. In the ensuing chase, it said one of the Vietnamese boats initiated very dangerous maneuvers that resulted in its slamming into the Philippine patrol vessel.

The DFA said this prompted personnel on board the navy vessel to fire warning shots and when the navy personnel boarded the fishing vessel, they found two Vietnamese fishermen dead.

Five others surrendered and were taken into custody.

Duterte said he considers the offenses of the fishermen as "something very minor" that can easily be forgiven.

"In the interest of the larger picture of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) we need to understand their plight. I had to do it because I made the commitment during the ASEAN (summit) and promised to do the same - that we treat our poor citizens who happen to just intrude somewhere with understanding, with love," Duterte said during the send-off ceremony in Pangasinan Province.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

ASEAN leaders held their summit early this month in Manila.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:43:11|Editor: liuxin

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NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- About 76 million people will require emergency food assistance across 45 countries mainly in Africa in 2018, a food security assessment report released in Nairobi on Wednesday shows.

The report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWs Net), a donor-funded agency which monitors food insecurity, warns that four of these countries - South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen - face a credible risk of famine while the Somali region of Ethiopia remains an area of concern.

"Given that no improvement in underlying conditions is expected in these countries, the provision of humanitarian assistance will be a primary determinant of whether famine is averted," FEWS Net said.

This figure, says the report, is 60 percent higher than in 2015 and only slightly lower than the 83 million people in need during 2017. The decline between 2017 and 2018 is due, almost entirely, to improvements in Southern Africa.

According to the report, drought in Somalia and the Somali region of Ethiopia, and conflict in Yemen, South Sudan, and northeast Nigeria are the main drivers of acute food insecurity within these countries.

The report calls on governments and the international community to ramp up efforts to resolve conflict, ensure humanitarian access, and make more resources available for emergency response to help save lives.

It says conflict will be the primary driver of food security emergencies during 2018, including in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

"In these countries, ongoing insecurity will continue to disrupt livelihoods, limit trade and market functioning, displace households, and hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance," FEWS Net said.

The report says little improvement is anticipated during the coming year following unprecedented food assistance needs in 2017.

"Governments, international agencies, donors, and other stakeholders should make all possible efforts to resolve conflict, ensure humanitarian access, and provide timely, multi-sectoral assistance to prevent large-scale loss of life," says the report.

FEWS Net says poor rainfall, and its impact on crop and livestock production, will also contribute to a high level of need in some countries.

"In parts of the Horn of Africa, a severe drought during the past 18 months has decimated livestock herds and sharply reduced crop production, particularly in Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia," it says.

Forecasts also indicate that below-average rainfall is likely during the spring 2018 rainy season, in part due to the ongoing La Nina.

In addition, rainfall in some pastoral areas of West Africa has been mediocre to poor for a third consecutive year, and forecasts for the upcoming seasons in Southern Africa and Central Asia indicate an increased likelihood of drier than usual conditions.

The report warns the size of the food insecure population is likely to grow in most other countries. Thirteen countries are expected to have more than 1 million people (local populations, IDPs, and refugees) in crisis or worse and in need of emergency assistance during 2018.

"These include: Yemen (15 million); Syria, South Sudan, DRC, Ethiopia, and Nigeria (5.00-6.99 million); Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sudan (3.00-4.99 million); and Kenya, Iraq, Uganda, and Pakistan (1.00-2.99 million)," FEWS Net said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:53:15|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NANNING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At Reed Flute Cave, a tourist area in Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, tourists not only take photos of the scenery but also of the public toilets.

The eye-catching toilets have a bold design -- the walls are made of transparent glass.

Deng Biqiong, the toilet designer, said this helps users enjoy the beautiful scenery outside even while using the toilets.

In the interest of privacy, baffle boards are installed in front of the urinals and toilet bowls so that users need not worry about exposure.

The transparent toilets have been called an epitome of China's "toilet revolution" which was launched in 2015. Over 20 billion yuan (3 billion U.S. dollars) has been invested in building or renovating 68,000 toilets at tourist sites nationwide. The China National Tourism Administration initiated an action plan that same year targeting notorious toilets at the country's tourist destinations.

Though Guilin is well-known for tourism, its public toilets used to have a nasty reputation, with residents and visitors complaining about a lack of facilities and poor hygiene, said Qiu Shujie, an official involved in improving toilet facilities at the city's tourist areas.

In 2000, Guilin built or upgraded 849 toilets at local tourist destinations. In 2015, the city added extra 400 to meet the demand of increasing numbers of tourists.

"The city government has provided a subsidy of 1,200 yuan (182 U.S. dollars) per household to encourage rural residents to upgrade their toilets since last year," said Hou Libiao, an official with the city government.

"It is important to make the countryside livable for residents," said Liu Chengliang from a rural governance research center at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. "Toilets are part of that work."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 19:58:18|Editor: liuxin

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ABUJA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian army on Wednesday confirmed that 212 people held hostage by Boko Haram have been rescued in a military operation in the northeastern state of Borno.

Army spokesman Sani Usman said troops carried out the operation to clear remnants of Boko Haram from some villages in the northern fringes of the Sambisa Forest, the former training camp of the terror group in Borno, on Tuesday.

Earlier in the week, troops rescued 30 persons held hostage by the terrorists during clearance operations in eight villages around Bama district of Borno.

Nigeria has made considerable gains against the terror group, dislodging its fighters from the Sambisa Forest early this year.

Boko Haram has been blamed for the death of more than 20,000 people and displacement of 2.3 million others in Nigeria since 2009.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:03:20|Editor: liuxin

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ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State group is responsible for an attack against the headquarters of the Finance Ministry in the southern port city of Aden with a parked car bomb that killed at least five people on Wednesday, the group's Amaq news agency said.

"An attack by detonating a parked car filled with explosives was launched by the Islamic State group against the finance ministry building in Aden," Amaq agency reported.

The Islamic State branch of Yemen claimed the attack by releasing a statement via its propaganda agency Amaq just hours after it rocked the city of Aden.

Earlier in the day, security officials based in Aden told Xinhua that unknown militants detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) and targeted the Ministry of Finance building in KhorMaksar district of Aden.

Residents told Xinhua that the blast was so powerful and sent a large plume of smoke up over the area in addition to causing partial damages to some nearby residential buildings.

Medical sources at Jamhuria public hospital told Xinhua that five people were killed and about 15 others injured as a result of the car bomb attack that hit the Finance Ministry of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government.

The security forces backed by armored vehicles cordoned off the area as firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for conducting two suicide attacks against security buildings in Aden during the recent month of November.

An IS-claimed suicide car bombing targeted the CID building in Aden and killed more than 47 people and also another IS-claimed bombing that hit a headquarters of the newly-recruited troops in the city in the same month of November.

According to observers the suicide attacks and the repeated drive-by shootings in Aden point at a spectacular intelligence failure and spotlights how terrorists have managed to move and launch attacks despite the heavy presence of the Yemeni troops backed by the United Arab Emirates.

The southern port city of Aden is considered as Yemen's temporary capital and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government based itself there since 2015.

During the past two years, the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other terrorist groups including the Islamic State had an active presence in Yemen's southern part.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with seven million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera causing more than 2,000 deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:08:22|Editor: liuxin

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COLOMBO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka Disaster Management Center warned people on Wednesday to refrain from fishing and naval activities in the sea off the country due to inclement weather conditions, a spokesman here said on Wednesday.

Spokesman for the Disaster Management Center, Pradeep Kodippili told Xinhua that heavy rain up to 150 milliliters had been forecast within the next 24 hours starting from 15:30 (local time) on Wednesday in the provinces of the southern part of the country.

He said people had been kept on alert on possible floods in the areas with rivers and landslide in the mountainous areas.

According to the Disaster Management Center, gusty wind will be up to 70 to 80 kilometers per hour, therefore it is appropriate for people to refrain from naval and fishing activities in the sea.

"We have alerted all the authorities including the police to be ready to face any possible disaster situation. We asked people to stand alert all the time as heavy rain is expected," he said.

Sri Lanka experienced floods earlier this year, which claimed more than 200 lives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:18:24|Editor: pengying

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) meets with Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BUDAPEST, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover agreed here Tuesday that China and Hungary will further expand people-to-people exchanges.

China is willing to work with Hungary to consolidate the two countries' traditional friendship and expand cooperation in various fields so as to let China-Hungary ties bear more fruits that will benefit the two peoples, Li said during his meeting with Kover.

For years, legislatures of China and Hungary have kept good exchanges and cooperation, playing an important role in promoting bilateral relations, said Li.

The Chinese premier said he hopes that the two countries will continue to strengthen exchanges at more levels and expand people-to-people exchanges in Chinese language education and tourism, so as to inject intellectual impetus in boosting bilateral relations and cooperation in the future.

Kover congratulated Li on his successful visit to Hungary and attendance at the annual meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries.

Noting that it is the consensus widely held by political parties of the Hungarian Parliament to develop Hungary-China ties, Kover said Hungary admires China's development achievements and long-standing and brilliant culture.

The popularity of Chinese language among Hungarian youth demonstrates that more and more Hungarian people, the youth in particular, have recognized the importance of Hungary-China relations, Kover said, adding that it is these young people who bear the future of Hungary-China friendly cooperation.

Kover said he hopes that the two sides will further expand people-to-people exchanges in the fields of culture, education, tourism, and youth, and boost inter-party and subnational interactions so as to bring Hungary-China ties to a higher level.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:23:27|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Catalan regional police (Mossos d'Esquadra) and Spanish National Police arrested 20 people on Wednesday morning in a joint operation against the Georgian mafia in Catalonia and Madrid.

The operation, named Naples, saw raids carried out at 12 different addresses against an organization robbing flats and houses and laundering the stolen money and goods through a series of companies or sending it directly abroad.

Operation Naples has been ongoing for almost two years and has its roots in the murder of two people in a flat in Naples street in the town of Terrassa, close to Barcelona in January 2016, local media reported.

One of the victims of those killings was Gela Garisvili, who was the bodyguard of a Georgian crime boss based in Spain.

On Jan. 11 this year, police in Madrid confirmed 61 arrests of Georgian gang members carrying out robberies in private homes. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:23:28|Editor: Liangyu

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TAIPEI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- On the yellowed pages of a notebook, 68-year-old Taiwan tourist guide Chen Sheng-tai has written down dense colored notes of the history and geography of provinces and cities on the Chinese mainland, as well as famed tourist spots.

He started to take note of his trips to the mainland in 1988, when he brought 34 veterans to Guangzhou via Hong Kong, less than a year after Taiwan authorities allowed Taiwan residents to visit their relatives on the mainland.

Chen then became a professional tourist guide leading Taiwan tour groups to visit the mainland, and receiving mainland tourists in Taiwan later.

"I have been to all major tourism attractions across the mainland. I don't even have to book hotel rooms for three months in some provinces because I have so many friends there," he said.

Cross-Strait tourism was one-way, from Taiwan to the mainland, until the Taiwan authorities allowed mainlanders to visit the island in 2008.

By the end of 2016, more than 93.4 million Taiwan compatriots had visited mainland, while 23.95 million mainlanders had been to Taiwan.

As travelling across the Taiwan Strait has become increasingly convenient, more people, especially younger travelers, prefer independent travel across the Strait.

Liu Lixiao made her first trip to Taiwan in early October this year. She spent nine days visiting Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan and Hualien, and was impressed with the beautiful scenery and diverse culture.

"People in Taiwan are very warm and sincere. We share the same language and culture, which makes it very comfortable and convenient to travel there," Liu said.

Liu was particularly surprised at the wide acceptance of mainland's mobile payment tools, which covered many convenience stores and food stands.

However, booming local tourism has dampened with strained cross-Strait relations, with the number of mainland visitors spiralling downwards since 2016.

Local official statistics show that the number of mainland visitors fell 18 percent year on year in 2016 and plummeted 37.3 percent during January-September this year.

"Our shop could make at least one million new Taiwan dollars per month. But now we only make about 300,000," said Shih Mei-yen, owner of a souvenir shop at Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan.

"Taiwan's tourism market has been bruised by the sharp fall of mainland visitors due to strained cross-Strait ties," said Lee Chi-yueh, a senior observer of local tourism. "Though it is not fatal, it hurts badly."

"The improvement of cross-Strait relations will not only benefit Taiwan's tourism industry, but the overall economy," Lee said.

Chen Sheng-tai has a plan after his retirement: Taking his wife to visit the mainland and to see his friends and relatives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:48:38|Editor: Yurou

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Israeli police scuffle with Jewish settlers during the evacuation of a building in Netiv Ha'avot, south of Jerusalem, on Nov. 29, 2017. Israeli security forces demolished Wednesday an illegally-built carpentry workshop in a Jewish outpost in the West Bank, as dozens of settlers were rallying the site to protest the demolition. (Xinhua/JINI)

JERUSALEM, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli security forces demolished Wednesday an illegally-built carpentry workshop in a Jewish outpost in the West Bank, as dozens of settlers were rallying the site to protest the demolition.

Army soldiers and paramilitary Border Police officers began the eviction early on Wednesday morning in the outpost of Netiv Ha'avot, south of Jerusalem. By noon, a military statement said the demolition was completed successfully.

The military said the move follows government directives after the Supreme Court found the building was illegally-constructed on private Palestinian land. The court ordered to demolish it.

Teenager activists arrived a day earlier to the carpentry and barricaded themselves inside. In the morning, they linked arms and chanted as the security forces dragged them out of the site.

Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that overall 17 buildings in Netiv Ha'avot were illegally built. The carpentry was the second building that was demolished. The demolition of the other 15 buildings is scheduled to March 2018 and is likely to trigger a violent protest by the ultra-nationalist settlers.

Israel rarely demolishes a building of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, a territory that Israel seized together with the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. The settlements are illegal under international law and most of the international community considers them an obstacle to peace.

Some 600,000 Israelis currently live the settlements and the outposts, which are settlements that were built without permits from the Israeli authorities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:53:42|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The world has come to a better understanding of the "Chinese Dream" over the past five years since Chinese President Xi Jinping put it forward to lay out an inspiring vision for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

It is not confined to national boundaries but aligns with aspirations of the whole world for peace, sustained development and common prosperity.

PARADIGM FOR GLOBAL POVERTY ERADICATION

While speaking of his tour to a mountainous area in southwestern China's Yunnan Province in April, Javier Miranda, president of Uruguay's Broad Front party, could not but express amazement at the poverty alleviation efforts he saw there.

"A 60-year-old man has transformed his home into a minshuku (a kind of affordable Japanese hotel) with a dining hall," he said. "He told me that his house used to have leaking roofs and blackouts a couple of years ago."

Over the years, the emergence of vocational schools, e-commerce and alternative planting has brought dramatic changes to the Lisus living there, an ethnic minority.

Similar success stories are pouring in from China's countryside. The past five years saw more than 60 million people lifted out of poverty, marking an epic chapter in the global battle against poverty.

China is set to complete building a moderately prosperous society by 2020, which requires the eradication of poverty. It means more than 10 million people have to be lifted out of poverty every year. That is nearly 1 million people per month, or 20 people per minute.

During his visit to China earlier this month, UN World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley said China can play a significant role in ending hunger around the world because it has proved its commitment and capability in the last few decades.

"China doesn't just talk about it. It acts. It gets it done," he said.

COMMITMENT TO COMMON DEVELOPMENT

Over the past five years, China has maintained its position as the world's second largest economy and contributed more than one third of the global economic growth. It has also become a major international investor and leading global trader.

An example of China's commitment to common development is the Belt and Road Initiative, which was proposed by Xi in 2013.

The initiative, comprising the overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to build a trade, investment and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

It has been implemented in cooperation and alignment with participating countries' respective development strategies, making its projects beneficial to all involved.

The under-construction China-Laos railway will help turn land-locked Laos into a land-linked country; the 472-km Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway built with Chinese assistance and expertise becomes Kenya's single largest infrastructure project since its independence in 1963, among others.

In a message sent to a Belt and Road forum in New Zealand on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "clear synergies" exist between the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Both strive to "stitch countries together in networks of trade and mutual gain," and both aim to "deepen global connectivity," Guterres said.

ADVOCATE OF COMMUNITY OF SHARED FUTURE

The Belt and Road Initiative embodies Xi's concept of building a community of shared future for mankind, which connects the "Chinese Dream" with the aspirations of the whole world for peace and development.

Guided by the concept, which has gained worldwide recognition and been inscribed into multiple UN resolutions, China is playing an increasingly important role in global affairs.

Amid rising trade protectionism and anti-globalization sentiment in Western countries, it has remained a steadfast champion of free trade, open economy and inclusive globalization.

Against headwinds in fighting climate change, China has become an important participant, contributor and torchbearer in the global endeavor for an ecological civilization.

China is also the largest troop contributor and the second largest funding source for UN peacekeeping missions around the world, and a staunch supporter of peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts.

"The dream of us Chinese is closely connected with the dreams of people of other countries," Xi reiterated at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Vietnam earlier this month.

"Our world is full of challenges and the road ahead will not be smooth. But we will not give up our dream. We will double our efforts and work with all others to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys durable peace, universal security, and common prosperity."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 20:58:44|Editor: Liangyu

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SHENZHEN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Customs officers in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen have seized 11.9 tonnes of smuggled pangolin scales.

At a press conference Wednesday, Li Ping, a Shenzhen customs official, said customs found 239 bags of suspected pangolin scales hidden in a container at Yantian port on July 1.

The South China Wildlife Identification Center confirmed on July 18 that they were pangolin scales, banned from international trade.

A pangolin typically has 0.4 to 0.6 kilogram of scales. The center estimated that 20,000 to 30,000 pangolins may have been slaughtered to get such a large amount of scales.

Four months later, police arrested two people allegedly involved in the case. The two confessed that they bought the scales from an African country and transported them back disguised as charcoal.

The pangolin is the world's most heavily trafficked mammal. It is under second-class state protection in China and the highest level of protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits international trade of any of the eight pangolin species.

Pangolins are often smuggled into China because their meat is considered a delicacy and their scales are believed to have medicinal qualities.

Those who catch, kill, buy or sell endangered wild animals on the state's protection list can face more than 10 years in prison, plus fines.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:03:47|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- In most university libraries in China, it is easy to find the latest western academic resources, but it is difficult to find Chinese academic resources in the west.

This awkward position has been called "asymmetry in the changing world cultural order" by Roger Ames, professor of the University of Hawaii and co-director of the Asian Studies Development Program of the East-West Center, in his speech in Beijing Normal University on Nov. 18.

About 2.13 million Chinese scholars publish nearly two million academic articles in 6,449 academic periodicals of China each year, with 3.2 billion annual downloads.

At the "2017 Forum on the future of China Academic Journals" on Nov. 22 and 23, publication experts across China and over 8,000 academic journal employees joined to seek a resolution to break this asymmetry of academic journal development.

In his opening speech, Shi Feng, director of the China Periodicals Association, said that periodicals played a key role in boosting innovative development, creative talent training, domestic and overseas cultural exchange and Chinese soft power.

In recent years, Chinese periodicals have witnessed both quantitative and qualitative development, as well as digital transformation. However, many experts say academic journal development still falls short.

In 2016, 23.4 percent of science academic articles by Chinese scholars were published in overseas journals.

"This indicates a mismatch between the overall development of academic journals and the level of creativity in China, which poses a serious challenge to academia," said Xiao Hong of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI).

In 2017, the forum released a report on the global and domestic influence of China's academic journals. China's academic journals still lack promptness in "online first publication."

In the digital era, online first publication has become an arena of international academic competition.

"Publication is the priority," said Zhu Bangfen, chairman of the China Editology Society for Science Periodicals (CESSP). He suggested an academic platform with a quick and timely publication system be built for Chinese scholars.

Wang Zhizhen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said though not all Chinese scholars were willing to publish their articles abroad, two crucial factors -- a long publishing cycle and single alternative publishing language -- had stymied the outflow of academic articles abroad.

She suggested that Chinese periodicals select and publish creative research results as quickly as possible, especially revolutionary ones, providing a publication "express lane."

Another CAS academician Wang Dingsheng put a more fundamental resolution on the table. "To reverse the tendency of academic article outflows, we should build our own academic evaluation standard," Wang said.

Zhu Bangfen criticized the impact factor-oriented, Science Citation Index-oriented, and Social Science Citation Index-oriented standards, which have long dominated Chinese academic journals and obstructed their progress. In the future, academic evaluation standards should shift to the quality of research and their actual impact on scientific research in China.

"Academic journals of a technological power should take the social responsibility of leading trends in scientific technology, demonstrate the general level of national scientific research, support the right of first publication of scientific research results and protect the right of intellectual property," said Wang Zhixin, general manager of Science China Press.

The improvement of academic quality cannot be realized without the supply of first-class academic articles.

"Academic journals should keep their essence and do their best in quality supervision," said Wu Shulin, vice executive director of the Publishers Association of China. He said the industry must stick to publishing real creative articles.

"The development of academic journals should be equipped with advanced technology. The CNKI platform has already promoted a three-layer intelligent service of knowledge aimed at meeting the different needs of basic searching, whole field searching and individual customized searching, and strengthened academic exchange in academia through its social network functions," said Zhang Hongwei, deputy general manager of Tsinghua Tongfang Knowledge Network (TTKN).

AI technology is also considered very important in the transformation of Chinese academic journals. Zhang Zhenhai, also a deputy general manager of TTKN, has introduced the cutting-edge attempts of CNKI in building search engines based on AI neural networks, making progress in image-forming and intelligent question-answer systems.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:13:54|Editor: liuxin

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LONDON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- British and European Union (EU) negotiators have reached a divorce deal, paving the way for a meeting between British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Monday.

Media reports claimed that the EU wants at least 60 billion euros (71 billion U.S. dollars) from Britain as part of an exit deal. Although the Department for Exiting the EU in London distanced itself from the figures quoted, there are widespread reports that Britain is offering around 40 billion euros (47.39 billion dollars).

A report in The Guardian Wednesday claimed that Britain had bowed to a 50-billion-euro (59.24 billion dollars) deal with Brussels to move ahead on a future free trade agreement.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Britain and the EU had reached an agreement in principle worth 45 billion to 55 billion euros (53.3 billion to 65 billion dollars).

Sources told The Telegraph that the breakthrough on the divorce bill leaves only two major obstacles for the European Council to overcome when it convenes on Dec. 14-15, including the border issue between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Britain after Brexit.

The Telegraph said the British offer on all three areas -- money, citizens' rights and Northern Ireland -- is expected to be delivered by May on Dec. 4 to enable Michel Barnier, the EU chief negotiator, to make his recommendation on "sufficient progress".

If the figures are confirmed, it will infuriate Brexit hardliners in Britain, some of whom want Britain to walk away from the negotiations without paying a penny.

Brexit Secretary David Davis was at the center of a row at Westminster over a series of documents on the likely scenarios when Britain leaves the EU.

The Independent newspaper said Davis will face a grilling at Westminster next week to explain why the full versions of the documents have not been released.

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has warned government ministers that they could be held in contempt of parliament for withholding details of the government's Brexit impact assessments from members of Parliament, the Times reported.

The Labour Party has complained that many sections of the documents have been blanked out because some information is regarded as sensitive by the government.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:18:55|Editor: liuxin

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PARIS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- France condemned late on Tuesday "with the utmost firmness" the new missile test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), reiterating calls for more sanctions.

Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said in a statement that the DPRK's move was "a violation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions, undermines the non-proliferation regime and endangers regional and international security."

"It's more than ever, the time to increase pressure and sanctions (against Pyongyang)," Le Drian said

The European Union (EU) defines the move as "a further unacceptable violation" of its international obligations, and the UN Security Council calls for an urgent meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss the DPRK's latest Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch.

The DPRK successfully test-fired a newly developed ICBM early Wednesday morning, according to the country's Korean Central Television.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:23:59|Editor: liuxin

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SANAA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's dominant Shiite Houthi rebels on Wednesday seized control over a giant mosque that had been built and controlled by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in central Sanaa after fierce clashes, eye witnesses said.

The fighting was over following three hours of exchange of fire, according to the eyewitnesses and a senior Houthi security official.

Ambulances were seen rushing to the scene, eyewitnesses said, adding that they saw around a dozen of Saleh's loyalists were injured and arrested by Houthi fighters.

The Houthi official on condition of anonymity confirmed that the situation was under control and the mosque was controlled by the Houthi security force.

He said all Saleh's loyal fighters were arrested.

Houthi rebel movement advanced from their stronghold in the far north province of Saada towards the capital Sanaa in September 2014, where they tightened control over the capital, all government facilities, army and security camps.

Saleh's loyalists and their General People's Congress welcomed the Houthi's move and struck a partner agreement.

The new allies of Houthis and Saleh's party then toppled the legitimate government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and forced Hadi along with his cabinet members into exile in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The fragile alliance between the two parties has faced many troubles over the vying of controlling the power.

On Aug. 26, a deadly fighting erupted near the residential house of Saleh's son in the southern part of Sanaa, during which Houthis killed a senior security official close to Saleh.

Houthis and Saleh's party have since been trading accusations over allegations of secret links with the U.S.-backed Saudi-led military coalition.

The coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to roll back the Iranian-allied Houthi group and reinstate Hadi into power.

The nearly three years of war has killed over 10,000 Yemeni people, mostly civilians, and pushed the poor Arab country into the most humanitarian catastrophe and near mass famine.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:34:01|Editor: liuxin

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MOSCOW, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Foreign Ministry urged the United States, its allies and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday to refrain from steps that might aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

"It is more important than ever for all parties involved not to provoke each other but to exercise restraint and not allow any new steps leading to further escalation of tension," it said in a statement.

The DPRK announced earlier in the day that it had successfully test-fired a newly developed "Hwasong-15" Intercontinental Ballistic Missile capable of striking the entire U.S. mainland.

The new missile launch in violation of relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council raised serious concerns, the Russian statement said.

The ministry urged the DPRK to stop the nuclear missile tests, and asked the United States and South Korea to stop military exercises to be held at the beginning of December, which will only inflame an already explosive situation.

Russia's position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged, said the statement, adding that an effective search for a long-term and mutually acceptable solution is only possible through persistent and energetic political and diplomatic work.

Moscow urged all parties to immediately start implementing a joint Russia-China "roadmap" for the settlement of the Korean Peninsula crisis.

"We do not see any reasonable alternative to this," the statement said.

China and Russia suggest a dual-track approach of advancing denuclearization while at the same time establishing a peace mechanism.

Meanwhile, they demand that the DPRK suspend its nuclear and missile activities, and the United States and South Korean suspend military exercises.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:39:03|Editor: liuxin

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NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A group of Kenyan wildlife campaigners on Wednesday announced they will embark on a lengthy walk in Britain to raise awareness on the plight of African elephants whose survival is at stake due to poaching and climatic stresses.

The campaigners told reporters in Nairobi that the Dec.3-13 walk from London to Bristol aims to rekindle a global conversation on the need to ban ivory trade in order to save the iconic land mammal from extinction.

"The historic walk from London to Bristol aims to encourage British authorities to support action on illegal trade in ivory that has decimated elephant population in Africa," said Jim Nyamu, the Executive Director of Elephants Neighbors Center.

He added the walk to raise awareness on elephants' protection in Britain was timely as the country set out to implement a total ban on trade in ivory products that was announced in early October.

"There has been ongoing discussion in Britain on how to hasten enactment of laws to ban trade in carvings made of ivory," said Nyamu, adding that the Mayor of London will flag off the upcoming walk for elephants.

The campaigner who has so far walked 10,500 km to lobby governments and corporations to support elephants' conservation said that even legal trade in ivory should not be condoned since it was fuelling slaughter of the giant mammals.

"Ivory markets anywhere in the world should be closed since they are motivating criminal elements to kill elephants and rhinos for their trophies," Nyamu said.

He revealed that Britain will next year hold an international meeting to revitalize global action on elephants poaching ahead of the 2019 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) summit in Sri Lanka.

Kenya's wildlife agency will dispatch officials to participate in the Great London walk for elephants in a bid to reaffirm the country's commitment to protect the iconic mammals.

Edin Kala, a senior assistant director in charge of parks and reserves at Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), said the government will partner with civil society to raise awareness on threats facing elephants at local and global arena.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:44:06|Editor: Liangyu

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NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's bourse is targeting Chinese investors in order to expand its market capitalization, the bourse's top official said on Wednesday.

Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) CEO Geoffrey Odundo told Xinhua in Nairobi that the current market capitalization stands at 23 billion U.S. dollars.

"We are hoping that by targeting Chinese companies to list on the NSE, we can double our market capitalization by the end of 2019," Odundo said when Kenya Airways listed additional shares at the NSE following a financial restructuring plan that reduced the airline's debt by approximately 500 million U.S. dollars.

Odundo said that currently 70 percent of the trading at the NSE is dominated by foreign investors from the United States, Europe and South Africa.

"We want to diversify the pool of international investors to include Chinese investors," he said. The CEO added that NSE is developing products that will appeal to Chinese investors.

The Kenyan bourse also plans to conduct a road show in China to showcase the opportunities for Chinese investors at the capital markets.

In order to expand the Sino-Kenya commercial links, Odundo said the bourse has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Odundo said that the agreement is a big milestone achievement as it is meant to attract a new class of investors from the Asian continent.

Under the MOU, there will be sharing of knowledge between the Kenyan and Chinese bourses. "Shanghai Stock Exchange is a well developed capital market that Kenya can learn valuable lessons from," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:49:07|Editor: liuxin

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ISLAMABAD, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A high level Afghan military delegation is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Thursday for talks on security issues, focusing on anti-terror cooperation, the Afghan embassy said here on Wednesday.

The Afghan embassy said the seven-member delegation will be headed by Afghan Chief of General Staff General Mohammad Habib Hesary.

The delegation will also have other high ranking officials from the Afghan Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the intelligence National Directorate of Security, according to the embassy. The formal talks are set for Dec. 1.

Pakistani security sources also confirmed the visit but offered no more comments.

The Pak-Afghan military-to-military engagement is important as both countries currently face serious security challenges and Pakistan calls for Afghanistan's cooperation to secure the border and stop the illegal crossing of the militants, who are blamed for violence in both countries.

Pakistani security officials insist the Pakistani militants, who have fled to Afghanistan as a result of military operations, operate from the Afghan border regions and routinely carry out attacks on Pakistani border posts.

On Nov. 13, Pakistan's military said two security personnel were killed in terrorists' firing from the Afghan side of the border.

That was the fourth terrorist attack on Pakistani border posts from the Afghan side of the border in two months, which claimed the lives of five Pakistani soldiers.

The banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2,600-kilometre-long border, mostly porous, and now the Pakistan Army is fencing the border to stop the cross-border movement of the militants. Pakistan has been urging Afghanistan to take measures to secure the border on their side as the management would be more effective if similar steps are taken on the Afghan side.

However, Afghanistan has long been saying that its "armed opponents are using Pakistani soil for attacks."

Afghan Chief of General Staff Mohammad Sharif Yaftali said in Kabul earlier this month that the Afghan military officials would take up the issue of the "rocket firing into Afghanistan" from the Pakistani side. He had stated Kabul will pursue diplomatic solution to the cross-border shelling.

Afghan officials claim that hundreds of Pakistani rockets landed in border areas in eastern Kunar province in recent weeks, forcing some people to move to other places.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal had denied artillery shelling into Afghanistan and had told the media this month that the army "does not fire unless it is attacked" from Afghan areas, which are out of the control of the Afghan government, as were used for attacks on Pakistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:54:10|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Foreign academicians elected to China's top think tanks have pledged to bring world-class excellence to Chinese institutions and research.

"If I can contribute to produce world leading young Chinese researchers with global perspectives, it is my great pleasure," said Japanese wind engineer Professor Yukio Tamura in an email interview with Xinhua.

British medical scientist Professor Nicholas Robert Lemoine expressed his determination in developing a medical academy in China, which he co-founded, into a research center known worldwide.

Both professors were among 18 new foreign academicians elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) Monday, including Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, Dame Ann Dowling, president of the London-based Royal Academy of Engineering and Leo Rafael Reif, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The number of foreign academicians elected this year is the highest ever, which is intended to bring more international cooperation and improve China's reputation worldwide, according to the CAE.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) also announced its list of 16newly-elected foreign academicians Tuesday, including the two Nobel laureates Andre K. Geim and James Fraser Stoddart.The 16 foreign scientists come from eight countries.

CAS said the academy paid special attention to scientists from Belt and Road countries this year.

As China's top two think tanks to advise the government and industry in science and technology, the CAE now has 66 foreign academicians, and CAS has 92. Membership is China's highest title in engineering and science, and a lifelong honor.

Most of the foreign academicians are frequent travelers to China and have cooperated with Chinese peers for a long time before being elected.

Tamura works for the School of Civil Engineering of Chongqing University, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. He cooperates with Chinese colleagues and often with young Chinese researchers and PhD students in the field of wind engineering.

Lemoine, a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in the United Kingdom,, established the first Sino-British Research Centre for molecular oncology with Professor Wang Yaohe at Zhengzhou University in central China's Henan Province in 2006.

Bill Gates was elected for his work as the founder and chairman of TerraPower, a leading nuclear innovation company, which has cooperated with the Chinese nuclear industry for many years.

"Foreign academicians not only must have acquired a good reputation and academic excellence globally, but must have made a great contribution to Chinese scientific and technological development," according to the regulations of both academies.

Lemoine told Xinhua that being elected as an academician helped to reinforce his commitment and determination to achieve his aspirations and to make a real impact on major health problems in China.

Tamura promised to "disseminate all my know-how, developed by long and deep experience cooperating with many world eminent researchers and professors, to young Chinese talent."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 21:59:12|Editor: pengying

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) holds talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BUDAPEST, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday wrapped up his four-day visit to Hungary with enhanced bilateral ties and China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation.

During his talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday, Li said China is committed to further advancing bilateral cooperation so as to lift bilateral relationship to a new high.

Speaking of the traditional friendship and solid foundation of bilateral ties between China and Hungary, Li said China views Hungary as an important partner in CEE, a good friend in the European Union, and a friend that can have close communication and coordination in international affairs.

"We are willing to further deepen ties with Hungary on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment so as to lift the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation to a new high," Li told Orban during the talks held at the National Assembly building of Hungary.

China and Hungary lifted their relationship to comprehensive strategic partnership during Orban's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in May.

Hungary is among the first batch of countries that recognized the People's Republic of China and established diplomatic ties with it on Oct. 6, 1949, days after its founding.

Relations between China and Hungary have entered the best period in history with frequent high-level visits and mutual trust in practical cooperation.

Hungary signed the memorandum of understanding over China's Belt and Road Initiative in June 2015, becoming the first European country that has established and started the Belt and Road working group mechanism with China, which signified a successful docking of the China-proposed initiative with Hungary's "opening to the East" policy.

China is willing to better dovetail the Belt and Road Initiative with Hungarian development strategies, expand bilateral trade and investment scale, and enhance cooperation on key areas including infrastructure construction in the hope of promoting connectivity in the region, Li said during the talks.

Proposed by President Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Li said China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Hungary and expects more facilitation from the Hungarian side, adding that China is willing to import more Hungarian products that are competitive on the market.

China is Hungary's most important trading partner outside Europe, while Hungary remains China's third largest trading partner in CEE.

Last year, bilateral trade volume reached 8.89 billion U.S. dollars with a 10.1 percent year-on-year growth. In the first half of this year, two-way trade volume reached 4.85 billion dollars, a 17.3 percent increase over the same period of last year.

The Chinese premier also called on the two countries to strengthen financial cooperation so as to make the country a major base for China-CEE financial cooperation.

Currently, Hungary has the first Chinese yuan clearing bank in CEE.

Li said China supports the two countries in expanding cooperation on tourism, civil aviation and education.

Orban, for his part, said Hungary and China enjoy very good political ties and have had fruitful cooperation, which could be called a success story in Hungary's foreign relations.

Hungary stands ready to accelerate the construction of such flagship projects as the Hungary-Serbia railway, enhance cooperation on economy and trade, finance, education and tourism, he said, adding that Hungary welcomes Chinese firms to invest in the country.

The two countries signed 11 agreements covering areas of agriculture, e-commerce, finance, telecommunication, tourism and education.

"These deals mean that China will further increase its investment in Hungary and help to make more job opportunities in the country," said Li when he and Orban jointly met with the press after their talks.

"Such cooperation is also a good opportunity for Chinese companies to learn advanced technology and managing experience from the Hungarian side," he said.

Accounting for one-third of China's total investment in CEE, China's current investment in Hungary has reached 4.1 billion dollars, creating about 10,000 local jobs, making the country the biggest investment destination of China in CEE.

Orban said the two sides have had talks in a good and pragmatic atmosphere and reached a series of important consensus on deepening bilateral cooperation.

Hungary and China enjoy solid ground for their relations and possess huge potential for cooperation, he said, expressing his hope that the current visit by the Chinese premier would open up new prospects for bilateral ties.

Hungary is ready to seize the opportunities offered by China's development, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in all areas, he said.

During his stay in Budapest, Li also met with Hungarian President Janos Ader and Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover.

He also received the Hungarian-Chinese dictionary edited and presented by Hungarian sinologists.

16+1 COOPERATION BENEFITS ALL

Li's Budapest visit also witnessed stronger cooperation between China and 16 CEE countries, dubbed as the 16+1 cooperation, as he attended the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and seventh China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation forum.

The 17 countries issued the Budapest Guidelines for the China-CEEC cooperation and signed deals on the Belt and Road Initiative, production capacity, infrastructure construction, finance and people-to-people exchanges.

"My current visit is not only aimed at China-Hungary friendship, but also China-CEEC cooperation," said Li when met with the press on Tuesday.

During Li's stay, Serbia launched the construction of the Serbian part of the Hungary-Serbia railway, while Hungary announced the open tendering for the Hungarian part of the high-speed railway.

The Hungary-Serbia railway will connect Budapest with Belgrade, with a total length of 350 km, reducing traveling time between the two capitals from eight hours to three hours.

Initiated in December 2015, the railway project will be built by Chinese companies led by China Railway Corporation.

The origin of the so-called 16+1 cooperation could be traced back to the first China-CEEC Economic and Trade Forum held in Budapest six years ago, Li said.

"Now that this cooperation mechanism has been running for five years, it is a perfect place and time to review the past and plan the future. The results in the past five years show that 16+1 cooperation benefits both sides as well as the world," Li said.

Chinese investment in CEEC is now over 9 billion dollars, up from 3 billion in 2012, while CEEC invested 1.4 billion dollars in China.

In the first three quarters this year, their trade exceeded 49 billion dollars, marking an increase of 14.5 percent year-on-year. China's imports of agricultural products from CEEC have seen an annual increase of 13.7 percent.

The two sides have also expanded infrastructure and industrial partnerships, with a number of flagship projects underway, including the Hungary-Serbia high-speed railway, the China-Serbia Friendship Bridge across the Danube in Belgrade, and highway projects in Macedonia and Montenegro.

Li said this trans-regional cooperation mechanism has shortened the psychological distance between peoples of both ends of the Eurasia continent and reduced development imbalance arising from the process of globalization.

It has contributed to the healthy development of globalization, the comprehensive development and integration of Europe, as well as regional stability and world peace, he said.

Orban said his country will step up bilateral cooperation under the 16+1 cooperation framework and continue to promote fruitful cooperation between CEEC and China in order to make contributions to regional and global development.

Hungary is the first leg of Li's week-long visit starting Sunday. He is heading for Russia for the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Sochi, Russia from Thursday to Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 22:09:15|Editor: liuxin

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by Jin Jing, Gu Zhenqiu

LONDON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Blue Planet II, the BBC's new wildlife series, has become a global hit for its unprecedented exploration into unseen parts of the oceans one month after its first episode was broadcast.

James Honeyborne, executive producer of Blue Planet II, said the development of science and technology in recent years has made it possible for the crew to capture some of the most dramatic moments that even scientists have never seen.

The new series is the sequel to the original 2001 award-winning The Blue Planet, filmed by the Bristol-based BBC Natural History Unit.

"There is a generation of 20 years of new science and new technology. And I knew that would give us the opportunity to tell new stories," Honeyborne told Xinhua in a phone interview.

Honeyborne is highly experienced in documentary production. He has overseen some 35 films, working with multiple co-producers around the world. His recent projects include the Emmy Award-nominated series Wild New Zealand with National Geographic, and the BAFTA-winning Big Blue Live jointly presented by the BBC and PBS.

The first episode of Blue Planet II, premiered on Oct. 29, was rated by the Guardian as the most watched British program of 2017, with the first episode seen by 14.1 million people in the first week of its debut.

The seven-episode series, sold to more than 30 countries, has drawn more than 160 million on-line views in China alone.

To explore and film the unseen world beneath the sea, the team led by Honeyborne developed new technologies. They also also used some off-the-shelf technology.

Unlike conventional divers who can only stay submerged for an hour underwater while generating a lot of noise, the improvements in rebreather diving technology has allowed the crew to stay for much longer underwater without producing bubbles, said Honeyborne.

"The technology has allowed us ...closer proximity to animals in a way that they just totally 'accept' us. That's when we could review their characteristics and their great intelligence," said Honeyborne.

Thanks to this new technology, divers could spend up to four hours with a tusk fish before they capture the moment when the fish cracks open a clam by 'hitting' it against against a coral reef after numerous attempts, he noted

Meanwhile, the camera sensitivity has now become so good that the crew can film images in low light conditions. This was previously impossible only two years ago, said Honeyborne. Submersibles carrying ultra HD and extreme low-light cameras which now are able to record previously unseen events such as hunting packs of the Humboldt squid, at 800 meters deep, he said.

"It's only in 2015, that this technology became available and we were able to film that," said the executive producer.

The new series was more than four years in the making as the crew mounted 125 expeditions, visited 39 countries, and filmed on every continent from the tropics to the poles. They also traversed from familiar shores to the deepest seas, and spent over 6,000 hours diving underwater.

Apart from benefiting from the improvement of the off-the-shelf technology, the crew, teamed up with expert engineers, built their new technologies including the "megadome," a huge split-screen lens which can film and contextualize events above and below the water at the same time.

When filming a walrus sitting on an iceberg, for instance, the audience can see both what's going on, above the huge iceberg as well as what's floating beneath, said Honeyborne.

The team developed a "tow camera" that can travel quickly through the water behind the boat to keep up with fast-moving tuna or dolphins. They also built a "probe camera" that is small enough to go between the branches of coral to give the audience a close-up, wide-angle perspective of what a reef fish would experience itself.

Honeyborne admitted that the ocean is "a dangerous world and it's a world that's rapidly changing."

"There are many potential dangers associated with diving and even submarines so you have to work with the best people in the world. You have to have the best expertise around you in the world to do this sort of expeditions," said Honeyborne.

The BBC executive producer said local help was vital for the team when it comes to currents & tides, changes in visibility as well as sudden changes in the weather.

"The ocean is an unforgiving environment. But if you get it right, she will yield her secrets. And she is also a wonderful and bountiful place to explore," Honeyborne said.

Apart from showing an amazing underwater world, another key message of the new series is that the ocean's health is fragile and that the human race needs a healthy ocean for a healthy planet, he said.

"I am hoping the people will come to care about the ocean through what they see and then together, we could all gain a better understanding of life beneath the waves," said Honeyborne.

During the interview, Honeyborne also expressed his keen interest in possible wildlife filming opportunities in China.

"Clearly there are audiences (in China) that are very interested in the subject...There is a lot of very interesting wild life in China and a lot of stories to be told," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 22:14:18|Editor: liuxin

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KATHMANDU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and 25 injured in a passenger bus accident at Phisling area of southern Chitwan district of Nepal on Wednesday morning, Police said.

"The accident took place after a bus heading from capital Kathmandu to Arghakhanchi, a southwestern district of Nepal, plunged around 60-meter down to Trishuli river at around 9.15am," Shiva Sharma, deputy superintendent of Police of District Police Office, Chitwan, told Xinhua.

Sharma, who was at the accident site, said that the bus carrying the passengers had remained drowned unseen in the river until Wednesday evening.

Police have not confirmed the number of passengers travelling on the bus. "We cannot deny additional causalities as bus remains drowned," Sharma said.

After the incident, those injured were sent to hospitals in Kathmandu and Chitwan.

Police have not identified the reason behind the accident. But Sharma said that bus might have struck a truck before being skidding down to the river because there was the presence of the truck near the accident site with mark of strike.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 22:44:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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The 3rd China-Africa Political Parties Theoretic Seminar is held in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2017. Song Tao, director of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the opening of the seminar. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday held a seminar with African political parties to explore the mission and role of parties in building a China-Africa community of shared future.

Song Tao, director of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the opening of the seminar, which was held ahead of upcoming CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in Beijing.

Song briefed the attendees on the 19th CPC National Congress, including the concept of building a community of shared future.

In the process of exploring paths toward modernization, China and Africa should share ideas, draw on each other's strengths and support each other's undertakings, Song said.

Acknowledging that political parties exert great influence in the development of countries and their engagement with other countries, Song said that the CPC is willing to maintain close relations with African political parties.

Over 60 representatives of political parties from some 20 African countries attended the seminar.

Evariste Ndayishimiye, secretary general of CNDD-FDD of Burundi, said his country hope to learn from Chinese experiences, especially in promoting comprehensive development and people's welfare.

Solomon Lechesa Tsenoli, Central Committee member of the South African Communist Party and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, said his party is curious about the CPC experiences in capacity-building and how to run programs.

In his keynote speech, Song also called for more mutual trust and learning, as well as practical and win-win cooperation, as the Chinese and African economies are highly complementary to each other.

He also recommended strengthened security cooperation and coordination on international affairs to contribute insights and solutions on global economic governance, sustainable development and the reform of international institutions.

"Together, we shall give a voice to the developing world and be the constructors of world peace, contributors to global development and guardians of international order," said Song.

On the same day, Song met with Samdech Techo Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian People's Party and Cambodian prime minister, and held talks with Abdulrahman Omari Kinana, secretary general of Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania, both in China to attend the high-level meeting.

Earlier on Tuesday, Song met with a delegation headed by Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister of Ethiopia and vice chairman of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, who is also attending the seminar and the upcoming high-level meeting.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 22:44:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KIGALI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Wednesday deployed a new contingent of 240 police officers to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan to help keep law and order in the war-torn east African nation.

The new contingent, which departed for South Sudan on Wednesday, will replace the first contingent of 240 police officers who have spent year-long in peacekeeping operations in Malakal, South Sudan.

The force specializes in public order management like crowd control, facilitating delivery of humanitarian assistance, escort duties and protection of UN facilities and so on, according to the police.

Speaking at a pre-deployment briefing in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Inspector General of Police Emmanuel K. Gasana urged the police officers to strive to protect and promote Rwanda's image abroad.

"Alertness, effective communication, professional conduct and mandate execution, force discipline, respect and teamwork are indispensable to protecting the image of Rwanda National Police and our country," he told the peacekeeping force.

In August, Rwandan minister of defence James Kabarebe pledged continued support, including troops, police and equipment to the UN peacekeeping operation around the world.

Rwanda is one of the top five troop and police contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions, according to the UN.

Rwanda is set to deploy a contingent of female police officers to South Sudan in next January, according to the Rwandan police.
Premier Li Keqiang called to accelerate building of the China-Europe land-sea express line when he met with his Serbian counterpart Ana Brnabic as construction of the Serbian section of Hungary-Serbia Railway began on Tuesday.

Premier Li said the section's construction signified a breakthrough progress for the Hungary-Serbia Railway. It's hoped that both countries can further advance the project and complete the flagship program as soon as possible, which will inject new momentum into building the China-Europe land-sea express line and regional connectivity, he said.

The 350-kilometer flagship railway will link Hungarian capital Budapest with Serbian capital Belgrade, with 184 km in Serbia and the rest in Hungary. A group of Chinese enterprises, led by China Railway Co, will build the line that will shorten the travel time from eight hours to three hours.

Hungary announced an open bidding for the railway's Hungarian section during the sixth Meeting of Heads of Government of China-Central and Eastern European Countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 22:54:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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SHANGHAI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese online travel agency Ctrip.com Wednesday said it had an agreement with Hungarian Tourism Agency to promote tourism in there.

Ctrip will produce various tourism products and marketing activities based on big data analysis of consumer habits, said Zeng Huaiyi, vice president of Ctrip International.

The Hungarian state-owned national tourism marketing organization will offer support, including tourism licenses and special offers, for Chinese tourism firms, Zeng said.

In the first 11 months of 2017, Chinese visitors to Hungary increased 40 percent year on year, according to Ctrip.

Chinese visitors spent more than 9,000 yuan (1,400 U.S. dollars) per person, 50 percent higher than the average spending of Chinese abroad, it said.
File Photo: Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), speaks during the Second Plenum of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK, Oct. 7, 2017. (Xinhua/KCNA)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Security Council will hold an urgent meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss the latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), diplomatic sources said here on Tuesday.

According to the "Program of Meetings and Agenda" for Wednesday published on the UN website, the 8118th meeting of the Security Council will focus on "Non-proliferation/Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

Sources said that the United States, Japan and South Korea have requested the meeting to address the DPRK's launch of the ICBM which the Japanese defence ministry said probably fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone.

It is the first launch since Sep. 15, when the DPRK fired a ballistic missile over northern Japan into the Pacific Ocean.

Since November last year, the Security Council has imposed export bans on coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, restricted joint ventures and blacklisted a number of DPRK's entities in response to the country's missile and nuclear tests.

It has also banned the hiring of DPRK's guest workers and capped oil exports.

Under UN resolutions, DPRK is barred from developing missiles and a nuclear weapons capability, but Pyongyang argues that the arsenal is needed for self-defense against the "hostile" United States.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the latest missile launch by the DPRK.

"The secretary-general strongly condemns the launch of yet another ballistic missile by the DPRK. This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community," Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:04:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping told his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation late Wednesday that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

He said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and jointly push the nuclear issue towards the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations.

Trump said Washington highly values China's important role in solving the nuclear issue, and is willing to enhance communications and coordinations with China in search for solutions to the issue.

Also in their phone talks, the Chinese leader said that during Trump's visit to China earlier this month the two heads of state have exchanged in-depth views on key issues of common concerns and reached important consensuses on multiple fronts, which bears significance for maintaining a sound and stable bilateral ties.

Xi called on the two sides to carry out these consensuses, make good plans for high-level bilateral exchanges, as well as at other levels, ensure the second-round talks under all four high-level China-U.S. dialogue mechanisms a success, and implement cooperation agreements and projects between the two countries.
Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2017 shows the construction site of Taitema Lake Bridge of Golmud-Korla railway and the No. 218 national highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

KIEV, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A state-owned Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation Ltd on Tuesday signed an agreement with Ukraine's state road agency Ukravtodor to upgrade the Kiev-Chop highway, which connects the capital of Ukraine with the city on the Hungary's border.

The contract, worth about 42.3 million euros (about 50.16 million U.S. dollars), was signed in Kiev by Xu Fei, Sinohydro representative in Ukraine, and Slavomir Novak, an acting head of the Ukravtodor.

Under the document, the Chinese company will modernize a 22.3-kilometer-long section of the highway near Ukraine's northern city of Zhytomyr, expanding the road from two into four lanes in one direction.

Besides, the road upgrading project will cover the construction of four road interchanges, the reconstruction of three overpasses over railway tracks, building two pedestrian bridges over the highway and modernizing another bridge.

Once completed, the upgrade works are expected to enhance the capacity of the 821-kilometer-long Kiev-Chop highway, one of the logistic arteries of Ukraine, and reduce the traffic jams on the Zhytomyr section, which serves about 10,000 motorists per day.

The project, which will start at the beginning of 2018, is set to be completed within two years. It is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

It will be the second project for the Chinese companies on carrying out the modernization of Ukrainian roads.

According to Novak, the Ukrainian side is well aware of the vast international experience of the Chinese partners and highly values cooperation with them.

"We treat you like Chinese ambassadors in the Ukrainian market and I would like to underline that it is a huge responsibility in your hands," Novak said at the agreements signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, Xiong Lixin, the Executive Vice President at the Power China, the parent company of Sinohydro, said the Chinese side is developing other projects related to road construction and energy sector in Ukraine.

"We really believe in this market. Therefore, this is not a single project, but only the beginning. We hope that the Ukrainian market will become an important part of our activities abroad," Xiong told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:19:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GENEVA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government delegation to attend the new round of the UN-led Intra-Syrian talks has arrived here Wednesday, a source close to the Syrian government delegation said.

The government delegation is once again headed by Bashar al-Jaafari, Syria's Permanent Representative to the UN, who is expected to meet and hold a bilateral discussion with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan De Mistura later the day.

Giving green light to the participation of the new round of the Geneva talks in the last minute, the Syrian government delegation failed to arrive at Geneva on the opening day of the new talks.

De Mistura on Tuesday afternoon met with the Syrian opposition delegation, known as the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), kicking off the new round of the intra-Syrian talks under the aegis of the UN.

"We have in the past, from the oppositions, some delays to the talks, but our door is open and we will not put any judgments on that. We will test everyone by what they actually do but not only the attentions," De Mistura told Xinhua Tuesday.

De Mistura said he will ask the government's position whether or not they also want a direct discussion this time with the opposition during their meeting later on Wednesday.

After meeting with the UN Envoy, SNC on Tuesday issued a statement calling for "direct negotiations" with the representatives of the Assad regime in the talks.

Breaking out in 2011 and then quickly turned into a full-fledged war, the Syrian armed conflict has entered into its seventh year, and so far UN figures showed that the Syria war has killed more than 330,000 people and displaced millions.

The last UN-led talks aimed at brokering a political solution between the Syrian government and the major opposition forces ended on July 14 without going deeper into any of the scheduled topics.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:19:50|Editor: pengying

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by Xinhua writers Tian Dongdong, Shi Zhongyu

BUDAPEST, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- With an investment of 350 million U.S. dollars, the upgrade and reconstruction of the first segment of the Belgrade-Budapest railway started Tuesday, in a bid to revive its function as a road of friendship, cooperation and development.

Praised as a "flagship" project by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the railway is the first major scheme jointly implemented by China, a European Union (EU) member state (Hungary) and an EU aspirant (Serbia).

"The renewed line would ensure the fastest way for Chinese goods through central Europe to the West. The 16+1 forum not only serves CEE (Central and Eastern Europe's) interests but those of the whole of Europe," said Orban in a keynote speech to the seventh China-CEEC Economic and Trade Forum on Monday.

As he was delivering the speech, the Xiang Ou Express linking Budapest and China's south central city Changsha was pulling out of BILK Logistics Ltd, Hungary's largest railway hub.

Loaded with 41 containers of red wine, beer, cereals, milk powder and hardware accessories from Hungary and other European countries, the Express embarked on its first trip back to China, along with expectations of CEE countries (CEEC) to double or triple their exports to China.

"If you carry goods by ship from China to central Europe, normally it takes around 30 days. With the help of the Express, the time is 12 days. Besides, it is more controllable," Viktor Lippai, CEO of BILK, told Xinhua.

The express not only strengthens Hungary's prominent role as a regional logistics hub, but also facilitates the delivery of exports from western European countries to China, said Lippai.

For Lippai, China-CEE cooperation is win-win in nature. However, he said the EU is anxious regarding cooperation with China, but he believes that cooperation does not pose a hurdle to European integration. Instead, he, together with many experts from both China and the region, believes that China is an opportunity instead of a threat to the EU.

Faced with multiple challenges, Europe may eventually find a way out with China's efforts to build a community of shared future for mankind, Wan Zhe, chief economist with the International Cooperation Center of China's National Development and Reform Commission, told Xinhua.

China showed its firm support for European integration by forging ahead with 16+1 cooperation. Such cooperation is providing a strong buttress for a solidified EU, a prosperous Europe and a stable euro, said Wan.

Similarly, Liu Zuokui, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua that the global financial crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis have limited the EU's ability to support the development of CEE countries.

China's participation fills the gap and the development of China-CEEC relations could help bring about a rebound for the European economy, he said.

Agnes Szunomar, a researcher with the Institute for World Economics under the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, thinks that such a competitor as China is necessary for the EU's competitiveness.

"The challenge for the EU is to acknowledge that it has a competitive position. Competition is fundamentally good; competition is anticipated; and competition drives companies, firms and individuals to improve their services," Szunomar told Xinhua.

In that sense, the 16+1 mechanism serves as an opportunity for China and the EU to strive towards a harmonious relationship, Szunomar said.

As CEE countries are showing increasing interest in cooperation with China, zero-sum mentality and ideological bias are actually holding the EU back, putting the whole union's prosperity at risk.

The world now calls for mutual respect and understanding, Orban said in his speech. "Europe should not be a fortified Europe, and Europe should not close its doors," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:19:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HONG KONG, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong is well placed to navigate through challenges given its strong buffers and robust policy frameworks, including ample fiscal reserves, strong financial regulatory and supervisory frameworks as well as the Linked Exchange Rate System (LERS), an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Mission said in its latest assessment published on Wednesday.

The assessment, which was made in the Concluding Statement of the IMF Mission following its 2017 Article IV Consultation with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), noted that Hong Kong's economy has gathered momentum, with real gross domestic product projected to grow at 3.5 percent in 2017, amid robust domestic demand and recovering external demand.

Hong Kong's balance of risks has improved since last year, said the mission, adding that the strong policy frameworks and ample buffers Hong Kong has built and strengthened over the last decade will help weather challenges.

The current fiscal stance of the HKSAR government is appropriate, and the financial system of Hong Kong is well placed to cope with the challenges ahead, the mission assessed while welcoming Hong Kong' continued strengthening of the regulatory and supervisory framework to maintain financial stability.

The mission expressed support for Hong Kong's continued efforts to tap new opportunities as a global financial center.

Hong Kong is well positioned to contribute to, and benefit from, the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, it said, adding that it welcomes the HKSAR government's support for Fintech development and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's establishment of the Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office and the Fintech Facilitation Office, which will help enhance Hong Kong's role as a key global financial center.

The mission reaffirms its continued support for the LERS, commenting that it is the best arrangement for Hong Kong and anchors the stability of Hong Kong's highly open economy with its large and globally integrated financial sector.

The HKSAR government's Financial Secretary Paul Chan welcomed "the IMF's reassuring forecast for Hong Kong and reaffirmation of our strong buffers and robust policy frameworks".

With the Chinese Mainland continuing to be the growth engine of the world, the rolling out of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, in which Hong Kong plays a unique role, and the new and continuous impetus to be injected into the economy by the HKSAR government in its new proactive role, "I have every confidence that Hong Kong's economic growth will continue to gather strong momentum," he said.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Norman Chan welcomed the IMF's continued support for Hong Kong's Linked Exchange Rate System which underpins its economic stability.

"I am also pleased to note the mission's support for our work in capturing opportunities arising from the infrastructure financing and fintech space, as well as in building stronger financial ties with the Chinese Mainland," he said.

The IMF mission visited Hong Kong from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 for the 2017 Article IV Consultation with the HKSAR. It held discussions with HKSAR government officials, regulators and private sector representatives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:24:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHENGDU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A freight train service linking Milan of Italy with Chengdu of China has been launched.

A train left Italy's second largest city Tuesday morning local time and is scheduled to arrive in Chengdu after a 10,694-kilometer journey over 14 days, the Qingbaijiang district government in Chengdu said Wednesday.

The train service will import machineries, high-end furniture and ceramic tiles from Italy.

Freight trains now connect Chengdu with 11 major cities in Europe.

The train is part of the China-Europe freight train service. In 2016, 460 cargo trains left Chengdu bound for Europe, 26 percent of all freight trains leaving China for Europe.

In 2017, the number of Europe-bound freight trains from Chengdu will exceed 1,000, according to the city's port and logistics office.

The number of China-Europe freight trains reached a new high this year since starting operations in 2011, according to China Railway Corporation.

So far this year, more than 3,000 cargo trains have traveled on 57 lines between cities on the two continents, surpassing the past six years combined, and pushing the aggregate to over 6,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:34:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping told his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation late Wednesday that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

He said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and jointly push the nuclear issue towards the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations.

In response, Trump said the United States has serious concerns over the launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The DPRK's Korean Central Television reported that the country successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile early Wednesday morning.

Trump said Washington highly values China's important role in solving the nuclear issue, and is willing to enhance communications and coordinations with China in search for solutions to the issue.

Also in their phone talks, the Chinese leader said that during Trump's visit to China earlier this month the two heads of state have exchanged in-depth views on key issues of common concerns and reached important consensuses on multiple fronts, which bears important significance for maintaining sound and stable bilateral ties.

Xi called on the two sides to carry out these consensuses, make good plans for high-level bilateral exchanges, as well as at other levels, ensure the second round talks under all four high-level China-U.S. dialogue mechanisms a success, and implement cooperation agreements and projects between the two countries.

He also urged the two sides to maintain close communications and coordination on important international and regional affairs.

Trump appreciated the warm reception he received in China during his visit, saying China's long-running and splendid history and culture have impressed him deeply.

He added that he agreed with Xi on his positive evaluation of the visit's outcomes and the notions on further promoting China-U.S. ties.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:39:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GUANGZHOU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China Southern Airlines, one of the country's major state-owned carriers, on Wednesday night sent two planes to fetch Chinese tourists stranded in Bali, Indonesia, after a volcano eruption.

The airline said 1,297 passengers have booked seats on its flights flying out of Bali to Guangzhou and Shenzhen between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. The two wide-body A330 planes are scheduled to take off from Bali at dawn Thursday.

The International Ngurah Rai airport in Bali was closed on Monday due to the eruption of Mount Agung volcano. The airport only re-opened Wednesday afternoon and was subject to further closures depending on the weather and the movement of volcanic ash.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:40:00|Editor: Yurou

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that additional sanctions will be imposed on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after its latest missile launch.

"Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea (DPRK) today. This situation will be handled," Trump tweeted.

The DPRK successfully test-fired a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning, the country's Korean Central Television reported.

The latest missile launch came a week after the United States redesignated the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and slapped a new round of sanctions on the country, which was seen by some experts as likely to escalate the ongoing confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:45:02|Editor: Yurou

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ZABAIKALSK, Russia, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Increased traffic of freight and people has brought prosperity to Zabaikalsk, a small city in the Far East near the Russian-Chinese border, as the two countries are expanding economic and trade cooperation.

Timur, the owner of a small eatery by a highway linking Zabaikalsk and China's largest land border port of Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, had a lot of business in the past two years thanks to an inflow of diners.

"Many truck drivers came to eat at my restaurant. In summer, I received Chinese tourists from time to time," he said, adding that quite a number of local people made a fortune from driving trucks or engaging in trade at the border just miles away.

Outside Timur's restaurant, roaring trucks loaded with Russian beer, candies and beverages sped away toward Manzhouli. Just on the other side of the road, vehicles were busy delivering Chinese products to Zabaikalsk from the opposite direction.

According to data from Manzhouli customs, the volume of road freight passing through the Manzhouli port grew 26.5 percent year on year to about 625,000 tons in the first 10 months of this year.

Shops selling Chinese clothes, jewelry and electronic devices can be seen on the streets of Zabaikalsk flanked by buildings from the Soviet era. Chinese clothes are warmly welcomed here, a shop owner said.

Closer business ties have boosted two-way flows of people as well. Buses shuttling between Zabaikalsk and Manzhouli are usually packed with Russian and Chinese traders.

Official data showed that in the first half of 2017, about 830,000 cross-border trips were made by road travel through the Manzhouli port.

Timur said that in the city of Zabaikalsk with a population of more than 10,000, a majority of people have been to China and many can speak Chinese. His restaurant's menu is trilingual -- written in Russian, Chinese and Mongolian.

An international railway runs through Zabaikalsk, where Chinese trains have their wheels changed for wider Russian rails and vice versa. Currently, 41 rail routes connecting different Chinese and European cities pass through this Russian border city.

Zabaikalsk witnessed the inflow of Chinese machines, home appliances, garments and daily necessities and the outflow of European aircraft and vehicle components, clothes, as well as Russian lumber, paper pulp and other materials.

Data showed that in the first 10 months this year, 325 trains entered China through the Manzhouli port, up 45 percent year on year, while 762 trains left Manzhouli, up 9 percent.

Local authorities have been renovating the century-old Zabaikalsk railway station to cope with surging freight volume.

Wang Xiwei, a businessman from Inner Mongolia, said at the railway station that Russian products, such as candies, beer, chocolate, flour and cooking oil, sell well in China, and his company's imports of Russian food have doubled this year.

A taxi driver said he has been to Manzhouli and he liked it. "I hope that one day Zabaikalsk will be as prosperous as Manzhouli," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-29 23:50:04|Editor: Yurou

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People gather outside a mosque following an attack in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on Nov. 29, 2017. At least two people were killed and four others injured in an apparent sectarian attack in Pakistan's capital city Islamabad on Wednesday evening, officials said. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and four others injured in an apparent sectarian attack in Pakistan's capital city Islamabad on Wednesday evening, officials said.

Officials from police told Xinhua on the condition of anonymity that the incident happened when people were coming outside the Shia mosque after saying their evening prayers.

The attack was carried out in sector I-8 of Islamabad at about 6:45 p.m. (local time) by two motorbike-borne assailants, who fled the scene after the incident, he said.

"The attackers sprayed 15 rounds of bullets at the people indiscriminately, and fled the scene," the official said.

The attack left one man killed right at the spot and injured five others who were shifted to the hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, where another one succumbed to injuries.

Police cordoned off the area and kicked off a search operation to apprehend the on-the-run militants.

No group or person has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:05:09|Editor: pengying

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The past few days have been good for China's science and technology (S&T) community.

On Monday, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) announced that six new national research centers would be built in Beijing, Wuhan, Shenyang and Hefei.

The centers will be based on current pilot national laboratories and discipline clusters, said Ye Yujiang, head of the ministry's basic research department.

The centers will target frontier S&T and major economic concerns,including basic research.

"We will speed up the building of the six national research centers and initiate new centers at the proper time," Ye said. "A national research center system will be established by 2020."

"National research centers are significant to improved innovation and to building a world-leading power in S&T," said a statement by Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale when it was confirmed as one of the new centers.

Built at the start of the 21st century, the six pilot labs have won more than 80 international prizes and are home to 2,000 permanent researchers.

"We have amended the law on the conversion of sci-tech achievements over the past five years to encourage researchers to commercialize their products," said Wang Zhigang, deputy head of the MOST.

"Over 50 percent of the profits from commercialization now go to the research teams," he continued.

In east China's Anhui Province, where the Hefei research center is based, the policy has gone even further. Researchers there can claim more than 70 percent of the profits of their achievements. Moreover, tax payments can be delayed until stock rights of the products are transferred. Tax rates could also be lowered, in line with the province's tradition of favoring sci-tech researchers.

Anhui's special treatment for scientists attracted the likes of cytologist Wang Wenchao, one of the eight Chinese doctors from Harvard University who now conduct their research in Hefei.

"Laboratories abroad are already mature, which doesn't allow us to do much new stuff. Back in China we have more freedom," he said.

"The national research center could become one with international influence that encourages academics and other talent," Ye Yujiang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:15:13|Editor: huaxia

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ZAGREB, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Croatia taxi drivers protested here on Wednesday in front of the parliament building against a new law that could further liberalize the taxi market and allow Uber to operate in the country.

Protesters complained they were not involved in the making of the law that would be open to public discussion in December. They believed that because of the new law, 2,500 taxi drivers in Croatia could be forced to close their business.

"The main problem is a company that is illegally working for two years and there is no end in sight," Jozo Kovacevic, president of taxi drivers' union, told local media.

He claimed that taxi drivers care about the safety of the citizens and pay taxes to the state, while Uber doesn't pay taxes, doesn't employ people or cooperate with students and retirees.

According to a local survey published this month, 86 percent of citizens believe that Uber is a modernization of transport service and that they support Uber's work.

Traffic inspectors have seized dozens of Uber drivers' cars so far, but that didn't affect the company's business in the country.

In July, taxi drivers blocked traffic near the airports of Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, causing traffic jams and long lines.

In September, a Croatian court rejected Ministry of Transport's request to ban Uber. The Croatian government is working on the new road traffic act which would regulate the work of Uber. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:20:15|Editor: ZD

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European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (front) attends the opening ceremony of the 5th African Union-European Union Summit in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, on Nov. 29, 2017. The 5th African Union-European Union Summit started on Wednesday in Abidjan, economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, with "investing in youth for a sustainable future" as its theme. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

ABIDJAN, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The 5th African Union-European Union Summit started on Wednesday in Abidjan, economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, with "investing in youth for a sustainable future" as its theme.

Dozens of European and African leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Jacob Zuma, attended the summit, which takes place as Africa tries to tame high youth unemployment while Europe seeks relief from its migrant crisis and frequent terror attacks.

The meeting will discuss how to create jobs and enhance economic opportunities for Africa's young population, as Europe hopes to see African youths securing jobs in their home countries, thus shunning illegal immigration and terrorist recruitment.

Other partnership priorities to be discussed at the two-day forum include peace and security, governance, investment and trade, and job creation.

Topics of migration and security have dominated the speeches at the opening ceremony, with leaders calling for more jobs and training for African youths and increased funds and support for Africa's fight against terrorism.

"Migration will inevitably be an important part of our relationships in the years to come," said European Council President Donald Tusk.

Calling migration a "joint responsibility," Tusk said: "the worst we can do is to start the blame game."

Africa has 60 percent of its population under the age of 25, a demographic asset that has created a huge labor pool yet to be fully utilized, due to such hurdles as a lack of industrialization. The ensuing high youth unemployment has fueled protests in some African countries and supplied illegal migration to Europe.

Over 100,000 migrants, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, making dangerous trips across the Mediterranean to Europe every year has evolved into a humanitarian crisis in recent years.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR said 148,200 migrants and refugees have taken the Mediterranean routes to enter Europe in the first nine months of 2017, and 2,700 people reportedly died in the process. Many others were exposed to abuse, human trafficking and enslavement.

Recent footage showing African migrants being auctioned off like slaves in Libya, a transit hub for Europe-bound migrants, has sent shock waves across Africa, including in Cote d'Ivoire, the host country of the summit. Several African leaders have pressed for the slavery issue to enter the summit's agenda.

Europe, struggling to cope with the migrant influx and a rising anti-immigration sentiment, has called for tackling poverty and unemployment in Africa as the root cause of the uncontrolled immigration.

The summit is held in alternation between both continents, serving as a platform for dialogue between African and European nations. It was also the first time for the summit to be held in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:30:17|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and three others injured when a blast hit a vehicle of security forces in Pakistan's southwest Sibi district of Balochistan province on Wednesday, local reports said.

The incident happened when the vehicle of paramilitary troops frontier corps was on its routine sweep in the district, Dunya News said.

Police said that the vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Sangan area of Sibi, a district located in the country's southwest Balochistan province.

The inured security personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital.

No group or person has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Chief Minister Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri condemned the attack and directed hospital administration to provide best possible medical treatment to the injured people.

This is the third attack targeting law enforcement agencies in the province during November. Earlier two attacks left four policemen including two senior officers killed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:35:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping told his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation late Wednesday that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

He said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and jointly push the nuclear issue towards the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations.

In response, Trump said the United States has serious concerns over the launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The DPRK's Korean Central Television reported that the country successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile early Wednesday morning, a move that has drawn condemnation from the international community.

Pyongyang said "The development and advancement of the strategic weapon of DPRK are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from the U.S. imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat, and to ensure the peaceful life of the people."

It is the first launch since Sept. 15, when the DPRK fired a ballistic missile over northern Japan into the Pacific Ocean.

Trump said Washington highly values China's important role in solving the nuclear issue, and is willing to enhance communications and coordinations with China in search for solutions to the issue.

Also in their phone talks, the Chinese leader said that during Trump's visit to China earlier this month the two heads of state have exchanged in-depth views on key issues of common concerns and reached important consensuses on multiple fronts, which bears important significance for maintaining sound and stable bilateral ties.

Xi called on the two sides to carry out these consensuses, make good plans for high-level bilateral exchanges, as well as at other levels, ensure the second round talks under all four high-level China-U.S. dialogue mechanisms a success, and implement cooperation agreements and projects between the two countries.

He also urged the two sides to maintain close communications and coordination on important international and regional affairs.

To help soothe the Korean Peninsula situation, China has proposed a dual-track approach, seeking to advance denuclearization and establish a peace mechanism in parallel. Beijing, in its "suspension for suspension" initiative, calls on Pyongyang to pause its missile and nuclear activities, and calls on Washington to put its joint military drills with South Korea on hold.

In response to the DPRK's missile launch, the United Nations Security Council will hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Since November last year, the Security Council has imposed export bans on coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, restricted joint ventures and blacklisted a number of DPRK's entities in response to the country's missile and nuclear tests.

It has also banned the hiring of DPRK's guest workers and capped oil exports.

Under UN resolutions, DPRK is barred from developing missiles and a nuclear weapons capability, but Pyongyang argues that the arsenal is needed for self-defense against the "hostile" United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:50:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Wang Jiarui (3rd R), who is also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 29, 2017. (Xinhua)

NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Wang Jiarui met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday, after attending the inauguration ceremony of the Kenyan president in Nairobi on Tuesday.

Wang, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the friendship between China and Kenya enjoys a long history, stressing that the political mutual trust has been increasingly enhanced in recent years.

He went on to say that the bilateral relations are at their best in history, with economic and trade cooperation becoming increasingly close and people-to-people exchange displaying many highlights.

Wang said China is willing to work with Kenya in implementing the fruits of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, furthering cooperation on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and continuously advancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

On his part, Kenyatta expressed thanks for China's abundant support and assistance for Kenya in developing its society and economy over the years, saying that Kenya is willing to work with China in advancing the major cooperation projects between the two nations, deepening cooperation on infrastructure construction, poverty reduction and improvement of people's livelihoods, and increasing exchanges on party and national governance.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 00:55:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JERUSALEM, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israel plans to appoint a new ambassador to Jordan in a bid to solve a diplomatic crisis over July's deadly shooting by an Israeli guard in Amman, Israeli media reported Wednesday.

According to the Hebrew-language Walla news site, the move was aimed to calm Amman's anger over the way the current Israeli ambassador, Einat Schlein, handled the incident, in which a security guard with the embassy shot and killed two Jordanian citizens.

Schlein left Jordan on July 24, following the incident, and has not come back. According to Walla news, Amman objects Schlein to return.

A spokesperson for the Israeli foreign ministry was not immediately available to comment for Xinhua, but an official with the ministry said that Israel is "working on a solution to put the relations back on track."

In the incident, the guard killed a Jordanian workman that installed furniture in his apartment and the apartment's landlord, who witnessed the incident.

The guard's apartment was located next to the embassy, and he reported to the embassy right after the shooting, claiming he did it in self-defense. Schlein repatriated him a day after the shooting.

Amman was fumed at pictures of the warm welcoming which the guard and Schlein received from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.

Jordan has demanded Israel to open a criminal investigation against the guard but so far Israel has failed to do so.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:10:29|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Program (WFP) said Wednesday it plans to feed 1.7 million people in South Sudan in the next ten months after identifying a new route in northwestern city of Aweil in Bahr El-Ghazal region.

WFP said some 19 WFP-contracted trucks loaded with 500 tonnes of sorghum left El Obeid in central Sudan on Nov. 22 and arrived five days later in Aweil.

WFP South Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan lauded the government for providing a third humanitarian corridor at this crucial time, noting that WFP and its partners assisted a total of 2.6 million people in October.

"This strengthens our ability to move large amounts of life-saving food assistance by road into South Sudan," Khan said in a statement issued in Juba. This is the third overland route to open between the two countries since 2014.

WFP said it plans to use the new route regularly to deliver 30,000 tonnes of life-saving assistance into South Sudan in 2018 if it receives donor support to buy the food.

According to the UN, the number of people experiencing severe food insecurity for the October-December period is likely to surge by 1.4 million from a year earlier to 4.8 million, although the number represents a drop from six million in June.

The UN also forecasts the food security situation will deteriorate at the start of 2018, and the "hungry season" will arrive three months earlier than usual, when households will likely run out of food before the next harvest.

The UN food agency said it has assisted 4.6 million people in South Sudan so far this year with 208,000 tonnes of food and 24.5 million U.S. dollars in cash.

It warned that an estimated 25,000 people face famine conditions in Western Bahr El Ghazal and Jonglei regions from October to December.

This comes at a time when the harvest is coming in and food should be relatively plentiful. Last year, no one faced famine conditions during the harvest period.

"WFP is now able to reach three locations in South Sudan by road from Sudan: Renk, Bentieu and now Aweil. This enables WFP to deliver life-saving assistance more swiftly and efficiently and makes it easier to pre-position food before the rainy season, which cuts road access to many communities," it said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:10:30|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A criminal investigation in the Latvian capital city of Riga resulted in nabbing a record-large haul of illicit cigarettes in mid-November, the Latvian State Police announced on Wednesday.

On Nov. 15, the police in Riga region seized a truck loaded with illegal cigarettes, which on the same day led to the discovery of an even larger stockpile of illicit cigarettes in a storehouse in Riga.

The cigarettes seized in the operation amounted to 22.7 million, Andrejs Sozinovs, the chief of the Riga criminal police, said, adding that this was the largest number of illicit cigarettes ever seized by the Latvian State Police.

In the course of the crackdown, officers seized 2,269 boxes with cigarettes of various brands, with the black-market value of the haul estimated at roughly 1.5 million euros (1.78 million U.S. dollars).

A 53-year-old foreign citizen was held in connection with the case, police said.

The law enforcement authorities are continuing the probe over illegal possession, transportation or distribution of large amounts of tobacco products in an organized group, which under the Latvian law is a criminal offense carrying a jail term of up to five years. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:10:30|Editor: Xiang Bo

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British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the EU headquarters after the first day of the two-day EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, early Oct. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

LONDON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May and her senior ministers remained tight-lipped Wednesday over the amount Britain will have to pay to leave the European Union (EU).

Virtually every media outlet in London is reporting that the figure will be around 50 billion euros (59.3 billion U.S. dollars), a sum that neither 10 Downing Street nor the official Brexit office denied.

Leading commentators in London are convinced a deal in the order of 50 billion euros has been offered by London, and welcomed by Brussels, as a way of paving the way for post-Brexit trade talks.

Questioned Wednesday afternoon in the House of Commons, Treasury minister Liz Truss declined to comment on what she described as media speculation. Truss insisted any financial settlement was contingent on Britain getting the right overall outcome.

She told MPs that Britain would meet its commitments and get a good deal for the British taxpayer.

Earlier veteran Conservative and former front-bench minister Ken Clarke, asked Theresa May's deputy, Damian Green to welcome reports that the Brexit bill has being settled by the EU and Britain.

Green, standing in for May at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, responded by saying Clarke "had been around long enough to know not necessarily to believe everything he reads".

He then added: "But he's absolutely right in that what we are about is making sure we get the best possible deal at this stage and Britain as a country that meets it international obligations."

British negotiators are eager to see progress on Brexit made ahead of crucial "make or break" decisions early December at a meeting of EU member state leaders. What they agree will determine when future trading relations will move to the next stage for discussion.

One politician unhappy with the prospect of a bumper check heading to Brussels was Nigel Farage, founder of Britain's anti-EU UKIP party.

On his social media site, Farage said: "Even if the UK was guaranteed tariff-free access to the single market, it's not worth 50 billion euros. Christmas has come early for the EU."

Vince Cable, leader of the minority Liberal Democrat party, said: "If these numbers are correct, it means we're paying a heavy price to leave an institution that has benefited the country for decades.

"The true cost of Brexit is becoming clearer by the day. This underlines why people should have a referendum on the final deal, with the option of an exit from Brexit."

In a radio interview Wednesday former Conservative leader and leave-supporter Iain Duncan Smith described a likely deal as a bargain for Britain, saying the country would save "a staggering amount of money".

With payments spread over many years, said Duncan Smith, the divorce bill would represent a small percentage compared to what Britain would have paid over 40 years to stay as a member.

A Department for Exiting the European Union spokesperson said: "Intensive talks between the UK and the European Commission continue to take place in Brussels this week as we seek to reach an agreement.

"We are exploring how we can continue to build on recent momentum in the talks so that together we can move the negotiations on to the next phase and discuss our future partnership."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:15:33|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Somali forces on Wednesday recaptured a town in the Lower Shabelle region as the military intensified attacks against the militant group Al-Shabaab.

Gen. Omar Adan Hassan, the April 12 Somalia National Army Brigade commander, told the media the forces launched a major offensive against the militants, capturing Baladul Amin location in Lower Shabelle region.

Hassan added his forces inflicted casualties on the militants who fled the town after the attack.

"Somali forces conducted a morning raid and captured Baladul Amin location this morning which is located in Wanla Weyn in Lower Shabelle region," Hassan said. "We also killed several militants but I cannot give you more information."

The latest attack came amid increased military operations in the southern regions of the country, conducted jointly by African Union forces and the Somali National Army.

The allied forces hope to force out the militants ahead of the United Nations Security Council-mandated withdrawal of 1,000 troops next month.

The military operations have forced the militants to flee to central and northern regions.

U.S. forces said on Monday it killed one Islamic State (IS) fighter in Bari region in northeastern Somalia, the second of such attacks on the Abdulqadir Mumin-led faction.

Mumin, a formerly UK-based preacher, declared leadership of IS in Somalia in 2015. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:20:34|Editor: huaxia

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ANKARA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Around 29 million foreigners visited Turkey in the first ten months of this year, rising by 28 percent year on year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Wednesday.

The revival of tourism was mainly due to an ongoing rebound in the Russian market, as the ties between the two countries have normalized after a jet crisis in 2015.

More than 4.5 million Russians visited Turkey in the first 10 months, with a 496-percent year-on-year increase, according to the data.

The number of Russian tourists in Turkey in October hit 442,970, almost doubled compared with the same period of last year, the data showed.

Russia took the first place by its share of 15.7 percent in the same period, followed by Germany and Iran, which took 11.5 percent and 7.3 percent of share respectively, Georgia and Britain ranked fourth and fifth.

Meanwhile, a total of 17.6 million European people visited Turkey with a nearly 1.6-percent decrease compared with the same period of last year.

Turkey's resort city of Antalya, which is located on the Mediterranean coast, recorded the highest number of visitors with 9.25 million in the period of Jan.-Oct. this year. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:25:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOGADISHU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) on Wednesday congratulated Muse Bihi Abdi on his election as president of the breakaway republic of Somaliland after confirmation by Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The UN mission said in a statement issued in Mogadishu commended the political and traditional leaders in Somaliland for resolving the elections-related disputes that emerged.

"UNSOM urges the incoming administration to continue to advance inclusive politics and consolidate democracy, peace and stability among Somalilanders," it said.

Abdi, from the ruling Kulmiye party, garnered 350,909 votes or 55.1 percent of the total votes cast.

Both international and domestic observers have indicated that the electoral process and the voting itself were conducted in a generally peaceful manner and yielded a credible outcome.

UNSOM said it looked forward to building on the existing relationship with Somaliland based on the agreed roadmap for United Nations support to Somaliland and Somaliland's Development Plan II.

"UNSOM also stands ready to support the resumption of dialogue between Somalia and Somaliland," it said.
Cargo trains are seen at a railway station in Zabaikalsk, Russia, Nov. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Ren Jun)

ZABAIKALSK, Russia, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Increased traffic of freight and people has brought prosperity to Zabaikalsk, a small city in the Far East near the Russian-Chinese border, as the two countries are expanding economic and trade cooperation.

Timur, the owner of a small eatery by a highway linking Zabaikalsk and China's largest land border port of Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, had a lot of business in the past two years thanks to an inflow of diners.

"Many truck drivers came to eat at my restaurant. In summer, I received Chinese tourists from time to time," he said, adding that quite a number of local people made a fortune from driving trucks or engaging in trade at the border just miles away.

Outside Timur's restaurant, roaring trucks loaded with Russian beer, candies and beverages sped away toward Manzhouli. Just on the other side of the road, vehicles were busy delivering Chinese products to Zabaikalsk from the opposite direction.

According to data from Manzhouli customs, the volume of road freight passing through the Manzhouli port grew 26.5 percent year on year to about 625,000 tons in the first 10 months of this year.

Shops selling Chinese clothes, jewelry and electronic devices can be seen on the streets of Zabaikalsk flanked by buildings from the Soviet era. Chinese clothes are warmly welcomed here, a shop owner said.

Closer business ties have boosted two-way flows of people as well. Buses shuttling between Zabaikalsk and Manzhouli are usually packed with Russian and Chinese traders.

Official data showed that in the first half of 2017, about 830,000 cross-border trips were made by road travel through the Manzhouli port.

Timur said that in the city of Zabaikalsk with a population of more than 10,000, a majority of people have been to China and many can speak Chinese. His restaurant's menu is trilingual -- written in Russian, Chinese and Mongolian.

An international railway runs through Zabaikalsk, where Chinese trains have their wheels changed for wider Russian rails and vice versa. Currently, 41 rail routes connecting different Chinese and European cities pass through this Russian border city.

Zabaikalsk witnessed the inflow of Chinese machines, home appliances, garments and daily necessities and the outflow of European aircraft and vehicle components, clothes, as well as Russian lumber, paper pulp and other materials.

Data showed that in the first 10 months this year, 325 trains entered China through the Manzhouli port, up 45 percent year on year, while 762 trains left Manzhouli, up 9 percent.

Local authorities have been renovating the century-old Zabaikalsk railway station to cope with surging freight volume.

Wang Xiwei, a businessman from Inner Mongolia, said at the railway station that Russian products, such as candies, beer, chocolate, flour and cooking oil, sell well in China, and his company's imports of Russian food have doubled this year.

A taxi driver said he has been to Manzhouli and he liked it. "I hope that one day Zabaikalsk will be as prosperous as Manzhouli," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 01:45:47|Editor: pengying

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) meets with Hungarian President Janos Ader in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BUDAPEST, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday pledged to strengthen cooperation with Hungary while meeting with Hungarian President Janos Ader in Budapest.

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in October, 1949, China and Hungary have always been committed to mutual respect and treating each other on equal footing, Li said, adding that political mutual trust has continued to strengthen while exchanges and cooperation in various areas have kept deepening.

China is willing to work with Hungary to dock their development strategies, identify converging points of interests to facilitate mutually beneficial cooperation, open up new areas of practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and jointly push for achieving new outcomes of 16+1 cooperation, he said.

For his part, Ader said Hungary and China have always kept close contact and are deepening their friendly cooperation.

The current visit of the Chinese premier has produced new and important consensus on developing bilateral ties and cooperation, and achieved positive outcomes, he said.

Hungary is willing to work with China to further boost mutually beneficial cooperation, keep close communication and coordination on international affairs, and promote bilateral ties and 16+1 cooperation, said the president.

The two leaders also exchanged views on climate change.

The Chinese government has been actively engaged in promoting and signing the Paris Agreement, Li said, noting that Beijing is the first to formulate and submit its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions document to tackle global warming.

China will continue to carry out its commitment made in the Paris Agreement on the basis of the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", and stands ready to work with related parties, including Hungary, to expand cooperation in environmental protection and promote international cooperation to jointly tackle challenges brought by climate change, Li said.

Ader spoke highly of China's positive measures to conserve energy, reduce emissions and construct ecological environment, saying Hungary is willing to learn from China's experience and promote cooperation with China in environmental protection.

Hungary is the first leg of Li's week-long visit starting Sunday. He arrived in Moscow on Wednesday afternoon and is expected to attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Sochi, Russia from Thursday to Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:00:55|Editor: pengying

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by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- After failing to bring a solution to the prolonged Syria war by seven rounds of talks, the eighth round of Geneva talks this time is also not expected to achieve any breakthrough, analysts say.

Since 2012, the consecutive rounds of Geneva talks have failed to produce a solid ground for the solution in Syria as the talks were marred by the intervention of foreign powers in the talks in addition to the fragmentation of the Syrian opposition groups.

Sure, there are developments on the ground that are important and also in the political arena.

On the ground, the Syrian government forces, with the help of the Russian ally and the Iranian-backed troops, have retaken key and large areas from the rebels, including the ultra-radical ones, such as the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Their latest achievement was capturing the city of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria from the IS militants and haunting them down in their last stronghold of the city of al-Bukamal in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour near the Iraqi border.

This progress against the terror-designated groups across the country is so important for the Syrian government, whose forces are now on the offense instead of being on the defense in the early years of the nearly seven-year war.

These kinds of achievements have strengthened the position of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, particularly in any given negotiation.

But the foreign-backed opposition groups who were taking part in the previous rounds of talks maintained their stance that Assad must go as a prelude to any political process, which is seen by many analysts as doesn't make sense because the thing that they have failed to achieve militarily will not be taken politically, at least in their outright demand for Assad's departure.

This tone had previously been reflected by Western powers, whose rhetoric has softened in terms of their high demands.

Still, the opposition in exile kept voicing this demand before any round of talks.

This month, the opposition groups have succeeded, for the first time, to attend the Geneva talks with one delegation. However, it is viewed as an ostensible unity, not a real one.

Mahmoud Meri, an opposition figure based in Damascus, told Xinhua that the opposition delegation is predominated by the Saudi-backed Riyadh platform, which is the one with the precondition of Assad's departure.

"Most of the participants are from the Riyadh platform as they have 36 members in the delegation, while the Cairo platform and Moscow platform, which doesn't place Assad's departure as a precondition, have only eight members in the delegation," Meri said.

He noted that Syria-based opposition groups were ignored in this round of talks, saying "the domestic opposition was expelled from participation so the opposition delegation in Geneva doesn't really represent all of the oppositions."

Meri, meanwhile, said the eighth round of talks, which started on Wednesday, will be a "failure."

"The eighth round of talks in Geneva is not expected to bring about any positive results but I think it will be mere meetings with the UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura," he said, noting both sides are not expected to hold face-to-face meetings in this round of talks.

The reason behind the pessimism is not only the fact that the opposition delegation is not actually representing all of the opposition groups.

Meri cited the remarks of the head of the opposition delegation, Nasr al-Hariri, who told reporters in Geneva upon arriving there on Monday that his group insists on the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad as part of any peace deal.

He said such announcement ahead of the talks pushed the Syrian government delegation to delay their participation, as they arrived in Geneva on Tuesday, a day after the scheduled date.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the Syrian government delegation arrived in Geneva on Tuesday following "extensive communications" with Russia, which reflect the fact that the Syrian government is still considering the discussion about Assad's departure as a red line.

Muhammad Omari, a writer and political analyst, also voiced the same pessimism.

Speaking to Xinhua, Omari said the opposition's precondition and the delay of the arrival of the Syrian government delegation to Geneva are all indicators that the eighth round of talks will not come out with any positive results.

He added that the eighth round of Geneva talks hasn't changed much in comparison with previous rounds of talks, noting that the opposition delegation is not independent in terms of their ideas.

While the expectations are low, Omari pinned more hope on the anticipated talks in the Russian city of Sochi next year.

He said the Geneva talks are a platform for the powers who are not really interested in the actual solution, adding that the Russia-based meeting is more concerned with finding a solution based on the previous talks in Astana, which produced the de-escalation zones' deal that was supported by Turkey and Iran and helped to reduce the violence in four volatile Syrian areas.

"There is a difference between the Geneva and Sochi talks because the Geneva talks are just an international entitlement and we have seen the extent of the foreign countries influence on the participants in previous rounds," Omari said.

Regarding the Syrian talks in Sochi, the meeting would be an enhanced and developed version of the Astana talks, which produced results on the ground.

"Sochi meeting is designed to achieve results on the political field amid the inability of the international community to find an exit to the Syrian crisis," he said, adding that Russia is trying to translate the military achievement of the Syrian army into victories and visions in the political process.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:16:03|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2017 shows Chang Jin, chief scientist of Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) and vice director of the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), introducing the science achievement of DAMPE Satellite, "Wukong", at the PMO in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. China's DAMPE has detected unexpected and mysterious signals in its measurement of high-energy cosmic rays, which might bring scientists a step closer to shedding light on invisible dark matter. The satellite, also called Wukong, or Monkey King, has measured more than 3.5 billion cosmic ray particles with the highest energy up to 100 tera-electron-volts (TeV for short, corresponding to 1 trillion times the energy of visible light), including 20 million electrons and positrons, with unprecedentedly high energy resolution. The initial detection results were published in the latest issue of the academic journal, Nature. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) has detected unexpected and mysterious signals in its measurement of high-energy cosmic rays, which might bring scientists a step closer to shedding light on invisible dark matter.

The satellite, also called Wukong, or Monkey King, has measured more than 3.5 billion cosmic ray particles with the highest energy up to 100 tera-electron-volts (TeV for short, corresponding to 1 trillion times the energy of visible light), including 20 million electrons and positrons, with unprecedentedly high energy resolution.

"DAMPE has opened a new window for observing the high-energy universe, unveiling new physical phenomena beyond our current understanding," said Chang Jin, chief scientist of DAMPE and vice director of the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The initial detection results were published in the latest issue of the academic journal, Nature.

"This is the first time a space experiment has reported a detailed and precise electron and positron spectrum up to about 5 TeV. In this energy range, we found some unexpected and interesting features. We have detected a spectral break at 0.9 TeV and a possible spike at 1.4 TeV," said Chang.

Precise measurement of cosmic rays, especially at the very high energy range, is important for scientists to look for traces of dark matter annihilation or decay, as well as to understand the most energetic astrophysical phenomena in the universe, such as pulsars, active galaxy nuclei and supernova explosions. "Our data may inspire some new ideas in particle physics and astrophysics," said Chang.

Dark matter, which cannot be seen or touched, is one of the great mysteries of science. Scientists calculate that normal matter, such as galaxies, stars, trees, rocks and atoms, accounts for only about 5 percent of the universe. However, about 26.8 percent of the universe is dark matter and 68.3 percent dark energy.

China sent DAMPE into an orbit of about 500 kilometers above the earth on December 17, 2015, to look for evidence of the annihilation or decay of dark matter particles in space.

DAMPE has the widest energy range coverage and the highest energy resolution of all the dark matter probes currently in space. Based on the satellite's data, scientists drew the cosmic ray electron and positron spectrum.

To their surprise, scientists found a break at around 0.9 TeV and a strange spike at around 1.4 TeV on the spectrum. "We never expected such signals," Chang said.

"The spike might indicate that there exists a kind of unknown particle with a mass of about 1.4 TeV," said Chang.

"All the 61 elementary particles predicted by the standard model of particle physics have been found. Dark matter particles are beyond the list. So if we find a new elementary particle, it will be a breakthrough in physics," he added.

"The spike is very unusual," said Fan Yizhong, deputy chief designer of the scientific application system of DAMPE. "The signals might have originated from either dark matter or pulsars. Even if they were from pulsars, it would be quite a strange astrophysical phenomenon that nobody had known before."

"However, the data of the strange signal are still not enough. We need to collect more data to make sure it's real," Chang said.

More than 100 Chinese scientists and engineers, together with those from Switzerland and Italy, took part in the development of DAMPE and the analysis of its data.

Researchers have ruled out the possibility that the unusual signals are caused by a malfunction of the satellite's detectors. Independent analyses from five different teams all came to the same conclusion, said Chang.

DAMPE's design life is three years, but as it is performing so well, scientists expect it to work much longer. "DAMPE will continue to collect data to help us better understand the anomaly and might bring dark matter out of the shadows," said Chang.

Nobel Laureate Samuel Chao Chung Ting, leader of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment on the International Space Station, said of DAMPE, "It's a very good experiment."

Bi Xiaojun, a particle physicist at the Institute of High Energy Physics of the CAS, said DAMPE's observations are important to help scientists better understand the origin of cosmic rays.

"The satellite's data on the spike at 1.4 TeV are still not enough to declare a physical discovery. If the signal can be confirmed with the accumulation of data, it would be of great significance," Bi said.

"That could be explained by either dark matter or an astrophysical source. If we use dark matter to explain it, dark matter would be different from what we thought before. It conforms to the popular dark matter model of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP), but has some special features," Bi said.

Chen Hesheng, a CAS academician, said that even if a candidate dark matter particle is found, it still needs other experiments such as underground detection or collider experiments to confirm it, which would be difficult.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:21:07|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday launched an evaluation process aimed at eradicating Guinea worm disease in the country.

Joel Breman of U.S. department of Health and Human services, who is leading the process, said his team will assess the adequacy of the surveillance system and review records of investigations regarding reported cases of the disease and subsequent actions taken.

"We intend to visit refugee camps, border areas and northwestern Kenya that had the last reported case," Breman told journalists during launch of the exercise in Nairobi.

Guinea-worm disease is a parasitic disease that is transmitted through drinking stagnant water that has been contaminated with a tiny parasite-infected flea.

Once inside the body, the larvae can mature into worms that grow up to one meter in length and people may develop a fever, swelling and pain in the area where the adult worm is ready to come out.

Cabinet Secretary for Health Cleopa Mailu revealed that Kenya's first case was reported in 1994 and exotic case in 2005.

He said that Kenya's certification is long overdue and that the government will accord the team all the necessary support to complete their work successfully.

"The two cases were reported in northwestern part of the country while the rest of the country has no experience of the disease," Mailu added.

Mailu said that Kenya started guinea worm eradication program in 1989 and has since continued creating awareness and surveillance to detect and contain any imported case.

WHO Country Representative Rudi Eggers said that it will be a significant and historical public health achievement in Kenya and the world if the country is declared free from the disease.

"Guinea worm will be the second human disease ever to have been declared eradicated in Kenya after smallpox and the first human parasitic disease wiped off in the country," he added.

Eggers cautioned that due to the fact that some of Kenya's neighbors are still endemic, the country should continue with its effort even after certification until the whole world is declared free from the diseases.

From 3.5 million persons infected with Guinea worm every year in the world in mid 1980s, the number has since reduced to 25 in 2016 and 24 people in 2017. Chad and Ethiopia reported 14 and 10 infections this year.

According to WHO, 186 out of 194 WHO member countries are already certified guinea worm free and only eight countries in the world including Kenya remain to be certified.

Ghana was certified in January 2015 becoming the latest country to be certified while South Sudan, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are on the pre-certification stage.

To be declared free of guinea worm, a country needs to have reported zero instances of transmission and maintained active surveillance for at least three years afterwards. Enditem
File Photo: Afghan security force members take part in a military operation against Islamic State (IS) militants in Asmar of Kunar province, Afghanistan, Nov. 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Emran waak)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for comprehensive measures to tackle the problem of foreign terrorist fighters.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on the issue of foreign terrorist fighters, Wu Haitao, the charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations (UN), said comprehensive measures must be taken to remove the root causes and hotbed of terrorism.

Terrorism is a common enemy of mankind. Facing this challenge, the international community must realize that we are all in a community of shared future and thus enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, bring into full play the leading role of the UN and the Security Council, respect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of all countries, said Wu.

He also stressed the need to follow a uniform standard and to reject the practice of associating terrorism with specific ethnicity or religion.

Wu said effective measures must be taken to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters.

The countries neighboring conflict zones in particular should strengthen border control and law enforcement cooperation and take concrete measures to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, he said.

The UN counter-terrorism agencies and relevant international organizations should play their due role, establish databases and information exchange platforms on the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, share intelligence and block the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, and assist member states in capacity building on the basis of respecting their sovereignty, he said.

Wu also called for more efforts to combat terrorist activities conducted by using the Internet.

The flow of foreign terrorist fighters and financing for terrorism have become easier, more hidden and more international, he noted. The Internet and social media are being used by terrorist organizations to conduct incitement, recruit fighters and plan terrorist attacks.

The international community should block the use of social media for the spread of extremist ideologies, strengthen Internet supervision, and stop terrorist organizations from using the Internet to expand and finance, he said.

Wu asked to respect the diversity of civilizations and tackle the root causes of terrorism: wars and conflicts, ethnic hatred, and poverty and backwardness.

The international community should remain committed to assisting member states in poverty alleviation, strengthening political settlement of regional issues, promoting inclusive, universal and balanced development, creating a sound environment for dialogue on equal footing and peaceful and harmonious coexistence of different civilizations and religions, establishing a new order of international relations and building a community of shared future, he said.

China is firmly opposed to terrorism in all its forms and has participated actively in multilateral cooperation mechanisms. China is ready to join hands with other countries and international organizations to address the challenges of terrorism and maintain world peace and stability, said Wu.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:26:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ZAGREB, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Wednesday upheld the prison sentences for 6 Bosnian Croats charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 1990s Balkan wars, but also witnessed an unprecedented scene when one of the defendants committed suicide in the courtroom by drinking a bottle containing poison.

In Wednesday's appeals process, while the judges were handing down their final verdict, upholding the sentence of 20 years in prison for a 72-year-old commander of the ethnic Croat troops in the 1992-1995 war, the defendant suddenly stood up and yelled: "Judges, Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I reject the verdict with contempt."

The scene at the UN war crimes court was live streaming through Croatian TV channels.

Praljak then drank from a small glass bottle in the courtroom and loudly announced that what he drank was poison. He was rushed to hospital and died three hours later, Croatian media quoted the spokesperson of ICTY Nenad Golcevski as saying.

Praljak was a former assistant Minister of Defense of Croatia and during the Bosnian War he was commander of the Main Staff of the HVO, the Croatian Defense Council, the official military formation of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, an unrecognized wartime entity that existed in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1991 and 1994.

In the appeal, the judges also confirmed a 25-year prison term against Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, a 20-year term for its former defense minister Bruno Stojic, also a 20-year term for a former militia head Milivoj Petkovic, a 16-year term to former commander of Bosnian Croat military police Valentin Coric and a 10-year term for Berislav Pusic, ex-head of prisoner exchanges and detention facilities.

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population".

A symbol of Bosnia's devastation in the war, the Ottoman-era bridge was later rebuilt. In a new ruling, the judges allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been a legitimate military target during the conflict. They also had overturned some of his convictions, but refused to reduce his overall sentence.

The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart.

The six defendants voluntarily surrendered themselves to the tribunal's custody in 2004. The trial, which began in 2006, was the tribunal's longest running case.

The case has been keenly watched in Zagreb. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who abruptly returned from an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan, voiced dissatisfaction with the verdict.

Plenkovic said that the verdict "erroneously" alludes to the role of Croatia's state leadership in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina because the facts relating to the allegation of a joint criminal enterprise were not taken into account.

"The state leadership had nothing to do with the facts and interpretations in the verdict," Plenkovic said.

He also extended his deepest sympathy to Slobodan Praljak's family as well as to the families of victims of all crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1992-1995 war.

As for Praljak, the prime minister said, "his act during the announcement of the verdict by the Appeals Chamber, when he took his own life, speaks the most of deep moral injustice towards the six Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croatian people."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:41:14|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue is in the interest of regional countries and their people, including Palestine, and is conducive to promoting global peace and stability.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory message as the United Nations marked the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The Palestinian issue is the root problem of the Middle East issues, which is of great concern for long-lasting peace, prosperity and development of the Middle East countries, including Palestine, Xi said.

Achieving a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue at an early date is in the interest of regional countries and their people, including Palestine, and is conducive to promoting global peace and stability, he said.

China firmly supports Palestinian-Israeli peace, Xi said, adding that the four-point propositions proposed by China in July to promote settling the Palestinian issue aim to push Palestine and Israel to rebuild mutual trust and strive for an early resumption of peace talks.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a responsible major country, China is willing to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to achieve comprehensive, just and long-lasting peace in the Middle East at an early date, Xi added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:46:16|Editor: huaxia

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MAPUTO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Six intruders who broke into homes to rape and assault people were lynched to death by local residents on Wednesday morning in the municipality of Matola, Maputo province in Mozambique.

According to Fernando Manhica, provincial spokesman for the Police of Republic of Mozambique, there were a total of eight gangsters with guns.

"The criminals entered a residence to assault, coincidentally the residents of the neighborhood were patrolling and came across them," said the spokesman.

The spokesman added that the criminals tried to flee, but the patrollers chased them down and six members of the group were lynched. The other two are still at large.

"The population used sticks, irons and stones to immobilize the gang," the spokesman said, adding that "the corporation is diligently seeking other members of the group."

Manhica explained that during the identification of the victims, it was verified that they are criminals that have previously invaded residences in Matola at night.

"Two weeks ago, we had a record of a residence that was assaulted, a 27-year-old householder was shot and died on the way to the hospital," he said.

Cases of criminals who break homes to steal, rape and kill are frequent on the outskirts of Maputo city.

The population complains that the police have not done enough patrols to reduce crime, so when they catch a criminal they execute lynch by themselves.

The spokesman said that the corporation condemns the attitude of doing justice for its own sake, and urges people to turn over the criminal to the authorities for accountability.

"The capture of the suspects alive is always better because it leads us to other members of the gang," he concluded.

Cases of lynching are frequent in Mozambique, with a higher incidence in the province of Sofala in central Mozambique.

According to the statistics released in October this year by the National Human Rights Commission of Mozambique, 27 deaths of lynching were recorded in 2016.

"The numbers show that on average there are two lynchings per week in Mozambique. Unfortunately it is a practice of the Mozambican reality," said the Attorney General of the Republic, Beatriz Buchili, when the data was released. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 02:56:21|Editor: huaxia

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ALGIERS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Algerian counter-terrorism troops have arrested 5 terrorist suspects in the province of Jijel, 320 km east of Algiers, defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The 5 individuals were arrested following efficient exploitation of intelligence, the source indicated, adding that they are charged of providing support to terror groups.

The source further added that counterterrorism troops in Boumerdes province, near Algiers, retrieved a Kalashnikov machine gun and ammunition, without providing further details.

Algerian army troops have been conducting wide scale dragging operation in the eastern region of the country, as several terrorists were killed, and many others were captured.

Located in a region plagued by unprecedented security and political instability, Algeria faces ongoing terrorist threats, as tens of thousands of troops are deployed on eastern and southern border to thwart potential intrusion of militants and arms, amid instability reigning in Mali and civil war hitting Libya. Enditem
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) chack the hands with Army Generals with Egypt's Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi (back) during a presentation of combat efficiency and equipment of the armed forces in Suez, Egypt, October 29, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Wednesday Egypt is keen on enhancing relations with Russia at all levels, especially in the military domain, official MENA news agency reported.

Sisi's comments came during his meeting with visiting Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu.

The Middle East is confronting different challenges, atop of which comes terrorism, Sisi said.

The Egyptian President also noted that the current situation requires enhancing joint cooperation to overcome these challenges and restore stability in the region.

For his part, Shoigu said that his country backs Egypt in its fight against terrorism.

Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks in Egypt used to be centered in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and killing hundreds of policemen and soldiers over the past few years.

On Friday, a terrorist attack against a mosque in North Sinai killed at least 305 Muslim worshippers, including children, and wounded over 120 others.

Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack, fingers are pointed at a Sinai-based group loyal to IS group, which has claimed most of the terrorist operations in Egypt over the past few years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:11:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 people have been killed in the clashes in Sudan's Darfur region early this week, a senior Sudanese official announced Wednesday.

On Sunday, armed clashes took place at Mistariha area in North Darfur State between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an affiliate of the Sudanese army, and fighters of the Awakening Revolutionary Council (ARC), a tribal body, led by the prominent tribal leader Musa Hilal.

"23 people were killed in the clashes, 14 from the RSF and 9 from the ARC," Sudan's State Minister for Defense Ali Mohamed Salem said before the Sudanese parliament Wednesday.

"The rapid support forces have detained 50 ARC members," the minister added.

On Sunday, the RSF arrested Musa Hilal along with a number of his family members, where they were transported to Khartoum on Monday amid tight security measures.

The minister further noted that Hilal would be presented to a military court after investigations are completed.

Hilal has strongly opposed the recent government campaign for the collection of arms in Darfur despite the fact that he was an ally of the government until very recently.

Hilal refused to surrender ARC's weapons to the government and opposed the assignment of the arms collection to the rapid support forces.

The government insisted on collecting the arms from all militias and tribes in Darfur so that the weapons would be in the hands of the regular forces only.

Hilal has allied with the Khartoum government to fight rebels in the region since the outbreak of war in 2003.

The West and human rights organization Human Rights Watch blamed Hilal for forming the Janjaweed militias which are accused of committing war crimes in Darfur.

The UN Security Council decided in 2006 to impose sanctions on Musa Hilal and three others, including travel ban and freeze of funds.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:11:30|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Wednesday that it will next year consult citizens on whether the death penalty should be left in the country's statute books or removed.

Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said his ministry's agenda for next year will also include sensitizing citizens on the need to abolish the death penalty as well as refinement of the country's constitution.

The Zambian minister was speaking when he held a bilateral meeting with Italian Minister of Justice Andrea Orlando on the sidelines of the 10th International Congress of Justice Ministers in Rome organized by the Italian government whose theme is "A World Without the Death Penalty."

While acknowledging that the death penalty has remained in the country's statute books for years, the Zambian minister said no death warrants have been signed by successive presidents since 1997, according to a statement released by the Zambian embassy in Rome.

According to him, successive presidents have relied on the constitutional provisions to grant the prerogative of mercy to convicts on death-row and commuting death sentences to life imprisonments.

"Death penalty in Zambia which is enshrined in the constitution is very topical and Zambia has been for all intents and purposes a de facto abolitionist state," he said.

On his part, the Italian minister commended the Zambian leaders on its efforts toward abolishing the death penalty.

He said the Italian government was happy that Zambia was making strides in engaging its people in seeing to it that the death penalty was abolished.

Human rights campaigners in Zambia have been calling for the death penalty to be removed from the statute books.

In July 2015, Zambian President Edgar Lungu commuted the sentences of 332 death-row prisoners to life imprisonment. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:11:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Julius Gale

JUBA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Violence perpetrated against women and girls in war-torn South Sudan is among the highest in the world and twice the global average, a new report released on Wednesday reveals.

According to a survey conducted by the International Rescue Committee charity and the George Washington University's Global Women's Institute, armed conflict and displacement has intensified violence against women and girls in South Sudan.

The report says up to 65 percent of those interviewed in three regions in the east African nation had experienced either sexual or physical violence in their lifetime.

It says the most common form of violence reported was abuse within the home, committed by husbands or partners.

According to the report, about 33 percent of the women surveyed in Rumbek, a rural town away from the capital, Juba, and those living in UN protection of civilian sites (POCs) in Bentiue and Juba said they had experienced sexual violence from a non-partner, with many incidents directly related to a raid, displacement or abduction.

In the three sites where the household survey was conducted, a total of 2,728 individuals were interviewed: 2,244 women and 481 men. Overall household response rats were 87 percent for women and 86 percent for men. Individual response rate was 89 percent for women and 86 percent for men, according to a summary of the report.

David Miliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee, said the finding reveals the shocking scale of violence against women and girls in South Sudan, with abuse starting early and continuing throughout much of women's adult lives.

"This important research shows that we need to rethink the threats that women and girls face in conflict zones. Not only are they at risk of attack from armed men and gangs but, tragically, they are at risk within their own homes, from partners and family members," Miliband said.

According to the United Nations, gender-based violence (GBV) is persistent and a serious problem in South Sudan as 98 percent of GBV incidents reported in South Sudan in 2016 affected women and girls.

The UN said gender-based violence includes acts such as rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, forced and early marriage that affect women, girls, boys and men.

It said GBV has been fueled by decades of armed conflict, social, cultural and economic factors.

South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, and creating one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016.

The UN estimates that about 4 million people have been displaced both internally and externally.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (C -L) shakes hands with Syria's rebel delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri (C -R) next to opposition delegation members (From L) Khaled al-Mahamid, Hanadi Abu Arab, Jamal Suliman and Safwan Akash on the opening of a new round of Syria's peace talk on November 28, 2017 at the United Naitons Office in Geneva. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- After failing to bring a solution to the prolonged Syria war by seven rounds of talks, the eighth round of Geneva talks this time is also not expected to achieve any breakthrough, analysts say.

Since 2012, the consecutive rounds of Geneva talks have failed to produce a solid ground for the solution in Syria as the talks were marred by the intervention of foreign powers in the talks in addition to the fragmentation of the Syrian opposition groups.

Sure, there are developments on the ground that are important and also in the political arena.

On the ground, the Syrian government forces, with the help of the Russian ally and the Iranian-backed troops, have retaken key and large areas from the rebels, including the ultra-radical ones, such as the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Their latest achievement was capturing the city of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria from the IS militants and haunting them down in their last stronghold of the city of al-Bukamal in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour near the Iraqi border.

This progress against the terror-designated groups across the country is so important for the Syrian government, whose forces are now on the offense instead of being on the defense in the early years of the nearly seven-year war.

These kinds of achievements have strengthened the position of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, particularly in any given negotiation.

But the foreign-backed opposition groups who were taking part in the previous rounds of talks maintained their stance that Assad must go as a prelude to any political process, which is seen by many analysts as doesn't make sense because the thing that they have failed to achieve militarily will not be taken politically, at least in their outright demand for Assad's departure.

This tone had previously been reflected by Western powers, whose rhetoric has softened in terms of their high demands.

Still, the opposition in exile kept voicing this demand before any round of talks.

This month, the opposition groups have succeeded, for the first time, to attend the Geneva talks with one delegation. However, it is viewed as an ostensible unity, not a real one.

Mahmoud Meri, an opposition figure based in Damascus, told Xinhua that the opposition delegation is predominated by the Saudi-backed Riyadh platform, which is the one with the precondition of Assad's departure.

"Most of the participants are from the Riyadh platform as they have 36 members in the delegation, while the Cairo platform and Moscow platform, which doesn't place Assad's departure as a precondition, have only eight members in the delegation," Meri said.

He noted that Syria-based opposition groups were ignored in this round of talks, saying "the domestic opposition was expelled from participation so the opposition delegation in Geneva doesn't really represent all of the oppositions."

Meri, meanwhile, said the eighth round of talks, which started on Wednesday, will be a "failure."

"The eighth round of talks in Geneva is not expected to bring about any positive results but I think it will be mere meetings with the UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura," he said, noting both sides are not expected to hold face-to-face meetings in this round of talks.

The reason behind the pessimism is not only the fact that the opposition delegation is not actually representing all of the opposition groups.

Meri cited the remarks of the head of the opposition delegation, Nasr al-Hariri, who told reporters in Geneva upon arriving there on Monday that his group insists on the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad as part of any peace deal.

He said such announcement ahead of the talks pushed the Syrian government delegation to delay their participation, as they arrived in Geneva on Tuesday, a day after the scheduled date.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the Syrian government delegation arrived in Geneva on Tuesday following "extensive communications" with Russia, which reflect the fact that the Syrian government is still considering the discussion about Assad's departure as a red line.

Muhammad Omari, a writer and political analyst, also voiced the same pessimism.

Speaking to Xinhua, Omari said the opposition's precondition and the delay of the arrival of the Syrian government delegation to Geneva are all indicators that the eighth round of talks will not come out with any positive results.

He added that the eighth round of Geneva talks hasn't changed much in comparison with previous rounds of talks, noting that the opposition delegation is not independent in terms of their ideas.

While the expectations are low, Omari pinned more hope on the anticipated talks in the Russian city of Sochi next year.

He said the Geneva talks are a platform for the powers who are not really interested in the actual solution, adding that the Russia-based meeting is more concerned with finding a solution based on the previous talks in Astana, which produced the de-escalation zones' deal that was supported by Turkey and Iran and helped to reduce the violence in four volatile Syrian areas.

"There is a difference between the Geneva and Sochi talks because the Geneva talks are just an international entitlement and we have seen the extent of the foreign countries influence on the participants in previous rounds," Omari said.

Regarding the Syrian talks in Sochi, the meeting would be an enhanced and developed version of the Astana talks, which produced results on the ground.

"Sochi meeting is designed to achieve results on the political field amid the inability of the international community to find an exit to the Syrian crisis," he said, adding that Russia is trying to translate the military achievement of the Syrian army into victories and visions in the political process.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:31:38|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Air pollution is a major contributor to respiratory diseases in Kenya, a government official disclosed on Wednesday.

Charles Sunkuli, the Principal Secretary Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, said that over eight million Kenyans living in major cities are falling victim due to exposure from harmful emissions from vehicles, industries, use of traditional fuels and kerosene used for cooking and heating.

"Respiratory disease is the leading cause of morbidity in the country currently," he said during the Second Air Quality annual conference in Nairobi.

Sunkuli said statistics show that diseases of the respiratory system affected 19.9 million people, accounting for 39 percent of the 50.8 million cases of facility based incidence of diseases reported in 2016.

He said 14,300 Kenyans die annually due to conditions attributed to air pollution while plants and agricultural yields are also affected by pollution.

The number of diseases of the respiratory system reported increased by 63 percent over a four year period from 12.2 million in 2012 to 19.9 million in 2016, Sunkuli said.

Sunkuli said the government has initiated a process of developing a National Air Quality Management Strategy (NAQMS) and Action Plan by putting in place an inter-agency committee with different roles and responsibilities in air quality management.

"Kenya may not achieve a clean, secure and sustainable environment by 2030 if the problem of air pollution is not collectively tackled," Sunkuli said.

Stacey Noel, Africa Center Director, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) urged air quality experts to explore linkages to policy actions to help reduce respiratory diseases in Kenya.

"It is unfortunate that emissions from Nairobi city are far above the World Health Organization (WHO)," Noel added.

She revealed that the organization intends to support policy makers in Africa to apply air quality research findings that has been generated by different scholars.

Kenya's economy is highly dependent on its natural resource base and climate-sensitive sectors including agriculture, energy transport, tourism and water, making it highly vulnerable to climate variability and change.

Participants at the conference called for an integrated approach whereby air quality issues are addressed together with climate change mitigation and adaptation actions across all development sectors.

The integrated approach to air quality and climate change will also enable Kenya to meets her international obligations, including the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and the Stockholm Convention, among others.

The conference is expected to identify priority actions to be carried out in 2018 on data and research, policy and stakeholder engagement, education and public awareness. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:46:43|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 700 people die of AIDS annually in Morocco, local media reported on Wednesday.

Citing a report of the Moroccan Health Ministry, Alyaoum24.com news site said the north African kingdom register nearly 1,000 new cases yearly.

Since 1986, the ministry has registered over 13,200 infections with AIDS, and 50 percent of infections are concentrated in three out of the 12 regions of Morocco, namely Casa-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and the Souss-Massa region, the same source pointed out.

The Ministry has developed, in collaboration with its partners, a new national strategic plan to fight AIDS for the period 2017-2021, it noted.

The plan aims to reduce by 75 percent new infections and eliminate mother-to-child transmission, it added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:51:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KIEV, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine has agreed to carry out a prisoner swap between the conflicting sides in the near future, a spokesperson for Kiev's delegate said on Wednesday.

Darka Olifer, spokesperson for Ukraine's representative in the group Leonid Kuchma, wrote on Facebook that the Ukrainian authorities and pro-independence insurgents voiced the readiness to exchange their hostages by the winter holidays, which start in late December.

Kiev believes that insurgents are holding at least 162 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians captured in the conflict, while rebels estimate that the government is holding 309 of their supporters.

The trilateral contact group is a group of representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that was formed as means to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in the Donbas region.

Insurgent representatives also participate in the meetings of the diplomatic group.

The prisoner swap is a key part of the Minsk ceasefire agreement designed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 03:56:47|Editor: huaxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Wednesday ordered the east African country's police chief to arrest two businessmen for allegedly using his name to clear cargo from the Dar es Salaam port without paying taxes.

"You shouldn't allow someone to come here and tell you that he has been directed by the President or the Vice President or even me to clear his cargo. You should always stick to the laws and procedures," Majaliwa told port authorities when he paid a surprise visit.

The Prime Minister said two businessmen, owners of NAS Company and Wallmark, reportedly tried to use his name to clear 44 trucks with trailers from the Dar es Salaam port, a move that was aimed at evading paying taxes.

Majaliwa ordered the Inspector General Police Simon Sirro to arrest the duo who imported the trucks from Turkey.

Majaliwa directed the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to strictly work in accordance with the laws and procedures instead of listening to traders, who sometimes used names of top government officials to try and clear their consignments without paying due taxes.

The prime minister said the traders tried to con port authorities to clear the trucks, which were imported in 2015 from Turkey.

"The owners of the trailers had only paid 30 percent of the bill of lading and they tried to use my name to get exempted," he said. Enditem
File Photo: Iraqi soldiers attend a celebration for liberation of Mosul in Mosul, Iraq, July 10, 2017. Haider al-Abadi formally declared Mosul liberated from IslamicState (IS) militant group after nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN officials have warned that foreign terrorist fighters who are returning home or being relocated in third countries as a result of major military defeats of the Islamic State (IS) pose a global threat.

RETURNING TERRORIST FIGHTERS POSING GLOBAL THREAT

"There are at least 5,600 fighters from 33 countries who have returned home. Many returnees are very well trained and equipped to carry out attacks in their own countries; others hope to radicalize and recruit new followers to their cause; there is a number of those who have rejected terrorist ideologies and pose no threat to society," Vladimir Voronkov, UN undersecretary-general for counter-terrorism, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

"This is a truly global challenge that demands an urgent and concerted multilateral response," he said.

At one stage, over 40,000 foreign terrorist fighters from more than 110 countries might have traveled to join terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, Voronkov noted.

As the IS has suffered great losses on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, a significant number of terrorists are trying to relocate to countries such as Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan, he said.

UN member states need to enhance cooperation and exchange information, develop effective border controls and strengthen their criminal justice systems, in accordance with the rule of law and human rights standards, suggested Voronkov.

Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose an enormous challenge with no easy solution, he said, adding that full compliance with international law is vital to combat the threat.

"Ultimately, addressing the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters requires addressing the underlying conditions that are conducive to young men and women being lured by violent extremism."

There is an urgent need for governments and security agencies to collaborate far more effectively in fighting terrorism, while respecting human rights, he said.

MORE TERRORISM WITH EVOLVING METHODS

Briefing the Security Council at the same meeting, Michele Coninsx, executive director of UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, also said that over the past two years, the rate at which foreign terrorist fighters have returned home or relocated to third countries has accelerated.

Over roughly the same period, the percentage of terrorist plots resulting in fatalities has increased significantly, owing in part to the activities of returnees, but also to terrorists' evolving methods, she said.

Of particular concern is the increasing trend toward attacks carried out by lone terrorists, who are often guided by handlers located in other parts of the world, she warned. Attacks by individuals inspired by the IS and other terrorist groups often require few resources, but can have devastating consequences.

Many recent attacks that appear to have been inspired by the IS, conducted in its name, or claimed by the IS, were initially reported as "lone actor" attacks. Subsequent investigations have shown, however, that those individuals received support or resources from elsewhere, often via the Internet or social media, she said.

Terrorists are also increasingly using new technologies to transfer funds to such individuals, she said.

UN member states have made progress in many areas, but major challenges remain, she said, citing the example of fewer than 60 states having so far introduced measures requiring airlines to provide advance passenger information.

This means that it remains very difficult for over 190 UN member states to check for the possible presence of foreign terrorist fighters on board aircraft flying into or out of, or transiting through, their airports, she told the Security Council.

Many states require assistance in establishing the necessary connectivity between national databases and border posts. They also continue to face legal challenges relating to transfer of data, protection of data privacy, and the establishment of the necessary legal and administrative frameworks, she noted.

International cooperation continues to be undermined by practical and political challenges, as well as by inconsistent compliance with human rights obligations. States should also do more to downgrade and share intelligence on foreign terrorist fighters and those who return to their countries of origin or relocate to third countries, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:16:57|Editor: Yurou

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People buy special candies and sweets for the Prophet Muhammad's birthday celebration at a market in Cairo, Egypt, on Nov. 22, 2017. In Egypt, the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad falls this year on Dec. 1. As the anniversary gets closer, shops and streets across Egypt get crowded with distinctive sweets, with customers wondering around to buy the feast's candies. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Emad al-Azrak, Ahmed Shafiq

CAIRO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Commemorating the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad has a special taste is Egypt as Muslims flock to buy special candies and sweets.

The special sweets have been a major feature of Egyptian celebrations of the Prophet's birthday ever since the Fatimid dynasty launched the tradition in 973 of the Hijri calendar.

Prophet Mohamed's birthday is observed by Sunni Muslims on the 12th of Rabi' Al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic lunar calendar, or on the 17th of the same month by Shiite Muslims.

In Egypt, it falls this year on Friday, December 1st.

Welcoming the occasion, Egyptians decorate streets and homes with colorful lamps and silk cloths and set up tents for Sufi chants and praise the Muslims prophet.

Rich people hold large free banquets for the poor, while thousands gather in mosques for prayers, reciting Quran (Muslims' Holy Book).

As the anniversary gets closer, shops and streets across Egypt get crowded with distinctive sweets, with customers wondering around to buy the feast's candies.

Bab al-Bahr Street in Cairo is considered one of the most important and most specialized streets in selling and making this type of candies.

Nowadays, the street is crowded with thousands of Egyptian seeking to get high quality and low-priced candies.

"There is a wide turnout on various types of candy," Mohammed Ramadan, owner of a candy shop in Bab al-Bahr Street told Xinhua.

"The most popular varieties this year are the beans, sesame and chickpeas candies since their prices are affordable."

He added that his shop introduces new varieties every year to attract customers. "I want to satisfy all tastes and levels... This season I also have hazelnut, cashew nuts, pistachios and other items."

He pointed out that the high prices have had a significant impact on sales rates, compared to last year or previous years.

"The turnout has not changed but the quantities purchased are much less than in previous years," he complained as his eyes rolled in search of customers.

Ramadan noted that the high prices of sweets came as a result of the rise in prices of raw materials, pointing out that this rise is not limited to candies.

During Islam's early days, the Prophet's birthday, or Mawlid al-Nabi, wasn't celebrated.

However, it is currently an official holiday in 47 Muslim countries, spanning from the Middle Eastern to Africa and Malaysia.

Still, the celebrations in Egypt are the largest in the Middle East with Sufi Muslims the biggest devotees of this Holy day.

Some Muslim sects, however, do not observe the Mawlid al-Nabi occasion, such as the Salafis and Wahabis, believing that it must not be celebrated since the Prophet did not celebrate his own birthday during his lifetime.

Not far away from Ramadan's shop, Mohsen Abu Habbaba, another candy seller, was busy arranging his shop front with his best goods to attract more shoppers.

"I'm keen to provide a variety of different candies to suit all tastes and levels," he said.

The man added that the price of one kilo of candies starts from 40 Egyptian pounds (1 U.S. dollars=17.70 pounds), while the price of a kilo of jams starts from 65 pounds.

"This year's turnout is modest compared to last year," Abu Habbaba told Xinhua. "Some of those who used to buy large quantities to distribute to the poor reduced their request."

Prices of the festivity's candies vary according to the geographical area, income and shops. Price of one kilo at shops ranges from 40 to 680 pounds.

"The quality of sweets this year very good, but prices are extremely high," said 60-year-old Abdel Nasser Abdullah while buying some candies with his 20-year-old daughter.

"In recent years, I used to buy some five to seven kg of candies, but this year I will not buy more than three to four kg due to high prices," Abdullah told Xinhua.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, has been suffering economic recession due to political instability and relevant security challenges following two uprisings that toppled two heads of state since 2011.

The turmoil led to a decline in the country's foreign currency reserves, foreign investments, tourism revenues and others.

Egypt's current leadership led by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is working hard to attract foreign investments despite its ongoing anti-terror war that killed hundreds of policemen, soldiers and civilians over the past few years.

Besides floating its local currency's exchange rate to face dollar shortage, Egypt started last year a strict three-year economic reform program including austerity measures, fuel subsidy cuts and tax increase.

The program is encouraged by a 12-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:27:00|Editor: Yurou

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Riot police stand at the entrance of a courtroom where auctions of foreclosed properties are held in Athens, Greece, on Nov. 29, 2017. Auctions of foreclosed properties in Greece resumed on Wednesday both at local courts and via the new introduced platform of electronic auctions, amid clashes of protesters with riot police in Athens and Thessaloniki. (Xinhua/Lefteris Partsalis)

by Alexia Vlachou

ATHENS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Auctions of foreclosed properties in Greece resumed on Wednesday both at local courts and via the new introduced platform of electronic auctions, amid clashes of protesters with riot police in Athens and Thessaloniki.

After home repossessions in courts across Greece having been blocked for several months, the recommencement of the auctions was met with strong reactions and public uproar.

Riot police guarded the offices of notaries participating in the procedure of electronic auctions. Protesters clashed with riot police at local courtrooms in the Greek capital later in the evening.

Three protesters were reportedly injured during their attempt to block a scheduled property auction at the Athens local court building, after police used tear gas.

"With the use of violence, they prevented us from entering the courtroom. This action makes the auctions performed today, 10 of which were of first residence, invalid and illegal," Leonidas Papadopoulos, founding member of movement "Den Plirono" (I am not paying) told journalists.

"They did not let debtors who were losing their properties today to watch the procedure," he added, saying that every citizen has a right to enter and watch the procedure inside the court.

"In this country, there is a junta of auctions," the head of a far-left out-of-Parliament party, Panayiotis Lafazanis, a one-time SYRIZA minister, told reporters, condemning the use of tear gas against the protesters.

Property auctions in Greece have systematically been blocked by groups of protesters, which also targeted offices of lawyers and notaries involved in the procedure.

Following a series of verbal attacks and threats against them, notaries boycotted foreclosures hearings, requesting protection from the state. Their action had frozen the process of property transfers.

Greek notaries had declared a strike until the end of the year, but they called it off on Monday. They came into an agreement with the Greek government after ensuring their security at proceedings at specific courts.

As Greece's lenders returned for a scheduled review of the country's economic performance this week, the Greek government inaugurated the formula of e-auctions to facilitate banks to reduce nonperforming loans and meet bailout targets.

The long-awaited electronic system was introduced successfully with the first two electronic foreclosures.

"Today's auction was a test for the electronic system that has been created and tested for the first time under real conditions," the president of the notaries, Giorgos Rouskas, told local media.

"The first properties on the block were a cluster of parking slots and a luxury home in an Athens suburb," Rouskas said.

Banks expect the pace of auctions to accelerate in the first quarter of 2018 to around 600-700 monthly, reaching a total of 18,000 properties by the end of the year.

Under bailout conditions Greek banks must settle one out of three bad loans by 2020, meaning non-performing loans should be reduced by some 30 billion euros.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:42:07|Editor: huaxia

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KIGALI, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Rwandan government on Wednesday inked two financing deals which provide a loan of 255.14 million U.S. dollars toward Rwanda's water supply and business development programs.

The two deals were signed in the Rwandan capital Kigali between Rwanda's finance minister Claver Gatete and Gabriel Negatu, the director general of AfDB's East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office.

Part of the funding worth 171 million dollars will be allocated toward Rwanda sustainable water supply and sanitation program while 84 million dollars will be allocated to promotion of skills and business development program, according to the ministry of finance.

An estimated 1.1 million people are expected to benefit from improved water supply services and 475,000 people will have access to better sanitation services, Negatu said.

The financing is in line with the country's vision to scale up investments in reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable infrastructure and water and sanitation services, said Gatete.

The water supply program targets to improve water supply infrastructure and services, sanitation infrastructure, and support institutional capacity of government utility Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC).

It will also benefit residents in Kigali and other cities.

The business and skills development program scheduled to start in January 2018 is designed to boost the Rwandan government's economic transformation and job creation agenda. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:42:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- People's Procuratorate of China is ready to work together with procuratorial institutions of other SCO member countries to strengthen cooperation and expand the achievements in punishing cybercrime, a Chinese official said here on Wednesday.

Cao Jianming, the Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China made the remarks while delivering a keynote speech at the 15th Meeting of Prosecutor Generals of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.

The SCO countries have similar geography and long history of mutual exchanges, so they constitute a community of common destiny that shares rises and falls, he said.

Cao said China will strengthen cooperation with other counterparts among the SCO countries in order to eradicate both symptoms and root cause of cybercrime, to maintain prosperity and stability in the region and promote creation of the community of common destiny.

Cao also signed the "Report of the 15th Meeting of Prosecutor Generals of the SCO member states."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:47:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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PRAGUE, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Outgoing Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka handed in the resignation of his government to the Czech presidential office on Wednesday.

Sobotka's government approved its resignation at a meeting earlier on Wednesday and it is likely to rule the country till Dec. 13 when President Milos Zeman plans to appoint the new minority government of Andrej Babis, said government spokesman Martin Ayrer.

Ayrer said Sobotka sent a representative of the government office to deliver the resignation. Sobotka said he considered this to be the fastest way to deliver the resignation to the presidential office, so that they do not waste time on the process of establishing a new government.

This is the first time in the history of the Czech Republic that the outgoing prime minister has not gone to announce the end of his government personally. The relations between Sobotka and Zeman have been bad in recent months. Zeman's spokesman, Jiri Ovcacek, said the president planned to accept the resignation of Sobotka's government on Dec. 6.

Sobotka's cabinet was appointed on Jan. 29, 2014. It is the third government to complete the whole of its four-year mandate in Czech history since its independence in 1993. In the past four years, the outgoing cabinet pushed through important legislation such as the civil service law and abolished patients' health care regulatory fees. Tax reliefs for families with children were repeatedly raised, and a third, lowest VAT rate introduced for books, infant formula and medicines. Systems of electronic registration of sales and ledger statements were introduced as steps to curb tax evasion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:47:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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GAZA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party agreed Wednesday to postpone power transfer to the Palestinian consensus government until Dec. 10.

Senior Fatah leader Fayez Abu Eita made the announcement in an official statement following a meeting at the office of Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip Yehya Sinwar that lasted for more than six hours.

Abu Eita, Hamas leader Sallah el-Bardaweel and two senior Egyptian officials went outside Sinwar's office, where Abu Eita read the short news briefing before journalists and reporters. No questions were allowed.

"Fatah and Hamas movements are asking Egypt to postpone the finalization of transferring power to the Palestinian government in the Gaza Strip, which was scheduled on Dec. 1 to Dec. 10," said the statement.

It added that the postponement was requested "to finalize the arrangements in order to guarantee an achievement in the steps of making national reconciliation."

Deputy Prime Minister Zeyad Abu Amro, Sinwar, leaders of the factions, including Fatah and Hamas and members of the Egyptian delegation attended the meeting at the office of Sinwar.

Differences between the two rival groups had mounted over the past few days, as a high-ranking Egyptian delegation has been spending efforts in the Gaza Strip for three days to overcome differences between the two rival movements.

The major disagreements between the two groups were on the question of thousands of employees were appointed by Hamas movement after the movement's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip mid of 2007.

On Tuesday, the Palestinian consensus cabinet called on all the Palestinian employees, who were asked to refrain from working under Hamas command, to get back to work.

Earlier on Wednesday, dozens of employees headed to various ministries to take their positions they left since 2007, but Hamas employees union prevented them from getting into the offices of the ministries.

Hamas slammed the government's decision and said it is a violation of the reconciliation agreement signed in Cairo between the two groups on Oct. 12, and a violation to all other reconciliation understandings reached in 2011.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:52:13|Editor: Lifang

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Nov. 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

MOSCOW, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday, pledging to work with Moscow to promote regional cooperation for steady progress.

China is willing to work with Russia to strengthen communication and coordination on international affairs, and cement cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Li said, adding that the two countries will work to inject constructive force into the world's peaceful development.

During the meeting, Li conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings to Putin and recalled the successful meeting between the two leaders earlier in November on the sidelines of the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Vietnam's Da Nang city.

Noting that the development of economic cooperation has scored stable progress, Li said the two countries have continued to push forward their cooperation in such traditional fields as economy and trade, energy, aviation, transport infrastructure, production capacity equipment and agriculture, while making achievement in cooperation in such new fields as digital economy, technological innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises.

This shows that China-Russia cooperation has great potential and broad prospects, said Li.

China is ready to enhance the alignment of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the development programs of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), he said.

China would like to play well the leading role in cooperation in traditional areas, while focusing on effect of new growth drivers in emerging areas, he said.

Li also vowed to work with Russia to tap the development potential in the Far East and expand the cross-border trade, so as to benefit the two peoples.

For his part, Putin said that the frequent high-level exchanges and communication between China and Russia fully demonstrates the stability and high level of the development of the bilateral ties.

The two governments and relevant cooperation mechanisms have played an important guiding role in the pragmatic cooperation, he added.

He said that the trade between Russia and China has enjoyed a good growth momentum and the cooperation in energy, transportation infrastructure, agriculture and local areas has been actively promoted.

Putin expected the two countries to well align respective development strategies to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, as the Belt and Road Initiative and development programs of the EEU are complementary.

They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of common concerns.

Li arrived in Russia on Wednesday after wrapping up a visit to Hungary. He is expected to attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO to be held in Sochi, Russia from Thursday to Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:57:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Syria remains the world's largest and most dynamic displacement crisis, with half of Syrians displaced from their homes, said UN's top humanitarian official on Wednesday.

On average, more than 6,500 people have been displaced every day in the first nine months of 2017, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock told the Security Council.

In northeast Syria, as fighting continued down the Euphrates River toward the border with Iraq, airstrikes and clashes have displaced more than 436,000 people from and within Raqqa governorate since the anti-Islamic State offensive began a year ago. Another 350,000 people have been displaced from and within the neighboring governorate of Deir ez-Zor since August 2017, said Lowcock.

Nearly 3 million people continue to live in besieged and hard-to-reach areas in Syria, he said. Some 420,000 people are living in 10 besieged areas, 94 percent of whom are in the rebel-held enclave of East Ghouta near the capital city of Damascus.

The UN official expressed grave concern over the food crisis in East Ghouta as fighting continued. Only 100,000 people out of an estimated population of 400,000 in the enclave have received food assistance this year. And those people are only getting occasional one-off deliveries, he said.

Across the war-torn country, more than 13 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance and protection, 5.6 million of them are in acute need, he said.

Almost one school-age child in three is out of school; one-third of schools are damaged or destroyed; fewer than half of Syria's health facilities are fully operational, leading to thousands of preventable deaths from injury or disease, said Lowcock.

Humanitarian deliveries continue to be impeded, particularly with regard to cross-line operations, he said. Although assistance to areas under government control represents the majority of UN response, civilians in areas not under government control are reached in much larger numbers, with much greater consistency, and with much more comprehensive support through cross-border operations than through cross-line operations, said Lowcock.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 04:57:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CARACAS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Vice-President Tareck El Aissami hinted on Wednesday President Nicolas Maduro would seek re-election in the 2018 presidential election.

Speaking at an event in the northern state of Aragua, El Aissami said "we will win the great majority of mayoral seats" in the upcoming Dec. 10 local elections and "we have the National Constituent Assembly (ANC)."

"And we will have ... the re-election of our brother Nicolas Maduro as president of the republic," he said. "In 2018, we will see a great revolutionary victory despite the violence and financial persecution."

He mentioned the election of the ANC on July 30, saying that by winning the victory of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela in regional elections on Oct. 15, "we guaranteed peace in the hands of governors."

The opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable has accused the government of causing the country's deep economic recession and the lack of essential food and drugs.

The two sides are set to hold discussions in the Dominican Republic in early December.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 05:17:22|Editor: Yurou

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UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (2nd R) shakes hands with Bashaar Ja'afari (1st R), Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations and head of the Syrian government delegation, during the UN-led Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 29, 2017. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Wednesday described his first meeting with the Syrian government delegation as "very useful, constructive and professional". (Xinhua/POOL/Martial Trezzini)

GENEVA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Wednesday requested delegations participating in the new round of the UN-led Intra-Syrian talks to refrain from statements aimed at delegitimizing other invitees.

In a media statement issued Wednesday, the UN Envoy said that such statements are "unhelpful" and thus he urges the "cessation of such statements".

De Mistura in the statement also urged the Syrian delegations who are in Geneva to engage seriously and without preconditions in the just-started talks.

"As the eighth round of intra-Syrian talks has now started, he stresses that the time has come to focus on achieving real progress on the political process, in the interest of the Syrian people," the statement said.

The UN Envoy on Wednesday met separately with the Syrian opposition and government delegations, giving no details of the meeting but said that such meetings and discussions will continue on Thursday.

Following a meeting with Head of the Syria government delegation Ambassador Bashaar Ja'afari in a hotel in Geneva, who arrived in Geneva on Wednesday, de Mistura told reporters that "I just had a long, but very useful in my opinion, meeting with the delegation of the government of Syria."

Being asked about the atmosphere in the meeting, the UN Envoy said that the atmosphere in the meeting was "constructive and professional".

"We decided that we should continue having this meeting in the UN Headquarters in Geneva, this will be the first official meeting that we will be holding with the delegation of the Syrian government, and then we will continue tomorrow as well," he said.

The UN official also told reporters that he is intending to have both sides staying in Geneva to continue the meetings next week, after a possible weekend off.

"What is important is that we have an ongoing process of discussions, and that will be one of the subjects," he stressed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 05:17:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIRUT, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Wednesday that he will announce the withdrawal of his resignation "if the ongoing consultations remain positive."

"As you are hearing, things are positive, and God willing we will announce good news to the Lebanese next week should the positivity continue," Hariri told reporters in a brief chat after he attended a ceremony celebrating the Prophet's Birthday at the Mohammed al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut.

Asked whether he will reverse his resignation permanently next week, Hariri said "if things are positive, God willing I will."

As for the possibility of holding a cabinet session next week, Hariri said "let us see how things go and if they take a positive course."

Hariri announced he was resigning on Nov. 4, but walked it back after returning home last week to attend Independence Day celebrations. He reiterated that he would resign if Hezbollah refuses to accept a new power-sharing arrangement for Lebanon.

The resignation made in a televised statement he read from the Saudi capital Riyadh, was widely seen as orchestrated by Saudi Arabia to pressure Lebanon's politicians into taking stronger measures to contain Hezbollah's influence.

Hariri has demanded that the Shiite resistance party remove itself from regional conflicts, from Syria to Iraq and Bahrain and Yemen.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied any involvement in Yemen and said his party would withdraw his troops from Iraq following the defeat of Islamic State.

However in Syria, the party is still involved in fighting next to the regime forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 05:37:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LA PAZ, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Wednesday said a court ruling that paves the way for his possible re-election strengthens democracy and guarantees democratic continuity.

At a press conference, Morales said Tuesday's ruling by the Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP), which eliminated term limits for elected office, also obeys the will of the people.

"It guarantees democratic continuity, but it also guarantees stability, dignity and work for the equality of the Bolivian people," said Morales.

The decision allows Morales, who came to power in 2006, to run for office indefinitely, though it applies to other elected posts as well, including the vice presidency, national, regional and local legislators, mayors and governors.

The case for allowing re-election was promoted by the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party and civic organizations that support Morales' performance as president.

Bolivia's first indigenous president remains popular after a decade in power, thanks to policies that have improved the lives of the country's majority indigenous groups, which were long overlooked by previous administrations.

Morales was first elected into the presidency in January 2006. He was re-elected in 2009 and 2014 separately to govern the country till 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 05:47:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEGUCIGALPA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- After last Sunday's presidential elections in Honduras, the vote differential between opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla and President Juan Orlando Hernandez has shrunk to just 0.97 percent, according to the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) on Wednesday.

With 76.72 percent of votes counted, Nasralla stood on 42.65 percent with 1,098,163 votes while Hernandez had 41.76 percent to 1,075,167 votes.

Uncertainty remains as the TSE still has 24.61 percent of the votes to count, with the result determining who will lead Honduras for the next four years.

In a first preliminary tally on Monday, Nasralla had opened up a 4.9 percent lead over Hernandez. However, as the TSE began counting ballots from rural, more distant areas, the gap narrowed.

Both candidates have declared victory, with Nasralla on Tuesday night calling for his supporters to come to Tegucigalpa to defend their votes.

"I call on all Honduran people so that very early tomorrow morning, they accompany me to Tegucigalpa to defend the vote," wrote Nasralla on social media, insisting that the people should "defend in the streets what we won at the polls."

However, representatives of Hernandez' National Party of Honduras were preparing support marches on Wednesday to defend him.

The election observers of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Honduras called on the public to remain calm until the final results are released. The OAS also called on the TSE to speed up the vote count, in order to provide final information as fast as possible.

Local religious and business organizations have made a similar call, urging the official results to be respected.

Schools suspended classes on Wednesday due to the climate of tension.

Earlier this week, the TSE said the final results would be announced on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 06:12:40|Editor: huaxia

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SANAA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Four supporters of Yemen's former President Ali Abdullah Saleh were killed in Wednesday clashes with their allies of dominant Shiite Houthi rebels in central the capital Sanaa, Saleh's party said in a statement.

The statement, which posted on Saleh's General People's Congress party's website hours after the clashes, said other six of Saleh's supporters were wounded in the clashes.

The statement accused Houthi group of seizing the giant mosque, which was built and named after Saleh.

It also accused the Houthis of besieging the residential houses of Saleh and his nephew Tarik in the western part of Sanaa.

Soon after Saleh's party issued the statement, a fierce clashes erupted near the houses of Saleh and his nephew Tarik in Hadda quarter west of the capital.

The dispute first erupted afternoon Wednesday after Saleh's supporters tried to prevent thousands of Houthi supporters from holding a celebration to commemorate the birthday of Muslim Prophet Mohammad in Sabeen square near Saleh's giant mosque in the center of Sanaa.

Saleh's party in the statement accused the Houthi group of seeking to seize control over the mosque.

However, the Houthi armed group seized control over the mosque as well as the square after nearly three hours of clashes, according to eye witnesses.

Following the clashes, ambulances rushed to the scene. Eyewitnesses said they saw around a dozen of Saleh's loyalists were injured and arrested by Houthi fighters.

The Houthi official on condition of anonymity told Xinhua earlier that the situation was under control and the mosque was controlled by the Houthi security force.

He said all Saleh's loyal fighters were arrested, but refused to specify the numbers of casualties.

Houthi rebel movement advanced from their stronghold in the far north province of Saada towards the capital Sanaa in September 2014, where they tightened control over the capital, all government facilities, army and security camps.

Saleh's loyalists and their General People's Congress welcomed the Houthi's move and struck a partner agreement.

The new allies of Houthis and Saleh's party then toppled the legitimate government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and forced Hadi along with his cabinet members into exile in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The fragile alliance between the two parties has faced many troubles over the vying of controlling the power.

On Aug. 26, a deadly fighting erupted near the residential house of Saleh's son in the southern part of Sanaa, during which Houthis killed a senior security official close to Saleh.

Houthis and Saleh's party have since been trading accusations over allegations of secret links with the U.S.-backed Saudi-led military coalition.

The coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to roll back the Iranian-allied Houthi group and reinstate Hadi into power.

The nearly three years of war has killed over 10,000 Yemeni people, mostly civilians, and pushed the poor Arab country into the most humanitarian catastrophe and near mass famine. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 06:27:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI met Wednesday in Abidjan for the first time with President of South Africa Jacob Zuma on the sidelines of of the 5th African Union-European Union Summit.

"During this warm and open meeting, the two heads of state agreed to work together for a promising future, especially as Morocco and Africa South are two important poles of political stability and economic development, respectively in the extreme north and the extreme south of the continent," MAP news agency said in a report.

"They also agreed to maintain direct contact and to launch a fruitful economic and political partnership in order to build strong, lasting and stable relations and to go beyond the situation that had characterized bilateral relations for decades," the report said.

In this regard, the king and President Zuma have decided to raise the level of diplomatic representation through the appointment of high-level ambassadors in Rabat and in Pretoria, it noted.

The relationships between the two countries have been tense for decades over conflicting views on many issues, on top of which Western Sahara issue.

The move comes as part of Morocco's new policy of opening on other African nations since its decision to rejoin the African Union after 33 year of absence.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 06:27:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CARACAS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government is gearing up for a round of political dialogue with the opposition with "high expectations," a top official said on Wednesday.

"We are going with high expectations. It should be the mechanism for understanding between two sides with different views, in this case, we have divergent historical projects, a Bolivarian project and an anti-Bolivarian sellout project," Delcy Rodriguez, President of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), said on Twitter.

Earlier, Rodriguez met with Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, the United Nations' Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, to explain Venezuelan government policies and the undertakings of the ANC.

De Zayas arrived in Caracas at the start of the week to assess the human rights situation, which has been riven by the power struggle between the ruling socialist party and the right-wing opposition, a battle marked by economic warfare and violent anti-government demonstrations.

De Zayas, a Cuban-born U.S. lawyer and human rights expert, is also set to meet with opposition leaders.

The talks between the government and the opposition will be held on Dec. 1 and 2 in the Dominican Republic with the participation of some foreign ministers of other countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-30 06:52:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States is looking forward to continued close cooperation with Chile, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a meeting of the U.S.-Chile High Level Bilateral Political Consultative Mechanism was held in Washington, which was co-chaired by U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon and Chilean Deputy Foreign Minister Edgardo Riveros.

During the talk, the two senior diplomats discussed security cooperation, economic growth through investment and trade, human rights and good governance, according to a statement released by the U.S. State Department.

The United States welcomes the opportunity for engagement with Chile and looks forward to continued close cooperation, it said.
Never send a cop to do a man's job
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With the blessed return of Morocco to the African Union, the African continent has regained its unity, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki said.

Speaking at the opening Wednesday of the fifth AU-EU Summit in Abidjan, Faki welcomed the attendance of King Mohammed VI at the event saying that Moroccos return to Africas institutional family has brought balance to AU-EU relations.

Since the last summit held in Brussels in 2014, the AU has undergone significant changes that are part of a restructuring dynamic driven by its leaders in order to make it an effective instrument of development and integration and achieve the aspirations of the African peoples, he added.

The theme of this 5th AU-EU Summit, which dovetails with that of the AU for the year 2017, namely Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth, is far from being mere coincidence, he noted, adding that this thematic convergence confirms that Africa and Europe share the same concerns regarding todays demands.

This invites us to build up a strategic alliance and not just a partnership in pursuit of mercantile interests, through a deeper dialogue between our cultures and our civilizations and through the building of a bridge of friendship between our two continents, Faki said.
Guinean President and current Chairperson of the African Union Alpha Conde praised the pan-African leadership of King Mohammed VI and welcomed his participation at the ongoing 5th AU-EU summit in Abidjan.

We appreciate and welcome the presence of King Mohammed VI said President Conde in his opening remarks at the summit, highlighting the sovereigns commitment and faith in Africas unity.

It hardly surprises us when we remember the role played by Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed V, in the setting up of the Organization of African Unity, said Conde.

During his opening speech, Conde drew a diagnosis of the achievements since the adoption of the political declaration of Brussels in 2014, saying that meeting the set objectives requires overcoming a set of challenges pertaining to security conditions, climate change, financing and development.

He cited the G5 force  formed by five Sahel countries with French support- as an example of counter-terrorism cooperation between the African Union and the European Union.

Touching on the theme of the summit, President Conde said that in 2050 Africas population will hit 2.4 billion, pointing out that this human potential should be deemed as an asset and a driver of development through attaching particular interest to education and training.

Rural development is of essence in achieving Africas development, he added, stressing the need for upgrading basic infrastructure and promoting the energy sector.
Steve Bannon is standing by his candidate. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

In August, Steve Bannon left (or was pushed out of) his role as White House strategist without crossing off many of the items on his famous whiteboard. But Bannon is still spoken of as a political genius because he believed America would elect a man who appeared to admit to serial sexual assault on tape, and found a way to make it happen.

Now Bannon is hoping to stun the Establishment once again by simply repeating his old trick.

I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate, Bannon told CNN on Tuesday, and send shockwaves to the political and media elites.

Bannon will campaign with Moore at a rally in Fairhope, Alabama, on December 5, one week before he faces off with Democrat Doug Jones in the special election to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessionss old Senate seat.

While President Trump has offered a number of public statements backing Moore, it was reported earlier this week that he will not hit the campaign trail for the candidate.

Despite reports that Bannon was privately considering distancing himself from Moore, he and Breitbart News have only become more committed to their candidate. Moore has shaped his defense around Breitbarts worldview, suggesting that the claims he molested and sexually harassed underage girls are a fabrication concocted by the mainstream media and embraced by GOP Establishment figures, most notably Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. (In reality, no Republican senators are publicly defending Moore, and right-wing activists have been caught impersonating a journalist and lying about misconduct claims in an attempt to discredit the Washington Post.)

Just this week, Breitbart posted a clip alerting readers that one of Moores accusers wont give up her yearbook for third-party analysis of his alleged handwriting (a close read reveals she will turn it over  if he agrees to testify under oath). A post by Breitbarts Joel Pollak declares theres not much left of the Roy Moore accusations. The piece notes its been weeks since any new women have accused Moore of sexually assaulting them as teens, and suggests the media is smearing Moore for merely romancing young but legal women, even though its accepted particularly in very religious communities.

However, Leigh Corfman, who said Moore molested her when she was 14 and he was 32, reiterated on Tuesday that she is not being paid by the media and called on him to end his smears and false denials. In an open letter given to AL.com, Corfman said she was moved to speak out again when Moore insisted once again at a rally on Monday that he doesnt even know any of the women accusing him of sexual misconduct. She wrote, in part:

I explained my motivation on the Today show. I said that this is not political for me, this is personal. As a 14-year old, I did not deserve to have you, a 32-year old, prey on me. I sat quietly for too long, out of concern for my family. No more.

I am not getting paid for speaking up. I am not getting rewarded from your political opponents. What I am getting is stronger by refusing to blame myself and speaking the truth out loud.

 [W] hen you personally denounced me last night and called me slanderous names, I decided that I am done being silent. What you did to me when I was 14-years old should be revolting to every person of good morals. But now you are attacking my honesty and integrity. Where does your immorality end?

While it has been 11 days (not weeks) since Moores ninth accuser came forward, the campaign has still managed to generate new controversies. On Tuesday, Fox News in Alabama said Moore staffers manhandled two photojournalists at the previous nights rally. Later in the day, NBC News reported that the campaign has been touting its endorsement from the IndianaFirst super-pac, though the organization was founded weeks ago by a 24-year-old aspiring political operative who said hes trying to disassociate himself from the white-nationalist organizations he was previously affiliated with.

NBC News suggests that the Moore campaign might have distanced itself from the group if it wasnt in shambles:

The situation speaks to the degree to which Moores campaign is understaffed and underfunded, seemingly unable to perform a basic check of a previously unknown political entity, IndianaFirst, or its leader, Caleb Shumaker, who has had ties to a fringe party considered a hate group by leading civil rights organizations.

However, nothing about Moores operation suggests theyre concerned about receiving support from figures considered disreputable by mainstream politicians and journalists. (In fact, back in the 90s Moore addressed a white-supremacist group himself.)

Bannon appears to be misreading the situation as well. Political and media elites may be disgusted to see Alabama voters elect someone accused of preying on children, but it wont be a surprise, particularly with a number of recent polls putting Moore ahead. Bannon helped create a world where that kind of thing doesnt send shockwaves anymore.
Mick Mulvaney: OMB director by day, CFPB acting director also by day. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

When the Trump administrations actions are challenged in court, its not uncommon to see judges put a stop to its behavior. President Trump tends to respond with troubling attacks on the judicial branch, such as dismissing the decision of the so-called judge, or declaring that he wants to break up the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

But on Tuesday, Trump finally found a federal judge he likes:

Just won the lawsuit on leadership of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB. A big win for the Consumer!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

U.S. District Court judge Timothy Kelly happens to be a Trump appointee, but hes also a former federal prosecutor and counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley, not a ghost hunter.

Kelly ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration has a right to appoint budget director Mick Mulvaney as the temporary head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Leandra English  who was named the bureaus deputy director just before director Richard Cordray stepped down earlier this month  had filed a lawsuit, saying that under the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, which established the bureau, she should be director. Lawyers for Trump and Mulvaney argued that under the 1998 Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the president has the right to name Cordrays replacement.

Denying the presidents authority to appoint Mr. Mulvaney raises significant constitutional questions, Kelly said. Nothing in the statutes prevents Mr. Mulvaney from holding both of these positions, referring to Mulvaneys existing job at the Office of Management and Budget.

While Englishs lawyer, Deepak Gupta, argued that Mulvaney could not lead an independent agency while serving the president, the budget director insisted that he would be as independent from Donald Trump in this role as Cordray had been from Obama. To prove this point, he created a new Twitter account and sent out a photo of himself working at the CFPB.

Busy day at the @CFPB. Digging into the details. pic.twitter.com/yfs0gmh28F  Kathy Kraninger (@CFPBDirector) November 28, 2017

Kelly acknowledged that the case raised constitutional issues, and Gupta suggested they would continue pursuing the suit. There needs to be an answer, and there needs to be a final answer. There needs to be a resolution of this cloud of impropriety hanging over the bureau, Gupta said. But Kellys decision to turn down Englishs request for a temporary restraining order should clear the way for Mulvaney to begin revamping the agency.

Both sides acknowledge that Trump has the right to appoint a new CFPB director, but Democrats and consumer groups hoped to force Trump to appoint a permanent director quickly. Now its possible Mulvaney, who once called the agency a sick, sad joke, will lead it for months.

I do think there is a difference between Mulvaney, and the actions he would try to take as acting director, and a permanent, Senate-confirmed nominee, Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform, told the Washington Post. Some of the Trump nominees have been rejected.

As acting director, Mulvaney has wide latitude to rein in the agency Republicans have attacked since it was founded six years ago. While Mulvaney said he doesnt plan to burn the place down, he and Trumps eventual pick for director will have the power to cut off funding for the agency and revisit regulations. For instance, while the CFPB has finalized regulations to curtail the billions of dollars in fees collected by payday lenders, the new director could alter or eliminate those rules before they go into effect in 2019.

He could end investigations, he could take proposed settlements that involved penalties for violators and change them to slaps on the wrist, and legalize what the bureau thought was unfair conduct, Ed Mierzwinski, a senior fellow for the government watchdog U.S. PIRG, told Politico.

Many of these steps to undermine the agency  which has helped nearly 30 million Americans collect about $12 billion in refunds and canceled debts  would face more legal challenges.

There are some guardrails around how much damage they can do; rules that were adopted through a lengthy process, with data and studies and findings, cant just be rolled back, said Lauren Saunders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center. If they dont have the evidence to back up what theyre trying to do, theyll be challenged in court.

Ultimately, the CFPBs fate may be determined by Trumps fraught relationship with the judiciary branch.
Donald Trump. Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The prevailing interpretation of Donald Trump, shared by all his enemies and many of his allies, is that he is a con man. It is a theory that explains both his career in business and politics, and has carried through his many reversals of position and acts of fraud against customers and contractors. It remains quite plausible. But new reporting has opened up a second possibility: The president has lost all touch with reality.

The Washington Post and New York Times have accounts from insiders suggesting Trump habitually insists upon the impossible in private. He does not merely tell lies in order to gull the public or to manipulate allies. He tells lies in private that he has no reason to tell. He still questions the authenticity of Barack Obamas birthplace, despite the birth certificate. He insists voter fraud may have denied him a popular-vote triumph. He tells people Robert Mueller will wrap up his investigation, with a total vindication of the president, by the end of the year.

He questions whether the Access Hollywood tape, on which he was recorded boasting of sexual assault, is even him. (Both the Post and the Times report Trump repeatedly has denied the validity of the tape in private, stunning his advisers, as the Times puts it.)

It is of course entirely possible that Trump is lying to everybody, including his own staff. But the lies in these articles do not always fit into any pattern of rational self-aggrandizement. Trump tells senators or his aides the Access Hollywood tape is not him, but they dont believe him. He has no reason to bring up the birther fabrication in private.

His apparent belief that Mueller will complete his sprawling investigation by the end of the year is not only pointless but self-defeating  rather than prepare allies for a long defense, he is preparing them for a fantastical scenario. (It is also further evidence that, when Mueller fails to vindicate him by the new year, Trump will lash out wildly, firing him, Jeff Sessions, or others.)

If Trump actually has the ability to convince himself of his own lies, it would suggest a possibility far more dangerous than even his critics have previously assumed. He might be in the grip of a mental-health issue, or at least one more serious than mere sociopathy. And the mutterings that he might need to be removed from office through the 25th Amendment could grow more serious than many of us have expected.
John Conyers. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Politico reported on Tuesday that several members of the Congressional Black Caucus have told Congressman John Conyers privately that he should resign, as more women come forward to accuse the 88-year-old of sexual harassment over many years. The outlet also reported that former aides of the congressman are involved in the effort to get him to step down.

Two lawmakers have publicly called for Conyers to quit, and more are expected to follow.

Democratic representative Pramila Jayapal released a statement on Tuesday that read, in part: This is a watershed moment where, finally, the country seems to be waking up and realizing we need to have a zero tolerance policy toward sexual harassment. We cannot pick and choose. Democrats cannot lambaste Trump and Moore, and then turn a blind eye to our own who face credible charges against them.

She joined fellow Democrat Kathleen Rice, who last week said that the allegations against Conyers are as credible as they are repulsive.

Conyers faces a House Ethics Committee investigation into his actions.

On November 20, BuzzFeed revealed that Conyers had paid a settlement to a former staffer who said she was fired because she would not succumb to [his] sexual advances.

Another woman, Maria Reddick, accused Conyers of sexual harassment in a civil lawsuit earlier this year, but dropped the charges when she learned they would become public.

On Tuesday, a third former staffer came forward to the Detroit Free Press. Deanna Maher recounted multiple instances of Conyers touching her inappropriately or making unwanted sexual advances while she worked for him from 1997 to 2005.

I didnt report the harassment because it was clear nobody wanted to take it seriously, she said. John Conyers is a powerful man in Washington, and nobody wanted to cross him.

On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was widely criticized for an appearance on Meet the Press in which she dodged questions about whether Conyers should resign, called him an icon, and said he had worked to protect womens rights. Shortly after the appearance, Conyers agreed to step down from his powerful perch as the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

As the New York Times reported on Tuesday, Conyerss situation has exacerbated the gulf between older members of the party, who are often loyal to party stalwarts, and younger members, who have been frustrated with the ossified nature of the partys congressional structure. Conyers has been in office for 53 years, longer than any current member.
Employees work among rolls of aluminum at Meixin aluminum factory on August 3, 2017 in Suixi, China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

During his recent trip to Beijing, Donald Trump sounded less like a pugnacious populist than a giddy globalist. The president raved about the superlative beauty of Chinese military parades, the joys of eating dinner with Xi Jinping, and the absolutely terrific bilateral meetings he had with the Communist leader. Meanwhile, Trump neglected to utter a critical word about Beijings human-rights abuses at home or belligerent activities in the South China Sea.

On the campaign trail, Trump had spoken of China as a mortal enemy. Last winter, he suggested that he might buck Beijing on U.S. policy toward Taiwan, while his secretary of State suggested the American military would block Chinas access to its disputed islands in the Pacific. Now, Trump appears content to bask in the warmth of Xis flattery, while Hillary Clinton takes up the mantle of anti-China populism.

But on Tuesday morning, Ely Ratner of the Council on Foreign Relations predicted that Trumps love affair with Beijing would be short-lived for three reasons:

1) Trump is finally getting his national security team in place  and that team is composed almost entirely of China hawks.

2) That team is soon to produce two official strategy documents, which will likely name China as first and foremost a strategic competitor.

3) Politics. As Ratner writes:

Consider how Democrats and even some Republicans have pulled Trump back to a more moderate position on Iran. With China, its going to be the opposite. The dominant criticism in Washington  across the political spectrum  is that Trump has failed to deliver on China.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Trump administration lent credence to Ratners theory: The Commerce Department announced that it will be launching a pair of investigations into alleged Chinese trade violations. Specifically, the administration will investigate whether China is exporting aluminum to the United States at artificially low prices, thereby causing unfair injury to U.S. firms. The investigations could lead steep duties on more than $600-million-worth of aluminum sheet imports by early next year.

Notably, the Commerce Department self-initiated these investigations  as opposed to taking them up in response to a petition from a U.S. firm. The American government has not self-initiated such a trade measure since the George H.W. Bush administration cracked down on Canadian softwood lumber imports in 1991.

Trump made a promise to American businesses, workers and farmers that he would vigorously enforce our trade laws and be more enforcement-minded than our predecessors, Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said Tuesday. Todays action shows that we intend to make good on that promise to the American people.
Stakeholders in the insurance sector should exercise a high level of integrity and honesty to ensure a steady and sustainable growth of the business, according to Saul Seremba, the CEO of the Insurance Institute of Uganda (IIU).

He said this recently during a dinner to crown the IIU northern region membership interface activities at Bomah hotel, Gulu. Building confidence in this business requires insurance companies to deliver on what they promise their customers, he noted.

Lack of honesty in insurance business normally manifests when companies unscrupulously decline to honour genuine customer claims, while on the clients side, fraudulent claims are presented before the companies with a motive of fleecing them.

The 2015 KPMG East Africa insurance fraud risk survey indicates that claims-related fraud is estimated at about $500,000 (Shs1.8b) annually.

Seremba noted that selling insurance, being a purely services business, must be handled carefully in strict conformity with the code of conduct because any slight threat against the existing and prospective clients has a significant negative bearing on business.

He also called on players in the industry to take up training opportunities at IIU to attain skills and competencies in insurance. The institute currently runs courses such as certificate of proficiency and certificate in insurance.
A consortium of British investors plans to join Ugandas emerging oil and gas sector through specializing in extraction and processing of the natural resources.

On Monday, the team joined officials of Roofings group for a fact-finding mission at their Namanve plant, where they were taken around the facility.

Ugandan-born Lord Dolar Popat, the UK prime ministers trade envoy to Uganda, led the delegation from the British High Commission and UK Energy Industrial Council that had representatives from firms such as DIT Oil and Gas, Hydro Plan UK, Rockwell Automation and ABB, among others.

(L-R): Stuart Mwesigwa, the Roofings Group business development manager, Lord Popat and Peter West, the British High Commissioner to Uganda while addressing the media at Namanve

Lord Popat said the UK aims to increase trade and investment ties with Uganda through partnering with Ugandan firms in big projects like the emerging opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

I regularly meet with business organisations and entrepreneurs from Uganda and I encourage the next generation of businesses in the UK to invest in Uganda, he said.

Lord Popat also revealed investors plans to build a 310 million (Shs 1.5 trillion) international airport in Kibaale, Hoima where oil and gas extraction is expected to start soon.

On his part, Sikander Lalani, the chairman of Roofings Group, assured the delegation of his commitment to supply quality materials for the projects.

Our trained and capable human resource, state-of-the-art machinery reaffirms our stand and purpose. We are ably proficient to meet the international requirements of standards and consistency, he said.

Roofings has been tested on several big government projects such as the ongoing construction of Karuma dam and new Jinja bridge as well as the Entebbe Expressway plus the renovation of Entebbe international airport.
After more than 100 years using the Barclays name in Africa, Barclays Africa Group will finally let go after its parent firm sold majority interest in it. The task now is to get the brand that will appeal to its 11.6 million customers across the continent, writes ALON MWESIGWA.

At the Barclays Towers, 15 Troye Street in Johannesburg, tens of bankers occupy an entire floor piecing together the divorce journey of Barclays Africa Group Limited (BAGL) from parent firm Barclays PLC.

One of the questions that pre-occupies their minds is what name or colour Barclays Africa will adopt when it ceases using its parent brand.

Absa Barclays in South Africa. The bank will drop the name Barclays soon

Were saying what is it [that we must do] to make sure we get it right? said Peter Matlare, the group deputy CEO. We want to see that at no stage our customers feel any level of concern.

It is a delicate process. If peoples experience about us is bad, they dump us and talk bad about us. If we deliver on the things we say we want to deliver, well have the opportunities, he added.

The Barclays name and brand has been a common feature in the countries where it has been operating for more than 90 years. In South Africa, the bank has operated there under the Barclays brand for more than 100 years.

After sale by the London-headquartered Barclays PLC of its majority interest in in BAGL, the latter will cease to use the name and brand of the former.

BAGLs businesses in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zambia, too, will have to change to a new identity.

Brand represents many things. Well leverage off the heritage of the Barclays PLC brand, Matlare said.

Barclays PLC announced on March 1, 2016 that it intended over a two to three-year period to reduce its shareholding in Barclays Africa Group Ltd. As at June 2017, it had sold majority of its shares from 62.3 per cent to only 23.4 per cent of the Africa business. There are media reports it could sell down further to 15 per cent.

This means Barclays Africa cannot continue to use the brand and name of Barclays PLC since it is no longer the majority owner. In a statement in May, Barclays PLC said the separation arrangements include contributions from it to BAGL totalling 765m (about $1bn).

At least 515 million would be to provide additional capital to BAGL to allow it to make investments required to achieve the separation, including in respect of technology, rebranding and other separation projects.

Songezi Zibi, BAGL head of corporate communication, said the bank was now looking at the basket of names testing their acceptance in the public.

In South Africa, where it is the biggest bank, it is already trading as Absa  which stands for Amalgamated banks of South Africa.

But this is fairly unknown in other jurisdictions on the continent. In other markets like Uganda, the Barclays name is expected to cease in the next two to three years.

Absa is one of the names being considered to be rolled out on the continent, Zibi said. One of the considerations is to assess what people feel about Absa.

Weve been very careful not to assume that it will be Absa. We are going through a much disciplined process.

Neil Maree, the deputy head of banking supervision at the South African Reserve Bank, said change in brand does bring risks and concerns. He said the South African central bank was leaving to the group to decide whether they adopt a single brand to cover all the subsidiaries on the continent or take the hybrid that would see the subsidiaries take a different name.

Well have to approve and monitor how the branding will be carried out, Maree said. The bank will also have to engage in-country regulators for approval.

Going forward, Matlare said there were genuine concerns that the bank would cut staff after the separation. He said the group already believes it has the great talent and wants to remain home to that talent.

He said the group was exploring a way to give shares to staff in the company as one way of motivating them to change culture and know what they are building is theirs.

Matlare said all workers in countries where they operate will have opportunities to own shares in the bank as a way of incentivising them.

Asked about whether after separation, the group will consider listing its subsidiaries in countries like Uganda on local stock exchanges, Matlare said they would look into this after they have completely separated from Barclays PLC.

He added, however, the bank would look into expanding in markets like Nigeria and Angola, where it is currently not operating.



amwesigwa@observer.ug
Meeting her for the first time, one cant fail to notice Beverley Nambozos gentility through her strong verbal expression.

In a British accent, similar to that of the Victorian age, she welcomes me to her house in Kiwatule, offers me a seat and hands me a glass of water.

Although Nambozo is a jack of all trades, the mother of three decided to concentrate on public speaking, confidence-building and poetry. In her pass time, she enjoys swimming for longer distances  a trait she sees in all her three children.

Nambozo realized she could become a professional public speaker just last year. After joining Toast Masters Club, an international group of public speakers, her passion for speaking to larger crowds heightened.

Beverley Nambozo

My latest passion, public speaking, has always been there since I was young. I have developed and Im now a professional speaker and trainer, says Namboozo, who joined Bukoto Toast Masters Club and was elected president.

Her past experiences in leadership and positions that require effective interpersonal skills have enabled her not to face a lot of challenges in her professional.

She has ever been a radio programme host on 104.1 Power FM, worked at the British Council and Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Institute for the Advancement of Women (EASSI), among other organisations. She has also worked with children at Rainbow International School as a teacher and dance instructor.

Nambozo is not only a public speaker, but also trains both the young and old on how to effectively communicate. She empowers her tender trainees with confidence and life skills, while to the older ones she teaches how to excel in interviews and business communication.

I asked many of them: what do you want to overcome? and they said: the fear of embarrassment while speaking. Most people fear public speaking more than they fear spiders because they think everyone is judging them, Nambozo says.

She observes that many people have the abilities and talent to succeed at public speaking, but what fails them is the lack of preparation. She says that despite how good one is at what they do, they always fail the moment they dont do any preparations like background checks; and thats why they end up blundering.

As a public speaker, she suggests that one should be able to read and get inspiration from the best there is. Apart from Okot pBiteks Song of Lawino, Nambozo is inspired by the words of Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou and sometimes Robert Mugabe.

When you dont read, people can see. It doesnt matter how good you are as a speaker; I have seen the most qualified speakers unprepared, she says.

On poetry, Nambozo reveals that her passion for words has always been with her. From England where she spent her childhood to Gayaza high school and Makerere college school, her thirst for writing has never been quenched. Even when she joined university, she undertook a Bachelor of Education in Literature course.

She later graduated with a masters degree in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. In 2008, after understanding the state of poetry in Uganda, Nambozo decided to launch an award to reward women for their efforts in promoting poetry. The first Beverley Nambozo Poetry award was won by Lilian Awujo, a female poet and lawyer.

Nambozo explains that for many years, women were never part of poetry because it was a patriarchal society. She adds that poems were taught in literature classes, and once outside college, people shunned it for other careers. It is for this reason that the awards were started. Rebecca Kadaga, then

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, was selected as the patron. Being the ambitious woman she is, Nambozo also started up a foundation  Babisha Niwe (BN)  to promote poetry. The awards were then extended to the continental level in 2014 and the Haiku (Japanese poetry) was incorporated.

An anthology  A thousand Voices Rising  of poems from all past winners, and works like the Poetry Nature Series and When Children Dare to Dream has been produced.

One of the biggest hurdles BN has faced is getting resources. Nambozo says that although poetry has picked up in the past decade, selling ideas to non-poets and corporate companies is still a challenge.

She says most of partners are from Europe because they have grown into loving art, but those in Africa are after short-term gratification. Distribution of books is also another hurdle she faces as a writer and poet.

The 14-time published poet hopes to issue out her first novel soon and hopefully, when she has set up the right team, she will launch her leadership institute.

I love to create and know that there are a thousand possibilities. Every day, I wake up and think of how I can create, or make another giant out of my possibilities, she says.

abumay1988@gmail.com
The process of putting together American playwright Lynn Nottages 2008 production Ruined has almost started in Uganda.

The play had been commissioned by the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and was meant to present the plight of women in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.

To create the production, Nottage and Kate Whoriskey, the director, traveled to Uganda and interviewed women as a way of creating background for it.

Almost 10 years later, when the production was debuted at the Makerere University main hall, it felt like Nottages words and vision were coming home and not just visiting for days.

Directed by Charles Mulekwa, this production entirely depended on the universitys students of drama to bring to life characters that won Nottage numerous awards such as a Pulitzer, Drama League award, and Lucille Lortel award among others.

Ruined is set in a small mining town in DRC; Mama Nadi owns a bar whose clients are both miners and soldiers from different factions. But that is not all about her bar; Mamas girls play a role that goes beyond serving whiskey, food and wine.

As Mama says it in most of the play: They keep customers happy

According to documentation on Ruined, earlier on, Nottage had plans of setting the play in Iraq, but after discovering reports on the exploitation of women in DRC, she, alongside Whoriskey, travelled to Uganda.

In the production, a womans body is objectified as is the case in war situations  a weapon used by both sides. The women seem to use their bodies for assurance, while the soldiers use them to weaken them through rape and abuse.

With Ruined though, an element of Mama, who was well portrayed by Immaculate Namutale, comes in; in most of the production, she is presented as a saviour who has not only given the girls a job or shelter, but also saved their lives from being ravaged by the war happening outside her protective bar walls.

A third-year student of drama, Namutales character creates a question on whether Mama is part of those exploiting the womens bodies or she is, indeed, a saviour that wishes the best for them.

According to the shows executive producer Sylvia Antonia Nanyonga, presenting this production in the International Gender-based Violence week, November 24  28, Ruined re-affirmed the need for national and international activism against such violence in war torn areas.

In his directors note, Mulekwa noted that Ruined is proof that anyone can write about another place provided they have empathy.

What Nottages priceless drama achieves is that it is possible to enlighten the people of USA, empathise with those in Congo and educate those in Uganda through the vehicle of art.

The show was restaged at Ndere Center on Sunday.



kaggwandre@gmail.com
At 2:11pm, just as Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah concluded his welcoming communication at the resumption of Parliaments plenary sittings, opposition MPs, led by their chief whip, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda (Kira Municipality), walked into the central lobby to announce their new course of action.

A few like Ssemujju and his Kawempe North counterpart Abdul-Latif Ssebaggala donned all-red outfits while others had a red cap, necktie or band around their heads or hands.

Some made phone calls to their colleagues who hadnt arrived, telling them not to come. Those who had missed the oppositions morning caucus meeting and had already entered the Parliamentary chamber were called out.

Opposition MPs boycotted plenary yesterday

In the process, the rebel ruling party MPs were notified. In quick order, Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo and his Manjiya counterpart John Baptist Nambeshe joined their opposition colleagues in the protest.

Today we are acting as gentlemen and ladies, to allow the speakers to sort themselves out. Tomorrow it is not going to be the same issue, Ssemujju warned as he made a demand on behalf of the opposition caucus to have Parliament debate the September 27 invasion of Parliament by suspected soldiers from President Musevenis elite guard formation, the Special Forces Command (SFC).

The SFC raid saw MPs assaulted, violently dragged out of the chamber, resulting in the serious injury of some.

Should we come here [on Wednesday] and [Oulanyah] doesnt want us to debate the issues of September 27 when we were invaded and brutalised by people who are unknown even to the speakership, there will be no staying away, we will be in Parliament and we will sort out this matter on the floor of the House, the opposition chief whip said.

On the fateful day, under the operational oversight of the commanding officer, Brig Don Nabasa, the troops filed in from the neighbouring office of the president building, stormed the Parliamentary chamber and dragged out MPs opposed to Igara West Raphael Magyezis constitution amendment bill that seeks to scrap the presidential age limit  and potentially lead to a Museveni life presidency.

It was the climax of a weeklong apparent siege of Parliament by heavily-armed military and regular police with counter-terror units backed by armoured personnel carriers.

It was not unlike the cataclysmic 1966-67 events during which Dr Apollo Milton Obote ordered the army to surround parliament with tanks, and stampeded MPs into endorsing his pigeon-hole constitution entrenching himself in power.

And it is generally thought that Ugandas violent and bloody past has roots in this so-called 1966 crisis when the army was introduced into a political contest between Obote and the then ceremonial president who was also Kabaka of Buganda, Frederick Mutesa II.

On September 27, nearly 50 MPs were violently arrested by the security men and spirited off to police stations around the city till late in the night when they were set free.

Many escaped with injuries, some, like the ones sustained by Mukono Municipalitys Betty Nambooze Bakireke and Mityana Municipalitys Francis Zaake, turned out to be life-threatening. Nambooze and Zaake have had to be flown to hospitals in India and USA respectively.

Three other MPs: Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West), Moses Kasibante (Lubaga North) and Robert Kyagulanyi (Kyadondo East) survived grenade attacks on their homes.

You cannot pretend to sit in an insecure environment to deliberate on behalf of the country yet at no notice, the invaders can come and attack you, Ssemujju said.

Minister David Bahati addressing the House yesterday

Yesterdays was an agreed position from an opposition caucus meeting that lasted for nearly four hours in the boardroom of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Winfred Kiizas office. The caucus meeting was called to discuss the way forward for the opposition, including the furtherance of their campaign against the Magyezi bill.

As the meeting progressed, Ssemujju walked into Oulanyahs office to inquire whether the LOP had been included on the days Order Paper to make a statement about the events of September 27.

Before Parliament [was recalled from recess] the leader of opposition had an interaction with the Speaker [Rebecca Kadaga] and both of them agreed that the first item to attend to today [yesterday] would be the security and welfare of MPs, Ssemujju told journalists.

By the time Kadaga sent Parliament on recess, the entire opposition had boycotted Parliamentary business until the expiry of her suspension of 25 MPs.

Oulanyah reportedly declined to allocate time to the opposition because he was not well informed about Kadagas undertaking to them, and the supposed letter she wrote to President Museveni seeking an explanation as to the identity of the men behind the chaotic attack of September 27.

I went to follow up on that undertaking but the deputy speaker didnt give me an opportunity on behalf of my colleagues to give that statement because he has not been briefed by the Speaker, Ssemujju said.



sadabkk@observer.ug
Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntus re-election loss as president of the countrys largest opposition party has stoked a backlash on social media, with some Ugandans predicting the end for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

Many angry commentators urged Muntu to abandon FDC and form his own party while some say these are the fruits of democracy and Muntu should gracefully accept the loss. At the heart of these deeply-felt sentiments are questions over the role former FDC president, Dr Kizza Besigye, played in Muntus removal.

With 641 votes, Besigye protege Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) ejected Muntu out of the top seat at Najjanankumbi. His 463 votes were too little too late to stop Amuriat in last Fridays deeply divided general delegates conference in Mandela national stadium, Namboole.

Since then, there have recriminations and a hot exchange of barbs between those who supported Muntu and those who rallied behind Besigye. Muntu had led FDC since 2012.

Mugisha Muntu talking to Patrick Oboi Amuriat at Namboole last week

One Prince Isaac Mwesigwa posted: Team Muntu is getting its strategy. We will accommodate those who accommodate us. We will work with those that believe in us. Even if it means creating our own party. We will surely make it someday.

Doreen Nyanjura, an FDC delegate whose day job is being a councillor at Kampala Capital City Authority, posted a response to those criticising Amuriats win: Clearly social media people dont understand the dynamics in FDC. Social media people vote popularity, delegates vote for the party. Like I said earlier, Mugisha Muntu lost because he had very little to show for the last five years he has been in charge. Delegates have three years to judge POA, should he not work to their expectations, I trust them; they will throw him out.

She added: I have seen some party members still referring themselves as Team Mugisha Muntu, Team POA. Elections ended on Friday, we no longer have teams, we are all team FDC now. Lets move forward and start working.

On Twitter, Muntu posted the most reassuring response to the party, saying Amuriats win had been hard-earned and he wished him well.

To those who supported me both in and outside the delegates, I would like to urge you not to panic or lose hope. While there are setbacks on a personal level, there have been gains at a party levelFDC won. Democracy won, Muntu said.

Muntu has had a torrid time as party leader with his opponents frequently branding him an NRM mole, an unsubstantiated allegation which found its way into the campaign narrative. But Besigye came out on Monday to say he trusted Muntu and would not think of him as working for someone else against FDC.

The feeling that Muntus exit, and the ascendency of the hardline and militant wing over the so-called moderates spells doom has been amplified by even NRM commentators. Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has said Amuriat will not add anything to FDC.

While Don Wanyana, the senior presidential press secretary, posted Poor Muntu cynically to say he was in a wrong place.

FDC delegates at Namboole

Andrew Mwenda, a known regime apologist, posted: The defeat of the noble Mugisha Muntu in the race for the presidency of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has put the last nail in the coffin of decent politics in that party. It marks the final triumph of radical extremism as an organising philosophy for FDC.

Some people have, however, said NRMs preference for Muntu as FDC leader was because his way of doing things would not give them a hard time.

Amuriat is expected to reset the Besigye confrontational tactics with defiance as a guiding principle. The other view emerging on social media is that those Ugandans turned off by President Musevenis militarism and Besigyes militancy were drawn to Muntu as a third way for Uganda  and this could find expression in a new political organisation formed from the ashes of a disintegrating FDC.

In congratulating Amuriat, Muntu also promised to announce his next move soon, cryptically saying he would want to work in an environment where he is trusted.



amwesigwa@observer.ug
Col (rtd) Nuwe Amanya Mushega appeared before the committee on legal and parliamentary affairs on November 9 where he made a presentation on the 'age limit bill.'

The bush war veteran comes with considerable heft, having been the national political commissar and noted NRM ideologue in the early years of the Museveni presidency.

He was minister for education during more or less the same period and has been secretary general of the East African Community. JOSEPHINE NAMULOKI followed the proceedings.

Amanya Mushega before the Legal Committee. Photo: NTV Uganda

Committee chair Jacob Oboth Oboth: I call this meeting to order. To begin with, our witness, we would like to know more about you in relation to politics of this country but also as a senior citizen, as a knowledgeable person, trained lawyer, former secretary general and a person who has been around.

We want to rely on your expertise and opinion regarding what is before us; where do we go given our political history that everyone has invoked in the preamble. Tell us what we may not know about you and then make a presentation.

Mushega: Thank you, Mr Chairman. You say you want a conversation which I think is better because we must discuss the future of our country. I have told friends; our generation, we have had our fair share of life. So, as I said, the conversation will be useful because we are able to compare notes.

I mentioned that my generation, we have lived a fair share of our entitlement; so, our concern should not even be about our children because our children are already adults and I mention this from the top and other friends that I have in government.

The main concern of mine is not me or our children. It is our grandchildren. Those of six, seven Anything we do, take into account that those people will harvest what we are sowing but were never responsible for.

When I was coming here, right from the front, to the rear entrance I went through so many security gadgets that were not here before. This is a sign that parliament and with its honourable members are very important people who should reflect high values, value the nation and its people to come first before our personal and partisan concerns and interests.

Let me put a recap which everyone I think knows. I was actually a member of the [Odoki] Constitutional Commission. Let me declare that interest but you can go to the Hansard and dig out what my positions were. I dont think they have changed much.

Mwenge North MP Aston Kajara: There is a difference between the commission and the Constituent Assembly; you were actually a member of the assembly.

Mushega: Thank you for that amendment, yes. I was a member of the CA and we spent about three months debating whether we should be called honourable or minister, a lot of time was spent. These days when I go to the village even the LC-IIs are honourables. I was in a meeting and a lady introduced herself as so and so who stood and lost.

MPs: Laughter

Mushega: Interestingly, she was from FDC. The point is that we have tried to make it that everybody is very important. You know you can value yourself as so important when actually you are minor. Now, the chairmen of districts are impossible to greet because they are better facilitated than some medical officers.

MPs: Laughter

Mushega: So, there was that commission which went around the country. Then the CA which was elected specifically for one task; to look through the document (draft constitution) and pass a document which would take into account what had befallen Uganda.

It took into account the history of Uganda, what Uganda had gone through. So, if you see people referring to Iceland, India, it had different circumstances from what Uganda had gone through. Of course there were comparisons with other constitutions.

This constitution was made;

i) After long consultations by the Constitutional Commission that went around the country consulting the citizens, experts and other constitutions.

ii) By a special body which was universally elected to do only one specific thing to review the report, to consult and promulgate a national constitution.

iii) While taking into account the history of Uganda and to address the issues specific to Uganda.

iv) through comparisons with other constitutions in the region and the world.

v) it was to prevent repetition of the past and to immunise leaders from being infected by the State House virus that affects the occupants with appetite for power and overstay. So, what is the agency for this amendment; is it the most serious and urgent matter affecting the country today?

Ugandas problems in the past and present have never come from the population, the opposition or lack of ideology. It has always come from leaders who come to power with good intentions but later on, because of the State House virus and trappings of power, start thinking of themselves as indispensable and grow a sense of entitlement to stay in power.

This can be made worse by political creepers and cheerleaders. Constitutions and other laws are made to govern society and control the greed of men for power and resources. Constitutions are made to stand the test of time and challenges, not to be changed casually or, worse still, to suit the interest of one person or a group.

If I may ask, what is the hurry to specifically amend the age limit provision? What mischief has occurred? Who has complained that the provision [Article 102(b)] as it is has prevented them from standing? Where did Hon Magyezi Raphael, the mover who had earlier demonstrated against leaders who want to overstay, pick this noble idea from?

We should never make a law or amend it to suit an individual, however disguised or cleverly done.

The question I am posing: who are we fooling?

We have heard many arguments in favour of this move, but let me highlight a few:

That USA had no term limits until recently, that this law is not for the benefit of Mr Museveni, that many other countries have no term limits, that why remove a good captain, striker?

A good law is the one that affects all equally, including or especially those who made it. Patriotism is not just love for your leader but it is love for your country, including the duty to defend your country against its government or leader.

The first major defilement of this constitution in its infancy was the removal of term limits, which was specifically to benefit an individual.

The current attempt to change, or this time rape, the very constitution in spite of all the spurious arguments, is again to benefit one individual. When a leader [gets] above the law and whenever the fundamental law of the land affects him, it must be changed at all costs and hastily, you are headed for disaster. It becomes a question of just not when but also how.

When all is done just to keep one individual or group in unchecked power, you are sowing seeds of disaster for the future generation.

Africa is replete with such strongmen, eventually they leave power. Even where the leader has passed on and is accorded a state funeral like in the case of Ivory Coast, problems have occurred.

Young men and women who now live in misery or pay with their blood to change the situation were not even born when these indispensable strongmen were in charge. Honourable members, think about the country and the children of tomorrow.

The office of the president in the case of Uganda is the most feted, facilitated and protected. There is a question I would like to put across to this committee which has been on my mind for many years: Is Mr Museveni (for whom you intend to amend the age limit provision), a leader to prosperity and progress or a leader to eventual disaster?

Do leaders who want to overstay in power, even against their original principled positions, do so because of their love for their countries and people or is it for other reasons?

Power intoxicates far more than alcohol. In the case of alcohol, when the individual wakes up he is shaken by the hangover and other effects but has a chance to reflect and rethink.

For power, however, its a permanent presence everywhere the occupant is; its ever present. Its all-powerful, however, much the occupant tries he gets insulated from reality. It can easily lead to the hubris syndrome.

The provisions on term and age limits were to prevent this. Alas, if these milestones are removed the future of this country and future generation, your guess is as good as mine.

I have had the privilege to meet some presidents while in power and those who had relinquished power. The difference in expression, demeanour and lessons they give are amazing.

Even those we have watched in neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania or far off USA and UK make you feel envious wishing the same could happen to us. The current generation owes this country the obligation to have a peaceful transfer of power from one president to another.

It has happened at the level of vice presidents, prime ministers, MPs and local leaders. Why not at the presidency? Is it occupied by people from outer space? It is important to save the country and individuals, by leaving this protective provision intact.

Duty has beckoned you; its up to you to fulfil it. Its very important to remove the state of fear and uncertainty from many leaders  temporal, spiritual and investors and especially local investors.

Trouble has always come from leaders. History, like time, never repeats itself. It is only those who think they are too clever who repeat the same things that resulted into trouble in the past and when the same results occur, they are again too clever or conceited to accept the consequences of their actions. Instead of accepting the blame, they take cover in the false adage that history has, indeed, repeated itself.

One time I was having a conversation with the late Zirikusoka. He said to me You are not successful until you have a successful successor. Its high time you created room for many successors to emerge so that the best from them are chosen. We may be enjoying peace but we need stability.

Let me end with the story I was told by a leader in Tanzania. When Mwalimu Julius Nyerere declared his intentions to retire, the entire central executive committee of CCM insisted that he was the only one that could guarantee stability in Tanzania.

But when he stuck to his guns and declared his retirement, more than 15 members of those in the same committee picked their forms to replace him. Of course, each declaring that he was the most suited to replace him and continue the stability. Tanzania has since had four presidents and is stable. Compare with Field Marshal Mobutu Sese seko who declared that after him there will be a flood.

I wish and hope that some of you will be among those that will pick nomination forms, especially from the ruling party, when this vital provision is retained. If only you can have the courage to overcome the fear of this highly-disguised private members bill. One wise jurist long ago said circumstantial evidence is capable of proving a point with accuracy of mathematics.

Dont fear, Ugandans today are much more bold; less fearful compared to the situation in 2005. Let me end with this statement about a law which is meant to affect some. Recently, I was in Bushenyi, that is where I am born; so, there was a rule passed by police that in these consultations, MPs cannot move from [their] constituency to another.

I remember people were prevented from moving from Makindye to Lubaga. I read in the papers that the leaders in Bushenyi, I presume I am one of them but I am past, have approved the removal of age limits.

They collected many people from constituencies in Bushenyi: Ishaka, Bushenyi Municipality, Igara East and Igara West and Woman MP.

They gathered at the district headquarters. I asked the police, you made a rule or law that an MP cannot cross from his constituency to another but not only have [they] crossed, but you are all gathered here to give protection to them.

I was told that was not a consultative meeting, but a district NRM consultative caucus and they were all dressed in yellow. I thought consultations mean everybody who is qualified can be consulted, including me who is a resident of that area.

They excluded everybody else apart from those in yellow and later on they secretly declared that the whole of Bushenyi district had approved this amendment. The question I pose, Mr chairman: who are we fooling?

Oboth: Whom are we fooling; maybe we would start with who is fooling who now?

Bukooli North MP Gaster Mugoya: You talked about defiling of our constitution. I want to hear from you whether Article 102(b) is an entrenched provision in our constitution or not. I would request you to give us answers in regard to articles 259 and 262 vis-a-vis article 102(b). Whether this bill has political connotations or legal.

Do you find anything good in the 1995 constitutional order in terms of social, economic and political setting?

Mushega: I went to the bush but it is not very important. Whether there are benefits from freedom fights or not, I think there are. You dont wake up in the morning and your son tells you put out your gown there is a wedding reception I have organised.

It is something you see through as a family; you inform neighbours and relatives. So, this amending of the constitution is not a casual matter. Whatever you want, go ahead and do it, you have the numbers but I remember a former president also asking: where are your commanders? These numbers keep changing; so, who are we fooling?

When you say is the bill political or legal, it is primarily political. Laws come to govern human beings. Every vernacular has a term for it. When the law has just started; not even walking, you want to change it. Why did you make it in the first place? In Kyankwanzi we opposed [lifting term limits] and made it clear to President Museveni in private and public meetings.

The two provisions [term and age limits] were intended to cure what I call the State House virus. I need to say he [Museveni] was a man of few words; he had come to stay for a little while . when we came in, we started two years, four, nine, 15 years. I am responsible for some of those by the way.

People used to live together in Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole but the moment Bunyaruguru was declared a district [Rubirizi] then suddenly the difference between Bakiga and Banyaruguru turned up. So, they had to create a constituency [Katerera] for Bakiga and another one for Banyaruguru.

You can see how we are making people think narrow, how can we build East Africa when we cant build Uganda, how will I live with a Tanzanian when I cant live with a mukiga. The more you divide the population, the more narrowly they think. I thank you for inviting me.

Oboth: Thank you very much. If we had 10 of you speaking that way, the problems we consider for Uganda would be solved. We thank you.



namuloki16@gmail.com
Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu is today expected to announce a pivotal post-election decision, which could determine his very future in the Forum for Democratic Change.

By press time yesterday, uncertainty loomed over the countrys largest opposition party. Deeply divided by irreconcilable political philosophies, the cracks in its superstructure, dating way back to November 2012 when Muntu assumed office, could finally shatter in a decisive split.

It is not a week since he was unexpectedly defeated in an election where he was seeking to retain the FDC party presidency. Former Kumi County MP Patrick Oboi Amuriat won with 641votes against his 463 votes at the Namboole FDC delegates conference.

FDC party members

Many party members and the country at large have been left guessing what Muntu plans to do  some suggesting even the emergence of a new political party.

But Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, who was co-chair of the Muntu campaign, told The Observer yesterday that Muntu will bring an end to the guessing today.

Tomorrow [today] we have a press conference; Gen Muntu will speak to the country about his next move, Ssemujju said.

The usually outspoken Kira municipality member of parliament was guarded about what Muntu will be telling the country. He, instead, dwelt on how they were still consulting each other on the way forward.

Ssemujju also said that their reaction is going to be largely determined by the actions of Amuriat and his backers. He said they would very much want to work together as FDC to wrest power from NRM and President Museveni, but there must be room for them to do so.

If people want to go ahead with the campaign threats that they made, that FDC is one party which must have one direction; one everything, what then do they want us to do; those of us who believe in multiple approaches? Ssemujju said.

The decision we are going to make next is going to be premised on the conduct of those who have won the election. We think that all approaches can work; if they also say they can work, then we can sit down and discuss how they can work. If they cant work, certainly we will have to find a way for those of us who believe in these approaches to make them work, he added.

Asked if their options include leaving FDC altogether, Ssemujju said: A party is not a barracks, even though it is one person who has something different to say, he must be listened to

In his concession speech at Namboole, Muntu had pointedly said that in a few days, he would reveal his next move.

There are decisions that I have got to make because while I congratulate you [Amuriat] for your victory, I also recognise that within the party there might be irreconcilable, either ideological differences, or methods or approaches. Im an honest man, Im always honest to myself I would like to be honest to you as well, Muntu said.

Against this background, there were undertones of belligerence in FDC chairman Wasswa Biriggwas comments when he spoke to The Observer last evening. Evidently an Amuriat supporter, Biriggwa sounded almost triumphalist.

We dont want anybody to leave the party because we are stronger when we are together and united. However, we cant hold onto somebody who wants to leave. FDC is not a prison; it is free entry and free exit. If they feel aggrieved and feel they want to go, let them go because we dont want them to hold the party hostage, Biriggwa said.

I never mentioned anybodys name but whoever feels he or she cannot stand the new leadership, they are free to leave because Amuriat was elected in a free and fair election, Biriggwa said, noting that the fact that Amuriat won doesnt mean that the views of other party members wont matter anymore.

When Muntu was the party president there were others who had divergent views, they didnt go. They should also remain and allow us to discuss these issues like we have been doing before; we either agree or disagree.

Patrick Amuriat casting his ballot last week

For Alice Alaso, FDC vice president for eastern Uganda, Biriggwas stance goes against the party grain.

The statement made by Chairman Ambassador Wasswa Biriggwa that those aggrieved are free to go if they want was very unfortunate because if your child is crying and throwing tantrums, you dont tell them to go and drink poison, Alaso said, adding that the FDC, which has projected a public image of tolerance of divergent views, is acting pretty much like the ruling NRM.

It appears like there is need for the emergence of a new tendency that believes in recruitment, constructive engagement, and not the extremists of Museveni and extremists of defiance. It might not emerge with Muntu or with me but nature abhors a vacuum. The FDC has ceded space which it used to occupy unless they are smart enough to put their act together and come back to that space, Alaso said.

Alaso added that delegates who voted for Amuriat voted for defiance as the only strategy.

Whatever we will do in the next three or five years will be defiance. The strategy of Gen Muntu of mobilisation, capacity building, structure-building was rejected, Alaso said.

It is clear that the FDC is divided right in the middle; you have to be for defiance or you are useless and unhelpful, she added.

For those who are not for defiance and are in leadership of the party, they must respect the decision of the delegates and not stand in the way of defiance. If they cant join defiance, then they can sit back because there is no middle ground, she said.

Alaso, however, stressed that it is erroneous for anyone to claim that defiance and confrontational politics is the basis upon which FDC was formed. FDC was formed after the amalgamation of the Reform Agenda, an NRM splinter group led by Dr Kizza Besigye, and the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (Pafo) in 2005.

They have been saying that FDC was formed for defiance; they are wrong. Maybe they formed Reform Agenda for defiance but people who came from Pafo were advocating for constitutionalism, rule of law and democracy. Therefore, I find it erroneous when people misrepresent the fine ideals of FDC, Alaso said.

Asked about what might be Muntus next plan of action, Alaso said she couldnt say what it might be. She, however, added that it is going to be very hard to work with people who dont trust him.

So, we need Amuriat and his people to come out and clarify whether indeed Muntu is a mole. I dont know what Muntu will be saying but certainly it is clear that the winners of the Namboole election cannot work with a mole and that has got far-reaching effects. If you are Ssemujju, Osegge and many others who have been campaigning for Muntu, that means that you are also a mole, Alaso said.

Apollo Kantinti, a former MP for Kyadondo East constituency, said Amuriat and his people must be magnanimous in their victory. He said although there is democracy in FDC, the party must devise means through which to handle internal contradictions.

I cant tell you where the party is going because there are many frustrated people who believe that the party is not taking the right direction, Kantinti said.

This party is not owned by one group if Gen Muntu chooses to break ranks with FDC, there will be a problem because he has a significant following. I know he is reconciliatory but if he and his supporters continue to feel sidelined, they will have to look for options.

Angelina Osegge, the Soroti woman MP who was chairperson of the Muntu election task force, declined to discuss the matter stopping at: We will make an official statement, just be patient.

Efforts to speak to Amuriat by press time were fruitless as calls to his known telephone number went unanswered.

However, Ingrid Turinawe,a Besigye loyalist and one of the leading figures in the Amuriat camp, which also enjoyed Besigyes patronage, said FDC has always dealt with internal contradictions after every election.

We had a free and fair election and Gen Muntu conceded defeat. It has been the practice in our party that whenever you are defeated, you accept defeat and we get together and build the party. Most of us have been defeated before but we always move on, Turinawe said.

I dont see Muntu leaving FDC because he has lost. Imagine him walking away to form another party just to be its president! We have processes, we have reconciliation meetings, and I understand we were scheduled for swearing-in on Thursday but Gen. Muntu called the new president and requested him to shift to Friday because he will not be around; so, we are already talking. I hope everything will be ok.



bakerbatte@observer.ug
Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Gen Gregory Mugisha Muntu says he's not leaving the party as some had anticipated following his loss to Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) last weekend.

Muntu lost the party presidency seat to POA after garnering 463 votes against his 641 votes. After the loss, Muntu in his concession speech announced that he'd to make personal decisions this week because he was not ready to work in an environment where he's not trusted. Today however he denied as having ever said that. Muntu said he only talked about contradictions within the party.

Gen Mugisha Muntu says media misquoted him as having said "I can't work in an environment [FDC] where I'm not trusted" #FDCDecides2017 #Uganda ? @bamulanzeki pic.twitter.com/yALecdjia2  The Observer (@observerug) November 29, 2017

Some FDC members have accused Muntu of being a 'mole' who works for the ruling party, National Resistance Movement to weaken FDC.

Gen Mugisha Muntu addressing the media today

But addressing the media today at Hotel Africana, Muntu said he will not quit the party because he accepts and respects the outcome of the party elections.

He said in fact starting next week, they are going back to doing what they were doing before the party president campaigns that is; m obilising Ugandans to participate in Local Council elections, encourage, support and mentor pro-change Ugandans and mobilise Ugandans to pressure govt to drop age limit, land bills.



Muntu however, says much as he respects the outcome of the party elections, there exists significant, undeniable issues and differences that exist in the party.



These need frank, open and exhaustive discussions with all stakeholders starting this Friday, December 1 when he officially hands over office to Amuriat, he said.
The minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Amelia Kyambadde has dismissed reports that cabinet plans a tax waiver for imported sugar to drive down sugar prices in the domestic market.

Her reaction was triggered by a story in the Daily Monitor titled, Cabinet agrees to cut sugar prices which was published on yesterday, November 28.

As the sector minister, I wish to categorically state that the story is inaccurate, Kyambadde told journalist at the Uganda Media Center today.

Government has not taken any decision to reduce taxes on imported sugar. In this regard therefore, government cannot import duty free sugar since. We have enough stocks and prices are stabilizing steadily. We therefore, demand that Daily Monitor withdraw this inaccurate story henceforth.

Scrapping taxes on imported sugar means imported sugar from neighboring countries such as Kenya will sell cheaply in the market, something that may trigger further market price distortions.

Kyambadde said sugar prices have steadily reduced from an average Shs 8,500 in May this year to between Shs 4,500 and 5,000 in retail shops.

In April this year, a kilogram was priced at about Shs 2,500. As demand increases in countries such as South Sudan, where Uganda exports some of her sugar, prices in the domestic market tend to increase.

However, some sugar millers say they are currently operating below capacity, a situation they say has forced them to lay off workers. For instance, Kakira Sugar told Uganda Radio Network recently that the company is failing to break-even financially in our operations [will lead us] inevitability to lay off 4,000 employees.

Current sugar deficit in the market is estimated to be at more than 200,000 tonnes according to reports

alitwaha@observer.ug
Although I was not impressed by Robert Mugabes overthrow, his departure confirmed my persisted call to negotiate with Museveni out of power if our country must peacefully exit from his long stay.

Just a reminder, I have consistently alluded to the fact that our country will only have a soft landing if Museveni and group are talked out of power. I always give a scenario of how logical it is to prepare where the tree is going to fall before it is cut down.

The behaviour of Mugabes family members and close associates, as witnessed before and during his overthrow, can be attributed to their being insecure and uncertain about the future of their lives and their ill-gotten property.

It also confirms that when leaders overstay in power, they dont only become vulnerable, but also hostages of a criminal gang around them.

And just like you cannot suddenly stop a habitual drunkard and a chain cigarette smoker or a drug addict from those habits, such dictators are supposed to be sweet-talked out of power so that both the country and those leaders can benefit in that change.

Certainly, after 37 years of suffering, Zimbabwe deserved better than a change of guards it attained; but just like the saying goes that half an office is better than nothing, this change is, for the time being, better than what happened in the likes of Libya or Ivory Coast where those countries jumped from a frying pan to fire.

Coming back to Ugandas fate, I have heard many commentators caution Museveni to wait for Mugabes surprise fall unless he draws a lesson from his colleague. I partly share in this view, but I strongly feel that Museveni shall be taken by a civil uprising rather than the army.

Second, given the polarization along ethnic, socioeconomic, political and religious lines in this country, his departure shall leave us torn apart beyond repair.

Unlike our situation, Mugabes former war veteran colleagues still commanded some influence both in the army and politics. But here some generals were unceremoniously retired, others were forcefully put on leave (katebe) and their plight financially is miserable, and a few who are still in government or in the army were made impotent.

Instead, Mr Museveni filled both our civil and coercive forces with young people whom he can summon any time and give any command, however dubious, without any question.

In such a situation, where you have children and grandchildren whom you can even slap and run away with it, it leaves no room to even use your own colleagues to camouflage like you are being overthrown even if you so wished it for your soft landing.

In our case, unfortunately, even majority of his former political colleagues such as Amama Mbabazi, Amanya Mushega, Bidandi-Ssali, etc, fell by the wayside, and a few who remained with him are only there for economic reasons.

He is, instead, surrounded by the likes of Evelyn Anite and Abirigas, none of whom can tell him how doomed our country is if Museveni continues stay on as president.

Yes, from a laymans imagination, Mugabe and his colleagues could have connived to extend their political hegemony; and given the way things un-folded in Zimbabwe, whereby a sacked vice president first convened a meeting with 99 generals which may not be possible elsewhere, and a fallen president could preside over a national function as president after his removal, such a scenario cannot apply here even if it was to be true.

In our case, we are remaining with two passages: the most safe and sober way is to identify level-headed leaders who can tactfully engage Mr Museveni and family to avoid the looming political catastrophe.

The second, which is bound to be harsh, is for both Museveni and members of the opposition putting our heads in the sand and wait for a civil uprising.

And this is likely to be headless and costly, and none of us is taller enough to predict how we shall come out of it.

Lastly, replacement of Museveni with his old guards, no matter whether they are now in the opposition, shall be an extension of his political hegemony.

Any meaningful negotiation must focus on new blood so that we avoid that lot of leaders, most of whom left school, shot their way to power, and today claim to be leaders.



The author is the spokesperson/vice chairman of the Peoples Progressive Party.
The ministry of finance would soon finalise the Rs 1.35 lakh crore recapitalisation bonds for public banks. The Department of Economic Affairs is finalising details of the draft submitted by the Department of Financial Services in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India. Thereafter, it would reach the finance minister's office for the final approval. Under the government's recapitalisation plan, the government plans to pump in Rs 2.11 lakh crore to strengthen public sector banks (PSBs), including re-capitalisation bonds of Rs 1.35 lakh crore, in the next two years. The funding would strengthen the financial of NPA-hit public banks, whose NPA assets increased to Rs 7.33 lakh crore as of June 2017 from Rs 2.75 lakh crore in March 2015.

The government announcement may come during the upcoming winter session of Parliament that will begin on December 15 and continue till January 5. The finance minister had said multiple options for recapitalisation bonds were on the government table, were being examined and the best ones would be explored. Once the structure is in place, the government will frontload bond issuance, and a preliminary assessment indicates that it could be between Rs 70,000-80,000 crore, the official added.

Besides recapitalisation bonds, the finance minister had announced that banks would get about Rs 18,000 crore under the Indradhanush plan over the next two years. Under the Indradhanush road map announced in 2015, the government had announced infusion of Rs 70,000 crore in state- owned banks over four years while they will have to raise a further Rs 1.1 lakh crore from the market to meet their capital requirement in line with global risk norms, known as Basel-III. In the last three-and-a-half years, the government pumped in Rs 51,858 crore capital in the PSBs. The remaining Rs 18,142 crore will be injected into the banks over two years.
To tap into India's booming international air traffic, Jet Airways and Air France-KLM has announced "enhanced cooperation agreement" to increase the number of flights to Europe, especially Paris and Amsterdam, and expand further connectivity to the United States. The partnership between the two could, however, hurt the business prospects of major Gulf career Etihad Airlines, which owns 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways, but the pact would help Jet Airlines expand its footprints.

The agreement signed in Mumbai on Wednesday also includes Delta Air Lines, with which Air France KLM has an existing partnership. Many international airlines are tying up on international routes in face of increasing completion, and to reduce expanse. Jet Airways was eying to increase footprints in Europe for long. In September, Jet's Chief Financial Officer Amit Agarwal said that there was "continued weakness in the Gulf market both on the demand as well as yield. And flights into Amsterdam and Paris are a brighter spot."

However, Jet Chairman Naresh Goyal said the current partnership would not be affected due to the partnership with Air France-KLM, and that Jet's "great relationship with Etihad" would continue. Under its previous CEO, James Hogan, Etihad had invested in Jet Airways as part of an aggressive strategy of growing its Abu Dhabi hub by taking stakes in other airlines that would funnel traffic to the United Arab Emirates.

Etihad was not immediately available for comment. CAPA Centre for Aviation senior analyst Will Horton said the Air France KLM partnership was a "textbook example" of the downside of Etihad having only a minority investment in Jet. "Under the new/expanded deal, Jet Airways will do more flying on its own compared to the Etihad deal. That boosts revenue," he said. "Jet's widebody fleet will also be better utilised - that's also good for Jet."

This is the first major announcement by Jet, the second largest domestic airline by revenue, after it relocated its European hub to Amsterdam from Brussels in March 2016. The agreement, which primarily deepens their already existing codeshare partnership signed in 2014, will further boost connectivity between India and Europe as well as between Europe and North America through a similar pact between the three networks and Delta Air Lines of the US.

Whether the new partnership could lead to investment in Jet from the European airlines group, Goyal quipped, "one does not know what happens in future." Significantly, Goyal had earlier categorically ruled out selling stake to another airline/investor or Etihad exiting from the joint venture. "We've no plans to sell stake to another investor. Also, our partner Etihad has no intention to exit Jet," Goyal had said on September 11.

The new route pact apart, the existing tie-up between the AF-KLM and Delta will help connect India to a Trans-Atlantic network with hubs in Amsterdam and Paris. As part of the agreement, Jet passengers will be able to book a single ticket for a trip to the US and Europe, and fly Delta, Air France-KLM or Virgin Atlantic. Flights will be "metal neutral," which means revenue will be shared regardless of whose aircraft is deployed.

Unlike interline or codeshare agreements, a joint venture follows the principle of metal neutrality in which revenue/profit is shared on a pre-determined basis on select routes and it does not matter which airline flies a passenger. The partnership is expecting an incremental revenue to the tune of $1 billion, Goyal said, without offering a timeline for achieving this. He also said his airline has applied for securing a slot in the Delhi airport to launch a fourth flight to London, which will help it cater to the US traffic through Virgin Atlantic. Goyal said he will speak to the group chairmen of AF-KLM and Delta to explore the possibility of deepening this cooperation through joint purchase of fuel and closer tie-ups in engineering and maintenance all of which will be revenue accretive.

According to AF-KLM, as many as 1.2 million are expected to fly between India and the Netherlands via the Amsterdam and Paris hubs of the two carriers in 2017, which will get a further leg-up with this tripartite partnership. With this partnership, number of passengers is expected to surge 40 per cent to 1.7 million next year, the group said.

"Air France-KLM and Jet are launching the first cooperation agreement of its kind on the India-European market, one of the markets at the heart of our strategy for the coming years. "Jet, AF-KLM, and Delta will thus connect India to the vast Trans-Atlantic network via the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs," Jean-Marc Janaillac, chairman and chief executive, Air France-KLM said. Air France-KLM and its partners Delta and Alitalia operate the largest Trans-Atlantic joint-venture with over 270 daily flights.

Janaillac said of the over 12,00,000 customers who have flown between India and Europe through the AF-KLM-Jet networks, half of them travelled to North America, underlining the growth potential of the partnership. For the 2017-18 winter season, AF-KLM-Jet combine will operate 64 weekly flights between the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs and New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. From Charles de Gaulle, Air France and Jet will operate 33 weekly frequencies to Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai and Chennai during the same season and from Amsterdam- Schiphol, Jet and KLM will operate 31 weekly flights to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.



With agency inputs
What happened in country during past 70 years is very unfortunate: Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed to continue his struggle for democracy, saying that what happened in the country during the past 70 years was very unfortunate.



Talking to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters at the Punjab House, the party president said, Sometimes the prime minister is removed, at others he is hanged. Sometimes he is arrested and at others sent into exile.



He said that he would continue the struggle for democracy with his workers and other political parties. He said that all civilised countries in the world had progressed through democracy, while dictatorships had failed to deliver everywhere.



He continued his criticism of the Panama Papers verdict, reiterating that the people had rejected the courts decision. Party workers and the people of Pakistan are standing with me, he said.



He branded the directions Pakistan had been given for the past 70 years by leaders nothing less than saddening.



The former premier urged workers of the PML-N to put up a joint struggle with other parliamentary parties to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.



Earlier, the ousted premier presided over a meeting of leaders of the political party and deliberated over the situation that has developed after a security operation was launched in Faizabad.



Reportedly, he expressed resentment over alleged failure of the civil administration to have the 21-day sit-in protest end without resorting to coercive methods that caused countrywide chaos that lasted two days.



Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal responded by saying that the administration and police launched a crackdown on the Islamabad High Courts (IHC) orders and that he wanted to resolve the matter with negotiations. Parliamentary parties stance over Law Minister Zahid Hamids resignation was disappointing, he added.



Nawaz directed the officials concerning to determine the names of those responsible for the failure of the operation. On the other hand, the ongoing political situation in the country and the governments performance in development projects were also discussed at the meeting.



Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Maryam Nawaz, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, State Minister Daniyal Azizi, Senator Asif Kirmani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Musadik Malik, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar, Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Parliamentary Secretary Maiza Hameed, Member of National Assembly (MNA) Zeb Jaffar and Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also attended the meeting.



In a separate meeting with close aides Raja Zafarul Haq, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Asif Kirmani, Tariq Fatemi and Ameer Muqam, Nawaz discussed the legal and political course of action following his appearances at the accountability court.



He also met Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who informed him of his meetings with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership, sources said. The PML-N chiefs appearance in PkMAPs gathering in Quetta also came under discussion.



He left for Lahore following the meetings accompanied by his daughter Maryam Nawaz. While talking to the media after the meetings, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the country needed to move on from what had happened in the past few days.



She criticised the PPP for becoming a hurdle in the delimitation bill. The people will not forgive them if the elections are delayed, she warned. The minister confirmed Nawaz Sharifs meeting with former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan amidst a spat between the latter and incumbent Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, but said that she did not know what happened in the meeting.



Earlier, Nawaz along with Maryam and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar appeared in the court for the hearing of Azizia Steel Mills, London flats and Flagship Investment references.
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...
Participants rally outside CNN's Hollywood studios on Sunset Boulevard to take a stand against sexual assault and harassment for the #MeToo March in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, Nov 12, 2017. [Photo/IC]

WASHINGTON - As many as 223 American women working in the national security field spoke out on Tuesday that they have survived sexual harassment and assault or know others who are victims.

"We, Too, Are Survivors," they said in a joint letter, which was first published by the Time on its website, calling for the upgrade of sexual harassment reporting, mandatory training and outside data collection on how often the sexual misconduct occurs.

"This is not just a problem in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, newsrooms or Congress," reads the letter, signed by current and former US diplomats, civil servants, service members and development workers.

"These abuses are born of imbalances of power and environments that permit such practices while silencing and shaming their survivors." the letter reads.

While the signers acknowledge that the institutions where they are, including the Pentagon, the US State Department, USAID, US Homeland Security, as well as the US intelligence community and National Security Council, all have sexual harassment policies, they argue "these policies are weak, under-enforced, and can favor perpetrators."

The sexual assault "is the progression of the same behaviors that permit us to be denigrated, interrupted, shut out, and shut up," they went on, condemning those men who "use their power to assault at one end of the spectrum and perpetuate -- sometimes unconsciously -- environments that silence, demean, belittle or neglect women at the other."

The "#Me Too" movement, which is aimed at exposing sexual misconduct and supporting victims, has sprung up on social networks since mid October following explosive reports about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's years of abusive behavior.
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In January 2011, a taxi driver in a remote town in Kenya raped a 28-year-old hotel receptionist on her way to work. She immediately went to the hospital and reported the crime to the police. The taxi driver was initially convicted of rape, but three years later, a judge in Kenyas High Court in Mombasa overturned the conviction. The judge didnt dispute that the victim was forced to have sex, nor did she challenge the doctors corroborating evidence.

The judge tossed the case because prosecutors failed to analyze the DNA from the victims biological samples. According to the judge, Such testing is necessary to prove a charge of rape conclusively. The judge found the accused guilty of indecent assault  a lesser charge that reduced his prison time to three years  and fined him 30,000 Kenyan schillings  around $300.

That decision which still stands as precedent in Kenya today  reflects the dangers of over-reliance on DNA evidence worldwide. The expectation that science will prove all can actually undermine justice for survivors of sexual violence.

Theres no doubt DNA technology in sexual violence cases has strengthened investigations and prosecutions. The technology allows police to collect a wider range of compelling evidence, and DNA may also connect a suspect to a crime scene. But specimens are only meaningful when they can be matched with a reference sample  which means that the suspect must have already been identified, making DNA evidence less relevant in cases of gang rape or conflict-related violence, where perpetrators are often unknown.

Whats more, DNA evidence cant establish whether sexual contact was consensual  one of the most fiercely contested issues in these cases. And in many instances, biological specimens cannot be produced, for example, if the perpetrator used a condom, or if the survivor bathed after the assault or the survivor didnt visit a clinic until several days afterward.

But a survivor should not be denied access to justice when there is no DNA evidence. The absence of DNA does not mean the crime did not occur, just as its presence should not lead a judge to conclude a crime did occur.

The case in Kenya suggests the globalization of the CSI Effect  a phenomenon where juries and judges wont convict without the kinds of forensic evidence they see glamorized on television. Yet several studies on sexual assault show that most victims dont report to health care facilities within three or four days of an attack, the optimal time to collect biological evidence.

In parts of central and eastern Africa, transportation to health clinics can be difficult  in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, poor roads, expensive fuel, and lack of access to a vehicle force survivors in rural areas to walk for several days to get treatment.

Furthermore, most health care providers in less developed regions have not been trained in collecting biological specimens, such as DNA, nor do they have the resources to adequately do so. Health care facilities in rural areas of even middle-income countries typically have limited or no access to rape kits. For those that do, many victims cannot afford the cost if personally charged for the DNA lab analysis. In some countries, including parts of the United States, a rape survivor may be required to pay between $500 and $1,500 for the analysis. And then there is the notorious delay in examining the kits. A lab in South Africa reported a backlog of 20,000 unanalyzed rape kits, and the reported numbers in the United States have reached a staggering 400,000 unexamined kits.

In Kenya, analysts in the countrys main crime lab lament that evidence frequently arrives degraded and contaminated due to poor collection, packaging, or delivery. On one visit, I saw the blade of a panga, a two-foot long bush knife, protruding from its paper wrapping. Samples often have little or no labeling or chain of custody documentation, often required by courts. Failure to adequately collect, preserve, and handle the evidence can destroy a case.

Kenyas not alone. Studies analyzing sexual assault cases around the globe show that when it comes to the way evidence is collected, documented, preserved, and managed, there is a widespread lack of training and competence among medical, law enforcement, and legal professionals. These studies also indicate an urgent need to address rape myths commonly held by first responders  that is, a tendency to question victims credibility and minimize the gravity of the crime.

Rather than investing in complex and often expensive technology, policymakers in countries like Kenya must prioritize rigorous training to enhance core competencies. Clinicians should obtain a survivors history, conduct a comprehensive physical and psychological evaluation, and document findings in standardized forms to ensure consistency and to more efficiently inform police investigations. That doesnt require anything beyond know-how and a notepad.

But its not just investigators who need training. First responders must be trained to work to support survivors. Physicians for Human Rights and our partners in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo  doctors, nurses, police officers, lawyers, magistrates, and judges  have seen the extraordinary power of collaborating as a network to develop a standard medical intake form or chain of custody label, simple devices that have resulted in successful prosecutions.

DNA technology may offer judges a tempting means of moving beyond the thickets of conflicting testimony, but its no substitute for effective investigations and trainings. DNA evidence should never be required to prove that rape took place. It should instead be viewed as one more tool in advancing justice for victims of sexual violence.

The scourge of sexual violence is an issue finally gaining critical attention. But this case in Kenya should sound a cautionary note against placing unrealistic faith in technological quick fixes. DNA testing is no substitute for the slow, sedulous work of training across sectors and developing basic capacity within domestic legal systems. Nothing less than the full complement of these tools will allow countries to challenge the deeper culture of impunity that enables these crimes and to bring survivors the justice they deserve.

Karen Naimer directs the Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones at Physicians for Human Rights, a New York-based advocacy organization that uses medicine and science to stop severe human rights violations and mass atrocities.
Adam Colver digital editor Adam Colver is the online editor at The Post-Star. He manages poststar.com, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media accounts. Follow Adam Colver 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

An alleged bot flooded the FCC's commenting capability on the proposed changes to Title II of net neutrality.

Many of the 1.3 million comments used real names and addresses of people across the country which was reported by several media outlets on Nov. 28.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman estimates tens of thousands of New Yorkers may be impacted by these submissions.

On Nov. 29, Schneiderman launched a webpage to report misuse of identities after the FCC refused to assist with an investigation. Schneiderman penned an open letter asking for the FCC to assist with the investigation.

Everyone should be concerned about potential corruption of the federal policy making process, said Schneiderman. The FCC is refusing to help us  or anyone else  conduct a serious investigation, so were asking New Yorkers to help us get to the bottom of what happened. New Yorkers deserve a fair and transparent process  not only here where the future of their internet access hangs in the balance, but in every case where the government is considering a policy that affects Americans daily lives.

According to a news release, the FCC reversed course following pressure to assist with investigation on fake comments. The attorney general and FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called for the planned vote on net neutrality Dec. 14 to be delayed while these fake comments are investigated.

In a news release he encourages New Yorkers to visit https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ and search for their name. If they discover a comment was issued without their knowledge to file a complaint at https://ag.ny.gov/fakecomments.

HBO's Last Week Tonight host John Oliver has been leading the charge for comments on net neutrality to the FCC and his segment has gone viral.

If you are in the dark about what net neutrality is and what it does Oliver breaks it down in his comedic nature.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's has proposed returning to the longstanding light-touch regulatory framework for the Internet and restoring the market-based policies necessary to preserve the future of Internet Freedom.

The FCC has proposed the following:

Reinstate the "information service" classification of broadband Internet access service first established on a bipartisan basis during the Clinton Administration.

Restore the determination that mobile broadband is not a "commercial mobile service" subject to heavy-handed regulation.

Restore the authority of the nation's most experienced cop on the privacy beat  the Federal Trade Commission  to police the privacy practices of ISPs.

Many have worried the reversal of President Barack Obama enacted with Title II of the net neutrality rules will open the Internet to a pay-to-play system.

The rules will go up for a vote on Dec. 14.

 Adam Colver
QUEENSBURY  A Ballston Spa man is headed to prison for up to 4 years for burglarizing a Queensbury store last winter.

Jamel D. Gray, 22, pleaded guilty Wednesday to third-degree burglary, a felony, for the Jan. 26 break-in at Ugly Phones on Main Street. Police said he broke a window to get into the store and stole $5,000 worth of cellphones.

State Police arrested him in July, after blood that was recovered in the store was linked to him through DNA tests.

Gray agreed to a plea deal that includes a 1-1/3- to 4-year prison sentence and a requirement he make $5,496 restitution when he is sentenced Jan. 24 by Warren County Judge John Hall.

Gray has also been charged with burglarizing a phone store in Malta earlier this year and stealing thousands of dollars worth of phones there as well, and his plea deal includes an agreement that his sentence for the Queensbury case run concurrently to the Saratoga County case.
HAGUE  An online fundraiser has been organized to help a Hague store owner who was shot during a robbery last spring.

Jim Rypkema needs additional surgery or surgeries to correct continuing neurological problems from a bullet wound to his arm, and his insurance won't cover the surgery in New York City.

Rypkema was shot four times with a .22-caliber rifle during an April 25 robbery at The Hague Market. He has since returned to work, but has continued to have limitations from the wounds, including from rounds that could not be removed by surgeons.

The fund seeks to raise $35,000 and had raised just over $3,000 as of Wednesday morning.

A link to the fund can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yaml4jvs
HEBRON  A hunter suffered a serious hand injury Saturday when he was accidentally shot while hunting in an area off county Route 30.

The hunter, whose name wasn't released, was walking out of the woods with two other men when a rifle discharged, striking him in one of his hands. He was taken to Albany Medical Center.

Washington County Undersheriff John Winchell said police weren't initially sure if the gun that one of his friends had went off or whether it was his own gun that discharged.

Sheriff's officers and the state Department of Environmental Conservation investigated and determined it was likely the victim's gun that fired the shot, he said.

Winchell said the investigation was turned over to DEC conservation officers. The DEC said the case remained under investigation and had no additional comment on the matter on Wednesday.
NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday for "inappropriate sexual behavior," making him the second morning television show personality to lose his job because of sexual misconduct charges in a week.

Lauer's co-host Savannah Guthrie made the announcement at the top of Wednesday's "Today" show. Last week, CBS News fired Charlie Rose after complaints from several women who worked for him.

WATCH: Here are TODAY's headlines on this Wednesday morning pic.twitter.com/opzA3IcYmP  TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 29, 2017

On Twitter Wednesday, President Donald Trump said "Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.' But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News."

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lacks past!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the unsolved mystery that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Other reactions from social media:

I, and other reporters , have been aware of several women who have come forward privately in the past few months ...even before Weinstein. They werent willing to go public though...they were terrified of Matt. https://t.co/jR3VV1AWGt  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) November 29, 2017

Matt Lauer has been on my list for a while. Its really too bad more Americans dont come to my shows. I pretty much recite the list in every show. Haha. I told you, my memory is long, my friends. Ive been around a long time...  Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) November 29, 2017

I'm stunned. I've always admired Matt Lauer as a journalist, even since I was little, but NO ONE'S behavior, no matter their talent or power, can be excused. Let this collective lesson continue.  Vanessa Misciagna (@VanessaMyNBC5) November 29, 2017

NBC fired Matt Lauer after a single, detailed complaint.Proud of NBC for their zero tolerance policy. https://t.co/DlwEnm4rz2  Jay Franzone (@JayFranzone) November 29, 2017

I want to say Im shocked over the Matt Lauer news, but you truly never know whats happening behind closed doors. Remember that. https://t.co/HPNwYfZnb9  Marissa Parra (@MarParNews) November 29, 2017

Matt Lauer lost his job.Charlie Rose lost his job.Mark Halperin lost his job.Glenn Thrush lost his job.Billy Bush lost his job. Harvey Weinstein lost his job.Kevin Spacey lost his job.But in politics...Conyers still in Congress.Moore still running.Trump still President.  Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) November 29, 2017

Matt Lauer grilled Bill O'Reilly about sexual harassment allegations back in September. Well, it didn't take long for this video to age badly. pic.twitter.com/ry4UyzOhVK  Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) November 29, 2017

Lauer joins a lengthening list of media figures felled by sexual misconduct charges this year. Besides Rose, they include Lauer's former NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, former Fox News prime-time host Bill O'Reilly and National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes. The New York Times suspended White House correspondent Glenn Thrush last week.
Thirty-eight years ago I was part of a contingent of journalists from my college who attended the National Governors Conference in Washington, D.C.

We attended hearings, saw President Carter speak and hobnobbed with the politicians and their staffs.

But one memory stands out greater than all the others.

Our group visited with then-Sen. Wendell Ford, D-Ky. I dont remember what we talked about, but at the end of the meeting we all had our photos taken with the senator.

I still have the photo.

Sen. Ford is in the middle with his arms extended around the waists of two of my female classmates. I was on the outside next to one of the women. We are all smiling.

Sen. Ford was 54 at the time, a former governor of Kentucky and finishing up his first term in the Senate.

When we got outside, one of the women blurted out, Wendell Ford grabbed my butt.

I think we all laughed.

On Tuesday, I contacted my classmate to see if my memory was accurate.

She said it was.

Sad that it never occurred to any of us that it wasnt OK to do that, she wrote on Tuesday.

If you connect the dots, none of us should be surprised by the recent allegations of sexual harassment from people in power.

Five years ago, I was writing about then-New York Speaker Sheldon Speaker making a $100,000 settlement payment  of taxpayer money  to two accusers of then-Assembly member Vito Lopez.

Lopez, who was 71 at the time, was eventually censured by a legislative ethics panel after being accused of groping, intimidating and manipulating young female staffers.

Ive also written about the ongoing abuses in the military, where superior officers have been accused of pressuring rank-and-file men and women into sexual relationships and getting away with it.

We learned this week that the House of Representatives has what is essentially a slush fund to settle sexual harassment claims.

There have been 235 claims since 1997.

All a victim has to do is sign a nondisclosure agreement and cash the check and it all goes away. Approximately $15.2 million dollars in checks have been cashed so far.

Thats not right and it must end.

If ever there is an issue we should agree on, it is this. The public has a right to know where its money is going, especially when it is being used to settle sexual harassment complaints.

And men and women all deserve a workplace environment that is safe and professional.

In more than 50 interviews with lawyers, lobbyists and former aides, the New York Times was told that sexual harassment has long been an occupational hazard for those working in Washington politics.

In other words, it is a cesspool of misbehavior.

An open letter signed by approximately 1,500 former Capitol Hill aides asks House and Senate leaders to put in place mandatory harassment training and revamp the Office of Compliance (the agency that has been paying the hush money).

Earlier this year, my company required me to sit through an hour-long videotape on sexual harassment, what it is and why it should be taken seriously.

I didnt like wasting an hour of my time because the information seemed obvious to me. I suspect many others feel the same way. In light of the culture in Washington, maybe we are wrong.

Congressional members do not currently receive sexual harassment training.

But they do have access to a slush fund to pay off victims.
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Fitness evaluation ordered in EM homicide case

A 23-year-old East Moline accused of fatally shooting his grandfather earlier this month will be evaluated for his fitness to stand trial.

Rock Island County Assistant Public Defender Matthew Durbin, one of the attorneys for Roman P. Knox, said Tuesday that there was a "bona fide" doubt as to his fitness and asked that he be evaluated by Moline-based clinical psychologist Kirk Witherspoon.

Judge Frank Fuhr granted the request during a short hearing at the Rock Island County Justice Center and set a status hearing for Dec. 12.

The judge's ruling essentially halts the criminal proceedings against Knox until his fitness can be determined.

If it is determined that he is unfit for trial, he will be remanded to the custody of the Illinois Department of Human Services for restoration training.

Knox, who was not present in court Tuesday, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of his grandfather, Robert E. Neal Sr., 69.

At 9:31 p.m. Nov. 17, police were called to the 200 block of 19th Street in East Moline for a battery complaint.

A passerby had contacted police and said there appeared to be two people fighting on the sidewalk and that one of them had a gun.

Officers found Neal, who appeared to have a single gunshot wound to the chest, lying on the grass and began administering aid until EMS took over.

He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Knox was arrested without incident a short time later at the home he and Neal shared, according to police.

Knox was armed with a long gun and had blood on him, according to police.

Police have not said what the two were arguing about before the shooting but said there was a history of domestic problems.

 Tara Becker

Body discovered in Clinton house after crews fight blaze

A body was discovered late Monday at the scene of a Clinton house fire, according to a news release from the Clinton Fire Department.

The fire started about 11:22 p.m. at a house at 2426 N. 2nd St., where Clinton firefighters and police officers arrived to find the two-story structure fully engulfed.

It is uncertain whether the home was inhabited at the time of the blaze, according to the news release.

Because they could not enter the building, firefighters fought the blaze from the outside. When the fire was knocked down enough for crews to enter the structure, they discovered a body inside.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of relatives.

The state fire marshal will assist the Clinton Fire Department investigator with the investigation into the cause of the fire.

Fulton firefighters also responded to the scene.

 Linda Cook

RI school fire under investigation

The investigation continues into a small fire that broke out at a Rock Island elementary school Monday morning.

According to an offense report released Tuesday by the Rock Island Police Department, the fire was reported around 8:37 a.m. at Rock Island Academy, 930 14th Street.

Greg Marty, fire marshal for the Rock Island Fire Department, said that the fire was discovered in a bathroom on the first-floor and that an activated sprinkler head extinguished it.

Students and staff were out of the building for about 30 minutes, he said. No injuries were reported and damage was minor, Marty said.

Marty said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

 Times staff
The Achievement Service Center at 1606 Brady St., Davenport, is the latest building in the city to be in limbo as the country waits to see the shape of the federal tax code.

On Nov. 27, the Davenport School Board agreed to extend the "due diligence" period on the sale of the structure, which houses the school district headquarters, to Jan. 2, 2018. Due diligence, in this case, is a period of time for the buyer, Newbury Living of Des Moines, to appraise the building, including its assets and liabilities.

District operations director, Mike Maloney, explained that Newbury and its president, Frank Levy, intend to use historic tax credits to renovate the building into apartments.

An application for those tax credits is pending, Maloney said.

"If the historic tax credits are affected, would the deal fall through?" board member Allison Beck asked Maloney.

The director said that Levy wants a budget for the project that works. Ordinarily, a ruling on the tax credits would happen early in 2018, but if they are changed in some way at the federal level, that could affect Levy's entire plan, he said.

"That could render his plan unfeasible," Maloney said.

Before the board's vote on Nov. 27, the 90-day due diligence period expired Nov. 28.

The school district's real estate team, administration and legal counsel all recommended approval of the request, and it passed unanimously, 7-0.

Davenport's school district headquarters are to move into the J.B. Young Opportunity Center in the summer.

The Newbury company's plan is to pay $950,000 and convert the three-story building into 35 market-rate apartments, with retail on the first floor. Closing on the deal is expected in May 2018.

Earlier this month, Levy told the Quad-City Times that he is interested in the building because of its proximity to Palmer College of Chiropractic and St. Ambrose University.
Enrollment in Davenport is down again this year by 272 students, and the topic of this week's meeting involved a learning session between the Davenport School Board and a special district committee to discuss the impact of the decline.

Superintendent Art Tate established the four-person committee to research the enrollment topic and answer questions from board members.

Board members focused on a presentation by Dawn Anderson-Rascher, program director of assessments, English learners and open enrollment. The loss of students is less than last year, but is still going down.

Things to know from the discussion:

 There were 421 students who moved from Davenport to another public district in Iowa, and that number includes 166 who moved to Scott County districts: Bettendorf, North Scott and Pleasant Valley.

Moving to a public district in the multi-county Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency were 76 students, she said. This area includes counties like Clinton and Muscatine.

 There were 606 students who moved out of Iowa, with 279 of those children moving to Illinois. The rest moved to 22 other states.

The number of students moving to nearby districts should alarm city staff and Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch, said Board President Ralph Johanson. However, Anderson-Rascher said that number is also lower this year.

The board spent several minutes discussing open enrollment. A few years ago, the district enacted a diversity plan and one aspect of it aims to partly control open enrollment out of Davenport.

As Johanson said, the diversity plan is rare in Iowa. This year, 16 students were allowed to leave the district, to match 16 students who transferred into Davenport.

The other 150 or so students who moved to Bettendorf, North Scott or Pleasant Valley actually changed residences, Anderson-Rascher said.

Davenport is one of the largest school districts in Iowa. State-wide, large districts are not losing students. Numbers most recently are up in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Iowa City and Waterloo, Anderson-Rascher said.

In the Quad-City area, she reported that Davenport, Clinton and Muscatine are down, North Scott is flat, and enrollment growth is in Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley.

Allison Beck, board member, urged school officials to find out why students leave Davenport and Clyde Mayfield, also on the board, agreed. "What do we need to do to reverse the trend?" he said.

School officials continually work on this issue, Tate said, pointing to the enrollment committee.

Rob Scott, associate superintendent, is on the committee and he reassured the board: "About 1,000 kids come into Davenport each year and about 1,000 leave," he said.

There are strong numbers in the kindergarten group and that relates to consistent enrollment in Davenport's high schools. "Enrollment is pretty steady in the last five years of school," Scott said, noting the district gained 30 students this year between eighth and ninth grades.

That is explained by an influx of home-schooled and private-school students who want the benefits the city's high schools offer.

The biggest loss comes between fifth- and sixth-grades, as 35 students left the district at those ages. But after sixth grade, the students pretty well stay in the Davenport district, Scott said.

The district's operations director, Mike Maloney, is on the enrollment committee and reported on housing starts and demographic data. Maloney works with Davenport city staff on a regular basis to study these topics.

Only 20 percent of single-family homes include school-age children, and that's true across the United States, Maloney said.

While the city's population has grown to more than 100,000, children and teens, ages 5-19 years old, have grown by less than 1 percent at the same time. "Growth is from the immigrant families," Maloney said.

Davenport has a different rate of school-age children than in neighboring districts. But Maloney is also optimistic, and said, in his opinion, the enrollment decline will slow down and Davenport should have growth, at some point.

Rachel Steiner, an assistant to the superintendent, is on the enrollment committee. Responding to questions on where the city loses its school-age population, she said it comes at the north and northwest edges of Davenport, which have proximity to neighboring districts or communities.

Steiner also had positive things to tell the school board, such as a strong enrollment in Davenport's kindergarten programs and how the district is better at retaining students in elementary grades.

Decreasing numbers of children are being home-schooled, Steiner said.

However, she said, students and their families do move, and that's why the district works closely with the real estate communities, and those families who request open enrollment out of Davenport.
The city of Davenport has reached a settlement with Dr. Allen Diercks and Patricia Lane in the open records violation case related to the attempted purchase of the Isle of Capri Casino in 2013.

The city will pay out a total of $129,055.59 after the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled last year that the city had violated Iowa Open Records law in not providing two public documents requested.

"This is a victory for the public and reaffirms that citizens do have the statutory right to timely receive public documents," attorney Mike Meloy said. "These records are owned by the public, not Davenport.

Diercks and Lane requested all financial documents related to the potential purchase of the casino after the city began investigating the purchase in the fall of 2012.

In October of that year, then-Mayor Bill Gluba signed an agreement with the casino to examine its books. A contract was executed with Deloitte & Touche to conduct a due diligence investigation in December of 2012.

While Scott County District Court ruled against the plaintiffs in 2015, an appeal was launched in which the Court of Appeals analyzed Davenport's obligations to produce four documents.

Those documents were a Deloitte & Touche due diligence work product, a February 2013 invoice, the Deloitte Scope of Services document and a Jan. 9, 2013 legal memorandum from the city's legal consultant John Hintze.

The two documents the decision focuses on, including the $207,900 invoice in which the firm provided an accounting of the casino, were either held by City Attorney Tom Warner or others who were not employed by the city.

The city argued it did not refuse to provide the invoice because the email it was in was deleted by Warner. The court also disagreed with the city's other argument that the invoice provided no insight into its decision-making.

"Further, we are not persuaded the city 'substantially complied' with the request or the invoice provided 'no insight' into the Citys decision-making activities," the court documents state. "The plaintiffs sought 'all invoices' from Deloitte. The invoice provided before the task was complete disclosed the amounts the city was spending incrementally at taxpayer expense and the Citys willingness to continue said expense."

The Court of Appeals also ruled against the city in its failure to produce Hintze's Jan. 9, 2013, legal memorandum, which the city argued was subject to attorney-client privilege.

"Based on the parties apparent agreement the City did not argue this issue before the district court, the city cannot now maintain this exemption on appeal," the court documents stated. "The city has failed in its burden."

For the other two documents, the court ruled in favor of the city, then-City Administrator Craig Malin and City Clerk Jackie Holecek that they did not withhold documents.

With the case remanded back to District Court, the court ruled on Oct. 12 this year that the city owed $112,000 in attorney fees in addition to costs for the violations.

The $129,055.59 settlement is inclusive of attorney fees.
Magdiel Sanchez's death serves as the latest example of the need for more effective communication between law enforcement officers and people who are either deaf or hard of hearing.

Sanchez, 35, was shot and killed in Oklahoma City two months ago after police officers deemed him to be a threat as he walked closer to them.

Sanchez was holding a 2-foot metal pipe, which he used as a communications tool, but not hearing neighbors' pleas that Sanchez was deaf, one officer deployed a taser while the other opened fire despite Sanchez standing 15 feet away, according to news reports.

Prior to being shot, Sanchez had moved toward the officers to read their lips because he could not understand their commands to drop the pipe.

The issues between law enforcement and people who are deaf or hard of hearing are a nationwide problem. But the Quad-Cities Deaf Club and the Davenport Police Department are taking a proactive step toward bettering the lines of communication to avoid tragedies like the one that befell Sanchez.

Although it's still in the preliminary development phases, both sides are working on a pilot program that Quad-Cities Deaf Club President Dirk Hillard hopes will be unveiled by winter 2018.

"We will provide the training to the police department on how best to interact with the deaf community," Hillard wrote in an email. "We will distribute a card for deaf drivers to display, explaining to officers that they are deaf and how to communicate with them. We will also train deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens on how to interact with the police because the onus of responsibility is on both populations."

Like Sanchez's story, there have been a number of incidents over the past 20 years that have served as an impetus for change.

Since 2016, there have been four fatal shootings involving law enforcement and people who were hearing impaired.

While not comprehensive, a database compiled by Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf has found 45 incidents of police brutality or discrimination against people that are hearing impaired over the past 20 years.

"There are stories of deaf people being shot because they are reaching for their information in the glove box and do not hear the officers commands to keep their hands in view," Hillard wrote. "Fearing for their lives, officers have shot unarmed deaf people because they misconstrued the deaf persons actions and assumed dangerous intent.

"There are also stories of deaf and (hard of hearing) people being interrogated without the use of an interpreter. They are unable to understand the officers intents and unable to tell their side of the story."

Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, police officers are required to provide "effective communication" with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Hillard experienced a lack of effective communication when he was involved in a car accident a few years ago. After the officer identified that he was deaf, Hillard said he was excluded from the conversation despite there being other ways the officer could communicated.

"The officer looked to the hearing person for all of the facts," Hillard wrote. "Because of the language barrier between myself and the officer, I was unable to have my side of the story heard. It is not fair that the other driver got to have their explanation of the accident taken as gospel and mine was ignored."

In holding a few meetings with more to come, Maj. Jeff Bladel said the overall goal is to improve communications and develop training.

Bladel said officers coming out of the academy receive a three to five hour block of training, which is typically followed up on every two years.

The training provided helps officers identify resources to utilize in the field when they need them.

The ultimate goal is to evaluate what has been trained on, get feedback and try to make improvements, Bladel said.

One of the ideas briefly talked about between both sides is the creation of a visor card.

The cards indicate not only that the driver is hearing impaired, but also ways to communicate more effectively. They include photos to show what the officer is looking for or why the person was pulled over.

While there are no definitive numbers about the number of people that are hearing impaired in the area, Hillard said he's seen estimates of at least 1,000 people.

Hillard said the plan was to expand the program to other departments in both the Iowa and Illinois Quad-Cities.

The hope is with better communication the Quad-Cities can avoid the same type of tragedies that were otherwise deemed preventable.

"We are wanting to bridge the communication divide before something terrible happens," Hillard wrote. "Communication access is a nationwide problem. We are being proactive so our communication breakdowns do not have the same tragic consequences and to assist the police so that they can have the most accurate information to base their investigations off of."
President Donald Trump has continued to question the legitimacy of former President Barack Obama's birth certificate during private conversations in recent months, The New York Times reported, citing advisers who discussed Trump's statements.

Trump still questioning Obama's birthplace is just one of several instances The Times pointed to as examples of the President's reliance on "manufactured facts," as the newspaper reported Tuesday.

One sitting US senator quoted by the Times, "who listened as the President revived his doubts" about the issue, "chuckled" when speaking about what was said. Trump "has had a hard time letting go of his claim that Mr. Obama was not born in the United States," the senator, who "asked not to be named to discuss private conversations," told The New York Times.

CNN has not independently confirmed the reporting. The White House did not immediately return CNN's request for comment.

Although Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961, Trump publicly questioned Obama's citizenship for several years before saying in a news conference during the 2016 election that he believed the nation's first African-American president was born in the US.

In September 2016, Trump said, "President Barack Obama was born in the United States."

The White House released copies of Obama's original long-form birth certificate in 2011 in an attempt to put the rumors to bed.

Tuesday's report comes days after The Times reported that Trump also was questioning the authenticity of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape.

The tape was a recording from several years ago in which Trump could be heard bragging about groping women, and Trump apologized soon after the tape surfaced last fall.

CNN's Maegan Vazquez, Stephen Collinson and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report.
A Des Moines-based company will be the first and only in Iowa licensed by the state to grow marijuana and make medical products from it.

The Iowa Department of Public Health intends to give a cannabidiol manufacturing license to MedPharm Iowa, the company announced Tuesday. MedPharm Iowa is a newly formed company owned by Chris Nelson, president and chief executive officer of ingredient company Kemin Industries.

The Health Department has until Friday to formally issue a license, but the company announced its selection in advance of the deadline.

The manufacturing license comes out of an agreement earlier this year to vastly expand Iowas limited medical cannabis program.

In May, then-Gov. Terry Branstad signed a law calling for up to two state-licensed medical cannabis manufacturers.

The new law also expanded beyond chronic epilepsy the illnesses patients with a doctors prescription could treat with medical cannabis to include cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS or HIV and others.

In a news release, Nelson said botanicals, including the cannabis plant, offer endless possibilities.

With the creation of MedPharm Iowa, we will use our innovative expertise and experience with scientifically sound research to assist those dealing with chronic pain, cancer, debilitating diseases and possibly help alleviate the opioid epidemic in Iowa, Nelson said.

MedPharm Iowa will grow cannabis and manufacture medical cannabidiol in a facility located on Kemins Des Moines campus. Kemin uses rosemary and other plants to make ingredients for animal feed and the food industry.

MedPharm will be investing millions of dollars in Iowa and use intellectual property from Denver, Colo.-based MedPharm Colorado, it said in the release. Nelson is listed as one of that firms managing partners on its website.

It was not clear how much MedPharm Iowa plans to produce or in what forms.

Kemin spokeswoman Lauren Burt said the company will serve the unmet needs in the marketplace for Iowans, and will produce the adequate amount to meet those needs.

Cannabidiol is a chemical found in cannabis plants that can be used to make products, such as oils, to treat medical conditions.

Oil is only one form of the product that can be made. The manufacturer, in their application, has described many different forms of the product that they anticipate making, said Randy Mayer, director of the Office of Medical Cannabidiol with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Under the licensing terms. MedPharm needs to supply medical cannabidiol by Dec. 1, 2018.

Licensed cannabidiol manufacturers, like MedPharm, must have their licenses renewed each year. Products cannot have a tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, content of more than 3 percent.

The manufacturers face a number of other restrictions, including inspections by the state, annual fees expected to be at least $150,000 and background checks for the companys owner and employees. Manufacturers also will have to enter data into a state-run inventory system.

Earlier this year, the Health Department received nine letters from those interested in manufacturing. Ultimately, though, only one business submitted an application for a license.

Mayer said barriers such as the annual fee and a small patient base may have kept some from applying.

That first payment is going to be due before youve even sold a product, so you have to have substantial collateral, he said.

Barring any changes during the upcoming legislative session, Mayer said the department could issue a new request for a second manufacturer next year.

The Health Department still needs to issue up to five licenses for medical cannabidiol dispensaries. Mayer said the department hopes to have those licenses approved by April.

The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board will meet Friday in Ankeny to discuss whether further manufacturing restrictions are required.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds assured Iowas public universities Tuesday that the state still wants to partner with them in preparing Iowans for the workforce  a reassurance the institutions were looking for after lawmakers' last session cut their base appropriations more than $30 million.

But Reynolds didnt specify what that partnership might look like in the upcoming 2019 budget year, including how much financial support the Board of Regents should expect. And she didnt make any promises in response to the boards appeal for $12 million more to be split among the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

We are entering another tough budget year, Reynolds said after each of the university presidents made a funding pitch during a hearing that will help the Republican governor craft her budget proposal to the Iowa Legislature. But we are committed to working with you and continuing to provide the students you serve with a great education.

During their presentations, the campus presidents reiterated that they would use their share of the increase to provide need-based financial aid to Iowa resident undergraduates. Of the $12 million, $5 million would go to each to the UI and ISU and $2 million to UNI.

Typically by this time, regents have aired proposed tuition rates for the next school year. But after two years of last-minute increases following difficult legislative sessions, board President Mike Richards decided to delay the tuition debate.

He said in an interview Tuesday the board plans to hold its first consideration of tuition rates for the 2018-19 school year in February  after the new legislative session is underway.

This year because of all the budgeting issues. he said, we thought it would be wise to wait and see.

UI and ISU leadership have proposed 7 percent hikes for resident undergrads every year for five years if lawmakers dont increase appropriations. UNI proposed an annualized 5 percent hike under the same conditions.

Several regents  along with some students and members of the public  say those hikes are too steep, and regents have focused on getting support to avoid them.

In making their case, the presidents tied their campus priorities to state priorities  specifically a push to bolster the workforce by increasing the percentage of Iowans with postsecondary education from 58 to 70 percent by 2025.

We believe the University of Iowa has an important role to play in delivering that goal, and our strategic plan directly aligns with making it happen, said UI President Bruce Harreld.

To achieve those strategic goals, Harreld said, the UI must invest between $155 and $165 million over five years. The university would cover a third of that through savings, leaving the rest to tuition and state aid.

Our strategic plan specifically calls for increasing our four-year graduation rate to 60 percent, which is a 9 percentage point increase above our current four-year level, he said. This increase would add over 300 more graduates each year into the Iowa workforce ...

With relatively strong median family incomes, Harreld said, Iowa has the capacity to fund top-tier higher education.

Are we a state that aspires to national averages and mediocrity? Or are we one that aspires to excellence? he asked. We have the resources. Do we have the will?

ISU President Wendy Wintersteen, who began in that role just last week, highlighted her institutions research park, which boasts 82 companies and about 1,700 employees.

We have built an entrepreneurial ecosystem and we are going to be about building that entrepreneurial culture into our undergrad curriculum as well, Wintersteen said.

In UNIs pitch, President Mark Nook acknowledged its recruiting needs to change. Promising UNI will keep cutting costs, Nook said it also must attract more out-of-state students who pay higher tuition rates.

We will continue to admit and enroll as many of the students coming out of Iowa high schools as we always have, he said. But the non-resident students are a revenue stream that fully pay for their education, so they are important to us in helping balance that budget.
PIERRE | A former South Dakota lobbyist is trying to block an ex-legislator from receiving a new state appointment, alleging he made sexually inappropriate comments to her in 2012.

Tiffany Campbell, a former American Civil Liberties Union lobbyist, emailed every South Dakota senator this month urging them to block the appointment of Gene Abdallah to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. Abdallah has forcefully denied the allegation.

Campbell told the Argus Leader that she was discussing legislation with Abdallah at a bar frequented by lobbyists and lawmakers when he asked to go to restroom with her to watch her.

Abdallah, who was a Republican representing Sioux Falls' District 10 at the time, said he never met Campbell. Abdallah accused Campbell of using "sleazy and gutter politics" for personal gain, saying she could "go to hell."

Campbell said she knew coming forward about the incident would likely bring negative attention for her.

"Why would anyone want to do this? Why would anyone want to be publicly known as that person?" Campbell said. "To think that he's going to be appointed to the parole board, I just couldn't stay quiet anymore."

Campbell said she reported the incident in 2012 to the state House speaker but was told it couldn't be investigated because it happened outside the Capitol. Campbell said felt she had to "tread lightly" because she had three pieces of legislation that session, so she didn't take her concern any further.

Then-House Speaker Val Rausch said he recalls talking with Campbell that year but couldn't remember details of the discussion.

"I know Tiffany, and I recall she came into my office, but I couldn't tell you what we talked about," he said. "I don't remember any reports to me of any sexual harassment."

A few lawmakers said in email replies shared with the newspaper that they would oppose Abdallah's appointment to the parole board, which must be confirmed by the Senate.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said he's sticking by Abdallah's appointment.

"If Senator Abdallah made such a comment, it would be inappropriate," Jackley said. "However, Senator Abdallah has denied making the comment."
Jo Ann Roggow as born on August 25, 1947, at Corpus Christi, Texas, to parents Thomas H. and Katherine A. Freeman. Her life was filled with travel as the offspring of a Navy career father and subsequent marriage to a career Marine and then to a Navy man. Early years took her to occupied Japan and many places across the U.S.; adulthood found her living in the city where she was born and again overseas to Guam and many more places in the U.S. Along the way, she paused long enough to graduate high school at Jay, Fla., and to get her RN license through Pensacola (FL) Junior College in 1968. While in college, she met the love of her life, Marine 1Lt. Louis E. Handte II, whom she married Aug. 19, 1967, then tragically lost him in an aircraft accident on Dec. 14 of that same year. To this union was born a lifelong loving reminder, Louis E. Handte III.

Another chapter in her life began upon marrying Ltjg. Ralph Roggow on May 1, 1970. To this happy couple, two more children arrived, Jennifer (Brad Harter) and Lori (Chad Wittmeier). Their extensive travels continued until retiring from the military to a farm in South Dakota in 1979. As her children grew up, Jo Ann chose to return to her nursing profession, where she became widely respected by patients, doctors, and coworkers, enough to be recommended to the Physicians Assistant program at the University of North Dakota. Upon graduating, this endeavor because the staple her life until retiring in 2009. As many can attest to, her patients were the central concern of her practice. The highlight of her career was as sole medical provider at the Mercy Clinic in Howard, Kans.

Jo Ann died at her home in Howard, Nov. 20, 2017, with many of her loving family at her side.

Preceding her in death were her parents, three brothers, Thomas H. Freeman II, Kenneth R. Freeman, and Hendri.

Survivors include her husband, Ralph, all her children, 10 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly.

Funeral services are today, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m. at Countryside Funeral Home in Howard, with Pastor Robin Haines officiating.

Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com.

A memorial has been suggested to the Elk County Council on Aging and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home. Services have been entrusted to: Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E. Washington, PO Box 1233, Howard, KS 67349
Jeannie Lin (Wall) Zuege, 71, died peacefully in her sleep with a book in her hands on November 9th of 2017, in Hot Springs, South Dakota. She has joined her husband Alfred Zuege in heaven, who shed been with since childhood, just two years after his own passing on July 8th, 2015.

She was born on August 2nd, 1946, to Richard and Laura Woods Wall, in Binkelman,

Nebraska. Jeannie loved to complain about Donald Trump and watch Dr. Phil; and especially loved to teach and correct grammar. Jeannie was well known for having a beautiful singing voice and a gift for music.

Alfred and Jeannie went to college in Kearny, Nebraska. They both began their careers as teachers in Cozad, Nebraska. Jeannie was a title one English teacher and Alfred specialized in mathematics. They soon moved to Hot Springs in South Dakota, where Jeannie taught the second grade for many years. They were married on December 19th, 1965, at the united Methodist church in Haigler, Nebraska. Jeannie and Al loved the home that they built together just outside the town of Hot Springs.

Jeannie met and made friends with Nancy Scott and Francis Bustos, fellow teachers, shortly after beginning her career. They were lifelong friends. Her sons Kurt and Zach, and her daughter Kim Zuege, her grandson Jamie Zuege, her sisters and brothers Carol Flamming, Duane Wall, Dwight Wall, and Merry Lu Wall Simmons still carry on.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Laura, and her sister Joann Gayle.

Memorial services will be in Haigler, Nebraska, on December 3rd. 2017.
Jan. 17, 2018 update: Wisecarver was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated assault and another 15 years for commission of a felony with a firearm. He also was ordered to pay a restitution of $96,000.

A man pleaded guilty Tuesday to shooting a friend in July, but said he had blacked out and couldnt remember the Rapid City incident.

Michael Wisecarver, 49, of Piedmont, admitted using a .22-caliber pistol to shoot Chad Arnold, 42, outside the victims home in the evening of July 2.

I went to his house and I shot him, I guess, Wisecarver told Judge Robert Mandel at a Pennington County hearing Tuesday afternoon. He said I did it, so I did it.

Wisecarver described Arnold as a very good friend whom he had known for four years.

Wisecarver, who had served in the Marines for eight years beginning in 1985, said he had not touched alcohol in two and a half years, but got drunk that day when he was thinking about the state of his finances and relationship. The last thing he remembered about July 2 was going to a friends house and chatting.

The memories returned with the sound of knocking, as he lay in bed, then Meade County law enforcement saying they wanted to talk to him about a shooting.

According to investigators, Wisecarver used a stolen pickup to drive up to Arnolds home on the west side of Rapid City. Arnold told police he was in the process of moving out, and was either entering or exiting his vehicle, when Wisecarver shot at him from the drivers side window multiple times.

Arnold was hit by one bullet, which pierced his left arm, traveled through his left side and settled against his spine, according to a detectives affidavit submitted in court July 5. It said Arnold lay immobile in his driveway overnight till a passerby saw him and called for help the following morning.

He is now paralyzed, Chief Deputy States Attorney Lara Roetzel told the court Tuesday.

If the case had gone to trial  it was originally scheduled for jury trial in December  Roetzel said Arnold would have testified that he had made eye contact with Wisecarver during the shooting. Wisecarver had also confessed to three people about trying to kill Arnold or shooting someone, the prosecutor said.

One of them told police that Wisecarver had described Arnolds shooting as a target of opportunity, according to the police affidavit.

The pickup Wisecarver had been driving was later found with a .22-caliber gun and ammunition inside, Roetzel said.

Wisecarver will return to court for sentencing Jan. 10. He is facing up to 15 years in prison for aggravated assault, as well as five to 25 years for committing a felony with a firearm.

His lawyer, Matt Stephens, said the states attorneys office will recommend a maximum of 30 years in accordance with their plea agreement. The judge makes the final sentencing decision.

Wisecarver is detained at the Pennington County Jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond.
PIERRE | Members of the state Aeronautics Commission chose to wait rather than act Tuesday on improvements proposed for South Dakota public airports next year.

They delayed the vote in case other cities submit plans by the state deadline on Friday. The next meeting is Jan. 23.

The 38 projects so far seek more than $19 million of federal grants, according to a preliminary list distributed to commissioners. They include a new general aviation access road and other work at Rapid City Regional Airport.

The project would be funded with $1,949,796 in federal grant dollars and $108,322 each from state and local sources, but it is not likely to happen until at least 2019, said Toni Broom, deputy airport director for Finance and Administration.

The road would provide cleaner and safer access to the general aviation area located north of the Airport Road intersection with Terminal Road, which takes travelers to the main airport terminal, but Broom doesnt anticipate that project happening for perhaps two years, she said Tuesday.

The General Aviation access road rebuild is definitely an identified project in our master plan, but it has not been scheduled yet, Broom said.

The Aeronautics Commission agreed, however, to spend up to $50,000 for South Dakota-specific pavement standards at general-aviation airports. We think it will be significantly less, said Jack Dokken, program manager for the air, rail and transit office in the state Department of Transportation.

Dokken said 50 different airports paid at least $3,000 or more apiece two years ago in pavement-variance requests to the Federal Aviation Administration. We had to have one for every project, he said.

The new state standards would apply on runways handling aircraft up to 12,500 pounds and would allow construction companies to buy lower-cost local materials. I think that will be a good thing in the long run, commission chairman Eric Odenbach of Eureka said.

Andy Peek, FAA manager for the Dakotas and Minnesota, met with the commission Tuesday and reviewed various changes in how the agency operates. The FAA prefers arrival-departure buildings that are less expensive and encourages state development of pavement standards for lesser-weight runways, Peek said.

He said the agency discourages funding for fueling systems except when fuels werent previously offered.

The FAA wants federal, state and local officials and consulting teams to be present together on each project, Peek said. So everybodys nodding their heads and it moves forward, he said.

The full preliminary list of 2018 proposed projects is on page three at http://bit.ly/2jvAW3B.
What do evangelicals and other social conservatives have in common with liberal feminists and the secular left? More than either side would like to admit.

The religious right once thought sexual misconduct  certainly involving someone holding public office  was immoral; something they simply could not tolerate. How could anyone defend a man like Bill Clinton, they asked  a man who was credibly accused of sexual misconduct by more than a few women? That made him unfit for office.

Enter Judge Roy Moore, who is running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Alabama.

Today, evangelicals  not all, but a lot  want proof that Moore was really involved with teenage girls when he was in his 30s. How do we know, they ask, that the women aren't just making it all up?

Funny, but they didn't need video evidence to believe Bill Clinton was guilty of exposing himself in front of Paula Jones or that he groped Kathleen Willey in the White House or that when he was Arkansas Attorney General he raped Juanita Broaddrick in a Little Rock hotel room.

The allegations seemed credible and that was enough for social conservatives. Today, they demand verifiable evidence that Roy Moore did all those things to so many women who were young girls at the time.

And what about liberal feminists and the secular left? Back in the '90s, they rallied around Bill Clinton. After all, he was a Democrat who supported abortion rights and that's all that needed to know. And now, the same people who defended a man accused of rape denounce a man accused of fondling a 14-year-old girl several decades ago.

It's called tribal politics. And it's not something partisans should be proud of. But hang on, it gets worse.

Liberal Democrats have recently turned on the former president who they, or their ideological elders, once defended. Michelle Goldberg, a columnist at The New York Times, has written that she now believes Juanita Broaddrick, and that "Democrats are guilty of apologizing for Clinton when they shouldn't have."

I don't recall reading stuff like that from liberal columnists in The New York Times when it might have made a difference.

And Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a liberal Democrat from New York who holds Hillary Clinton's former seat, recently said Bill Clinton should have resigned the presidency because of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

But before we give them too much credit, let's state the obvious: It's not exactly courageous to speak up 25 years after the fact, when it's safe; when Bill Clinton is of no use to Democrats; when his wife didn't win the presidency; and when he's the elephant sitting on the couch.

How can they go after Roy Moore, or any man accused of sexually abusing women, as long as they remain silent about the former president who was accused of sexually abusing women?

But there's another reason some on the left are no longer covering for the former president. Their newfound valor makes it a lot easier to go after the current president.

When Democrats thought they could get rid of Donald Trump because of "collusion" with the Russians, sex was on the back burner. But a year has gone by since he was elected and an uncomfortable possibility is starting to emerge: Maybe he won't be thrown out of the Oval Office because he and Vladimir Putin were up to no good.

What then? What could Democrats dredge up to bring him down? How about sex?

Which brings us back to Gillibrand who said we have a different standard on sexual misconduct today than we did when Clinton was president. "Things have changed today, and I think under those circumstances there should be a very different reaction (to how liberals defended Clinton)," she said. "And I think in light of this conversation, we should have a very different conversation about President Trump."

Get it? Take down Clinton in order to make it easier to go after the man who resides in the White House, a man who once bragged on a hot mic that he could grab women by the you-know-what and get away with it  because he's a star.

So what should we take away from all of this? Well, until something changes, the partisans will tend to protect their own: A 32-year-old man who decades ago allegedly undressed a 14-year-old girl is better than a liberal Democrat who supports abortion. And a president accused of rape was better in office than out because he supported "a woman's right to choose." And if going after Bill Clinton paves the way to unseat Donald Trump  hey, no one really believes politics is about principles, right?

Too many of us have chosen sides, and our partisan passions allow us to accept bad behavior if the accused miscreant is on our team. We've become partisans without principles  and that's not anything to be proud of.
HELENA  Two state employee unions are moving toward merging into an organization with a membership of about 27,000.

Delegates with the MEA-MFT and with the Montana Public Employees Association voted this spring to merge.

The Great Falls Tribune reports the two groups are set to meet in Helena on Jan. 20 to consider a proposed constitution for the new Montana Federation of Public Employees. The combined union will meet April 6-7 in Helena to elect officers and board members.

Officials expect the merger to be complete by Sept. 1.

The MEA-MFT represents about 20,000 state workers and was the result of the merger of the Montana Education Association and the Montana Federation of Teachers in 2000. The MPEA reports a membership of 7,000 state, university, local government and school district employees.
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Golez: Chinese political donations becoming a raging issue in Australia. "Chinese political donations pose a threat to Australian democracy" | Daniel Fazio https://t.co/KZAztAs0WO via @APPSPolicyForum

I quote from article:

1. CHINESE POLITICAL DONATIONS TO AUSTRALIAN SENATOR: "ALP Senator, Sam Dastyari, had received gifts and payments for legal and travel bills from Chinese contacts. During last years federal election, a Chinese donor allegedly threatened to withdraw a promised $400,000 donation to the ALP after its shadow defence minister, Stephen Conroy, expressed support for freedom of navigation laws in the South China Sea which were contrary to Beijings claims in the area. It has also transpired that Australias former trade minister, Andrew Robb, accepted an $880,000 a year consultancy with a Chinese firm before he left parliament after having negotiated the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement."

2. CHINESE DONATIONS TO POLITICAL PARTIES: "On 5 June, the ABC television show Four Corners shed light on substantial donations to the Liberal-National coalition (LNP) and Labor (ALP) parties from Chinese sources linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These revelations raise serious concerns that require immediate action to prevent the further corrosion of Australian politics and the undermining of Australias national sovereignty."

"Current Australian electoral laws allow political parties to seek and accept foreign donations so there is no suggestion that the parties have done anything illegal. However, being beholden to foreign donors risks corrupting and compromising Australian national sovereignty. Indeed, Four Corners revealed this is why ASIO, Australias chief intelligence agency, warned senior LNP and ALP officials that China is exercising undue influence in Australian politics."

3. CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY INFLUENCE IN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES: "ASIO is also concerned about CCP influence in Australian universities, its monitoring of Chinese students and Chinese media in Australia to ensure they dont engage in activities contrary to Beijings views.

One thing is for certain: the Chinese are not donating hefty sums of money to the LNP and ALP because they have an altruistic desire to aid Australian democracy. All great powers, indeed all nations, conduct foreign policy to pursue their national interests. Beijing is seeking to exploit Australias economic reliance on China because it serves its geo-strategic interests.

More on this:China capitulationism"

"Chinas increasing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region and growing presence in Africa indicates a calculated strategic move beyond Deng Xiaopings axiom: hide your strength, bide your time. By deploying its soft power to increase its hard power, China is no longer hiding its strength or biding its time."

"Should Australian political parties continue accepting Chinese donations, they risk facilitating growing Chinese influence in Australian politics which will undermine national sovereignty and potentially compromise future Australian governments into acting contrary to Australian interests.

Chinese influence in Australian politics is already evident.

"In 2016, it emerged ALP Senator, Sam Dastyari, had received gifts and payments for legal and travel bills from Chinese contacts. During last years federal election, a Chinese donor allegedly threatened to withdraw a promised $400,000 donation to the ALP after its shadow defence minister, Stephen Conroy, expressed support for freedom of navigation laws in the South China Sea which were contrary to Beijings claims in the area. It has also transpired that Australias former trade minister, Andrew Robb, accepted an $880,000 a year consultancy with a Chinese firm before he left parliament after having negotiated the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement."
Peopleas Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (P.A.D.S) condemns incarceration of Akhil Gogoi and Chandrasekhar under NSA

Press Statement

29 November, 2017

Akhil Gogoi, the leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti of Asom, and Chandrasekhar of Bhim Sena in Western Uttar Pradesh have been under detention for many months now. Akhil was arrested on 13 September under sedition charges by the BJP government of the state. On 25 September a total of 122 cases against him were clubbed together under the National Security Act, foreclosing any possibility of judicial redress. The NSA advisory panel of the state approved his detention on 19 November, thereby sealing his incarceration for 12 months at least. Akhil Gogoi has been a vocal critic of the BJP government and was arrested for his address at a meeting against amendments to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 which aims to legalise preferential treatment of citizenship applicants on the basis of religion, and which many people in Asom believe is specifically designed to help Bengali speaking Hindus of the state to legally obtain citizenship, while denying it to Muslims. Earlier he had opposed renaming of 21 colleges of the state after RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaay. He was arrested last year also for opposing the eviction of small farmers from areas around Kaziranga National Park. For more than a decade KMSS has been fighting for the rights of small farmers of the state and has led popular mobilisations against big dams, displacement and evictions.

Chandrasekhar of Bhim Sena was arrested in 8 June on charges of inciting violence and damage to public property during a Dalit public meeting in Saharanpur city. The meeting was called in protest against burning of Dalit houses of Shabbirpur village by a mob of caste Hindus. On Nov 2 the Allahabad High Court granted him bail, calling charges against him apolitically motivateda. Instead of letting judicial process run its course the UP government of Yogi Adityanath slapped him with the NSA the very next day. Clearly, the UP government is determined to keep him incarcerated, rather than allowing him a fair trial.

The National Security Act was enacted in 1980. It allows preventive detention of any person by state administration whom it believes to be a threat to national security, public order and maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community. Unlike other criminal laws which come into operation after a crime has been committed, this law permits local authorities to detain a person if they are asubjectively satisfieda that a person will be a threat to conditions mentioned under its provisions, i.e. before any crime is committed. The detained person can be put behind bars without any charges and trial for up to one year. Her/his incarceration can be extended. Clearly, the NSA runs counter to the fundamental rights of citizens. Its existence on statute books gives permanent emergency power to the ruling establishment. Like AFSPA, TADA, and the Unlawful Activities Act, the potential for its blatant misuse is built into its very architecture. Application of this law in the past thirty seven years bears this out. It has been used against trade unionists leading strikes, student activists sitting on dharna, human rights activists, community organisers, or anyone proving to be a thorn in the side of the administration. In June this year the UP police chief gave directions to use this law for enforcing cow slaughter ban in the state.

State governments led by all political parties have used NSA for ulterior motives. Its misuse by the BJP governments of UP and Asom has taken this practice to a new low. It is also essential to understand the special context of the arrests of Akhil Gogoi and Chandrasekhar from the point of view of the long term political and social designs of the Hindutva. Both these leaders have emerged from the ground, and are popular among definite sections of their society. Chandrasekhar is a symbol of the self assertion of the current generation of Dalit youth in Western UP, who have decided to be not subservient in any way to caste Hindus, even if they have to bear economic costs, suffer violent reprisals, or face the brunt of the state administration. The social mobilisations of Bhim Sena are a direct challenge to the RSS plans of projecting Hinduism as a great religion and uniting Hindus under a hatred driven, anti-minority programme. Akhil Gogoi started as an anti-corruption crusader, and has gained respect and following among the poor and marginalized of Asom by consistently raising their concerns. The KMSS under his leadership has emerged as one of the largest mass organization in the state. It has successfully organized many protests and agitations. Akhil Gogoi has also challenged the Hinduisation plans of the RSS for Asom by emphasising the ethnically diverse and unique character of Assamese society. He and Chandrasekhar may not pose an immediate political challenge to the BJP, however their political visions project democratic and progressive alternatives to Hindutva. That is why Hindutva can not succeed without crushing them and demoralizing their popular base. Their arrests are a consequence of the long term challenge they pose to Hindutva.

Peopleas Alliance for Democracy and Secularism demands that Akhil Gogoi and Chandrasekhar be released immediately. Laws like the NSA which give unlimited power to state authorities to detain anyone without trial should be repealed. Police officials and political leaders who conspired to detain them under NSA should be given sufficient punishment to act as a deterrent.

Battini Rao, Convenor PADS 95339 75195, battini.rao[at]gmail.com
Exactly five years ago, in November 2012, a fire in the Tazreen Fashions factory in Bangladesh killed at least 112 workers. Probably caused by a short circuit on the ground floor of the building, the fire rapidly spread up the nine floors where garment workers were trapped due to narrow or blocked fire escapes. Many died inside the building or while seeking an escape through the windows.

Just five months later, the collapse of the Rana Plaza building killed 1,134 garment workers and injured hundreds of survivors. Rana Plaza was an eight-storey commercial building that housed garment units on its upper levels. The building that collapsed had already been evacuated the day before after cracks were identified, but the factory management had made workers return to work under the pressure of looming shipping deadlines. During the morning rush hour, the building collapsed in on itself like a house of cards.

These two incidents and a string of other disasters in garment factories across South Asia exposed the brutal employment conditions in the garment industry, and the deadly cost of afast fashiona to workers who produce clothes under strict deadlines for very low wages. In the ensuing years, a number of new initiatives have been set up to improve factory safety and compensate injured workers and the families of those killed.

The 2013 Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a safety pact signed by global unions and more than 200 brands, has taken important steps towards making global apparel companies accountable for the safety of factories in their supply chains. Measures taken include a series of building inspections, upgrades and closures where buildings are deemed structurally unsafe, as well as an attempt at making brands and retailers contractually liable for the safety of the factories where their garments are produced.

But five years on, not enough is being done to protect garment workers, and these new initiatives havenat gone far enough to address the multiple attacks on workersa everyday health and well-being.

Codes of conduct, continually used by apparel companies to monitor the working conditions of their suppliers, narrowly focus on building safety and physical infrastructure with a bias towards what can be seen and audited. These codes are poorly implemented, allowing building fires and collapses to continue; they also ignore many things that threaten workersa health and well-being on a day-to-day basis.

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh likewise focuses exclusively on physical infrastructure, leaving out a host of other issues that affect workersa health on a daily basis and undermine their long-term well-being: long working hours, physical and bodily exhaustion, intense work rhythms, harassment, and the lack of any meaningful representation. All these problems and more are still too often invisible.

Everyday risks

In our new book, Unmaking the Global Sweatshop: Health and Safety of the Worldas Garment Workers, Hasan Ashraf, a Bangladeshi anthropologist who conducted six months of fieldwork at a Dhaka knitwear factory, writes about the long list of everyday health threats he witnessed: everything from dust and smoke inhalation, noise, lack of ventilation, eyestrain, musculoskeletal pain, stress, and exposure to lights, electric wires, and chemical adhesives. Ashraf discovered that workers are having to make a trade-off between earning a living and caring for their health, which can rapidly depreciate during their working lives, undermining their long-term physical and mental well-being.

Similarly, a recent report by the non-profit organisation Better Factories Cambodia also concluded that poor working conditions ahave contributed to a wave of incidents of mass fainting among Cambodian factory workers a allegedly caused, at least in part, by exhaustion, overheating, and malnutritiona .

The fast fashion industry needs to realise that for garment workers, health means more than just the absence of injury. It encompasses physical, social, and mental health, all of which are threatened by the stress and stigma that extend well beyond the shop floor and into workersa lives long after they stop working.

Everyone and every organisation involved in the global clothing supply chain needs to consider not only the symptoms of ill health, but also its causes. And one of the central causes is the global system of the industry itself, which relies on outsourcing and subcontracting and offloads the social costs and risks of garment production onto already vulnerable workers in countries such as Bangladesh and Cambodia.

The future well-being of garment workers around the world relies on the industry accepting its responsibility to these people a and understanding that that responsibility extends well beyond the structural safety of the buildings they work in.

About the Authors:

Rebecca Prentice (Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Sussex)

Geert De Neve (Professor of Social Anthropology & South Asian Studies, University of Sussex)
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The Kazakhstan-born Canadian citizen Karim Baratov (22) has pleaded guilty to massive 2014 Yahoo hack that affected three billion accounts.

The Kazakhstan-born Canadian citizen Karim Baratov (22) (Kay, a.k.a Karim Taloverov, a.k.a Karim Akehmet Tokbergenov), has pleaded guilty to massive 2014 Yahoo data breach that affected three billion accounts.

Karim Baratov was arrested in Toronto at his home by the Toronto Police Department in March.

In the federal district court in San Francisco on Tuesday, Baratov admitted to helping the Russian intelligence and pleaded guilty to a total of nine counts, including:

One count of conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by stealing information from protected computers and causing damage to protected computers.

Eight counts of aggravated identity theft.

As part of his plea agreement, Baratov not only admitted to his hacking activities on behalf of his co-conspirators in the FSB, but also to hacking more than 11,000 webmail accounts in total on behalf of the FSB conspirators and other customers from in or around 2010 until his March 2017 arrest by Canadian authorities. Baratov advertised his services through a network of primarily Russian-language hacker-for-hire web pages hosted on servers around the world. reads the press release published by the Department of Justice.

He admitted that he generally spearphished his victims, sending them emails from accounts he established to appear to belong to the webmail provider at which the victims account was hosted (such as Google or Yandex). Baratovs spearphishing emails tricked victims into (i) visiting web pages he constructed to appear legitimate, as though they belonged to the victims webmail providers and (ii) entering their account credentials into those web pages. Once Baratov collected the victims account credentials, he sent his customers screen shots of the victims account contents to prove that he had obtained access and, upon receipt of payment, provided his customers the victims log-in credentials.

In March, the US Justice Department charged two Russian intelligence officers (Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin) from Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) and two hackers (Alexsey Belan and Karim Baratov) for breaking into Yahoo servers in 2014.

Unlike Baratov, the hacker Alexsey Belan and both FSB officers currently reside in Russia.

According to prosecutors, the Russian Intelligence agency FSB directed the Yahoo hack and hired Baratov to target persons of interest to the FSB (i.e. Journalists, government officials, and technology company employees) that were using email accounts different from Yahoo ones.

Baratovs role in the charged conspiracy was to hack webmail accounts of individuals of interest to the FSB and send those accounts passwords to Dokuchaev in exchange for money, his plea agreement reads.

Baratovs lawyers tried to change the position of the man, they said that at the time of the hack, Baratov had no idea he was working with Russian intelligence.

Baratov hacked at least 80 non-Yahoo email accounts, including at least 50 Google accounts, he used spear phsting attack to trick victims into providing their credentials.

Baratovs sentencing hearing will be held on 20th February next year in federal district court in San Francisco. The man could face up to 87 months in jail for the first charge and 24 months for the identity theft charges.

These threats are even more insidious when cybercriminals such as Baratov are employed by foreign government agencies acting outside the rule of law. US Attorney Brian Stretch said.

Baratov has also agreed to pay restitution to the affected Yahoo users and a fine up to $2,250,000 (at $250,000 per count).

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs  2014 Yahoo hack, DoJ)

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 "Looking Criminal and the Presumption of Dangerousness: Afrocentric Facial Features, Skin Tone, And Criminal Justice" | Main | AG Sessions announces stepped up efforts to address opioid crisis 

November 29, 2017

Anyone have hot sentencing takes on the Supreme Court's big Fourth Amendment Carpenter case being argued today?

Folks interested in both criminal law and technology have been buzzing about the case Carpenter v. United States for quite some time. Today, finally, the Supreme Court hears oral argument on this basic issue: "Whether the warrantless seizure and search of historical cellphone records revealing the location and movements of a cellphone user over the course of 127 days is permitted by the Fourth Amendment."

As they do so well, the folks at SCOTUSblog provide lots of helpful background and coverage though this case page with all the briefs linked, this preview by Amy Howe, and this on-line summer symposium. And I expect SCOTUSblog will have lots of post-argument analysis this afternoon and in the days ahead, especially if this morning's oral argument is as interesting as everyone expects.

I have not blogged about the Carpenter case in part because it is well covered by many others and in part because the sentencing echoes of the case may be remote. But practitioners may see more direct connections between Carpenter and sentencing than I see from the ivory tower, and I welcome this morning any and all "hot takes" on the case as it might relate to any and all sentencing stories.

November 29, 2017 at 09:59 AM | Permalink

Comments

All of the Burger Court's exceptions to the exclusionary rule and the miranda warning led to a higher and higher number of plea bargains. I suspect if they add another exception to the fourth amendment with this case, it will lead to even more plea bargaining, which will lead to more judge-based sentences rather than statutory sentences.

Posted by: Plea Market | Nov 29, 2017 10:26:48 AM

This is a legislative policy question. The Supreme Court is neither competent nor allowed to rule on it.

The Congress is craven and lazy. It has its dog, the Supreme Court, fetch policy decisions to avoid responsibility for their consequences.

Posted by: David Behar | Nov 29, 2017 11:07:44 AM

My take is the mosaic theory of "too much is unconstitutional" is unwieldy and will ultimately die. The Court prefers bright line rules and only create wishy washy ones to help the police not hinder them. I think the Court (or members of the Court) will have problems with what the police do, but I think they'll struggle to find a clear reason they can't do it.

Posted by: Erik M | Nov 29, 2017 11:08:02 AM

Aside from the reasonable expectation of privacy question, there are two potential issues in the case which are relevant to sentencing.

One is form versus function. To gain the cellphone records, the government obtains a court order. As such, the search is warrantless only to the extent that the order is not called a warrant, And for gaining records from a third party (as opposed to suspects), the third parties would rather something more subpoena-like than warrant-like because they would rather pull the records themselves than have government agents stumbling through all of the businesses records to find the particular records in issue. But, at the end of the day, the warrant and the subpoena serve the same function -- getting the government access to the records.

This form versus function debate also has an impact on sentencing in the discussion of collateral consequences -- punishment vs. something else (usually some type of public safety claim). While the resolution of this debate in Carpenter will not necessarily bleed over into how the courts look at collateral consequences, it will be interesting to see how much the court is going to insist on keeping formal categories separate -- i.e does the court simply address whether the question is which box this type of request falls into or does it question the boxes that it has previously created.

The second type of issue is the level of proof. The law in question only requires reasonable suspicion as opposed to probable cause. Again depending on the box that the Supreme Court picks, that level of proof is either fine (subpoena) or problematic (warrant). This is the type of issue that comes up in sentencing all of the time -- are we talking sentencing factors that the judge gives whatever weight she deems appropriate or are we talking something element-like that alters the sentencing range. How we categorize the factor determines the burden of proof.

I could easily see a decision that sort of splits the baby down the middle -- finding that this type of order is both a warrant (requiring probable cause) and a subpoena (allowing the surrender of the material by the third party without authorizing a full-blown search). I can also see the court dropping in a good faith exception for previous requests or finding that the request was supported by probable cause making the statute constitutional as applied to this case (and effectively allowing the continued use of the statute as long as the issuing courts make adequate findings without requiring an amendment to the statute).

Posted by: tmm | Nov 29, 2017 11:36:44 AM

From past decisions, publically broadcast signals still require a warrant. For example, the heat signature of a marijuana greenhouse may not be accessed from across the street without a warrant, in a 5-4 decision, written by Scalia( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyllo_v._United_States ). Scalia anticipated technology advances in the decision.

If public signals are accessible without a warrant, the Fourth Amendment has been repealed by technology. Locations may be triquartered. Conversations are next.

My son in law discussed an esoteric surfing product with a friend in his living room, with all appliances off. He began receiving ads for it on the internet. The most likely cause was his smart TV. It waits for his saying, turn on, go to channel 78. However, while it is waiting, it is also transmitting conversation to Google headquarters, selling it to advertisers. What if he had been talking about avoiding taxes, maybe legally, maybe not? Would it be OK to transmit the conversation to the IRS, without a warrant?

Posted by: David Behar | Nov 29, 2017 11:41:36 AM

China is now putting up the faces and identifying information on huge electronic billboards of jaywalkers. You registry assholes have to get it in gear, China is way ahead of you.

They also have social desirability scores, similar to our credit scores, but measuring your political correctness. If you buy a video game, it goes down. If you buy work boots, it goes up.

What if all transmitted conversations were recorded, including those in your living room? I subscribe to all -isms and -ophobias. I would be sunk in my social desirability score. I would not be qualified to clean the sewer. The filthy scum on this blog would send my conversations to the sewer authority, and I would be fired, as untrustworthy. I would be a threat to the sewer business, when employment lawyers sue them for my "inappropriate" speech in my own living room, obtained without a warrant, since I committed no crime.

Posted by: David Behar | Nov 29, 2017 11:51:32 AM

Orin Kerr, who has been blogging on this, as I recall thinks a lot of this will be a matter of congressional regulation to promote 4A principles which seems appropriate up to a point. The justices split into two camps in the GPS camp -- one signed on with Scalia's property based opinion, four with Alito's expectation of privacy decision with Sotomayor straddling both sides.

I support her criticism of the third party doctrine. Whatever the final dynamic becomes, especially in the 21st Century, that seems artificial and not a proper protection of 4A interests. Ditto something that might in some fashion be "public" such as if someone followed a car 24/7 instead of using GPS info.

Alito appears to support broad discretion but something that long (guess over a month would be a soft limit of sorts at least) seems too much.

Posted by: Joe | Nov 29, 2017 12:03:09 PM

The government accessed the Facebook accounts of everyone who "Liked" a post about a Washington protest of Trump, and put a gag order on Facebook, to prevent their telling the Likers.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-much-of-your-online-life-should-police-have-access-to-scotus-prepares-to-weigh-in/ar-BBFuu5L?li=AA4ZnC&ocid=ientp

Posted by: David Behar | Nov 29, 2017 12:23:17 PM

"This is a legislative policy question. The Supreme Court is neither competent nor allowed to rule on it.

The Congress is craven and lazy. It has its dog, the Supreme Court, fetch policy decisions to avoid responsibility for their consequences."

Agreed.

I also agree with the very first comment. I tend to think that there is not the "hard wall" between the guilt phrase and the sentencing phrase that many in the ivory tower think there is/should be. Judges tend to factor in "how guilty" a person is when the sentence and that goes to the weight of the evidence. So while I agree that there are no direct sentencing implications in this case there are indirect ones.

Posted by: Daneil | Nov 29, 2017 1:01:26 PM

There is a sentencing angle, obliquely. If I recall correctly from reading the circuit court opinion, Carpenter is serving a very long mandatory minimum sentence and raised an (obviously, unsuccessful) Eighth Amendment challenge below. So maybe this illustrates that its easier to gain traction both legally and in the public sphere with Fourth Amendment claims than with sentencing claims (this blog notwithstanding :)

Posted by: Sara Mayeux | Nov 29, 2017 2:18:21 PM

I'm unsympathetic to the idea that this is an issue for Congress unless Congress has the power and willingness to pass regulations that extend to state law enforcement as well and has the same effect as all protections conveyed by the Fourth Amendment.

Posted by: Erik M | Nov 30, 2017 11:18:48 AM

It is not complete for Congress but as regulators of national communications and so forth they would have a role.

In respect to the areas where state law is involved and not superseded, state law would provide some guidelines too.



Posted by: Joe | Nov 30, 2017 4:09:04 PM

Erik. You should provide your reasoning. My assertion comes from Article I Section1, and the lack of investigatory resources of the Court. They are also not accountable to an electorate on the verge about privacy.

Posted by: David Behar | Nov 30, 2017 7:10:56 PM

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SIOUX CITY | For the past 11 years, Phouthone Ngadouangrath has worked in five states, searching for the American Dream.

During every step of this journey, the Laos native has been making authentic Southeast Asian dishes like Kang Choo-Shee, Pad Thai and Glass Noodle Salad in various restaurant kitchens.

Earlier this fall, Ngadouangrath and his wife Viengkhone Seummalavanh purchased Diamond Thai Cuisine from its longtime owner Pete Utthachoo.

"Pete moved to California to take care of a family member," Ngadouangrath explained inside Diamond Thai's 515 W. Seventh St. dining room. "That's why he sold the business to us."

Ngadouangrath has a pretty impressive resume that began in Philadelphia, where he worked in a restaurant owned by his uncle.

"It was my uncle who really taught me how to cook," Ngadouangrath, who goes by the nickname "Lay," explained. "He shows me how things were done."

Eventually, he took his culinary skills to restaurants in Kansas, Louisiana, Illinois and, now, Iowa.

"So far, I like Iowa very much," Ngadouangrath said with a smile.

"I'm really not looking forward to the cold weather," wife and co-owner Seummalavanh, who goes by the nickname "Kee," admitted. "I understand Sioux City winters can be very cold."

However, authentic Southeast Asian cuisine has a reputation for being very hot.

This isn't necessarily true, according to Ngadouangrath.

"When people think of Thai food, they think of Thai curry," he said. "While curries are spicy, many Thai meals are flavorful instead of spicy."

Such flavorful appetizers can include a Golden Bag (or Ka Thong Tong), which is Diamond Thai's version of a deep-fried won ton-wrapped Crab Rangoon.

Other popular specialty items may include Tom Yum Krung -- a zesty and sour soup made with lemongrass, meat, basil, mushrooms, tomatoes and a ginger-like spice called galangal -- and a Thai meat salad known simply as Larb.

"Larb is made with a ground meat, tossed with vegetables, spices and herbs while being served with an order of sticky rice," Ngadouangrath said.

While Larb is as popular in Laos as it is Thailand, much of Diamond Thai's menu remains the way Utthachoo -- a Thai native -- left it.

Ngadouangrath said he'd like to add more distinctively Laotian dishes in the future.

"Since it uses more sugars and chili peppers, Thai food tend to be sweeter and spicier than Lao food," he reasoned. "Lao kitchens use more fish sauces, which makes our food saltier and full of good flavor."

Ngadouangrath is proud of his family, which includes a teenage stepson and a 6-year-old daughter. In addition, Seummalavanh is pregnant and will soon be giving birth.

So, Ngadouangrath has moved in order to take over a popular restaurant in a state he's never been before. Add to that, he and his wife will have an extra member of their family in a matter of months.

Isn't that a whole lot of changes all at the same time?

Not according to Ngadouangrath, who sees nothing but good times in his future.

"Owning a restaurant is hard work," he admitted. "Seeing the smiles on a customer's faces after he's eaten my food is very satisfying."
Los Angeles is great for kids! The Getty Museum has a fun area for younger children, a beautiful garden and scenery and so many outdoor sculptures. Ours loved

riding the white train all the way to the top. The Natural History Museum is so amazing! There are so many interactive exhibits, and depending on the season, they may have a visiting butterfly or spider enclosure set up. Its adjacent to the Rose Garden at USCs campus.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa | The Sioux County Sheriff's Office has filed 16 additional charges against an Orange City man accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with two minors.

Scott McAdam, 56, was charged Tuesday with six counts of exploitation of a minor, one count of possession of material exploiting a minor and nine counts of invasion of privacy, according to a news release.

The new charges stem from an ongoing investigation into reported inappropriate sexual contact with two minor victims that occurred several times over a two-year time period at a residence north of Orange City.

The first charges in the investigation came last week, when McAdam was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, four counts of third-degree sexual assault, lascivious contact with a minor and assault.

McAdam was being held in the Sioux County Jail.
SIOUX CITY | For two years, Maria Cristina "MC" Gonzalez Noguera helped former First Lady Michelle Obama craft messaging on the value of education beyond high school and ways to live healthier.

As communications director for former President Barack Obama's wife, Gonzalez Noguera said one of her primary duties was "ensuring that her message was a message that resonated.

She said that goal of communicating well was easy to achieve.

"(Michelle Obama) was just such an eloquent and authentic human being," Gonzalez Noguera said in an interview with the Journal this week. She said that made Americans more likely to hear out the first ladys initiatives, which included "Lets Move," "Joining Forces," "Reach Higher" and "Let Girls Learn."

"She is so powerful in all the best and right ways," Gonzalez Noguera said.

Gonzalez Noguera will be a guest speaker Thursday and Friday at Morningside College in Sioux City. She was drawn by the opportunity to speak at the college where her aunt, Lillian Lopez, works in administration as vice president for advising, after a career as a professor.

Gonzalez Noguera will give a lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday in the UPS Auditorium in Lincoln Center, 3627 Peters Ave. The public is invited and there will be a meet-and-greet at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby. On Friday, Gonzalez Noguera will speak to students in four courses, among other activities on campus.

The lecture will focus on Gonzalez Nogueras experiences with The Estee Lauder Companies and Michelle Obama. Gonzalez Noguera served as special assistant to the president and communications director to the first lady from June 2013 to May 2015.

In 2016, Gonzalez Noguera returned to Estee Lauder as senior vice president, global public affairs. In this role, she directs engagement with governments in which the beauty products company operates or markets products.

She said there is overlap in her Estee Lauder and White House work, since both had a family feel where workers could advance the key principles, such as "transparency and honest negotiations and integrity" that made them successful entities.

"They are families in two different settings, and they are both unique and excellent in their settings," Gonzalez Noguera said.

Gonzalez Noguera said she could not have foreseen her moves in the corporate and political world when graduating from Tufts University in Massachusetts. That's why her lecture will remind students that doubt is common as people leave college, so they must always proceed with "determination" and believe in their capabilities.

"I am the example that you can reinvent yourself in your career...You have to have an excellent work ethic, that is what propels you forward," Gonzalez Noguera said.

College students, early in their adult lives, should consider spending time working in the public sector or at a minimum work to positively advance the nation, she.

In the Journal interview, Gonzalez Noguera, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and lives in New York City with her husband and son, declined to answer questions about President Donald Trump or First Lady Melania Trump.
SIOUX CITY | A rural Woodbury County farmer tried to close a gravel road on his own, by placing large round bales across the road, but county officials shut down his blockade.

Woodbury County Engineer Mark Nahra said the surprising action occurred last week just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in rural Danbury, Iowa. Nahra said a farmer on a low-traveled road put two big hay bales on each end of the gravel road, painting "Road Closed" in big letters on each.

When the county pushed back, Nahra said the farmer wasn't receptive.

Nahra said county residents can advocate for changes they may want in the 1,340-mile county road system, but they can't close roads on their own.

He aired the account at the end of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, after one of the supervisors brought up a rural roads topic. Several supervisors looked on with bemused looks as Nahra continued the tale.

Nahra said his office contacted the farmer, who apparently wanted the road closed in order to more easily feed livestock.

"It is one family primarily using the road," he said.

Nahra told the man to remove the bales, and said the farmer essentially responded that he would do it when he got around to it.

Nahra then had the county sheriff's office contact the man, with the message that he had 48 hours to remove the "Road Closed" bales. That step worked much better.

"Friday, he did remove the bales," Nahra said.
SIOUX CITY | Woodbury County supervisors declined Tuesday to accept free help from a national law firm that would have summarized the legal implications on the board's practice of observing a moment of silence at the start of its weekly board meetings.

Board Chairman Matthew Ung stressed the supervisors did not consider the offer due to a complaint from an individual or group.

The board began observing a moment of silence at meetings several years ago. The supervisors and meeting attendees typically bow their heads and some silently pray during that time, which usually lasts about 10 seconds.

In an interview, Ung said he decided to revisit the practice after attending a church conference a few months ago where speakers shared information on public policy topics.

"One of the attorneys from First Liberty Institute spoke about how they had been involved in litigation regarding various types of invocation practices at local government meetings. I introduced myself and the firm offered to do a free assessment of the current boards practices," Ung said.

On the organization's website, First Liberty Institute notes that since 1997 it "is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to protecting religious liberty for all Americans...If an Americans religious freedom is threatened, First Liberty stands ready to assist."

Another portion of the site shares that the group is versed to protect religious freedom in the public arena: "First Liberty Institute defends people of all faiths who are facing legal retribution for expressing their religious beliefs in public. At First Liberty, we equip people with the knowledge they need to safeguard their rights, and are committed to restoring those rights when they are violated."

During Tuesday's board meeting, the supervisors ultimately decided not to go into closed session, as Ung recommended, to hear the input of Ken Klukowski, Senior Counsel & Director of Strategic Affairs for First Liberty.

Klukowski, who traveled from the East Coast, said there is "no clear (judicial) precedent one way or the other" existing for judges to rule on moments of silence in public meetings.

In today's politically-charged environment, Klukowski said it is possible an outside group could file a lawsuit on the Woodbury County moment of silence in order "to create a legal episode." He further said "a hostile judge" could put the county practice at risk.

Soon into the discussion, Supervisor Jeremy Taylor questioned Ung several times on why there was concern with the moment of silence and why the outside legal firm was needed, since the county has its own legal counsel in the County Attorney's Office.

Taylor, who is a chaplain in the U.S. Army, said he presumed the issue had been put on the agenda by Ung because the moment of silence might be taken by some people to reference "public prayer."

Assistant County Attorney Joshua Widman, who attended Tuesday's meeting, advised the supervisors that state law would permit the board to discuss the matter in closed session only if a litigation is underway or imminent.

Ung responded that he believes legal action could be imminent.

"What makes you think it is imminent?" Taylor asked.

"Advice received from First Liberty," Ung answered. "I want the board to hear (in closed session) what I have heard."

During the meeting, Taylor called seeking outside advice now as "putting the cart before the horse."

Ung was the sole supervisors who wanted to hold the closed session to discuss the topic with Klukowski, who would not air his assessment of the silent moment in public. Taylor, Rocky De Witt, Marty Pottebaum and Keith Radig all voted against accepting the pro bono services of First Liberty Institute

Ung said he was "disappointed" with the vote.

"Well, thank you for flying from D.C., to see our courthouse," he said to Klukowski, who also frequently writes for the conservative Breitbart website.

After the meeting, Klukowski told the Journal, "Proactive planning is exactly what voters should want in a leader, and I commend Chairman Ung."
NBC News fired "Today" show host Matt Lauer for what it said Wednesday was "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a colleague, making him perhaps the most familiar figure in America brought down so far by the misconduct accusations that have swept through Hollywood and the media over the past two months.
Im a dairy, beef and grain farmer with our sons actively managing and buying ownership in our three-generation operation. My passion is, and has always been, about the dairy cows and producing milk "natures perfect food.

That is why Im so concerned about President Trump's growing threats to end the North American Free Trade Agreement, which may send tingles of joy up the spines of the minority of Americans who believe Mexico is getting the best of the United States, but certainly would send shock waves through the Iowa economy.

Interestingly, while 56 percent of Americans say NAFTA has been good for our country compared to 33 percent who think it has been bad, Republican sentiment is almost exactly opposite (35-54 percent), according to a newly released Pew Research Center poll. A smaller percentage say "Mexico (30 percent) or Canada (20 percent) benefit more from the agreement than the U.S. does."

But there are other numbers that are even more important to the U.S. dairy industry and Iowa's place within it.

As Farm Bureau economist Veronica Nigh and Director of Market Intelligence John Newton have noted: "The importance of NAFTA to U.S. dairy farmers cannot be overstated. In recent years, dairy exports to Canada and Mexico averaged nearly $2 billion per year and accounted for 30 to 40 percent of all dairy exports. For comparison, in 2016 only 2 percent and 8 percent of U.S. dairy exports flowed to EU-28 and China, respectively."

They add: "It is on the back of NAFTA that the U.S. now exports nearly 15 percent of its annual milk production  equivalent to one days worth of milk production each week. Dairy industry economists will point out that the value of milk in the U.S. reached a record high in 2014 due to these export opportunities."

Jim Mulhern, CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, describes Mexico as our most important market, adding that if U.S. producers didn't have access to the Mexico market or had to pay pre-NAFTA duties, "We wouldn't have the exports we have there."

"It would be a serious harm to the U.S. dairy industry if we didnt have NAFTA, Mulhern said recently.

There's another twist. President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership leaves New Zealand, the globe's leading dairy exporter, and No. 2 Canada in a better position to capture more of the Mexico market.

Iowa is home to approximately 1,200 dairy herds and 20 plants that process dairy products and is the nation's 12th largest milk-producing state. Our dairy farms produced roughly 560 million gallons of milk and $837 million in milk sales in 2015. More than 22,000 Iowa jobs are directly tied to dairy production, according to the Iowa Dairy Association.

And, it's not just dairy farmers who have a stake in NAFTA, of course.

Iowa has 14 processing plants across the state that create good jobs and contribute greatly to their communities.

Are there areas where NAFTA could be improved? No doubt. Is it possible NAFTA could be updated to increase dairy exports? Maybe, maybe not.

But at the moment, all the talk seems to be about throwing NAFTA away. That would be a disaster for Iowa and have repercussions beyond the dairy sector. Higher tariffs and reduced demand for Iowa corn, soybeans, pork, livestock and poultry could drive already low commodity prices even lower. None of that would be good news to farm machinery manufacturers, ethanol producers, meat processers and other agribusinesses across the state and Midwest.

All of this uncertainty has Iowa agriculture leaders openly expressing concerns that withdrawing from NAFTA could drive Iowa agriculture into a deep recession.

Ive been around agriculture long enough to remember when federal administrations interfered with a respectable farm economy. Like 1970, when President Nixons executive order froze wages and prices for 90 days. And President Carters 1980 grain embargo to punish the Russians, which many claim led to the 1980s farm crisis that drove thousands of farm families off the land. Each proved that the farm community ends up paying the price of federal interference in our marketplace.

Iowa's own Chuck Grassley is known for calling out vexing inconsistencies with this succinct observation: "The rhetoric doesn't match the record." When balancing NAFTA's benefits to our state versus its shortcomings, President Trump's rhetoric doesn't match the record and we cannot afford to let political posturing kill an agreement that continues to benefit Iowa agriculture.

Craig Lang, a farmer from Brooklyn, Iowa, is a former president of the Iowa Farm Bureau.
Last year I contacted Carlin, who I did not know personally, about a pending bill that he was initially against. To his credit, Carlin called me to respectfully explain why he was against this particular bill and asked for my thoughts on those reasons. Carlin promised to do more research and called me back later to tell me he had changed his position and would support the bill. Ive since had the opportunity to observe Carlin in front of a large group who opposed another piece of legislation that Carlin felt he needed to support to be consistent with his values. While he and this group of constituents disagreed, I again came away impressed by Carlins respect and temperament and ability to explain his reasons for supporting the legislation.
Public Goods  November 29, 2017  James Wilt

A few weeks ago, at 3:30 in the morning, the Manitoba government froze public transit funding to Winnipeg, equivalent to a $10-million cut. It was a quiet affair. The bill that it was contained in wasnt ever brought to committee, meaning the public werent able to formally comment on it. But weve already started to see the brutal consequences: soon after, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman announced that the city will have to cut 59 routes, fire 120 bus drivers and increase fares by a considerable 25 cents.

Lets be perfectly clear. This is class warfare.

The basic ability for people to get from one place to another  whether for work, family or leisure  has been totally gutted in recent decades. Were now almost entirely reliant on the neoliberalized solutions of privatized cars and airplanes, marked by rabid union-busting in the workplaces, the emitting of massive amounts of greenhouse gases and considerable financial costs to people who have no other reasonable option available to get around.

And its a vicious reminder of why the Left must focus on transportation as a key part in its struggle against rising austerity, inequality and climate change.

Social Inequalities and the Neglect of Public Transit

Car culture tends to be understood as a manifestation of desires for freedom and control. Whats often left out of such readings is who car culture denies freedom and control to. Heres a quick and incomplete list: people with disabilities or other mobility issues, family and friends of incarcerated people in institutions outside city limits, elderly folks who rely on wheelchairs or walkers, or poor people without the means to afford car costs.

In turn, that disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous and people of colour as well as trans, two spirit and non-binary people  who all far disproportionately experience poverty and other forms of oppression that make expensive transportation options considerably less accessible.

That actively denies people access to safe, affordable and efficient movement, itself undermining opportunities for jobs, relationships and leisure.

Even those who have access to such modes have to deal with the serious downsides: the psychological strain of rush hour and road rage, the financial costs of gasoline, maintenance, user fees and insurance, the risk of injury, air pollution and death due to collisions.

Associated with the issue is that many high-level solutions to climate change often prioritize growing technologies like electric vehicles, biofuel-powered airplanes and driverless trucks. Elon Musk is especially venerated as a saviour on this front  despite horrific labour practices, allegations of racism and underwhelming production numbers orbiting companies like Tesla.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector will certainly reduce in coming years due to such technologies. But such a transition wont do anything to increase access for aforementioned people, and will actually financially punish them as carbon pricing will reward those rich enough to afford new electric cars (leaving old gasoline-intensive cars for poorer folks to purchase due to lack of transit access and pay more at the pumps). Nor would it challenge the rampant profiteering by the likes of Musk, who seek to capitalize on markets and maintain inequality.

That is, unless the Left starts mobilizing around transportation as an incontestable public good that requires massive funding.

Massive Opportunity for Investments in Rail and Transit Infrastructure

Its really not that hard of a sell to make. The language of individual rights is frequently exploited to defend right-wing ideals of property, wealth and colonialism. So lets sensibly leave that aside. Instead, it may be helpful to approach the crisis from the position of creating a low-carbon, technologically advanced and economically just society, rooted by extensive transportation networks that prioritize accessibility and affordability for all.

Unions, co-ops, electoral parties and other leftist organizations can agitate for many things on this front.

On the sheer infrastructure side of things, that could include dedicated tracks for VIA Rail, allowing for electrified passenger rail to become an actual option for regular people as opposed to a tourist-oriented service that has to bow to the whims of freight rail companies like CP and CN. Or, build the long awaited Calgary-Edmonton and Windsor-Quebec City high-speed rail lines, setting the example for whats possible across the country with greater investments.

Zooming in to the city or regional level, we could be talking about a coordinated combo of subways, light-rail transit, streetcars and dedicated bus lanes. These are not far-out ideas, but regular practice in places like China, Japan and much of Europe. Every layer of transportation adds flexibility and accessibility to the network.

Such systems would greatly undermine the need for commercial airplane: terrific news for climate change given the fierce resistance by airlines to carbon pricing and inevitable inability for fuel switching (unless youre a true techno-utopian).

Infrastructure Investments Must Also Be Accompanied With Service Access

But its not enough just to build public transit infrastructure. In fact, politicians are very good at announcing considerable investments in transport infrastructure ahead of electoral season due to the sheer visibility of such spending.

Transit services actually have to be made accessible for the most oppressed peoples. At root, that means free or heavily discounted fares. Theres no way around it.

Surprisingly, Calgary just set an example of what this can look like, offering a monthly transit pass for $5.05 to people making $12,500 or under. But that should be the baseline. As leftists, we must aim higher. In the era of catastrophic climate change, every municipality should be urgently transitioning residents to transit-oriented living.

As well, most assaults on transit drivers are due to fare disputes. Transit unions can and should be all over this.

Hugely increased ridership due to lowered fares would likely result in a considerable uptick in demand for more service, greatly boosting the case for a much larger and unionized staff of drivers, maintenance workers, cleaners and administrators. Itll also surely result in a push for new transit lines, perhaps even helping to boost the profile of politicians.

A massive cultural shift would obviously have to take place. But most people are literally living paycheque-to-paycheque. Make a radical enough shift in costs and a critical mass will form.

Funding: Tax Havens, Military, Prisons, Roads

The obvious question is how it will be funded. Its a depressingly predictable question from self-described leftists. In recent years, weve seen many progressives, especially the federal and provincial NDP, succumb to deficit and pocketbook politics, appealing to right-wing economic arguments to boost their supposed political viability. Leftists shouldnt oppose projects because of costs, but because theyre unjust.

As recent revelations about the Paradise Papers have reminded us, theres a simply enormous amount of wealth being hidden by extremely rich individuals and corporations in offshore tax havens.

Income tax rates are already stunningly low for the rich  to say nothing of deductions and subsidies like the capital gains tax rate  and recovering the estimated $10-billion to $15-billion in tax havens seems like a no-brainer item for leftists to push for. Theres also incredible money being invested in military, policing and incarceration that should immediately be diverted for other purposes.

Then theres the actual savings from transitioning to a public system.

Each Canadian currently pays, on average, $437/month on car costs. Even with a very conservative estimation, that calculates to around $100-billion in additional funding for transit every single year. Thats to say nothing of enormous investments in roads and healthcare associated with injuries and pollution.

All of this could be diverted into public transportation, as well as other critical areas like housing, food and electricity generation. That pressure must come from the left, and result in truly public and participatory processes.

Otherwise, the likes of Elon Musk will rule the remainder of humanitys short tenure on Earth. And that will be anything but just, sustainable or democratic. 
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.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Nov. 28, 2017, proposed a new sick leave bill -- the Paid Leave Compromise Act of 2018. "We need the legislative leaders across the aisle to finally come to the table and work with us on behalf of the people of Maryland," Hogan said in Annapolis. (Photo: Julie Depenbrock)

ANNAPOLIS

(Nov. 29, 2017)Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan unveiled measures Tuesday requiring companies with 25 or more employees to grant paid leave by 2020, and funding a $100 million tax credit over five years to "offset the costs of small businesses supplying these benefits."The emergency legislation, which Hogan said will be introduced Jan. 10, offers a middle ground between the governor's previous bill, which was torpedoed in the Maryland Senate, and the "Healthy Working Families Act," proposed and passed last session by Democrats and vetoed by the Republican governor.Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton, D-Charles County, who serves as chair of the Finance Committee said that he and other Democrats will push for a veto override in the upcoming legislative session."We're beyond compromise," Middleton said. "We need to move forward."Both parties have accused each other of partisan politics. Hogan, in his press conference Tuesday, said that certain members of the legislature took it upon themselves to "ram through -- on a party line vote -- a terrible bill.""They chose to play politics rather than provide a real solution we can all get behind," Hogan said, adding that the Democrat's bill would "crush" small businesses and "kill" jobs.The new bill, Hogan said, eliminates "burdensome red tape and intrusive provisions."Democrats took issue with Hogan calling his latest measure the "Paid Leave Compromise Act.""It's not a compromise, because a compromise implies one party talked to the other side," said Delegate Luke Clippinger, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City and who sponsored the legislation that the governor vetoed in May.Clippinger's bill required, among other things, that businesses with 15 or more employees provide "earned sick and safe leave that is paid at the same wage rate as the employee normally earns.""Quite frankly, his bringing forward an emergency bill is window dressing for Marylanders," Clippinger said. "This has been an emergency situation for quite a long time."Hogan said he hopes Democrats will "come to the table" on his compromise proposal, but that doesn't look likely."What it's ultimately going to come down to is this," Clippinger said. "We have the votes. We're going to override the governor's veto."
BALTIMORE (Nov. 29, 2017)New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sent a clear message in his testimony as a witness at a U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform field hearing Tuesday at The Johns Hopkins Hospital: The opioid fight must be funded.



Christie, chairman of President Donald Trump's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, testified before the committee to discuss his group's findings, released earlier this month.



The state of Maryland continues to reel from the opioids scourge, with 156 more opioid-related overdose deaths through June of this year than during the same period in 2016, according to state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene data.



Opioid overdose deaths climbed in 16 of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions over the first half of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016. In Baltimore, the location of Tuesday's hearing, there were 87 more overdose deaths, an increase of more 30 percent.



Flanked on stage by Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., the chairman of the House committee, and its ranking member, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., Christie was asked to break down the more than 50 recommendations from his commission's final report into three takeaways.



First, Christie said, it's of paramount importance to address the shipment of powerful synthetic opioids fentanyl and carfentanil.



In Maryland, deaths related to fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, have skyrocketed, according to Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene data.



Fentanyl-related deaths statewide surged from 469 from January through June in 2016, to 799 deaths over the same time in 2017a 70 percent increase.



Furthermore, carfentanila fentanyl derivative commonly used to sedate large mammals like elephants continued its emergence in the second quarter. There have been 46 carfentanil-related deaths statewide over the first two quarters of 2017 compared to none over the same period last year, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.



If the flow of the deadly synthetics into the United States continues unabated, Christie said, the 64,000 drug overdose deaths in America in 2016 will look like "the good ole days."



He added that "we need to see (the shipment of deadly synthetics) as an attack on our people," and that in his commission's report it made clear "that this is a Chinese problem," as much of the fentanyland its potent analoguescome from China.



Christie also called for more enforcement, saying "USPS (United States Postal Service) is delinquent in stopping these drugs" in the mail.



Christie proposed a "real" national conversation about the cost effectiveness of opioid painkillers to take place. This conversation, Christie added, must include the medical community and pharmaceutical companies.



On multiple occasions during his testimony, Christie touted the importance of expediting the process of developing non-opioid, non-addictive painkillers.



In his opening remarks, Gowdy emphasized that pain is real, and that regardless of the addiction crisis, people need ways to manage it.



Christie echoed this notion, "If people have an alternative to opioids, both the physicians that prescribe them and the consumers that take them  it will be a huge help."



In his third point, Christie said bluntly, "We need to fund better treatment in this country."



Though he lauded President Trump's declaration of the opioid crisis as a national public health emergency, he implored that "We need to fund the Public Health Emergency Fund," which he estimated to have $66,000 in its coffers.



"I don't think that's going to do it."
As temperatures continue to get cooler, join us inside each Sunday, from 25 p.m., for Open Skate at Leonard Hall Recreation Center.Session cost is $5 per person. Skate rentals are $2.50.For more information please call 301-475-4200 ext. *1800.The St. Mary's Transit System (STS) is known for providing transportation services for citizens in the county on a daily basis. STS also holds special events (e.g. Dump the Pump and Stuff the Bus) throughout the year. In recognition of its efforts, the Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM) honored STS with a 2017 Community Engagement Award.STS was nominated for the honor by Nicky Pires from Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland at the TAM's 2017 fall conference for going above and beyond being a transit agency. "Each year in May, as a community event during National Transportation Week, STS demonstrates passenger appreciation by offering discount day for veterans, $1 a day rides and distributing STS promotional items," said Pires. "STS buses are at local groceries stores for the STUFF the Bus event to collect dry goods for local food pantries. STS donates yearly over 2,000 lbs. worth of dry good items, baby diapers and baby products to the local community."The nomination also notes STS' continuing efforts to provide community based transportation for residents of the St. Mary's County, and the Tri-County area by connecting with Charles and Calvert County Transit systems. STS staff also conducts wheelchair securement training annually for human service non-profits. STS staff was also recognized for willing to go above and beyond to provide service, give back to the community.John Duklewski, TAM Executive Director, presented the award to Transportation Manager Jacqueline Fournier and STS staff during the Commissioners of St. Mary's County weekly business meeting.The Social Services Advisory Board meeting, originally scheduled for December 26, has been changed December 19 at 5:30 p.m.The meeting will take place in the Board Room inside the Joseph D. Carter Building.As part of the meeting the Board will also meet in Executive Session.Please call 240-895-7174 with questions concerning the meeting.The December 14 meeting of the St. Mary's County Board of Appeals has been cancelled.The Town of Leonardtown Planning and Zoning Commission meeting has been cancelled for November 2017. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.The St. Mary's County Museum Division presents the 32nd Annual Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit, the 11th Annual Holiday Exhibit at the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park and a brand new exhibit stemming from our partnership with the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions.32nd Annual St. Clement's Island Museum Christmas Doll & Train Exhibit: "Christmas in Maryland" Open House - Free Admission - Sunday, December 3 from 124 p.m. - featuring Santa & Mrs. Claus from 122 p.m. COSMIC Flute Orchestra, face painting and games, and holiday shopping at the Museum Store. December 1 - 22, Thursday - Monday, 12 - 4 p.m. December 23 - January 1, Daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) St. Clement's Island Museum, 38370 Point Breeze Road Colton's Point, MD 301-769-2222 $3 with age discounts11th Annual Piney Point Holiday Exhibit Christmas: "Christmas in Uniform" Open House - Free Admission - Sunday, November 26, 12 - 4 p.m. Holiday shopping at the Museum Store with great deals on Museum Store Sunday! December 1 - 22, Thursday - Monday, 12 - 4 p.m. December 23 - January 1, Daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park, 44720 Lighthouse Road Piney Point, MD 301-994-1471 $7 person, $3.50 for seniors, student and with military IDUnified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) Holiday Exhibit: "A Civil War Christmas" December 23 - January 1, Daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) US Colored Troops Interpretive Center 21675 S. Coral Drive Lexington Park, MD 20653 info@AfricanAmericanContributions.com Free admissionThe museum is managed by the Museum Division of the St. Mary's County Department of Recreation and Parks and the Commissioners of St. Mary's County. The museum and grounds are handicap accessible.For more information, contact the St. Clement's Island Museum at 301-769-2222.
Former journalist and documentary filmmaker John Scagliotti has devoted his 40-year career to sharing the history of the LGBTQ community.

When I came out in 1970, right around Stonewall, I didnt have any idea there were any other gay people before me, explained Scagliotti. Thats how small my world was.

After working in radio for several years in Boston and launching The Lavender Hour, the first LGBTQ radio program, Scagliotti attended film school at New York University. He went on produce his first documentary in 1984, the multiple Emmy Award-winning Before Stonewall. Seven years later, he created the groundbreaking television series, In the Life, for PBS, the first nationally-distributed program about contemporary LGBTQ people.

We fought the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to get In the Life on the air, he recalled. It was a wonderful show to doto reach into the homes of so many young kids, the first time to sit with (their) parents and watch a television show about themselves.

In 1999, he produced a companion film, After Stonewall, a look at the enormous strides made in the late 1990s, followed by Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World in 2003.

Scagliottis latest film, Before Homosexuals: From Ancient Times to Victorian Crimes, a prequel to Before Stonewall, will be screened on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Classic Gateway as a fundraiser for the Stonewall National Museum and Archives.

The fascinating point-of-view documentary offers a guided tour of erotic history, poetry and art from the ancient civilizations of Asia, Egypt, Greece and Rome through the famously prudish Victorian period, illuminating changing cultural attitudes towards gay, lesbian and transgender people.

Scagliotti is often asked why he made a prequel to the seminal history of gay life in Americafrom 1985.

Because of homophobia, discrimination, censorship, and anti-gay forces, it was impossible to find same-sex history. Even the National Archives in Washington, D.C. didnt have a category covering the immense topic of homosexuality, he pointed out.

Scagliotti credits a gay revolution of the 1990s that finally allowed LGBTQ people to begin reclaiming and recording that lost history. His film is a tribute to those researchers and academics, many of whom suffered professional discrimination because of their sexual orientation, who made many of these discoveries.

The screening is presented by the Center for Independent Documentary and the Pride of the Ocean Saving History Film Cruise. The cruise, which will depart Port Everglades on Feb. 25 and sail the Western Caribbean over seven nights, will include film screenings and presentations by the Stonewall National Museum, LGBT Historical Society of San Francisco, the University of Southern California ONE Institute and the University of California Los Angeles special collection of the In the Life television series.

Ten filmmakers will participate in special panel discussions about their works with the 60 to 100 cruise guests, many themselves film enthusiasts interested in preserving LGBT history. Past cruises have served as crucial catalysts in the completion of important film projects with more than $1 million in funding resulting from relationships developed on the trip, said Scagliotti.

Before Homosexuals: From Ancient Times to Victorian Crimes will be screened on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. at the Classic Gateway Theatre, 1820 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $15 ($10 for museum members) at Stonewall-Museum.org. For more information about the Pride of the Ocean Saving History Film Cruise, go to PrideOfTheOcean.com.
An Australian man claimed a hospital denied him treatment for HIV after he was raped, despite him asking six times.

The man allegedly asked six times for doctors at the Royal Melbourne Hospital to give him post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment after he was attacked earlier this month, according to PinkNews. Instead, the man claims he was not given a clear reason as to why he was not allowed to be treated.

They wouldnt let me out of hospital, so I couldnt go and seek PEP from another hospital, he said to the Star Observer.

PEP requires a 72-hour window after an assault to be used. During his stay, the man said he was not given approval to start treatment until after the window passed.

Patient privacy prevents us giving specifics relating to an individuals care, a Royal Melbourne Hospital spokesperson said in a statement. This patient was assessed and given clinically appropriate care and treatment based on the information provided, Prescribing of PEP will depend on the circumstances of the patients arrival to hospital.

The man has contacted Maurice Blackburn Lawyers for legal advice and the Victorian AIDS Council for help following the incident. He will have to wait a 12-week period to be tested for HIV.

According to the Star Observer, the hospital apologized in 2010 for making the same mistake involving PEP drugs in two other incidents.
As we approach World AIDS Day this weekend, SFGN features our annual SPIRIT issue. I know that discussions of HIV and AIDS are not the most popular features in the world, but my job as publisher is to share truth not fiction, reality not illusion.

For the LGBT community, HIV is very real. You might be able to manage it with one pill in 2017, but it was not always that way. Ask Greg Louganis, who was on the cover of SFGN last week, celebrated and honored by Equality Florida this past month.

Who is Greg Louganis, you might ask. Well, unsurprisingly, many of you did. Last week, I went bar hopping through the Manors, determined to show off SFGNs cover to young people I guessed were under the age of 25. I showed them a picture of the silver haired 57-year-old on the cover and asked if they knew who he was.

My unscientific survey netted 20 inquiries. 13 young men had no clue that SFGN last week featured an HIV positive gay man who was an Olympic Gold Medalist platform diver in the 1970s and 1980s. They were unsure of who Greg Louganis was.

In 1995, Greg Louganis was not getting any awards. He was as popular as Roy Moore. He came out of the closet in a national HBO video Back on Board, admitting to the world that he was HIV positive back in 1988 when he hit his head on a diving board during a meet and bled into the Olympic swimming pool. He did not even reveal to the doctor treating him that he was HIV positive at the time.

You know, after a five-year legal battle, the Florida Supreme Court just ruled that if you fail to disclose your HIV status to your same sex partner, or otherwise, and you have intercourse, you can go to jail. It is a crime.

Of course, this is Broward County, where years ago, in a lifetime far away, in 1982, our library once fired an HIV positive librarian because they did not want him handing out books. None of the kids I talked to knew about that either, but I would not expect them to. However, it is all part of our history, which SFGN proudly celebrates with special features each October.

As a matter of fact, my business partner at the newspaper, Piero Angelo, even does an interesting random column illuminating and showcasing our LGBT history. Hell, thats why we keep publishing this paper, to make sure that our lives are legitimately recorded by a press that protects us and does not persecute us.

Thats why we are proud to share another issue of The Spirit with you this week, our annual AIDS issue. Its not going to come your way through the Sun Sentinel or the Herald. They are not niche publications focusing on your concerns. We are.

Meanwhile, many of the young people I talked to outside bars this past Thanksgiving weekend did know who Sheila E, Yandel, and Becky G were. And they were therefore delighted to hear that the trio will be performing a free concert in Bayfront Park this Friday night on World AIDS Day, December 1. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Once again, thank the AIDS Health Care Foundation for being cutting edge, and going outside the playbook to draw attention to HIV. Already sponsors of the Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival, which will be returning to the Fort Lauderdale Beach on March 18, 2018, AHF knows how to reach the multitudes.

The Righteous Rebels, as their book is labeled, have no qualms about pushing buttons. Just look at their ad campaigns, like their most recent billboards, posted from South Florida to Hollywood and Vine, in the heart of LAs movie district.

The billboards call attention to the millions of people around the globe still impacted by HIV/AIDS. Inspired by vintage fuel pump counters, the numbers illuminated are staggering, including recognition of 1,800,000 New HIV Cases in 2016 and another reading 20,000,000 Untreated HIV Cases in 2016. What the message says is that the numbers are still growing higher each year.

The reality is HIV is something I think is important enough to still write about. Look, there are still people drowning. We cant just all be celebrating on the shore. We need agencies like AHF and to speak out and be heard, to make waves. Thankfully, we live in a community where many souls, many agencies, and many good people do their part, from pet projects to smart rides.

SFGN will continue to do its part. We will showcase your good work and be honest about our failures. The truth is we must do better if we are going to end this pandemic. Jesse Monteagudos column in the Spirit this week acknowledges some of our local real life losses. It cant go on. It just cant go on. Help make it come to an end. Start with an HIV test. It is never too late.

Lets celebrate a day when there will be no more World AIDS Days. Let's be able to have a concert on the beach because they are fun and celebratory, not necessary and memorial. We have made it safe for anyone and everyone, Olympic swimmer or not, to dive into the water with HIV.

One final word. Please lets not forget that while AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 48 percent since their peak in 2005, in 2016 over 19 million people globally were accessing antiretroviral therapy to prolong their lives and stop the spread of the virus. Many of those are and have been part of our LGBT community. That is why we must never forget, and while saying a prayer for those who are gone, we must continue to fight for hell for the living.
Being too short can affect what rollercoasters you get on at amusement parks. But who would have thought it might cost you your job too. This is the case for a transgender officer in India.

According to a report done by India Today, after transitioning, Lalit Kumar, was denied his job when he returned back to work at Beed Police Station of the Maharashtra Police Headquarters.

His employers at Maharashtra Police have defended their decision, stating that when Kumar identified as a woman he met the height requirements to be an officer, but now that he identifies as a man he no longer has the proper measurements.

With Kumar serving as an officer for over a decade and only being a couple of centimeters off for his teams standard, he has decided to take this discriminatory action to court. The officer has filed a plea at the Bombay High Court to gain permission to return to work, according to Pink News.

Sayed Ejaz Naqvi, Kumars lawyer, has been adamant in pointing out to the judges that his client is being denied his basic human rights.

Sexual preferences are covered under and are part and parcel of rights to privacy of an individual. Which falls under Fundamental Right to Life & Liberty as per Article 21 of the constitution of India, Naqvi said.The police department is erring and violating the constables fundamental rights by not allowing (him) to reform (his) sexual preferences.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




NASA engineers Mark Sinkiat, Peter Fetterer and Salem El-nimri held up a picture of Vint Cerf, a distinguished visiting scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory who helped develop the technology. NASA

NASA is boosting cyber to space with benefits for Earth. On Nov. 20, 2017, a selfie snapped from the National Science Foundations McMurdo Station in Antarctica demonstrated technology that can enable the future interplanetary internet.

Called Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), the technology is NASAs solution to reliable interplanetary data transmissions when vast distances or alignments of celestial bodies may disrupt communications.

Though Antarctic researchers are not communicating across interplanetary distances, McMurdos remote location and minimal infrastructure make it an ideal candidate to benefit from this technology. DTN bundles data and transmits as many bundles as it can when a communication path opens. If a bundle fails to transmit, it goes into storage and waits for the next communication path to open, then sends it. If the bundles were all part of a single file, the file can be reassembled at the final destination.

How did an Antarctic selfie get to the space station via DTN?

Starting at McMurdo, DTN software on a mobile phone sent the picture on its journey to the International Space Station. The bundles traveled from the McMurdo ground station to NASAs White Sands Complex via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS). Then, a series of DTN nodes forwarded the bundles to NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which is the access point to the operational space station DTN network. The bundles were forwarded to the space station via another TDRS link where they were then routed to the Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) demonstration payload. The final DTN node extracted the picture data from the DTN bundles that originated from Antarctica. The payload reassembled the original picture and displayed it onboard the station.

This demonstration really highlights internetworking using DTN, said David Israel, a space communications architect at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. DTN provides the means for routing data between two endpoints within two individual networks that cannot have a continuous path between them.

Unlike the familiar computer-to-computer IP connection, the technology allows for temporary disruptions and long delays like those that can be experienced by spacecraft as well as remote locations on Earth.

Were cutting our teeth on this software, in real field conditions, said Patrick Smith, technology development manager for polar research support with the NSF-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. The simplicity of transmitting from a smart phone could have significant implications for increasing and diversifying the science we support in the polar regions. This represents a vision of how our remote autonomous field research instrumentation might operate one day.

Data transmission has always been a challenge for Antarctic researchers. With scant civil infrastructure and very few providers able to service the geographic South Pole, the data demand far exceeds the combined network capabilities for research stations on the continent. Communication disruptions can have serious consequences for researchers, because data must be regularly assessed with colleagues for quality assurance and adjustments.

Astronaut and Flight Engineer for Expedition 53 and 54, Mark Vande Hei set up a space station camera to capture the final step of the Disruption Tolerant Networking technology demonstration. A computer on the station displayed the Antarctic selfie. Credits: NASA

The Antarctic is an excellent analog for space operations, Smith noted. Researchers are conducting important scientific investigations, operating in extreme conditions, with minimal infrastructure, so its not surprising that we are using NASA space technology to advance science in the Antarctic.

Israel suggests there are many more potential terrestrial applications for DTN. Any remote location on Earth that experiences limited network connectivity is a candidate for DTN, he said. Relief to disaster zones could potentially be improved with better communications using the software on mobile devices by maximizing the use of intermittent access or spotty availability.

Also in Antarctica, the South Pole TDRS Relay System supports NSF science data and network connectivity. In the mid-1990s, NASA and NSF teamed up to better connect Antarctica to the rest of the world by using NASAs Space Network. They utilized satellites that were past their intended operational life in a particular orbit. The now decommissioned TDRS-1 satellite is just one of several satellites that have found a second operational life supporting Antarctic researchers. Credits: NASA

The most recent demonstration provided an opportunity for both NASA and NSF to exercise DTN in a scenario analogous to future applications.

NASA hopes to expand DTN use and discover even more applications. The agency is working to standardize DTN through the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems and with the Internet Engineering Task Force, and has released implementations of DTN protocols through open-source software.

NASAs Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) DTN team is led out of NASAs Johnson Space Center with support from Goddard Space Flight Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Marshall Space Flight Center, the MITRE Corporation and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. The team works with the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) division at NASA Headquarters to integrate DTN with NASAs communication networks, including the Deep Space Network, Near Earth Network and Space Network, to support future missions.
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 November 2017 - Testing Cygnus as a Lab. NASA

The six-member Expedition 53 crew heads into Thanksgiving observing how living in space affects the human body and packing the Cygnus cargo craft. The orbital crewmates are also preparing for next months arrival of the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship.

Veteran space station residents Paolo Nespoli and Sergey Ryazanskiy were back inside the Columbus lab module today examining what microgravity is doing to their leg muscles. The duo took turns strapping themselves in a unique exercise chair and attaching electrodes to their knees. Next, the pair used magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound devices to observe the changes taking place in their legs in space.

NASA astronaut Joe Acaba transferred the TangoLab-1 multi-use science facility into the Cygnus space freighter for a demonstration today. TangoLab-1 is being tested inside Cygnus to determine the viability of using a cargo craft as a laboratory while docked at the International Space Station.

The next cargo craft to visit the station will be the SpaceX Dragon when it launches Dec. 4 aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei trained today for the rendezvous and capture of Dragon when it arrives two days after its launch. Dragon will carry new science experiments to explore the Suns impact on Earth and improve the accuracy of a new diabetes implant device.

On-Orbit Status Report

Sarcolab-3: This morning with Russian operator assistance, a USOS subject ingressed the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) chair in the Columbus module and adjusted pads and restraints for the Sarcolab-3 ankle protocol. The operator collected ultrasound images of the subjects leg. Todays activities conclude the 3-day ankle protocol that began on GMT 324. The crew will begin knee protocol operations later this afternoon, including setup and fit check in preparation for data collection operations tomorrow. The Sarcolab-3 data will be compared to pre and post flight measurements to assess the impact of hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab) investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus (calf muscle) where it joins the Achilles tendon, which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crewmembers before and after flight, and analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to help assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure.

Miniature Exercise Device (MED-2): The crew set up cameras in Node 3 to capture video from multiple views of the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) and MED-2 hardware, applied body markers, performed exercises and transferred the video for downlink. The ISSs exercise equipment is large and bulky, while the MED-2 aims to demonstrate small robotic actuators can provide motion and resistance for crew workout sessions, reducing the size and weight of exercise equipment for long-duration space missions. The MED-2 investigation is a system to test key technologies needed to develop space based exercise equipment that may provide appropriate countermeasures to the adverse effects of microgravity. This technology is critical for the initial design and development of second and third generation Counter Measure Systems (CMS) hardware that is an order of magnitude lighter and smaller than existing ISS class of CMS hardware and that has significantly greater reliability.

TangoLab-1 Transfer to Cygnus (OA-8): The crew removed TangoLab-1 from EXPRESS Rack 4, and transferred the facility to Cygnus for a short demonstration of TangoLab-1 operations in Cygnus. This is being performed as a proof of the extended lab concept, wherein visiting vehicles can be used as an extension of the ISS laboratory volume while attached. TangoLab-1 is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems (STaARS) BioScience-5 Transfer: Following 8 days of incubation, today the crew removed the STaARS BioScience-5 Nexus Lab from the STaARS-1 experiment facility and inserted it into a General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator (GLACIER). STaARS BioScience-5 studies how Staphylococcus aureus loses its harmful properties and changes color in microgravity. Automated culturing equipment grows S. aureus before delivering cultures to an observation chamber for data collection at predetermined time points. To understand the growth rates and morphology of the bacterium for an extended growth period, a microscope and spectrophotometer are both used.

Fine Motor Skills (FMS): Today a 51S crewmember conducted a Flight Day 118 FMS session where the subject performed a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. The investigation studies how fine motor skills are affected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of FMS is to answer how fine motor performance in microgravity trend/vary over the duration of a six-month and year-long space mission; how fine motor performance on orbit compare with that of a closely matched participant on Earth; and how performance trend/vary before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods.

N1 Nadir Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Modification: Earlier today, the crew modified the N1 nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) grounding straps with longer ones in an effort to allow the CPA to be folded out of the hatchway instead of having to be removed for each vehicle that docks to this port.

Fundoscope Eye Exam: FE-6 completed a routine fundoscope exam today. Eye exams are performed regularly onboard in order to monitor crew health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that is affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.

Node 2 Overhead Port Inter-Module Ventilation (IMV) Diffuser Cleaning: Today the crew cleaned the overhead port diffusers and inspected internal ducting for additional Foreign Object Debris (FOD) buildup. The crew has noted that the overhead diffusers look dusty, which is consistent with IMV flow measurements showing less airflow.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities are on schedule unless otherwise noted.

Miniature Exercise Device Operations Session

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Two-Phase Flow Experiment Equipment Activation

Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test  Subject

MARES Ankle Shaving Preparation

VEG-03 Plant Photo

COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops

MARES Ultrasound session

ELECTRONIC NOSE. Experiment Session.

ISS HAM Service Module Pass

Node 1 Nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Gather

Columbus Video Camera Assembly 2 Adjustment

Node 1 Nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Install

MARES subject electrodes equipment

NanoRacks Microbial Growth Experiment Imagery

Node 1 Nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Modification Assist

EML High Speed Camera Lens Switch

Node 1 Nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Modification Stow

Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training

Routine maintenance of air pressure [??], H2O [??] and drainage [??] Valves in SM Rodnik Tanks

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection

Node 2 Overhead Port Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Diffuser Cleaning

Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection

JEM Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle 2 (FROST2) Temperature check

ELECTRONIC NOSE. Experiment Session.

Soyuz 736 Kazbek Fit Check

Space Technology and Advanced Research Systems Nexus Lab Transfer into Glacier

On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon OBT Conference

STAARS BioScience-5 Nexus Lab Insertion into MERLIN.

ELECTRONIC NOSE. Photography of the Experiment Session

On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Review

PROBOY. RS?1 Laptop Ops.

??????. ?????? ? ?????????? ??????.?????. ?? ????.

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD)  Lab

On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review

USOS Window Shutter Close

MARES knee configuration installation

Monitoring shutter closure on windows 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14.

PROBOY. Copy and Downlink Data

MARES Battery Charge control

EPM Laptop relocation for files downlink preparation

TangoLab-1 To Cygnus Move

CONTENT. Experiment Ops

Soyuz 736 ???? No.2 Test.

MARES Knee configuration fit check

EPM Laptop relocation to MARES

Health Maintenance System (HMS) CMO  Fundoscope

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Eye Exam  Fundoscope

Completed Task List Activities

VEG-03 Plant Pillow Water

Ground Activities

All activities are on schedule unless otherwise noted.

51S thruster test

Node 3 Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Bypass Flow Characterization Test

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Thursday, 11/23: Cygnus Transfer, MARES, Nanoracks VUZE camera mount, Veg-03, Vision exams, Education Imagery

Friday, 11/24: Crew Off Duty

Saturday, 11/25: Crew Off Duty, Housekeeping.

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  On

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  On

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  Off

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Operate

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Reprocess

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Full Up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Off
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 27 November 2017 - Preparing to Release Cygnus. NASA

The Cygnus resupply ship is in its final week at the International Space Station and two astronauts are training for its departure on Monday. Meanwhile, a leg muscle study and CubeSat deployment operations are wrapping up today.

Cygnus is now being filled with trash after delivering close to 7,400 pounds of research and supplies to the Expedition 53 crew on Nov. 14. NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba are training to release Cygnus from the Canadarm2 next week following a 20-day stay at the Unity module.

The duo will be inside the cupola commanding the Canadarm2 to release Cygnus back into Earth orbit on Dec. 4. Following its departure from the station, Cygnus will stay in orbit until Dec. 18 before re-entering the Earths atmosphere for a fiery demise over the Pacific Ocean.

Commander Randy Bresnik and cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy are completing a final run of the Sarcolab-3 experiment today. That research is observing how leg muscles adapt to microgravity using magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound devices.

Finally, a satellite deployer that ejected a set of CubeSats last week, has been brought back inside the Kibo lab module. One of the CubeSats deployed, the EcAMSat that was delivered aboard Cygnus, is now orbiting Earth researching how the E. coli pathogen reacts to antibiotics in space.

On-Orbit Status Report

Earth Imagery from ISS Target Operations: Over the weekend, the crew captured images and video footage of the Australian Desert, Italy at night, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, and Ireland to Moscow at night. The Earth Imagery from ISS investigation creates a series of videos, displaying Earth from space. These videos will be taken with cameras on the International Space Station in 6K hi-resolution, integrated into videos for screensavers for public enjoyment, exploration, and engagement.

Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEM A/L) Operations: After successfully deploying all five of the NRCSD#13 silos last week, today the CubeSat deployer was removed from the Multipurpose Experiment Platform (MPEP). The crew initiated the JEM A/L pressurization and performed a leak check before opening the JEMAL inner hatch and extending the slide table to the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Module (JPM) side to remove the deployer from the MPEP. The MPEP was then be removed from the side table before the slide table was retracted from the JPM and the inner hatch was closed.

Sarcolab-3: Today a USOS subject, with Russian operator assistance, conducted the final knee protocol for Sarcolab-3, by ingressing into the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) chair, installing the knee Electromyography (EMG) electrodes, and conducting the knee exercises. Todays activity concludes the Sarcolab-3 session that began last week on GMT 324. The Sarcolab-3 data will be compared to pre and post flight measurements to assess the impact of hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab) investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus (calf muscle) where it joins the Achilles tendon, which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crewmembers before and after flight, and analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to help assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure.

Probiotics Operations: Today a crewmember initiated the third of four sampling phases for the JAXA Probiotic investigation by collecting fecal samples and immediately stowing the samples into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). This sampling phase includes fecal and saliva sample collections and a questionnaire. The saliva sample collection and questionnaire will be conducted on GMT 334. Some species of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella grow stronger and more virulent in the microgravity environment of space. At the same time, the human immune system is weaker in space, leading to increased health risks. The objective of the Probiotics investigation is to study the impact of continuous consumption of probiotics on immune function and intestinal microbiota in astronauts under closed microgravity environment. This investigation studies the effects of beneficial bacteria (Probiotics) to improve crew members intestinal microbiota as well as their immune function on long-duration space missions.

Personal Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitor Installations: Using an iPad and readings from a Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) sample port, the crew performed a single point calibration of the Personal CO2 monitors. The Personal CO2 Monitor demonstrates a system capable of unobtrusively collecting and downlinking individual crewmembers CO2 exposure for weeks to months. This investigation evaluates wearability principles in microgravity and demonstrates Modular Wearable Architecture Base Board, allowing rapid certification of future wearable devices.

Zero Boil-Off Tank Particle Injection: The crew injected Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) particles into the test section for an imaging test. Rocket fuel, spacecraft heating and cooling systems, and sensitive scientific instruments rely on very cold cryogenic fluids. Heat from the environment around cryogenic tanks can cause their pressures to rise, which requires dumping or boiling off fluid to release the excess pressure, or actively cooling the tanks in some way. ZBOT uses an experimental fluid to test active heat removal and forced jet mixing as alternative means for controlling tank pressure for volatile fluids.

Sabatier removal preparation: In preparation for the upcoming removal, return, and refurbishment of the Sabatier hardware, the crew performed velocicalc (airflow) measurements inside OGS, and reviewed procedures both on their own and via a crew conference with specialists on the ground. Sabatier is planned to be returned to the ground on SpaceX-13 in January.

Cygnus cargo ops and departure OBT: Today the crew continued cargo operations and unberth/release on board training in preparation for the upcoming departure of OA-8.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

JEM Airlock Press

Plant Checkout Prep

Regeneration of ??? ?1 Cartridge (start)

JEM Airlock Leak Check

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation

Periodic Health Status Data Entry and Stow

Auxiliary Laptop Computer System Virus Definition File Update

MARES Knee Shaving Preparation

Cygnus Russian Trash Handover

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side

??? maintenance

Columbus Video Camera Assembly 2 Adjustment

Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video

NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Removal from the MPEP

EMG electrodes installation and Sarcolab knee protocol execution

MARES subject electrodes equipment assistance

US Food warmer maintenance

Treadmill 2 (T2) Exercise Video

Cycle Ergometer ??-3? spares bag audit

DAN Experiment Ops

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Two-Phase Flow Experiment Equipment Deactivation

Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) Removal JEM Airlock Slide Table

MARES knee configuration deinstallation

MRM1-FGB Screw Clamp Tightening

Passive Capture Mechanism Installation to JEM Airlock (AL) Slide Table

Replacement of RSE1 Laptop Network Cable

MARES battery discharge process initiation

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side

Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification

Personal CO2 Monitor Sensor Calibration

NanoRacks Microbial Growth Experiment Imagery

Intracranial Pressure & Visual Impairment (IPVI) Face Photo-taking

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Crew Medical Restraint System (CMRS)  Checkout

Payloads Network Attached Storage (NAS) Vent Cleaning

Exercise Data Downlink via OCA

Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) Flow Measurement

Intracranial Pressure & Visual Impairment (IPVI) Medical Conference

Probiotics Fecal Sample Operations

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD)  Lab

Inventory of docking and internal transfer system (????) kits with video recording

Probiotics Fecal Sample MELFI Insertion

Zero Boil-Off Tank Particle Injection

JEM MSPR ELT Relocate for FROST2 Temperature Monitor

VZAIMODEISTVIE-2. Experiment Ops

CB/ISS CREW CONFERENCE

In flight Maintenance (IFM) Sabatier Removal Big Picture Word (BPW) and Procedure Review

Multi Omics FOS Stow

Plant Habitat Waterbag Prep

MARES battery discharge status control

Multi Omics FOS Preparation

Periodic Fitness Evaluation (Treadmill Test)

On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Review

MARES Guided data transfer

Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations

Countermeasures System (CMS) Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Set-Up

In flight Maintenance (IFM) Sabatier Crew Conference

CONTENT. Experiment Ops

Acoustic Dosimeter Setup Day 1

MARES files transfer verification and shutdown

ISS HAM Service Module Pass

Cygnus Cargo Operations Conference

Micropurification Unit (???) ?1 Absorption Cartridge Regeneration (end)

Preparation for Antivirus Scanning on [???] Laptops

Completed Task List Activities

Biolab Incubator Sign Print

ESA-PAO-MOON

ESA PAO Message Padova Space Night

ESA Skin-B Kit audit and relocate for OA-8 disposal.

Photo/TV D4 Camera Stow

Station Support Computer SM Printer Swap

Photos of harvested lettuce from VEG03-PLANT-HARVEST.

Ground Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Standard commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 11/28: Sabatier removal, MARES, SPHERES test run, Rodent Research habitat installation

Wednesday, 11/29: Sabatier removal, Dragon capture OBT, TangoLab retrieval, NR Vuze, Meteor, Circadian Rhythms, CIR maintenance, JEM camera robot checkout

Thursday, 11/30: HRF blood and urine sample collections, MAS and SSK sampling, Cygnus release OBT, Dragon Offset Grapple OBT, Manufacturing Device, Plant Habitat Sound Level Measurements

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  On

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Operate

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Full Up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Off
solar input NASA

We live on a solar-powered planet. As we wake up in the morning, the Sun peeks over the horizon to shed light on us, blanket us with warmth and provide cues to start our day.

At the same time, our Suns energy drives our planets ocean currents, seasons, weather and climate. Without the Sun, life on Earth would not exist.

For nearly 40 years, NASA has been measuring how much sunshine powers our home planet. This December, NASA is launching an instrument to the International Space Station to continue monitoring the Suns energy input to the Earth system. The Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1) will precisely measure what scientists call total solar irradiance. These data will give us a better understanding of Earths primary energy supply and help improve models simulating Earths climate.

You can look at the Earth and Sun connection as a simple energy balance. If you have more energy absorbed by the Earth than leaving it, its temperature increases and vice versa, said Peter Pilewskie, TSIS-1 lead scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric Physics (LASP) in Boulder, Colorado. Under NASAs direction, LASP is providing and distributing the instruments measurements to the scientific community. Were measuring all the radiant energy that is coming to Earth.

But its not so simple: the Suns output energy is not constant. Over the course of about 11 years, our Sun cycles from a relatively quiet state to a peak in intense solar activity  like explosions of light and solar material  called a solar maximum. In subsequent years the Sun returns to a quiet state and the cycle starts over again. The Sun has fewer sunspots  dark areas that are often the source of increased solar activity  and stops producing so many explosions, going through a period called the solar minimum. Over the course of one solar cycle (one 11-year period), the Suns emitted energy varies on average at about 0.1 percent. That may not sound like a lot, but the Sun emits a large amount of energy  1,361 watts per square meter. Even fluctuations at just a tenth of a percent can affect Earth.

In addition to those 11-year changes, entire solar cycles can vary from decade to decade. Scientists have observed unusually quiet magnetic activity from the Sun for the past two decades with previous satellites. During the last prolonged solar minimum in 2008-2009, our Sun was as quiet it has been observed since 1978. Scientists expect the Sun to enter a solar minimum within the next three years, and TSIS-1 will be primed to take measurements of the next minimum.

We dont know what the next solar cycle is going to bring, but weve had a couple of solar cycles that have been weaker than weve had in quite a while so who knows. Its a pretty exciting time to be studying the Sun, said Dong Wu, the TSIS-1 project scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Goddard is responsible for the overall development and operation of TSIS-1 on the International Space Station.

TSIS-1 data are particularly important for helping scientists understand the causes of total solar irradiance fluctuations and how they are connected with the Suns behavior over decades or centuries. Today, scientists have neither enough data nor the forecasting skill to predict whether total solar irradiance has any long-term trend, said Doug Rabin, deputy project scientist at Goddard. TSIS-1 will continue a data sequence that is vital to answering that question.

These data are also important for understanding Earths climate through models. Scientists use computer models to interpret changes in the Suns energy input. If less solar energy is available, scientists can gauge how that will affect Earths atmosphere, oceans, weather and seasons by using computer simulations. The input from the Sun is just one of many factors scientists used to model Earths climate. Earths climate is also affected by other factors such as greenhouse gases, clouds scattering light and small particles in the atmosphere called aerosols  all of which are taken into account in comprehensive climate models.

TSIS-1 will study the total amount of solar radiation emitted by the Sun using the Total Irradiance Monitor, one of two sensors on the instrument. The second sensor, called the Spectral Irradiance Monitor, will measure how the Suns energy is distributed over the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of light. TSIS-1 spectral irradiance measurements of the Suns ultraviolet radiation are critical to understanding the ozone layer  Earths natural sunscreen that protects life from harmful radiation.

Knowing the Suns behavior and knowing how Earths atmosphere responds to the Sun is even more important now because of all the different factors that affect climate change. We need to understand how all of these interact on Earths system, said Pilewskie.
Trot Insider has learned that longtime Ontario horseman Gerald Bond passed on Monday, November 27. He was 81.

Bond, who was preceded in death by his longtime wife Joan, campaigned a small stable in Ontario until 2007, amassing 36 training wins dating back to 1992 with one or two horses in action at any given time. As a driver, he accounted for 66 winners in 863 career starts, hanging up his helmet after driving Native Jackpot to a pair of starts at the Paris, Ont. fair in 2006.

Bond is survived by children Wendy (Doug McKee), Rick (Lynn), and Geraldine (Joe Kiss), several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was preceded by daughter Debbie.

A service of remembrance will be held on Saturday, December 2 at Ker United Church, 9353 Twenty Road, West Lincoln, Ont. with a reception to follow at the Royal Canadian Legion, Smithville, Ont.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Gerald Bond.

(with files from the Hamilton Spectator)
Yonkers Raceway turned into 'Monti'-cello Tuesday night (November 28), as western New York driving standout Drew Monti won his first local race.

Monti, who has been making sporadic sojourns downstate, went up and over with Classy Lane Rose ($10.80) in the $15,000 seventh-race pace. The seven-year-old daughter of Jeremes Jet crossed the line in a comfortable 1:54.4.

It was Montis first Westchester victory in his fifth try this season. The winner is owned by Montis grandfather, Carl, and trained by Steven Weaver.

We originally claimed (Classy Lane Rose) here from Yonkers for $20,000 (base price) and gave her some time off. Shes raced well for us in the top class back home (eight wins and more than $84,000 overall this season). Shaw was back in for the same price again tonight.

Its just the next level, Monti said of his Yonkers experience. The money is certainly better, the horses are smoother, and the drivers rarely make mistakes, so I really have to be on my toes.

Monti, who had success at the Meadowlands last winter, said hed consider trying the tri-state area more once the current Batavia season ends in mid-December.

I know Yonkers closes around then (December 17) also, but when you guys start back up in January, I may come down early in the week and see what happens.

The 23-year-old Monti has compiled personal best in wins (281) and purses ($1.7 million) this season.

(Yonkers Raceway)
Hes become quite the familiar face at the Meadowlands Racetrack over the years, but it has been announced that Justin Horowitz will be moving on.

In a social media post, the Meadowlands media relations manager and on-air personality announced that he will be moving on after having spent a combined seven and a half years with the Meadowlands and Tioga and Vernon Downs.

Horowitz has stated that his final day with the company will be December 12.

Starting in January I, will begin an exciting new opportunity working in key accounts with TVG and Betfair, Horowitz wrote. Thank you to everyone that I have worked with over the years, especially Jason Settlemoir, who gave me opportunities in this business that I never thought I would have.

Horowitz also wrote, I am grateful to have worked so closely with Sam McKee, who friendship, guidance, and passion are still missed every day.

News of Horowitzs exit comes just a few months after co-worker Jenn Bongiorno transitioned to training Standardbreds and also joined the broadcast team at Cal Expo.

Horowitz also took to praise fellow co-worker Dave Brower. I have been honoured to share the broadcast desk with one of the classiest, sharpest minds in our game, Dave Brower. I will miss all the fun we had for five hours a night.

I wish all the best to everyone at the Meadowlands. I will still be in New Jersey and look forward to seeing everyone at a racetrack in the future.
UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council has urged all Syrian parties to actively participate in the Geneva political process without preconditions and to support efforts to ensure its success.

Sebastiano Cardi, president of the Security Council, told reporters after closed-door consultations on Syria that the council reiterated that a political solution must be forged through the Geneva process.

The council members also stressed respect for Syria's sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, Cardi said.

Although the Syrian opposition has formed a unified group for Geneva talks following negotiations among them in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian government has not confirmed its attendance at the new round of Geneva talks.

"The meeting will start tomorrow and we really hope that all parties, including the Syrian government, will be present," Cardi said.

Briefing Monday's Security Council open meeting, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said the "moment of truth" has arrived for the Syria talks.

"The meeting will start tomorrow and we really hope that all parties, including the Syrian government, will be present," he said.

Initially, he said, the participants should focus on a work plan, particularly on principles as well as the constitutional and election "baskets". All other initiatives should support the UN mediation process, he said.

Positive outcomes

Asked by reporters to comment on the Syrian government's failure to confirm its presence at the Geneva talks, chief UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: "Participation of the Syrian government is very important."

Several diplomats at the UN also expressed their hope that the Geneva talks will be able to produce positive outcomes given the fact that the Syrian opposition has formed a unified negotiating committee.

French ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre, saw a better chance for the Geneva talks as the Syrian opposition has reached a deal under the auspices of Saudi Arabia.

"We very much welcome the great progress achieved in Riyadh by the Syrian opposition to establish a unified, credible and pragmatic group that will be able to negotiate in Geneva," he told reporters before walking into the Security Council chamber for the Syria meeting.

The important outcome in Riyadh helps reinforce the importance of the Geneva process and brings about a new chance and new opportunities, said Delattre.

He said any political initiative must be compatible with the Geneva process in order to succeed.

Xinhua
Officials from the Horse Peoples Alliance of Ontario have informed Trot Insider of an upcoming information meeting.

The information meeting is scheduled to be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6.

It will take place at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel, which is located at 801 Dixon Road, Toronto, ON, M9W 1J5.

To contact the hotel, please call 289-565-5100.

(With files from HPAO)
Southwind Farms and Tara Hills Stud have announced that the book for world champion Resolve 4,1:50.4 ($2,621,086), the richest son of champion sire Muscle Hill in North America, is full and closed.

We are delighted that breeders throughout Canada and the United States have supported our new stallion, said David Heffering of Tara Hills. The response to him has been overwhelming and we look forward to the 2018 breeding season.

The stallion is presently at Southwind Farms in New Jersey, where he is being collected for frozen semen that will be shipped to Sweden. His European bookings are being handled by Ponesia AB/Sievert Ingvarsson.

Owned by Hans Enggren of Abbottstown, Pennsylvania, Resolve achieved International success under the tutelage of trainer Ake Svanstadt. His 18 victories, include the International Trot at Yonkers, Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk, the Cashman Memorial, Cutler Memorial (twice), and the TVG elim and final at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

(Southwind Farms)
Seventieth Anniversary of UN Vote on Israel

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 29, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations' vote to fulfill the 1917 Balfour Declaration and recognize "the Jewish people's right to a national home in their ancient homeland."

On November 29, 1947, the U.N. General Assembly voted to adopt the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine to become effective after the end of the British Mandate in May 1948. This Partition Plan recognized the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states. That 1947 U.N. vote is recorded in U.N. Resolution 181. The Partition Plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency for Palestine, but the Arab leaders and governments rejected the Plan and were unwilling to accept any territorial division.

While several nations such as France, Germany, and Japan had considered, or were considering, similar plans, the Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government 100 years ago in 1917 following Great Britain's defeat of the Ottoman Empire. With there being a strong Jewish presence in the region of Israel for the last 3,000 years, and the cultural and historic value to their community, the letter states:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour(sic) the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

The opening words of the declaration represented the first expression of public support for Zionism by a major political power. The term "national home" had no precedent in international law, and was intentionally vague as to whether a Jewish state was contemplated. The declaration also led to the creation of Mandatory Palestine, which later became Israel and the Palestinian territories. As a result, it is considered to have caused the ongoing IsraeliPalestinian conflict, often described as the world's most intractable conflict.

This year, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing the importance of the Balfour Declaration and its goal to support the rights of Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

Five years after the 1917 British Mandate, in 1922, or 95 years ago, the League of Nations (which included Great Britain, France, Germany, and other nations), the precursor to the United Nations, issued the Mandate for Palestine, recognizing the creation of the Jewish state. And, of course, in 1947, or 70 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Partition Plan.

In May 1948, following the expiration of the British control of Palestine, the Jews in Palestine declared independence and the establishment of Israel in accordance with the Plan. But the surrounding Arab nations attacked the Jews living there to destroy them. The modern state of Israel was born.

"The biblical and historical connection of the land of Israel to the Jewish people is undisputed," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. "The modern legal right to the land is also clear from the Balfour Declaration, to the League of Nations Mandate, to the United Nations Partition Plan. Israel is not an occupier of disputed territories but the rightful possessor of the land. This small part of the world is a beacon of hope for democracy and freedom in the Middle East," said Staver.



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.


When Devin Kidner was a child, she looked forward to the box of goodies her aunt sent from England each December.

In addition to chocolates and gifts, the box contained powdered mustard and custard, pickles and other foods that her father needed to prepare the familys annual Christmas meal. A British native who moved to the United States, Graham Kidner relishes the chance to share the foods of his childhood with his family, said his daughter, now 31 and living in Chicago.

This is his way to feel connected to his family, she said. It keeps him tied to England.

The meal, along with regular visits across the pond, helped Kidner appreciate her heritage. She cant imagine eating anything other than a traditional English roast on Christmas.

It wouldnt be Christmas without the food, she said.

Holidays meals are an easy way for children to absorb lessons about their ethnicity and ancestors, said Amy Bentley, a professor of food studies at New York University. Because eating and dining together involve all the senses, it creates powerful memories, she said.

Its nutrition, but its also culture, she said. Its a way of saying, this is who we are, and this is whats important.

The internet and the popularity of import stores and specialty grocers have made it easier to access beloved foods at the holidays.

Leslie Srodek-Johnson of Stans Northfield Bakery, which sells handmade pierogis in Northfield, Ohio, says the shop increases production of the potato-filled dumplings tenfold in December. Pierogis are commonly served at Christmas and during Lent in many Polish, Czech, Slovak and Hungarian households.

The demand is so great that Stans stops taking pierogi orders two weeks before Christmas. Srodek-Johnson has had people show up at the bakery with tattered recipes or lists of ingredients asking whether she could help reproduce their grandmothers pierogis.

She and her family use their great aunts traditional recipe.

We have found a lot of people just cant reproduce grandmas handiwork at home, she said. Many people tell us that ours are as good or better.

The Kennedy clan in Beresford, South Dakota, is determined to keep their potato sausage recipe in the family. Every December, the various generations gather to make the sausage that Katie Kennedy Westras great-great-grandma brought from Sweden.

Grandma tells us all what to do, she said. Its always such a hoot.

They serve the sausage with mustard and lingonberries at their Christmas celebration. While the meal remains a way for Westra and her siblings to stay connected to their roots, they recently discovered that their family in Sweden no longer makes the sausage.

I have a cousin over there who never even heard of it, said Westra, 35. She asked me to send the recipe.

Regardless, she said, the tradition has already taken hold in her familys next generation. My oldest is in 4-H and she wrote a speech about her Swedish heritage for the state fair, she said. Shes very into it.

Dustin Shearon, 45, would never attempt to make Moravian Sugar Cake, his favorite holiday treat, at home. For him, the store-bought version brings back memories of his mother and grandmother taking him to Deweys Bakery in his hometown, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The cinnamon and sugar coffee-style cake, which was brought to the region by Moravian settlers in the mid-1700s, remains a local favorite. Many children are introduced to it during school field trips to a living history village known as Old Salem.

Shearon was delighted to discover that a grocery store in his new home town of Charlotte, North Carolina, had started stocking the Deweys cake at the holidays. It offered him a way to share stories about his childhood with his son and daughter.

Its a connection to my past, and a way to talk about the life I shared with my mom and grandma, he said.

He serves the cake on Thanksgiving and Christmas: Not having it, he says, would be like not having sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving. I would be distraught if I could not get my Moravian sugar cake.

Josh McCutchen, Deweys vice president of marketing, said the company ships the cakes all over the country during the holiday season.

Ann Jones, meanwhile, ships cinnamon sticks to her grandchildren in New York every Christmas to give them a taste of Ohio, where she grew up. She also keeps some of the cinnamon sticks  made from layers of sweet dough and cinnamon at The Original Goodie Shop in Columbus  in her freezer at home in Jupiter Island, Florida.

My grandchildren have never been to Ohio. They dont have any connection to Columbus, but they love cinnamon sticks, she said.
The Longview School District is facing a federal civil rights lawsuit over the use of a controversial isolation booth at Mint Valley Elementary School  the same booth that sparked a local outcry almost exactly five years ago.

A jury trial is scheduled to begin Monday at the U.S. District Court for Western Washington in Tacoma. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for how students with disabilities are disciplined in public schools.

In the suit, the plaintiffs allege that seclusion through the use of isolation rooms infringes upon students basic constitutional rights, such as freedom from incarceration, cruel and unusual punishment, and the loss of personal liberty.

The case dates back to Nov. 26, 2012, when Longview mother Ana Bate posted photos on Facebook showing a windowless, 4x4-foot padded box at Mint Valley Elementary. Other than a few peepholes, there was no way to see in or out of the padded enclosure. Bate said her son, who was a Mint Valley student at the time, told her that school officials were placing kids inside the booth for normal things we all do.

The photos quickly went viral and the story made headlines.

The following day, the schools principal sent a letter home advising parents that the booth was only used for children who have individualized education plans (IEPs) and whose parents had given consent. The booth was used to control students who were experiencing violent outbursts or simply needed a quiet place to calm down, the district said.

But local furor prompted the district to conduct a review and the booth was removed just six days later after the photos surfaced online.

The district also announced that it had hired an independent company to investigate whether the booth was used appropriately. The results of that investigation were not immediately available Tuesday, said Sandy Catt, the districts communications director. Catt also said that the district does not comment on pending litigation as a matter of policy.

Now at least four different parties have been accused of violating at least two former students state and civil rights. The underlying lawsuit was first filed on Nov. 15, 2015, which claims at least five general education students were confined in the booth without parental consent.

Defendants include former Longview School District Superintendent Suzanne Cusick; former Mint Valley Principal Patrick Kelley; and special education teacher Jerry Stein. The Longview School District is also named as a defendant.

The plaintiffs in the suit are Kevin and Cecilia Wilson of Longview and Candace Dawson, who currently lives in Lake Stevens, Wash., according to court documents.

(The plaintiffs children are not named in court documents, and The Daily News does not name minors in court stories unless they are charged with a serious crime.)

The Wilsons son, referred to as R.W. in the complaint, was a first grader at Mint Valley in 2012. Dawsons son, referred to as J.D., attended third and fourth grade at the school from 2008 to 2010.

R.W. had an undiagnosed disability at the time the alleged events occurred. J.D. was diagnosed with ADHD while in preschool and started medication the same year.

According to court documents, both children were general education students (students without individual education plans, required for special education students) when they were allegedly placed in the isolation booth for disciplinary purposes without parental consent.

In the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that their childrens civil rights were violated when they were locked inside a closet-like room for long and indeterminate periods of time as a form of punishment.

J.D. was allegedly sent to the isolation chamber for the first time by his fourth-grade teacher at the time following a cupcake incident. The teacher was named in the original legal complaint but later removed due to a lack of evidence. According to the complaint, the teacher became angry when J.D. made a mess on his face with a birthday cupcake and threw his lunch in the trash, causing him to get upset. J.D. was forcibly placed in the isolation chamber four to five more times during the 2009-2010 school year, according to the complaint.

The Wilsons son, referred to as R.W. in legal documents, was forcibly placed in the isolation booth after failing to remain quiet when he was sent to a special education room, according to the complaint.

Stein, the special education teacher named in the suit, allegedly placed R.W. on his stomach in the isolation booth and held him down until he agreed to stand up with his back against the wall before closing the door.

According to the complaint, the school later called the Wilsons and asked them to pick up their son, where they found R.W. hyperventilating. But the Wilsons were never told that R.W. was placed in an isolation room, the complaint says.

The parents in the suit allege that use of the isolation booth aggravated their childrens existing conditions and inflicted grave psychological injuries. R.W. was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2013 and is not currently attending school, according to court documents. Now a sophomore in high school, J.D. continues to receive treatment to help him overcome severe anxiety and distrust issues, the suit says.

The plaintiffs are seeking general damages in an unspecified amount for extreme mental suffering and emotional distress, as well as compensatory and punitive damages to be proven at trial.

Its likely that their children were among hundreds  and potentially thousands  of students with special needs who were subjected to involuntary isolation statewide in recent years.

In 2016, districts were required to start reporting all instances of restraint and isolation to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Last year  the only year with publicly available data  districts reported more than 8,700 instances in which isolation practices were used, according to OSPI.

A year earlier, the Legislature passed a law that permits the use of restraint and isolation only in cases where the student poses an imminent likelihood of harm to that student or another person. The law stated that there is no educational or therapeutic benefit to children from physically restraining them or isolating them as part of their school programs when not necessary for immediate safety.
The Daily News' annual Neighbors in Need Drive has reached $1,497.83. The drive began on Thanksgiving Day and continues through New Years Day.

During the drive, TDN will collect monetary donations, every penny of which will go to the Longview St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army. The newspaper absorbs all administrative costs.

Neighbors in Need has raised more than $1.2 million since it began in 1987. Last year, the drive collected about $55,500. This years goal is $60,000.

To donate online, go to TDN.com/nin or mail checks with the coupon to Neighbors in Need, The Daily News, P.O. Box 189, Longview, WA 98632.

The latest donations:

$214.70: The Pine Cone Society in memory of Jan Sheline, Phil Averre, Rudy Yost, Rodney Ralph Mickelson, Harvey Pegg and Dav Graneri.

$50: Jeri Jensen in memory of my late husband, Julian J. Jensen Jr.; anonymous; and Jean Amundson in memory of parents Bill and Pauline Wagner.
The Port of Olympia commission invited protesters who have blocked railroad tracks in downtown Olympia and the Thurston County Sheriff to address them Monday night, hoping to start a dialogue that might lead to a peaceful resolution of a blockade that started Nov. 17.

Protesters have returned to a railroad site they occupied last year at Jefferson Street and Seventh Avenue Southeast. The protesters have gathered, largely to protest the ports handling of a cargo known as ceramic proppants, or fracking sand, which is used in the oil and natural gas extraction process.

Although the commission was supportive of more dialogue during a long and sometimes testy meeting, it wasnt clear how that might end the blockade. Commissioner Bill McGregor suggested the commission continue the discussion at a commission work session, and Commissioner E.J. Zita agreed. They tentatively scheduled a meeting for Wednesday.

We cant make any promises other than to continue and maintain the dialogue, Commissioner Joe Downing said.

Mondays meeting was standing-room only and most who spoke were critical of the ports fracking sand cargo and supportive of those participating in the blockade.

Im here to support the young people, said Bourtai Hargrove of Olympia. The port is aiding and abetting the big oil companies to continue the fracking they know is destroying our livable climate.

The port has handled fracking sand since 2012. Business was brisk during the boom in oil prices, but slowed when prices fell. Port officials have said they currently are unaffected by the blockade because theres no plan to move fracking sand by rail. The port used to send the product to North Dakota, but recent shipments have gone to Wyoming.

The last fracking sand ship to call on the port was in September 2016. Trucks delivered some fracking sand to the port earlier this year.

Although the port is unaffected, McGregor reminded the audience that a locomotive operated by the Olympia & Belmore railroad company cant make deliveries to businesses at Mottman Industrial Park in Tumwater. That led the president of the company to fire off a letter to Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby and Police Chief Ronnie Roberts, urging them to take action.

Its unfortunate other companies in this community are being impacted, McGregor said.

Jerry Vest, senior vice president of government and industry affairs for Genesee & Wyoming  the parent company of Olympia & Belmore  told the Olympian last week that sweetener, for example, cant be delivered to Pepsi Northwest Beverages in Tumwater. He believes the business employs about 200 and could soon shed some of those jobs if the blockade continues.

Meanwhile, about a half-dozen of those participating in the blockade also spoke Monday, including a woman who identified herself as Emma.

The eight-hour work day, no child labor, high-paying jobs was all paid for with lives and direct action, and if you oppose that we shouldnt be there because it is too much direct action, then Id like to remind everybody that throughout history, writing letters doesnt really get you anywhere, she said.

Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza called on the protesters to communicate with him like they were with the port commission. Sheriffs deputies were involved in breaking up last years blockade.

Im asking the people of the blockade to sit down and talk with us, he told the audience. Make the point of your cause so we can understand and come to an agreement without people being hurt or harmed.

Zita said public safety should be our highest priority. She also referenced last years incident.

People got hurt, it cost our local law enforcement money and it damaged the ports relationship with the city and public, she said. We have an opportunity to do better ... to listen to people, to work with the city and to work with Olympia police and the public.

McGregor thanked those in attendance for speaking, but he also said he supports the rule of law.

We all have to abide by the rules put before us and there are some rules that are being broken, he said about the blockade. I take this very seriously. If we dont have laws and we dont have order it impacts everyones life.

McGregor, too, took issue with some information he had found on social media about the blockade, including a podcast he said he listened to in which members of the blockade said they were having a fun time, eating pizza and planning a dance.

I hope you would take it more seriously; we do, he said.

But those in the audience shot back that they take their cause seriously, too.
In Truth on taxes, part 1, published Nov. 24, we looked at who pays federal income tax at different income levels.

In Truth on taxes, part 2, we are going to look at the fight to enact a Washington state income tax and what the recent court ruling on Seattles effort to implement a city income tax means to you. We also will put forth some thoughts on what types of new taxes may be coming.

For people who dont follow Seattle politics, the Seattle City Council recently voted to enact a city income tax. Because the city has increased property taxes and other taxes about as much as it can, options for raising more revenue are limited.

The City Council passed the legislation because statewide income tax initiatives and local propositions have been voted down.

An income tax is illegal under the Washington state constitution, which when challenged, has been upheld by the State Supreme Court on more than one occasion.

About a week ago, the city of Seattle was sued. The case went before King County Judge John Ruhl, who rejected the Seattles claim that a city income tax really was an excise tax for the privilege of living in the city.

The unspoken reason the Seattle City Council is trying to find a way to enact a city income tax is because many Democrats want a statewide income tax. If the city of Seattle could persuade the court that a city income tax is legal under the state constitution, it would pave the way for a statewide income tax.

Seattles theory also extends to other taxes that possibly could be enacted as well.

For example, Gov. Jay Inslee has supported implementation of a capital gains tax, which is another form of an income tax. In every state that has a capital gains tax, the tax is classified as an income tax.

As it stands today, the Washington state constitution states that an income tax is illegal and since a state income tax is illegal, other income-related taxes, such as a capital gains tax, also are illegal.

Hopefully, now it is clear why some state Democrats want an income tax ruled constitutional  it is the pathway to substantially more tax dollars. Incidentally, the governors last budget proposal included significant discussion of how Washingtons outdated and inefficient tax system has left us behind in terms of collecting more tax dollars. Huh?

Judge Ruhls recent decision most likely will be appealed. Our hope is the progressive Washington State Supreme Court does not turn into political activists and overrule past Supreme Court decisions.

Assuming the Washington State Supreme Court does not overrule past legal precedents, what options does this leave for those who want more taxes?

The three big means for raising tax dollars in the state of Washington are the sales tax, the business and occupation tax and the property tax. According to the State Office of Financial Management, these three taxes raise about 60 percent of the states revenue. The remaining 40 percent comes from a variety of smaller taxes, fees and charges.

Raising the sales tax is unpopular among many people because it is regressive, meaning lower-income citizens pay a higher percentage of their earnings as sales tax. Some folks are OK with increasing the sales tax because they claim it is a voluntary tax. If you dont buy taxable goods, you dont pay taxes. Staples, such as food are exempt from the sales tax.

Gov. Inslee has proposed increases to the business and occupation (B&O) tax in the past and we imagine will do so gain. In last years budget proposal, the governor advocated for increasing taxes on services as the economy has become more service oriented and less manufacturing based.

The state property tax system has just been overhauled to provide more funding for schools. We cant imagine the state portion of the property tax would be increased, and even if it was, the money would likely go for schools.

There is talk about King County getting property tax relief by phasing in the upcoming property tax changes as opposed to having the changes take affect all at once.

Our guess for other proposed taxes would include a carbon tax and the elimination of the out-of-state sales tax exemption. Removing the out-of-state sales tax exemption would mean Oregonians would have to pay Washington state sales tax, which would severely hurt the economies of border towns.

Any carbon tax is likely to be focused on manufacturing companies. This means businesses that employ thousands in our area would take a hit.

Time will tell if our thoughts are on point. With Democrats holding a slim two-seat majority in the House of Representatives, and one seat in the Senate, it might be tough to get any new taxes passed  and maybe that is good.
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SAARC cultural festival begins in city today



A four-day cultural festival of SAARC countries will begin today at Shilpakala Academy in the city.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is organizing the festival in association with the Cultural Affairs Ministry and SAARC Cultural Center, Shilpakala Academy Director General Liakat Ali Lucky said at a press conference at the seminar room of the academy.

SAARC Cultural Centre Director Wasante Kotwala and Assistant Director Kishani Joy Singh were present in the press conference.

Cultural Affairs Secretary Ibrahim Hossain Khan will inaugurate the four-day festival at 5 pm at Shilpakala Academy 's Nandan Mancha where handicrafts of the South Asian countries will be displaced and historical dances will be performed.




May to visit Saudi Arabia, speak to crown prince

AP, Riyadh :

British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on Wednesday with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A U.N.-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida on Tuesday. "We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida," May said Tuesday. "Obviously that is an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a Nov. 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The kingdom said it intercepted the missile, the deepest yet to penetrate the country. Under intense international pressure, Saudi Arabia later promised it would reopen the ports for humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The war has killed over 10,000 civilians, displaced 3 million people and left much of the infrastructure in ruins.

May has faced increasingly calls to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid the conflict, which has seen kingdom-led airstrikes kill hundreds of civilians. Britain has licensed $4.4 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the war began.




Month long BITEF begins Friday in Ctg

BSS, Chittagong :

The month long Bangladesh International Trade and Export Fair-2017 (BITEF-2017) will begin in the city on Friday with basic objective to showcase Bangladeshi Products abroad.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed will formally inaugurate the fair on Abahani field in city's Halishahar area at 11 am.

This was disclosed by convenor of the fair Aminnuzzaman Bhuiyan at a press conference held at Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CMCCI) auditorium this noon.

"CMCCI is going to arrange the International Trade and Export Fair for the fourth time in the country," he said, adding that over 200 stalls including 10 mega, eight medium and 18 standard pavilions, banks and insurance institutions have been set up at the fair covering an area of near one and a half lakh square feet.

The fair will be opened for visitors from 10 am to 10 pm every day.

State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, City Mayor AZM Nasir Uddin, Dr Afsarul Amin, MP, Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury, MP, and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Mahbubul Alam among others, will attend the inaugural function.
Trump wins political fight over consumer protection agency

AFP, Washington :

A Washington court on Tuesday backed President Donald Trump's choice to run a key consumer watchdog, ending a two-day standoff that could lead to looser banking regulations.

The federal court in Washington ruled that Trump had the right to name his budget director Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), rather than allowing CFPB deputy director Leandra English to hold the spot.

English was selected as a temporary successor by outgoing director Richard Cordray, who had turned the six-year-old agency into a strong advocate for consumers in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Trump immediately named Mulvaney for the same job, sparking a legal tussle that ended up in court.

The Trump administration has labelled the CFPB a failure which hurts businesses and the economy, and Mulvaney himself called it a "sick, sad joke" in a 2014 interview.

The administration has also criticized it as too politically independent, saying it needs to be better-controlled by Congress.

But consumer advocates worry that the Trump administration will defang the CFPB and eliminate regulations of banks and other financial businesses.
Science seminar on Homeo Medicine held

Chittagong Bureau :

Under the auspices of Bangladesh Homeopathic Medical Association , Chittagong Unit , a seminar on homeo drug " Eskulas Hisplocastinum" was held on Monday at its Old church compound office premises with Chittagong district unit President Dr Md.Samiuddin in the chair.

Divisional Govt Representative of Bangladesh Homeopathic Board and Editor of Homeo Chetona Dr.Suleh Ahmed Suleman graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

District Unit Secretary Md. Shamsuddin was the principal speaker in it. Dr. SM Yousuf Chowdhury presented keynote paper on the homeo medicine . Noted homeopathic researcher of the subcontinent and chief editor of Homeo Chetona Principal Dr.Abdul Karim attended the seminar as distinguished guest of the occasion. Dr. Md. Ayub conducted seminar as moderator .
A critical view of Trumps China visit

Geoffrey Harris :

As with any major historical event, perspective is needed before concluding what really happened. The timing of Donald Trump's visit to Beijing in early November was probably linked to the long-established date of the APEC summit in Vietnam a few days later. By tacking onto the programme visits to Japan, South Korea and the Philippines the tour seemed to contain more strategic substance than may really be the case.

Certainly, the US President delivered several speeches and, according to him at least, the red carpets were probably bigger than anyone had ever seen, but what was his message to allies and rivals in the region and around the world?

According to Trump, the visits and meetings confirmed his personal brilliance as a deal maker and certainly some big deals were announced in Beijing. He even offered himself as a great arbitrator supposedly able to help China and Vietnam resolve their territorial issues, although this did not appear to elicit much of a response from either country. According to the President's critics the tour, in fact, really highlighted how far the US had ceded leadership in the region to others.

In historical terms, the big event was the report by the Chinese President to the 19th Party Congress in which he made expressed a readiness for China to take a leading role in developing a global community of shared interests. Following his speech in Davos earlier in the year, President Xi Jinping seemed eager to occupy the empty leadership space left by Trump's "America First" actions and rhetoric.

Many US commentators saw Xi's Beijing speech as a wake-up call to the West. Trump congratulated Xi on a great political victory, but his dramatic, albeit welcome, abandonment of his almost xenophobic anti-Chinese rhetoric undermined his credibility and left unanswered questions as to his real intentions and strategy (if there is one).

Business deals were announced but on the major security issue, namely the DPRK nuclear threat it is quite unclear if anything meaningful will result.

From a historical perspective another major event took place alongside the APEC summit where US allies Japan, Canada, Australia and eight others signalled their readiness to seek a TPP trade agreement without the US. Indeed, some people said that TPP now stands for "Trump Pulls the Plug!"

On a more sober note, former US Trade Representative, Mike Froman, who led the US TPP negotiations under the Obama administration said that the fact that TPP is now finally advancing without the US: "Clearly, as the US retreats, the rest of the world is moving on."

For those in the US who until 2016 were helping advance the abortive Obama trade strategy, the administration looked increasingly as if it had been very effectively outmanoeuvred by Beijing and others.

For Europeans various lessons can be drawn

The US President in Beijing, Manila and Hanoi pointedly chose not to raise any of the human rights issues regularly highlighted by all his predecessors and the US Congress. Europe should not abandon its normative agenda even if it has to pursue it in a more pragmatic, realistic fashion. On this, Europe should fill the gap left, at least for now, by the US;

Europe should welcome efforts to save the TPP trade deal which the US might eventually reconsider. Expansion of trade with all the countries of the region but as China moves to accept the concept of regional globalism Europe should encourage it in the direction of rules-based globalisation. Similarly, the EU should maintain its readiness to engage with the US and to test its readiness to advance with discussions on TTIP. The Obama Administration's geostrategic overloading of trade negotiations may have proved abortive but both the TPP and the TTIP had enormous potential for America's partners;

as the EU moves to consolidate its global strategy and defence policy, even as BREXIT uncertainties remain, it should confirm its interest in peace and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The presence of European Council President Donald Tusk at the ASEAN summit in Manila (which President Trump skipped) was an important signal as clearly the EU has an enormous direct interest in the peaceful resolution of conflicts such as those on the Korean Peninsula and in Myanmar. The Asia-Europe (ASEM) summit in Brussels next year will be an opportunity to advance in this direction. China and the EU share a common need for regional stability;

Europe should continue to work with China to safeguard and build upon such major global achievements as the Paris Climate Treaty and the agreement on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons;

Interdependence is a concept with which the European Union and its leaders feel much more comfortable than the US. The EU has not suddenly noticed the idea of "win-win" cooperation. Unlike the former USSR, the People's Republic of China has always supported the idea of European integration, even though it started under US hegemony;

For the EU to maximise its own interests it will have to shore up unity and a shared approach to such issues as the Belt and Road Initiative with which some member states are much more comfortable than others.

China and Europe have a well-established understanding and a functioning strategic partnership. China may sometimes feel disappointed that its positive embrace of globalisation is not met with recognition from Europe and the US that it is genuinely a market economy.

Implementing the "opening up" foreseen by the 19th Party Congress could contribute to greater trust and unlock agreement with the EU on free trade, an investment treaty and acceptance of China's Market Economy Status.

Certainly, the EU is going through numerous political challenges, but it is not about to collapse. No-one plans to follow the UK out of the door and the economy is recovering. Instability in Europe's neighbourhood brings many dangers as seen in the refugee crisis.

Unlike Trump and Putin, China's leaders have offered no encouragement to populist, nationalist, anti-EU forces which do threaten stability in the Eurasia region. Indeed, cooperation within the Belt and Road framework sends precisely the opposite, positive message

China and the EU hold regular summits but without the spectacular elements that characterised the Trump visit. On substance both China and Europe have shown a common ability to follow long-term strategic goals which are in both sides' interests.

Most notably despite many changes of leadership on both sides they have avoided unpredictable and erratic positions and actions. They both accept that multilateral structures are as important as bilateral relationships.

In the coming years Europe should respond to the vision of President Xi's Beijing speech by providing an inspiring narrative of its own and rejecting the short-sighted "America First" narrow-mindedness.

As Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative, put it at the Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers meeting in Myanmar:

"These are times of change, and times of confusion. The global balance of power is shifting, alliances are evolving and changing, the system of multilateral global governance is often being questioned. And in a moment like this, we all need our cooperation, our partnership, more than ever.

Asia is a continent of immense potential and great economic strength. And there are many issues where our cooperation and partnership can immensely benefit your entire continent: on security, on connectivity, on non-proliferation, on climate change - Asia needs Europe."

This is the context in which China and Europe must take the lead.

(Geoffrey Harris is currently a visiting researcher at the Fudan Development Institute. He is also visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and the Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in Suzhou. From 1976-2016 he was an official of the European Parliament).


Govt decides to revoke Sec 57

Md Joynal Abedin Khan :

The government has decided to scrap the controversial Sections of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act following demands from the journalists community.

Terming the Section 57 of the ICT Act as a 'black law,' journalists leaders earlier demanded for revoking the Section.

They also said that was hindering the press freedom.

Over 900 cases were filed under Section 57 after the ICT Act enacted in 2006, according to media reports.

A total of 11 cases were filed against 23 journalists under the Section 57 of the ICT Act since March this year.

On July 3, Nazmul Hossain, a senior reporter of Jamuna Television, was sued for his June 23 Facebook post. The plaintiff, Hazrat Ali Belal, a lawyer of Dinajpur Bar Association, named three others in the case for sharing the post.

June 14, a case was filed against Kazi Motaher Rahman Babu, editor of local daily in Khulna Somoyer Khobor, and its former reporter Shohag Dewan. They were accused of publishing reports with misinformation.

June 13, a case was filed against bdnews24.com staff reporter Golam Mujtaba Dhruba for his report. The plaintiff was a senior assistant judge of Manikganj.

June 6, Brac University teacher and senior journalist Afsan Chowdhury was sued. Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury filed a defamation case against Chowdhury for one of his Facebook posts.

"The government has decided to revoke the Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said on Wednesday.

He came up with announcement after emerging from a meeting at the secretariat in the afternoon

"Section 57 and other controversial sections of the ICT Act would be removed as the draft of the Digital Security Act has been finalised," the minister told the journalists.

He said the 'check and balance' of freedom of expression will be incorporated in the Digital Security Act and Broadcast act

Reazuddin Ahmed, a former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, said, "Section 57 of the ICT Act is a "repressive law" and one of the main reasons of enacting such a law is to control journalists so that they think twice before writing anything about powerful quarters.

"The Section should be repealed as it goes against the spirit of freedom of press and freedom of expression," he opined.

The ICT law was enacted in 2006. Before its 2013 amendment, maximum punishment for offences under the Section was 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of Tk 1 crore.

Besides, police had to seek permission from the authorities concerned to file a case and arrest any person under the law. After the amendment, the maximum jail term was raised to 14 years. And law enforcers were empowered to make arrests without a warrant.








Natore Catholic priest disappears

Staff Reporter :

Natore Catholic priest identified as Father Walter William Rozario, 40, disappeared from the district's Boraigram Upazila on Monday, ahead of Pope Francis visit to Bangladesh.

A hectic search for Rozario, started the same day with the reporting of his missing, police said.

"He has been missing since late Monday. His cell phone set has been switched off," said a senior Police Officer, adding Police has been trying to trace him.

The family received an unidentified phone call from Rozario's number demanding ransom, but perhaps, it was a hoax.

Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi, said, "William Rosario was organising a fleet of about 300 Catholics to travel to Dhaka to call on the Pope and to attend his assembly. But situation has changed. They now may not go to Dhaka ," he said.

They have not ruled out the possibility of abduction by the militants who committed similar things in the past.

"William Rozario was scheduled to each his workplace, Jonail Catholic Church, on Monday afternoon after leaving his residence at Bonpara Christian Palli, but he did not, said Father Subroto Purification, head priest of the church.

Father Purification has filed a general diary in this connection with Boraigram police station on Tuesday.

"Rozario's brother Premal said, they suspected that he was kidnapped.

The Popes visit is a matter of honour for us. We are organising the highest level of security for him," police spokeswoman Sahely Ferdous told The New Nation on Wednesday.

Pope Francis arrives in Bangladesh Thursday (Nov 30) on the first visit to the country by the head of the Catholic Church in 31 years.

The visit will be dominated by the plight of more than 6,20,000 Rohingya Muslims who left Myanmar for security reason and took refuge in Bangladesh.




Bosnian Croat war criminal 'takes poison' in court

A war crimes appeal hearing in The Hague was cut short dramatically when one defendant drank what

he said was poison upon hearing the verdict.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, was one of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders up before the court.

He was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in 2013 for crimes in the city of Mostar.

On hearing that his sentence had been upheld, he told the judge, "I have taken poison".

The six were attending the final appeals judgment to be handed down by the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

Though allies against the Bosnian Serbs in the 1992-95 war, Bosnian Croats and Muslims also fought each other for a period of 11 months, with Mostar seeing some of the fiercest fighting.



Praljak stood and raised his hand to his mouth, tipped his head back and appeared to swallow a glass of liquid.

Presiding judge Carmel Agius immediately suspended the proceedings and an ambulance was called.

"Okay," the judge said. "We suspend the... We suspend... Please, the curtains. Don't take away the glass that he used when he drank something."

Before the curtains were lowered, the courtroom could be seen in a state of confusion, the BBC's Anna Holligan reports from The Hague.

An ambulance could later be seen arriving outside the tribunal while a helicopter hovered above the scene.

Several emergency rescue workers also rushed into the building carrying equipment in backpacks.

More than an hour after the incident, a court guard told Reuters news agency said Praljak was still "being treated".

Crimes against Muslims

Praljak, the former commander of the main staff of the Bosnian Croat defence forces (HVO), was jailed for crimes against humanity.

Informed that soldiers were rounding up Muslims in Prozor in the summer of 1993, he had failed to make any serious efforts to stop the action, the UN war crimes tribunal found.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption Mostar's Old Bridge has since been restored

He had also failed to act on information that murders were being planned, as well as attacks on members of international organisations, and the destruction of the city's historic Old Bridge and mosques.

Those appearing with him included Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the Bosnian Croats' breakaway statelet. Set up by mandate of the UN Security Council in 1993, the ICTY is due to close when its mandate expires at the end of the year.




All eyes on Rohingyas as Pope arrives today

Pope Francis who called for unity in Myanmar without saying 'Rohingya', arrives here on Thursday on a three-day state visit carrying a message of harmony, peace, reconciliation and forgiveness.

A planned meeting with a small group of Rohingyas is expected to be a high point during the Pope's Dhaka visit. On Tuesday in Myanmar, Pope Francis insisted on Myanmar's future depends on respecting the rights of each ethnic group, an indirect show of support for Rohingya Muslims who have been subject to decades of discrimination and a recent military crackdown described by the UN as a textbook campaign of "ethnic cleansing."

Francis did not mentionthe crackdown or even utter the contested word "Rohingya" in his speech to Myanmar's civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other authorities and diplomats in the capital.

But he lamented how Myanmar's people have suffered "and continue to suffer from civil conflict and hostilities," and insisted that everyone who calls Myanmar home deserves to have their basic human rights and dignity guaranteed.

A papal visit is always historic for any nation, and this one at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Catholic Archbishop of Dhaka Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario, was officially announced in Dhaka and the Vatican simultaneously with the same sense of occasion on August 28.

"As I prepare to visit Bangladesh, I wish to send a message of greeting and friendship to entire population. I look forward to the moment in which we shall be together," he said in a message before leaving Rome for Myanmar.

Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario on Monday briefed the media about the preparation of Pope's visit to Ramna Cathedral and said the theme of the visit is "peace and harmony."

The organisers in Dhaka took preparations to bring a small group of Rohingyas to Dhaka with approval of the government.

After a formal ceremony with highest honour, Pope will visit the National Martyr's Memorial at Savar, pay homage to the Father of the Nation at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and sign the visitors' book on the same day.

He is scheduled to meet President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban at about 5:30 pm today and will also meet government and civil authorities and the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Palace.

Pope will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at 3:20 pm on Friday and will visit the Cathedral at 4:00 pm.

He will hold a meeting with the Bishops of Bangladesh in the Home for retired priests. On Friday, he would join a prayer service at Suhrawardy Udyan.

On Saturday, Pope will have a private visit to Tejgaon Mother Theresa House and will meet priests, religious and consecrated men and women in the Holy Rosary Church.

He will also visit to the Parish Cemetery and to the ancient Holy Rosary Church and meet the youth in Notre Dame College.

Pope will leave for Rome at 5:05 pm on Saturday after an official farewell in Dhaka International Airport.

"My visit is to confirm the Catholic community in Bangladesh in its faith and witness to the Gospel that recognises the dignity of every man and woman and calls us to open our hearts to others, especially to the poor and needy," Pope said in his message.

"We live in times in which believers and men of goodwill in all places are called to promote reciprocal understanding and respect, and to sustain each other as members of one human family," the message reads.

He said he knows there are many people in Bangladesh who are working hard to prepare for his visit and he thanked them.

"I ask each of you for prayers so that my days with you may be a source of hope and encouragement for all. Upon you and your families I invoke the divine blessings of joy and peace! See you before long!," the message reads.

While the international community has condemned Myanmar's crackdown on Rohingya Muslims as "ethnic cleansing," the Catholic Church has resisted the term and defended Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi as the only hope for democracy.

At the crowded Kutupalong refugee camp in southern Bangladesh, Mohammad Rafiq said he was very happy when he heard about the visit by Francis, reports AP.

The 20-year-old fled Myanmar last month.

"Our rights, our minority community and our citizenship have been snatched by the Myanmar government," Rafiq said. "We are hoping that with his talks and his efforts, we will get all of that back."

Mohammad Nadir Hossain, 25, said Pope will get to see the sad situation that refugees face.

"If he wants, he can calm the Myanmar government down and bring peace by talking to us," Hossain said. "We are suffering a lot right now. We are very worried. So, we are very grateful that he is coming."

Rohingya in recent months have been subject to what the United Nations describes as a campaign of "textbook ethnic cleansing" by the military in poverty-wracked Rakhine state.

Since violence erupted in late August, more than 624,000 Rohingya men, women, and children have crossed over into Bangladesh from Myanmar, carrying with them tales of persecution, rape, and murder by the Myanmar military and Buddhist vigilantes.

Whatever term Francis uses, refugees like Hamida Begum, 35, believe the pope is visiting Myanmar to help them. She made the treacherous trip to Bangladesh three months ago.

"He can help send us back to Myanmar legally," she said. "Or he can take us somewhere else from here, perhaps to some other foreign country. Whatever he wants, he can do."

Senu Ara, 35, who left Myanmar in September, also welcomes the pope's visit.

"He might help us get the peace that we are desperately searching for," she said. "Even if we stay here he will make our situation better. If he decides to send us back, he will do so in a peaceful way."




Shazneen killer Shahid hanged

UNB, Gazipur :

Shahidul Islam alias Shahid, the convicted killer of Scholastica student Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, was hanged at Kashimpur High Security Central Jail here on Wednesday night.

The verdict was executed around 9:45pm, said Senior Jail Super Mizanur Rahman.

Earlier in the day, five relatives, including his brother Mahidul Islam, met Shahid at the jail at noon, said jail sources.

On August 2 last year, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Shahid,a domestic help of Shazneen's house, and acquitted four convicts in the sensational killing case.

On April 23, 1998, Shazneen, a Class-IX student of Scholastica in thecity and daughter of Transcom Group Chairman Latifur Rahman, was murdered at her house.

On September 2, 2003, Judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Kazi Rahmatullah handed down death penalty to six accused for their involvement in planning and executing the murder. On July 10, 2006, the High Court upheld the death penalty of five convicts and acquitted carpenter Shaniram Mandal of the charges.

Later, four of the convicts filed a leave-to-appeal with the Supreme Court against the High Court order that was granted by the Appellate Division on April 26, 2009. Another convict, Shahidul, filed a jail appeal.
Meet up liquidity crisis, restore depositors' confidence

BB directives to ailing Farmers Bank

Special Correspondent :

The central bank has issued several directives to the Farmers Bank authorities as part of its 'conciliatory stance' to save the ailing private commercial bank.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) came up with the directives at a meeting between the BB's top brasses and the new management of the Farmers Bank held at its headquarters in the city on Wednesday.

The meeting also reviewed the overall financial condition of the cash-strapped bank that recently brought changes in its top management posts in line with the central bank's directive.

"We have asked the bank authorities to take necessary steps to squash the banks liquidity crisis, restore depositors' confidence and speed up loan recovery drive to help it revive from the current ailing situation," BB spokesperson Subhankar Saha told The New Nation after the meeting.

He said, "Restoring depositor's confidence is a must to get afforded access to liquid fund. It can help the bank recover and maintain its banking operation".

Farmers Bank has been battling liquidity and solvency challenges sparked by corruption and financial irregularities committed by the bank's immediate past top management led by Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.

Subhankar Saha said, BB has also asked the directors of the bank to deposit their additional funds in the bank to make up the bank's liquidity shortfall in an emergency basis.

Farmers Bank recently appealed for Tk 300 crore emergency fund from the BB as it was facing an acute liquidity crisis.

"We have also asked the bank's new management to improve governance, internal control and conduct the bank's activities in compliance with the Banking Company Act and maintain prudential guidelines in disbursing loans to overcome the current crisis," said Subhankar Saha.

On Monday, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir resigned from the post of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank.

The bank's director and audit committee chairman Md Mahabubul Haque Chisty also resigned his post on the day in an emergency board meeting of the bank.

In the meeting, Mohammad Masud and Maruf Alam were elected chairman and vice-chairmen of the bank. At the same time, the bank's executive committee, audit committee and risk management committee were reconstituted.

Subhankar Saha also said that the central bank is monitoring the activities of Farmers Bank closely to help it revive from the current ailing situation.

The bank authorities have been asked to follow the BB's prescription to disburse new loans to regain depositors' confidence.

The Farmers Bank had secured its licence along with eight other banks in June 2013.
Papal visit is a great hope for the Rohingya victims for urgent help

Editorial Desk :

Pope Francis arrives Dhaka today on a three-day state visit amid Catholic community's excited waiting to greet him and celebrate his presence ahead of Christmas only few weeks from now. This is the first such Papal visit and people of Bangladesh joins the Catholics in welcoming him. We wish his stay here happy and healthy and this occasion to be an occasion to strengthen interfaith harmony in Bangladesh.

The Pope's visit to Bangladesh now has very special significance for the suffering refugees from Myanmar. Although he was refrained from using the term Rohingyas in Myanmar to describe the refugees yet Pope Francis kept very much in his thought the Rohingyas and referred to "the sound of violence" and urged to shun revenge at his public address in Myanmar before coming to Bangladesh.

The opposition of Myanmar not treating Rohingyas as their people with serious repercussions on the crisis created by Myanmar army responsible for genocide and ethnic cleansing. Myanmar wants to treat them as Bengalis denying any obligation to take back the Rohingyas as their people. Bangladesh government is being duped to think that the problem with Myanmar can be solved bilaterally.

Pope has been advised not to mention Rohingya in Myanmar by name.

But the question is who are those people then without their ethnic identity. They are Rohingya Muslims of original free Arakan State. They cannot be called Bengalis from Bangladesh without being hostile to Bangladesh.

So it should be clear to Pope himself as well as the international community how defiantly the Myanmar army is making Rohingyas stateless. Rohingyas have been treated most brutally and unless international community acts quickly the worst tragedy of human crisis faced by more than 7 (seven) lakhs newly arrived Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh will only aggravate.

But surprisingly, Bangladesh is also putting conflicting signals. The repatriations memorandum signed is a bluff and Myanmar is not going to listen to Bangladesh when it sees Rohingyas as Bengalis.

The approval of a Tk 2312 crore resettlement plan on Tuesday to create housing for Rohingyas at Bashanchar in Hatiya Upazela will send wrong signal that we are ready to accommodate the refugees and there is no urgency for talking solution.

It is the Rohingyas who are the victims of international crimes like genocide and ethnic cleansing. Unless the international community stands together by them assuring urgent solution forcing Myanmar to accept their people back and create conditions of safety for them they are doomed. Bangladesh cannot do much.

Pope Francis is not just the leader of Catholics all over the world, he is a great humanist and loves people of all religions. His voice counts most to the world leaders. So the Rohingyas are hoping he will understand their pains and sufferings more than many others. His appeal to the world community to act swiftly to deal with Myanmar will carry special weight.

Life in refugee camps with such huge number of men, women and children is miserable and unbearable. Everyday men, women and children are dying.




Man, young girl slaughtered in Nilphamari

UNB, Nilphamari :

A man and a young girl were slaughtered at a house in Jasim Bazar area of Saidpur upazila on Wednesday noon.

The deceased could not be identified yet. Police recovered the bodies and sent those to hospital morgue for autopsy.

Quoting locals, officer-in-charge of Saidpur Police Station M Shahjahan said one Shibli Sadique, an employee of a refuelling station hailing from Keraniganj of Dhaka

district, rented the house of one Dr Toufiq Imam two months back.

Sadique's wife came out of the two-room house around 12:30pm shouting that a double murder took place at their house.

Later, locals went to the house and spotted a man and a young girl lying in a pool of blood, the OC said, adding that they also recovered two bloodstained knives from the spot.

Sadique and his wife along with minor child went into hiding soon after the incident.

Shahjahan said they were yet to know the identities of the deceased and how they came to the house of Sadique.
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.
Bob Swanson took the perfect frontispiece for this post in 1967 with his Leica IIIa. He's not sure of the lens; I believe it could be the 5 cm /3.5 Elmar. He says, "Moved on. Still have the Leica and lenses (somewhere)."

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Once again, I got hundreds of entries for this fortnight's Baker's Dozen (193 emails, many with several pictures), and once again I extend my apologies to all the photographers I was forced to leave out. I'm not sure there was a single "bad" picture submitted, which makes sense. A great many were interesting, or beautiful, or touching. Thanks to everyone who participated, whether you find your picture here today or not. As before, it was certainly a treat for me to see them all (I think I do these "Baker's Dozen" calls for work because they're so much fun for methey reconnect me with actual photographs, which sometimes seem a little too "up the road and off to the side" during my daily life).

Here we go! Mike

Photo by Peter Wright

Peter Wright took this wonderful picture with the 90mm Elmarit-M pictured at the right, which he purchased used when he "got back into Leica photography." He says he sent it in for repair because the red dot fell off, and then the replacement red dot fell off too, so he made his own and attached it with super glue! You can see it in the picture. The camera is the M240.

"I discovered that the lens has a slight rear focus of 23 inches when the subject is at about 10 ft. and the lens is wide open. However I compensate for this by jogging the focus ring just a smidge clockwise after making focus. (You learn to accept/embrace adaptations like this if you are a regular Leica user.)" He says it's his most-used lens. If he gets other pictures as great as this one, I can see why.

David Burnett, A gathering of NYC citizens at Ground Zero, 9/11/11

And then what would a post about Leica lenses be without a Noctilux? Famed photojournalist David Burnett took this with the famed /1 lens and a then-new Leica M9 at the 10th anniversary of 9/11 in New York City. His Noctilux had been "sitting in a drawer since late '78," he writes, "since I could never get it synched to my M4 rangefinders...but oh, how great with the M9!" This was shot at either /1.2 or /1.4.

David, one of the great American PJs of the past almost 40 years, is currently with Contact Press Images, which he helped found.

Here's another famous Leica lensthe Dual-Range Summicron. For this picture, Lindsay Bach of Fort Washington, Maryland, used the Leica M2 and the DR Summicron shown at left, purchased secondhand in 1984. This shot was made in the close-focusing range. It certainly has that "DR look" that's so familiar.

"I purchased a Beseler copy stand last summer along with a small light box, some old negative carriers from eBay and began camera-scanning medium format negatives using a Sony A7RII fitted with a Sony 90mm G OSS macro lens," Lindsay writes. "The results were immediately superior to anything I had gotten from the scannersand for the first time, the grain in the image files looked like grain did through the darkroom grain enlarger."

The candid portrait was taken in New Orleans in the 1980s.

Photo by Larry Angier

Jealousy alert: Larry Angier, who lives in the Sierra Nevada in California, got a call from a local contractor who told him to come quick, because they'd found a closet full of old cameras and were going to throw them out. It was all "a day away from the dumpster" as the contractor put it. Larry rescued the orphaned cameras (owner or heir unknown, I gather), none of which, judging from the most recent of the partly-exposed rolls of film he found in them, had been used since the '90s.

The cameras and lenses had seen better days but not a hard life. Of a pair of IIIf bodies, the shutter of one was still working; the other is now a shelf queen. The IIIg and the two M4 bodies needed only CLA (clean-lube-adjust, for you post-film people). The M3 needs a CLA but also a new beam splitter and, Larry says, "my guy can't fix it." But that's not so bad: the black-paint M4 is working well with lenses from the same era. Larry says there were lots of non-Leica items as well, including a Canon 7S with 28mm to 135mm lenses, including two 35mms and two 50mms; a Voigtlander Prominent system with three bodies and six lenses; and so on.

Many of the 1950s lenses had some fogging, but the M lenses, which include a 28mm Elmarit-M, 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm Summicrons, a collapsible "radioactive" 50mm Summicron, and a 90mm Tele-Elmarit, "are now back in use, gladly focusing on good old Tri-X and Fujicolor film." There were also several other M and LTM lenses; three Visoflex finders, bellows and lenses; and all sorts of tubes and adapters. "Needless to say, it was quite a collection," Larry tells us.

And all "just a day from the dumpster." Some guys are just lucky!

Photo by Earl Jamgochian

"I stumbled into Leica to some extent, not planning on buying into the system," writes Earl Jamgochian of Fullerton, California. "Just happened to stop at my local used camera shop to pick up some Tri-X on the day that an estate collection went on the shelf. An M6 TTL and two lenses35mm Summicron and 90mm Elmaritcame home with me. I added the 50mm Summicron a few months later, to round out the set." Earl used the 50mm to take this picture of his grandson learning to walk.

"To my eye, there's a 'pop,' a richness of color or depth of grayscale range with the Leica images that I don't see with my other 35mm camera/lens systems. I know of the mythological Leica 'glow.' I don't think my eye is good enough to make that determination, at least with color negative film and scanned images; too many variables. I sometimes wish I had had the Leica in the Kodachrome era."

Photo by John Dana

From there, let's move from the old to the new, and from one far corner of the USA (Southern California) to the otherJohn Dana lives in the State o' Maine. John bought the Panny/Leica Nocticronfull name, Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm /1.2 ASPH. POWER O.I.S.specifically for flower shots, and it wasn't easy for him to pull the trigger: "I stewed for months over this lens, from the first rumors, through the early press releases, reviews, and then user experiences. On the one hand it cost a bundle; on the other, it promised to be a legit 'magic' lens for the Micro 4/3 system, only the second after the Olympus 75mm. So, finally, after considerable inner dialogue (picture the angel on my right shoulder, the devil on my left), night after night, the lens (and, as it turns out, the angel) won. I picked this image because it emphasizes the water droplets on the stamen and the petals, while showing off the azalea flower. The lens works great for this. It was taken in the early morning after a night of dense fog. The flower was just in the light, and the lens allowed the background to remain dark, without disappearing. I rarely crop images, believing that what I saw through the viewfinder at the time is important and worth keeping. I picked this image because it emphasizes the water droplets on the stamen and the petals while showing off the azalea flower. The lens works great for this. It was taken in the early morning after a night of dense fog. The flower was just in the light, and the lens allowed the background to remain dark, without disappearing. I rarely crop images, believing that what I saw through the viewfinder at the time is important and worth keeping.

"I like this lens a lot."

Gordon Haddow, Cathedral of San Fernando, San Antonio, Texas

Here we're getting about as far away as we'll go from the old overbuilt golden-age E. Leitz taking lenses. Yet it doesn't look wrong. Gordon Haddow took this graphic detail shot with a Panasonic DMC-ZS20 zoom point-and-shoot. But it has a Leica-branded DC Vario-Elmar 4.3mm to 86mm (24480mm-e) lens. "Nice little camera for walking around with," Gordon reports. Processed in Lightroom.

I guess cheating from the editor is a hazard of the Baker's Dozen idea, but I just couldn't choose between these two great shots sent in by Ivan Muller of Pretoria, South Africa. The handsome fellow above is a fisherman on the banks of the Sabie river in Mozambique. He caught the two tiger fish, Ivan tells us, with his bare hands! The photo in the inset, which I think is equally excellent, demands a closer look; all the reposing body parts add up to a painterly composition. It's a shot of Ivan's family and friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon at his best friend's holiday house on the banks of the Ebenezer dam, in the Limpopo province.

Both shots were taken with the Leica Elmarit 24mm /2.8 ASPH as found on the 12-MP Leica X1 camera introduced in 2009. Ivan is a commercial photographer based in Pretoria whose personal work is mainly to document the people and places of Southern Africa. He adds, "I also have a soft spot for street photography and architecture when I'm on vacation in Europe, specifically Italy."

Photo by William Schneider

While not meaning to give you an overdose of cute kids, I have to agree with William Schneider that this shot has an odd sense of mystery somehow. I'll let Bill tell us about it: "The photo was made with a 1958 collapsible Leica 5cm /2.8 Elmar that I had purchased cheaply. I found it in an old camera store that had creaking wooden floorsthe best kind of place. The photo shows my nephew as a child. You can't quite tell what sort of trouble he's into. It's a mysterious, quirky moment, and it also presented an opportunity to show the proportions, volume, and roundness of a young child's head. The photo was made in 2002. I was using Tri-X film at the time, and likely exposed at EI 200 instead of the rated film speed. I used very dilute HC110 developer because it was cheap.

"I photographed with the Elmar lens for a short time, then sent it to Sherry Krauter for a CLA. It came back much improved, but I used my other lenses much more often. The Elmar is a bit cumbersome to operate because of the way the aperture dial turns with the front assembly while focusing, and it's optically slower than the others. But the 'look' it produces is very nice. It has 15 aperture blades that create a near-perfect circular opening. The Leica MP body shown with the lens is not the one used for the child's picture. I used a Leica M6TTL, but it's been sold.

"From 1987 through 2003, I taught a darkroom photo class that was required for some majors at Ohio University. I've recently retired from teaching. During that period, I've witnessed a great upheaval not only in the technology of photography, but also in the makeup of the photography student population and how they work. Still, I had one student interested in doing darkroom work, and he purchased the Leica M6TTL mentioned above. I gave him a very good deal knowing that he'd use it.

"I still have the Elmar lens though, and I'll keep it for sentimental reasons."

Photo by Dan Smith

"Photographer Dan Smith here in beautiful Nanson, North Dakota where Winter had not yet hit. Still fall weather and only four or five subzero days so far as we move into Winter." So began Dan's email.

Dan took this at the Mohall Diner, in Mohall, North Dakota, with a Panasonic Lumix LX-7. "As I eat I watch the other folks in these diners and restaurants and when I see something that looks interesting I pull out the little Panasonic. This gentleman and his family were eating two booths from us. Talked with him after we both ate and let him know of the photograph. He was passing through on the way back to where he lived further South.

"The little Panasonic is not threatening to folks like pulling out the Canon 1 series bodies with a lens tends to be."

Photo by Steve Renwick

Steve Renwick is doing retro right if you ask me, and I think all you grizzled old photo-dawgs out there will agree: "Shot on glorious Tri-X with a Leica M3 and collapsible 50mm Summicron in January 2016. This is at the beach at Pillar Point, near Half Moon Bay, California. Exposure was set by sniffing the wind and using the Force.

"The camera is from Dave, my former darkroom teacher, who taught at Skyline Community College starting lo these many years ago and retiring last year. He bought the camera and lens almost new in 1964 in San Francisco. I think he was not entirely convinced that selling it was a good idea, but he fixed me with a gimlet eye and said, 'Well, I know you will use it.' I didnt exactly experience the scales falling from my eyes and proceed to sell all the other camerasI wont let go of my beloved Nikon FM3Abut damn this is a fine piece of machinery. I agreed with Dave that loading anything other than Tri-X in there was inadvisable and probably illegal."

Photo by Millard Maclaughlin, scanned by his grandson, Gordon Coale

"Kodachrome..." writes Gordon Coale. "...That was something. This isn't my picture. It was taken by my grandfather, Lt. Colonel Millard Maclaughlin, in 1949 and 1950. He went to Morioka, in northern Japan, as part of the occupation forces. He took these pictures with a Leica IIIc, a Summitar 50mm /2 lens, and Kodachrome. The picture of the camera is the one my grandfather used. It's mine now.

"About ten years ago my uncle gave me a slide case of my grandfather's slides. Among them were 44 slides from his stay in Morioka. Four years ago I scanned them for my family members. My grandmother had written titles on the slides. One of those is the picture of a slide that I'm holding.

"Scanning them was quite an experience. Each time I brought another up in Lightroom I was amazed at the color and detail. Today photographers complain if their camera can't cleanly produce photos at ISO 3200. I think Kodachrome in my grandfather's time ASA 8, maybe 16. It was easy to block up shadows but I was able to pull more detail out than I thought was there by looking at the slide."

Jana and Marta at the Skopje Zoo, Leitz Wetzlar Elmarit 90mm /2.8. Photo by Darko Hristov.

This next one is tricky, because it violates the bounds of the straight "Baker's Dozen" concept a bit. But it's so interesting in several ways that I decided to share it with you.

First, Darko Hristov of Skopje, Macedonia, sent the above photo of his older daughter Jana with her cousin Marta as his submission for this feature. The camera and lens choice, he said, is telling: "this is a picture shot with the Leica M2 on Ilford Pan 400 using the old Leitz Wetzlar 90mm Elmarit /2.8. A magical lens, but hard to work with on a rangefinder. Nevertheless, when you get it right, angels start to sing." He continues, "I also have a Leica S with a 75mm CS /2.5 lens. The fact that I don't include a Leica S photograph but have chosen pictures taken with that old Elmarit should speak volumes."



Elena in the intensive care unit

But if you detect a seriousness on Jana Hristov's face in the portrait, you're not wrong. Far more interesting than the camera information is the backstory of the photograph that Darko shared with me. The picture of Jana and Marta was taken a week after his younger daughter, Elena, was born two months early with severe respiratory problems. "At that time Elena was still in an intensive care unit bound to a respiratory ventilation machine, and we did not know if she would survive. It would remain so for the next three months. The shot of Jana and Marta was taken at the Skopje Zoo, where I took the girls for a day trip in order to project a hint of normality."

Elena, age two

The story has a happy conclusion, though. "After the first three months, luckily everything got better. Elena is six years old now and a healthy and lovely girl."

Smartphone selfie of Darko and Elena now

This last picture, of dad and daughter, was taken two days ago on Monday of this week.

Although just four pictures, they illustrate a story. I hope it's not too much of a stretch to include the supporting pictures and the backstory as a slight nod to the classic photoessay and the old idea of "the concerned photographer," since those things are an element of Leica's history and heritage too.

But lastly, back to cameras and lenses...that fourth picture, of Darko and Elena now, was taken with a Huawei P10 phone that identifies the taking lens as a "Leica Summarit H" on the back! So in the end we're back to pictures taken with Leica lenses.

(My thanks to Darko for his help putting this together, and very best wishes to the Hristov family of Skopje!)

Dave Reichert, Carol on the Pacific Coast Highway, August 1978

And finally, one more for good measure: this is totally cheating too, but as a former custom exhibition printer and darkroom rat I couldn't resist. This picture wasn't taken with a Leica lens...but Dave Reichert used a Leica enlarging lens to print it! The inset JPEG shows the whole neg. Dave made the old print on Kodak Velox, enlarged with a Leitz 100mm /4 V-Elmar, on his Beseler 45-MCRX with a Beseler Point Light Source. "The oddest of odd-bird enlarger heads," Dave calls it, "used only by certifiable photographic masochists. There's virtually no information about it on the Web except for some user manuals for sale. I gave away my entire darkroom a couple of years ago, but for some reason I kept the point source head. Go figure."

Brett Weston used a point-source enlarger head too, in his darkroom in Hawaii where he printed at night with all the windows open to the humid Pacific Ocean air. The 100mm V-Elmar was a fine old enlarging lens. (The picture was taken with a Nikkor.)

[Ed. Note: Thanks again to everyone who submitted! And sorry again for all the fine pictures I didn't publish, including the portrait of science fiction authors Larry Niven and Robert A. Heinlein, and the picture of Henri Cartier-Bresson out and about.

If you think there are more that 13 choices here, you probably miscounted. But no need to bother counting again. Let's just go with it. :-) ]

Mike

Original contents copyright 2017 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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WASHINGTON  Seven months after federal housing officials told 400 people they have to move from their dilapidated public housing complexes in Cairo, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a fraud complaint Tuesday against two former managers of the Alexander County Housing Authority seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in civil penalties.

The 45-page civil complaint brought by HUDs Office of Hearings and Appeals against former executive directors James Wilson, of Cairo, and Martha Franklin, of Thebes, alleges the two used federal public housing dollars for travel and gifts and submitted false documentation to HUD.

Against both Wilson and Franklin, HUD seeks 125 civil penalties plus assessments totaling $908,007.38. Additionally, HUD seeks 73 civil penalties and assessments totaling $293,463.70 against Franklin individually, and two civil penalties totaling $15,000 against Wilson individually for, the government alleges, falsifying that the ACHA was in compliance with civil rights laws and HUDs lead safety requirements.

Wilsons response to the matter was brief. My only comment is, I wish everybody a Merry Christmas, he said in a voicemail message, returning The Southerns call seeking comment on the allegations and fines. He did not answer a subsequent phone call. The Southern has never been successful in contacting Franklin, and her number is not listed.

Jereon Brown, HUDs general deputy assistant secretary for public affairs, said that it is up to a judge to determine whether the joint penalties and assessments totaling close to $900,000 are split between the two in some manner, or if the total amount is paid by each, should HUD be successful in its case against them.

Wilson and Franklin have 30 days to respond to the complaint, Brown said. Unless the case is settled by agreement of the parties beforehand, the two have the option of appearing before an administrative law judge in Washington or asking for a trial. If a trial is requested on the matter, the U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to file the civil complaint in federal court on HUDs behalf, according to Brown.

Wilson served as executive director of the ACHA from 1989 to April 1, 2013. Franklin served as finance director from 2004 through April 2013, and as executive director from April 2013 to March 2015.

Charges of segregation

Among the allegations made against them in the complaint is that Wilson and Franklin, who are both white, knowingly continued a practice of segregation and exposed black residents to unfavorable conditions. The Elmwood and McBride properties HUD has slated for demolition because they are unsafe have almost exclusively housed black families for years, although Alexander County was about 61 percent white during their tenure, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges that Wilson and Franklin perpetuated segregation despite an agreement in 1974 with the federal government for the ACHA to integrate. They also were accused of discriminatory employment practices, including paying black workers less than white workers despite giving black workers more challenging assignments.

The complaint also alleges that Wilson failed to comply with HUDs lead safety requirements by failing to conduct risk assessments, failing to disclose to tenants all known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards at the properties, among other related failures. The state Department of Children and Family Services lists Cairo as a high-risk region for potential lead poisoning of children. In the past decade, at least five children have tested with dangerously high blood lead levels who live at the complexes, according to records The Southern has obtained from Southern Seven Health Department.

Further, the complaint alleges that Wilson inappropriately entered into a consulting contract after his retirement in 2013 and that Franklin inappropriately approved his payments in violation of the local agencys Annual Contributions Contract with HUD. The complaint alleges that Wilson also violated the contract when accepting a legal settlement agreement offered by the ACHA board upon HUD directing the agency to terminate Wilsons consulting contract, payments for which Franklin also approved.

Living large on the public dime CAIRO  Hundreds of people here rely on public housing for shelter, with the average income 

In articles published in August and September of 2015 titled Chaos in Cairo and Living Large on the Public Dime, The Southern outlined many of the same concerns about questionable spending on contracts, fine dining, excessive travel, alcohol and gifts that are cited in the federal complaint.

The articles were based on HUD monitoring reports from 2013 and 2014 noting misspending dating back several years, as well as a review of hundreds of receipts, credit card statements and contracts obtained from the ACHA in a public records request.

In the latter 2015 article, The Southern noted that Wilson attended at least eight training conferences in destination cities between February 2012 and March 2013, the year before his retirement. As well, The Southern outlined a highly questionable travel policy of the ACHA.

The travel policy provided for employees and board members to receive vouchers based on the distance to a particular training destination, as if they were being reimbursed for mileage, even if they did not drive, and credit card statements showed that airline tickets appeared to be purchased separately, over the amount of the voucher. The highly unusual government travel policy based the voucher amount on mileage and then deducted 30 percent from the total if airline tickets were separately purchased.

As well, the voucher covered meals and lodging even though credit card receipts showed those items also were often separately charged to the ACHA. Some of those meals included steak, seafood and sorbet at high-end restaurants, as well as alcohol purchases. In the fall of 2015, HUD spokeswoman Gina Rodriguez told The Southern that the agency was not aware of the travel policies of the ACHA because they have just come to our attention, but added that a review is often conducted when concerns are brought to the agencys attention.

The next month, agents from HUDs Office of Inspector General, wielding a subpoena, paid a surprise visit to the ACHAs office in Cairo and spent hours carting off boxes of records and electronics. Four months later, HUD seized control of the ACHA, removing local management and assuming day-to-day control of its operations in administrative receivership.

The federal complaint filed Tuesday alleges Wilson and Franklin knowingly overstated their travel expenses and double charged the ACHA. According to HUD's complaint, Franklin and/or Wilson took a combined 10 trips between February 2012 and May 2014, costing a combined $41,755.

Excessive travel and spending

The complaint highlights the same case example of what it called excessive travel as The Southern cited in an article two years ago of a trip Wilson and Franklin took to Las Vegas in December 2012 for a TSA: Preventative Maintenance Training" conference.

According to the federal complaint, Wilson and Franklin, among other things: a) charged the ACHA both for the airfare and mileage to travel to and from Las Vegas; b) charged the ACHA for six days of lodging and eight days of meals, even though the training only lasted two days; c) used the ACHA credit card to pay for their hotel rooms at the Golden Nugget, despite having already received ACHA funds to pay for lodging; and d) used the ACHA credit card to pay for multiple meals and expenses, including alcoholic beverages, even though the ACHA had already paid Wilson and Franklin a meal per diem.

According to the agencys internal control policies, the expenses were approved by both the then-finance director, Franklin, and then-executive director Wilson.

Though not cited in as much detail in the federal complaint, The Southern included in its article an example of a bill from that same 2012 trip of mostly alcoholic beverages that appeared to have been paid for by the ACHAs credit card. The $100 tab at La Salsa Cantina in Las Vegas was mostly for drinks including a frozen margarita ($8.95); a frozen strawberry margarita ($9.50); and two cocktails called JamaicaMe Crazy ($19.50).

According to the Training Services Association website, the course is designed to help public and private managers of housing stock substantially reduce their long-term maintenance costs by strengthening their preventative maintenance procedures. The 1940s-era Cairo public housing complexes from which families are being relocated are crumbling under the weight of age, but also appear to have been neglected for years.

By spring 2015, the housing authority was so financially troubled that it was on the verge of being unable to pay its light bill or meet payroll. Earlier this year, HUD Secretary Ben Carson described the ACHA as nearly bankrupt.

On April 10, when federal housing officials told families that it was no longer safe for them to live at Elmwood and McBride and that many families would have to relocate to communities outside of Cairo, residents vigorously asked why no one had been held accountable for the events that led to that emotional night. Brown has said on several occasions that HUD understands the cries for justice.

Every dollar misspent on personal travel and other expenses is a dollar that could support the individuals and the families we serve, Dane Narode, associate general counsel of HUDs Office of Program Enforcement, said in a statement issued with HUDs news release on Tuesday. Taxpayers deserve to know that the public programs they support are helping to meet the needs of the many, not the few.

In July, HUD filed a separate administrative action against Wilson and Franklin, and former board member and union negotiator John Price, seeking to preclude them from doing business with the federal government in the future. HUD has proposed the indefinite debarment of Wilson and Franklin, and that action is still pending, according to Brown. The government was successful in its efforts to preclude Price from participating in any activities involving federal funds for three years, Brown said.

Brown said that fines also could be assessed as part of the debarment process, but he had no new details on Tuesday. According to congressional leaders, the HUD Office of Inspector General, the agencys enforcement arm, is also conducting two reviews related to the housing crisis in Cairo  an investigation pertaining to alleged mismanagement by the ACHA, and an assessment of HUDs oversight role in Cairo. To date, OIG, which would forward any criminal allegations to the Department of Justice for consideration, if warranted, has not released any reports related to either review.

Cairo Mayor Tyrone Coleman said he sees this action against Wilson and Franklin as a positive development.

The people who were at the root of the cause of this need to be punished, he said, adding that he will not be satisfied until responsible parties at HUD, who he believes should have intervened much sooner, also are held responsible. HUD is a part of this too, so are they going to sue themselves?

Contract inspectors hired by HUD gave the Elmwood and McBride complexes passing marks for years, and despite documented management problems at the ACHA dating back to at least 2010, HUD dragged its feet to intervene in a substantive way while continuing to send millions of dollars in federal funds to the agency. According to HUD's complaint against Franklin and Wilson, the agency provided the ACHA in excess of $9 million bewteen 2012 and 2015.

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, whose district includes Cairo, said in a statement that the people of Cairo have been waiting for a long time, but Im glad some measure of justice has finally been delivered to them.

While accountability will never completely right the wrongs of the past, it will hopefully serve as a deterrent for this type of fraud in the future, Bost said.

U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., issued a joint statement saying that the hardworking people of Cairo deserve accountability from those who manufactured this housing crisis, and were glad to see Secretary Carson responding to our repeated requests and finally taking concrete steps to hold Mr. Wilson and Ms. Franklin responsible for their fraudulent management of ACHA.

The saga of mismanagement in Cairo stretched on for years under the previous administration, with HUD finally placing the AHCA in administrative receivership in early 2016. Under Carson's leadership, the agency swiftly took action upon his confirmation in March to begin the difficult process of relocating residents, many of whom expressed at the time of the announcement that they did not want to leave Cairo. Since that time, 70 families have found new homes, and 115 continue to look.

Some families have been able to stay in Cairo, and HUD officials say they are working to make other opportunities available at other ACHA complexes for those who do not want to leave. About 20 families have moved to Carbondale, and others have relocated to Marion, Paducah, Cape Girardeau and elsewhere.

We hope HUD can recover these fines and quickly reinvest the funds in Cairo to ensure the residents of Elmwood and McBride can remain in the community they know and love, Durbin and Duckworth said, in their statement. Brown said that any recovered money will be returned, per policy, to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
INA  Gov. Bruce Rauner joined a discussion at Rend Lake College on Wednesday morning, trying to pitch Southern Illinois as an investment interest to Japan.

The governor was there with Japan's Consul-General Naoki Ito at the workforce and education roundtable, attended by the chancellor of Southern Illinois University and president of Rend Lake College. They all addressed the gathering during the luncheon at the school's student center.

Ito said he was looking for a good investment climate to help him decide to encourage more Japanese-owned business to build in Southern Illinois.

So I really wanted to look at whats taking place in Southern Illinois with my own eyes, he said. .Im really impressed with the way the companies, the existing companies here, [are] enjoying very, very good working environment.  I see a very high potential here."

Of Midwestern states, Illinois has the highest percentage of Japanese businesses  45 percent, or 630 companies, according to a news release from Japan's Chicago Consul General website.

In 2016, Japan had 1,389 businesses that provided 139,310 jobs in the Midwest.

"From a long-term perspective, the Midwest remains particularly attractive to Japanese direct investment due to its central location, top quality workforce, strong transportation network, and favorable business environment," according to the report on the Consul General website. "In return, Japanese business facilities provide jobs in both urban and rural areas, source components from U.S. companies, and are full members of their communities."

Gov. Rauner said he traveled to Japan and China and the U.S. East and West coasts and has a trip planned to Europe, all with the intent of trying to entice businesses to move into Illinois.

He said East and West coast businesses had already moved into Southern Illinois, which he said had less business regulations than does Illinois.

They have higher tax burden, Rauner said of those states. Weve got a huge opportunity for more growth. . . . If we could get the regulatory burden off of our businesses, so our regulations are very competitive, and if we can bring our tax burden down, especially our property taxes, we will boom.

After the luncheon, the governor and Ito spoke briefly with the media, addressing questions about possible future business investments to concern about North Korea's missile tests  with the governor calling the country and its dictator "a threat to the world"  to sexual harassment to the status of a prisoner re-entry program announced in October 2016.

"I'm personally committed to making sure that gets open," the governor said about the Re-Entry Life Skills Facility in Murphysboro. "The bureaucracy is moving too slow. . It's a very important economic engine to this part of the state. It's also essential to keep our communities safer."

After the brief question-and-answer session, the governor traveled on to Marion, where he visited the AISIN Group, an automobile parts supplier. There, he thanked company representatives for hosting him in a visit to its Aichi, Japan, headquarters during his Asia jobs visit there in September.
CARBONDALE  Journalist and author John T. Shaw is poised to lead Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute as its next director.

Shaw, a 26-year veteran congressional reporter with Market News International, covered political and economic issues for the global news service. He has been a contributing writer for the monthly magazine The Washington Diplomat for the past 20 years. Shaws People of World Influence column profiled international affairs leaders including Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, James Baker, Sam Nunn and Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Shaws appointment is subject to approval by the universitys Board of Trustees at its Dec. 14 meeting in Carbondale. Shaw will replace David Yepsen, who retired in October 2016. Jak Tichenor has been serving as interim director. If approved, Shaw will begin his duties on Jan. 16.

I am excited John Shaw accepted our offer to lead the highly respected Paul Simon Institute, Chancellor Carlo Montemagno said. John will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from his more than two decades covering national and international politics and public policy.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the institutes founding in 1997. The institute honors founder and former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, who started the institute upon his retirement from Congress.

The institute is a bipartisan public service center with a broad-ranging mission to study and act on significant and controversial issues that impact the region, state, nation and world. The institute is also committed to developing and implementing approaches that could bring concrete, positive results by tackling difficult challenges in the public policy arena. Among the areas of the institutes focus are fostering ethical conduct in government, and opportunity and fair treatment for citizens in America and throughout the world.

A native of Peoria, Shaw earned his bachelors degree in political science from Knox College in Galesburg. He earned his masters degree in history from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and did graduate work in international relations at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He has been a congressional analyst for media outlets including C-SPAN, ABCs 20/20, The PBS Newshour, and SkyNews Australia.

Shaw is the author of five books, including Richard G. Lugar: Statesman of the Senate and JFK in the Senate: Pathway to the Presidency. His latest book, Rising Star, Setting Sun: Eisenhower, Kennedy and the Presidential Transition that Shaped America, will be published by Pegasus Books in the spring of 2018.

Shaws experience also includes working for The Wall Street Journal Europe in Brussels and creating a weekly on-air congressional segment for KPCC/Southern California Public Radio, one of the nations largest NPR affiliates. He has been a five-time Hoover Institution Media Fellow at Stanford University. Shaw began his career as a Governors Executive Fellow for Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson. During his one-year fellowship in Springfield, he worked on projects in the governors budget, program and personnel offices.
CHICAGO  Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, a Democratic party leader on efforts to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, announced Tuesday he won't seek re-election next year after 13 terms.

"This is my time to move on," the congressman said at a Chicago news conference. "I want to take my energy and abilities to somewhere where I know I want to place them."

Oscillating between emotional and spirited, Gutierrez refused to call it a retirement, saying he still plans on advocating for immigrant rights and for storm-damaged Puerto Rico, where his family is from. After his term ends in 2019, he said he'll travel nationwide with his family and wants to do it while he's healthy.

He appeared alongside Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and endorsed him as his replacement. They both started their political careers together as proteges of the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

Word of Gutierrez stepping down came as a surprise, especially since the 63-year-old filed candidate petitions for the Illinois primary with the State Board of Elections a day earlier. The late announcement gave potential successors to his predominantly Hispanic Chicago-area district less than a week to gather signatures to get on the March 20 ballot.

Gutierrez, first elected in 1992, is a leading member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has become one of the most visible figures in the push for immigration reform. He's been arrested for civil disobedience outside the White House and federal immigration offices numerous times, has backed legislation to help young people brought to the country illegally and has called for more English language proficiency programs and citizenship workshops. In immigrant circles and in his district, Gutierrez remains very popular and has easily won re-election over the years. His office has run robust constituent services, with immigrants nationwide seeking his help on their cases.

The congressman has clashed repeatedly with President Donald Trump, accusing him of committing "deep, permanent damage to the United States." Gutierrez is among a small handful of House Democrats who have signed onto a largely symbolic effort to impeach Trump.

But Gutierrez was also critical of former President Barack Obama, whom he supported, for not halting deportations or doing enough on immigration reform.

In a 2013 memoir covering Gutierrez's experiences about his early life in Chicago politics as an organizer and alderman, he described how he's always identified with the immigrant experience.

Though born in Chicago with parents from Puerto Rico, he's talked about how his family faced similar challenges as immigrants, like struggling with English and being treated like foreigners.

"It's almost as though my life was a training for the ultimate battle of winning comprehensive immigration reform," he told The Associated Press in 2013.

In recent months, Gutierrez, who maintains close ties in Puerto Rico, has pushed for federal aid to help rebuild after Hurricane Maria and brought relief supplies to the U.S. territory.

Gutierrez's announcement raised questions about his political future.

He said he had no immediate plans to run for office in either Puerto Rico or Illinois, but didn't exclude it in the future.

"I'm not going to rule that out," he told AP. "I think there might be a possibility for me to run for public office."

Gutierrez has previously flirted with a run for Chicago mayor, circulating petitions ahead of the 2011 election before deciding to sit out the race. The next city election is in 2019. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff under Obama, has said he's planning on a bid for a third term.

The congressman, who wiped his eyes during the news conference, said he'd continue to live in Chicago but travel widely in his activism.

"We are going to talk to people about creating a new energy and a new vehicle to prepare ourselves for 2020," he said. "The second thing I'm going to do is I'm going to be spending a lot of time rebuilding my island ... the ancestral home of Congressman Luis Gutierrez."

With just days until major party candidate petitions are due for the Illinois primary, candidates began jockeying to replace Gutierrez. Democrats trying to replace him need over 800 signatures; the requirement for Republicans in the Democratic stronghold is far less.

Garcia, who is Mexican-American, said he was ready to pick up where Gutierrez left off and focus on similar issues. He has citywide name recognition, especially after forcing Emanuel into a mayoral runoff election in 2015.

Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said he was also circulating petitions for Gutierrez's seat.
BAMBERG -- Bamberg School District 1 will receive more than $1 million dollars as part of the 2014 S.C. Supreme Court's Abbeville Decision related to education equity.

Superintendant Phyllis Schwarting said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman confirmed the district will receive $1.16 million to spend in fields related to health, safety and a focus on education. Schwarting made the announcement at the Bamberg School District 1 Board of Trustees' November meeting.

The total is about $200,000 less than the $1.3 requested by the district, she said.

Thirty-nine school districts sued the state more than 20 years ago for providing an unequal education. The Abbeville Decision finally came in November 2014, when the S.C. Supreme Court found that the state had failed to provide a minimally adequate education for its poorest school districts.

Schwarting reported that Bamberg 1 plans to use the money to replace the gym floors at the middle and high schools and install permanent safety pads at the end of each gym. Retractable bleachers will be installed at the high school.

The ceiling, external doors and frames will be replaced at the middle school. Security cameras will be installed throughout the gym and the school, and the school will be connected to the districts HVAC energy control system to increase energy efficiency.

The middle school education class will also be remodeled to include equipment such as a stove, refrigerator and washer and dryer needed to teach student life skills. In addition, equipment on the cafeteria serving line will be upgraded to insure the food is kept at proper temperatures. Generators will be installed at both schools to protect food during power outages.

Also, additional security cameras and GPS tracking systems will be installed on buses.

In other business, the board gave second and final approval to four policies including Policy IHBA, which is related to special education programs. It states that students who reach age 18 are entitled to make decisions about their own education if they are qualified to do so.

These students can, however, delegate their rights to an adult they trust, or a guardian may be appointed to help them make decisions.

Also approved was Policy KLGA, which states that the school resource officer has jurisdiction to protect district students across the state when they accompany them on school trips.

The board also voted to suspend its December meeting. The trustees will next meet on Jan. 15.
A St. Matthews man will spend a little over four years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under age 11.

Henry David Neil, 52, of 4525 Old State Road, pleaded guilty before Circuit Judge Ed Dickson last week at the Orangeburg County Courthouse.

In a negotiated sentence, Dickson sentenced Neil to 15 years in prison. After he serves seven years, the remaining balance will be suspended to five years of probation with mandatory GPS monitoring.

He was given credit for having served 965 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center, which is a few months shy of three years.

A warrant accused Neil of engaging in sexual battery with a child between July 1, 2010 and November 2014. The incidents occurred before the child turned 5.

A grand jury indicted Neil on May 8, 2015.

Calhoun County Sheriff Thomas Summers said investigators conducted an exhaustive investigation.

Were pleased with the sentence, Summers said.

According to a competency evaluation on file at the Calhoun County Courthouse, examiners determined that Neil was competent to stand trial.

The six-page evaluation stated that Neil grew up in St. Matthews and completed the twelfth grade with a certificate.

He told examiners that his employment history included cleaning up yards for about $20, but that his main income was from his Social Security benefits.

Neil was in special education classes in school and diagnosed with learning disorder and borderline intellectual functioning, the evaluation states. Even so, the evaluation found there is insufficient evidence Mr. Neil meets the criteria for a diagnosis of intellectual disability, which requires concurrent deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning, present before age 18.

Examiners expressed concern that he was exaggerating his impairment, the evaluation states.
ELLOREE -- The town of Elloree's mayor-elect says he will work to strengthen community bonds when he takes office in January.

Michael Fanning, who was elected mayor in the Nov. 7 municipal election, says he will reach out to area church congregations and civic organizations to increase participation in local events, strengthen community bonds and improve security. His remarks came during Elloree Town Council's November meeting.

As one community, we will look at ways of getting all the church groups and civic groups together to support the festivals -- from Trash 2 Treasures to all the things down at the parks, Fanning said. Were looking forward to the future.

For starters, he said he intends to gather members of local churches to discuss ways of keeping their congregations secure. Twenty-six people died in a mass shooting at First Baptist Church in rural Sutherland Springs, Texas earlier this month.

'Its never going to happen in our community' -- thats what every community says. But its important that we get all of our churches together to talk about church security in this day and time, Fanning said.

We plan to contact all the area churches, even the ones outside of town (to talk about) some common-sense solutions, he added. We will invite (representatives of all the local churches) to a meeting, and maybe somebody is already doing something that somebody else can emulate.

In other business, council approved the purchase of new Crime Watch signs for Ellorees neighborhoods.

During her monthly report on Ellorees Water Department, System Administrator Cole Dantzler reported water loss totaled 14 percent last month. She also reported there were 79 work orders for October and 643 customers were billed. The water and wastewater facilities were in compliance with Department of Health and Environmental Control regulations for the month, Dantzler said.

Police Chief Shawn Murphree reported police made one arrest and responded to 28 calls for service in October. The calls included six burglar alarms, two cases of shoplifting, eight requests for assistance from other agencies, five suspicious persons, four civil disputes, one case of telephone harassment, one petty larceny and one larceny. The department issued 35 uniform traffic citations during the month as well, the chief said.

Murphree introduced Lt. Austin Arant as the newest member of the Elloree Police Department. Arant has 14 years of experience in law enforcement. A resident of Fort Motte, he previously served with the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office and, for the last five years, with the St. Matthews Police Department.

I love the whole town (of Elloree), Arant said. I love small towns. Id much rather work for a small town than for a larger municipality.

The clerk/treasurers report on the court fines collected in October was as follows: Court fines collected totaled $562, of which $312.647 was remitted to the state treasurer; $26.17 was retained in the Victims Assistance Fund; and $223.19 was retained by the town and placed in savings.

Also during the meeting, Clerk of Court and Acting Town Clerk Leslie Furtick told council members she had spoken to accountant Tripp Wingard of Murdaugh & Associates and Wingard should have the town's most recent audit report ready for the next council meeting.

Mayor Stan Busch reported significant progress had been made on the towns construction and repair projects. He said painting had been completed at the town hall, and trim, doors, ceiling tiles, flooring and lighting had been installed. The new roof was also completed at the Welcome Center/Police Department, Busch said. He complimented local contractor Fred Gaskins for working hard to get the building improvements completed.

In addition, the mayor reported AOS Contractors had begun work on replacing the walking trail at Joe Miller Park.

Busch also reported the new Dollar General store in town should be open by December.

Elloree Town Council will hold its next regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 11.
Bakari Sellers, former South Carolina state representative and current CNN political analyst, created a political buzz with a tweet on Sunday.

Sellers tweeted Im running soon regarding South Carolinas only Democratic seat in Congress, which is held by veteran 6th District Rep. and House assistant minority leader James Clyburn.

Its amazing how Twitter moves the news cycle, Sellers said Tuesday, reinforcing that his comment did not signal a challenge to Clyburn.

Sellers made it known he does not want to run against Clyburn, who said in published reports Tuesday he is seeking re-election at age 77.

I dont believe in martyrdom when it comes to politics, Sellers told The Panther, Claflin Universitys student newspaper, regarding challenging Clyburn.

But Sellers has a history of winning against a veteran lawmaker.

I have run against incumbents before. I ran against Thomas Rhoad who was in the House for 26 years when I first got elected, Sellers said of winning a seat in the S.C. House of Representatives as a 21-year-old in 2006.

Sellers said his tweet had a purpose.

I just wanted people to know that I wanted to represent this area, I want to represent this district. Its always been a dream of mine, and I just feel like if anyone else can say it, I can say it too, Sellers said.

Sellers added a time frame for his plans, saying he hopes to be on the ballot in 2020 or 2022.

Democrats congressional leadership is aging, with younger people in the party being forced to wait in the wings, Sellers said. He noted others being cited as potential successors to Clyburn are Orangeburg County native and Democratic National Committee official Jaime Harrison and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.

Sellers, a 33-year-old native of Denmark, was an intern for Clyburn before being elected to the S.C. House, where he served for eight years. He ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, losing to Republican Henry McMaster, who is now governor.

Sellers said he decided against a run for governor in 2018.

I didnt think this was a race I could win, he said. You need to know when its time not to run.

Sellers political profile has never been higher.

He frequently appears as a political analyst on CNN and is heading to Alabama in the coming week to campaign for Democrat Doug Jones in the Dec. 12 special U.S. Senate election featuring controversial Republican Roy Moore.

Sellers sees 2018 as a year of change with voters unhappy with incumbents in both parties. People are looking for some semblance of change.

Clyburns office did not offer further comment Tuesday on the congressmans re-election plans or Sellers statements.
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration's approach to governance is that of a bratty toddler confronting a neat stack of blocks: Knock it down and scatter the pieces. It may take years to rebuild what Trump and his minions are destroying.

This is not the systematic move toward small government that conservatives have long sought. It's a lurch toward bad government, inadequate government, incompetent government. In some cases, it's driven by spite; in others, by sheer cluelessness. Ultimately, we will all pay a price for Trump's nihilism.

The most recent example is the chaos at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency established in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis as a watchdog against abuses. Perhaps the bureau's best-known action to date was levying a $100 million fine against Wells Fargo Bank for opening hundreds of thousands of deposit and credit card accounts without the customers' knowledge or consent. All told, the bureau has saved nearly $12 billion for consumers.

This record, according to Trump, is a "total disaster."

Trump claimed in a weekend tweet that financial institutions "have been devastated" by the CFPB. That is nonsense. The much more likely reason for his criticism of the bureau is that it was established while Barack Obama was president. Trump has been unable to establish a proper legacy of his own, so he is intent on erasing his predecessor's.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray resigned Friday and, as specified by law, appointed an acting director -- Leandra English, who had been Cordray's chief of staff. But Trump, relying on a different federal statute, appointed his own acting director, Mick Mulvaney.

You'd think Mulvaney already had enough to do, since he serves as White House budget director. But perhaps he relishes the extra work, since he was harshly critical of the agency when he was in Congress. In any event he dutifully showed up at CFPB headquarters Monday morning with a bag full of doughnuts for "his" staff. English, meanwhile, has filed suit in federal court claiming it's really "her" staff. And the bureau, with two masters, is paralyzed.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, by contrast, has no master. In its 41-year history -- it was founded during the Gerald Ford administration -- the office established to advise presidents on scientific matters has never gone so long without a leader. From 135 staffers under Obama, it has been slashed to 45.

Perhaps this sort of thing was to be expected from Trump, who has described climate change as a Chinese hoax. The thing is, however, refusing to believe in science doesn't make you immune from its effects. Anyone with doubts about the law of gravity should think twice before jumping out of a second-story window.

Meanwhile, China is racing ahead and has already become the world's leader in clean energy. A functioning science office, staffed with qualified scientists, would tell the president he is wrong to focus on coal, the fuel of the Victorian era, while ignoring the renewable energy sources that will power the rest of the 21st Century. But Trump hates being told he's wrong. He chose an Environmental Protection Agency director, Scott Pruitt, who perhaps has even less regard for what science tells us about greenhouse gases and atmospheric warming. The result has been to make the world's most powerful nation mute and irrelevant in the global conversation about climate change.

Even more alarming is the way our diplomatic corps is being decimated by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. This is a bipartisan issue: Sen John McCain, R-Ariz., added his name to a letter complaining that U.S. diplomatic power "is being weakened internally as complex, global crises are growing externally."

Tillerson, who once reportedly referred to Trump as a "moron," is both sane and intelligent, unlike so many other Trump appointees. But he has approached the State Department as if he were an ambitious mid-level corporate executive tasked with downsizing an overstaffed branch office. He has forced out a host of senior diplomats, hired consulting firms to advise him on a reorganization, agreed to slash the department's budget by 31 percent and refused to fill jobs that his predecessors considered vital.

But Tillerson's main job isn't management, it's diplomacy. With every career ambassador or senior officer who is elbowed out the door, a lifetime's worth of contacts and expertise depart as well. The administration will sorely miss that wisdom in a crisis.

Future presidents will have to restore what Trump and his team are casually destroying. Ignorance and petulance, rather than reason, now reign.
The statistics are coming in on the string of big shopping days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday  and the smallest kid on the block did well.

An estimated four in 10 people (43 percent) of American adults shopped or dined small on the eighth annual Small Business Saturday. Consumers also showed their love for online small businesses on the day.

According to data from the 2017 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey released Monday by the National Federation of Independent Business and American Express, an estimated 108 million consumers reported shopping or dining at local independently owned businesses.

Year after year, Small Business Saturday receives remarkable support from shoppers and communities nationwide, said Elizabeth Rutledge, executive vice president of Global Advertising and Media at American Express. In year eight, its encouraging to see Small Business Saturday continue to gain momentum as more people recognize the benefits that independently owned businesses bring to their neighborhoods  and our country as a whole.

The Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey also found that 70 percent of U.S consumers are aware of Small Business Saturday. In addition to support on main streets, shoppers turned out for online small businesses  with 35 percent reporting they Shopped Small online on Nov. 25 alone.

The 2017 Small Business Saturday 50-State Survey, also released Monday by the NFIB and American Express, showed 73 percent of consumers who reportedly Shopped Small at independently owned retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday did so with friends or family. The most reported reason for consumers aware of the day to shop and dine at small, independently owned businesses was to support their community (64 percent).

Further insights from the 2017 Small Business Saturday 50-State Survey include:

 Shoppers made Small Business Saturday an all-day affair, as 58 percent of those who participated in the day reported shopping or dining at more than one small, independently owned retailer or restaurant.

 On a national level, nearly half (48 percent) of consumers who participated in Small Business Saturday reported visiting a small business that they had not previously been to on Small Business Saturday.

 Relative to the national average, shoppers in Colorado, Hawaii and Vermont reported pet stores as the type of small business frequented the most, while shoppers in Illinois, Massachusetts and New York reported visiting a bakery the most. Shoppers in Georgia, Idaho and Texas reported visiting spas, nail salons or hair salons the most.

In South Carolina, the survey found 21 percent of people made their favorite Small Business Saturday purchase at a restaurant or bar. Clothing and accessory businesses accounted for 12 percent of favorite purchases, with gift/variety stores getting 10 percent.

Nearly a third of South Carolinians (31 percent) see restaurants and bars as the small businesses most associated with their communities, with 27 percent listing the businesses they wish their community had more of as restaurants and bars.

As much as Black Friday and Cyber Monday are closely watched for trends regarding total consumer spending and the breakdown of in-store vs. online buying, Small Business Saturday has found a niche  on the street and in cyberspace. By most any measure, thats a good thing.
The median asking prices in the most popular luxury buildings across Dubai are around 150 per cent more than what the average resident pays in the area, according to a new report.



In some communities, the most popular luxury high-rises cost up to 150 per cent more than the median home prices in the same area, according to Propertyfinder data.



With at least half a dozen luxury real estate projects in development, the prices of these existing luxury apartments are up for adjustment, but in the meantime, buyers should be prepared to pay a premium compared to their less spendy neighbours, stated the report.



"Never buy the most expensive house on the block" is common wisdom often passed on to property hunters. But in Dubai, where ones home is often located in a high-rise, it can be tough to tell who is paying the most, and how luxury offerings compare to the neighbours in the building next door, it added.

Propertyfinder Group determined the median asking prices in popular luxury buildings, then compared those to what the average resident is paying in the area.



Comparing those median prices for luxe living to the median prices of the area overall revealed that some Dubai residents are paying nearly three times more for the best address, it stated.



Dubai Marina is by far the most popular community in Dubai. In the Marina, residents pay a median price of Dh1,570 per sq ft, according to Propertyfinder data through the end of October 2017. But for those who call Le Reve or Silverene towers home, the asking prices there are a whopping 150 per cent more than the areas median: asking up to Dh4,000 per sq ft.



A similar story plays out in Downtown Dubai, Propertyfinder.aes third most popular community by search volume. Those who wish to buy an apartment in the worlds tallest tower will pay an epic premium, said the property expert.



The median asking price in the Burj Khalifa is between Dh3,000 to Dh4,000 per sq ft. The median price per square foot for sale in Downtown Dubai is nearly half that, at Dh2,132.



A community that bucks this trend is Jumeirah Village Circle. Its median asking price for apartments is Dh925.



A top luxury offering in that area, according to search data, is Milano by Giovanni Boutique Suite. Buyers can expect a median asking price of around Dh1,000 per sq ft, which falls close to the areas overall median.



Propertyfinder Group said luxury apartment buyers, never spoilt for choice in Dubai, will have even more to choose from in the coming years as Bluewaters Island, Bvlgari, CityWalk, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Dubai Hills Estate finish development.



Shiny new offerings will have a downward effect on existing luxury units. That is, the neighbourhoods most expensive offering may soon be more affordable, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain has awarded five contracts valued at over BD5.1 million ($13.4 million) in October, besides inviting bids for 11 tenders worth BD2.5 million ($6.5 million), five of which are for the sanitary sector and the construction sector and one for the roads sector, said a report.



Of the awarded five tenders, three were for construction projects and one each for roads and sanitary sector, reported the BNA, citing a senior Ministry of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning official.



The awarded tenders included the construction of a sewerage network in Hunainiya Block 901 in Riffa, at the cost of BD350,673, revealed Ahmed Al Khayyat, the works affairs undersecretary at the Ministry.



In the roads sector, a tender was awarded; covering the revamp of Jasra Interchange - Phase Two, at the cost of BD1.63 million, he stated.



In the construction sector, a BD3-million consultancy services deal was awarded for the design and construction of the convention and exhibition centre at the Southern Governorate, which is a leading project aiming to attract and develop the international exhibitions industry.



The project is to be implemented based on the latest technologies and technical specifications to meet the needs of businessmen and investors in the exhibitions field, which would naturally benefit the national economy and further support the countrys development, noted Al Khayyat.



The new centre will be constructed over an area of 308,000 sq m near the Bahrain International Circuit, with an actual construction area of 149,000 sq m. The centre will boast 10 exhibition halls with a total area of 95,000 sq m, he added.



Al Khayyat also referred to the projects for which bids were invited, which included five in the sanitary sector, all of which relate to Tubli Sewage Treatment Plant.



Bids were also invited for a tender in the roads sector, covering the time contract for causeways/flyovers maintenance 2018-2019 besides five others in the construction sector, said the BNA report.



Al Khayyat pointed out that the Cost Engineering Directorate of the Ministry, represented by the Procurement Department, approved 69 purchase requests at the cost of BD259,955.



The ministry also received a number of qualification requests from various sectors, where 11 licences were issued, including five renewal requests, three upgrade requests and three new registration requests.

A total of 10 applications were rejected, while no pre-qualification requests were received, he added.
With over 25,000 homes being added to the UAEs residential market this year, the wood and furniture market is likely to witness solid growth, said a report released ahead of the Dubai WoodShow.



To be held from March 12 to 14, 2018, Dubai WoodShow is the largest such exhibition in the Middle East, showcasing a wide range of wood-based products at the Dubai World Trade Centre.



Wood and wood-based furniture and household accessories products are expected to get a solid boost from the $2.4-trillion worth of construction activities, especially when new home-owners start purchasing their furniture and home decor products, stated the report by industry experts.



As per a recent research, around 70 per cent of the timber and wood products are used in construction industry while the rest are used in real estate, interiors, furniture and other industrial applications.



The statistics reflect a growing demand for wood products in the region, primarily driven by the overall economic growth as well as the growth in the regions Dh8.8 trillion ($2.39 trillion) worth of construction activities.



With an average spent of Dh10,000 on wooden products per home, this translates to Dh250 million spent this year in Dubai alone.



However, with more than 35,000 residential units slated for delivery in 2018, spend on wooden products is expected to jump 40 per cent to Dh350 million, said the report.



"The growth in the housing market will drive the wood, wood-related and timber business across the region and this creates a great opportunity for the industry," remarked Dawood Al Shezawi, the CEO of Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions, the event organiser.



"As families move to their new freehold homes, they will require a fresh supply of furniture and due to the tastes and trends, most families look for authentic wooden furniture and products  wherein lies the new demand," he added.



Al Shezawi said in order to capture the lucrative UAE market, more than 300 exhibitors from 100 countries are all set to showcase their innovative solutions at the next edition of Dubai WoodShow, which will showcase new designs, style and product innovation on managing home space in innovative ways.



However, consumers are also looking for new, innovative products to replace the old furniture, especially innovative furniture that help families to manage spaces in a better way. Those products will be in solid demand, he added.



According to him, the demand for wood products is expected to be driven also by the new hotel projects.

"Dubai will add 40,000 hotel rooms and service apartments to meet the growing demand of tourists as part of the build-up to the Expo 2020, which is less than three years away," stated Al Shezawi.



"As the hotel developers are racing against time to deliver more than 40,000 hotel rooms that will help the emirate to serve 20 million hotel guests annually as well as the 25 million visitors to Expo 2020 in six months time," he noted.



Dubais hotel sector has more than 100,000 hotel rooms and serviced apartments. By October 2020, Dubai will need to have a strong hotel inventory of 140,000 hotel rooms and hotel apartments.



As we speak, a number of hotel operators are floating tenders for wooden beds, tables, and wooden interior products to offer greater comfort to hotel guests. This is going to be a great driver of demand for wooden products, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi trade in planes and spacecraft, including parts thereof, has amounted to Dh9.3 billion ($2.53 billion) during the first nine months of 2017, according to figures released recently by the Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi.



The stated value doesn't include the deals made by the emirate and registered by other ports of exit, including sea, land or air, reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



In more detail, the emirate's imports of planes and spacecraft from January through end of September neared Dh7 billion, against Dh8.8 billion during the same period last year.



Plane and spaceship imports account for 8 per cent of the emirate's total imports of Dh88 billion during the same monitored period.



Plane and spaceship re-exports stood at around Dh2.2 by the end of September, a growth of 11 per cent against Dh1.03 during the same period the year before, making up 14 per cent of the emirate's re-exports trade.



The value of exports, according to SCAD figures grew by 309 per cent from Dh9.3 million during the first nine months of 2016 to Dh38 million during the corresponding period 2017.



The total value of spaceship and aircraft trade, including parts thereof, represents 7.7 per cent of the Emirate's total non-oil trade of Dh119.5 billion during the same monitored period.
The initial group of elite governmental entities and multinational companies from the aviation sector in Dubai were recently welcomed to the Future Aviation Lounge (FAL) by Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (Dafza) chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.



FAL is an initiative that was recently launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It is a first-of-its-kind business social network based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology that foresees the future of the global aviation sector and related industries.



The initiative promotes dialogue and close cooperation among individuals and entities involved in Dubais aviation industry--pushing the sector towards growth and prosperity and increases its economic contributions.



This first platform targets government agencies, multinational companies, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), academia and experts in the aviation sector, which promotes collaborative efforts and collective innovation. It also widens the role of enterprises and individuals in accelerating the growth of the sector and increases its share in Dubais gross domestic product (GDP).



Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Dubai Airports have been at the forefront in support of the new platform. The pioneering group of members that have expressed their confidence in the pivotal role of the initiative for the further development and growth of the international aviation industry, include Airbus, Boeing, GE, Rolls-Royce, Thales ME, Panasonic Avionics and Jetex.



Sheikh Ahmed expressed his confidence in the initiative, which forms part of the organisations continuous efforts to enhance its operational, knowledge and development performance of the aviation sector.



This is in line with the expectations of the increase in the share of the aviation sector to Dh195 billion ($53.09 billion) or 37.5 per cent of Dubais GDP and providing around 745,000 jobs in 2020.



He highlighted the importance of the participation of major local and international companies in FAL, which contributes to the move to promote Dubai as one of the leading cities in terms of smart technology--making the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world and in support of Dafza Innovation Strategy the objectives that are aligned with the broader National Innovation Strategy.



Sheikh Ahmed added: The aviation sector is one of the most important parts in the countrys economic structure, accounting to around ten per cent of the country's total GDP and 28 per cent of Dubais.



This sector has accomplished huge achievements in record time, which is a result of the vision and support of our countrys wise leadership, especially towards sustainable growth and operational expansion and driving in more foreign direct investment (FDI) in the UAE, he said.



We believe that innovation has become a key driver to anticipate the future and overcome its challenges, so we expect the network to facilitate the system of collective work between different representatives of agencies, industry experts and students, to help stimulate the process of innovation accompanied with high efficiency and wide spread interest of the aviation sector locally and globally, he concluded.



Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, director general, Dafza, said: The initiative was highly appreciated and regarded by leading industry players. We are grateful to our strategic partners for their contribution to the success of Future Aviation Lounge and welcome the participation of industry experts and leaders in this initiative.



The Future Aviation Lounge embodies our aspiration for the future of the global aviation industry, he said.



This initiative comes in response to the leadership's inspiring support for the aviation sector and its contribution to the economic boom in Dubai and the UAE, which represents an important step in harnessing artificial intelligence technology to achieve the highest levels of productivity and economic growth, he added.



The move also comes in line with the UAEs strategic goals and objectives and we believe that the free zones have a leading role in the transfer of knowledge and the promotion of economic and cognitive competitiveness, which has a direct impact on economic and social development--positive results that we wish to achieve from FAL, he added.



Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, director general of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), said: We joined DafzasFuture Aviation Lounge thanks to the support of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of DCAA.



He added that through this unique platform, aviation professionals and experts will have the opportunity to discuss, share knowledge, hold meetings and conduct electronic workshops to enhance their competitive features and deepen their knowledge and expertise to develop civil aviation in Dubai and the world.



For his part, Jamal Al Hai, deputy CEO at Dubai Airports, stressed the importance of this initiative, adding that it is a quality-focused addition to the aviation sector, which serves as a strategic pillar for the national economy.



We are moving towards aggressively utilising artificial intelligence and smart solutions across all sectors of the economy. With this in mind, FAL will allow us to recognise global best practices in the aviation industry, which is rapidly changing and building the best relationships for the benefit of the global aviation industry, he said.



In addition, we recently launched the DXB Plus initiative as part of our reliance on smart technology to gain more capacity without building any new buildings and enhance the experience of more than 90 million passengers who will use Dubai International Airport by the end of this year and make their journey through the airport a great experience, he added.



Mikail Houari, president of Airbus Middle East and Africa, said: We are delighted and honoured to join our partner, Dafza, and become part of the Future Aviation Lounge.



We have long demonstrated our commitment to advancing the aviation sector in the region by developing innovative solutions to shared sector challenges, creating and supporting a highly-skilled talent pool to drive the industry forward, he said.



Through our participation we will continue to foster young talent, ensure knowledge transfer and further grow the industry in line with the UAE vision to be one of the top innovative countries in the world, he added.



Bernard Dunn, president of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said: Innovation is at the core of what we do at Boeing, and so we are very pleased to support the Future Aviation Lounge initiative.



We look forward to participating in this plan to build a robust community of bright minds and creative thinkers from across Dubai and the UAEs aviation sector, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The chemical and energy industries need to embrace rapid changes within the global energy landscape as an opportunity, said Khalid A Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources.



Delivering the inaugural address at the 12th Annual GPCA Forum being held in Dubai, Al-Falih said the chemical industry in the GCC must actively focus on value creation and economic contribution to the region.



This is a period of great change for the chemical industry and we must rise to the challenge by instituting the measures that will make it a global powerhouse, with a pre-eminence in indigenous technology innovation, he said.



The forum kicked off on November 27 and will conclude today (November 29) at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE.



The event is taking place under the theme the chemical industry in transformation: a new journey begins, said a statement.



Introducing the forum was Yousef Al-Benyan, vice chairman and CEO, Sabic and chairman, GPCA, who delivered the opening welcome address. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy, UAE, was among the dignitaries attending the forum.



With global chemicals demand expected to more than double by 2030, the industry must brace itself for rapid technology disruption in an evolving energy landscape.



There is a strong need for industry consolidation as newer players emerge and global trade practices and regulations change faster than ever. It is time for regional players to think global while maintaining their local edge as game changing technologies take hold, it added.



Al-Falih continued: If we are to develop the leadership position that corresponds to the potential of our region, future oriented progressive government policies must be complemented by sound corporate strategies as well as an ecosystem fostering entrepreneurship, venture capital and research and development which we need to collectively work towards.



The downstream industry has come a long way and producers in the region are well-placed to leverage the opportunities for value creation and further portfolio diversification. I applaud the catalytic role that GPCA has played in driving the growth of the regional chemical sector, bringing the industry together to deliberate issues of great industry significance and taking the industry forward, he added.



Al-Benyan commented: Long-term success requires increasing product differentiation, downstream diversification that captures the full value of hydrocarbons, groundbreaking technologies, pursuit of industry consolidation and asset integration, enhancing our international footprint, upgrading our operations, and supporting a corporate culture focused on innovation and commercial excellence.



Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, said: In a global economy that is increasingly competitive and customer-focused, chemical companies can no longer depend on volume to drive growth, but given our regions advantaged feedstock we are still better placed to diversify into value-added products.



As companies across the region adopt next-generation digitisation, we will need to deliver execution excellence in safety, quality, cost, sustainability and efficiency. The supply chain of the future will also change correspondingly. Global megatrends and challenges like climate change, urbanisation, population growth will continue to push the industry to identify and implement sustainable solutions and embed rapid innovation, he said.



With this in mind, the forum could not come at a more opportune moment, simultaneously addressing these issues and also providing a platform for the fruitful exchange of ideas and best practices on how to harness the opportunities of tomorrow, he added.



On November 28, Hariolf Kottmann, CEO, Clariant and president, Cefic and president, International Council of Chemical Associations delivered the keynote address and participated in a panel discussion with Yousef Al-Benyan.



Neil Chapman, president, ExxonMobil Chemical Company and vice president, ExxonMobil Corporation discussed growth, responsibilities and sustainable chemical solutions within the industry. Bhavesh V (Bob) Patel, CEO and chairman, management board, LyondellBasell spoke about how the industry beyond cycles to long term investment decisions.



Dr Markus Steilemann, chief commercial officer, member of the board of management, Covestro Company outlined how the region can incorporate todays megatrends in its transformation.



On November 27, a student seminar powered by Borouge was held as part of GPCAs Leaders of Tomorrow initiative, including sessions on career opportunities within the sector.



With over a hundred students in attendance, this marked the fifth and largest Leaders of Tomorrow seminar to date. Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) is an initiative by GPCA together with its stakeholders that aims to bridge the gap between academia and the industry and promote STEM education.



With its first edition launched during the forum in 2016, LOT aims to gear students up with the hands-on experience and skillset required after graduating from universities and starting their career in the industry, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Employees in the UAE believe that companies are becoming more innovative, but many firms are failing to unlock the innovation potential of the entire workforce, a report said.



Some 94 per cent of people working in the UAE believe that the country is more innovative than it was five years ago, and a similar number believe that innovation at companies contributes to national competitiveness, reported state-run Wam, citing the study commissioned by Emirates Global Aluminium, a major industrial company in the United Arab Emirates.



Nearly 3 in 4 managers and 2 in 3 junior staff describe the companies they work for as innovative. But 60 per cent of managers believe that innovation is a responsibility only of senior executives. Half of junior staff agree, said the survey conducted by the global polling company YouGov.



This is despite around half the UAE workforce, according to the survey, believing that innovation is finding better ways to do anything, and not just revolutionary inventions.



Abdulla Kalban, managing director and chief executive officer at EGA, said: "Systematically engaging everyone in our workforce in continuous improvement has been a foundation of EGAs global competitiveness for almost four decades. Without hundreds of thousands of suggestions from our employees, we could not have built EGA into one of the worlds biggest premium aluminium producers and a national industrial champion.



"UAE Vision 2021 calls for the creation of a knowledge-based, highly-productive and competitive economy, harnessing the full potential of our National human capital. We call on all UAE companies to unlock the innovation potential of all their employees. That way, millions of minds will drive the UAEs global competitiveness and the creation of a knowledge-based economy, he added.
Takeleap, a Dubai-based technology agency specialising in artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), said it has partnered with Dutch furniture retailer Ikea to develop 'Virtual Shopping Experience by Ikea Popup' concept throughout the Middle East.



The pop-ups have taken place in malls within five cities across three countries, including Jordan, Kuwait and Morocco, said the company in a statement.



Visitors to the pop-ups can create their own virtual living room by placing Ikea signature products in the scene using VR technologies to facilitate the home furnishing experience.



Users can choose from pre-set room layouts (L-shaped, square or rectangular) to match the dimension of their living space, then purchase the products on site if they wish, removing the need to visit a traditional Ikea store to visualize and purchase products.



The growth of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies are reshaping many markets across the Middle East, and e-commerce is no different, stated Salman Yusuf, the managing director at Takeleap.



"Technology is advancing at increasing speeds and will quickly redefine the future of the business. We are thrilled that Ikea has become a first-mover in developing this technology and look forward to our partnership for years to come," he added.



This news comes at an important time, as globally the virtual reality market is expected to reach $48.5 billion by 2025. Across the Middle East, national-driven initiatives are driving the technologies adoption.

Just last month, the UAE has appointed Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama as the countrys first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence while Saudi Arabia bestowed citizenship on a robot named Sophia  the very first robot to be granted citizenship in the world.



Diana Sabouni, the Ikea's regional interior design specialist, said: "We are very thankful to have Takeleaps support in helping us push the way we design things and give our customers a completely different kind of experience."



"This is something that none of our competitors have done before and a monumental step for the future of Ikea shopping," noted Sabouni.



Customers can now choose their favourite items in as little as 20 minutes while having a realistic view of what the furniture is like.



With a 1:1 scale, users can understand the real size of their products while recognizing the photo-realistic colors and texture of fabrics, explained Sabouni.



In Kuwait, Takeleap will introduce another VR activation to give users a full 360 virtual tour of Ikea Kuwait store, aiding in the process of finding items around the outlet, she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
Lost Roads Press is true to its name.

Since its founding in 1977, the publishing company has wandered the country. From its roots in Arkansas, the company was based in Rhode Island and Colorado before settling in Jackson in 2009 and becoming one of two presses that are based in or associated with the Cowboy State.

Wyoming is an ideal home for Lost Roads Press, Executive Editor Susan Scarlata said. The press started in a small town in Arkansas and has always aimed to give a voice to people who dont live in major metropolises and dont have as much exposure or ability to be part of an arts community, she said. The heart of Lost Roads Press is to give those authors a venue.

I think throughout Wyoming there are networks of artists that span large geographic areas, but its not necessarily the same thing as being in a centralized box, so thats something that the press looks to support is those voices, Scarlata said.

She particularly likes to focus on women writers, who are underrepresented in the publishing world, she said.

It really did feel appropriate, in that its always really sought to help authors that are somewhat off the beaten path find a place to publish and find a venue for their work, she said. So it felt very apropos or fitting to be here.

***

Writer Frank Stanford founded Lost Roads Press in 1978 to support writers in Arkansas and other locations off the beaten path, Scarlata said.

Well-known writer C.D. Wright took over as editor after Stanfords death that year and moved the press to Rhode Island. She and her husband, Forrest Gander, published more than 40 titles by other writers, including fiction, poetry, visual art and a guide for tourists in New Orleans, according to Scarlatas recent presentation at the Wyoming Arts Summit earlier this month in Lander.

Wright was a well-established author in the literary community and a MacArthur Fellow, Scarlata said. Her death last January was a huge loss to the literature world, Scarlata said.

Wright and Gander were two of Scarlatas professors at Brown University. The two educators told many of their students that they were looking for someone to take over the press for them after two decades. In 2004, the year after Scarlata graduated with her masters from Brown, she told them she was interested. She officially took over as executive director about two years later and brought Lost Roads out west, first to Colorado before settling in Jackson.

Scarlata set to work going through the press backlist of previously published books to determine which titles could be successful bring back into print or to reprint in new designs suitable for todays market. She chose seven titles out of more than 40.

But something apparent to her right away  there werent many women among the authors of those chosen books, she said. She wasnt comfortable being a female publisher with a mostly-male list of authors, Scarlata said. Only about 25 percent of books published in the U.S. are by women, she said.

So she started the Brigham Award, named after writer Besmilr Brigham, whod been published by Lost Roads Press and was well-known for her commitment to writing as an art form, Scarlata said.

The award commemorates the writers legacy and brings to light work by women authors who live between the land between the publishing hubs on the coasts, Scarlata said.

I wanted, in whatever small way, to make a concerted effort to change, first of all, my own list and shift it towards gender balance, she said. And perhaps now were moving towards more women than men, which Id be fine with.

Fellow writers volunteer as judges for the contest each year.

We get to have a really fun conversation about deciding what we will publish that year, she said. Thats an aspect thats so compelling for me, is to be in conversation with different authors and making this decision about what we agree on as three different people with three different perspectives on what well publish for the year.

The press helps the chosen authors connect with audiences by organizing readings, workshops and events. Those are largely made possible with support from the Wyoming Arts Council, she said.

Even some of the big publishing houses have little ability to promote their authors, leaving them to organize and pay for their reading tours.

We try to take on however much we can to help make that happen and help create connections, Scarlata said. I really like that element, as well as bringing some teaching and ability for people in Wyoming to learn from the authors were publishing and get their perspective.

Wyoming Arts Council executive director Michael Lange said the press is well-respected in its field and the team works hard to share their expertise by setting up readings an around the state. Scarlata has provided valuable professional development for writers in Wyoming, he said in an email.

The state is lucky to have Lost Roads Press call Wyoming home, he said.

***

Scarlata runs Lost Roads Press with assistant editor Linnea Ogden. The press is based in her home, while printing takes place elsewhere through an independent contract, she said. The press publishes one or two books a year, one being the winner of the contest.

Scarlatas interest in writing and literature began in childhood. She and a friend created a newsletter for their families, and she focused on creative writing in high school. Her first job out of college was an internship for Copper Canyon Press. She writes professionally today and is a published author herself.

A book of her poems has been published by Horse Less Press, shes published at Pen America online and and has work in a number of anthologies. She mainly writes poetry, nonfiction, reviews and other literary work.

It always was a passion and a way to make sense of the world and share and understand other peoples experiences, she said.

Scarlata works full time as the communications and marketing officer at the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.

The press, she said, is a labor of love. Its all volunteer, in terms of the time and effort that goes into it, she said.

I think its pretty amazing to live in Wyoming and be able to have an independent press, and with our current world, its just gets kind of easier and easier, Scarlata said. I really feel like it is something that allows me to stay connected to the broader literary world and really appreciate that about keeping it alive, keeping it going.
Luke Combs is the winner of the Country Music Association Awards' coveted entertainer of the year trophy. Combs thanked the country music community for making his dreams come true. It was the second time in a row he won the show's top honor, and he also won won album of the year for Growin' Up. Wednesday's show in Nashville, Tennessee, opened with Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire playing tribute to the late country queen Loretta Lynn. The superstar trio performed a medley of Lynns hits including You Aint Woman Enough, Dont Come Home A-Drinkin and Coal Miners Daughter. Leading nominee Lainey Wilson took home two trophies and Alan Jackson accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resorts president of 22 years will retire at the end of this ski season after ushering the resort through more than $200 million worth of updates, changes and additions.

Jerry Blann joined the resort in 1995 shortly after it was purchased by the Kemmerer family. Since he assumed the helm, the resort has become one of the countrys top ski destinations, including being named No. 1 in Ski Magazine and Forbes. Skier visits increased during that time from the 200,000s to almost 600,000.

I would be surprised if any ski resort president has done more for a mountain resort than Jerry over these last 22 years, said Gov. Matt Mead in a news release. His leadership at the Village, in the community and across the state is as awe-inspiring as the mountain itself. I say a big Wyoming thank you to a friend and great leader.

Blann also serves on boards for the Jackson Hole Airport, Teton Village Association and the Wyoming Business Council.

He said he does not plan to leave Jackson after his retirement.

There is an irony when you work in the tourism industry that you have little time to actually enjoy the benefits, he said in the release. Ive worked hard with a passion for the ski industry and have extraordinary admiration for an incredible team at JHMR.

The Kemmerer family plans to announce a new president in January.
A Natrona County woman who watched her boyfriend beat two of their elderly neighbors will spend up to eight years in prison for failing to interject.

Natrona County District Court Judge Thomas Sullins sentenced Sharon Marie Hinkle, 46, to between six and eight years in the Wyoming Womens Center for counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. The sentences will run simultaneously.

Hinkle pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness to the two felonies in April, but later pleaded guilty to the two charges. As part of the plea deal, she agreed to testify against her boyfriend, William Mason Quillin, if his case in connection to the attack goes to trial. She will also pay the victims, both in their 70s, a total of $500 in restitution. The victims were both injured after Quillin allegedly broke into their house in February and beat them while Hinkle watched.

She did nothing to stop the violence, Assistant District Attorney Trevor Schenk said at Hinkles sentencing hearing Tuesday morning. She watched for some time.

Hinkles attorney, Zak Szekely, said that Quillin was a psychopath and abused Hinkle. He said that Hinkle went along with the attempted robbery because she was afraid Quillin would hurt her.

Mr. Quillin came into her life and destroyed it, Szekely said.

Before Sullins handed down his sentence, Hinkle said she regretted not stopping the violence. She said that Quillin threatened to kill her that night.

I was terrified, she said. I didnt know what would happen to me if I did something.

According to court documents, on Feb. 8 Quillin kicked down the front door of his neighbors house on Bel Vista Drive in Bar Nunn and demanded access to the a safe. The two residents of the home said there was no safe in the house.

Then, the documents state, Quillin attacked the 70-year-old female resident, pushing her to the ground and kicking her repeatedly. Hinkle, meanwhile, stood in the doorway and watched the assault, according to her statements to police.

The 71-year-old male resident fled the house and ran to a neighbors home to ask for help. Quillin then followed the man and used his fists, feet, and a nearby snow shovel to attack the man, court documents state. Quillin also allegedly tried to gouge the mans eyes out.

Quillin stopped attacking the man when a neighbor opened a nearby front door. As Quillin walked away, he said Im going to kill this (expletive), documents state.

Law enforcement later found the couple in a house on the same street. Hinkle and Quillin refused to leave the home and authorities used tear gas, tasers and bean bag rounds to take the two into custody.

Doctors at the Wyoming Medical Center found that the female victim had a broken pelvis and significant bruising to her ribs and left leg. The male victim had two broken ribs, a broken pelvis, blood in his lungs and lacerations on his hands and arms.

Quillins criminal case is stalled while he waits for psychological evaluation from the Wyoming State Hospital, the attorneys said Tuesday.
POWELL  Would Powell schools be more or less safe if employees were armed?

The Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees wants to hear local residents opinions as trustees discuss the possibility of allowing employees to carry concealed weapons in school buildings.

The school district released an online community-wide survey today (Tuesday). The survey can be accessed at: https://goo.gl/ruSGJP.

Since Wyoming lawmakers cleared the way for school districts to allow concealed carry on K-12 campuses this year, some school boards in the state  including Cody and Meeteetse  have discussed the issue.

Powell school board chairman Greg Borcher said in October that the board would address the topic if and when an employee asked to carry a gun in school; an employee made such a request and the school board discussed it during an executive session on Nov. 7, Borcher said. Under the School Safety and Security Act approved by state lawmakers earlier this year, the names of employees authorized to carry a concealed weapon are confidential; thats why the employees request was discussed in an executive session closed to the public, said Borcher.

Now that a request has been made, the school board will consider whether to keep its current weapons policy  which bans guns in Powell schools  or vote to look at options for a new policy, Borcher said.

Before deciding how to proceed, trustees want to hear from employees in the district, parents of students and the Powell community. A separate survey was sent to staff members in the district on Monday. Borcher said hed also be interested in hearing Powell High School students thoughts on the issue.

One of the things that is really important to this board is that anything that we do is a reflection of our school and community needs and values, said Jay Curtis, superintendent of Park County School District No. 1.

If surveys show that 40 percent of people in the district want the board to look at a new policy and 60 percent say no, were just probably not going to look at it, Curtis said. Its essential that our community has a voice in it, he said.

Curtis said hes proud of how the Powell community supports its schools, and he and Borcher said its important to have a civil discourse on the issue.

We dont want this to be an issue that divides our community, Curtis said, adding, Its really important that we maintain that civility and keep an open mind and try and be empathetic to others positions.

The survey will remain open for the next several weeks, and the Powell school board plans to discuss responses during a work session in January, Borcher said.

I would encourage our community to take part in that survey, rather than calling individual board members to express their views, Curtis said. Its really important that we have all of the feedback in one spot, and all of the board members have access to the same data.  We want a community-wide response on this.

If school board trustees vote to proceed with a new weapons policy, Borcher said they would work with the districts attorney Tracy Copenhaver, Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt and Park County Sheriff Scott Steward.

The board also would discuss qualifications, requirements, the application/approval process, training, equipment, insurance and other costs.

We will leave no proverbial rock unturned before we decide on a policy, Borcher said.

Both the Cody and Meeteetse school boards are discussing whether to adopt policies allowing employees to carry concealed weapons in their districts. Curtis served as the Meeteetse Schools superintendent until coming to Powell in July; Curtis said that while in Meeteetse, he was strongly in favor of House Bill 194, which became the School Safety and Security Act. After a shooting like Sandy Hook, no words can describe how isolated you feel in a rural community like Meeteetse, Curtis said. The nearest law enforcement officer may be 30 miles away from Meeteetse.

Powells a very different community, Curtis said. We have a phenomenal police force.  You cant drive around Powell without seeing a police officer.

He said the school district and Powell Police Department have a great partnership, and a wonderful school resource officer (SRO). The SRO carries a gun in local schools.

Unlike previous gun bills proposed in the Wyoming Legislature, House Bill 194 gave local school boards control over whether to allow guns on their campuses and, if so, the authority to decide who can carry.

Thats always what I advocated for, Curtis said. We dont want it open to everyone. We want local boards to have control, so it is a reflection of their community needs and values.

The Legislature left it up to local school districts to decide where guns are allowed on their campuses. For example, the Powell school district could authorize employees to carry concealed weapons at its elementary school in Clark, which is isolated, while continuing to ban guns at other local schools.

Borcher has told his fellow board members there will need to be a convincing argument that a new policy will make kids in local schools safer.

He said the board will take its time looking at the issue and trustees conversations will be in public meetings.

Were not going to rush into this and make a quick decision on anything, Borcher said. Well make sure that all seven board members feel comfortable in the decision that theyre making.
A Montana judge has temporarily restricted wolf hunting and trapping near Yellowstone and Glacier national parks and imposed tighter statewide limits on killing the predators. Wildlife advocates sued last month claiming that looser hunting rules adopted in the Republican-controlled state could harm wolf populations. State District Court Judge Christopher Abbott on Tuesday ordered officials to reimpose rules from 2020 that allow the killing of only five wolves per person, instead of 20, and forbid the use of snares for trapping. Abbott also limited hunting and trapping near the national parks. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte criticized the ruling, saying he thinks the judge overstepped his bounds. But state wildlife officials have pledged to comply with the order.
Tucson International Airport marked its 90th year of commercial airline service on Tuesday with a reception honoring its longest-serving major carrier, American Airlines.

Commercial airline service began in Tucson on Nov. 28, 1927, with the arrival of a six-passenger Fokker Universal plane flown by Standard Air Lines at the old Tucson Municipal Airport site on land later occupied by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

About two years later, American Airlines took over Standards route between Tucson and Los Angeles, which included a stop in Phoenix, traveling westbound on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and returning on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, according to the Tucson Airport Authority.

The fare for a flight from Tucson to Los Angeles in 1927 was $60, or more than $850 in todays dollars, the airport authority said.

In April 1928, the airline decided to match the train fare on the route, and airline passenger traffic grew 300 percent.

In 1929, the route through Tucson was extended eastward to Douglas and El Paso, and expanded to become daily flights with a round-trip fare of $52.65, according to the Airport Authority.

The airport hosted combined civil and military operations for decades and was used as a training site for U.S. aviators during World War II.

In 1948, the nonprofit Tucson Airport Authority was formed and the airport moved to its current location. It was renamed Tucson International Airport in 1963, two years after gaining its first flights to Mexico.

American became TIAs largest carrier in terms of passengers served in 2015, after its merger with Phoenix-based US Airways.

A timeline

Some highlights of Tucson International Airports history, focusing on commercial airline service:

 1927: Famed aviator Charles Lindbergh landed here in September 1927 to dedicate what was called Davis-Monthan Field, before a crowd of 30,000 people. The first commercial flights would start about two months later.

 1929: New luxury 14-passenger Fokker Trimotor aircraft are introduced .

 1930: American Airlines extends the route eastward from El Paso, to Fort Worth/Dallas, and then to Atlanta (which takes two days to reach).

 1932: American adds a second daily flight in each direction for four departures daily.

 1934: After losing the airmail contract between Dallas and Atlanta, American shifts its focus to flying to New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

 1936: The DC-3, Americas Largest Land Plane and the first designed to make a profit solely on passengers and not airmail subsidies, comes to Tucson on Americans transcontinental route. Seats can be converted into sleepers.

 1940: American Airlines is up to six departures a day from Tucson.

 1943: American Airlines adds nonstop flights to San Diego.

 1946: The DC-4 Flagship, a four-engine 44-passenger aircraft, is introduced. Because it can fly farther between fuel stops, it is now possible fly nonstop from Tucson to Dallas and Los Angeles.

 1948: The Tucson Airport Authority is formed, and American Airlines moves to the new Tucson Municipal Airport and its terminal off Nogales Highway.

 1949: American Airlines brings the 68-passenger DC-6  the first airliner with pressurized passenger cabins  to Tucson.

 1950: American gets its first competition in Tucson with the arrival of Frontier Airlines flying north Phoenix and south to Nogales and Bisbee-Douglas.

 1956: TWA arrives as Tucsons third airline.

 1959: Tucson Municipal becomes the 21st airport in the U.S. to have regular jet airline service when American Airlines introduces 137-seat Boeing 707 Astrojets to Chicago and Los Angeles.

 1961: Two more airlines come to Tucson with the arrivals of Continental and Aeronaves de Mexico.

 1963: Tucsons jet age terminal opens at the south end of Tucson Boulevard and the airport officially becomes Tucson International Airport. It is served by six airlines with 32 daily departures to 11 nonstop destinations.

 1984: America West Airlines, based in Tempe, begins service to Tucson.

 1991: American Airlines opens an 83,000 square-foot reservations center near Tucson International Airport.

 1994: Southwest Airlines starts service after acquiring discount carrier Morris Air, which launched service here in late 1993 and initially operated as a subsidiary of Southwest.

 2005: America West becomes US Airways as part of a merger.

 2015: American and US Airways merge, creating the worlds biggest airline.
Not many people alive today can boast sharing a byline with Abraham Lincoln, but there on the cover of his published choral composition is composer Richard Fuchs name alongside Lincolns.

I didnt write the text, of course, the composer, who splits his time between New York (summer) and Tucson (winter), was quick to note.

But he wrote the music for Gettysburg, which brings President Lincolns sacred post-Civil War Gettysburg Address to brilliant, contemporary life.

Fuchs, who has spent the past 10 winters in Tucson after his daughter and her family moved here from their native New York, wrote Gettysburg in the early 1980s. His daughters high school choir premiered the piece on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1983 on the anniversary of the speech, largely regarded as the best-known address in American history.

In the years since, Fuchs has seen the work performed around the country including in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the launching pad for the Civil War.

On Thursday, Nov. 30, Fuchs is bringing the piece to the Tucson Jewish Community Center as part of Celebrating Americas History. Only this time, instead of having a choir sing the text, he has invited a trio of Tucsonans  Saul Podolsky, Mitchell Todd and David Updegraff  to perform Gettysburg and two other original works as dramatic readings. Fuchs will accompany on piano.

Also on the program: Fuchs Civil War Cantata  150, marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and Requiem Gemini, commemorating 9/11.

We performed all of these pieces musically with choirs all over the country, said Fuchs, who spent six months putting Thursdays concert together. This time were doing it with three narrators who are reciting it while I play the piano.

Fuchs, who majored in music in college but made his living in real estate, first became fascinated with Lincolns famous address when he was 9 years old.

My parents took me on a motor trip to Washington, D.C., and I saw the Gettysburg Address etched in marble and it just blew my mind, he recalled.

When he got to college years later, he had an assignment to memorize and recite the speech. It was only 240 words, but Fuchs figured hed have an easier time if the words were song lyrics. So he attempted to compose music to go along with the text, but I couldnt match up the meter line to the words.

In the process, though, he thoroughly memorized the text.

I worked on it so well and so long and I delivered a speech and got an A, he said.

On his second stab at the project 13 years later, Fuchs came up with Gettysburg.

I realized this could be a great thing if someday I could put it to music and have some high school kids perform it, he said. That got me started doing American history stuff.

The 9/11 terror attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City inspired Requiem Gemini, which Fuchs was set to perform at Ground Zero on the fifth anniversary, but he was bumped by Aretha Franklin.

The 150th anniversary of the Civil War was the inspiration for Civil War Cantata  150, which he performed at the anniversary in Gettysburg.

Now that hes retired, Fuchs composes full time with his company, Ballad Boutique. People commission him to write songs for special occasions including funerals, weddings, anniversaries and birthdays.

Celebrating Americas History is one of eight concerts in the JCCs Heritage Series. The concert includes a slide show of 50 photographs that depict the historic moments represented in the works.
Walking into a carniceria is a meat lovers dream.

Carniceria is Spanish for meat market or butcher shop. They specialize in Mexican meats, many traditionally cooked and prepared.

Tucson is filled with dozens of carnicerias in different areas of town. A sampling:

Los Amigos Meat Market

3929 S. 12th Ave., 889-2969

Antonio Cardenas, Sr. was known as a master butcher in the early 1970s. In 78, with the help of an $8,000 loan, he decided to open his own business.

Ever since then, God bless, its been a successful business, Tony Cardenas, Jr., Antonios son, says.

Since Antonio passed away in 2010, Tony has been running Los Amigos with his mother, Mary Cardenas.

But all of my family are the owners of Los Amigos, Mary says.

Tony says that in addition to their customer service, the history at Los Amigos is what makes them different.

We have a lot of regulars who come from all over the United States, Tony says. We have a lot of memories with them.

The preparation of the meats go back to Tonys father.

What really put us on the map was my fathers recipes, he says.

Antonio had his own recipe for Los Amigos famous chorizo the meat market sells 1,500 pounds of it in a month.

Carniceria El Vaquero

2023 S. Craycroft Road, 790-9090

Owner Mike Shiha has been in the meat market business for 25 years. In 2012, he opened Carniceria El Vaquero.

Back then, there werent any meat markets on the east side of town, Shiha says. There was some hesitation and it was hard in the beginning. But it was just like anything else  you never know if youll make it or not.

After the first year in business, El Vaquero gained popularity.

We keep a well-stocked store, Shiha says. We carry products that are a little more unique. When it comes to the meat selection, there isnt a day that we wont have something.

He says the most popular item is the marinated pollo asado, which is hormone-free, fresh chicken marinated in El Vaqueros own recipe. The market also offers tortillas, produce, and a variety of other groceries.

El Vaquero also has a fast-casual restaurant. A very slim number of carnicerias in Tucson offer a restaurant with dine-in service.

The menu includes Mexican favorites, such as burritos, chimichangas, tacos and quesadillas. El Vaquero also offers a full salsa bar with seven different salsas made from scratch.

We had a lot of people asking us why we didnt have a taqueria on the side, Shiha says. Its really common in the Phoenix area, but not common in Tucson. So, the goal was to offer a good, fresh, Mexican meal that was going to be served fairly quickly with quality ingredients at a reasonable price.

Customer service is key to his business, says Shiha. Because of that, he has no plans to open a second location.

Its not about having a store on every corner, he says. I like to be hands onthere isnt a day that Im not here.

Sonora Market

3050 E. 36th St., 623-8290

Walk into Sonora Market and youll see aisles upon aisles of Mexican goodies, including tortillas, salsas, beans, spices, and more. The market also offers more than 12 different meat packages, some including tamales, menudo, chicken, or guacamole.

The market also has a very large selection of liquor  something that other carnicerias dont typically offer. Think of Sonora Market as part carniceria, part convenience store, part liquor store.

Sonora Market has sat on the corner of East 36th Street and South Country Club Road for 17 years. Brothers Kameel and Ahmed Aburehmeh purchased the market four years ago.

When the Aburehmeh brothers moved to Tucson from Chicago, they knew they wanted to work together. After looking through available real estate, they decided to take on the meat market business.

When we first came to the market, there werent a lot of people here, Kameel says. But it started to get more and more popular when we bought it.

Kameel says there isnt any one item that they sell more than others. He says their meats are pretty even in popularity.

When people come to our store, they pass many other stores to get here, Kameel says. I dont know if its the prices or our service or the quality of the meat, but they choose to come here.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Nov. 29 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.
The way Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita figures it, no one ever died from a bad hair style or blow dry  at least not literally.

So the Scottsdale Republican wants to repeal a state law that says you cant style hair in Arizona without at least 1,100 hours of training at a state-licensed school.

Ugenti-Rita said she was approached by lobbyists for Drybar, a decade-old national firm that specializes in quickie blowouts. That can include everything from a shampoo to simply putting someones hair up with pins.

The firm already has three locations in the state.

But to do just that in Arizona requires a state license, something Ugenti-Rita said could cost close to $10,000.

When they told me about the scope of their business, you could clearly see that it was an impediment to them hiring, she said.

Ugenti-Rita said whats being done there is far different than a beauty salon.

You cant even get haircutting, she said. They dont have scissors there.

Nor do they do things like hair coloring or use chemicals to make a perm.

They blow it out, style, arrange, they curl, Ugenti-Rita said. Maybe they use some bobby pins.

The bottom line, she said, is her belief that nothing being done there should require a state-issued license.

I dont see a public health or safety issue, she said.

Her HB 2011 would create an exception from licensing for those who dry, style, arrange, dress, curl, hot iron or shampoo and condition hair as long as there are no reactive chemicals to permanently straighten, curl or alter the structure of the hair.

The worst that can happen is you dont like the way your hair is styled, Ugenti-Rita explained, as there would be no cutting and no permanent change to someones hair.

Prior efforts to create exemptions have been met with sometimes fierce opposition from the cosmetology community.

As far back as 1983, Douglas Norton, who was the state auditor general at the time, recommended to lawmakers that they scrap all laws requiring licenses of all cosmetologists or barbers.

Licensing is not justified because of possible harm from the use of barber implements or chemical solutions because such items are readily available to and routinely used by the general public, Norton said. But legislators ignored the report amid stiff opposition from the regulated community.

There has been some move toward deregulation more recently, albeit on a piecemeal basis.

In 2004, over the objection of cosmetologists, lawmakers decided that people who only braid hair for a living no longer have to be licensed.

Seven years later, the board agreed to stop trying to regulate threading, the practice of using thread to pluck eyebrows. But that came only after the Institute for Justice filed suit.

And earlier this year, Gov. Doug Ducey personally interceded when the board sought to shut down the operation of Juan Carlos Montes de Oca for giving free haircuts to the homeless in a Tucson park.

There was no immediate response from the cosmetology board to the proposal.

Gubernatorial press aide Daniel Scarpinato said his boss has not yet seen the measure. But he suggested the proposal would get the approval of his boss if it makes its way through the Legislature.

The governors bias would be toward making it easier for people to do it, especially if were not talking about anything that would jeopardize public health or safety, Scarpinato said.

Wed want to know the details and talk to the people that are dealing firsthand with it, he continued. But if we can get more people who otherwise would not be able to get hired for a job in there without them having to spend a lot of money on fees or education, thats something the governor would be very much in favor of.
A Marana man was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to aiming a laser pointer at a plane.

Federal prosecutors said Timothy Wade Demery aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Cessna C-T206H single-engine plane operated by the Pima County Sheriffs Department in Marana on April 10.

Demery pleaded guilty in September to a felony count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, according to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. Judge Raner C. Collins sentenced Demery at a hearing Tuesday, saying he flies in planes and Demerys actions worried him.

Id hate to think some yahoo like you is pointing a laser at my plane, Collins said.

Laser pointers can cause temporary blindness in pilots and endanger those on board and on the ground, particularly during landing and takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The illumination also can startle the pilot or make the pilot believe the light is coming from a nearby plane.

The beam expands as it travels and can be several feet wide by the time it reaches the cockpit, according to the FAA.

Demery faced up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Under the plea agreement, he faced up to six months in prison.

Assistant public defender James D. Smith asked Collins to sentence Demery to probation in a Nov. 16 sentencing memorandum.

He is sorry that he pointed the laser at the airplanes going over his house, but he didnt think it would cause harm, Smith wrote. He knows now that it could have been a problem, and that it is a federal offense. He will never do it again.

Demery apologized to Collins during his sentencing hearing Tuesday and reiterated he would never aim a laser pointer at a plane again.

As part of the terms of his probation, Demery is prohibited from possessing a laser pointer.

FBI Special Agent Brian Nowak said in an interview with the Arizona Daily Star that authorities launch an aggressive investigation when they hear about someone aiming a laser pointer at a plane.

People dont understand how far a laser pointer can go, Nowak said.

When people aim the laser pointer upwards, it may look like the laser reaches a few hundred feet, he said. But thats because it is only visible from the ground as it hits dust in the air. The laser actually can continue much farther.

In one case, a laser pointer reached 17,000 feet in the air, Nowak said.

In a separate case from 2013, a commercial airliner reported being flashed by a laser pointer near Tucson. The pilot of a sheriffs department plane that was in the area at the time tracked where the laser came from. Two men were arrested and charged with endangerment, the Daily Star reported March 11, 2013.

People caught shining laser pointers at planes include children, adults, college students, you name it, Nowak said. The incidents occur in wealthy neighborhoods, poor neighborhoods, college campuses, suburban areas and even from vehicles.

Penalties for shining a laser pointer at a plane range from felonies in federal court, to misdemeanor charges in state courts, to $11,000 fines from the FAA, Nowak said.

Aiming a laser pointer at a plane became a federal offense in 2012, according to an FBI informational video .

As Christmas approaches, Nowak cautioned parents that they can be held liable if their child aims a laser pointer at a plane.

The number of incidents for 2017 is on track to be about 7,200 nationwide, according to FAA statistics compiled by Patrick Murphy, executive director of the International Laser Display Association.

The number of incidents reported to the FAA nationwide spiked several years ago, rising from 3,900 in 2014 to 7,700 in 2015. In 2004, the FAA received 46 reports of laser pointers aimed at aircraft.

A FAA database from 2010 to 2014 showed 35 reports in the Tucson area of laser pointers aimed at aircraft in 2010; 46 in 2011; 31 in 2012; 53 in 2013; and 42 in 2014. Data for more recent years wasnt readily available.
A veteran law enforcement officer has been named the new police chief in South Tucson, the city announced Tuesday.

Manuel Amado, a native of Tucson who has worked in law enforcement for 28 years, was named the city's new chief and public safety director. He worked for the city's police department early in his career.

Amado will oversee South Tucson's police and fire departments.

Amado was police chief at Pima Community College and also worked as a deputy for the Pima County Sheriff's Department. He previously worked as a patrol officer and traffic unit supervisor for South Tucson.

Amado worked for 19 years with the PCC police department, starting as a field officer and eventually rising to chief of the department.

Amado's most recent position was as director of campus and public safety for Regis University in Denver. Regis is a private, nonprofit Jesuit university.

Amado replaces Police Chief Michael Ford, who was fired in June after he was accused by Mayor Ildefonso Green as being the source of negative news about the city.
Rep. Raul Grijalva would like you to know he has not been accused of sexual harassment.

Hes right, as far as I know.

These days, that may seem to be all that matters, but its not.

The congressmans assertion of innocence came in response to a story published Tuesday by the Washington Times. The story said a woman who worked for Grijalva in Washington, D.C., stayed on the job for just three months in 2015, then threatened to sue because he was frequently drunk and there was a hostile workplace environment.

Grijalvas office stopped paying the woman, who is unnamed in the story, in an effort to force a settlement, the Times reported. She was quickly replaced but continued to receive a salary for five months as a severance settlement. Total additional compensation: $48,395.

Grijalva, a Tucson Democrat, has not disputed these details of the story, although spokesman Adam Sarvana said he is constrained by the confidentiality of the settlement. Grijalva has asked that the confidentiality be lifted so that he can discuss it, Sarvana said.

Thats good, because that is the way toward greater accountability on Capitol Hill.

One problem the story highlights is how Congress quietly uses taxpayer money to pay off people who accuse members of sexual harassment or other mistreatment, payoffs often made by padding or extending the employees paychecks. This came to light after settlements of sexual harassment complaints against Rep. John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, were published Nov. 20 by Buzzfeed News.

The Office of Compliance reported paying $17.2 million over the last 21 years in settlements that were largely secret, sometimes structured to be paid out like salaries, rather than in more detectable lump sums. Not all were for sexual harassment, though, and not all involved complaints against members of Congress.

In Grijalvas case, the congressman pointed out not just that he was not accused of sexual harassment, but also that the settlement did not involve the Office of Compliance, which is the heart of todays controversies. In a statement, he described the situation this way:

The fact is that an employee and I, working with the House Employment Counsel, mutually agreed on terms for a severance package, including an agreement that neither of us would talk about it publicly. The terms were consistent with House Ethics Committee guidance.

The severance funds came out of my committee operating budget. Every step of the process was handled ethically and appropriately, he continued. As the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Grijalva oversees the taxpayer-funded budget of the committees Democrats.

The other problem is the allegation of drunkenness. This is an accusation that has dogged Grijalva not just for years but for decades. In 1985, while he was a member of the Tucson Unified School District board, Grijalva was convicted of DUI for driving under the influence.

Whatever personal frailty I have drinking, its something I have to deal with and come to grips with, he said at the time.

Grijalva won his seat in Congress in 2002 and has been regularly rumored to have appeared in public drunk. He is known as a regular at the Tune Inn, a bar near the Capitol. A 2010 story in the Huffington Post, about the vote to pass the Affordable Care Act, opened this way: Raul Grijalva is sitting quietly with a few of his staffers at one end of the bar, a bottle of Bud and a shot of whiskey in front of him, while his fellow Democratic members of the House of Representatives roar in celebration at the other end.

Thats not evidence of a problem that affects taxpayers, and I cant say I have seen him verifiably drunk at any events. But when taxpayer money is used to settle complaints of drunkenness, it becomes our business.

Grijalva, for his part, made a sort of denial when I asked Sarvana about whether he has gone to work drunk.

I do not attend work-related events drunk, and I have never created a hostile work environment in my offices  all of which is verifiable by those who work with me, Grijalva said in a written statement.

Grijalvas office learned of the planned Washington Times story on Nov. 21, when the reporter emailed the spokesman for the House Natural Resources Committee, Sarvana told me. The initial email said the story was about an accusation of sexual harassment, though the eventual story was not. Instead, it placed Grijalvas payout in the context of others that did involve complaints of sexual harassment.

The next day, Nov. 22, Grijalva was interviewed on C-SPAN. Asked about the secret settlements of sexual harassment complaints against Conyers, Grijalva said Conyers should step down from his leadership position and that sexual-harassment settlements should be made public.

But he carefully distinguished those settlements from other accusations of workplace misbehavior, saying those should not necessarily be revealed to the public.

Dealing with employee issues is difficult, he said. Settlements occur in Congress all the time. Few members have not gone through that.

When a member has made a settlement of sexual-harassment claims, I think that kind of information needs to at some point be public and noted, Grijalva said.

But, he went on, Other claims that occur, to the benefit of both the employee and the employer, so that those individuals can go on and continue to work in an environment that is more conducive to their capacities, that might be a different matter.

Why should it, though? When it is taxpayer money that is being used to settle these disagreements, and when the accusation may involve behavior such as at-work drunkenness, that reflects on the congressmans ability to do his job.

Sexual harassment may seem to be all that matters as controversy swirls around congressional settlements of complaints, but its not.
In an attempt to turn around unruly behavior and, ultimately, improve test scores, Tucson Unified School District is pumping resources into an east-side K-8 school that has been plagued by absenteeism, defiance of authority and other disciplinary problems.

And TUSD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo wants the district Governing Board to re-evaluate disciplinary practices district-wide in the coming month.

But Sylvia Campoy, the representative for the Latino plaintiffs in the districts longstanding desegregation order, said the district will need approval from the court to make any major changes to its discipline policy, and the district hasnt even mentioned the plan to the plaintiffs or special master overseeing the case.

I was blown away that plaintiffs havent heard one single word about this, Campoy said.

Trujillo announced the new initiative for Booth-Fickett Magnet K-8 school, 450 S. Montego Drive, at a hastily scheduled press conference Tuesday, saying while behavioral problems are a problem at schools across the district, Booth-Ficketts problems are more pronounced.

I think the difference with Booth-Fickett is the amount of parents and employees that are expressing concern. We listen to parents, we listen to employees from within the school, and employees who have visited the school, he said.

The districts 2017 employee surveys show that 90 percent of employees at Booth-Fickett dont think students treat teachers with respect. More than 80 percent said students dont behave in class. Nearly 80 percent of employees said they saw, or students reported, bullying or harassing.

More than a third of students said they have been the victim or bullying or harassment more than rarely.

Trujillo said the problems didnt rise to the level of assaults or systemic bullying but were enough to make the school unmanageable for teachers and staff workers, and were detrimental to students ability to learn.

The district recently sent a team in to audit the schools disciplinary problems and found absenteeism, truancy, defiance of authority, frequent obscenities and students simply walking out of classes without permission, he said.

When youre so focused on student management and discipline, its hard to be focused on student achievement and academic instruction, he said, noting that the next round of state testing is coming up quickly.

Booth-Ficketts scores on AzMERIT, the states main standardized test, have slipped from about 33 percent of students passing the math portion of the test in the 2015-16 school year, to just 24 percent last school year.

To combat the discipline problem, the district this month brought in an additional three campus monitors, bringing the total to five, to manage student behavior in hallways, in the cafeteria and on the playground. The school also brought in a social worker to meet with students one-on-one. And it brought in an additional school resource officer, essentially a campus cop, along with a full-time student success specialist.

All of those positions were loaned to Booth-Fickett from other schools at no additional cost to the district.

ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

Trujillo laid the blame for the schools disciplinary problems at the feet of Arizonas teacher shortage crisis, saying that the school had nine vacant teacher positions filled by substitutes, who often have a harder time controlling students than a certified teacher does.

Five of those substitutes were long-term, while the other four were daily subs. And when the school couldnt find a substitute for those daily positions, it was routinely pulling counselors and other support staff into classrooms to fill in.

So the school was allowed to hire three additional long-term substitutes, leaving just one position to be filled by daily subs.

While he acknowledged that it isnt as good as hiring full-time teachers for the positions, Trujillo hopes it will bring some stability and allow the other support staff to go back to doing their jobs.

Hes also asking the school to streamline its disciplinary procedures to allow quicker responses, and to offer clear expectations for both teachers and students.

Booth-Fickett, a K-8 magnet school for math and science with about 950 students, has been the subject of intense debate over the past few years for its problems with behavior, especially bullying.

In 2015, the school created a student bully patrol program developed by a school resource officer who saw bullying as the most prevalent problem on campus. In 2016, then-principal Charles Bermudez told media that the school was safe, but TUSDs lenient discipline policy made it hard for teachers to do their job and keep students in line.

Trujillo, who officially took over as superintendent just three months ago, said he wanted to nip Booth-Ficketts problems in the bud before they festered and became worse.

But TUSDs student discipline policy has itself been a continuing source of controversy.

The district is under a longstanding desegregation order, and as part of that, has been ordered to reduce the disproportionate discipline of minority students.

But that led to a backlash from teachers and administrators who claimed the district was artificially deflating its discipline numbers by simply not allowing teachers to discipline students.

Campoy, the representative for the Latino plaintiffs in the desegregation case, said the district still has a significantly disproportionate overrepresentation of African-American and Mexican-American students being disciplined, and African-American students are twice as likely as white students to be suspended.

Over the years the district has attempted to rewrite the discipline policy, known as the Guidelines for Student Rights and Responsibilities. But those efforts have fallen flat, despite the district paying out $35,000 to a consultant to overhaul the code of conduct.

Trujillo said he hopes this time is different, and that the TUSD Governing Board will be able to approve changes to the policy at its Dec. 12 meeting.

Its time to make recommendations for the revision of the Guidelines for Student Rights and Responsibilities, so that we have a more teacher-friendly approach to how were handling classroom disciplinary incidents that doesnt require the teacher to engage in a lot of bureaucratic steps, he said.

The district uses a restorative justice approach to disciplinary issues, meaning students are encouraged to talk through how their actions affect others, with a focus on those who are harmed. But those practices are full of bureaucratic steps that take up teachers classroom time, Trujillo said.

You have systems on each campus, and on some campuses, before a disciplinary infraction will be handled by the administration, the teacher will be required in some instances to perform seven, eight, nine or 10, interventions, he said.

Trujillo said he would recommend getting that number down to no more than three interventions by a teacher before a principal or vice principal steps in.

Every time an intervention is being performed on the spot, its time away from the teacher, from instruction on math and (English) to address repetitive behaviors, he said.

But Campoy said the problem isnt the restorative justice practices, but rather that teachers arent properly trained in how to implement them and that the policy has never been clearly articulated by the district.

Its not the policy. Its the misinterpretation of the policy, and the misalignment between policy and practice. Its confusion to the extreme, she said.
Crystallizing moments of peril and hope, with a heaping dose of goodwill on the side Llevate mis Amores , or as it has been translated for English-speaking audiences, All of Me, likely leaving audiences with a bit more of their faith in humanity restored. This documentary chronicles the activities of a group of women in rural Mexico, who have, for more than a decade, prepared and distributed food for migrants on the back of la Bestia as it rolls towards the US border. The film no doubt is an educational experience for many of us and is free to attend. The lights dim around 7pm at the NHCC for the filmget there a little bit early to claim your spot. (Maggie Grimason)

A group of women from the Mexican village of La Patrona prepare food, bag and toss it to migrants traveling on top of the freight train known as La Bestia.

Based in the Mexican village of La Patrona, this documentary offers an intimate insight into a group of women, appropriately known as the Patronas, who since 1995 have prepared food, bagged it, and tossed it to migrants traveling on top of the freight train known as La Bestia (The Beast) as it makes its way to the U.S. Their remarkable example of love and solidarity, despite the risk both to themselves and to those riding the rails, contrasts with the violence of one of the cruelest stretches in the world for undocumented travelers. Presented as part of the Bank of America Free Thursday Film Series.

2014; directed by Arturo Gonzalez Villasenor; Spanish with English subtitles; 90

Free ticketed event; tickets available one hour before show
When Democrats say Donald Trumps statements and tweets are frequently exaggerations or outright lies, his supporters have often deflected the criticism as partisan attack.

But when a real conservative, Michael Hayden, retired Air Force general, former head of both the CIA and the National Security Agency, speaks, he deserves to be taken seriously by every reasonable Republican.

Hayden has no need to curry favor to keep a job or get one. He speaks as a patriot who has served our country with distinction at the highest levels.

He says of today, If this is who we are becoming, I have wasted 40 years of my life. Until now it was not possible for me to conceive of an American President capable of such an outrageous assault on truth, a free press or the first amendment.

We, responsible Republicans as well as Democrats, should salute him for telling it like it is. And say so. No Republican office holder should be allowed to agree with Hayden and remain silent.

Norman Sherman

Southeast side
With the current revelations concerning the extent of sexual harassment and assault suffered by women at the hands of men in positions of power, it is safe to say that women in every area of professional endeavor have been subjected to such degrading and illegal behavior.

Women are now speaking up more publicly and in growing numbers, and I want to add my voice to that rising chorus.

As a veteran elementary school teacher, I have enjoyed a rewarding career that has allowed me to positively affect the lives of hundreds of wonderful children. The importance of establishing trust and caring with and among my students became obvious from the start, and I always paid particular attention to ensuring that boys and girls learned to treat each other with respect and kindness.

Although the teaching profession is largely made up of women, it provided me no refuge from the predatory culture of sexual harassment that afflicts our nation. Whether it was from school administrators, male colleagues, custodians or even the fathers of some of my students, the sheer number of incidents that I experienced during my career has been a grueling ordeal, ranging from the many salacious comments that were directed at me to actual sexual assault.

I still remember how uncomfortable I felt when a guidance advisor at my university repeatedly discouraged me from becoming a teacher, saying that I was too pretty and should consider modeling instead. I once had a principal who admitted having assigned me to an out-of-town conference in mid-February because he wanted to ensure that I wouldnt spend Valentines Day with your boyfriend. At another school, a female principal explained that although the other women in the faculty could wear sleeveless tops, I must avoid doing so because your shoulders are too sexy.

After reporting one particularly disturbing incident of sexual harassment, my principal offered to intervene by hosting a meeting where the harassing individual and I could talk things out. It was only after I obtained a restraining order that any action was taken, and a number of other women on the staff quietly confessed to me that they, too, had suffered harassment from that disgusting person.

It is difficult to describe the long-term impact these experiences have had on me. At first, I felt scared and somewhat confused. Should I keep quiet? Had I done something to deserve such treatment? Later, I developed a deep depression that made it hard for me to face the world. Some mornings I would feel panic attacks as I prepared for school, my stomach twisted into knots, knowing that I might have to interact with one of my tormentors.

Today, after taking a break from teaching for medical reasons, I am happy to be returning to my classroom. I have gathered strength from my supportive family, from my doctor and counselor, and from the many brave women who have so recently begun to tell their stories.

Teaching is my calling, and Arizonas students need teachers now more than ever. We have much work yet to do. Future generations of boys and girls will some day develop a better understanding about the need to show each other respect and kindness  and to extend that respect and kindness into their lives as men and women. That day cannot come too soon.
Help India!

By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

Prof GC Tripathi, now the former vice-chancellor at Banaras Hindu University, made a remark on his farewell speech on Sunday which has raised the tension levels among the University staff who were appointed during Tripathis tenure.

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While addressing a gathering of around hundred selected individuals, Prof Tripathi said, I have had to select incompetent individuals on various posts in compulsion.

Tripathi came covertly in University premises on Sunday to attend a farewell ceremony held for him. Only the students from BHUs medical college were invited to avoid any sort of disruption and protest against Tripathi, who has been one of the most controversial vice-chancellors of the University.

Now, the local media is following Tripathis words to trail out the link between his compulsion and the appointments during his tenure, which has left a number of people appointed during that period extremely worried.

In August this year, TwoCircles.net published two investigations on how BHU has been defying reservation rules and appointing upper caste individuals on teaching staff posts. The reports can be accessed here and here.

After Tripathis recent remarks, former vice-chancellors of the University as well as Tripathis fierce critiques have got a chance to trap him again.

Prof Lalji Singh, who held the VC post just before GC Tripathi, told Hindi Daily Amar Ujala, There is no pride without competency. Passing such remarks only shows the mentality of him (Prof. Tripathi).

Dr Om Shankar, Assistant professor of Cardiology at Institute of Medical Sciences, wrote a Facebook post soon after Tripathis controversial remark came into the media. Om Shankar, in his Facebook post, said, You wrote No Suitable Candidate Found for the posts belonging to reserved categories, why you did not adopted the same measure for the posts belonging to unreserved category?

You basically quashed the Mahamanas (Madan Mohan Malviya) values and ideas by bringing Mahamanas name in every other thing, wrote Om Shankar.

Various student activists and staff at the university have started raising demands to set up a probe on the appointments done under Tripathis regime. Those who may possibly come under the probe, now live in fear.

One assistant professor from the science faculty, who was appointed in 2017, talked with TwoCircles.net on the condition of anonymity. He said, We were given a walkthrough through the interview room. I have spent not more than two minutes in front of the interviewers.

If the suspected probe is ordered, we all may face action. Lets hope that does not happen, added the assistant professor. He, however, refused to discuss that on which grounds he was appointed.

When TwoCircles.net tried to approach the university officials regarding Tripathis remarks, we were told to clarify with Tripathi as he is responsible for making the remarks.

If rumours to be believed, various appointments in BHU were made in exchange of money or on behalf of a relation or the social stature with the candidates. But university officials as well as the appointed candidates have been constantly denying to respond to such allegations.
Help India!

By Mirza Mosaraf Hossain, TwoCircles.net

The death of a woman from an industrialist family in West Bengals Raniganj town has raised several doubts over the action of the police after it refused to register a case of murder and instead booked the incident as a suicide.

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On October 5, Pushpa Bhalotia, a 39-year-old housewife of a renowned industrialist family residing in West Burdwans Raniganj block was found burnt in her in-laws house on October 5 of this year. When she was brought to a private hospital in Durgapur, the doctors declared her dead. However, the post-mortem report turned the case upside down and added enough doubts over the theory that this was a case of suicide. The doctors conducting the post-mortem found a bullet in her head and half of her body burnt.

However, the family of her in-laws stuck to the story that this was a case of suicide. But what is more worrying is that despite the revelations made in the post-mortem report, the local police refused to register any F.IR or any Suo Moto action, even when one of Pushpas brothers approached to file a murder case against the in-laws family on October 6 on the ground that it was a suicide. The family of Pushpa alleged that her husband Manoj Bhalotia was having an extramarital affair with the niece of Om Prakash Bajoria, the President of Raniganj Chamber of Commerce. They accused Bajoria of using his political influence to quash the evidence to protect the prime suspects and conspirators of this murder. What makes the suicide story even more difficult to believe is that all the people who are said to be behind the ghastly death have fled their residences.

On October 14, an RTI activist, Mustaquim Siddiqui from Jharkhand, the national convener of Insaaf India, a non-political organization filed an RTI under section 7(1) whereas the information concerning the life and liberty of person shall be provided within 48 hours to the Public Information Officer, Asansol Durgapur Commissionerate seeking investigation details of the case. However, the said authority refused to respond. The same thing happened at the First Appellate Authority which remained silent over the same concern when on October 30, the RTI activist approached them. The First Appellate Authority also refused to provide a valid reason for denying information in the case.

Only on November 6, 2017, a month after the murder, an FIR was lodged on behalf of Gopal Agarwal, one of the brothers of Pushpa, after social activists started raising voices against the injustice. In his FIR, Gopal named Manoj Bhatolia, the husband, Rajesh Bhalotia, Manojs cousin and Sabita Bhalotia, Rajeshs wife in the FIR. But after the FIR, the family of Gopal has been receiving constant threats with dire consequences to withdrawing the case. Gopals family also alleged that despite filing an FIR, the police are yet to start an investigation into the matter.

Pushpa Bhalotia, the daughter of Banwary Lal Agarwal, originally from Jharkhands Bokaro district, was married to Manoj Bhalotia of Ranjganj in West Bengal in 1995. She has two children who are now pursuing their studies in Australia. Ever since their marriage, the couple would have issues and fight over petty things. There were times when we sent Pushpa back to her in-laws house after convincing her that all would we well. But we never thought something like this would happen, said Brahmanand Agarwal, one of her brothers.

When the family saw the inaction of the West Bengal police over the murder, the family members along with some social organisations, Students union, Women activists, human rights activists, journalists, and advocates, arranged a Press Conference in Kolkata on November 23. All the participants who spoke sought a proper investigation. RTI activist Siddiqui has already forwarded a mail to the Home Ministry requesting for recommendation of CBI investigation and the copies of the same were sent to twelve more places including the West Bengal Commission for Women, Chief Minister of West Bengal. The Registrar of the Supreme Court of India and the Prime Minister and the President of India.

Mustaquim Siddiqui, who has been working on the case for more than 50 days, said The case has been fabricated by the police. If she tried to kill herself, she would have done so by a gunshot or by burning. How can one kill himself/herself with gunshot and fire at the same time? He added, The post-mortem report also said the bullet was not from a licensed gun. This also raises the question where she would get a smuggled gun to kill herself. He also told to TwoCircles.net that the case has now turned to prove who is mightier as the two families belong to wealthy industrialist Marwari families.

When Brahmanand Agarwal, the brother of the victim, was asked why they are considering the death as a murder case, he said,  if the accused are not the culprits, then they should not have run away from their homes after October 5. Till now we are getting threats to withdraw the case from unknown numbers, who seemed to be from the accused family. He added they are hopeful the police will conduct a thorough investigation and ensure justice to his sister.
North Korea tested yet another intercontinental ballistic missile the other day. The missile flew for almost an hour at a ridiculously high trajectory (so high that US Defence Secretary James Mattis has speculated that, at a normal trajectory, the missile could reach everywhere in the world, basically). The missile reached a height of 4,500 km, which is over ten times the height of NASAs International Space Stations orbit, before plummeting back down to Earth and into the oceans off the coast of Japan.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is furious

The whole thing has gotten Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe filled with rage. Dont mess with him. Dont shoot a ballistic missile over his head. Abe was one of the first officials to come forward and condemn North Korea for its test launch, calling it intolerable and vowing that Japan will never give in to Kims tauntings. He also called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

US President Donald Trump has promised to handle the North Korea crisis. He also sent out a tweet that said that funding for the government and the military in the United States is now more important than ever as the country plans for a nuclear war against Kim Jong-uns volatile regime. This shouldnt be something to be aiming for, but as long as it might be coming, military funding probably isnt a bad idea.
The international tensions with North Korea have quietened down recently. A few months ago, it seemed like a nuclear holocaust was right around the corner, and US President Donald Trump wasnt making things any better by calling Kim Jong-un, the volatile North Korean dictator, short and fat. However, it has transpired over the last couple of days that Kim hadnt calmed down and retreated into the night, but had in fact been keeping hush for a couple of months so that he could work on his most powerful missile yet, and now hes shown us what it can do.

North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) over Japan, and experts are saying its their most powerful weapon yet. According to US Defence Secretary James Mattis, the launch proves that the countrys missiles are now able to reach everywhere in the world, basically, if they wanted to. Its been two months since North Koreas last ICBM test, which used to be a massive international, geopolitical issue. China threatened them over it and then got themselves mugged off when Kim tested another one. Now, all of those tensions have been reignited and the crisis is all kicking off again.

Trump has been keeping cool about it, saying quite simply, We will take care of it. He doesnt seem to understand the gravity of a potential nuclear fallout in the wake of the outbreak of World War III, since instead of panicking and getting off his behind, hes simply sitting back and calling the crisis with North Korea a situation that we will handle. Oh, thats good.

Thanks, Trump. Good to know youve got a handle on things. Now, we can rest easy. Except no, we cant.

Japan and South Korea among the countries condemning North Korea

Leading the damning attacks on North Korea in the wake of the launch are Japan, whose skies the missile soared through following the launch, and South Korea, the straight-laced, good-natured twin of the North.

The missile landed in the ocean off the coast of Japan, which kicked off the concerns that Kims regime is alarmingly close to finally having crafted the technology necessary to get a nuclear missile all the way to the United States.

Trump or Mattis or someone had better have something up their sleeve or some plan to save the day at the last second.

We need our own real life Captain America or Jack Bauer to get us out of this one. North Korea havent done anything real yet, and maybe they wont ever do anything and theyre just teasing with these tests, but the prospect of it is terrifying enough to warrant acting on it. At least South Korea are on the right lines. They tested their own missile in response to the Norths launch.

North Korea have now tested twenty ballistic missiles this year

As were nearing the end of the year, were getting a roundup of 2017  all the statistics and the records broken and the financial figures and the comparisons with other years and how this one fares against them. One such bit of 2017 trivia is the fact that North Koreas regime have test-launched a lovely grand total of twenty ballistic missiles this year.

This one was the twentieth one in total, and its third successful test of an ICBM (the kind that, if working properly and carrying a nuclear device, could wipe out the mainland United States from all the way back in North Korea).

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed his concern that his countrys security would be sent spiralling out of control if North Korea manages to perfect the ICBM. He added that the United States might decide to launch a pre-emptive strike that could screw things right up. So, lets hope that doesnt happen. Lets hope none of this happens. Watch this space.
North Korea has launched a ballistic missile, ramping up tensions in an already dangerously tense region following months of a stand-off between the rogue state and the United States over North Korea's nuclear program. US and South Korean officials confirmed the launch within the last hour and President Trump has already given his reaction to the launch. He sternly promised "It is a situation that we will handle. We will take care of it." The move comes days after the US placed the North back onto the list of state sponsors of terrorism after the rogue nation was removed from the list back in 2008 by then Republican president George W Bush.

Another provocation from Pyongyang

This latest missile launch is seen as a major provocation from Pyongyang. It was hoped the situation regarding North Korea may have been improving as the rogue state has not conducted a missile launch since September of this year. Before September, the nation was conducting missile launches and nuclear tests with frightening regularity. It has been claimed that the North Korean nuclear program is on the verge of being able to marry an improvised nuclear device with an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) which would give the nation the ability to be able to strike U.S Pacific territories of Guam and Hawaii and possibly even strike the mainland United States.

This trajectory of this latest missile is believed to have travelled from the south of North Korea eastwards, landing in the sea just off the coast of Japan. Back in September, a missile that was launched from inside North Korea travelled over the north of Japan, causing panic when alarms were sounded in the region. The Pentagon said at the time it detected a "probable" missile with spokesman Colonel Rob Manning saying "We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available." US sources had been saying for several days that they had detected the activity of a potential missile launch within the nation.

The stand-off between the United States and North Korea has been at an all-time high this year, several serious provocations by North Korea have led to a seemingly tit-for-tat response from each side. Earlier in the year, Donald Trump famously promised to bring "fire and fury" to North Korea and went on to call the leader of the despot nation "Little Rocket Man" in a speech at the UN.

It appeared tensions had started to decrease a little since North Korea had seemingly halted the tests since September. This latest move by North Korea is likely to raise the stakes yet again as this tense stand-off seems to become more reminiscent of some of the most frightening days of the Cold War.
Growing up, some of my best Christmas mornings were the years I got a new console. When I received the original PlayStation years ago, right away it could do things that my childhood self deemed amazing. It could play music CDs, had demo discs (which were a big deal to a child with no money,) and had shiny new 3D graphics.

Here we are over ten years later, with the newest console in Sony's lineup, the PlayStation 4. While it indeed still plays music (via USB device) and has those great 3D graphics that I fell in love with years ago, the PS4 has many more bells and whistles that would look very nice under your Christmas tree, but not everything is perfect.

If you don't play games, PS4 is prepared for you, too

For starters, more than just the gaming fans in the family will get use out of it. The PS4 has all of the big streaming apps that have been advertised, like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. It also has Crunchyroll for anime fans, and you can purchase shows yourself using the PlayStation Network store. Sony also boasts its own television streaming service, PlayStation Vue, which is proving to be an alternative to cable television.

With all of these, even if one of your family members has no interest in Video Games whatsoever, they can still get a lot of use out of the console to watch movies and television shows.

In addition to streaming, the PS4 can play DVDs and Blu-ray discs, and even play those that aren't in your country's region--I've watched Japanese DVDs using my American PS4 multiple times.

The console also boasts some great titles from both first-party developers and third-party developers. Old faces like "Crash Bandicoot" and "Sonic the Hedgehog" are here via third-party developers, along with other big names like "South Park" and "Final Fantasy."

The PS4 also has some fantastic exclusive titles that you can't find anywhere else, like "Knack," "Neir: Automata," "Horizon Zero Dawn," and "Yakuza 0." No matter what genre of game you're interested in, whether you want to throw some punches at a group of tough guys or use a sniper rifle against aliens, the PS4 has you covered.

There is also online play available, allowing you to show off your skills to players all over the world.

Okay, but what's bad about all of this?

While all of those points make the system seem like the only thing you would ever need in terms of video games, the PS4 doesn't come without some flaws. For example, while I did mention it can play music via a USB device, that's your only option unless you subscribe to a paid streaming service or bring up a video via the YouTube app--music CDs are not supported.

If you want to play a DVD that isn't your region (for example, a Japanese DVD on a USA console,) you're required to change the region of your console. Each time you want to do this, you use one of the allowed five times change limit. If you're not careful, you could be stuck with a foreign PS4.

The online play, while a very nice addition that adds a lot of replayability to games, requires a payment. A subscription to the PlayStation Plus is required for some games, and cannot be played online without them. This is not the case for every single game, but if you're going to be playing the newest shooter title, you're going to have to pony up some cash to play it with others via the Internet.

The biggest flaw, one that most parents and new users will want to be aware of, is that the PS4 is not backwards compatible with past games on the PlayStation 3.

Unfortunately, in order to play PS3 games (from Sony's selection, not your own,) you'll either need to subscribe to the PS Now service, buy them on the PlayStation Network store, or keep your old console and use it. If you're looking to finish an old PS3 title on your new console, you'll have to, unfortunately, resume it on the older one.

Is the PS4 for you? Well, it depends. If you have a large library of PlayStation 3 games, it might be best to wait until the PS4 has a handful of games that you want to play. If the PS4's library attracts you with a few titles and you're looking to upgrade to Sony's latest and greatest, then the PlayStation 4 is something that will bring you loads of fun. It all depends on whether or not you really want the newest titles and don't mind waiting for them to be released.

For me, though? That remake of "Crash Bandicoot" was very appealing.
Prince Harry, the fifth in line to the royal throne, recently announced his engagement to American actress Meghan Markle and a May wedding has been scheduled. The son of Prince Charles has also commissioned a special engagement ring to be made for his fiancee. He reportedly is using gems that hold fond memories in order to make sure his future wife has a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. The ring will have three diamonds, two of which come from a broach once worn by Harry's mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The third stone comes from Botswana, where the couple vacationed early in their relationship.

A report by "People Magazine" reported most of the facts relayed in this article.

The history of Prince Harry's ring choice

Prince Harry's ring design has for the central diamond the one that came from Botswana, where he is believed to have proposed to his future wife. The two diamonds from his mother's broach are on either side of it. This will be a special one-of-a-kind engagement ring, but there is no doubt the style will be copied. After Prince Charles gave Diana a sapphire ring surrounded by diamonds, there were replica's selling all over the world.

Even if this style is duplicated, Meghan Markel will know that she has the original, which links her to a place where she and her prince enjoyed time together, as well as connecting her to his deceased mother.

The ring is yellow gold, which is said to be Ms. Markle's favorite. Princess Diana and Kate Middleton both sported engagement rings that were white gold. Middleton actually has a replica of design that Prince Charles gave his bride.

The Queen's personal jeweler designed the engagement ring

The ring was designed by Cleave and Company which is the official jeweler of Queen Elizabeth II.

A representative of the company said they were greatly honored to be chosen to be of service to Prince Harry. It stands to reason that Cleave and Company may be chosen to design the royal wedding rings as well. "People Magazine" was so enamored with the diamonds that they have a slideshow of the engagement ring from every angle.

While most people are excited about the royal engagement, the beautiful ring and the planning of a wedding others have not been so kind. The fact that Meghan Markle's father is white and her mother black is troubling to some. There has been nothing but support, however, from the members of the house of Windsor and the Queen herself has given her blessing. For Prince Harry and his soon to be princess that's all that really matters.
While Carnegie Vanguard High School senior Rukmini Kalamangalam dreams of working at the United Nations one day, for now, she holds the honor of being the first Indian-American to garner Houstons Youth Poet Laureate title. She took home the Texas citys 2017 to 2018 title with her poem After Harvey, the American Bazaar noted on November 24.

The 16-year-old award-winner will serve as a cultural arts advisor to Mayor Sylvester Turners Youth Council for throughout the year she holds the title, according to the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

Writers in the Schools in conjunction with the Mayors Office of Cultural Affairs, the City of Houston, and the Houston Public Library created the competition and award.

Kalamangalam was recognized as the citys youth poet laureate at the third annual Writers in the Schools Gala on November 10 that was held at The Astorian, which is a premier event venue in Houston. The gala event raised almost $200,000 for the program.

Previous award-winners attended gala when current title holder received scholarship

The award recipient was also given a scholarship at the gala, which prior winners attended, the Houston Chronicle relayed. The previous youth award-winners are 21-year-old Andrew White, who graduated Houstons High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and who attends New York University, as well as 17-year-old Fareena Arefeen, who currently attends HSPVA.

Kalamangalam also received publication in the Houston Chronicle for her poem After Harvey, as well as a mentorship from Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, Houstons Poet Laureate, according to the American Bazaar. She wants to create a place where young poets and other artists can not only collaborate but also share experiences, News India Times reported.

Youth poet has big dreams for students and poetry in public spaces

She has big dreams but, as her winning title indicates, she also doesnt shy from a challenge. The competition, which has been described in news reports as tough, entailed submitting a collection of poems and awaiting judges to choose from numerous applicants.

When the selection of potential winners was narrowed to five, each remaining contender vying for the award was interviewed by a panel of judges, the Times noted.

Kalamangalam explained that she also aspires to launch a column in a Houston-area publication. It is not solely so that she may express herself but to avail space so that other students can also publish poems. She is all about the arts and, much to her credit, she hopes to effect poetry readings in public spaces where people gravitate, according to the Times.

Poets focus on feminism, who she is as an Indian-American

She stated that the theme of her writing tends to focus on feminism, such as what it means to be a feminist, South Asian woman, who she is as an Indian-American, and how she fits into various societies, the Chronicle reported.

Slam poetry, according to Kalamangalam, is the intersection of art and action. She told the Chronicle that she loves slam poetry. At events she has attended, the young poet has observed people talking issues concerning injustice and ways people desire for society to advance. She conveyed that how audiences react to something can spark change and spark progress.

Robin Readler, the director of Writers in the Schools, stated that Kalamangalam winning poem, After Harvey, exemplifies how students apply writing as a means of coping following the trauma of a natural disaster. She further stated that it takes years to heal from trauma, the Chronicle wrote. Its going to take a while, and writing is a way to get from here to there.
CNN has decided to boycott the annual White House Christmas Party and the administration seems thrilled. After Sarah Huckabee Sanders decided to give her thoughts on social media, critics of the president made sure to hit back.

CNN on White House

Donald Trump has never held back his thoughts about the mainstream media as the president has engaged in a war of words with the press since the early days of his campaign. During the entire 2016 election, the former host of "The Apprentice" made a habit out of calling out the press, even doing so during his campaign rallies and creating a hostile environment for reporters and journalists in attendance.

Of all the news outlets that have rubbed Trump the wrong way, CNN is at the top of the list. Trump has often taken swipes at the cable news network on more than one occasion, whether it's during interviews or on social media. Due to the tension between the network and the commander in chief, CNN announced that they would boycott the yearly Christmas party at the White House, much to the joy of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who celebrated with a tweet on November 28.

Taking to her Twitter feed on Tuesday night, Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed her happiness that CNN would not be at the Christmas party.

"Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from CNN!" Sanders wrote.

Huckabee Sanders celebrates CNN's boycott of White House Christmas party: "Christmas comes early!" https://t.co/cvNlvLP4Kc pic.twitter.com/OHSKJ24I21  The Hill (@thehill) November 29, 2017

Sarah Huckabee Sanders' tweet comes just moments after CNN made the offical decision through a spokesperson for the network.

"In light of the Presidents continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as invited guests," the network explained.

Twitter reacts

In response to Sarah Huckabee Sanders' comments, those who oppose Donald Trump took the time to make their thoughts known. "This is so remarkably inappropriate," one tweet read.

Because she's a #FakeChristian who doesn't try practicing the gospel in her daily life. Just stands at a podium & takes cues from her Dear Leader.  GingerKid2000 (@margotjd) November 29, 2017

This is so remarkably inappropriate  Jacob Perry (@RealJacobPerry) November 29, 2017

"Sarah, you do know you work for us the American people and that you are accountable to us? Why are you so petty?" one Twitter user asked. "How many times has President Trump lied? Last count i saw it was over 600 times since being elected," Matthew Dowd wondered.

Just when I think you can't get worse...  Lee Morrell (@Leemorr23) November 29, 2017

Really Sarah? Really? You don't have something better to do? Oh wait that's right you work for a fake president who does nothing makes perfect sense that you have time for Little Snips at news organizations. Sorry excuse for a presidential Administration.  Bill Gould (@BillGould) November 29, 2017

And last I checked, the Bible frowns on that.  GingerKid2000 (@margotjd) November 29, 2017

"Really Sarah?

Really? You don't have something better to do? Oh wait that's right you work for a fake president who does nothing makes perfect sense that you have time for Little Snips at news organizations. Sorry excuse for a presidential Administration," a tweet read. "Just when I think you can't get worse..." an additional post stated. The negative reaction to Sarah Huckabee Sanders continued to pour in as the media's rift with the president moved forward.
Voters in Alabama are in a quandary. They are faced with a special election in which they have a choice between a man who has been accused by multiple women of chasing teenage girls for sexual relationships when he was in his 30s and another man who is a liberal Democrat. Ordinarily, someone like Roy Moore would have no chance of becoming a United States senator.

However, it says much about the state of the modern Democratic Party in America that Moore still has a decent shot over the Democratic candidate, Doug Jones. The election may hinge on whom Alabama voters find to be the least disgusting.

President Donald Trump has taken advantage of this dynamic by coming out not so much for Moore as against Jones.

The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017

The Al Franken factor

The wrench that has been thrown into the works courtesy of Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota cannot be understated in its effects of the Alabama special election. The fact that Franken groped at least one woman while she was asleep is not refutable. He let someone take a picture of him doing it.

Franken has also been credibly accused by the same woman of sexual assault and by several other women of similarly creepy behavior. The case for not making Moore a senator is weak so long as Franken remains a member of that august body.

The Democrats history of defending sexual misconduct committed by their own is well documented.

Former President Bill Clinton, who blew up his presidency by dallying with a young intern and who has been credibly accused of forcible rape, comes to mind. The late Sen. Teddy Kennedy, who left a young woman to die in a submerged automobile rather than answer awkward questions about drunk driving, is another example.

Blame the media

Politico has an insightful piece that suggests that the media is mostly to blame for the more than even chances of a Moore win and, by extension, Donald Trump being in the Oval Office. The piece concludes that liberal bias in the media is real and has been a problem for decades, at least since the press was busily attacking President Ronald Reagan. The hostility toward conservatives and Republicans has been as pervasive as the worshipful coverage of President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.

Many Americans have finally gotten fed up and have primarily tuned out the media when it goes after Donald Trump and Roy Moore. They lied about Reagan and both Bushes, so they must also be lying about modern Republicans. The press has destroyed their credibility and has become the boy who cried wolf. The president can now tweet about fake news,  and he will be believed by enough Americans to prosper as a result.
Leah Messer and Jeremy Calvert keep chatting amongst themselves on social media, which has prompted tons of reconciliation rumors online. But could the "Teen Mom 2" couple, who parted ways at the end of 2014 amid allegations of cheating, actually be considering giving their relationship another chance?

As fans may have noticed, Leah Messer and Jeremy Calvert have been friendly since earlier this year. They were spotted enjoying one another's company at a bar in Charleston, West Virginia weeks after Calvert's split from on-again, off-again fiancee Brooke Wehr.

However, after Calvert and Wehr reconciled, the rumors died down. Now, months later, as Calvert and Wehr appear to spend time apart once again, Calvert has returned to his online communication with his former wife.

Fans want to know what is going on between the 'Teen Mom 2' cast members

"When are you and Jeremy gonna get back together," one fan asked Messer on October 29. In response, Leah Messer told the fan, "We're not." The mother of three also shut down a fan on Twitter at the end of the week saying, "Noooo," when asked if she and Jeremy Calvert were dating again.

Leah Messer and her former husband got married in 2012 and welcomed their daughter Adalynn in 2013. Then, just over a year later, Jeremy Calvert shocked his fans and followers on Twitter when he appeared on the social media platform and accused his "Teen Mom 2" star wife of cheating on him with her ex-boyfriend Robbie Kidd.

Months later, after confirming plans for divorce, Messer and Calvert's divorce was finalized and they've been co-parenting their daughter, four-year-old Adalynn since.

Did Jeremy Calvert and Brooke Wehr break up again?

Jeremy Calvert and Brooke Wehr haven't revealed the nature of their romance in recent months nor shared any new photos of one another for the past several weeks.

They have, however, been active on their Instagram pages for some time. As fans will recall, Calvert and Wehr began dating in 2015 around the time Messer split from Calvert. At the end of last year, during a trip with their daughters in Ocean City, Maryland, Calvert and Wehr became engaged.

To see more of Leah Messer, Jeremy Calvert, their families, and their co-stars, including Corey Simms, Jenelle Evans, Kailyn Lowry, Briana DeJesus, and Chelsea Houska, don't miss new episodes of "Teen Mom 2" season eight. The MTV reality series airs Mondays at 9 p.m.
shannon beador and David Beador confirmed the end of their 17-year marriage at the end of last week, and now, just days later, a Radar Online report is revealing that David, who admitted to a months-long affair a couple of years ago, is already dating. On October 30, the outlet claimed the 53-year-old construction executive was living as a single man at his new bachelor pad in Southern California -- and dating more than one woman.

[David Beador] is living in a rental condo, and is trying to work out a financial settlement with Shannon, so their divorce doesnt get super messy in court, a source close to the "Real Housewives of orange county" star, also 53, told Radar Online.

The insider also said that David wasn't doing anything to keep his new romances under wraps and has been allegedly dating other women since he and his estranged wife, Shannon Beador, split weeks ago.

David Beador engaged in an affair nearly two years ago

As fans of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" will remember, Shannon Beador confirmed her husband had cheated on her during the 10th season of the Bravo Tv reality show, and around the same time, news hit the web regarding David Beador's romance with the also married Nicole McMackin. As Radar Online explained, the Beadors didn't split at the time, and after attending counseling, they seemed to be in a good place. They even chose to renew their wedding vows during the 11th season of the show.

Shannon Beador confirmed plans for divorce last week

Following months of rumors in regard to her potentially impending divorce, Shannon Beador spoke out, confirming that she and David Beador had made the difficult decision to separate. In her statement, the reality star said that despite the end of her 17-year marriage to David, she and her now estranged husband remained dedicated to their three daughters, Sophie, Stella, and Adeline.

Beador also said that she hoped the outcome of her marriage would have been difficult, but unfortunately, she and David were unable to mend their relationship. Beador then asked fans for privacy during her transitional time.

To see more of Shannon Beador, David Beador, their marriage, and their co-stars, including Vicki Gunvalson, Kelly Dodd, Tamra Judge, Meghan King Edmonds, Peggy Sulahian, and Lydia McLaughlin, don't miss the new episodes of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" season 12 on Mondays on Bravo TV at 9 PM.
Chelsea Houska appears to be fairly amused -- and confused -- about the legal letter she recently received from her "Teen Mom 2" co-star, Jenelle Evans. After opening the letter on Monday (Nov. 27), Houska took to Twitter to reveal that she had received a letter of Cease and Desist from Evans, even though she doesn't even talk about her.

Right away, fans wanted to know what had happened and questioned Chelsea Houska about the allegations being made by Jenelle Evans. In response, Houska said in a November 27 tweet that Evans was accusing her of making "false and defamatory statements" against her, which she never did.

"Who knows?" Houska tweeted.

Kailyn Lowry also received a cease and desist letter

Evans also targeted Kailyn Lowry with a letter of cease and desist and in turn, Lowry fired back, saying that if she comments on Evans' role on "Teen Mom 2," it is her own opinion. She also reminded her fans and followers that Evans once shared her phone number with her thousands of followers on Twitter. However, despite the shocking moment, Lowry took no action against her co-star.

Chelsea Houska's personal life is quite happy

As Jenelle Evans continues to face allegations of abuse, Chelsea Houska's home life with husband Cole DeBoer is thriving. In fact, the couple recently celebrated their one-year marriage with a second wedding in South Dakota.

As "Teen Mom 2" fans will recall, the couple initially got married in October of last year, just months after Houska confirmed she was pregnant with their first child. Houska is also mom to eight-year-old Aubree from her past relationship with Adam Lind, who no longer appears on "Teen Mom 2."

Chelsea Houska and Cole DeBoer seem to have a great relationship on "Teen Mom 2" but in recent posts re-tweeted by Jenelle Evans on Twitter, their at-home life may not be seen accurately on the show.

As Evans' re-tweets explained weeks ago, MTV acts like Houska is a perfect saint with no problems at all as they continue to suggest that Evans has all sorts of problems in her life at home with David Eason. "It's so obviously unbalanced I get they want more drama for ratings but it seems so edited and not true," the message from a fan read.

Chelsea Houska and her co-stars, including Kailyn Lowry, Jenelle Evans Leah Messer, and Briana DeJesus, are currently in production for the upcoming season of MTV's "Teen Mom 2." No word yet on a premiere date for the new installment.
In a stunning announcement on Wednesday morning, NBC announced that they had fired long-time network host Matt Lauer after allegations of sexual misconduct. In response, Donald Trump decided to give his thoughts on Twitter, while later turning his attention to MSNBC host Joe Scarborough.

Trump on Lauer

Over the last two months, the biggest stories making the headlines have often revolved around the sexual harassment and assault allegations against several high-profiled individuals. It all started when the New York Times broke their bombshell report detailing years of sexual misconduct at the hands of film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Following Weinstein's firing from his own company, it opened up the floodgates for more women to come out with stories of their own. From actors, to directors, to producers, to politicians in Washington, no one was safe as women finally started to feel comfortable in revealing allegations of inappropriate behavior. The latest casualty in regards to being accused of sexual misconduct is co-host of "TODAY" on NBC, Matt Lauer. NBC made the announcement on Wednesday morning, stunned viewers in the process. Though this was the first complaint against Lauer in over 20 years, the network reviewed the situation and decided that there was enough damaging information to terminate his contract. Responding to the news was Donald Trump, who did so during a November 29 tweet.

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lacks past!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, Donald Trump gave his thoughts on the recent firing of Matt Lauer after sexual misconduct claims.

"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,'" Trump tweeted.

Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment. pic.twitter.com/1A3UAZpvPb  TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 29, 2017

Not stopping there, Donald Trump then called on top executives to be fired for pushing "fake news," while singling out the network's chairman, Andy Lack.

"When will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News," Trump wrote, before adding, "Check out Andy Lacks past!" Trump's remarks come at a time where he has decided to support Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, Roy Moore, despite numerous allegations that he sexually harassed and assaulted underage girls over the last 40 years.

Trump on "Morning Joe"

In a follow-up tweet, Donald Trump called for the investigation of "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough over the death of one of his interns during his time serving as a congressman of Florida. In 2001, Lori Klausutis was found dead in Scarborough's office in what was later ruled an accident, though it hasn't stopped conspiracy blogs from questioning what actually happened to her during that time.

So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the unsolved mystery that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

"So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin?" Donald Trump wondered. "And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the 'unsolved mystery' that took place in Florida years ago?" he continued, before adding, "Investigate!"

Moving forward

While Donald Trump compares sexual misconduct scandals to "fake news" and brings up conspiracies about other cable news hosts, the president isn't a stranger to similar allegations. A month prior to winning the election last year, a dozen women went public accusing the former host of "The Apprentice" of various allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
A technician checks a CRH train in Chongqing.[Photo/Xinhua]

China released a three-year action plan to upgrade manufacturing sectors such as new materials, shipbuilding and railway vehicles to catch up with other established rivals in the world, the nation's top economic planner announced on Monday night.

The National Development and Reform Commission released the three-year action plan (2018-20) for manufacturing business to stimulate growth points in key industries including high-speed trains, high-end vessels, offshore engineering equipment, industrial robots, new energy vehicles, new materials, biological medicine and medical devices.

The country plans to achieve industrial production of key technological breakthroughs in major manufacturing industries by 2020, the NDRC said in a statement on its website.

Eager to restore its earning ability, the country will also support and cultivate leading companies and famous brands, as well as internationally recognized industrial standards in these sectors by 2020, according to the plan.

Sun Fuquan, a researcher at the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, said even though China has become a major player in the manufacturing sector, and has more than 110 companies in the Fortune 500 list, those firms are mainly in the banking and insurance, infrastructure, real estate and energy sectors, and their influence is mostly in the domestic market.

In the railway equipment sector, the country plans to develop maglev trains with speeds of 600 kilometers per hour, automatic driving and signal systems for bullet trains, as well as freight trains with an operating speed at 160 kilometers per hour over the next three years.

In areas vital to marine transportation, resource development and national defense, China will lay extra emphasis on developing the high-end vessels and offshore engineering product, including law-enforcement vessels, ultra-large container carrier, ships for polar expeditions and semisubmersible installations for the offshore oil and gas drilling sector.

The country will be able to develop robots with autonomous programming, human-machine collaboration and dual-arm collaborative robots by 2020.

Robots that can be used to carry, weld, spray paint and clean will be widely used in the automotive, metal processing, pharmaceutical and hazardous chemical sectors.

The first demonstration base for the heavy equipment industry, consisting of users and companies for engineering design, research and development, manufacturing and examination will be set up soon. In addition, an innovation platform in the heavy equipment industry will also be built to accelerate the application of technological breakthroughs in the heavy equipment sector.

"The country needs to ensure that the current, massive investment in technologies, including the internet, robotics and virtual reality, will be leveraged to the benefit of its industriesby linking those industries to scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, and by bringing top talent close to the factories," said Shi Yong, vice-president of the Beijing-based China Machinery Industry Information Research Institute.
CHENGDU - An express freight train will run regularly between Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province and Moscow, Russia, local authorities said Tuesday.

The train is part of the China-Europe freight train service. In 2016, 460 cargo trains left Chengdu bound for Europe, making up 26 percent of the total freight trains leaving China for Europe.

In 2017, the number of Europe-bound freight trains from Chengdu will exceed 1,000, according to the city's port and logistics office.

The number of China-Europe freight trains reached a new annual record this year since starting operations in 2011, according to China Railway Corporation (CRC).

So far this year, more than 3,000 cargo trains have traveled on 57 lines between cities on the two continents, surpassing the past six years combined, and pushing the aggregate to over 6,000.
Residents stroll on a frozen street in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Tuesday, wearing thick clothes and masks. [Photo by YU CHANGJUN/FOR CHINA DAILY]

The Greater Hinggan Mountains region in Heilongjiang province is likely to see temperatures as low as - 38 C over the next two days, weather forecasters say.

The lowest temperature dropped to - 40.8 C on Saturday for the first time this winter at Dabai Mountain, according to Wu Shuqin, an observer at the Greater Hinggan Mountains Observatory.

The temperature increased slightly on Sunday and Monday, but it is expected to drop again, Wu said.

The region, regarded as the coldest in China, usually sees winters lasting eight months. Its record low temperature is - 52.3 C.

According to Wu, the expected temperature drop over the next two days is linked to a cold front that will first hit Northeast China and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, before moving south.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the front will cause temperatures to drop 10 to 14 degrees, and even 16 degrees in some places, over the next three days.

In central and eastern China, the cold air will also bring strong winds and sharp drops in temperatures through Thursday, the center said.

Despite the extreme cold weather, border police will continue to patrol the China-Russia border in Mohe county, Heilongjiang province, China's northernmost county and part of the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

"When we started patrolling at 7:30 this morning, the snow was more than kneedeep, and the sharp ice sheets along the river made things difficult," said Zhang Chunmao, a border patrol officer. "It took us three hours to make a trip that usually requires only one hour. I wrapped myself up in thick clothes, but the bitter wind still cut through them."

Gao Junfeng, head of the police station, said: "As winter tourism becomes popular, more tourists travel north to experience the extremely cold weather or explore the aurora borealis. Some will lose their way in the forests and snowy lands."

Gao added that the station will strengthen controls and look out for the safety of locals and tourists through foot patrols and video surveillance.




China and Hungary signed 11 agreements to promote cooperation in fields such as e-commerce, tourism, education and smart cities as Premier Li Keqiang made his first visit to the European country as premier on Tuesday.

The signing was witnessed by Li and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban following the premier's participation in the sixth Meeting of Heads of Government of China-Central and Eastern European Countries in Budapest, Hungary's capital.

On Tuesday afternoon, the premier's state visit started with a 30-minute welcoming ceremony, during which a cavalry unit passed before the two leaders on a square in front of the Hungarian National Assembly building.

The two leaders have maintained frequent exchanges, as Orban was received by Li in Beijing in May during his visit to China and participation in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Hungary also is one of the three countries with a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, following Serbia and Poland.

"Hungary is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited and has achieved 4 percent economic growth, which is an extraordinary accomplishment for a country with about $20,000 of GDP per capita," Li said when meeting the media with Orban.

Li said China has a huge market and is a new generator of economic growth, and the two countries should view each other's development as an opportunity.

Their bilateral trade maintained double-digit growth last year amid a sluggish global economy and China's imports from Hungary increased by 20 percent, the premier said. The first three quarters of this year saw China import more from Hungary than it exported to the country.

Hungary attracts about one-third of the Chinese investments in CEE nations and China will continue investing in its partner to create more jobs and bring it advanced technologies and management experience, Li said.

Last year, bilateral trade increased by 10.1 percent year-on-year to $8.89 billion, making Hungary the third-largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe for China, according to the Economic and Commercial Counselor's Office at the Chinese embassy in Budapest.

Hungary was China's largest source of imports last year among CEE countries. The EU member's exports to China were up by 20 percent to $3.46 billion in 2016, the office said. China's exports to Hungary were up by 4.4 percent last year.

"We want balanced trade and hope Chinese consumers will enjoy more diverse products," the premier said. "Hungary and China have had long-term connections in history. We are willing to establish higher-education institutions together and encourage each of the peoples to travel to the other country."

The Hungarian prime minister said China's 6 percent to 7 percent economic growth means it has enormous production capacity and will import more goods from other countries.

"Chinese enterprises have made investments all over the world, and many countries want to participate in China's economic growth. Hungary is the largest destination for Chinese investments in Central and Eastern Europe, and we will provide an inviting environment for investors," Orban said.

huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn
Actress Angelababy wears a du dou in the 2014 film Rise of the Legend. [Photo/Mtime]

Recently, supermodels shined in the spotlight wearing underwear at this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai. Their performance became a feast to the eyes for both men and women.

Yet, to women, the more important thing they care about is not the show, but the underwear itself.

Victoria's Secret: friendly or not

Nice underwear must be able to protect women's bodies and display their natural beauty. In addition, it should make women feel proud of themselves, rather than shameful.

So, is Victoria's Secret really friendly to Chinese women?

"Their bras are only for women who have a 'perfect' figure," an anonymous user said on Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer website. The user also added that these bras do not fit as well as many domestic brands do.

As to the quality, some users complained about the brand's materials on Zhihu and the online marketplace Taobao. They said Victoria's Secret panties are not comfortable and the material looks cheap.

Some users even used the word "trash" to describe some of the brands products, which could only be worn once before quickly losing their shape.

On the other hand, Chinese women, especially ancient ones, had more comfortable and high-quality choices that would not allow them to doubt if their body was perfect or not.
The Song of the Pipa Player, by Fu Baoshi. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An ink-brush figure painting by modern master Fu Baoshi (1904-65) grossed HK$204.85 million ($26 million) at a Christie's auction Tuesday in Hong Kong.

The painting titled The Song of the Pipa Player articulates a scene described in a famous narrative poem from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), written by statesman and poet Bai Juyi.

The painting demonstrates Fu's interest in classic Chinese literature and his maturity with visualizing some of these works through precise brushstrokes and skillful handling of colors.

It was once in the family collection of Hsiang-his Kung, an influential banker and politician in early 20th-century China.

Fu's most expensive work at auction is an album of eight landscapes he produced between 1964 and 1965 to narrate poems of the late chairman Mao Zedong. It fetched 230 million yuan ($34.9 million) at a Beijing auction in 2011.
For patients seeking treatment from street markets or the internet, this is an alarming figure: an estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified.

The finding, released by the World Health Organization in a report on Tuesday, estimates the observed failure rates of substandard and falsified medical products in developing countries at about 10.5 percent, with estimated spending in the order of $30 billion.

It was the WHO's first report on its Global Surveillance and Monitoring System for substandard and falsified medical products, which went into operation in July 2013.

China is among the countries that have reported suspect medical products to the WHO's new system over the past four years, according to the report. WHO has provided national medicine regulators with an information hub, where they can also check if similar suspect products have been found elsewhere.

I believe the severity of the WHO findings and its suggestions should be taken seriously by governments of all developing nations, including China, a country whose online drugstore sales alone were estimated to have exceeded 11 billion yuan ($1.69 billion) last year.

In fact, what happened in China has mirrored the findings in the WHO report, and the country is moving in the right direction to countering the specter of fake and substandard drugs.

The WHO said that much of the media coverage around fake medicines, particularly those purchased over the internet, has focused on what are known as lifestyle medicines, such as slimming tablets and treatments for impotence.

But over the past four years, the WHO has received reports of substandard or falsified medical products in all therapeutic categories, covering everything from cancer medicines to contraception, from antibiotics to vaccines, it said.

In China, a story that went viral several years ago was a telling example about the rampancy of fake drugs in the market. It said that a man failed to commit suicide by taking heavy doses of a drug, only to find it was a knockoff.

Earlier this year, police in East China's Jiangsu province arrested a bogus medical expert who fraudulently claimed to be associated with numerous medical institutions to endorse the products she was promoting as miracle cures.

In early 2016, Shandong police arrested 37 suspects, including a mother and daughter who are implicated in selling improperly stored or expired vaccines worth more than $88 million across 20 provincial-level regions since 2011.

In August, police in Loudi, Hunan province in Central China, broke up a ring producing and selling counterfeit weight-loss drugs, whose sales network spanned more than 20 provinces. Total trade by the ring exceeded $15.15 million, according to a Xinhua report.

What Beijing is doing in targeting the problem is encouraging.

In its latest move to regulate online drug sales, the China Food and Drug Administration has released a draft regulation, seeking to ban online drugstore chains from selling prescription medicines on the internet.

It also says that any online drugstore must stop selling any drugs that have been reported having quality problems.

A draft of the online drugstore regulation and supervision rules is open to public comment until Nov 30.

Contact the writer at huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com
An attorney in Southern California has pleaded guilty to a $50million EB-5 visa fraud, involving some of China's most-wanted fugitives accused of bribery and other crimes.

Victoria Chan, 35, operated a business called the California Investment Immigration Fund (CIIF) with her Chinese-national father Tat Chan in San Gabriel since 2008.

The operation was shut down in April when federal agents raided CIIF's office and Chan's residence.

Chan and her father persuaded more than 100 Chinese nationals seeking green cards through the EB-5 program to invest a total of $50 million with CIIF and related companies.

The federal EB-5 visa program requires applicants to make an investment of at least $1 million (or $500,000 in an area designated as rural or high-unemployment) and create or preserve at least 10 jobs for US workers in exchange for permanent residency in the US, or agreen card.

Chan admitted that much of the money collected by CIIF from the primarily Chinese investors was either stolen by the conspirators or refunded to the investors.

She submitted an estimated 130 fraudulent EB-5 visa applications to federal immigration authorities. Many of those applications falsely claimed that the foreign investments were being used to fund construction projects that were creating new jobs.

Instead of legitimately investing the funds into US businesses, Chan stole the funds to purchase homes in her name, including residential properties each worth nearly $1 million, according to the US attorney's office of the central district of California.

Prosecutors filed nine civil complaints in May to seek forfeiture of nine properties purchased in connection with the fraud.

Chan, along with other people and entities related to her, agreed to forfeit to the government eight properties worth nearly $25 million. A ninth property,a parcel in Rancho Cucamonga named in an asset forfeiture complaint related to the scheme, is expected to be forfeited in the coming weeks, according to the US attorney's office.

Chan pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit visa fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and international money laundering.

She faces up to 45 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2018.

According to court documents, some of Chan's clients were on China's "100 Most Wanted List" after being charged with crimes such as bribery. They were able to obtain green cards based on false information.

Xu Jin, listed as No. 13 on the most-wanted list, was director of the development and reform commission in Wuhan.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
China's deputy permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Wu Haitao said China is firmly opposed to terrorism in all forms, during a meeting focused on combating foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs).

Speaking before the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Wu said China is ready to join hands with other countries and international organizations to jointly address the threat of terrorism and maintain world peace and stability.

As an important participant in international counterterrorism efforts, China has actively participated in multilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the UN-Shanghai cooperation organization and Global Counterterrorism Forum.

Wu called terrorism a common enemy of mankind.

"Facing this challenge, the international community must realize that we are all in a community with a shared future," he said.

Wu appealed to bring in-house counterterrorism cooperation into full play.

"The leading role of the UN and the Security Council is to respect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of all countries, follow a uniform standard and reject the practice of associating terrorism with specific ethnicities or religions," he said.

In recent years, terrorist forces have carried out violent attacks around the world.

In response to the unpredictable nature of terrorism, with FTFs becoming more organized and the means of attack becoming more diversified, Wu proposed that comprehensive measures must be taken to remove both the symptoms and the root causes of terrorism.

Wu called for enhancing efforts to combat terrorist activities by using the internet.

To prevent the flow and return of FTFs, UN counter-terrorism agencies and relevant international organizations should establish data bases and information exchange platforms, share intelligence, block the flow of FTFs and assist member states in capacity building on the basis of respecting their sovereignty.

He said the flow of FTFs and financing for terrorism have become easier, more hidden and more international. Internet and social media are being used by terrorist organizations to conduct incitement, recruit terrorist fighters and plan terrorist attacks.

The international community should firmly block the use of social media for spreading extremist ideologies, strengthen internet supervision and stop terrorist groups from using theinternet to expand and finance their activities.

Lastly, Wu calledfor respecting the diversity of civilizations and tackling the root causes of terrorism, namely wars and conflicts, ethnic hatred and poverty and backwardness.

The international community should remain committed to assisting member states in poverty alleviation and strengthening political settlement on regional issues, he said.

Creating a sound environment for dialogue on an equal footing is key to peaceful, harmonious coexistence among different civilizations and religions, he said.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
The latest missile test by Pyongyang on Wednesday local time has prompted US President Donald Trump to vow Washington "will take care of" the situation, while the US' top diplomat repeated that diplomatic options remain viable and open.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired what the US Pentagon said appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in the sea close to Japan on Wednesday.

The launch came a week after Trump relisted the DPRK as a state sponsor of terrorism, a designation Pyongyang called a "serious provocation and violent infringement".

"I will only tell you that we will take care of it. ... It is a situation that we will handle," Trump told reporters during a meeting at the White House on Tuesday.

The United States and Japan have asked for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday over the test, diplomats said, according to Reuters.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday condemned the launch and urged the international community to take new steps to press Pyongyang to halt development of nuclear arms.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," Tillerson said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as of press time. Beijing has repeatedly urged all parties, especially the main parties directly concerned, to make efforts toward the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Last Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that with the advancement of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, the situation on the Korean Peninsula had been stable recently "without large-scale accident or serious situation", which Wang said was comforting.

The Chinese foreign minister, at a joint press conference with visiting French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Beijing last Friday, said that the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue has lasted for more than two decades, and the most valuable experience hence is that if all parties meet each other halfway to create positive interaction, agreements then follow.

"The most important lesson is that if some parties flex their muscle and misunderstand each other, the opportunities for peace will disappear," Wang said, according to a release posted on the foreign ministry's website.

Wang analyzed several prospects of the nuclear issue and said the top priority is to comprehensively and fully implement the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council to bring the issue back to negotiations as soon as possible, or at least to maintain stability and prevent the situation from deteriorating into confrontation.

The latest DPRK missile, launched in the early hours of Wednesday, flew for about 50 minutes and crashed into the sea in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese broadcaster NHK said.

"The test is unusual in that it was conducted in the dead of night, perhaps reflecting North Korean concerns about avoiding a US ballistic missile defense intercept," the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a newsletter on Tuesday.

The Washington-based think tank said historical data suggests that a significant uptick in testing will come in early 2018. On Nov 22, it predicted the likelihood of a test within the next 14 days.

Minutes after Pyongyang fired the missile, Seoul conducted a missile-firing test in response, Reuters reported.

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com
 Courtesy of ondrejprosicky - Fotolia.com



Located on Museum Drive, the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science is one of the top Tallahassee attractions that consists of an environmental science center, several historic buildings, and a natural habitat zoo. The museums goal is to educate people about the cultural and natural history of the Beg Bend area in which the city of Tallahassee is situated.

There are several exhibits, and one of the most popular is Big Ben Farm. This exhibit shows visitors what rural life was like in northern Florida in the 1800s; visitors see farm buildings with animals, houses, gardens, and a gristmill.

Wildlife Florida allows visitors to see many animals like bears, bobcats, and deer, as well as the endangered Florida panther and red wolves. The museum also has Animal Encounters, a program in which staff members show and teach children about one of the museums animals.

3945 Museum Drive, Tallahassee, FL, Phone: 850-575-8684

More Florida destinations: 20 Best Things To Do in Miami This Weekend.





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A NANG  Car maker Truong Hai Automobile company (Thaco) has opened a new bus plant in the Chu Lai-Truong Hai Industrial Complex in Quang Nam Province. It will make 20,000 buses and minibuses a year from 2018, mostly for export to ASEAN countries.

Deputy director of Thaco, Pham Van Tai, said the plant, which covered 17ha and involved investment of more than US$300 million, would supply high-quality vehicles. He said the new plant, built using 60 per cent Vietnamese-made components, would produce engines meeting Euro 4 Emission Standards.

"We have sped up the localisation ratio to produce good quality and competitively priced vehicles to take advantage of the zero tax being introduced throughout the ASEAN region next year, Tai said.

He said the company had developed a supportive industry zone with 24 plants producing spare parts and accessories for local use and export.

Thaco has also built a research and development centre at the new bus plant as well as an automatic welding line and power coating for painting vehicles.

In 2010, Thaco invested $44 million to build the first plant to make 45-seat buses with a capacity of 5,000 vehicle per year. VNS
HCM CITY  The EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, set to be signed next year, will benefit both sides, a workshop heard in HCM City yesterday.

The EU is a very important partner with significant impacts on the development of Viet Nam, Truong inh Tuyen, the former trade minister, said.

The EVFTA has become more important to the country after the USs withdrawal from the TPP.

Phan uc Hieu, deputy director of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said the EVFTA negotiations were concluded in 2015, and this is the time for a general review and assessment of the deal.

Dr Claudio Dordi, team leader of the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP), said: There is still a lot of work to be done in Europe due to several reasons.

Firstly, trade agreements and trade negotiations are not really popular in western countries now, especially with US President Donald Trumps policies creating uncertainties in global trade, he said.

Secondly, after a lot of jobs were lost in Europe to the economic downturn, EU countries are fearful of competition from others, he said.

Thirdly, Europe prefers to deal with countries that have a level playing field, he said.

Besides, there are several issues related to sustainable development that need further assessment, but the two sides are working very hard to sign the agreement as early as next summer (around July or August), he added.

Tax incentives

Once the agreement comes into effect, the EU will remove all import taxes on Vietnamese goods within seven years, while Viet Nam will do so within 10.

This means many of Viet Nams main export products will be able to enter the EU completely without tariffs, and experts said this would be a huge boost to the countrys exports to the EU.

According to a study by EU-MUTRAP, EVFTA can boost Viet Nams GDP by US$3.2 billion by 2020 and $7.2 billion by 2030.

Its exports to the EU will rise to $42 billion by 2025 and $47 billion by 2030.

Fifty per cent of the tariff lines on aquatic products will be removed right after the FTA takes effect.

There will be no tax on rice (with a quota of 20,000-30,000 tonnes a year).

Goods like coffee, pepper, cashew, honey, fresh vegetables, fruits and their processed products or juice will also see tariffs removed instantly. They attract rather high tariffs at the moment of up to 20 per cent on some items.

Apparel and footwear are two of Viet Nams major export items to the EU, with shipments of $3.5 and $4 billion a year.

They will see tariffs cut after the FTA takes effect. Wood and wood products, computers and electronic products and components will also see rates cut.

Despite the tax breaks, the EU is a very demanding market in terms of quality, food hygiene and safety standards and protection of consumer rights.

Therefore, Vietnamese businesses must first upgrade their value chain and play by the rules of the EU, especially with respect to those on origin, experts warned.

EVFTA will provide a lot of important opportunities for Vietnamese business, but of course they should be able to exploit them, Dr Dordi said.

He said Vietnamese businesses usually focus on the last part of production which has very little value. For example, if Viet Nam produces garments from home-made fabrics rather than from imports, it would benefits more from the EVFTA, he said.

In general, many key export sectors such as footwear, textiles and garments, fisheries, wood and wooden products are growing at slow speeds because most of the production in these sectors is based on low value-added stage of production.

They should upgrade their value chain and start more made in Viet Nam manufacturing, improve their capacity to produce processed foods and high value-added products to take full advantage of the EVFTA, he added.

The workshop was held to discuss the potential impacts of the EVFTA.

The EU is an economic union consisting of 28 member states and a population of 508 million, with a total GDP of US$18 trillion, making it the largest single market in the world.

It is one of Viet Nams leading trade partners, accounting for 19 per cent of the countrys exports.

Viet Nam-EU exports were worth $20.6 billion in 2015.VNS
HCM CITY  Overseas remittances coming into HCM City in the first 10 months of this year were worth US$3.9 billion, the State Bank of Viet Nam has said.

Most of the remittances still come from countries such as the US, Australia and Canada, with the US accounting for around 60 per cent of the amount.

However, remittances from places like China, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN member countries are rising though still small.

The central bank said another $1.3 billion would come in this year, considering remittances normally spike at the end of the year.

This will take the full-year figure to $5.2 billion, a 6 per cent increase over last year.

The increase in remittances is one of the causes of the recent exchange rate stability.

The steady exchange rate means remittance receivers are less likely to hold on to their dollars.

According to the central banks city branch, on average 72 per cent of the remittances is invested in business, 22 per cent goes into real estate, while the rest is used for living expenses.  VNS
HA NOI  Italy wants to boost its investment in Viet Nam, focusing on providing more advanced technology equipment at competitive prices, while also supporting the countrys sustainable development with infrastructure and renewable energy projects, said Ivan Scalfarotto, Italian deputy minister of economic development.

He was speaking in Ha Noi yesterday at the Italian Business Mission to Viet Nam 2017 conference held for Vietnamese and Italian entrepreneurs to share investment and co-operation opportunities in Viet Nam.

The conference hosted 150 delegates representing some of Italys world-leading brands, in industries from renewable energy and infrastructure to machinery and banks and entrepreneurial associations. More than 200 Vietnamese counterparts also attended.

Italy is now Viet Nams eighth-largest trading partner in the world and the largest in the EU. Italian exports to Viet Nam include machinery, leather products and electronics. Italian investment in Viet Nam increased to $360 million in 2016 with 78 projects implemented.

Bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Italy increased sharply from US$1.13 billion in 2006 to $4.68 billion in 2016. In the first eight months of this year, bilateral trade reached $2.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9 per cent.

Identifying economic cooperation as a priority pillar of bilateral cooperation, the two countries aim to increase trade turnover to $6 billion in the 2017- 18 period. They hope to increase Italys investment in Viet Nam, especially in sectors in which Italy is strong, creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese agriculture and seafood products to access the Italian market.

Italy does not only wish to cooperate in the area of trade as in previous years, but also wants to help Viet Nam develop by supporting human resources training and capacity-building. To date, Italy has provided technological and financial support to establish a leather and footwear technological, training and application centre in Binh Duong Province, which opened in July this year, Scalfarotto added.

As regards the obstacles of Italian firms when doing business in Viet Nam, Pham Hoang Hai, executive director of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (ICHAM), told Viet Nam News that Italian firms are frustrated by the weakness of supporting industries in Viet Nam. Since most Italian firms doing business in Viet Nam are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), they are in need of component factories or auxiliary suppliers in Viet Nam and struggle to find the high-quality products they want to use.

However, Viet Nam also offers many factors that reassure Italian investors of its strong potential, such as the stability of its policy system, an encouraging corporate tax system and workers whose skills are flexible and transferable to a variety of tasks.

At the conference, two Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed. One MOU is between the Confidustria Marmomacchine  an association of Italian stone and marble manufacturing companiesand the Viet Nam Association for Building Materials and the Luc Yen White Marble Association. The other is between the ICHAM and Viet Nams General Department of Customs.

This is the first time that ICHAM has signed an agreement with Viet Nams General Department of Customs aimed at limiting trade fraud and smuggling, as well as guaranteeing that all products coming from Italy to Viet Nam are 100 per cent made in Italy or 100 per cent produced by Italian companies, said Michele DErcole, chairman of ICHAM.

The event was organised by the Italian Trade Commission (ICE), the Italian Banks Association (ABI) and the Italian Confederation of Industry Associations (Confindustria), with support from the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Embassy of Italy in Viet Nam. - VNS
HA NOI  The export turnover of Vietnamese timber and timber products is estimated to hit US$8 billion this year, 10 per cent higher than the target, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, at a meeting held yesterday on sustainable forestry development.

The forestry sector recorded many other encouraging achievements this year, said Nguyen Quoc Tri, deputy director of the ministrys Viet Nam Forestry Administration.

He cited the growth of nearly 200,000ha of forest, equivalent to100 per cent of the yearly target, rapid reduction in the number of violations of forestry-related regulations and increasing investment of businesses and people in forestry sector.

Authorised agencies detected more than 14,500 violations since early this year, a year-on-year decrease of 70 per cent.. This left 1,400ha of forest damaged, a year-on-year decrease of 20 per cent.

The payment for forest environmental services has become an important source of finance to help improve the efficiency of forest protection, management and development. The country has collected VN1.6 trillion ($71 million) for forest environmental services this year.

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan said that the forestry sector had gained basic achievements over the past years.

The rate of forest coverage increased from 28 per cent in 1992 to more than 41 per cent in 2016. The production rate of the forestry sector reached 7.1 per cent from 5.9 per cent in 2013. The amount of timber from planted forests is meeting 80 per cent of demand.

However, Tuan noted that the forestry sector still faced many challenges, particularly the damage of natural forest and low growth of forestry value and ineffective management of some forestry businesses.

More effective measures were needed to help further develop the sector, he said.

Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo said the production and processing of forest-based products still received little attention. He said it was necessary to develop a value chain from timber to management organisation, product processing and the market to increase competitiveness.

It was also necessary to pay attention to investing in both technique and human resources as well as encouraging and praising good examples of households and businesses in the sector, he said.

Participants at the event also spoke of the need for more effective measures to prevent deforestation and tackle shortcomings in the legal system and management tasks..  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams Agrimeco and Japans (JFE) held an opening ceremony for the two companies newly merged unit, Agrimeco & JFE Steel Products Co., Ltd (ANJ) in Ha Noi yesterday.

The new entity, ANJ, has a registered capital of US$2 million and is the first joint venture that JFE Steel Corporation Steel has established with a construction and steel-processing company in Vietnam, Mechanization Electrification Construction Corporation Jsc (Agrimeco).

As of February 17, 2017, JFE announced the establishment of a joint venture with 50-50 per cent shareholding in Agrimeco, a contractor engaged in hydroelectric power plants and steel high-rise buildings, as well as processing construction materials.

Le Van An, chairman of Agrimeco, explained that despite the successful merger in February, both sides needed time to understand each others working methods, and most importantly, to have ample preparation for upcoming international projects, hence the opening ceremony in November.

As we have now secured some major contracts with other companies outside of Viet Nam, we plan to utilise each partys core strength to build one of the largest mechanical complex here in Asia, he added.

The joint venture will focus on importing structural steel sheet and steel materials from Japan, which will then be processed by Agrimeco and exported to neighbouring South East Asian markets, after it has consolidated operations in Viet Nam.

According to Fukushima Isao, general director of JFE Steel Vietnam Co., Ltd., in order to avoid competing with cheap Chinese steel, the new unit will focus on high-end anti-corrosion products.

Domestic demand for construction materials is expected to remain strong and stable as Viet Nam continues actively expands its roads, railways, power plants and other transportation infrastructure, consuming 18 million tonnes of steel annually, Fukushima added.

He also said that the Vietnamese high-end construction steel market is expected to nearly triple by 2025, while integrated steel works and steel products consumption is expected to grow further. VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) recevies Italian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Ivan Scalfarotto in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Viet Nam and Italy should promote investment and cooperation in tourism and aviation, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a meeting with Italian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Ivan Scalfarotto in Ha Noi yesterday.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister welcomed Deputy Minister Scalfarotto to join the fourth meeting of the mixed commission for economic cooperation between Viet Nam and Italy, and a delegation of 60 Italian enterprises to visit Viet Nam.

Phuc proposed the two countries promote economic and trade cooperation relations on this visit, contributing to increasing bilateral trade value and investment in the future.

Italy should enhance investment in Viet Nam and the two countries need to boost cooperation in tourism, to open direct flights between the two countries and enhance exchanges in areas of green technology, transport, infrastructure and machine manufacturing, he said.

The Prime Minister said the two countries should promote cooperation in implementing the 2017-18 action plan of the Strategic Partnership, continue strategic dialogues in the fields of diplomacy and defense, and organise activities celebrating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Italy.

He said as an important member of the European Union (EU), he expected that Italy would urge the EU to sign and ratify the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) soon.

Phuc asked the Deputy Minister to encourage and support Italian businesses investing in Viet Nam, especially in areas of strength and demand. They include mechanical manufacturing, textiles and garments, footwear and transport.

The Vietnamese Government would create favourable conditions for Italian businesses to invest successfully in Viet Nam, he said.

During the meeting, Scalfarotto said there were 130 representatives of 60 leading companies from Italy coming to Viet Nam to seek opportunities for cooperation and investment. He also expected that when the EVFTA is signed, it would help promote economic, trade and investment relations between the EU and Viet Nam, as well as between Italy and Viet Nam.

The deputy minister agreed that the two countries need to develop further bilateral cooperation in many fields based on the great potential of each country.

During this visit, Scalfarotto said the delegation would visit HCM City to open a textile and garment technology transfer centre, contributing to the promotion of cooperation between the two countries.  VNS
By Minh Thu

HA NOI  Y Tat Knul, 56, often leads his elephant Bun Koong to bathe and soak in the stream to escape the heat of the summer. For him, Bun Koong is a member of the family. The elephant is also attached to him.

Knul shares many stories about his elephant and the role of the animals in the life of the Mnong people in on Village in the Central Highlands Province of ak Lak in an exhibition titled "Elephants in the Central Highlands".

The exhibition opened on Saturday at the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology in Ha Noi.

Many months ago, our beloved elephant was injured by wild elephants, requiring us to take special care of it, said Knul. Every morning we made medicine from tree bark mixed with salt to apply to the wound.

If the owner is not faithful and caring, an elephant becomes sad, often to the point that it wont eat anymore.

When an elephant dies, we sacrifice a pig to offer to the spirit of the elephant as it passes into the afterlife. After the third anniversary of the elephants death, we sacrifice a pig or a cow to complete its burial ceremony.

Knul said that when a family loses an elephant, its as woeful as losing the spirit of past ancestors.

The Central Highlands of Viet Nam is a region known not only for Asian elephants but also a rich tradition of wild elephants capture and domestication.

For many local ethnic peoples, especially the Mnong, E e and Gia Rai, elephants are not only valuable assets but are also considered as family members who play an important role in community socio-cultural life.

Previously, capture, domestication and care for elephants by the Mnong and other peoples in the Central Highlands, were traditional occupations that help people to travel and to transport products, said Vo Quang Trong, director of the museum.

During these processes, many customs were formed. People consider elephants as family members, give them names, take good care of them and conduct many rituals to ensure their well being.

The exhibition helps visitors understand more about elephant customs and rituals by some ethnic groups in the Central Highlands.

We hope the exhibition will contribute to the preservation of elephants, said Trong. The displayed objects will help the public explore interesting information and get to know a part of Central Highlands culture.

The exhibition displays photos and objects, including biology and behaviour, capture and taming, elephant care, the economic role of elephants, elephants in social life and the cultural significance of elephants.

The exhibition is based on a collection of elephant capturing and domesticating objects donated to the museum by Kham Phet Lao, a son of Y Prong Eban (1910-2012) who was known as Ama Kong (King of Elephants).

Eban captured hundreds of elephants, including two rare white ones. He was also known for his medicinal remedies made from wild plants. He was heir of a family of people who developed elephant domestication techniques in ak Lak Province.

Lao was born in 1963. He often followed his father Eban foraging for and researching medicinal plants.

He donated 30 objects from his collection to preserve and educate the public on his fathers and the Mnong peoples knowledge of elephant domestication.

These objects are valuable to my family, said Lao. They are the symbol of power and strength of my ancestors - elephants catchers, they are our pride, they are also expensive.

However I decided to donate them to the museum because I want more people to understand the Central Highlands culture and tradition.

Lao said elephants were important in the daily and spiritual life of the Central Highlands people. We believe that human and elephants souls are connected, he said.

Before there were hundreds of tame elephants and the number of wild elephants was impossible to count. But now there are about 20-30 elephants in domestication.

Lao is afraid elephants will disappear in Viet Nam, just as the last rhinoceros did about 10 years ago.

If we dont protect elephants, they will be lost in the next 10 or 20 years, Lao said.

Without elephants, the Central Highlands people have nothing. If we lose elephants, we lose both tradition and culture.

The capture of elephants for domestication is a tradition of the Mnong in on Village, ak Lak for centuries.

In the early 1990s, Viet Nam signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Elephants and many other species were listed in the Red Book and hunting these species were prohibited.

People have since stopped capturing elephants. However, deforestation is deeply affecting elephant habitats and the poaching for ivory and tail hair has threatened their existence and caused significant population decline.

On the other hand, developing tourism rapidly also harms elephants health. Elephants work from dawn till dusk to carry tourists.

Knul, owner of elephant Bun Koong, said with elephant tourism, his family economic situation had improved. However, he acknowledged that tourism development and local people farming had narrowed down elephant habitats.

Meanwhile, it is very difficult for elephants to mate because male and female elephants live separately. It isnt like it was before when they were left to naturally mate and roam in the wild.

Many organisations have become concerned about elephant protection. They agree that the role of communities especially those in the localities where elephants are living, is highly important.

Indeed, the knowledge of elephant domestication, care and use still remembered by many community members, are cultural values that need to be preserved, said Pham Van Thinh, member of the Elephant Conservation Centre in ak Lak.

We can develop elephant tourism legally if we remain friendly to the elephants, he said.

For example, tourists can watch elephants walk freely in the forests, find food, and soak in streams. The tamed elephants are friendly and people can take pictures with them. I think riding elephants harm can seriously harm their health, he said.  VNS
A NANG  The film Em Chua 18 (Jailbait), directed by Le Thanh Son, won the Golden Lotus prize for best feature film at the 20th Vietnamese Film Festival yesterday in a Nang.

Two films, The House Maid and Father and Son, took two Silver Lotus awards at the ceremony, held at the citys Trung Vuong Theatre.

Katie Nguyen, who acted in the Vietnamese movie Jailbait, was named best actress, while Quy Binh from the film Ill Wait, took the best actor award.

In the documentary category, the film Live and Tell, directed by Nguyen Hoang Lam, won the Golden Lotus prize.

Two Silver Lotus awards went to films Home Coming and Viet Nam Under Subsidy.

A Solution for Coastal Erosion, by director Phung Ngoc Tu, won the Golden prize for the best scientific film division, while the film Growing Sperm for Infertility in Males took Silver prize.

The Mannequin was awarded the Golden Lotus prize for best animated film, while Fugitive took the Silver Lotus.

Actress Ha My was named best supporting actress for her work on The Girl from Yesterday, while Nhan Phuc Vinh took best supporting actor for the film The Way Station.

The organising committee also presented prizes for the best sound and music, the best artist, the best cameraman, the best film script in categories of documentary, science, feature and animation, the jurys award and the best film voted by audiences.

More than 4,000 viewers in the central region enjoyed a week-long film festival screening Viet Nams 129 best new and old films spanning genres of feature, documentary, scientific and animated categories.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau will host the 21st Vietnamese Film Festival next year.

A scene in the Em Chua 18 (Jailbait) by diretor Le Thanh Son won the Golden Lotus prize yesterday in a Nang.

ASEAN Awards

The film, A Yellow Bird, from Singapore won the Best Film Award at the first ASEAN Film Awards in a Nang, while main actor Sivakumar Palakrishnan was named Best Actor at the ceremony yesterday.

The film, directed by K. Rajagopal, features Silva (actor Sivakumar), a Singaporean Indian man released after years in prison for smuggling. Unable to find forgiveness from his mother, he searches for his ex-wife and daughter.

I would like to thanks Viet Nam for creating the opportunity in the ASEAN Film Awards, Sivakumar Palakrishnan said at the awards ceremony.

Mary Joy Apostol from the Philippines, who starred in the film Birdshot, bagged the Best Actress prize.

Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo of Indonesia was named Best Director for the film Turah.

The three members of the ASEAN Awards jury were Jonathan Hyong-joon Kim, a director from South Korea; Roger Garcia, director of the International Film Festival Hong Kong; and Polish director Karolina Bielawska.

The first ASEAN Film Awards, an initiative of Viet Nam, drew the participation of the films Adrift (Malaysia), Birdshot (the Philippines), Angel of Eden (Myanmar), Descendant (Brunei) and Yellow Bird (Singapore), Benevolence of the Contemporary Mother (Cambodia), Swan Lifts Turtle (Laos), Turah (Indonesia), By the Time It Gets Dark (Thailand) and Da Co Hoai Lang (Night Drumbeats Cause Longing for Absent Husband)

The event also marks the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, strengthening friendship and solidarity among different nationalities.  VNS
SINGAPORE  Viet Nam will actively co-ordinate with Singapore to implement their strategic partnership and ensure that bilateral ties develop in a smooth and effective manner, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said yesterday.

In talks held with her Singaporean counterpart Tan Chuan-Jin in Singapore yesterday, she also expressed hope that both countries would maintain the exchange of high-ranking state, executive and legislative bodies, as also people-to-people contacts.

She affirmed Viet Nams consistent policy of attaching great attention to developing its strategic partnership with Singapore.

She suggested that the two sides work closely to prepare for celebrating the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2018.

Viet Nam will support Singapore in performing its duties as ASEAN Chair in 2018, she said, adding that she hopes Singapore will collaborate with other ASEAN members to maintain the blocs common stance, solidarity, unity and central role in the region.

Referring to the contentious East Sea issue, Ngan stressed that Viet Nam highly valued Singapores stance, expressing her belief that as the ASEAN Chair in 2018, Singapore would continue raising its voice on the issue, and help accelerate the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), thus promoting healthy and sustainable ASEAN-China relations.

Defence and security co-operation was an important pillar of their bilateral strategic partnership, Ngan said, proposing that the two countries optimise existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms, especially the Defence Strategic Dialogue at the deputy ministerial level, while expanding co-operation to broader areas.

Extradition treaty

Both sides should also negotiate for the signing of a bilateral extradition treaty and an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons, the NA Chairwoman said.

She also said the two countries should step up consultation and promote each others initiatives while sharing experiences in organising ASEAN military-defence meetings, especially the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM), ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus.

For his part, Tan Chuan-Jin briefed his guest on Singapores development situation as well as the countrys efforts to protect the environment, ensure sustainable development and create jobs for the youth

Viet Nam and Singapore have enjoyed growing ties in all fields, including economy, investment, education and training, he said, expressing the hope that Ngans visit would help attract more Singaporean businesses to Viet Nam.

Singapore was currently the ninth largest trade partner and third biggest investor in Viet Nam, Ngan said, adding that the Framework Agreement on Connectivity between the two countries played an important role in coordinating links between the two sides.

She said the two sides should work closely together to expand collaboration in six major areas: finance; information technology and communications; education and training; transportation; investment, trade and services; and construction of a software park in a Nang City as well as a Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park in Quang Tri Province.

She also asked Singapore to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese products in the Singaporean market, especially agricultural, forestry and fisheries, processed food, footwear, wood products and construction material.

Viet Nam and Singapore should consider signing of a labour deal and supporting vocational training for Vietnamese workers, while expanding co-operation in tourism and aviation industries, she said.

She said Viet Nam was willing to work with Singapore in preparing for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a deal to replace the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Mutual support

The two sides recognised the mutual support they have enjoyed at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums.

They agreed that along with closer co-operation among specialised agencies, both sides should foster friendship among parliamentarians.

Viet Nam has set up a Viet Nam-Singapore Parliamentary Friendship Group, Ngan noted.

Tan Chuan-Jin pledged to continue working to strengthen the partnership between the two countries and their parliaments.



Following the talks, the Singaporean Parliament Speaker hosted a banquet for his Vietnamese counterpart.

Later yesterday, the NA Chairwoman Ngan and her entourage left for Australia on an official visit at the invitation of the Australian Parliament and Government.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam considers Poland a priority partner as it pursues friendly ties with central eastern Europe, President Tran ai Quang told his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in Ha Noi yesterday.

In talks held following a grand welcome ceremony, Dud also affirmed that Poland sought to nurture mutually beneficial ties with Viet Nam in diverse areas.

Both sides agreed to facilitate the exchange of all-level visits of the Party, Government, National Assembly, businesses and local channels.

They spoke highly of the close and effective co-ordination the two nations have forged on the international arena. The Vietnamese President congratulated Poland on being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2018-2019 tenure.

Duda expressed his support for Viet Nams bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and the early signing and ratification of the European Union-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

The two leaders highly appreciated the considerable progress made in bilateral ties in economy, trade and investment for many years.

Poland is now Viet Nams largest trade partner in Central Eastern Europe while Viet Nam is Polands seventh largest trade partner outside the EU. Two-way trade hit a record US$790 million last year, and reached $730 million in the nine months this year, up 25 per cent annually.

Polands total investment in Viet Nam doubled to $189 million between 2014 and 2017.

In the near future, Poland plans to disburse an official development assistance package worth 250 million euros to Viet Nam in line with a framework agreement on financial co-operation signed during the visit.

The leaders agreed that the two countries would actively realise the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on economic co-operation, facilitating at first the inauguration of a representative office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in HCM City.

This would encourage exploration of businesses opportunities in areas of Polands strength and Viet Nams demand, including mining, food processing, pharmaceuticals and environmental protection, they said.

They also underscored the importance of boosting national defence-security ties and pledged to share experiences on overcoming the consequences of unexploded ordnances and participating in UN peacekeeping missions.

The two leaders welcomed the signing of a tertiary education co-operation agreement with an increase in scholarships to students and graduates of either country to 20 per year; as well as a letter of intent on opening Polish language training courses signed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ha Noi National University.

They promised to restore the Viet Nam-Poland Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Co-operation and convene its meeting next year.

The two presidents also welcomed the signing of an MoU on environment protection co-operation and agreed to reinforce joint work waste treatment and green technology applications.

Priority market list

President Quang hailed Poland for adding Viet Nam to its list of 14 priority agriculture export markets and the signing of the MoU on agriculture collaboration during the visit.

He thanked the Polish State and government for providing all possible support for Vietnamese nationals living in the country.

A joint statement on the outcomes of the visit was issued later.

The two presidents also chaired a joint press conference following their talks in Ha Noi yesterday, saying theyd agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, particularly high-level ones.

They agreed to consult each other regularly on regional and international matters of shared concern. They would also co-ordinate and support each other at regional and international forums, particularly at the UN and within the co-operation frameworks of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN-EU and the Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM).

On regional and international issues of shared concern, they stressed the importance of maintaining security and peace, and promoting co-operation and development the world over.

They held that all disputes should be addressed by peaceful measures with full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, in line with international law.

President Duda thanked Viet Nam for supporting Polands non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2018-19.

He also expressed his hope that documents signed during his visit would create a foundation to step up collaboration in many fields.

The opening of the representative office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in HCM City, slated for November 30, 2017, demonstrated Polands attention to develop economic and trade ties with Viet Nam, he said.

Two-way trade value had reached $2 billion and would rise many times in the coming years on the basis of outcomes from his ongoing Viet Nam visit as well as the upcoming visit to Poland by President Quang, he added.

At the end of their talks, the two Presidents witnessed the signing of a number of documents, including one on financial co-operation between the Vietnamese and Polish Governments, another between the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training and Polands Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and a letter of intent by the Ha Noi University and Polands Ministry of Science and Higher Education on establishing Polish language courses.

Several memoranda of understanding between Vietnamese and Polish ministries as well as one between the Vietnam News Agency and the Polish Press Agency were also signed yesterday.

A pharmaceutical investment contract was signed by Viet Nams at Vi Phu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. with ADMED Company of Poland.

The two sides later issued a joint statement. VNS
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong receives President of Poland Andrzej Duda in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

HA NOI  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong has assured President of Poland Andrzej Duda that Viet Nam always treasures its traditional friendship with Poland and appreciates its position and role in Europe.

During a reception in Ha Noi yesterday, Trong hailed the visit as marking a new development in bilateral ties between the two nations. He spoke highly of Polands active and practical support to Viet Nam as well as to Vietnamese nationals living in the host country.

Welcoming the outcomes of talks between the two Presidents during the visit, the host said he supported the further intensification of ties between the two States and peoples in fields of strength and demand such as mining, environmental protection, agriculture and food processing.

Duda, for his part, affirmed that Poland attaches importance to strengthening the friendship and traditional co-operation with Viet Nam and vowed to realise signed co-operation agreements in the fields of economy, finance, education-training, agriculture, environmental protection and media.

He informed the host about the opening of the representative office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in HCM City to further bilateral economic and trade ties.

The guest hoped that the Vietnamese people would reap more achievements in national development.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang has requested an extensive examination and inspection of the observance of law provisions at preschools, kindergartens and childrens groups throughout the country so as to prevent and strictly handle violations against children.  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang has requested an extensive examination and inspection of the observance of law provisions at preschools, kindergartens and childrens groups throughout the country so as to prevent and strictly handle violations against children.

He also asked for effective solutions to ensure that children throughout the country live in a safe, healthy and inclusive environment both physically and mentally.

The request was issued yesterday following a series of cases of violence, abuse and murder involving children in some localities. An official letter, No 1581/VPCTN-TH, was sent from the Presidents Office to the National Committee for Children, Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme Peoples Court, the Supreme Peoples Procuracy and peoples committees of the cities and provinces.

The letter noted that recent media reports had highlighted many incidents of violence against children, causing psychological pain, anxiety for families and concern among the public.

As a result, President Quang asked all relevant ministries, sectors and localities to intensify the inspection, examination and supervision of the implementation of the Partys undertakings and guidelines as well as the States policies and laws on children, especially Direction No 20-CT/TW dated November 5, 2012 of the 11th Politburo on strengthening the leadership of the Party for the care, education and protection of children in the new situation as well as the 2016 Law on Children.

Within just one week, a series of cases of child abuse, kidnapping and even murder have been reported in the media.

On Sunday morning, a video posted online showed the owner and two teachers from a private kindergarten in HCM City slapping toddlers aged 3-5 on their faces, heads and backs, and throwing the children in the air.

Last week, three videos were posted online by a mother in northern Ha Nam Province showing a domestic helper slapping a one-month old infant on her face, head and back, throwing the girl in the air and putting a towel in her mouth.

Three days ago, a seven-year-old girl in the southern province of Kien Giangs Chau Thanh District was allegedly tortured by her stepmother with a hot iron rod, leaving her scarred.

Alarmingly, a six-year-old boy was killed by a man in HCM Citys Tan Phu District on Sunday evening. On Monday, a 20-day-old infant in Thanh Hoa Province was found dead by a rubbish dump after being kidnapped from her home two days earlier.

All cases stirred anger and concern among the public about the care and protection of children.  VNS
Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant-General, To Lam, (L) meets with the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, President of the Council of State and the President of the Council of Ministers, Raul Castro, in Havana yesterday. Photo cand.com.vn

HAVANA  Viet Nam always respectfully and sincerely thanks the Communist Party, State and people of Cuba for their solidarity and precious support for Viet Nams struggle for liberation, national unity and unification, as well as current construction and defence.

Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant-General, To Lam, made the remarks during his meeting with the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, President of the Council of State and the President of the Council of Ministers, Raul Castro, in Havana yesterday.

Lam expressed his sincere thanks to President Raul Castro for his leadership in directing and facilitating the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to work closely and effectively in the fight against crime, ensuring the security and order of each country.

He expressed his pleasure and appreciation at the great achievements made by the Cuban people in the cause of building and developing the country.

Lam stressed that co-operation between the police forces of the two countries continues to be strengthened and developed in all fields of security, police, force building, logistics and engineering.

Both sides agreed to assess the results of co-operation in the past and the direction for the future to ensure national security and maintenance of social order and safety in each country, contributing to promoting the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two parties, states and people, Lam said.

President Raul Castro welcomed Lam and his delegation to Cuba, saying that the visit would make an important contribution to promoting the traditional friendship between the two parties, states, peoples and police forces in the two countries.

The President also sincerely thanked the Party, State, Government and people of Viet Nam for their solidarity, loyalty, support and timely assistance to Cuba.

He appreciated Viet Nams experience in all areas, especially in the fight against crime, keeping security and order.

He suggested that the two sides should continue to promote co-operation, contributing significantly to furthering their traditional friendship.

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation arrived in Santiago de Cuba to pay tribute to Cuban national hero Jose Marti and Fidel Castro at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery.  VNS
TRA VINH  The Police Department for Economic Crimes and Corruption (C46) under the Ministry of Public Security and Tra Vinh Province Police, on Tuesday, began an oficial investigation into former leaders of a State-owned food company in the southern province.

Tran Van Tam, 42, former director of Tra Vinh Food Company (Imex Tra Vinh) and three other former officials were also arrested.

Following an initial inspection, functional forces found that since 2011, because of a loss of profit, Tam asked his staff to make fake business contracts and misdeclare the companys inventory to hide a fiscal deficit of VN659 billion (US$29 million).

Simultanously, his staff proposed fake reports to both Southern Viet Nam Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) to ask for more funding and to banks for loan disbursement.

As the unprofitable company was unable to pay loans, the capital deficit kept increasing, causing serious damage to the State budget.

Other suspects include Nguyen Tan Vinh, former manager of finance and accounting, Phan Van Hiep, former director of Imex Tra Vinhs Cau Ke Food Processing Faculty, and Vo Van Sen, former director of ai Phuc Company.

C46 are collecting dossiers for a deeper investigation and case expansion.

Early last month, Vinafood 2 collaborated with the AASC audit firm to inspect its companies and factories. They then found that the actual amount of stocking rice in Imex Tra Vinhs warehouse was only 4,000 tonnes, in comparison to the 87,000 tonnes presented in its reports.  VNS
HA NOI  Russia has always been a priority in Viet Nams external affairs, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vasilievich Vnukov at a meeting in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Discussing issues in promoting bilateral relations, PM Phuc said there is huge room for Viet Nam  Russia co-operation, saying the two Governments need to push their ministries and agencies to carry out reached agreements.

He agreed with the Russian Ambassadors view that the two sides should promote ties in agriculture and seafood, and called on the two sides to enhance the effectiveness of the Viet Nam Russia Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, contributing to the friendship between the two nations.

The PM asked the Russian side to facilitate Viet Nams investment projects in Russia and accelerate the pace of certain co-operation projects.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will create optimal conditions for Russian citizens to work in the Viet Nam-Russia Oil and Gas joint venture Vietsovpetro and other projects in Viet Nam.

He extended his thanks to Russia for providing assistance to Vietnamese flood victims.

For his part, the Russian Ambassador applauded Viet Nams celebration of the 100th anniversary of Russias October Revolution.

He congratulated Viet Nam on the success of the APEC Economic Leaders Week in a Nang, noting that 2017 is also a special year in the two nations relations with high-level delegation exchanges, including President Tran ai Quangs official visit to Russia and President Vladimir Putins attendance of the APEC Economic Leaders Week in Viet Nam.

Russia has sent a list of priority items in bilateral co-operation to Viet Nams foreign ministry, he said, adding that he hopes Viet Nams delegations will attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and several similar events in Russia, as they present opportunities to strengthen relations between the two nations.

The ambassador proposed some areas for future co-operation, including agriculture.

PM Phuc welcomed the proposals, affirming that he will instruct ministries and sectors to implement them.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Polish President Andrzej Duda in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Visiting Polish President Andrzej Duda affirmed that the Vietnamese community in Poland plays a significant role in maintaining and developing relations between the two countries.

He made the affirmation while meeting Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Ha Noi yesterday, noting he was particularly interested in promoting the economic partnership with Viet Nam, including in tourism.

Poland wants to increase the number of its tourists visiting Viet Nam and promote balanced trade with the Southeast Asian country, he added.

He hoped the Vietnamese Government would actively support Polish businesses to invest here.

Poland had chosen Viet Nam as one of the top five potential countries with which to promote co-operation, he said, adding that the Polish Government would urge the EU to sign and ratify the EVFTA as soon as possible.

For his part, Phuc urged the two countries to reinforce their co-operation mechanisms and seek more effective ones as well as resume the meeting of the joint committee on science co-operation to aid the development of the sector.

The Vietnamese Government welcomed Polands opening of its trade representative office in the southern economic hub of HCM City, he said.

He supported the two sides promoting cooperation in the fields of mining, shipbuilding, food processing and tourism as well as opening a direct air route between Ha Noi and HCM City and Warsaw.

The PM also applauded the signing of a co-operation agreement in education, in which Poland agreed to increase the number of scholarships for Vietnamese students.

He suggested the two countries enhance exchanges between students, especially in the field of Polands strength such as mining.

Phuc proposed that Poland urge the EU to sign and ratify the EU-Viet Nam free trade agreement to bring about mutual benefits for both sides.

He hoped the Polish President would create more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live in Poland.

During the State visit to Viet Nam by President Andrzej Duda, his spouse Agata Kornhauser Duda visited Marie Curie high school the same day and attended a ceremony to celebrate the 150th birthday anniversary of Polish scholar Marie Curie.

She later visited the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi, which was included in the list of 23 national special relic sites.  VNS
The first cold spell of winter in the northern region has brought with it an increase in sicknesses like measles, mumps, flu and chicken pox, local reports say. Photo baongheaan.vn

HA NOI  The first cold spell of winter in the northern region has brought with it an increase in sicknesses like measles, mumps, flu and chicken pox, local reports say.

In recent days, the number of patients seeking hospital treatment for such diseases has gone up. While these are not serious health hazards in most cases, not abiding by the doctors advice and instructions can lead to complications.

At one of the largest hospitals in the country, the Bach Mai Hospital in Ha Noi, a 35-year-old woman from Nam Tu Liem District, was seen last week with fever, headache and swelling of the parotid gland (between the ear and the jaw) that shed been suffering for a week.

However, as is a common practice in Viet Nam, assuming that her symptoms were nothing to worry about, she chose to self-medicate with antibiotics. She only visited the hospital after five days, when the medicines proved futile and she started vomiting and getting splitting headaches.

The hospital inspected her cerebrospinal fluid and concluded that the patient was suffering from viral meningitis. Previously, her five-year-old child and her husband had both caught mumps.

Dr o Duy Cuong said that the general population still thinks that measles are a childrens disease.

He said: Its true that those children who have not been given immunisation shots are at elevated risk, but any adult who has not been vaccinated remains just as vulnerable.

Even though under most circumstances, measles or mumps are mild contagious illnesses, failure to get professional treatment and ensure proper care can turn out to be quite dangerous, Cuong warned, adding that anyone who has doubts about his or her symptoms should immediately go to the hospital.

According to the municipal health department, in recent weeks, the city has recorded another nine cases of rashes breaking out, of which three have tested positive for measles. Since the beginning of this year, the number of measles cases seen is 66 (including one death), an increase of 64 cases over last year. The number of cases reported in October alone accounted for 46 per cent of the years total figure.

Nguyen Nhat Cam, head of the health department, said the speed at which measles spreads is considered to be faster than dengue fever, which saw its worst outbreak since 2014 a few months ago.

The cold weather with the likelihood of rains makes for ideal conditions for the disease to flare up, he added. One or more measles complications occur in 30 per cent of child patients, usually including pneumonia, ear infection, diarrhea, keratitis or encephalitis.

He said parents should watch carefully for unusual signs post-measles, especially if the child has fever after the rash has gone.

Cam also said that the most effective prevention method is vaccination. However, there are 30,000 children in the capital city who have not been given immunisation shots, and they are a potential time bomb, ticking towards another measles outbreak.

The health department has asked schools to publicise information on measles patients who are their students or staff, and to carry out preventive hygiene works.

The department forbids any cover up attempts, Cam said, adding that public health agencies are also tasked with reviewing the list of unvaccinated children under their jurisdiction and urging their parents to follow the regular immunisation schedule.  VNS
HA NOI  Some 100 drivers of the Ba Sao Taxi Company continue to strike on Tuesday, asking for the reduction of two-way radio charges and expansion of promotion spots.

The strike started on Monday when they stopped their cars around the Ba Sao Company Headquarters in Trung Yen Park, Cau Giay District, asking for a dialogue with the companys leaders.

According to the drivers, their incomes have significantly decreased. Those who bought the companys cars with installment purchase contracts are among the most affected.

Driver, Pham uc Tien, said that previously, they could earn VN800,000 to 1 million (US$35  44) per shift of 12 hours. With Uber and Grab coming into play, the number has dropped to some VN500,000 per shift.

Therefore, they want to ask for the reduction of two-way radio charges from VN2 million ($88) to VN300,000-500,000.

According to drivers, despite their recommendations, the company has not yet provided desirable feedback. They also warned of cancelling business contracts with any driver who sends any requests. Drivers told Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper that they would continue striking peacefully until the leaders negotiate and consider existing policies.

Ba Sao Company, on the other hand, announced that its leaders were holding a private meeting to solve the problem.

Cau Giay District Police were mobilised to ensure public security and prevent traffic congestion.  VNS
The United Nations has approved an additional allocation of US$4.21 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to assist 150,000 people, including 46,973 children, in six provinces affected by the devastating Typhoon Damrey. Photo thanhnien.vn

HA NOI  The United Nations has approved an additional allocation of US$4.21 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to assist 150,000 people, including 46,973 children, in six provinces affected by the devastating Typhoon Damrey.

Earlier, an emergency cash grant of US$100,000 was made from the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs to support immediate relief operations.

The additional funding will allow UN agencies to scale up water, sanitation and hygiene, food security and emergency shelter recovery after more than 300,000 houses were damaged or destroyed.

The UN funds will cover immediate life-saving needs and support time-critical interventions over the next six months, said Kamal Malhotra, UN resident co-ordinator in Viet Nam.

The funding will allow four UN agencies - FAO, IOM, UNDP and UNICEF - to meet the most urgent needs of affected communities. The agencies will use the funding to provide people whose homes have been damaged with shelter materials and cash grants to make repairs, provide water filtration systems and hygiene kits to prevent the spread of diseases; and unconditional cash transfers and vouchers to compensate for the loss of livelihoods and to procure agricultural supplies.

Typhoon Damrey made landfall on November 4, causing widespread flooding and destruction across the central and south-central regions of Viet Nam. An estimated 4.33 million people have been affected, including 400,000 people who require humanitarian assistance.  VNS
HCM CITY  The police of HCM Citys District 12 on Tuesday launched an official investigation into a children torturing case at Mam Xanh private kindergarten.

Phan Thi My Linh, the 43-year-old owner of the daycare centre were also under temporary detention for investigation.

She will be investigated under the criminal code for allegedly torturing children.

On Sunday morning, a video posted online showed Linh and two other teachers of the kindergarten slapping toddlers aged 3-5 on their faces, heads and backs, and throwing the children in the air. The video angered the public, especially mothers.

The operation of the kindergarten was suspended on Monday, while 36 children of the kindergarten were transferred to public kindergartens.

Children, who were reportedly tortured by the teachers, were sent to District 12s hospital for a check-up. Doctors found bruises and physical trauma on the children. Some have symptoms of a psychological panic disorder.

Also on Monday, Linh and the other teachers were summoned to the police station. Linh admitted that she used her legs, ladles and plastic cans to hit children, saying that this was to threaten the naughty students.

She said that Quynh and ao, the two other teachers being investigated, did not have any degree in education or teaching certificate.

Khuu Manh Hung, head of education and training division of District 12, said that before the case was reported in the media, the kindergarten was inspected and there were no violations found.  VNS
HA NOI  The Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Association has called for clearer tax guidance and policies for non-State science and technology organisations as they are required to submit tax reports and pay taxes like corporates even though they operate as non-profit organisations.

Pham Van Tan, association deputy president said at a workshop on tax policies for the group yersterday the guidance would help them operate and fulfill their tax obligations properly.

Tan said that science and technology organisations grew rapidly in recent years to meet the demand for national construction and development.

On average, about 50 such new organisations were established yearly in Viet Nam. There are now 3,152 science and technology organisations in Viet Nam, of which, 1,666 are non-State.

Tan said that the organisations usually faced difficulties in identifying legal entities, financing and taxing.

Han Manh Tien, director of the Institute for Training & Research of Management (VIM), said tax agencies were unclear about science and technology organisations and usually classified them as corporates or public service units that had revenue.

So, they had to complete and submit tax reports as a profitable corporation while they were non-profitable organisations, Tien said.

Many organisations complained that they faced difficulties in getting tax refunds, Tien said.

Nguyen Kim Ngan, vice-director of Ha Noi-based Centre for Sustainable Rural Development, said non-State organisations faced tax-related difficulties because they operated in fields that also offer services.

Ngan said that if an organisation registered to receive foreign funding and carry out projects, it was subject to personal income tax and value-added tax. But if an organisation registered to both receive foreign fund and offer services, it was subject to business licence fee, personal income tax, value added tax and corporate income tax.

Once fields of operation were clearly identified, the organisations would find it easier to deal with tax procedures, Ngan said.

She also said to reduce tax-related difficulties, the organisations should pay more attentions to the competence of accountants and accounting software programmes.  VNS
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by VNA General Director Nguyen uc Loi and Polish Ambassador to Viet Nam Barbara Szymanowska in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Polish Press Agency (PAP) have agreed to exchange information and enhance professional co-operation, resuming their ties after a long interruption.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by VNA General Director Nguyen uc Loi and Polish Ambassador to Viet Nam Barbara Szymanowska in Ha Noi yesterday.

The signing was witnessed by President Tran ai Quang and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda who is on a State visit to Viet Nam from November 27-30.

Under the MoU, the two agencies will exchange text news, photos and video clips in English for the purpose of publishing them on their news channels. They will also support each others correspondents working in either country.

The VNA and PAP had first signed a co-operative agreement in 1978, but it was voided by historical changes.

The signing of the new document is in line with the VNAs policy to intensify international co-operation in order to develop its foreign news services, and to access direct information about Central Europe, where the agency is yet to establish a bureau.

The co-operation also aligns with the nations foreign policy on establishing diverse, multilateral relations.

Established in 1918, the PAP is Polands largest media agency with about 300 reporters.

State-owned VNA boasts a network of 63 bureaus in all the cities and provinces nationwide and 30 overseas bureaus across five continents.

With more than 1,000 reporters and editors among its 2,400-strong staff, products, the VNA is now the largest producer of media products in the country. It produces more than 60 products including bulletins, photographs, television programmes, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, magazines, pictorials, books, TV programmes, e-newspapers and information programmes on mobile platforms.

The agency also delivers news in the largest number of languages. In addition to official Vietnamese-language news items provided to domestic and foreign media outlets, articles are published in English, Chinese, French and Spanish, not to mention print and e-newspapers in four other languages, Lao, Korean, Japanese and Russian.  VNS
There has been a sharp year-on-year increase in the number of people suffering from serious mental illnesses, according to a senior official of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA). Photo vnexpress.net

HAI PHONG  There has been a sharp year-on-year increase in the number of people suffering from serious mental illnesses, according to a senior official of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

Nguyen Van Hoi, head of the ministrys Social Assistance Department, told a conference last week that an estimated nine million Vietnamese citizens, or roughly ten per cent of the population, are suffering from mental disorders of various degrees, down one million compared to 2016.

However, this year has witnessed a sharp rise of the number of serious mental cases, with 300,000 or so citizens suffering severe psychological ailments against last years 200,000.

The conference on improving social work related to mental health aimed to improve the quality of advocacy and awareness-raising activities in the mass media.

Hoi said the most prevalent mental disorders included schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, autism, intellectual disability, neurological disability, brain damage, alcohol abuse and drug addiction.

Referring to the Prime Ministers Decision No 1215 (issued July 2011) approving a 10-year (2011-2020) project to improve community-based social assistance and rehabilitation for mental patients, he said there were 50 centres nationwide that provided care for mental patients.

Of these, 30 provided specialised care, while the other 20 focused on general care.

Currently, 200,000 people with severe mental illness are entitled to monthly benefits, and 13,000 mental patients from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who cannot take care of themselves and have no caretakers have been admitted into social welfare establishments.

These patients are provided with free health insurance cards, and given free vocational training classes if needed.

Taking care of people with mental health problems is a difficult task. Even those with bachelors or masters degrees in social work needed to learn clinical tasks for at least two years before they can begin working at rehabilitation facilities, Hoi said.

Moreover, working at the rehab centres is a dangerous and onerous job. There have been some extreme cases recently where caretakers were beaten, even killed by mental patients, he added.

At the same time, the quality of social workers serving people with mental health problems had improved steadily, Hoi asserted.

Depressions commonness

Dr Vu Cong Nguyen, deputy director of the Institute for Population, Health and Development, highlighted the commonness of depression among other disorders, calling it the disease of the era.

Nguyen said that while a nationally representative sample of those suffering from the disease has not been drawn, based on smaller cross-sectional studies in several localities throughout the country, it can be approximated that 8-15 per cent of the population are suffering from depression in varying degrees.

Tran Ngoc Dien, Editor-in-Chief of the Labour and Society magazine, said the press played a critical role in raising mental health awareness.

It is absolutely necessary that a reporter has a sympathetic heart and the right mindset, to use their work to help mental patients overcome their problems and find happiness, he said.

"The press can ensure that not just the public, decision making officials also understand mental health issues better," he added

Dr Tran Ba Dung cautioned that reporters must be extra sensitive so as to avoid inadvertently hurting peoples feelings.

He also warned against unethical practices like publishing unverified stories or publishing stories without the consent of those involved (the mental patient and their families), click-baiting or using sensational, misleading headlines that might generate negative public perception of mental disorders, which are heavily stigmatised already.  VNS
Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am hosted a reception in Ha Noi yesterday for a delegation from the Foreign Press Association (APES) in Switzerland and Liechtenstein led by its President Jean Musy.  Photo VGP

HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am hosted a reception in Ha Noi yesterday for a delegation from the Foreign Press Association (APES) in Switzerland and Liechtenstein led by its President Jean Musy.

am informed the delegation of contemporary socio-economic developments in Viet Nam, affirming that the country would spare no effort in improving its business climate, build infrastructure, pay due attention to environment protection and education reform.

He said the success of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Year 2017 and the APEC Economic Leaders Week recently held in Viet Nam showed that greater economic connectivity, integration and free trade among economies was an inevitable trend.

He said Viet Nams constant wish is to build a country of peace, stability and sustainable well-being.

Introducing his organisation, Musy said that the APES was founded in 1928 and based in Geneva, Switzerland with 120 member organisations. It gathers professional journalists of different nationalities covering the latest news about Switzerland, the United Nations and international organisations in Geneva, he said.

He informed am that the APES and the Viet Nam Journalists Association (VJA) have signed a co-operation agreement for 2017-2018, under which both sides will encourage member units to increase the exchange of delegations as well as information sharing.

The APES and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) also held a workshop yesterday on increasing Viet Nam-Switzerland press exchanges.

VNA Deputy General Director Le Quoc Minh briefed the guests on the agencys role and mission.

The VNA was the only news agency in Viet Nam with a 2,500-member staff, including nearly 1,200 journalists. It has set up representative offices in all 63 cities and provinces nationwide. It also has offices in 30 countries. VNA has nearly 60 publications in several formats and is a member of major press networks in the region and the world, partnering with around 40 international press agencies and outlets.

The agency wishes to increase partnership with foreign press agencies, including the APES, to improve the delivery of external news, he added.

Musy said that in order to make Asian and Vietnamese news attractive to European readers, they should be more general and written in a reader-friendly style. He suggested the organisation of more cultural events to forge closer links.

Yesterday afternoon, the VJA held talks and signed a co-operation agreement for 2017-2018 with the APES.

VJA Chairman Thuan Huu informed the guests about press activities in Viet Nam, adding that the association has expanded its partnerships with foreign press agencies in China, the Republic of Korea and ASEAN members

The APES President said he wished to welcome more VJA delegations to Switzerland in the near future.

The APES delegation is in Viet Nam from November 27December 3.  VNS
BALI  At least 40 Vietnamese tourists are still stranded in Bali, according to the latest report by Viet Nam Embassy in Indonesia.

On Tuesday, the embassys hotline received 14 calls from Vietnamese stuck in Bali asking for support as Indonesia has raised the warning of Agung volcanos eruption to the maximum level.

According to Nguyen Thanh Giang, an embassy official, four among these 40 people had left Bali for Surabaya by road and sea. The remaining are still waiting for connecting flights.

Until now, the local authority has not yet called for evacuation. Therefore, the embassy is guiding Vietnamese on how to leave the island. Once they reach Surabaya and Lombok, there will be flights to other destinations, Giang said.

He also said the actual number of Vietnamese stranded may be higher as they were almost all self-sufficient travelers.

There were 24 Vietnamese, part of nine travelling groups, reported to be stranded in Bali on Monday.

In addition, two Vietnamese expats live in Bali but not in the dangerous area.

The volcanic eruption, meanwhile, continued with ash, tephra and lava being expelled. The Indonesian authorities have evacuated thousands of people living in the neighbouring areas to more than 200 camps on the island.  VNS
SEOUL  North Korea test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, in a major challenge to US President Donald Trump after he slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

It was the nuclear-armed Norths first ballistic test in more than two months and an initial Pentagon assessment said the ICBM flew about 1,000 kilometers before splashing down within Japans maritime Economic Exclusion Zone.

At least one expert said its lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 kilometres that would bring every city in the continental United States within range.

Trump, who has previously threatened North Korea with "fire and fury," was guarded in his immediate response, as the UN Security Council agreed to convene an emergency session to discuss the latest provocation.

"I will only tell you that we will take care of it," Trump said at the White House. "It is a situation that we will handle," he added, without elaborating.

North Koreas immediate neighbours were less restrained, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling the test an intolerable, "violent" act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemning Pyongyangs "reckless" behaviour.

The South Korean military responded by staging a precision-strike missile exercise as it has done following previous North Korean tests.

Prior to Wednesdays launch, the Norths last missile test was on September 15 and the subsequent pause had prompted some to speculate whether the North might be willing to embrace a negotiated solution to the nuclear standoff.

Diplomatic options

Trump insisted there would be no change to his administrations "maximum pressure campaign" which has sought to curb Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme with tightened sanctions backed by dire warnings of massive retaliation in the event of any attack.

But his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, also stressed that diplomatic options remained "viable and open."

It was the Norths third successful ICBM test and David Wright, a co-director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters pointed to a "significantly longer" range than previous launches.

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States," he said.

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earths atmosphere, experts say it is on the threshold of developing a working nuclear strike capability against US cities.

Tensions over the Norths weapons programme peaked after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September and then fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesdays test went higher than ever before and was a step toward North Korea building missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically."

There was no immediate reaction from China, the Norths sole ally and economic lifeline, which has come under repeated US pressure to do more to rein in Pyongyangs nuclear ambitions.

China has pushed for a "dual track approach" to the crisis which would see the United States freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programmes.

Washington has rejected that approach, and last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, as well a number of Chinese companies doing business with the pariah state.  AFP
MELBOURNE  Victoria has become the first Australian state to legalise voluntary assisted dying, or euthanasia, for the terminally ill, ABC News said in a report on Wednesday.

Following over 100 hours of debate across both houses of parliament and two all-night sittings, lower house MPs ratified the amended bills, giving patients the right to request a lethal drug to end their lives from June 2019.

ABC News said the bill will now go to the governor for royal assent.

The landmark legislation passed the upper house 22 votes to 18 last week after a number of amendments, which had to be approved by the lower house to be enshrined in law.

The changes included halving the timeframe for eligible patients to access the scheme from 12 months to six months to live.

There will be exemptions for sufferers of conditions such as motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis who have a life expectancy of 12 months.  AFP
Before many of todays famous names in independent watchmaking became famous, there was Daniel Roth. Mr Roth has been a watchmaker  he makes watches  for half a century. In fact, 2017 is the 50th anniversary of Mr Roths arrival in Switzerland to start his watchmaking career in the halcyon days before the Quartz Crisis.

Many frigid winters have passed since Mr Roth arrived in the Vallee de Joux. While the industry has changed drastically, not much has changed in the landscape, and neither has the manner in which Mr Roth makes watches.

Ups and downs, and up again

Now 72 years old, Mr Roth has enjoyed a career that spanned the modern watch industry, from the bleak days of the 1970s to its 21st century renaissance. He went from being an employee of a luxury group to a solo watchmaker, and repeating the cycle once over.

But he was not just a bit player; Mr Roth was a crucial figure in establishing Breguet and movement maker Nouvelle Lemania. And by extension he was responsible for many of the complicated movements Lemania supplied to numerous brands from the 1990s to mid 2000s.

Though Mr Roth himself was born in Nice, his forebears were watchmakers in Switzerland. It was Mr Roths grandfather who moved the family to the south of France for the sun, setting up a watch repair shop where a young Daniel Roth apprenticed. After Mr Roth completed his basic watchmaking education in Nice, he moved to the cradle of Swiss watchmaking, the poetically named Vallee de Joux, in 1967.

There he briefly worked for Jaeger-LeCoultre, then primarily a supplier of thin and complicated movements rather than branded watches. His watchmaking was interrupted by a short stint in the military, after which he landed at Audemars Piguet. He fondly describes Audemars Piguet then as a smallish company, with just several dozen employees and familial atmosphere, dedicated to making quality, artisanal timepieces.

Just as Mr Roth was starting his career in Switzerland, the storied firm of Breguet in Paris was foundering. By then the firm was owned by George Brown, the descendent of an English watchmaker who had taken over the business when Abraham-Louis Breguets heirs were unable to.

The late, great English watchmaker George Daniels mentioned the firm his autobiography, All in Good Time: Reflections of a Watchmaker, describing the Breguet workshop in the 1960s as rather shaky with no skilled watchmaker on the premises [with only] one employee very competent at repairing.

So in 1970, Parisian jeweller Chaumet acquired Breguet, with the hopes of restoring the name to its former lustre. The jeweller was run by Jacques and Pierre Chaumet, brothers who were the ninth generation of the family that once counted Napoleon and Queen Victoria as patrons. The millionaire siblings moved Breguet to Switzerland, siting it in LOrient, one of the many small towns in the Vallee de Joux. They put Chaumet executive Francois Bodet in charge, who in turn recruited Mr Roth.

The 15 years he spent at Breguet were halcyon days, according to Mr Roth. Chaumet in those days was arguably a grander name than Cartier, with princes and potentates of the day spending lavishly at its Place Vendome store.

Mr Roth describes the Chaumet brothers as men of refined taste who gave him free rein to build beautiful watches, so build beautiful watches he did. Together with Mr Bodet the pair created what is now the quintessential Breguet look of today: slim, subtly ornate, and perhaps more formal than most of the Breguet wristwatches that came before.

Relying on Breguets most important pocket watches for inspiration, Mr Roth set about building complicated wristwatches  remember this was taking place in the 1970s, the dark days of the Quartz Crisis, at the same time hallowed names like Omega, Longines, Heuer and Vacheron Constantin were going under.

The very first watch Mr Roth created was the ref. 3130 with its distinctive asymmetric dial modelled on a Breguet perpetuelle pocket watch. He then designed a thin perpetual calendar wristwatch, equipped with a calendar mechanism based on one he had earlier designed for a pocket watch. He also constructed what is likely the first serially produced wristwatch tourbillon movement for movement maker Nouvelle Lemania in the mid 1980s, which was later installed in Breguets first tourbillon wristwatch that came to market in 1988.

With the Swiss watch industry almost a barren wasteland because of the Quartz Crisis, Mr Roths complicated, finely decorated watches were unusual and commercially successful. He had, as he puts it, the audacity to conceive a tourbillon wristwatch in the 1980s. Many of the prominent names of the day were clients of Breguet; Mr Roth mentions the late King Hassan II of Morocco as a loyal client.

But in 1987 the Chaumet brothers went spectacularly bust. The duo had pledged clients jewellery as collateral for loans to speculate in diamonds, a scheme that worked until diamond prices starting falling. With liabilities of over US$300m, more than three times their firms annual revenue, the company declared bankruptcy while the brothers were eventually sent to jail for fraud.

Chaumet was then sold to Investcorp, the Middle East private equity outfit that also once owned Tiffany & Co. and Vacheron Constantin. With his patrons gone, Mr Roth struck out on his own, establishing Daniel Roth SA in 1989 with backing from Siber Hegner, a Swiss trading house that distributed all manner of products all around the world, from silk and chemicals to machines and office supplies, and also luxury watches.

For a few short years Mr Roth contentedly produced high quality watches, mostly fitted with ebauches from Lemania, but with in the signature double-ellipse case he designed.

In the early 1990s he was one of the handful of practicing independent watchmakers, and also regarded as one of best. Amongst his first clients was John Asprey, who ran the famed jewellery and watch retailer in London, while being an early champion of independent watchmaking, having been an early backer of George Daniels and F.P. Journe. In the early 1990s, the Mr Asprey commissioned 24 tourbillon Daniel Roth wristwatches bearing the Asprey name  a remarkably substantial and important order in those days.

But Siber Hegner eventually decided the watch business wasnt lucrative enough and pulled its financing, compelling Mr Roth to turn to The Hour Glass, the Singapore watch retailer that was one of his biggest accounts.

In 1994 The Hour Glass took control of Daniel Roth SA, seeking greater vertical integration in its business. While offering Mr Roth a solid financial footing, the combination put him in a corporate structure that would eventually turn out to be at odds with his creative desires.

Things came to a head in 1997, when the Asian Financial Crisis struck, putting The Hour Glass deep into the red. Not long after, the Singapore retailer threw in the towel and in the year 2000, sold Daniel Roth and another brand it owned, Gerald Genta, to Bulgari.

The Roman jeweller eventually turned the Daniel Roth name into a range of Bulgari watches with the trademark case design. While the name was the same, the watches were not.

The watchmaker returns

A man of gentle manner, Mr Roth returned once again to solo independent watchmaking. Being a solo watchmaker is the top of happiness, says Mr Roth.

He now makes just a single type of movement  specifically, a two-minute tourbillon regulator  offered in two case styles, under the Jean Daniel Nicolas name.

It is very much a family business; the company was named after his only son, Jean-Daniel, and wife, Nicolas. His constant companion for decades in the Vallee, she handles administrative and sales matters, while Jean-Daniel helps out with watchmaking.

Mr Roth makes his watches inside a workshop located the second floor of his home in Le Sentier, one of several famous watchmaking towns in the Vallee de Joux. Facing the lake with its back to the mountains, the home is a comfortable but modestly furnished abode that has been home to the Roth family for 36 years.

He works as an artist sculpting in steel and gold, at his own pace, spending several hours each day slowly building the next tourbillon watch. Time, as he puts it, is not important for him. In 14 years he has finished a mere 26 tourbillon watches. Having averaged less than two watches a year, Mr Roth says he tries to produce three watches a year now. At the rate he is producing them, Mr Roth jokes that when he passes away, Jean-Daniel Nicolas watches will instantly become rare and valuable.

The workshop is almost stereotypical in its representation of Swiss watchmaking. Large windows let in generous amounts of sun, with the watchmakers bench and worktables sitting on wood floors. To one side sits a library  behind every good watchmaker is a good library  as well as Mr Roths archives of his past work.

Going through his past work give him visible pleasure. He grows animated when he discusses some of the watches he has built in the past, especially the early timepieces he designed for Breguet. He is also proud of the one-off creations commissioned by important collectors, including a series of Islamic calendar watches for the King of Morocco.

Some of the press clippings in the archives are poignant, showing Mr Roth in his heyday as watchmaker-in-chief of Daniel Roth SA, a picture of a corporate career that was never to be.

The Two-Minute Tourbillon

Examining the contents of the watchmakers bench and various tables reveal what he does  old school watchmaking solidly rooted in the traditions of the Vallee de Joux.

The watch and movement were designed  almost unbelievably in the age of computers  with a pen and paper. Mr Roth is of the opinion that this old fashioned method is how an old fashioned watchmaker should conduct himself, quipping, If it is a challenge, then it is perfect for me.

And the reason it is a tourbillon, as opposed to any other complication, is Mr Roths fondness for the complication, ever since his days at Breguet. Like many other watchmakers of his era, who were students of Abraham-Louis Breguet two centuries after he passed away, Mr Roth regards the tourbillon as the pinnacle of watchmaking.

He conceived the Jean-Daniel Nicolas watch as a two-minute tourbillon, giving it a period of revolution twice that of an ordinary tourbillon to differentiate it from others, and also for the owner to admire a more leisurely progression of the cage.

To him the tourbillon is an aesthetic creation, but also a functional one, providing visual indulgence for the wearer but also superior timekeeping, when properly regulated.

Mr Roth stills holds the opinion that a tourbillon, by virtue of what it is, should keep exemplary time. Consequently he tests each completed watch carefully over several days, laboriously logging the results on a sheet of paper. And for every watch that is returned for servicing, he does exactly the same.

Like Philippe Dufour, a neighbour living just three minutes away, Mr Roth relies on the etablissage system, which is how the Swiss watch industry functioned until in-house production became a badge of honour.

He buys the jewels, plates and bridges of the movement, as well as the case and dial from specialists, but produces the finer components  like the outrageously refined tourbillon bridge  himself.

And everything is then finished, unhurriedly and carefully as only an independent watchmaker can, by hand. The movement decoration is, like the fresh air of the Vallee de Joux, magnificent.

The Jean Daniel Nicolas tourbillon wristwatch costs about SFr180,000, give or take, a sum that is arguably reasonable, given that is, in essence, the culmination of a life dedicated to watchmaking.

The pride of a watchmaker

Mr Roth possesses a quietly resilient pride in the watches he has made, even those from decades ago. In an age where high-end watchmaking is a big business dominated by big companies, a craftsmans pride like his is quaint and almost fantastic.

On occasion Mr Roth still services the Daniel Roth watches he made in the early 1990s, during his first spell as a solo independent. He does it with care and at reasonable cost. He does it because he made those watches and he is still proud of them some thirty years later.

Mr Roths pride in his craft also manifests itself in the two-minute tourbillon. When asked why he does not make a time-only wristwatch, one would sell easily, in greater numbers and offer a better margin, he responds that such a watch is too simple. The hand-made and hand-finished tourbillon is his first and only love.

The decades past are now evident in Mr Roth, he walks slowly and sometimes gazes into the distance. But when he picks up a watch, he has the hands of a young watchmaker once again, fluid and deft, channelling a muscle memory of 50 years. Like the titular Ulysses in Tennysons eponymous poem, Mr Roth is not now of that strength which in old days moved Earth and heaven, but he is what he is  a watchmaker.
Katy Poe Harbaugh is a third-generation member of Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls.

Her mother, Terry Poe Buschkamp, is a sustaining member, and her grandmother, Joan Poe, and her mother-in-law, Connie Harbaugh, were League members. Katy joined in 2009 after having lived away from the Cedar Valley for several years.

My initial reason for joining was to meet friends. I made those connections, but belonging to League has given me so many more opportunities than I would have had in my professional life. Its really interesting to shine in a different capacity, to serve in a variety of different leadership roles, Harbaugh says, including chairing Charity Ball.

As the current president, she has focused on the strategic direction of League in three areas: providing meaningful experiences for members; making an impact on teenagers in the community through programs like Proms Closet; and raising Leagues profile in the community.

At one time, Junior League was the organization people turned to when they needed help. I want to get back to that place, Harbaugh explains.

President-elect Julie Girsch, originally from the Chicago area, was encouraged to join by her mother-in-law, Leila Girsch, a sustaining member.

I really wanted to learn about the community and make connections with other women, Julie Girsch says, explaining why she joined in 2012. She quickly took on leadership roles, chairing Charity Ball in her third year.

Both Harbaugh and Girsch want to grow membership. There are no age restrictions, and League reaches out to all women who share a passion for the mission to serve the community.

The organization is intent on remaining relevant in a changing world. We provide real-life experiences to members that they can take out of League and put into action in other organizational settings, says Harbaugh.

Girsch agrees. Junior League doesnt look the same as it did 20 years ago or 50 years ago. Weve changed as society has changed. Now 80 percent of our members work, and were part of the Association of Junior Leagues International, something I dont think even some of our members realize.

A new member training class starts in late summer. Yearly dues are $117 for active members.
WATERLOO  A teen has been detained for allegedly breaking in to a Waterloo convenience store over the weekend.

Officers were called to an alarm at Prime Mart, 3535 Marigold Drive, at about 4:25 a.m. on Sunday. Police said someone broke the front door glass and took liquor and cigarettes.

A 17-year-old male was detained on a charge of third-degree burglary, and he was later released to his parents, police said.

This is the second time this month that Prime Mart was the target of a burglary. On Nov. 13, police found someone had taken lottery tickets from the store while it was closed. The door was discovered open, according to the police report.
WATERLOO  Students, staff and supporters of Hawkeye Community College made their mark Tuesday on the new urban campus under construction downtown.

Hawkeye held a beam signing ceremony at the Adult Learning Center site just north of U.S. Highway 218 and along U.S. Highway 63. Silver Sharpie markers were handed out so attendees could sign one of the steel beams on the first floor of the building, on Jefferson Street between First Street and Mullan Avenue.

Work has been underway since April, when 14 building contracts were awarded by the board of trustees for the $12.96 million project. It will replace Hawkeyes Metro and Martin Luther King Jr. centers, doubling the capacity for serving students to 4,000.

HCC approves $13 million site for downtown WATERLOO  A slate of bids totaling $10.94 million was approved Tuesday by Hawkeye Community

This is really a significant event for Hawkeye Community College, noted President Linda Allen, saying the building symbolizes a transformation in how students are educated. We absolutely love this location.

Our dream is taking shape, said Sandy Jensen, Hawkeyes director of urban centers and adult literacy. The new facility will allow the college to continue serving adult students in a more robust, efficient manner, she added.

Months into construction, the outline of the 45,000-square-foot three-story building is evident, with its steel skeleton one of the defining features. Workers were busy on other parts of the site as people gathered on the concrete floor at the Jefferson Street side for the ceremony.

Adult education students will be the focus of the centers programs. Officials anticipate work will be completed in time for it to open by the fall of 2018.

My classmates and I, we are so excited, said Angelica Rodriguez, a student in the English language learner program at the Metro Center. Its, like, important to us, because well have so many opportunities.

Rodriguez is in her second semester at the Metro Center and expects to still be taking classes when the new building opens. She hopes to serve the Spanish-speaking community as a translator after completing the ELL program. She also dreams of someday offering free Zumba classes for people too poor to afford a gym membership.

Tim Mosley has worked at John Deere and traveled during his life, but I never got my education until enrolling in Hawkeyes high school completion program 18 months ago. The 53-year-old believes the new facility will allow the college to serve even more people like him.

I know I speak proudly for all the staff and students, he told attendees. Its going to be a great opportunity for us and for future students.

Along with the programs Rodriguez and Mosley are enrolled in, the new center will offer adult basic education, citizenship and family literacy classes. Hawkeye also plans to expand nursing assistant and computer numerical control machining programs for college credit at the site. More credit and career training programs may be added later.

CNC and nursing labs will be on the first floor, as will a number of services for students  a health clinic, child care and a hub to connect students to community agencies. A coffee shop and cafe that will also function as a student learning lab is planned for the ground floor. On the third floor will be areas for student artwork and performances plus community meeting space.

About $8 million of the facilitys cost will come from a $25 million bond issue approved by voters in February 2015.

This is our first major project using revenue from that bond, said Allen. She also pointed to donors who have helped fund the construction.

The project won a $1 million grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association in February. She said others who have donated a combined $700,000 include the R.J. McElroy Trust, the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa and Lincoln Savings Bank.

All of these groups and individuals supported this project, so we want to thank them for that support, said Allen. Other grants will be sought and the college plans to do private fundraising for the rest of the money.

Construction contracts account for $10.94 million of the total budget. Twelve contractors are taking part in the project, which is being managed by Cardinal Construction of Waterloo. Remaining costs include construction management, design and contingency fees plus other expenses like permits and testing.
Central New Mexico Community College and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health will host the National Institutes of Healths All of Us Journey, a traveling, hands-on exhibit to raise awareness about the All of Us Research Program - an ambitious effort to gather data from 1 million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health.

Albuquerque is just one stop on the All of Us Journeys 37-week national tour, where attendees will learn more about the All of Us Research Program and its potential to advance precision medicine in the future.

WHAT

Central New Mexico Community College and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health invites members of the Albuquerque community to visit the All of Us Journey and learn more about precision medicine and the All of Us Research Program.

WHEN

Friday, December 1

9:30AM - 2:00PM

WHERE

Central New Mexico Community College

525 Buena Vista Dr SE

Albuquerque NM 87106

WHY

As this traveling exhibit makes its way across the nation, it will provide community members with information on the All of Us Research Program. Unlike a single research study focused on a specific disease or community, All of Us will serve as a national research resource to inform thousands of studies, covering a wide range of health conditions.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR HISPANIC HEALTH

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is the premier science-based and community-driven organization that focuses on the best health for all. Community-based members provide services to more than 15 million Hispanics throughout the U.S. every year and national organization members provide services to more than 100 million people annually.

ABOUT THE ALL OF US RESEARCH PROGRAM

The All of Us Research Program is a historic effort to gather data from one million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health. By taking into account individual differences in lifestyle, environment, and biology, researchers will uncover paths toward delivering precision medicine.

#JoinAllofUs
WATERLOO  The city will continue paying the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber to help recruit new businesses and provide other economic development services.

Waterloo City Council members voted 6-1 Monday to approve a new contract with the nonprofit agency for the current fiscal year.

The contract includes $28,500 to help recruit new business, help others expand, workforce development and several other programs to market the area for business.

Another $56,500 in incentive payments are available based on the number of acres developed, tax base and jobs created through GCVAC efforts.

Lisa Skubal, GCVAC vice president of economic development, said those efforts landed $37 million in projects and 246 new jobs in the first six months of the fiscal year, primarily from expansions at Crystal Distribution Services and Tyson Fresh Meats.

Councilman Tom Lind cast the lone vote against the agreement after asking for another week to review it.

Lind said he did not receive a copy of a required written report that was provided by the GCVAC last week and included in council packets. Lind also did not attend a public work session on the contract prior to the regular meeting.

Mayor Quentin Hart said it was unfair to punish the GCVAC by delaying the vote.

These folks did what they needed to and got it to us timely, Hart said. It would be nice to support that.

They did what they were supposed to do, he added. If we didnt have time to review it or didnt take a look at our packets, that is up to us.  Its one of the most detailed updates that youve ever received.

Councilman Pat Morrissey had asked GCVA officials for insight on what attracts businesses to the Waterloo area and what is the biggest challenge.

Skubal said the citys internal economic development staff is transaction oriented and willing to work with prospects to get deals done. The challenge was Waterloos high property tax rate.

Alliance and Chamber CEO Steve Dust said the city is generally able to cover the property tax discrepancy through additional incentives to businesses.

You burn through incentives overcoming the property tax issue, he said.

Dust said one of the biggest issues on the horizon involves talent development, which is why the GCVAC is working on programs to recruit and train the work force businesses need to thrive locally.
Despite President Donald Trumps vows to build a wall with Mexico and deport huge numbers of Latin American immigrants, there is a little-known phenomenon that could have a positive impact on hemispheric relations in the long term: Growing numbers of U.S. students are choosing Latin American countries for their study-abroad programs.

While most U.S. students in these programs go to European countries, the percentage of students who pick Latin American destinations for credit-earning studies is rising fast. And among Americans who travel abroad for non-credit experiences  such as internships and volunteer work  Latin America already is the No. 1 destination.

The data comes from the newly released Open Doors report by the New York-based Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. State Department.

While the figures are from the 2016-17 academic year, which started during the U.S. presidential campaign but before the November 2016 elections, they reflect an ongoing trend that is likely to continue.

The number of U.S. youths studying abroad has more than tripled over the past two decades, to 325,339 students this year, the report says. Of that total, 53,000 went to Latin American and Caribbean countries, an almost 6 percent increase over the previous year.

The number of U.S. students going to Argentina rose by nearly 4 percent, to Mexico by 10 percent, and to Colombia by 25 percent. By comparison, the percentage of U.S. students going to Europe rose by an average of 3.5 percent.

Among the additional 23,000 Americans who went abroad for non-credit internships or volunteer work, more than 38 percent chose Latin American and Caribbean destinations, compared with 14 percent that went to Europe, and 10 percent to Asia, according to IIE data.

These figures are important because, in the long term, they are likely to help increase U.S. attention to Latin America. One of the reasons why Latin America has long ranked low among U.S. foreign-policy priorities has been that most U.S. policy makers have had little to no personal connections with the region.

Most of the U.S. policy makers who studied abroad, like former President Bill Clinton, did so in the United Kingdom. A U.S. college student who spends a year in a Latin American country is much more likely to pursue business opportunities or remain interested in that place. Student mobility creates long-term cultural and political bonds between countries.

Unfortunately, there is also bad news for the future of U.S. relations with the world, and Latin America in particular, in the latest student mobility picture. In part because of Trumps anti-immigration rhetoric and actions, the number of foreign students coming to the United States is expected to decline in 2018, according to a separate IIE report.

While nearly 1.1 million foreign students were enrolled in U.S. colleges in 2017, a more than 3 percent increase over the previous year, an IIE survey of U.S. colleges conducted in October  eight months into the Trump administration  shows that there is a drop in foreign student enrollments for the 2018 school year.

The survey of 522 U.S. colleges shows that the expected drop in foreign enrollments for the 2018 academic year is due to visa application issues or denials, the cost of higher education in the United States, and a Trump-created climate of hostility toward several groups of immigrants.

A significant proportion of institutions report that the U.S. social and political environment and feeling unwelcome in the United States are factors contributing to new international student declines, the IIE report says.

It added that, The rhetoric surrounding the (Trump administration) policies and ensuing public debates on immigration, along with apprehensions of personal safety and tense race relations, concern prospective international students and their families.

Thats bad news for the U.S. economy: In addition to contributing significantly to U.S. research and entrepreneurial leadership, foreign students support more than 450,000 U.S. jobs, and add over $39.4 billion a year to the U.S. economy, according to IIE figures.

The good news is that Trumps jingoism is having little or no effect on the number of Americans going to study or do internships abroad. The bad news for the United States is that fewer foreign students are enrolling in U.S. colleges, which hurts the economy and will have a lasting negative impact on Americas influence abroad.
TripAdvisor is an online travel site valued at $1.5 billion that rates tourism destinations using consumer posts.

Youll learn whether facilities are luxurious or lacking, hotel staff is courteous or contemptuous, and if bathrooms sparkle or are scummy.

But you wouldnt know 39 Americans drowned in Mexico in 2016, some at resorts under mysterious circumstances; possible hotel rapes; or tainted alcohol causing blackouts, vomiting and serious injury.

TripAdvisor deletes those negative posts for violating its guidelines that every review must be unbiased, family friendly, based on a first-hand experience, and relevant to other travelers, citing offending ones as hearsay.

TripAdvisor changed its stance  sort of  after a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel investigation following the drowning death of Wisconsin college student Abbey Conner, 20, whose brother, Austin, 22, nearing graduation, was hospitalized as well at a Cancun area resort.

TripAdvisor now is placing three-month warning badges on sites where alleged problems occurred, including the Iberostar Paraiso Maya, where Abbey Conner died and Kristie Love of Dallas reported being raped by a security guard in 2010. The neighboring Iberostar Paraiso Lindo also got one.

So did the Grand Velas Riviera Maya, where a Boston man receiving a massage, passed out after a potion was place under his nose. He claimed to have been sexually assaulted.

The Conners were found face down in the pool minutes after toasting completion of final exams with a couple of shots of tequila. Both were strong swimmers.

It wasnt an isolated incident. Two young men drowned under similar circumstances at the Grand Oasis in Cancun in 2012.

The Journal-Sentinel found more than three-dozen cases of tourists blacking out or becoming violently ill after as little as two drinks at resorts in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta.

Sixteen Americans drowned in Mexico between January and June, according to a recent State Department report  another three in September that families blamed on tainted alcohol. Others were seriously injured, robbed or sexually assaulted.

In 2015, Mexican officials found 43 percent of the nations alcohol was low-cost bootleg concoctions  possibly grain alcohol or dangerous concentrations of methanol, all capable of making people extremely ill  produced under unregulated conditions to circumvent high taxes.

They have seized more than 1.4 million gallons of adulterated alcohol since 2010, including at upscale hotels.

Many tourists paid large sums upfront to be treated at hospitals and clinics suspected of being in cahoots with hotels. The Conners family paid $17,000 to a clinic and tens of thousands more to a hospital.

Hotels are often part of the problem, Mexican police frequently indifferent.

In October 2010, Kristie Love said a hotel security guard sexually assaulted her at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya while returning to the lobby because her room key had been deactivated.

She repeatedly attempted to post a warning on TripAdvisor. Meanwhile, the resorts insurance company warned her that unproven allegations, if shared on a public or private website, could be construed as a crime itself, leading to prosecution for lost income because of defamation or blackmailing.

The local chief of police for tourists had tried unsuccessfully to get the resort to provide security staff photos. Months later, he was found shot dead in his squad car.

Responsible media wont publish hearsay or allegations without investigating their validity. Guidelines exist about online comments.

Given that the 1996 Communications Decency Act offers TripAdvisor and similar online sites legal protection against negative posts concerning hotels and similar establishments, they may lack the interest, wherewithal or an incentive to investigate. Their revenue is based on clicks to hotel links and commissions for rooms booked.

TripAdvisors badge system already is questionable.

The Journal-Sentinel reported in mid-November that the Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas hadnt received a badge despite a lawsuit by a woman claiming it was negligent in hiring a waiter she accused of sneaking into her bedroom to sexually assault her.

Her lawsuit, the San Jose Mercury News stated Nov. 10, includes the waiters Facebook post, I love being the bad guy that everyone falls in love with, and if I admit it, I have no heart, however, I have perversion.

It also wouldnt attach a badge to a Baltimore area tavern whose owner pleaded guilty of installing Peeping Tom cameras in the womens restroom, since its three-month policy had elapsed.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate TripAdvisor.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also wants to know how the State Department  remiss in issuing warnings about Mexico until the Journal-Sentinel investigation  monitors, records and reports overseas incidents involving physical abuse or death after the potential consumption of tainted alcohol.

Given the private and public sector failures to raise red flags, tourists and travel agents should be diligent, doing searches and scouring independent websites to avoid potential problems.
By WestKyStar & Ballard County Schools Staff Nov. 29, 2017 | 06:33 AM | LaCENTER, KY





Representatives Jarrod Shadowen (shown at right) and Chad Rennison from the IBEW Local 816 Joint Apprenticeship Training Center in Paducah recently presented a check for $2,000 to Ballard County Career and Technical Center teacher Kevin Cope (left) for electrical supplies and equipment for the schools industrial maintenance program.Shadowen said the donation program began about four years ago, targeting area training centers with electrical program. We see the need for students to understand theres an option besides college, he said. Shadowen said he and Rennison visit classes and speak to students, and said the IBEW program has seen an uptick in applicants since this increased involvement began. Our ultimate goal is to benefit students, he added.Cope said the money would be used to purchase things like tools, wiring and conduit for the IM classes. Jarrod and Chad both serve on my advisory council, and said they understand how hard it is to keep up supplies in order to properly train the students, Cope said. He estimated that BCCTC had about 10 students who had applied for the IBEW apprenticeship program.We look forward to working with students and the school system, Shadowen said.
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UK, South Korea to extend nuclear cooperation

28 November 2017

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in nuclear energy was signed yesterday between the UK and South Korea. The agreement calls for greater collaboration in the construction of new nuclear power plants and the decommissioning of old ones.

Clark (left) and Un-gyu sign the MoU (Image: Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy)

The MoU was signed in London by South Korean minister of trade, industry and energy, Paik Un-gyu, and UK secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, Greg Clark. The signing followed discussions on the expansion of nuclear cooperation between the two countries, including the construction and dismantling of nuclear power plants.

Un-gyu noted that South Korea has over 40 years' of reactor operating experience, as well as experience in the development of nuclear technology.

In a statement, the Korean energy ministry said Clark vowed the UK government has a "clear commitment to support" foreign investment in UK nuclear new build projects.

State-run utility Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) has previously said it is considering taking a stake in NuGeneration, the Toshiba-led joint venture planning to construct the Moorside nuclear power plant in Cumbria, England. The plant was originally planned to feature Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, but with Korea's involvement there have been suggestions the reactor design could be changed to Kepco's APR1400.

Kepco nuclear operator subsidiary Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) confirmed in July it is in talks about "cooperation" with Horizon Nuclear Power, which is planning to build two large Advanced Boiling Water Reactors at Wylfa Newydd, in Wales. At that time, KHNP said Hitachi Japan had proposed cooperation with Horizon, its fully-owned UK project company, and that "KHNP is in the early stages of examining various aspects of cooperation from a practical point of view".

South Korea could benefit from the UK's experience in decommissioning nuclear power plants. Kori unit 1, which was permanently shut down in June, is the first South Korean reactor to enter decommissioning.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Nov 29, 2017 | By Benedict

Researchers from the University of Houston have released an open-source dataset for turning a smartphone into a 3D printed microscope. Such a microscope can be used to detect waterborne pathogens and carry out other helpful diagnostic functions.

When you get too stuck into Facebook or Candy Crush, its easy to forget that a smartphone can do truly incredible things. You can turn it into a 3D printer, as the ONO smartphone 3D printer proves, and you can even use 3D printed accessories to transform a smartphone into something else entirely.

A new project at the University of Houston uses 3D printed components to turn a smartphone into a microscope capable of carrying out important medical functions. Its fully open source, and the transformed smartphones can be used in rural areas and developing countries where more traditional microscopic equipment isnt yet available.

By attaching an inkjet-printed elastomer lens to a standard smartphone, the Houston researchers have been able to develop a system capable of fluorescence microscopy, a process used in biology, medical diagnostics, and other fields to detect otherwise undetectable information about cells and tissue.

This means the partially 3D printed setup is able to detect waterborne pathogensmicro-organisms that can transfer diseaseand perform other diagnostic functions. This could be helpful not only to medical professionals, but to those like backpackers who want to quickly test the contents of river water, for example.

The research into this project actually goes way back: associate professor Wei-Chuan Shih and his lab developed their first external microscopic smartphone lens back in 2015, and that research was then developed further using a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundations citizen science initiative.

Now, after Shihs lab created a company for the specific purpose of producing and distributing those smartphone lenses, the researchers have managed to improve the microscope with additional features, including a platform made of low-cost parts and LEGO bricks. The platform can be used for high-throughput quality inspection of the inkjet-printed lenses.

The lenses themselves use LED lighting and a 3D printed cartridge which holds a glass slide, with both the LED and cartridge attaching to a smartphone. Light is input from the side of the 1-mm-thick slide, and travels through the glass, refracting to present the microscopic image.

To see if the DIY microscope is really effective enough for its designated purpose, the researchers tried testing water samples for pathogens including Giardia lamblia and Cyrptosporidium parvum. Both the 3D printed setup and a regular tabletop optical microscope were tested, and results showed a resolution of two microns with the smartphone devicelower than the regular microscope, but still more than capable of detecting the pathogens.

Shih and the other researchers are now excited to see how the 3D printed smartphone device performs in real-world applications outside of the lab.

Their latest paper on the research, Open-source do-it-yourself multi-color fluorescence smartphone microscopy, has been published in Biomedical Optics Express.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Paul Morelli wrote at 11/29/2017 8:44:30 PM:you might want to check in on ONO.. Its now OLO and looking like a complete scam. Not sure it this printer will ever hit the backers.






Jacques Find Continues to Deliver Excellent High Grade Results

Perth, Nov 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ("Intermin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further exciting reverse circulation ("RC") drilling results from the 100% owned Teal gold project located 11km northwest of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia (see Figure 4 in link below).



HIGHLIGHTS



- Follow up drilling completed at the new 100% owned Jacques Find discovery, part of the Teal gold camp 11km from Kalgoorlie-Boulder



- Significant high grade downhole RC intercepts include (see Note 1 below):



o 27m @ 4.16 g/t Au from 45m (JFRC1711)



o 1m @ 9.53 g/t & 10m @ 2.59 g/t Au from 71m (JFRC1713)



o 2m @ 3.38 g/t Au from 31m (JFRC1712)



- All holes successfully intercepted significant mineralisation beyond the current Resource envelope to the north, south and at depth



- Excellent grades and widths in the oxide supergene zone together with primary high grade mineralisation demonstrate potential for both open cut and underground mining



- Major follow up drilling program to commence in the March Quarter 2018



- Updated Mineral Resource expected in the June Quarter 2018



Commenting on the drilling results, Intermin's Managing Director Mr Jon Price said:



"Jacques Find is shaping up as a significant new discovery within our 100% owned asset portfolio and will be the subject of a larger scale resource drill program in 2018.



"The latest results, particularly in the shallower supergene zone have demonstrated potential for both open cut and underground mining. Jacques Find is quickly joining Anthill and Blister Dam as a key part of Intermin's longer term production profile."



Overview



Five RC holes for 648m were completed at the Jacques Find discovery to follow up the highly encouraging RC drilling results announced to the ASX on 15 November 2017 including 26m @ 7.81g/t Au from 48m and 16m @ 5.33g/t Au from 86m in hole JFRC1704 (see Figure 2 in link below). Four of the latest holes targeted oxide-transitional mineralisation zones and one hole was completed as a re-entry of hole JFRC1701 which was interpreted to have finished short of the target zone.



All holes intercepted significant mineralisation beyond the extent of the current Mineral Resource envelope which remains open in all directions. Hole JFRC1711 was drilled 20m north of JFRC1704 and returned another outstanding intercept of 27m @ 4.16g/t Au from 45m. The result is significant as it is high grade, located within the strongly oxidised weathering profile and demonstrates the potential to define an oxide Resource (see Figure 1 in link below).



Hole JFRC1713 was located 30m south of JFRC1704 and intersected 1m @ 9.53g/t Au from 62m and 10m @ 2.59g/t Au from 71m and hole JFRC1712 was located 25m east of JFRC1704 and returned 2m @ 3.38g/t Au from 31m. These three results combined suggest the mineralisation intercepted in JFRC1704 is fault bounded and plunges to the south.



Hole JFRC1710 was located a further 80m north along the interpreted strike from the most northern intercept of mineralisation related to a black shale unit (12m @ 4.25g/t Au from 66m in JFRC1708 - see Note 2 below). An encouraging intercept of 7m @ 1.08g/t Au from 32m was returned from a depleted zone related to a black shale contact which has now extended the strike length of Jacques Find mineralisation to over 500m.



Hole JFRC1701 was completed as a re-entry to extend the depth a further 64m to 184m and returned 2m @ 1.96g/t Au from 142m and 3m @ 4.12g/t Au from 149m. Multiple mineralised zones were intersected on either side of the black shale unit, confirming a consistent geological interpretation in this area (see Figure 3 in link below). Strong quartz-pyrite veining and sericite-carbonate alteration was observed at 135m vertical depth and the hole confirmed the steep westerly dip of the Jacques Find mineralisation.



Next Steps



Intermin is at the advanced planning stages for a major Resource expansion drilling program at Jacques Find that will begin in the March Quarter 2018. The mineralisation is interpreted to be open in all directions and the drilling will test the northern and southern strike limits of known mineralisation in order to extend the strike length beyond the current 500m. Drilling will also be directed to target extensions to shallow oxide-transitional mineralisation that have the potential to be mined with open pit mining methods.



A program of RC and diamond holes will test the continuity of high grade mineralisation between 150m to 300m depth beneath Jacques Find and further drilling will be conducted along the Yolande and Peyes Farm prospect trends. It is currently planned to complete an updated Resource for the Teal gold project including Jacques Find, Peyes Farm and Teal Extended by the end of the June quarter 2018.



All gold assay results from the Jacques Find program have been received with drill hole collar details and significant downhole intervals >1.00g/t Au included in Table 1 (see link below).





Notes:



1 See Table 1 on Page 4, Competent Persons Statements on Page 6, Forward Looking Statement on Page 7 and JORC Tables on Page 8



2 As announced to the ASX on 15 November 2017.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/PSOSHIX0





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.


AGM - Chairman's address to Shareholders

Melbourne, Nov 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - SEEK Limited ( ASX:SEK ) ( SKLTY:OTCMKTS ) provides Chairman's address and CEO presentation to shareholders at today's Annual General Meeting.



CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS



Fellow shareholders, it is my pleasure to address you today and provide some of the highlights of the past year.



FY2017 Results Overview



The 2017 financial year was another successful year for SEEK as the business made strong progress against both its strategic and financial objectives.



Strategic highlights included executing on key transactions, reinvestment driving strong operational metrics, and improvement in market share in our key markets.



In terms of financial objectives, our long term focus led to SEEK achieving the $1 billion revenue mark for the first time in its 20 year history. This is a big milestone given approximately 60% of our revenue is now from international operations.



SEEK delivered record financial results in 2017. In constant currency and excluding significant items, sales revenue grew 14% and EBITDA grew 5% over the prior year. Total dividends grew 10% over the previous year.



These were good results in a year of aggressive reinvestment across all of our businesses.



Our Australian and New Zealand business is most advanced in its growth evolution and a sustained period of reinvestment is now delivering impressive operational and financial returns.



The success in ANZ has reaffirmed that reinvestment is the right strategy for our International businesses which offer much larger revenue opportunities than the ANZ business.



SEEK is evolving and investing to capture exciting growth opportunities. Andrew will discuss these further in his presentation.



A key highlight in 2017 has been progress with two significant transactions, namely Online Education Services and Zhaopin.



In March 2017, we increased our ownership in OES from 50% to 80%. This transaction enables greater flexibility to secure additional education partners onto the OES platform, the first of these being the University of Western Sydney which has a strong brand in New South Wales, Australia's largest market and where OES is underpenetrated.



In October 2017 we completed the privatisation of Zhaopin and partnered with leading private equity firms Hillhouse Capital Management and FountainVest Partners. These partners have a strong track record in working with technology businesses and will bring new strategic and operational capabilities to further accelerate growth in Zhaopin.



I am very confident that both our reinvestment program and M&A activities will allow us to deliver on our purpose and generate strong returns for shareholders over the medium to long term.



The Community & Our People



SEEK has a long history of contributing positively to the wider community.



Our strong commitment in this area is in keeping with our purpose of "Helping people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and helping organisations succeed".



Some examples of these community initiatives in Australia and New Zealand are as follows:



- SEEK Volunteer is the leading volunteer marketplace in Australia and has been in operation for over 17 years.



SEEK Volunteer has also been operating in New Zealand for the past two years and is now the largest volunteering organisation in that country.



SEEK Volunteer supports over 8,000 organisations and helps more than 135,000 potential volunteers connect with those organisations each year.



- Through the Small change workplace giving program employees donate to various charities and SEEK matches every donation dollar for dollar.



Our employees have been ranked as among the most generous in Australia based on contributions to workplace giving. In 2017, donations to SEEK's partner charities were up 30% on the previous year which is a great achievement.



- In Partnership with Melbourne Business School we released a research study on 'Mental Health in the Workplace' with the aim of helping Australian organisations better support employees with mental health concerns.



- In Partnership with Vision Australia we offered visually impaired individuals workplace experience on an internship basis.



Our commitment to helping the community also extends across our International businesses.



In particular, areas of diversity and inclusion have been a focus.



Initiatives include the launch of a disability employment platform in Brazil helping candidates with disabilities to secure employment.



SEEK has also implemented a number of initiatives to drive a culture of inclusiveness and diversity within the business.



Over the last 12 months we have had a strong focus on gender equality, in particular, increasing female representation in senior management and technical roles over the medium term.



Key programs of work include:



- The Females At SEEK Thrive, or 'FAST', program which aims to remove career development barriers by understanding and removing unconscious bias and ultimately increasing female participation in senior roles; and



- Long term investment in school level digital talent through the hosting of 'Camp SEEK', a week long program for teenage girls, covering different aspects of the digital industry to encourage greater consideration of a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.



In terms of the Environment, SEEK's operational model is office based and online.



Accordingly, its environmental footprint is small.



Nevertheless, we have a strong commitment to minimising our environmental impact through a range of sustainability programs which are supported by the Board.



These programs are holistic and encompass things such as, who we procure from and how we minimise energy and waste in our day to day practices.



The Board



In relation to Board composition and renewal, in March 2017 we were pleased to welcome Vanessa Wallace to the Board as a non-executive director.



Vanessa's appointment increased the size of the Board to seven directors and Vanessa is standing for election today.



Vanessa's extensive experience in corporate strategy development across a number of industries will be extremely valuable to SEEK as we pursue our long term growth strategy.



Board succession planning is well developed and continues to be an important Board agenda item at SEEK.



As advised to shareholders at last year's AGM, the implementation of the Board succession and renewal plan will see both Colin Carter and myself retire over the next year. Accordingly, this will be Colin's last AGM as he will retire in the early part of 2018.



On behalf of the Board, management, and all shareholders, I would like to pay tribute to Colin for the outstanding contribution he has made to the company since joining the Board at the time of the IPO in March 2005. Colin has significantly enhanced the strategic thinking around the Board table as well as leading the development of our innovative remuneration framework. Thank you Colin from all of us.



In my own case, while I am standing for re-election today, subject to being re-elected, I plan to retire as Chairman at the end of calendar year 2018 to facilitate a smooth transition to a new Chairman.



In the meantime, the Board is continuing to execute an orderly renewal plan and is well advanced in conducting a search for a new non-executive director who is expected to be appointed over the next few months.



Remuneration



As Chairman, I am immensely proud that we have developed a remuneration strategy and structure that the Board truly believes is the right fit for SEEK. Setting the right remuneration framework that aligns to long-term strategy, and also serves to attract and retain key talent, and drive creation of shareholder value, is one of the most important tasks for a Board.



I don't want to pre-empt the decision on item 2 in relation to our Remuneration Report, however, I would like to thank shareholders who have lodged proxies for their overwhelming support to date in favour of that resolution, which indicates strong support for our remuneration structure.



However, I would like to make some comments in relation to Andrew's remuneration. As in previous years, we are disappointed by proxy advisor recommendations in relation to Andrew's LTI grant.



By any measure, Andrew's overall remuneration is reasonable, relative to the market. He is paid reasonably, and definitely not excessively, in comparison to Australian CEOs running businesses of a similar size and complexity.



Andrew's remuneration is positioned mid-range compared to Australian peers, despite the fact that his performance and the SEEK business has significantly outperformed the market over the long term. In addition, under Andrew's stewardship SEEK has evolved to become a truly successful international company; and relative to global organisations within the industry, Andrew's remuneration is positioned at the low end when compared with other global CEOs.



We should also not forget to assess Andrew's remuneration relative to his strong 20 year track record. The key data point for shareholders on Andrew's track record is SEEK's post IPO returns of circa 905% versus ASX200 returns of 144%.



If the recommendations and votes against the LTI grant resolution are an indirect protest vote against our remuneration structure, I want to be clear on a few facts:



- Firstly, since the Board implemented this new structure in 2012, SEEK's total shareholder returns have been 199.8% compared with shareholder returns of 74.8% for the ASX200.



- Secondly, our remuneration structure, including the fact that 50% of total remuneration is payable in equity, has created the right setting for management to align with the long-term interests of shareholders, and our results reflect this.



- Thirdly, the hurdle set as an excess return over the benchmark index is challenging. This is evidenced by two things:



o The LTI hurdle has typically been in the range of 4 to 5% plus dividends giving a compound annual total return of 7 to 8%. In a low growth world, we think this hurdle is very challenging and sets an appropriate level of wealth sharing between the Executive and our shareholders; and



o The FY2015 LTI offer lapsed in the performance period ended 30 June 2017 as, despite the company's continued strong performance, the hurdle was not achieved.



I would like to acknowledge we have also received some very helpful feedback and support from our long-term shareholders. Like we have done in previous years, we will take this feedback on board and continue to engage with proxy advisers and shareholders.



Thanks



I would like to thank Andrew, my fellow board members and the entire SEEK team for their hard work and dedication, which is reflected in our strong financial performance and the business accomplishments over the last year.



I would also like to thank you, our shareholders, for your continued support and loyalty.



Before I ask Andrew to address the meeting, I'd like to publicly acknowledge the 20-year milestone recently achieved by the company and in particular, Andrew's enduring leadership and incredible contribution to the company's success over that time.



To view CEO Presentation including trading and guidance update, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/B1GS3E00





About SEEK Limited





SEEK Limited (ASX:SEK) (OTCMKTS:SKLTY) is a diverse group of companies, comprised of a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK operates across 18 countries with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 26 per cent of GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people's lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company with a market capitalisation close to A$6billion and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies Globally by Forbes, and Number One in Australia.


Chairman's Address to Shareholders

Sydney, Nov 29, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - EnviroSuite Limited ( ASX:EVS ) provides Chairman's address to be delivered at the Company's Annual General Meeting today.



I am pleased to welcome you to the 2017 Annual General Meeting for Envirosuite Limited.



The last twelve months has been the most transformational in the Group's history since listing. Post the sale of our Pacific Environment consulting business at the end of the 2017 financial year we are now a well funded, pure Saas technology business with a singular focus on our award-winning and world-leading Envirosuite platform.



The sale completes a process conceived several years ago by the current directors to grow the consulting business organically and through acquisitions to develop an attractive asset that could be sold once the Envirosuite platform was able to stand alone and in a position to realise its global potential.



The sale of the Pacific Environment consulting business consumed most of our senior people for the majority of the financial year particularly in the second half as the process moved toward completion. I would like to thank them, together with my fellow directors, management, our advisors, funders and ERM and their advisors who worked tirelessly to complete a highly successful transaction that has set us up to realise the true potential of Envirosuite on a global scale.



I also thank the Pacific Environment team for their efforts over many years and congratulate them on being part of a business that more than quadrupled in value between 2012 and 2017. We look forward to continuing our great relationship with the Pacific Environment team through our partnership with ERM.



Following the sale of the consulting business, we were very pleased to welcome back Mr Peter White as Chief Executive Officer and a Director. Peter's re-entry to the group that he had helped position so well for the transitional events of the 2017 financial year, is perfectly timed - we are now at a point where we can most benefit from his leadership and international technology credentials to guide the company through the most exciting growth phase in its history.



Peter has quickly set the tone for the future through making key sales hires, resetting the businesses finance and administrative processes, working closely with the technology development team and taking on the role of group sales manager to build on the relatively limited sales presence that the business has been operating with to date.



By the end of the December quarter of 2017, we expect to have added a further six experienced, networked and proven SaaS sales professionals thus effectively tripling our senior sales team. With these sales leaders and our impressive line-up of sales partners, we now have a significant sales capability. The newly enlarged team will focus on the existing pipeline of leads, assisting our partners and identifying new opportunities to distribute the platform.



As with all technology platforms, Envirosuite will never stop evolving in order to increase its usefulness and value to our customers. The consistent theme through the positive market feedback we receive from industry, regulators, and respected peers is that we are well advanced on any other environmental monitoring and management platform in the market globally. We are uniquely placed to take advantage of the global trend being set by communities, regulators and industry to adopt the next level environmental management disciplines that Envirosuite has been designed to deliver.



I thank shareholders for their patience as we had to adopt a strong internal focus on the business through a demanding 2017 financial year, however having reached a successful conclusion to that phase of the business we are now able to focus externally, a part of which will be more regular communications. We are updating the market at least quarterly on our progress and more often as materiality requires.



I am really looking forward to the year ahead, we have a very focused and determined team, and I have the utmost confidence in their ability to capitalise on the significant global opportunities that our hard work has identified.





About EnviroSuite Limited





EnviroSuite Limited (ASX:EVS) (FRA:57P) is an environmental management technology company that has developed a leading Software-as-Service platform which translates data into action in real-time.

Using proprietary algorithms built on more than 30 years of environmental consulting experience, Envirosuite's platform provides a range of environmental monitoring, management and investigative capabilities.

Envirosuite's platform is used worldwide by a range of clients in the mining, oil refining, transportation and water management industries and by governments looking to regulate industry in accordance with community well-being.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.envirosuite.com


Prospectus - Renounceable Pro-Rata Entitlement Offer

Perth, Nov 30, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackham Resources Ltd ( ASX:BLK ) ( BKHRF:OTCMKTS ) provides Prospectus for a renounceable pro-rata rights issue to raise approximately $12,310,914 (before costs) at an issue price of 12 cents per New Share with Eligible Shareholders having an Entitlement to subscribe for 2 New Shares for every 7 Shares held (Entitlement Offer).



The Entitlement Offer is partially underwritten by Barclay Wells Limited up to $3.0 million.



Letter from the Non-Executive Chairman



On 24 November 2017 the Company announced its entry into an investment committee approved term sheet with Pacific Road and its related entities which involves (Funding Arrangement):



- a placement to Pacific Road of $7.35 million worth of Shares at the same issue price as the Entitlement Offer (12 cents) (Placement);



- a loan facility pursuant to which Pacific Road will lend Blackham $40 million secured over all of Blackham's assets (Facility);



- the issue to Pacific Road of 15 million options to purchase Shares at an exercise price of $0.142 (Pacific Road Tranche A Options);



- the issue to Pacific Road of 84.4 million options to purchase Shares at an exercise price of $0.142 (Pacific Road Tranche B Options), subject to the receipt of Shareholder approval;



- a standby loan facility pursuant to which Pacific Road will lend Blackham $10 million secured over all of Blackham's assets (Standby Facility); and



- if the Company wishes to utilise the full $10 million Standby Facility, it will be required to firstly gain Shareholder approval for the issue of a further 69.4 million options to Pacific Road to purchase Shares at an exercise price at a 20% premium to the 20 day volume weighted average price of the Company's share (Pacific Road Tranche C Options).



The Funding Arrangement is subject to the execution of formal legal documentation and contains various conditions precedent as set out in Blackham's announcement on 24 November 2017. It is expected that formal documentation will be executed and that these conditions will be satisfied before the Closing Date such that Blackham will drawdown the facilities in full and issue the Placement Shares and the Pacific Road Tranche A Options before the Closing Date.



The Company is now offering Eligible Shareholders the opportunity to further participate in the development of Blackham Resources Limited (Blackham or the Company).



This capital raising will enable the Company to continue to provide additional funds for its Matilda-Wiluna Gold Operation (Operation) to enhance production, strengthen and lengthen reserves, complete expansion studies and for general working capital.



The capital raising will be undertaken through a 2-for-7 pro-rata renounceable rights issue (Entitlement Offer) to shareholders at 12 cents per New Share.



The Entitlement Offer is partially underwritten by Barclay Wells Limited up to a total of $3.0m as set out in section 7.4. Pacific Road has agreed to sub-underwrite up to $2.65 million of the underwriting commitment of Barclay Wells Limited.



All Shareholders with an address in Australia and New Zealand and registered as at 5:00pm (WST) on the Record Date will be entitled to participate in the Entitlement Offer. The closing date for the Entitlement Offer is 5:00pm (WST) on Friday, 15 December 2017.



Eligible Shareholders are also invited to apply for New Shares in excess of their Entitlement.



At the time of lodging this Prospectus, all your Directors have indicated that they will take up part of their Entitlements under the Entitlement Offer to the extent they are able to fund their respective entitlements.



The Company is focused on enhancing production and improving cash flow from current operations through accessing the higher grade ore from the open pit and underground mines. Over the last 12 months Blackham has significantly de-risked both the open pit and underground operations. The significant mine development in the Golden Age underground was completed in early July 2017 and the underground operation is now cash flow positive. Major investment has been made in mining development at both the Galaxy and M4 pit by gaining access to the best ore sources in both pits. The Galaxy mine development is at a point where high grade ore is now accessible. Mine development in the M4 pit is continuing and is expected to be largely completed in December 2017. High grade ore from the main M4 lode will then be accessible over 1.5 kilometres of strike to feed the mill to capacity.



On 30 August 2017, the Company was pleased to announce the successful results of the Wiluna Expansion Preliminary Feasibility Study ('Expansion PFS'). The PFS demonstrated robust economics and improved economies of scale supporting the expansion of the Matilda- Wiluna Operation to 3.3Mtpa.



The Expansion DFS is well advanced and is aimed at monetising a larger portion of its Matilda- Wiluna Gold Resources. The management team have allowed additional time to complete the Expansion DFS due to significant drilling success growing the size of the resources and to allow further work to optimise and de-risked the Expansion opportunity. The Board is focused on achieving steady production and cash generation from existing operations prior to committing to development of the expanded Operation.



On behalf of the Board, I commend the Entitlement Offer to you. Before making your decision to invest, I ask you to carefully read the Prospectus and seek professional advice if required. The Company is at an exciting stage, with gold production growing, reserves on the increase, a progressing Expansion DFS and a new funding arrangement expected to be in place, so the Company has particular pleasure in offering its Shareholders the opportunity to participate in its further development and growth.



To view the full Prospectus, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/V12Y0748



To view Entitlement Letter - Optionholders, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/6HOS1035



To view Entitlement Letter - Shareholders, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/F6ZLZBEI





About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd





Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMC) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga Tuesday promised to hold own inauguration ceremony in defiance of President Uhuru Kenyatta sworn in following his victory of October re-run.

Uhuru was inaugurated on Tuesday for a second five-year term in office.

The Kenyan leader in front of around 60,000 supporters packed in capital Nairobis stadium pledged to unite the divided country.

The elections are now firmly behind us  I will devote my time and energy to build bridges, he said.

He won the October rerun boycotted by the main opposition with the turnout put at 39 per cent.

Rival Odinga few hours after Uhurus inauguration said he would stage his inauguration next month.

This election of October 26 is fake. We do not recognize it, Odinga told supporters from the rooftop of a car.

On Dec. 12, we will have an assembly that will swear me in.

The opposition sought to gather Tuesday in capital Nairobi but riot police raided the gathering scene. They teargassed opposition supporters who erected barricades and burnt tires.

Odinga told supporters that he is the legitimate president. He refused to run for the October poll after accusing the electoral commission of refusing to implement reforms after the Supreme Court cancelled August elections over irregularities.
Visiting King Mohamed VI inaugurated Monday a fishing disembarkation point, north of Abidjan just a day after his arrival ahead of EU-Africa summit.

The project located at Locodjro, north of the Ivorian capital necessitated 2.6 million euro and consists of maritime protection structures as well as infrastructure for small-scale fishing activities including storage facilities.

Host President Alassane Drame Ouattara also attended the ceremony of the project named after the Moroccan monarch.

The project will enable creation of several job opportunities that will help develop the fishing industry of West African country.

Later in the day, King Mohamed VI also unveiled a training center providing several skills including hospitality management and construction and civil engineering, in Yopougon, north of Abidjan.

Launched in 2015, the project cost over 6 million euro.

King Mohamed VI arrived in Abidjan on Sunday for a state visit and ahead of two-day EU-Africa summit to start on 29-30 in the capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress Partys feudal mindset yet again, by bringing up a decades-old visit of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Gujarats Morbi.

When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity, Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing a rally here.

The Prime Ministers latest salvo adds to a string of accusations against Congress dynastic politics and elitism, a point that the BJP has continually attacked and pitted against PM Modis beginnings as a tea vendor.

The prime minister further alleged that the work of Congress while in power was mere pretentiousness.

For Congress, development was giving hand pumps. For the BJP, it is the SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters, he said.

Addressing a rally in Rajkot recently, Prime Minister Modi had taken a similar dig at Congress for making a reference to his beginning as a tea vendor in a picture tweeted by their volunteer group last week.

At the rally, he praised his partys work, and said the developmental works by the BJP government in Gujarat were taken up with the motive to serve citizens and not to win polls.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days ahead of the assembly polls to be held on December 9 and 14.

Gujarat has a total number of 182 assembly seats and the polling will be held in two phases. Voting in 89 constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will be held in the first phase while the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. The votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is eyeing to dethrone the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.
Indias production of wheat and pulses is expected to jump in 2018 as a hike in the governments assured purchase prices and ample rainfall have prompted farmers to plant more of the winter crops, industry officials said.

Higher production will help the south Asian country reduce imports of pulses in the 2018/19 fiscal year starting April 1 and could allow it to avoid buying overseas wheat for the first time in three years.

Given the better realisation there should be at least a 5 per cent rise in wheat sowing, said Harish Galipelli, head of commodities and currencies at Inditrade Derivatives & Commodities.

Wheat prices are stable. Government has raised minimum support price and import duty. This will certainly encourage farmers to expand area.

The worlds second biggest wheat producer earlier this month doubled the import tax on wheat to 20 per cent.

In October, India raised the price at which the federal government will buy new-season wheat from local farmers by 6.8 per cent to Rs 1,735 (USD 26.93) per 100 kgs (220 lbs).

An expected increase in wheat production to a new high and rising stockpiles meant India would not need to import wheat in 2018/19, an official with state-run Food Corporation of India said.

Wheat stocks with government agencies stood at 23.9 million tonnes as on November 1, up 27 per cent from a year ago following record output in 2017, added the official, who declined to be named.

India has imported wheat for the past two years after local production fell due to successive droughts in 2015 and 2016.

The country imported 5.75 million tonnes of wheat in 2016/17, the most in a decade. India imports wheat mainly from Ukraine, Australia, Bulgaria and Russia.

Ample rainfall in October and higher-than-normal water level in reservoirs will ensure better yields in the current season, said Inditrades Galipelli.

Indias wheat output in 2017 rose 6.7 per cent from a year earlier to a record high 98.38 million tonnes.

Farmers are likely to expand the area given over to chickpeas by nearly 20 per cent, said Pravin Dongre, chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association.

Chickpeas gave better returns to farmers than oilseeds. Initial reports are indicating a significant jump in sowing, Dongre said.

Chickpea, also known as chana, is the main winter-sown pulse crop in India. A rise in chickpea production will help the country reduce pulses imports in 2018/19, he said.
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has come out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistans ARY News, Musharraf said, I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me.

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had met him.

The former president added he was always in favour of terrorist action in Kashmir, and the LeT and the JuD were the biggest forces to take on the Indian Army in the state.

I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing the Indian Army in Kashmir and they [LeT] are the biggest force, Musharraf said.

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the US, Musharraf said, adding, Yes, they [LeT] are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir it is, between, we [Pakistan] and India.

Earlier this week, the US strongly condemned the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.

The White House in a statement, said, The United States strongly condemns the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.

A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeeds culpability-he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice, it read.

Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trumps White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.
Look at the irony, in the largest democracy, an Indian adult citizen asking for her own freedom and permission to make her choices. She is just asking for her fundamental rights. Kerala woman Hadiya, admitted to a college in Tamil Nadu after being freed from her parents custody on the orders of the Supreme Court, says she doesnt have the freedom to meet her husband Shafin Jahan. Her parents have told the Supreme Court that she was brainwashed and forced to convert to Islam by a man who wants to recruit her for terror.

This is essentially an issue between a parent who refuses to recognise the decisions of his adult daughter and a daughter who refuses to see what her parents expect from her. Now, she is at the centre of the Love Jihad controversy, appeared before the Supreme Court. She still maintained that she wants to be with her husband Shafin Jahan and had married him out of her own will and not compulsion. Her parents are keeping her hostage for years but now she wants her freedom to leave them and be with her soul mate.

God knows why so much fuss on this marriage, just because Kerala is a place where leftists and right-wingers always had blood sucking rivalry, they hate each other so much so that they resort to killing each other. By all means, BJP is trying to come to power in the state and communal card is their biggest weapon even since. Media, judiciary authorities and governments each and every one running after one topic to prove how a girl is nabbed and forced to change her religion, gave so many plugs. This is a clear case of inter-religion marriage, and the brides parents are unable to digest it, so trying to give it communal/terrorist angle.

BJP is trying to invoke nationalism and attempting to score brownie points and divert attention of Indians from their failures in last 3.5 years! Both Delhi and Kerala Police are providing security to Hadiya. She has also been asked to not speak to the media. Delhis Kerala House has turned into a fortress after the new guest checked in. An entire floor has been blocked for Hadiya, and 2-3 rooms have been booked for her and her family to stay. Delhi Police are also on alert for additional security.

Hope now this case is no more a case of love jihad, the victim herself has testified. Why are we wasting time on such issues, is one lady making a big story and big impact to India? Ignore and move to some major issues of India such as farmers, employment. Its a shame to waste time of 1.25 billion Indians, that could be more productive and progressive. What kind of country we are living in where a grownup adult has to go through so many traumas. Since BJP came to power the religious issues are soared.

Before taking a flight to Delhi, Hadiya shouted to reporters at the Kochi airport, I have not been forcefully converted I have not been forcefully married to Shafin Jahan. I married him out of my own will and I want to live with my husband. Her father KM Asokan has argued in court that she does not have an independent mind and is brainwashed and heavily indoctrinated, which indicates that her testimony cannot be relied upon.

Born as Akhila Ashokan, Hadiya was in college when she met Shafin Jahan, 26, who had returned from Oman, through an Islamist matrimonial website. The National Investigation Agency alleges that Shafin has links to a terror group. Hadiyas father contested the marriage and alleged that Shafin Jahan was trying to recruit her for terror and take her to Syria. On his petition, the marriage was cancelled in May by the Kerala High Court, which ordered Hadiya to return to her family. Since then, she has been living at her fathers home in Kottayam and has been allowed no contact with outsiders without her fathers approval.

Shafin Jahan challenged the annulment in the Supreme Court, which said it wants to hear her version. Last month, the top court had said Hadiyas consent, as an adult is prime. Shafin Jahan says that Hadiya stayed with him for only 48 hours before her father went to the police. He has filed a complaint with the police, claiming her parents have been trying to convert her back to Hinduism. Earlier this month, a team of the National Commission of Women visited Hadiya in her fathers house and declared her happy and safe. The teams visit followed activist Rahul Easwar sharing a video in which she accused her father of physically abusing her. The National Investigation Agency, the countrys top anti-terror body, recently questioned Hadiyas husband for six hours. The agency is inquiring into 89 marriages in Kerala.

Hadiya appeared before the Supreme Court and presented her side of the argument on her alleged forced conversion to Islam. Supreme Court told the court that she wants her freedom. She wanted to go with her husband Shafin Jahan. SC directed college and university concerned to re-admit Hadiya and grant her hostel facility. The apex court also appointed dean of Salem-based homoeopathic college as Hadiyas guardian, and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem. The Supreme Court also ordered the college administration to treat Hadiya like any other student and as per hostel rules, but remained silent on whether Shafin Jehan or her parents would be allowed to meet her while she completes her studies. The next hearing in the case will be held in the third week of January. Until then, we all have to wait; but one good thing happened that the girl is allowed to get out of hostage.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
The Supreme Court order asking Kerala girl Hadiya asking to continue her studies in Salem has not provided much respite to her as she needs complete freedom and wants to meet her husband. The 24 year old girl said that she was only asking for her fundamental rights. Hadiya wants to stay with a person whom she loves. Why has the largest democracy of the world denied liberty and fundamental rights to a married woman? The Supreme Court on Monday passed an interim order asking that Hadiya be taken to Salem so as to enable her to pursue her internship/housemanship in the homeopathy college where she was studying when she married Jehan. She alleged that her parents and relatives were compelling and making attempts to re-convert her. Parents also imposed several restrictions on Hadiya and they had issued statements that she was mentally unstable. They also didnt allow her to watch television as she remained in dark about the incidents happening in the world.

Raksha Khadse, BJP MP said, Couple go for love marriage but many of them lack maturity. Parents must create awareness among children about this and ask them to take informed decisions. They should have a frank discussion with children about this topic. There is nothing wrong with a person going for inter-religious marriage but it must be taken into consideration whether boy and girl are matured and will they face any problems after marriage.

Advocate Rizwan Siddiqui, If two people want to get married then religion should not cause hindrance to them. Religion is just a way of living. A person has a freedom to choose his or her religion. If a Muslim woman marries a Hindu boy and if she wants to follow Hinduism then its her wish. A person can go for inter-religious marriage as per the provisions laid down in Hindu Marriage Act and Muslim Marriage Act and there should not be any political intervention in it.

Shaina NC, BJP spokesperson said, National integration augurs well for India as I also had an inter-religious marriage. If a person is forced into marriage with wrong intentions then it is not right. Love jihad is a controversial topic. Hadiya has already said that she had adopted Muslim religion as per her wish and she was not forced to do so. We should believe in the statements made by Hadiya as she is an adult and capable of taking her own decisions.

Teesta Setalvad, civil rights activist said, We should support the verdict delivered by the Supreme Court in Hadiya case. If Hadiya has embraced Muslim religion then nobody can compel her to do what she doesnt want to do. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had said that casteism can be abolished from India if people go for inter-religious marriage but how many people are willing to do so.
Thus, it is often the vaccinated who are spreading disease, despite what the media tell you, media that are heavily supported and influenced by pharmaceutical advertising dollars. Why aren't those who receive live-virus vaccines quarantined in their homes until it can be confirmed that they are no longer contagious with the diseases against which they were vaccinated? Why are they being allowed into schools, hospitals, grocery stores, and the like? Why are those who have received the DTaP and TDaP vaccines not mandated to be tested for pertussis being harbored in their throats before being allowed near newborns and infants?

It has recently been discovered that those who are vaccinated with the DTaP and TDaP vaccines, if subsequently exposed to and infected with pertussis, can then harbor pertussis in their throats, for weeks, which can then spread to others causing them to contract pertussis, even if the one harboring it in their throat remains asymptomatic. Talk about a hidden disease vector! Parents of infants should be wary of those who've received either of these vaccines, because if a DTaP or TDaP recipient is infected with pertussis, they may not know it, and since they might not have the telling cough, then no one else has any way to know they might be contagious and transmitting pertussis, either. This certainly dismantles the "cocooning" theory that has been used to scare parents of newborns and infants into not permitting any adult, including Grandma and Grandpa, near their baby who hasn't had a TDaP booster.

1. Has there been any laboratory confirmation of even one case of the supposed measles related to Disneyland? If yes, was the confirmed case tested to determine whether it was wild-type measles or vaccine-strain measles? If not, why not? These are important questions to ask. Is it measles or not? If yes, what kind, because if it's vaccine-strain measles, then that means it is the vaccinated who are contagious and spreading measles resulting in what the media likes to label "outbreaks" to create panic (strange how they've completely missed the Autism outbreak going on for the past 25 years). It would be what one might call vaccine fallout. People who receive live-virus vaccines, such as the MMR, can then shed that live virus, for up to many weeks...and can infect others. Multiply that in your head by all of the people who receive not only the MMR live-virus vaccine, but many others. Other live-virus vaccines include the nasal flu vaccine, shingles vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, chicken pox vaccine, and yellow fever vaccine.

Okay, my fellow Americans. Time to turn off your TVs, put down your propaganda-papers (i.e. newspapers), and put on your thinking caps. Vaccines are being touted as a quick fix, for everyone, regardless of age, weight, family history, or health status (before it can even be observed or determined in the case of fetuses, newborns, infants, and toddlers!), for an ever-growing number of infectious and non-infectious diseases, as though there are no adverse side effects or short- and long-term consequences to consider. Clearly, there's a big problem with what people are being told and sold when it comes to vaccines. Yet, worldwide, people are being manipulated by the false promise of the end to all disease with nothing more than a quick jab, pill, or spray up the nose. Beware of being manipulated by such farce. Here are a few facts and thoughts for you to consider, especially with regards to all of the Disneyland measles hype.

2. Did you know that historical statistical figures for reported measles cases have been fraught with error? For but one example, I will refer to doctor-diagnosed "measles" cases in the UK in the late 1990s, where a serious problem emerged. A government scientist discovered that only 1 in 40 reported cases of measles was actually confirmed to be measles after lab testing. This discovery throws into question historical, and current, figures for measles. If reported cases are not required to be lab-confirmed, then this scientists discovery would lead us to believe that there has been gross over-reporting of measles cases, past and present.

Daily Telegraph 8 January 1997 London (Europe Today): "97.5% of the times that British doctors diagnose measles they are wrong", says a publication of the Public Health Laboratory service. The mistake being made by National Health GP's was found when the services tested the saliva of more than 12,000 children who had been diagnosed as having measles. Roger Buttery, an adviser on transmissible diseases at the Cambridge and Huntingdon Health Department, said that the majority of doctors "say they can recognize measles a mile off, but we now know that this illness occurs only in 2.5% of the cases." Buttery says that doctors classify as measles many other viruses that also cause spots. He found eight different viruses during the survey in East Anglia. One of them, parvovirus, gives symptoms similar to German measles. The reason for the high rate of error puzzled Buttery. "Doctors are neither vague nor careless," he said. The solution is to defer the diagnosis until more detailed information can be got. There are 5,000 to 6,000 cases of measles registered each year in the United Kingdom, but these findings now call most of them into doubt."

Geez, ever wonder if that might be happening at Disneyland, and beyond...and for multiple diseases against which we vaccinate, including the "flu"?

3. Why isnt the media reporting on the ineffectiveness and the dangers of the MMR vaccine, as exposed and evidenced by recent whistleblowers...2 from Merck, and 1 from the CDC? Again, one must ask why America's mainstream media have refused to report on these whistleblowers (can you say cha-ching from those non-stop pharma ads on TV and in the propaganda-papers), especially given the gravity of the vaccine research fraud they have exposed, and what that fraud means for parents making vaccine decisions, not to mention what it means for the vulnerable and innocent children receiving the vaccines.

4. Why have parents been denied choice with regards to being allowed to choose monovalent vaccines over the trivalent MMR vaccine? Ever since Dr. Andrew Wakefield dared to do the unthinkable...i.e. question a vaccine (gasp! like big pharma would ever sell a product that might cause problems, or death...gasp again!), in this case, the MMR vaccine...government officials and committee members decided they did not like the people questioning vaccines, so they colluded with Merck and other profiteers to stop the production of the monovalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, forcing consumers to use the trivalent MMR vaccine (a 3-in-1 vaccine, which has the potential to be far more dangerous than individual vaccines given separately and at different times).

*See footnote at the bottom to see Merck's "explanation" of why they discontinued the monovalent M, M, and R vaccines. Then, look up who comprises the ACIP (see anyone who might possibly have a conflict of interest, say someone who might just profit from the approval and sale of vaccines?). Ask yourself who the "professional societies" might be, and if they by chance might just happen to greatly profit from vaccines and their numerous after-effects. And those "scientific leaders", might they be scientists who work at or for Merck, or have a chair endowed for them by Merck? Last mentioned are customers. Guess those customers who want to have a choice, and who want the 3 monovalent vaccines, don't matter much to Merck.

5. Clearly, the MMR is not the highly effective vaccine it is touted to be, as evidenced by so many vaccinated individuals reportedly contracting the measles (and mumps, for that matter). Nor is the MMR vaccine the highly safe vaccine it is touted to be, as evidenced by reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Many more people in the U.S. have died from this vaccine (and from the MMR-Varicella quadrivalent vaccine) than from the measles in the past 2 decades, and parents need to factor that fact into their decision whether or not to vaccinate their children.

6. If babies under age 12-15 months are contracting actual measles, one must ask 2 questions: a.) Is the mom exclusively breastfeeding so that maternal immunity is being passed on to her baby? If not, the baby misses out on important protection gained from its mothers immunity, and may be more susceptible to illness. (I realize that not every mother is able to breastfeed. I have helped a mother who didnt produce enough breastmilk to connect with other nursing mothers who were willing to share their surplus, which is something moms in this situation might want to consider). If the baby was unable to nurse properly from the get-go, look no further than the effects of the birth dose of the Hep B vaccine, which has been shown to negatively affect innate infant reflexes needed to locate a mothers breast and latch on to it. b.) If the mom was vaccinated with the MMR herself at any point, her ability to acquire and pass on natural, protective immunity to her infant via breastfeeding has been impaired, possibly ruinedmeaning the vaccine is to blame, not the unvaccinated.

7. If parents are taking their very young children to dirty, unsanitary places with thousands and thousands of people, they have made the choice to expose their children to multitudinous germs and illnesses from multitudinous people, leaving them in no position to finger point at others. It can, and should, be argued that to the maximum extent possible, infants should be kept at home for the first few months of life and away from extremely crowded places for perhaps their first couple of years, giving their immune systems time to develop and mature.

8. If vaccines work, the vaccinated should be protected. If they don't work, ask yourself why are you allowing them and exposing your child to such incredible risks? Furthermore, if they don't work, as is often the case, feel free to have your child vaccinated again and again (no one is stopping you), but don't expect others to vaccinate their children with scores of products that have long track records of not working and of wreaking havoc.

9. It was not ever, is not today, and will not be tomorrow my child's job to protect your child, in any way, shape, or form. That is the parent's job. Period. Ask yourself who exactly is making these decisions as to which child is more worthy of living, since death and disability are possible consequences of both the disease and the vaccine. Since there is a decision to be made, it should reside with the parent, or with the vaccine recipient, not with anyone else, and most certainly not with the ones profiting from vaccines, be it directly (pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and hospitals) or indirectly (elected officials, government regulators, and trade industry groups, all of whom enjoy plenty of big pharma dollars and perks).

10. There is no longer any excuse, nor is it acceptable, for any parent, doctor, media person, elected official, or government regulator to state the false claims that vaccines are safe and effective. They are neither, and not even one has ever been proven to be such. As a matter of fact, "highly secret documents" from pharmaceutical companies, in addition to pharmaceutical company and CDC whistleblowers, continue to reveal and expose on a regular basis that vaccines are neither safe nor effective, and never have been.

Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court has officially and legally declared vaccines to be "unavoidably unsafe. For those who find that a hard-to-decipher double negative, that means that vaccines are inherently dangerous, yet, they are mandated for children. As a colleague of mine recently commented, If you dont have a choice about unavoidably unsafe products, what the hell choices do you have that are meaningful?

It is also imperative to remember that in 1986, the U.S. Congress was foolish enough to cave in to a bunch of whining vaccine-making pharmaceutical companies who said they weren't going to make vaccines anymore because they were losing so many costly lawsuits due to their vaccines killing and maiming people. This whining, no doubt paired with lobbying, resulted in Congress indemnifying vaccine-making pharmaceutical companies, and those who administer vaccines, from liability for injuries and deaths caused by vaccines. Yes, you heard that correctly. Not Liable. With that Act of Congress, any incentive or means of accountability to make a safe vaccine product flew right out the window.

It is critical for any person who is considering vaccination for themselves, their children, or those in their care, such as elderly parents, to take the time to educate himself/herself regarding vaccine history, vaccine ingredients, vaccine adverse events, vaccine trials, vaccine research fraud, vaccine injuries, and vaccine deaths. Vaccination is a risky medical procedure, and as such, it should not be entered into lightly or without due diligence.

11. Vaccine mandates for children are extremely age discriminatory, and parents should begin to sue over this fact. Notice that those doing the mandating aren't rolling up their sleeves and pant legs, and dropping their drawers, for 70+ dastardly vaccine cocktails. Rather, they sit back and order that infants, toddlers, and young children be shot up to hell and back, stripping parents of their rights and freedoms, just so long as those pharmaceutical companies keep filling their campaign coffers and providing perks.

12. It is time to stop delegating your health care decisions to your pediatrician and instead become your own expert. Your child is counting on you. Your child's pediatrician is not the vaccine expert you think he/she is. Their "vaccine training" in medical school, reported to be as brief as 2 hours, revolved around learning how and where to give a tiny baby up to 12 vaccines at one time from 8 syringes. Once you allow the toxic cocktails of heinous vaccine materials to enter your child's body, you can't retrieve them. They have now entered a closed system, a system which includes your child's brain, nerves, and blood, during critical developmental periods. Think about that. Think hard. There is no do-over. Trust me, I speak from experience about the no do-over part.

13. Glimpse of our future, which has actually already arrived. Have you thought about who is going to be able to defend our country now that we have children being environmentally injured to the extent of 1 in 6 having a neurodevelopmental disorder (that's code name for brain damage), 1 in 11 having asthma, 1 in 12 having food allergies (some of which are life-threatening, and all of which are life-altering), 1 in 50 having Autism, 1 in 400 having Type 1 Diabetes, many having GI and colon problems, seizure disorders, etc.?

Here's how it's going to look when the alarm sounds and our health- and development-impaired young Americans are called to battle: "Wait! I need to grab my EpiPen!" "Well, I need my inhaler." "I need gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free to-go meals! "I can't find my prescription meds!" "NO ONE can bring peanuts, or any tree nuts for that matter, on this mission!" "Oh no! My insulin pod just fell off, and I don't have a new one to put on!" "I'm having chronic diarrhea, so I can't come along today!" "Well, I haven't pooped for a month and my stomach is killing me, so I cant go either! "I can't follow more than 2 instructions at once, so I'm already confused and we haven't even left yet." And then there are the ones who cant talk at all, arent toilet-trained, and who have the skill level of a toddlerthey wont be eligible to serve in any, way, shape, or form. Apparently, the military is already experiencing this, and has written a report titled Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve. This is our future, folks.

Tragically, these same issues have affected our kids' back-to-school-supplies. Instead of scissors, crayons, and pencils, it's EpiPens, inhalers, insulin, prescription meds, special foods, and lengthy IEPs.

14. If you still are not getting the picture, then please hotfoot it over to your nearest elementary, junior high, or high school and ask to see the special education classrooms (that's right, plural, classrooms). Notice how many kids are in each one. Notice how oddly behaved they are. This is our new normal. Vaccinate your child, and you'll stand a good chance of experiencing firsthand what I'm talking about.

15. A warning, one I wish had been issued to me back in 1992: Beware of those "well-baby" appointments. Your baby may never be well again if you allow him/her to be vaccinated.

Please don't be led like a lamb to the slaughter with your baby in hand, and a fistful of syringes in the nurse's hand...syringes destined for your tiny baby's developing body, ready to destroy its immune system, nervous system, neurological development, and health, all in one fell swoop. Those syringes might even take your child's life.

Don't be manipulated. Be responsible for making your own well-researched decisions.

Laura Hayes

Mother of Vaccine Injured Children

Passionate about educating others and encouraging them to learn about the myriad dangers and inefficacies of vaccines, the fallacy of the theory behind them, and the vast web of fraud and deception involved in supporting and mandating them

*Footnote, on Merck letterhead:

October 21, 2009

Dear Health Care Provider:

Monovalent vaccines no longer available for measles, mumps, rubella

Based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), professional societies, scientific leaders, and customers, Merck has decided not to resume production of ATTENUVAX (Measles Virus Vaccine Live), MUMPSVAX (Mumps Virus Vaccine Live), and MERUVAXII (Rubella Virus Vaccine Live). This science-based decision will support vaccination of the largest group of appropriate individuals.

http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/documents/monovalentMessage.pdf (to read full letter)




Iraqi Archbishop and Knights of Columbus Discuss State of Assyrians Displaced By ISIS

During a Nov. 28 briefing held at the National Press Club in Washington, panelists urged immediate action to support persecuted Christians in Iraq, many of whom are now returning to destroyed or damaged homes after earlier being forced to flee by ISIS. The panel discussion was a part of a Week of Awareness for Persecuted Christians, sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other Catholic organizations, including the Knights of Columbus. The panelists were Archbishop Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Erbil, Iraq; Stephen Rasche, the general counsel for the Archdiocese of Erbil and the president of the Nineveh Reconstruction Committee; Father Salar Kajo, a parish priest in the Nineveh region of Iraq; and Carl Anderson, the CEO and chairman of the board of the Knights of Columbus.

Citing a Pew Research study, Anderson said Christians are targeted around the world more than any other faith group, and "Christians in Iraq are on the front lines." In 2003, about 1.5 million Christians lived in Iraq. Today, that number is somewhere between 175,000 and 300,000, after years of war there, and in recent years, many Christians were forced to flee their homes after ISIS invaded their homeland and engaged in what the State Department later characterized as genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. "It was a really horrible experience, a terrifying experience for the Christians to be asked to convert to Islam, pay the Jizya tax, or leave," said Archbishop Warda. Most Christians did not opt to pay the tax for non-Muslims because it became clear that the tax was merely a way to get the Christians all in one place to do them harm, noted Rasche. As a result, many Christians chose to leave their homes in the face of that persecution."They never lost hope that one day they would be able to come back again," said Archbishop Warda. But when they did return after ISIS left their villages, many of their homes and buildings had been destroyed. "After enduring this time of displacement, everyone is full of hope that help could be provided soon," said Archbishop Warda. "We need the help today, not tomorrow." Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Relief Fund has committed about $17 million to aid Christians and those in their care in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region. This Christmas, the Knights will be donating $1 million in food assistance to Erbil as a sign of solidarity with the 15,000 Christian families there, so they can "enjoy Christmas a little more," said Anderson. Anderson urged a renewed commitment to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects religious freedom. This article not only affects the 75 percent of the world that professes a faith, Anderson said, but also affects 100 percent of the world's population in terms of their rights of conscience. This global impact means the issue is not merely the concern of a special interest minority, he said. "The most important thing we can do as American Christians and as Americans committed to human rights is to say these indigenous communities who have existed for almost two thousand years have every right to continue," said Anderson. From those Christians, Anderson said he has learned about the "power of the powerless," since Christians in the Middle East have no political or military power, but are still a "voice of dialogue, a voice of peace and a voice of reconciliation." "What we in the West can learn from them is that a community under those circumstances is still able to demonstrate spiritual and moral courage...to persist in their beliefs and conscience," said Anderson, adding that their example can help Christians in the West see "what living the Christian life really entails." Anderson and the other panelists praised the Trump administration's Oct. 25 announcement that they would be giving government aid directly to groups on the ground that are working with persecuted Christians, instead of giving it to the United Nations. In the past, the UN has faced criticism that they neglected religious minority communities while they were distributing funding. The solution to that issue, Anderson said, is for people to deal directly with the Nineveh Reconstruction Committee, which the Chaldean Catholic, Syriac Catholic and Syriac Orthodox churches have chosen to be their point of contact on issues of humanitarian and stabilization assistance for outside agencies. "No one has cared for Christians on the ground more closely than Archbishop Warda," said Anderson, noting that the archbishop has cared for 15,000 displaced Christian families in Erbil, where the majority of Christians in Iraq have resided since ISIS invaded in 2014. "He has clothed, housed, fed, educated and tendered spiritually to this scattered flock," said Anderson. "Now he is helping as many of them as possible to move back to their homes." In 2014, the Church in Iraq was not a humanitarian aid agency, said Archbishop Warda, but since the invasion of ISIS, he and other Church leaders have been working closely to help displaced Christians. "When it comes to the Christian community in Iraq, no one knows their needs better than those who have cared for them for the past three and one-half years," he said. Thanking the Trump administration for making the region's persecuted Christians a priority, Archbishop Warda said the Church in Iraq would help the American government by ensuring that the aid reaches the communities that need it. "We hope that those who seek to help us will not be afraid to learn from our successful experience both in caring for people and helping them to return home," said Archbishop Warda. Rasche said he is encouraged by the language used by the United States government in regards to assisting persecuted Christians in the Middle East, but wished to remind everyone that "the hour is well past midnight" to help these communities, and quick action is needed. Father Kajo, who helped negotiate peace when a recent conflict nearly erupted between the Kurdish and Iraqi forces in the Nineveh region, thanked the United States for their help in maintaining peace in his village. "We ask [them] to keep maintaining peace there and help us to return to our villages and have a normal life like we had before ISIS," said Father Kajo. Archbishop Warda asked Christians in the United States to pray for persecuted Christians in the Middle East, because it "gives us the sense of being together...that we are not forgotten," he said. He also encouraged material support to the organizations like the Knights of Columbus, Aid to the Church in Need and Catholic Relief Services who are assisting persecuted Christians, and he asked for people to spread awareness about their plight. "We are not asking for a privileged life. We are asking for the minimum," said Archbishop Warda. "The minimum would be a sense of security and stability ...What we are really requesting is the minimum to live a dignified life."
Memorial Mass Held in US for Assyrian Victims of Islamic State

Washington -- In observance of a week promoting awareness of Christians persecuted internationally, the Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil offered a Mass in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for victims of the Islamic State, stating that suffering offer opportunities for kindness. "Is there a blessing in being persecuted for the faith?" Archbishop Bashar Warda asked Nov. 28. "The grace of being persecuted: God shows his love and care through the solidarity being shown by those outside. Also, the suffering gives a chance to people of a good will to show their love."

Organized by Catholic agencies including Knights of Columbus and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Mass was held at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. A day of prayer was held on the previous Sunday for Islamic State victims, all part of "Solidarity in Suffering: a Week of Awareness for Persecuted Christians." Islamic State invaded Iraq in 2014, forcing a large majority of Christians to seek refuge in or near Erbil. There, Archbishop Warda has helped displaced Christians return to their homes and has overseen a humanitarian efforts to provide basic necessities for displaced communities. Although it is not the positive will of God for his people to suffer, he said, it is an opportunity for Christians to learn how to love and to find their identity in God. "When we give with love and receive with love, we learn to be the children of God who gives with love and delights in our prayers," he said. Archbishop Warda applauded a promise of US vice president Mike Pence to provide more aid to the people in Iraq, and thanked the humanitarian aid funded thus far by the Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Columbus has committed more $17 million to aid minorities persecuted in the Middle East, including $2 million to help rebuild the predominantly Christian town of Karemlesh, located fewer than 20 miles southeast of Mosul.
Indias Jet Airways Cargo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Air France-KLM Cargo to shape and further strengthen their existing cooperation.

The two carriers said it would complement their agreement for the passenger business.

Combined cargo has more than tripled since the beginning of the passenger codeshare agreements.

The cargo MoU will deepen the cooperation between the partners and the two airlines will endeavour to link and leverage their respective route to expanded high-value cargo services, as well as products tailored for specific industries such as pharmaceuticals, express and e-commerce.

They will also improve warehouse efficiency, exchange capacity and make block space arrangements.

The MoU will include new destinations via the two partners respective hubs and gateways, at Mumbai and Delhi, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol. The partners also plan to expand volume from emerging Indian markets such as Bengaluru and Chennai where direct intercontinental capacity has recently been added.

Jet Airways Cargo senior vice-president, Pradeep Kumar, said: We share the ambition to jointly explore and exploit the vast opportunities in the air cargo market via mutual synergies in our routes and networks, as well as warehousing. We also intend to work closely to co-create new and industry-leading products and services for our clients.

For Air France-KLM Cargo, executive vice-president Marcel de Nooijer added: This agreement stipulates again the importance of strong partnerships in the airfreight market. With the dynamic developments in India, we are excited to offer new opportunities to our customers and strengthen our global network towards the Indian freight market. Together with the Jet Airways, we will work on new possibilities.

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Vienna Airport has expanded its cargo centre and opened a new temperature-controlled pharma hub.

The 17.9m investment includes a new pharma handling centre featuring about 1,600sq m of space as part of the recently enlarged air cargo facility.

The 1.9 m pharma site includes a cold store with an area of 153sq m offers a temperature range of 2-8C, while a further 1,415sq m of the cold storage facility can be controlled in a range of 15-25C.

DHL is also planning to set up a 60,000sq m logistics centre at the site, creating 500 new jobs.

Board member Julian Jager said the new site would allow the airport to tap into Austrias booming pharma export industry.

He explained: Our market position as an air cargo transshipment hub will be further strengthened thanks to the expansion of the air cargo centre. We will support domestic pharmaceutical companies by providing special, highly professional handling services.

He added that products to the value of 8bn a year  half the export production value of Lower Austria  are moved to export markets via Vienna Airport

Recent road improvements in the area include the Schwadorf-Fischamend bypass along the western edge of the airport and the Lobau Tunnel which completes the motorway ring around Vienna, added fellow board member Gunther Ofner.

The airport recently put its third solar electricity site into operation on the roof of the air cargo centre.

With an area of about 8,000sq m, it is one of the largest plants of its kind in Austria, with an annual output of about 750,000 kWh. It provides power for both the air cargo centre and the wider airport.

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Daily Report Edited by Wilson Brissett with Brian W. Everstine and Amy Hudson

Laughlin Resumes Flying Following Fatal T-38 Crash

Laughlin AFB, Texas, resumed flight operations on Monday following a stand down after the Nov. 20 crash of a T-38 near Del Rio, Texas. The crash killed Capt. Paul Barbour, an instructor pilot with the 87th Flying Training Squadron and aircrew flight equipment flight commander with the 47th Operations Squadron. Barbour, 32, was from Van Nuys, Calif., and is survived by his spouse, mother, father, and sister, according to a Laughlin news release. The crash also injured Capt. Joshua Hammervold, an instructor pilot for the 87th FTS. Hammervold was released from the Val Verde Regional Medical Center on Tuesday and is in good condition, according to Laughlin. The base is home to the 47th Flying Training Wing, which temporarily grounded its T-6s and T-1s, in addition to the T-38s, following the crash. Tragic events like this are difficult for everyonefamily, friends, co-workers, supervisors, and our entire Air Force, 47th FTW Commander Col. Charlie Velino said in a release. Every day, our pilots take a risk as they step into the cockpit, and every day they operate with the utmost skill, professionalism, and dedication to train the next generation of flying airmen and to ensure the safety of this great nation. Brian Everstine

Review Finds Dozens of Convicted Airmen Were Not Reported to Gun Database

The Air Forces failure to report the domestic violence conviction of former airman Devin Kelley was not an isolated incident, in fact the services ongoing investigation already has uncovered dozens of other cases where convictions were not reported. Because Kelleys conviction was not reported to the FBI, he was able to legally buy firearms that were used in a mass shooting in Texas earlier this month. The Air Force on Tuesday announced it was taking corrective measures to ensure 100 percent compliance. The full review is expected to be completed over the next several months. Read the full story by Brian Everstine.

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile, First in Two Months

North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Tuesday for the first time in two months. The Department of Defense detected a single North Korea missile launch at 1:17 p.m. EST, according to a statement from Army Col. Rob Manning, director of press operations. The missile originated from Sain Ni and flew about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Economic Exclusion Zone, Manning said. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile, he added. The launch was Pyongyangs first since it tested ballistic missiles on Aug. 28 and Sept. 14 this year. Those launches were responded to with joint show of force missions flown by US B-1 bombers, F-35B fighters, and F-15s from South Korea and Japan. Tuesdays launch came as the US and South Korea prepared for Vigilant Ace, an annual joint air forces exercise to be held Dec. 4-8, involving 12,000 personnel and 230 aircraft across eight military installations. Vigilant Ace is a realistic air combat exercise that is part of a continuous exercise program designed to enhance readiness and operational capability of US and [South Korean] forces, according to a US Pacific Air Forces press release. Wilson Brissett

Nicholson: Taliban Transitioning to a Criminal, Drug-Focused Insurgency

The Taliban is moving away from an ideological group to one focused on preserving its finances in the drug market and criminal activity, the head of US forces in Afghanistan said. To counter this, US forces are taking advantage of new authorities to hit its drug and financial infrastructure. Read the full story by Brian Everstine.

US Airstrike Hits ISIS in Somalia

The increasing pace of airstrikes inside Somalia continued on Nov. 27 as US forces struck an ISIS target, killing one reported terrorist. The strike, which took place at about 3 p.m. local time in northeastern Somalia, was conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, US Africa Command said in a statement. US aircraft have repeatedly hit both ISIS and al Shabaab targets in Somalia, with one Nov. 21 killing more than 100 reported militants. AFRICOM has disclosed nine air strikes inside Somalia so far this month. Brian Everstine

B-1 Bombers Train with RAAF

Two B-1 bombers on Monday participated in exercise Lightning Focus, the largest international air forces exercise in Australia. The B-1s took off from Andersen AFB, Guam, and flew over the South Pacific, maintaining contact with Australian joint terminal attack controllers, before landing at RAAF Base Amberley, Australia. The bombers are deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., as part of USAFs continuous bomber presence in the Pacific area of responsibility. The Royal Australian Air Force-led exercise provides air-to-air training for pilots, weapons system officers, and air battle managers, strengthening military-to-military relationships with our allies and partners, according to a Pacific Air Forces press release. Lightning Focus will conclude on Dec. 2.

Third GPS III Satellite Completes Assembly

The third satellite (SV03) in the GPS III constellation is completely assembled and ready to enter environmental testing, Lockheed Martin announced Monday. The space vehicles system module, navigation payload, and propulsion core were integrated at Lockheeds cleanroom facility near Denver. Lockheed completed integration on SV02 in May and expects to deliver that satellite to the Air Force in 2018. The service received SV01 in September and declared it ready for launch, which is expected in 2018. Lockheed received the navigation payload for SV04 in October and expects to have that satellite fully integrated by January 2018. In August, the company began assembling SV05. Lockheed is under contract to produce all of the first 10 GPS III satellites, which will replace the current constellation and provide a stronger and more secure signal. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., operates the GPS constellation. Wilson Brissett

SMC Wants Infrared Weather Satellite by 2024

The Air Force is looking to procure an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) space-based sensor for its Weather System Follow-on program (WSF-E), and it wants a capability that can be launched by 2024. WSF-E will provide cloud characterization and theater weather imagery within a family of systems that fulfill the Department of Defenses weather data requirements, according to a request for information released by the Space and Missile Systems Center on Monday. SMC wants a low earth orbiting (LEO) satellite with real-time data broadcast capabilities that can work together with a DOD, civil, or commercial ground segment. The new space vehicle would help to mitigate a potential gap in LEO EO/IR coverage in the early morning orbit, according to SMC. The service expects to have contract authority to proceed in fiscal year 2020. WSF is the Air Forces effort to replace the aging Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which launched its first weather satellite in 1962. Cloud characterization and theater weather imagery provide meteorological data that helps to optimize a broad range of DOD missions, including ISR collection, combat search and rescue efforts, aerial refueling, and air sovereignty alert missions. Wilson Brissett

RADAR SWEEP

USAF F-15s based at RAF Lakenheath, England, have been involved in 19 near-misses with UK aircraft in the past five years, so USAF is advising its pilots to keep [their] windscreens clean and to consciously note how much time you spend looking outside the cockpit: BBC.

The Space and Missile Systems Center expects to release a request for proposal in fiscal year 2019 for the 15th and final competitive launch in the Air Forces Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, SMC spokesperson Alicia Garges told Air Force Magazine. The mission will be the seventh GPS III satellite and has an initial launch capability in the second quarter of 2021.

The Air Force is conducting icy runway ground testing at Eielson AFB, Alaska, for the next few weeks, as part of the process to certify the Norwegian drag chute: Lockheed Martin release.

A person, who was not identified, was injured on Tuesday when construction crews hit a gasline at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado: The Gazette.
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US Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of US Forces-Afghanistan, briefs reporters via a video feed on Nov. 28, 2017. Screenshot of DVIDS video.

Three days of intense airstrikes on Taliban drug-making and financial facilities took out up to $10 million of the groups funding, part of a shift on airstrike targeting, the top US officer in Afghanistan said Tuesday.

The Taliban has evolved into a criminal/narco insurgency in Afghanistan, focused on fighting to defend its revenue streams, US Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of US Forces-Afghanistan, said during a Tuesday briefing.

They have increasingly lost whatever ideological anchor they once had, Nicholson said. They fight to preserve and expand their sources of revenue. This includes narcotics trafficking, illegal mining, taxing people throughout Afghanistan, kidnapping, and murder-for-hire: all criminal endeavors.

In response, US forces conducted three days of airstrikes, including B-52 and F-22 missions, hitting opium production facilities in Helmand Province. These strikes, coupled with efforts by the Afghan 215th Corps, took away between $7 million and $10 million.

These strikes were just the first step in attacking the Talibans financial engine, and they will continue, Nicholson said.

So far this year, US forces have tripled the number of air-delivered munitions dropped on Taliban and ISIS targets in Afghanistan. That number will increase as more aircraft are shifted away from Iraq and Syria, Nicholson said.

The Taliban still has a strong hold on territory and the population inside Afghanistan. Sixty-four percent of the country is controlled by the Afghan central government, with 12 percent controlled by the Taliban, and 24 percent of the population lives in contested areas, Nicholson said.
Alabama once again finds itself rated among the nation's best business climates, according to a survey of location consultants and corporate real estate executives by a national magazine.

Site Selection ranked Alabama sixth in its annual State Business Climate survey, up three spots from 2016.

The survey is a gauge of perception, but also the reality of high dollar activity in the state.

Alabama ranked fourth among the states in the magazine's Executive Survey, the most important component in the rankings, which supplies half of the overall score. It also shows steady improvement, as Alabama was ranked eighth last year and ninth two years ago.

Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield hailed the news.

"This high ranking from site selection professionals underscores the hard work put in by the Alabama economic development team, which competes every day to bring high-caliber jobs to communities across the state," he said. "We are going to continue our strategy of pursuing game-changing projects because we are committed to creating opportunities that position the state for future growth."

Among the factors weighed by the survey are workforce skills, transportation infrastructure, utilities, taxes, quality of life, permitting, incentives and higher education resources.

Neighboring Georgia finished atop the business climate rankings, its fifth year at No. 1. Eight of the top 10 states were from the South, with only Indiana and Ohio rounding it out.

In 2016, new capital investment in Alabama totaled $4.2 billion, with 14,700 anticipated jobs.
A Center Point woman is under arrest after posting a video to social media showing her hitting her husband.

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jefferson County sheriff's deputies were called to a drug store on Center Point Parkway to investigate a report of domestic violence, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. The caller met with deputies and told them that a family member had posted a video to social media that showed her striking her husband.

The caller went on to say he thought she might be armed and asked that deputies follow him to the home to check on them. Deputies arrived at the home in the 2800 block of Arrowhead Circle and tried to make contact with the people inside.

No one came to the door, and Christian said deputies learned that the couple had left the home prior to their arrival.

They were found at a relative's home a few miles away. The man had cuts on his face. The wife was not armed, and was taken into custody.

She was taken to the Jefferson County Jail to await formal charges of third-degree domestic violence. Her name is withheld pending formal charges.
Noted Irish playwright Martin McDonaghwho picked up a movie camera to write and direct the finely tuned, perfectly toned 2008 crime dramedy In Brugesreturns to serve up the brilliant, bitter, verbosely titled Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. It lands in roughly the same territory as the blackly comic, showboating early crime films of the Coen bothers, Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie, but demonstrates far more empathy and depth of focus than those auteurs are generally concerned with.

Casting Francis McDormand (famous for her no-nonsense role in Fargo) certainly brings to mind the work of the Coens. And for a brief while, viewers might be tempted to think of this as something from the Coens unfilmed file. But McDonaghs film quickly separates itself from similar offerings. In the minds of the Coen brothers, everythingto a certain extentis a flippant, existential joke. Look at their debut film, Blood Simple. Recall Rays (John Getz) hollow bark of a laugh in response to Abbys (Frances McDormand) late-in-the-game line, I havent done anything funny. That moment sums up their glib life is a joke philosophy in a nutshell. In Three Billboards, on the other hand, everything is deeply, profoundly, painfully consequential.

McDormand, pretty much guaranteeing herself another Oscar nomination, stars as Mildred Hayes, a permanently angry divorcee whose teenage daughter was raped and murdered in small-town Missouri. Its been seven months since the girl was laid to rest, and the local constabulary have done seemingly little to solve the case. Walking around with a look of impatience and barely restrained fury calcified onto her face, Mildred is searching for some way of venting her frustrations (other than taking them out on her hapless teenage son and her jerk of an ex-husband). Mildred finds the solution in a trio of long-abandoned billboards on the edge of town. Scraping up her meager savings, she rents them from the local advertising company and puts up a triptych of blunt messages castigating the local police chief for his perceived inaction.

This rash public enterprise sets off a domino effect in the tiny town of Ebbing. When we finally meet the object of Mildreds ire, Chief Willoughby (a charming Woody Harrelson), he turns out to be a levelheaded fellow extremely popular with the locals. He calmly explains to Mildred that there are no leads and no witnesses in her daughters murder. Its one of those sadly common crimes that may only be solved months or years from now when some convict drunkenly confesses to someone in a bar or spills the beans to his prison cellmate. Mildred is having none of that. Seven months on, shes all raw nerves and agitated action. Any request to remove the billboards is met with harsh words and possibly a drill to the thumb (in the case of one uptight local dentist, anyway). Her none-too-practical solution to solving her daughters murder: Get DNA tests from every male in the world over the age of 8.

Making this tense situation far worse is the fact that Willoughby is quietly dying from cancer. Mildreds campaign, righteous as it might be, is a victim of very bad timing. Adding to the unease is the fact that Willoughbys second-in-command, Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell in one of his best, loosest roles), is a dimwitted mamas boy infamous for having beaten confessions out of some black suspects. He, like Mildred, seems to have poor impulse control, and he makes for a particularly dangerous, loose cannon enemy.  Except that Three Billboards isnt interested in making enemies out of anyone. Over the course of the film, we come to realize that everyone here is simultaneously good and bad, each trying to do the right thing (in their own mind, anyway), but more often than not stumbling directly into the exact wrong thing. Cynical and dark-hearted as it might seem on the surface, McDonaghs sharply written script hides a secret compassion for all of Gods creatures.

Believe it or not, all this murder and moral confusion is leavened by some bright bursts of character-based humor. You might actually be shocked to hear yourself laughing so much, given the coal-black story at the center of this slow-building tragicomedy. Rockwells comic-book-reading hothead gets most of the laughsthough McDormands biting, foul-mouthed dialogue scores some solid hits as well.

Between its corrosive sense of humor, its jaundiced look at small-town Americana and its cynicism about the entire concept of justice, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri probably isnt for mainstream audiences looking for a simple larf. But those attracted to interesting shadows will find a wealth of rewards here. The whole thing is so damn unexpected. The casteven beyond the three leads and down into the supporting playersis irreproachable. Peter Dinklage, for example, pops in for just a couple of scenes as an unlikely, would-be romantic interest for Mildred. Given Mildreds bootheels- in- the- dirt intractability, its a silly thought. Yet, in just a few minutes of screentime, Dinklage imbues his character with a poignant humanity. There are a handful of whiplash turns in the narrative, as well, stranding audiences in a place they probably didnt expect, pondering whether people are actually capable of such niceties as change, forgiveness and contrition. It feels like the kind of sweet-and-sour tonal roller coaster the Grinch would have writtenboth before and after his heart grew three sizes.
Longtime Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper is stepping down after 10 years as the Magic City's top cop the same way he started the job - with a lot of prayer.

Roper officially announced Wednesday he leaving the department, capping weeks of speculation following the election Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who asked all department heads to reapply for their positions. The deadline was Nov. 13, and the 54-year-old Roper said he and his family chose not to do so after a considerable amount of prayer. "At that time," Roper said, "I advised Mayor-Elect Woodfin, my executive staff and closest friends."

Sunday marked his 10th anniversary at the helm of The Birmingham Police Department. "That's an extremely long time to serve in one of the most demanding jobs in the state of Alabama,'' Roper said in an interview with AL.com Wednesday.

"When Mayor (Larry) Langford recruited me 10 years ago, I had no idea I would work under four mayors - two elected and two interim. Each afforded me the privilege to serve with our honorable employees and citizens in the amazing city of my birth."

Roper's retirement is not unexpected as change is likely with any new administration. And, Woodfin on the campaign trail heavily criticized the way Birmingham is policed and vowed that crime would be addressed differently under his leadership.

Still, area law enforcement officials said Roper will be missed. "On a personal note, I consider Chief Roper a dear friend. He has dedicated his life to public service not only in law enforcement but to our country by his longtime military service,'' said Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale. "I know him to be a dedicated family man and a man of faith. He will be missed."

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis, Roper's former boss, echoed Hale's thoughts. "He's a great friend and a credit to law enforcement. I hate to see him leave Birmingham,'' Derzis said. "Hopefully he will go on to another career that will be as rewarding as this one has been."

"He truly cares about his officers,'' said Dave Hyche, ATF's assistant special agent in charge in Alabama. "I respect him as both a professional and a man who has never been afraid to express his faith God."

As Roper prepares to wind down his service to BPD, he reflected on his time in the city and the strides made. "Although this city is bursting with terrific potential, it also has tremendous challenges,'' he said. "However, over the last 10 years, major crime categories like homicides, rapes, burglaries and robberies are down double-digit percentages in spite of the significant issues of poverty, education and economics, which affect crime and victimization rates in our must vulnerable communities."

Under Roper's tenure, the city's homicide totals ebbed and flowed, always mirroring national trends. Here's a look at the numbers during the 10 years he was in office: 2007, 93; 2008, 88; 2009, 71; 2010, 62; 2011, 57; 2012, 72; 2013, 66; 2014, 59; 2015, 66 and 2016, 104.

It was an issue close to his heart as both he and his wife lost loved ones to murder. The chief's brother, 19-year-old Shawn Roper, was killed on Third Avenue West in 1992 during a robbery. Edith Roper's brother, 27-year-old James Johnson Jr. was killed during a break-in at a family member's Central City apartment in 1978.

With four weeks left in 2017, the city's homicide total stands at 97. Of those, at least five have been ruled justifiable and therefore aren't deemed criminal. Countywide, there have been 151 homicides including Birmingham's 97. Jefferson County ended 2016 with 151 homicides.

"We're all deeply troubled with the increase in homicides so we're not where we need to be, but in reality, Birmingham is a much safer city today than it was 10 years ago and that's directly attributable to the men and women who staff this department."

Those successes, the chief said, took place during what most policing experts consider the most challenging period in modern law enforcement history. "Unfortunately, we have over-relied on an under-resourced police department when a comprehensive whole of government approach is needed to address these grassroots issues,'' he said. "These are coupled with an overwhelmed and underfunded criminal justice system which is now releasing thousands of people back into our communities without the proper safety net."

"Socio-economics like poverty, mental health, education and unemployment issues with our young black men has not improved to the degree necessary for sustainable change,'' Roper said. "We cannot simply arrest our way to a solution when the back door of the criminal justice system is wide open."

Roper said the region needs Birmingham to be successful and he believes Woodfin has the vision and energy to be extremely successful. "I've worked very closely with several members of his executive team in the past and I believe they are top-notch leaders,'' he said. "I will always be a fan of Birmingham and the BPD and look forward to volunteering in the community as I did prior to becoming chief. My family and I are extremely proud of and grateful to the officers, professional staff members, citizens and partner agencies who have supported me through my tenure."

Roper has long been a well-known and well-respected lawman. Over the past three decades the Birmingham native has risen simultaneously from a bus boy who shucked oysters at a Southside bar to a brigadier general in the Army Reserve and head of the state's largest police force.

In addition to ascending to high ranks in parallel careers, Roper also is a husband, father of two daughters and an ordained minister. "He's a gentleman. He has not changed. I'm treated like a queen, and he is treated like a king in this household," said Edith Roper, his wife of more than 30 years said in a previous interview. "We have a marriage that exemplifies Christ. I was drawn to that then and that's the same thing I'm drawn to now."

"His integrity - people trust him. He's very compassionate; he's understanding, and he's sensitive to people," Edith Roper said. "That hasn't stopped, in all of his careers. To explain it in natural terms, I can't. Spiritually, it's the hand of God to just do exceedingly well in everything he touches."

Roper began his policing career in 1985 with the Montgomery Police Department. Three years later, Roper joined the Hoover Police Department rising through the ranks to assistant police chief. He was appointed chief of the Birmingham Police Department in November 2007 by then-mayor Larry Langford.

Roper grew up in several Birmingham neighborhoods, including Acipco and Fountain Heights. When he was appointed chief 10 years ago, he was emotional when he spoke of growing up on what some people would describe as "the wrong side of the tracks." He said he was blessed to have an opportunity to make a difference where there is so much "hopelessness and despair."

After graduating from Phillips High School, Roper attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham through his sophomore year.

He left to join the Montgomery Police Department Academy, eventually graduating from Troy State University. He received a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Alabama.

Roper served three years in Montgomery as a patrol officer, academy instructor and recruiter. One of his supervisors there encouraged him to apply to Hoover to ease the strain of the commute.

In Hoover, Roper served two years as a patrol officer, two years as a narcotics investigator, four years as a traffic sergeant, four years as the training lieutenant, three years as commander of the traffic and patrol divisions and two years as commander over investigative services. He was named assistant chief in April 2005.

In addition to his policing career, Roper has 35 years of military service. He was deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and again during Operation Enduring Freedom, where he served as the military spokesman for all U.S. Army forces in Afghanistan.

"He is a top-tier officer and leader," Leonette Slay, deputy chief for management and support for the 81st Regional Readiness Command where Roper was formerly assigned, said in 2007. "We have been fortunate enough to have him leading our troops in wartime and in our support activities on behalf of our soldiers and our families."

Roper is also the recipient of numerous military awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star and the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, which is given annually to the top U.S. Army officers in the nation.

When Langford appointed Roper, he said he wanted a chief with a strong military style of policing. "All of my adult life I've worn a uniform. From the ninth grade, at the age of 13, when I joined junior ROTC, I've worn a uniform in some shape, form or fashion," Roper said in 2007. "There are certain values that are ingrained in me: dignity, honor, ethics, commitment, dedication - and all of that I bring to the table.

"Whether it's a military style, I can't say that, but I do believe in the chain of command. I do believe in setting expectations and holding people accountable, and I think the entire police department is ready for that."

When Roper, who touts ethics and effort, took the chief's job in Birmingham, he made three promises: greet the recruits on their first day of the academy, personally teach them the ethics class himself and run with them through a city neighborhood before they graduated. He carried through will those promises for all 10 years. ''I want every new recruit to hear from the boss what's expected of them in terms of ethics,'' Roper said in 2007.

Roper will stay on to help Woodfin through the transition and the hiring of a new chief. His last day of service has not yet been announced, nor any specific plans for his future. "I'm excited about the next season of life,'' he said, ''so my family and I will take some time and then consider our options for future service."

Many say his departure will leave a void. "It saddens me to know that Chief A.C. Roper will no longer be at the helm of the Birmingham Police Department,'' said Sgt. Heath Boackle, president of the state's largest Fraternal Order of Police.

"Chief Roper has exemplified true leadership, manifested by not only his command, but in his ability to mentor directly and informally, at every level of the department. He has single handedly redefined what true leadership is consistent with."

"His presence will be sorely missed, and the void most assuredly difficult to fill,'' Boackle said. "On behalf of the Executive Board, and the membership of Birmingham Lodge #1 Fraternal Order of Police we thank Chief Roper for all he has done."
A 46-year-old woman was killed and another was injured after being attacked by dogs this morning in Guntersville, authorities said.

Tracey Patterson Cornelius died in the attack on Jason Road, just off Alabama 79 South, said Sheriff Scott Walls in a news release. A second woman is being treated for serious injuries, authorities said.

"At this time, we have determined that (four) dogs have mauled two women," the sheriff said. "How it began is still under investigation."

Authorities were called to the scene after 8 a.m.

Marshall County Animal Control officers captured three of the four dogs. One dog, a white pit mix, remains at large, the sheriff said.
A chronic shortage of correctional officers at Tutwiler Prison for Women has gotten worse, according to testimony in a federal court hearing on prison staffing in Montgomery today.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson is holding hearings on the Alabama Department of Corrections' plan to increase staffing in response to Thompson's finding last summer that mental health care in prisons is "horrendously inadequate."

Wendy Williams, deputy commissioner for women's services for the DOC, took the stand this morning to begin what is expected to be about three weeks of hearings. DOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn is also expected to testify.

Southern Poverty Law Center attorney Maria Morris questioned Williams this morning about staffing trends at Tutwiler, the state's only major prison for women. DOC reports showed that in September 2011, Tutwiler had 93 correctional officers out of an authorized staff of 160. Five years later, Tutwiler had 70 officers. By October of this year, the number was down to 56.

Williams testified that it's generally harder to hire and retain correctional officers when the economy is strong. The unemployment rate in Alabama has dropped to historically low levels.

The starting salary for a correctional officer is $29,954. Starting pay is 5 percent higher with an associate's degree and 10 percent higher with a bachelor's degree.

An officer starting at the minimum salary is eligible for a step increase to $30,724 after the first year and up to $33,086 at five years, said Bob Horton, spokesman for the DOC.

Thompson asked Williams if pay for correctional officers needs to be raised to help attract and retain more officers. Williams said it did.

The problem of understaffing in prisons is not new and is not confined to Tutwiler. Dunn told state lawmakers a year ago that the number of violent incidents in prisons had roughly doubled over five years as the number of corrections officers dropped by 20 percent.

While understaffing is a problem at Tutwiler, Williams said significant progress has been made toward complying with a 2015 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over conditions at the prison. In 2014, the DOJ determined there was a pattern of sexual abuse and harassment of inmates at Tutwiler.

Williams said the DOC has achieved substantial compliance with 40 of 44 specific provisions in the settlement. Two of the exceptions involve hiring and a staffing plan.

Williams said women now make up about 67 percent of the correctional staff at Tutwiler, up from 35 percent in 2012. She said current percentage is in line with what's required because of the unique staffing needs in a prison for women.

Williams testified that the prison has taken steps to mitigate the problems caused by understaffing. Those steps include using overtime and using employees who are not fully certified correctional officers for certain jobs, such as monitoring the prison's video surveillance system.

As part of its staffing plan proposed to the federal court, the state hired experts to analyze staffing needs in the prisons. The experts completed assessments at three major prisons and will do so at the 11 other men's prisons with court approval. It would take two years to achieve comprehensive staffing if the Legislature provides the funding, the DOC says.

The DOC also hired a consultant to study recruitment and retention of correctional officers and entered an agreement with the Troy University Center for Public Service for a comprehensive analysis of compensation for correctional officers, including comparisons to other law enforcement jobs.

The DOC plan submitted to the court calls for roughly doubling the number of mental health caregivers in prisons at an estimated cost of at least $10 million a year. Mental health care is provided through a contractor. The expanded staff is included in a request for proposals the DOC has issued.

The plan is contingent on additional funding approved by the Legislature.

In 2014, the SPLC and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program sued the DOC on behalf of inmates over medical care, mental health care and accommodations for prisoners with disabilities. The current hearings are part of the remedy phase of the mental health case after Thompson's ruling last summer that mental health care does not meet constitutional standards.

Thompson found that understaffing of correctional officers was an overarching issue contributing to the problems.

Lawyers for the state have asked Thompson to approve the DOC staffing plan. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say the plan is not adequate.

Lawyers for the state say they could still appeal Thompson's finding of unconstitutional care.

The state and the plaintiffs have agreed to settle the claims involving disabled inmates. The claims on medical care are pending.

Two inmates who are plaintiffs in the case watched this morning's hearing via remote video from Donaldson Correctional Facility in Jefferson County.
The 2,150 mountainous acres in Huntsville's Monte Sano State Park are among the most popular outdoor places in north Alabama. Hikers love them, and so do mountain bikers, bird watchers and blanket day-dreamers.

But Monte Sano's large expanse is a postage stamp compared to the nearby mountain acquired for the public five years ago this December. That land is called Jacobs Mountain, and it covers 11,364 acres in Jackson County.

The State of Alabama bought Jacobs Mountain for $9.3 million in December of 2012 with help from a $3 million federal grant and $1 million raised privately by The Nature Conservancy of Alabama.

What makes it matter

What makes Jacobs Mountain so important, and what makes the anniversary of its purchase worth celebrating? It starts with its location in a line of mountains and valleys that runs from Huntsville to Chattanooga, Tenn. The area around Jacobs Mountain has been called "among the most important in the entire Southern Appalachians for its wildlife habitat and breeding areas."

That makes Jacobs Mountain, which runs from mountaintop to slopes to isolated coves, important in its own right. But it has also been key to preserving even more land for the public. "Just having that big block of land has allowed us to get some other key parcels in the Paint Rock (River) watershed," state forester Drew Nix said this month.

Jacobs Mountain allowed the state to connect other parcels touching it to what is now a 65,000-acre tract of public land called the James D. Martin-Skyline Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Part of it is the well-known Walls of Jericho hiking area, and parts have been a popular hunting grounds for years.

(Directions to Walls of Jericho hiking area: From Scottsboro, take US 72 West approximately 4.8 miles to AL-79. Turn right on to AL- 79 and travel north approximately 26 miles to the hiking trail parking lot (you will pass horseback trail parking lot).

Some areas in the WMA are gated during spring and summer to protect nesting and newly born animals, but those gates are open from Sept. 15 through April 30. And even when they're closed, Nix said, "You're welcome to set your mountain bike over the gate and bike."

Hiking and biking are known as "non-consumptive recreation." Consumptive recreation is hunting for deer, wild turkey and other wildlife that call the area home. There are scheduled hunts and open seasons, and Nix said most non-hunters wisely stay away from the scheduled hunts.

Otherwise, the land is open to hikers, bird-watchers and bikers. It's always a good idea to wear a brightly colored hat or vest and ,if you carry a firearm, you may be asked to show a hunting permit in season.

The land's history

Jacobs Mountain's owner put the property into the Wildlife Management Area in the 1960s and gave the state permission to open it for public hunting for two decades. In the 1980s, however, leasing land to hunting clubs became popular, and Jacobs Mountain was pulled out of the WMA, Nix said. "But he always told our manager up there, 'If I ever get ready to sell this, the state will have the first choice of getting it,'" Nix said.

Meanwhile, the state worked with the Nature Conservancy and later Forever Wild to acquire other land on the Cumberland Plateau. Jacobs Mountain "was a natural fit" and a land connector when the owner was ready to sell.

As North Alabama's population grows, look for the 65,000 acres in the Skyline WMA to become even more popular. Only 5 percent of the American population hunts regularly now, so mountain-biking, hiking and other recreation could assume a larger role in the area.

And if 65,000 acres seems like a lot, Nix notes that Alabama has 800,000 acres under public management. Mississippi has 1.6 million, Georgia has 1.7 million and Tennessee has nearly 2.4 million acres.

(Updated Nov. 29 at 8 a.m. CST to make minor editing fixes)
Israeli military issues eviction order for village of Jabal al-Baba, home to Bedouins displaced from the southern Negev desert.

Occupied West Bank  Jabal al-Baba only really reveals itself once you start walking through it.

You notice that a depression in the rocky landscape contains a small cluster of wood-and-metal shelters.

Further down the unpaved track, another home sits next to a pen of sheep and goats.

The village, on a tree-lined hilltop east of Jerusalem, is a legacy of the creation of Israel.

Bedouin families displaced from the southern Negev desert ended up here, in what was to become the occupied West Bank. And now they face displacement again.

The Israeli military has issued an eviction order for the entire village  an instrument originally designed for use against illegal Israeli settlement outposts.

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This week, the Palestinian Authority set up a meeting in the village. The head of the PAs commission on settlements and the separation wall vowed to fight for its survival.

Thats something the villagers themselves have grown used to. Adnan Jahaleen is the owner of the shelter next to the livestock pen.

On the fringe of the village, he says his home has been demolished three times since 2014 by Israeli forces who accuse him of trying to expand its territory.

They demolish the house and say if you want to live, live with the rest of them uphill, he tells us.

The new eviction notice dispenses with such home-by-home measures  its a blanket threat to Jaba al-Babas existence.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, the Israeli military said it was merely acting against the illegal construction phenomenon in the area.

For Fouad Halaq, a member of the PLO negotiations department, the aim is clear; to facilitate the expansion of the nearby mega-settlement of Maale Adumim, helping to encircle Jerusalem, and split the occupied West Bank in two.

He also notes the timing, as the Trump administration prepares to unveil its proposal for restarting the peace process, early next year: They create facts on the ground and say, This is the situation now, you have to accept it.'

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A legal challenge is under way, though. Its author, Netta Amar-Shiff, a lawyer with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), is optimistic that it will at least delay any demolitions.

In the meantime, Jabal al Babas residents are doing what they do at this time every year  preparing for the cold winter to come.
Harare  Zimbabwe has witnessed many dramatic moments since November 15, when a military operation was launched, which eventually resulted in President Robert Mugabes resignation.

As the country comes to terms with its first leadership change in 37 years, many of its citizens wonder what kind of political future Zimbabwe faces under its new leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Some see him as an extension of the Mugabe government, while others trust he will guide Zimbabwe into a more democratic and economically stable era.
If you were only watching the official news coverage of the inauguration of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto for their second term, you would be forgiven for thinking that the political crisis that has seized Kenya since August 11 was over. At the Kasarani stadium, local and international dignitaries watched as the incumbent president and deputy president were sworn in, in a ceremony that cost an estimated 384 million Kenya shillings ($3.7m).

But if you are active on Kenyan social media or have been following the story on international media, you would know that the story is a little more complicated. Even though local media refused to cover it, the Kenya police violently suppressed a prayer rally called by the opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, at the Jacaranda grounds in Embakasi.

Startling images of towers of black smoke rising over the citys largest working-class neighbourhood, while white plumes of tear gas scattered civilians hoping to attend the prayer rallies, circulated on these platforms, even while the mainstream media focused on the more inane details of the swearing-in ceremony.

This dichotomy is symbolic of the deep damage that the 2017 general election has done to Kenya, leaving the country more divided today than it has been, perhaps, since the 1969 Kisumu massacre. One part of the country celebrates what it sees as a political triumph; another part is reeling from a keen sense of disenfranchisement. And a third  the silent majority that doesnt benefit directly from dominant ethno-nationalisms  witnesses both with palpable concern.

Twenty years of struggle for a new democratic order should not have culminated in this Dickensian dichotomy  this gap between reality and the state-sanctioned narrative.

Things are not pretty in #Embakasi #NASAMemorial planned for today will not happen at #Jacaranda pic.twitter.com/ePmCWEnIoO  Soni Methu (@Soni_Methu) November 28, 2017

The legitimacy challenge

The next five years are going to be extremely challenging for Kenya. For one, Kenyatta enters State House with the weakest mandate of any Kenyan president in history. On October 26, more than 7 million people out of the 15 million who participated in the August 8 election did not vote again, signalling that they did not believe that the election rerun was worth their time.

Even if Kenyatta legitimately won the election, it is bad taste for institutions to push ahead with an inauguration without addressing the underlying concerns. Many Kenyans feel unheard.

Politically, the big challenge for Kenyatta and Ruto will be keeping their coalition united. by

Moreover, the 98.2 percent margin by which the election was won is a statistical improbability in a truly democratic society. This improbability will undercut the legitimacy of the administration, posing serious challenges to rule of law in the country.

State legitimacy is necessarily about belief  people obey rules and laws because they believe the state is a legitimate authority. If citizens dont believe their state is legitimate, they will routinely challenge its authority. The question for Kenya today is how these challenges will manifest.

Damaged institutions, unstable coalition

Many institutions have also been severely damaged during this electoral process. It is unlikely that the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will survive in its current iteration. As in 2007, once the heat of the election dies down, individual commissioners and officials will have to deal with the reality of an electorate that does not believe that they are capable of doing their jobs well. We can expect more elections to be challenged in court and more doubt cast on the commissioners mandate.

Similarly, it is difficult to believe that the reputation of the Kenyan police could get any worse, but it has. The disproportionately violent policing of the opposition has planted a kernel of anger and frustration that will make it difficult for the police service to function, particularly in informal settlements in Nairobi.

Coalition leader Raila Odinga will likely retire from electoral politics, leaving behind a deeply divided political unit with no clear successor. by

There are already allegations of genocide, since, in legal terms, genocide isnt about the scale of violence but the intention behind it. Arguably, the police have demonstrated intent to destroy, in full or in part, members of a community because of their putative support for a particular political opinion. Unless dramatic action is taken to deliver justice for victims of police violence over the last four months, this kernel of frustration will likely germinate into something darker.

Politically, the big challenge for Kenyatta and Ruto will be keeping their coalition united. Their political alliance was created to counter the threat of Odinga or the International Criminal Court; now both are no longer a threat.

As the economy stumbles through mounting public debt, eye-watering corruption and shrinking national productivity, it is unclear how the administration will fulfill the vast promises made during the inauguration.

Having secured a second term, there is little incentive to keep the diverse interests under the Jubilee umbrella together, and in a country where few political parties survive more than two election cycles, Kenyans are waiting to see if Jubilee will make it to 2022.

The opposition after Odinga

For the opposition, there are no legal channels left with which to challenge the Kenyatta swearing-in. The National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has indicated that it will continue to organise peoples assemblies that will go on resisting the administration. The Kenyatta administration has indicated that such assemblies are illegal.

The coalition has paralysed legislative business by refusing to participate in parliamentary committees, that may not be a sustainable strategy in the long run. An economic boycott is hurting the interests of specific organisations, but, unless the opposition offers a coherent political strategy soon, it will likely fizzle out.

Coalition leader Raila Odinga will likely retire from electoral politics, leaving behind a deeply divided political unit with no clear successor. In some ways, this will be a good thing for Kenya. Odinga has defined Kenyan politics across the spectrum for the better part of the last 25 years, and it will be interesting to see if Kenyan politicians are even capable of articulating an idea that is not anyone but Raila or no one except Raila.

For the third pillar of Kenyan society, those who dont feel particularly strongly about either Jubilee or NASA and are so often ignored in political thought and analysis, the next five years will be difficult, but also an opportunity to build. For women, shut out of every major political decision undertaken in the last four months, the lesson of the 2017 election should be that Kenyas patriarchal politics does not care about women, regardless of their political affiliation.

Kenya is ripe for a feminist revolution. For civil society, the events of August 11 to September 21 are a sign that things will get worse before they get better. The Kenyatta administration has made it clear that they see civil society as an enemy, and organisations will need to regroup and restrategise if they are to effectively protect hard-won rights and freedoms.

Overall, the stark dichotomies of this inauguration day are a reminder that Kenya has entered into the most challenging five years of its democratic history.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
In the post-conflict period, the Syrian regime will not have much use for Russian military backing. It will need money.

The fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant seems to have ended. Although the armed group is unlikely to disappear, its territorial control has been almost completely wiped out after its two capitals  Mosul and Raqqa  were liberated and most of its territories in Iraq and Syria were recaptured.

In Syria, besides the few remaining areas under ISIL control, there is Idlib province which is dominated by Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front). Russia, Iran and Turkey are likely to launch a joint operation against the HTS there and then divide the province into spheres of influence.

The rest of Syria is either under the control of the regime or the US-allied Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Thanks to two years of Russian intervention and attacks by ISIL and HTS, a significant part of the real armed opposition was liquidated, and we can say that the period of active hostilities has come to an end. The issues of peace and stability have become much more important to Syrians than problems of power and the future political order.

As Syria enters a new de-escalation phase of the conflict, the role of Russia in it comes into question. Soon the Syrian regime will no longer need military backing as much as financial support. And that Russia might not be able to provide.

Russias post-conflict strategy in Syria

Today, Bashar al-Assad can consider himself the winner in the civil war very much thanks to Russian backing and its military intervention. Yet, this does not necessarily guarantee Moscow a comfortable presence in post-war Syria.

In the course of the armed conflict, the value of Moscow for Damascus was the military assistance and deployment of its forces which played a key role in the military advances of the regime. But with the transition to the post-conflict period soon to begin, the significance of the military factor would steadily decrease, giving way to the financial and economic aspects of cooperation.

Russia, however, does not have the financial capacity to invest heavily in Syria after the end of the conflict. by

Iran has already declared that it will assist Syria financially. In a recent telephone conversation with Bashar al-Assad, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani assured him that his country is prepared to actively participate in Syrias reconstruction.

Russia, however, does not have the financial capacity to invest heavily in Syria after the end of the conflict. In this context, its positions in Syria no longer seem so convincing. This has forced Moscow to realise that alliances with Tehran and Ankara in Syria might not be so beneficial in the future and that it needs to find new allies for the post-conflict period. As a result, the Russian government has upped its efforts on keeping the negotiating process under its control to make sure it is not ousted from its position as kingmaker in Syria.

It is the desire to demonstrate its exclusivity and irreplaceability that dictated the latest Russian initiatives on Syria: from Vladimir Putins statement about the need to hold the Congress of the Syrian people in Sochi to a series of meetings that the Russian president held last week with the leaders of Middle Eastern countries.

Particularly revealing in this respect was the unexpected trick with Bashar al-Assad showing up in Sochi. This was Assads second trip out of his country since 2011; in 2015 he went again to Russia to meet Putin. For Moscow, the Syrian president is a kind of a liquid asset, which the Russian leadership is trying to convert into diplomatic success. His visit was meant to reinforce Russias monopoly over the Syrian file. It sent a clear message to the international community that Moscow holds the keys to Damascus and is the only patron of the regime able to push it to the negotiations table.

Immediately after the meeting, Putin hastened to share its results with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and the United States. And two days later, at a meeting with Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he demonstrated his leading and guiding role in the Russia-Iran-Turkey triangle.

The danger for Moscow is that at some point Damascus might stop responding to Russian pressure. by

Despite its crucial role in the Syrian negotiating process, its resources and capabilities are clearly not enough to hold it. Russia needs another partner in Syria which is able to guarantee funds for reconstruction in the post-conflict period. And that partner needs to be willing to route the financial flows through Moscow.

The bigger problem is that Russia doesnt have much time to do this. Assads regime could become even more intransigent as its victory solidifies and it might be even more difficult for Moscow to push it to sit down for negotiations.

Presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban and Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mikdad have already expressed their scepticism about the negotiation process under the auspices of the UN. The initial refusal of Damascus to participate in the negotiations in Geneva under false pretences signals that the Syrian regime is playing a waiting game.

The regime ultimately wants to hold negotiations only after the opposition is completely disarmed and after it makes sure that there is no interference in the internal affairs of the country. Basically, it wants the opposition to capitulate and it is patiently waiting for it.

The danger for Moscow is that at some point Damascus might stop responding to Russian pressure. That would be a major loss for Russia.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Migrants and refugees being sold into slavery in Libya is not really new information. In April 2017, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that along the North African migrant routes its staff discovered slave markets where hundreds of African young men are being tormented.

But following CNNs release of footage showing men being sold by an auctioneer for the equivalent of $800, there was finally international outrage. There were demonstrations in Paris, Stockholm and New York with slogans such as Free our brothers! and Black people are not slaves! The chairman of the African Union, Guinean President Alpha Conde, demanded prosecutions for these crimes and Libya announced it was reportedly launching an investigation into the matter.

But while the outrage has focused on the Libyan authorities, it has very much ignored the role the European Union has played in enabling such despicable abuse.

The EU has pushed to curb migration and tighten its borders, but it has not provided alternative safe and legal paths for migrants and refugees. This has inevitably led to more dangerous conditions for people already in transit countries such as Libya. Slavery, unfortunately, has been a direct consequence of that.

Deadly Fortress Europe policies

In response to the CNN video, the Malta Independent declared in an editorial: it should make us Europeans ashamed of the deal our leaders struck on our behalf when they convened in Malta last February to address the mounting deaths at sea in the Mediterranean but which, in actual fact, was merely a facade hiding their real purpose  to reinforce Fortress Europe.

What the Maltese newspaper is referring to is what is euphemistically called the externalisation of migration control. The EU is outsourcing responsibility to authorities in such countries as Libya and Niger, despite warnings by humanitarian organisations and the UN that neither of the two has the infrastructure or training to abide by international law and treat migrants humanely.

The EU has given tens of millions of euros to enforce border control and boost the Nigerien police which was tasked with stopping migrants trying to cross into Libya. In April, the EU also pledged 90 million euro ($107m) for improved migration management in Libya.

The Italian government gave the Libyan Coast Guard new boats and millions of euros to support their operations. It has done so disregarding accusations that its forces are rounding up migrants and refugees and sending them to prisons, with widespread abuses at all stages.

One Libyan coast guard commander even told Human Rights Watch in April that the use of force against migrants was necessary to control the situation as you cannot communicate with them. In May 2017, volunteer rescuers reported that the Libyan Coast Guard opened fire during a refugee rescue operation in international waters.

The support for the Libyan Coastal Guard and its violent ways has somewhat curbed the number of boats attempting the trip across the Mediterranean. But that has meant that there are more people now in Libya who are at risk of exploitation, torture and slavery at the hands of smugglers or armed groups.

The United Nations has condemned the EU helping the Libyan authorities detain migrants and has described its actions as inhuman. UN monitors visited some of the detention centres in Libya and were shocked by what they saw. They found thousands of emaciated and traumatized men, women and children piled on top of each other, locked up in hangars with no access to the most basic necessities, and stripped of their human dignity; they found out that beatings and rape were commonplace.

At the same time, NGOs are being forced to abandon what they view as their moral obligations, with devastating consequences. The Italian government made NGOs involved in search and rescue operations sign a code of conduct not to enter Libyan territorial waters and not to obstruct Libyan Coast Guards operations. The EU has engaged in smear campaigns against NGOs conducting search and rescue operations, accusing them of unintentionally helping smugglers while providing no evidence for that claim.

As the EU continues to pour millions of its taxpayers money into security policies violating human rights transit countries, the death rate of migrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean continues to increase. Between January and July of this year alone, approximately 2,000 people drowned at sea.

We are often told that tragedies can influence policy. We were told, for example, that the world was appalled by the image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi lying dead on a beach in Turkey. But since he drowned at sea not too far from Fortress Europes border, hundreds of children have shared the same fate. Between January and September 2016, 600 children drowned. In the three months between December 2016 and February 2017, 190 drowned.

Instead of seeing a change towards something more rational and human in the policies of the EU, as the more optimistic among us hoped in 2015, we saw a worsening of an easily solvable problem. Now that 2017 has brought us evidence of slavery at Fortress Europes borders, what can we expect in 2018?

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Files obtained by Al Jazeera show further evidence about the structure of the armed group and its level of organisation.

Documents from ISIL-held areas in Iraq have shed light on the armed groups tough rules of internal governance and the fate awaiting fighters who violated its code of conducts and laws.

Obtained by Al Jazeera, the files also provide further evidence about the Islamic State of Iraq and Levants structure and level of organisation.

The documents were seized from al-Baaj district west of Mosul, Iraqs second-biggest city, following its capture by Iraqi forces in June.

One of them, which bears the logo of ISILs Authorised Committee, directs all of the groups governing structures in areas they controlled to punish those who fled or attempted to escape the fighting with Iraqi forces.

It also instructs ISIL, also known as ISIS, fighters to turn anyone they capture over to the groups military court and army intelligence.

Hassan Abu Haniyeh, a Jordanian expert on armed groups in the Middle East, told Al Jazeera that the courts would mostly hand down death sentences because most of the violations had to do with fighters refusing to take part in a battle, or requesting to leave the group to go back to their country of origins.

Other documents provided to Al Jazeera were files of ISILs police personnel who were caught violating ISILs code of conduct and laws.

The files contained the names, nationalities and pictures of police officers arrested for cases such as drinking alcohol, sexually molesting children, stealing and blasphemy.

Stealing would typically be punished by cutting off a hand, while drinking alcohol would result in lashes and imprisonment, according to Abu Haniyeh.

If a fighter was caught molesting children, the penalty would be several dozen lashes and jail time, he added.

But if there was a homosexual relationship between two consenting males, the punishment for that would be death by being thrown from a tall building.

Other files are related to ISIL fighters who either refused to fight or wanted to return to their countries of origin. Most of them had French, Swiss and Belgian nationalities; others were from Balkan countries.

Launched last year, ISILs Authorised Committee is akin to an executive council tasked to run the groups day-to-day operations in the absence of leadership figures who were either killed, captured or fled during the major push by Iraqi forces to retake territory lost to the group in 2014.

Abu Haniyeh said ISIL restructuring over the past two years revealed specific traits of a fascist movement.

Despite having archaic Islamic labels to its structures, ISILs organisational charts are more related to Nazi or Fascist groups than anything else, he said.

Every decision-making process made within ISILs structure has to go through its intelligence-security apparatus which has control over everything else, including religious matters, he added.

The current head of the Authorised Committee is Jordanian Abu Abdel Rahman al-Shami, according to analysts.

ISIL has met a series of defeats in Syria and Iraq after it made major advances across the two countries four years ago and declared its aim to build a caliphate.

Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the recapture of the town of Hawija, one of ISILs last stronghold in Iraq.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab opposition forces backed by the United States, pushed the armed group out of its de facto capital, Raqqa, in Syria.

Follow Ali Younes on twitter @ali_reports
Syrian government forces have shelled a rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus, according to a monitor, despite the announcement of a truce a day earlier.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the towns of Douma and Irbin in Eastern Ghouta were targeted on Wednesday with artillery shells. At least one person was killed in Irbin as a result of the shelling.

Misraba and Ein Tarma, two other towns in the district, were also struck, but only material damage was reported.

The reported shelling came after Staffan de Mistura, UN envoy to Syria, announced on Tuesday that the Syrian government had agreed to a Russian plan for a truce in Eastern Ghouta, following days of intense bombardment.

Government forces have been shelling Eastern Ghouta since November 14, killing more than 130 people and wounding many more, according to SOHR, which monitors the conflict via a network of sources on the ground.

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Outside Syria, government negotiators arrived in Geneva on Wednesday for the latest round of UN-sponsored talks that began a day earlier between de Mistura and delegates representing some opposition groups.

The talks, held for the eighth time, will focus on Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a transitional government followed by general elections.

Drafted in December 2015, the document does not mention the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad  a major sticking point for opposition groups included in the talks.

The opposition had wanted to discuss the possibility of removing Assad, but the government insisted it would not tolerate such a discussion,

Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from the talks in Geneva, said the opposition delegation criticised de Mistura for focusing on select parts of the resolution.

They say [that they want to start] with the first part of the resolution, [the] political transition, before moving on to a future constitution and elections supervised by the United Nations, Bays said.

Government siege

The political talks were extended to December 15, but there is little hope for progress towards ending the Syrian conflict, now in its seventh year.

As events unfolded in Geneva, in New York the UN Security Council was set to be briefed on the humanitarian situation in Syria and the devastating impact of the war, now in its seventh year.

It came as UNICEF released a report calling for unimpeded, unconditional and sustained humanitarian access to children in Syria.





The UN childrens agency said that more than one-third of the children covered in its study, which was carried out in Eastern Ghouta in early November, were stunted.

This raised their risk of delayed development, illness and death, said UNICEF.

It also found that 11.9 percent of children under five were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest rate ever recorded in Syria since the conflict started in 2011.

The report also said that the rapidly increasing costs of basic foods and cooking supplies  bread costs 85 times more in Eastern Ghouta than in nearby Damascus  has made preparing a meal out of reach for most residents.

Children are the first to suffer from the dire consequences of siege, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Syrias seven-year conflict, while half of the population has been displaced.
Ahmed Shafiq tells of travel ban in video message following announcement of his plan to run in 2018 presidential poll.

A former Egyptian prime minister says he is not being allowed to leave the United Arab Emirates, the country where he has resided since 2012 after losing the Egyptian elections to Mohamed Morsi.

The reason for his travel ban is unknown, Ahmed Shafiq said in an exclusive video statement to Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

I was surprised to know that I am prevented from leaving the UAE for reasons that I dont understand and I am not willing to understand, he said.

Earlier in the day, Shafiq had announced that he intended to run in the 2018 presidential elections against current President Abdel Fateh el-Sisi.

Shafiq, who also participated in the 2012 Egyptian elections, said he wanted to head back to Egypt in the coming days.

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I have announced my intention to run the upcoming presidential elections and I was planning to start a tour among the Egyptian communities living abroad before going back to Egypt in the next few days, he said.

In the video message, Shafiq thanked the UAE for hosting him, but was also critical of the travel ban.

I have often stated my appreciation for the UAE for hosting me, he said.

However, I reject any intervention in Egypts affairs by preventing me from participating in a constitutional right and a holy mission to serve my country. I call on the UAE leaders to order the lifting of any restrictions on my ability to travel.

After losing the closely contested 2012 election to Mohamed Morsi, Shafiq fled to the UAE. He was placed on trial in absentia in Egypt and found guilty of corruption charges.

He was later acquitted, clearing his path for a potential return to Egypt.

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Samer Shehata, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma in the US says it is unknown if Sisi is behind Shafiqs travel ban.

It is not clear if Sisi or the Egyptian government is behind this move, Shehata told Al Jazeera from Norman, Oklahoma.

He said Shafiqs inability to leave the UAE is to the advantage of Sisi and also benefits the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among the staunchest supporters of the current Egyptian president, so they have an interest in Sisi continuing.

They are in favour of Sisi staying in power and not in seeing [the appearance of] any potential challengers.

Shafiq was prime minister for just over a month during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, which led to the fall of long-serving leader Hosni Mubarak.

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In the 2012 elections that followed Mubaraks removal, it was Shafiq who, although seen as a regime holdover, won enough support to almost beat Morsi.

Morsi was removed in 2013 in a coup led by Sisi, then Egypts defence minister.

All this time, Shafiq has remained in the UAE.

In the 2018 elections, Shafiq could again be one of the few candidates challenging Sisi. However, Shehata thinks Shafiq has got little chance of actually winning the presidential election.

The reality is that the system is engineered so that Sisi will win. He will win another term next year, Shehata said.
Analysts warn Trumps US embassy move to Jerusalem will nullify plans for future peace negotiations.

US President Donald Trump called Jerusalem the capital of Israel on Wednesday and launched the process to transfer his countrys embassy to the city.

The Arab League and other groups earlier urged the US president to reconsider, saying there will be repercussions.

In a telephone call on Monday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya and Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas called for a mass protest on Wednesday, and discussed how to unify the Palestinian peoples efforts to confront the threats facing Jerusalem.

The PA has also called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council to hold meetings on this subject.

If US President Donald Trump carries out his decision, he will inflame the entire region and threaten the US interests there, Nabil Shaath, an adviser to Abbas, said to Palestine TV.

Last week, Palestinians said comments by US officials reiterating the pledge by Trump to move the embassy reflected the futility of peace negotiations.

Very dangerous step

During his election campaign last year, Trump repeatedly promised to move the embassy and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

In June, however, like his predecessors, Trump signed a six-month waiver to delay the relocation, which would have complicated US efforts to resume the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

The White House said at the time that the question is not if that move happens, but only when.

The waiver expired on December 1.

Senior Trump administration said Trump will continue to sign the waiver until the process of moving the embassy, which could take years, is completed.

The controversial move, if implemented, would make the US the first country to have its embassy in Jerusalem  currently, all such diplomatic missions are located in Tel Aviv.

It would also overturn decades of international consensus on Jerusalem, a highly-contested city, half of which was occupied and annexed by Israel following the 1967 War.

If the relocation happens, it would be the first of its kind and would reaffirm to Israel that Jerusalem is one and unified, Zakaria Odeh, director of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, told Al Jazeera.

It is a very dangerous step, he added. It would nullify any plans for future negotiations [on the conflict].

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its united capital, and its annexation of East Jerusalem effectively put the entire city under de-facto Israeli control. The Palestinians, however, see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The international community, including the US, does not recognise Israels jurisdiction and ownership of the city.

Palestinians say that moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict  the status of Jerusalem  and undermine the US status as an honest mediator.

Earlier this year, Abbas warned against the embassys move in an official letter addressed to Trump.

It would have a disastrous impact on the peace process, on the two-state solution and on the stability and security of the entire region, the letter read.

Under the proposed 1947 UN Partition Plan, the city was meant to be internationally administered, due to its importance to the three Abrahamic religions. But, in 1948, Zionist forces seized the western half of the city and declared the area as part of what became Israel.

Blackmail campaign

Khalil Shaheen, a Ramallah-based analyst, described remarks made by Vice President Mike Pence last week on Trumps embassy plan as part of a blackmail campaign.

He argued that the US is using the embassy as a tool to pressure the Palestinians.

If the US relocates the embassy to Jerusalem, it will determine the citys fate by recognising it as the capital of the occupying state, before even embarking on the peace negotiations its trying to achieve, Shaheen told Al Jazeera.

This will destroy any potential of establishing an independent Palestinian state through US negotiations  which is very dangerous, he added.

Shaheen also argued the that US government is trying to draw out a path for the region at the expense of Palestinians, while attempting to force new conditions on their leadership before announcing its own plan for the peace process.

We are witnessing the articulation of Israeli positions, but through American mouths, said Shaheen, referencing the Zionist views of US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

They belong to the most right-wing orientation in Israel, he added.

Amani Khalifa, a Jerusalem-based activist, argued that the relocation might be a crucial political move for the diplomats of the PA, but not for ordinary Palestinians in Jerusalem.

To regular people, it doesnt really matter if the embassy stays in Tel Aviv or is relocated to Jerusalem, she told Al Jazeera.

But this move would make it clear to the rest of the world that there is no real sovereignty, and that the PA has no say over anything that happens in Jerusalem, Khalifa added. This has been the situation since 1967  so this may be a good thing for Palestinians, to leverage on the fact that the occupation is real, and the move would act as proof.

Referencing the expansion of Israels illegal settlement project and its house demolition policies in East Jerusalem, Khalifa described the move merely as an additional step that Israel would be taking to fulfill its objective of making Jerusalem its undivided capital.

So, its really part of the wider context that started with the annexation, she said.
The parents of a man killed in a mass shooting at a Texas church this month say the Air Force is partly responsible.

The parents of a man who was killed in a shooting at a Texas church earlier this month have filed a claim against the US Department of Defense and the US Air Force, alleging that a failure to report the suspected shooters criminal record led to their sons death.

The US government bodies failed to report the shooters arrest, conviction and discharge from the air force to a federal database used in background checks when buying firearms, according to a notice of claim filed by Claryce and Joe Holcombe this week.

The Holcombes son, John Bryan, known as JB, was killed in a mass shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, near San Antonio, on November 5.

This is a very, very unique set of circumstances, the Holcombes lawyer, Rob Ammons, told Al Jazeera in a telephone interview from Houston on Wednesday.

It involves the worst mass shooting in the history of Texas; it involves a serviceman who had an abysmal record, including convictions that should have been made part of a federal database if they had followed their own policies.

They have a policy and they just didnt do their job.

26 people killed

Twenty-six people were killed and at least 20 others were injured when the suspected attacker, Devin Patrick Kelley, opened fire at the church earlier this month.

Kelley served in the US Air Force between 2010 and 2014. He was court-martialled in 2012 on two charges of domestic assault on his wife and stepson and received a Bad Conduct Discharge from the Air Force two years later.

In total, eight members of the Holcombe family were killed in the attack, according to local media.

Simply put, JB Holcombes death was caused, in whole or in part, by the institutional failures of the US defence department, including the Air Force, the Holcombes state in their claim, which was obtained by Al Jazeera.

They are seeking an undisclosed amount in wrongful death damages.

Although the shooter undoubtedly pulled the trigger that resulted in the injuries and death of JB Holcombe and others, the failures of the US Air Force, and others, allowed the shooter to purchase, own and/or possess the semiautomatic rifle, ammunition and body armor he used, the claim reads.

Ammons said the government has 180 days to respond to the Holcombes claim. If the government does not respond before that deadline, or denies the claim, he can file a formal lawsuit.

A spokesperson for Pentagon told Al Jazeera he was not aware of the familys claim, but said the department generally does not comment on ongoing or pending litigation.

Ann Stepanek, a US Air Force spokesperson, told Al Jazeera in an email that the Air Force does not comment on specific claims.

We will communicate progress directly with the claimant, or their representative, as appropriate, she said.

Legal requirement

Under US gun control laws, anyone who has been convicted of a felony is not allowed to purchase or possess a firearm.

In 1993, the Brady Act called on the US attorney general to set up a system to process firearm background checks, known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

This system pulls information from three separate databases.

Unlike state and local-level governmental bodies, US federal agencies are required by law to report criminal convictions to the FBI in order for that information to be included in firearm licensing databases.

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But according to a 2015 report by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the US Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps failed to report 30 percent of convicted offenders to the FBI between June 2010 and October 2012.

The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps also failed to provide the FBI with fingerprints for 28 percent of convicted offenders.

The US Army was not included in the report.

The problem goes back to 1996, however, the New York Times recently reported, when another inspector general survey found that the Army, Navy and Air Force were not reporting a majority of criminal convictions.

Calls for oversight

In the aftermath of the Texas shooting, the Air Force said the base where Kelley was stationed, Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, did not enter his domestic violence offence into the national database.

The Air Forces secretary and chief of staff directed a full review of Kelleys case, according to a statement put out by the Air Force at the time, as well as a comprehensive review of air force databases to ensure records in other cases have been reported correctly.

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It also requested that the Department of Defenses Inspector General review records and procedures across the Department of Defence, the statement read.

On November 6, after the shooting, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was in search of answers.

By all of the facts that we seem to know, he was not supposed to have access to a gun, so how did this happen? Abbott told CNN, according to The Washington Post.

Kirsten Gillibrand, US senator for New York, called on the Pentagon to review old cases to prevent this deadly mistake from happening again.

It was preventable

This week, the Air Force said its recent review found the error in the Kelley case was not an isolated incident and similar reporting lapses occurred at other locations.

Although policies and procedures requiring reporting were in place, training and compliance measures were lacking, it said in a statement.

The Air Force said it would be making changes over the next months to improve how it reports to law enforcement, including increased scrutiny at the field, regional and headquarter levels, checklists and additional training.

The agency also said it has created two 30-person committees to review air force records dating back to 2002 to ensure 100 percent compliance with criminal database reporting requirements.

According to Ammons, the Holcombes lawyer, the family ultimately wants to see the problem corrected.

They want to do everything that they can to make a difference and prevent this from happening again, Ammons said.

It makes this whole thing so very painful to note that it was preventable if the Air Force had just done their job.
The French president has promised a new era in relations with Africa. Emmanuel Macron told students in Burkina Faso that he wants France to deal with the continent on the basis of equality and not the past.

The French president has promised a new era in relations with Africa.

Emmanuel Macron told students in Burkina Faso that he wants France to deal with the continent on the basis of equality and not the past.

But demonstrators descended on the streets of the capital to show that not everyone is convinced.

Al Jazeeras Natacha Butler reports from Ouagadougou.
Refugees stranded on the Greek island face a harsh winter, with conditions inside the main government-run camp barely meeting their basic needs.

The mayor of Lesbos has accused the Greek government of wanting to turn the island into Guantanamo Bay of Europe for refugees.

Refugees stranded on the Greek island face a harsh winter, with conditions inside the main government-run camp barely meeting their basic needs.

The Greek government says it is not getting enough help from the European Union for the refugee crisis.

Al Jazeeras Jonah Hull reports.
The election has been criticised by international observers as being slow and lacking transparency. It has also prompted allegations of fraud from the opposition candidate, who holds a narrow lead over the incumbent.

Honduras election officials have promised to announce the results from Sundays presidential vote no later than Thursday.

The election has been criticised by international observers as being slow and lacking transparency. It has also prompted allegations of fraud from the opposition candidate, who holds a narrow lead over the incumbent.

Al Jazeeras Mariana Sanchez reports from Tegucigalpa.
War crimes tribunal in The Hague suspends case against Bosnian Croat after he appeared to drink poison in court.

The United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague has suspended an appeal case of a Bosnian Croat defendant after he apparently drank poison upon hearing his 20-year sentence was upheld.

Wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces, Slobodan Praljak, drank from a small bottle or flask after declaring: What I am drinking now is poison.

Im not a war criminal, Praljak shouted at the presiding judge before he sat back down and slumped in his chair.

The presiding judge suspended the hearing and called for a doctor.

A court guard said Praljak was still being treated more than an hour after he said he drank poison.

The tribunal on Wednesday was handing down its last judgment in an appeal by six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders, who were convicted in 2013 of persecuting, expelling and murdering Bosnian Muslims during the 1992-1995 war.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Sarajevo, Denis Dzidic, deputy editor for the Detecor project, said policemen and an ambulance were ordered to the tribunal building.

Slobodan Praljak had his first instance verdict confirmed, in which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He said that he did not accept the verdict, that he was not a war criminal and then drank the substance.

The judge then paused the proceedings and ordered the glass [from which Praljak drank] not be taken from court. Now we are waiting to see what will happen. The verdict was mid-way and the first three defendants had their sentences confirmed; 25, 20, and, for Praljak also, 20 years in prison, Dzidic said.

Wednesdays hearing is the final case to be completed at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia before it closes its doors next month.

The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief General Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The original conviction said that late Croat President Franjo Tudjman was a key member of a plan to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia.
Uhuru Kenyatta hopes to end the political disputes in Kenya that have exacerbated an economic slowdown caused by a drought.

After being sworn in for a second term, Kenyas President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged his divided nation to move on from months of political upheaval.

His inauguration ceremony follows a violent and drawn out election process  which included two disputed polls.

As expected he said all the right things: uniting Kenyans, more jobs, continuing with development projects started in his previous term.

Meanwhile, at least two people were killed when police clashed with supporters of the opposition leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi.

Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi reports from Nairobi, Kenya.
The annual Gulf Cooperation Council summit will be held on December 5-6 in Kuwait City, a diplomatic source has said.

A diplomatic source has confirmed to Al Jazeera that Kuwait will go ahead and host an annual Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit next month, despite an ongoing rift between some member states.

The invitations to all six member Gulf states were sent out, the source said on Wednesday, with the summit due to be held on December 5-6.

The GCC is a political and economic alliance of countries in the Arabian Peninsula, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

There have been doubts about whether the summit will go ahead after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade on Qatar in June.

The quartet has accused Qatar of funding terrorism, a charge that Doha has vehemently denied. Kuwait has taken up the role of mediator in the hopes of resolving the crisis.

Last month, Bahrain threatened to boycott the summit should Qatar attended.

As long as Qatar continues this approach, the Kingdom of Bahrain cannot participate in any GCC summit or meeting attended by Qatar unless it corrects its approach, comes to its senses, and responds to the demands of the countries that suffered so much from its policies, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said on October 31.

Also in October, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the emir of Kuwait, warned of the collapse of the GCC should the crisis with Qatar continue.

Any escalation will bring with it an outright call for regional and international intervention, which will destroy the security of the Gulf and its people, he said.

History and the future generations of Arabs will not forget those who contributed to the escalation of the conflict and caused the destruction of the Gulf.

Established in 1981, the GCC promotes economic, security, cultural and social cooperation between the six states and holds a summit every year to discuss regional affairs.
There is growing concern that EU aid to Africa is being used to block refugees and migrants  instead of for development.

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso  Leaders from Europe and Africa are holding their first joint summit in the Ivorian capital, in what will be the first time the African Union will represent the continent in talks with the European Union.

Officials say the meeting in Abidjan this week will herald in a new partnership between the two entities based on equality and will benefit youth leaders in both parts of the world.

Donald Tusk, the European Council president, especially welcomed African and European youth to the summit on Wednesday.

Our task as leaders is to take decisions that will make the future safer and more prosperous for all of our youth, both African and European, Tusk said in his opening remarks.

The EU is the largest aid donor to African countries, giving $20bn annually.

However there is growing concern that EU aid to African nations is being used to block refugees and migrants from arriving on Europes doorstep, instead of going towards development projects on the continent.

The European Parliament has been very clear about that: we dont think development aid funding should be spent on border controls, said Linda Mcavan, a UK member of the European Parliament.

We want development aid funding spending spent on the ground  reducing poverty in the world and making peoples lives better, she told Al Jazeera.

Some also fear the money is contributing to chaotic scenes of African asylum seekers attempting to cross into Europe, or to the increasingly dire situation in Libya.

CNN footage was released this month showing African aslyum seekers and migrants being sold at slave auctions in Libya.

The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss the possibility of applying sanctions on anyone involved in slave-trading in the country.
Affects of deadly hurricane still being felt as critics take Trump administration to task for failing reconstruction.

Puerto Rico remains in dire straits more than two months after Hurricane Maria slammed into the US territory, according to humanitarian organisations and US legislators.

Puerto Ricos situation remains quite serious and will require significant support for some time to come, Andrew Schroeder, director of research and analysis for global medical nonprofit Direct Relief, told Al Jazeera.

Direct Relief is planning to continue extensive support throughout the health system for the foreseeable future, he said.

The island, an American territory whose people are US citizens, was dealing with a debt crisis before Maria hit, devastating its power grid and water infrastructure. Puerto Rico owes creditors more than $70bn with an additional $43bn owed in pension payments.

The hurricane had sustained winds of 250km per hour when it made landfall on Puerto Rico on September 20, killing at least 55 people. Maria followed Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Caribbean hurricane on record, which grazed Puerto Rico on September 6.

Medical crisis continues

The ensuing damage, estimated to cost up to $95bn, has left Puerto Rico in a healthcare crisis.

Direct Relief has provided community medical centres with more than $300,000 and airlifted 76 tonnes of medical supplies to Puerto Rico over the past two months.

Schroeder was quick to say the crisis, along with many others, predates Maria. Before the hurricane, 73 of 78 municipalities were medically underserved by the US government.

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Schroeder explained a number of issues have contributed to the emergency, including Puerto Ricos debt and the brain drain of qualified medical practitioners leaving for the mainland United States.

Particularly in the interior of the island, communities faced chronic underinvestment compounded by crippling public debt, he said.

Likewise, power and communication systems remain precarious throughout the country.

Puerto Rico was entirely without power after Maria hit and still faces regular power outages because of the aging electrical grid.

US Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders introduced legislation on Tuesday that would set aside $146bn for reconstruction and aid in both Puerto and the US Virgin Islands, which were also battered by Maria and Irma.

Congress approved a $36bn aid package for Puerto Rico and parts of the US experiencing wildfires on October 24. The passage of that bill wasnt guaranteed, as several conservative legislators originally voiced opposition to the measure.

The legislation, The Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017, would forgive Puerto Ricos debt and install a new electrical grid that could withstand future hurricanes.

The act is supported by numerous Democrats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including Elizabeth Warren and Stacey Plaskett, the Virgin Islands delegate to the House of Representatives.

Sanders bill calls for the grid to be rebuilt in a modern, renewable and resilient way, setting aside $100m for renewable energy on the islands.

President Trumps Katrina

However, the White House authorised the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond to the Puerto Rico crisis under the Stafford Act, which only requires pre-existing infrastructure to be reconstructed.

The federal government needs to fund rebuilding the electricity grid in a way that makes renewable energy its cornerstone, Judith Enck, a former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator for District 2, which includes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, told Al Jazeera in an email.

Congress must direct FEMA to rebuild the electricity grid in a more resilient way, Enck continued. Climate change makes hurricanes stronger. More hurricanes will hit the Carribean and we cannot afford to have the old unreliable electricity grid put back up.

Enck worked for the EPA from 2009 until January, leaving the agency days before Trump took office. A longtime environmental activist before taking government positions, she called the Trump administrations handling of relief efforts in Puerto Rico a disgrace.

Trump has said he shouldnt be blamed for the continuing troubles Puerto Rico faces. The US president said the territory was in really bad shape before the hurricanes struck.

Trump cited Puerto Ricos debt, which many detractors blame on a 1970s US tax loophole that allowed corporations to pay little income tax if they moved factories to the US territory.

Many corporations did move to the island but have since left, impacting Puerto Ricos economy.

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Enck said Trump should be held responsible for the continuing difficulties.

This is President Trumps Katrina, she concluded, referring to former President George W Bushs slow response to the 2005 hurricane that hit New Orleans, Louisiana, which received widespread criticism.

Schroeder, meanwhile, said aid efforts should focus on making sure that Puerto Ricos reconstruction is sufficient to the magnitude of the problem, grounded in equitable growth, creative and forward-looking, rather than limited to replacing what existed before the storm.
Sharifah Husain has spent the last decade educating her communitys most vulnerable women and children.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Tucked away upstairs at a shopping plaza in this citys north end is a small storefront turned classroom for dozens of Rohingya women and children.

The sound of these women reciting English phrases, laughing and the occasional cries of kids can be heard in the stairwell.

Its founder, Sharifah Husain, 24, said she wanted to do something to help women and children in her community, who are not allowed to work or study in Malaysia.

I noticed we didnt have a Rohingya womens organisation that was standing up for women  to be the voice of women, Husain said.

Husain comes from Buthidaung village in Myanmars restive Rakhine state. Her father fled to Malaysia when she was 5 years old, fearing for his life. Husain was left behind with her mother and two younger siblings.

The village was attacked soon after, so Husains mother took them to Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar  then known as Burma.

Her recollection of the traumatic moment when a local mob attacked her village is hazy. It took place almost 20 years ago.

Rohingya refugees: I do not hope to return

But it mirrors the accounts of Rohingya refugees now in Bangladesh, whove recently fled the Myanmars army clearance operations and local Buddhist mobs.

My mother was arrested in Yangon and sentenced to prison for not having official [identification or travel] documents, Husain recounted. This left me in charge.

Husain cant remember how long she spent in Yangon, but she said she was separated from her siblings and sent north to Mandalay and forced into servitude.

She spoke to her father in Malaysia, over the phone, and he agreed to pay human traffickers to bring Husain and her siblings to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias largest city. All three, including Husain, were smuggled by land, into Thailand and Malaysia.

At that time the Southeast Asia trafficking route wasnt as defined as it is today. Human trafficking groups in Bangladesh and Thailand now make a lot of money off of poor, desperate refugees fleeing war and violence in Myanmar.

Today, the concern faced by the Malaysia government is if it recognises its refugees then that could send a signal to make the perilous journey, now taken by sea from Myanmar and Bangladesh, to sanctuary in Malaysia, where they dont face violent persecution.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, states there are 152,170 registered refugees in Malaysia. The majority are Rohingya, displaced from their homes in Myanmar, like Husain.

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But the amount of unregistered refugees varies widely from 40,000 to 140,000, according to Asylum Access Malaysia.

The big question is  when are the boats going to come? Theres no indication they will now, but theres definitely a high possibility that they will. And once new groups arrive, that complicates [the] situation, said Deepa Nambiar, Asylum Access Malaysia director.

UNHCR runs what it calls a parallel school system for refugees in Malaysia, allowing children to access basic, primary-level education.

Refugee groups and local faith-based organisations fund these schools, staffed by volunteers. One-hundred and twenty-eight informal refugee schools in Malaysia access funding from the UN. It provides education to 7,154 children, according to UNHCR.

Malaysias Prime Ministers Office states 16,809 Rohingya refugee children are registered with UNHCR. This means about 10,000, or more, refugee children in Malaysia are unable to access any form of education.

A dozen or so more informal refugee schools exist but rely solely on donations and are understaffed, said Asylum Access.

To live in Malaysia, yes you can live, but you dont have a future. You are in a box. You cant go out of the box, Husain said.

UN says 14,000 Rohingya children may die from malnutrition

Husain has received no formal education in Malaysia. This is remarkable considering her drive to educate refugee women and children. Malaysians are supporting Rohingya Womens Development Network by volunteering as teachers and support staff.

Rohingya Womens Development Network started officially last year. But Husain has spent the last decade educating her communitys most vulnerable women and children in their own homes.

I have built up a trust. The men especially trust me. They feel safe sending their wives to our centre because they know me, Husain said.

Word has spread and more refugee families are now attending Rohingya Womens Development Network classes, where they receive English-language instruction, leadership training and brand new self-defence classes.

We want to stop domestic violence. We want to stop child marriages in the community. We want to build up womens empowerment, Husain said. We really need the Malaysia government to recognise us.

Husain is trying to change the mentality in the Rohingya and wider refugee community in Malaysia, that women and girls cant study, work, or earn an income. She receives some funding from UNHCR to run programmes but uses her own money to keep them going.

Of course I have support from my family. My father is my hero. My husband is my hero. Both of these men have really pushed me forward, Husain added.

The Rohingya Womens Development Network has teamed up with Asylum Access Malaysia on a refugee theatre project. This will allow refugee women to educate the community on issues of sexual violence.

What I think is so innovative about Sharifah and the team is that when we were discussing this project they said we need to get men involved, Nambiar said.

Pope meets Suu Kyi, fails to mention Rohingya in speech

Husain is appealing to others in the refugee community to support initiatives set up by the Malaysia government and civil society groups to help Rohingya women and children displaced in Bangladeshs refugee camps.

Malaysia is setting up a new 50-bed field hospital for refugees in Bangladesh. The European Rohingya Council (ERC) runs two camp clinics.

ERCs Malaysia Ambassador Tengku Emma Zuriana works closely with the Rohingya Womens Development Network, helping refugee women in Malaysia and Bangladesh.

I am trying to build an orphanage in Bangladesh to protect the children exposed to child trafficking, Zuriana said. We are trying to fundraise to build a proper orphanage with a school inside. They will be protected and receive education.

To raise awareness of the plight of Rohingya women and children fleeing the atrocities in Myanmar to Bangladesh, the Rohingya Womens Development Network is selling beaded jewellery made during class.

Despite the Malaysian governments commitment to provide vital aid and healthcare to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, some in Malaysia say theyre also desperate and in need.

Malaysia: A Rohingya safe haven?

To improve the situation, Malaysia has launched a pilot project giving jobs to selected refugees. This, refugees hope, will pave the pathway to citizenship in Malaysia.

Its no different. In Myanmar they have been suffering. When they are outside of Myanmar, they come to Malaysia and expect something better. Things are not getting better, Husain said. They just escape death. But theyre still suffering here because they dont have any rights.

Asylum Access Malaysias director Deepa Nambiar said Rohingya refugees in Malaysia do receive a lot of sympathy, but not enough is done to help them integrate or assimilate.

If we can be in a place where Rohingya women are educated, aware of their options, empowered to speak out, engage with NGOs [non-governmental organisations] and partners [and] the government, Nambiar said. We have the right environment to do it in Malaysia.

Husain said she believes the true function of Rohingya Womens Development Network is to educate the community on its history  where it comes from and why it has been displaced all over Southeast Asia, and the world.

We cannot destroy our [own] identity. If we do that, its very easy for Myanmar to say they are really Bengali, Im not Bengali! Husain exclaimed.

The younger generation needs to know who we are so we can fight for our rights.
Miteb bin Abdullah was fired from his post and put in detention three weeks ago as part of anti-corruption purge.

Senior Saudi prince and former head of the National Guard, Miteb bin Abdullah, has been released after more than three weeks in detention on allegations of corruption.

Miteb, 65, was among dozens of other royal family members, ministers, and top businessmen, who were detained earlier this month in what the kingdom called an anti-corruption purge.

Among those detained are 11 princes, four ministers and several former ministers, in an unprecedented crackdown that has shaken the kingdom.

The allegations against them include money laundering, bribery, extorting officials, but the accusations could not be independently verified and family members of those detained could not be reached.

Mitebs sister-in-law, Princess Nouf bint Abdullah, said on Twitter after his release: Praise to be God May you remain safe.

His niece, Princess Abeer bint Abdullah, also commented on Twitter, saying: Praise be to God May God prolong your life with health and wellness and keep you with us.

Miteb is the son of the late king, Abdullah, and the cousin of the kingdoms crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

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The shake-up of the Saudi government came just months after King Salman replaced his nephew Mohammed bin Nayef with his son Mohammed bin Salman as the kingdoms crown prince.

Mohammed bin Salman has been responsible for pushing through a number of changes both at home and abroad since he became first in line to the Saudi crown.

The dramatic anti-corruption purge is the latest in a series of measures by the crown prince viewed as a move to assert power over the country and its previous leaders.

A royal decree said the crackdown came in response to exploitation by some of the weak souls who have put their own interests above the public interest, in order to illicitly accrue money.

Among those arrested was billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the kingdoms most prominent businessmen.

Saudi authorities said at least 208 people have also been questioned as part of a probe into the theft of some $100bn through fraud.

Settlements

In a recent interview with New York Times, Mohammed bin Salman, said that the majority of the detainees have agreed to reach settlements for their release.

We show them all the files that we have and as soon as they see those about 95 percent agree to a settlement, bin Salman reportedly said.

After Mitebs release, the US-based Bloomberg news website reported that he had agreed to reaching a settlement believed to exceed the equivalent of $1bn, citing an anonymous source.

Also speaking to officials in the kingdom, the Reuters news agency said Saudi authorities were asking detainees to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom.

The deals involve separating cash from assets, such as property and shares, and looking at bank accounts to assess cash values, one source told Reuters.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government on the deals, and the sources declined to be identified because the agreements are not public.
US president sparks outrage after sharing on Twitter three videos by UK far-right figure known for anti-Muslim rhetoric.

US President Donald Trump has sparked shock and outrage on social media after sharing videos posted by a British far-right activist, known for her anti-Muslim rhetoric, on Twitter.

The US leader shared three videos by Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen, purporting to show Muslims carrying out beatings or acts of vandalism.

Britain Firsts Fransen, who in 2016 was convicted by a British court for harassing a woman wearing a hijab, is banned by court order from entering mosques in the UK.

Together with other activists from the far-right group, Fransen took part in regular mosque invasions.

Thomas Mair, the killer of British MP Jo Cox is reported to have shouted the groups name after stabbing the Labour Party politician.

One of the tweets shared by Trump shows a video of a teenage boy beating up another teen boy on crutches. The incident happened in May this year in the Dutch town of Monnickendam.

After the video was posted on Dutch social media in May, police arrested two Dutch teens from Monnickendam and neighbouring town, Edam-Volendam, in connection to the beating. It was never confirmed that the individual in the video was Muslim or a migrant.

Trumps decision to share the videos was sharply condemned by rights groups.

By his unconscionable and irresponsible actions this morning, President Trump is clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims, said Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

The Muslim Council of Britain urged the countrys authorities to distance themselves from Trump and his comments.

The Muslim Council of Britain comments on President Trump sharing anti-Muslim videos from the far right pic.twitter.com/rYOlUkLxUj  MCB (@MuslimCouncil) November 29, 2017

The American Civil Liberties Union also said that Trumps prejudice against Muslims reveals itself at every turn.

Trump's prejudice against Muslims reveals itself at every turnwith today's tweets meant to gin up fear and bias, with statements like "Islam hates us," and with every version of the Muslim ban.  ACLU (@ACLU) November 29, 2017

In Britain, the official spokesperson for Prime Minister Theresa May, said Trump was wrong to share the videos.

Britain First seeks to divide communities by their use of hateful narratives that peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law-abiding people, said a statement reported by UK media.

British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values this country represents, decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the president to have done this.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, the countrys second-biggest political force, condemned Trumps retweets as abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.

I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society.  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 29, 2017

Many others on social media also voiced anger that the holder of such a high office would share material from a far-right activist.

Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. (Donald Trump) you are not welcome in my country and my city, British Labour Party MP David Lammy tweeted.

Brian Klass, an academic at the London School of Economics, wrote: Here in the UK, Britain First is (correctly) seen as a neo-Fascist hate group. They are beyond the fringe extremists. Their leaders have been arrested and convicted for inciting hatred, including the horrible racist woman that Trump re-tweeted multiple times.

Donald Trump has been retweeting Britain First leader and rampant anti-Muslim activist Jayda Fransen. See how her online following has spiked following recent terror attacks: https://t.co/Zx2aj0KzZk pic.twitter.com/5I8llyLm4M  HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) November 29, 2017

Wednesdays retweets are not the first time Trump has shared or made comments that are considered racist or discriminatory.

On Monday, speaking to a group of Native American veterans, Trump referred to US Senator Elizabeth Warren who claims Native American ancestry as Pocahontas, after a historic Native American figure.

Trump also campaigned on a platform of banning Muslim entry to the US and the surveillance of mosques in the country.

Shortly after taking office, he signed an executive order banning nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. After court challenges, the ban was revised and now includes restrictions on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries, as well as North Korea and Venezuela.
Death of wartime Bosnian Croat forces commander Slobodan Praljak follows dramatic scenes at UN tribunal in The Hague.

A commander of Bosnian Croat forces during the Bosnian War has died from drinking what he claimed to be poison at the war crimes court for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

The death on Wednesday was first reported by Croatian state TV and later confirmed by the tribunals spokesperson.

Upon hearing that his 20-year prison sentence had been upheld, General Slobodan Praljak shouted at the presiding judge: I, Slobodan Praljak, reject the verdict. Im not a war criminal.

Then he drank from a small bottle or flask and declared: What I am drinking now is poison.

The judge suspended the hearing and called for a doctor.

The incident happened when the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was handing down its last judgment in an appeal by six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders, who were convicted in 2013 of persecuting, expelling and murdering Bosnian Muslims during the 1992-1995 war.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Sarajevo in Bosnia, Denis Dzidic, deputy editor for the Detecor project, said policemen and an ambulance were ordered to the tribunal building.





Slobodan Praljak had his first instance verdict confirmed, in which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Dzidic said.

He said that he did not accept the verdict, that he was not a war criminal and then drank the substance.

The Bosnian Croats sentenced Jadranko Prlic, prime minister of the Croat statelet Herzeg-Bosnia: 25 years

Bruno Stojic, defence minister of Herzeg-Bosnia: 20 years Slobodan Praljak, HVO chief: 20 years Milivoje Petkovic, deputy commander of HVO: 20 years

Valentin Coric, commander of HVOs military police: 16 years

Berislav Pusic, president of Herzeg-Bosnias Commission for the Exchange of Prisoners: 10 years

The judge then paused the proceedings and ordered the glass [from which Praljak drank] not be taken from court.

The verdict was mid-way and the first three defendants had their sentences confirmed.

Later on Wednesday, the judges continued reading out the final verdict, also upholding the jail terms against the other three defendants.

All six  including Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, known as Herzeg-Bosnia  had been sentenced in 2013 to a total of 111 years in prison.

The tribunal on Wednesday confirmed that there was an internationally armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that Croatia  by controlling the Bosnian Croat armed forces, the Croatian Defence Council (HVO)  had held Herzeg-Bosnias eight municipalities under occupation.

There are numerous indications that, acting through the Croatian Defence Council, Croatia had real authority, said presiding Judge Carmel Agius.

The original conviction had also said that Franjo Tudjman, the late Croatian president, was a key member of a plan to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia.

The ICTY upheld the 2013 ruling that the six officials, along with Tudjman, were part of the Croatian joint criminal enterprise, which aimed for a unification of the Croatian people and persecuted Bosnian Muslims from areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to create a Greater Croatia.





Edin Batlak, of the Association of Concentration Camp Survivors of Mostar, said the verdict had met his expectations.

Im satisfied, he said. I believe these kind of verdicts will help in relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, added Batlak.

Bad politics received its verdict. Croatia needs to be completely honest towards Bosnia and Herzegovina  and to protect and respect its sovereignty and integrity.

This isnt, cant be and will never, be a verdict against the Croatian people; it is only for people who were at the top [of command] of Herzeg-Bosnia, who implemented their policies. Its a verdict for the executors, creators of bad politics in evil times.

Wednesdays hearing was the final case to be completed at the ICTY before it closes its doors next month.

The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief General Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993 while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia.

It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

With reporting by Mersiha Gadzo in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
While negotiators in Geneva wait for the Syrian delegation to arrive, the opposition has concerns about Russian and government bombardment of Eastern Ghouta and the weight that the UN envoy, Staffan de Mistura, is giving Assads Russian allies.

Negotiators in Geneva are waiting for the Syrian government delegation to arrive, and join the latest round of talks aimed at ending the war.

Syrian and Russian warplanes have spent the days leading up to the talks bombarding rebel-held areas near Damascus and opposition leaders are concerned that Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy, is leaning toward Bashar al-Assads allies in Russia.

Al Jazeeras James Bays reports from Geneva.
Damaging winds and flooding expected as storms in Bay of Bengal head towards Sri Lanka.

The last week or so has seen torrential downpours across southern parts of the Bay of Bengal.

Southern India and Sri Lanka have both been badly affected and there has been some flooding.

The daily downpours look set to continue into the weekend.

On Wednesday morning, Sri Lankas Department of Meteorology announced that a tropical depression had formed just to the southeast of the country.

It is expected to strengthen for a time as it moves along the southern coast. Warnings have been issued for heavy rain, rough seas and strong winds. Gusts of over 60 kilometres per hour are expected.

This brings the inevitable risk of further flooding and the potential for mudslides.

Recent rainfall has been particularly heavy across the eastern half of the country with the northeasterly monsoon bringing plenty of moist air in from the Bay of Bengal.

Trincomalee in the Eastern Province had 57mm of rain the 24 hours up to 0600GMT on Tuesday.

Nearby, Batticoloa began the week with 107mm of rain in the same space of time. That amounted to almost a third of the November average rainfall of 340mm.

Meanwhile, Nuwara Eliya in the tea country hills of central Sri Lanka recorded 92mm of rain on Tuesday. Much of the island can expect 25 to 75mm of rain over the next day or two with the close proximity of the potential cyclone.

Southern and eastern parts of the country are likely to see the heaviest downpours with daily totals approaching 150mm in places.

The rain should ease by Sunday as the tropical disturbance moves into the Arabian Sea.

Any respite from the heavy rain is likely to be short-lived as another tropical system developing near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands may arrive as early as Thursday.
As Trump seeks to repeal Clean Power Plan, critics argue the EPA is moving the US in the wrong direction.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding public consultations in West Virginia this week, as it seeks to repeal a Barack Obama-era plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants across the United States.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced his intention in October to repeal the Clean Power Plan (CPP), a central pillar in former President Obamas climate strategy that would have set the first-ever limits on carbon gas emissions from power plants.

Pruitt has argued that getting rid of the plan could lead to up to $33bn in avoided compliance costs in 2030.

A spokesman for the EPA told Al Jazeera in an email that those costs would have been passed down to American families and businesses in the form of increased electricity costs.

The spokesman added that any replacement rule that the Trump Administration proposes will be done carefully and properly within the confines of the law.

The plan to repeal the CPP follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last March that ordered the policy be reviewed.

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EPA hearings in Charleston, West Virginia, on Tuesday and Wednesday are an opportunity to hear from the public, the agency spokesperson said. The EPA will also accept written comments from the public until January 16, 2018.

But environmental rights groups and climate policy experts have warned that repealing the CPP will pull the US off course when it comes to the pressing need to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We support the Clean Power Plan, said Bill Price, a senior organiser with the Sierra Club in West Virginia.

We think the CPP is a path forward for not only healthy communities and the clean-up of coal pollution, but the policy also has economic benefits and could provide a space for jobs, Price told Al Jazeera.

What is the Clean Power Plan?

Passed by the EPA under the Obama administration in 2015, the Clean Power Plan seeks to place the first-ever limits on carbon emissions from power plants in the United States, explained Rachel Cleetus, lead economist and climate policy manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The aim is to reduce emissions to 32 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2030.

The CPP requires states to develop individual plans to reach the reduction, including the improvement of efficiency at their local power plants or pivoting towards the use of renewable energy, among other alternatives, Cleetus told Al Jazeera.

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The plan was conceived after several years of consultations with a range of stakeholders, she added, but the first compliance date was 2021.

States were, between now and then, supposed to put together compliance plans to help show how they would bring about their reductions in carbon emissions, Cleetus said.

States that met their reduction targets would have also been able to trade emission credits, similar to the cap and trade emission reduction systems being developed and implemented in Europe, parts of Canada, and some US states, including California.

What impact would the CPP have had on US climate policy?

Carbon dioxide emissions emanating from the US electric power sector totalled 1,821 million metric tonnes in 2016, accounting for about 35 percent of all energy-related emissions, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Of all the power-sector emissions, 68 percent came from coal, 30 percent were from natural gas, and the remainder were tied to petroleum and other sources.

However carbon emissions in the US energy sector have already begun to decrease as a result of market trends, including a drop in the cost of renewable energy and natural gas and a shift away from coal, Cleetus said.

The US already reached about 25 percent below 2005 emission levels in the power sector at the end of 2016, she added.

John Larsen, director of the Rhodium Group and co-author of a recent study on the impact CPP would have had, said that while the CPP was an important component of the overall US response to climate change  emissions in the power sector are already on track for a pretty deep reduction.

The loss of the CPP, at least in the near or medium term, doesnt mean any dramatic increase in emissions in the power sector in the United States, Larsen told Al Jazeera.

According to the study, if states did not trade their carbon emission gains, emission reductions could have exceeded the 32 percent objective and led to a carbon reduction of between 91 to 206 million metric tonnes a year.

If states did trade their gains, the country would have been on track to reduce as much as 72 million metric tonnes annually, the study found.

What is the CPPs legal status?

The US Supreme Court issued a stay on the CPP in 2016, which halted its implementation.

The move came after a request by several states and companies.

Pruitt at the EPA has also instructed states that they do not need to expend resources to comply with the CPP and have neither been required nor expected to work towards meeting the compliance dates set by the plan.

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The EPA rescinded the existing CPP rule, Larsen explained, meaning that it is now not the law anymore.

The EPA is arguing its okay to do that because in this administrations view, that rule was not legal because it overstepped the authority granted to the EPA through the Clean Air Act.

However, Cleetus and other critics said the EPA is legally mandated under the Clean Air Act to reduce carbon emissions, which is the goal of the CPP.

Does the CPP have public support?

About 150 groups  including state governments, trade associations and labour unions  challenged the CPP shortly after it was passed in 2015, highlighting a range of legal and technical concerns, the EPA stated.

However, a majority of people in all US states and congressional districts supported the CPP, according to a 2016 survey published as part of the Yale Climate Opinion Maps.

Setting strict carbon dioxide emission limits on coal-fired power plants is supported by a majority of the constituents of every US Senator and Representative, said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, in a statement.

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The CPP has a broad base of support in West Virginia, widely known as coal country, according to Price at the Sierra Club, including among faith groups, front line environmental activists, economic experts and the general public.

Support for a repeal comes largely from coal industry and association officials and the union of mine workers, Price said.

Overall, communities in West Virginia, Illinois and across the Appalachia region were looking forward to the implementation of the CPP  so that the coal pollution would stop and there would be a clean-up, he said.

Price said people are realising the economic benefits of moving away from coal and towards more sustainable sources of energy.

If West Virginia and Appalachia are to come out of [those]  high unemployment and high poverty rates, then were going to have to do things differently. And this is a better way forward, he said.

Keep the CPP, invest in a transition for the displaced coal miner, and have policies in place that facilitate clean power generation.

How does the Trump administration justify repealing the CPP?

The EPA has argued the CPP is not consistent with the Clean Air Act and a repeal takes another step to advance President Trumps America First strategy.

It has also argued that the Supreme Court stay, issued in 2016, is evidence that the Obama administration pushed the bounds of their authority with the CPP.

Meanwhile, Trump campaigned on a promise to repeal the CPP, and pledged to bring coal-mining jobs back to struggling communities that have traditionally relied on the industry.

But, according to Cleetus, repealing the CPP will not bring back coal and repealing the CPP is nothing more than a cynical ploy on behalf of the Trump administration.

This is one more way theyre trying to stymie progress on climate change, she said.

The coal industry will continue to decline, whether or not the CPP is repealed, due to the current marketplace, Cleetus explained.

What coal miners need is transition assistance to make sure that they have new job opportunities, she said.

How would a CPP repeal work?

If the CPP is repealed, the EPA may issue an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which would involve seeking the publics input before the issuance of a policy change or new proposal.

Larsen said this notice would start the clock back at zero  and basically says, Well, should we regulate CO2 from power plants? Are we legally obligated to? If so, how should we do it?'

That process can take between six months to a year, after which the EPA will decide whether to issue a new regulation.

The agency would then issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and seek additional comments from the public, a process that could take another year, Larsen said.

What happens if the CPP is repealed?

Cleetus said there is no doubt that the EPA will be sued if it repeals the CPP.

In 2007, the US Supreme Court ruled that carbon dioxide was an air pollutant under the Clean Air Act, and gave the EPA the authority to regulate emissions. That means the EPA has a legal obligation to reduce carbon emissions, said Cleetus.

The question now is, what will Administrator Pruitt do? Cleetus said. There is no doubt that they will be taken to court if a robust alternative is not proposed quickly.

Larsen agreed, saying he expects New York, California and other states that have taken the lead on tackling emissions, as well as environmental groups, to challenge the EPA in court.

Meanwhile, efforts to move towards more sustainable energy will be ongoing at both the state and local levels, Price said, regardless of whether the CPP is repealed.
Analysts say new ICBM can fly a distance of 13,000km  potentially giving North Korea the ability to strike any US city.

US President Donald Trump vowed to slap major sanctions on North Korea after the communist country test-launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet, with a range capable of striking Washington DC.

The Norths state-run news agency reported on Wednesday that leader Kim Jong-un personally supervised the ICBM test and expressed his great satisfaction. He also extended heartfelt gratitude to all those who took part in the development of the new type rocket weapon system.

The missile reached an altitude of 4,500km, with analysts estimating it could fly a distance of 13,000km  potentially giving North Korea the ability to strike any US city it chooses to.

Trump  who has previously threatened to totally destroy the North  tweeted his displeasure after a phone call with President Xi Jinping of China, Pyongyangs increasingly perturbed, main ally.

Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! the US president tweeted.

The missile launch in the early hours of Wednesday was the first since September 15, when North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the Japanese island of Hokkaido, eventually crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

The Korean Central News Agency described the launch in a report on Wednesday, using the initials of the countrys formal name, Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK).





The ICBM Hwasong-15 soared to the highest altitude of 4,475km and made a flight over the distance of 950km for 53 minutes before making an accurate landing in the preset waters in the open sea, it said.

With this system, the DPRK has become possessed of another new-type inter-continental ballistic rocket weaponry system, capable of carrying super-heavy nuclear warhead and attacking the whole mainland of the US.

US defence chief James Mattis confirmed the missile launch was unprecedented. It went higher than any previous shot theyve taken. Its a research-and-development effort on their part to continue to build ballistic missiles, to threaten everywhere in the world, basically.

One analyst, however, was sceptical about the new ICBMs threat to the US or elsewhere.

Its a more capable missile but I think some people are exaggerating its capabilities. It cannot hit anywhere in the world. I dont think it can even hit anywhere in the United States, Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of IISS-Americas, told Al Jazeera.

Whats interesting here is North Korea saying its reached its goal. This signals that maybe no further tests are needed in its judgement and, if so, thats a good thing because weve been worried the next evolution might be a nuclear test in the Pacific. That would be very, very provocative, Fitzpatrick said.

North Koreas nuclear weapons: Here is what we know

Along with a spate of missile tests, North Korea has also conducted several nuclear tests in the past year  including its most powerful blast in September  with all devices detonated underground. Pyongyang has threatened to conduct its next nuclear test in the atmosphere, which if successful would prove to the world it is indeed a nuclear power.

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Hans Blix, a former director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Al Jazeera the Norths weapons development is based on fears of a US invasion.

He noted the US recently deployed three aircraft carrier strike groups as well as stealth bombers off the Peninsula. There are still 28,500 American troops based in South Korea  a legacy of the 1950-53 war.

We dont know yet whether these tests indicate that they could have a missile that re-enters the atmosphere and set off a nuclear explosion. But whether they can do it now or later, they will have the capacity so the situation is a tense one, said Blix.

I think that the best hope still remains an open-ended suspension of testing on the North Korea side, and the suspension of the big military manoeuvres that scare the North Koreans that the US and South Koreans have mounted This worries the North Koreans very much so they want to demonstrate their capacity to retaliate.

Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang denounced the Norths latest missile test.

China expresses its grave concerns about and opposition to North Koreas missile launch activities, Geng told a media briefing. China wants North Korea to stop any action that escalates tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting at 20:00 GMT on Wednesday to discuss the Norths latest launch.

But support for the US position doesnt appear to be forthcoming from China and Russia.




The UN Security Council has condemned human trafficking in Libya, but reached no resolutions on measures to combat the practice.

The UN Security Council has held an emergency session on human trafficking in Libya.

The Security Council discussed the possibility of sanctions against individuals and entities, and of applying the full range of international law including the use of the international criminal court  but the session ended without resolution.

The head of the UNHCR has called for funds, in addition to words, to fight the modern-day slave trading.

Al Jazeeras Mike Hanna reports from New York.
US President Donald Trump has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rolling back Obama-era climate regulations. A two-day public hearing is taking place in West Virginia, the heart of Americas coal industry.

US President Donald Trump has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rolling back Obama-era climate regulations.

A two-day public hearing is taking place in West Virginia, the heart of Americas coal industry.

Miners and environmentalists will discuss the Clean Power Plan  that limits greenhouse carbon emissions, from coal-fired power plants.

Al Jazeeras Gabriel Elizondo reports from West Virginia.
Video of slaves apparently being auctioned in Libya is causing widespread outrage.

Politicians in Europe are eager to stem the flow of African migrants.

But people undertaking the dangerous journey often drown in the Mediterranean Sea or are left stranded in transit countries where they face torture, rape and forced labour.

People-trafficking in Libya has provoked an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

The UN-backed government in Libya is promising to increase the number of flights repatriating stranded migrants, while Libyas ambassador to the UN says slave auction reports will be fully investigated.

So, how can illegal migration be controlled in a failed state?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Salah Al Bakkush  senior adviser to the negotiating team of the High Council of States

Leonard Doyle  spokesman for the International Organization for Migration

Rhiannon Smith  managing director of Libya-Analysis
Controversy in Greece about a $79m arms deal to Saudi Arabia, which has been put on hold.

The government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is accused of failing to follow proper procedures.

Opposition parties are demanding answers about a $79m weapons deal with Saudi Arabia, which is now on hold.

The opposition New Democracy party accuses Defence Minister Panos Kammenos of illegally employing a private broker to negotiate the Saudi agreement.

On Inside Story, an in-depth discussion on the rules and procedures governing the global arms trade.

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Gabriel Sakellaridis  director of Amnesty International in Greece

Andrew Smith  spokesman, Campaign Against Arms Trade

Pieter Wezeman  Arms and Military Expenditure Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Christian Suarez said if his family had access to birth control years ago, things wouldve been different.

In my family, Ive had a lot of unplanned pregnancies, the 22-year-old said. If they had access to that, maybe they wouldve been able to plan better and maybe affected their lives positively going forward.

On Tuesday in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Keep Birth Control Copay Free Campaign brought the Mission Control bus to get people to sign petitions, which were designed like an invoice. The invoices, which gave the average cost for contraceptives  about $1,547 annually  were immediately emailed to President Donald Trumps administration.

Suarez said the least he could do was sign it.

Its no secret, college students have sex all the time, so if they have access to this, itll prevent unplanned pregnancies and bring children into this world in better situations, Suarez, a UF economics senior, said.

The traveling bus lets people know about the new birth control mandate declared in October, said Jae Davis, the tour manager for the campaign. The new mandate will overturn the provision in the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, and give employers the choice to stop covering the cost of birth control based on moral or religious reasons, according to Politico.

Davis said 296 people signed the invoices.

Its gained a lot of traction, Davis said. A lot of students and professors that didnt know this law was going to take effect in the upcoming weeks, they are now aware of it and are happy that were on campus.

Davis said they are traveling to different universities to make students aware of the possible changes to birth control policy.

By this law changing and the price of birth control actually going up, some students and some people may not have the funds to pay for birth control, which then could become an issue later on, the 31-year-old said.

In addition to signing invoices, the bus invited people to take photos and gave out free condoms, T-shirts, buttons and stickers.

The bus was decorated like a dorm room to make it relatable to college students, Davis said. Davis said the bus has already traveled to 12 universities and plans to travel to more throughout central and south Florida.

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Gavin Miranda, a UF construction management sophomore, said contraception is not something taxpayers or healthcare organizations need to be paying for.

Thats kind of like your car insurance company paying to get your car detailed every month, the 20-year-old said. Thats totally not what its supposed to be for.

@Christina_M18

cmorales@alligator.org
Nearly 11 months after a fire shut down Smileys Antique Mall, the antique store will open with a new name, ownership, management and website.

Antique City Mall will open Friday and look like a big box store, said co-owner Art Adkins. The family-owned store, located 17020 SE County Road 234, will also have a new website that Adkins compared to the Amazon of antique shopping.

You have to be incredibly tech savvy to keep up, Adkins said. Weve been successful in our smaller market. Now that were moving, its a bigger playing field.

A fire on Jan. 23 burned about half the building and shut the store down, said Arts wife and co-owner Carol Adkins.

Art Adkins said he, his wife, his daughter and his son will take over owning and managing the store. The family is focusing on improving customer service, he said.

The whole emphasis is  and a lot of people do this  let the antiques sell themselves, he said. Usually, you have about as good a chance as getting kidnapped by a terrorist than getting help in an antiques place.

The new management made Jayme Kortman, a vintage boutique owner in Monroe, Georgia, consider visiting again, she said. After visiting the store in February of 2016 and being unsatisfied with the service she received, she wrote a bad review on Facebook and vowed not to return, she said.

Its not hard to find an antique mall, and I shop all over the Southeast, Kortman said. I will only frequent the ones that have a friendly atmosphere with good prices.
In front of a crowd of about 100, UF President Kent Fuchs said this semester has been the most unique hes seen in his time in higher education.

This has been a semester of external threats, he said.

At a town hall hosted by the UF Black Student Affairs Task Force on Tuesday in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom, Fuchs discussed the many threats UF has faced in Fall. He referenced the executive order ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and the affected students, the arrival of white supremacist Richard Spencer on campus on Oct. 19 and Hurricane Irma.

The town hall included a panel of members of the presidents cabinet, including Fuchs, Vice President for Student Affairs Dave Parrott, Interim Director of Freshman and International Admissions Chandra Mitchell and Vice President for Human Resources Jodi Gentry.

Fuchs described the town hall as an opportunity to make UF stronger by being more inclusive.

At the event, Multicultural and Diversity Affairs Director Will Atkins discussed the state of the Black Student Affairs Task Force and MCDA as a whole.

Atkins said the task force is working toward creating a website focused on inclusion opportunities at UF, which he said will launch in coming months.

After Gentry discussed UFs work to hire its first chief diversity officer and its efforts to create a department assessment on inclusive behaviors, students had the chance to ask the panel questions.

Camille Okonkwo, a 20-year-old UF business administration sophomore, spoke about wanting to increase the minority student populations at UF. Mitchell responded by saying the admissions office received more total applications than in prior years, and they received 500 more applications from African American students than last year.

Ernesto Godinez, a 20-year-old UF African American studies junior, asked Fuchs what UF should do to move past recent events that have put racial issues on the forefront, he said.

I pray it doesnt come  no more flyers, no more nooses, no more uninvited speakers, Fuchs said. But I think we should be prepared.

Students also expressed their desire to bring in more minority faculty members, as UF dedicated to hire 500 new faculty members in the next three years.

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Fuchs described the current demographics at UF as unacceptable.

We need to make progress, Fuchs said. Progress is hard, but we need to do it.

Godinez said he appreciated the opportunity to have an open conversation with administration at UF.

We have to go at them because they do want feedback, and they do want criticism so they can do their jobs better, he said.

@camille_respess

crepess@alligator.org

Ernesto Gardino, a third-year African American studies student, asks Fuchs if the university has any protocols set in place for appearances from controversial visitors like Richard Spencer during a Q&A session.

Akil Reynolds, a third-year public health student, asks UF President Kent Fuchs about a controversial article he retweeted on the Richard Spencer event during a Q&A session.

Students line up to ask Fuchs questions during a Q&A session at the town hall meeting with the Black Student Affairs Task Force on Tuesday.
UF students and Alachua County Sheriffs Office deputies in civilian clothes will visit East Gainesville on Saturday to attend a carnival complete with a bounce house, a three-legged race and snowman-themed games.

The second annual Holiday T.I.E.s Carnival, hosted by the Transform, Invest, Engage Community Initiative, is from noon to 4 p.m. at the Southeast Rotary Boys & Girls Club, located at 1100 SE 17th Drive. The event is meant to humanize police and the community they work for, said Jireh Davis, the organizations founder and a UF political science and African-American studies junior.

The purpose is basically to transform the relationship between the community and the police, invest time in those relationships and engage in fun and carefree events so that those relationships can be fostered, she said.

The carnival is free and open to everyone. The restaurant Celebritys Soul Food will cater the carnival and UF organizations, including the Black Student Union and Freshman Leadership Council, will bring games, Davis said.

Davis, 20, felt tired of talk about conflicts between police and residents and created the initiative to put her feelings into action, she said.

Its for kids to maybe look up at a police officer and not be afraid of them or not be nervous about them being there, but be able to say, Hey, maybe I want to be one of those one day, she said.

Aleyna Ross, a 19-year-old UF psychology sophomore, is a member of the T.I.E. Community Initiative and said the carnival helps children build a relationship with police early on, she said.

Its allowing the children to learn that not all police are bad, she said.

Davis said she feels a duty toward Gainesville despite being an out-of-state student from Arlington, Texas.

I couldnt imagine coming to the University of Florida and just taking an education and running away, she said. Giving back is what I love to do.

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With an increase in the number of beekeepers across Florida, UFs Bee College event announced changes to meet new demands.

Mary Bammer, the extension coordinator for UFs Honey Bee Research & Extension Lab, said Bee College, an educational event for people interested in beekeeping, has been held in St. Augustine for the last decade, but the event has outgrown the space.

The main location will now move to Gainesville, where there is space for more participants, she said. Bammer said having the main event, which takes place in August, in Gainesville also helps with poor weather.

She said it will likely take place in UFs new Honey Bee Research & Extension Lab, due to open in June 2018.

It (would be) a shame not to use it for our biggest event, Bammer said.

Bammer said shes unsure what Bee College will cost in Gainesville because details are being worked out. Generally, she said attendees pay $120 to $180, and hosting costs between $25,000 to $35,000.

Susan Harris, a certified master craftsman through the UF Master Beekeeper Program, said shes attended the Bee College program eight times.

Harris wrote in an email that working with bees in person is the best way to learn.

You can read about beekeeping, but thats not the same as staring into a beehive with 30,000 bees looking back at you, she wrote.

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While a conservative UF student organization fundraised using pies on one end of Turlington Plaza, about four students stood on the other end and protested by selling hot chocolate to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

Both fundraisers took place on Tuesday afternoon. Young Americans for Freedom organized the Pie a Conservative event to pay for a male speakers visit to campus next Spring, said Victor Santos, the groups secretary, declining to name the speaker until his visit is confirmed. They charged $2 to pie anyone and $5 to pie their clubs president, Daniel Weldon. The club raised $20 for the speaker, Weldon said.

According to Alligator archives, the conservative group fundraised to bring former U.S. Treasurer Angela Bay Buchanan in November and Ben Shapiro, a conservative political commentator, in Spring.

As soon as she saw the conservative event promoted on Facebook on Thursday, Sophia Ahmed said she knew she had to protest it. She and Jessica Terkovich, a 20-year-old criminology sophomore, recruited a few friends, and they charged $1 per hot chocolate. Their group raised $95 for Planned Parenthood, Ahmed said.

Ahmed, a UF materials science and engineering sophomore, said she is against Young Americans for Freedom because some of the viewpoints she feels they promote  particularly their anti-abortion and anti-transgender views  go against her personal beliefs.

(Young Americans for Freedom) is messy and problematic, the 19-year-old said. I dont want them to have more money to promote their stances.

Ahmed said she wanted to provide an alternative way for people to donate their money and picked Planned Parenthood because she thinks its a great cause.

Santos, a UF economics junior, said although his organization is against abortion and doesnt support Planned Parenthood, the members believe in the free marketplace of ideas and didnt do anything against the opposing fundraiser.

Its a free market, the 21-year-old said. People decide what they want to do with their personal money.

Organizers of the opposing fundraiser put up a sign that read, Your body your choice. At one point during the events, a sign was posted above the counterfundraiser that read, unless youre a fetus.

Santos confirmed the second sign was put up by a Young Americans for Freedom member, but declined to name him. He said the person acted alone and his action does not represent the group.

Ahmed said she saw the person post the sign on the second floor of Turlington Plaza, crawling to the edge of the balcony. She also saw Santos videotaping it, she said.

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Despite what they say, he was associated with their organization at that instance because the public saw him walk to their table after, Ahmed said.
A failed attempt by Project Veritas to expose the Washington Post for media bias has the U.S. once again cooing about fake news and the dishonest and corrupt media.

According to the organizations website, the mission of Project Veritas is to investigate and expose corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud, and other misconduct in both public and private institutions in order to achieve a more ethical and transparent society. The organization launches investigations by using undercover journalists so that corruption is exposed, leaders resign and organizations are shut down, according to its website.

Unfortunately for Project Veritas, its formula didnt work with the Post when it planted a woman who falsely claimed Roy Moore, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, impregnated her as a teenager. The goal of the false interview was for the Post to publish an article that would be revealed as false and to record a Post reporter expressing an opinion on the story.

The Post recognized inconsistencies from the interviews and decided not to publish it. Reporters also found an Internet post that gave doubts about the womans motivations, although she claimed she wasnt working with organizations that target journalists. Post reporters then saw the woman walking into the New York office of Project Veritas, and her cover was blown.

Rather than discrediting a major news source like the Washington Post, we at the Alligator hope the Project Veritas failed sneak attack on the paper has left the public with more faith in the media. The Post showed its dedication to accurate and trustworthy news and the importance of impartiality.

We arent going to say fake news doesnt exist. We know there are numerous websites and organizations out there with little journalistic integrity that are publishing inaccurate fluff pieces with sparse evidence. But we need to start using common sense when it comes to identifying who is providing us with fake news.

The Washington Post, for example, has been printing since 1877, so why would the publication decide nearly 150 years into its existence ethics and morals are no longer a necessity? The New York Times has been printing for even longer, since 1851. We pose to you the same question.

News outlets like these are the ones being demonized and labled fake news. Theyve been pegged as liberal news sources and thus dubbed invalid and biased. But for professional reporters with any ethics, how they feel about an issue is irrelevant to their reporting.

At the Alligator, most of us are journalism students. The classes we take drill into our heads the severity of accuracy and being unbiased. We are required to take several classes revolving around media ethics and the laws of mass communications. Trust us, by the time we make it to working at prestigious publications like the Times or the Post, journalists arent any more willing to relinquish the integrity that has become as much a part of them as their love for writing itself.

Avoiding fake news is simple. Really, we are stupefied that people are still having issues identifying it. Please, dear readers, use your brains and come to terms with the fact fake news isnt coming from respected publications like the ones being targeting. Its more likely coming from the pop-up ad on your Facebook timeline or politicians on Twitter. At least a hypothetical scenario where the Commander in Chief is purposefully deceiving the public through fake news would be unheard of, right?

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Visionary CrossFit, the innovative local gym known for its unique blend of exercise and art, will host an Art Walk Exhibition this Friday, where Gainesville residents can also enjoy a drum and bass showcase by Prof Goat.

Prof Goat, a notorious DJ from Orlando, has made a name for himself in the drum and bass community since the 90s. The drum and bass genre is a fast-paced subgenre of electronic music as a whole, composed of breakbeats, heavy bass and synthesizers.

According to the press release, Prof Goat has performed alongside many drum and bass headliners throughout Florida, including the Miami Winter Music Conference and elsewhere around the country. The exhibit will also include music by Capt Bli, Illterror, Choppa Train, Adikt, LZRKMMNDR and Mickey Flair.

Lexi Aulabaugh, a 21-year-old UF criminology and law senior, said she was interested in attending the event due to her desire to support the local music and art scene, while also enjoying the drum and bass showcase.

Drum and bass is my favorite genre, and you dont see many drum and bass events around Gainesville, so I definitely wanted to check it out, Aulabaugh said.

Aulabaugh stressed that attending events like this can really make a difference in Gainesvilles art community.

I think Gainesvilles art scene is comprised of a lot of talent, but more attention should be brought to them, Aulabaugh said.

Dee Carolina, a 29-year-old second grade teacher, is just one out of a long assembly of 11 local artists promoting their work that night. Carolina said that while Gainesville is super supportive of local art, there could be more of an effort made toward reaching out to artists.

I do think the local art scene is thriving in the sense that we have a lot of creative minds here and the community puts a lot of events together, but again, I think more invitations of some sort could help bring out even more folks into the mix, said Carolina.

Carolina, who will be showcasing four pieces at the exhibition, said she incorporates materials such as lace, bugs, acrylic, pencil, thread, wood and metal to create her abstract expressionist art, and her work can take from two weeks to three months to complete.

The pieces Im displaying that are geometric are called Voronoi diagrams and are with acrylic and thread, said Carolina. One is an abstract figure painting with acrylic, molding paste, lace, nail, wood, grass and an atlas moth.

Carolina said her art is inspired externally by nature and society and driven internally from her low moments, interpersonal challenges and self-discovery.

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Art is my way to cope and create a dialogue in hopes to get rid of the stigma around mental health needs, said Carolina. I dont like to say mental health issues because I feel its more normal than its portrayed. I think its a natural part of life  trauma, habits and coping.

Carolina said Visionary CrossFit includes a lot of diversity within the art they showcase at their gym, and shes looking forward to seeing the other artists and meeting everyone participating and visiting.
Three years ago, Dan Gilroy made his directorial debut with the critically-acclaimed film Nightcrawler in which Jake Gyllenhaals character roams the streets of Los Angeles filming grisly crime scenes and selling the footage to news stations.

Gilroy showed audiences a side of Gyllenhaal that had never been seen before, and he does the same with Denzel Washington in Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Washington stars as the films titular character, an autistic savant attorney that can cite the provisions of the California Criminal and Civil Code by memory.

At first, its hard to tell what time period the film is set in due to Israels three-piece suits, foam headphones and framed pictures of Angela Davis adorning the walls of his dingy apartment. It only becomes clear that the film is taking place in the present when another attorney asks Israel what legal software program he uses. Israel is truly a relic of the 70s, as displayed by his insistence upon using physical law books instead of a computer.

Despite possessing savant abilities for memorization and recollection of events, Israels lack of interpersonal skills causes him to avoid courtrooms and people in general. Instead, he works behind the scenes in a two-person law firm, writing briefs and pleadings while his partner, who is the face of the firm, takes credit for his work.

When his partner suddenly has a heart attack, Israel is forced to search for work as he cannot run the firm by himself, especially when he seems incapable of not talking back to judges and finding himself in contempt.

Israel initially tries to find employment at an equal-rights nonprofit organization run by a woman named Maya (Carmen Ejogo of Selma). The interview does not go well, but Maya is so impressed by Israels past contributions as an inner-city civil rights activist that she remains in contact with him.

Eventually, Israel is hired by slick criminal defense attorney George Pierce (Colin Farrell) who represents the exact opposite of Israels ideals. While Pierce is motivated by monetary success, Roman seeks to change the court systems tendency to punish minor offenses with maximum sentences.

If its not already clear enough that Israel tries to be a lawyer with dignity, the way he describes the title of esquire  slightly above gentleman but below knight  makes it blatantly apparent.

In a lapse of conscious, Israel abandons the principles that have guided his life and makes a decision that ultimately comes back to haunt him.

Similar to how Gilroy showed the gritty underbelly of LA in Nightcrawler, Roman J. Israel, Esq. also manages to depict the beauty of areas in Los Angeles that are often perceived as seedy. While downtown LA and Los Angeles City Hall are frequently avoided due to rampant crime and roaming homeless, the film makes the night scenes of downtown Los Angeles both alluring and menacing at the same time.

While Washington succeeds in convincing audiences that Israel has spent decades putting others before himself, the plot is just too improbable to believe.

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The story quickly branches out into several different subplots, none of which are actually followed through by the conclusion of the film. Right when a plotline starts to develop, a new story idea gets introduced. It becomes increasingly frustrating to watch as the film progresses and leaves viewers wondering why Gilroy didnt commit to one storyline.

Regardless of Gilroys overly ambitious plot, Denzel Washingtons performance is one not to be missed. Washington crafts an indelible character that is so uncharacteristic of him that its a bit jarring at first.

Fans of Washington will enjoy seeing him in a role unlike any other he has done before, but those who expect a screenplay that is comparable in caliber to Nightcrawler will be sorely disappointed.
The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, delivered today (November 28, 2017) the closing address at the Pan-African Parliament-European Parliament Parliamentary Summit in Abidjan preceding the 5th African Union-EU Summit starting tomorrow. In his address, President Tajani declared: Good governance is only possible on the basis of democracy, and this is embodied by our []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
The United States has been trading with China since 1784, the year a U.S.-flagged ship set out from New York for Canton. American missionaries were preaching in China by the 1830s. For some 80 years now, the United States has gone out of its way to help China, starting with the embargo on oil exports to Japan on August 1, 1941. Then after that war was over, China was included as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council despite it being in a civil war at the time. The expectation was that China would eventually join the community of civilised nations and make a positive contribution to the world.

The big leg up for China was the granting of Permanent Normal Trade Relations by the U.S. Congress in October 2000. This became effective when China joined the World Trade Organisation at the end of 2001. The consequences for U.S. workers were immediate and dire. U.S. manufacturing employment had fluctuated around 18 million workers between 1965 and 2000 before plunging 34 percent to 2010. Some six million workers lost their jobs.

In a 2016 paper titled The Surprising Swift Decline of U.S. Manufacturing Employment, authors Justin Pierce and Peter Schott note that prior to 2000 U.S. imports from China had been subject to the relatively low normal trade relations tariffs reserved for members of the World Trade Organisation. These low rates for China required annual renewals that were uncertain and politically contentious. Without renewal U.S. import tariffs on Chinese goods would have jumped to higher tariff rates. This uncertainty decreased the incentive for U.S. firms to incur the sunk costs of shifting operations to China. It was the removal of this uncertainty that triggered U.S. firms to shift operations to China, and U.S. jobs went with them. It was the risk associated with annual review of tariffs that had kept manufacturing employment in the U.S.

At the same time that they were starting to lose their jobs, the formerly employed started losing their lives at an increasing rate as shown by this graph in a paper by Anne Case and Angus Deaton of Princeton University published in March this year:

This figure shows deaths per 100,000 of population for men and women aged 50 to 54 for a number of countries including France, Germany, Sweden, UK, Canada and Australia; U.S. whites are the red line. All the other countries are stable or falling but the death rate for this age cohort started rising steeply from the time they started losing their jobs to China. Case and Deaton found a marked difference in death rates by race and education. Death rates among non-Hispanics -- both males and females -- are rising for those without a college degree. It is falling for those with a college degree. In contrast, death rates among Blacks and Hispanics have continued to fall irrespective of educational attainment. Death rates in comparable rich countries have continued to fall at rates that used to occur in the United States until the beginning of this century.

But which whites are dying at an increasing rate? Figure 1.1 from Case and Deatons paper shows that it is white non-Hispanics with a high school education or less:

For Hispanics the U.S. has increasingly become the happy kingdom. They are happy because they dont live in Mexico and PC nonsense doesnt get translated into Spanish. The death rate for whites without a high school education though has risen above that for blacks. What is killing these people is mainly deaths of despair -- drug and alcohol poisoning, suicide and alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis as shown by the following graphs adapted from Figure 7 of the Case and Deaton paper:

We could get our jobs back from China, with a consequent decline in the death rate of working class whites, without too much legislative effort but that would still leave the problem of Chinas thirst for military aggression. Closing America to Chinese goods would help choke off the cash flow that funds that aggression.

The mafia operation that runs China, the Communist Party of China, had its 19th party congress in October. President Xis speech at that congress didnt impart new information. Because Mandarin is a tonal cacophony which makes the communication of anything more than a simple notion difficult, ideas tend to be imparted as word symbols. Thus these lines from Xis speech:

We have committed to "examining ourselves in the mirror, tidying our attire, taking a bath, and treating our ailments," launched activities to see members command and act on the Party's mass line, and initiated a campaign for the observance of the Three Stricts and Three Earnests. We have taken firm action to "take out tigers," "swat flies," and "hunt down foxes.

His most foreboding words were near the end:

The wheels of history roll on; the tides of the times are vast and mighty. History looks kindly on those with resolve, with drive and ambition, and with plenty of guts; it won't wait for the hesitant, the apathetic, or those shy of a challenge.

President Xi is no caretaker. He intends to provide the ambition that will get some history written in other peoples blood. He is also aware that the window of opportunity to do that is closing as Chinas credit-driven growth finally stalls and its energy production starts falling.

Now is the time to ask Lenins question What is to be done? North Korea provides the perfect excuse for imposing tariffs on Chinese goods imported into the U.S., with the rates continuing to rise until North Korea gives up on nuclear weapons and ICBMs. If China backs down and disarms North Korea, that would be an enormous loss of face which would likely topple Xi. If he doesnt back down, U.S. workers would get their jobs and lives back. China has been indulged long enough. They have no intention of joining the community of civilised nations.

David Archibald is the author of American Gripen: The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare
Sean Hannity is the second most wanted man on the takedown list of the anti-Trump Resistance. We know this because the New York Times  in earlier times the newspaper of record and still the most influential and Deep State agenda-setting newspaper in the U.S.  yesterday posted an 8,000 word cover story by Matthew Shaer that will be published in its next Sunday magazine, along with a striking cover photo of the subject. The subject? Sean Hannity. The cover title? How Far Will Sean Hannity Go? (in his defense of President Trump). The photo is a comical pose struck by Hannity taken during a half hour photo shoot during which, Hannity said, hundreds of pictures were snapped. The one that was selected by the Times editors, according to Hannity, is the worst one, showing him looking angry and scary, if not demonic. The Drudge Report described its link to it on Tuesday as NYT goes for anger.

The ultimate target in all of this is the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. The attempted take down of Hannity would be a significant step on the path to that final objective of regime change.

The campaign to take down Sean Hannity which began in earnest months ago is now expanding and intensifying. In addition to being the most prominent defender of President Trump, Hannity is the most prolific and consistent mainstream media figure to, night after night, expose the scandals and criminality of the Democrats and the Deep State  all of which go largely unreported by the rest of the MSM.

New York Times Magazine cover Dec. 3, 2017

Hannity made light of the whole New York Times Sunday Magazine spread on his radio and Fox News television programs later on Tuesday. A close read of the article, however, offers some alarming insights into the tactics of the Trump-hating MSM.

The Times story is correct in much of the information about Hannity  some of it new to this author  that it presents. But it is never without a leftist anti-Trump spin. The Times reporter and a photographer also got Hannity, who cooperated fully with the reporter, to take them to his childhood home on Long Island, New York, where they knocked on the door and were given a tour of the house by the surprised residents.

Early on, the article describes Hannity as hosting a fact free program. Really? Hannitys broadcasts on Fox News for at least the past six months have been filled not only with probing and verifiable facts but the input of some of the most credible and accomplished investigative journalists from mainstream publications. These include the Hill, Circa News, and Fox Newss own stable of reporters, like attorney and anchor Gregg Jarrett, that advance the stories that Hannity is reporting. Sean Hannity is not a solo act or a one-man band making up stories. To call Hannitys and his contributors work fact free is ridiculous -- and its a lie.

The Times author also links Hannity to Alex Jones of Infowars. Based on sources that I have, I doubt that Hannity and his staff are even aware of what Infowars is doing, and they certainly arent taking their talking points or information from Alex Jones.

The role of Vox

It turns out that the Times article on Hannity incorporates attack journalism that originated with Vox, the far-left website co-founded in 2014 by leftist blogger and writer Ezra Klein, a darling of the trendy, punk ethos-worshipping commentariat. Klein was one of the first to catch an early wave of social media, narcissistic self-obsessed political blogging, while he was still a student at USC in the early 2000s.

Ezra Klein

Later, Klein went on to write articles and blog for the Washington Post. He has appeared for years as a frequent guest on the partisan prime time leftist echo chamber programs pushed out by MSNBC. Among his other claims to fame, Klein is responsible for starting a super-secret off-the-record online chat forum in Washington, D.c. in 2007 involving the active participation of many of the top journalists in the country, all of them left leaning, called JournoList. The effort was exposed in a 2009 article in Politico, of all places, titled JournoList: Inside the Echo Chamber:

For the past two years, several hundred left-leaning bloggers, political reporters, magazine writers, policy wonks and academics have talked stories and compared notes in an off-the-record online meeting space called JournoList. Proof of a vast liberal media conspiracy? Not at all, says Ezra Klein, the 24-year-old American Prospect blogging wunderkind who formed JournoList in February 2007. Basically, he says, its just a list where journalists and policy wonks can discuss issues freely. But some of the journalists who participate in the online discussion say  off the record, of course  that it has been a great help in their work. On the record, The New Yorkers Jeffrey Toobin acknowledged that a Talk of the Town piece  he wont say which one  got its start in part via a conversation on JournoList. And JLister Eric Alterman, The Nation writer and CUNY professor, said hes seen discussions that start on the list seep into the world beyond.

Imagine, for a moment, if an identical group of right leaning mainstream media journalists had participated in a similar super-secret chat forum, for the purpose of exchanging and floating ideas and brainstorming conservative stories that would later make it into the mainstream press. Well, you couldnt imagine it because it would never happen  there are virtually no major mainstream journalists anymore who lean right.

Alvin Chang Source: Twitter

The writer at Vox whose recent writings on Hannity apparently served as a fundamental basis for the Times article is Alvin Chang. On Nov. 14, Vox published Changs attack article Sean Hannity has become the medias top conspiracy theorist. In the Times article, which in many ways mimics and cribs the details and spin from the Vox article from two weeks earlier, Times author Shaer writes that Hannity:

is also a figure prone to barreling headfirst into the murky territory between opinion and out-and-out conspiracy theorism [sic]. (snip) In November, Alvin Chang, a writer for Vox, crunched data from two years of Hannity TV transcripts and concluded that Hannity was, in his mentions of topics like the deep state and the uranium deal, the medias top conspiracy theorist.

Carlos Maza in his anti-Hannity Vox video

On November 22, another Vox employee, Video Producer, Strikethrough at Vox.com, Carlos Maza, who describes himself as the gay wonk, posted an 8-minute Vox video How Trump turned Sean Hannity into a conspiracy theorist. The professionally-produced, incredibly slick and detailed video creatively presents Hannity as a conspiracy monger parroting the rantings of Infowars founder Alex Jones (the most hated man in American media, as I described him in an article on June 18, 2017). On November 29, 2017, after five days online at YouTube, Mazas anti-Hannity video had racked up over 650,000 views.

On the same day as his video appeared, Maza is credited with writing another attack article on Hannity for Vox, this one titled How Trump turned Sean Hannity into a conspiracy theorist  The Fox News host is sounding a lot like Alex Jones. The article features a still frame grabbed from the video depicting Hannity as wearing a tin foil hat.

Still frame of video from Mazas Nov. 22 Vox article

So here we have it: The New York Times, the previously respected newspaper of record, is now little more than a conduit and a mouthpiece for the uber left wing rag Vox and two of its chief propagandists, Chang and the self-described gay nerd Maza  doing the bidding of the anti-Trump Resistance. Oh, it should not be overlooked that the only other job that Maza has ever had, before he joined Vox last January, was to work at Media Matters for America from 2011 until his job with Vox started.

Sean Hannity was prescient and right on when he has said of the MSM starting several years back that journalism is dead in America.

Peter Barry Chowka is a veteran reporter and analyst of news on national politics, media, and popular culture. Follow Peter on Twitter @pchowka.
While the U.S. media have been playing deaf, dumb, and blind, as usual, Saudi Arabia is seeing a huge, unprecedented purge from the top. King Salman is planning to step down and pass the power to his designated heir, Mohammed bin Salman (aka MbS). This looks like the culmination of a huge power struggle in SA, which is what happens when the top leaders get old in tribal federations -- which is essentially what Saudi Arabia is.

With the full backing of the King, MbS has been conducting an enormous purge of competing tribal and financial power holders. When MbS takes over, he apparently wants to transform the Saudi economy, and to educate Saudis to live in the modern world.

This is vitally important to Americans, because the Saudi role in 9/11/01 has always been lied about and covered up in the U.S. media, with the open support of the Democrats and even the Bush family. The whole scare campaign of "Islamophobia" has mobilized the left both here and in Europe to attack and discredit any sources of truth about the jihad war.

President Trump has openly tweeted his support of King Salman and MbS, which includes some rough treatment of the folks being purged.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing.... Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump ....Some of those they are harshly treating have been milking their country for years! 3:05 PM - Nov 6, 2017

For American citizens the big question is: Will we finally learn who in SA has been funding and order jihad attacks like the 3,000 innocents killed in the Twin Towers assault on 9/11/01?

Trump is now closely allied with King Salman and MbS, and POTUS has been setting up a new strategic alliance including Israel, the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab regimes. No previous U.S. President -- none -- has been able to accomplish this much, ever since the start of the Jihad War. You might remember why you voted for this guy, instead of Hillary.

There are at least two strategic goals, it would seem.

First, to put a screeching halt to the jihad massacres funded and secretly ordered by the Sunni half of Islam, which is headquartered in Saudi Arabia. While ordinary Americans and Europeans have been kept in the dark, feeling confused and disoriented about these merciless attacks on ordinary people, children, women, civilian men, Jews, Christians, and Africans who are not Muslims, our media have joined the coverup, and we deserve to know why. We know that the Clinton Foundation was awash in jihad dollars, and Admiral James Lyons (USN, Ret) has made it clear that our government agencies have been deeply penetrated for many years. We've seen the evidence ourselves.

The second strategic goal is to support modernizing forces in the Muslim world, like Egypt's President El Sisi, the Jordanians, and many others. This is not going to be easy or pretty, but there is support for change. Saudi Arabia cannot survive the fall in oil prices, which has made it possible for the Saudis to be fat, lazy, and self-indulgent, while buying up U.S. and European politicians by the barrel.

Walid bin Talal is the best-known Saudi powerbroker who has been arrested and is said to be under extreme pressure from MbS himself (and his enforcers), to give a big chunk of his money to the new rulers in SA, to help the country survive the coming years of low oil prices. Since shale drilling is now spreading around the world, and President Trump has opened up US domestic production, the world will soon be awash in clean sources of energy. Natural gas is the cleanest source available, not solar, because it takes a lot more energy to make solar panels and all that than pumping natural gas.

It's interesting, to say the least, that the New York Times' Thomas Friedman is now publicly asking the Saudis not to be too nasty to the purgees.

Friedman is a jihad-symp, like BH Obama, Michelle Obama, Hillary, and all the rest. Friedman seems to be coming out now, because he's part of the "jihad is no big deal" establishment, which has lots of friends on the other side. Friedman also knows that this is an enormous purge, and that because it's not limited to SA; the outcome is still up for grabs.

Donald Trump has been in complete support of this progressive turn in the Muslim world. Behind the scenes the Old Guard in the media, the anti-American billionaire class, and jihad sympathizers in our universities and in the Middle East have been trying to undermine and sabotage any change for the better.

So the first question is: Who are the jihad perps on the Saudi (Sunni) side?

Another major question is: Who has been colluding with jihad forces in the West? It's beyond obvious that the Western coalition that won the Cold War in 1990 has been routed by a new and even more primitive war cult. Marxism and jihad have a lot in common.

I think Americans deserve the answer to both those questions.

There are reports that 500 people have been arrested, with the most powerful being imprisoned in the Riyadh Ritz Carlton. the most famous one being Walid bin Tallal, who is all over the Western media as the smiling face of Saudi money and its (rapidly disappearing) oil weapon. Donald Trump has decisively opened up domestic oil and gas production, depriving OPEC states like SA of their clout. The Saudi press has been publishing articles predicting that the huge Saudi treasury will be diminished in a matter of years. The Saudis therefore feel extremely vulnerable to Iranian (Shi'ite) attack, and the Iranians are systematically encircling the Sunni regimes. The Saudis therefore need us badly.

We know the Iranians have been credibly accused of training and ordering jihad attacks on the infidels -- meaning anybody but them. But the mullahs are due for retribution after the Saudi purge is consolidated.

Donald Trump has earned our support already, after only a year in office. The Dark Side is constantly trying to overthrow our duly elected President. If you want to support the good guys, let your voice be heard.
Over the weekend, Rep. Pelosi went on TV to talk about Rep. John Conyers. At the same time, Cokie Roberts of NPR made an amazing statement about the same Rep. Conyers.

Let's review what Cokie Roberts said:

Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Cokie Roberts made a startling admission: "every female in the press corps knew" to avoid being in an elevator with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and has apparently known about this "for years." Conyers has been accused of multiple instances of sexual harassment and has stepped down from the House Judiciary Committee. Despite the allegations against him, major players in the Democratic Party have defended Conyers and will not say that he should resign. Pelosi even referred to the embattled congressman as an "icon."

This is what Rep. Pelosi said of Rep. Conyers:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi defended Rep. John Conyers as "an icon in our country" on Sunday, after noting he deserves "due process" as he faces allegations of sexual misconduct.

I wonder if Rep. Pelosi thinks Judge Roy Moore in Alabama deserves a little due process, too!

To be honest, my expectations of Rep. Pelosi are so low that anything is possible. In other words, she is a phony feminist who will stand by her man as long he supports abortion and the liberal agenda. No surprise that Rep. Pelosi said what she said.

I am a bit surprised about Cokie Roberts. I am surprised that she, and apparently other female members of the media, were afraid of getting into an elevator with the "icon."

After all, Mrs. Roberts could have broken a huge story over the last few years about "the icon" and his women. It would have been helpful to expose this stuff, or at least that's what these people always claim to be doing on their jobs.

So will anyone over at NPR call on Mrs. Roberts to resign for protecting a member of Congress? I hope someone does. It would have been good for the young female interns in Congress to avoid an elevator trip with the "icon."

Phony feminists both!

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The Catholic archdiocese of Washington, D.C. has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority for refusing to run a Christmas-themed ad to promote "spiritual giving." The point is simple: Christmas is more than a holiday that "comes from a store."

Metro has banned all religious-themed ads this Christmas, even though the archdiocese's ads don't portray a Nativity scene or the baby Jesus. In fact, they claimed that the image of shepherds, stars, and sheep "promotes religion."

The archdiocese had a choice response to that idiotic notion.

Spero News:

Ed McFadden, secretary for communications for the Archdiocese of Washington, told the Washington Examiner, "To borrow from a favorite Christmas story, under WMATA's guidelines, if the ads are about packages, boxes or bags  if Christmas comes from a store  then it seems WMATA approves. But if Christmas means a little bit more, WMATA plays Grinch." WMATA has allowed ads promoting the Salvation Army (a Christian church), and yoga  a form of Hindu spiritualism. A spokespersons for WMTA said in a statement that it changed its policy in 2015. Lawyers for the archdiocese believe that the First Amendment rights of the Church are being infringed. In August, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit alleging that WMATA's advertising guidelines violated free speech. Critics assert that the policies are vague. Plaintiffs in that suit include the ACLU, Carafem, Milo Worldwide LLC, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Carafem is an abortion provider. Milo Worldwide LLC is a corporation through which activist/journalist Milo Yiannopoulous operates. PETA is an animal rights organization. The suit said WMATA rejected the following ads: an ACLU ad that displays the text of the First Amendment in multiple languages; an ad by Carafem advertising a "10-Week-After-Pill;" PETA ads suggesting people go vegan; and an ad for Yiannopoulous' book "Dangerous." Some of the ads sparked complaints. ACLU legal director for the District of Columbia Arthur Spitzer told WTOP this year: "I think it's an indefensible policy to say that as soon as someone complains about an advertisement, we're going to take it down." Spitzer noted that irony that WMATA banned a display of the text of the First Amendment: "Metro is a government agency subject to the First Amendment," Spitzer said.

Given Metro's well documented management problems, I suppose we should expect inconsistency bordering on lunacy when it comes to its ad policies.

But the subjective procedures used by the mass transit company to approve or disapprove ads only breeds lawsuits. I have no doubt that if the people running the Metro had run the ads, some atheist or Muslim group would have complained, if not sued them to remove the advertisements. It appears that Metro was responding to that potential sticky situation rather than upholding the First Amendment rights of the Catholic Church and others.

In this instance, you can take your pick about who or what is under attack: free speech, the war on Christmas, or the war on Christianity. In fact, it is a war on common sense  a trait sorely lacking in government today.
The man described by the government as the "on scene commander" of the terrorist attacks in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, was convicted on four terrorism-related counts.

But the jury found Abu Khattalah not guilty on the four murder charges relating to the attack.

Kattalah was convicted of:

Conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists.

Providing material support and resources to terrorists.

Using, carrying, and discharging a semi-automatic assault rifle during a crime of violence.

Maliciously destroying and injuring dwellings and property, and placing lives in jeopardy within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, and attempting to do the same.

The government announced last year that it would seek life in prison for Kattalah and not the death penalty in the case. Cumulatively, Kattalah faces up to 60 years in prison.

The defense insisted that Kattalah was just an innocent bystander. But video of the attack clearly shows him directing some of the attackers. Not mentioned during the trial was the reason for the attack given by the Obama administration: that people were demonstrating in front of the annex because of an anti-Muslim video on YouTube. Testimony from surviving Americans and from Libyan eyewitnesses tells a different story: that the attack was planned and carried out because Kattalah believed that the annex was a "nest of spies." The American eyewitnesses knew well that it was a coordinated terrorist attack. Despite this, President Obama  in the midst of his re-election campaign  lied to the American people about the attack to cover up the inadequate security at the annex.

CNN:

Some of the most compelling testimony of the trial came from special agent Scott Wickland, a regional officer with diplomatic security who was living at the mission. Wickland recalled the events of September 11, 2012, as the first witness to testify in the trial and was visibly emotional as he described Stevens as "very personable" with a warm manner that was "not normal" for an ambassador. Around 9:45 p.m. on September 11, Wickland said, he heard chanting down the street from the mission and then calls of "Allahu Akbar." As guards scrambled to put on their protective gear and get their guns, Wickland said, he went to notify Stevens -- who had already gone to bed -- of a possibly escalating security situation. Wickland then said he had directed Stevens and IT official Smith to a safe room in one of the compound's villas. There were gunfire, explosions and "bloodcurdling screams" on the radio, according to Wickland, who told the jury, "I knew we were under attack." The doors of the villa were then blown open, and attackers entered the compound armed with AK-47s and other assault rifles, he said. When the attackers could not blast open the gates of the safe room, they set the villa on fire, Wickland said. With smoke filling the safe room, Wickland told the jury, he tried to lead Stevens and Smith to the bathroom so they could get some air but quickly realized they were not behind him. He tried to feel around and yell for them but couldn't find them, though he kept searching until he was out of air and almost collapsed. As Wickland went outside to escape the smoke, he said, he was fired upon by grenades. He repeatedly entered the compound to search for Stevens and Smith until he was out of breath, only to be met with a barrage of grenade fire each time he exited the compound. Unable to locate Stevens and Smith, Wickland told the jury, he said to himself, "I'm going to search for them until I'm going to die." Wickland then said he waited for a lull in the gunfire and climbed a ladder to the roof, where he stayed alone for a very long time and continued to take fire -- unable to make contact with anyone on the radio.

What was constantly referred to by Democrats as a "right-wing conspiracy theory" turns out to be true. In fact, there was a conspiracy within the Obama administration to hide relevant details about the attack in order to protect the president's re-election campaign. The White House, the State Department, and even U.S. intelligence promoted a false narrative about the attack that gave the American people an inaccurate and deliberately false impression of what the attack was all about.

During the trial, Kattalah frequently demonstrated his contempt for the proceedings and the witnesses against him. This made it much easier for the prosecution to paint him as an anti-American extremist.

In addition to blowing up the Obama administration narrative on Benghazi, the verdict shows that it would have been better if Kattalah had been sent to Gitmo and tried by a military tribunal. Different rules of evidence prevented the federal court from convicting Kattalah of murder, which would have carried the death penalty.

One additional suspect is currently in U.S. custody. Mustafa al Imam has been charged with three terrorism-related offenses and will make an appearance in federal court next month.
A federal judge has slapped down the Democrats' pretender to the throne, Laura English, and her lawsuit claim to the acting director's job at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Her claim was so banana-republic that it led to two acting directors coming to work on Monday, each claiming the job and only one of them rightfully appointed. It wasn't her.

It's enough to restore one's faith in the judicial system, at least a little bit.

The monster we were seeing was of a powerful and self-perpetuating swamp bureaucracy, accountable to no one, employing the highest-paid bureaucrats in the land, existing solely to shake down banks and businesses with the aim of redistributing the harvest to left-wing NGOs and activist groups.

Ben Shapiro, writing in National Review (a great piece, by the way), notes that the CFPB was an exceptionally powerful agency:

The CFPB was always a misbegotten enterprise. It was specifically designed to act as an agency free of constitutional restraints. There's a reason the D.C. Court of Appeals described its set-up as ridiculously unconstitutional, stating, "when measured in terms of unilateral power, the Director of the CFPB is the single most powerful official in the entire US Government, other than the president. Indeed, within his jurisdiction, the Director of the CFPB can be considered even more powerful than the President."

The court ruling shows two things:

That CFPB was an unaccountable partisan shakedown racket, given the left's insane desire to cling to the power of it, even in a case that failed miserably.

And the left doesn't care about rule of law  neither in the gamy setup of this overly powerful agency with no accountability nor in its belief that all it would take was one left-wing judge to ensure its perpetual grip on power. The left doesn't care about law. It cares about shakedowns and coercive government with its boot on the private sector. The law thought otherwise, and America is a country all about rule of law.

The court's ruling lays it out for all to see.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the brainchild of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), has become the latest battlefield in the left's war on President Trump. Richard Cordray, the bureau's director, quit suddenly on November 24 and named his former chief of staff, Leandra English, to be acting director. This move would have kept the bureau in leftist hands until a successor, named by President Trump, could be confirmed. Disregarding Cordray's partisan action, President Trump named Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, acting director of the CFPB. (Apparently, Mulvaney would wear two hats for the time being.) Mulvaney is on record as being critical of the CFPB.

Sen. Warren was quoted in the New York Times, November 28, as saying that the bureau "'was built to be as far away from partisan politics as humanly possible  including exactly what Donald Trump is doing now."

And what is President Trump "doing now"? Arguably, he has moved, pursuant to federal law, to name the acting director of a federal agency until such time as the head of the agency will be nominated, with Senate confirmation to follow.

According to the account in the Times, Ms. English went to Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Warren, hardly an indication of nonpartisan intent. As of this writing, both Ms. English and Mr. Mulvaney claim to be acting director of the CFPB, with the matter now the subject of litigation brought by Ms. English, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly in federal court in the District of Columbia. Interestingly, Mary McLeod, the CFPB's general counsel, regards the Mulvaney appointment as legitimate. (Judge Kelly is a Trump appointee. This does not necessarily mean Ms. English will not prevail, but perhaps we can be thankful that the matter is not heard before the Ninth Circuit, a judicial bastion of "The Resistance.")

It is to be expected that the left will point to the Mulvaney appointment as an authoritarian assault on democracy. To such leftist deviousness, this editorial observation in the Wall Street Journal, November 26, is worth noting: "Democrats created an executive-branch agency [the CFPB] insulated from Congressional appropriations and presidential control, and now they claim to be able to run it like a branch of government unto itself with a self-sustaining directorship." The editorial describes this view as "a perversion of constitutional government." Certainly, it is a perversion of representative government accountable to the people. As WSJ columnist William McGurn suggests in his November 28 column, the CFPB tug-of-war points out "to the American people what happens when federal power is divorced from democratic accountability."

But isn't this what The Resistance to the Trump presidency is all about  rejecting the election of the president of the United States by the processes set forth in the Constitution?
FCC chairman Ajit Pai accused Twitter and other tech companies of hypocritically calling for an "open internet" while they "routinely block or discriminate against content they don't like."

Pai called out the social media companies as part of his bid to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules.

CNBC:

Pai argued that it's actually the "edge providers," the FCC's term for services like Google (GOOGL, Tech30) and Facebook (FB, Tech30), that "are a much bigger actual threat to an open Internet than broadband providers, especially when it comes to discrimination on the basis of viewpoint." Pai, a Republican commissioner appointed to head the agency by President Trump, specifically called out Twitter for appearing to have a "double standard when it comes to suspending or de-verifying conservative users' accounts as opposed to those of liberal users. He did not specify which conservative accounts he was referring to. Twitter recently removed the verification from several prominent users, including controversial conservative commentator Laura Loomer and white nationalists like Richard Spencer and Jason Kessler. Pai also criticized Twitter for briefly blocking a campaign ad from Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican representing Tennessee. "When it comes to a free and open internet, Twitter is part of the problem," Pai said. A spokesperson for Twitter said the ad was not censored. "Anyone voluntarily following her account could see it, as is their choice as a consumer when they choose to follow her," the spokesperson said. "Because advertisements are served to users who do not necessarily follow an account, we therefore have higher standards for their content." Pai's decision to seek a full repeal of the rules was praised by the telecommunications trade groups as a boon for broadband investment, but loudly panned by the tech industry and consumer advocacy groups.

Twitter, Facebook, and other social media companies do nothing illegal by banning conservative content. They are private companies and can implement their own standards and practices.

But their towering hypocrisy about representing a "free and open" internet must be exposed for what it is: an attempt to manipulate the political content their subscribers are able to see. They can deem content from white supremacists "unacceptable" if they wish. But why do far-left groups like Antifa usually get a pass? This content bias extends to right-wingers who have merely controversial positions that aren't racist and promote small government. In short, Twitter and others have appointed themselves guardians of free thought  and they are failing miserably.

Repealing Obama net neutrality rules will likely be tied up in court for years  just as all other Trump regulatory initiatives. But Pai is hoping in the meantime to get the courts to approve his dismantling of net neutrality until the court cases are settled.
The GOP tax bill has cleared another hurdle, with approval by a party-line vote of 12-11 in the Senate Budget Committee Tuesday afternoon, thehill.com reports. Two Republican holdouts voted "for the measure after previously expressing concerns":

Monday evening, two GOP senators, Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.), had left the door open to voting against the measure in committee if their concerns weren't addressed before then. Johnson has expressed concerns that the bill doesn't do enough to help pass-through businesses, while Corker is concerned about the impact on the debt.

Corker, along with Oklahoma senator James Lankford and Arizona's Jeff Flake, has been "working with leadership on a 'backstop' in case tax receipts crash," and after the vote, Corker confirmed he has an "outline of an agreement" on the backstop.

The trigger for the backstop is unclear, but someone's taxes would go up under certain conditions, creating "uncertainty" about future tax rates. Only Congress could make scrambled eggs out of a simple tax cut.

Senator Johnson, along with Montana senator Steve Daines, has been negotiating with leadership for further tax reductions on pass-through businesses, where profits are taxed at the individual rates. Johnson was willing to advance the bill to the full Senate, a good sign for ultimately getting his vote.

Johnson's concern is that small businesses will be taxed at a much higher rate than corporations, as former Trump economic adviser Steve Moore spells out at townhall.com:

Sen. Johnson's beef with the House plan is that the effective tax rate on a successful small business would be almost 36 percent (as opposed to 39.6 percent today), compared with the new 20 percent rate for a corporation, such as General Electric Co. or Boeing.

While other factors affect overall rates, Moore agrees with Senator Johnson that the GOP tax plan should "provide more relief for small businesses, which create more than half the jobs in our country":

Another idea is to increase the exclusion on small-business income from 17 percent (in the current Senate plan) to closer to 20 percent. This would get the effective rate down to just above 30 percent for family-owned businesses.

Moore also proposes on offset to the increased small business exclusion to avoid "breaking the budget rules":

Eliminate the deductibility of state and local taxes for corporations. It is wildly unfair for a small business to lose this deduction while corporations keep it. The strong case for elimination of state and local tax deductibility equally applies to families, small businesses and large corporations. Tax filers located in low-tax jurisdictions should never pay more tax to subsidize those located in high-tax locales.

As Moore observes, eliminating the deduction for corporate state and local taxes would be a "two-for-one policy victory," providing funds for small business tax cuts and equalizing tax treatment of small and large businesses, while also blunting the Democrat talking point of tax cuts for big corporations. Johnson and Daines are said to be on board with the Moore proposal.

Adding the corporate deduction repeal might, however, also "engender still more resistance" from blue-state House Republicans who are already balking at repeal of the individual deduction for state and local taxes.

The threat of repealing the individual deduction for state and local taxes is already "setting off budgetary alarm bells in high-tax states like New York, California and New Jersey," as politico.com reported last week. Repealing the corporate deduction would put blue-state politicians on notice that their big spending and unfavorable business climate would no longer be subsidized by the rest of the country.

While Kentucky senator Rand Paul now says he will vote for the tax bill, several other senators remain on the fence:

Alaska's Lisa Murkowski now says she supports the Obamacare individual mandate repeal in the Senate tax bill, as long as the Obamacare cost-sharing subsidy bill, which President Trump told Republican senators on Tuesday he will support, is passed at the same time. But based on her track record, Murkowski's vote is "not guaranteed."

Maine's Susan Collins still has issues with the individual mandate repeal, as well as with the temporary nature of the individual tax cuts and the one-point reduction in the top rate. Eliminating the mandate provides the GOP with "more than $300 billion" to cover other aspects of the tax cuts, making it hard to drop that provision. As Bloomberg.com notes, Collins is "from a reliably Democratic-leaning state, and as such she's always a difficult vote for party leaders."

This leaves Arizona's John McCain, who infamously deep-sixed the last attempt at Obamacare repeal, telling the president in a last-minute phone call at the time, "This is insanity," as nypost.com reports. McCain has emphasized regular order and bipartisanship and is also focused on any effects on military spending. He remains a wild card in the process.

With the tax bill going to the Senate floor for a possible vote later this week, the GOP can afford the defection of only two of the 52 Republican senators, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the deciding vote to pass the bill under budget reconciliation rules. Senators Corker, Lankford, and Flake, the budget hawks, are working with leadership on a path to a vote, and Johnson and Daines are negotiating a small business fix. Murkowski may have a path between the mandate repeal and the insurer subsidy, while Collins and McCain look less certain so far.

With the Republicans racing against the calendar to get a tax bill to the president's desk before the Christmas break and before a possible Democrat is seated from the Alabama election, the GOP tax bill has cleared another hurdle, with several more to go.
So Obamacare is "popular," health care coverage will now extend to millions more, and suddenly...we have a hospital shortage.

Via Tyler Durden, Bloomberg reports:

A wave of hospitals and other medical companies are likely to restructure their debt or file for bankruptcy in the coming year, following the recent spate of failing retailers and energy drillers, according to restructuring professionals. Regulatory changes, technological advances and the rise of urgent-care centers have created a "perfect storm" for health-care companies, said David Neier, a partner in the New York office of law firm Winston & Strawn LLC. Some signs are already there: Health-care bankruptcy filings have more than tripled this year according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and an index of Chapter 11 filings by companies with more than $1 million of assets has reached record highs in four of the last six quarters, according to law firm Polsinelli PC.

The reasons cited include a cutoff of subsidy payments for hospitals that had to cover massive costs of uninsured using emergency rooms as their primary health care and unpaid medical bills from customers caught up with high-deductible Obamacare plans and unable to cough up the $7,000 or so in costs upfront. Hurricanes and storms have damaged infrastructure, too.

Small and rural hospitals in particular are being hit, and many have less than a day's operating cash, Bloomberg reports.

As Durden notes, Obamacare was supposed to bring us plenty. Instead, we are getting boarded up hospitals and the signature shortages of socialism, even as Obama himself repeatedly claimed that his health insurance "reform" was not socialist. Like so much of what he said about Obamacare, it was a lie.

Because no doubt about it, socialism is about central planning, and central planning is about allocation of resources. Resources that went one place now go to another. Winners are in the Beltway and in the rich enclaves of the Bay Area; losers are in the rural hospitals.

Of course, there is no letup in the use of emergency rooms for primary care in these distressed places. These emergency rooms are primarily used by millions of illegal aliens, who are forbidden to purchase Obamacare and, in any case, would get subsidies and likely not pay a dime if they did. So to protect that pot of subsidy money from being drained by illegals, the hospitals are asked to foot the bill for the illegals using the emergency rooms instead.

See how misallocation of resources by central-planning socialists works?

Now, as Obamacare provides insurance coverage for millions more, as Obamacare advocates claim, somehow there is less and less to go around. Fewer hospitals and fewer getting actual care due to the skyrocketing costs of deductibles. Durden notes that health care premiums under the Nightmare of Obamacare have doubled in four years, asking how it is that consumers can swallow that. Not in a market economy, they can't. Only in a highly oppressive tax-socialism regime that has no accountability whatsoever for the ever increasing political forces dipping into the money troughs and giving those who pay less and less and less.

It's another reason to just throw Obamacare out. Keep trying, Congress.
Tensions on the Korean peninsula shot up over the weekend as U.S. and South Korean intelligence have confirmed that North Korea tested a long-range ICBM. The missile flew higher and farther than any other North Korean test, showing that the window of opportunity to stop Kim Jong-un from developing the missile technology to strike anywhere in the U.S. is closing.

NBC News:

Although analysts were scrambling Wednesday to learn what they could about the North Korean launch, Pyongyang said it had tested a new type of missile, named the Hwasong-15.

Dictator Kim's secretive state claimed it was carrying a "super-large heavy warhead" that was capable of striking the entire U.S. mainland. But analysts say that based on the current evidence it's hard to prove or debunk the North's claim that it can now hit faraway American targets such as New York or Washington, D.C.

The North Koreans have now test-fired missiles 18 times since President Donald Trump took office in January. Tuesday's launch was the first in more than two months.

Western officials agreed it appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, which flew further than any other demonstrated by the North.

It was fired on what is called a "lofted" trajectory, meaning it was aimed at a steep angle and traveled very high but landed relatively close to its launch site.

Reaching an altitude of around 2,800 miles above the Earth's surface, according to South Korea, it crashed down in the Sea of Japan around 600 miles away from where it was fired.

"It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters at the White House.

Some experts believe that if North Korea aimed the rocket at a lower angle, as it would in an attack scenario, this range could be stretched to some 8,100 miles  theoretically putting the entire East Coast in range.

"If we extrapolate this test we think it would give North Korea the capability to reach Washington, D.C.," according to John Nilsson-Wright, a senior research fellow at London's Chatham House think tank.

However, to build a weapon capable of hitting the U.S. a long-range rocket is just one piece of the puzzle.

North Korea would also need to develop a reentry vehicle robust enough to protect the warhead from the intense heat produced by traveling through the Earth's atmosphere at speed. It also needs to miniaturize a nuclear weapon small and light enough to fit on the missile without reducing its range.

Boasts aside, it hasn't publicly demonstrated either of these.

"We still don't know the ability of North Korea to put a warhead on a long-range missile and fire it with accuracy," Nilsson-Wright said.
During an advanced screening of his new movie, the celebrated black actor Denzel Washington was asked by the Grio whether blacks, in particular, can "truly makes change as things are right now."

With no hesitation, Washington stated:

It starts in the home[.] ... If the father is not in the home the boy will find a father in the streets. I saw it in my generation and every generation before me, and every one since. If the streets raise you, then the judge becomes your mother and prison becomes your home.

Speaking specifically about the American prison complex to the New York Daily News, Mr. Washington repeated his assertions:

It starts with how you raise your children. If a young man doesn't have a father figure, he'll go find a father figure. So you know I can't blame the systemIt's unfortunate that we make such easy work for them.

This is nothing new for the two-time Oscar-winner. Washington made similar comments in a GQ interview in 2012. When asked what he would say to African-American readers of GQ, Washington responded:

Take responsibility. One of the things that saddens me the most about my people is fathers that don't take care of their sons and daughters. And you can't blame that on The Man or getting frisked. Take responsibility. Look in the mirror and say, "What can I do better?" There is opportunity; you can make it. ... Keep the body in tune  it's your temple. All things in moderation. Continue to search. That's the best part of life for me  continue to try to be the best man.

Unlike Bill Cosby, who sparked a national debate in 2004 after a speech to the NAACP criticizing irresponsible black parents and their criminal offspring, Washington has faced little backlash for his views. That could change.

The idea that the criminal justice system is institutionally racist gained a lot of traction during the Obama years. Mr. Washington's suggestion that blacks make "such easy work for them"(the system) will not go over well with those on both sides of the aisle too politically correct to place the onus on the disintegration of the black family.

In 2014, anti-cop crusader Van Jones and former House speaker Newt Gingrich teamed up to reform the failing prison system.

In a CNN op-ed, both writers blamed the system, where "one in three black males born in the United States today is likely to spend time in prison at some point in his life."

Strikingly, nowhere in their article does either of the men suggest that reforming the "billion dollar prison industry" should begin with responsible parents teaching their children about the sanctity of marriage and monogamy; the pitfalls of premarital sex; and most importantly respect for themselves, law enforcement officers, and their neighbors.

Instead, Gingrich and Jones praise non-profit initiatives where volunteers come up with apps to remind youthful offenders of their court dates! The authors write:

It's sad, but in an age when the dentist's office calls automatically to remind us of appointments, shouldn't the court system do that as well if it prevents kids from spending time in jail?

Denzel Washington's politically incorrect yet fundamental truth that the "kids" wouldn't need to be reminded of their court dates if parents did their jobs is so obvious that we can only wonder how such a smart guy like Gingrich couldn't cite it in his editorial.

In contrast to Denzel Washington and others who have voiced similar ideas, the agenda-driven black elites and their socially minded white collaborators continue to ask intact families to fork over billions to irresponsible, morally challenged baby mamas and sperm-donors. And what do we get for our money? Dangerous gangs, thugs, and delinquents making life unbearable for our communities.

As a renowned celebrity with a big fan base, Washington's view that it's the home that needs reforming, not the system, threatens to upset the house of cards the black elites and race-baiters have carefully constructed for decades. That's why he should shout it from the rooftops.
I think President Trump is trying to get Elizabeth Warren nominated, or at least keep her in the spotlight. It is a trap for the Democrats and progressivism. And it is working.

The conventional wisdom of D.C. politics has Elizabeth Warren as the big winner following the president's use of his nickname for her, Pocahontas, during a ceremony honoring the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. But the conventional wisdom has consistently been wrong about Donald Trump's effectiveness in reaching the voters he needs to win his victories.

Amie Parnes of The Hill presents the C.W.:

President Trump's latest "Pocahontas" insult of Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a political gift for the Massachusetts Democrat, who has seized the moment to build capital in the 2020 presidential race. ... "For Elizabeth Warren, it's grass-roots fundraising jet fuel," said Democratic strategist David Wade. "It puts her center stage as a Republican bogeyman the way Ted Kennedy was often center stage for decades. "If they're talking about you, you can argue it means they fear you, and you can take that to your political base as a rallying cause to help other Democrats, raise money and grow an online army."

Those who consider him stupid and impulsive are certain that he has blundered. And in doing so, he has handed a victory to a fearsome opponent, a former Harvard professor, meaning that a triumph over Trump's ignorance and bigotry is inevitable. There are a lot of mistaken assumptions here. The conventional wisdom has trouble with an unconventional candidate and president, almost by definition.

Within the mainstream media bubble, little attention was paid to the fraud Warren pulled off by falsely claiming to be a Native American.

The C.W. assumes that the question was settled. There is nothing to see here; move on. Only under the assumption that the question was "settled" could the charge of racism be hurled at Trump. But the issue is far larger and also strategic for Trump. Rush Limbaugh yesterday laid out what the C.W. can't understand (full transcript here).

The Drive-Bys are collectively once again making fools of themselves trying to claim the word Pocahontas itself is a racial slur, when it's not.

There is a small subset of the population that buys into the notion that everything really is racist (because America is fundamentally racist). But they have a disproportionate impact on the C.W. I would guess that between 60% and 80% of the voting public have learned to be skeptical to some degree of the idea that everything that gets labeled "racist" is fundamentally unjust. In equal measure, there is anger or at least discomfort that this issue cannot openly be discussed without being called a racist yourself.

In the case of Pocahontas-as-slur, popular culture familiar to everyone contradicts and even mocks that assertion.

Warren has a lot more to worry about here than a false claim of racism.

And they also look stupid by not understanding or asking about what this really is about. We have a United States Senator, Elizabeth Warren, who made up her heritage in order to get a job at Harvard. She claimed she is 1/64th Cherokee, and the evidence for it is that her mother or grandmother or somebody had high cheekbones like the Indians did. Now, why isn't that the real outrage? Somebody lying about being something that they are not. All Trump is doing is pointing it out, and you can see this is not done. The left does not have their sacred cows attacked like this. And when it happens, they lose it. They go bananas. So what the reality is is that a day after all of this nonsense, it is being driven home to many people that Elizabeth Warren lied about her heritage to gain status in the world of the academy, which is obsessed with identity politics. ... And this is what Trump does. He simply attacks their sacred cows. He pierces political correctness. He refuses to accept the lies and the phony constructs that they create in order to protect themselves.

It is taboo in many circles to raise issues about racial preferences, but the subject is politically potent in ways that do not advantage the Democrats. And if the newly strengthened Warren continues to build momentum and gains the nomination in 2020, the issue of racial preferences and their victims is likely to be in the public spotlight. The focus of that spotlight will be the practices of the very university that hired Warren. David French in National Review (French's entire article is worth a read for more on Warren's history of fraud):

Warren is a bit of an academic grifter. She's willing to fake her way to the top. When she came to Harvard Law School, she was  believe it or not  considered by some to be a "minority hire." She listed herself as a minority on a legal directory reviewed by deans and hiring committees. The University of Pennsylvania "listed her as a minority faculty member," and she was touted after her hire at Harvard Law School as, yes, the school's "first woman of color." This was no small thing. At the time, elite universities were under immense pressure to diversify their faculties (as they still are). "More women" was one command. "More women of color" was the ideal.

In his Daily Show monologue last night, Trevor Noah expressed skepticism about Warren. I realize that Noah is South African, but I wonder about the level of black turnout for a white lady who claimed minority status and got a huge plum thereby.

By the election, Harvard's use of racial preferences is going to be in the spotlight, anyway. And it's going to be in the news in a matter of days. Right now, the Department of Justice is pursuing an investigation into Harvard's alleged discrimination against Asian-American applicants.

Melissa Korn and Nicole Hong write in the Wall Street Journal:

The documents reviewed by the Journal confirm the existence of an investigation that the Justice Department in August indicated it would pursue and suggest that Harvard has challenged the authority of the department's Civil Rights Division to conduct it. In a statement, Harvard said: "As we have repeatedly made clear to the Department of Justice, the University will certainly comply with its obligations under Title VI." The school added that it was seeking to engage the department in the best way to share relevant information while protecting applicants' privacy. The Justice Department's investigation escalates a longstanding national debate over the role of race in college admissions  an issue the U.S. Supreme Court has intermittently wrestled with since the 1970s. As recently as last year, the court upheld the use of racial preferences in public university admissions. In early August, the Justice Department posted an internal job listing for attorneys to investigate racial bias in college admissions, as it prepared to review a separate 2015 complaint filed by a coalition of 64 Asian-American associations claiming Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants.

Harvard is stonewalling production of the admissions documents demanded to investigate, with a December 1 deadline, after which a lawsuit is anticipated should Harvard continue its rebuff.

No doubt there will be delays, but I expect that sooner or later, files, perhaps with names removed, will be produced, and that the picture will not be pretty.

Getting Elizabeth Warren on the ticket would hand Trump a golden opportunity to make racial preferences a central issue in the presidential election. In the most effective possible way. Alinsky's thirteenth and final law:

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

Donald Trump never had to read Rules for Radicals. Most of his knowledge does not come from books  one reason he so deeply threatens intellectuals. Even worse, he is the master of reality television and knows how to script a story arc. It is vulgar to them, so they never watched it and have no sense of its power. They forget what an intellectual ought to know: the root of vulgar is vulgus, or "common people" in Latin.

As Patricia McCarthy notes elsewhere on AT today, Trump is playing along dimensions his opponents don't know exist.
I hear that Republicans are considering adding a trigger to the upcoming tax cut bill so that if economic growth and revenues don't hit projections, deficits don't increase. Does anyone recall any trigger suggestion when spending programs have exceeded estimates and caused the deficit to increase? I don't! Obamacare costs have skyrocketed, and not once have reporters and other Democrats ever cared about the deficit soaring. It seems they care about deficits only if anyone offers to allow individuals and businesses to keep more of the money they earn.

It is truly pathetic that every day the public is indoctrinated with left-wing think-tanks, Democrats, and compliant reporters saying tax cuts don't help the economy much and cause revenues to drop and deficits to rise. They know or should know that Kennedy's, Reagan's, and Bush's substantial tax cuts caused the economy to take off and revenues to grow substantially. Rising revenues can't cause deficits to rise; only spending more than the increases can do that. Revenues also rose after Clinton reluctantly approved capital gains tax cuts in the middle 1990s. Not once did left-wing economists, Democrats, and reporters get their predictions right. They always underestimate the cost of spending programs and underestimate revenues and growth from tax cuts, and yet they indoctrinate the public with their garbage predictions.

Here is a great article in The Wall Street Journal with nine respected economists writing how the tax cuts to corporations and individuals would lead to more economic growth. Of course, this article will not see the light of day in most newspapers or on networks because it just doesn't match Democrat talking points.

It certainly appears that reporters and other Democrats don't want anything that will actually help the overall economy, especially since the last eight years of massive government spending increases, massive increases in regulations, and tax increases yielded the slowest economic recovery in seventy years. They certainly don't want the public to see what actually works and what will increase economic opportunities.

I continually ask for Democrats and reporters to list which policies of Obama and Democrats have lifted people up instead of making more people dependent on government. Maybe they could concentrate on listing the ones that helped inner-city minorities. So far, I haven't seen a list or even an individual policy that encouraged economic growth.

If anyone wants to know why Virginia voted for a Democrat for governor, it is because Virginia has continually become more dependent on government for paychecks. Several of the richest counties in the U.S. are around D.C., where they produce nothing but regulations and bureaucracy. They certainly don't want the rest of the country to be able to keep more of their money and get more freedom and power back. They want to maintain the power they have amassed.

An example of a Democrat employment agency is the CFPB, where they earn lavish paychecks. In the past several years, employees at the agency have made 593 donations to Democrats and one to a Republican. Essentially, taxpayers from throughout the country fund this off-the-budget agency, and then employees funnel some of the taxpayer money back to Democrats.

When are compliant reporters going to start telling the public the truth that tax cuts yield more economic growth than government spending and tax increases? Don't they actually want to help the poor and middle class as they profess?
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(ANSA) - Taranto, November 29 - Sparks flew between the Italian government and local and regional authorities in Puglia on Wednesday after the latter challenged a decree modifying the environmental cleanup plan for the troubled ILVA steel plant in Taranto. Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti expressed his surprise at the move, saying the new industrial plan for Europe's largest steelworks is strong and that the environmental plan is the best that has ever been seen. Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda accused the local and regional authorities of schizophrenic management and said the deal on ILVA involving sale to a consortium led by ArcelorMittal and the associated environmental clean-up risked falling apart. "Enough of stealing our children's future, blackmail doesn't frighten us," replied Taranto mayor Rinaldo Melucci in reference to the ongoing health risk posed by the plant. Meanwhile Calenda has frozen negotiations pending the decision by the Legge regional administrative court.

If the appeal against the decree is upheld production at the plant must stop. Metalworkers' union FIOM also expressed criticism of the move by the centre-left Puglia regional government led by Michele Emiliano.

"CGIL (the trades union confederation of which FIOM is a part) considers Emiliano's decision a mistake. This is not the time for courthouses, there are negotiations underway, it is the time for responsibility," former FIOM general secretary Maurizio Landini said. The Taranto plant is undergoing a painful restructuring to revamp it and clean it up after years in which it was linked to high local cancer rates.

The decree at the centre of the controversy was approved by the government at the end of September.


(ANSA) - Milan, November 28 - A 29-year-old Italian man bit off the ear of a 48-year-old Italian taxi driver after a road-rage fight near Milan's central train station Tuesday.

The 29-year-old verbally attacked the taxi driver because he wanted to park in his slot, and a physical fight ensued in which the man also broke the taxi driver's nose.

The taxi driver's assailant was later arrested.

The ear was sewn back on at Niguarda Hospital.

The man who bit the ear off will be tried tomorrow morning in a fast-track trial.

The charges against the man are grievous bodily harm aggravated by futile motives.


(ANSA) - Brussels, November 29 - Italy has the most creative economy in the EU, European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen said in an interview with ANSA Wednesday.

He said "this is a solid base, but the country is less rich than it could be". Katainen welcomed recent structural reforms but said Italy was still suffering from a growth gap with other EU countries.

"May efforts continue to tackle this problem, which is structural, he said.

Katainen said it would take "6-8 years" for the effects of reforms to be felt.

"We can't be pleased until growth is within the EU average or higher," he said.

Katainen also said that Italy had been "very good" at using the EFSI investment plan, which should result in up to 400,000 new jobs.

This would happen, he said, it 205,931 small and medium-sized firms take on new staff, using the funds from the plan.


ZAGREB - The Bosnian Croat general Slobodan Praljak, convicted of war crimes, has died in a Hague hospital after drinking poison live on television after his 20-year sentence was upheld by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).



Praljak, former commander of the Bosnian Croat forces in Bosnia in the 1992-95 war, yelled ''I am not a criminal'' before drinking a small bottle of poison. He added that ''Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal and I reject the sentence with contempt''. The hearing was immediately suspended. The ICTY upheld in an appeals trial the sentences for war crimes for two of the other six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders from 1992 to 1995 of the self-proclaimed 'Community of Herceg-Bosna' for Bosnian Croats. The men are Jadranko Prilc (former 'PM'), sentenced to 25 years, and Bruno Stojic (former 'defense minister'), 20 years, for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against Muslims from Bosnia. The ICTY also upheld that the six Bosnian Croats had created an organization to ''create a Croatian (state) entity'' in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This entity was to later be able to ''join Croatia'' or stay in ''close association'' with Zagreb.



The judges said that external participants of the criminal organization included Franjo Tudjman, Croatian president at that time, and Gojko Susak, Croatian minister of defense. Praljak had, among other things, ordered the destruction of Stari Most, the 'Old Bridge' of Mostar, a highly regarded example of 16th-century Ottoman architecture. Its white stones fell into the waters of the Neretva on November 9, 1993, hit by three grenades.



''It is just an old bridge,'' the Bosnian Croat general had said, adding that he would have destroyed another one hundred for a single finger of one of his soldiers. The Hague judges ruled that it was a legitimate military target. the new 'Old Bridge', reconstructed with donations from Italy, France, Turkey, the Netherlands and Croatia, was inaugurated in 2004.


AMMAN - Rebel forces in southern Syria have been engaged in fighting against Islamic State (IS) affiliated groups near the Jordan border after the latter attempted to seize control over parts of the Yarmouk basin southwest of Deraa.



The western-backed rebels fought off the attack and advanced to IS positions in Tal al Jomou, south west of Deraa, 15 km from the Jordanian border, rebel sources told ANSA.



A total of 11 militia groups from the southern front launched a counter attack against Khalid Bin al Waleed, an offshoot of IS, killing several members of the group including commanders, according to Abu Tawfiq al Diri, coordinator of Free Syria Army in the southern region. Western-backed rebels have been struggling to ward off attacks by the Khalid Bin al Waleed group and its allies in the border region.

Jordan has said it will not tolerate the presence of IS near its borders and has previously shelled the group's positions in response to a suicide attack that killed several soldiers.


Credit: Scarlet PageBilly Corgan's new short film Pillbox is available now for all to see. The 40-minute visual is streaming in its entirety now on YouTube.

Written and co-directed by Corgan, Pillbox is a silent film soundtracked by the Smashing Pumpkins frontman's new solo album, Ogilala. The movie was screened in theaters last month.

"I thought it was a different approach to listening to an album, to watch it in essence with a related, albeit non-linear, silent movie," Corgan says of Pillbox. "Art is art. And together the two pieces create a work unto itself."

Corgan wrapped up an acoustic tour in support of Ogilala earlier this month.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Egypt's Sisi orders army to rid Sinai of ISIS in 3 months After attack on Sufi mosque killed over 300

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, NOVEMBER 29 - Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Wednesday ordered the army and police to restore security in Sinai within three months after militants killed more than 300 worshippers.



He called for ''complete brutal force'' after the attack, the worst in Egypt's recent history. The president made the announcement in Cairo in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the birth of the prophet Mohammed broadcast on television. He put his military chief of staff, General Mohamed Farid Hegazy, and Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar in charge of the task. Since 2011 and especially in the past four and a half years, the Sinai peninsula has suffered from a low-intensity conflict between Egyptian security forces and terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS). On Friday, terrorists that allegedly were linked to ISIS carried out an attack on a Sufi mosque in the northern Sinai, killing over 300 people. (ANSAmed).




GAZA - Delegations representing Hamas and Al-Fatah are to meet for the second time in two weeks on December 1 in Cairo to take stock of progress in the reconciliation process and in the transfer of the administration of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian National Authority. A few days ago a high-level Egyptian delegation travelled to the Strip to assess progress on the ground. Meanwhile on Tuesday a Hamas official, Halil al-Haya, recalled that for his organization there are at least two non-negotiables: control of the military wing of Hamas, which insists on maintaining its independence with respect to the PNA; and the proposed replacement of 40,000 public employees hired under the Hamas administration with 10,000 former PNA employees, which it opposes. In an editorial Palestinian news agency Maan editor Nasser Laham writes that despite a recent exchange of sharp words between leaders of the two sides reconciliation has a good chance of success. This is also demonstrated by the amount of attention that Egypt continues to pay to the process, in spite of the recent serious attack in Sinai. Local sources add that, although the Rafah border point is closed to people, Egypt allows supplies of diesel to pass for the electric power station in Gaza.
(by Patrizio Nissirio) ROME - The Mediterranean is a region that is ever more fragmented and ever more interconnected, wedged between a lasting crisis and significant opportunities for development and dialogue. In order to foster dialogue - including between those who normally do not even speak to each other - Rome will from Thursday until Saturday host the third edition of Mediterranean Dialogues, an international forum bringing together political leaders, entrepreneurs and analysts from the Euro-Mediterranean region and further afield.

''Italy,'' underscored Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano in introducing the report drawn up by the ministry for the 2017 edition, which notes Italy's 'integrated' approach to the region, ''knows better than anyone the language of the Mediterranean and proposes a 'dictionary' to decipher the possibilities and the challenges.'' ''Med Dialogues,'' the minister continued, ''are an important meeting point to come up with ideas and plan together for - with all Mediterranean countries and our most important world partners - the bridge that must bring us together and teach how to better speak the 'language' of the Mediterranean with a shared and inclusive approach.''

The international conference, organized by the Italian foreign ministry and the Istituto per gli Studi Politici Internazionali (ISPI), thus has an important aim: to make sure that the exchange of ideas provides solutions to the many tensions crossing the region. However, 'Beyond the Turmoil, A Positive Agenda' is the sub-theme for this year's edition for a reason, since there are many opportunities to be taken advantage of. ANSAmed, the newspaper La Stampa and state radio and television broadcaster RAI are once again this year's media partners for the event. High-profile political leaders to attend include: Iranian foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jafaari, his Egyptian one Sameh Hassan Shoukry and Saudi Arabia's Adel Al-Jubeir, as well as the Lebanese president Michel Aoun (who will be making the opening remarks at the conference alongside Alfano, with Italian president Sergio Mattarella present) and Libyan vice president Ahmed Maitig.



There will also be Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and US Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Shannon.



High-level speeches will be made by representatives of China, India and international organizations like the UN and the EU. A strong presence will also be seen of representatives of the economics and civil society sectors, with 800 people from 56 countries expected to attend. There will be 25 sessions centering on four pillars: Shared Prosperity, Shared Security, Migration, and Culture and Society.



Participants will have the possibility to read two reports: one coordinated by ISPI with the collaboration of many international research centers entitled 'Looking Ahead' (on possible ways to foster positive development of the region) and one by the Italian foreign ministry explaining Italy's complex and detailed strategy for the Mediterranean. One of the issues that will be focused on is the migration crisis and that of the protection of migrant rights, especially after the latest news of serious human rights abuses in Libya. ''Italy, world champion of human rights, has saved half a million human lives in the sea. It will not turn aside when faced with violations,'' Alfano said in presenting the initiative. ''We will speak about rights in Rome with all those involved, transit nations and international agencies in order to highlight the issue, which Italy has always been and will always be on the front line for.''


ROME - Saudi Arabia "is looking for tension with Iran to cover up defeats in the region and internal problems," Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said in an interview with Iranian television on Tuesday.

"Today, we have better relations with Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Qatar. We may have problems with a couple of countries such as Saudi Arabia, which they have fanned," Rouhani added. "We have launched a very good relationship with the European Union" and relations with Russia are good too, Iran's president said.

Saudi Arabia and Israel were opposed to the 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear programme, but they have "failed" - as have US President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle it, Rouhani continued.
ROME - Saudi prince and former head of the elite National Guard Miteb bin Abdullah has been released after more than three weeks of detention on corruption charges, Al Jazeera reported Tuesday.

Bin Abdullah was one of the 11 princes, four ministers and other former ministers and businessmen arrested on November 4 following an investigation by the anti-corruption commission led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known also as MBS). The suspects were accused of various offences including money laundering, corruption and extortion against public officials. Bin Abdullah is the son of the deceased King Abdullah, who was succeeded by King Salman. Analysts said the high-profile arrests are part of MBS's plan to remove internal opposition in order to proceed with ambitious reforms.

In a recent interview with the New York Times the crown prince said most of the people arrested had negotiated a settlement for their release, with the Saudi authorities asking for cash and capital. Bloomberg reports that Bin Abdullah agreed to pay over a billion dollars for his release, citing an anonymous source.






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Travellers in the UAE can look forward to fares to 46 destinations across the globe in Economy Class and Business Class in celebration of National Day. Special fares in Economy Class start from as low as AED 835 return to Kuwait, AED 905 return to Kochin; AED 945 return fares to Karachi; AED 1,275 to Jeddah; AED 2,235 to Istanbul; AED 2,245 to Bangkok; AED 2,735 to London; AED 3,125 to Cape Town; AED 3,735 to New York and AED 5,605 to Brisbane, amongst other exciting destinations. Special Business Class fares start as low as AED 2,995.

From 1st December  3rd December 2017, Emirates will also be celebrating National Day on board by featuring special Emirati meals and sweets on the menu in all classes. The special menu will consist of Lamb Ghozi, an Emirati rice based dish served with slow cooked lamb, roasted nuts and raisins, followed by popular dessert Emirati Ferni, which will be accompanied by Betheeth in First and Business Class. The special menu will be available on flights from Dubai to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah, Bahrain, Muscat, Kuwait, Amman, Beirut, Baghdad and Basra.
FAL is a first-of-its-kind business social network based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology that foresees the future of the global aviation sector and related industries.



The initiative promotes dialogue and close cooperation among individuals and entities involved in Dubais aviation industry--pushing the sector towards growth and prosperity and increases its economic contributions. This first platform targets government agencies, multinational companies, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), academia and experts in the aviation sector, which promotes collaborative efforts and collective innovation. It also widens the role of enterprises and individuals in accelerating the growth of the sector and increases its share in Dubais Gross Domestic Product (GDP).



Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Dubai Airports have been at the forefront in support of the new platform. The pioneering group of members that have expressed their confidence in the pivotal role of the initiative for the further development and growth of the international aviation industry, include Airbus, Boeing, GE, Rolls-Royce, Thales ME, Panasonic Avionics and Jetex.



H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum expressed his confidence in the initiative, which forms part of DAFZAs continuous efforts to enhance its operational, knowledge and development performance of the aviation sector. This is in line with the expectations of the increase in the share of the aviation sector to AED 195 billion or 37.5 per cent of Dubais GDP and providing around 745,000 jobs in 2020. He highlighted the importance of the participation of major local and international companies in FAL, which contributes to the move to promote Dubai as one of the leading cities in terms of smart technology--making the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world and in support of DAFZA Innovation Strategy the objectives that are aligned with the broader National Innovation Strategy.



H.H added: The aviation sector is one of the most important parts in the countrys economic structure, accounting to around ten per cent of the country's total GDP and 28 per cent of Dubais. This sector has accomplished huge achievements in record time, which is a result of the vision and support of our countrys wise leadership, especially towards sustainable growth and operational expansion and driving in more foreign direct investment (FDI) in the UAE. We believe that innovation has become a key driver to anticipate the future and overcome its challenges, so we expect the network to facilitate the system of collective work between different representatives of agencies, industry experts and students, to help stimulate the process of innovation accompanied with high efficiency and wide spread interest of the aviation sector locally and globally.



H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General, DAFZA, said: The initiative was highly appreciated and regarded by leading industry players. We are grateful to our strategic partners for their contribution to the success of Future Aviation Lounge and welcome the participation of industry experts and leaders in this initiative. The Future Aviation Lounge embodies our aspiration for the future of the global aviation industry. He added: This initiative comes in response to the leadership's inspiring support for the aviation sector and its contribution to the economic boom in Dubai and the UAE, which represents an important step in harnessing artificial intelligence technology to achieve the highest levels of productivity and economic growth. The move also comes in line with the UAEs strategic goals and objectives and we believe that the free zones have a leading role in the transfer of knowledge and the promotion of economic and cognitive competitiveness, which has a direct impact on economic and social development--positive results that we wish to achieve from FAL.





H.E. Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), added: We joined DAFZAs Future Aviation Lounge thanks to the support of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of DCAA as well as the cooperation and coordination with all entities involved in civil aviation sector and in line with the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai number one in all areas. He added that through this unique platform, aviation professionals and experts will have the opportunity to discuss, share knowledge, hold meetings and conduct electronic workshops to enhance their competitive features and deepen their knowledge and expertise to develop civil aviation in Dubai and the world.



H.E. Jamal Al Hai, Deputy CEO at Dubai Airports, stressed the importance of this initiative, adding that it is a quality-focused addition to the aviation sector, which serves as a a strategic pillar for the national economy. We are moving towards aggressively utilizing artificial intelligence and smart solutions across all sectors of the economy. With this in mind, FAL will allow us to recognize global best practices in the aviation industry, which is rapidly changing and building the best relationships for the benefit of the global aviation industry. In addition, we recently launched the DXB Plus initiative as part of our reliance on smart technology to gain more capacity without building any new buildings and enhance the experience of more than 90 million passengers who will use Dubai International Airport by the end of this year and make their journey through the airport a great experience.



Mikail Houari, President of Airbus Middle East and Africa, said: We are delighted and honored to join our partner, DAFZA, and become part of the Future Aviation Lounge. We have long demonstrated our commitment to advancing the aviation sector in the region by developing innovative solutions to shared sector challenges, creating and supporting a highly-skilled talent pool to drive the industry forward. Through our participation we will continue to foster young talent, ensure knowledge transfer and further grow the industry in line with the UAE vision to be one of the top innovative countries in the world.



Bernard Dunn, President of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey said: Innovation is at the core of what we do at Boeing, and so we are very pleased to support the Future Aviation Lounge initiative. We look forward to participating in this plan to build a robust community of bright minds and creative thinkers from across Dubai and the UAEs aviation sector.



GE Aviation is a major supporter of collaborative efforts in the aviation industry, said Aziz Koleilat, President and CEO of GE Aviation Sales for the Middle East, Russia/Commonwealth of Independent States and Turkey. The Future Aviation Lounges goal of bringing together a cross-section of industry, government and academic leaders to create innovative solutions to aviation challenges is a natural fit with our business efforts and we look forward to playing a significant role in this effort.



Neil James, Vice President of the Middle East, Central & Southern Asia and Africa regions for Panasonic Avionics Corporation said, Airlines in this region are world-renowned for their commitment to innovation and the provision of world-class passenger experience. In fact, over the past 20 years, there have been countless industry firsts developed in Dubai. Panasonic Avionics is proud to support the Future Aviation Lounge, and we look forward to working with industry leaders, government agencies and academia to accelerate the introduction of new technologies and services that will revolutionize air travel.



Roger Daix, VP of Thales Middle East, noted, As the aviation market continues to grow in the region, we are proud to be part of DAFZAs Future Aviation Lounge. Networks like this will prove an invaluable resource that will go some way in ensuring the continued success of the UAEs future aviation market.
The announcement sees flydubai expand its presence in Russia to 11 points in 10 cities. Earlier this autumn, the carrier launched flights to Makhachkala and Voronezh, resumed services to Ufa and increased capacity on existing routes: Kazan, Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Moscow (Vnukovo), Rostov-on-Don, Samara and Yekaterinburg. Today the carrier operates 47 flights a week to Russia and the figure will grow to 58 flights for the New Year holiday season.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said: We are excited to see our service to Sheremetyevo take off today as flydubai continues to expand its presence in Russia. The demand for travel to Dubai from Russia has seen extraordinary growth this year. We look forward to supporting this growth by offering more convenient and affordable options between Moscow and Dubai for both business and leisure travellers.

The inaugural flight arrived early today at Sheremetyevo International Airport Terminal E. The return flight from Sheremetyevo to Dubai International Terminal 2 departed today as well.

Denis Pashkovskiy, Deputy General Director, Commercial Activities of Sheremetyevo International Airport, said: Sheremetyevo Airport is pleased to welcome flydubai, the new partner from the United Arab Emirates. The company is well known for its high level of service, safety and passenger comfort. Sheremetyevo develops infrastructure, introduces innovative technologies and takes leading positions in international ratings on service quality. Partnering with flydubai will be mutually beneficial and will open new opportunities for passengers and customers.

Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial (UAE, EU, ME, CIS), said: partnering with Sheremetyevo was a strategic decision as flydubai will be the first UAE airline to offer direct scheduled services from Dubai to the busiest airport in Russia. Next year passengers from Sheremetyevo will be among the first to enjoy our new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, as we are the first airline in our region to take delivery of this newest aircraft type.
The framework for bank recapitalisation once cleared will go to Parliament for necessary approvals.

The finance ministry is in the process of fixing the nuts and bolts of the Rs 1.35 lakh crore recapitalisation bonds for public banks and the framework is expected to get Jaitley's approval soon. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The finance ministry is in the process of fixing the nuts and bolts of the Rs 1.35 lakh crore recapitalisation bonds for public banks and the framework is expected to get nod from the finance minister in the next few days, said official sources.

The Department of Financial Services, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has submitted proposals to the Department of Economic Affairs, which is working on the final structure, a government official said, adding that the final structure will be known in the next few days after approval from the finance minister.

The framework once cleared will go to Parliament for necessary approvals, another official said.

The upcoming winter session of Parliament will begin on December 15 and continue till January 5.

Last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced an unprecedented Rs 2.11 lakh crore two-year road map to strengthen public sector banks (PSBs). The plan included re- capitalisation bonds of Rs 1.35 lakh crore.

The finance minister had said multiple options for recapitalisation bonds were on the government table, are being examined and the best ones would be explored.

Once the structure is in place, the government will frontload bond issuance, and a preliminary assessment indicates that it could be between Rs 70,000-80,000 crore, the official added.

The funding is expected to help strengthen financials of NPA-hit banks. Non-performing assets (NPAs) of public sector banks alone have increased to Rs 7.33 lakh crore as of June 2017, from Rs 2.75 lakh crore in March 2015.

Besides recapitalisation bonds, the finance minister had announced that banks would get about Rs 18,000 crore under the Indradhanush plan over the next two years.

Under the Indradhanush road map announced in 2015, the government had announced infusion of Rs 70,000 crore in state-owned banks over four years while they will have to raise a further Rs 1.1 lakh crore from the market to meet their capital requirement in line with global risk norms, known as Basel-III.

In the last three-and-a-half years, the government pumped in Rs 51,858 crore capital in the PSBs. The remaining Rs 18,142 crore will be injected into the banks over two years.
Ivanka also lauded the efforts made by women and women entrepreneurs to manage both their personal and professional lives.

United States President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump on Wednesday said technology held an immense potential in transforming and empowering women entrepreneurs. (Photo: AP)

Hyderabad: United States President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump on Wednesday said technology held an immense potential in the present scenario to help women entrepreneurs grow in both - their personal and professional lives.

"Technology offers a tremendous opportunity to women entrepreneurs, and we are seeing that in terms of the explosive global and domestic growth," Ivanka Trump said, while addressing the plenary session on the topic 'We Can Do It! Innovations in Workforce Development and Skills Training' at the 8th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), here.

She also said that technology had helped reduce barriers and was empowering and enabling women to become more flexible.

"Technology is a great driver of entrepreneurship because a lot of women are leaving and saying this doesn't work for me. It is emboldening them to go out on their own. It is reducing barriers to starting new businesses, and creating flexibility around schedule," Ivanka Trump maintained.

She also lauded the efforts made by women and women entrepreneurs to manage both their personal and professional lives, concluding that the way ahead required a fundamental change.

"One of the reasons we are seeing an explosion of women's entrepreneurship is because traditional workplaces often haven't worked for us. We are disproportionately providing unpaid care, while also needing to support our families financially," the 36-year-old businesswoman remarked.

"These cultural, social, work institutions were not set up with the assumption that there would be two parents in the workforce. So we just have to fundamentally change things. It is starting to happen in the corporate world," she concluded.

Also present at the session were state cabinet minister for IT E&C KT Rama Rao; ICICI Bank, Managing Director and CEO, Chanda Kochhar; Cherie Blaire and Karen Quintos.
Actors Paresh Rawal and Raj Babbar are also part of the panel which will examine the issues relating to the movie.

New Delhi: 'Padmavati' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi have been asked by a parliamentary committee on IT to appear before it and present their views on the controversy surrounding the movie which has been accused of distorting history by fringe groups.

The 30-member panel has also asked producers of the movie and officials of the information and broadcasting ministry to appear before it and brief about the controversy relating to the Rs 150 crore film.

"The panel has asked Bhansali and Joshi to appear before it and present their views on the movie. They can present their case before the panel. The members have also decided to call the producers of the movie," chairman of the panel Anurag Thakur told PTI.

The committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday.

Interestingly, actors Paresh Rawal and Raj Babbar, who are members of Parliament, are also part of the panel which will examine the issues relating to the movie.

Parliamentary sources said they have reached out to Bhansali, but he appeared to be "shying away" from appearing before the panel.

The censor board is yet to clear the film.

The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on Rajput queen Padmini.

As allegations of distorting history in the film triggered protests in various states, the makers of the movie have deferred its release date.

The film was scheduled to release on December 1, this year.

The Karni Sena, a fringe group, as well as the BJP have been critical of the film and a number of BJP-ruled states have already banned it.

The set of the movie was vandalised twice -- in Jaipur and Kolhapur -- and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of Karni Sena earlier this year.

Another parliamentary panel has also called the officials of the ministry and censor board over the controversy.
Pakistani citizens have been praising Ms Swaraj on Twitter for her humanitarian actions.

New Delhi: Ignoring Pakistans criticism, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday ordered granting of an Indian visas to four Pakistani nationals, including a child for an open-heart surgery, in the past 24 hours. I am sorry, the child is suffering so much. We will issue the visa immediately, Ms Swaraj tweeted after Afsheen Younus, mother of a five year-old Pakistani girl Nabeeha Rashid, asked the minister for help in grant of an Indian visa.

It may be recalled that just last week, Pakistan had accused India of selectively issuing medical visas to its citizens and had claimed that it was not a gesture of compassion but cold blooded politicking. However, Pakistani citizens have been praising Ms Swaraj on Twitter for her humanitarian actions.

In the past 24 hours, Ms Swaraj has ordered grant of visas to four Pakistanis for liver transplant surgeries or other surgeries related to post liver-transplant complications. The minister also ordered grant of a visa for a Pakistani girl child who wanted to undergo bone marrow transplant.

According to news agency reports from Islamabad last week, Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal had accused India of politicising humanitarian issues.
Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, former AAP leaders, had questioned the funding of the AAP before they were ousted from the party in April 2015.

Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav also noted that the notice was indeed a political vendetta against the Aam Aadmi Party. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav on Tuesday attacked the AAP over the I-T notice issued to it, alleging that the Kejriwal-led party kept double accounts, concealed information and dodged tax authorities.

Yadav, however, noted that the notice was indeed a political vendetta against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"Of course its vendetta. But a party that took on the entire political system should have known better. I-T notice on solid grounds: AAP kept double accounts, concealed info from public and dodged tax authorities. Exposes AAP hypocrisy on financial probity and transparency," Yadav tweeted.

Of course its vendetta. But a party that took on the entire political system should have known better.

IT notice on solid grounds: AAP kept double accounts, concealed info from public and dodged tax authorities.

Exposes AAP hypocrisy on financial probity and transparency. https://t.co/HOXeQWJDRs  Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 28, 2017

The Income Tax Department has charged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with taking "hawala entries" worth Rs 2 crore from a Delhi-based operative and revoked the tax exemption given to it for being a political party, for the assessment year 2015-16.

The taxman, according to the penalty notice, has alleged that the Kejriwal-led party in power in Delhi "incorrectly disclosed the hawala money as voluntary donations".

The department slapped these charges on AAP in its assessment order issued to the party last week and determined the total taxable income of AAP at Rs 68.44 crore with a corresponding income tax of Rs 30.67 crore for AY 2015-16.

Reacting to the notice Kejriwal had termed it as the "height of political vendetta".

Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, former AAP leaders, had questioned the funding of the AAP before they were ousted from the party in April 2015.
Father says he cannot have terrorist in family.

Hadiya (second from right in yellow scarf) is escorted to her college on her arrival at the Coimbatore airport. (Photo: PTI)

Salem: Hadiya, the 24-year-old girl whose conversion to Islam has drawn the attention of the nation, on Tuesday returned to the Sivaraj Homeopathy College near here to complete her house surgeon duties amid tight police security. The institution authorities said she will be registered under her original name of Akhila Ashokan.

The young BHMS (bachelor of homeopathic medicine and surgery) student, who was forced to discontinue her studies after a major row erupted over her conversion to Islam and marriage to a Muslim youth, arrived at the Coimbatore Airport from New Delhi on Tuesday evening and was taken directly to the college located 35 km from Salem by the Kerala police.

As she arrived at the college, the Tamil Nadu police cordoned off the entire area and restricted access to everyone till Hadiya aka Akhila was taken into the principals room. At the principals room, she completed all formalities to rejoin the college. A thick blanket of security was thrown around the institution to ensure that there was no untoward incident.

Hadiya will be treated as one of the inmates of the hostel and no special treatment will be accorded to her. She will be registered under her Hindu name Akhila Ashokan in the college, G. Kannan, principal of the college, told reporters.

Earlier on Tuesday, K.M. Ashokan, Hadiyas father, welcomed the SC decision allowing his daughter to pursue her studies. Hadiya does not have any idea about Syria, where she wanted to go after converting to Islam... I cannot have a terrorist in the family, he said.

But now I am happy as the court has allowed her to study further, he told reporters in Delhi.

Mr Ashokan said he was not worried about Hadiyas security in Salem, as she was now under the protection and observation of the apex court.
It was issued by the alliance of key separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Faroooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

Srinagar: As many as 18 Kashmiri prisoners including the son of a top militant commander were allegedly thrashed by security staff inside Delhi's Tihar jail recently, prompting chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, to publicly express her concern.

On Tuesday, she spoke to Union home secretary, Rajiv Gauba, asking him to ensure such incidents do not reoccur.

"Taking a serious view of the reports about Kashmiri inmates being targeted inside the jail, the chief minister spoke to Mr Gauba to ask him to intervene in the matter," said an official spokesman.

He added that Mr Gauba assured the CM that the incident will be thoroughly probed and accused will be punished.

On Monday, there was a shutdown against the attacks on its prisoners in jails outside the state.

It was issued by the alliance of key separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Faroooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. The alliance called 'Joint Resistance Leadership' on Tuesday and appealed UN, the UNHRC and others to take a serious note of "torture" of Kashmiri prisoners in the Tihar jail.
The case has been handed over to the NIA for further probe, the officials concerned said.

The officials said that the accused, identified as Abdul Naeem Sheikh, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, was arrested from Varanasi recently after being tailed by security agencies for a few months. (Photo: File/Representational)

New Delhi: Security agencies have arrested an alleged Lashker-e-Taiba operative and claimed that he was carrying out reconnaissance of vital installations such as Army camps and power projects, officials said on Tuesday.

They said that the accused, identified as Abdul Naeem Sheikh, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, was arrested from Varanasi recently after being tailed by security agencies for a few months.

The case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further probe, the officials said.

It is alleged that Sheikh had visited Kashmir where he had carried out a recce mission involving some vital installations, including Army camps and power projects.

The officials claimed that he had also visited some places in Himachal Pradesh, especially Kasol, which is being frequented by Israeli nationals.

The security agencies have claimed that Sheikh had been roped in on the same lines as David Headley, a Pakistani-American, who is at present serving a prison sentence of 35 years in a US jail for his involvement in terror activities and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.
Abdullah said that terrorist outfits are not going to protect Islam, but will destroy their own and other countries.

Abdullah called upon the PM to devise ways to initiate talks with Pakistan to combat terrorism and suggested for both countries to forget the past.(Photo: File)

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday condemned former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf over his statement in support of terror outfits, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), and termed it as 'a tragic moment.'

"I feel sad that a man of his integrity, who has been the chief of the Pakistan Army as well as the president, has praised something like this. It is a tragic moment," Abdullah said.

He added, "Any terrorist outfit is going to destroy not only their country, but every other country where terrorism is being promoted. I'm sorry if the ex-president of Pakistan thinks the LeT was going to protect Islam."

Read also: Musharraf says 'biggest supporter of Saeed's LeT, his role in Kashmir'

He also called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to devise ways to initiate talks with the neighbouring nation to combat the problem "which has been there for the last 70 years," and suggested for both countries to forget the past.

"Time has come when the prime minister speaks that we have to find a solution which will be better. Time has come to start finding ways of talking with Pakistan and finding a solution which will be in the interest of people of Pakistan, India, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," Abdullah said, adding the people were paying the price for the rift between the two countries.

Abdullah further contended that "wars have not solved situations, nor have they given us any solutions."

Earlier in the day, former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf came out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf also said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and that he had met him.
The Speaker then adjourned the House for an hour.

Bhubaneswar: Politics over paddy on Tuesday washed away the opening day proceedings of the Winter Session of Odisha Legislative Assembly. While the Opposition blamed the ruling BJD for the rise in the number of farmer suicides, the treasury bench members created ruckus on floor of the House protesting non-revision in Minimum Support Price (MSP). The House was adjourned for the day after the Opposition Congress stalled the proceedings alleging apathy of the Centre and the ruling BJD government towards farmers issue in the state.

As soon as Speaker Pradeep Amat announced the commencement of the House business, the Congress MLAs, holding pest-damaged paddy plants, stormed into the well of the House.

The Speaker then adjourned the House for an hour.

Later, it was adjourned for the day. While the war of attrition continued unabated, the BJD MLAs also staged demonstration in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Assembly.
SL: Amu also stated that his dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah at Lal Chowk and challenged Abdullah to meet him there.

Suraj Pal Amu hit headlines when he recently announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for anyone who beheads actress Deepika Padukone, and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and praised a Meerut youth who had announced Rs 5 crore bounty for beheading them. (Photo: ANI | File)

Chandigarh: Haryana BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu, who reportedly offered a Rs 10 crore bounty for beheading Padmavati actor Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, on Wednesday resigned as the chief media coordinator of the state unit of the party.

The resignation comes days after the Haryana unit of the party served a show cause notice to him seeking explanation over his controversial remarks.

In his resignation letter which he forwarded to state BJP chief Subhash Barala over WhatsApp, Amu stated that he was upset over chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar allegedly skipping a meeting with representatives of the Karni Sena on Tuesday.

Though the chief ministers schedule did not specify any such appointment, the Rajput leader maintained that he had given time for a meeting.

Rajput groups have been protesting against the period drama Padmavati alleging that it distorts historical facts.

Amu stated in his resignation letter that he had worked with full dedication for the party over the past few years, but felt that CM Khattar does not need dedicated workers and office bearers. Khattar is surrounded by a coterie which is taking him away from dedicated workers for the last three years.

Amu, however, said that he will continue to work as an ordinary BJP worker.

With a heavy heart I have resigned from the post I had in BJP. I am pained at the behaviour of Haryana CM. I have never seen a BJP CM so arrogant who doesnt respect party workers and community representatives, Amu was quoted as saying.

Now my dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah on Lal Chowk, I challenge him to meet me there, he said.

After a youth from Meerut announced Rs 5 crore bounty, Amu had reportedly made remarks about doubling the offer during an event in New Delhi.

We will reward the ones beheading them with Rs 10 crore and also take care of their family needs...We know very well how to treat those who insult the Rajput community, Amu had reportedly said.

The Haryana BJP had immediately distanced itself from Amus remarks, saying he had made them in his personal capacity.

A show cause notice had been served to him by the party recently and he had been asked to explain the remarks.

At function of the Rajput community in Delhi recently, Amu had said, how can we allow somebody to distort history and mislead the people by projecting the heroic character of Rani Padmavati in a poor light while glorifying the villains of history. We will not allow the release of this film at any cost.
Sharma also said the PM is baselessly accusing Cong which reflects unhealthy mindset and negative approach.

Surat: Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi belittled his position by hosting US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Andhra Pradesh.

Sharma said, "We are surprised that India has a prime minister who has belittled his office yesterday by being in attendance for Ivanka Trump as it is not for the Prime Minister of India to host at the Falaknuma Palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad. He is a prime minister and he must not forget that."

He also added that it was the job of the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh or maximum one of his ministers to host Ivanka.

"Now, that shows that he is seeking certificates either from the dubious rating agencies or he has got a certificate yesterday from Ivanka Trump who perhaps does not know the local language at all," he said.

"He has to be in the frame and news. He is levelling allegations against the Congress without any foundations which are false. The prime minister has an unhealthy mindset and he is very negative in his approach," Sharma said.

He further said the prime minister had lowered the dignity of his office.

"The promises he had made to the people of Gujarat and India, the country has not forgotten. It is under his watch and because of his reckless decisions that India's economy has been destroyed." Sharma said.

"We are derailed completely with over 2.5 per cent of the GDP shaved off. Post demonetisation, this country has suffered. Instead of creating two crore jobs a year, this country has lost over 3.5 crore jobs. The prime minister should talk about this and also about the promises he had made to the youth and women," Sharma asserted.

Ivanka Trump met Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Prime Minister Modi said the theme, 'women first, prosperity for all' had made the edition of GES stand out.

"In Indian mythology, women are an incarnation of Shakti - the Goddess of power and we believe women empowerment is vital to our development," he said.
A five-course menu, inspired by Hyderabad's famed cuisine by a host of culinary experts, was reportedly part of the lavish menu.

The dinner was hosted by the Union government as part of the ongoing Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017. (Photo: Twitter/US Embassy India)

Hyderabad: US President Donald Trump's daughter and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump, who is on a two-day visit to India for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit or GES 2017, on Tuesday attended a gala dinner at the Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening. The dinner was held at palace's famous '101 dining table'  the largest in the world.

A five-course menu, inspired by Hyderabad's famed cuisine by a host of culinary experts, led by executive chef Sajesh Nair, was reportedly part of the lavish menu.

It also contained a mix of exotic Indian ingredients and delicacies like dahi ke kebab, gosht shikampuri kebab, kubani ke malai kofta, murg pista ka salan and sitaphal kulfi will be presented over several courses  Aghaz (soup), Waqfa (sorbet), Mezban (appetisers), Mashgool Dastarkhwan (main course) and Zauq-e-shahi (dessert).

The Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad is famous for its '101 dining table'  the largest in the world. (Photo: Twitter/US Embassy India)

The dinner was hosted by the Union government as part of the ongoing Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was among those present for the dinner.

A separate dinner was arranged for around 1,500 delegates of the GES on the lawns of the palace.

A senior police official said a five-tier security has been provided to Ms Trump, who arrived in Hyderabad in the early hours on Tuesday and addressed the eighth edition of the GES. She is scheduled to leave the city Thursday evening.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was among those present for the dinner. (Photo: Twitter)

Telangana Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy had earlier said that a total of 10,400 security personnel drawn from various wings have been deployed as part of security arrangements for the summit.

It includes personnel from Traffic Police, Central Armed Reserve, Telangana State Special Police, Intelligence Security Wing, commandos of Greyhounds anti-Naxal force and the elite OCTOPUS anti-terror force.

More than 2,000 police personnel have been deployed around the Falaknuma Palace, the official said, adding the police conducted a door-to-door search at 3,500 houses in surrounding areas and sanitised the areas in the run-up to the summit.
The brutal incident triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community, who took out marches across the state over it.

The accused also inflicted injuries all over the victim's body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said. (Representational Image)

Ahmadnagar: A sessions court at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra on Wednesday awarded death sentence to three men convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016.

Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale awarded the death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume.

The judge had on November 18 convicted the three men on charges of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

The incident had triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community, who took out marches across the state over it.

The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on July 13, 2016 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

Read Also: 3 convicted in Kopardi rape, murder case

The accused also inflicted injuries all over her body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said.

On October 7, the Ahmednagar Police had filed the charge sheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The afflicted family still hopes for a ray of justice as it claimed the police were trying to sabotage the case.

The woman's head was shaved and the panchayat is now forcing her family to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh. (Photo: File/Representational)

Lalitpur: A woman, in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur, accused by the village Panchayat of killing her own son, was boycotted from the village.

Also, her head was shaved, along with those of her family members.

The incident is of Lalitpur's Bhadaura village where the afflicted family still hopes for a ray of justice as it claimed the police were not helping them and instead trying to sabotage the case.

Two months ago, the body of the woman's son was found hanging from a tree in their own farm.

After this, the village called a Panchayat and accused the mother as the culprit and the family members were forced to shave their head and were boycotted from the village.

Meanwhile, the family alleged that a few goons of the village had murdered the son and hung him from the tree.

When the family complained, the suspected goons suggested for a Panchayat in the village where they put all the blame on the mother.

The family claimed it went to the police to seek justice, but they did not pay heed to their complaint and in turn, went along with the Panchayat's verdict.

The villagers have now been forcing the family to pay Rs 1 lakh as a penalty.
The victim, in her complaint, alleged that her family members also threatened her after raping her, the police says.

Police arrest all the accused and register a case against them on the directive of the Allahabad High Court. (Representational image)

Muzaffarnagar: A woman was allegedly raped in a village in Muzaffarnagar by four members of her family, including her father and brother, for eloping with her boyfriend, police said on Tuesday.

All the accused have been arrested, a police official said.

The incident took place at Dhaneda village when the woman was allegedly raped by her family members  father, brother and two uncles  a few months after she eloped with her boyfriend, the police said.

According to station house officer (SHO) Kushal Pal Singh, the police on Monday registered a case against all the accused on the directive of the Allahabad High Court.

The victim, in her complaint, alleged that her family members also threatened her after raping her, the police said. They have been accused of confining her in a house, they said.

The woman had eloped with her boyfriend a few months ago, the police said.

She was produced before a magistrate who recorded her statement in which she has supported her complaint, they said.
Polling for the two-phase elections in the state, which has a total of 182 seats, will take place on December 9 and 14.

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be addressing election rallies in Gujarat on Wednesday and Thursday (November 29-30), his seventh visit to the poll-bound state of Gujarat. He will start his two-day visit by visiting the Somnath Temple and a campaign rally in Saurashtra. Mr Gandhis visit is being seen as a move to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modis rallies on November 27.

During his rally, Mr Modi had charged the Congress of not being able to come to terms with the fact that he hails from a humble background.

On Wednesday, the Congress vice-president and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be simultaneously campaigning for the upcoming Assembly election. Modi will be in south Gujarat.

The Prime Minister will address his first rally in Morbi, which was badly affected due to floods that had ravaged the state earlier this year. Later, Mr Modi will address rallies in Prachi in Junagadh district, Palitana in Bhavnagar and Navsari in Surat, considered as a strong hold of the ruling BJP.

On the second day of campaigning, Rahul will commence his rallies with a public meeting in Lathi. He is also expected to visit the cities of Dhasa, Gadhada, Barvala and Vallabhipur.

Responding to Mr Modi, former finance minister P. Chidambaram said, Mr Modis campaign is about himself, his past and the alleged disdain of Gujarat and Gujaratis. Has he forgotten he is Prime Minister of India? The Gujarat election is not about Mr Modi, the individual. It is about the promised achhe din that has not come in 42 months.

During his current trip, Rahul is expected to sharpen his attacks against the Prime Minister. In the high-octane campaign during his recent rallied, the Gandhi scion had charged the BJP governments  both at the Centre and the state  of making policies that only benefit a few of his industrial friends, ignoring the plight of small traders, farmers and fishermen.

Addressing the fishermen community during his earlier visit, Mr Gandhi had promised to setup a ministry for the welfare of fishermen if the Congress was voted to power at the centre.

Polling for the two-phase elections in the state, which has a total of 182 seats, will take place on December 9 and 14.
Doctors found the 21 cm metal object in his anus after conducting an endoscopy and X-ray.

Medical science has made sure that people can get treatment for the most complicated disorders but lack of awareness still plagues several parts of the world. While one can find treatment for stomach ache in most places, lack of accessibility to healthcare and prevalence of superstitious beliefs may make things worse.

A farmer in Madhya Pradeshs Satna was moved to a hospital after complaining of severe pain in the stomach. On examining him the doctors were shocked to find a metal cup lodged in his anus.

It turns out that the man first visited local quacks for treatment of his stomach ache and allowed them to insert the 21 cm long object in his rectum. The cup was spotted after conducting endoscopy and an X-ray, following which doctors had to operate for an hour and a half to remove it.

The farmer is now recovering and said that he has learnt his lesson as he will never visit a quack again.
Indians are highly vulnerable to diabetes, heart attacks because of poor lung capacity.

A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) yesterday says every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs. (Photo: Pixabay)

The lung capacity of Indians is 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans, making them highly vulnerable to diabetes, heart attacks or strokes, says a top scientist.

Dr Anurag Agrawal, director of the CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB), believes air pollution, along with ethnicity, physical activity, nutrition, upbringing are the major factors behind this.

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee has now undertaken a major study to pinpoint the relative contribution of these factors in his capacity as a senior fellow of the Wellcome Trust - DBT India Alliance.

Agrawal said, according to data sourced from the American Thorasic Society, the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) of Indians was 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans and marginally lower than the Chinese.

FVC is the total amount of air exhaled as hard and as fast as possible after maximum inhalation, which, he said, was a major indicator of a persons susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases, even more than cholesterol.

"It means an average Indian being measured by American standards would fall into restrictive low lung function capacity. People in this category have been shown to die much faster of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke," Agrawal told PTI.

The Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance is an initiative funded equally by the Wellcome Trust, UK and Department of Biotechnology, India.

A recent study, by the department of pulmonary medicine at the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, found that the lung capacity of children in Delhi was 10 per cent lower than those in the US or those of Caucasian origin.

However, in this case, the researchers had developed India-specific norms in arriving at the conclusion, to minimise possible errors arising out of direct comparison with American standards.

But Agrawal disagrees. He said doing so, just to make 90 per cent of Indians feel that they have normal lung capacity, would be a "disservice".

"Only if people are told they are at higher risk will they focus on nutrition, lifestyle. Of course, air pollution is one part of the story. The study I have undertaken will bring out whether we have genuinely healthy small lungs or diseased lungs," he said.

A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) yesterday says every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs.

CSIR-IGIB is an institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), engaged in research of national importance in the areas of genomics, molecular medicine, bioinformatics, proteomics and environmental biotechnology.
Egyptian police have raided a tiny alternative film venue in Cairo to prevent the screening of a thriller.

The film is a murder mystery set in Egypt that addresses abuse of power and police corruption. (Photo: Pixabay)

Egyptian police have raided a tiny alternative film venue in Cairo to prevent the screening of a thriller critical of police that has been banned in the country.

A staff member says Wednesday that the officers came last week and prevented The Nile Hilton Incident from being played in an informal, 25-seat room because it was a downloaded copy that did not have proper government permission to be shown.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity and requested that the venues name be withheld for fear of repercussions.

The film, by Swedish-Egyptian director Tarik Saleh, is a murder mystery set in Egypt that addresses abuse of power and police corruption. It has won several accolades abroad, including the Grand Jury Prize at this years Sundance Film Festival.
Study is consistent with the historical belief that the Romans built a monument there some 300 years after his death.

It is the first time such testing has been carried out at the site, located at what is now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Photo: AP)

Jerusalem: Scientific testing at what is believed to be Jesus's tomb dates material there to the fourth century, supporting traditional beliefs surrounding the site, an expert involved in the study said Tuesday.

The study offers no further evidence whether or not Jesus was actually buried at the site in Jerusalem, but was consistent with the historical belief that the Romans built a monument there some 300 years after his death.

It is the first time such testing has been carried out at the site, located at what is now the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and encased in an elaborate shrine, or edicule.

The tests on mortar at the site were done in connection with recent restoration work, which saw the cave where Jesus is believed to have been buried opened for the first time in centuries.

Antonia Moropoulou, chief scientific coordinator of the restoration works, said the testing was consistent with historical beliefs that the Romans built a monument at the presumed tomb during the era of Constantine the Great, circa 326.

"This is a very important finding because it confirms that it was, as historically evidenced, Constantine the Great responsible for cladding bedrock of the tomb of Christ with the marble slabs in the edicule," said Moropoulou, a specialist in preservation from the National Technical University of Athens.

The dating of the mortar shows historical continuity at the site, stretching through the Byzantine era, the Crusades, the Renaissance period and beyond, she said.

Tradition holds that Constantine had the monument to Jesus built on what was thought to be the site of his burial as he began the Roman empire's transition to Christianity in the fourth century AD.

Other monuments were built over it in later years.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre houses the shrine today, along with the nearby presumed site of Jesus's crucifixion -- the holiest sites in Christianity.

In March, the newly restored shrine surrounding the tomb was unveiled following months of delicate work.

A 19th-century edicule surrounds the tomb with an onion-shaped dome above.

In October 2016, perhaps the most dramatic moment in the renovation occurred when the cave thought to be the tomb of Jesus was opened for the first time in centuries.

The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations share custody of the church, but disputes between the three had led to renovations being delayed for decades.
A neighbor of the owner who was on her way home from work alerted the Lucas County Sheriffs Office.

1-year-old Scooby escaped from his fenced-in home and began walking along township streets, prompting wide-eyed reaction. (Photo: Pixabay)

A young camel named Scooby is back at home after going on a 90-minute jaunt that blocked traffic and provided an uncommon photo opportunity for motorists in Ohio.

The Blade reports 1-year-old Scooby escaped from his fenced-in home in Springfield Township on Friday afternoon and began walking along township streets, prompting wide-eyed reaction.

A neighbor of the owner who was on her way home from work alerted the Lucas County Sheriffs Office. Owner Nabil Shaheen was then contacted and led Scooby safely home.

Shaheen said he bought Scooby as a baby and is glad no one was hurt.
It is most urgently required that the girls are safeguarded and their correct age is established, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

Delhi Commission For Women issued the notice to Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, seeking to know the reasons for sending the girls back in violation of the orders of Child Welfare Committee along with the details of officers under whose approval the girls were sent back to the brothels. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued a notice to police's crime branch in connection with the incident in which 13 girls were first rescued and then sent back to brothels at GB Road, describing it as a serious lapse.

The commission issued the notice to Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, seeking to know the reasons for sending the girls back in violation of the orders of Child Welfare Committee along with the details of officers under whose approval the girls were sent back to the brothels.

According to the notice, the 13 girls were produced before the CWC on Tuesday.

It is most urgently required that the girls are safeguarded and their correct age is established, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

"Further, a statement of Delhi Police is being reported in the media stating that the girls were sent to the brothels as they were allegedly staying there on their 'own will'. However, in critical oversight, Delhi Police failed to note that in case the girls turned out to be minors, they were to be rescued regardless of their consent," the notice states.

The women's panel, in the notice, said that the rescue of the girls was conducted as a result of information received from two girls, who had been rescued earlier by DCW, GB Road police and NGO Rescue Foundation.

The Chairperson of the CWC strongly objected to the girls being sent back to the brothels as all the girls appeared to be minors and their Aadhaar cards appeared to be fake since most girls belonged to Nepal.

The commission is of the view that unexplained and unnecessary haste to send the girls back to the brothels the same day was a serious lapse on part of the Crime Branch and is in violation of Juvenile Justice Act, the notice stated.

The commission has sought to know whether any departmental enquiry has been initiated in the matter along with the details of the girls to be produced before CWC, including their name, address and copy of Aadhaar card. The commission has sought the information by December 3.
Bengal can avail subsidy to buy these electric buses for Kolkata, Asansol and Durgapur, state Transport Minister told the Assembly.

100 buses would ply in Kolkata, the remaining 30 have been earmarked for industrial towns of Durgapur and Asansol. (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav/Representational)

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has negotiated with the World Bank to avail subsidy to buy 130 electric buses for plying in Kolkata, Asansol and Durgapur, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari told the Assembly.

The World Bank has agreed to provide a subsidy of Rs seven lakh per bus, Adhikari said during the question hour.

While 100 buses would ply in Kolkata, the remaining 30 have been earmarked for industrial towns of Durgapur and Asansol.

Adhikari said the bus depots in these places were equipped for charging batteries and a single charge would allow a bus to run for 150 km.

Soon, 20 electric buses would be made available for providing transport service in New Town-Rajarhat area near the metropolis, the minister said.

By December this year, he said, 411 diesel buses manufactured by Volvo and others would also reach the state.
The deadline for implementation of the scheme is over and Centre has decided not to provide funding for new pumps.

Mumbai: An ambitious Central government scheme related to the distribution of solar pumps to farmers will be rolled back. The deadline for implementation of the scheme is over and Centre has decided not to provide funding for new pumps.

This is why Mahavitaran, the state governments power distribution utility, has decided to curtail the Atal Solar Agriculture Pump scheme. Under the scheme, 10,000 pumps that were to be distributed. The number has now been halved. Out of the 10,000 pumps to be distributed initially, 8,000 were supposed to be distributed in suicide-prone districts such as Akola, Amaravati, Washim, Yavatmal, Buldhana and Wardha.

The state government had come up with the ambitious scheme of distributing 5 lakh solar pumps to farmers. The government issued a GR on March 27 2015 with the name as Atal Solar Agriculture Pump scheme. For the first year, the government decided to distribute 10,000 pumps to farmers.

It was also decided that 3.5 and 7.5 horsepower pumps would be given to farmers with payment of five per cent to the total cost. The state government was supposed to contribute a share of five per cent, the Centre 30 per cent and fundraising was supposed to raise 60 per cent. The Union government had set a deadline of March 30 2017 for the distribution of 8,000 solar pumps while 2,000 had to be distributed by December. But, the Maharashtra government failed to complete its target. Therefore, the Centre stopped raising its share, which affected states power distribution company.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take immediate steps in the matter.

Now all appeals are directly going before the HC.

Mumbai: After taking the lead in implementing the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) in Maharashtra, the state government is yet to establish an appellate tribunal under section 43 (1) of the Act within a period of one year, according to Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) president, Shirish Deshpande.

Mr Deshpande has sent a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take immediate steps in the matter.

MGP has alleged that despite a lapse of nearly 19 months, there is no RERA appellate tribunal set up in the state, yet.

After May 1, 2017, the adjudicating officer and MahaRERA have pronounced several orders under RERA. Now, all appeals are directly going before the high court because the appellate authority has not been set up.

According to the MGP, this is unnecessary harassment for home buyers apart from being expensive.
A reason given for trees being hacked is that they give a shabby look to the area in question.

Mumbai: Several trees are slated for removal in Andheri East to get rid of the hawkers at Old Nagardas Road, some of which are 30-40 years old. In April this year, residents from the area complained that several trees near the road were being cut without any notices put on them. When citizens and activists intervened, it was found through an RTI, filed by activist Zoru Bhathena, that the trees were giving the area a shabby look and were to be cut for road widening, maintaining traffic and to prevent hawkers menace and encroachments between the trees. Following the opposition by citizens, the tree cutting was halted for months, however it resumed again on Tuesday.

Uma Modi, a resident of the area, said, Five trees were axed today. The tree officers say that hawkers encroach these areas due to trees. But, the hawkers only sit there during the evening, after 5pm. How can they say that the trees are being cut as an attempt to remove hawkers?

They say that the trees are causing traffic issues, but shockingly, there is no signal at the junctions of the road, she added.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) notice, 35 trees will be transplanted from the road. Sources of tree authority maintained that the tree cutting is being carried out for road widening. Some of the shops and old structures are very near to the trees, they will have to demolish them to widen the road, said Zoru Bhathena.

Earlier this year when the trees were chopped, the BMC had planted palm trees in the area. The locals claim that many of them have already been destroyed.
The 67-year-old actor took to Twitter to express her gratitude.

Mumbai: Veteran actor Shabana Azmi is on her way to the Malayasian capital, Kuala Lumpur, where she would be honoured at a business summit by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The 67-year-old actor took to Twitter to express her gratitude.

"Off to Kuala Lumpur for The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where I'm being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored," Shabana wrote.

Off to Kuala Lumpur 4The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where Im being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored   Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) November 28, 2017

The conclave ends tomorrow.
Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures on November 24 of bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram.

The riverside temple, whose ancient 'prang' - tower - is the one of Bangkok's best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. (Photo: AFP)

Bangkok: Two American tourists have been held for "inappropriate behaviour" after sharing photos of them baring their buttocks at a famous Bangkok temple, Thai police said Wednesday, as the ruling junta cracks down on insults to Buddhism.

The pair, Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures on November 24 of their bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram.

It was not immediately clear if the men were related.

But their asinine antics could land them in more serious trouble after police sought to charge them under a draconian computer crime law -- an offence that can carry jail time.

The riverside temple, whose ancient 'prang' - tower - is the one of Bangkok's best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The men were detained at a Bangkok airport late Tueday and fined $150 each.

"They were detained as they were about to leave Thailand," Colonel Cherngron Rimpadee, an Immigration Police spokesman said, adding they were on a 'watch list' after their social media posts caught authorities' attention.

Colonel Jarupat Thongkomol, from the police station near the temple which is managing the case, said the men now faced more serious charges.

"We are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures," he said.

The act carries up to five years jail per charge and is routinely slapped on political dissidents or people deemed to have insulted Thailand's monarchy.

Junta-run Thailand takes a hardline on disrespectful gestures towards Buddhism, the dominant religion in Thailand.

Tourists are told not buy and sell Buddha sculptures or get sacred tattoos or of images of the Buddha for fashion purposes.

People visiting temples are also expected to dress modestly, covering their shoulders and legs -- with advice signs common at Bangkok's religious landmarks.

In 2015 neighbouring Malaysia deported four western tourists after charging them with obscenity for taking nude photos on a mountain on Borneo island.
TRAI opposed any discriminatory treatment of data, including blocking, slowing or offering preferential speeds to any content.

TRAI ruled in favour of net neutrality in February 2016 by prohibiting discriminatory tariffs for data, after an extended campaign by internet activists who argued that offerings such as Facebooks free basics platform violated net neutrality principles.

Indias telecoms regulator made long-awaited recommendations on Tuesday to ensure an open internet and prevent any discrimination in internet access in the country.

After more than a year of debate, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said it opposed any discriminatory treatment of data, including blocking, slowing or offering preferential speeds or treatment to any content.

The Indian regulators support of so-called net neutrality stands in contrast to the recent stance taken by the chair of the US Federal Communications Commission.

Last week, Ajit Pai, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump in January, unveiled plans to rescind net neutrality rules championed by former President Barack Obama that treated internet service providers like public utilities.

In India, TRAI ruled in favour of net neutrality in February 2016 by prohibiting discriminatory tariffs for data, after an extended campaign by internet activists who argued that offerings such as Facebooks free basics platform violated net neutrality principles.

The new regulations go a step further and recommend prohibiting any service provider from throttling data speeds. The core principles of net neutrality, non-discriminatory treatment of all content, treating the internet as an open platform, weve upheld them, TRAI Chairman RS Sharma said.

Idea Cellular, Indias third-biggest wireless carrier, said it would not comment on the recommendations, while Vodafone Group said it would respond after studying the suggestions.

The Cellular Operators Association of India  the telecom sectors main lobby group, said in a statement it was disappointed TRAI did not adopt an industry recommendation to have a wider approach to net neutrality, noting its issues with over-the-top players were not considered.

Indian telecom providers have been hurt by a bruising local market price war around data charges, while over-the-top service providers that offer free international calling, like WhatsApp and Skype, have also hurt their bottom lines.

In an apparent nod to the US FCCs new stance, COAI said, At a time when, globally, countries are adopting a more market-oriented, and market-driven approach to net neutrality in order to not stifle development, innovation, proliferation and growth of the Internet, we believe TRAI should have adopted a light touch approach to net neutrality.

Activists lobbying in favour of net neutrality said that while the recommendations were welcome, they needed to be put into license agreements. Our job is not done, said Apar Gupta, a Supreme Court lawyer and co-founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation. It falls on the Department of Telecommunications to take the recommendations and turn them into licensing conditions to be put on telecom providers, Gupta said, adding there was no time frame to implement the recommendations.

TRAIs recommendations are the latest in Indias efforts to define net neutrality. In 2016, TRAI issued a pre-consultation paper on the hotly debated issue and followed it up with a consultation paper in January 2017.
Sandeep Singh was shot in the stomach during a robbery reported on Sunday in the Jackson city.

A group of men who investigators believe are responsible for a string of robberies could be connected to a fatal shooting, Jackson police officials said Tuesday. (Photo: File/Representational)

New York: A 21-year-old Indian man has been shot dead in front of his house during a robbery in the US state of Mississippi, according to a media report, days after another Indian student was killed by four armed robbers.

Sandeep Singh was shot in the stomach during a robbery reported on Sunday in the Jackson city, Mississippi, police was quoted as saying by WAPT, an ABC-affiliated television station.

A group of men who investigators believe are responsible for a string of robberies could be connected to a fatal shooting, Jackson police officials said Tuesday.

Mr Singh, and two other men were standing outside their house when a man in a mask and a hoodie walked up to them, police said.

The robber took money and cellphones from them. As the robber ran away, he fired shots at the victims and one of the bullets hit Mr Singh, police said.

Mr Singh was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he died on Monday, police said. His death is the city's 58th homicide for the year, the report said.

Mr Singh, had gone to the US around four years ago on a tourist visa and later got a work permit there. He was from Jalandhar.

The shooter is described as wearing a gray hooded shirt and was armed with a 9 mm pistol, police said.

The gunman could be one of a group of armed men believed to be responsible for recent armed robberies of businesses and individuals throughout the northwest Jackson area, police said.

"In an attempt to conceal their identities, they have their faces covered with bandannas and/or masks. The suspects have also been observed wearing hooded sweatshirts and gloves," Commander Tyree Jones said in a news release.

This is second such incident of killing of an Indian youth in the US in the past two weeks.

On November 16, a 21-year-old Indian student was shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California.
One of the bodies was holding a 1,000 won North Korean note, suggesting the boat was from there.

The boat recovered Monday was spotted on Saturday, but seas were too rough at the time for rescuers to approach it. (Photo: AP)

Tokyo: Japan is stepping up patrols and urging local authorities and fishermen to be on the alert after several boats thought to be from North Korea, with some carrying dead bodies, were found on its northern coast.

"The coast guard and police have to cooperate to step up sea patrols around Japan," the chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said Tuesday when asked about reports that a boat carrying eight dead bodies was found on the coast of Akita prefecture, which faces North Korea across the Sea of Japan.

"The government intends to improve this to ensure we can guard against suspicious boats or people arriving in Japan," Suga said.

He said local authorities, fishermen and residents should report if they spot any questionable boats or people.

Last week, police rescued eight people thought to be North Korean fishermen who ended up stranded along with their squid catch.

In this Monday, Nov. 27, 2017, photo, an unidentified boat is pictured in Oga, Akita prefecture, northern Japan after being washed ashore. (Photo: AP)

A week earlier, the coast guard rescued three North Korean men from a capsized fishing boat off Japan's northern coast. They were transferred hours later to another North Korean vessel that was to return them home. The coast guard later found three bodies of missing crew members from that boat, then four more bodies in another capsized boat believed to be North Korean. They were thought to have drowned.

It is unclear if the people aboard the several dozen North Korean boats that drift near Japanese shores each year are intending to defect or simply unable to make their way back aboard their unseaworthy wooden boats.

The boat recovered Monday was spotted on Saturday, but seas were too rough at the time for rescuers to approach it. It was unflagged and was reported to be "nationality unclear."

However, a coast guard official reached by phone in Akita said one of the bodies was holding a 1,000 won North Korean note, suggesting the boat was from there.

Six bodies were found inside a storage room near the bow of the boat, below deck, and another two near the stern. All were men and partially decomposed, the official said. She spoke on condition of anonymity, following coast guard policy.

The crude vessel with its very low gunwale had lost its propeller and rudder, and was similar to other poorly equipped boats often seen operating from North Korea.

Autopsies of the dead men were underway.
Pervez Musharraf says US is insulting Pakistan by demanding Hafizs re-arrest.

Islamabad/Dubai: Pakistans former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who was the brain behind the 1999 Kargil conflict, has called himself the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and its founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attack on Mumbai nine years ago.

Mr Musharraf, who lives in self-exile in Dubai, said he supports the terror groups role in Kashmir in suppressing the Indian Army there, and added that Saeed is involved in Kashmir. The 74-year-old retired general and former Pakistan President, who ruled his country from 1999 to 2008, also said in an interview to a Pakistani TV channel: The Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa are fond of me.

Asked if he too liked LeT and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Mr Musharraf said: Yes! and I have met him. I have always been in favour of action in Kashmir and I have always been favouring pressuring the Indian Army in Kashmir. This is the biggest force and they have been declared terrorists by India along with the US.

He categorically denied that LeT was involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, for which India blamed Pakistan. Mr Musharraf said he had banned LeT in 2002, just after 9/11 and after considerable American pressure on Pakistan, because the situation was different then.

On Washingtons official statement on Hafiz Saeed, he said it was written in highly offensive language, and said it was an insult to Pakistans sovereignty.

The White House said there would be repercussions for US-Pakistan relations unless Islamabad took action to detain and charge the LeT chief for allegedly masterminding the Mumbai attacks. The US had asked Pakistan to re-arrest Saeed, who has been designated a terrorist by the US justice department. This language is offensive and insults Pakistans sovereignty. I would never accept this, he said, adding: I would have told them, please do not dictate to us. We are in charge here. We will decide whether he has to be tried or punished. This is our decision.

Mr Musharrafs comments came days after Saeed walked free after the Pakistan government decided not to detain him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

Questioned about his recently announced 23-party grand alliance with religious groups, he said such an alliance is the requirement of the day. He said his enlightened moderation and liberal outlook will not be damaged if he sits with Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, Sunni Ittehad Council, Pakistan Sunni Tehrik and Pakistan Awami Tehrik.

You are describing me as a liberal. Yes, I am. These are my thoughts. This does not mean I am against all religious parties, the former military ruler said. Mr Musharraf ruled out the possibility of any martial law in Pakistan and added that democracy in the country was not under any threat.
Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed is involved in Kashmir and he supports their involvement. (Photo: AP)

Karachi/Dubai: Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government itself.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January 2017.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".
The pontiff has avoided direct discussion of the crisis to avoid setting off Buddhist hardliners.

Pope Francis is on a four-day trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he has refrained from directly weighing-in on the Rohingya crisis, instead choosing the deliberate language of tolerance and forgiveness. (Photo: AFP)

Yangon: Pope Francis Wednesday urged Myanmar's Buddhist clergy to conquer "prejudice and hatred", a carefully-worded appeal to powerful monks in a country facing intense scrutiny over its persecution of the Muslim Rohingya.

Some extremist Buddhist monks have spewed anti-Muslim hate speech in Myanmar for years, helping to calcify attitudes towards Rohingya Muslims.

Buddhist authorities have moved to rein in radical clerics in recent months.

Using delicately chosen words, Francis Wednesday urged the country's highest Buddhist body - the Sangha - to help tackle intolerance and hatred.

"If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred", he said, sitting across from a row of orange and maroon-robed monks in a temple complex in Yangon.

The Catholic leader is on a four-day trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he has refrained from directly weighing-in on the Rohingya crisis, instead choosing the deliberate language of tolerance and forgiveness.

The pope has previously spoken in defence of the Muslim group, who the UN says are victims of an ethnic cleansing campaign by Myanmar's military launched in late August.

But the pontiff has avoided direct discussion of the crisis since arriving on Myanmar soil, where any mention of the Rohingya's name has the potential to set off Buddhist hardliners.

An ultra-nationalist monk-led group at the forefront of anti-Muslim rhetoric, known as Ma Ba Tha, have flourished in recent years.

The Sangha in 2017 formally disbanded Ma Ba Tha - which quickly regrouped under a new name - and placed curbs on their most outspoken leader Wirathu.

Domestic views on the Rohingya crisis veer sharply from the international take on a humanitarian catastrophe that has sent 620,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.
by Sumon Corraya

The clergyman was involved in church-related tasks two days ago. The parish priest filed a missing person report with police, saying he received a ransom call. A police officer fears it might a conspiracy connected to the papal visit. Some Catholics wonder whether to take part in activities related to the visit.

Natore (AsiaNews)  Fr Walter William Rozario, 41, has been missing for the past two days. According to his parish priest, he might have been kidnapped.

The clergymans disappearance on the eve of the popes arrival of in Bangladesh, is a source of concern. Fr Walter is the headmaster at the St Louis High School, and assistant pastor in Borni (diocese of Rajshashi, northern Bangladesh).

"He went to the Bonpara church, his pastor, Fr Subroto Purification, told AsiaNews. He then went to the market for some publications and other duties for the parish, but he did not come back and his phone has been turned off.

We are very worried for him. We are praying for his return in good conditions. Now I am at the police station for help," he said by phone. "We want my assistant back as soon as possible."

Fr Subroto added that he received a ransom call for the priest. "They want 300,000 Taka (more than US$ 3,600) for his release. We're collaborating with the police."

Bonpara is a small town where people go for printing and other things. It was here, last year, that a Catholic worker who often helped the Church, Sunil Gomes, was killed by some militants. Some suspect that his killers were also responsible for the attack at the Gulshan Cafe.

A Catholic policeman who preferred not to give his name spoke to AsiaNews. "I think the abduction of Fr Walter is a conspiracy because Pope Francis will come to Bangladesh tomorrow."

"When we heard the news of my brothers disappearance we visited all hospitals and many other places, but we did not find him, said a tearful Premol Rozario, the priests older brother. We cant sleep from all the worry."

He did not say more about the kidnapping but added that he did not feel safe. Like him, many in Borni parish now live in fear. Some have doubts about taking part in the activities associated with the papal visit.

"From what I heard the assistant to the pastor has disappeared, said one parishioner. I do not feel safe to attend the meeting with the pope on 1st December.

The local police said that they were doing their best to find Fr Walter.
Saeed Mortazavi will spend two years in prison because of his role in the death of Mohsen Ruholamini. The sentence is final without appeal to the Supreme Court. Thrown out of the judiciary in 2014, he persecuted journalists and intellectuals. In 2006, he was included in the Iranian delegation to the UN Human Rights Council.

Tehran (AsiaNews)  An Iranian court sentenced former Prosecutor General of Tehran Saeed Mortazavi to two years in prison for his role in the death of a leader of the 2009 pro-reform movement.

Mortazeri, who was in office from 2003 to 2010, was one of the most powerful men under right-wing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He was charged with "accessory to murder" in connection with the death of Mohsen Ruholamini, who had been arrested during the chaotic period that followed the start of Ahmadinejads second term.

Ruholamini was arrested in June 2009 at the start of the protest movement against Ahmadinejads re-election. He died from the injuries sustained in prison.

"Mr Mortazavi was sentenced in a first instance to five years in prison, but in view of his apology to the plaintiffs, the appeals court reduced this sentence to two years in prison," conservative judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei is quoted as saying.

Mortazavi was sacked in August 2010, following public outrage over the deaths of three opponents in Kahrizak Prison, south Tehran.

According to a parliamentary commission, Amir Javadifar, Mohammad Kamrani, and Mohsen Ruholamini died from torture whilst in prison.

Two prison guards have already been sentenced to death over their death. However, the families of the victims pardoned the defendants, but asked that the investigation be extended to top officials.

Mortazavi was acquitted in a first trial following a complaint filed by the families of Javadifar and Kamrani.

As a result of this, Ruholamini's family filed a new lawsuit against the former prosecutor, who was expelled from the judiciary in 2014. His sentence is final and cannot be appealed to the Supreme Court.

The protest movement that developed in the summer of 2009 and continued the following year against right-wing President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led to dozens of deaths.

Thousands of people were arrested, including the main leaders of the pro-reform camp, Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Moussavi.

During his career, Mortazavi became a controversial and much feared figure, who distinguished himself in the crackdown ordered by Irans right-wing leaders.

As a judge and then as general prosecutor, he sent to prison many opponents and shut down scores of pro-reform newspapers that criticised the establishment.

In 2006, his inclusion in an Iranian delegation at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva sparked outrage. Human rights groups protested against his presence, describing it as a provocation by Iranian authorities and a sign of contempt for the UN body.
by Paolo Fossati

About 180,000 people took part in the solemn Mass celebrated at Kyaikkasan Grounds in Yangon. Muslims, Buddhists and many foreigners were also present. Pilgrims were moved by the service. The authorities imposed a number of bans. From our correspondent

Yangon (AsiaNews)  "The pope, the vicar of Christ, came to our country to bless the people, the nation, and the leaders. This is the contribution of the Holy Father to Myanmar's reconciliation process, said Mgr Philip Lasap Za Hawng, bishop of Lashio, a city in the northern part of the eastern Shan state.

Speaking to AsiaNews, he noted that "Our members belong to very different ethnic groups, but his visit unites us all. It invites us to respect and love ourselves. As the pope reiterated this morning, revenge never brings anything good. Responding to controversies with love, respect and understanding, rather than violence, will bring the Burmese people to peace and harmony. Catholics cannot escape this calling."

On the sidelines of the solemn Mass celebrated this morning by the pontiff at Yangon Kyaikkasan Grounds, the bishop said that the history-making apostolic visit represents for the members of Myanmars small Catholic Church a spur to become the heralds of peace in the country, which is still reeling from years of dictatorship and ethnic conflict.

For Mgr Paul Zingtung Grawng, archbishop emeritus of Mandalay, Pope Francis's appeals in favor of national reconciliation are also very important. "Pilgrims who arrived here this morning gained courage and hope from the words of the Holy Father. It might take time, but thanks to this historic event, the country will be able to rise, "said the prelate.

The solemn service, the main event in the pope's first trip to Myanmar, drew some 180,000 people, according to the organisation's reported figures. Pilgrims came from all over the country, some facing long and difficult trips.

As Pope Francis noted in the homily, some travelled for three days to be at the historic meeting. Many of the displaced people in the north of the country even worked for three weeks in China on sugarcane plantations, to raise the money to pay for travel costs.

At 10 pm last night, pilgrims began filing into the vast Kyaikkasan Grounds, where they spent the night, waiting for the early lights of dawn by reciting the rosary and singing hymns to the Virgin. This broke the tensions that characterised the eve caused by the authorities decision to ban traditional songs and dances.

According to the military, such activities could have led the crowd to a state of euphoria, which poses a danger to public security. Nuns too were not allowed to place flower arrangements on the altar of the platform set up for the Mass.

However, this morning, edginess gave way to joy. Tens of thousands of Vatican and Myanmar flags welcomed the pontiff, who arrived in his car, which drove several times (pictured) around the field so that he could say hello to the pilgrims, including many Buddhists (pictured), Muslims (pictured), and Catholics from other Asian countries.

In an orderly fashion, people followed the Mass with great intensity, listening to the words of Pope Francis in solemn silence. Songs in Latin, which local Catholics love, moved people.
The deacon will be ordained on 1st December along with 15 others. His conversion led his family and village to do the same. Once they were animist, influenced by Hinduism. The flame of Christ burns in him. I will love my people, the poor, the disabled, Christians, and Muslims, he said.

Dhaka (AsiaNews)  Josim Murmu will be the first priest from a tribal village in northern Bangladesh. His example of Christian testimony led to conversion of his family, and then of the entire community of 800 inhabitants.

Josim is one of 16 deacons who will be ordained by Pope Francis on the 1st December, during the pontiffs pastoral visit to Bangladesh. He met with AsiaNews at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani district to tell his story.

About 100,000 people are expected to attend the Mass at Suhrawardy Udyan Park. For him, the most important people at the event will be his family, especially his sick father. "He can hardly walk, but he'll come. He cant miss the most important day of my life," he said.

The deacon, 30, comes from a poor family. His father is a farmer and his mother is a homemaker with seven children (4 boys and 3 girls). His village, Pollibut, comes under the diocese of Dinajpur. Residents were animists influenced by Hinduism.

Speaking about his priestly vocation, he said that his encounter with Christ came in his childhood when he met Fr Gerome, a Franciscan priest.

"One day he came to me and said: 'Josim, let's go and teach those people.' And I went with him. After a while, a desire to be like him was born."

The boy asked the priest how to become a Christian, but the answer surprised him: "First you have to learn."

After a period of preparation and prayers, Josim told his family that he wanted to be baptised. The family surprised him. "They agreed with me, and accepted my decision. They told me that they too wanted to become Christians. So my whole family converted.

Another peculiar episode in this period was a talk with another priest. "He took me on the side and said, 'Josim, you have a fire burning inside of you. Do not turn it off. The burning fire was Christ."

Afterwards, the young man went to university where he got a Bachelor of Arts degree, which was followed by the decision to enter Dinajpur seminary. "My desire was to become a priest, to teach people, to work for them, to preach the Good News that is God."

His example of life was so powerful, his attitude so fascinating, that within four years the whole tribal village converted and was baptised.

"At first, they did not accept us, he remembers. They were against us and did not want to help us. They were different, they had so many Hindu traditions, like worshipping gods and making offerings to them. Although they were poor, they gave what they had.

I did not know what to do, so I spoke to my spiritual guide who said to me, 'Do not worry. Live your life, follow your decision to the fullest. They will understand and will gradually change their lives as well."

"Jesus Christ came for me, the deacon said. He is my friend, my God, my Creator. When he came into this world, he taught people, preached to people. He gave his life for me. He came to earth and saved me from sin; he died to save me from sin."

After his ordination, Josim plans to follow his example. "I will go and bear witness to Christ and preach the Gospel." But he will not do so stridently.

"Respecting everybody's faith, be they Buddhist or Muslim, I shall bring the Good News and follow the example of Pope Francis to work for people. I shall serve my people in the parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Suihari, where I will be the assistant to the parish priest, Fr Gian Battista Zanchi (from PIME). I will love my people, the poor, the disabled, Christians, and Muslims." (ACF)
Pope Francis leaves the bishops of Myanmar with three words: healing, accompaniment and prophecy. He notes, For you, whose flocks bear the scars of this conflict and have borne valiant witness to their faith and their ancient traditions, the preaching of the Gospel must not only be a source of consolation and strength, but also a summons to foster unity, charity and healing in the life of this nation.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis on Wednesday met with the 22 Catholic bishops of Myanmar with whom he ended his long day. In his address, he focused on three words: healing, accompaniment and prophecy.

First, healing. The Gospel we preach is above all a message of healing, reconciliation and peace. Through the blood of Christs cross, God has reconciled the world to himself, and has sent us to be messengers of that healing grace. Here in Myanmar, that message has a particular resonance, as this country works to overcome deeply-rooted divisions and to build national unity. For you, whose flocks bear the scars of this conflict and have borne valiant witness to their faith and their ancient traditions, the preaching of the Gospel must not only be a source of consolation and strength, but also a summons to foster unity, charity and healing in the life of this nation. For the unity we share and celebrate is born of diversity. It values peoples differences as a source of mutual enrichment and growth. It invites people to come together in a culture of encounter and solidarity.

In your episcopal ministry, may you constantly experience the Lords guidance and help in your efforts to foster healing and communion at every level of the Churchs life, so that by their example of forgiveness and reconciling love, Gods holy people can be salt and light for hearts longing for that peace the world cannot give. The Catholic community in Myanmar can be proud of its prophetic witness to love of God and neighbour, as expressed in its outreach to the poor, the disenfranchised, and above all in these days, to the many displaced persons who lie wounded, as it were, by the roadside.

For Francis, the ministry of healing finds particular expression in your commitment to ecumenical dialogue and interreligious cooperation. I pray that your continuing efforts to build bridges of dialogue and to join with the followers of other religions in weaving peaceful relations will bear rich fruit for reconciliation in the life of the nation.

My second word to you this evening is accompaniment. A good shepherd is constantly present to his flock, guiding them as he walks at their side. As I like to say, the shepherd should bear the smell of the sheep. In our time, we are called to be a Church which goes forth to bring the light of Christ to every periphery (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 20). As bishops, your lives and ministry are called to model this spirit of missionary outreach, above all through your regular pastoral visitation of the parishes and communities that make up your local Churches. This is a privileged means for you, as loving fathers, to accompany your priests in their daily efforts to build up the flock in holiness, fidelity and a spirit of service.

Above all, I would ask you to make a special effort to accompany the young. Be concerned for their formation in the sound moral principles that will guide them in confronting the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

My third word to you is prophecy. The Church in Myanmar witnesses daily to the Gospel through its works of education and charity, its defence of human rights, its support for democratic rule. May you enable the Catholic community to continue to play a constructive part in the life of society by making your voices heard on issues of national interest, particularly by insisting on respect for the dignity and rights of all, especially the poorest and the most vulnerable.

Finally, the pope recommended the need to protect the environment and to ensure a just use of the nations rich natural resources for the benefit of future generations. The protection of Gods gift of creation cannot be separated from a sound human and social ecology. Indeed, genuine care for our relationship with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and keeping faith with others (Laudato Si, 70).
Francis went to one of the most venerated Buddhist temples in South East Asia. "A way of compassion and love" is the answer to the wounds caused by conflicts, poverty and oppression. "True justice and lasting peace can only be achieved when they are guaranteed for everyone."

Yangon (AsiaNews) - In a world that has to find ways to open to the transcendent, Catholics and Buddhists offer hope if they speak with one voice in affirming the timeless values of justice, peace and the fundamental dignity of each human person, we offer a word of hope," reiterated Pope Francis today meeting with the leaders of Buddhism in Myanmar, in the person of the venerable Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa, President of the State "Sangha" Committee.

The meeting took place in the Kaba Aye Center (pictured), one of the most venerated Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia, and saw the presence of the Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture, Thura U Aung Ko.

In a 90 percent Buddhist country (Christians as a whole are 4 percent of the population and only 700 thousand are Catholics), Francis called the meeting " an important occasion to renew and strengthen the bonds of friendship and respect between Buddhists and Catholics. " "We help  he added - Buddhists, Catholics and all people to strive for greater harmony in their communities."

In every age," he said, " humanity experiences injustices, moments of conflict and inequality among peoples. In our own day these difficulties seem to be especially pronounced. Even though society has made great progress technologically, and people throughout the world are increasingly aware of their common humanity and destiny, the wounds of conflict, poverty and oppression persist, and create new divisions. In the face of these challenges, we must never grow resigned. For on the basis of our respective spiritual traditions, we know that there is a way forward, a way that leads to healing, mutual understanding and respect. A way based on compassion and loving kindness."

The Pope then argued that through the Buddha's teachings and the witness of Buddhist monks and nuns " the people of this land have been formed in the values of patience, tolerance and respect for life, as well as a spirituality attentive to, and deeply respectful of, our natural environment. As we know, these values are essential to the integral development of society, starting with its smallest but most essential unit, the family, and extending through the network of relationships that bring us together  relationships rooted in culture, ethnicity and nationality, but ultimately in our common humanity. In a true culture of encounter, these values can strengthen our communities and help to bring much needed light to wider society. "

"The great challenge of our day is to help people be open to the transcendent. To be able to look deep within and to know themselves in such a way as to see their interconnectedness with all people. To realize that we cannot be isolated from one another. If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred. How can we do this? The words of the Buddha offer each of us a guide: Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth (Dhammapada, XVII, 223). Similar sentiments are voiced in a prayer attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, let me bring pardon Where there is darkness, let me bring light, and where there is sadness, joy.

"May that wisdom continue to inspire every effort to foster patience and understanding, and to heal the wounds of conflict that through the years have divided people of different cultures, ethnicities and religious convictions. Such efforts are never solely the purview of religious leaders, nor are they the competence of the state alone. Rather, it is the whole of society, all those present within the community, who must share in the work of overcoming conflict and injustice. Yet it is the particular responsibility of civil and religious leaders to ensure that every voice be heard, so that the challenges and needs of this moment may be clearly understood and confronted in a spirit of fairness and mutual solidarity." He added authentic justice and lasting peace can only be achieved when they are guaranteed for all.

In expressing appreciation for the peace process underway at the Panglong Peace Conference, Francis hoped that "those guiding this effort may continue to promote greater participation by all who live in Myanmar. This will surely assist the work of advancing peace, security and a prosperity inclusive of everyone. "

"Indeed, if these efforts are to bear lasting fruit, greater cooperation between religious leaders will be required. In this, I want you to know that the Catholic Church is a willing partner." "Peaceful encounters are essential" as in April, when the Church hosts heads of various religious communities, along with ambassadors and representatives of non-governmental agencies.

"Dear friends," he concluded, " may Buddhists and Catholics walk together along this path of healing, and work side by side for the good of everyone who lives in this land."
The first Mass celebrated by Francis in Myanmar. "The way of revenge is not the way of Jesus. Jesus way is radically different. When hatred and rejection led him to his passion and death, he responded with forgiveness and compassion. " "Even with very limited means, many communities are proclaiming the Gospel to other tribal minorities, never forcing or coercing but always inviting and welcoming."

Yangon (AsiaNews) - The "cure" for wounds inflicted by violence is not found in anger and vengeance, but in forgiveness and compassion, following the example of Jesus who thus replied to the hatred that led him to death. Pope Francis' first public Mass on his 41st international trip outside of Italy, celebrated today in the large Kyaikkasan Grounds in Yangon, Myanmar.

"Jesus - said the Pope - did not teach us his wisdom by long speeches or by grand demonstrations of political or earthly power but by giving his life on the cross. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of believing in our own wisdom, but the truth is we can easily lose our sense of direction. At those times we need to remember that we have a sure compass before us, in the crucified Lord. In the cross, we find the wisdom that can guide our life with the light that comes from God. "

"From the cross also comes healing. There, Jesus offered his wounds to the Father for us, the wounds by which we are healed (cf. 1 Pet 2:24). May we always have the wisdom to find in the wounds of Christ the source of all healing! I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible. The temptation is to respond to these injuries with a worldly wisdom that, like that of the king in the first reading, is deeply flawed. We think that healing can come from anger and revenge. Yet the way of revenge is not the way of Jesus. Jesus way is radically different. When hatred and rejection led him to his passion and death, he responded with forgiveness and compassion. "

The Pope continued we also encounter "refusal and obstacles" but "with the gift of the Spirit, Jesus enables us each to be signs of his wisdom, which triumphs over the wisdom of this world, and his mercy, which soothes even the most painful of injuries."

And the Church in Myanmar "is already doing much to bring the healing balm of Gods mercy to others, especially those most in need. There are clear signs that even with very limited means, many communities are proclaiming the Gospel to other tribal minorities, never forcing or coercing but always inviting and welcoming. Amid much poverty and difficulty, many of you offer practical assistance and solidarity to the poor and suffering. Through the daily ministrations of its bishops, priests, religious and catechists, and particularly through the praiseworthy work of Catholic Karuna Myanmar and the generous assistance provided by the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Church in this country is helping great numbers of men, women and children, regardless of religion or ethnic background. I can see that the Church here is alive, that Christ is alive and here with you and with your brothers and sisters of other Christian communities. I encourage you to keep sharing with others the priceless wisdom that you have received, the love of God welling up in the heart of Jesus."

"Jesus wants to give this wisdom in abundance. He will surely crown your efforts to sow seeds of healing and reconciliation in your families, communities and the wider society of this nation. Does he not tell us that his wisdom is irresistible (cf. Lk 21:15)? His message of forgiveness and mercy uses a logic that not all will want to understand, and which will encounter obstacles. Yet his love, revealed on the cross is ultimately unstoppable. It is like a spiritual GPS that unfailingly guides us towards the inner life of God and the heart of our neighbour."

"Our Blessed Mother Mary followed her Son even to the dark mountain of Calvary and she accompanies us at every step of our earthly journey. May she obtain for us the grace always be to messengers of true wisdom, heartfelt mercy to those in need, and the joy that comes from resting in the wounds of Jesus, who loved us to the end. "
The announcement by North Korean TV. The missile flew to an altitude of 4,475 km. Kim Jong-un: Responsible nuclear power, but we will fight against imperialist blackmail of the US. The fears of experts.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea announced today that its missiles are ready to reach any point in US territory. Through state TV Pyongyang claims to have tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (Icbm) that reached an altitude of 4,475 km and travelled 950 km in its 53 minute flight. At a reduced altitude, the missile could have travlled 13,000 km.

The TV report relays the words of Kim Jong-un, proudly announcing that he has completed the nuclear power program of the country, defining it as "responsible", albeit advising that strategic defense weapons have been developed to counter the "nuclear blackmail of the imperialist United States". The missile was launched today north of Pyongyang and landed in the Sea of Japan.

Experts call this test worrying because it brings North Korea closer to the goal of developing nuclear Icbms capable of reaching the United States. However, according to some analysts, Pyongyang's technology is still lagging behind in the missile return phase, a key element because it allows the head to withstand the high heat and pressure of crossing the earth's atmosphere.

"North Korea seems to have limited the provocations to gain time to improve its technology, not to handle the security situation," says Cho Sung-ryul, South Korean expert researcher at the National Security Strategic Institute (Inns).

The test comes at a historic moment in the relationship between Pyongyang and Washington. On November 20, US President Donald Trump reintegrated North Korea into the list of States that sponsor terrorism. China also seems to have less influence on its historic ally: Kim Jong-un refused to meet Xi Jinping's special envoy who was in Pyongyang for a four-day trip two weeks ago.
Guest Commentary

By Mike Farnworth

Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, reminds governments and individuals alike that we have important work to do to advance the safety of vulnerable women  in their homes, on the street and in their daily lives.

On that day, from 5 p.m. to midnight the B.C. legislature was illuminated orange in honour of the internationally recognized 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, which begins Nov. 25 and ends Dec. 10.

Victims of violent crime must have the services and supports they need to help them escape from violent situations and recover from their impacts. Our government is examining how best to increase supports for women who experience domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes.

A key area of focus is to engage with British Columbians in preventing and stemming victimization of women and girls. An important resource to this end is the #SaySomething campaign to raise awareness on the issue of sexual violence. The campaign engages young adults and aims to change attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate sexual violence and educate individuals on how to take action.

B.C.s 2017 #SaySomething campaign will run to Dec. 21 on Facebook and Instagram, as well as mobile media, allowing British Columbians to share campaign videos and speak out on this important issue.

#SaySomething goes beyond providing material useful to victims of sexual assault and intimate-partner violence. It has information for all of us to keep in mind  to help us recognize when people in our lives need help, and how to respond appropriately and effectively, in ways that can help to enhance their safety immediately. Online, www.saysomethingbc.ca provides info and resources for victims, service providers, and bystanders who want to help.

Were also looking at how we allocate funding. Each year, the Province provides over $70 million for services to support victims of crime, including $16.5 million for violence against women programs and $32 million for transition-house services.

In British Columbia, we have many long-established organizations dedicated to promoting womens safety, helping survivors, and working to ensure their perpetrators are held to account. In November 2017, my ministry announced opportunities for groups like these to apply for grants from civil forfeiture proceeds.

Funding is currently available for projects that aim to prevent and respond to violence against women, including projects focused on domestic violence and sexual assault; human trafficking; sexual exploitation; vulnerable women in the sex trade; enhancing domestic violence units; and supporting child and youth advocacy centres.

While these one-time-only grants support a lot of good work, I recognize that many service providers for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and other violent crimes have experienced challenges meeting local demand. My ministry is exploring options for strategic investments that will address these demands and help strengthen the services and supports currently provided.

But you dont have to be involved with one of these important organizations or projects to make a difference. Consider this: in 2014, one of every five Canadian sex assault victims who reported to police were sexually assaulted by an intimate partner  and in B.C., an average of 90 people per day seek assistance from a counselling or outreach program for violence against women. These people are our neighbours, relatives and close friends.

Please take time to learn how to reach out in an appropriate way when the need arises. Your efforts may help to better, or even save, a life. Visit the #SaySomething website  and if you need help immediately, call VictimLinkBC at any time for toll-free access to confidential, multilingual help and information: 1-800-563-0808.
By Faisal Al-Alamy,

Special to The Post,

Our office is a busy place. We have individuals, families and businesses seeking our guidance on a range of immigration matters, including work and study permits, sponsorship applications and representation in the Federal Court.

Lately, however, many people who come to our office seeking help are expressing a common and serious problem  they were scammed by their immigration consultant.

A recent article from the New York Times revealed that a Vancouver-based immigration consultant pocketed nearly $6 million from investors who were led to believe that money is all you need to immigrate to Canada. As they soon realized, they were robbed of their dreams as well as their money under the promise of a future in Canada.

This all-too-common scenario presents two very important questions: who do I trust to handle my immigration matter, and what can I do on my end to make sure it is in good hands?

There are four types of professionals who can represent prospective immigrants to Canada for a fee: (1) lawyers; (2) licenced paralegals in Ontario; (3) notaries in Quebec; and (4) registered immigration consultants. Lawyers, Ontario paralegals, and Quebec notaries are all regulated by Provincial and territorial law societies.

While many people consider immigration consultants to be synonymous with immigration lawyers, important differences exist between these two classes of representatives.

An immigration consultant is a certified and licenced representative who receives their accreditation from the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) that oversees and regulates their conduct. Training for immigration consultants is as little as a one year part-time (3 hours/week) course.

When allegations of misconduct are made against registered immigration consultants, a Board composed of ICCRC members is authorized to investigate and address the complaints.

As was reported by fellow immigration lawyer Steven Meurrens, who examined over 130 pages of documentation concerning complaints made from the Government of Canadas own immigration staff to the ICCRC, very minimal action was taken by the ICCRC Board to address the complaints raising serious questions about the competency of the ICCRCs self regulatory process (presumably the same level of inaction took place with complaints made by the general public).

While these complaints target the actions of immigration consultants, the true victims are the immigration applicants who place their trust in an authorized representatives hands.

By contrast, an immigration lawyer is governed by a Provincial or territorial law society, and is held to a much higher standard than immigration consultants (Ontario paralegals and Quebec notaries are also governed by the law societies in their provinces).

A lawyers training includes a comprehensive three-year full time academic course load following a one year post graduate supervised training period  the articling year.

After law school and articling, a lawyer is equipped with knowledge of the law and potential remedies to strategize the best course of action for prospective applicants.

But perhaps the most important distinction between immigration consultants and immigration lawyers is that while both are bound by a code of professional conduct in which they must always act in their clients best interest, a lawyers failure to uphold this duty may actually result in severe disciplinary action, including censure, suspension, and disbarment.

At present, there are approximately 1,000 immigration lawyers governed by their respective Provincial and territorial law societies in contrast with 4,000 immigration consultants governed by the ICCRC.

As the level of inaction by ICCRC towards the Government of Canadas complaints of their members demonstrates, this organization appears to be completely apathetic towards the best interests of the public. Prospective immigrants take note and caveat emptor!

The Government of Canada continues to monitor the regulation of immigration consultants having struck a committee in June of 2016 to further investigate ICCRCs ability to oversee their members.

Presentations were made before the Parliamentary Standing Committee which resulted in their report being issued in July of this year.

At present no changes will be made to the ICCRC regulatory model and the public will continue to have to fend for themselves in seeking remedies against unscrupulous consultants.

Of course, there are many responsible, effective and ethical immigration consultants. In choosing someone to represent your interests in immigration matters, it is important to do your research and ensure that you are working with a reputable and trustworthy individual.

Before choosing a representative, you should conduct a diligent review of their background by obtaining references and by getting a second or third opinion. Do not sign anything until you are sure of your choice, and be an informed advocate for your own interests.

For additional information please refer to our previous blog: Really, you signed blank forms? Best practices for immigration clients.

If you would like to learn more about immigrating to Canada, bringing a family member to Canada, or becoming a permanent resident please contact Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre at 604-689-5444, or visit their website: www.canadian-visa-lawyer.com.
Australian Grand Dairy Awards 2018 finalists announced



Floridia Pecorino, a finalist in the hard cheese category in the 2018 Australian Grand Dairy Awards

The finalists for the 2018 Australian Grand Dairy Awards have been announced.

Now running for 19 years, the awards, operated by Dairy Australia, recognise the best of best in the Australian dairy industry across 18 categories.

Judges assessed more than 400 dairy products to determine the 2018 finalists. The award winners will be announced in February 2018.

The 2018 judging panel is led by dairy educators, Russel Smith and Mark Livermore. Other judges include technical experts, chefs, retailers and flavour specialists.

Convener of the Australian Grand Dairy Awards, Amanda Menegazzo, said the 2018 finalists is a stellar line up.

The awards celebrate quality and excellence in delicious dairy produce, but we also want to encourage Australians to take a moment to recognise the skills and dedication of the many people who craft these products, Menegazzo said.

Its incredible to think that the array of finalists  from spicy blue cheese to tangy passionfruit yoghurt and sweet fig mascarpone gelato  all start with one amazing ingredient, quality Australian milk.

These awards would not exist without the contribution of the passionate Australian dairy farmers who produce it.

There are a total of 54 finalists for the 2018 Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

2018 Australian Grand Dairy Awards Finalists

A complete list of 2018 Australian Grand Dairy Awards Finalists is listed as follows:

Category Product Producer Fresh Unripened Cheese Montefiore Trecce Montefiore Cheese Montefiore Ovoline Montefiore Cheese B.-d. Farm Paris Creek Swiss Style Quark B.-d. Farm Paris Creek White Mould King Island Dairy Discovery Ash Brie 500g Lion Dairy & Drinks King Island Dairy Discovery Ash Brie 175g Lion Dairy & Drinks Flinders Estate Ash Brie 200g Unicorn Cheese Semi Hard & Eye Section28 Artisan Cheese Monforte Section28 Artisan Cheese Dellendale Creamery Shadforth Tilsit Dellendale Creamery Dellendale Creamery Churchill Rd Raclette Dellendale Creamery Cheddar Cracker Barrel Vintage Gold Cheddar Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Edwards Crossing Cloth Bound Cheddar Beston Pure Foods Bega Heritage Reserve Vintage Cheddar Bega Cheese Hard Cheese Mil Lel Superior Parmesan Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory La Vera Parmesan La Vera Fine Cheese Producers Floridia Pecorino Floridia Cheese Blue Cheese Berrys Creek Tarwin Blue Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Berrys Creek Mossvale Blue Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese King Island Dairy Black Label Triple Cream Blue Lion Dairy & Drinks Washed Rind/Mixed Rind Woombye Blackall Gold Washed Rind Woombye Cheese Company Flinders Estate Washed Rind Log Unicorn Cheese Milawa King River Gold The Milawa Cheese Company Flavoured Cheese Barambah Organics Labna with Fennel and Sea Salt Barambah Organics Section 28 Monte Diavolo Section 28 Artisan Cheeses King Island Dairy Stokes Point Smoked Cheddar Lion Dairy & Drinks Goats & Sheeps Milk Cheese Berrys Creek Riverine Blue Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese Meredith Dairy Chevre with Fresh Dill Meredith Dairy Meredith Dairy Ashed Chevre Meredith Dairy Natural Yoghurt Tamar Valley Greek Style All Natural Yoghurt Parmalat - Tamar Valley Dairy Jalna Greek Natural Yoghurt Jalna Dairy Foods Brownes Natural Traditional Yoghurt Brownes Dairy Flavoured Yoghurt The Yoghurt Shop Passionately Passionfruit Yoghurt The Yoghurt Shop Mundella Greek Honey Yoghurt Mundella Foods Pty Ltd George's Authentic Greek Yoghurt Apple & Cinnamon The Natural Yoghurt Company Ice Cream Gundowring Licorice Ice Cream Gundowring Fine Foods Dooley's Lemon Curd Ice Cream Dooley's Ice Cream The Melbourne Convention Centre Hazelnut Ice Cream The Melbourne Convention Centre Dairy Gelato Pure Gelato Salted Pistachio Pure Gelato Enterprises Pty Ltd Cow and the Moon Fig and Mascarpone Gelato Cow and the Moon Milani House of Gelato Milk Chocolate Milani House of Gelato Milk Farmers Own Full Cream Milk Camperdown Dairy Maleny Dairies Farmers Choice Guernsey Non-Homogenised Full Cream Milk Maleny Dairies South Coast Dairy Non-Homogenised Milk Berry Rural Co-Operative Society Ltd Specialty White Dairy Drink Pauls Professional Cafe Crema Parmalat Australia Ltd-Lidcombe Misty Mountain Farms Lactose Free Full Cream Jersey Milk Mungalli Creek Dairy Pty Ltd Masters HiLo Lion Dairy & Drinks Bentley Flavoured Dairy Drink Oak Chocolate Parmalat Australia-Harvey Fresh The Coach House Dairy Coffee & Milk NuLac Foods Pty Ltd Dare Iced Coffee Double Espresso Lion Dairy & Drinks-Malanda Cream Gippsland Dairy Pure Double Cream Chobani Pty Ltd Bulla Creme Fraiche Bulla Dairy Foods Pty Ltd The Little Big Dairy Co Pure Double Cream The Little Big Dairy Company Butter Western Star Original Salted Butter Fonterra Brands (Aust) Pty Ltd-Cobden Western Star Chefs Choice Unsalted Cultured Butter Fonterra Brands (Aust) Pty Ltd-Cobden Beautifully Butterfully Salted Butter Fonterra Brands (Aust) Pty Ltd-Cobden

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Australias best Christmas hams



Woolworths' winning Christmas ham

Australias best Christmas hams for 2017 have been determined at the 2017 PorkMark Ham Awards.

Run by Australian Pork, each year the PorkMark Ham Awards decide the best hams in Australia across a number of different categories.

The Best Nationally Available Ham for 2017 went to Woolworths for the Woolworths Half Leg Ham  Bone In. The judges described Woolworths ham as having a great cure, great creamy fat, good salt and great colour.

The Best Artisan ham and Best Boneless Ham went to Pingelly Quality Meats in Western Australia. Pingellys ham was described by the judges as perfectly smoky and sweet, with a brilliant initial taste, true to style and with even colouring.

The Best Traditional Bone-In Ham was given to Barossa Fine Foods in South Australia with the judges noting its well balanced and very mild flavours, mild smoke and excellent texture.

More than 140 hams were entered into this years awards, which were judged by chefs Paul McDonald and Simon Bestly, along with Fleischmeister Horst Schurger, who has a masters Degree in Butchering and Smallgoods.

Australian Pork Limited Marketing Manager, Mitch Edwards, said he believes bone-in Australian ham is the most popular festive meat and is intrinsically linked to Christmas.

Now is the time to start your celebrations because quality Australian hams are now in season, Edwards said.

Select the best for your festive feast, but also consider a second ham to impress your guests during the party season.

Complete list of 2017 PorkMark ham Award Winners

Overall Winner and best Artesian Ham

Pingelly Quality Meats  WA

Australias Best Boneless Ham

1st Pingelly Quality Meats  WA

2nd Sunvalley Fine Foods  QLD

3rd German Butchery  NSW

Australias Best Traditional Bone-in Ham

1st Barossa Fine Foods

2nd Noosa Meat Centre

3rd Lago and paramount Smallgoods

Nationally Available

1st Woolworths Half Leg Ham  Bone In

2nd Bertocchoi Australian Leg Ham  Hickory Smoked

Highly Commended  Woolworths Whole Leg Ham  Bone In

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Coca-Cola Raspberry launches in Australia



The new Coca-Cola Raspberry

Coca-Cola South Pacific will be selling Coca-Cola Raspberry for the Australian 2017/18 summer.

Coca-Cola Raspberry is described as offering a refreshing Coca-Cola taste with a delicious splash of raspberry flavour.

The beverage is aimed at young adults and teenagers. It comes to Australia one month after its launch in New Zealand.

The introduction of Coca-Cola Raspberry follows the launch of a number of new Coke variations in Australia including Coke No Sugar, Coke Plus Coffee No Sugar and Coca-Cola with Stevia.

Coca-Cola Raspberry has 25 per cent less sugar than Classic Coke, which Coca-Cola said is part of its commitment to reduce sugar in its drinks.

Coca-Cola Australia Market Director, Lisa Winn, said the launch of the beverage is another testament to Coca-Colas commitment to innovation.

Weve seen how much Australians have been enjoying our other limited edition flavours, so introducing raspberry seemed like the perfect fit for the Australian summer, Winn said.

Marketing activity for Coca-Cola raspberry will focus around the classic Australian summer and will be driven by social media activity, influencer engagement, PR, point of sales activity and targeted premium retail out-of-home activity.

Coca-Cola Raspberry will be sold in all major and independent retailers Australia-wide. A variety of serving sizes will be available including 200ml mini cans and 330ml glass bottles.

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Murray Goulburn sells Edith Creek site





Murray Goulburn has sold its Edith Creek facility to the Australian arm of Thai milk processor, Dutch Mill.

The sale price has not been disclosed.

Murray Goulburn had announced earlier that the Edith Creek facility, located in Tasmania, would be closing. The sale will not affect the closure which will still go ahead.

As part of the sale, Dutch Mill will acquire all of the sites land and assets. The sale is expected to be complete in early 2018.

Murray Goulburn Chief Executive Officer, Ari Mervis, thanked the Edith Creek employees for their contributions.

The decision to close this processing site was difficult to make, however a necessary step on the journey to ensure the competitiveness of MG, Mervis said.

We congratulate Dutch Mill on their acquisition of Edith Creek, and wish them well for the future.

About Dutch Mill

Dutch Mill is one of Thailands largest manufacturers and marketers of dairy products. It was founded in 1984 under the name Pro Food Co. The companys name changed to Dutch Mill in 1991.

Dutch Mill largely produces dairy products for countries located in Asia.

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Employees at San Diego's Green Motion franchise location hold the award trophies. Photo courtesy of Green Motion.

At Green Motions International Franchise Network Awards, the companys San Diego franchise received six awards, including Green Motion Reviews Champion (silver), RPD Champion (bronze), Utilization Champion (winner), Excellence in Location Customer Service (winner), Rentalcars Review Champion (runner-up), and The Green Motion Champion Award (winner).

Green Motions Champion Award went to the owner of the companys master state franchise for California: Xavier Ortiz-Mena. The award recognizes Ortiz-Menas dedication to the Green Motion brand.

"I was really pleased Green Motion San Diego achieved so many accolades for their dedication and commitment in making their Green Motion franchise successful," said Richard Lowden, founder and CEO of Green Motion. "I am equally as pleased that Xavier received our platinum Champion Award as he went above and beyond in support of our brand."

The International Franchise Network Awards are designed to mark the successes and triumphs of Green Motion's franchise network, according to the company.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 68F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 41F. Winds light and variable.
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Two University of South Florida employees were arrested on Nov. 27 and charged with grand theft, according to a USF Police statement.

The agency said Daniel Lettieri, 40, and Jason Hamilton, 38, were arrested following an investigation into property stolen from the University that identified them as suspects.

Lettieri was also charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. The two suspects were booked into the Orient Road Jail.

The investigation is ongoing.

No further information has been released.


Hours after a man was taken into custody in connection to the slayings of four Seminole Heights residents, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan was emphatic: "I assure you, this is the man that did this."

Man arrested in connection to Seminole Heights murders

Howell Emanuel Donaldson III charged with four counts of first degree murder

Arrest ends 51 days of terror in Seminole Heights

INTERACTIVE TIMELINE: A look at the series of murders

For 51 days, the Seminole Heights community was on edge.

Some of the fear, tension and uncertainty has now been lifted with the arrest of a man in connection to the slayings of four people.

Church bells rang out overnight at Seminole Heights United Methodist Church after news of the arrest of Howell Emanuel Donaldson III on Tuesday evening.

The 24-year-old McDonald's worker was taken into custody at the Ybor City restaurant where he worked after he gave a coworker a bag with a gun in it and said he had to leave town. The coworker contacted a police officer, and Donaldson was detained upon returning the eatery.

Donaldson is facing four counts of first-degree murder.

Residents and police had been on edge since Oct. 9, when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death. Two days later, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa was slain. And on Oct. 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. On Nov. 14, 60-year-old Ronald Felton was killed.

Police begin questioning suspect

Late Wednesday morning, Dugan described what led to the arrest, Donaldson's demeanor and details of police questioning.

Dugan said the call from the coworker, who did not know the gun was related to the Seminole Heights killings at the time, was crucial.

The chief said the discovery of the gun and matching ballistics was the break that law enforcement had been waiting for. It did not take long to match the gun to all four killings, he said. Law enforcement was waiting for Donaldson when he returned to the McDonald's on Tuesday evening.

Dugan said that Donaldson was cooperative with police and admitted to owning the gun but not the shootings. Donaldson was calm and did not answer the biggest question that remains:

Why?

"Our work is just beginning now," Dugan said. "This is an ongoing investigation, but no, he did not tell us why he was doing this."

That led to other questions at the news conference about prosecution and what type of sentence Donaldson could receive. Dugan and Buckhorn quickly downplayed that, adding that it was too early to speculate on a motive or if and when a trial would take place.

Still, "I want the process to take its place," Buckhorn said. "I think that's appropriate. At the end of this, if he is found to be guilty, he should die. It's that simple."

Gov. Rick Scott thanks Tampa Police

On Wednesday morning, Florida Gov. Rick Scott thanked Tampa police for their tireless efforts.

In addition to Scott, Buckhorn and Dugan spoke at an early morning news conference, along with Florida Highway Patrol and representatives from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"My heart goes out to these poor families," Scott said. "I was so happy that this individual was stopped and caught and that someone else did not get hurt. Thanks again to the mayor to the chief and everyone in law enforcement that helped catch this suspect."

Buckhorn credited the cooperation between agencies and a tip from the public in reeling in a suspect.

"We would not have solved this case without (all of the agencies), the FBI, the ATF... Everyone was focused on bringing justice to those four families," Buckhorn said. "We would not be here having apprehended this individual had it not been for the team effort taking place the last 51 days."

Families of victims react

Family members of the victims said they felt like today was the first day they could breathe easily since their loved ones were killed.

James Felton, whose brother Ronnie was the fourth murder victim, told us he hasn't been able to thnk about anything else except the relief he feels now.

"I'm rejoicing," Felton said. "I mean, ever since I woke up at 5:30 this morning and 'til now, I can't even sleep."

But for others connected to the victims, there is a great emptiness that the arrest could not fill. There are spaces the victims once filled with life that are now silent and vacant -- the spot at the food bank where Ronnie Felton helped to feed the hungry, the empty seats where Benjamin Mitchell, Anthony Naiboa and Michelle Hoffa rode the bus, to name a few.

"Everyday I still go without Monica," said Hoffa's uncle, Robert. "Yknow, she would come to our house for Super Bowl parties and different things. Wed visit here all the time. She was such s brightness to this community."

"I got his room, Anthonys room. His TVs still there," said Casimar Naiboa, Anthony's father. "Sometimes we turn on, we still turn on his favorite programs."



All that's left for these families to attempt to fill the emptiness is the hope that justice will be done. The families, however, expressed different opinions on what form that justice should take for the killer.

"This guy shouldn't be living, eating three times a day, watching TV," said Casimar.

"Our biggest problem is we give these people the death penalty and we don't follow through with it," Hoffa told us. "They appeal, appeal, appeal."

"We found them guilty once," he continued. "Get it over with. Let us rest. That's all I'm asking -- let us rest."



"Whatever they do to him, not the death," said Felton. "I want him to have a life. Just give him life, so he can think about at a young age. If he looks at it on TV and see others doing it and say 'Did I do that?' and look at himself doing stuff like that and say, 'Did I do that?' And so that way hell have a long term of look at what he done."



Timeline of the murders
A family victimized by the recent murders in Seminole Heights is now dealing with another heartbreaking loss.

Sylvester Penny, husband of Tina Felton, died two weeks after Ronnie Felton's death

Ronnie Felton was 4th Seminole Heights murder victim

Sylvester, wife Tina married 29 years

Tina Felton, who buried her brother Ronnie, the fourth Seminole Heights murder victim, on Nov. 25, must now plan another funeral, this time for her husband of 29 years.

"When my husband and brother died, it was like my life was taken for no reason," said Felton. "I didn't do anything."

Felton's late husband, Sylvester Penny, was a musician and a cook at Bern's Steakhouse. He was also Felton's rock -- as the tragedy surrounding Ronnie unfolded, he wanted to make sure above all that she was ok.

"He wouldn't even go to work," Felton said. "He said he had to make sure I was ok because he knew I was hurting."

RELATED STORY: 4th Seminole Heights murder victim laid to rest

Penny died less than two weeks after Ronnie was killed. Felton now believes he was sick, and never said anything to her about his illness.

"I had to talk to somebody, and they said things happen for a reason and it makes you stronger," Felton said.

Though her family raised money to bury Ronnie, Felton said she has no idea how she'll come up with the money to bury her husband.

Those wishing to help Tina Felton are asked to contact the Ray Williams Funeral Home at 813-253-2383.


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Here at the end of the second decade of the 21st century, taking a photo is as easy as grunting - tapping on your smartphone screen and watching the image stolen from time made ready for your social media feeds.

There is no skill, no sweat equity related to something that just decades ago was a process in the most italicized form, involving specialized materials, chemicals and, most of all, patience.

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These days, patience isn't part of the photography vernacular as photo galleries are filled with spontaneous snaps of everything from a bowl of saturated cereal to people smiling at themselves.

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Rewind a century and you don't see many of your ancestors smiling in photos, mostly because it was a tedious ordeal, taking minutes at a time to capture that frozen image.

More Information Visit the past Follow Cody Mobley's work via his Instagram feed @mobleyambrotypes See More Collapse

Cody Mobley set the clock back to the 1850s, photographically speaking. I meet the 34-year-old and his makeshift chemistry lab on a warm Saturday afternoon outside the front porch of Sam Houston's house, where he's holding a demonstration.

The Menard County resident and Texas Historical Commission staffer is one of only a handful of Texans currently practicing the wet plate photographic method - using nitrous cellulose dissolved in ether, alcohol and seasoned with photo-sensitive salts poured onto glass. That glass is then put in silver nitrate.

To take the image you just expose the plate to light, and you expose it to light by removing the lens cap in the camera.

"Shot on glass, it was the first commercially-viable form of photography," Mobley says. "It's a true light picture, with the light refracting through the lens and baking the silver onto the glass plate."

Still, Mobley insists, "I'm not a photographer, I'm a historian. I appreciate the experimental archaeology aspect of this, using the original methods to replicate an original artifact."

He's dressed in period-appropriate garb, complete with chemical stains and a hat fit for a different century. The sight is worth asking if he uses a digital camera when dressed in contemporary garb - he doesn't, although Mobley uses his smartphone to document his work.

And, now he's going to document my look by taking my ambrotype.

I sit for Mobley next to Sam Houston's chimney in a light brown pearl snap shirt, my dog staring up at me, not knowing that we're partaking in an ancient form of photography. I keep a stoic smile for 15 seconds while Mobley's rig steals my soul.

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"Ambrotypes are archival. As long as you don't step on them, they should last forever," Mobley says. "It can be exposed to sunlight with no problem."

In other words, my image will be captured on glass, forever.

Mobley says "a few hipsters in Austin" are attempting other vintage forms of photography to make their barista friends look like grizzled prospectors, but Mobley only counts three or four others as his contemporaries.

It was just two years ago that he built his first camera and began teaching himself the process. Mobley is for hire, driving around Texas (and as far north as Nebraska) with his wet collodion process to transport subjects back roughly 160 years. Some, like the Texas Association of Buckskinners, don their best furs and skins for Mobley to capture.

His love affair with wet plate photography has been aided by eBay, where vintage materials can still be had, rescued from dusty attics and junk shops. He makes his own chemicals as needed, some of which on a warm Texas day can be quite headache-inducing without proper ventilation. He says he wasted sixteen plates before finally getting a picture to stick.

"Initially my wife wasn't too happy about me taking on another project," he says. "She has since come around and has even attended one of the photography workshops I've hosted and has her own camera."

Mobley's pet process was invented by Englishman Frederick Scott Archer around 1851. As Mobley states, if the wet collodion process hadn't of caught on with the public, photography might have been just a passing fad. Luckily for us a photo revolution was soon ignited.

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The site manager of the Fort McKavett State Historic Site in Menard County, Mobley has been enraptured with early mid-19th century history and the primitive photographs of the period his whole life. He even makes his own frames with precise detail.

My image is slowly coaxed out onto the front of the glass, like witchcraft, using flame to speed up the drying process. My features come through way more weathered than I imagined. Ambrotypes are not for the vain, or those looking for youthful selfies. They show every mile of life on your face - every cigarette, beer, and late night.

"I look like I make great tasting whiskey," I tell Mobley. "Holy hell, where did that gray beard come from?"

He laughs and says, "Yeah it has a way of making us look way more epic than we really are."

Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth.
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A 15-year-old girl missing from Orange County may be with a "much older" man from California that she met on Snapchat, according to social media posts made by the girl's family.

Heaven Ray Cox was last seen Nov. 25, her family said.

Det. Janois Grizzaffi with the Orange County Sheriff's Office told BeaumontEnterprise.com on Wednesday that Heaven is listed as a runaway, but said detectives are working to confirm claims about the Snapchat connection.

> > RELATED: Missing Beaumont girl's mother calls for more attention to case

Grizzaffi said law enforcement was first notified about Heaven's disappearance by her parents around 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The girl lives in the 4000 block of Lemonville Lane in the Mauriceville area, according to Grizzaffi.

Heaven's mother told investigators that it wasn't unusual for her daughter to sleep in late, Grizzaffi said. When she decided to check on her, Heaven was not in her room, she said.

A note left behind indicated that Heaven might be heading to California, but did not include details about who Heaven might be traveling with, Grizzaffi said.

According to social media posts by the teen's mother Tammy Day Cox, Heaven may have left with a man from California who told her he would pick her up in San Antonio, where he was staying for Thanksgiving.

Anyone with information about Heaven's whereabouts is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff's Office at 409-883-2612.

> > MORE: Parents face increasing difficulties protecting kids from online perils




Update: A crude unit at Beaumont's Exxon Mobil refinery could be shut down for repairs until late January after it was damaged by a fire Tuesday morning, Reuters.com reported.

Company officials have declined to comment publicly on the status of individual units at the refinery, which processes more than 360,000 barrels of oil each day.

Sources told Reuters that heat from the fire damaged the crude distillation unit, which processes 110,000 barrels per day.

Previous reporting: Reuters.com is reporting this morning that Exxon Mobil is assessing the damage done to a crude unit at its Beaumont refinery during a Tuesday fire.

The unit, which processes 110,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is shut down, according to Reuters.

According to a report filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the fire started at 6 a.m. Tuesday because of a leak in equipment in Crude Unit A.

Company spokeswoman Ashley Alemayehu said the fire was extinguished by Exxon Mobil firefighters about 6:45 a.m. Beaumont Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, but the

city firefighters were not needed, according to the company.

There were no injuries, Alemayehu said.

> > DATA: SETX cities make 'Most Polluted in Texas' list

Exxon spokeswoman Charlotte Huffaker told Reuters "the company continues to meet its contractual commitments, but declined to discuss the status of individual units at the Beaumont refinery."

Crude Unit A is the smaller of two units at the refinery "doing the initial refining of crude oil and supplying hydrocarbon feed to all other production units," according to Reuters.

Exxon Mobil notified nearby residents on Tuesday morning through the Southeast Texas Alert Network (STAN) that they should stay in their homes, but an official shelter in place notice from city or county officials was not issued.

> > RELATED: PA plant had largest wastewater spill in Texas after Harvey

The suggestion to stay indoors was lifted mid-morning Tuesday after testing showed air quality concerns were "below detectable limits," Alemayehu said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Alemayehu said the company was still assessing the impact of the fire on the refinery's production and determining the extent of any emissions it caused.

The initial report, which must be filed with TCEQ within 24 hours of the event, indicates that engineers do not believe emissions exceeded the amounts allowed by the refinery's permits.

Exxon Mobil's Beaumont refinery processes 365,000 barrels of crude oil each day, according to the company's website.

Exxon Mobil announced in August that it was considering adding a third crude distillation unit in 2019, which would be completed in 2022.




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The tall tales about a 2016 fishing trip have caught up with Jacob Brown.

His crime was not braggadocio but telling a falsehood about a tremendous haul.

The Lake Jackson man was sentenced Wednesday to two months in federal prison for lying about a massive haul of red and vermilon snapper he said was meant to supply an Easter fish fry. He later admitted the fish were to be sold to restaurants.

"I feel this is a serious offense--depleting the stock and knowing that it was being done illegally," said U.S. District Judge David Hittner. After prison, the judge ordered Brown to serve three years of supervised release and revoked his fishing license during that time. Brown owes about $9500 in restitution, the dock price for the fish he caught.

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Co-defendant Jamal Marshall will be sentenced on Dec. 15.







Brown, 35, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to catching 488 red snapper and 154 vermilion snapper in violation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) catch limits. The fish had a market value of $30,000.

Although he was operating as a rogue commercial fisherman, Brown was only licensed for recreational fishing.

NOAA has set strict limits for recreational fisherman since the population of red snapper, the most popular reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico, was depleted from over-fishing.

During open season for the prized fish, a recreational anglers can harvest up to 10 vermilion and up to two red snapper per trip.

According to court documents, in February and March of 2016, Marshall paid Brown $200 per trip on two occasions to help catch fish which Marshall sold to restaurants in Houston.

Brown, Marshall and a third recreational fisherman, who is not named, headed out into federal waters again on Mar. 26, 2016. On their trip back to shore, their vessel was stopped by a U.S. Coast Guard boat conducting a routine water safety inspection.

The Coast Guard personnel asked them the purpose of their trip. The men said they'd been fishing. The officials asked what was in the five big coolers. The men said it was just ice and drinks. The officers asked them to follow them to shore so they could complete their inspection.

On shore, the officials opened the coolers and two built-in storage compartments and found them packed with red-colored fish.

Law enforcement from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and NOAA arrived and inventoried the fish. Brown and the others admitted they caught the fish, but submitted a voluntary written statement saying they'd intended to donate them to a church fish fry for Easter Sunday and had no plans to sell them. According to the documents, they also lied that they had never illegally caught fish and sold them to local restaurants.

Marshall, 36, of Freeport, admitted he had sold $35,000 worth of fish to Houston-area restaurants.

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com and follow her on Twitter.
Charges are piling up against a Fair Oaks Ranch man who is accused of luring a 16-year-old boy into his motel room and sexually assaulting him.

Bernardo Reyes Jr., 54, was first arrested by Fair Oaks Ranch police last week on suspicion of sexual assault of a child. Since then, he has additionally been charged with online solicitation of a minor and unlawful restraint of a child.

The investigation began when a father discovered his son leaving a motel room near Six Flags Fiesta Texas. After searching through the son's phone, he discovered messages believed to be from Reyes that were "extremely sexual in nature," including links to porn.

READ MORE: Affidavit: Man sexually assaulted 16-year-old boy after luring him to motel

According to the affidavit, Reyes reached out to the teen through KIK, an online messaging app.

When the victim allegedly met Reyes for a second time in the motel room, the teenager tried to leave multiple times, authorities said.

According to the affidavit, the boy told Reyes he wanted to leave. At one point, the teenager allegedly tried walking out the door, but Reyes grabbed him and told him he wasn't going to leave.

RELATED: Man allegedly robbed his own relatives, led S.A. police on chase

That was the same exchange in which Reyes allegedly sexually assaulted the boy, according to the affidavit.

Reyes remained in Bexar County Jail Tuesday with a bail set at $125,000.

Fair Oaks Ranch police said in a news release that more charges are possible as the investigation continues.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA
The five-month siege of Marawi by pro-Islamic State militants demonstrated the degree to which Mindanao remains a draw for militants around the region. Only in the southern Philippines do Islamist militants have hope of seizing an entire city for months as they did in Marawi or have sufficient control over territory from which they can regroup, train and stage attacks.

And it is for that reason that the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must become a priority. The MILF is the largest militant group in Mindanao that controls the most territory.

To his credit, President Rodrigo Duterte has acknowledged the primacy of the peace process, and has on several occasions since the siege's end in late October stated that the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)  the peace process' implementing legislation  is a priority.

The BBL has been in limbo since January 2015, when the Philippine National Police launched a counter-terrorist operation in MILF-controlled territory without going through the cease-fire mechanisms. The raid led to the death of 44 police. It was a tactical fiasco with strategic implications. The BBL, which was then being deliberated in Congress, was shelved. Politicians who were gearing up for May 2016 elections used the hearings on the Mamasapano incident to advance their careers; there were few votes to win by supporting peace.

Since 2015, the MILF leadership has repeatedly expressed their commitment to abide by the peace agreement, has put heavy weaponry beyond use, and renounced armed conflict as the means to achieve autonomy. Nonetheless they have been treated with significant mistrust by Philippine legislators.

With little to show from the peace process, the MILF had few "peace dividends" to offer their rank and file. The MILF could not stem defections from their ranks to some six separate groups that pledged baiyat to the Islamic State (IS). The MILF leadership was increasingly seen by angry young Moros as, at best, dupes continually suckered by government promises of autonomy, or, at worst, collaborators.

During the siege of Marawi, the MILF proved their worth, opening up key humanitarian corridors, which helps explain why the civilian death toll in the conflict that left the city in ruins was so low.

Only the MILF has the capability and resources to police their territory and root out extremists. They have the potential to establish, under the BBL, a truly autonomous government that protects religious and cultural values, as a viable alternative to the brutally violent "caliphate project" of pro-IS groups.

As the group's Chairman Ebrahim el-Haj Murad recently said to Channel News Asia:

The longer this peace process takes, the more people are going to be radicalized. What we see now is they [pro-IS groups] are capitalizing on the delay of the peace process. They try to influence young people [by saying] tens of years have been spent on the peace process but nothing happened. They try to get young people to join their group, saying that only by means of violence, could we achieve our aims. History has shown that every time the peace process fails, you will have splinter groups. They always end up being more radical.

Duterte inherently knows this. But despite his repeated pledges to push through the BBL, there are substantial hurdles. Let me highlight five.

First, many lawmakers have made MILF's unilateral disarmament a precondition to taking up the BBL again. This is a non-starter to the MILF; the recourse to armed conflict is their insurance policy that the government will implement the agreement. The 2014 Peace Agreement makes clear that disarmament will be phased in with each successful implementation milestone.

Second, one cannot underestimate the suspicion of members of the Philippine Congress towards the MILF. Their prejudices are deep-seated, and few congressmen see any political gains in supporting the BBL. Despite Duterte's commitment to the BBL and his high popularity, so far no lawmaker has agreed to endorse it. Without a legislative sponsor, the bill cannot be debated, let alone approved.

Third, despite Duterte's nominal support for the BBL, his legislative priority remains a constitutional amendment to establish a federal system. Is he willing to expend political capital on the BBL, which few in Congress support? Duterte constantly  and I would say intentionally  conflates the BBL with federalism. While the MILF do not oppose federalism, for them it has to be something independent of the BBL, which addresses core grievances, has transitional justice mechanisms, allows them to establish their own system of governance, allows for the establishment of Sharia courts, guarantees revenue sharing, and paves the way for disarmament.

Fourth, the BBL that will be submitted by the Malacanang presidential palace to Congress will not be the BBL that was submitted in 2015. This is going to be a dramatically watered down version. For example, Duterte recently ruled out the Bangsamoro having any independent police or security forces. "I am objecting to an independent regional armed forces and police. We only have one Republic of the Philippines. There should only be one Philippine National Police and one Armed Forces. I cannot compromise on that. Nor can the MILF.

Fifth, Duterte has said that he will only support the BBL if it is inclusive, i.e., includes the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and other groups. This is a red herring. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the BBL are inclusive agreements, but ego and rivalry have hindered inclusion.

In 1996 the government signed an autonomy agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front that the MILF rejected. The MILF became a larger movement that ultimately controlled more territory, while the MNLF factionalized and mismanaged itself largely to irrelevance outside of the Sulu archipelago. Many in the MNLF resist the government's peace agreement with the MILF, which would legally supersede and nullify the MNLFs 1996 accord.

That's why the CAB establishes a parliamentary form of government in the Bangsamoro. The CAB does not turn governance over to the MILF. It establishes a parliamentary system, which ensures the MNLF will have a voice because the MILF's support throughout Basilan, Sulu, Tawi Tawi, and Zamboanga is paltry.

Yet Duterte has established a second and parallel peace process with his old colleague Nur Misuari. The former MNLF chairman has on two occasions resumed armed conflict when things didn't go his way. Indeed, Duterte has had to lift the arrest warrant on Misuari for his last armed insurrection to even negotiate with him.

The security situation in Mindanao is devolving, and that has security implications for the region, not just the Philippines. A peace process with the MILF is more imperative than ever, yet the impediments remain high. But should Duterte and Congress fail to deliver one thing is certain: there will be more Marawis, as the MILF continues to splinter and loses any incentive to police its territory.

Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and the author of Forging Peace in Southeast Asia: Insurgencies, Peace Processes, and Reconciliation. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College or BenarNews.
Members of Indias low-caste Dalit community listen to a leader as they gather for a protest near the Indian parliament in New Delhi, May 21, 2017.

Womens rights activists slammed an Indian courts decision Wednesday to sentence three low-caste men to death for raping and killing an upper-caste teenage girl in Maharashtra state last year, saying the justice system was stacked against the marginalized Dalit community.

Indian courts tend to punish Dalits who have committed crimes but are more lenient toward members of other communities who have committed crimes against Dalits, who form the lowest rung of Hinduisms caste hierarchy, activists alleged.

The special fast-track court in Ahmednagar district on Nov. 18 had found defendants Jitendra Shinde, 25, Nitin Bhailume, 26 and Santosh Bhawal, 35  all Dalits  guilty of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy charges in the July 2016 crime, which provoked statewide protests.

All incidents of rape and murder should trigger anger and demands for justice. But in this case, it seems the anger was directed toward the entire Dalit community, Mumbai-based rights activist Kamayani Mahabal told BenarNews.

The 15-year-old victim in this case, an upper-caste Maratha, was found brutally slain in a field in the districts remote Kopardi village in July 2016. Her hair had been pulled out, her bones and teeth were shattered and there were bite marks all over her body, the victims autopsy report said.

The killing evoked comparisons to an infamous gang-rape in New Delhi five years ago when a medical student was savagely assaulted inside a moving bus.

Unequal justice

After the rape-murder, the Maratha community staged protest marches across Maharashtra demanding the scrapping of the Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe Atrocities Act, which aims to end caste-based discrimination and violence. The Marathas account for about 40 percent of Ahmednagar districts 4.5 million population.

Indias nearly 180 million strong Dalit community has been at the receiving end of frequently violent caste-related discrimination for centuries.

If guilt is proved beyond reasonable doubt then the accused should be punished because justice means upholding the rights of people equally across all strata of society, Ritu Dewan, president of the Indian Association for Womens Studies, told BenarNews.

But when no cognizance is taken of people being lynched because they belong to minority communities or because they belong to lower castes in Indias highly stratified society, the very meaning of justice becomes lopsided and meaningless. It becomes the case of unequal justice, she added.

Riya Ray, a social science researcher at Delhi University, agreed.

This verdict is a perfect example of caste-based biases and prejudices where we act according to the caste of the perpetrators, while so many rapes and murders of Dalits are rarely even investigated properly, she told Benar.

My daughters never coming back

The police charge-sheet stated the perpetrators and the victim lived in the same village. Under Indian law, the victim cannot be identified because she was a minor at the time of the crime. On July 13, 2016, the victim was returning home on a bicycle when Shinde, one of the convicts, dragged her to a nearby field and tortured and raped her, police said.

Shinde then called two of his friends  Bhailume and Bhawal  who took turns raping the victim before strangling her, police said.

The victims mother, who did not wish to be identified, told BenarNews by phone that the verdict was a tribute to her daughter.

My daughters never coming back. But wherever she is, she will be happy that her rapists and killers have been dealt a suitable punishment, she said.

Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtras chief minister, was among politicians who praised Wednesdays ruling by the special court.

Kopardi was an extremely unfortunate incident which resulted in massive reactions across the state, Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai. The victims soul will find peace after this judgement, and people's faith in the judicial system will increase.

During the concluding arguments last week, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam urged the court to award death penalties to the three offenders as they remained unrepentant of their crime.

The society would get a wrong message if the death sentence was not awarded in so gory a case, Nikam had said, according to The Hindu.

However, defense lawyers for the accused pleaded for leniency for their clients, saying that condemning them to death could increase social tensions between the Dalit and the Maratha communities.

The convicted trio likely will challenge the verdict in the Bombay High Court, defense lawyers said following Wednesdays judgment.
Portraits of Pope Francis and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have been installed in Dhaka in preparation for his three-day visit.

Updated at 5:04 p.m ET on 2017-11-29

Pope Francis, who is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday, plans to meet with Prime Sheikh Hasina, celebrate mass with 80,000 Catholic faithful, and will likely visit with a group of Rohingya refugees before returning to Rome on Saturday, local officials said.

Bangladesh  home to about 400,000 Catholics  has been preparing for the popes visit since August. It will be the first papal visit to Bangladesh since Pope John Paul II in 1986, and only the second in the countrys history.

All preparations have been finalized for this state visit. We are enthusiastically waiting to welcome His Holiness Pope Francis in Bangladesh, Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khastagir, the director in-charge of the Europe desk at the foreign ministry, told BenarNews.

This is a historic visit. This visit will brighten Bangladeshs image as a secular, peaceful, and tolerant country, Khastagir said.

The majority Sunni-Muslim nation has seen growing religious conservatism and a series of deadly attacks on secular writers, minorities and foreigners in recent years.

The nation was rocked by a terror attack on an upscale cafe in Dhaka in July 2016 that left 29 people dead, including five attackers who had claimed allegiance to the Islamic State.

Francis will be arriving in Bangladesh on the heels of a first-ever papal visit to Myanmar, the target of international criticism in recent weeks over a bloody crackdown on its persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 620,000 Rohingya refugees have fled into Bangladesh since August amid allegations of ethnic cleansing.

In Naypyidaw on Tuesday, Francis urged leaders of Buddhist-majority Myanmar to respect human rights in a veiled reference to the Rohingya, but refrained from using the term Rohingya in discussions with officials, including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar views the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and refers to them disparagingly as Bengalis.

The following day, in Yangon, the pontiff called on high-level Buddhist monks to overcome prejudice and hatred.

If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice, and hatred, the 80-year-old Argentinian pontiff, told members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka (Ma Ha Na), a Myanmar government-appointed body of high-ranking Buddhist monks that oversees and regulates the countrys estimated 600,000-strong Buddhist clergy.

Missing priest

In Dhaka, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said law enforcement officers had been deployed throughout the capital city region to ensure the popes safety.

His Holiness Pope is our revered state guest. We will give him maximum security, Khan told BenarNews. The people of Bangladesh are secular and hospitable. They believe in the peaceful coexistence of all faiths.

The visit comes just days after a Catholic priest went missing. Priest Walter William Rosario, headmaster of a Catholic school in northwestern Natore district, has not been seen or heard from since Monday afternoon.

The Father had been organizing the local Christians to attend the mass prayer of Pope Francis in Dhaka, Nirmal Rozario, president of Bangladesh Christian Association, told BenarNews. Last year, militants carried out an attack in the Christian village in Natore. So, we are very worried.

A grocer was hacked to death in that attack.

Natore district police superintendent Biplob Bijoy Talukder told BenarNews that security forces were searching for the priest.

We have yet to find him. The last time his mobile phone was active was at 4:25 p.m. Monday, he said. We do not know whether he was abducted or what happened to him.

Whirlwind schedule

After arriving at 3 p.m. Thursday (local time), Pope Francis is scheduled to go to the National Martyrs Memorial in Dhaka, which honors those who died during the 1971 War of Independence. He will then visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, the house where founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated on Aug. 15, 1975.

On Friday, Francis is expected to celebrate mass at 10 a.m. at the Suhrawardy Udyan national memorial and stadium in Dhaka, with about 80,000 people expected to attend.

The pope champions issues that are important to Bangladeshis, said Khastagir, the foreign ministry official.

Pope Francis is vocal against climate change. He promotes refugee rights, peace and tranquility. We also promote similar values. When he talks about the issues, it strengthens our position, he said.

In the afternoon, Francis will welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Vatican embassy in Dhaka, followed by a meeting with other religious leaders at Archbishop House, at Dhakas Catholic cathedral.

The pope is likely to meet a group of Rohingya refugees before or after the inter-religious and ecumenical meeting, Khastagir said.

On Saturday, Francis will visit the Mother Teresa House in Dhakas Tejgaon neighborhood and meet young people at Notre Dame College of Dhaka before flying back to the Vatican.

A dream come true

In late 2016, Francis acknowledged Bangladeshs tiny Catholic community by naming the countrys first cardinal. Patrick DRozario, 73, was elevated to the second highest position in the Catholic Church during a ceremony at the Vatican in November.

Catholics make up less than half of 1 percent of Bangladeshs population of 160 million people.

I cherished the dream of seeing the pope in person, but I never thought that my dream would come true, August Hazda, a Catholic, told BenarNews. But he is coming to see us. My dream is about to come true.

His sentiments were shared by others.

We never thought that he would visit a country with very few Christians, Patric dCosta told BenarNews.

Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister service of BenarNews, contributed to this report.
Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, a Malaysian cartoonist who uses the pen name Zunar, smiles while showing his controversial illustration that pokes fun at the scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Nov. 29, 2017.

Updated at 8:47 a.m. ET on 2017-11-30

Malaysian police questioned a satirical cartoonist Wednesday over a caricature mocking the alleged use of public funds to help the countrys scandal-scarred sovereign wealth fund settle its debts, and a court upheld a government ban preventing him from traveling abroad.

Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, a BenarNews contributing illustrator known by his pen name Zunar, said police had also seized his cell phone when authorities investigated him about his illustration related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.

Zunar said he was questioned for about an hour at Bukit Aman, headquarters of the Malaysian Police in Kuala Lumpur. His lawyer, Farhanna Roslan, accompanied him during questioning.

I refused to answer any questions raised by the investigating officer, Zunar told BenarNews. The investigation is a form of intimidation against me.

On the same day, he said, a Kuala Lumpur High Court also upheld a travel ban against him. Zunar, who has been barred from leaving Malaysia since 2016, sought a judicial review from the Kuala Lumpur High Court but it dismissed his petition, he said, adding that he would file an appeal.

Chicky banks

Zunar uploaded the cartoon on his Facebook page three months ago. It features five chickens drawn to look like broken piggy banks and labeled as government-linked companies and public funds.

He said the investigating officer explained he was being questioned under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act, which involves improper use of network facilities that create obscene, indecent, false, menacing and offensive characters with intent to annoy abuse, threaten or harass another person.

A person found guilty of violating that law could be fined 50,000 ringgit (about U.S. $12,200), punished by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.

Zunar said the investigator asked him how he had uploaded his illustration on Facebook and prodded him to describe the characters in the cartoon.

Zunar is known for skewering government officials, especially Prime Minister Najib Razak, in his drawings.

He filed a lawsuit in August this year against Malaysian government and police officials, claiming that his arrest and confiscation of books and T-shirts at a fundraising event in Kuala Lumpur last year were illegal.

Days before Zunars arrest at the Dec. 17 Tea with Zunar, the then Police Inspector-General Khalid Abu Bakar said the illustrator should refrain from drawing cartoons that insult people or inspire hatred toward the countrys leaders, according to the Sun Daily, a Malaysian newspaper.

Facing multiple charges

Zunar is also facing nine charges of sedition stemming from messages he posted on Twitter criticizing the countrys judiciary conviction of de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in a sodomy case in February 2015. If convicted on all charges, the cartoonist could be sentenced to up to 43 years in jail.

Malaysias Home Ministry banned 11 of Zunars books, including Sapuman: Man of Steal  a word play on Superman, Man of Steel  for allegedly breaching the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. The book satirizes Najibs alleged involvement with the 1MDB scandal.

The prime minister has denied the allegations against him. During a visit to Washington DC in September, he accused his political opponents of exaggerating the 1MDB problems and even of sabotaging it as part of a failed attempt to topple his government.

Najib, who founded 1MDB, has been implicated because nearly $700 million of money linked to 1MDB was deposited into his private banks accounts in 2013. He has denied any criminal wrong doing, saying this money was donated by the Saudi royal family and not used for his personal gain.

In April, a court awarded Zunar 18,000 ringgit (U.S. $4,060) in damages for his lawsuit against the government over its seizure of 66 copies of his books and artwork in September 2010.

But on Wednesday, Judge Azizah Nawawi ruled that the judicial review filed by Zunar seeking to overturn his travel ban had no merit.

The issue posed did not arise from the substantive application and the application was without merit, the judge said. Zunar was ordered to pay court costs of 5,000 (U.S. $1,200).

Zunar reacted to the decision with humor.

Im the only cartoonist in the world being banned from leaving the country, he said.

An earlier version incorrectly spelled the last name of Zunars attorney. This update also corrects the title of former Police Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar.
Philippine security forces killed 15 communist rebels in shootouts near the capital Manila just days after President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he was preparing to designate the guerrillas as terrorists, officials said Wednesday.



The gunbattles broke out Tuesday night when a New Peoples Army (NPA) guerrilla unit fired on a combined police-military force on the outskirts of Nasugbu town, just south of Manila, according to Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, commander of the local infantry brigade.



Burgos said a guerrilla leader was believed to be among those slain, while two other NPA fighters were wounded. An army officer, Maj. Engelberto Nioda, was wounded in the firefight, but was later declared out of danger at the local hospital, Burgos said.



He said the rebel deaths had resulted from a leadership vacuum that could further weaken the guerrilla force, days after the government formally withdrew from peace negotiations with the communists.



Since 1969, the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been waging one of Asias longest-running insurgencies. Thousands of combatants and civilians have died in the fighting, which has also stunted growth prospects especially in the countryside.



Duterte last week said the government was now drafting an executive order to declare the CPP-NPA a terrorist group. Military estimates placed the NPA strength at about 5,000 guerrillas scattered in more than 60 fronts nationwide.



I cut talks with the NPA, Duterte said, adding that the executive order would declare them as terrorists and they would be accorded the treatment of being criminals.



The United States had long placed the CPP-NPA, and its self-exiled founder, Jose Maria Sison, on its terror watch list, making it difficult for the group to receive financial contributions.



Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the armys 2nd Infantry Division, said the rebel unit that suffered casualties had been on the run from troops since September, and its members were wanted for a series of attacks in the region. He said the operations were in line with Dutertes order declaring the NPA as terrorists.



Your soldiers are more committed than ever to push harder and finally put an end to this insurgency in order to protect the Filipino people from fear and atrocities, he said.



Ending peace talks



One of Dutertes first moves when he assumed the presidency last year was to launch peace talks with the CPP, whose leader, Sison, was the presidents university professor. The aim was for his government to sign a peace deal with the communists by the time he ends his six-year term in 2022.



But the truce has been short-lived, with the guerrillas demanding more and more concessions, including the freedom of jailed comrades. The negotiations bogged down in February this year, when both sides accused each other of violating a truce agreement.



Last week, an angry Duterte finally called off peace talks with the rebels, and threatened to include them on a terrorist watch list.



The U.S. State Department has designated the CPP-NPA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2002, but Manila has not officially used the designation, preferring instead to talk peace.



Dutertes decision to end the peace talks came after a rebel attack that had killed two civilians, including an infant girl, on Mindanao island in the south. Three officers and six civilians were also wounded in that clash.



On Tuesday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that Dutertes directive meant that the rebel leaders would lose their immunity from arrests, which the government had offered to facilitate the negotiations.



We have to shut the doors for now to any ongoing peace talks. I am not in a position to say that the door will forever be shut, Roque said.



As long as the CPP-NPA does not show sincerity, talks will be remain suspended, Roque said, adding that rebel leaders should now surrender or face punitive actions.



Earlier this week, Duterte also warned mining firms and other companies in the countryside against giving illegal revolutionary taxes to the rebels, or face government-sanctioned shut down.



Reacting to Dutertes threat, the communists vowed to respond by launching widespread and more frequent tactical offensives against the armed forces and police.



Duterte only wants to make certain that all his detractors and dissenters are effectively silenced and suppressed and are unable to stop the perpetuation of his dictatorial rule in the country, the rebels said in a statement.



Felipe Villamor in Manila contributed to this report.
The Bible has been under attack in the western world for over 200 years but never more intensely than today. These attacks have taken different forms and have come from many different corners of the academic world, from philosophers, to scientists, to textual critics. In the specialized world of archaeology the attacks have increased dramatically in the past 50 years. Once a specialization filled with Bible believing individuals, the field of archaeology is now overrun with atheists and skeptics, agnostics and those committed to the destruction of the Bible as a source of true historical information.

These attacks on the Bible are a part of a sweeping movement in western culture. Spearheaded by academic elitists in the university and the public educational system, the news and popular media, and the entertainment industry, these revisionists cloak themselves with supposed objectivity, purity of motives, and the superiority of science over the "uninformed", "unscientific", religious community.

They regularly mock those who question their world-view and their conclusions by name-calling and the worst forms of anti-Bible and anti-Christian propaganda. They have powerfully infected the church by turning Bible believing Christians against the very Scripture which is the foundation of truth and life in this world. Instead of contending for the Bible, Christian academics, pastors, and lay-persons are making egregious accommodations to these destroyers of faith and truth.

In these days of intense spiritual battle, God has called ABR to step into the gap to contend for the truth and to assist the church in this critical hour. ABR is a non-profit ministry dedicated to demonstrating the historical reliability of the Bible and to give answers to questions being asked by believers and non-believers alike. We do this by using original archaeological fieldwork and research along with studies in other apologetic disciplines. We take on the bold claims of skeptics and critics. We challenge the bizarre anti-biblical propaganda that is purveyed upon the public as gospel through television and print media. We uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is God's message for the salvation of all mankind!
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For Immediate Release, November 28, 2017 Contact: Randi Spivak, (310) 779-4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org House Set to Approve Bill Greenlighting Sulfide Mine That Threatens Minnesota's Boundary Waters WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives will consider legislation Wednesday to allow sulfide-ore mining at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesotas Superior National Forest, one of the most unspoiled networks of wild lakes and rivers in the United States.



H.R. 3905, sponsored by Rep. Tom Emmer (R- Minn.), would pave the way for Twin Metals Minnesota, owned by a Chilean company, to mine 5,000 acres along rivers and lakes that flow into the wilderness area. It would void a 2016 Forest Service decision that rejected the proposed mineral leases because of pollution risks and recommended a 20-year ban on mineral withdrawals in the watershed. The bill also undermines numerous laws, including the Antiquities Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.



Sulfide mining would leave a legacy of irreversible pollution and destruction in one the countrys most visited wilderness areas, said Randi Spivak, public lands program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Republicans are desperate to ram through this special interest land-grab to benefit an international mining company. Theyre even willing to run roughshod over the U.S. Forest Service. Sulfide-ore mining is one of the most toxic industries in America, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Forest Service refused the leases because of concerns about polluting this unspoiled watershed. Emmers bill would establish an artificial 30-day limit on any further environmental assessments, effectively forcing the federal government to rubberstamp approval of the Twin Metals mine. Emmers bill also weakens environmental protections for Minnesotas public lands by requiring congressional approval before the Forest Service could protect national forest lands from mining. Under current law, the Forest Service has the authority to protect lands from mining for up to 20 years to allow consideration of more permanent protections. The bill also would amend the 1906 Antiquities Act to strip presidential authority to create national monuments in Minnesota, setting a dangerous precedent. This irresponsible bill continues the Republicans relentless attacks on our national monuments by stripping power from the president to protect our public lands, said Spivak. The spectacular forests, lakes, rivers and streams deserve protection for this and future generations. In the first 10 months of the 115th Congress, Republicans have introduced more than 80 bills that attack public lands, weaken environmental safeguards on those lands or turn over control to states and local governments. These attacks come despite the fact that the vast majority of voters across political parties support protecting and maintaining forests, national parks, monuments and other public lands and waters.
For Immediate Release, November 29, 2017 Contact: Jenny Loda, (510) 844-7100 x 336, jloda@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Seeks EPA Records on Pruitt's Damaging Settlement Directive New Directive Gives EPA Administrator Sweeping Power to Cut Industry Deals WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Environmental Protection Agency today for refusing to release public records regarding Administrator Scott Pruitts directive that limits the agencys ability to settle lawsuits  even when delays in resolving a case result in significant environmental harm. Under this new directive, Scott Pruitt wrote: I reserve the right to exercise my discretion and permit EPA to deviate from the procedures set forth in this directive. The Centers lawsuit seeks to clarify this statement and bring to light the full implications of Pruitts mandate. The EPA and Scott Pruitt continue to operate in the shadows while cozying up to industry, said Jenny Loda, an attorney with the Center. Ironically, Pruitt claims his directive is meant to increase transparency and public participation, but the publics left in the dark wondering if EPA will actually hold polluters accountable. Pruitt boasted at a conference in May that he had sent out a directive across the EPA to curtail consent decrees such as those that include court-enforced deadlines for rulemaking. The Center filed a Freedom of Information Act request to learn about the directive at that time, but on July 3 the agency claimed it had no relevant records. The Center appealed this decision, and the EPA failed to provide a response to the appeal by the mandated deadline. The agency has been silent on the Centers document requests for more than four months. Last month Pruitt announced a new directive that appears similar to the one he described five months earlier. The directive includes limits on the ability of the EPA to enter settlements and requires the agency to notify industry representatives when a lawsuit might impact them. It also requires EPA to include industry in the development of any settlement. Pruitt reserved for himself the right to make whatever exceptions hed like to this directive without any commitment to public transparency on these decisions.



Sweetheart deals with industry will be an ugly hallmark of the Trump administration, said Loda. Pruitts new directive leaves him the broad discretion of a dictator to choose when to cut deals with polluters. The public has a right to learn more about this. Background

In 2015 the Government Accountability Office released a report examining settlements with the EPA. The GAO report concluded that lawsuits and settlements only have a limited effect on EPA regulations because settlements rarely, if ever, included terms that finalized the substantive outcome of the rule. Instead settlements only set dates  most of which are already required under existing laws  for the EPA to make a decision. The decision itself follows all public comment and participation requirements and remains within the EPAs discretion. Despite this clear fact, the Pruitt settlement directive still decries collusion with outside groups as the rationale for instituting this new directive. Read about the Center for Biological Diversity's numerous other lawsuits against the Trump administration.
For Immediate Release, November 29, 2017 Contact: Stephanie Kurose, (203) 524-0562, skurose@biologicaldiversity.org Climate-denying, Anti-wildlife Zealot One Step Closer to Top Environmental Job in Trump White House WASHINGTON In voting for the top environmental job in President Trumps White House, Republican committee members today approved a Texas climate-denier who has opposed endangered species protections and said theres a moral case for expanding fossil fuel development. The vote, along party lines in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, approved Trumps nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White as the chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Senate Republicans just rubber-stamped a Trump appointee who wouldnt think twice about letting our nations most imperiled wildlife go extinct if it meant more money for polluters and special interests, said Stephanie Kurose, endangered species policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. Whites extreme views and disturbing record should disqualify her from leading an agency whose conservation mission she fundamentally rejects. The head of the Council is a powerful White House position because it oversees environmental policy across all federal agencies. Whites nomination now goes to the full Senate for confirmation. In her most recent position at the Texas Public Policy Foundation  a conservative think tank that has received huge donations from fossil fuel interests that include Koch Industries, ExxonMobil and Chevron  White has worked to undermine the Endangered Species Act and has opposed protections for species like Texas iconic golden-cheeked warblers. She has also argued there is a moral case for expanding fossil fuel development regardless of carbon dioxide emissions and claimed that there is a connection between the abolition of slavery and humanitys first widespread use of energy from fossil fuels. Giving White this job in the Trump administration would make her one of the most dangerous people in Washington, said Kurose. If she gets this job, shell have a profoundly destructive effect on our climate, wildlife, and even the air we breathe and the water we drink. Nearly 50 organizations have sent a letter to the committee opposing Whites nomination. The letter expressed support for the Endangered Species Act, which has saved more than 99 percent of species under its protection from extinction and put hundreds of species on the path to recovery.
For Immediate Release, November 29, 2017 Contact: Michael Robinson, (575) 313-7017, michaelr@biologicaldiversity.org

Bryan Bird, (505) 395-7332, bbird@defenders.org

Hailey Hawkins, (662) 251-5804, hhawkins@endangered.org

Greta Anderson (520) 623-1878, greta@westernwatersheds.org

Emily Renn, (928) 202-1325, emily@gcwolfrecovery.org

Christopher Smith, (505) 395-6177, csmith@wildearthguardians.org

Sandy Bahr, (602) 999-5790, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org

Maggie Howell, (914) 763-2373, maggie@nywolf.org

Kim Crumbo, (928) 606-5850, crumbo@wildlandsnetwork.org

Dave Parsons, (505) 908-0468, ellobodave@comcast.net Trump Administration Finalizes Deeply Flawed Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan Plan Ignores Science, Sharply Limits Recovery SILVER CITY, N.M. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a deeply flawed recovery plan for the Mexican gray wolf today that will prevent the species from thriving in its historic homelands. Responding to objections from state officials, the plan limits recovery efforts to south of Interstate 40, cutting wolves off from key habitat in and around Grand Canyon National Park and the southern Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. The plan also sets population targets of just 320 wolves in the United States and 200 in Mexico to remove protections  well below what federal scientists have determined are needed for Mexican gray wolves to be considered stable. And the isolation of the two populations would fail to address inbreeding that reduces the wolves viability. This isnt a recovery plan, its a blueprint for disaster for Mexican gray wolves, said Michael Robinson, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. By limiting their habitat and stripping protections too soon, this plan ignores the science and ensures Mexican wolves never reach sufficient numbers to be secure. In 2011 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appointed scientists to a recovery team that drafted a recovery plan. That plan called for three interconnected populations with a total of 750 animals. It identified the Grand Canyon and northern New Mexico as the best places for establishing two more populations. Largely because officials from Utah and Colorado did not want wolves close to their borders, the Fish and Wildlife Service never finalized the plan and has let the recovery team languish. The Services plan released today was written with little to no input from scientists on the recovery team. Once again, politics trump science, said Bryan Bird, Defenders of Wildlifes Southwest program director. The final recovery plan fails the Mexican gray wolf with inbreeding, dangerously low populations, insufficient range and intense trapping and shooting. Mexican gray wolves are not receiving the science-based plan they desperately needed to survive. Americans want a strong, science-based recovery plan, said Hailey Hawkins of the Endangered Species Coalition. Of the 100,000 comments submitted to US Fish and Wildlife Service on the Draft Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan, more than 99 percent of them were in support of wolf recovery. This recovery plan should address the concerns of the public  dangerously low recovery numbers, habitat fragmentation, poaching, declining genetic diversity and a potentially disastrous border wall  not ignore them." The plan also precludes recovery of wolves in regions that independent scientists and the Fish and Wildlife Services own Mexican Wolf Recovery Teams scientific subgroup say are essential to the wolves long-term survival, said Kim Crumbo, western conservation director for Wildlands Network. Recovery zones in the Grand Canyon and southern Rocky Mountains in northern Arizona and New Mexico, along with southern Utah and Colorado, are essential for lobo survival. Beyond shortchanging the wolves, the plan's limited geographic scope also prevents people throughout much of the region from enjoying the esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational and scientific benefits that would accompany meaningful recovery, said Emily Renn of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. These are the values that the Endangered Species Act is intended to protect. Western public lands need the balance that wolves can bring, said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project. We know what wolves need to survive and thrive, but this plan falls far short of ensuring that outcome. The plan reads like something that wolves most virulent opponents would have written in their wildest dreams, said Christopher Smith, Southern Rockies wildlife advocate for WildEarth Guardians. Clearly, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is catering to a very narrow set of interests that want to see this amazing species banished from their native Southwestern home. "The Service is granting the very state agencies that have gone to extraordinary lengths to obstruct recovery, too much authority over the time, location, and circumstances of wolf releases by requiring that releases comply with state permits, said Maggie Howell of the Wolf Conservation Center. Too many opportunities, and quite frankly genetically irreplaceable wolves, have already been wasted under the states mismanagement  critically endangered lobos deserve better. It is disappointing that the agency charged with recovery of these critically endangered animals  the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  has abandoned science and its mission to appease the narrow interests of the state game agencies, said Sandy Bahr, chapter director of Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. We must expect, we must demand better for wolves and all of our wildlife. The northern boundary to the Mexican wolf recovery area, arbitrarily held at I-40 in this plan, literally cements in place yet another politically driven obstacle to our lobos survival in the Southwest, which depends on their ability to move freely for genetic health and climate resilience, said Kelly Burke, executive director of Grand Canyon Wildlands. The Fish and Wildlife Service published over 250 pages of supporting scientific justification, used a sophisticated model to predict extinction probabilities, then tossed the science aside and asked the states how many wolves they would tolerate with no scientific justification whatsoever, said David Parsons, former Mexican wolf recovery coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service. Using the states arbitrary upper limit as a population cap in the population viability model and forcing additional recovery needs to Mexico, the plan will guarantee that from now to eternity no more than a running average of 325 Mexican wolves will ever be allowed to exist in the entire U.S. Southwest. This plan is a disgraceful sham. Background

At last count 113 Mexican gray wolves live in Arizona and New Mexico and approximately 30 to 35 wolves live in Mexico. A new census of the wolves in the southwestern United States will begin next month. The wolves U.S. population is genetically impoverished, with wolves as related to each other, on average, as are siblings in a normal population. That's due to the small founding population of just seven wolves that were captured and bred in captivity after passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973 and mismanagement after reintroduction on behalf of the livestock industry. That included government trapping and shooting of genetically rare wolves and infrequent releases of less closely-related wolves from captivity into the wild. The new recovery plan uses faulty information and otherwise misconstrues data to suggest that just 320 wolves in an isolated population could represent a genetic rebound and official recovery from this dangerous and deteriorating situation.
Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Tiger Brands was looking for acquisitions outside SA and would place more emphasis on due diligence than in the past, management said on Monday.

CEO Lawrence MacDougall said the consumer goods group had a "clearer" acquisition strategy that focused on core product categories. Tiger had also "upweighted" due diligence considerations and would closely assess all aspects of target firms, including routes to market.

In 2012, former CEO Peter Matlare led the acquisition of a 65.7% stake in Nigeria's Dangote Industries for R1.6bn, though successive losses prompted Tiger to sell the business back to tycoon Aliko Dangote for $1 in late 2015.

Tiger's chief financial officer, Noel Doyle, said the group was pursuing bolt-on deals - "which we've generally executed quite well" - and larger opportunities at the right price.

"It's just so tough to find value " seller expectations are still very high," Doyle said. Tiger's strong balance sheet meant it had "significant capacity" for takeovers, he said. It could "comfortably" take on another R7.5bn to R8bn of debt.

"We're starting to build a pipeline and we might have something to talk about at the half-year mark next year, but there's no imminent transaction," he said.

Tiger saw East Africa as an attractive market, Doyle said. It said it was selling its stationery and laundry-detergent operations in the region as they were noncore.

The group also planned to manufacture some of its South African "power brands" in other African states, partly in response to trade tariffs and a lack of foreign exchange liquidity in certain markets.

Doyle said that while Tiger was still deciding which brands to manufacture abroad, it wanted to build its presence in East Africa and Nigeria.

"Notwithstanding the political challenges in the short term [in East Africa], we still see that as an attractive region ... for baby, homecare, some of our personal care brands, and potentially some of our breakfast brands."

Investec analyst Anthony Geard said, "I'm sure there is scope to do more with South African brand icons in the rest of Africa, but caution seems to be the watchword for now and I can't disagree with that."

He did not expect "much anxiety about Tiger's acquisition strategy - I think the company has learnt from its mistakes and is terrified of repeating them", Geard said.

"Plus, the company now seems to be in good hands: new CEO MacDougall comes across very well and has been very clear that any acquisition will be executed within strict parameters," he said.

Michael Treherne, portfolio manager at Vestact, said while expanding into the rest of Africa was a good long-term strategy, "I would, however, like to see them move slowly" and do smaller deals.

Source: Business Day
Top South African design leaders were honoured on Saturday, 25 November at the fifth annual Design Foundation Awards, at a ceremony held in Cape Town.

Gregor Jenkin, winner of the Icon Award and winemaker, Rudiger Gretschel. Image credit: Kerry Red.

The 2017 awards signal a fresh approach by the Design Foundation, formerly known as the Southern Guild Design Foundation. Says board member Trevyn McGowan, With our independent think-tank board representing diverse industries, our aim is to have a foundation that supports the design industry at large  from grassroots and educational levels to manufacture, retail and export. Our partners are seeing the value in supporting local design and growing this multi-layered industry together, as we move it away from its association with a collectible design gallery to be run as an autonomous non-profit foundation.

Abigail Rands, marketing director of Krone, sponsor of the prestigious Icon Award, won by Gregor Jenkin, says: Design is at the heart of the way we live and work. We believe it has the ability to change South Africa, and by supporting local design were investing in a positive future.

This win marks the second Icon Award for Jenkin, who was the inaugural recipient in 2012. As this years 100% Design South Africa Feature Designer, and with a solo show currently running at Southern Guild, featuring over 20 monumental pieces, 2017 has seen this South African stalwart create bodies of work that have garnered praise worthy of icon status yet again.

M&C Saatchi Abel, known for its extensive collection of South African art, has ventured into the design industry too, sponsoring the Maker to Market Award, won by Robin Sprong. We believe in creating beautifully simple solutions for an increasingly complex world, explains creative director Ashraf Majiet. We call this brutal simplicity of thought and nowhere is that more evident than in great design. Sprong won the award for the professionalism of his global marketing, consumer interaction and world-class service.

Other winners

Other winners include Thabisa Mjo, founder of Mash T Design, who won the Future Found Award, having already achieved excellence with limited resources in her lighting and furniture design company. She will receive a year of free legal consultations from intellectual property lawyers Von Seidels. University of Johannesburg 3rd year Industrial Design student, Keitumetse Maake received the Apprentice Award, affording her a 12-month internship with acclaimed furniture designer and maker David Krynauw, himself a past Design Foundation Award winner. The Manufacture Award, sponsored by Bronze Age Studio, was won by Ngwenya Glass, for going beyond expectation to aid designers in realising their products, while the Object That Moves Award, for an original product that has experienced great commercial success, went to Adam Hoets of Willowlamp, who will receive free exhibition space from sponsors 100% Design South Africa in 2018. Sponsored by AfriSign, The Design with Purpose Award, recognising socially responsible work with a focus on design, went to SolarTurtle, a social business that deploys ultra-secure energy kiosks at rural schools to provide basic electrification needs.

The awards were judged by a Design Foundation board sub-committee, after nominations were received from past winners and an external jury of industry insiders that included Cathy OClery of Platform Creative Agency, curator and interior designer Tracy Lynch, Tiaan Nagel of House and Leisure, Sumien Brink and Annemarie Meinjies of Visi, and Leigh Robertson and Ntombenhle Shezi of Elle Decoration, as well as nominations from tertiary institutions for the Apprentice Award.

With this new wave of support for the industry, and businesses vying to become involved in more meaningful ways with the Design Foundation in 2018, this years awards are an indication that local design companies have much to celebrate.

Design Foundation Award winners 2017

Icon Award

Winner: Gregor Jenkin

Sponsor: Krone

Awarded in recognition of work produced in the last 12 months, acknowledging outstanding achievement, innovation and career advancement.

Object That Moves Award

Winner: Willowlamp

Sponsor: 100% Design South Africa

Celebrates an original product that has experienced great commercial success  aspirational and top-end, yet commercially viable to sell in multiples.

Maker to Market Award

Winner: Robin Sprong Wallpaper

Sponsor: M&C Saatchi Abel

Awarding a design company that understands the value of marketing, consumer interaction, packaging/service and delivery.

Manufacture Award

Winner: Ngwenya Glass (Chas and Cathy Prettejohn)

Sponsor: Bronze Age Studio

Recognising a manufacturer who has gone beyond expectation to aid designers in realising their products.

Future Found Award

Winner: Thabisa Mjo (Mash.T Design Studio)

Sponsor: Von Seidels

Celebrating a young designer who has already achieved excellence with limited resources.

Apprentice Award

Winner: Keitumetse Maake (University of Johannesburg)

Sponsor: David Krynauw

Awarding the winner a 12-month internship to work alongside this designer, craftsman and manufacturer.

Design With Purpose Award

Winner: SolarTurtle (James van der Walt, Lungelwa Tyali and Charlene Barnes)

Sponsor: AfriSign

Recognising socially responsible work done by a company, within the South African landscape, with a focus on design aspects, that makes a difference in the lives of communities.

Click here to view images of the event.
As part of the fourth phase of the public private initiative (PPI) between Mediclinic, Groote Schuur Hospital and the Western Cape Department of Health, a series of cataract operations were carried out at Mediclinic Durbanville Day Clinic.

Patient, Nazley Gardien with PN Marilise van Schalkwyk before her cataract surgery at Mediclinic Durbanville Day Clinic.

The collaboration is aimed at alleviating the various surgical waiting lists at public facilities in the province, ultimately assisting over 100 patients who are currently awaiting surgery. Two ophthalmologists associated with Mediclinic, Dr Burnet Meyer and Dr Willem Gerber, performed five cataract procedures at the day clinic.

By making additional capacity available to the public sector, Mediclinic is able to contribute towards improving the lives of these patients while promoting shared expertise between the private and public healthcare sectors. To date the PPI procedures have been carried out at four Mediclinic hospitals in the Western Cape, either by doctors associated with Mediclinic or from the public sector.

Partnership

The partnership will soon be extended working with the Free State Department of Health. It is imperative for all healthcare players to engage with each other, private and public alike. We understand that current challenges, such as healthcare professional shortages, impact on both the public and private sectors ability to deliver care. Through our involvement in PPIs, we now have the opportunity to add value beyond our traditional patient base, says Koert Pretorius, CEO of Mediclinic Southern Africa.

Through this partnership we have been able to touch many lives while rising to meet the many healthcare challenges in South Africa. By taking hands and working together across our country, we will be able to better accommodate the significant healthcare needs of all our people, says Dr Bhavna Patel, CEO of Groote Schuur Hospital.

In addition, another role player in the healthcare environment, Eye Pharma, has sponsored the lenses for these 10 cataract procedures.
Malaria prevalence has increased across the African continent, with 194-million cases reported in 2016, up from 191-million in 2015. Malaria mortality rates decreased by 2,000 during the same period. Four countries in Africa recorded a 250,000 case increase in 2016, compared to 2015: Rwanda, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger. Meanwhile, a total of eight countries in Africa recorded a greater than 20% increase in cases in 2016 compared to 2015.

Photo: New Vision

The World Malaria Report 2017, a global assessment of progress in the fight against malaria, shows that while malaria incidence and mortality rates remain far lower than 2010 levels, progress is beginning to stall.

This years report warns that we could lose the tremendous gains made in reducing malaria sickness and death in Africa unless we do more to save lives from this preventable and treatable disease.

We cannot forget the cost of this disease on our people and our economies. Last year on our continent, malaria killed 407,000 people and robbed us of $12bn in lost productivity, investment and associated health care costs. For every $1 we invest in malaria control and elimination we yield a $36 return for our economies.

Getting back on track to reach our goal of a malaria-free Africa by 2030 will require our leaders to prioritise funding, scale up access to life-saving malaria interventions and new tools and strengthen health systems. In addition, the international community must sustain their commitments to these efforts, said Joy Phumaphi, executive secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

Bright spots

Meanwhile, there are some bright spots. Madagascar, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and The Gambia registered reductions in the number of malaria cases last year. Madagascar reported the most significant decline among these countries, with 856,000 fewer cases of malaria in 2016.

As African leaders, we must use the release of the World Malaria Report 2017 to energise our collective effort in the fight against one of our continents most devastating diseases. This years report is a reminder of what will happen if our commitments wane.

The progress made by Madagascar, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and The Gambia is commendable and shows us that we can do more to save our families, communities and countries from this disease. We can learn from their achievements to replicate their success across the continent, said King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland and chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

In addition, African countries are making strides in collecting data on malaria cases and deaths. In 2016, 37 of 46 countries in the World Health Organisation African Region indicated that at least 80% of public health facilities had reported data on malaria through their national health information system.
The South African wine market is saturated with thousands of brands, so launching a new wine might be risky - but for Orange River Cellars, where there is a will, there is a way. Its new wine brand, Delush, hit the shelves early 2017 and is outperforming the initial forecasts that Orange River Cellars had set.

"Being a large winery harvesting some 120,000 tonnes of grapes, we have always been on the look-out for ways to add value to our wine, says Koos Visser, marketing manager for Orange River Cellars. Bulk-selling to other brands is one option, and while our Orange River range is settled in the conventional market we were set on creating a wine for the new generation of fashionable urban black wine drinkers. This is where the growth in the local industry is happening and to ignore it is a great mistake.

Market research non-negotiable when investing in a new brand

Once the project had been approved, the old adage of failing to plan is planning to fail came into play.

Market research is non-negotiable when investing in a new brand as you cant determine the true identity of your consumer if you have not seen them, heard them speak and listened to what they have to say. So there were weeks of research on the name, packaging and  most important  the taste of the wines, he says. For these consumers, it is about taste, value and the look of the brand. Conventional wine references to terroir, regionality and natural elements are not heard when talking to this audience. It is about the brand.

Winning in the market-place

And together with a national team of determined and hungry sales-persons committed to seeing Delush win in the market-place, the next most important hurdle was targeted: distribution.

We call it liquor to lips, says Visser. You can have the biggest launch event with the loudest music and the most visible promotions and advertising campaign, but if the product is not on the shelf, it is a dead-duck."

Since the launch early this year, Delush has created a sales-team and a logistic war-room to ensure the brand is visible, on-shelf and available for tasting. Wine is a peoples product, and it is people who take that final step in convincing others to try or buy a product. Here we ensure our team are totally dedicated to Delush and have set-up internal Whatsapp groups where the infectious enthusiasm with which we sell the brand is proudly shown, talked-about and monitored.

The face of the brand

On the communication and marketing side, Delush were equally focussed largely relying on social media as well as a radio campaign seeking young fashionable and inspiring young ladies who form the picture of the ideal Delush consumer.

The Delush Diva Campaign rolled out with Gauteng radio giant YFM attracted thousands of entries into this competition, he says. And the winner, Siwelile Thusi, has become the Face of Delush in her own right, attracting media articles and fantastic social media support. We now have a face to the brand, which has taken it to a whole new level.

Siwelile Thusi, the first Delush Diva. (Image Supplied)

With Delush now well past the one million litre mark, and the market now really beginning to take notice of this new kid on the block, Orange River Cellars will agree this has been a plunge worth taking.
Woolworths chairman Simon Susman told shareholders at Tuesday's annual general meeting that the board was confident of the group's Australian strategy. "We believe in the strategy and we believe in Ian [Moir, the CEO] and his team, but we are in the eye of the storm," said Susman.

Moir said the board "thoroughly believes" in the overall strategy but acknowledged the execution of that strategy "has let us down in some areas".

Despite the disappointing financial 2017 results and the almost halving of the share price over the past two years, only one institutional shareholder attended the meeting and quizzed the board on the group's performance. Asief Mohamed of Aeon Investment Management also wanted to know why Moir, who had driven the multi-billion dollar acquisition of the Australian retail group David Jones, had been paid a R15m retention bonus, while other senior executives had received only modest incentive awards.

Tom Boardman, chairman of Woolworths' remuneration committee, said the retention payment was in line with the group's remuneration policy and was "fair and appropriate" in terms of benchmarking exercises done by the committee.

Boardman said because Moir's responsibilities were split between SA and Australia, the benchmarking exercise had to make provision for Australian levels of remuneration. As Moir's family remained in Australia, his cost base was more weighted towards Australia than SA and this had to be taken into consideration, said Boardman.

In response to Mohamed's question about the pay gap between the highest paid executives and shop floor employees, Boardman said inequality was a fundamental issue about which the board was passionate. The committee was tracking the gap between employees and it would soon be obliged to disclose it, he said.

Moir told the meeting management was doing everything it could to secure a recovery in the share price. The drop in the share price was partly due to the market and to management.

"The retail environment is changing dramatically, it is much more difficult to compete," said Moir. His team was building a business that would be able to compete sustainably in the future. "It takes a long time to get there," Moir said.

Despite the disappointing results and slump in the share price shareholders voted overwhelmingly in support of all but two of the resolutions put to the meeting. The reappointment of EY, which had been group auditor for 85 years, was opposed by 19% of shareholders.

The Government Employees Pension Fund is the group's single largest shareholder with a 14.4% stake and has a policy of voting against reappointing auditors when they have served for long periods.

The resolution approving the issuing of shares and granting financial assistance for share-based incentive schemes was also opposed by 19% of shareholders.

Source: Business Day
The banking industry is in the midst of a wave of disruption. Something that is likely to change anytime soon, and institutions that are not ready for digital disruption will struggle in the years to come.

Kele Boakgomo

One of the driving forces behind this disruption is application programming interfaces (APIs). Although some financial institutions such as Citi are using their APIs to open-up their data, processes and other business functionality to an ecosystem of customers, employees, third-party developers and vendors, many however are still entrenched in their traditional operating models. Non-banking players such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Alibaba (GAFAA)  to mention a few  are unleashing the power of technology by developing platform-based business models which represent over $2.6trn in market capitalisation worldwide.

According to the 2016 Accenture Technology Vision for Banking, 84% of bank executives believe platforms will be the glue that brings organisations together in the digital economy. By 2018, sharing proprietary data with third parties will not be an option for banks.

In South Africa, financial services institutions are embracing digital and creating APIs for external collaboration. However, this approach is very slow and measured.

GAFAA and FinTech companies are offering consumers seamless digital experiences by integrating multiple ecosystems. Banks are not immune to new experiences that are blurring the lines between different industry sectors and meeting flexible, changing consumer expectations. Consumers are rejecting banks traditional, rigid command-and-control structures.

Embracing digital disruption and becoming an open bank

Being an open bank means operating like a platform company, with a business model that connects people and processes with assets and a technology infrastructure to manage internal and external users interactions. A successful open bank needs to:

Collaborate

holistically from the outset and encourage a cultural shift so that everyone in the C-suite is involved in the conversation about open banking and understands how it can help to achieve the banks objectives. Highlight the gains in revenue growth

, cost reduction and talent management. Revenue growth can result from generating value from the outside-in using APIs to offer services, such as data brokerage and authentication services. Cost reduction can be achieved as open banking helps to reduce time to market and application delivery costs, easing integration with traditional technology providers, such as payments processors, credit bureaus, FinTech companies, data providers, or core banking vendors. Help the process of talent management , leveraging skills in mobile content design and mobile app development to give banks an innovative, tech-savvy and customer-focused image that, in turn, attracts the best talent.

Seeking out differentiation

Banks must spell out the business goals that will drive API creation, consumption or both as they seek out how to offer differentiated services to their customers. To do so, banks need to design engaging API experiences that appeal to developers through user-friendly developer sites, enhanced self-service capabilities, good API documentation and sandboxes for testing and monetising APIs. They also need new operating models for new value delivery.

New operating models are needed to take into account organisational structures that blend together product development and IT operations to enable open banking. An effective IT architecture should include a developer portal to manage the relationship between the bank and its API users, a business administration portal, and an API getaway for reducing API-related risk  enforcing identity and access management and security.

Mind-set and culture are vital to driving customer benefits from open banking. Strong C-suite support backed by a sound mix of different layers of knowledge and expertise will be critical. Finally, to manage partner ecosystems effectively banks needs fast decisions based on a large amount of data from API users. Artificial intelligence tools can help to reshape and adapt the process as it executes in runtime.

Digital disruption is the driver that enables banks to keep pace with customer demands. By adopting the right digital business model, banks can take advantage of open banking to unleash new business value.
Kershen Pillay does not believe in luck. "I believe in working hard consistently and always staying focused on sharpening my skill. As an entrepreneur you have to be open to listening, learning and constantly developing yourself." And it's this strong work ethic and tenacity that saw the young Durban entrepreneur become CEO of Masifunde Foundation at the tender age of 27, and nominated in the Top Performing Entrepreneur category of 2017 National Business Awards.

Kershen Pillay, CEO of Masifunde Foundation

This Entrepreneur Month, we chatted with Pillay about his journey so far, what drives him and where he sees his future taking him.

Tell us a bit about yourself and Masifunde Training Centre...

In 2014, at the age of 27, I stepped into my role as CEO of Masifunde Training Centre, an accredited training provider offering qualifications in the Financial Services Sector. This company was started in 2005, and had only four employees and 400 learners on its database at the time. Within 24 months, the organisation swelled from four employees and 400 students to nearly 30 members of staff and 2,000 students.

The company has certainly grown since then. Today it is recognised as a leading player on Africas skills and training stage, receiving the recognition as a Finalist for the Fast Growth Category at the National Business Awards 2017.

We believe that the financial services industry and its stakeholders have a responsibility towards the betterment of this country. We have therefore created various programs and opportunities for young South Africans to gain access to the financial services industry. Our priority is to provide financial education to individuals who cannot access education at the metropoles/ urban areas. This will in turn reduce unemployment and bridge the skills gap in South Africa.

What are some of the challenges you've faced getting started and how did you overcome them?

In the beginning of my journey as a CEO, individuals did not take me seriously in my role, due to my age and the fact that I did not fit into the mould of a CEO. However, through my competency and perseverance, I was able to win over their confidence and prove that competence and ability are not defined by age.

What are the best and worst things about being an entrepreneur?

The best thing is the growth and development that you experience on a daily basis.

The worst thing is the fear of failure that you experience before the start of a new project/venture. I have learnt, over the years, to use this fear to motivate me.

What's the most valuable lesson you've learned so far?

Success is a continuous journey. You cannot hit one level of success and become complacent, as it is an ever-evolving journey. Basking in yesterdays success is counter-productive. Similarly, when faced with adversity, dwelling on it, is also counter-productive. I have learnt that in both good and in challenging times never focus on the noise, just your craft.

You were recently nominated for 2017 National Business Awards in the Top Performing Entrepreneur category  what does this recognition mean to you?

This recognition gives me and my company a sense of deep-rooted pride knowing that we are active contributors to economic expansion, the green agenda, and most importantly, quality education for all South Africans, regardless of colour and creed.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Being an active contributor to the knowledge economy.

I see myself contributing specifically to the Financial Services Industrys educational and employment opportunities. I plan to enter a minimum of 10,000 individuals into the Financial Services Sector, and upskill individuals currently in the sector.

I will continue to support the African scholarship.

On a personal level, I will continue to inspire others to develop the best version of themselves whilst developing the best version of myself.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs just starting out?

Whilst our industries and country are experiencing significant changes and challenges, it is more important, now more than ever, for us to stay abreast of these changes, whilst remembering not to be distracted by them and focus on sharpening our own skills.

I read this some years ago, and would like to highlight this to entrepreneurs: Dont let compliments go to your head and dont let complaints go to your heart.
The Portfolio Committee on Police has called for the fast-tracking of the executive processes in amending the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act.

The committee on Tuesday expressed its concerns about the gaps in the act, and has instructed the Civilian Secretariat of Police to fast-track processes towards the amendment of the act.

The Criminal Procedures Amendment Act provides, amongst others, for the taking of specified bodily samples (buccal samples) from schedule 8 offenders for forensic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis. The DNA profiles are then stored in the National Forensic DNA Database (NFDD).

The purpose of the act is to strengthen criminal investigation and ensure prosecution of repeat offenders.

The committee has called for the fast-tracking of the executive processes in amending the act to remedy challenges within the system. DNA analysis plays a central role in the successful prosecution of offenders and, as such, it must be strengthened, chairperson of the Committee Francois Beukman said.

Beukman was responding to the DNA Board, which informed the committee that the two-year transitional period provided for by Section 7(7), which enabled the retrospective sampling of all persons convicted of schedule 8 offences, has come to an end.

Offenders are now unwilling to have a buccal sample taken, potentially rendering the South African Police Service unable to cross-reference DNA with the NFDD, which could undermine the resolution of cases.

Beukman said the amendment of the act will ensure that buccal samples are taken from all convicted offenders. This will improve the administration and management of the NFDD, and enable proper management of sexual offences data.

Meanwhile, the committee has urged the Office of the DPCI Judge to in future provide the committee with a detailed account of the expenditures within the office as part of its annual report presentation. The committee said the information provided by the office was devoid of detail, which affected the ability of the committee to analyse spending.

The committee is concerned by the lack of adequate staffing within this oversight body, which undermines the delivery of its mandate. The committee has instructed the Office of the DPCI Judge to undertake a scientific study to ascertain its staffing requirements to effectively deliver its mandate.
No African city made it to the Top 100 City Destinations ranking released a week ago by research firm Euromonitor International. This is because interconnectivity among African cities is poor, as there are few direct flights between countries by the continent's airlines.

StelaDi via Pixabay

For instance, a traveller from East Africa to the North African city of Algiers has at least four African airlines to choose from, but they all have at least one connection with a two-hour layover. Such travel challenges, coupled with visa restrictions, continue to keep away tourists who would want to tour different parts of the continent on one visit.

It's important for African countries to simplify cross-border travel

In contrast with the United States and Europe, where there is more interconnectivity between cities, Africans need visas to travel to other African states.

African Development Bank's 2017 Africa Visa Openness Report shows that there are just 11 countries that have relaxed visa rules for Africans. These are the Seychelles, Uganda, Djibouti, Somalia, Madagascar, Comoros, Togo, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Mozambique and Benin.

In many cases, it is easier for a citizen of another continent to enter an African country than it is for an African. But some countries like Ghana give visas on arrival for all African Union member states and visa-free entry for members of Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

Travel agents and tourist service providers say it is important for African countries to simplify cross-border travel by easing and, in some cases, abolishing visa restrictions.

"In West Africa, we have been lobbying governments to have an Ecowas tourist visa that will give access to all countries in the bloc. Whether it will be implemented is another story, but the principle of open borders is great," said tour services operator, David Oades of Overlanding West Africa.

Top 10

According to Euromonitor International, the top 10 cities in the world that people want to visit are Hong Kong which receives 26.6 million people a year, followed by Bangkok (21.2 million), London (19.2 million), Singapore (16.6 million), Macau (15.4 million), Dubai (14.9 million), Paris (14.4 million), New York (12.7 million), Shenzhen (12.6 million) and Kuala Lumpur (12.3 million).

In the Middle East and Africa category, the only African cities featured are Johannesburg and Cairo, at position 2 and 10 respectively. The report ranks Dubai as the top destination in the category.

South Africa considers tourism part of its economic growth strategy. Johannesburg has a smart access programme through which it aims to provide free Wi-Fi access across the city by 2020.

Internet connections are the holy grail for travellers who need it to find maps for navigation, to load taxi-hailing apps like Uber, for weather forecasts, and finding accommodation.
On Monday, 27 November 2017, France's national state-owned railway company SNCF, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) signed a tripartite financial partnership agreement amounting to R6.15m in the form of a grant.

The 12-month agreement starting in December 2017 allows France (through SNCF) to provide expertise, training and exchange of experiences to Prasa with a view to strengthen the capacity of Prasa as regards rolling stock taking-over and placing into service in a complex suburban environment, including in the take-over of ownership of the new Alstom-Gibela metro rail trains.

In October 2013, Prasa awarded French company Alstom (through its local subsidiary Gibela Rail Transport Consortium) a rolling stock contract worth R59bn to supply of 3,600 train cars (600 trains) to be manufactured in Dunnottar Park in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

Commissioning of the new train-sets started in early 2017, with the new service between Pienaarspoort to Pretoria already launched by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma in May 2017. Over a period ahead, more new train-sets will be delivered for Prasa and the delivery programme is scheduled until 2025, starting in Gauteng, followed by the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and lastly the Eastern Cape.

This partnership with SNCF will ensure Prasa's new trains are operation-ready, deployed on time, and operated with the support of Frances extensive experience in the railway transport industry. In addition, SNCF will deploy a technical expert to be permanently based in South Africa for the duration of the agreement.

The agreement was signed by Martha Stein-Sochas of the French Development Agency and Lindikaya Zide of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa in the presence of Ambassador of France to South Africa, H.E. Christophe Farnaud.
President Museveni has said taxi operators should pay a monthly road user fee of Shs80,000 and not Shs120,000 to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

Photo by Felix Russell-Saw on Unsplash

A recent press release states that "... he, therefore asked them to adhere to the new regulations with the aim of putting a monthly or annual reduction on the charges compared to Shs280,000 that KCCA charges currently per taxi per month. He suggested a monthly user fee of Shs80,000."

The statement follows a meeting held at State House last Friday between the President, the Prime Minister, representatives from KCCA, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Local Government and representatives of taxi operators.

The meeting was triggered by a demonstration of taxi operators last week who were protesting the payment of Shs120,000.

The angry taxi operators accused the authority of defying the presidential directive to the Prime Minister in July to allow all informal businesses pay taxes annually but not monthly.

The taxi operators blocked the president's convoy, seeking to explain to him why they were protesting. Museveni promised to meet them as soon as he returned from Mbale.

According to the press release, representatives of taxi operators told the president that they have no objection to the payment of the annual operational licence charges, income tax, third party, insurance tax and vehicle inspection fee for life.

However, they explained that they are not comfortable with KCCA and other municipalities system of charging.

The meeting, the release adds, unanimously agreed that in the next seven months, all taxi operators will be restricted to specific routes and will pay taxes at the point of destination and not at the point of departure.

"... It was, however, noted that taxi commuters operating in the city centre would pay a little bit more charges compared to those operating in other municipalities and upcountry because those in the city centre stand better chances of being in business," the release states.

Yasiin Ssematimba, the chairperson of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (Kotsa), one of the taxi factions who attended the Friday meeting, confirmed the development.

"We are happy because this will reduce tension among taxi drivers which has always been caused by authorities while collecting these taxes. The president's word takes precedence and we don't expect the officials responsible for the transport business in Uganda to defy him," he said.

But he challenged fellow taxi operators to respect their passengers, and also pay taxes on time to avoid inconveniences that could force them out of business.

Mustapha Mayambala, the chairperson of Uganda Transporters Development Agency (Utrada), another faction, who also attended the Friday meeting, said:

"We are ready to pay taxes and we shall actually rally our fellow taxi operators to pay taxes because we also need services. Our problem has been authorities who collect taxes without clear guidelines on ground".

Peter Kaujju, the KCCA spokesperson, said the new changes are likely to affect their operations.

"..we have been struggling with financial gaps in delivery of services. The new development definitely doesn't make the situation any better," he said.
The Classic Car Show, which is once again expected to attract over 1,000 cars, will take place on Sunday, 3 December 2017, at Nasrec.

Vying for space at Nasrec for the Summer Edition of the 2017 Classic Car Show will be a large contingent of cars known as land yachts.

These are the huge American swish-mobiles of the late 1950s through to the late 1970s, cars that need three parking spaces instead of one, and even then youd better be able to wield a steering wheel with some skill to make sure you slot the car in correctly.

The big land yachts went through an amazing styling progression starting from 1955 when the classic Chevrolets and Fords began sprouting fins of serious dimensions. The fin era peaked at the end of the 1950s and in the 1960s, cars like Cadillacs and Bucks then reverted to huge slab-sided wing extensions. This look lasted well into the 1980s for the bigger American cars.

During this time there were slightly smaller coupe-shaped cars which are the classic muscle cars, and also the pony cars, spawned by the introduction of the immortal Ford Mustang in mid-1964. Most people refer to these pony cars today as muscle cars. In this category, think Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, Plymouth Barracuda, and Dodge Chargers and Challengers.

British cars at Nasrec are usually dominated by hosts of original Minis, and these come in all sorts of guises. The original Mini was launched in 1959, and was assembled in South Africa in the Western Cape. Prized versions are the Cooper and Cooper S models. Later, in the early 1970s, we had the Clubman-shaped Minis with the longer nose, and these came in the more popular GTS and 1275 GT models, the hot ones that effectively replaced the Cooper S.

Ford Cortinas were assembled here from late 1962 to 1983, a total of 21 years, and in that time the Ford Cortina went through five generations. Highly sought-after models are the original Mk I GT, the MkII Perana, the Mk III V6, and the Interceptor models in Mk V form. Cortina pick-ups were also a unique South African creation and are sought after in Europe today, particularly in the UK.

Volkswagens have traditionally had a huge presence at The Classic Car Show, ranging from the popular Split Window and Bay Window buses (Kombis) to early Oval Window Beetles (produced from 1954 to 1957).

In addition, guests can expect to see many examples of street rods and classic pickup trucks, the fastest-growing trend in the street-rod community.

For more, go to www.classiccarshow.co.za
According to Statistics South Africa's most recent Tourism and Migration Survey almost 3.5 million travellers passed through South African ports of entry in August 2017 - 97% of whom were in the country for a holiday. With even more tourists expected over the coming months, how does the hospitality industry cope?

Robert Wilson via 123RF

Sigal Geva, COO at Premier Hotels & Resorts shares: Throughout the year, players in the hospitality industry work to ensure that their properties are in peak condition and are able to cater for the end-of-year inundation of holidaymakers. For us, this has meant spending R86m on renovating popular holiday destinations in our portfolio such as Premier Hotel Cape Town and Premier Resort Sani Pass.

Some hotel groups also expand their portfolios with the acquisition of additional properties in sought-after vacation spots in order to accommodate the abundance of guests expected at this time of year. Premier Hotels & Resorts, for instance, has recently acquired two hotels, The Cutty Sark Hotel in Scottburgh and Stanville Hotel in Bloemfontein  taking our complement to 18 across the country. These will also be remodelled to increase the number of rooms and improve the facilities available, says Geva.

Delivering a competent workforce

More guests mean that more staff are required. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that ManpowerGroups Employment Outlook Survey for Q4 2017 anticipates an increase in opportunities for job seekers in the hospitality sector.

While having an adequate number of employees is important, a competent workforce is crucial for delivering the customer service excellence that impresses guests and keeps them coming back year after year. For this reason, we place priority on providing employment to learners from Academic College South Africa  a leading hospitality training institute.

With the number of foreign overnight visitors to South Africa expected to increase by 5.6% and domestic tourism predicted to rise by 2.2% this year, having prepared all year long, the hospitality sector is set to survive and thrive during the holiday season, concludes Geva.
Keldermeester Versameling labels earn Pendoring Award for Just Design

True creativity has an appeal that is impossible to ignore. Over the years the winemaker at Lanzerac winery, Wynand Lategan, has harnessed his immense talent and ingenuity to produce globally acclaimed wines. In tribute to all he has contributed to the estate, Lanzerac recently invited Lategan to develop his own range of wines. Unbounded by any rules or restrictions, he was free to explore an idea that he has always wanted to express  a series of wines that honour the people and place-specific icons that have inspired him over the years. As the wines took shape, he engaged Just Design to bring the concepts to life in packaging with a simple brief: set your creativity free.

The three labels pay homage to the winemakers creative muses. Dok for Dr Danie Craven, the local rugby legend who often visited Lanzerac for a glass of wine. Prof for Professor Abraham Perold who made a valuable contribution to the local wine industry. Berg Pad for the popular route for hikers and runners between Coetzenburg and Lanzerac. Just Design developed a series of proudly Afrikaans, proudly South African designs that reflect the concepts and their routes in the Stellenbosch region.

The minimalistic labels juxtapose blind embossing with shadowing, drawing people in to discover the stories and layers. The bottles are sealed with wax and rounded off with a monogram stamp. Lategan is very happy with the way the wines turned out: These wines are the result of all the influences I have had in my many years as a winemaker. From the start Just Design understood my vision and got involved as co-creators.

The results speak for themselves, with the wines meeting unprecedented demand and the packaging achieving a silver Pendoring award on the weekend. Subtle yet striking in appearance and taste, Keldermeester Versameling is testiment to the resounding power of genuine creative freedom.

About Just Design

For over 15 years, Just Design has proven time and again that good thinking leads to great creative. With a national footprint and accounts across Africa, Middle East and Europe, they are the strategic design and innovation partners for many blue-chip clients and global brands, and are one of South Africas leading Futures, Strategy and Design agencies.

For further information, please contact:

Jason Botterill

az.oc.ngisedtsuj@nosaj

+27 (0) 21 880 2410




LAGOS - Amnesty International has called for Shell to be prosecuted for allegedly helping Nigeria's military to commit human rights abuses in the oil-rich south in the 1990s.

Photo: Oil Change International

The London-based global rights watchdog said the oil giant should be tried in Nigeria, as well as Britain and Netherlands where it has its head office.

Shell's Nigerian subsidiary strongly denied the charges, calling them "false and without merit".

Audrey Gaughran, director of global issues and research at Amnesty, said it was "indisputable that Shell played a key role" in events in Ogoniland in the 1990s.

"But we now believe that there are grounds for a criminal investigation," she added in a statement after publishing a cache of documents relating to the turbulent period.

A criminal file will be prepared and submitted to the authorities "with a view to prosecution", she said.

Amnesty alleged that the oil major "repeatedly encouraged" Nigeria's military to deal with community protests in Ogoniland, which is part of the Niger Delta region.

It claimed the company was aware that "would lead to unlawful killings, rape, torture, the burning of villages" and even provided transport for troops.

"That it has never answered for this is an outrage," it added.

Community unrest forced Shell to quit Ogoniland in 1993 but the company still maintains a network of pipelines in the area.

Amnesty said Shell and the Nigerian military government at the time operated as business partners and had regular meetings to discuss the protection of their interests.

"Internal memos and minutes from meetings show Shell lobbying senior government officials for military support, even after the security forces had carried out mass killings of protesters," it said.

"They also show that on several occasions Shell provided logistical or financial assistance to military or police personnel when it was well aware that they had been involved in murderous attacks on defenceless villagers."

On November 10, 1995, Ogoni activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his compatriots were executed on trumped-up murder charges.

That led to Nigeria's expulsion from the Commonwealth. The nation was readmitted in 1999 after its return to civilian rule.

A spokesman for the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), said: "Amnesty International's allegations concerning SPDC are false and without merit.

"SPDC did not collude with the authorities to suppress community unrest and in no way encouraged or advocated any act of violence in Nigeria.

"We believe that the evidence will show clearly that Shell was not responsible for these tragic events."

Shell remains a major oil operator in Nigeria, accounting for much of the country's daily output of some two million barrels per day.
Low crop prices prompted farmers to scrimp on fertiliser during the past planting season, Omnia said in its interim results statement on Tuesday. The chemical producer's agricultural division, which contributes about half of its revenue, suffered an 11% decline in sales to R3.8bn while operating profit more than doubled to R111m from 52m.

Ozgur Guvenc via 123RF

Omnia said its South African fertiliser sales suffered from low crop prices.

"The agriculture sector recorded a record maize harvest in the 2016-17 season of 16.7 million tonnes, which has resulted in depleted levels of fertiliser and minerals in the fields," the results statement said.

"Due to the excess maize produced both locally and abroad, the situation in SA is compromised by high stock levels and weak export demand. South African maize prices remain depressed at approximately R2,000 a ton on Safex, which compares to R4,500 a ton at the peak of the drought two years ago."

Omnia said fertiliser sales should improve along with the profitability of farmers.

A rebound from a R51m loss contributed by its Australian fertiliser unit during its 2016 financial year helped Omnia's net profit grow 27% to R285m despite a 3% decline in revenue to R7.7bn for the six months to end-September, Omnia reported on Tuesday morning.

Global mining industry appears to have bottomed out

Sales of explosives and other chemicals to the mining industry grew 1.6% to R2.5bn, while operating profit grew 21% to R337m.

"Following two difficult years commencing in late 2014, the global mining industry appears to have bottomed out and has been gathering momentum in 2017. Over the last two quarters, growth has been underpinned by price and volume increases in various commodities. Similarly, mining volumes in SA have been increasing by approximately 1% per month over the past two quarters with improvements in volumes mined in coal, gold, iron ore and manganese," Omnia said.

The group's division that produces water purification and other chemicals grew revenue 6% to R2bn, but operating profit declined 8.5% to R65m.

"Although there were pockets of growth and increased value extraction specifically in the exports, water and customer care businesses, this was not sufficient to offset the margin pressure in other parts of the business."

Omnia has received competition authority approval from various countries for its R780m acquisition of Chevron lubricants agent Umongo Petroleum, which will be integrated into its chemicals division, the company said in its results statement.

The company declared a R2 interim dividend, up 25% from the matching period. Omnia believes it is owed about R300m by Foskor in its legal dispute over phosphoric acid prices, of which R80m was due to "overcharging" during its 2017 financial year.

Source: BDpro
The Washington Post said Monday it was the target of an apparent "sting" operation that sought to plant a false story to discredit the newspaper's investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore.

The Post reported that a woman shared a dramatic story - which could not be substantiated - that Moore impregnated her when she was a teenager in 1992 and that she later had an abortion.

But it said the woman, who was interviewed several times over two weeks, was seen entering the New York offices of Project Veritas, an organisation which targets mainstream media organisations.

Moore's alleged misconduct came to light after an investigation by The Washington Post, which recounted stories of women who claimed Moore molested or harassed girls as young as 14.

Moore has denied the allegations and has rejected pressure from fellow Republicans to drop out of the special election to be held in December.

On Monday, the Post said it did not publish an article based on the woman's allegations, noting inconsistencies in her story and an online post which cast doubts on her motivations.

The newspaper did publish a nine-minute interview with the woman, identified as Jaime Philips, with a Post reporter.

The Post said she denied working with any organisation but that reporters witnessed her entering Project Veritas, which uses secret recordings intended to expose media bias.

Project Veritas did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

The Moore allegations have touched off a political firestorm, with his backers claiming he has been the target of political opponents even as his poll numbers fall.

The Post said it decided to release the woman's comments despite an earlier agreement to be "off the record."

"We always honour 'off-the-record' agreements when they're entered into in good faith," executive editor Martin Baron was quoted as saying.

"But this so-called off-the-record conversation was the essence of a scheme to deceive and embarrass us. The intent by Project Veritas clearly was to publicise the conversation if we fell for the trap.

Because of our customary journalistic rigor, we weren't fooled, and we can't honour an 'off-the-record' agreement that was solicited in maliciously bad faith."

Source: AFP
Motion Icon's escalator step branding offers unlimited creative visual opportunities for brands looking to a new advertising channel that delivers ROI and hyper proximity communication.
The Ibex and the rest of European places are encouraged this Wednesday and go up 0.8% on average (the Ftse100 is unmarked with falls of 0.5%). The index revalorizes 1.36% at this time and leads the way to 10,300 (10,283 points). The spanish market has surpassed the first immediate resistance that it had in the 10,175 points and it seems that it is already looking towards the next brake, which does not appear until 10,600 points. The good closing of Wall Street of the past day (+ 1% of average) and the positive behavior of Asia support the selective, in addition to other multiple news highlighted in this session.

The four most relevant news at the start of this day come from very different areas and areas. On the one hand, the 'good news' of that agreement reached by the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) on the Brexit bill, which could reach 64,000 million euros. The announcement of this agreement was announced on Tuesday at the last minute, the same day in which the Bank of England (BoE) published its Financial Stability Report and said that English banks have the capacity to resist a 'hard Brexit'.

On the other hand, that new missile launched by North Korea is news, a week after the president of the United States returned the Pyongyang regime to the list of "sponsors of terrorism". Kim Jong-Un has put an end to two months of inactivity and has launched a missile that, after reaching a record height, has ended in the Sea of Japan.

In third place, and in the business world, the news is undoubtedly the new operation of BBVA (+ 2.4%), which has sold its real estate business to Cerberus for 4,000 million euros. The entity has said that the operation will close in the second part of next year and that it will have a "slightly positive" impact on its attributed profit. This announcement comes a day after BBVA reported the sale of its subsidiary in Chile to Scotiabank for 1,850 million euros (with net capital gains of 640 million euros).




NEW DELHI (PTI): India and Singapore are set to sign a key pact today to boost naval cooperation, even as the city-state's defence minister expressed reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia for pursuing common interests in the Indo-Pacific region.



India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporen counterpart Ng Eng Hen will hold wide-ranging talks today after which both sides are likely to ink an agreement providing for logistic support and live firing exercises to Singapore Navy in the Andamans, officials said.



In an address at a think tank, Ng talked about the pact while referring to growing defence cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.



He called India a "regional power" in the Indo-Pacific region, adding it is a "natural partner" of all countries in Southeast Asia.



Delving into regional security issues, he sounded critical of the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia, saying it is not useful to cast one bloc against another.



He said "polarising defence and trade" would not be helpful for the region and called for crafting a "stable system" wherein all small and large states have ways and means to resolve disputes through peaceful means.



Widening the security cooperation under the proposed quadrilateral coalition, officials of India, the US, Japan and Australia had held extensive talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila earlier this month, for pursuing common interests in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region where China has been aggressively expanding its military presence.



"We are trying to craft a system under which we can ensure peace and progress for everyone," Ng said.



Singapore is a key member-country of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping with which India has been intensifying its defence and security ties.



In an apparent reference to China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, he said freedom of navigation and over flight must be respected.



The move to set up the quadrilateral comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for India in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.



The Singapore defence minister pitched for an "inclusive regional security architecture" to ensure peace and stability in the region.



At the same time, he said Singapore was open to multilateral exercises in the Indian Ocean region.



Ng also complimented India's Act East policy, saying it is making its impact.



He paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru, saying his country was inspired by the first prime minister of India.




Union Minister for Defence, Nirmala Sitharaman receiving the Defence Minister of Singapore, Ng Eng Hen during his Guard of Honour at South Block, in New Delhi on Wednesday. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India and Singapore today signed an agreement to deepen cooperation in the maritime security domain and called for ensuring freedom of navigation in critical sea lanes against the backdrop of China's increasing military manoeuvres in the Indo-Pacific region.



The two countries also resolved to boost overall defence cooperation with a particular focus on combating terrorism during wide-ranging talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen.



The pact on naval cooperation provides for increased engagement in the maritime security sphere, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each other's naval facilities and logistics support.



"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackle the transnational security threats," Sitharaman said at a joint media interaction with Ng, noting that both sides agreed to ramp up overall defence cooperation.



The Singaporean defence minister called the talks "overwhelmingly successful and productive" and emphasised the need for concerted regional and global efforts to deal with terrorism and other challenges such as tackling chemical and biological weapons.



Referring to regional security scenario in the maritime domain, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law, a joint statement issued after the talks said.



Appreciating India's leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Ng agreed to India's proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in shared maritime space of the two countries, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional and ASEAN partners.



However, Ng, speaking at a think-tank on Tuesday, had expressed Singapore's reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan and Australia.



Both sides also signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian armed forces.



The joint statement said both ministers look forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore- India maritime bilateral exercise next year.



They welcomed the renewal of agreement between the air forces of the two countries earlier this year and look forward to the successful renewal of a similar pact between their armies, the statement said.



The two ministers also discussed Singapore's proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting)-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, the statements said.



The two ministers resolved to work closely in joint development of various defence platforms.



They agreed that to facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries.



The Singaporean defence minister also expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's acceptance to be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue.






BENGALURU (PTI): ISRO said its next launch, the first Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission after the unsuccessful launch of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H, will be during the end of December or the first week of January.



The space agency had earlier said that the mission, whose main payload would be the Cartosat-2 series earth observation satellite, along with 29 co-passengers, was scheduled for a December launch.



"We are working towards it. It will be in the end of December or first week of January. In that time frame," Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said.



PSLV-C40 will be used for the launch from the spaceport of Sriharikota, about 100 kilometres from Chennai.



The mission will be a combination of 25 nano satellites, three micro-satellites and one Cartosat satellite, along with "maybe" one university satellite, ISRO officials had earlier said.



Most co-passengers of Cartosat-2 series satellite would be from foreign countries, including Finland and the US, they had said.



On August 31, India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 ended in a failure after a technical fault on the final leg following a perfect launch.



ISRO then said the heat shield did not separate on the final leg of the launch sequence and, as a result, IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket.



According to ISRO, Cartosat-2 series satellite launch is a follow-on mission in Cartosat-2 series with the primary objective of providing high resolution scene specific spot imageries.



It carries Panchromatic and Multi-spectral cameras operating in Time Delay Integration (TDI) mode and is capable of delivering high resolution data.



To a question on plans for next year, Kiran Kumar said the idea was to reach a target of one launch a month.



He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of Space Technology Gallery at Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum here.



Asked whether the Space Activities Bill, 2017 would come up during the Budget session of Parliament, Kiran Kumar said "We have now put it for public comments. It would have to go through a set of discussions. The process has started."



The draft of the proposed Bill to promote and regulate space activities of India, along with encouraging the participation of the private sector, has been uploaded on the ISRO website for comments from stakeholders and the public.



On Chandrayaan-2, Kumar said it was going on track and that the flight hardware was getting assembled and tested.



"It is going through various phases. We are targeting for the first quarter of next year," he said.



Chandrayaan-2,India's second mission to the Moon,would be an advanced version of Chandrayaan-1 launched nine years ago.



This spacecraft is a composite model consisting of orbiter, lander and rover.




An internet imagery.

HYDERABAD (PTI): Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said she would discuss ways to promote women entrepreneurs and increase their participation in defence production and procurement during consultations with startups and industry chambers on December 4.



"We have finalised December 4 as the date when I will be working with chambers of commerce and the startups; a huge list has been made to ensure that I interact with them to see women's participation and how they help defence ministry's production and procurement process," she said.



The minister was participating in a panel discussion on opening opportunities for women entrepreneurs at the Global Entrepreneur Summit 2017 (GES). The session was moderated by chairman emeritus Cisco John Chambers and panelists include Ivanka Trump, daughter of and advisor to US President Donald Trump.



Sitharaman said that Indian startups have made and are making big contribution to the defence industry both in India and abroad.



"We want to make sure that we leverage that opportunity ...and ensure that these startups are given equal playing opportunities when tenders are given out by the government asking for people to supply (goods and services)," she added.



The minister said that startups face problems as under the existing rules companies cannot take part in the tendering process unless they had been in relevant business for a specified number of years or have achieved certain amount of turnover.



The government, she said, was taking steps to remove such kind of rules which restricted the entry of startups in the tendering process.



"I feel that startups do have a very big opportunity ...(they can) enter the defence industry, help India to procure and also probably export," she said.



Speaking at the discussion, Trump said that the US government has been taking several steps to promote women entrepreneurship.



She said governments can help these budding entrepreneurs by creating friendly environment and enhancing access to credit.



Trump also asked people to provide mentorship as it was very critical for a startup.




An internet imagery.

WASHINGTON (PTI): North Korea fired a ballistic missile Wednesday that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoking angry reactions from the US with its Defence Secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach "anywhere in the world".



After a lull of two months, Pyongyang has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which "went higher than any previous shot taken," as per Mattis.



The ICBM was believed to have harmlessly landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).



Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the latest missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. US and South Korea also reacted in similar fashion and asked for an emergency UNSC session, which, according to a media release, will be held today around 4:30 pm EST.



"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters.



The provocative action comes just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on North Korea and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.



US President Donald Trump, who according to the White House, "was briefed, while missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea", exuded confidence that the situation would be handled.



"A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. But let me tell you that we will take care of it. We have General Mattis in the room with us and we will have a long discussion on it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters.



The US Department of Defence detected and tracked a North Korea missile launch today at about 1:17 pm EDT. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon Spokesman Col Rob Manning said in a statement.



"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's EEZ," Manning said.



Trump said he wants the military to be funded now.



"Nothing changed. Nothing changed. We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed. We take it very seriously," he said in response to a question.



Mattis, also briefly spoke with the media.



"A little over 2.5 hours ago North Korea launched an ICBM. It went higher than any previous shot taken," he said.



"Their Research and Development effort... on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...In response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," Mattis said.



"Bottom line is continued effort to build a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly the US," he told reporters.



In New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.



The Security Council session will be held today around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.



Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.



"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.



"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.



Tillerson said the United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.



"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.


IAG  which owns Aer Lingus and British Airways chose Paris as a second base for its discount airline Level, which will offer transatlantic flights to destinations like New York and the Caribbean as carriers compete to lower prices on longer routes.

Chief executive Willie Walsh unveiled the plan in the French capital, which won out over Rome for the designation. Level plans to start offering in the coming months one-way tickets from Paris to New York for 129 and to Montreal, Guadeloupe and Martinique for 99, he said.

We believe long-haul, low-cost routes can be profitable, Mr Walsh said.

The airline, which currently operates only from Barcelona, will progressively replace the premium OpenSkies brand and operate out of Pariss Orly airport, which is also a hub for the groups other low-cost airline, Vueling.

IAG is using Level to defend its markets against similar discount long-haul operations at Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, as well as specialist low-cost operator Norwegian Air Shuttle.

The unveiling of a hub in France comes the same week as Air France prepares to roll out a new airline called Joon that it says will have lower fares than its flagship brand.

IAG picked Paris because of the number of tourists flocking to the city, OpenSkies head Patrick Malval said after the press conference.

Level currently serves Los Angeles, Oakland, Buenos Aires, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and could add Asian routes by 2022, IAG has said previously.

Barcelona, from where Level will start flights to Boston in March, was chosen as an initial base because its the main hub for Vueling.

Level operates two Airbus SE A330 planes and wants to establish a fleet of up to 30 aircraft by 2020 under a plan for rapid expansion, Mr Walsh has said.

Other destinations could include cities in Latin America, although getting new slots at Orly is difficult, he said.

The expansion of Level is part of a global trend to extend the budget-airline model into long-distance flights, aided by advances such as more efficient composite materials-based planes like the Boeing 787 and narrow-body models with significantly longer range, as exemplified by Airbus A321neo LR.

Mr Walsh said rival no-frills airline Norwegian has demonstrated consumer appetite for cheaper, long-haul flights.
A participant on the Irish version of First Dates has spoken about her jouney through homelessness, and how she became an accountant, writes Denise O'Donoghue.

This morning Deborah Somorin joined Ryan Tubridy in studio to share her story of growing up in care, falling pregnant at the age of 14 and how she got through it all.

Deborah's parents split up when she was just 10.

Having lived in Westminster with her Nigerian parents, her world was turned upside down when her mum moved her and her brother to Naas, Co. Kildare.

What they didn't know at the time was that her mum was pregnant with her third child.

At the age of 13 Deborah spoke of having to move to a hostel, she told Ryan that she had to be locked in her hostel room to be safe.

Having to spend the day away from the hostel, Deborah credits Focus Ireland as a place that kept her safe, allowing her to do her homework in their offices.

Inspirational talk from Dee Forbes and Deborah Somorin at the @FocusIreland Womens Philanthropy Circle Breakfast hosted by @PwCIreland #insidePwC #PwC pic.twitter.com/GoNW5gAsY0  PwC Ireland Careers (@pwcirl_careers) November 23, 2017

At 14, Deborah became pregnant and with the thoughts of having to move to a mother and baby home, her house manager Alan looked into getting the home converted into a mother and baby home, just for her.

"That is 100% why I am where I am today because that was the best place for me to be," she said.

Deborah went on to do her Junior Cert shortly after the birth of her son, Liam.

"I've been through a lot, it's only recently I learned what the word resilience actually means.

"

It's one thing to know what something means, but it's another thing to recognise that that's what you've went through."

When Deborah was 17 her mum died by suicide. Ryan asked if they been in touch and if her mother met her grandson, Liam.

"She did meet him. She would love him so much, especially the person he has become today."

Having been through so much so early in life, Deborah went on to do her Leaving Cert and through the Access Programme in DCU she studied accounting.

"My friends just think I'm such a nerd." she said.

Deborah is now working in PwC.

A hopeless romantic, Deborah wanted to meet her prince on First Dates. She told Ryan how she always chooses the wrong guy so thought she'd let someone else to the matchmaking for her.

"I'm a hopeless romantic," she said.

"I was really hopeful that I was going to meet the love of my life on First Dates."

Listen to Deborah's interview in full here:
Fr Peter McVerry has said that the homelessness situation in Ireland is now beyond a crisis.

His comments come following reports that seven people have died sleeping rough in less than three months.

This week, a middle-aged man was found unresponsive in a tent in school grounds in Ranelagh in south Dublin - and another, believed to be from Lithuania, succumbed outside the Four Courts.

The man outside the courthouse was aged in his late 30s and reportedly may have died due to a drug overdose, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said.

The Ranelagh victim had previously been offered shelter.

Fr McVerry warned that the crisis could deteriorate further.

House repossessions are increasing, rents are continuing to rise at an alarming rate, and Brexit will see many employees relocating to Ireland and looking for somewhere to live, he said.

Speaking at a symposium on housing, Housing in Ireland: Philosophy, Policies and Results, held in Trinity College Dublin, Fr McVerry said the number of people in emergency accommodation has doubled since January 2015.

"The numbers have increased every month since July 2016, when the Government published Rebuilding Ireland, its Action Plan on Housing. In October 2017, there were almost 2,000 more people in emergency accommodation than in July 2016, with the number of children going up by almost 850, he said.

He said the Government is "unable or unwilling" to acknowledge that 'Rebuilding Ireland' is not working.

The homelessness campaigner called on the Taoiseach to declare housing emergency.

"He needs to bring all the relevant parties around a table, reach consensus on a new plan, and then demand that everyone works from that plan, as a priority, Fr McVerry said.

Trinity College Economics Professor P.J. Drudy said Ireland has "tolerated a dysfunctional housing system for far too long, with unwarranted reliance on the private sector to meet an essential need.

He said private developers built 75,400 houses in 2005, in locations where the houses were not needed.

Last year they built only a fraction of the 30,000 to 35,000 houses it is estimated Ireland now requires. Indeed, the official figure of 14,400 new houses in 2016 is reckoned by several commentators to be an over-estimate, Prof. Drudy said.

He claimed private property developers are now failing to provide affordable homes.

Most [private property developers] view homes as commodities to be bought and sold like any other commodity  simply a means of making money. Some are now hoarding land and drip-feeding small numbers of executive-type homes onto the market to maintain high prices.

He said this has led a sharp increase in the cost of housing, with new private house and apartment prices are now well above their peak in 2007.

Prof. Drury said overall house prices in Dublin have increased by 87% in the last four years.

Private landlords are also charging unaffordable rents. This is a housing bubble! he said.

He said the Government must provide resources to build at least 10,000 homes annually for househoulds on the waiting list, as well as a further 10,000 'cost-rental' and self-financing homes for those ineligible for social housing.

Dr Sinead Kelly, Department of Geography, Maynooth University, highlighted the impact on housing of the adoption of neo-liberal policies.

She noted that the neo-liberal drive towards market provision in an increasing number of areas, including housing, is accompanied by a reduction in state spending, and a withdrawal of public provision in favour of privatisation and outsourcing.

"In Ireland, the move towards treating housing as a commodity and a financial asset has been actively supported by State policies, including, for example, capital gains tax measures favourable to investors, the approach adopted by NAMA, and the treatment of real estate investment trusts (REITs), she said.
An elderly man has gone missing from a care centre in Dublin.

Brendan Burke, who is aged 71, is missing from Bloomfield Care Centre in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.

He was last seen two weeks ago on November 15 at the care centre on Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham.

Brendan is five foot 11inches tall with a medium build, dark brown hair, blue eyes and glasses.

Anyone who has seen Brendan or who can help to find him is asked to contact Rathfarnham Garda Station on 01-6666500, The Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
update 6.27pm: Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government Barry Cowen TD has expressed his sympathy to the family and friends of the two rough sleepers who have died this week.

"It is a tragic reminder of the impact of the housing crisis and the moral imperative on all of us in public life to address it," he said.

These two deaths bring to seven the number of individuals who have passed away in the past few months on our streets," he said.

He said a housing first approach is the best mechanism to resolve long-term homelessness.

"The Government must get bricks and mortar in the ground to deliver the houses that are needed to support such an approach," he added.

"Minister Murphy should get moving on addressing these ideas such as an out of hours response, dedicated contact and formal count of rough sleepers."

Meanwhile, the Housing Minister said he is confident every rough sleeper who wants a bed in Dublin over the Christmas period will be able to get one.

Two-hundred new emergency beds are due to be available by December 18, with 50 of them coming on stream from tomorrow.

Eoghan Murphy said it will ensure no one needs to sleep on the streets.

"I'm very confident because we have counted the number of people who are sleeping rough and we have more than enough emergency beds coming into place now on a permanent basis, as well as temporary ones, to be able to look after those people," he said.

"On a night like tonight, we will have the cold weather initiative in place, we will have rough sleeper teams out from the different volunteering organisations trying to encourage people into that accommodation," he added.

Update 4.53pm: The homeless man who died last night had been accessing homeless services since 2010, according to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

He had previously been placed in emergency accommodation including temporary supported accommodation on a number of occasions and outreach teams had engaged with him to access support and accommodation, the DRHE said.

Support services were unable to secure permanent housing for him after he left his last placement.

His last known contact with homeless services seeking emergency accommodation was on November 21 when he was provided with emergency accommodation.

The DHRE expressed condolences to the family and friends of the man, who has yet to be formally identified.

The Executive said it is "fully cognisant of the potential impact of severe weather to" rough sleepers, and said extreme weather facilities are in place since yesterday until Monday December 4.

"[The services] will remain in place for longer if the extreme cold snap continues," it said.

The extreme weather facilities were also in place between November 23-26 inclusive.

Update 3.18pm: The Taoiseach has said he is deeply saddened by the deaths of two homeless men in Dublin.

A man in his 50s was found unresponsive in a tent in Ranelagh yesterday afternoon.

Separately, a Lithuanian man who was sleeping rough near the Four Courts was found on Monday night.

CEO of the Peter McVerry Trust Pat Doyle said new emergency beds are being put in place straight away.

"There's 202 new beds coming in this side of Christmas, 24 of them are coming in today," he said.

"We're bringing in a further 20 this week in the Trust ourselves. Overall, we are bringing in about, I think, 115 of the 202 beds will now be coming in by the Trust before Christmas," he added.

Update 12.45pm: A charity working with homeless people has said seven people have died sleeping rough over the last 12 weeks.

The Peter McVerry Trust said it was deeply saddened after two deaths in Dublin in as many days this week.

One was a middle-aged man who was found unresponsive in a tent in school grounds in Ranelagh in the south of the city and the other was a man, believed to be from Eastern Europe, who died outside the Four Courts.

The charity called on the Government to commit to housing every person who was sleeping rough in the capital by the end of the year.

Some 184 people were counted bedding down in parks, streets, doorways and shopfronts across Dublin city on the night of November 7, a record number.

Pat Doyle, chief executive of The Peter McVerry Trust, said: "Our heart goes out to them. It's freezing out there, it's not safe to be a rough sleeper."

There have also been increasing numbers of reports of rough sleepers pitching tents along the canals in Dublin and further out into the suburbs, while the biannual rough sleeper headcount is not considered a full picture of the total.

Some of the other deaths of rough sleepers in the last three months occurred in Drogheda, Cork and Bray.

Eoin O Broin, Sinn Fein housing spokesman, extended condolences to the family and friends of those who had died.

"The Government does not have the homeless crisis in hand," he said.

Mr O Broin called on the Government to bring forward plans to open another 200 emergency beds to provide homeless accommodation during the winter.

The Garda press office said the man who died near the Four Courts was aged in his 30s.

He was taken from the scene by ambulance to the Mater Hospital were he was pronounced dead.

The man who died after being found at lunchtime on Tuesday in Ranelagh was brought by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital where he later died.

Update 10.35am Minister offers sympathies as second homeless person found dead on Dublin streets this week:

A second homeless person has died in Dublin this week.

The man who is a Lithuanian national had been sleeping rough at the Four Courts and was found unresponsive at around 8pm on Monday.

It follows the announcement of the death of another homeless man in his late 50s in Ranelagh yesterday.

Homeless charity, The Peter McVerry Trust says it was "deeply saddened by the death of two men sleeping rough in Dublin in the past couple of days."

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy offered his sympathies after learning of the death of the first homeless man.

"This is exactly why we didn't want to have an election," he said.

"These are the real types of issues and crisis that a government is there for and is there to deal with.

"What has happened to this individual is very tragic, and of course, I extend my sympathies to his family and friends.

"I can't go into the individual circumstances of this persons life for obvious reasons."

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy

Earlier: Housing Minister under pressure as homeless man dies in his constituency

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is being challenged to investigate the death of a homeless man in the heart of his own constituency.

The man was found unresponsive in a tent in one of the wealthiest parts of Dublin, writes Conall O Fatharta and Joyce Fegan

The man, who was in his late 50s, was found sleeping rough near Gonzaga College on Sandford Close, Ranelagh, at 12.30pm yesterday. He was taken to St Vincents Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Outreach workers for the homeless are demanding the immediate introduction of the Government's 'cold winter initiative'.

Anthony Flynn, CEO of Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) said that, without enough beds and proper services for the homeless people sleeping rough every night, more deaths were likely.

We have warned all week of the continuous rise in rough sleeper numbers with little or no emergency contingency implementation, said Mr Flynn.

The cold weather initiative has already failed. This is an unacceptable situation and a death that could have been avoided with proper access to beds.

Our calls continue to fall on deaf ears as promises to deliver 200 beds by December 18th is too late. The winter has hit hard now and these beds are essential.

We need emergency intervention and an immediate response from the minister and Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.

Meanwhile, Mr Flynn has also asked that no heavy-handed tactics are used to remove rough sleepers from beside the capitals canals.

A number of homeless people are sleeping in tents at Binns Bridge, over the Royal Canal, which is close to Croke Park on Dublins northside.

The rough sleepers told ICHH they had been warned that they would be removed from the site today.

Waterways Ireland manages the land along the Royal and Grand canals on behalf of the State.

Weve already reached out to the gardai to not move in in a heavy-handed manner, said Mr Flynn. We dont want these people to be displaced. We want these homeless people to engage with services.

ICHH engages with rough sleepers in the capital every night and said figures have increased yet again.

We counted 186 homeless people on the streets on Monday night, said Mr Flynn. Thats two more than the figure that was released last week by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.

Extra beds were announced last week, under the cold weather initiative, but these beds still havent been put in place. Theyre meant to be in place by December 18.

Mr Flynn said it was essential that Waterways Ireland, homeless services, and An Garda Siochana work together so that these people are not just displaced at a time when there are no beds in the system.

Its a case of reaching out to the guards and Waterways Ireland, said Mr Flynn. If we move them on all we are doing is displacing them as there are no beds in the system.

The tents will just pop up somewhere else. It wont be Waterways Irelands problem anymore, itll just be somebody elses.

Of the 186 people on Dublin streets, he estimated that three-quarters of them are willing to engage with services and access accommodation.

He explained that the 20 or so people who live in tents along the capitals canals do so for safety reasons.

People who sleep along the canals do so because theyre not as busy as the main thoroughfares, said Mr Flynn. Theyre open spaces so people can see them and they feel safer.

It is understood that there are ongoing discussions between Waterways Ireland, the local community and An Garda Siochana.

A spokeswoman for An Garda Siochana said they were unable to comment on the matter at this time.

This story first appeared on IrishExaminer.com
By Ann OLoughlin

Ryanair refused to accept a vote from pilots in Charleroi Airport in Belgium as being a "yes under duress" vote on a pay and conditions deal, the High Court has heard.

Former Ryanair pilot Jean Francois Clase told the 12th day of Ryanairs defamation action against three founding members of the Ryanair Pilots Group (RPG) that the airline refused to accept a majority vote of "yes under duress" for the Charleroi base in a 2015 pay and conditions agreement.

It was the second time a vote was carried out after most pilots at the base were very unhappy with the deal being put forward, he said.

Captain Clase said he and two other members of the employee representative committee (ERC) at Charleroi, in the end, agreed with Ryanair management that the vote had to be just "yes" because, if not, management said it would not accept a conditional vote and would be taken as a rejection of the deal.

"We had to, we were going nowhere", he said.

Capt Clase said despite having already had two votes in which a majority of the 49 or so pilots either rejected the agreement or accepted is as "under duress", the ERC members were not going to have a third vote.

Management had warned that not only would proposed pay increases not be given but the pilots at Charleroi would immediately lose their more favourable 5-day on 4-day off roster arrangement and have it replaced with an older 5-day/3-day arrangement, among other things, he said. The ERC had asked for more time to conduct proper consultations with the pilots but Ryanair refused, he said.

Capt Clase said after the first rejection vote in early 2015,Ryanair chief operations manager Peter Bellew addressed a "town hall" meeting of pilots the base at which the same deal was again put to the pilots. The ERC reps had suggested that rather than have a town hall meeting that the ERC would directly contact pilots with whatever new proposals the company had due to the fact that many pilots would not be able to attend because of work or leave. Nevertheless Ryanair went ahead with the town hall meeting, he said.

Capt Clase said afterwards, with Ryanair insisting on a March 1 deadline for acceptance of the deal, the ERC had to arrange another vote but the majority still voted yes but this time stating it was "under duress".

Earlier, Capt Clase said he worked at Hahn Frankfurt, Madrid and Charleroi for Ryanair and the first time he was involved in a vote for ERC reps was in Charleroi when he and two other colleagues were voted to represent the pilots by both directly employed and contracted pilots at the base.

Despite writing to Ryanair saying they were representing all pilots at Charleroi, the company wrote back and told them they could only represent those directly employed and provided a list of those eligible to vote on any deal.

The airline also insisted the ERC reps had also to be health and safety reps at the base which Capt Clase said was not what they believed they had been elected to do. While they received a yearly allowance of 635 for their ERC roles, they were refused time off to perform their duties and were told by Ryanair they should be able to do so outside working hours.

Ryanair is suing RPG interim council members Evert Van Zwol, John Goss and Ted Murphy over a September 2013 email which the airline says falsely inferred the company misled the market.

The three deny the email, headed "Pilot Update: what the markets are saying about Ryanair", was defamatory.

The hearing continues before a jury and Mr Justice Bernard Barton.
Update 3.32pm: The Housing Minister has said the recent crisis may have brought Fianna Fail and Fine Gael closer together.

Eoghan Murphy dismissed concerns that the confidence and supply arrangement is in tatters.

The wide consensus in Leinster House is that there will be an election in the first half of next year.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said the arrangement can still survive.

"I don't think it is damaged. I think, obviously, there's always going to be a tension between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael insofar as us as party members in the Dail. That will always maintain," he said.

"My impression from what happened over the weekend with the work that the Taoiseach did with Micheal Martin to try and avert an election is that it actually helped strengthen the confidence and supply between the two leaders," he said.

However, a Fianna Fail TD has said an early election is "inevitable".

John McGuinness said that damage has been done to the country by the crisis over the last few days.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail TDs have sought to mend the gap between the parties after the government almost collapsed yesterday.

But John McGuinness says there is only one outcome from this for the confidence and supply arrangement.

"It has been damaged in terms of trust between the two main parties. It has shown a dysfunctional side of Government within the Department of Justice that needs to be repaired quickly," he said.

"I think that damage has been done to this country and I think that an earlier election than what was planned is absolutely inevitable," he added.

Update 9.13am: The agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail was 'stretched to breaking point' by the whistleblower crisis, according to a Junior Minister.

But Micheal D'Arcy says the agreement isn't broken, and he's not sure an election is inevitable in the Spring.

The government was on the brink of collapsing yesterday before Frances Fitzgerald's resignation as Tanaiste avoided a Christmas election.

Mr D'Arcy admits the confidence and supply arrangement keeping the government up has been sorely tested but isn't convinced an election is inevitable.

"There's really major issues coming up, everybody knows and understands what those issues are, and we as public representatives, members of the Oireachtas, have to get on and deal with them.

"I think it was stretched to breaking point, it isn't broken it's still in place, and over time we'll know if that hypothesis is correct or not."

Michael D'arcy (left) with Paul Keogh.

Update 8.30: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar may use the resignation of Frances Fitzgerald as Tanaiste as an opportunity for a wider reshuffle at Cabinet to embolden the party ahead of any general election, writes Juno McEnroe

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is being widely tipped as the next Tanaiste but a decision on the appointment and other potential Cabinet changes are not expected for several days.

A Government spokesman has said that Mr Varadkar could potentially make wider changes to the Cabinet make-up.

Several Fine Gael TDs and ministers have said that Mr Coveney would be well placed to step into the role.

He is loyal, a good debater, and it might help heal any divide after the recent leadership contest between them, said a Fine Gael source.

Some sources have also mentioned the name of Education Minister Richard Bruton, Social Welfare Minister Regina Doherty, and Arts Minister Heather Humphreys as potential considerations for Tanaiste.

Other sources have noted that Mr Varadkar may be closer to Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and choose him.

This story first appeared on IrishExaminer.com

Update 6.50am:There are calls today for the terms of reference of the Charleton Tribunal to be broadened following the controversy that led to the resignation of the Tanaiste.

Sinn Fein will today publish a private members motion that calls for the disclosures inquiry to take account of the recent revelations regarding the Department of Justice and Ministers of Justice.

In the Dail, the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he was "shocked" and "horrified" to learn that the tribunal wasn't given all the relevant emails regarding the Maurice McCabe case.

Sinn Fein Justice spokesperson Donnchadh O'Laoghaire says it is hard to believe that the key emails were omitted.

"That expects us to assume that in searching for relevant documentation, the emails of the secretary general of the department were not considered," he said.

Sinn Fein Justice spokesperson Donnchadh O'Laoghaire

Earlier: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan are under considerable pressure over their handling of the Maurice McCabe email scandal which claimed the scalp of Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald who resigned writes Daniel McConnell, Fiachra O Cionnaith, Juno McEnroe, and Elaine Loughlin

Ms Fitzgerald was defiant as she passed through the selection convention in Dublin Mid-West, having earlier in the day resigned from the Cabinet in order to prevent an unnecessary general election.

I have to say, it has been very tough being at the centre of this political storm, not something Im used to, not something too many people are used to, she said.

Its also been very hard to get facts on the table and I want to say that to you amid the very frenzied political media atmosphere.

But she vowed to vindicate my good name when she appears before the Disclosures Tribunal after Christmas.

It is expected that Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney will replace her as Tanaiste in the coming days.

Mr Varadkar is facing a major internal backlash from within Fine Gael over his handling of the email scandal, while Mr Flanagan was forced to make a number of abject apologies in the Dail over his failures and those of his department.

His decision to support Ms Fitzgerald throughout the weekend when he knew more information was to come has come under sharp criticism.

The drama of the day was compounded by the immediate retirement of Noel Waters, secretary general of the Department of Justice, who hit back at criticisms of the department made in the Dail by Mr Varadkar.

Mr Waters informed staff in the department of his imminent departure after Mr Varadkar lashed out at the dysfunctional department.

Mr Varadkar has also launched an external review of why some records were not sent to the tribunal which is due to conclude by Christmas.

Mr Waters later told staff he is retiring with immediate effect, two weeks after he told Mr Flanagan he would retire in February during a phone call in which he revealed the May 15, 2015, McCabe email.

Mr Waters will retire on an annual pension of 100,000, based on actuarial calculations.

In his retirement email, Mr Waters hit out at a barrage of unwarranted criticism in the Dail but said he was leaving of my own volition.

The Government press secretary last night said there was no interaction between Mr Waters and Government before his sudden retirement, saying: Mr Waters has said he took this decision entirely of his own volition.

He insisted no officials contacted Mr Waters before he retired with immediate effect.

On hearing Ms Fitzgeralds decision to resign at a sombre Cabinet meeting, while colleagues expressed sorrow at events, not one expressed the belief that she should have remained on.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Coveney said: This was a day which was frustrating for Fine Gael and the Government. There was a total change in the national mood because of the way the new emails were presented on Monday and that made it impossible for Fianna Fail to accept anything less than her resignation.

And so she had to resign to avoid an election, there was no avoiding that. There are legitimate questions that Frances has to answer and there is a need for political accountability so I dont criticise Fianna Fail for that.

In the Dail, Mr Flanagan was subjected to harsh criticism after he admitted to failing to realise the significance of the emails which are at the heart of the controversy.

Asked how he failed to connect the fact his secretary general, Noel Waters, retired in the same phone call as he told him of the email, Mr Flanagan said he only realised the seriousness in hindsight and that the retirement is coincidental.

Key records at the heart of the Maurice McCabe email scandal were for unknown reasons left out of an extensive trawl of thousands of Department records which were subsequently sent to the Charleton tribunal.

Asked to explain why the email was not found by an initial Department of Justice trawl, Mr Flanagan said my understanding is they are new documents and were not in the previous process.

Mr Flanagan also apologised in the Dail for failings at the Department of Justice.

This is completely unacceptable and I wish to formally apologise to the Taoiseach, to you Ceann Comhairle and to the House, said Mr Flanagan.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe arrived out at Ms Fitzgeralds convention and gave a 10-minute speech in support of his colleague.

Rarely has a person of such quality been tested like she has in recent days, he said.

This story first appeared on IrishExaminer.com
The Government and Fianna Fail have rejected Sinn Feins motion to widen the terms of Reference of the Disclosures Tribunal.

They say they believe the terms of reference already provide for Ministers and former Ministers to be questioned.
US President Donald Trump has once again singled out Ireland in a speech about tax reform.

Speaking in Missouri, Mr Trump said America's current tax code had incentivised companies to leave the US in search of lower tax rates.

"They're going to Ireland. They're going all over. They're going all over Asia but they're stopping because they now want to take advantage of whats happening and what were about to pass hopefully," he said, referring to his administration's new tax plan.

The US Senate is expected to vote on the tax reforms on Thursday.

Elsewhere in the speech, Trump branded North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un "a sick puppy".

After calling the Republican tax plan "rocket fuel" for the American economy, Mr Trump digressed with an aside on "Little Rocket Man", calling Mr Kim "a sick puppy".

Mr Trump drew hoots from the crowd during a tax reform speech in St Charles, Missouri, with the impromptu shot at Mr Kim a day after the North launched its most powerful missile yet.

Earlier Wednesday, Mr Trump threatened additional sanctions against the North over its continued nuclear missile development.

Additional reporting by AP.
Daniel Day-Lewis has spoken out about his decision to quit acting, writes Denise O'Donoghue.

The legendary Anglo-Irish actor, best known for powerful roles including Christy Brown in 'My Left Foot', and Bill the Butcher Cutting in Martin Scorseses 'Gangs of New York', told W Magazine he made the choice while filming his last movie, 'Phantom Thread'.

"Before making the film, I didnt know I was going to stop acting," he said. "I do know that Paul [Thomas] and I laughed a lot before we made the movie. And then we stopped laughing because we were both overwhelmed by a sense of sadness.

"That took us by surprise: We didnt realize what we had given birth to. It was hard to live with. And still is."

He revealed he often considered giving up his acting career in previous years, saying acting "gives you life and is killing you at the same time."

"All my life, Ive mouthed off about how I should stop acting, and I dont know why it was different this time, but the impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do," he said.

"What has taken over in the past is an illusion of inevitability. Ill think, 'Is there no way to avoid this?'

"There are spells in these films that you cant account for. Paul and I spoke a lot about cursesthe idea of a curse on a family, what that might be like. A kind of malady.

"And its not that I felt there was a curse attached to this film, other than the responsibility of a creative life, which is both a curse and a blessing. You can never separate them until the day you die. Its the thing that feeds you and eats away at you; gives you life and is killing you at the same time."

Day-Lewis says he is not sure what he will do in the future.

"I havent figured it out. But its settled on me, and its just there. Not wanting to see the film is connected to the decision Ive made to stop working as an actor.

"But its not why the sadness came to stay. That happened during the telling of the story, and I dont really know why.

"I dread to use the overused word 'artist', but theres something of the responsibility of the artist that hung over me. I need to believe in the value of what Im doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isnt."

He said he has "a great sadness" as he mourns the end of a major part of his life which began when he was 12.

"Do I feel better? Not yet. I have great sadness. And thats the right way to feel. How strange would it be if this was just a gleeful step into a brand-new life," he said.

"Ive been interested in acting since I was 12 years old, and back then, everything other than the theaterthat box of lightwas cast in shadow.

"When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way."

"I wont know which way to go for a while. But Im not going to stay idle. I dont fear the stony silence."
US President Donald Trump has threatened new sanctions on North Korea after its most powerful missile test yet.

Mr Trump also urged China "to use all available levers" to convince its ally to "return to the path of denuclearisation".

It was not immediately clear if Mr Trump was referring to additional US sanctions or another round of penalties at the United Nations (UN).

Agreement between the US and China, both veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council, is key to such action. The council is due to hold an emergency meeting this afternoon.

Mr Trump tweeted that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

After a two-and-a-half month pause in its rapid tempo of nuclear and missile tests, North Korea said it launched a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile.

Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

Some observers believe the Hwasong-15 missile that was tested on a high trajectory and splashed down in the Sea of Japan in the early hours of Wednesday in Asia could potentially reach Washington and the entire eastern US seaboard.

That suggests progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the US mainland.

Mr Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having that capability - using military force if necessary.

A White House statement about the phone conversation between the US and Chinese leaders said Mr Trump made clear "the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies".

Mr Trump also "emphasised the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation."

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Mr Xi told Mr Trump that denuclearising the Korean peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime and preserving peace and stability in north-east Asia are China's unswerving goal.

Mr Xi said China would like to keep up communications with the US and all other related parties and "jointly push the nuclear issue toward the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations," according to Xinhua.

US sanctions against North Korea were bolstered last week after the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.

Those sanctions targeted North Korean shipping and Chinese companies that deal with the North.

AP
Two Americans who maintained a social media account called "Traveling Butts" have been arrested in Thailand after posting a photo of themselves at a famous Buddhist temple with their rear ends exposed.

A police spokesman said the men were arrested last night at a Bangkok airport and face public indecency charges.

The men caused an uproar in Buddhist-majority Thailand last week after their photo taken at Bangkok's Wat Arun was widely shared, prompting a police investigation.

The men, whom police identified only by their first names, maintained a since-deleted Instagram account where they posed for photos at tourist destinations around the world with their buttocks exposed.

The account had more than 14,000 followers.

Visitors to temples in Thailand are expected to dress modestly and at some sites people are not allowed to wear shorts or shirts that do not cover their shoulders.

Police said the men each paid a fine of 5,000 baht (126) at a police station near the temple and have been handed over to immigration authorities.

Police are also considering charging the men under Thailand's computer crimes act as the image was posted online, said Wisit Suwan, the deputy chief of the Bangkok Yai district police station.

The controversial law is often used against political activists to stifle free speech online or against those accused of insulting Thailand's monarchy.

It carries punishments of up to five years in prison.
Latest News MFAA elects board members One re-elected, two newcomers welcomed

ANZ raises fixed rates Forty other lenders have hiked at least one fixed rate in the last month, data shows

Consumer lending fintech MoneyMe has announced it has secured $120m of funds which the firm will use for future growth and expansion.The asset-backed wholesale securitisation facility includes $100m from global investment manager Fortress Investment Group as well as $20m of bonds issued by corporate advisory firm Evans & Partners.MoneyMe will use these added funds to grow its market share, branch into new lending products and expand into additional delivery channels over the next three to five years.This size of investment shows recognition of MoneyMes strong value proposition and the potential of Australian fintechs to capture significant wholesale market funding, said MoneyMe CEO and cofounder Clayton Howes.This type of validation by a global investment management company, Fortress Investment Group, affirms a funding path that will now allow us to capitalise on growth and market share opportunities where bank branch models are not a natural fit in this digital age.This validation was a win for the Australian fintech sector as a whole, Howes said.With this added investment, MoneyMe will continue to fund its loan book growth and expand its distribution channels. Howes recently spoke to Australian Broker about the firms movement into the third party channel with a number of brokers already signing up.MoneyMe also plans on launching a series of niche loan products targeting the millennial demographic.As the millennial generation ages and gains even greater consumer power with their increasing incomes, their credit needs will also change and mature with them, said Howes.Our aim is to be there throughout their credit lifecycle journey, seamlessly delivering real-time finance solutions in the locations and format that allow focus to remain on the consumption experience and not the transaction itself.https://au.res.keymedia.com/files/image/iStock_Crowdfunding-Concepts-Charity-funds-savings_000041946048_Small.jpg
Latest News MFAA elects board members One re-elected, two newcomers welcomed

ANZ raises fixed rates Forty other lenders have hiked at least one fixed rate in the last month, data shows

Leading analysts at S&P Global Ratings have commented on the major banks use of brokers, saying that trends in third party channels are not indicative of any additional risks for the industry.These views come from the agencys analysis of major bank lending practices including governance and controls around brokers, said Sharad Jain, S&P director of financial institutions ratings, at an Asia-Pacific Banking Insights session entitled What's The Latest Credit Outlook For Australian Banks? held yesterday (29 November).Despite these views, Jain admitted there may be constraints around making informed commentary in this area.We do not see any significant difference in the outcomes [between broker and proprietary] but that data itself is constrained because [it] does not come through any period of significant stress.While on the face of it, there may seem to be additional risks through brokers, current data does not back this up, he said.Nico de Lange, another S&P director of financial institutions ratings speaking at the event, predicted that the broker channel would continue to be a major source of new business for the major banks.It will remain a channel that they [will] be focusing on but what might happen is that there might be different strategies within the major banks on the importance that the broker channels might play.While some of the major banks had been increasing the use of brokers, others such as the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ( CBA ) had slightly decreased their use of third party, he said.
A 24-year-old man is facing a slew of felony charges for illegal straw purchase of 21 guns at gun stores, almost exclusively in Bucks County. Leonard Truesdale was arraigned on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, on 21 counts each of making false statements on firearm purchase forms, criminal conspiracy to make false statements on firearm purchase forms and selling or transferring...
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...
Abominable Snowman? Nope. Study ties DNA samples from purported Yetis to Asian bears

A femur bone from the decayed body of a purported Yeti found in a cave in Tibet. Biologist Charlotte Lindqvist tested DNA from the bone for Icon Films' "YETI OR NOT" TV special, which aired on Animal Planet in 2016. Credit: Icon Films Ltd.

BUFFALO, N.Y.  The Yeti or Abominable Snowman  a mysterious, ape-like creature said to inhabit the high mountains of Asia  looms large in the mythology of Nepal and Tibet. Sightings have been reported for centuries. Footprints have been spotted. Stories have been passed down from generation to generation. Now, a new DNA study of purported Yeti samples from museums and private collections is providing insight into the origins of this Himalayan legend. The research, published Nov. 29 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analyzed nine Yeti specimens, including bone, tooth, skin, hair and fecal samples collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Of those, one turned out to be from a dog. The other eight were from Asian bears  one from an Asian black bear, one from a Himalayan brown bear, and the other six from Tibetan brown bears.

Our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the Yeti legend can be found in local bears, and our study demonstrates that genetics should be able to unravel other, similar mysteries, says lead scientist Charlotte Lindqvist, PhD, an associate professor of biological sciences in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). Lindqvists team is not the first to research Yeti DNA, but past projects ran simpler genetic analyses, which left important questions unresolved, she says. This study represents the most rigorous analysis to date of samples suspected to derive from anomalous or mythical hominid-like creatures, Lindqvist and her co-authors write in their new paper. The team included Tianying Lan and Stephanie Gill from UB; Eva Bellemain from SPYGEN in France; Richard Bischof from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences; and Muhammad Ali Nawaz from Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan and the Snow Leopard Trust Pakistan program.

The science behind folklore

Download a high resolution photo of biologist Charlotte Lindqvist with veterinarian Mark Evans in Lindqvists lab Biologist Charlotte Lindqvist, left, with Mark Evans, veterinarian and explorer, in Lindqvists lab on UBs North Campus. Evans was host of Icon Films' "YETI OR NOT" TV special, which aired on Animal Planet in 2016 and featured Lindqvists DNA analysis of purported Yeti samples. Credit: Icon Films Ltd. Download a high resolution portrait of Charlotte Lindqvist Charlotte Lindqvist.

Lindqvist says science can be a useful tool in exploring the roots of myths about large and mysterious creatures. She notes that in Africa, the longstanding Western legend of an African unicorn was explained in the early 20th century by British researchers, who found and described the flesh-and-blood okapi, a giraffe relative that looks like a mix between that animal and a zebra and a horse. And in Australia  where people and oversized animals may have coexisted thousands of years ago  some scholars have speculated that references to enormous animal-like creatures in Australias Aboriginal Dreamtime mythology may have drawn from ancient encounters with real megafauna or their remains, known today from Australias fossil record. But while such connections remain uncertain, Lindqvists work  like the discovery of the okapi  is direct: Clearly, a big part of the Yeti legend has to do with bears, she says. She and colleagues investigated samples such as a scrap of skin from the hand or paw of a Yeti  part of a monastic relic  and a fragment of femur bone from a decayed Yeti found in a cave on the Tibetan Plateau. The skin sample turned out to be from an Asian black bear, and the bone from a Tibetan brown bear. The Yeti samples that Lindqvist examined were provided to her by British production company Icon Films, which featured her in the 2016 Animal Planet special YETI OR NOT, which explored the origins of the fabled being.

Solving a scientific mystery, too: How enigmatic bears evolved

Download a high resolution photo of a Himalayan brown bear from Deosai National Park, Pakistan Himalayan brown bear from Deosai National Park, Pakistan. Credit: Abdullah Khan, Snow Leopard Foundation Download a photo of a family of Himalayan brown bears, including a female and two cubs A family of Himalayan brown bears, including a female and two cubs, from a camera trap study of wild bears in northern Pakistan. Credit: Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Snow Leopard Foundation

Besides tracing the origins of the Yeti legend, Lindqvists work is uncovering information about the evolutionary history of Asian bears. Bears in this region are either vulnerable or critically endangered from a conservation perspective, but not much is known about their past history, she says. The Himalayan brown bears, for example, are highly endangered. Clarifying population structure and genetic diversity can help in estimating population sizes and crafting management strategies. The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears (including the purported Yetis), and compared this genetic data to that of other bears worldwide. This analysis showed that while Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their North American and Eurasian kin, Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged early on from all other brown bears. The split occurred about 650,000 years ago, during a period of glaciation, according to the scientists. The timing suggests that expanding glaciers and the regions mountainous geography may have caused the Himalayan bears to become separated from others, leading to a prolonged period of isolation and an independent evolutionary path. Further genetic research on these rare and elusive animals may help illuminate the environmental history of the region, as well as bear evolutionary history worldwide  and additional Yeti samples could contribute to this work, Lindqvist says.

About the University at Buffalo

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York. UB's nearly 30,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and its Interdisciplinary Graduate School. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London. NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes  the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering  and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI). Ranked 11th in the world, NTU has also been ranked the worlds top young university for the last four years running. The universitys main campus has been named one of the Top 15 Most Beautiful in the World. NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapores medical district. For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg.

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No-frills airline AirAsia India narrowed its net loss to Rs 16.4 crore in the September quarter and expects to be "very profitable" once it starts flying on regional routes, Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad said today.

AirAsia India is a joint venture between Tatas and Malaysia's AirAsia, which holds 49 per cent stake.

In the July-September period of last fiscal, the airline had a net loss of Rs 62.12 crore, AirAsia Berhad said in a filing on the Malaysian stock exchange.

The airline's revenues climbed to Rs 395 crore during the quarter under review, from Rs 175.13 crore in the same period a year ago.

In a release, AirAsia Berhad said its associate airline in India has grown tremendously.

On an year-on-year basis, AirAsia India achieved 99 per cent growth on passengers carried as well as a 104 per cent rise in capacity in the quarter under review.

"Revenue increased by 126 per cent year-on-year and net loss reduced by 74 per cent year-on-year to Rs 164 million. AirAsia India will have 14 aircraft by the end of 2017 and 21 aircraft by the end of 2018," it said.

As part of expansion plans, AirAsia India is keen to fly overseas once it complies with the regulatory requirements. Under Indian regulations, a domestic airline should have at least 20 planes before it can start services to foreign destinations.

"We are on target to launch our international routes the minute we achieve 20 aircraft in India next year. We foresee our Indian operations to be very profitable once we start flying regional routes and connecting them to our wide network," the release said.
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The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has proposed to invest around $75 million in first rupee-denominated offshore bond (Masala bond) of and Finance Company Limited (CIFCL), part of the Chennai-based Murugappa Group.
Jet Airways has tied up with Air France-KLM (AF-KLM) to capture a larger pie of India's international traffic but will not divorce its ties with equity partner Etihad.
Social activist will launch an agitation over Jan Lokpal and farmers' issues in New Delhi on March 23 next year.

Hazare, who has been the face of the Lokpal movement, said they have chosen March 23 to launch the agitation as it happens to be the 'Shaheed Diwas' (Martyr's Day).

"This will be a satyagraha for Jan Lokpal, farmers' issues and poll reforms," Hazare said, addressing a meeting of his supporters at Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district last evening.

The veteran Gandhian said he has been writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on these issues but hasn't received a response.

"At least 12 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last 22 years. I want to know the number of industrialists committing suicide during this period," he said.

Hazare has been demanding the formation of Jan Lokpal to keep a check on corruption.

He went on a 12-day hunger strike in 2011 after which the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government accepted the demand in principle.

Hazare later launched a fast, which enjoyed a huge popular support across the country. The UPA government later passed the Lokpal bill.

An aide of Hazare today said the Modi government has not appointed a lokpal. "The reason given from the government's side is technical," he said.

He said according to the Lokpal Act, a committee comprising the prime minister, the Lok Sabha speaker, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the chief justice of India or a Supreme Court judge nominated by him, should be formed and select the Lokpal.

"However, as there is no leader of opposition in Lok Sabha at present, the committee could not be formed and the lokpal could not be appointed," the aide said.

The central government cited the same reason in an affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court when replying to a public interest litigation, he added.
I have just spoken to Pradeep Rawat Indian Ambassador in Jakarta @IndianEmbJkt. We have set up a facilitation centre at the airport and are providing assistance to the stranded Indian nationals there. I am in constant touch with our mission. @cgibali  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 28, 2017

Just got report that airport is closed today as well.  India in Bali (@cgibali) November 27, 2017

As Indonesia raised alert to the highest level, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said she was monitoring the situation closely and that the Indian Mission there would provide assistance to Indians requiring help.The Indian Consulate in Bali has opened a help desk at the city airport to provide any assistance to the Indians stuck there.Swaraj said she was in touch with Pradeep Rawat, the countrys ambassador to Indonesia, and the consulate on the resort island.Massive columns of thick grey smoke that have been belching from Mount Agung since last week have now begun shooting more than three kilometres (two miles) into the sky, forcing flights to be grounded.The airport in Bali's capital Denpasar, a top holiday destination that attracts millions of foreign tourists every year, has been closed, a move expected to affect tens of thousands of passengers.

Indonesian officials say Agung continues to erupt and spew water vapour and ash between 2,000 and 3,400 metres high above the crater.

There is also seismic activity in the area.

The Bali airport on Monday cancelled 445 domestic and international flights, leaving at least 59,000 passengers stranded. Bali is the main tourist draw in Indonesia, with an annual influx of around 5.4 million foreign tourists, according to official data.

At least 22 towns near the mountain have been affected by the ash and authorities have recommended the use of protective masks for the population. Located in the east of the island, in Karangasem district, Mount Agung is far from most tourist attractions.
Begging should not be a crime if it is done due to poverty, the Centre told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, which wondered if anyone begs out of compulsion or by choice.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday lashed out at former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's statement backing terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that Musharraf is making such statements as he knows that Pakistan is now being controlled by such terror outfit.

"There is no doubt or confusion with regard to how Pakistan is. Pakistan is a destination where terrorist can move around freely and fearlessly. They are almost respected citizens there. Mushrraf's statement confirms that he understands who the power centre is. He is clear in his mind that they are the ones who now control Pakistan," Kohli said.

BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao also echoed similar views and said that Musharraf's remark was not surprising for them.

Earlier in the day, Musharraf backed the terror groups LeT and JuD , saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said, "I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me."

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had also met him.

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

"India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the US," Musharraf said, adding," Yes, they [LeT] are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir it is, between, we [Pakistan] and India.
Kerala woman Hadiya, who has been at the centre of love jihad controversy, on Wednesday said she asked for freedom from the Supreme Court but she was still not free.

Speaking to media outside the Sivaraj Homeopathic medical college here, Hadiya said, "I am asking for basic rights that every Indian citizen has. It has nothing to do with politics or caste. All I want is to talk to people I like. I asked for freedom from the court. I wanted to meet my husband but the fact is that I am not free till now and that's the truth".

Meanwhile, Hadiya's father said that her husband Shafin Jahan is a terrorist.

Earlier on Monday, the top court had freed Hadiya from her parent's custody and sent her to college to pursue her studies.

Hadiya was in the custody of her parents for almost six months after the Kerala High Court had in May annulled her marriage with Jahan.

Hadiya, a Hindu by birth was converted to Islam after marrying Jahan.

The apex court has been hearing Hadiya's case after Jahan approached the top court following his marriage was annulled.

While Hadiya's parents have been alleging that her marriage was a case of 'love jihad' and that she was converted to Islam forcibly, Hadiya has refuted these claims so far.

(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.)
Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday condemned former Pakistan president over his statement in support of terror outfits, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), and termed it as 'a tragic moment.'

"I feel sad that a man of his integrity, who has been the chief of the Pakistan Army as well as the president, has praised something like this. It is a tragic moment," Abdullah told ANI.

He added, "Any terrorist outfit is going to destroy not only their country, but every other country where terrorism is being promoted. I'm sorry if the ex-president of Pakistan thinks the LeT was going to protect Islam."

He also called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to devise ways to initiate talks with the neighbouring nation to combat the problem "which has been there for the last 70 years," and suggested for both countries to forget the past.

"Time has come when the prime minister speaks that we have to find a solution which will be better. Time has come to start finding ways of talking with Pakistan and finding a solution which will be in the interest of people of Pakistan, India, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," Abdullah said, adding the people were paying the price for the rift between the two countries.

Abdullah further contended that "wars have not solved situations, nor have they given us any solutions."

Earlier in the day, former Pakistan president came out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf also said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and that he had met him.

(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.)
Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said on Wednesday.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event in Nagpur, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400-metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Doklam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide a guarantee on the safety aspect."



Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistans offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navy man, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We don't care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection."



Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him either related to terrorism or otherwise have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400-metre high wall to hide construction activities in Dokalam on Sikkim- Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.
Singapore has expressed its reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan and Australia, with the country's defence minister saying it is not useful to cast one bloc against another.

In an address at a think tank here, Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng Hen pitched for an "inclusive regional security architecture" to ensure peace and stability in the region.

He said Singapore was open to multilateral exercises in the Indian Ocean region.

Delving into regional security issues, he sounded critical of the proposed quadrilateral coalition, saying it is not useful to cast one bloc against another.

He said "polarising defence and trade" would not be helpful for the region and called for crafting a "stable system" wherein all small and large states have ways and means to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

He also called a "regional power" in the Indo- Pacific region and said the country was a "natural partner" of all countries in Southeast Asia.

"We are trying to craft a system under which we can ensure peace and progress for everyone," Ng said.

In an apparent reference to China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, he said freedom of navigation and overflight must be respected.

Ng's remarks on Tuesday came a day before his talks with Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman.

Widening the security cooperation under the proposed quadrilateral coalition, officials of India, the US, Japan and Australia had held extensive talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila earlier this month, for pursuing common interests in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region where China has been aggressively expanding its military presence.

Singapore is a key member-country of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping with which has been intensifying its defence and security ties.

The move to set up the quadrilateral comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.

Ng, in his address, also complimented India's Act East policy, saying it is making an impact.

He paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru, saying his country was inspired by the first prime minister of India.
Scientists have refuted a recent claim that an unknown type of bear exists in the Himalayas and that it may be, at least in part, the source of legends.

Last year, B Sykes, a professor of human genetics at the University of Oxford, and colleagues studied two hair samples from the Himalayan region - one sample came from an animal that was shot about 40 years ago in northern India; the other had been found in Bhutan.

The samples that had been attributed to "anomalous primates" (yetis, bigfoots, and others).

The hair samples had a 100 per cent match with DNA recovered from a fossil polar bear from over 40,000 years ago.

On this basis, Sykes concluded that a currently unknown type of bear must inhabit that portion of Asia.

Perhaps this unknown bear inspired the legend of the yeti, a bipedal beast from the Himalayas, the researchers had said in the study published in the journal the Proceedings of The Royal Society B.

However, another study by CJ Edwards at the University of Oxford in 2014 found that the sample that matched Sykes and co-authors' Himalayan ones, was in fact, from a present-day polar bear from Alaska, not from a fossil.

They hypothesised that the genetic material in the samples attributed to an unknown type of bear might have been misleading because of degradation.

Sykes and co-authors, however, have continued to maintain that their Himalayan samples must be from an unknown type of bear.

A new analysis by Eliecer E Gutierrez, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Institution, and Ronald H Pine, affiliated with the Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas, have concluded that the relevant genetic variation in brown bears makes it impossible to assign, with certainty, Sykes and co-authors' samples to either that species or the polar bear.

In fact, because of genetic overlap, the samples could have come from either one.

Because brown bears occur in the Himalayas, Gutierrez and Pine stated that therefore there is no reason to believe that the samples in question came from anything other than ordinary Himalayan brown bears.

The study was published in the journal ZooKeys.

(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 Lok Sabha member from Arunachal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to take up with the Chinese government the unusual receding of Siang river at Pasighat and a sudden change in its water quality.
Flipkart co-founder and executive chairman believes that digital payments will become a game changer for the domestic e-commerce business in the next five years.
Indian farms would need to increasingly move to factory-like operation to continue serving the changing needs of consumers, said a panel on AgriTech at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Technology would have to play a bigger role, said the speakers in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister responsible for cleaning the Ganga, received in the course of a three-day visit to London a Rs 500-crore commitment for the project from businessmen of Indian origin. He confirmed this at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon before his return to Delhi.
The three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017 started on Tuesday, November 28, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump  who jointly inaugurated the event in Hyderabad  calling for more women across the world to become entrepreneurs.
The multi-agency group (MAG) constituted by the central government to investigate the Paradise Papers on offshore financial holdings is planning to take stringent action against tax evaders named in the leaked documents.
Policy changes are needed to encourage more women in high-growth sectors, including science and technology, said Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trumps daughter and presidential advisor, at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit on Wednesday.
After reducing the rates of more than 200 items in the previous goods and services tax (GST) Council meet, the panel might now significantly tweak rules to simplify procedures and ease rules for businesses.
TRAI has come out with its recommendations for the net-neutrality regime in India. This comes close on the heels of its counterpart in the US turning its back on it two years after it had endorsed it. The author looks at TRAIs recommendations and also at what the big influencers were in this matter globally.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
The Income Tax (IT) department on Tuesday conducted searches at over 25 locations in Delhi and the National Capital Region in connection with its tax evasion probe into the leak cases, official sources said.
Five months after the roll out of the goods and service tax (GST) regime, exporters have pointed out that last mile, procedural issues continue to plague the sector due to the yet-to-be-updated filing systems and poor on-ground implementation of norms.
Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi belittled his position by hosting US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, "We are surprised that India has a Prime Minister who has belittled his office yesterday by being in attendance for Ivanka Trump as it is not for the Prime Minister of India to host at the Falaknuma Palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad. He is a prime minister and he must not forget that. That was the job of the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh or maximum one of his ministers. Now, that shows that he is seeking certificates either from the dubious rating agencies or he has got a certificate yesterday from Ivanka Trump who perhaps does not know the local language at all."

"He has to be in the frame and news. He is levelling allegations against the Congress without any foundations which are false. The prime minister has an unhealthy mindset and he is very negative in his approach," Sharma said.

He further said the prime minister had lowered the dignity of his office.

"The promises he had made to the people of Gujarat and India, the country has not forgotten. It is under his watch and because of his reckless decisions that India's economy has been destroyed. We are derailed completely with over 2.5 per cent of the GDP shaved off. Post demonetisation, this country has suffered. Instead of creating two crore jobs a year, this country has lost over 3.5 crore jobs. The prime minister should talk about this and also about the promises he had made to the youth and women," Sharma asserted.

Ivanka Trump met Prime Minister Modi yesterday on the sidelines of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, the prime minister said the theme, 'women first, prosperity for all' had made the edition of GES stand out. "In Indian mythology, women are an incarnation of Shakti - the Goddess of power and we believe women empowerment is vital to our development," he said.
(BoB) is scaling down its overseas presence as part of a rationalisation process. It is planning to shut down a branch in Hong Kong and a representative office in Thailand.
Joint statement by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence of the Republic of India and Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence of the Republic of Singapore

The 2nd Defence Ministers Dialogue between India and Singapore was successfully concluded today. It was inaugurated after both countries signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in 2015 to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian Armed Forces.

Of particular significance during this meeting was the conclusion of the India-Singapore Bilateral Agreement for Navy Cooperation, which will lead to increased cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each others naval facilities and mutual logistics support. Both Ministers looked forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise next year.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Indias continued support for the SAFs training in India, covered by the Air Force and Army Bilateral Agreements.

Both Ministers welcomed the renewal of the Air Force Bilateral Agreement on the sidelines of the 11th Singapore-India Defence Policy Dialogue in January this year, and looked forward to the successful renewal of the Army Bilateral Agreement next year.

On regional security, both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining maritime freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law. India plays a vital role in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus. Both Ministers also discussed Singapores proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, in order to reduce the risk of miscalculations.

Appreciating Indias leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Dr Ng agreed to Indias proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in their shared maritime space, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional/ ASEAN partners.

Both Ministers emphasised the importance of international cooperation in tackling transnational security threats, and in particular measures to collectively tackle the threat of terrorism.

Both Ministers also commended the progress made since the India-Singapore Defence Technology Steering Committee was set up in October 2006 to launch joint research projects. Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Indias offer of its test ranges and infrastructure to Singapore for the conduct of testing and evaluation for R&D projects.

Singapore and India have also made progress in defence industry cooperation, with the signing of the terms of reference for the Defence Industry Working Group (DIWG) in August this year. Both Ministers agreed that this would facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modis acceptance as keynote speaker for the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue to articulate Indias vision for a stable Indo-Pacific region.

MJPS/NA/DK/RP
National Consultation on Accelerating Implementation of Urban Missions-Pmay-Urban- Strategies & Way Forward STATES/UTS Directed to Adopt 16 Innovative Technologies for Construction of Houses Under AHP and ISSR Verticals

Teachers, Angawadi Workers, Paramilitary Forces, State Police Departments to be Targeted to Promote Clss Vertical

Global Housing Construction Technology Challenge (GHCTC) Proposed to Identify Best Technologies for Mass Housing

A day long national Workshop on National Consultation on Accelerating Implementation of Urban Missions-PMAY(Urban) was inaugurated by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of state for Housing and Urban Affairs(I/C) here last Friday. The Workshop chaired by Sh Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary in the Ministry was attended by nearly 170 participants including Principal Secretary (Urban Development) of states, state Mission Directors for SBM, Municipal commissioners and other officials of cities with population of 5 lakh and above, and of nearby cities of NCR area, as well as representatives from Ministry partners. The following strategies have been suggested for moving forward: -

States/UTs need to implement necessary land reforms to ensure that beneficiaries have valid land document (land pattas/land title). State/UTs shall put in place a Single-window time bound clearance system for layout approvals and Building Permissions. States/UTs to share their respective road map with respect to Slum Redevelopment Projects under ISSR. States/UTs to focus on the ISSR vertical using land as a resource with minimum relocation, make a model by leveraging value of the land. Incentives like additional FAR & TDR should be given to make the ISSR projects viable. Provide rental accommodation to the slum dwellers while resettling them in ISSR projects. States/UTs shall prepare a land database to ensure availability of land and facilitate ease of implementation with respect to the affordable housing. States/UTs may converge their states policies with new 8 PPP models and utilize suitably to promote affordable housing. States/UTs shall emerge with innovative strategies to promote the CLSS vertical. With the increased carpet area of MIG in CLSS (120 sq. mt for MIG -I & 150 sq. mt for MIG-II) there is a huge boost for demand in MIG sector. The States to target specific categories such as Teachers, Anganwadi workers, Paramilitary forces, State Police Depts. etc. The States/UTs shall collaborate with SLBCs and DLBCs to monitor the progress of the CLSS vertical. States/UTs shall adopt 16 alternate innovative modern, sustainable, green and disaster resistant technologies that have been identified and SoR of 7 technologies have already been issued. The States/UTs are encouraged to adopt these technologies for fast and quality construction of houses under AHP and ISSR verticals. The Ministry proposes to launch the Global Housing Construction Technology Challenge (GHCTC) to globally identify best technologies which are suitable for mass housing. Through this challenge, all entrepreneurs, technology providers, institutions, academia and other stakeholders across the globe are proposed to be invited to contribute to the future of India's Housing Development. The Ministry also proposes to conduct Region/ State wide demonstration of technologies to explore and identify appropriate technologies as a way forward.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been implementing PMAY (U) which aims at providing pucca houses to all eligible urban poor including slum dwellers. A demand of around 1.2 crores houses has been assessed from the Mission Cities across all States and UTs so far. The Government is pursuing the vision of providing housing to all the urban poor in which the role of the States & UT Government is crucial. Since the launch of the Mission on 25th June 2015, a total of 30.81 lakhs houses across all verticals of the scheme have been accepted by Government of India for releasing Central assistance under PMAY (U). Currently, 15.65 lakh houses have already been grounded of which about 4.13 lakh houses have been constructed and remaining are at different level of construction. The objectives of the workshop was to understand and address the issues and concerns of the States/UTs while planning and implementing AHP & ISSR projects by states/UTs; to learn the successful models of AHP and ISSR projects being implemented in various States/UTs; to discuss on how the PPP models for AHP be used to encourage private sector participation in developing affordable housing and to learn from States/UTs on use of innovative construction technologies in AHP & ISSR verticals under PMAY (U).

In order to facilitate cross learning among States & UTs, presentations were made by States of Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh wherein the ISSR and AHP verticals have shown good performance and are replicable models with State perspective and policy. The presenting States emphasized on the importance of strategic planning with respect to the socio economic, financial and engineering aspects to ensure that projects under these two verticals gain success. The perspective of private sector in affordable housing was also deliberated upon and was led by CREDAI and NAREDCO. The cross learning and deliberations from the consultation by both private developers and States/UTs together has been encouraging for States/UTs to develop implementation strategies of AHP & ISSR verticals.

RJ
Three day India-Afghan Cultural Festival inaugurated in New Delhi today

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Dr. Mahesh Sharma and Minister of Culture and Information of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, His Excellency Prof. Moh. Rasool Bawari inaugurated the India-Afghan Cultural Festival in New Delhi today. The Festival has been jointly organized by the Government and Embassy of Afghanistan along with the Government of India and ICCR.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that India and Afghanistan enjoy age old cultural and civilaisational ties and the deep-rooted linkages in the fields of music, art, architecture, language and cuisine constitute an important bond of friendship between the people of the two countries.

While exponents of Afghan classical music such as Ustad Sarahang were trained in the Patiala Gharana, the popular Indian music of bollywood resonates in Afghan homes, Dr. Mahesh Sharma explained.

The central Bamyan province of Afghanistan is an epitome of our shared Buddhist heritage, he added. Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagores Kabuliwala has connected Indians with the honest and large-hearted Afghans.

Highlighting the common values shared by the two countries, the Indian Culture Minister said that the four Gurudwaras and the two temples in Kabul itself are testament to tolerant and diverse society of Afghanistan. Emphasising the developing partnership being extended by India for the people of Afghanistan, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that Restoration of Afghan cultural heritage and strengthening its cultural institutions has been an important part of our support in reconstruction of Afghanistan. The restoration of Storay palace in Kabul and support to the Afghan National Institute of Music are a few such examples, the Minister added.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that the India-Afghan Festival is a unique event being organized and will further bring out the commonalities between the two countries through art, handicrafts, dance, music and other forms.

The three day festival includes cultural performances, handicrafts, exhibitions, cuisine and cultural shows from Afghanistan as well as India.
Union Home Minister describes Russia as Indias one of the most credible friends

Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh met the Indian diaspora in Moscow yesterday. Addressing the gathering, the Home Minister expressed satisfaction with his visit to Russia and his talks with the various Russian leaders. He said that his visit had led to concrete outcomes to strengthen cooperation between India and Russia in the field of Security, Counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization, anti-drug trafficking, Counterfeit currency, Information Sharing and on training specialists in these fields.

Shri Rajnath Singh spoke about the long history and foundation of the relationship between India and Russia, and described Russia as one of the most credible friends of India. He praised the work that individually every Indian was doing in Russia and called them as the Cultural Ambassadors" of India. He said that while physical distance between them and India could be large, there can never be an emotional distance".

He informed the gathering about the efforts of the Government of India in controlling terrorism and neutralizing the infiltrating terrorists as well as about the determination of the Indian Armed Forces in responding to various provocations.

He identified terrorism and radicalism as the two greatest threats facing the world.

He apprised the gathering about the initiatives of the Government of India in developing the country in various fields via. Jan Dhan Yojana, Make in India, Aadhar implementation to take India on a fast-track of economic progress. He said India is on its way to becoming one of the leading economic powers of the world. He talked about the strength of Indian culture that termed the whole world as one family Vasudeva Kutumbakam", which forms the basis for India to become a benevolent power in future. From development of infrastructure to bringing in manufacturing into India, the Government of India has in the past three years contributed immensely, earning the goodwill of the people of India.
Geoffrey Hinton and Sara Sabour are researching a system that could let computers see more like humans at a Google laboratory in Toronto
The airport on the resort island of Bali will be closed for a third day, Indonesian officials said on Wednesday, as ash from a rumbling volcano poses a danger to planes.

"Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning," airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP.

Mount Agung, which looms over one of the world's top holiday spots, could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday.

Massive columns of thick grey smoke and ash that have been belching from the volcano since last week have now begun shooting high into the sky, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded and stranding around 120,000 tourists.

Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.

Tens of thousand have already fled their homes around the volcano -- which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people -- but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials have said.

There is a 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres away from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta.

Some 100 buses will haul stranded visitors to several destinations including Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya -- 13 hours' drive and a ferry ride away -- and the capital Jakarta, the airport said, as torrential rain lashed the beach paradise.

Disaster officials have previously raised alert levels to maximum and accelerated the mass evacuation of people living in Agung's shadow.

Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes.

However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption -- caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater.

So-called cold lava flows have also appeared -- similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination.

Indonesia, the world's most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.
While shoppers scramble for bargains this year, outdoor retailer REI is closing its 154 US stores. This is the third consecutive year that the Seattle-based company will ignore the frenzy that traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season. REIs nearly 12,000 employees will get a paid holiday and will not process any online orders.

Instead, REI exhorts workers and customers to get outside with family and friends. #OptOutside, a Twitter hashtag that REI coined to promote its anti-Black Friday, has been widely adopted by outdoor lovers, as well as environmental groups and businesses that partner with REI to promote this event.
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has come out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said, "I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me."

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had met him.

The former president added he was always in favour of terrorist action in Kashmir, and the LeT and the JuD were the biggest forces to take on the Indian Army in the state.

"I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing the Indian Army in Kashmir and they [LeT] are the biggest force," Musharraf said.



I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me & JuD also likes me: Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan's ARY News, also said 'yes' on being asked if he likes Hafiz Saeed, added that, 'I have met him (Hafiz Saeed)' pic.twitter.com/txxT58oPoU  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Was always in favor of action in Kashmir & of suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir & they are the biggest force (LeT), India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with US. Yes they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir & in Kashmir it is b/w we & India: Musharraf to ARY News pic.twitter.com/b1fOAyreKl  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

"India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the US," Musharraf said, adding," Yes, they [LeT] are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir it is, between, we [Pakistan] and India."

Earlier this week, the US strongly condemned the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.

The White House in a statement, said, "The United States strongly condemns the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution."

"A clear consensus exists regarding Saeed's culpability-he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," it read.

Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump's White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un claimed his regimes missile launch showed it can strike the US with a nuclear weapon, signaling a new phase in its stand-off with President Donald Trump. North Korea successfully launched a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile with improved technology that can deliver a nuclear warhead anywhere in the US, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday. Kim watched the test and declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, KCNA said.
Nomura Holdings Inc is returning to private equity - a move that comes as it seeks more stable income through consulting services and as Japanese firms increasingly look to divest non-core businesses as part of restructuring plans.

Japan's biggest brokerage and investment bank on Wednesday said in a statement it would initially invest about 100 billion yen ($895 million) in the new business. It has yet to identify any specific investment targets.

Nomura and other brokerages, which generate much of their revenues from securities trading, are increasingly looking to more stable income streams in an effort to reduce their exposure to volatility in financial markets.

Its return to private equity comes three years after it dissolved its previous private equity arm. This followed Nomura's disastrous acquisition of Lehman Brothers' Asian and European businesses in 2008, which resulted in six straight years of losses at its operations.

Nomura last made a fresh private equity investment in 2008. Its bigger deals included investments in Japanese restaurant chain Skylark and theme park resort Huis Ten Bosch. It sold its 41.76 per cent stake in Skylark to Bain Capital in 2011.

Analysts said that Nomura was re-entering the private equity market in Japan as potential buyers grow willing to take on risky assets a decade after the global financial crisis.

Rather than competing directly with large-scale private equity funds, Nomura said it aims to help Japanese sell non-core businesses or adjust their investment portfolios. It will also look to service domestic, small- and medium-sized enterprises with M&A opportunities and business succession.

As Japan's rural population ages and shrinks, small business owners are struggling to find successors because their children, who have often moved to big cities, are not interested in taking over.

This has led to an increasing number of small enterprises looking to sell themselves to other or private equity funds.

"This is a rapidly ageing society, the average age of business owners is growing, so they need to unload the operations. Sometimes these are very good operations - it's not that they are trying to get out, but that they don't have anyone to take over a well-run small- to medium-sized business," said Raymond Spencer, an analyst at Moody's in Tokyo.

"This is where Nomura comes in. They can look for similar business and roll them into larger operations for example, and introduce to other customers in their large base."

Nomura said it had not decided the size of potential deals, but that it would aim to take majority stakes in target . Initially, it would focus on Japanese companies, before expanding overseas.

Opportunities in Japan's private equity market have surfaced over the past year. Toshiba Corp has agreed to sell its chip unit for $18 billion to a consortium led by Bain, while US buyout firm KKR & Co LP last year paid $4.5 billion to buy a 41 per cent stake in auto parts supplier Calsonic Kansei.

Just this month, Bain managed to get Britain's WPP to agree to accept an offer for its stake in Japanese advertising firm Asatsu-DK.

KKR & Co also boosted its bid price for Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc for a second time, seeking to appease US activist hedge fund Elliott Management which has bought into the Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

Nomura's return to private equity follows its efforts to boost its US investment banking business as it sees more opportunities in the United States or by US companies looking to expand abroad.

Separately, Nomura said it would cancel treasury shares worth 4.7 per cent of outstanding shares on Dec. 18 - an announcement that helped lift its stock 2 per cent in early Wednesday trade.

($1 = 111.6100 yen)
Now a private citizen, former President has re-emerged on the global stage as he opened a three-country tour that includes meetings with the leaders of China and India, just as President Donald Trump courts those same world powers.

During a five-day trip, Obama will mix paid speeches with foreign leader meetings and even a town hall event for young people, the signature event that Obama became known for around the world during his eight years in office. He'll finish the trip in France, where he'll give one of several speeches planned during the trip.

The tour continues a longstanding tradition of former US presidents traveling overseas after leaving office, especially as they work to attract donations and other support for their foundations, libraries and presidential centers.

But Obama's trip may garner particular attention, given that many foreign countries are still uncertain about Trump's foreign policy and may look to his predecessor to help explain America's current direction.

" is the great explainer to the rest of the world of what the heck is going on in America," said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. "He's a calming influence in a world that's teetering on frenzy right now. Obama arrives and it reminds them of old-style diplomacy and the dignity of statesmanship."



Obama arrived yesterday in Shanghai, where he was to speak at a business conference before traveling to Beijing to speak at an education event.

He also planned to meet there with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who hosted Trump for a high-profile visit only a few weeks earlier. Obama's office said they planned to discuss the global economy, climate change, and other issues.

Then the former president is off to India, where he'll meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, give another speech and hold a town hall meeting hosted by Obama's foundation. Throughout his presidency, Obama often used the popular events in foreign countries to take questions about everything from and policy to his personal story and pop culture. Obama's office said roughly 280 young leaders planned to attend.

Obama will give a final speech Saturday in Paris before returning to the United States. Aides didn't rule out the possibility that he could also see President Emmanuel Macron, whose presidential campaign Obama endorsed, while in France.

Aides to the former president declined to say who was paying for the trip, but he'll be compensated for the speeches.

The trip comes as Trump is aggressively pushing China's leaders to cut off North Korea economically over its nuclear weapons program.

Obama will also be in India just days after Trump's daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump. The first daughter gave a speech yesterday at a business conference that was widely disseminated on Indian television.
A German Mayor known for his welcoming stance towards refugees has been seriously injured in a knife attack which authorities said was likely politically motivated.

Andreas Hollstein, the 54-year-old conservative Mayor of west German town of Altena, was stabbed in the neck at a kebab shop on Monday evening, the Independent reported.

The attacker, identified as a 56-year-old German man and described by local media as drunk, approached Hollstein and asked whether he was the town's Mayor before loudly criticizing his migrant policies and slicing his neck with a 30-centimetre blade.

The assailant was overpowered by people at the scene.

Hollstein was taken to the hospital but discharged the same day. "I was very lucky. I had some hands-on people by my side and am happy that I'm still alive," the Mayor told reporters on Tuesday.

Hollstein, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, gained national renown and won an award for his open migrant policies in Altena, often pushing to take in more people than required by official quotas.

According to the Mayor, before launching the attack his assailant said: "You're letting me die of thirst, but you bring 200 refugees to Altena."

Merkel said: "I am appalled by the knife attack... and very relieved that he is back with his family."

The attack against Hollstein bore similar characteristics to a knife assault on Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker in 2015.

He also suffered injuries to the neck during an apparent assassination attempt, which the perpetrator later confessed was motivated by xenophobia and his opposition to the influx of refugees.

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Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Myanmar's Buddhist clergy to conquer "prejudice and hatred", a carefully-worded appeal to powerful monks in a country facing intense scrutiny over its persecution of the Muslim Rohingya.

Some extremist Buddhist monks have spewed anti-Muslim hate speech in Myanmar for years, helping to calcify attitudes towards Rohingya Muslims.

Buddhist authorities have moved to rein in radical clerics in recent months.

Using delicately chosen words, Francis today urged the country's highest Buddhist body -- the Sangha -- to help tackle intolerance and hatred.

"If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred", he said, sitting across from a row of orange and maroon-robed monks in a temple complex in Yangon.

The Catholic leader is on a four-day trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he has refrained from directly weighing-in on the Rohingya crisis, instead chosing the deliberate language of tolerance and forgiveness.

The pope has previously spoken in defence of the Muslim group, who the UN says are victims of an ethnic cleansing campaign by Myanmar's military launched in late August.

But the pontiff has avoided direct discussion of the crisis since arriving on Myanmar soil, where any mention of the Rohingya's name has the potential to set off Buddhist hardliners.

An ultra-nationalist monk-led group at the forefront of anti-Muslim rhetoric, known as Ma Ba Tha, have flourished in recent years.

The Sangha this year formally disbanded Ma Ba Tha -- which quickly regrouped under a new name -- and placed curbs on their most outspoken leader Wirathu.

Domestic views on the Rohingya crisis veer sharply from the take on a humanitarian catastrophe that has sent 620,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.
British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on Wednesday with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A UN-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida on Tuesday.

"We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida," May said on Tuesday. "Obviously that is an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."



Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a November 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The kingdom said it intercepted the missile, the deepest yet to penetrate the country.

Under intense pressure, Saudi Arabia later promised it would reopen the ports for humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The war has killed over 10,000 civilians, displaced 3 million people and left much of the infrastructure in ruins.

May has faced increasing calls to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid the conflict, which has seen Kingdom-led airstrikes kill hundreds of civilians. Britain has licensed $4.4 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the war began.

May's visit seeking out Crown Prince Mohammed comes as the 32-year-old son of King Salman now appears to hold the levers of power in Saudi Arabia.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to the kingdom earlier this month as well, to see the young royal.

In recent weeks, the crown prince led what the kingdom described as an anti-corruption campaign, arresting prominent princes, business leaders, military officials and others. He also was the architect of the kingdom's war in Yemen, which has been at a stalemate for months.

May also will visit Jordan and meet with King Abdullah II on her trip.

(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.)
An Australian state parliament has legalised 20 years after the country repealed the world's first mercy-killing law for the terminally ill.

The final vote in the Victorian parliament today means that doctor-assisted suicide will be allowed in Australia's second-most populous state since mid-2019.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who became a euthanasia advocate after his father died of cancer last year, said the reform showed compassion.

Australia's sparsely populated Northern Territory in 1995 became the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. But the Australian Parliament overturned that law in 1997 after four people had been helped to die.

The Australian Parliament does not have the same power to repeal the laws of states such as Victoria.
Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) might soon issue a framework on algorithm (algo) trading for individual investors. Currently, there is no bar on retail investors from using algorithms. However, lack of regulatory guidelines is preventing progress in this area. Advancement in technology and availability of high-speed data on the go has resulted in a lot of development on this front globally. An enabling framework by Sebi will help India catch up, say brokers.
is locked in upper circuit of 20% at Rs 289, also its 52-week high on the BSE, after the company received an order in the domestic water sector valued at Rs 281 crore. The project is funded by Asian Development Bank.
attack on a US diplomatic compund in Libya's Benghazi.

The jury in US District Court for the District of Columbia cleared the four murder charges against Khatallah saying it found the accused not guilty.

Khatallah was accused of orchestrating the attack on the US office in Benghazi on September 11, 2012 in which four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed.

The jury, however, has convicted him on four of the 18 counts.

The Libyan man will be facing 45 years of prison.

Khatallah is the first person to be tried in connection with the attack.

The US military and FBI officials in Libya captured him in 2014.

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At least six Islamic State (IS) militants were killed and four others were injured as the infighting among the Taliban and IS has spread to eastern Laghman province.

According to the Tolo News, the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan army in the East said that the latest clashes broke out in Khogyani district.

The officials confirmed the death of six IS militants and four others wounded.

Eight Taliban insurgents were also wounded, the officials further said.

Meanwhile, the Silab Corps officials said two Taliban group leaders were killed in a separate clash in district of Laghman.

No group has commented on the incident so far.

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At least eight Rohingyas including four minors have been arrested on Wednesday in Agartala in Tripura.

The police arrested the Rohingyas from the outskirts of Agartala in Khayerpur.

The Rohingyas allegedly fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Rohingya, described by the United Nations as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

The Centre had recently said the Rohingya Muslims were illegal immigrants and pitched for their deportation.

The Supreme Court, however, asked the Centre not to treat the Rohingya Muslims issue as a security issue but consider it as a humanitarian and human rights issue.

The top court, while hearing plea filed by two Rohingya Muslims, also directed the Centre to strike a balance between human rights and security when it comes to dealing with refugees in the country.

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Aspiring actress Kadian Noble, who has sued Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, on Tuesday, held a press conference where she described in detail the alleged assault in France.

Noble said that Weinstein assaulted her and forced her to perform sex acts on him in front of a mirror in his room at Le Majestic hotel during the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, reports TMZ.

"And I kept saying no, and I just felt so stupid. But at the same time a massive part of me had shut down. It makes no sense that I didn't run out of the room. And all I was able to do was just say no," she said.

Even after the assault, Noble recalled, she was waiting for Weinstein to call her.

"I'd been mentally battered but I was still holding onto some type of hope," she said.

The 31-year-old, on Monday, sued Weinstein, his brother, Bob Weinstein, and the Weinstein Co., saying they violated U.S. sex trafficking laws when the disgraced Hollywood mogul allegedly assaulted her in 2014.

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The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will be contesting the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, party chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in a formal announcement.

After an internal meeting with the Karnataka party unit at the headquarters in Hyderabad's Darussalam, Owaisi announced the decision and said, "If we are silent, our identity will be wiped out from Indian politics."

Owaisi further stated that both - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress - were not different from each other in their political motives.

"There is no difference between the BJP and the Congress. The Congress speaks about freedom of expression, but there is no freedom of expression in the Congress-ruled states. They are not allowing me to address a public meeting in Karnataka," Owaisi said.

The AIMIM chief also accused the Congress of divisive politics in Gujarat in the run up to the assembly elections in December.

"In Gujarat, there are 12 per cent Patidars and 11 per cent Muslims, 32 MLAs are Patidar and 2 MLAs are Muslim out of 182. The Congress is giving reservation to the Patidars and lollipop to the Muslims," he alleged.

Owaisi also said that Muslims were the most backward in Gujarat, after Dalits and the tribals.

He strongly condemned the arrest of Usman Ghani, president of the Karnataka MIM unit, on the occasion of Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebrations in Ilkal, Bagalkot District, and added that Muslims never supported communal forces when the 16th general elections were held .

Karnataka goes to polls in May, 2018.

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The Bangladesh government should agree to new trials meeting international standards for members of the former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) accused of mutiny and murder, including 139 whose death sentences were upheld on November 27, 2017, by the High Court, Human Rights Watch said today.

The court also upheld life sentences for another 146 people.

On February 25 and 26, 2009, members of the BDR mutinied against their commanding officers at the central Dhaka headquarters, killing 74 people, including 57 army officers. A number of women relatives of the officers were sexually assaulted. Human Rights Watch research has found that many of the accused were tortured in custody and most were denied access to proper representation.

"We have long said that the atrocities that took place during the mutiny need to be investigated and prosecuted, but this should not be done through unfair mass trials after the use of torture," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Particularly when the death penalty is involved, expediency cannot take priority over justice."

The BDR mutiny took place soon after the new Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina won elections in December 2008. Under great pressure from the army and amid fears of a coup, the government responded to the mutiny by rounding up nearly 6,000 members of the BDR. Many were tried in mass trials before closed military courts. A separate civilian prosecution team chose to try nearly 850 members of the BDR in a single mass trial in one courtroom.

In July 2012, Human Rights Watch released a report, "'The Fear Never Leaves Me': Torture, Custodial Deaths, and Unfair Trials after the 2009 Mutiny of the Bangladesh Rifles," which provided a detailed account of the mutiny and the authorities' response. Human Rights Watch documented serious abuses by the authorities in the aftermath, including at least 47 custodial deaths and widespread torture of BDR members by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other security forces. The government has claimed that all deaths in custody were due to natural causes.

Human Rights Watch documented how the mass trials of hundreds of the accused left most without adequate counsel, adequate time to prepare a defense, or notice of the charges or evidence against them. Crucially, many made confessions under torture. The chief prosecutor claimed that no confession obtained under duress would be used in court, but legal teams eventually assigned to some of the cases showed Human Rights Watch documentation demonstrating that coerced confessions had been used as evidence.

"Families of those killed and injured in the mutiny need justice and closure, but the answer is not through flawed trials," Adams said. "True justice comes only through sound procedures that comply with the rule of law, and the families of the victims deserve better answers than this mass roundup."

The Bangladeshi authorities should establish an independent investigative and prosecutorial task force with sufficient expertise, authority, and resources to rigorously investigate allegations of human rights abuses after the mutiny. All those subject to unfair trials should be given a new trial, Human Rights Watch said.

The November 27 judgment was in response to an appeal of the trial judgment. As with those sentenced to death, the trials against the mutineers sentenced to life in prison were rife with due process concerns, including coerced confessions. Similarly, few of the accused sentenced to life in prison had access to lawyers or information about the case against them.

"The death penalty is a cruel and irreversible punishment that should never be used," Adams said. "Bangladesh should join the international movement to abolish it, particularly in cases like these in which suspects were tortured, nearly 50 died in custody, and due process failed.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday lashed out at former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's statement backing terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said that Musharraf is making such statements as he knows that Pakistan is now being controlled by such terror outfit.

"There is no doubt or confusion with regard to how Pakistan is. Pakistan is a destination where terrorist can move around freely and fearlessly. They are almost respected citizens there. Mushrraf's statement confirms that he understands who the power centre is. He is clear in his mind that they are the ones who now control Pakistan," Kohli said.

BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao also echoed similar views and said that Musharraf's remark was not surprising for them.

Earlier in the day, Musharraf backed the terror groups LeT and JuD , saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said, "I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me."

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had also met him.

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

"India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the US," Musharraf said, adding," Yes, they [LeT] are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir it is, between, we [Pakistan] and India.

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China is maneuvering Pakistan to cripple India via the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, which it has described and projected as a transformative economic initiative, an Ame rican expert on Asian affairs has claimed.

In a recent article for the Foreign Policy magazine, Professor Carol Christine, Associate Professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University's Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service USA, said that she has spoken out against the dangers of CPEC at Balochistan-related events held here on several occasions.

In her recent article, Professor Christine wrote, "The local Baloch community is displeased with the development plan because it will predominantly alter the demography of the area. Prior to the commencement of Gwadar's expansion, the estimated population of the region was 70,000, however, If the project continues to reach an attainment, the populace would be around two million - most of whom will be non-native residents, though many penniless Baloch has already been dispersed from the area."

She also pointed out to the fact that ardent Baloch militants have attacked these projects and Chinese personnel at frequent intervals, but without much success because they lack funds and training.

Beijing has projected Gwadar's development aggressively and dignified it with the title 'Gateway City' under the USD 62 billion CPEC.

Baloch freedom fighters continue to pledge to resist and obstruct the Chinese plans to occupy Gwadar, and their concerns are gradually eliciting the support of Washington DC

Local Baloch communities are vexed and are engaging in illicit activities to halt development.

Baloch Movement leader and former fisheries minister Kachkol Ali, who is living in exile in Norway, recently tweeted, "China is violating Article 8 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."

The aforementioned article of the UN Declaration iterates the native community and individual's prerogative not to be subjected to coerced assimilation or shatter their cultural norms. It also states that countries are obliged to provide effective mechanisms to prevent any action which may deprive the indigenous people of their integrity and divest them out of their realm, resources and region.

The oppressed Baloch, according to The Nation, feel that their ancient land will be taken over by the Chinese; and that approximately six times more Chinese will be accommodated in the Gwadar city by the year 2023.

This is substantiated by a recent report, published in The News International newspaper that revealed that a mega housing project "China-Pak Hills" has been announced by the China-Pak Investment Corporation (CPIC).

The CEO of the corporation, Jian Zheng, disclosed plans to finance a $500 million in the first phase of the much criticized housing project China-Pak Hills, which will expectedly accommodate almost half-a-million white collar Chinese by 2023.

CPIC will complete the unprecedented development project, which stretches over 10 million square feet, in three phases.

Though the Pakistan government has rebutted claims that the Gwadar Port Authority has permitted construction of the project, calling it bogus, CPIC has put forward documentary evidence; depicting the possession of "no objection" certificate with the company from the concerned authority for the International Port City Project.

What is an added worry is that both the armies of Pakistan and China have promised to transform Gwadar into another Shenzen, a major city in Guangdong Province, China. Shenzen was once stricken with poverty in 1979, but at present, it is symbol of a strong Chinese economy.

New Delhi is simmering over Beijing's plan to extend its influence through Gwadar Port, which it considers to be a part of the Indian Ocean. It is also hard to ignore the United States' deep interest in the warm waters of the Arabian or Persian Gulf Sea, and therefore, inconceivable that it will allow China to take over Gwadar easily.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Congress party saying that the latter hates Gujarat, development, poor and him.

Referring to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, the prime minister said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the legacy of 'Fakir Gandhi' while the Congress "has the legacy of royalty".

"They (Congress) hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking," the prime minister said while addressing a rally in Palitana.

"They were born with all privileges and are disconnected with the roots," he added.

He further said it was due to the Congress party, there was shortage of water in Gujarat 22-year ago.

The prime minister accused the grand-old-party of delaying the Narmada project and said that if party would have remained in power, the water of River Narmada would have never reached the farmers.

"Do you remember the water shortage in the region? This is because the Congress controlled the tanker business. It suited them to have this shortage. The BJP has changed this in the last 22 years. We have made the tanker industry irrelevant," he said.

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A constable was injured in an IED blast in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Wednesday, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said here.

The constable is part of CRPF's Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA).

He sustained injuries when CoBRA force was out on an operation along with Chhattisgarh police around Palodi village of the district.

The constable has been airlifted by chopper.

Further details are awaited.

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved order on plea of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah challenging maintenance proceedings in a family court.

Abdullah, in his plea, claimed that the petition moved by his estranged wife Payal Abdullah, seeking maintenance from him, is not maintainable.

He married Payal Nath, but in September 2011, he confirmed that he and his wife are separated.

On August 30, 2016, a trial court rejected Omar's divorce petition.

In her plea, Payal has sought directions from the court to Omar to provide her Rs 10 lakh monthly maintenance for herself and her two sons and Rs 5 lakh for a new accommodation.

Payal and her two sons had to vacate the 7, Akbar Road bungalow in Lutyen's Delhi where she lived even after separation from her husband.

On January 6, the Delhi High Court dismissed Payal's plea for government housing on security grounds.

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Union (EU) have condemned the latest missile launch by North Korea.

"I strongly condemn North Korea's new ballistic missile test. This is a further breach of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions, undermining regional and international security," an official statement by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, read.

This comes after North Korea fired an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in the direction of the Sea of Japan, a first by the country since September 15.

In November, the NATO General Secretary visited the organisation's regional partners, Japan and the Republic of Korea to urge North Korea from refraining from "further provocations, and abandon its nuclear and missile programmes." He recalled the same in his statement, and added, "North Korea needs to re-engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community."

The European Union termed the problematic nation's recent missile test as a "further unacceptable violation" of international agreements.

As per the Pentagon, the ICBM travelled about 1,000 km before splashing into the Sea of Japan. The United States' Defence Department also stated that the missile did not pose a threat to the country, its territories or allies.

The missile firing comes a week after United States President Donald Trump said that North Korea fell under the list of countries that backs terrorism.

Responding to the missile test, US President Donald Trump said the country would "take care of it," while Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe termed it to be ''absolutely intolerable.''

On September 15, North Korea had fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

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Fine Grace, a premier furniture manufacturer and solutions provider proved its mettle within the office furniture providers once again, as it walked away with the award for Best Furniture Category at the 7th edition of the SME Channels Summit and Awards 2017, held at the Eros Hotel, New Delhi on November 24 2017.

Fine Grace is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of office furniture and provides a broad range of office furniture, modular furniture, hotel furniture, cafe furniture, lounge furniture, and interior designing solutions and much more. With an in-house manufacturing unit, Fine Grace also provides customised furniture based on specific requirements and needs.

"Our emphasis on ensuring consistent product quality and evolution in design and creation has kept us going. Fine Grace ensures that we provide unique furniture quality in sync with the changing times, trends, space, utility and usability. The beauty lies in the details, and the trust we develop, which in turn has helped earn long-term relationships and of course some recognition awards are part of this journey," said Director of Fine Grace Office Systems Pvt. Ltd., Jitender Yadav.

"This innovative approach enables Fine Grace to improve its efficiency and adds a lot of value for its customers. We believe that if we chase perfection we consistently attain excellence, and with this, we deliver our promises and trust," he added.

From humble beginnings eight years back to a recently enlarged and upgraded manufacturing unit in Manesar, Fine Grace has grown leaps and bounds in its journey of manufacturing quality furniture and providing bespoke solutions for commercial establishments including hotels, office, lobbies and lounges, retail and industrial complexes.

"The journey has been a learning experience as we consistently looked at the international trends and offered aesthetic and design value to our customers and this has led to many word of mouth referrals for which we owe gratitude to our clients and vendors alike. Over this period a number of reputed brands have affirmed faith in the solutions provided by Fine Grace. International Certifications including BIFMA International ( + Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association), ISO 9001-2015 (QMF), and ISO 14001-2015 (EMF) verify the quality and credibility of the firm," added Jitender.

Fine Grace offers a range of modular office furniture collections to choose from including:

- Modular Workstations that make the most of the usage of small workplaces fitting well into large or tight areas.

- Cabin Furniture that is designed to make an impression along with enabling a secure and comfortable workplace.

- Modular desking systems look elegant and are popular in corporate offices.

- Conference tables are designed to accommodate a range of utilities.

- Reception Tables that leave a lasting first impression on the visitors.

- Smart Storages that cater to official documentation and the miscellaneous.

A multi-brand and multi-product display showroom in Gurgaon offers a range of choices to help choose the appropriate solution. The quality of display, adds to the ease of understanding and comparing the options.

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India and Singapore on Wednesday vowed to fight international terrorism.

The resolve was echoed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singapore counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen at a joint press conference after the conclusion of the seconf Defence Ministers' Dialogue between India and Singapore.

"India and Singapore remain committed to tackling transnational threats, in particular the menace posed by international terrorism,' Sitharaman said.

The Singapore Defence Minister said the regional stability and the international rule of law were essential for trade and commerce to flourish.

He said, "India and Singapore have decided on the approach to issues such as terrorism and maritime security, which included the capabilities in responding to chemical, biological and radiological threats as well as the need for information sharing against the threat of terrorism."

Both the countries also expressed concern about the terrorism in Iraq and Syria.

Sitharaman said that both the countries also discussed renewing the army agreement, which is due for renewal next year.

"We also explored possibilities for expanding in defence research and development and industry which has unrealized potential," Sitharaman said.

India and Singapore signed navy to navy agreement during the bilateral defence meeting.

"The signing of navy to navy agreement today reflects our intention to further deepen cooperative endeavors in our shared maritime domain to address mutual concerns. This agreement will enable a broader range of activities between our navies," Sitharaman said.

Both ministers looked forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise next year.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for India's continued support for the SAF's training in India, covered by the Air Force and Army Bilateral Agreements.

On regional security, both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining maritime freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law.

Appreciating India's leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Dr Ng agreed to India's proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in their shared maritime space, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional/ ASEAN partners.

Dr Ng expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's acceptance as keynote speaker for the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue to articulate India's vision for a stable Indo-Pacific region.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe termed it to be ''absolutely intolerable'' as it "tramples on the international community's unified determination to find a peaceful solution for the former's issue", a local media reported.

On the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch by North Korea, which squahed into the Sea of Japan, Prime Minister Abe told media that the government will take "every possible measure for crisis management".

The Japanese Prime Minister assured full protection of its people.

The National Security of Council held an emergency meeting, which was attended by Cabinet ministers, including Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera.

"We would urge UN Security Council for an emergency meeting over North Korea missile fire," local media quoted Japanese PM Abe as saying.

He has requested the international community to unite in this fight and to "implement sanctions against Pyongyang".

Japan's Prime Minister's Office had earlier said that the missile has the possibility of "arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country."

The missile fire comes a day after United States President Donald Trump in a summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe extended support to japan and said, "the United States of America is behind Japan, our great ally, 100 percent."

On September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

"South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of achieving full nuclear capability with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead," Fox news quoted the local media.

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The Joint Special Forces Training Camp was conducted recently at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with a view to furthering integration between the Services in the field of Special Operations.

"The Joint Special Forces Training Camp is conducted annually under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff with a view to furthering integration between the Services in the field of Special Operations," a statement by the Defence Wing said.

This year the exercise was conducted from November 4 to November 22 at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands involving sixty Special Forces personnel from the three Services.

"The supporting assets included C-17, C-130 AN-32 and Dornier aircraft, Sea King and MI-17 V5 helicopters and amphibious ships. The final tactical exercise was dovetailed into DANX exercise of the three Services, which was also conducted at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the same time period," said the press statement.

The Defence Wing stated that various "Special Operations training events" were carried out during the exercise including Special Heliborne Operations, reflex firing drills, survival training and anti-terrorist operations.

"The highlight of the exercise was the airborne insertion of Marine Commandoes at sea in tandem with Combat Expendable Platform drops with inflatable Gemini craft from C-130 aircraft at night along with Combat Free Fall and Special Heli-borne Operations by the Special Forces personnel," stated the press release.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delivered a historic apology to the LGBTQ community for past injustices committed against them.

The Guardian quoted the Canadian President, as saying, in the House of Commons, that the gay intellectuals would be at increased risk of blackmail by Canada's adversaries was nothing short of a witch-hunt.

"This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government - people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives," Trudeau said.

"These aren't distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit," he added.

The Canadian prime minister said the people were constantly monitored for anything that could be construed as gay behaviour at their workplaces, bars, parks and even their homes were under watch. Those admitted after interrogations to being gay were forced to leave their jobs.

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"It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry," Trudeau said to a standing ovation.

"For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry," he added.

On November 20, Trudeau had announced that his Government would offer a formal apology to the LGBTQ community.

"On November 28, the Government will offer a formal apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians in the House - for the persecution & injustices they have suffered, and to advance together on the path to equality & inclusion," Trudeau said on Twitter.

The Canadian prime minister's announcement came at a time when Australia voted in favour of marriage equality, while the Turkish capital Ankara has banned all gay rights functions.

The apology is expected to be the most comprehensive ever offered by any national government for past persecution of sexual minorities.

The Canadian government has already taken other steps to reduce discrimination against sexual and gender minorities, such as passing legislation that bans discrimination against transgender Canadians and equalising the laws of consent for intercourse.

Earlier in July, Justin Trudeau became the first sitting prime minister to march in the Halifax Pride parade.

Dressed up in a pink shirt and white pants, the prime minister waved and yelled "Happy Pride!" to thousands of people along the parade route, stopping periodically to take selfies as members of the crowd called out his name.

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giant Microsoft on Wednesday announced the launch of Azure Location Based Services - a new public cloud offering for enterprise customers, providing location capabilities built and integrated directly into Microsoft's Azure cloud platform.

The newly launched location based service will provide cloud developers critical geographical data to power smart cities and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions across industries including manufacturing, automotive, logistics, urban planning and retail, among others.

"Microsoft is making efforts to solve mobility challenges and bring government bodies, private companies and automotive OEMs together, using Microsoft's intelligent cloud platform," said Sam George Director - Azure IoT, Microsoft while addressing Automobility LA 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

TomTom Telematics, will be the first official partner for the service, supplying critical location and real-time traffic data, providing Microsoft customers with advanced location and mapping capabilities. Microsoft also announced that Azure LBS will be launched in calendar year 2018 and will be available globally in more than 30 languages.

The company will also enter in a cloud with ICONIQ, a Chinese Electric Vehicle company. In the year 2018 Microsoft is expected to be joined in by several partners who will be showcasing various location, connected car and smart city-relevant technologies they are building on top of the Azure cloud.

However, Microsoft's Azure Location Based Services will also offer enterprise customers location capabilities integrated in the cloud to help any industry from manufacturing to healthcare to automotive track assets or improve traffic flow.

Microsoft is providing an enterprise-ready location service for customers to build location of things applications and easily access location insights through one dashboard, one subscription, and one bill.

Microsoft customers will benefit from TomTom's hyper-accurate location data enabled by hundreds of millions of connected devices, providing the most up to date maps.

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The Pentagon on Wednesday said that the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) fired by North Korea did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies.

The statement from the Pentagon has come after North Korea fired a missile in the direction of the Sea of Japan, a first by the country since September 15.

The Pentagon told reporters that the ICBM travelled about 1000 km before the missile splashed into the Sea of Japan.

"We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available," Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Robert Manning told media.

The missile firing comes a week after United States President Donald Trump said that North Korea falls under the list of countries that backs terrorism.

South Korea Military's Joint Chiefs of Staff told the local media about the missile firing early on Wednesday. The missile "flew eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang" toward the Sea of Japan, South Korean military officials said.

Japan's Prime Minister's Office said: "North Korea launched a missile that has the possibility of arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country."

On September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

"South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of achieving full nuclear capability with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead," Fox news quoted the local media.

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Steven Spielberg's upcoming American historical period drama 'The Post' has bagged award for the Best Film of the year at The National Board of Review.

The National Board of Review announced their top honorees recently.

The movie's lead actors Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep also bagged trophies for Best Actor and Actress of the year.

These awards are the latest mention of excellence by the National Board of Review.

Helmed by the ace director Steven Spielberg, 'The Post' also stars Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood.

The film, which is all set to hit the theatres in India on January 12, is all set to bring the powerful trio of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep for the first time on celluloid.

The film revolves around a cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country's first female newspaper publisher, Kay Graham (Streep) of The Washington Post and its hard-driving editor, Ben Bradlee (Hanks), to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government in publishing the Pentagon Papers.

The organisation's Gala will be held on January 9, 2018 in New York.

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Nestle India is once again in a soup after its Maggi product samples collected from here were found to be of "sub-standard" quality.

Shahjahanpur District Administration has imposed a fine of Rs. 45 lakh in this regard against the Swiss multinational food and beverage company.

The samples were collected late last year and Rs. 17 lakhs fine has been imposed on three distributors too.

"There were seven cases where the product was found to be sub-standard. The samples were tested by the food and safety department of the district," Shahjahanpur Additional District Magistrate Jitendra Kumar Sharma told ANI.

The district administration said the fine was being imposed nearly two years later, as it had been hearing representations from Nestle officials and distributors during the period.

Nestle said it would file an appeal once it receives the order.

Two years ago, Maggi had faced similar inquiry for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits. The noodles were withdrawn from the market until it was released again in November 2015, following legal battles.

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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who was conferred with the 'Indian Film Personality of the Year Award' at the closing ceremony of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Tuesday, has described the evening as one that he shall never forget.

The veteran star was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry.

Big B took to his blog to thank Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, who presented the award to him at the 48th edition of IFFI.

"Thank you Smriti ji Hon Minister for Information & Broadcasting and the trouble you took in organising a most memorable evening for me .. one that I shall never forget .." he wrote.

The 'PINK' star also took to Twitter to express his delight as he posted, "A most humbling evening at the IFFI awards .. honoured and filled with such gratefulness to IFFI and the extremely endearing words by Akshay Kumar, Karan, and the dignitaries .."

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An Over Ground Worker (OGW) surrendered before Army in South Kashmir on Tuesday.

The worker has been identified as Altaf Sheikh, who was allegedly a close confidante of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists operating in Qaimoh belt of Kulgam district.

Yesterday, three OGW were arrested by 9 Rashtriya Rifles from Kulgam's Devsar area. Two grenades, a cheque of Rs. 55,000 and Rs. 12,000 cash were recovered from their possession.

On Nov 16, the Jammu and Kashmir Government prepared a new surrender policy for local Kashmiri militants. This news was shared by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Munir Khan during a press conference about the ongoing anti-terrorist Operation Kund since November 14 in the forest area of Haalan-Kund area of Qazigund, in south Kashmir's Kulgam district.

The objective of current Jammu and Kashmir rehabilitation policy is to offer facility to those terrorists who undergo a change of heart and eschew the path of violence and who also accept the integrity of India and Indian Constitution to encourage them join the mainstream and lead a normal life and contribute towards prosperity and progress of the State as well as the Nation.

The surrenderee will be entitled to benefits only when legal action has been completed, court cases decided and the person has been pronounced innocent.

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A Pakistan-born man, who was arrested in April for preparing acts of terrorism, has been jailed in the United Kingdom, according to a weekly newspaper, Eastern Eye.

The 22-year-old Mubashir Jamil was entrapped by an undercover agent, whom he had told he wanted to wear a suicide vest and "press the button".

He was arrested before he could leave the country for Turkey.

"If you or some brother you know can put an explosive belt on me and tell me how to press, as soon as possible for security reasons, I can do something in the UK even tomorrow after I find a good target," he told the undercover officer, using the name of Abu Hasan.

The Old Bailey Court in London ruled that a part of Jamil's six-year-long sentence will be served in a secure hospital as the court was told he was suffering from a mental illness. It was also told that Jamil fell prey to the online IS propaganda and became obsessed with the idea of martyrdom.

Judge Peter Rook said his crime was only "in part" explained by his mental health disorder and described him as "dangerous".

Jamil had moved to Luton from Pakistan with his family when he was a two-year-old.

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Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday expressed helplessness in controlling the rising prices of onions, which has crossed more than Rs. 60 per kg in Delhi.

"We have taken several measures, such as procurement by agencies from areas such as Nashik (Maharashtra) and Alwar (Rajasthan) where the cost is lower, as well as import of onions. But, it (bringing down prices) is not in our hands," Paswan said while addressing the media.

The Union Minister also advised the state governments and the Centre have to combat this problem together.

"The State governments and the Centre have to combat this problem together. The Centre is working towards this with full force and hope prices will go down. I don't have an answer if you ask me when and how it will go down," Paswan said.

He also stated that the Ministry has asked the Delhi Government to sell onions under Public Distribution System (PDS).

"We have asked the Delhi Government to sell onions under Public Distribution System (PDS), asked Maharashtra and other state governments to sell after purchasing at lower prices," he added.

He assured that once the supply from (late) kharif starts, prices may come down.

The Union Minister held a meeting with officials from the Ministries of Agriculture and Food including the Delhi government on the soaring prices of onions and tomatoes.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a veiled attack at the Congress Party, saying if he remained in power, it would be bad news for those who have looted the nation for 70 long years.

The prime minister also targetted the Congress Party over various issues including the OROP, the OBC community and the Somnath Temple visit.

Addressing a rally in Prachi of Gujarat's Junagadh district, the prime minister hit out at Congress over its treatment of Sardar Patel, who helped built the Somnath Temple.

"Had Sardar Patel not been there, there would not have been this grand temple in Somnath. So there a people who visited the Somnath Temple recently [Rahul Gandhi and Congress], I want to ask them: Do you know history? Your family members, our first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there," he said.

"When Dr Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath Temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure on that," the prime minister added.

The prime minister further targetted Congress for seeking votes of the OBC communities, while stalling the OBC Commission.

"Congress is seeking votes of the OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow the OBC Commission to get a Constitutional status for all these years. We brought in the move, it was passed by the Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority," he added.

Stating that Congress destroyed Gujarat through its caste politics, the prime minister said, "Those who ruled India for 70 years are now asking for my report card. When your family was ruling, there was an SC/ST commission."

The prime minister also assured support to the OBC community and that they would be given their due.

"I want to assure you - Congress may try to throw many roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. The Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC communities their due," he assured.

Prime Minister Modi went on to slam Congress saying that the party put the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue on the backburner for 40 years.

"I want to ask the Congress Party. What is it that you have against our army? The demand for OROP was pending for 40 long years. Why did successive Congress governments do nothing about that?" he said.

"Congress leaders are masters in gossiping. They just duped our soldiers. Congress had no idea of the intricacies of the OROP issue. When elections were approaching, they announced a meager Rs 500 crore for OROP whereas the real requirement was a lot higher. Had they done some research, they would have realised that Rs 500 crore was nothing," he said.

The prime minister further said that Congress had no connect with the common man and lacked policy and leadership.

"Congress has no neeti (policy) or neta (Leader). It does not have any connection with the common man. How can these people create India's destiny?" he asked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress Party's 'feudal mindset' yet again, by bringing up a decades-old visit of former prime minister Indira Gandhi to Gujarat's Morbi.

"When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity," Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing a rally here.

The prime minister's latest salvo adds to a string of accusations against Congress' dynastic politics and elitism, a point that the BJP has continually attacked and pitted against PM Modi's beginnings as a tea vendor.

The prime minister further alleged that the work of Congress while in power was mere pretentiousness.

"For Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For the BJP, it is the SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters," he said.

Addressing a rally in Rajkot recently, Prime Minister Modi had taken a similar dig at Congress for making a reference to his beginning as a tea vendor in a picture tweeted by their "volunteer" group last week.

At the rally, he praised his party's work, and said the developmental works by the BJP government in Gujarat were taken up with the motive to serve citizens and not to win polls.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days ahead of the assembly polls to be held on December 9 and 14.

Gujarat has a total number of 182 assembly seats and the polling will be held in two phases. Voting in 89 constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will be held in the first phase while the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. The votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is eyeing to dethrone the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.
Leading online product rental marketplace and an aggregator for event service providers, electronics, and medical equipment RENTSHER has carved a compelling niche for itself in Dubai's events and tourism rich ecosystem.

With nearly 100 vendors catering to more than 300+ businesses on RENTSHER's platform, including most large hotels and event venues, the company has conducted over USD 350,000 in its first year of operations.

Headed by Vaibhav Doshi, a prominent expert in setup and operationalization, RENTSHER Middle East is based out of Dubai and located at Astrolabs, a Google for Entrepreneur Hub.

It is modeled on a completely asset-light, marketplace model, wherein the complete rental inventory placed on its easy-to-use and flexible platform is owned and supplied by its network of vendors.

This inventory offers its clientele in Dubai the option of renting products with the same level of convenience as booking a movie ticket - users can browse through verified products, evaluate prices for different time periods, and book them online for their choice of dates and checkout.

The specialty inventory is top-of-the-line, event and party equipment including furniture, furnishings, decor and services, and medical home equipment, which comes with quality checks and guarantees, has been in high demand for parties, corporate events, home healthcare, and tourism.

"We are extremely excited about the success of RENTSHER's foray into the Middle East, given its quick traction, vendor on-boarding, and revenues. The RENTSHER Middle East team has done a great job, and we are looking forward to being the region's first rental player by using Dubai as a gateway to enter into GCC, and subsequently into Europe and Africa," said CEO and co-founder RENTSHER, Harsh Dhand.

RENTSHER is looking to capitalize on its successful entry into the UAE by consolidating the market and expanding across GCC countries, with an aim to capture 10-15 percent of the USD four billion rental market of the region by 2020.

The company has already taken giant strides in the Indian market with over 70 SMEs and startups and 30,000 customers having used the platform and showcasing a 25 percent quarter-on-quarter growth rate. RENTSHER Middle East's success is a harbinger to come of the company's geographical expansion, as it aims to scale up in Indian cities and global markets to strengthen its position as a one-stop shop for all rental inventories in APAC, and now GCC regions.

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Lambasting North Korea's latest missile test, Russia has dubbed it as a Pyongyang's 'provocative step' and appealed 'for calm to prevent the worst-case scenario on the Korean Peninsula.'

"No doubt, another missile launch is a provocative step, which sparks a further rise in tensions, and which moves us away from beginning to settle the crisis," Russian news agency TASS cited Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

"We condemn this launch and hope that all the respective sides will manage to keep calm, which is very necessary to prevent the worst-case scenario on the Korean Peninsula," Peskov added.

North Korea said it successfully tested a powerful new ICBM on Wednesday that put the entire U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

Russia and China have proposed a roadmap for defusing the crisis in the region.

On being quizzed about if the proposed roadmap was being considered by the North Korean leadership, Peskov said, "Let's put it this way: there are no grounds for substantial optimism."

North Korea carried out its new missile test early on Wednesday after a 75-day pause.

The missile "flew eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang" toward the Sea of Japan, South Korean military officials said.

This is North Korea's first missile attack since September 15 when it fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and into the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's Prime Minister's Office said, "North Korea launched a missile that has the possibility of arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country."

As per the Pentagon, the ICBM travelled about 1,000 km before splashing into the Sea of Japan. The United States' Defence Department also stated that the missile did not pose a threat to the country, its territories or allies.

The missile firing comes a week after United States President Donald Trump said that North Korea fell under the list of countries that backs terrorism.

Responding to the missile test, US President Donald Trump said the country would "take care of it," while Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe termed it to be ''absolutely intolerable.

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External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday arrived in Russia's Sochi to represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The SCO Summit will be held on November 30 and December 1.

EAM Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Swaraj will attend the restricted meeting of the heads of delegations on December 1, which will be followed by the preliminary sessions.

She will also attend the reception hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the same evening.

In June, India along with Pakistan had become a full- fledged member of the SCO.

India's membership was strongly pushed by Russia, while Pakistan's entry into the grouping was backed by China.

Swaraj will return back to India on December 2.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the SCO summit in June in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

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External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday left for the Russian city of Sochi to represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The SCO Summit will be held on November 30 and December 1.

EAM Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Swaraj will attend the restricted meeting of the heads of delegations on December 1, which will be followed by the preliminary sessions.

She will also attend the reception hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the same evening.

In June, India along with Pakistan had become a full- fledged member of the SCO.

India's membership was strongly pushed by Russia, while Pakistan's entry into the grouping was backed by China.

Swaraj will return back to India on December 2.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the SCO summit in June in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

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In a major breakthrough, a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist has been arrested from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

The Investigation Agency (NIA), with the assistance of Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), arrested the terrorist from Charbagh Bus Stand on Tuesday.

Some incriminating documents, mobile phone and bank account details were also seized from his possession, according to an official statement.

The accused, identified as Shaikh Abdul Nayeem, is a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra.

The security force claimed that that accused did reconnaissance of several tourist destinations in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh for the purpose of carrying out terror attacks.

A case has been registered against him, and he has been sent to 10-day NIA custody after Nayeem was produced before a Delhi court.

He was earlier arrested by the West Bengal police in 2007 when he was infiltrating into India from Bangladesh along with two Pakistanis and one Kashmiri.

However, he escaped from the judicial custody in Chhattisgarh in 2014.

The accused has been associated with a Pakistan based LeT Commander and received funds from LeT operatives based in UAE for setting up bases in different parts of India.

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A note was found in a toilet at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai on Wednesday with a warning of an attack on cargo on January 26, 2018 by the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The cargo was evacuated immediately and people were allowed to enter only after the screening.

Police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are investigating the matter.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport PRO said, "Police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are doing their job."

More details awaited.

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Former Bosnian Croat general Slobodan Praljak has died after he claimed to have drunk poison at a UN Tribunal in The Hague when he lost an appeal, according to Croatian state media.

Seconds after his war crimes sentence of 20 years was upheld at the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Praljak raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and drank it in full view of the cameras filming the hearing, reported the Guardian.

"Judges, I am not a war criminal, I reject the verdict with contempt," he said after drinking.

The presiding judge called for a doctor and halted the proceedings.

Croatian television quoted sources close to Praljak as saying he later died in a hospital in The Hague.

Dutch police declared the courtroom to be a crime scene.

Praljak was one of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders appearing before the appeal court.

Three out of the six defendants in the last case at the war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia had their sentences confirmed.

According to the reports, Praljak was originally sentenced in 2013 for his involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat mini-state in Bosnia in the early 1990s

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population".

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President Trump told media here that "it is a situation that we will handle".

US Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the North Korea missile fire was the regime's "highest yet and poses global threat".

However, while addressing the media, the Pentagon earlier said that the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) fired by North Korea was non-threatening to the United States, its territories or allies.

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said the President was informed on the situation in North Korea while the missile was still in the air.

Sanders tweeted: "President Donald Trump was briefed, while the missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea."

The US President was in a meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill at the time of the missile fire.

North Korea fired the ICBM in the direction of the Sea of Japan, a first by the country since September 15.

The missile travelled about 1000 km before splashing into the Sea of Japan, said the Pentagon.

"We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available," Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Robert Manning told reporters.

The missile firing comes a week after United States President Donald Trump said that North Korea falls under the list of countries that backs terrorism.

South Korea Military's Joint Chiefs of Staff told the local media about the missile firing early on Wednesday.

The missile "flew eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang" toward the Sea of Japan, South Korean military officials said.

Japan's Prime Minister's Office said: "North Korea launched a missile that has the possibility of arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country."

A local media quoted Itsunori Onodera, Defense Minister of Japan, as saying: "North Korea apparently fired an

intercontinental ballistic missile at a steep angle known as a 'lofted trajectory'."

On September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

"South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of achieving full nuclear capability with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead," Fox news quoted the local media.

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AU Small Finance Bank rose 1.93% to Rs 691.75 at 10:10 IST on BSE after the bank said it has commenced offering mutual funds products.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 5.22 points, or 0.02% to 33,623.81.

On the BSE, 21,000 shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 96,911 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 698.40 and a low of Rs 682 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 724.45 on 14 July 2017. The stock hit a record low of Rs 496.40 on 7 August 2017.

AU Small Finance Bank said it has commenced mutual funds distribution for its customers. The bank has partnered with 11 reputed mutual fund houses (asset management companies) for starting this product segment.

AU Small Finance Bank's net profit fell 3% to Rs 68.24 crore on 41% increase in operating income to Rs 507.71 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q2 September 2016.

AU Small Finance Bank initiated its operations in 1996 as retail focused non-banking finance company (NBFC) in Jaipur serving low and middle-income individuals and businesses having limited or no access to formal banking and finance channels. The company received a license from the Reserve Bank of India to set up a Small Finance Bank (SFB) along with nine other such entities on 30 December 2016 and commenced SFB operations with effect from 19 April 2017.

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Smt Preeti Sudan, Secretary (HFW) and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Secretary, DHR and DG, ICMR, launched the India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI). The IHMI aims to reduce disability and death related to cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in India, by improving the control of high blood pressure (hypertension), reducing salt consumption and eliminating artificial trans-fats, leading risk factors for CVD.

Smt. Preeti Sudan, Secretary (HFW), underlined the various aspects of the non-communicable diseases like prevention, detection and management. She stated that creating awareness about NCDs is vital as it is a silent disease. The Health Secretary further said that there is urgent need to raise awareness about NCDs amongst families regarding packaged food and processed foods with excessive salt and trans-fat. She also highlighted the need for incorporating yoga in one's life for prevention and management of hypertension.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Secretary, DHR and DG, ICMR highlighted the importance of initiating and managing treatment for hypertension. She emphasized on the need for public education programme on nutrition and training of frontline healthcare workers regarding management of hypertension.

She stated that the risk factors have to be managed at a very young age and we need to look into behavioral issues related to food intake, especially salt.

Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO India Representative, highlighted the importance of awareness and detection of hypertension. He congratulated the Health Ministry and ICMR for this initiative and said that this programme will help with the management of hypertension in the country.

The India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) is a collaborative project of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), State Governments, World Health Organization (WHO), and Resolve to Save Lives initiative of Vital Strategies. The primary goal of this project is to reduce morbidity and mortality due to CVDs, the leading cause of death in India, by improving the control of high blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor for CVDs among adults in India.

The IHMI is focused on five essential components of scalable treatment of hypertension. It will support the adoption of standardized simplified treatment plans for managing high blood pressure, ensure the regular and uninterrupted supply of quality-assured medications, task sharing so health workers who are accessible to patients can distribute medications already prescribed by the medical officer, and patient-centered services that reduce the barriers to treatment adherence. Data on hypertension will be improved through streamlined monitoring systems, and the lessons learned and practice-based evidence will inform further interventions to improve cardiovascular care. IHMI will be progressively rolled out in 25 districts in the first two years across districts selected by the Health Ministry for expansion of active screening and intensification of treatment activities for hypertension.

Around 200 million adults in India have high blood pressure, yet control rates for the condition remain low. Studies suggest that in rural areas in India, only one quarter of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 10 percent have their blood pressure controlled. In urban areas, around 40 percent of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 20 percent have their blood pressure controlled. This initiative aims to strengthen the cardiovascular disease component of the Health Ministry's National Program for Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). It will focus on strengthening hypertension management and monitoring at the primary health care level, within the existing healthcare system, and is aligned with WHO's Global HEARTS Initiative and National Guidelines.

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Key equity benchmarks settled a tad lower in a quiet session of trade. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was off 15.83 points or 0.05% at 33,602.76, as per provisional closing data. The Nifty 50 index was off 8.95 points or 0.09% at 10,361.30, as per provisional closing data. Most realty stocks gained.

Key benchmark indices nudged higher in early trade. Stocks hovered in positive zone in morning trade. Stocks extended gains in mid-morning trade. Key equity benchmarks firmed up in afternoon trade. Key equity benchmarks dipped in negative zone in mid-afternoon trade. Stocks hovered in negative zone in late trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was provisionally off 0.17%. The fall in this index was higher than Sensex's decline in percentage terms. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was provisionally off 0.01%. The fall in this index was lower than Sensex's decline in percentage terms.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, turned negative from positive in late trade. On the BSE, 1,386 shares declined and 1,321 shares rose. A total of 145 shares were unchanged.

Index heavyweight and housing finance major HDFC lost 1.43% to Rs 1,700.85.

Private banking major Axis Bank dropped 2.7% to Rs 547.

Most realty stocks gained. Sobha (up 9.72%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 2.07%), Housing Development and Infrastructure (up 0.49%), D B Realty (up 5.73%) and Godrej Properties (up 1.76%) gained. Peninsula Land (down 0.13%), Sunteck Realty (down 0.23%), Oberoi Realty (down 0.47%), Indiabulls Real Estate (down 2.73%), DLF (down 0.96%) and Unitech (down 2.39%) fell.

Power Mech Projects rose 5.92% after the company said it has received orders worth Rs 357 crore. The announcement was made during market hours today, 29 November 2017.

Power Mech Projects said it has received orders worth Rs 357 crore for infrastructure development work at Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone Limited (AMTZ), an enterprise under the Government of Andhra Pradesh, for construction of ultra modern medical equipment manufacturing & testing facility under Make in India scheme at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Overseas, European stocks were trading higher, helped by news of a Brexit deal between the European Union and the UK. As per reports, the UK and the EU have reached a deal on a Brexit divorce bill on Tuesday. The final total will reportedly be around 50 billion.

Asian stocks were mixed as Chinese equities added to declines and a North Korean missile test overshadowed an overnight surge in US equities. US stocks rose to records yesterday, 28 November 2017 on progress towards passage of US tax cuts and a benign confirmation hearing with Federal Reserve Chair nominee Jerome Powell.

The Senate Budget Committee approved the Senate's tax plan on Tuesday, bringing the upper chamber closer to a floor vote, which is expected to take place Thursday. Meanwhile, during his testimony, Powell said that current regulations on the financials sector are tough enough. He also said he supported the tailoring of some regulations to ease the burden on small banks.

On the data front, the Conference Board's consumer-confidence index jumped to 129.5 in November, marking a 17-year high. The advanced US trade deficit in goods rose 6.5% to $68.3 billion in October. Separately, home prices rose at their fastest pace in more than three years in September.

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On 29 November 2017

Jet Airways (India) and Air France - KLM have signed a landmark 'Enhanced Cooperation Agreement' for the development of their operations between Europe and India.

In addition to the airlines' enhanced cooperation agreement, Air France KLM Cargo and Jet Airways Cargo have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding which aims to strengthen their cooperation in the cargo sector.

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In Bangladesh

Bangladesh Power Development Board has awarded the contract for setting up Bibiyana South 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project to a consortium of Larsen & Toubro and Samsung C&T Corporation of South Korea. L&T shall be executing the EPC contract valued at approx. USD 250 million.

L&T's scope includes design, detail engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the complete power plant on a turnkey basis. This project will be executed by the Gas Based Power Projects Business Unit of L&T based in Vadodara.

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Key benchmark indices nudged higher in early trade. At 9:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 25.33 points or 0.08% at 33,643.92. The Nifty 50 index was up 7 points or 0.07% at 10,377.25.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.22%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.39%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1,160 shares rose and 463 shares fell. A total of 56 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading higher, following a surge in US equities, and as a well-worn path of North Korean missile tests did little to dent investors' optimism in the strength of global earnings and economic growth. US stocks rose to records yesterday, 28 November 2017 on progress towards passage of US tax cuts and a benign confirmation hearing with Federal Reserve Chair nominee Jerome Powell.

The Senate Budget Committee approved the Senate's tax plan on Tuesday, bringing the upper chamber closer to a floor vote, which is expected to take place Thursday. Meanwhile, during his testimony, Powell said that current regulations on the financials sector are tough enough. He also said he supported the tailoring of some regulations to ease the burden on small banks.

On the data front, the Conference Board's consumer-confidence index jumped to 129.5 in November, marking a 17-year high. The advanced US trade deficit in goods rose 6.5% to $68.3 billion in October. Separately, home prices rose at their fastest pace in more than three years in September.

Back home,Coal India (up 2.38%), ONGC (up 1.38%) and NTPC (up 0.63%) edged higher from the Sensex pack.

Technofab Engineering was locked in 20% upper circuit at Rs 289.20 after the company announced the receipt of a new order in the domestic water sector valued at Rs 281 crore. With this the order backlog stands at about Rs 2000 crore of which the water sector now contributes close to 45%. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 28 November 2017.

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Key benchmark indices hovered in positive zone in morning trade. At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 35.80 points or 0.11% at 33,654.39. The Nifty 50 index was up 8.25 points or 0.08% at 10,378.50. Realty stocks gained. Cement stocks rose.

Key benchmark indices nudged higher in early trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.18%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.53%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1,346 shares rose and 878 shares fell. A total of 97 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading higher, following a surge in US equities, and as a well-worn path of North Korean missile tests did little to dent investors' optimism in the strength of global earnings and economic growth. US stocks rose to records yesterday, 28 November 2017 on progress towards passage of US tax cuts and a benign confirmation hearing with Federal Reserve Chair nominee Jerome Powell.

The Senate Budget Committee approved the Senate's tax plan on Tuesday, bringing the upper chamber closer to a floor vote, which is expected to take place Thursday. Meanwhile, during his testimony, Powell said that current regulations on the financials sector are tough enough. He also said he supported the tailoring of some regulations to ease the burden on small banks.

On the data front, the Conference Board's consumer-confidence index jumped to 129.5 in November, marking a 17-year high. The advanced US trade deficit in goods rose 6.5% to $68.3 billion in October. Separately, home prices rose at their fastest pace in more than three years in September.

Back home, realty stocks gained. Prestige Estates Projects (up 8.95%), Sobha (up 8.21%), Peninsula Land (up 2.8%), Sunteck Realty (up 1.97%), Indiabulls Real Estate (up 1.04%), Housing Development and Infrastructure (up 1.71%), D B Realty (up 1.12%), Godrej Properties (up 1.54%) and Oberoi Realty (up 1.23%) gained. DLF (down 0.39%) and Unitech (down 0.96%) fell.

Cement stocks rose. Ambuja Cements (up 0.46%), ACC (up 0.47%) and UltraTech Cement (up 1.08%) gained. Shree Cement (down 0.2%) fell.

Grasim Industries was up 0.6%. Grasim has exposure to the cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement.

AU Small Finance Bank rose 1.85% after the bank said it has commenced offering mutual funds products. AU Small Finance Bank said it has commenced mutual funds distribution for its customers. The bank has partnered with 11 reputed mutual fund houses (asset management companies) for starting this product segment.

IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company hit an upper circuit limit of 5% at Rs 46.55 after the company reported turnaround Q2 results. IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company reported net profit of Rs 40.14 crore in Q2 September 2017 compared with net loss of Rs 81.59 crore in Q2 September 2016. Net sales fell 4.5% to Rs 340.84 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q2 September 2016. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 28 November 2017.

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Hon'ble Prime Minister launched the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) on 11th October, 2014. This was aimed at improving the wellbeing of selected Gram Panchayats (GPs) through convergence of programmes under the overall guidance of Hon'ble Members of Parliament. The Yojana is about improving access to public services and community action for social and economic development so that these villages become role models worth emulation by neighboring Gram Panchayats. A total of 19732 new projects taken up as part of the Village Development Plan in SAGY villages have been completed and another 7204 are under implementation.

703 Hon'ble Members of Parliament selected their GPs and focused on overall development with community participation in these Gram Panchayats. In many States, the support of State Government facilitated convergence in programmes and activities leading to many significant improvements in indicators of social development like Open Defecation Free (ODF), 100% immunization, 100% enrolment in ICDS Centers etc. The implementation was given a thrust by States such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In other States also, initiatives were taken to improve the quality of life in the selected Gram Panchayats. As a result, an overall increase of 13% - 19% has been found in SAGY villages with regard to immunization, farmers with Soil Health Cards, women brought into SHGs and new Jan Dhan accounts.

Every Hon'ble Member of Parliament is expected to develop 3 (three) Gram Panchayats by March 2019.

Presently, work is going on in 1235 Gram Panchayats. There was no timeline decided regarding selection of third Gram Panchayat. An analysis of performance of 35 development indicators in these villages shows that there has been a significant increase in provision of houses, internal village roads, household electrification, household latrines and piped water supply in many of the villages selected under SAGY. Of the data analyzed for 649 SAGY Gram Panchayats, it was found that 330 of them have reported 100% immunization in 0 to 6 age group, 300 have reported that every child has received ICDS services, 128 Gram Panchayats have become Open Defecation Free, 284 Gram Panchayats have reported no malnutrition in Grade-III or Grade-IV category and 445 Gram Panchayats have reported 100% coverage in provision of mid-day meals. Many social events like health camps, youth mobilization camps, yoga camps, plantation drives, women self-help groups, camps for support for differently abled persons etc. were organized by the initiatives of Hon'ble Members of Parliament.

Every SAGY Gram Panchayat has drawn up a Village Development Plan which is under implementation through convergence and additional prioritization by Central and State Governments. As many as 21 central schemes have already amended their guidelines or enabled priority for the SAGY Gram Panchayats. Most SAGY villages now have been taken up by State Governments as a part of Mission Antyodaya for significant improvement in sustainable livelihoods of poor households in these Gram Panchayats. All these Panchayats have been ranked for intervention to remove development gaps through a partnership of Central, State and Local Governments. It is envisaged that all these selected SAGY Gram Panchayats will have much better indicators on parameters ranging from physical infrastructure to human development and economic activities by March, 2019.

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One hundred Chinese couples will visit Sri Lanka next month to take part in a mass wedding in the island country, Sri Lanka's Megapolis and Western Development Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The Ministry said the event, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, was expected to further increase ties between Sri Lanka and China, reports Xinhua news agency.

The mass wedding would be held on December 17 in Colombo under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Some 400 guests will attend.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga told reporters that the event will help promote the island nation as an ideal wedding destination.

The mass wedding will be followed by a Sri Lanka-China food festival at a luxury resort in Colombo. Leading chefs from both China and Sri Lanka will take part in the festival.

The couples will later be taken on a tour of Yala, Sigiriya and Kandy, popular tourist spots in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has become a popular destination for Chinese tourists, with China currently being the second largest market.

--IANS

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The special Task Force of Kolkata police have arrested another member of Bangladesh-based Islamist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a front of terror outfit Al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent, from the India-Nepal border, police said on Wednesday.

"We have arrested Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan from a hideout in India-Nepal border. It is found that he was planning to to sneak into Nepal to escape our jurisdiction," said a senior officer of STF.

The officer said that the accused had close association with ABT and stayed in a Kolkata hotel for a few days.

The Kolkata police have so far arrested five people with links to the Bangladeshi terror outfit including Aftab this month and seized a quantity of arms and ammunition from them.

The STF arrested the two members of ABT and a local arms dealer on November 21 from a city railway station followed by a Bangladeshi tout last week.

--IANS

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Independent legislator Rophul Marak on Wednesday withdrawn support to the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government ahead of the assembly elections next year.

The second Independent legislator to withdraw support to the Mukul Sangma-led government after Robinus Syngkon earlier this month, he said his decision came since "the Chief Minister has failed to fulfill the aspiration of the people of my (Rongra-Siju assembly) constituency".

"I am answerable to the people of my constituency and the district. They are asking questions as to that what we have done in our tenure of five years. The development work in South Garo Hills has been dismal. The main problem is road and communication," he said.

Election to the 60-member state assembly is scheduled to be held in February-March 2018.

However, the withdrawal support to the Congress government will not have any serious impact as the government still has support of 30 legislators - one short of a majority in the 60-member legislature.

The Nationalist Congress Party, which has two members, one member from the North-East Democratic Socialist Party and nine independent legislators are supporting the Congress.

The opposition Meghalaya People's Front is made up of eight United Democratic Party legislators, two from the National People's Party. The Hill State People's Democratic Party, which has four members and two independents, are not part of the opposition grouping.

--IANS

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When you can make energy from wind, why not from rainwater? This question from her father inspired their 15-year-old girl from Azerbaijan to set up a company to do exactly that.

Reyhan Camalova is the youngest female entrepreneur attending the 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) here with the theme "Women first, Prosperity for all".

The Class 9 student was one of the three entrepreneurs referred to by US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump in her speech at the inaugural session.

"Reyhan is 15 years old. But that hasn't stopped her from founding a company that harvests energy from rainwater," Ivanka said

"Reyhan has a powerful motto - Light up one house at a time. Reyhan, each home you light up is illuminating the world. We are all inspired by your brilliance and hard work," she added.

Reyhan is attending the GES for the first time and is trying to find investors for her start-up Rainergy.

"I am looking for investment for making energy device," the teenaged CEO and Founder of Rainergy told IANS on the sidelines of the summit.

The girl, who hails from a middle class family, needs $20,000 to set up a manufacturing unit and to reach the global market.

Keen to have a partner in her start-up and enter the Indian market, she got an opportunity to participate in the pitch competition.

Coming from Quba region of Azerbaijan, she likes chemistry, physics and mathematics among other subjects at school. Some of her school mates and physicists have joined hands to work on the project.

"Rainwater has huge potential if utilized properly," said the girl, who has designed a smart generator to harvest energy from the rain.

"The initial prototype of Rainergy produces 22W of power and lightens up to 22 LED lamps. While piezoelectric rain generators produce only 25 microwatt of power, our model is much more efficient in comparison with similar systems," she added

It also stores energy in the accumulator so that it can be used even there is no rain at all.

Reyhan claims that rain energy reduces the amount of CO2 emissions to 10 g per KW/hour during the production of the electricity. "This amount is very low compared to the other current alternative energy solutions," she added.

(Mohammad Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Syrian city of Raqqa is no longer under the control of Islamic State (IS) forces, the Australian Foreign Minister confirmed on Wednesday, paving the way for his countrymen to travel there.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said while the travel ban had been lifted after coalition forces retook the city, both Syria and Iraq retained their "do not travel" warnings, Xinhua news agency reported.

Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis said that it was still illegal for Australians to travel to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

Bishop admitted the liberation of Raqqa was a "major step forward" in the fight against IS, but added that it was still an incredibly dangerous place to visit.

Australians will no longer face criminal charges for travelling to the former "de-facto capital city" of the terrorist organisation.

Travel to the city was made a crime by the Australian government in December 2014 to discourage possible extremists from joining the fight in the Middle Eas.

Laws were also passed stripping dual citizens of their Australian passports should they be found to be in the war-affected nations.

"This is an important milestone in the fight against Islamic State, because the retaking of Raqqa deprives this terrorist organisation of an operating base in Syria."

Bishop said while IS had been driven out of the city, the terror group "remains a dangerous threat", hinting that factions would continue to emerge in other parts of the world, as it has in the Philippines.

"IS is likely to emerge elsewhere, with its violent insurgency activities, and we will continue to be committed to the fight against (the group)," the Minister said.

The government added that those who traveled to Raqqa between December 5, 2014 and November 28, would still face prosecution.

"Any Australian who travels to Mosul should know that they will be detected and they will be prosecuted, as five Australians are currently subject to prosecution," Brandis said.

According to the government, it "remains illegal for Australian citizens to... fight with any armed group in Syria or any terrorist organisation listed under Australian law".

--IANS

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Reports of bogus voting at several booths and some incidents of violence marred elections for the third and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh civic polls on Wednesday that saw average ballotting.

Voting was held for five municipal corporations, 76 Nagar Palika Parishads and 152 Nagar Panchayats across 26 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Five municipal corporations also voted to elect new mayors.

Violence was reported from Moradabad where angered by reports of bogus voting people created a ruckus at Thakurdwara polling booth. Three women clad in burqas were detained by police and were found to be involved in bogus voting. They were arrested.

At many polling booths in Saharanpur, people raised slogans and targeted the officials after their names were found missing from the voters' list. Police had to use mild force to disperse the unruly mob there, an official told IANS.

Bogus voting was also reported from some places in Baghpat, Saharanpur, Bulandshahr districts of western Uttar Pradesh.

Polling elsewhere was peaceful, State Election Commission (SEC) officials informed.

A large number of young men and women turned up to vote for the urban body polls in the third and final phase of the crucial elections, which are being seen as a referendum on the Yogi Adityanath government's performance in the last seven months. It is also a litmus test for Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress.

While victory in some municipal corporations for Congress could act as a morale booster ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls, wins for the SP at some places could also signal a comeback for the party which was humbled by the BJP in the state Assembly polls earlier this year.

The BSP, which has been at the sidelines of in the state ever since it lost power to SP in 2012 and lost two successive elections - 2014 general elections and 2017 state assembly elections, is contesting the urban body polls for the first time on the party symbol. This is being seen as a desperate bid by BSP supremo Mayawati to be relevant in the state, which she ruled four times.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also making its maiden appearance in the urban polls and is expecting to make some inroads. It has pitched majorly in Lucknow and Kanpur. Vaibhav Maheshwari, state spokesman of the party, told IANS on Wednesday that the results would be good for the AAP.

More than 94 lakh voters are voting in the final phase and 28,135 candidates are in the fray.

For smooth voting, an official told IANS that 3,599 polling booths and 10,817 polling centres have been set up.

The five municipal corporations where polling is taking place include Moradabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Jhansi and Firozabad. There are 74 candidates for mayoral posts in these five places, 3,175 candidates for 350 corporation seats. Maximum number of candidates for a mayoral seat are 22 in Bareilly.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Wednesday said that it was seriously concerned about and opposed to North Korea's test-firing of a newly-developed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

"China strongly demands the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) abide by the UN Security Council resolutions and refrain from actions that heighten the tension on the Korean Peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Geng added that China would continue to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Beijing's reaction came after Pyongyang tested another ICBM early Wednesday, claiming that it was capable of reaching the US mainland.

North Korea's state media declared the Hwasong-15 missile was "the most powerful ICBM" which carried a "super-large heavy warhead" to unprecedented heights of almost 4,500 kilometres.

The test, which defied international sanctions imposed over Pyongyang's weapons programme, drew swift international condemnation, with the UN Security Council due to convene an emergency session.

South Korea responded by carrying out live-fire exercises, launching one of its own ballistic missiles. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch an intolerable, violent act.

US President Donald Trump responded by saying: "We will take care of it."

--IANS

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Saying that the onion yield this year is expected to be lower, the Centre on Wednesday expressed its helplessness in controlling the rising prices of onions, which crossed Rs 60 per kg this week in Delhi.

Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the production this year was expected to be lower since the area under onion cultivation had reduced to 1.90 lakh hectares in 2017-18 from 2.65 lakh hectares in 2016-17.

"We have taken several measures, such as procurement by agencies from areas such as Nashik (Maharashtra) and Alwar (Rajasthan) where the cost is lower, as well as import of onions. But it (bringing down prices) is not in our hands," Paswan told reporters here.

Once the supply from (late) Kharif starts, prices may come down, he added.

Paswan held a meeting with officials from the ministries of agriculture and food as well as the Delhi government on Wednesday on the rising prices of onions and tomatoes.

On October 31, Paswan had blamed hoarding for a surge in the prices of onions and tomatoes in retail markets, and promised that the situation will improve once the fresh supply began.

"It is a matter of days. As the fresh supply of onion and tomato starts from early November, the prices will come down," he told the media at an event here to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
A 24-year-old criminal was arrested here on Wednesday after a gunfight with the police in which he was injured, police said.

The incident occurred around 1 p.m. in Vishwas Nagar in east Delhi when constable Vivek Kumar saw two persons on a bike and recognised them as those involved in a chain snatching case on November 26.

"Kumar tried to intercept the criminals. But they opened fire at him. In retaliatory fire, one criminal got injured and was overpowered by Kumar while the other fled," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nupur Prasad said.

The accused, identified as Monu, has been arrested. He is a resident of Indirapuram in Uttar Pradesh, Prasad said.

The CCTV footage of the chain snatching case was circulated among beat staff including Kumar "who took brave and prompt action", the officer added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government on Wednesday urged the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to incorporate a chapter on tobacco control in textbooks of the CBSE and other boards.

The government seeks the chapter for the curriculum of Classes 6 to 12.

In a letter, the Additional Director of Delhi's Health department S.K. Arora said that 14.1 per cent students (up to age 15) currently use tobacco products, with 4.2 per cent students smoking cigarettes and 1.9 per cent using other tobacco products.

Mentioning that of 1,000 teenagers who smoke currently, 500 would die due to tobacco related diseases, Arora said that despite a ban, the consumption of tobacco was increasing.

He emphasised that school going children were the most vulnerable group as far as tobacco consumption was concerned.

"There was an urgent need for regular sensitisation of students, teachers and parents and hence creating a chapter in the curriculum would help a lot," he said.

"We have requested the NCERT to incorporate tobacco control matter as a chapter in the curriculum of the CBSE and other educational boards for Classes 6 to 12," he said in the letter.

He said that the Central Board of Secondary had agreed to include the subject but it was dependent on the NCERT as the CBSE prescribes textbooks published by the NCERT only.

Set up in 1961 by the Government of India, NCERT is an autonomous organisation that assists and advises the Central and state governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school .

--IANS

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Eight Rohingyas belonging to two families, who had entered India illegally, were apprehended in western Tripura on Wednesday, a police official said.

The eight, including two women and four children, were arrested at Khayerpur, 12 km north of Agartala, he added.

They were later taken to Bodhjungnagar police station for questioning.

"We are yet to get exact details on their presence in Tripura. Their questioning by senior police and intelligence officials is on," the official said, adding they would be produced in a local court on Thursday.

Rohingyas have illegally entered Tripura and a few other northeastern states via Bangladesh in the past in search of jobs.

Subsequently, they were pushed back into Bangladesh following legal and security formalities.

Border Security Force (BSF) Tripura Frontier Inspector General S.R. Ojha told the media that since 2015, many Rohingyas entered Tripura and other northeastern states via Bangladesh.

Tripura Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla said: "Though India does not have a shared border with Myanmar in Tripura, we have asked the BSF to strengthen security along the Bangladesh borders."

India shares a 856-km border with Bangladesh in Tripura. Except for some 20 km, most of it is fenced.

--IANS

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Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques, is successfully removing all Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda-related terror content from its platform before anyone flags it, the social media giant said on Wednesday.

"Today, 99 per cent of the IS and Al Qaeda-related terror content we remove from is content we detect before anyone in our community has flagged it to us, and in some cases, before it goes live on the site," Monika Bickert, Head of Global Policy Management at wrote in a blog post.

Facebook does this primarily through the use of automated systems like photo and video matching and text-based machine learning.

"Once we are aware of a piece of terror content, we remove 83 per cent of subsequently uploaded copies within one hour of upload," added Brian Fishman, Head of Counterterrorism Policy, Facebook.

Deploying AI for counterterrorism is not as simple as flipping a switch.

A system designed to find content from one terrorist group may not work for another because of language and stylistic differences in their propaganda.

The social media giant is currently focusing its techniques to combat terrorist content about Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda and their affiliates.

The use of AI against terrorism is increasingly bearing fruit, but ultimately, it must be reinforced with manual review from trained experts, said Facebook.

"To that end, we tap expertise from inside the company and from the outside, partnering with those who can help address extremism across the Internet," the company noted.

Facebook has announced the formation of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) where the social media giant is working with Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube to fight the spread of terrorism and violent extremism across their platforms.

GIFCT has already brought together more than 50 companies over the course of three international working sessions.

"Through GIFCT, we also engage with governments around the world and are preparing to jointly commission research on how governments, tech companies and civil society can fight online radicalisation," Facebook said.

Facebook has also forged partnerships with several organisations that have expertise in global terrorism or cyber intelligence to help us in our efforts.

These partners include Flashpoint, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the SITE Intelligence Group, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Computer Forensics Research Lab.

They flag Pages, profiles and groups on Facebook potentially associated with terrorist groups.

"These organisations also send us photo and video files associated with IS and Al Qaeda that they have located elsewhere on the Internet, which we can then run against our algorithms to check for file matches to remove or prevent their upload to Facebook altogether," the blog post read.
Facebook and Twitter have agreed to share details with British authorities on Russia's interference in the referendum by using their platforms.

According to the Guardian on Wednesday, Facebook and Twitter will share those posts with the House of Commons media watchdog.

"Facebook said it would respond with information by early December, while Twitter said it intends to share findings in the coming weeks," the report added.

The information would give the UK a better idea of whether Russia tried to influence the vote on leaving the EU, Damian Collins, Chair of Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee was quoted as saying.

Earlier in November, a group of data scientists found 156,252 Russian accounts on Twitter which mentioned # and posted nearly 45,000 messages related to the EU referendum in the 48 hours around the vote.

In the US, Facebook, Twitter and Google are already facing intense fake news scrutiny after disclosing the details about the presence of Russian political ads, tweets and posts on their platforms during the presidential election in 2016.

The Kremlin-linked Russian organisations purchased more than $100,000 of ads on social media platforms during the 2016 US presidential election.

Facebook told US Congress in November that 126 million of its users in the US might have seen ads produced and circulated by Russian operatives.

According to Facebook UK Policy Director Simon Miller, it is "considering how we can best respond to the Electoral Commission's request for information and expect to be able to respond to them by the second week of December."

British Prime Minister Theresa May has also accused Russia of meddling in the elections and planting fake stories.

According to data scientists from Swansea University in Wales and the University of California, Berkeley, over 150,000 Russian accounts who were posting about the Ukrainian conflict swiftly started tweeting about in days leading up to the 2016 vote.

"From posting fewer than 1,000 tweets a day before June 13, the accounts -- many of which are virulently pro-Putin -- posted 39,000 tweets on June 23-24," the report said.

Tho Pham, one of the report authors, confirmed to TechCrunch that the majority of those Brexit tweets were posted on June 24, 2016, the day after the vote.

Political events like the Brexit referendum and the US presidential election have observed the use of social bots in spreading fake news and misinformation, the data scientists observed.

(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.)
Geneva, Nov 30 (IANS/AKI) United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Wednesday termed as "very useful, constructive and professional" his first meeting with a Syrian government delegation.

"I just had a long, but very useful in my opinion, meeting with the delegation of the government of Syria," de Mistura said after meeting the delegation head Bashaar al-Jaafari in a hotel here.

The Syrian government delegation arrived in Geneva on Wednesday for the latest round of peace talks taking place there this week - a day later than expected.

The delegation delayed its departure for the talks, which began on Tuesday, due to the newly-unified Syrian opposition's insistence that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down.

De Mistura described the atmosphere of his meeting with Jaafari as "constructive and professional".

"We decided that we should continue having this meeting in the UN Headquarters in Geneva, this will be the first official meeting that we will be holding with the delegation of the Syrian government, and then we will continue tomorrow as well," he said.

The UN official also told reporters that he is intending to have both sides stay on in Geneva to continue the meetings next week, after a possible weekend off.

"What is important is that we have an ongoing process of discussions," he stressed.

The proposal to hold direct discussions between both delegations for the first time are still under discussion, de Mistura said.

Meanwhile, the current round of UN-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva between the Syrian government and the opposition have been extended to December 15, satellite news channel al-Arabiya tweeted on Wednesday, quoting unnamed sources.

The peace talks began on Tuesday.

--IANS/AKI

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To make it easier for people to give money to their favourite organisations this holiday season, has added a "Donate" button to its knowledge graph.

The button allows users to contribute to the organisations directly when they search for US-based non-profits. But for the button to appear, the non-profits need to enroll with Google.

"Starting today, when you search for a growing list of US-based non-profits, you'll see a new 'Donate' option.

"Tap or click on Donate, and you'll see an easy donation flow that lets you give to your favourite organisation as easily as you can look up its history, phone number, or website," Google's Product Manager Prem Ramaswami wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.

"We're starting with organisations in the US across causes and locales who have opted in through Google for non-profits, and we hope that more opt in moving forward," Ramaswami said.

Earlier in 2017, Google pledged $1 billion in Google.org grants over five years to non-profits around the world.

According to some estimates, Google said, nearly 30 per cent of all giving happens during the holiday season.

"This spirit shines in our search trends, too, with many people looking for ways to donate and support nonprofits. We hope this feature makes it easier for nonprofits to reach potential supporters, and for you to donate to important causes, this holiday season and beyond," Ramaswami said.

Unlike Facebook's Charitable Givings feature that has gotten popular with users who "donate" their birthdays to fundraising, Google does not charge a fee when donations are made through its button, The Verge reported.
The Agung volcano with a deadly history on the popular resort islands of Indonesia's Bali, has spewed ash 7,600 metre high and closed its international airport for a third day on Wednesday.

The Ngurah Rai International Airport continued to remain closed with more than 100,000 passengers left stranded so far, Efe news reported.

Experts believe the volcano may see a greater eruption, official sources said on Wednesday.

The General Manager of Bali airport operator Angkasa Pura, Yunus Suprayogi, said in a statement that due to the volcanic ash, the airport would halt operations until at least Thursday morning.

On the first two days of the Bali airport closure almost 900 flights were cancelled, with 445 on November 27 and 443 on November 28, in addition to 31 others at the airport on the island of Lombok, east of Bali.

Angkasa Pura said in another announcement that at least 1,297 tourists have already travelled from Bali airport or from the Mengwi bus terminal to Surabaya, on Java Island, first in vehicles and then on ferries.

At the Surabaya airport, tickets for flights to Jakarta have been sold out until December and hundreds of travellers are looking for alternative routes to return home, according to several tourists.

The Director of Information for the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said on Twitter that Agung continues to spew ash and lava.

At least 22 villages near the volcano have been affected by the falling ash, which, at the moment, moves south-southwest.

The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the eruption alert to the highest level on Monday, increased the safety radius to 10 km around Mount Agung and warned of the risk of a major eruption.

The authorities have ordered the evacuation of nearly 100,000 people living in the danger zone and recommended the use of protective masks for the population.

Almost 40,000 people have already registered in emergency shelters at various points on the island, although some residents refuse to leave their homes.

Located in the east of the island, in the district of Karangasem, Mount Agung is far from most tourist attractions.

This is Mount Agung's first volcanic eruption since 1963, when the ejection of magma lasted almost a year and caused more than 1,100 deaths.

Bali is the main tourist destination in Indonesia, with an annual influx of around 5.4 million foreign tourists, according to official data.

The Indonesian archipelago sits within the so-called "Ring of Fire" in the Pacific, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity that is shaken by thousands of tremors every year, most of small magnitude.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday said his country will maximise pressure on North Korea in coordination with the international community following Pyongyang's latest missile launch.

N. Korea fired a missile around 3.18 a.m. on Wednesday and the missile flew for about 53 minutes. It may have fallen into the exclusive economic zone of Japan, said the Japanese government.

It reached a record-high altitude of over 4,000 km on a steep angle and appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Japanese Defence Ministry.

Abe told reporters at his office following the missile launch that such "violence" was "intolerable". Japan has lodged a strong protest against North Korea, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that Japan has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and Tokyo will maximise pressure on Pyongyang in coordination with others.

Abe and US President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stating that the Japan-India relationship is at its best ever in history, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu has said that his country is keen to support South Asia in combating terrorism and attaining the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In an interview with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Hiramatsu said that though the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation's operations have been diminishing in Syria and Iraq, foreign terrorist fighters were now splitting and relocating to other parts of the world, including in South Asia.

"As we witnessed last July, a terrorist attack took place in Dhaka where seven Japanese nationals were killed. We are very concerned about the situation," he said.

He was referring to the terror attack on the Artisan Bakery in Bangladesh's capital on July 1, 2016 in which 29 people, including 18 foreigners, lost their lives.

The interview was part of the UNODC Conversations that feature exclusive interactions with eminent personalities and experts on issues related to UNODC's core mandate areas of transnational organised crime, human rights, terrorism and the rule of law.

Stating that Japan was concerned with the situation in South Asia, Hiramatsu said: "To tackle with the issue of violent extremism, we need a more comprehensive approach: not only dealing with terrorism per se, but also in addressing challenges such as the eradication of poverty, build harmonious communities and lessen religious tensions."

He said that Japan has been actively supporting efforts on border control and better law enforcement in South Asia, especially in terms of promoting human resource development and providing technical assistance to those who are dealing with border control and law enforcement issues.

"We have special programmes to support border control and community ruling, and also to establish a centre for intelligence and information sharing in this region," the Ambassador said.

"We are also backing initiative supporting UNODC in capacity building operations, which cater to different pillars of UNODC's agenda. The three pillars of UNODC's work - health, justice and security - are very important for us."

Stating that the global strategic landscape was steadily shifting, he said that these issues have to be dealt with "in a very intelligent manner".

"Of course, the issue of nuclear terrorism has been there for many years," Hiramatsu said.

"We have been having a series of nuclear terrorism summit meetings, and we have been actively participating in this matter. The situation with regard to North Korea is extremely critical and serious. The level of conflict has entered a new stage."

Coming to the issue of SDGs, he said that collective efforts by many countries were needed to attain these, especially in South Asia.

"So based on this very well structured strategy and policy on part of the developing countries, Japan is very keen to support these countries in helping achieve the SDGs," Hiramatsu said.

At the Sustainable Development Summit on September 25, 2015, UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 SDGs to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015.

Coming to Japan's relationship with India, he said that he was "very happy to say that our relationship with India is at the best ever in history".

"Japan is very happy to support India's endeavour to enhance level of living standards, supporting higher education, eradication of poverty, women's empowerment, tackling infectious diseases and providing better sanitation standards," Hiramatsu stated.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior Janata Dal-United leader and Rajya Sabha member M.P. Veerendra Kumar on Wednesday said he will not continue as member of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's faction.

The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) led by Veerendra Kumar in the state is an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front and was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala last year.

Addressing reporters here, Veerendra Kumar said "now the only thing" on his mind was to escape from the of Nitish Kumar, president of the JD-U.

"I will not continue as Rajya Sabha member of Nitish Kumar's party. I have also spoken to leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) Kerala unit, legislators C.K. Nanu and K. Krishnankutty, but am yet to speak to the third legislator and State Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas. I have no issues to work together with the JD-S," said Veerendra Kumar, who is a leading media baron here.

By announcing that he does not wish to remain with the national leadership of JD-U, 80-year-old Kumar has given clear indication that he will revive the Socialist Janata Democratic (SJD), which he merged with the Sharad Yadav-led JD-U in 2014.

SJD was formed in 2009 when Kumar along with his supporters broke away from the JD-S after he was denied his sitting seat - Kozhikode -- to contest the 2009 Lok Sabha polls by the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

JD-S was a full-fledged ally of the LDF but when Kumar along with his supporters crossed over to the Congress-led UDF, the present JD-S faction remained with the LDF and continues to be with them.

Now all eyes are on Kumar on how he goes forward as there has been speculation that he and his faction are set to merge with the JD-S. However, JD-S' Thomas is reportedly not keen on this new arrangement.

According to sources close to the veteran media baron, while he and a majority of his party are keen to end their alliance with the UDF and move to the LDF, some of them are not keen.

At present JD-S does not have any legislator in the Kerala Assembly.

Asked about this, Kumar said all issues would be discussed in his party meeting which will be held shortly.

--IANS

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After a nail-biting suspense of 18 months, it was all over in barely five minutes for the three convicts in the sensational Kopardi rape-cum-murder case of a 15-year old schoolgirl at the Ahmednagar District and Sessions Court on Wednesday.

Special Judge Suvarna Keole of the fast-track Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act awarded death sentence to Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28, for rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes.

On November 18, Judge Keole had found them guilty and pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom.

On Wednesday morning, for over an hour before Judge Keole arrived, the atmosphere outside the court precincts was super-charged, with several thousands of villagers, volunteers of women's groups and NGOs, onlookers, lawyers, litigants and a heavy police force deployed for security.

Barring those directly concerned with the Kopardi case - Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and his team of lawyers, the police brass including the case investigators, the family members of the victim and the court staffers - nobody else was permitted entry.

None of the defence lawyers - Yohan Makasare (for Shinde), Balasaheb Khopade and his daughter Vijayalaxmi Khopade (for Bhawal) and Prakash Aher (for Bhailume) - were present owing to a potential security situation apprehended by police, as one later informed IANS.

In fact, the court precincts had been sanitized since dawn with the removal of most vehicles from the parking lot, typists, stamp vendors, chaiwallas, and other support services common outside courts had also been cleared for the day. For the restive crowds outside, police had made arrangements for a loudspeaker to announce the judgement and even a television screen to view the proceedings inside.

As Special Judge Keole entered the court around 11.23 a.m., the convicted three - Shinde, Bhawal, and Bhailume - were brought before her by police escorts.

As the Special Judge took her seat and glanced at the anxious convicts lined before her - Shinde stood with folded hands, while the other two looked down at the floor before the verdict.

She then announced the names and age of each convict, as pin drop silence fell both inside the courtroom and outside.

Then, with a quick glance at the gathering, she opened her file and swiftly started reading out the prepared verdict.

She listed the prime charges under POCSO and IPC for which Shinde, Bhawal and Bhailume were found guilty on November 18 - conspiracy, rape and murder, as listed against them by the prosecution.

The verdict, pertaining to the quantum of punishment was pronounced corresponding to various sections under the laws - imprisonment for varying terms and fines (penalties).

Special Judge Keole now came to the much-awaited IPC Sections 376 and 302 (rape and murder) - and delivered the verdict of life imprisonment and death for all the three convicts.

At this point, the silence was shattered as the victim's mother let out a loud wail of anguish and relief inside the court and started weeping, as her relatives attempted to console her and helped her outside.

The scene outside was chaotic with over a score of television channels reporting the verdict simultaneously, standing practically shoulder-to-shoulder and overlapping both on screen and commentaries in the congested area.

Within seconds after flashing their 'Breaking News' one group rushed towards Nikam who stepped out surrounded by police and other lawyers for his 'briefing' and another group lunged towards the family members for their 'bytes'.

As usual, the veteran of some of the most high-profile cases in the country since the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, Nikam - sporting dark glasses - made his brief surgical presentation for the media, in multiple languages and then was whisked off by police to his vehicle.

The victim's mother also spoke to the media, but before she could complete, she broke down inconsolably, and later, after she was calmed by her family, managed to speak, and again started weeping.

Around that time, a group of women and other activists raised slogans outside demanding that the verdict be upheld in the Bombay High Court - where it will come up for ratification - and the convicts should be hanged as soon as possible.

The judge has allowed the convicts to appeal before the Bombay High Court.

"We shall challenge not only the verdict but the entire proceedings before the High Court, the lapses and other issues on which we have already given our written submission to the Sessions Court," the lawyers for Bhawal, Balasaheb Khopade and Vijayalaxmi Khopade, told IANS.

The crime took place on July 13, 2016 when the 15-year-old was abducted, raped, mutilated and killed, sparking off a casteist and political furore in Maharashtra.

That evening, the Class 9 student was out to fetch some spices from her grandmother's home in the same village.

"Justice has finally been done. My daughter will never return. This is the real tribute to my daughter. We are grateful to (Ujjwal) Nikam Saheb," the victim's mother said sobbing inconsolably outside the courtroom.

Nikam said: "The prime accused Shinde has been convicted and fined for committing the offences of molestation, rape and brutal murder while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, provoked him (Shinde), encouraged, conspired and abetted in the crimes."

The verdict has been hailed across the political spectrum.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Special Court on Wednesday awarded the death sentence to all three accused convicted in the rape and brutal murder of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28 were sentenced to death for rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.

Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole, who found the three guilty on November 18, pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom.

The judge allowed the convicts to appeal before the Bombay High Court.

"We shall challenge not only the verdict but the entire proceedings before the High Court, the lapses and other issues, on which we have already given written submission to the Sessions Court," the lawyers for Bhawal, Balasaheb Khopade and Vijayalaxmi Khopade, told IANS.

The crime took place on July 13, 2016 when the 15-year-old was gang-raped, mutilated and killed, sparking off a casteist and political furore in Maharashtra. The Class 9 student was out to fetch spices from her grandmother's home in the same village.

"Justice has finally been done. My daughter will never return. This is the real tribute to my daughter. We are grateful to (Ujjwal) Nikam Saheb," the victim's mother said before breaking down inconsolably outside the courtroom.

Nikam said: "The prime accused Shinde has been convicted and fined for committing the offences of molestation, rape and brutal murder while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, provoked him (Shinde), encouraged, conspired and abetted in the crimes," Nikam said.

The verdict has been hailed across the political spectrum.

Women and Child Welfare Minister (BJP) Pankaja Munde, Maharashtra State Women's Commission Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, Shiv Sena women leader Neelam Gorhe, NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Vidya Chavan and Pune women's activist Trupti Desai welcomed the verdict.

--IANS

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the "manhandling" of prisoners hailing from the state in the Tihar Central Jail in Delhi was shameful and unacceptable.

"The recent incident of manhandling of prisoners at the Tihar jail is unacceptable. By such an act, (jail) personnel involved have not only brought disrespect to their state but to their fraternity as well," she said at the passing out parade at a training centre in Kathua district.

The Chief Minister said in a civilised democracy, even convicts have been guaranteed legal protection which ought to be extended to the undertrials.

At least 18 inmates of jail number one were allegedly beaten up by the jail staff on November 21 night.

Lauding the Jammu and Kasmir Police for patience and discipline in dealing with law and order situations, Mufti said good behaviour with the general public and strict discipline are key to excellent policing.

"There are many challenges on the ground while dealing with situations, but the job done with discipline, dedication, and good behaviour with people fetches the desired results with huge public cooperation."

"Protection of life and property of civilians and performing duty with balance are the fundamental duties of an efficient police force. The state police has no parallel in its professional commitment and discipline," she said.

Mufti also said that the root cause of militancy needs to be identified and fixed.

She said she had ordered a review of cases registered against the youth during last year's unrest.

"You need to do parenting of these youth who are barely 12-14 years of age. They need to be counselled, educated, and guided for which you people have to act as their philosophers and guides," she told the police force.

Listing drugs as another challenge, Mufti asked the police to pursue peddlers with full force and free innocent youths from the clutches of drug addiction.

The Chief Minister expressed dismay over rising crime against women and hoped the women's police stations set up by her government would be able to provide justice to the victims.

--IANS

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North Korea on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile that landed into the Sea of Japan, the media reported citing officials.

The missile, believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Pentagon based on initial assessments, was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea and flew roughly around 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan, Fox News reported.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency which first reported the launch, said the missile launch happened around 3 a.m. local time in North Korea.

South Korea fired pinpoint missiles into nearby waters to make sure North Korea understands it can be "taken under fire" by the South, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said.

US President Donald Trump told reporters the missile launch "is a situation that we will handle," and added the US will "take care of it."

The President was briefed on the launch while it was still in the air, press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted earlier in the day.

Defense Secretary Mattis added North Korea is continuing to build missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world" as it continues to endanger world peace, regional peace and "certainly the United States".

The missile flew east for about 53 minutes before landing off the north of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the New York Times reported.

The missile was fired high into the air, reaching a maximum altitude of over 4,500 km, in an arc similar to the North's two previous intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, which were launched in July.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile performed better than the two fired in July, with a potential range of more than 12,000 km, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental US.

"It's pretty impressive," Wright said of the test flight. "This is building on what they've done before. It's muscle-flexing to show the US that they're going to continue to make progress."

Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said the new launch appeared to be the "most robust" ICBM test yet by the North Korea.

"Early calculations suggest that it could reach the East Coast of the United States," he said.

"However, that doesn't take into account the payload mass, which could limit the range."

--IANS

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U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand unveiled a significant aid package for two U.S. territories recovering from a pair of major hurricanes that caused billions in damage and left millions of people without access to electricity or clean water.

The legislation supported by Gillibrand, D-N.Y., would provide $154.4 billion to rebuild Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The "Marshall-style" plan includes $46 billion in federal grants to rebuild homes and spur economic development and $2.73 billion in small business disaster loans.

An additional $3.63 billion would support the Army Corps of Engineers' recovery efforts. A main focus of the funding will be the dredging of Cano Martin Pena, a channel in Puerto Rico.

Federal funding would be available to rebuild or upgrade critical infrastructure, including Puerto Rico's aging energy grid, and water systems.

The measure would also call for the elimination of Puerto Rico's debt, which exceeds $70 billion. Short-term funding would be provided to support day-to-day government functions.

Other provisions in the bill include lifting the cap of federal Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It would also provide parity for the territories' involvement in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Gillibrand, who visited Puerto Rico in October and called for a "Marshall-style" plan following that trip, urged her colleagues in Congress to do more to address the humanitarian crisis affecting both U.S. territories.

"Congress must rise to the occasion and implement this new Marshall Plan to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands rebuild and recover," she said. "We must all pledge to stand with these families until the islands are rebuilt and fully back on their feet."

Hurricanes Irma and Maria impacted Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands within a three-week period. Both were powerful Category 5 hurricanes that hit islands in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

In the aftermath of the hurricanes, a vast majority of Puerto Rico's 3.5 million citizens were without power. Access to clean drinking water was a challenge and phone service was scarce.

Some of the utilities are coming back on line, but most of Puerto Rico still doesn't have power.
North Korea on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile that landed into the Sea of Japan, the media reported citing officials.

The missile, believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Pentagon based on initial assessments, was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea and flew roughly around 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan, Fox News reported.

The missile flew east for about 53 minutes before landing off the north of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the New York Times reported.

The missile was fired high into the air, reaching a maximum altitude of over 4,500 km, in an arc similar to the North's two previous intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, which were launched in July.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile performed better than the two fired in July, with a potential range of more than 12,000 km, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental US.

"It's pretty impressive," Wright said of the test flight. "This is building on what they've done before. It's muscle-flexing to show the US that they're going to continue to make progress."

Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said the new launch appeared to be the "most robust" ICBM test yet by the North Korea.

"Early calculations suggest that it could reach the East Coast of the United States," he said.

"However, that doesn't take into account the payload mass, which could limit the range."
The suspect in the October 31 terror attack in New York, the deadliest in the city since September 11, 2001, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov is accused of killing eight persons and injuring 12 after driving a truck into pedestrians in New York on October 31. Saipov, who arrived in the US from Uzbekistan in 2010, entered his plea at a federal court on Tuesday, BBC reported.

He faces 22 murder and terrorism charges, including providing material support to so-called Islamic State.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the 31 October attack in Manhattan.

It was the deadliest attack on the city since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001.

The most serious of the charges carry the death penalty, though prosecutors have not yet said whether they will seek it.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for Saipov to face the death penalty.

Saipov appeared in court wearing a dark blue prison uniform with his feet chained. A court-appointed lawyer spoke on his behalf and entered a plea of not guilty.

Saipov was shot by a police officer immediately after the attack and arrested.

In a criminal complaint filed the day after the incident, prosecutors described how Saipov reportedly bragged about what he had done from his hospital bed.

Investigators said he had detailed how he had been inspired by propaganda videos produced by the Islamic State (IS) and began planning the attack a year earlier.

Saipov also said he "felt good about what he had done" and asked to display the militant group's flag in his hospital room, investigators added.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is scheduled for January 23.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The suspect in the October 31 terror attack in New York, the deadliest in the city since September 11, 2001, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, briefly appeared in a federal court in New York on Tuesday for his arraignment on a 22-count indictment, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Uzbek native who came into the US legally in 2010 is charged in connection with the October 31 terrorist attack, in which he ploughed a truck onto a busy bike lane in Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring 12 others.

The 22-count indictment against Saipov include eight counts of murder and 12 counts of attempted murder, both in aid of racketeering, and one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) group, among others.

According to the indictment, Saipov allegedly told authorities he was inspired to carry out the attack by IS videos he had watched on his phone.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for January 23.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rome, Nov 28 (IANS/AKI) North Africa risks becoming a haven for jihadists but also a potential launchpad for terrorist attacks, while the Balkans region also poses a threat, Italy's Interior Minister Marco Minniti said on Tuesday.

"The danger exists that North Africa can become a refuge (for terrorists) and not just a transit point but a base from which to launch attacks.

"The Balkans are also a hive of radicalisation and have produced a high number of (jihadist) foreign fighters," he said during a speech here that assessed the terrorist threat in the wake of the Islamic State jihadist group's recent military defeat in Iraq and Syria spearheaded by the international coalition against IS.

"After IS's military defeat, there is the very high risk of a terrorist response. The foreign fighters are fleeing and heading home under their own steam," Minniti said in the address at Rome's advanced police training academy.

"The easiest routes are the ones taken by migrants... maximum international cooperation is needed," he warned.

--IANS/AKI

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They don't know fact from fiction about fabled Rajput queen Padmavati, but the uproar over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavati" has made visiting international movie talent here sit up and take note of how "autocratic" and "dangerous" voices and actions are infringing on freedom of expression in India's film industry.

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) artistic director Cameron Bailey, who was at the just-concluded 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), were vocal in their support for Bhansali.

"Artistes face this kind of situations because of the talent and desire they have. That extends to filmmakers too. They should not stop innovation in their work because of adverse conditions," Majidi said on the opening day of the festival.

He was among a string of artists and filmmakers who visited IFFI, which itself was caught in a controversy over the exclusion of two films -- "S. Durga" and "Nude" -- from its Indian Panorama section. The brouhaha over these and "Padmavati" -- which is under attack for alleged distortion of facts -- became a crucial talking point throughout the fest.

Michael J. Werner, a film and media strategy consultant who attended the Film Bazaar here, told IANS: "I think it is a dangerous trend because you shouldn't have a government dictating history. What is happening with this particular movie ('Padmavati') seems to be a minister or a department or a state saying that we don't accept that representation of history.

"I don't know whether it is factual or not, but it is still a kind of an autocratic response."

"Padmavati", which sets out to tell the tale of the valour and courage of Rani Padmavati, whose historicity is in doubt, has been under the scanner since its shoot began. Its Award-winning director was assaulted and the set vandalised in Jaipur by Rajput organisation Karni Sena over the conjecture that the movie will feature intimate scenes between the characters of Padmavati and the invader Alauddin Khilji.

Thereafter, the Karni Sena has continued its protest and has been intense in its effort to stall the film's release, which has been deferred from its original December 1 date as of now.

There were threats to burn down theatres if the film was released and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for beheading Bhansali and the movie's lead actress, Deepika Padukone.

In the midst of this, "Padmavati" got a go-ahead from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for release. But the makers are waiting for a decision by India's censor board.

French producer Ilann Girard feels a film shouldn't be held hostage by any conflict.

"I have been watching things on television and asking my Indian friends about the situation. I understand it touches some cultural element about a female character who is seen as a very important symbolic figure for Hindus," Girard, Managing Director of Online Film Financing (OLFI), told IANS.

Girard, who was visiting India for the third time, didn't want to pass any judgment as it's an "Indian topic", but said: "My perception is that film and the cultural industry should not be taken hostage of the conflicts."

Narrating his own struggle with freedom of expression, he said: "I have produced a film in Israel about the war in Lebanon, and we are facing some embargo from filmmakers trying to pressurise film festivals not to take our movie. I think it is a wrong thing to do. Because, on the contrary, the film explains the situation... Filmmakers should remain free to tell the story that they want."

TIFF's Bailey said people must wait for censor clearance before drawing assumptions and conclusions.

"One of the small mercies with censor authorities is that they actually do watch the film before they pass judgment. So one hopes that anyone who hears about a film that they think that they might have an objection to, should first watch the film," Bailey told IANS.

Bailey feels the film should be given a "benefit of the doubt before passing judgment".

"We can all have differences of opinion with any art form, but I think we live in a better world where we wait to actually see what the film is before we pass judgment. Also, we accept that other people have different responses to that. What I might not like to see on-screen, some others might. That doesn't mean I should prevent that person from seeing it."

Mike Dougherty from Radiant Films International, a worldwide distribution company, feels the controversy is unfortunate for "the filmmakers and for the audiences eager to see the film".

He, however, said the row will perhaps draw more eyeballs to the movie across the world.

"The issues causing unrest around 'Padmavati' here in India are not known in other parts of the world. If anything, I think controversies like this just increase a film's profile and its value internationally, making people more eager to see what the uproar is about," Dougherty added.

As dark clouds still loom over the future of "Padmavati", Ana Tiwary, a Sydney-based producer-director of Individual Films, hopes the controversy will die down soon.
In a brave act, a team of Delhi police personnel and some other persons acted promptly to rescue nearly 50 members, mostly women, of a marriage party from a burning bus on the Haryana-Delhi border early on Wednesday, police said.

The bus was carrying around 45-50 persons returning from the wedding ceremony in Haryana's Faridabad to Delhi's Jaitpur area when it caught fire around 1.30 a.m. near the Surajkund border police picket.

"The front side of the bus caught fire and its automatic doors got locked," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal.

"A police team, led by Pul Prahladpur police station personnel, ground staff of Badarpur border and some people there reacted immediately and rescued all passengers from the bus by breaking its glass windows.

"The action was so prompt that the rescue work was done before the Police Control Room received the call. Two fire tenders later reached the spot and doused the fire but the bus was completely burnt," Biswal said.

All the passengers are residents of Saurabh Vihar in Jaitpur.

The driver, identified as Sonu, jumped off and fled, leaving the passengers crying for help, Sub-Inspector Ajay Pratap Singh told IANS.

"The bus came to a halt after hitting a divider and the alert police staff, including Sub-Inspector Hari Singh at the police post, rescued the passengers," Singh said.

"They also informed the control room and the Fire Department but it took 45 minutes for fire tenders to reach the spot," he added.

"Some passengers sustained minor burn injuries and were discharged after first aid treatment in a hospital, while Umesh, 28, and Gondi Devi, 90, who received major burns are undergoing treatment," he said.

According to the officer, it appears the leakage of CNG caused the fire but an investigation is on.

--IANS

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is likely to file his nomination for the election to the Congerss president's post on December 4, said party sources.

The last date for filing nominations has been set as December 4, and scrutiny will be done on December 5.

The last date for withdrawing nominations is December 11 and the date of poll, "if necessary", would be December 16. Counting of votes will be done on December 19.

According to a party source, he is expected to file the nomination on December 4, the last date for filing nominations.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior leader A. K. Antony may propose his candidature.

--IANS

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A major controversy broke out on Wednesday over Rahul Gandhi's visit to Somnath temple with the BJP questioning his faith, while the Congress hit back accusing the BJP of playing dirty and maintained he was a "devout Hindu".

The controversy arose over Rahul Gandhi's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi signing the register meant for non-Hindus, which the Congress claimed was manipulated later by adding the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel.

Moments after his visit, the social media was abuzz with pictures of a register showing the signature of Manoj Tyagi, with names of Gandhi and Patel on the left side.

The BJP went to town with the story that Rahul Gandhi has declared himself to be a non-Hindu.

"The Congress has always tried to project Rahul Gandhi as a Hindu. But the fact is that he is not. Rahul has visited over 20 temples of multiple Hindu deities since October. The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not an Hindu," said Raju Dhruv, BJP spokesperson in Saurashtra region.

Manoj Tyagi issued a statement that he had just signed the register in order to take media personnel inside the temple and not entered Rahul Gandhi or Ahmed Patel's names. "These would have been added later," he said in the statement.

Somnath temple, located on the shores of the Arabian sea on the southern most part of Gujarat, is revered by Hindus and enshrines the first of 12 'jyotirlings' of Lord Shiva. Through a notice in June 2015 the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) - the institution managing the temple -- had made it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the Trust before entering the main temple.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel is incumbent chairman of the Trust, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National president Amit Shah and retired Chief Secretary of Gujarat, P.K. Laheri, are its trustees.

The Congress called a press conference at short notice. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap .

"There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated," said Surjewala, adding "Desperate times call for desperate measures" - referring to the BJP.

"When the visitor's book was given to him by the temple committee, Rahul Gandhi wrote a message on it with his name (Rahul Gandhi) and address (12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi). "A very inspiring place" was the message he wrote in the book," he added.

"The other register was tweeted by mediapersons. Rahul Gandhi has neither written (in the other register) nor was the register given to him."

The other register contained a signature by AICC media coordinator Manoj Tyagi, who was asked by some temple officials to sign so that the mediapersons accompanying Rahul Gandhi could enter the temple.

Surjewala said: "After Rahul left the temple, by misusing some of our media friends, another fabricated entry was made public. Has the BJP become so cowardly that they are scared of coming out and speaking up."

He alleged that the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel were entered surreptitiously on the left side of the register meant for non-Hindus by someone - suggesting manipulation. "This was a fabricated register. Those names were added later," he said.

Showing the pictures of Gandhi wearing sacred thread, Surjewala said that Rahul is a "Janayudhari" (devout) Hindu. "Whether it was during the time of his naming or at the time of his sister's wedding..or at the time of his father's cremation, he was seen with the sacred thread."

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah not to stoop so low for political gains that "130 crore Indians start hating you".

"Truth will not change because of your conspiratorial tactics," he added.

Another Congress spokesperson Deepender Hooda said: "BJP's intentions stand exposed today...Even Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has conceded that their party is in bad shape (for elections). Whenever they are in such a state, they lose their rudder."

The episode, Hooda said, "is a sign of intellectual bankruptcy of the BJP".

The Congress reaction came after BJP raked up the issue and questioned Rahul Gandhi's religion.

BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said in a tweet: "Rahul Gandhi is a non-Hindu and a 'Shiv Bhakht'? Very impressive. No wonder he said earlier people go to temples and tease women."

Quoting an article written in 1998 in New York Times, which said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics, Rao said: "This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism thereafter? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer."

"Rahulji, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG," he said in another tweet.

--IANS

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Saudi Ambassador to India Saud Mohammed Al-Sati on Wednesday said that the Palestine issue should be resolved through the Arab Peace Initiative espoused by his country.

"The Arab countries have clearly expressed their interest in reaching a peaceful solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on international legitimacy, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative that was proposed by Saudi Arabia more than 15 years ago, and was subsequently adopted by the Arab Summit held in Beirut in 2002 as well as by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation," Al-Sati said in a speech at an event to mark International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) at the Sapru House here.

"This peace plan, as you know, received wide support from the international community," he stated.

The Arab Peace Initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia, calls for normalising relations between the Arab region and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194.

"We believe that the Arab Peace Initiative provides a solid basis for resolving the conflict, and that it has all the elements for a final settlement that can achieve lasting, comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East," Al-Sati said.

"As Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel Al-Jubeir said at UN General Assembly on September 23, 2017, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the most protracted in the region's history and had led to a great deal of human suffering. Nothing could justify the continuation of this conflict, particularly when there was wide-spread agreement over the two-state solution. International determination was needed to make that solution a reality."

The Ambassador called upon Israel to "stop its continuous defiance of the will of the international community by building the apartheid wall and illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in a clear violation of all relevant UN resolutions".

"The Israeli authorities must also halt their attempts to Judaize Al-Quds city (the Arabic name for Jerusalem), obliterate its Arab identity, and change its demographic character and the historical status of Al-Aqsa mosque."

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reiterated India's support for the Palestinian cause.

In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of November 29 as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine.

--IANS

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Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah has been released after being detained for three weeks as part of a sweeping "anti-corruption" drive in the country, officials said.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, was freed on Tuesday after agreeing to an "acceptable settlement" with authorities of more than $1 billion, the BBC reported.

He was one of more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen detained in an anti-corruption drive on November 4.

At least three others had also agreed to settlements, according to officials.

The prince has so far not commented and it was not clear whether he was now able to move freely or whether he was under some form of house arrest.

The 65-year-old son of the late King Abdullah was the most politically influential royal detained under the orders of a newly-formed anti-corruption committee headed by his 32-year-old cousin, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince Miteb was minister of the National Guard, an elite security force with 100,000 personnel that is tasked with protecting royal leaders, but was sacked hours before his detention.

He was reportedly held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh along with his brother Prince Turki bin Abdullah, a former Governor of Riyadh province, the BBC reported.

Also in detention were billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, MBC TV network owner Alwalid al-Ibrahim, former head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority Amr al-Dabbagh and former chief of the Royal Court Khalid al-Tuwaijri.

--IANS

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Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday once again heaped praise on indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, in which he flew on Tuesday, and said he was impressed by the aircraft as well as the pilot.

"It's not very often that Defence Minister of another country can get the privilege of being flown in the light combat aircraft Tejas and as I said yesterday I am utterly impressed with your pilot and the aircraft," Ng said.

Ng was flown in the Tejas aircraft at Kalaikunda airforce station in West Bengal, where two Tejas aircraft had been brought in from Bengaluru.

The Project Director for Flight Testing at the Aeronautical Development Agency, Air Vice Marshal AP Singh was the pilot who flew the visiting Singapore minister on an around half an hour sortie.

Ng had called Tejas a "very good plane" on Tuesday but did not say if Singapore was interested in buying the fighter jet.

Indigenously developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency, and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Tejas, as a fourth generation aircraft, can fly at 1,350 km per hour and is comparable to the world's best fighters, including French Mirage 2000, American F-16 and Swedish Gripen.

The fighter jet was inducted into 45th Squadron of the Indian Air Force in July 2016. The plan is to double its production from the present eight to 16 aircraft each year.

--IANS

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Observing that West Bengal was a "slow starter" in IT, President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday urged it to grab the opportunities presented by digital explosion and replicate the past successes of its famous scientific entrepreneurs.

"Bengal was a slow starter in Information Technology and IT-Enabled Services. Now it has another chance," Kovind told the closing ceremony celebrations of the Bose Institute here.

"We are in the midst of an explosion of digital technologies. Precision manufacture and bioinformatics are changing how we work and robotics as to how we live. All this throws up opportunities for Bengal."

Referring to Bengal's pioneering scientists and technocrats who were among the country's earliest scientific entrepreneurs, the President said the magic of the synthesis achieved by them needed to be recreated.

In this context, Kovind mentioned Acharya P.C. Ray, who established the first Indian-owned pharmaceutical company, Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

He also referred to the engineer father-son pair Rajendra Nath Mookerjee and Biren Mookerjee who established the Indian Iron and Steel Co in Burnpur as well as technologist and academic of Bengali descent Amar Bose, founder of Bose Corp in the US.

"Clearly, when Bengali scientists and technologists turn entrepreneurs, they can be very, very successful. We need to bring back the magic of that synthesis."

Lauding the Bose Institute, Kovind said it had been inspired by a sense of nation-building through its hundred years.

"It has served the cause of science and the cause of India... Bose Institute occupies a unique and exalted position in the landscape of Indian science. This was one of the earliest scientific institutes to be established in the country," Kovind said.

He paid glowing tributes to the institute's founder Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose.

Calling Bose a "true pioneer of Indian science" and an innovator and world-class scientist, Kovind said he had laid the foundation for revolutionary technologies like the modern wireless communication and demonstrated wireless transmission of microwaves as far back as 1895.

--IANS

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A Special Court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to three men convicted in the rape and brutal murder of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district in 2016.

Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28, were given the death penalty for rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.

Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole had on November 18 found them guilty. On Wednesday, she pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom.

The judge has allowed the convicts to appeal before the Bombay High Court against the death sentence, demanded forcefully by the prosecution last week.

"We shall challenge not only the verdict but the entire proceedings before the High Court, the lapses and other issues on which we have already given our written submission to the Sessions Court," the lawyers for Bhawal, Balasaheb Khopade and Vijayalaxmi Khopade, told IANS.

The crime took place on July 13, 2016 when the 15-year-old was abducted, raped, mutilated and killed, sparking off a casteist and political furore in Maharashtra.

That evening, the Class 9 student had gone out to fetch some spices from her grandmother's home in the same village.

"Justice has finally been done. My daughter will never return. This is the real tribute to my daughter. We are grateful to (Ujjwal) Nikam Saheb," the victim's mother said before breaking down inconsolably outside the courtroom.

Nikam said: "The prime accused Shinde has been convicted and fined for committing the offences of molestation, rape and brutal murder while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, provoked him (Shinde), encouraged, conspired and abetted in the crimes."

Special Judge Keole slapped Shinde with three years jail for outraging the modesty of the victim, a life sentence for conspiracy and rape, and death for the murder. Bhawal and Bhailume were awarded three years for conspiracy in outraging of modesty, life sentence for conspiracy of rape and death sentence for conspiracy to murder.

The three were also fined Rs 20,000 each or three months additional jail for failure to pay up, while Bhawal has been slapped another fine of Rs 18,000 for attempting to delay court proceedings for which his mobile and motorbike would be auctioned and the proceeds deposited in the court, the judge ruled. All jail sentences would run concurrently.

The verdict was hailed across the Maharashtra political spectrum.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the trial was conducted in a record time and it would serve as a warning to all rapists.

Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress) said: "Justice at last."

State Congress President Ashok Chavan said the trial could be conducted so fast because of the changes in the law effected by the UPA government after the heinous 'Nirbhaya' gang rape case of 2012.

Leader of Opposition in Council (NCP) Dhananjay Munde urged that now it will be "the responsibility of the state government" to ensure that the verdict is upheld in the High Court and the convicts are hanged as soon as possible".

AIMIM legislator Imtiaz Jaleel demanded that the convicts should be hanged in public with live telecast -- as in some Arab countries.

A large number of people staged a noisy protest outside the court demanding that the death sentence verdict be implemented as soon as possible to serve as a warning to potential offenders.

Several political leaders demanded that the verdict should be taken up for confirmation hearing by the Bombay High Court on priority and the sentence of the lower court should be upheld.

The trial in the case - with the victim dubbed as Maharashtra's 'Nirbhaya' - started before the fast-track Special Court on December 20, 2016.

In 11 months, the prosecution examined 31 witnesses while defence lawyer Vijayalaxmi Khopade examined one witness.

The prosecution said the prime accused, Shinde, allegedly raped and murdered the victim while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, "conspired and instigated" with Shinde in committing the crime.

Though the police had previously hyped it as a "gang rape", Nikam later submitted 24 pieces of evidence to deduce that Shinde had raped and smothered the girl to death.

On the "conspiracy" of the co-accused, Nikam argued that Bhawal and Bhailume were present when Shinde had teased the girl two days prior to the incident. Shinde had given a missed call to Bhailume when he and Bhawal were in the vicinity of the crime.

"The entire case was based on 'circumstantial evidence' which we have proved to the court. Though the accused may lie, circumstantial evidences can't lie. Besides, other forensic evidences also helped clinch the case," Nikam said.

The prosecution lawyers - Yohan Makasare, Khopades and Prakash Aher - argued that their clients were framed - and plan to challenge the verdict.

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump has said "additional major sanctions" will be imposed on North Korea, after Pyongyang on Wednesday carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test.

The US President said on Twitter on Wednesday that he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

Trump offered no further details, Efe news reported.

The announcement comes a few hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to analyse the situation, a session requested by the US, South Korea and Japan.

However, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggested shortly after that that the sanctions could be unilaterally imposed by the US.

Tillerson said that the US has "a long list of additional potential sanctions, some of which involve potential financial institutions, and the Treasury Department will be announcing those when they're ready to roll those out."

The White House said in a statement about Trump's phone conversation with Xi that the US leader made clear "the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies... (and) emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

On early Wednesday, Pyongyang test-fired an ICBM that travelled around 1,000 km before plunging into the Sea of Japan.

The North Korean regime said that its new ICBM -- the Hwasong-15 -- was successfully tested and that it is capable of carrying a large nuclear warhead and reaching any target within the continental US.

Before speaking with Xi, Trump spoke on phone with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss Pyongyang's latest missile test.

--IANS

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Work will start on Thursday on constructing the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh at Rooppur with Russian collaboration, according to an announcement from Russia's atomic energy corporation Rosatom.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the first concrete pouring for the reactor building on the banks of Padma River in the Pabna district, Rosatom, which is also collaborating in building the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in India, said in a release here. Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev will be present on the occasion.

"Rooppur NPP with two VVER 1200 reactors and total capacity of 2,400 MW is constructed on the basis of Russian design 160 km away from Dhaka," Rosatom said. Bangladesh signed the general contract for construction with Russia in December 2015.

"The commissioning of Unit 1 of Rooppur NPP is scheduled for 2023, while Unit 2 is scheduled for 2024," it said.

"The scope of our obligations includes technical responsibility for the entire project, NPP designing, delivery of equipment and material, training personnel, putting the plant into operation, providing guarantee of operation for the power units and delivery of spare parts, among others," Rosatom's engineering arm ASE Group Senior Vice President Alexander Khazin told reporters here.

The inter-governmental agreement for Rooppur was signed in 2011. The project is being implemented by the state-run Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC).

The construction contract envisages building the latest "Generation 3-plus" nuclear reactor -- the VVER-1200 -- powered by advanced fuel, which Russia has also offered to supply for the second nuclear power project to follow Kudankulam, which envisages the construction of six reactors of the earlier generation VVER type of 1,000 MW capacity each.

The VVER-1200 has 20 per cent more capacity than the VVER-1000. The first two units at KNPP are already connected to the Southern grid, while work has started on units 3 and 4.

The world's first VVER-1200 was unveiled last year with unit 6 of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant in Russia being connected to the country's electricity grid.

According to experts, the VVER-1200 units have better power economy, and involve lesser staff for operations as compared to the previous generation ones, while the nuclear fuel plays a key element in the upgrade.

The VVER-1200 nuclear fuel contains more uranium than the fuel for less powerful units and can produce more electric energy over a longer period of time. According to Rosatom officials, the fuel weight and the length of the VVER-1200 fuel assembly is higher than that being used in the VVER-1000 model.

An inter-agency agreement was signed earlier this year between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP), BAEC and India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for cooperation on nuclear projects in Bangladesh. As per this agreement, the DAE through GCNEP would provide training services to BAEC personnel involved in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.

--IANS

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The World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold a ministerial-level meeting next month in Buenos Aires. When the worlds trade and commerce ministers gather in the Argentine capital on December 10, India will once again have a major role to play. In recent years, it has moved away from its role as a spoiler in such multilateral forums to acting in a more constructive and forward-looking manner. However, at least one of the issues that will likely be discussed at the ministerial conference impinges upon a major domestic political priority: The protection of the tenuous livelihoods of Indian farmers through the massive public procurement programme. The governments purchases of foodgrain in particular are seen as a threat to various rules against market distortions. After many years of wrangling, an uneasy truce seems to have been established, with a peace clause under which developing countries public stockholding of such agricultural products will not be challenged in the WTOs formal dispute resolution mechanism. India wants to make this permanent, but agreement on this is elusive. Many other developing countries, in fact, fear the effect on global prices if India exports a fraction of its massive stocks of grain.
The people of Gujarat who would vote to elect a new government are missing the core issue which neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi or Congress Rahul Gandhi are addressing. The wrong message (November 28) rightly observed that instead of focusing on issues affecting the people of Gujarat and presenting them with alternative to bring back development, Gandhi has been raising issues that have no credibility. Similarly, the PM is speaking as chief minister of Gujarat, unable to cite any substantial achievement. He has been harping on issues to divert public attention by using chaiwala (tea seller) analogy.
A week after Majid Khan shocked his friends and family by joining the (LeT), he walked into an army camp to surrender. The return of the young son was due to emotional appeals by his mother, combined with reassurances by the army and police that Majid would face no harassment and would also be assisted with his rehabilitation.
Attacking Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

Resuming his campaign for the assembly polls in his home state, Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.

"Those who have looted the country can only think of dacoits," he said addressing a rally at Morbi in Saurashtra, which votes in the first phase of state Assembly elections on December 9.

Gandhi had earlier dubbed the Goods and Services Tax 'Gabbar Singh Tax', recalling the iconic villain in the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

Attacking the opposition party, Modi said, "The Congress' development model was giving hand-pumps. For BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines."



Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in Gujarat into high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

The elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will be on December 18.
The long pending desire of Hadiya, a Kerala woman at the centre of an alleged love-jihad case, was fulfilled today when she spoke to her husband over a mobile phone.

A day after she arrived in the city to continue studies at the Sivaraj Homeopathy medical college as directed by the Supreme Court, she spoke to her husband using the phone of the College Dean.

"Hadiya talked to Jahan (her husband) for a while from my mobile phone, after I, as local guardian, asked her whether she was interested in talking or meeting anybody, college dean G Kannan told reporters.

The 25-year-old was brought to the institution amid tight security by Kerala police from Coimbatore, about 170 km from here last evening.

Earlier when reporters asked about her husband Shafin Jahan, Hadiya said she had no contact with him for the last few months as she did not have a mobile phone and the only people she spoke to were her parents.

"I am very eager to speak to my husband," said Hadiya, who was in the news recently after her conversion to Islam and marriage with the Muslim youth in Kerala.

The dean said: "She appeared to be relieved from depression after talking to him (husband). There is no restriction imposed on her to talk or to meet anybody."



Hadiya also expressed regret for the tense situation prevailing in the college and inconvenience to students due to her, Kannan said.

Stating that she has not given any application to change her name, he said she has applied on her earlier name (Hindu name-Akhila Ashokan) for internship.

However, there was some confusion about where and with whom to send her during the college holidays, Kannan said adding the management will approach the apex court in this regard.

All rules and regulations and restrictions of the college will apply to her also and weekly once she will be allowed to go out for buying what she requires, along with the hostel wardens, he said.

Meanwhile, the college administrator Kalpana Shivaraj said the management will extend all support to Hadiya to complete her course.

Hadiya's request letter has been sent to to Dr MGR University for approval, she said.

Police said one Sub-inspector, four constables--two women and two men--will be part of her security.

"For the past six months, I was talking to persons I did not like (parents) because of their harassment during my stay with them," Hadiya told reporters earlier at the college, where she will be undergoing a 11-month internship.

The apex court, after the proceedings, had freed Hadiya from her parents' custody and asked her to pursue her studies.

She further said she will be able to communicate better with the media persons after receiving the copy of the Supreme Court order.

The court has appointed the Dean of the college as Hadiya's guardian and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem.

She was earlier staying at her parental home in Kochi for several weeks.

The court, however, did not accede to her plea to be allowed to go with her husband.

Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of Hadiya.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage, terming it as an instance of 'love jihad', following which Jahan approached the Supreme court.
On a day that crackled with political barbs and allegations between the two principal rivals in poll-bound Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged the Congress Vice President was not a Hindu. The Congress rubbished the allegation and accused BJP of indulging in gutter .
Three foreigners along with four Nepalese nationals have been arrested by police in Nepal for allegedly trying to smuggle out banned drugs and intoxicating herbs to the Netherlands from here, the police said today.

Acting on a tip off, a special police team arrested Somalian nationals -- Ibrahim Ali Hajij, 22, Jam Abdifathi Ahmed, 21, and Abdi Fahad Yusuf, 25, from Kathmandu's tourist hub Thamel for carrying eight kg of dry leaves of Khat, a kind of herb used for intoxication.

The Somalians had brought the herb from Nigeria and were trying to smuggle it to the Netherlands via Nepal disguising it as tea leaves, according to the police.

The herb can cause insomnia and depression and is harmful to use as it causes psychological dependence among the users.

The police have also arrested four Nepalese nationals -- Vinod Khatri, 27 and Pradip Baraili, 29, both from Kathmandu, 22-year-old Jitendra Kumar from Sunsari and 33-year-old Dhanpait Das from Saptari.

The Nepalese nationals were involved in smuggling 1900 vials of buprenorphine and diazepam injections, they said.

Police is carrying out probe in the case after taking them into custody.

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The Madhya Pradesh government today informed that 30 per cent rise was registered in suicide among the police personnel in the state between 2013 and 2016.

The government also said that the number of deaths due to heart attack among the police staff also went up by 81 per cent during this period.

"The data between January 1, 2013 and the end of 2016 has revealed that the rate of suicides among the police personnel has gone up by 30 per cent," state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh informed in a written reply to a question asked by BJP MLA Yashpal Singh Sisodiya.

However, the reply did not reveal how many policemen committed suicide during that period.

"The rate of heart attack among the police personnel has gone up by 81 per cent in the given period," the reply stated.

Bhupendra Singh also informed that 29 police personnel killed themselves in the state so far since January 2016, while 109 policemen died due to cardiac arrest during that period.

The minister admitted that the problem of depression among the police personnel is rising due to the increased workload. The staff crunch among police has added to the workload. Since 2010, the state government has recruited 45,535 police personnel.

Camps are being organised for regular monitoring of their health, he said.

The minister, however, denied that depression and suicides are rising as the police staff is given holidays on time.

"Yoga sessions are also being organised to ensure better health of the police force," he added.

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Around 36,000 Rohingyas are at present there in various parts of the country and the Border Security Force (BSF) has upped its ante against illegal influx into India as their links with terror organisations cannot be ruled out, the force chief said today.

K K Sharma, the director general (DG) of the 2.5-lakh personnel-strong force, said his troops have apprehended 87 Rohingya Muslims along the Indo-Bangla border since the beginning of this year till October 31, and 76 "have been sent back to Bangladesh".

"As far as my information goes, about 36,000 Rohingyas are there in this country at various places...This is one of those general observations and is based on inputs we received from our sister agencies (like the police and intelligence)," he told reporters during an interaction ahead of the BSF's 52nd Raising Day on December 1.

He said the border guarding force has not come across any specific case where a Rohingya they caught possessed arms, ammunition or had terror connection.

"But, the threat that they have some links with terror organisations is a very serious one and has been given by our sister agencies and I don't doubt them," Sharma said.

He said the force has bolstered its manpower and surveillance equipments at "vulnerable" posts along the Bangladesh border to check the illegal influx of Rohingyas from the neighbouring country into India.

The force sent back the Rohingyas and did not arrest them as they would have then become a "liability", the DG said.

"Rohingya is a very complicated issue. As per the latest estimate, 9-10 lakh of them have migrated to Bangladesh (from Myanmar) and the possibility of a spill over coming to India cannot be ruled out.

"Our mandate is very clear that we do not allow any illegal immigration into India, whether he is a Rohingya or a Bangladeshi," Sharma said.

In the border areas, the BSF chief said his troops were not equipped to make a distinction between a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya.

"So, whosoever tries to cross (the border) we sent them back. We don't arrest them as that becomes a liability. Our policy is not to allow anyone enter India illegally," he said.

An official note provided by the BSF during the conference said "agents allure Rohingyas with good job opportunities in India and motivate that they will work with their own Muslim community in some of the states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal".

It said that most of the Rohingyas go to Jammu because some Rohingyas have already been staying there for the last few years.

"Apart from being a natural choice due to its Muslim majority, the Rohingyas say that they pick Jammu and Kashmir on economic consideration and most of them follow a similar pattern.

"Once a Rohingya reaches Jammu, he stays there for a few months and then invites other relatives, informing them of job opportunities and better pay," it said.

In rare case, the document said, if some Rohingyas do not get permanent job, they go to another state for earning money or to settle there.

Sharma said the document was compiled based on information provided to them by "sister agencies".

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Four people died during a police chase in northern Greece when an overcrowded smuggler's car carrying eight migrants, including two in the trunk, plunged off a 90-foot cliff, authorities said today.

Health officials said the other four migrants and the Pakistani driver of the car were injured in the accident late Tuesday near the town of Kavala, east of Thessaloniki.

Kavala hospital director Anastassios Karassavoglou told The Associated Press that one man was in intensive care with multiple bone fractures, while the other four were in relatively good condition.

Police said the accident occurred when the driver ignored police orders to stop on a highway, turned onto a smaller road and lost control of the vehicle. One of those in the trunk died.

The names and nationalities of the migrants were not immediately known.

The 35-year-old driver faces multiple manslaughter and human trafficking charges.

The car was carrying the migrants west from the Turkish border, which they had crossed illegally.

In a similar incident late yesterday in the same area, police arrested a 19-year-old Pakistani who was allegedly driving a car with another seven people on board from the Turkish border area to Thessaloniki.

Police said the suspect drove through a police highway checkpoint and was eventually stopped on a secondary road. The car was carrying five Pakistani migrants, an Afghan and an alleged accomplice of the driver who managed to escape.

The migrants had allegedly paid 2,100 euros (USD 2,500) each to be taken to Thessaloniki.

Despite a series of Balkan border closures and a deal between the European Union and Turkey in early 2016 to restrict the unchecked flow of migrants through Greece to Europe's prosperous heartland, thousands still cross from Turkey to the Greek islands in smuggling boats.

Nearly 16,000 are stuck on Greece's eastern Aegean Sea islands in camps that human rights groups have repeatedly criticized as overcrowded and lacking in proper housing facilities.

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Fifty people were killed in raids by a tribal militia in eastern South Sudan, a local official said today, the latest in a series of attacks between rival communities.

Dut Achuek, a state minister, said eight people died in an attack on Monday in Jonglei state, while a follow-up raid on Tuesday left "23 women killed and... 19 men killed."



Most of the victims were civilians whose homes were burned and livestock stolen, Achuek said.

Both attacks, by armed men from the Murle ethnic group, targeted Dinkas living in villages around 150 kilometres north of Bor, the state capital.

Kudumoc Nyakurono, information minister for neighbouring Boma state, confirmed the involvement of Murle militia from the area.

"We know that these youth went there from Boma State," he said, adding that investigations were underway to work out the exact circumstances of the attacks.

Rival pastoralist communities in South Sudan have a long and bloody history of tit-for-tat raids in which cattle are rustled and property looted, and women are commonly raped and children abducted, adding fuel to revenge attacks.

In one of the worst such cases, over 3,000 people were killed when members of a well-armed Nuer militia attacked the Murle in 2012.

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Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will extend funds to 50 innovative, socially-relevant and scalable ideas from different sectors as part of its financial aid project.

Students, startups and innovators working on their ideas or trying to productise their concept or scale up their existing products can apply to participate in the event to be held on December 23 at Kochi.

Applications from outside Kerala would also be considered, a press release said.

Persons having their own primary model and idea of a product and startups registered in Kerala or incubators can apply for innovation grant through Idea Day.

A grant of up to Rs 12 lakh would be provided for a product that has potential for global marketing and development, the release added.

The Idea Day has so far released grants to more than 25 startups, students and individuals.

The 25 idea grants were selected from the 700 applications received.

Those working on their startups with their product having strong solutions in different sectors, including hardware, IoT, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Platforms and Aggregators, Blockchain, AR/VR and Artificial Intelligence (AI), can also apply.

Commenting on the Idea Day, Vimal, G, CEO, Genrobotics, who got support when he was a student at IEDC MES Kuttippuram, said: "The Idea Day has really helped us to take our project to the next level."



"It was by the help of the state government that we could complete the Robotics project and pitch to Taipei University, Taiwan."



Aathira, a student of Vidya Academy, said this was a unique platform for innovators to present their ideas, which get good exposure, guidance and financial support.

The deadline for the application is December 12.

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A 71-year-old man was today arrested by the Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch for allegedly sending proceeds of extortion to gangster Ravi Pujari through the illicit 'hawala' channels.

Ramesh alias Dilip Jioram Israni, the accused, lived in suburban Ghatkopar and operated from an office at Zaveri Bazar, police said, adding that he was in the hawala money transfer business for the last many years.

For the last one year Israni was sending the money extorted by the Pujari gang from businessmen and builders to Ravi Pujari, who is living in a foreign country, police said.

Israni was on AEC's radar for some time, said Dilip Sawant, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).

He was produced before a court which remanded him in police custody till December 8, the DCP said.

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The winners of the 8th Southern Naval Command Military Photography being conducted at Press Club Ernakulam under the aegis of the Southern Naval Command and Press Club Ernakulam were announced today.

Sunoj Ninan Mathew, Senior Photographer of Deccan Chronicle Daily, won the Southern Naval Command award for the best photo exhibit, a Defence release said here.

The Venduruthy award for the first runner up has been won by EV Sreekumar, Malayala Manorama daily of the Kochi bureau.

The Garuda award for the second runner up has been won by Krishnapradeep P, Mathrubhumi Daily of Kozhikkode bureau.

The exhibits were assessed by a jury consisting of Commodore NAJ Joseph, Director, Maritime Warfare Centre (MWC), Kochi, Commodore Deepak Bansal, VSM, Commodore Superintendent of Naval Aircraft Yard, (NAY) Kochi and Captain Atul Nanda, Officer-in- charge of Diving School and the best three out of the 83 entries received from photo journalists from across the country for this years Military Photo Exhibition were selected.

The jury also selected Ashish K Vincent of the Times of India, Kochi for a consolation award.

The exhibition was inaugurated yesterday by CN Mohanan, Chairman, Greater Cochin Development Authority in the presence of renowned senior cine artist KPAC Lalitha.

The awards would be presented to the winners on December 1 by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command, Vice Admiral AR Karve, at Centre Square Mall.

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The Punjab government would enhance the amount under the Ashirwad scheme, earlier known as Shagun scheme, to Rs 51,000, as promised by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the state Assembly was informed today.

Punjab Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, replying to a question by AAP MLA Baldev Singh, assured the House today that the Ashirward scheme amount, already raised by the government from, Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000, would be further raised in line with the chief minister's commitment, as soon as the state's financial situation improves.

Reiterating the chief minister's commitment to uplift the underprivileged sections of the society, the minister on the last day of the winter session said the government would make no compromises in its welfare schemes and all promises made to the people would be fulfilled.

Akali MLA Bikram Majithia asked the minister when the pending payment towards Shagun scheme would be released.

The minister disclosed that of the total Rs 643.65 lakh disbursed from March 2016 to October 2017, Rs 455.88 lakh had been given to Gurdaspur and Rs 187.77 lakh to the Pathankot district.

The MLA had sought district wise details about disbursement under the scheme during this period. However, Majithia claimed that a sum of Rs 100 crore was still pending.

Replying to the charge, Dharamsot said during the past 10 years of Akali regime, the sum of Shagun scheme was not raised from Rs 15,000.

When the Congress government came to power, it raised it to Rs 21,000, he added.

To a question, cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu said the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had already approved Rs 43 crore and the government was in the process of getting Rs 200 crore from the World Bank for upgradation of the fire services in the state.

The fire services will be completely modernised and upgraded within the next three years, Sidhu told the Vidhan Sabha in response to a question by MLA NK Sharma.

Of the Rs 43 crore sanctioned by the chief minister, Rs 7 crore had been earmarked for buying fire clothing and safety equipment for the firemen across the state, said Sidhu, adding that all the required 550 fire tenders would be made available, along with mandated staff allocation, over the next three years.

With this, the mandated limit of one fire tender for every 50,000 people would be achieved, he added.

Sidhu said the state government would be holding a meeting with the central government on December 15 for the World Bank funding.

Pointing out that lack of trained staff was a major challenge in providing timely services, Sidhu said that the department had already initiated the process of hiring and 46 fire employees would be inducted soon.

Lambasting the previous SAD-BJP misrule for the current dilapidated condition of fire tenders across the state, the minister said that from 2007 to 2013, a sum of Rs 32 crore were granted by the central government to the state but the SAD government failed to spend anything and did not submit the utilisation certificate to the Centre, which then put Punjab in the red zone.

Even during 2013, a huge sum of Rs 92 crore were approved for disaster management but only Rs 17 crore was utilised, Sidhu said.

Majithia also took a swipe at Sidhu saying the minister sent the fire tenders to several areas without making arrangement of staff including drivers.

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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today condemned North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, describing the action as "illegal and dangerous" to global peace and stability.

North Korea "successfully" test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of hitting anywhere in the United States.

The missile travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

"This morning's launch highlights the unacceptable threat North Korea posed to global peace and stability. Its actions are illegal and dangerous," Turnbull said.

He said that Australia was playing an active role in the international campaign to exert maximum economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"As part of international efforts, the Foreign Minister has today announced that another 11 individuals and nine entities will be listed under Australia's autonomous sanctions for their association with North Korea's illegal weapons programmes or flouting of UN Security Council resolutions," he said.

Turnbull said that today's missile launch emphasises the urgency for all countries, especially the Permanent Five members of the UN Security Council to fully implement UNSC sanctions as soon as possible in order to maximise pressure on Pyongyang and compel it to return to negotiations.

"We will continue to work closely with the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China and our partners to show this rogue regime that it is utterly isolated and its current path is unacceptable," he added.

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said the West Bengal government's 'Biswa Bangla' brand was the state's pride and claimed a "political vendetta" was behind the controversy surrounding it.

Speaking in the Assembly, she said the people of West Bengal would not forgive those insulting the state government promoted brand for handicrafts and other products.

Slamming the opposition, the West Bengal chief minister said, "Do they have any idea about 'Biswa Bangla'? It's not a crime that I created this brand. 'Biswa Bangla' is my dream, our dream".

"You cannot sell dreams. There is no question of taking money," she said.

Banerjee said she had created the logo for the brand.

"I cannot think that I will create a logo and take money for it. It's my creativity; some may like it or may not like it. I am ready to face any criticism," she said.

The brand was dragged into a controversy recently after former TMC leader Mukul Roy, now with the BJP, said it was not a government entity but a company owned by Banerjee's nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Stating that she had created the logo while travelling in a car and coined the name 'Biswa Bangla', Banerjee said she had given it to the government of West Bengal without taking any royalty under an agreement that it could not be sold to anybody.

"I had secured the future of the logo. The West Bengal government can use the logo and if some day it does not want to use it, the logo will come back to me," she said.

She said the 'Biswa Bangla' brand was Bengal's honour and pride but some people were raising questions about it for "some unknown reason and political vendetta".

The 'Biswa Bangla' brand was launched on September 16, 2013, and its first showroom was opened at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport on February 25, 2014.

The chief minister said she had received accolades from Bangladesh regarding the 'Biswa Bangla' brand and an invitation from Dhaka to be a part of an international literary festival in January for an exchange of ideas.

She said the logic behind coming up with the Biswa Bangla University in Bolpur was to help more students.

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BJP central leadership would take a decision on the party contesting the December 21 byelection to the RK Nagar assembly constituency in Chennai, party national secretary H Raja said today.

Being a national party, the decision, whether to contest or not, would be taken by the central leadership, he told reporters here.

On the city being chosen for the smart city project, he said it was a pity that a Chief Executive Officer had not been appointed yet.

The Centre had allocated Rs



1,560 crore for 100 Smart Cities, including 13 in Tamil Nadu, he said.

The Narendra Modi government was 'generous' in sanctioning various projects for Tamil Nadu, the recent being the Rs one lakh crore worth projects announced by Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, he said.

The state government should expedite the projects for the benefit of the people, Raja said.

He accused the state government of neglecting the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department and temples, claiming that priests working in more than 38,000 temples were not being paid salary.

The BJP leader also said government should allow import of sand from Malaysia.

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Bolivia's leftist President Evo Morales has rejoiced in a court decision authorising a tilt at a fourth term, saying it would guarantee stability, in what the opposition slammed as a blow to democracy.

The president, a staunch ally of leftist governments in Cuba and Venezuela and a fierce critic of the United States, told a conference yesterday that a possible fourth term "guarantees a democratic continuity, but also guarantees stability, dignity and work for dignity."



Morales said the people would decide whether or not he was successful in elections due in 2019 after the South American country's constitutional court ruled on Tuesday that he could run for a fourth consecutive term.

"We are empowered to have the vote of the people to give us their support," the 58-year-old president said.

Earlier, he wrote on Twitter: "The Democratic and Cultural revolution continues. To Victory forever!"



Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, would rule until 2025 if elected next year, a vote that would give him 19 consecutive years in power.

Demonstrators against Morales' reelection took to the streets in the capital La Paz yesterday. In nearby El Alto, students marched under a banner calling on the president to step down.

In its ruling on Tuesday, the court said the right to run for office superseded the limits imposed in the constitution, despite the South American nation having rejected the move in a referendum last year.

In February 2016, the country voted by a slim margin against proposed changes to the constitution to allow Morales, already Bolivia's longest-serving leader since independence from Spain in 1825, to stand again for the presidency.

Morales has already had the constitution changed once, three years after taking power in 2006.

Under that revised constitution, he was elected president in 2009 and then won what was meant to be a one-off renewal in 2014.

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British and European negotiators have reached a deal for Britain to pay tens of billions of euros to leave the European Union, according to media reports today.

London and Brussels have agreed on Britain's financial obligations but had not settled on an exact amount for the so-called divorce bill, both the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times reported, citing diplomatic sources.

Both sides have now accepted the British will pay between 45 and 55 billion euros (USD 53-63 billion), with the final figure depending "on how each side calculates the output from an agreed methodology", the Telegraph said.

Meanwhile the FT reported Britain would cover EU liabilities worth as much as 100 billion euros, but when structured as net payments over many decades that could drop to less than half that amount.

The newspapers said negotiators, headed on the British side by leading Brexit official Olly Robbins, reached the understanding at meetings in Brussels last week.

An agreement would be a major breakthrough as Britain prepares for an EU summit in December where it is hoping to get the go-ahead to start the next phase of talks on future trade ties with the EU.

It would leave two major areas on which the two sides still do not agree -- expatriate citizens' rights after Brexit and the future of the Irish border.

"The deal on the money is there," a senior source involved in the negotiations told the Telegraph.

"It's now the ECJ (European Court of Justice) question and Northern Ireland that are the outstanding issues ahead of the Council," the source said.

One key area of contention is whether the 3.2 million EU citizens living in Britain will continue to be allowed to appeal to ECJ jurisdiction or if their rights will be governed by British courts, as London insists.

So far both sides have avoided publicly declaring a clear-cut number for what Britain owes the rest of the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May had offered to cover Britain's contributions to its budget in 2019 and 2020 -- a total of around 20 billion euros.

That pledge was reportedly doubled to 40 billion euros at a ministerial meeting in London last week.

A third EU source with knowledge of the talks said the text of the financial agreement would allow a "low figure" to be generated for the British public but would also give the EU the certainty it is looking for.

Asked about the reports, a spokesman for Britain's Department for Exiting the European Union said "intensive talks" are taking place in Brussels this week, and did not address the divorce bill directly.

"We are exploring how we can continue to build on recent momentum in the talks so that together we can move the negotiations on to the next phase and discuss our future partnership," he added.

A spokesperson for the European Commission declined to comment.

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British Prime Minister Theresa May made a surprise visit to Iraq today, meeting her Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad as the war against the Islamic State group there winds down.

Iraq's government released footage of May arriving in Baghdad, greeted by an honor guard, to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on her first trip to Iraq as prime minister.

May is to visit Saudi Arabia for talks later today with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

The Islamic State group has been driven out of the last town it held in Iraq and has lost its self-described capital in Syria in recent weeks.

"In Iraq, we are working together to defeat Daesh and my visit comes at a critical moment as we see the caliphate collapsing with the fall of Mosul and Raqqa," May told journalists, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group.

"We want to ensure that Iraq can in the future provide that strong, stable and unified state that can provide the security, jobs and opportunities that all Iraqis want and deserve," she added.

Al-Abadi later said May's visit showed Britain's "support and help" in fighting the Islamic State group. Some 600 British troops are deployed to the country.

"Iraq is about to enter a new stage of rebuilding, reconstruction and investment," al-Haider said. "Today, we discussed with the prime minister the strengthening of economic and commercial ties between the two countries."



May also visited Camp Taji, a coalition base north of Baghdad, where around 80 British troops are currently based.

In Saudi Arabia, May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A UN-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida yesterday.

"We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida," May said yesterday. "Obviously that is an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."



Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a November 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The kingdom said it intercepted the missile, the deepest yet to penetrate the country.

Under intense international pressure, Saudi Arabia later promised it would reopen the ports for humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The war has killed over 10,000 civilians, displaced 3 million people and left much of the infrastructure in ruins.

May has faced increasingly calls to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid the conflict, which has seen kingdom-led airstrikes kill hundreds of civilians. Britain has licensed USD 4.4 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the war began.

May's visit seeking out Crown Prince Mohammed comes as the 32-year-old son of King Salman now appears to hold the levers of power in Saudi Arabia. French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to the kingdom earlier this month as well, to see the young royal.

In recent weeks, the crown prince led what the kingdom described as an anti-corruption campaign, arresting prominent princes, business leaders, military officials and others. He also was the architect of the kingdom's war in Yemen, which has been at a stalemate for months.

May also will visit Jordan and meet with King Abdullah II on her trip.

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A British Army contingent of over a hundred personnel arrived here today to take part in the Indo-UK joint military exercise Ajeya Warrior 2017.

The contingent after landing proceeded directly to the exercise location in Mahajan in the western sector of the state where the exercise will commence from December 1.

Indian Army officials received them at the Sanganer airport, defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said.

This will be the third joint military exercise between the two countries.

Army personnel from both the countries will participate in the 14-day exercise which is scheduled to be conducted in multiple modes in order to achieve complete integration between the two contingents at every stage.

"The exercise will provide field commanders and troops an opportunity to interact with each other in matters professional, social and cultural," Ojha said.

"The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experience between the royal British Army and the Indian Army," he said.

The participating troops for the exercise from Indian Army are from 20th Battalion The Rajputana Rifles, while the troops of 1st Battalion the Royal Anglican Regiment will participate from the Royal British Army.

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Power Minister R K Singh today said the hydro power policy is in the final leg and will soon be sent for the Cabinet approval.

"The hydro policy is in final stages. It will soon go for Cabinet for approval," Singh said while addressing round table on hydro power organised by Assocham.

Asked how soon the policy will be sent for the Cabinet approval, the minister said, "it may take ten days".

The minister also assured the industry representatives that he would look into their demands for restructuring debt over stranded hydro projects as well as their refinancing by Power Finanace Corp and Ireda.

As per the draft hydro-power policy, it will aim to provide Rs 16,709 crore support for 40 stalled hydel projects with 11,639 MW capacity, and to classify all such ventures as renewable energy.

Once it is approved, the distinction between large and small hydro plants will go, which would help India to achieve clean power capacity of 225 GW by 2022.

At present, a hydro power project of up to 25 MW is classified under renewable energy and is entitled to various incentives provided by the government. Projects beyond this capacity are not in this category and hence not entitled to the benefits.

India has set an ambitious target of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, which includes 100 GW of solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power (up to 25 MW capacity each).

Under the policy, the government will provide interest subvention of 4 per cent during construction for up to 7 years and for 3 years after the start of commercial operation to all hydro power projects above 25 MW.

It is proposed that the funding for this policy will come from coal cess or national clean energy fund or non-lapsable central pool of resources for Northeastern states for eight years till 2024-25.

A Hydro Power Fund would be created under the power ministry for providing funds to the projects under the policy. The policy also provides for Hydro Purchase Obligation (HPO) for hydro projects of over 25 MW capacity. Under this, the discoms would be mandated to buy a proportion of power from these plants.

However, this benefit will be available to those hydro power plants, which would be able to begin commercial operations after five years of notification of this policy.

The policy will also mandate power ministry to engage with bankers and financial institutions for modifying lending terms and conditions for hydro power projects.

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At least 40 people were taken ill when they came in contact with chlorine gas which leaked from the pump house located in the campus of SCB Medical College and Hospital here today, officials said.

Those who came in contact with the gas, including patients and attendants inside the hospital complained of nausea, chest pain and vomiting. Many of them are hospitalised and undergoing treatment. Conditions of three are stated to be serious and they have been shifted to ICU, hospital sources said.

Cuttack District Collector Sushant Mohapatra, who rushed to the hospital after the mishap, said all those who have taken ill due to gas leak were admitted to hospital but 25 of them were later discharged.

"An enquiry will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the gas leak," Mohapatra said adding that chlorine gas was stored for the purpose of water purification.

Fire brigade personnel, who rushed to stop the gas leak, said at least three gas-filled cylinders were kept inside the pump house and the compressed gas leaked from one of the damaged cylinder. The damaged cylinder was immediately removed to a deserted place at the nearby river islet.

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The special CBI court in Mumbai which is conducting the trial in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter cases today barred the media from reporting the court proceedings till further order, following a plea from the defence counsel.

Raising security issues, the defence lawyers referred to a media report on the death of a judge who had dealt with the case and said "misreporting has already caused prejudice to both sides". They said it was a "sensational" case and some untoward incident could happen if publication of reports was allowed.

Special judge Sunilkumar J Sharma, who also allowed the journalists who were present in the court to put forth their stand, said, "It may happen that publication (of reports) may create security problem for the accused persons, prosecution witnesses, defence team and the prosecution as well. I, therefore, find justification in the request of the defence team of lawyers."



Considering the sensitivity of the matter, there was a likelihood of some untoward incident happening which may affect the trial, the judge said.

The trial was to start today. However, one of the defence lawyers moved an application in the morning seeking a ban on the publication of reports of the court proceedings till the judgement is delivered.

Publication of (reports of) proceedings will prejudice the case of the prosecution or the defence and may create security problems for the accused, prosecution, witnesses and defence lawyers, the defence lawyers contended.

The case has a chequered history and "misreporting has already caused prejudice to both sides", they said.

The journalists vehemently objected to the defence lawyers' demand, saying they were reporting on proceedings in good faith so that the public at large knows about the progress of the case.

Media persons too have faced attacks in discharge of duty, they pointed out.

The defence lawyers maintained that the matter was "sensational" and some untoward incident could happen if publication of reports was allowed.

Referring to a report in an English magazine, defence lawyers said that "natural death" of an earlier judge who had dealt with the case was portrayed as a murder.

The judge said he appreciates mediapersons' hard work and their role in educating the public. However, the (prime) accused in this case are police officials, the judge noted.

In the past four years, ministers from Gujarat and Rajasthan and high-ranking police officials have been discharged, and the matter appears "sensational", he said, upholding the defence lawyers' request.

Charges have been framed against 22 accused, including police officials, and today the trial was to commence but the prosecution could not produce witnesses, the judge noted.

The court, last month, framed charges against 22 accused for murder, abduction and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and for offences under the Arms Act.

BJP president Amit Shah, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande, Additional Director General of Police Geeta Johri are among those who have been discharged in the case.

Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat police's Anti-Terrorism Squad on their way from Hyderabad to Sangli in Maharashtra in November 2005. Sheikh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter near Gandhinagar.

His wife disappeared. She too was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of Sheikh's and eyewitness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006.

The fake encounter case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI which said it was necessary to ensure a fair trial.

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AUBURN  On Tuesday morning, Joeroy Baker Sr. and Crystal Baker held hands on a bench in the Cayuga County Courthouse, waiting for their cases to be heard.

The Auburn couple had been arrested earlier this year for conspiring to sell crack cocaine in the county. Both were charged with several felonies, including third-degree criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance.

In August, Crystal Baker, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class B felony. At the time, Judge Mark Fandrich agreed to sentence her to no more than two years in prison with a shock camp order.

Meanwhile, Crystal Baker's husband, Joeroy Baker faced over a dozen felonies in three separate indictments. A second felony offender, he could have received up to 12 years in prison on each count if convicted.

On Tuesday, Joeroy Baker, 36, appeared first in court, pleading guilty to six counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. He also admitted to one count of fourth-degree conspiracy, a class E felony.

During his plea, Baker  also known as "Smurf"  told the judge how he and his wife concocted a scheme to sell crack cocaine. He said the two sold the drug on several occasions in November 2016 and January 2017.

Ultimately, Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said the couple sold the crack cocaine to a confidential informant. That led to a warrant, allowing the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force to search the Bakers' former residence at 145 Park Place.

Budelmann recommended that Joeroy Baker spend six years in prison, however, Fandrich agreed to sentence him to four years in prison and two years post-release supervision. Baker would remain out on $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond pending sentencing Feb. 13.

Following Joeroy Baker's plea, Crystal Baker appeared for her own sentencing. In his comments, Budelmann cited the defendant's prior felonies and said she still owed substantial restitution in another matter.

Despite the district attorney's request for prison, Crystal Baker's defense attorney, Norman Chirco, asked the judge to sentence his client to a term of shock probation  the shock portion being six months in the Cayuga County jail. Chirco said Baker had already served roughly two months for the crime.

When asked if she had anything to say to the court, Baker apologized to the community and to her children.

In the end, Fandrich sentenced her to six months in jail and five years probation. He also ordered her to pay $120 in restitution.

Also in court:

 A Moravia man pleaded guilty to a felony Tuesday for causing over $250 in damage to someone else's car.

Dusty Townsend, 27, admitted to one count of third-degree criminal mischief, a class E felony. During his plea, he told Judge Fandrich he broke someone's windshield with a shovel in January.

Townsend could face up to four years in prison. However, Fandrich agreed to sentence him to five years probation and time served.

Townsend was remanded to Cayuga County Jail pending sentencing Feb. 13.

 A 29-year-old man has admitted to selling a generic form of Xanax in the city.

Gary Hamm pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class D felony.

Hamm said he sold around 30 Alprazolam pills in the city of Auburn last November. A second felony offender, he could face up to four years in prison; however, Judge Fandrich said he will likely sentence Hamm to two years in prison and one year post-release supervision. The court also said it would include a Willard order so Hamm could serve his sentence as parole supervision.

Hamm is currently incarcerated at Jamesville Correctional Facility on separate charges. His sentencing was scheduled for Feb. 13.
A Delhi court today granted four days to Tihar Jail authorities here to respond to a plea filed by imprisoned gangster Neeraj Bawana, seeking his removal from solitary confinement in the prison.

The court passed the order after the authorities claimed that they required more time to file a reply to Bawana's application in which he has claimed that he was being kept in inhuman conditions in the prison and his fundamental rights were being violated.

"The jail authorities have segregated the accused in solitary confinement since the past two weeks and he is deprived of basic necessities like books which are available to others," the application, moved by advocate M S Khan, said.

Khan also claimed that the fundamental rights of the accused were being violated by the jail authorities.

A Delhi court had last year acquitted Bawana of the charge of trying to kill a policemen in a 2015 shootout, but held him guilty of illegal possession of arms.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell had earlier chargesheeted Bawana and nine others, including former MLA Rambeer Shokeen, for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate in the Delhi-NCR region.

The police had also chargesheeted Bawana's elder brother Pankaj Sehrawat and some other members of the syndicate for alleged offences punishable under the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

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The centre-left Czech cabinet in office since 2014 stepped down today, giving way to a new government led by a billionaire mogul who won last month's general election.

"The cabinet has resigned in line with the Constitution," said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, whose Social Democrats formed the cabinet with the populist ANO movement and the centrist Christian Democrats.

President Milos Zeman will name ANO leader and billionaire Andrej Babis prime minister on December 6, following the movement's landslide win in October.

On December 13, Zeman is due to appoint the EU member state's new cabinet.

Josef Mlejnek, a political analyst at Charles University in Prague, praised Sobotka's government for the country's economic boom and for bringing unemployment down to the EU's lowest rate.

Sobotka is only the third prime minister since the Czech Republic became an independent state in 1993 to complete his four-year term.

"The cabinet's record in history will be much worse than it deserves," Mlejnek told AFP.

"Its reputation has been tarnished this past year because of infighting ahead of the election."



Earlier this year, Sobotka announced his cabinet would resign but then thought better of it, making Babis step down as finance minister following allegations of his murky business dealings.

With its an anti-corruption, anti-euro and anti-migrant campaign, ANO won 78 of 200 seats in parliament ahead of the right-wing eurosceptic ODS, the anti-establishment Pirates, the far-right SPD and five other parties.

But, snubbed by most potential partners, Babis has been forced to form a minority government which will find it hard to win a confidence vote in parliament.

Political rivals are suspicious of the 63-year-old Slovak-born chemicals, food and media tycoon because of his communist past and recent police charges.

Babis is facing fraud charges for allegedly pulling his Stork Nest farm out of his sprawling Agrofert holding in 2007 to make it eligible for an EU subsidy granted to small companies, before eventually returning it to the holding.

Police have asked parliament to strip Babis of immunity as a lawmaker for a second time - the previous parliament stripped him in September but Babis regained his immunity when re-elected in the October vote.

If the new cabinet fails to win a confidence vote, Zeman has said he will give political ally Babis a second chance.

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The death toll has risen to four in the massive explosion at China's port city Ningbo last week, according to a report in the state media.

Four people have died while over 30 others were injured in the blast at a demolished factory last Sunday which destroyed adjoining buildings and vehicles in Jiangbei district of Ningbo, authorities said.

The authorities had earlier put the death toll in the blast at two.

Two previously missing victims were confirmed dead after police carried out a thorough investigation at the site of the blast, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

The two victims have been identified as the father and the cousin of the man, surnamed Shan, who is suspected to have owned the explosives.

Disposal of illegally produced explosives caused the blast, the report said.

According to the police, the disposal of the illegally manufactured explosives began at the site on Saturday night and continued till Sunday.

Technicians from the local public security department said they believed errors during disposal operations caused the explosion, while authorities have ruled out the possibility of the explosion being "intentional".

Shan, who was previously wanted by the police on suspicion of illegally manufacturing and selling explosives, was detained from Hubei Province on Monday.

Shan has admitted that he told his family in Ningbo to dismantle and destroy the explosives to avoid being punished.

Residents affected by the blast have been relocated to two sites. Maintenance work has started in nearby residential communities. Affected residents are expected to receive subsidies, the Xinhua report said.

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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today challenged all BJP and Congress-led state governments to compete with the AAP government in the education sector.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, also challenged the BJP-ruled municipal corporations to draw a comparison between Delhi government schools and those run by the MCDs.

Talking to reporters here, he said he was happy that "education" was being discussed by politicians who keep talking about "shamshan and kabristan".

The challenge comes a day after Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta demanded that the AAP government present a "white paper" on the status of school education in the city.

Also, the Congress had last week challenged the Delhi government's claims of achievement in the education sector, saying it was a "myth".

The deputy chief minister said his challenge would ultimately benefit the city students.

"I challenge the MCDs and governments in other states to compete with the work done in the education sector by our government in Delhi. Let's start today and then compare after a year or two," he said.

The Delhi deputy CM alleged the only agenda of the Congress and the BJP was to "decide how many crores in bribe was to be taken for giving recognition to private schools and colleges or to lobby for land for private schools or how to pocket heavy commissions during admissions and funds meant for schemes like mid-day meal".

Government schools in BJP and Congress-ruled states were being shut down and private schools are mushrooming and their fee was increasing by the day, he alleged.

"All over the country, parents are frustrated over arbitrary fee hikes in private schools. There is no transparency in admissions under the economically weaker section category in private schools in any of the states," he claimed.

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NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar today said that development should be inclusive in nature and not an "elite" and urban-centric activity.

"Development should not be an elite and urban areas-centred activity," a release from Dr MCR HRD Institute, Telangana government, quoted him as saying while addressing the All India Services officers attending a Foundation Course on 'New India@ 2022'.

Kumar also called upon all the stake-holders to ensure that development turns out to be inclusive in nature and becomes a vibrant mass movement.

The government has launched a number of innovative measures to provide a greater momentum to achieve "New India by 2022" when the country would be free from poverty, corruption and terrorism, he said.

The country would be celebrating 75 years of Independence in 2022.

"He underlined the importance of more allocation for R & D, greater use of science and technology in agriculture, broad-based involvement of community in developmental initiatives, and availability of public services to poorer sections of society for meeting the aspirations of people, especially the youth," the release said.

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Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence has hinted that bad reviews of "mother!", her film with Darren Aronofsky may have wrecked her relationship with the director.

The actor said she wanted to stop reading the negative reviews of the film as she found it to be an unhealthy habit.

"Normally, I promote a movie, you put the work in to promoting it, ask people to go see it, and then it's just kind of out of your hands. I normally just kind of let it go. Dating the director was different," she told Adam Sandler for Variety's "Actors on Actors".

Lawrence said she could not disassociate with the film as she and the director were doing the press tour for it together.

"We'd be on the tour together. I'd come back to the hotel, and the last thing I want to talk about or think about is a movie," she says.

"He comes back from the tour, and that's all he wants to talk about and I get it. It's his baby. He wrote it. He conceived it. He directed it. I was doing double duty trying to be a supportive partner while also being like, 'Can I please, for the love of God, not think about mother! for one second?'"



The movie was panned by the critics though Lawrence's performance received praise.

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Dinosaurs were much fluffier than previously thought, according to researchers who have created the most accurate depiction of any dinosaur species to date.

Birds are the direct descendants of a group of feathered, carnivorous dinosaurs that, along with true birds, are referred to as paravians - examples of which include the infamous Velociraptor.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in the UK examined, at high resolution, an exceptionally-preserved fossil of the crow-sized paravian dinosaur Anchiornis - comparing its fossilised feathers to those of other dinosaurs and extinct birds.

The feathers around the body of Anchiornis, known as contour feathers, revealed a newly-described, extinct, primitive feather form consisting of a short quill with long, independent, flexible barbs erupting from the quill at low angles to form two vanes and a forked feather shape.

The observations were made possible by decay processes that separated some of these feathers from the body prior to burial and fossilisation, making their structure easier to interpret, researchers said.

Such feathers would have given Anchiornis a fluffy appearance relative to the streamlined bodies of modern flying birds, whose feathers have tightly-zipped vanes forming continuous surfaces, they said.

Anchiornis's unzipped feathers might have affected the animal's ability to control its temperature and repel water, possibly being less effective than the vanes of most modern feathers. This shaggy plumage would also have increased drag when Anchiornis glided.

The feathers on the wing of Anchiornis lack the aerodynamic, asymmetrical vanes of modern flight feathers, and the new research shows that these vanes were also not tightly-zipped compared to modern flight feathers.

This would have hindered the feather's ability to form a lift surface. To compensate, paravians like Anchiornis packed multiple rows of long feathers into the wing, unlike modern birds, where most of the wing surface is formed by just one row of feathers.

Anchiornis and other paravians had four wings, with long feathers on the legs in addition to the arms, as well as elongated feathers forming a fringe around the tail.

This increase in surface-area likely allowed for gliding before the evolution of powered flight.

The new piece represents a radical shift in dinosaur depictions and incorporates previous research.

"The novel aspects of the wing and contour feathers, as well as fully-feathered hands and feet, are added to the depiction," said Evan Saitta, from the University of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences.

"Most provocatively, Anchiornis is presented in this artwork climbing in the manner of hoatzin chicks, the only living bird whose juveniles retain a relic of their dinosaurian past, a functional claw," said Saitta.

"This contrasts much previous art that places paravians perched on top of branches like modern birds.

"However, such perching is unlikely given the lack of a reversed toe as in modern perching birds and climbing is consistent with the well-developed arms and claws in paravians," Saitta said.

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The United States believes that diplomacy is still an option in its dealings with North Korea "for now," after Pyongyang test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today.

Tillerson called on the international community to take "additional measures" beyond existing sanctions to enhance maritime security, including the right to intercept vessels transporting goods to and from North Korea.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," Tillerson said in a statement.

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An injured Egyptian vulture, a "globally endangered species", was rescued in east Delhi, after it had sought shelter at premises of a temple in Patparganj, a wildlife NGO today said.

"The bird is currently under treatment and observation, and upon complete recovery, it will be released back into its natural habitat," the Wildlife SOS said.

Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken, is the smallest among all the vultures, the NGO said in a statement.

It is a globally endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, it said.

"The bird had sustained an injury on its right wing. We received a distress call about an injured vulture that had sought a shelter in a temple in Patparganj. The rather unusual looking bird appeared to be in pain and was struggling to fly when a priest of the temple spotted it," the Wildlife SOS said.

"This species is rarely spotted in Delhi but in recent years there have been reported sightings near the Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Okhla Bird Sanctuary," Kartick Satyanarayan co-founder and CEO said.

"Their population is threatened due to factors such as loss of prey base and habitat, poisoning from veterinary drugs, electrocution. This is the second Egyptian Vulture that we have rescued this year," he said.

Vulture is a useful scavenger and plays an important role in the ecosystem as by feeding on carrion, and they dispose off the carcasses of dead animals that would otherwise become a breeding ground for infectious diseases, he said.

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Eight Rohingyas, including four children and two women, were apprehended from Khayerpur Bazar area in West Tripura district, about 10 km from here today, police said.

This is the first time that such a large number of people from the community were apprehended from Tripura.

Police had raided the area following a tip-off.

Superintendent of Police (Police Control) Pradip De said the Rohingyas claimed to be from Myanmar and produced refugee cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They had entered the country from Bangladesh in search of jobs.

During preliminary interrogation, the Rohingyas claimed that they had travelled to many parts of the country, including Kolkata and Jammu, and came here after being told that there were jobs available, he said.

In September, four Rohingyas were arrested from Teliamura railway station in Khowai district, about 40 km from here.

The BSF had last month sounded an alert along the 856 km-long Indo-Bangla International Border in Tripura to check the influx of Rohingyas into the country.

Thousands of Rohingyas, an ethnic group largely comprising Muslims, fled Myanmar following incidents of violence in the country's western province of Rakhine. Their language is linguistically similar to Bengali.
An invasive insect that feeds on grapes, among other crops, has been officially spotted in New York state, according to a press release from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The spotted lanternfly, a native of Asia, is a potential threat to several crops that grow in New York, including grapes, apples, hops and forest products, according to the release. The insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014 and was spotted in Delaware last week.

"If left unchecked, the spotted lanternfly can wreak havoc on some of our states largest and economically important crops," state Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said.

The insect is easy to identify with distinct markings, according to the release. The adult lanternfly looks similar to a butterfly and has multicolored wings covered in spots. Young lanternflies, called nymphs, are black with white spots in the early stages of development and then turn red before becoming adults.

The department plans to work with state and federal agencies to educate farmers whose crops could be harmed by the lanternfly and increase facility and shipment inspections.

The department is urging communities across the state to help prevent the spread of spotted lanternflies by being vigilant and reporting any suspected findings to the Division of Plant Industry at (800) 554-4501 or plants@agriculture.ny.gov or to a local Cornell Cooperative Extension county office. Cayuga County's CCE is located at 248 Grant Ave #2, Auburn and can be reached at (315) 255-1183.

More information about the insect can be found on the department's website, agriculture.ny.gov.
More than 80 African and European leaders will gather in the Ivory Coast today to promote jobs and stability for Africa's exploding population, with some calling for a new "Marshall Plan."



The two-day summit in Abidjan opens as the European Union increasingly sees its fate linked to Africa's following the twin shocks of unprecedented migration and terrorist attacks.

It comes as China, India, Japan, the Gulf Arab states and others also compete for influence on a continent where the 28 -nation EU remains as a whole the biggest economic and political player.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani told parliamentarians from both continents before the summit that there was little time to find ways to meet the needs of an African population set to more than double by 2050 to around 2.4 billion people.

"Africa will have to create millions of jobs to accommodate the new arrivals in the job market," Tajani said in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's economic capital.

"If this does not happen, our young people will lose hope," said the Italian politician.

"We will then be facing problems of radicalisation, especially in unstable regions such as the Sahel, but also much more widespread migration," he added.

Millions of Africans have already been on the move within the continent to seek jobs or flee conflict but also across the Mediterranean, mainly via Libya to Italy.

The EU this year began to reduce the flow through cooperation with the Libyan authorities following a more comprehensive deal with Turkey, which has sharply cut the flow of those fleeing the Middle East to Greece.

More that 1.5 million people from the Middle East and Africa have entered Europe in the last two years and EU officials fear new and even greater influxes in the future.

EU officials said the migrant influx, which sparked political divisions across the EU, as well as frequent Islamist attacks in Europe have been a wake-up call to tackle the root causes of why people leave their homes.

The EU has already set up multi-billion euro funds to promote Africa's economic development while deepening counter-terrorism cooperation with African countries where Islamist militant groups are spreading.

"I talk about a Marshall Plan for Africa, as we are facing an enormous task and have, moreover, little time to act," Tajani said.

The multi-billion dollar Marshall Plan launched by the United States after World War II is widely credited for helping Europe achieve its current prosperity and stability.

Ahmed Reda Chami, Morocco's ambassador to the EU who will attend the summit, has also called for a Marshall Plan for Africa but protected by anti-corruption measures and tailored to African needs.

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A former leader of a Sikh temple in Canada has been convicted of killing his wife by a court in British Columbia province, according to a media report.

Baldev Singh Kalsi, the former president of the Brookside Sikh Temple in Surrey, has pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife that led to her death in 2014 in Surrey city.

Kalsi appeared in the provincial Supreme Court in New Westminster on Monday.

"Yes, your honour. I am guilty," CBC news, a unit of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, quoted Kalsi as saying to the judge.

The judge has scheduled the sentencing hearing for February 22.

Kalsi's wife Narinder Kaur was found with severe injuries at the couple's south Surrey home on July 13, 2014. She was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died days after she was taken off life support.

Kalsi was arrested and originally charged with aggravated assault, and then attempted murder. The charge was upgraded to second degree murder after his wife's death, the report said.

Kalsi was ordered to stand trial on the charge following a preliminary inquiry early last year in Surrey Provincial Court. He had pleaded not-guilty at the beginning of those proceedings.

Since his arrest, Kalsi was removed as the president of the Brookside Sikh Temple, where Narinder used to work as a volunteer, it added.

The Sikhs account for roughly 1.4 per cent -- over 450,000 in 2011 Census -- of Canada's population. The country's defence minister is also from the community, which has its biggest concentrations in British Columbia and the Toronto area.

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The finance ministry is in the process of fixing the nuts and bolts of the Rs 1.35 lakh crore recapitalisation bonds for public banks and the framework is expected to get a nod from the finance minister in the next few days, said official sources.

The Department of Financial Services, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has submitted proposals to the Department of Economic Affairs, which is working on the final structure, a government official said, adding that the final structure will be known in the next few days after approval from the finance minister.

The framework once cleared will go to Parliament for necessary approvals, another official said.

The upcoming winter session of Parliament will begin on December 15 and continue till January 5.

Last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced an unprecedented Rs 2.11 lakh crore two-year roadmap to strengthen public sector banks (PSBs). The plan included re- capitalisation bonds of Rs 1.35 lakh crore.

The finance minister had said multiple options for recapitalisation bonds were on the government table, are being examined and the best ones would be explored.

Once the structure is in place, the government will frontload bond issuance, and a preliminary assessment indicates that it could be between Rs 70,000-80,000 crore, the official added.

The funding is expected to help strengthen financials of NPA-hit banks. Non-performing assets (NPAs) of public sector banks alone have increased to Rs 7.33 lakh crore as of June 2017, from Rs 2.75 lakh crore in March 2015.

Besides recapitalisation bonds, the finance minister had announced that banks would get about Rs 18,000 crore under the Indradhanush plan over the next two years.

Under the Indradhanush road map announced in 2015, the government had announced infusion of Rs 70,000 crore in state- owned banks over four years while they will have to raise a further Rs 1.1 lakh crore from the market to meet their capital requirement in line with global risk norms, known as Basel-III.

In the last three-and-a-half years, the government pumped in Rs 51,858 crore capital in the PSBs. The remaining Rs 18,142 crore will be injected into the banks over two years.
Scientists have, for the first time, found evidence of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain in 54 BC.

Researchers from the University of Leicester in the UK suggest that Caesar's fleet landed at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, the north-east point of Kent.

This location matches Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC, with three clues about the topography of the landing site being consistent with him having landed in Pegwell Bay: its visibility from the sea, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby, researchers said.

The study involved surveys of hillforts that may have been attacked by Caesar, studies in museums of objects that may have been made or buried at the time of the invasions, such as coin hoards, and excavations in Kent.

The finding was prompted by the discovery of a large defensive ditch in archaeological excavations. The shape of the ditch at Ebbsfleet, a hamlet in Thanet, is very similar to some of the Roman defences at Alesia in France, where the decisive battle in the Gallic War took place in 52 BC.

The site, at Ebbsfleet, on the Isle of Thanet in north- east Kent overlooking Pegwell Bay, is now 900 metres inland, but at the time of Caesar's invasions it was closer to the coast.

The ditch is 4-5 metres wide and two metres deep and is dated by pottery and radiocarbon dates to the 1st century BC.

The size, shape, date of the defences at Ebbsfleet and the presence of iron weapons including a Roman pilum (javelin) all suggest that the site at Ebbsfleet was once a Roman base of 1st century BC date.

The archaeological team suggest the site may be up to 20 hectares in size and it is thought that the main purpose of the fort was to protect the ships of Caesar's fleet that had been drawn up on to the nearby beach.

"The site at Ebbsfleet lies on a peninsular that projects from the south-eastern tip of the Isle of Thanet," said Andrew Fitzpatrick, research associate from the University of Leicester.

Thanet has never been considered as a possible landing site before because it was separated from the mainland until the Middle Ages.

"However, it is not known how big the Channel that separated it from the mainland was. The Wantsum Channel was clearly not a significant barrier to people of Thanet during the Iron Age and it certainly would not have been a major challenge to the engineering capabilities of the Roman army," said Fitzpatrick.

Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC is consistent with the landing site identified by the team.

"Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says that at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side," said Fitzpatrick.

"As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar can only be describing the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate which were being illuminated by the rising Sun," he added.

Caesar described how the ships were left at anchor at an even and open shore and how they were damaged by a great storm, according to the researchers.

This description is consistent with Pegwell Bay. It is big enough for the whole Roman army to have landed in the single day that Caesar describes.

The 800 ships, even if they landed in waves, would still have needed a landing front 1-2 km wide.

Caesar also described how the Britons had assembled to oppose the landing but, taken aback by the size of the fleet, they concealed themselves on the higher ground.

This is consistent with the higher ground of the Isle of Thanet around Ramsgate.

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Five students of an Industrial Training Institute near here were today injured in an attack allegedly by the crew of a private bus, police said.

A dispute between students and workers over the issue of student concessions led to the attack, they said.

The students were attacked using a small pair of scissors.

The injured students have been admitted to a government hospital in Thrippunithura, they said.

Three persons, crew of a private bus plying between Ernakulam and Poochakkal, were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

The vehicle has also been seized, police said.

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Five women were arrested for allegedly posing as maids and committing thefts in houses in different areas of Delhi after winning the trust of owners, police said today.

All five women, who hail from Bhagalpur in Bihar, were arrested on November 25, they said.

A total of seven women have been arrested so far, the police said.

The police seized the stolen gold and diamond jewellery worth crores of rupees from them, they said.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police was tasked to collect information and nab members of the gang involved in a spate of thefts and burglaries, the police said.

On November 25, the police team learnt that the members of the gang would be coming near the Ghazipur Bus Depot.

Subsequently, the women were nabbed, they said.

During investigation, the women told the police that they were roaming in posh colonies in the national capital and inquired about houses that required maids from the security guards, the police said.

"The women, who mostly worked in pairs, would win the trust of the house owners by showcasing their professionalism and efficiency within a week," they said.

One of them would distract the victim's family by asking them to meditate while her accomplice, who happened to be an expert in breaking locks of cupboards or drawers, would steal the jewellery and hide it under her shawl and flee, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) G Ram Gopal Naik said.

With the help of a CCTV footages, it was found that there were common faces involved in most of the incidents. Most of the women were wearing shawls and saris, he said.

The gang members stayed in Delhi-NCR for short periods and left for Bihar after amassing huge quantity of gold and diamond jewellery, Naik said.

The gang disposed off the stolen items with the help of jewellers in Bihar since they feared they would be arrested if they took the items to jewellers in Delhi, the DCP said.

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Four migrants were killed and another four were injured in a police chase near the northern Greek city of Kavala, officials said today.

Police in the city of Thessaloniki, also in the north, said a car driven by a 35-year-old Pakistani, an alleged smuggler who was also hurt, fell into a ravine as he tried to evade pursuit on Tuesday.

Of the nine men in the car, four were killed and the rest were hospitalised in Kavala, one of them in critical condition.

Police declined to reveal the nationality of the migrants in the car.

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Union minister Nitin Gadkari said today that the UK-based Indian-origin businessmen have committed to projects worth nearly Rs 500 crore associated with the Clean Ganga mission.

The Minister for Ganga, river development, water resources, highways, shipping and transport said that riverfront regeneration and development of ghats in the towns of Patna, Kanpur, Haridwar and Kolkata have been taken on by four leading industrialists from the UK.

Vedanta Group chief Anil Agrawal, who is born in Patna, has pledged his support for the regeneration of the city's riverfront; shipping magnate Ravi Mehrotra has taken on Kanpur; the Hinduja Group will develop the ghats of Haridwar; and Indorama Group chief Sri Prakash Lohia will take charge of Ganga Sagar in Kolkata.

"We have acommitment of more than Rs 500 crores with these projects and I appealto all NRIs to participate wholeheartedly in Namami Gange," Gadkari said at the end of his three-day UK visit.

The businessmen will take on the projects as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda and work with the Indian government on finalising the plans for each of the cities.

"All options are open. The government will act only as a facilitator," the minister said, addingthat the UK tour marks the launch of a series of worldwide roadshows to attract businesses to invest in the Clean Ganga mission.

Besides commitments from Indian-origin businessmen, five UK-based companies - Lyndon Water, Celtic Renewables, Mebifarm, NVH Technologies, and Arkatap - have also made a technology sharing commitment to the Clean Ganga programme.

At a business gathering in London, he highlighted the availability of more than Rs 10,000 crore worth of projects for ghat, crematorium, riverfront development water bodies, parks, sanitation facilities and public amenities within the Clean Ganga programme.

He revealed that more than 119 Ghat projects have already been taken up in five states at the cost of Rs 650 crore.

Following the UK, the minister has plans to hold similar roadshows in Dubai, Singapore and the US to make a pitch to the Indian diaspora to get involved in projects associated with Clean Ganga.

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Students of a girls' school in Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly forced to undress by three teachers as a punishment for writing vulgar words against the head teacher.

Eighty-eight students of class VI and VII of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Tani Happa (New Sagalee) in Papum Pare district were subjected to the humiliating treatment on November 23, police said.

The matter, however, came to light on November 27 after the victims approached the All Sagalee Students Union (ASSU), who then filed an FIR with the local police.

According to the complaint, two assistant teachers and a junior teacher forced 88 students to undress before other students following the recovery of a piece of paper containing vulgar words about the head teacher and a girl student.

Papum Pare Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo today confirmed the filing of the FIR by ASSU. He said the case has been forwarded to the women police station here.

"The officer in-charge of the (women) police station said the victims and their parents along with the teachers will be interrogated before registering a case," Amo said.

A team of All Papum Pare District Students Union (APPDSU) had met the students and teachers yesterday, and found that an unidentified student had used vulgar words in a piece of paper mentioning the name of the head teacher and a girl student, a release by APPDSU said.

The teachers demanded an explanation from all the 88 students of classes VI and VII, who were later made to undress before the other students as punishment, it said.

"The school authorities did not speak to the parents of the students before punishing them," APPDSU president Nabam Tado said.

The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has condemned the incident and said such "heinous act" by the teachers might affect the students.

"Tempering with a child's dignity is against the law as well as the constitution," it said in a statement.

"To discipline a student is an attitude, character, responsibility and commitment of a teacher. Undressing a student is definitely not a corrective measure...Imposing such punishment is total violation of child rights, and more likely it may accelerate the risk of child abuse," the party added.

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"S Durga" director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan today lashed out at the government, saying people in power can go to any lengths to achieve their purpose.

The Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) ordered a re-examination of the Malayalam film, which derailed its court-ordered screening at the International Film Festival of India that ended yesterday.

Sanal took to Facebook today to say that he was ironically happy that people got a chance to witness how people in high places defy the judiciary.

"I am not unhappy even a bit. On the other hand, I am more than happy that my film has helped a lot of people who were asking 'what is the problem if the Sangh come to power?' to understand, what is the problem actually.

"It is simply proved that, those in power now, can go to any extent to destroy something which they don't like. They can even misuse law or ignore judiciary for their purpose."



The director claimed he saw many self-proclaimed supporters of the government over the days "depressed and disappointed by the dirty game played by the Ministry" against his film.

Yesterday, the CBFC said the makers cannot exhibit the film further until the board re-examines it. It said a suitable date and time will be conveyed to the makers soon.

Immediately after the CBFC order, IFFI director Sunit Tandon wrote to Sanal, notifying him that the movie will not be showcased due to the board's intervention.

"S Durga" was dropped from the final IFFI list by the Information and Broadcasting ministry.

Sanal moved the Kerala High Court to challenge the decision and received a favourable verdict on November 21, a day after the festival began.

The ministry tried to obtain a stay order on the Kerala High Court's decision but it was denied by the court.

Sanal and film's actor Kannan Nayar held a protest outside one of the screening venues of the festival. They held placards, reading 'Save Democracy', a twist on the film's title "S Durga".

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A plan by the Cato-Meridian Central School District was among 88 school investment plans approved by the state for funding this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office announced.

Cato-Meridian will receive $127,432 for classroom technology and $82,603 for high-tech security, coming to a total of $210,035.

Superintendent Noel Patterson said the district is hoping to submit another investment plan, this time to get funding to replace their internal network components for school connectivity, by the end of December. The state has allocated $1,185,295 that the district can receive. Patterson said many districts choose to receive those funds through multiple projects and Cato-Meridian will be doing the same thing.

The 88 newly announced plans statewide, which add up to $75.6 million, are the latest round of approvals under the $2 billion Smarts School Bond Act, an education technology initiative meant to provide classrooms with upgraded equipment. New York state voters approved the bond act in a referendum during the general election in November 2014.

The bond act's review board approved the latest plans at a meeting Monday. Around $30 million was given for classroom technology purchases, around $17.5 million for security projects, around $27.4 million for school connectivity projects and around $475,000 for pre-kindergarten classroom projects.

Cato-Meridian was the only district with the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES included in the most recent approval round. In the past, the state has approved plans submitted by the Auburn, Moravia, Port Byron, Skaneateles and Southern Cayuga school districts.
Rahul Gandhi today began his two-day visit of poll-bound Gujarat with a visit to the famous Somnath temple, reached out to the Patidar community, and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Gandhi addressed an election rally at Visavadar in Junagadh district after offering prayers at the shrine of Lord Shiva in the afternoon in Gir Somnath district.

Referring to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing, Gandhi said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked.

The Congress vice president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi alleged that the prime minister was "avoiding" answering his questions "out to fear" that the "truth" would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Describing Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as the "rubber stamp", he said the government is run by Amit Shah.

He claimed the NDA government delayed the winter session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue here before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

The elections to 182-member Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 18.

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Stepping up his offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat elections, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to make the state's ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls.

Gandhi also brought up the BJP's 22-year rule in Gujarat and said people were demanding answers.

22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis.

Giving numbers to buttress his argument, he said, "First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?



The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat today to campaign for their parties ahead of the December 9 and 14 assembly poll.

Gandhi will campaign in the state for two days and will start with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will also hold public meetings in at least three districts today and tomorrow, party leaders said.
Unidentified, motorcycle-borne gunmen today opened fire outside a Shia imambargah here, killing at least two people and injuring three others, in a rare attack in Pakistan's capital.

The two gunmen fled after carrying out the attack in the I-8 locality of the city, police said.

One person died on the spot while one of the injured succumbed to his wounds, taking the death toll to two, Geo TV reported.

Emergency services shifted the injured to PIMS hospital and police have started an investigation into the incident, it said.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri, leader of Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, expressed sorrow over the incident, saying the Islamabad administration has failed to prevent the crime in the capital.

He said they have foiled such conspiracies in the past and will continue to do so.

A spokesman for Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh- Jafaria (TNFJ) also denounced the incident, saying there is no sectarian divide in the country.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but banned extremist group Lashker-e-Jhangvi has claimed such attacks on minority Shias and their mosques in the past.

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A day after she arrived in the city to continue studies at a homeopathy medical college as directed by the Supreme Court, Hadiya, a Kerala woman at the centre of an alleged love-jihad case, today reiterated her desire to talk to her husband.

"For the past six months, I was talking to persons I did not like (parents)because of their harassment during my stay with them," she told reporters at Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, where she will be undergoing a 11-month internship.

The court, after the proceedings, had freed Hadiya from her parents' custody and asked her to pursue her studies.

The 25-year-old was brought to the institution amid tight security by Kerala police from Coimbatore, about 170 kms from here last evening.

To a query about her husband Shafin Jahan, Hadiya said she had no contact with him for the last few months as she did not have a mobile phone and the only people she spoke to were her parents.

"I am very eager to speak to my husband," said Hadiya, who was in the recently after her conversion to Islam and marriage with the Muslim youth in Kerala.

On the facilities available in the college hostel and the security arrangements, Hadiya said she was not aware of it and will answer all their (media) questions in another two days.

She further said she will be able to communicate better with the media persons after receiving the copy of the Supreme Court order.

The Apex court has appointed the Dean of the college as Hadiya's guardian and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem.

She was earlier staying at her parental home in Kochi for several weeks.

It however did not accede to her plea to be allowed to go with her husband.

Shafin Jahan had on September 20 approached the apex court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of Hadiya.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of 'love jihad', following which Jahan approached the Supreme court.

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US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley today applauded Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and his advisor, for promoting female entrepreneurs during her ongoing visit to India.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries. This is her first visit to India in this capacity also that of a member of the First Family.

"Thrilled to see Ivanka Trump in India promoting female entrepreneurs. At home, that means improving workforce development and cutting government red tape," Haley said in a tweet.

"Globally it means creating an environment where women- across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed," said Haley, who is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration.

In recent weeks, Haley said that she was planning to visit India this year but could not go because of her other pressing engagement, but hopes to travel soon.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert also praised Ivanka for her accomplishments in Hyderabad.

Speaking at the 8th annual GE Summit, Ivanka said, reducing gender gap in the labour force by half can help boost Indian economy by over USD 150 billion in the next three years and reiterated her father's words that "India has a true friend in the White House".

"We are certainly proud of what she's been able to accomplish, and I can think of no better representative for the US Government to talk about women's entrepreneurship than her," she told reporters at a conference.

The GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world, she said.

"And we are excited about the focus that this year's GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship," Nauert said.

GES 2017 participants will empower innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, to utilize new skills and resources to achieve success through plenaries, workshops, and a pitch competition, she asserted.

Noting that it was the first time the GES has taken place in South Asia, she said, " It reflects the region's strong entrepreneurship achievements and future as well as the rapid growth of the US-India strategic partnership.

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A Handicrafts Heritage Tour, which will pass through various villages in Kerala, known for its tradition, arts and handicrafts, was flagged off from here today.

It will travel from Thiruvanathapuram, the state capital, to Kasaragod, the northernmost district.

The tour was flagged off by Tourism minister, Kadakampally Surendran.

The tour is being organised in the run up to the seventh annual Sargaalaya International Arts and Crafts Festival, scheduled to be held between December 21 and January 8, 2018 at the Sargaalaya Village at Iringal in Kozhikode.

It is being organised by the Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village.

The mega festival will have the participation of more than 400 artisans from as many as 25 states in India. In addition to this, artisans from South Africa, Egypt, Uganda, Nepal, Sri Lanka will also be participating.

The handicrafts festival is being organised with the support of the Departments of Tourism, Industries, Culture, and Coir, Government of Kerala, a press release said.

The Sargaalaya International Arts and Crafts Festival will put on display-and-sale handicrafts items made by around 500 artisans.

Those taking part in the event include artisans from villages like Aranmula (known for the renowned Aranmula Mirror); Thazhava (for unique mats);



Perumbava (renowned for manufacture of Mridangam andMaddalam); Vellinezhi (known for the decorative accessories used in Kathakali make up);



Aruvacode (famous for clay products); Cherppu (known for wooden handicrafts items) and Kunhimangaalam (manufacture of metal handicrafts products).

Labour minister T P Ramakrishnan was present on the occasion.

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The Delhi High Court was today expressed its displeasure over the AAP government's proposal to utilise Rs 400 crore from environment compensation charge (ECC) fund to purchase 500 electric buses as a measure to curb air pollution which recently crossed the "alarming" level.

The court said the environment cess fund of Rs 700 crore was created for the purpose of improving the environment and mitigating pollution and the proposal to use the fund amount for buying buses "amounts to diversion of funds" from the purpose for which it was formed.

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sanjeev Sachdeva said it was of the prima facie opinion that buying such buses was part of essential functioning of the Delhi government and the ECC fund cannot be diverted for this purpose.

It asked the Delhi government standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan why they want to use the green cess for buses.

"Plan to purchase the buses has been pending for a long time. Why divert environment funds for bus purchase? Why can't you purchase buses out of normal funds," the bench asked.

The court was informed that a part of environment fund would also be used for creating charging infrastructure and for procuring 1,000 CNG propelled standard low floor buses by DTC. Another 1,000 such buses would be procured and engaged under cluster scheme.

The bench, however, directed the authorities including the Delhi government, all three municipal corporations, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Delhi Cantonment Board to comply with its November 16 order and file a compliance report failing which the concerned commissioners shall be present before the court on December 14.

It also asked the government to explain on December 14, five important steps which the high-level committee, formed by the government, is going to take to control pollution along with a timeline and how it proposes to implement it.

"We are only concerned with the results. Authorities are taking decisions regularly but are they getting any results? You should have miserable realistic targets and then the consequences to be faced by the officials if work is not done," the bench said.

To this, the government's counsel said he would come up with the results on the next date.

The high court had on November 16 directed the Delhi government, DPCC and other public agencies to inform it about the pending proposals to spend the money collected under green cess towards the mitigation of pollution.

It has told the Delhi government to consider applying to the Centre under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Act for release of additional funds for utilisation under this law.

The local bodies and the AAP government were directed by the court "to indicate the most appropriate methods to ensure a coordinated approach to deal with polluting construction sites and effective implementation of the Air Act, the Environment Protection Act" and the rules and guidelines framed under them.

On November 9, the high court had issued a slew of directions to improve air quality, including watering of the roads to minimise dust, and had also suggested exploring the option of 'cloud seeding" in the meeting between the Centre and the state governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The court was hearing a PIL initiated by it to curb air pollution in the national capital. It has been issuing directions time-to-time in this regard.

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The Delhi High Court today wished to know the variation in costs incurred for the Signature Bridge across Yamuna from the time the project was envisaged.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also sought information from the Delhi government on when the timeline was changed or extended.

The court issued the direction to the authorities on a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocate Pratibha Chopra, who pointed to inordinate delay in the project and alleged that the construction of the Signature Bridge has missed several deadlines since 2011.

Taking note of this, the bench had on October 16 directed the authorities to place on affidavit the timeline with regard to the construction and completion of the bridge which connects Delhi with the industrial areas of Uttar Pradesh, like the Tronica city in Ghaziabad.

It had also directed the Public Works Department of the Delhi government to ensure that a structural and technical audit of the Wazirabad bridge in Northeast Delhi, which is currently being used to commute between Delhi and UP.

It had asked the authorities to audit Wazirabad bridge "forthwith" and file a status report.

In reply to the court's direction, the Delhi government's Urban Development Department and the Public Works Department informed the court that a request letter for joint site inspection and working out a diversion plan for vehicular traffic was addressed by them to the DCP traffic.

They also told the court that they have floated a tender to get better response of the bidders for the proposed work on the Wazirabad bridge.

The bench, however, was unhappy over their stand and said that the authorities should not delay the process.

The court fixed the matter for February 28 next year, by when the authorities have been asked to file status reports.

Announced in 2004, the project received a nod from the Delhi Cabinet in 2007 and was initially expected to be completed at a modified estimate of Rs 1,131 crore by the Commonwealth Games that was held here in October 2010.

In 2015, the initial cost of the project rose to Rs 1,594 crore. Reportedly, the bridge was proposed for the first time as early as in 1997 at an initial cost pegged at Rs 464 crore.

The Signature Bridge, when completed, is expected to share the burden of vehicular traffic which is being borne by the Wazirabad bridge.

Seeking to expedite the completion of construction, the plea has contended that lives of lakhs of commuters, who are regularly stranded for over 3-4 hours a day on Wazirabad bridge, are at risk as it is an old and ageing bridge which can cave in anytime.

A tragedy is waiting to happen, the plea has said and added that the proposed Signature Bridge will positively change traffic condition on both sides of Yamuna and benefit people.

The plea said to avoid any tragic fallout, the agencies should complete the project or else they should be ready to take responsibility in case of any mishap.

According to the government, the Signature Bridge had obtained environmental clearance in 2011 and was set to be completed by December 2013. The date of completion was pushed to June 2016 and then to July 2017, which was further pushed to December 2017, and is now expected to be delayed further.

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The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to reconsider the appointments made to the managing committee of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, which manages the affairs of the famous Saibaba temple at Shirdi.

A bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and M S Patil said the government should look into the allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds against the 15- member committee within two months, and decide whether the appointments of current members need to be terminated.

A supervisory body can be constituted to look into the allegations against the current members and to approve the new appointments, the high court suggested.

The court was hearing petitions challenging appointments of Suresh Haware, chairperson of the managing committee, and other 14 members.

In 2004, the Maharashtra legislature passed a law providing for constitution of a managing committee for the Shirdi temple trust to bring in transparency in its affairs.

Petitions in the court alleged unauthorised transactions and mismanagement of funds by the committee members.

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Batting for social empowerment of transgenders, the Madras High Court today directed the authorities concerned to allot a Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery seat to a person of the third gender.

The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue guidelines to streamline the procedure for appointment of transgenders in its services.

Justice N Kirubakaran gave the directions while disposing of a writ petition by Tharika Banu, a transgender.

The Judge allowed the 27-year old's plea seeking allotment of a BSMS seat for academic year 2017-18.

In his order, the Judge said the petitioner's claim for admission to the course cannot be denied on the ground that she has not obtained the minimum 50 per cent marks.

"This minimum marks holds good only for males and females," the judge noted, and pointed out that the prospectus was silent about transgenders.

"Therefore, leniency should be shown to the transgender person," the judge said.

Authorities were guilty of not implementing The Supreme Court and High Court orders to provide reservation for them, the court said.

The petitioner should be admitted in the course within a week, failing which the authorities shall appear before it on December 11, the court directed the secretary, Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy.

Referring to the plight of transgenders, the judge said they faced harassment, sexual violence and were denied basic civil rights.

"Therefore, helping hands should be extended by all, especially by the government," the judge said.

He hoped that this order would be the first step to throw open the doors of educational institutions for the entry of transgenders for their social empowerment, employment, dignity and rights.

He said such rights have been denied to them till date, violating the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

The judge also directed the state to issue guidelines on the "determination of the community" and "reservation in employment" for transgenders.

He directed that procedures to be followed by state agencies in selecting the third gender candidates for appointment in its services be streamlined.

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The Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Centre and the AAP government on a plea seeking to regulate the sale and consumption of e-cigarettes.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Centre and the state government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and asked them to file their replies in six weeks.

The court listed for hearing on April 4 next year, a plea filed by Seema Sehgal, a homemaker, who sought directions to the governments to formulate a policy and guidelines for advertisements and regulation of sale, production and supply of the product.

E-cigarettes are hand-held devices which help to create the feeling of tobacco smoking. Various makers of the device say that the e-liquid inside the device heats up when activated and creates an aerosolized vapour which provides a flavour similar to tobacco.

Senior advocate Ashok Bhasin, appearing for Sehgal, sought directions to authorities to inform the public about the harmful effects of the e-cigarettes containing nicotine.

The plea claims that the e-liquids comprise of a solution of liquid nicotine.

The petition has said that the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, which governs the tobacco consumption law, does not provide for the use of e-liquids containing nicotine.

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An over-ground worker (OGW) of the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) today surrendered before security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, an Army official said.

Altaf Sheikh, who was close to the Hizbul Mujahideen and the LeT, surrendered before the Army in Kulgam, the official said.

No further details were given.

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Honduran opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla today accused incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez of trying to steal the Central American country's election by faking poll results.

In an interview with AFP, leftist TV host-turned- politician Nasralla said Hernandez was colluding with the army and the electoral authorities to forge new results sheets and give himself the edge in Sunday's bitterly contested presidential election.

"He's fabricating (the results)," said Nasralla.

"He controls the media. He's going to have the results sheets he wants validated and change the will of the people."



The general election in this poor, gang-plagued Central American country has turned into a drawn-out showdown between Nasralla, 64, and Hernandez, 49, who is going for four more years in office despite a constitutional limit of just one term.

Both candidates have declared victory, but the results are far from clear.

In the early hours of Monday, Nasralla led by five percentage points with 57 per cent of ballots counted.

Then the Supreme Electoral Tribunal interrupted its live broadcast of the results and announced the rest of the ballots would be brought to the capital, Tegucigalpa, to be counted.

Today, the election authority posted new results on its website: 44.4 per cent for Nasralla to 40.5 per cent for Hernandez -- about one percentage point narrower than the opposition candidate's previous lead -- with just over 61 per cent of the ballots counted.

Nasralla accused the conservative president of plotting to rig the vote, saying his "survival instinct" was hijacking democracy.

"He knows if he's not the president anymore he'll be extradited" to face corruption charges, he told AFP.

"He's trying to sow chaos so he can declare a state of emergency and take control with the help of his people and the army."



Hernandez's conservative National Party -- which controls the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government -- contends that a 2015 Supreme Court ruling allows his re- election.

Nasralla and his coalition, the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, have denounced the incumbent's bid, saying the court does not have the power to overrule the 1982 constitution.

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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today hoped that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would be consulted before the appointment of the new chief secretary in the national capital.

"This time, I am hopeful that the tradition to seek names from the elected government for the appointment of the chief secretary will be followed," he told reporters here.

The deputy chief minister, however, said the government was yet to propose any name.

In May 2015, the then Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung had appointed senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as the acting chief secretary after K K Sharma went on leave.

Gamlin's appointment was strongly opposed by the AAP government.

Chief Secretary M M Kutty has been transferred to the Union finance ministry as additional secretary, economic affairs department. He is to assume charge by tomorrow.

Senior officers -- Principal Secretary (Finance) S N Sahai, Principal Home Secretary Manoj Kumar Parida and Anshu Prakash and Arun Goyal -- are in the race for the post of chief secretary, an official said.

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The state run Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (IDCOL) today signed a joint venture agreement with Indian Rare Earth Ltd (IREL) for implementation of Rs 450 crore beach sand mining project.

The joint venture company with 49 per cent share of IDCOL and 51 per cent equity of IREL, will be operational in the name of IREL-IDCOL Limited. It will apply for the fresh lease of beach sand and to explore and mine the same, said Odisha's Industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra.

He said the joint venture company would provide employment to about 400 people. As per the pre-feasibility report, development and construction period is about 24 months and pay-back period is about five years. It will also open an area for new downstream units using the product of the project, Chopra said.

IDCOL had earlier signed an MoU with IREL in 2015 regarding the formation of this JV Company.

The joint venture company will apply for lease of beach sand from Gopalpur in Ganjam district to Brahmagiri area in Puri district to explore and mine the same. A mineral separation plant will be set up with an estimated project cost of 450 crore.

Its construction period is about 24 months and pay-back period is about 5 years. It will create employment opportunity for 400 people in different categories.

Stating that Odisha has a large reserve of beach sand minerals in its coastal stretches, Chopra said ilmentite is the largest constituent of the deposit and most of them remain untapped in the state.

According to 2011 report of the Ministry of Mines, Odisha has the third largest deposit of ilmenite in the country. Andhra Pradesh has the biggest deposit followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu at the second spot. In Odisha major deposit has been identified near Chhatrapur in Ganjam district and Brahmagiri in Puri district.

Though India has 18 per cent ilmenite deposit globally, production of it has been poor, ilmenite production is the highest in Tamil Nadu followed by Odisha.

Earlier, IDCOL had applied for the mining licence (ML) and prospecting licence (PL) to the Government of Odisha for beach sand mining over an area of 5995.198 hectare in different villages along Ganjam coast.

The IREL, which has been operating mining separation units at Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, had evinced interest to form a JV with the IDCOL for development of Beach Sand Mining.

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Though the BJP is keen to repeat its sterling performance in the previous Assembly election in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat this time round too, the ruling party may face headwinds in the form of resentment over incomplete projects, the impact of demonetisation and the Goods and Service Tax (GST) hassles.

Saurashtra sends 48 lawmakers to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly. The BJP had won 32 seats from the region in the 2012 state polls.

The opposition parties have been accusing the government of failing to complete various development works, especially the canal networks and irrigation projects.

Asked about this, Raju Dhruv, the BJP spokesperson for the Saurashtra region, agreed partially, but claimed that many of these projects were at different stages of completion and therefore, the party needed another strong mandate to complete them.

Dhruv sits in his newly set-up Rajkot office every day, holds meetings with party workers, issues statements and submits reports, mostly based on the feedback received from the party cadre on the battleground, to senior leaders.

Saurashtra, the largest region of Gujarat, comprises 11 districts.

The BJP government had faced an outburst of Dalit anger last year when some members of the community were assaulted by cow vigilantes at Una in Somnath Gir district and a video of the incident went viral, making national headlines.

Commenting on it, Dhruv said, "We never supported the (Una) incident and always denied any links to it. We detest the incident. I do not think it will have any impact on the electoral outcome."



The fallout of demonetisation and the teething troubles of the GST could be another worry for the saffron party, which has been in power in the state for over two decades.

Rameshwar Patel, a ceramic tile trader in Rajkot, said the note ban went against the saffron party's plank of development-centric governance.

"Demonetisation and the GST took away my business for almost a year. Not just I lost business, but several labourers who used to work for me went back to Uttar Pradesh. Now my business is slowly improving, but I do not have the labour force to expand my business."



On incomplete development projects, Kusumben Bhat, a resident of Padadhari village near Rajkot, said, "The BJP has been in power for so many years. The last three years could have been very good as our (former) chief minister Narendra Modi went on to become the prime minister. I do not believe in the BJP's promises. Who had stopped Modi or the party from completing these infrastructure projects?"



Gujarat Congress secretary and the party's Rajkot unit chief, Mahesh Rajput, said, "The BJP is struggling to remain in power. It misused power to keep (Patidar quota agitation leader) Hardik Patel behind the bars and is spreading several lies through the social media. Incomplete projects are the perfect example of the BJP doing everything, except development.

"The rural areas of Saurashtra are still facing a water shortage and the government has done little to solve the problem."



Of the 48 Assembly seats in Saurashtra, the Congress had won 13 in the 2012 polls, the Gujarat Parivartan Party had won two and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) one.

The 182-member Gujarat Assembly will go to the polls in two phases  on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 18.
Independent MLA Rophul S Marak, who was supporting the Congress government in Meghalaya today announced that he was withdrawing support to the Mukul Sanga government.

He said the decision to do so was on the basis of "lack of development" in places around his constituency.

"I am answerable to the people of my constituency and the district. They are asking questions as to what we have done in our tenure of five years.

"The development work in South Garo Hills has been dismal. The main problem is road and communication and since I am contesting the upcoming election as an Independent candidate, I withdrew my support from Meghalaya United Alliance government led by Mukul Sangma," Marak said in a statement.

He alleged that the state government has turned down many of his proposals meant for the development of SGH, a region considered one of most backward in Meghalaya.

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India today donated 500 metric tonnes of rice to the Kingdom of Lesotho, in Southern Africa, which is facing acute food shortage due to famine.

High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho, Ruchira Kamboj handed over the donation to the government of Lesotho, a tiny landlocked kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa, after she presented her credentials to King Letsie III in the country's capital, Maseru.

"(This) gift (of rice) is a manifestation of the concern of the people of India for the people of Lesotho and their desire to help their brothers and sisters mitigate the devastating effects of food shortages caused by famine and other acts of nature," Kamboj said during her address.

India has appointed a single concurrent High Commissioner for South Africa and Lesotho since diplomatic relations with South Africa were resumed in 1994 after a break of more than four decades, during which India led the international fight against the minority white apartheid government.

Kamboj, who previously served in South Africa as Consul General in Cape Town, presented her credentials to President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria in August this year.

During her visit to Maseru, the High Commissioner also called on the Acting Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki and Deputy Foreign Minister Halebonoe Setsabi.

Kamboj also inaugurated the India-Lesotho Centre for Advanced Information Technology, a project fully-funded by the Government of India, at the Lerotholi Polytechnic in Maseru.

The construction of the new building to house the Centre was completed recently.

"The Centre will be a significant marker of the India- Lesotho friendship, imparting, as it will, much needed critical training skills to youth, leading to more inclusive growth and development," Kamboj said.

Relations between India and Lesotho have been marked by an exchange of visits between the two countries at the political and official levels as well as a growing economic partnership bolstered by people-to-people exchanges through cultural exchange programmes, education and training to provide a firm foundation to the relationship.

The third meeting of the India-Lesotho Joint Bilateral Cooperation Commission will be held in New Delhi on December 1.

The focus will be on to deepen and diversify the relationship by identifying new synergetic areas for cooperation and collaboration.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Singapore today signed an agreement to deepen maritime security cooperation in strategically key sea lanes and access each other's naval bases, a move that comes in the backdrop of China's growing military manoeuvres in the Indo-Pacific region.

Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, after holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman, said his country will provide its naval bases for refuelling and berthing of Indian ships, which will add teeth to India's operational reach in Malacca Strait and nearby areas.

In a joint statement, the two sides said also called for ensuring freedom of navigation, in an apparent reference to China's aggressive behaviour in the resource-rich South China Sea.

The Malacca Strait is a narrow shipping channel linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and is considered very critical for global commerce.

The two countries also resolved to boost overall defence cooperation with a particular focus on combating terrorism.

The pact on naval cooperation provides for increased engagement in the maritime security sphere, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each other's naval facilities and logistics support.

Under provision of the pact, India will provide logistics support to Singapore include live firing drills in the Andaman.

"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackle the transnational security threats," Sitharaman said at a joint media interaction with Ng, noting that both sides agreed to ramp up overall defence cooperation.

The Singaporean defence minister called the talks "overwhelmingly successful and productive" and emphasised the need for concerted regional and global efforts to deal with terrorism and other challenges such as tackling chemical and biological weapons.

"We would encourage the Indian Navy to visit the Changi naval base more often," he said replying to a question on whether Singapore will provide logistics support to Indian war ships.

Referring to regional security scenario in the maritime domain, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law, a joint statement issued after the talks said.

Appreciating India's leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Ng agreed to India's proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in shared maritime space of the two countries, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional and ASEAN partners.

However, Ng, speaking at a think-tank yesterday, had expressed Singapore's reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan and Australia.

Both sides also signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian armed forces.

The joint statement said both ministers look forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore- India maritime bilateral exercise next year.

They welcomed the renewal of agreement between the air forces of the two countries earlier this year and look forward to the successful renewal of a similar pact between their armies, the statement said.

The two ministers also discussed Singapore's proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting)-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, the statements said.

The two ministers resolved to work closely in joint development of various defence platforms.

They agreed that to facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries.

The Singaporean defence minister also expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's acceptance to be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 58-year-old Indian-origin man has lost an eye after he was allegedly attacked with a knife by four masked assailants at his family owned dairy in New Zealand, according to a media report.

Ajit Singh Farrar suffered serious facial and hand injuries when one of four masked assailants went at him with a knife during a lunchtime robbery at his shop in Hamilton, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Farrar was working alone in the dairy on Irvine St on Monday when four hooded and masked men burst through the doors, it said.

He believes that the offenders had been scoping out his dairy for sometime and knew when he would be the only person in the store.

Farrar tried to grab the blade while the other hooded thieves hurled goods inside the suburban store.

"He punched me in the eye, and I tried to take the knife off him. I had pushed the panic button. I am already bleeding but I'm not scared of him," the report said.

"My eye is very bad, it's ruptured the eyeball has gone, gone now," Farrar said today.

Life will not be the same for Farrar who was told by doctors at Waikato Hospital that he will need surgery to insert a prosthetic eye following the assault at his Frankton store, the report said.

Waikato Detective Sergeant Scott Neilson confirmed that, "One of the men approached the victim with a knife while the others have tried to get into the rear of the store.

"The man with the knife has then lashed out at the victim causing significant injuries to his face and hands."



The four then fled the store, likely empty-handed, he said.

"He remembers seeing a knife, he also had a cut to his hand, and lost a few teeth," Farrar's daughter said.

With such severe injuries, doctors today told the family of Farrar that his eye was not salvageable. He also needs immediate surgery to stop infection spreading to the other eye.

Police were now looking to identify a group of men captured on CCTV footage in the neighbourhood at the time of the crime.

"We would like to speak to the men identified in the picture who were in the area at the time, and hear from anyone who may have information," Neilson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Finacle, part of the country's second-largest information technology (IT) firm Infosys, on Wednesday launched a blockchain-based trade finance solution for banks.

The solution  Finacle Trade Connect  will help digitise the trade finance business process, including validation of ownership, certifying documents and making payments.

It is available for functions including bill collection, letters of credit and invoice financing among others.

"We had launched a pilot trade finance network for banks to trial this solution. For this, 11 banks in India partnered with us," Finacle Chief Business Officer Sanat Rao told PTI.

He, however, did not name the banks.

Blockchain is a huge, decentralised ledger for bitcoin (digital currency) that records every transaction and stores this information on a global network so it cannot be tampered with.

It enables secure, peer-to-peer transactions that can be verified without any centralised authority.

Banks and other financial institutions are increasingly investing in blockchain technology as it cuts their costs and make their operations faster and more transparent.

Rao said the new solution will provide higher automation, increase transparency and enable real-time availability of data.

This will enable better decision making and opening up new business avenues for both banks and corporates, he added.

The framework is ledger agnostic and is capable of working with most industry leading blockchain platforms such as Bitcoin, Hyperledger, Ethereum and Corda, he said.
Five employees of Indian Overseas Bank, including its manager, have been arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs 55 crore in fixed deposits in the name of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited.

IOB manager Serin Madhusudan and the other four were arrested and produced before a court, which remanded to judicial custody, police said today.

KRIDL had earlier suspended three officials inconnection with the diversion of funds, which was allegedlydone with the help of the bank officials.

Police said their investigations revealed that two Fixed deposits of Rs 20 crore and Rs 35 crore in the Kulai branch ofIOB were later transferred to other accounts.

The fraud came to light when officials of the Koramangala branch of Vijaya Bank grew suspicious after Rs 50 lakh was transferred to a dormant account of an exporter, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bulgaria said today that an aircraft taking its prime minister and former king to Saudi Arabia was denied permission by Iran to enter its airspace, forcing them to fly via Iraq.

"The refusal is inexplicable," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva was quoted by Bulgarian media as saying from Riyadh a day after the incident.

She said Iran's ambassador in Sofia has been summoned for an explanation. Iran had initially given the flight permission before it took off, she said.

The plane was carrying former king Simeon Saxe Coburg, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Zaharieva and four other ministers.

It was the first visit by a Bulgarian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since the former communist country, now a member of the European Union, and the kingdom established relations 20 years ago.

Borisov was due to be received on Wednesday by King Salman and by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under whom relations with Iran have deteriorated dramatically.

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Israel will refuse Swiss diplomats access to the Gaza Strip until further notice after recent meetings were held with Hamas leaders, an Israeli official said today.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman issued the order to prevent the diplomats from travelling to the Palestinian enclave from Israeli territory, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The order will remain in place "until clarifications occur," said the official, without providing further details.

Israel controls all access into Gaza apart from the strip's sole crossing with Egypt.

Switzerland's envoy to the Palestinian Authority, Julien Thoni, yesterday met Hamas's chief in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.

At least one other recent meeting was also held with Hamas leaders.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that has controlled the Gaza Strip for a decade, is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Union.

It has fought three wars with Israel since 2008.

Switzerland however has contacts with Hamas in order to maintain dialogue with all parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as part of its peace and human rights efforts.

Israel's army radio reported that the decision to bar them from Gaza was taken due to the public nature of the meetings, with Hamas posting photos on its website.

The meetings come with Hamas due to hand over power in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority by Friday as part of a landmark reconciliation deal signed in October.

There are however doubts over whether a signficant transfer of power will occur by that time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump took some time off from the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) and visited the historic Golconda Fort here today.

Trump had arrived here for the GES yesterday, a three-day meet which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"She was taken around the 16th century monument where she spent about 45 minutes," Telangana Additional DGP (Law and Order) Anjani Kumar told PTI.

Trump evinced a keen interest in the history of the fort, that lies around 10 km from the city on its western outskirts, as she was briefed about the structure.

Elaborate security arrangements were made around the fort in view of her visit.

She was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to US Navtej Sarna and his American counterpart Kenneth Juster among others, Kumar said.

"It is very nice to see such a big and old fort. It is a wonderful place. It shows the rich culture of Hyderabad," Trump said.

"It is amazing at Golconda Fort. It was a fantastic two days in Hyderabad and the summit was phenomenal," she said.

Trump also said the summit was very enlightening and inspiring.

The fort is believed to have derived its name from the Telugu word "Golla Konda' meaning shepherd's hill. It was originally buit by the Kakatiya (of Warangal) kings as a mud fort.

The Telangana government hosted a dinner for the delegates of the GES inside the fort this evening.

Yesterday, the prime minister, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Trump, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar; NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and Bharti Enterprises founder Sunil Mittal were among others who attended a gala dinner hosted as part of the GES at the Falaknuma Palace.

Famous for its Nizam-era table around which 101 guests can sit at a time, the palace-turned-plush hotel is one the landmarks of the city.

A team of culinary experts from the hotel, led by executive chef Sajesh Nair, presented a five-course menu inspired by Hyderabad's Telangana and Nizami cuisines.

Famed local delicacies such as Dahi ke kebab, Goshtshikampuri kebab, Kubanikemalai kofta, Murgpista ka salan and Sitaphal kulfi were presented over the various courses-- Aghaz (soup), Mezban (appetizers), Waqfa (sorbet), MashgoolDastarkhwan (main course) and Zauq-e-shahi (dessert).

The signature menu also gave the distinguished guests a taste of rare Indian ingredients such as sandalwood, saffron and figs.

The table dcor was inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Deccan region.

Rare artefacts and silver decorative pieces were brought in from the Nizam's private collection at Chowmahalla Palace; while all upholstery used during the dinner was made with locally sourced fabrics such as 'Ikkat', 'Teliya' and velvet.

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James Franco has confirmed that he is attached to an "X-Men" property, both as an actor and a producer.

Rumours are rife that Fox Studios has been working on a Marvel Comics movie based on Multiple Man, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Without revealing much, Franco said, "I do have a superhero that I am developing. I don't know how much I can say. But I will say I am producing and performing in it.

"It's early stages. I think probably what I can say is, like anything, there's a need to develop more."



The actor, who has started a production company with actor brother Dave Franco, said he is impressed the way the "X-Men" franchise has churned out spin-offs such as "Logan" and "Deadpool".

"Our bottom line MO is, how can we push this into new ground? A little bit, but still make it entertaining? (But) what I love about what Simon Kinberg and Fox and the X-Men people have done with 'Deadpool' and 'Logan' - it took a while to get there, maybe 10 years - but they are going to go hard.

"And we're going to take this superhero thing and really just push it into a new genre. So we're working with Simon Kinberg on an 'X-Men' property," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Japanese ambassador in India Kenji Hiramatsu today said his country would consider setting up a Manufacturing Institute in Kerala to decide on which fields investments and technical know how can be made.

Hiramatsu, who met the Chief Minister at the secretariat here, also said Japan would impart the latest technology for scientific treatment of solid waste, an official release said.

The Japanese ambassador made the offer of the Institute, to decide on which fields investments and technical know how can be made, when Vijayan said Kerala was interested in co-operating with Japan in setting up rubber based industries in the state, it said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that 90 per cent of total production of rubber was from Kerala.

Vijayan also said the state wasinterested in getting technical knowledge from Japan for the proposed railway development in the state.

He pointed out that Kerala has started a joint venture with Indian Railways for developing rail lines and infrastructure from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod



Earlier, Hiramatsu met the Kerala Governor, Justice P Sathasivam.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kerala Government today decided to bring in an ordinance to amend the university law of APJ Abdul Kalam Technical varsity here, to enable students, teachers and employees have representation in the senate.

The state cabinet, which met here today, decided to recommend to the Governor, Justice P Sathasivam to promulgate an ordinance in this regard.

As per the amendment,the senate will have representations of students, teachers and employees, a government press release said.

Of the six student representatives in the senate, one would be set apart for a female candidate and another for SC/ST student.

When the ordinance becomes a law, like in other universities, students will have representation in the Board of Studies, Finance and Planning committees.

Democratisation of the university was a long pending demand of the students and teachers.

The university, which came into existence on May 21, 2014, was set up to give thrust for the development of indigenous technologies by encouraging research and other academic activists in the related areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A sessions court here today awarded death sentence to three men convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016.

Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale awarded the death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume.

The judge had on November 18 convicted the three men on charges of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

The incident had triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community, who took out marches across the state over it.

The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on July 13, 2016 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

The accused also inflicted injuries all over her body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said.

On October 7, the Ahmednagar Police had filed the charge sheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A sessions court here today awarded the death sentence to three men for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016 that triggered protests across the state.

Hailing the verdict, the girl's mother said her daughter "got justice in the true sense today".

Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale, presiding over the fast track court, awarded the death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde (25), Santosh Gorakh Bhawal (30) and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume (23).

The judge had on November 18 convicted the three men on charges of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the verdict would act as a "deterrent" to criminals.

The victim, a Class IX student, was found murdered after being raped on July 13, 2016 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

The accused also inflicted injuries all over her body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said.

The incident turned out to be the trigger for silent marches (mook morcha) by Marathas across the state as the victim belonged to the community, while the culprits are Dalits.

Marches, joined by a large number of women, were taken out throughout the length and breadth of the state by the Maratha community demanding quick investigation and speedy trial in the case.

It also sent strong political ripples with the opposition Congress and the NCP demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on moral grounds.

Following the protests, the state government appointed noted criminal lawyer Nikam, who has appeared in several high-profile cases including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, as the special public prosecutor in the case.

On October 7 last year, the Ahmednagar Police filed the charge sheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The victim's mother, who was present in the court, thanked the government, police, judiciary and the Maratha community for bringing justice to her daughter.

"I am thankful to the government, police, judiciary and the entire Maratha community for coming together and fighting for my daughter," the girl's mother said.

Nikam said he was satisfied with the court's verdict.

"This judgement will be a great deterrent to criminals," he told PTI.

Nikam had earlier told the court that four to five days before the incident, the accused had stopped the girl and tried to molest her. However, when she resisted, two of the accused said that they would see her later.

On the day of the incident, all the accused were moving on their motorcycles and keeping a watch on the girl's movements, Nikam had said.

The prosecutor today said he raised 24 points while pleading the case in the court.

The prosecution closed the case from its side by presenting 31 witnesses before the court, he said.

The prosecutor said that the three convicts were also given life imprisonment for charges pertaining to rape and criminal conspiracy and they were also fined Rs 20,000 each.

The convicts were also awarded three years' rigorous imprisonment under the charges of molestation.

All these sentences will run concurrently, said Nikam.

He said Bhawal was earlier fined Rs 18,000 for stalling the trial in the court. Since he failed to pay the fine, the court today ordered the district administration to recover it from him.

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For a good example of the dysfunction that plagues Albany, read the letter sent by the New York State Democratic Party leadership to the elected Democratic leaders of the state Senate.

The message sent this week to Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Senate minority conference leader, and Sen. Jeffrey Klein, leader of the Independent Democratic Conference, was worded as a directive: Unify your members under one umbrella or there will be political consequences.

For about eight years, Democratic officials have been frustrated by their inability to take control the state Senate due in large part to a schism within their own ranks. IDC members have clashed at times with the Democratic leaders, and they've been welcomed by Republicans to form an alliance. The merits of the split are certainly up for debate, especially when one considers the extra power and in some case, monetary gains, that IDC members enjoy under the system they've operated.

Having said that, the directive from the Democratic Party leaders is filled with examples that should make good government advocates cringe.

Take this quote: "We therefore send this letter as officials, members and supporters of the Democratic Party  the state Democratic Party infrastructure  to communicate that we can no longer tolerate the IDC and Senate Democrats inability to unify."

The last time we checked, the people to whom state Senators report first are the voters who put them in office. Representing their interests and listening to their demands is their primary job, not pleasing party officials.

Here's another gem: "If all of you finally unify, Democrats would have a majority. The progress of the Democratic agenda trumps all other concerns."

Actually, the progress of both New York state as a whole and the districts that individual senators represent trump any party agenda. Unfortunately, Albany insiders frequently forget, or ignore, that fact.

The letter went on to threaten the two sides if they failed to accept a proposed unification plan. IDC members would face primary challenges. The main conference leaders would be targeted for removal.

Ultimately, we're not espousing a stance for or against state Senate Democratic unification. But we do believe firmly that the senators who have to make decisions about which leaders to support and which conferences to join should tune out the party boss threats and do what they believe is right.

The Citizen Editorial Board includes publisher Rob Forcey, managing editor Mike Dowd and executive editor Jeremy Boyer.
President Ram Nath Kovind today paid his homage to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose describing him as a "true pioneer" of Indian science, an innovator and scientist of world class distinction who was not given enough credit for his rich scientific career.

The President, who was addressing the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of Bose Institute here, said Bose had demonstrated wireless transmission as microwaves in 1895 much ahead of Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi's transmission of radiowaves.

He had also designed and fabricated the first semi-conductor device Galena detector in the world.

"He was probably the first scientist to study responses of plants using instruments crafted by himself. This gave rise to inter-disciplinary research in the area called biophysics," the President said.

Referring to Bose's multifaceted talents, Kovind said he was the first person in India to write science fiction and regretted that in his life time he was not given enough credit for his rich scientific career.

Bose had little institutional and financal support as the then colonial government put road blocks in his works. He was encouraged by Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita, who helped him get some financial support, Kovind said.

The institute came up as result of the sense of nation building as Bose had felt the need to set up an institute devoted to scientic research and help young Indian scientists.

Its social outreach programme in rural Bengal through its rural biotechnology initiative and educational programme for school children in various north eastern states was also mentioned by him.

Bose Institute Council chairman Prof Bikash Sinha, its director Siddhartho Roy, Secretary to the department of science and technology Ashutosh Sharma too spoke on the occasion. West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was present at the function.

Roy said the institute in its centenary year would launch interdisciplinary programmes on climate change.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Wednesday said a consortium formed by it and Samsung C&T Corporation has bagged $250 million power plant contract in Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has awarded the contract for setting up Bibiyana South 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project to a consortium of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Samsung C&T Corporation of South Korea," the engineering firm said in a statement.

L&T will be execute the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract valued at approximately $250 million.

The company said the 400 MW gas based power plant will be located at Bibiyana Upzila in Hobiganj district of Sylhet division in the northeastern sector of Bangladesh, around 215 km by road from Agartala in India.

L&T's scope includes design, detail engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the complete power plant on a turnkey basis, it said.

"The plant will incorporate state-of-the-art Single Shaft Advanced Class Gas Turbine, Steam Turbine and Generator from Siemens AG of Germany, which will be procured by L&T. L&T- Sargent & Lundy, a joint venture company of L&T and Sargent & Lundy LLC, USA, will carry out the plant integration and detail engineering, using propriety technology of Sargent & Lundy," it said.

"That L&T has bagged the fourth order in Bangladesh firmly establishes its project execution credentials in that country," Shailendra Roy, CEO & Managing Director L&T Power & Whole-Time DirectorL&T, said.

This project will be executed by the Gas Based Power Projects Business Unit of L&T, based out of Vadodara.

The company said it has executed several large gas based power projects on EPC basis for government utilities and independent power producers in India and abroad.

L&T has recently commissioned two gas based power projects in Bangladesh - 360 MW Bheramara Combined Cycle Power Plant Development Project of North West Power Generation Co Ltd, and 225 MW Sikalbaha Combined Cycle Power Plant Project of BPDB.

The company said it is also executing the Bibiyana III 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Project of BPDB for Marubeni Corporation of Japan on EPC basis, which is in advanced stage of execution.

Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational engaged in technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing and financial services with $17 billion in revenue.
Media baron and private equity investor Ronnie Screwvala, who is holding stakes in Lenskart and ShopClues, today said both the e-commerce firms may go for Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the next two years.

Screwvala also said, Lenskart, an eyewear products seller, which is expected to clock Rs 600 crore revenues this year may get into operational profits from this month onwards.

"Lenskart, we hope to take it to public...ShopClues, we hope to take it to public. There is no time-table (for IPO). But I would say in the next two years. I made about Rs 100 crore in Lenskart for 18 per cent (stake). ShopClues is much lower...It is about 4.5 per cent.

"Lenskart may make profits from this month onwards. Today, it makes Rs 50 crore a month revenue and Rs 600 crore a year revenue (per annum)," the movie maker told PTI on the sidelines of Global Entrepreneurship Summit-2017 being held here.

Screwvala invested Rs 100 crore and holds 18 per cent in Lenskart, while he puts in Rs 40 crore for about 4.5 per cent stake in ShopClues.

Lenskart, which has both online and offline presence, has till date raised around Rs700 crore from various sources, with private equity firm TPG Global being one of the lead investors.

Founded in 2011, ShopClues has over six lakh merchants. With over 28 million listed products, it gets more than 72 million monthly visits on its platform. Total revenue from the operations grew 11.7 percent to Rs 180.30 crore in 2016-17, from Rs 161.40 crore in the preceding fiscal.

"I invested about Rs 350 crore in about 14 ventures. I am not doing any more (investment) now. This is my personal money. I have a longer position on it (the investments)," he said when asked about the exit from investments.

He said Netflix has partnered with his company RSVP to release Bollywood project "Love Per Square Foot", starring "Masaan" actor Vicky Kaushal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A federal jury has found a suspected Libyan militant not guilty of the most serious charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans.

Jurors today convicted Ahmed Abu Khattala of terrorism- related charges but acquitted him of murder.

Prosecutors accused Abu Khattala of leading a rampage aimed at killing personnel and plundering maps and other property from the US mission in Benghazi. Defence attorneys said their evidence against him was shoddy.

US Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the attack, along with a State Department information management officer. Two more Americans died in a mortar attack at a nearby CIA complex.

The Sepember 12, 2012, attack became political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign.

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The BSF today said that the polity and the situation in Pakistan are such that not much headway takes place when it comes to dialogue and the recent DG-level talks with Pakistan Rangers saw a "limited" takeaway.

"My feeling is that these conferences are held in very friendly atmosphere and both the sides are eager to make things better. Unfortunately, the polity and the situation in Pakistan is such that not much headway takes place when it comes to things on the actual ground, I am sorry to say.

"The limited takeaway was that a dialogue has started after a long gap," BSF DG K K Sharma told reporters on the talks that were held in Delhi recently.

A delegation of Pak Rangers, led by their DG, had visited the Border Security Force headquarters here for the bi-annual talks early this month.

"We had a meeting after about 15 months," the BSF DG said, adding that itself is a "big achievement".

"Our relations have been sour and hence we were not able to talk even. The biggest thing is that dialogue has started again and at all levels in times to come," Sharma said.

According to him, the force that guards the India- Pakistan International Border (IB) said it faced "numerous unprovoked" firing incidents from the other side during last year.

"It has been effectively and suitably retaliated in the same vein," he said.

The force said the IB, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, "witnessed 1,020 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces followed by numerous armed infiltration attempts" in the last one year.

Asked about erection of a similar smart fence along the Indo-Pak border, the DG said a pilot project is currently on at two 5-km stretches in the Jammu area and the system will be in place by March, 2018.

To a question about the security of his troops who hail from Jammu and Kashmir and go home on leave, the DG said appropriate advisories have been issued to its officers and troops.

"When people go on leave to their homes (in J&K), we sensitise them that they should not publicise their visit. It is also not possible to provide security to each and every person going on leave to Kashmir as we do not render law and order duties in the state.

"We have requested the local police and other agencies there to take care in this regard and hopefully things will improve," he said.

Sharma, while taking a question on the recent deployment of uniformed troops during a marriage event in the family of a senior officer in Punjab, said it was not a "misuse of the manpower and was a normal administrative duty".

"In paramilitary forces, such arrangements are made when the DG is visiting. So, if something has gone wrong I am guilty. And you see this is nothing new by the way.

"Such traditions are there in the army and in all the forces. It may have been blown out of proportion. This is not a misuse of manpower," he said.

The place where the event took place is an administrative base (outskirts of Chandigarh).

"Had it been a border where people have been withdrawn from the border and deployed this could have been a misuse. This is normal administrative duty," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
London Stock Exchange chief executive Xavier Rolet has left his post, bringing forward a planned departure amid talk that he had been forced to step down, the group said today.

"London Stock Exchange Group plc announces that, at the board's request, Xavier Rolet has agreed to step down as CEO with immediate effect," a statement said.

LSEG, which also owns the Milan stock exchange, last month announced that Rolet, who took over in 2009, would leave by the end of 2018.

Since then however, activist investor The Children's Investment Fund (TCI) questioned whether Rolet chose to leave or was pushed out by a board of directors amid reported concerns over his management style.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney yesterday called for clarity on the contested departure and suggested his exit should go ahead, when asked by a reporter about the matter.

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Amid the row over the "delayed" Winter Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said the Gujarat election was not the only reason for rescheduling the session, but that it was difficult to hold discussions in the House when the polls were underway.

Talking to reporters here, Mahajan said, "It is being said that the Winter Session was delayed due to the Gujarat election. Gujarat was not the only reason. It was also my suggestion, because I have to sit on the (speaker's) chair. I know that when there is an election, there will be some commotion every day.

"Let it (the election) happen, everybody is busy with the polls. I thought we should hold (the session) later, so that we would be able to have some discussions. It was, however, the decision of the cabinet committee. We ensured that the duration of the session was not curtailed. Earlier too, the schedule of the sessions was changed."



The Winter Session would commence on December 15 and conclude on January 5, she said.

"There are rules as to when the House is to be convened. The cabinet committee takes these decisions -- when the House is to be convened, what will be the subjects on any particular day...they also consult me," Mahajan added.

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The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu Government to stop all sand mining and quarrying activities in the state within six months and to not open any new sand quarries.

Justice R Mahadevan in his order said that sand had been quarried beyond permitted level affecting the flow of water in rivers and impacting agriculture in the state.

Besides, ground water level had also dipped in several places due to mining of sand, he noted.

The judge pointed out that Kerala had already stopped mining of sand in six rivers.

The order was passed on a petition filed by M R M Ramaiya seeking a direction to the state government to permit him to sell the river sand he had imported from Malaysia and stored at the Tuticorin port.

The judge ordered that quarries of granites and other minerals, except gravel, be periodically closed to maintain ecological balance.

The state government should take a decision to import river sand by the state-owned corporation in order to meet the demand in the state if there were no legal impediments, he said.

It should set up permanent check posts equipped with CCTV cameras to curb illegal mining of sand, he added.

The court also directed that a committee be constituted to ascertain the loss to the state exchequer due to illegal mining and recover the same from companies, individuals or government servants found responsible for it.

Sale of imported sand should be carried out by following provisions under GST laws, the judge said, adding the government should "bring an enactment to regulate and handle such imported sand within the state".

When the matter came up, the petitioner submitted that he had imported one lakh tonnes of sand from Malaysia and sold 96 tonnes to a customer in Marthandam in Kanyakumari district.

However, the collector of that district had seized the lorries carrying the imported sand.

Several representations made to the collector and other officials to release the impounded vehicles proved futile, the petitioner said.

As per rules, there was no bar on transporting imported sand, he contended.

The petitioner claimed he possessed all necessary documents to prove that he had imported sand from Malaysia and even paid GST for the same.

Besides, officials in Tamil Nadu have no jurisdiction to prevent the sale of the imported sand in Kerala, the petitioner argued.

To this, the advocate general said the state government has the right to insist on licence for transportation and storage of the river sand.

The petitioner failed to prove that the sand imported by him was river sand and the same had to be chemically analysed to ensure it did not contain any hazardous or heavy metals in public interest, the AG said.

The district collector was empowered to issue any orders for inspection and proper implementation of Tamil Nadu Prevention of Illegal Mining Transportation and Storage of Minerals Act, he added.

Though the court did not undermine the demand for sand, the judge said sand mining cannot be done endangering the existence itself.

The state should keep public interest as paramount and rise to the occasion to protect and preserve the natural resources which would pave the way for a better life for the future generation, the court said.

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Veteran actor Shabana Azmi is on her to the Malayasian capital, Kuala Lumpur, where she would be honoured at a business summit by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The 67-year-old actor took to Twitter to express her gratitude.

"Off to Kuala Lumpur for The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where I'm being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored," Shabana wrote.

The conclave ends tomorrow.

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A man was apprehended today by the Crime Branch of Mumbai police in connection with the abduction and murder of an 11-year-old boy in suburban Juhu.

Ravi Waghela, who was related to the victim, was held by the unit 9 of the Crime Branch and later arrested by local police after a detailed interrogation, a police officer said.

A decomposed body of the boy was found in a creek at Versova on November 26.

A case of kidnapping had been lodged with Juhu Police on November 22 after the boy went missing.

Waghela told police that he abducted the boy from his house on November 22, and took him to Versova.

When the boy resisted attempt to sodomise and ran away, Waghela caught hold of him and strangulated him, the officer said.

Crime Branch sleuths, who were conducting a parallel probe, found that the boy had been spotted with Waghela on the day he went missing, and picked up Waghela for questioning today.

"On specific information and technical analysis the Crime Branch apprehended the accused person and handed him over to the Juhu Police," said Nisar Tamboli, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On November 28, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC) announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation with Denso Corporation.

According to the statement, the two parties will cooperate in technology and talents. In technology, the cooperation focuses on the development of traditional auto parts and new energy vehicle auto parts as well as the full cooperation in intelligent driving segment.

In talents, both companies will discuss the plan, curriculum designing guide and teacher delegation of GAC University (cooperate training center), which is under preparation. Denso may also provide training opportunities for GAC workers.

In order to promote the cooperation effectively, the companies will set up a working team to organize and coordinate cooperation details.
A consignment of drugs, weighing over 11 kgs, was recovered from a man at a bus stand here today, the police said.

"I had a talk with an Indore-based Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer who told me that a kg of the smack costs around Rs 2.5 lakh in the international market," SP Manoj Singh told PTI.

The accused, identified as Gokul, was on his way to Jaipur when he was rounded up at Soyatkala bus stand, some 60 km from the district headquarters on a tip off, Singh said.

As per the preliminary information, Gokul appears to be just a carrier.

"We have booked him under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Further investigations are on," the SP added.

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Jammu and Kashmir Minister Choudhary Lal Singh today said that steps were being taken to curb the use of polythene bags that pose a serious threat to the environment and the wildlife of the state.

The Forest and Environment Minister said that the state government had put a blanket ban on manufacturing of below 50 micron polythene bags in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that as per the new guidelines, the manufacturers have to print their name and address on the bags, failing which strict action would be taken against them.

"The use of polythene and its unscientific disposal has posed serious threat to the environment as it takes very long time to degrade," the minister said.

"The government is taking all possible measures to prevent pollution of the state's environment and ecology," Singh said at a public meeting here, adding that it would be ensured that drains are not choked by plastic bags.

The minister said that departments concerned have been directed to successfully implement the guidelines of the government.

He asked the State Pollution Control Board to follow the guidelines and take stern action against the defaulters.

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No matter where you are -- in a bus, or at your workplace, in a restaurant or at a party, it is likely that you would hear murmurs in Bengali from some distant corner.

Decoding the idiosyncrasies of world's third largest ethno-linguistic group is a new non-fiction book, "The Bengalis A Portrait of a Community" by Sudeep Chakravarti.

Chakravarti traces the genesis, growth and the continued existence of the Bengali community, that has been largely divided between the West and East Bengal (now Bangladesh) in the Indian subcontinent.

"I have for long wanted to write a book on the social and political aspects of Greater Bengal by that, I mean West Bengal and East Bengal with a personalised touch," the writer told PTI.

And, Chakravarti's own history being rooted in both the Bengals helped him make the narrative real and enriched, contrary to the "seemingly dry history", he said.

The book, published by Aleph, is a product of a two- decade-long research about what he calls the "Banglasphere".

"But the book contains a vast amount more," he said.

It has everything from vigorous research into history, linguistics, culture, and politics to travel accounts and interviews in the region.

"It took me eight workaholic months to write the first draft, and a couple of months more to polish the second," he said.

But Chakravarti made sure there weren't any biases in the writing owing to his Bengali origins.

"Perhaps, I found it easier because I carry no religious, casteist or 'bhodrolok' bias. I am also not particularly enamoured of running down other communities or people who Bengalis have an unlovely habit of calling 'non-Bengali'," he said.

"My approach was clinical and unsentimental," he added.

He said his aim in the book was merely to draw a portrait of the quintessential Bengali with "honesty, honour, some horror and a lot of humour".

Launched recently, the 432-page hard bound book is available for Rs 799.

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Suspected NSCN-IM militants opened fire in a coal mining company's workshop and set ablaze vehicles in upper Assam's Tinsukia district along Arunachal Pradesh, police said today.

A group of about 25 armed men entered the mining workshop premises in Ledo area under Margherita police station around 9 pm yesterday night and fired on the four dumper trucks and a water tanker vehicle parked in the compound as recorded in the CCTV cameras, police said.

Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mukdhajyot Mahanta has confirmed the incident to PTI.

On receiving information about the incident Assam Police along with paramilitary forces rushed to the site and investigations are on, Mahanta said.

A search operation has been launched to nab the attackers who fled away towards the Patkai hills behind the workshop, police said.

There have been reports of both NSCN-IM and NSCN-K factions demanding extortion money in Patkai range of Margherita area, police added.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi descended today on battleground Gujarat, mounting frontal attack on each other and questioning the contributions of the governments of their respective parties to the poll-bound state's development.

Modi, who addressed four back-to-back election rallies in his home state, targeted the Gandhi family and hit back at the Congress vice president over his remarks on the GST.

Gandhi, in his counteroffensive, assailed the prime minister over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal and the row surrounding a company of Jay Shah, the son of BJP chief Amit Shah, and reached out to the influential Patidar community, a traditional vote base of the saffron party, a section of which is veering towards the Congress.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting a uniform GST rate of 18 per cent.

"Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people," he told a rally in Morbi in the Saurashtra region.

"Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits," Modi said in a reply to Gandhi's 'Gabbar Singh Tax' jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

He said Gandhi was propagating a 'grand stupid thought' in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 per cent.

This means 18 per cent tax on salt and 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, he noted.

He also brought up Rahul Gandhi's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and grandmother Indira Gandhi as he targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family.

As the Congress vice president today visited the Somnath temple, Modi told his audience that Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi's great grand father, was "unhappy" when Sardar Patel took up the temple's reconstruction in 1950s.

"When Sardar Patel took up the work of re-construction of Somnath temple, Nehru was unhappy. Your great grand father Nehru wrote a letter to President Rajendra Prasad when he was to come for the opening ceremony of the temple," Modi said.

"This land of brave people will not forgive those who have acted against the Somnath temple," he said.

Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi,the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

"I remember Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies," he said.

Gandhi, who kicked off his two-day visit to the state after offering prayers at the famous Somnath temple, reached out to the Patidars, recalling how 14 members of the community were killed in police action during their quota stir in 2015, and insisting those who raised their voice in Gujarat faced bullets.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked.

He said the prime minister was not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah should not come out ahead of the Gujarat elections.

Gandhi, who looks set to assume the reins of the Congress before the first phase of polling on December 9, called Modi an "excellent actor" who does not require a contact lens to shed tears.

"Modi ji is an excellent actor. When actors have to cry in a scene, they use contact lens. Modi ji does not need contact lens to shed tears," he told another rally in Amreli.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted 22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

"First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise? Gandhi said in a series of tweets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling the GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

As the Congress vice president today visited the Somnath temple, Modi told his audience that Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi's great grand father, was "unhappy" when Sardar Patel took up the temple's reconstruction in 1950s.

Modi addressed four rallies -- three in Saurashtra and one in Navsari in South Gujarat. He stopped his speech for about two minutes when 'aazan', the call for Muslims to offer Namaz, was recited during his Navsari rally.

In a stinging rebuttal of Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform implemented by the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

Modi also accused the Congress of blocking the bill giving OBC Commission a constitutional status.

Campaigning in his home state where the BJP is in power for close to two decades, Modi listed various development works by the state government for water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.

Addressing a huge rally in Morbi town in the region, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 9, he accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes like providing hand-pumps, while the BJP government got executed major works like the Narmada project.

Making a strong appeal to people to vote for the BJP in the Patidar community stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.

"Today, some so-called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people," he said in his speech in Gujarati.

"Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits," Modi said, in a reply to Gandhi's ''Gabbar Singh Tax' jibe which referred to the iconic villain of the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

Gandhi was propagating a "grand stupid thought" in the name of GST, telling people that Congress will scrap all tax rates and bring a uniform 18 per cent rate, the PM said.

This meant 18 per cent tax on salt and the same 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, Modi stated.

"What kind of smartness is this... how has such an economist emerged here. You want to make the goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier, and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper," he said, ripping into the "anti-poor" Congress over its criticism of the tax reform.

The prime minister went on to say that making cigarettes cheaper means bringing cancer to every home, and asked which rich businessmen the opposition leader sought to extend benefit to by making liquor cheaper.

He also brought up a visit by Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi, in 1979.

Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi, the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

"I remember Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying bodies," Modi said.

"Those who have helped us in times of difficulties should be remembered," he added.

Speaking at Pranchi in Gir Somanth district, Modi said that Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the re-construction of the Somnath temple. Rahul Gandhi today visited the Somnath temple before starting his two-day campaign tour.

"When Sardar Patel took up the work of re-construction of Somnath temple, Nehru was unhappy. Your great grand father Nehru wrote a letter to President Rajendra Prasad when he was to come for the opening ceremony of the temple," Modi said.

"This land of brave people will not forgive those who have acted against the Somnath temple," he said.

He said the family that ruled the country for 70 years, but cannot give account of what it did for the nation, should not seek account of the performance of the BJP government.

Gandhi said OBC communities were demanding constitutional status for the OBC commission for the last 25 years but the Gandhi family was unyielding.

"You are trying to spread the poison of casteism and trying to get votes on the basis of caste and gaining sympathy of OBC communities," Modi said.

"When we brought the bill, you opposed it in the Rajya Sabha. But we will not stop, we will bring it in next session. We will bring it 50 times," he said.

Modi noted how his government worked to bring the water of the Narmada to the parched regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.

"The Congress's development model was giving hand-pumps. For the BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines."



The culture of this parched land, Modi said, was to give respect to those who have tried to do something to provide water.

"The BJP has done many things and it should not be thrown out of power in the state for the next 100 years," Modi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than 1,000 people from Arakan in Myanmar have taken refuge in Mizoram's southernmost Lawngtlai district after the Myanmarese Army launched a crackdown on Arakan militants, official sources said today.

An official statement said the Mizoram government was providing all possible assistance to the refugees. Makeshift camps were being constructed and food provided to the displaced people who had taken shelter in four villages of Lawngtlai district.

According to the latest figures, 1,157 Myanmarese nationals, including 635 women, had taken shelter in Lawngtlai districts - Zochachhuah, Hmawngbuchhuah, Dumzautlang and Laitlang villages since Saturday last, the statement said.

The state health department organised free health clinics at Zochachhuah and Dumzautlang villages, where 11 cases of malaria were detected. Mosquito nets were also distributed to the refugees, it said.

The district administration sent block level officers and village level workers to conduct registration of refugees to streamline distribution of ration as well as sending them back when peace prevails across the border.

Lawngtlai district Deputy Commissioner Arun T, accompanied by several officials, yesterday visited the villages and distributed rice, vegetables and a number of silpouline sheets to the refugees.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made by the state police. Assam Rifles personnel are deployed in and around the four villages and along the Myanmar border.

Meanwhile, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), apex Mizo student body, demanded that the refugees be given shelter, food and security. They also said that proper registration and records should be maintained in order to send them back after peace was restored in that country.

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The Madhya Pradesh Assembly was today adjourned for the day due to slogan-shouting by members of the opposition Congress, who demanded discussion on the issue of the state's "poor records" on women's safety in the wake of the recent gang-rape incident in Bhopal.

The House was adjourned three times during the question hour and also at the beginning of the zero hour, before being adjourned for the day by Speaker Sitasharan Sharma amid continued protests by the opposition MLAs. The question hour was washed out due to the commotion.

When the proceedings of the house for the day began, senior Congress MLA Ram Nivas Rawat demanded discussion on his adjournment motion over the state's poor records on women's safety in the wake of October 31 Bhopal gang-rape incident.

Other Congress members also supported the demand for discussion on the adjournment motion.

Congress member Govind Singh asked how the state government can ensure women's safety when the ministers themselves are facing criminal charges.

The speaker's plea to allow the question hour, however, went unheard as the opposition members trooped into the well of the house.

He also told the protesting members that he will allow discussion in the house on the issue later. However, the Congress members insisted that time be fixed for it. Amid the slogan shouting, the speaker adjourned the house for ten minutes.

After it was reassembled, leader of opposition Ajay Singh demanded that issue of women's safety is of utmost importance and the speaker should give assurance for discussion on this issue.

When the speaker refused to accept the opposition's demand, Congress members, including Sachin Yadav, Hemant Katare and others trooped into the well of the house and started shouting slogans. The house was again adjourned for ten minutes.

The commotion continued when the house was convened for the third time. The speaker however tried to run the question hour, but due to the slogans raised by the Congress MLAs, he adjourned the house till 12 noon.

When the proceedings of the house began, the protesting Congress members once again trooped into the well before speaker adjourned the house for the day.

Later, the Congress MLAs staged a dharna in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue in the premises of state assembly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On a day he completed 12 years as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said announcing "instant total prohibition" was not a solution to end the drinking menace in the state and stressed the need for adopting a gradual approach.

While he counted his government's flagship schemes like 'Ladli Laxmi', which aims in improving the status of girl child in the family and society, and the increase in the area under irrigation as major achievements in the last 12 years, Chouhan admitted that a lot need to be done in the health sector.

"We have never said that we will go for the total prohibition. We have definitely said that liquor is not good. We will raise awareness in the society about (evils of liquor) and encourage people to quit it (drinking) and become liquor-free village," Chouhan told PTI in an interview.

The BJP stalwart is the longest serving chief minister in Madhya Pradesh. He had assumed office as the 18th chief minister on November 29, 2005.

"In my opinion, instant announcement of total prohibition is not a solution. It (liquor consumption) cannot be wiped out completely till people are aware about its harmful effects," he said.

He said his government was trying to reduce the number of liquor shops every year. "We reduced the number of liquor shops last year also and will bring it down further this year as well."



Chouhan underlined that raising awareness on liquor consumption is the only way out "because even if total prohibition is implemented, people devise ways to consume alcohol illegally".

"Raising awareness on the issue is the only solution that will lead the state towards that direction (total prohibition)," he said.

When asked about the inconvenience caused to the people, especially women, due to liquor shops operating in residential areas, Chouhan said he had issued directions for identifying and removing them from the places where women, including college girls, are facing problems.

On his government's achievements in the last 12 years, Chouhan referred to the 'Ladli Laxmi' scheme, rise in the area under irrigation from 7.5 lakh hectares to 40 lakh hectares and the CM Meritorious Students Scholarship programme, which he said gives him a lot of satisfaction.

However, he admitted that more work need to be done in the health and education sectors.

"We have to work a lot in the health sector. There is a shortage of doctors. We are not getting doctors. We have opened seven new government medical colleges in the state to deal with this problem. Besides, we have also raised salaries of the government doctors, ensured availability of medicines and provided dialysis facilities. But, still I feel that a lot need to be done," he said.

Chouhan blamed the erstwhile Congress government for the "collapse" of education sector in the state.

"Education sector collapsed totally during the previous Congress rule. Teachers were appointed with the titles like 'Guruji' and 'Shikhsakarmi' on a meagre salary of just Rs 500," he said.

Chouhan said his government has addressed this problem and is paying them Rs 30,000-35,000 per month. "We are also developing school infrastructure," he added.

Chouhan said the state's budget size has increased in the last 12 years from Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 1.20 lakh crore and the state has come out of the "BIMARU" (laggard) category.

"We have successfully came out of the BIMARU category in the 12-year period. Our GDP is maintained at double-digit while the agriculture growth rate remained at 20 per cent since the last five years which means doubling of production," he said.

On the infrastructure front also, the state has done a lot in the areas of power, water and roads, according to the chief minister.

Chouhan sought to justify his recent statement that roads in Madhya Pradesh are better than those in Washington.

"I have not said out of the blue that our roads are better than Washington. It was a fact that our super corridor road from the Indore Airport is better than that of the US capital's aerodrome stretch," he said.

Chouhan said the state has also done a lot in tourism sector and has been bagging the "Best Tourism State" award for the last three years.

When asked about the Assembly elections, due in the state next year, Chouhan said the BJP has set a target of 200 plus seats.

"The BJP has also coined a slogan 'Abki baar 200 paar'. I can only say that people of Madhya Pradesh have always showered their blessings and love on us. I can feel it wherever I go across the state," he said.

Responding to a query on likely anti-incumbency against sitting MLAs, Chouhan said it would be premature to talk about it at this juncture.

On the possibility of Cabinet expansion, he said it will be done but without any major change.

"It will be done. We will think on it soon. There will not be a major change in it," he said.

Madhya Pradesh currently has 29 ministers including the chief minister. The Cabinet has five vacancies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Parvez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY .

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government only.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)-With the ever-booming NEV market in China and the officially-released dual-credit policy, Toyota now eyes the pure electric vehicle market in China. Hiroji Onishi, President of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (TMCI) said that Toyota will introduce Toyota-branded electric vehicles in Chinese market in 2020, which is considered a tad too late for Toyota to enter into the Chinese NEV market. What's more, the phasing out of Chinese NEV subsidies will also strike heavily to the NEV manufacturers.

According to Hiroji Onishi, the high cost of NEV development is the common problem that burdens almost all the carmakers, and Toyota is no exception. Thus purchasing the NEV parts locally including the batteries would reduce the production costs of NEVs. Currently, Toyota will seek more local NEV suppliers which meet the standards of NEVs to gain a win-win situation in the Chinese NEV market.



In terms of the reasons why Toyota enters into the NEV market in China later than other carmakers, Hiroji Onishi explained that Toyota never introduce products into the market until it can provide a real model, and seeking proper local NEV suppliers also takes time. He also said that the phasing out of Chinese NEV subsidies will burden the development of NEVs, thus they will give top priority to NEV cost reduction during the developing process. Besides, Toyota will also attach importance to the usage circle of the whole model and customer services. Hiroji Onishi expressed that Toyota will keep a close eye on the development of batteries, and will choose proper battery suppliers as their partners. As to the future development, Hiroji Onishi was very confident about its business in China though currently they ranked third among Japanese peers in Chinese market.
Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has openly endorsed terrorism as state policy with his remarks on Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hafiz Sayeed, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said today.

The 74-year-old former Pakistani general, in an interview to Pakistani channel ARY News, had said that he was the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Saeed and backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Reacting to this, Rathore, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, said in a tweet,"This, ladies & gentlemen, is former COAS (Chief of the Army Staff) & president of #Pakistan, openly endorsing #terrorism as state policy, in an interview w/@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL."



Musharraf, who is in self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

He also said that he was always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over Saeed's release, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said today his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability "won't happen".

North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a star presenter who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark.

"Kim Jong-Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," she said.

"The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK," she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea.

Wednesday's missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said.

"The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," the North's official agency KCNA said.

Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometres (2,800 miles) and splashed down 950 kilometres from its launch site.

At least one Western expert said the missile's lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 kilometres -- enough to hit every major US city.

Trump, who recently announced fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and returned it to a US list of state sponsors of terror, was opaque in his immediate response, as the UN Security Council agreed to meet in an emergency session.

"I will only tell you that we will take care of it," Trump said at the White House. "It is a situation that we will handle," he added, without elaborating.

It was the North's third successful ICBM test.

David Wright, an arms control expert and co-director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters pointed to a missile with "more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States".

There were scenes of jubilation in tightly controlled Pyongyang, where residents gathered in front of a large screen to watch the .

Jang Kwang Hyok, 32, said the test posed a question for the US president.

"I just want to ask a question to Trump: 'Can you still dare to backbite about our country?' 'Can you continue to do it even when Hwasong-15 is fired to the US mainland?'," he said.

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re- entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth's atmosphere, experts believe it is at least on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability.

Today's statement from the North stressed the notion of its now being a fully-fledged nuclear power and offered language redolent of a "no first strike" doctrine.

Its weapons "would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon. This is our solemn declaration," state media said.

Melissa Hanham, senior research associate with the East Asia Nonproliferation Program of the Middlebury Institute, said this could indicate a diplomatic off-ramp from the present standoff with the US.

"Perhaps this is an out," she wrote on Twitter. "A way to say they've achieved what they want, as long as we treat them the way they want to be treated."



She urged the global community to seize the opportunity.

"Diplomacy is worth the risk of failure, because to not engage them just gives them time to scale up."



Tensions over the North's weapons programme peaked after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September and then fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan.

China, the North's main ally, has pushed for a "dual track approach" to the crisis which would see the United States freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programmes.

Washington has rejected that approach, preferring a constant tightening of economic screws backed by dire threats of military destruction.

The Trump administration last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, as well a number of Chinese companies doing business with the pariah state.

The US leader spoke by phone with both Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In after Wednesday's test to underline the global threat posed by North Korea.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan's prime minister said today that the latest North Korean missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters, adding that the missile was thought to be an ICBM.

Japan's defence minister said earlier the missile was thought to have landed within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Pentagon said the missile flew about 1,000 kilometres before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

Japan had "completely tracked" the missile, Abe told reporters.

"We have made a strong complaint," he added.

By launching the missile, North Korea has ignored the international community's "united, strong will toward a peaceful solution," said the prime minister.

"The international community needs to perfectly implement sanctions, in unison.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the WHO reported 331 malaria deaths in India in 2016, the highest in Southeast Asia, Health minister J P Nadda today asserted that the country has reduced its new malaria cases by one-third, and crossed the malaria mortality reduction targets which were to be achieved by 2020.

Addressing a high-level roundtable on 'accelerating the elimination of Malaria in the South-East Asia Region', Nadda said here that with nearly three-fourth of the share of the regional burden, India's "successes" have significantly contributed to the reduction of malaria cases in the entire South-East Asia region.

The minister noted that the success to combat Malaria comes against the backdrop of the political leadership's commitment and support to health programmes in India.

"The commitment to ensure health for every person in India comes from the highest office of the government. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to see health and development reach the furthest corners of our country, and use the very latest innovations in technology and science to achieve these outcomes," Nadda said.

The WHO report said that India accounted for six per cent of the 216 million new cases globally.

Nadda, however, said that majority of malaria cases in the country come from the bordering districts, forest and tribal areas, while most of the remaining parts of the country remain malaria free.

"Addressing malaria therefore, is not only an issue for India's aspiration of achieving universal health coverage, but also to achieve it with equity," he said reiterating the commitment to eliminate Malaria.

Nadda said that focus on bordering districts and empowering local authorities with information, tools and knowledge will help in malaria reduction in India and its neighbours.

The Union health minister said that India as a hub for research and science would also support malaria implementation research, as well as capacity building in health research.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report "World Malaria Report 2017" which was released today stated that only eight per cent of malaria cases were diagnosed last year in India, which accounted for six per cent of the 216 million new cases globally.

India was third on the list of 15 countries which accounted for 80 per cent of all malaria cases in the world last year, the report said.

It also stated that surveillance mechanism in India was weak as it detected a mere eight per cent of Malaria cases.

India also witnessed a total of 331 malaria deaths in 2016, making it the highest number of deaths due to the disease in Southeast Asia region.

Nadda today launched a book "Addressing the challenge of controlling malaria across international border lines" and unveiled the Regional Action Plan (2017-2030).

The three-day ministerial roundtable is in consonance with the United Nations Assembly Resolution on consolidation and accelerating efforts to control and eliminate malaria.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Beginning his two-day tour of poll-bound Gujarat with a visit to the famous Somnath temple, Rahul Gandhi today took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his emotional exhortations, calling him an "excellent actor better than Amitabh Bachchan".

Addressing three rallies at Visavadar, Savarkundla and Amreli in the Saurashtra region, Gandhi also reached out to Patidars and attacked Modi over his "silence" on Rafale deal and "proximity" to select industrialists.

Before setting out on the campaign trail, Gandhi offered prayers at the famous shrine of Lord Shiva at Somnath.

"Narnedra Modi is a 'zabardast' (excellent) actor, even better than Amitabh Bachchan. Generally, an actor has to put contact lens when he has to weep...His eyes burns and tears roll down. But Narendra Modiji does not need any contact lens for tears to roll down his eyes," Gandhi told a rally at Savarkundla.

At Visavadar, Gandhi referred to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing and said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked, referring to the deal between French firm Dassault Aviation and a company headed by Anil Ambani.

The Congress vice president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi alleged that the prime minister was "avoiding" answering his questions "out to fear" that the "truth" would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Targeting Modi, Gandhi said, "You will see how tears again flow from the eyes of this actor 2-3 days before the elections. He will talk about everything but will not utter a word regarding how much price farmers receive for their produce in Gujarat, loan waiver, or how to convert black money into white".

In an emotional speech post demonetisation, Modi had said that people can hang him if he cannot bring black money back.

In an emotional outreach during canvassing, Modi had recently said that Gujarat is his mother and he her son.

Gandhi said the Gujarat government is run by Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is just the "rubber stamp".

He claimed the NDA government delayed the winter session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue here before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

The Congress vice-president alleged that entire land was given to "5-10 industrialist friends of Modi" in Gujarat but farmers were left high and dry.

He even read out names of the villages during his speech.

"Narendra Modiji will not talk about these things in his speeches. He will only talk about development, but how much farm loan he has waived and how much money he has gifted to 5-10 industrialists...Modiji will not talk about these things," Gandhi said.

He alleged that Modi has reneged on his promise to offer higher MSP to farmers on cotton and groundnut.

"Modi no longer speaks about these things in his speeches," he said.

Gandhi will visit various towns and villages in Amreli, Bhavnagar and Botad districts tomorrow and address a rally on the outskirts of Bhavnagar city in evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Governor Najma Heptulla has said that the national media is not giving "proper place" to Manipur.

The governor said this while interacting with a delegation of Press Council of India(PCI), Press Association, Indian Journalist Union and Editors Guild of India which called on her here last night.

"The national media is not giving proper place to Manipur and the state has been in the news, only for wrong reasons particularly related with natural calamities and bandhs," she told the media delegation.

The media delegation also called on Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh at the state secretariat, an official statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A gunman with a hostage opened fire from the eighth floor of a luxury high-rise condominium in Nevada onto the streets below, authorities said.

No injuries were reported.

The man died yesterday after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Reno police Deputy Chief Tom Robinson told reporters.

It wasn't immediately clear whether he was killed by police gunfire or his own. No one else, including the hostage, was hurt.

The gunman's name has not been released. Robinson described him only as a young adult.

The luxury high-rise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed dozens.

But there were no reported injuries in yesterday's attack as the streets were mostly empty on a cold weeknight.

Stephen Paddock, the man who opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino onto an outdoor concert below killing 58 people, had owned a unit at the Montage. Records show he sold the property in December 2016.

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay," said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighboring Eldorado Resort Casino when the shots rang out.

"It's scary, you know?" Pavicich told the Review-Journal. "This is the same kind of town."



The building was once a casino itself before it was converted into luxury condos, according to its website.

Trooper Chris Kelley of the Nevada Highway Patrol told the Reno Gazette-Journal that shots were heard from the building for at least 20 minutes, and TV reporters said they heard several shots after arriving, though the shots were sporadic, not constant.

Sixty-four-year-old Paddock modified an AR-15 to loose a stream of constant bullets like an automatic weapon in the attack at Las Vegas, which is 724 km south.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MIT engineers have developed a new desktop three-dimensional (3D) printer that performs up to 10 times faster than existing commercial counterparts.

Whereas the most common printers may fabricate a few Lego-sized bricks in one hour, the new design can print similarly sized objects in just a few minutes, researchers said.

The key to the team's nimble design lies in the printer's compact printhead, which incorporates two new, speed- enhancing components: a screw mechanism that feeds polymer material through a nozzle at high force; and a laser, built into the printhead, that rapidly heats and melts the material, enabling it to flow faster through the nozzle.

In the research published in the journal Additive Manufacturing, the team demonstrated its new design by printing various detailed, handheld 3D objects, including small eyeglasses frames, from start to finish, within several minutes.

The new printer demonstrates the potential for 3D printing to become a more viable production technique, said Anastasios John Hart, associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

"If I can get a prototype part, maybe a bracket or a gear, in five to 10 minutes rather than an hour, or a bigger part over my lunch break rather than the next day, I can engineer, build, and test faster," said Hart.

"If I am a repair technician and I could have a fast 3D printer in my vehicle, I could 3D-print a repair part on- demand after I figure out what is broken. I do not have to go to a warehouse and take it out of inventory," Hart said.

The new printer may find "applications in emergency medicine, and for a variety of needs in remote locations. Fast 3D printing creates valuable new ways of working and enables new market opportunities," he said.

Hart and Jamison Go, a former graduate researcher in Hart's lab, set out to identify the underlying causes limiting the speed of the most common desktop 3D printers, which extrude plastic, layer by layer, in a process referred to in the industry as "fused filament fabrication."



"Every year now, hundreds of thousands of desktop printers that use this process are sold around the world," Hart said.

"One of the key limitations to the viability of 3D printing is the speed at which you can print something," said Hart.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cutting across party lines, Punjab legislators today sought curbs on the illegal supply of liquor while the state government assured the Assembly that their concerns would be addressed in a new comprehensive excise policy.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the government was studying the excise policies of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and a new policy for the state will be brought in next year.

On the last day of the winter session of the Punjab Assembly, some of the MLAs even suggested that the sale of liquor should be banned in the state to end the menace of illegal trade.

Legislators expressed concern over the "rampant" illegal sale of liquor when the Punjab Excise (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017, was tabled by state Finance Minister Badal.

With the passage of this Bill, bringing foreign liquor into Punjab in quantities exceeding twelve bottles of 750 ml capacity each would be considered a non-bailable offence in the state.

Moreover, vehicles carrying more than three cases of liquor would be confiscated and would be released during trial only against cash or bank guarantee equivalent to the value of the liquor confiscated thereof, according to the Bill.

Speaking on the proposed legislation, Akali MLA N K Sharma said that some liquor contractors in his area in Zirakpur had opened more shops than they were licensed to, causing loss to the state exchequer.

Aam Aadmi Party MLA and leader of opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded that the private distribution of liquor be contained.

AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu said liquor smuggling was taking place in Punjab due to high rates of liquor here in comparison to other states.

Congress MLA Raja Amarinder Singh Warring said that some liquor shop owners in his area had opened small illegal vends near the area where the poorer people lived to boost sales.

Another Congress MLA Kuljeet Nagra demanded that opening of liquor vends should only be allowed with the consent of gram panchayats and local residents.

Congress MLA Fatehjung Bajwa said that illegal liquor shops opened in villages were causing revenue loss to the state exchequer.

He demanded that liquor sale should be banned in the state.

Finance minister Manpreet Badal lauded members of the House for highlighting issues connected with the illegal liquor trade. He said the Punjab government had already announced reduction in liquor quota by five per cent every year.

"We will come up with a comprehensive excise policy next year that will address the concerns of members," said Badal adding that the state government was already studying the excise policy of Kerala and Tamil Nadu before coming out with its own document.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Farm machinery maker New Holland Agriculture today said its recently launched combine harvester can be used with other implements to address the problem of crop burning.

Attaching straw chopper and Happy Seeder machines to a tractor mounted combine harvester will help use straw for mulching and undertake sowing of new crop easily, it said.

Although these machines are expensive, they are being promoted in some states like Punjab through custom hiring under a central scheme supported with subsidy.

"Our combine harvesters with 130 horse power engine is efficient in managing the crop residue. You can cut the paddy straw from the base of the plant unlike other machines," New Holland Agriculture Group firm CNH Industrial Country Head and Managing Director Gabriele Lucano told reporters here.

The company launched its combine harvester recently and sold 11 units mostly in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. It is priced at Rs 23 lakh a unit, he added.

The second solution offered by the company was mixing straw in the soil post harvesting by using a combination of machines such as Shredo Mulcher, MP Plough and Seed-Drill.

And the third solution is to collect the straw for selling to biomass-based power plants. But for this purpose, farmers will have to use machines such as Rotary slasher followed by Rake and Baler.

"The best solution is using combine harvester along with straw chopper and other machines. If you cut the straw at the base of the plant, much of the problem gets solved," said Manmohan Kalia, Joint Director (Agriculture) with the Punjab government.

For crop residue management, combine harvester with high horse power is required but in the state the machines are with 100 horse power or lower engines. Farmers are not cutting straw at the base level because it costs more, he said.

"We are promoting combine harvesters. As of now, it is being used in about 20-25 per cent of the total paddy area of 30 lakh hectare in Punjab," Kalia said.

About 4.3 million tonnes of straw was managed last year using machines and 5.3 million tonnes is planned this year, he added.

The country generates 540 million tonnes crop residue annually. About 35 million tonnes of paddy straw is burned in Punjab and Haryana alone during winter onset.

New Holland Agriculture is present in India with a manufacturing complex in Greater Noida that also comprises a research and development centre and a training centre for dealers and customers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In June this year, Volkswagen and JAC Motors (JAC), in Berlin, Germany, officially signed an agreement to establish a JV company. Recently, a picture was revealed on the internet that is believed to be the logo of the JV, which adopted "S" shape design and chrome cladding, similar to the logo of SEAT, but the "S" of JAC is complete, while the SEAT one is half-way split. "E-mobility" in the picture indicates that these two companies will work together on new energy products.

JAC and Volkswagen both expressed their will to build an independent and advanced research system, design a new brand and logo, innovate technology cooperation and business model, and develop global market through fully utilizing their resources, so as to secure their comprehensive cooperation on new energy vehicles (NEV), and the development, manufacturing and sales of vehicle parts and components.

Professor Jochem Heizmann, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen China, said, "Volkswagen cooperates with JAC on multiple programs, not only one, but the top priority is SUV undoubtedly." The first all-electric SUV of JAC Volkswagen JV company may integrate the advantageous design and technology of Volkswagen based on JAC iEV6S. In addition, the new SUV will be launched as early as 2018.

The Board of Directors of JV comprises of 8 directors, with Volkswagen and JAC each designating 4 members. Chairman of JV is undertaken by the director appointed by Volkswagen, and Vice Chairman by JAC. The employment and dismissal of General Manager will be decided by the BoD. First Deputy General Manager will be nominated by Volkswagen while decided by the BoD.

The registered capital of the 50-50 JV company is RMB 2 billion, with a contract term of 25 years. The location is in the economic development zone of Hefei, Anhui, covering an area of 461 thousand square meters. The company is estimated to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2018, with an expected annual production capacity of 100 thousand all-electric passenger vehicles.
A man accused of killing eight people in a truck rampage in New York on Halloween pleaded innocent today to murder and other charges.

Sayfullo Saipov was present in court before US District Judge Vernon Broderick but his lawyer David Patton spoke on his behalf.

Saipov, 29 and originally from Uzbekistan, has said he acted in the name of the Islamic State group.

He faced a 22-count indictment that includes charges of murder and provision of material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation.

He appeared in court wearing a dark blue prison uniform. His feet were chained together, but not his hands.

He appeared to have recovered from the shot he took in the abdomen from the police officer who arrested him after the attack.

Saipov allegedly drove a rented pickup truck down a mile-long (1.6-kilometre) stretch of bike path in lower Manhattan, where children and their parents were preparing to celebrate Halloween.

Of the eight people killed, five were friends from Argentina celebrating 30 years since their high school graduation. Twelve other people were hurt.

President Donald Trump has called for Saipov to be executed, but a capital punishment case would be extremely rare in New York, which has abolished the death penalty at the state level.

The October 31 attack was the worst in the US financial capital since the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda plane hijackings that brought down the Twin Towers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency has filed a supplementary charge sheet against three accused in connection with the seizure of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 49.88 lakh at IGI airport here three years ago, the NIA said today.

The agency has charged three Nepalese nationals -- Noor Mohammad, at present living in Dubai, and Abi Mohammad Ansari and Farmullah Ansari (both arrested) for smuggling the fake currency.

"The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) HQ, New Delhi, on April 18, 2014 had recovered 4,988 numbers of fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) of Rs 1,000 denomination having a total face value of Rs. 49.88 lakh from a passenger Ekramul Ansari, resident of East Champaran, Bihar at IGI Airport, New Delhi travelling from Dubai, the UAE to New Delhi," the NIA said in a statement.

The case was handed over to the NIA by the central government.

The NIA had filed the first charge sheet in this case against accused Ekramul Ansari and Sharda Shankar Mahto on January 2, 2015.

After the trial, both the accused persons were convicted by the court on December 9, 2016 and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs. 1000 each, it said.

"A supplementary charge sheet has been filed against accused Noor Mohammad, Abi Mohammad Ansari and Farmullah Ansari...as further investigation has revealed that the FICNs seized in this case were procured and supplied by the accused persons from Dubai, the UAE in pursuance of the criminal conspiracy hatched by all of them," the agency said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today took into custody a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist from his rented house on the outskirts of the city.

A six-member NIA team from Kolkata launched an early morning raid at the location where Akhtar Hussain Khan was staying and arrested him after an hour-long questioning.

"An NIA team from Kolkata arrived here this morning and after raiding a location on the outskirts of the city has taken one person into custody," Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) R P Sharma said.

He said the team might have certain intelligence inputs on the basis of which it acted.

Sharma, however, refused to give any further information while the NIA team was tight-lipped.

"They have taken my father for further questioning to an undisclosed location," Akhtars son Asfaq said, claiming that he had no knowledge about his father having any links with terrorist organisations.

Police sources said the NIA after arresting a suspected LeT terrorist in New Delhi had gathered reports about Akhtar and his alleged links with militant organisations operating mainly from Pakistan.

Akhtar, a native of nearby Salepur block of this district, had reportedly stayed in Dubai and South Arabia for over 12 years. He had come back to Odisha four years ago, his family members said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Benchmark Nifty ended flat after a range-bound session today due to sustained selling at higher levels ahead of the expiry of November derivatives contracts.

Sectoral indices showed a mixed trend, with Nifty Auto, FMCG, Infra, Pharma and Realty indices advancing, while PSU Bank, Media, IT and Metal ended in the red.

Investors also awaited second quarter GDP data and the outcome of OPEC meeting due on Thursday.

Overseas, most European stocks were trading mixed, helped by reports of a Brexit deal between the European Union and the UK.

Asian stocks ended mixed as Chinese equities added to declines as a North Korean missile test overshadowed an overnight surge in US equities.

The NSE Nifty opened higher at 10,376.65 and moved in a range of 10,392.95 and 10,345.90 before ending marginally down by 8.95 points, or 0.09 per cent, at 10,361.30.

It saw an intra-day movement of 47.05 points.

The Nifty mid-cap and small-cap indices slipped by 0.31 and 0.45 percent, respectively.

Sector-wise, Realty rose 0.89 per cent, Pharma 0.36 per cent, Infra 0.30 per cent and FMCG 0.14 per cent.

However, PSU Bank fell 0.93 per cent, followed by media 0.41 per cent, Metal 0.37 per cent, IT 0.33 per cent, Finance Service 0.28 per cent and Bank 0.20 per cent.

Major index losers were Axis Bank, Zee, Asian Paints, Hindalco, Vedanta, HDFC, SBI, TCS, UPL and Eicher Motors.

Gainers included Bosch, Bharti InfraTel, Wipro, Bajaj Auto, Adani Ports, Coal India, Sun Pharma, IOC and L&T.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health, was in favour of losers. On the NSE, 807 shares advanced, 939 declined, while 67 remained unchanged.

Total securities that hit their price bands were 177.

Turnover in the cash segment fell to Rs 28,727.28 crore, from Rs 32,659.59 crore yesterday.

A total of 15,520.36 lakh shares changed hands in 1,03,14,156 trades. The market capitalisation of listed firms on the NSE stood at Rs 1,45,07,122.02 crore.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad today traded barbs, questioning each other's desh bhakti (patriotism).

The war of words was set off following a tweet from Kumar, taking an obvious dig at Prasad in the wake of the Centre recently downgrading the latter's 'Z+' security cover to 'Z' category.

"Jaan, maalaur mall ki chintasabsebadidesh bhakti hai (concern about one's own life and property is the biggest example of patriotism)," Kumar said in the tweet laced with sarcasm.

The JD(U) president's jibe followed a controversy arising out of Prasad's security being downgraded. The RJD leader's elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, even threatened to "skin" Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the "conspiracy".

Not to take Kumar's "desh bhakti" (patriotism) barb lightly, Prasad launched a sharp counter-attack against him by posting a series of messages on Twitter, using certain words which smelt foul.

"Bihar ke 'thesis chor' deshbhaktmukhyamantribataye ki unhone 20 hazaarrupaiya cheque me diya, RTGSkiyaathwa cash me adakiya (the patriotic Bihar CM, accused of stealing a thesis, should tell whether he paid the penalty of Rs 20,000 by cheque, RTGS or cash)," the RJD chief said.

The comment was in reference to a Delhi High Court judgment passed earlier this year, which had dismissed Kumar's plea to delete his name as a defendant from a lawsuit on copyright violation, filed by a former JNU scholar-turned- politician, and imposed a cost of Rs 20,000 on him.

In the lawsuit, the former JNU student had alleged that a book published by the Patna-based Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI), through its Member Secretary Shaibal Gupta, and endorsed by Kumar, was a plagiarised version of his research work.

"Bihar me desh ka eklautaaisaswayamghoshitdeshbhaktmukhyamantrihainjis par jaghanyahatya ka sangeenaarophain. Kya deshkekisiaurmukhyamantri par nirmamhatya ka case auraise case ko chipane ka sahashain (Bihar has the only self-proclaimed patriotic chief minister who is facing a murder charge. Is there any other CM who has been accused of murder and does any other CM have the courage to hide such a case)," he continued in his no holds barred attack.

The comment referred to Kumar's name figuring in a murder case of a Congress leader, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the erstwhile Barh constituency in 1991.

The RJD chief also used his pet "pet meindaant" (teeth in stomach) jibe at Kumar to allege that he was being cunned in another tweet and accused him of being the "murderer of mandate", in a reference to the JD(U) chief walking out of the erstwhile Grand Alliance government in Bihar and joining hands with the BJP.

Prasad has been making sharp comments against Kumar ever since the collapse of the Grand Alliance government, comprising the JD(U), RJD and Congress, in July.

Kumar subsequently joined hands with the BJP to form a coalition government in the state.

With power slipping out of the hands of the RJD, Prasad and his two sons  Tej Pratap and Tejashwi  have not been sparing any opportunity to hit out at Kumar.

The JD(U) chief's tweet on Prasad also drew a reaction from the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav.

"There are so many things that the chief minister ought to be concerned about. A police personnel was killed by liquor smugglers in Samastipur two days ago. Journalists are being attacked. MLAs are getting extortion calls. One of our party workers has been threatened over the phone by a spokesman of the ruling Janata Dal (United)," he told reporters outside the state Legislative Assembly.

He also claimed that the JD(U) and the BJP had hatched a "conspiracy" against him by lodging graft cases as an excuse to join hands to form the government in the state.
North Korea's latest missile test on is a "provocative action" that will lead to further tensions, the Kremlin said, appealing for calm on all sides.

"Undoubtedly, another missile launch is a provocative action that provokes a further increase of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We condemn this launch and hope that all relevant sides remain calm, which is necessary to keep the situation on the Korean peninsula from following the worst scenario," he said.

Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday snapped a two-months pause in testing and was, according to North Korea's state media, more sophisticated than any previously tested.

It was the North's third successful ICBM test and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability "won't happen."



Russia and China have pushed for a road map to end the tensions over North Korea's weapons development, which would involve the US freezing its military drills in South Korea while Pyongyang would halt its programme.

The Kremlin on Wednesday admitted there was no political solution on the horizon.

"So far there are no occasions for significant optimism," Peskov said when asked whether Russia was discussing the road map with North Korea.
North Korea said it would make an "important announcement" today, South Korea's Yonhap agency reported, after Pyongyang staged its first missile launch in more than two months.

Pyongyang's state-run radio station said the announcement would be made at 0330 GMT without providing details, Yonhap said.

The nuclear-armed North test-fired Wednesday morning a missile that could bring the entire continental United States within range, according to the South Korean and US governments.

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The Odisha government today claimed that no farmer in the state committed suicide due to agriculture-related issues though 18 such allegations were made during 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Odisha Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Minister Damodar Rout said the state government had received information about 11 farmer suicides in 2016-17 and seven in 2017-18.

"No farmer has committed suicide due to agriculture- related problems as per information received by our department," he said in the Assembly while replying to a written question of Congress member Bhujabal Majhi.

Rout said all 18 cases were jointly probed by the district collector and superintendent of police of the districts concerned.

"The state government has taken a number of measures to prevent farmer suicides," the minister said.

The opposition Congress and BJP, however, rejected the state government's claim and termed the minister's statement "unfortunate". They alleged a number of farmers had committed suicide due to crop loss and loan burden in the state.

"We demand a judicial inquiry into all farmer suicides. It is unfortunate that the state government has been denying agriculture issues were not a reason behind them," said BJP MLA Pradip Purohit.

Congress Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati said: "It is a shame that the state government does not attribute farmer suicides to agricultural issues.

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North Korea fired a ballistic missile today that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoking angry reactions from the US with its Defence Secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach "anywhere in the world".

After a lull of two months, Pyongyang has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which "went higher than any previous shot taken," as per Mattis.

The ICBM was believed to have harmlessly landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the latest missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. US and South Korea also reacted in similar fashion and asked for an emergency UNSC session, which, according to a media release, will be held today around 4:30 pm EST.

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters.

The provocative action comes just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on North Korea and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

US President Donald Trump, who according to the White House, "was briefed, while missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea", exuded confidence that the situation would be handled.

"A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. But let me tell you that we will take care of it. We have General Mattis in the room with us and we will have a long discussion on it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters.

The US Department of Defence detected and tracked a North Korea missile launch today at about 1:17 pm EDT.Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon Spokesman Col Rob Manning said in a statement.

"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's EEZ," Manning said.

Trump said he wants the military to be funded now.

"Nothing changed.Nothing changed.We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed.We take it very seriously," he said in response to a question.

Mattis, also briefly spoke with the media.

"A little over 2.5 hours ago North Korea launched an ICBM. It went higher than any previous shot taken," he said.

"Their Research and Development effort... on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...In response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," Mattis said.

"Bottom line is continued effort to build a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly the US," he told reporters.

In New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held today around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its WMD programs.All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

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The Supreme Court today pulled up the Assam government for making a "sweeping statement" that 15 per cent of the state population were tribals who have not participated in modernisation and were away from the mainstream.

The top court said it was a "dangerous statement" on the state's behalf and was neither good for the health of the people, nor the government as 15 per cent population was a huge chunk.

"You are making a sweeping statement. You are the state. How can you say so? You are making dangerous statement that 15 per cent population is tribal and they are not in the mainstream," a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman said.

The court's observation came after Assam's counsel referred to this issue and said the government was trying to make them come forward in the ongoing process of updation and publication of draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

"This is not the way to do it. From where you are making these statements. These kind of sweeping statements are not good for the health of the people and health of the state. 15 per cent is a huge chunk. If you say 15 per cent population is not in the mainstream, we will ask what have you done in this regard as a state," the bench said.

The NRC of 1951 is being updated for Assam in accordance with the tripartite agreement between the state and central governments and the All Assam Students Union (AASU), which was arrived at in 2005 to implement the 1985 Assam Accord.

The apex court was earlier told that as on November 22, a total of 3.29 crore claims have been made for inclusion in the NRC, which is being prepared to identify illegal migrants.

During the hearing, when Assam's counsel told the court they would file an affidavit on the issue of tribals, the bench shot back, "When? We are finishing the matter".

Meanwhile, the apex court reserved its order on the pleas, including those which have sought some clarifications on the issue of who the original inhabitants of state were.

According to the provisions of a clause of Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, "the names of persons who are originally inhabitants of the state of Assam and their children and descendants, who are citizens of India, shall be included in the consolidated list if the citizenship of such persons is ascertained beyond reasonable doubt and to the satisfaction of the registering authority".

During the day's hearing, Attorney General K K Venugopal, representing the Centre, said the entire exercise of updation and publication of draft NRC in Assam was being carried out to identify the illegal migrants.

He said the tribals were not a "highly educated class" but were entitled to be registered in the Assam NRC.

Venugopal said that the term 'originally inhabitants' was required, otherwise all citizens of India would be eligible for NRC registration in Assam.

When some of the petitioners raised the issue of original or originally inhabitants of the state, the bench said it was monitoring an exercise which could have far-reaching consequences on a large number of people.

The court observed that once a person was included in NRC list, it would not reflect in the record as to whether he or she was originally inhabitant or not.

The bench also asked NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela about what was going on the ground in the entire process.

The Attorney General had yesterday told another bench of the apex court, which was hearing a case relating to fixing of accountability for damage to life and property during protests, that the process of publication of NRC could cause unrest in Assam as lakhs of people may lose their citizenship in the exercise.

The apex court had earlier said that a certificate of residency issued by the gram panchayat was not a document of citizenship and was "meaningless" unless supported by some other valid record to make a claim for inclusion in NRC.

It had said it would pass orders on whether the Gauhati High Court was right in invalidating the document for making a claim in the NRC or whether further opportunity needs to be given to the people to establish their claims of citizenship.

A batch of pleas were filed in the top court challenging the Gauhati high court's order holding that a certificate of residency issued by Gram Panchayat (village council) secretary was not a legal and valid document for claim to citizenship.

The draft NRC is required to be published on or before December 31.

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The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's plea challenging the maintenance proceedings involving his estranged wife in a family court here.

Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said she would pass an order on Abdullah's plea which has claimed that the petition moved by his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, and their two sons seeking maintenance from him, was not maintainable.

Payal's counsel vehemently opposed Omar's plea and said the National Conference leader's wife has been deserted for over a year and left to beg to pay the fees of their two sons.

During the hearing, Omar's lawyer argued before the high court that Payal had her own business and a house in the national capital and therefore she has to first establish that she cannot maintain herself to be entitled for the relief.

The lawyer also contended that their two sons were adults now and therefore, they too cannot seek maintenance.

In his plea, Omar has sought directions to the family court here to first decide the maintainability of Payal's plea before it decided on the issue of interim maintenance.

He has also challenged the family court's September 9, 2016 order issuing summons to him in the maintenance case.

The next date of hearing before the family court is December 9, the lawyers told the high court.

On August 30 last year, a trial court had dismissed Omar's plea seeking divorce from Payal, saying he had failed to prove irretrievable breakdown of their marriage.

His appeal in the high court against the trial court decision is still pending.

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Onion prices, retailing at Rs 80/kg, will soon start coming down with the arrival of fresh crop from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today.

Although the kharif output is likely to be lower this year, the government is taking concrete steps to boost supplies and curb further rise in prices, he said.

Besides imports, the availability of onions is being improved in the country through direct sourcing of the crop from farmers for distribution in consuming areas, he added.

"We have requested Maharashtra government to procure 10,000 tonnes on behalf of the Government of India for distribution in Delhi and other cities," Paswan told reporters after reviewing the situation arising from high onion and tomato prices.

He said tomato prices will also start easing as supplies increase. Tomatoes are retailing at Rs 60-70/kg.

Paswan further said that the Delhi government has been told to consider Nafed's proposal to procure onions for distribution through ration shops in the capital.

Price rise in onions is a matter of concern, he said, adding that the central government is monitoring rates on a daily basis and even the Delhi government has formed an enforcement team for the same, he added.

Asked by when the prices will come down, Paswan said: "We have seen some price correction in wholesale rates at Lasalgoan in Maharashtra", Asia's biggest market for onions.

graph

"There will be further price correction once the arrival is in full swing from these two states in Delhi mandis," he said, adding that prices are driven by supply-demand fundamentals and his ministry has limited role to play.

However to boost local supply, Paswan said Nafed and SFAC have been asked to source 12,000 tonnes of onion locally from producing states and distribute in consuming areas. Nafed has already procured 1,000 tonnes so far.

State-owned MMTC has already floated a tender for import of 2,000 tonnes of onions.

The imposition of USD 850 per tonne minimum export price on onion has brought down daily outbound shipments to 137 tonnes on November 18 from 4,150 tonnes on November 13 of this year, he said.

Also, the stock limit on holding onion stock on traders has been extended till December-end to curb hoarding.

Paswan also shared that total area sown to onions during the kharif season of this year has been lower at 1.90 lakh hectare from 2.36 lakh hectare a year ago, indicating likely drop in the output.
The Madras High Court today directed authorities to permit only 2,500 devotees atop the Annamalai Hill in Thiruvannamalai during the December 2 Karthigai Deepam festival.

Justice K Ravichandrabaabu said passes for the devotees will be distributed at special counters on first come first serve basis from 6am on Saturday.

The judge passed a direction to this effect on a petition filed by devotees assailing the district collectors decision not to permit any devotee to climb atop the holy hill this year.

Justice Ravichandrabaabu commended advocate-general Vijay Narayan for coming out with a suggestion to allow 2,000 devotees and then revising the number to 2,500.

It, however, laid down conditions for pass holders undertaking the uphill trek during the festival.

One of the conditions was that they should not light the deepam in any place atop the hill, except pouring the ghee at the designated Kopparai where the Karthigai deepam is lit.

The devotees should not carry camphor, crackers and other inflammable materials.

The 2,500 passes will not include VIP passes, the judge said, adding that the district administration should open special counters to distribute them to devotees who must come in queue.

The judge directed the district administration to deploy adequate number of police personnel atop the hill to see that no untoward incident took place during the festival,



Suitable arrangements must be made without giving room for any complaint from any quarters, the judge added.

The devotees took exception to the collectors order that no devotee would be allowed to climb the hill during the Deepam festival, because previous festivals had seen loss of lives, accumulation of garbage and spoiling of flora and fauna, thereby causing pollution and threat to ecology.

In the petition, the devotees said the centuries-old practice of climbing the holy hill to light the Deepam should not be curtailed all of a sudden, that to without getting the views and opinions of devotees and general public.

Justice Ravichandrabaabu pointed out that sentiments of devotees and threat to environment were at loggerheads and the court needed to decide the issue with great care and caution.

The judge praised the advocate-general for having come up with a solution.

"The fair, impartial and balanced role played by the advocate-general is deeply appreciated and recorded," the judge added.

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Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Padmavati' is an "insult" to Indian women and an "attempt to assassin" their character by showing them in poor light, a RSS affiliate said today.

"These days filmmakers want to make money at any cost even by distorting historical facts and tempering the national pride," national general secretary of RSS affiliate Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY) Balmukund Pandey said.

Pandey was speaking at a conference on 'Rani Padmavati' here organised by the ABISY, which works in the fields related to India's ancient history and culture.

"Rani Padmavati is a very respected figure in Indian history. This film is not only an insult to her but also to Indian women and is an attempt to assassin their character," he said.

Taking on Bhansali, Pandey said the issue would not be resolved by showing the movie to a select few people, it is a matter of national pride.

The makers of the film, which features Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles, have deferred its release from December 1.

Many Rajput groups have been up in arms against the film, alleging that it distorts history by featuring a romantic dream sequence between Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji, a claim repeatedly denied by Bhansali.

A number of organisations, especially Karni Sena, have been opposing the release of the period drama claiming that it has portrayed the Rajput queen in bad light.

BJP-ruled states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have expressed reservations about releasing the film.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has said his government will not allow 'Padmavati' to be screened in the state as it hurts the sentiments of the Rajput community.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will travel to Russia tomorrow to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a security grouping increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO.

Abbasi was invited by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to attend the 16th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the SCO from November 30 to December 1 in Sochi, Russia, the Foreign Office said in a statement here.

This is the first SCO Heads of Government meeting that Pakistan will participate in after assumption of full membership in June this year, the statement said.

The meeting is mandated to focus on the strategy, prospects and priorities for SCOs developmental cooperation.

The SCO now comprises eight member states: Pakistan, India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It has four observer states: Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia and six dialogue partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

SCO's objectives include building mutual trust, equality, respect for cultural diversity and good-neighborly relations.

It aims to promote effective cooperation in the areas of political, security, trade, economy and social sectors. SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) contributes towards regional peace, security and stability.

Prime Minister Abbasi will also participate in the SCO Retreat being hosted by the Russian prime minister with his other SCO counterparts. The Retreat will be followed by a Plenary Session of the Council of Heads of Government where Abbasi will deliver a statement.

At the plenary, Abbasi will outline Pakistans commitment to SCOs objectives including fighting terrorism and extremism and its sincere interest in regional peace, stability and development.

Abbasi will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

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Pakistan's Communications Minister Hafiz Abdul Karim has an Iqama (work permit) to work as a driver in Bahrain, according to a media report.

Karim, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is the third minister after Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal to have an Iqama (permit to work abroad), the Express Tribune reported.

"It (Iqama) allows the MNA from NA-172 Dera Ghazi Khan to work as a driver in the Kingdom," the paper said, showing a copy of the permit.

The minister is already facing a National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) Multan chapter probe in a fake degrees case.

Degrees awarded to around 1,500 students in Karim's native town, following a four-year-long university programme, turned out to be fake.

The "fake degrees" were handed over to them by Governor Punjab Rafique Rajwana at an official convocation ceremony.

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The Palestinian cause holds "top priority" for his county, Saudi Arabia's envoy to India today said, amid a buzz of covert talks between the Gulf Kingdom and Israel over Iran.

Saud Mohammed Alsati, the envoy, said the international community needs to deal firmly with Israel to compel it to stop occupying Palestinian territories in violation of international laws.

He was speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs on the occasion of the 'International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People' in the presence of Palestinian envoy to India Adnan Abu Alhaijaa.

"I would like to point out that the Palestinian issue has been a top priority for my country. Saudi Arabia strongly supports Palestine's right to self determination, right to own state on own land and right to return," Alsati said.

Alhaija said it was the United Nation's responsibility to the resolve the question of Palestine and called for concrete coordinated action among countries in hammering out a lasting solution.

"For decades, India have supported Palestine by all means," Alhaija said.

Alsati also lauded India's "traditional support" to the Palestinian cause and hoped it would continue.

The Saudi envoy said the occasion was a reminder of the inability of the international community to find a solution to this long-standing conflict and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their "inalienable right to self- determination, national independence and sovereignty".

According to international media reports, Israel has had secret contacts with Saudi Arabia amid mutual concerns over Iran, which both the countries view as a common foe in the Middle East.

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Indian education system has been awarding degrees but applied knowledge is missing among people, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here today.

He observed that universities which follow the path of innovation would survive in future.

"I think our entire society for around 5,000 years is based only on knowledge, and whenever we have stopped passing knowledge to other generations, we have faced a lot of hardships," Fadnavis said while addressing a gathering here after inaugurating 'Maitreyi', a new hostel building for girl students of Somaiya Vidyavihar.

Housing Minister Prakash Mehta and Shiv Sena MP Sadashiv Lokhande attended the event.

"Today, we are consuming without thinking about conserving. And after all the consumption, we have destroyed our ecosystem. We have realised that after all the talks about climate change, it is time when we start conserving and minimise and optimise our consuming," he said.

"If you look at the Indian education system, it has been awarding degrees, people are graduating but applied knowledge is missing," he said.

Knowledge is not only something which we find in books, it is something which we practice on the ground, he said.

"I feel only those universities which follow the route of innovation would survive," he added.

Built at a cost of of Rs 30 crore by Somaiya Vidyavihar in its Vidyavihar Campus in Mumbai, the hostel has a capacity to accommodate about 300 students.

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PHOENIX -- Wondering what to get that special wine lover for Christmas?

How about a corkscrew?

Or several hundred of them?

Turns out the state of Arizona auctions them off at pretty regular intervals. And if the most recent sale is any indication, you can get them at rock-bottom prices.

One bucket of 7.5 pounds of the gadgets sold for $26, while another went for a mere $12.50.

So how, you might ask, does state government come into possession of so many wine-opening devices?

Blame negligent travelers.

Turns out the state has a deal with the Transportation Security Administration. You know, the people who staff the checkpoints at airports.

Well, it seems that Arizonans--perhaps fearing they'll be caught unable to open a bottle of wine while on vacation--tend to put them in their pockets, purses and carry-on luggage. And if the device has a small blade to cut through the foil, that's a strict no-no.

So TSA collects them.

Megan Rose, spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration, said the TSA will hold anything seized or left for some period of time. What's not picked up ends up going to the state.

And apparently, there are a lot of wine lovers out there.

"We get approximately 20-plus pounds of corkscrews a month,'' Rose told Capitol Media Services. Once a month they are put into batches and become part of the regular auction of surplus property.

But it's not just corkscrews.

The state also ends up with a whole bunch of pocket knives, both Swiss army style -- complete with corkscrew -- and regular. Rose figures her agency gets about 200 pounds of those every four to six weeks.

And the auction includes other items that TSA collects from passengers.

"We also have a ton of tools,'' she said, "wrenches, hammers screwdrivers. Its crazy what people try to bring on a plane.''

In fact, Rose said, the least surprising things are those corkscrews "because people probably take them from hotels.''

"But hammers?'' she added.

And don't be sad about missing the last sale, just before Thanksgiving.

The state has another batch of goodies up for grabs this coming Wednesday. You can show up in person at 1537 W. Jackson St. in Phoenix any day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and up to 3 p.m. on auction day.

Or you can just bid online.

The current auction list is at "http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/arizona,az/list/current?orgid=65113."

While there are no corkscrews in this particular batch, you can put in your offer for one of two 7.5-pound batches of Swiss army knives. You know, the ones with corkscrews built in.

The most recent bid for one batch was $42, with $36 bid for the other.

Other available items include used LG brand smartphones, which the state has decided it no longer needs. And if you want to go big, there's another online auction on Thursday, complete with geotrackers and a Caterpillar road grader.

If you cant make it to any of the sales above, have no fear because many more online auctions are in the works.
India on Wednesday launched Mirinda Joosy, a fizzy drink containing orange fruit juice sourced from Indian farmers.

The introduction of Mirinda Joosy marks another milestone in India's journey of enhancing its sourcing of fruit pulp from India. It contains orange fruit juice sourced from Indian farmers, India said in a statement.

The new product is a portfolio expansion of the company's popular fruit flavoured beverage brand Mirinda, which is one of the eight brands with annual sales of Rs 1,000 crore, it added.

"The launch of Mirinda Joosy is a reiteration of PepsiCo India's commitment to partnering the government's effort of catalysing the carbonated fruit drinks category to benefit Indian farmers by adding 5 per cent natural juice to carbonated beverages," it added.

Mirinda Joosy will be available in Tamil Nadu and is priced at Rs 35 per 500ml bottle, it said.

PepsiCo India has partnered with the Maharashtra government for de an eloping citrus ecosystem in the state.

This includes investments in a citrus facility in Nanded, as well as partnering with citrus farmers to improve their productivity through various agri interventions, the statement added.
Senior batsman Thisara Perera today replaced Upul Tharanga as Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain, a change that will come into effect with the upcoming three-match ODI series against India and the subsequent T20 Internationals.

Perera has played 125 ODIs since his debut in December 2009, with a very impressive strike-rate of 109 but an average of only 17.

As a bowler, he has taken 133 wickets at 32.62 apiece.

His form in the recent series, though, has come under some scrutiny. Perera made only 91 runs - at 18.20 - and picked up only four wickets in the ODIs against Pakistan and followed that with 19 runs and three wickets across three T20Is.

The 28-year-old will take over from opening batsman Tharanga under whose captaincy Sri Lanka suffered three 5-0 whitewashes this year.

Tharanga, 32, was skipper when Sri Lanka lost the series to India, South Africa and Pakistan this year without winning a game.

Having led Sri Lanka against Pakistan when they played in the United Arab Emirates, Tharanga and other senior team members refused to travel to Lahore for the Pakistan leg of the T20 series.

Besides the team's poor record under him, Tharanga also got into trouble twice due to slow over rates and was suspended.

The three One-dayers against India are scheduled to be held on December 10 in Dharamsala, December 13 in Chandigarh and December 17 in Visakhapatnam.

The T20 internationals are slated for December 20, December 22 and December 24 in Cuttack, Indore and Mumbai respectively.

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The Philippine military says 14 communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops south of the capital days after President Rodrigo Duterte officially terminated peace talks with insurgents and warned of a violent crackdown.

Capt Melchor Durante, an army spokesman, said today two other rebels wounded in the clash in Nasugbu town, around 70 km south of Manila, were evacuated to a hospital.

The rebels' death toll in last night's encounter is the biggest in recent months. Five soldiers suffered minor injuries.

The communist rebellion in the Philippines has raged for 48 years, making it one of Asia's longest. Peace negotiations between the insurgents and Duterte's administration were earlier suspended due to sporadic clashes, and formally terminated by the government on November 23.

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The Congress today raised objections over a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad, accusing him of violating protocol.

Congress spokesperson Deepinder Hooda told reporters if the prime minister wanted to host Trump, he could have done so privately at Delhi, where she could have flown in.

"The prime minister broke all traditions and hosted a dinner for Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad. When she is being taken care of more than a head of state, then there is bound to be praise," he alleged.

"Eager for praise and impatient for a photo-opportunity, the prime minister reached Hyderabad to host a dinner for her. When the prime minister made such a beginning, then it is her prerogative," Hooda alleged.

He claimed that when the prime minister himself was hosting a dinner for Trump, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj might have been wondering about what she was doing in Hyderabad.

He said the country had dignity and self-respect and Trump should have met the prime minister in Delhi instead of him going to Hyderbad.

The Congress leader said though India welcomed her, but Trump was not the head of state.

"Thus, the entire process raises questions," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid today said that all police stations in the Kashmir region would soon get bullet-proof vehicles, jackets and headgear.

He was speaking at the attestation-cum-passing-out parade of 947 recruit constables of 25th Best Recruit Constables batch at the Police Training School, around 80 km from here.

The parade was reviewed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

"Bullet-proof vehicles, jackets and 'Patkas' (headgear) would be provided to all police stations in the valley shortly," the DGP said.

"With your (Mufti)intervention, the Union Home Ministry has also agreed to provide safe housing to police personnel. A proposal was sent yesterday and we are hopeful of getting the nod soon so that our officers and personnel are provided with safe housing," Vaid said.

The DGP said that the state government had enhanced the ex gratia relief for families of those killed in the line of duty.

"Earlier, a martyr's family used to get Rs 27 lakh now they will get Rs 43 lakh. I have heard that the Centre has also raised the relief money from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, and if implemented, a martyr's family will get Rs 70 lakh, the same as Central Armed Police Forces," he said.

The DGP said that increasing the selection-grade constable quota from 25 to 50 per cent by the state government has opened avenues of promotion for the jawans.

"A similar proposal for head constable to the inspector- level is before the government and we are hopeful of a positive response soon," he said.

Congratulating the recruit constables, the DGP said that this was a very qualified and talented batch, which had been trained in arms handling, crime investigation, counter- insurgency, search operations among others.

He said that among the 947 recruit constables, a majority of them got directed recruitment on merit basis and 147 special police officers became constables.

Vaid said that he had directed district police chiefs and station house officers to constitute police-community partnership groups.

He announced that a health insurance policy was forwarded to the government for its sanction, while MoUs were signed with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for 15 per cent rebate for police personnel and their families at its hospital and the Jammu and Kashmir Bank to treat personnel as preferred customers and provided Rs 20 lakh loan without any collateral.

Several recruit constables were awared by Mufti for their performance.

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Professor Gurmeet Singh today assumed office as the Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University, a central institution here.

Singh is the seventh Vice-Chancellor of the university, a press release said.

He was with the Department of Chemistry in Delhi University prior to this appointment.

The university did not have a full-fledged Vice-Chancellor for nearly two years and Anisa Basheer Khan, a senior faculty was the acting VC.

Union HRD Ministry last week issued a notification appointing Singh as the new VC.

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Pope Francis urged Myanmar's long- suffering ethnic minorities to resist the temptation to exact revenge for the hurt they have endured, preaching a message of forgiveness today to a huge crowd in his first public Mass in the predominantly Buddhist nation.

Local authorities estimated that about 150,000 people turned out at Yangon's Kyaikkasan Ground park for the Mass, but the crowd seemed far larger and included faithful bearing flags from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, among other places.

Francis has said his aim in coming to Myanmar is to minister to its Catholic community, which numbers around 660,000, or just over 1 percent of the population of about 52 million.

His trip has been overshadowed, though, by Myanmar's military operations targeting the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state. The crackdown, which has been described by the UN as a campaign of "textbook ethnic cleansing," has drawn international condemnation.

In his first public comments yesterday, Francis told Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other government authorities that the country's future lay in respecting the rights of all its people, "none excluded", but he refrained from mentioning the Rohingya by name.

The violence, including the looting and burning of Rohingya villages in Rakhine, has resulted in more than 620,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh in Asia's worst refugee crisis in decades.

In his homily today, Francis referred to the suffering that Myanmar's ethnic and religious groups have endured, a reference to the decades of conflicts between Myanmar's ethnic minorities who seek greater autonomy and the military that continue today in parts of the country.

"I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible," Francis told the crowd in Italian that was translated into Burmese. Although he said the temptation is to respond with revenge, he urged a response of "forgiveness and compassion."



"The way of revenge is not the way of Jesus," he said, speaking from an altar erected on a traditional Buddhist-style stage.

Suu Kyi's civilian government, which came to power in 2015 after decades of military rule, has been negotiating with 17 of Myanmar's 20 major ethnic groups that have staged decades of insurgencies against the central government.

The conflicts involving the Karen, Kachin, Sha and Wa, who are 40 per cent of the country's population, have claimed thousands of lives.

The Catholic Church has strongly backed the Suu Kyi government's efforts to negotiate a peace, and a prayer read out in the Karen language during the Mass referred directly to the initiative.

"For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to the conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine and Shan, we pray to the Lord," read the prayer.

Before Mass, Francis looped around the park in his open- sided popemobile, waving to the flag-waving crowds that continued to pour in as the service began.

Local government officials and senior members of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party were on hand, as were members of Myanmar's mostly Christian Kachin minority, many of whom traveled two days by train from Kachin state to see the first pope ever to visit Myanmar.

Despite the high humidity, the scene at the park was joyous and pious, with many women covering their heads with lace veils.

"I can't express how happy I am," said Henery Thaw Zin, a 57-year-old ethnic Karen from Hinthada, a four-hour drive from Yangon. "I can't imagine, or can't expect to get a chance like this again, not just in this life, but in my next life as well."



One group of 50 Catholics, dressed in traditional Vietnamese garb and conical straw hats, came from Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam, for the Mass. "I hope one day soon the pope will visit my country," said Nguyen Thi Hahn.

Myanmar's first-ever cardinal, Charles Bo, told Francis that his visit had changed Catholics in Myanmar forever.

"A miracle has been enacted today," Bo said at the end of Mass. "Thank you. And this little flock prays for you."



Later today, in a meeting with Myanmar's senior Buddhist monks, Francis called for religious leaders to speak with one voice affirming their commitment to peace and respect for justice and dignity for all people.

"If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred," Francis told the Sangha council, a committee of high-ranking monks appointed by the government.

Citing the teachings of both Buddha and his namesake, St Francis of Assisi, Francis said: "May that wisdom continue to foster patience and understanding and heal the wounds of conflict that through the years have divided people of different cultures, ethnicities and religious convictions."



The head of the council, Bhamo Sayadaw, lamented how some people use religion for "extremism and terrorism," saying such interpretations were wrong since religion is meant to inspire the common good.

"The original teachings and beliefs that we have from our religions have been used by people's greed and ego," he said.

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The "moral authority" of Pope Francis is undiminished despite his failure to address the Rohingya crisis head-on during a visit to Myanmar, the Vatican said late today, defending a papal trip framed by the plight of the Muslim minority.

The UN and US say the Rohingya are victims of an ethnic cleansing campaign by Myanmar's military that has sent 620,000 of them fleeing into Bangladesh since late August.

Francis has previously spoken out strongly in defence of the Muslim group, calling them his "brothers and sisters" and rights groups had urged him to publically confront Myanmar on its treatment of the minority.

In a vigorous defence of the visit -- the first ever by a pope to Myanmar's tiny Catholic minority -- a Vatican spokesman said papal diplomacy had its limits.

"People are not expected to solve impossible problems and the moral authority of the pope stands," Vatican spokesman Greg Burke told reporters at the tail end of a four-day trip to Myanmar.

"I'm very happy that people think the pope is all powerful but he's not."



His visit has been as much political as religious in a country on the defensive after global outrage over the plight of the Rohingya.

Myanmar's Catholic church had urged the pope not to stray into the incendiary issue of the Rohingya, whose very name is unacceptable in a Buddhist-majority where they are denigrated as illegal "Bengali" immigrants.

But "that doesn't take away anything that the pope has said in the past nor what the pope can say in private," Burke added.

The pope has met in private civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar's powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing -- an appointment, the Vatican said, was requested at the last- minute by the army.

Earlier today, Francis called on Myanmar's top Buddhist monks to conquer "prejudice and hatred" in a country ravaged by communal divisions.

"If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred," the pope told the orange-robed monks of Myanmar's highest Buddhist body, called the Sangha Maha Nayka.

Radical monks have played a key role in fanning Islamophobia in Myanmar and hardening attitudes towards the Rohingya.

In recent months the Sangha has moved to rein them in, especially in banning sermons by Wirathu -- a monk whose vitriolic rants were widely disseminated via social media.

Myanmar's Catholic community numbers around 700,000 -- a tiny fraction of the country's 51 million people.

For them the centrepiece of the papal trip was an open- air mass on Wednesday morning in which he delivered a message of forgiveness before a sea of Catholics in Yangon.

Many wore colourful costumes from the country's myriad ethnic groups.

"I never dreamed I would see him in my lifetime," said Meo, an 81-year-old from the Akha minority in Shan state.

A choir of Myanmar nuns sang in Latin, accompanied by organ music, as Francis delivered a homily urging compassion -- opening his speech with "minglabar", Burmese for "hello".

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Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan today dedicated 1,073-km long Paradip-Raipur-Ranchi petroleum products pipeline to the nation during an event held in Chhattisgarh's Korba district today.

On the occasion, Pradhan and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also dedicated the newly set-up oil terminals of Indian Oil Corp (IOCL) in Korba and Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Jharsuguda and Jatni (Odisha) and also laid the foundation stone of a LPG bottling plant in Korba, an official here said.

The event was held in Gopalpur village of Korba, located around 200 kms away from here.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister hailed the pipeline project, while referring to its contribution to the success of the economic development plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.

He also said the new facility will further strengthen storage and distribution of petroleum products in Chhattisgarh.

The Paradip-Raipur-Ranchi petroleum products pipeline will feed five terminals at Jatni, Jharsuguda, Korba, Raipur and Ranchi, covering 57 districts across three states.

"This pipeline will trigger industrial and economic growth in the region," the Union minister said.

The underground pipeline has been laid for the supply of petrol and diesel.

"In this line, the underground pipeline network is being laid for the supply of petroleum products to different states," Pradhan said, adding that "this will be the safest, reliable and eco-friendly mode of transportation of petroleum products".

The government's priority is to ensure the availability of petroleum products to people in an easy way, he added.

An ultra-modern oil refinery was inaugurated in Paradip of Odisha two years back.

"Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh are mineral rich states and the underground pipeline project will give a new direction to the development of this region," Pradhan said.

As per an official statement, the Rs 219 crore Korba Terminal, developed on 244 acres of land at Gopalpur village, with a storage capacity of 55,600 kilo litre, is the biggest oil terminal in Chhattisgarh.

"Itwill cater to the supply of petroleum products to 240 retail outlets and 50 bulk consumers in 10 districts of Chhattisgarh. The terminal will receive round the year supplies through Paradip-Ranchi-Raipur Pipeline," it added.

On the occasion, Raman Singh thanked Petroleum and Gas Ministry for its continued support in making petroleum products reach the people of the state.

He also stated the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana is a big success in making kitchens smoke free.

Korba Lok Sabha MP Banshilal Mahato, state minister and various officials were present during the programme.

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A man was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of attempted homicide in Williams on Tuesday after firing his weapon at law enforcement.

Jowel Gutierrez, 35, of Williams, fired multiple rounds at Williams police officers after he barricaded himself inside an upstairs room on First Street, police said. Law enforcement was initially called to the scene because Gutierrez was making suicidal comments, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The fired rounds hit a patrol car and a nearby house but no officers or citizens were struck. Officers did not return fire. Residents were briefly evacuated from the area as the incident unfolded.

A Williams Police sergeant convinced Gutierrez to surrender, according to the Williams Police Department. He is currently being held at Coconino County Detention Facility.

DPS is conducting an investigation of the incident.
President Ram Nath Kovind today visited Jorasanko Thakurbari, Netaji Bhavan and the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission at Belur Math on the last day of his two-day maiden official visit to West Bengal.

At the Jorasanko Thakurbari, the ancestral home of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore where he was born and breathed his last, Kovind paid floral tributes to the bard, visited the different rooms associated with him and housed objects used by him.

He also visited 'Bichitra' and 'China' galleries at the museum there and saw the photographs on Tagore on display.

Kovind was accompanied by the West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury.

Kovind later described his visit to Jorasanko Thakurbari as a "great experience" for him.

The President also visited Netaji Bhawan, the ancestral house of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose which also houses the Netaji Research Bureau.

Accompanied by the governor, he took a round visiting the museum there, Netajis bedroom and study room and also signed the visitors book.

Three book, including two by Sugata Bose, Netaji's grand nephew and TMC MP were presented to him. Krishna Bose, former MP and chairperson of Netaji Research Bureau welcomed him.

Kovind later visited the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission at Belur Math near here to pay respect to Swami Vivekananda.

There he visited Swami Vivekanandas room, temples of Swamiji and Maa Sarada and also the prayer hall.

Kovind also had a meeting with the president of Ramakrishna Math and Mission Swami Smaranandaji Maharaj prior to his departure from Kolkata for Mizoram.

The President was presented with some of the latest publications of the Mission, said Swami Subeeranandaji, the general secretary of the organisation.

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Days after the announcement of the schedule for Congress President's election, the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) today extended support to Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for the top post.

At a meeting of the PPCC here, a resolution to this effect, moved by PWD Minister and PCC president A Namassivayam, was adopted unanimously, a party release said.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, Ministers, party MLAs and PCC members were present.

The meeting appealed to all the state-levelunits of the party in the country to back Gandhi's elevation to pilot the party as its president, the release said.

The Congress Working Committee on November 20 announced the schedule for the election of party president as Gandhi looked set to take over the reins of the party from his mother Sonia Gandhi on December 5.

Party sources have said Rahul Gandhi is likely to be the sole candidate in the fray and is "deemed to be the next party chief on December 5.

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Rajasthan's Higher Education Department has directed government colleges to organise essay and extempore speech competitions on the flagship schemes of the state government to celebrate its four-year term.

The Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government will complete four years in the state on December 13.

In an order issued to the principals of government colleges last week, the department also directed them to widely publicise the competitions and submit a one-page report along with photographs and videos of the events.

It asked the principals to organise the competitions at district level and award the winners.

The order also set up 33 colleges as nodal centres and their principals were asked to ensure that both the competitions were organised by December 20.

Topics for the essay competition are 'Bhamashah Yojana' and 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Yojana'. For the extempore speech competition the topics are 'Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana', 'Annapurna Rasoi Yojana' and 'Rajasthan Sampark Yojana' and other schemes lauched by the BJP government.

In the extempore competition, other flagship schemes run by the government could also be included, the order said.

The higher education department said the participation of each government college should be ensured.

Reacting to the order, Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot alleged that it was an act of "sheer desperation" by the chief minister and it forced young students to write and appreciate government's flagship programmes.

Her alleged that the four years of BJP government in the state was full of corruption, inefficiency, atrocities against women.

"I'm against it and condemn the order. The order must be withdrawn immediately," he added.

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Influential Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard today termed as "ridiculous" the release of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Ridiculous...," Gabbard, who is also the co-chair of the House Congressional caucus on India and Indian Americans said in a lengthy tweet.

"Not only did Pakistan give refuge to Bin Laden, responsible for attacks against US on 9/11, Pakistan set free a terrorist who has a USD 10 million American bounty on his head," she said.

"Saeed was the mastermind behind the Mumbai attack that killed hundreds, including six Americans," said Gabbard the three-term lawmaker from Hawaii.

In another tweet, she slammed Saudi Arabia for the spread of extremism across the world.

"But no more absurd than President Trump's tripling down on US support for Saudi Arabia, which continues to spread extreme Wahhabi Salafist ideology around the world, fuelling terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, all while paying lip service to 'defeating terrorism'," Gabbard said.

Richard Haas, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank, called for tougher measure against Pakistan.

"Pakistan has harboured terrorists for years and provides sanctuary to the Taliban. It is a mystery why they are designated and treated as a Major Non-NATO Ally when the reality is Pakistan is anything but," Haas said.

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Russia's UN envoy has clashed with the world body's humanitarian chief as well as US and other Western diplomats over extending the delivery of humanitarian aid across borders and conflict lines in Syria which has helped thousands of people in rebel-held areas.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council today that the current mandate expiring in December "cannot remain as it presently stands," saying it undermines Syria's sovereignty.

The Security Council has authorised cross-border aid deliveries since 2014.

UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told council members that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the mandate's renewal, saying it is "essential to save lives." Lowcock said that in the first 10 months of 2017, "over 750,000 people on average each month were reached through UN cross-border activities.

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Russian television group RT lost its credentials to cover the US Congress today after the US government forced it to register as a "foreign agent."



In the latest fallout from Russia's alleged interference in last year's presidential election, the committee of journalists which regulates who is accredited to cover the US legislature told RT that they had voted unanimously to withdraw its Congressional press pass.

"The action was taken in response to the registration of RT Network's operating company, T&R Productions LLC, as a foreign agent," Craig Caplan, chair of the Executive Committee of the Congressional Radio & Television Correspondents' Galleries, told RT in a letter.

Under the committee's rules, credentials "may not be issued to any applicant employed 'by any foreign government or representative thereof'," he said.

In early September the Justice Department ordered RT to register its American operations as a "foreign agent," a designation mostly used for lobbyists for foreign governments.

That came after US intelligence agencies said that RT was "the Kremlin's principal international propaganda outlet," and took part in Moscow's hacking and disinformation effort to swing the 2016 election in Donald Trump's favour.

After RT registered on November 13, the Russian legislature passed its own law to force foreign media to register there as "foreign agents."



President Vladimir Putin signed the new law on Saturday, and the US government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have been warned that they may need to register under the new classification.

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Mumbai attack mastermind may have to wait for the appointment of a new Security Council ombudsperson to hear his petition to remove his name from the UN's list of designated terrorists.

Saeed was designated as a global terrorist by a Security Council's Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee on December 10, 2008. The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed's Lahore-based attorney has said that the Jammat-ud-Dawa leader has filed a petition in the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him has been proved in the Pakistani courts.

Saeed's petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists might be put on hold.

The request to delist a person from the UN list of designated terrorists are considered by an independent ombudsperson, which based on its investigations recommends to the delisting of a designated terrorist by the Security Council.

The post of Ombudsperson has been lying vacant since August 7 this year when Catherine Marchi-Uhel left office.

The new Ombudsperson has not yet been appointed.

The Office of the Ombudsperson remains operational and accepts new delisting requests during the transition period, says a statement on the UN website.

A number of phone calls to the office of Ombudsman and emails sent by Press Trust of India were unanswered.

The Office of the Ombudsperson of the Security Councils 1267 Committee says that there is currently one case pending with the Committee, besides that of Saeed.

LeT was designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN on May 2, 2005.

India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to re-investigate the Mumbai terror attack case and also demanded the trial of Saeed and Lakhvi in the light of the evidence it had provided to Islamabad.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism blacklist by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

Saeed was put under house arrest after the Mumbai attack but he was freed by a court in 2009.
Outraged at the release of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, a UN and US-designated terrorist, the Trump Administration today said it "flies in the face" of Pakistan's claim that the country is not a sanctuary for terrorists.

The release of Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack, from house arrest also shows that Pakistan does not want to improve ties with India and that Islamabad is not in favour of talks with New Delhi, according to a senior Trump administration official.

"Saeed is a declared terrorist by the UN. He is a specially designated terrorist by our own Treasury Department, by our own government. We have put USD 10 million in reward money for information leading to his prosecution. So, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that this this is a terrorist leader," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"So, it does not serve Pakistan's interest to let him go free, let him give public remarks or be allowed appear before public gatherings. It belies Pakistans claim that it is not a sanctuary for terrorists. Frankly, it flies in the face of that claim," the official added.

It also belies Pakistan's pledge or commitment and their indication that they are committed to dialogue with India because it certainly damages the environment for being able to return to dialogue, the official said.

The official's remarks gave an insight into the thinking of the Trump administration and its candidconversation with Pakistan in this regard, in particular after the release of Saeed from the house arrest last week.

Soon after Saeed's release, the White House had asked Pakistan to immediately re-arrest and prosecute the Mumbai attack mastermind.

The White House had also warned Pakistan that it will have an impact on bilateral relationship.

Saeed continues to roam free after his release.

"It's in Pakistan's own interest to take steps to counter these groups, whether it be Lashkar-e-Taiba, or the Haqqani network, the Taliban or Jaish-e-Mohammad. There are so many terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory. It does not serve their own interest in becoming a stable democracy to have these groups operate freely and not held to justice," the official said.

When asked about Saeed filing a petition in the UN to get his name removed from the terrorism black list, the official said such a move would not be helpful for Pakistan.

"I did not see that report. But again, that would fly in the face of Pakistan's claims that it does not serve as a sanctuary for terrorism. This will not be helpful for Pakistan's global reputation. So, we find it very troubling," the official said hoping that Islamabad will take steps to reverse these actions.

Responding to questions on the options that the Trump administration have on Pakistan, the official said the US is engaging with the Pakistan on these issues and holding these discussions largely in private.

"But we will be looking for very specific actions in coming weeks and months. We hope that we would see some changes in their behavior in the coming weeks and month," the official added.

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Hyderabad-based SankhyaInfoTech today announced its strategic road map and vision to expand its business in the U.S. and Asia, specifically India.

The 20-year-old company with a turnover of Rs 161.06 crore, is listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange and has set its eyes on high growth.

The company offerssoftware solutions in the field of aerospace and defence.

Company chairman and managing Sridhar Krishna said the uniqueness of the range of solutions offered puts it on the forefront among its competitors.

He said Sankhya provides technology based training and simulationin the field of aerospace and defence.

"Sankhya dominates inthe segment. In India we work with the Navy and Army. We havedone a case study for Boeing and Etihad Airways. Besidesdefence, 52 per cent bank employees in India have been using our online assessment solutions for the past five years," he said.

Krishna claimed that Sankhya provided the world's first web-based training technology for the civil aviation industry.

Thefirm has worked in France in the area of military aircraft and signed a long-term contract with Bharat Heavy Electricalsin India in 2016 to provide simulators for defenceindustries.

He added that the company offers three products-- training management solutions, learning solutions andonline assessment management.

Krishna said there is huge potential in U.S. and Asia.

"We have cutting edge technology. We have to have high growth. Henceforth, our focus will be US and Asia," he added.

Company director Bhaskar Pramanik said the globaltraining and simulation market for enterprises in aerospaceand defence is multi billion dollars.

Training is critical forsuch industries because of safety, security and regulatoryrequirements, he said.

"There is immense scope for Sankhya to addressthe global market with its innovative state-of-the-art technology solutions and services," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Arabia has freed influential Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, following a "settlement" with authorities reportedly exceeding USD 1 billion, more than three weeks after he was detained in a sweeping anti- corruption purge.

The former National Guard chief was among more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen who were rounded up earlier this month, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tightens his grip on power.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, is the most high-profile royal to be released so far as the government appears to be striking monetary settlements with some of the detainees in exchange for their freedom.

"Yes, Prince Miteb was released this morning (Tuesday)," a source close to the government told AFP, without outlining the terms of his release.

The prince was released after paying more than USD 1 billion in a "settlement deal" with authorities, Bloomberg cited an unnamed official as saying.

The prince was not reachable for comment.

Saudi information ministry officials also could not confirm the development but posts on social media by members of the royal family suggested he had been freed.

Princess Nouf bint Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud posted an old image of Prince Miteb on a verified Twitter account with the message: "Praise be to Allah. Peace be upon you".

In a similar post with the picture of a smiling prince, Princess Abeer bint Khaled bin Abdullah tweeted: "May god grant you a long life, give you health and keep you safe for us."



Before his arrest the 64-year-old son of the late king Abdullah was sacked as the head of the National Guard, an internal security force that has long been seen as a locus of tribal power.

Some analysts saw Prince Miteb's removal as an attempt by Prince Mohammed, who is also Saudi defence minister, to consolidate his control over the security services.

But Saudi authorities insist the purge was meant solely to target endemic corruption as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Prince Mohammed said 95 per cent of those detained agree to a "settlement", or handing over ill-gotten assets or cash to the Saudi state treasury.

Saudi Arabia's attorney general estimates at least USD 100 billion has been misused in embezzlement or corruption over several decades.

"The apparent release of Prince Miteb may be a sign that the Saudi authorities are making progress in agreeing settlements with detainees," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

"It's an attempt to resolve the situation in a manner that minimises social fallout from the crown prince's recent move and addresses concerns over the political risk of doing business in Saudi Arabia," Ulrichsen told AFP.

The purge has triggered uncertainty among businesses that could lead to capital flight or derail reforms, experts say, at a time when the kingdom is seeking to attract badly needed investments to offset a protracted oil slump.

Other high-profile targets of the crackdown include billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia.

Many of the detainees have been held at Riyadh's Ritz- Carlton hotel, which has been turned into a luxury prison.

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Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) will be organising the first ever National PSU Conference to bridge the gap between business and HR here from November 30 to December 1 this year.

The conference will highlight the difference in priorities of these organisations from building and sustaining a world class PSU to attracting millennials, performance management, technology, innovation and sustainability to employer branding and succession planning, the company release said.

Some of the eminent speakers participating in the conference include Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman, Sampark Foundation; Ravi Singh, Director (Personnel) - Power Grid Corporation of India; D D Misra, Director (HR) ONGC; Mohammed Asif Iqbal, Manager, HR consulting PricewaterhouseCoopers; Mohinish Sinha, Consulting partner, Deloitte; Saptarishi Roy, Director HR (NTPC).

------------------- Shubh Loans,DMI Finance team up for financially underserved *



Mobile first lending platform Shubh Loans has partnered with India-focused financial services platform DMI Finance to strengthen the credit lending reach to the underserved population of India.

Through this tie-up, Shubh Loans and DMI Finance are expanding their reach and diversifying their portfolio to meet the personal loan needs of grey and blue collar workers.

Shubh Loans, the mobile application developed by Datasigns Technologies, is India's leading vernacular language app which builds a proprietary credit score and report for loan applicants, a company release said.

"Shubh Loans has seamlessly integrated their tech stack with that of DMI to reach the common goal of democratising credit for all," said Monish Anand, CEO and Founder, Datasigns Technologies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Small Catalan firms are moving their headquarters outside of the region or setting up parallel companies to skirt a boycott of goods from Catalonia by Spaniards angry over its separatist push.

While tensions have eased somewhat since Spain's central government last month took direct control of the northeast region and has scheduled regional elections in December, many businesses in Catalonia still feel the need to guard against uncertainty.

The head of a small family-run wine and spirits business said he believes setting up a duplicate distribution firm for his goods in Madrid was the right move.

His company's sales have plunged by over 30 per cent since Catalonia went ahead with a banned referendum on October 1 followed by the Catalan parliament unilaterally declaring independence.

The new distribution company allows him to slap his products -- which continue to be made in Catalonia -- with a Madrid address that he hopes will help sales recover.

"We won't sell anymore if we don't do this," said the businessman, who like other executives in Catalonia did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the independence issue.

"This is a decision you take when you have no other choice," he told AFP.

Over 2,700 companies have moved their headquarters outside of Catalonia since the referendum because of the uncertainty caused by the separatist drive and the boycott campaign, according to Spain's commercial registrar's office.

The moves are mainly administrative for now, but many fear the companies could eventually relocate staff and production outside of the region as well.

While the departure of listed multinationals, including Catalonia's two big banks, Caixabank and Sabadell, have grabbed the media spotlight, the exodus also includes small and medium sized firms.

In an upscale Barcelona neighbourhood a small drug distribution company with just 12 employees has accelerated a move of its headquarters which had already been planned to Seville, the capital of the southwestern region of Andalusia.

The company says its sales in Andalusia, where it earns the bulk of its turnover, have dropped 10-20 per cent since the referendum.

"Patients say 'give me a product that is not Catalan'. This has never happened before," the company's director told AFP.

The headquarters move also aims to ensure the company remains within the European Union's legal framework if Catalonia were to become independent one day.

"We would go bankrupt because the medicines we import would be subject to customs duties," the director said.

The majority of firms that have changed their headquarters were "afraid of a boycott", said Enric Rius, a tax expert who has helped several companies make the move.

But he also pointed out that these are not complete relocations. The companies "keep factories, the management and jobs" in Catalonia, he said.

"If it affected me, I would leave but for now my business does not feel the effects," said Francisco Castillo, the head of a transport firm near Barcelona



"Business is slow though, no one makes decisions, buys machines, in this context," he added.

The decision to move headquarters is not always well received in Catalonia.

Aleix Pons i Coll, the vice president of mutual insurance firm Previsio, said he felt "anger and pain" when Catalonia's two big banks announced last month that they were moving their headquarters out of the region.

Previsio used to work closely with the two lenders but is now looking into other options, he said at his company's headquarters in Terrasa, about 30 km north of Barcelona.

"Even reluctantly we may decide to no longer work with (banks) that leave, and to focus on those that remain," said Pon i Coll.

He said he started to support independence in 2010 after Spain's Constitutional Court annulled parts of a statute that had granted Catalonia greater autonomy.

A decree passed by Spain's central government in early October that makes it easier for companies to move their headquarters out of Catalonia has also fuelled resentment in the region.

But Madrid appears to be sending mixed signals. During a visit to Barcelona last week, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy urged businesses not to abandon Catalonia.

"We see clearly that there was political pressure. How can we tell them not to go when everything was done for them to do so," said Pons i Coll.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemned North Korea's "reckless" missile test today, and warned that the situation on the Korean peninsula risked spinning out of control into catastrophic conflict.

Addressing a hastily-convened national security meeting, Moon said the North's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which splashed down in waters near Japan, was a "reckless provocation" that would raise already elevated tensions to critical levels.

"The situation could get out of control if the North completes the development of ballistic missiles that can fly to a different continent," Moon said.

"We have to prevent such a scenario where the North may miscalculate the situation and threaten us with nuclear weapons, or the US may consider a pre-emptive strike (against the North)," he added.

Pyongyang carried out its sixth, and largest, nuclear test in September and today's launch was the third successful test of an ICBM seen as capable of reaching much of the US mainland.

There are particular concerns in Seoul that US President Donald Trump might consider some sort of military action against the North that could escalate into all-out war -- a horrifying scenario for the South which would bear the immediate brunt of any conflict.

The South's capital Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres from the border, within range of Pyongyang's artillery.

One study by the Nautilus think-tank in California estimated around 65,000 civilians would die in Seoul alone on the first day of a conventional North Korean attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Spanish police have seized 331 kilos of heroin worth an estimated 120 million euros (USD 142.5 million), in one of the country's biggest-ever drug hauls, officials said today.

The bulk of the high-purity heroin, 263 kilos, was found hidden in a shipment of cement that arrived at the port of Barcelona from Turkey, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido told a conference.

The rest was found in the homes of four suspects arrested as part of the operation and during a botched transaction they tried to carry out, he added.

The four -- a Spaniard, an Ecuadorian and two Dominicans between the ages of 30 and 45 -- have been charged with drug trafficking, membership in a criminal organisation and illegal possession of weapons.

It was "one of the biggest seizures of heroin ever carried out in Spain in a single intervention," the interior ministry said in a statement.

The amount of heroin that was seized in this operation surpasses the 253 kilos of the drug that was apprehended during all of last year by Spain's various police forces, the ministry added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The issue of crop residue burning today echoed in the Punjab Assembly today with members of treasury benches and the AAP sparring over it.

While Chief Minister Amarinder Singh told the House the government was working on an action plan to curb the menace of stubble burning, the AAP accused the state administration of not providing machinery and farm implements to farmers to manage paddy residue.

On the last day of the winter session of the Punjab Assembly today, Congress MLA from Khanna Gurkirat Singh raised concern over air pollution due to smog, saying it was even leading to road accidents.

He sought to know what incentives were being given for setting up stubble-based industries in the state.

The chief minister said the state government had recently signed an MoU with a Chennai-based company to address the problem and work on alternate ways of disposing of crop residue.

Under the MoU, NEWAY company will set up 400 processing plants for converting paddy straw into bio energy in the state, the CM informed the House.

Amarinder said the state generates 20 million tonnes of paddy straw in a season, of which 19 million tonnes would be used by NEWAY in these units, thus curbing the environmental hazard triggered by stubble burning.

"From the next season, they will procure stubble and then the problem will be solved," said CM.

Leader of opposition and AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira accused the state government of not providing equipment to farmers as mandated by the National Green Tribunal to manage crop residue.

"What option then farmers have except burning the crop residue... It costs Rs 5,000 per acre to manage crop residue," Khaira said.

"The Centre even gave Rs 97 crore to the Punjab government for the management of crop residue which was diverted," he claimed and asked the state government to give Rs 5,000 per acre to farmers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 24-year-old suspected robber, wanted in a chain snatching case, was today nabbed following an exchange of fire between him and a police constable in Shahdara area, police said.

Around 1 pm, when constable Vivek was patrolling the area of Vishwas Nagar, he saw two men on a motorcycle searching for a victim near Nehru Gali, they added.

On seeing the policeman, the accused turned towards a narrow street. He asked them to stop for checking, but instead of stopping, the criminals accelerated their vehicle and fled, the police said.

The constable followed them on his scooter and blocked their way, they said.

On being intercepted, they started firing at him following which the constable fired in retaliation, Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (Crime), said.

The motorcycle rider sustained injuries. His accomplice ran away while continuously firing at the policeman, he said.

The injured accused, identified as Monu, was overpowered and apprehended by the constable, Yadav said.

During interrogation, it was found that Monu has been previously arrested in 13 cases of robbery, snatching and attempt to murder in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, he said.

Monu was also involved in a shootout with the Uttar Pradesh Police in Sector 71, Noida in January, he said.

On November 24, a gold chain was snatched in Farsh Bazar.

The CCTV footage was scanned and photos of the accused were obtained from the footage and circulated to all the beat officials, the police said.

It was found that Monu was involved in the incident.

The police personnel's name has been recommended for an out-of-turn promotion for single-handedly nabbing a notorious criminal after an encounter, in which he could have lost his life, the joint commissioner of police said.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today left for the Russian city of Sochi to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-dominated security grouping which is increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO.

The annual SCO summit will be held on November 30 and December 1 and it is likely to discuss issues relating to the regional security scenario including situation in the Gulf and Afghanistan



In June, India and Pakistan had become full-fledged members of the SCO.

In the summit, India is likely to press for concerted regional and global efforts to contain terrorism.

"EAM @SushmaSwaraj leaves for Sochi, Russia to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Meeting home to 42 % of world's population and 20% of its GDP. India became a full member of SCO on June 9, 2017," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the SCO summit in June in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

Last week, Kumar had said Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Asked whether she will have bilateral meetings with the Pakistan Foreign Minister or call on Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Kumar had said her schedule is still being finalised.

"At this stage we cannot say anything," he had said.

Swaraj will return on December 2.

As an SCO member, India is expected to have a bigger say in pressing for concerted action in dealing with terrorism as well as on issues relating to security and defence in the region.

India's membership was strongly pushed by Russia while Pakistan's entry into the grouping was backed by China.

India had been an observer at the SCO since 2005. It has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of his European trip, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today criticised Russia for often employing "malicious tactics" to not only weaken their confidence but also to undermine political and economic successes.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's "America First" foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

In his speech, Tillerson described Russia as one of the "major challenges" facing Europe and the US.

Europe and the United States seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

"But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War," Tillerson said.

"Playing politics with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation," he said.

Tillerson went further: Attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.

"We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community."



He said the ball was in Russia's court and it could choose whether to "continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home, or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia."



Following President Donald Trump's recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

"We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Iran's malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom," he said.

"Neither the US nor Europe wants another type of North Korea nuclear threat on its hands, nor are any of our nations at ease with Iran's attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organisations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program," he added.

Responding to questions, Tillerson said there are areas of mutual cooperation with respect to Russia.

"We're working hard in Syria to defeat ISIS and we are on the cusp of having ISIS once and for all defeated in Syria... We are working together with Russia on how to prevent the civil war from re-erupting in Syria...," he said.

"We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan. We've not yet come to what that might be, but we're talking about it," Tillerson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia has often employed "malicious" tactics against the US and Europe to "drive them apart" and undermine their political and economic successes, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's 'America First' foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

Ahead of his week-long visit to Europe, Tillerson described Russia as one of the "major challenges" facing Europe and the US.

Europe and the US seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

"But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War," Tillerson said.

"Playing with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation," he said.

Tillerson went on to say that attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.

"We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community," he said.

Tillerson will hold meetings at NATO headquarters and with OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) leaders and also visit several European cities next week.

He said the ball was in Russia's court and it could choose whether to "continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home, or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia".

Following President Donald Trump's recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

"We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Iran's malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom," he said.

"Neither the US nor Europe wants another type of North Korea nuclear threat on its hands, nor are any of our nations at ease with Iran's attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organisations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program," he added.

Responding to questions, Tillerson said there are areas of mutual cooperation with respect to Russia.

"We're working hard in Syria to defeat ISIS and we are on the cusp of having ISIS once and for all defeated in Syria... We are working together with Russia on how to prevent the civil war from re-erupting in Syria...," he said.

"We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan. We've not yet come to what that might be, but we're talking about it," Tillerson said.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said time had come for India as the bigger country to find ways of talking with Pakistan and finding a solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem.

War has not and cannot provide a solution to the problems as confrontation only leads to increase in tragedies, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

"... if you have to fight terrorism, which Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has said is a world over thing, then time has come for the government of India, which is the bigger country than Pakistan, to find ways and means of talking with Pakistan and finding a way forward," Abdullah told reporters at the National Conference headquarters here.

The time had come, he added, for finding a final solution acceptable to the people of Pakistan, India and Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar hit out at those who criticised him for his statements on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Abdullah in recent comments has dared the centre to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar city before talking about unfurling it in PoK. He has also claimed that PoK cannot become a part of India.

"I am not saying anything which is irrational. For 70 years, PoK has been part of Pakistan and this (J&K) has been part of India.

"Four wars have been fought and in these four wars, nothing has happened. They hold that territory and we hold this territory," Abdullah said.

Abdullah said his statements were based on the "tragedy" the people of Jammu and Kashmir on either side of the Line of Control face due to hostilities along the border.

"I see the tragedy my people have to face, not only in the Valley but in rest of the areas. Look at our borders. Shells come. Our women, our children, our people die... What are we trying to achieve?" he asked.

Discussing allegations that Kashmiri prisoners were thrashed inside Tihar Jail, Abdullah said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should visit prisoners from the state lodged in jails outside the state as her government had sent them there.

"If she is concerned about their plight, she should go there. If she finds that they are facing harassment in those jails, she should bring these prisoners back to the state's jails," he said.

Abdullah expressed the hope that the visit of the Centre's special representative Dineshwar Sharma to the state would result in people telling him about their problems. He also expressed the hope that Sharma understands the need for finding a solution.

Responding to former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf calling himself the biggest supporter of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Abdullah said the group was a creation of Pakistan.

"Due to it (LeT), Pakistan is getting destroyed. They had dug a grave for others but they are themselves falling into it," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Canada will co-host a meeting with the US about the threat posed by North Korea to the world  and yes, that includes Western Canada. The ICBM launched Tuesday by the callous Kim Jung un regime is fully capable it seems of landing in Vancouver or Calgary. Then, an entertaining examination by NBC of how Britons and Americans are responding to the international love-match now about to become a wedding spectacle. Below that, a reminder from experts that drones are extremely dangerous to aircraft. And while most countries, like Canada, are strengthening the rules, the awful truth is that many people who use drones dont give a damn about the rules. And finally, a Scarborough man is cherished in his hood for the decorations he creates and offers freely to neighbours. Audra Brown of City News.












The National Green Tribunal has directed the Haryana government to submit revenue records of the land in Faridabad where it has sanctioned felling of trees for construction of a real estate project by Bharti Land Limited in the eco-sensitive Aravalli hills.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the counsel appearing for the state government to produce the file before it to show whether the site in question was forest land or not.

"You produce before us the file of the forest department where the concerned officer has said that this is not a forest land. Give us the complete revenue records of the land in question. Get the concerned officer before us," the bench said.

The matter will be heard tomorrow.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the state government said the petition was not maintainable and liable to be dismissed on the grounds that it was based only on letters written by the forest department.

The NGT had earlier issued notices to the Environment Ministry, the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana, the National Capital Region Planning Board, Ajay Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Bharti Land Limited and others on a plea filed by a



The green panel was hearing a plea filed by Lt Gen (retd) Sarvadaman Singh Oberoi, who had alleged that the state government granted permission to two companies for felling trees for developing a housing society in village Sarai Khawaja in Faridabad without obtaining forest clearance under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

The former army officer had raised the issue of alleged grant of permission for felling of trees to Bharti Land Ltd in collaboration with Ajay Enterprises Pvt Ltd without obtaining forest clearance for the area which is recorded as "Gair Mumkin Pahar" (land unfit for cultivation) and forms part of Aravalli hills and considered as deemed forest.

According to the plea, the two firms had approached the divisional forest officer of Faridabad seeking permission for felling approximately 1,000 trees on the land acquired by them and measuring 52.2991 acres in Sarai Khawaja village of Faridabad.

It had contended that the Deputy Conservator of Forests of Faridabad wrote to the Conservator of Forests, South Circle, Gurgaon on September 30, 2015, that such a permission cannot be granted as it forms part of Aravallis which are ecologically sensitive.

However, in another letter dated April 24, the Additional Chief Secretary Forest Department wrote to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests directing him to grant necessary approval for felling of mesquite trees to the Bharti Land Ltd.

"Direct an independent team of the Environment Ministry, Forest Survey of India and Haryana Forest Department to assess the number and size of tree species individuals... extent of deforestation, and conduct a satellite baseline assessment," the plea had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Normal life was disrupted today in various districts, due to a 12-hour bandh called by a body of tribal groups to protest the eviction drive to clear alleged encroachment at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary here.

The strike called by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations, Assam (CCTOA) has affected normal life at various places, including Dibrugarh, Morigaon, Majuli and Nagaon districts, officials said.

Bandh supporters demanded immediate halt of the eviction drive carried out as per directions of the Gauhati High Court.

The CCTOA, Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) and Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) agitators burnt tyres and stopped traffic on National Highway-37 in Jagiroad, Morigaon and NH-15 at Khanamukh, Sonitpur, the officials said.

A Congress delegation, led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and state unit chief Ripun Bora, visited the eviction site.

Gogoi termed the exercise as "inhuman" and requested the government to immediately stop it on humanitarian grounds.

"During our tenure also, such evictions used to happen. But, we had stopped it for humanitarian issues. This time, there was no notice, no information was given and demolition of houses started with a surprise. We condemn it," he said.

Gogoi, who was given a warm reception by the locals, said most people living on the hills of Amchang are the flood affected Mising tribe, and they are indigenous community of the state.

"If the government can give hundreds of bighas of land to Patanjali by amending land use, then why can't poor people be given place to live? We demand rehabilitation to all the people immediately," the senior Congress leader said.

The CPI(M), too, "condemned" the eviction drive and asked the authorities to put a stop to it.

"The entire exercise is being carried out in a barbaric way. We are not against clearing the forest land. However, there should be proper rehabilitation to the people, as they are our own and have come to the city after losing everything in the floods," senior party leader Hemen Das said.

Other groups like the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and All Assam Students' Union have also protested the exercise.

Meanwhile, the eviction drive continued for the third day today, although it was carried out on the other side of the sanctuary, where some industrial units are located and residential units were not demolished, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Tripura government today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of journalist Sudip Datta Bhaumik, who was killed at the battalion headquarters of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) near here on November 21.

Tripura Information and Culture Minister Bhanu Lal Saha said the decision to grant ex-gratia was taken at a meeting of the council of ministers yesterday.

The state government was also ready to bear education expenses of Bhaumik's daughter, who is studying in Class 8, he said.

Meanwhile, TMC MLA and Mayor of the Bidhan Nagar Municipal Corporation in West Bengal Sabysachi Dutta said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee talked to family members of Bhaumik over the phone and promised a job to the son of the journalist, who is studying engineering.

Dutta met the family yesterday and offered Rs one lakh on behalf of the West Bengal government.

The Tripura government had set up a special investigation team headed by DIG (Southern Range) Arindam Nath to probe the killing of Bhaumik.

Four persons, including TSR Commandant Tapan Debbarma and his bodyguard Nanda Lal Debbarma, have been arrested in connection with the killing of the journalist.

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US President Donald Trump today held emergency talks with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative North Korean missile test.

North Korea test fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, posing a major challenge to Trump after he slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

Asserting that he will "take care of" the situation in the aftermath of the North Korean ballistic missile test, Trump held separate calls with Abe and Moon to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.

In both the phone calls, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan and the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time.

"Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...in response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," he said.

US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options are on the table.

"We will continue to marshall economic and diplomatic pressure until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all," Pence said in his Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

"The Kim (North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un) regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of President Trump or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States," he said.

In New York, Permanent Representative of the US to the UN, Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held on November 29, around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that it must abandon its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from North Korea," he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include South Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

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US President Donald Trump today spoke over phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and reaffirmed their commitment to combat the North Korean threat after a ballistic missile fired by the reclusive nation apparently landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Barely a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on North Korea and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism, Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

"Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Abe of Japan to address North Korea's launch of an ICBM that impacted within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone," the White House said.

"The two leaders agreed that the North Korean regime's provocative actions are undermining its security and further isolating it from the international community," it said in a readout of the call.

Trump and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to combat the North Korean threat, the White House said.

Meanwhile, top American lawmakers condemned the North Korean missile test.

"North Korea's ICBM test today is another indication that despite attempts to increase international pressure on Pyongyang, the Kim Jong-Un regime is determined to continue its dangerous pursuit of a robust nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles testing program," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"...What is therefore required is an all-out diplomatic surge, led by the Trump administration, in collaboration with China and our Japanese and South Korean allies, where Pyongyang verifiably halts its nuclear and ballistic missile testing and we initiate negotiations toward denuclearization," he said.

Senator Jim Inhofe, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called for increased and targeted investment in missile defence capabilities after North Korea's latest missile test.

"North Korea has been clearthey will not stop their aggressive behaviour towards the United States and our allies until they have achieved a missile capable of reaching the United States with a nuclear warhead," he said.

"While we must continue to pursue economic and diplomatic efforts with our strategic partners in the region, it is vital for the safety of American families to strengthen and grow our missile defence capabilities in the boost, mid-course, and terminal phases. We cannot afford to wait any longer," Inhofe said.

North Korea's dangerous actions must be met with a clear, comprehensive strategy from the United States, said Senator Joe Donnelly.

"We must show the American people, our service members in the region, and our allies around the world that we are serious about confronting the threat from the Kim regime," he said, pitching for an amendment in the defence bill.

"My amendment, included in the national defence bill, requires the administration to bring its strategy to Congress within 90 days. I encourage President Trump to sign the bill immediately," Donnelly said.

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President on Wednesday spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, urging him to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of de-nuclearisation after Pyongyang tested an ICBM that can reach anywhere in the US.

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

The two leaders discussed North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, it said.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea on Tuesday, and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone.

"Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today (November 29). This situation will be handled!" Trump tweeted.

The White House said that President Trump emphasised the need for China to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of de-nuclearisation.

Within hours of the North Korean missile launch, Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. .. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.

China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday expressed "grave concern" over North Korea's ICBM test and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.
US President Donald Trump has taken "concrete steps" to deepen ties with Israel, and his UN envoy Nikki Haley has ended Israel-bashing in the world body, Vice President Mike Pence said today.

"President Trump has already taken concrete steps to deepen the ties between our two nations.And nowhere is that more evident than in the very body whose vote we commemorate today, the United Nations," Pence said in New York commemorating UN vote that established Israel.

Referring to Israel, Pence rued that the UN has today become a "forum for invective", something against which Former US President John F Kennedy warned the global body long ago.

"More than 50 years ago, President Kennedy warned that the United Nations must never be allowed to become, in his words, a 'forum for invective.' But today, sadly, with regard to Israel, too often it's become exactly that -- a forum for invective in the form of anti-Semitism and hatred," he said.

Pence however sounded confident in claiming that there was a changed scenario in the UN now with the efforts of President Trump and Ambassador Haley.

"But with the leadership of our President and the efforts of our UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, the days of Israel-bashing at the United Nations are over," he said amidst applause from the audience.

Within the Human Rights Council and across the United Nations, Haley has advanced reforms to put an end to the blatant bias and discrimination that was too often the reality in the recent past at the UN, Pence said.

Trump has withdrawn the United States from one of the UN's most anti-Israel bodies like the UNESCO, he added.

Trump, he said, is working tirelessly to strengthen the historic friendship between the United States and Israel.

US' support for Israel's security is at a record level today, Pence claimed.

Reiterating Trump's stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Pence said that the US wants Israel to have peace.

"As the President has made clear, our administration is also committed to finally bringing peace to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.As President Trump has said, in his words: We want Israel to have peace. And in the recent months, we've made valuable progress toward achieving that noble goal," he said.

The vice president said, "While compromise will be necessary, you can be assured President Donald Trump will never compromise the safety and security of the Jewish State of Israel."



The President has made clear that under this administration, America once again stands with its allies and stands up to its enemies, he said.

The two nations stand together to confront any who dare to threaten us, most especially the menace of radical Islamic terror, Pence said.

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US President Donald Trump vowed today to impose additional "major sanctions" on North Korea in response to its latest missile test.

"Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!" he tweeted.

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The US will impose additional "major sanctions" on North Korea for its latest missile test, President Donald Trump said today as he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to press Pyonyang to halt its "provocative actions".

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

The two leaders discussed North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, it said.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea yesterday, and travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone.

"Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!" Trump tweeted.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the additional major sanctions on Pyongyang which is already facing severe UN- imposed punitive measure for its frequent missile and nuclear tests.

The White House said that President Trump emphasised the need for China to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation.

Within hours of North Korean missile launch, Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. .. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.

China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry today expressed "grave concern" over North Korea's ICBM test and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time.

"Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world," he said.

During his phone calls with Abe and Moon, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan but also to the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

In New York, US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options were on table.

"The Kim regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of this President or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States of America," Pence said in his speech at the Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

"As President Trump said today, we will take care of the situation. All options are on the table, and we will continue to marshal the full resources of the US to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes once and for all," he said.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on North Korea at the request of US Envoy to the UN Nikki Haley along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

Earlier, North Korea's state television said the country had achieved its mission of becoming a nuclear state.

The official Korean Central Agency added that top leader Kim Jong-Un, who personally signed off on the launch, "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power".

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A Turkish court today handed down life sentences to 28 soldiers for trying to take control of Istanbul's second airport during last year's failed coup, local media reported.

Eight were sentenced in Istanbul to aggravated life imprisonment, which carries harsher conditions and replaced the death penalty in Turkey, while the other 20 were given life sentences for "violating the constitution", the private Dogan agency said.

The soldiers were convicted of trying to occupy by force Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul on the night of the July 15, 2016 failed putsch.

Turkey blames the failed coup to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen. He strongly denies the claim.

The trial is one of many taking place across Turkey of those suspected of coup involvement in what is the biggest legal process of the country's modern history.

More than 50,000 people have been arrested since July 2016 over alleged Gulen links.

Verdicts have already been handed down in some coup trials including in the southwestern city of Mugla last month.

That court handed life sentences to 40 people convicted of plotting to assassinate Erdogan at a luxury Aegean hotel on the night of the attempted putsch.

The failed coup left 249 people dead, not including the plotters, and the Turkish authorities have vowed no compromise will be made in bringing those involved to justice.

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A car bombing hit the finance ministry building in Yemen's government bastion of Aden today, killing two guards and wounding four, a security source said.

It was not immediately known if the car was driven by a suicide bomber or not, the security source said, requesting anonymity.

No group has claimed responsibility for the dawn attack that partially destroyed the finance ministry branch in Khour Maksar in the temporary capital.

Aden has witnessed a series of bombings including suicide attacks that have killed hundreds of people, some of them claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting an alliance of pro-Iran Huthi militias and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 2015.

The mission has expanded to include operations against jihadist groups, both IS and Al-Qaeda, which have exploited chaos to gain footholds in government-held southern Yemen.

The Yemen war has killed more than 8,650 people, the majority civilians, and pushed the country to the brink of famine.

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The BSF will deploy UAVs and erect a 'smart fence' to check smuggling and infiltration from across the most notorious riverine and porous gaps along the India-Bangladesh border by next year, the chief of the force said today.

BSF Director General (DG) K K Sharma, while interacting with reporters here, said the Union home ministry has recently approved a proposal of the force to deploy an indigenously developed smart fence at the 48.12-km-long riverine Dhubri border area along the Brahmaputra river in Assam.

"The technology solution will help in checking surprise infiltration and it will also ensure rest and recuperation of troops involved in area domination duties in this area. By October 2018, this project will be in place at Dhubri," he said.

The smart fence, a senior officer said, will detect illegal human or cattle movement with the help of infra-red rays. The control room will get alerted by satellite-based signals in case of a breach followed by a response by a quick reaction armed team of the force, he said.

At present, BSF troops on boats guard this patch which is highly prone to illegal migration and cattle smuggling due to the changing course of the river. No permanent structure like border posts can be erected in this area.

Sharma said the force has approached the home ministry to procure four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for "effective air surveillance of vulnerable infiltration areas of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura", along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border that they are mandated to guard.

The BSF has also urged the ministry to sanction the raising of five more battalions (about 5,000 personnel) and their deployment along this border region to check crimes like smuggling of cattle, fake Indian currency notes, arms, ammunition and narcotics in some of the "most vulnerable and notorious areas, he said.

The BSF chief said the force has "very cordial" relations with its counterpart -- the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) -- in checking border crimes and it was trying to bring down the instances of killing of Bangladeshis along the boundary.

"The relations between the two countries are very good. The moment we change the present strategy (of using non-lethal weapons), more killings take place. It is detrimental to the interest of both the countries and we don't want to embarrass the other side," he said when asked if the force will use more lethal weapons as smugglers attack BSF men on duty.

He said that to check border crimes and stop attacks on BSF personnel and subsequent killing of Bangladeshis due to firing, both the forces have started doing simultaneous coordinated patrols in vulnerable areas.

"Hopefully, things will get better," he said.

Asked about the instances of cattle smuggling, the DG said these numbers were "gradually coming down".

The figure of cattle smuggling stood at over 20 lakh cattles a few years back but this was now only about five to six lakh, he said.

"We are very serious about handling this issue and hence the number of clashes with smugglers (of BSF troops) has gone up in the last two years.

"We have had two of our brave officers killed by the smugglers in the recent past while more than 120 people have been injured in various clashes," he said.

The force said it had also recently detected three underground tunnels in the border area.

Tunneling is a serious concern in these areas and the tunnels are like those found along the Indo-Pak border areas, especially in Jammu region, for smuggling of contraband and arms, the DG said.

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The UK's state-run Health Service (NHS) plans to hire over 5,000 nurses from India and the Philippines in a bid to plug acute staff shortages in the country.

The NHS has been facing the crisis with nearly 35,000 vacancies for nurses and is under pressure to fill these posts as there has been a drop in the number of nurses coming in from within the European Union (EU) since the Brexit vote.

Prof Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England addressing the Health Select Committee of the House of Common' yesterday said that a new "earn, learn and return" scheme had already been trialed with India and will soon also be launched in the Philippines.

"We are currently aiming to bring somewhere in the region of 5,500 nurses into the country internationally on an ethically-based 'earn, learn and return' programme," Cumming said.

Nurses from India have already been part of the first pilot of the scheme and a total of 500 nurses are expected to arrive in the UK by March 2018, which will ensure that India is not deprived of a "valued resource" while addressing the NHS needs.

"We aren't denuding a country of their valued resource but we are allowing people to come here for a fixed period of time. Yes, to help us with a staffing shortage that we have got, but also to learn to earn money and to take that back into their country," he told MPs here.

Historically, India is the second-largest supplier of nursing staff to the country after the Philippines.

"Overseas recruitment is incapable of plugging the vast gaps the NHS faces. With 40,000 nursing jobs vacant in England, this can barely be considered a sticking plaster," warned the UK's Royal College of Nursing.
The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo called on today for officials to "respect" a protest planned by opposition groups in Kinshasa, which has been banned by the government.

A last attempt at negotiations between an opposition delegation and the Kinshasa governor, Andre Kimbuta, failed to break the impasse over the march which opposition leaders have vowed to hold Thursday.

The UN mission, known as MINUSCO, "calls on the Congo authorities to respect freedom of assembly and demonstrations as laid out in the Constitution," a spokeswoman, Florence Marchal, said at a press conference.

Felix Tshisekedi, the head of the opposition coalition, issued "a solemn and strident call on all Congolese to take to the streets of the DRC this Thursday, November 30, to show that we've had enough of this regime which is on its way out."



The country is facing a new flare-up of violence after President Joseph Kabila, who was supposed to step down after his final term last December, pushed back a new vote until December 2018.

Opposition forces are demanding "a transition without Kabila" from December 31.

Authorities made several arrests ahead of an opposition march earlier this month, sparking concern from the United States, Switzerland and Canada about limits on the freedom of expression.

According to a report this month by the respected National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO), police and security forces killed at least 53 anti-government protesters between April and October.

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The United Nations children's agency says the worst malnutrition rate since the start of the Syria conflict nearly seven years ago has been recorded in a rebel- held suburb of Damascus, besieged since mid-2013.

Nearly half of the 400,000 people trapped in eastern Ghouta suburb, northeast of Damascus, are believed to be children, according to UNICEF.

The UN agency says Thursday a survey it conducted in the area in November found 11.9 per cent of children under age 5 are suffering from acute malnutrition, a rise from only 2.1 per cent according to a similar study in January.

UNICEF Regional Director Geert Cappelaere called for the lifting of the government-imposed siege.

The humanitarian call comes as UN-sponsored peace talks are underway in Geneva. The talks aim to bring the opposition and government face-to-face.

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Acrimonious scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Assembly on the last day of the Winter Session today as AAP MLAs and treasury benches sparred over the issue of illegal mining in the state.

During the Zero Hour, AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira questioned the state government over the steps taken by it against illegal mining, prompting a sharp reaction from the treasury benches.

He even criticised the government for not making public a report of the Justice Narang Commission on mining.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra and Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu engaged in a heated exchange with Khaira after the AAP MLA accused Congress MLAs of being involved in illegal mining.

Sidhu said Khaira should be asked to tender an apology for casting aspersions on Congress MLAs.

Then, SAD MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu targeted the government on the law and order issue. He displayed a picture of Congress MLA Khushaldeep Dhillon purportedly with UP strongman Raja Bhaiyya and demanded a probe into the "serious" matter.

Replying to the charge, Dhillon claimed that Raja Bhaiyya had first gone to SAD chief Sukhbir Badal's house and then later to Akali leader Bikram Majithia's house.

Then Akali MLAs trooped to the Well of the House and started sloganeering following which they staged a walkout.

When the bills were being presented, Khaira withdrew his remarks against Congress MLAs on the issue of illegal mining but stuck to his demand for an inquiry into the matter.

When the legislative business was being taken up, Ludhiana MLA Simarjit Singh Bains raised the issue of seeking a royalty from other states for sharing water with them while referring to the resolution passed by the House in this regard last year.

Finance Minister Manpreet Badal said the discussion on the matter could only be held in a meeting of the inter-state council.

"The chief minister attended the recent meeting of the council in which Punjab demanded that water be treated like its minerals (are treated). We will continue to pursue the case," he said.

He said the state had also recorded its objection in the meeting of the council, formed to resolve any dispute between states.

Dissatisfied with the state government's response, MLAs of the AAP and the Lok Insaf Party (LIP) staged a walkout.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu had sought that toll tax at the plaza in Kurali be collected from the Sukhvilas Resort nearby rather than from the villagers.

Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa questioned whether the government or concessionaire of toll plaza constructed the road near the resort. Another party MLA Balbir Sidhu asked whether the road was constructed for villagers or the resort.

Replying to the query, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra said he would get the proposal examined.

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The US wants its European partners to continue to maintain their commitment in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, calling it essential for the success of President Donald Trump's South Asia Policy.

The purpose of America's new South Asia strategy is to destroy terrorist safe havens and deny their re-establishment while the Afghan government continues to strengthen its own capacity to maintain security and create the conditions for reconciliation with the Taliban and an inclusive government that accounts for the ethnic diversity of all Afghans, Tillerson said.

"We recognise the important contributions of our NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) allies that have been made in Afghanistan, and we ask them to maintain their commitment to the mission," Tillerson said in a major foreign policy speech on Europe ahead of his visit to the region.

Many allies remain uncertain about the Trump administration's commitments to their security, even though Trump has softened his positions since early in his term when he questioned whether NATO countries were pulling their weight in defending themselves.

"We know this will take time. But if we fail to exercise vigilance and undertake action against the terrorist threat, wherever it is found, we risk re-creating the safe havens from which the 9/11 plot was hatched and carried out," he said.

The new policy directions will better position the US and Europe to confront the challenges that threaten our prosperity, the actors that seek to sow chaos and instill doubt in our laws and institutions, and the enemies that threaten our security and oppose our way of life, he added.

As such, Tillerson urged "proportionate contributions" of troops, funds, and other forms of assistance as it seeks to eradicate a terrorist threat that will not be confined to the place where it was born.

NATO's Resolute Support mission is essential to our shared goal of ensuring that Afghanistan develops the capability to contribute to regional stability and prevail over terrorist threats, including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

"Even though the ISIS is on the brink of complete extinction in Iraq and Syria, the threat of the ISIS and associated terror networks will persist in our own country and in others," he said, adding that the Islamic State is looking for new footholds wherever they can find them, including the Sahel region of West Africa.

"We must take action so that areas like the Sahel or the Maghreb do not become the next breeding ground for ISIS, al- Qaeda, or other terrorist groups. When these groups are able to occupy territory without disruption, their strategists, their bomb makers, and online propagandists have an easier time encouraging, plotting, and executing attacks elsewhere in the world," he said.

"This was for many months the case in Raqqa. In support of our African and European partners, particularly France, the United States recently committed up to $60 million to assist the G5 Sahel Joint Force to combat terrorism and the potential rise of the ISIS in the African Sahel region," Tillerson said.

The emergence of ISIS in the Sahel is just one indication that threats to the safety and well-being of Americans will continue to have new and unexpected origins, he said.

"The evolving and unpredictable nature of the threats we face is already clear to the residents of Paris, Brussels, Orlando, Nice, Berlin, Istanbul, London, Manchester, Barcelona, New York, and many other places where our people have suffered at the hands of Islamist terrorists, many of whom were radicalised in front of a computer screen inside their own homes inside their own countries," he said.

"And the threats we face are clear to countries like Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Germany, who have confronted the destabilising impact of waves of irregular migration from North Africa and the Middle East," said the top American diplomat.

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US and Chinese generals today engaged in an unusual set of security talks, just hours after North Korea's most powerful missile test yet, focused on how the mighty American and Chinese militaries might communicate in a crisis.

As President Donald Trump greeted the North's launching of another intercontinental ballistic missile with familiar demands for China to get tougher with its ally, the low- profile and unpublicised meeting at the National Defence University in Washington was taking place amid signs China is more willing to discuss how the two world powers would manage an even worse emergency on the divided Korean Peninsula.

The Pentagon stressed the talks were scheduled long before North Korea's surprise missile launch in the early hours yesterday in Asia.

Officials insisted the dialogue wasn't centred on North Korea or anything else in particular.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having the capability to strike the US mainland with a nuclear-tipped missile, using military force if necessary.

He is running out of time: Some experts said the missile fired on a high trajectory that splashed down in the Sea of Japan showed North Korea's ability to strike Washington and the entire US Eastern Seaboard.

The threat of a military confrontation is making China rethink its resistance to discussing contingencies involving North Korea, according to experts. Such discussions have long been off-limits for Beijing, which fought on North Korea's side against the United States in the 1950-53 Korean War and remains its treaty ally.

In a phone conversation with Trump yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his desire for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff with North Korea.

Objectives for today's military consultations appeared modest.

"The engagement will serve as an opportunity to discuss how to manage crises, prevent miscalculations, and reduce the risk of misunderstanding," the office of Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Associated Press in a statement.

The US and China agreed on the talks when Dunford met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing in August. While in China, Dunford observed a Chinese military drill at Shenyang, about 120 miles from the North Korean border, an unusual stop for an official visit.

Today's talks were being led by Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke, the Joint Chiefs' planning director, and Maj. Gen. Shao Yuanming, a senior Chinese military official.

They're especially noteworthy given the deep strategic mistrust between the US and China, and Beijing's increasing challenge to America's post-World War II dominance in the Asia-Pacific.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A US military investigation of an August raid in Somalia is contradicting Somali officials' accusations that several civilians, including children, were killed.

The US-supported raid by Somali forces on August 25 in Bariire village caused an uproar, with bodies laid out in the capital, Mogadishu, for display. Somalia's army chief said civilians were killed.

The US Africa Command statement says a "thorough assessment" of the raid by US Special Operations Command Africa shows "the only casualties were those of armed enemy combatants."



There was no immediate response from Somali officials.

The Trump administration this year approved expanded military operations against the Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab.

A separate statement today by the US Africa Command says there are currently more than 500 US military personnel in the Horn of Africa nation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US radio personality Garrison Keillor, host of one of the best known shows in American public broadcasting, has been fired over allegations of "inappropriate behaviour," his employer said today.

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) did not detail the allegations, but said it learned of them last month and they related to conduct with a co-worker while Keillor was host of the long-running program "A Prairie Home Companion."



The 75-year-old, who retired from the popular weekly music and comedy show last year, said in an email to the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he had "put my hand on a woman's bare back" and later offered an apology that was accepted.

I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologised," Keillor said, according to the newspaper.

"Anyone who ever was around my show can tell you that I was the least physically affectionate person in the building," he said. "Actors hug, musicians hug, people were embracing every Saturday night left and right, and I stood off in the corner like a stone statue."



He added: "Getting fired is a real distinction in broadcasting and I've waited fifty years for the honour. All of my heroes got fired. I only wish it could've been for something more heroic."



In a separate email to MPR News, Keiller indicated that two employees had raised questions about his behaviour, saying he had a different recollection of events, but respected the network's decision.

"I think the country is in the grip of a mania," he said, describing as an "absurdity" the uproar surrounding Al Franken -- the Democratic comedian-turned-senator under scrutiny over accusations of touching several women without consent.

MPR announced that it had terminated contracts with Keillor and his private media companies, through which it was broadcasting "Best of" reruns of Keillor's hosted program and other features.

"MPR retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations. Based on what we currently know, there are no similar allegations involving other staff," the network said in a statement.

The company also planned to change the name of "A Prairie Home Companion," which is now hosted by Chris Thile.

Broadcast since 1974 and recorded in front of a live audience, the program is heard by 2.6 million listeners on almost 600 public radio stations in the US, according to its website.

Keillor's firing came the same day the NBC television network announced it had fired star morning anchor Matt Lauer over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The two joined the ranks of other giants of American film, television and journalism who have fallen amid a wave of allegations of sexual misconduct, which began weeks ago with a flood of charges against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

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US President Donald Trump today pledged to "take care" of North Korea after its latest ballistic missile launch -- the first after a two-month hiatus -- which his Pentagon chief said was its highest yet, signifying an expanded threat.

The ICBM is believed to have flown a relatively modest 1,000 kilometres from North Korea, before splashing down harmlessly in the Sea of Japan.

But Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the missile went higher than ever before and was a step toward North Korea building missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically."



"I will only tell you that we will take care of it, Trump said at the White House.

"It is a situation that we will handle," he added, in remarks designed to show resolve, but which offered little clue of an immediate US response.

The US president has threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" if it continues to work toward an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear payload.

A more than two-month pause in tests had prompted speculation about whether North Korea might be willing to embrace a negotiated solution to the nuclear standoff.

Shortly after Trump spoke, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said "diplomatic options remain viable and open" on North Korea -- but they now appear to be further away than ever before.

Mattis said South Korea had responded to the test by launching pinpoint missile strikes into the water -- an effort to show North Korea that a true attack would bring a swift and crippling response.

Since coming to office, Trump has ratcheted up the diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

He has pressed China to break trade ties with its dependent neighbour and has applauded countries for shuttering Pyongyang's diplomatic installations, which have long been used to gather illicit finance.

Earlier this month, Trump declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism -- a symbolic move, but one which amps up diplomatic pressure on the regime.

"We have a very serious approach. Nothing changed," Trump said.

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Facing flak over its "insensitive attitude" towards victims of rape and other women-related offences, the Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court that it would revise the Manodhairya scheme, raising the monetary compensation to victims to Rs 10 lakh.

Under the Manodhairya Yojana launched in October 2013, the state government gives a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to victims of rape and other crimes against women.

Apart from the monetary compensation, the government will also provide counselling to the victim and vocational or educational training, if required.

However, the high court, while hearing a bunch of petitions on the issue, had earlier said the Maharashtra government was "insensitive" towards such victims and that it should follow the footsteps of the Goa government, which awards compensation up to Rs 10 lakh.

The high court had formed a committee with two judges and bureaucrats from the state's women and child department to evolve a model scheme.

The committee today submitted a 16-page scheme, proposed to be revised, to a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M S Sonak.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbakoni told the court that the state government has agreed to implement the scheme submitted by the committee.

According to the proposed scheme, in rape cases, where the victim suffers mental retardation or incurs permanent physical or mental disability; in gangrape cases; minor victims of sexual assaults and acid attack cases, the victim will get a relief of Rs 10 lakh.

In rape case which leads to death of a woman and in case she was a working woman, the legal heir will get Rs 10 lakh and in case of a non-working woman, the legal heir will get Rs five lakh, as per the scheme.

The high court took objection to this and said, "Why are you discriminating between working and non-working women? The services of a home maker cannot be measured or valued in money."



Kumbakoni then immediately said the amount would be increased to Rs 10 lakh even in case of a non-working woman.

The revised scheme, however, shall apply only to the victims on whom offences are committed on and after the date of the scheme coming into effect.

According to the scheme, the state government shall issue an appropriate government resolution specifying the date with effect from which it shall come into force.

Under the revised scheme, the State Legal Services Authority has been authorised to receive applications seeking compensation and take a decision on how much compensation should be awarded to the victim.

"Every year there will be a separate budgetary allocation for this purpose," Kumbakoni said.

He said in cases where after trial, the court finds that the case was false or the victim turned hostile, then the compensation awarded to the victim will be recovered.

According to the scheme, in order to provide immediate emotional support to the victims, the government shall set up a specially trained trauma team for each district.

The team shall provide emotional support, guidance, medical help and psychiatric counselling free of cost.

The team shall comprise a woman counsellor, medical officer and a lady police officer and they would undergo appropriate training.

As per the revised scheme, the State Legal Services Authority, within seven days of receiving an application from a victim seeking compensation, may disburse a sum of Rs 30,000 to her.

The authority shall decide the said application finally within a period of 120 days from the date of receipt thereof, according to the scheme.

The bench, after perusing the scheme, directed secretary of the department concerned to file an affidavit and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.

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The Communist Party of China (CPC) has invited CPI(M) general secretary and CPI leader S Sudhakar Reddy to a meeting in Beijing which will be attended by leaders from 120 countries.

The meet - "The CPC in dialogue with world political parties" -- begins tomorrow and will conclude on December 3.

The CPI(M) and CPI general secretaries are the invitees from India and are also scheduled to meet top officials of the CPC.

Leaders from 200 political parties and organisations from 120 countries are expected to attend the meet.

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will also be among the participants.

Yechury will be leaving for Beijing tomorrow morning along with two CPI(M) central committee members.
By David Morgan and Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans scrambled on Wednesday to reformulate their tax bill to satisfy lawmakers worried about how much it would balloon the U.S. budget deficit, as the measure moved toward a decisive U.S. Senate floor vote later this week.

Stocks rallied on optimism that the tax overhaul package could pass, but obstacles remained, including attempts to address the estimated $1.4 trillion that the bill would add to the United States' $20 trillion national debt over 10 years.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said lawmakers would take a procedural step forward on Wednesday by voting whether to begin formal debate on the bill. That could lead to a vote on Thursday or Friday.

Democrats oppose the legislation, but only a simple majority of senators will be needed to start debate on the bill, which aims to cut taxes on corporations, other businesses and a wide range of individuals and families.

Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the 100-member Senate, giving them enough votes to approve the bill if they can hold together. Without Democratic support, Republicans can afford to lose no more than two of their own votes.

President Donald Trump travelled to Missouri on Wednesday to give a speech imploring members of his own party to get behind the effort, which would be his first significant legislative achievement since taking office in January.

"A vote to cut taxes is a vote to put America first again," Trump said, adding the bill could "cost me a fortune" and that his wealthy friends were not happy. "My accountants are going crazy right now. It's all right. Hey look, I am president, I don't care. I don't care anymore."

Democrats say the tax cuts are a giveaway to corporations and the wealthy at the expense of working Americans. Some Democrats have said Trump and his children would gain from the bill, which would repeal the estate tax on inherited wealth.

Among Americans aware of the Republican tax plan, 49 percent said they were opposed, up from 41 percent in October, according to a Nov. 23-27 Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday. The latest online poll of 1,257 adults found 29 percent supporting the plan and 22 percent saying they "don't know." [nL1N1NZ1QE]

The sweeping tax package was developed over several months behind closed doors by a small group of senior congressional and Trump administration figures, with little input from many Republican lawmakers and no involvement from Democrats.

SCHUMER'S CONCERNS

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday the secretive process produced starkly partisan legislation that was still being amended to confront unanticipated objections.

"We're potentially only one day away from a final vote on a bill to rewrite the U.S. tax code, and significant parts of the Republican bill are still up in the air. By the time of the vote, no one will have a definitive analysis of how the bill would impact the economy," he said.

A major sticking point in the Senate has centred on how the bill deals with the federal deficit and the national debt.

Senator Bob Corker, one of the few remaining fiscal hawks in the Republican Party, wants to add a tax snap-back provision to the bill that would raise taxes automatically if economic growth targets are not hit in the future to offset a higher deficit.

That trigger proposal has become a target of growing criticism among conservative Republicans and lobbyists, including interest groups aligned with the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, who say the prospect of tax hikes could undermine future economic growth.

"I'd prefer not having it there. We're probably going to have one. But I'd prefer not having it," Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch told reporters.

'GETTING A DEAL DONE'

Republican Senator David Perdue, a businessman from Georgia, said lawmakers could find common ground on a measure that delays any tax hike for at least five years and spreads the prospective burden among those who benefit from Republican tax cuts.

"This is about getting a deal done," Perdue told a conference with Republican senators and representatives of Koch-aligned groups including Americans for Prosperity.

Democrats and independents were trying to persuade nonpartisan Senate officials to disqualify parts of the bill, including one to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as impermissible under Senate rules, an aide said.

Key Republicans voiced cautious optimism about the bill.

Republican Senator Susan Collins said she would vote to open debate on it despite her qualms about its inclusion of a repeal of a federal fine in the Obamacare individual mandate that is meant to compel many Americans to buy health insurance.

Collins said Republican leaders had promised her the Senate would take up healthcare provisions this year to help mitigate the impact of changing the mandate, including one to help insurers cover expensive patients, and one to continue Obamacare subsidy payments for low-income people for two years.

Senator Jeff Flake, an Arizona conservative who has not committed to voting for the tax bill, told NPR he was more comfortable with it because of the "trigger" provisions.

(Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Susan Heavey and Tim Ahmann in Washington, Steve Holland in Missouri and Chris Kahn in New York; Writing by Jeff Mason; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's production of wheat and pulses is expected to jump in 2018 as a hike in the government's assured purchase prices and ample rainfall have prompted farmers to plant more of the winter crops, industry officials told Reuters.

Higher production will help the south Asian country reduce imports of pulses in the 2018/19 fiscal year starting April 1 and and could allow it to avoid buying overseas wheat for the first time in three years.

"Given the better realisation there should be at least a 5 per cent rise in wheat sowing," said Harish Galipelli, head of commodities and currencies at Inditrade Derivatives & Commodities.

"Wheat prices are stable. Government has raised minimum support price and import duty. This will certainly encourage farmers to expand area."

The world's second biggest wheat producer earlier this month doubled the import tax on wheat to 20 per cent.

In October, India raised the price at which the federal government will buy new-season wheat from local farmers by 6.8 per cent to Rs 1,735 ($26.93) per 100 kgs (220 lbs).

An expected increase in wheat production to a new high and rising stockpiles meant India would not need to import wheat in 2018/19, an official with state-run Food Corporation of India said.

Wheat stocks with government agencies stood at 23.9 million tonnes as on Nov. 1, up 27 per cent from a year ago following record output in 2017, added the official, who declined to be named.

India has imported wheat for the past two years after local production fell due to successive droughts in 2015 and 2016.

The country imported 5.75 million tonnes of wheat in 2016/17, the most in a decade. India imports wheat mainly from Ukraine, Australia, Bulgaria and Russia.

Ample rainfall in October and higher-than-normal water level in reservoirs will ensure better yields in the current season, said Inditrade's Galipelli.

India's wheat output in 2017 rose 6.7 per cent from a year earlier to a record high 98.38 million tonnes.

Farmers are likely to expand the area given over to chickpeas by nearly 20 per cent, said Pravin Dongre, chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association.

"Chickpeas gave better returns to farmers than oilseeds. Initial reports are indicating a significant jump in sowing," Dongre said.

Chickpea, also known as chana, is the main winter-sown pulse crop in India. A rise in chickpea production will help the country reduce pulses imports in 2018/19, he said.

India, the world's biggest importer of pulses, shipped in 6.6 million tonnes of mostly peas in fiscal 2016/17.

The government's decision to raise the chickpea support price by 10 per cent and a recent move to impose a 50 per cent import duty on peas will lure farmers to plant chickpea, said Nitin Kalantri, a pulses miller based at Latur in Maharashtra.

In 2016/17, India's pea imports jumped 41 per cent from a year earlier to a record 3.17 million tonnes.

India imports peas mainly from Canada, Russia, United States and France.
By Sankalp Phartiyal

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's Jet Airways and Air France-KLM announced a partnership to route more traffic through Europe and on to North America, in a potential challenge to Gulf carrier Etihad Airways that is a shareholder in Jet.

Indian international air traffic is booming, but much of the growth has been captured by the three big Gulf carriers including Etihad, which owns 24 percent of Jet.

The "enhanced cooperation agreement" with Air France-KLM, signed on Wednesday in India's financial capital Mumbai, is designed to route more traffic and expand the number of flights to Europe and then onwards to the United States.

The agreement also includes Delta Air Lines, with which Air France KLM has an existing partnership.

International carriers are increasingly tying up on routes in the face of rising competition.

The Gulf will continue to be an important market and Jet will not reduce its operations there, Naresh Goyal, chairman of Jet, told reporters.

He added that Jet had a "great relationship with Etihad" and that would continue.

Etihad was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Additional reporting by Jamie Freed in SINGAPORE, Writing by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
High-profile logistics and transportation customers like fleet operator J.B. Hunt and retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc announced orders for the Tesla Semi after it was unveiled on Nov. 16.

The Semi, scheduled for rollout in 2019, is Tesla's next step to move the economy away from fossil fuels through electric cars, solar roofs and power storage.

DHL Supply Chain, which provides transportation, warehousing and distribution services for U.S. manufacturers and retailers, ordered 10 trucks to test at customer facilities in major U.S. cities, the company said in a statement.

"The trucks will be used for shuttle runs and same-day customer deliveries, and will be tested for fuel efficiency on longer runs from major markets to other DHL operations across the country," the company said.

Fortigo, based in Etobicoke, Ontario, ordered one Tesla Semi with a down payment of about 26,000 Canadian dollars (U.S. $20,290), with a balance due of under U.S. $181,000 when the Tesla is delivered, Chief Executive Elias Demangos said by email on Tuesday.

"We'll be running it in a pilot programme to ensure it meets our business objectives," Demangos said.

Tesla will not provide a tally of orders it has received for the truck, company spokesman Dave Arnold said in an email.

The limited early orders reflect uncertainty about the market for electric commercial vehicles. The 500-mile (800 km) range between charges for the Tesla Semi is about half the range between fill-ups of a diesel Class 8 truck. Heavy batteries cut payload and add cost, potential deal killers for fleet buyers focused on operating cost per mile.

However, Tesla, and truck makers such as Daimler AG , Navistar International Corp and its partner Volkswagen AG are investing in electric models in a bet that the market will shift over the next decade.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Richard Chang and Andrew Hay)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By David Morgan and Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans rammed forward President Donald Trump's tax cut bill on Tuesday in an abrupt, partisan committee vote that set up a full vote by the Senate as soon as Thursday, although some details of the measure remained unsettled.

As disabled protesters shouted, "Kill the bill, don't kill us," in a Capitol Hill hearing room, the Senate Budget Committee, with no discussion, quickly approved the legislation on a 12-11 party-line vote that left Democrats fuming.

Republican committee members quickly left the room after the vote as Democrats complained about a lack of discussion on a bill that would overhaul the U.S. tax code and add an estimated $1.4 trillion to the $20 trillion national debt over 10 years.

The White House called the committee action "an important step toward passing historic tax relief and reform."

Republicans are hurrying to move their complex tax legislation forward, hoping to avoid the protracted infighting that doomed their effort to repeal Obamacare four months ago.

Since Trump took office in January, he and fellow Republicans in command of both chambers of Congress have approved no major legislation, a fact they want to change before facing the voters in the 2018 midterm congressional elections.

If the Senate approves its tax measure later this week, it would need to be reconciled with a version already approved by the House of Representatives before anything could be sent to the White House for Trump to sign into law.

Republican leaders conceded that they have yet to round up the votes needed for passage in the Senate, where they hold a narrow 52-48 majority. "It's a challenging exercise," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said at a conference.

The Senate bill would slash the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent after a one-year delay. It would impose a onetime, cut-rate tax on corporations' foreign profits, while exempting future foreign profits from U.S. taxation.

Tax rates for many individuals and families would also be cut temporarily before rising back to their previous levels in 2025. Key tax breaks would also be curbed or eliminated, making the bill a mixed bag for some middle-class families. Some taxes paid by wealthy Americans would be repealed.

Wall Street moved higher on the that the bill would move to a full Senate vote, with the benchmark S&P 500 index closing up a little over 1 percent.

THE CORKER CONCESSION

As written, the bill would widen the U.S. budget deficit by an estimated $1.4 trillion over 10 years. Republicans maintain that gap would be narrowed by additional economic growth.

Senator Bob Corker, one of few remaining Republican fiscal hawks in Congress, said he worked out a deal satisfying his concerns that the tax cuts add too much to the national debt.

He said the bill would be modified to automatically raise tax revenues if growth targets were not reached. "We got a commitment that puts us in a pretty good place," he said. Details were not immediately available.

The Corker concession was one of several lingering uncertainties in the bill that Senate aides said would be nailed down as the measure neared a floor vote.

Republican Senator Ron Johnson voted for the bill in the budget committee, even though he had said it does not cut taxes deeply enough for some non-corporate businesses.

The final version could address his concerns. Aides said tax writers were working to change the tax rate for non-corporate businesses, preserve an individual deduction for property tax payments, and incorporate Corker's tax revenue idea.

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley told MSNBC that the Corker concession was "an absolute gimmick" that could be undermined later. "It's just a justification to let those who have argued that they don't believe in increasing the deficit actually vote for a bill which does exactly that," Merkley said.

As the tax fight played out, a new battle opened on another front as Democrats cancelled a White House meeting with Trump to discuss spending, immigration and other issues after Trump said on Twitter that he did not think a deal was likely.

Lawmakers must renew government funding before it expires on Dec. 8 or risk a shutdown. Democrats hope to use their leverage on the budget issue to renew protections for young immigrants who entered the country illegally as children.

(Reporting by David Morgan, Makini Brice, Susan Cornwell and Amanda Becker in Washington and Lewis Krauskopf in New York; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Frances Kerry)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Stanley Carvalho

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - RAK Ceramics plans to build a third plant in India to almost double its production capacity there next year, the UAE-based company's chief executive told .

"Our target in India is to have 20 million square metres of capacity by 2018. We are bullish on growing our capacity and increasing our market share in a fast-growing economy," Chief Executive Abdallah Massad said in an interview.

Plans to set up a greenfield plant in the western Indian state of Gujarat are at an advanced stage, Massad said.

RAK's two existing facilities in India have a combined capacity of 11 million square metres of tile.

Among the world's top five producers of ceramic tile, RAK has been pulling out of businesses such as real estate, construction, warehousing and leasing to free up resources for growth in its core business.

The Abu Dhabi-listed firm makes 110 million square metres of tile annually as well as 5 million pieces of sanitary ware. It has facilities in the UAE, India, Bangladesh and Iran.

It reported revenue of 2.11 billion dirhams ($575 million) for the first nine months of 2017, a fall of 1 percent.

A slowdown in construction in the UAE and the Gulf due to government austerity measures had not affected the company, Massad said, noting RAK exports about 70 percent of its UAE output to 150 countries.

Revenues at RAK Ceramics Bangladesh have been rising at a rate of 35 percent this year, he said, adding that RAK planned to expand in line with market growth there.

A plant in China that was shut down two years ago will be sold once a buyer is found, Massad said, without elaborating.

(Editing by Andrew Torchia and Jason Neely)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
1. This company was founded by a couple in 1859. It handled the baggage of all the delegates attending the Republican Presidential convention at Chicago in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln was nominated. It also helped promote the sale of US War Bonds during World War II. Name the company.
On Tuesday, five new Court Appointed Special Advocates were sworn in at the Gage County Courthouse by Judge Steve Timm.

The advocates will be working with children who have been removed from their homes and will help them navigate the legal and foster care system.

The five Southeast Nebraska CASA volunteersShane Eichenberger, Nichole Reckley, Jamie Eichenberger, Josi Zito and Heather McKinneywent through CASAs 30-hour training process and an extensive background check to get to this point, said Southeast Nebraska CASA Executive Director Marci Fehlhafer.

Once theyre assigned a child, they are asked to meet with them at least twice a month for an average of 15 hours each month and review any documents pertinent to their case and meet with anyone who might be able to help them assure the childs needs are being met, Fehlhafer said.

They are actually appointed by the judge to speak on behalf of the children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect, she said. They meet with the child, review all the documents and meet with teachers if the children are of age.

Before swearing them in, Timm gave the volunteers a quick history lesson on the Gage County Courthouse, showing off the 120-year-old wooden structures inside the courtroom.

He thanked them for volunteering and warned that, while the job is an important one, it sometimes doesnt go as smoothly as it should.

It's not always going to be a pleasant job, Timm said. Things are not going to move as fast as you think they should, but that's just the way we do business. So, you'll have to get used to it.

Don Cook, the program coordinator for Southeast Nebraska CASA, said that the volunteers will be going to work almost immediately. Theres a large need for their services, Fehlhafer said, and thats not going to change any time soon.

Nicole has hers coming, Josi has hers and Heather has hers, Cook said. Shane and Jamie are going to wait until after the holidays.

McKinney, a teacher at Southern Schools in Wymore, brought some of her students from the community awareness civics class she teaches. She saw an ad in the paper, she said, and saw it as an opportunity to help children.

There are more than 750 CASA volunteers in Nebraska, but there are more than 2,000 kids who still need an advocate, according to CASAs data.

To volunteer, Fehlhafer recommended calling the office in Seward at 402-643-3695 or visiting CASAs website at southeastnebraskacasa.org to sign up. Southeast Nebraska CASA helps kids in five counties, including Gage, Thayer, Saline, Seward and Jefferson counties.

We absolutely still have very great need, Fehlhafer said.
Technological advancement has made available newer tools for transacting in the financial . Algorithm trading (algo) is one. It uses software-programmed trading strategies for benefiting from stock price movements. Nearly half of trades in the domestic market come from algos.
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications has got into a binding share purchase agreement with Pantel Technologies and Veecon Media & Television for the sale of its DTH arm Reliance BIG TV for an undisclosed amount. The move is aimed at reducing the debt burden of the company. The transaction will help reduce the liability of unsecured creditors, benefiting all stakeholders, including lenders and shareholders of RCom, the company said. RCom said the transaction is in consonance with the stated objective to focus on B2B businesses of the new RCom and the buyers will acquire the entire shareholding of Reliance BIG TV with business on an as-is, where-is basis.

The transaction ensures that all 1.2 million customers of BIG TV shall continue to enjoy uninterrupted services. It also ensures continuity of employment for approximately 500 employees of RBTV, the telco added. BIG TV's DTH licence is being renewed and the required bank guarantees have already been submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by the buyers, it further stated. Pantel Technologies is an information technology and communication devices hardware company and sells Penta T-Pad Tablet PCs. Earlier in June 2017, Pantel Technologies had acquired Den-Snapdeal TV-Shop Shopping Channel.

The announcement came amid reports that China Development Bank has filed insolvency case against RCom before the National Company Law Tribunal. However, RCom said it has not been served any notice of the application filed by China Development Bank with NCLT. RCom is reeling under a staggering debt burden of close Rs 46,000 crore. Roughly one-fifth of this is owed to Chinese Development Bank, which organized a syndicated loan for the company in 2011. While operational creditors such as Ericsson India Private and Tech Mahindra have already moved the National Company Law Tribunal to start insolvency proceedings against RCom, this new petition by a huge creditor could come as a major challenge for Anil Ambani to hold on to at least a minority stake in the company.

RCOM is finding it hard to service its dues to increased competition from Reliance Jio which is offering voice for free and data at dirt-cheap tariffs. The company is in the midst of a strategic debt restructuring plan and lenders have the option to convert part of their loans to equity by December this year. BSE had sought clarification from Reliance Communications after market hours on Monday regarding the news that China Development Bank has filed an insolvency case against it. Reliance Communications spokesperson replied that the company has not been served any notice of the application filed by China Development Bank with NCLT.
Japan's SoftBank Group Corp is offering to purchase shares of Uber Technologies Inc at a valuation of $48 billion, a 30 percent discount to its most recent valuation of $68.5 billion, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The investment, which was approved by the Uber board in October, would also trigger a string of governance changes at Uber that would limit some early shareholders' voting power, expand the board from 11 to 17 directors and cut the influence of former Chief Executive Travis Kalanick.

The investment and board moves are supported by new Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi and come at the end of a year of scandals and change for Uber, including the announcement last week that executives covered up a major hack in 2016.

The consortium of investors led by SoftBank and Dragoneer Investment Group plan to take a stake of at least 14 percent in the ride-services company. The tender offer will launch on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, and investors have nearly a month to respond.

The SoftBank-led investor group will acquire two of the new board seats, with the remaining four going to independent directors.

If there are not enough interested sellers, SoftBank can still walk away from the deal. SoftBank is also expected to make a separate $1 billion investment in the company at the $68.5 billion valuation.

Another person familiar with the deal said the offer price was in line with what investors had been expecting. SoftBank's offer is close to what Uber was worth in 2015, when shares were priced a little less than $40 apiece for a $51 billion valuation, according to data from PitchBook Inc.

Even at the discounted price, Uber is the world's second-highest valued private venture-backed company, after China's ride-service company Didi Chuxing, and the offer is a chance for early investors to lock in substantial profits and for employees to cash in shares that have to date only had value on paper. Shareholders, including employees, with at least 10,000 shares are eligible to sell.

Nearly all secondary transactions, when a new investor purchases from existing shareholders, come at a discount to the company's valuation.

However, the 30 percent discount is steep given Uber's plan to launch an initial public offering in 2019, said Phil Haslett, co-founder and head of investments at secondary marketplace EquityZen. Usually valuation cuts of this size happen when a company is at risk of being sold at a heavy discount, which Uber is not.

"It really comes down to a re-pricing of Uber's value," Haslett said.

Since it was valued at $68.5 billion more than a year ago, the company has been hit by scandals, including accusations of sexual harassment. It has also weathered federal criminal probes into software Uber used to deceive regulators and allegations of paying bribes to authorities in Asia, and a lawsuit by Alphabet Inc's self-driving unit Waymo, accusing Uber of stealing trade secrets.

Most recently, Uber revealed that the data of 57 million Uber customers and 600,000 drivers had been stolen in a breach more than a year ago, and that the company had paid two hackers $100,000 to cover it up. Since then, governments across the globe have launched investigations into the incident. The scandal raised questions about whether SoftBank would try to renegotiate the deal for better terms.

But Uber said on Friday it had informed SoftBank about the data breach prior to informing the public. However, "our information at the time was preliminary and incomplete," a spokesman said.

A person familiar with the matter said SoftBank would have already factored any negative impact from the breach into its negotiations with Uber.

Bloomberg reported the offer price earlier on Monday.
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TRAI ensures open internet

India's telecoms regulator has made long-awaited recommendations to ensure an open internet and prevent any discrimination in internet access in the country. After more than a year of debate, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said it opposed any "discriminatory treatment" of data, including blocking, slowing or offering preferential speeds or treatment to any content

Jaitley dismisses rumours of loan waivers

Dismissing rumours of loan waiver for big corporates, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the government has been taking firm action against defaulters. He cleared the air over the allegation of loan waiver to big NPA defaulters, indirectly attacking the previous UPA regime of relaxing norms for defaulted firms between 2008 and 2014. He said the present government had not waived off any loans of big NPA defaulters, and that "rumour mongers" should know that the previous government - rather than taking firm decision against debtors - had relaxed the loan classification norms to keep defaulters as non-NPA account holders.

Growth of women-led businesses good for society: Ivanka

Ivanka Trump, daughter and advisor to US President Donald Trump spoke at the opening of the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad. The summit's theme is "Women First, Prosperity for All," and Trump said the growth of women-led businesses is good for society and the global economy, adding that the Indian economy could grow by over USD 150 billion in the next three years if it was able to close the labour force gender gap by half.

Paytm's investment plans

Paytm has drawn up an investment plan of Rs 20000 crore as the entity expands its influence into digital payments, financial services and e-commerce. It launched its payments bank yesterday. Paytm had benefited immensely after the demonetisation drive last year and has 28 crore registered users at present.

Retail investors & algorithmic trading

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has plans to introduce rules on the participation of retail investors in algorithmic trading, which uses advanced mathematical models to create trading strategies. The system is used to make decisions in a fraction of a second and has an advantage over manual methods.

Bitcoin soars to all-time high

Virtual currency bitcoin has risen to an all-time high above $10,000 on some smaller exchanges and digital currency indexes.It has soared more than 900 percent so far this year, posting the largest gain of all asset classes, amid increased demand for crypto-currencies as financial and mainstream use has expanded.

Nestle Maggi in a soup again

Favourite Indian noodle brand Maggi finds itself in a soup again. It has failed a lab test in UP. According to Shahjahanpur district authorities, it had collected the Maggi samples in November 2016 and sent them for a lab test, and found ash content above the permissible limit. The district administration has slapped a fine of Rs45 lakh on Nestle, Rs15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs11 lakh on its two sellers. Nestle maintains that its a case of application of incorrect standards.

(IIM) Ahmedabad in top 50

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University rankings Business Masters Rankings 2018 are out. While Harvard University holds the number 1 position in the list, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad features in the top 50 of the list with IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta not far behind.The list covers business schools from over 30 countries with Harvard University leading this year because of its perfect score of 100 as far as employability is concerned



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On Tuesday, six men who worked in a catering service were found dead inside a tempo at Delhi's Cantonment area. Police said that the six men died of suffocation after they slept inside a tempo with a tandoor that was not put out. The police also added that the men were preparing food at a wedding function. Once they were done, they went to sleep inside the tempo in which they had brought their catering utensils, put the still lit tandoor inside to keep themselves warm and closed the tempo.

The deceased have been identified as Amit, Pankaj, Anil, who were from Rudrapur, Kamal from Nepal and Gorakhpur residents Avadhlal and Deep Chand, reports mention.

Nirmal Singh, their supervisor, woke up late night and tried to wake them up. When they did not respond, he informed the police. The men were rushed to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where Amit, Pankaj, Anil and Kamal were declared brought dead. Avadhlal and Deep Chand died later that evening during treatment.

"During investigation, it was found that the victims had gone for catering work in a marriage function at a community centre in Delhi Cantt area. After the function got over, they carried all the cooking equipment, including a tandoor at the tempo trunk and went to another venue around 12.30 am on Mall Road," a report in India Today quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shibesh Singh.

Police have registered a case and have sent the bodies for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of the deaths.

(With agency inputs)
The government's latest divestment bet in the ETF arena seems to be affected by the Sensex and Nifty movement, which are trading flat today. On Wednesday, Bharat 22 ETF was stuck to its previous day closing price of 37.32, after hitting an intra-day high of Rs 37.45 on the NSE.

The fund comprising 22 firms was listed on the bourses with over 3 percent gains on November 28, 2017. While the fund contains almost all key firms on the indices, it would be interesting to see how much returns the fund can deliver in the long term. Today, we are picking five firms (covering their profiles and financials) which is the second part of a series of four stories of Bharat 22 ETF firms which will be published this week.

Also read: Bharat 22 ETF lists on BSE, NSE: A sneak peek into top five firms and their financials



Coal India: The state-owned coal mining corporate is the single-largest coal producer in the world and produces around 84% of India's overall coal output.

The firm is spread over eight states in India with 7 wholly owned coal producing subsidiaries and one mine planning and consultancy company.

The company was conferred Maharatna status in 2011. It caters to 98 out of 101 coal-based thermal power plants in India.

It owns 26 technical and management training institutes and 102 Vocational Training Institutes Centres. In FY17, the mining behemoth produced 554.14 million tonnes of coal and increased its production by 15.39 million tonnes over last year. Coal India supplies coal at prices discounted to international prices and thereby insulates Indian coal consumers against price volatility.

NTPC: NTPC is the energy conglomerate and dominant player in power industry which contributes 24% of total power generation in India. It generates electricity via hydro, nuclear and renewable energy sources.

The company has diversified into consultancy, power trading, training of power professionals, rural electrification, ash utilisation and coal mining to strengthen its core business.

The company is conferred Maharatna status in May 2010 and has total installed capacity 51,708 MW (including JVs) with 20 coal-based, seven gas-based stations, 1 hydro-based station and 1 wind-based station. The power generation of the company increased by over 5% and its installed capacity crossed the 50,000 MW mark in FY17.

Power Grid Corporation: The firm is a public sector undertaking with navratna status engaged in transmission of electricity through Inter-State Transmission System. It owns and operates a transmission network of about 142,989 km of inter-State transmission lines as on September 2017 and has 226 sub stations. The other business verticals of the company include consultancy and telecom.

It provides transmission consultancy to more than 150 domestic clients and has presence in more than 20 countries catering to more than 25 clients. In telecom, the company owns and operates 43450 km of telecom network with presence in 662 locations. The company has made a capital expenditure of Rs 1,12,664 crore in FY17 as against capex target of Rs 1,10,000 crore for the XII Plan.

BPCL

State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) explores for and refines crude oil. The firm manufactures petroleum, petroleum products, lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas, aromatics like benzene and toluene, and other related products. BPCL operates through two segments, Downstream Petroleum; and Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons. It offers liquid and gaseous fuels, illuminating oils, and other products from crude petroleum or bituminous minerals; lubricants, including automotive engine oils, gear oils, transmission oils, specialty oils, and greases; natural gas; and aviation fuel.















The company also provides industrial fuels and products, such as industrial gases, naphtha, diesel, kerosene, white oil, black oil, furnace oil, bitumen, sulphur, and solvents and special products, as well as industrial lubricants. In addition, it engages in the upstream exploration and production activities with participating interests in 22 blocks in India and internationally. It has refineries at Mumbai and Kochi, LPG bottling plants and lube blending plants.







Its marketing infrastructure includes network of installations, depots, retail outlets, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. The company operates a network of 13,983 retail outlets. It serves public and private sectors; and various government establishments, such as defence, railways, state transport undertakings, state electricity boards, etc.







BPCL also exports its products. The company was formerly known as Bharat Refineries Limited and changed its name to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in August 1977. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited was incorporated in 1952 and is based in Mumbai.For the quarter ended September 2017, the firm reported a three-fold rise in net profit to Rs 2,357.4 crore quarter on quarter.

AXIS BANK: Private sector lender Axis Bank provides a suite of corporate and retail banking products. The bank's segments include treasury, retail banking, corporate/wholesale banking and other banking business. Its treasury operations include investments in sovereign and corporate debt, equity and mutual funds, trading operations, derivative trading and foreign exchange operations on the proprietary account and for customers.







The bank's retail banking constitutes lending to individuals/small businesses and activities include liability products, card services, Internet banking, mobile banking and financial advisory services, among others.









Its corporate/wholesale banking includes corporate relationships not included under Retail Banking, corporate advisory services, placements and syndication, project appraisals, capital market-related services and cash management services.





Its other banking business includes para banking activities, such as third-party product distribution and other banking transactions. The bank reported a profit of Rs 432.38 crore, compared with Rs 319.08 crore a year ago and Rs 1,305.60 crore a quarter ago in Q2 of the current fiscal.





With data inputs from Sameer Bhardwaj


The ordinance to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), and make it impossible for existing promoters or their associates to bid for their companies may make for good politics but it probably makes less sense economically.

Politically, it makes sense to try and make sure that people who take huge loans, get the banks into trouble by defaulting, and mismanage do not get too many chances to hold on to their companies and assets at the cost of their lenders taking a steep haircut. After all, most of these promoters have already been through the corporate debt restructuring (CDR) process, and have had chances earlier of trying and settling their loans.

Banks have been unusually accommodative, giving them many chances. In the case of CDRs, the banks have taken a haircut once. There have been other options offered - the 5:25 scheme, the SDR and the S4A options, which also allowed promoters to work with banks to resolve the problems. The issue is that none worked for the 12 biggest cases, which forced the RBI to nudge the banks to take the borrowers to NCLT, under the IBC.

Having said that, the economic rationale for allowing promoters to bid is that for one, it would allow an extra bidder and therefore might spur other potential buyers to offer better bids. Two, quite a few of the promoters had signaled that they were desperate to hold on to their companies and had tied up with other financiers to bid and were expected to bid aggressively. Since they had better information about their companies than other potential bidders (given the short time the latter had to evaluate the assets under resolution), they might actually have come up with better bids.

Equally, the ordinance also brings to question the whole concept of limited liability. If a promoter is not a willful defaulter but gets into trouble because of external conditions or policy changes (for example, a mine getting cancelled, or any other changes from when the project was conceptualized), there is no real rationale to keep the promoter from bidding for the company.

Having brought in the ordinance more than halfway through the initial resolution period for the top 11 cases, it seems unlikely that any of the cases will be resolved in the 180 day period mandated under the IBC. There is an additional 90 day period that is allowed if the cases don't find resolution in the original 180 days. But now, a number of observers are apprehensive that even the 90 additional days may not be enough.

There are reports that the government might consider tweaking the law to allow at least the current cases to go beyond the 270 days (180 + 90) if a successful resolution is not found within the original period. That would be a pity because the whole idea of the IBC was to bring a quick end to cases that had dragged on for long.

Most of the companies had been in trouble for two years or more before they were brought to the NCLT. And even after a resolution at the NCLT, there are chances of delays. For example, a bidder who loses out can appeal to the National Company Law Tribunal Appellate Authority (NCLAT). Even after the NCLAT, there is the option of appealing to the Supreme Court.

Given the size of the companies involved and the potential bidders, we can expect the process to drag on for very long. The first lot of big cases will complete their 180 day period sometime in middle of January. It will be clearer then whether a resolution is close or still far away.
Lincoln police are looking for two people in connection with the disappearance of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe.

Police describe Aubrey C. Trail, 51, and Bailey M. Boswell, 23, as persons of interest in the investigation. Chief Jeff Bliemeister declined to comment on how the two might be connected with Loofe's disappearance.

"Bailey Boswell and Aubrey Trail are two people that we need to speak with, and (we) believe they have additional information concerning Sydney's whereabouts," Bliemeister told reporters Tuesday morning.

Loofe missed work Nov. 16 at the Menards in north Lincoln after apparently going on a date the night before with someone she met online, her parents have said. Police confirmed she was last seen in Wilber, 40 miles southwest of Lincoln, on Nov. 15.

Police have called the disappearance "concerning."

Investigators working in Lincoln, Omaha, Wilber and elsewhere in Nebraska have conducted interviews and followed the digital footprints Loofe left behind, Bliemeister said.

Loofe's car and cat, Nimzy, were left at her home in northeast Lincoln, but her phone pinged off a cellphone tower in the Wilber area and has since been disabled, according to her family.

On Tuesday, Bliemeister said investigators continue to analyze and vet the cellphone activity, social media messages and electronic transactions connected with this case.

Sydney Loofe has a yin-yang tattoo on one of her forearms, the word "Believe" with a cross on the inside of her left wrist, and the phrase "Everything will be wonderful someday" on her right bicep.

She is 5-foot-7 and weighs 135 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white Columbia jacket and a cream-colored shirt.

Trail is 6 feet tall and weighs about 284 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, according to the police news release. Boswell is 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

A police spokeswoman said Trail and Boswell recently lived in Wilber, but Bliemeister said the two have ties to several other states.

Police have not provided more detail, including how the two might be connected, because they want to protect the integrity of their investigation, the chief said.

Court records showed Trail reported a recent address of an apartment at 621 W. Seventh St. in Wilber.

Last week, Saline County Attorney Tad Eickman obtained an arrest warrant for Trail accusing him of being a felon in possession of a firearm between Sept. 1, 2017, and Nov. 20, 2017, according to court records. The warrant includes a habitual criminal charge because Trail has previous felony convictions in Nebraska for forgery and issuing bad checks.

Trail previously lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Falls City, Nebraska, court records show.

Boswell last year reported in court records that she lived in the Missouri towns of Trenton and Milan.

Police encourage anyone with information about the whereabouts of Trail, Boswell or Loofe to call 402-441-6000.

Capt. Jeff Bucher, who leads the police department's investigations unit, is leading the search for Loofe and working with the Saline County Sheriff's Department, Nebraska State Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.

"Between Capt. Bucher and Saline County Sheriff Alan Moore, I can assure you we are making every effort to locate Sydney, and we will continue to do so until she is found," Bliemeister told reporters Tuesday morning.

Last week, Loofe's family started an online fundraiser to aid search efforts. The fundraiser, which aims to raise $30,000, had garnered nearly $3,000 in donations as of midday Tuesday.
Here are the daily highlights from the world of tech:



OnePlus 5T sale



OnePlus 5T goes on sale in India. The device is available on Amazon India's website as well as the company's official online store. OnePlus has kept the prices unchanged with the 64GB variant priced at Rs 32,999 and the 128GB variant priced at Rs 37,999.

JioPhone sales expected to resume soon. Reliance Jio has sent texts to few customers asking for confirmation if they're interested in the device. On clicking the link in the text the user it redirected to a Jio page promising to start delivering new devices soon.

Apple's Highlights

Apple's FaceID was introduced with the iPhone X and since then has been subjected to various tests. A Vietnamese security company, Bkav claims to have cracked the iPhone X's faceID using 3D masks. Despite turning on the "required attention"feature, the device was not able to distinguish a mask from a real person.

Xioami on top

Xiaomi did something unthinkable. In just three years, the Chinese company has overthrown the tech-giant Samsung in terms of market share in the top 50 cities in India for the third quarter of 2017. The company's growth can be attributed to the tremendous sales figures during this festive season.

The Chinese company's Redmi Note 4 was the best selling device all over, contributing more than 40 per cent of the total sales of Xiaomi. Xiaomi is closely followed by Samsung with a market share of 24.1 per cent in the Q3 of 2017. Lenovo is a distant third at 10.3 per cent followed by Oppo with 5.2 per cent and Vivo at 5.1 per cent.




For nearly 80 years Utah State University has been providing flight training programs. As planes and aviation technology have evolved since then, so has USUs approach to preparing students for a career in the skies.

Weve had a relationship down at the airport since 1939 training pilots, says Bruce Miller, Department Head of the School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education at <a href=https://aste.usu.edu/aviation/ target=_blank>USU</a>. Weve grown into a spot in the last few years that we also started training helicopter pilots.

In 2013 the university began a partnership with private flight school Mountain Ridge Helicopters at the Logan-Cache Airport. USU leased the equipment from Mountain Ridge Helicopters and contracted with their instructors to provide some of the training for Aggie students.

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Now, that relationship has evolved as the helicopters have been sold to the university and the instructors are now USU employees.

Weve been doing helicopter training for the last four years, Miller explains and just this last fall we acquired the helicopters to do our own in-house training for rotorcraft.

The total fair market value for the helicopters, hangars and other associated tools and equipment is currently being assessed by certified appraisers. Miller says the total cost of the purchase has not yet been finalized.

He says the relationship with Mountain Ridge Helicopters and USU has been a good one. They are located next to each other at the airport and the efficiencies of combining both a fixed wing program with a helicopter program makes a lot of sense for the university.

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It just evolved to that place where Mountain Ridge was ready to sell their helicopters. So we purchased them so we can continue training students that are our students, Miller continues. Students were in the program, they will continue in the program and it basically was a seamless transition based on whether the equipment was leased or owned.

Seven helicopters are being purchased and Miller says there were nine full and part-time employees that were associated with the program previously. Most of those employees will continue to do what theyve always done, only now they will do it as USU employees.

Approximately 40 students participate in the helicopter training program each year. Miller says those are special students because of the time and financial commitment the program requires. He says the ballpark figure for training a helicopter pilot approaches $100,000, and that is in addition to the regular tuition and fees a student will need to pay for his or her degree.

All of the professional pilots, whether fixed wing or helicopters, they are a different bread of student because the investment to be in that profession is very great, he explains. They are usually very focused and come here specifically for that program.

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Miller says many of the students will have had some kind of triggering event in their lives that made them want to become a pilot, like taking a helicopter ride as a tourist over the Grand Canyon, Hawaii or Las Vegas. And then they focus on achieving the goal of becoming a pilot, themselves.

When the students come here we dont have a lot of students switching in and out of the major because of the financial commitment required, Miller explains. Most of that comes earlier. Your private licenses are your most expensive, whether its airplanes or helicopters, so once they start that process in their first semester theyre usually committed for the long term.

Miller says those students go on to do a wide variety of work as helicopter pilots and he sees an upside for USU in providing the training.

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We see a big demand in industry whether its for delivering goods and services out to oil rig platforms, to setting towers for ski resorts to checking utility lines, Miller explains. The helicopter pilots are in demand as well so we believe we are in a good position to provide that training and support that industry with commercial pilots.
Work on an addition to Paddock Lane Elementary School is expected to start in December after the Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education approved a contract for the addition Tuesday night.

The School Board approved the contract for $1.128 million with Rogge General Contracting out of Lincoln for the project.

Board member Jon Zimmerman said the bid was the lowest submitted out of three.

We went with the lowest bid that was submitted, Zimmerman said. It was the lowest viable bid, too. Just because you bid low doesnt mean you have to take it, but Steve and I felt that Rogge General Contracting provided a good bid and also gets us into where we hoped to be able to fall.

The second lowest bid from Sampson Caspers Construction for an additional $204,000, while the final bid from Lacey Construction was around $274,000 more than the winning bid.

Board member Steve Winter said all three bids were relatively close, given the scope of the project.

I think all the bids were relatively good bids, Winter said. Its always tough maybe to not use a local bidder, but the difference was $204,000 between the low bid and the next bid. Its tough to look the other way on that. I think from that, it was an obvious choice we had to make.

Winter and Zimmerman were each on a committee that included architect Michael Fakler, the architect who designed the project, to evaluate the bid proposals.

The vote to approve the contract was unanimous, though board member Doris Martin was hesitant to award the contract to a company that isnt based in Gage County.

I really have heartburn not going with a local person, Martin said. Theyre paying taxes in our district. I really struggle with that.

The new building will include six classrooms that will replace four portable classrooms that are currently in use at Paddock Lane, with two additional classrooms to accommodate more students, as Beatrice Public Schools restructures after the transition of Cedar Elementary into a preschool-only facility.

The addition will be outfitted with traditional tile in the hallways, carpet in classrooms and at least one window per classroom. LED lights will also be featured in each classroom.

The project will come with around $30,000 in fees to the city of Beatrice, most of which are due to water main work.

Zimmerman said a water line currently runs where construction will take place, and the line will need to be abandoned.

The project will also require running water to the current portable buildings being used at Paddock Lane.
Primo Maldonado is a busy guy.

At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, people were already lining up for lunch at his restaurant.

Tonitas Taco Shop opened in Beatrice on Saturday and theyve already started to grow a following. While there are plenty of places to get Mexican food in Beatrice, Tonitas is the only one in town that serves traditional Mexican fast food favorites.

Chances are, if youve driven by the old Dairy Queen building at 500 W. Court Street, youve noticed the Tonitas sign that went up a few months ago.

Its been about a year since Maldonado started planning for Tonitas, but the process really started to pick up about three months ago.

Put in new everything inside, Maldonado said. Brand new kitchen. Brand new everything. I've been working for three months. Every day.

The inside of the taco shop is bright reddish orange color. The front doorincluding the handlehas been painted that same orange.

That orange color even extends to the menu, which is as vast as it is flavorful. Featuring burritos, tostadas, tacos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, nachos, chimichangas and more, the menu boasts a selection of nine different kinds of meat as well as a full breakfast menu thats served all day.

The restaurant opens at 6 a.m. for breakfast, which is when Maldonado arrives to get everything made fresh. All of the foods are made right on siteincluding the sweet, creamy horchataby Maldonado and the six employees who work at Tonitas.

Maldonados wife, Maria, and their son, Mateo, stopped by for a visit on Tuesday afternoon, just as a truck dropped off a delivery of fresh food.

The past couple of decades, Maldonado has been moving around the country and working in various restaurants. He spent three years in San Diego and a year in Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas for four years. He also spent 18 years in Arizona.

Maldonado has been working in different restaurants around Nebraska for about two years, including, most recently, the six months he spent in Crete. The people he worked with told him Beatrice would be a good place to open a taco shop, because there wasnt really anything like it. Hes happy here, he said, and he really likes the people in Nebraska.

Tonitas is open seven days a week, at the counter or at the drive-thru, from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 1:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Theyre also open from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sundays.

It's different, Maldonado said. It's a taco shop, so fast food. It's more easy for the people, for me and for everybody.
CAMEROUN :: Cameroon: A gang of three arrested with pangolin scales.

On November 22, wildlife officials led an operation with the Judicial Police at the Camp Yabassi neighbourhoud in Douala to arrest three traffickers who had been unlawfully selling pangolins scales.

The three were arrested and taken to the Bonanjo Judicial Police station were they would spend the night and the following day, they were taken to the Littoral Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife for the commencement of interrogations and the drafting of a compliant report. Two days later, they were presented to the state counsel who remanded them in custody awaiting trial. The operation was carried out with the technical support of LAGA, an organization specialized in wildlife law enforcement. During the investigations leading to their arrests, according to sources that requested for anonymity, key details of the trafficking network emerged.

According to the sources, the gang operated in the East Region, principally in Doume were two of the three were based and in Douala. The two who were based in Doume bought pangolin scales from other smaller traffickers, in the small town and villages around, putting together hundreds of kilogrammes of scales and would travel to the Douala to hook up with the third trafficker who did the marketing, searching for clients, negotiating the prices and selling the products. This was done from his home and it was during this transaction that police and wildlife officials made an incursion in the scene and arrested them red-handed. Five bags of pangolins scales weighing 128kg were recovered from the scene. Our sources told us that the illegal business had been going on at this premises for some time and ivory was one of the major products that was trafficked by the gang. Prior investigations had equally established that the gang was deeply involved in ivory trafficking.

Wildlife law enforcement experts say there is a probable link between ivory and pangolin scales trafficking. Ivory traffickers are taking advantage of their long-groomed skills in handling bulk to engaging in pangolin trafficking that warrants bulk management skills. The expertise needed in concealing and transporting ivory is clearly adapted to handling of pangolin scales. The recent surge in prices of pangolin scales in Asian markets is attracting ivory traffickers into the scales business. Many ivory traffickers have shifted into pangolin scales trafficking or simply included scales trafficking to their portfolio. This can only be extremely bad news for law enforcement agencies because ivory traffickers are among the most sophisticated in the business and very difficult to investigate and arrest.

Wildlife officials in Sangmelima arrested three traffickers and four ivory tusks and giant pangolins scales were seized and about a week later, police arrested three people at the Bois de Singe neighourhood in Douala, 158 ivory tusks and 1500kg of pangolin scales heading for Nigeria were seized. Two different operations in different two different towns, within a week but having one thing in common, ivory and pangolin scales. Several operations carried out within the framework of the initiative started by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife in 2003 to effectively track and arrest traffickers have indicated there is a link between ivory and pangolin trafficking and the bigger picture seems to have finally emerged warranting an intensification of enforcement measures.

According to the wildlife law anyone found in possession of part or whole of a protected wildfire species is considered to have killed or captured the animal and could face an imprisonment term of up to 3 years. The three suspects aged 42, 41 and 33 who are presently behind bars may stay there for a very long time if they are found guilty during a trial that shall soon be coming up.
GOP House majority message to 'woke' firms: Get out of politics

With a Republican majority in the House, GOP plans to put pressure on corporations that take liberal stands on issues like abortion and racial justice
"We'll probably play to about 30,000 people over these three and a half weeks and that's fantastic. And I think if Canberrans want more shows to come of this scale, because this is certainly a very big show to start in Canberra, then they have to frequent the theatre, they have to support it."
Happy Thursday! I've got some good news for you, leave that umbrella at home because we're in for a mostly sunny day with a top of 30 degrees - yes, you heard me, 30 degrees!
"This will allow us to fix any fault or outage much sooner and mean fewer problems need to be reported by the public," Ms Fitzharris said.
"That's an important preventative measure, it's a strengthening of the existing legislation and I think it's really important that we have measures in place through our legislation and enforcement which aren't just about responding to an attack, but preventing that attack from happening in the first place."
Ultimately, the greatest significance of any minor party to the final outcome is when it serves as a way for voters to find their way from one side of major party politics to the other. That is why One Nation badly hurts the Coalition. It disproportionately takes first preferences away from it but does not give them back in the same measure as second preferences. The Democratic Labour Party used to hurt Labor in a similar fashion.
TransCanada has begun contacting Nebraska landowners along the newly approved path for its Keystone XL pipeline as the company ponders whether or not to build.

"We're not standing still," said Dean Patry, TransCanada's senior vice president for liquids pipelines, speaking Tuesday to attendees of the Calgary-based company's annual investor day in Toronto.

Patry was asked, but gave no timeline for when TransCanada executives will make a final investment decision on the pipeline.

The soonest the company hopes to begin construction is next year, a decade after the 36-inch, $8 billion pipeline was first proposed. It would run 1,184 miles from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska, connecting there with the existing Keystone pipeline to carry Canadian oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The Keystone XL's fate has never been certain, but Nebraska regulators added to that uncertainty last week by rejecting TransCanadas preferred route for the pipeline in favor of another route through this state.

TransCanada has asked the Nebraska Public Service Commission for clarity on its decision, but says it isn't trying to contest the approved route.

The Public Service Commission determined TransCanada's preferred route wasnt in the public interest because it did not take advantage of an existing utility corridor. Instead, the commission approved a route that more closely follows the original Keystone pipeline, which was completed in 2010.

That approved route  the mainline alternative  would carry the pipeline through Keya Paha, Boyd, Holt, Antelope, Madison and Stanton counties before meeting up with the existing pipeline and continuing through Colfax, Butler, Seward, Saline and Jefferson counties.

The change means TransCanada would need to deal with new landowners, plan and build more pumping stations, cut through more regulatory red tape and face the probability of fresh legal challenges from pipeline opponents, who argue the commission's decision was in error. That process could add months, even years, to the project timeline.
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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.

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In an open letter Monday, nearly 70 faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln accused Gov. Pete Ricketts and several state senators of using an Aug. 25 political incident in a sustained attack to damage the university.

Posted to the Nebraska chapter of the American Association of University Professors' website, the letter raised concerns that decisions involving the university are being made without transparency or proper governance and under improper exertions of influence by the legislative and executive branches of the state government.

"We believe it is imperative to express our alarm now, before irrevocable damage is done to the mission of the university and the value it contributes to the state of Nebraska," the letter states.

In an earlier statement Ricketts had said "the August incident has highlighted concerns about the liberal bent of academia."

"The University of Nebraska has an opportunity to set itself apart as a public university that fosters spirited debate and a supportive learning environment for students across the political spectrum," he said.

Following an Aug. 25 confrontation between graduate student and lecturer Courtney Lawton and Kaitlyn Mullen, a second-year student recruiting for a conservative group, state Sens. Steve Erdman, Tom Brewer and Steve Halloran said UNL is hostile to students with conservative viewpoints.

UNL removed Lawton from the classroom in September after a video surfaced of her calling the student a neo-fascist and making an inappropriate gesture toward her. Lawton said she was told she was removed for safety reasons and not for disciplinary reasons.

In October the three senators penned an editorial criticizing UNL for being unfriendly to conservatives and they took aim at a list of core beliefs posted on the English departments website, saying it did not reflect what they said should be taught in English courses.

Top university administrators responded on Oct. 31, saying the senators criticism included "falsehoods and distortions," adding UNL was taking steps to make all students feel welcome on campus.

Their responses drew further rebuke from the state senators, who demanded to meet with administrators to communicate their expectations to the university.

On Nov. 16, UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green and NU President Hank Bounds met with the senators at the Capitol. Brewer, of Gordon, said in an interview last week the senators told the administrators during the meeting they thought the graduate student should be fired.

A day after the meeting, UNL ended the graduate students employment at the university.

Two communications staff also resigned after emails were made public showing a communications strategy discussion to counter what they called a right wing narrative continuing to focus on the Aug. 25 incident.

The Nov. 17 firing and resignations drew alarm from the faculty, which they said was evidence of a sustained attack on the university that has greatly surpassed the scope and import of the initial incident, and led the lawmakers to call for an end to tenure, further budget cuts and censorship of members of the English department.

Under the pretense that the university is unsafe for conservative students, the governor and his surrogates are opening the door to ideological intervention at the university from outside entities, the letter states. Their lack of consistency in protecting and respecting students political views, particularly those that diverge from their own, reveals the political nature of this manufactured crisis.

The faculty also said they have been aggressively targeted by sweeping open records requests made by the governors allies, including a request to faculty critical of the state government to turn over private email addresses and emails.

The faculty asked "no radical changes" be made to UNL's administration, academic programs, allocation of funds, or support for campus initiatives without "appropriate faculty governance, transparency and respect for academic freedom, which are core values of a healthy university."

Both Erdman and Halloran said in phone interviews last week they intend to sponsor free speech legislation in January requiring the university to create new rules protecting speech and expression in public areas on campus and adopting disciplinary sanctions for anyone who interferes with that free speech and expression.

Erdman said the senators plan to blend two models being considered in other states, including one put forward by the Goldwater Institute, a conservative and libertarian think-tank based in Arizona, and another recommended by the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.

He said the bill is not a conservative protection thing, but rather protection for free speech and free expression on campus. All students need to feel protected and be welcomed to share their concerns and ideas without any repercussions, its not just one certain group.

Faculty in other states -- seven have adopted some form of the bill, 10 others are considering it -- where free speech legislation has been signed into law have opposed those measures, saying the bills diminish the ability of a university community to govern itself.

If the Nebraska Legislature proposes legislation that would affect academic freedom and freedom of speech I am assured the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Faculty Senate would discuss the matter thoroughly and take action if necessary, said Sarah Purcell, the faculty senate president.

UNL's graduate students have also expressed concerns over external pressures on the university system following the Aug. 25 incident.

"Many graduate students have approached us about this issue because they feel that the August 25 incident has egregiously distorted perceptions about their work, and because they fear that decision regarding Ms. Lawton set a precedent that compromises their security in this community," the Graduate Student Assembly wrote in an email.

The assembly said they will work "to create a climate on campus in which all students -- graduate and undergraduate -- are safe and valued, no matter their political viewpoints."

In their letter, the faculty asked the administration to stand for the values of the University of Nebraska, a large community of diverse people with diverse viewpoints, that constitutes the most significant institutional asset in the state.

We insist that all levels of the administration respect the governance structures currently in place, and categorically reject political interference in the good work being done at our states flagship institution, the letter concludes.
Land Rover is working on the next generation Evoque which will apparently borrow a few things from its bigger sibling, the Velar.



The British carmaker has decided to not mess too much with the successful recipe of the Evoque, which makes sense since its been one of their best-selling models since its original debut.

Land Rovers design boss Gerry McGovern said to Autocar that the new Evoque doesnt have to be reinvented; instead the smaller Range Rover will be designed with the intention of making it more relevant. He then added that the company was looking at how to make the vehicle more modern, precise, more comfortable, more luxurious, those things  not just pure aesthetics.

The exterior design will be heavily influenced by the new Velar, which has already served as an inspiration to the recently facelifted Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models. The new Evoque will also feature most of the Velars interior tech, including the dashboards dual-touchscreen layout and digital instrument cluster.

Under the fresh new bodywork, the new Evoque will use on a re-engineered version of the current models D8 platform, which is also used in slightly different versions on cars like the Discovery Sport and Jaguar E-Pace.

These platform updates are focused on making the new Evoque more comfortable and refined as Land Rover wants it to offer a true mini Range Rover feel in terms of luxury and refinement. That also gives Jaguar the chance to distance themselves with the sportier E-Pace.

The size of the second generation Evoque will be slightly bigger, compared to the current model. The wheelbase will be stretched by 21mm to 2681mm while the tracks will also be wider and the rear trailing arm suspension will be redesigned for more cabin space.

The Ingenium engine range will carry over from the existing Evoque, meaning a 2,0-liter petrol unit offered in different power outputs between 237hp and 296hp and a 2.0-liter diesel ranging from 148hp to 237hp. All engines will be paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission and will be retuned for better fuel economy and CO2 emissions. A mild hybrid version will reportedly be available after 2020.

Base models will be offered with front-wheel drive with Land Rover offering all-wheel drive on more expensive versions. The new Range Rover Evoque is expected to make its official debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, with European sales set to begin in early 2019.

PHOTO GALLERY
The new Subaru Ascent has landed in Los Angeles, ready to pick a fight with the Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, and Chevrolet Traverse, among others.



However, until it proves itself worthy of challenging other three-row SUV across North America, its trying to get the attention of potential buyers in this highly-competitive segment with a very civilized (others would say boring) exterior design, and a versatile cabin that can carry up to eight passengers.

You can bash Subaru all you want for its timid design efforts, but you cant deny that they know what their core audience wants, as proved by their sales momentum with 71 straight months of increased deliveries in the States.

The devil, as they say, is in the details, as where the ill-fated Tribeca failed (space), the new Ascent more than makes up for it. At 196.8in (499.9cm) long, 76in (193cm) wide, and with a wheelbase of 113.8in (289.1cm), this is the largest Subaru ever. It builds upon the Ascent Concept shown this year in New York, which, in turn, is derived from the 2016s Viziv-7 study, and beneath its new sheet metal lies a modified version of the companys modular vehicle platform.

By the time it arrives at dealers next summer, American customers will get to choose between one of four trim levels. Each one is well equipped, even the base model, which comes with features such as infotainment system, smartphone connectivity, three-zone automatic climate control, and automatic emergency braking.

However, regardless of their selection, they will have to settle for the 260hp and 277lb-ft (376Nm) of torque 2.4-liter Boxer engine, with twin-scroll turbo and a CVT.

PHOTO GALLERY
When you hear the word rogue, do you think of a Star Wars movie or a Nissan crossover? Well the creators of each want you to think of both, and to that end have revealed an array of concept cars at the LA Auto Show.



Made to promote the upcoming theatrical release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the six vehicles have been individually crafted to take on the spirit of the sci-fi franchise and its latest installment.

Theres an Altima sedan done up to emulate the TIE Fighters deployed in the First Orders Special Forces squadron, with a multi-panel windshield, special wheels, full body wrap, and speakers to play TIE Fighter and blaster sounds.

Its joined by three different takes on the Maxima  one channeling Kylo Rens black and silver facemask, another emulating his TIE Silencer spacecraft with its distinctive wings, and a third made for Captain Phasma of the First Order in silver with black and red.

Given the title of the last film, it should come as no surprise that the Rogue is well represented here as well. Theres one done up like Poe Damerons X-wing starfighter  complete with a BB-8 droid popping out the roof  and a Rogue Sport taking on the design of an A-wing fighter in blue and white.

Of all the concepts on display at the LA show this year, these seem the least likely to enter production. But they will be making their rounds of the local shows once this ones done.

Photo Gallery
It took 62 years but I think I finally figured it out.

The Liberals say they want to help a lot of people.They didn't tell me they meant foreigners, not everyday citizens so much. The Conservatives say they want to help a lot of people. They didn't tell me they meant their corporate buddies, not everyday citizens so much. The NDP say they want to help everybody. They didn't tell me everyday citizens are going to pay so much.

Maybe it's time to purge Ottawa and Victoria of the old guard. Elizabeth May and Andrew Weaver don't look so bad now. Even the Rhinoceros Party seems a bit less ridiculous.

Robert Brown


If I remember correctly, this is not the first time that somebody is pointing a finger to this. It is a shame, but who's fault is it?

I hate to say it but we are all at fault, one way or another. It is company policy because they want to cover their backs and it is not just Tim Horton's, it is the same for every place that sells food. Every grocery store is ordered by law to get rid of everything that is "outdated". I put this last word in brackets because in many cases it is the wrong word.

The whole thing started with a few stupid people and probably the same amount of greedy lawyers and a number of judges that for whatever reason agreed to reward those with settlement money.

I agree, there are a few foods that we need to be careful (meat, poultry, seafood) however, if somebody decides to crawl into a dumpster and eat whatever they find, they should be held responsible for their own actions and not be rewarded.

With the laws we have today, everybody goes by the imprint on the package. If it says "best before", it does not mean bad the day after. But this is, unfortunately, today's trend. I can do whatever I want, I can eat whatever I want, then if anything goes wrong, I sue!

Roger von DAch
Photo: Contributed

With ever popular Viking-inspired series such as Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom, its no wonder that Norway has become one of the most sought-after travel destinations of 2018.

It's a stunningly beautiful country with strong Nordic traditions and vast opportunities for exploration. For the luxury traveller, consider the small ship fjord cruises such as Taucks seven-day voyage from Bergen to Oslo.

The adventure traveller can research GAdventures trekking itinerary, which follows in the footsteps of Leif Eriksson and traces the volatile Viking history.

Insight Vacations offers many tours ranging from 13-29 days. Wonderfully immersive opportunities to learn more about this vibrant and culturally rich county.

Norway was voted Best Place to Live on the Planet in 2015. Well paying jobs, spectacular health-care and clean, fresh air were but three of the qualifications that placed them first out of 200 countries.

The capital city is Oslo. Best known for its green spaces and wonderful museums and architecture, Oslo is also fast becoming an international destination for its eclectic summer music festivals.

Cosmopolitan coffee houses and a cutting-edge restaurant scene is putting a new twist on traditional Norwegian fare. There is so much more to sample than just aquavit and lapskaus.

The Royal Family of Norway is evident at its massive palace in Oslo where you can view the daily changing of the guard as well as the incredibly scenic Kings Road between Oslo and Trondheim.

An absolute must do is the Bergen Bana train ride from Oslo to Bergen. Youll depart at 8 a.m. and your camera will begin a nonstop photo-op as the train roars over Norways mountainous centre.

The barren, windswept heaths, glaciers, forests and raw rugged beauty will take your breath away. Your seven-hour journey will have you climb over 1,300 metres, go under 30 kilometres of snow sheds, cross over 300 bridges and traverse 200 tunnels.

Norways biggest claim to fame is her awe-inspiring fjords, a series of saltwater inlets that infiltrate her entire coastline and are home to a plethora of flora and fauna. They're a haven for hikers, climbers and mountain trekkers.

The longest and deepest inlet is Sognefjord, which is home to the village of Flam. Accessible via the Bergen Bana train, Flam is a perfect jump-off point to spend a night enjoying the local culture and sampling the famous goat cheese geitost."

Sightseeing cruises depart at 90-minute intervals to explore the scenic inlets. Waterfalls, sheer rock walls, towering precipices and the inexplicable rawness of nature at its purest awaits.

Depart Flam in the morning to continue your way to Bergen. A World Heritage UNESCO city, Bergens colourful wooden structures are a picturesque backdrop to her rich heritage.

There are year-round opportunities to visit Norway with dog sledding and snow-shoeing tours in the winter however most travel is during the peak summer months of July and August. Euros are not accepted, and you will be expected to withdraw Norwegian krone from local ATMs.

Norway will not disappoint.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: YouTube

Kokanee are holding their own in Okanagan lakes.

A survey of the landlocked salmon found fluctuating numbers that are increasing in some lakes.

Provincial biologists say the Wood Lake kokanee population continues to demonstrate signs of recovery after poor lake conditions led to a significant increase in mortality in 2011.

In 2017, more than 34,000 kokanee returned to the tributaries of Wood Lake to spawn. Given the high number of returning kokanee, the ministry will continue to allow a fishery on the lake from April 1 to Aug. 31.

Staff are also working collaboratively with the District of Lake Country, Oceola Fish and Game Club and Okanagan Indian Band to improve spawning beds in Middle Vernon Creek.

The shoreline and tributary surveys help the province monitor the health of the fishery and set angling regulations. The 2017 results indicate:
Photo: BC CO Service

Conservation officers were able to free a deer after its hoof got stuck in a leghold trap near Williams Lake.

Calls came in about a deer with something stuck on its foot, but officers couldnt locate it.

Then, this morning, we got another report that it was in the back of someones residence, said conservation officer Jared Connatty.

They found a small trap on the deer and were able to remove it.

I'm not sure how it got its foot in there because these are urban deer and they never leave town, he said. Possibly somebody just had it laying around in their yard and it just happened to step in it.

The deer suffered little injury and just has a small limp for now.

Urban deer are continuing to grow (in numbers). These conflicts seem to be regular and on the rise, said Connatty.

If you see wildlife in distress, call 1-877-952-7277.
Photo: RCMP

A police dive team searched a lake Monday in Whistler, looking for any clues in the disappearance of a 25-year-old woman.

Alison Raspa was last seen late Wednesday night, leaving the Three Below Bar.

Police say an item identified as belonging to Raspa was found in Alpha Lake Park the following morning, which set off the search of a nearby lake by the RCMP underwater recovery team.

Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau says police are concerned about Raspa's well-being and would like to speak to anyone with information about her movements after she left the bar.

The West Australian newspaper and ABC news in Australia reported Monday that Raspa moved to British Columbia from Perth in May and was working at a Whistler hotel.

RCMP say Raspa was reported missing Thursday by co-workers when she failed to show up for work.
Photo: Google Maps

Emergency crews are on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Neave Road near Lougheed Road in Kelowna.

Witnesses say as many as four vehicles may have been involved in the crash in an industrial area north of Reid's Corner.

One of the vehicles apparently caught fire. Employees at a nearby business were seen trying to extinguish the blaze.

A large flatbed truck was one of the vehicles involved.

There is no word on injuries.

Send your news tips, photos and video to [email protected]
Photo: Google Street View

Women are being warned to be on guard after a woman was grabbed by a unknown man in Surrey.

Surrey RCMP said the sexual assault occurred in the North Surrey area Monday.

On Nov. 27 at 10:25 p.m., police received a report of a woman who had been grabbed by an unknown male from behind.

The incident occurred as she returned home on foot in the 12700 block of 113A Avenue. The victim screamed causing the suspect to flee the area prior to police arrival. The victim believed she may have been followed prior to the incident, said Cpl. Scotty Schumann.

Surrey RCMPs Special Victims Unit (SVU) is leading this investigation.

Schumann said officers will be canvassing the area for surveillance footage that may show the suspect and any potential witnesses.

The victim, who was uninjured, describes the suspect as an Asian male, 5'9, slim to medium build, and with short black hair that is spiked in the front.

The suspect was wearing a dark hoodie under a black vest or jacket, black framed eyeglasses, a white mask, and dark baggy pants. The suspect may also have been carrying a backpack.

To reduce the likelihood of being victimized, pedestrians are encouraged to walk with confidence and be aware of their surroundings, said Schumann. Trust your instincts and call police if you feel your safety is in jeopardy at any time. Stay visible, stick to well-lit areas, and dont wear dark clothing at night.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

To make an anonymous report contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.
Photo: Google Maps

A group of Skaha Lake Middle School students have been forced to miss class time every day this school year due to a poorly designed bus schedule.

The group of Kaleden students take take the bus to school five days a week.



Parents are frustrated because the bus drops their children off right when the bell rings and students have to leave class five to 10 minutes early to catch the bus home.



They have to be excused from class a little bit early in order to catch the bus to get home, said Linda Van Alphen, board chair of School District 67.

We realized after they (Association of School Transportation Services of BC) had done the whole study and gave us all sorts of options. We took a look at it and said You know what? This is too complicated for us to do anything but just the very basics at this time.'



The impacted students are now being assured the bus will arrive at school with time to spare and leave after the bell rings for the day, until the end of the 2017/2018 school year.



We directed staff to make it so that the bus routes comes in ten minutes early and it leaves ten minutes late, Van Alphen said. Its going to impact some of the other routes but right now were just in a holding pattern for the rest of the year until the end of June.

The issue is a part of larger overall challenge some students in Kaleden face.

I have three kids in each of elementary, middle school and high school. My 6 year old has to walk home. My 11 year old gets to school late and has to leave before class is over. And my 15 year old is expected to get to school an entire hour before it starts, a parent said in an email to Castanet.

Van Alphen said the school district is working on a full transportation review.
Photo: City of Penticton Major repairs needed to Skaha Marina's docks

Penticton city council isn't crazy about the spending more than $1.7 million to replace the docks at Skaha Marina.

The city-owned facilitys decrepit condition was brought before council Tuesday during the first day of 2018 budget talks.

At this point I have zero comfort level in throwing $1.7 million of the taxpayers money at Skaha Marina, Coun. Max Picton said We need to have a fully comprehensive plan on whats going down there before we even consider spending that kind of money.

With the citys cancellation of its long-term lease with the Trio Marine Group, the responsibility for repairs and maintenance is falling to the public.

City staff suggested spending $1.7 million over the next two years to replace the docks and $150K to renovate the boat house. They also offered options that would see the docks completely removed, or a "pause" to gather more input from the public.

The docks are not in great shape, said facilities manager Bregje Kozak, adding Trio had to conduct a bunch of band-aid repairs before they were able to open the marina this year.

Suggestions around the council table were made to send the matter to committee and to consult with the RDOS and Penticton Indian Band about their plans for the lake. Nobody spoke in favour and spending the money immediately.

I personally think we need two marinas, because we are such a special city between two lakes. But we need to listen to what the people of Penticton want, Coun. Helena Konanz said, mulling that some residents apparently dont see the value in a marina on Skaha Lake.

City manager Peter Weeber reminded council that the clock is ticking, with the current Trio agreement set to run out at the end of 2018.

So whatever plan we put in place would have to be implemented in 2019, he said There could be a period where we would have to close the facility for a short period of time, because we are not in the business of running marinas.

City staff had earmarked $700,000 for the project in the 2018 budget, but were directed by council to determine how much of that they would need to carry out public outreach.

Weeber said once council makes a final decision on the budget Thursday, city staff will get moving as quickly as possible on public consultation to prevent the marina from being mothballed in 2019.
Photo: VPD Convicted sex offender Kristjon Otto Olson, 35, has been released from custody and is residing in a Vancouver halfway house.

Vancouver police have issued a warning about a high-risk sex offender.

Convicted sex offender Kristjon Otto Olson, 35, has been released from custody and is residing in a Vancouver halfway house.

He poses a significant risk for committing sexual offences against children, said Const. Jason Doucette

Olson is convicted of sexual assault, three counts of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, two counts of print/publish child pornography, attempt to print/publish child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

The Correctional Services of Canada has assessed Olson at a very high risk of sexually reoffending. At risk are female and male children and teenagers, including strangers, acquaintances, intimate partners, and the general public, said Doucette.

Olson is aboriginal, 58, 200 lbs., with a stocky build, short, light brown hair and brown eyes.

Olson is bound by several court-imposed conditions of his Statutory Release, which include:

must wear electronic monitoring device

not to consume, purchase, or possess alcohol or drugs

not to own, use or possess a computer, or any technological device, that would allow you unsupervised access to the internet

not to purchase, acquire, possess or access pornography or sexually explicit material in any form or type of media

report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with any person that has parental responsibility for children under the age of 18

not to be in, near, or around places where children under the age of 18 are likely to congregate, such as elementary and secondary schools, parks, swimming pools, and recreation centres

not to be in the presence of any male or female children under the age of 18

Anyone who sees Kristjon Otto Olson in violation of any of these conditions is asked to call 911 immediately, said Doucette.
Photo: Skylar Noe-vack

A two-car crash near Penticton's downtown centre slowed traffic early Tuesday evening.

Crews responded to the collision at 4:45 p.m. at Main Street and Nelson Avenue.

A witness at the scene said one of the vehicles nearly crashed into the La Caza Ouzeria restaurant on the corner.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the crash is unknown.

Castanet will update as more information becomes available.
Colton Davies

First Nations members and dignitaries from across the Okanagan were on hand at the Penticton Indian Band on Tuesday, for the unveiling of a monument to honour the Syilx people who endured residential schools.

The site where the monument stands is the same place where children were taken from their families and loaded on trains or trucks to the residential schools  most often in Kamloops or Cranbrook  according to the Okanagan Nation Alliance.

They were literally ripped from the arms of their families, they were taken from their homes, they were taken out of this community," Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said.

"We know that this genocidal policy of dominion government was perpetrated against the Indigenous peoples right across this country.

But we stand here today in celebration because it was an absolute colossal failure.

Elder Jack Kruger of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation said he has a hard time surviving today after what he went through at residential schools.

He said the hardship included sexual abuse and chemical abuse, and said First Nations children were treated like "guinea pigs" at the schools.

This (monument) is a metaphor of symbolism. When you see the monument you can see us coming back Sure we were traumatized, sure we didnt have rights. But look what we did, look how far weve come," he said.

There were more than 130 residential schools in Canada from the 1870s until the final one closed in 1996, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The TRC website reads that the schools were "set up to eliminate parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual development of Aboriginal children," noting many children were taken to schools against their parents wishes.

Phillip echoed a message that First Nations people have come a long way in fighting for and keeping their culture.

Here we are today. Our language is growing stronger day by day. Our customs and traditions are returning. Our spirituality is coming back.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began by telling a story -- one that began not that long ago and, in some ways, is still unfolding -- about how the federal government spent decades ruining the careers and lives of Canadians because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government -- people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives," Trudeau said Tuesday as he delivered a speech building up to his promised apology for past state-sanctioned discrimination against members of the LGBTQ2 community in Canada.

"These aren't distant practices of governments long forgotten," he said.

"This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit."

Dozens of people -- including two of Trudeau's own children, Xavier and Ella-Grace -- crammed into the various House of Commons galleries to witness the historic occasion, which the prime minister said he hopes will finally allow the healing process to begin for those affected.

The expression of regret, and the emotional reaction to its delivery, built like a crescendo as Trudeau walked through the ways the federal government caused harm to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited people, a term used broadly to describe Indigenous Peoples who identify as part of the community.

That included the criminalization of homosexual sexual activity, raids on bathhouses, public humiliation and efforts to rid the military and the public service of LGBTQ people, until as recently as 1992.

Then, Trudeau began to move on from the lesson in history to the abject apology for it having happened in the first place.

"It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologize," he said.

"I am sorry. We are sorry."
Photo: Colin Dacre Email records released show a balancing act between salmon hatcheries and flood management this spring

As the level of Okanagan Lake began its relentless climb up this spring, the man at the controls of the Penticton dam was in a balancing act with the Okanagan Nation Alliance and federal department of fisheries.

Email records recently released through a freedom of information request show Ministry public safety and protections manager Shaun Reimer working with the two groups to allow salmon eggs to hatch before ramping up the outflow in Penticton.

There was a considerable increase in fry observed last night, federal fisheries biologist Margot Stockwell wrote on April 18, to Reimer and ONA biologist Karilyn Alex.

Pointing to April rainfall and snowmelt, Stockwell inquired when Reimer would have to raise the outflows.

He has room to bump it up right now but Im hoping he can wait till the end of the week until he lets her rip! she continued, adding she was hopeful darkness provided by a no moon phase would encourage the fry down river.

Nobody was expecting this and it has been pretty nerve wracking for Shaun, Stockwell wrote in an April 19 email. There is concern for flooding this year and thus water management/desires carry the heaviest weight.

Later that day, Reimer responded with his plan to rapidly begin releasing water on April 24, leading up to the week of May 1, when the Penticton channel would be at capacity.

The emails corroborate interviews Reimer and fisheries staff conducted with the media later in the spring as basements began to flood.

Following one of those interviews on June 9, DFO ecosystems science section head Kim Hyatt emailed Reimer, Alex and others acknowledging the public was getting edgy about the release schedule in the second half of April.

None of the information we had in-hand suggested a high risk of the magnitude of the subsequent events that have taken place in May through early June, she wrote.

Rainfall totals in Penticton came in at 225% of normal from March to May, according to Environment Canada.
Photo: CTV Marlene Bird

To the sound of pounding drums Indigenous dancers performed outside Saskatoon city hall to pay tribute to a homeless woman who survived a brutal attack in 2014, including being sexually assaulted and set on fire.

Marlene Bird died Monday in hospital of organ failure.

She lost both legs and much of her eyesight in the June 2014 attack.

Bird was a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation and is to be buried next to her grandmother in the northern community of Molanosa.

Kayla Ironstar Murray says the round dance was to remember Bird and raise awareness to end violence.

Murray says Indigenous people face violence every day.

"We brought our children so they can be aware of her and just know her story, honour her and respect her," Murray said Tuesday.

Murray said similar round dances to honour Bird were held in Toronto and Prince Albert, Sask.
Photo: The Canadian Press Zhou Xinci, a migrant from Heilongjiang, talks about her fears of being evicted in her rented apartment in the outskirts of Beijing.

Zhou Xinci left her hometown in China's struggling rust belt four years ago for Beijing with little more than the clothes on her back and a dream to one day save enough money to buy a home.

That dream is now fast unraveling as Zhou, 35, watches as her neighbours  other low-income Chinese migrants like her  are being hurriedly evicted from their homes on the outskirts of the capital by the government.

Authorities in Beijing have launched sweeping evictions of workers who have migrated from elsewhere in the country, triggering a public outcry over the treatment of people the city depends on to build skyscrapers, care for children and take on other lowly paid work.

Zhou, whose husband is a factory worker in Beijing, knows their family will soon be next and wonders how they will stay in the city and keep their 9-year-old son safe and in school.

"They are chasing people away from apartments and smashing things. How wouldn't a child be scared? My son is scared and can't sleep at night, of course I'm scared too," she said.

Her family now pays 400 yuan ($60) a month to rent a single room big enough for their bed, a wardrobe, television set and refrigerator. But with soaring rents and rising discrimination against migrant workers, she says it will be impossible to find another room.

"They say Beijing people will feel heartache if they lose a dog," Zhou said. "We are living people. How could they treat us like this?"

Workers interviewed by the AP say whole families have been evicted, often with little notice, leaving them scrambling to transport their belongings in the freezing weather. Many have had to pile their furniture, bags, bedding, clothes and other items into overloaded pickup trucks and vans, discarding kitchenware and other belongings that wouldn't fit.

"They called us at 5 a.m. and by 8 a.m. they had arrived with demolition equipment," said Bi Yan'ao, a 54-year-old migrant worker who has lived in Beijing for 13 years, describing what it was like to have to move out of his apartment in Daxing in just a few hours last week, clutching his belongings.

"In just one hour, they flattened a 100-meter (330-foot) -long stretch of land. How scary is that."

After that, Bi went to work with his relative at a shop selling cosmetics, but then they were told this week they had a couple of days to move out. On Monday evening, Bi stood in the store surveying the piles of boxes of merchandise around him, at a loss for what to do. He teared up.

"I want to cry," he said. "I don't have anything left now."

Last week, the city launched a 40-day campaign to clear out tenants from buildings deemed unsafe after a massive fire killed 19 people at apartments rented mainly by low-income Chinese migrant workers.

The eviction drive has been met with widespread anger and criticism online, with people saying it has laid bare the stark inequality in China that prevents poorer migrants who provide essential services in cities from enjoying the same status as the cities' residents. Under China's much-criticized household registration, or "hukou," system, Chinese migrant workers who can't obtain "hukou" in the cities they work in are often denied access to subsidized health care, education and social services.

Most tenants living in such homes on the outskirts of the city are factory workers, construction labourers, delivery people, drivers, cleaners, or hairdressers who come from poorer parts of China. Others run their own small wholesale businesses and shops selling cheap goods. Some have lived for years in the city with their children
Photo: Skylar Noe-Vack

Firefighters doused a dumpster fire in Penticton overnight.

Crews responded about 10:30 p.m. to the fire in a dumpster behind The Pass Motor Inn on Skaha Lake Road.

Heavy smoke and flames were pouring from the bin when firefighters arrived at the scene.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread to the building, bushes or fences nearby.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
Photo: City of Victoria

Work on a major commuter bridge in Victoria will ramp up in December  almost three years behind schedule and $42 million over budget.

The Johnson Street Bridge will intermittently shut down for three days as crews lift parts into place for its replacement.

A crane barge will begin the work on Dec. 8.

The city says the closures could be several hours in length and are subject to change in case of bad weather.

Commuters should use the Bay Street Bridge during the closures.

Marine traffic under the bridge will also be closed.

The deck span will be lifted into place in January, and the new bridge is scheduled to open in March.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: The Canadian Press

Residents of an exclusive San Francisco neighbourhood who failed to pay taxes on their private, gated street for two decades got the street back Tuesday after supervisors voted to rescind the sale of the tax-defaulted property.

The Board of Supervisors split 7-4 on the move, with those in favour saying residents of Presidio Terrace had not received enough notice before their sidewalks, street and common areas were sold at auction in 2015.

Supervisor Mark Farrell, who represents the district, said it was not good policy to allow out-of-town land "speculators" to swoop in on law-abiding property owners who simply did not know they owed tax on their street.

He agreed the homeowners' due process rights were violated when the tax collector sent tax bills to an outdated address. The association had failed to update its mailing address.

"When I look to the constitution and deprivation of property and taking of property from individuals, I think that is a high standard that hasn't been met here," Supervisor Katy Tang added.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen voted against reversing the sale, saying homeowners had defaulted before and should have been on notice.

She agreed that most people did not expect to pay taxes on sidewalk in front of their house but pointed out that most people don't have a private street in front of their house.

"Did the treasurer act unreasonably? I don't think so, and should we give a second bite of the apple to these homeowners when most people don't get that?" she said. "I don't think so."
Photo: The Canadian Press

NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday for "inappropriate sexual behaviour," making him the second morning television show personality to lose his job because of sexual misconduct charges in a week.

Lauer's co-host Savannah Guthrie made the announcement at the top of Wednesday's "Today" show. Last week, CBS News fired Charlie Rose after complaints from several women who worked for him.

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the network had received a complaint from a colleague on Monday night, and a review determined it was a clear violation of company standards. While it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer, Lack said in a memo to staff that "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Lauer, 59, has hosted "Today" for two decades. When paired with Katie Couric, "Today" was the longtime ratings leader and was highly lucrative for NBC. It now runs second in the ratings to ABC's "Good Morning America."

Many "Today" show viewers took out their anger for the unsightly 2012 firing of co-host Ann Curry on Lauer, sending the show plunging in the ratings. But NBC stuck with Lauer and the show had steadied with his pairing with Guthrie. The show runs for four hours, with Lauer and Guthrie hosting the first two.

He joins a lengthening list of media figures felled by sexual misconduct charges this year. Besides Rose, they include Lauer's former NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, former Fox News prime-time host Bill O'Reilly and National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes. The New York Times suspended White House correspondent Glenn Thrush last week.

Lack, in his memo, said that "we are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization  and do it in as transparent a manner as we can."
Photo: jetphotos.net

Searchers say they're still looking for new clues three days after a small plane with two people on board vanished near Revelstoke.

Lt. Melissa Kia with the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre says rescuers scoured an area about 18 kilometres north of Revelstoke again on Tuesday with aircraft and ground crews, including search dogs.

She says the searchers saw no signs of the aircraft before shutting down the search for the night on Tuesday.

The rescue centre's spokeswoman, Katelyn Moores, says the search grid has been refined based on more complete information from radar and the cellphone tower that picked up a signal from the pilot's phone at about the same time the plane was reported missing on Saturday.

The plane was on a flight from Penticton to Edmonton when it disappeared.

Moores says the search area is mountainous and densely forested, and that combined with the heavy snow was making the search challenging.

The search is expected to resume this morning.
Photo: The Canadian Press Tourists sleep at the airport in Surabaya, Indonesia, after leaving Bali by ferry.

The airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened Wednesday after an erupting volcano forced its closure two days ago, but the country's president said the danger had not passed and urged anyone within the mountain's exclusion zone to get out "for the sake of their safety."

Volcanic ash reaching 7,600 metres began drifting south and southeast of Mount Agung, leaving clean space above the airport for planes to land and take off, said airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim.

The airport, which handles more than 400 flights a day, had closed Monday, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people trying to enter or leave the popular vacation destination. Thick ash particles are hazardous to aircraft and can choke engines.

Despite the all-clear from authorities, flights are unlikely to rapidly return to normal levels and a change in the direction of the ash or a new more powerful eruption could force the airport's closure again.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered all concerned ministries and agencies, as well as the military and police, to help Bali's government deal with the disaster.

"I hope there will be no victims hit by the eruption," he said.

Authorities have told 100,000 people to leave an area extending up to 10 kilometres in places from the volcano as it belches grey and white plumes. Nearly 40,000 people are now staying in 225 shelters, according to the Disaster Mitigation Agency in Karangasem. But tens of thousands more have remained in their homes because they feel safe or don't want to abandon their land and livestock.
Photo: The Canadian Press

With a royal wedding in the works, there is rising speculation about the title that will be bestowed on Meghan Markle when she marries Prince Harry in May.

Will the American-born actress be a British princess? The answer is: sort of.

It depends a bit on what titles Queen Elizabeth II gives Harry and Markle on their wedding day.

Though Markle, 36, will not formally be known as Princess Meghan because she is not of royal birth, she will become Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales when she marries Harry, whose proper first name is Henry.

The speculation is that the queen will make Harry a Duke, like his brother William, and Markle a Duchess on their wedding day. In that case, Markle would be known as a Duchess.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A gunman with a hostage opened fire from the eighth floor of a luxury highrise condominium in Nevada onto the streets below, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The man died Tuesday after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Reno police Deputy Chief Tom Robinson told reporters. It wasn't immediately clear whether he was killed by police gunfire or his own. No one else, including the hostage, was hurt.

The gunman's name has not been released. Robinson described him only as a young adult.

The luxury highrise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed dozens. But there were no reported injuries in Tuesday's attack as the streets were mostly empty on a cold weeknight.

Stephen Paddock, the man who opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino onto an outdoor concert below killing 58 people, had owned a unit at the Montage. Records show he sold the property in December 2016.

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay," said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighbouring Eldorado Resort Casino when the shots rang out.

"It's scary, you know?" Pavicich told the Review-Journal. "This is the same kind of town."

Trooper Chris Kelley of the Nevada Highway Patrol told the Reno Gazette-Journal that shots were heard from the building for at least 20 minutes, and TV news reporters said they heard several shots after arriving, though the shots were sporadic, not constant.
Photo: Skylar Noe-vack

A neck beanbag pillow left in a microwave too long caused a small fire in a Penticton home early Wednesday morning.

Fire crews attended the home at Burnaby Avenue and Wylie Street at 2:25 a.m.

Deputy fire chief Chris Forster said the person left the microwave unattended, resulting in the neck pillow catching fire.

Forster said the flame spread from the microwave to a cabinet and a wall, causing minor damage. He said there was more smoke damage than anything in the home.

Nobody was hurt during the incident.

The resident will spend at least a couple days out of the home and in the care of emergency social services.
Photo: The Canadian Press

An executive producer for several Vancouver-shot superhero shows has been fired following a "thorough investigation" into allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Warner Bros. Television Group says it has terminated Andrew Kreisberg's employment, effective immediately, and is "committed to providing a safe working environment for our employees and everyone involved in our productions."

Kreisberg had been suspended from his work on "Arrow," "Supergirl," "The Flash" and "Legends of Tomorrow" amid accusations of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching made by 19 former and current employees.

The accusations were first reported by Variety, which did not identify the 15 women and four men who said they feared retaliation if they went public.

Kreisberg responded by telling Variety: "I have made comments on women's appearances and clothes in my capacity as an executive producer, but they were not sexualized. Like many people, I have given someone a non-sexual hug or kiss on the cheek."

Warner Bros. says writer-producer Greg Berlanti will now assume additional responsibilities on both "The Flash" and "Supergirl."

"We encouraged and supported this investigation, we believe and support the individuals who came forward, and we agree with the studio's decision," added Berlanti Productions, which is also behind the shows.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of all our colleagues  coworkers, crew and staff alike."

Canadian "Arrow" star Stephen Amell previously offered to help with the investigation into Kreisberg's alleged conduct "in any way, shape or form."

In a video posted to his Facebook page on Nov. 13, Amell said he had also offered his support to the "Arrow" cast and crew.

"If anyone ever feels anything less than 100 per cent safe or anyone feels as though they aren't allowed to express themselves and be the person that they are ... I'll stand right beside them, right behind them," said the Toronto native, who starred in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows."

"I also think that in situations like this, if you're not an active part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem, period."
Photo: File photo The BC Conservative Party is demanding the Provincial NDP place strict rules on marijuana when it is legalized.

The BC Conservative Party is demanding the NDP government place strict rules on marijuana when it is legalized.

Scott Anderson, interim leader of the BC Conservative Party, today demanded the province include both education on the dangers of cannabis and private sector involvement in the cannabis distribution system.

The federal Liberals are going to legalize pot for recreational use on July 1, but it is up to provinces to sort out the details of distribution.

"We feel the federal Liberal government has moved far too fast in its legalization plan, effectively downloading all the problems on the provinces and municipalities," said Anderson.

Anderson said there is increasing concern within the medical community that recreational use of pot can have serious long-term consequences, and especially for young users. We must make education about these risks a No. 1 priority."

The consumption of alcohol is currently regulated in such a way as to minimize public disturbance and interaction with children, and the BC Conservatives will adopt marijuana restrictions similar to the restrictions on public consumption of alcohol.

Anderson said according to numerous experts, there is strong evidence that the brain continues to develop until roughly the age of 25 and that cannabis use can negatively impact that development in numerous ways, including changes to the brain leading to poor performance in school, higher incidence of depression, anxiety and mental illness, and even serve as a gateway drug to more harmful addictive drugs like opioids.

Party officials want municipalities to decide when, where and if cannabis can be sold within municipal jurisdictions.

The party also wants to allow private entrepreneurs to compete in the market.

The BC Conservatives believe inclusion of competition will keep prices low enough to help put the black market out of business.

Anderson said while creating and enforcing stringent quality regulations, it is important to allow small scale "craft growers" to compete with large growers on a level playing field. These small growers would likely serve smaller specialty retail establishments, he said.
Photo: pixabay The healthcare and social service sector was the largest employer in Penticton in 2016

More than 40 per cent of Penticton-area residents did not work in 2016, according to new census data released Wednesday.

Of the 36,965 people over age 15 living in Penticton, just 22,045 reported working full or part-time.

The healthcare and social services sector remains the largest employer in the city, employing 3,000 people.

Retail trade was a close second, employing 2,885 residents.

The top five was rounded out by accommodation and food services (2,130), construction (1,945) and manufacturing (1,460).

There are 20,810 people in the overall workforce.

For comparison, 32 per cent of Kelowna reported they did not work in 2016. The provincial average is one-third.
Photo: Facebook A rally calling for better health care for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers was held on the steps of the Legislature.

Standing on the steps of the Legislature today, Vernon mother Melissa Verleg begged Health Minister Adrian Dix to change his mind and allow provincial funding for an expensive drug that allows her to live a normal life.

Verleg, 34, suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, a disease caused by a genetic mutation in which thick mucus builds up in the respiratory system, leading to frequent infections that scar the lungs and reduce the ability to breathe.

A rally in support of Verleg and other CF sufferers was held in Victoria on Wednesday.

In July 2016, Verleg started taking the drug Orkambi and saw a vast improvement in her life, allowing her to walk her two children to school and clean the house.

In the year and a half since being on this medication, my life has changed for the better, Verleg told the gathering. My quality of life has improved drastically.

Unfortunately for Verleg, her private health care no longer covers the medication which costs $250,000 annual and, she said, her supply of Orkambi will run out in a few weeks.

Within a few days of stopping Orkambi, my body will go through harsh withdrawal symptoms and my disease will start to progress. I will go back to being sick and dying.

However, the health minister is opposed to the high cost of the Health Canada-approved drug despite an offer by Vertex Pharmaceutical to negotiate a lower price.

Verleg said she does not have time to see if Orkambi will be approved in six months time.

I need Mr. Adrian Dix to provide me with a special authorization for Orkambi as he did just two weeks ago for another young lady in British Columbia who needed Soliris.

On Nov. 21st, Dix announced the government would pay for a $700,000 a year drug on a case-by-case basis after it was reported that a 23-year-old woman was suffering from atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare disease that can damage vital organs.

Adrian Dix saved that lady's life by providing Soliris, Verleg said. Why isn't the same thing happening for Orkambi. Time is precious for people with Cystic Fibrosis and I am out of time.
Photo: Facebook Kim Heizmann and her family are safe and sound.

If you have to wait to see what an erupting volcano is going to do, the island of Lombok is as good a place as any.

Vernon realtor Kim Heizmann and her family have been vacationing in Bali for the past couple of weeks, but so far their vacation plans have not been impacted by an erupting volcano.

The Okanagan family is currently on Lombok, which is several hours away from Bali by boat and while the erupting Mount Agung is causing many problems for people on that island, Heizmann said Lombok is so far unaffected.

Heizmann said the resort they are at is treating us well and said we can stay til we can leave.

We are not experiencing the same anxiety that the people on Bali would be experiencing. We are out of harms way, just inconveniences with flight cancellations.

Heizmann, her husband and two adult sons are scheduled to fly out of Jakarta, but if the airport is closed, their flight plans will have to be altered.

And they are OK with that.

It's out of our control and we are just going with the flow, said Heizmann. We pray that all on Bali stay safe; locals and tourists stranded there. I know some are being boated to Lombok because the airport here does have some domestic flights going out, which is our thought as well.

The family is scheduled to fly out of the area Friday.
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Federal Communications Commission head Ajit Pai speaks during a hearing on net neutrality in Washington on Feb. 26, 2015. In a speech Nov. 28, 2017, Pai defended his plan to undo net-neutrality rules by hammering the Hollywood celebrities and tech companies that have criticized it. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP)

Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, blasted Twitter on Tuesday for what he said was a push to "discriminate" against conservatives, during an aggressive defense of his agency's plan to repeal net neutrality rules.

Speaking during an event hosted by the R Street Institute, a conservative think tank, Pai accused Twitter of hypocrisy for its criticism of the FCC's plan to repeal the Obama-era regulation.

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"When it comes to a free and open Internet, Twitter is part of the problem," Pai said. "The company has a viewpoint and uses that viewpoint to discriminate."

Twitter, Google and Facebook have been vocal opponents of the FCC's proposal to repeal net neutrality, joining others who say the repeal will harm the flow of information on the Internet. On the other side, Internet service providers such as AT&T, Comcast and Verizon have supported the FCC's push, which it says will allow the Internet to return to the free market environment it was created in.

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The FCC is expected to repeal the Obama-era regulations, which are aimed at ensuring all websites are treated equally by Internet providers, at its Dec. 14 meeting.

But Pai, a Republican, said that Twitter's own practices already violate the principles of openness that the company espouses, accusing it of using a "double-standard" to police its own content. He cited the company's recent regulation of "conservative users' accounts," apparently referring to Twitter's recent decision to suspend and de-verify some prominent white nationalists and far-right users on its service.

Pai also noted Twitter's decision to prevent Republican Senate hopeful Marsha Blackburn from being able to pay to advertise a campaign video with controversial remarks about abortion, a move which drew a torrent of criticism from conservatives.

"This conduct is many things, but it isn't fighting for an open Internet," he said.

Blackburn was able to post the video to her Twitter account. In the two-and-a-half minute advertisement, the congresswoman said she had fought Planned Parenthood and helped "stop the sale of baby body parts," a reference to controversial 2015 videos that were filmed in secret and heavily edited by an antiabortion activist to purportedly show medical providers discussing the sale of fetal tissue for scientific research. But investigations launched in 13 states and in Congress afterward never unearthed any proof of actual tissue sales.

"Anyone voluntarily following her account could see it, as is their choice as a consumer when they choose to follow her," Twitter said in a statement. "Because advertisements are served to users who do not necessarily follow an account, we therefore have higher standards for their content."

The company eventually allowed the advertisement to be promoted on its service after the uproar.

Pai's comments were yet another reminder of the sensitive place in which Twitter now finds itself in the caustic world of politics. Critics on the left have accused it, as well as other social media companies like Facebook, of being a safe haven for extremists, racists, conspiracy theorists and others spreading misinformation. Conservatives have echoed Pai's attacks and increasingly taken aim at the company's moves to suspend prominent far-right accounts.

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The deactivation of President Donald Trump's Twitter account for 11 minutes earlier this month, which the company blamed on a rogue employee on their last day of work, raised more questions about the security of political content on the site.

The company's public image has badly suffered after the disclosures that Russian operatives created fake accounts on the service and had some success at gaming its algorithms in order to sow division before the 2016 election.

Pai himself has faced a similar problem: a comment forum set up by the FCC earlier this year for the public to weigh in on its proposal to repeal the net neutrality regulation appears to have been flooded with hundreds of thousands of identical comments supporting the move. Investigators say that many of the comments were submitted by impersonators, and that some of the names and information that were submitted appear to have emerged in a data breach. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, says the FCC has stymied an investigation into the fraudulent comments, while a journalist's freedom of information requests have been rebuffed.

Pro-net neutrality activists have organized protests in Washington and outside Pai's home in Virginia.

Pai, who is an active Twitter user with more than 39,000 followers, posted a video of his remarks Tuesday on his account.

"Now look, I love Twitter," he said. " And anyone who knows me knows that I use it all the time."
At Chicago-based Cushman & Wakefield, one of the world's three largest real estate brokerages, CEO of the Americas Tod Lickerman, left, is being replaced by Shawn Mobley, right. (Cushman & Wakefield)

Cushman & Wakefield is shaking up its leadership, after growing to become the worlds third-largest commercial real estate brokerage and moving its global headquarters to Chicago.

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Chicago real estate veteran Shawn Mobley has been promoted to CEO of the Americas, replacing Tod Lickerman, who has stepped down, the company confirmed Thursday.

The role of CEO of the Americas is one of the firms top leadership positions, one rung below Chairman and CEO Brett White on the organization chart. This is a tremendous opportunity and I couldnt be more excited to continue building our momentum across the Americas, Mobley said in a news release.

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The change comes after years of rapid growth by Cushman & Wakefield, which is expected to go public, possibly as soon as next year. The firms expansion has come through company acquisitions and aggressive hiring of top-performing brokers in Chicago and other major cities.

Cushman & Wakefield became the worlds third-largest brokerage in 2015, when it also announced the company would move its global headquarters to Chicago from New York. Cushman & Wakefield has 45,000 employees in 70 countries, with $6 billion in annual revenue.

The largest brokerage by annual revenue and employee count is Los Angeles-based CBRE, followed by Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle.

In 2014, a group of investors led by Fort Worth, Texas-based TPG Capital bought Australia-based DTZ and Washington, D.C.-based Cassidy Turley to create the third-largest brokerage. In 2015, the TPG-led group bought Cushman & Wakefield from Italys Agnelli family  the founders of carmaker Fiat  and combined the firms under the Cushman & Wakefield name.

Lickerman, a native of Evanston, was global CEO of DTZ when it was folded into Cushman & Wakefield. At that time, Lickerman was named global president of Cushman & Wakefield. His role changed in 2016 to CEO of the Americas.

Mobley, originally from Omaha, Neb., was Cushman & Wakefields Chicago market leader from 2011 until 2016. He has gradually added other responsibilities, and most recently has been a regional president overseeing the eastern part of the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Lickerman has decided to leave the company to pursue other career interests, according to the news release. He could not be reached for comment.

After four great years helping to lead DTZ and Cushman & Wakefield, Im happy to say that Im taking a well-earned break, Lickerman wrote in a LinkedIn post.

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The brokerage also promoted John Forrester to the title of global president, a role in which he will oversee day-to-day operations of the firms four global regions, and Michelle Hay to global head of human resources, according to the news release.

Cushman & Wakefield this year moved its Chicago office and headquarters to the 31-story office tower at 225 W. Wacker Drive. The move brought together Chicago employees who had been in two separate Wacker Drive buildings, including the former DTZ headquarters space.

Cushman & Wakefield has long been expected to take the company public with an initial public offering. In January, Bloomberg reported the company had begun talks with banks about a potential IPO.

rori@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Ryan_Ori

MORE REAL ESTATE COVERAGE FROM RYAN ORI

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Sign-ups for insurance sold through Illinois' Affordable Care Act exchange have so far outpaced last year's numbers. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Illinois consumers are snapping up Obamacare health insurance plans much faster than they did last year, despite continuing uncertainty over the laws future.

More than 95,000 Illinois residents selected Obamacare exchange plans during the first four weeks of open enrollment this year, compared with about 68,000 at about the same time last year, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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Nationally, nearly 2.8 million people signed up for insurance coverage on the federal HealthCare.gov between Nov. 1 and Nov. 25 this year, compared with about 2.1 million between Nov. 1 and Nov. 26 last year.

Its unclear, however, whether this years sign-ups will ultimately match last years numbers. The open enrollment window this year is about half as long as last years. Consumers only have until Dec. 15 to sign up, compared with Jan. 31 last year.

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In Illinois, more than 350,000 people enrolled in health insurance through the exchange for 2017. The totals so far this year dont include people who are being automatically re-enerolled in plans.

We need to wait until the dust is really settled and the enrollment period closes before reaching any long-term conclusions about marketplace enrollment and sustainability of the marketplaces, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown Universitys Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

Still, some advocates of the law say the initial numbers are encouraging.

I think its even more proof that people in Illinois support the Affordable Care Act and want peace of mind with their health care, said Stephani Becker, a senior policy specialist at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law.

She also noted the rate of sign-ups tends to accelerate each year in the final days of open enrollment.

A shorter enrollment period may have prompted earlier sign-ups, along with better deals on the exchange, she said. Though rates are up in Illinois this year, so are the federal tax credits many consumers receive to help them offset the costs of premiums.

The result? In most Illinois counties (not including Cook and Lake) a 40-year-old with an income of $25,000 can enroll in the lowest-priced bronze plan next year for free, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That same person will pay $32 a month in Cook County and $31 a month in Lake County, according to Kaiser.

More than 80 percent of Illinois consumers on the exchange as of February of this year qualified for tax credits.

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Its also possible some consumers are scrambling to grab coverage out of fear over the laws future, said Katherine Hempstead, a senior adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

President Donald Trump has pledged to repeal and replace the law, but so far, congressional attempts to do so have been unsuccessful.

Lacking congressional action on the law, the Trump administration has made its own changes, such as shortening this years open enrollment window. The administration also pulled back on advertising and outreach efforts.

And shortly before open enrollment began, Trump announced plans to end federal subsidies to health insurers, meant to help compensate them for reducing deductible and copay costs for lower-income consumers who buy insurance on the exchange. Insurance companies must still offer those reduced costs for consumers, but amid uncertainty over the federal subsidies, many insurers raised their rates for 2018 and some consumer advocates worry the insurers could eventually drop off the exchanges altogether.

Insurers in Illinois increased rates on average by 16 to 37 percent for the lowest-priced plans on the exchange. And Illinois consumers are facing fewer choices. In 13 counties, only one insurer is planning to offer individual plans  nearly double the number of Illinois counties that have only one insurer on the exchange this year.

Still, Hempstead said Illinois may be in better shape this open enrollment season than other states. Illinois, unlike some other states, still has four insurers offering individual plans on the exchange, and the state Department of Insurance is working to help people enroll.

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The Illinois Department of Insurance bulked up its Obamacare website this year, getcovered.illinois.gov, allowing consumers to purchase plans through that site and talk with licensed brokers. The state also expanded the hours of its help line.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
After a series of threatening incidents on the job, Sonia Figueroa decided to get a gun. The real estate broker, who's worked in Chicago for more than a decade, enrolled in a concealed carry course. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

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Sonia Figueroa was spooked. So she decided to get a gun.

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The Century 21-affiliated real estate broker has been working in Chicago for more than a decade. She knows the basics of staying safe, tactics many in the field said they follow: Let someone know where you are, dont post too many personal details online.

But this year, three unsettling incidents made Figueroa think twice about protecting herself. In February, while conducting a Facebook Live video from a vacant lot, Figueroa said she was attacked by a pit bull. Her screams were broadcast.

Then, in April, her Portage Park office was robbed. Three teenagers issued threats and took her purse, she said.

The next month, in May, while showing a client a vacant property in Avondale, Figueroa heard footsteps and conversation on the second floor. She believes it was a drug deal. All she knows for sure is that a man began running down the stairs toward where she was standing.

I told the client, Oh my God, weve gotta run for it, she said.

She and her client werent harmed, but Figueroa was fed up.

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So she enrolled in a concealed carry course.

After 13 years in the industry, I never would have thought I would be here right now, talking about guns, she said.

But staying safe in a field that involves visiting vacant homes and being present at publicly advertised events is something many in the real estate business said they often consider.

A National Association of Realtors survey on members safety released in August found many reported feeling fear while hosting open houses or otherwise showing vacant or model homes.

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In the 2017 Realtors report, 25 percent of men and 44 percent of women said they had experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information. About half (52 percent of men, 57 percent of women) said they carry weapons; the most common were pepper spray, carried by 19 percent of agents, followed by guns, which 16 percent carried. Others toted pocket knives and stun guns.

Real estate broker Sonia Figueroa takes a shooting test at the Eagle Sports Range in Oak Forest. She wants a concealed carry license after some scary incidents on the job. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

The list just keeps getting longer of what tools people are using, said Jessica Lautz, managing director of survey research for the Realtors group.

Women were more likely to have experienced a scary situation, and are more likely to use a safety app or follow notification procedures with friends or family. Forty-eight percent of women follow these safety strategies, compared with 34 percent of men.

Many said growing a business in a competitive industry like real estate often creates the temptation to be the first  to respond, to host an open house  even if something feels off.

Its really easy to get caught in the emotion of that opportunity and wanting to help people quickly, said Sotheby's International Realty broker Stephanie LoVerde.

Real estate organizations offer guidance; just this September, the Chicago Association of Realtors hosted a crime-prevention seminar and self-defense class. The group issues primers on hosting safe open houses that urge agents to use tactics such as securing valuables, walking behind visitors instead of in front of them and knowing cellphone signal strength in a homes various rooms. The Chicago Realtor group also suggests that realty agents keep their phones in hand and find an out  like calling ones office  if a situation seems problematic.

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During an open house, a sign-in sheet for visitors tracks whos inside. And when closing up, it might behoove an agent to say something like, Mike, go check the other bedroom, even if there's no Mike. Before leaving, its best to work back to front, checking rooms from the homes rear first then working forward and leaving through the front door.

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You just never know what can happen, Figueroa said.

When she began the firearm class in November, she said the instructor told her she was the second broker to come in. The first, the instructor told her, had been raped.

I want to choose and have control of my own destiny, she said, because at this point, I should have been dead.

Some agents mention crimes like the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Beverly Carter, who prosecutors said was killed in Arkansas after a duo set up a fake appointment with Carter to see a property.

That shook me up big time, said LoVerde, a broker since 2013. At the start of her career, she went to houses and apartments everywhere.

I would work with anyone that had a pulse, she said, without even considering the position that I was putting myself in.

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One night sticks out. She had gone to an unfamiliar area at night, and found herself looking for the lock box in snow and black ice.

I wasnt comfortable, I wasnt familiar with my surroundings, she said. I had no business being there at all at 8 oclock at night by myself.

Now, shes more careful about her physical and virtual behavior. On her social media accounts  a necessity for agents to post listings and draw attention to available properties  she used to post things like, Come visit me, or Ill have cookies. Now, she keeps it less personal with professional invitations from her company.

I do think about that quite a bit, she said. No sale is worth your life. No amount of money is worth your safety.

Also, she doesnt work with anyone who has not been preapproved for a home loan. To put that check in place, for me, has been really helpful, she said. Its not about how much they can afford. Its is this person who they say they are? And are they intending to actually spend time with you for the right reasons?

Debbie Maue, vice president of sales at Sothebys International Realty, has been in the business nearly three decades. She advises agents to let the doorman know they are showing a property, if there is a doorman, and to create an emergency code with ones office. If an agent calls the office and asks to, for example, pull the red folder, that is a signal for help. She also tells agents to lock a homes door so guests have to knock.

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Once, Maue said, her husband came to an open house when a man refused to leave. After that, she started keeping a knife under papers on her desk.

Apps also are helping agents stay safe. Forewarn helps agents check if potential clients have a history of violent crime; Trust Stamp, through the national Realtor associations technology accelerator program, also helps realty agents authenticate consumers identities. The Chicago Realtor group recommends Homesnap Safety Timer, free to agents and brokers. The app allows an individual to set a timer tied to a GPS location, such as a home listing. When times up, a message is sent to the agents emergency contacts.

Despite potential dangers, Figueroas enthusiasm for her career hasnt waned. Quitting was never an option.

I really love it, and Ive been doing it for so many years, she said. I cant see myself doing anything else.

abowen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @byalisonbowen

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Longtime Chicago radio host Pete McMurray, who is working on fill-in shifts on WGN-AM, and his wife, Sara, have listed their two-story, five-bedroom house in Roscoe Village for $965,000.

A little over a year ago, McMurray left WDRV-FM, where he had been the stations morning host. He previously had been an evening host at WGN from 2013 until 2015, and prior to that had held shifts on WCKG-FM, WLUP-FM and WKQX-FM. McMurray and his wife paid $790,000 in 2007 for the 2,172-square-foot house.

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Built in 2007, the brick house has 3 baths, a family room with custom built-ins, bay windows on two levels, custom window treatments throughout, two gas fireplaces, a play area on the lower level, and a new kitchen with Caesarstone quartz counters and a marble backsplash. Outside on the property are a canopy over a large deck off the family room, a new in-ground sprinkler system and two new air-conditioning units.

McMurray and his wife first listed the house in late October for $978,000. It presently has a contract pending.

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McMurray declined to comment to Elite Street on why he and his wife are selling their home.

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
Protestors gather in the parking lot of Gary/Chicago International airport on Oct. 6, 2017, to protest deportations. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune )

A Hammond resident asked the Common Council on Monday to take a public stance against President Donald Trump's administration plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

"This resolution is in response to the ongoing attacks on our immigrant brothers and sisters here in Hammond and the United States," said Carl Wolf, who presented a draft resolution to the council.

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Wolf said it's important that Hammond residents see the council stand with them in opposition to the end of the DACA program and call for comprehensive immigration reform. The council is residents' first line of communication to political leaders, Wolf said, and he thinks it's an opportunity to take that step.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in September the administration's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, giving a six-month time frame for Congress to draft its own immigration proposal.

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After the administration's announcement, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., denounced the decision.

"President Trump's decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was a cruel and heartless blow to vulnerable young citizens who want nothing more than a chance at the American dream," McDermott said after the September announcement.

"Instead of creating a path to citizenship for the 800,000 youths in this program, as promised, President Trump has decided to punish those who did step forward through the threat of deportation from the only country they have ever known," McDermott said. "Maybe President Trump needs to be reminded that most of our ancestors came to this country by boat? In fact, this diversity of cultures is one of the things that makes America so great."

The draft resolution Wolf gave the council is similar to one circulated recently in other communities.

"I urge you to pass the resolution as others towns in this region have already done," Wolf said.

The Highland Town Council considered a resolution that decried the end of the DACA program and asked Trump to rescind his decision but decided to hold off on passing it during an October meeting.

"It is the sense of the town council of the Town of Highland that the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is very unwise policy, absent compassion and abrogates the historic role of the United States, as a moral exemplar and place of high opportunity for persons of industry," the resolution said.

The Highland resolution would endorse to a "comprehensive and workable approach" to fixing the country's immigration policies, according to the resolution, and pushed for a more effective version of DACA that creates a pathway to citizenship or an extended residency.

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Wolf's proposal to the council included information on the "Welcoming City" ordinance, which Gary adopted.

The Gary Common Council in May passed a "Welcoming City" measure, which calls for Gary officials to not question a resident's immigration status during interactions with members of a city department.

In July, the Hammond Common Council stalled a resolution, proposed by Councilman Anthony Higgs, to take a stance against mass deportations under the Trump administration. At the time, the council questioned the intent of the ordinance and tabled it.

clyons@post-trib.com

Twitter @craigalyons
Taking a bad spill on the runway may be a model's worst nightmare -- and it's only amplified when it might be broadcast to millions on TV.

Chinese model Ming Xi found herself in that scenario last week when she slipped and fell during the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which taped in Shanghai. On Tuesday night, CBS aired the telecast, and some thought the network might edit out Xi's spill.

"Don't expect to see this moment in the final cut of the fashion show when it airs on CBS," People magazine cautioned last week. "Victoria's Secret traditionally tapes two run-throughs of the show for this very reason, so the tumble will likely be removed from the final show."

As it turns out -- not so much! Why would they? For producers, a model falling down is TV gold. Although the annual lingerie show has edited out embarrassing moments before (such as Ariana Grande getting hit in the face by angel wings), CBS doubled down on the incident.

It all started innocently enough as Xi, thrilled to be in front of her hometown crowd with family in attendance, strolled down the runway and waved her hands in the air, encouraging the audience to get louder. Then, her heel caught in her skirt, and she tumbled to the ground.

The crowd audibly gasped. For added drama, CBS spliced in backstage comments from producers:

"Ming is down!"

"Oh my goodness!"

"Can she get up? Is she OK?" As Xi straightened her gigantic flowered costume and tried to recover, Brazilian model Gizele Oliveira offered her a hand. ("Gizele's got her," one producer said.) The audience roared as Xi got to her feet and walked to the end of the runway, where she struck a pose. Oliveira clapped and cheered, as did Karlie Kloss, who was right behind them.

As Xi walked offstage, she started sobbing - the cameras followed her as the fellow models gave her hugs and offered reassurances: "It's OK, don't worry. You're so beautiful, and you looked so beautiful at the end."

"Hamilton" star Leslie Odom Jr., who was performing a medley of "Forever Young" and "Winter Song" when Xi's fall took place, also offered his encouragement backstage. "Happens to the best of them. Sometimes you fall, you get back up. Fall down seven times, get up eight," he said.

Viewers on social media, however, weren't all pleased that CBS aired the moment.

"Pretty uncool of Victoria's Secret to not only show Ming Xi fall, but then also show her crying backstage," one viewer tweeted.

In an Instagram post, Xi called her spill "one of the hardest moments I have ever had to go through in my career," especially in front of a hometown crowd. However, she added, "the support I received from everyone yesterday was incredible and I am truly grateful to everyone who was there for me."

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Check out the latest movie reviews from Michael Phillips and the Chicago Tribune.
Pregnancy announcements are a big part of my social media feed. Baby shoes seem to be the most common way to do it. Position them adorably next to a dog or between adult shoes or in the palm of your hand and youve got a photo to make your announcement, guaranteed to rack up hundreds of likes.

The paragraph that accompanies said baby shoes uses words like thrilled, excited or maybe even nervous, if the parents are feeling particularly honest. But lately, Ive noticed a different word popping up again and again: adventure. Our next adventure awaits. Our greatest adventure yet. Another new adventure.

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That last one is mine. When we announced that I was pregnant last January, I started my paragraph by declaring, Another new adventure starting this summer. It struck the same tone as previous posts I had made announcing trips to London, Rome, Hawaii and Thailand. Our baby was the next adventure  just as exciting and full of new experiences as an overseas vacation.

Yikes.

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It seems so incredibly transparent to me now  the anxiety bubbling under that word. Were still adventurous! Were still fun! This baby isnt going to change who we are! I used the word both to project that message to my social media circle and to soothe myself. And now that I see it everywhere, I get the sense that Im not alone in my anxiety.

Psychotherapist Diane Ross-Glazer, who specializes in emotional and psychological changes during and after pregnancy, said that anxiety is a huge part of finding out that youre pregnant. Even for parents who planned for a baby, the reality of being at that stage of life can be shocking.

Most people have  I hope not an overly unhealthy degree of narcissism  but narcissism, Ross-Glazer said. It makes people say, oh my god, what about me? When you realize and youre making the announcement, as happy as it is, there is a degree of mourning for who you were because youre not going to be the same person. Even if you are basically the same person, theres still a change in your life. A part of you is lost.

As important as it has been to me to hold onto my identity, I cant deny that Ross-Glazer is right: A part of me is lost. A friend of mine recently announced that she was moving to Spain to teach English for a year, and I thought to myself, Ill never do that. Where we live and how we spend our money will never be about just me (or me and my husband) ever again. Though the newborn days wont last forever and there will come a time when Ill sleep through the night again, to be the mother I want to be, certain doors are closed to me forever. Doors I used to love. And as much joy as Ive found in being a mom (I cant emphasize this enough: off-the-charts joy), that has taken some processing. Even, as Ross-Glazer put it, some mourning.

To think of your baby as an adventure can be helpful in working through those emotions, according to Ross-Glazer.

If you frame it as an adventure, adventure has a positive connotation, she said. Thats self-talk. We use it a lot in therapy. If you tell yourself this is an adventure, thats a positive. People like adventures.

A baby is not a trip to Thailand. Shes not a spontaneous road trip or a wild night out with friends that culminates in watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan. Shes hard work, shes poopy diapers, shes sleepless nights, shes meticulous planning, shes frantic Googling.

But shes still, I promise you, an adventure.

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Before she was born, calling my daughter an adventure was almost certainly self-talk that I used to try to calm my anxiety. Now that shes here, its become an acknowledgment of fulfillment previously undiscovered.

Why do I love adventures, anyway? When I travel, I try new things, Im exposed to new ideas and cultures, I gain appreciation for how big and beautiful the world is. Above all, I learn  about others and about myself.

Parenthood is not short on learning, and I dont mean just how to pack a diaper bag or tell when a baby is tired. It has taught me how to better communicate with my partner. It has helped me realize how much of myself Im able to truly give to another person. It has shone a light on previously undiscovered corners of my heart.

So I still think of my baby as an adventure, even though she is small and sometimes shrinks my life to the size of a single room. Shes growing, and so am I. Were on this adventure together.

laurenchval@tronc.com

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering the trip of a lifetime in late 2018 with a 36-night Circumnavigation of Australia. The itinerary on the all-suites Seven Seas Mariner is round-trip from Sydney and includes business class air from a variety of U.S. gateways, such as Chicago, Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Departing Dec. 15, the cruise will visit 14 Australia ports, but there are other intriguing destinations. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, for instance, will be spent in Papua New Guinea. Just before the new year, passengers will spend a day in Komodo, Indonesia, home to the famous Komodo dragon. And, New Years Eve will be celebrated on the lovely island of Bali. This isnt an inexpensive cruise, with the cheapest available cabins $33,499 per person, double occupancy. But, in addition to that business class air, the price includes unlimited free shore excursions, unlimited alcoholic beverages, prepaid gratuities, free specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi, laundry, dry cleaning and more. Considering all of that, the per-day cost isnt excessive. Info: http://tinyurl.com/ya9ssahy

Hidden gems of Europe

Europe is full of charming little villages, some well known like Italys Positano. But its always fun to check out lesser-known gems. The folks at Jetsetter.com have put together a list of what they call secret villages. Were not so sure that the No. 1 village, Lugano, Switzlerland, qualifies as secret, but there are some more obscure entries. Rounding out the top five are Piran, Slovenia; Poznan, Poland; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. Check out the whole list at http://tinyurl.com/y7kyqqtq.

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The royal treatment

If the idea of hobnobbing with European royals is your cup of tea, then youll want to take a look at the new Chairmans Collection from Luxury Gold. Trips allow the chance to meet with counts, duchesses and princesses and go behind the scenes at some castles and estates in France, Italy, England and Austria. The Harmony of Central Europe tour, for instance, includes a private reception in Austria with Princess Anita von Hohenberg, a descendant of the Habsburgs, at Artstetten Castle. That meeting, though, is just a small part of this 12-night itinerary that also visits the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Highlights include Pragues St. Vitus Cathedral, an after-hours visit to Viennas Schonbrunn Palace and a private recital of Chopins works in Warsaw. Theres also a visit to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp. Chairmans Collection versions of the Harmony of Central Europe will be May 14 and Sept. 17, with pricing from $4,973 per person, double occupancy. Airfare is not included. Details on the collection are at http://tinyurl.com/y8lryvc3.

Phil Marty is a freelance reporter.

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U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, right, talks with Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, left, during a rally in Chicago on Nov. 28, 2017, to endorse Garcia as his successor in Congress. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

When it comes to Chicago mayoral politics, do you believe in coincidences?

Some of you whove been watching the recent public dance of Luis, Chuy and Rahm may believe in coincidences. Thats unfortunate.

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Because only children believe in coincidences, and a few opium-smoking poets, and perhaps the odd romantic fool.

But Chicago politicians dont believe in coincidences. And Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a Chicago politician.

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To Rahm, chaos is a ladder. He knows you should never let a good crisis go to waste. He believes in preparation, control, secrecy and himself.

And he wants no part of a Chicago political version of Stranger Things. Rahm does not leave anything to chance. He does not wish to live in the upside down.

Which brings us back to the delicate dance of Luis, Chuy and Rahm.

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez announced he wouldnt run for re-election, that he was backing Cook County Commissioner Jesus Chuy Garcia in a congressional run.

Garcia frightened Rahm by forcing him into a mayoral runoff in 2015. If Gutierrez hadnt backed Emanuel , and if Emanuel hadnt sat on that devastating Laquan McDonald video  showing a white cop shooting the black teenager 16 times until dead  until after the runoff, Garcia would be mayor today.

Now Chuy is on his way to becoming Congressman Garcia. And Luis is on his way to the rest of his life.

I believe life is like a novel. And there are only so many chapters, Gutierrez said.

So Im waiting for the chapters about Luis going into the Puerto Rican real estate development business  using his many political contacts and making a fortune on his hurricane-ravaged ancestral home island.

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All this leaves Rahm  at least for right now  without a credible challenger for the 2019 mayoral campaign. But without a credible challenger, Chicagoans might get the idea that nothing in this town is on the square.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel talks about U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez's retirement. Nov. 28, 2017. (John Byrne / Chicago Tribune) (John Byrne / Chicago Tribune)

So Rahm will have to find a palooka, a candidate to take a beating and fall down, a somewhat credible opponent who wont punch him too hard to the body.

Chicago politics isnt about speeches. Its about arithmetic.

And for Rahm, that means doing everything he can to prevent Latinos and African-Americans from coalescing behind one candidate and running him off.

Hes a surgeon; hes artistic, said a Latino Democrat at the Chuy/Luis no-deal news conference. Rahm knows his business.

At their news conference, Gutierrez and Garcia insisted there was no deal, no arrangement to make Rahm happy.

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No deal, they said.

It just happened, I thought to myself.

Kind of like the time on the Charlie Rose talk show (remember him?) when then-presidential chief of staff Rahm Emanuel mentioned  as if by accident  that hed really like to be mayor of Chicago someday.

And then Rahms boss, President Barack Obama, let Rahm come to Chicago and welcomed Bill Daley to Washington as his White House chief of staff.

And longtime Mayor Richard Daley moved to the political afterlife, where he couldnt testify under oath in federal court about all the things he had done to the city.

Kind of like a fairy tale.

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After the Chuy/Luis news conference, I walked outside and spotted one of Gutierrezs business/political associates.

I asked him when the Gutierrez Puerto Rican real estate development company would be announced.

Youre such a cynic, John, he said.

Me? A cynic?

No. Im not a cynic.

Years ago I wrote a series of columns about how Gutierrez, a former chairman of the Chicago City Councils Committee on Real Estate, lived almost tax-free in a spacious, new Bucktown home.

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Luis had a $340,000 house in the mid-1990s and paid only $274.42 in property taxes. The year before it was only $264 and change.

Luis home wasnt even on the Cook County property tax records. It was listed as a vacant lot.

So Im really not a cynic. I believe in miracles. Like the miracle of Luis, the heroic taxpayer.

But what I really liked at the Chuy/Luis news conference at Maggianos on Tuesday were two giant photographs flanking the lectern.

One was of a young, smiling Garcia with the late Mayor Harold Washington, Chicagos first black mayor. The other was of a young, smiling Gutierrez with Harold.

Gutierrez mentioned the photos, how they smiled, how things were back in the day. And, Gutierrez said in that almost sincere way of his  when you know hes half full of it, and he knows you know  that Harold was like a political father to him and Garcia.

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The two of us in the pictures, were like Harold Washingtons sons, you know? Gutierrez said.

His sons, Luis?

Chuy, yes. But after Washingtons death, Luis made sure that Rich Daley was his daddy.

There are other Latino Democrats interested in the Gutierrez seat. They dont like the idea of an anointed candidate, even a progressive like Chuy.

One is Chuys fellow Bernie Bro, Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th.

Ramirez-Rosa is circulating petitions. Like Chuy, hes of the political left, but further to the left, even further than Democratic gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss, if thats possible.

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Biss had tapped Ramirez-Rosa as his running mate but dropped him after the aldermans harsh criticism of Israels foreign policy.

So there could be an interesting campaign for the heart and future of progressive Latino politics.

And where does all this leave Rahm Emanuel?

It leaves him in a good place. It leaves him just fine.

As if by coincidence.

Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast, with John Kass and Jeff Carlin, at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway.

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jskass@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @John_Kass

[ RELATED: U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez won't run again, wants to rebuild Puerto Rico ]

[ Timeline of U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and C-shaped 4th District ]

[ Editorial: Gutierrez and the four-move checkmate ]
Establishing an express train from downtown Chicago to O'Hare International Airport is one of Mayor Rahm Emanuels transportation priorities. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is taking another step in his plan to build an express train from downtown to O'Hare International Airport by putting out a government version of a casting call.

The city on Wednesday will issue a Request for Qualifications, or RFQ, for respondents to offer their credentials to design, build, finance, operate and maintain an express service through a public-private partnership with Chicago.

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The express train is one of the mayors transportation priorities  this year, he set a three-year goal to start building high-speed service to OHare, but it is unclear how it would get done.

The cost of the project is unknown, although an industry source familiar with the planning has said it could run between $1 billion and $3 billion. The RFQ stipulates that there would no taxpayer funding and that the service would be paid for only by project-specific revenues, such as fares and advertising, and financed by whoever gets the concession, according to a news release from the mayors office.

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The project has long seemed like a pipe dream. More than a decade ago, Mayor Richard M. Daley pictured the Block 37 shopping center on top of a high-speed rail station. The CTA and the city put more than $250 million into a hole in the ground before work stopped in 2008.

Emanuel officials and some transportation experts say the city needs express service to its biggest airport in order to be competitive in the world travel market. The CTA already offers rapid transit to OHare, though the imagined express service would be about twice as fast.

Express service to and from OHare will give Chicagoans and visitors to our great city more options, faster travel time, and build on Chicagos competitive advantage as a global hub of tourism, transportation and trade, Emanuel said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the city hired Bob Rivkin, a former general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation, who led the effort to study demand for ridership and potential terminal locations as well as possible routes and alignments.

In an interview, Rivkin  deputy mayor  said the city set out in its RFQ three potential routes, though it is not limiting respondents to those routes. One would follow the current Blue Line route along the Kennedy Expressway; another could be along the Metra North Central route; and the third could be a combination of freight rail rights of way that would go west from downtown south of the Eisenhower Expressway out to Forest Park, and then turn north toward OHare.

The RFQ was issued by both the city and the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, which Emanuel created to spearhead public-private partnerships. The RFQ specifies that the express service should include a downtown station, an OHare station and one maintenance facility.

Under the terms of the request, the service should have travel times of 20 minutes or less with a reliable service frequency of at least every 15 minutes for most of the day with premium fares that cost less than the cost of current taxi and ride-hailing services.

The concept is supposed to appeal to busy travelers who want a quick trip, do not want to ride the CTA and would be willing to pay more than an L ride for the privilege  possibly $25 or more. Similar express trains operate in Toronto, Hong Kong, London and Tokyo.

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Any proposal must also address how to handle potential conflicts or impacts on existing transportation systems and the environment, the city said.

The city will consider potential routes above or below surface level, it said in a news release. This past summer, Emanuel talked with entrepreneur Elon Musk about the possibility of the technology investor using a high-tech digger to bore out an underground high-speed rail line.

Rivkin said he would rather not talk about any individual potential investor. He said the city hopes Musk or any of his companies would be interested, and there are also competitors who might be interested.

Responses to the RFQ are due Jan. 24, the city said. The city and the Infrastructure Trust will select one or more respondents they consider most qualified to respond to a subsequent Request for Proposals.

Asked when the project could begin, Rivkin said it depends on the responses it gets back.

We would not be doing this unless we thought we could make it happen, he said.

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The local Chamber of Commerce said an express airport train is something that would help people traveling in and out of Chicago on business.

This ambitious project not only makes us more competitive as a world-class city, but at no cost to the taxpayer. Michael Reever, acting president & CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is quoted as saying in a news release. He said the project will only strengthen OHares position as our citys economic crown jewel.

mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @marywizchicago

[ Emanuel boosts O'Hare express train, but future foggy ]

[ Rosenthal: Emanuel O'Hare express train a fast, expensive trip back to Daley era ]

[ Emanuel tries to resurrect O'Hare express train plan ]
Edward Siskel, corporation counsel for the city of Chicago, speaks at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Aug. 7, 2017, in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

The city of Chicago will assemble a legal team dedicated to suing corporations and other organizations that it believes violate the law, a move that officials say will protect residents and fill the breach created by a Trump administration that does not share the citys priorities.

Mayor Rahm Emanuels Law Department will have an affirmative litigation unit as part of next years budget, Edward Siskel, the citys corporation counsel, told the Tribune. The unit will have four attorneys permanently assigned to it, two of which are newly created positions approved by the City Council this month.

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The unit will use other city lawyers and outside counsel as needed, Siskel said. The two new positions will pay $65,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on the applicants experience.

Though the team has not yet officially been formed, the city already demonstrated its new legal strategy in recent weeks. It is suing both Uber and Equifax for their slow response to data breaches, alleging that potentially hundreds of thousands of Chicago residents have been harmed by the exposure.

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And earlier this month, Emanuel announced his intention to sue U.S. Steel after one of the companys northwest Indiana plants spilled toxic metal into a waterway less than 20 miles from one of the citys Lake Michigan water intakes. In publicly threatening to sue the company, city officials portrayed it as a crackdown on polluters as President Donald Trump moves to dramatically cut funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state enforcement efforts.

The new unit should bring a return on the citys financial investment, Siskel said, and the department will be creative as it takes up the new role.

If the federal government is not going to play their role in enforcement, were going to step into that void and do what we need to do to protect the residents of Chicago, to protect the economic lifeblood of the city of Chicago against any threat to it, Siskel said.

A White House spokeswoman referred questions about the citys affirmative litigation policy to the Department of Justice, which did not comment.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Tribune this week, Siskel, a former federal prosecutor and deputy White House counsel with the Obama administration, said he began thinking about an affirmative litigation approach months before he became corporation counsel. Based on Trumps statements before and after the 2016 election, Siskel believed it was clear that the city of Chicago would need to initiate court battles it hadnt waged in the past.

That belief became policy in August, when the city filed a lawsuit against the federal government after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed to withhold federal grant money from sanctuary cities that dont cooperate with Trumps immigration efforts. It was a fight that had been brewing for months, as the president repeatedly drew incorrect correlations between immigrant populations and crime problems in Chicago and elsewhere.

We have tools we are not going to hesitate to use if there are bad actors that are harming Chicagoans, he said.

Siskel was appointed to his new post in February in the weeks after Trump was inaugurated, but the new White House occupant was not the only item on Siskels list of challenges when he arrived. He took the reins as Emanuel was shaking off the political effects of the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, and while the mayor still needed to emphasize a broad reform effort while gearing up to run for a third term.

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In addition to a Police Department that faced heavy scrutiny, Siskel inherited a Law Department that had been under fire for its handling of police misconduct cases. A 2016 Tribune investigation that analyzed nearly 450 civil cases alleging police misconduct since Emanuel took office found that a federal judge had to order the city to turn over potential evidence in nearly 1 in 5 cases.

The city also has been sanctioned eight times for withholding potential evidence in such cases since Emanuel took office. Records show the fines associated with those lapses have cost the city more than $1.3 million.

Emanuel tapped former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb to lead a Law Department review in 2016, an effort that led to more than 50 recommended reforms that Siskels predecessor, Stephen Patton, began implementing in the corporation counsels office before his voluntary departure.

Webb found no pattern of intentional misconduct in the Law Department, but he stressed the need for a new culture of compliance among city attorneys who many plaintiff lawyers had accused of dragging their feet when it came to turning over discovery material in civil cases where the city was on the hook financially for the actions of its cops.

Police reform and changes in the Law Department remain the top priority as 2017 draws to a close, Siskel said, adding that the message about cultural changes that needed to take place has been clear.

Our lawyers are taking the mindset that when I represent the city, that means that I am accountable for discovery no matter where the materials are held, Siskel said.

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Law Department leaders have long pointed to issues with city record-keeping as being partly to blame for failures to produce potential evidence in civil cases. The Chicago Police Department often has investigative material scattered at several sites, they have said, with no central point where all case information can be gathered easily.

Siskel, as Patton before him, said changes had to be made on the ground when it came to pulling together information to be turned over in court. Siskel said a Law Department paralegal now works on-site at the city Office of Emergency Management and Communications to coordinate discovery work, lead lawyers on individual cases are being held responsible for making sure evidence is gathered, and supervisors are stressing training and full compliance.

The Law Department also has implemented new policies and procedures to better track the material once it is found, and to document the agencys efforts in the event there are complaints about missing material.

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Those who have complained about the department in recent years include judges in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In January 2016, federal Judge Edmond Chang sanctioned the city for withholding information in a police shooting case and detailed significant flaws in how the Law Department responds to civil rights cases. In a bruising ruling, the judge described a byzantine system in which city attorneys don't understand how police records are kept  and make little effort to find out.

Siskel said his first weeks on the job included visits to several federal judges to try to rebuild a few bridges and better understand their concerns about the citys actions. He knows many of them from his time in the U.S. attorneys office, including Chang, who also is a former federal prosecutor.

They were extremely helpful in sharing their perspective, Siskel said.

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jcoen@chicagotribune.com

sstclair@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jeffcoen

Twitter @stacystclair
Discovery Charter School's Parent Advisory Council has asked Porter police to investigate approximately $60,000 missing from fundraiser event deposits and cash withdrawals, a school official said.

The money was taken over a two-year period ending in August, according to Ernesto Martinez, chief executive officer and head of the school, who added that the person responsible for the missing deposits, inappropriate cash withdrawals and debit transactions is no longer affiliated with the council and does not have access to the council's bank accounts.

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The council and its funds are completely separate from the school and its funds, he added.

Porter Police Chief Jamie Spanier said the police report was filed Tuesday and he expects it to be available Thursday.

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"There was an allegation of some improprieties with the bookkeeping and we are investigating," he said.

In a prepared statement released Wednesday, Martinez said the council filed a police report documenting the missing money, which includes multiple debit transactions that were charged to the PAC bank account for expenses that are not school related.

"Discrepancies were first detected when the organization was preparing its annual budget and planning upcoming fundraising events. A full external review revealed that funds are missing from over a two-year span dating back from 2015 through August 2017," Martinez said in the statement.

According to the school website, the council hosts fundraisers, including a fall festival, and offers parent volunteering opportunities at the school. A budget for the council for the 2017-2018 school year on the website reflects an expected income of $117,600, and expenses of $103,810.

Lisa Gonzalez, the council's president, declined to comment because the missing funds are a legal matter.

The council is a volunteer not-for-profit organization comprised of school parents whose mission is to support and enhance the educational experiences of the school's students by providing financial support for programs funded outside of the annual school budget, according to Martinez.

All parents who are members of the council are volunteers and all council volunteers must undergo an annual criminal background check, he added.

In addition to the removal of the person responsible for the missing funds, Martinez said a full examination of the council's accounting practices has been conducted.

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"Additional controls have been put in place by the organization to help ensure that no further misappropriation of funds will occur again," he stated.

The council is seeking full restitution of the missing funds and will continue its full cooperation with the authorities as the judicial process continues, Martinez said.

Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
The wife of a 38-year-old man is suing the Chicago Park District for allegedly failing to maintain an art installation featuring a dead tree after he was reportedly killed by one of its downed tree branches, according to court documents.

A lawsuit filed Tuesday by Micaela Guzman alleges her husband, Manuel Guzman, was posing for a picture underneath an ornate tree at 31st Street Beach on Aug. 8, when a branch snapped and struck Guzman in the head and torso, the lawsuit says. Guzman, who was attending a salsa dancing party at the beach pier that night, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:23 p.m. that night, according to police and court documents.

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The suit argues the Chicago Park District knew the tree at 31st Street Beach "presented a dangerous condition and failed to act or remedy the condition," because another branch had fallen from the tree prior to Guzman's death. It also says the Park District failed to post warning signs to keep the public a safe distance from trees.

The Chicago Park District declined to comment on the pending litigation.

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The lawsuit is juxtaposed with a preliminary account from Chicago Police who originally said Guzman had died after witnesses said they saw him climbing the tree.

An examination on Aug. 11 determined Guzman died of blunt force injuries of the head and neck suffered when he fell from a tree, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Guzman's death was ruled an accident, the office said.

"We interviewed four witnesses and everyone said Manuel Guzman did not touch the tree," said Kevin Apter, an attorney representing Guzman's family.

The dead tree, painted white and adorned with large toy butterflies, was a part of a joint Chicago Park District and Chicago Sculpture International initiative called the Tree Project.

Since 2014, the effort has solicited proposals from artists to turn dead and decaying trees into artwork.

"I get that it looks pretty, but I think we need (to) think a little here," Apter said about the safety of the installations.

According to the Chicago Sculpture International website, there are several criteria for artists' designs, including that: designs will not compromise the integrity of the tree; will not help people to climb the trees; or cause attached objects to fall or need maintenance.

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A map on the Chicago Park District website shows almost two dozen installations across the city.

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In the moments before the branch that allegedly killed Guzman snapped, he had been pointing toward one of the toy butterflies, which reminded him of his native Michoacan, a state in Mexico known for its butterfly sanctuaries, Apter said.

A day after his death, Guzman's relatives returned to lay candles beside the tree, Apter said. The installation was chopped down shortly afterward, he said.

Guzman, 38, who lived in the Ashburn neighborhood, was the father of three children: Enrique, 18; Destiny, 16; and Maria, 8. He died six days shy of his 18th anniversary with his wife.

The suit is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.

tbriscoe@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_tonybriscoe
Cornel Dawson, the alleged ringleader of the Black Souls street gang, left, and Teron Odum, his reputed second in command, are among six people on trial in the first test of Illinois' racketeering law. (Cook County state's attorney's office)

Alex Williams saw the body on the pavement as he approached Madison Street and Pulaski Road in October 2012.

Claude Snulligan had been shot once in the back of the head for running afoul of the Black Souls, a street gang that operated a violent drug empire in its corner of Chicagos West Side, Cook County prosecutors say.

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Noticing an opportunity, Williams, a longtime drug dealer and police informant, called his police contact  and then Cornell Dawson, reputed to be the Black Souls top leader.

When Williams said he had seen Snulligan dead, Dawson just told me it was a good day in the hood, Williams testified.

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As the trial of six alleged Black Souls leaders neared an end Tuesday in Cook Countys first test of a state racketeering law, prosecutors hammered again and again on that line  a good day in the hood  in closing arguments.

Jurors began deliberating late Tuesday afternoon after listening to nearly two months of testimony.

Snulligans slaying sparked a lengthy investigation code-named Operation 40 Cal, after the caliber of the gun that killed him. Williams secretly recorded hundreds of hours of conversations with the alleged Black Souls leaders. Police compiled evidence of slayings and beatings stretching back decades. The probe culminated in 2013 with the predawn arrests of about 20 people. All but the six defendants on trial ultimately pleaded guilty.

The Black Souls terrorized their corner of Chicago for years, Assistant States Attorney Thomas Darman told jurors in a crowded courtroom, likening the gang to a business with a hierarchy that enforced its rules with violence.

But attorneys for the six defendants called evidence of a sophisticated drug enterprise tenuous and warned of sweetheart deals that led to many of the prosecution witnesses to testify. In addition, they criticized the poor quality of the recorded conversations, telling jurors to be skeptical.

Joining Dawson on trial are Teron Odum, whom Darman called the vice president; Duavon Spears, alleged to be a gang enforcer; and Antwan Davis, Ulysses Polk and Clifton Lemon, all described as managers.

All face charges under a state racketeering law that allows prosecutors to hold gang leaders accountable for the actions of underlings  allegedly multiple slayings and an expansive drug operation, in this case.

The trial unfolded on a mammoth scale at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Jury selection alone took almost two weeks. More than 100 witnesses testified, and in excess of 800 pieces of evidence were introduced. Judge Michael McHales usual courtroom was too small to accommodate the crowd of attorneys, so the case moved from week to week to larger courtrooms. Extra sheriffs deputies provided security, and spectators had to pass through a metal detector outside the courtrooms entrance  as well as in the courthouse lobby.

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Jurors will be sequestered overnight at a hotel until they reach a verdict, McHale said.

Prosecutors alleged that Snulligans hit was emblematic of the Black Souls violent business model  an execution in retaliation for telling police months before his death that Odum beat and robbed him. After Odum was arrested and jailed, Dawson reached out to Snulligan, offering him $3,000 to drop the allegations, prosecution witnesses testified.

Instead, Snulligan agreed to work with police, keeping clear of the neighborhood, according to testimony.

But he returned in October 2012 to Black Souls territory, where Spears shot him in broad daylight, prosecutors alleged. Jurors were shown photos of his body  with bright red blood spilling onto the pavement outside a Churchs Chicken restaurant.

On the stand last month, Alex Williams described the slaying in blunt terms.

Snulligan snitched, he got killed, essentially, he said.

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Claude Snulligan, who authorities say was robbed and beaten by Black Souls gang leaders, agreed to cooperate against them, then was killed in retaliation by the gang. (Family photo)

Williams cooperation was key to the prosecution case. The self-admitted drug dealer signed up as an informant with the police and FBI to make money, Darman admitted to jurors during closing arguments. On Tuesday, Assistant States Attorney John Maher called that money a terrific investment, given the valuable information Williams gave investigators.

Defense attorneys in turn attacked the credibility of Williams and other witnesses, noting that many were paid or given leniency for cooperating and that some had contradicted each other on the stand.

Williams in particular was painted as a con man, motivated by greed to tell prosecutors whatever they wanted to hear.

No doubt he played the state, Michelle Truesdale, one of Odums attorneys, said in closing arguments. But ladies and gentlemen of the jury, dont let him play you.

Not long after Snulligans slaying, Williams agreed to wear a hidden device to record conversations with Dawson and others, testified Chicago police Detective Michael Lipsey, a lead investigator in the Black Souls case. Police even bugged Dawsons van while he was at the United Center for a Bulls game.

Prosecutors emphasized that testimony by Williams, despite his checkered past, was bolstered by the recordings, which includes discussions by the alleged gang leaders about scheduling and the logistics of their drug business.

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Darman summed up the substance of those recordings for jurors by saying: Dope, dope, dope, dope, dope, murder, murder, kidnapping, dope, dope, dope.

But at times the recordings played in court were nearly indecipherable, filled with background noise and static.

Jurors were given transcripts to follow, and Williams and Lipsey spent significant time on the witness stand interpreting and clarifying the conversations. Defense attorneys encouraged jurors to be wary of their interpretations.

Williams told you, Some of those transcripts, we changed them three, four, seven times, attorney George Becker, who represents Dawson and Polk, told jurors. That call says whatever Williams wants it to say.

In addition, defense attorneys noted that none of the defendants lived lavish lifestyles that might have been expected of big-time drug dealers.

Richard Dvorak, who represents Davis, scoffed at prosecutors comparison of the Black Souls to a wealthy corporation such as Apple.

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They want to say this is like Apple?  This pathetic hodgepodge of random drug-selling? he told jurors. Give me a break.

The case was also a family affair, prosecutors said, noting that all the defendants but Spears were related.

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They try to make the family like its a mob thing, Patricia Lemon, 53, said as she smoked a cigarette outside the courthouse Tuesday during a break in the trial.

Lemon, who has attended nearly every court hearing since the trial began in early October, said Lemon is her brother, Davis her son, and Polk, Odum and Dawson her nephews.

She called the defendants heartwarming guys and denied that any of them were involved in violence or drugs or had the kind of money that would come with a criminal empire.

Didnt have no lavish shoes, cars, none of them, she said. Its sad, to lose our whole family like that.

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mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @crepeau

RELATED

[ Jurors hear gruesome testimony of burial at Black Souls racketeering trial ]

[ Six reputed gang leaders go on trial in first test of state racketeering law ]
Columbia College part-time professors, joined by students and supporters, staged a strike in front of the 600 S. Michigan Ave. building on their Chicago campus on Nov. 29, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Part-time Columbia College instructors hit the picket line Wednesday as they negotiate a new contract with the school.

To the pulsing thump of house music played by a sidewalk DJ, commuters scurried around at least 300 part-time staff members and those supporting their cause, including union officials, who crowded sidewalks, carrying signs and chanting outside the Alexandroff Campus Center, 600 S. Michigan Ave. It was the first of a two-day walkout over wages and job security.

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The strike, supported by 88 percent of the unions faculty in a recent vote, was in response to a proposal by school officials that removes all protections for job security, seniority, a paid sick day and academic freedom. Union officials said the proposed contract also strips a long-standing seniority system over class assignments. The college wants sole power to assign teachers to courses without consideration of seniority, according to the union.

A spokesman for Columbia said the school was looking at other factors aside from seniority, such as outside professional experience, in deciding course assignments. It wants to use other measures of experience when considering instructors.

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We are just seeking flexibility to be able to add some additional part-time faculty with unique skill sets who cannot currently be scheduled due to the exclusive seniority system for part-time faculty, spokesman Mark Rosati said.

This is a demonstration to say, We do have the power, said Diana Vallera, president of the Part-Time Faculty Association of Columbia College, the bargaining unit negotiating with the school.

Members of local unions, including the Chicago Teachers Union, also turned up in a show of solidarity.

Columbia attempted to begin negotiating in fall 2016, but college officials say the part-time faculty group wasnt willing to bargain until this past summer. The contract expired Aug. 31, according to the college.

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Wages are also part of the negotiations; Rosati said the college has offered to boost salaries.

During Wednesdays strike rally, one instructor pointed out that some of his colleagues arent earning enough money to put a roof over their head.

We have part-time people who have to live out of their cars, Prexy Nesbitt, a faculty member who has taught African history at the school for 30 years, told the crowd Wednesday. We have part-time people who are struggling to get enough money to be able to make it to all the jobs that they have to go.

The union represents about 1,200 faculty members at Columbia College. Union officials said at least 50 classes were canceled as a result of the walk-out. The college didnt have any information about how classes were affected.

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College buildings will remain open, and the school will operate on a regular schedule, school officials said. Both sides are expected to return to the bargaining table Friday.

wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MidNoirCowboy
If you wish to hunt a yeti, there are just three rules to follow. If you find one, no talking to the press, not without permission from Nepali government officials. You can take the animal alive, but you cannot harm it: Shooting is to be done with cameras only, per a 1959 State Department memo (an exception is carved out for self-defense). And you must pay Nepal 5,000 rupees ($48.50) for a yeti permit.

We would encourage you to spend those 5,000 rupees elsewhere. You won't find a yeti in yeti habitat. But, if you're lucky, you might stumble upon a bear.

In a new genetic analysis, yeti bones, fur and other biological material turned out to be bear parts. "All the samples that were supposed to be yetis matched brown and black bears that are living in the region," said Charlotte Lindqvist, who studies bear evolution at the University at Buffalo in New York and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

(There was just one exception. A yeti tooth kept at the Reinhold Messner Mountain Museum was a dog's.)

Lindqvist and her colleagues, the authors of a report published Tuesday in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, extracted DNA from nine yeti samples and more than a dozen known bear specimens, collected in zoos and a national park in Pakistan.

The connection between yeti and bear is an old one. Messner and Hillary eventually concluded what they had seen were bears. Biologists have made the link, too. In 2013, Oxford University issued a worldwide call for yeti samples. Oxford geneticist Bryan Sykes said that DNA from hairs revealed the yeti was similar to an ancient, extinct polar bear. For a moment, this biological curiosity revived hopes that an undiscovered animal loped through Tibetan snow.

"I think this bear, which nobody has seen alive . . . may still be there and may have quite a lot of polar bear in it," Skyes told the BBC in 2013.

But other genetics experts, notably Ross Barnett at the University of Copenhagen, contested that finding. Sykes had made an error, partly due to degraded DNA, according to a re-analysis of the research by Barnett and University of Huddersfield biomolecular archaeologist Ceiridwen Edwards.

It was as if "Sykes had the letters Y-E-T and, searching for matches, he thought he found YETI," Barnett said. Sykes acknowledged the error but maintained that the yeti hair could have come from a polar bear or ursine hybrid.

The new work is more robust, Barnett said, probably "the most rigorous in terms of samples and sequence lengths." Where snippets of DNA revealed YET, Lindqvist's deep genetic dive produced "ALL THE SAMPLES ARE BROWN BEARS YET PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE," Barnett said. "Very little chance of matching that string to something else by chance."

Though Himalayan brown bears are neither abominable nor snowmen, they are still pretty unusual animals, the DNA analysis revealed.

Brown bears have conquered the Northern Hemisphere's forests, in Canada, Russia, the United States - grizzlies are a brown bear subspecies - and 42 other countries. (In the United States, sightings of bears on two legs have left observers wondering about the true nature of Bigfoot and Sasquatch, too.) Despite their wide spread across the globe, many brown bears have run into danger. "There has been a lot of extinction of brown bears around the world," Lindqvist said.

Himalayan brown bears are not exempt from bad news. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the subspecies as critically endangered.

That loss of life makes it tough for experts to unravel a tangled bear ancestry. But the DNA sequences produced by Lindqvist and her colleagues were sufficient to create a family tree for the Himalayan and Tibetan brown bears. Though it is unclear where brown bears first evolved, Lindqvist said, their evolutionary history "certainly does suggest that they may come from an area in Asia."

The new genetics research indicates that the isolated bears are a "relict population." Put another way, these were the first brown bears, Lindqvist said, to split off from all the other subspecies, 600,000 years ago.

Both researchers predicted that the yeti myth will survive this latest study. The yeti "is very important to the local culture and folklore," Lindqvist said. "Perhaps the Western hype about the yeti, we can put that to rest."
Uber's voluntary disclosure of a year-old hack that exposed the personal data of 57 million drivers and customers could be taken as a sign that under new Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi, the company is changing its ways. But no, Uber's biggest problem is still its culture of dishonesty  something the leadership change hasn't fundamentally altered.

The October 2016 cyberattack was not the only one Uber tried to cover up under CEO Travis Kalanick. Last year, the company was fined for failing to disclose a 2014 hack. In the more recent case, the company merely paid hackers $100,000  ostensibly for not using the stolen data but really for their silence.

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There are numerous examples of a deceitful culture at Uber, from the use of the Greyball software, which made it difficult for enforcement officials to book rides, to the surreptitious tracking of iPhones in violation of Apple's terms of service. More examples keep coming out. On Monday, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission fined Uber $8.9 million for not running proper background checks and letting dozens of people with felony convictions and driver's license issues ferry passengers around. The background check issue is chronic: It's at the heart of the London transportation authority's decision to lift Uber's license. Uber has pretended to go along with requirements but often neglected to do so in practice.

All this, Khosrowshahi would have us believe, is now a thing of the past. "While I can't erase the past, I can commit on behalf of every Uber employee that we will learn from our mistakes," he wrote in a media statement after the hack disclosure. But how much has really changed?

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The hack admission was the result of an investigation by a law firm hired by Uber's board, which is trying to minimize the company's legal problems. It wasn't an internal investigation. Uber couldn't have swept its results under the rug. Khosrowshahi has published a new, vegetarian set of the company's cultural norms ("We are customer obsessed ... we celebrate differences ... we do the right thing ... we value ideas over hierarchy")  but in his preface to the publication, he mentioned the limits of his overhaul: "Rather than ditching everything, I'm focused on preserving what works while quickly changing what doesn't."

"What works" appears to include fighting prolonged legal battles in which Uber is clearly in the wrong, on principle if not necessarily in the legal sense.

Instead of complying with the requirements of London regulator Transport for London, Uber is still pursuing an appeal against its license ruling in the courts. The process, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, could take years, allowing Uber to keep operating without a license  not the kind of responsible behavior that's covered by the new cultural norm that says Uber seeks to "harness the power and scale of our global operations to deeply connect with the cities, communities, drivers and riders that we serve, every day."

It was clearly wrong for Uber to hire engineer Anthony Levandowski from Google affiliate Waymo and pay $680 million for his just-created self-driving truck start-up: Both decisions made sense only if Levandowski could bring over his Waymo work. Uber actually fired the engineer in May, and he's refused to testify citing his Fifth Amendment rights. But Uber is still fighting Waymo in court rather than admit that it had tried to cheat in order to jump ahead technologically. It won't even settle the case and "do the right thing. Instead, it's clearly doing "what works."

In another sign that the company hasn't changed much, Khosrowshahi, like Kalanick before him, won't admit that Uber is a transportation company rather than a tech "platform"  the key issue in a European Court of Justice case brought by a Spanish taxi lobbying group that didn't take kindly to Uber's attempts at regulatory arbitrage. But Khosrowshahi's biggest business move so far  the plan to buy 24,000 self-driving Volvos, more than $1 billion worth  shows the company's insistence that it is an app-based marketplace is a ruse. If it owns the cars and the technology needed to operate them, it's very clearly in the transportation business. And in some parts of the world, Uber has already bought cars. In Singapore, this practice, combined with the company's trademark contempt for safety rules, led to an Uber-owned car's catching fire with a driver inside. But instead of admitting the obvious, Khosrowshahi is content to keep defending the "platform" claim.

Uber, already under Khosrowshahi, fought to the bitter end in a London arbitration case, in which two drivers insisted they were really employees, not independent contractors picking up orders on a "platform." That ended in defeat  but Khosrowshahi didn't come out with any plan to provide more protections for drivers in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Instead, Uber announced the Volvo deal, showing the company would rather replace the drivers  whom it still calls "partners" in promotional material  with robots.

Essentially, doing "what works" was Kalanick's approach too. Continuity is usually good for business, but not in Uber's case. Complete honesty and openness  about the business model, the relationship with "partners," the origins and functions of technology used, the old (and possibly new) cover-ups  would be costly but transformative, and also potentially life-saving. As it is, Uber continues to run the risk of ending up like Enron, a company brought low by the same kind of dishonesty that still runs in Uber's veins.

Bloomberg

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Leonid Bershidsky is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was the founding editor of the Russian business daily Vedomosti.

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U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, with Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, speaks during a news conference announcing he will not seek re-election Nov. 28, 2017, at Maggiano's Banquets in Chicago. Gutierrez endorsed Garcia as his successor in Congress. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Just like that, the handoff unfolded. Less than 24 hours after the news broke he would not seek re-election, longtime U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez held a news conference to anoint his successor. And his successors successor.

The only surprise was the setting of the announcement  Maggianos Little Italy instead of Hotel Allegro in downtown Chicago, where Cook County Democrats usually crown their hierarchy.

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Gutierrez, who has served in Congress since 1993, stood with Cook County Board member Jesus Chuy Garcia and showered him with praise. Gutierrez said he would not have stepped aside if Garcia had not agreed to run for the 4th Congressional District seat. The two of them joined the Chicago City Council in 1986 and navigated the Council Wars and the unexpected death of Mayor Harold Washington. They have history.

Also at the lectern Tuesday: Chicago Ald. Ricardo Munoz, 22nd, who intends to run for Garcias seat on the County Board. Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Munoz to the City Council seat in 1993 when Garcia, who previously held it, advanced to the state Senate. And if Munoz transfers to the County Board, Mayor Rahm Emanuel gets to appoint Munozs replacement on the City Council.

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Thats checkmate in four moves. Even in the greasy environs of Chicago politics, its slick. Outsiders interested in running against Garcia for Congress or Munoz for County Board have only until Monday to collect signatures to get on the ballot. The incumbents got a head start.

Luckiest guy in all of this? Emanuel, who can orchestrate his 2019 re-election campaign without the threat of Garcia, who forced him into a runoff last time around.

Thats the demoralizing aspect of Chicago-style politics. Its rigged.

Gutierrez, Garcia and Munoz share more than 70-plus years combined in public office. Cant they crack the window for newcomers instead of twisting the locks?

Sadly, voters are accustomed to the succession planning, ostensibly done on their behalf and for their own good.

When former Cook County Board President John Stroger suffered a stroke in 2006, his son, Todd Stroger, eventually took his place as president, a Chicago alderman took his seat as a voting County Board member and the aldermans daughter took her dads spot on the City Council. That is, John Stroger to Todd Stroger to William Beavers to Darcel Beavers.

We have Chicago Ald. Deb Mell, 33rd, who took her fathers seat in 2013. We have Luis Arroyo Jr. serving on the Cook County Board while his father serves in the state House. Until recently, we had Toni Berrios serving in the House while her father, Joseph Berrios, Cook County Democratic Party chairman, pulled the strings in her campaigns.

We have Rep. Michael J. Zalewski of Riverside, appointed to the seat in 2008 with the clout of his father, Chicago Ald. Michael R. Zalewski, 23rd. And perhaps the most egregious manipulation of the election code  U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski taking his fathers seat in Congress in 2004 even though the younger Lipinski had been living in Tennessee. His father dropped out at the last minute, leaving no chance for a real challenger, just a friendly token Republican who had ties to the Lipinski organization.

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Well stop there. Well also acknowledge the setup for the Gutierrez seat isnt as slimy as some handoffs that have unfolded in the past. But its still unseemly.

Grease-wielding incumbency isnt something magically bestowed. Voters tolerate it. Will they again?

Other candidates  even with a Monday deadline to get on the ballot  will emerge to challenge the lineup that unfolded on Tuesday. Will voters give other candidates a chance  or simply accept the succession plan thats been clouted in front of them?
If you keep tabs on President Donald Trumps schoolyard scuffles, you noticed the recent Twitter punches he threw at CNN and Time magazine. He taunted them, and they responded.

Trumps attack on CNN was a familiar version of his mocking fake news chant, though he also went hard after CNN International, tweeting that they represent our Nation to the World very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!

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His Time tweet, about its Person of the Year honor, was bizarre. He won the distinction last year but seemed worried he may not repeat in 2017. So he tried to remove himself from the running by claiming  falsely  that the magazine told him hed probably win the title again if he agreed to an interview and photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass.

A few days later, Trump made a culturally insensitive remark about Sen. Elizabeth Warren. More about that below.

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How to deal with this presidents absurd outbursts?

We shake our heads in dismay at Trumps petty rants and bombast, then take a deep breath because were determined to keep perspective: Most of the shocking stuff he spews has no lasting impact. It dissipates with the news cycle, to be followed soon enough by another distracting comment. Almost a year into his term, we are accustomed to Trumps aberrant behavior. It is unfitting, irresponsible and unproductive. But Trump is aware of his actions. The president is strategically dyspeptic and wont change.

Trump often sounds unhinged, especially on Twitter. Yet he doesnt insult or tilt randomly at the heavens. He targets people and institutions who defy him. In this way, he may not be so different in spirit than previous thin-skinned presidents. Lyndon Johnson could be a bully. Richard Nixon kept an enemies list.

Whats unique about Trump is he has access to social media, and no emotional filter. Nixon kept his list of opponents private. Trump lets them have it via Twitter or snide comments. He wreaks havoc to keep rivals off-balance. Hes a serial chain-jerker who has a knack for the punchy prose of tweets. He probably could have been a great tabloid newspaper editor.

Trump targets the news media because theyre popular whipping posts among his supporters. He hates CNN because its reporting and commentary antagonize him. He went after Time because, well  we cant read his mind, but he seems resentful of the magazines power to bestow Person of the Year honors. Perhaps in his own mind hes Person of the Year in perpetuity. But since hes afraid Time wont agree, he wanted to avoid embarrassment by removing himself from the competition.

CNN journalists replied forcefully to Trumps attack. His assault against a free press, a free press that stands up to him, will not stop us or any other legitimate news organization, Anderson Cooper said. No doubt true. A Time official called out Trump, saying there is not a speck of truth to the presidents claims about how Person of the Year is awarded. Were not surprised.

There is an insidiousness to some of Trumps attacks that does real damage. On Monday, he belittled Sen. Warren by referring to her as Pocahontas during a White House event for three Native American veterans who served as World War II Code Talkers. To take a shot at a Democratic rival, he made a culturally hurtful remark. It is disturbing to witness a president so mean-spirited, just as its an affront to hear a president disrespect the role of the news media in ways that undermine appreciation for the First Amendment. Slamming CNN International invites tyrants abroad to devalue a free press.

This a lecture Trump wont heed. So be it. Lets recognize his motives and not obsess over his cynical behavior as if hes devaluing the office of the presidency. He isnt. He is devaluing himself. Weve said before that Trump as president is no role model. He was disrespectful as a candidate too.

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We will continue to call out the president for his behavior, while focusing on whether he does the job he was elected to do: to help grow Americas economy, to promote peace, to strengthen national security, to fix health care and so on. Most of Trumps outbursts are expressions of his shortcomings that occur on the margins of his responsibilities as leader. As long as thats where they stay, the country will be OK.
Three teenagers face charges following a carjacking that left a Naperville man hospitalized after traveling to Aurora for a date set up though the "MeetMe" social media app, Aurora police said Wednesday.

A 19-year-old woman and two younger teens have been charged with car hijacking and armed robbery on Aurora's Near Southeast Side in connection with the incident, police said.

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The group attacked and stole the car of a Naperville man, who thought he was meeting a female he'd been talking to online through the "Meet Me" app, police said.

"He was apparently set up by whomever he was talking with on the social media app," Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said in an email.

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Taytianna Blair Jones, 19, of the 400 block of East Downer Place; a 15-year-old DeKalb girl; and a 14-year-old Aurora boy have all been charged with aggravate vehicular hijacking, armed robbery, vehicular invasion and possession of a stolen motor vehicle in connection with the Nov. 25 events, according to Aurora police.

The charges of vehicular hijacking and armed robbery are class X felonies, which mean convictions would call for enhanced sentences.

At 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a 22-year-old Naperville man drove a 1997 Nissan Maxima to the 700 block of Concord in Aurora, where a female he thought he had been messaging on a social media app said to meet, according to police.

The woman said to contact her when he got there, and she'd give him more directions, Ferrelli said.

When the man told the person he'd been messaging that he was there, several people approached his car, pulled him out, and started beating and kicking him, according to a statement police released via Facebook.

At least one of the people was armed with what appeared to be a handgun, Ferrelli said. Aurora police did not recover any weapons from anyone in the area, he said.

Charging documents filed in Kane County allege Jones was armed with a spring gun.

The group demanded the man's valuables, and he gave them his phone, wallet and car keys, police said.

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Then one of the males involved chased the man away from the scene, according to police.

Aurora Fire Department paramedics took the man to an Aurora hospital for treatment of cuts and scrapes, police said.

The man said he last saw his car going westbound on Evans Avenue.

There doesn't appear to be a reason why the man was targeted, Ferrelli said.

At 2:10 a.m., Aurora police learned Bellwood Police Department officers had run the license plate of the stolen Maxima near St. Charles Road and 30th Avenue.

Bellwood officers didn't know the status of the car at the time, but noted several people were standing around it, according to the Aurora police statement.

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Aurora detectives asked Bellwood officers to go back to where they saw the Maxima.

The Bellwood officers who responded found six people in a Toyota Camry in the immediate vicinity of the Maxima, Aurora police said.

The officers found a replica gun in the Camry and detained all six people inside, police said.

Aurora police said a preliminary investigation between the two agencies led to the charges, which the Kane County state's attorney's office authorized against the three teens.

Jones is in the Kane County jail, where her bail is set at $500,000. She's due in court Thursday morning.

Police said the two juveniles were taken to the Kane County Youth Home.

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Police said a 24-year-old Yorkville man, a 16-year-old boy from Chicago and a 16-year-old boy from DeKalb were released without charges.

Ferrelli said police don't anticipate further charges.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
The Aurora City Council will reconsider its rejection two weeks ago of a development plan for Scientel Solutions, Inc.

Aldermen this week voted 9-2 to suspend its rules and reconsider the votes it made on three resolutions against the Scientel plan. Aldermen will vote on the three Scientel resolutions  two plan revisions and a special use  at the Jan. 9 City Council meeting.

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Two weeks ago, aldermen voted 7-3 to reject the same three resolutions. Approval of the resolutions would allow Scientel, a telecommunications company based in Lombard, to build a new headquarters building, a warehouse and 185-foot tower on property at 245 N. Eola Road, just south of Eola and Diehl roads.

Aldermen who opposed the Scientel plan said they did not want the 185-foot tower on the property because just across the street, CyrusOne, a data storage and processing company, has approval to build a 350-foot tower. CyrusOne got its approval to build the tower more than a year ago, and has said it will hope to get it built by the end of this year.

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Aldermen voting against Scientel said they were voting to support the city's telecommunications ordinance, which encourages companies to co-locate on towers to prevent the proliferation of them at that intersection. They said Scientel could go ahead with its plans if they want, minus the tower, if they arranged to co-locate on the CyrusOne tower.

There are several other companies looking to build near that intersection, and if the council allowed Scientel to have its tower, it would set a precedent for all the other companies to build their own towers, aldermen said. That would defeat the purpose of encouraging co-locating, they said.

Some aldermen have even wondered if Scientel would build its headquarters at the site at all, if it were allowed to build the tower first.

Companies are trying to locate as close to possible to the CyrusOne facility, because it handles data storage for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and some nine other foreign interchanges. It is an important site for America's financial community, and trading companies want to be as close as possible to the site.

Other aldermen, as well as Mayor Richard Irvin, said they wanted to welcome Scientel to town with its headquarters and estimated 50 jobs. Irvin went as far as to say publicly he thought aldermen were wrong to turn down the Scientel proposal.

City staff members have said they believe there are enough safeguards built into the special use to insure Scientel would go ahead with its new building, even if it built the tower first.

To reconsider the votes, according to Robert's Rules of Order, the council needed someone to make the motion to reconsider, and second it, from the prevailing side  in other words, one of the aldermen who had voted against the Scientel project.

Ald. Ed Bugg, 9th Ward, made the motion and Ald. Mike Saville, 6th Ward, seconded it.

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Corporation Counsel Richard Veenstra said one of the reasons to reconsider the vote is that in the wake of the vote against Scientel, neither the staff nor aldermen cited "findings of fact" as to why they made their decision.

The Plan Commission had voted 6-3 in favor of the Scientel proposal, and in so doing, cited several reasons why they did it. Veenstra said in reversing the Plan Commission recommendation, the council must also cite such reasons.

Because "most of the time, the council votes in favor of the Plan Commission recommendation," staff never drafted the findings of fact. That was one of the reasons he suggested a delay in the final vote on the Scientel plan, so staff could draft findings of fact in case the council again rejects the plan.

"My recommendation is if the council is going to make findings of fact, they should do similarly to what the Plan Commission does, go point by point," Veenstra said.

The two aldermen voting against the reconsideration were Tina Bohman, 1st Ward, and Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward.

slord@tribpub.com
An Aurora man with a history of sexual offenses has been sentenced to prison for failing to register as a sex offender.

Kane County Associate Judge Linda S. Abrahamson on Tuesday sentenced 62-year-old Keith L. Willis, of the 200 block of East New York Street, to five years in prison. On Sept. 6, she had convicted Willis of failure to report a change of address as a sex offender, a Class 2 felony. Willis waived his right to a jury trial.

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Kane County Assistant State's Attorneys Lori Anderson and Jake Matekaitis presented evidence that for three months between September and November 2016 Willis failed to register as a sexual offender with the Aurora police as required by the Illinois Sexual Offender Registration Act, according to a press release from the State's Attorney's Office.

Willis is required to register because he was convicted in 1990 in Cook County of seven counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

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Willis was convicted of three additional sexual offenses after being released from prison: In 2003 he was convicted in federal court of possession of child pornography and received three years and five months in federal prison; in 2012 he was convicted in Cook County for failure to register as a sexual offender and sentenced to three years in prison; and in 2014 he was convicted in Will County of failure to register as a sexual offender and sentenced to two years in prison.
Business IT Source, a midsized company specializing in computer hardware, plans to relocate from Vernon Hills to Buffalo Grove next year. (Pioneer Press file)

A midsized company specializing in computer hardware plans to leave its headquarters in Vernon Hills and expand to nearby Buffalo Grove after Buffalo Grove officials recently approved a six-year sales tax incentive package.

Business IT Source Inc., 954 Corporate Woods Parkway, Vernon Hills, is looking to move to 850 Asbury Drive in Buffalo Grove by April 2018 and into a new, 35,000-square-foot office and warehouse space that would nearly double the size of its current space, said CEO Bob Frauenheim.

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The computer hardware and services company, which currently employs 45 people, plans to add five to 10 workers each year as part of the six-year sales tax agreement with Buffalo Grove, Frauenheim said. Aside from doubling the business' square footage, the move would nearly quadruple the company's warehouse space, he said.

"It's a little more central than Vernon Hills," Frauenheim said. "(Buffalo Grove) was easy to work with. The space is just ideal  is what it boiled down to. There was no comparable alternative."

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The company needed to move because it needs about twice as much space than it has in Vernon Hills and also wanted a location that was closer to Chicago, Frauenheim said.

In early November, Buffalo Grove Village Board members approved a six-year incentive package that will refund Business IT Source 75 percent of the home-rule portion of sales tax paid on the business' first $40 million in sales, as well as 100 percent on more than $40 million in sales, village officials said.

If Business IT Source closes in less than six years, the company will be required to repay Buffalo Grove 85 percent of the sales-tax refund after one year, 70 percent after two years, 55 percent after three years, 40 percent after four years and 35 percent after five years, said Chris Stilling, director of community development for Buffalo Grove.

Stilling declined to share sales tax projections for the company.

If Business IT Source decides to move to another location in Buffalo Grove, the company would not be required to repay any of the sales-tax refund, Stilling said in a report to the village board.

In a recent interview with Pioneer Press, Stilling called the sales-tax agreement a "win-win" for both the village and the company.

Business IT Source is planning to spend more than $1 million on the move, officials with both the business and village have said.

"(One million dollars) is just the build-out," Stilling said. "That does not include rent or any of those types of things. They're bringing 45 employees. It's a net gain from our perspective, in addition to new (sales tax) revenue."

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Buffalo Grove officials put together the sale-tax incentive after the building owner along Asbury Drive alerted them that a business was interested in relocating to Buffalo Grove, Stilling said.

"(Frauenheim) asked what sort of assistance the village could offer in terms of the project and the costs of build-out," Stilling said. "They're spending over $1 million with over 45 employees. I said we'd work with the village board and look to offer an incentive, which we ultimately came to terms with."

Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
The Help Squad gets involved with two airlines that were charging rebooking fees for flights canceled after Hurricane Irma hit Florida. (AP file photo)

Dear Help Squad,

My boss and I booked a flight to Key West for the end of September. As you know, Hurricane Irma had different plans and completely wiped out the Florida Keys and our trip. I booked on Orbitz and they had us flying out of O'Hare on American, connecting through Orlando on a regional airline and coming home on Delta.

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Once I knew we were not going, I called Orbitz and the airlines. Orbitz emailed me credit vouchers for the price of the tickets from both American and Delta, but each charged a rebooking fee of $400. (Did I mention my boss paid more than $1,400 for these tickets?!) I went back and forth with American and Orbitz but came up empty. The part that's most frustrating is we didn't cancel because we changed our minds; we canceled because Mother Nature had different plans.

All I would like from American and Delta are vouchers for the full price of both tickets without the $200 per ticket penalty. Is that too much to ask?

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Kathy, Hillside

First, the really good news: When I contacted American and Delta and presented Kathleen's complaint, both immediately waived her rebooking fees. In fact, American not only waived her fees, but also refunded the full price of her tickets.

American Airlines spokesperson Leslie Scott explained the reason Kathy was initially denied the fee waiver: "[B]ecause the AA ticketed portion of the flight (Chicago to Orlando) did operate, it's not one that we would have automatically refunded due to the hurricane, since Orlando wasn't affected. Because the customer didn't book directly with American  she booked through Orbitz  we would have no way of knowing that she was connecting on another airline. We will work with Orbitz to refund the American Airlines portion of her itinerary."

Ashton Morrow, spokesperson for Delta, told me, "We have documented the customer's record to be sure that she is not charged a Delta change fee. [Delta] offers situational flexibility to help our customers with regard to waivers and refunds in devastating weather situations."

The application of situational flexibility is exactly what Kathy's case required. As Kathy received two travel vouchers from Orbitz clearly stating she would have to pay $200 per ticket when she rebooked her trip with American and Delta, she was rightly upset  particularly since she'd been sent an email from the coordinator of her business trip that stated, "there is so much damage to [Key West,] I am concerned with building and bridge safety or even how many businesses will be open ... I am planning on rescheduling the trip once everything on the island is back up and running."

When I emailed Orbitz to inquire if the $200 per ticket rebooking language on the Orbitz-issued refund vouchers was simply a standard disclaimer, and exceptions could be made, spokesperson Keith Nowak responded:

"Orbitz does not ultimately determine whether the fees would be waived due to extenuating circumstances, such as weather, [however] we can and do work on behalf of our customers to communicate with the air carriers to request changes to the stated ticket rules, such as rebooking fees, in cases such as this. [Kathy] could have contacted Orbitz to work on her behalf to try to assist in waiving the fees in this situation, or she could, as she did here, work directly with the airline."

Help Squad's simple take-away from all of this?

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The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Both American's and Delta's spokespersons told me their customer service representatives are trained to resolve customer concerns on a case-by-case basis. And concerns are always more concerning when presented assertively with adequate supporting data. Because Kathy's situation was somewhat outside the norm, she may have just been too polite when it came to accepting the airlines' and Orbitz's initial responses to her requests.

For other travelers who, like Kathy, also canceled their reservations to hurricane-devastated areas, American and Delta are allowing customers to rebook their flights, without fees, through late 2018. Travelers can also request a full refund, if preferred.

For more details, go to www.aa.com and www.delta.com.

Need help?

Send your questions, complaints, injustices and column ideas to HelpSquad@pioneerlocal.com.

Cathy Cunningham is a freelance columnist.
A Tinley Park Massage Envy is being sued after a Chicago woman claimed she was groped during her massage.

The woman is among more than 180 Massage Envy clients across the nation who have made similar claims, which include other Massage Envy businesses in the Chicago area. An investigation by the website BuzzFeed News this week reported that many of those who complained believed their claims were mishandled or ignored by employees and owners of individual Massage Envy spas and by the national company.

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In her lawsuit, the woman claims her massage therapist touched her "breasts and vaginal area under the guise of providing her with massage therapy," according to court documents filed in Will County.

An attorney for LCG Massage, owner of the Tinley Park Massage Envy franchise, denies the allegations of any sexual touch, according to court documents. The attorney also noted that law enforcement was notified of the woman's complaint, but no charges were filed against the massage therapist, according to court documents. Gary Moore, an attorney representing LCG Massage, declined comment.

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The lawsuit, which was originally filed in Cook County but transferred to Will County in early 2017, is scheduled for a case management hearing before a judge on Jan. 16.

In the lawsuit, the woman claims she went to the Tinley Park Massage Envy in July 2016. During that massage, her massage therapist suggested she make her next appointment for a two-hour massage so he could spend an hour focusing his treatment on the injured part of her body, according to the lawsuit. The therapist also recommended that the woman "remove all clothing from the waist up" on her next visit to prevent the straps of her bra or her clothing from interfering with the massage.

When she arrived for her scheduled appointment for a two-hour massage that August, she took off her clothing from the waist up as recommended. Near the end of the massage, the therapist inappropriately touched the woman, according to the lawsuit.

"The contact with her breasts and vagina was unwelcomed and confusing and shocked the Plaintiff, who did not induce, invite or otherwise consent to the contact with her breasts and vaginal area," the lawsuit states.

The therapist met the woman outside her massage room with water and asked if she was OK, the suit said. He also "made several admissions to suggest that he knew his behavior was not welcome," according to the lawsuit.

The suit, which names LCG Massage Inc., the franchise owner of the Tinley Park Massage Envy, notes that the national chain has an employee manual that outlines an "inappropriate touch procedure" to deal with complaints from customers. In the manual, Massage Envy claims that "only 4 percent of upset customers will tell you when there is a problem."

The procedure outlines steps employees should take to deal with a concern when it arises. Steps include meeting with the customer in a private room to discuss concerns and filing an incident report with corporate and regional Massage Envy offices. But the procedure does not specifically outline what "inappropriate touches" may be, nor does it include any instructions to contact law enforcement authorities when such a complaint arises, according to the lawsuit.

"The massage therapists can touch a client's breasts, buttocks, and genital regions, even if the client does not welcome such contact, without the risk that law enforcement will be notified by their employer," the lawsuit argues. "Indeed, they are actually emboldened by their employer with the wisdom that most clients will never report their incidents of unwanted sexual contact."

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Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

In court documents, LCG Massage denies that employees are discouraged from contacting police when such complaints arise. The company also noted that police were called in this specific incident and "law enforcement declined to prosecute," according to a court filing on behalf of LCG Massage.

More than 180 people across the country have reported that massage therapists at Massage Envy spas groped their genitals or breasts or committed other explicit violations. Adam Horowitz, a lawyer who has handled more than two dozen sexual misconduct lawsuits involving Massage Envy, said Monday he received 25 calls from alleged new victims following BuzzFeed's publication.

"I think there are a lot more people out there who have had things happen to them who, hopefully, now are emboldened to come forward," said Jessica Arbour, an attorney representing the Chicago woman in her lawsuit against the Tinley Park Massage Envy.

Lawyers for spa clients told BuzzFeed News there are cases of women reporting massage therapist abuse to police in which no charges have been filed and that Massage Envy has offered settlements before lawsuits have been filed, leaving no public record.

Melanie Hansen, general counsel for Massage Envy Franchising, told BuzzFeed News the company has worked hard to create the industry's "most stringent, rigorous policies" for hiring, screening and training therapists.

"We hold franchise owners accountable to our polices, and when we say nothing is more important to us than treating clients with respect and giving them a safe, professional experience, we mean it," Hansen said in an email to BuzzFeed News.

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The Associated Press contributed to the story.
The executive director of the La Grange Public Library is leaving to take a job in Palatine, and was one of two finalists for a similar library job in Park Ridge.

Jeannie Dilger tendered her resignation Tuesday, effective Jan. 3, and announced she has accepted the executive director job at the Palatine Public Library District. She is to begin in that job Jan. 8.

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"Over the past nine years, I have been fortunate to work with an enthusiastic, innovative staff on a variety of projects that have improved our library while serving an appreciative community," Dilger was quoted as saying in a news release. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and will miss working with the residents and businesses of La Grange."

Dilger told The Doings in 2016 that she worked as a page at a library while in high school, and that sparked her interest. She also worked in the library when she was in college.

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"Libraries are so important in a democratic society. It's so important to provide unbiased information to people to allow them to make informed decisions," she said at the time.

Dilger is graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned her master of science degree in library and information science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also earned a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dilger had been one of two finalists for the executive director position at the Park Ridge Library, and had been scheduled to participate in a public forum there Monday night. She withdrew from consideration before the meeting.

The La Grange Library Board called a special meeting for Dec. 12 to discuss the search for a new director and the transition, with its personnel committee scheduled to meet Dec. 2 for a similar discussion.

"As executive director, Jeannie has made patron services a priority, maintained the library's responsible financial position and enhanced outreach to local businesses and the community," said board President Laurie Braun.

Braun noted that with a strategic plan, technology plan and facility master plan in place, the library is well positioned to move forward under new leadership.
Contested DNA evidence will be allowed in the upcoming murder trial of a former Zion man accused in the 2005 Mother's Day slayings of two preteen girls, despite the defense's claims that it's "compromised," a Lake County judge ruled Wednesday.

Judge Daniel Shanes on Wednesday also said he might allow portions of recorded jailhouse conversations made years ago between Jorge Torrez and a now-deceased government informant. Shanes said he would hold pretrial hearings on the portions of the recordings prosecutors want to use, allowing defense attorney Jed Stone to challenge contested portions of the recording transcript line-by line.

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"We are very pleased with the court's ruling," Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz said outside of the courtroom following the proceedings.

Torrez, a former Zion resident, is accused of killing 8-year-old Laura Hobbs and 9-year-old Krystal Tobias at the Beulah Park Nature Area in Zion.

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He is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing deaths of Hobbs and Tobias, which officials described as the result of "a savage attack." The double-homicide was one of the most shocking and high-profile murder cases in Lake County history.

Shanes said the contents of the motions he ruled on Wednesday were "interesting," "complex" and "obviously highly significant to the case." He added that he believed a trial for Torrez, expected to last longer than a week, might be held by late spring or early next summer.

Stone said he plans to pursue avenues the judge said he will allow from testimony in a previous trial regarding deceased informant Osama El-Atari's potential motives in making the jailhouse recordings and any deals he may have had with the government.

"The jury will know Mr. El-Atari when I get done with this case, and they will not like him or trust him," Stone said.

In arguing his motion on the use of DNA as evidence, Stone has maintained that the sample in question is not complete enough to be used as evidence in his trial.

In filing the motion, Stone said the DNA sample in the case is "so compromised" that it could not be enough to identify a suspect.

Stone said that an expert witness has concluded the DNA only shows eight points of identification or "loci," and that 13 such points are required to make a positive identification.

"It's not enough to make a conclusion," Stone said. "It may be enough to exclude somebody."

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In his ruling, Shanes acknowledged that the DNA test results might only be useful in excluding suspects, but also said the testing method used has been approved by the courts in Illinois and that evidence with as little as six loci has been admitted in previous cases.

The second motion concentrated on El-Atari, who wore a wire during prison conversations with Torrez in August 2010 while both were in jail in Arlington, Va. El-Atari was working for detectives in a separate federal case against Torrez, but has since died.

Stone argues that using the tapes without testimony from El-Atari deprives Torrez of several rights, including the ability to confront and cross-examine the witness. Shanes ruled that Stone will be allowed to utilize testimony on the subject that El-Atari gave at a previous trial before his death.

Torrez is being held at the Lake County jail without bond awaiting trial in the Zion case after previously being convicted and sentenced to death for an unrelated murder in Virginia.

Jerry Hobbs, Laura Hobbs' father, had previously confessed to the girls' murder and was charged, but later exonerated by the DNA in question, which pointed to Torrez, according to authorities.

Stone has said he will assert Hobbs was the killer as part of his defense of Torrez.

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Torrez already has been convicted of the strangulation murder of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Snell, 20, who lived in the same barracks as Torrez at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.

A former Marine, Torrez also has been convicted of abducting three women in Virginia in February 2010, one of whom he raped, sodomized, strangled and left for dead.

Torrez was sentenced to five life sentences at the state level in Virginia, and is sentenced to death at the federal level for Snell's murder.

A specific trial date for Torrez in the Zion case has not yet been scheduled. Shanes scheduled his next status hearing for Jan. 12.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
A rendering provided by the backers of a proposed Navyseum in North Chicago show a structure that would be built on an 11-acre site across Sheridan Road from Naval Station Great Lakes. (Navyseum AEC)

A new Navy-related 130,000-square-foot complex  described as an interactive "sailor for a day" attraction  is in the works in North Chicago, officials said.

The planned $43 million Navyseum, which would be located on an 11-acre site along Sheridan Road, would use decommissioned Navy equipment for patrons to "climb on and into," said Ronald Lanz, a Chicago-based developer behind the project.

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Lanz said plans also include indoor skydiving, restaurants and a craft brewery for the location on the southwest corner of Sheridan and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The land sits just west of Naval Station Great Lakes, less than a half mile from the station's public-access gate.

"This will be the very first (facility) for Navyseum," he said, adding that his company is working on a similar project in Jacksonville, Fla.

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North Chicago officials point to the Navyseum project as one sign that the city's economic fortunes are poised to turn around in the near future. There are other indications of economic improvement in the city, said Victor Barrera, North Chicago's economic development director.

For example, Barrera said that in 2017, the city issued more than 1,000 building permits for renovations in residences.

"We're seeing a reinvestment," he said, adding that the assessor's office has raised valuations of residences as well.

The Navyseum, which is expected to open in 2019, would be "the first-of-its-kind family attraction," Barrera said

Lanz said the Navyseum project is projected to have at least 500,000 customers annually, at $18 per ticket and appeal to children up to age 13.

Lanz formerly served as North Chicago's director of economic development, as well as serving as executive director for the National Museum of the American Sailor, which is planned for property just across the Sheridan from the proposed Navyseum site.

According to Barrera, North Chicago plans to sell Navyseum the land. Over the last 10 years, the city has been purchasing and preparing otherwise vacant land in that area in hopes of redevelopment.

Lanz declined to disclose the sale price of the land, saying it was confidential. He also said there are currently no tax incentives from North Chicago in place for the project.

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Barrera said there are other signs of economic improvement in North Chicago, which for years has grappled with a high crime rate.

Also near the Navyseum location is Sheridan Crossing, a commercial development planned for 40 acres of land owned by North Chicago. Plans for the development include the proposed 40,000-square-foot National Museum of the American Sailor along with restaurants and a hotel. Barrera expects the site will break ground in 2018.

"There is still much to be done with that site," Barrera said.

Two years ago, Barrera said, North Chicago initiated Operation Blight Busting and Project Landlord. Through these programs, North Chicago identified 300 vacant properties. Of those, he said, 218 are still vacant, but 60 have been renovated and are back in use.

Barrera said the city has streamlined its licensing to aid in its "process of getting vacant and abandoned properties to productive use."

In addition to the private investments, Barrera said, $49 million in new construction is planned for the former Marion Jones Townhomes site on Sherman Avenue. There will be 220 new units, 50 of them designated for senior citizens, he said. This is a project being put together by the Lake County Housing Authority.

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In addition to new housing, Barrera said business investment is going up in North Chicago.

"Abbvie's pouring quite a bit of money into its lakefront campus," Barrera said, noting that the pharmaceutical company plans to spend $40 million on improvements in its North Chicago plant.

Barrera attributes the increased investment in the community both to an improving economy and a more streamlined process for businesses seeking to open or expand in North Chicago.

"We've become a lot more business-friendly," he said.

The city tries to give business owners more information up front about their requirements, he added, and is also more transparent about its processes.

As another sign of growth, Barrera also mentioned a new $50 million research park being constructed by Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science at its campus on Green Bay Road.

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Barrera is not the only one optimistic about improving economic conditions in the city.

Fire Chief Dell Urban, who has been with the North Chicago department 26 years, says she has noticed a significant change in the city in the last five years.

"There's been so much improvement," Urban said. "Business is coming back into town."

Urban said one reason people are drawn to North Chicago is that property is available at a fair market value. She also credits the efforts of city employees.

"We're getting our streets cleaned up," she said.

As for Sheridan Crossing, Urban said it will be good when it opens, but that it is only one part of the city's business growth.

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"That's just going to be the cherry on top," she said of the development.

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, who attended the city's Christmas tree lighting ceremony Monday, said he thinks the improving economy and the Affordable Care Act have helped North Chicago economically.

"It's always been a community of caring people who tried to come together to make the community stronger," he said. "The biggest thing we can do (to help North Chicago) is improve our economy."

Mary McIntyre is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
Rescue personnel check over the crash site and pick up equipment after a crash in Spring Grove left a local man hospitalized on Tuesday, Nov. 28. (Joe Shuman / News-Sun)

A 38-year-old Spring Grove man remained in critical condition Wednesday after a crash Tuesday afternoon that sent his SUV into a tree, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

The driver of a 2001 Jeep Cherokee SUV, Joshua Fauser, was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by rescue personnel, according to a news release.

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He was taken by Flight for Life to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was listed in critical condition Wednesday, according to the release.

The crash occurred at 2:19 p.m. Tuesday when Fauser was northbound on State Park Road and taking the curve onto westbound Main Street, according to the release. The vehicle veered off the roadway for unknown reasons and struck a tree.

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Fauser was subsequently charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, which investigators say were contributing factors to the crash, according to the release.

Fauser was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident and no one else was in the vehicle, according to the release.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash and Spring Grove police assisted with traffic control, according to the release. Members of the Fox Lake and Spring Grove fire protection districts as well as Flight for Life treated Fauser.

The McHenry County Sheriffs Office is investigating a crash involving an SUV that left a roadway in Spring Grove and struck a tree on Tuesday, Nov. 28. (Joe Shuman / News-Sun)

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William Amor, who was convicted in 1997 of the arson death of his mother-in-law in Naperville, leaves DuPage County Jail after the conviction was vacated and he posted bond May 30, 2017, in Wheaton. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

A DuPage County judge Tuesday again declined to dismiss charges against a former Naperville resident facing a January retrial in the 1995 death of his mother-in-law in a fire.

Defense attorneys had asked Judge Liam Brennan to drop the charges against William Amor. He had been convicted of the arson murder of Marianne Miceli and served 20 years in prison before his conviction was vacated earlier this year.

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In a court motion argued Tuesday, lawyers from the Illinois Innocence Project said that with a January trial date looming and the gathering of evidence completed, prosecutors lacked concrete evidence to retry Amor.

The case is predicated on facts that we know today are not true, Innocence Project attorney Lauren Kaeseberg told the judge.

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DuPage prosecutors argued that there was still enough circumstantial evidence to convict Amor, including a letter he wrote before the fatal fire that authorities contend is incriminating.

Brennan, who had previously turned down a motion seeking to dismiss the case, did so again. The ruling was among a number issued Tuesday, finalizing details of retrial, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 23.

Amor, authorities say, started a fire in the apartment where he lived with his wife and mother-in-law in September 1995. Miceli, 40, died, and Amor later confessed and was found guilty at a 1997 trial.

But in April, Brennan vacated the conviction after a hearing in which fire experts testified it would have been impossible for Amor to have started the blaze with a lit cigarette and a vodka-soaked newspaper, as he had confessed in 1995.

Amor says police manipulated him into confessing. The Innocence Project had asked the court to allow a defense expert who would testify at trial about false or coerced confessions, but the judge said state case law does not support admitting such expert testimony, and he turned down the request.

I just dont think Illinois is a jurisdiction that would allow that, said Brennan, who said he believed the average juror could comprehend issues related to coerced confessions.

The case will be back in court Jan. 3 to hash out any other pretrial issues. In the meantime, the judge gave Amor, who is free on bond, permission to travel to Florida to meet with another potential defense expert.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.

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RELATED

[ Man accused of Naperville murder leaves jail for first time since 1995 ]

[ Man whose conviction in Naperville arson murder was tossed will be retried ]

[ Scientific evidence prompts judge to vacate Naperville man's murder conviction ]
The former principal of St. Raphael Catholic School in Naperville is suing the Diocese of Joliet for retaliating against her when she alerted police about email and phone threats. (Bill Bird/Naperville Sun )

The former principal of St. Raphael Catholic School in Naperville is suing the Diocese of Joliet for retaliating against her for alerting police about email and phone threats and agreeing to keep parents in the dark through the process.

In the lawsuit filed last week in Will County, Mary Rehfield accuses the diocese of "making her the scapegoat for a situation they found embarrassing and problematic" and for which she was "abruptly terminated."

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Rehfield, 66, is suing for compensatory and punitive damages because she fears she'll be unable to find new employment.

Edward Flavin, spokesman for the Diocese of Joliet, said the diocese has not been served with the lawsuit and therefore has no comment. He said Rehfield is under an employment contract with her parish and being compensated in accordance with the contract.

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The incidents leading up to the termination started in January 2016, according to the complaint, when a teacher alerted Rehfield after receiving emails from the father of a student. The man wanted assurances his daughter was not being bullied.

With the agreement of St. Raphael's pastor, the Rev. Dan Bachner, Rehfield told the father to bring any concerns he had about his daughter to her, the lawsuit said.

When the emails to the teacher continued, Rehfield, with Bachner's approval, contacted Naperville police, the suit said.

After consulting with police and Bachner, Rehfield distributed a photo of of the student's father to the St. Raphael faculty and staff with instructions to call police if he was seen on campus.

In Feburary 2017, Bachner received a threatening voicemail rant from the man, prompting Rehfield to again contact police, the suit said.

As the matter was investigated, police and Bachner advised Rehfield that it was unnecessary and inappropriate to communicate about the matter with parents, according to the suit.

Several months later, William MacKinnon, of Massachusetts, was charged with making a false report of a threat to a school building, a felony.

News outlets reported on the charges, and parents  angry they were not informed earlier  demanded a meeting at which they called for Rehfield's termination, the suit said. The diocese complied.

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Rehfield, who anticipated remaining principal until she turned 70, charged in the case that her actions throughout the process were fully vetted and supported by the diocese and that she committed no action in which firing was warranted.

The lawsuit also notes that because of the diocese's termination of Rehfield, faculty and staff might be reluctant to report potentially unlawful or criminal conduct in the future.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
Mark Campbell, formerly of Glen Ellyn, will perform in The Second Citys Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue at the McAninch Arts Center on Dec. 9. ( McAninch Arts Center )

A local man will make his hometown proud  and hopefully leave them in stitches  when he performs in a holiday show at the College of DuPage this weekend.

Mark Campbell, originally from Glen Ellyn, can be seen in The Second City Touring Company in "The Second City's Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue" at 6 and 9 p.m. Dec. 9 at the McAninch Center for the Arts.

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Campbell attended Glenbard West High School, graduating in 2008. It was there he joined the speech team and discovered a love of performing sketch comedy.

He attended North Central College in Naperville and soon found the Comedy Shrine comedy club (now located in Aurora). He ran lights, cued music, cleared tables and did whatever was asked of him until he was given the chance to perform.

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Other performers there told him about The Second City and encouraged him to audition for its conservatory. He did, and began taking classes there while still going to college.

He graduated from North Central in 2012, got a job as a copywriter and made the move to Chicago, all while continuing to study at The Second City and iO Chicago.

"I was performing in whatever little independent shows or any sort of improv I could do at night," he said. "I basically had two full-time jobs, but only one of them paid. The other I paid to do."

After a while, Second City offered him a job to perform on a cruise ship.

"That was the one time I really got to explore the world," he said. "Mostly the Caribbean, which, in terms of places to go explore, not complaining. I got to miss a pretty nasty Chicago winter, so I was OK with that."

He did two cruise ships between 2015 and 2016 and then got hired as an understudy for the touring company last year.

"The way understudies work is, they have the most heavy workload job of any actor at Second City," he said. "You pretty much have to be on call and available to go in for anyone. They have three main touring companies. So as an understudy, you have to be able to go in for any person in any of those touring companies. That was extremely fun, because I got to perform with some of the best people in the entire country."

He was officially hired to join the touring company in August.

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"When I was in college and found out the touring company existed, it blew my mind  you can go places and perform comedy? That's the coolest thing in the world," he said. "I'm very excited to be here."

This is his second show with The Second City.

"What's really cool about these holiday shows is Second City has a large collection of archived material of scenes that have been written and used for the past 59 years," he said. "And several of those are holiday-themed. But when we go back to locations that are kind enough to bring us back after multiple years, we want to make sure we're not doing material people have already seen, so we get to create and write our own material, which we love as actors."

Audiences can expect plenty of skits that feel familiar to anyone who has experienced the holidays with other humans, he said.

"They're the relationships and conversations you are so familiar with and have maybe always wanted to have but have never quite gone for it yet," he said. "And we also will talk about the absolute most ridiculous things that happen during the holidays. We will have improv within the show as well, which we always love, and it gives the audience a chance to shout out suggestions and influence the way that the show happens, so it's always going to be different every time.

"We're just extremely excited to be there and very grateful that they're having us. It will be very fun. You can always count on Glen Ellyn."

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Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

'The Second City's Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue'

When: 6 and 9 p.m. Dec. 9

Where: McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn

Tickets: $32-$46

Information: 630-942-4000; www.atthemac.org
Students who live in the Riverbrook West subdivision in Naperville are targeted to move to May Watts Elementary School in fall 2018. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)

Indian Prairie District 204's proposal to move 215 elementary students to new schools to ease overcrowding drew objections from two mothers, who urged the school board Monday to reconsider the plan.

While a demographic study commissioned by the board shows elementary enrollment across District 204 is expected to drop by 500 students over the next five years, three Indian Prairie elementary schools are headed the opposite direction.

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New home construction has caused student populations to swell at Brooks Elementary in Aurora and Brookdale Elementary in Naperville on the District 204's north end and at Peterson Elementary in southwestern Naperville.

Laura Devine Johnston, assistant superintendent for elementary education, said things are so crowded at Brookdale that the band meets on the school's stage, art supplies move from class to class via a push cart and the library could be converted into a classroom.

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To alleviate the situation, administrators are proposing boundary adjustments for 215 current students and reassigning some incoming students who are moving into new subdivisions. The changes would take effect in the 2018-19 school year.

Carrie Cole, who serves as vice president of the Brookdale Elementary PTA, asked the school board if there was a better option than busing students who live within walking distance from the school.

Silvia Vega Mitchell made the same appeal, recalling the role she had serving on the welcoming committee when boundary changes moved students to Brookdale.

"I will be on the receiving end of it" this time, she said.

Chief School Business Official Jay Strang said administrators tried to disrupt as few students as possible. Most plans call for no changes to where students would attend middle and high schools, he said.

For Brookdale Elementary, 23 Naperville students in the Pebblewood Estates apartments would move to Longwood Elementary in Naperville. That same subdivision was shifted from Longwood to Brookdale in 2012 to ease overcrowding then.

Also proposed to leave Brookdale are 21 students in the Bridgewater Estates town homes in Naperville; they would attend Cowlishaw Elementary in Naperville.

May Watts Elementary in Naperville would be the new school for the 17 students in the Courtyard Villages apartment complex and 28 students from the River Brook West townhouse community, both in Naperville.

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Students in Courtyard Villages also attended Longwood before they were shifted to Brookdale in 2012.

To ease overcrowding at Brooks Elementary, 34 students would be shifted over to the Cambridge Countryside subdivision and 48 students in Country Oaks (Butterfield Townhomes) to Young Elementary.

On the other end of the district in Naperville, Peterson Elementary is facing a boundary adjustment.

The plan is to move 25 students from Anderman Acres and two students from English Rows to nearby Fry Elementary. Subdivisions under construction marked for reassignment to Fry include Ashwood Heights, Emerson Park, Ashwood Pointe and Hidden Creek.

Families moving into the homes slated for the Enclave at Ashwood and The Ponds at Ashwood would attend Kendall Elementary, and the new Ashwood Park North subdivision would be assigned to Peterson.

The proposed MI Homes development south of 75th Street and east of Route 34 would be assigned to Gombert.

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Devine Johnston said students entering fifth grade could be given an exemption from the move if their parents agree to provide transportation to the school.

With student populations in flux, board President Michael Raczak questioned when enrollment will stabilize. "I'm really seeking stability as much as we can," he said.

Board member Mark Rising said he's tired of the district going at the boundary issue in a piecemeal approach.

"I'm tired of splitting neighborhoods," Rising said. "We can't keep creating new islands."

He questioned if it's time to look at the entire district and reset boundaries from top to bottom.

Board member Justin Karubas said, "We've added enough Band-Aids that it looks like a mummy."

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Before tackling a districtwide boundary change, the community must decide what they want, Karubas said. Are balanced school sizes more important or should kids attend the closest school, even if it's overcrowded or underutilized, he said.

Resident can voice their opinion at the next Engage 204 session, scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7 at Still Middle School, 787 Meadowridge Drive in Aurora. The session will focus on "Changing Enrollment: Balancing Buildings and Boundaries."

Community members also can speak before the school board vote, set to take place Dec. 11.

Devine Johnston said administrators need time to notify affected families, plan welcome parties for January and February, and determine what staffing changes might be needed.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
A client of the Massage Envy in south Naperville sued the company after she said she was groped by a massage therapist. (Suzanne Baker/Naperville Sun )

A Plainfield woman who said she was groped during a massage at a Naperville spa is among the more than 180 people across the country who have filed sexual assault lawsuits, police reports and other sexual misconduct complaints against Massage Envy spas, according to Will County court documents.

An investigation by the website BuzzFeed News this week reported that many of those who complained thought their claims were mishandled or ignored by employees and owners of individual Massage Envy spas and by the national company.

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In April, a Plainfield woman settled a 20-count lawsuit against Massage Envy, a massage therapist and the franchise manager regarding a May 2013 incident at the Massage Envy at 2775 Showplace Drive in Naperville.

The lawsuit sought at least $1 million in damages and court costs. Court documents do not disclose the settlement amount.

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Melanie Hansen, general counsel for Massage Envy Franchising, told BuzzFeed News the company has worked hard to create the industry's "most stringent, rigorous policies" for hiring, screening and training therapists.

"We hold franchise owners accountable to our policies and, when we say nothing is more important to us than treating clients with respect and giving them a safe, professional experience, we mean it," Hansen said in an email to BuzzFeed News.

The Naperville lawsuit describes how a male massage therapist told the woman to take off her bra and, about halfway through the massage, began "cupping her breasts" and touching her inappropriately.

When the woman pulled up a sheet to cover herself, the therapist said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be doing that," the suit alleges.

In a response to an amended complaint, an attorney for the therapist said the man had "asked the plaintiff if she wanted her pectoral muscles massaged."

"Plaintiff only pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts after the defendant became uncomfortable, apologized and stated that he shouldn't be making such contact with her," the defendant's attorney wrote in court filings.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation revoked his massage therapist license in June 2014. The therapist's attorney, Joe Giamanco, said the man is no longer employed by Massage Envy nor is he employed anywhere as a masseuse.

More than 180 people have reported that massage therapists groped their genitals or breasts or committed other explicit violations, according to the Buzzfeed story.

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Adam Horowitz, a lawyer who has handled more than two dozen sexual misconduct lawsuits involving Massage Envy, said Monday that he received 25 calls from alleged new victims following the BuzzFeed's publication.

Massage Envy in a statement Monday said the complaints documented by BuzzFeed News spanned a period of more than 15 years and said each account was heartbreaking.

"But we believe that even one incident is too many, so we are constantly listening, learning and evaluating how we can continue to strengthen our policies with respect to handling of these issues," the company said.

Except in some places where local laws might demand it, the company does not compel franchisees to notify law enforcement or to hire qualified investigators to help determine what happened, BuzzFeed News reported.

The company tells franchisees they must conduct their own "prompt, fair and thorough" investigation of any abuse or misconduct claims, but BuzzFeed News reported it provides little guidance on how to do so.

In court filings and in public statements, Massage Envy said it is not liable for sexual assaults that take place at the spas because of the nature of the franchise arrangement, BuzzFeed news reported. Spas control their own day-to-day operations, Hansen said, including figuring out how best to investigate inappropriate conduct.

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The franchise network, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has nearly 1,200 spas across the United States, collectively employs 20,000 massage therapists and has 1.6 million member clients nationwide.

Employees undergo background checks and are told there is a zero-tolerance policy about inappropriate touching, but Hansen said "there are no policies in any business that can ensure that an employee of a business will not break the law."

The American Massage Therapy Association said massage therapists who inappropriately touch clients should face legal consequences and that people who think they have been victimized should call police.

The Associated Press contributed. Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
The Oak Park village board gave consensus Nov. 27 to end its downtown valet parking service when its contract with SP+ expires in January. (Steve Schering/Pioneer Press)

With new parking garages opening and construction in some areas slowing down, the village of Oak Park is ready to end its downtown valet parking service.

The service debuted in 2016 after two village-owned parking lots were closed to make way for the 20-story Emerson development. With the valet contract with SP+ due to expire in January, village staff had recommended an extension of the program by six months.

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During the Nov. 27 village board meeting, however, trustees expressed concerns over the program's costs and gave consensus not to renew the contract.

"The cost is about $206,000 a year," Trustee Deno Andrews said. "We park 12 cars a day. That means the subsidy for every parked car is $42. I also think it's an equity issue. No other business district has valet. I don't think it's fair the parking system should be paying or subsidizing this loss. I'm 100 percent in favor of ending valet parking as soon as humanly possible."

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Using the valet services, motorists can pay $5 for up to three hours of parking and $12 for up to 10 hours of parking. The valet parking is funded by the village's parking fund, the Westgate Medical Offices and the Elevate Oak Park developer.

According to the village, the valet program has parked 3,339 cars through October of this year, for a gross revenue of $18,069.67.

From March to December 2016, the program parked 4,560 cars for a total gross revenue of $24,233.

"About 70 percent of people who use valet are not Oak Park residents," development customer services director Tammie Grossman said. "It's people coming into the community who may not know the intricacies of our parking system."

The valet parking option began in 2016 when local physicians along Westgate Street asked the village to invest in the service to assist patients in getting to the offices.

"My heart was in the valet parking for the doctor's office," Trustee Andrea Button said. "The construction is complete in that area, and we no longer need it for the doctor's office. I don't think it's worth the money. We've assessed it multiple times, and I no longer think it's necessary."

With the nearby Emerson public parking garage now open, Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb praised the local physicians for contributing funds to the valet program.

"The doctors are great at what they do, and they have been participating in paying for this program, to a certain extent," Abu-Taleb said.

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A message left with the physician's office was not immediately returned Wednesday.

In addition to trustees choosing to end the program, several residents spoke in favor of ending the valet service as well.

"Valet, let's kill that," Book Table owner Jason Smith said. "It's always been a waste of money. What it does, is it kills surface parking spaces."

Resident Maureen Kleinman was also in favor of ending the program.

"It was designed to serve a specific need during the time of construction and upheaval, which is certainly not over, but it's been mitigated quite a bit," Kleinman said. "There are parking garages available now that weren't when the [construction began]."

When the valet service debuted in 2016, it included two pick-up and drop-off locations at Lake and Marion streets and at North Boulevard and Marion Street.

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Before the contract expires in January, the village announced it will increase the number of valet locations to six, with four along Lake Street and two on Marion Street just south of South Boulevard.

"The Pleasant District asked us to move a valet station there to help deal with the construction [of the 12-story Lincoln development]," Grossman said.

sschering@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @steveschering
A Park Ridge man has been released on bond following his arrest on charges that he shot a gun out the back door of his home, authorities said.

Michael Kula, 27, of the first block of North Hamlin Avenue, was arrested Nov. 27 and charged with felony reckless discharge of a firearm, Park Ridge police said. He was released from Cook County Sheriff's Police custody after posting 10 percent of a $50,000 bond, and was placed on electronic monitoring, said Sophia Ansari, spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

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Park Ridge police said officers responded to Kula's home after receiving calls about "loud noises"  possibly gun shots  heard in the area around 5 p.m. Nov. 27. According to police, investigators determined that Kula had fired several rounds out the back door of his home and into his backyard.

The gun, a revolver, was recovered by police and seized, said Kate Poirier, administrative services supervisor with the Park Ridge Police Department.

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The reason behind Kula's alleged actions was not immediately known, Poirier said. A woman who answered the phone at Kula's home declined to comment.

No injuries were reported by police.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
The last finalist under consideration for the top leadership post at the Park Ridge Public Library is no longer interested in the position, the library announced Tuesday.

Library Interim Co-Director Laura Scott said Aaron Skog has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of executive director of the Park Ridge Public Library.

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Skog confirmed to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate that he is no longer a candidate, but declined to comment on why he had withdrawn. He did say it was not related to feedback he had received just hours earlier at Monday night's public forum, in which he met with members of the library board, residents and library staff.

"It's a personal decision I made," he said.

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Skog's decision comes just days after a another finalist, Jeannie Dilger, also withdrew from consideration. On Tuesday, it was announced that Dilger had accepted the position of executive director of the Palatine Public Library. Dilger had most recently served as executive director of the La Grange Public Library.

Scott said the Park Ridge Library Board of Trustees will meet on Dec. 4 to discuss what the next steps in the executive director search will be. That meeting is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. in the first-floor meeting room of the library, 20 S. Prospect Ave.

Board President Patrick Lamb said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the news of Skog's withdrawal.

"We'll go back to discussions of what our possible options are," he said. "Ideally, we would have picked a new director by the end of the year."

The library has been without a full-time executive director since June 19 following the sudden retirement of longtime director Janet Van De Carr.

Van De Carr said the board was looking for a change in leadership and board members had wanted her to step down from her role as director. When she and the library trustees were unable to come to terms on a separation agreement, Van De Carr said she chose to retire.

Reader services manager Scott and business manager Angela Berger are currently serving as interim co-directors of the library.

A professional executive director search firm was hired by the board in August at a cost of $16,500.

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On Monday, Skog met with members of the library board and an audience of about 20 residents and library staff. He presented technological and collaborative initiatives that he said would help the library relevant, without adding more money to its budget.

Skog is currently executive director of SWAN, a metropolitan consortium of Illinois libraries, where he said he supervises a staff of "over 20 employees" and oversees a $3 million budget. On Tuesday, Skog told the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate that he plans to remain with SWAN.

According to the most recent information on the Park Ridge Public Library's website, the library's 2016-17 budget totaled $5.4 million and the library employed a staff of 83 employees, 52 of them part-time.

According to the resume Skog submitted, he has not worked as a librarian, but Dominican University in River Forest confirmed that received a master's degree in library science in 1997.

Skog said told the board, residents and staff that if hired, he would advocate for a "purposeful technology" plan; make sure the library's proposed, but delayed, interior renovation project is performed on time and "under budget;" hold "community conversations" on what residents want to see in their library; use Project Outcome to assess library services and programs; look for building efficiencies, including the possibility of automated phone calls to let patrons know materials they ordered are in; partner with other area libraries; and focus on opportunities for the community to express creativity.

"I'm hungry for new ideas," Skog said.

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Members of the audience, at least four of them former members of the library board, asked several questions of Skog, including why he wanted to leave his position at SWAN.

"I want to get back in the library," he said. "I want to work in a library."

A resident of Chicago, Skog admitted that he was "not deep in knowledge of the Park Ridge community," adding, "but I can learn."

Skog said he felt the library was "well-supported" by the community based on the fact that voters approved a 2014 referendum to increase the library's tax levy for four years. But he said he did not have a comment in response to resident Herb Zuegel's remark that "sometimes citizens feel the library isn't well-supported by the City Council," which sets the library's levy and approves its budget.

"Well, you better do your homework on it  and the culture of the community," responded Zuegel.

No members of the council were present for Monday's meeting, as they were in attendance at their regular meeting at City Hall.

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Former library board president Robert Trizna questioned Skog about budget deficits at SWAN over the last two years. Skog acknowledged that the organization did have budget deficits, but said decisions were made to lower the cost of membership for libraries, and reserve SWAN funds were used for planned projects.

"It was understood that if you're freezing your revenue for a period of time, you may incur deficit spending," he said. "When we were looking to build everything that was needed and acquire everything to move into a new space; some of that deficit spending was done based on that."

Lamb said the search firm hired by the board initially presented 10 candidates for executive director, and the list was reduced to four, all of whom were interviewed in closed session meetings with the trustees. From those interviews, Skog and Dilger were selected as finalists.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
A Hammond man was charged Tuesday in a marijuana deal gone wrong that left a 16-year-old boy dead and another injured earlier this month in Gary, court records show.

Augustus Johnson III, 20, faces three felonies, including murder in perpetration of attempted armed robbery, attempted murder and attempted armed robbery, according to Lake County court records.

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Diego Serna, of Hammond, was declared dead at the scene on Nov. 2 in the 400 block of South Huntington Street by the Lake County coroner's office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Serna was a student at Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, according to his obituary.

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A second victim, identified as a 20-year-old man from East Chicago, was transported to Methodist Hospitals Northlake before he was taken to an Illinois hospital.

The East Chicago man told police Serna "was like a brother to him," and the two had gone to Gary to meet "Gus," a co-worker at Walmart, "to sell him two ounces of weed" at the Marquette Apartments, according to a probable cause affidavit.

"You still need that zip?" the East Chicago victim said in a 4 p.m. text message included in court records.

"Yea," Gus said.

"Bet you want me to take it you?" the victim said at 4:21 p.m.

"Yea I'm in Gary tho," Gus replied.

The 20-year-old reportedly texted "I'm here" at 6:13 p.m. and pulled up in a black Lexus at the apartment building next to a Dodge vehicle Johnson said he was in, court records show.

As the victim walked to the Dodge, "somebody came up from behind (the victim), put a gun to the back of his head, kind of hit him and said, 'Give me that (expletive) or I am going to take it,'" the affidavit states.

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The victim said "he was shocked and really did not know what was going on," so he turned around and saw a man with a hoodie and mask covering his face, court records state.

The person started shooting, and the victim fell to the ground and "could not feel his legs when he tried to move," according to the affidavit. As he tried to lift his head, "he saw the door open again, and the shooter put his arm out" and shot again before the vehicle drove away, court records state.

The victim said he "started calling out for Diego and believed he was in the car dead because he did not answer him," according to the affidavit.

Officers responded to the scene around 6:30 p.m. and found Serna between a Pontiac and a Cadillac in a parking lot.

Police recovered eight spent .40 caliber casings, three spent 9 mm casings and three spent bullets at the scene, the affidavit states.

Officers also found a black pellet gun next to the 20-year-old at the scene, which the victim said he brought to Gary.

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An initial court date for Johnson had not been set as of Tuesday afternoon, court records show.

rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
Classical Blast is, from left, Jimmy Chaos, Bill Syniar, Javier Martin Lopez, Dave Kelly and Petar Kecenovici. The band performs a holiday show on Dec. 10 at Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso. ( Classical Blast/HANDOUT )

Classical Blast will dish a unique hybrid of musical styles at its "Dark Side of the Yule" concert at Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso.

Set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, the holiday show features the group's fusion of rocked-up favorites and Christmas sounds.

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"All of our music is kind of a combination of classical music and classic rock," said Dave Kelly, Classical Blast drummer and vocalist.

One of the pieces planned for the Valparaiso show fuses the material of a legendary composer with the heavy metal of a noteworthy rock band.

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Kelly noted that "we're going to mix up" the regal "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" with "Enter Sandman."

The result, said Kelly, is intriguing: "Tchaikovsky meets Metallica."

Also scheduled for Dec. 10 is a mix of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" with "Silent Night," a timeless Christmas hymn.

"We just thought that those went together," said Kelly, a resident of Darien, Ill. "People are used to our mash-ups. We kept on picking these dark songs that kind of work together."

Kelly cited an example, noting "Coventry Carol" was mixed with "The Great Gig in the Sky."

The centuries-old English carol was found to nicely complement the 1973 track by Pink Floyd from their iconic album "The Dark Side of the Moon."

The inventiveness of "Coventry Carol/Great Gig in the Sky" leads off Classical Blast's album "Dark Side of the Yule" (2016).

Employing a chamber music slant that utilizes stringed instruments, Classical Blast "blurs musical lines," according to its website.

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Kelly said he believes "Fairytale" will be one of his band's selections at Chicago Street Theatre.

"It's kind of got a edgy tone," Kelly related.

Classical Blast's "Dark Side of the Yule" show spins out music from its album of the same name.

The recording features "Twinkle," a track that has roots which would be familiar to many.

"It's basically 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star;' I arranged it into a whole different mood," said Classical Blast member Bill Syniar, noting the famous rhyme received fresh lyrics.

Syniar resides in Oak Park, Ill., which the band essentially calls home.

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He plays five-string electric bass.

Jimmy Chaos is Classical Blast's violinist, while Javier Martin Lopez handles acoustic guitar and lead vocals.

Kelly indicated that keyboardist/vocalist Dina Bach is scheduled to join Classical Blast at the Valparaiso concert as a guest artist.

Featuring the talents of classically trained musicians, Classical Blast states that it is "dedicated to bringing the classical arts to mainstream rock and pop music."

Syniar has experience in the world of high-profile rock 'n' roll.

He played bass for Survivor, known for the chart-topping "Eye of the Tiger" (1982) and a pair of Top 10 hits from 1985, "High On You" and "Burning Heart."

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Syniar hooked up with Survivor after those chart successes.

He toured with the band in America and Europe, while his musicianship was displayed on Survivor's 1988 album "Too Hot to Sleep" and on "Greatest Hits" fare.

Born in Romania, Classical Blast cellist Petar Kecenovici has his own notable career, having performed with Cheap Trick, Andrea Bocelli and Sting.

Publicity material states that the band has opened concerts for big-name acts such as Joan Jett, Michael McDonald and Eric Burdon, who gained fame in the Animals, a British band.

Syniar and Kecenovici also have teamed up to play for a different type of audience, as they regularly bring their talents to cancer patients at Chicago-area hospitals.

Lauding the gracious nature of the patients he encounters, Syniar said those hospital visits, and the interaction with his audience there, fueled the inspiration for a song he wrote called "Beautiful." The heartfelt piece is scheduled to be included at Classical Blast's night of music in Valparaiso.

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Bob Kostanczuk is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

Classical Blast

Where: Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W. Chicago St., Valparaiso

When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10

Tickets: $20; youths under 18 $10
Signs put up by the EPA in July 2016 warn residents in the West Calumet Housing Development not to play in the dirt or mulch. (Joe Puchek / Post-Tribune )

A federal judge will let a group of East Chicago residents argue their case in an effort to get a role in negotiations between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and companies held responsible for contamination in the city's Calumet neighborhood.

Judge Philip Simon on Wednesday set a Jan. 18 hearing for both the residents and federal officials to argue whether the intervener status should be granted. EPA and Department of Justice attorneys have disputed the residents' ability to intervene because the filing came too late, according to court documents, but attorneys for the residents say those living at the U.S.S. Lead Superfund site only became aware of the extent of the contamination in 2016 and plans to remediate their properties continue to change.

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A group of residents and advocacy organizations last year filed in federal court to get intervener status in the case between the companies and the EPA to have a stronger voice in the plans to remediate contamination in the Calumet neighborhood.

Federal Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry, in an order, said that residents received notice of the EPA's clean up plan in 2012 and the 2014 consent decree filed in court and published in the federal register, noting both those events provided opportunities for them to comment.

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"Applicants should have known about their interest in this case two years prior to their filing the motion to intervene," Cherry wrote in his denial.

Attorneys for the residents argued that the judge should have considered the element of timeliness in the context of the history of the site, where it took decades to stop companies from polluting the neighborhood; the EPA didn't declare it a Superfund site for 24 years; funding for the cleanup wasn't negotiated until 5 years after the Superfund designation; significant clean up didn't start for two years; and the EPA, in 2016, began telling residents about the high levels of contamination.

The residents and advocacy groups have now appealed the magistrate's ruling.

Catherine Garypie, associate region counsel for EPA Region 5, said during an October forum that the agency's main concern with the motion to intervene was that it came too far into the remediation process.

"Our concern was that it was late," Garypie said. "That was our big issue."

On a national level, Garypie said the statute includes the time element to keep the process moving forward.

"The big concern is we don't want to slow down clean up," Garypie said.

clyons@post-trib.com

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Twitter @craigalyons
The Gary Teachers Union has inked a new contract with the troubled Gary Community School Corp. that provides some security, but no pay increase.

The union and emergency manager Peggy Hinckley reached an agreement Monday, said district labor attorney Dan Friel at Tuesday's school board meeting.

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The contract is similar to past years, Friel said, with the exception of a new clause that requires a medical excuse, if there is a pattern of absenteeism.

"We're happy that the contract was settled and we really didn't lose anything," said GTU President GlenEva Dunham after the meeting.

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"Peggy Hinckley is here and it serves us best to work with her. It's all about the kids, we're working and hoping these scores goes up," said Dunham.

She said teachers have been busy with changing curriculums and receiving more training.

The contract is retroactive to July 1 and expires June 30. It calls for a first-year teacher to earn a salary of $40,500, which Friel said was comparable to other Lake County school districts.

Friel said teachers would continue to pay the same percentage of health insurance. The contract calls for the district to pick up 80 percent of the costs.

Teachers can see a bump in pay, depending on their rating in teacher performance evaluations that haven't been determined yet.

Because the district has been taken over by the state, Friel said the Distressed Unit Appeals Board would have to approve the contract.

In past years, the school board would have approved the contract, but because of the takeover only Hinckley signed off on it on behalf of the district.

That lack of authority irritated some board members. Robert Buggs asked that "school board" be stricken from every reference in the contract since the board had no role in it. "I demand it be taken out. We had nothing to do with this contract," Buggs said.

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He also questioned why teachers received 10 sick days a year. Friel said the state mandates eight days, and 10 days keeps the district competitive with others.

"This will allow you to bring in quality teachers to come teach your children," Friel said.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Officials have found a Portage Police Department K-9, Si, who went missing early Wednesday in Hobart. (Portage Police Department)

A Hobart woman found a Portage Police Department K-9 that went missing early Wednesday, an official said.

Portage and Hobart police, with the help with the Lake County Sheriff's Department air unit, searched for the dog, Si, Wednesday after the 4 1/2-year-old Dutch Shepherd wasn't in its kennel that morning, according to Portage Police Chief Troy Williams.

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Williams said the woman found Si, "let him into her garage this morning and headed to work."

"She had planned to call animal control when she got home from work," Williams said. "After learning of the missing police K9, she left work early and let us into her garage."

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Police asked for the public's help in finding the dog after a Portage police officer and K-9 handler went in his back yard at about 5:30 a.m. in the 900 block of Lake George Street in Hobart and found Si's kennel gate was halfway open, Williams said.

"Realizing that the gate should not be open, (the officer) began calling out to Si to no avail," Williams said.

The officer checked the area and notified Hobart Police Department and his superiors with Portage police, the chief said.

"It is unknown at this time exactly how Si was able to get out," Williams said.

An internal department inquiry will look into the matter, he said.

Before Si was found safe and sound, a neighbor in the 1000 block of Lake George Street spotted the dog on their back porch early Wednesday "but did not have the means to keep him there" and Si ran off, according to Williams.

rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
An image taken on Nov. 23 from a handout video released by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia shows Bosnian Serb wartime military chief Ratko Mladic reacting during his trial before being dragged out of the courtroom. (Getty-AFP )

Very brutal criminals are facing justice. On Nov. 22, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia sentenced Ratko Mladic to life in prison. His crimes during the Balkan ethnic wars of the 1990s include murder of more than 7,000 men and boys in Srebrenica. Mladic fled in 1997 and was arrested in 2011.

In March 2016, the ICTY convicted his associate Radovan Karadzic of genocide. He was president of the Bosnia Serb Republic, a territory seeking to join Serbia.

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Karadzic, arrested by Serbian authorities in July 2008, was a principal instigator of violence by the Bosnia Serb regime during the vicious warfare of the earlier decade. Ingenious disguises and a network of sympathizers permitted him to remain free for 13 years.

In July 2011, Serbia government officials arrested Goran Hadzic. He was a principal leader of Croatia's Serbs during the ethnically based war and mass murders in the Balkans during the 1990s.

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Hadzic was captured at Fruska Gora Mountain north of Belgrade. Before his indictment in 2004, he lived relatively openly in the northern Serbia city of Novi Sad, despite a price on his head.

With Hadzic's arrest, all 161 individuals indicted for war crimes by the ICTY had been captured. The government of Serbia, whose predecessors initiated that war, has played an important positive role.

Serbia's government deserves credit for arresting nine suspects during the first decade of the 21st century. At the same time, ethnic nationalism remains strong. Karadzic, Mladic and other leaders of the Balkan fighting are heroes to many.

Also in 2008, accused Serb war criminal Momcilo Jovanovic was captured while visiting a graveyard in the village of Vitomirica in Kosovo. He was arrested by local police and transferred to the custody of international investigators, in an orderly manner. A warrant for his arrest had been issued by the ICTY unit in Pristina.

On the other side of the Yugoslav ethnic divide, Croat Miroslav Bralo was a member of a military police unit of the Defense Council of Croatia. The unit, dubbed "The Jokers," was feared for brutal interrogation methods. They operated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Targets were Bosnian Muslims, including children. In April 2007, Bralo was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

"Operation Storm" was led by Croat General Ante Gotovina in summer 1995. The strike seized the province of Krajina from Serbs. The commander was congratulated by Croatia President Franjo Tudjman as hundreds of thousands of Serbs fled their homes.

The operation left one hundred 50 people dead and razed villages. Gotovina was convicted of war crimes, but that was overturned in 2012 and he was released. Guilty verdicts of other Croats stand.

Americans tend to divide the world into "good guys" and "bad guys." Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic exploited ethnic conflict, becoming the villain of the resulting media melodrama.

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While most of those convicted are Serbs, both sides committed crimes. During World War II, Germany found Croatia a fruitful recruiting ground. In the latest war, some Croat soldiers carried Nazi battle flags. The tangled nature of this conflict should encourages realism among people given to simplistic worldviews.

By definition, the rule of law applies uniform standards to all parties and puts weight of proof on the prosecution. The process can be slow and frustrating, as in the Balkan war cases, but encourages integrity. The ICTY fosters rule of law.

Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War."

acyr@carthage.edu
Skokie artist Jacqueline "Jackie" Zoller Moses shows her deep concern for the environment in her artwork. The frequent world traveler is currently being inspired by photographs that she took during her most recent trip to Portugal.

Q: What's the most interesting place you've visited?

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A: I would say New Zealand. It's still not overly populated and it's got some of the most beautiful sights. But, after traveling all over, I think the United States has some of the most beautiful places, too, with the national parks.

Q: What country would you like to visit that you haven't visited yet?

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A: Egypt. I think it's colorful. It's exciting as far as art is concerned. I've always liked the Middle East.

.

Q: How old were you when you began painting?

A: I was young. But I became a school teacher when I was 21 because at that time you had to have a job to support yourself. One of the teachers at the Art Institute said, "Don't you have a degree? You've been here so often." So, in a half-year, I got a BFA from the Art Institute. That's when I started painting.

Q: What inspires your artwork?

A: The places I go to. When my daughter was born, I thought, 'I'm going to do what I'm most familiar with.' That was national parks. I did a lot of black and white photography and I did very well. I got a master's [degree] in photography (from) the Art Institute. Since the end of the '80s, I've been painting again. Now I've combined the two.

Q: Any interesting art experiences?

A: I went through a phase when my husband died of going to the Arts in the Parks, so I'd be with art people and not be alone. I did that for about 12 years.

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Q: What's up next for your art career?

A: I'm going to have a show at the Rockford Museum next year.

Q: How long have you lived in Skokie?

A: 44 years. Coming from Hyde Park, I wanted to go either to Downers Grove or Evanston. My husband was an economist. He couldn't go into Evanston because the taxes were too high. So, we live three blocks west of Evanston. He was happy here.

Q: Do you have a favorite local restaurant?

A: I love Emma's Bagel Cafe a lot. I also like Ruby of Siam.
Wilmette police said a Chicago teen has been charged with aggravated battery and theft after allegedly trying to walk out of an Edens Plaza shopping center last week wearing stolen boots, and then pepper-spraying store security who tried to stop her.

Doniesha N. Chew, 18, of the 300 block of West 42nd Place, was charged with aggravated battery to a merchant and retail theft following the Nov. 24 incident at the Carson Pirie Scott department store, police said.

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Police said officers were called to the store shortly after 3 p.m., when store security agents reported that a group of men and women, who the agents reportedly recognized as previous theft offenders, were in the store.

Two security agents stopped Chew as she allegedly walked out of the store wearing a pair of Ugg boots that she hadn't paid for.

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When police arrived, the agents handed Chew over to them, along with a canister of Dragon Fire red pepper spray, according to the police report. Police said one security agent told officers Chew allegedly pulled the canister from her purse and sprayed both her and her partner.

One security agent was taken to hospital for treatment after he was sprayed, while the other agent escaped injury because the spray only hit her clothes, according to Wilmette Deputy Chief Patrick Collins.

According to police reports, nine others - two men and seven women - were temporarily detained during the incident. The men were 18 and 19 years of age, while the women ranged in age from 17 to 20, police said. All but one gave Chicago addresses, police said; one man refused to give an address.

All nine were released without charges, police said.

Chew's next court date is Dec. 6 in Cook County Court, Skokie, Collins said.

Chew could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
All votes in the CO-3 election won't be counted until the end of this week
By Alexander Chipman Koty and Zhou Qian

China is cutting import tariffs on nearly 200 types of consumer goods in a bid to encourage domestic consumption. The new tariff rates will take effect from December 1, 2017, according to an announcement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.

After the reductions, the average import tariff for these products will drop from 17.3 percent to 7.7 percent. Among the changes, the tariff rates for milk powders and diapers, which are in high-demand in China, will be reduced from 20 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, to zero percent.

Hannah Feng, Senior Corporate Accounting Service Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates, said, Chinese parents will be more than happy about this change: milk powders and diapers are two of the hottest products that Chinese want to purchase from overseas. More broadly, she noted that the tariff reductions can be seen as a signal that Chinese leaders are deepening supply-side reform.

The reduced tariff rates will greatly benefit foreign businesses looking to sell their products in China, as they will now be cheaper and more competitive compared to domestic alternatives. The development also marks another step in Chinas restructuring from an economy based on manufacturing and exports to services and consumption.

RELATED: Exporting Food Products to China: A Step by Step Guide

Products with reduced tariffs

According to the announcement, the tariff reductions cover 187 eight-digit HS Codes, including food, health supplements, pharmaceuticals, cleaning products, clothing, footwear, home appliances, and other household goods.

Significant changes include:

Milk powders reduced from 20 percent to zero percent;

Diapers reduced from 7.5 percent to zero percent;

Certain cosmetics, such as lipstick, eye shadow, and perfume, reduced from 10 percent to five percent;

Electric razors and electric toothbrushes reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent;

Coffee machines and smart toilet covers reduced from 32 percent to 10 percent;

Mineral water reduced from 20 percent to 10 percent; and

Oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and dental floss reduced from 10 percent to five percent.

A full list of the tariff reductions can be found here (in Chinese).

Stimulating domestic consumption

The announcement was made shortly after US President Donald Trump visited China. Foreign governments and business groups have frequently complained that Chinas high tariffs on foreign goods represented an unfair trade barrier.

However, China has issued four rounds of tariff reductions on consumer goods since 2015. The latest reductions aim to meet the increasing demands of Chinese consumers for imported goods and escalate Chinas domestic market by introducing foreign competitors. The tariff reduction means consumers can buy imported goods with lower prices, which will directly boost corresponding imports, especially via cross-border e-commerce.

The Chinese government is looking to stimulate domestic consumption as part of its wider strategy to restructure the economy from a low-cost manufacturing and export model. The government has struggled to accomplish this: last year consumption increased in absolute terms, but it fell as a percentage of GDP, and remains less than half of the total.

Nevertheless, the move confirms that there is still high demand for foreign products in China, according to Riccardo Benussi, International Business Advisory Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates. Benussi said, Its another confirmation that domestic products are still far from reaching the quality foreign products have in those sectors. Benussi elaborated, Foreign businesses that have yet to penetrate the market should still have strong hopes for exporting infant, health, and techy value-added consumer products  and the race is by no means over.

Business Strategy & Operation Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Because of high tariff rates on many foreign goods, many middle and upper class Chinese consumers would often fly overseas to combine holidays with shopping sprees. The high tariffs also contributed to the rise of grey market sellers peddling foreign goods at lower rates. Individuals known as daigou travel overseas to purchase foreign products, bring them back into China without paying import tariffs, and sell them at lower rates than branded stores.

By reducing tariffs, the Chinese government hopes to encourage more consumption within Chinas borders, rather than watching wealthy Chinese spend their money abroad. And Chinas thriving e-commerce sector might be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this development.

Benussi noted, With the rise of cross-border e-commerce and e-tailing  retail with e-commerce embedded  and the emergence of experience shopping, flagship brick-and-mortar stores will need to convert to more integrated experienced-based strategies to replace traditional retail.



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A new Tibet-themed epic, "The Chainbreakers," is a milestone for ethnic filmmaking in China, its director said on Monday.





Director Yang Rui attended the premiere for the film at the Beijing Film Academy with the cast, including veteran Tibetan actors Tobgyal and Lobsang Namdak. As Yang is also a teacher at the Department of Literature and a graduate from the Department of Film at the academy, she called the event a "homecoming."





"This stage is the place where every filmmaker wants to be, I'm thrilled to be here today with my film," Yang said in presenting "The Chainbreakers" for examination by teachers, students and industry insiders at the academy.





Set in 1950, the epic feature relives a legend in the region's turbulent history from the perspective of a soldier in China's People's Liberation Army who participated in the peaceful liberation of Tibet and became involved in clashes as well as romance.





Yang tried to explore the story with a sense of humanity, ethnic dignity, local belief and emotion, rather than the condescending attitudes and God's eye-view in many other ethnic films, which she believes is groundbreaking progress for ethnic film production in China.





"How can an observer get inside the local culture? In that special historical context, when a group of idealistic PLA soldiers make it to a strange land in Tibet, there will be clashes and conflicts of values and interests, which attract me, "Yang said. "Everyone in the film, they are chainbreakers. They break their own chains to free themselves and free their minds.





Except for lead actor Wang Ziyi, who plays the soldier, the other major cast members are all Tibetan natives. The film was in preparation for more than five years, and Yang agreed to helm the project in 2015. But the filming was not easy. The 300-member crew shot principal photography in highlands 4,000 meters above sea level for two months. Many became ill or couldn't adapt to the harsh environment; when they eventually finished, fewer than 50 people remained in the crew.





"The Chainbreakers" will be released in Chinese theaters on Dec. 12, 2017.




Earn 15,000 U.S. dollars for one character! China is offering financial rewards to pool wisdom and help decipher the characters on 3,000-year-old oracle bones.

Since the reward was printed in newspapers last year, many people have offered their contributions which are being reviewed by experts.

Over the past 100 years, researchers have only been able to decipher around one third of the characters on the animal bones and tortoise shells that have been found so far.

The remaining characters are difficult to decipher, according to Guo Xudong, from the oracle bones and Yin-Shang culture research center in Anyang, central China's Henan Province.

Yin was the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1046 B.C.) and the official excavation of the Yin Ruins in current day Anyang began as early as 1928. The oracle bone scripts discovered at the ruins are considered to be the oldest Chinese inscriptions.

Chinese oracle bone inscriptions were included into the list of UNESCO Memory of the World International Register on Oct. 31 this year.

"The inclusion will attract more talent to help with the decoding, and encourage more people to study the ancient Chinese characters," said Guo.

Oracle bones from ancient China, hieroglyphs from ancient Egypt, cuneiforms from ancient Babylon, and Mayan glyphs from Mesoamerica are among the world's most famous ancient writing systems.

"The other three have been lost throughout history, but the oracle bones are the only one that still survives as they have evolved over time into current Chinese characters," said Guo.

Oracle bone inscriptions were first discovered in 1899 by Beijing scholar and antiquarian Wang Yirong, although farmers had been unearthing the relics in Anyang for many years before that. Wang noticed symbols on animal bones and tortoise shells looked like a form of writing.

Around 160,000 pieces of oracle bone have been found so far. Among the 4,300 characters inscribed on them, only 1,600 have been decoded.

Many of the oracle bones have been scattered across the world over the past century, making it more difficult for researchers to study the actual bones.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Chinese experts have published three books on the ancient scripts, compiling more more than 70,000 oracle bones.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) is working with public and private collectors around the country to compile details of another 10,000 pieces by cleaning, photographing and making copies of the originals bones for further research.

Guo said a digital database will be built in the hope that big data and cloud platforms can help to decipher the characters.

Song Zhenhao with the CASS said the study of oracle bones has been comprehensive, delicate and moving with the times. "Protection was put in the first place and it covers every single piece of the oracle bones," he said.

While some experts are striving to decipher the over 3,000-year-old mysteries hidden in the script, others are trying to make them more popular with younger Chinese.

Yang Junhui, from the Anyang-based National Museum of Chinese Writing, has organized more than 800 classes on Chinese characters for children, which have been attended by around 30,000 families.

"We teach them some pictographic characters and their evolution so that they become interested in learning more about our written language," Yang said.

Seven-year-old Zhang Jiahui has just learned the oracle bone character for "woman," which looks like a kneeling woman.

"It really looks like a graceful lady with her arms crossed," he said.

Zhang's mother said the weekly class is very popular and it's often hard to reserve a place online.

Most of the oracle bone researchers are now more than 70 years old, Guo said.

"We need younger students to pass on knowledge for future generations so it is not forgotten around the world," he said.
A state-owned Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation Ltd on Tuesday signed an agreement with Ukraine's state road agency Ukravtodor to upgrade the Kiev-Chop highway, which connects the capital of Ukraine with the city on the Hungary's border.

The contract, worth about 42.3 million euros (about 50.16 million U.S. dollars), was signed in Kiev by Xu Fei, Sinohydro representative in Ukraine, and Slavomir Novak, an acting head of the Ukravtodor.

Under the document, the Chinese company will modernize a 22.3-kilometer-long section of the highway near Ukraine's northern city of Zhytomyr, expanding the road from two into four lanes in one direction.

Besides, the road upgrading project will cover the construction of four road interchanges, the reconstruction of three overpasses over railway tracks, building two pedestrian bridges over the highway and modernizing another bridge.

Once completed, the upgrade works are expected to enhance the capacity of the 821-kilometer-long Kiev-Chop highway, one of the logistic arteries of Ukraine, and reduce the traffic jams on the Zhytomyr section, which serves about 10,000 motorists per day.

The project, which will start at the beginning of 2018, is set to be completed within two years. It is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

It will be the second project for the Chinese companies on carrying out the modernization of Ukrainian roads.

According to Novak, the Ukrainian side is well aware of the vast international experience of the Chinese partners and highly values cooperation with them.

"We treat you like Chinese ambassadors in the Ukrainian market and I would like to underline that it is a huge responsibility in your hands," Novak said at the agreements signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, Xiong Lixin, the Executive Vice President at the Power China, the parent company of Sinohydro, said the Chinese side is developing other projects related to road construction and energy sector in Ukraine.

"We really believe in this market. Therefore, this is not a single project, but only the beginning. We hope that the Ukrainian market will become an important part of our activities abroad," Xiong told Xinhua.




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Two Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have merged into an energy conglomerate with total assets worth 1.8 trillion yuan (272.96 billion U.S. dollars).





The new company, China Energy Corporation, has become the world's largest in coal mining, thermal power, renewable energy and coal-to-liquid conversion, according to the founding ceremony held Tuesday.





It was formed by the reorganization of power generator China Guodian Corporation and coal miner Shenhua Group.

"It is the biggest consolidation among central SOEs in recent years," said Xiao Yaqing, chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.





Xiao expects the deal to improve corporate profitability and help coordinate coal and electricity markets.

The merger is in line with the country's effort to push restructuring in state-owned companies. During the past five years, 34 central SOEs were reorganized to improve competitiveness, according to Xiao.





The total number of central SOEs has halved from 196 in 2003.





Qiao Baoping, chairman of China Energy, said the company would focus on coal mining and power generation, while making more effort to eliminate excess capacity, and speed up its drive to go global.





China Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of West Virginia to cooperate on shale gas exploration at the beginning of the month. The deal, with total investment to reach 83.7 billion U.S. dollars in 20 years, will be the largest ever energy cooperation deal between China and the United States.




Hubei Province has completed the technical design of its offshore nuclear power station and will soon start its construction, with the first marine reactor to be delivered in 2020.

An offshore nuclear power station model on display at an industry expo in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]





The offshore nuclear power stations, including floating and submarine ones, can sail to where they are needed and be used for many different needs, including operating drilling machinery for offshore oil and gas fields, providing power supply to islands, as well as heating and desalination.





Batch construction of offshore nuclear power stations will result in a market that could be worth tens of billions of dollars in a marine nuclear energy industry chain, according to the 719 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, the general contractor of the project.





The institute was established in 2014 to develop a maritime nuclear power platform and core technologies in the field.





Analysts said demand for offshore nuclear power plants is expected to grow in China and will become one of the most significant infrastructures for China's marine area.





Han Xiaoping, chief information officer of China Energy Net Consulting Co, said small nuclear reactors can provide cheap and sustainable electricity and can be moved to isolated areas when they reach the end of their service life.





One kilowatt-hour of electricity generated by an offshore nuclear plant costs about 0.9 yuan (13 cents), compared with 2 yuan for the same quantity generated by diesel for use by drilling platforms in the Bohai Sea, he said.





"Large nuclear reactors have high hydrological and geological requirements and safety has always been a major concern for local residents living nearby."





Wu Zhong, general manager of CSIC Asset Management Co Ltd, said earlier that offshore oil drilling demand will keep growing in the next few years with a market value of 100 billion yuan, while the industry of nuclear-powered equipment is expected to reach 50 billion yuan per year in the Bohai Bay.





Floating nuclear reactors can also be exported to economies with large populations but scarce land resources, including economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, said Han.





Zhang Jinlin, an engineer of the 719 Research Institute of CSIC, said the design of the offshore nuclear power station, a typical military and civilian integration project, had taken full consideration of civilian use.





"It has also overcome multiple technological difficulties such as safety, radiation protection and waste disposal," he said.





Many companies have been working on developing offshore nuclear power stations in recent years. China General Nuclear Power Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with CSIC in 2016 to develop a reactor design, the 200-megawatt ACPR50S for the offshore nuclear power platform.





China National Nuclear Power Co has also set up a joint venture that would have one billion yuan in registered capital to develop and produce small, floating nuclear power plants.





Exploitation of marine resources is vital to China's efforts to build itself into a maritime power, said Wang Yiren, deputy director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.




Ikea China has come under fire again  accused of double standards with regard to not recalling products in China that have been recalled elsewhere.

Consumers go shopping at the IKEA Wuxi Store in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 6, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]





Critics say the Swedish furniture giant didn't recall its Malm line drawers in China but did do so in North America.





Ikea, however, said its furniture sold in China meets the country's quality standard.





The company announced recently that it had launched a recall of 17.3 million drawers in the United States and Canada after a 2-year-old boy in California was crushed to death after an unsecured Malm dresser fell on him in May.





The boy Jozef Dudek had been having an afternoon nap when he was found under the dresser by his father, according to the family attorney Daniel Mann.





It was the eighth fatality of a child under 3 years old that was blamed on unsecured Ikea dressers and the first to have occurred since last year's North American recall. Mann said the family planned to file a lawsuit.





The full refund recall scheme covers those who have bought Malm children's dressers above 60 centimeters high or adult dressers over 75 centimeters high  but the recall only applies to the United States and Canada.





During a visit to Ikea's Xuhui outlet yesterday, Shanghai Daily found that Malm chest of drawers were still being sold, but with a notice advising buyers to secure the furniture to a wall to ensure safety.





Ikea China said it had been issuing wall anchoring kits in its dresser products for over a decade and included the need to secure the dressers in its product assembly instructions.





The best way to ensure safety over the use of dresser is to firmly secure it to the wall, said Crystal Li, a PR official at Ikea China.





But the refusal to recall the furniture in China has sparked accusations of double standards and inadequate safety.





If there is a problem with the product, the recall should be worldwide and the standard over children's furniture should be stricter, said Zhu Changling, director general of the China National Furniture Association.





Lawyers said China's recall system over flawed products is not complete as it only covers specific categories such as automobiles, food, children's toys, and medicine.





Safety is the priority and Ikea should apply the same practice any place to ensure safety, said Amy Wang, mother of a 6-year-old child who was shopping in the Xuhui outlet.





Last year, Ikea China launched a recall of more than 1.66 million of chests of drawers on China's mainland. It had initially refused to do so, provoking accusations of discrimination and consumer rights violations.





The company changed its stance after the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau got in touch with Ikea China and ordered it to fulfill its obligation on quality issues and safety hazards.




An exhibition featuring the stories of Madame Soong Ching Ling, the late honorary president of the People's Republic of China, and Rewi Alley, the New Zealand-born social activist who aided China's revolution, opened on Nov. 28 in Beijing to commemorate their friendship and boost China-New Zealand relations.

An exhibition featuring the stories of Madame Soong Ching Ling, the late honorary president of the People's Republic of China, and Rewi Alley, the New Zealand-born social activist who aided Chinas revolution, opened on Nov. 28 in Beijing. [Photo by Guo Yiming/China.org.cn]





Themed "The Joy of Life is Having Friends," the exhibition includes photos, relics and multimedia materials showcasing the friendship between the two revolutionary figures and their dedication to China's development.

This year marks 120 years since the birth of Rewi Alley, the founder of the Bailie schools and a social activist who helped build friendly relations between China and New Zealand. He lived and worked in China for 60 years.

Alley, along with Madame Soong Ching Ling and Edgar Snow, founded the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (ICCIC) in 1939, which made great contributions to the Chinese revolution and socialist constructions.

One of Alley's most significant contributions to fostering the China-New Zealand relationship is the foundation of goodwill which he personally generated toward China, said John McKinnon, New Zealand's ambassador to China. He viewed the friendship between Madame Soong Ching Ling and Rewi Alley as paving the foundation for contemporary China-NZ relations.

The exhibition will last though January 2018 in the former residence of Madame Soong Ching Ling.
A suspect has been detained in connection with Sunday's deadly explosion in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, according to the social media account of the Ningbo police on Tuesday.

The authorities said that the careless disposal of explosive substances could have led to the explosion.

According to the authorities, the explosion centered on a septic tank near which a truck loaded with illegally manufactured explosives was parked.

The explosivesincluding aluminum powder and barium nitratewere transported to Ningbo from Liaoning province. The truck had been parked at the site since 3 pm on Saturday. The materials, which belonged to a man surnamed Shan, originated in Fuyang city of neighboring Anhui province.

In Liaoning, the Tieling police issued an online arrest warrant for Shan on Oct 25. He was suspected of illegally manufacturing and trading the materials.

Shan was traced and then detained by the police at 9 pm on Monday in Panqiao village of Huangshi, Hubei province, where he was hiding.

The police said the 33-year-old suspect acknowledged transporting the explosives to Ningbo to avoid being discovered by the police in Liaoning.

According to the police, Shan asked relatives in Ningbo to drive a truck loaded with the hazardous materials and park it at a disposal site. Evidence at the site indicated that some of the explosives were dismantled and destroyed on Saturday night. At around 8:40 am Sunday, the disposal operation resumed, the police said.

About 15 minutes later, the deadly explosion occurred. Two people died and dozens were injured. Two people remain missing.

The police ruled out the possibility that the deadly explosion had been planned. The blast smashed nearby cars and severely damaged surrounding buildings, affecting hundreds of residents.




In his bestselling novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns," Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini brought his character Mariam's life to an end with her execution, following her murder of her husband Rasheed. Her reason for killing him was that he had beaten his second wife, a much younger woman named Laila, to death.



The Delegation of U.N. Women in Beijing visits the Beijing Royal School to promote gender equality on Nov. 24, 2017. [Photo by Wu Jin / China.org.cn]





Upon learning of Mariam's pitiable life ending in such a way, many readers couldn't help but wonder how this woman's fate could have followed a very different trajectory if the world had paid more attention to her, living in uneducated, impoverished, hopeless, lonely and war-torn conditions, forced to succumb to ceaseless violence throughout her life.

Over 16 consecutive days since last Friday, the U.N. Compound in Beijing has illuminated the three-story facade in orange against the night backdrop, in an effort to highlight the importance of equal rights for peripheral populations, especially women and girls.

The color, evoking striking sunbeams, represents the U.N.'s initiative to heal injured souls, alert the public to harmful stereo typing and discrimination, and call for the end of violence against all women and girls, as well as refugees, migrants and ethnic minorities.

"Orange is a key color for the United Nations. We see it as a color of vigilance and we remind people of the world to support gender equality as long as gender-based discrimination and violence still exist," said Nicholas Rosellini, U.N. Resident Coordinator in China.

Last year, following the G20 Summit, the host city Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, illuminated five of its main buildings along the scenic West Lake in soft orange for 16 days to support U.N. Women's annual campaign.

This year, the 16-day lighting ceremony was initiated in partnership with Beijing Normal University (B.N.U.) and Beijing Royal School (B.R.S.), where an opening gala for the conventional campaign was held several hours before the U.N. Women Compound switched on the light.

Students from B.R.S., a private high-end bilingual primary and secondary school, staged multi-acts kits to raise people's awareness of gender inequality, school bullying and malicious discrimination, highlighting the suffering caused to the victims of such acts.

Looking ahead, the U.N. Women, B.N.U. and B.R.S. have jointly launched a three-year"Peer Leadership for Healthy Relationships Program," aimed at providing professional knowledge and assistance to young people to prevent school bullying, respect diversity and most importantly, promote gender equality.

Julie Broussard, the Country Program Manager of U.N. Women China, commented on the performances of the young students, saying,"You have taken actions to promote gender equality in your shows and I hope that more young people will join you to say'No' to violence and'Yes' to gender equality."

In fact, an increasing number of male participants are joining the cause, despite immense skepticism and their male identity being called into question in eyes of many. They are often stereotyped as"nanny father" or"gender minority," derogatory terms used to describe men working in traditionally female-dominated sectors.

According to Pi Xingcan, a lecturer from B.N.U. and assistant in the peer education program, the promotion of gender equality still needs more men to get involved, especially those in their youth, as the elimination of violence against women and girls remains a mission with great challenges ahead.

According to U.N. Women, at least 35 percent of women have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence worldwide. However, the statistics may just represent the tip of iceberg, Rosellini said.

"I encourage my U.N. colleagues from all sectors of society, all governmental and non-governmental departments, especially the young people of China and around the world, to use the 16 days' campaign as a springboard to end violence against women and girls," added Rosellini.

"So please,'orange' the world," he concluded.
The murder trial of a man accused of killing his wife and storing her body in a freezer for three months began today at the Shanghai No.2 Intermediate People's Court.

Yang Ganlian, father of the victim, stands outside the Shanghai No.2 Intermediate People's Court on November 29.



The suspect, Zhu Xiaodong, 30, was accused of beating his wife, Yang Liping, 30, over a dispute on October 18 of last year at their home in the Shangye Yicun residential community in Hongkou District.

Zhu handed himself in to police on February 1 after inviting his parents over for dinner and then confessing his guilt.

"Until now, neither Zhu, his family or any representative, have tried to approach us to apologize or show regret," Yang's father Yang Ganlian, 60, said.

He added, "For us, we don't want to see any one of them. We have no words. He did such an evil thing, which caused very severe social influence."

Yang's family believed it was a premeditated murder and want Zhu to be convicted to death and executed immediately.

They wore T-shirts printed with "Severely punish the murderer" and held banners outside the court this morning.

"He didn't kill my daughter on impulse, he plotted it," the father said."He didn't call police or an ambulance, or run away."

Instead, over the three months after allegedly killing his wife, Zhu lived a normal life.

To cover up her death, Zhu made up excuses, saying they were travelling around, to prevent anyone from visiting the young couple, the father said.

He also impersonated Yang and pretended she was still alive via SMS and WeChat messages.

Under his request, Yang quit her job as a primary school teacher on October 14, 2016.

For the family, the motive remains unknown.

"Every time we met them, they seemed like any other lovely couple. Zhu didn't speak too much in front of us, and my daughter never told us anything bad about him. We've got no idea why he killed her," Yang Ganlian said.

After her death, the family got to know that the couple, who registered for marriage on December 31, 2015, had applied for a divorce in August last year. But in the end they didn't split up.

When collecting evidence, the family found that one and a half months before the murder, Zhu bought books about death and murder. After that he bought the freezer which was later used to store Yang's body. During police interrogation, Zhu claimed the freezer just stored beef and mutton.

He said after his daughter's death, Zhu used her credit card and squandered nearly 200,000 yuan (US$30,300) on luxurious goods like a Burberry belt, and dated other women. Police investigation showed he had used Yang's ID card to check in to hotels, accompanied by different women.

"It's so sad to lose my only child," Yang Ganlian said. Now, what keeps him going is the support he is receiving from the public.
The vice chancellor of New York University Shanghai talks to China.org.cn about its first graduates and their future plans in Shanghai.

Jeffrey S. Lehman, vice chancellor of New York University Shanghai, speaks to China.org.cn in his office in Shanghai, Nov. 17, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn]





Jeffrey S. Lehman, former president of Cornell University and dean of the University of Michigan Law School, currently spends 90 percent of his time in Shanghai as the Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai.

Jointly established by New York University and East China Normal University, NYU Shanghai is the institutions third degree-granting campus in NYU's global network, joining NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU's campus in New York City. It is also the first Sino-US joint venture university approved by the Ministry of Education of China. In April 2012, it was announced that Lehman would be steering the new institution jointly with Yu Lizhong, former president of NYU's local partner, East China Normal University.

Displayed in Lehman's office are various awards and a photo with President Xi Jinping. He considers Xi to be sophisticated national leader with a deep understanding regarding the effective exercising of power in a large and complicated society. This is important, as China is one of a handful of countries whose actions have global implications.

This spring, the first class of NYC Shanghai graduated with over 260 students from 33 countries. When asked what he was most proud of in the past four years, Lehman said it was the students.

"I'm so proud of our students, because they were brave to be a part of a new experiment, and also because they believed in the value of taking risks," Lehman said.

He continued,"They have to take chances, they have to speak authentically and honestly, say things that might mean disagreeing with their teachers, disagreeing with their classmates, while making arguments to justify their own beliefs. They have to be willing to change their minds; they have to do all these things in front of their classmates. I'm proud of them because when they took chances, they grew, they developed, and they became more creative, and they have succeeded."

He added that 40 percent of the Class of 2017 went to graduate schools such as Cambridge, Harvard and Stanford,"which is a very high percentage for the top universities," he said, the other 60 percent got fine jobs, working in places like Google and international organizations.

The chancellor says their students gain three competencies after they graduated from the NYU Shanghai,"First, they are completely comfortable in working in any language and in any culture, Chinese students are immersed in an English environment here and are completely at ease with being themselves and being international."

"The students also gain the creativity to give birth to new ideas, the capacity to test those ideas with critical thinking, and the courage to know that it is beneficial to put such ideas forward even if they ultimately turn out to be unsound," he said.

The recruitment for NYU Shanghai, hidden in a tower building among Shanghai's skyscrapers, is growing every year. Lehman said they plan to have 400 - 450 students next year.

"The worst part of my job is that we have to turn away the most incredible students," he said."I mean, theyve done everything right, they study really hard, they have great grades, they invent things and some of them are concert violinist, but we don't have room for all of them. Adding more students means we have to add more high-quality faculties, so we can't go too fast."

But the good news is that the district of Pudong in Shanghai is very supportive of them, and they are going to build a larger campus within four years."We feel very grateful for all they do. It's possible to have more majors in the new campus from time to time in the future," Lehman said.

Currently most students are taking a business major, but the number is decreasing year by year."In the first year, a lot of parents told their children to major in business, but I told parents,'you want your children to make money by choosing business? Then they should not major in business, they should major in something else and get master in business later.'"

"I said to them,'go and look at Fortune 500 companies, look at the CEOs, and see what they majored in and you will not find business. You'll find history, you'll find physics, you'll find engineering, you'll find math, and most of them get a master of business later.

But NYU Shanghai doesn't just teach,"Our faculty are very small but we publish very high-quality articles in journals as well as publishing books. They are not doing easy research, they are not simply trying to apply someone else's suggestions, they are finding problems, and then they are finding possible answers. We have seven joint research institutes with East China Normal University, and they are greatly productive."

Another great future project for NYU Shanghai is to initiate online courses for anyone who wishes to learn."NYU is a global university, and has more than 2,000 professors, a large number of them are truly distinguished leaders in their fields," Lehman explained."We have now designed a concept, a new kind of program, which will not produce degrees for NYU, offer no credentials and no certificates, but is just an opportunity to learn and it's free."

"We will have online courses," he exclusively announced to China.org.cn."Great teachers from New York will produce a set of instructional interactive videos; we will translate them into Chinese, with high-quality Chinese subtitles."

He added,"It may be possible in the future to obtain certificates for the online courses, but that will not be free. The university will have to examine the students' performances by testing or so, in order to maintain the university's reputation."
 Flash





While Chinese tourists are flocking to almost every corner of the world, becoming the driving force for tourism in many countries, what kinds of tourists are visiting China?





Research conducted by Center for China & Globalization (CCG) and travel agency Ctrip released on Monday might give us a glance into the demographic and their preferences for trip to China.





Demographic





As 1633 valid questionnaires show, there are twice as many men as women among those who have visited China. However, the numbers of two groups are almost even among those who are planning their first ever visits to China.





Besides attracting more female tourists, China also sees more young people visiting in the near future. Those who have visited China before are aged between 36 to 55, yet those who plan their first visit to China are aged between 18 to 35.





"Most of them are college students or those who are just starting their career, they are very interested in China's history, culture and social development," explained Li Qing from CCG at a press conference on Monday.





Those who have visited China mainly come from Japan (20%), the US (16%), South Korea (15%) and Australia (13%). The short geographical distance makes Japan and South Korea natural tourists-generating region





However, worth noticing is that among those who plan to travel to China for the first time, almost 80 percent are from the US.





Experts from CCG and Ctrip believe US President Donald Trump's recent trip to China may also further boost this trend.
 Flash

China and Hungary on Tuesday signed over 10 agreements covering areas of agriculture, e-commerce, finance, telecommunication, tourism and education to further forge ahead bilateral ties.

The agreements were signed with the witness of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban following their talks at the Hungarian National Assembly building.

"These deals mean that China will further increase its investment in Hungary and help to make more job opportunities in the country," said Li when he and Orban jointly met with the press.

"Such cooperation is also a good opportunity for Chinese companies to learn advanced technology and managing experience from the Hungarian side," he said.

According to Li, Hungary is the biggest investment destination of China in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with China's current investment accounting for one third of its total investment in CEE.

China's current investment in Hungary has reached 4.1 billion U.S. dollars, creating about 10,000 local jobs.

Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce show that the trade volume between China and Hungary increased by 10 percent year-on-year in 2016, while China's import from Hungary increased by 20 percent.

Li said that Chinese consumers hope to see more diversified products especially good-quality agricultural produce from Hungary.

Li arrived on Sunday in Budapest for an official visit and the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). He will depart for Russia on Wednesday for the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization from Thursday to Friday.




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Kenyan president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta took the oath of office on Tuesday, promising to prioritize unity in his second and final five-year term.

Kenyan president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta (R) greets the crowd during the sworn-in ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, on Nov. 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]





Security had been heightened both inside and outside the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, venue of the swearing-in ceremony, with heavily armed military officers manning the place.

Kenyatta won the Oct. 26 repeat election with 7.48 million votes in 266 out of 291 constituencies where the election took place. This represents about 98.27 percent of valid votes.

When addressing the audience at the swearing-in ceremony, Kenyatta pledged to work toward uniting Kenyans who have been divided along ethnic lines, and to respect the rule of law.

The 56-year-old Kenyatta, who took the oaths of allegiance and office administered by Registrar of Judiciary Anne Amadi and witnessed by Chief Justice David Maraga, promised to build bridges by reaching out to his adversaries to develop the east African nation.

"I have begun reaching out to all leaders, across the political divide, restating my commitment and expressing my willingness to work with them, to achieve this objective of nationhood," Kenyatta said.

Over the next five years, Kenyatta said, his government shall invest heavily in securing water towers and river ecosystems to harvest and sustainably exploit the potential of water resources.

"We shall take steps to address idle arable land ownership and utilization. We shall take steps to encourage and facilitate large-scale commercial agriculture to help diversify our staples. We shall redesign subsidies to the sector to ensure they target improvements in food yields and production quality," he said.

The swearing-in ceremony was punctuated by jubilation, songs and dancing from the mammoth crowd.

Kenyatta's swearing-in paved way for him to start his final term in office after a tumultuous electioneering period marked by nullification of his victory in the Aug. 8 polls over irregularities as well as polarization in the country.

Both the president and his deputy, William Ruto, swore to protect and uphold the sovereignty, integrity and dignity of the people of Kenya.

"I will always truly and diligently serve the people and the Republic of Kenya in the Office of the President," Kenyatta said, and the crowd responded,"Yes sir."

Kenyatta vowed to unite the country and promote economic growth after a fractious electioneering season.

"I undertake to be the custodian of the dreams of every Kenyan and devote energy to build bridges. The elections are now firmly behind us and now we have an opportunity to build a Kenya that rewards hard work and leaves no one behind," said Kenyatta.

Dozens of foreign leaders, diplomats and local dignitaries attended the ceremony.

Kenyatta spelt out a new vision for the country anchored on national cohesion, respect to the rule of law, economic vitality and universal access to basic services like housing, education and health.

"During my second and final term in office, I have taken on board aspirations of Kenyans and will endeavor to strengthen the ties that bind us as Kenyans at levels of society," Kenyatta said.

He promised Kenyans that his government will deliver full health coverage; build half a million homes in the next five years and revitalize the manufacturing sector to unleash new jobs for the youth.

"My administration will focus on agro-processing, mining and extractive industries, leather and value addition to create jobs for young people. We shall reach out to key trading partners to open new markets for our products," he added.

Kenyatta promised to re-engineer the agriculture sector to boost food security in the country against a backdrop of recurrent droughts linked to climate change.

"Over the next five years, we shall invest heavily to protect our water towers, promote water harvesting and diversify food production," Kenyatta said.

He pledged to strengthen bilateral and multilateral ties with Kenya's partners in key areas like trade and the fight against terrorism.

At the same time, the president announced that Africans visiting Kenya will receive visa at the ports of entry.

He reaffirmed his commitment to regional cooperation and announced that citizens from member states of the East African Community will only require a national identification card to visit Kenya.

In his speech, Kenyatta also thanked Kenya's international partners and friends for standing with the country during the election period.

"Kenya is a proud member of the community of nations, and we will always work hard to remain a force for good. We will continue to strengthen our economic ties and bilateral and multilateral relations," he said.

He promised that the country would continue fighting against international terrorism.

Opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga had said that he did not recognize the October 2017 elections. On Tuesday, local media reported that Odinga announced that he would be"sworn-in" as"president" on Jamhuri Day, which is celebrated on Dec. 12.

There were also reports that at least three people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday in Nairobi as police engaged NASA supporters in running battles at Nairobi's Jacaranda grounds, where opposition leaders had planned to hold a memorial service.
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China and Macedonia agreed on Tuesday to advance cooperation on various fields such as infrastructure construction.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]





The pledge came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev met on the sidelines of the sixth meeting of the heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC).

Li said China is willing to better dovetail development strategies with Macedonia and push forward cooperation on transportation infrastructure construction.

China hopes that Macedonia can give full play of its advantages and take an active part in the construction of the China-Europe land-sea express, said Li.

China also would like to explore cooperation with Macedonia on new industries such as digital economy, he said.

Hailing the good friendship and close cooperation between Macedonia and China, Zaev said his country is ready to enhance cooperation with China on trade and economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

The China-CEEC cooperation, also known as the 16+1 cooperation, is key to the development of Macedonia, he said, adding that his country hopes to intensify cooperation with China under the 16+1 framework.

Zaev said Macedonia welcomes Chinese enterprises to participate in the Balkan country's transportation construction.

During the meeting, Li also expressed appreciation at Macedonia's firm adherence to the one-China policy.

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Macedonia.

China will take the opportunity of the 25th anniversary to further forge ahead bilateral ties, Li said.

Li arrived on Sunday for an official visit to Hungary and for the sixth meeting of the heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries.




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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday pledged to expand cooperation in various fields with Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on the sidelines of a meeting of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC).

In a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Li said that under a comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Serbia have achieved fruitful win-win cooperation in many fields.

The Hungary-Serbia railway, for instance, has seen a "major progress" on Tuesday with the start of construction from Belgrade to Stara Pazova in Serbia, Li noted.

The premier said he hopes the design work for the Novi Sad to Subotica section in Serbia would speed up, so as to complete the flagship project of 16+1 cooperation at an early date and inject impetus into the construction of China-Europe land-sea express line and into regional connectivity.

The Hungary-Serbia railway will connect Budapest with Belgrade, with a total length of 350 km, reducing traveling time between the two capitals from eight hours to three hours.

Meanwhile, China stands ready to work with Belgrade to push for such infrastructure and industrial cooperation projects as road, steel plant and industrial parks, as well as extend the industrial chain to achieve win-win results, he said.

For her part, Brnabic thanked for China's support for the Serbian economy and called bilateral cooperation results "outstanding" in 16+1 cooperation.

The Serbian side is willing to work with Beijing to jointly speed up the construction of the Hungary-Serbia railway and conduct cooperation in such fields as industrial parks, e-commerce and logistics, she said.

Belgrade welcomes Chinese firms to take part in its transportation and infrastructure construction, and hopes for the opening of direct flights at an early date to promote tourism and people-to-people exchanges, she added.

On the same day, Li also met with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar, expressing his hope that both countries would work together to make full use of the 16+1 platform to bolster China-CEEC cooperation and China-EU cooperation.

China is satisfied with the rapid growth of bilateral ties, Li said, noting that the two countries have witnessed many outcomes of agricultural, tourism, research cooperation.

China is ready to import competitive agricultural products from Slovenia, support more Chinese tourists to go to the Central European country, and help Chinese firms to participate in car manufacturing in Slovenia, and people-to-people exchanges to further expand bilateral cooperation.

Cerar, for his part, said the two countries have maintained friendly relations and achieved remarkable progress in economy and trade cooperation.

Slovenia is willing to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, automobile, tourism, aviation, scientific research, education and winter sports, increase the added value of their cooperation, and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Slovenia appreciates China's proposals to promote 16+1 cooperation and stands ready to partner with Beijing to promote CEEC's or even the EU's cooperation with China, he added.

Li also met with Denis Zvizdic, BiH Chairman of Council of Ministers.

Noting the continuous growth of practical bilateral cooperation, Li said his country would work together with BiH to maintain high-level contact, promote bilateral ties and facilitate cooperation.

China eyes to speed up energy cooperation, a pillar of their practical cooperation, and hopes to facilitate such energy projects as power plants, Li said.

The two countries should also deepen cooperation in infrastructure, make use of BiH's location advantage to facilitate cooperation between China and the Balkan region, expand cooperation in agricultural product processing and equipment manufacturing, Li said.

Moreover, the two countries should step up cooperation on people-to-people exchanges and tourism, given the opportunity presented by the visa-exempt agreement signed during the 16+1 meeting.

Stressing that developing ties with China is a critical part of his country's diplomacy, Zvizdic said the BiH government attaches great importance to cooperation with China and win-win cooperation under the 16+1 mechanism.

The country is ready to implement the consensus reached so far, and push ahead with cooperation in inter-connectivity, transportation infrastructure, power plant, agriculture, tourism, and culture.

Li arrived in Budapest on Sunday for the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries and an official visit to Hungary.
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Irish Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Frances Fitzgerald stepped down on Tuesday hours ahead of no-confidence vote in parliament that threatened to collapse the current minority government.

At a cabinet meeting, Fitzgerald said she was resigning for the sake of the country and to avoid a general election.

She also said she was not forced to resign and was doing so out of choice.

In a subsequent statement, Fitzgerald said it is necessary to take this decision "to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilizing general election at this historically critical time".

"Throughout my career I have always sought to act with integrity and responsibility, and that is why I have decided on this occasion to put the national interest ahead of my own personal reputation," she said.

In the statement, Fitzgerald thanked Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varakdar for showing the courage and determination to protect her good name.

"I decided that my continuation in office risks destabilizing that good work, and so I have decided to step-down so that this work may continue and the country can be spared an unnecessary election," she added.

Meanwhile, Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varakdar wrote to opposition Fianna Fail (Republican Party) leader Micheal Martin, confirming that Fitzgerald had offered her resignation and that he had accepted it.

Fitzgerald's resignation means the planned no-confidence motion tabled by the main opposition has been dropped and the threat of a pre-Christmas election has been averted, analysts say.

Last week, Fianna Fail lodged a motion of no-confidence in Fitzgerald, alleging that she was involved in a conspiracy aimed at smearing police whistleblower Maurice McCabe when she served as minister for justice from 2014 to 2016.

But Fitzgerald rejected the allegations, saying that she was not part of any conspiracy to undermine McCabe.

Following the 2016 general election, Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) formed a minority government with some non-party members of parliament. The minority government was made possible by a confidence and supply agreement with Fianna Fail, which agreed to abstain in confidence votes.

Fianna Fail said the standoff could be resolved if Fitzgerald stepped down. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael did not want a snap general election.
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Zimbabwe's new president Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday gave a three-month amnesty for individuals and companies to bring back funds they externalized or face arrest.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (L) speaks at his swearing-in ceremony in Harare on Nov. 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]





Mnangagwa said the military intervention which led to the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe last week had helped to uncover cases where huge sums of money and other assets were illegally externalized by individuals and companies.

He said such malpractices constitute a serious economic crime against the people of Zimbabwe.

"As a first step towards the recovery of the illegally externalized funds and assets, the Government of Zimbabwe is gazetting a three-month moratorium within which those involved in the malpractice can bring back the funds and assets, with no question being asked or charges preferred against them," the president said in a statement.

The amnesty runs from December 1 to end of February 2018.

Mnangagwa said affected persons who wish to comply with the directive should liaise with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for necessary facilitation and accounting.

Upon the expiry of the three-month window, Mnangagwa said the government would proceed to effect arrests of all those who would not have complied with the directive.

Zimbabwe is currently facing a cash crunch as the main transacting currency, the U.S. dollar and the surrogate bond notes remain in short supply.

Monetary authorities blame the cash shortages to low imports and externalization.
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At least 40 people have been killed and 19 others wounded and dozens of children and women abducted during an attack in a rural village in South Sudan's eastern state of Jonglei.

Jacob Akech Dengdit, Jonglei State Information Minister, told Xinhua by phone on Tuesday that armed men suspected to be from neighboring Boma state attacked two villages in Duk county on Monday and Tuesday morning, killing over 40 people, burnt down huts and abducted children and women.

"They first attacked the villages of Duk Panyang and Duk Payuel on Monday and took several cattle. Then this morning, the attackers killed over 40 people and wounded 19 others. They also took all cattle and abducted children and women," Dengdit said.

The attack came barely six months after the tribal leaders from the oil-rich region signed a peace deal aimed at ending a deadly cycle of inter-ethnic violence.

The pact brokered by the country's First Vice President Taban Deng Gai in May brought some calm to the region which has experienced several tribal conflicts, largely caused by rivalry over livestock and grazing land for decades. Similar clashes in late 2016 killed over 50 people.

Dengdit urged the central government in Juba to intervene before the latest violence escalated to full scale confrontation between the two communities.

"Hundreds of people have been displaced and nothing is currently functioning. Wounded people are still there helpless because all the houses and health centers have been burnt down. The government should intervene to calm down the situation," Dengdit added.
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China's Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong will pay a visit to Zimbabwe from Nov. 29 to 30 as a special envoy of the Chinese government, at the invitation of the government of Zimbabwe, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the announcement at a daily briefing on Tuesday four days after Mnangagwa was sworn in as the president of Zimbabwe.

Geng added that China is willing to join hands with Zimbabwe to move forward with China-Zimbabwe friendly relations and cooperation in the principle of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.




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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) early Wednesday morning, the country's Korean Central Television reported.

File photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 13, 2017 shows a test firing of a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 on Feb. 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]





The DPRK tested "Hwasong-15" after its top leader Kim Jong Un signed the order the previous day, the Korean Central Television reported in a special mid-day broadcast, with its broadcasters telling the story in a celebrative mood.

Meanwhile, the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the DPRK's top leader signed the order on Tuesday and guided the test-firing at a site outside Pyongyang.

Kim said after watching the test firing that DPRK has "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force," according to the KCNA.

In a statement carried by KCNA, the DPRK government said: "The development and advancement of the strategic weapon of DPRK are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from the U.S. imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat, and to ensure the peaceful life of the people."

"It is DPRK's solemn declaration that the missiles would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon," said the statement.

"As a responsible nuclear power and a peace-loving state, the DPRK will make every possible effort to serve the noble purpose of defending peace and stability of the world," it said.

The newly developed Hwasong-15 ICBM has much more advantages in its tactical and technological specifications and technical characteristics than the Hwasong-14 missiles tested in July, and marks the completion of the rocket weaponry system development by the DPRK, said KCNA.

"It is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S.," it said, without specifying.

After being launched at 02:48 a.m. local time (1818 GMT), the missile flew 53 minutes along its orbit and accurately landed in the target waters in the open sea in the East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan), according to the report.

"The rocket soared to the highest altitude of 4,475 km and then flew the distance of 950 km," it added.




Li Ching-Yu (second from left) with

a ChinaAid delegation in Washington,

D.C., as they meet with the National

Security Councils Director of China

Affairs Leah Brady (far left)

and Trumps Special Assistant and

the National Security Councils

Senior Directorfor Asian Affairs Matt

Pottinger (third from right).

(Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Yueyang, HunanNov. 29, 2017) In an unprecedented show of force, Chinese authorities sentenced a prominent Taiwanese democracy activist to five years in prison yesterday after abducting him in Macau.

Li Ming-Ches case first drew international attention when Chinese authorities kidnapped him during a trip to Macau, a city that is, like Hong Kong, semi-autonomous from the communist regime. He was smuggled into mainland China, where he stood trial in front of a court in Hunan last September for subverting state power. His prosecutors accused him of attacking Chinese society and encouraging multi-party rule via postings that critiqued the Chinese regime and promoted democracy both on the Chinese social media platform QQ and through an organization known as the Plum Blossom Company. During the trial, Li plead guilty to his supposed crimes, but his wife questioned the validity of his confession, saying he made it under duress.

On Nov. 28, officials handed him a five-year jail term. Immediately, the Taiwanese Presidential department condemned the sentencing as a regrettable and unacceptable decision that injured the already contentious political climate between the two countries, Quartz said in a report on Tuesday. Taiwan took great interest in Lis case, as he is the first Taiwanese citizen to be charged with subversion on the mainland, and China still holds the view that Taiwan is its politically estranged province, which may encourage more oversteps in Chinese rule.

ChinaAid exposes abuses, such as those experienced by Li, in order to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: +1 (432) 553-1080 | Office: +1 (432) 689-6985 | Other: +1 (888) 889-7757

Email: [email protected]

For more information, click here
Unilateral countermoves by individual stakeholders have proven insufficient, and ineffective, in reining in the nuclear weapons program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as its latest missile test on Wednesday demonstrated.

While the accumulative effect of Pyongyang's most recent series of tests has been a hardening of the consensus among the stakeholders that they should come to an end, there is still no well-coordinated collective response to achieve that aim.

The Republic of Korea responded to the latest DPRK missile test with a missile firing of its own within minutes, knowing full well it was a meaningless gesture.

After the launch, the DPRK's state news agency KCNA declared that Pyongyang had now achieved its mission of becoming a nuclear state, calling the weapons a defense against the "nuclear blackmail policy" of the United States. Although analysts suggest such missiles would be unable to hit the US carrying a nuclear warhead, the launch was enough for US President Donald Trump to issue one of his enigmatic statements  "We will take care of it."

Which is worrying. His recent unilateral move to tighten the screw of sanctions  by renaming Pyongyang a sponsor of terrorism  only served to accentuate the belief that his interest in diplomacy is simply for show.

Helpless as he is, ROK President Moon Jae-in is correct in observing the real danger is "the situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology".

As a key stakeholder in the unfolding confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington, Beijing is in an awkward position, bearing the brunt of the blame for the failure to stop Pyongyang's nuclear missile program, even though that failure has essentially been everyone's, and being criticized for "inaction", which totally ignores the truth.

Beijing wants the two belligerents to calm down as much as anyone.

It is vexed that a golden opportunity to build concerted momentum to encourage Pyongyang to engage in talks has been so casually wasted by the Trump administration's recent action of renaming Pyongyang a sponsor of state terrorism, which may have prompted Pyongyang's latest missile launch.

There is a severe trust deficit among the relevant parties that is being repeatedly exacerbated by the actions of Washington and Pyongyang. This, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, is moving the situation further away from the point where a settlement of the crisis can begin.

Which means the clock is ticking down to one of two choices: learning to live with the DPRK having nuclear weapons or triggering a tripwire to the worst-case scenario. But there is a third choice, which the US keeps ignoring. That is for all stakeholders to genuinely pull together to put an end to Pyongyang's dangerous game once and for all through dialogue and a peace treaty.

To achieve this, as Beijing has consistently argued, requires accommodating the concerns of the various parties and following the proposed step-by-step plan to establish the conditions necessary for dialogue.
RABAT - Delegates have expressed strong will to reach the full potential of China-Africa economic partnership, as the second China-Africa Investment Forum (CAIF) closed on Tuesday in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

This commitment was made during the second CAIF, which gathered some 500 high-level Chinese and African business leaders, and came to facilitate business meetings between the main stakeholders of trade and investment of China and African countries.

It dedicated lectures and debates to the financial implications for African economies of the new Silk Road and how to capitalize on this new dynamic aimed at making the continent a true industrial platform.

Alongside the conferences, practical workshops provided insights and keys to understanding Chinese and African economic policies and operational environments.

"The hosting of this large event is part of a proactive and strategic approach carried out at the highest level of the Moroccan state. It aims to endorse South-South cooperation and realize the full potential of the Morocco-China-Africa partnership," Hafid Elalamy, minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy of Morocco said during the event.

The event discussed means to stepping up investment, encouraging partnerships in new growth-enhancing sectors, fostering co-production and local industrial sourcing, identifying common interests between China's investment strategies and Africa's economic priorities, and creating the financial and legal framework that will promote trade and industrial success.

It has taken China less than 20 years to become Africa's main economic partner. With over 10,000 companies active on the continent, the value of its trade with Africa reaches $190 billion in 2016. It now exceeds that of India, France and the United States combined.

Nevertheless, there is still considerable potential for growth in the China-Africa economic partnership. According to McKinsey, revenues generated in Africa by Chinese companies could increase by 144 percent by 2025.
ZAGREB - Croatian experts have expressed hopes the Croatian government will change its policy and be more open-minded towards possible Chinese investments in the country.

"China has interest in South-East Europe that could be a bridge to the European Union (EU) market. It already showed its interest in Croatia, but unfortunately, the Croatian side was a bit reserved. I believe that the Croatian government is still closely watching Washington's and Brussels' reaction of a possible closer Croatian-Chinese relation," political analyst Dario Kuntic told Xinhua on Tuesday, a day after Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plankovic attended a meeting of heads of governments of Central and Eastern Europe Countries (CEEC) and China in Budapest.

Kuntic said that Croatia and China signed a memorandum of understanding last year in Riga, but almost nothing was done after that. "Now there is a new opportunity to do something," Kuntic said.

Ljubo Jurcic, former Croatian economy minister and economics professor, argued that Croatia doesn't have a clear strategy for China. "I don't expect much change because the government still doesn't have a strategy for more productive relations," Jurcic said when speaking to Xinhua.

"The former Croatian prime minister didn't attend the 16+1 summit, so at least Andrej Plenkovic traveled to Budapest...Unfortunately, our delegation didn't study Chinese strategy in the region and doesn't know how to fit Croatia in it," Jurcic said.

Although the China Road and Bridge Corporation is bidding for the Peljesac bridge, the biggest infrastructure project in the southeastern European country, Jurcic thinks that Croatia doesn't have a plan for other big infrastructure projects, so this could be just a single case of cooperation, a sign of Chinese goodwill.

"There is a room for better cooperation and business in electronic and informatics sectors, tourism and food industry," Jurcic said.
Pearson PLC announced on Monday that it has agreed to sell Wall Street English to a consortium consisting of funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia and CITIC Capital.

The transaction is expected to generate gross cash to Pearson of around $300 million.

"The sale of Wall Street English is part of our continued effort to focus on a smaller number of bigger opportunities in global education and to become simpler and more efficient," said John Fallon, Pearson's chief executive.

The improvement in Pearson net debt as a result of the transaction will be about $100 million as around $150 million of operating cash will be retained in the disposed business. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018 subject to regulatory approval being obtained.

Baring Private Equity Asia is one of the largest and most established independent private equity firms in Asia. The CITIC Capital Holdings Limited is an alternative investment management and advisory company.

In February 2017, Pearson announced that it was exploring strategic options to shift away from large-scale direct delivery services, including a potential partnership for WSE and the sale of Global Education. The former international media company has shifted to education products after the sale of its FT Group to Nikkei Inc for 844 million pounds ($1.124 billion) in cash in 2015.

"After extensive review of options for WSE, we have concluded that the full disposal of WSE is the approach best aligned with our objective to simplify Pearson and focus on fewer, bigger opportunities," said the company.

In 2016, WSE had 180,000 learners and operated 70 corporate owned centers in China, nine corporate owned centers in Italy and 321 franchised centers across 27 markets. It contributed 175 million pounds in revenue, an adjusted operating profit of 7 million pounds and a statutory operating profit of 4 million pounds.

Pearson's remaining business in China would be focusing on Edexcel, which is an academic service helping those seeking general qualifications such as a general certificate of secondary education (GCSE), A levels and International GCSEs, as well as some vocational qualifications. The company didn't address the future of its operations in China.

In August, Pearson completed the sale of Global Education (GEDU) to Puxin Education at the price of $80 million. GEDU is a leading provider of English language training and test preparation for Chinese students wishing to study abroad.

In 2016, GEDU served 64,000 learners with revenue of 78 million pounds and an adjusted operating loss of 4 million pounds. Puxin Education is a private education company providing tutorial programs for K-12 education, overseas test prep and college admission counseling services in more than 30 cities in China.
Sunsea Parking Industry Group Inc said on Tuesday that it has raised 1.5 billion yuan ($227 million) in financing to further expand its services in China and gain an edge in China's emerging car parking industry.

The current round of funding was led by US-based investment company Warburg Pincus. Other backer include Red Star Macalline Group, a leading domestic company for household items and a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus. Red Star Macalline said it will consider granting the operational rights for its parking lots in its over 200 furniture and shopping malls to Sunsea Parking in the future.

Sunsea Parking said it would spend at least 1 billion yuan to set up more parking lots within the next 12 months.

"Parking assets will become the next most attractive real estate asset class because it generates steady cash revenue with potential of further financing options such as real estate investment trusts," said Yan Liang, chairman of Sunsea Parking.

Founded in 2006, Sunsea Parking is dedicated to providing services for the entire value chain of parking management, including urban parking, parking lot planning and design, intelligent parking business, operation, investment and construction.

"Private car ownership in China has been growing at over 10 percent per year and China is now the largest automobile market in the world, but the amount of parking spaces has simply not kept up," said Joseph Gagnon, managing director and head of real estate in Asia for Warburg Pincus.

Gagnon added that due to the supply imbalance of parking spaces, it is an opportune time to partner with China's leading car park operator.

A report released on Tuesday by market consultancy Bain & Co showed that China's car ownership had reached 190 million in 2016 with an 11 percent increase over the previous year, only second to the United States. And the number is expected to surge by 8 percent year-on-year to 280 million by 2021.

Bain noted that the conflict between the lack of parking lots and the growing number of cars has become a severe problem in China, which also opens up new opportunities for the parking industry.

According to the report, the domestic parking market in China has reached a scale of 420 billion yuan last year, and is set to reach more than 1 trillion yuan by 2021.
By Zheng Xin in Beijing and Zhou Lihua in Wuhan | China DAily | Updated: 2017-11-29 07:43

An offshore nuclear power station model on display at an industry expo in Beijing.[Photo by Wu Changqing/China Daily]

Hubei province has completed the technical design of its offshore nuclear power station and will soon start its construction, with the first marine reactor to be delivered in 2020.

The offshore nuclear power stations, including floating and submarine ones, can sail to where they are needed and be used for many different needs, including operating drilling machinery for offshore oil and gas fields, providing power supply to islands, as well as heating and desalination.

Batch construction of offshore nuclear power stations will result in a market that could be worth tens of billions of dollars in a marine nuclear energy industry chain, according to the 719 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, the general contractor of the project.

The institute was established in 2014 to develop a maritime nuclear power platform and core technologies in the field.

Analysts said demand for offshore nuclear power plants is expected to grow in China and will become one of the most significant infrastructures for China's marine area.

Han Xiaoping, chief information officer of China Energy Net Consulting Co, said small nuclear reactors can provide cheap and sustainable electricity and can be moved to isolated areas when they reach the end of their service life.

One kilowatt-hour of electricity generated by an offshore nuclear plant costs about 0.9 yuan (13 cents), compared with 2 yuan for the same quantity generated by diesel for use by drilling platforms in the Bohai Sea, he said.

"Large nuclear reactors have high hydrological and geological requirements and safety has always been a major concern for local residents living nearby."

Wu Zhong, general manager of CSIC Asset Management Co Ltd, said earlier that offshore oil drilling demand will keep growing in the next few years with a market value of 100 billion yuan, while the industry of nuclear-powered equipment is expected to reach 50 billion yuan per year in the Bohai Bay.

Floating nuclear reactors can also be exported to economies with large populations but scarce land resources, including economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, said Han.

Zhang Jinlin, an engineer of the 719 Research Institute of CSIC, said the design of the offshore nuclear power station, a typical military and civilian integration project, had taken full consideration of civilian use.

"It has also overcome multiple technological difficulties such as safety, radiation protection and waste disposal," he said.

Many companies have been working on developing offshore nuclear power stations in recent years. China General Nuclear Power Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with CSIC in 2016 to develop a reactor design, the 200-megawatt ACPR50S for the offshore nuclear power platform.

China National Nuclear Power Co has also set up a joint venture that would have one billion yuan in registered capital to develop and produce small, floating nuclear power plants.

Exploitation of marine resources is vital to China's efforts to build itself into a maritime power, said Wang Yiren, deputy director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Visitors at the Oh! Future Sensation exhibition in Shanghai, which is part of Saint-Gobain's 350th anniversary celebrations.[Photo/Agencies]

French construction materials company Saint-Gobain SA is looking to double its sales in China over the next three to five years, according to its Asia-Pacific chief.

"China is a very important market for Saint-Gobain. It currently represents 4 to 5 percent of Saint-Gobain's global sales, which is still a small percentage compared to the importance of the Chinese economy in the world," said Javier Gimeno, chief executive officer of the company's Asia-Pacific operations.

"Our mission is to double our presence in China in the coming three to five years, and we are in the process of achieving this goal," he said.

The company has been operating in China for three decades, and aims to become a major player in habitat and construction materials, especially glasses and mortar.

Saint-Gobain currently employs about 9,000 people in China. In 2016, it made revenue of over 1.15 billion euros ($1.37 billion).

The company has more than 200 engineers at its Shanghai research and development center to create new products and solutions tailored for the Chinese market.

There is strong determination from the Chinese government for innovation, R&D and automation, as well as a strong desire to ease market access for foreign companies, which presents huge opportunities for French enterprises, according to Gimeno.

"As French companies, we feel more comfortable where there is a high demand from consumers than it was in the past when only low-quality products produced at very low cost matter," he said.

Gimeno, who is also the president of French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI France Chine), is optimistic about the prospects for French enterprises investing in China.

"The Chinese market is much richer than it was before. In the past, you could sell any product in China with very low level of quality and performance. Today it is no longer the case," he said.

The development of French businesses in China is linked with the development of the Chinese society and the growth of China's middle classes, which is more and more demanding in terms of quality and performance of products, and are as demanding as their counterparts in the US and Europe, according to Gimeno.

"Since it was founded in 1992, CCI France Chine has offered a new channel for French enterprises to expand their visibility and influence in China," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

"Today, it has become the first step for French enterprises to enter the Chinese market," he said.

"French enterprises should strengthen their cooperation with Chinese partners to solve the challenges facing Chinese society today, such as environ-mental issues and an aging population," he added.

In the first 10 months of this year, China's total trade volume with the European Union increased by 16.2 percent year-on-year to 3.4 trillion yuan ($515.1 billion), making it the country's largest trade partner, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.
PARIS - The first RMB-denominated climate bond issued by a Chinese bank was listed Tuesday on the Euronext stock exchange here.

The bond had been successfully issued on Nov 15 in three trenches, namely 700 million euros ($829.6 million), $500 million, and 1 billion yuan ($151.4 million), by the Bank of China (BOC) Paris branch, while the order book had been oversubscribed more than 2.6 times, said Pan Nuo, head of BOC Paris branch.

The proceeds are mainly for green projects of wind power stations etc., Pan said.

The listing of this bond on Euronext "has a special meaning" as it comes close to the second anniversary of the Paris Agreement and French President Emmanuel Macron's upcoming visit to China, Chinese Ambassador to France Zhai Jun said at the listing ceremony.

Zhai added that he was convinced that in the sector of sustainable development and finance, there was huge potential for China and France to strengthen cooperation.
BEIJING - Middle-class lifestyle is poised to become more accessible for Chinese consumers with lower prices of imported consumer goods from avocados and whisky to cashmere clothing and ski sets.

From December, tariffs on 187 types of consumer goods will be reduced from 17.3 percent to an average of 7.7 percent. Import taxes on coffee makers, smart toilet seat covers and electric toothbrushes will be cut by two-thirds, and that on mineral water and oral cleaning kits will be halved, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Lower taxes allow Chinese middle class, especially young consumers, more affordable access to famous foreign brands and upscale lifestyle.

Over three decades, China's population with annual income between 76,600 yuan ($11,6090) and 286,000 yuan has grown from almost zero to 225 million, according to the Economist.

Jiang Zhen with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said local brands are unable to satisfy demand for upscale food, cosmetics and baby and maternal products.

China has overtaken Japan as the largest market in Asia for Perrier Water. Water is a vibrant category as Chinese shoppers pursue a "go healthy path", said Jason Wu, general manager at Kantar Worldpanel in Greater China. While local brands account for 70 percent of the market, in the upscale segment, imported brands have the upper hand.

Rosemary Gallagher of the Scotch Whisky Association, said demand for Whisky from China increased by 45 percent in the first six months. The cut in tariffs will give another boost to Scotch and should encourage the premium Scotch whisky market to expand.

Affluent residents in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are major consumers of upscale imported goods. Through e-commerce, consumers in second and third tier cities also have easier and cheaper access to the products.

China plans to import $2.4 billion of goods in the next 15 years to meet domestic demand and balance trade with its partners.

Zhao Jinping, a researcher with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the new tariffs will encourage competition between foreign and local brands. China is never afraid of competition, indeed it thrives on competition.

By joining the World Trade Organization, rather than shying away from competition, China joined the global production network and became a major trading nation, a winner in globalization, he said.
DUBAI - A Saudi senior energy businessman said Tuesday that China's rise to self-sufficiency in relation to petrochemicals poses a challenge to the Gulf Arab industry.

"China, along with overall Asia, is the engine of chemical demand. It is expected that China will contribute to around 50 percent of all incremental chemicals growth between 2016 and 2025," said Yousef Al-Banyan, chief executive officer of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic).

He made the remarks during his keynote speech at the ongoing annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) forum on Tuesday.

"The only chain where China remains insufficient is ethylene," added Al-Benyan, also chairman of GPCA. "But we do not know how long it will remain so."

The 22 producers of petrochemicals across the six Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the GPCA forum's host country the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, will have to transform themselves and increase productivity, move from basic products to speciality products and embrace sustainability, digitization and partnerships in order to raise global competitiveness, he noted.

The way to address the growth driven by Asia, according to Al-Benyan, is to create "win-win partnerships globally."

Earlier last week, Sabic signed a memorandum of understanding with the world's biggest energy company Saudi Aramco to jointly develop a crude oil to chemicals complex in the kingdom, which is expected to process 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil.

The 75-billion-Saudi-riyal ($20 billion) complex, where Sabic and Aramco will hold equal shares, is expected to start in 2025 and produce approximately 9 million tons of chemicals and base oils annually.
The logo of the World Internet Conference is highlighted on a building featuring traditional white wall and black roof-tiles in Wuzhen, East China's Zhejiang province, Nov 26, 2017. [Photo/IC]

Wuzhen, an ancient river town in Tongxiang city, East China's Zhejiang province, has become the permanent home of the World Internet Conference, also known as Wuzhen Summit, since 2014.

The summit, to be held for the fourth time, will run from Dec 3 to 5 this year.

Focusing on the digital economy, openness and sharing to build an online community of a shared future, it will gather 1,500 guests from around the world, including the heads of international organizations, leading figures in the internet industry, online celebrities and academics, according to Xinhua.

Established more than 1,300 years ago, Wuzhen is seen as the "last site of waterside households in China".

Let's sneak a peek at the scenic town before the event kicks off.
Credit: Alex Lake

It looks like Radiohead won't be celebrating their potential Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in person. The band has announced a South American tour for next year, including a show in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 14 -- the same day the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place in Cleveland.

A rep for Radiohead confirms to Pitchfork that the band won't be attending the ceremony.

Radiohead skipping out on their possible induction isn't too surprising, as the band hasn't been particularly enthusiastic about the honor. "I don't care," guitarist Jonny Greenwood previously told Rolling Stone.

The other nominees for the 2018 Rock Hall class include Rage Against the Machine, Judas Priest, Dire Straits, Nina Simone, Bon Jovi and LL Cool J, among others. The final inductees will be revealed in December.

As for Radiohead's other South American dates, the band will also be playing dates in Chile, Peru, Brazil and Colombia. Visit WasteHeadquarters.com for ticket info.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
New retail, healthcare and AI are the most targeted areas for private equity and venture capital investment, with growing investment scale and earlier involvement, industry insiders said at a recent forum.

The forum, China Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CAVA) Annual Meeting & PE/VC Summit, was held in Beijing during CAVA's 15th anniversary of its founding.

Qiming Venture Partners, for instance, has its 40 percent of the investment in healthcare and medical treatment. Projects invested by Qiming have various cycles and focuses. More recently, Qiming has its eyes on precision medicine, medical service and new drugs, according to its top management.

Qiming also focuses its investment on artificial intelligence, specifically an autonomous car. It plans to promote autonomous driving and sell its related services by 2020 or 2021.

Legend Capital, a subsidiary company of Legend Holdings Corp, also values the opportunity that technology innovation brings to healthcare and medical treatment. Legend has weighed biochemical and genetic testing over medical services and medical equipment in terms of investment.

Investors need to wait for a longer time to cash in on their investment in medical manufacturers. said Chen Hao, president and managing director at Legend Capital. For those long-term investments, investors could cash in by selling part of the equities they've invested.
China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co Ltd (CPIC), one of the country's largest insurance groups, will bet on business opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the group's President He Qing.

"Insurers have a big role to play in taking part in the great initiative, such as providing a package of insurance coverage and risk management consulting for Chinese enterprises' global expansion, providing financing for them via equity and debt investment or initiating an industrial fund or infrastructure fund," said He, adding the company will strengthen its investment in related areas.

So far, CPIC has provided a package of insurance coverage and risk management services for a number of major overseas projects and companies such as China-Europe freight trains, overseas assets by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company and China Oil & Foodstuffs Corporation. The insurer also set up a special team to serve business related to the Belt and Road Initiative this year.

According to Gu Yue, chairman of China Pacific Property Insurance Co, it is urgent to set up a risk evaluating and early warning system for Chinese enterprises taking part in the initiative.
The Chinese owner of four vineyards in the French winemaking region of Bordeaux has caused a stir by giving the historic chateaus new names with a distinctly Chinese flavor.

Chateau Senilhac, which was once the largest wine producer in the Medoc area of Bordeaux, had been in the Grassin family for eight decades when it was sold to Chinese entrepreneur Chi Tong earlier this year.

According to one employee, staff at the chateau were instructed from Hong Kong three months ago to rebrand the chateau under the new name Chateau Antilope Tibetaine, or Chateau Tibetan Antelope in English.

"I think the name is great. It's a little bit strange, but we sell so much wine to China, I think that's why they changed the name," said the employee, who spoke under condition of anonymity.

Three other vineyards in Bordeaux  all owned by Chi  have undergone similar rebranding.

After three centuries without change, the signs around Chateau Larteau now read Chateau Lapin Imperial (Chateau Imperial Rabbit).

Chateau La Tour Saint-Pierre, a vineyard in the Saint-Emilion area of Bordeaux, is changing its name to Chateau Lapin d'Or (Chateau Golden Rabbit).

And Chateau Clos Bel-Air, an estate in Pomerol that dates back to the late 1800s, will soon operate under the name Chateau Grande Antilope (Chateau Great Antelope).

Spurred on by a growing thirst for wine among an expanding middle class in China, Chinese investors have snapped up more than 100 vineyards in France, with the majority in the Bordeaux area.

"There's an increasing popularity of red wine in China, the market has really matured, and over the last 10 years, consumption of imported wine from Bordeaux has gone up a lot," said Lina Fan, who runs the Vignobles des Quatre Vents vineyard in Bordeaux.

China imported more than 98 million liters of French wine between January and March this year, according to customs figures, a 15.7 percent increase on the same period last year.

And China has been the top export destination for wine from Bordeaux since 2011. Last year, the region sent 74 million bottles of wine to China, according to winemaker's association ConseilInterprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux.

"There's a trend of Chinese investors buying vineyards in some of the major regions like Bordeaux," Chris Mercer, online editor for wine magazine Decanter, said earlier this year. "They are interested in exporting back to China. Some of them have things like hotel chains they are supplying."

Foreign ownership of French vineyards is nothing new; hundreds of wineries are owned by overseas investors, particularly backers from the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

However, the image overhaul at the four China-owned vineyards has caused concern among some locals.

Jean-Marie Garde, chairman of the winemaker's union in Pomerol, told local French newspaper SudOuest that it would be bad for the regions image if "all the great chateaux were transformed into rabbits and antelopes".

One person commenting on the SudOuest article called the rebranding a "great shame".

"What a disappointment to see this sort of thing, a seller and a buyer who dont respect the terroir," wrote LoicLafon.

Another suggested that Chinese ownership of vineyards in France would help maintain the health of the industry.

"If the French are not able to buy these chateaux, it's OK for the Chinese to buy them," wrote Damien Granger. "Without them, this heritage would be lost."
Shanghai is testing the waters of family law proceedings as it moves to protect the rights and interests of children.

In a recent divorce lawsuit, Shanghai's Putuo District People's Court appointed a social worker to represent the interests of a couple's 3-year-old daughter. The girl suffers from a rare inherited metabolic disease. Her parents had different opinions on her medical treatment, which led to the divorce.

The court said that her rights and interests would be protected best if presented by a neutral third party in legal proceedings, since the need for medical treatment and day-today care will continue long after her parents' divorce.

This is the first case in which Shanghai has introduced a representative for the child in a divorce lawsuit, according to Huang Xiangqing, vice-president of Shanghai High People's Court.

"Legal representation for children in divorce lawsuits is a good exploration for improving the trial system," Huang said at a seminar on Friday. At the seminar, legal experts and a professor discussed the implications of introducing representatives for children in family law proceedings.

The concept is expected to be used in all Shanghai courts.

While legal representation for children is a relatively new concept in China, it has risen to prominence as the country's divorce rate continues to rise, and the status of children after a divorce has become a regular issue.

Nearly 2.1 million couples across the country divorced in 2007, increasing to around 4.2 million by 2016, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The Supreme People's Court website shows that 96 percent of divorce lawsuits from 2014 to 2016 involved questions of custody and child rearing.

Based on current laws, underage children cannot argue for themselves during their parents' divorce proceedings. Though current family law proceedings recognize the principle of maximizing children's rights and interests, children generally remain a silent party and can only passively receive whatever is decided about them.

Shanghai's embrace of legal representation for children in family law proceedings, especially divorces, covers circumstances in which children are deserted or abused, parents abandon responsibility, cases in which property interests might be harmed and other special cases.

In the case of the 3-year-old girl with the rare disease, the district court appointed Pan Xiaojinga staff member of the district's committee for women's and children's affairsto represent the girl.

To learn about the girl's condition, Pan visited the family, the parents' employers and the hospital where the girl received treatment. She then represented the girl in court, advocating for her rights in the areas of custody and medical expenses.

The divorce was settled by mediation. One parent agreed to give the girl an allowance of 3,000 yuan ($455) per month to hire a caregiver. The other parent agreed to set up a fund of 100,000 yuan for the girl's living and medical expenses. The fund was entrusted to the district's notary office, and its use will be supervised by the girl's representative, Pan.

"In the future, Shanghai courts will maintain close cooperation and communication with related organizations to establish a mechanism to ensure legal representation for children," Huang said.
A suspect has been detained in connection with Sunday's deadly explosion in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, according to the social media account of the Ningbo police on Tuesday.

The authorities said that the careless disposal of explosive substances could have led to the explosion.

According to the authorities, the explosion centered on a septic tank near which a truck loaded with illegally manufactured explosives was parked.

The explosivesincluding aluminum powder and barium nitratewere transported to Ningbo from Liaoning province. The truck had been parked at the site since 3 pm on Saturday. The materials, which belonged to a man surnamed Shan, originated in Fuyang city of neighboring Anhui province.

In Liaoning, the Tieling police issued an online arrest warrant for Shan on Oct 25. He was suspected of illegally manufacturing and trading the materials.

Shan was traced and then detained by the police at 9 pm on Monday in Panqiao village of Huangshi, Hubei province, where he was hiding.

The police said the 33-year-old suspect acknowledged transporting the explosives to Ningbo to avoid being discovered by the police in Liaoning.

According to the police, Shan asked relatives in Ningbo to drive a truck loaded with the hazardous materials and park it at a disposal site. Evidence at the site indicated that some of the explosives were dismantled and destroyed on Saturday night. At around 8:40 am Sunday, the disposal operation resumed, the police said.

About 15 minutes later, the deadly explosion occurred. Two people died and dozens were injured. Two people remain missing.

The police ruled out the possibility that the deadly explosion had been planned. The blast smashed nearby cars and severely damaged surrounding buildings, affecting hundreds of residents.
Academy elects 16 scientists from abroad, improving diversity of group

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has elected 16 foreign scientiststhe largest number everto receive China's highest academic honor as foreign academicians in 2017, the academy announced on Tuesday.

Poland, the Netherlands and Uzbekistan each have one scientist being accepted into the academy. It is the first time scientists from these countries are joining the CAS, China's top science think tank.

Two Nobel laureates, Andre Geim from the Netherlands and James Stoddart from the United Kingdom, are among the 16 top scientists admitted. The scientists' fields of expertise include such areas as particle physics, environmental science and biotechnology.

"The academy's entry standard is extremely high, so it is great to see new scientists, especially from countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, join the big family," said Bai Chunli, CAS president.

"Now the origin of foreign academicians is more diverse and fair, which can lead to more exchanges and cooperation," he said, adding that the overwhelming majority of current foreign academicians at CAS come from the United States.

In 1994, the CAS elected 14 foreign scientists to become China's first group of foreign academicians.

They included two Nobel laureates, Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang, who were US citizens at the time. They won the prize in physics in 1957 for their work on parity laws, according to the academy's website.

New domestic and foreign academicians are elected from a pool of recommendations made by current academicians. The election takes place every two years and each candidate must win approval from more than two-thirds of all the voting academicians.

"It is an extremely rigorous process," said Li Ting, director of operations at the Academic Divisions of the CAS, which oversees the election and the biannual academician assembly.

Candidates for foreign academicians are selected based on their outstanding academic achievements and contribution to China's scientific and technological development, she said. Once accepted, foreign academicians have greater access to research resources and journals from the academy, but do not participate in its administration or voting.

"In the past few elections, around eight to 12 foreign academicians were selected, and the 14 in 1994 was the most we had," Li said. This was because the recommendation pool for foreign academicians was capped at 14 before 2015, and it was expanded to 20 this year.

"Expanding the pool is part of the academy's ongoing reform to increase diversity, as well as to accommodate and support new, interdisciplinary science fields," she said.

The academy also unveiled 61 new Chinese academicians, including three women. The average age of the Chinese academicians is 54, with the youngest being Xu Tao, a 46-year-old biophysicist.

With the new additions, the academy now has 800 Chinese academicians and 92 foreign academicians, Li said.
Zhang Yang, a senior military officer, committed suicide on Thursday morning amid a graft probe, the Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday.

Zhang, 66, a former member of the Central Military Commission and former head of its Political Work Department, hanged himself at home during the ongoing investigation, the ministry said in a news release.

He has become the first member of the CMC, the country's top military authority, and the highest-ranking officer with the People's Liberation Army to have taken his own life.

The release said he was placed under investigation on Aug 28 over involvement in the cases of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, both former CMC vice-chairmen disgraced by corruption probes. Investigators later found he had "severely violated Party regulations and State laws" and had "given and taken bribes".

Guo was sentenced to life in prison in July 2016 for taking huge amounts of money as bribes and taking advantage of his position to assist the promotion and reassignment of others.

Xu died of cancer in March 2015 while under investigation for allegedly accepting large sums as bribes, according to military prosecutors.

A native of Hebei province, Zhang was recruited as a soldier by the PLA in 1968. His early career in the military remains undisclosed. Official records show he began to undertake political work in the PLA Ground Force in the mid-1990s.

He was appointed political commissar of the former Guangzhou Military Command in 2007 and later that year was elected a member of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

In October 2012, Zhang was named head of the former PLA General Political Department, predecessor of the CMC Political Work Department.

A month later, he was elected a member of the 18th CPC Central Committee and gained a seat in the CMC.

The last time Zhang appeared in public as chief of the Political Work Department was on Aug 3, when he addressed a meeting in Beijing attended by the military's publicity officials.

In early September, PLA Daily reported that Zhang had been replaced by General Miao Hua, who previously was political commissar of the PLA Navy. No explanation was given at that time.

An editorial published by PLA Daily on its website on Tuesday said Zhang put an end to his life in a "shameful way".

It said there is no hideout inside the military for corrupt officers, adding the investigation shows the determination of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC to purify the military.
More than seven decades after their deaths, 31 Chinese sailors who died during World War II were remembered at a ceremony in Liverpool in northwestern England on Monday.

The sailors served on Dutch merchant vessels and died in Britain between 1942 and 1945.

The men were commemorated in a eulogy written by Walter Fung, a council member for the Society for Anglo Chinese Understanding, and read by the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Pamela Brown.

"They have lain here for 70 or more years, largely forgotten and their sacrifice unacknowledged," Brown said. "We remember their loved ones in faraway Chinasome of whom probably do not even know that their fathers, brothers, husbands and grandfathers are lying here in a distant land."

Roel Broer, a manager at the War Graves Foundation in the Netherlands, arranged for the re-installation of headstones at Anfield Cemetery this week.

"I see the impact that World War II still has on people," Broer said.

The Dutch Navy went into the service of the Allies after the Netherlands was occupied by Germany in 1940. Broer said it's likely the Chinese sailors enlisted in the then-Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), which Japan occupied in 1942.

Most of the men served in ship engine rooms while some worked as cooks. At least eight birth certificates indicate the men were born in the same village, listed as Ting Tow Si Pien, near Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province.
Shantou University has rebutted rumors that Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing will withdraw funding from the school.

"Li Ka-shing's financial support for the university will never come to an end," the school said on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Li Ka Shing Foundation also denied the rumor.

It is estimated that Li will fund Shantou University to the tune of more than HK$8 billion ($1.03 billion) in 2018, the school said in a statement.

With support from governments at various levels and the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Shantou University is learning from the world's most prestigious universities to build itself into a world-class school, the statement said.

The website tech.ifeng.com reported on Tuesday that Li would withdraw funding from Shantou University and that the office of the Li Ka Shing Foundation had been delisted at the university.

"The operation of the Li Ka Shing Foundation remains intact at Shantou University. Several executives were transferred to other departments," said He Wenbiao, a member of the Standing Committee of Shantou University's Party Committee and director of the university's executive department.

Located in the coastal city of Shantou, a special economic zone in eastern Guangdong province, Shantou University, including its medical school, is a key comprehensive university operated by the Ministry of Education, the Guangdong provincial government and the Li Ka Shing Foundation.

Li, 89, gave a speech at this year's graduation ceremony encouraging graduates to work hard to contribute to the development of the country and try to build a caring society.
NANJING - The Third International Seminar on Human Rights and Museology opened in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Tuesday, where scholars discussed the protection of peace and human rights ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.

The two-day seminar was attended by nearly 100 human rights researchers and representatives of museums from 18 countries and regions, including Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea and South Africa.

Topics discussed included "Missions and responsibilities of museums and memorials in engaging in the education on peace and human rights" and "Approaches and methods of intensifying international exchanges and cooperation to construct common memories for humanity".

"In the face of threats and challenges from the development of human society and the need to protect human rights, we should learn the lessons of history and firmly safeguard world peace and stability," said Wang Guoqing, vice-chairman of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development.

On Dec 13, 1937, Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then China's capital, and began a slaughter lasting more than 40 days. About 300,000 civilians and Chinese soldiers, who had laid down their arms, were murdered.

The seminar was hosted by the foundation along with the China Museums Association and the Jiangsu Association for International Cultural Exchange.

Xinhua
Powerful 4th-generation weapon could enhance PLA capabilities by early 2018

Intercontinental ballistic missiles currently in service are displayed during a military parade in September. These missiles are designated DF-31AG. [Photo/Xinhua]

The People's Liberation Army will soon have one of the world's mightiest weapons - the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile - military experts close to the PLA have said.

Yang Chengjun, a missile expert with knowledge of the country's ballistic missile programs, recently told China Central Television that the DF-41's development has entered its final stage, and the formidable weapon is likely to be delivered to the PLA Rocket Force in the first few months of 2018.

Based on the missile's tests so far, development has been proceeding well, he said. All of its test launches so far were successful.

The DF-41 is a fourth-generation ballistic missile, having good reliability, mobility, precision, strike range and rapid-launch capability, observers say.

The missile "should be capable of being deployed and launched on rugged landforms and able to resist electronic-warfare attacks. It must be able to carry multiple warheads to hit targets anywhere on the globe," Yang told the broadcaster.

"Judging from available information, its overall capability is similar to that of the United States' LGM-30G Minuteman III and Russia's RT-2PM2 Topol-M. Some of its technologies are better than those used by the US and Russian models."

Widely considered one of the PLA's deadliest and most camouflaged pieces of hardware, the DF-41 has been the topic of speculation by military enthusiasts and media reports for years but its existence has never been officially confirmed by the military.

"The DF-41 can cover any corner on the earth. Anyone who dares to launch a nuclear strike against us will face effective retaliation," Yang said.

Xu Guangyu, a retired major general of the PLA and current strategy researcher in Beijing, previously described the missile as having a total weight of more than 60 metric tons, and capable of delivering up to 10 warheads totaling 1.6 tons. He said it would have an operational range of 12,000 to 14,000 kilometers.

The missile was designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, part of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, a major defense contractor, according to unconfirmed information.

Western media reported that the DF-41 has undergone at least eight flight tests since the first one in July 2012.

Neither the PLA Rocket Force nor the academy could be reached on Tuesday.

According to PLA Daily, the Rocket Force has at least 10 types of missiles in active service, including the DF-31AG intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile and the CJ-10A ground-launched cruise missile.
Simon at his office in Optics Valley in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Recently, the Friendship Award ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. One of the honorees was a British man who began his business in the Optics Valley in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province.

His name is Simon Haworth, the CEO of Dynasty Biotechnology and the only foreign winner in Hubei. He was also awarded the Yellow Crane Friendship Award by the Wuhan government in 2015. He considers himself a bridge connecting Wuhan and Europe, helping both of them know and learn from each other.

On Nov 24, Haworth was invited to the stage at Civic Auditorium and shared his 5-year experience in Wuhan with nearly 400 audience members.

Haworth said he found Wuhan more international every time he visited this city in the past 5 years. He also discovered that the number of foreigners in Wuhan is growing, especially in the Optics Valley where he can see more foreign faces than ever. Wuhan is becoming international. It is different every day and I can feel it."

Haworth visited Wuhan for the first time in 2012 and established his own biotech company in the Optics Valley. In 4 years his business has developed rapidly in China.

However, Haworth until recently had no idea about the long bond between his family and China. In fact, the Haworth family has been connected with China for six generations, that is, 140 years from 1875.

In August 2014, Haworth went back to visit his parents and talked about his business in Wuhan. His father said to him, "when you were two, your grandparents once visited China and they went to Wuhan. They had kept lots of diaries and videos, you know that?"

The first pages of his grandmother's diary record their experiences in China. It is recorded that they visited China twice in the 1960s. Wuhan was the first destination of their China tour in 1963 when they visited the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and the Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation.

The family book said that Haworth's grandmother's grandfather first started to have business with China in the reign of Guangxu. Haworth's father also told him that his grandmother's nephew used to have extensive business links with China in the 1990s, when the reform of market economy just started in China.

"I have been to many other cities in China, but Wuhan is my final choice. What attracts me so much here is the associated industries, the investment environment and the rich resource of talents from universities," said Haworth.

"China is now in its best time of development. China represents the world." Haworth also said he hopes that his children can come to China, learn Chinese, and carry on the family ties with China. "It will be their huge advantage in the future."
Editor's note: Five years ago, the concept of the "Chinese dream" was first mentioned during a speech by President Xi Jinping after he was elected general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. The idea behind the concept is to increase people's happiness and prosperity, not only Chinese people's, but of people across the world, especially those living in China. Here we picked five expats living in China who never gave up on realizing their Chinese dream. [Read more]

Simon at his office in Optics Valley in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Family bond with China persists for six generations

Recently, the Friendship Award ceremony was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. One of the honorees was a British man who began his business in the Optics Valley in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province.

His name is Simon Haworth, the CEO of Dynasty Biotechnology and the only foreign winner in Hubei. He was also awarded the Yellow Crane Friendship Award by the Wuhan government in 2015. He considers himself a bridge connecting Wuhan and Europe, helping both of them know and learn from each other.

On Nov 24, Haworth was invited to the stage at Civic Auditorium and shared his 5-year experience in Wuhan with nearly 400 audience members.

Haworth said he found Wuhan more international every time he visited this city in the past 5 years. He also discovered that the number of foreigners in Wuhan is growing, especially in the Optics Valley where he can see more foreign faces than ever. Wuhan is becoming international. It is different every day and I can feel it."

Haworth visited Wuhan for the first time in 2012 and established his own biotech company in the Optics Valley. In 4 years his business has developed rapidly in China.

However, Haworth until recently had no idea about the long bond between his family and China. In fact, the Haworth family has been connected with China for six generations, that is, 140 years from 1875.

In August 2014, Haworth went back to visit his parents and talked about his business in Wuhan. His father said to him, "when you were two, your grandparents once visited China and they went to Wuhan. They had kept lots of diaries and videos, you know that?"

The first pages of his grandmother's diary record their experiences in China. It is recorded that they visited China twice in the 1960s. Wuhan was the first destination of their China tour in 1963 when they visited the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and the Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation.

The family book said that Haworth's grandmother's grandfather first started to have business with China in the reign of Guangxu. Haworth's father also told him that his grandmother's nephew used to have extensive business links with China in the 1990s, when the reform of market economy just started in China.

"I have been to many other cities in China, but Wuhan is my final choice. What attracts me so much here is the associated industries, the investment environment and the rich resource of talents from universities," said Haworth.

"China is now in its best time of development. China represents the world." Haworth also said he hopes that his children can come to China, learn Chinese, and carry on the family ties with China. "It will be their huge advantage in the future."
Passengers head home at a railway station in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on a smoggy day, Jan 17, 2017. [Photo/IC]

To cope with the smog that has plagued North China for years, one man has come up with an innovative idea that might go beyond your imagination.

Du Honglai, a resident of Beijing, has applied for a national patent for his idea, which proposes the mobilization of all the city's residents to fan away the smog, according to a report from the Legal Daily.

Du said the approach requires 15 million people to wave a fan at the same time in the same direction, which can produce powerful winds. He said the new approach "not only is low cost and effective, but also generates no secondary air pollution".

According to his calculations, if 15 million people wave fans at the same time in the same direction for an hour, the air that occupies a space 40 meters high, 20 kilometers long and 20 km wide (roughly the area of downtown Beijing) will be expelled 68 km away.

Du calls for government agencies to offer a fan to all able-bodied people in the city to expel the smog during breaks from class and work, according to a report of thepaper.cn.

In his application, Du has also designed fans in a variety of sizes that fit people of different ages and physical conditions.

But the man did not reveal whether he has done any experiments on his idea.

The patent application Du submitted in March has not yet been approved for substantive examination by the State Intellectual Property Office.

The website of the SIPO shows that Du has also applied for patents for his inventions including a timed mosquito killer and nose plug for swimming.

In 2016, Beijing's density of PM2.5, hazardous airborne particles measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter, was 74 milligrams per cubic meter, double the health maximum of 35 mg per cubic meter set by the government.
NINGBO -- The death toll has risen to four following an explosion in east China's Zhejiang Province Sunday, authorities said Wednesday.

Two previously missing victims have been confirmed dead after police conducted a thorough investigation at the site of the blast at a demolished factory in Jiangbei district of Ningbo city. The explosion occurred around 8:50 a.m. Sunday.

The two victims were the father and cousin of the man who owned the explosives, surnamed Shan.

Disposal of illegally produced explosives caused the blast, which injured 19 others.

Police found that disposal of the illegally manufactured explosives began at the site Saturday night. Disposal operations resumed at 8:40 a.m. Sunday.

Technicians from the local public security department said they believed errors during disposal operations caused the explosion, and authorities had ruled out the possibility that the explosion was intentional.

Shan was detained by police in Hubei Province Monday. He had previously been wanted by the police on suspicion of illegally manufacturing and selling explosives.

Shan confessed that he had asked family members in Ningbo to destroy the explosives.

Residents affected by the blast have been relocated to two sites. Maintenance work has started in nearby residential communities. Affected residents are expected to receive subsidies after evaluation.
BEIJING -- The keywords "HIV testing" on Taobao, China's top e-commerce site, return page after page of rapid testing kits for sale for less than $8 each.

The top seller, which bundles kits that test both blood and fluid from the cheeks and gums, claims monthly sales of about 20,000 units.

"I was extremely nervous until I tested negative," said an anonymous user. "I secretly bought this. If it was not about AIDS, I wouldn't have to hide anything."

The proliferation of these kits points to a key focus in China's current fight against HIV/AIDS -- testing.

AIDS experts said the number of people in China tested for HIV/AIDS every year has nearly quadrupled over the past decade, but it remains a challenge to reach the estimated 200,000 to 400,000 people who are unaware of their HIV-positive status.

ONE IN THREE

Wu Zunyou, Chief Epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), said the number of HIV test-takers hit 169 million last year and continues to grow.

"It means one in every three people taking the HIV test in the world has it done in China," he said at a seminar hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Beijing ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec 1.

Wu, who is also a consultant for UNAIDS, said that in 2008, only 45 million people in China took the test. The figures steadily rose as China built an extensive HIV testing network. Most people take the test before major surgery, blood donation, or pregnancy.

The current testing rate -- more than 12 percent of the total population -- is considered highest volume for anywhere in the world, Wu said.

China's proactive fight against the AIDS epidemic has yielded results. Blood transmission of the virus, once rampant through illegal blood sales or sharing of needles among drug users, has been halted, with mother-to-child transmission almost eliminated.

Official data show that China has about 718,270 people living with HIV/AIDS. As of June 30, 221,628 people had died of AIDS-related diseases. In the second quarter, 36,886 new cases were reported.

"People often confuse 'newly reported cases' with 'new infections.' Newly reported cases are mostly infections in the past few years," said Wu, who attributed the growth in new cases over the decade to the success of a rapidly expanding testing network.

OUT OF REACH

Wu's colleague, Jiang Yan, said China has one of the world's most extensive HIV testing networks, covering more than 30,000 labs whose services extend to almost every county.

"But certain high-risk people remain out of reach," said Jiang, director of the National HIV/HCV Reference Laboratory of the China CDC.

Young gay men feature prominently among the new cases. While some have been tested through peer group programs, shy first-timers are likely to avoid the test after high-risk activities, the experts said.

Jiang said the use of urine self-collection kit is now seen as a solution. Vending machines that sell one type of these kits have been installed at more than 30 universities in Beijing and four provincial-level areas.

A user can buy a kit and collect urine, and leave a urine sample in the vending machine's deposit drawer. Volunteers will then collect the samples and have them examined in an authorized lab. The test taker checks the result online or via a mobile app. The entire process is anonymous.

Jiang said both school administrators and students have welcomed the testing method.

"Before, HIV blood tests were available in school clinics, but the turnout was poor," Jiang said. "No one wants to show up at the school clinic and ask for an HIV test."

She said the program will continue expanding to more regions in 2018.

Wu expects rapid testing kits to become mainstream in the future.

"The direction is to offer people more choices to get tested by themselves," Wu said.

He said it is essential for high-risk people to know their status so that they can be treated earlier.

"Modern medicine is able to keep viral loads in the body low so that the patient poses little threat of infecting others. A person with HIV/AIDS can also reach the average life expectancy if he stays on medication." Wu said. "But the crucial first step is to find out the status."
BEIJING -- A court in Beijing Wednesday rejected appeals of executives of a Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) lender who were given jail terms for cheating the public out of large amounts of money.

In September, Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court ruled that Yucheng Global and Anhui Yucheng, operators of online P2P lender Ezubao, were guilty of fraudulent fundraising and smuggling precious metals, and ordered to pay fines of 1.8 billion yuan ($273 million) and 100 million yuan respectively.

The 26 company executives and staff, including Yucheng Chairman Ding Ning and his younger brother Ding Dian, were convicted of stealing public deposits, smuggling precious metals, illegal possession of guns and border-crossing. They were given jail terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment. They were also deprived of political rights and issued fines.

The two companies accepted the verdict, while 23 defendants appealed to Beijing high people's court, which affirmed the original judgement in the final verdict.

Anhui Yucheng and Yucheng Global raised a huge amount of funds by faking high-yield investment products on two online P2P platforms, Ezubao and Sesame Financial, without a banking license, the court said.

The majority of the money was spent lavishly on luxury gifts and salaries and used to purchase sales firms and return principal and high interests to a number of investors.

The court said the defendants had inflicted huge losses on investors in many parts of China and disrupted the national financial management system, and thus should be given harsh penalties.
Doctors have recently discovered China's first HIV/AIDS patient negative in antibody test but positive in nucleic acid test.

Doctors from Peking Union Medical College Hospital have made public their discovery in a paper published on the latest version of Clinical Respiratory Journal, which has attracted wide attention.

A man, 46, started visiting hospitals in 2011 as he had sore throat, fever, breathing difficulties and was spitting blood for two months. Though doctors suspected that he might be infected with HIV/AIDS, his antibody test was negative, and thus doctors treated him for lung infection, which did not relieve his symptoms.

The man finally sought treatment in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, where doctors found Kaposi sarcoma, a common type of opportunistic tumor among HIV/AIDS patients, in his lungs. Doctors decided to give him the nucleic acid test which came out positive.

Two weeks after the diagnosis, the man died.

The nucleic acid test has proven to be a significant tool in this case, but due to its cost and technology threshold, it is not recommended as a common way of diagnosis, said Li Taisheng, a doctor from the infection department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Li suggested that people could take the nucleic acid test in some situations especially when people worry about the negative antibody test result and are at high risk of infection, such as babies born to mothers with HIV.
BEIJING -- A spokesperson of the Chinese mainland said any attempt to use the trial and sentencing of Taiwanese Lee Ming-che for "political hype" would fail.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stressed Wednesday that the conviction and sentence of Lee was based on clear facts and sufficient evidence.

"It was the groundless attacks on the mainland by some people in Taiwan that have seriously harmed cross-Straits relations," Ma said at a press conference, commenting on criticisms from Taiwan that Lee's sentencing had "harmed cross-Strait ties".

Ma noted that "mutual respect to each other's development path and social system was the bottom-line for cross-Straits relations."

"We respect the current system and lifestyle of Taiwan compatriots, but that does not mean the Taiwan side can impose its own political ideas on the mainland," he said.

"It does not mean that some people from Taiwan can arbitrarily violate the law of the mainland under the pretext of 'democracy and freedom,' either," he said.

Lee was sentenced to five years in prison for "subverting state power," by the Intermediate People's Court of Yueyang City in Hunan province Tuesday.

Mainland resident Peng Yuhua was sentenced to seven years in prison on the same charge.

The two men were both deprived of their political rights for two years. They said they would not appeal.

Ma said due process had been observed and the two people's rights and interests had been fully protected during the investigation and trial proceedings.

He said Lee's family, accompanied by some people from the island, had traveled to the mainland and had been present at the court ruling in Yueyang.
Since it was founded in 1896, Roche has grown decade upon decade into a world-leading healthcare company, focused on developing medicines and diagnostics to help patients live longer, better lives.

Roche today is a global leader in the pharmaceuticals and diagnostics industries, including in-vitro diagnostics and tissue-based oncology diagnostics. Innovation is the driving force of Roche's continuous development to provide what patients need next.

Roche's annual investment in R&D accounts for 20% of its sales. In 2016, Roche invested CHF 9.9 billion in R&D. The patent system encourages innovation and protects R&D achievements. The patent right is the affirmation of our long-term investment, and also the powerful guarantee for our core competitiveness. Roche has always attached importance to protecting R&D results from infringement and will not tolerate any violations.

Roche also supplies instruments and reagents for Diagnostics to the Chinese market under the trademark cobas. To protect this business from unauthorized use of its intellectual property, Roche applies for patents in China for its innovative products. The Chinese Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has granted many patents to Roche.

As the owner of a patent directed to a container for reagents, Roche found that Guangzhou Kofa Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Xuchi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Yuhuan Kangjia Enterprise Co., Ltd. have infringed its patent right, including:

Kangjia has produced and, sold the patented containers to Kofa. Kofa has produced, offered and provided reagents in the patented containers to Xuchi with the purpose of sales of the infringing reagent containers to laboratories for use on Roche instruments, thus competing with patented reagent containers sold by Roche for performing Diagnostics

Roche brought a lawsuit against the above-mentioned three companies for infringing patent right in Shanghai Intellectual Property Court of the People's Republic of China on October 25, 2016. On August 18, 2017, Shanghai Intellectual Property Court of the People's Republic of China issued a final decision on the case ((2016) H. 73 M. C. No.835):

Kofa, Xuchi and Kangjia should stop infringing Roche's patent as soon as the judgment enters into force.

Kangjia should compensate Roche for economic loss and reasonable expenses totaling 300,000 yuan. Kofa shall bear joint and several liabilities of RMB 100,000 of the aforesaid compensation.

As the patent owner of patent "container for reagents", Roche supports the judicial decision of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court of the People's Republic of China which has strengthened Roche's confidence in intellectual property protection in China. Meanwhile, we believe that this decision is a positive step forward in promoting the awareness of domestic intellectual property rights and encouraging innovation.

Roche is the technical pioneer and has made many technical breakthroughs in the in vitro diagnostics industry. We will also continue the investment in research and development to create more advanced products to serve doctors and benefit patients. At the same time, we will also maintain the consistent "zero-tolerance" attitude towards any infringement and resolutely protect the implementation of patent rights.
Visitors tour Antarctica in January 2017. [Photo by Wang Yanan / For China Daily]

Visiting polar regions has become one of the favorites among rich Chinese seniors, which makes travel agencies race to promote luxury polar trips, thepaper.cn reported.

China has become Antarctica's second largest tourist source in the world in 2016, trailing the United States, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

The statistics released by the association also shows that Chinese travelers to Antarctica have increased 40 times from less than 100 visitors in 2008 to 3,944 in 2016.

At the same time, the scarcity of tourism resources in the frozen continents push the tours at high prices. Each polar tour costs from around $10,000 (70,000 yuan) to 880,000 yuan.

"For example, visitors can take the 50 Years of Victory, a nuclear-powered icebreaker, to reach the North Pole. But we can only entertain 600 tourists per year in that program," said Sun Jie, CEO of the cruise division of Tongcheng Network Technology, an online travel agency.

Sun said participants in those programs were 55 years old on average, and there were more males than females.

Another major online travel agency Ctrip said people aged between 46 and 75 accounted for 58 percent of the total number of people visiting the southern polar region, and males made up around 60 percent.

Most of the polar tours last from 15 to 30 days, so they are more popular among the rich middle-aged and seniors who have a lot of spare time, according to Sun.
The top narcotics officer in Guangdong province has said the recent progress in busting drug gangs in southern China is down to greater international cooperation.

"A number of cross-border trafficking channels and distribution centers have been broken up since we deepened cooperation with overseas counterparts this year," said Zhai Kaixia, head of drug enforcement for the Guangdong Public Security Department.

Several gangs have been broken up, dealing a heavy blow to the region's illegal narcotics industry, he said in Guangzhou on Tuesday.

Guangdong has been the focus of China's anti-drug campaign for decades. In addition to working with authorities in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the southern province has expanded cooperation with police in Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.

The move has seen significant results, Zhai said. "There has been a large drop in drug production dens, and Guangdong is slowly shedding its status as a major drug distribution hub."

Police seized more than 10.4 metric tons of narcotics in the first 10 months of this year and detained more than 16,000 suspects, he said.

However, Zhai said the fight against drugs remains a tough task, as traffickers continue to try to build Guangdong and neighboring Hong Kong and Macao in a major distribution center.

He said international cooperation will be expanded further and hinted that more targeted campaigns could be launched in the following months.
A worker at a production line of Nannan Aluminum Co Ltd in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/China Daily]

China will take necessary measures to ensure Chinese aluminum companies' legal rights, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday after the United States decided to launch for the first time in more than 20 years self-initiated, anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases against common alloy aluminum sheets from China.

The announcement came after the US Commerce Department launched the investigations on Tuesday covering more than $600 million worth of imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China.

Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at the Ministry of Commerce, said such anti-dumping duty investigation against the aluminum sheet China exports was the first time in 25 years that was self-initiated by the US Department of Commerce instead of the local industrial association.

"It is a rare case in the history of international trade and has sparked strong dissatisfaction in China," he said.

"The aluminum industries in the two countries are complementary to each other and the trade of such products are two-ways," Wang said. "Disturbing normal trade activities of aluminum will harm interests of both sides."
Shenzhen Customs seize 11.9 tons of pangolin scales smuggled from Africa.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]



Shenzhen Customs announced on Wednesday that it cracked a case of 11.9 tons of pangolin scales smuggled from Africa, the largest volume in any single case found by the country's customs.

The scales are estimated to come from at least 20,000 pangolins, a species listed in Appendix I at the 17th Congress of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna last year, which bans all international trade of pangolins and their products.

Two suspects in the case, surnamed Li, from East China's Shandong province and He, from East China's Anhui province, have been issued arrest warrants, said Chen Qunfang, deputy chief of Dapeng Customs affiliated with Shenzhen Customs.

liwenfang@chinadaily.com.cn
Members of the mountaineering team of the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, reach the top of Mount Qomolangma in 2012. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, celebrated its 65th anniversary on Tuesday with an exhibition on the achievements of its mountaineering team, Hubei Daily reported on Wednesday.



Established in 1958, the mountaineering team was the first in the world to independently reach peaks on each of the seven continents, as well as both poles, within 1,756 days between 2012 and 2016.

It also boasts China's first male and female undergraduates to scale Mount Qomolangma  known as Mount Everest in the West  in 1998 and 2012, respectively.

More than 6,000 students and faculty members are certified mountaineers, according to He Guangcai, the university's Party chief.

Dong Fan, the team leader, said by collecting samples, the team has provided firsthand data for scientists in the fields of geology, environmental studies and mapping.

Qiu Weiyi contributed to this story.
Illustration of the Wukong space telescope.[Photo provided to China Daily]

A Chinese space telescope has found a strange peak in high-energy cosmic ray electrons and positrons, which are highly energetic particles blazing across the universe at close to the speed of light. Scientists say they think such an anomaly can help crack the secrets of dark matter, the strangest ingredient in the universe.

The strange peak was picked up by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer, nicknamed Wukong, at around 1.4 trillion electronvolts, when the flux of cosmic ray electrons and positrons suddenly rose before collapsing.

"This phenomena is unexpected because no other stellar events behave like this at such high energy," said Fan Yizhong, deputy chief designer of Wukong's scientific application system.

"Our best guess is it could be due to a special astrophysical event, or some weird new particles," Fan said. "We will collect more data in this energy range to make sure this is not a fluke, so it is still too early say we found something groundbreaking."

The discovery was part of the first published scientific results of Wukong, which was named after the Monkey King in the classic novelJourney to the West. The results were published in the science journal Nature on Thursday.

Launched in December 2015, Wukong is China's first astronomical satellite and is tasked with finding dark matter, an invisible ingredient that makes up around 25 percent of the universe yet cannot interact with any known matter other than through gravity, said Chang Jin, the Wukong project's chief scientist.

"Many countries have spent billions of dollars over decades to find dark matter, yet we still know very little about it because we cannot observe it directly," he said. "However, we can observe the particles and energy released when dark matter particles interact and destroy each other."

Previously, there were three space detectors dedicated to finding dark matter - the AMS-02 spectrometer, and the Fermi and CALET space telescopes. Wukong is the newest and most advanced member of the family, and has superior precision in the trillion electronvolt energy range, Chang said.

Since its launch, Wukong has recorded over 3.5 billion cosmic ray events, with the highest energy levels exceeding 100 trillion electronvolts, more than 10 times the highest recorded energy level created by the Large Hadron Collider, the world's most powerful particle accelerator.

Wukong is expected to record more than 10 billion cosmic ray events during its lifetime, and it is likely to be operating well beyond its designed life span of three years, Chang said.

"In the Chinese novel, Wukong has a pair of magical eyes that can see through the devil's disguise," he said. "Similarly, we hope the Wukong satellite can open a new window in science discovery, and grant us the ability to see through the disguise of dark matter."

Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the discovery of dark matter is the most cutting-edge of science projects and will fundamentally change how we view the universe, such as understanding how galaxies evolve.

A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of billions of stars rotating around its center. But the strength of gravity becomes weaker as the distance between objects grows, hence stars at the edge of the galaxy should be flying off, like raindrops flinging off a spinning umbrella.

"But this is not the case, and galaxies continue to spin like a spiral disk without disintegrating," Bai said. "So there has to be something we cannot see that is holding the galaxy together. Dark matter is the prime suspect."

Ed Gerstner, Nature's scientific director for Chinese research, said the discovery is exciting despite all the uncertainties, and he will be looking forward to more results and collaboration with Chinese scientists.

"The most exciting phrase to hear in scientific discovery is not 'Eureka, I have found it', but rather 'Hmm that's weird'," Gerstner said. This is especially true for cutting-edge physics, such as the case of the discovery of the Higgs-boson elementary particle in 2013, he added.

"Chinese scientists have a long and proud history of groundbreaking contributions to high energy particle physics  and changing the way we see the universe," he said.

zhangzhihao@chinadaily.com.cn
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in a telephone conversation late Wednesday that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

He said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and jointly push the nuclear issue towards the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations.

In response, Trump said the United States has serious concerns over the launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The DPRK's Korean Central Television reported that the country successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile early Wednesday morning.

Trump said Washington highly values China's important role in solving the nuclear issue, and is willing to enhance communications and coordinations with China in search for solutions to the issue.

Also in their phone talks, the Chinese leader said that during Trump's visit to China earlier this month the two heads of state have exchanged in-depth views on key issues of common concerns and reached important consensuses on multiple fronts, which bears important significance for maintaining sound and stable bilateral ties.

Xi called on the two sides to carry out these consensuses, make good plans for high-level bilateral exchanges, as well as at other levels, ensure the second round talks under all four high-level China-US dialogue mechanisms a success, and implement cooperation agreements and projects between the two countries.

He also urged the two sides to maintain close communications and coordination on important international and regional affairs.

Trump appreciated the warm reception he received in China during his visit, saying China's long-running and splendid history and culture have impressed him deeply.

He added that he agreed with Xi on his positive evaluation of the visit's outcomes and the notions on further promoting China-US ties.
China and Indonesia signed seven documents on Tuesday to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges during Vice-Premier Liu Yandong's visit to the Southeast Asian country.

Liu and Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani witnessed the signing of the deals after they co-hosted the third meeting of the China-Indonesia people-to-people exchange mechanism at the vice-premier level in Solo, Indonesia.

The meeting was held as China has become Indonesia's largest source of foreign tourists, with more than 2 million visits made between the two countries last year.
Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia sign as Li meets with leaders

China has signed memorandums of understanding with Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, signaling that all 16 Central and Eastern European countries have agreed to align with the initiative.

Last November, Latvia signed such a document during the fifth China-CEEC leader's meeting. Hungary became the first in Europe to sign to participate in the initiative in June 2015.
The newly re-elected chief of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization believes the synergy of UNIDO with China's Belt and Road Initiative could result in sustainable growth in the world.

Li Yong, who received his second term as director general of the Vienna-based UNIDO on Monday, said industrialization is the driver for development and will be continuously promoted during his new mandate till 2021.

Li undertook agenda reform after taking over UNIDO in 2013 to look for inclusive and sustainable industrial development in member states. That year, China proposed its Belt and Road Initiative.

"We will continue to seek synergies between our agenda and China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is also inclusive and aims to realize common prosperity and development," Li said.

Li said his organization has already signed an agreement with Chinese government regarding to the initiative and the cooperation will be deepened during his upcoming mandate.

He appreciated that the Chinese government has agreed to contribute $24 million in the coming four years and he also said more partners from China will get involved in UNIDO programs.

Li said UNIDO will be deeply implementing the 2030 agenda of UN's Sustainable Development Goals and specifically, it will be building "resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation".

"Nearly all our agenda is relevant to the Belt and Road Initiative and we are ready to deepen cooperation," Li said.

To realize its agenda, UNIDO has involved some pilot countries to help form their industrial development policy. Ethiopia, Senegal and Peru are among the first group of nations and on Monday, Cambodia and Kyrgyzstan were added to the list.

By expanding the model to additional countries, UNIDO will cover each geographical region of the world and thus complete the piloting phase, which will be introduced in the Arab region in 2018.

Sound, stable policy

Zhang Huarong, chief-executive of Huajian Shoe Co in Ethiopia, said the UNIDO should continue to work with pilot countries to shape sound and stable industrial policy and legal framework for some poor and developing countries.

Zhang said his company's export has reaped $30 million of foreign reserve for Ethiopia every year, accounting for the country's 60 percent of the total annually. "We aim to expand and increase size of local employment; we expect a stable and prospective policy and legal framework for future development," Zhang said in Vienna.

"I think the UNIDO can play a role."

Li said the pilot project has brought together different national ministries - from industry to finance, to agriculture and environment - with development partners around the same table, to create more synergy between the different interventions that support inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

"This cooperation platform is essential for ensuring the effective coordination of resources - be it finance, technology or expertise - the key elements needed for the realization of large-scale industrial development projects," said Li.

Cham Prasidh, senior minister of industry and handicraft of Cambodia, said the initiative is particularly timely as his country has recently graduated from low-income to lower middle-income.

"Thus this shifting from grant-funded to loan-funded development support and therefore seeking stronger partnership with financial institutions, which is a key component of the PCP approach," said Prasidh.

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/29/2017 page12)
China will take necessary measures to ensure Chinese aluminum companies' legal rights, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday after the United States government launched its first self-initiated, anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases in 25 years.

The ministry's announcement came after the US Commerce Department launched the investigations on Tuesday covering more than $600 million worth of imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China.

Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at the Ministry of Commerce, said such anti-dumping duty investigations against the aluminum sheet that China exports are the first such actions initiated by the US Department of Commerce instead of a US industrial association in a quarter-century.
Art and science play a vital role in society, making people to think and to create. And in a fast changing world, art and science are even more crucial.

This is why a science and art committee was founded on Tuesday by the International Scientific Exchange Foundation of China in Beijing along with Tsung-dao Lee, 91, a Chinese-American physicist and Nobel-prize winner.

The committee brings together dozens of leading scientists and artists from home and abroad, including architect Wu Liangyong and Xu Jiang, the dean of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province.

The committee announced a detailed program, including the launch of an international science and art week, the Tsung-dao Lee Science and Art Awards and a creativity fund to sponsor scientific and artistic projects. A science and art museum is also in the works.
Miao people celebrate traditional New Year festival ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-11-28

From more than 40 countries and regions, 160,000 local people of the Miao ethnic group adorned themselves in lavish traditional costumes to celebrate their traditional New Year festival in Leishan county in Southwest China's Guizhou province on Nov 23.

Unlike national Chinese New Year which is determined by the lunar calendar, Miao New Year aligns with the harvest, marking the beginning of a year for Miao people. Given its unique cultural significance, the nonstandard New Year celebration was listed as an item of national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Since 2000, Leishan county has been holding the annual galas, directed and performed by local Miao people, in order to protect and inherit unique songs, dances, embroidery and other traditional techniques of the Miao people.

In this culturally-rich event, thousands of local Miao people walked in traditional Miao costumes in a parade, showcasing splendid ethnic culture to audiences.

Guests could also get a taste of the lively culture through other spectacles, such as a long table banquet that served 5,000 guests at a time, exhibitions for Miao embroideries, ethnic song and dance performances and a Miao singing competition.
A woman talks with a salesman at a property market fair in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily]

Real estate tax should be promoted according to the principles of legislation, and the process should be carried forward gradually. Enacting real estate tax legislation is a lengthy process, and the authorities should prudently differentiate the tax levying methods on sold houses and houses to be sold in the future.

To make the collection of real estate tax easier, the local authorities could be allowed to devise innovative methods to levy the tax in accordance with the actual situation of the local property market. In fact, the levying of real estate tax may be expedited gradually.

Besides, real estate tax should be based on the appraisal of the house in question, for which the situation in the neighboring housing market as well as the cost of furnishing and decorating a house should also be considered.

Real estate taxation can benefit society in three aspects. First, real estate tax is in line with the orientation of China's fiscal and taxation system reform, which in turn is conducive to the reform of immovable property tax. And the policies on real-estate-related taxes and fees, such as property fee and real estate value-added fee, will be optimized and adjusted accordingly.

Second, real estate tax can better facilitate fiscal transfer, by raising the funds for public finance, which will help build public infrastructure and public rental housing.

And third, real estate tax could curb the soaring housing prices to some extent, which is what the public wants most.

Many factors contribute to the soaring housing prices. And by making speculation and stocking up houses much more expensive, real estate tax will prevent many people from doing so, simply because the cost of holding on an extra house may not necessarily be offset by its sales price. As a result, more people will think twice to purchase more than one house, leading to static, if not falling, housing prices.

Real estate tax, which incorporates house property tax, is a new kind of tax that will be levied at the transfer of possession stage. Some taxes levied during the trading process could be exempted or adjusted if the new tax is imposed. In particular, the authorities may review whether the contract tax and individual income tax are being levied twice on the house owner.

But whether the rate and collection process of real estate tax will be adjusted depends on the implementation of the property registration system. And if local real estate registration information platforms are connected nationwide, it will become less difficult to levy real estate tax.

It is likely that two different methods of collecting real estate tax will be followedone for sold houses and the other for houses to be sold in the future. Also, real estate tax may be imposed differently on different types of properties.

The house property tax on property that has already been bought will be imposed prudently. The house property tax will mainly target unsold housing, so new housing transaction will be affected the most.

A main purpose of collecting house property tax is to adjust taxation in the real estate sector, because the aim is not to simply increase the tax burden on the people. So the cost of holding a house for ordinary homeowners who have one or, at best, two houses will not increase substantially.

The author is a senior researcher at E-house China R&D Institute.
Will girls be in a more disadvantageous position in the college entrance exam, or gaokao, in the future?

Wen Rumin, chief editor of the official Chinese textbooks, has sparked a heated debate by answering in the affirmative to the above question. The reason: "schoolboys read widely while many schoolgirls only read romantic or inspirational books".

There is no proof, however, to show that schoolgirls read less or only a narrow range of subjects compared with schoolboys. Even if a particular reading taste creates "bookworms" that will find it more difficult to get high scores in gaokao, why do these "bookworms" have to be only girls?

China has made great achievements in establishing gender equality. Public policies, regulations and laws guaranteeing gender equality have curbed many overt gender discriminations, at least in the public sphere. But the social atmosphere and the mindset of all the people don't seem to have changed much. As a result, gender discrimination is still evident in our society.

But it is pathetic to see a senior scholar, especially a top educator who is in charge of compiling textbooks for students nationwide, display such discrimination against women and girls. If the educators are biased against female students, and take "girls are intellectually inferior to boys" for granted, how can we guarantee that female students will be treated equally, and not as inferior to boys, in school?

From the ancient to the modern times, the claim that "women's intelligence is inferior to men's" has been the accepted social construct without any scientific proof, which has its origin in gender discrimination.

For thousands of years in China, only men were qualified and considered to have the capability to read and understand "the books of sages". While after the impact of science and engineering on modern societies thanks to the Industrial Revolution, women have been "unquestionably" good at only the liberal arts, and not science and engineering, because they are only good at "reading" books.

This gender stereotype has discouraged women from releasing their full potential and pursuing excellence in many academic fields, because they are told by the elders from a very early age that "some fields belong to boys" and that they are "intellectually inferior to boys".

Some forms of gender discrimination are unconscious acts that even the most conscious and "well-intentioned" elders commit, unknowingly thoughfor example, some teachers suggest girls opt for the liberal arts, and some people, always men, suggest that "special" capacious parking lots be built for woman drivers.

A study conducted by four American scientists, Sara M. Lindberg, Janet Shibley Hyde and Jennifer L. Peterson of the University of Wisconsin, and Marcia C. Linn of the University of California, Berkeley, in 2010, showed that between 1999 to 2007, the average mathematic scores of boys and girls from grade 2 to grade 11 showed only slight variations. Yet the number of woman mathematicians is small. The scientists say in their report that policy decisions, such as funding for some same-sex education, as well as the continuing stereotype that girls and women lack mathematical ability, calls for up-to-date information about gender differences in mathematical performance. Such stereotypes can discourage women from entering or persisting in careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

It is therefore illogical for people to use stereotypes to declare women intellectually inferiority to men. Belittling one-half of the human race is unwise, to say the least.

Chairman Mao Zedong said women hold up half the sky, which indeed they do and are thus equal to men, especially given their contribution to society as a whole. Changing this stereotype will enable women to fulfill their full potential, which will not only be conducive to "political correctness" but also to the overall interest of society.

The author is a writer with China Daily. wangyiqing@chinadaily.com.cn
Huang Qifan, vice-chairman of the economic and finance committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, said at a recent forum that the imposition of residential property tax is imperative, listing four major advantages of the move. Before that, in November 2013, the Third Plenum of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee had said legislation on real estate tax will be accelerated, and the tax reform will be promoted in time.

Internationally, house property tax refers to levying tax on all houses based on value appraisals. Only when a residential property tax is imposed on all houses can such a move be considered fair, and benefit the local governments and the grassroots taxation system. Global experiences show the local governments of a country that levy a residential property tax also enjoy sufficient transfer of payment from higher levels of governments or the central government.

But in China, such transfers of payments are limited, which means income from house property tax will not be enough to meet the local governments' expenditure.

Besides, one of the difficulties in levying a property tax on individuals and households is that it is imposed on a natural person's real estate asset that doesn't necessarily produce direct cash flow. And since levying individual income tax on natural persons is difficult in China, imposing tax on an individual's real estate asset, which doesn't produce cash flow, will be equally, if not more, difficult.

To successfully levy such a tax on individuals, the authorities should first win the support of the majority of the people.

Individual property tax programs were piloted in Chongqing and Shanghai on Jan 28, 2011. But the continuously rising housing prices in these cities have prevented the people from being convinced that a property tax would effectively check the trend to a large extent.

Whether property tax can curb rising housing prices depends on the form and structure of the real estate market. If the real estate market is a seller's market, the property tax will be paid by the homebuyers. And it will be difficult for homebuyers to transfer the property tax which they have to pay every year by deducting it from the total housing price.

Under such circumstances, a more likely result would be homebuyers paying for their property according to prevailing prices and shouldering the property tax burden in the future.

Some people assume imposing a property tax could accelerate the development of house rental market. But since even homeowners who rent out their houses have to pay the property tax, they are likely to transfer the cost to the tenants. In that case, the property tax can hardly help improve people's livelihoods.

In addition, when the real estate market is sluggish, the property tax might probably become the last straw that breaks the market's back. A rapid slump in the real estate market could lead to a financial crisis, even fiscal crisis, undermining social stability, which none of us wants to see.

Accelerating legislation on property tax and promoting tax reform in time are necessary. But some people suppose China's property tax system design should follow the model of developed countries, which is wrong considering China's special land ownership system. In China, urban land belongs to the State and rural land to collectives. Given the public ownership of land, the local governments can generate income from the transfer of land-use rights. This system is different from those followed by most other countries.

Moreover, the house property taxation system should also take the paying capacity of households into consideration. Because of the high housing prices and comparatively low individual incomes, a large number of people cannot afford to pay a high residential property tax even if they are willing to do so. And under what rules will the property tax be imposed on welfare-oriented houses that were sold at very low prices?

Any discrepancy here could undermine the fairness of levying the property tax.

Therefore, while enacting the property tax, complicated problems should be fully discussed in order to avoid the negative social effects of imposing such a tax in a hurry.

The author is a research fellow at the National Academy of Economic Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

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Editor's note: On Friday, terrorists bombed a mosque and then opened indiscriminate fire on the worshippers on Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, killing at least 305, including 27 children, and wounding 128. It was the deadliest in Egypt's modern history. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Zhang Zhouxiang. Excerpts follow:

Sinai Peninsula is a weak link

The Sinai Peninsula is a rather weak link in the fight against terrorism in the Middle East. A major part of the peninsula is desert, and it has a relatively low population density with most of the inhabitants being desert-dwelling Bedouins.

Besides, Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War of 1967. Tel-Aviv returned it to Cairo only in 1982 and on condition that Egypt restrict its troops on the peninsula to a specific number. It is this relatively weak presence of Egyptian security forces on the peninsula that some extremist groups have used to their advantage to form their bases there and fan out their activities across the region.

It is easier for terrorists to seek haven on the Sinai Peninsula, and rather difficult for the state to root them out. In 2014, when the Islamic State raised its ugly head in Syria and Iraq, some terrorist groups on the peninsula were the first to swear loyalty to the IS group and established its "branch" there, the biggest for the terrorist outfit.

With Egypt facing grave security challenges this year, terrorists groups have targeted the peninsula especially for its relatively weak defense. On Sept 11, militants attacked a security patrol on the peninsula, which resulted in 18 deaths. And in July, suicide bombers attacked two military checkpoints in which at least 23 people were killed.

But we should not overreact to the Sinai attack. Terrorists need assistance from the outside to survive on the peninsula, and with the entire world united in the fight against terrorism, the wave of terrorist attacks can be hopefully curbed.

Yin Gang, a scholar in Middle East Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Beginning of the end of terrorist outfit

So far, no organization has claimed responsibility for the Sinai mosque attack. But all evidence points to the IS group's branch on the Sinai Peninsula. If true, this is not the first IS group attack on the peninsula, or even Egypt as a whole. The IS group's Sinai branch is believed to be behind the several attacks on Christian churches in Cairo and other Egyptian cities.

It is also believed to be responsible for the crash of a Russian civilian aircraft on the peninsula in 2015 which killed more than 220 people. Since the attack came at a time when Iraq and Syria both were claiming the end of the IS group, it is likely that the terrorist outfit launched it to not only announce it was still "going strong" but also to further spread terror. The Sinai IS branch still has many terrorists at its command and could launch more such attacks. But none of this alters the fact that the IS' reign of terror in parts of Iraq and Syria has now come to an end.

Moreover, there is little possibility of the remaining terrorists in the IS group's Iraqi and Syrian wings "moving" to the peninsula because its Sinai branch comprises mainly local militant groups that don't have much association with their "parent" outfit.

The attack on the mosque has much to do with the grave security situation Egypt faces because of the political turmoil in the country. But as Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's State Information Service, said, the attack reflects "the beginning of weakening" of the IS group because it has started using "soft targets" in the face of security confrontations.

Gong Honglie, an associate professor on anti-terrorism studies at Nanjing University
A group of local and foreign journalists who were invited to witness the memorial ceremony pose for a photo in front of the Zunyi conference building on Nov 21, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An account of the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) or to be precise modern Chinas history would be incomplete without a reflection on the historical Long March, a march that was the turning point of the Communist forces (Red Army) on a courageous journey to victory against the Nationalist forces during the Chinese revolution and the total liberation of China.

Chairman Mao Zedong previously deposed from his leading position in the Communist party, according to historical accounts, regained control as leader of the party at the Zunyi Conference in 1935. Throughout much of world history, conferences or meeting of top decision makers to regroup and restrategize during wars have shaped the world we live in today. The Zunyi conference is not an exception. It not only shaped the history of modern China, but was pivotal to the rise of Mao Zedong as leader of the Communist party and the Peoples Liberation Army.

In a small community in Zunyi city, formerly a county in Southwest Chinas Guizhou province, the venue for the conference, located in a now bustling environment was filled with passionate members and supporters of the CPC, as well as a group of local and foreign journalists who were lucky to witness the rejuvenation and significance of the conference at a ceremony on Nov 21.

A group of local residents dressed-up in Red Army uniforms, and carried revolutionary flags to commemorate the occasion, which was attended by local government officials and leading party members of the CPC. It was an event befitting the memory of soldiers who died during the revolution to make China what it is today- a strong nation and a leader in global affairs. The leaders in their address to the audience mentioned the significance of the Zunyi conference in the Red Armys victory against the Nationalist forces, although other meetings and stages during the revolution also played an important role in the overall liberation. From my perspective, the peace and stability enjoyed in China today is owed largely to the Zunyi conference. This was the conference that to a larger extent decided the fate of the Communist party and in the process put a small hardly noticeable city on the map of China.

The hospitality industry here is benefiting immensely from the boost in tourism as a result of the Zunyi conference venue which attracts thousands of visitors annually. A two-storey wooden building which served as the venue for the conference has been well preserved with lacquer and extra fortification to withstand the pressure exerted on the structure by teeming tourists. As part of the group of local and foreign journalists at the ceremony, I was honoured to tour the conference hall, which had all the antique furniture and settees still intact.

On the same compound, not far from the two-storey wooden building is a museum exhibiting artefacts including books, ledgers, letters, armaments and other items related to the Long March and the Zunyi conference.

At the reception area of the museum are life-size near-realistic statues of the gallant men, including Chairman Mao, who were present at the conference. It behoves me to say, that as a foreigner standing before these statues and an opportunity to commensurate the legacy of the conference with Chinese citizens, Chinas opening up is now full-blown.

During the groups tour of Zunyi city and its surrounding towns we encountered friendly local residents who told us stories of the Long March especially during their encampment in the city. An old resident, aged over 90, whom I spoke to, recalled the scene of soldiers passing through Guoba village amid encouragement by residents who sang praise to them as they marched past. He said as a young boy at the time, he remembers people in his village eager to help the soldiers in whichever way they could.

I appreciate the opportunity offered me by China Daily to learn about the history of the Zunyi conference and how it impacted on the political history of China. In a previous article I emphasised the importance of such historical sites to the education of younger generations. I would recommend that foreigners, especially students, looking to understand Chinese society should add Zunyi on their bucket list.

It goes without saying that to understand the history and development of modern China, one has to go back to the basics, and by basics Im referring to learning about the struggle of the Chinese nation prior and during the Chinese revolution by visiting small towns and cities like Jinggang, Ruijin, Nanfeng, all in Jiangxi province, and Zunyi, Huamao, and Guoba in Guizhou province. These are some of the places that lessons of the struggle can be learned from as well as the spirit and determination of local residents, especially farmers who are the embodiment of the Chinese spirit.

The author is a former Ghanaian Journalist.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.

Universities. For hundreds of years, they have been places to debate new and exciting ideas, even when those ideas have been highly controversial or offensive to those outside the cloistered walls of academia.

From ideas that questioned the existence of god, to modern debates about third-wave feminism and the ethics of cloning  free and open academic debate has been essential to human progress.

But in the West, the traditional freedoms of university are in danger.

Universities in many Western countries, particularly Britain and the United States, are increasingly struggling to maintain traditional academic freedoms in the face of protests and complaints from today's easily-offended "snowflake" generation  named after the uniqueness of a snowflake, the modern snowflake supposedly believes he or she is uniquely special, and is offended by ideas contrary to their own.

To people on the outside of academia, probably the most visible sign that all is not well has been the increasing trend to prevent outside speakers with allegedly offensive views from taking part in debates at universities. As some of the speaking bans have involved high-profile individuals, the bans have attracted the attention of authorities, with the UK government threatening to fine universities that fail to uphold freedom of speech.

In the US, there have been instances of speakers being disinvited or mass protests erupting in an attempt to shut down a speaker when they do manage to attend. Famous speakers, such as the conservative commentator Ann Coulter, and the sociologist Charles Murray have both been the subject of high-profile incidents involving university appearances.

While right-wing speakers have been the most frequent targets of bans and demonstrations, there have been more surprising targets of student anger. A petition calling for the feminist writer Germaine Greer to be banned from speaking at one university garnered 3,000 signatures  in protest at her views regarding transgender women.

Student campaigns to stop speakers from promoting offensive views have also gone directly into classrooms. There is a new trend for "trigger warnings" to be given before certain ideas are discussed and debated in class to avoid "traumatizing" students. For example, a topic that includes a discussion on violence or race might include a warning before the lesson.

Some universities now have special "safe spaces" on campus where students can go and be certain they will not face any sort of discrimination or criticism.

And students have been keen to prevent the causing of offence, even for social events.

In 2015, students at Yale University reacted angrily to an email written by Erika Christakis, an associate master at the institution. In it, Christakis questioned a university committee's decision to issue guidance to students on costumes they might decide to wear during Halloween after students were warned about wearing offensive or culturally insensitive costumes, such as dressing up as Native Americans.

The email set off a firestorm. Students demanded her resignation and accused her of being insensitive to ethnic minorities. Similar incidents have been seen at other universities.

In the classroom there is evidence students are self-censoring to prevent causing offence. In the US, the Foundation for Individual Rights, and the polling company, YouGov, released a survey of 1,000 college students earlier this year, revealing that 56 percent of those asked reported self-censoring in the classroom at some point during their course.

While there has been some pushback by universities  Oxford University has rejected calls to take down its statue of Cecil Rhodes  momentum seems firmly with the students. It's not hard to imagine why  most university leaders do not want their universities in the news for protests and disruption.

But if university is not the place to properly explore challenging, complex and yes, sometimes offensive ideas, then where is?

The reality is, students are shortchanging themselves.

In a rapidly changing, interconnected world, today's graduates are going to be exposed to more cultures and ideas than their parents ever were. They will come face to face with ideas that challenge their deeply-held beliefs, and dismissing anyone who doesn't agree with them as a racist or a fascist simply isn't going to cut it.

While privileged students in the West worry about such pressing issues as gender-neutral toilets, their counterparts in China and other parts of Asia are increasingly at the forefront of cutting-edge research and debate.

Being at university is a unique time of life for most people. The pressures of school are gone, and students have time on their hands to properly explore different subjects and debate with each other. It is not just acceptable that students are subjected to views and opinions which may make them uncomfortable  it is essential.

Nobody has a right never to be offended.

Free and open academic debate is the hallmark of any civilized society. If universities are prevented from challenging their students' minds, then it is reasonable to ask  what are they for?

Too many universities in the West are losing sight of this, some are fighting back  it is time that more joined them.



James Skinner is a contributing editor at China Daily with an MA in International Relations. He has a particular interest in British and American politics, as well as global security issues.
UNDP China Country Director Agi Veres congratulates Himalayan Consensus Institute Founding Director Laurence Brahm (right) during the ceremony Nov 28, 2017, when a memorandum of understanding was signed and a new book launched. The ceremony was held in the library at Beijing Foreign Languages University. [Photo by Wu Zheyu/chinadaily.com.cn]

The United Nations Development Program China Office and Himalayan Consensus Institute, an environmental think tank, entered into a memorandum of understanding November 28, 2017, for the establishment of the Silk Road Dialogues, aiming at building resilience and advancing sustainable development in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Silk Road Dialogues hope to enhance people-to-people connectivity and share analysis and information related to cultural, social and economic aspects across countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to reduce risks and mitigate potential crisis and conflict.

Agi Veres, UNDP China Country Director, explained the defined role of the dialogue. "The Silk Road Dialogues will play a key role in promoting the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals as a reference framework for development in the BRI region, focusing on people at its center."

The Silk Road Dialogues will promote dialogue, research, policies and programmatic activities that build resilience, and sustain peace through further cooperation and understanding among peoples in countries along the Belt and Road.

Analysis and risk mitigation with special attention to climate-induced disruptions and government community involvement in adopting and addressing negative impacts of climate change on development will feature as important aspects of the program.

Himalayan Consensus Institute Founding Director Laurence Brahm added, "The Silk Road Dialogues as a second track can help mitigate conflict at an early stage by addressing root causes, most often connected to economic disempowerment, identity marginalization, or environmental disruption."

Fusion Economics: How Pragmatism is changing the world, a new book, written by Laurence Brahm that was launched during the ceremony, illustrates several new concepts based on new economic assumptions -- such as integration economics, philanthropic capital, value of stakeholders and consumption of conscience -- to offer more diversified thinking for a new global consensus.

Answering questions from audiences, Laurence Brahm expressed appreciation to Chinese authorities for putting ecological civilization into an overall strategic plan and making great contributions to improve people's well-being and the shared human community.

The MOU signing and new book launching ceremony held in the Library of Beijing Foreign Languages University and organized by the Beijing Foreign Languages School of Journalism and Communications, which has been hosting a month long exhibition: Searching for Shangri-La on the Belt and Road a multi-media presentation of film, photography, writings, sketches and installation art from Laurence Brahm's Milllenium Expeditions exploring and documenting the Southern Silk Road and Tea Pony Trail of the Himalayas.


African migrants queue up to get on a bus for being repatriated to their countries at a detention center in Tripoli, Libya, on Nov 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

TRIPOLI - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday revealed that more than 13,000 migrants have been voluntarily repatriated from Libya this year so far.

"Since the beginning of this year, the program has succeeded in deporting 13,552 illegal immigrants by air," Juma Ben-Hassan, coordinator of IOM's Libya voluntary return program, told Xinhua.

Ben-Hassan said this number includes deportation that took place on Tuesday morning of more than 400 African and Asian migrants.

The voluntary return program in Libya was set up in 2006 by IOM to arrange for the return of stranded illegal migrants from Libya to their countries of origin.

Due to the insecurity and chaos that followed the 2011 uprising, Libya became a hotspot for migrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores, many of whom drown on the way.

Libyan navy announced earlier this week that 31 migrants drowned off western Libyan coast while attempting to reach Europe.
BELGRADE - Work to modernize and reconstruct the Belgrade-Stara Pazova segment of Belgrade-Budapest Railway started on Tuesday.

The 34.5 km-long segment, the railway's first part to start construction, is expected to be completed in three years.

The segment in Serbia, with an investment of 350 million US dollars, was kicked off at a ceremony at Zemun railway station in Belgrade by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Minister of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic, and Wang Xiaotao, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China.

The railway linking Budapest with Belgrade is the first cross-border project jointly realized by Serbia, Hungary and China within the framework of the cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), said Brnabic.

It has a total length of 350 km, with 184 km in Serbia. It is designed for electrified passenger and cargo trains with a maximum speed of 200 km per hour.

Brnabic said that Serbia had the most projects among the regional participants of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 16+1 cooperation format between China and the CEEC.

"Project Belgrade-Budapest implies that Serbia is developing in a smart and a strategic way," Brnabic added.

"Our wish is to attract people to use trains, as well as those who transport cargoes across Serbia," Mihajlovic said, noting that with this project Serbia has truly become a part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Yang Zhongmin, chairman of state-owned China Railway International Company Ltd., said that the railway was a leading project in the 16+1 cooperation format and an example of the comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Serbia.

Yang said the Chinese companies will fulfill their obligations concerning procedures, employment and environment,and adhere to Serbian regulations.

"We are looking forward to the opening of Belgrade-Budapest railway -- the day when we will together with the people of Serbia enjoy the fruits of the development of Serbia-China cooperation," Yang said.

Wang said that since the project to modernize the Belgrade-Budapest railway was initially agreed on at the 2013 China-CEEC leaders' meeting in Bucharest, China and Serbia have carried out close cooperation.

"I hope workers from the two countries will work devotedly and complete the project with high quality, to make the Belgrade-Budapest railway a road of friendship, cooperation and development and to become a new milestone of China-Serbia friendship," Wang said.
A general view shows Mount Agung erupting, as seen from Kubu subdistrict in Karangasem Regency on Bali on Tuesday. SONNY TUMBELAKA / AGENCE FRANCEPRESSE

KARANGASEM, Indonesia - A volcano gushing towering columns of ash closed the airport on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali for a second day on Tuesday, disrupting travel for tens of thousands, as authorities renewed their warnings for villagers to evacuate.

Mount Agung has been hurling clouds of white and dark gray ash about 4,000 meters high and lava is welling in its crater.

The local airport authority said its closure for another 24 hours was required for safety reasons. Volcanic ash poses a deadly threat to aircraft, and ash from Agung is moving south-southwest toward the airport. Ash has reached a height of about 9,000 meters as it drifts across the island.

"I don't know, we can't change it," said stranded German tourist Gina Camp, sitting on a bench at the airport. "It's nature and we have to wait until it's over."

She decided to look on the bright side, saying she planned to go back outside to enjoy another day on the island.

A Chinese tour service, Shenzhen PT Lebali International, had about 20 groups totaling 500 to 600 travelers from the cities of Wuhan, Changsha and Guangzhou in Bali, according to executive Liao Yuling, who was on the island.

"They are mostly retirees or relatively high-end, so they don't say they are especially anxious to rush home," she said by telephone.

If the airport stays closed, Liao said they would head by ferry and bus to Surabaya on Java where the company's charter flights could pick them up.

"We are not really affected, because the volcano is too far away," said Liao. "We only can say we saw pictures of it on television."

Bali is Indonesia's top tourist destination, with its Hindu culture, surf beaches and lush green interior attracting about 5 million visitors a year.

Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency raised the volcano's alert to the highest level on Monday and expanded an exclusion zone to 10 kilometers from the crater. It said a larger eruption is possible, though a government volcanologist has also said Agung could stay at its current level of activity for weeks and not erupt explosively.

Thermal anomaly

NASA detected a thermal anomaly over the weekend, said Gede Swantika, a senior volcanologist in Bali.

"It means that there's a direct conduit from the magma storage chambers in the crust up to the surface," said Richard Arculus, a volcano expert at Australian National University.

"What stops most eruptions from happening is that you don't have a conduit from where the magma's reached, to the surface. Once you've got that opened,... it means there's easier access for the magma upward out into the open."

Agung's last major eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people.

Authorities have told 100,000 people to leave homes nearest the volcano, though tens of thousands stayed because they felt safe or didn't want to abandon livestock. Mudflows have been seen on the mountain's slopes, and authorities warned more are possible, since it's the rainy season in Bali.

Volcanologist Erik Klemetti at Dennison University in Ohio said Agung's 1963 eruption was big enough to cool the Earth slightly but it's unclear whether this time it will have a similar major eruption or simmer for a prolonged period.

"A lot of what will happen depends on the magma underneath and what it is doing now," he said.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.

Ap - Reuters - Xinhua
MELBOURNE - An Islamic State sympathizer planned to buy a gun and kill as many revelers as possible on New Year's Eve in Melbourne, police alleged on Tuesday after foiling the plot.

Ali Ali, born in Australia to Somali parents, was arrested in a raid on a house in the Melbourne suburb of Werribee on Monday.

He appeared in court on Tuesday charged with preparing to commit a terrorist attack and collecting documents to facilitate a terror attack. No bail was applied for.

Police claim the 20-year-old accessed a guide book online produced by al-Qaida on how to carry out terror acts and use firearms, but was arrested before he could purchase an automatic rifle.

"What we will be alleging is that he was intending to use a firearm to shoot and kill as many people as he could in the Federation Square area on New Year's Eve," said Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton.

"It is a tremendous concern to us that (during) the festive season, when people are out enjoying themselves, that there is a potential plot to commit a terrorist act. That is a huge issue for us but that is why we put the resources in."

Federation Square is in the heart of the city, opposite a busy train station and St Paul's Cathedral. It is one of the most popular places to see-in the new year and would be packed on Dec 31.

The alleged plot comes a year after police prevented what they said was another attack in the same area on Christmas Day, arresting several men who planned to use explosives, knives and guns to target the location.

Patton said Ali, who lives with his parents, had been on their radar since the beginning of the year, part of a small community of extremists that police have been monitoring.

His behavior had gradually escalated over time, but police believe he was acting alone. "The potential of the attack was catastrophic," said Patton, adding that Ali was an "IS sympathizer".

Afp - Ap
SYDNEY - Activist group Sea Shepherd on Tuesday released graphic video of Japanese fishermen harpooning whales in the Southern Ocean after a long battle with the Australian government to make the images public.

Filmed in 2008 by customs officials aboard an Australian patrol vessel, the images show Japanese boats in Antarctic waters harpooning the whales and then dragging their bodies out of bloodied waters.

Sea Shepherd initiated a freedom of information request in 2012 to obtain the film from the Australian department of border protection, but was repeatedly refused with the government citing potential damage to "international relations".

The images were finally ordered released earlier this year after an appeal to Australia's Information Commissioner, who has power to review government agency FOI decisions.

"The Australian Government has suppressed this footage for years. The main reason given was that the images of this horrific slaughter would harm diplomatic relationships with Japan," Sea Shepherd's managing director Jeff Hansen said in a statement.

"The Australian Government has chosen to side with the poachers instead of defending the whales of the Southern Ocean," he said.

Sea Shepherd has waged an often violent 12-year high-seas battle against whaling in the Southern Ocean, claiming success for saving thousands of the giant mammals and bringing the slaughter to world attention.

The organization announced earlier this year that it was ending its annual campaign to disrupt Japanese whaling, saying it was exploring different strategies to hinder the hunt as it could no longer match the paramilitary and economic might Tokyo was deploying.

Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on whaling in force since 1986. But it exploits a loophole allowing whales to be killed for the purposes of "scientific research", making no secret of the fact that they often end up on dinner plates.

Tokyo was forced to call off the 2014-15 hunt after the International Court of Justice ruled its annual Antarctic foray was a commercial hunt, masquerading as science.

It resumed in late 2015 with cuts to the target catch number, but it still returned with more than 300 minke whales.

Canberra has spoken out against commercial and "so-called 'scientific' whaling" in the Southern Ocean.

Sea Shepherd has called on the Australian government to take Japan to an international tribunal for failing to protect whales.

Agence France-presse
SAN FRANCISCO - US tech giant Facebook said on Monday that it is using artificial intelligence technology, including pattern recognition, to detect whether someone is expressing thoughts of suicide in a post or live video.

"Facebook is a place where friends and family are already connected and we are able to help connect a person in distress with people who can support them," the company said in a statement.

It said it is "using pattern recognition to detect posts or live videos where someone might be expressing thoughts of suicide, and to help respond to reports faster".

The world's largest social network also said it now has more workers to review reports of suicide and self-harm.

Facebook uses signals like the text in the post or comments, such as "Are you ok?", "Can I help?" as a warning that can alert first responders to help anyone who is thought to be likely to commit suicide.

"We are starting to roll out artificial intelligence outside the United States to help identify when someone might be expressing thoughts of suicide, including on Facebook Live. This will eventually be available worldwide, except the European Union," Facebook said.

Facebook currently has 2 billion users worldwide.

The move is a part of an effort to further support its at-risk users. Facebook has faced criticism for its Facebook Live feature, where some people have livestreamed graphic events, including suicide.

Xinhua
Former South Korean president Park Geunhye arrives for her trial the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on Oct 16. A court ruled on Tuesday that the trial will proceed without her. CHOI JUNSEOK / NEWSIS VIA AP

SEOUL - The trial of disgraced former South Korean president Park Geun-hye will proceed without her, a court said on Tuesday, following a hiatus of more than 40 days as she boycotted proceedings.

Park, who was ousted earlier this year over a sprawling corruption scandal, has refused to appear for her trial, angry at the court's decision last month to extend her detention by six months.

The ex-president's legal team quit last month over the decision, accusing the court of bias. Park has since refused to cooperate with a team of state-sponsored defense lawyers appointed by the court, and failed to appear for her trial on Monday and Tuesday.

"We have a lot of things to do, including the questioning of many witnesses. Taking into account the limited time, ... we cannot delay the trial any longer," presiding judge Kim Se-yoon said on Tuesday.

The court-appointed defense lawyers repeatedly sought to interview Park at the detention center where she is being held, but she refused to see them, the Yonhap news agency said.

Park, 65, submitted a letter to the detention center on Monday, saying she cannot appear at her trial because of her health problems.

The center reported to the court that Park has been taking painkillers for back pain and a swollen knee, and has made clear her intention to not appear at the trial.

Authorities at the detention center said they were unable to force Park out because of her status as a former president of South Korea.

Park, the country's first woman president, was impeached by parliament in December after months of mass protests over accusations of graft and influence-peddling.

South Korea's constitutional court upheld the decision in March, removing her from office. Her trial started in May.

Agence France-presse
PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) successfully test-fired a newly developed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) early Wednesday morning, the country's Korean Central Television reported.

The DPRK tested "Hwasong-15" after its top leader Kim Jong Un signed the order the previous day, the Korean Central Television reported in a special mid-day broadcast, with its broadcasters telling the story in a celebrative mood.

Meanwhile, the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the DPRK's top leader signed the order on Tuesday and guided the test-firing at a site outside Pyongyang.

Kim said after watching the test firing that DPRK has "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force," according to the KCNA.

In a statement carried by KCNA, the DPRK government said: "The development and advancement of the strategic weapon of DPRK are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from the US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat, and to ensure the peaceful life of the people."

"It is DPRK's solemn declaration that the missiles would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon," said the statement.

"As a responsible nuclear power and a peace-loving state, the DPRK will make every possible effort to serve the noble purpose of defending peace and stability of the world," it said.

The newly developed Hwasong-15 ICBM has much more advantages in its tactical and technological specifications and technical characteristics than the Hwasong-14 missiles tested in July, and marks the completion of the rocket weaponry system development by the DPRK, said KCNA.

"It is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," it said, without specifying.

After being launched at 02:48 a.m. local time (1818 GMT), the missile flew 53 minutes along its orbit and accurately landed in the target waters in the open sea in the East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan), according to the report.

"The rocket soared to the highest altitude of 4,475 km and then flew the distance of 950 km," it added.
Beijing expresses 'grave concern' over claim of successful ICBM test

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is China's unswerving goal, President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Donald Trump during a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Xi said China is ready to join the US in pushing the nuclear issue toward a peaceful settlement.

On Wednesday, Beijing expressed "grave concern and opposition" to Pyongyang's latest missile test and called for talks to peacefully resolve the nuclear crisis on the peninsula.

"The United Nations Security Council resolutions are explicit about Pyongyang's use of ballistic missile technologies, and China strongly urged Pyongyang to stop activities that increase tensions on the peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

China hopes all related parties will behave with caution and jointly safeguard the peace and stability of the region, he said at a daily news conference.

Geng also said that the "suspension for suspension" initiative proposed by China is the most feasible and reasonable approach to ease the current situation.

Early on Wednesday, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea successfully test-fired a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile, which it claimed is capable of striking the entire United States mainland, the country's Korean Central Television reported.

The newly developed Hwasong-15 ICBM has more advanced tactical and technological specifications and technical characteristics than the Hwasong-14 missiles tested in July, and marks the completion of the DPRK's rocket weaponry development, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The launch, the first since Sept 15, when the DPRK fired a ballistic missile over northern Japan into the Pacific Ocean, has drawn strong condemnation from countries and international organizations.

Trump spoke by phone with the leaders of Japan and the Republic of Korea separately about the missile launch, the White House said. During their talks, Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed their commitment to combating the DPRK's nuclear threat, while Trump and his ROK counterpart Moon Jae-in in another phone call condemned the DPRK for developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the launch, saying it is "a clear violation of Security Council resolutions".

The Security Council was to hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday afternoon to discuss Pyongyang's latest launch.

To help defuse the situation, China has proposed a dual-track approach, seeking to advance denuclearization and establish a peace mechanism in parallel. The "suspension for suspension" proposal calls on Pyongyang to pause its missile and nuclear activities, while calling on Washington to put its joint military drills with Seoul on hold.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Premier Li Keqiang said China would like to import more agricultural goods and boost cooperation in tourism and automotive manufacturing with Slovenia, when meeting Tuesday with his Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

Li said the cross-region economic cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries is a key part of China-Europe ties and is beneficial to the healthy development of globalization. The two countries should work together to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries as well as China-European cooperation, he said.

Li said both countries have made accomplishments cooperating in agriculture, tourism and scientific and technological research. China would like to import more competitive agricultural goods from Slovenia and support more Chinese tourists traveling to Central and Eastern European nation, he said. China has strong capacities in auto manufacturing and is willing to encourage Chinese automakers to participate in the industry in Slovenia, he said.

Cerar said Slovenia would like to strengthen cooperation in fields such as agriculture, auto manufacturing, tourism and winter sports, increasing the value added through collaboration. Cultural and educational exchanges should also be expanded to increase people-to-people exchanges, he said.
Premier Li Keqiang vowed to further advance infrastructure and production capacity projects such as highways, steel plants and industrial parks to extend production chains for bilateral cooperation, when meeting with his Serbian counterpart Ana Brnabic Tuesday in Budapest.

Li said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has yielded fruitful achievements in mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Construction of the Serbian section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway started Tuesday, marking a breakthrough progress for the rail line. He urged acceleration in building the China-Europe land-sea express line to inject new momentum into regional connectivity.

Brnabic said Serbia extends gratitude to China's support to its economic development. Serbia will work with China to advance the rail line and further cooperate in industrial parks, e-commerce and logistics, she said. Chinese enterprises are welcome to join infrastructure projects in Serbia and direct flights are expected to open as soon as possible, she added.
A 26-year-old Helena man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for beating a 2-year-old girl to death, which investigators called "the worst incidence of violence that we've ever seen." Coleton Christous Coburn will be eligible for parole after 30 years per his sentence in Helena District Court.His defense attorneys had argued for placement in the state mental hospital because he has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Judge Mike Menahan said he didn't see enough evidence during the two-day sentencing hearing to prove the need for treatment at Montana State Hospital above incarceration in prison.When handing down the sentence, Menahan said that if Coburn's past disruptive behavior at the Montana State Prison while serving time for previous crimes is any indicator, "it's highly unlikely the parole board would ever grant him parole." Prior to the sentencing, Coburn's lawyers asked for the chance of parole if the judge decided to send him to prison instead of Montana State Hospital. "Lock you up and throw away the key, you developmentally disabled person. It's just not humane," defense attorney Craig Shannon told the judge in his closing arguments Thursday afternoon. "If we close that door today ... it just doesn't seem right. That's why we have parole boards."Prosecutors asked the judge to let Coburn die in prison. The toddler Coburn killed, Persephone Aurora Marie Nielsen, died as a result of blunt-force trauma to her head. But, Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher said those injuries were just a few in what amounted to more than 70 wounds the girl suffered at the hands of Coburn. "Some people are just plain evil. Some people are monsters," Gallagher said. "Some just need to be taken away."Coburn was babysitting the toddler alone at the time she was fatally injured.When first questioned by police the day of the attack in July 2015, Coburn said the girl, his girlfriend's daughter, fell off some boxes, resulting in multiple skull fractures and other injuries. He later told his father in a phone conversation from jail that he had fallen down stairs with the girl in his arms.Investigators said Coburn struck the child repeatedly with a metal rod, rammed her into a corner of a table or like object and hit her numerous times, causing a handprint to appear on her chest. "You have the tortuous killing of an innocent 2-year-old girl," Gallagher said. "There is no crime worse."Coburn entered an Alford plea in December on a charge of deliberate homicide. The plea means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges the prosecution has enough evidence for a conviction. The judge noted testimony on the crime itself was minimal during the two days of hearings, the first of which took place June 23. "We simply don't have that in this case," Menahan said. "It makes it more difficult for me." Gallagher said that although Coburn has a mental illness, he made deliberate choices just before the attack, including drinking malt liquor and using marijuana while babysitting the girl. Psychologist Natalie Novick Brown of Seattle testified Coburn displays "very childlike behavior," poor social judgment and no impulse control due to his fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The related brain damage causes a general lack of self control, she said. "The last thing you would want to do is put someone with FASD in charge of a child," she testified. Menahan said he believes Coburn realized that his actions that day were criminal and was unable to conform to the law, but not due to his mental health issues. "He's got a lot of time in prison," Menahan said. "He'll be watched the entire time he is there.""If he behaves anything like he did in prison previously, he will serve life in prison."Gina Rasmussen, a state probation and parole officer who conducted the pre-sentence investigation, spoke of Coburn's inability to follow rules while incarcerated both in jail and in prison. His criminal record began in his teens and is filled with mostly property crimes and threats, she said. "He has the worst criminal juvenilerecord I've seen," Rasmussen added. Coburn read a prepared statement to the judge. He said he agrees he should serve time but feels he can be rehabilitated. "I'm not an animal or a monster," Coburn read, adding he has remorse. "I do not go a day without thinking about what has happened." In a handwritten letter read and submitted to the court, the toddler's mother, Suzane Sword, addressed her daughter's killer. I hope you get what you deserve. Sorry wont bring her back. Nothing will bring her back. And Ill never be okay with that, Sword wrote.Menahan spoke directly to Sword at the end of the hearing. "In the event he is ever, ever to be released from prison, he will have to completely and fundamentally change his behavior," he told her.
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.
I once heard about a woman who liked to tell her entrepreneur husband, You can do whatever you want. Youre the CEO. She said this when he wrestled over a decision, when he wondered what others might think, and when he accepted more modest perks and benefits to try to save the company money.

On the surface, her words seemed extremely supportive. She was affirming her husbands wisdom and decision-making in his role as leader of his company and encouraging him to use his authority.

But the longer I thought about her statement, the more it unsettled me. If her husband truly took her advice at face value and behaved accordingly, the consequences could be disastrous. He might stop taking others into account; he might not seek advice or input; he might not take the time to carefully consider his decisions or to learn from his mistakes. In the end, such an approach could actually harm his business, his character, and even their relationship.

Integrity is essential

As Ive spent time in various business and start-up circles, Ive found that being a supportive spouse of an executive or leader isnt as simple as we might think. We want to show unconditional love toward and acceptance of our partnersbut thats not the same as affirming all of their behaviors, choices, and perspectives.

In the workplace, leaders already have a tendency to surround themselves with yes-men. One study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management stated that corporate leaders are subjected to high levels of ingratiation in the form of flattery and opinion conformity. As a consequence, this can increase CEOs overconfidence in their strategic judgment and leadership capability, which results in biased strategic decision making.

In Silicon Valley, where I live, weve recently seen the very public failures of several successful business leaders who apparently had few checks on their behavior. They defrauded investors, sexually assaulted or harassed women, and created toxic work cultures. Far beyond biased strategic decision-making, what ailed these executives seemed to be an utter loss of integrity. Unsurprisingly, this has been costly for the individuals and their corporations. Studies have found that the higher up in an organization a leader is, the more essential integrity is to his or her success.

This is true not just of business leaders. I believe any ambitious professional in a leadership capacity is at risk of this same blindness, regardless of his or her industry. Nonprofit leaders, ministry leaders, pastors, academics, and others are all susceptible to wanting to think they already know best and can do whatever they want. Sadly, most of the colleagues who surround them will likely only feed this misperception.

The high levels of ongoing stress that leaders and managers tend to be under doesnt help. While conducting research for Start, Love, Repeat, my book about marriage and entrepreneurship, I spoke with Dave Phillips, an executive mentor who has worked with hundreds of CEOs and entrepreneurs. The more stress people get under, the more their time horizons narrow, the less far they can see into the future, he explained. They will not see the natural consequences of their actions.

The gift of hard conversations

This is where spouses, I believe, are uniquely positioned to challenge the ambitious leaders we love. We see our husbands and wives more clearly and intricately. We can speak to them from the love and security of a committed relationship, rather than as an employee or business partner.

It is not, to be clear, about tempering or critiquing our spouses ambitions. Those who pursue bold callings with integrity and righteousness have the opportunity to honor God and serve others in a high-impact way. Scripture, after all, encourages us to let your light shine before others (Matt. 5:16, NRSV) and to serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received (1 Pet. 4:10, NRSV). As CT editor-at-large and author Katelyn Beaty writes in A Womans Place, For Christians to live as the tsaddiqim [Hebrew for the righteous] on the earth, they need the doggedness, vision, and shrewdness that are markers of people who shape and lead our society in profound ways. We need godly people in positions of power, influence, and decision-making in every industry and area of work.

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As spouses, we can help place those ambitions in perspective, in the larger picture of Gods work in the world and in our lives. There are plenty of other voices in the world who will provide both judgment and acclaim based on worldly accomplishments; in contrast, we can do our best to ensure that our partners think and act in consistently God-honoring, kingdom-building ways.

Our first concern shouldnt be what our spouses can or cannot do, but who they are and who they are becoming. Loving something and purifying something go hand in hand, writes Gary Thomas in Sacred Marriage. A husband who truly loves his wife will want to see her grow in purity. A wife who truly loves her husband will want to see him grow in godliness. Both will put growth in godliness above affluence, public opinion, or personal ease.

As ambitious individuals get pulled in the direction of ego, insulation, and acclaim, their spouses can serve a counterbalancing function: to provide honest feedback in a gentle and loving way. The deepest expression of unconditional love can come in the form of difficult-to-hear truths, of illuminating areas of weakness, blindness, and potential sin. As Proverbs 27:6 says, Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

One business owner I interviewed told me how her husband challenges her to set better boundaries with work. Hell come in [to my home office] and stop me and ask me to spend time with family, she said. Ive learned a lot from him. He really prioritizes time with family and self-care. Another entrepreneur told me how his wife has protected me from myself by monitoring their family finances and helping him to weigh the risks in his decision-making. Others have been challenged by their spouses to delegate more or to focus their goals more, in order to provide better health and stability for the family.

Love is more than affirmation

In my own 12-year marriage to an entrepreneur and now CEO, I have often felt like the lone voice that asks my husband to pay more attention to things other than work, including his health and our marriage and family. When he shares about a difficult work situation, I have often posed tough questions about his decision-making process or the treatment of the people involved. I have encouraged him to seek advice and prayer from mentors and friends and to prioritize relationships and his spiritual well-being even when he was feeling overstretched.

And while I have probably come across as a nag more often than I would like, I believe that, in the end, my husband and I have both benefited from these hard conversations. He knows I speak from a place of love and respect, and when he, in turn, challenges me, I know he has similar motives. Our relationship, as well as our individual characters, have experienced the fruit of this shaping and gentle nudging toward maturation.

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But my husbands career has benefited as well. His willingness to accept difficult feedback from me has prepared him to better listen to his colleagues, partners, and employees. Aware of his own shortcomings and blind spots, he regularly seeks guidance and input from others. He is willing to ask for help when he is uncertain what the path of greatest integrity and righteous leadership is. In all these ways, he is better equipped to serve the mission of his company and the people under his care.

Being supportive of our ambitious leaders in a way that shapes their character toward godliness isnt always easy. It requires a measure of courage in its own right, as we choose the perspective that few in our spouses inner circle will give over affirming platitudes.

No, you may not be able to encourage your spouse to do whatever he or she wants. But in the end, they will be able to do so much more because you were willing to love them by speaking up and holding them to account.

Dorcas Cheng-Tozun is the author of Start, Love, Repeat: How to Stay in Love with Your Entrepreneur in a Crazy Start-Up World. An award-winning writer and editor, she is a columnist for Inc.com.
Seventieth Anniversary of UN Vote on Israel

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 29, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations' vote to fulfill the 1917 Balfour Declaration and recognize "the Jewish people's right to a national home in their ancient homeland."

On November 29, 1947, the U.N. General Assembly voted to adopt the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine to become effective after the end of the British Mandate in May 1948. This Partition Plan recognized the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states. That 1947 U.N. vote is recorded in U.N. Resolution 181. The Partition Plan was accepted by the Jewish Agency for Palestine, but the Arab leaders and governments rejected the Plan and were unwilling to accept any territorial division.

While several nations such as France, Germany, and Japan had considered, or were considering, similar plans, the Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government 100 years ago in 1917 following Great Britain's defeat of the Ottoman Empire. With there being a strong Jewish presence in the region of Israel for the last 3,000 years, and the cultural and historic value to their community, the letter states:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour(sic) the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

The opening words of the declaration represented the first expression of public support for Zionism by a major political power. The term "national home" had no precedent in international law, and was intentionally vague as to whether a Jewish state was contemplated. The declaration also led to the creation of Mandatory Palestine, which later became Israel and the Palestinian territories. As a result, it is considered to have caused the ongoing IsraeliPalestinian conflict, often described as the world's most intractable conflict.

This year, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing the importance of the Balfour Declaration and its goal to support the rights of Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

Five years after the 1917 British Mandate, in 1922, or 95 years ago, the League of Nations (which included Great Britain, France, Germany, and other nations), the precursor to the United Nations, issued the Mandate for Palestine, recognizing the creation of the Jewish state. And, of course, in 1947, or 70 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Partition Plan.

In May 1948, following the expiration of the British control of Palestine, the Jews in Palestine declared independence and the establishment of Israel in accordance with the Plan. But the surrounding Arab nations attacked the Jews living there to destroy them. The modern state of Israel was born.

"The biblical and historical connection of the land of Israel to the Jewish people is undisputed," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. "The modern legal right to the land is also clear from the Balfour Declaration, to the League of Nations Mandate, to the United Nations Partition Plan. Israel is not an occupier of disputed territories but the rightful possessor of the land. This small part of the world is a beacon of hope for democracy and freedom in the Middle East," said Staver.



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.


Spencer Platt/Staff

Houston-based Premier Directional Drilling was ordered to pay five workers a total of $363,422 in back wages and damages.

Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra in San Antonio determined earlier this week that the workers were employees and not independent contractors as the company claimed. Ezra ruled the workers were owed $181,711 in unpaid overtime and an equal amount in damages, according to the court order.
A woman was struck and killed by a truck Tuesday morning while walking her two dogs in Montrose, according to a news release from the Houston Police Department.

The woman was walking her dogs around 8:40 a.m. on Mandell Street, but was struck in the 1500 block of Richmond at a crosswalk.
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In December 2016, three months after starting a job writing about health care for the Houston Chronicle, I attended a news conference at TIRR Memorial Hermann, where rehab-hospital staffers would be giving an update on a deputy who'd been shot months earlier during an ambush on police in Baton Rouge, La.

I remember walking in a few minutes late, slightly frazzled after driving circles around the Texas Medical Center in search of the right parking deck. I found a seat near the front and pulled out a notepad. Then, one of the doctors said something that has haunted me, a statistic that would lead me to spend a year learning about severe brain injuries and, in the process, force me to rethink my own views about end-of-life decisions, the certainty of expert medical opinions and what it means to be alive.

At first, I thought I'd misheard when Dr. Sunil Kothari explained that, among the untold thousands of patients living in U.S. nursing homes and believed to be in a vegetative state, scientists believe up to 43 percent are, in fact, minimally conscious  aware on some basic level but unable to easily show it.

Since then, I've talked to numerous experts in the niche field of physicians and therapists who treat people with disorders of consciousness. I've poured through research and read a couple of books on the subject. And, along with photographer Mark Mulligan, I spent countless hours with patients and their families, trying to understand how the science plays out in real life.

The results of that work, a four-part reporting project called "Alive Inside," was published today on HoustonChronicle.com.

To tell the story, we spent months with East Baton Rouge sheriff's Deputy Nick Tullier and his family, as they've struggled to get Nick the treatment he needs after he was shot three times, including once in the head, last summer.

We also sat with Shirley Fritsch at the bedside of her husband, Joel, who was accepted into Kothari's program more than a year ago but who's never made it because insurance wouldn't cover rehabilitative care. We attended college classes with Luke Burnham, a quick-witted 18-year-old who wasn't expected to survive after being hit by a car in Lake Charles, La., a couple of years ago. We met Mandy Coleman's family in Cypress, who cling to hope that Mandy will someday walk and talk again, three years after a near-fatal car accident left her minimally conscious. And we spent hours on the phone with Britain Lenz, who fought for months to get rehab treatment for her brain-damaged husband, Adam, and later faced an unfathomable decision when it became clear he wasn't getting better.

Their stories raise serious questions about the standard treatment offered to people who've suffered severe brain injuries in the U.S.

As I learned more, I had complicated conversations with my wife about what each of us would want if either ever suffered a severe brain injury. (My conclusion, in short: Before any drastic decisions, call Kothari). I also talked with neurotrauma doctors, who acknowledged their struggle to convey to families the brutal reality of a severe brain injury without dashing hopes for recovery, no matter how remote.

Later, I spent an hour inside an MRI machine for a clinical trial at Houston Methodist, where researchers Philip Horner and Tatiana Wolfe have invented a new scanning technology that maps and measures the health of the brain's winding nerve fibers. One day, Horner said, such scans could be used by neurologists to make more a precise diagnosis after a severe brain injury. The new promise of neuroplasticity  the study of how the brain wires and rewires itself over time, even after injury  makes it even more imperative to give families accurate information before they're asked to consider removing life support.

A year after that press conference, it's still not clear what the future holds for Tullier. Nobody knows if he'll ever walk or talk again. But at least his fiancee and parents will have an opportunity to find out.

This much is clear: Not everyone who suffers a severe brain injury is given that chance.

___

Now Playing: Nick Tullier suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was shot three times while working as a Baton Rouge police officer in 2016. After originally being diagnosed as being in a vegetative state, doctors and therapists at TIRR Memorial Hermann discovered Tullier is actually conscious. Video: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle

ALIVE INSIDE:

After deputy Nick Tullier was shot in the head, one doctor suggested removing life support. But he wasn't in a vegetative state, as physicians believed. Like thousands with similar injuries, Tullier was conscious, just unable to show it. Read how a Houston hospital restores patients with severe brain injuries here.

Part 1: How a Houston hospital restores patients with severe brain injuries

Part 2: Consciousness reborn: Doctors often miss the signs

Part 3: Rehab. Tests. Will. Endurance. Doctors realize 'the brain is not hardwired'

Part 4: Can patients find new meaning in life?

VIDEO STORIES:

At TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, people once thought as good as get find a shot at recovery. Read how patients with severe brain injuries share a common struggle here.

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Mike Hixenbaugh writes about health care and medicine for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send him tips at mike.hixenbaugh@chron.com.




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With one raised eyebrow and without uttering a word, Oree H. Bozman could give her students a look that let them know she meant business.

Bozman devoted more than 30 years to the teaching profession, most in Conroe ISD, and was known for her strict-but-caring approach with her students.

On countless occasions, during and after her teaching career, former students would return to visit Bozman and express their appreciation for the role she had in shaping their lives.

She also made history in the county as the first woman to be elected to the Conroe ISD school board in April 1976.

Today her legacy is celebrated through Oree Bozman Intermediate School in Conroe ISD, the Oree Bozman Library at the Conroe High School 9th-grade Campus and through the thousands of lives that she has touched and inspired, including those in her own family.

Bozman's daughter-in-law Patti Swain Bozman has been an educator at Conroe ISD for 34 years and is currently the librarian at Peet Junior High, granddaughter Shay Bozman Hopper is a teacher in Fayetteville, Ark. and her other granddaughter Lindsay Bozman Callaway has recently come back to work in Conroe ISD as a CTE Cosmetology and Tourism liaison for the district. In addition, a cousin, Kerri Knobloch Cargill, taught at Collins Intermediate and Mitchell Intermediate for 24 years. Patti Swain Bozman's mother Kay Swain was a teacher as well, teaching civics at Conroe High School until her retirement in 1969.

Family members called Oree Bozman a pioneer, a trailblazer and a believer in strong women, while at the same time they also said she was extremely unassuming and unobtrusive about her merits.

"I think she'd be shocked that a school was named after her," said her granddaughter Lindsay Bozman Callaway.

Early life

Oree Bozman was born Oree Hazel on Aug. 27, 1915 in Willis to Otis and Lillie Hazel.

Patti Bozman recalls stories Oree Bozman told of her walking to school along the train tracks in Willis.

"Many of her friends didn't have shoes, so to be like them, she'd take off her shoes and put them next to a tree (as she was going to school)," Patti Bozman said.

Her family owned Hazel & Alley Auto Parts on Frazier Street next to today's Joe's Italian Restaurant.

Bozman graduated as the salutatorian of her class in Willis in 1932.

She went on to graduate from Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1939 with a bachelor's degree in English and a double minor in French and Spanish. At college, she was elected to the scholastic honorary societies of Alpha Phi Sigma, Kappa Delta Pi, Sigma Tau Delta and Alpha Chi.

She taught in Klein ISD from 1939 to 1940.

"After college, I knew that I had to find a job. As a result, I took the first one offered to me. It was at Klein High School," Bozman wrote. "I taught all high school English, fifth grade reading, Texas history and sociology for $97.50 per month ... That first year was a total nightmare. I was teaching English (or trying to) to kids who spoke German in their homes. I really had a hard time with 'Throw the cow over the fence some hay.' At the end of that year, I finished all of my final records, handed them in at the office, went back to my room, gathered my few little personal belongings, made a solemn vow never again to enter a classroom as a teacher, went out the door, and closed it very gently."

But she was back in Conroe ISD from 1940 until she took leave in 1943 to serve in the military.

Military service

In Bozman family papers, Bozman said that after she taught in Conroe for three years, her best friend Christine Chambliss talked her into joining the Marines.

"When I told mother what I was planning, she was all for it. There was nothing in Conroe to do except teach school," she wrote. "But when I told dad, he said, 'Well, go ahead if that's what you want to do, but I think you are slap crazy!"

She and her friend went to Houston by bus to volunteer and take their examinations.

They found the Marine recruiting office locked with a sign directing them to the Post Office, which was a far walk.

On their walk, they passed the Women's Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES) door.

"I stopped dead still and said to Christine, "You can do what you want to, but I'm going in here!"

They went in and applied for Officer Candidate School in the WAVES. This was in June 1943.

Her Officer Candidate School and Basic Training was in Northampton, Mass.

"I thought by joining the Armed Forces, I'd have the chance to make a difference for my country and I did," Bozman wrote.

She was assigned to the Naval Communications Department in Washington, DC.

For more than two years, she handled top-secret Allied dispatches and helped decipher military codes used by the Japanese.

"Our jobs were fulfilling but extremely stressful," she wrote. "Security was a top priority."

When the war ended, she was transferred to New Orleans to finish up her tour of duty.

There she was offered a promotion and was in charge of approximately 200 WAVES at the Gulfport Training Center in Gulfport, Mississippi.

While in Gulfport, she met John A. Bozman, a fellow US Navy officer.

They were married on July 25, 1946 and went on to have two children, son John A. Bozman III and daughter Chris Bozman who lives in Houston.

Lindsay Bozman Callaway said in addition to being an exceptional cook, her grandmother was also an exceptional seamstress.

On her future mother-in-law's living room floor, Bozman laid out a bolt of satin and free-form cut and then sewed her own wedding dress.

A return to teaching

Bozman taught in Pennsylvania in 1946 to 1947, Spring ISD from 1949 to 1952 and in 1953, Conroe Superintendent W.D. "Topsy" Wilkerson asked her to come back to Conroe and teach English at Travis Junior High.

Patti Bozman was in her advanced English class.

"She favored boys. We all knew it and it was OK, it was comical," Patti Bozman said. "I got sent out in the hall one time for laughing with a group of boys in a time when you just didn't get sent outside. She walked to the door and raised her eyebrow with a look of death and said 'I hope Mr. Montgomery comes while ya'll are out here'."

Patti Bozman also had her own mother Kay Swain while she was in school.

Her parents came to Conroe in 1955. Her father Dr. Ken Swain was a optometrist and her mother was a charter member of the Montgomery County Republican Women and in the second class of the Conroe Service League.

"They both loved teaching," Patti Bozman said. "They truly loved their subject and their kids."

Lindsay Bozman Callaway said they were both passionate about delivering education and witnessing children learn.

They were also interested in the world outside of Conroe.

"They were not just interested in their own lives, but the bigger world around them," Callaway said. "They wanted (the students) to know that there were unique opportunities and that education was a way up. They grew up in the Depression and education brought them both out and up."

Swain once took her Sunday School class to a synagogue in Houston because she wanted her students to experience religions and cultures other than their own.

Bozman also sought to uplift students who needed a little extra help.

Callaway said she brought jeans, shoes and more to school for students who needed them before doing such things was talked about much.

"It was done in the most diplomatic way," Callaway said.

Community involvement

Callaway's grandfather, John A. Bozman, became involved in the Hazel & Alley Auto Store and later her father John A. Bozman III became involved in the store as well.

She recalls being dropped off by the school bus at the store after school and the store walls were covered in Conroe Tigers memorabilia.

Conroe was so small at the time, you either bought auto parts from the store or were taught in school by one of Callaway's grandmothers.

She said her grandfather was the more social one, but he was very support of his wife's efforts.

After she retired from teaching, many in the community began to encourage Bozman to run for the school board.

"She felt like the academic part of the school system should be represented as well," Callaway said.

Bozman was the first female to serve on the Conroe ISD school board and she served on the board until 1982.

"It was a major accomplishment for her and a significant milestone for Conroe schools," her obituary noted. "She paved the way for many more women to serve in leadership roles throughout the school system."

In 1982, she was profiled in the Montgomery County "Who's Who of Community Women."

Oree Bozman passed away on Sept. 5, 2002 at the age of 87, following an lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease.

"She was a strong, uniquely intelligent, compassionate, armed with a sharp wit, had an unparalleled love of the English language, was innovative, had expectations of herself and those around her and everyday she was a teacher - whether in the classroom or in life," wrote her granddaughter Shay Bozman Hopper, in a letter to encourage Conroe ISD officials to consider her grandmother's name for a new school.

In October 2009, the Oree Bozman Intermediate School on Beach Airport Road opened and it continues to carry out her passion of educating young people today.
David Frasers most recent job was managing Nevadas largest city.

Not Nevadas most populous city  with about 633,000 people, that would be Las Vegas. But Boulder City, the city he managed for four years before resigning in May, which encompasses 179 square miles and nearly 16,000 citizens.

Its the city the federal government built during the Great Depression to house the workers building Hoover Dam.

Imagine an army base being handed over to a city, Fraser said. The city got much larger during the 1990s when it spent $3.5 million to purchase 163 square miles to hold off sprawl from Las Vegas.

With 360 days of sunshine a year, the city is the center of the universe for electrical distribution in the West, he said. The city has signed long-term leases with a variety of solar energy providers, with proceeds from solar power comprises comprising 30 percent of the citys general fund. During his four years on the job, Fraser negotiated $300 million worth of leases with solar providers.

Fraser is one of four finalists for Billings vacant city administrator position. The four will be in town for interviews, tours, a time with the media and public Thursday. On Friday, the city council is set decide who will succeed Tina Volek, who retired Sept. 30.

Fraser declined to discuss why he resigned his position in Boulder City. In September 2016, he received a mixed job performance from the mayor and city council. The mayor said "Frasers performance lacked initiative, timeliness and communication," according to Boulder City Review newspaper.

Unlike Montana, city administrators in Nevada are given their review by the city council in open session.

Im not employed right now, he said. I have a long list of things to do that my wife hands me every day. Im probably working harder now than ever.

Boulder City, where Fraser still lives, is also home to the Eldorado Droneport, a 50-acre site thats being established, Fraser said, because the Federal Aviation Administration is interested in integrating drones in civil airspace. Boulder City, which has nearby canyons where drone pilots can simulate urban flight, is one of six test sites around the United States.

You dont want to test these in a city, he said, but you can in our desert. There is a high cool factor, and its been fun to be a part of getting that industry started.

Fraser grew up in Sundance, a small town in Wyomings northeast corner. Thats a big part of my attraction to the Billings position, he said. It would be nice to get close to my roots.

In addition to Boulder City, hes been city manager or administrator in three other communities  Beloit, Kansas; Buchanan, Michigan; and Milliken, Colorado. Before taking on the Boulder City job, he was executive director of the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities.

Mike Pacini, the organizations former president, said Fraser did a good job bringing people together despite the difficulty brought on by so many different elected officials. He represented cities big and small, trying to make people feel their issue was as important as anyone elses.

Also a former Boulder City Council member  although not while Fraser was city manager there  Pacini called Fraser very responsive to our needs, very attentive and proactive.

Fraser said hes been studying up on Billings politics, particularly the council's expected decision on directing tax increment financing funds toward the proposed One Big Sky Center. While he said hes not prepared to opine on the projects viability, I would say that tax increment financing has been a wonderful tool for a lot of projects that otherwise could not have been done  projects that have long-term positive economic benefits on all stakeholders.

"I am honored to be a finalist," he said. "I grew up in the neighborhood and love the area. I look forward to the interview very much."
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Christmas might be "the most wonderful time of the year" for many but not for Bob Cratchit's Victorian family in a realistic version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" that plays through Dec. 17 at Clear Creek Community Theatre.

"It's not quite the Disney version," said director and sound designer Robert Leslie Meek, explaining that one man's redemption in the story didn't cure all that ailed 19th century London.

"Even in Christmas present, money was tight," Meek said.

"There are a few moments where things get quickly heated," said Gabriel Regojo, who plays Bob Cratchit, Ebenezer Scrooge's overworked, underpaid clerk.

More Information want to go? What: "A Christmas Carol" Where: Clear Creek Community Theatre, 18091 Upper Bay Rd., Nassau Bay When: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 17 Cost: $13-15 Information: (281) 335-5528, www. clearcreekcommunitytheatre.com See More Collapse

Cratchit and his wife "normally embody the essence of familial joy" after Scrooge comes to his senses, said Regojo, but CCCT's script, penned by the pseudonymous A. Adams, adds a level of realism by showing the Cratchits still wondering how they will take care of their six children.

The play, subtitled "A Ghost Story of Christmas," usually employs three apparitions to reprimand Scrooge, but Meek piles on the old miser by tripling his ghosts of Christmas future, said Regojo.

"It is a really interesting way to stage it, while still saying true to the story," said the actor, who performs in children's theatrical shows that tour throughout greater Houston.

The children's shows, which sometimes are presented at Bay Area schools, teach common-sense life skills.

For example, the show Regojo now performs for the Alley Theatre, "Oscar and the Last Straw," offers tips on time management.

"We had a teacher tell us that adults can take advice from the show, too, like 'taking things one step at a time,' " he said. "It helps, especially in post-Harvey situations."

Meek, who graduated from Clear Lake High School in 2011, said that a third of the cast are students or graduates of the University of Houston, where both Meek and Regolo earned theater degrees.

Some other cast members are siblings.

"The familial aspect of the cast has been nice to work with," Meek said.

Luke Hales of Friendswood portrays Scrooge, while his wife, Roxann Hales, plays the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Other cast members include Kameron Compton, Dillon Dewitt, Haley Dugan, Logan Ezell, Sadie Ezell, Kelsey Hill, Laura Husband, Maykala Koran, Michelle Koran, Cara Leighton, Hunter Locke, Jacob Mangum, Maggie Maxwell, Pat Monks, Hannah Rose Pickle, Joshua Pickle, Ansel Ricco, Anna Strickland, Olivia Tovar, Kristina C. Treybig and Spencer Upchurch.

Meek's assistant director is Darian Silvers.

The production team includes John Meek (lights), Dru Bowman (costume designer) and Aeryn Lance (scenic designer).

The stage manager is Allison Vier.

Meek said the set boasts four locations on rolling platforms. There are about 80 sound cues and 80 light cues.

A preview of the show can be viewed on CCTV's You Tube channel.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
Police are looking for three armed men who robbed a River Oaks Whataburger late Tuesday, taking cash, wallets and cell phones.

The men walked into the restaurant at 3639 Westheimer at 11:40 p.m., wielding guns while wearing masks and hoodies, according to Houston police. One of the men walked around the counter and ordered an employee to empty out the cash register. He then hit the employee in the head with his gun and ordered him to open the safe.
EDDIE SEAL

Texas' U.S. senators are speaking out against the Venezuelan government after the recent arrests of Citgo Petroleum executives, including several Texas residents.

Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz issued a joint statement Wednesday saying they've long been concerned about the foreign influence on Houston-based Citgo, which is owned by Venezuela, and the potential impacts on U.S. operations.
Long before they inspired a hit song by Bob Marley or a nationwide motorcycle club, the "Buffalo Soldiers" were one of the most celebrated fighting units in American military history.

Founded after the Civil War, when Congress set aside certain regiments for African-American troops, these soldiers confronted not just enemy troops but the unenviable task of fighting to uphold the freedoms and values of a society that actively and, often enough, violently discriminated against them.

Himself a retired Army captain, Paul Matthews says his interest in the Buffalo Soldiers kindled during his time as an undergraduate at Prairie View A&M. In his 30-year career with the Merck pharmaceutical company, he often found himself at European U.S. military bases, which provided ample opportunity to acquire all sorts of related artifacts.

Eventually his collection outgrew his house, so he found a converted home on Southmore, near Third Ward, and opened the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in 2001.

More Information Buffalo Soldiers National Museum When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays Where: 3816 Caroline Information: $5-$10, free for ages 5 and under; buffalosoldiermuseum.com See More Collapse

In 2012, four years after Matthews bought the building from the city, it moved into the former Houston Light Guard Armory, built in 1925.

Matthews says the museum represents the largest collection of African-American military memorabilia in the world. Today, its scope has grown from the namesake Indian fighters of the 1860s and '70s to black men and women battling in every branch of America's armed services. But even among the myriad uniforms, medals, flags, rifles, sabres, Bibles, toiletries, paintings, books and beyond, there are objects in this collection that stand out. Here are a few of them:

Buffalo-hide overcoat

This knee-length, wide-lapel, double-breasted job could have clothed Jim Brown or Fred "The Hammer" Williamson in some '70s action flick. Though not "government issue," chuckles Matthews, for soldiers stationed in Nebraska and the Dakotas, the coat's dense, coarse fur was ideal insulation against the bitter Great Plains winds. This particular garment belonged to the great-uncle of a veteran in Baltimore.

Pecan picker

It looks like a coat hanger picking up a Slinky, but its method of sifting pecans from other undergrowth is rather ingenious. Situated alongside wrenches, blades, irons, weights and other tools in the museum's "technology room," the pecan picker also is Matthews' clever method of explaining proper "pecan" pronunciation to guests, many of whom are in Houston specifically to visit the museum, he says. There's the correct way, so self-evident to Texans. The other allows Matthews to gesture to a nearby chamber pot - or "pee can" - which slays 'em every time.

Buffalo sculptures

The exact origins of the "Buffalo Soldier" term are fuzzy, but one well-told tale tracks back to the Cheyenne people. The bluecoat soldiers' fierce fighting spirit supposedly reminded the tribe of the hoofed beasts, who can be quite dangerous when injured or cornered. Their thick hair is another theory, as are the overcoats mentioned earlier. Either way, the soldiers proudly adopted the animal as a symbol, while the Indians used the term with respect. Buffalo imagery pervades the museum, seen in paintings, blankets, coins and sculptures ranging in size from a small table to the paperweight-like items given out to distinguished guests.

Camp Logan trial picture

Framed by dozens of mugshots of the men who stood trial, this sepia photo shows the court-martial of the 24th Infantry troops charged in the Camp Logan uprising, at the time the largest murder trial in U.S. history. Stationed near present-day Memorial Park, upset by weeks of abusive treatment at the hands of the local police, in August of 1917 dozens of troops marched into nearby neighborhoods and opened fire; among the 16 people killed were five policemen. Ultimately, 19 soldiers were hanged and 55 more got life sentences, even as some protested their innocence or non-involvement.

Space Shuttle chair

The museum positions astronauts as modern-day Buffalo Soldiers - explorers of the faraway, often hostile environment of outer space, just as their 1860s-'70s ancestors did on the expanding nation's outer fringes. The chair was donated by Bernard Harris, a Texas native who was flight surgeon on Columbia in 1993 and Discovery in '95; it's so new to the museum that Matthews admits he's not sure which of the two missions it comes from. Nearby is the 10th Cavalry's distinctive red and white flag, taken into orbit in 2006 by Discovery mission specialist Stephanie D. Wilson in honor of Michael Anderson, who perished when Columbia broke apart over East Texas three years earlier.

Letter from Korea

Matthews calls this letter from July 1951 "paydirt" because it cuts to the heart of the Buffalo Soldiers' long-running struggle for respect from their comrades in arms (and society at large). Writing to his mother in Brownwood, a member of the 24th Infantry reflects on the imminent integration of his regiment. "We are expecting our Regiment to be broken up with in a few days and be mix with white soldier troops," he wrote. "A lot of the colored soldiers do not prefer to be mixed with the white soldiers, because they figure it will start a roit (sic) among them."

Motorcycle vest

In 1993, Ken "Dream Maker" Thomas founded the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club, hoping to effect positive change within his Chicago community by reviving, after a fashion, the 9th and 10th Cavalry. His leather vest on display at the museum boasts patches from chapters across North America - Virginia, New Mexico, Boston, New Orleans and many more. Those interested in joining the Houston branch, known as the "Mother Chapter," should visit txbuffalosoldier.com.

"Buffalo Soldier Girl" mannequin

Born a slave, Cathay (or Cathy) Williams was freed by Union soldiers shortly after the Civil War broke out and wound up serving as a cook for General Phillip Sheridan in Virginia. Inspired by the companies of African-American troops she saw fighting the Confederacy, Williams disguised herself as a man and enlisted as a Buffalo Soldier in 1866. She was discharged two years later after her true identity was discovered, but not before earning a medal for sharpshooting and laying a foundation for the women who serve in the upper echelons of today's armed forces.

Parade drum

John Sessums was the only African-American member of the Houston Light Guard, the city's first uniformed militia organized after the Civil War. According to Matthews, Sessums won so many drum competitions with the Guard, he was only permitted to perform in exhibitions after a certain point. He served 52 years with the company, whose ranks once included many members of Houston's social elite. Today Sessums' drum rests alongside Light Guard artifacts.
Jacquelyn Martin/STF

A Fort Bend nurse was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme that deprived the government of $17.1 million over seven years.

Eric Ugorji, a registered nurse who relocated to the U.S. from Nigeria 25 years ago, made a lengthy statement to U.S. District Judge David Hittner expressing remorse for his actions and begging the court's mercy.
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At first, Anthony Valle insisted he didn't know her.

The 43-year-old homeowner told authorities in July that an "unknown intruder" had forced their way into his Atascocita-area home. Layla Ramos, 14, a friend of his daughter, was found dead from two gunshot wounds.

Four agonizing months later, members of the teen's family say they finally feel some peace after learning on Tuesday that Valle was charged with murder for killing their beloved relative.

"It's about damn time," her aunt, Carmalita Lugo said over the phone on Tuesday. "It's a big relief, because they were focusing so much on her breaking and entering. This lets everybody know that he went over and killed a little girl, because he wanted to keep her silent."

Investigation begins

After Layla was found shot on July 20 at Valle's home on River Brook Drive, homicide investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's Office began looking into the case. They found inconsistencies with Valle's initial statement to authorities.

The investigators concluded that Valle and the teen had an inappropriate relationship, which included drug use and possible sexual misconduct, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

Ramos also reportedly threatened to tell authorities about the sexual misconduct, the release stated.

The family told The Houston Chronicle this past summer of Valle's relationship with Layla who had been friends with his daughter and often visited his house.

They say they watched the girl spiral out of control and become addicted to drugs.

"I'm so relieved," Alana Mock, the girl's mother, said about the man being charged. "He took my innocent baby, so I hope he gets the death penalty."

Deputy Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, declined to divulge details about the alleged sexual misconduct between Ramos and Valle. He said that evidence would be presented when the case goes to trial.

Gilliland also said that additional witnesses came forward after the initial story was published in The Houston Chronicle. "We're looking to see if anybody else has been propositioned by this male," said Gilliland "The investigation is still continuing."

Valle is currently in jail and is expected to appear in court on Thursday.



Had a hunch

On that early summer morning when her daughter was killed, Mock had a hunch who might be responsible.

She woke up around 2:30 a.m., wondering why her daughter was not home. The mother frantically texted her daughter trying to figure out her whereabouts.

The teen sent a series of texts to her sister, Angelica Morales, 19, and her mother. Layla said she was with someone but did not identify the person.

"Don't say I'm with him if he calls u," she sent in a text to Morales about 1:30 a.m. About two hours later she texted her mother back saying she was "barely" at Walmart.

A few hours later, following her instincts, Mock sent her husband, Daniel, to Valle's home.

Daniel found deputies at the residence instead.

"I called [Alana] crying before I even knew it was Layla," he said.

Valle had apparently called 911 to report an intruder breaking into his house, according to a written dispatch log obtained by the Houston Chronicle under the state's open records law.

He told the 911 operator that he realized the intruder wasn't a stranger.

"It's Layla," he said to operators. "She was a friend."

Starting over

Layla Ramos had just gotten out of rehab before she died in July. Family and friends told The Houston Chronicle that she was in the process of starting over.

She was left in the care of her grandmother and stepfather in 2014 when her mother ended up in jail for nine months for theft and evading arrest.

The family said Ramos, then 11, began to change into a different person. When Mock returned home in 2015 from jail, she didn't recognize her daughter.

She was thin and had started doing drugs. "She was just strung out, all the time," Mock said about her daughter.

Layla posted photos on Instagram of alcohol, pills and hundreds of dollars in cash.

Since the girl had become friends with Valle's teenage daughters, she visited the house frequently.

For a time, neighbors thought she lived there. Valle even drove her to visit her mother in jail.

In September 2016, the mother moved both of her teenage daughters away from the Atascocita area neighborhood. In April, she sent Layla to a juvenile rehab program for a second time.

When the teenager got out, she seemed better, her mother said, and was excited to start eighth grade at Hambrick Middle School in Aldine ISD in the Fall.

She spent time at home watching her 6 and 3-year-old siblings. But before she could enter eighth grade she was killed.

Mock said she feels at peace about her daughter's killer being caught but knows the pain of missing her will never fade.

"It's not gonna bring my daughter back," she said. "He still gets to be alive with his family."

Margaret Kadifa contributed to this report.
The McDonald's on the corner of Kingwood Drive and Lake Houston Parkway continued to sit empty as construction was ongoing on the Chase Bank next door. Across the street, Randall's opened just weeks ago, finally giving nearby residents a place to grocery shop, though some still don't have a working kitchen.

It's been three months since Hurricane Harvey wreaked devastation on this part of Kingwood, construction crews still line nearby neighborhoods and businesses, and many families still live in hotels while others are living on the second floor of their homes.

But inside Gnome Sweet Gnome in the Kingwood Town Center, upbeat Christmas music fills the air, which smells like the creme brulee candles sold at the store. The store reopened Nov. 3.

Co-owners Mary Beth Baker and Sally Kelly both said they have survivor's guilt when it comes to the catastrophic flooding in the area because their own homes were unaffected. However, their business, which specializes in unique home decor, received about 5 feet of water.

Baker has owned the store for four and half years, and brought in Kelly as a co-owner in June. The two women met with their husbands right after Harvey to discuss the possibility of reopening.

Within five minutes, they decided to rebuild.

"We want our community back, and we want to be a light in the darkness," Kelly said. "People are walking in, and you can hear the sigh of relief because we want our town back."

Baker described the smell that overtook the area as the water subsided - Harvey and death. She wondered how many animals died in the flooding and recalled a phone conversation with Kelly.

"You were crying, and you said, 'The birds are not singing; there are no birds,'" Baker said to Kelly, who lives on the lake and is used to the sounds of wildlife. "When she said it, I was like, 'You are right.' It was really weird. It was quiet. It was eerie."

Many who have come into the store discount their feelings, insisting there are others out there who have it worse, but Baker said she tells customers it's OK to be upset. The devastation that occurred is not normal.

One customer had been collecting Christmas ornaments, each year allowing her children to pick one out. This year, they came to the store to start all over again. It wasn't just stuff, Kelly said, families lost memories.

Baker said they've been selling a lot of potpourri, and she thinks it is because some who were flooded don't have space to decorate for Christmas, and the fragrant decor brings in a little piece of the Christmas spirit.

Santa sculptor

Soon after reopening, the two women were blessed with a new friend. Pat Wallace said she, too, was feeling survivor's remorse after emerging from the flooding unscathed. She wanted to help out the community, but she didn't know how. She took a drive to the Town Center one Saturday where she got into a conversation with Baker, who told Wallace all of the store's Christmas stock was ruined in storage.

Wallace said she once had her own business as an artist sculpting Santas, and when Baker found out, she flipped. She knew Wallace's work well from the community's tour of homes, which incorporated many of the sculptor's works. Wallace's life-size Santa sculptures have been purchased by well-known buyers, like former Astros general manager Phil Garner.

Baker's sister, Suzanne Snell, even tried to buy one of Wallace's pieces, but couldn't get her hands on one before Wallace retired 10 years ago. Snell even has a picture of her daughter taken years ago by a photographer with one of Wallace's Santas.

It took some convincing to coax Wallace out of retirement. The work is incredibly detailed, and she couldn't do it alone, so she took Snell on as an apprentice. Snell helps paint toothpicks to look like pencils and wraps matchboxes to look like presents.

"I don't really want to go into business again," Wallace said. "I just want to play and be happy and make other people happy, and for some reason God put me in my car and I drove over here on a Saturday."

Wallace is now working on a few pieces to represent the spirit of Kingwood.

She lit up describing a Santa-like figure with feet like trunks with roots, sitting on a chair made of branches with a bird's nest and cardinal. He'll have white gloves made of rabbit fur and a coat of sheet moss or silk leaves.

Another work she's planning is a figure with his shirt open life Superman, with "KW" emblazoned on his chest rather than an "S." He, too, will have feet planted with roots around his feet.

A third piece will be a boat, called the "Friend Ship," with the Kingwood figure sitting in the middle of it with a stick, surrounded by people with umbrellas, and the Cajun Navy will be represented.

All of the pieces, Wallace said, will represent the community's strength.

The tragedy has taught residents to depend more on each other and helped them realize the resources available in the community, the three women agreed. Baker added she's been more focused on shopping locally, and Kelly said they've felt the same sentiment from visitors in their store.

Kelly has become a popular figure in the store, and customers often seek her out to talk.

"I just love people. I like to help people," Kelly said. "I want this store to be a place where you can come, you can buy a gift for anyone at every price level, and I want it to be warm, and I want people to feel good when they come in. If that means a hug and a cry .. that's OK."
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Well before taking an essential role on the front line helping Kingwood residents during Hurricane Harvey, Houston District E chief of staff Jessica Beemer was already performing a vital service for her community.

Her blood type is O-negative, Beemer explained while sitting in a blood-drawing chair during the First Responders and Community Blood Drive at the Kingwood Community Center on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

"I donate blood as often as I can because I'm a universal donor," Beemer said.

The drive was hosted by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in conjunction with Kingwood area first responders as a way to give back to the community and recognize first responders.

Sgt. David Giannavola with the Houston Police Department Kingwood Division was among those who donated blood at the drive. He expressed gratitude for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's appreciative gesture toward Kingwood first responders.

"The event was extra special since The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center gave recognition and a heart-warming 'thanks' to the Kingwood Area first responders for all our hard work and sacrifices, not only during Hurricane Harvey, but what we do daily to serve this community who have been so good and appreciative to us for so long," Giannavola said.

He reported the event was even more successful than anticipated, with dozens of people turning out to donate life-saving blood.

Beemer said she often donates with a friend and enjoys grabbing a steak afterwards. One of her goals is to help people realize giving blood does not have to be a daunting activity.

"Anything I can do to build awareness about donating blood to let people know it doesn't take that long, it's not a painful process and you get free snacks," she added, pointing to the bag of goldfish in her lap.

Kingwood resident Eric Henderson is another devoted donor. He sat in a chair across the room as phlebotomist Nicholas Catalan prepped his arm.

Everyone has their reasons for donating blood, Henderson said. One of his own personal motivations involves someone with whom he was very close.

"I donate all the time," Henderson said. "It kind of reflects back to the days when my father was terminally ill and was the beneficiary of many blood transfusions. This is my way of giving back."

One of Henderson's family members, Grant Davis, was visiting Kingwood from Indianapolis. He decided to donate as well.

"I feel like helping out the community," Davis said. "This is actually my second trip to the community down here, but it's a lovely place."

Henderson praised the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center for their presence in the community and for hosting regular blood drives  a sentiment shared by Sgt. Giannavola and HPD-Kingwood.

"The Houston Police Department  Kingwood Division would like to personally thank Mr. Steve Muraco of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center for coordinating this event with the Kingwood area first responders, along with all the citizens who came out to donate blood," Giannavola said. "We cannot thank you enough for your continued support for the Kingwood Community and the first responders."

For more information about the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, visit www.giveblood.org.
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A truck hit a pedestrian crossing Richmond Drive during rush hour Monday morning, killing the pedestrian and a dog the person was walking.

The wreck happened about 8:40 a.m. in Montrose, according to Houston police, at the intersection of Richmond and Mandell.

The vehicle was turning left onto Richmond from Mandell, police said, while the pedestrian was crossing Richmond in the intersection crosswalk. The driver struck the person, who was taken to the hospital and later died.

The pedestrian was walking two dogs, police said; one was killed, but the other was unharmed.

This story will be updated when more details are available.
The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts is encouraging all schools impacted by Hurricane Harvey from Texas and Louisiana to apply for a chance to receive $2,000 art kits.

The funds will be raised through the re-release of the famous silkscreen print "We Will Rise Again" piece that was first seen post-Katrina.

All money raised through the sale of the silkscreen print art pieces, the George's Art Closet program, and funds contributed from other supporters, the foundation was able to raise enough to donate a number of $2,000 art kits.

"Dad would be proud to have taken part in this effort to help schools affected by Hurricane Harvey," said Jacques Rodrigue, executive director of GRFA.

The kits are geared toward elementary, middle or high school classrooms. Any schools from either Texas or Louisiana are asked to apply through an online form (https://form.jotform.com/72965875069172) to determined which school is in the most need.

"These same communities in Houston and elsewhere in Texas helped us get back on our feet after Katrina and it is our turn to do the same," Rodrigue said.

The foundation has raised millions in for humanitarian efforts and arts organizations right after Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana in 2005.

The originally Blue Dog print of We Will Rise Again raised $700,000, which the foundation notes were mostly generated by Texans.
Dave Waggoner was at work at the Laurel wastewater treatment plant on Tuesday when a colleague delivered to him the city's ultimatum.

It came as a five-page memo from Laurel's city attorney, Sam Painter. In it, he outlined his opinion that Waggoner, a city employee, couldn't also serve as mayor.

Painter wrote that if Waggoner gives up his job at the water plant, which he's had for a decade, then there's no issue.

"On the other hand, if Mr. Waggoner chooses to challenge the city's position and refuses to resign his employment and serve as mayor, an appropriate court action can be filed in advance to obtain a court order resolving the issue ..." Painter wrote.

Painter's memo is the city's first official move in a new dispute over the mayoral election, which Waggoner won with 53 percent of the vote. The city warned that it may seek a judge's ruling to declare the office vacant if Waggoner doesn't choose between his job and the mayorship.

The city is giving Waggoner until early January, when elected officials are sworn in, to make his choice.

I got until Jan. 2," he said. "I dont have to give them an answer. They can demand an answer all they want but they're not getting one until Jan 2.

A choice isn't something Waggoner planned to make. He's contended that he would avoid union conflicts that might arise while being both mayor and a city employee.

Painter's memo outlining the city's position relied on a 1998 opinion by Montana's attorney general at the time, Joseph Mazurek. That opinion addressed whether a public works employee and director could also sit on a city council.

Mazurek wrote that the positions are "incompatible," mainly because an official shouldn't have control over the hiring or firing of his or her own city job.

In Laurel's case, the city charter gives the mayor the authority to fire any employee or department head. That would give Waggoner undue supervision of his own job, Painter wrote.

In his memo, Painter indicates twice that the city warned Waggoner about conflicts when he ran for mayor four years ago. But Waggoner said he didn't run for mayor in 2013.

County records show current Mayor Mark Mace ran unopposed, though write-ins took 25 percent of the vote. Waggoner said he wasn't a write-in candidate for any office in 2013.

He did, however, run for Ward 1 on the Laurel City Council in 2011. He lost by 20 points.

While the dispute may simmer for a month or so, Painter did provide guidance for city officials in case the mayor position is deemed vacant. He said that the City Council would appoint a mayor to hold the position until the next municipal election in 2019.

The elected mayor in 2019 would serve out the remainder of the original mayoral term and face another election in 2021, Painter wrote.

That scenario could play out in a couple ways. One would require Waggoner to decline the mayorship. Another would require a judge to issue a ruling declaring Waggoner ineligible to assume office and the mayor position as legally vacant.

If the situation were a chess game, it would be Waggoner's move.

I'm not going by their attorney," he said. "I personally dont think they have the authority to do it.
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Jersey Village residents may be able to view City Council meetings without ever leaving their home starting next March.

Jersey Village City Council voted on Nov. 20 to use $6,000 from the 1 percent franchise fee the city collects to improve its Public, Education and Government (PEG) Channel.

City Manager Austin Bleess said, "Right now we're looking at various contractors/companies that provide equipment that we can utilize."

Based on past experience, he said the budget should cover costs.

He said broadcasts on the PEG channel won't be live but slightly delayed. Jersey Village High School maintains the channel and Bleess said the city would work with it to provide a video clip after the meeting that could be broadcast for the city.

The city also is looking at a possible live stream to YouTube, added Bleess.

Jersey Village Mayor Justin Ray said that city officials considered the item over the course of several months. Officials wanted to make sure it was technically feasible and wouldn't overburden staff, said the mayor, noting a number of cities broadcast their meetings.

"It gives access to City Council deliberations to people who do not make it out to meetings," he said. After investigation, officials determined the city has the means and ability to broadcast meetings to benefit the community at large, said Ray.

Council Member Bobby Warren provided impetus for consideration of the move to broadcast meetings.

"I ran for office to make local government more accessible to my neighbors," he said in an email. "Some have the luxury of spare time to attend city council meetings in person every month to better understand how city council is representing the interest of our citizens. The reality, however, is that many people in Jersey Village cannot make it to these meetings. Some may have work schedules that conflict with our meeting times and others have family obligations that keep them away from city hall."

The city publishes minutes of its meetings as required by state law, he said, adding that they provide "a minimal amount of information about what takes place in our city council meetings.

"By watching our deliberations, I believe citizens will have a better sense of whether their elected officials are effectively representing their interests," said Warren.

The councilman said he received a positive response from citizens to his proposal.

"In fact, I have already received some questions from citizens about whether other meetings, such as our upcoming Dec. 4 public meeting on our gateway and wayfinding signage project, will also be broadcast online. For now, however, only regular city council meetings will be broadcast. Once we have had time to resolve any issues with those broadcasts, we will explore expansion to other public meetings."

Citizen response shows that residents are interested in becoming better informed about what their government is doing, he said. "I believe the best way to achieve this is by leveraging technology to provide greater transparency."
When thieves stole several trucks and trailers full of landscaping equipment early Wednesday, they didn't get far. GPS tracking devices on the equipment made it easy for police to track down and arrest the four men in a parking lot just a few miles away.

The owner of a northside landscaping company called police about 2 a.m. because an intruder alarm had gone off at his business in the 3300 block of Creekmont, according to Houston Police Lt. Larry Crowson. On security cameras, the owner watched several men in the fenced-in yard steal three vehicles and three trailers loaded down with landscaping equipment.
A Brazoria County jury on Tuesday acquitted a former police officer for accidentally shooting his sleeping neighbor through their shared apartment wall.

Following the verdict  which the six-member jury reached after less than one hour  Reggie Rossow Jr. walked up to former Freeport police officer Matthew McInnis and shook hands with the man whose bullet caused severe injuries, including the removal of Rossow's spleen.

"It was just some closure, it was the first time I've ever seen him, face-to-face," said Rossow, 37. "That's just the way I was raised."

McInnis, who was a 25-year-old rookie cop when he fired his duty weapon while in bed, said the handshake with the injured man "meant a lot. Hopefully we can rebuild, hopefully we can have some kind of relationship. This has been two years in the making, and there are a lot of emotions built up."

The circumstances of the shooting - Rossow was asleep, in his bed at home, doing nothing illegal at all - are unlike those involved in any other officer-involved shooting in Texas, according to an analysis of reports that are now required for all officer-involved shootings under a 2015 state law.

An analysis of those reports shows that Texas officers shot 354 individuals in the two years from Sept. 2015 until October 2017. Of the 62 individuals who were unarmed, 23 people - or 37 percent of all the unarmed individuals shot - were black, and another 23 people were white. Another 16 individuals were Hispanic or Latino.

The trial was just as bizarre and unusual as the shooting, which McInnis repeatedly told investigators happened as his alarm awoke him for work at 4 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2016. Then 25, McInnis had just started his adult life  he was fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a peace officer, and had just moved into his own apartment with a roommate, also a police officer.

Rossow, who is black, lived in the adjacent apartment with his wife and son, Noah. While Noah often sleeps in bed with his father, Rossow was alone in his bed when he was shot. He awoke to a "pop," he said, then felt blood on his back and awoke his wife, asking her to call 9-1-1.

Meanwhile in the apartment next door, McInnis searched for the empty shell casing  which was in his sheets  and traced the bullet's path through his headboard and two walls. Then, he knocked on his neighbor's door, and applied pressure to Rossow's back until paramedics arrived.

"I'm not from here, I've never been on my own before," McInnis said when asked about sleeping with a loaded gun in the moments after the shooting. A body-worn camera recorded the exchange.

"I opened my eyes and heard it go off, heard the discharge," the former officer said. "That's what woke me up, and I guess I had my hand on the gun or finger on the trigger and it went off."

It took months for Rossow to recover physically, and the loss of his spleen requires him to get annual vaccinations. While he said he's feeling better, he continues to struggle financially and is still in the process of getting compensation from the state for crime victims.

McInnis resigned from the department in February of 2016. The Clute Police Department investigated the shooting and recommended no charges. But the case also went before a grand jury, which in June returned an indictment stating that McInnis was reckless in shooting his firearm through the wall.

"Ultimately, charges were brought," prosecutor David Smith said during opening statements. "We're not letting an officer who discharged his firearm get away with it. We're asking that he be held accountable for his actions."

After hearing McInnis' explanation of what happened, Rossow was certain that the all-white jury would find the former officer guilty.

"But I guess those six people just don't know me, aren't like me, and don't come from where I come from," Rossow said.

The jury was picked at the end of October, but two days in, a juror was hospitalized and there were no alternates. Then, a death in Judge Marc Holder's family and planned vacations pushed the trial's resumption to Monday.

Things got even stranger during the three-and-a-half-weeklong pause, when the prosecution amended its witness list to include Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne, First Assistant District Attorney Mary Aldous, and the court reporter from McInnis' grand jury proceeding.

The prosecution was attempting to enter McInnis's testimony,, but the court reporter who took it down could not identify the former officer in court. In brief testimony, Yenne confirmed that McInnis went before the grand jury, was not forced to speak, and was placed under oath. Yenne said it was "not common" for her to take the stand, and could only recall one other case in which she did so.

Tupa's comments were truncated, and while she was set to read from McInnis' statements to the grand jury  proceedings that are secretive  the judge did not allow her to do so. "I think it's safer to just stop it here," Holder said.

Smith declined to comment after the verdict Tuesday, directing a reporter to Yenne, who had left the courthouse for the day and did not call a reporter back.

The actual trial only lasted four days, during which defense attorney Charles Adams raised more than 250 objections, living up to a statement he made during jury selection that he would "zealously represent my client." While McInnis was expected to testify, he chose not to on Tuesday, Adams said.

After the jury verdict, McInnis said he was looking forward to spending time with his family. "I'm just thankful," he said, as his eyes filled with tears.

It's rare for an officer to be punished after shooting someone, even more so while the officer is off-duty, but several have been recently. Former Farmers Branch officer Ken Johnson was indicted last year in the fatal shooting of a suspected burglar, whom Johnson chased and then shot while off-duty. Awaiting trial for murder and four counts of aggravated assault by a public servant is former Balch Springs policeman Roy Oliver, accused of shooting into a car full of teenagers, killing 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.

This week, a fired Dallas police officer received two-years probated sentence for attempted deadly conduct in the shooting of a mentally ill man in 2013. Cardan Spencer, 34, was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. Earlier this year, former Garland officer Patrick Tuter was placed on probation for nine months for fatally shooting an unarmed man five years ago. He, too, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge but was initially charged with a felony.
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A Houston man who allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend in 2006 is in the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials after being a fugitive for more than a decade.

William Joseph Greer, 52, was arrested Tuesday following a joint operation by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Harris County Sheriff's Office and Mexican authorities in a remote city in the southern Mexican state of Tabasco, law officials announced Wednesday.

"He's been a chameleon for 11 years," said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Richard Hunter.

Greer is accused of shooting and killing his 28-year-old girlfriend, Tammy Marie Esquivel, at their home in Spring on Dec. 19, 2006.

Three days later, with the crime still undiscovered by law enforcement officials, Cleveland police found Greer wandering in a field half-naked and drunk, his car in a ditch. Dashcam video from the arresting officer's vehicle recorded Greer admitting to accidentally shooting Esquivel in the chest during a domestic argument, according to published reports.

"The gun just went off," Greer allegedly stated in the video.

He was arrested for public intoxication, but without any evidence to substantiate the confession, officials released him the next morning.

"We had a confession on video, but without evidence to match it we had to let him go," said Hunter.

The confession became evidence when Greer's sons - then 9 and 13 years old - told police on Dec. 30 that Greer dragged Esquivel into the master bedroom of the home, located in north Houston.

The boys related how through the bedroom door they heard Greer and Esquivel arguing, then a gunshot, a gurgling sound, and Greer asking Esquivel if she was alive. Then silence.

Esquivel's body has never been found.

When officials searched the home in January of 2007, they found sheets of industrial-strength plastic and enough blood to conclude a person had been seriously injured, according to a 2016 news release from the U.S. Marshal Service. Greer was indicted in Harris County shortly thereafter and a warrant for his arrest was issued. By then, however, he'd reportedly skipped town.

RELATED: Fugitive task force pounds the pavement in search of criminals

At the time of his arrest, Greer was going by an alias in remote Nacajuca, a Mexican town in the Yucatan peninsula near the Guatemala border. Greer, who was living there with a woman and two children, was detained without a struggle as he left home on a scooter to pick up the children at their school, Hunter said.

In partnership with the Mexican Attorney General's office, U.S. Marshals identified Greer during surveillance several days before his arrest. Greer was conclusively identified when U.S. Marshals asked him to removed his shoe, a missing toe on his left foot having been determined to be one of his more identifiable characteristics

Sightings of Greer were reported across the country, with credible leads coming from Louisiana and Kentucky soon after he fled the Houston area. Hunter said officials believe he made his way to Mexico soon after the murder in early 2007.

Hunter said Greer was deeply embedded in the small community, his level of proficiency in Spanish suggested he had been in the country for years. Locals knew him as "El Gringo"  the American.

"William Greer is a good old country boy," Hunter said, "He didn't speak a lick of Spanish before he went down there."

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said efforts are being made to locate Esquivel's next of kin, but added it has been more than ten years since her murder.

MORE: Greer added to international database

Gonzalez said Greer is in the custody of Mexican officials in Mexico City, where extradition procedures to return him to Texas are underway.

Greer was listed as one of the U.S. Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted fugitives in January 2016 and was added by Interpol to their international fugitive database last year.

He was added to the Marshals "Most Wanted" list in 2016.

St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send tips to st.john.smith@chron.com.
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A San Antonio death row inmate whose last execution date was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey has again won a reprieve in light of claims that his conviction was based on false testimony.

Juan Castillo was set to die Dec. 14, but a court on Tuesday called off the date for the third time this year, bouncing the case back to a lower court.

The 36-year-old was convicted of killing teenage rapper Tommy Garcia Jr. in a botched robbery on a San Antonio lovers' lane.

Castillo's then-girlfriend lured the targeted man to a secluded spot with the promise of sex and drugs. Castillo was one of four people convicted in the crime, but he was fingered as the trigger man and was the only one hit with a capital sentence.

He was found guilty on what would have been his victim's 21st birthday.

"Mr. Castillo was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death based on false testimony," said defense attorney Tim Gumkowski.

"There was no physical or forensic evidence presented that connected Mr. Castillo to this crime. Nor were there any independent witnesses that implicated Mr. Castillo. The only unbiased, seemingly independent testimony implicating Mr. Castillo was from an individual who we now know lied about Juan's involvement in the murder."

At Castillo's trial, fellow Bexar County jail inmate Gerardo Gutierrez testified that Castillo had described the crime in detail, confessing his role in the slaughter.

BACKGROUND: Lawyer files motion to call off execution of San Antonio death row inmate

But in 2013, Gutierrez signed an affidavit admitted he'd lied.

"I described what Juan Castillo supposedly told me about the capital murder," he wrote, according to court filings. "Juan Castillo never told me this information about this capital murder case. This testimony was untrue about Juan Castillo. I made up this testimony to try to help myself."

Prosecutors argued that appeals based on the 2013 revelation were procedurally barred, could not be considered credible and only reiterated claims corroborated by other witness testimony.

But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals looked to a 2009 decision mandating that - whether or not it's intentional - the use of false testimony violates due process. Because Castillo's only other habeas appeal in the trial court came before the 2009 decision, the appellate court on Tuesday decided to give him another chance.

Previously, Castillo had an execution date set for May, but Bexar County prosecutors asked to have it reset after they failed to give sufficient notice to the defense.

Around the same time, defense lawyers filed motions seeking DNA testing on a knit cap sent to a crime lab back in 2003, just weeks after the slaying.

But it was Hurricane Harvey and not DNA claims that prompted the cancellation of Castillo's September execution date.

The Dec. 14 date would have been the Lone Star State's eighth and last execution for 2017.

The next death date on the calendar is on Jan. 18, when Houston-area serial killer Anthony Shore is scheduled to die by lethal injection.
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Pena's Donuts & Diner took a hard hit from Hurricane Harvey when the fledgling restaurant off Pearland Parkway received eight inches of rain, ruining much of the interior and equipment, and forcing owner Raymond Pena to shut its doors.

Despite the hardship, Pena, who has lived in Pearland for more than 30 years, wasn't ready to give up, but he knew he couldn't go it alone. He has partnered with Aldo Salazar, and the men say they'll be ready to welcome customers in December.

"We had so much damage from the storm and I realized I'd need a partner to reopen," said Pena, a former Houston firefighter and owner of Donut Heaven, a Pearland donut shop he established in 2010. "We found Mr. Salazar and he had a really good concept for what we wanted to do financially, and we thought he could bring what we needed here. Now we're just working hard, and it's almost like we're starting all over again. We even have to rehire about 20 employees."

Salazar, who has a background in marketing and design, said he was eager to jump at the chance to see the business get back on its feet.

"I've been a customer of this place before. I used to come in all the time," he said.

"So when I saw the Facebook post that the business might need to close (because of the storm) I jumped right on it and set up a meeting."

The meeting proved successful, and Pena and Salazar are hoping that success will translate into renewed business once Pena's Donuts & Diner reopens just north of Pearland at the Sam Houston Tollway.

"I think part of what excited people (before the storm) about the concept of this place is that it's not traditional," Salazar said. "We have a lot of Mexican- and barbecue-inspired food. You won't find this kind of stuff outside of Texas."

Pena said fans of more standard breakfast fare also will feel right at home.

"We're known throughout the city of Houston and in Pearland for our doughnuts, and we consider ourselves to have some of the best doughnuts around," he said.

"As far as other food, we do have the classics like chicken and waffles and other traditional American breakfast and lunch plates."

Both men have experience in restaurants.

Pena's Donuts & Diner, established late last year, is Pena's third restaurant, following the opening of Donut Heaven. He opened his first doughnut shop in 1996 in southeast Houston, but his exposure to the restaurant business came earlier.

You might even say it's in his blood.

"My mom had a Shipley's doughnut franchise so that's how I learned about the doughnut business, and my dad was a very good chef with the Merchant Marines," he said.

"I learned everything about the food part from my parents."

As for Salazar, he cut his teeth in the industry.

"Growing up I worked in restaurants in high school and in college," he said.

With the reopening right around the corner, Pena is looking to build on the momentum his eatery was gathering before Harvey dealt it a harsh blow.

"It's always hard in the beginning when you're starting a business, but it was doing pretty well," he said. "But when we had to close and I put it on Facebook that we might not reopen we had a tremendous response from people who didn't want that to happen and who wanted me to reopen.

"When I posted that we were getting close to reopening people were really happy to hear it."

Pena's Donuts & Diner, which will reopen in its original location at 10555 Pearland Parkway, St. 1A, is slated to open the first or second week of December with regular business hours from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information call 832-831-9630.
Jaimy Jones/Houston Chronicle

Pearland City Council voted Monday night to annex three parcels of land into the city's boundaries at a meeting where residents in those areas pleaded with council members to reconsider the plan.

Despite the annexation measure adding almost 2,000 acres to Pearland city limits, property owners in a fourth area celebrated a small victory when council was forced to remove their area from Monday's vote due to a court order.
"The Nutcracker" will leap into Harvest Green bringing whirling snowflakes and dancing delicacies to the community's Harvest Holiday Exchange celebration, 2-6 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3.

Excerpts of the perennial holiday favorite will be performed by Katy-based InTempo Dance Ensemble and students of the InTempo Dance school at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. on the Richmond enclave's event lawn, 3400 Harvest Corner Drive.

The performance is being presented in conjunction with the Contemporary Art Museum of Fort Bend (CAM), an ongoing partnership that brings the arts to communities like Harvest Green.

"Because we are such a unique community, we wanted to do something special for our holiday celebration," said Shay Shafie, general manger for Harvest Green. "CAM has been working with InTempo for several years now, and when they suggested we host these talented young performers, it seemed like the perfect fit."

The excerpts are just a taste of the full-length production the company will perform at Seven Lakes High School in Katy Dec. 16-17.

"This year will be our fifth year of performing 'The Nutcracker'," said Rocio Braggiato, general director and ballet mistress for InTempo Dance. "It's spectacular, like magic. Children love to dress up and come out to see the show and meet the dancers."

"The Nutcracker" is the tale of a young girl named Clara whose Christmas gift of a nutcracker comes to life and takes her on an enchanting journey to The Kingdom of the Sweets. There, she is entertained by the Sugar Plum Fairy and a host of sweet treats.

Audience members will have opportunities for photos with the cast, including Clara (danced by Isabella Trousselle and Alessia Braggiato), as well as Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea and other denizens of the kingdom.

In addition, Harvest Green is hosting a holiday market where vendors will display a variety of seasonal gifts and decor. Children can indulge in ornament making and cookie decorating for a small fee. Food trucks will be available for hungry ballet lovers.

The celebration is one of several art-themed events Harvest Green hosts each year, including the Appetite for Arts program, which couples the work of local artists with the culinary creations of local chefs four times per year.

Visit https://www.harvestgreentexas.com for more information about Harvest Green.

Visit http://www.intempodance.com for more information about InTempo Dance.
Lockwood School will become the newest option for school-based health care in the Billings area.

St. Vincent Healthcare will convert a former mobile unit into a permanent primary care clinic in the school's parking lot, aiming for a February opening.

The clinic will be open to all, not just students. Officials are still working out hours and operation procedures, but it will likely operate Monday through Friday.

"It's been about six years of trying to find the right approach," said Don Christman, Lockwood's director of special programs.

The school approached several health care providers this year, and talks quickly heated up with St. Vincent.

With no medical services currently available in Lockwood, as we assessed this, we just felt like it was something that could be a good partnership and was aligned with our mission, said Director of Operations for St. Vincent Physicians Tim Pellandini. One thing that we saw with the school is that its a great access point.

The school-based health center model has been lauded by national health groups. Research has shown that in-school care improves attendance, which in turn improves academic performance. One study found that students using in-school clinics were more likely to graduate than their peers who didn't use an available clinic.

Another study found that students with asthma who attended a school with a health center were in class more than students with asthma who attended a school without a health center.

"We're hoping that it cuts down on (students) being gone all day," Christman said.

St. Vincent is still assessing exactly what services will be offered, but Pellandini expected basic primary care services and perhaps limited lab services, like the ability to analyze a strep throat test. More complicated problems would be referred to other medical facilities.

The vehicle was previously the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, which provided free, mobile dental services to low-income and uninsured children. St. Vincent pulled out of a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House in 2016. The two sides are still negotiating on the vehicle, but Pellandini didn't expect it to be a hurdle to the Lockwood clinic.

He said St. Vincent's experience running the dental unit would help in operating the Lockwood clinic.

We know how to greet the patient and how to manage the flow of patients in and out of a unit like this from that experience, he said.

The clinic will be located away from the school's main traffic flow with ample parking space, Christman said. A $75,000 grant from the Montana Healthcare Foundation will help renovate the clinic vehicle.

School-based clinics

Billings Public Schools recently added a second school-based clinic at Medicine Crow Middle School, partnering with RiverStone Health. Billings partnered with RiverStone and Billings Clinic for its first clinic at Orchard Elementary in 2015.

School-based health clinics are a common model in several other states, but have been slow to catch on in Montana.

Missoula established a health center in 2012, and the first of four school-based health centers opened on the Fort Peck Reservation in 2007. Libby schools also have a partnership offering health services in school. The 2013-2014 census from the School-based Health Alliance shows an additional health center in northeast Montana.

States like West Virginia, New York and Maine all have expansive school-based health center networks, and 15 states have competitive grant programs to fund clinics. About half of health centers are in urban areas, but more than a quarter are in rural areas  and a higher percentage of rural students use health centers.

St. Vincent isn't currently looking at more school-based health centers, Pellandini said.

Lockwood hopes to add more on-site mental health care options for students in the future, Christman said.

"We kind of view the school as the center of the community," he said. "We just see this as another extension of what we do."
They call themselves the Swing Kidz, a name that fits their dance style and personalities.

The Billings dance company primarily performs West Coast Swing, but they also like to throw in some hip hop and modern interpretative dance styles. They are such a tight-knit bunch that they call their dance instructors Mom and Dad, even though Patricia Lambert and her husband Jarrett Lambert are in their mid-20s.

The family atmosphere at dance practice helps boost spirits when a member is having a bad day. That spirit of caring helped them come up with the theme of suicide prevention and depression awareness for their upcoming dance performance, Swing Kidz Extravaganza.

The performance will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 310 N. 27th St. Proceeds from the auction and raffle will go to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch and a representative from the facility, which helps youths struggling with emotional issues, will speak during the event. Tickets are $15.

It begins with a swing dance lesson and finishes with a dance party after the performance. Patricia Lambert said dance makes a difference in kids lives and she can attest to that because she was once that shy kid.

I went from not being able to speak in public to starting my own business. Dance did that for me, Lambert said.

Swing Kidz is open to youths between age 6 and 24. The program currently has six students from age 6 to 18. The youngest member is 6-year-old Gabi Spatzier, who has been dancing since she was 2.

Gabis mother, Sam, said dance helps Gabi cope with her anxiety.

Ive never seen her more excited than she was the first day she started dancing with this group, Sam Spatzier said.

Beverly-Ruth Laci, an 18-year-old music education major at Montana State University Billings, has been in the group since August. Laci thought raising money to help the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch was an excellent idea.

The message I want to get across is, Its OK to get help,  Laci said.

Laci said she struggled with depression and anxiety because she was reluctant to reach out for help. She doesnt want others to suffer.

Im hoping people will realize how big this is, Laci said.

An Oregon dance instructor that Lambert and two of her students worked with committed suicide earlier this year. That was a wake-up call for them.

All of the kids have either experienced depression or someone they know has, Lambert said.

As she worked with students at rehearsal Monday night, Lambert kept things lively. The music was loud and the pace was steady. Girls dance with other girls since there is only one male member of Swing Kidz.

Alex Hunnes, a 17-year-old Senior High student, said even though hes the only boy in the group, the other members are some of his closest friends.

Its like a family. If anyone in the group is having a problem, were always there for each other. Today, Beverly got a flat tire and everyone in the group was wondering how we could help.

Hunnes discovered dance two years ago when he was at a fiddle camp. He started watching YouTube videos and then saw the Lamberts perform during a John Roberts Y Pan Blanco concert featuring Latin music at St. Johns Lutheran Home.

Earlier this year, Hunnes competed in a swing dance competition in Boston, making finals in the Jack and Jill division, which has dancers rotate partners.

Hunnes believes dance helps relieve stress, which is important to people in his age group.

People feel super connected in the virtual world, but not in the real world, Hunnes said.
The second highest law officer in the Harris County Precinct 3 Constable's Office has been fired, following an investigation sparked by three female employees who brought allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

Milton Rivera, the former chief deputy at Precinct 3 and a nearly nine-year veteran at the agency, was terminated just over a week after Precinct 3 Constable Sherman Eagleton first placed him on leave November 9.

Eagleton issued the suspension after discovering Rivera made two untruthful statements to him regarding a separate internal probe unrelated to the harassment complaints, said Jorey Herrscher, Precinct 3's chief inspector. Herrscher declined to elaborate on the nature of Rivera's statements, citing an ongoing investigation.

Then, almost immediately afterward, three female Precinct 3 employees came forward to Eagleton with more complaints of misconduct, Herrscher said. Two complained of sexual harassment, while another woman complained of Rivera's "aggressive behavior" toward her, as Herrscher put it.

Because of Rivera's high rank with in the police agency, the Harris County Attorney's Office and Harris County Human Resources conducted an independent investigation of the allegations. About a week later, Eagleton fired Rivera with a tersely written termination letter.

"I have given much thought to my own experiences during this year with you serving as my Chief Deputy and I have made the determination that I cannot trust you to fulfil your responsibilities as Chief Deputy in my administration [sic]," Eagleton wrote to Rivera. "Because of your unprofessional actions, dishonesty, and lack of accountability, you are hereby terminated from Harris County Constable Precinct 3, effective immediately."

The allegations against Rivera included "unwelcome touching, ""inappropriate word use" directed at the women, and "aggressive beratings" toward one of them, Herrscher said.

"Yelling, belittling, expressing his disapproval with her performance but in an unprofessional and loud way," Hersscher said.

Attempts to reach Rivera for comment were unsuccessful as of Wednesday at noon, but Rivera had told KPRC that he denied all of the allegations and even volunteered to take a lie detector test, saying his accusers should also take a polygraph. But no such tests were given, he said.

Constable Eagleton didn't parse words in expressing his disappointment with the way Rivera responded to the allegations, saying Rivera seemed to be placing blame on everyone but himself.

"It was disheartening to see that you completely failed to acknowledge any sense of responsibility but instead placed complete fault and blame on whoever you could including each employee who made a report against you," Eagleton wrote.

This is not the first time that Rivera has left a law enforcement agency due to inappropriate behavior.

Rivera came straight to Precinct 3 in 2009 from the Clute Police Department, where he resigned that year after less than three months as a patrolman there.

According to the internal investigation report obtained by the Houston Chronicle through an open records request, the Clute Police Department received a complaint from a woman in February 2009 who alleged Rivera had threatened to plant narcotics in her car if he ever saw her in Clute again, and that "he would find a way to put her in prison, even if he had to make something up."

Rivera had originally been responding to a disturbance at a Motel 6, where the woman and her brother were staying but had a dispute with the manager over obtaining an additional key for the room.

He encountered the siblings a couple hours later at a LaQuinta Inn, having an argument with two other males in the parking lot, according to the report. Against department policy, Rivera and his partner turned off their body mikes while talking to the woman--but nevertheless, the woman's brother was recording the conversation, in which Rivera can be heard threatening to make stuff up to send her to prison.

Rivera admitted to making the statements, but said he was just "angry and would never do anything like that."

He told KPRC he informed the Harris County Precinct 3 Constable's Office about this incident during the application process in 2009. But Hersscher told the Chronicle the current administration does not have record of that, and since none of the precinct's top-ranking officials were around at that time, he was not able to verify whether Rivera disclosed this verbally.

"He very well may have [disclosed the incident] at that time, but this administration would not have allowed him to have been hired had we known. The constable did not know about this when he promoted him to chief deputy."

He had been in the position for less than nine months.

Robert Soard, first assistant in the county attorney's office, said the investigation into Rivera is ongoing, and that his office and human resources is expanding the probe to determine if there are other victims of Rivera's alleged sexual harassment.
An unknown shooter is on the loose after opening fire on a 28-year-old man walking into his Northshore apartment.

Darwin Wilder was shot repeatedly just before 7 p.m. in the 12200 block of Fleming, according to Houston police.
Leon Jacob  the failed Houston doctor accused in an elaborate murder-for-hire plot  is expected to go on trial in March, his lawyer confirmed.

Jacob, 39, was scheduled to go to trial later this week, nine months after being arrested on two charges of solicitation of capital murder on March 10. He was arrested with his girlfriend, a prominent Montrose veterinarian, in an alleged scheme to kill their exes. The couple tried to hire a hit man who turned out to be an undercover officer.
A man convicted by a federal jury of assaulting and strangling his partner will spend three years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters on Wednesday sentenced Robert Wesley LaFountain, 44, for his convictions at an August trial. The guideline range was 33 months to 41 months.

Watters said LaFountain had caused the victim serious injury.

A jury found LaFountain guilty of misdemeanor assault by striking or beating and of assault by strangulation, a felony.

LaFountain had no comment at sentencing.

Prosecutor Tom Godfrey recommended a 40-month term, saying LaFountain repeatedly assaulted the victim, who he was dating, over a period of hours and would not take her to get medical care despite saying he would.

Assistant Federal Defender Steve Babcock sought a two-year sentence, saying LaFountain had no criminal record and denied the charges.

The government accused LaFountain of assaulting the victim near Lodge Grass on Oct. 29, 2016, and forcing her to leave the Crow Reservation during the assault. LaFountain assaulted the victim after a confrontation over a text message he found on her phone, prosecutors said.

LaFountain denied the charges and testified that the pair had argued and that he punched the victim after she hit him. He also said the victim had been drinking but that he had not. LaFountain also denied strangling the victim.
Officials from areas devastated by Hurricane Harvey on Tuesday said federal agencies continue to complicate local efforts to provide temporary housing and prepare for future storms.

At an informational meeting on Harvey recovery efforts held in Richmond, local officials told Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush that many of their constituents with damaged homes are still unsure whether they will receive money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Among the main sources of confusion have been letters from FEMA denying some homeowners assistance, they said.

Bush said such residents should reapply to FEMA, even if previously denied, before the agency's Nov. 30 deadline for applications.

"The process isn't over, even if you've been denied by FEMA," he said, noting that some denials may have been simply because applicants did not provide enough documentation to the agency.

Temporary housing

Nearly 900,000 Texans had applied for FEMA assistance as of Nov. 14, Bush's office reported at that time. Another 140,000 households have received rental assistance from the agency.

The Chronicle reported earlier this week that, despite more than 9,500 Texas families having been approved for additional temporary housing assistance through FEMA, just one had been able to move back into a home repaired through the program. Another 223 were living in a trailer or mobile home.

Bush said Tuesday that some of those efforts have been complicated by the availability and price of temporary housing units. There have also been issues with some properties that don't allow or can't fit manufactured housing units.

"Because of the magnitude of this storm, (housing problems) are not going to be addressed explicitly by RVs and trailer homes," he said, citing "lessons learned" from the deployment of such units after Hurricane Katrina.

Area officials at the meeting also said they were still worried that they wouldn't be ready for the next storm, citing the often lengthy approval process for mitigation projects as required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Slow approval process

"There are certain things we can do at the local help to at least help," said Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers. "It's frustrating to us because (the Corp of Engineers' approval process) sometimes takes years to get done."

The Chronicle last month reported that the flood maps that help determine where homes are built in Texas, how much insurance costs and which areas would benefit from flood control projects are based on rainfall data that hasn't been updated for as long as a half-century, meaning that development has expanded for decades without a complete understanding of the flood risks.

Jerry Cotter, chief of water resources for the Army Corps of Engineers, said at the time: "It's important that we do the research into how much rainfall could we get, how the watersheds are going to respond to that rainfall event, how deep, who will it impact. We've got to do the preparedness work."
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Hurricane Harvey-related relief funds dominated GoFundMe's top campaigns in Houston for 2017, with 16 of the top 20 campaigns being focused on the cause of Harvey relief.

These campaigns raised more than $2.7 million combined, according to data provided to Chron.com by GoFundMe.

"We saw support coming in from all around the country and the world to help those impacted by the terrible storm," Katherine Cichy, a spokeswoman for GoFundMe, told Chron.com. "We are proud to provide a platform where people in need can get funds safely and quickly. Our hearts are with those who continue to rebuild what they lost."

The top 20 campaigns altogether raised $5.9 million. Nearly one-sixth of that amount was raised by Nabeel Qureshi, whose campaign collected $946,753, the most for a single campaign in Houston for 2017.

BY THE NUMBERS: Houston was YouCaring's most compassionate city in 2017

Qureshi is a New York Times best-selling author of books like "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity" and "No God but One: Allah or Jesus?: A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity." He was diagnosed with cancer in Aug. 2016.

"This fund has been set up to cover costs related to the cancer, such as medical costs not covered by insurance. My insurance is currently on course to expire next year, as I had to stop working the month I was diagnosed," Qureshi wrote on GoFundMe. "Should the worst happen, I hope to leave the remainder of these funds to my bride Michelle and my little daughter Ayah."

Qureshi died on Sept. 16 according to Houston's First Baptist Church, where he was a guest speaker.

Now Playing: Sepsis is the number one killer in hospitals, and even kills more children than pediatric cancer. Video: Fox2Detroit

The second most successful Houston GoFundMe campaign was a Harvey relief fund started by Quanta Services to help its employees. Quanta is a Houston-based company that provides engineering and construction services for energy producers.

The company raised $407,425 on GoFundMe and in the end, that number ballooned to $1.3 million after Quanta matched the fund, Kim Riddle, vice president of human resources, told Chron.com Tuesday afternoon. Quanta also received direct donations outside of GoFundMe.

"I've never seen anything like this," Riddle said.

The $1.3 million has been used to help more than 200 Quanta employees so far, Riddle said.

The average amount raised by the top 20 GoFundMe campaigns in Houston this year was $296,354.

Swipe through to see the top 20 Houston campaigns.

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on twitter at @fernalfonso. If you also like surreal GIFs and Polaroids, go here and here.


WASHINGTON - A Libyan militant was convicted Tuesday of terrorism charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. But a federal jury found him not guilty of murder, the most serious charge associated with the rampage he was accused of orchestrating.

The attacks became instant political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republicans accusing the Obama administration of intentionally misleading the public and stonewalling congressional investigators, though officials denied any wrongdoing. Some were particularly critical of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's handling of the conflict, which dogged her during her presidential campaign.

But the seven-week trial of Ahmed Abu Khattala was largely free of political intrigue.

Jurors convicted Khattala on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted him on 14 others. Even with the mixed verdict, Khattala, 46, still faces the possibility of life imprisonment for his federal firearms conviction.

Prosecutors accused Khattala of directing the attack aimed at killing personnel and plundering maps, documents and other property from the U.S. mission in Benghazi. But defense attorneys said their evidence against him was shoddy.

Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the first attack at the U.S. mission, along with Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department information management officer. Nearly eight hours later at a CIA complex nearby, two more Americans, contract security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, died in a mortar attack.

Prosecutors acknowledged they lacked evidence to show Khattala personally fired any gunshots, but argued he orchestrated the violence out of his hatred for U.S. freedoms and his suspicion that Americans were operating a spy base in Benghazi.

Federal public defender Michelle Peterson said in closing arguments Khattala is a deeply religious man who believes in conservative sharia law as outlined in the Quran, which "is not the same thing as terrorism."

But prosecutors argued the evidence was enough to convict Khattala on all counts.

"He was there to kill Americans, and that is exactly what he and his men did," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. DiLorenzo told jurors.

The trial was one of the most significant terrorism prosecutions in recent years in a U.S. civilian court, even though the Trump administration had argued such suspects are better sent to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The mixed verdict could revive that debate.
NEW YORK - The publication of a long-lost Dashiell Hammett story was itself an act of sleuthing.

"The Glass That Laughed," a brief, hallucinatory work about a fratricidal killer haunted by his victim's face, will run online Wednesday in Electric Literature. The story ran in the November 1925 issue of True Police Stories, a magazine billed as an "organ of the New York Police Department," and soon disappeared. Its rediscovery was made possible by social media. Hammett's granddaughter and literary trustee, Julie M. Rivett, told the Associated Press that she saw a posting on a Hammett reading group on Facebook that referred to a story no one had heard of before.

"It took a team of Hammett fans to bring this story to light," she explained.

"The Glass That Laughed" was first spotted by Daniel Robinson, a fireman and author who had purchased a copy of True Police Stories at an auction and noticed the Hammett story. Unable to find the story in any Hammett bibliography, he contacted crime fiction author-blogger Kevin Burton Smith, who also was unfamiliar with "The Glass That Laughed."

"He posted a query to the Facebook page of the Dashiell Hammett Reading Group, with the hope that I'd see the news, which I did," Rivett said.

In an introduction that will run in Electric Literature, Rivett and Hammett biographer Richard Layman write that Hammett was suffering physically and financially at the time "The Glass That Laughed" first ran. He was 31, ill with tuberculosis and supporting his wife and child with veterans' disability payments and a variety of writings, from detective stories to poetry and criticism. He was still a few years away from writing such classic novels as "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Glass Key" and from meeting playwright Lillian Hellman, who became his longtime partner.

"He was desperate for a paycheck, however small," according to Rivett and Layman.

The story begins with stark images of slanting moonlight and an empty carafe as Norman Bacher wakes up, stares in his bedroom mirror and wonders if he sees the face of his murdered twin Eric.

"In the dim light, hair rumpled, face paler than ordinary, the face in the glass was too like Eric's not to startle Norman," Hammett writes. "He brushed a hand across his forehead and blew his breath out sharply. What had for an instant been a dark stain on the mirrored brow was only a pendant lock of hair. He studied the face in the glass until his pulse was steady. Then he went for his water and returned to bed. But he could not sleep."

The story's reissue comes the same week as the publication of "The Big Book of the Continental Op," the first comprehensive collection of Hammett's fiction featuring the unnamed private investigator from the Continental Detective Agency. The new book includes another Hammett rarity, "Three Dimes," a 1,367-word fragment about a teen employee at a stationary store who is suspected of pocketing sales.

"We cannot know what circumstances prevented him from finishing the tale," Rivett says of Hammett, who died in 1961. "But the fact that he did not physically abandon those few pages suggests he valued their potential."
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NAIROBI, Kenya - President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed at his inauguration Tuesday to unite Kenyans after months of election turmoil, but violence flared anew as police shot dead at least three people, including a child, when opposition supporters tried to hold a memorial for dozens killed in earlier protests.

Police in the capital, Nairobi, tried to break up the opposition's peaceful gathering for those slain since the political unrest began in August. Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was shoved into his vehicle amid clouds of tear gas shortly after he called Kenyatta's presidency illegitimate, put the death toll at three.

One was a 7-year-old boy killed by a stray bullet amid the chaos, according to witness Isaac Mekenye.

'A trying time'

Associated Press video showed opposition supporters fleeing as gunfire popped, and security forces hitting unarmed people with batons. Other people splashed water from slum puddles into their eyes to wash away the tear gas.

Kenyatta, speaking to a cheering crowd of tens of thousands in Nairobi's Kasarani Stadium, called the past few months "a trying time" for Kenya, and he urged an end to divisiveness and hate.

The recent events show that "our constitution is no piece of paper," he said, but he warned that the country's institutions should not be destroyed whenever they don't deliver the desired results.

Kenya has gone through months of political uncertainty since Kenyatta defeated Odinga in an August election that was nullified by the Supreme Court, which cited irregularities following a challenge to the results by Odinga, and a new vote was ordered.

It was the first time in Africa that a court had nullified a presidential election.

Odinga and his supporters then boycotted last month's rerun balloting, saying electoral reforms had not occurred.

The political drama in the East African economic hub has been watched closely across the continent by opposition parties and leaders alike.

Kenyatta said his inauguration to a second term "marks the end, and I repeat the end, of our electoral process." He praised the resilience of Kenyans during the 123 days since the turmoil began.

"To my competitors, and in the spirit of inclusivity, I will endeavor to incorporate some of their ideas," he said. "The election was not a contest between a good dream and a bad dream. It was a contest between two competing visions." He pledged to build bridges to unite the country.

Both are sons of ex-leaders

The opposition to Kenyatta is likely to continue its street protests, and human rights groups condemned his government for banning the demonstrations, which are allowed under the constitution.

Odinga said Kenyatta's inauguration was a "coronation," and he called him a dictator, vowing to pursue fresh elections.

Kenyatta was sworn in using a Bible that had been used to swear in his father, founding President Jomo Kenyatta, after independence in 1963. His rivalry with Odinga, the son of Kenya's first vice president, has lasted for years.

Several heads of state attended the inauguration. In a move to improve continental ties, Kenyatta announced that all Africans will be able to obtain a visa on arrival at a port of entry. A growing number of African nations are making moves toward easing travel restrictions across the continent.
WASHINGTON  With disgraced Congressman Joe Barton in full damage-control mode over the revelation of a nude "sexting" photo on the Internet, some grassroots Republicans in the Dallas metroplex are calling on him to resign.

Tarrant County GOP Chairman Tim O'Hare said Tuesday that he has not talked to any party activists who want to see Barton continue in office. He issued a formal statement calling on Barton not to seek re-election and to "retire" by the end of the month.

"All elected officials should be role models," O'Hare said. "They should be held to a very high standard. Joe Barton's conduct falls well below that standard."

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In an interview, O'Hare expressed concerns about damage to down ballot Republicans in next year's elections, particularly in the state senate district represented by Republican Konni Burton.

According to O'Hare and other GOP sources, Barton's political organization is now polling the district to assess the damage to his political prospects from the photo, which was posted anonymously on the Internet after he shared it with a lover at the end of his second marriage two years ago.

Neither Barton nor any of his representatives have responded to numerous calls and emails since news of the photo broke a week ago.

O'Hare said he still does not know whether Barton, 68, plans to run for re-election, resign immediately, or retire at the end of his current term.

"We're still wondering," O'Hare said. "When this was first getting ready to break, he was telling people that he wasn't planning to run again. Now he seems to be weighing his options and apparently trying to do a poll to see how it's going to hurt, and basically try to muscle up support among various leaders in the county."

O'Hare said Barton met Monday night with a group of about 20 Republican women in his district. By most accounts, it didn't go well for the congressman, who has been in office since 1985.

"From what I have been told, there was almost no one there supportive of him running again," O'Hare said. "It was obviously not a comfortable meeting."

He expects other county GOP leaders to weigh in in the coming days.

"I have talked to elected officials, activists, people who are in leadership positions, and just normal everyday folks," O'Hare continued. "I have yet to talk to a single one that says he should run again."

Several Republican strategists in Texas also said Barton has been discouraged from trying to keep his seat. Some argued that in a generally safe Republican district, he should make way for another candidate who does not hurt the GOP brand in Washington.

Among those reported to have counseled Barton is House Speaker Paul Ryan. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong declined Tuesday to disclose the content of their conversation. "The two have talked but we'll leave their conversations between the two of them," she said in an email.

While Democrats have felt emboldened, some Republicans are waiting to see what Barton does. But others are not waiting to jump in.

Among them is Jake Ellzey, a retired Navy combat pilot and member of the Texas Veterans Commission, who filed paperwork Tuesday with the Republican Party of Texas.

Barton, Texas' most senior congressman, announced his re-election campaign last month, before the nude photo appeared on social media.

The Washington Post reported that Barton told a woman that he would contact U.S. Capitol Police if explicit photographs of him from their relationship were made public. But it is not known how the photo turned up on the internet.

Barton has said the Capitol Police are investigating. The District of Columbia, like Texas and many other states, has a "revenge porn" law that bans posting sexually explicit pictures of people without their consent.

Some analysts said Barton could benefit from a "revenge porn" narrative, if it turns out he was the victim of a former lover. In a statement after the photo surfaced last week, Barton admitted he had "sexual relationships with other mature adult women" while he was separated from his second wife.

Barton's more immediate problems are both personal and political.

"The first consideration has to be what is the effect on his family from this story," said Texas GOP strategist Matt Mackowiak. "And what would be the effect if he chose to run again, knowing that all these issues would come back and be very much discussed."

Barton also has to take into account his political strength in the district, and assess what competition he might face in next March's GOP primary.

Ultimately, Barton also has to calculate whether a run would be worth it, Mackowiak said. "I have lot of respect for Joe, so I don't want this to come off as a catty comment, but sometimes these guys think they're indispensable, and they're not. The system goes on, new people come in, new blood is a good thing."

Regardless, O'Hare said that the general feeling among many Texas Republicans he's spoken with is that Barton is no longer the best GOP candidate for the Sixth Congressional District, which covers Tarrant, Navarro and Ellis counties.

"Call me old-fashioned or a dinosaur, but I think we ought to be holding people to a higher standard," O'Hare said. "Elected officials used to be statesmen. They should be role models. ... To me, this is really sad, and it is not the direction we should be going."
The Greater Houston Builders Association sent Harris County a letter of support this week for the county's proposed new regulations for building in floodplains.

The support is a departure from years of strong opposition to increased regulation.

The county's proposals, spurred by Hurricane Harvey's devastation, could require homes to built up to eight feet higher than previously required in some flood-prone areas in unincorporated Harris County. They also open up wider swaths of the county -- 500-year floodplains instead of 100-year floodplains -- to some elevation requirements.

Harris County Commissioners Court could vote to approve the regulations as early as Dec. 5. It remains to be seen whether Houston will follow suit.

"As part of our on-going mutual efforts to make regulations more effective during extreme storm events, we offer our support for the proposed revisions to the regulations for floodplain management in Harris County," the letter, which is dated Monday, reads. "We look forward to our continued participation with Harris County as future changes to development regulations are considered."

The regulations were proposed earlier this month and formulated after several meetings with developers, architects and engineers following Hurricane Harvey's devastation.

The association represents more than 1,600 builders and developers in the Houston region.
Casper Fire Chief Kenneth King will retire a month earlier than expected, city manager Carter Napier said Tuesday.

King announced in October 2016 that he would retire on Jan. 2, 2018, but Napier said that date has been moved up to Dec. 1. Napier did not give a reason why King is retiring earlier than planned.

King announced his retirement last year hours after he apologized for an email asking a fire investigator to delete "bad parts" from video evidence of the Cole Creek Fire. He said that the email was a joke, but apologized for "insensitive words and lack of judgement." King sent the email to fire inspector Devin Garvin on Oct. 14, 2015, as crews were still working to extinguish the Cole Creek Fire, which destroyed 14 homes and charred more than 10,000 acres.

King became fire chief in July 2013 and has worked in the department since 1980.

Napier said last week that 28 people had applied for the chief's position and that there were some "good candidates." He said the position would likely be filled on an interim capacity until a new chief is hired.
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.
A Casper police officer pleaded guilty to felony child abuse and misdemeanor child endangerment charges Tuesday afternoon stemming from allegations she mistreated her two adopted children.

If Natrona County District Court Judge Daniel Forgey accepts the terms of the plea deal at Laura Starnes-Wells' sentencing, she will serve one to five years of supervised probation.

As a condition of the deal, Starnes-Wells's plea to the felony charge will not become final until a later date. If she successfully completes her probation, the felony charge will be dropped and she will not be convicted on that count.

She will serve a term of probation for the misdemeanor charge to run at the same time as the felony probation.

In court Tuesday, Starnes-Wells admitted to inflicting mental injuries on one of her children by acting recklessly. She also admitted to negligently endangering the health of the other child.

Starnes-Wells was arrested and charged with felony child abuse in February. During previous hearings, investigators and prosecutors outlined instances of "extreme" punishment Starnes-Wells allegedly used to discipline the children. They also allege Starnes-Wells did not meet the mental health needs of the kids.

The case began in May 2016 when the officer's adopted daughter told officials at her school that Starnes-Wells "had battered her," court documents allege. Investigators wrote that the girl came to school with a partially bruised eye and swollen lip.

The girl told investigators with the Natrona County Sheriffs Office that Starnes-Wells had slapped and punched her on multiple occasions, according to court documents.

Starnes-Wells was previously a school resource officer at Centennial Junior High.

Former Casper Police Chief Jim Wetzel said in February that Starnes-Wells was placed on administrative leave in November 2016 when the department became aware of the criminal investigation. He said at the time that she would remain on administrative leave throughout proceedings in the criminal cases, as is standard policy.

However, Starnes-Wells was back working for the department in an administrative capacity, City Manager Carter Napier said earlier this month.

Tracey Belser, support services director for the city's human resources department, declined earlier this month to say why Starnes-Wells had returned to work for the department, citing privacy due to personnel matters.

Prosecutors initially filed a misdemeanor child abuse charge against Starnes-Wells's husband, Sgt. Todd Wells. That charge was later dropped. Wells is also still working for the police department.
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A man accused of breaking into a north Casper home, stealing from it and setting it on fire pleaded guilty to a burglary charge Tuesday in Natrona County District Court.

A felony accessory before the fact charge against Isaiah Montiano Like, 19, was dropped as part of a plea agreement reached by prosecuting and defense attorneys.

As a condition of the plea agreement, prosecutors will ask for a maximum prison term of four to six years. Absent the agreement, Montiano Like could have faced up to 10 years in prison for the burglary charge.

Montiano Like appeared in court Tuesday wearing jail clothing. He has been held in Natrona County Detention Center in lieu of a $200,000 bond since he was arrested in June.

Law enforcement began investigating the case after determining that a home in the 300 block of North Jefferson Street was set on fire May 31.

Prosecutors claimed that security footage showed Montiano Like entering the house with a gas can and carrying various items out of the house.

A second man charged in the case, Stacy Clark, 46, remains in Natrona County Detention Center awaiting trial.
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AKRON, Ohio -- A Summit County grand jury has handed up an indictment against an Akron man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death.

Marcus Coker, 35, is charged with one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, two counts of kidnapping and one count of failure to comply with order or signal of police officer in the Sept. 23 stabbing death of Ashley Williams, court documents say.

He is being held in Summit County Jail on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to attend a pretrial hearing Thursday, court records say.

Coker is accused of stabbing Williams at an apartment on Howe Avenue near Continental Drive in Cuyahoga Falls. She was last seen the previous night when she told a friend she planned to meet Coker, according to police repots.

Akron police officers arrested him hours after she went to meet him. He led police officers on a chase that ended in a crash into a parked car on Arnold Avenue near Eastland Avenue, police said.

Officers saw a white 2013 Volkswagen Jetta driving recklessly when they began to chase. The car is registered to Williams, according to a police report.

Coker refused officers' orders to get out of the car after he crashed. Officers saw Coker moving around in the car and an officer fired a single shot into the car.

A SWAT team got Coker out of the car after an hour-long standoff.

He suffered a head injury in the crash and a minor graze wound from the officer's gunshot, police said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.
AKRON, Ohio - If you're looking to explore locally owned restaurants and bars outside your normal stomping grounds, and enjoy special offers at the same time, look no further.

Newly launched Diners Republic is a subscription service that connects local, independent food and beverage merchants with customers through deals exclusive to members. Think of it as a kind of member-based club for foodies and people who want to explore the broader community.

Founder and local entrepreneur Edward Gaffney describes the deals as "all-day Happy Hour-style incentives, ranging from complimentary food to discounted meals, BOGOs and free swag."

And, what sets this all-digital service apart is it's free for merchants, who have the ability to establish and add deals at any time, building customer loyalty through offers so exclusive they might only last a few hours.

"This is building connectivity between merchants and members, and goes much deeper than an ad in a magazine," Gaffney said.

For example, a bakery can offer a month-long buy-one-get-one deal, but if there's an over-run on cookies one day, they can offer them free for the next three hours to Diners Republic members.

One current deal offered by merchant members NORKA Beverage Co. and Urban Eats in downtown Akron, gives members a sugar-free lemon-lime soda free for just stopping into Urban Eats. The deal is on until 120 bottles are gone.

"Merchants love the exposure with no upfront advertising or marketing cost," Gaffney said. "What's an extra piece of pie to a guest that is already in your business? It's a sign of thanks, of support and loyalty. And it's a lot less expensive than a big check to pay for an ad."

The all-digital service is free for merchants, who have the ability to establish and add deals at any time.

The service is Akron-centric, and will eventually offer incentives in businesses across the city's 24 neighborhoods. As the service grows, the member territory will extend from Medina to Youngstown and Streetsboro to North Canton, and will include about 1,000 locally owned businesses.

Gaffney's plan is to organize special member events as well, such as community dinners and happy hour gatherings at member establishments.

Here's how Diners Republic works:

Members

Members subscribe for two-month increments for $19.80 (comes out to .330 cents per day) or one year for $99.99. Members receive a weekly email featuring the available deals. To get the deals, members download the Diners Republic app, which displays offers and other features. Members who subscribe bimonthly can re-up their subscription every two months or opt to have it automatically renewed. Using the discounts can cover the membership fees.

The app

The Diners Republic app displays discounts and serves as an ID card identifying members for the merchant. It also offers merchant profiles and a search function. Members can tune into different channels such as craft beer, weekend brunch, happy hour, lunch in downtown Akron and more. There's a chat feature that allows members to connect with other members and an events tab, which will provide info on member events.

Merchants

Merchants sign up for free and create an online profile, which appears to members online through the app. Merchants either use the online tool to display the incentives they offer or allow Diners Republic organizers to manage the online content for them. Merchants automatically become Diners Republic members and can enjoy deals at other establishments.

Weekly email

A weekly email sent to members features the available deals. It also offers content about different Akron neighborhoods and gives a glimpse into the member businesses and the people behind them.

The back story

Gaffney, who owned Rubber City Clothing Co. from 2006-14, moved with his family fairly often living in different cities, and countries. At one point Gaffney owned a bagel shop in Singapore.

But it was while living in Akron and working as a manager for Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde that he got the idea for Diners Republic.

Gaffney had lived in Summit County but didn't know it well. Hynde enjoyed discovering new places when in Akron. Together they cruised the neighborhoods, exploring.

"I didn't know the neighborhoods until those drives," he said. "It's because of her that I became really enamored with this city and all it has to offer."

Having owned small businesses, Gaffney knew you could use advertising to communicate your brand but getting people into your establishment was another thing. And many smaller, locally owned restaurants don't advertise.

"I wanted to build a business that helped people become more familiar with the areas they live in," he said. "This is proactively offering ideas for places to go that people don't know about. And usually once people come in they'll likely come back."

Gaffney would like to grow the business to encompass six territories he's identified in Ohio and eventually to 400 territories across the United States.

"This could not have been done 10 years ago pre smart phones and pre consumer acceptance of monthly subscription costs," he said. "We all live month-to-month so why not a monthly service helping subscribers discover?"

For more information, visit the Diners Republic website, call 330-734-5584 or send an email.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -

With a name like

you might think you know exactly what to expect when you walk through the doors of the forthcoming Old Brooklyn shop. The 1,200-square-foot space at 4193 Pearl Road, formerly a photo-to-video transfer service, is actually more like "coffee, books and bikes." It's slated to open before the end of the year.

Owner Trey Kirchoff is also behind Passengers Cafe, the Ohio City travel-themed coffee shop on the ground level of the Cleveland Hostel that opened last year. After mainly serving guests in transit, the New York transplant hopes to bring in a steady set of regulars at Coffee Coffee Coffee.

Old Brooklyn's Main Street, where the shop is located, is part of the Pearl Road Streetscape Improvement Project, an $11 million renovation.

"It would be so great to shape some of this main street with a productive, cool hangout spot," Kirchoff says.

The walls will be lined with used books for sale. It was always a dream of Kirchoff's to own a bookstore, and he saw the shop as an opportunity to combine his passions.

He's also teaming up with Sixth City Cycles for bike retail, tune-ups and routine maintenance in a section of the shop.

"It's a huge space to me," Kirchoff says. "It's too big for just a coffee shop. I knew we needed something more. Sixth City has built up a great reputation in the neighborhood and they were looking to take another step."

On the coffee side, you'll see many offerings similar to Passengers. Brewed coffee and espresso will be served alongside a specialty and seasonal menu. Toast, bagels and local pastry will also be available. Sandwiches, both cold grab-and-go and hot pressed, will be new to this location.

He also plans to have a small market of local goods for sale, such as jams made by Old Brooklyn-based The Home Pantry, which are also served at Passengers.

Kirchoff completely gutted the building for his new vision, which includes seating for around 25. The shop will be open seven days a week, with hours expected to expand in the spring. And be prepared for little surprises in addition to the unique concept - like a bathroom playing books on tape.

"It's a fuller realization of my ideal coffee shop," Kirchoff says. "I want to make it a casual but memorable experience."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The first trailer for "Avengers: Infinity War" is out and, in a word, whoa!

The film is the culmination of the previous 18 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it shows in the trailer, with just about every one of the 35 heroes and villains in the franchise making an appearance.

Original Avengers team members Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) are joined by newbies like Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland in a fancy new suit, no less). A bearded Captain America (Chris Evans) comes out of retirement. Vision (Paul Bettany) looks to have taken human form-- a development Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) seems to like. Former bad guys, Tom Hiddleston's Loki (armed with an Infinity Stone) and Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier, are now fighting on the side of good. Armed with the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos (Josh Brolin) finally gets his moment to wreak havoc and destruction.

But the trailer's money shot is its final one: when Thor (Chris Hemsworth) boards the Guardians of the Galaxy ship, asking, "Who the hell are you guys?"

As George Constanza would say, "Worlds are colliding!"

Notably missing from the two and a half minute clip: Paul Rudd's Ant-Man and Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is not seen, but his voice is heard.

"Avengers: Infinity War" is directed by Cleveland natives Joe and Anthony Russo. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters May 4, 2018.

Watch the trailer for yourself and see how many familiar characters you can spot.
Midwest School's air quality was given another all-clear Monday, 18 months after the building was evacuated and closed because of a gas leak and nearly three months after students returned.

The report, distributed by the Casper-Natrona County Health Department, found that the air quality was acceptable for all chemicals tested. After installing a vapor mitigation system, the district conducted tests inside and outside the school in May, June, July and October.

Samples were taken in the library, the pool, the preschool, the kitchen, and two classrooms. They were also taken outside at the swing set and the weather station.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 21, the most recent testing was moved up to Oct. 7 because of an unidentified smell in room 105 -- which had not been one of the sample locations in previous tests -- and because of fluctuations in carbon dioxide concentrations, according to the health department.

Students were moved out of room 105 on Sept. 20, according to the report. Dennis Bay, executive director of business services for the Natrona County School District, said there was a problem with the furnace in the room letting off a gas smell, but that it had been fixed and the room was again in use.

Testing showed the classroom did not contain a high concentration of the unsafe chemicals, and there will not be further sampling of the room, according to the health department report.

Carbon dioxide alarms have been installed and activated throughout the school. A review of the concentration of CO2 had been conducted weekly for five weeks, as part of a "separate task that arose since school resumed," according to the report. Those reviews have stopped after the alarms were turned on.

Bay said the CO2 fluctuations were because students were again filling the school and breathing, exhaling carbon dioxide and causing an increase in the chemical's concentration in the air.

"We figured out what was going on there," he said. "Everything's been cool ever since."

Midwest School was evacuated and subsequently closed in May 2016, after an odor was discovered and testing revealed a gas leak coming from an uncapped well in the nearby Salt Creek oil field. There are 120 abandoned wells in the 640 acres surrounding Midwest, according to state records.

Many students reported having headaches and other symptoms around the time that the gas leak was discovered.

Despite initial hopes that Midwest could reopen by the midway point of the 2016-17 school year, the school remained closed until summer 2017. Students were bused to schools in Casper.

The district -- with FDL Energy, which operates the Salt Creek field -- installed a mitigation system designed to pump air out from beneath the building into the atmosphere above it.

A similar incident closed the school's kitchens in November 2014. An odor was detected, and two kitchen workers became sick. Local, state and national health officials conducted what they said was an exhaustive investigation and found nothing conclusive.
For a moment -- if possible -- set aside the case of Roy Moore and excuse any chatter about President Donald J. Trump being named Time's "Person of the Year."

Instead, we'd like think about the best of the Republican Party. Here are some of the things that come to our minds -- spending government money responsibly; smart business principles; compassionate care; and the understanding that more money in citizens' pockets means more prosperity for everyone.

That's why it's hard to imagine a bill more un-Republican than the one Congress is trying to rush through by the end of this week.

Instead, this bill does nothing but appeal to the worst instincts of the party. The Republican tax plan would hand out tax breaks to the richest of Americans and large corporations, while doing little for the average citizen or small business. Republicans constantly complain that framing taxation in a rich-versus-poor dichotomy encourages class warfare. But when a proposal calls for substantial breaks for the wealthiest while hurting the poorest, it's not just class warfare, it's the truth.

Two separate analyses from the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation have come to similar conclusions -- that this plan hurts those who can least afford it.

Even worse, the plan essentially borrows money to give these hand-outs by growing the American debt by as much as $1.5 trillion (with a "t") during the next 10 years.

Any Republican who is truly fiscally conservative would never agree that going into debt to give tax breaks is a prudent course of action. Using even the most basic of business principles, a business wouldn't mortgage itself for nothing. And this tax bill isn't about going into debt to invest in America, it's about helping those earning more than $100,000 per year, according to CBO.

So much for compassionate conservatism because this new plan makes health care nearly unobtainable for lower-income families. Because poor people would receive less government aid, it would mean that they would have to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance, making it all but unreachable.

Assuming that someone struggling to make ends meet could opt out of health insurance, and have a little extra cash, any extra money would be eaten up if he or she made a single trip to the doctor. Or their kids. Or their spouse. God forbid if someone needs a prescription without insurance.

This would re-create the situation we faced before the Affordable Care Act in which residents without health care would be forced into emergency rooms for expensive care. That care would mean some of Billings' largest employers, like the Billings Clinic and St. Vincent would realize huge losses. Those losses would be borne by those remaining few who have insurance; they, in turn, would see premiums sky rocket again.

Most Republicans in Congress seem unfazed by the brazen rewards in this tax plan for the rich. In fact, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the Senate Finance Committee Chairman, argued that if a family or individual chooses not to buy insurance, it's their decision. This completely and intentionally ignores the fact that most people making less than $50,000 will not be able to afford the premiums. Yeah, kind of like the choice not to buy a Ferrari -- it's not a choice if you don't have the money in the first place.

Republicans like Hatch would have you believe that paying for health insurance is something as trivial as buying an extra pair of sneakers or splurging on a weekend get-a-way to Las Vegas.

We'd point out that the Republicans have done everything in their power to dismantle health care by cutting subsidies, cutting mandates and acting as if health insurance is a luxury item.

We were pleased to learn that Montana's Sen. Steve Daines has announced that he cannot support the current bill because it doesn't help small Montana businesses while giving plenty of help to huge multinational businesses.

That's the thing about this bill: There's plenty of things not to like.

We may not agree with Daines on all issues, or even exactly on why the current tax bill is bad; however, we believe this bill will harm Montanans -- and that's really the important part.

We support Daines' opposition of what is a terrible tax bill. And, we believe there are ways to improve the federal tax system. But we cannot agree to continue to add to our grandchildren's debt while getting nothing in return. We also believe it's morally bankrupt to understand that devastation that will happen by dismantling healthcare, and continue anyway -- as if poor folks will really have the cash to afford rising healthcare costs.

The rich don't just get richer in this bill. The poor don't just get poorer. The rich get something they don't need while the poor could lose everything they have.
North Dakota Parks and Recreation is aiming to secure operational funding before turning its eye to development of the Missouri River Day Park.

With a lack of state funding, a pair of community groups offered their services to make park improvements using volunteer labor. Local Boy Scouts and the Dacotah Chapter of the Sierra Club had offered to donate their time to create primitive trails, a process they had hoped to seek approval for and start in the spring.

Since there is a very limited budget for Parks and Rec, we thought we could use volunteer labor so people can get in and start using the park, Wayde Schafer, of the Sierra Club, said.

But without the money for the park's operations in the department's most recently approved budget, any improvements will have to wait, at a minimum, until the 2019 state Legislature, when a new budget will be made.

If we had an allocation for operation and maintenance for a new park, then we would welcome volunteer efforts to help with development of this park. However, without that, we have no way to provide the resource management or service for public health and safety that a park requires, said Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Kristin Byram.

In order to allow the public to access the more than 200-acre park along the Missouri River south of Bismarck, Parks and Recreation needs funding and staff for such activities as picking up litter, law enforcement and weed management, Byram said.

A master plan for development of the day park has been completed but, of the $11.75 million in funds once available to North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department for park improvements in the state, remaining funds not spent on projects in other parks were used to address the state budget shortfall. This led the department to put any development efforts on hold.
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In Rosas' case, they didn't properly surveil the home or make sure the actual subject of the warrant was even there. In Magee's case, the police drove around the trailer once. Otherwise, they were working off the information given to them by the informant, and no real steps were taken to verify the story of a guy who was, again, trying to reduce his own criminal charges by acting like he was giving up a kingpin.

" told them that Hank had said he wasn't afraid to use a gun in case there was a raid. Well that was whole cloth too," says DeGuerin. The police even had some indication that was fishy. They'd been to Magee's home before, responding to a noise complaint due to him shooting off his guns for fun (we understand that in many parts of Texas, if neighbors don't hear gunfire, they assume you're either on vacation or have fallen into a deep depression). On that occasion, Magee spoke to the officers and cooperated without any issues. There was no indication that the man was willing to go down shooting to avoid jail, aside from the word of their terrible informant.

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It's hard to say exactly how frequently the police under-prepare for dangerous forced-entry raids, but it's probably worth noting that the vast majority of these raids turn up nothing. The ACLU found that only 35 percent of SWAT drug raids produced anything illegal. In forced-entry raids, like both the cases in this article, the police "hit" rate is a mere 25 percent. The other thing to remember is that a lot of so-called SWAT teams are in fact groups of normal cops with fancy gear. The DA of Burleson described the training of the team that raided Henry Magee as "minimal." That's great for a movie about a rag tag group of scoundrels and farm boys trying to save a princess from Darth Vader, but not for real life.

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"They'll put together these ad-hoc tactical operations," says Gebhardt. "They've done some training ... they wear the gear, they look like a SWAT team ... they play one on TV, so to speak, and that's where the danger comes in." For example, in both cases in this article, there were questions about whether or not the flashbang grenades were used properly, or at what point in the process the officers announced themselves as police. But even if you don't want to get bogged down in procedure, it seems like the risk of tragedy is high even if it goes perfectly.
Marijuana advocates are looking toward their next states to target after experiencing some mixed results in the recent elections. Cannabis legalization measures for adults passed in Maryland and Missouri but failed in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. Supporters already are looking toward a March legalization vote in Oklahoma. Ohio also could hold a vote next year. Supporters are hoping for legislative success in 2023 in Hawaii and Minnesota while also lining up more states for initiatives in 2024. Meanwhile, it could take several months before Missouri and Maryland residents legally can buy marijuana.
Channel programs News

Hybrid Cloud Software Firm Ormuco Debuts Partner Program, Hires Parallels Vet As Channel Chief

Kyle Alspach

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Ormuco, a provider of a hybrid cloud platform built on OpenStack and a close collaborator with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, is launching a push into the channel with its first formal partner program and the hire of an IT industry veteran as its channel chief.

Maria Dinallo, formerly the senior director of channel sales at desktop virtualization specialist Parallels, has joined Ormuco as senior channel director to head the company's partner program.

[Related: Synergy, Project 'New Stack' Included In HPE's Platform For The Future Data Center]

The Montreal-based company provides the Ormuco Stack, a software platform that is especially relevant for customers that are looking to build an on-premise private cloud, said Jeff Smith, vice president of business development at Ormuco partner International Integrated Solutions (IIS).

The Ormuco Stack provides "an AWS-like experience" on-premises by combining the feature set of OpenStack with functions that Ormuco has developed for federation, control, visibility, and multi-tenancy, Smith said. The software is built around a core of OpenStack, Docker, and Kubernetes, and is sold as a monthly per-server subscription.

In an increasingly hybrid IT world, "a lot of enterprises want to have a private cloud with a rich set of features that their users can currently get from the public cloud, but with IT controls to manage it," Smith said.

IIS, a top HPE partner based in Plainview, New York, began partnering with Ormuco this past spring and closed the first joint customer deal over the summer, according to Smith.

The partnership with Ormuco made sense in part because the vendor has been tailoring its solutions to work with HPE offerings, he said. The Ormuco Stack was initially geared toward use with HPE Helion  which HPE sold to SUSE a year ago  and the software now runs on the HPE Synergy composable infrastructure platform.

Among the advantages for partners in the collaboration between Ormuco and HPE is the ability to transmit workloads from Ormuco Stack deployments to managed clouds that are part of Cloud28+, a community of managed clouds that is sponsored by HPE, as needed.

Smith added that it is good to see Ormuco hiring a channel executive who is as experienced as Dinallo to run the firm's partner program at this stage.

Previously, Dinallo had spent 11 years in channel roles at Parallels, and in 2016 was recognized as a CRN Women of the Channel honoree.

Ormuco has 20 channel partners globally, with a handful in North America, led by IIS as the largest North American partner, Dinallo told CRN.

The company is recruiting partners in North America but is "not looking to sign 100 partners in the U.S.  we're looking selectively," she said.

In particular, Dinallo said that Ormuco is looking for a well-established partner in each region of the country, following the model of partnering with IIS, which focuses on the Northeastern U.S.

The inaugural channel program features "very compelling" margins for partners, she said, though Ormuco isn't disclosing a specific figure. That includes "not only margins on the recurring monthly revenue of the software itself, but also margin on the installation," Dinallo said.

Additionally, the channel program features pre-built options for quick deployment of the Ormuco software; a partner-branded portal for billing and provisioning; discounts; market development funds; and flexibility around end-user pricing and billing.

Ormuco is also providing onboarding and training programs, a partner portal for online demos, lead sharing, and access to support materials for sales and marketing.

Overall, "our top priorities right now would be recruitment and enablement of cloud service providers, ISVs, and resellers," Dinallo said.
Channel programs News

CRN Exclusive: New Relic Hires Channel Veteran To Recruit Partners, Spur Channel Sales Of Its Digital Performance Software

Rick Whiting

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New Relic has hired Todd Osborne, a former channel executive at CTERA Networks, Virtual Instruments and Oracle, as the APM software company's new channel chief.

Osborne, officially the company's vice president of alliances and channels, will be tasked with recruiting new solution providers to join the company's recently launched New Relic Navigators Partner Program and increasing the share of company revenue generated through the channel.

Osborne started working at the San Francisco-based New Relic earlier this month.

[Related: Amazon Web Services CEO Jassy: The Most Committed Partners Will Have The Biggest Cloud Opportunities]

"There's a tremendous opportunity in this next wave of growth for New Relic," Osborne said of the company and its channel partners, in an interview with CRN.

New Relic develops a digital performance monitoring and management platform that IT management, business operations and development teams use to monitor and measure the performance of applications and IT infrastructure.

While New Relic has largely relied on direct sales since its 2008 founding, the company has been working with a limited number of strategic consultants, VARs and systems integration partners who help implement its Digital Intelligence Platform software, especially in cloud deployments, said chief marketing officer Robson Grieve in an interview.

John Gray, New Relic's previous channel chief, left in May to take a post with cloud monitoring software developer Datadog.

In September, at the company's Cloud Migration Partner Summit, part of its FutureStack customer conference in New York, the vendor launched the New Relic Navigators Partner Program in a move to recruit more partners who help customers with their cloud migration and digital transformation projects.

The channel program provides assistance in the form of cloud migration best practices, partner training and enablement, enhanced revenue sharing for resellers, and packaged marketing support, among other services.

With the program in place, New Relic "really needed to put a leader in place" to take the channel operations to the next level, Grieve said, and grow partner sales and manage partner development.

Osborne has been working as an independent consultant this year after serving as head of service provider and channel sales at CTERA Networks through 2016. Before that Osborne worked at Virtual Instruments for five years, including several years as the company's senior director of global partner sales and alliances

Between 2005 and 2010 Osborne worked at Sun Microsystems in various capacities, including managing the system company's OEM sales, and was director of global strategic alliances at Oracle in 2010 after the database and software company acquired Sun. Earlier he was manager of International channel development at StorageTek.

New Relic doesn't disclose how much of the company's sales are generated through the channel or involve a partner, but executives acknowledge that the volume of resale business today is limited.

One of Osborne's more immediate tasks is aligning New Relic's channel efforts with the vendor's sales organization, getting partners more involved in customer account planning and holding more joint meetings in the field with partners and customers.

He also will focus on recruiting additional partners to the New Relic Navigators Partner Program, seeking systems integrators, resellers and consultants who can work with New Relic's technology. He added that he has no specific numerical targets for how many partners he plans to recruit.

"It's much more of a quality of experience rather than a quantity of partners," he said.

New Relic is also looking to expand internationally and the company is seeking channel partners to help with that initiative.

Grieve and Osborne are attending this week's Amazon Web Services re:Invent conference where they are meeting with prospective partners, including those who work with AWS cloud platforms, as well as current partners and customers.

Osborne will work to move the partner program forward to support different partner models, including partners who resell the product, those who assist with customer sales and support (but leave deals on New Relic's contract), and those that provide consulting and managed services around New Relic's software.

Three industry trends are the key sales drivers for New Relic's software, Osborne said: Efforts to modernize and integrate applications using new DevOps technology and processes; improving the customer experience through digital transformation projects; and the migration to public, private and hybrid cloud infrastructure.

Osborne is seeking solution providers who are building practices in those areas and who have the expertise and capabilities to help customers be successful with those massive initiatives.

"These partners are out there driving these projects, delivering those experiences for their customers," Osborne said. His goal is to help them "leverage New Relic as part of those customer engagements."
Mobility News

HP VP: We Did Not Secretly Install Spyware On PCs

Kyle Alspach

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A top executive for HP Inc. has denied media reports that a software update on some PCs secretly installed a "spyware" program that transmits usage data to HP without permission.

Mike Nash, HP's vice president of customer experience for personal systems, said Wednesday that the software, HP Touchpoint Analytics, has actually been around for several years -- and that users must opt in to enable any sharing of usage data with HP.

"There are some very specific definitions of spyware, and what spyware does, and this is not that," Nash said in an interview with CRN.

[Related: HP CEO Weisler: 'Strong Innovation,' Partner Wins Drive Third Straight Quarter For Both PC And Printing Sales Growth]

The media reports had alleged HP was installing spyware on some PCs. Users, including some who posted on HP's support message board, complained that HP Touchpoint Analytics had been installed without their permission.

HP Touchpoint Analytics is part of the HP Support Assistant, a troubleshooting application that's built into both consumer and commercial PCs from HP.

HP Touchpoint Analytics was first introduced in 2014 and did get updated recently, according to HP. "We update it, like anything else, to improve what it can do and the performance. But it's not a new thing," Nash said.

HP Touchpoint Analytics collects diagnostic data on hardware and software usage, and HP does have an interest in receiving the data to help with improving the user experience on PCs, Nash said.

However, during setup for the HP Support Assistant, users are specifically asked for permission before any data is shared, he said. It's not a matter of users agreeing to the fine print, either, Nash said. During the interview with CRN, he read aloud the language that HP uses for the question: "Help improve HP product quality by sharing your usage of HP and non-HP software and hardware."

"You have to click 'yes' or 'no,'" Nash said. "If you click nothing, we take that as a 'No.'"

In addition, in the event that customers approve the sending of usage data back to HP, "we use it in an anonymous way," Nash added.

Douglas Grosfield, founder and CEO of Five Nines IT Solutions, a Kitchener, Ontario-based strategic service provider, said that working with customers on data-sharing policies is a major focus.

"The conversations we have quite often with customers are that we live in a 'plug-and-pray,' 'set-it-and-forget-it' kind of world. Tech vendors want products to be as easily implemented as possible, by someone with the lowest-common-denominator set of skills. Often that means things are wide open. Defaults are set -- default answers to setup questions -- about whether to send information," Grosfield said. "We focus on managed security services, and one of our key concerns is, how do we limit the default settings in hardware and software as to what information it's going to send out and to whom?"

At HP, Nash said that "making sure that people have great trust in the hardware and software that we ship is such a huge priority. This is a big deal that we take super seriously, and we have a lot of people in different functions that are really focused on customer privacy.

"Customer trust and privacy go hand in hand," he said.

Messages on the HP support site also attributed computer slowdowns to HP Touchpoint Analytics. Nash said nothing has changed with the latest update to the software that would cause a slowdown, however.

"There's nothing about this that should be using up the [resources] we look at -- battery, CPU, memory, disk. There's nothing that changed there," he said. "But again, if a customer called saying that they had a problem, we'd certainly investigate it."
Environmental groups being sued by the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, including Greenpeace, are asking a federal judge to dismiss claims of racketeering and other charges, calling the allegations meritless and an attempt to chill free speech.

Attorneys for Greenpeace International, Greenpeace Fund and BankTrack filed motions on Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit filed in August by Energy Transfer Partners in U.S. District Court in North Dakota.

The pipeline developer alleges the environmental groups incited, funded and facilitated crimes and acts of terrorism to fraudulently induce donations, interfere with pipeline construction and damage the pipeline developers business and financial relationships.

The lawsuit says Energy Transfer Partners lost at least $300 million due to the tactics and is seeking triple damages, which could approach $1 billion.

Tom Wetterer, general counsel for Greenpeace USA, said in a statement the lawsuit is an effort to silence critics of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Greenpeace stands in solidarity with the Indigenous Water Protectors and their peaceful opposition to this pipeline, but we deny all the allegations of wrongdoing made in this lawsuit, Wetterer said.

Greenpeace attorneys called the case a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or SLAPP case, and compared it to a similar lawsuit brought against Greenpeace by Resolute Forest Products of Canada, which has been dismissed.

Energy Transfer Partners is represented by the same New York law firm, Kasowitz, Benson & Torres, that represented Resolute Forest Products and also represents President Donald Trump.

The Resolute lawsuit made similar baseless claims in a transparent attempt to silence free speech and mislabel legal advocacy as criminal conduct through the use of U.S. racketeering laws, Wetterer said.

Greenpeace is seeking to transfer the case from North Dakota to the District of Columbia, arguing in its motion that most of the allegations in the lawsuit did not occur in North Dakota and it would be more convenient for the parties to travel to Washington, D.C., for hearings.

Energy Transfer Partners also is suing BankTrack, a Dutch nonprofit organization that sent letters to banks urging them to halt support for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

An attorney for BankTrack argues in a motion to dismiss that the lawsuit's claims are frivolous and an attack on the First Amendment rights of citizens and organizations engaged in public advocacy work.

In August, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners said in a news release the company believes it has an obligation to shareholders, partners, stakeholders and those affected by the protests to file the lawsuit.

The 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline has been operational since June from North Dakota to Patoka, Ill. A court challenge from Native American tribes is ongoing in federal court in Washington.
Information and communication technologies (ICT) are key to attracting African youth to agriculture and in turn tackling unemployment on the continent, experts said at a CTA-hosted panel at the 6th European Union-Africa Business Forum.

[ICT] is going to increase productivity, increase incomes, reduce costs  all good things that are going to make agriculture more effective and therefore attract a new generation of farmers, said Ishmael Sunga, the chief executive officer of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions.

Creating jobs for Africas youth was the theme of the business forum, which was held November 27 in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, and attended by policymakers and civil society leaders from across Africa and Europe. Cote dIvoire vice-president Daniel Kablan Duncan kicked off the conference by saying that youth employment in Africa was a challenge that leaders could not afford to ignore.

Josefa Sacko, the African Union Commissions commissioner for rural economy and agriculture, put that challenge in perspective by citing recent waves of African migrants who have risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean. We want to find a sustainable solution to create jobs, Sacko said, noting that agriculture is a great place to start. Agriculture provides jobs for about 60% of Africas workforce, according to the 2017 African Economic Outlook.

Tailor financial instruments for young entrepreneurs

The CTA panel, hosted by CTA Director Michael Hailu, highlighted how access to financing remains an obstacle to agricultural development in Africa. Banks are still reluctant not just to lend to young people, but also to lend to rural people who are excluded from mainstream financial services, said Gerald Otim, a young Ugandan entrepreneur. Otims firm, Ensibuuko, is trying to change that by offering digital accounting services for farmers that they can access via their mobile phones. We believe that by doing this well be able to make [savings and credit cooperatives] more efficient, but also make them attractive to young people, Otim said.

Edson Mpyisi, an agricultural economist at the African Development Bank, said the bank is trying to better tailor its financial instruments to young entrepreneurs. In April, the bank held a workshop in Nigeria where young agripreneurs pitched project ideas, and about half of the proposals focused on ICT, according to Mpyisi. Weve noticed that theres a huge interest there and so, as a bank, were there to support that, he added.

Another theme of the discussion was the impact of getting farmers access to real-time information on everything from crop pricing to soil data. Henri Danon, who runs the Ivorian governments e-agricultural program, said that farmers who know how much their crops sell for in town could negotiate a better price with buyers. That pricing information can help lift them out of poverty, he said. ICT is one way of getting Cote dIvoires digital-savvy youth more involved in agriculture, Danon noted. We need to get young people to develop applications that will serve the agricultural world, he said. Other participants echoed Danons emphasis on the power of pricing information. Technology makes the market more transparent in the sense that youre able to get information about markets and prices on a wide-ranging area, Sunga said.

Encourage smallholder farmers to adopt ICT solutions

Prodded by a question from the audience, panellists turned to how farmers can be encouraged to adopt ICT solutions. Deploying innovation and ICT is [one thing], said Jihane Ajijti, head of projects and development for Southern Africa at fertilizer company OCP Africa, but having high adoption from smallholder farms is something else. To scale up ICT agricultural tools, the technology needs to appeal directly to smallholder farmers rather than be forced on them, Ajijti said. Hamza Rkha Chaham, head of international strategy at Airinov, said that partnering with local entrepreneurs helped his French drone company make inroads in Africa. We were able to leverage a lot of insights from [CTAs] networks, from their understanding of the existing ecosystems, Chaham said, adding that Airinov uses local partnerships in many of the African countries in which it does business.

LaVandez Jones, co-founder of Hello Tractor, a startup that lets farmers request tractors via text message, agreed with this need to tap a local network to boost the adoption of ICT solutions. The firm is, for example, using local booking agents in Nigeria to more easily connect farmers with tractors, Jones said.ICT tools have opened up a new frontier of agricultural data for entrepreneurs to exploit, and more such data could be on the way. Mpyisi, the AfDB economist, said that the bank is pushing for more agricultural statistics on things like soil, farm size, and production to be at the fingertips of farmers and policymakers.
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The apartment boom in southwestern Connecticut represents more than a youth movement.

While millennial-aged residents account for a large share of the residents moving into the thousands of units that have opened in the area in the past decade, developments such as Building and Land Technologys Harbor Point in Stamford are attracting an increasingly diverse group of tenants. The trend attests to the evolution of their neighborhoods and foreshadows continued residential growth.

As the neighborhood becomes more mature, you can just attract more people, BLT Chief Operating Officer Ted Ferrarone said in an interview Wednesday at Harbor Points latest apartment building, the 392-unit NV at 100 Commons Park North. When we first opened, there werent a lot of people in the streets, and there werent a lot of apartments and restaurants open. Now, there are people everywhere.

Beyond millennials

The influx of residents in their 20s and 30s has powered the growth of new developments. Since 2009, BLT has constructed some 2,700 apartments at Harbor Point. When it is completed, the South End project will include some 4,000 units.

Its a good area for children, said Lena Shatalova, 28, who moved with her husband and nearly 2-year-old daughter, Sofia, to Harbor Point a couple of months ago. Theres fresh air, and we like taking Sofia to the park.

Harbor Point is also growing in popularity with other groups, such as senior citizens.

At the Beacon (on Harbor Point Road), thats the first building where we saw a really significant empty-nester population, Ferrarone said. Were seeing a lot of people who wouldnt typically have lived in apartments who say, We really like the product, we like the neighborhood. Theyre looking for bigger units, with slightly different amenities.

Other residential projects in the are also bringing in a range of tenants.

Before completing his 59-unit apartment complex, tucked away on Old Track Road near the Greenwich Metro-North station, developer John Fareri anticipated The JLofts Greenwich would attract mostly millennials.

But the leasing exceeded his expectations after the complex was completed last year.

We were very surprised, its a mix ranging in age from 21 to 68, Fareri said. Its comprised of millennials, empty-nesters, downsizers, divorced folks and married couples. Its definitely not just millennials.

In Bridgeport, a series of former office buildings downtown in the past decade have been converted to apartments, which have been rented almost as soon as they have gone on the market. While millennials make up a large percentage of the downtown constituency, the neighborhood hosts a diverse group, owners say.

Developer Phil Kuchma earlier this year said the majority runs between 35 and 60, with that age group often preferred by developers because they are less likely to move around than millennials.

They also generally have the kind of disposable income that downtowns depend on, he said.

Other towns that have seen apartment booms, including Milford and Shelton, have also counted on a mix of younger and retired renters filling units as they become available.

A millennial can move here and they can then get married and buy a house here, Julie Nash, Milfords economic development director, said earlier this year. And when they become seniors they can move back into apartments. Its a trend were seeing. Theres a huge shift in what people are looking for.

Commuting residents also represent a key group for projects in other cities. In Norwalk, Stamford-based developer Tom Rich is planning a second SoNo apartment building at 123 Water St., within walking distance of the South Norwalk train station.

Closer yet will be the Washington Village development of Trinity Financial featuring market-rate apartments now under construction; and a proposed project by M.F. DiScala steps from the station.

More growth

The broad base of residents moving into the new buildings is fueling new construction.

In Stamfords Waterside section, the first tower of BLTs 218-unit Harbor Landing complex on Southfield Avenue is scheduled to open next year.

During the next few years, BLT also plans to build about 1,200 units, in six towers, on land just south of its current group of Harbor Point apartment buildings.

Were always trying to evolve, Ferrarone said. We want to create lots of different products at different price points.

With future developments in the area, Fareri hopes to respond to widespread demand for baby boomer-aged tenants who want to maintain a small residence in Greenwich, but live primarily elsewhere.

A lot of people have approached me about that, he said. I think its a big market.
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Three current and former lawmakers are pouncing on the opportunity to contend for state attorney general and succeed departing Democrat George Jepsen.

No sooner did the seven-year incumbent reveal he would not seek re-election in 2018 than those with statewide political ambitions and lawyer credentials started laying campaign groundwork.

House Democrats William Tong, of Stamford, and Mike DAgostino, of Hamden, are part of the mix, as well as former House Republican John Shaban, of Redding.

Tong, a former constitutional law student of Barack Obama at the University of Chicago and co-chairman of the Legislatures Judiciary Committee, formed an exploratory committee Tuesday to focus on the attorney generals race.

Its the latest overture for higher office by Tong, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2012 and Stamford mayor in 2013. He previously was a finalist for U.S. attorney of Connecticut in 2010, but Obama appointed David Fein.

Ive been knocked around a few times and it hasnt been easy, Tong said. No doubt about it. Ive gotten up every single time.

As the son of Chinese immigrants, Tong said he can relate to the struggles of working families, and said he would follow Jepsens lead in fighting generic drug manufacturers and mortgage lenders that prey on the middle class. He said he would continue take on Donald Trumps administration as Jepsen has over immigration and environmental policies.

I dont know if I would characterize it as the Trump resistance as much as the attorney general is doing whats right and standing up to administration that is trying to dismantle our lives, said Tong, who has been practicing law for 17 years and is with the firm Finn Dixon & Herling.

Shaban, who gave up a safe seat in the Legislature to unsuccessfully challenge Democrat Jim Himes last year for Congress in the 4th District, registered Tuesday as a candidate for attorney general.

I had started to explore this a couple of months ago, Shaban said. I had expected to actually be facing George. All these races are wide open.

Shaban has been practicing law for almost 26 years and is a partner with Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan in Greenwich. He said he misses public service.

One of the reasons I went to law school was to be involved in public policy, Shaban said.

During his congressional campaign, Shaban rankled some in the GOP when he referred to Trump as a loudmouth jerk at a rally for the eventual presidential victor. Asked whether distancing himself from Trump could help in a mid-term election year, which is historically unkind to the presidents party, Shaban he is hoping to avoid the fray.

I lived through that storm running for Congress, he said.

DAgostino, a three-term incumbent who is vice chairman of the Legislatures General Law Committee, has been making calls to Democrats to gauge their support. Hes been practicing law for 21 years and is a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Hartford.

I am certainly thinking about it, DAgostino said. Anybody whos thinking about it right now certainly has massive shoes to fill. Anybody with a law degree, Im sure, is going to throw their hat in the ring.

Contrary to an internet report, former Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris denied he is eyeing Jepsens office and said his focus is on a potential run for governor.

As Ive crisscrossed the state, Ive found a lot of enthusiasm among Democrats and others for me to continue to explore and to move forward, Harris said.
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Gov. Dannel Malloys administration has filed a federal lawsuit along with the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots to allow the Indian tribes to move ahead with their joint East Windsor casino.

The lawsuit, if successful, will put to rest uncertainty over the project caused by the U.S. Department of Interior. That agency is required to review and sign off on the changes to the tribes existing gambling compact with the state.

The problem is that the Department of Interior has failed to issue a ruling  something MGM Resorts International, which wants instead to build a casino in Bridgeport, has argued constitutes a denial of the tribes plans.

Approval will allow the tribes to team up on the third casino without jeopardizing the slots revenue each pays Connecticut from their respective Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods gambling destinations, built in the 1990s in the southeastern section of the state.

State lawmakers earlier this year approved the East Windsor casino in an effort to compete with MGMs new development just over the border in Springfield, Mass.

The joint state and tribal lawsuit, which Malloy announced Wednesday, maintains that since the Department of Interior took no action on the East Windsor proposal within 45 days of submission, it should be deemed approved and that decision published in the Federal Register.

The state of Connecticut over the years has maintained a long-standing partnership and compact with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribal nations, and they employ thousands of Connecticut residents at their casinos, Malloy, a Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday. State law requires that these compact amendments are in fact approved. Thats why I have asked the Attorney General to file this action. We need clarity and certainty with respect to this issue.

The states legal action comes just a few weeks after U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, all Democrats, wrote Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke asking for his agencys sign off of the East Windsor project.

Mohegan and Mashantucket chairmen Kevin Brown and Rodney Butler in statements accompanying Malloys each expressed frustration with Zinkes agency.

The Department of the Interior has a responsibility to Native American tribes, and their failure to act on this issue sets a very dangerous precedent for Indian Country across the United States, Brown said.

Despite (a) good faith effort and repeated assurances by the department, their failure to publish our approval letter has forced us to take this action, said Butler.

Meanwhile MGM continues trying amass support for its Bridgeport plans, which the company unveiled in mid-September. MGM Chairman and CEO James Murren is the keynote speaker at the Bridgeport Regional Business Councils annual holiday dinner Tuesday at the Trumbull Marriott.

Uri Clinton, senior vice president and legal counsel for MGM, said precedent shows that an amendment is not deemed approved when Interior returns it, plain and simple. And no lawsuit, not even one backed by the Governor, changes those basic facts.

Clinton added We stand by the Bridgeport project and our analysis of where we are in the casino discussion in Connecticut.

MGMs interest in Bridgeport has been embraced by Democratic Mayor Joe Ganim, who is has been touting the proposal as he explores a run for governor.

Ganim had tried to bring a casino to town when he was first mayor in the 1990s. Now Republican President Donald Trump at the time was one contender. Zinke is a Trump appointee.

Ganims liaison with the legislature, Av Harris, said Wednesday he is not surprised that Malloy got involved in the lawsuit.

I think that instead of focusing on trying to sue in order to create a facility that isnt really going to attract a lot of people  thats designed to disrupt business for MGM Springfield  a more productive use of taxpayer resources and time and energy would be to enter into a negotiation with MGM and the tribes, Harris said. Everybody sit down in a room and figure out a business environment within which everybody can compete and succeed.

Blumenthal has backed the lawsuit.

The court should act promptly to require the Department of Interior to fulfill its crystal-clear legal responsibility and approve this legal agreement between the tribes and the state, the Senator said in an interview. A lot of investment hinges on it. Our economy and job creation will be directly affected by it.

Staff Writer Ken Dixon contributed to this report
MINOT -- Proposed changes that would lift prohibitions on pit bulls, chickens and snakes in Minot will go to the city council.

The Animal Ordinance Committee completed its work Monday, barring any further direction from the city council, and recommended the changes.

The city council could take up the committee's recommendations next Monday at its regular meeting, although council member Shannon Straight, who chaired the committee, said a special council meeting in December is likely.

Minot resident Thad Tarasen urged the committee during Mondays meeting to consider statistics and not emotion in making a decision on breed-specific legislation. He cited statistics indicating 65 percent of fatal dog bites, or 254 incidents from 2005 to 2016 in America, involved pit bulls.

"This is while over 700 cities have breed-specific ordinances. These ordinances are there for a reason," Tarasen said.

Ashley Pelton, a local dog trainer, noted the tendency of statistics to be skewed because pit bulls are not a breed but a classification that includes various breeds. Some bites also are attributed to pit bulls based on dog appearance, which might not be accurate. All dogs have the capacity to inflict injury, she added.

"We need to promote responsible ownership. You need to hold every dog owner accountable," she said. "I don't think the focus really needs to be on just one breed."

To replace breed-specific legislation, the committee is asking the city council to adopt the language in Fargo's "potentially dangerous" dog ordinance. A dog may be designated as potentially dangerous if it bites or menaces a human or a domestic animal when unprovoked. It would be considered dangerous if it inflicts substantial bodily injury on a person or domestic animal, kills a domestic animal while off the owner's property or aggressively bites or attacks a person or domestic animal after being designated as potentially dangerous.

The decision on the designation would be made through a municipal court process. The court could require dog obedience training, outdoor restrictions or posting of warnings. Muzzling, fencing and $300,000 in bodily insurance coverage would be required for dangerous dogs. The Fargo ordinance also imposes a $500 registration fee.

The proposed backyard hen ordinance also is patterned after the Fargo ordinance, which allows up to four hens and no roosters and sets out requirements for coops.

The change to the snake ordinance would lift the ban on all but venomous and injurious snakes identified by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as well as rattlesnakes, boa constrictors and pit vipers.

The Minot committee reviewed other existing ordinance provisions in city code regarding pet ownership but recommended no additional changes at this time. However, they acknowledged the difficulty of tracking pet ownership because of the failure of many people to license their animals. A two-year license, obtainable with proof of rabies vaccination, costs $5 for a dog or cat that is spayed or neutered. If not spayed or neutered, the fee is $15.

Separately, the committee received information Monday from Christopher Heth, an instructor at Minot State University, about ownership of birds of prey. The committee took no action, although lifting the existing ownership ban could be brought before the council by any interested party. Ownership of raptors already is heavily regulated through federal and state permits, apprenticeships and facility inspections. It typically is sought only by individuals or organizations engaged in education, breeding back from near extinction or wildlife rehabilitation.
If a solider is injured in war fighting for the United States, our countrys commitment to help them recover from an injury should be absolute.

One percent of Americans fight to protect the rest of us, and when we leave them out in the cold, without proper care for their battle wounds, we abandon the sacred commitment we made to them when they signed up to fight.

Right now, tens of thousands of combat veterans who risked their lives for our country and were injured in the line of duty are being denied medical and mental health care.

These are veterans who suffer from mental health issues or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their service, and whove acted out  gone AWOL for a short period of time or committed small acts of misbehavior  as a result of their diagnosis.

Because of this misconduct, which occurred because of their injury, they are given whats called an other-than-honorable  or bad paper  discharge from the military.

Their misconduct wasnt serious enough to receive a dishonorable discharge, but this bad paper discharge means that the service member is made ineligible for medical services from the Veterans Administration (VA).

It creates a no-win situation for veterans: they get injured in war, act out because of their injury, and then are refused help to recover from their injury.

This issue hits close to home.

Jasper Farmer, a Norwalk resident and Vietnam veteran, recently shared his story with me.

Jasper served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. He returned to Camp Lejeune over a year later, clearly struggling with PTSD.

Because of conduct resulting from his diagnosis, he was given a bad paper discharge.

For the next forty years, he was denied care at the VA, preventing him from adequately addressing his war injury.

Luckily, Jasper found the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC). Their staff fights tirelessly on behalf of veterans, and finally this past April, with the help of CVLC, Jasper gained access to VA health care.

But it shouldnt have taken smart lawyers and almost four decades to right this wrong.

Now, Im trying to right this grievous wrong for other veterans. Ive introduced the Honor Our Commitment Act in the Senate, and worked with Congressman Beto ORourke of Texas to do the same in the House of Representatives.

Our bill is pretty simple.

It says that any combat veteran who has received an other-than-honorable discharge because of conduct caused by his or her service-connected mental health issues should be able to get mental health treatment at the VA.

Our bill is so important because the scope of this problem is disturbingly large. Between 2011 and 2015 alone, over 13,000 veterans were denied care because of bad paper discharges.

This is a moral outrage. Veteran suicide has become an epidemic  on average, a veteran kills him or herself almost every hour  and veterans who arent receiving care from the VA have a much higher risk of taking their own life.

Why on earth would we refuse to give mental health care to veterans who are at greatest risk of taking their own lives?

Because of my efforts and the work of many others, the VA finally acknowledged that this is a problem, and recently changed their policy to allow veterans with bad paper discharges to access 90 days of emergency care.

But 90 days is far from adequate. We shouldnt place arbitrary limits on the care provided to veterans in need.

Thats why its so critical that Congress passes my Honor Our Commitment into law.

Im making progress on my bill. Earlier this year, I forced a vote on the Honor Our Commitment Act in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Republicans joined Democrats to attach my bill to the 2018 Veterans Administration budget.

The budget hasnt yet been voted on by the entire Senate, so I will keep fighting until this bill is signed into law.

When young men and women sign up to fight for this country, we make a sacred agreement with each and every one of them.

If they get injured during battle, their country needs to make sure they have access to enough health care to heal their wounds. We are violating this promise to thousands of veterans today, and we shouldnt let any more time pass before we right this wrong.

Chris Murphy is the junior Democratic U.S. Senator from Connecticut.
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When tourists come to Connecticut on vacation, if they opt to stay at an Airbnb, the options are as diverse and colorful as the state itself.

This website will pay you for your leaves

From a converted pontoon boat to a geodesic dome, travelers have a wide variety of accommodations to choose from when planning a trip out of town.

Click through the slideshow above to see some of the quirkiest Airbnb listings in the state.

The San Francisco-based company claims it has more than 3 million listings in 191 countries.

But its emergence as a dominant player in the tourism industry is not without controversy. Many blame the vacation rental service for driving up the cost of housing in cities like San Francisco.

San Francisco tried to regulate the growing vacation rental industry by forcing hosts to register with the city and imposing a 90-day annual limit on short-term rentals. In May, Airbnb struck a deal with San Francisco to ensure more hosts get registered, with the goal of universal registration by January 2018.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Airbnb's business model seems to be working and is particularly popular on the East Coast. Connecticut residents earned an estimated $12.5 million by renting their homes or rooms to guests on Airbnb. The company predicts it will earn $3.5 billion by 2020, Fortune reported.

In Connecticut, 290 Airbnb hosts tallied more than 6,900 guest stays, earning nearly $2 million between November 2016 and the end of last month. During those 12 months, New Haven was the top Airbnb destination in Connecticut, hosting 13,700 stays. Stamford and Greenwich ranked in the top ten with 2,500 and 1,600 Airbnb stays, respectively.
28 Kasm 2017 Sal, 13:50

The prosecutor sought Gulmens release citing the evidence having been gathered and the absence of a flight risk. However, the bench did not order her release, pointing to strong suspicion of guilt. The hearing was adjourned until 1 December. Gulmen, who joined the hearing via video link, described what she was undergoing in hospital as torture. Gulmen, saying they expected the State of Emergency Commission to issue a decision this week, said, If I am restored to my duties, I do not wish to be treated under these conditions.



Alican Uludag



In the trial of detained academic Nuriye Gulmen, who is staging a hunger strike in a bid to return to her job, Semih Ozakca, who is under house arrest, and Acun Karadag, who is on release pending trail, Gulmen did not secure her release.



At the fifth hearing of the trial, the Republic prosecutor sought Gulmens release at the start of the hearing citing the evidence having been gathered and the absence of a flight risk. The application for the release of Nuriye Gulmen, who described her conditions in Numune Hospital as torture, was dismissed on the grounds of strong suspicion of guilt and the severity of the penalty envisaged in the law and the hearing was adjourned until 1 December.



With Ozakca and Karadag attending the hearing at Ankara Serious Crime Court No 19, Gulmen, conversely, joined via a video link from the convict ward in Numune Hospital where she is being held. The Republic prosecutor, addressing the court at the start of the hearing, stated that he reiterated the opinion he had presented at the previous session and said, I seek the rendering of a decision for the release under such measures as the court sees fit of the defendant Nuriye Gulmen, given that no evidence remains to be gathered in the file, there is no risk of the defendants tampering with evidence or fleeing and the stage reached by the proceedings.



Gulmens attorney Murat Ylmaz said, This is an overdue application. Given that nothing has changed in one week, we realise that Nuriye has been detained arbitrarily. Ylmaz, saying that the transcript records of the 17 November hearing only became available to them yesterday morning, stated that they could not submit a defence on the merits without reading the 45-page transcript records, and requested a time extension on account of this. Ylmaz, noting that the court wrote a letter to Ankara Chief Prosecution at the last hearing for it to meet with her lawyers at an opportune time and setting for them to prepare Gulmens defence, stated that despite this the prosecution was creating difficulties over the matter. Ylmaz, recalling that the prosecutor had told Berk Ercan and Fatih Solak who were testifying against Nuriye and Semih, There is no need to cast aspersions against the defendants, recounted that Deputy Prime-Minister Bekir Bozdag had said with reference to the Reza Zarrab trial, This trial is political. It is a conspiracy against Turkey. The defendants in the trial have been subjected to duress. Ylmaz, indicating that with Bozdag saying that no credence could be attached to the testimony of informers, commented, We have also said that Ercan and Solaks testimony is untrue. Even if Fatih Solak has testified against Nuriye, he is currently in prison. Berk Ercan was released on 30 October. A defendant apprehended with a long-barrelled firearm avails himself of contrition provisions and is released at the first hearing having been sentenced to one year six months imprisonment. This is precisely where the interest lies. He admits to the firearms in his first statement, but does not admit to them in his second statement.



Allegations rebutted



Ylmaz, recalling that the two informers had said that Gulmen alleged she had made explosives and thrown them at the Berkin Elvan protest in Eskisehir, countered this by adducing as evidence police records on Gulmen in files opened at serious crime and first-instance crime courts in Eskisehir in connection with these protests. Ylmaz, noting that there was nothing at all in these records as to Gulmen in any way resisting the police or throwing explosive substances, stated that at the same time Gulmen was under technical surveillance by the police in 2013-2015 and all of her actions were monitored.



Ylmaz, recounting that Berk Ercan and Fatih Solaks statements appeared in October, commented, How and on what grounds did Nuriye and Semih remain in detention until that date? There is no evidence that Nuriye went on hunger strike at an organisations instruction.



She could not have gone to Istanbul



Attorney Mehmet Refik Atalay, in turn, exposed with evidence the untruthfulness of the claim that Nuriye Gulmen went to Istanbul after being released from prison and gave her CV to the organisation. Atalay, recalling that Gulmen had been released on condition that she did not leave a specified place of residence in Eskisehir, said, Nuriye could not leave Eskisehir due to this release condition order. There is no evidence that she violated the release condition, either. So, the claim that she went to Istanbul and gave her CV is untrue.



CHP MP witness



CHP Ankara MP Ali Haydar Hakverdi, who was observing the hearing at the request of the defence attorneys, recalling how Gulmen and Karadag had come to Parliament and applied to him, commented, At this point in time, they had started the sit-down action. They said they would also go on hunger strike if they could not make their voices heard. Following the ruling, a six-person group staged a sit-down action outside the prison. The police brutally arrested the group.


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1. Sexual assault complaintA

Assistant Chief of Campus Police Derek Myers sent a safety alert email to all University of Memphis students, staff and faculty on Nov. 27 regarding a sexual assault complaint at the Carpenter Complex the previous night. Myers said the victim knows the male respondent, and Campus Police Services is investigating the incident along with assistance from the Memphis Police Department.

2. Items stolen from backpack

A 25-year-old male student reported that items were stolen from his backpack on Nov. 15 at Jones Hall, according to a police report written by officer Claude Berry. The victim left his backpack in a hallway outside of room 241 in Jones Hall and left for about 15 minutes, according to the report. His backpack was missing when he returned and was later located in a bathroom on the second floor with items missing from it, according to the report.

3. License plate stolen from truck

A 24-year-old male studentas license plate was reported as being stolen from his truck in a Park Avenue parking lot on Nov. 15, according to a campus police report written by officer James Vickers. The victim said he took his 2007 Dodge Ram 3500 truck in for service and saw the license plate was missing, according to the report. It is unknown when the license plate was allegedly stolen.

4. Student runs red light, issued a misdemeanor citation for marijuanaA

An 18-year-old male student was issued a misdemeanor citation for possession of 3.5 grams of marijuana on Central Avenue and Deloach Street on Nov. 15, according to a police report written by Sgt. Rickey Moore. The suspect ran a red light in a four-door black Jeep at Zach Curlin Street and Central Avenue going 10 miles over the speed limit and was pulled over by police, according to the report. When the suspect was pulled over, officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the report. The passenger confessed to having the marijuana in the front console of his car and was charged with a misdemeanor citation for the drug, according to the report.

5. Car tag stolen

A 22-year-old manas tag was stolen from his vehicle on Veterans Avenue and Patterson Street on Nov. 19, according to a police report written by officer Chanancy Donaldson. The victim said he let his friend use his car for an event on campus. When the friend returned to the victimas car, the tag from the vehicle was missing, according to the report. The tag was stolen between 5 and 9:30 p.m., the report said.
Bailey Clark is a senior journalism student who currently lives in Paris, France. She interns as a fashion photographer and writes installments to "Tigers Abroad," a column series updating The Daily Helmsman's readers on students studying in foreign lands.

If you move to a new city, let alone a foreign one, you will begin to notice small changes in your behavior and in the things you like. Itas inevitable.

Moving to Paris, of course, there are bound to be changes a some for the better, some for the worse. But I think perhaps the most obvious ones come in your behavior and mannerisms. At least, itas like this for me, and I notice these things the most whenever I come home and realize Iave done something that isnat normal.

For example, the way I say ahelloa to people has changed drastically. In France, when we meet someone, we afais la bise.a That is to say, we give each other a kiss on each cheek. Now, this doesnat happen in the workplace, but if youare among friends and family, you always greet one another with a kiss on each cheek (Itas not really a kiss, itas more like you lean in and touch cheeks, making a kissing sound as if you had actually kissed).

At first, this felt abnormal to me. Uncomfortable. But now, it has become natural, and I feel more awkward not doing it then if I had.

When I went home for vacation in August, I ran into a girl I knew at the grocery store my first day back in the states. My first reaction was to move closer and lean in to afais la bise,a but then I stopped myself. I thought, aOh wait, youare in the states. Sheas going to think this is weird.a

At this point though, I was already too close to her because I had started to lean in, so I quickly changed to an awkward semi-hug with a girl I hadnat seen in over a year. She probably thought I was crazy.

BAILEY CLARK While you get used to odd cultural differences such as when you fais la bise, you never get used to sites like the Seine on a sunny day.

But in that moment, I couldnat remember what to do if I wasnat going to give her a kiss on the cheek. Do I hug her? Do I shake her hand? Do I just stand there? I honestly couldnat remember. I was stuck between worlds.

I kept thinking about the situation, and I finally realized that it probably would have just been best to say ahia and stand there making polite small talk. Yet, I had already made the situation awkward by starting to afais la bise.a

Even in France, if I meet other Americans, I struggle with this. I recently met two girls from Boston visiting a French friend of mine, and I again went to lean in to give them each a kiss on the cheek before realizing they donat do that.

Itas little things like this that happen when you go home or meet others from home that make you notice how your habits have changed.

So if you happen to meet a girl in January who awkwardly jumps into your personal space when she meets you as if to kiss you, donat worry. Itas probably just me, still adjusting to life in the United States.
With Christmas soon to be upon us thoughts are turning to ensuring our homes look fabulously festive for the big day.

And one man who knows exactly how to ensure your home looks high-end this Christmas is the man who served for the royal family.

Grant Harold, the former butler to the royals, along with the owners of the London Silver Vaults, have revealed their top tips for making your home look festive - and expensive - this December.

From always ensuring you have silver salt and pepper shakers to surprising tips like ensuring there are homemade decorations on your tree, take heed of these home decorating hacks.

Grant Harold, the former butler to the royals, along with the owners of the London Silver Vaults, have revealed their top tips for making your home look expensive and festive this December

1. Christmas table: Enhance your table with a linen runner down the centre of the table, then use layers of silver, such as statement napkin rings or silver models, for an extra Christmas touch. Silver animals will add interest and can keep the children amused at the same time.

2. Handwritten place cards: Little details make a table styling extra special - be inspired to create unique place cards complete with handwritten names.

3. Always have silver spice shakers: Silver salt and pepper shakers and grinders add a sophisticated and sparkly touch to a formal table.

Grant say that you should always use a candelabra as a centrepiece for your Christmas table, left. He also says you should be inspired to create unique place cards complete with handwritten names, right

4. Fireplace: As well as keeping the room warm, they can be decorated beautifully to become a focal point in a living room or dining room. Try placing Christmassy trinkets, garlands or silver ornaments on the mantelpiece to really adorn the space

5. Decorating the tree: Keep to a classic theme and add in personal touches such as vintage baubles or homemade decorations with sentimental meaning to make your tree unique

6. Candelabra: Use one as a centrepiece for the table. Tall candelabras throw more light and the flames will be above eye level, enabling guests to see each other across the table. Candle flames make the silver tableware sparkle even more.

They might not seem super high-end but Grant says that homemade Christmas decorations, left, and even edible glitter in champagne flutes, right, are all the rage

7. Polish everything: But remember, every time a tarnished item is cleaned, a minute layer of silver is removed so dont rub too fiercely, although dont worry too much, silver lasts for centuries! Also, use cotton gloves while handling silver; rubber gloves contain sulphur, which can create tarnish.

The dealers of The London Silver Vaults beneath Chancery Lane, which are home to the largest retail collection of fine antique and contemporary silver in the world, use Goddards foam polish or Silvo liquid polish to bring up a good shine or lustre. Hallmarks can be protected by covering with a bit of clear nail varnish or sellotape whilst polishing.

8. Christmas wreaths: Amongst the foliage, add silver bells to add extra sparkle.

9. Embrace edible glitter: Add a bit of sparkle to your food and drinks by adding edible glitter to the bottom of the champagne glass or silver frosting to garnish the canapes.

10. Make the Christmas crackers a lot more special: Add a silver charm as a lasting memory of your special Christmas lunch.
Dedicated fans of two YouTubers who claim that they were physically assaulted at a Cleveland bar have launched a brutal hate campaign against the establishment.

YouTube and Instagram sensation Alissa Violet, 21, and her boyfriend Ricky 'FaZe' Banks, 26, went to Ohio for Thanksgiving and during the weekend spent a night out at Cleveland's Barley House.

There, Alissa says she was attacked and emerged with a black eye and a battered lip after an incident in the night between Saturday and Sunday.

Incident: YouTube star Alissa Violet says she emerged with a battered lip and a black eye (pictured) after being attacked at a Cleveland, Ohio bar over the weekend

Traveling: Alissa and her fellow social media star and boyfriend Ricky 'FaZe' Banks (pictured with her), 26, were in Cleveland for Thanksgiving when the incident unfolded

Both she and Ricky posted about it on social media, with Ricky asking his 1.89 million Twitter followers to go on his Snapchat for the latest details.

Alissa has a whopping 7.3 million followers on Instagram, while Ricky's account has 2.2 million. The pair is equally popular on YouTube, where Alissa has 2.9 million subscribers and Ricky has 3.9 million.

Among their posts related to the bar incident were photos of Alissa with a bruised lip and a swollen, bruised eye, as well as images of Ricky's hand, which he said he broke while hitting 'this pussies face [sic]'.

While it is unclear exactly what transpired at Barley House, footage of the evening shows Ricky yelling accusations while at the bar, saying someone tried to choke him and someone else tried to grab Alissa's 'a**'. Alissa can also be heard threatening to sue the establishment.

Speaking out: Both Alissa and Ricky posted about it on social media, with Ricky asking his 1.89 million Twitter followers to go on his Snapchat for the latest details

Audience: Alissa has a whopping 7.3 million followers on Instagram , while Ricky's account has 2.2 million. The pair is equally popular on YouTube

On social media, Ricky accused 'some dude' whom he said works at the bar, as well as two women, of hitting Alissa.

The YouTuber shared photos of the people he accused on his Snapchat account, asking his followers to help him track them down.

While both Alissa and Ricky have blasted the bar for its handling of the situation, the establishment replied with a scathing statement placing the blame on the two social media stars.

'We have done an internal investigation and have come to the conclusion that our employees did an exceptional job handling the situation that was instigated on three separate occasions throughout the night by Ricky Banks and Alissa Violet,' the establishment wrote.

'We have also come to the conclusion that Ricky and Alissa are instigators, liars, and manipulators. They are trying to use their social media influence to not only destroy our business, but to encourage people to harm our employees physically and emotionally.

'Shame on those of you that have just taken these two intoxicated people's words to the point of threatening innocent people's lives before we could even do our proper due diligence to assure no one on our team did anything wrong. If we or someone on our team did do something wrong, believe us, the situation would have been handled properly that way as well, but that was not the case.

'This is not only evident in the video footage and witness statements, but in some audio that was recorded in which you can hear Ricky and Alissa yelling 'Do you know who we are?? We can ruin you!', over and over

'We felt obligated as local owners to stand up to these lies against our establishment and our employees with the hope that we shed light on what kind of people Alissa and Ricky actually are.'

Campaign: After Ricky and Alissa aired accusations against the Barley House bar in Cleveland, his and Alissa's fans flooded the establishment's Yelp page with false reviews

Taking action: One person even started an online campaign asking for Barley House to be closed. The petition, which has so far only received one signature, is meant to be delivered to none other than Ohio Governor (and former presidential candidate) John Kasich

However, the statement did little to appease the anger of Ricky and Alissa's fans, who have been hard at work to retaliate against the bar.

They have left dozens of false reviews on Yelp, giving Barley House the lowest possible rating of one star, and making it clear in their accompanying statement that their review comes as a result of the quarrel.

'Zero stars. Their employees assault customers and THEN go on social media to try and defend themselves for their unprofessional and criminal behavior,' one person wrote. 'Don't waste your money or risk getting your face beat here.'

'Terrible service being put out there, the bouncer was extremely rude to my friends, Ricky and Alissa and also did not have the politeness to welcome us into the bar,' another review reads. 'The people working in there, including the bartender were very rude as well. This place needs better staff and respect #cloutgang.'

'Cloutgang' is the word used to designate Alissa, Ricky and another of their social media colleagues.

Insults: Meanwhile, plenty of Alissa and Ricky's supporters have left outraged messages on Twitter railing against the bar, calling its staff members 'f*****g disgusting human beings'

Response: While Alissa and Ricky blasted the bar for its handling of the situation, the establishment replied with a statement placing the blame on the two social media stars

Words: In their efforts to find the people accused by Ricky, some fans mistakenly came to believe a man named Steve Donaldson Jr. was responsible for the incident. The reactions were such that Donaldson Jr. put out a statement saying he wasn't at the bar on Saturday night

The flood of reviews has been such that Yelp has now taken to cleaning up the bar's page to remove some of the abusive posts, though many remain accessible on the platform.

Meanwhile, plenty of Alissa and Ricky's supporters have left outraged messages on Twitter railing against the bar, calling its staff members 'f*****g disgusting human beings', suggesting that someone buy the venue and 'fire everyone', or exclaiming some variation of 'f**k Barley House'.

One person even started an online campaign asking for Barley House to be closed. The petition, which has so far only received one signature, is meant to be delivered to none other than Ohio Governor (and former presidential candidate) John Kasich.

However, the fans' campaign has gone beyond online posts.

In their efforts to get justice for their idols, some fans mistakenly came to believe a man named Steve Donaldson Jr. was responsible for the incident.

'Our family woke up to all these hate messages and follower requests,' his sister Courtney told the Daily Beast. 'Her [Violet's] fans looked up old addresses of ours, saying we should watch our back.'

The reactions were such that Donaldson Jr. put out a statement on Google Docs saying that, while he is a regular at Barley House, he wasn't at the bar on Saturday night and went to bed at 8:30 pm because he was exhausted after working on his condo, which is being renovated, and visiting his sick grandfather in the hospital.

'I would appreciate if the threats and influx of social media friend and follow requests would cease,' Donaldson Jr. added.

In addition, one person posted on Twitter about driving to Cleveland in person to 'beat a**', but later claimed they couldn't because they had to be at work.

Alissa, meanwhile, has thanked Ricky on Twitter, calling him her 'angel'.

But a local resident told the Daily Beast she is looking forward to security footage being released, adding: 'Its going to embarrass the hell out of those two.'
A mother sick of scrubbing lipstick-covered walls and her makeup being pillaged by toddlers took the problem into her own hands by starting a kids' cosmetics line.

Raya Du Plooy's two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son both had a penchant for finding and destroying her expensive makeup products.

Inspired by the curiosity of her children, the Sydney mother-of-two, 30, launched her own business, Oh Flossy, selling natural 'play' makeup as a safe alternative to adult cosmetics.

'My daughter has really really sensitive skin and she just flares up with everything, so I knew I needed something safe and low-allergen,' Raya told FEMAIL.

Raya Du Plooy's (pictured) two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son both had a penchant for finding and destroying her expensive makeup products

Inspired by the curiosity of her children, the Sydney mother-of-two, 30, launched her own business, Oh Flossy , selling natural play makeup as a safe alternative to adult cosmetics (Pictured is her daughter)

'But there isn't really much on the market that is natural or doesn't contain some sort of chemical addition.'

The biggest problem weighing on Raya's mind was finding a way to market her children's cosmetics as simply 'playful' and not for actually altering the appearance of toddlers.

She explained to FEMAIL that a disturbing amount of advertising targeting youngsters is 'over-sexualised'.

'I quickly realised that a lot of branding and marketing aimed at young children really over-sexualises them... and that's something I want to shield my daughter from, I wanted to keep her childhood full of all the magic and fun,' Raya said.

'I don't have a problem with her playing with makeup and imitating. I wanted to create something that enabled that fantasy and imitation while feeling confident that she isn't stressing about body image or seeing little girls in red lipstick or dark eye makeup.'

The biggest problem weighing on Raya's mind was finding a way to market her children's cosmetics as simply 'playful' and as altering the appearance of toddlers (Pictured is her daughter)

Raya said she uses her four-year-old son (pictured) and two-year-old daughter as product testers

Some of Oh Flossy's products include glitter lipstick (pictured) which is low transfer and naturally made

'So that was the main factor of it - and selfishly also, I didn't want to keep sharing my makeup,' she added.

Raya, who is also eight months pregnant with her third child, said she only uses kids as product testers and often recruits her two children as guinea pigs for the makeup.

Her brand sells glitter lipstick, lip-gloss, and five different kinds of eye-shadow which are made with natural ingredients and low-transfer so the product does not stain a child's sensitive skin.

'My son is very into makeup and he's quite good and at a very brutally honest age so he's a great little guinea pig for Oh Flossy,' Raya added.

Raya, (pictured) who is also eight months pregnant with her third child, said she only uses kids as product testers and often recruits her two children as guinea pigs for the makeup

Her brand sells glitter lipstick, lip-gloss, and five different kinds of eyes-shadow which are made with natural ingredients and low-transfer so the product does not stain a child's sensitive skin

'My son is very into makeup and hes quite good and at a very brutally honest age so he's a great little guinea pig for Oh Flossy,' Raya added

'We have a great team of product testers who we send the kits out to between the ages of three and 10 - and more often than not it's their mums who end up using the products too and they say the lip-gloss feels like butter.'

The cosmetics entrepreneur has experienced a surprising amount of success from her homegrown idea and said she even struggles to keep up with sales.

She credits her two young children as her main inspiration and wants to help other mothers in fostering creativity while holding onto childhood innocence.

'We want our children to stay little boys and little girls. It's just for fun and giving mums and dads an alternative when their kids want to experiment,' Raya said.

'It's about reducing the chaos - no more scrubbing the walls - I have had quite a few walls covered in different colours so it helps that.'

The cosmetics entrepreneur has experienced a surprising amount of success from her homegrown idea and said she even struggles to keep up with sales
The beloved novelist and Christian thinker C. S. Lewis was born on Nov. 29, 1898, in Belfast, Ireland. In honor of his 119th birthday, here are six quotes from Lewis on government, economics, and freedom:

On democratic government: I am a democrat because I believe in the Fall of Man. I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that theyre not true.

On economics and government control: The increasing complexity and precariousness of our economic life have forced Government to take over many spheres of activity once left to choice or chance. Our intellectuals have surrendered first to the slave-philosophy of Hegel, then to Marx, finally to the linguistic analysts. As a result, classical political theory, with its Stoical, Christian, and juristic key-conceptions (natural law, the value of the individual, the rights of man), has died. 

On expansion of government control: The modern State exists not to protect our rights but to do us good or make us good  anyway, to do something to us or to make us something. Hence the new name leaders for those who were once rulers. We are less their subjects than their wards, pupils, or domestic animals. There is nothing left of which we can say to them, Mind your own business. Our whole lives are their business.

On economic independence: I believe a man is happier, and happy in a richer way, if he has the freeborn mind. But I doubt whether he can have this without economic independence, which the new society is abolishing. For economic independence allows an education not controlled by Government; and in adult life it is the man who needs, and asks, nothing of Government who can criticise its acts and snap his fingers at its ideology.

On the welfare state: Is there any possibility of getting the super Welfare States honey and avoiding the sting? Let us make no mistake about the sting. The Swedish sadness is only a foretaste. To live his life in his own way, to call his house his castle, to enjoy the fruits of his own labour, to educate his children as his conscience directs, to save for their prosperity after his deaththese are wishes deeply ingrained in civilised man. Their realization is almost as necessary to our virtues as to our happiness. From their total frustration disastrous results both moral and psychological might follow.

On Christianity and politics: He who converts his neighbour has performed the most practical Christian-political act of all.
A former butler of the Royal Family has shared a glimpse into the life behind the scenes of the Buckingham Palace.

Richard Kerrigan - originally from Kent in the UK but now lives in Sydney as a personal trainer - started his job at the Royal residence after working as a chef.

Speaking on KIIS 1065's Kyle & Jackie O, the now 30-year-old revealed how he met the Queen when he was setting the 180-person table for one of the royal events.

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Richard Kerrigan (pictured) was a former butler for the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace

The British man revealed his royal duties, including event preparation, greeting guests and setting the table in the ballroom for banquets (file image)

He said he was in the middle of rearranging the flowers in the ballroom when the Queen caught him standing on top of the banquet table.

'I was actually on one of the tables, standing on top of it because one of the flowers had snapped off the big vases,' he told the radio station on Wednesday.

'I had these special overshoes, so I was walking up and down the 180-people table... did a double take over my shoulder and there's the majesty.

'I was in her house, I was thinking this was quite a normal thing but she's checking to make sure everything suits her... With the events, we see her all the time.

'She [usually] sits on the other end of the table so she has her own staff to look after her. The guest of honours would be on the other end.'

Working as a professional butler, Mr Kerrigan said they are not allowed to speak to the Queen unless she approaches them.

Preparing for the royal events and presidential visits, he revealed the extreme lengths butlers go to make sure the table was perfectly set.

'They take a couple of days to lay. It can take up to two days to lay a table,' he said.

'There's lots of massive vases, water glasses and cutlery all in at equidistant to the table and plates. There's a ruler that kind of goes on a circumference so you can see the right angle.

'So basically when you look down on the side of the table, you can make sure everything is exactly in place.'

The young man said he once had to deliver the Queen's soup - but only to the service hatch

Speaking about the strict security, Mr Kerrigan said he got in trouble once for trying to take a photograph of himself wearing the uniform inside the Palace.

'I tried to snap a selfie, not in the actual hall but in the downstairs where we get change. I tried to take a picture and instantly, they took it off me,' he said.

'I just wanted it for mum, to show her.'

He said the most famous banquet he worked at was when the then-President George W. Bush was a guest of honour at the Palace in 2003.

'It was an amazing experience,' he said.

'You're there as a staff, and it's their environment. The idea is not to be star struck.'

Kyle Sandilands asked Mr Kerrigan whether he ever got to stand in the Queen's bedroom, to which he responded as he laughed: 'No I haven't.'

His latest interview comes just weeks after he lifted the lid on what it was really like working for the Royal family.

Appearing on The Morning Show, the British man revealed his royal duties, including event preparation, greeting guests and setting the table for banquets.

'It was a crazy time in my life,' he said.

'We'd lay the great table. When the plates are all set up, you've got to measure it with a ruler and make sure the plates are all in line.

'A lot of these functions have 180 guests [around the] big horseshoe shaped table and you've got to make sure the glasses are polished, the silvers in the right line.

'Out of 180 guests, there's probably about four staff per eight or 10 guests. So you can imagine how many level of service we're silver serving.

The former butler gave a glimpse into what went on beyond the gates of Buckingham Palace

'[The Royal Family] do acknowledge you but they're busy with their guests. But they do acknowledge you and say "hi". They're so nice. It's amazing.'

The young man - who claims he has been in the same room as the Queen - said there were signal lights to indicate to the butlers when they were allowed to enter.

'First of all, it was quite a cool little system as a traffic light system,' he said.

'We're behind the scenes, and there's a green and a red traffic light system. So we're not allowed to go into the room when the little red light is on.

'So when there's any speeches on or anything... they want us to not know about - and as soon as they press the green button, we go in.'

Speaking about the strict security, Mr Kerrigan said he got in trouble once for trying to take a photograph of himself wearing the uniform inside the Palace (file image)

Co-host Kylie Gillies asked Mr Kerrigan what was the most 'bizarre or unusual thing' he was ever asked to do as a butler working at the Palace.

'One of my first events, I went down to the kitchen to get what I thought was just food up to the main service hatch,' he recalled.

'I was on my own in the lift, and they gave me this thermos flask. I looked down and it says the "Queen's soup" on the side of the thermos flask.

'And it was that moment I realised, I actually got the Queen's soup in my hands. We're actually not allowed to serve her.

'I had the Queen's soup in my hands. I didn't give it a taste, unfortunately.'

Speaking about the strict security, Mr Kerrigan said he got in trouble once for trying to take a photograph of himself wearing the uniform inside the Palace (file image)

He also got to work at Prince Charles and Camilla's lavish wedding.

'I was lucky enough to be at the wedding, that was an amazing experience,' he said.

'The security was heightened through that because it was a prestigious event. But it was great, it was amazing to be rubbing shoulders.

'But after a while, you kind of do get used to it and you had to relax.'
A woman whose condition saw her only develop one breast has dropped five stone after doctors warned she was too obese for corrective surgery.

Daniella Day, 23, from Nottingham, was diagnosed with a congenital breast deformity at the age of 16 - something that caused her to have one breast a size DD and the other a cup size A.

Her confidence plummeted and after being nicknamed 'tissue t***' by cruel bullies at school as she tried to disguise her uneven boobs with tissue, she began to comfort eat.

Daniella Day's breast deformity saw her develop one much larger than the other and after being told she was too obese for surgery she dropped five stone in as many months. Pictured: Daniella at her heaviest (left) and today (right)

At 17 years old Daniella was fitted with a temporary breast expander - a bag inserted into the breast and filled with a saline solution every six months - with the hope of full breast implant at 21.

But after ballooning to a size 18 while at university due to binging on takeaways, crisps and chocolate, she was later told she was obese and that the operation would be too risky.

Daniella decided to ditch her unhealthy habits and after joining Cambridge Weight Plan in May she lost a total of five stone in just five months.

Daniella was diagnosed with a congenital breast deformity at the age of 16 - something that caused her to have one breast a size DD and the other a cup size A

She was taunted by cruel bullies which lead Daniella to comfort eat seeing her balloon to a size 18 and weighing in at 15st

Now, at a svelte size 10, she is finally ready for the next stage of her surgery which she hopes will take place next year.

Daniella said: 'Not having my left breast left me feeling so self-conscious that I turned to food for comfort.

'It wasn't until I went back to the hospital at 21 and was told that I was too overweight for the next part of my surgery that I realised I needed to change my ways.

'When I was 17 I had an operation to have a bag inserted into my breast that would be filled with a saline solution as my right side grew.

In May she joined the Cambridge Weight Plan swapping her greasy takeaways for lighter meals

Losing weight has left Daniella with excess skin around her breast area and says that if she can't get funding for her operation on the NHS she will save for private surgery

'But it was never permanent and I knew one day I'd need another operation to have the implant.

'I'd spent years stuffing my bras with tissue at school and as soon as someone spotted me I was known as 'tissue t***.'

'No one could understand that I was just trying to look normal and didn't care about them looking any bigger.

'I joined Cambridge Weight Plan in May and after losing one stone on my own and have since lost another four stone.

'I didn't mind my boobs when I was chubby as being overweight gave them a better shape but now I have just been left with excess skin.

'I'm hoping to have the final part of my surgery next year now I have finally lost all my weight.'

Daniella first realised her breasts weren't growing the same age 15 and after nagging her mum for a doctor's appointment, she was finally referred.

Daniella now weighs just over 10st and is a svelte size 10

'I remember saying to my mum that they don't look normal and after being referred, I was soon diagnosed with a tissue deformity.

'At one point my breasts four sizes apart and it was really noticeable unless I used extra padding or tissue in the one side of my bra.

'I felt like I was too young to be going through such a huge operation at 17 but I knew it needed to be done.

'At 21 I knew I was chubby but I never imagined I'd be too obese for the second part of the surgery.

'It was the wake-up call I needed, I wasn't happy with my appearance but I was the only person able to change it.'

Daniella decided to join Cambridge Weight Plan in May this year and after losing a total five stone, she's now set for surgery.

She added: 'I joined in May after I'd heard so many success stories from people around me.

'I knew I needed to get my life back on track and I stopped going out with friends and ditched the fast food, crisps, and chocolate for good.

'Your weight is the one thing you can control so why let it hold you back?'

Daniella now weighs just over 10st and she's set to have her surgery next year.

She said: 'My breast reconstruction was going to be funded by the NHS as it was the second part to my first surgery at 17 but now I will have to apply for a whole new set of funding.

'The expander in my left breast will be taken out soon as my body is now rejecting it butonce I'm all healed from that op, I will start my application.

'After losing all the weight I'm now one step closer to having the breasts I'd always wanted.

'At the moment they are like empty sacs due to the weightloss and my condition.

'If the funding isn't granted, I will start saving for private surgery to correct my bust.'

DANIELLA'S DIET BEFORE BREAKFAST: Coffee with two sugars LUNCH: Pasta meal deal, crisps, samosa, chocolate bar DINNER: Kebab / chicken and chips / pizza SNACKS: Crisps, chocolate, diet coke Advertisement
Kneeing a would-be sex pest in the groin is largely ineffective, says a company that is teaching women how to defend themselves against unwanted attention this Christmas party season.

Blue Mountain Security offers easy-to-learn techniques it says every woman can master - including the ability to break an aggressor's fingers or escape a bear hug.

Instead of traditional martial arts, women who sign up are shown easy-to-remember defence tactics that instantly incapacitate a would-be attacker - and says going for the groin or telling someone to 'calm down' rarely works.

Be prepared: More and more women are signing up for self-defence classes which teach simple tricks and tips for fending off unwanted gropes from a colleague right up to escaping a sex attacker

A punch to the face is rarely tried by women but can be effective: Security company Blue Mountain teaches women tips including never telling someone to 'calm down' and avoiding a kick to the groin - which rarely works

Among the top tips offered to those who take the course are to always carry a handbag on the side that is closest to the buildings when walking down streets, which minimises the range of would-be muggers.

Use the same hand to talk on a mobile, to ensure it's harder for a potential mugger to pull the bag free, is also mooted as good advice

Women staying in hotel rooms alone are also advised to leave the television on - to suggest there isn't just one person in the room - and put a 'do not disturb' sign on the door.

ESSENTIAL SELF-DEFENCE TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE Steve Cook, who runs self-defence classes says being aware of your own safety is crucial in preventing attacks NEVER tell someone to 'calm down' - instead try to turn the conversation around and get them to agree with you

A knee to the groin is almost always ineffective - it's difficult to connect to the testicles

Try and break a finger - it's easier to do and will incapacitate the attacker

Carry a handbag on the side that is closest to the buildings when walking down streets, to minimise the range of would-be muggers

U se the same hand to talk on a mobile, to ensure it's harder for a potential mugger to pull the bag free

When staying alone on business, tell people you trust how long you're staying and the details of the hotel

Leave the TV on in your hotel room to try and mask the fact you're alone

If travelling abroad on business, research the airport and taxi rank in advance so the potential to reduce risk of being in a vulnerable situation

The best way to prevent an attack? Be aware it might happen. Situational awareness is key, says Steve Cook

Dress appropriately according to the culture of the country you're in Advertisement

High-flyers from some of the UK's biggest companies are signing up for the safety classes. Businesswomen are learning the preservation skills in a bid to be able to keep themselves safe while on work trips or at the office.

Steve Cook and Sheila Herbert, who run the Blue Mountain Security courses for women wanting to protest themselves in every scenario from the office party to arriving on business abroad

Blue Mountain founder Nigel Thomas said: 'In today's world women rightly feel the need to protect themselves from unwanted advances and potential threats, not just at home and on the street but also at work too.

'They want to protect themselves from danger and harm and we feel Female Safety Training is one of the most effective ways.

'It is a course designed to develop and encourage an increased level of awareness for women against harassment and sexual violence.

De-escalating a situation is key and should be the first option for women who feel under threat

'The majority of conventional training courses rely on self-defence, but we believe that the focus should be on preventing the situation rather than focusing on the last resort - physical violence.

'Self-defence will be included in the training, but the emphasis will be on other measures we can take to keep ourselves from harm and understanding the mind-set of the attacker. It's how we can de-escalate a situation.'

The expert instructors, many who have military or police backgrounds, teach women simple moves they are likely to remember in the event of a crisis - including how to get out of arm holds.

The course focuses on easy punches and escape techniques that can be effective on anyone, regardless of their size

Instead of being taught complicated martial arts manoeuvres and throws, they are instructed how, as a last resort, to break the finger of anyone that shows overly aggressive tendencies - and hold on in order to incapacitate the would-be attacker.

One of the participants, who asked not to be named, said: 'As a businesswoman, I often have to travel for work and regularly find myself with down-time in a foreign city I do not know.

'I learned that so many of the things I do without thinking could put me at risk.

'I would always tell hotel staff how long I'm staying for when I check in, but Steve pointed out that that tells any would-be crooks among the workers how long my room is going to be occupied for.

'Leaving the television on and the 'do not disturb' sign on the door is definitely a must.

'Other times I've been too nervous of my surroundings to do anything but stay in my hotel when not in meetings. Now I feel more confident to assess potential risks and hopefully enjoy myself more.'

When travelling alone, put on a television in your room to create the sound of people chatting and help persuade someone that you're not alone (Pictured: Shelia Herbert)

Participants are also encouraged to learn the layout of airports before they arrive, and how taxis operate there, in a bid to look confident when stepping out of a terminal rather than unsure and potentially vulnerable.

Instructor Sheila Herbert said that, during an argument, one of the most important things to do is not to tell somebody to 'calm down' - and instead try to turn the conversation into them agreeing with you.

She said: 'Never in the history of calming down has anyone ever actually calmed down by being told to 'calm down'.'

Sheila, a 25-year police veteran, added that men attack women differently to how they attack other men, and it is rare for a bloke to punch a lady square in the face.

Instead they tend to poke with a finger and grab in order to restrain their victim, but participants on the course learn how to break simple grasps and bear hugs.

She said: 'If you can break their finger, and hold on, you will de-escalate the situation because they will be incapacitated, for as long as you hold onto their broken finger.'

The best way to prevent an attack? Be aware it might happen. Situational awareness is key, says Steve Cook

Kicks and knees to the crotch of a would-be sex attacker are ineffective because it is surprisingly difficult to connect with the testicles, which are the most sensitive part of male anatomy.

She added: 'If you are going to attack the groin area, I wouldn't recommend a kick or strike. I would grab them and keep hold - twist if necessary.

'Especially if it's a sex assault, that has a high likelihood of stopping them.'

Former soldier and police officer Steve Cook also issued a warning that 'routine kills', as people tend to lose concentration when they are travelling around familiar areas.

Steve said that the crux of the course is heightening situational awareness to minimise potential risk.

Other things discussed on the course, which costs in the region of 170 per person but can be tailored to company needs, include making sure not to offend locals by dressing in a way that might be against local culture - and on the occasions where it might not be prudent to call police.

Participants are also taught what to do in the event of a sexual assault in order to preserve vital evidence that be more than likely to lead to conviction.

The course offers advice on a variety of different ways to manage risk, in a bid to keep people as safe as possible in different scenarios.

Blue Mountain Group have a dedicated training facility in Heckfield, Hampshire.
Meghan Markle has been hailed as a 'true humanitarian' by a charity that she worked with around the world.

The bride-to-be, 36, was praised by global relief charity World Vision, who said she would bring 'vast energy' to her future work as a member of the royal family.

The comments came after it was announced Miss Markle is giving up her current charitable commitments, including her work with World Vision, to focus on her new life as a royal with a 'clean slate'.

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'True Humanitarian': Meghan Markle was praised by charity World Vision, whom she worked with in Rwanda, in January last year, pictured

Committed: The charity said Meghan would bring 'vast energy' to her work as a royal

Fresh start: Meghan, pictured in Rwanda with World Vision, is giving up all charity commitments

New role: Meghan will adopt new charities once she becomes a member of the royal family

Meghan's 'warm' nature is captured in charity video Meghan Markle's warm-hearted nature and her desire to make a difference are clear to see in this video footage filmed during her charity missions. The future royal bride, who is marrying Prince Harry next May, travelled to Rwanda with World Vision Canada in 2016. The American actress is shown dancing with youngsters, perfecting some 'really solid Rwandan dance moves'. She also crouches down to talk to children, gives them hugs, and gets stuck in by helping to drill a borehole to provide clean water. 'I do think that it's these tiny acts of generosity or grace or even just understanding that allow us to really make a difference on a much larger level,' Ms Markle says. In the footage, when she hears how one girl called Florence has dropped out of school because she has to walk for hours a day to collect dirty water, which is also making her sick, a caring Ms Markle, who is listening intently, tells the youngster: 'I'm so sorry.' Ms Markle is seen helping to turn a manual drilling rig to make one of the new wells. She adds that the new boreholes are ensuring girls can now go to school rather than spending their time travelling to collect water instead. 'It's not just about clean drinking water - what it's doing for education, what it's doing for keeping these kids in school, what it's doing for them not having medical bills,' she says. 'Every single piece of it is so interconnected and I think how this one life source is the source for all of it, that's been my biggest take away from today. I'm really grateful for that.' An animated Ms Markle adds: 'Wait, also I really liked my dance lessons. I've got some really solid Rwandan dance moves - wait for it, wait for it.' Advertisement

Ms Markle became a World Vision Global Ambassador after heading to Rwanda with the organisation in February 2016 when she saw the impact of clean water on the lives of children and communities in Africa.

In January this year, she travelled to Delhi and Mumbai with the charity, which is a global relief, development and advocacy charity.

World Vision's Lara Dewar, who travelled to India with Ms Markle earlier this year, thanked the actress for her support and praised her passion for improving children's lives and campaigning for girls' rights.

'Meghan is a true humanitarian,' the chief marketing and development officer said. 'Were deeply grateful for her contribution as a global ambassador for World Vision over the past two years and for helping to raise awareness for the worlds most vulnerable children.

Natural: Those who worked with Meghan in Rwanda said she had a close bond with the children

The former Suits star looked delighted as she learnt more about World Vision's work in Rwanda

'I personally witnessed Meghan's passion to improve the lives of children, and know her heart to advocate for the rights of girls - to hear and amplify their important voices.

'She will undoubtedly bring vast energy to her charity work as a member of the royal family. We can't wait to see what the future holds for her and Prince Harry - a couple who clearly have a heart for social justice.'

Behind the scenes, the actress has been described as 'warm and good-humoured' and, like Harry, a natural with children.

Personal touch: Meghan 'really, really gets on with children', one World Vision worker said

The actress became a global ambassador for the brand following the Rwanda trip, pictured

'She really, really gets on with children and is connected to the children. She has a brightness and a warmth,' one source said.

'The charity work really struck a chord with her.'

Kensington Palace said on Tuesday that the American star would become a British citizen, and also would be focusing on her new life, rather than past charities.

Harry's communications secretary Jason Knauf said: 'She has made the decision that she wants to start with a clean slate and focus on the UK, and getting to know this country, and travelling around the Commonwealth.'

It could be that Ms Markle decides to become royal patron of World Vision at a later date, but nothing has yet been confirmed.
She is never one to shy away from making a fashion statement, and today was no exception for Queen Mathilde as she carried out a busy day of engagements in Belgium.

The Belgian royal, 44, wrapped up against the chilly winter weather in a bold houndstooth coat which was streaked with blue, orange, white and black.

She joined husband King Philippe, 57, for a number of appearances, which included a visit to a sustainable farm, a video company and a round table discussion on radicalism.

Vibrant: Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium carried out a busy day of engagements

Gracious: Queen Mathilde is given a handful of Belgian flags by excited schoolchildren

Time for tea! Queen Mathilde found time for a hot drink during her very busy day

Despite their packed schedule, the royal couple remained in good spirits as they greeted well-wishers at every stop.

At one point a beaming Mathilde found herself clutching a handful of Belgian flags after they were given to her by excited supporters.

The queen's vibrant coat certainly stood out against the grey wintry sky and she added even more colour to the look with a pair of bright orange gloves and matching kitten heels.

Gracious: The royal couple greeted well-wishers as they stopped off at a sustainable farm

Radiant: Mathilde, 44, remained in good spirits despite the packed schedule on Wednesday

Wrapping up: The royal couple kept warm in long coats as they carried out their engagements

To make sure the ensemble didn't clash too much, she paired it with a simple putty-coloured clutch.

Meanwhile King Philippe, son of King Albert II, looked smart in a white shirt, tie and practical green overcoat.

The couple started the day in Flemish Brabant with a visit to the Den Diepen Boomgaard farm in Grimbergen.

Patriotic: Well-wishers handed the queen Belgian flags as she stopped to speak to them

The farm is a social workplace and at the same time there is a focus on sustainability.

They later visited nearby Vilvoorde, where they stopped off at a company that provides all-round audiovisual services to television stations, news editors, production houses and companies.

The couple later took part in a round table on de-radicalisation in the Vilvoorde City Hall.
Meghan Markle will soon be joining Britain's most well-known family, but it seems the royal bride-to-be might already have some English relatives.

Genealogists have traced the 36-year-old's family tree and discovered that she might be a distant relative of Sir Winston Churchill thanks to a shared Essex-born ancestor who settled in the US in the 1600s.

The former Suits star also has distant links to William Shakespeare, research reveals.

Family history: Genealogists claim Meghan Markle already has some English relatives

Esteemed family: Experts traced her family history back to Shakespeare, left, and Churchill

The research was carried out by family heritage website MyHeritage.com, which allows users to delve into their personal histories.

Experts concluded that Markle is William Shakespeare's fifth cousin 13 times removed on her mother Doria's side.

Her connection to Winston Churchill is even closer as they are sixth cousin five times removed. The unlikely pair are both descendants of Sarah and Zachariah Howe.

Zachariah was born in Essex in 1640 and moved to Lynn, Massachusetts, in search of a new life.

Branching out: Meghan and Churchill's ancestor left Essex for a new life in Massachusetts

There he met his wife, Sarah, nee Gilbert, who was the daughter of Matthew Gilbert, a man born in Somerset who later became the deputy governor of New Haven Colony.

Meghan is a distant descendant of their son, John, while Sir Winston can trace his lineage back to their daughter, Sarah Curtis.

Aaron Godfrey, a spokesperson for MyHeritage.com, said: 'MyHeritage.com enables anyone to discover their family history easily, so when we heard the wonderful news about Harry and Meghan's engagement, we wanted to help Meghan discover some English roots of her own.

'I'm sure she will be delighted to know that she comes from such prestigious British stock.'
A teenage girls sense of self-worth has always been an incredibly fragile thing. But never more so than today, with the potential to seek out social approval, or feel wounded by rejection, every time she looks at her phone.

Children clearly need help to both nurture and protect this precious commodity because the impact that losing it can have on a young womans life is devastating, as we have witnessed first hand on countless occasions.

With around 80 per cent of todays women and girls readily admitting unhappiness with their looks, to describe poor self-image as a scourge on our daughters lives is no exaggeration.

A recent survey found only 39 per cent of girls in the UK had high body esteem (its 46 per cent globally which is damning enough). In other words, less than half of British girls aged between ten and 17 are happy with the way they look.

Chloe Catchpole (pictured), 24, began comparing her looks unfavourably to friends at the age of 15

As clinical psychologists specialising in body image issues, we know theres plenty we can do to help modern youngsters build better relationships with themselves as physical beings.

But first, we need to get inside their heads so we can properly understand whats going on here.

Of course, theres nothing new about teenage girls and young women feeling uncomfortable in their own skin.

Many of todays mothers will remember facing their own youthful inner struggle to overcome the horrible feeling that they werent quite good enough. Only to eventually grasp the immeasurable value of the non-physical attributes that truly define us.

But as todays children grow up, they do so while navigating an online landscape that presents appearance as the only social currency that truly matters.

With the approval of their peers coming largely via reactions to the pictures they post of themselves on social media, its hardly surprising the majority live with a gnawing sense they are somehow lacking. We need to help steer them in healthier directions.

But first we must get to grips with how our daughters view themselves, and, just as importantly, how they believe the wider world looks back at them.

By age 19 Chloe had quit college and lived as a recluse as she became convinced people were staring at her

Negative body image, which predominantly causes distress in females, can range from a teenage girl wishing her hair was a little thicker or her lips that bit fuller; to someone convinced they dont have a relationship because theyre the ugly duckling within their peer group; to a young woman emotionally crippled and socially isolated because she thinks she looks so repugnant that she offends anyone unfortunate enough to look upon her.

Body dissatisfaction in its most extreme form is known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD. This is a psychological disorder, causing sufferers crippling obsessive anxiety over their appearance, and an area in which we specialise.

Patients suffering from this, genuinely believe society is deeply offended by their physical features; this blights their lives.

Feeling worthless More than 70pc of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks Advertisement

Were talking about normal and pleasant looking people. Yet, when they look into a mirror something truly hideous and inhuman is reflected back. Of course, BDD is at the far end of a spectrum that spans every kind of dissatisfaction a person might have over their appearance. And it affects men and women equally.

Thankfully, most people sit a long way from the true body dysmorphic end of that spectrum. But in a world where young people increasingly find validation through online likes for their looks, its worryingly easy for them to travel the wrong way along this destructive path.

There are plenty who will say this is simply the way of things now. That the online world our daughters  and sons  inhabit, is one we cant ever hope to fully understand. But the troubling truth is that our children are fearful of the impact poor self-image is having on their own mental health.

Earlier this month the Youth Select Committee published a report entitled A Body Confident Future, which urged MPs to address the growing issue of body dissatisfaction among young people. Made up of 11 youngsters aged 13 to 18, the committee heard from expert witnesses, including bloggers, social-media companies, teachers and mental-health professionals.

They now want decisive action from Parliament.

Reports are pushing for body dissatisfaction to be recognised as a serious issue which potentially affects every young person (file image)

This includes the introduction of minimum standards for social media companies on content moderation, measures to improve the diversity of advertising campaigns and funding for schools so pupils are better supported on issues of body dissatisfaction.

The report says: Body dissatisfaction must be recognised as a serious issue which potentially affects every young person. We couldnt agree more. But we cant sit around waiting for government action  as parents, we can help our own children now.

Its daunting, we know. Thats why we decided to offer a unique insight into the mind of someone who suffered from her teens and into early adulthood with debilitating body image issues.

I was 15 when I first began comparing my looks unfavourably to my friends, it was little things at first- Chloe Catchpole

Her story will put you in a far better position to understand what might be going on inside your own childs  or grandchilds  head.

To compare Chloe Catchpole as she is now to how she was when we first met her four years ago  timid, desperately shy and uncomfortable in her own skin  is like looking at two different people.

She is confident and able to fully appreciate how she is defined by far more than her looks. Then, her negative obsession with her appearance ruled every waking moment.

Here, with great openness and emotional intelligence, Chloe, 24, of Horsham, West Sussex, talks about the negative thoughts that turned poor body image into the most destructive bane of her life.

Chloe says:

Clearly, mine is an extreme example of the insidious body dissatisfaction that affects vast numbers of young girls today.

Yet, my problems started in much the same way as it does for so many teenagers who, like me, harbour negative feelings about themselves at a time of their lives when appearance becomes terribly important to them.

Chloe (pictured) says she predicts that she would've spiralled into body dysmorphic disorder much sooner if social media had been as prominent in her teens as it is now

I was 15 when I first began comparing my looks unfavourably to my friends. It was little things at first: Id admire their hair and wish mine wasnt so thin; their skin tone seemed much more even than mine; Id think how nice it would be to be a bit taller, thinner or slightly longer limbed.

Id waste a few minutes on this, but could still brush off my insecurities and carry on with my life. Thankfully, at this time, social media was still in its infancy; the internet had yet to become the place someone like me would search for validation.

If it had been, I predict Id have spiralled into body dysmorphic disorder much more quickly.

As it was, over the next year I started analysing photos of myself, looking for physical faults and ways I might have held myself differently to appear in a more flattering light. If a birthday or another exciting occasion loomed, I began anticipating the moment the cameras would come out with dread, fretting about how I might make myself look better.

To me, it was a gargoyle staring back from the mirror

Imagine how much more scope Id have had to compare myself to others if Instagram and Snapchat had been what they are today; if Id been able to pull up thousands of images that had been filtered and airbrushed to unattainable perfection to pit myself against.

This is what todays girls and young women do routinely  little wonder they constantly feel themselves to be lacking. Throughout my final year at school, dissatisfaction turned into despair as I became increasingly convinced of how horrible I looked.

Whether I was sat in class, out with friends or just watching TV, endless thoughts about my appearance invaded my mind. I began looking at myself at every opportunity  up to six hours a day Id stare into a mirror obsessing over my faults, trying to cover them with layers of make-up.

I used the magnifying side of the mirror, which would blow up every line and every pore. I began to think that this was how others actually saw me.

Advice to mothers for preventing teens from developing negative body image includes being weary of what they say about themselves around their child (file image)

My horror was mixed with a sense of betrayal  why hadnt anyone told me how huge my pores were and how hairy my face had become? I started to question whether I could trust my closest friends, when theyd easily hidden how repulsed they must have felt when looking at me.

As my reality increasingly warped, I was convinced there was a huge lump on the side of my neck. There was nothing there, yet I wrapped a big scarf around my neck to try to hide it.

Later at college, Id find any excuse to go to the toilet to look in the mirror. If someone came in Id pretend to wash my hands, waiting for them to leave so I could check my appearance again.

This wasnt vanity  I was desperately looking for some glimpse of normality, but found only faults.

Now I realise the reflection I saw wasnt me  just the perceived flaws. To me, it was a gargoyle staring back from the mirror.

On the rare occasions I left the house I was convinced people were staring at me because I was so ugly

By 19, I had quit college and lived as a recluse; on the rare occasions I left the house I was convinced people were staring at me because I was so ugly.

When family or friends came over I remained upstairs, determined not to ruin their visit by forcing them to have to look at me. Sometimes, Id try to come down and be a part of things, plastering on make-up to try and make myself a little more acceptable. But Id look at the end result, and it just wouldnt seem right.

By the time Id taken it all off, layered it back on and decided I still wasnt good enough, Id be a crumpled and exhausted mess on my bed, fit only for sleep.

Eventually my mum persuaded me to see our GP, who prescribed anti-depressants and referred me to various therapists.

It was a cognitive behavioural therapist who suggested I was probably suffering from body dysmorphic disorder. Emboldened, I told my mum a little of what was going on inside my head.

From that moment onwards, a small idea started to fight to be heard  a voice that wanted me to consider that my problem might just be psychological rather than physical.

Mothers are also advised to praise their child to help them gain a sense of value beyond 'likes' posted on 'selfies' (file image)

This epiphany ultimately led to a formal diagnosis and a referral to Lauren and Annemaries consulting rooms in London, where Lauren helped me to understand how the thought processes in my head were conjuring up the monster I could see in the mirror. And how I could begin to control them rather than them control me.

Im still working at quelling that destructive voice inside my head. But today Im able to live a more fulfilling life, developing my career as a film critic, and building up a busier social life.

There are many lessons others can learn from how negative self-image all but destroyed me.

First, dont underestimate the power that social media has on your childs psyche  you cant dismiss or trivialise the importance they place on those likes from their friends and comments under their selfies.

Accept it, and then start a dialogue where you dissect social media and expose it for what it is: a place where people put out the very best versions of themselves so what we see is no longer real.

Remind them that celebrities get acne and have bad hair days just like anyone else. They just dont post evidence of that online.

These are the conversations they wont be having with their peers. Its easy to assume your daughter or granddaughter is just vain because she wants to be permanently selfie-ready; but if you can properly grasp the culture shes growing up in, then its easier to see that when she frets over her appearance shes really just trying to be like everyone else.

If you can help her to see the bigger picture  that life is about being happy rather than just looking as though you are  shell embrace the person reflected back at her instead of hating her the way I did.

Break the destructive thought patterns NO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS It can help to encourage teens to categorise their negative thought processes so they can challenge them. Five of the worst are: Emotional reasoning: Chloe felt ugly but she was basing this on how she felt rather than any factual evidence. Catastrophising: Thinking the worst thing would happen and so protecting themselves from perceived danger by staying at home. Mind reading: Teen girls sometimes convince themselves they know what other people are thinking about them. If someone glances in her direction she may be certain they are judging her appearance, despite having no way of knowing whats going on in peoples minds. Crystal ball thinking: Chloe, for example, believed she knew what would happen if she went outside, so lived according to her predictions. So, she might tell herself if she went to the cinema with her friends no one would enjoy the film because theyd be too distracted whispering to each other about how awful she looked  so it was better not to go in the first place. Labelling: Telling themselves they are ugly or deformed even though no one else has. BEHAVE YOURSELF As mothers, we must not underestimate the power of modelling behaviour. Were so quick to deride teens for spending too much time on their social media timelines, yet often we only notice what theyre up to after weve dragged ourselves away from our own. If your daughter overhears you talking about having a fat day, or sees that you only ever leave the house with a full face of make-up, she will internalise the idea that you are judged by how you look. If she sees you bemoaning the size of your thighs or going into a meltdown over a bad hair day, you will encourage her do the same. LOOKS ARENT ALL Theres no denying that appearance matters in todays world, but its important to help your children build up self-esteem in other ways. That might be through encouraging them to play a sport or take up skills and hobbies that arent remotely appearance connected. Make time to connect as a family in the real world with everyone, parents included, switching off their phones during meal times or while you watch a movie together. That way you help your kids to appreciate that appearance and social media are a big part of life, but theres plenty more going on, too. HEAP ON THE PRAISE However cheesy it sounds, do praise other attributes  their sense of humour, artistic talents, sporting prowess or their generally kind demeanour. It will help teens to build up a sense of self that will be of far greater value to them than a few likes posted on a selfie can ever provide. Advertisement

Body Image Problems And Body Dysmorphic Disorder: The Definitive Treatment And Recovery Approach by Dr Lauren Callaghan, Dr Annemarie OConnor & Chloe Catchpole, published by Trigger Press. Available from Amazon priced 14.99.
A group of women sit at a table, sipping coffee and talking animatedly. One is a doctor, another a barrister. A third, Jane Clark, 49, is a no-nonsense civil servant  so you might imagine these high-flying women are here to network, or are members of a school PTA.

Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, for the next hour, they will discuss how best to connect with the departed and debate the scientific evidence for the existence of Heaven.

'We're not sitting in an old-fashioned gypsy caravan, looking into a glass ball,' says Jane. 'We're all professional, educated women. I work in a team handling large contracts and am the type of person who questions things and looks for evidence. I'm logical and think things through. But I also believe that the human spirit can live on beyond death.'

People have been fascinated by the concept of what lies 'beyond the grave' for centuries. While there are those who are sceptical about the existence of an afterlife, many  even if they won't admit it  say there's more to our world than can be explained even by science.

Theresa Cheung (pictured) collates encounters of the afterlife in her new book

For others, there is irrefutable proof. They have had personal experience of those who have passed on, directly or through a medium, that has left them certain a spirit world exists.

That is my experience. I believe there must be an afterlife as, otherwise, I would be dead.

Twenty years ago, I was in my car, heading to a junction behind a lorry indicating left. I planned to turn left, too, until a voice told me to move to the right and change lanes.

Even though she had died a few years earlier, it was my mother's voice, and I obeyed instantly.

If I had turned left, you wouldn't be reading this now, because I would have driven into a pile-up that claimed the lives of three people in cars directly behind the lorry.

To this day, I can't explain that voice, other than that it must have been my mother guiding me from Heaven. It proved to me there is an afterlife.

I'm no fool: I have a Masters in theology and English from Cambridge University. I am also very aware that many are sceptical about whether our consciousness can survive death.

Yet more people than ever are curious about the possibility that the human spirit does survive.

Jane is one is of them. She has a humanities degree, works for the Ministry of Justice and has held several roles in the prison service  but incidents in her life have left her convinced Heaven must exist.

Ali Norell (pictured) , 44, spoke to a medium to connect with dead family members

When she was an 11-year-old, one of her school friends was left in a coma after being hit by a drunk driver. The girl wasn't expected to live, and doctors went as far as turning off her life support machine. But to everyone's astonishment, she came round. 'She said her dead grandpa had told her she had to go back,' says Jane. 'She was absolutely adamant she had been protected by angels. I still believe she told the truth.'

Jane also consulted a medium who was able to connect with a troubled young man she had worked with, who wanted to speak to her from Heaven. Jane says the medium knew details about him and the manner of his death that nobody else but her and a handful of others could have known.

'I had contact with him as a probation officer, and his case was known only to me and a few colleagues,' she says. 'It was not possible for the medium to have researched the story.'

Danny, had died in sad, lonely circumstances and Jane had felt responsible that she hadn't been able to do more to help him.

There's substantial evidence beyond reasonable doubt that there is life beyond death

Through the medium, he gave details of conversations he and Jane had had and was able to reassure her that he was no longer troubled.

Since then, Jane says Danny has 'spoken' to her with other specific details through other mediums, and she is utterly convinced it is possible to connect with the spirits of those who have passed on.

Jane says: 'I absolutely get why people say that this is twaddle, because it's not tangible in terms of something you can see.

'But as the lawyer in our group says, if you look at it as you would in a court of law, there's substantial evidence beyond reasonable doubt that there is life beyond death.'

In fact, science has made incredible advances, especially in the field of near-death experience and research into consciousness.

A recent study has shown consciousness can survive body and brain death (file image)

A 2014 study of 2,000 patients at hospitals all over the world by Dr Sam Parnia, a leading resuscitation expert from the University of Southampton, showed that consciousness  spirit or soul  can survive body and brain death. The frequency of near-death experiences reported by patients returning from the brink prompted Dr Parnia to study them scientifically.

Of one case, he concluded: 'Consciousness and awareness appeared to occur during a three-minute period when there was no heartbeat. This is paradoxical, since the brain typically ceases functioning within 20-30 seconds of the heart stopping and doesn't resume again until the heart has been restarted.

'Furthermore, the detailed recollections of visual awareness in this case were consistent with verified events.'

The research was so definitive that another larger study was ordered and is ongoing.

Is it such a leap of faith to suggest that when our bodies die, the energy created by our thoughts and feelings carries on in a non-physical, invisible dimension  or Heaven?

I have no explanation other than it must have been, as the psychic said, Romy trying to communicate with us from Heaven- Ali Norell

And is it possible that, sometimes, we can tune in to that eternal energy of the departed? For me, thousands of people's experiences bear witness to the very real possibility that the strength of the energy between two people can sometimes make communication between this life and the next possible.

Ali Norell, 44, from Brighton, East Sussex, has had encounters with deceased loved ones that have convinced her it is possible.

Married to Darius, a leadership consultant, she should have four children aged between two and nine. But her third child, Romy, died of a brain haemorrhage in July 2014, aged just four months. A former reflexologist-turned-author, Ali says: 'The first encounter happened when I was 14. I saw my grandfather, who'd died when I was four, in my bedroom. What stood out were his clothes. They were so scruffy  baggy, shapeless trousers and a bottle-green, cable-knit sweater, like a fisherman's.

'There were no photos of him wearing them, and I was so young when he died that I have no memory of them, either, but when I spoke to my mum, she said that was what he was buried in.' But it was a sitting with a medium a few months after Romy's sudden death that really persuaded Ali the human spirit can survive death.

Ali believes her son Romy who died aged four months tried to contact their family from heaven (file image)

She says: 'I'd never met this woman before, or given her any details at all about my life or the fact one of my children had died.

'Straight away, she started talking about a baby or a very young child who had passed very suddenly and quite recently.

'I was wearing a heavy coat with a scarf round my neck, and she told me I was wearing a gold locket round my neck with a photo of my daughter and a lock of her hair in it. This was correct, though there was no way she could have seen it.

'She was also able to give me specific details, not known to anyone else, about how Romy had died  she collapsed after we had got back from a trip out.

'I had left her sleeping in the living room while I went to make a cup of tea.

'Then I heard this weird rasping sound. I realised it was Romy and she was gasping for breath.'

Romy was rushed to hospital, but her parents had to turn off her life-support machine the following day.

'I beat myself up for months afterwards, thinking: 'What if I'd stayed with her and hadn't made that cup of tea?' ' says Ali.

Many people believe mediums research their clients in advance (file image)

'Technically, Romy died the next day when we'd turned off the machines, but the medium said she had passed on in the house. It was something I had also known in my heart. But apart from my husband and mother, I never told anyone that. The medium said she was given information to reassure me that Romy had gone to sleep, had slight difficulty breathing, then hadn't woken up. There was nothing I could have done.'

Ali adds: 'The most stunning thing was that she said, out of the blue: 'Has your TV been moving?' She said it was Romy's spirit trying to communicate with us.

'This was a bit left field, even for me. But the funny thing was that the TV had been moving. For three mornings in a row, I'd found it had swivelled round 180 degrees. I'd assumed my husband had moved the screen to reach the plugs behind it, or perhaps it was our four-year-old son.

'When I mentioned this after my reading, my husband not only said he hadn't moved the TV, but that he had also discovered it turned round on several occasions at night.

'He thought it was me and, of course, our son would have been in bed by then. I have no explanation other than it must have been, as the psychic said, Romy trying to communicate with us from Heaven.'

One argument that is often used against mediums is that they research their clients in advance.

Claire Broad, a respected medium with whom I co-wrote my latest book, counters this with an experience she had connecting a client to her deceased mother during a sitting. Claire was able to 'see' a handbag she strongly felt belonged to the mother.

The mother's spirit made her aware there was a ring inside it that she wanted her daughter to have. Claire recalls: 'My client put the information to the test. She contacted her father and asked him to search the house for a handbag.

'To her amazement, he discovered it  and inside was the ring!

'My client contacted me to let me know she was blown away by the discovery and is now the proud wearer of her mother's ring.'

There is no way that Claire could have researched that information anywhere. The only person who knew about the ring and its location was the deceased mother.

With so many experiences such as this out there, is it any wonder there are those like Jane Clark and her circle of high-powered women who want to prove that the spirits of the deceased really can communicate with us from Heaven?

Answers From Heaven: Incredible True Stories Of Heavenly Encounters And The Afterlife, by Theresa Cheung and Claire Broad, is published by Piatkus at 8.99.
She is best known for her sophisticated style, but Lady Kitty Spencer showed off a sexier side as she stepped out on Wednesday night.

The society beauty, 26, stunned in a racy black bustier-style dress as she joined a dazzling line-up of stars at the Elton John AIDS Foundation gala in London, which was produced by Polar Black events.

The lace frock was perfectly fitted and nipped in at the waist, showcasing Lady Kitty's incredible figure.

Va-va-voom! Lady Kitty Spencer looked like a Hollywood bombshell on Wednesday night

Picture perfect: The society beauty posed with Spanish model Jon Kortajarena at the event

She added to the sex appeal with a bold red lip and kept her voluminous blonde locks in relaxed waves around her shoulders.

Allowing all eyes to focus on the dress, Lady Kitty kept her accessories simple, selecting a pair of black patent pumps and understated grey clutch for the occasion.

Around her neck she wore a stunning diamond link necklace by BVLGARI, who co-sponsored the event. A matching bracelet adorned her wrist.

All-out glamour: She wore her blonde locks in loose waves and added a slick of red lipstick

Camera ready: Lady Kitty and Jon worked their angles as they stopped for a picture

Before heading into the gala dinner, Lady Kitty stopped to pose with Spanish model and actor Jon Kortajarena, who looked dashing in black tie.

The blonde beauty has become a regular fixture on the London social scene, attending fashion events and some of the city's hottest parties.

Last night she looked festive in a silky red dress as she joined stars for the Claridge's Christmas tree party in Mayfair.
France used to be the epicentre of the fine dining scene - but not anymore.

Japan and China now have more of the world's top restaurants than anywhere else in the world, according to a prestigious French list of the best eateries.

Though a restaurant in France tops the list, Japan has the most eateries in the top 1,000 with 138, while China is close behind with 123, according to La Liste.

A selection of top-quality sushi at Kyubey, officially Japan's best restaurant, according to La Liste

Jorg Zipprick, who compiled the list, told AFP: 'The rise and rise of China is the big story.

'Asia has a lot more restaurants than Europe and it is only logical that La Liste will reflect that.'

Jorg set up La Liste three years ago, supposedly as a 'more scientific and reliable' rival to the British list of the world's 50 Best Restaurants.

It puts Guy Savoy's eponymous Paris restaurant at the top of the rankings for the second consecutive year, followed by Le Bernardin in New York.

A plate of fish and sushi at the tiny Kyo Aji restaurant in Tokyo, one of the world's best restaurants

The top rated restaurant in China is Huai Yang Fu at Andingmen in Beijing

But in third place is Tokyo's Kyubey, often hailed as the best sushi restaurant in the Japanese capital.

Two other Japanese restaurants make the top 20: sushi restaurant Kyo Aji and a French restaurant run by chef Joel Robuchon.

The highest placed Chinese restaurant in the top 20 is Huai Yang Fu at Andingmen in Beijing, where a speciality pork dish was a favourite of Chairman Mao.

The United States follows Japan and China with the next highest number of restaurants while Switzerland has the biggest number per capita, with 38 top eateries and a population of just 8 million.

The rankings will be officially published following a banquet in Paris on Monday to celebrate the winners.
By Jason B. Cutshaw, USASMDC/ARSTRAT Public Affairs

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- They are the first line of defense in case of an attack on a space-based satellite. They are global. They are the Soldiers of the 53rd Signal Battalion, 1st Space Brigade.

The 53rd Signal Battalion is the oldest operational battalion in the 1st Space Brigade and the only unit in the Department of Defense that conducts payload and transmission control of the Defense Satellite Communications System and Wideband Global System satellite constellations. The management of these constellations by the battalion ensures continuous communications connectivity for mission critical subscribers from the president, to troops, to national agencies.

"They are the first line of defense should an adversary attempt to disrupt the SATCOM links provided by the WGS and DSCS satellite constellations," said Col. Richard L. Zellmann, 1st Space Brigade commander. "These are $300 million satellites with users as high as the president, and this is a typical day for the Soldiers in the 53rd Signal Battalion."

"The 53rd's service members are globally dispersed, manning [Wideband Satellite Operations Centers] positioned in U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. European Command and continental U.S. locations in order to provide global wideband payload control, transmissions control and defensive space control," added Lt. Col. Glenn O. Mellor, 53rd Signal Battalion commander.

Mellor said through the provision of wideband military satellite communications, the battalion first and foremost enables the mission command warfighting function and supports all other warfighting functions through the provision of these services.

"Space operations are critical to the success of the Army in many ways, from supporting operations through intelligence collection, to providing protection through missile warning to the enabling of communications to the Warfighter," he said. "The 53rd provides and ensures global wideband military satellite communications in a contested, degraded operational environment contributing to the success of our forces and their mission."

More than 70 percent of weapons and equipment have a degree of reliance on a space-based service or capability. Activities within mission command, intelligence, and fires warfighting functions have the most significant dependencies on space.

The purpose and value of space superiority is to provide the freedom of action to apply space capabilities in the pursuit and defense of national security interests. America's ability to capitalize on and protect space systems and counter enemy capabilities contributes to U.S. military space superiority.

To maintain space superiority, joint forces must have space situational awareness of all factors that could impact space activities and have the knowledge, training, resources, and authorities needed to defend the ability of the U.S. and its allies to use space.

Besides the United States and its forces, Mellor said the battalion's WSOCs support troops from Australia, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Czech Republic, Canada, Netherlands and New Zealand, providing wideband military satellite communications control thanks to partnerships and the development of memorandums of understanding between the United States and these partner nations.

"The 53rd could not do this alone; the support we get from the 1st Space Brigade, SMDC leadership and staff, and Signal Cyber Center of Excellence is invaluable and helps the Soldiers continue to perform this extremely unique mission," Mellor said.

Additionally, the signal battalion is a coalition and joint unit, with service members from the U.S. Army, Royal Australian navy, Royal Australian air force and Australian regular army serving within the battalion.

"The Australian Coalition Partnership Program is a huge success for this battalion," Mellor said. "The 10 personnel from the Royal Australian navy, Royal Australian air force and Australian regular army are a well-received addition to the formation. They are exceptionally qualified technicians and add a unique perspective and heritage to the battalion."

The battalion's senior enlisted Soldier, Command Sgt. Maj. Mary A. Carr, shared her thoughts on how the Soldiers provide seamless access to America's satellite constellations for members across the DOD as well as allied forces.

"We ensure that end users have the communications resources they need to execute their missions any time, day or night, and stand by every minute of every day to ensure that if support is needed, they are there to provide it, she said. "We simultaneously coordinate with our service partners to ensure the health of the satellites themselves. In addition to these efforts, 53rd Soldiers also conduct an ongoing cycle of training, preparation and leader development in order to produce the type of leaders to ensure that we remain first in space."

Carr discussed the battalion's mission in providing global wideband payload control, transmissions control and defensive space control in ensuring the DoD Wideband Satellite Constellations continuous support during peacetime, contingency, surge and crisis action plans supporting DOD, U.S. government agencies and allied partners.

"To put it simply, a satellite communications network without satellite systems and network coordinators of the 53rd would be a like an airport without air traffic controllers," Carr said. "Satellite control Soldiers are the hub of the communications wheel, and without them the wheel would simply fall apart. Satellite control is an extremely complex and exact science, and the workload that coordinators take off of the tactical operator by executing their control mission is enormous."

"The 53rd wants to put the communicator in the field in the best tactical position possible, and we do that by doing all of the background work, coordination and system management so that all a Soldier in the field has to do is access the satellite and stay in the fight," she added. "We do the rest."

It is this mission of "doing the rest" that makes Carr, Mellor, and Zellman extremely proud of each of the Soldiers in the battalion.

"The national and strategic importance of the Army's only satellite control battalion and the capabilities that we provide enhances a meaningful purpose in conducting our 24-hour mission and aides in the success of our nation," Mellor said. "I am incredibly proud of the dedication of our service members and the importance of our strategic mission."
If youre going to be the hostess with the mostest or host with the most, youll need to have a few tricks up your sleeve.

And by tricks, I mean killer recipes that feel fancy but are actually super fast and simple to make.

Host with the most : Chef Marc Murphy

Food Network star, Chef Marc Murphy is no stranger to feeding a crowd and has a few recipes to help take your holiday entertaining game to the next level. From apps to dessert, these recipes are so easy that even the takeout queens among us cant mess these up!

Ask Chef Marc Murphy where he grew up and hell fire off a list of cosmopolitan destinations such as Milan, Paris, Washington DC, Rome and Genoa.

For some, growing up the son of a globetrotting diplomat might have been stressful, yet for Murphy, this dizzying list of hometowns served as an excellent education in French and Italian cuisine, and afforded him the luxury of learning from a young age just how much he loved the world of cooking and of restaurants.

Since then, Murphy has logged more than 25 years in the restaurant business, working in some of the worlds most highly esteemed kitchens. He is a judge on The Food Networks top rated hit shows CHOPPED and CHOPPED JUNIOR

DILL CURED SALMON AND CUCUMBER CANAPES Dill-icious: A Fresh Canape to get the taste buds tantalized Start to finish: 9 hours (active: 20 minutes) Makes: About 25 canapes 16-ounce boneless salmon fillet, skin off 2 cups kosher salt 4 cups grapeseed oil 1 1/2 cups fresh dill, chopped 3 cloves garlic, cut in half 1 small white onion, diced 1 large English cucumber, skin on, cut into 1/8 inch slices 1/2 cup Triscuit Dill, Sea Salt & Olive Oil Crackers, pulverized 1/2 cup creme fraiche Cover salmon entirely on both sides in salt and let sit in the refrigerator to cure for 30 minutes. Wash salt off salmon and pat fillet completely dry with paper towels. In a large Ziploc bag, combine oil, dill, garlic and onion to create a marinade. Place salmon fillet in bag. Ensure fillet is fully coated in marinade, seal bag and refrigerate overnight. Remove salmon from fridge and cut into nickel-sized pieces. Roll salmon pieces into crushed Triscuit Dill, Sea Salt & Olive Oil Crackers until fully coated. Place salmon pieces on top of cucumber slices; top with a dollop of creme fraiche and garnish with fresh dill. Advertisement

MANGO CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD CANAPES Triscuit never looked so good : A spicy alternative with a twist Start to finish: 30 minutes Makes: about 25 canapes 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup white onion, diced 2 cups diced mango (about 2 mangoes) 1 tablespoon mustard seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish paprika 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes kosher salt freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 2 teaspoons light brown sugar 25 Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Crackers Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, making sure to get nice grill marks and cook all the way through. Set aside and let cool. In a medium saute pan over medium, heat enough olive oil to coat bottom of pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mango and cook, stirring, until heated through. In a small bowl, combine mustard seeds, paprika, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Add spices to mango-onion mixture and cook, stirring gently for about 3 minutes. If heat is too intense and the chutney is beginning to burn on bottom, lower heat slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice, vinegar and brown sugar, and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until mango is tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Dice cooled chicken. Using mango chutney as a binder; dress chicken, using more or less chutney to suit your specific taste. Place a small amount of dressed chicken on top of each Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Cracker and garnish with cilantro. Advertisement

MINI PECAN CRUNCH CHEESE BALLS Say Cheese! Cheese lovers will delight in this cheddar and cream cheese morsels Start to finish: 25 minutes Makes: about 60 nickel size balls 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil 1 cup red onion, small dice 1 cup red bell pepper, small dice 2 cups cream cheese, softened 2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce juice of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup parsley, chopped 1 cup pecans 1 cup Triscuit Original Crackers Heat oil in a small saute pan. Add onions and peppers and saute over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Set aside and let cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and parsley. Add cooled onions and peppers to cheese mixture. Using a food processor, combine pecans and Triscuit Original Crackers and pulse until pulverized. Transfer pulverized pecans and Triscuit Crackers to a large bowl or dish. Form spoonfuls of cheese mixture into nickel-sized balls. Roll cheese balls in pulverized pecan and Triscuit mixture until completely coated. Advertisement

MAC N CHEESE WITH SMOKED GOUDA CRUNCH Mac and more cheese oh my! Tis the season to be jolly Start to finish: 45 minutes Serves: 6 1 pound elbow macaroni 4 cups whole milk 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped 1/2 cup flour 1 cup white American cheese, diced (at room temperature) 1 cup Gouda, grated (at room temperature) 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (at room temperature) salt and pepper 2 cups Triscuit Smoked Gouda Crackers, pulverized Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook elbow macaroni in salted water, according to package directions, until al dente. Drain well and let cool. In a medium saucepan, warm milk over low heat. In a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add rosemary and let cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add flour to butter and stir until incorporated. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly and ensuring mixture doesnt brown. Add warm milk, continuing to stir as sauce thickens. Add cheeses and whisk while bechamel is still on stove. Lower heat and make sure sauce does not boil after cheese is added. Fold cooked pasta into sauce with heat still on low. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mac n cheese into ovenproof dish. Top with pulverized Triscuit Smoked Gouda Crackers and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Advertisement
A hospital illegally charged more than 80 victims of sexual assault for their rape kits.

An investigation was launched after one woman was billed over and over again for an evidence-collecting exam after she was sexually assaulted.

Hospitals are not allowed to bill victims for rape kits. They are supposed to bill the state, but Brooklyn Hospital Center charged the woman $308, then raised the price to $449 after she did not pay.

The investigation found that 85 out of 86 sexual assault patients who visited the hospital were billed for their rape kits, totaling more than $15,500. The hospital is in the process of reimbursing all effected patients, a spokesperson says.

A Brooklyn hospital billed sexual assault victims more than $15,500 for rape kits that they are protected by law from paying

A New York state law, passed in 2005, dictates that rape kits should be billed to the state's Office of Victim Services.

Following New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's investigation, Brooklyn Hospital has agreed to inform patients of the law, as well as to reimburse those that have already been charged.

Schneiderman said he has also sent letters to 10 other hospitals throughout the state seeking information on how they bill sexual assault survivors and hopes the agreement with Brooklyn Hospital will serve as a model.

'These kits are used on what is undoubtedly one of the worst days of a survivor's life,' Schneiderman said.

'The absolute last thing they should have to worry about is how they'll pay for their care at the hospital. But we have found contrary to law that way too often they do have to worry.'

Schneiderman said a woman contacted his office in January about her experience being treated at Brooklyn Hospital after she was sexually assaulted in 2015.

When the woman received and did not pay her initial bill, the hospital continued to chase the funds.

'After her visit, in complete violation of state law, she was billed seven different times for her rape kit, hundreds of dollars each time,' Schneiderman said.

Eventually, he said, the hospital sent the bill to a collection agency, which he called 'intolerable.'

The Attorney General's Office found that Brooklyn Hospital had wrongly billed more than $15,500 to patients.

What is a rape kit? A rape kit is another name for a sexual assault evidence kit. It contains tools for collecting samples that could show that someone has been sexually assaulted, including: Paper bags and sheets for collecting evidence without contaminating it

A comb, to pull any tissue evidence from pubic hair

Swabs for collecting samples from the mouth, vagina and anus

Blood collection slides and materials A clinician performs a pelvic exam on women, and may take internal pictures of injuries. The goal of a sexual assault exam is to check for any injuries sustained, and collect any identifying genetic material that an attacker may have left behind. Evidence collected during the exam will be analyzed and can help authorities catch and convict rapists and attackers. Advertisement

The costs of rape kits are supposed to be covered by the state, primarily money allocated from the Crime Victims Fund, which is paid out of the pockets of criminals, not from tax dollars.

Brooklyn Hospital said in a statement that it regrets 'the inadvertent breakdown in our billing processes related to sexual assault victims.' Spokeswoman Kim Flodin said the hospital worked with Schneiderman's office to develop protocols 'to ensure that these billing issues do not occur again.'

The federal Violence Against Women Act prohibits hospitals from charging assault survivors for their rape kits, but advocates say enforcement of the law has been haphazard. States including Louisiana and Illinois have also passed laws to make sure survivors aren't charged for the kits.

Schneiderman said his office investigated and found that in all but one of the 86 forensic rape exams conducted at Brooklyn Hospital between January 2015 and February 2017, the hospital either improperly billed the patient or billed the patient's insurance carrier without advising the patient of the option to bill the state.

Schneiderman said it's unclear how many other hospitals are improperly billing patients for rape kits.

Advocates for sexual assault survivors praised the agreement with Brooklyn Hospital.

'Think about it for a moment, how traumatic is sexual assault?' said Sonia Ossorio, president of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women, who joined Schneiderman at a news conference at his Manhattan office. 'And it's re-traumatizing to have bills arrive in the mail asking you to pay for basically what is collection of evidence of a crime scene.'
A woman who spent over a month in labour claims this crushed her baby's skull and left his head looking like a deflated balloon.

JJ Rushton's son Bobby, now eight months old, wears a special helmet 24 hours a day in a bid to create a normal head shape again.

The bartender, 27, was just 32 weeks pregnant when she started having contractions  and doctors, fearing her baby would be born premature, gave her drugs to slow down labour and give the baby more time to develop.

It worked but she continued to have regular contractions  known as a 'soft labour'  and Bobby was born a month later on March 31 this year.

But, when the boy reached seven months old, JJ noticed his head shape wasn't normal.

He has since been diagnosed with 'flat head syndrome'. This means his head is flattened on one side (known as plagiocephaly) and at the back (known as bracycephaly).

JJ Rushton, 27, from Greater Manchester, had contractions at just 32 weeks

She was given drugs to slow down labour but continued to have regular contractions

Joy turned to worry

JJ, from Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, in Greater Manchester, said that up until her third trimester, she'd had a normal pregnancy.

'I suddenly started to experience severe pain in my bump and I felt like the baby was very, very low,' she said.

Then at 32 weeks, she started having 'proper contractions' and rushed to Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport with her husband, Paul, 32, a facilities manager.

'It was obviously far too early,' she said. 'Luckily, doctors were able to administer Tocolytic to give the baby more time to develop.'

Bobby was born a month later but she recently noticed his head shape wasn't normal

JJ and her husband Paul were extremely worried when Bobby spent 21 days in an incubator, suffering from jaundice

WHAT IS FLAT HEAD SYNDROME? Babies sometimes develop a flattened head when they're a few months old, usually from sleeping on their back. Sometimes the head can be flattened on one side (known as plagiocephaly) or the back of the head becomes flattened, causing the head to widen and the skull to bulge out (known as bracycephaly). The head can be flattened in the womb, and the condition is more common in babies born prematurely because they're squeezed through the birth canal when their skulls haven't fully developed. But the most common cause is because babies now sleep on their backs every night  a position doctors advise to prevent cot death. When they lie on their backs, the full weight of their heads rests on the back of their skulls and the pressure of the mattress on their soft skull causes it to become flat. The conditions is not thought to be medically dangerous. Doctors advise changing the baby's position in the day to relieve pressure on the back of its head, and it will often correct itself over time. However, they warn parents not to change their baby's sleeping position from lying on their back at night. It's very important for babies to sleep on their back, because it reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

When Bobby was born, weighing 6lb 9oz, he was rushed to neo-natal intensive care and spent 21 days in an incubator, suffering from jaundice.

Once she was allowed to take him home, JJ, already a mother to Porter, two, loved having a new baby. At first, she did not notice his misshapen skull.

JJ explained: 'I really didn't notice anything until he was about seven months.

'As he grew, you could see it at the back. His head shape isn't round like a normal baby.

'We took him to the doctor who said he had severe plagiocephaly with brachycephaly. It means his head is warped and it looks a bit like a deflated balloon.

'We believe that Bobby's head was shaped by the cramped conditions in the womb.

'Initially, it wasn't obvious but, as he is getting older, you can see it coming through more and more.'

Special helmet

JJ and Paul were told the NHS could not help Bobby as his condition was not deemed severe enough at that point, so they paid thousands for a special corrective helmet, which he has to wear for 24 hours a day.

JJ said: 'I was worried that, as he grew it would get worse and worse.

'The GP said unless the condition is going to affect his ear, eye socket or jaw bone, the NHS can't help. The helmet costs 2,250, which I know is a lot of money

'Our GP told us that we could go private. We wanted to act as quickly as possible, because at the minute, his head is still soft.

Bobby now wears a special helmet 24 hours a day to deal with 'flat head syndrome'

The eight-month-old, shown here being measured by a doctor, was taken to Technology in Motion in Cheadle, where experts first took a detailed 3D scan of his head

'We didn't want to get to a point where his head was more solid and it had already started to affect his ears or eye sockets.

'For Paul and I, watching him wearing a helmet for 24 hours a day is hard, but it will be worth it if it means he doesn't have problems when he's older.'

In order to have the headgear made, the couple took Bobby to Technology in Motion in Cheadle, where experts first took a detailed 3D scan of his head, before taking two weeks to create a special helmet, moulded exactly to fit.

JJ added: 'It puts pressure on the misshapen areas, to push them back on the pressure points and create a normal head shape again.

'He has to wear it for six months. He only gets 40 minutes release in the morning and 40 minutes release at night.'

Risk of cot death

There are some risks involved with wearing the helmet, though, which are a worry for JJ, who suffered with post-natal depression after having Porter.

She continued: 'I know that wearing it can increase his body temperature and put him more at risk of cot death, so I am very wary and it causes me a lot of anxiety.

'I feel like I'm constantly checking on him when he's sleeping, to look out for things like red cheeks or sweat on his brow, just in case he's getting too hot.'

Although the family have now raised the money for Bobby's helmet, they want to continue working to raise more money for children like him.

'We believe that the earlier this is treated, the better,' JJ said. 'It's a lot of money to find for a helmet. We were lucky to have raised it quickly through GoFundMe.

JJ and Paul are now fundraising to help other children like Bobby with flat head syndrome

The couple's first child Porter is pictured here feeding her little brother Bobby

'Now we want to raise money for other children, who might not have as much support as Bobby. I am so grateful to everyone who donated towards his treatment.

'While Bobby is classed as severe, there are other children in the UK, who are afflicted far worse by the same defect, but who also fall short of the NHS specifications.

'The Bobby Rushton GoFundMe page is still active and will be collecting donations for other families that may find themselves in the same situation as ours.'

Porter plays with Bobby at his scan with specialists who created a special helmet, moulded exactly to fit

NHS experts say that while some people claim the specially designed helmets can help improve the shape of a baby's skull as it grows, they do not generally recommend them.

An NHS statement said: 'There isn't clear evidence to suggest they work; they often cause problems such as skin irritation and rashes; they're expensive, typically costing around 2,000; your baby will need to be checked every few weeks to monitor their head growth and make any necessary adjustments; they may be uncomfortable and distressing for your baby.'

To donate to Bobby's page visit here.
A homeless woman whose head was infested with maggots has been nursed back to health thanks to the help of good Samaritans she calls her 'angels'.

She was sat crying by the road when volunteers from a charitable organisation spotted her and reached out to her.

Preeti Devi, from north west India, described her rescuers as 'angels' and said that without their kind actions she would be dead.

The 30-year-old said she suffered the injuries on her head when a group of people attacked her.

She was treated and cared for by staff from Apna Ghar at its facilities in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, over a period of five months and now her head has completely healed.

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Preeti Devi, from India, was sat crying by the road when volunteers spotted her

The 30-year-old says that without their kind actions she would be dead

Preeti said: 'What Apna Ghar and its volunteers have done for me no one will do for a stranger.

'Their generous act has restored my faith in humanity. I was dying a slow death by the road.

'If these angels hadn't spotted me and nursed back to health, I would have been dead by now.'

She said she suffered the head injuries when a group of people attacked her

She said she suffered the head injuries when a group of people attacked her

Preeti was 'scared for her life' after she was attacked and she ran away from home in Bihar

Moved by her plight, the volunteers called an ambulance and brought her to the home

The charity Apna Ghar aims to 'serve the helpless destitute persons who are facing a very painful phase of life'

After treatment over five months her head has now completely healed

A new start

According to authorities, Preeti was 'scared for her life' after she was attacked and she ran away from her home in Bihar around six months ago.

She was then living on the streets in Rajasthan.

Moved by her plight, the volunteers called an ambulance and brought her to the home.

Apna Ghar aims to 'serve the helpless destitute persons who are facing a very painful phase of life'.

The helpers not only treated her, but also provided her food and clean clothes.

'I intend to go back home and start a new life,' says Preeti, who is now set to leave for a her hometown for a fresh beginning.
A British baby born prematurely during her parent's holiday was held 'hostage' in a Turkish hospital for three months over an unpaid medical bill.

Ayda Ward was kept in intensive care, with her parents unable to cuddle or even feed her, while hospital bosses demanded 94,000 from the couple - despite their holiday insurers being liable for all costs.

The baby's mother Adele Blake, 28, claims a hospital in Turkey confiscated her and her partner Brandon Ward's, 19, passports. They also alarmed the couple by telling them that previous parents have been forced to abandon their babies.

When Ms Blake reached out to her insurer Atlas Direct, they claimed they had lost her paperwork, before ignoring her desperate calls for help.

Ms Blake told MailOnline: ' Even though she [Ayda] could take a bottle they kept feeding her on a tube [in intensive care] because they wanted to keep her there - they were literally holding her hostage.

'I was told they needed their money or they would keep the baby and we wouldn't be allowed to return to the UK'.

The couple, who set up a GoFundMe page to support them through their ordeal, were finally allowed to take their baby home after begging local police officers to rescue their daughter, who flew to Bradford on September 20.

Ms Blake is speaking out in the hope other families will not have to go through the same ordeal.

Baby Ayda Ward was 'held hostage' at at Turkish hospital after being born prematurely to mother Adele Blake, 28, and Brandon Ward, 19, (pictured) who could not pay a medical bill

Ayda was kept in intensive care where her parents were unable to cuddle or feed her

The hospital claimed Ayda was not well enough to be discharged, but actually wanted money

Ms Blake said: 'The hospital management and our insurers should be ashamed of the way they treated us.

'It's completely disgusting to hold our baby hostage and deny us the chance to bond with her while they squabble over a bill. We're treasuring every moment with Ayda now.

'We missed out on the first three months of her life thanks to them. I just hope that by speaking out no-one else will ever have to suffer the way we did.'

After giving birth by emergency C-section with Mr Ward being barred from the room, Ms Blake was faced with a demand for money.

She said: 'Brandon wasn't allowed to be with me as it's not the done thing in Turkey.

'I was terrified and really wanted him there, particularly as I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying. They strapped me down to a table ready for an emergency Caesarean.

'Almost as soon as I came around from the anaesthetic a receptionist arrived in my room and started demanding money.

'I was groggy and confused and really only wanted to see my baby but they wheeled me down to the office, insisting I make a down payment.'

Ms Blake only got to meet her baby daughter 10 hours later, while all the hospital's management seemed to be worried about was ensuring her medical bill was paid.

She said: 'I was only allowed to see her for 10 minutes a day and they wouldn't let me feed her. It was heartbreaking.

'Even though she could take a bottle they kept feeding her on a tube because they wanted to keep her there - they were literally holding her hostage.

'I was told they needed their money or they would keep the baby and we wouldn't be allowed to return to the UK.

'The hospital had confiscated our passports and one of the managers, who's also a doctor, told me, 'We need payment and you will have to stay here 'til we get it - people have left babies before and never returned'.'

The family are finally home after local police stepped in (pictured on their flight to the UK)

The hospital demanded 94,000 from the couple, despite their travel insurer being liable to pay (pictured: the first time Mr Ward was allowed to hold Ayda at three days old)

Despite constant pleas about when Ayda would be released, her family were constantly fobbed off.

Ms Blake said: 'Every time we asked the doctor would say she needed another 10 or 15 days. They said she needed to be able to suckle before they could release her.

When Ms Blake reached out to her insurer Atlas Direct, they claimed they had lost her paperwork, before ignoring her desperate calls for help

'At first she was quite unwell but as a mum I could see the signs as she improved. I could tell that she was ready to suckle and am fairly certain they had been bottle feeding her for a while.'

Finally Ms Blake became so frustrated she demanded to know what the problem was.

She said: 'When I finally confronted them about this one doctor came clean, saying that the only remaining problem was the outstanding bill.'

And a chilling text message Ms Blake received from a hospital administrator read: 'Please tell them (sic the insurers) that we will not allow Ayda to be discharged without a prepayment.'

They even suggested the distraught mother contact the British Embassy to help her.

Ms Blake said: 'They were clearly holding our baby as collateral and didn't think there was anything wrong in that.

'I know it's a different country with different cultural values, but we were her parents and they weren't interested in listening to us at all.

'They ignored all our pleas to be allowed to bond with her; they just didn't seem to care about the damage they were inflicting on our family. They only seemed to care about their bill.'



The hospital confiscated their passports, saying parents have previously abandoned babies

Ms Blake explained to the hospital she was covered by Atlas Direct holiday insurance, initially assuming payment was just a formality.

She said: 'I was in a foreign country with a premature baby in intensive care, we were four hours from our resort, with no money and a hospital bill that was spiralling by over 1,200 every day.

'Every time we contacted the insurance company we were met with excuses and refusals.

'We were desperate. This was the biggest crisis of my life and our insurers were just making a bad situation worse.

'They tried to insist that I hadn't been declared fit to fly by my GP. Then they claimed that I'd had anaemia. When that excuse didn't work they claimed they had lost all our paperwork.

'Finally, after I'd resubmitted everything they just stopped returning our calls. It was clear they were trying to wriggle out of paying the bill and simply didn't care about the immense difficulties that they were causing us.'

Mr Ward was barred by from Ayda's delivery, with Ms Blake being 'strapped to a table'

Coming round from an emergency c-section, Ms Blake was faced with a demand for money

In desperation, Ms Blake's family launched a GoFundMe campaign and British strangers answered their plea, raising 4,000 to support the family through their ordeal.

Ms Blake said: 'We used the money to rent a Turkish apartment and exist for the duration of our ordeal.

'We're so grateful for everyone's help - it meant the world and made all the difference.

'Our parents and friends really stepped in to save the day. Brandon's mum, Karen Ward, was by my side for the birth and my parents flew over with my older son, Brandon, nine.

'Sadly none of them were allowed to visit Ayda. The hospital wouldn't even allow her dad into the room on the two occasions that I was allowed to hold her.

She said: 'It broke her brother's and her grandparents' hearts - they were desperate to meet her - they would have been happy just to see her but it was all forbidden.

'I wondered if they thought we'd just grab her and make a run for it.'

Ms Blake saw Ayda 10 hours after her birth and then only for 10 minutes a day

Ms Blake was told she was fit to fly by her GP, but Atlas Direct argued against this

Driven to the brink of despair by their ordeal, Ms Blake contacted Turkish police and asked them to rescue her daughter.

She said: 'The police were brilliant. They told me that the hospital had no right to keep her. They advised me to tell the hospital I was taking her and if they objected the police said they would accompany me to get my baby.'

Realising they had no choice, the hospital invited Ms Blake to spend two days on the ward to bond with her baby before staging an elaborate press conference.

She said: 'I was choked up. It was September 13 and it was the first time Ayda got to meet her dad - she was nearly three months old - it was so unnecessary, so overwhelming.

'Afterwards they tried to get me to sign a document accepting full personal responsibility for the bill. I refused and left while I had the chance.'

The family still had further hurdles to overcome as the hospital refused to counter-sign Ayda's passport form for the British Consulate until they were paid.

Ms Blake said: 'Finally the doctor that carried out the C-section counter-signed her passport. Right to the last minute we were on tenterhooks.

'The hospital made things incredibly difficult for us and our insurers did nothing to help.

'It was left to our parents to foot the bill for our return flights and if it hadn't been for their support and the support from the public we would still be languishing in Turkey now.'

Donations from a GoFundMe page supported the family through their ordeal in Turkey

Ms Blake claims the hospital deliberately fed Ayda through a tube, but she could have a bottle

Turkish police stepped in saying the hospital had no right to keep Ayda away from her parents

The couple went on holiday to the popular Mediterranean resort of Marmaris earlier this year when Ms Blake was six-months pregnant.

She said: 'We thought it would be nice to have a holiday together with Brandon's family before the baby was born.'

Ms Blake's GP declared she was 'fit to fly' before they jetted off on June 26. Yet, three days later she went into labour by the hotel pool.

She said: 'I was just eating some chips when my waters broke. It was a complete shock and I panicked.

'I knew it shouldn't be happening. I was sobbing in the back of the ambulance.'

Ms Blake was taken to the state hospital before being rushed to a specialist paediatric unit at the Tekden Hospital in Denizli, four hours away.

An Atlas Direct Emergency Assistance team spokeswoman said: 'We are very sorry to learn that Ms Blake was so unhappy with the treatment she received while in Turkey.

'At the time the case was opened, there was information provided by the treating doctor which we had to verify with Ms Blake's GP, which in turn had to be reviewed by our medical team.

'Our priority has always been to provide the best medical outcome for both mum and baby. Unfortunately some delays did occur, however, at no point was the treatment of Adele and her baby compromised.'

Ms Blake responded: 'Not compromised? How they can dare to say we weren't compromised beggars belief.'

The hospital initially refused to counter-sign Ayda's passport until they were paid

The couple went on holiday to Marmaris when Ms Blake was six-months pregnant

And despite numerous attempts for an explanation for the hospital's treatment of Ms Blakeand baby Ayda, they just heard 'vague excuses'.

Finally, after cancelling a telephone interview with the hospital manager, the woman who liaises with insurance companies at the Tekden hospital, Dilek Keyik, said: 'They are out of the hospital for one week because of a meeting. They will contact you when they return back to Denizli. Sorry about that unexpected situation.'

When Mailonline chased that comment again, a hospital spokesperson said yesterday: 'We have nothing further to add to our earlier statement, except to say our treatment of baby Ayda was exemplary and to date we still remain unpaid.'

A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson has also confirmed: 'Staff from our Consulate in Marmaris provided assistance to a British family in June.'
The more eye contact mothers make with their baby, the better their brainwaves synchronize with one another, a new study shows.

When parents and infants interact, their gaze, emotions and heart rate synchronize. But until now, little has been known about whether brain activity also lines up.

Researchers found that direct eye contact not only aligns the brainwaves but causes infants to vocalize more, showing an intention to communicate.

This knowledge can help improve communication between parents and infants, making learning more effective during this critical time in a child's brain development, researchers said.

Making direct eye contact with an infant synchronizes an adult's brainwaves with one another and can lead to better communication and learning during this critical developmental stage

Brainwaves reflect the activity of millions of neurons and are involved in information transferring between brain regions.

A child's brain develops rapidly during the first five years of life and babies begin to learn words at around 15 to 18 months.

Research has found that a close relationship between a child and caregiver nourishes a growing brain, but synchronization in brain activity opens doors to improved development.

Previous studies have shown that when two adults are talking to each other, communication is more successful if their brainwaves are synchronized.

WHY IS EYE-CONTACT IMPORTANT? Eye contact is fundamental in most personal interactions and a form of body language. It is considered good manners to maintain eye contact when speaking to another person. Not making eye contact may be considered impolite and can risk losing the other partys attention, especially in public speaking. Studies have shown that prolonged eye contact synchronizes brain activity between two people. Brainwave synchronization leads to more successful communication and understanding between two people. Advertisement

The study from the Baby-LINC Lab at the University of Cambridge explored whether infants can also synchronize their brainwaves to adults and how eye contact influences this.



The team conducted two experiments to examine the brainwave patterns of 36 infants, 17 in the first experiment and 19 in the second.

The participants wore skull caps outfitted with electrodes that measured patterns of brain electrical activity through an electroencephalography (EEG) machine.

Researchers compared the infants brain activity with an adult's who was singing a nursery rhyme to determine if their brainwaves would match up.

In the first experiment, the infant watched a video of the adult singing nursery rhymes.

First, the adult looked directly at the infant while singing. Then, she turned her head away from the baby while continuing to sing. Finally, she tuned her head away but moved her gaze back to the infant and locked eyes.

The results published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that the infants' brainwaves were more synchronized to the adult's when their gazes met.

But interestingly, the greatest synchronization occurred when the adult's head was turned away with her eyes still locked on the infant's.

The researchers concluded that the infant may have recognized the gaze as being highly deliberate and understood it as a strong signal to communicate.

Dr Victoria Leong, lead author on the study said: 'When the adult and infant are looking at each other, they are signalling their availability and intention to communicate with each other.'

In the second experiment, an in-person interaction between the adult and infant replaced the video while both brainwaves were being monitored.

The woman looked either directly at the infant or looked away while singing the nursery rhymes.

Both of the participants were the most synchronized to each other's brain activity when mutual eye contact was established.

However, the waves were still in sync when the woman looked away and the infant continued to watch her.

The researchers said this shows that brainwave synchronization isn't just due to seeing a face or finding something interesting, but about sharing an intention to communicate.

'We found that both adult and infant brains respond to a gaze signal by becoming more in sync with their partner. This mechanism could prepare parents and babies to communicate, by synchronizing when to speak and when to listen, which would also make learning more effective,' said Leong.

The study also found that infants made more vocalization's when given direct eye contact, which showed their intention to communicate.

Dr Sam Wass, last author on the study, said: 'We don't know what it is, yet, that causes this synchronous brain activity. We're certainly not claiming to have discovered telepathy!'
Synthetic cannabis has been to blame for deaths, accidents and may cause cancer, but at least one form may have therapeutic effects, a study suggests.

The researchers tested their theory that the brain might play an important role in sleep apnea, and that its messages might be changed by a cannabinoid.

A synthetic, purified cannabinoid, called Delta-9-THC, reduced episodes of the shallow breathing that disrupts sleep for apnea sufferers.

The University of Illinois at Chicago researchers caution that the version they used has long been FDA-approved, and is not the same as other 'synthetic' cannabinoids or even the highly-concentrated cannabis wax used in controversial dabbing.

Synthetic cannabis could be an effective alternative treatment for sleep apnea, a study found

Delta-9-THC is a synthetic derivative, using the active ingredient of cannabis that affects the brain, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Purified finely in the lab, Delta-9-THC is prescribed as dronabinol to chemotherapy patients to treat nausea and vomiting and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for 25 years.

The Delta-9-THC in dronabinol is not identical to the THC found in cannabis and its other forms.

It is most similar to highly-concentrated cannabis wax, or dabs. Both derivatives are strong, resinous derivatives of cannabis, distilled to contain a high dose of THC.

Inconsistent but extremely high concentrations of THC in dabs can cause such an intense 'high' that it has caused some to pass out, leading to the death of at least one person.

The THC in dabs also comes along with other cannabinoids, including terpenes, which studies suggest can be carcinogenic.

Neither dabs nor synthetic Delta-9-THC are to be confused with other synthetics - such as K2, or spice - that chemically imitate cannabis and have killed a number of users.

Some studies report that the THC-intensive dronabinol actually has more profoundly psychoactive properties than other cannabinoids for those who take the capsule.

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure machine (pictured) is a 99 percent effective treatment for sleep apnea, but synthetic cannabis may be a preferable treatment for apnea-sufferers who tend to be inconsistent about using their breathing machines

Delta-9-THC causes 'neural noise,' an increase in sporadic firings in the brain that can cause symptoms of psychosis, according to some research.

This may be why the compound is effective for sleep apnea.

The dangers of 'K2' synthetic cannabis K2 and spice are street names for forms of synthetic cannabis, not to be confused with medical grade synthetics. They consist of a mix of plant material - herbs or spices, hence the name - that have been sprayed with chemicals to mimic the effects of marijuana and other cannabinoids. But often, the chemicals have drastically different and dangerous effects. Spice and K2 can cause seizures, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure and erratic and even violent behavior. Hundreds of people have overdosed and been hospitalized after smoking too much or bad batches of K2. In one instance, 32 people were hospitalized for overdoses in a New York City neighborhood where K2 is commonly sold, earning it the nickname 'Zombieland.' K2 was long sold in corner stores, wrapped in bright packaging and bearing a 'not for human consumption' stamp. Government agencies are finally beginning to crack down on the unregulated substance. Advertisement

There are two forms of sleep apnea: one that causes the airway to become physically blocked, and central sleep apnea, which happens when the brain is not sending the correct messages to respiratory muscles to maintain breathing.

The study participants that were given the highest, 10 milligram, dose of dronabinol for six weeks had fewer apnea-induced sleep interruptions and reported less sleepy and better overall.

The capsule was only one third as effective in preventing sleep apnea as the breathing or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, the current standard treatment for sleep apnea.

CPAP is 99 percent effective at treating the sleep disorder - when it is worn all night, every night.

But the patients admit to struggling to comply with a regimen that requires them to wear a clunky mask attached to a somewhat noisy machine.

The study participants said that they typically used their CPAP machines for no more than four hours a night, so at best they were getting about half as much deep sleep as they needed.

But taking the capsule each night improved their sleep somewhat, and was a painless process. The same FDA-approved compound used to alleviate nausea and and vomiting caused by chemotherapy may change the messages sent from the brain to the airways to help prevent the sleep disruption.
In Zoomer magazine's September 2017 issue, there was an enlightening article written by Rev. Dr. Sheila Macgregor addressing contemporary issues that have emerged as a result of what's become known as the longevity revolution.

Advancements in health care and technology have resulted in longer lifespans. Milestone events now include encore careers, second and even third marriages, and birthday celebrations for 100-year-olds.

In fact, in 2016, there were more than 8,000 100-year-olds alive in Canada, according to the most recent Census data.

Research from the United States indicates that approximately 70 percent of people suffering from Alzheimer's are cared for by their spouses.

While there is much to be celebrated, it's also a good time to pause and re-examine old traditions in light of new realities.

As the population ages, and more people are diagnosed with dementia, we are starting to assess how that affects relationships, particularly romantic ones (file image)

That was part of Rev Macgregor's powerful message.

Macgregor draws upon the work of Rabbi Richard Address, the director of Jewish Sacred Aging, a forum that enables the Jewish community to discuss modern-day issues relating to the aging Baby Boomer generation.

For instance, Address asks, is it still adultery if you enter into a new relationship when your spouse doesn't know who you are anymore?

That's an important question in an age in which 564,000 Canadians are living with dementia. Worldwide, that number approximates 47 million people. But the figures don't include family members who are directly affected by the disease.

Rabbi Address's question necessitates that we examine the day-to-day realities of those caring for spouses with dementia and Alzheimer's.

Spouses care for most people with dementia

While many report benefits associated with the experience, such as greater meaning and purpose in life, and a closer bond and attachment with the cared for individual, this population also faces negative psycho-social consequences that include loneliness and isolation.

And as Dr. John Cacioppo, one of the world's most eminent authorities on the topic, explains, humans do not fare well when they live solitary lives. In fact, loneliness can kill you.

The demands and responsibilities imposed by the caregiver role leave little time, if any at all, for social interaction.

And the constant care and concern for one's beloved can occupy prime real estate in the mind of the caregiver.

The negative cognitive and physical consequences are plentiful and include illness, injury, depression, anxiety, financial difficulties and disruptions in employment.

Moreover, as cognitive and physical abilities diminish, the demands on the caregiver increase.

Imagine for a moment that while a caregiver is attending to the needs of her loved one during a hospital visit, doctor's office, or pharmacy run, she meets another person who is experiencing similar challenges.

The two start to develop a relationship. When time permits, they share brief phone calls, text messages and an occasional meal.

Their friendship provides refuge in a chaotic, isolating and lonely world.

Their encounters, no matter how short, are reminiscent of a time when her husband recognized her, conversations were reciprocal and they enjoyed leisurely pursuits and pastimes together.

Mitigate loneliness

Extramarital affairs that begin during a partner's debilitating illness or terminal disease are referred to as 'well spouse affairs.'

Relational expert Dr. Michael Batshaw believes that such affairs can mitigate the loneliness and isolation associated with caregiving, and thus prevent caregiver burnout.

Batshaw explains that people who normally would not engage in infidelity may do so while a caregiver, because often what prevents us from being unfaithful is the hope that our relationship will change and improve.

Under these circumstances, however, the caregivers know their relationships will never get better, and realize that their needs can no longer be fulfilled by their spouse.

But such affairs are not without their costs.

Infidelity by its very nature is replete with guilt, as is caregiving.

Taking time off to exercise or see friends often ignites feelings of guilt for being away from a loved one.

Add infidelity to the mix, and you're likely to spend much of your time engaged in hellish emotional turmoil.

Although you want to be the devoted and faithful spouse, motivated by obligation, love or societal norms, you are also physically and emotionally exhausted, feeling lonely and isolated and want out.

Would a spouse really want his beloved to live such an existence? And what exactly does 'until death do us part' mean? Is it when we physically take our last breath, or when we no longer exist as we have for decades in our marriages, recognize our partners or actively participate in our relationships?

These questions are incredibly personal and, for some, deeply religious.

However, it's incumbent upon us to move beyond the ethical considerations of the issue and focus on the human struggles associated with the realities of living longer lives.

I suspect that's why Rabbi Address recommends that couples discuss this issue long before debilitating diseases strike.

Such conversations are difficult, but they may in fact be the final act of love and kindness that you can bestow upon your loved one.

This article was originally published by The Conversation
A growing number of Americans are at risk for becoming allergic to red meat as ticks proliferate and spread across the country.

A special task force of experts has said that there are 'more cases identified each year,' and estimated that more than 3,500 people had the allergy by 2016.

As much as 80 percent of people with meat allergies had also been bitten by a lone star tick, according to the first study to establish the connection.

Scientists have predicted that 2017 could be a very bad year for tick bites - and with them, meat allergies.

People with allergies to red meat often develop the reaction after being bitten by lone star ticks, which are becoming increasingly common in the US

People with red meat allergies may break out in a rash or hives, all sick to their stomachs, sneeze, develop asthma or a headaches, or even go into anaphylactic shock and stop breathing.

Red meat allergies are immune responses to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal (short for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose).

Alpha-gal is an antibody found in the cells of most mammals, but not in primates - including humans.

The ticks themselves aren't actually carry alpha-gal antibodies genetically, either.

But deer do.

Deer are one of a tick's favorite animals to feed off. Like pigs and cattle, deer carry the alpha-gal antibodies.

When a tick latches on to a deer as an appetizer before moving on to bite a human, it carries leftover alpha-gal with it, sometimes transferring to the antibody it picked up from the deer to people.

Once a person has contracted alpha-gal, the body develops the allergic reaction to red meat, a misplaced immunological message that we are not supposed to eat it.

There is no cure for the allergy. Only first identified in 2009, little is known about red meat allergies, including its exact prevalence.

Alpha-gal allergies mostly cause reactions to red meats, like beef, pork and venison, and occasionally to poultry.

It usually takes around four hours for an alpha-gal allergic reaction to set in after a person eats meat.

Red meat allergies are thought to be caused by lone star ticks, which live predominantly in the Eastern US, but are reportedly growing in number and spreading around the country

Lone star ticks are found across a wide swath of the US, stretching from Maine at the country's Northeastern tip, westward and down to Texas's southern tail.

Back in May, scientists predicted a red-letter year for ticks in New Jersey and the Northeast.

Lone star ticks, so called for the white spot on their backs, are on the rise in the Northeastern US

A combination of this year's unseasonably warm population and abundant mice populations (another favorite host for ticks) create perfect conditions for a variety of native ticks, including the lone star variety, to thrive.

Lone star ticks can transmit a number of bacterial diseases, viral infections and rashes, as well as the alpha-gal allergy, and are known to be 'aggressive' parasites.

Because people with red meat allergies are particularly prone to going into sudden and severe anaphylactic shock, it is advisable to carry an EpiPen.

Ticks typically live in forested areas with heavy ground cover, where they are hard to spot. The best ways to avoid contracting a meat allergy are to be sure to wear plenty of protective covering and insect repellent, or avoid these areas altogether.
HIV diagnoses have reached an all-time low in New York City, new figures reveal.

A report released today by the New York City Department of Health showed 2,279 new diagnoses were recorded in 2016 - a nine percent drop from the 2,493 new cases in 2015.

The biggest decrease in infections was seen among gay men, dropping 15 percent from 1,450 new cases in 2015 to 1,236 new cases a year later.

But while activists and public health officials rejoice, they warn there is one caveat: the rate of new diagnoses among women went up, suggesting public health campaigns may not have spoken to every demographic.

New figures released on Wednesday by the New York City Department of Health showed 2,279 new diagnoses were recorded in 2016 - a nine percent drop from the 2,493 new cases in 2015

'I feel very optimistic and motivated by these new figures,' Dr Demetre Daskalakis, deputy commissioner for the health department, told Daily Mail Online.

'It's exciting, especially considering that many of New York Citys innovative Ending the Epidemic programming only really got off the ground in late 2016!

'These 2016 numbers are a harbinger or good things to come as these new programs have more time to make an impact on HIV transmission.'

WHAT IS PrEP? Truvada is the trade name for a certain type of PrEP ('pre-exposure prophylaxis') drug. This drug in particular is fixed-dose combination of two anti-retroviral drugs, tenofovir and FTC, in one pill. They work together to interfere with an enzyme which HIV uses to infect new cells, slowing down the virus's attack or preventing it altogether. The drug is designed for people that have not yet been exposed to the virus to protect themselves against it. Alternatively, people who have been exposed can take PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), a month-long course of drugs started within 72 hours of exposure. Advertisement

New York has long been a vanguard in fighting HIV.

Last month, a report by DOHMH researcher Paul Salcuni revealed prescriptions for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - the drug that protects HIV negative people from contracting the disease - increased almost 1,000 percent in New York City between 2014 and 2016.

Dr Daskalakis explains that was the key first step to bring down new diagnoses, and these new figures 'show our efforts are paying off'.

'We have rebranded our sexual health clinics in that time and have made them efficient hubs of HIV treatment and prevention,' he explained.

Asked whether this is a sign of things to come, he tentatively agreed: 'Although hard to predict, I would expect that our significantly enhanced efforts to launch PrEP and other interventions will mean that we will continue to accelerate toward our 2020 goal to end the epidemic of HIV in NYC.'

He conceded that 'declines in new diagnoses in women have slowed down', but insisted that is the city's main priority at the moment.

'We have been planning several new strategies to increase PrEP use among women at risk for HIV exposure.

'Special attention has been focused on making sure that our new interventions reach populations who are at highest risk of HIV.'
Car bosses have taken a swipe at ministers who appear hell bent on destroying Britains motor industry with their calls to ban internal combustion engines by 2040 and their demonisation of diesel.

Punitive measures against the latest clean diesel and petrol cars could scupper investment in the next generation of electric and alternative fuel vehicles, they warned.

The broadside came at their annual dinner in London attended by Business Secretary Greg Clark on the day after he announced his industrial strategy to boost British businesses.

British motor industry under threat: Car bosses said the demonisation of diesel could destroy the nation's automotive sector

The car bosses laid into policies by his Cabinet colleagues that, they argue, are putting prosperity and jobs at risk.

Under fire is Environment Secretary Michael Goves pronouncement to ban all petrol and diesel engines by 2040, and Chancellor Philip Hammonds road tax hike on diesel cars which is exacerbating a slump in their sales.

Motor industry chiefs said politicians needed to inject a dose of reality because this was not a policy without consequences and has to stop.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told the minister and 1,100 guests: UK automotive is great at technology. And we are damn good at internal combustion engines in particular - just look at Formula One for proof. Yet we seem to be hell bent on destroying that reputation.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive

We tell the world we want to ban petrol and diesel cars by 2040. We introduce taxes, charges and budget measures which ignore technological development, which undermine our industrial capability and which demonise one technology, diesel, despite the benefits it delivers consumers.

But Mr Hawes said: Customers are not moving straight from diesel to electric. They're moving to petrol or staying put in their older cars.

'So we're seeing a falling market, declining revenues, rising costs, rising CO2.

He stressed: This is not a policy without consequences. This has to stop. We need a dose of reality. The industry is agile, it can adapt. But it needs certainty, sensible timescales and supportive conditions.

SMMT president Tony Walker, deputy managing director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK and managing director of Toyota Motor Europe London Office added his weight to the demands for ministers to stop.

SMMT president Tony Walker (right) pictured with former secretary of state for transport, Patrick McLoughlin (left), during a visit to the Toyota factory in Burnaston in Derbyshire

Environment Secretary Michael Goves pronouncement to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel engines by 2040

Speaking at the dinner he stressed: The internal combustion engine is not dead  it is the path to a cleaner and greener future.

'Banning diesel and petrol cars might be a sound bite that works but its not a policy that works.

'If you ban them you disrupt the new car market and you hamper investment in the electric, emission-free vehicles of tomorrow. You set the future back.

Mr Walker added: We have invested billions of pounds in clean, low emission technologies. Leading change by electrifying the market through the introduction of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

The SMMT said: The automotive sector has been keen to highlight that the latest Euro 6 vehicles bring significant benefits in terms of low emissions and meeting our climate change targets, and these newer, cleaner vehicles should not be unfairly penalised in government plans.
A lavish gold Rolls-Royce has gone on sale - but theres a catch in that the seller will only accept payment in Bitcoin.

The asking price of the Rolls-Royce, which comes with complete with an in-built fridge and champagne flutes, is the equivalent of 117,995 and it's the first car to ever be listed on Autotrader with payment solely in Bitcoin.

And while that may seem steep, the meteoric rise in the value of Bitcoin means someone would have had to have bought just 11,800 worth at the beginning of the year to be able to afford to buy the gold Roll-Royce today.

This gold Rolls-Royce Ghost is for sale on Auto Trader with a listing price of 117,995, but that has to be paid in Bitcoin

The so-called cryptocurrency has surged in value in recent weeks, breaking through $11,000 today, an increase of more than 1,000 per cent from the start of the year.

Bitcoin only broke through the $10,000 mark for the first time yesterday.

Some early buyers of Bitcoin are currently sitting on huge fortunes, even if they only bought small sums, leaving them well able to splash out on a Rolls-Royce.

This Roller, is a 2010 four-door Ghost model with 35,000 miles on the clock and a 6.6 litre engine that produces 563bhp. Thats enough to power the car and its occupants to 60mph in 4.7 seconds in a blur of gold-plated luxury.

The top speed  on tracks and countries where permitted  is limited to 155mph.

And if a gold Rolls-Royce with a fridge and Freeview TV inside isnt quite flash enough for you, the numberplate GO07DEN (spelling Golden) is up for sale alongside the car for an extra 8,000.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost can reach 60mph in 4.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 155mph

The owner of the vehicle, who is based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, told Auto Trader: Why not trade in Bitcoin? I treat it in exactly the same way as normal currency these days.

Its safe, convenient and incredibly valuable right now so, to me, it makes sense to trade my car this way. Its the future.

If the seller is successful they will have to decide whether to cash in on the value of the car by selling their bitcoin now, or wait and see if the cryptocurrency continues to rocket in value  thus delivering a bumper profit.

A new Rolls-Royce Ghost would set you back about 230,000, so the seller would need to see Bitcoin double in value again in order to use the cryptocurrency to trade up from second hand to brand new.

Why not trade in Bitcoin? I treat it in exactly the same way as normal currency these days Rolls-Royce seller

That sounds like a tall order, but Bitcoin has doubled in value in the past seven weeks alone.

Auto Trader editorial director, Erin Baker, said: With the meteoric rise in popularity and value of Bitcoin in recent years, it comes as no surprise that sellers are now attempting to trade this way, its a huge trend and currently holds a high value.

That said, Auto Trader wont be releasing a search by Bitcoin function anytime soon. Our focus is very much on our search by monthly payment product that launches next month for car buyers.

The price of Bitcoin has rocketed by 1,000 per cent this year

A Rolls-Royce Ghost costs around 230,000 brand new and this 2010 car has 35,000 miles on the clock

Inside, the Ghost is a feats of wood and leather lined luxury and even has a fridge and TV

The astonishing rise of Bitcoin this year has brought a string of warnings from the financial world that it is in a bubble that is likely to burst.

Thousands of amateur traders are now piling in and betting on bitcoin, while start-up companies are using cryptocurrencies to raise money.

In October, JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon branded people who buy Bitcoin 'stupid' and called it a 'fraud.'

Watchdogs across the world have warned there could be a sudden massive crash if the market turns. The market is unregulated in Britain, and the Financial Conduct Authority does not even hold figures on how many are trading.

The numberplate GO07DEN, spelling Golden, is available for another 8,000

However, International Monetary Fund boss Christine Lagarde conceded that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin could be a useful tool in the future financial system.

She said virtual currencies could be 'easier and safer' to hold than paper bills in remote regions, or countries with unstable national currencies or 'weak institutions.'

Economist Nouriel Roubini, who predicted the financial crisis, has described the fad for online currency as a giant speculative bubble which is bound to end in disaster.

He said: This is neither a serious method of payment nor a good way to store capital. The Bitcoin feeds on itself. There are no fundamental reasons for its price to reach such levels.
A couple who fell ill on holiday were billed 4,250 for backing out of a sickness compensation claim.

In September 2016, Jackie and Steve Reeves were contacted by a cold-caller who asked whether they had fallen ill abroad.

These types of calls are being made every day and have resulted in claims for holiday sickness soaring by 500 per cent since 2013 to 35,000 a year currently.

Jackie, 71, and Steve, 62, had been laid low with a stomach bug on an all-inclusive Thomas Cook trip to Cuba in April 2016.

The idea of claiming compensation hadnt crossed either of their minds. They had caught the virus half-way through their trip and spent several days confined to their hotel room, suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.

Targeted: In September 2016, Jackie and Steve Reeves were left with a 4,250 bill after being encouraged to make a holiday illness insurance claim

At the time, they put the illness down to foreign food. But the caller claimed they were among hundreds of people who had suffered at the resort in Holguin, in eastern Cuba.

Jackie, a GP receptionist, remembers him saying poor hygiene standards had put customers in danger.

Jackie says she remembers birds flying into the hotel restaurant and pecking at the uncovered buffet, and that cats had also roamed through the dining and kitchen areas.

The caller said he would get a law firm to sue Thomas Cook for compensation.

In November 2016, the couple received a 34-page contract from Liverpool-based High Street Solicitors.

The law firm  which would not have been responsible for the cold-calling, done by a separate business  said it would represent the couple on a no win, no fee basis. There is no suggestion the firm has been involved in any wrongdoing.

The couple recall that the agreement they had signed and returned had stated fraudulent claimants would not be tolerated and the couple would be charged for all legal fees incurred if they had presented a false case.

Jackie and Steve Reeves were contacted by a cold-caller

It set out charges of 220 an hour for work done by a solicitor and 150 an hour for paralegals.

Jackie doesnt remember reading about costs incurred if a client withdrew a claim.

I knew we were telling the truth, so wasnt concerned, she says.

She remembers that the firm rang to tell her how the case would progress. They said Thomas Cook would be very reluctant to take the case to court and would almost certainly settle and pay us compensation, she says.

They said they were very confident that we would receive a payout.

She was given a list of questions to answer in writing about how and when they fell ill.

Jackie cannot recall hearing from the firm again, until she received a letter in April 2017.

The letter said the couples claim couldnt be settled without obtaining medical records to prove that you do not have any allergies or any other symptoms that could have made you sick abroad.

Jackie and Steve say they gave consent for the firm to look through their medical records.

Jackie says the holiday cost 1,800, but she wasnt sure how much compensation they would get.

In May, the couple each received a phone call from a private GP, who asked questions about their medical history. Then, in August this year, the couple received the news that Thomas Cook had rejected a settlement offer.

An email to the couple from the solicitors said: Please do not see this as a negative . . . The longer they take to settle your claim, the more expensive it will be for them [Thomas Cook].

The law firm said that if it did not hear anything from Thomas Cook, it would instigate whichever court proceedings are most suitable to progress your claim.

Jackie, 71, and Steve, 62, had been laid low with a stomach bug on an all-inclusive Thomas Cook trip to Cuba in April 2016

Jackie says: All of a sudden, I thought: This is getting out of hand. The issue had snowballed and had become far too much for me to take on. Going to court would be my worst nightmare.

Then, on a holiday to Cyprus in August, the couple fell ill again. They concluded, rightly or wrongly, that they were susceptible to stomach bugs in foreign countries.

We couldnt in all good conscience continue with the claim, Jackie says. We only claimed because the cold-caller was so persuasive.

On their return to the UK, Jackie cancelled the claim and was told to expect a bill. She asked what she owed and why, and says she could have been knocked down with a feather when told they were liable for 5,400 in legal fees.

The invoice they received said they must contact the office within seven days to discuss payment, or the matter would be passed to an enforcement team.

Potential fees for backing out of the agreement had been mentioned on what appeared to be page 26 of Jackie and Steves legal contract. Money Mail has seen this and has tried to establish to what extent the clauses are commonplace for such claims.

It stated that they could terminate at any time, but that the firm could require the client to pay the solicitors basic charges for the work done up to the date of termination and any counsels fees, insurance premiums and disbursements incurred up to that date.

The couple ended up paying a discounted amount of 4,250.

It was far more than we can afford, but I felt I had no other choice, says Jackie.

A spokesman from High Street Solicitors says it is unable to comment on the specific case due to client confidentiality obligations.

Money Mail is happy to make it clear that there is no suggestion that the firm has acted in breach of professional guidance or regulations.

s.smyth@dailymail.co.uk
HOSTING DEAL Retailer Game has sold its online game-hosting business Multiplay Digital to Unity Technologies for 19million.

Game bought Multiplay for 20million in 2015, with its results for last year revealing a loss of 800,000 due to investment in technology.

Game will use the money to continue developing its stores and live gaming business.

SMOKES BOSS Cigarette maker British American Tobacco has promoted Ricardo Oberlander to chief executive of Reynolds American. BAT paid 37billion in January for the final 58 per cent of Reynolds it did not already own.

TASTE TEST Flavouring maker Treatt made 12.9million profit during the year ending September 30, up from 8.8million the year before, on revenue of 109.6million, a 24.5 per cent increase.

Chief executive Daemmon Reeve said: Treatt has enjoyed a very strong year.

KEY CLIMATE Utility firm Anglian Water says that a stable and attractive climate for investment is key to meeting the Governments housebuilding targets.

Over the latest six months the firm made 210million profit, up 1.6 per cent, with revenue up 2.2 per cent to 634.8million.

GOLDEN MOMENT Minerals company Hummingbird Resources plans to produce a collectible coin to mark the start of gold production at its Yanfolila mine in Mali.

The 1oz Hummingbird will be minted with a picture of gold miner and 14th century Malian ruler Musa I, who is often described as the richest man in history.

PROFITS BOOST Carpets manufacturer Victoria has seen an 8 per centboost to its profits to 12.9million in the six months to the end of September, which was driven by the acquisition of two underlay businesses.

BANK BURDEN French bank Societe Generale is axing 15 per cent of its branch network as it grapples with technological change sweeping the industry.

Three-hundred of its 2,000 outlets will be closed and 900 jobs slashed to get costs under control.

EDUCATED BONDS Plans to raise 250million by selling a 100-year bond have been announced by Oxford University, its first venture into the debt markets.

CAPITAL SLUMP Office building in London is down 9 per cent in the past six months, reaching its lowest level since 2014, according to research by consultant Deloitte.
The total value of Britain's privately owned housing stocks has reached over 6trillion for the first time, new figures reveal.

The value of homes rose by 376billion in one year alone, thanks to the average value of a single home hitting 256,912, marking a near 70,000 increase since 2007, Halifax said.

In London alone, housing stocks are valued at around 1.3trillion. But, housing equity levels, which give the difference between the value of houses and total outstanding mortgage debt, are significantly out of kilter in the capital.

Total value: The total value of Britain's privately owned housing stocks has reached over 6trillion for the first time

London has the highest housing equity level in the country, at an estimated 968billion, which is the equivalent of 360,193 per household.

Russell Galley, managing director at Halifax, said: 'The value of housing stock has grown by close to 2trillion in the past decade and with the equity-rich regions of London and the South East largely responsible, it highlights a considerable regional imbalance in the distribution of housing wealth.

'Within the capital there is also a mix of fortunes. While more than a fifth of total property wealth is in London, lower levels of owner occupation reflect a major barrier to the property ladder with a far greater number of people renting where house prices are at their highest.'

While London has the highest total house valuation figure of 1.3trillion, Northern Ireland has the lowest, at 92billion.

HOME VALUATION DATA BY REGION Total value of housing in 2017 by region, followed by the value of mortgage loans outstanding, the net housing equity and the average net housing equity per household. North East: 136billion, 36billion, 100billion, 106,896 North West: 469billion, 114billion, 355billion 134,273 Yorkshire and the Humber: 341billion, 80billion, 261billion, 133,282 East Midlands: 327billion, 64billion 262billion, 152,288 West Midlands: 361billion, 88billion, 273billion, 137,354 East: 688billion, 90billion, 598billion, 269,756 London: 1.3trillion, 370billion, 968billion, 360,193 South East: 1.2trillion, 245billion, 926billion, 279,590 South West: 554billion, 114billion, 440billion, 203,093 Scotland: 349billion, 86billion, 263 billion, 135,282 Wales: 189billion, 39billion, 150billion, 126,190 Northern Ireland: 92billion, 29billion, 63billion, 97,056 Source: Halifax

The South East has the second highest total housing stock valuation, at 1.2trillion.

Halifax's figures also give an insight into property wealth by age group. Around 40 per cent of wealth tied up in property is owned by over 65s.

Over 60 per cent of people aged 65 or over are also mortgage free, Halifax added.

Nearly a quarter of total housing wealth is held by households in the 55 to 64 age group.

Meanwhile, forty-seven per cent of people aged between 25 to 44 have a mortgage and account for 15.4 per cent of total housing wealth, while just 0.1 per cent net housing wealth is held by people aged 16 to 24.

In last week's Budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond made a string of proposals aimed at tackling Britain's housing market.

He announced a funding package of 44billion and said the government planned to build an extra 300,000 homes up and down the country every year.

The Chancellor also announced the abolition of stamp duty for first time buyers on the first 300,000 of homes up to 500,000.

He did, however, admit that there was no 'magic bullet' for fixing the housing crisis, particularly when it came to spiraling costs faced by first time buyers and housing supply shortages.

The number of people under 45 who own their own homes has dropped by a fifth since the Conservatives took power.

In its last House Price Index published earlier this month, the Office for National Statistics said the average cost of a home has risen to 226,000, which is 11,000 more than at the same point a year ago.

The main contribution to the increase in prices came from England, where house prices increased by 5.7 per cent over the year to September.
Lloyds Banking Group will close a further 49 bank branches across the UK and Yorkshire Building Society will close 13 more, it was announced today.

The Lloyds closures fall across the Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland divisions, and will cost around 100 jobs. The YBS closures are part of a wider cost-cutting campaign - including the phased closure of its Cheltenham office - that could cost 250 jobs.

Both businesses claimed the closures were prompted by changing customer behaviour and the declining number of transactions being made in branches.

Is your bank branch set to close? 62 closures are planned - you can also check the list of names in the table below

'Customers are increasingly choosing to use digital and mobile channels for their everyday banking needs,' a Lloyds spokesperson said.

'As a consequence, the number of customers visiting some of our branches has declined in recent years.

'In response to this, we have confirmed the locations of some branches which will close next year across Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland.'

Under the YBS proposals, eight YBS branded branches and up to five Norwich & Peterborough (N&P) branded branches will close. The remaining N&P branches would be rebranded to Yorkshire Building Society from May next year.

Mike Regnier, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society Group, said: 'If the proposals go ahead our reformed high street network will complement our digital and telephony channels, enabling us to reach more customers and supporting them to do business with us in ways which are most convenient for them.

We believe these proposed changes are necessary for us to continue to grow and help more people to become homeowners and have a secure place for their savings.

The Lloyds Banking Group will be closing 49 branches and axing 100 jobs.

Lloyds has insisted that branches remain a 'key part of the service' it offers.

Earlier this year, the bank said it would shut down 100 branches as it swung the axe on 200 jobs.

Trade unions have responded with fury, saying the move undermined growth and would leave more communities without access to 'valued local banking'.

Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said: 'Lloyds Banking Group needs to halt this unnecessary bank branch closure programme.

'Local communities are making it clear that the closure of their local branch excludes customers who cannot use digital means to conduct their financial transactions.

'Having returned to profitability Lloyds needs to stop ignoring its corporate social responsibilities.'

But alongside the Yorkshire Building Society Groups branch closures it is looking to boost the number of so-called agencies it runs across the country; which will see the same services offered in new locations.

Agency operations will see customers access Yorkshire services at small operations located in estate agency offices, solicitors or independent financial advisers.

The Group has assured customers that it plans to retain a presence in all of its towns and cities until at least 2020, and with planned agency openings, will have around 300 outlets across the UK.
Karen Schless Pressley, 65, served as the Commanding Officer of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre Network until she fled in 1998

The former Commanding Officer of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre Network has opened up for the first time to reveal what she calls the 'down and dirty' tactics employed by the church to 'hunt' and hook in celebrities.

Karen Schless Pressley was an elite member of the church's administrative Sea Org who signed her billion-year contract in 1986.

Now, in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV she has laid bare her life in Scientology's inner sanctum and the bitter cost of leaving.

She has told how celebrities are called 'raw meat,' and lists of desirable 'quarry' are compiled.

She has detailed leader David Miscavige's friendship with his 'biggest trophy' Tom Cruise, and the abuses that saw the leader's own father brand him 'a monster.'

And she has shared the heartbreaking cost of her freedom - the loss of the man she loved, husband of 20 years, Peter Schless.

Karen, 65, left in 1998 - after two failed attempts in 1991 and 1993. Today she is speaking out to mark the publication of her memoirs, Escaping Scientology, An Insider's True Story.

She said: 'Escaping Scientology is not just a one-time break out, like breaking out of a prison. Escaping is a process.

Karen signed her billion-year Sea Org contract in 1986 with her husband Peter and the two were featured in Scientology's Celebrity Magazine

Staff who work the Celebrity Centre are billion-year-contracted Sea Org members who give up any right to life outside, Karen says. Pictured above is the The original Celebrity Centre on 8th Street Los Angeles

Church leader David Miscavige's (right) 'biggest trophy' is said to be Tom Cruise (left). Karen says staff were instructed not to look the actor in the eye

'The impact is very traumatic. It's like moving from Mars to Earth.'

Karen had been out of the church more than ten years before she realized she needed help and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

She said: 'What sort of church treats its people in such a way that they would develop PTSD?'

Perhaps the sort that would launch public, personal attacks on those who speak out against it, she says.

STATEMENT FROM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY In a statement to DailyMail.com, the church said: Karen Pressley is a fringe apostate with a personal agenda and a single motivation to make money out of her former association with the Church of Scientology. Her allegations are not only categorically denied, but have been totally undermined or disproved in the past. Many of them, such as her false claims about the religion's leader, have been refuted through the sworn testimony of people with firsthand knowledge. Karen Pressley's brief stint at Celebrity Centre ended nearly three decades ago, in 1989. Pressley failed at every job she had in the Church. Her last position was as a gardener at a Church facility in Riverside County. Pressley is one of a small cadre of anti-Scientologists seeking their 15 minutes of fame through spreading lies. Advertisement

That is what has happened to Karen and the stress of it all is, she said, literally written all over her face.

Shortly after the publication of her book, an episode of Leah Remini's Scientology the Aftermath, to which Karen had contributed, aired.

Her husband of 17 years, Greg, 60, decided to check whether the church had reacted by posting an 'attack video.'

They had. As they sat and watched Karen went into shock. It was her ex-husband, Peter Schless, 64.

'He lied. He trashed me. He said that I was trailer trash,' she said.

'But it wasn't so much the shock of the lies it was the shock of seeing the man I had lovedlike a prisoner of war, trapped behind the fences of this cult. That happened about 11 o'clock that night. The next morning I woke up and the shock showed itself on my face.'

Karen had suffered a Bells Palsy that paralyzed half her face. The exact cause of this condition is not known but the disruption of the nerve signal between brain and facial muscles has been linked to stress.

Initially, Karen said: 'I didn't really want to do this interview until I healed. Who wants to go on camera with a crooked face? But I decided it's more important to me to tell this story.'

Demi Moore, Sean Penn, and Brad Pitt were all listed as desirable 'raw meat.' Brad Pitt allegedly came in for 'a few courses' when he was dating Juliette Lewis, 'but fell away.'

James Packer and Rupert Murdoch's son, Lachlan (right) were all listed as desirable 'raw meat.' Packer briefly joined but left in 2006. Murdoch never joined

Karen was raised Roman Catholic but never really 'found God' in that faith. In truth neither she nor her husband Schless were searching for something spiritual when they moved to Los Angeles in the late 70s.

She was a burgeoning fashion designer and Peter, a promising keyboard player and composer who worked with a host of luminaries including Cher and BB King.

His greatest claim to fame remains writing the Grammy nominated song, 'On the Wings of Love,' in 1982 - the same year the couple became Scientologists.

Karen said: 'It seemed like everywhere we went we were meeting Scientologists. Our main goal was to increase our communication skills, the ability to design, the ability to perform.'

The 'self-improvement' classes offered at Scientology's Celebrity Centre appealed, as did the ego-stroking that came with them.

Founder L Ron Hubbard viewed celebrities as a special breed, higher beings who could raise the 'tone' of the planet and he preached that they should be treated as such. He also recognized the power of their social capital.

L Ron Hubbard's wrote up his personal 'wish list' in 1955 which included: artist Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, and American author Ernest Hemingway

Hubbard's list also included TV variety show Ed Sullivan (left) and actor Orson Welles (right)

In 1955 he wrote up his personal 'wish list' of celebrity devotees. It included Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, Ed Sullivan, Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway.

One name that usually gets erased from the church's list of actual conquests, Karen noted, is Charles Manson.

She said: 'Celebrity Centre is a safe harbor, where you can come and be yourself under the protection of their wing. That is what lured in and trapped lots of people.'

Between 1982 and 1986, Karen said, she went from 'enthusiastic volunteer' at the Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles to 'radicalized' devotee prepared to sign a billion-year contract to the Sea Org.

Her husband joined the church but was disqualified from membership because he had taken LSD, which Hubbard had outlawed.

While Schless worked for the church's Golden Era Studios, scoring educational and promotional videos out at their International Base (Int Base) in the Southern Californian desert, Karen took on her first executive role as Deputy Commanding Officer of CC Public Relations.

Two months later she was promoted to Commanding Officer and from there she was catapulted to become CO of the entire network.

It brought her face-to-face with the what she calls 'down and dirty machine' that exists to recruit - and keep - celebrities.

She said: 'Staff who work for CC are billion-year contracted Sea Org members who give up any right to life outside. They are working in a slave like environment, 16 hour day, only a few pieces of clothing as a uniform, they didn't see their children.'

Members of this 'slave-like labor force' make less than $50 a week to maintain celebrities' five-star facilities and 'gold platter treatment.'

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Hollywood

Karen said: 'We were always on the hunt for "raw meat." Our goal was to use existing celebrities to be the recruiters and we would teach them how to go out and contact people and bring them to understanding.

'That is the process of being on the hunt for raw meat: contact, handling, salvage, bring to understanding.'

Some methods were, she said, 'beyond ridiculous.' Recruiters would track where celebrities were filming and try to get onto the studio lots or sets. Celebrities who were already considered 'stable' Scientologists were asked to compile lists of celebrity friends, 'quarry' to be targeted.

Juliette Lewis, an up-and-coming actress and Scientologist during Karen's tenure was dating Brad Pitt - a name on their lists. Karen recalled he came in for 'a few courses but fell away.'

Demi Moore, Sean Penn, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Jackson (during his brief marriage to Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley) and, later, James Packer and Rupert Murdoch's son, Lachlan were all listed as desirable 'raw meat.'

According to Karen, Chairman of the Board, Dave Miscavige's team - which by then included Tom Cruise - set their sights on Packer and Murdoch. Packer briefly joined but left in 2006. Murdoch never joined.

Karen was an aspiring fashion designer (pictured left modelling her designs in 1982) her husband Peter (right) was a promising keyboard player and composer who worked with a host of luminaries including Cher and BB King

Karen Pressley showed off her E-Meter bought in 1989 that cost $5,000 at the time and is the machine she used to audit church members

Obtaining celebrities and getting them to spend money was key. An introductory auditing session might cost only $100 but more committed attempts to 'go clear' could cost upwards of $50,000.

The aim was to keep celebrities on an endless cycle of purchase and 'improvement.'

According to Karen, daily meetings were held between the CC President and heads of the sales, training and ethics divisions to work out what product or course a celebrity 'needed' next.

She said: 'So everyone is coordinating, telling each other what to sell those celebrities and how to make money off them. That's that it's all about.'

Karen Schless Pressley is speaking out to mark the publication of her memoir, Escaping Scientology, An Insider's True Story

Karen had to get Celebrity Bodies in Shop (CBIS) to increase Gross Income (GI) as well as make the most of their social capital to endorse the religion and push its agenda.

She said: 'John Travolta took a special interest in Applied Scholastics, Scientology's version of educational programs.

'He took his programs to the government. He has spoken with more than one president about it, in my era it was the Clinton administration Travolta was lobbying for Applied Scholastics to be adopted into American schools system.'

The same was true of Narconon - the drugs rehabilitation program promoted by famous Scientologist, Kirstie Alley.

Karen said: 'Kirstie Alley was one of the original celebrity sponsors of that program. And for some reason Scientology for years tried to disavow Narconon being one of its programs, which is ridiculous.

'It's managed all the way up to the most senior levels under the Watchdog Committee for Better Living Education.'

Scientology denies disavowing its link to Narconon, noting that it is an association it is proud of.

Karen says she never saw Miscavige shout at his wife Shelly (right) in public.

Karen says Miscavage allegedly told her the millions of dollars the church received in donations was 'for nothing'

Concerted efforts were also made to ensure that celebrities did not leave.

Karen recalled: 'For a while John Travolta was fading away. There was a lot going on in his personal life, personal issues were causing him conflict within his auditing and he stopped showing up for sessions.'

She said: 'We had specific auditors that we would put on a plane and fly them to wherever he was filming and they would show up and surprise him and say: "Look we really care about you, we haven't seen you for a while, why don't I take you into [auditing] session and see if I can help you with whatever you might be struggling with right now?"

'All the information [from these sessions] is filed and stamped CONFIDENTIAL: PRIEST-PENITENT PRIVILEGE. That, as a church, allows them to keep those files confidential.

'However the bogus thing is that they are confidential within the organization. They are not.

'Dave Miscavige reads the contents of celebrity files. I know this for a fact. I've been in Dave Miscavige's office, I've seen files on his desk.'

One set of files that she recalled bore the name, Tom Mapother - Cruise's real name under which he joined.

Cruise came to the church through one of their 'feeder lines' which consisted of several actors' workshops including the 'Enhancement Centre' run by Francis Godwin and Mimi Rogers - Cruise's first wife.

Because Cruise joined as 'Tom Mapother' he was in Scientology for a year before he registered on Miscavige's radar. Once he did, everything changed.

Karen said: 'Tom Cruise was Scientology's biggest catch and Dave latched onto him intending to never have Tom Cruise fall off lines like John Travolta had off and on.'

He had his personal staff audit, counsel, and train Cruise. By the time Cruise started coming up to the Int Base in the early 90s the church had 'poured millions' into a renovation intended to make the Celebrity Centre, Los Angeles, fit for Cruise to bring his A-list friends and potential recruits.

Karen was tasked with designing new uniforms. She said: 'As part of that there was a project to review all the staff that worked at the CC and if they were too skinny, too fat, not beautiful enough, ugly, had some sort of impairment, these people were singled out and used as 'coins' and traded with better looking staff from other organizations.

'Can you imagine the humiliation of being one of those coins?'

Around this time Miscavige waived Peter Schless's disqualification and allowed him to join the Sea Org and move onto the Int Base.

Karen said: 'Peter and I sold everything we had, we gave up all connections to our outside careers and went out to this remote location in the desert and that was our death warrant.

'Peter stepped out of his career into total obscurity to do music for Scientology that nobody heard.'

But as Schless submerged himself more deeply in that sequestered world the seeds of Karen's disaffection took root.

Cruise came to the church through one of their 'feeder lines' which consisted of several actors' workshops one which was run by Mimi Rogers - Cruise's first wife (left). John Travolta allegedly had an 'off and on' relationship with the church

By 1990 Tom Cruise had divorced Mimi Rogers and married Nicole Kidman.

Karen said: 'Everything had to be five-star perfect for Tom Cruise including an entire team of people in our estates division staying up with no sleep for weeks on end, transforming part of our property into a meadow and planting it with beautiful flowers so that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman could romp in it.

'We spent tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars installing a special gym that was used by no-one except Tom Cruise, Dave Miscavige, and maybe Mark Yager (then one of the most senior executives in the church).'

Miscavige tried to keep the project a secret but Karen explained: 'Peter and I were living with Dave's father, Ron, and he was given the task of building this gym.

She continued: 'Not to mention the complete renovation of a home that was at the base, Bonnie View.'

It started as a 'little cottage' set-aside in readiness for L Ron Hubbard's return to human form.

She said: 'I was on the renovation team and by the end Bonnie View was a mansion built into the hillside that ended up costing $8 million.'

She has been told a further $2 million was spent after she left and that Cruise and Miscavige use it to 'lounge and whatever else.'

'It had a fabulous kitchen, a pool, a workout room, and right behind was a gun range where they would practice shooting.'

It was common to see Cruise and Miscavige buzzing around Int Base on their motorbikes - with Miscavige wearing the Days of Thunder 'groupie jacket' that Cruise had gifted him.

Sea Org members were recruited to make bespoke furniture for Cruise, to kit out his airplane hangar in Burbank and make alterations to his motorbikes.

Staff was instructed not to look the actor in the eye.

Michael Jackson was courted by the church during his brief marriage to Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley (pictured together in 1994) her mother Priscilla Presley is a known member of the church

It was clear, Karen said, that Cruise considered himself to be a 'godlike creaturethe ultimate Scientologist.'

She said: 'That's when I realized we were under Cruise Control.'

And while many have assumed that the church's celebrity followers are ignorant of the abuses that have allegedly taken place within its walls, Karen insisted that Cruise and others simply choose to turn a blind eye.

Karen claims she witnessed Miscavige change from a congenial leader into a man his own father described as 'a monster.'

One name that usually gets erased from the church's list of actual conquests, Karen noted, is now dead cult leader Charles Manson

She said: 'He sees Dave transforming into a power-hungry narcissistic individual whose power knows no bounds.

'Ron told me: "Karen I've created a monster." And I saw the look in Ron's eyes of a man utterly filled with anguish and guilt.'

'I have terrible memories because what I saw during this time (at the base) actually fed into my development of PTSD.'

In 1991, Karen suffered what's called the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) following her first attempt to leave.

She claims she spent seven months on hard labor - running everywhere, dressed in black in the desert heat, digging ditches lifting rocks

It was not rehabilitation, she said, it was 'punishmentthey were trying to break you.'

She disputed the church's insistence that this program is voluntary.

She said: 'I was sequestered into an outbuilding on the west side of the property, totally alone. The only people I ever saw were security guards.

'They kept me there three months then they told me, "You need to do the RPF and if you don't you're going to be declared a suppressive person, you will be expelled and you will never see your husband again."

'So based on the choicesdid I willingly do the RPF? No. Did I sign my name [to a document consenting]? Yes. Under extreme duress.'

Karen completed her course and stayed and was ultimately promoted back into an executive role.

She came to dread the sound of Miscavige and his entourage stomping down the hallway near her office, his crew in tow.

She said: 'On one occasion they grabbed Ray Mithoff (Senior Case Officer Int) and dragged him into the hallway. Dave Miscavige is approximately 5ft 1' and Ray is 6ft tall - ludicrous for such a short physical body to attack a man.'

She claims Miscavige pushed Mithoff up against the wall and throttled him while yelling: "You're a c***sucker, you're a suppressive person, you're slowing down the expansion of Scientology."

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Lachlan Murdoch One name that usually gets erased from the church's list of actual conquests, Karen noted, is Charles Manson Advertisement

Karen recalled: 'Shelly [his wife] was standing right next to Dave.

'I was horrified that this entourage of people was standing around him allowing him to do this. I looked at Shelly, "Why don't you stop your husband?" But the look on her face was fear.'

Karen never saw Miscavige hurt or even shout at his wife in public. About a year and a half before Karen finally left the base and the church something happened between her, Miscavige and Shelly.

Clearly distressed at the memory she said: 'I've never disclosed this to anyone ever but there was an incident.

'I didn't put it in the book because it was extremely private.

'I was working on some designs and I heard Dave say something, through a speaker system installed in the room I was working in.

'I still won't repeat what he said, it was so shocking to me that it was one of the things that drove me out of the Sea Org and Scientology.'

Karen cannot bring herself to share what he said. She will only say that it was neither a threat nor a confession.

She said: 'Put it this way, it was an invitation' - an invitation to her.

But the moment the 'glass shattered' was the day Miscavige glibly told her that the millions of dollars of members' donations to the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) was getting 'money for nothing.'

It was one she could no longer stomach and, in 1998, she was forced accepted the heartbreaking fact that her husband was never going to come with her if she left. She had already lost him.

She said: 'Peter a prisoner of war. He'd lost himself. He'd gone into complete obscurity. He had forsaken his family and I had too. But I had to still extract myself. And I made that decision and I came to peace with it.'

Karen left in August 1998. She fled back to Atlanta, to her mother and her family. Schless called for three days then the calls stopped.

For a while Karen returned, she said, to her Christian roots. She found a loving environment in a church and she met Greg Pressley a man who had lost his wife to pancreatic cancer five months earlier.

'We became friends at first,' she said.

One year later she received a letter from Schless. He wrote: 'I never thought it would come to this, but it has.' He said he wanted to part friends, divide their few possessions and sort out shared royalties. 'Divorce stuff,' she said.

Karen replied writing honestly about her views of the church and why she had left.

The next letter from Schless was very different. She said: 'I could tell someone else had written it.'

A couple of years later, Karen learned from others who had left that Schless could not bring himself to write the letter disconnecting from her and that, infuriated, Miscavige had ordered him to disconnect, divorce, and dictated what to say, she claims.

She said: 'How cruel that after 20 years of marriage to this man that I loved, his very final words to me were not even his, they were Dave Miscavige's.'

Today Karen has found happiness, peace and love - things she never experienced in Scientology. She returned to college and gained a Masters in writing and has found a loving supportive husband in realtor, Pressley.

She said: 'Scientology is an entrapment system. They lure people in for total spiritual freedom but what you get is total spiritual entrapment.'

It may have taken her almost a decade but Karen has finally escaped.

Following publication the Church of Scientology, through its solicitors, has asked us to make it clear that they deny that Mr Manson was recruited as a member of the Church. They say he never had any association with the Church and was never a member.

Furthermore, the Church of Scientology denies the allegations against Mr Miscavige. In particular, Mr Miscavige has no role at the Celebrity Centre and he has not read files containing confidential personal information of Church members, celebrity or otherwise. Furthermore, they say it is untrue that Mr Miscavige assaulted Mr Mithoff as confirmed in the witness statement of Mr Mithoff. Finally, they say it is untrue that Mr Miscavige told Ms Pressley that members donations gave the Church money for nothing. They say he did not confide in Ms Pressley in any way.
A Chinese court yesterday sentenced three drug dealers to death in front of more than 1,000 people, including young students.

The trio received death penalty at a public square of Jieyang in Guangdong Province, a coastal area in southern China that's seen an increase of drug dealers.

They were sent to the execution ground and shot right after the public trial, according to Chinese media.

More than 1,000 people watch three drug dealers being sentenced to death in southern China

The open trial was organised by an intermediate court in Jieyang in a public square yesterday

More than 1,000 people, including students and local residents, witness the sentencing in People's Square in Jieyang's Huilai County, reported Sina.com, citing Guangzhou Daily.

The open trial was organised by the Jieyang Intermediate People's Court and the legal authorities of Huilai County on November 28.

The three drug dealers have been named Tang Zhuorong, Tang Shaokun and Huang Haohua.

Tang Zhuorong and Tang Shaokun were convicted of selling, transporting and producing drugs. Huang Haohua was convicted of selling and producing drugs.

They were among a total of eight drug suspects who were sentenced yesterday during the trial. The sentences for the five other suspects were not revealed.

The convicted drug dealers were among a total of eight suspects who received punishment

The three criminals were sent to the execution ground and shot right after the public trial. More than 1,000 people, including students and local residents, witness the sentencing

Situated along the southern coast of China, Guangdong has been a hotbed for drug-related crimes, especially cross-border smuggling.

In Huilai County along, 92 drug-related cases have been busted in 2017 and 133 suspects have been arrested, according to Guangzhou Daily.

So far this year, Huilai police have reportedly cracked seven drug-smuggling rings, seizing 86.25kg (190 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine, 80.96kg (178 pounds) of liquid meth and 448.7kg (989 pounds) of ephedrine. Officers have also caught 581 drug users and put 432 of them into rehab.

In Guangdong Province as a whole, police have busted more than 13,000 drug-related cases in 2017, arrested more than 16,000 suspects, caught more than 104,000 drug users and seized 10.4 tonnes of drugs, reported Xinhua News Agency.

In Shanwei, a city next to Jieyang, a court sentenced 13 people to death for selling drugs during a public trial watched by some 10,000 people in June. Eight of those sentenced were executed immediately after the trial.
The millionaire residents of San Francisco's exclusive Presidio Terrace are celebrating after it was ruled that the street, which was bought up by an enterprising San Jose couple, should be returned to them.

Tina Lam and Michael Cheng snapped up the roads, sidewalk and other communal areas of the mansion-filled cul-de-sac in August, after it was put up for auction because residents had failed to pay a $14-a-year tax.

But the enterprising couple appear to be out of luck, as the city's supervisors decided in a 7-4 vote on Tuesday to reverse the $90,000 sale, which was made in 2015.

No sale: San Francisco heads have reversed the 2015 sale of the exclusive Presidio Terrace (pictured), which was bought by a San Jose couple after it was put up for government auction

Speculation: Tina Lam and Michael Cheng (left) bought the mansion-lined street for $90,000 after residents failed to pay taxes. SF supervisor Mark Farrell (right) led votes against the sale

Residents were furious to discover that their exclusive corner of SF - where homes cost an average of $5.1 million - had been bought by the San Jose couple because of 30 years' unpaid back taxes.

They were even less pleased when the pair said they were considering parceling up the street and selling it back to them, or charging rent to park on it.

The residents argued that they had been unaware of both the taxes and the impending sale because the city was sending notices to a law firm that hadn't been used by the street for decades.

City supervisor Mark Farrell, who represents Presidio Terrace's district, agreed, saying it wasn't good policy to allow out-of-towners to swoop in on law-abiding property owners who simply did not know they owed tax.

'As a matter of policy, I am proud of [my colleagues] who voted against allowing these speculators to get away with purchasing a neighborhood street and attempting to extort San Francisco residents that I represent into a quick $1 million payday,' Farrell said in a statement after the vote.

'I am shocked that four of my colleagues sided with these out-of-town speculators,' he continued, according to SF Gate.

Millionaire's row: The the couple planned to charge resident of the street, where homes cost an average of $5.1m, fees to park cars. They had bought up the asphalt and sidewalks

'Unfair': Residents successfully argued that the sale was unfair because the tax notifications were sent to an old address for 30 years. Some officials opposed reversing the deal, however

'I believe the vote today to rescind this sale was the best possible outcome. The speculators get their money back - no harm, no foul. The back taxes the Presidio Terrace owners owe will be paid immediately.

'And we are moving to implement policy reforms [to] the current broken process that allowed this sale to happen in the first place, so that this situation does not happen to any San Franciscan ever again.'

Supervisor Katy Tang agreed, saying: 'When I look to the constitution and deprivation of property and taking of property from individuals, I think that is a high standard that hasn't been met here.'

But not all of those on the board agreed with the decision.

Thumbs down: SF supervisor Hillary Ronen and three others said the deal should stand, saying most people don't get a second chance, but they were outvoted 7-4

Supervisor Hillary Ronen voted against reversing the sale, saying that the homeowners had defaulted before in the 1980s, and should have been on notice.

She agreed that most people did not expect to pay taxes on sidewalk in front of their house but pointed out that most people don't have a private street in front of their house.

'Did the treasurer act unreasonably? I don't think so, and should we give a second bite of the apple to these homeowners when most people don't get that?' she said.

'I don't think so.'

The issue is unprecedented in San Francisco, although supervisors in other California counties have reversed sales as allowed under state law.

The oval-shaped street in upscale Presidio Heights is lined with leafy palms, lush landscaping and multimillion-dollar mansions.

Previous residents of the gated neighborhood include Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein - the latter of whom wrote a letter that accused the city of bureaucratic bungling.

Closing the gates: The residents of the gated street only found out about the 2015 sale earlier this year. They had failed to pay $14 in tax for their private road for the past 30 years

Current residents lined up Tuesday to plead their case, saying they were regular, hard-working San Franciscans who had faithfully paid taxes on their homes and simply didn't know about the separate tax lot.

The homeowners - who only learned of the 2015 sale earlier this year - cheered when the vote was announced.

City Treasurer Jose Cisneros said he followed the rules and that there was no indication that the property, listed as a vacant lot, was attached to residences. Otherwise, he said his office would have reached out to homeowners.

It marks the second time the association has defaulted, but it won back the street in 1985 after paying up.

Shepard Kopp, attorney for the buyers, said in a statement he was disappointed in the supervisors who sided with the association.

'Sadly, the seven members of the Board who voted to rescind this sale have demonstrated that you get a different standard of government in San Francisco if you are rich and politically connected,' he wrote in a statement.

'This decision was wrong and this battle is not over.'
Former President Barack Obama is re-emerging on the global stage with a three-country tour that includes meetings with the leaders of China and India.

Obama's office says he arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to speak at a business conference.

He'll also address an education conference in Beijing before meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama hosted his first Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago. Obama is re-emerging on the global stage with a three-country tour that includes meetings with the leaders of China and India

Then in India, Obama will speak at a leadership meeting in New Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He'll also hold a town hall meeting for young people hosted by Obama Foundation.

Obama's trip finishes in Paris, where he'll speak at another conference and have private meetings.

The tour comes as President Donald Trump is courting the leaders of China and India, as he did during a visit to Beijing earlier this month.

It also comes as Ivanka Trump is in India this week, speaking at a conference in Hyderabad.

Earlier this month, the Obamas held their first Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Michelle Obama's hometown, and President Obama's post-college city, where he will construct his presidential library.

Both the former president and first lady spoke at the conference, which they were joined at by Chance the Rapper and Prince Harry.

The royal joined the former first family on a school trip, surprising students at a local high school.

Now off to China, President Obama didn't neglect the big news in the Prince's life, as he used Twitter to congratulate Harry on his engagement to American actress Meghan Markle.

'Michelle and I are delighted to congratulate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their engagement,' Obama wrote. 'We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness together.'
Sayfullo Saipov, 29, has pleaded not guilty

The Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path in October pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. A court-appointed lawyer representing him, David Patton, declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the October 31 attack in which he plowed a truck down a bike lane on Manhattan's West Side.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest assault on New York City since September 11, 2001.

Saipov, a legal permanent U.S. resident, was hospitalized after he was shot by a policeman and arrested.

On November 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing material support to Islamic State and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the October 31 attack during which he killed eight people

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty, though it is not yet clear whether prosecutors will seek it. President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Twitter for Saipov to face the death penalty.

Following the attack, Saipov told investigators he was inspired by watching Islamic State videos and began planning the attack a year earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors the day after the attack.

The complaint said Saipov was particularly motivated by a video where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - the leader of Islamic State - exhorted Muslims in the United States and elsewhere to support the group's cause.

Saipov also said 'he felt good about what he had done' and asked for permission to display the flag of the militant group Islamic State in his hospital room, the complaint said.

Sayfullo Saipov (seen in this sketch from an earlier court appearance) was hospitalized after he was shot by a policeman and arrested

Saipov's sister, Umida Saipova, told Reuters in a phone interview earlier this month from Tashkent, Uzbekistan that she believed her brother had been 'brainwashed'.

An Uzbek acquaintance of Saipov living in Ohio, Mirrakhmat Muminov, told Reuters that Saipov became religious after moving to the United States in 2010.

Five of the victims were Argentinians who were part of a group in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation. A Belgian woman, a New Yorker and a New Jersey man were also killed.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for January 23.
A former Utah corrections officer who went on the lam 11 years ago after being convicted of handcuffing a woman and forcing her to perform sex acts has been captured in Hawaii - where he was arrested while dining at a McDonald's.

The United States Marshals Service announced on Tuesday that William Lawrence was arrested Monday at a fast-food restaurant on the island of Kauai.

Marshals say Lawrence was an officer for the Utah Department of Corrections when he handcuffed a girl to a bed and forced her to perform sex acts.

He was convicted of forcible sexual abuse and forcible sodomy.

Before his sentencing hearing, he fled and has been considered a fugitive since 2006.

Marshals say they discovered he was living in Hawaii while reviewing cold cases last month.

This undated photo on the left provided by the U.S. Marshals Service shows William Lawrence, a former Utah corrections officer who went on the lam 11 years ago after being convicted of sexual abuse. Lawrence is seen right in a 2003 file photo

The United States Marshals Service announced on Tuesday that Lawrence was arrested Monday at a McDonald's on the island of Kauai

Marshals say Lawrence was an officer for the Utah Department of Corrections when he handcuffed a girl to a bed and forced her to perform sex acts

Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Derryl Spencer says that as a former law enforcement officer, Lawrence knew strategies to evade capture.

'We believe he was working construction. Had a pretty stable life. Hes got a teenage daughter that lives there with him and a new girlfriend,' Spencer told Fox 13 KSTU-TV.

When he was arrested, Lawrence had been living for years under the alias John Phillips.

In 2006, Utah police said Lawrence took a woman to his apartment in West Jordan and handcuffed her to his bed.

Before his sentencing hearing, he fled and has been considered a fugitive since 2006. Marshals say they discovered he was living in Hawaii while reviewing cold cases last month

When he was arrested, Lawrence had been living for years under the alias John Phillips

Sargent C.J. Holt with the West Jordan Police Department said Lawrence handcuffed a woman to his bed at his apartment on Redwood Road in West Jordan.

'She was an adult at the time. She was a few years younger than him,' said Sargent CJ Holt of the West Jordan Police Department.

Authorities say Lawrence showed the woman his badge and threatened to arrest her if she refused to perform sex acts.

'He definitely used his police training. He definitely used his background in law enforcement and influenced that in the assault,' said Holt.

After his arrest, Lawrence pleaded guilty in court, but fled to Hawaii before sentencing.

'He was facing at least two felonies for sexual assault, so its very likely he was facing some prison time and probably significant prison time,' said Holt.

In 2010, the US Marshals Service, a federal law enforcement agency mainly responsible for tracking down fugitives, took over the investigation.

The agency said that once it figured out Lawrence's alias, it was easy to find him.

'Once we discovered that fake name it was honestly pretty easy to track him down because this alias hes living under is not really hiding,' said Spencer.

US Marshals arrested Lawrence after they spotted him eating lunch at a local McDonald's.

'He didnt even give us his alias at that point in time. He gave us another name with the same last name and he continued to insist it wasnt him,' said Spencer.

But law enforcement officials were able to match his tattoos from previous photos to confirm that he was indeed their man.

After he was booked into jail, Lawrence admitted that he was the one.

'He was pretty beat down. I think you know a lot of these fugitives go on the run for a while. They live their life wondering if todays the day,' said Spencer.

Authorities in Utah are now working with their Hawaiian counterparts to arrange for Lawrence's extradition to the mainland.

Lawrence remains in a Hawaii jail as of late Tuesday.
A West Virginia man convicted of impregnating an 11-year-old girl who was then forced to get an abortion has been sentenced to just five years probation as part of a plea deal.

Michael Joe Adkins has avoided jail time and instead was given probation and 50 years of supervision when he was sentenced in Cabell County on November 16.

Adkins will also have to register as a sex offender and undergo therapy.

He was accused of raping the girl at his home in Ona between October 2010 and February 2011.

Michael Joe Adkins has avoided jail time and instead was given probation and 50 years of supervision for impregnating an 11-year-old girl at his West Virginia home in 2011

The girl was taken for an abortion in March.

Adkins and his wife Amanda Adkins were charged with a range of sexual assault offences.

He entered a plea agreement two years ago between the prosecution and defense that allowed a conviction without him having to admit guilt or explain his role in the crime, the Herald-Dispatch reports.

Adkins and his wife Amanda Adkins (above) were charged with a range of sexual assault offences. Amanda pleaded guilty to child neglect in 2015

He was sentenced by Cabell County Judge Paul Farrell after the initial judge, Alfred E. Ferguson, rejected an earlier plea deal without prison.

A family member told Judge Farrell that the victim, who is now 18, still lives in fear.

The victim can't even go to the bathroom without thinking Adkins is lurking nearby, according to the family member.

Defense attorney Connor Robertson said his client had been under the court's supervision since 2011 and that his only issues were minor speeding tickets.

He tried to argue that the supervised period would only need to be a few years but Judge Farrell insisted on the maximum.

'I'm just going to be blunt: I hope you screw up during those 50 years so I can send you to prison,' the judge told Adkins during sentencing.

'If you violate any of the terms and conditions in the next 50 years, then the court can send you to prison - and I'm hoping that's the case, because you should go to prison for what you did.'

Adkins' now estranged wife, who pleaded guilty to child neglect in 2015, was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 10 years of supervised release.
NATO has warned that the world is under a 'considerably' higher threat of war than four years ago, naming artificial intelligence, China's growing military strength and a resurgent Russia as some of the risk factors.

In a global trends report, NATO highlights several other risk factors such as climate change and growing inequality.

It also warns that NATO's moves to bolster its capabilities could trigger a new Cold War-style arms race.

Risk factors: The NATO report, compiled every four years, listed China's growing military strength as one of the global trends that can affect the alliance

The report, completed by NATO once every four years, identifies 20 global trends that are likely to affect the alliance through 2035,

General Denis Mercier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said the report showed a higher risk of major interstate war than in the 2013 report.

'We see a considerable increase in the risk of a major interstate conflict,' Mercier said in an interview on the sidelines of the Berlin Security Conference.

His command will release a companion report that maps out what NATO should do to respond to these trends in the spring, with both documents to inform the 2019 NATO political guidance.

'Having a global awareness is more necessary than before. We have to be ready for any kind of scenario,' Mercier said, noting that globalisation meant NATO had to weigh factors outside its region, including military expansion by China and India.

Resurgence of Putin: A stronger Russia, artificial intelligence and the global cyberspace were also listed in the report

Easy access to technology and the global nature of cyberspace would make it easier for terrorist networks to expand, challenging the current near-monopoly that state actors have on high-tech weapons, the report said.

Environmental factors would also play a bigger role, from higher rates of natural disasters to the increased opening of the Arctic, the report said, as well as a growth in global debt and erosion of trust in financial institutions.

The report said defence spending had begun increasing after Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014, and projections called for further increases through 2045.

But it warned that the increases 'might create a security dilemma and start an arms race, as was the case during the Cold War'.

It said competing budget priorities and fiscal constraints in member states could hamper their ability to meet NATO alliance requirement in the future.

Mercier said NATO was already working to expand its capabilities in the cyber domain, and to ensure cyber protections were baked into every weapons system and network from the outset.

'In NATO, we are under permanent attack in cyber,' he said, noting that the alliance had proven 'quite good' at protecting itself thus far, but needed to remain vigilant. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Andrew Hay)
Donald Trump paid $1.375million in 1998 to settle a class action lawsuit involving Polish laborers who demolished a building at the site of Trump Tower

Donald Trump paid $1.375million in 1998 to settle a class action lawsuit involving Polish laborers who demolished a building at the site of Trump Tower, according to a settlement unsealed by a judge.

Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska unsealed the settlement this month in response to a motion filed in 2016 by Time Inc. and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, according to The New York Times.

Laborers had filed the lawsuit in 1983 over the demolition of the Bonwit Teller building, where more than 200 Polish immigrants in the US illegally worked 12-hour shifts starting in January 1980 for less than half of union wages and sometimes weren't paid.

The work included taking apart concrete floors and removing wiring and pipes.

The laborers, who were paid as little as $4 per hour, performed those jobs without gear including gloves or masks.

When the workers did try to collect more money, Trump had his subordinates threaten them with deportation, according to the Times.

Laborers filed the lawsuit in 1983 over the demolition of the Bonwit Teller building (seen above in June 1980), where more than 200 Polish immigrants in the US illegally worked 12-hour shifts starting in January 1980 for less than half of union wages and sometimes weren't paid

Trump was also accused of using undocumented workers in order to avoid paying into their pension funds.

The use of illegal immigrants for labor by Trump is noteworthy given that he ran a presidential campaign in which he vowed to crack down on undocumented migrants.

As president, Trump has introduced measures designed to curb illegal immigration.

'We worked in horrid, terrible conditions,' Wojciech Kozak told the Times.

'We were frightened illegal immigrants and did not know enough about our rights.'

Trump replaced the building, which was near Central Park and St. Patrick's Cathedral, with Trump Tower (seen above), his main residence before he became president

Trump replaced the building, which was near Central Park and St. Patrick's Cathedral, with Trump Tower, his main residence before he became president.

Trump, a Republican who defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the election last year, has said he had no knowledge of what the project contractor was doing.

When the lawsuit went to court, he said he had hired a subcontractor and didn't know about who was being employed and under what conditions.

The legal process dragged on for several years, with Trump appealing a judge's decision and then deciding to settle.

The settlement included $500,000 for a union benefits fund, along with lawyers' fees and expenses.

The settlement was sealed and the documents put away in storage until they were uncovered in 2016.

In her decision, Preska found that the public had a right to know about the settlement given the fact that Trump is now the president.

'The Trump Parties have failed to identify any interests that can overcome the common law and First Amendment presumptions of access to the four documents at issue,' the judge found.
'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein's attempts to claw her way back to financial security are being stymied by her bank, the plastic surgery-addicted socialite has claimed in new court papers.

DailyMail.com can reveal she is now trying to stop the bank from foreclosing on two 51st floor apartments in the Trump World Tower in Manhattan despite allegedly not paying a dime toward her $4.5 million mortgage in more than two years.

But Wildenstein insists she is in the right saying 'This case is not your typical "bread and butter" foreclosure,' in an affidavit opposing the bid by New York-based Modern Bank.

The Swiss-born 'Bride of Wildenstein' received $2.5 billion in her 1998 divorce settlement from art dealer Alec Wildenstein. She was also to receive $100 million a year for the next 13 years.

The 77-year-old and her fiance Lloyd Klein, 50, were spotted going into a New York City courthouse on Wednesday for a hearing on their assault case earlier this month.

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'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein (pictured on Wednesday) is trying to stop the bank from foreclosing on her Trump World Tower apartment after she allegedly failed to pay her $4.5M mortgage

The 77-year-old was spotted going into a New York City court on Wednesday morning for a hearing

The divorce came after 60-year-old Alec threatened her with a gun when she arrived home to find him in bed with a teenage Russian model. Alec died in 2008.

Over the years the money has disappeared, she claims.

Wildenstein has always lived lavishly spending an estimated $555,000 a year on food and $62,000 on phone calls. She even kept two tigers in a bulletproof cage at one point.

But Modern Bank says she has not made any mortgage payments since July 2015, three months after Wildenstein says the trust cut her off.

It also claims she has made unauthorized alterations to the condos 'causing waste, harm and deterioration.'

The bank says the case against her has been delayed because attempts to serve papers on the feline-faced widow were thwarted by doormen at the high-rise close to the United Nations building in New York.

And it says her claims are 'specious,' 'meritless,' 'patently untrue,' 'frivolous,' and 'absurdly inapposite.'

Wildenstein, who is alleged to have spent some $4 million on plastic surgery, claims the bank 'coerced' her into taking out the mortgage even though it should have known she couldn't afford to pay it off.

She said the bank said it 'would take complete responsibility for the payment of all my monthly bills, including the mortgage payment, if I would allow them access to all monies paid to me from my family trust.'

The feline-faced woman has been involved in a 15-year on-off affair with French fashion designer Lloyd Klein (left) but that relationship has been marred by physical altercations. She was arrested for allegedly slashing his face during a fight in November 2016 but the two have since reconciled

Wildenstein is trying to stop Modern Bank from foreclosing on her two 51st floor apartments in the Trump World Tower in Manhattan despite allegedly not paying a dime toward her $4.5 million mortgage in more than two years. Pictured, Klein reclining in the lavish apartment

Wildenstein paid around $6 million for two apartments, but borrowed millions more to turn it into the eight-bedroom, six-bathroom residence and deck it out in an opulent art deco interior

The bank claims she has not made any mortgage payments since July 2015, three months after Wildenstein said her ex-husband's family cut her off

Her posh pad was put on the market earlier this year for $12,950,000 but has gone unsold despite the building boasting a spa, pool, and private wine cellar

She also claims bank officers  who she names as Shahin Pahlavi, Vera McVey, Reynold Tan and Daniel Bennett  should have known her net worth because it was in constant contact with the trust and made all her payments. She said her American Express bill was even sent directly to the bank for payment.

'To this day,' she said, the bank officers have 'never provided me with an accounting of these transactions.

'If there is a breach at all, it was caused by (Modern Bank's) negligent actions.'

At the center of the dispute is her art collection including one work supposedly painted by French post-impressionist Paul Cezanne. Modern Bank knew she would have to sell off pieces of the collection to pay the mortgage, she alleges.

She said Modern Bank 'breached its fiduciary duty to me when it either failed to use 'due diligence' in determining the value of the artwork, including but not limited to the 'Cezanne,'or knowingly funded the loan with such risk.'

Wildenstein's lawyer, Patrick DeIorio, declined to comment on whether the Cezanne is genuine or whether the artwork is worth as much as once thought. 'That is speculation,' he told DailyMail.com.

Klein showed off his cuts and slashes that were visible from his chest to his face after his fight with Wildenstein last year

DeIorio said he is now waiting for a response from the bank. 'It's a very sensitive issue,' he said. 'We have alleged that the bank has certain obligations under New York State banking laws but beyond that I am not at liberty to speak.'

A spokesman for Modern Bank, who declined to give his name, told DailyMail.com that 'instructions were sent out' not to speak about the case.

She became the world's most infamous divorcee in 1999 when she landed a then-record $2.5 billion settlement from her late ex-husband, art dealer Alec Wildenstein

During an interview with filmmaker Daphne Barak last year, she claimed she is broke because her ex-husband's family had cut her off and the last payment from her trust had arrived in March 2015.

'Then they stopped coming,' she told Barak. 'I wasn't ready for it. How can I pay for dental care, doctors, the expenses of my homes or traveling.

'I have nothing to pay with.

'You know, it cannot be, that one day  all of the sudden  they stop the payments,' she added. 'Just leaving me like that.

'They expected me to live only 20 years.'

Wildenstein has been involved in a 15-year on-off affair with French fashion designer Lloyd Klein, but that relationship has been marred by physical altercations.

The two were seen going into a New York City courthouse on Wednesday, weeks after they were reported to have been involved in another brawl. The pair has since brushed aside claims of an assault and blamed their cuts and bruises on 'passionate sex.'

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office told TMZ that the couple's case could potentially be tossed if they keep up good behavior.

The pair were seen smiling and linking arms as they left the court on Wednesday.

Last November she was arrested after what was described as a frenzied attack on her much-younger lover, when she was accused of cutting his face and chest with scissors and throwing hot wax over him in a 'violent rage.'

Klein, 50, said he had to push her into a cupboard to stop her attacks.

The following month he was arrested when he tried to retrieve personal items from the apartments in the Trump World Tower.

But the couple made up and in July they got engaged when he gave her a 32-carat diamond ring during a visit to Miami.
Meghan Markle is diving straight into her official royal duties  with a trip to Nottingham on Friday.

The visit, less than two weeks after she arrived from Canada, will begin an intensive six-month tour of the UK.

Harry and his fiancee will even undertake their first public walkabout together in the city where Harry has spent a significant amount of time working with youth groups.

Harry's spokesman, Jason Knauf, said the prince was 'looking forward' to introducing his fiancee to a community 'that has become very special to him'.

Meghan Markle is diving straight into her official royal duties  with a trip to Nottingham on Friday

Harry and his fiancee will even undertake their first public walkabout together in the city (shown right, the pair at the Invictus Games in Toronto this September)

In her official engagement interview on Monday, Miss Markle said: 'Now being boots on the ground in the UK I'm excited to get to know more about the communities here, smaller organisations who are working on the same causes that I've always been passionate about.and also being able to go round the Commonwealth, I think it's just the beginning.'

By contrast, the Duchess of Cambridge undertook a small number of engagements after her wedding to Prince William in 2011, and made clear that she wanted to concentrate on being a military wife with him on Anglesey for the first year of married life.

Miss Markle has long championed a number of her own charitable causes, including World Vision Canada, and UN Women, which she is now 'regretfully' giving up.

Kensington Palace said she wanted to start her new life 'with a clean slate' and devote herself to the issues that matter in the UK, a decision Harry has supported her in.

Her first formal charity role will be as the fourth patron of William, Kate and Harry's own charity, The Royal Foundation, which enables the young royals to align themselves with groups working in areas such as young people, mental health, conservation and the military.

Harry has spent a significant amount of time working with youth groups in Nottingham (pictured greeting children in the city in 2013)

The pair inspect Meghan's engagement ring, which includes a large diamond from Botswana, where they had one of their first dates together camping out under the stars

She and Harry are also, the Mail understands, being earmarked to head a new Queen's Commonwealth Trust charity.

This charity will be formally launched in the lead up to the Commonwealth summit next April. A spokesman said yesterday that the Commonwealth was a 'big priority' for the couple.

Aides said yesterday that Miss Markle does not plan to take on any charities of her own yet, but confirmed that will, inevitably, develop in time.

Her go-getting attitude and determination to 'hit the ground running' is certainly being seen as a break of fresh air in royal circles.

The royal spokesman added: 'Miss Markle is incredibly grateful for the opportunities she has had with World Vision Canada and with UN women. She has through those organisations had the chance to meet incredible organisations right around the world, people doing great grassroots work.

'But she has made the decision that she wants to start with a clean slate and focus on the UK and getting to know this country, travelling around the Commonwealth, and so the only role she will begin her royal life with is the Royal Foundation and that has been a decision that she has taken.

The world's media (shown outside Kensington Palace on Monday) is sure to descend on Nottingham in order to catch a glimpse of the couple carrying out their first royal engagement

'Miss Markle has talked in the past about the issues she cares about and I am sure that those themes will continue in the future.

'But she has been very clear with us that her priority is getting around this country, learning about communities right around the UK and any particular themes she will pick up I'll leave her to talk about in her own time.'

He added: 'The priority for her is the UK. Getting around the country and meeting those working at a grass roots level.

'She wants to spend this time learning about the UK. This is the country that is going to be her home now and she wants to spent time in the UK getting to know its towns and cities and smaller communities and that is what she is going to be doing.

'Prince Harry will still carry out a full programme of engagements, but she will join him from time to time. We are looking forward to building a programme for the two of them around the country. '

The couple's engagements in Nottingham on Friday will begin with a visit to the Nottingham Contemporary, which will be hosting a Terrance Higgins Trust World AIDS day charity fair.

Prince Harry leaving the Russell Youth Club in Nottingham during a visit to Nottingham in 2013

Harry has long made clear his determination to take on the mantle of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, by championing those with HIV and Aids and highlighting the needs for proper and regular testing.

Appearing on a Kensington Palace operational note for the first time, Miss Markle and her fiance will enjoy a walkabout outside before meeting groups working in the field including Terrance Higgins Trust Nottingham, the African Institute for Social Development and Champions for Change.

The couple will then travel to Nottingham Academy where they will meet head teachers from local schools and well as people working for Full Effect, a programme working with children and young people in the deprived St Anne's area of Nottingham and supported by the Royal Foundation.

The charity supports children and young people from becoming involved in youth violence and crime through a combination of early intervention, mentorship and training

Before they leave Harry is keen to introduce his fiancee to Chantelle Stefanovic, who mentors young people in the area after coming through a difficult childhood herself and has become a friend and source of inspiration to Harry.

They will also get to watch a performance put on by some of the Full Effect young people of their 'Hip Hopera'.

His spokesman said: 'He established the Full Effect programme through The Royal Foundation the next year and is proud of the friendships and partnerships he has built there.

'His Royal Highness is looking forward to introducing Ms Markle to a community that has become very special to him.

'Ms Markle cannot wait to meet many of the young people Prince Harry has told her so much about.'
John McAfee went on a naked shooting spree in September because he thought Belizean intruders were breaking into his home

John McAfee went on a naked shooting spree in September because he thought Belizean intruders were breaking into his home.

The antivirus software inventor started firing bullets into the walls and ceiling of his Tennessee home when his aggressive dogs started barking wildly.

At the moment they started barking the 71-year-old was in the middle of a romp-session with his 34-year-old wife Janice, according to Newsweek.

'[He] thought he heard a movement in the crawl space under our bedroom and in the attic,' Janice said in a statement to the FBI.

'He then fired his gun into both areas.'

The gunshots woke Alex Handrick, who lived below the couple in a basement apartment and worked as a security guard for the building.

The 28-year-old, who served in the army for eight years, grabbed his assault rifle and found a completely naked McAfee firing his gun at the living room ceiling.

McAfee told Newsweek he is being stalked by the Belize government, and claims they want to kill him because he hacked in and stole secret government information.

The 71-year-old antivirus software inventor started firing bullets into the walls and ceiling of his bedroom when his aggressive dogs started barking wildly. At the moment they started barking the 71-year-old was in the middle of a romp-session with his 34-year-old wife Janice

McAfee told Newsweek he is being stalked by the Belize government, and claims they want to kill him because he hacked in and stole secret government information

The commotion is currently under FBI investigation, and is just the most recent incident in McAfee's tumultuous life since he sold the company in the 1990s for roughly $100million, according to the magazine.

After making the sale he quickly spent his fortune on nine luxurious homes, multiple planes, vintage cars, expensive art and other oddities - such as a dinosaur skull.

But in 2009 he allegedly lost most of his money in the financial crisis. McAfee denies going broke, but nonetheless liquidated his assets and moved to Belize.

McAfee has also been wrapped up in his fare share of scandal. He was the subject of a 2016 Showtime documentary which details his two alleged murders and rape.

He accuses the director of 'Gringo: The Dangerous life of John McAfee,' Nate Burnstein, of 'forcing interviews' and 'bribing' people to lie, according to News.Au.

While living in Belize he allegedly became increasingly paranoid and rarely came out of the house.

McAfee, pictured second from the right, and his wife Janice have lived in 'constant fear' of his assassination by the Belize government, and said he has 'information' he hacked and stole from the government after they raided his compound

When he did, though, he surrounded himself with young women - mostly former prostitutes and an entourage of armed body guards.

His home was raided in 2012 by the Belize Police Gang Suppression Unit because he was suspected of cooking meth, but no drugs were found and he was never charged.

McAfee believes the raid was part of a conspiracy theory to 'destroy him,' because he refused to be extorted by the Belize government.

He was accused of murder seven months after McAfee's neighbor Gregory Faull, an American, was shot near his home. Police believed it was McAfee because they allegedly butted heads over the inventor's vicious guard dogs.

When police tried to question McAfee he had already fled the country. He went to Guatemala, where he was arrested on December 5, 2012, and deported to the United States.

McAfee was never indicted on any charges because he has been avoiding the Belize authorities ever since.

He allegedly met Janice on the day he touched down in the United States.

McAfee and Janice have lived in 'constant fear' of his assassination by the Belize government, and said he has 'information' he hacked and stole from the government after they raided his compound.

'McAfee hopes that going public now will force those hounding him and his wife to back off,' Newsweek said after speaking to McAfee following his September shooting spree.

'They can't kill me because they need to sit me down, remove my fingers or something until I tell them where all this data is stored,' he said.

Belize authorities told Newsweek that claim is 'utter nonsense,' and the 'ravings of a sick mind.'
Families of Navajo war veterans decried comments the president made during an event when he called a senator 'Pocahontas' while he was supposed to be honoring them for their service during World War II.

The tribute to aging vets, called 'code talkers,' who helped keep allied operations secret during World War II, was marred by Trump who used the press time Monday to slam his rival - Senator Elizabeth Warren - calling her Pocahontas.

'It was uncalled for,' said Marty Thompson, whose great uncle was a Navajo code talker.

'He can say what he wants when he's out doing his presidential business among his people, but when it comes to honoring veterans or any kind of people, he needs to grow up and quit saying things like that,' Thompson added to CBS News.

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At an event honoring the aged veterans (pictured) the president used the platform to take a jab at Senator Warren calling her 'Pocahontas'

Families of the Navajo vets said the president 'needs to grow up' and called the nickname 'offensive'

Trump has repeatedly used the sobriquet 'Pocahontas' to deride Warren, who asserts that her mother's ancestors were members of the Cherokee and Delaware tribes, based on 'family lore.'

During the event in the Oval Office Monday, speaking to the veterans, Trump said 'You were here long before any of us were here.'

'Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas,' he continued, resurrecting his favored nickname for the outspoken senator whose Native American ancestry has been called into question by US conservatives.

Lupita Holiday, daughter of a code talker from St. Geroge, Utah told CBS News' that the president 'doesn't know the history' of the Native peoples.

'Maybe he doesn't know we're different tribes,' said Holiday. She added she found the nickname 'a little offensive.'

Senator Elizabeth Warren (pictured) has previously claimed to be of Native American decent

Sarah Sanders attempted to change the narrative by saying what was actually offensive was Warren claiming to be Native American

'Look at the history of Pocahontas and maybe find out what she did and then find out what the code talkers did. It's two different things. Two different tribes.'

The overall optics within the Oval Office were also troubling as the comments came in front of a portrait of President Andrew Jackson.

Jackson's policies led to the forced removal of American Indians out of their ancestral land, causing thousands to die.

'So, why did they go? Why were they there? He's putting them in the Oval Office to say "You did a good job, and say hi to Pocahontas?" said Michael Smith, a Marine, whose father was a Code Talker to CBS News.

'They should be taken care of as heroes, not as pawns,' Smith added.

The White House has denied that President Donald Trump's attack on Elizabeth Warren constituted a racial slur - instead accusing the senator of 'lying' about her heritage

Michael Nez, whose father helped develop the code based on the Navajo language, said his father would have been upset to hear Mr. Trump's Pocahontas comment.

'It's too bad he does put his foot in his mouth,' Nez said. 'Why he does it? I don't know.'

Helena Begaii said her 94-year-old Navajo code talker father, Samuel T. Holiday, said he declined the invitation to the White House on Monday.

'I feel really sad that they didn't get treated with respect,' she said.

The White House denied after the meeting that Trump's comment constituted what many have considered a racial slur - instead accusing Warren of 'lying' about her heritage, and describing that as 'very offensive.'

But several Native American groups issued strongly-worded protests in the wake of the incident.

The Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes (ACET) said it considered Trump's remark to be a slur.

'American Indian names, whether they be historic or contemporary, are not meant to be used as insults. To do so is to reduce them to racial slurs,' it said in a statement.

Likewise, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) regretted in a statement that 'the president's use of the name Pocahontas as a slur to insult a political adversary is overshadowing the true purpose of (Monday's) White House ceremony.'

NCAI president Jefferson Keel emphasized that the real-life Pocahontas, the daughter of a 17th-century Native American chief whose story has been retold countless times including in a hit Disney movie, was 'a hero to her people, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in Virginia.'

'Once again, we call upon the president to refrain from using her name in a way that denigrates her legacy,' he said.

The NCAI had reacted once before, in April, to Trump calling Warren 'Pocahontas' - saying it hoped the incident was 'but a momentary slip-up.'

Amber Kanazbah Crotty, a Navajo Nation Council Delegate, argued meanwhile that Trump's 'careless' comment represented 'systemic, deep-seated ignorance of Native Americans and our intrinsic right to exist and practice our ways of life.'

Pocahontas' story entered the cultural mainstream thanks to the 1995 Disney animation, which painted a romanticized image of her meeting with Englishman John Smith, chief of the first colony established in Jamestown in 1607.

Later taken captive by the English, she converted to Christianity, took the name Rebecca and would eventually marry another Englishman, John Rolfe, with whom she traveled to England. She died soon thereafter, supposedly aged just 21.
Police are searching for a group of teens who beat a 57-year-old homeless man to death leaving his relatives and friends devastated.

Kevin Cullen died Monday morning at Aria Torrsedale Hospital after being viciously attacked and robbed 13 hours before on the 4200 block of Loring Street near the Holmesburg and Mayfair neighborhoods.

Moments before the attack, a surveillance video recorded nearby shows Kevin being followed by the group of teens. But the attack happened out of the camera's frame.

One resident who witnessed the incident ran to help.

'They were laughing, like it was funny,' that resident told WPVI. 'They hit his head into a wall so hard I felt it in my house on the second floor.'

Tragic: Police are searching for a group of teens who beat Kevin Cullen (above), a 57-year-old homeless man, to death leaving his relatives and friends devastated. He died in a Philadelphia hospital on Monday 13 hours after the horrific attack where police say he was also robbed

Authorities say Kevin was robbed during the deadly incident that took place just around the corner from his childhood home.

The victim's brothers, Tom Cullen and Mark Cullen, explained that Kevin had struggled with alcohol and battled his internal demons for years while living a transient life around the area after their father passed away 11 years ago.

'We didn't get to see him too often. He would come in and out of our lives,' Tom told WPVI.

'He was not abandoned, he was not unloved. He was loved deeply.'

'It's going to haunt me for a long time,' his heartbroken brother Mark told The Inquirer of the shocking incident.

The victim's brothers, Tom Cullen and Mark Cullen, explained that Kevin(above) had struggled with alcohol and battled his internal demons for years while living a transient life around the area after their father passed away 11 years ago

'He'd be somebody you'd see on the street all the time, and maybe you'd help him out, maybe you wouldn't. But he wasn't aggressive or mean or any of those things.'

Tom also said their family is devastated by what happened.

'He was viciously assaulted by a pack of youths,' Tom told WPVI. 'They beat him into unconsciousness, from which he never recovered.'

A vigil for Kevin, who graduated from Father Judge High School in 1979, is being planned for Wednesday at 6pm.

No arrests have been made as of Tuesday and authorities did not say how many teens were involved in the attack.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
Railway lines and stations lost during the Beeching cuts could be reopened to drive housebuilding.

The Transport Secretary said yesterday that reversing some of the 1960s closures would provide homes, boost the economy and ease overcrowding.

Chris Graylings ministry will today announce it is to accelerate plans announced in the Budget to reopen a rail link between Oxford and Cambridge.

Other lines in Bristol, Devon and the West Midlands could be reinstated, along with the building of four stations in West Yorkshire.

Chancellor Philip Hammond hopes new infrastructure will allow him to deliver on his vow in the Budget last week to build 300,000 homes a year.

Around 5,000 miles of track and 2,363 stations were closed between 1964 and 1970 following a report by British Railways chairman Richard Beeching.

The railways were losing millions of pounds a year and the former businessman and engineer was given the job of making them profitable again.

Bletchley station, pictured at the mid point of the Varsity Line in 1962, a route that was axed in the 60s

His 1963 report, the Reshaping of British Railways, recommended closing down parts that were losing money  about a third of the network. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost, making Dr Beeching a villain to many.

The Department for Transport will pledge to reverse some of those decisions to cater for a growing number of train passengers putting the network under strain.

Last week the Treasury confirmed funding for phase two of the western section of the East West Rail link between Oxford and Cambridge.

The line, which runs from Bicester to Bedford and Milton Keynes to Princes Risborough, will be completed by 2023.

An independent East West Rail Company will be set up to deliver the central section between Bedford and Cambridge to open in the mid-2020s. More than 100,000 homes will also be built in Oxfordshire by 2031 as part of this investment in the region.

The Government hopes that the line will help create a hub for technology and science.

Richard Beeching - who became known as Dr Beeching - became a household name for his report on reshaping British railways

Other proposed openings include lines from Bristol to Portishead and Bristol to Henbury. Further plans have been submitted to restore connections in Devon between Exeter and Okehampton and Bere Alston and Tavistock.

Further opportunities to reopen lines are being considered around Birmingham according to the Government rail strategy.

The four new stations being considered for West Yorkshire are Elland, Thorpe Park, White Rose and Leeds Bradford International Airport Parkway.

Local authorities have to submit business cases to apply for central government funding.

The DfT said 5,500 new carriages will be on the network by 2021, which is busier than at any time since 1919  despite being much smaller.

The signal box at Elland station, which was closed down in 1962 but is planned for a comeback in West Yorkshire

Mr Grayling said: We need a new way of working to help our railway deal with the challenges it faces.

We need to expand our network to unlock jobs and housing growth across the country.

Labour said the Government was failing to tackle fare rises and accused it of scrapping millions in promised rail investment.

Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has put forward plans to renationalise the railways but has not set out how this would be funded.

Andy McDonald, Labours transport spokesman, said: These flimsy re-announcements and unfunded proposals come as fares have risen at twice the rate of wages since 2010 and follow the decision to scrap hundreds of millions of pounds of promised rail investment.

The announcement comes amid reports that the DfT will overhaul rail franchises and reform Network Rail.
Apples, oranges and pears should be kept in the fridge to stop them going off, Government-backed guidance has claimed.

New supermarket labels aiming to cut down on waste could signal the end of the fruit bowl as consumers are urged to make their fruit last longer by keeping it cold.

A blue fridge logo will be added to food packs to help prevent tonnes of fresh produce, meat and chilled meals, worth 1billion, being binned each year.

A new blue fridge logo with the words 'Store in the fridge below 5C' could soon be on our food packaging to remind us not to keep our fridges too warm, which can lead to food waste

The move is part of a simplification of labels amid concerns that fridges in two in three households are too warm.

The best way to store perishable foods is in the original pack in a fridge where the temperature is kept below 5C.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme wants food packaging branded with this logo

Taking this simple step will add three days to the life of many foods, according to the official food waste advisors, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap).

It has issued new labelling guidance to supermarkets which recommends the 'little blue fridge' logo should be used on packs alongside the wording 'Store in the fridge below 5C'.

It believes this will serve as a constant reminder to families to make sure their fridges are kept cold enough.

Wrap said: 'Only one third of UK fridges are set within the recommended temperature range, below 5C, and another third operate above 9C.

'Ensuring the correct temperatures for household fridges and storing the right foods in the fridge can add an average of three days life to food, and save households 280million a year.'

It said the measure, combined with others to simplify food labels, could cut food waste by 350,000 tonnes a year by 2025, saving consumers 1billion.

Wrap says the measure, combined with others to simplify food labels, could cut food waste by 350,000 tonnes a year by 2025, saving consumers 1billion

Wrap also wants stores to reinstate the snowflake logo on all products that are suitable for freezing so making this clear to shoppers.

Its new guidance includes reducing the number of date labels on products to reduce confusion.

Where should you store your food in the home? Store most fresh fruit and vegetables, including oranges and carrots, in the fridge and in their original packaging

But store some fruit and vegetables in the cupboard, such as potatoes, onions, bananas and pineapples

Store bread in a cupboard - if you put it in a fridge, it will stale about six times more quickly

Food should be frozen to the core prior to the expiry date - and later defrosted in the fridge and used within 24 hours

Eggs may be kept under ambient temperature conditions at retail, but benefit from storage in the fridge at home Source: UK Waste and Resources Action Programme guidance Advertisement

Wrap said a 'use by' date should only appear where safety is an issue with, for example, fresh meat, fish and poultry, fresh pasta, chilled ready meals, cooked sliced meats, pates, cut fruit, and sandwiches.

Otherwise, it said firms should only have a 'best before' date and leave it up to the consumer to decide whether a product is good to eat.

Wrap said products that are past their 'best before' date can be eaten safely and can also redistributed to charities and food banks.

It says making this clear means there is potential to increase food redistribution four-fold by 2025, which is the equivalent of at least 360million meals a year.

Wrap also recommends clear advice on packs as to how a product should be stored once opened and how long it will last.

It said people are too quick to throw away food and they need to read labels carefully and act on the storage advice.

The organisation estimates that approximately 2million tonnes of food, worth 5.6billion, is wasted annually because it is not used in time.

It said: 'We estimate that technical changes to packaging and labelling could help cut around 350,000 tonnes of household food waste a year by 2025, saving shoppers around 1 billion a year in wasted food.

'However, to tackle household food waste there needs to be a shift in actions taken at home and we are calling on people to love their labels; stressing that we all need to take the time to note these important guides, understand what they tell us  and act on this advice.'

The Wrap guidelines are backed the Government and the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Environment Minister Therese Coffey said: 'We know that confusing labels can contribute to food waste by suggesting that edible items need to be thrown away sooner than is necessary.

'This new guidance will make packaging much clearer for consumers, saving them money and reducing waste.

'I encourage all food businesses to use this guidance to help them put the right date mark on food and help to guide people on the refrigeration and freezing of products which are crucial to reducing the amount of edible food thrown away.'

Wrap chief executive Marcus Gover, said: 'Telling people clearly how long a product can be consumed once opened, and giving consistent and simple information about storing and freezing, will help people keep their food fresher for longer.'

Chairman of the FSA, Heather Hancock, said the new guidance would reduce food waste without compromising safety.
Battery Point, Sandy Bay and Dynnyrne classified in RAI report as 'unaffordable'

People spend up to 36 percent of their income on rent in some Hobart suburbs

Hobart has been revealed as the second least-affordable city in Australia - behind only Sydney.

That's according to new data from the biannual Rental Affordability Index (RAI).

New figures show affordability in the Tasmanian city has fallen to its lowest level since September 2012, with the average household spending almost 30 per cent of its income on rent.

Tasmania's Hobart (pictured) has been revealed as the second least-affordable city in Australia

Such prices dramatically affect the most vulnerable in society - pensioners and students - and latest RAI figures shows how low-income households are unable to live in metropolitan areas.

Huon Valley resident and SGS Economics & Planning partner Ellen Witte told The Mercury that many are struggling to afford essential items such as food or transport.

'For a part-time working single parent, they would pay 43 per cent of their income on rent. That is well over the threshold of 30 per cent, which is the tipping point between moderate housing stress and unaffordable rent.

'At that point, you would have less ability to pay for food, transport, education and medical needs,' she said.

Sandy Bay (pictured) rental prices among the highest, making it one of the most unaffordable

The index is an indicator of rental costs relative to household incomes.

It found Battery Point (7004) was greater Hobart's least affordable postcode, followed by Sandy Bay, Dynnyrne (7005), Grasstree Hill, Otago, Honeywood, Old Beach (7017), Taroona, Bonnet Hill (7053) and South Hobart (7004).

People renting houses in these suburbs are spending up to 36 per cent of their income on rent.

The median gross income for rental households in greater Hobart is around $61,000 a year, and this puts these suburbs into the report's 'unaffordable' category.

Real Estate Institute of Tasmania president Tony Collidge told the publication: 'I am disappointed by the delays in planning approvals for commercial developments that could help alleviate some of the rental shortage in the inner-city areas.
Students at an Oxford college have rejected a move to introduce gender neutral over fears it would make women feel uncomfortable.

Somerville College members voted down a proposal for unisex lavatories, with some saying they feared it could cause more harassment by male students.

Others suggested that both male and female students would feel embarrassed having to share a toilet with the opposite sex.

Students at Somerville College in Oxford have rejected plans to install gender neutral toilets

Students said they may feel uncomfortable using a toilet next to members of the opposite sex

The colleges Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) officer, Eilidh Wilson, had proposed replacing male and female toilet signs with gender neutral toilet and gender neutral toilet with urinals.

Miss Wilson, a second year philosophy, politics and economics student, said Somerville should recognise non-binary people by introducing unisex toilets in the college bar and dining hall, the Telegraph reported.

Campaigns to make toilets unisex have succeeded at several Oxford colleges and other universities.

Scores more gender neutral toilets should be introduced across London, the mayor said yesterday.

Sadiq Khan wants a mass expansion of public lavatories suitable for all users, including the disabled, families and transgender people.
Britain has a moral obligation to help Afghan interpreters who served with UK troops, a former head of the military said yesterday.

In a major intervention, Air Chief Marshal Lord Stirrup said there was also a reputational risk if they were abandoned which could affect the UKs ability to fight future wars.

The comments by Lord Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff during the 13-year Afghan conflict, add weight to the Daily Mail campaign for loyal interpreters to be given sanctuary in Britain from Taliban reprisals.

He was backed by two Tory MPs who have served as Army officers, Tom Tugendhat and Johnny Mercer, along with Baroness Coussins at a Parliamentary inquiry.

The former head of the military said Afghans who helped British soldiers in the war should be helped by the UK. Pictured: A British soldier walks through Musa Qala in Helmand

In evidence, Lord Stirrup said: Im very conscious of both the moral obligation we owe to those who worked for us in such dangerous conditions in Afghanistan and the practical reality of needing to recruit such people in the future.

Calling for a policy overhaul, he said the Government should be much more sympathetic towards people who want to come to the UK and have worked for us in Afghanistan.

The Mails Betrayal of the Brave campaign is supported by MPs, ex-military commanders and an 180,000-strong petition.

Lord Stirrup, pictured speaking in the House of Commons, said he was mindful of the practical reality of recruiting Afghan interpreters in the future

Under current rules, many interpreters do not qualify for asylum and any who have made it to the UK along migrant routes have been told they face deportation to Kabul.

Dr Julian Lewis, chairman of the defence select committee which is holding the inquiry, noted there was both a moral and a practical case to be made for allowing interpreters into the UK.

Mr Tugendhat, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff, is now chairman of the foreign affairs select committee.

He said his frontline role would not have been possible without interpreters who faced significantly greater risks as they were targeted by the Taliban in a warning to others.

Under current rules interpreters who helped the British in Afghanistan may not qualify for asylum and are often sent back to Kabul. Pictured: British soldier in Helmand Province

In evidence, he added: If we dont look after those we need in conflict... we will find it significantly harder to recruit and that will make us less safe.

Mr Tugendhat said a UK government official told him letting an interpreter who had become a triple amputee into Britain would create a precedent. The man had to seek sanctuary in India instead.

Mr Mercer, who sits on the defence committee, said the UK has a clear moral responsibility and it was not good enough to treat people in this manner. In evidence, Baroness Coussins said the policy needed to be reconsidered.

Paddy Ashdown, former Lib Dem leader and ex-Royal Marine, said: It would set a shameful precedent not to help these brave men.
A conference dedicated to Margaret Thatcher has had to boost its security after Momentum supporters threatened to put delegates in hospital.

The Thatcher Network, a group of academics who carry out research into the former prime minister and her policies, is hosting the conference in Liverpool.

But they have received tweets from Militant and Momentum supporters threatening to hurl eggs at delegates and even prevent the event from going ahead all together.

A group of academics are planning to hold a conference in Liverpool in April to consider the life and policies of Margaret Thatcher, pictured here leaving Downing Street in 1990 to make her final speech as Prime Minister to the House of Commons

Hard left activists from Momentum and Militant threatened the delegates if they went ahead with their conference in Liverpool City Centre, pictured, next April

The threats are just the latest example of violent behaviour by supporters of the hard-left Momentum group, which was set up to support Jeremy Corbyn.

It emerged at the weekend that in April, speakers at a Momentum conference said Philip May, the Prime Ministers husband, was a legitimate target of abuse as he worked for a hedge fund.

The Thatcherism Now conference is taking place in Liverpool in April.

The event has no link to the Conservative Party and academics who will address the event are not necessarily supporters of the countrys first female leader.

Among the speakers will be Lord Heseltine, the member of Mrs Thatchers Cabinet who was put in charge of the regeneration of Merseyside after the Toxteth riots.

The Liverpool Echo reported that at the weekend, the Network tweeted: For clarity: our conference is a non-partisan, academic event.

The threats we have received from the hard left to throw eggs and put delegates in hospital are disgusting.

Event organisers said some of the threatening messages have since been deleted.

Antony Mullen, convenor of the Thatcher Network, said it has 100 members from around the country.

Members represented all political views and included journalists and think tank researchers, he told the Echo.

There has been a significant amount of confusion regarding the nature of the Thatcher Network, he said.

It was clear that a large group of around 30-40 Twitter users  some of whom were self-identified Militant and Momentum supporters  believed the network was linked to the Conservative Party.

In reality, the Thatcher Network is politically neutral and funded by a politically-neutral charity. Most of its members are left-wing academics  and we welcome all political views.

The threats made  which included being egged, having people hospitalised and demonstrating to stop the Conference taking place  were concerning. However, we are clear that academic freedom must be defended.

The conference will go ahead, albeit with an enhanced security presence. I am pleased that some of the more violent tweets were deleted after we made it clear that this is an academic event, not a political one. I hope that we can proceed without further threats.

Andrew Scott Crines, director of studies at the University of Liverpools politics department, tweeted: It is very worrying when an academic event receives threats of violence.

This event has attracted a very impressive line-up of contributors. Needless to say the conference will be a success.

A University of Liverpool spokesman said: This is a non-partisan academic event. The University firmly believes in the importance of protecting and promoting free speech and has a legal duty to do so.

A spokesman for Momentum said any complaints about its members would be investigated.

All Momentum members sign up to our Code of Ethics, which includes a commitment to fair, honest debate focused on policies, not personal attacks or harassment, he said. If any complaint is made about a member it will be investigated accordingly.

A source close to Momentum told the Echo: It is unfortunately the case that trolls on Twitter label themselves as Momentum despite not being members or being active in the movement.

Mrs Thatchers legacy is controversial in Liverpool, whose city council was taken over by Derek Hatton and the Militant Tendency during her time in power.

A spokesman for the Political Studies Association, which is helping to organise the event, said: Free speech and open discussion are the best routes towards a better understanding of a period of profound change and upheaval in our country s recent political past.

That is why the Political Studies Association thinks it is important to organise academic events focused on the study of Thatcherism and why we believe that Liverpool, as a vibrant city with a world class university, is a suitable location for such an event.

The line-up for the conference, the second to be organised by the Network, was confirmed earlier this month. Panels include a debate on women in Conservative studies and a study of Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.
A Burger King manager berated a customer in Ohio because she was taking too long to order last week.

Lizzie Ramsey - along with her husband Cody, his co-worker, and his 11 and 12-year-old brothers - had gone through the drive through near Newark, Ohio on Wednesday morning.

As Ramsey finished each separate person's order, she claims that a woman would interrupt her and tell her the total price.

She added that the fast-food worker also instructed her to 'hurry up' even though hers was was the only vehicle in the drive thru at the time.

A woman shared a Facebook video of a Burger King manager allegedly screaming at her for ordering too slow

The expectant mother walked into the Burger King hoping to complain to the manager.

'We wanted to let the manager know how the lady on the microphone was acting,' she said to WSYX.

But Ramsey and her family would soon be shocked to find out that the person being so disrespectful to them was allegedly the manager of the restaurant.

Lizzie Ramsey and had gone through a Burger Kind drive-thru near Newark, Ohio on Wednesday morning with a packed car of five people

In a video posted on Facebook, Ramsey can be heard going back and forth with the manager in the store, who is screaming and cussing at the customers.

The manager repeatedly tells Ramsey that she should have ordered faster and demands that she leaves the store, threatening to call the cops.

While this is happening, Ramsey asserts that there shouldn't be a time limit when ordering food and her husband threatens to call the corporate office.

She claims the manager instructed her to 'hurry up' and would give her the total after each separate order

The angered manager tells the group to 'Get the f**k out,' and Ramsey informs her that she is recording the whole ordeal and is pregnant.

The video has more than 364,000 views on Facebook and many who are in the area claim that the behavior isn't all too unusual from that particular staff member

'When we uploaded the video, people saw it and said "we had the same experience with the same person at the same store,"' Cody told WSYX.

Burger King sent Ramsey a gift card for the ordeal but did not comment on the status of the employee

Corporate has since apologized for the incident and sent the family a gift card for their troubles.

And while a representative for the Ocedon Restaurant Group, which manages the Burger King, shared that the issue was 'handled' it is unknown whether the woman was fired or not.

'I believe she should be fired,' Ramsey said.

'You don't treat customers like that.'
The FBI is investigating the September murders of a Syrian-American TV journalist and her mother in Turkey  though local Turkish authorities are not cooperating, it was reported on Tuesday.

The bodies of 60-year-old Orouba Barakat and 23-year-old Halla Barakat  both of whom were active in the Syrian opposition against the government of President Bashar Assad - were discovered on September 21.

Friends worried that the journalist had not showed up for work and alerted police, who found the two strangled and stabbed to death in the apartment they shared in Istanbul.

Investigators found their bodies were doused with a chemical solution that delays the decomposition of their remains, leading police to believe that the murders were perpetrated by a professional, according to ABC News.

The FBI has legal jurisdiction to investigate the homicide of an American citizen killed overseas.

Halla Barakat was born in Raleigh, North Carolina.

A family representative who recently met with senior Trump administration officials told ABC News that the FBIs legal attache in Turkey called the family in the US to let them know that the bureau launched an investigation.

The FBI is investigating the September murders of Orouba Barakat (left) and her daughter, 23-year-old Halla Barakat (right)

The FBI, however, is unlikely to get very far so long as Turkish authorities refuse to cooperate.

In early October, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights group, asked the FBI to investigate the Barakats murder.

In response to CAIRs call for a probe, the FBIs assistant director of international operations, George Piro, said that Turkish National Police investigators respectfully declined the FBIs assistance.

Piro did note that the FBI and the Turkish police are sharing information.

The TNP is awaiting forensic evidence to be analyzed and currently has a suspect in custody who is strongly believed to be the perpetrator of the homicide of Halla and Orouba Barakat, Piro wrote in a letter to Nihad Awad, the executive director of CAIR.

Due to jurisdictional legalities, the TNP will continue to work this matter and provide updates to our Legal Attache office in Ankara.

The suspect in custody has been identified as Ahmat Barakat, a Syrian cousin and a former member of the Free Syrian Army.

Ahmat Barakat has reportedly confessed to killing Halla and her mother because he says they owed him money. Investigators, however, have expressed doubt about the motive.

The pair are the latest in a list of Syrian activists taking refuge in Turkey who have been murdered

They believe Ahmat Barakat killed the two women because he was working as an operative for the Syrian government, which ordered the hit.

Police are still looking for the murder weapon used to kill Halla and Orouba.

They are also searching for Oroubas cell phone and other documents belonging to her.

Halla and Orouba Barakat were cousins to Deah Barakat, 23, one of three young Muslims who were fatally shot by a neighbor in Chapel Hill in 2015.

Deah Barakat was a second-year dental student at the University of North Carolina. His wife, Yusor Mohammad, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, were the other two killed in the shooting.

'Numbness. Confusion. Shock. Disbelief. I cant think straight,' Suzanne Barakat, Deah's sister, wrote on her social media in September when she heard about the murders in Turkey.

'How many more beloved family members will I lose to hatred and violence?'

They were cousins of Deah Barakat (far left), 23, one of three young Muslims who were fatally shot by a neighbor in Chapel Hill in 2015. His wife, Yusor Mohammad (center), 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha (far right), were the other two killed in the shooting

Halla Barakat was most recently working as a journalist for Orient TV, which is affiliated with the anti-Assad opposition in Syria.

It is not clear how long she and her mother were in Turkey, although the country has been home to almost three million Syrian refugees - many of them opponents of Assad's government - since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

There have been four previous killings of Syrian journalists in Turkey, all of which the Islamic State group said it carried out.

A fifth journalist survived two attacks.

According to Syrian opposition sources, Orouba (left) was a member of the Syrian National Council while her daughter was a journalist working for an opposition organization

Orouba's sister, Shaza, said on Facebook they had been stabbed to death 'by the hand of tyranny and injustice'.

'Orouba wrote headlines for the front page, and she pursued criminals and exposed them. Her name and her daughter's name, Halla, are now in the front-page headlines,' she said.

According to Syrian opposition activists' pages on social media, Orouba was a member of the Syrian National Council.

She had backed the uprising against Syria's the Syrian president but had also criticized some in the opposition.

She was reported to have been investigating alleged torture in prisons run by the Syrian government.

Some Turkish reports also said the women were stabbed.

Hurriyet newspaper quoted an unnamed neighbor as saying the women were found with their throats slit.

The media advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, has called on Turkey's government to protect Syrian journalists in exile in the country.
The two-year-old girl who was killed after two vans collided in Sydney's west has been remembered as a 'beautiful soul', as seven other people in the same car recover in hospital.

The toddler died in a horror crash as the family travelled from Griffith in south-west NSW to Sydney airport where they were going to get on a plane to Samoa for a family holiday.

Police have said the 20-year-old woman driver 'should never have been behind the wheel' of the van as they revealed she was a disqualified learner driver.

The family van collided with a commercial vehicle at Kemps Creek near St Marys on Tuesday afternoon.

The two-year-old girl died a short time after she was rushed to the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

She was a beautiful soul. Shes just adorable  funny. She is everything to her Dad, her cousin Marilyn Nauer told 9NEWS.

On Facebook, relatives of the little girl posted heartbreaking tributes.

'Your duty here on earth is done and I know God is in control of everything and that he needed you more than we did,' a grieving relative said.

A two-year-old girl has died from injuries suffered in a horrific van crash (pictured) which has left eight others in hospital

The front-seat passenger of the family's van, a 59-year-old man, is fighting for life in hospital while a 23-year-old woman sitting in a middle row of the vehicle suffered two broken legs.

A boy and a girl from the same vehicle, both age 16, also remain in hospital being treated for injuries.

Police said three other children, including a nine-month-old baby, also remain in hospital.

The driver of the second vehicle, a 50-year-old man who was driving a work van, escaped injury.

'This is a very sad and tragic event,' NSW Police Inspector Phillip Brooks said.

'Sadly whilst this matter remains under investigation certainly somebody that shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place is a critical factor.'

The matter is still being investigated - with police urging witnesses to come forward.

Emergency crews were forced to work for close to an hour to free a man trapped in the wreckage and up to 12 ambulances and two helicopters attended the scene.

Two vans - one passenger van (pictured) carrying nine people and one commercial van with two occupants - were involved in the collision at Kemps Creek in Sydney's west

The impact of the crash pushed the passenger van into a roadside ditch, with crews of emergency workers seen dragging a woman from the vehicle.

Among the injured were three children, the two-year-old girl, and two boys aged nine months and three years.

The children were rushed to Westmead hospital but the two-year-old girl died after arrival.

The young boys remain in hospital in a stable condition, but a man taken to Liverpool Hospital with critical injuries is still fighting for his life.

They include a 59-year-old man with critical injuries, a 23-year-old woman with leg injuries, and a 20-year-old woman, a 16-year-old boy and two girls aged 16 and 10 who suffered minor injuries.

The two occupants of the commercial van were not injured in the crash.

Officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit are investigating and examined the scene on Tuesday afternoon.

Police urge anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward.
President Donald Trump had handwritten notes in black marker and all capital letters in front of him on Tuesday when he revealed news of North Korea's latest missile launch.

The piece of paper was spotted on the table in front of Trump as he addressed reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House a few hours after the missile streaked across Korean and Japanese skies.

'MISSILE WAS LAUNCHED FROM NORTH KOREA - WILL TAKE CARE OF IT,' the note read.

Not straying far from his notes, Trump then told reporters: 'A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. I will only tell you that we will take care of it. It is a situation that we will handle.'

President Donald Trump had handwritten notes in black marker and all capital letters in front of him on Tuesday when he revealed news of North Korea's latest missile launch

The piece of paper was spotted on the table in front of Trump as he addressed reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House a few hours after the missile launch

North Korea's latest rocket launch saw it shoot an intercontinental ballistic missile higher than ever before in their first test in more than two months.

It comes after Trump slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

The missile launch prompted US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to warn that Pyongyang could soon threaten 'everywhere in the world' and that the latest missile test went 'higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken.'

An initial assessment by the Pentagon said the missile flew about 620 miles before splashing down within 200 nautical miles of Japan's coast.

One physicist said that the missile appeared to have a realistic range of just over 8,000 miles, which means Washington D.C. is now in range of Kim's attacks - and that Australia and Europe are too.

North Korea has already carried out a record 15 missile tests this year (pictured is a July test) which showed it has developed an ICBM that can likely strike most of mainland America

The missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongan Province at around 3:30 a.m local time before landing in the Sea of Japan

The Republic of Korea Army released this photo on Tuesday showing South Korea's surface-to-surface missile Hyunmoo -II being fired from an undisclosed location

'If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles),' David Wright, a co-director and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote on his organization's blog.

'Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States.'

The worrying assessment once again calls into question America's anti-missile capabilities, and whether it and its allies can protect themselves from the threat of a nuclear-tipped ICBM.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the test an intolerable, 'violent' act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemning Pyongyang's 'reckless' behavior.

The South Korean military responded to Tuesday's launch by staging a precision strike missile exercise as it has done following previous North Korea tests.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and her counterparts from Japan and South Korea will hold an emergency Security Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the State Department said late Tuesday.
Bill Shorten has put Labor senator Sam Dastyari on notice after reports he warned a well-known Chinese political donor that his phone might be tapped.

The claims have prompted the Turnbull government to call for Senator Dastyari to come clean on his discussions with Huang Xiangmo, who has links to the Chinese Communist Party.

The senator is under fire over reports he told Mr Huang they should leave their phones inside when they met at the businessman's Sydney mansion in October last year.

Last chance: Bill Shorten has put Labor senator Sam Dastyari on notice after reports he warned a well-known Chinese political donor that his phone might be tapped

Senator Dastyari is under fire over reports he told Huang Xiangmo they should leave their phones inside when they met at the businessman's Sydney mansion

The reported exchange took place during a face-to-face meeting, just weeks after Senator Dastyari resigned from the frontbench over his earlier dealings with Mr Huang.

Mr Shorten has spoken to his colleague and says Senator Dastyari has never made a secret of the fact the meeting took place.

'He has again confirmed that he did not pass on any classified information, because he didn't have any,' the Labor leader said in a statement.

'I have made it clear to Senator Dastyari that this is not the first time his judgment has been called into question, but I certainly expect it to be the last.'

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop wants Senator Dastyari to reveal every discussion he's had with the Chinese benefactor.

'If (the allegations) are accurate they will show that Senator Dastyari was acting against Australia's national interest, against Australia's national security concerns,' she told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

'That would make his position as a senator untenable.'

'I have made it clear to Senator Dastyari that this is not the first time his judgment has been called into question, but I certainly expect it to be the last,' Bill Shorten said

Huang Xiangmo (pictured with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop) has links to the Chinese Communist Party . Ms Bishop said Mr Dastyari should resign if the allegations were accurate

Attorney-General George Brandis questioned Senator Dastyari's loyalty, saying the incident was a test for Mr Shorten.

'Why would anyone acting in good faith warn a benefactor to have a conversation in circumstances that are only consistent with engaging in counter-surveillance activity?' he told reporters.

'Why would an innocent person do that? What was he trying to hide?'

Senator Brandis will be pursuing answers in the upper house on Wednesday.

Senator Dastyari believed his phone was being tapped by government agencies, including the US government, Fairfax Media said.

The high-profile senator's earlier fall from grace followed revelations he'd allowed Mr Huang to pay a personal debt and reportedly took a pro-China stance on the South China Sea which was at odds with Labor's position.

Senator Dastyari denies any wrongdoing.

'After the events of last year, I spoke to Mr Huang to tell him that I did not think it was appropriate that we have future contact,' he said in a statement.

'I thought it was a matter of common courtesy to say this face-to-face.'

Businessman Huang Xiangmo's Mosman mansion on Sydney's north shore is pictured

Mr Huang's Mosman house where his October meeting with Senator Dastyari was held

'I reject any assertion that I did anything other than put to Mr Huang gossip being spread by journalists'

Senator Dastyari insisted he has never been briefed by any security agency, or received any classified information.

'I reject any assertion that I did anything other than put to Mr Huang gossip being spread by journalists.'

Mr Huang announced his resignation as President of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC) on Saturday.

He said his decision to step down was motivated by his desire to dedicate more time to his businesses.

Mr Huang is the head of property development and investment company Yuhu Group Australia.

'Given the growing demands of his various business interests, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to divide his attention,' the ACPPRC said in a statement.

In his resignation speech, Mr Huang said the ACPPRC remained independent of government, either Chinese or Australian and held its own views.

The announcement comes amid growing speculation groups with links to the Chinese government could be targeted by new laws dealing with foreign interference.

Huang Xiangmo is pictured with former prime minister Tony Abbott
A hero pub patron who foiled an armed robbery has described the horrifying moment a shotgun was pointed at his face.

Andre was captured on CCTV using a barstool to knock down a would-be thief wielding a machete at the Lord Stanley Hotel in Brisbane's east on Monday night.

'I didn't see the other guy with the shotgun until I knocked out the guy with the machete,' Andre told 9 News on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

A would-be burglar has been stopped in his tracks after a patron took justice into his own hands  smacking the assailant in the head with a stool

Andre was captured on CCTV using a barstool to knock down a would-be thief wielding a machete at the Lord Stanley Hotel in Brisbane's east on Monday night

Andre said he was in the gaming room when he heard a commotion coming from the front bar.

'I was in the back gaming room and I heard voices yell 'stay down' and 'where's the money,'' Andre said.

CCTV footage captured the dramatic scene as the thieves entered the bar before one of them is hit in the head with a bar stool.

Video footage shows the man stumbling around after the devastating blow, before the men stagger out of the bar.

One of the men threatened two employees behind the bar, demanding one of them fill up a bag with money from the till.

Andre said he didn't realise there was a second man with a shotgun until after he had knocked over the first offender.

Andre said he was in the gaming room when he heard a commotion coming from the front bar

Queensland Police are investigating after two men armed with a firearm and a machete barged in to The Lord Stanley Hotel in East Brisbane at 11.30pm on Monday

'The whole situation changed, I was facing a shotgun with him ready to fire the damn thing at me, so I done a runner and fell over as I went to the bar,' he said

The offender, armed with a machete, demanded three patrons move from an outside smoking area into the bar and made them lay on the floor.

Andre then emerged from the gaming area and smacked one of the thieves in head, knocking him to the ground.

The second offender, armed with a machete, demanded three patrons move from an outside smoking area into the bar and made them lay on the floor

One of the men threatened two employees behind the bar, demanding one of them fill up a bag with money from the till

The first offender then dropped his bag of cash and the pair took off with a small amount of money.

No staff or patrons were injured during the incident.

Queensland Police are still searching for the offenders.
One of the most malign legacies of Tony Blairs calamitous premiership was the death of humanitarian intervention, by which the West would use its military might to prevent atrocities occurring in less enlightened nations.

For his part, Blair had claimed that his 2003 invasion of Iraq was based entirely on moral grounds. He said it would bring democracy to Iraq and rescue the country from the evil dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.

In the event, it turned out that Mr Blairs often repeated statement that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction was a cynical lie.

Former PM Tony Blair, left, lied repeatedly about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which were used as an excuse to justify the overthrow of Saddam Hussein

Blair's decision led to the rise of ISIS and led to the destabalisation of the middle east

Worse, the removal of Saddam unleashed an orgy of bloodshed and destruction that continues to this day, led to the rise of Islamic State, destabilised the Middle East and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

Mr Blair also, of course, took Britain into a conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan. That lasted 13 years and claimed the lives of more than 450 of our Armed Forces personnel.

So it is little wonder the experience of Afghanistan and Iraq as well as Britains role in unseating Colonel Gaddafi, sparking the anarchy that exists in Libya today  has given intervention a bad name.

Yet history shows that it is not always wrong if carried out at the right time, for honest motives, and in a sensible way.

Very few would deny that Britain was right to fight the Nazis in 1939, or that we should, in all conscience, have intervened to interrupt the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 that cost the lives of up to a million people.

In Myanmar (formerly Burma) thousands of Rohingya Muslims, pictured, have been forced to flee their homes and cross into neighbouring Bangladesh

Myanmar is being led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, pictured

There is a humanitarian crisis approaching biblical proportions in Myanmar

Had we intervened earlier in the Balkan conflict of the Nineties, there would have been no Srebrenica, the awful genocide for which Ratko Mladic, the Butcher of Bosnia, was last week sentenced to life imprisonment at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

Yes, it was wrong to invade Iraq. But that does not mean it is wrong to intervene in every international crisis.

In recent months, I have travelled to the killing fields of Myanmar (formerly Burma) in south-east Asia, where a ruthless military machine has been systematically killing or expelling thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims, who have lived there peaceably for many years. And this in a country led by the feted Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Pope Francis, left, began a visit to Myanmar yesterday and met Aung San Suu Kyi, right

I have also witnessed at first hand a humanitarian disaster of almost Biblical proportions that is currently stalking the Yemen, where around 58,000 have been killed or injured amid the savagery of a civil war which has raged since 2015.

In each of these cases, the global community has wrung its hands but done nothing whatever to curb the violence.

On the basis of what I have seen, I believe the moment has now come to urgently reassess the worlds new unspoken orthodoxy of non-intervention.

In Myanmar  as TV viewers have seen so graphically  more than half the Rohingya Muslim population has been driven out of the country in the past three months.

They are the lucky ones. Thousands have been murdered, and many more raped.

Lets set out the unpalatable truth: a genocide is happening in full view of the world.

Soldiers move from village to village, burning, raping and killing. They are set on the annihilation of the countrys more than one million Rohingyas.

So appalled was Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, when she met survivors of the ethnic cleansing this week in Bangladesh where they had fled, that she promised a further 12 million to help with the crisis.

At the same time, Pope Francis began a visit to the country and met Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday, after which he called for a cessation of violence.

There is also a humanitarian crisis in Yemen were seven million people face starvation

The moral case for an international military intervention, sanctioned by the United Nations, to create safe areas for Myanmars Rohingya Muslims is powerful indeed.

No doubt China, Myanmars strong regional protector, would see such an intervention as an act of aggression. But why hasnt there been a global chorus of condemnation? Why at the very least hasnt Aung San Suu Kyi been targeted with sanctions and stripped of her Nobel Peace Prize?

Why isnt there a move to bring her blood-stained military leaders before the International Criminal Court?

The situation in Yemen is even more frightening. This small desert state is a cauldron for a proxy conflict between two regional giants  Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are divided by their adherence to two opposed branches of Islam.

Yemens government is comprised of Sunni Muslims aligned to the leaders of several neighbouring Sunni states, including Saudi Arabia. The Houthi rebel movement fighting the government, however, is a Shia Muslim faction supported by the Shia state of Iran  a sworn enemy of Saudi Arabia.

The UN has warned that, with seven million people on the brink of starvation, the conflict in Yemen is set to create the largest famine the world has seen for many decades.

Yet here, too, there has been no meaningful international response. Yemens neighbour Saudi Arabia has established a blockade to prevent aid reaching the millions of starving people across the border.

The effects are truly horrible. There is no fuel, so no transport to move food where it is needed most. In the hospitals, generators fail. Without generators, the medicines and vaccines cannot be preserved.

Many are already dying of malnutrition, yet the world sits idly by. Sadly, there are powerful underlying forces which explain this global inertia.

In sharp contrast to his predecessor, Donald Trump sees every foreign policy decision through a prism of naked self-interest. This means that America has been more interested in bombing Al-Qaeda militants who have a foothold in some central areas of Yemen than in stopping the civil war.

Meanwhile, China and Russia both pursue a venal foreign policy which is utterly contemptuous of human rights.

Europe is increasingly convulsed by internal problems, the most recent of which is the political crisis faced by Angela Merkel in Germany. It is incapable of offering leadership.

Should Britain also turn away from these terrible tragedies? There are several compelling reasons why we should not.

The most crucial of these is moral: the absolute Christian imperative to care for suffering fellow human beings.

The second is directly related to our history. Britain is the former colonial power that held sway both in what was Burma and also in the Yemen.

In Burma, thousands of British troops fought through the jungles against the Japanese during World War II, sacrificing themselves in the pursuit of final victory. And Yemen was a cradle of British colonial power for centuries, its port of Aden a vital refuelling station for troop-ships heading to India.

Third, we are what is known in diplomat-speak as the pen-holder (meaning that we take the main responsibility) at the United Nations Security Council for decisions relating to both Yemen and Myanmar.

Finally (and much the least important), we need to disprove the Remainers contention that Brexit means Britain is turning in on itself.

Yet so far our response has been weak. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson  a figure who has been unfairly traduced on other issues  has scarcely lifted a finger on this calamity.

He has made the right noises but he has done virtually nothing of any significance to help.

In the Yemen, we are actually complicit because of our close relationship with the Saudi royal family  with whom we trade arms enthusiastically.

Some take the cynical view that these conflicts are too complicated and too far away, and that Western intervention will only make things worse.

I dont believe any decent human being can take that view. We must press the UN to establish safe havens around Myanmar, and use all our diplomatic force to obtain a break in the violence in Yemen, and for military and humanitarian intervention there by the UN.

History will damn us if we continue to sit on the sidelines  and it will also record that Tony Blairs interventions so poisoned the well of international affairs that we are too scared to make a stand when it really needs to be made.
Aslan Gagiev, accused of murdering 60 people, has dodged extradition from Austria over claims he is scared of flying

A Russian crime lord accused of murdering 60 people has dodged extradition from Austria over claims he is scared of flying.

Aslan Gagiev is believed to have been a founding father of one of Russia's deadliest gangs, which has plagued the streets since 2004.

During criminal career he is alleged to have helped kill officials, bankers, businessmen and law enforcers.

After going on the run, he was arrested in Vienna in January 2015 by Austrian Police, following a tip off by the Russian authorities, reports the Independent.

Gagiev was released on 100,000 euro-bail, but was later arrested at the Austrian-Bulgarian border after he was caught trying to use a fake Bulgarian passport.

Gagiev has now managed to avoid three court orders kicking him out of the country.

The gangster's legal team claim he has developed 'a rare form of aerophobia, in which the accused simply cannot survive the flight to Russia', the Kommersant newspaper reported.

However, the Russian authorities believe he will be back in a Russian prison by January.

A source told Kommersant: 'This isn't about aerophobia! Djako simply knows that a life sentence awaits him in Russia.
The NHS is hiring up to 5,500 'rolling' nurses from India and the Philippines in an attempt to fill understaffed wards.

They will work here for two to three years gaining specialist experience and skills before returning back home.

The 'earn, learn and return' scheme aims to ease the NHS's staffing crisis whilst also training up developed countries' workforce.

Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England, told MPs it was an 'ethically based' project.

The NHS is hiring up to 5,500 'rolling' nurses from India and the Philippines who will work here for two to three years gaining specialist experience and skills before returning back home. (file photo of medical staff at a hospital)

He said the first 'cohort' of nurses had arrived from India to work in a hospital in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and others would follow shortly.

But nursing leaders labelled the scheme a 'sticking plaster' which would do little to solve the NHS's recruitment crisis.

Figures show an estimated 40,000 nursing posts are vacant, one in nine of the total.

Critics have accused the Government of failing to train up enough home-grown nurses in anticipation of the rising demand, from the ageing population.

Hospitals have already been hiring foreign nurses en masse particularly from Spain, Portugal and the Philippines.

But these recruitment drives have had limited success with many nurses going back to their own country after a few months.

This is the first scheme to hire nurses on temporary placements of two to three years to improve their training and experience.

Professor Cumming told MPs on the Health Select Committee said nurses could chose to specialise in departments such as intensive care or A&E.

Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England, told MPs it was an 'ethically based' project

'We have agreed that we are currently aiming to bring somewhere in the region of 5,500 nurses into the country internationally on an ethically-based 'earn, learn and return' programme.

'We have started piloting this with India.

'So the idea is that registered nurses from India would meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, they would come and work in this country in placements that we are facilitating and whilst they were here they would gain postgraduate experience in a particular area  be it intensive care or theatres or emergency medicine or whatever it maybe  whilst working for us.

'At the end of their time here they would return to India, back to the employer they had partnered with, and take that skill set back into the country from which they had come.

'The first pilot cohort are here and they're in Harrogate at the moment and we are aiming to have 500 here by the end of March, building towards the indicative figure of 5,500.

'We believe that doing that way is more ethically robust, in that we aren't denuding a country of their valued resource, but we allowing people to come here for a fixed period of time, yes to help us with a staffing shortage that we have got, but also to learn, to earn money and to take that back into their own country.'

But a spokesman for the Royal College of Nursing said: 'International nurses have always played a key role in the NHS - not least those who have stayed for the remainder of their working life.

'But overseas recruitment of any kind is incapable of plugging the vast gaps the NHS faces. With 40,000 nursing jobs vacant in England alone, this can barely be considered a sticking plaster.'
The Urgent Question was put by Labours Sir Keir Starmer, so het up he was shaking

What huffing and parliamentary puffing we had over some Brexit statistics Whitehall is declining to show MPs.

The Commons worked itself into such indignation that David Davis (absent yesterday) could be found in contempt of Parliament  a charge that can see an MP unseated and thrown into the Palace of Westminster jail.

This is a ding-dong infected by priggishness on various sides. The Government commissioned reports from commerce about Brexit, ministers boasting about how jolly impressive those reports were.

Then MPs told the Queen, no less, that she must order ministers to hand the reports to Parliament.

At that point we heard the reports were just columns of boring numbers.

Yet the Government will not publish all the info because it could weaken our negotiating position in Brussels and some of the details were commercially sensitive.

(Point of information: the EU does not publish all of its statistical gubbins because doing so would betray its hand.)

Europhiles have settled on this squabble as a great principle of parliamentary scrutiny. Displacement activity?

Blairites have realised Jeremy Corbyn does not want to block Brexit and are therefore looking for a smaller matter on which to vent their frustration.

Speaker Bercow is also up for a fight. He always is.

Blairites have realised Jeremy Corbyn does not want to block Brexit and are therefore looking for a smaller matter on which to vent their frustration

And so we yesterday had a Labour Urgent Question (granted by Bercow) followed by points of order in which the Speaker presented himself a veritable new Cromwell.

In that Cromwellian revolution, which pitched People versus the Establishment, Parliament sided with the People.

In this one, Parliament is on, er, the side of Europe. The Urgent Question was put by Labours Sir Keir Starmer, so het up he was shaking.

While Brexit Secretary Davis might or might not be in contempt of Parliament, he was certainly treating Parliament with contempt, alleged Sir Keir. Labour MPs clucked contempt! contempt!.

Sir Keir told Mr Daviss ministerial colleague, young Robin Walker, that he had better watch his step. This is not a game! cried Sir Keir.

He was hear-heared enthusiastically by Anna Soubry (Con, Broxtowe). The Tory Chief Whip swivelled in his frontbench seat and narrowed his eyes at her.

Mr Walker, intimidated a little by the melodrama, spoke more rapidly than normal but he was otherwise tidy and succinct.

He argued that Hilary Benn, chairman of the Commons Brexit select committee, had not given Mr Davis usual promises of confidentiality.

The Commons worked itself into such indignation that David Davis (absent yesterday) could be found in contempt of Parliament

Sir Keir, very much a lawyer, said the two lever-arch files in which the documents had been placed were no bigger than you would expect of evidence in a pretty routine Crown court case.

Guilty as charged! yelled a Labour wit. I do object to any suggestion I cannot be trusted, said Mr Benn. Behind him lurked David Lammy (Lab, Tottenham), harrumphing absolutely! When Mr Walker spat out succinct answers, a pudding called Paula Sherriff (Lab, Dewsbury) shrieked: Disgraceful! Embarrassing!

John Whittingdale (Con, Maldon) said it was not unknown for select committees to leak. Ex-diplomat Richard Graham (Con, Gloucester) said surely no one would want our country to go into the negotiating chamber in a weaker position.

What touching naivety. Several Eurosceptic MPs want precisely that.

Sir Desmond Swayne (Con, New Forest W) enquired who had been the first person to suggest the Government could submit the statistics in edited form. Mr Walker disclosed that the person in question was Sir Keir. Pro-Brexit David Jones (Con, Clwyd West) thought the EU would be loving all this.

Tim Loughton (Con, E Worthing & Shoreham) wanted to see the EUs own research papers. He was ruled out of order by Mr Bercow, who cares little for him.

Later the Speaker said nothing  nothing!  is more important than respecting the House.

Oh dear. I dont know where that leaves those of us, possibly a majority, who look at such shenanigans and simply discern a petulant parliamentary class kicking and screaming because it does not want to do what the electorate firmly told it to do 18 months ago.
David Davis could be expelled from parliament if he fails to hand over sensitive documents about the impact of Brexit on the economy, John Bercow warned yesterday.

The Commons Speaker said Mr Davis could face a charge of contempt of parliament if he fails to satisfy MPs demanding details of impact assessments covering 58 sectors of the economy.

The Brexit Secretary yesterday handed over an 850-page dossier on the subject to MPs, but only after sensitive information had been removed.

The Commons Speaker said Mr Davis could face a charge of contempt of parliament if he fails to satisfy MPs demanding details of impact assessments covering 58 sectors of the economy

Hilary Benn, Labour chairman of the Commons Brexit committee, said Mr Davis had failed to respect a parliamentary vote calling for the information to be provided in full.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Davis to treating parliament with contempt.

But Brexit minister Robin Walker said the Government had an overriding duty to the national interest not to publish information that could undermine Britain s position in the negotiations with Brussels.

Craig Mackinlay, a Tory member of the Commons Brexit committee, said calls for the documents to be published in full were being led by people who want to carry on fighting the Remain campaign.

The Brexit Secretary yesterday handed over an 850-page dossier on the subject to MPs, but only after sensitive information had been removed. Pictured: John Bercow

He added: This is a committee that is deeply divided. There are many on the committee that are still fighting the referendum.

I think it is really rather perverse now, as some Labour members are saying, that opening up our hand to the world is in the national interest where it patently must be the reverse is true.

... but EU keeps its position secret While Remain MPs insist details that could undermine Britains Brexit negotiations should be revealed, European Commission guidelines stress the need to keep its position secret in trade talks. An official document on the EUs approach to transparency during such negotiations states: A certain level of confidentiality is necessary to protect our interests and to keep chances for a satisfactory outcome high. Labour Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer dismissed the need for secrecy yesterday when his call for the Government to publish details of the likely effects of Brexit on the economy was challenged. Sir Keir said it should be up to MPs on the Brexit committee, and not ministers, to say what was kept secret. But pro-Brexit MPs said ministers should restrict information that may harm UK interests. Tory ex-leader Iain Duncan Smith said they had every right to ensure, as the EU has, not all confidential information is made available, otherwise that might restrict our negotiating position. Advertisement

Mr Davis last night agreed to hold talks with Mr Benn next week to explain his decision to limit the scope of the publication.

Ministers are also considering a fresh vote in parliament to make it clear they do not need to release information that would be damaging to the national interest.

But Mr Bercow said he would consider a charge of contempt of parliament if Mr Davis failed to satisfy his critics.

The Speaker, who has boasted of voting Remain in the referendum, said he would do his duty if MPs complained about the conduct of the Brexit Secretary.

A charge of contempt of parliament could see Mr Davis suspended from parliament or even expelled. In theory he could even be incarcerated in a cell in the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, although this punishment has not been meted out since 1880.

But last night Mr Benn faced accusations of hypocrisy after it emerged he had refused a string of freedom of information requests on the grounds of commercial sensitivity during his years as a minister in the last Labour government.

Official records show the former environment secretary rejected requests for information as trivial as a second giant panda coming to Edinburgh Zoo, the location of Welsh catfish and details of the contracts regarding the cleaning of his departments toilets.

Tory MP Tom Pursglove said: If the Labour Government wouldnt release information about waste contracts and Catfish farms, why should it now have to release sensitive information for the most important negotiations in history?

The Government has produced sensible analysis and answered that requested. MPs should knuckle down and read it, not use it as an opportunity to play political games.
More than twice as many jobs will be lost in the EU as in Britain if we leave without a trade deal, a report says.

About 1.2 million jobs would vanish in the remaining 27 EU countries after a hard Brexit, with nearly 530,000 axed here.

The findings were seized on as evidence that it was in the interests of both the UK and Europe to strike a deal.

About 1.2 million jobs would vanish in the remaining 27 EU countries after a hard Brexit, with nearly 530,000 axed here

The report, by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), warned of more than 290,000 job losses in Germany and approximately 140,000 in each of France and Italy.

But the Republic of Ireland would be worst hit relatively as more than 50,000 jobs could be lost  more than 2.5 per cent of the workforce. The report said: The EU27 stands to lose considerably more than previously thought.

Campaigners accused Brussels negotiators of putting more than one million jobs at risk across Europe by refusing to open trade talks.

Former Labour MP Gisela Stuart, chairman of the Change Britain pressure group, said: With the EU in the midst of a youth unemployment crisis, it would be irresponsible for politicians in Brussels to refuse a deal which could then see over one million jobs lost in Europe.

Its yet further evidence why its in the EUs interests to strike a trade deal with the UK. Any attempts to delay trade talks will only be to the detriment of EU businesses.

The report warned that Irish and Spanish farmers would suffer from a hard Brexit alongside the German car industry and businesses across France and Italy and beyond.

The findings were seized on as evidence that it was in the interests of both the UK and Europe to strike a deal. Pictured: Chancellor Philip Hammond

Written by three CEPR economists based at the University of Leuven in Belgium, it also noted that the Belgian steel sector would suffer both through a reduction in exports to the UK and also through a reduction in demand for steel that would have been used in German cars sold here.

It said: Both the UK and the EU27 would suffer substantial losses if they are denied free trade access to each others markets when Brexit happens.

The nearly 530,000 job losses here represent just over 1.6 per cent of the British workforce of 32 million.

The 1.2 million losses in the EU account for around 0.6 per cent of those in work across the other 27 members of the bloc.

Gloomy OECD has to eat its own words A leading global trade body yesterday raised its growth forecast for the British economy just weeks after warning Brexit could wreak similar damage to the Blitz. Trimming its UK growth forecasts for this year from 1.6 per cent to 1.5 per cent, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said leaving the EU remained the major risk. But it raised its growth forecasts for the UK for 2018 from 1 per cent to 1.2 per cent. Just six weeks ago the Paris-based group said the Blitz spirit would be needed for the UK to withstand departure from the EU. Speaking at the time, OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria said: What was that thing that Churchill said? Stay calm and carry on. This is as valid now as it was then in the Blitz. Brexit campaigner John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, criticised the body, saying: Like so many organisations who are institutionally anti-Brexit ... the OECD has talked down our economy again and again only to eat its words later. The OECD expects the UK economy to slow over the coming years, with growth easing from 1.8 per cent last year to 1.5 per cent this year, 1.2 per cent in 2018 and 1.1 per cent in 2019. It said: The major risk for the economy is the uncertainty surrounding the exit process from the EU, which could hold back private spending more than projected. However, prospects of maintaining the closest possible economic relationship with the EU would lead to stronger-than-expected growth. Advertisement

Last night Eurosceptic Tory MP Sir Bill Cash warned of very adverse consequences for the EU if there is no deal, adding: Their attitude is completely and totally counter-productive.

Gerard Lyons, co-founder of Economists For Brexit, said: There is no doubt that in economic terms, once the politics have been taken out of it, it is in the European Unions best interests to have a deal with the UK.

'It is in everyones interests to do a free trade deal. But in terms of the job losses, I would be very wary, because I think the UK can do very well.

John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: This report indicates the importance of a deal to the EU.

However, if the UK Government applies the correct post-Brexit economic policies, the boost in the economy arising from these will mean no job losses at all in Britain.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England has warned that millions of EU citizens will be left with useless life insurance policies unless a Brexit compromise is reached.

It said 30 million people and businesses in the EU have 40 billion of policies, such as life insurance, with British businesses. These will stop being valid unless the EU writes a law allowing them to continue.

About six million Britons have policies worth 20 billion with insurers across the Channel, and Parliament will need to pass a law here to avoid disruption.

The Banks governor, Mark Carney, said: Its absolutely in the interests of all parties, but very much in the interests of Europe, that elements of close co-operation are continued after Brexit.

The Bank also warned that 26 trillion of contracts between UK and EU banks will stop working once we leave the bloc unless new laws are passed in Brussels and London.

It added that British lenders have strong enough cash reserves to survive if there is a no-deal Brexit.

The Bank carried out a so-called stress test to see if they could cope with unemployment more than doubling to 9.5 per cent, a 33 per cent fall in house prices and a 2.4 per cent contraction on the global economy.

This is much worse than what happened during the financial crisis. But the biggest seven British lenders would remain afloat, the test found.
Britain's inner cities have ceased to be sinks of poverty, conflict and hopelessness, a major Government-backed report said on Tuesday.

They now provide young people with thriving education institutions, growing numbers of businesses and good jobs, it found.

The report produced by a team led by former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn praised 30 years of efforts to turn around depressed inner city areas that were once notorious for crime, unemployment, deprivation and racial tension.

The report produced by a team led by former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn praised 30 years of efforts to turn around depressed inner city areas that were once notorious for crime, unemployment, deprivation and racial tension

'The inner cities of our country are no longer the worst-performing areas for social mobility,' it said, 'though they are not yet the engines of social mobility they have the potential to be.

'Over recent decades, our cities  both north and south  have grown and have regenerated.'

The stamp of approval for cities came in a 'state of the nation' report from the Social Mobility Commission which said the worst prospects for young people are now in rural, coastal, and rundown former industrial districts.

A list of 'hotspots' and 'coldspots' for the chances of success in life for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds put poor and once-poor areas of London close to the top and a series of other areas that used to be considered moribund in the leading 100.

Of 324 local council districts in England, the report placed Tower Hamlets in East London at third place; Hackney, now a centre of hipster fashion, at fifth; Newham, a borough with a high immigrant population, at 12th; and Lambeth, scene of destructive rioting in the 1980s, at 17th.

Despite the Commission's criticism of former industrial cities, Rushcliffe, a suburb of poorly-rated Nottingham, was ranked at 42th out of 324.

Blackpool, a town routinely dismissed as the least healthy and wealthy in England, was put at 313rd, but the rural districts around it, Fylde and Wyre, were in the top 100 at 54th and 76th.

Of 324 local council districts in England, the report placed Tower Hamlets in East London at third place; Hackney (pictured above), now a centre of hipster fashion, at fifth

Of coastal towns, Southend-on-Sea was placed in the top 100 at 63, and other districts often considered less than dynamic that were in the top bracket included Luton, County Durham, Stockport, Sunderland, Mr Milburn's home city, Newcastle upon Tyne, and the north west district of Hyndburn that contains the town of Accrington.

The report said it had found 'a striking geographical divide with London and its surrounding areas pulling away from the rest of the country, while many other parts of the country are being left behind economically and hollowed out socially.'

The table was based on evidence from 16 fields, ranging from early years provision through quality of education to prospects for the working lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Inner cities, it said, 'have benefited from considerable public policy focus since the 1980s  on economic development and public transport in particular.

'These efforts have borne fruit for our cities' young people who now have access to more post-16 education institutions, more teachers for specialist A-level subjects, more universities, more employers and more quality jobs.

'Housing costs, however, can be high, deprivation can be commonplace and low-paid work can be the norm for city residents.'

Blackpool (pictured), a town routinely dismissed as the least healthy and wealthy in England, was put at 313rd

The report added: 'While richer areas tend to outperfrom deprived areas in the index, a number of places buck the trend.

'Some of the most deprived areas of England are hotspots, including most London boroughs.

'Conversely, some affluent areas, such as West Berkshire, Cotswold (CORR) and Crawley, are among the worst for offering good education, employment opportunities, and affordable housing to their most disadvantaged residents.' Mr Milburn said the country was divided and troubled.

'Britain seems to be in the grip of a self-reinforcing spiral of ever-growing division,' he said.

'The growing sense that we have become an us and them society is deeply corrosive of our cohesion as a nation. Our politics are becoming polarised just as our country is. We see that on this side of the Atlantic and we see it in the US.

'It is easy to rail against what is happening but the analysis in this report explains why there is such a sense of political alienation and social resentment in so many parts of our country.

'Whole tracts of our economy feel left behind, because they are. Whole communities feel that the benefits of globalisation have passed them by, because they have.'
An Oxford college has voted to rebrand a room named after a classical scholar who was accused of sexual harassment after his death.

Students at Corpus Christi said its Fraenkel room needed to be renamed to spare the feelings of college members who might be offended by it.

They said the room is used by female students and therefore it was vital to make the changes.

Students at Corpus Christi said its Fraenkel room needed to be renamed to spare the feelings of college members who might be offended by it

Eduard Fraenkel was accused of sexual misconduct toward female students whilst he was Professor of Classics at Corpus.

However, the allegations only came to light after his death in 1970, and were made in a memoir by Baroness Mary Warnock, a prominent philosopher.

Despite her allegations against him, Lady Warnock continued to praise Fraenkel as a great scholar.

The move comes following a number of rows over buildings named after controversial figures  with campaigners calling for them to be rebranded.

However, critics have said it amounts to censorship and erasing history.

The vote on the Fraenkel room was taken by the student-run Junior Common Room (JCR), which represents the interests of college members.

In a meeting on Sunday night, they voted in favour of lobbying the college to change the name of the Fraenkel room and remove Eduard Fraenkels portrait from the room.

They also voted in favour of boycotting of the existing name in the meantime, ruling that JCR committee members should now refer to it officially by a neutral name until negotiations with college were concluded.

Some members suggested the use of the name Corridor Room, student newspaper Cherwell reported.

In a meeting on Sunday night, they voted in favour of lobbying the college to change the name of the Fraenkel room and remove Eduard Fraenkels(pictured) portrait from the room

The motion passed with 35 votes in favour, one vote in opposition, and a single abstention.

Freya Chambers, who proposed the motion, told Cherwell: The Fraenkel room is used frequently by female students  it is even used to host Womens Welfare tea.

In light of this we thought it was vital to change the name of the room and to remove the photo of Frankel from the wall.

The allegations of sexual harassment against Fraenkel are not a secret and should not be ignored.

Shahryar Iravani, the equal opportunities officer and seconder of the motion, said: The JCRs decision to condemn Fraenkel will be taken by the JCR president and Equal Opportunities officer to the colleges president and welfare staff, to lobby them to change the rooms name officially within equalities meetings in Hilary term.

One member said in the meeting: The priority has to be the feelings of current members.

The allegations about Professor Fraenkel have previously caused controversy.

In 2006, Cambridge professor Mary Beard said: It is impossible not to feel sisterly outrage at what would now be deemed abuse of power.

Fraenkel is known as one of the greatest classical scholars of the 20th century.

The academic, who was Jewish, moved to England after being removed from his post in Germany as a result of the National Socialist Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service.
While the nation is up in arms about the repeal of something 99.9 percent of the population didnt know existed six months ago, its time for a sanity check.

We have been told we may be the only tech leader who thinks Ajit Pai is doing the right thing by rolling back net neutrality regulations. Our thoughts on the matter have been based on a great deal of experience in the past few years.

Here are some things we have seen happen:

The government promised a healthcare law would allow people to keep their doctor and plan and lower premiums by $2,500. Plans and doctors were lost and premiums have since doubled. Some states like Arizona saw their rates more than double in one year.

Well, at least the website worked right.

Well, at least the website worked right. The Government promised they would help with student loans. Student loans are now perhaps the largest financing bubble in the entire economy.

The Government promised Dodd-Frank would eliminate too-big-too-fail. Banks are now bigger and CEOs of these banks tell you on conference calls that Dodd-Frank compliance has limited the ability of new entrants to compete with them.

Intelligence agencies were given surveillance powers after 9/11 but not to be used to spy on Americans. Surpise? They are spying on Americans. Even though the heads of these organizations swore to Congress they were not. We needed leaks to learn about it.

The government told us the IRS could not be weaponized. It is just a revenue collection agency. Yet, the IRS apologized repeatedly for targeting civilians based on their political beliefs.

There are a host of technical reasons why net neutrality is dumb as well but we wont go into them now. What we know for sure  even though we have noticed many twenty-something tech bloggers who have never signed the front of a paycheck disagree, when you regulate anything, you decrease investment and that slows the economy.

Without even knowing what the hell net neutrality is, we should all instinctively be against it. History has shown us centrally planned economies always fail. Not mostly, always. We dont even need to look back that far to Soviet Communism or Cubas communism as examples. Venezuela started centrally planning their economy about a decade ago and as a result, they went from one of the richest countries in the world to one where people have eaten all their pets and zoo animals to survive and school teachers have become prostitutes.

But isnt net neutrality about having the good guys in the government protect us from those evil companies??

Corporations dont imprison citizens or lock them up for their beliefs or execute them in large numbers. Pick a spot on the globe and there is a good chance the government there has executed its citizens for its political beliefs or performed genocide. There are a bunch of countries doing both these things  as you read this.

So, amid this backdrop, if there is a threat of government tyranny or corporate tyranny where competition keeps things in check, we will always, always, always choose the latter.

So these are our quick, back-of-the napkin reasons for supporting Ajit Pai  he is the most courageous of the FCC Commissioners to date. Having said that  a brief shout out to Michael Powell and Kevin Martin who were past ITEXPO keynoters and Tom Wheeler a past TMCnet columnist. All great people but they never had to face this sort of political backlash.

This post is a follow-up to one we wrote this last August discussing the utter hypocrisy of Silicon Valley pushing for Net Neutrality while they use their market power to censor far worse than anything an ISP could ever dream of doing. Apparently, if you support the right political party, you are immune to criticism as we learned from hands-on photographic evidence of one of our senators this past week.

The post is titled Maybe Net Neutrality Needs to Apply to Silicon Valley. Ajit Pai basically paraphrased this post today when he discussed the censorship on Twitter. The top thought leader on monopolistic Silicon Valley practices is Scott Cleland. He had a spot-on post on the double-standard between ISPs and Valley companies today and we are posting it here with permission. Enjoy.

Net Neutralitys

Masters of Misdirection

On net neutrality, we have all been tricked by the masters of misdirection.

For many years Google, Facebook, Amazon, and the Internet Association have deftly misdirected the medias and governments attention away from their unaccountable market power, discriminatory models and practices, and real consumer protection problems, towards the potential for discrimination by legacy-regulated, competitive, broadband providers.

The masterful misdirection becomes painfully obvious when one looks at the facts.

First, its the supposedly competitive Internet edge that is hyper-dominant and hyper-concentrated, and it is Americas broadband industry that is the most competitive in the world.

America has at least three dominant distribution networks, Google for information with over 90% search share; Amazon for ecommerce with over 70% share of households given its 90m Amazon Prime members; and Facebook for social with over 60% share of all Americans. None of the three largest broadband providers have more than about 30% share of the combined wireline-wireless broadband market.

The public data shows that the top three Internet companies, Google, Amazon and Facebook are over seven times more concentrated than the top three offline companies, Walmart, Apple and Berkshire Hathaway, and that the top ten Internet economy companies are ten times more concentrated than the top ten offline economy companies.

And the public data show that Google and Facebook capture over 95% of all digital advertising growth, the apparent key content monetization engine of the future.

Second, it is the edge platforms that have long called for FCC rules to prevent ISPs from favoring one application over another.

Tellingly it is Google that has successfully mass-discriminated in favor of its apps over others more than any entity to extend its PC search dominance to mobile search dominance. In its Android contracts with manufacturers and carriers Google tied use of Android to requiring default use of Google search, and the prominent inclusion of at least 15 Google apps. No surprise, Googles non-neutral app discrimination via contractual tying has enabled Google to capture 19 of the top 25 Android apps downloaded over a billion times.

In October 2016, ProPublica exposed that Facebook enabled advertisers to illegally exclude users by race, which is illegal discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, and in November 2017, ProPublica documented Facebook is still enabling advertisers to illegally exclude users by race.

In addition, as a leading network where people get news, like being the top news source for over 60% of millennials, congressional hearings exposed that Facebooks network favored highly-profitable, viral fake news and fake ads in the 2016 election.

Amazon is Americas number one: direct online retailer, and online platform retailer and fulfillment provider for most of its competitors.

Amazon operates its dominant U.S. distribution network non-neutrally, because its core business model and growth strategy depend on systematic network discrimination against its direct competitors to succeed, i.e. self-dealing Amazons goods and services ahead of its competitors. If Amazon was not so dominant this would not be a problem.

However, Amazon has the top 90m of Americas 125m households as members of Amazon Prime. Over five million suppliers sell through Amazon Marketplace, with 100,000 sellers earning at least $100,000 a year.

Over half of online product searches start on Amazons network. And Amazons network captures over half of all ecommerce revenue growth, while comprising over 43% of all consumer online spending. This means Amazons network is non-neutrally discriminating in favor Amazons retail interests over its 5m supplier competitors interests which sell through Amazon Marketplace.

Third, if one needs any more evidence that Google, Facebook, Amazon, and the Internet Association have deftly misdirected the medias and governments attention away from their unaccountable market power, and discriminatory models and practices, look no further than how paid prioritization became the top priority of Google, Facebook, Amazon and the Internet Association to get added to the list of net neutrality must haves in the 2015 Open Internet Order, in addition to no blocking, no throttling, and transparency.

No paid prioritization, or no fast lanes, had nothing to do with net neutrality and everything to do with price regulation, i.e. a permanent price of zero for Amazon, Netflix, Google, and Facebooks outsized downstream bandwidth usage, a de facto, multi-billion dollar, hidden subsidy fully paid for by the American consumer.

Note in 2010, Public Knowledge filed net neutrality comments with the EU, that said this about paid prioritization: Question:  What other forms of prioritization are taking place? Do content and application providers also try to prioritize their services? If so, howand how does this prioritization affect other players in the value chain? Answer: Yes, content providers enter into paid peering arrangements with broadband access providers, or use content delivery networks. These arrangements do not raise net neutrality concerns

Even FreePress agreed paid prioritization was not a net neutrality violation because it said:  Sometimes this interconnection of traffic is unbalanced, and fees are paid, while at other times, the traffic going back and forth is roughly equivalent, and there is no money exchanged. But the point here is that there is a financial structure in place at every point in the network. If Verizon feels it is losing money by receiving traffic on its network, then it should revisit its peering and transport agreements.

In sum, on net neutrality, we have all been tricked by the masters of misdirection: Google, Facebook, Amazon, and the Internet Association.

Theyve masterfully misdirected the medias, consumer groups and the governments attention from their rigged winner-take-all game, where they, as the only unregulated sector in the economy, successfully, maximally-used regulatory-arbitrage against their only potential competitors, and in successfully misdirecting most everyones attention, were then able to concentrate over seven times more than the offline economy, and devour the outsized lions share of all Fortune 500 revenue growth and market capitalization growth.

They played us all like a fiddle.

Hopefully, we all will learn from the old adage: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. 

***

Scott Cleland served as Deputy U.S. Coordinator for International Communications & Information Policy in the George H. W. Bush Administration. He is President of Precursor LLC, an internetization consultancy for Fortune 500 companies, some of which are Google competitors, and Chairman of NetCompetition, a pro-competition e-forum supported by broadband interests. He is also author of Search & Destroy: Why You Cant Trust Google Inc. Cleland has testified before both the Senate and House antitrust subcommittees on Google.
A retired Marine Colonel has launched an eleventh-hour campaign in an effort to win the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Lee Busby, who served in the military for 31 years, knows the odds are against him in the Alabama election that's just two weeks away.

But nonetheless he believes he's a more viable candidate than Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Roy Moore, who has been consumed with sexual misconduct allegations.

'I'm glad to let the voters look at the other two candidates' resumes, and they can look at mine on my LinkedIn page, and they can decide for themselves,' Busby, who has raised four children with his ex-wife, told ABC News.

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Challenge accepted: Retired Marine Col. Lee Busby (above) has launched an eleventh-hour campaign in an effort to win the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Busby is a write-in candidate for the race that involves Democrat Doug Jones (left) and Republican Roy Moore (right). Busby said: 'With my throwing my name in the hat, this is now a three-way gunfight'

'The two other candidates are well steeped in Alabama judiciary experience. I don't think that means squat in terms of a U.S. Senate campaign.'

'With my throwing my name in the hat, this is now a three-way gunfight,' he added.

Busby, who is a write-in candidate, said he decided to run for the position after he was 'dissatisfied' with the two choices of Moore and Jones.

'It started off innocuously enough. I was just dissatisfied with the choices I had as a voter,' Busby said.

'I didn't know at the beginning if that was just me or if it was a more widespread feeling.

'Then I talked with some people, and it turned out it was as widespread as I thought it was.'

Busby said: 'The two other candidates are well steeped in Alabama judiciary experience. I don't think that means squat in terms of a U.S. Senate campaign'

Busby said he won't weigh in on the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore.

'I view it as I don't have an opinion and don't care. I mean, it's a mess,' he said.

'It's not my mess, and as a voter, I've decided not to try to get immersed in figuring out what happened and what didn't. I have no interest in it.'

Busby is hoping that he can get voters outside of the traditional Republican and Democratic groups to help him win.

'I do think that there's this huge swath between those margins that is very open to a candidacy like this one,' he said.

'I want to get something in  how to spell my name. L-e-e B-u-s-b-y. I want the voters to know that.'

Busby, who lives in Tuscaloosa, previously worked as a top aide to White House chief of staff John Kelly while they both served in the Marines. He is hoping that he can get voters outside of the traditional Republican and Democratic groups to help him win

Busby, who lives in Tuscaloosa, previously worked as a top aide to White House chief of staff John Kelly while they both served in the Marines.

Busby said that he did not coordinate his candidacy with Kelly and that he has not spoken to him since deciding to run for the empty Senate seat.

'Gen. Kelly and I haven't talked in about five years. But I've very much enjoyed watching his ascendancy to the spot that he is,' Busby said.

For the last few years Busby has been working as a small-business owner and entrepreneur sculpting bronze memorial busts of Alabamians who were killed fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both of which are places he served while in the Marines.

The special election for the Senate seat is being held on December 12.
Border workers' trade union chief Lucy Moreton admitted illegals are 'very very' unlikely to be caught and kicked out

It is impossible to track down the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants working on the black market in the UK, a border workers' union boss has warned.

Swingeing cuts to the immigration enforcement workforce has left the country vulnerable, it is claimed.

And there will be no way of enforcing new rules on EU nationals once the Government's post-Brexit immigration strategy is eventually finalised.

That is the warning from Lucy Moreton, of the Border Force workers' trade union the ISU.

She told the Sun: 'If you are here illegally you can survive very well, you access medical services your child can go to school the chances of us catching you are very, very slim.

'If you don't break the law we are not going to get you as we don't have the resources. We can't catch you.'

Just days ago pictures emerged of Albanians hiding in lorries and posing for 'stowaway selfies' on their way to Britain.

The latest immigration warning comes just days after pictures of young people hidden in lorries were uploaded on Facebook pages including 'Albanians in London', alongside the caption: 'On the way'

Families in Albania openly admitted sending their children to sneak into Britain to find a better life. Many end up in foster care or at the mercy of criminals, a Daily Mail investigation reveals

Ms Moreton's warning comes as an ex-director general of immigration enforcement, David Wood, told MPs there could be more than a million illegal immigrants in Britain.

He claimed many were living under the radar and it was unlikely they would ever be deported.

And ahead of a grilling by MPs on Wednesday, Ms Moreton said the Government had effectively outsourced immigration enforcement to private companies.

The UK's immigration problem was highlighted again earlier this week Images on three Facebook sites purportedly show young Albanians celebrating their illegal entry into Britain

A top border official has said swingeing cuts to the immigration enforcement workforce has left the country vulnerable

Already this year dozens of landlords have been slapped with heavy fines for failing to check whether their tenants had the right to be in the UK.

The immigration enforcement workforce is entirely separate from Border Force, the team that patrols the country's customs at airports and ferry terminals.

Ahead of Brexit, an additional 300 Border Force staff are said to be in the process of being hired but critics say an extra 3,000 will be needed to cope with post-Brexit conditions.

And Ms Moreton warned a Hard Brexit could spell trouble for immigration and could see massive waiting times at the border.

A Home Office spokesperson said immigration should be judged on results and not staff numbers.
Howell Donaldson's mugshot released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

The alleged Tampa serial killer has been arrested and charged with murdering four people.

Howell Donaldson was arrested after police received a tip from a McDonald's staff member Tuesday afternoon about a man with a gun and brought him in for questioning.

The 24-year-old was brought in after a gun was recovered from the scene, according to WFLA.

Donaldson, who goes by Trai because it is a family name, has been charged with four counts of first degree murder. He is accused of fatally shooting Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa and Ronald Felton.

Gail Rogers works at the McDonald's with Donaldson, and told The Tampa Bay Times Donaldson walked into the restaurant in his work uniform and asked the manager to hold his loaded 9mm handgun.

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Donaldson, who goes by Trai because it is a family name, is accused of fatally shooting Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa and Ronald Felton

Donaldson, 24, is seen in white being led by law enforcement personnel into the Orient Road Jail Wednesday

Officers are processing possible evidence and a red Mustang (pictured) at a McDonald's in Ybor City in Tampa

He then walked to Amscot to get a payday loan, and the manager had Rogers alert a female officer in the McDonald's about what had just happened. That officer then called for backup.

Rogers told the Times that Donaldson had worked at that McDonald's for about four months, and said he arrived at work driving a red Ford Mustang. The car is believed to belong to his father.

Donaldson was born in North Carolina but spent most of his life in Tampa before going to play college basketball at St John's University in New York.

On Tuesday afternoon Police Chief Brian Dugan told reporters that a man was brought in for questioning in connection with the murders. The killings started 51 days ago in the city's Seminole Height's neighborhood.

Howell Donaldson was arrested after police received a tip from a McDonald's staff member Tuesday afternoon about a man with a gun and brought him in for questioning

Donaldson, who goes by Trai because it is a family name, has been charged with four counts of first degree murder and accused of fatally shooting Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa and Ronald Felton. He is pictured right with his mother and sister

Gail Rogers works at the McDonald's with Donaldson (pictured is the McDonald's where he worked), and told The Tampa Bay Times Donaldson walked into the restaurant in his work uniform and asked the manager to hold his loaded 9mm handgun

Speaking after the arrest, Mayor Bob Buckhorn said: 'Fifty one days ago I said this was a struggle between good and evil.

'Well, tonight goodness has won.'

Earlier this week police connected the killings based on their methodology - meaning they were all killed in the same way, which is common for serial killers.

Earlier on Tuesday Police Chief Brian Dugan told reporters that a man was brought in for questioning in connection with the murders. The killings started 51 days ago in the city's Seminole Height's neighborhood

The suspect, who is pictured in a surveillance video released after the attacks, is described as a thin light-skinned black man between 6 feet and 6 feet 2 inches. Because all four victims were killed in the same way there are fears that a serial killer in on the loose

Each of the four victims was killed but not robbed while they walked along at night within a half-mile area of the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

The victims, though, didn't have any common similarities based on race, age or occupation.

The first attack happened on October 9 when Benjamin Mitchell was shot dead after getting off a bus in the neighborhood at night.

Two days after Mitchell, 22, was shot, Monica Hoffa, 32, was gunned down. And on October 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was shot after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. Police patrolling nearby heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene to find Naiboa dead.

The first attack happened on October 9 when Benjamin Mitchell (left) was shot dead after getting off a bus in the neighborhood at night. Two days after Mitchell, 22, was shot, Monica Hoffa, (right) 32, was gunned down

On October 19, Anthony Naiboa, (left) 20, was shot after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. Then on November 14 Ronald Felton (right) was crossing at Nebraska and Wilder when a man dressed in all black came up behind him and shot him

Each of the four victims was killed but not robbed while they walked along at night within a half-mile are of the Seminole Heights neighborhood

Then in late October Dugan released a blurry video of a suspect, who can be seen wearing a hooded jacket and walking down a street near one of the shootings.

He then released another video on November 16 of who he believes is the same man, who was present near the fatal shooting of Ronald Felton.

Felton was the last of the four victims to be killed, and was shot on November 14.

Police said the victim, a construction worker and father of three adult children, was crossing at Nebraska and Wilder when a man dressed in all black came up behind him and shot him.

Dugan described the suspect in the video as a thin light-skinned black man between 6 feet and 6 feet 2 inches.
Victoria has become Australia's first state to legalise assisted suicide after the landmark pilled passed through parliament.

After more than 100 hours of debate through the Lower and Upper Houses, terminally ill patients will now have the right to request a lethal injection and end their suffering.

Emotional scenes swept over the room as MPs burst into tears and embraced each other as the voluntary euthanasia bill went through last week.

Victoria has become Australia's first state to legalise assisted suicide after the landmark pilled passed through parliament

Emotional scenes swept over the room as MPs burst into tears and embraced each other as the voluntary euthanasia bill went through

The bill passed through the Upper House with a small majority of 22 to 18 last week, while the Lower House approved the bill with a 47 to 37 majority.

The original bill proposed by Premier Daniel Andrews' government was amended throughout the process, with service being available to people with 12 months to live cut in half.

People with a life expectancy of six months will have access to assisted suicide, with special exemptions for people suffering from certain conditions including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.

Patients will need approval from two independent medical experts before they can undertake the voluntary euthanasia.

They must be over 18 years-of-age, have lived in Victoria for at least 12 months and must be mentally fit to make the decision.

Users will also have to administer the shot themselves, however, doctors may apply the lethal injection in some cases.

The laws will come into effect mid-next year.

The bill passed through the Upper House with a small majority of 22 to 18 last week, while the Lower House approved the bill with a 47 to 37 majority
A 36-year-old man has been killed and two more men trapped after rocks collapsed on a popular walking track at the Blue Mountains.

New South Wales emergency workers were called to the national park at Wentworth Falls, west of Sydney, about 11.45am on Wednesday.

One man died at the scene, while two others, aged 27 and 26, were trapped against a wall.

One man died at the scene, while two were trapped against a wall with possible fractures to their legs

Emergency service crews were called to the Wentworth Falls walking track after the rock slide killed one and trapped two others

The 27-year-old sustained serious leg and pelvic injuries and was airlifted to Westmead hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

The 26-year-old man remains on the side of the mountain, where he is in the process of being rescued by helicopter.

NSW Police said their priority was to safely rescue the two men, before turning efforts to the recovery of the man who died.

'This is obviously a very tragic incident, and a very sensitive operation,' they said.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide (bottom right)

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad

NSW police said they successfully contacted the families of two of the men, but were yet to reach the family of the third.

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad.

NSW police said the incident happened on a closed track and there was no risk to the public, however still urged people to avoid the area.

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats.

The incident is being investigated and will be reported to the coroner.

Police urged anyone with information in relation to the incident to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats

A command post was set up at Armstrong Road, and paramedics were sent in on foot
They were one of the most important Russian spy rings to operate in London during the Cold War - not that the neighbours would ever have guessed it.

But now MI5 has released documents that reveal the amazing story behind the Portland Spy Ring, made up of an unlikely rabble including a 'drunk' clerk, a 'playboy' jukebox businessman, a 'mousy' secretary and a bookseller.

The discovery of the ring, operating out of a house in Ruislip, north west London, sent shockwaves around the intelligence services of the world because it was one of the first examples of deep-cover agents  those who blended into society under false names rather than posing with official covers in diplomatic roles.

The previously top secret documents shedding light on MI5's and the CIA's investigations are available for inspection at the National Archives in Kew.

Although MI5 was suspicious of the group, the new documents show a CIA informant in Poland tipped British intelligence off about the Portland ring's activities, prompting their arrests before the Kremlin realised their cover was blown.

Harry Houghton and Ethel Gee, pictured after their release, were two of the infamous Portland Spy Ring who gave nuclear submarine secrets to the Russians. Houghton worked as a clerk at the Navy's Underwater Defence Establishment in Portland, Dorset and had an affair with Gee, a secretary, who had access to classified documents

Another of the ring was 'Gordon Lonsdale', (above) really a KGB agent Konon Molody who would meet Houghton in London, with the spy posing as a Canadian-born businessman who ran jukebox and bubblegum machine businesses and lived a 'playboy lifestyle'

Russian spies Morris and Lona Cohen, above, who worked under the assumed names Peter and Helen Kroger were also jailed in 1961 as part of the Portland Spy Ring after collecting information from Molody at their home in Ruislip. They were later traded in October 1969 for Gerald Brooke, a British citizen arrested in the Soviet Union and are pictured on a flight to Warsaw Airport from Heathrow after their release

The incident involved Harry Houghton and Ethel Gee, who were arrested in January 1961 and accused of stealing top secret information form the Navy's Underwater Defence Establishment in Portland, Dorset.

Both Houghton and Gee lived near the top secret base, with Houghton working there as a clerk.

MI5 closed in on Houghton after they received a tip-off from the CIA who had received information from a Polish intelligence source.

Houghton had previously worked in the office of the Naval attache's office in Warsaw, but was returned to Britain because of his heavy drinking.

It was during this time it was believed he was turned by the KGB.

Houghton managed to secure a job with the UDE in Portland which was responsible for designing methods for detecting submarines and developing techniques for avoiding detection.

At the time, the UK was commissioning its first nuclear submarine, HMS Dreadnought.

Houghton's ex-wife told MI5 in 1960 that she noticed her husband had taken classified documents from the base and even brought them to London for the weekend.

The previously top secret dossier revealed: 'Once Houghton returned from one of these trips in a fairly merry state and threw what she estimated to be approximately 150 into the air with shouts of glee.'

The couple split up in 1955 and later divorced. Mrs Houghton tried to raise her husband's treachery with authorities, telling them he frequently brought confidential documents home, but she was ignored.

Gee and Houghton, pictured, were jailed for 15 years after their espionage trial in 1961 but were both released in 1970 and later married, with Gee always claiming she 'did it for love'

MI5 later bugged Houghton's phone and gave him the code name REVERBERATE. He managed to buy a large four-bed cottage in Weymouth with the proceeds from his KGB handlers.

He also continued to drink heavily.

Spies soon discovered he was having an affair with Ethel Gee who also worked at the UDE. She was nine years younger than Houghton.

Her MI5 file said she was: 'Plain in appearance and speaking with a fairly strong Dorset accent, it would be hard to find someone further removed from the popular conception of the female spy than Miss "Bunty" Gee.'

Houghton passed on his information though a Soviet agent with a bogus Canadian nationality called Gordon Lonsdale.

Plain clothes officers followed Houghton and Gee on a weekend trip to the capital where they met Lonsdale, prompting MI5 to investigate him further.

They found he ran jukebox and bubblegum machine businesses and drove a US-imported Studebaker car, enjoying a luxury lifestyle.

It was only after his eventual espionage conviction that they discovered he was really KGB agent Konon Molody, the son of two Soviet scientists who had been 'selected at childhood' to be sent overseas as a spy.

Molody went to California aged 10 in 1932 to learn English before serving in the Russian Secret Service during World War Two.

Afterwards he was sent to Canada to continue his undercover training and obtained his false identity - with the real Lonsdale being born in Canada before emigrating to Russia where he later died.

Houghton and Molody were put under surveillance by MI5 and observed talking in Steve's Restaurant, pictured, in London where 'loudmouth' Houghton discussed future meetings and plans to visit the Russian ballet, making the intelligence services even more suspicious

Houghton, left in his Navy days, passed on documents about the first UK nuclear submarine, HMS Dreadnought, which he was able to get through Gee, right with Houghton after their release. When arrested, Gee was found with a bag full of classified photos and film

Molody used KGB funds to set up his 'cover businesses' and became so successful he is believed to be the first agent to become a multi-millionaire.

The last pieces of the puzzle MI5 put together were Peter and Helen Kroger, who lived at the Ruislip house.

Surveillance officers found Molody frequently visited Mr Kroger, a bookseller, at the property and a 'listening post' was set up across the road to keep an eye on them.

MI5s surveillance teams were also able to listen in on meetings between Houghton and Molody, with the Brit described as loud-mouthed.

They learned of meetings on the first Saturday of each month, trips to watch the Russian ballet in London and of the meetings at the Krogers home.

By January 1961 the CIA became involved after its mole in the Polish intelligence service, Michael Goleniewski aka Sniper, defected to the west in Berlin and informed on Houghton.

This prompted MI5 to act and recruit Special Branch to arrest the five  with Houghton, Gee and Lonsdale rounded up on Waterloo Road after exchanging documents.

The Krogers, or Cohens, sent shockwaves around the world as one of the first examples of 'deep-cover' sleeper agents with false identities blending into society, rather than previous spies who had official diplomatic covers

Their home was raided by police who eventually discovered radio transmitting equipment, false passports and huge amounts of money, with the property eventually dubbed the 'House of Secrets'

When detained, Gee was found to be carrying film and photographs of classified information in a shopping bag, including details on Dreadnought.

Meanwhile officers turned up at the Krogers' home on the pretence they were investigating local burglaries, gaining entry to the home.

After arresting Mr Kroger, officers stopped his wife from stoking the boiler after correctly guessing she was trying to destroy evidence - in this case microdots containing national secrets that the couple stored in books.

A wide range of spy equipment was also found including a radio transmitter, fake passports and huge sums of money and the property quickly became dubbed 'the house of secrets' in the press.

After the Krogers were arrested they were found to really be Morris and Lona Cohen after fingerprints were sent to the FBI.

Born in the US, they had worked for the KGB as couriers passing on atomic secrets but fled America in 1952 after the arrest of fellow sleeper agents.

After being given false passports from New Zealand, they arrived in the UK in 1954 to continue their work.

The Cohens, who were born in America, received classified information from Harry Houghton, who was turned by the Russians while he worked in Warsaw in the naval attache's office. The Cohens are pictured here on their way back to life beyond the Iron Curtain

MI5 agents believe this pub on the Kingston by-pass was used by the Portland Spy Ring

The Cohens and Gee protested their innocence throughout their espionage trial in March 1961 while Houghtons efforts to turn on his colleagues were rejected and Molody kept silent.

All of them were convicted, with Molody sentenced to 25 years in jail while the Cohens received 20 years each and Houghton and Gee were given 15 year sentences.

The Royal Navy later claimed the information passed to the Soviets enabled them to build new silent submarines more quickly and efficiently.

The Cohens were released in 1969 as part of a spy swap and received a warm welcome back in Russia, including awards and dinners in their honour.

Molody was also traded back to the Soviet Union in 1964 to return to his wife and children, and died six years later.

The affair between Houghton and Gee turned into a marriage after both were released in 1970, with Gee always claiming she did everything out of love for him after a lifetime of spinsterhood.

The newly declassified files are on display at The National Archives at Kew.
A flurry of tears and applause has greeted the Senate passage of a landmark bill legalising same-sex marriage.

Liberal Dean Smith's largely unamended private bill sailed through the upper house on Wednesday with senators voting 43-12 in favour of changing the Marriage Act.

'In a world where there are more tensions between people, our country has offered a loving embrace to its own,' an emotional Senator Smith said ahead of the vote.

'A few brief moments of joy is what our country has ached for because we know it will result in a lifetime of joy for so many others.'

Same-sex marriage legislation is one step closer to becoming law after it was passed in the Senate on Wednesday

Liberal Dean Smith's largely unamended private bill sailed through the upper house on Wednesday with senators voting 43-12 in favour of changing the Marriage Act (Greens Senator Nick McKim is seen celebrating)

A flurry of tears and applause greeted the Senate passage of a landmark bill

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS * Protect civil celebrants who refuse to marry same-sex couples (Attorney-General George Brandis and cabinet minister Matt Canavan, Liberal Democrats' David Leyonhjelm, One Nation, conservative Liberals James Paterson and David Fawcett) * Protect religious freedoms (Brandis and Canavan) * Protect 'relevant beliefs' around marriage (Paterson and Fawcett) * Create two definitions of marriage - one as between a man and a woman and the other as between two people (Paterson and Fawcett) * Prevent governments and agencies from taking action against people with a traditional view of marriage (Paterson and Fawcett) * Allow parents to remove their children from classes if they believe material taught is inconsistent with their views on marriage (Paterson and Fawcett) * Allow chaplains and authorised officers in the defence force to refuse to marry same-sex couples (Paterson and Fawcett) * Ensure charities' tax and government funding status would not be affected if they opposed same-sex marriage (Paterson and Fawcett) * Ensure state and territory officers have to solemnise all marriages (Leyonhjelm) * Protect businesses which want to refuse services to same-sex marriages (Leyonhjelm) * Ensuring state and territory anti-discrimination laws aren't limited (Greens) * Stop civil celebrants from refusing to marry same-sex couples (Greens) Advertisement

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong said the bill's passage was a historic moment.

'It says to so many Australians, this parliament, this country, accepts you for who you are,' she said.

'Your love is not lesser, and nor are you. It says you're one of us.'

Attorney-General George Brandis, who made a passionate speech during the debate, said it was a proud moment for democracy.

'We should rejoice in what the Australian people have achieved this year,' he said.

The bill now goes to the lower house for a debate likely to start on Monday, and a vote before the end of the week.

If any amendments are added in the House of Representatives, the bill will have return to the Senate for approval.

Labor senator Louise Pratt praised the activist movement which had led to legislative change.

'Our relationships have existed for a long time. Our families have existed for a long time. Our love is true. Our children are cherished. Our families are precious. It is time that we were equal,' Senator Pratt said.

Cabinet minister Matt Canavan said he could not support a bill which compromised human rights.

'I think the failure to fully protect celebrants who have a conscientious or may have a conscientious or non-religious objection to solemnising a same-sex marriage is a missed opportunity for our parliament to unify,' he said.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said discriminatory laws had been sent to the dustbin of history.

'I am so proud of this parliament and today I am so proud of my country,' he said.

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong (pictured) said the bill's passage was a historic moment

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) abstained from the final vote, as did Liberal James McGrath and Nationals Brigid McKenzie

Nationals Senator Barry O'Sullivan (pictured) before the vote for the same-sex marriage bill in the Senate chamber at Parliament House

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson abstained from the final vote, as did Liberal James McGrath and Nationals Brigid McKenzie.

Earlier, two Nationals MPs accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of ignoring conservatives during the debate.

'I think, in my view, there's been a complete lack of leadership,' Western Victorian MP Andrew Broad said.

Queensland backbencher George Christensen agreed with his colleague.

'A true leader would have sought to capture the will of the people and protect freedoms, not this hands-off approach,' he posted on social media.
The former White House intern whose affair with then-President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment has a message for the world  dont call it the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Lewinsky on Tuesday took to Twitter and hit out at CNNs HLN network for promoting a new two-hour documentary looking back at the saga.

HLN to revisit The Monica Lewinsky Scandal with two-hour special, read the announcement on Twitter.

Lewinsky re-tweeted the post  but with the words The Monica Lewinsky Scandal crossed out.

Instead, she drew two arrows and wrote new titles, including The Starr Investigation and The Clinton Impeachment.

Fixed it for you, Lewinsky wrote. Youre welcome.

Monica Lewinsky hit out at CNNs HLN network for promoting a new two-hour documentary looking back at her affair with then-President Bill Clinton. Instead of naming it 'The Monica Lewinsky Scandal,' the former White House intern had other suggestions for a title

Lewinskys tweet went viral, generating over 2,200 shares and nearly 13,000 likes.

In 1998, it was learned that Clinton had an affair with Lewinsky, who was then a 22-year-old intern at the White House.

Lewinsky testified that she and the president had nine sexual encounters in the Oval Office between November 1995 and March 1997.

When the presidents aides noticed that their boss was spending too much time with Lewinsky in the White House, she was transferred to the Pentagon.

In 1998, it was learned that Clinton had an affair with Lewinsky, who was then a 22-year-old intern at the White House

In the two decades since the scandal, Lewinsky has largely stayed out of the public eye  only to re-emerge in recent years as an advocate for preventing cyber-bullying

It was there that she met a co-worker, Linda Tripp.

The affair became public after Tripp secretly recorded conversations with her discussing the affair and passed them on to Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel investigating Clinton for his role in an Arkansas land deal.

Both Clinton and Lewinsky denied having a sexual relationship under oath when testifying in the Paul Jones lawsuit accusing the then-president of sexual harassment.

Clinton first forcefully denied the allegations, saying in January that year in a public statement: 'I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me... I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.'

He eventually admitted in August 1998 to having an inappropriate relationship with Lewinsky.

'I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression. I misled people, including even my wife,' he said at the time. 'I deeply regret that.

'Indeed I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate.

'In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible.'

Clinton became only the second president in US history to be impeached by Congress.

He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.

After Clintons impeachment, a trial was held in the Senate, where Republicans fell short of the necessary amount of votes to remove him from office.

In the two decades since the scandal, Lewinsky has largely stayed out of the public eye  only to re-emerge in recent years as an advocate for preventing cyber-bullying.
A young woman claims she was forced to smuggle tampons into a music festival after security told her the sanitary products were banned.

Canberra woman Stephanie Skinner, 22, revealed she hid her tampons and period painkillers down her shirt in order to get them past security at the Spilt Milk festival on November 25.

'The female security guard who looked through my bag pointed to my tampons and period pain medication (naproxen) and told me I wouldn't be allowed to bring these items into the festival as they were prohibited,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Canberra woman Stephanie Skinner, 22, revealed she hid her tampons and period painkillers down her shirt in order to get them past security guards

'I tried to reason with her, saying I needed them, to which she responded 'well what do you need them for?'.

'I thought this was a ridiculous question as it should be pretty clear what I needed tampons and period pain medication for, but I responded anyway and told her I had my period.'

Ms Skinner said she was directed to the ambulance to get clearance for the products, who once again told her she was not allowed to take the prescription medication in.

This was when the 22-year-old said she gave up and decided to smuggle the tampons and medication down her shirt.

'I definitely never thought I would have to smuggle sanitary products and medication into a music festival,' she said.

Ms Skinner was one of a string of music lovers to complain about warped security measures at this year's Spilt Milk festival (pictured)

'So can someone tell me why security tried to refuse to let people bring tampons into the festival?' Ms Skinner wrote on Facebook after the event

Ms Skinner was one of a string of music lovers to complain about warped security measures at Spilt Milk.

The festival came under fire for preventing punters from bringing in a range of seemingly innocent products, including allergy medication, asthma puffers, sunscreen and empty water bottles.

'If I die from an asthma/hay fever related attack you'll be getting the bill Spilt Milk,' Kate said on Facebook.

Another woman said her bag was taken away from her because it was 'too big'.

'Thanks for ruining the start of a great day! I was told my bag was too "big" to take in to the festival. I have brought the same very bag into multiple festivals and never had a problem.'

The festival (pictured) came under fire for preventing punters from bringing a range of seemingly innocent products in, from allergy medication, asthma puffers, to sunscreen and empty water bottles

The festival's stance on security appeared to change drastically in recent months.

Spilt Milk planned to introduce a progressive pill testing trial at this year's event, making it the first trial of its kind in Australia.

The pill testing trial had the support of the ACT government but was abandoned just a month before the event was due to go ahead.

Spilt Milk organisers claimed crucial documents were not submitted in time.

'It's a tough day when something you have advocated for so strongly can't quite make it over the line,' Spilt Milk said on its Facebook.

The trial was abandoned just a month before the event (pictured) because crucial documents were reportedly not submitted in time, according to a statement released by Spilt Milk

'We are hugely disappointed as Spilt Milk strongly supports pill testing as a harm minimisation measure.'

Festival organisers claimed Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE) failed to submit planning, risk assessment, insurance and legal documents before deadline.

STA-SAFE denied it was at fault.

'As far as I know we provided all documentation necessary,' a spokesman told Hack.
Two of Roy Moore's staffers have been caught on camera shoving a pair of Fox News photojournalists outside an Alabama rally for the embattled Republican Senate candidate.

A handful of reporters and camera crews had gathered outside the community center in Henagar on Monday night to catch a glimpse of Moore entering the building to speak to his supporters.

Footage shows two men wearing Moore campaign stickers approaching a Fox News cameraman and grabbing onto his equipment as he tried to film Moore.

The other Fox employee was verbally assaulted by another Moore campaign staffer.

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Footage shows two men wearing Moore campaign stickers approaching a Fox News cameraman and grabbing onto his equipment as he tried to film Moore

Fox News said Moore's staffers pushed the cameras back and 'physically manhandled' the two photographers.

A producer intervened and told the two campaign staffers not to touch the cameras.

One of the men has been identified as Tony Goolesby who is Moore's Dekalb County campaign coordinator.

A woman can be heard in the footage yelling 'Tony' several times before placing her hand on the other man's chest to push him back.

'Follow our orders,' Goolesby said to the cameramen. 'Go. Now.'

Connor Sheets, a Birmingham News reporter, tweeted footage of the scuffle and said the cameramen didn't appear to fight back.

Reporters and camera crews had gathered outside the community center in Henagar on Monday night to catch a glimpse of Moore entering the building to speak to his supporters

Footage shows two men wearing Moore campaign stickers approaching a Fox News cameraman and grabbing onto his equipment as he tried to film Moore

One of the men has been identified as Tony Goolesby who is Moore's Dekalb County campaign coordinator

Watch the latest video at <a href="http://video.foxnews.com">video.foxnews.com</a>

'It's not unusual for people to get bumped around a bit in the media scrum,' Fox News reporter Jonathan Serrie said.

'This was not a scrum though. It is highly unusual for members of a political campaign to physically engage in this manner with members of the press.'

Moore's campaign chairman Bill Armistead said he hadn't seen the footage but the campaign does not approve such behavior.

'Our campaign certainly doesn't condone any pushing or shoving of anyone, certainly not reporters or anyone else,' he said.

Moore went on to speak at the rally after the scuffle where he said 'dirty politics' were behind the allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore said on Monday night at a campaign rally that 'dirty politics' are behind the allegations of sexual misconduct against him

After speaking Monday night to a friendly crowd in northeast Alabama (above), Moore lashed out at the allegations as false but would not take questions from reporters

He has been accused of sexually assaulting or molesting two women decades ago, when he was in his 30s and they were teenagers.

At least five others have said he pursued romantic relationships when they were teenagers.

The Republican told his supporters that establishment leaders of both parties oppose him because he is 'hard to manage' or they want to stop his religious-themed politics. Moore said he hopes to one day outlaw abortion.

It comes after President Trump made it known Monday he won't set foot in the state on behalf of Moore, even as he intensified his insistence that voters must never elect his Democratic foe.
Network complexity is literally growing exponentially and the ability for organizations to manage the increasing complexity isnt growing with it. Staff budgets are often shrinking or staying level yet the sprawl of systems; servers, computers, sensors, etc. continues unabated. Without making use of artificial intelligence operations or AIOps it really is impossible to visualize your systems, let alone diagnose them quickly when a problem needs to be rapidly remedied.

FixStream, is making a name for itself as a premium provider of AIOps solutions to some of the most substantial companies.

The business is accelerating so quickly that IT organizations need to reinvent how to manage and operate their business-critical processes, or risk having their competition leave them behind, said Mike Jude, research analyst, Frost & Sullivan. FixStream provides an industry-first end-to-end correlation and visualization of Oracle ERP transactions and metrics that is a real game changer, and a critical AIOps platform that I believe IT Operations will kill to have in their networks.

We agree with Mike. Digital transformation is an ongoing struggle for companies who need to explore new models and ways of doing business to ensure they arent disrupted or disintermediated by a new entrant or an adjacent company.

Technology solutions today are generally additive  meaning more systems are thrown into the mix and APIs often interconnect the systems to one another. Try as they might, developers and system architects do not catch all the potential issues that could be caused by one device outage leading to system-wide failures which are difficult to diagnose.

If the goal of transformation is indeed agility then experiencing ever-longer outages when something breaks is the exact opposite of what needs to happen. Recently I spoke with Enzo Signore, the companys CMO, he discussed how FixStream sees itself as a big data analytics company and a correlation platform for hybrid IT. Shortly thereafter we covered the large-scale airline outage in Europe where Enzo said the following:

This is EXACTLY what FixStream is addressing  the correlation between applications and infrastructure is one of the most complex to determine, given the distributed architecture and the siloed nature of IT. Visibility of the end-to-end flows is limited and therefore precious time and money is wasted. In this case impacting travelers all over Europe. Todays incident raises several questions: In this case it took 15 minutes to discover the network issue, but why did it take 4 hours to restore the service? How many people were involved in getting to the root cause? What would have been the impact if it had taken an hour to determine the issue? Also, were they able to determine the reasons behind the network failure so that it can be prevented from happening in the future?

FixStream just announced its newest release will have out-of-the-box discovery and correlation of Oracle ERP business processes and transactions with infrastructure in order to break down the barriers of communication between IT and business operations.

Specifically, FixStream 6.0 will provide support for Oracle ERP 12.X, Oracle Real Application Clusters, Oracle VM hypervisor and Oracle Fusion Middleware in on-premises, hybrid, public or Oracle ERP cloud deployments.

FixStream provides a powerful analytics platform that delivers the industrys first end-to-end view of Oracle ERP transaction flows correlated with applications and infrastructure in hybrid IT environments, said Bojan Simic, founder and chief analyst, Digital Enterprise Journal. FixStream can be deployed in few hours thanks to its out-of-the-box discovery of Oracle ERP applications and delivers instant tangible value to business and IT operations.

In a conversation with Sameer Padhye (pictured), FixStream CEO, he gave us a candid look into the company and industry as a whole. He said, Complexity and invisibility are not good friends from an operations perspective. He continued, You need to analyze, correlate and visualize to gain insight on an invisible world.

Sameer is surprised how bad things are  even in large companies, explaining that growth and transformation have led to hybrid-cloud in many companies. He said, Organizations have no idea where the app environment is and what storage, network and compute resources it uses.

He said when an app goes down today, it can take a month to find what the issue is. He then added emphatically, FixStream can find it for you you in minutes.

He went on to explain he used to work at Cisco and when there were problems with deployments they were often struggling to figure out where the problems were. He elaborated by saying there was no shortage of tools from networking companies as well as for compute and storage.

The implication was the need for AIOps to correlate and visualize all of these systems.

We asked at what point a company should consider adding AIOps and he told us companies fall into three categories:

Premise-based: They can still benefit from AIOps. Hybrid-Planning: The best time to bring a vendor like FixStream in. They can help an organization determine what happens if an asset moves and which applications depend on which assets and what relationships need to migrate. People who have moved certain apps to the cloud are also great potential users of AIOps.

He told me FixStream is constantly analyzing all of the devices on a network to determine if there is a problem. Some of the things it logs are MAC address, the number of errors, buffers, and if bandwidth is exceeding limits. It then correlates to see dependencies between network, compute, storage, applications, databases, buffer sizes, log files, MAC tables, routing tables and more.

In this manner, the solution can use past events which may have preceded larger problems like an outage as predictors of future problems. These correlations are then presented to the user of the software with predictions about what they might mean.

Once problems are identified, customers are able to go back in time and see things like cache size and CPU spikes in time series to get an idea of how their living, breathing infrastructure was doing. He added, Humans cannot detect this. He gave an example of an ecommerce site that sees the number of orders dropping as a result of a network issue. He continued, We can display the correlation between financial metrics (like orders, invoices, etc.) or an unresponsive electronic cart with infrastructure issues so that we can quickly correct them and avoid significant financial impact to the business.

Sameer said, quite often problems are caused when someone changes something which impacts something else or when contention between devices occurs, subsequently causing a failure.

This is just one use-case outlined in the Swiss-Army-knife list of functions FixStream provides:

Troubleshooting Migration  currently 70%-80% of time is spent planning. AIOps helps speed this process up. Optimization  customers can see a heat map and which servers are red-hot and which are underutilized. Compliance  allowing for documentation, proof of control, ensuring applications are walled off from one another, etc.

Sameer finished explaining FixStream by saying it is like Google Maps for a companys IT infrastructure. Continuing with analogies he said it is also like radar for air-traffic-control or a device which lets you see the wires in a wall before you drill.

Our opinion is companies dealing with growing networks, compliance and transformation have to leverage technology to ensure the growth of their solutions wont impede their operations. AIOps and FixStreams solutions are certainly an important part of ensuring networks are running optimally in a digitally transforming enterprise world.
Ivanka Trump wowed India in remarks at a global conference this week, where she promoted womens entrepreneurship and talked up our administrations commitment to gender parity.

Hailed by an Indian official as 'arguably the most powerful woman in the world' as she was introduced before a panel at the summit on Wednesday, Trump, a senior White House adviser, stepped into the role of chief diplomat at the U.S. sponsored convention.

Rex Tillerson, the U.S. secretary of state, did not trek to India for the summit that was located this year in the IT-savvy city of Hyderabad. His predecessor, John Kerry, and the former president of the United States, Barack Obama, had attended it at several turns in the past.

Ivanka Trump, a senior White House adviser, stepped into the role of chief diplomat at the U.S. sponsored summit that's been held annually for past eight years and was located this year in the IT-savvy city of Hyderabad

Hailed by an Indian official as 'arguably the most powerful woman in the world' as she was introduced before a panel at the Global Entrepreneurship summit on Wednesday

Trump was on hand at the request of Indias prime minister, Narendra Modi, U.S. officials have said, to speak about women in the workplace, a policy area she has made her own as a senior adviser to her father in the White House.

It was a joint decision between the friendly countries to zero in on her advocacy, they stated.

As the highest ranking U.S. official at the event Trump joined a group of State Department representatives in afternoon talks with Modi on Tuesday.

Other U.S. officials were present for the meeting, a person familiar with the situation said. Yet, the photo that Modi shared with his 37.2 million Twitter followers was of he and Ivanka at the bilateral alone.

A nicety typically reserved for visiting heads of states and foreign ministers, the photo of India's head of government and the first daughter communicated the air of authority that she exudes.

Trump serves as an unpaid adviser to the president. So long as she does not take a salary, White House lawyers contend, she will not run afoul of federal nepotism laws.

Her husband Jared Kushner has entered into a agreement with the government. The deal allows them to retain ownership of their lucrative businesses by walling them off from the day-to-day operations.

On a panel Wednesday in Hyderabad, K.T. Rama Rao, Government of Telenga, Minister for IT, referred to Ivanka as 'arguably the most powerful woman in the world.'

Trump had a frozen face as Rao explained, 'I didn't know what to call her because she dons multiple responsibilities.'

Moments later, he described her as an 'adviser to POTUS' as he welcomed the panel's speakers to the stage.

Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad on Wednesday

Even though Trump was invited by Modi to headline the U.S.-initiated Global Entrepreneurship Summit that Obama awarded to India before he left office, Trump's trip to South Asia is said to have ruffled feathers at the State Department.

CNN said in a widely-publicized report that quickly made it's way around the world to Hyderabad that Tillerson purposely hung Ivanka out to dry because he was tired of being overshadowed by the 36-year-old daughter of the president and her husband.

Kushner has made several trips to Asia of his own in a bid to negotiate Middle East peace.

Jared and Ivanka were also on President Trump's first foreign trip, a long journey to the Middle East and Europe in May. They attended a meeting of the G20 in July.

Ivanka caught flak during the high-level meeting in Germany for occupying her father's empty seat during a discussion on a women's fund she helped to develop while he engaged in other activities. She was subsequently absent from President Trump's short jaunt the following week to France.

The senior White House adviser did not accompany her father to Asia earlier this month, either, cancelling meetings in China and South Korea to promote tax reform in the U.S.

The president's daughter did travel to Tokyo, her father's first stop on the trip, but she was in Japan ahead of the U.S. delegation, for a womens summit, and left before her father entered the country's airspace.

'She was pleased to stay stay back with the administration and work on tax reform,' a White House official contended, stressing in a conversation that Ivanka was not sidelined on the trip that her husband went on and Tillerson was a major part of.

A nicety typically reserved for visiting heads of states and foreign ministers, the photo of India's head of government Narendra Modi and the first daughter on Tuesday communicated the air of authority the president's daughter exudes

Trump was on hand at the request of Indias prime minister, Narendra Modi, U.S. officials have said, to speak about the issues, which she has made her own as a senior adviser in her fathers White House

In India, it was Ivanka who captivated the country, starring in two panels across two days at the conference. She also delivered an at-capacity keynote address that aired in the wee hours of the morning in the U.S.

'As President Trump said earlier this year: India has a true friend in the White House,' she said to applause. 'In this City of Pearls the greatest treasure is you  the dreamers, the innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.'

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on Tuesday said, 'I can think of no better representative for the U.S. government to talk about women's entrepreneurship than her.'

'We are excited about the focus that this year's GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship,' Nauert said at the top of her remarks to reporters at a press briefing in Washington.

Ivanka had been complimentary of what India has achieved economically earlier in her remarks earlier that day. Mentioning the 'strengthened friendship between our two peoples' that's realized with the conference, Trump skirted the edges of foreign policy in her public remarks.

She made no mention of the Indo-Pacific Asia pivot her father's administration has adopted, staying on the topic of opportunities for working women.

A source familiar with her conversation with Modi at the closed-door bilateral said government officials discussed the themes of GES. Ivanka stayed in her lane and did not dip into trade policy, the source said.

For her part, Trump acknowledged her unique position in a Tuesday interview with the Times of India. 'It is a tremendous honor to be serving my father's administration and the American people,' she said.

'In my role as adviser to the president, I have focused my work on women's economic empowerment, workforce development, education and skills training, entrepreneurship and economic growth,' she told the publication. 'I am still overcome with awe when I walk into the White House, a feeling that I doubt will ever go away.'
Amazon has reportedly bought a $7million block of land in southwest Sydney ahead of its rollout in Australia.

The company opened its first local warehouse in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong South earlier this year and last week, began an order-taking trial.

Despite hype that the online giant would launch its website in time for Black Friday, Australian customers are still waiting.

But a launch appears imminent after Fairfax Media reports Amazon bought 2.11 hectares of vacant land in the industrial suburb of Smeaton Grange, around 50km south of Sydney's CBD.

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Amazon has reportedly bought 2.11 hectares of vacant land in the industrial suburb of Smeaton Grange (above)

According to Business Insider, the land is likely to be developed into another fulfillment centre to eliminate the need for products to be delivered out of Melbourne for the country's most populated city.

Amazon is also renting space in the Goodman Group's Bungarribee Industrial Estate in western Sydney.

That space is described as a 'warehouse' in lease documents, according to Fairfax.

While online vendors are excited about the opportunities, more traditional shopkeepers have faced pressure to convince investors they can compete against the US giant since it confirmed its plans for Australia in April.

Despite hype that the online giant would launch its website in time for Black Friday, Australian customers are still waiting. File photo

Shares of Harvey Norman, Australia's biggest electronics retailer, are down 9 percent since April 17, the day before Amazon said it was coming to Australia.

Shares of Australia's biggest department store chain Myer Holdings Ltd are down 39 percent.

'It's not as if the majority of retailers in Australia are making a fortune and growing their businesses,' said Gerry Harvey, executive chairman of Harvey Norman.

'If you're in clothes and shoes and handbags, you can't take a lot more pressure.'

Amazon set up its warehouse in Australia's second-biggest city of Melbourne, on the east coast where four-fifths of the country's 24 million people live.

Shoppers will watch delivery times closely with Christmas just around the corner.

'It will be really interesting to see whether it lives up to the hype,' said Tim McKinnon, the Australian managing director for eBay Inc, an Amazon competitor.
The Air Force said that its failure to report the criminal history of Devin Kelley, a former airman who massacred 26 people at a Texas church, was 'not an isolated incident,' suggesting it was part of a pattern of reporting lapses

The Air Force said Tuesday that its failure to report the criminal history of the former airman who massacred 26 people at a Texas church in early November was 'not an isolated incident,' suggesting it was part of a pattern of reporting lapses.

In a written statement on progress in its investigation, the Air Force blamed gaps in 'training and compliance measures' for the lapse involving Devin P. Kelley, who had been convicted of assaulting his then-wife and stepson in 2012.

The fingerprint card and the report on the outcome of his court martial were not submitted to the FBI by Air Force personnel at Kelley's base in New Mexico. If reported, this information should have stopped him from buying weapons.

Kelley was sentenced to 12 months in confinement and given a bad conduct discharge. He left the Air Force in 2014.

Now, the Air Force inspector general is undertaking an in-depth review of the service's compliance with long-standing requirements to report certain criminal history information to the FBI for inclusion in databases used to conduct background checks of gun buyers.

It is part of a broader Pentagon-wide review of compliance with these requirements.

In a written statement on progress in its investigation, the Air Force blamed gaps in 'training and compliance measures' for the lapse involving Devin P. Kelley (above), who had been convicted of assaulting his then-wife and stepson in 2012

The fingerprint card and the report on the outcome of his court martial (above) were not submitted to the FBI by Air Force personnel at Kelley's base in New Mexico. If reported, this information should have stopped him from buying weapons

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has previously acknowledged that Kelley's criminal history should have been reported to the FBI but was not.

In its statement Tuesday, the Air Force said its review, which is not yet complete, found that the reporting failure in the Kelley case was by Office of Special Investigation officials and Air Force security force personnel at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

'The review also found the error in the Kelley case was not an isolated incident and similar reporting lapses occurred at other locations,' it said.

'Although policies and procedures requiring reporting were in place, training and compliance measures were lacking.'

The Air Force said it has made changes designed to prevent such failures in the future.

For example, it is now requiring that leaders up the chain of command verify that criminal history reporting requirements have been met in every case.

In the Kelley case, the failure to submit the required information to the FBI was not caught by higher-ups because no such verification was required.

Additional training on these procedures is being conducted now.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has previously acknowledged that Kelley's criminal history should have been reported to the FBI but was not. Above First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas is pictured after the shooting on November 5

In addition, Joe Holcombe and his wife Claryce lost eight relatives during the attack at First Baptist Church and have now filed an administrative claim with the Air Force alleging that their failure to report Kelley's criminal history contributed to the massacre.

The couple lost their 60-year-old son Bryan, his wife, his son and his pregnant daughter-in-law.

The claim they filed could lead to a lawsuit if the Air Force denies it was at fault.

Joe said his family filed the claim because the Air Force made a 'very serious mistake.'

The claim alleges that although Kelley pulled the trigger, 'the failures of the Air Force, and others, allowed the shooter to purchase, own and/or possess the semiautomatic rifle, ammunition and body armor he used, and it is these failures that were the proximate cause' of the injuries and death,' NBC News reported.

Air Force spokeswoman, Ann Stefanek, said the Air Force does not comment on specific claims.

'Every claim that is filed is thoroughly investigated and researched in accordance with established law and regulations,' she told NBC News.

In addition, Joe Holcombe (above) and his wife Claryce lost eight relatives during the attack at First Baptist Church and have now filed an administrative claim with the Air Force alleging that their failure to report Kelley's criminal history contributed to the massacre

'We will communicate progress directly with the claimant, or their representative, as appropriate.'

Also, the Office of Special Investigations will require physical verification, in the form of a printout or screenshot, from the FBI's National Crime Information Center that it received and accurately entered the criminal history information in its database.

Thus, the Air Force will verify that its information was received by the FBI, not just that it was sent.



The Air Force is not alone in recognizing such reporting failures.

The Army chief of staff, Gen. Mark Milley, said in recent days that his service failed in a 'significant amount' of cases to alert the FBI to soldiers' criminal history.

'It's not just an Air Force problem,' Milley said. 'This is a problem across all the services where we have gaps in reporting criminal activity of people in service.'
A man who toppled over a car bonnet after a driver smashed into him was confronting hooligans about the dangers of doing doughnuts on an outer Auckland beach.

In the shocking video a man is seen walking toward one of two cars performing burnouts on the west coast of New Zealand.

A man in a blue shirt is seen walking towards the car with a pole to intervene in the hooligan behaviour before he is mowed down.

A man toppled over a car bonnet after he was hit by a car performing doughnuts (pictured)

Davey Kaumavae filmed the incident after watching the erratic driving on the beach.

'We had a family fun day and after about 10 minutes of being there I saw three or four boy-racers coming down the hill,' he told the NZ Herald.

He happened to be filming when the man was knocked into the air.

'Afterward we walked up to see him and if he was all right. There was a lot of blood,' Kaumavae added.

The driver of the vehicle is set to face charges which could include assault with a vehicle and dangerous or reckless driving and his vehicle has been impounded.

The man is seemingly attempting to deter the hooligans when he is knocked over the car

After suffering from head injuries, the man who was struck down is still in hospital.

'Police are investigating a serious incident at Karioitahi Beach on Sunday afternoon where a pedestrian on the beach who tried to intervene was struck and flung into the windscreen by a car that was doing extended skids on the sand right in front of the main carpark,' Sergeant Dean Borrell of Counties Manukau police told Stuff.

Officers were made aware of the incident shortly after and say although the incident took place on the sand, the beach is still classed as a road.

A number of witnesses were interviewed at the scene who told police that multiple people were attempting to stop the boy racers.

Police are continuing investigations.
Matthew Coda, 47, was taken into custody on Monday night after arriving at San Francisco airport on a domestic flight

A man has been arrested at San Francisco airport for allegedly possessing thousands of child porn images after his wife tipped police off about the contents of his computer.

Matthew Coda, 47, was taken into custody on Monday night after arriving at the airport on a domestic flight.

Coda has been under investigation since September when his wife told authorities she was concerned about alleged child porn images on his computer.

About 3,000 images of child pornography were found on Coda's computer, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

'The suspect's wife contacted us and was able to provide us with information that her husband was in possession of child pornography,' Detective Sal Zuno told SF Gate.

Coda has been under investigation since September when his wife told authorities she was concerned about alleged child porn images on his computer

He was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on Monday night when he disembarked from a domestic flight

'The investigation continued for several months, and with her help we were able to get evidence and images.'

Authorities said Coda works in a technical field in Mountain View in Santa Clara County.

Coda does not work with children, investigators say.

He was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility following his arrest.

Authorities say the case is still under investigation.
One of the nation's leading surgeons has had his name and face plastered across the front of a Kings Cross adult store in what he says is a 'hate campaign'.

A large picture of Dr Munjed Al Muderis wearing a surgical cap and gown has been hung above the Darlinghurst Road sex store formerly known as The Pleasure Den.

The large sign, which first appeared in the past week, includes the words: 'Dr. Al Muderis' ADULT STORE. Restricted premises 18+'.

Dr Al Muderis, famous for pioneering prosthetic limbs for amputees and his amazing story of survival as a refugee fleeing Iraq, told Daily Mail Australia he thinks the sign is 'hilarious' but will still be pursuing legal action.

Munjed Al Muderis, one of the nation's leading surgeons, has had his name and face blazoned across the front of a Kings Cross adult store (pictured) in what he says is a 'hate campaign'

Dr Al Muderis (pictured), famous for pioneering prosthetic limbs for amputees, told Daily Mail Australia he thinks the sign is 'hilarious' but confirmed he will still be pursuing legal action

'I don't know where the law stands here but obviously it is slanderous, so we're taking proceedings with the court,' Dr Al Muderis said.

'The problem is we can not just go and ask them to take it down, we have to put in an application to the court and it takes time... time I'd much rather be spent on treating patients.'

NSW police raided The Pleasure Den and other adult stores in Kings Cross earlier this month, seizing thousands of DVDs and boxes of sex paraphernalia.

Weeks later the 24 hour store had shut its doors, its normal signage had been taken down and the billboard featuring Dr Al Muderis had been erected.

The adult store has links to Gerardo Mazzella, a disgruntled former patient who was found by the Supreme Court to have defamed Dr Al Muderis in June this year and forced to pay $480,000.

In defending the defamation allegations at the time, Mr Mazzella told the court the surgeon had left him feeling 'numbness in both his penis and scrotum' following a procedure in 2010.

But despite Mr Mazzella's claims that he was unable to be sexually active, the court was told tests showed no damage to any nerves.

In awarding the payout to Dr Al Muderis, Justice Stephen Rothman said he found 'no evidence of any negligence or wrongdoing'.

The large sign appeared in the past week including the words: 'Dr. Al Muderis' ADULT STORE. Restricted premises 18+'

The adult store has links to Gerardo Mazzella (pictured), a disgruntled former patient who was found by the Supreme Court to have defamed Dr Al Muderis in June this year and forced to pay $480,000

When asked if he put the sign above the store, Mr Mazzella said he had 'no comment' to make.

While admitting he saw the lighter side of having his face above Darlinghurst Rd, Dr Al Muderis said the sign had left him 'frightened'.

The surgeon claimed at one stage he had been sent pictures of a person holding a gun, in what he believed to be a threat.

Dr Al Muderis has reported the threats and the sign to police.

'It will stop at some stage. I'm comfortable with what I do and with my work ethics,' he said.
Murat Davsanoglu, 42, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link charged with murdering 34-year-old Ozlem Karakoc in July

A Melbourne man accused of killing his partner by drowning her in the bath told police the pair had a suicide pact, but the woman's psychiatrist has given conflicting evidence.

Murat Davsanoglu, 42, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link charged with murdering 34-year-old Ozlem Karakoc in July.

A psychiatrist who was treating Ms Karakoc before her death says she was not suicidal, which Davsanoglu's defence lawyer said was 'in stark contrast to the number of messages between the accused and the deceased'.

Davsanoglu had initially told investigators the two had a suicide pact, and he attended Ms Karakoc's home at Dandenong, where the two got into the bath together.

It is alleged Davsanoglu used his full body weight to drown Ms Karakoc as she struggled against him at that home in Melbourne's south-east.

After her death, Davsanoglu put Ms Karakoc's body in the boot of his Ford Falcon and drove toward regional Mildura, where he planned to dump her body, it is further alleged.

However, he instead returned to Melbourne and is accused of placing her, wrapped in a blanket, in an empty garage at a home in suburban Lalor, in Melbourne's north.

A psychiatrist who was treating Ms Karakoc before her death says she was not suicidal, which Davsanoglu's defence lawyer said was 'in stark contrast to the number of messages between the accused and the deceased'

The dead woman's cousin Seren Ozerkan has promised to look after her daughter

The dead woman's cousin Seren Ozerkan has promised to look after her daughter.

'Words can't explain how much I miss you, you always left your shoulder for me to cry on whenever I had problems,' she wrote on Facebook.

'I promise I'll always be by your beautiful daughter's side. I will always stand up and support her just like you. I feel so lost, I feel so speechless.'

Another cousin, Sinem Ozerkan, said she would look after Ms Karakoc's young daughter.

'You left us too soon, you left your little angel Sevim. Don't worry... we will take care of your daughter, we will look after her.. I promise.. Fly high my angel,' she wrote.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Milo Yiannopoulos has labelled former Prime Minister Julia Gillard 'a p***k' as he arrived in Australia for his first speaking tour of the country.

The right-wing provocateur, who likens feminism to cancer, hurled insults at Australia's first female prime minister as he landed in Sydney on Wednesday.

Yiannopoulos said he was a fan of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, but wasn't so kind to Ms Gillard.

'I liked that guy Tony Abbott, I thought he was cool because he was ballsy... he was up against Julia Gillard who seemed like a complete p***k,' he said.

Milo Yiannopoulos (left) has labelled former Prime Minister Julia Gillard (right) 'a p***k' as he arrived in Australia for his first speaking tour of the country

The right-wing provocateur hurled insults at Australia's first female prime minister as he landed in Sydney on Wednesday

Yiannopoulos also called on politicians debating same-sex marriage laws not to let them pass because there is no protection for freedom of religious expression.

'And I say that as a married gay person,' he said.

He praised Australia's immigration system, described section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act as 'the worst law' - and urged conservative politicians to realise they 'have the high moral ground' and should use it to highlight free speech.

Yiannopoulos has sold 10,000 tickets for his speaking tour of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, the Gold Coast and Adelaide.

Yiannopoulos also called on politicians debating same-sex marriage laws not to let them pass

Yiannopoulos said he was a fan of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, but wasn't so kind to Ms Gillard

The venues are being kept secret until 24 hours before he appears for the two-hour shows, with Yiannopoulos claiming if he reveals the locations journalists will 'invent' stories about protests.

One Sydney venue has already been switched, with organisers claiming it was because of security and access issues.

The Greens have urged the Senate president to stop Yiannopoulos addressing politicians at parliament house in Canberra next week given his controversial views on women, transgender people and Muslims, as well as his links to neo-Nazis.

Yiannopoulos said he was 'flattered' by the attempt to have him banned from parliament, but accused the Greens of 'casting out the right of free speech'.

Yiannopoulos praised Australia's immigration system and described section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act as 'the worst law'

'I thought [Abbott] was cool because he was ballsy... he was up against Julia Gillard who seemed like a complete prick,' he said

'I just try to describe the world as I see it...wrapped up in good jokes,' he said.

His speeches on university campuses in the US have sparked violent protests, and he was banned from Twitter last year amid a barrage of racist abuse directed at Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones.

The British-born, US-based commentator also lost a book deal after a video emerged in February in which he appeared to suggest it was OK for older men to sleep with teenage boys.

Yiannopoulos branded Twitter's decision cowardly, and initially said his comments about same-sex relationships between men and boys were taken out of context before eventually issuing an apology.

Yiannopoulos has sold 10,000 tickets for his speaking tour of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, the Gold Coast and Adelaide
A major crime investigation has opened into the death of a baby girl who sustained critical head injuries when she was just six-weeks-old.

The girl died in the Women and Children's hospital on Saturday after police found her unresponsive in a home at Whyalla, near Port Augusta, in June last year.

South Australia police declared the girl's death a major crime investigation this week.

A major crime investigation has opened into the death of a baby girl who sustained critical head injuries when she was just six-weeks-old

SA Police said the girl never recovered from the severe injuries she sustained in June last year.

'She suffered a severe brain injury and has been in full-time medical care since,' Inspector Greg Hutchins said on Wednesday.

'This little girl deserved better, and now deserves the truth.'

Police are now appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Breana Napper and Josh Major had their beachside wedding in Sanur, Bali, all planned out but now they have had to organise a second wedding in Perth as Mount Agung erupts and spoils their plans

A young couple's dream wedding has been ruined after Bali's Mount Agung began to explode  grounding flights to the popular holiday island as thick black smoke filled the air.

Breana Napper and Josh Major had their beachside wedding in Sanur, Bali, all planned out  and were due to say 'I do' in front of 60 friends and family on Saturday.

But now they have been forced to abandon their dream big day  and organise another wedding in their home town of Perth.

'We spoke with our wedding planner and she's highly doubtful we'll get anything back, so we've basically lost $25,000 and paying for a second wedding on Saturday,' Ms Napper told Yahoo7.

Some of the bride's family are also stuck in Bali  after heading there early for a quick holiday before the wedding.

Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday  the same day flights to and from the Indonesian island were completely cancelled.

Tuesday's closing affected more than 440 flights carrying more than 59,500 passengers.

Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday  the same day flights to and from the Indonesian island were completely cancelled

'We spoke with our wedding planner and she's highly doubtful we'll get anything back, so we've basically lost $25,000 and paying for a second wedding on Saturday,' Ms Napper said

On Wednesday morning Bali airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said volcanic ash has not been detected at the airport yet, but observations show it has reached an altitude of 25,000 feet and was being blown southward and southwestward towards it.

Without aircraft, getting in or out of Bali requires traveling hours by land and boat to an airport on another island.

Australian travel insurance companies have also warned customers would only be covered if they bought policies up to nine weeks ago - before warnings were issued by the Indonesian government.

Authorities have raised the alert for Mount Agung to the highest level and told 100,000 people to leave an area extending 10 kilometers (6 miles) from its crater as it belches grey and white plumes into the sky.

Mount Agung's last major eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people.

Some of the bride's family are also stuck in Bali  after heading there early for a quick holiday before the wedding

Experts said a larger, explosive eruption is possible or Agung could stay at its current level of activity for weeks.

'If it got much worse, it would be really hard to think of. You've got a huge population center, nearly a million people in Denpasar and surroundings, and it's very difficult to envision moving those people further away,' said Richard Arculus, a volcano expert at Australian National University.

He added that an eruption in 1843 was even more explosive than the one in 1963.

'There are many examples in history where you have this kind of seismic buildup - steam ejections of a little bit of ash, growing eruptions of ash to a full-scale stratosphere-reaching column of ash, which can presage a major volcanic event,' he said.

Tuesday's closing affected more than 440 flights carrying more than 59,500 passengers

Wayan Lanus, who fled his village in Buana Giri with his wife and daughter, said: 'Ash has covered my house on the floor, walls, banana trees outside, everywhere.'

Flows of volcanic mud have been spotted on Agung's slopes, and Arculus warned more are possible since it's the rainy season on Bali.

'They're not making a lot of noise. It's just suddenly coming like a flash flood out of nowhere,' he said. 'You do not want to be near them. Stay out of the valleys.'

Indonesia sits on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and has more than 120 active volcanoes.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has approved Michigans plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act , the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday.

While the plan meets the statutory requirements, Michigan must not view this as a ceiling, but rather as a baseline upon which to build, strengthen and expand, DeVos said in a statement.

DeVos approval of her home states plan was a long time coming. Michigan submitted its plan in the spring, but the education department told the state that the initial proposal was missing major pieces . The plans peer reviewers had issues with it, including a lack of clear expectations for low-performing schools academic gains. And Michigans proposal also got heavy criticism from groups like the Education Trust, a civil rights advocacy group.

With Michigans plan now approved, Colorado remains the only state from the first round of submissions still awaiting the federal green light. Thirty-four states submitted in the second round, the deadline for which closed in September except for a few states impacted by hurricanes.
A puppy has been shot in the back with a nail gun, narrowly missing his spine.

Perth man Paul said he came home from work on Tuesday and found his Jack Russell/Pug Cross named Hank 'crying and shaking.'

'He was sort of crying, shaking and not moving, even when I put food in front of him which is not like him,' he told 6PR Radio.

Who shot Hank? A puppy has been shot in the back with a nail gun, narrowly missing his spine

'I've gone to pick him up and I've felt something funny... coming out of his side and it was about a centimetre's worth of nail hanging out of him.'

Paul rushed Hank to the vet where he was told the nail only missed the dog's spine by millimetres.

The vet also said Hank's injury was 'no accident'.

Paul said there is a construction site next to his house, but he had not found the culprit yet.

'It's just anger now really, the fact that someone's walking round that has the capacity to be shooting a small dog with a nail gun,' he said.

Though shaken from the incident, Paul said Hank should make a full recovery.

Hank was rushed to the vet who said the nail only missed the dog's spine by millimetres

In a statement issued on Wednesday RSPCA WA confirmed it was investigating the incident.

'In Victoria Park, a Jack Russell Pug cross dog living next door to a construction site was allegedly shot with a nail gun,' the statement reads.

'The owner said his dog is lucky to be alive, as the 9cm nail narrowly missed its spine and lungs. The dog was treated by a vet and is recovering with its owner.

'The case is currently being investigated to ascertain if this was a deliberate act of cruelty or a work place accident.'
This is the first look at the man who poured boiling water on loathed paedophile Brett Peter Cowan, who murdered Daniel Morcombe.

Former tattoo artist Adam Paul Davidson, 31, was released from jail in Brisbane's north on Tuesday after spending an extra year in custody for the crime.

Davidson was serving a sentence for robbery and fraud when he tipped a mop bucket of scalding hot water on child killer Cowan's head inside Wolston Correctional Centre.

While Cowan screamed in pain and asked Davidson 'why, why, why?', the younger inmate threw the bucket at him.

'I did it boss,' Davidson told a prison officer after the attack.

'Only me, no one else was involved. He had it coming. He is a f***ing grub.'

Vigilante attacker: Adam Davidson, 31, is seen here on Wednesday, arriving at home on the day he was released on parole for his brutal attack on Brett Peter Cowan

Davidson told police: 'I didn't want to kill him or nothing.... I just wanted to hurt him ... just wanted him to feel the pain'

'(I wanted him to) feel the pain somebody like Daniel Morcombe has felt,' Adam Davidson told police

Davidson later told police he had planned the assault for a month. 'I didn't want to kill him or nothing,' he said. 'I just wanted to hurt him ... just wanted him to feel the pain.

'Feel the pain somebody like Daniel Morcombe has felt.'

Daniel Morcombe disappeared near a bus stop on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in December 2003.

Cowan was arrested almost eight years later and found guilty of murder, indecent treatment of a child and interfering with a corpse.

He had two previous convictions for sexually assaulting children and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.

The Queensland Supreme Court's Justice Roslyn Atkinson described Cowan's offending as 'entirely abhorrent'.

'You didn't look like a monster, you didn't look like a paedophile, you looked like an ordinary person,' she said.

Davidson rejoined his family at home about 2pm after leaving Woodford Correctional Centre in the state's north.

He had earlier reported to a parole office and Centrelink to prepare for life outside. He was moved from Wolston prison, in Wacol, after the attack occurred.

By the time Davidson was finished with him, Cowan looked like he'd come under a napalm attack.

Davidson stepped free from Woodford Correctional Centre, north of Brisbane (pictured)

Cowan (left) screamed 'why, why, why' at Davidson (pictured right), but received no answer from his prison mate

'I didn't want to kill him or nothing, I just wanted to hurt him...' Davidson told police

Cowan, then 46, received severe burns to his head, chest, stomach, back, arms and legs.

Last month District Court Judge Ian Dearden sentenced Davidson to three years' jail after he pleaded guilty to torturing the paedophile. He was ready for parole on Wednesday due to time already served.

Judge Deardon had told Davidson every person was entitled to be treated respectfully, no matter how appalling their crimes. 'We are all precious human beings, it doesn't matter who we are,' Judge Dearden said.

'You have no entitlement to act as a vigilante.'

Davidson does not have a long history of serious or violent crime but for the best part of a decade has been a regular in south eastern Queensland courts and in the news pages of the Toowoomba Chronicle.

In one of his less successful crimes, Davidson held up a bottle shop with his finger to pay off a debt to a bikie gang.

His mother Annette Fallbrown said her son suffered serious psychological problems and had been harming himself in prison in recent years.

His stepfather Mark Fallbrown said Davidson's offending started with driving offences.

'The chips were stacked against him too,' Mr Fallbrown said on the eve of his stepson's release.

'He's got a lot of problems, mental problems, that go back a long way.

'I'm not defending Adam but if things were tackled in a different way maybe he wouldn't be in there and the whole Cowan thing wouldn't have happened.'

Back in 2010 Davidson was jailed for racking up $4000 in motel bills over two months when told he would need to wait three months for emergency public housing.

Davidson's stepfather Mark Fallbrown said his Adam's offending started with driving offences

The Queensland Supreme Court's Justice Roslyn Atkinson described Cowan's offending as 'entirely abhorrent'

That fraudulent spree only came to an end when Davidson was arrested for driving while disqualified. That was his ninth driving offence in four years.

Davidson was jailed for seven months but half that sentence was suspended so he could attend the birth of his child.

Two years later the father-of-four was again charged with checking in and out of hotels without paying.

Davidson once robbed a bottle shop to repay a debt to the Bandidos bikie gang which had lent him money to start up a tattoo parlour.

Sticking his finger in his pocket, Davidson told the attendant he had a gun and walked out with $600.

He called police to say he would hand himself in but then chose to spend time with his children and was arrested several days later.

Davidson's record features 11 counts of disqualified driving, five of drink driving and offences of fraud and dishonesty.

He would have remained a relatively unknown repeat offender were it not for his decision to attack one of Australia's most reviled murderers and paedophiles.
A man is in a critical condition after the car he was driving collided head on with a light pole in Melbourne early Wednesday morning.

His green sedan was completely written off on impact with parts of it ending up across the road at a Clyde Road intersection in Berwick, south east of Melbourne.

The driver, who is in his 30s, was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital where he is being treated for life threatening injuries.

A man is in a critical condition after the car he was driving collided head on with a light pole

His green sedan was completely destroyed on impact with parts of it ending up across the road

It's believed he spent more than an hour in the vehicle before emergency crews arrived.

Police predicted speed was likely a factor and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Witnesses can contact Crime Stoppers or the Casey Highway Patrol with information.
CNN is boycotting this year's White House Christmas party, it announced on Tuesday.

The cable news giant says that President Donald Trump's 'continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN' has prompted the network to decline the invite to this year's party.

'CNN will not be attending this year's White House Christmas party,' a CNN spokesperson told Politico.

'In light of the President's continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests.

'We will send a White House reporting team to the event and report on it if news warrants.'

The White House Christmas party is an annual event in which reporters and editors from news organizations attend a social gathering at the White House and mingle with administration officials in an off-the-record setting.

CNN is boycotting this year's White House Christmas party, it announced on Tuesday. The cable news giant says that President Donald Trump's (above) 'continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN' has prompted the network to decline the invite to this year's party

In response to CNN's boycott, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted: 'Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from CNN'

This year's party is scheduled to take place this Friday at 2pm.

Trump and his administration have frequently blasted media coverage of his presidency  though he has singled out CNN in particular for what he and his supporters perceive as anti-Trump bias.

In response to CNN's boycott, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted: 'Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from CNN.'

While relations between the administration and CNN were already strained, officials at the network were incensed over Trump's tweet earlier this week denouncing CNN International.

While relations between the administration and CNN were already strained, officials at the network were incensed over Trump's tweet earlier this week (above) denouncing CNN International

Clearly fed up by Trump's antics, CNN International quickly hit back at him in a tweet of its own. 'It's not CNN's job to represent the U.S to the world. That's yours. Our job is to report the news. #FactsFirst,' the CNN PR team tweeted

'@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the US, CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly,' Trump furiously wrote on Twitter.

'The outside world does not see the truth from them!'

CNN officials believe that the tweet could potentially endanger CNN International journalists who are working in locations worldwide that are hostile to Western reporters, according to Politico.

The network has waged a campaign pushing back against Trump's attack. Its new marketing slogan  'Facts first'  was likely inspired by Trump.

Clearly fed up by Trump's antics, CNN International quickly hit back at him in a tweet of its own.

'It's not CNN's job to represent the U.S to the world. That's yours. Our job is to report the news. #FactsFirst,' the CNN PR team tweeted.

In addition to the tweet about CNN International, Trump also tweeted on Monday: 'We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!'

The tweets were his latest attack on the cable network, which he branded earlier this year as 'fake news' because he doesn't agree with how it is covering his administration.

Trump has before shown his clear preference for the conservative-leaning Fox - often tweeting praise of its anchors, stories and 'honest' coverage of his administration.

Today's jab also comes amid tensions over a potential merger between AT&T and Time Warner - which the president starkly opposes.

The Justice Department allegedly told AT&T that the $85billion merger would only be approved if it sells off CNN's parent company or DirecTV.

AT&T denied that it offered to do so.

On Monday the department sued AT&T to block the merger with the justification that it will hurt competition and consumers.

Because of Trump's obvious feelings about CNN, the department has drawn wide-ranging criticism for the move - believed by some to be biased by the president's opinions.

On Tuesday, Trump made a statement that the merger would be bad for the US.

'Personally, I've always felt that that was a deal that's not good for the country,' he said.
A $300,000 Ferrari was found trashed at a gas station after the alleged thief ran out of gas two weeks after it was stolen.

Santa Ana police arrested Israel Perez Rangel, 38, on November 1 after police approached him when he was at Mobil gas station asking for gas money.

Authorities also found the badly damaged 458 Spider. Photos of the white Ferrari showed interior damage, cracked fins and emblems torn from the body.

A $300,000 Ferrari (pictured, two weeks after it was stolen) was found trashed at a gas station after the alleged thief ran out of gas two weeks after it was stolen

Photos of the 458 Spider showed the filthy interior (pictured)

Emblems on the enging and the body of the vehicle were also damaged or removed

Eadweard York, whose girlfriend, Susan Friedman, owned the vehicle, said that they had dropped the car to get serviced on October 18.

York told KTLA 5 that when he went to pick up the car on October 19, he 'was sitting there for about an hour'.

Santa Ana police arrested Israel Rangel (pictured) at a gas station asking for money

'And then they come and say, "Sir, your car's been stolen,'' he said.

It wasn't until the employees rolled back their security cameras did they figure out that the car had been stolen.

Security footage showed a man wearing a Ferrari jacket walking onto the lot and taking driving off with the car.

One of the center's employees had reportedly left the keys to the Ferrari in the passenger seat at the time.

Two weeks later, Santa Ana police found Rangel reportedly asking for money at the Mobil gas station with the damaged car, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Security footage at the gas station showed a man dressed in dark clothing get out of the vehicle with a gas can.

A witness also told police that Rangel had tried to sell the vehicle for $5,000 while at the gas station.

Security footage at the gas station showed a man dressed in dark clothing get out of the vehicle with a gas can

A witness also told police that Rangel had tried to sell the vehicle for $5,000 while at the gas station

Police said when they approached Rangel (top left), who didn't appear to know how to put gas in the car, he initially fled the scene. He was later apprehended by police when they found him hiding in some bushes

Police said when they approached Rangel, who didn't appear to know how to put gas in the car, he initially fled the scene.

He was later apprehended by police when they found him hiding in some bushes.

Rangel pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including car theft.

As for the Ferrari, York said the car's paddle shifters had been torn out and the dashboard had been chopped.

The interior was dirty and covered in vomit, York said.

However, York's girlfriend did receive a check from her insurance company and bought a new car.

She used the money to buy a 2018 Lamborghini Huracan.

As for the Ferrari, York said the car's paddle shifters had been torn out and the dashboard had been chopped

The interior was dirty and the outside was covered in vomit (pictured), York said
A 15-year-old boy who was found electrocuted on top of a commuter train car in Philadelphia has been identified.

Police say 15-year-old Raekwon Jones, of Philadelphia, was electrocuted overnight on Friday while the train was downtown Suburban Station.

His body was discovered on top of the train, hours later at another nearby station with such severe burns it was difficult to initially identify him.

A 15-year-old boy who was found electrocuted on top of a commuter train car in Philadelphia has been identified as Raekwon Jones. His body was discovered on top of the train, hours later at another nearby station with such severe burns it was difficult to initially identify him

Police said Tuesday it's unclear why he was on top of the train but with close to 12,000 volts of electricity powering the trains, the current is strong enough to kill someone with a single touch.

His clothing and belongings were also severely burned as the train's power was shut down, and rescue crews arrived.

They pronounced Jones dead and removed his remains.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority have been reviewing surveillance footage on the tracks to piece together how and where it happened.

But have yet to discover why Jones climbed on top of the train.

Philadelphia Police have taken over the investigation and said the body was 'laying on the rear portion of the train near the train power lines.'

Police said Tuesday it's unclear why he was on top of the train but with close to 12,000 volts of electricity powering the trains, the current is strong enough to kill someone with a single touch

Adding: 'The male has severe burns all over his face and body,' according to CBSLocal.

Septa sources said Jones was killed instantly. The high voltage wires above the trains emit 11,000 volts of electricity that can kill someone without even being touched.

The line was shut down for more than an hour.
Ivanka Trump said Wednesday at a women's summit that she's worried her six-year-old daughter is a little too self-assured.

'I have six-year-old daughter and I'm actually trying to get rid of some of her confidence,' she said of Arabella, the eldest of her three children with husband Jared Kushner, with a laugh.

She immediately said that she is 'inspired' by Arabella and appreciates her young daughter's 'purity.'

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Ivanka Trump (pictured above on Wednesday) said at a women's summit that she's worried her six-year-old daughter is a little too self-assured

The White House adviser and daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump was compelled to talk about her own daughter during a panel in India on women in the workforce that Cherie Blair, wife of the former British prime minister Tony Blair, also sat on.

Moderator K.T. Rama Rao, Government of Telenga, Minister for IT, had noted that all four of the women on the stage were mothers of daughters. Rao said he is also the father of a daughter.

The local government official prompted all of the women to speak about the lessons they're teaching their own children about gender equality.

In his question to Ivanka, he asked her what's she's been telling her daughter about 'confidence.'

The 36-year-old business owner and author suggested her Mandarin-speaking, computer-coding daughter has an air of arrogance she's working to address.

'But I think the purity of a young girl and the lack of assumption around what her role is, what she should do, what she shouldn't do, what she should like, what she shouldn't like, the longer we can preserve that, the better,' Ivanka said.

'I have six-year-old daughter and I'm actually trying to get rid of some of her confidence,' she said of Arabella, the eldest of her three children with husband Jared Kushner, with a laugh

Trump added: 'So I'm always inspired by my daughter because she makes me realize how many ingrained biases even I have that I don't realize that I'm accidentally putting on one of my children, my sons or my daughters.

'So I think, look at our smallest children and see the world as much like they see it as humanly possible.

'And hopefully Arabella grows up in, in a world where she's never told she can't do something because of her gender.

'Certainly she'll never be told that by her mother.'

She immediately said that she is 'inspired' by Arabella (pictured) and appreciates her young daughter's 'purity.'

The Wednesday discussion at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit centered on obstacles that women face in their workplaces and what can be done to eliminate them.

Blair asserted in her opening remarks: 'If were going to do anything in this world, we've got to do something about men.'

Taken aback, Rao, the event's moderator, told her, 'Alright.'

The audience laughing and clapping, Blair replied, 'And that includes you.'

'Men need to understand that women are their equals. Men need to understand that women do face obstacles that they don't,' said Blair, the founder of a women's foundation. 'Men need to understand that they need to do their share, as well.'

Sweet: Arabella can be seen in the clip singing in Mandarin and reciting ancient Chinese poetry in a confident tone, displaying her impressive language skills

Blair said when a man says he is married, he is seen as responsible and reliable. When a woman says she is married, she is viewed as difficult because she could get pregnant and likely has other familial responsibilities.

'So it's a completely different mindset. And unless young men...understand that and understand the difficulties that their wives and their sisters and, yes, their mothers, are experiencing, then we're never gonna change this dynamic,' she said to applause.

Taking her turn with the mic, Ivanka said of Blair's observations, 'So much of what was said was deeply inspiring and I agree with wholeheartedly.'

Trump added: 'So I'm always inspired by my daughter because she makes me realize how many ingrained biases even I have that I don't realize that I'm accidentally putting on one of my children, my sons or my daughters

Trump used her remarks to re-frame 'women's issues' as 'critical issues,' pointing out that half the world's population are women.

'So the role of strong male voices in this conversation...is very important,' she commented.

Women are working, supporting their families and providing unpaid care, she assessed.

'These cultural, social work institutions were not set up with the assumption that there would be two parents in the workforce, so we just have to fundamentally change things,' she said.

Later in he the panel, Ivanka acknowledged that one parent or the other is at times going to have to put their career on hold for their partner to take advantage of opportunities to prosper.

She agreed that there has to be a conversation 'about who's going to step back, if somebody is going to step back.'

'But I do think we have to do a better job of recognizing that all women are working women, whether they're working inside the home raising their families or whether they're working in a professional capacity. And I think we have to celebrate that decision either way,' she said. 'But we need to create an environment in which people can make the decisions that are right for their family.

'So, destigmatizing men, making the choice to do that, but also not disincentivizing or not frustrating women who chose that as the right path for themselves as well,' she said to applause.

Ivanka was in Hyderabad, India on Tuesday and Wednesday for the annual tech conference that boasts a female participation rate of 52.5 percent this year.

The theme of the gathering is 'Women First, Prosperity For All,' an agenda the president's daughter has been aggressively promoting.
Mugshot: Lucian Wintrich is pictured after his arrest for being 'violent and disruptive' at the University of Connecticut

A conservative commentator who was arrested at the University of Connecticut and charged with breach of peace following an altercation blamed students for being 'violent and disruptive' during his 'It's OK To Be White' speech.

Lucian Wintrich's Tuesday night speech was repeatedly interrupted by people in the audience booing and chanting before it came to an abrupt end when a woman appeared to take paperwork off the lectern.

Cellphone videos show Gateway Pundit writer Wintrich, 29, running after the woman and grabbing her before other audience members get involved.

Police quickly stepped in and led Wintrich, who is Gateway's White House correspondent, away.

UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said a student was charged with breach of peace and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking a window as people were leaving the event.

Reitz said that student was not charged in connection with a smoke bomb that was thrown inside at one point - an incident that remains under investigation.

She also said police were reviewing videos to determine if any other charges or arrests were warranted.

Lucian Wintrich (pictured) gave a speech Tuesday night was repeatedly interrupted by people in the audience booing and chanting before it came to an abrupt end when a woman appeared to take paperwork off the lectern

BREAKING: @lucianwintrich appears to attack a @UCONN student during speech after she took something off podium. pic.twitter.com/WAcNYAak7c  Kevin Galliford (@KallMeKG) November 29, 2017

The moment, about half an hour ago, that Gateway Pundit blogger Lucian Wintrich appears to accost a woman during a speech at UConn pic.twitter.com/R4Dd9eY1v4  Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) November 29, 2017

In a series of tweets after being released from police custody, Wintrich said: 'It's really unfortunate that some of the kids at UConn felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the leftist media is turning Americans against each other.

'Tonight proved my point.'

UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said a student was charged with breach of peace and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking a window as people were leaving the event.

Reitz said that student was not charged in connection with a smoke bomb that was thrown inside at one point - an incident that remains under investigation.

She also said police were reviewing videos to determine if any other charges or arrests were warranted.

Wintrich is the White House correspondent for the right-wing blog Gateway Pundit, which said the talk would be about 'identity politics' in today's cultural and political landscape.

UConn's College Republicans student group sponsored Tuesday night's event.

Reitz added: 'UConn does not bar speakers on the basis of content.

'Free speech, like academic freedom, is one of the university's bedrock principles.'

The university's President Susan Herbst called it 'a very disappointing evening'.

'We live in a tense and angry time of deep political division,' she said.

'Our hope as educators is that creative leadership and intellectual energy can be an antidote to that sickness, especially on university campuses.

'Between the offensive remarks by the speaker who also appeared to aggressively grab an audience member and the reckless vandalism that followed, that was certainly not the case on our campus tonight.

'We are better than this.'

Campus police said beforehand that they would be taking measures to ensure public safety.

The College Republicans said flyers advertising the event had been torn down or defaced across campus.

UConn's College Democrats said they were sponsoring a discussion before the speech so activists from across the campus community could express their views.
Bali airport has reopened, taking advantage of a decrease in volcanic ash billowing from Mount Agung.

The news has brought some relief to the estimated 150,000 travellers stranded on the resort island, after three days of chaos and cancelled flights.

Jetstar and Qantas are launching flights to ferry tourists off Bali on Thursday, in anticipation of a possible explosive eruption in coming days.

Bali airport has reopened, taking advantage of a decrease in volcanic ash billowing from Mount Agung (pictured)

The news has brought some relief to the estimated 150,000 travellers stranded on the resort island, after three days of chaos and cancelled flights (pictured)

Denpasar airport authorities reopened the airport at 3pm Thursday, as the ash cloud was blown away from the airport, Perth Now reported.

'The airspace will be re-opened,' Bali Ngurah Rai airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said on Wednesday.

'We are going to constantly monitor the situation on the ground,' he added.

Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.

Jetstar is launching flights to ferry tourists off Bali on Thursday, in anticipation of a possible explosive eruption in coming days (pictured are cancelled flights in Wednesday)

Denpasar airport authorities reopened the airport at 3pm Thursday, as the ash cloud was blown away from the airport (pictured is Mount Agung)

Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines (pictured is Mount Agung)

Flights will resume for as long as possible, but concerns remain about a potentially massive explosive eruption after a 30-minute tremor on Tuesday.

The ongoing eruption of Mount Agung has resulted in the cancellation of over 1000 flights leaving up to 150,000 holidaymakers trapped on Bali.

Jetstar announced they will not be carrying more passengers to the Indonesian island, intending only to move people out.

'On Thursday Jetstar and Qantas have ten scheduled flights and will put on an additional six relief flights, which will see a total of 3,800 people return to Australia.

'Customers who are booked on these flights are being contacted directly,' Jetstar said in a statement.

Flights will resume for as long as possible, but concerns remain about a potentially massive explosive eruption after a 30-minute tremor on Tuesday (pictured is Mount Agung)

A flight information board shows cancelled flights at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday

An elementary school student with a face mask is seen in a school ground before school in Rendang village of Karangasem, Bali

The news comes despite warnings from an Indonesian government volcanologist on Wednesday that Mount Agung could spectacularly explode 'within hours'.

Gede Suantika warned after a large tremor on Tuesday an observatory post near the volcano's summit could be evacuated as the mountain entered a critical phase.

'Small eruptions have been happening continuously but there's still the possibility of a bigger, explosive eruption,' said Mr Suantika.

'Activity remains high and we are still on the highest alert level.'

Tens of thousands have already fled their homes around the volcano, which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people.

Experts said Agung's recent activity matches the build-up to the earlier disaster, which ejected enough debris - about a billion tonnes - to lower global average temperatures by around 0.3 degrees Celsius for roughly a year.

A tourist poses for a photo with Mount Agung volcano erupting in the background behind them

Clouds of ashes rise from the Mount Agung volcano erupting in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia

Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby.

Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes.

However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption - caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater.

So-called cold lava flows have also appeared - similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination.

Indonesia, the world's most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.

Last year, seven people were killed after Mt. Sinabung on the western island of Sumatra erupted, and a 2014 eruption at Sinabung killed 16.
Bushwalkers heard screams as a worker was killed and two others badly injured in a rockslide in the Blue Mountains.

The 36-year-old was crushed by falling rocks and the other, aged 26 and 27, were trapped by falling debris from 10m above them.

Mike Burgess said he heard a 'big explosion' that 'sounded like dynamite going off' as the sandstone cliff collapsed about 11.45am on Wednesday.

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One man died at the scene, while two were trapped against a wall with possible fractures to their legs

Emergency service crews were called to the Wentworth Falls walking track after the rock slide killed one and trapped two others

'I knew it wouldn't be dynamite, it would be a big slab,' he told the ABC.

'We heard all the blooming rocks smash down through the bush right after that I heard a bloke scream.'

The 27-year-old man sustained serious leg and pelvic injuries and the 26-year-old had fractures all over his body.

The pair were winched from the scene by rescue helicopter and rushed to Westmead Hospital, while the dead man's body remains.

NSW Police said their priority was to safely rescue the two men, before turning efforts to the recovery of the man who died.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide (bottom right)

The three men were working on a section of the popular National Pass walkway at Wentworth Falls, which was closed on August 31 due to unstable rocks overhead.

A National Parks warning said the area had been assessed by a geotechnical engineer due to 'a very dangerous, unstable section of rock above the walking track'.

The men were working to make the track safe before it could be reopened when the very thing authorities were concerned about happened.

Rocks earlier fell on the track, which was visited by 90.000 tourists every year, last November.

'This is obviously a very tragic incident, and a very sensitive operation,' they said.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide.

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats

NSW police said they successfully contacted the families of two of the men, but were yet to reach the family of the third.

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad with three millimetres falling that morning.

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats.

The incident is being investigated with a crime scene established around the scene, and will be reported to the coroner.

A command post was set up at Armstrong Road, and paramedics were sent in on foot
President Donald Trump has nominated Mark Schneider to serve as the director of the Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Educations research arm. If confirmed by the Senate, Schneider will serve for six years, potentially beyond Trumps tenure as president.

Currently, Schneider serves as a vice president and institute fellow at the American Institutes for Research and College Measures. From 2005 to 2008, he was the commissoner of the National Center for Education Statistics, the federal education data warehouse. Schneider is also a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a free-market think tank.

One of Schneiders research interests, according to a White House press release: Making sure students and taxpayers are getting a return on their investment in higher education.
A young couple are devastated after dreams of their perfect wedding were crushed by an erupting Bali volcano.

Melbourne couple Ella Horch and James Steer had planned to fly out to Bali for their wedding on Thursday morning, but those plans were scuppered due to an ash cloud created by Mount Agung, which is set to erupt.

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin flights in and out of Bali have been cancelled due to the pending eruption  leaving Ms Horch and Mr Steer $20,000 out of pocket.

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Melbourne couple Ella Horch and James Steer had planned to fly out to Bali for their wedding on Thursday morning

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin flights in and out of Bali have been cancelled due to the pending eruption  leaving Ms Horch and Mr Steer $20,000 out of pocket

Ms Horch, 27, said she was 'hysterical' after finding out her wedding would not be able to go ahead, according to news.com.au.

'I was hysterical everyone has taken annual leave and we have guests coming from all over Australia as well as overseas for the wedding,' she said.

'We are very devastated at not being able to go there  but it can't be helped with a natural disaster.'

They had planned for 30 guests to attend the wedding at Legong Keraton Hotel in Seminyak, and the event had been eight months in the making.

The couple paid a non-refundable deposit of $3,500 and paid about $10,000 for accommodation for all their guests.

The hotel has offered to change the wedding to another date, but they are yet to confirm a specific time.

Their expenses weren't covered by travel insurance as they took out their policy after the Indonesian government issued warnings.

Ms Horch said the couple were unable to reschedule their wedding in Bali because of annual leave restrictions.

The issues with the wedding come only eight weeks after Mr Steer's mother tragically and suddenly died

The issues with the wedding come only eight weeks after Mr Steer's mother tragically and suddenly died.

Ms Horch has set up a GoFundMe page in an attempt to recoup some of their costs.

'We have minimal money left and we are hoping there might be some generous businesses or people in the greater public that could band together to help us out.'

Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday  the same day flights to and from the Indonesian island were completely cancelled

Separately, Breana Napper and Josh Major had their beachside wedding in Sanur, Bali, all planned out  and were due to say 'I do' in front of 60 friends and family on Saturday.

But now they have been forced to abandon their dream big day  and organise another wedding in their home town of Perth.

'We spoke with our wedding planner and she's highly doubtful we'll get anything back, so we've basically lost $25,000 and paying for a second wedding on Saturday,' Ms Napper told Yahoo7.

Breana Napper and Josh Major had their beachside wedding in Sanur, Bali, all planned out  and were due to say 'I do' in front of 60 friends and family on Saturday

Some of the bride's family are also stuck in Bali  after heading there early for a quick holiday before the wedding.

Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday  the same day flights to and from the Indonesian island were completely cancelled.

Tuesday's closing affected more than 440 flights carrying more than 59,500 passengers.
This is the moment right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos tells an Islamic woman that he believes Muslims should be 'expelled' from Australia and 'sent back' to the Middle East.

Emma Eros, who was born in Australia to Lebanese-Muslim parents, told the British-born media personality that Muslims like herself were standing up to Islamist fundamentalists.

Ms Eros, who supports banning the burqa, asked the 33-year-old right-wing author for a solution to Islamic extremism in the West during an interview on Wednesday.

'Expel Islam from the West,' he said on the sidelines of a media conference in Sydney.

Emma Eros, who was born in Australia to Lebanese-Muslim parents, told the British-born media personality that Muslims like herself were standing up to Islamist fundamentalists

'Anyone who describes themselves as a Muslim, send them back to the Middle East,' he added.

Ms Eros, who runs her own construction plumbing business, asked Yiannopoulos if he meant she should be deported.

'If you describe yourself as a Muslim. If you believe in the precepts of Islam. All the things Islam seems to produce in those countries, I think you should go,' he said.

When Ms Eros suggested Yiannopoulos needed to understand 'what Islam actually means', he claimed the later verses of the Koran had superseded the peaceful, earlier parts of the holy book.

Milo Yiannopoulos told Muslim woman Emma Eros he believes she should be deported to the Middle East

Milo Yiannopoulos, who mocks political correctness, wants even moderate Muslims deported

'I seem to understand more about the Koran than you do,' he said.

Conservative Jewish activist Avi Yemini, a former Israeli soldier, held the microphone during the clash and posted the footage to his Facebook page.

Earlier, Yiannopoulos had demanded to know if Ms Eros, a married mother-of-two who doesn't attend a mosque, prayed five times a day.

The 38-year-old businesswoman said she wasn't 'the best' when it came to being devout and blamed bad interpretations of Islam for terrorism and extremism.

Emma Eros, a Muslim who supports a burqa ban, challenged Milo Yiannopoulos on Islam

The Muslim founder of a plumbing construction business asked Milo Yiannopoulos about Islam

'We can slap each other back and forth,' Ms Eros said.

Yiannopoulos quipped: 'I'm not going to slap you. I don't use violence.'

The former technology editor of the right-wing American Breitbart media website was due to front a forum in Sydney on Thursday night.

But that was postponed until Tuesday next week following threats of protests.

The Greens have also tried to have him banned from speaking next week at Parliament House as a guest of Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonjhelm.
A gunman has been killed by a SWAT team after opening fire from an eighth-floor apartment in Reno in a chilling echo of the Las Vegas attack.

Police rushed to the luxury downtown apartment block after receiving reports of sporadic shots from an 'elevated position' around 7pm on Tuesday.

They surrounded the building and 'contained' the gunman while they negotiated with him as he held a woman hostage.

SWAT team then stormed the apartment and shot the suspect. They took him into custody where he died of his wounds. There were no reports of injuries.

A gunman has been killed by police after opening fire from an apartment block in Reno, Nevada. This video was taken from across the street at the Whitney Park Hotel

The female hostage in the room with the shooter was able to get out unharmed.

'She's obviously traumatized and shaken up,' said Deputy Police Chief Tom Robinson who did not say if she knew the gunman.

Police did not name the shooter but described him as a young adult.

They said he was shooting for around 30 minutes from the Montage building - where Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock used to own an apartment - but did not hit anyone in the quiet streets outside.

The gunman was using a shoulder-fired rifle with 20 to 50 rounds of ammunition. He shot five to ten bullets then waited minutes before firing again, police said.

It's not clear if he was aiming at people or firing into the air, although police taking cover behind their cars saw 'sparks and spatter' from his bullets hitting the ground.

Terrified residents in the block were told to stay in their apartments via the intercom until a SWAT team neutralized the shooter.

Vick Wowo, an 18th-floor resident of The Montage, said he panicked when he heard gunshots.

Police said he was shooting for around 30 minutes from the Montage building (picutred) but did not hit anyone in the quiet streets outside

This map shows how the apartment was overlooking N. Sierra Street and much of the downtown area

Law enforcement block downtown Reno, Nevada, streets during an active shooter response at the Montage apartment building

He told the Reno Gazette Journal: 'I was the most shook when I heard the gunshots.

'To be honest, the most comforting element was being made aware through the intercom system,' he added.

Jill Flanzraich heard gunshots when she was watching TV in her eight-floor apartment.

She opened the door and SWAT team officers told her to get back inside before she was later evacuated with other residents as police yelled 'get out, get out.'

Karl Fiebiger, a seventh-floor resident, said police told him to get out because bullets could penetrate windows and floors.

'Honestly I knew the shooter was close, I could feel the windows vibrate, I could hear things falling from walls,' Fiebiger told the RGJ.

He added: 'I was pretty glad to evacuate because I knew I wasn't in the safest situation if bullets started flying.'

The block is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed 58 on October 1.

Stephen Paddock, the man who opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino onto an outdoor concert below, had owned a unit at the Montage. Records show he sold the property in December 2016.

A female hostage in the room with the suspect was able to get out unharmed. Pictured: Police cars race to the scene

Sixty-four-year-old Paddock modified an AR-15 to loose a stream of constant bullets like an automatic weapon in the attack at Las Vegas, which is 450 miles south.

'When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay,' said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighboring Eldorado Resort Casino when the shots rang out.

'It's scary, you know?' Pavicich told the Review-Journal. 'This is the same kind of town.'

The Montage building was once a casino itself before it was converted into luxury condos, according to its website.

Dramatic video from the hotel across the street showed police cars arriving on the scene.

Sparks Police Department said in a press release: 'Shortly before 7:00 pm on November 28, 2017 Reno Police Dispatch received numerous calls from citizens reporting a possible active shooter.

'As officers worked to contain the area of the incident, Reno Police Negotiators also responded and made contact with the suspect and a female who was also in the room.

'Officers determined the suspect was firing from inside a room at 255 N. Sierra Street above ground level. The suspect continued to actively fire his weapon with the female also inside.

'Members with the Reno Police and Washoe County Sheriffs SWAT team converged on the suspects room and an officer involved shooting occurred.

'Medical personnel already on scene rendered aid to the suspect who was transported to an area hospital where he was declared deceased. The suspects identity will not be released until notification of next of kin.

'After the situation was contained, it was discovered that a citizen received a superficial injury to her hand that did not require medical attention. At this time there is no information that any other citizens or law enforcement personnel were injured.

'The Regional Officer Involved Shooting Protocol has been enacted, and the Sparks Police are leading the investigation. There is no threat to the public and investigators remain on scene.

'The investigation is in its preliminary stages, but it appears that the suspect acted alone. This case is actively being investigated, and no additional information will be released at this time.

'Anyone with information is urged to call Sparks Police 353-2231 or Secret Witness at 322-4900.'
President Donald Trump returned to Missouri on Wednesday in a bid to push the Republican tax plan across the finish line, calling an upcoming Senate vote a 'moment of truth' for the nation, and blasting a sitting Democratic senator for resisting.

Along the way Trump also took pot-shots at Kim Jong-Un, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the 'fake news' media he loves to hate  and insisted billionaires like him won't benefit from a revamped federal tax code.

'Your current senator does not want to see a tax cut. That's not good,' Trump said as he took the stage in a St. Louis suburb, jabbing Sen. Claire McCaskill. He introduced Republican state Attorney General Josh Hawley as 'our next senator.'

'When you're ready, I give you my word, I'm going to come here and campaign with you,' he said of Hawley,

McCaskill 'is doing you a tremendous disservice,' he told Missourians. 'She wants your taxes to go up. She's weak on crime, she's weak on borders, she's weak on illegal immigration and she's weak on the military. Other than that, I think she's doing a great job.'

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President Donald Trump riffed through a wide-ranging tax-cut speech Wednesday in St. Charles, Missouri, attacking Hillary Clinton, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Korean despot Kim Jong-Un, and the 'fake news' media

A White House official told DailyMail.com on Wednesday morning that it would be a 'no nonsense, no drama' speech, but the presentation was vintage Trump hip-shooting

The president riffed on both Hillary Clinton and Kim Jong-Un during his tax speech, saying the North Korean dictator is a 'sick puppy' and musing about the threat of a new tax code to his own wallet, saying, in Clinton's infamous words: 'What difference does it make?'

The president lashed out at Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill (shown Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol), a Missouri lawmaker who opposes the Republican tax reform plan

A White House official told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Trump would 'stay on message' during his speech, resisting the temptation to blast Democrats as obstructionists.

'It'll be a disciplined speech,' the official said. 'No nonsense, no drama.'

Trump couldn't resist, however, at one point needling 'the fake news'  journalists at the back of the room  and taking shots at Hillary Clinton and North Korean despot Kim Jong-Un.

Saying that he wasn't bothered if the new tax proposal hurt him financially, the billionaire president shrugged off the possibility of taking a hit to his wallet.

'Hey look, I'm president. I don't care anymore,' he said, drawing applause and laughter. 'Some of my wealthy friends care. Me, I don't care. This is a higher calling, don't you think?'

'As Hillary said, "What difference does it make?"' he quipped.

That was a swipe at his former campaign rival over the most memorable line from her Senate testimony about the 2012 terror attack on a State Department compound in Benghazi, Libya.

Missouri's Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley will challenge McCaskill in the 2018 U.S. Senate race, and Trump pledged Wednesday that he would be back to campaign with him

At one point, talking about the economic 'rocket fuel' of tax cuts and jobs, Trump stopped, reflected, and exclaimed: 'Little Rocket Man!'  his favorite epithet for Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean dictator who test-launched an ICBM on Tuesday.

'He's a sick puppy!' the president carped.

And Trump yukked it up upon his entrance, seeing a 'Merry Christmas' sign on stage along with a quartet of Christmas trees.

'I told you that we would be saying Merry Christmas again!' he exclaimed, reprising his campaign promise to do away with 'Happy Holidays' as the nation's default December greeting.

'Trump on Wednesday said the Republican plan would be the biggest tax cut in the history of our country, bigger than Reagan.'

'America's tax code is a total dysfunctional mess,' he said, calling it a 'self-inflicted' wound on the body politic.

And he pledged to rework the tax code for the benefit of every American who is 'working his or her ass off.'

Trump is trying to get a Republican-sponsored tax reform plan across the finish line with no help from Democrats

About 1,000 people listened to his remarks in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday

Tensions among Republicans in Congress are running high as the president struggles to negotiate with them over a spending bill that must be passed before tax cuts can be tackled.

Wednesday's visit is his first to the Show-Me State since the end of August, when he appeared in Springfield to launch his tax relief push.

Trump also called out McCaskill, a top Republican target in next year's midterm elections, by name during that speech.

She voted against the tax-cut plan in a Senate Finance Committee vote this month.

'We must lower our taxes  and your senator, Claire McCaskill, she must do this for you,' the president said August 30. 'And if she doesn't do it for you, you have got to vote her out of office.'

Trump on Wednesday talked about lowering middle-class economic burdens and growing the economy.

'Look what's happening with our markets. People get it,' he said to applause from about 1,000 people in the town of St. Charles.

'Our focus is on helping the folks who work in the mailrooms and machine shops of America  the plumbers and the carpenters, the cops and the teachers, the truck drivers and the pipe fitters  the people who like me best.'

'Those are the people I grew up with. Those are the people I worked on construction sites with.'

Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that his tax cut plan will 'shift our economy into high gear'

Debbie Pond (left) and other anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the St. Charles Convention Center before Trump arrived Wednesday

Many protesters carried homemade signs, and some dressed as Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin

A tense standoff ensued between black protesters and white pro-Trump flag-wavers

'Tinkle tinkle little czar; Putin put you where you are,' read one sign held by a 'p***y hat'-wearing protester who declined t provide her name

'It is not enough for the middle class to keep getting by; we want them to start getting ahead,' he said.

'We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to restore American prosperity and reclaim Americas destiny. ... But in order to achieve this bright and glowing future, the Senate must pass tax cuts and bring Main Street roaring back to life,' he said.

'This is our chance to free our economy and our workers from the terrible tax burden in Washington. ... Now comes the moment of truth.'

Trump tweeted his enthusiasm on Wednesday morning.

'Stock market at a new high, unemployment at a low. We are winning and TAX CUTS will shift our economy into high gear!' he wrote.

While the White House says the tax plan will be a boon to middle-income families, helping small business owners and workers, sparking economic growth and simplifying the tax code, critics say both House and Senate versions will disproportionately help the wealthy and corporations.

'This weeks vote can be the beginning of the next great chapter for the American Worker.'

About two dozen mostly black protesters gathered outside more than two hours ahead of Trump's arrival on Wednesday, chanting slogans at a smaller group of Trump supporters hoisting American flags.

The anti-Trump protesters outnumbered the president's defenders three-to-one

Trump was in full-on campaign speech mode, injecting asides and clobbering his haters

Police kept them corralled away from the line of cars entering on the opposite side of the building.

'No Trump! No KKK! No fascist U.S.A.,' two dozen mostly African-American demonstrators yelled, coming nose-to-nose with the pro-Trump group.

Police didn't report any physical altercations or arrests.

The anti-Trump activists waved signs including one that read: 'Tinkle tinkle little czar; Putin put you where you are.'

It was held by a woman sporting a 'p***y hat' from the January Women's March in Washington.

The White House is in full-court-press mode, promoting its tax-cut message to reporters on Wednesday even aboard Air Force One.

'We see a lot of momentum behind this bill,' deputy press secretary Raj Shah said en route to Missouri, even as a half-dozen Republican senators express doubts about supporting it.

'We have passage out of the Judiciary Committee, passage out of the Budget Committee, were looking forward to a vote later this week that we fully expect to pass, and were looking forward to finally get tax cuts passage by Christmas.'

Shah said the president's preferred bill 'provides significant middle class tax relief. It provides tax relief in the form of the child tax credit.'

'We believe it's a huge boon for the middle class,' he added.

Trump's speech included a cameo by the 19th-century explorers Lewis and Clark, who started their iconic expedition near St. Louis

'I have to say that I really didn't know that until two days ago!' the president ad-libbed about the explorers' Missouri ties

Wednesday's trip came a day after the Senate Finance Committee advanced a sweeping tax package to the full Senate, handing Republican leaders a victory as they try to pass the nation's first tax overhaul in 31 years.

But the bill still faces hurdles in the Senate with at least six senators raising sometimes contradicting concerns.

Trump's speechwriters tried to put some hometown flair into his remarks on Wednesday.

'It was along these very streets that in 1804, the great American explorers Lewis and Clark gathered their final supplies before setting out on their very historic expedition of discovery,' he read from a teleprompter.

'I have to say that I really didn't know that until two days ago!' the president ad-libbed.

'See, now, look, the world is watching, look at all the fake news back there. They're all watching.'
A San Diego couple, who travel the world posting photos on their 'Traveling Butts' Instagram account, have been arrested in Thailand for posing at a famous Buddhist temple with their rear ends exposed, police said

Joseph, 38, and Travis Dasilva, 36, were on vacation in the Southeast Asia when they decided to visit the Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, in Bangkok. Visitors to Thailand's Buddhist temples are expected to respect local culture and religion, and dress modestly.

The couple, who are infamous for taking risque photos of themselves around the globe, dropped their pants to expose their rears and posted the photo to their Instagram account.

Joseph, 38, and Travis Dasilva, 36, decided to take this half-naked photo while visiting Wat Arun temple in Bangkok

The Dasilvas were leaving Thailand to return back the US on Tuesday, when they arrested at Don Mueang International Airport.

Someone had spotted their photo and reported them to local police.

They were each slapped with a 5,000 baht ($154) fine for indecent exposure and district police chief Jaruphat Thongkomol told Reuters the pair faced another fine for snapping a similar picture at another Thai temple.

Thongkomol warned they could also face the much more serious charge of violating Thailand's Computer Crime Act after the image was uploaded online. If convicted, they could face up to five years in a Thai jail.

The grinning pair were arrested at Don Mueang International Airport by immigration police

The married couple, who also posted pictures of themselves at another Thai temple, were slapped with a fine for indecent exposure

Thai police said they would also be fined for exposing their rears in this picture at another temple

The Dasilvas' Traveling Butts Instagram account was deleted on Tuesday after their arrest. At the time it had around 14,000 followers.

M.G. Perez, a San Diego friend of the married couple, told the San Diego Union Tribune that he'd become concerned when he saw Travis Dasilva had put out a plea for help on Facebook

'Anybody know any diplomats in Bangkok. Or know any lawyers in Bangkok,' hr wrote. 'Or anyone from the U.S. who can help?

'We are stuck at a polixe (sic) station. Call a senator or something. I dunno howuch (sic) longer I'll have my phone.'

Perez said the couple took the bare bottomed photos because 'that's how they express themselves artistically', adding that 'It is not about judgment. It is about their safety and figuring out how to get them back home.'

San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez told SDGLN that he was trying to assist the Dasilvas after they reached out to him for help.

The couple had posted a plea for help on Facebook after they were arrested on Tuesday

Friends of the Desilvas (pictured at Machu Picchu) said that they flashed their butts as a form of 'artistic expression'

It appears that the pair have since been released as they have set up a new Instagram account and reposted many of the offending images. Here they are pictured flashing their rears in front of the White House

The body proud couple have countless pictures of themselves showing off their derrieres online

The move has sparked a backlash on social media with many slamming the pair as 'disrespectful'

'Though I am very disappointed in their actions, I am talking to U.S. government officials to see what assistance we can give them,' Murray-Ramirez said.

However, it appears the couple were released on Wednesday and are now heading home after they created a new Instagram account, named Travelling Butts, and have even reposted the offending Thai photos.

'Starting a new account, other one got deleted,' the wrote. 'Traveling the World, cheek to cheek. Follow us!'

The move has sparked a backlash on social media with many slamming the pair as 'disrespectful'.

Thai police have not commented on the release of the pair.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the couple for comment.

Thailand, and Bangkok in particular, has a reputation as a party destination. But most of Thailand remains a conservative and Buddhist country where people are expected to dress moderately and act respectfully when visiting places or worship.

Public nudity is considered offensive.
Femi Fani-Kayode (pictured), a onetime aviation minister in Nigeria, claimed that 75 per cent of the slaves who have their organs harvested are from his country

A former Nigerian government minister has claimed that migrants from his country are having their organs harvested after being sold into slavery in Libya.

Femi Fani-Kayode, a onetime aviation minister in Nigeria, claimed that 75 per cent of slaves who have their organs harvested in North Africa are from his country.

The Cambridge University-educated lawyer added that the victims have their 'bodies mutilated' and are 'roasted like suya [shish kebabs]'.

He went on: 'Roasted alive! This is what Libyans do to sub-Saharan Africans who are looking for a transit point to Europe.

'They sell them into slavery and either murder, mutilate, torture or work them to death.'

Fani-Kayode, writing on Twitter, also bemoaned the overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and attacked Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari for 'remaining silent' about slavery.

It comes after a shocking report revealed that migrants and refugees are being sold as slaves by human traffickers in Libya for as little as a few hundred pounds.

After EU efforts to block migrants from crossing the Mediterranean from Libya, thousands are left stranded the hands of the human traffickers, some of whom are selling them as slaves

Thousands of migrants still arrive in Libya, many from sub-Saharan Africa and Africa's Horn in the hope of crossing the Mediterranean.

However, as Italy and the EU have been financing and training Libya's coastguard to stem the flow of people crossing the Mediterranean, many see their journey to Europe end in Libya.

Libya, a country in chaos since the overthrow of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, more or less shirks any responsibility for the thousands of people stranded on the banks of the Med.

While some are sent to detention centres, many are simply left in the hands of the human traffickers whom they had either paid or to whom they owe substantial sums.

Video obtained by CNN shows a slave auction in Libya where Nigerian men are being sold as 'big strong boys for farm work.'

In the video, the auctioneer can be heard shouting prices, before one of the men is sold for 1,200 Libyan dinars - the equivalent of about $800 or 665.

Channel cites Trump in CNN attack Some outlets among the Libyan media are not impressed by the reporting of the slavery story by US broadcaster CNN - and have used the American president to refute it. Libyan broadcaster 218 used a Donald Trump tweet from the weekend - wherein he attacks CNN as 'fake news' - to question the slavery report's credibility. Libyan broadcaster 218 used a Donald Trump tweet from the weekend - wherein he attacks CNN as 'fake news' - to question the slavery report's credibility It explained: 'Here the possibility arises that the channel has published the report of slavery in Libya to secure an as yet hidden political objective.' The channel also linked Trump's tweet with CNN's slavery report, implying a connection between the two. Trump's tweet read: 'CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!' Advertisement

Horrifying: Video of a slave auction in Libya shows Nigerian men are being sold as 'big strong boys for farm work' for 1,200 Libyan dinars - the equivalent of $800 or 665 (stock image)

There have been several reports on torture and abuse in the many detention centres in Libya, many of which are run by local militias due to the current power vacuum.

Last month, the president of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) called for EU aid to stop, saying Libya's detention of migrants 'must be named for what it is: a thriving enterprise of kidnapping, torture and extortion.'

Detainees told MSF how men are forced to run naked in the courtyard until they collapse from exhaustion, while women are raped and made to call family back home for money to free them.
A man has died at a public swimming pool after being dragged from the water.

The 65-year-old swimmer was hauled out of the pool at Knox Leisureworks centre in Melbourne shortly after 3.30pm on Wednesday but died at the scene.

The man is believed to have drowned.

A man has died at a public swimming pool (pictured) after being dragged from the water

'CPR was conducted on the man but he died at the scene,' Victoria Police spokeswoman Melissa Search told The Age.

'The death is not being treated as suspicious.'

The leisure centre has been closed.
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Baltimore Police Department shows Detective Sean Suiter (pictured) was shot in the head with his own gun on Nov 15

Thousands of mourners gathered at a Baltimore church on Wednesday for the funeral of police detective shot to death with his own gun.

Attendees at Detective Sean Suiter's funeral included Maryland political leaders and numerous law enforcement officials, some traveling as far away as Chicago to honor a fallen colleague and his grieving family.

During the solemn ceremony, held at Mount Pleasant Church, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said the killing of a police officer 'leaves a stain on our city,' with Govenor Larry Hogan later remarking that Suiter 'lived and died a hero.'

The unsolved Nov. 15 shooting of Suiter is the talk of Baltimore, where residents are dissecting details of the case in offices, on street corners and on social media.

A reward of $215,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot the 18-year law enforcement veteran and married father of five.

It's a homicide investigation, but the version of events offered up by police brass is being increasingly questioned since it came to light that the detective was shot a day before he was set to testify before a federal grand jury probing an elite unit of indicted officers.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis has emphasized that Suiter, whose Baltimore-area funeral procession was set to close down major roads Wednesday, was not the target of any federal probe and by all accounts was a 'stellar detective.'

Members of the Maryland State Police march into position past police vehicles outside Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter's funeral at Mount Pleasant Church in Baltimore, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017

Mourners file into a funeral for Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter at Mount Pleasant Church in Baltimore on Wednesday

A memorial for Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter, who was fatally shot while investigating a previous killing in West Baltimore earlier this month

Police officers gather around the hearse during the funeral of Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries in Baltimore, Maryland

A police honor guard stands at attention during the funeral of Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter during his funeral at Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries in Baltimore, Maryland

He said he understands the 'wild possibilities that go through people's minds when we all want answers' but stressed that the evidence refutes any notion that the slaying in a high-crime neighborhood was 'part of any conspiracy.'

'There's no path that we won't go down if evidence takes us down that path. But right now, the evidence that's available to us is indicative of a homicide,' Davis said.

But with the revelation of Suiter's planned testimony before a grand jury and no arrests even with a $215,000 reward, there appears to be no end in sight to the rumor mill in a city accustomed to watching its streets as the setting for gritty TV crime dramas.

The Baltimore Police Department also has had a tense relationship with many citizens in the majority-black city for decades.

Baltimore and the Justice Department entered into a reform agreement earlier this year after a scathing report by the federal agency outlined widespread police misconduct and abuse.

These undated photos provided by the Baltimore Police Department show, from left, Daniel Hersl, Evodio Hendrix, Jemell Rayam, Marcus Taylor, Maurice Ward, Momodu Gando and Wayne Jenkins - the seven police officers who are facing charges of robbery, extortion and overtime fraud

'For all the years these cops have been running around here, they can't catch this guy they say took out one of their own? I don't believe what they're saying,' said Mike Williams, a resident of the blighted Harlem Park neighborhood as he watched a TV crew set up by the lot where Suiter was shot at close range while investigating a 2016 triple homicide.

Located between row houses, the lot now has a small shrine with a dozen American flags and some flowers. The community was on lockdown for days as investigators scoured for evidence and searched the area's numerous dilapidated, boarded-up homes.

Rumors about Suiter's killing went into overdrive when Davis confirmed last week that the acting U.S. attorney and FBI informed him that the detective was gunned down shortly before he was to testify in an ongoing probe of a specialized gun recovery unit.

A Maryland State Police honor guard prepares to participate in Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter's funeral at Mount Pleasant Church in Baltimore

Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis (pictured) at a press conference announcing that death of Detective Sean Suiter on November 16

Mayor Catherine Pugh (pictured) said at the ceremony that the killing of a police officer 'leaves a stain on our city,' with Govenor Larry Hogan later remarking that Suiter 'lived and died a hero.'

A hearse carrying Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter's body arrives for his funeral at Mount Pleasant Church in Baltimore, Wednesday

Eight indicted Baltimore officers, including four who have pleaded guilty to racketeering, are accused of defrauding their department, falsifying evidence and shaking down citizens.

The same week Suiter was shot, a Philadelphia officer became the ninth officer indicted in the probe of Baltimore's Gun Trace Task Force.

Some people, including gossiping law enforcement officials, have speculated that Suiter might have shot himself, staging a suicide to look like a murder. Others envision a conspiracy where Suiter was labeled a traitor by dirty colleagues for turning against them.

Peter Moskos, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who served as a Baltimore police officer from 1999 to 2001, said he believed that imaginations were mostly running wild.

The timeline of events in the case seem to fall 'somewhere between standard operational chaos, where they don't know what happened, and even proper response,' he said.

But the fact that Suiter was due to testify the day after he was shot appears to be 'a hell of a coincidence,' he said.

Deepening the mystery, court records show that the 18-year police veteran had worked on cases with some of the indicted officers. The Baltimore Sun first reported that federal authorities have reopened a 2010 case investigated by Suiter and one of the accused task force officers, Wayne Jenkins, involving a drug arrest and a fatal car collision.

A collection of honor guards stand at attention before Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter's funeral at Mount Pleasant Church in Baltimore, Wednesday

A memorial for Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter, who was fatally shot while investigating a previous killing in West Baltimore earlier this month

A memorial for Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter, who was fatally shot while investigating a previous killing in West Baltimore earlier this month

On the day of Suiter's shooting, police say he and his partner were working in a particularly rough section of West Baltimore. They wore badges and were dressed in suits and ties, as is standard for detectives.

Davis said Suiter approached a 'suspicious' man in a vacant lot, leading to a violent confrontation in which he was shot with his own gun. Private video surveillance shows Suiter's partner taking cover across the street at the time of the shooting, according to the police commissioner.

Suiter was found clutching his radio with his left hand. A garbled three-second-long radio transmission indicated he was in distress and his clothes had signs of a 'violent struggle,' Davis said.

The father of five died at a hospital a day later.

Investigators recovered Suiter's weapon, which had been fired three times.

Police say they only have the barest outlines of the shooter: A man wearing a black jacket with a white stripe. They believe the attacker might have been wounded and they have searched emergency rooms and doctors' offices during their manhunt.

With the mystery deepening two weeks since the shooting, there are many in Baltimore who have a hard time believing the official version of events about Suiter's end.

'I feel very bad for this man, his family. But it's also like this where I come from in El Salvador: The story that gets told is not so much the real story,' said Toni Sanchez, who lives with his family near the lot where Suiter became Baltimore's latest body to fall in a year that has seen so many.
Poppi Worthington's mother stormed out of court as her ex refused to answer 69 questions in case it incriminated him over their daughter's death.

Paul Worthington, 49, was accused of sexually assaulting 13-month-old Poppi shortly before her tragic death in 2012 - but he escaped prosecution amid claims of a bungled police investigation.

Yesterday he was bundled into his daughter's inquest at Kendal, Cumbria, by two police officers and used a hood to hide his face amid claims he has had death threats.

Then he used 'Rule 22' of Britain's Coroners Rules to avoid describing his relationship with Poppi or her mother in case his own evidence was incriminating, the inquest heard.

When asked about sleeping arrangements at the family home and his daughter's morning routine he also said repeatedly: 'I rely on the right not to answer that under rule 22'.

Poppi's mother, who cannot be named, then walked out as he refused to answer what happened in the 24 hours before Poppi died after dodging 69 questions. Hours earlier her QC said she had waited five years for his evidence.

It has emerged that Worthington has been in 50,000-a-year 'witness protection' since January 2016 when a judge said he probably abused Poppi, who suffered acute internal injuries before she died.

Yesterday medical staff at Furness General Hospital told the toddler's inquest she arrived in A&E with blood dribbling down her legs and could not be saved.

A court drawing of Paul Worthington, 49, was accused of sexually assaulting 13-month-old Poppi shortly before her tragic death in 2012

Poppi Worthington's father Paul - who has been accused of abusing his daughter was rushed into coroner's court under police guard today ahead of his evidence at his daughter's inquest today

Today Worthington arrived at Kendal Coroner's Court in a blacked out van and rushed into court with his coat over his head accompanied by two uniformed officers who bundled him inside

Poppi Worthington died in December 2012 after she collapsed at home at Barrow-in-Furness. In January 2014 a judge ruled that her father probably sexually assaulted her before her death

Worthington, who denies hurting his daughter, did say that Poppi, said she had a good appetite and was generally 'fit as a fiddle' before her death.

And he admitted he had an on-off relationship including 'sporadic' sex with Poppi's mother who did not like his OCD and the fact he watched too much sport on TV and liked to gamble.

Earlier Worthington successfully demanded to be hidden from the public behind a screen after claiming he received death threats warning him he faced being 'killed' or 'castrated'.

Cumbria Constabulary sent a marked patrol car to the front door of Kendal Coroner's Court as a decoy as the unmarked people carrier containing Worthington went to another entrance, witnesses said.

At least ten police officers were on duty outside the court despite no protesters being in attendance but the force said it was necessary to ensure his 'safe arrival'.

Inside court his lawyer then asked for permission for Worthington to give evidence from behind a screen after people said he should be 'castrated' or 'killed'.

The lawyer representing Poppi Worthington's mother, who cannot be named, told the coroner: 'We support there should be no screen. She's waited almost five years for this hearing'.

Paul Clark, representing Mr Worthington, said: 'He has been in a long-term position of great vulnerability and risk and he's been in a long-term position of witness protection, whereby currently his appearance and location is not known.

'There are photos of Mr Worthington online but what is not known to the public is currently his location but also his current appearance.

'In this case it has been apparent throughout that there's a real risk to Mr Worthington's life, and even if not at a risk of death, risk of serious mistreatment and clearly substantial concerns outside these tangible risks and substantial concerns on Mr Worthington's right to private life that has already been jeopardised, very, very substantially indeed.'

Following legal submissions over several hours Mr Roberts ruled in favour of the press He directed that Mr Worthington must give evidence in court in view of the press but will be screened from anyone watching in the public gallery.

Poppi died from the injuries sustained shortly after her father, who had been watching pornography, took her into his bed at the family home in Barrow-in-Furness, in December 2012

Worthington strenuously denies any wrongdoing and has never been charged with any offence despite questions about his conduct

In January 2016 High Court judge Justice Peter Jackson ruled that Worthington (pictured) probably sexually assaulted his 13-month-old daughter

Kendal County Hall staff cover up the windows ahead of the arrival of Poppi Worthington's father to prevent him being photographed

There was a huge amount of security outside the court amid fears of a backlash against Worthington, who claims he has had death threats

HOW THE DETAILS OF LITTLE POPPI'S DEATH REMAINED SECRET FOR YEARS BEFORE HER INQUEST December 2012 - Poppi Worthington dies suddenly aged 13 months after she collapses at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. February 2013 - Poppi is buried after the coroner releases her body. June 2013 - A full post-mortem report indicates the cause of death is unascertained. August 2013 - Poppi's parents are arrested and formally interviewed for the first time. Poppi's father, Paul Worthington, is questioned on suspicion of sexually assaulting his daughter - an allegation he denies. March 2014 - Fact-finding judgment on the circumstances of Poppi's death is delivered in private as part of family court proceedings involving other children in the family. Its publication is delayed in case it prejudices any criminal trial. October 2014 - HM Coroner for South Cumbria, Ian Smith, holds an inquest at Barrow Town Hall and takes just seven minutes to declare her death as unexplained after stating he was satisfied to rely on the findings of the private fact-finding judgment. The case is not listed in Poppi's name but as 'a child aged 13 months'. January 2015 - Senior Coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, confirms he will ask for a fresh inquest in a written reply to lawyers representing various media organisations who argued the October hearing was insufficient and therefore unlawful. March 2015 - Cumbria Police announce no charges will be brought against anyone over Poppi's death after they had previously passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for its consideration. April 2015 - Paul Worthington is granted a review of the March 2014 medical evidence, which further delays publication of the original fact-finding judgment. July 2015 - High Court judges order a fresh inquest into the youngster's death after the first hearing was deemed 'irregular'. November 2015 - A hearing reviewing the medical evidence from the March 2014 court proceedings gets under way in Liverpool. Ahead of the hearing, Mr Justice Peter Jackson releases parts of his original fact-finding judgment which reveal that Cumbria Police did not conduct any 'real' investigation into Poppi's death for nine months despite a senior pathologist raising concerns the girl's injuries were caused by 'a sexual assault'. January 18 2016 - Mr Justice Peter Jackson announces his findings from the review hearing and says her bleeding could only be sensibly explained as the result of penetrative trauma. November 27 2017 - An inquest into her death finally begins Advertisement

Police failed to investigate until eight months later - despite medical experts Poppi had injuries consistent with a sex attack - and her father has not been prosecuted.

THE 12 BASIC ERRORS IN THE INITIAL POLICE INVESTIGATION 1) Items at the hospital Poppi was taken to were not preserved for forensic analysis 2) Items at the family home were not preserved for forensic analysis 3) The scene at the family home was not secured, with Poppi's last nappy being lost despite the presence of police officers 4) The detective inspector and another officer not visiting the home. According to national protocol, a senior officer should immediately attend the home to take charge of the investigation and ensure that evidence is intelligently preserved 5) No reconstruction with the parents at home so that their accounts could be understood and investigations focused 6) No forensic medical examination at the time of death. Swabs were not taken until post-mortem despite delays meaning forensic analysis can be prejudiced 7) No engagement of a paediatrician with specialist knowledge of investigating sexual abuse for there to be a physical examination of the child, a viewing of the home and a report for the pathologist 8) Dr Armour's initial views were not clearly passed on to the local authority for safeguarding purposes 9) The parents were not formally interviewed until August 2013 10) Neither parent's mobile telephone or Facebook accounts were analysed 11) Samples were not sent for analysis until after receipt of Dr Armour's full report 12) No statements taken from any witnesses (paramedics, nurses, doctors, family members) until September 2013. Advertisement

Today Worthington started to give his version of events and he claims he found her lifeless in his bed and had nothing to do with it.

But he then used his right not to answer.

Defending the number of officers involved in protecting him a Cumbria Constabulary spokesman said: 'Cumbria Constabulary this morning assisted in the arrival of Paul Worthington to Kendal County Hall, where he is due to give evidence at an inquest.

'Security arrangements have been in place for Mr Worthington following threats made towards him.

'To ensure Mr Worthington's safe arrival, a number of police resources were in place.'

Yesterday consultant paediatrician Dr Osama Braima described how he fought to resuscitate Poppi for 57 minutes at Furness General Hospital before she was pronounced dead.

He noticed she was 'pouring' fresh blood after she died, she told the inquest.

He said: 'I thought there was something wrong inside the child and I was not comfortable. I was suspicious.'

He alerted Children's Services and examined her body again five hours later at 11am in the children's ward.

He said Poppi was still bleeding fresh blood, which he found to be 'unusual'.

The doctor said Poppi's death was unexplained and it has played on his mind.

'It has stuck with me as quite significant,' he said. I have never seen an incident of this kind to any child in my career.'

Poppi arrived by ambulance to hospital shortly after 6am on 12 December 2012.

Her First Aid trained father Paul, a former ASDA night shift worker, was in the back with her helping a paramedic perform CPR on the toddler.

Nurse Sarah McQuiston ran into the back scooped Poppi into her arms before rushing her into A&E.

She noticed Poppi was floppy, cold and blue and was bleeding bright red blood.

'Blood was dribbling down her legs. She had no nappy on,' Miss McQuiston told Kendal Coroner's Court.

She said Poppi's stomach was distended, bloated. 'You could see it was quite tight, hard, a bit like a pregnant tummy,' she said.

Clinical support worker Kelly Viceroy-Grieve liaised with Paul and Poppi's in the hospital Relatives Room.

Paul has arrived in the ambulance dressed in just a blue t shirt and jeans. He had no coat and had no shoes or socks on, though he had brought them with him.

Miss Viceroy-Grieve said that Paul had told her that he had been still in his boxer shorts when the paramedic had arrived at their family home, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

Mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, arrived separately to Paul.

'She was distraught, anxious, crying. She was talking more to Poppi's dad, asking him questions 'what's happened? Is she still alive?',' said Miss Viceroy-Grieve.

She said Paul told her what had happened with Poppi.

She stated that he said: 'She had woken up in her cot crying, so he put her into bed with him. He tried to give Poppi her dummy but she wouldn't have it.

'Poppi was making a face like she needed a poo, so he put his fingers on each side of her nappy to try to get the nappy from her bottom, so that she could try and push out with ease. He put two fingers on the side of her nappy so she could have a poo easily.'

Left: Nurse Sarah McQuiston, pictured today, told Kendal Coroner's court that blood was dribbling down the child's legs. Right: Tracy Anne Worthington, the aunt of Poppy and Paul Worthington's sister, pictured arriving at the court yesterday

Poppi Worthington's father Paul Worthington leaves Liverpool Civil and Family Courts after a hearing into the death of the 13-month-old in December 2012

Flowers laid at Poppi's grave. An Independent Police Complaints Commission report in March 2017 concluded that senior detectives probing Poppi's death were 'unstructured and disorganised'

He explained that he went downstairs to get a nappy.

'Paul said he went back upstairs to see Poppi and she was asleep and so he got back into bed with Poppi,' Miss Viceroy-Grieve told Kendal Coroner's Court.

He also added: 'I don't know why but I looked over to Poppi and touched her arm and it was lifeless.'

Earlier the inquest, which began on Monday, heard a harrowing 999 call from the girl's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as her daughter lay dying.

This fresh inquest was ordered by the High Court after the controversial first hearing in 2014, held by a different coroner, was shrouded in secrecy with Poppi listed as 'a child aged 13 months'.

Shortly before 6am on the day of her death, Mr Worthington, who had put Poppi in his bed with him, went downstairs with her lifeless body and emergency services were called.

Little over an hour later, at 7.07am, Poppi was pronounced dead at Furness General Hospital, just a day after she had taken her first two steps.

Poppi's mother was frequently visibly distressed as she gave evidence earlier this week, describing her relationship with the toddler's father as 'up and down'.

She described her daughter as 'very alive, bubbly'.

'You knew she was there, there was no missing her,' she said.

The inquest continues.
A Paraguayan woman has been forced to undergo reconstructive surgery on her face after her jealous husband punched her every time someone 'liked' her pictures on Facebook.

Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza, 21, had been held against her will in the couple's home and subjected to constant beatings by her 32-year-old husband, police say.

When police were finally alerted, Ms Ortigoza had been so badly abused her body and face was disfigured and she required extensive surgery.

Abused: Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza, 21, from Nemby, Paraguay, was 'punished' by her husband every time she got a positive reaction to one of her photos or posts on Facebook

Yesterday the woman's lawyer told how partner Pedro Heriberto Galeano would become violent when anyone liked the photos she posted of herself on Facebook.

He began to beat her up every time one of her friends on Facebook reacted to any of her posts.

Galeano later took control of her Facebook page, where he would post pictures of her, and continued to punch and kick her for every 'like' the posts received.

Lawyer Arnaldo Martinez told how Ms Ortigoza, from Nemby near Asuncion, Paraguay, would dread a notification telling her that someone had reacted or commented on a post.

Her friends had no idea that each time they made the friendly online gesture she would be brutally beaten.

Horrifying: Ms Ortigoza's facial injuries from the abuse were so extensive that she has needed reconstructive surgery

Shocking: The young woman was found covered in bruises after constant beatings

He said: 'Her mouth was all broken, she was very damaged, her skin was hanging off because of the blows.

'He controlled the victim's social networking sites, he controlled the messages and photos, and for every 'like' she received from her friends, the woman received a beating because he accused her of having a relationship with them.'

Mr Martinez said she only didn't lose her teeth because 'he would put a cloth in her mouth so that she would not scream during the brutal beatings that she suffered daily.'

Evil: Galeano later took control of her Facebook page, where he would post pictures of her, and continued to punch and kick her for every 'like' the posts received

The man's father finally reported his violent son to the police after he believed the woman would die following the last beating she received, according to reports.

Ms Ortigoza was so disfigured by the violence she wasn't able to recognised herself after being shown photos of herself after being beaten.

She underwent reconstruction operations of the nasal septum and lips.

Galeano was captured and charged with attempted femicide, deprivation of liberty and coersion, crimes which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
K-12 spending in a number of states is still far below pre-Recession levels, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive think-tank.

And those spending cuts have started to have a lasting impact on the quality of education students receive, said Michael Leachman, the organizations director of state fiscal research who conducted the research. Classrooms are filled to the brink, he said, teachers have taken pay cuts, and academic results have lagged.

State political leaders should leverage new taxes on its citizens or find new revenue sources, said Leachman.

The health of this nations economy, and the quality of life will depend crucially on the intellectual capacity of our people, Leachman said on a conference call with reporters. If we neglect our schools, we diminish our future.

Experts in general say states school spending is being squeezed by pension and Medicaid costs, declines in capital, sales and commodity tax revenue, and a series of tax cuts in a handful of especially conservative states.

The report is being released as school funding battles continue in some states. Oklahomas legislature will soon enter a third special session to debate how to fill a $250 million budget deficit. Kansas and Washington legislatures are scrambling to pacify their supreme courts, which for years have demanded increased school spending. And an unusually high number of states next year plan to debate whether to scrap and replace their school funding formulas.

More than 36 governors and three quarters of states legislators are up for re-election next year. They will have much more flexibility to shape their states education policy under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Several state chiefs say recent budget cuts have suppressed their abilities to innovate under the law in the coming years.

The CBPP used a series of census data reports between 2008 and 2015 and analyzed states most recent budget reports to compare this years school spending amounts with spending amounts before the Great Recession between 2007 and 2009.

In its 17-page report , the think tank found that overall K-12 spending in at least 29 states is still less than what it was before the housing industry collapsed in 2007, which resulted in a wave of revenue cuts to school districts leading to massive layoffs and the shuttering of K-12 programs.

While housing values have somewhat rebounded in some areas, people arent spending at the levels they used to, and websites such as Amazon continue to siphon off a large portion of sales tax revenue.

In at least 12 states, the organization said, school spending cuts were especially alarming. Those statesAlabama, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginiahave cut their state K-12 spending by more than 7 percent.

Lets be clear, Leachman said. State level cuts have real and damaging consequences for local school districts.

There were some bright spots. School spending in North Dakota is almost double the amount it was before the recession, the organization found, though the fall in oil prices has led to some more recent cuts. And school spending is up 30 percent over that same period in Illinois. That state this year replaced its funding formula so that the state shoulders more school costs than local governments.



Last week, the National Association of State Budget Officers said state spending on education in 2017 was up 4 percent from the last fiscal year.

K-12 is one of the last areas states want to cut, Brian Sigritz, the associations director of state fiscal studies, told Education Week.

Next year, states will be required to parse out school-by-school spending, a level of detail not known to many district superintendents. The hidden inequities of spending between schools within districts could flare up more school funding battles both in courts and in the political arena.

Read the full report here .

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.
This is the shocking moment a holidaymaker violently shoved his girlfriend to the floor after she knocked his phone out of his hand as he attempted to take a selfie.

A frenzied row broke out between the pair over a suitcase outside the entrance to Queen Beatrix International Airport on the island of Aruba in the Caribbean.

Filmed by a stunned onlooker, the couple shouted abuse at one another before the man stopped briefly to pose for a picture.

This is the shocking moment a holidaymaker violently shoved his girlfriend to the floor after she knocked his phone out of his hand as he attempted to take a selfie

A frenzied row broke out between the pair over a suitcase outside the entrance to Queen Beatrix International Airport on the island of Aruba in the Caribbean

A split second later, the woman pushed his mobile phone out of his hand before he sent her flying in retaliation.

The man, of muscular build and wearing a red t-shirt and cut-off shorts, shoved her with such force the much smaller woman fell to the ground.

But determined to keep hold of the suitcase, the woman managed to get back to her feet and clutched hold of it.

Moments later, the angered boyfriend violently grabbed the case and pulled it back.

The girlfriend, wearing a summer dress, is then flung to the floor for a second time.

After her head is seen hitting the pavement, airport workers suddenly leaped into action to intervene.

As the recording ends, members of staff can be seen running towards the pair.

The footage is thought to have been filmed at the airport in Aruba on Sunday.

A woman posted the shocking clip to Facebook where she described the horror at watching the incident unfold.

It was quickly viewed thousands of times with dozens of people commenting beneath in the native language of Papiamentu.

One person wrote: 'What is this world coming to?'

While another blasted the decision to film without intervening: 'How can you sit and record but not to take action or shout "stop"?'
Serial killer Levi Bellfield confessed to murdering Lin Russell and her daughter Megan during a conversation with a cellmate, lawyers for the man twice convicted of the killings claim.

Michael Stone, now 57, is serving three life sentences with a minimum of 25 years in prison for the killings in Chillenden, Kent, which shocked the nation in 1996.

Lin's elder daughter, Josie, nine, miraculously survived the frenzied attack, in which even the family dog, Lucy, was slaughtered.

Stone's lawyers claim Bellfield confessed in length and in detail to a fellow prisoner whom he had grown to trust, and that an independent witness confirmed he was near the scene of the murders when they happened.

But in a chilling audio segment recorded in his cell and released by his family this evening, Bellfield rubbishes the claims that he murdered the pair.

Stone was found guilty in 2001 largely on the strength of a disputed cell confession and has fought a protracted legal battle to clear his name.

Milly Dowler murderer Bellfield branded the allegations from Stone's lawyers the work of a 'fantasist' and 'compulsive liar'.

Serial killer Levi Bellfield (left, a police mugshot) allegedly confessed to murdering Lin Russell and her daughter Megan in 1996. Michael Stone, now 57, (right, outside the Court of Appeal in 2005) is serving three life sentences with a minimum of 25 years in prison

The explosive raft of claims and counter claims began this afternoon at a press conference at at 33 Bedford Row Chambers in central London.

Stone's lawyers announced they had submitted a dossier of new evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which could refer the matter to the Court of Appeal, which has the power to quash convictions.

Police have dismissed the basis of his appeal.

Stone's solicitor Paul Bacon said: 'We have seen evidence of a full confession by Levi Bellfield that he has admitted the Russell murders and in the confession Bellfield describes how he came across Lin Russell and her two children.

'How he attacked them with a hammer and he explains his motivation for the killing. The confession is detailed and has a number of facts that are not in the public domain.

'We now have an independent witness who has seen Levi Bellfield close to the scene of the murders at about the time they were committed and importantly we have identified forensic material from the scene of the murders which corroborates the confession made by Levi Bellfield.

'The Russell murders by Levi Bellfield fits perfectly with his modus operandi. He is a man known to attack and murder women. His weapon of choice is a hammer.'

In a recording sent to national media this evening, Bellfield claimed the 'vile and untrue' allegations came from a conversation he had with serial rapist Richard Baker.

Bellfield, who is now known as Yusuf Rahim, said: 'It appears Mr Baker has made an allegation of a so-called cell confession.

'In my view such vile, untrue allegations don't warrant a response. They are what they are - the words of a lonely... rapist who craves the spotlight.'

He alleges Baker was 'obsessed with crime' and watched BBC documentary The Chillenden Murders before he came forward alleging Bellfield has confessed.

Lin, 45, and Megan, who was just six, were the victims of a frenzied attack as they walked along a quiet country lane in Kent, on their way back from a school swimming gala in the village of Chillenden. They are pictured in an undated handout photo

Shaun Russell with his wife Lin and daughters Megan (second left) and Josie (right), who survived the attack. Claims by Stone's lawyers that Bellfield admitted to the murders have been denied by him in a recorded message from his cell

Josie Russell is now a successful textile artist, and is pictured at home in August 2014. It is not known what Josie thinks of the latest developments, but she has always maintained Stone is guilty

NEW EVIDENCE PRESENTED BY STONE'S LAWYERS Stone's lawyers have provided three items of evidence they believe prove Bellfield's guilt. These are: A 'very detailed' confession by Levi Bellfield in which he admitted to the Russell murders. An independent witness has said they saw Bellfield close to the scene of the murders at about the time they were committed. They also claim to have identified forensic material from the scene of the murders which corroborates the confession made by Bellfield. Advertisement

Following many days of lengthy conversations the prisoner says he had with Bellfield, he made notes and reported what he had been told to his solicitor, a police officer and a prison liaison officer.

The prisoner alleged: He [Bellfield] said Ive never told anyone this before I killed another child and got away with it the police were never even close.

Bellfield is said to have told him he had spotted the Russells walking home and approached them with a hammer. Mrs Russell had begged him not to hurt her children.

According to the prisoner, Bellfield said he struck her first and then Josie; then their dog was killed followed by Megan. Even though he wore gloves, Bellfield was reportedly worried about DNA advances, saying my life in jail would be over if they could prove it was me and that it would tear his mother in two.

Mr McDonald told the Mail: The evidence has gone to the CCRC. It now needs to be referred to the Court of Appeal so it can be properly assessed. It has to be put in the context that the only thing that convicted Stone ironically was a cell confession.

Stone's barrister, Mark McDonald, said: 'This evidence needs to tested by the Court of Appeal and, if believed, will lead to the largest miscarriage of justice since the Birmingham Six.'

CRUCIAL DETAILS OF TRIAL THAT HAVE MADE IT SO CONTENTIOUS Stone(pictured) was convicted on the basis of claims by three prison inmates that he had confessed to them Although Michael Stone was twice found guilty of murdering Lin and Megan Russell, his case has been contentious. Stone was convicted on the basis of claims by three prison inmates that he had confessed to them. After one of the inmates admitted soon after the trial ended that they had lied and another was discredited, a re-trial was ordered. But one of the witnesses, Damian Daley, held fast and said Stone confessed to the hammer murders through a heating pipe into the next cell at Canterbury Prison, something Stone maintains was a lie. There was no forensic evidence to support Stone's conviction. One particular point of controversy was a shoe lace found near the murder scene, which Stone's supporters claimed could prove his innocence but had been lost by Kent Police. Officers said the shoelace was still in their possession but had been DNA tested so many times it was no longer of value. Police have dismissed the merits of Stone's appeal bid. Advertisement

Mr Bacon said there was concern over Kent Police's investigation and Mr McDonald said the force were 'unenthusiastic' when passed the new evidence.

Stone's sister Barbara said the new evidence offered her and her brother the 'biggest hope' to clear his name.

She added: 'Mick's been in prison for 20 years and that's 20 years too long for somebody who has not committed a crime.

'He wants you to know he is very hopeful, he fully believes Bellfield has committed these crimes.

Known as the bus stop killer, Bellfield, 49, is currently serving two whole life terms, for the murders of Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, and for the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy (pictured, outside the Old Bailey in 2008)

'Although we've had our doubts in the past, when he has seen the contents of the new evidence, he is quite confident it's him that's done it.

'He's quite hopeful but, like myself, we won't allow ourselves to believe the justice system will be kind to us this time so we remain hopeful but it all depends and relies on the CCRC making the referral.'

A spokesman for the CCRC said they received the application from Stone's lawyers on August 23 and the case is currently under active investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, Nick Downing, said: 'We feel it is no longer contemporaneous and is unfair on the victims to continue to raise questions or re-release details about the murder investigation and subsequent conviction of Michael Stone.'

Known as the bus stop killer, Bellfield, 49, is currently serving two whole life terms, for the murders of Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, and for the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy.

Now going under a new name after converting to Islam, the former wheel clamper caused outrage by finally admitting raping and murdering 13-year-old Milly during a prison interview in May 2015.

It is widely believed by detectives that Bellfield is responsible for numerous other crimes dating back to the 1980s.

He has been linked to 24 violent attacks and rapes in the two decades before he was caught in 2004.

Paul Bacon told a press conference in London(pictured) this afternoon that Milly Dowler's murderer Bellfield admitted the killings in prison

Stone's barrister, Mark McDonald, said: 'This evidence needs to tested by the Court of Appeal and, if believed, will lead to the largest miscarriage of justice since the Birmingham Six'

HOW JOSIE MANAGED TO COPE AFTER HORRIFIC EVENTS OF 1996 Josie Russell's rehabilitation after the murder of her mother and sister was a long, slow process  it was a year before she could speak again  but Josie stunned doctors with her progress. She is now a successful textile artist, who announced her engagement to her boyfriend of 12 years, Iwan Griffith, in August aged 30. The couple met in a pub in Caernarfon on December 31, 2005, while Josie was at university. Josie, pictured with her Welsh mountain pony in 1997, announced her engagement to her boyfriend of 12 years, Iwan Griffith, in August aged 30 The couple met in a pub in Caernarfon on December 31, 2005, while Josie was at university. Pictured: Josie in 1997 Their romance was sparked by their love of the dramatic Welsh landscape. We arent a lovey-dovey couple but there is love and mutual respect, Josie said. Josie and Iwan now share home, in the foothills of Snowdonia, where she and Megan had lived with their parents. In 2011, using money from a trust fund and compensation for her injuries, Josie was able to buy back the house which the couple have lovingly renovated. Her studio is the bedroom that Lin decorated for her when she was a little girl. Josie and Iwan now share home, in the foothills of Snowdonia, where she and Megan had lived with their parents. Josie is pictured in 2006 Advertisement

It is not the first time Stone's legal representatives have pointed the finger at Bellfield.

In 2011, Mr Bacon claimed Milly's killer was a better match for the e-fit of the suspect issued during the police manhunt.

The claims also come months after a two-part BBC documentary aired in May saw a panel of independent experts re-examine the evidence and questioned whether Bellfield might be a more likely suspect, an accusation he has fiercely denied.

The Russells were killed in 1996 within months of moving to Kent from north Wales. Josie, nine, survived despite dreadful injuries.

All three were blindfolded with strips of Josie's swimming towel as they returned home from a school swimming gala and she and Megan were tied to trees.

The two girls were each struck seven times with a hammer, while her mother, a geologist, sustained 15 blows to the head, almost severing her brain at the stem.

In October 1998, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court found heroin addict Stone(pictured inside a prison van) guilty of counts of murder and attempted murder

Josie as a child with her pet rabbit Domino, at her North Wales Hillside cottage home,(left) and in an undated handout photo

Josie needed intensive neurological treatment for a year before she could even speak again. She lives and works as an artist in north Wales, having returned to Gwynedd with her father soon after the attack.

Stone was found guilty in 1998.

Without any forensic evidence, the jury believed the main thrust of the prosecution's case - three prison inmates who claimed Stone had confessed.

One of the inmates admitted soon after the trial ended they had lied and another was discredited.

Stone's legal team challenged his conviction and a retrial was ordered.

But one of the inmates, Damien Daley, then aged 26, maintained Stone had confessed the crime to him.

In late 2001, Stone was once again found guilty and given three life sentences.

Bellfield,(pictured in an undated photo) who now calls himself Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole-life tariff after being found guilty of abducting and killing Milly following a trial at the Old Bailey. He was jailed in 2011

As the judge addressed him, Stone shouted: 'It wasn't me your Honour, I didn't do it!'

Since then Stone has failed in two appeal bids.

Josie, now 30, recently announced her engagement to her boyfriend of 12 years Iwan Griffith, 31, and plans to start a family of her own.

Milly was snatched from the street while on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002

She is convinced the right man is behind bars for the murder of her mother and sister and was angry about the way the family's wounds were reopened when the BBC screened the documentary earlier this year called The Chillenden Murders.

'It didn't seem to prove anything,' she said. 'We just want to get on with our lives. We don't want it to come back again.'

Meanwhile Bellfield has accused Stone of attempting to bribe him to take the blame for his crimes.

After a stream of letters from Stone, Bellfield contacted his lawyers to urge the correspondence to stop, calling it 'quite intolerable'.

Bellfield added that he had challenged Stone to a lie detector test.

Stone has spoken about his reluctance to do this claiming he had been advised that his history of psychiatric problems and drug addiction could impact its accuracy.

The killers are both in Durham's top security Frankland jail, where they are both being held in separate wings.

Kent Police said Stone's protests of innocence had been thoroughly tested by the judicial system.

Bellfield had been given a whole-life term for murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003, (left, in 2011) and murdering Amelie Delagrange, 22,(right, in 2000) and attempting to murder Ms Sheedy, 18, in 2004
With their absolute loyalty, great senses and fast movements, dogs have been used as companions and colleagues for soldiers worldwide.

And this touching picture captures the incredible bond between an army dog and its handler.

Duo Duo, a military dog in eastern China, sat up to salute its handler Wang Xudong who was about to retire.

A soldier's best friend: Army dog Duo Duo shows respect to its retiring handler in China

The picture was taken on November 28 in Suqiang, Jiangsu Province, at the Siyang Squadron.

Wang Xudong and his colleagues were saluting their guard post for the last time before their retirement, according to People's Daily Online, citing China News Service.

Duo Duo, a German Shepherd, was put to patrol the camp at the time. It accidentally saw its handler.

It's claimed that Duo Duo refused to leave Wang - despite being told to by Wang.

When Wang and his colleagues gave their last salute to the guard post, Duo Duo suddenly sat up on its hind legs appearing to salute Wang.

Final salute: The dog had been patrolling the site, but it stopped as soon as it saw the soldiers

The dog was said to do the posture spontaneously and it kept the posture for more than 10 seconds.

Duo Duo didn't put down its front legs until the group of soldiers finished saluting.

The picture has melted the hearts of thousands of people in China.

On Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, one user said: 'Some animals are more emotional than humans.'

While another person wrote: 'Please treat army dogs well after they retire.'

Many other people expressed their love and respect for Duo Duo, as well as army dogs in general.
Two men tried to abduct a five-year-old girl as she played outside her family's Queensland home on Wednesday afternoon, according to her mother.

The young girl was riding her tricycle along the footpath near her Drayton home, south west of Toowoomba, when the men allegedly offered her lollies and tried to snatch her.

In a social media post, the mother detailed the horrific moment she believes her child only narrowly escaped the grasp of two strangers.

Two men allegedly tried to abduct a five-year-old girl from her tricycle as she roade along a footpath near her Drayton home, south west of Toowoomba

'(One) of the men offered her lollies, when he kept asking, (the girl) screamed out 'no, no, no' and as she was trying to ride away from them on her tricycle, the other man grabbed her by the feet and grabbed her bike,' the post read.

'He tried to stop her from getting away and take her.'

Fortunately the girl's brothers were nearby at the time and came to the rescue along with a neighbourhood friend.

The mother said the potential child abductors were on foot at the time of the attack and has used the close-call as a reminder to enforce 'stranger danger' rules with her children.

The mother detailed the horrific moment her daughter only narrowly escaped the grasp of two strangers

'Things like this should never happen but it does. Don't think it may never happen to you or your children, it can,' she wrote.

An investigation has been launched by but a description of the men has not yet been revealed.

Police are speaking with the individuals involved to ascertain facts surrounding the incident.
A Labour MP has apologised over disturbing comments she made to a pregnant TV producer who asked her about human rights.

Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, told pregnant Channel 4 News journalist Daisy Ayliffe: 'Hope you have a great birth because child labour is hard.'

The politician and her team turned on Channel 4 News reporter Alex Thomson, their cameraman and Ms Ayliffe after they tried to ask her about the case of Ahmad Bin Quasem, a lawyer who was detained in Bangladesh.

Ms Siddiq, a British-born MP who is the niece of Bangladesh's Prime Minister, was asked to look into the case of a lawyer who went missing in the country

Channel 4 has complained to the Labour Party over these comments she made to a producer

British-born Ms Siddiq is the niece of Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and it has been suggested she may be able to help Mr Bin Quasem's family after he was seized by the country's security forces last year.

But when the TV news crew asked Ms Siddiq about the issue, she told Mr Thomson: 'Are you aware I'm a British MP and that I'm born in London?

'Are you implying I'm a Bangladeshi politician? Because I don't think that's the right thing to imply. You need to be very careful.'

The crew's camera was then covered up by a member of Ms Siddiq's team as she was whisked away.

When pregnant Ms Ayliffe tried to ask her further questions, Ms Siddiq - who herself has one young daughter, Azalea, told her: 'Hope you have a great birth because child labour is hard.'

Ms Siddiq was criticised by fellow MPs today, Nadine Dorries tweeted: 'It's time Tulip Siddiq used her influence with her aunt - who is the Prime Minister of Bangladesh - to help free a British citizen who was kidnapped by force for no legitimate reason by her aunts regime - rather than threatening journalists who appeal to her to make a call.'

Ms Siddiq later issued an apology for the 'off-hand and ill-judged' comments.

Channel 4 News's editor Ben de Pear tweeted last night that the show had complained. He claimed Ms Siddiq had gone to the police after its journalists tried to question her

Ms Ayliffe, an experienced journalist, tweeted of her dismay at the exchange with Ms Siddiq

Channel 4 News said it has complained to the MP and the Labour party over the comments.

The show's editor Ben De Pear tweeted: 'Today I complained to @TulipSiddiq & @UKLabour about her comments to our pregnant producer... We had asked if she could use her family connection to look into freeing a man in Bangladesh.

He added: 'Tonight she responded that she has complained to the police about @Channel4News. No apology.'

Mr Bin Quasem, known to his friends as Arman, is a British-trained Bangladeshi barrister said to have been taken away by the Bangladeshi security services in front of his wife, sister and two young daughters.

Ms Siddiq pictured in the House of Commons with daughter Azalea and husband Chris Percy

His family say they have written to Ms Siddiq asking for her help in finding out what happened to him and attempting to get him freed.

Ms Saddiq has been instrumental in putting pressure on the government over Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, the British mother and constituent of Ms Saddiq's who is in jail in Iran. She appeared to be unaware of Mr Bin Quasem's case.
Tony Ledbetter, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault after he sliced off his former partners nipples in an appalling frenzy. He was jailed for 45 years

A woman who had her breasts mutilated with scissors by her depraved ex-boyfriend asked him whether he 'felt like a man?' as he was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Tony Ledbetter, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault after he sliced off his former partners nipples in a frenzy.

The victim, who was pregnant at the time of the attack, addressed Ledbetter directly during the trial in South Dakota and asked him: 'Do you feel like a man?'

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to ask for no more than 30 years.

However, Judge Doug Hoffman reneged on the plea agreement Tuesday and gave Ledbetter the maximum 45 years, the Argus reports.

Ledbetter, who apologized in court, was accused of sitting on the woman and slicing off her nipples with a pair of scissors during an argument last year.

The victim told the court how her injuries affected her physically and emotionally.

She addressed Ledbetter directly, saying, 'Do you feel like a man?'

The attack happened in October 2016, when the attacker asked to speak to the victim about their relationship at her apartment.

Arguing, Ledbetter punched her and slammed her head on the ground, police said.

When she screamed for help Ledbetter tried to crush her windpipe with his forearm and by stuffing a blanket in her mouth.

As she became unconscious, Ledbetter used a pair of scissors to cut off her nipples and hack at her other breast.

Ledbetter knew she wanted to nurse the child, the survivor said, explaining why he had mutilated her breasts

She was able to break free and go to the hospital, where she learned the unborn baby was unharmed.

Ledbetter knew she wanted to nurse the child, the survivor said, explaining why he had mutilated her breasts.

She said in her victim statement that Ledbetter had controlling and obsessive tendencies, and had once driven to her work to check on her location.

'Because I was strong enough to say, "Enough is enough," I almost paid the ultimate price. I was nearly killed for what? "Asking for my space?",' she said in her statement to the court.

Listing some of Ledbetter's previous arrests, Judge Doug Hoffman said the attack had broken into women's homes, damaged their property, vandalized their cars and used their credit cards.

Ledbetter pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault in August, for choking and strangling his ex-girlfriend and using scissors to cut her nipples.

The victim, who was pregnant at the time of the attack, addressed Ledbetter directly during the trial in South Dakota and asked him: 'Do you feel like a man?'

Each count carried a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Ledbetter's lawyers said he was remorseful for the attack and was seeking help from the jail's chaplain and anger management program.

However, Judge Hoffman went against the plea agreement of a 30-year cap and imposed the maximum 45 years, ordering no contact with the victim and her child.
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These expertly colourised photographs show the war machines of the Second World War like they've never been seen before.

The tanks that fought epic duels in the North African desert, among European towns and in the jungles of Asia have been brought stunningly to life.

Fascinating pictures show a British commander and Indian crew in a Sherman tank as they encounter an elephant in Burma, a French Army Sherman landing on Normandy beach and an American M10 tank firing near Saint Lo.

Other incredible shots show American tank destroyers moving forward during heavy fog to stem the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge, a German Tiger Tank driving at speed and Sherman tanks carrying infantry at the start of Operation Goodwood in Normandy.

The old photographs were brought back to life after being painstakingly colourised by design engineer Paul Reynolds, 48, from Birmingham.

He said: 'I don't really have a message to convey, the content of the photo does that, however I am glad that by colourising these photos more people are aware of the happenings of World War One and World War Two.'

The M4 Sherman, officially named the Medium Tank M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and the Western allies in the Second World War. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and possible to create in great numbers. Pictured above is a British Army Sherman during the campaign to liberate Normandy in 1944. These old photographs have been brought back to life after being painstakingly colourised by design engineer Paul Reynolds, 48, from Birmingham. He explained his motivation: 'I think colourising detailed photos really brings them to life - you notice detail that usually get missed due to the monotone background'

The tanks that fought epic duels in the North African desert, among European towns and in the jungles of Asia have been brought stunningly to life. This 1943 photograph shows Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, leader of British Army forces during the campaign to chase the Nazis out of North Africa, standing by a camouflaged M3 Lee tank. The American tanks, first built in 1941, were named after General Robert E Lee, the man who commanded the Confederate forces in the American Civil War. But when modified by the British, they were known as 'Grants' - named after the Union general Ulysses S Grant. British Lees and Grants first saw action against Nazi general Erwin Rommel in the Battle of Gazala, Libya in 1942. The Axis forces defeated the Allies

The British commander and Indian crew of a Sherman tank from the 9th Royal Deccan Horse, 255th Indian Tank Brigade, encounter a newly liberated elephant on the road to Meiktila, Burma on March 29, 1945. The Burma campaign, which sought to clear the Japanese out of South Asia, was brought close to its conclusion after victories at the Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay. Led by Field Marshal William Slim, the Allies defeated the Japanese after winning air supremacy - and went on to seize the Burmese capital, Rangoon. Colouriser Paul Reynolds explained his motivation for bringing such photographs to life: 'I colourise these photos to bring our past to a new generation of people. Many of my colourisations on my Facebook page get viewed by tens of thousands of people - many from the 16 to 24 age group'

Tanks were an essential part of the Allies' plan to invade the Nazi empire by landing on the beaches of Normandy. Pictured above is an American M10 tank destroyer, evidently named 'Bessie', after making ground in 1944. Colouriser Paul Reynolds said: 'I don't really have a message to convey, the content of the photo does that, however I am glad that by colourising these photos more people are aware of the happenings of World War One and World War Two'

Pictured: An M36 Jackson tank destroyer during the Battle of the Bulge. American soldiers who operated the tank often named it simply 'TD', the initials for 'tank destroyer'. At the time of the Battle of the Bulge - the last major offensive by the Germans during the Second World War - there were several hundred in operation. The battle, which followed a surprise attack by the Nazis in the Ardennes Forest region of Belgium and Luxembourg, featured vicious tank duels between the Allies and Germans amid the freezing cold winter of 1944-1945. In mid-January, however, it was clear the Allies had won and that the offensive had been a disaster for the Nazis

This fascinating photograph shows a submerged Sherman tank being recovered from the River Biferno, near Campo-Marino in Italy, during October 1943. The Allied campaign to destroy fascist Italy began in 1943 and ended in the spring of 1945. There were nearly 1.5million casualties during the bloody struggle, alongside thousands of tanks and aircraft. From September 1943, the Italian Royal Army joined the Allies in the hope of liberating their country from fascism

American-built Sherman tanks of the Staffordshire Yeomanry, 27th Armoured Brigade, carrying infantry from the Third Division, move up at the start of Operation Goodwood, Normandy, on July 18, 1944. Goodwood, which occurred between July 18 and 20 in Normandy, involved an estimated 1,100 British tanks and several hundred Nazi tanks. It is believed to be one of the biggest tank battles in British military history, with hundreds of British armoured vehicles being destroyed and nearly 3,500 troops being killed or wounded

A British Sherman tank advancing near Catania, Sicily, on August 4, 1943. Catania was severely bombed during the Second World War from 1940 until its liberation in August 1943 by the British 8th Army. The Germans evacuated the city on August 5, 1943, but years earlier - starting on June 5, 1940 - around 100,000 people had been moved to neighbouring villages

35th Infantry Division Halftrack and Panzer IV (left) during the Battle of the Bulge in 1945. The Panzer IV was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively throughout the Second World War. Nearly 8,500 of the tanks were built, making it the commonest Nazi tank of the war. About 300 were also sold to Finland, Romania, Bulgaria and Spain, and they even ended up being used by Syrians in the 1967 war with Israel

A French Army Sherman tank lands on a beach in Normandy after disembarking from the USS LST-517 on August 2, 1944. Since its design in 1940, an astonishing 49,234 of the ubiquitous Sherman tanks were manufactured. They appeared in the Arab-Israeli wars, the Vietnam War and Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, among many others

An American M10 firing near Saint Lo, June 1944. The M10 was a tank destroyer designed in 1942 and widely deployed during the Second World War. It was manufactured by Ford and General Motors. The M10, of which 6,406 were built, used a three-inch M1918 gun to smash shells into the armour of enemy tanks

A Matilda II tank of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment in the Western Desert, 19 December 1940. The Matilda II was an infantry tank - designed to support troops as they came under heavy fire - designed in 1937 and used between 1939 and 1945. The tanks were heavily armoured but, as a consequence, very slow. Unlike other tanks, they were not adept at pushing quickly behind enemy lines and seizing territory. But there were still 2,987 of the tanks built, many of which being deployed in North Africa

The Germans' most common tank was the Tiger I (officially known as Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf H). It was deployed on all German fronts during the Second World War. The formidable tank weighed 50 tons (54 metric tons) and was heavily armoured. About 1,350 Tiger tanks were produced in total between August 1942 and August 1944. In 1943, the Tiger II was introduced. Only 492 of the Tiger IIs were built, but they were feared among Allied forces for their power and armour

Pictured: AN M4 Sherman stuck in Okinawa Stream. The devastating 82-day Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific War, with 20,195 Americans dying and an estimated 100,000 Japanese

Pictured: A Sherman tank in Frisa, Italy, driven by British troops. To the tank's left are Indian troops helping in the struggle to liberate the Italians from the control of fascism

American tank destroyers move forward during heavy fog to stem German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge. The picture was taken near Werbomont, Belgium, on December 20, 1944

An Allied M10 tank destroyer driving through the ruins of Rohrwiller, in the far west of France, in February 1945. Three months after this photograph was taken, the Nazis surrendered and the world began to recover from the cataclysm of the Second World War

Pictured: A German Tiger Tank being cleaned by troops. The heavy tank became one of the most notorious of the war, considered to be of a superior design but featuring many flaws and and suffering from various complications

Pictured: A captured Soviet JS-2 heavy tank with German writing on the side explaining that it is designated for the Wehrmacht Surpreme Command

A self-propelled howitzer M7 Priest of the 14th Armored Field Artillery Battalion of the 2nd Armored Division at the intersection of Holgate Street and the railway line between Paris and Cherbourg
This is the horrifying moment a female worker in China got scalped after going under an operating machine.

CCTV footage of the factory show a woman crawling under a machine without wearing a hair net. Seconds later, she was sucked to the machine by her hair.

She was said to be pulled out by her husband, who was sitting next to her.

A female worker goes underneath a machine in a factory in China (left) without wearing a hair net. Seconds later, she was caught in the machine by her long hair (right)

Footage has been uploaded onto Youku, a Chinese video-sharing website.

The accident reportedly occurred on November 20. The location of the factory was not specified.

The female worker, who was facing away from the surveillance camera, got her hair trapped by the machine when she crawled under it.

Her husband, who can be seen sitting next to her, notices the woman is trapped and pulls her out immediately (left). Her hair is shaved off the moment when she is saved (right)

The woman hugs her husband after he saved her. Video shows she sustains a bloodied scalp at the lower back of her head (left). Only a part of her hair remains on the side of her head (right)

Other workers can be seen stopping their work and rushing to help.

Her hair was teared off when she was pulled out by her husband who was sitting beside.

A back patch of the scalp can be seen bleeding.

No information was disclosed as to whether or not she has been taken to the hospital and got treated.
A Canadian tourist has described how she was gang raped inside Paris' iconic police headquarters by officers who piled her with whiskey.

Emily Spanton, who decided to waive her anonymity, has given her account of the events of April 22, 2014, in the French capital.

She met three French police officers at the Galway Irish pub in the city and they got talking about her love of the Quai des Orfevres - headquarters of the Paris branch of the national police which is situated on the banks of the River Seine.

The alleged victim claims to have been taken there to drink spirits before her head was smashed against a table and she was repeatedly raped.

Emily Spanton, who decided to waive her anonymity, has given her account of the events of April 22, 2014, in the French capital

View of the stairs at Quai des Orfevres during the shooting of the film "24 Jours" (24 days) in Paris on October 19, 2013. Spanton says she was attacked inside this building

Emily Spanton talks through what she recalls of the night in 2014 from her home in Ontario, Canada

In an interview with France 3 TV from her home in Ontario, Spanton said she had been 'fascinated' by the building having seen so many films featuring it.

She did not want to pass up the opportunity to visit the legendary location and was given a tour by the officers.

But the mood turned sinister, she said, when they tried to force her to drink large amounts of whiskey.

'It became very different when I refused to do what they wanted,' she told France 3 TV.

'They smashed my face against the desk. I was stunned, I was seeing stars. I couldn't see anything for a while. I couldn't see them either, they were behind me.'

A police officer makes his way through the entrance of the Paris police HQ

Spanton claims she was raped repeatedly while her head was held down against the desk before being dumped on the street outside.

A female police officer spotted her outside the headquarters and took the alleged victim to a nearby hospital where doctors detected signs she may have been sexually assaulted.

Spanton filed a rape complaint and flew home to Canada.

The three officers were arrested and, after the tourist went through a lengthy appeal process, two of them are now set to stand trial although a date has yet to be set.

Her lawyer Sophie Obadia said overturning the decision to throw the case out last year 'restores the dignity' of her client.

'She has been dragged through the mud during this investigation,' her lawyer told The Local.

'The judicial authorities have finally recognised that this woman, who is a foreigner and in a vulnerable position, has been sexually abused,' she added.

One of the officers claims to have had consensual sex with the woman, while the other initially denied having any relations with her but later said there had been 'reciprocal touching' between the two.

DNA belonging to the men was found on Spanton's underwear, along with a third strain belonging to another unknown person.

The force launched a huge operation in an attempt to find the third suspect, but after samples were taken, the third DNA strain remains unidentified.

The alleged victim was found outside the police headquarters, pictured, by a female officer who took her to hospital

Back in June 2017, prosecutors argued the woman's 'free and cheerful behaviour' did not indicate consent.

Their client was staunch in her assessment of the events.

'There is no other word for it. It's rape,' she told France 3 TV.

'When I hear [the accused police officers] I want to stand up and shout "I am not a liar, this really happened to me, how dare you".

'Before I was a happy person, open but now I am closed and isolated. That's why this trial is very important for me.'
This is the terrifying moment a tiger shark weaved between unsuspecting swimmers in the shallows of a Miami beach.

Drone footage captured the shark just yards from South Beach as at least three swimmers stand aghast.

They can only wait for the shark to swim away, hoping it doesn't attack.

Shark expert Dr Bob Hueter of the Mote Marine Laboratory said tiger sharks can pose a threat to humans because 'they go after big things.'

'They feed on other sharks, turtles, and dolphins. To see it among swimmers is definitely a little alarming,' Hueter told WTSP.

But he added that the oceans are generally safe to swim in apart from at dawn and dusk and when sharks are feeding.

Tiger sharks are common off the coast of Florida but it's rare for one to come this close to shore.
A former NASA scientist has warned that North Korea is just one mistake away from sparking World War Three.

Dr David Baker, who advised the Reagan administration during the Cold War, spoke out after Kim Jong-un tested his most powerful ICMB to date which puts most of the world within range.

Dr Baker said the dictator is taking 'considerable' risks with such tests which could see a missile malfunction and veer off-target.

'This is quite dangerous given the proximity of peripheral states who would accept as a declaration of war any stray missile hitting their territory, whether it carried a warhead or not,' he said.

North Korea is just one mistake away from sparking World War Three if one of its test missiles malfunctions and hits a neighbouring country, ex-NASA scientist Dr David Baker warns (file)

Kim Jong-un is placing 'considerable' faith in the guidance systems of his missiles, Dr Baker said, adding that even advanced nations struggle to keep the weapons on track

'The risk is considerable. Even technologically advanced nations struggle to keep these missiles on track.'

He pointed to the example of a British test off Cape Canaveral last year when a ballistic missile had to be destroyed after it was accidentally launched at America, rather than into open waters near Africa.

'North Korea is putting considerable faith in the guidance systems of these missiles,' he added.

He added that the hermit state could now be as little as a year away from gaining the ability to bring a nuclear weapon back down to earth intact.

North Korean state media said the latest test missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere.

Dr Baker said the situation on the Korean Peninsula is rapidly becoming more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis

'If North Korea were to demonstrate that ability with a missile launched deep into the Pacific Ocean, that would be more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis,' Dr Baker said.

He added: 'That would almost certainly cause a military response from America, and I would not rule out the use of tactical nuclear strikes in that situation.

'We are living in increasingly dangerous times. The movement towards accepting the use of nuclear arms in a conflict is being lowered year by year.'

President Trump vowed to 'take care of' the situation in a brief response after the latest test which came around 3am WednesdayUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations, Korea time.

Dr Baker worked with NASA on the Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programmes between 1965 and 1990 and served as an advisor to the US Government.

He was closely involved with the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and 'Star Wars' ballistic missile defence system during the Cold War in the 1970s and 1980s

Dr Baker has also recently penned the Haynes Nuclear Weapons Operations Manual, covering the history of the weapons.

Kim Jong-un declared North Korea to be a nuclear state following the country's latest missile test, which took place around 3am Wednesday on Korea time.

President Trump has vowed to 'take care of' North Korea following the latest test, though gave no further details of his plans

The projectile traveled about 620 miles and landed within 200 nautical miles of Japan's coast, observers said.

North Korea said the missile reached an altitude of around 2,780 miles - more than 10 times the height of the international space station - and was deliberately fired upwards to limit the range.

If the Hwasong-15 had been fired on a typical trajectory, analysts believe it would have a maximum range of around 8,000 miles (13,000km) - leaving only South America and a small part of Africa beyond it's reach.

The launch, which broke a 10-week hiatus in testing, prompted condemnation from around the world - including from Russia and China.

A summit of regional leaders and Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, is expected to take place on Wednesday to discuss a response.
Popstar Emili Sande and her ex-husband were the victims of a 300,000 bank scam, it emerged today.

Alleged fraudster Rasad Salam has gone on trial in London accused of being the inside man for a team of criminals who raided Barclays bank accounts.

His trial heard today that Ms Sande and her ex-husband Adam Gouraguine were targeted by the fraudsters, who used Mr Gouraguine's personal details to transfer 290,000 out of their account.

Popstar Emeli Sande was among the victims of a Barclays bank fraud gang, a court heard. Alleged 'inside man' Rasad Salam (right) is on trial for fraud by abuse of position

The bank stopped the bank transfer and another attempted withdrawal on the same day, the court heard.

Mr Gouraguine spotted unusual activity and contacted the bank, who recovered the sum, a jury was told.

The alleged crime took place a year after the couple split, but they were still sharing a joint bank account, London's Evening Standard reported.

An earlier hearing was told Salam's gang attempted to spirit money from ten separate accounts for a total of around 350,000.

His other victims allegedly lost between 35,000 and 500.

Salam, of Forest Gate, south-east London, denies 13 counts of fraud by abuse of position. The trial continues.
Sixteen people including young children have been rushed to hospital from a public swimming pool after they began having trouble breathing.

Up to 150 people were evacuated from the Leisurelink complex in Geelong when 'vapours' were reported in the children's pool area.

Ambulances raced to the scene after several small children became unwell and couldn't breathe properly about 6pm on Wednesday.

Young children were among 16 people rushed to hospital and more than 100 evacuated from the Leisurelink swimming pool in Geelong

Frightened families hurried out of the complex where temperatures sat at 30C and those feeling unwell were treated by paramedics, according to the Geelong Advertiser.

University Geelong Hospital was so inundated with victims it begged patients to only come in if their condition was serious or life-threatening.

None of the children appeared to be seriously affected by the suspected gas leak but remained under observation.

Specialist Country Fire Service crews tested the chlorine and pH levels of the pool and air around it and issued no health warning.

Leisurelink said the investigation was ongoing but the pool was declared safe and reopened soon after.

The pool was earlier this year closed for nine weeks for maintenance and upgrades before reopening in March.
Meghan Markle's elusive father will want to walk his daughter down the aisle, her half-sister revealed today.

Thomas Markle, a TV lighting engineer who lives in Mexico, will be attending the May ceremony with her mother Doria Ragland, who divorced when Meghan was five.

Yesterday Kensington Palace would not say if Mr Markle will give his daughter away at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle next year.

Ms Markle's half-sister Samantha Markle, 53, told US Weekly today: 'I'm sure he wants to walk her down the aisle. I know he wants to do it'.

She added: 'He's a shy guy now, he's a quiet man, but he'll speak when he feels it's appropriate. He gave me permission to say how happy he is, but he'll talk when he's ready'.

Thomas Markle (pictured with Meghan as a child) lives in Mexico and will be attending the May ceremony but it is not known if he will walk her down the aisle

Doria Ragland and Meghan Markle were seen together at the Invictus Games closing ceremonyInvictus Games in Toronto on September 30

Harry is said to be considering flying to Mexico with his fiancee to meet her father, who he hasn't met yet.

Royal Engagement: Prince Harry has not met Meghan's father and could fly to Mexico to meet him - but they have spoken on the phone

But the prince did call him to ask for his permission to propose before they got engaged earlier this month.

Her brother Thomas Jr said previously: 'When Meggie was born, Dad was a completely changed man. Before then, Dad's work took priority over everything but she became his whole world. She was her daddy's princess'.

Palace aides would not say yesterday whether Meghan's reclusive father, who is an award-winning Hollywood lighting director, would walk her down the aisle. He lives in Mexico and has not met Harry.

When Meghan was five, her parents divorced. She lived with her mother during the week, and her father  who rented a plethora of rundown Hollywood apartments  at weekends.

Whether she will invite her siblings though remains to be seen.

Her half sister Samantha Grant, 52, has not spoken to Miss Markle in 10 years; while her half brother Thomas Markle Jnr, 50, was once arrested for allegedly holding a gun to his girlfriend's head.

But her family appears willing to come to the UK even if they are not invited.

Meghan's nephew TJ Dooley, 26, from Oregon, told The Sun: 'I'd probably come to the UK for the wedding  even if I'm not invited. I am thrilled.'

Samantha Markle, half-sister to Meghan, pictured on Good Morning Britain their family was 'elated' at the Royal engagement and said their father wanted to give her away

This week Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland spoke of their delight at the news of the engage, saying: 'We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry.

They added: Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person.

'To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.

We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.'

Though they divorced in 1987, when Meghan was almost six, Thomas and Doria remained friends.

Miss Markle has previously spoken of her love for her parents, describing her clinical therapist mother as 'her inspiration' after she went back to university as a mature student and earned a master's degree in social work.

Low-key living: Meghan Markle's mum Doria Ragland spent the weekend preparing for her daughter's announcement in a decidedly low-key fashion outside her Los Angeles home

On Mother's Day last year she posted a picture of Doria on Instagram, writing: 'Always proud of this beautiful woman.'

Prince Harry has already met Doria, most recently at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September.

Miss Markle also described Hollywood lighting director Thomas, who now lives in Mexico, as the most hardworking father you can imagine'.

Doria is the great-great-great granddaughter of a slave, who took the name Wisdom when it was abolished in America.

She was just 20 years old and temping in a TV studio when she met Thomas, then a 32-year-old divorced father of two.

The cinematographer was already well respected in his profession, where he worked on American soaps such as General Hospital and Married... With Children.

He also did the lighting for the 1984 LA Olympics and the 1986 Oscars, even winning an Emmy.

They married in 1979, and Meghan was born two years later. The family lived in a beautiful sea-front house before moving to an affluent small town in The Valley area of Los Angeles, where their neighbours included one of Bing Crosby's twin sons.

Miss Markle attended the private Little Red Schoolhouse in Hollywood, which Elizabeth Taylor attended, followed by Immaculate Heart, an 11,500-ayear Catholic school.

Her half-brother, Thomas Junior, recalls how Thomas and Doria 'doted' on Meghan.

However, he said, Samantha envied the attention lavished on her half-sister, and tensions arose.

It was exacerbated by Thomas senior's long working hours, and in 1986, when Meghan was a few months short of her sixth birthday, her parents divorced.

The couple were awarded shared legal custody of Meghan, and Doria took various jobs to supplement her maintenance, including working as an air-stewardess, the same job once done by the Duchess of Cambridge's mother, Carole Middleton.

With her mother working, the teenage Meghan spent much of her with time with her father, in a Hollywood tenement block. Today, her mother works for a respected Los Angeles charity, specialising in helping people who had suffered brain injuries.

Her father, meanwhile, enjoys a quiet retirement in Mexico, close to the border with California.
Ivanka Trump wore a floral dress and funky shades for her visit to the Golconda Fort

Ivanka Trump capped off her visit to India with a private tour of Golconda Fort on Wednesday.

Trump stopped by the fortress of Hyderabad's most famous ruling family, walking through the main entryway and stopping to talk to reporters before she continued on.

The senior White House adviser, who is also the president's daughter, said she's had 'a fantastic two days' in Hyderabad, where she represented the United States at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit this week.

'It's been such a pleasure,' she said, standing alongside Indian ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna and U.S. Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster. 'The conference, the summit, was phenomenal.'

Trump spent 45 minutes on a guided tour of the famed Hyderabad landmark. She was out of sight most of her visit but an official confirmed that she walked past a womens mosque within the ruins and through one of the forts gardens, exiting the property via a back entrance.

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Ivanka Trump capped off her visit to India with a private tour of Golconda Fort on Wednesday

The senior White House adviser, who is also the president's daughter, said she's had 'a fantastic two days' in Hyderabad

Trump visited the fortress (pictured) of one of Hyderabad's most famous ruling families

Closed to the public for the past three days, the historic site will serve as the venue for a delegate dinner this evening. Construction workers had been building a stage and backdrop for the program over the weekend as a massive clean-up effort of the ancient ruins commenced.

Military troops assembled mid-day Sunday at the site, linking up with Hyderabad law enforcement officers who regularly police the site. A dog-catching squad was sent through the premises to collect homeless animals who wander through the citadel.

A stray dog managed to dash through the premises on Wednesday, despite their best efforts, sending security into a frenzy as Ivanka was on the approach.

At the property Detours founder Jayanti Rajagopalan, fondly known as Jonty in Hyderabad, did the honors, showing Ivanka through the main entrance of the fort and through a receiving area, where she demonstrated an ancient doorbell - the hand clap.

Amused, Ivanka gave it a try, clapping her hands and laughing as her movements echoed across the open area.

As she walked up the stairs to the ruins' main structures she stopped twice to speak to a small group of photographers and videographers.

The first daughter sported a pair of cream and black sunglasses that matched the floral patterned dress she had changed into for the occasion that she kept on as she walked in the 82 degree heat - a winter temperature for Hyderabad

On her second stop in front of the press, Ivanka called over the ambassadors and had them stand on either side.

'It is amazing to be here at Golconda Fort, and an unbelievable way to finish and cap off what has been just a fantastic two days here in the region and Hyderabad,' she said.

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi and his cabinet members were 'incredibly warm and gracious,' she said, thanking her hosts.

'I think it was a very enlightening and inspiring summit, certainly for all those who attended.

Referencing a VIP event she attended Tuesday evening at Hyderabad's Falaknuma Palace, Trump said: 'Last night's dinner was phenomenal.

'So it's been a very special experience, and this is a great way to conclude it. A little sightseeing before the airport,' she told Sarna. 'Thank you,' she said, waving goodbye to the media.

Trump is flying back to the U.S. commercially on Wednesday evening.

The conference she's attending ends at dinnertime Thursday, but the senior adviser could not stay that long, a White House official said. She had to return to the United States to help the administration tackle tax reform.

Senators will vote on a motion to take up the GOP-crafted tax overhaul bill later today. If the motion passes, they'll vote on the legislation later this week.

House Republicans have already passed tax reform legislation that differs from the tax code rewrite that's being debated in the Senate.

For a new tax policy to be enacted, House and Senate Republicans will have to hash out their disagreements in conference and repass the bill.

The Senate vote this week serves as a critical indicator of lawmakers' ability to approve a tax reform bill by Christmas  President Trump's self-imposed deadline.

While Ivanka represented the U.S. at the GES summit in India, her father campaigned for tax cuts on on Capitol Hill. He's in Missouri today to deliver remarks on the topic.



At the summit, an Indian official hailed Trump's daughter as 'arguably the most powerful woman in the world' as he introduced her at a women's equality summit.

K.T. Rama Rao, Government of Telenga, Minister for IT, said: 'I didn't know what to call her because she dons multiple responsibilities.'

Moments later, he described her as an 'adviser to POTUS' while he welcomed the panel's speakers to the stage.

Ivanka Trump, a senior White House adviser, stepped into the role of chief diplomat at the U.S. sponsored summit that's been held annually for past eight years and was located this year in the IT-savvy city of Hyderabad

Hailed by an Indian official as 'arguably the most powerful woman in the world' as she was introduced before a panel at the Global Entrepreneurship summit on Wednesday

Trump was on hand this week at the request of India's prime minister, Modi, U.S. officials have said, to speak about women in the workplace, a policy area she has made her own as a senior adviser to her father.

It was a joint decision between the friendly countries to zero in on her advocacy, they stated.

As the highest ranking U.S. official at the event Trump joined a group of State Department representatives in afternoon talks with Modi on Tuesday.

They also went on a tour of GES at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

Trump and Modi dined Tuesday at Falaknuma, a royal palace that was restored into a hotel, before the prime minister's departure.
Eighty-one years ago this month, King Edward VIII was preparing to surrender his throne because of his love for Mrs Wallis Simpson.

'We will not stand for an American divorcee as the wife of our King,' wrote an angry correspondent quoted in one Canadian newspaper.

'If the Monarchy will not observe tradition, then we had better give it up altogether!'

In November 1936, most of Britain and the Empire  and certainly the British Government of the time  agreed.

How times have changed. Time was when divorced persons were not admitted to the Royal Enclosure at Ascot.

Royal insiders say there has been a growing sense of urgency in Palace corridors since American actress Meghan, 36, and 33-year-old Harry (pictured) appeared together at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September

Now the bookmakers are saying that November 2017 is the month when Britain will actively welcome an American divorcee, Meghan Markle, into the Royal Family as the future wife of Prince Harry, currently fifth in line to the throne.

There's also an extra attraction: Ms Markle is of mixed race.

'I'm half black and half white,' she explained in Elle magazine two years ago. 'My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American.'

In a world of euphemism and verbal tiptoeing around the truth, it would seem that Meghan Markle can add forthrightness to her roster of attractions.

'You create the identity you want for yourself,' she wrote of her background, 'just as my ancestors did when they were given their freedom.'

Royal families are proud of their family trees and the House of Windsor's about-to-be latest recruit feels the same pride in hers, describing in Elle how her great-great-great-grandfather on her mother's side was one of the American slaves who was freed in 1865.

Whoever doubted the ability of the House of Windsor, with its own invented name, to reinvent itself?

Meghan Markle (pictured) shows every sign of being caring, hard-working and intelligent  'all useful ingredients,' says one trusted Windsor friend, 'for members of our Royal Family.'

Meghan Markle shows every sign of being caring, hard-working and intelligent  'all useful ingredients,' says one trusted Windsor friend, 'for members of our Royal Family.'

Prince Harry first got to know his sweetheart, of course, in the way that we all did  through television.

As Rachel Zane, the para-legal assistant and would-be lawyer in the TV series Suits, Meghan Markle impressed as an actress.

Grace Kelly, the last actress to marry into high-profile royalty, was light, charming and beautiful, but her high society screen profile was of a mischievous fashion plate.

Meghan stands for sterner stuff  can there be such a thing as a self-made princess?

The essence of Rachel Zane is her determination to make her own way in the world, without fear or favour  and Meghan herself has identical ambitions.

She was a philanthropist long before she met Harry, travelling to Rwanda to work on a clean water project, and she is now developing future plans, it is reported, to set up her own foundation, helping vulnerable young women around the world.

'I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches,' she told a UN Women's Conference in 2015. 'I've always wanted to be a woman who works.'

She's certainly heading for the right place now  look at the formidable workrate of her future aunt, Princess Anne, not to mention, of course, the unremitting schedule of our 91-year-old Queen.

The infamous treatment that was handed out to Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend by press and politicians in the 1950s derived from the concept of the whole Royal Family having to 'set a good example'.

Well, in contemporary terms, Harry and Meghan are now doing precisely that  with plans for much more. Presumably, Meghan will become a partner inside the innovative and adventurous Royal Foundation created by William, Harry and Kate to support and develop creative charities such as Place2Be, with its emphasis on the mental health of the young.

People frequently give credit to Diana, the 'People's Princess', for the progressive and open instincts of her two enterprising and quietly innovative sons  and so they should.

But let us not forget the contribution of their father, Prince Charles, and the hell that he went through to win the right to marry his own divorced partner, as a divorcee himself. Prince Harry and Meghan will now be the beneficiaries of that battle.

Most of us may not think of Camilla Parker Bowles as a 'sweetheart' in the same romantic terms as we view the youthful Meghan Markle.

But in legal and dynastic terms, the two women's situation is exactly parallel.

Prince Charles fought for the freedom that his son will now enjoy to publicly acknowledge and marry the woman of his choice  and didn't we give him a hard time in the process?

This all comes back to us and to the prejudices and the stereotypes that we, the general public, impose on our public figureheads. But history moves on  and sometimes in a positive fashion.

Who would have imagined, even in the first decade of the 21st Century, that an heir to the throne (Prince William) could 'shack up' with his girlfriend Kate for the best part of eight years before making a 'decent woman' of her? When his grandmother came to the throne in 1952, that sort of

behaviour was called 'living in sin'. But his grandmother Elizabeth II  herself a deeply committed Christian who is said to kneel beside her bedside every night in the style of her own mother  blessed this potentially controversial waiting time.

All of this goes back to the open-mindedness and the tone set by our Royal head of state.

We know the Queen (tutored herself by a constitutional historian) took personal charge of William's lessons as a future King, inviting him to Windsor when he was a teenager to study confidential Government papers in her 'red boxes', and instructing him in the topmost protocols of the Monarchy.

Recently we have learned the key event triggering current expectations of an engagement announcement was the fact that Meghan and Harry went to the Palace a few weeks ago and sat down for tea with the Queen, who is said to have conferred her blessing on the match.

Was Prince Philip there as well? He was certainly there in spirit, since the free-thinking modernity of our representative Monarchy owes much to Philip's no-nonsense impatience with formality and convention.

So, will we be seeing Meghan with Harry at Sandringham this Christmas, taking her first public steps in her new life as a future princess?

The omens seem promising, with reports that she will shortly be importing her two beloved rescue dogs  a beagle and a labrador-shepherd  to Britain.

Last week, Meghan arrived in London and was spotted looking relaxed during a shopping trip. Her beloved dogs, Bogart and Guy (pictured) , are understood to be in quarantine in London

It would be marvellous if the roster of controversial Royal alliances could progress happily in the next few weeks with the smooth and non-controversial addition of its two latest names: David and Wallis, Peter and Margaret, Charles and Camilla, and now Meghan and Harry.

It looks as if the Queen and the Royal Family stand ready to smooth the way for this brilliant step forward  but what about the rest of the country?

Will a marriage to Meghan  the Monarchy's Obama moment  prove a problem for the more prejudiced among the public?

I sincerely hope not. The actress has related how her great-great-great-grandfather, the last slave on her mother's side, decided to give himself a new surname following the emancipation of 1865, picking out the word 'Wisdom'.

Let us hope that Meghan and Harry's forthcoming happy news will inspire all of us with a generous measure of that wisdom this Christmas.

 Robert Lacey is the author of The Crown - The Inside History (Blink Publishing, 20), companion volume to The Crown TV series whose second season begins on Netflix on December 8.
A German court has ruled that a Nazi SS guard known as the 'Bookkeeper of Auschwitz', now 96, is fit to serve his four-year prison sentence.

It ruled that Oskar Groening, who was found guilty in July 2015 of being an accessory to the murders of 300,000 people at the Nazi death camp, is not too old to do time.

The court in Celle, northern Germany, explained: 'Based on expert opinion, the superior regional court finds that the convicted individual is fit to serve the term despite his advanced age.'

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The court in Celle, northern Germany, explained: 'Based on expert opinion, the superior regional court finds that the convicted individual is fit to serve the term despite his advanced age.' Pictured: Groening in 2015 during his trial

His testimony about the wholesale slaughter of innocents in the camp was considered historically important in refuting the claims of Holocaust deniers. Pictured: Groening in his SS uniform

An application to spare former concentration camp guard Oskar Groening from prison has been rejected by German authorities

Groening (pictured left in 2015 after his conviction and right during his trial) worked as an accountant at Auschwitz, sorting and counting the money taken from those killed or used as slave labour, and shipping it back to his Nazi superiors in Berlin

He was previously ruled fit to serve his time but the case has been subject to legal wrangling and appeals.

Incarcerating Groening would not violate his fundamental rights, the court said, arguing that 'appropriate precautionary measures' could be taken to meet any special needs arising from his old age.

Groening has been living at home despite his conviction, and given his age, it has until now been unclear if he would actually be jailed.

Making the case for his imprisonment, German prosecutors have said that a court doctor has determined that Groening is able to serve his sentence, on condition he is given appropriate nursing and medical care while in detention.

Groening worked as an accountant at Auschwitz, sorting and counting the money taken from those killed or used as slave labour, and shipping it back to his Nazi superiors in Berlin.

More than one million European Jews died between 1940 and 1945 at Auschwitz before it was liberated by Soviet forces.

Groening never denied being at the camp and admitted to the world it was an extermination camp where inmates were not expected to survive.

But he has not served a day behind bars.

Because of his advanced age, authorities have previously been reluctant to enforce the jail sentence imposed in 2015 for his role in the murders of 300,000 Jews at the Nazi's extermination centre in occupied Poland.

In August, the public prosecutor of Hanover rejected his legal pleas for a further delay, saying: 'We rejected the request of the defence for a reprieve. We believe he should serve his jail sentence.'

Incarcerating Groening (pictured in 2015) would not violate his fundamental rights, the court said, arguing that 'appropriate precautionary measures' could be taken to meet any special needs arising from his old age

Because of his advanced age, authorities have previously been reluctant to enforce the jail sentence imposed in 2015 for his role in the murders of 300,000 Jews at the Nazi's extermination centre in occupied Poland. Pictured: The former SS officer in 2015

More than one million European Jews died between 1940 and 1945 at Auschwitz (pictured) before it was liberated by Soviet forces

Media reports then said the requisite medical and nursing care that Groening will require in jail has to be finalised before he is taken to a prison to serve his term which will amount to less than two years with good behaviour.

But his lawyers soon mounted a legal appeal, arguing that he was unfit to spend time behind bars.

He was sentenced to four years in prison in July 2015 by the State Court in Luneburg for aiding mass murder.

His testimony about the wholesale slaughter of innocents in the camp was considered historically important in refuting the claims of Holocaust deniers who persist in the lie that the murder of six million Jews never happened.
A gang on mopeds chased a man and shot him multiple times in a public street after a row over a business deal ended in murder.

Property dealer Wajid, 45, was recorded on CCTV desperately running through the streets as he was being followed by four men on bikes.

The shocking attack, described by police as cold-blooded, happened in Delhi, India.

The victim managed to get into his home but he was quickly followed by three others.

Property dealer Wajid, 45, was recorded on CCTV desperately running through the streets as he was being followed by four men on bikes

Seconds later, he jumped through an upstairs window in the pursuit but landed in the lane where he was repeatedly shot by a gunman who waited outside.

A fourth man in a white shirt wearing a helmet is outside and immediately fires his gun.

The other three men re-emerge and proceed to also pull out their guns and continue to shoot the victim.

A crowd stirred by the commotion witnesses the shocking crime but no one intervenes.

The shocking attack, described by police as cold-blooded, happened in Delhi, India

Wajid was rushed to a nearby government hospital by neighbours but was declared dead on arrival, on October 23, in Seelampur, East Delhi.

Police quickly deployed a special team and they arrested the four men the following day.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Kumar Singhala, in North East Delhi, said: Wajid had a personal feud with the four accused due to a property and finance business deal.

The four went into his house and gunned him down in a cold blooded attack.

They were all arrested the next day and are currently in police custody.

'We have imposed section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code alongside other sections of the Arms Act as we recovered several weapons from their homes.
Britain's top defence chiefs were summoned to the Ministry of Defence for a 'dressing down' over repeated leaks about proposed military cuts, it emerged today.

Stephen Lovegrove, the top civil servant at the MOD, has issued warnings twice in recent weeks as leaks fuel a Tory rebellion over defence spending.

Frustration boiled over in recent weeks prompting Britain's most senior officers to be summoned by Sir Michael Fallon, at the time the Defence Secretary, to a 'non-negotiable' meeting.

It was claimed the meeting was a 'chest poking' but stopped short of a 'b*********' of the top brass.

General Sir Nick Carter (left), Chief of the General Staff, and General Sir Chris Deverell (right), who is commander of the Joint Forces Command, were among the officers summoned

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones (left) and Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier (right), Royal Air Force, were also at the official 'dressing down' in Whitehall

The meeting was called after frustration boiled in Government at leaks. Theresa May (centre) is pictured with the chiefs (from left) Chief of the Air Staff-Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief of the General Staff-General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff-Sir Stuart Peach, Prime Minister-Theresa May, Permanent Secretary-Stephen Lovegrove, First Sea Lord representative, Commander of Joint Forces Command-General Sir Chris Deverell

The meeting did not go ahead as originally planned as Sir Michael resigned from the Cabinet amid sexual harassment claims.

But five sources have told Sky News Mr Lovegrove took the meeting and issued the rebuke to the generals.

Particular alarm has been raised over claims the Royal Marines might be reduced by 1,000 personnel; a possibility that the UK's two amphibious ships might be scrapped early; and the threat of selling 28 Wildcat helicopters.

Leaks have been seen in Government as the different branches of the military fighting each other to protect their own budgets.

The four officers - General Sir Nick Carter, the head of the Army; General Sir Chris Deverell, who is commander of the Joint Forces Command; Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, the Chief of the Air Staff; and Admiral Sir Philip Jones, the First Sea Lord - are not considered to be personally the source of leaks.

But a defence insider told the broadcaster: 'There was too much stuff going around that could only have come from this small group of people.

'No one is accusing the chiefs themselves of leaking but there are suggestions that some of the detail has found its way to the media via proxies.'

The source said there was alarm at the 'levels of detail and private conversations that shouldn't have been made public'.

National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill is in the middle of a review that some Tories had hoped would allow more money to sent to the MOD.

But it was claimed this week he will instead recommend increasing spending on new threats on the cyber battlefront.

Frustration boiled over in recent weeks prompting Britain's most senior officers to be summoned by Sir Michael Fallon, at the time the Defence Secretary, to a 'non-negotiable' meeting.

The new defence secretary Gavin Williamson warned the Treasury over cuts this week as he insisted Nato's 2 per cent spending target was a 'base not a ceiling'.

As he fights to quell a mounting Tory rebellion over Armed Forces cuts, Mr Williamson said he looked forward to talks with the Chancellor.

In his first ever appearance at the Commons Despatch Box, Mr Williamson sought to reassure uneasy MPs he was taking a fresh look at proposals for cuts.

At Defence Questions in the Commons, Mr Williamson was bombarded with questions about cuts to his budget.

He insisted 'I'm taking the opportunity to look at all the work that has been done and making my own judgement on this'.

And in a clear shot over the Treasury's bow, Mr Williamson said: 'I've always seen 2 per cent as base, not a ceiling.'

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on reports the senior officers were summoned to a meeting about leaks.
A tradesman who lost his leg after being mauled by a shark has been refused a disability pension by Centrelink and a lump sum by his super fund.

Glenn Dickson, 25, was spearfishing on the Great Barrier Reef in February when he was attacked repeatedly by a 3.5 metre man-eater and almost died six times.

The former tradesman survived and was released from hospital after only five weeks, but lost his right leg and is unable to work.

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A tradie (pictured) who lost his leg after being mauled by a shark has been refused a disability pension by Centrelink and a lump sum by his super fund

Glenn Dickson (pictured with partner Jess), 25, was spearfishing on the Great Barrier Reef in February when he was attacked repeatedly by a 3.5 metre man-eater and almost died six times

The former tradesman survived and was released from hospital after only five weeks, but lost his right leg and is unable to work (pictured is Centrelink's letter)

Despite his severe injury - requiring the father-of-two to use a prosthetic limb with a cane or a wheelchair - Centrelink are refusing to give him a disability pension.

'I think I became a number, a dollar sign that they could save money on,' Mr Dickson told A Current Affair.

'It feels like being kicked in the guts, by your own government.'

Mr Dickson and his partner Jess believe it is simply unfair for him to be refused the Disability Support Pension.

Mr Dickson (pictured, left) and his partner Jess (pictured, right) believe it is simply unfair for him to be refused the Disability Support Pension

Despite his severe injury - requiring the father-of-two (pictured) to use a prosthetic limb with a cane or a wheelchair - Centrelink are refusing to give him a disability pension

'I think it's ridiculous, there's so many other people out there who get a disability pension and Glenn who's missing a leg ... he can't be entitled?' said Jess.

To make matters worse, his superannuation fund Sunsuper will not pay Mr Dickson a lump sum, giving him his money over six years instead.

Mr Dickson said the company changed their policy only 12 months before the shark attack, otherwise he would be able to collect the lump sum.

The young family have now accepted a pro bono offer from Will Barsby from Shine Lawyers to help him fight Centrelink and Sunsuper.

To make matters worse, his superannuation fund Sunsuper will not pay Mr Dickson (pictured) a lump sum, giving him his money over six years instead

Mr Dickson (pictured) said the company changed their policy only 12 months before the shark attack, otherwise he would be able to collect the lump sum

Although Mr Dickson is getting a Newstart allowance, it amounts to $400 less a fortnight than the disability pension.

Mr Barsby is trying to get Sunsuper to pay Mr Dickson a lump sum so he can buy a new home or a new prosthetic.

The Department of Human Services said in a statement they believe Mr Dickson is getting the correct payment and he has the right to request a review of the decision.

Sunsuper said their research showed members prefer being paid in installments rather than receiving lump sums, and said 'significant consideration' had been given to Mr Dickson's case.
A former senior Royal Navy officer accused of sexually assaulting several young men has denied he is gay and told his trial he was horrified by the allegations.

Charles Howeson, 68, is alleged to have sexually assaulted victims during a distinguished career including groping a junior rating in a man overboard drill.

Despite complaints to Navy officials more than 30 years ago Howeson was given a warning and went on to have a lengthy and decorated service.

He became a first lieutenant and second-in-command on a ship but his trial heard claims he felt he was 'too powerful' to be affected by complaints against him.

Former Royal Navy first lieutenant Charles Howeson, pictured, is accused of sexually assaulting several young men during his career

The 68-year-old, pictured, denies the charges and also told a court he was not gay

Howeson also went on to allegedly abuse young men after he left the Navy and went to work for an environmental organisation.

He is now on trial at Bristol Crown Court where his barrister Daniel Janner QC described him as a man of 'great integrity, charm and popularity'.

Howeson took the stand in his own defence and under questioning by his QC denied being attracted to young men and boys or being homosexual.

He said he had been 'appalled and hurt' by the allegations and told how he joined the Royal Navy at 17 and rose through the ranks, leaving in 1991 as a Commander.

The former senior officer said he was 'appalled and hurt' by the allegations

He said he left the Navy for 'personal reasons', saying that he and his wife had lost a child while he was in Gibraltar.

In addition, a tenant had 'wrecked our house' and 'stolen most of our belongings' and his mother had died.

Howeson said the 'triple whammy' left him feeling he wanted to spend more time with his family 'and a little less time on my career.'

Mr Janner said that Howeson, through his various leadership roles in business, was someone who had been 'responsible for many thousands of people over his very long and successful career.'

Howeson denies 11 counts of indecently assaulting 10 young men and a boy and one count of attempted sexual assault.

The alleged attacks took place between December 1985 and August 1994.

The first is said to have taken place on board HMS Cleopatra during a 'man overboard' drill when a sailor claims he groped him.

Howeson said he was 'absolutely appalled' by the allegation and 'horrified' when confronted by the ship's captain the following day.

He said claims he was helicoptered off the ship with blankets over his head was wrong and that he had merely been transferred to another vessel as per naval rules.

Howeson, pictured with wife Emma, also allegedly assaulted more men after leaving the Navy and going to work for an environmental organisation

He said a second claim of indecent assault on another man on the bridge of a ship was the result of a trip on a blackout curtain.

Howeson said he had 'stumbled slightly' and fallen down four small step, bumping 'chest to chest' with the sailor and knocking him back a few inches.

He said he had apologised to the sailor.

The trial continues.
Britain should punish the Irish Republic if it continues to use Brexit to effectively try to split up the UK, Ian Paisley Jr today said.

The DUP MP urged the UK Government to stop 'pussy footing' around and confront the Irish government over its 'disgraceful' approach.

He said if Irish PM Leo Varadkar does not change his tune and start acting like a 'good neighbour' then Britain should make a future fisheries deal 'extremely long tenuous and hard' for them.

Meanwhile David Trimble, the former First Minister of Northern Ireland who shared the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the Good Friday Agreement, accused Mr Varadkar of trying to out Sinn Fein Sinn Fein.

The outbursts comes amid mounting tensions over how to ensure a soft Irish border is maintained after Brexit.

Mr Varadkar has threatened to veto Brexit talks moving on to trade negotiations unless more guarantees are given that there will be no return to a hard border.

DUP MP Ian Paisely Jr, pictured today in Parliament, tore into the Republic of Ireland's position on Brexit and told Government ministers to punish the country in future fisheries deal if they do not change their tune and start acting like a good neighbour

If he carries the threat through he will single-handedly scupper Theresa May's massive diplomatic effort to move the talks on to the next stage.

Mr Paisley, whose DUP party is propping the PM up in No10, tore into the Irish Republic's government for using Brexit to further the bid to break up the UK.

And he urged Brexit minister Robin Walker to 'shake the cage' of the Republic during a hearing of the Northern Ireland select committee this morning.

He said: 'Frankly I think the pussy footing needs to stop. Frankly, I think our neighbour has acted disgracefully.

DAVID TRIMBLE ACCUSES IRISH PM OF 'SNARLING' AT UK AND ENDANGERING PEACE David Trimble today tore into the Irish PM Leo Varadkar over his warning about the Irish border and Brexit (file pic) The Irish PM is endangering the peace process by calling for customs checks to be pushed back to the Irish Sea and border with the mainland, David Trimble today said. The ex First Minister of Northern Ireland, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the Good Friday Agreement, accused Leo Varadkar of trying to out Sinn Fein Sinn Fein. He said warning Brexit will endanger the peace which has been hard won over the past 20 years is rubbish. And he accused the Irish PM of sounding alarmist warning son the Irish border and Brexit to shore up his flimsy political position back home. In an article for The Spectator, the unionist politician said the Irish PM's (Taoiseach) behavior cannot go unchallenged. He wrote: 'The reason the issue of the border has been brought up in the way it has is not because of any practical reasons but because of the internal politics of the Irish Republic. 'The Taoiseach has been in desperate negotiations with other party leaders in order to prevent a general election being triggered. 'He is snarling at London, trying to make a big issue about the border, because he is worried Sinn Fein might benefit if he does not.' He said the Irish Republic's calls for customs checks to be pushed to the Irish sea is the real threat to peace. He said: 'Once it begins to dawn on the unionist electorate that the Irish government is trying to break up the UK then we are into very dangerous territory indeed. 'The government needs to quash this idea very quickly, and make it clear that we will not have any damage done to our constitution.' He added: 'What Leo Varadkar is doing is trying to appeal to Sinn Fein voters. 'He hasn't learned the lesson that some Irish nationals have painfully learned in Northern Ireland: that you can't out Sinn Fein Sinn Fein.' Advertisement

'They are supposed to be our partner. As a nation our majesty's government since 2016 has given them billions of money interest free to bail them out of economic ruin and bankruptcy.

'Of course that money has been paid back but paid back at a very generous rate.'

He pointed out the much or Ireland's trade is done with the UK and said if the government does not adopt a radically different approach the UK should punish them in future deals.

He said: 'The Republic of Ireland relies for a major part of its trade with United Kingdom.

'Its fisheries waters becomes our fisheries waters in 2019 and as early as September 2019 they will need to make a fisheries deal, not with the rest of the EU, but with us.

And frankly if they continue to exacerbate our will as citizens of the UK, I think we should make that fisheries deal extremely long tenuous and hard for them.'

He added: 'And I think maybe that message needs to be spelt out that they need to start acting in mature way and dealing with us as good neighbour and friend rather than try to frustrate the will of the United Kingdom by saying they want a united Ireland, by saying they want this part of the sovereign territory of her majesty's kingdom, to be out with the rest of the agreement

'I think that needs to be spelt out loud and clear, and if her majesty's government is not for diplomatic reasons able to say that publicly I hope you are starting to shake their cage internally and privately in these negotiations.'

He said the Irish government's intransigence only 'exacerbates' problems rather than helping to reach a solution.

Mr Walker did not address Mr Paisley's comments directly but told the committee Britain and the Irish Republic are both committed to keeping a soft Irish border.

He said much progress has been made but Brexit talks need to move on to trade for a final agreement on the practicalities of the border to be thrashed out.

Meanwhile, Mr Trimble has also launched a scathing attack on the Irish PM - accusing him of 'snarling at Britain' to shore up his own position at home.

In an article for The Spectator, the unionist politician said the Irish PM's (Taoiseach) behavior cannot go unchallenged.

He wrote: 'The reason the issue of the border has been brought up in the way it has is not because of any practical reasons but because of the internal politics of the Irish Republic.

'The Taoiseach has been in desperate negotiations with other party leaders in order to prevent a general election being triggered.

'He is snarling at London, trying to make a big issue about the border, because he is worried Sinn Fein might benefit if he does not.'

He said the Good Friday Agreement is in no way endangered by Britain's withdrawal form the EU, but the Irish Republic's calls for customs checks to be pushed to the Irish sea would pose the real threat to peace.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar, pictured yesterday in the Dublin Parliament, has threatened to veto Brexit talks moving on to trade unless commitments on keeping a soft Irish border are put down in writing

He said: 'Once it begins to dawn on the unionist electorate that the Irish government is trying to break up the UK then we are into very dangerous territory indeed.

'The government needs to quash this idea very quickly, and make it clear that we will not have any damage done to our constitution.'

He added: 'What Leo Varadkar is doing is trying to appeal to Sinn Fein voters.

'He hasn't learned the lesson that some Irish nationals have painfully learned in Northern Ireland: that you can't out Sinn Fein Sinn Fein.

'All he is doing is validating its position. For its own reasons, the EU is egging him on.

'It just shows you how desperate the EU and Irish nationalists are that they're clutching at these straws.'

And today Mr Varadkar said he doses not think he will need to use his veto to block Brexit trade talks - because the EU will not agree to move on to them anyway.

He told the Dail Parliament in Dublin: 'The solidarity that exists for Ireland and behind our specific issues in relation to avoiding a hard border remains very strong.

'So I'm very confident that the European Council will operate by consensus.

'There will be no need to use or threaten a veto because we do and continue to have the support of our European colleagues when it comes to the issue of the border.'
Thomas 'TJ' Dooley III, 26, of Mammoth Lakes, California, plans to visit Britain for the royal wedding at St George's Chapel in Berkshire

Meghan Markle's nephew has vowed to gatecrash her wedding to Prince Harry even if he is left off the guestlist.

Thomas 'TJ' Dooley III, 26, of Mammoth Lakes, California, has revealed how he plans to visit Britain for the royal wedding at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire.

The relative, who is a Domino's Pizza manager, told The Sun: 'I'd probably come to the UK for the wedding - even if I'm not invited. I am thrilled.'

Mr Dooley, who used to live in Grants Pass, Oregon, has previously claimed he used to be so close to Miss Markle that she enjoyed babysitting him as a boy.

But he said a feud between his father Thomas Markle Jnr and grandfather Thomas Markle Snr tore them apart.

It comes as the American actress's half-sister revealed that her elusive father Thomas Markle will want to walk his 36-year-old daughter down the aisle.

TV lighting engineer Mr Markle, who lives in Mexico, will be at the ceremony in May with her mother Doria Ragland.

Kensington Palace has not yet confirmed if Mr Markle - who split from Ms Ragland when Miss Markle was five - will give his daughter away at the wedding.

But Miss Markle's half-sister Samantha Markle, 53, told US Weekly: 'I'm sure he wants to walk her down the aisle. I know he wants to do it.

Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose at Kensington Palace in London on Monday

Thomas Markle (pictured with Meghan as a child) lives in Mexico and will be attending the May ceremony but it is not known if he will walk her down the aisle

'He's a shy guy now, he's a quiet man, but he'll speak when he feels it's appropriate. He gave me permission to say how happy he is, but he'll talk when he's ready'.

Harry is said to be considering flying to Mexico with his fiancee to meet her father for the first time.

But the prince did call him to ask for his permission to propose before they got engaged earlier this month.

Miss Markle's brother Thomas Jr has previously said: 'When Meggie was born, Dad was a completely changed man.

'Before then, Dad's work took priority over everything but she became his whole world. She was her daddy's princess'.

Doria Ragland and Meghan Markle were seen together at the Invictus Games closing ceremonyInvictus Games in Toronto on September 30

Whether Miss Markle will invite her siblings though remains to be seen.

Her half sister Samantha Grant, 52, has not spoken to Miss Markle in ten years; while her half brother Thomas Markle Jnr, 50, was once arrested for allegedly holding a gun to his girlfriend's head.

This week Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland spoke of their delight at the news of the engagement, saying: 'We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry.

'Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person.To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.

'We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.'
Deputy leader of Britain First, Jayda Fransen arrives at Luton Magistrates Court last year

Donald Trump today shared three videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First in another anti-Muslim tirade.

Jayda Fransen, whose Twitter feed is littered with videos and pictures condemning Islam, is sitting on a charge of using threatening and abusive language at a rally in Belfast.

She is also expected to appear on religiously aggravated harassment charges next month.

Fransen is renowned for peddling her party's anti-Muslim agenda, and she was clearly delighted Trump decided to share her views.

Using capital letters, and talking about herself in the third person, she tweeted: 'The President of the United States Donald Trump has retweeted three of deputy leader Jayda Fransen's Twitter videos.

'Donald Trump himself has retweeted these videos and has around 44million followers.

'God bless you, Trump. God bless America. OCS.'

OCS is an acronym used by the party which stands for Onwards Christian Soldiers.

Fransen, formerly of the English Defence League, regularly marches through cities and towns in the UK holding Christian crosses aloft, which provokes angry reactions from Muslim members of the community.

During one of Britain First's so-called Christian Patrols in Luton back in November 2016, Fransen was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment after she harassed a Muslim mother-of-four because she was wearing a hijab.

She was fined almost 2,000 as the court heard she told a mother-of-four that Muslim men force women to cover up to avoid being raped 'because they cannot control their sexual urges', adding 'that's why they are coming into my country raping women across the continent'.

Fransen denied all charges, accusing the courts of being 'absurd', and engaging in 'a really clear display of Islamic appeasement'.

'The reason I said them was because from everything I have studied, I understand them to be true,' Fransen said in her defence.

Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, retweeted this video allegedly showing a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary

Trump, in a succession of retweets, also tweeted this video supposedly showing a Muslim migrant beating up a Dutch boy on crutches

The most extreme video Donald Trump shared was this one, reportedly showing an Islamist mob pushing a teenage boy off a roof

.Britain First Leader Paul Golding and others including Deputy Leader Jayda Fransen during far-right demonstration in London in April

She is deputy to Paul Golding, who was spared jail earlier this month after being found guilty of assault.

He is also facing three charges of religiously aggravated harassment in relation to the trial of a gang of men who raped a teenager above a Ramsgate takeaway.

Golding is set for a three day trial next month, alongside Fransen.

Jayda Fransen was born in London in 1986 and claims to have practised and studied law for many years before founding a recruitment consultancy.

In 2014, she was elected deputy leader of Britain First and two years later she took temporary control over the party when Golding was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for breaching a court order banning him from entering a mosque or encouraging others to do so in England and Wales.

Jayda Fransen was born in London in 1986 and claims to have practised and studied law for many years before founding a recruitment consultancy

The party's mission statement is issued on its website, and it reads: 'Britain First is a patriotic political party and street movement that opposes and fights the many injustices that are routinely inflicted on the British people.

'Our policies are pro-British, our approach is no-nonsense and our principles are not open to compromise.

'We love our people, our nation, our heritage and culture and will defend them at all times and no matter what odds we face.

'The Britain First movement is not just a normal political group, we are a patriotic resistance and 'frontline' for our long suffering people.'

Fransen, 31, from Penge, south east London, is facing the court action in Northern Ireland over a speech she made at an anti-terrorism demonstration in the city on August 6.

She was arrested by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers on Saturday in Bromley, south east London and taken to Belfast for questioning.

She has been bailed to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on December 14.

Describing her arrest, she said: 'I was escorted in a police van with four officers up to Liverpool to catch a ferry. Bearing in mind, I was arrested at quarter to four, our ferry was 10.30 at night and it arrived here in Belfast at 6.30 this morning so it's been quite a jaunt.'

She said police questioned her for around three to four hours, accusing her of being 'anti-Islamic', and released her after she was charged.

'This all relates to a speech that I gave at an event over here where I was invited as a guest speaker, the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism on the 6 August,' she added.

Britain First hold a demonstration in Rochdale, opposed by anti-fascist groups. Britain First said they were highlighting concerns about child sexual exploitation in the town

Britain First leader Paul Golding broke the news to his supporters in a Twitter video on Saturday.

He said: 'A large group of plain clothes police detectives from Belfast of all places jumped out of nowhere and have arrested Jayda.

'What have they arrested her for? Both of us addressed, made a speech, at a public demonstration outside Belfast City Hall all the way back in August.

'The detective I spoke to told me she is being flown to Belfast tonight to be interrogated.

'It's absolutely ridiculous - this is non-stop with me and Jayda, non-bloody stop.'

He said his colleague had been arrested for 'no bloody reason'.

Ms Fransen and Mr Golding were in Belfast on August 6 for a demonstration by around 50 people calling themselves Northern Ireland Against Terrorism, which took place on the same day as a republican march organised by the Anti-Internment League to mark the use of detention without trial by the British Army during the height of the Troubles in 1971.

Britain First's Paul Golding and Jayda Fransenin pose up next to a sign for Schengen

Jayda Fransen posing with her thumbs down in Brussels in front of a piece of graffiti that reads 'Welcome refugees'

The pair have been charged by Kent Police after allegedly distributing leaflets as four men stood trial for gang rape. They are pictured here at a Britain First demonstration this year

Trump shared three videos posted by Fransen.

The first was a clip supposedly showing a Muslim migrant beating up a Dutch boy on crutches.

Seconds later, retweeted a video showing what she claims to be a Muslim man destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

And the third video posted in quick succession to his 43.6million followers was by far the most disturbing - a video showing an alleged Islamic group throwing a teenager off a roof before beating him to death.

Trump then posted his own tweets, first accusing CNN of fake news, then congratulating his own policies and their impact on the stock market.

The issue was raised in the House of Commons this afternoon by Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Yvette Cooper MP.

Talking to the Speaker of the House John Bercow, she said: 'I understand the woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in thsi coutnry.

'And on that basis, given the significance and the seriousness of having the President of the United States of America giving her such a huge platform, does he not think it would be approptiate for us to hear some word of condemnation from the Home Secretary or the Foreign Secretary?'

There was no response from the Cabinet.

Labour MP for Tottenham also weighed in on the debate, saying: 'Let that sink in.

'The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted.

'He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in my country and my city.'

He also raised the issue that Thomas Mair shouted 'Britain First' before murdering his colleague Jo Cox on the eve of the Brexit vote.

'Do not forget that the man who murdered Jo Cox shouted "Britain First",' he said.

'Trump has gone beyond the pale today.'

Mrs Cox's widower Brendan Cox said: 'Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours.

'Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself.'

Britain First previously any denied involvement in the attack on Mrs Cox, and there is no suggestion that Mair was influenced by or in any way involved with the group.
The jury in the trial of a woman accused of murdering her ex-partner after throwing acid over his face and body has been discharged.

Berlinah Wallace, 48, is accused of murdering Mark Van Dongen, 29, who was paralysed from the neck down, 'grotesquely scarred' and all but blinded by the alleged attack in September 2015.

The trial at Bristol Crown Court had been adjourned last week by Mrs Justice May to allow a question of law 'to be further considered'.

The murder trial in which Berlinah Wallace, pictured, is accused of killing her former partner by throwing acid over him has been halted and the jury discharged for 'legal reasons'

Mark van Dongen, right, was left paralysed and almost blind after an acid attack and took his own life at a euthanasia clinic in Belgium in January, leading to the murder case against Wallace, left

The jury of six men and six women returned to court on Wednesday to learn the judge was halting the trial and discharging them for legal reasons.

She told them: 'When I adjourned this trial just over a week ago it was for the consideration of a legal matter. We cannot say for certain when it will be finalised.

'In these circumstances there is no option but to discharge you from further service at this trial.

'We realise that you will be frustrated and disappointed and having undertaken a solemn duty you are not going to be able to discharge that role.

'Thank you very much for your service in this trial.'

Mrs Justice May remanded Wallace in custody and fixed a provisional trial date of April 17 next year.

The defendant, who denies the charge of murder, also faces a charge of throwing a corrosive substance with intent.

The court previously heard Mr Van Dongen ran out into the street screaming in pain after the attack on September 23, 2015 in the Westbury Park area of Bristol.

The trial of Wallace, pictured in a court sketch, was adjourned last week for 'a question of law to be considered'

The Dutch-born civil engineer suffered 15 months of pain before taking his own life at a euthanasia clinic in Belgium on January 2, 2017.

The jury heard Mr Van Dongen had lost the sight in his left eye and most of the sight in his right eye.

He lost his lower left leg, which was amputated, was confined to a hospital bed, for a long time unable to move anything other than his tongue and that while his physical condition improved a little - he regained the power of speech - he was left paralysed from the neck down.
Prince Miteb was one of the many senior figures who were rounded up in a corruption inquiry aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia has freed influential Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, following a 'settlement' with authorities reportedly exceeding $1 billion, more than three weeks after he was detained in a sweeping anti-corruption purge.

The former National Guard chief was among more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen who were rounded up earlier this month, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tightens his grip on power.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, is the most high-profile royal to be released so far as the government appears to be striking monetary settlements with some of the detainees in exchange for their freedom.

'Yes, Prince Miteb was released this morning (Tuesday),' a source close to the government told AFP, without outlining the terms of his release.

The prince was released after paying more than $1 billion in a 'settlement deal' with authorities, Bloomberg News cited an unnamed official as saying.

The prince was not reachable for comment.

Prince Miteb is believed to have been one of the men imprisoned inside the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh (pictured, prisoners sleep on mattresses on the floor)

Saudi information ministry officials also could not confirm the development but posts on social media by members of the royal family suggested he had been freed.

Princess Nouf bint Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud posted an old image of Prince Miteb on a verified Twitter account with the message: 'Praise be to Allah. Peace be upon you'.

In a similar post with the picture of a smiling prince, Princess Abeer bint Khaled bin Abdullah tweeted: 'May god grant you a long life, give you health and keep you safe for us.'

Before his arrest the 64-year-old son of the late king Abdullah was sacked as the head of the National Guard, an internal security force that has long been seen as a locus of tribal power.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Prince Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying that the vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in crackdown are agreeing to settlements under which they hand over assets to the government.

As the Sandhurst-trained preferred son of the late King Abdullah, Miteb was once thought to be a leading contender for the throne.

Before he was sacked by a royal decree on Nov. 4, he headed the Saudi National Guard, an elite internal security force originally based on traditional tribal units that was run by his father for five decades.

He was also the last remaining member of Abdullah's Shammar branch of the family to retain a key position at the top of the Saudi power structure, after brothers Mishaal and Turki were relieved of their posts as governors in 2015.
Newly released surveillance images suggest three-year-old Mariah Kay Woods, who was found missing from her bed Monday morning, may have been abducted.

Late Tuesday, the FBI released a series of three surveillance photos from a Walmart in Morehead City, North Carolina - about an hour east of Mariah's home in Jacksonville.

The photos shows a brunette woman walking with and carrying a blonde toddler who appears to resemble Mariah.

The FBI, which recently brought in their child abduction team to aid the case, says they want to question the woman in connection to Mariah's disappearance.

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The FBI released these images late Tuesday, showing a woman they want to question in the disappearance of three-year-old Mariah Woods

'As a result from information provided by the community, law enforcement obtained an image of an adult and child that was taken on Monday morning, November 27th at approximately 9:30 a.m. in the WalMart in Morehead City,' the FBI said in a statement. 'The Onslow County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are attempting to determine whether the child depicted in this image is missing three year old Mariah Woods.'

The photos were taken at 9:30am Monday morning, three and a half hours after Mariah's mother and live-in boyfriend went to wake her up and found her missing from her bedroom.

The last time that Mariah's mother, Kristy Woods, say her was at 11pm the night before, when she tucked her into bed.

Mariah Woods (left and right) was reported missing Monday morning, when her mother went to wake her up and found her missing from her bedroom

She says her boyfriend saw the girl about an hour later, when she came out of her room and he told her to go back to bed.

Police went to see the girl's biological father, Alex Woods, who said she was not with him.

On Tuesday, Alex told WCTI reporters that he first learned his daughter was missing when the Amber Alert was issued on Monday.

He said the last time he had seen Mariah and her two brothers was about a year ago, when he got custody for a month while Child Protective Services investigated an incident.

He said he's not convinced that Mariah was abducted.

Video Courtesy WNCT

In a tearful address to reporters on Monday, the girl's mother seemed to believe someone had abducted her girl.

'Please, bring her back ... She's my baby, she's my everything,' the mother of three said. 'Just to be able to touch her and hold her and not let her go again. I'd give anything.'

Kristy Woods says that her daughter usually wears orthopedic braces on both of her legs and has trouble walking without them.

On Monday, Mariah's mother Kristy Woods issued a tearful statement to reporters, asking whoever is responsible for her daughter's disappearance to return the girl

Woods' live-in boyfriend Earl Kimrey (left, with Woods) was the last to see the girl alive

Kimrey and Woods are pictured above with Woods' three children (including Mariah, being held by Woods)

Mariah's biological father, Alex Woods (right), said he didn't learn about his daughter's disappearance until the Amber Alert was issued on Monday. He hasn't had custody of her for a year. He's pictured above with his girlfriend

She says she calls Mariah 'an angel' because she unexpectedly got pregnant with her after she got her tubes tied.

'This is my world, this is my angel,' said Woods. 'She was sent to me for a reason. This is my everything besides my boys, the love that I have for this girl. The bond that I have ..is my life. please, just don't take that.'

Woods' boyfriend has not been officially identified, but her Facebook profile says she's in a relationship with a man named Earl Kimrey.

A photo on his profile shows him posing with his girlfriend and her children. The profile also says they started dating in July 2015.

On Monday, police searched the woods surrounding the couple's home in a mobile home park.

They say there was no sign of a forced entry, but the back door of the home was left unlocked overnight.

Kristy Woods says she last saw her daughter Sunday night at 11pm, when she tucked her into bed at the home she lives in with her boyfriend and children

Kristy Woods said her boyfriend saw the girl once more, at midnight, when she came out of her room and he told her to go back to bed. Above, search crews on Monday

Mariah was officially reported missing Monday morning around 6am, when her mother went into the room and saw she was gone

Investigators searched the home, the family's car and the woods around the home on Monday. Above, an investigator packages evidence on Monday

Sheriff Hans Miller says it's too soon to know what happened to the girl

Law enforcement officials also searched the home and the family's car for evidence.

They say they found some items of interest in the woods behind the home, but are unsure if it's connected to the girl's disappearance yet.

The FBI is now assisting local and state law enforcement in the case.

Mariah is described as a white female with brown hair and blue eyes. She stands at about two-feet-nine and weighs 30 pounds.

Sheriff Hans Miller said his officers are 'working everything that can be worked to find this little girl.'

'We dont know what happened. Its entirely premature to try to determine what happened,' Sheriff Miller said.

Anyone with information on Mariah's disappearance are being asked to call the Onslow County Sheriff at 910-455-3113 or 911 locally.
A Muslim woman says she was offered a job as a teenager on the condition she stopped wearing a hijab.

Inaz Janif, who now works as a high school teacher in Melbourne, told SBS it was a difficult decision to make as an 18-year-old woman.

'The first job I applied for as a teenager, I was told I could have it at a coffee shop if I stopped wearing hijab,' she said.

Melbourne high school teacher Inaz Janif says she was offered a job if she removed her hijab

However, she stood her ground and insisted she be allowed to work with the hijab on.

'I stayed true to myself. A piece of fabric on my head has nothing to do with my employability,' she said.

Her observations follow a report by the Scanlon Foundation, which found 41 per cent of surveyed Australians had a negative view of Muslims, compared with just six per cent for Christians and four per cent for Buddhists.

The Mapping Social Cohension report said Australians were concerned about Muslims disrespecting Australian values.

'This negativity is in part fed by the reality  and the heightened perception  of radical rejectionism of Australias secular democratic values and institutions within segments of the Muslim population,' it said.

The report also found those reporting discrimination on the basis of their skin colour, ethnic origin or religion more than doubled, from nine per cent to 20 per cent, between 2007 and 2017.
A Porsche has been spotted parked illegally in an emergency services zone reserved for police, firefighters and ambulances.

The Porsche Boxster S was seen just after midday on Saturday at the Kawana Shoppingworld centre on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, according to the Sunshine Coast Daily.

The zone the car had parked in is clearly marked with diagonal yellow lines, and the words 'police', 'ambulance' and 'fire' written on it.

Late-model Porches can retail from close to $100,000.

A Porsche has been spotted parking illegally in an emergency services zone reserved for police, firefighters and ambulances

The driver reportedly was in the car park for a few minutes before driving off.

Queensland Police Service said the driver would have received a fine for their behaviour if they were caught.

The fine could be up to $50, with three points deducted from the driver's licence.

A shopping centre spokeswoman said police could remove cars parked illegally 'upon first sight and without warning'.

The Porsche Boxster S was seen just after midday on Saturday at the Kawana Shoppingworld centre on Queensland's Sunshine Coast

The shopping centre's security could also tell the driver to move their car using a speaker system.

'If the car remains in the emergency services bay, centre management will then arrange for the towing of the vehicle.'

The spokeswoman said no cars have been towed from the site, and police confirmed the late model Porsche was not an unmarked police vehicle.
A video showing a teenage boy attacking his mother in an alley has sparked an outcry in China.

Reports have suggested that the boy, 14, became angry after being rejected pocket money worth a few yuan (less than 1) by her mother, who was said to be mentally ill.

Shocked by the violence, the Chinese public condemned the schoolboy and tried to track him down.

The boy's school said he had been suffering from psychological problems due to his mother's illness, and the teachers have been giving him counselling.

Mobile phone footage shows a 14-year-old boy attacking is mother in a back alley (left). He then starts to beat her up and pushes her up against a wall (right)

Mobile phone footage posted on Beijing News captured the moment of the recent attack.

The incident reportedly took place in a back alley of Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province.

The 14-year-old boy, who was wearing school uniform, can be seen pushing his mother against a wall and charging a bicycle towards her closely.

Guangzhou Daily reported that the mother had language and speech disorders and walking on cranes.

The report said two years ago she developed Schizophrenia, a mental disorder that could prevent people from distinguishing their own ideas and thoughts from reality.

It's said that the mother started to follow her son around in 2015.

A local charity group told the reporters that the 14-year-old boy has been living with his mother after his father died in an accident in 2008.

He started scolding and beating his mother shortly as he thought 'it's embarrassing to have a mother who follows me around'.

The mother, reportedly suffering from Schizophrenia, is crying loudly in pain as her son attacks her with the bicycle. She fails to fight back as the boy attacks her in a back alley

It's reported that the boy asked his mother for pocket money but got rejected (left). He became upset and started attacking his mother by kicking and beating (right)

The mother explained to the volunteers that she got beaten up for not giving her son pocket money.

Teachers from the boy's school told Guangzhou Daily that they have been offering counselling session to him but it was not effective.

The clip has caused an outcry in social media platform. Web users from Weibo, similar to Twitter, searched for the boy's identity and even found his home address.

It's reported that there were people gathering outside his house at 11pm on November 25.

They also found out his school and private messages within his friends.

His school teacher said the 14-year-old was too scared to go back home and is now staying at school after class.

Teachers have contacted the local education department to seek help for the boy and the mother.

They are also looking for communities or organisations to provide any needed aids to the family.
Two men have been jailed for what a judge called the 'callous and morally repugnant' roles they played in supplying a schoolgirl with MDMA shortly before her death.

Jason Burder, 29, and 28-year-old Adam King had pleaded guilty to drugs charges after being cleared of the gross negligence manslaughter of Megan Bannister, 16, part-way through their trial.

They were accused of causing her death by failing to get help while she lay dying in the back of their car as they drove around for hours looking for alcohol and contacting prostitutes.

The court heard they also gave her booze and ecstasy before sending humiliating Snapchat videos of her fitting.

Yesterday the pair were cleared of manslaughter after a judge ruled it was impossible to say whether their actions, though 'morally repugnant', had caused the schoolgirl's death.

Two men have been jailed after admitting giving schoolgirl Megan Bannister, left and right, drugs and alcohol shortly before she died in the back of their car

Adam King (left) and Jay Burder (right) were accused of manslaughter after driving around 'for hours looking for prostitutes' while she fitted in the vehicle, but yesterday a judge cleared them because she said it was 'impossible to say whether their actions contributed to her death'

The judge said Burder, left, and King, right, 'targeted' Megan and forced her to take more drugs than a 'experienced user' via 'stealth or persuasion'

Megan's mother Carol, pictured outside of the court, said the family's hearts had been 'utterly broken' by her death in a statement

Megan's father Tony, left and right, wrote the family statement which said they 'could not express their numbness or grief'

Megan was discovered dead on the backseat of Burder's Vauxhall Astra, only after he crashed the car near Enderby, Leicestershire, on the morning of May 14.

Sentencing seasoned drug-user and 'pusher' Burder on Wednesday for supplying Megan with MDMA, Mrs Justice Jefford said: 'The fact of Megan's death and your behaviour towards her, which I have already described as callous and morally repugnant, are matters I could and should take into account when sentencing.'

She added: 'She was a much younger girl being induced to take more drugs than you, an experienced drug-user did.'

The judge said the men had 'targeted' the girl, both chipping into buy the drugs and then 'by stealth or persuasion, you got her to take far more than either of you did'.

She described Burder's role as 'far more serious', as it was he who then filmed the effects of MDMA on Megan in his bedroom, 'broadcasting her suffering the effects of the drug on Snapchat'.

While Megan was still in his room, along with King, he sent a message pretending he had not seen the GCSE student, who had dreamed of becoming a midwife.

Megan, 16, was found on the back seat of the crashed car in Leicestershire and the court heard the men had previously taken Snapchat videos of her fitting

After being given ecstasy, she was driven around in Jason Burder's Vauxhall Astra

Mrs Justice Jefford added: 'You videoed her, shared images of her when she was clearly not in control.

'You laughed at her and made unkind remarks about her.

'Rather than care for her you dumped her in the back seat of your car and drove around with no concern for anyone other than yourself.'

She told Burder, of Leicester: 'I am told you lost a baby. That is your personal tragedy and if anything makes worse your complete lack of remorse for what happened to Megan, and her family's loss of a daughter.'

Departing from normal sentencing guidelines she handed Burder a hefty prison term, because of the 'many aggravating factors'.

He was jailed for a total of eight-and-a-half years, after also pleading guilty to possession of MDMA found at the crash scene, two counts of supplying drugs to another woman, and a careless driving offence for his role in the road collision.

Turning to King, of Waltham Avenue, Leicester, who admitted being concerned in the supply of 2g of MDMA to Megan. the judge told him: 'Everything I have said about the lack of care and concern shown to Megan by Jason Burder, applies equally to you.'

She jailed him for four-and-a-half years.

Burder (right) was jailed for eight-and-a-half years and was said to have a 'complete lack of remorse' while King (left) received a four-and-a-half year sentence

The judge praised Megan's family, who sat throughout the trial listening to harrowing evidence, adding: 'All their hopes for Megan's future have been taken from her parents and siblings, including her twin brother.'

The trial at Birmingham Crown Court had heard that Burder told his mother shortly before 7.50am the men were taking Megan home, but instead the 'indifferent' pair drove around with the young girl, who was left covered with a coat.

Burder and King, both from Leicester, went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court two weeks ago charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

They were accused of spiking Megan's drink with ecstasy and strangling her.

Following lengthy legal argument at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday, Mrs Justice Jefford ruled that Burder and King had no case to answer.

She said it was impossible to establish when Megan died and whether seeking medical attention earlier would have saved her.

The trial was told Burder and King stopped to buy beer after putting Megan in the back of the Vauxhall Astra.

Although Burder told his mother they were taking Megan home, they drove her around from shortly before 7.50am until the crash - in which a biker suffered a broken pelvis - at about 11.40am.

An off-duty nurse who was one of the first on the scene after the crash, said Burder and King 'must have known' that Megan, who was half-covered by a coat and had no obvious crash injuries, was dead.

The GCSE student, who wanted to be a midwife, knew Burder - whose Facebook profile falsely gave his age as 21 - through social media but only met him in person two days before her death.

The pair did admit supplying ecstasy to Megan and Burder pleaded guilty to driving without due and attention.

Explaining her reasons for instructing jurors to acquit both defendants of manslaughter, judge Mrs Justice Jefford said: 'Over the past few days, in your absence, I have heard legal argument in relation to the manslaughter charge.

The pair, pictured in a court sketch, were said to have done nothing to help Megan

'It is open to the defendants to submit at the close of the prosecution case, that if you take the prosecution's case at its highest you could not properly be sure of the defendant's guilt.

'I have concluded that as a matter of law there is no case to answer on the manslaughter charge and it is therefore my duty to instruct you to enter a not guilty verdict against both defendants.'

In a written ruling explaining her decision, the judge said there was no evidence on which a jury could be sure that failing to seek assistance for Megan - however 'morally repugnant' it might be - had caused her death.

Following the car crash, efforts were made to revive Megan, but witnesses said they believed she was already dead as her 'lips were blue and she was showing no signs of life'. A pathologist later concluded that she had not died in the crash.

The precise cause of death was 'unascertained', but tests found a 'massive difference in toxicity levels' between Megan and the two men, said Miranda Moore, prosecuting.

Pathologist Dr Frances Hollingbury told the court the cause of death was either ecstasy toxicity, manual strangulation or a combination of the two.
US President Donald Trump was 'wrong' to share anti-Muslim videos posted by a far-right UK group, Downing Street said today.

Furious MPs insisted Mr Trump was 'not welcome here' following the Twitter posts but No 10 said his invite to come to Britain on a state visit still stands.

The storm over the posts - first shared by Britain First's deputy leader - deepened as the widow of murdered MP Jo Cox accused him of 'spreading hatred'.

The furious backlash came after the 71-year-old President retweeted content posted by Britain First's Jayda Fransen.

Labour politician Mrs Cox was stabbed and shot outside her constituency office in Birstall, West Yorkshire, in June 2016 by a man who shouted 'Britain First'.

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President Donald Trump has retweeted three videos posted by a far-right British leader, known for her rabid Islamophobia

The first video President Trump posted depicted 'Muslim migrant' according to Jayda Fransen, beating up a 'Dutch boy on crutches'

The first video retweeted by Mr Trump was claimed to show a 'Muslim migrant' beating up a Dutch boy on crutches.

But Dutch media this afternoon said the video was 'fake news'. The video features a born and raised Dutch man and no reports have detailed the suspect's religion.

Mr Trump also retweeted a video of a Muslim man 'destroy(ing) a statue of Virgin Mary', and another where Ms Fransen wrote: 'Islamist mob pushed teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!' The provenance of the footage is unknown.

MIGRANT VIDEO IS 'FAKE NEWS', DUTCH MEDIA CLAIM The video entitled 'Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!' has already been claimed to be fake news . The clip was allegedly first posted on the Dutch website Dumpert in May before being removed following a request by police. The incident was said to have taken place in Monnickendam, around ten miles north of Amsterdam. But Dutch media the 16-year-old perpetrator, who was arrested, is said to be an 'ordinary Dutchman'  and not a migrant nor a Muslim. Advertisement

The row casts fresh doubt on the prospects for Mr Trump's state visit, which has been repeatedly pushed back since Prime Minister Theresa May extended the invite in January.

Speaker John Bercow has already made clear he would block the President from getting the honour of addressing both Houses of Parliament if he does come.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Britain First sought to divide communities through its use of 'hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions'.

'It is wrong for the president to have done this,' the spokesman said.

Despite the slapdown, Mrs May's spokesman made clear that the controversial invitation for the president to make a state visit to the UK, made when Theresa May met Mr Trump in Washington in January, still stood.

'The invitation for a state visit has been extended and accepted. Further details will be announced in due course,' the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that Britain First 'cause anxiety to law-abiding people', adding that: 'British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents - decency tolerance and respect.'

Labour MP Mary Creagh said Mr Trump was 'not welcome here', while Brendan Cox, whose politician wife Jo was killed during the EU referendum campaign last year, accused him of 'spreading hatred'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn joined calls for the government to take a tough stance on Mr Trump's retweets

There have been claims Mr Trump has been dragging his heels on agreeing a date because he does not want to face protests - after more than 1.8million people signed a petition demanding the visit be cancelled.

JO COX MURDERED BY NAZI OBSESSED KILLER WHO SHOUTED 'BRITAIN FIRST' The late Labour MP Jo Cox, a mother of two young children, was brutally murdered by Nazi obsessed Thomas Mair who shouted 'Britain First' as he stabbed her (file pic) Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist who shouted 'Britain First' as he brutally shot and stabbed her to death. Mrs Cox, a mother of two young children, was on her way to hold a constituency surgery when she was confronted by Thomas Mair one morning in June last year. Her killer, a Nazi-obsessed loner, shouted 'Britain First, this is for Britain, Britain will always come first' as he rained down blows on 41-year-old Mrs Cox. Mair, 54, spent hours looking up information on the Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organisations before brutally attacking the Labour MP. He lay in wait outside Birstall Library for her to arrive for her weekly surgery before repeatedly stabbing her with a 7in dagger and firing a .22 rimfire rifle. When arrested, the unemployed gardener told police, 'I am a political activist'. Britain First is a far right organisation set up on 2011 a group of ex members of the British National Party (BNP). Its members have tried to stoke race tensions by launching so-called Christian patrols, which see its members walk through Britain's streets carrying giant crosses and confronting members of the public. Several of its leading members have been convicted of harassment after they hurled abuse at women wearing hijabs and for launching 'mosque invasions'. There have been calls for the group to be listed as a terror organisation. Britain First previously denied any involvement in the attack on Mrs Cox, and there is no suggestion that Mair was influenced by or in any way involved with the group. Advertisement

Mrs May did not take PMQs in the Commons today because she is on a trip to the Middle East, but Downing Street said it would respond later.

Brendan Cox, the husband of Mrs Cox, who was killed during the EU referendum campaign last year, said: 'Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours.

'Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself.'

Labour MP Mary Creagh posted: 'Jo Cox's killer shouted 'Britain First'. (Trump) retweeting this hate criminal demeans his office. He is not welcome here.'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who was embroiled in a spat with Mr Trump last year over his call for a travel ban on mainly-Muslim countries, said: 'Britain First is a vile, hate-fuelled organisation whose views should be condemned, not amplified.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also urged Mrs May to take a tough stance against the President.

'I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society,' he said.

Labour MP Chuka Umunna told Sky News: 'I don't think the president of the United States, a president who has not only promoted bigotry, misogyny and racism in his own country, I don't think he is welcome here.

'I think the invite that has been made to him to come to our country in early 2018 should be withdrawn.

'What we see here is the president retweeting and promoting the propaganda of a far right racist bigoted group members of which have been arrested and convicted for promoting hatred in this country.

'I am absolutely astounded that a man  any person  in his position holding the office that he does should be promoting the propaganda of a far right British group.'

A tweet from Fransen's account, which is verified by Twitter, appeared to celebrate the retweets by Mr Trump.

It said: 'THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!'

Britain First leader Paul Golding said: 'We've never spoken to him (Trump) before. But the fact he's shared his alarm at Jayda's arrest means we're going to reach out to him. Jayda is recording a video message directly to him later.

The third video President Trump retweeted shows an 'Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!'

The second video shows a 'Muslim man' speaking to the camera and then bashing a statue of Virgin Mary on the ground, shattering her

'We're looking forward to all the new followers and support we'll get from Trump's publicity.'

Last year, Ms Fransen was found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment after accosting a Muslim woman.

The charge stemmed from a January 2016 incident in which Fransen, wearing a political uniform and during a so-called 'Christian patrol,' accosted a Muslim woman named Sumayyah Sharpe in Luton, England.

Ms Fransen admitted that she told Sharpe, who was wearing hijab, that Muslim men force women to cover up to avoid rape 'because they cannot control their sexual urges.'

'That's why they are coming into my country raping women across the continent,' Fransen told Sharpe, according to the Independent. Ms Sharpe was in front of her four children at the time.

Ms Fransen, and Britain First leader Paul Golding, 35, also of Penge, are due to appear at Folkestone Magistrates' Court today for a pre-trial review over allegations of religiously aggravated abuse in Canterbury and Ramsgate, Kent.

A trial is scheduled for January 29, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

She will also appear in court in Northern Ireland in December charged with using threatening and abusive language in connection with a speech she made at an anti-terrorism demonstration in Belfast on August 6.

The videos were posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First (pictured)

Labour MP and Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper said the government 'must condemn' the retweets by Mr Trump

Home Secretary Amber Rudd did not immediately respond in the House of Commons when Labour MPs Stephen Doughty and Yvette Cooper raised Mr Trump's retweets as a point of order.

Mr Doughty said the videos were 'highly inflammatory' and Ms Cooper said the president had given Fransen a 'huge platform' as one MP shouted 'Disgraceful' and others said 'Go on, stand up' at Ms Rudd.

Brexit minister Lord Callanan said Mr Trump may have not been aware of the 'appalling' nature of Britain First, but said the incident showed the president should be 'more careful' in his tweeting.

The Conservative peer told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'Britain First is an appalling organisation and there is no excusing the things they stand for.

'I can only assume that he has made a mistake and that he did not realise who Britain First were. Most people in the UK don't know who Britain First are.

'I'm not excusing it. He clearly needs to be more careful what he tweets to 44 million followers. This is manna from heaven for them.

'We are doing exactly what they want in publicising them and giving coverage to their awful views, and Trump has helped them in that.'

Britain First previously denied any involvement in the attack on Mrs Cox, and there is no suggestion that Mair was influenced by or in any way involved with the group.

The far-right leader who berates Muslims on the street, has already been convicted of hate crime and is DELIGHTED Trump's retweeted her

Jayda Fransen is awaiting trial on two separate charges of harassment and abuse

Donald Trump shared three videos on his personal account to his 44m followers

The far-right leader is deputy of Britain First - a far-right, anti-immigration party

She was fined nearly 2,000 for religiously aggravated harassment of a woman

Deputy leader of Britain First, Jayda Fransen arrives at Luton Magistrates Court last year

Donald Trump today shared three videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First in another anti-Muslim tirade.

Jayda Fransen, whose Twitter feed is littered with videos and pictures condemning Islam, is sitting on a charge of using threatening and abusive language at a rally in Belfast.

She is also expected to appear on religiously aggravated harassment charges next month.

Fransen is renowned for peddling her party's anti-Muslim agenda, and she was clearly delighted Trump decided to share her views.

Using capital letters, and talking about herself in the third person, she tweeted: 'The President of the United States Donald Trump has retweeted three of deputy leader Jayda Fransen's Twitter videos.

'Donald Trump himself has retweeted these videos and has around 44million followers. God bless you, Trump. God bless America. OCS.'

OCS is an acronym used by the party which stands for Onwards Christian Soldiers.

Britain First Leader Paul Golding and others including Deputy Leader Jayda Fransen during far-right demonstration in London in April

Fransen, formerly of the English Defence League, regularly marches through cities and towns in the UK holding Christian crosses aloft, which provokes angry reactions from Muslim members of the community.

During one of Britain First's so-called Christian Patrols in Luton back in November 2016, Fransen was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment after she harassed a Muslim mother-of-four because she was wearing a hijab.

She was fined almost 2,000 as the court heard she told a mother-of-four that Muslim men force women to cover up to avoid being raped 'because they cannot control their sexual urges', adding 'that's why they are coming into my country raping women across the continent'.

Jayda Fransen was born in London in 1986 and claims to have practised and studied law for many years before founding a recruitment consultancy

Fransen denied all charges, accusing the courts of being 'absurd', and engaging in 'a really clear display of Islamic appeasement'.

'The reason I said them was because from everything I have studied, I understand them to be true,' Fransen said in her defence.

She is deputy to Paul Golding, who was spared jail earlier this month after being found guilty of assault.

He is also facing three charges of religiously aggravated harassment in relation to the trial of a gang of men who raped a teenager above a Ramsgate takeaway.

Golding is set for a three day trial next month, alongside Fransen.

Jayda Fransen was born in London in 1986 and claims to have practised and studied law for many years before founding a recruitment consultancy.

In 2014, she was elected deputy leader of Britain First and two years later she took temporary control over the party when Golding was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for breaching a court order banning him from entering a mosque or encouraging others to do so in England and Wales.

The party's mission statement is issued on its website, and it reads: 'Britain First is a patriotic political party and street movement that opposes and fights the many injustices that are routinely inflicted on the British people.

Britain First's Paul Golding and Jayda Fransenin pose up next to a sign for Schengen

'Our policies are pro-British, our approach is no-nonsense and our principles are not open to compromise.

'We love our people, our nation, our heritage and culture and will defend them at all times and no matter what odds we face.

'The Britain First movement is not just a normal political group, we are a patriotic resistance and 'frontline' for our long suffering people.'

Fransen, 31, from Penge, south east London, is facing the court action in Northern Ireland over a speech she made at an anti-terrorism demonstration in the city on August 6.

She was arrested by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers on Saturday in Bromley, south east London and taken to Belfast for questioning.

She has been bailed to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on December 14.

Describing her arrest, she said: 'I was escorted in a police van with four officers up to Liverpool to catch a ferry. Bearing in mind, I was arrested at quarter to four, our ferry was 10.30 at night and it arrived here in Belfast at 6.30 this morning so it's been quite a jaunt.'

She said police questioned her for around three to four hours, accusing her of being 'anti-Islamic', and released her after she was charged.

'This all relates to a speech that I gave at an event over here where I was invited as a guest speaker, the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism on the 6 August,' she added.

Britain First leader Paul Golding broke the news to his supporters in a Twitter video on Saturday.

He said: 'A large group of plain clothes police detectives from Belfast of all places jumped out of nowhere and have arrested Jayda.

'What have they arrested her for? Both of us addressed, made a speech, at a public demonstration outside Belfast City Hall all the way back in August.

Jayda Fransen posing with her thumbs down in Brussels in front of a piece of graffiti that reads 'Welcome refugees'

'The detective I spoke to told me she is being flown to Belfast tonight to be interrogated.

'It's absolutely ridiculous - this is non-stop with me and Jayda, non-bloody stop.'

He said his colleague had been arrested for 'no bloody reason'.

Ms Fransen and Mr Golding were in Belfast on August 6 for a demonstration by around 50 people calling themselves Northern Ireland Against Terrorism, which took place on the same day as a republican march organised by the Anti-Internment League to mark the use of detention without trial by the British Army during the height of the Troubles in 1971.

Trump shared three videos posted by Fransen.

The first was a clip supposedly showing a Muslim migrant beating up a Dutch boy on crutches.

Seconds later, retweeted a video showing what she claims to be a Muslim man destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.

And the third video posted in quick succession to his 43.6million followers was by far the most disturbing - a video showing an alleged Islamic group throwing a teenager off a roof before beating him to death.

Trump then posted his own tweets, first accusing CNN of fake news, then congratulating his own policies and their impact on the stock market.

The issue was raised in the House of Commons this afternoon by Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Yvette Cooper MP.

Talking to the Speaker of the House John Bercow, she said: 'I understand the woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in thsi coutnry.

'And on that basis, given the significance and the seriousness of having the President of the United States of America giving her such a huge platform, does he not think it would be approptiate for us to hear some word of condemnation from the Home Secretary or the Foreign Secretary?'

There was no response from the Cabinet.

Labour MP for Tottenham also weighed in on the debate, saying: 'Let that sink in.

'The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted.

'He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in my country and my city.'

He also raised the issue that Thomas Mair shouted 'Britain First' before murdering his colleague Jo Cox on the eve of the Brexit vote.

'Do not forget that the man who murdered Jo Cox shouted 'Britain First',' he said.

'Trump has gone beyond the pale today.'

Mrs Cox's widower Brendan Cox said: 'Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours.

'Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself.'
A large group of men believed to be Australian school leavers have been caught on camera brawling in the heart of Bali's famous party district, Kuta.

At least a dozen teenagers were filmed throwing punches in the aggressive altercation outside tourist hot spot, Paddy's Bar, on Legian Street, Monday night.

Horrified tourists watched on as the fight got further out of control, with a Perth local reaching for their camera to film the event.

At least a dozen Australian school leavers were filmed in a violent brawl in Bali's party district on Monday night

Horrified tourists watched on as the fight got further out of control outside Paddy's Bar on Legian Street

One shocked onlooker recalled someone being hit over the head with an ashtray during the violent scuffle, which reportedly lasted about 40 seconds.

The former students ignored the splash of a bucket of water hurled towards them, as well as the whistle from a Balinese police officer.

Up to 6000 school leavers are celebrating on the Indonesian party island, according to Christian support group Red Frogs.

Perth holidaymaker Luke Garrod-Raynor said watching on as the kids fought was 'pretty intense'.

'I was a bit worried about the safety of the people in the fight,' he told Seven News.

One shocked onlooker recalled someone being hit over the head with an ashtray during the violent scuffle
The fiancee of a Minnesota man who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in front of his wife to be and her daughter has agreed to a $800,000 settlement. Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter watched on as Philando Castile was shot by police

The fiancee of a Minnesota man who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in front of his wife to be and her daughter has agreed to a $800,000 settlement.

Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter watched on helplessly as Philando Castile was shot by officer Jeronimo Yanez, later acquitted of all charges.

The St. Anthony City Council voted on Tuesday night to pay $675,000 to Reynolds and her daughter, who was four when Castile was shot.

Reynolds will also receive $125,000 from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and the city of Roseville where Reynolds was detained by police.

Castile was driving in Falcon Heights in July 2016 when Yanez pulled him over and shot him after he said he was armed.

Reynolds streamed the shooting's aftermath live on Facebook.

Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges, leading to outraged protests across America.

After Yanez was acquitted, the dash-cam footage from Yanez's patrol car was released.

It showed the seconds leading up to the shooting, though was never shown to the jury in court, despite being frequently referenced.

It showed from start to finish how Yanez pulled the family over and told Castile and his girlfriend that their taillight was broken.

And how rapidly the situation escalated after Castile, who was licensed to carry a weapon, calmly informed him he was armed.

Castile (left) was driving in Falcon Heights in July 2016 when Officer Jeronimo Yanez (right) pulled him over and shot him after he said he was armed. Reynolds streamed the shooting's aftermath live on Facebook

'Sir, I have to tell you, I do have a firearm on me,' Castile said in the footage.

Four seconds later, Yanez began shooting.

Before Castile has even finished talking, the officer began pulling his weapon out of the holster.

Yanez said, 'OK. Don't reach for it then. Don't pull it out!' before firing into the car.

After being shot Castile wailed: 'I wasn't reaching!' - a detail Yanez left out of his police interview when asked if he'd the victim had anything after being shot.

'No he did not respond. Um he just kept his arms up and I don't remember hearing anything coming out of his mouth if he said anything,' he had claimed.

The harrowing video also showed Reynold's young daughter opening the door of the car and slowly crawling out, confused, as her father lay reeling in the front seat after being shot.

She was scooped up in confusion by Yanez's partner and taken away from the vehicle.

After the shooting, Castile's girlfriend live-streamed the bloody scene on Facebook in a video that went viral

Officers ordered Reynolds out of the car, and she got out, hands held high. Soon, she was heard wailing. Her daughter eventually joined her in the back of the cruiser.

Footage from the back of the cop car, obtained by an FOIA request, showed Reynolds screaming in anguish and anger before her terrified daughter begged her to stop.

'Mom, please don't scream 'cause I don't want you to get shooted!' she sobbed, giving her handcuffed mother a hug.

'I can't believe they just did that,' she whispered to herself in the video. 'Please let him be ok.'

Yanez is seen above pointing his gun in the car after shooting Castile. The victim's four-year-old daughter was in the backseat at the time and let herself out cautiously after the first shots were fired. She was scooped up by Yanez's partner

'I can keep you safe,' the little girl tells her mother.

The mom-of-one, who had repeatedly asked police if they could remove her handcuffs so she could call family and friends to ask for them to pick her and her daughter up, said: 'Damn, is there no one to take these b*****s off?'

To which her panicked daughter pleaded with her to stop.

'No, please no! I don't want you to get shooted! Don't take them off until they take them off you,' the four-year-old told her.

The youngster who had just witnessed her mom's fiance get shot by police in front of her own eyes, then said to herself: 'I wish this town was safer... and we wouldn't live in it.

The police dash cam recorded Castile being brought out of the car and lying on the road

'I don't want it to be like this anymore.'

Reynolds was also heard desperately praying that her boyfriend was still alive.

'He's a good man lord, Jesus, please, please, please,' she repeated.

Police did not tell her Castile was dead until she was in the interview room at the station.
Two 15-year-old boys who sexually assaulted a girl and live streamed it on Facebook have been let off with probation sentences.

As part of a deal with prosecutors, the boys, neither of whom has been named, will now admit a single count of child pornography. The length of their probation will be decided by a judge later.

Neither will be convicted of aggravated sexual assault, one of the many charges they were originally facing, according to CBS Chicago.

The attack took place in Chicago on March 19 this year.

Two teenage boys who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and live streamed it on Facebook have been spared jail and are being given a probation sentence. They were being held at Cook County Juvenile Center but will soon be released as part of their plea deal

The boys, one of whom is a school athlete, met the girl, who is also 15, in a park and lured her to the basement of a nearby home where they asked her if she wanted to have sex 'the easy way or the hard way'.

It is not clear if they ran into her or if they had arranged to meet. Prosecutors previously said the three knew one another.

They then took turns sexually assaulting her and live streamed it on Facebook where 40 of their friends tuned in, prosecutors said.

During the attack, one of the boys threatened to set an angry pit bull on the girl if she attempted to flee.

They both handed themselves in to police and were charged with four counts of aggravated assault, three of manufacturing child pornography and three of disseminating child pornography.

The boys shared footage of the sexual attack on Facebook and it was viewed by 40 people, none of whom reported it (file image)

All but one of those child pornography charges have now been dropped.

Assistant State's Attorney Maha Gardner did not respond to questions over the reduced charges on Wednesday morning.

Because the case was tried in juvenile court, neither of the two boys is being identified.

During juvenile court proceedings, the girl's family - who are also not being named in order to protect her identity - said she had been bullied online because of the attack and had not returned to school.

She said she was 'traumatized' and that the family had to be moved to a safe house by police.
The disappearances of three Aboriginal children at Bowraville are so similar they point to one man having murdered them all, a New South Wales court has heard.

'The victims all disappeared during the night and ... in circumstances where the bodies could be disposed of before the disappearances became apparent,' Wendy Abraham QC told a hearing into whether the man should be retried for murdering two of the children.

The man, who can't be named for legal reasons, was previously acquitted of murdering four-year-old Evelyn Greenup and 16-year-old Clinton Speedy-Duroux in late 1990 and early 1991.

The disappearances of three Aboriginal children at Bowraville are so similar they point to one man having murdered them all, a New South Wales court has heard (pictured are Evelyn Greenup, left, and Colleen Walker, right)

Pictured is Clinton Speedy-Duroux, one of three Aboriginal children murdered in Bowraville

Under NSW double-jeopardy laws revised in 2006, a person can be tried for the same crime for which they have already been acquitted, provided there is fresh and compelling evidence to proceed with a retrial.

In the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Wednesday, Ms Abraham, representing the NSW Attorney-General, submitted the fresh evidence in the case of Colleen Walker, a third Aboriginal child who went missing from Bowraville in the same five-month period as the others.

The 16-year-old's clothing was pulled from the Nambucca River in a bag weighed down with rocks although her body has never been found.

The man, who can't be named for legal reasons, was previously acquitted of murdering four-year-old Evelyn Greenup and 16-year-old Clinton Speedy-Duroux in late 1990 and early 1991 (pictured is Evelyn Clinton Speedy-Duroux)

Under NSW double-jeopardy laws revised in 2006, a person can be tried for the same crime for which they have already been acquitted, provided there is fresh and compelling evidence to proceed with a retrial (pictured is Evelyn Greenup)

The 16-year-old's clothing was pulled from the Nambucca River in a bag weighed down with rocks although her body has never been found (pictured are family, friends, and supporters of victims)

The local man at the centre of the hearing faced separate trials for the murders of Evelyn and Clinton. He's never been charged in relation to Colleen.

Ms Abraham said the three cases should not be looked at individually as the similarities 'give rise to an inference that all three were murdered, that it was the one person who murdered them and that it was the respondent.'

Colleen's clothes and the bodies of Evelyn and Clinton were found along the same road, and each child disappeared during or shortly after parties the man had also attended, she said.

The local man at the centre of the hearing faced separate trials for the murders of Evelyn and Clinton. He's never been charged in relation to Colleen (pictured are family, friends, and supporters of victims)

Leonie Duroux, sister-in-law of Clinton Speedy-Duroux speaks to media outside the Supreme Court in Sydney

There was also a pattern of sexual motive, with each case involving a 'heavily intoxicated' and 'vulnerable' woman who woke to find her pants removed , Ms Abraham said.

In the case of Clinton, it was his girlfriend, who had been sleeping beside him in the man's caravan.

In Evelyn's case it was her mother, who was asleep in the same room.

Ms Abraham said the three cases should not be looked at individually as the similarities 'give rise to an inference that all three were murdered, that it was the one person who murdered them and that it was the respondent' (pictured are family, friends, and supporters of victims)

Colleen's clothes and the bodies of Evelyn and Clinton were found along the same road, and each child disappeared during or shortly after parties the man had also attended, she said (pictured are family, friends, and supporters of victims)

On the night she disappeared, witnesses saw Colleen talking to the man who was 'putting pressure on her, in effect, to have sex with him', Ms Abraham said.

At about midnight the teenager was last seen walking down the side of a neighbouring house just as the man was seen walking down the other side of the house.

The court heard that weeks earlier Colleen had slept in the man's bed and he allegedly pulled her pants down.

On the night she disappeared, witnesses saw Colleen talking to the man who was 'putting pressure on her, in effect, to have sex with him', Ms Abraham said (pictured are family, friends, and supporters of victims)

Michelle Jarrett, aunt of victim Evelyn Greenup, is seen outside the Supreme Court, Sydney

There is also fresh evidence of alleged admissions the man made to four informants, Ms Abraham said.

She said if the acquittals are quashed the man could be tried for all three murders.

Outside court, Michelle Jarrett, the aunt of Evelyn, said the families won't give up their fight for justice.

'This is what we've been waiting for, this is what we've been fighting for, a chance to have all three cases heard together and we just hope that we get the best outcome,' she said.

The hearing is expected to run for four days.
A director of travel firm TUI who was ordered to pay his ex-wife huge maintenance payments for life by a divorce court is now battling to force her back to work.

Multi-millionaire accountant William Waggott, 54, was ordered to give his ex-wife Kim Waggott 9million in cash and assets after they split in 2012.

The money allowed her to buy a 2million home in Cheshire and a holiday villa in Mallorca and she also gets 175,000-a-year personal maintenance for life.

Financial director William Waggott, right, is contesting the terms of his 9million divorce from his ex-wife Kim, left, after she was awarded 9 million in cash and assets in 2012

Mr Waggott lives in this home near St Albans in Hertfordshire with his new partner

But Mr Waggott says the order, made by a divorce judge in 2014, was unfair and means his wife - who is also an accountant - has 'no financial incentive' to get back to work.

A hearing in London's Family Court was told the couple were married for 21 years and had one daughter. They lived in a 'very substantial' 4.3m property near Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire before splitting in 2012.

After the split, Mrs Waggott, 49, former finance controller of UCI cinemas, used her 9.14m share of the 'fruits' of the marriage to buy a 2m home near Chester and a Balearic holiday home.

Mr Waggott meanwhile moved into a 1.9m farm near St Albans 'with another lady', the Court of Appeal was told by Mrs Waggott's lawyers.

Three senior judges at the Court of Appeal are considering whether to end the 175,000-a-year maintenance payments his ex-wife receives. She is claiming she deserves more

Nigel Dyer QC, for the husband, argued that the maintenance order should be ended in two years' time and that Mrs Waggott should get back to work and start supporting herself.

'How long should an order based on sharing last for? When does the meter stop ticking?' he asked the judges.

'It is unfair to expect the husband to continue working long hours in demanding employment and not expect the wife to realise her earning potential as soon as is reasonably practicable,' he added.

'The order gave the wife an unduly soft landing... moreover it provided no financial incentive or clear timetable for the wife to return to the job market,' the barrister went on.

Mr Waggott says the current divorce settlement gives his wife no incentive to go back to work

'The longer the wife leaves it the harder it will become. She has a working life ahead of her at least 12 years.

'Given time, re-training and application, the wife could revive her career and obtain a well-paid job using her accountancy skills.

'The wife has significant capital resources, which must make the case for a clean-break even more compelling, if not irrefutable,' said Mr Dyer.

Mrs Waggott however claims she did not get enough from the financial package and wants her yearly payments increased by 23,000.

Her lawyer James Turner QC argued that she is entitled to an ongoing share of her husband's earnings, as she helped him build his career by supporting him and the family on the home front.

He told the court the question of whether she is in financial 'need' is irrelevant, and urged the judges to concentrate instead on the issue of 'fairness.'

He said: 'A wife in her position, who has supported the husband through the early stages of a career during a 21-year relationship, should be entitled to a share of the fruits of that career, irrespective of 'need' in the conventional sense.

The hearing, before judges Sir James Munby, Lord Justice Moylan and Mr Justice MacDonald, continues.
A critically ill woman who moved millions of people with her cancer-fighting diary has died in China aged 29, according to Chinese media.

Zhou Lin, who was better known by her screen name 'Zhou Zhou Mei'er', started to write about her battle against breast cancer after she was diagnosed with the illness in June, 2015.

Through her social media account, she continued to share inspiring words and smiley pictures, encouraging her readers to cherish life.

Zhou Lin (pictured) continued to share inspiring words and smiley pictures on her social media account encouraging her readers to cherish life during her two-year breast cancer treatment

Her family announced the news of her death through the same account on WeChat, a Chinese chatting platform, and attached pictures of Zhou Lin smiling and enjoying life

Zhou's family said she passed away in the wee hours of November 27 at home in Shifang city, Sichuan Province, reported People's Daily Online.

The news has made waves in China, and many people said they had been deeply touched by Zhou's positive attitude towards life as well as death.

Zhou's family posted the news about Zhou's death on her account on WeChat, a Chinese chatting app.

It was through the same account that Zhou had inspired the public by uploading her thoughts and pictures during her medical treatment.

Even when she was seriously ill, Zhou always posted smiley and happy pictures on her account.

Many people in China said they had been touched by Zhou's positive attitude towards life

Even when Zhou was seriously ill, she always posted smiley and happy pictures on her account

In October, 2016, Zhou was informed that her breast cancer cells had spread to her bones. The strong-willed woman encouraged herself in the digital diary: 'If you can't change it, then face it with bravery! Come on, Zhou Zhou Mei'er.'

She also wrote that she felt lucky to have bosses, colleagues, friends, relatives, friends of friends and friends of relative who loved and cared about her.

She wrote: 'The God has been treating me well.'

Zhou also expressed a wish in her diary: 'In my next life, I would find a man who loves me and chooses a wedding dress for me, then takes a set of wedding photos with me.'

Apart from penning emotional words, Zhou also travelled extensively in China when she was able because she wanted to realise her wish of 'seeing the most beautiful scenery' when she was alive, said the report.

She also started making herself 'fruit and vegetable soup' to help boost her immunity in 2016.

In an interview from May, 2016, Zhou thanked the public for helping her.

In the video released by China Central Television Station on its social media account, she said she would try to recover soon because she didn't want to let down those who had been supporting her.

Her family said Zhou expressed her wish to donate her cornea and other organs after her death

Zhou's family said Zhou's health deteriorated all of sudden a few days before her death and could not take in food.

Zhou's doctor advised her family to bring her home from the hospital and to accompany her on November 26. Less than a day later, Zhou passed away.

Zhou's family told local reporters that before she died and when she felt she was able to talk, she thanked her parents for 'bringing me to this beautiful world'. She also thanked people for helping with her parents when she was fighting with cancer.

Her family said Zhou expressed her wish to donate her cornea and other organs after her death.

Through media, Zhou's family expressed appreciation to the people who helped and encouraged Zhou in the past two years. They said Zhou would be happy in another world.

Zhou's family also said that Zhou had received donations from the public during her treatment.

They said there were funds left and they would use the money to help more people, as Zhou wished.
For the first time since the Cold War, the Hawaiian government will be testing a nuclear missile attack siren.

On Tuesday, the state's Emergency Management Agency announced that a new siren will be tested every month to prepare Hawaiians for the possibility of a nuclear attack.

The state already tests an attention alert signal on the first business day of every month, a steady tone that warns residents of an impending tsunami or hurricane.

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Hawaii will start testing a nuclear missile siren once a month starting December 1. It's the first time the state has tested such a siren since the Cold War

But starting December 1, the state will also start testing a wailing tone meant to signify an oncoming nuclear missile.

The tests will be held at 11:45am and start with the alert tone for 50s seconds, followed by a pause and then the nuclear siren for another 50 seconds.

If residents hear the nuclear siren, they are to 'take immediate shelter, get inside, stay inside, [and] stay tuned,' EMA director Vern Miyagi announced in a video.

In the event of a nuclear attack, residents have been told to seek shelter in a concrete building - ideally a windowless room or basement - and stay inside for 14 days or until they are told its safe to leave.

If North Korea were to launch a nuclear missile at Hawaii, residents would have just 15 minutes to find shelter. Above, a picture of Honolulu on the island of Oahu

While a 150-kiloton nuclear weapon detonated over Pearl Harbor on Oahu would kill 18,000 people immediately, most of the island would be able to survive if they follow safety measures.

The state hasn't tested a nuclear missile warning system since the mid-1990s, but they decided to re-institute it recently in the wake of the North Korean threat.

'It's the old World War II air raid siren,' Miyagi said at the Tuesday press conference. 'If you watch the History Channel on TV, then you'll probably hear the same thing.'

Gov. David Ige asked the EMA to improve nuclear preparedness in May, when North Korea announced that it had miniaturized a nuclear bomb to fit on a missile that could hit the U.S.

Bringing back the nuclear siren was part of this process, and not in response to North Korea's most recent nuclear test.

North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile before dawn local time Wednesday morning, that flew 620 miles before crashing into the Sea of Japan.

North Korea tested yet another intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning. Above is a picture from a missile test in July

The regime claims it was their most successful yet, and now puts all of mainland America in its reach - including New York City and Washington, DC.

Hawaii's close proximity to North Korea is what has prompted these ramped up emergency preparations.

If North Korea were to strike the island, residents would only have 15 minutes to find shelter before the bomb made impact.

'Pacific Command would take about fives minutes to characterize a launch, where the missile is going, which means the population would have about 15 minutes to take shelter,' said Vern Miyagi, administrator for Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency. 'It's not much time at all. But it is enough time to give yourself a chance to survive.'
One Nation founder David Oldfield has joked the noose should be brought back for Labor senator Sam Dastyari, who is accused of having dubious connections with China.

However Mr Oldfield insisted he wasn't advocating the death penalty for the Labor factional warrior, despite tweeting 'bring back the noose - Sam will only need a little scaffold'.

The former New South Wales One Nation MP said his tweet was a reference to alleged treason, after it was reported that Senator Dastyari had warned a prominent Chinese political donor that his phone might be tapped.

'Dastyari was verging on treason with regard to the tapped phones story,' Mr Oldfield told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday night.

David Oldfield (pictured with his Real Housewives of Sydney spouse Lisa Oldfield) joked that Labor senator Sam Dastyari deserved the noose for alleged treason

The One Nation co-founder insists he isn't advocating the death penalty for Sam Dastyari

'The punishment for which at one time was hanging  hence bring back the noose.

'I went on to note the scaffold wouldn't need to be very big  clearly pointing to Dastyari being short.

'It was of course all a joke because after all, hanging would be too good for the little s***.'

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for Senator Dastyari to reveal his discussions with Huang Xiangmo, who has links to the Chinese Communist Party.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has gone further and demanded Senator Dastyari quit parliament, after The Sydney Morning Herald reported Senator Dastyari told Mr Huang they should leave their phones inside when they met at the businessman's Sydney mansion in October last year.

Senator Sam Dastyari has his mouth full dealing with questions about his links to China

The ABC has also released a new recording of Senator Dastyari contradicting Labor's policy over the South China Sea by suggesting Australia should stay out of any territorial dispute with Japan.

'As a supporter of China and a friend of China, the Australian Labor Party needs to play an important role in maintaining that relationship,' he told Chinese media last year.

'And the best way of maintaining that relationship is knowing when it is and isn't our place to be involved.'

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who has put Senator Dastyari on notice, reportedly called intelligence officials at the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation to check if his Labor right-faction ally was a national security concern, the Daily Telegraph reports.

However, Mr Shorten was told Senator Dastyari wasn't a security risk, the article said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten reportedly asked ASIO if Sam Dastyari was a national security risk

Senator Dastyari, a former New South Wales Labor general security, quit the Opposition frontbench last year after it was revealed he accepted $1670 from a Chinese government-linked company, Top Education, to pay an office bill.

Mr Oldfield, a former friend of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, said the Australian Federal Police and ASIO needed to investigate Senator Dastyari's Chinese links.

'If they can prove he's broken any laws, he should be removed through appropriate legal means,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Instead of calling for his resignation, they should be launching a high-level Federal Police and ASIO investigation  anything else is bulls***.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Senator Dastyari for comment on Wednesday night.

The federal government abolished the death penalty for treason in 1973, but it was still an offence under NSW law until 1985.
Predator: Milton Narvaez, 35, has been found guilty of 98 counts for repeatedly raping two children - one of them inside a church - and producing videos and slideshows of the assaults set to music

A Manhattan babysitter has been found guilty of repeatedly raping two children - one of them inside a church - and producing videos and slideshows of the assaults set to music.

It took a New York State Supreme Court jury less than an hour on Tuesday to convict Milton Narvaez of 98 criminal counts, including predatory sexual assault against a child, sexual abuse and dozens of counts of promoting and possessing child pornography.

Milton's conviction at trial was announced in a written statement released by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

'There are few acts more horrific than the long-term sexual abuse of a child,' Vance said.

'As a babysitter and custodian with access to children, Milton Narvaez abused his position to rape two children, before further exploiting them by recording video of the acts.

He added: 'The children of this City will be safer with Milton Narvaez out of our homes and churches.'

According to prosecutors, Narvaez was employed as a babysitter by several Manhattan families, and also worked as a custodian at the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church in Midtown Manhattan.

Desecrated: In 2011, Narvaez raped a little girl in a storage room of the Armenian Church in Midtown Manhattan, where he worked as a janitor

Beginning in February 2008, Narvaez, who also used the name Milton Gomez, repeatedly raped a boy who was in his care, and the abuse continued for six years, from the time the victim was six years old to about 12 years old.

Then on October 15, 2011, Narvaez also raped a little girl in a storage room of the Armenian Church, according to prosecutors.

'Narvaez documented some of the rapes and created montages of videos and photographs, which he set to music, according to Vance.

The years-long sexual abuse was uncovered in 2015 in the course of a routine investigation into online child pornography that was carried out by the DA's office's Cybercrime and Identify Theft Unit.

Vance said that Narvaez shared and possessed dozens of images depicting children performing sexual acts.

The 35-year-old convicted child rapist is due back in court on Friday. He could be looking at up to 25 years to life in prison for his crimes.
A pigeon found with a dart sticking through its neck - one of two similar attacks this month - has survived the attack and made a miraculous recovery.

The injured bird was found walking around despite being impaled by the homemade 14cm dart in Christie Downs, southern metropolitan Adelaide, on November 9.

Only a day later a duck was spotted in St Clair with a small red dart protruding from its head.

A pigeon found with a dart sticking through its neck - one of two similar attacks this month - has survived the attack and made a miraculous recovery

The RSPCA managed to nurse both birds back to health, with chief executive Paul Stevenson describing the pigeon's survival as a miracle, The Advertiser reported.

'The dart appears to have been crudely designed for the purpose of injuring or killing an animal,' said Mr Stevenson.

'It's horrifying that people would go to such deliberate lengths.'

Luckily for the injured pigeon, the dart - made of a long nail and a paper cone - did not do serious damage as it only pierced the bird's skin.

The cowardly attacks follow the discovery of a duck with a small knife sticking out of its head only months earlier.

Animal cruelty is an offence punishable by up to four years in jail or a fine of up to $50,000.
President Donald Trump celebrated 'Today' show host Matt Lauer's firing from NBC by going after executives and stoking a feud with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough  even dredging up a conspiracy theory about the death of a former Scarborough staffer.

Trump tweeted twice Wednesday about Lauer's firing for alleged sexual misconduct  and immediately went after Scarborough, the former Florida congressman who has gone after Trump and changed his party registration.

'So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of [president] Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the "unsolved mystery" that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!' Trump wrote.

The president's mention of the 'unsolved mystery' was presumably an effort to dredge up a conspiracy theory from 2001 about a 28-year-old staffer who was found dead in one of Scarborough's district offices when he was a Florida congressman.

President Donald Trump went after executives and stoked a feud with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough after 'Today' show Matt Lauer's firing

The president brought up an 'unsolved mystery,' a reference to the death of a Scarborough staffer in 2001

Earlier, right after the Lauer news broke, the President tweeted this about 'fake news' and NBC News Chairman Andy Lack

The staffer, Lori Klausutis, died after a having a heart arrhythmia and hitting her head on her desk, according to a medical examiner's report.

Nevertheless, the story drew online conspiracy theories that Klausutis had been killed in some kind of a cover up.

Scarborough himself has reacted angrily when the conspiracy theory has popped up on several occasions, blasting the 'libelous charge' when a Vanity Fair journalist brought it up.

In his crosshairs: Trump used Matt Lauer's firing to re-open his long-running feud with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the co-hosts of Morning Joe

Joe referenced Trump's attack with this tweet later in the morning

Targeted by Trump: NBC News chairman Andy Lack (left, with Megyn Kelly) and MSNBC president Phil Griffin (right, with Stephanie Ruhle) were mentioned in tweets by the president. References to them were not carried in NBCNews.com's account of Lauer's firing

Scarborough wrote: (1) Lori worked in my annex office in Okaloosa County, Florida. (2) I met her no more than three times; I was never alone with her. (3) I didnt leave Congress because of her death; I announced my retirement from Congress in May 2001-she passed away several months later.'

Left-wing blogger Markos Moulitsas was banned from MSNBC after he brought up the conspiracy theory online.

Scarborough went after him online, writing: '@markos Unbelievable. You have a long history of spreading lies suggesting I am a murderer. This is the 3rd or 4th time by my count,' Gawker reported.

Scarborough had announced his decision to retire from Congress after three terms that year.

He then went on to become an on-air host of 'Morning Joe,' where he interviewed Trump multiple times, visited Mar-a-Lago, and then had a highly public feud where Trump attacked Scarborough and his co-host turned fiancee Mika Brzezinski.

It is unclear what the reference to Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, was about, but Trump has long held a grudge against the network, which has been openly critical of him.

Trump also tried to throw mud at Andy Lack, the chairman of NBC and MSNBC.

'Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lacks past!' Trump wrote, without providing further explanation.

Much of the president's tweet was included in NBCNews.com's coverage of the firing of Lauer but not the reference to their two executives.

The website said: 'Early Wednesday, President Donald Trump noted Lauer's firing on Twitter, writing, "Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.' But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News."'
Another will signed by Charles Manson is set to spark a legal war over the cult leader's estate, DailyMail.com has exclusively learned.

The will, which has been described to DailyMail.com, was signed by Manson on January 11 this year and leaves his entire estate to his 'son' Matthew Roberts - giving him the right to arrange his father's burial.

The killer  who was serving a life sentence for the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others  entrusted his friend and long time confidante Ben Gurecki with his will, naming him executor.

Manson, who was hospitalized with ill health in January, instructed Gurecki to send the document to Roberts.

The new typed will - expected to be filed in probate court on Wednesday - could replace the 15-year-old will filed on Tuesday by Manson memorabilia fanatic Michael Channels because of its more recent date.

And DailyMail.com has also learned that Manson's long lost grandson, MMA fighter and oil rig worker Jason Freeman has stepped into the fight to claim Manson's body.

Now, lawyers for all parties will battle it out over who has the most legitimate claim to Manson's estate, which includes his art and rights to make money from the killer's likeness.

Another will held by Charles Manson's 'son' Matthew Roberts (pictured) is set to challenge a document held by the killer's long-time pen pal Michael Channels. The new will was signed by Manson on January 11 and is expected to be filed in a probate court on Wednesday

The new typed will is likely replace the 15-year-old will filed on Tuesday by Manson memorabilia fanatic Channels (left) because of its more recent date

Channels, a well known Manson collector and historian, was a long-time pen pal of the cult leader and had been communicating with him for 20 years.

He claims that in 2002 Manson drafted the will and handed it to him, TMZ first reported.

DailyMail.com approached Channels, 51, to ask him whether his will would win the day.

Instead, his business partner and fellow Manson collector Stoner Van Houten spoke on his behalf.

Van Houten, who runs the infamous Spahn Ranch, said: 'When the bout happens we'll see who's gonna leave the ring. I understand a couple of people will enter but only one man's gonna leave, man, and that one person's gonna be Michael Channels, my friend.'

Freeman, 41, is in Bakersfield, California  near to the California State Prison, Corcoran where Manson, 83, died over a week ago - to apparently try to claim his grandfather's remains for himself.

On Wednesday he asked the Kern County Sheriff for his grandfather's body using the argument that he is Manson's believed next of kin, reports TMZ.

The Florida-based Freeman had flown into LA on Monday before driving up to Bakersfield Tuesday and was seen in the area filming with a documentary film crew.

But in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com Roberts and Gurecki say the will they have will blow all other claims out of the water.

Also stepping into the fight is Manson's long lost grandson, MMA fighter and oil rig worker Jason Freeman (left) who is apparently trying to claim Manson's remains

Manson, who died on Sunday, November 19, at the age of 83, stated in Channels' will (pictured) that he disinherited his two known children, grandchildren, friends and other family members

Channels said he and Manson last spoke on the phone back on October 21. Pictured: The will given to Channels

Roberts, 49, a musician who lives in Los Angeles, said: 'I believe this document will supersede any others, I believe that I am Charles Manson's son and I am his rightful heir.

'Yes there's other people who have come forward, my whole feeling on it is I really don't care who comes forward and pulls it off I just want him to get the right burial, a respectful burial stone in a respectful place and not just a number on a wall.'

Gurecki, who has been helping Roberts, said: 'I believe this (will) will ultimately supersede the other wills that are put there because of the date of the will, it came to me in Februaryso it would have to supersede the others.

He added: 'I'd rather see more people coming to do the right thing at the end of his life, that nobody did for the last 70 years, I'd rather see everybody here together trying to do the right thing.'

Speaking outside Corcoran prison alongside Gurecki, Roberts said he felt 'vindicated' that Manson has chosen to name him on his will.

'I was surprised actually because I've heard over the years that there was some wills that were made, quite a few of them.

'I felt great, I felt good, I felt vindicated sort of, I've been struggling to have some sort of relationship with him, often through third parties or through the mail, not anything that really felt like interpersonal or close, and that (the will) really felt like something.'

Roberts now hopes he can give Manson a good send off.

Manson entrusted his friend and long time confidante Ben Gurecki (right) with his new will, naming him executor. Roberts (left), 49, said: 'I believe this document will supersede any others, I believe that I am Charles Manson's son and I am his rightful heir'

Channels rushed to file the will in his possession on Tuesday so he could get custody of the killer's body as soon as possible. The pair pictured together

'I just hope he gets a proper burial with a gravestone and not just some unmarked grave with a number somewhere,' he said.

'For better or for worse he's affected the lives of a lot of people, he's caused pause for thought at the minimum and a lot of people actually seem to have quite an affinity for him, so they should be allowed to reflect or whatever else they do.

'As far as his belongings go I don't really expect much, I never really have, if it's something that's worth something, I certainly think I should be in the running because I do believe that I am his son.

'If nothing else I do respect the man and have a certain appreciation for him that I think is unique, that's just common decency in life.'

Gurecki, who has flown in from Chicago specially to handle Manson's affairs and help Roberts, told of the moment he received the will in the mail.

'I have been getting letters and pieces of artwork from Charlie for years and I opened up an envelope in late February and it had two or three pieces of art, a couple of personal letters and a will from the old man. I did what it said, as soon as I got the information I forwarded it on to Matthew, I didn't know what else to do.'

Gurecki says the will is nothing 'fancy' and something 'rudimentary' Manson put together in prison.

Lawyers for Roberts (pictured) and Channels will battle it out over whose will has the most legitimate claim to Manson's estate, which includes his art and rights to make money from the killer's likeness

Channels (left) and Freeman (right) are expected to challenge the new will filed by Roberts. Freeman flew into LA on Monday before driving up to Bakersfield on Tuesday and was seen in the area filming with a documentary film crew

'I can attest to the fact that I saw Charlie's signature on it and what appeared to be, I don't know, whether it was a guard or an inmate, or somebody else signed itit is pretty crude, we'll let the attorneys deal with it.

'It has my name in it, naming me as executor of the will. It named Matthew as his son and named him as the person responsible for dealing with Charlie in the after and dealing with Charlie's estate.'

Gurecki says he hopes that he and Roberts can bury Manson at his family's grave site in Catlettsburg Cemetery, Kentucky.

'I'd like Charlie to have the opportunity to have a headstone, like my family, like everybody's family,' he said.

'He should be given a proper burial, his entire family is in Kentucky, he could be laid to rest in the cemetery there.'

Roberts and Gurecki have instructed an attorney in Bakersfield and hope to file the will in probate court Wednesday.

The 10-day deadline for Manson's body to be claimed ends Thursday, but that will likely be canceled given that a will has now been filed.

Manson was jailed after he was found guilty of orchestrating the murders of nine people, including actress Sharon Tate (pictured), in the 1960s by his devoted followers in a bid to start a race war

Roberts, who was adopted and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, was told that Manson was his real dad, after he tracked down his biological mother in 2001. She told Roberts she was raped by Manson during a drug-fueled orgy nine months before he was born in 1968  but she later claimed it was not rape but 'vigorous sex'

Roberts, who was adopted and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, was told that Manson was his real dad, after he tracked down his biological mother in 2001.

She told Roberts she was raped by Manson during a drug-fueled orgy nine months before he was born in 1968  but she later claimed it was not rape but 'vigorous sex'.

Although attempted, DNA tests have proved inconclusive, Gurecki has said Manson knew Roberts was his son  and even sent people to find him.

Manson orchestrated the murders of seven people in the 1960s by his devoted followers in a bid to start a race war.

On August 8, 1969, he sent Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles 'Tex' Watson  to the Beverly Hills address of movie actress Sharon Tate with the instruction to kill everyone inside.

Less than 24 hours later, the followers  plus Leslie Van Houten and Steve 'Clem' Grogan  savagely tortured, murdered and mutilated wealthy LA couple Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.
Leach, pictured this year, hosted 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' from 1984 to 1995, and currently writes an entertainment column for the Las Vegas Journal-Review

Robin Leach, celebrity reporter and former host of 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous', has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

English-born journalist Leach, 76, who resides in Las Vegas and is currently a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, became unable eat or walk without help while in Cabo San Lucas. He emigrated to the United States in 1963.

According to the Review-Journal, Leach's son Steve arranged for his father to fly back to Las Vegas, where he remained in the ICU at Saint Rose Dominican Hospital until Monday afternoon.

He was subsequently transferred to a rehabilitation facility, where he was reportedly in good spirits and able to speak.

Leach (left, pictured with Victoria Valentine and Ed McMahon) has written about entertainment for publications like the New York Daily News and People

The Review-Journal has placed Leach's column on hold indefinitely to allow him to recover and rehabilitate fully.

Leach (pictured here in an undated file photo) 76, has been transferred from a hospital to a rehabilitation facility following his mini-stroke incident

'Start the rehabilitation on my right side,' Leach said.

'I need my right hand to type!'

Leach suffered a setback on Monday, after his lungs began filling with blood following a procedure.

Leach's son Steve said commended his father's resilience in his recovery efforts.

'My two brothers and I are extremely encouraged by Robin's strength and determination to get back to journalism,' he said.

Leach (right), pictured here with Dr. Joyce Brothers at a 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' party in 1986, emigrated to the United States in 1963

'We are additionally grateful for the continued love and support from the Las Vegas community,' he added.

Leach, who hosted 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' from 1984 to 1995 suffered a setback Monday when his lungs started to fill with blood following a hospital procedure.

A mini-stroke, known in the medical community as a transient ischemic attack, is characterized by symptoms such as slurred speech, drooping facial features, and problems with vision.
Alleged computer hacker Lauri Love, who is accused of stealing information from NASA and the FBI should not be extradited to the US because he would be at 'high risk' of suicide, High Court judges were told.

Authorities in America have been fighting for Mr Love, who has Asperger syndrome, to face trial on charges of cyber-hacking, which his lawyers say could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty.

But Edward Fitzgerald QC told Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Ouseley there were 'overwhelming reasons of justice and humanity' why any trial should take place in the UK.

Lauri Love (centre), an alleged computer hacker, is accompanied by his partner Sylvia Mann (left) at the High court in central London

Authorities in America have been fighting for Mr Love, who has Asperger syndrome, to face trial on charges of cyber-hacking, which his lawyers say could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty

Mr Love, 32, has Asperger syndrome and lives with his parents near Newmarket in Suffolk

Mr Love, 32, who has Asperger syndrome and lives with his parents near Newmarket in Suffolk, sat in the packed High Court in London, as Mr Fitzgerald listed the reasons for challenging extradition, including a 'high risk' of suicide if he is sent to the US.

He is alleged to have stolen huge amounts of data from US agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the US army, the defence department, NASA and the FBI in a spate of online attacks in 2012 and 2013.

In September 2016 a district judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court ruled that Mr Love could be extradited.

The current proceedings, due to last two days, centre on that ruling made by District Judge Nina Tempia.

It is argued on Mr Love's behalf that she 'misdirected herself and erred in law in her conclusions'.

Mr Fitzgerald said there was a 'compelling' need for Mr Love, who also suffers from a depressive illness and severe eczema, to stay in this country with the care and support of his family.

He is alleged to have stolen huge amounts of data from US agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the US army, the defence department, Nasa and the FBI in a spate of online attacks in 2012 and 2013

In September 2016 a district judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court ruled that Mr Love could be extradited

He submitted that the 'proper place for him to be tried, if he is to be tried, is in the UK and not in the US'.

Mr Fitzgerald told the court: 'The very fact that he would be taken away from his family, his home and the support that he desperately needs here is a disproportionate response to his alleged offending behaviour, because he could be tried here.'

The consequences of extraditing him would be 'extreme'.

The QC said there was a 'virtual certainty' that there would be a serious deterioration in Mr Love's mental condition if he was sent to the US.

Mr Love, 32, who has Asperger syndrome and lives with his parents, Alexander and Srkka (pictured earlier this year) near Newmarket in Suffolk, sat in the packed High Court

He argued that it would be 'unjust and oppressive' to extradite him because of his severe mental disorders.

There was further evidence, he said, which had become available since the hearing before the district judge, as to the 'inhumanity of the conditions in the federal prison system'.

The courts of this country were the 'natural forum' for any trial, and a prosecution here would 'accord with the normal practice in respect of hackers who interfere with computers in the US or other countries by means of actions taken in this country'.

Emma Norton, head of casework for human rights organisation Liberty, which is intervening in the case, said: 'If someone is accused of having committed a crime here in the UK, this is where they should stand trial.

'Extradition powers exist to stop fugitives escaping justice - not pack vulnerable Britons off to foreign courts and unfamiliar legal systems.

'When Gary McKinnon was spared a similar fate, Theresa May introduced reforms to prevent extradition if the alleged crime took place here.

'But this protection has yet to be exercised. Now is the time. The stakes could not be higher.'

Peter Caldwell, representing the US, made submissions inviting the judges to dismiss Mr Love's appeal.

In written argument he said the district judge's conclusion on extradition was 'reasonably open to her on the findings of fact she made'.

Having identified a high risk of suicide, she 'properly assessed whether and how that risk could be managed were the appellant to be extradited'.

He told the judges: 'The evidence of the US authorities established that any risk to the appellant would be appropriately managed during transit in custody, and were bail refused, within the setting of pre-trial detention, and if he were convicted, on sentence.'

The hearing is expected to conclude on Thursday morning.
On the second Thursday of every month, a group of 15-or-so mostly retired women meet together in a side room of a church in Cumberland County, New Jersey. When they gather, they represent what's left of a dying 143-year-old organization: The Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Though the international organization, which was founded in 1874, might seem out of date and irrelevant today, the remaining women involved are staunchly dedicated to the same mission their predecessors advocated for: total abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Some of the women who attend the monthly meetings in southern New Jersey are there because they have personally experienced brokenness and heartache caused by alcoholism and drug abuse in their families, while others are there for religious reasons or to follow the legacy of generations of women in their families.

'I'm fighting real hard because I want to keep the organization alive,' New Jersey state president Joyce Powell tells DailyMail.com. 'I'm really fighting hard for it and I'm trying to keep it going. As long as God gives me breath, I'm going to still do everything I can.'

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which was founded in 1874, and lobbied for prohibition still exists today. Though the organization as a whole doesn't lobby anymore, they do encourage members to write letters to their representatives. The South Jersey branch (several members pictured) still meets monthly in a church in Millville, New Jersey

Though the organization as a whole might seem out of date, the causes the women advocate for are still relevant today, in a time where the opioid crisis is overwhelming the US and the number of deaths from driving under the influence are in the tens of thousands every year. New Jersey WCTU president Joyce Powell, 63, (left) is doing everything she can to keep her branch of the union running by recruiting all her friends and even relatives, including her granddaughter NaKera Hughes, 15, (right)

As a whole, the WCTU  which today estimates membership is less than 1,000 worldwide, including branches in Myanmar, Germany, South Korea, Norway and across the US  is trying desperately to live to see its 150th anniversary in 2024.

The WCTU was founded in November 1874 in Cleveland, Ohio, and Annie Wittenmyer (pictured) served as the organization's first national president from 1874 - 1879

The union was formed at a time when women did not have the right to vote and though they could get some work, they still had far fewer opportunities than they do today. In most US states, women were not allowed to control property or have custody of their children in the case of divorce. At the same time, alcoholism had become prevalent and men neglected their families to spend money on liquor.

Empowered by lectures given by temperance leader Dr Dio Lewis, groups of women in upstate New York and Ohio started to gather for non-violent protests and pray-ins at saloons to discourage the sale of alcohol  which they called 'Women's Crusades'.

They went on to form the WCTU in Cleveland, Ohio, in November 1874 because of their success in hundreds of communities and elected Annie Wittenmyer as their first national president.

It was the organization's second president, Frances Willard, who pushed it to become more politically motivated. Under her leadership the union started to advocate for women's suffrage and to focus on other issues besides alcohol and tobacco use.

The WCTU's second national president, Frances Willard (pictured), who served as president from 1879 - 1898, is the one who pushed the organization to be more politically motivated. It was she who inspired the group to lobby for prohibition, to advocate for women's suffrage and to focus on other issues other than only alcohol

Though the WCTU is best known for their lobbying of prohibition, which was enacted as a federal law in the US from 1920 to 1933, the organization has also promoted equal pay, federal aid for education, equality for women in marriage and divorce laws, prison reform and stronger penalties for sex crimes against girls and women, among other issues.

While the opioid crisis is overwhelming the US, driving under the influence kills tens of thousands of Americans a year and sexual harassment and assault have become a national conversation, the WCTU's mission may not be as irrelevant as some might think.

MaryAnn Goolsby, a pastor's wife and the recently nominated chaplain of the South Jersey union says those numbers, the drunk driving statistics and the drug abuse statistics are proof enough that the organization is relevant, even if it is old.

'Its almost a dinosaur,' she says. 'I remember it when I was a child and when it was really booming... [Now] were like a dinosaur and so we have to let the public and the community know we still exist, you know?'

At the time when the WCTU was formed, women did not have the right to vote and were largely dependent on men. Though women were able to get jobs, they had far fewer opportunities and it was rare for married women to work at all. Women also could not own property in many states and were not given custody rights in the case of divorce. Pictured are a group of women at a temperance union convention

Though the WCTU is best known for its lobbying of prohibition, the organization also advocated for issues including equal pay for women, federal aid for education, equality for women in marriage and divorce laws, prison reform and stronger penalties for sex crimes against girls and women, among other issues. Pictured are a group of women in 1947 singing and wearing signs to speak out against alcohol

Before the South Jersey branch's November meeting begins, a few ladies arrive early at the Maranatha Baptist Church in Millville, New Jersey, including their state president, 63-year-old Joyce Powell. While a couple of the women arrange the round tables and metal chairs in preparation for the meeting, another sets out pamphlets, books and papers on a separate table to the side.

Everything in the room is a similar color; the walls, carpet and even the chairs are different shades of tan. Under Ms Powell's directions, a 15-year-old girl with bright yellow flowers in her hair prepares coffee with the church's industrial-sized coffee machines.

The 15-year-old, NaKera Hughes, is Ms Powell's granddaughter, who is both a part of the WCTU and their youth organization Youth Temperance Council (YTC). In fact, most of the women are members because Ms Powell told them about the group and encouraged them to join.

'We're trying to get people from all [backgrounds] into our organization so we can keep it going,' Ms Powell says. 'Because if we don't  you know, us old people ain't going to be here  we're going to be here, but we're going to die and we need some younger people to come on in and help, more people to come on in and help the organization. It's hard trying to get members to come in and join.'

About 15 or 16 women in southern New Jersey meet monthly for their WCTU branch meetings at the Maranatha Baptist Church. Ms Powell, the state president, said that even though there aren't many that come to monthly meetings, there are a lot of older ladies who pay their dues, but aren't able to make it to meetings

The meetings, which last about two and a half hours, mostly focus on the organizations and events the branch donates to and volunteers with. The women also discuss their own events that they organize for the community. Pictured from left to right are three members at the November meeting: Valerie Edwards, MaryAnn Goolsby and Rose Stewart

Geraldine King, 71, who goes by Gerry, was recruited to join a couple of years ago by Ms Powell, who goes to her church. She was only able to join last April, after her husband Robert passed away.

The WCTU has used the white ribbon as its symbol since it was founded. It is meant to represent purity

'She didn't ask me, she just told me I was going to the meeting,' Ms King says with a chuckle. 'And I'm like, Joyce, you got me in so much stuff already, I don't have enough time. But that's Joyce. And that's how I said, okay, I'm going to support Joyce because she's in so much and she's very sickly. And she is an encouragement, an uplifter to everybody she comes in contact with, so that's how I got involved.'

Most of the women at this branch have been recruited within the past year or two by Ms Powell, who wants desperately to keep it alive. She has even recruited her grown children to join, including her eldest son, Corey, 42. Though men can't hold positions or vote within the WCTU, they can be honorary or associate members.

Corey is at the November meeting, sitting at a separate table away from the ladies, ready to help if they need him to run errands or do any heavy lifting, though he spends most of the time on his phone.

MaryAnn Goolsby (right) a pastor's wife and the recently nominated chaplain of the South Jersey union says drunk driving statistics and drug abuse statistics are proof enough that the WCTU is relevant, even if it is old. She says: 'Were like a dinosaur and so we have to let the public and the community know we still exist, you know?' Ms Goolsby is pictured at the meeting with Marline Woods (left) and Valerie Edwards (center)

To discourage people from drinking, different branches of the WCTU used to go to bars and saloons to sing, pray and lecture on the negative effects of alcohol. A union member is pictured trying to encourage a man to sign a non-drinking pledge at a bar in 1947

Prohibition in the US lasted from 1920 to 1933. Pictured is New York City Deputy Police Commissioner John A Leach (right) watching agents pouring liquor into the sewer in around 1921

Though there are only about 15 or 16 women who attend meetings regularly, Ms Powell says there are also plenty of other members who can't attend meetings and just pay their dues, though she does go to them for advice when she's having trouble.

'We got some members in their 80s, but they don't attend the meetings because they're just not strong enough to come,' she says. 'But they pay their dues and if I ask them or need their advice or something, because I don't know it all, I call on them and I go visit their house and get information and they're really helpful. They're still helpful.'

The meeting starts a little past the scheduled 9.30am start time with a greeting from Ms Powell before she begins the roll call where each woman says her name and a Bible verse. When they've gone around the circle, they all stand to salute three small flags on a stand on one of the tables  the US flag, the Christian flag and the temperance flag  before they recite their membership pledge.

'I hereby solemnly promise, God helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented and malt liquors, including wine, beer and hard cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the use of and traffic in the same,' the women read  mostly in unison  from their small blue books.

Though Ms Powell has been fighting hard to keep this branch and the New Jersey WCTU alive for the past 20 years, temperance isn't her only battle.

She suffers from kidney failure and is in dialysis three times a week. Besides leading the state WCTU branch, Ms Powell also personally volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and hospice.

'The Lord gives me strength because I'd be weak sometimes,' she says, adding later: 'I love to serve. I love to help people. That's just me. That's my nature.'

The WCTU's membership pledge, which the women recite at every meeting says: 'I hereby solemnly promise, God helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented and malt liquors, including wine, beer and hard cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the use of and traffic in the same'. Pictured are a group of women handing out information from the organization at a bar in 1947

The WCTU has used all kinds of methods to encourage people to abstain from alcohol, including holding up these signs that say 'Prohibition has reduced drinking two thirds' and 'Drinkers not drys make the gangsters' in Chicago around 1925

Pictured are two men destroying barrels of confiscated alcohol using axes in North Dakota in around 1929

Today the organization no longer lobbies for prohibition, though they do encourage their members to individually write to their representatives in Congress and to pay attention to political issues. Instead of pushing specific legislation, the organization focuses on education through poster and essay contests for children about abstaining from alcohol, drugs and tobacco.

Cynthia Chance, 66, is the state and local treasurer as well as the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of WCTU members. Her mother, Leah Frazer, was the state president for 11 years but has since retired, though she still attends the meetings every month and has been a lifelong abstainer from alcohol.

Ms Chance, however, admits she drank socially when she was just out of high school, but changed her mind several years later. As she learned more about the effects of alcohol, she decided not drinking at all was the best decision  plus, her husband never drank.

'I really believe that education is what people need, you know?' Ms Chance, a peppy retired kindergarten teacher says. 'And I think we're so blind sighted by the advertising industry. Alcohol's big business and people start to believe what they see and hear and it's just such a norm in our society. It's so detrimental to families and to communities and kids.'

Though the organization no longer lobbies, they do focus on education and understanding the negative effects of alcohol both for themselves and others. The WCTU holds annual essay and poster design contests for children of all ages as a form of education. Rose Stewart and Cynthia Chance are pictured looking at the union's program manual during the November meeting

To start off the meeting, the women go through a roll call where they say their name and a Bible verse before they stand together to salute three small flags on the table, the US flag, the Christian flag (left) and the temperance flag (right). They also say their temperance pledge and sing a hymn together. Ms Woods, Ms Edwards and Ms Goolsby are pictured from left to right, singing

But her opinion doesn't just come from nowhere. Her son hon has suffered from drug addiction, which completely overturned his life.

'My son has been in trouble with the law with, you know, different things,' Ms Chance says. 'He's been to rehab a couple of times for drugs. But I would say now I think he's learned those things will get you in trouble No matter what circumstances he's in, we've tried to support him and help him get him help however he needed it I would say he's on the right path now, which makes everybody happier.'

CARRY A. NATION: THE FACE OF TEMPERANCE Carry A. Nation (1846-1911) is considered to be the face of the temperance movement. While prohibition was law in Kansas, from 1881 to 1948, Carry used her hatchet to smash up illegal saloons and bars in the state, starting in 1900. She soon became a public figure and traveled around the country and the world giving lectures on the negative effects of alcohol and tobacco. Before starting her smashing, she had become a member of the WCTU, though once she started smashing bars, the organization wasn't necessarily thrilled with her until she became more well-known according to Blair Tarr, a curator at the Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka. '[The WCTU] had mixed feelings about [Carry],' he said. 'When she had started smashing, they didn't really like her efforts When it seemed like she was actually making some progress, though, they kind of changed their minds and thought she was worthwhile and even gave her an award at some point.' Advertisement

She adds: 'I don't hold it against anybody if they do drink, but I really think if they knew the bottom line and knew how detrimental alcohol and of course all the drugs are it just seems to me that you're not in your right mind once you start taking drugs.'

Many of the other women have had similar experiences. Nathanette Howard, 62, has been a part of the WCTU for two years now and like most everyone else was recruited by Ms Powell. Before she joined, Ms Howard's close niece had suffered from drug addiction before Ms Howard took her in and did a detox with her.

'She was on drugs and I'm the only one that stuck by her,' she says. 'And that meant an awful lot to me.'

Though Ms Howard is quiet and careful about how she speaks, her experience with her niece, who has since passed away, has ingrained in her the importance of the WCTU cause.

'I think it's nice that they try to go around helping people that's in need. Talk to young kids about alcohol and drugs. I really think that's very important. Because we have our young kids out here that's lost on the drugs and alcohol and maybe they just need someone to talk and listen to them.'

Even 15-year-old NaKera has reason to participate with WCTU beyond the fact that her grandmother brings her when she's not in school.

'There's a lot of people negatively affected by alcohol,' NaKera says. 'My father is an alcoholic and he acts a fool every time I've been around him [when he's drunk] and it's just  I don't know, I don't like it. But I can't do anything about it because he's going to keep on I guess [WCTU] is great because it gives out [information on] the harms of alcohol and the negative effects on your family.'

Though many of the South Jersey union members were recruited by Ms Powell (center), none of them came to believe in abstinence from alcohol and drugs for no reason. Most, if not all, of the women have personally experienced heartache that has resulted from alcohol or drug abuse in their own families. Ms Powell, Linda Smith (left) and NaKera Hughes (right) are pictured as they read the pledges to the flags from their booklets

The South Jersey union stays active by hosting breakfasts, trips and children's events open to their community. They also donate money to and volunteer with local rehab facilities and other organizations including the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, a national mentoring program for children and the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition, an organization that helps people who are homeless find warm places to sleep. Pictured from left to right are: MaryAnn Goolsby, Rose Stewart and Cynthia Chance

However, the two-hour meeting does not dwell on the effects of alcohol. In fact, besides the pledge, alcohol is hardly mentioned. Instead, the meeting  which does occasionally deteriorate into quiet, smaller group discussions  is primarily centered on the events for children and families that they host and the organizations they volunteer with and donate to.

Ms Powell makes sure the WCTU stays active in their community, donating to local rehab facilities and organizations including the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, a national mentoring program for children, and the Cumberland County Code Blue Coalition, an organization that helps people who are homeless find warm places to sleep in the winter.

They also organize their own events, including a skating party for children, an annual prayer breakfast for families and a community-wide trip to visit two historic WCTU water fountains in Salem and Ocean City, New Jersey that they took over the summer. As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach, they also raise money to buy grocery store giftcards for families who can't afford holiday meals.

It's clear each of the women cares deeply about their community and the people in them.

Cynthia Chance (pictured in the background) is the state and local treasurer for the WCTU. Her mother, Leah Frazer (left), was the New Jersey state president for 11 years but has since retired, though she still attends meetings every month. Ms Frazer's mother and grandmother were also in the WCTU. Ms Chance and Ms Frazer are pictured with Cynthia Bradway (right) during the meeting

Ms King says that these are the reasons why being in the WCTU is so important to her, because they are actually involved in the community in the areas where they have needs.

'It's letting people know it's a worthwhile cause,' Ms King says. 'There are many alcoholics, there are many homeless and whatever we can do. We always tell the Lord, whatever I set my hands to do, I'm gonna do it for you, but we don't do anything. So we get in all of these different groups that are not doing anything, but this group is.

'It's helping the community and it helps the people that live here in the community. It's worthwhile. I think everybody should be a part. It's something you can do. I really love the ladies here. They're all loving and kind and just open arms reach out to you at all times. I just thank God for that. And it keeps me busy.'

Despite Ms Powell's strength and the strength she brings to the South Jersey branch, there is evidence here of the struggle to maintain the organization. Near the end of the meeting, Ms Powell reads a letter of resignation from the branch president, who was unable to attend the meeting. She is resigning because of ill health and because her mother-in-law  who also suffers poor health and needs 24-hour care  has just moved in with her.

With the news, the ladies discuss the turn of events, saying they will support her how they can and though it is mentioned that they will need a new local president, the decision of what to do about it is deferred for another meeting.

Before the benediction, which officially ends the meeting for the day, Ms Powell announces that an historic banner from the first Cumberland County WCTU was recently found.

Local branches had been asked to send on any historic WCTU items to the national headquarters, but after the oos and ahhs of the South Jersey women when they saw the blue banner with the 1885 date on it, they decided to keep it with them, so they can be reminded of their legacy.
Uber has revealed that 2.7 million UK users of its app were affected by a 2016 data breach that it covered up for more than a year.

Hackers were able to obtain the names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers of passengers and drivers, the taxi-hailing firm said.

Downing Street said last week the cyber attack, which affected 57 million customers and drivers worldwide, was not initially reported by the company after it hushed up the scandal.

News of the hack came in an extraordinary admission by the US firm's chief executive on November 21, revealing a server had been infiltrated in late 2016.

It was found Uber had not only sought to cover up the incident but also paid two hackers $100,000 (75,000) to delete the data and keep the security lapse quiet.

Uber has revealed that 2.7m riders and drivers in the UK have been affected by a massive hack of data - more than half of its users in the country

The app is used in towns and cities across the UK, with 3.5 million passengers and 40,000 drivers in London.

Sadiq Khan, the capital's mayor, said: 'This latest shocking development about Uber will alarm millions of Londoners whose personal data could have been stolen by criminals.

'Uber need to urgently confirm which of their customers are affected, what is being done to ensure these customers don't suffer adversely, and what action is being taken to prevent this happening again in the future.

'The public will want to know how there could be this catastrophic breach of personal data security.'

An investigation has been launched by the National Cyber Security Centre  the cyber security arm of GCHQ  as well as the Information Commissioner's Office and the National Crime Agency.

The National Cyber Security Centre urged customers to change their Uber passwords immediately and be on their guard against phishing attacks by fraudsters.

There are concerns criminals can use stolen emails, mobile numbers and names to target customers.

The US firm has revealed it paid two hackers 75,000 to keep the data breach quiet

Phishing attacks are emails which purport to be from a trusted source such as a bank.

They try to trick customers into handing over details such as bank account numbers.

The NCSC said the data gleaned from the Uber cyber attack  which also included driving licence information from drivers  'could be used by scammers to make phishing emails more convincing.'

James Dipple-Johnstone, deputy commissioner of the Information Commissioner's Office, said he would expect Uber to alert everyone affected in the UK 'as soon as possible'.

Wes Streeting, a Labour MP, said: 'The fact that 2.7 million people in the UK had their personal details stolen is shocking in itself, but for Uber to actively conceal it for more than a year is a scandal.'

'Customers and drivers are rightly angry that they were not notified and were denied a chance to try to protect their details. Paying off criminal hackers and hushing it up is not the behaviour of a fit and proper operator.'

'This global mess shows Uber to be a company with rock bottom ethical standards. State authorities in the US have started to take action, and it's high time the UK government did too.'

The app is used in towns and cities across the UK, with 3.5 million passengers and 40,000 drivers in London

Uber said it does not believe any passengers need to take any action in relation to the data breach.

The firm said in a statement: 'We have seen no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident. We are monitoring the affected accounts and have flagged them for additional fraud protection.'

It reportedly tracked down the hackers and pressured them to sign non-disclosure agreements so news of the incident did not become public.

Company executives then dressed up the breach as a 'bug bounty', the practice of paying hackers to test the strength of software security, according to The New York Times.

Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over in August, said in a blog that the firm 'took immediate steps to secure the data and shut down further unauthorised access' at the time of the incident.

He went on: 'We subsequently identified the individuals and obtained assurances that the downloaded data had been destroyed.'

Mr Khosrowshahi added: 'None of this should have happened, and I will not make excuses for it.

'While I can't erase the past, I can commit on behalf of every Uber employee that we will learn from our mistakes.'

In October Uber launched an appeal against Transport for London's (TfL) decision to deny it a new operating licence in the capital on the grounds of 'public safety and security implications'.
Danni Messina (pictured), 19, started an online drive promising to donate money to a children's hospital

Washington State University student Danni Messina took to social media this week with a charitable idea in mind.

She posted a message to Twitter pledging 50 cents for every retweet and 25 cents for every 'favorite' received, promising to take the money and donate it to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in nearby Seattle.

'This time of year is about giving - this year, I am giving back to St. Jude & the families who are supported by their amazing services,' Messina wrote in the November 25 post.

But the campaign quickly turned into a viral phenomenon, garnering over 200,000 retweets and more than 450,000 favorites in just a few days.

The pledge now has the 19-year-old owing the hospital more than $200,000.

'I was originally planning on donating personally $1,000,' she told CBS News.

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The campaign quickly turned into a viral phenomenon, garnering over 200,000 retweets and more than 450,000

The college student said she was originally inspired a friend spending the Thanksgiving holiday in a hospital

Messina thought the campaign would attract a handful of interactions from her friends and followers, but by the next day the post had spread like wildfire through the Internet, forcing her to call off the drive, she told KREM.

'Wowza ok - so we are stopping it here,' she tweeted on November 27.

Despite the tremendous sum, Messina in determined to keep her promise and has turned to the public for help

By Wednesday morning, the total tweet count shows a total 200,304 retweets and 464,151 Likes.

Despite the tremendous sum, Messina in determined to keep her promise and has setup a GoFundMe page in order to ask the public for their assistance.

'I tweeted because I had absolutely no idea there would be that much support around the idea,' Messina said.

'So, unfortunately, I don't have the funds to support this, but here is a link to donate to one of the best hospitals there is.'

The page has already raised more than $11,050 from 775 donors as of Wednesday morning. She set the price goal at $50,000.

'Love that you're doing this! Keep it up!' one person commented.

'Thanks for having this idea and using social media for good and not harm. Good luck!' another wrote.

The college student said she was originally inspired a friend spending the Thanksgiving holiday in a hospital instead of at home with his family.

'I am still in shock. I think it's so incredible that people are donating because they saw my tweet,' she said.

'I love the awareness part of it, and it's been awesome talking to St. Jude more.'




Donald Trump took a rhetorical shot at North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un on Wednesday, calling him 'a sick puppy' for blasting an intercontinental ballistic missile in Japan's direction.

The president said during a Missouri speech that tax cuts included in a Republican-backed legislative plan would be 'rocket fuel' for America's economy  and then paused to riff on 'Little Rocket Man,' his favorite insult to lob at Pyongyang's despot.

Trump had said earlier in the day that he plans to slap North Korea with 'major' new sanctions after Tuesday's launch of a missile that could theoretically reach the continental United States.

He spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, after spending months working with China to try to apply additional pressure and making repeated public statements about China's ability to bring the rogue nation to heel.

'Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea,' Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

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President Donald Trump blasted North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un as 'a sick puppy' on Wednesday during a tax-reform speech in Missouri

Kim's government launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday that could be capable of hitting the United States

Trump called Kim 'Little Rocket Man' during his speech in St. Charles, Missouri  in just one of many ad-libbed aggressive moments that also included shots at Hillary Clinton and Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill

'Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!' Trump said, without specifying who would be imposing the sanctions  the U.S., China, or both.

His statement came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has bragged that his country has achieved full nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new missile capable of hitting virtually anywhere in the world.

State media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere, which if confirmed would be an important technical advance.

According to an official White House statement about the call with President Xi, 'President Trump underscored the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime.'

'President Trump emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization,' according to the statement.

North Korea ended a 10-week pause in its weapons testing on Tuesday when it fired off a Hwasong-15 rocket - its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet which the regime claimed could be fitted with a 'super heavy nuclear warhead'.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is pictured above signing what is said to be a document authorizing the intercontinental ballistic missile test

'THIS SITUATION WILL BE HANDLED!': President Trump vowed 'we will take care of it' following the launch, but gave no further details of his plan and said the test will not prompt a change of strategy in the region

'Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea,' Trump tweeted Wednesday morning

It poses a new challenge for President Donald Trump who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the US mainland.

After watching the launch, Kim Jong-un boasted about its success, according to state television presenter Ri Chun-Hee.

'Kim Jong-un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power,' the presenter said.

'The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK,' she added, using the abbreviated name for North Korea.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned on Tuesday that North Korea now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world' and that the latest missile test went 'higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken.'

Pyongyang residents react at the Pyongyang Railway Station after the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile

One physicist said that the missile appeared to have a realistic range of just over 8,000 miles, which means Washington D.C. is now in range of Kim's attacks

A map showing the estimated maximum range of North Korea's new Hwasong-15 ICBM which is capable of hitting virtually anywhere in the world with the exception of South America and parts of southern Africa

Today's DPRK Missile test, launched out of Pyongsong and according to these numbers: https://t.co/1iTF0qfAnJ



Note: impact location, acceleration, speed, etc. are all notional and for demonstrative purposes only. dat apogee doe pic.twitter.com/2Imcp7BLQm  Scott LaFoy (@wslafoy) November 28, 2017

An animation of the Hwasong-15 missile path. It reached ten times the height of the International Space Station before falling back to Earth

The Pentagon said the test missile traveled about 620 miles and landed within 200 nautical miles of Japan's coast.

In a broadcast on state TV, North Korea said the missile reached an altitude of around 2,780 miles - more than 10 times the height of the international space station - and flew 600 miles during its 53 minute flight.

North Korea deliberately fires its missile on a near-vertical trajectory to artificially limit the range.

If the Hwasong-15 had been fired on a typical trajectory, analysts believe it would have a maximum range of around 8,000 miles (13,000km) - leaving only South America and a small part of Africa beyond it's reach.

President Trump vowed on Tuesday to 'handle the situation' in a brief interview with reporters, but gave no further details.

'A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. I will only tell you that we will take care of it,' Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House a few hours after the missile streaked across Korean and Japanese skies at 745 miles per hour.

Asked if Tuesday's provocation by despot Kim Jong-un had changed his strategy in the region, he said: 'Nothing changed. We have a very serious approach and nothing changed. We take it very seriously.'

China expressed 'grave concern' over the new test, with foreign ministry spokesman calling on the US to suspend military drills in the region in return for North Korea freezing its missile programme.

Washington has previously rejected that approach.

China hopes all sides will work on the 'peaceful settlement' of the issue as a military option is not the solution to resolve the crisis, Geng told a regular news briefing.

North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a senior broadcaster who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark missile launch

North Koreans were spotted celebrating on the street after hearing the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile

People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's order to test-fire the newly developed intercontinental ballisti

President Trump said on Tuesday that an ballistic missile launch by North Korea 'is a situation that we will handle' before Kim Jong-un bragged that his country achieved nuclear statehood

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned on Tuesday that North Korea now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world' and that the latest missile test went 'higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken'

North Korea has already carried out a record 15 missile tests this year which showed it has developed an ICBM that can likely strike most of mainland America

Beijing 'strongly urges' North Korea to observe UN resolutions and 'stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean peninsula,' Geng said.

'At the same time we also hope the relevant parties will act cautiously to work together for the peace and stability of this region.'

Meanwhile the Kremlin also described the launch as a 'provocative action' and called for calm on all sides.

North Korea's immediate neighbors were less restrained with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling the test an intolerable and 'violent' act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemning Pyongyang's 'reckless' behavior.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also condemned the launch, tweeting: 'Another illegal missile launch from DPRK. This is not the path to security and prosperity for the North Korean people. DPRK regime must change course.'

The EU branded it a 'further unacceptable violation' of North Korea's international obligations, while Britain's ambassador to the UN called it a 'reckless act'.

The White House said Trump was notified immediately after the missile was fired, suggesting that the news interrupted a meeting with Republican senators on Capitol Hill.

'@POTUS was briefed, while missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea,' press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a tweet.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and her counterparts from Japan and South Korea will hold an emergency Security Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Trump, in the midst of tense budget negotiations with Congress, stressed the need for improved military readiness - tying Tuesday's missile launch to his request for more defense spending.

The missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongan Province at around 3:30 a.m local time before landing in the Sea of Japan

A South Korean Navy destroyer launching a missile at South Korea's east sea during a precision-strike missile exercise aimed to counter North Korea's missile test

'A lot of things have happened, even over the last two hours, with respect to the missile launch. We want our military funded, and we want it funded now,' he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pictured speaking to reports about the missile that landed in the Sea of Japan

It comes as Hawaii has begun renewed tests of its a Cold War-era nuclear early-warning system.

The warning tone is set to be tested on the first business day of every month starting from December.

The missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongan Province in the middle of the night local time, according to a statement issued by the South Korean Military's joint chiefs of staff.

Pentagon Spokesman Col. Robert Manning said in a statement that the launch, at about 1.17pm, was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Defense Department's initial analysis.

'The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone,' Maness said.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson took to Twitter to condemn the missile launch

Trump had said earlier on Capitol Hill that he would talk 'soon' about the launch, which occurred while he was meeting with senators about tax-cut and budget proposals

The missile launch was dictator Kim Jong-Un's first such provocation since September 15

TRUMP'S HANDWRITTEN NORTH KOREA NOTES: President Donald Trump had handwritten notes in black marker and all capital letters in front of him on Tuesday when he revealed news of North Korea's latest missile launch. The piece of paper was spotted on the table in front of Trump as he addressed reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House a few hours after the missile streaked across Korean and Japanese skies. 'MISSILE WAS LAUNCHED FROM NORTH KOREA - WILL TAKE CARE OF IT,' the note read. Not straying far from his notes, Trump then told reporters: 'A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. I will only tell you that we will take care of it. It is a situation that we will handle.' The piece of paper was spotted on the table in front of Trump as he addressed reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House a few hours after the missile launch Advertisement

'The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies,' he added.

South Korea and the US worked together to determine the missile's trajectory and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered an emergency cabinet meeting.

Officials in Seoul said a rocket-tracking radar was turned on at a missile base in the North of the region yesterday followed by a large amount of radio chatter, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Tokyo and Washington were also placed on alert after radio signals were picked up, with one Japanese official telling the Kyodo news agency that a test could take place 'within the next few days.'

Cho Myoung-gyon, South Korea's unification minister, confirmed the activity at an event in Seoul as he warned that Kim might complete his nuclear program much sooner than previously thought.

Cho said there had been 'noteworthy activity in the North recently', but said the world would have to 'wait and see whether it leads to an actual missile test'.

Speaking about Kim's efforts to develop a viable long-range nuclear weapon, he added: 'Experts think North Korea will take two to three more years but they are developing their nuclear capabilities faster than expected.

'We cannot rule out the possibility Pyongyang may declare the completion of their nuclear program in a year.'

Trump was flanked by empty chairs on Tuesday afternoon, trolling Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, two key congressional Democrats who refused to negotiate on spending with him

Japan said the latest signals from North Korea might have come to nothing, saying they could have been from military exercises which the North routinely carries out each winter.

Cho said the frequency of North Korean activity tends to decline noticeably during the winter.

'If it launched a provocation, North Korea has to put its military on alert, but most of its troops are needed for manual labour for preparation of winter,' he said.

Other reasons behind the lull could be that Pyongyang simply needs more time to advance its missile program such as perfecting its re-entry technology, Cho said, or the North Korean leader could be focusing on boosting the economy.

Kim has already carried out a record 15 missile tests this year, including two which were fired over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

The tests also confirmed that North Korea has developed a functioning ICBM, a key step toward creating a nuke that can strike mainland America.

News of another launch would come as a blow to North Korea's opponents who had hoped that increased sanctions were at least slowing the country's progress.

After a flurry of missile tests over the summer, Kim last fired a weapon on September 15, despite widely-anticipated launches in October around Labor Day in the US and the Chinese 19th Party Congress.
Theresa May has warned that Islamic State fighters could slip back into Europe as she became the first British Prime Minister to visit Iraq in almost a decade.

During the surprise trip to Baghdad, Mrs May said Britain would step up efforts to stop jihadists dispersing through the Middle East.

The Prime Minister then travelled to Saudi Arabia and met King Salman and his 32-year-old son, who now stands next in line for the throne.

Mrs May's trip to Saudi Arabia was for talks with the king and his heir Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the kingdom-led war in Yemen.

She is the second European leader to specifically seek out the crown prince as he amasses power.

May's visit was expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Riyadh

Mrs May's trip to Saudi Arabia was for talks with the king and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the kingdom-led war in Yemen

Mrs May touches down and is greeted by the Governor of Riyadh, Faisal bin Bander Al Saud, who welcomed her to Saudi Arabia and escorted her to meet with King Salman

Mrs May's trip to Saudi Arabia was for talks with the king (right) and his heir Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the kingdom-led war in Yemen

British Prime Minister Theresa May observes a team of Iraqi security forces as they are trained with metal detectors at the Camp Taji in Iraq

The Prime Minister, whose first visit to a war zone had been kept secret, touched down near Baghdad today in an RAF Hercules after flying in from Jordan (pictured)

Theresa May met British troops training Iraqi soldiers a Camp Taji near Baghdad today (pictured)

Mrs May was greeted on the runway by Faisal bin Bander Al Saud, the governor of Riyadh, who welcomed her to Saudi Arabia and escorted the Prime Minister to her meeting with King Salman.

Ahead of the meeting, she told reporters: I am very concerned about the humanitarian crisis that has developed in Yemen, particularly most recently.

That is why one strong message I will be giving to Saudi Arabia is that we want to see Hodeida port opened for humanitarian and commercial access, that is important. The international community is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia backs Yemens internationally recognised government against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, and faces intense condemnation over its bombing and military action.

Earlier this month the Saudi-led coalition mounted a sea and air blockade in an effort to prevent supplies reaching Houthi rebels - but has since lifted some of the restrictions.

The country is dealing with the outbreak of cholera and the threat of famine.

Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, more than 3.3billion worth of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia have been licensed.

Mrs May has faced repeated calls to suspend arms sales following claims of breaches of international law in Yemen under the Saudi-led coalition bombing campaign.

In Baghdad, Mrs May stepped into a defence row as she repeatedly refused to guarantee that troop numbers would not be cut as she visited a base where British soldiers are stationed.

During the surprise trip to Baghdad (pictured), the Prime Minister said Britain would step up efforts to stop jihadists dispersing through the Middle East

Mrs May addressed some of the 600 British troops helping train security forces in the country before holding a one-on-one meeting with Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi

Mrs May talks to British soldiers at the Combined Joint Operations Centre in Baghdad, Iraq

The Prime Minister, whose first visit to a war zone had been kept secret, touched down near Baghdad in an RAF Hercules from Jordan.

She addressed some of the 600 British troops helping train security forces in the country before holding a one-on-one meeting with Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

She said: 'Obviously we're working together to defeat Daesh and my visit comes at a critical moment as we see the Caliphate collapsing with the fall of Mosul and Raqqa.

'We want to ensure that Iraq can in the future provide that strong, stable and unified state that can provide the security, the jobs and opportunities that all Iraqis want and deserve.'

She added: 'We have seen significant military success against Daesh, but we must recognise that the threat remains. And we must obviously deal with the issue of potentially people from Daesh dispersing elsewhere.'

The last visit by a prime minister to Iraq was by Gordon Brown in 2008, shortly before the majority of troops left at the end of Britain's six-year occupation of the southern part of the country.

As Islamic State is squeezed out of the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, Mrs May committed to helping neighbouring countries stopping the flow of people, who could try to make their way towards Britain.

She announced 10million in funding over the next three years to help strengthen Iraq's counter-terrorism agencies.

The UK will work with partners across the region to develop stronger border controls, watch-lists and biometric capabilities.

Mrs May said this will help ensure foreign fighters are identified, stopped, and disrupted before they can harm people, and so we can manage the return of women and children.

She also pledged to continue her push for internet firms to remove terrorist content within two hours of it being uploaded and ultimately preventing it from going up in the first place.

The UK will also continue to support Iraqi security forces, including offering places at the country's military academies.

Mrs May views refreshments, including tea and cake, as she meets British troops and watches training of Iraqi security forces at the Camp Taji

Mrs May (pictured today with Colonel Donald Mack at Camp Taji) announced 10million in funding over the next three years to help strengthen Iraq's counter-terrorism agencies

Theresa May (pictured today with British troops in Iraq) today warned that Islamic State fighters could slip back into Europe as she became the first British prime minister to visit Iraq in almost a decade.

The Prime Minister (pictured today at Camp Taji), whose first visit to a war zone had been kept secret, touched down near Baghdad in an RAF Hercules from Jordan

Mrs May donned a pair of sturdy walking boots (pictured) during her trip to the British training base at Camp Taji

Mrs May said: 'Daesh's ability to spread propaganda at speed drew terrorists to Iraq and Syria from around the world, contributing to the death of many thousands of innocent people and the destruction of Iraqi infrastructure.

'Military success against Daesh means they are increasingly losing control of the territory, resources and population that allowed them to be a uniquely dangerous threat to Iraq, the region and Europe.

'But we have always expected that the threat Daesh posed would evolve. In response to our military success, Daesh has become more diffuse, organic and networked. The UK is committed not only to defeating Daesh militarily but also to countering the dispersal of foreign fighters from Iraq and Syria.'

However, Mrs May three times refused to guarantee that British troop numbers will not be reduced.

She said: 'We are talking about increasing the amount of money that is being spent on defence. We have given that commitment, we will maintain our Nato commitment of 2 per cent of GDP being spent on defence.

'What we are doing is looking at the threats that we face and the capabilities we need in order to be able to meet those threats.'

Theresa May (pictured in Baghdad today with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi) warned that Islamic State fighters could slip back into Europe

Mrs May (pictured today during a press conference with Mr al-Abadi) became the first British prime minister to visit Iraq in almost a decade as she embarked on a surprise visit to see UK troops fighting Islamic State

Pushed again on whether the British Army could get smaller, she replied: 'What we are doing is ensuring that we are increasing the defence budget. We need to look at how we most effectively spend that increased and rising defence budget.

'It is about looking at the threats that we face and ensuring we have the capabilities to meet those threats.'

As Mrs May visited Camp Taji, a coalition base north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad where around 80 British troops are currently involved in training local soldiers, she swapped her leopard-print kitten heels for a pair of black Salomon walking boots.

She witnessed Royal Engineers training Iraqi Security Forces in how to detect and defeat improvised explosive devices.

After watching one Iraqi soldier practice his skills in using a metal detector, she quizzed him through an interpreter about the skills he was gaining.

The Prime Minister then talked to some of the troops currently deployed at Camp Taji, including those from the Royal Medical Corps about the techniques and training they have been offering the Iraqis.

Mrs May reviewed an honour guard in Baghdad alongside Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as she arrived in the Iraqi capital today

As she enjoyed a cup of coffee outside the UK headquarters at the base, Mrs May said 'oh wow' when she spotted a giant cake decorated with the Union flag.

At a meeting with al-Abadi at the Iraqi government palace in Baghdad, Mrs May paid tribute 'to the bravery and sacrifice' of the country's security forces.

She said: 'They are on the frontline in the fight against terrorism and extremism.

'And I am proud of the role the UK has played to support Iraq in this endeavour as part of the Global Coalition against Daesh.

'We will continue to stand by Iraq as the last remnants of Daesh's so-called Caliphate are liberated.

'For as long as the Iraqis want and need it, the UK will continue to be a fully committed security partner.

'We will support you to 'win the peace'  addressing the issues that led to Daesh's rise, and building a stronger, more inclusive and unified Iraqi state.'

Mrs May will continue her three-day Middle East trip in Saudi Arabia this evening, before she returns to Amman in Jordan for a day of engagements tomorrow.
A 21-year-old woman has claimed she was gang-raped by her father, brother and uncles after eloping with her lover in India.

The woman ran away with her 32-year-old lover, named locally as Gayasuddin, twice in July and then again in October.

On the third occasion she was tracked down by her relatives who gang-raped her and forced her to miscarry, she claims.

A 21-year-old Indian woman claims she was gang-raped by her father, brother, and uncles and forced to miscarry after eloping with her lover for the third time (file image)

After the first two elopements the family had filed an abduction complaint against Gayasuddin, the Times of India reports.

But he was freed after the woman intervened to say she left with him by choice.

After fleeing with Gayasuddin, already a father-of-three, in October she was tracked to a nursing home. It was there that she claims the attack took place.

Her allegations only came to light after her family filed another abduction complaint on November 2, when she approached the court.

Arrest warrants were issued against her relatives on November 18 for gang-rape and forced miscarriage.

The woman's mother has subsequently claimed her husband and son are innocent, saying the allegations were made under Gayasuddin's influence.
Copenhagen police say divers have found a severed arm in the sea which could be linked to the case of a Swedish journalist who disappeared after a trip on a private submarine in August.

The arm was found in Koge Bay, south of the Danish capital, about half a mile from where Kim Wall's decapitated head and legs were discovered in plastic bags in October.

Last week a left arm was found in the same area, weighed down with metal in a similar manner as the legs of Ms Wall.

Police say the arm was found in in Koge Bay, south of Copenhagen, about half a mile from where Kim Wall's decapitated head and legs were discovered in plastic bags in October

Danish submarine inventor Peter Madsen, 46, faces preliminary charges of manslaughter and indecent handling of a corpse for disposing Wall's body at sea.

He claims he didn't kill her and says she died accidentally. However, he has admitted dismembering her.

Miss Wall was last seen on board the submarine on the evening of August 10 as she and Madsen, a self-taught engineer and inventor, sailed in waters off Copenhagen.

In custody since August 11, Madsen early on told police that Wall died when a 154lbs hatch door fell on her head, and in a panic, he threw her body overboard.

He insisted her body was intact at the time.

Peter Madsen, 46, told friends during a 'science night' meeting that the ideal place to dump a body was Koge Bay, Copenhagen, where the bodyparts of Kim Wall, 30, have been recovered

Accused: Peter Madsen, 46, pictured moments after he was rescued from his sinking submarine, faces preliminary charges of manslaughter and indecent handling of a corpse

But the recovery of her head contradicts his version of events, as police said an autopsy showed 'no sign of fracture on the skull and there isn't any sign of other blunt violence to the skull.'

Locating Wall's head has been crucial to investigators, as the final autopsy on the torso was unable to establish the cause of death.

Jens Mller Jensen, Deputy Police Officer at Copenhagen Police, said at a press conference last month: 'We found a leg. An hour after, another leg. And shortly after a head also lay in a bag that was weighed down by several pieces of metal.'

Police also found some of Miss Wall's clothes and a knife in one of the bags. Her underwear was found on the submarine.

Prosecutors believe Madsen killed Wall as part of a sexual fantasy, then dismembered and mutilated her body.

Wall, a 30-year-old freelance journalist who was researching a story on Madsen, went missing after he took her out to sea in the 17-metre (56-foot) craft in August

Earlier, prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen told a court custody hearing that a hard disk found in Madsen's workshop contained fetish films in which real women were tortured, decapitated and burned.

'This hard drive doesn't belong to me,' Madsen insisted, saying numerous people had access to his workshop.

Madsen has insisted there was no sexual relationship between him and Wall, and their that contacts had been purely professional.

Madsen previously denied amputating her limbs, saying he tried to bury her whole body at sea, but was later forced to change his story.

Madsen has voluntarily accepted extending his pre-trial detention until Dec.
A Muslim mother is trying to win full custody of her 11-year-old son who she believes her ex-husband is trying to radicalise.

Nabila Albargouthy says her former husband Isam has been filling their son's head with extreme views since they separated in 2012 when he demanded a second wife.

The alleged influence led the son to declare in the playground of his school in Pleasantville, New York, last year that he would 'die for Allah'.

The school contacted police after another student reported the then 10-year-old's remarks.

Nabila Albargouthy claims her former husband Isam is trying to radicalize their 11-year-old son

The mother's petition reads: 'That day, certain students told [her son] that Jesus is God, the court papers say.

'He responded... "No  Allah is God" and that [Allah] is different because "I would die for my God and they would not die for their God."'

Albargouthy claims that on separate occasions, her son has told her he wants to have a 'cabinet full of guns' when he is an adult.

She says he also told the boy he could not play the saxophone or take part in school plays because it was against his religion.

'My deep concern is that he is radicalizing a beautiful, young, innocent mind; a fragile child,' she said in a court petition which was obtained by The New York Post.

Albargouthy was born in Palestine but moved to the US from Israel when she was five.

Her husband moved to the US from Jordan as a teenager. They lived first in Minnesota where they got married, had the boy and his sister.

Albargouthy says her husband's behavior suddenly changed in 2007.

She says he was caught stealing computer equipment from his job and that the family was forced to move to a new state for him to find work.

In September last year, the boy told a classmate at Pleasantville Middle School in New York that Allah was the only God and that he would die for him

DailyMail.com could find no record of any arrest in Minnesota.

Albargouthy says he then began telling her to give up exercise, which she loved, and asked her to become more conservative.

She described one occasion when he allegedly told her: 'We are different than Americans. We do not socialize with them.'

She says that their marriage fell apart in 2012 when he told her he wanted a second wife. She refused and he filed for divorce.

Isam, the woman's husband, has not responded to her allegations.

The FBI would not comment on Wednesday on whether or not the school incident was ever reported to them.

The boy's school also declined to comment because the matter is still in court.
A 39-year-old Texas man will spend the rest of his life in prison for sexually abusing two of his child relatives.

On Monday, a jury found Robert Benjamin Franks guilty on all 17 counts against him - including continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.

The San Marcos resident was sentenced to two life sentences, plus an additional 1,011 years in prison and $93,000 in fines.

Robert Benjamin Franks, 39 (pictured), was found guilty of sexually abusing two female relatives, ages nine and 10, on Monday

The investigation into Franks started in June 2016, when the youngest victim, who was nine at the time, told her father that Franks had done 'disgusting things' to her.

She claimed that Franks would punish her by spanking her and then forcing her to perform sex acts.

The other victim, a 10-year-old girl, at first denied that Franks had touched her. But during a later exam with a sexual assault nursing examiner, claimed that Franks had sexually assaulted her every week for the past five years.

Both girls testified during the week-long trial last week, as well as an adult woman who claimed Franks sexually abused her when she was 10 and he was 14, and again when she was 16 and 20.

Despite having no physical evidence to prove the crimes, the jury found Franks guilty based on the victims' testimonies. It took them just an hour to deliberate.

'Words cannot really express the depth of the betrayal and outrage warranted by conduct like this, committed by a man who should have been caring for and protecting these children,' Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau said. 'The jury's sentence speaks more eloquently than I can to make clear how our community feels about crimes like these.'
Michel Barnier last night claimed Britain had abandoned Europe as the continent faces repeated terror threats from Islamic State.

The EUs chief Brexit negotiator cited recent attacks such as those in Paris and Brussels as a reason for members to stand shoulder to shoulder.

But he said the British had chosen to be on their own again at a critical moment by voting to cut ties with Brussels. He said it was a decision that came just as the need to stand together was so strong, so manifest.

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At a security conference in Berlin today, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the UK had ignored pleas from European allies to combat terrorism and chose to be 'on its own again'

Mr Barnier's comments on Britain turning its back on the threat facing Europe drew criticism from many social media users

Last night, UK officials accused Mr Barnier of an extraordinary slur, admonishing his behaviour as irrational and stupid.

His comments came despite repeated assurances by the Prime Minister that the UK will offer unconditional defence and security support in the aftermath of Britains split with the EU.

The timing of Mr Barniers intervention risks inflaming tensions with Downing Street as both sides edge towards an expected deal on the first phase of Brexit talks within days.

The decision to target the UK over its commitment to security  despite being seen as the blocs leader on such issues  was described as insensitive given the series of recent jihadist attacks in Britain.

[Brexit] came after a series of attacks on European soil, committed by young people who grew up in Europe. Never had the need to be together, to act together been so strong, so manifest. Yet rather than stay shoulder to shoulder with the Union, the British chose to be on their own again. Michel Barnier yesterday

It came as Theresa May made a secret visit to Iraq where she pledged 10million to help it fight IS terrorists. The Prime Minister has also spoken of her wish for an deal of unprecedented breadth and depth on defence as part of an EU divorce.

In a further aggravating move, Mr Barnier yesterday accused the Government of failing to tell businesses the concrete truth about the negative economic effects of Brexit.

The warning, including calls for companies to prepare for a no deal, will be seen as a thinly-veiled dig over the refusal by Brexit Secretary David Davis to hand over sensitive documents on the impact of leaving the EU.

Mr Barnier made the comments during a speech in Germany after he briefed acting Chancellor Angela Merkel on developments in Brexit talks.

Theresa May, pictured in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi today, has been pushing for a breakthrough in Brexit talks

Referring to the referendum he said: It was a decision that came after a series of attacks on European soil, committed by young people who grew up in Europe, in our countries.

It was a decision that came six months after the French minister of defence issued a call for solidarity to all his European counterparts to join forces to fight the terrorism of Daesh [IS].

He added: Never had the need to be together, to protect ourselves together, to act together been so strong, so manifest.

Yet rather than stay shoulder to shoulder with the Union, the British chose to be on their own again. Addressing a security conference in Berlin, Mr Barnier also suggested that the election of Donald Trump was further reason for the UK to draw closer to the EU.

Tory MP James Cleverley said: I find myself having to disagree. It is outrageous that Barnier is trying to talk down the UKs role in combating Daesh [IS]. Party colleague Andrew Bridgen added: This is a denial of the truth as Europe relies on British intelligence.

With remarks like these, it easy to see why it has been difficult for David Davis ... to do a deal.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage called the comments extraordinary. During his speech Mr Barnier told the UK it could no longer halt the unprecedented push for a defence union, which critics fear could lead to an EU army.

The construction of a Europe of Defence has begun, he said. Obviously, we will not wait for the United Kingdom to implement it, but when the time comes we will be ready to cooperate.

He said it was logical that Britain would fall out of Brussels-backed security and defence arrangements such as Interpol. But he stressed the UK would maintain close ties through Nato.

The negotiator said it was no secret that Britain had long opposed EU integration on defence but added: The United Kingdom may not decide on the use of certain capacities under the European flag.

How experts at GCHQ defend the continent Europe would be more vulnerable to terrorism and organised crime without Britains intelligence expertise. Security chiefs in Brussels will be worried because the UK is one of the biggest contributors to the global fight against crime, including extremism, people-trafficking and cybercrime, and other nations rely on this intelligence. In GCHQ, MI5 and MI6, Britain has one of the most effective antiterrorist networks and powerful surveillance systems in the world. Senior policing figures have also highlighted the role played in their work by the European Arrest Warrant and the European Criminal Records Information System, which lists EU citizens convictions. Rob Wainwright, Europols British director, has previously admitted the agency would face a significant detriment if the UK left. Meanwhile, Richard Walton, former counter-terrorism chief, said withdrawing would have little or no effect on Britains own ability to maintain security, but represents a risk to the safety of other member states. He predicted they will therefore continue to seek access to the UKs intelligence post Brexit. Spending on counter-terrorism and the security and intelligence agencies  MI5, MI6 and GCHQ  will be 15.1billion by 2020-21. Advertisement

In a separate address, Mr Barnier threatened to expose the economic risks posed by Brexit. I dont know if the whole truth has been explained to British businesses on the concrete consequences of Brexit, he said.

It is equally important... to prepare for a no deal scenario, implying a return to customs tariffs under WTO rules, not to mention increased border control procedures.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman stressed that the UK plays a leading role in the fight against IS both in terms of online extremism and on the ground.

He added: Her determination [is] to continue co-operating with the EU sharing information and standing together against IS and terrorism in all its forms.

Mr Bone told MailOnline: 'This is extraordinary even by Eurocrat standards.

'I would much rather him lecturing the rest of the EU about what they are spending on defence. It is outrageous.

'The simple answer is that we don't have an EU defence force, thank God.

'NATO has kept the peace, The fact that we have come out of the EU makes no difference to that.

'This is an extraordinary attack on the UK. How can we negotiate with someone who says this kind of thing?'

A spokesman for Downing Street, responding to Mr Barnier's speech, said: 'The UK continues to play a leading role in combating Daesh in terms of online and in the fight on the ground in Syria.

'The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear in our ongoing commitment to the EUs security.'
Two designer dogs cloned in a laboratory have started work guarding murderers and rapists at one of Russia's toughest jails.

Tom and Jack have shown skills 'beyond all expectations' in their first three weeks at Forced Labour Camp Number One in Yakutsk.

The dogs had struggled in early training, but it is now thought they were simply adjusting to the cold climate, where temperatures can plunge to -40C.

One has even been given a pair of special boots to help cope with the conditions.

Russia is using two dogs created at the world's first cloning facility in South Korea to guard one of its toughest prisons, located in Yakutsk

The animals, called Tom and Jack, were created from Korea's best guard dogs at a cost of 75,000 each and are part of a brood of 500 animals

At first the animals under-performed in training, but it is now thought they were just adjusting to the climate, which can reach -40C

Having adjusted to the cold, and with one dog equipped with special boots to keep his paws warm (left), the pair are now performing well

The pair were bred by leading international cloning expert Dr Hwang Woo Suk from South Korea.

He gifted them to the law enforcement authorities in Siberia's vast Yakutia region where he is separately hunting for woolly mammoth remains preserved in the permafrost in his quest to clone the hairy giants back to life.

The Belgian Malinois dogs are now guarding 720 male inmates at the harsh labour camp in which Russia has been accused of holding political prisoners.

Inmates include Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker sentenced to 20 years jail for plotting terrorists acts in Crimea.

He was moved from the high security penal colony soon after an August protest against his detention by punk group Pussy Riot in Yakutsk.

The dogs were gifted by Dr Hwang Woo Suk to the prison in Siberia, the region where he is currently searching for a woolly mammoth in the hopes of bringing the creature back to life

Staff at the prison say the pair have been able to follow the train of an escapee and complete and obstacle course without getting distracted

Dr Hwang Woo Suk speaks about the process of creating the animals in front of a mammoth skeleton - an animal he hopes to bring back to life

Handlers at the prison said, despite their job, the dogs have a 'gentle nature' and are 'smart'

Earlier Tom and Jack -- bred in a Seoul laboratory from the cells of 'best Korean sniffer dogs' - were reported to have flunked a test to join the police force in the city, Russia's diamond capital and once a key staging post for Stalin's gulag camps.

Experts now believe this test came too early, and that they needed longer to adapt to the harsh climate.

In the labour camp, they 'have shown their ability to follow the trail of a would-be escapee,' and navigate a canine obstacle course, reported The Siberian Times.

They are 'easily adapting to the environment' and surpassing expectations of their abilities.

Irina Babikova, senior dog instructor at the labour camp, said: 'They are smart and have a gentle nature.

'Another positive thing is that they are able to keep working without paying attention to the external distractions and weather conditions.'

This week temperatures are nudging minus 40C.

The designer dogs, valued at 75,000 each, are among 500 cloned puppies from the Sooam Biotech laboratories in Seoul, the world's first animal cloning centre.

Dr Hwang poses with one of the animals at his cloning facility in Seoul, South Korea

One of Dr Hwang's cloned animals is put through its paces at his cloning facility, which is the first of its kind anywhere in the world

Scientists extract DNA from the cells of some of Korea's best guard dogs to be cloned
The Department of Homeland Security was subjected to a data heist by its own staff as part of a nefarious scheme to sell knockoff software to other government departments, it has been alleged.

The unnamed insiders are accused of stealing the personal information of around 246,000 agency employees with a plan to use it o test software stolen from the office of the department's inspector general.

That data included names, dates of birth and social security numbers, officials with knowledge of the case told the New York Times.

The office of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth (left) saw data on 246,000 of its staff stolen by three insiders to test their data management software, officials claim

The theft was committed by three employees in the office of the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, according to the insiders.

However, rather than selling on the data the trio intended to use it to test software designed for managing investigative and disciplinary cases, investigators say.

That software was itself a modified version of proprietary program owned by the office itself.

The acting secretary of the department, Elaine Duke, decided to notify the affected in August - but there are so many they're still being informed. An investigation continues

It's believed the three then planned to sell the rip-off software to the offices of other inspector generals in the federal government.

Agents raided the homes of the suspects earlier in the year, with one home yielding a laptop containing 159,000 case files.

None of the agents have been identified, either by the inside sources or in documents submitted to Congress.

However, one of them has reportedly left the office of the inspector general. The other two have been suspended pending the results of the investigation.

The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - which, ironically, the inspector general's office is supposed to keep tabs on - along with the DC US attorney's office.

It will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to monitor the credit scores of the affected employees - and the DHS is now requesting money from its component agencies to cover the fees, insiders said.

John Roth, the inspector general for the DHS, first notified Congressional committees in May, and gave them further updates in June and last week.

Roth's office said in its report to Congress that it had 'seized all known servers and other devices potentially containing exfiltrated data in the possession of the subjects'.

Elaine Duke, the acting secretary for homeland security, only decided in August to notify victims of the theft.

Staff at the department are still in the process of telling the 246,000 people about the data theft.
A couple from Utah has been tried and convicted after giving their daughter the opioid suboxone on the day she was born in order to mask symptoms of withdrawal from workers at the hospital.

The parents, Colby Glen Wilde, 29, and Lacey Dawn Christenson, 26 of Elk Ridge, pleaded guilty to drug distribution and child abuse charges earlier this year, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

A judge sentenced Wilde to up to 15 years in prison for his crimes in October.

Wilde (left) and Christenson (right) were convicted on charges of child abuse and drug distribution earlier this year

This past Tuesday, Christenson received a similar sentence.

The pair was arrested in July after learning that Christensen used drugs while pregnant - even putting painkillers on the baby's gums the day she was born in an effort to hide symptoms of addiction, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.

'Wilde and Christenson told investigators they talked to friends about how to mask signs of drug dependence in an infant, and that they discussed this issue with each other,' authorities said in a statement.

Christensen confessed to police that crushed painkillers found in her home were the same drug given to the baby at the hospital.

Christenson (left) and Wilde (right) will spend up to 15 years behind bars on drug and child abuse charges

Additional drug and child endangerment charges state that the all four of the pair's children were exposed to drugs and drug paraphernalia in their home.

The couple has had their children placed in the custody of the biological father of Christenson's oldest child

Police began investigating the couple in June after Wilde fled from a Walmart - he had been accused of trying to return items to the store that he had just taken from the shelves.

As he attempted to escape from store security, Wilde ran into a glass door, dropping a car seat carrier holding his infant daughter in the process. After the car seat carrier rolled a few times, Wilde picked up the carrier, and proceeded to drop it again after colliding with a pillar. He then handed his baby to a stranger and fled.

Christenson, who was in the store with her other children, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Child protective services has taken custody of the couple's four children and placed them in the care of the father of Christenson's oldest child.
Victoria Milligan was having lunch when callous thieves stole her prosthetic legs

Heartless thieves have stolen 30,000 prosthetic legs belonging to a widow who lost her husband and daughter in a devastating speedboat crash.

Victoria Milligan, 45, was with friends at Megan's restaurant on Kings Road in London when two men riding motorcycles and armed with knives broke into her Audi Q5 on Sunday.

The thieves made off with a suitcase in the boot containing the 45-year-old's tailor-made prosthetic legs which are useless to anyone except her.

Ms Milligan was fitted with the limbs when she survived a speedboat tragedy in 2013, which claimed the lives of her husband Nick and eight-year-old daughter Emily.

The family were thrown overboard into the water in the picturesque Camel Estuary on a May Day Bank Holiday, suffering terrible injuries as the out-of-control boat circled over them at high speed.

Their daughter Olivia, then 12, survived unscathed.

Ms Milligan lost her left leg, her son Kit, then seven, required 12 operations to save his, while her other daughter Amber, 14, was left with scars on her left thigh and hand.

Ms Milligan's white Audi Q5 was parked around the corner on Michael's Road, Fulham, when a van driver saw the two men smash the windows and steal a grey Eastpak four-wheeled suitcase - containing Victoria's prosthetic legs.

She said: 'It's just so upsetting because they are so valuable to me, and so bespoke that you can't just go out and buy some more, my leg needs to be recast and the legs remade which will take about three months.

'I think what they would have just done obviously is scooted off and opened it and then just dumped them somewhere.

Ms Milligan was fitted with the limbs when she survived a speedboat tragedy in 2013, which claimed the lives of her husband Nick and daughter Emily, eight

The 45-year-old was with friends at Megan's restaurant on Kings Road in London (pictured) when two men riding motorcycles and armed with knives broke into her Audi Q5 on Sunday

'We came out, there was a witness, a guy in a van and he said two men on scooters with knives smashed the window and opened the car and got into the boot and took the bag.

'It was quite a big heavy bag so they probably thought they were going to get something quite valuable, but what they probably didn't account for was three legs.'

'I think what they would have done when they opened the bag is just to dump the legs somewhere as they have no resale value.'

Ms Milligan's legs are designed down to each hand painted freckle.

Her blade is used for her career as a personal trainer and for her motivational speaking work, while she also owns a mid-heel leg and a leg specially made to take high heels.

She said: 'These legs make me feel like the Victoria before the accident, allowing me to run and even wear heels again.

'They are like works of art, my prosthetist and his team at The London Prosthetic Centre are geniuses, exactly matching my remaining leg down to the right skin tone and hand painted freckles.

TV Executive Nick, with Victoria and their children Emily, Olivia, Kit and Amber. Nick and Emily were killed in the tragedy

Ms Milligan took to social media to tell people about the heartless theft

Two men smashed the car windows and stole a grey Eastpak four-wheeled suitcase - containing Victoria's prosthetic legs

'They are so important to me and I feel very lost without them, it is horrendous.

'They take about three months each to make, it's a very difficult thing to match the skin tone, freckles are hand painted onto the legs.

Victoria is pictured here wearing her blade

'They allow me to be who I was, emotionally I feel very different without them.

'I was wearing my everyday leg at the time, but these other three are amazing.

'I keep thinking to myself why did I take all the legs with me that day, but I thought I might go for a run and I didn't know what shoes I was going to wear to the party the night before'

'It's not like you just have to take different pairs of shoes, you have to take different legs as well.'

Victoria said police have told her CCTV of the area might not have covered the theft and they could just be dumped and never found again.

She said: 'It's very frustrating, it was broad daylight and we came out of the restaurant and they said two minutes before these people had broken into my car.

'My friend who lives up the road says it happens quite a lot, there's a climbing centre nearby and quite often mums are picking up children and have handbags on the seat which these guys are smashing windows to get.

'They are opportunists, they wouldn't have a clue my legs were in there but I would have hoped once they saw them they would have handed them in somewhere.

'They are so specific to me, the socket on these legs has been made to every tiny bump and bone on my leg and they cannot be worn be any other person.'

Anyone who finds the legs or luggage is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police or Victoria via her website victoriamilligan.co.uk
Prince Harry and bride-to-be Meghan Markle are 'very caught up in the moment' of their engagement, the Duke of Cambridge has revealed.

William, who is on an official visit to Finland, spoke of the joy his family feels for Harry and Meghan and wished them 'all the happiness in this very exciting time'.

But he could not resist poking fun at the prince and quipped that he now expected his fridge to be safe from raids by his younger brother, who lives close to the Duke's Kensington Palace apartment.

Speaking during a visit to a Helsinki-based charity, William said the family were 'all very excited, delighted for them both and wishing them all the happiness in this very exciting time.

Prince William wished his brother Harry and Meghan Markle 'all the happiness in the world' after their engagement announcement earlier this week. It came as the Royal was on an official visit to Finland meeting the public at a charity ice hockey match

The Duke of Cambridge, pictured left and right having a go at the sport, was in the mood for fun and even quipped he hoped the impending nuptials would 'keep Harry out of my fridge and stop him scrounging food'

Prince Harry and Meghan, pictured in their first official interview together, are due to marry at Windsor Castle next May

'And for me personally I hope it means he stays out of my fridge, it will stop him scrounging off all my food, he's done over the last few years.'

Harry and Meghan will be married in the historic surroundings of Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel next May and are planning a day which will 'reflect their characters and personalities' and be a moment of 'fun and joy', Kensington Palace has said.

Harry's communications secretary Jason Knauf said the newly-engaged pair 'want the public to feel part of their day' - and are looking at ways to achieve that.

The prince and Ms Markle could be taken on a carriage ride through the streets as the Earl and Countess of Wessex did when they married in 1999.

William added: 'It's a fantastic process you go through, the engagement and the build up to the wedding and things like that.'

William spoke to the media at the hockey match, pictured, and said it was a 'very exciting time' for his brother and his fiancee

The Royal also took time to pose with players and staff from Icehearts, a charity that provides child welfare work through team sports

The Prince, pictured meeting young fans, said Harry and Meghan were 'very caught up in the moment' and said he hoped the wedding was successful

'So they've got a lot of happy times ahead of them and I think they're very caught up in the moment and I wish them all the happiness and success in planning the wedding, I hope it goes really well.'

Kensington Palace is yet to confirm the exact date of the nuptials, who will be Harry's best man or Ms Markle's bridesmaids, and how many guests will attend.

The royal family will pay for the wedding, including the church service, the music, the flowers and the reception. But the security costs for the high-profile celebration will fall to the taxpayer.

The Queen will be there, as will the rest of the royal family, along with Ms Markle's parents Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland.

William's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte are expected to take on the roles of pageboy and bridesmaid. The palace revealed that Ms Markle has met them on many occasions.

Prince William also took time to meet Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and present him with an official message from The Queen, pictured
Four dolphins have died after a pod of 45 mammals washed up on an Indian beach in a phenomenon described as 'rare and concerning' by experts.

Villagers and forestry officials tried to return the stranded dolphins to the sea but they swam straight back onto the beach again.

The incident happened at the fishing village of Punnakayal near the city of Thoothhukudi in southern India.

Four dolphins have died after a pod of 45 mammals washed up on an Indian beach in a phenomenon described as 'rare and concerning' by experts

Villagers and forestry officials tried to return the stranded dolphins to the sea but they swam straight back onto the beach again

Four of the pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) died but forestry officials managed to save the rest of the pod.

Villagers were the first to notice the dolphins, which each weighed at least 100 kilogrammes (220 lbs), washing ashore.

Villagers notified forest officials at the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve and the State Forest Department who rushed to the scene.

They also tried returning the dolphins to the water and again they kept swimming straight back onto the beach.

Four of them finally died and their carcasses were washed ashore.

Marine biologist Rahul Muralidharan said it was impossible to say why the dolphins had washed ashore but a postmortem might reveal the answer.

He said: 'These instances of so many dolphins washing ashore are very rare.

'The spotted dolphins are a deep sea species and found in water depths of over 50 metres (164 ft). So, only an autopsy can reveal what brought them to shore. We can't simply speculate.'

The incident happened at the fishing village of Punnakayal near the city of Thoothhukudi in southern India

Villagers were the first to notice the dolphins, which each weighed at least 100 kilogrammes (220 lbs), washing ashore

Forest range officer S Logasundaram said: 'These dolphins are native to the Indian Ocean but we are yet to determine why they washed ashore.

'Veterinarians are expected to arrive shortly and a postmortem may help understand the reason.

'The larger problem here, however, is that there is no fixed mechanism or rules on how to deal with such incidents.

'Scientists will have to give us clear instructions so that we do not cause further damage to these animals.'

It is not the first time that marine mammals have washed ashore in the fishing village.

Last year, 83 pilot whales washed up on the beach and were taken back to the sea. But they were found dead on the shore the next day.

Mr Logasundaram added: 'Despite these deaths, there has been no clear report about the reason for the death of the whales or what we as forest officials must do to rescue them.'
President Donald Trump continues raise private doubts about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 3 million votes and blames voter fraud, according to a report on the president's embrace of conspiracy theories.

Despite finally acknowledging just weeks before his election win that predecessor Barack Obama was born in the U.S., the president also has been rekindling doubts about it in private conversations, the New York Times reported.

Advisors told the paper the president continued to raise his doubts in private, and an unnamed senator recalled the private conversation to the paper.

The senator 'chuckled' upon hearing it, according to the report.

HAVE YOU HEARD? President Trump continues to float conspiracies that fraud kept him from winning the popular vote, that President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S., and that it might not really be him on the Access Hollywood tape, according to a report

Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961, and ultimately produced a 'certificate of live birth' he obtained from the state after Trump was among the most prominent figures raising doubts about it.

'President Barack Obama was born in the United States,' Trump finally said in September 2016 during an event at his D.C. luxury hotel.

The president has appointed a voter fraud commission to explore potential fraud from the 2016 election, although vote totals show the popular vote differential was not close.

Hillary Clinton beat Trump by some 3 million votes, although he beat her in the Electoral College after snatching away victories in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Trump long raised doubts about whether President Obama was born here, and has continued to raise the dubious theory in private, according to the New York Times

SET UP? Trump also has raised questions about whether it was really his voice talking about grabbing women 'by the p****' on the infamous Access Hollywood tape

Trump also has raised the possibility that fraud was responsible for his loss to Hillary Clinton in the popular vote

A view of President Barack Obama's long form birth certificate in the Briefing Room of the White House April 27, 2011 in Washington, DC

Trump continues to talk about voter fraud and the effect on the popular vote total

The paper also says Trump has taken to raising doubts about the infamous 'p****' tape where he got caught on camera while filming an 'Access Hollywood' segment boasting about grabbing women at will.

'We don't think that was my voice,' Trump told the the senator, a person familiar with the conversation told the paper.

Trump acknowledged speaking the words in an apology just weeks before the election. ''Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am,' Trump said in October 2016 after the tape rocked his campaign.

'I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize,' Trump added.
A Louisiana woman who was accused of brutally beating her boyfriend's seven-year-old son in 2015 has formally been charged for the alleged abuse.

Kenner police charged Morning Brooks, 47, with cruelty to a juvenile on November 20 for allegedly fracturing the child's skull, pushing tacks into his skin and forcing him to kneel naked in a corner.

Authorities said the boy, who also suffered from burns, bruises and cuts, told them in 2015 that Brooks 'wanted to kill him'.

Morning Brooks (left, after her arrest and right), 47, who was accused of brutally beating her boyfriend's seven-year-old son in 2015, has formally been charged for the alleged abuse.

The child also told Kenner police that Brooks hit him on the head with a cooking pan and punched him, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

It's believed the cooking pan caused the child's skull fracture.

His father took him to the Tulane-Lakeside Hospital in Metairie for treatment of his injuries on October 10, 2015. According to the newspaper, the abuse started in August.

The child told his father and doctors that he needed to be saved from her. Police said when they spoke to the child, he demonstrated just how she would strike him.

Police did not consider the boy's father a suspect in the abuse case; although, it's unclear when he found out about his child's injuries.

The boy is currently in his father's custody.

In April, the child used the word 'torture' when speaking to investigators about the alleged abuse that occurred in an apartment in Kenner.

Lt. Brian McGregor, of the Kenner Police Department said it took them more than a year to investigate the case because they wanted to make sure they had the appropriate charges.

'We wanted to make sure we charged this based on the findings,' McGregor said.

Brooks is scheduled to be arraigned in December and if convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Keillor went on a 28-city bus tour this summer, vowing it would be his last tour

The day before his firing, Keillor posted a column in the Washington Post defending embattled US Senator Al Franken

Keillor seemed resigned to his fate, calling his sudden sacking an 'honor'

Keillor later said in a statement that he put his hand on a woman's back

MPR said that it made the move following a single allegation of 'inappropriate behavior' was brought to their attention

The former host of MPR's 'A Prairie Home Companion' confirmed he was let go

Garrison Keillor, the former host of 'A Prairie Home Companion,' said Wednesday he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior.

In an email sent to the Star Tribune on Wednesday, Keillor appeared to seesaw from serious to lighthearted about the sacking, remarking that the incident occurred after he attempted to console an unspecified female acquaintance.

'I put my hand on a woman's bare back. I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches,' Keillor recalled in the statement.

Garrison Keillor, the former host of 'A Prairie Home Companion,' fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior

Writer Garrison Keillor married his third wife Lind Nilsson (pictured) in 1995, who gave birth to their daughter two years later

'She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called.'

Keillor added that he viewed firing as an 'honor,' and was proud to follow in the footsteps of his 'heroes.'

'Getting fired is a real distinction in broadcasting and I've waited fifty years for the honor. All of my heroes got fired. I only wish it could've been for something more heroic,' he said.

Keillor and his first wife, Mary Guntzel (pictured 1965), divorced in 1975 shortly after giving birth to his first child, Jason

The 75-year-old appeared to blame the incident on a self-described socially awkward demeanor, but seemed resigned in the wake of his sudden ouster from MPR.

'Anyone who ever was around my show can tell you that I was the least physically affectionate person in the building. Actors hug, musicians hug, people were embracing every Saturday night left and right, and I stood off in the corner like a stone statue.'

'If I had a dollar for every woman who asked to take a selfie with me and who slipped an arm around me and let it drift down below the beltline, I'd have at least a hundred dollars. So this is poetic irony of a high order. But I'm just fine. I had a good long run and am grateful for it and for everything else,' he added.

Keillor also told The Associated Press of his firing in an email. In a follow-up statement, he said he was fired over 'a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard.'

'It's some sort of poetic irony to be knocked off the air by a story, having told so many of them myself, but I'm 75 and don't have any interest in arguing about this. And I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization I've worked hard for since 1969,' Keillor said.

Keilor was born on August 7, 1942 in Anoka, Minnesota (pictured) and earned an English degree from the University of Minnesota in 1966

'A person could not hope for more than what I was given,' he said.

Minnesota Public Radio confirmed Keillor had been fired, saying it received a single allegation of 'inappropriate behavior' and doesn't know of any other similar allegations.

'Based on what we currently know, there are no similar allegations involving other staff,' MPR said, noting the alleged incident occurred last month.

'The attorney leading the independent investigation has been conducting interviews and reviewing documents, and the investigation is still ongoing,' MPR added.

Keillor retired as host of his long-running public radio variety show in 2016.

His hand-picked successor, mandolinist Chris Thile, is in his second season as 'Prairie Home' host.

The firing comes just one day after the Washington Post published a new op-ed by Keillor, an avowed Democrat, defending Al Franken, called 'Al Franken should resign? That's absurd.'

Keillor started his Saturday evening show featuring tales of his fictional Minnesota hometown of Lake Wobegon - 'where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average' - in 1974.

Garrison Keillor and daughter Maia Grace (pictured) during Premiere Parade for Picturehouse's 'A Prairie Home Companion' at Fitzgeral Theatre in St. Paul, MN

The show featured musical acts, folksy humor, parody ads for fake products such as Powdermilk Biscuits and the centerpiece, Keillor delivering a seemingly off-the-cuff monologue, 'The News From Lake Wobegon,' in his rich baritone voice.

Keillor bowed out with a final show at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2016 and turned the show over to Thile, a mandolinist and frequent 'Prairie Home' guest musician.

Garrison Keillor performs at Iroquois Amphitheater on September 7, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky

Keilor was born on August 7, 1942 in Anoka, Minnesota and earned an English degree from the University of Minnesota in 1966.

The former radio personality and author has been married three times, with his son Jason being born in 1969 by his first wife Mary Guntzel. They divorced after 11 years of marriage in 1976.

He later married Ulla Skaerved, a former exchange student from Denmark that attended his high school, from 1985 to 1990.

In 1995, Keilor married violist Jenny Lind Nilsson, with whom he had a daughter, Maia Grace Keillor, two years later.

Keillor went on a 28-city bus tour this summer, vowing it would be his last tour, but he continues on the road with solo shows.

Keillor still produces the radio show, 'The Writer's Almanac,' for syndication, and is finishing a Lake Wobegon screenplay and a memoir about growing up in Minnesota.
A hero firefighter who battled against the Grenfell Tower blaze was wracked with guilt about a 12-year-old he couldn't find in the smoke-filled building - but was later shown 'nothing but love' by her family.

David Badillo was among the 200 firefighters called to the blaze which killed 71 in a west London tower block in June this year. They witnessed scenes which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It emerged today that Mr Badillo ran into the tower after speaking to the sister of Jessica Urbano Ramirez, who said she feared Jessica was trapped on the 20th floor.

David Badillo ran into a blazing Grenfell Tower to try to find 12-year-old Jessica Urbano Ramirez. He was wracked with guilty after failing to find her, but was praised by her family for his bravery

He was one of many firefighters haunted by what they encountered tackling the tower fire

Despite thick smoke on the high floor of the building, he searched the apartment for the schoolgirl but could not find her, something which his sister said led him to be wracked by guilt.

A detailed report into the blaze by writer Tom Lamont for GQ magazine revealed Mr Badillo has since met Jessica's family and had been hugged by them at a vigil for the victims of the blaze.

Like all of the emergency service workers who responded to the fire, Mr Badillo is unable to comment on what happened until investigations have been completed.

But his friends and family told Mr Lamont what happened to him to show the lasting impact the terrible fire had on those who were first on the scene and saved trapped residents.

The firefighter for 19 years was in the lobby of the tower helping with equipment when he saw Jessica's sister trying to enter to building to search for her.

He promised to find the youngster himself and bravely fought his way to her flat, where he searched for her until his breathing apparatus ran out of oxygen.

Jessica's family embraced and clapped firefighters a few days after the blaze

Mr Badillo later spoke to the Grenfell Speaks group about the impact of the fire on locals

His sister told GQ he felt terrible after the blaze for not being able to find her, especially after discovering her name through Facebook.

Despite worrying how her family might react, he went to a vigil to victims, where he was held tightly and embraced by her relatives.

Many of the 200 fire crew who fought the blaze were left traumatised by what they saw

Jessica's mother, Adriana Ramirez, later wrote online: 'Thank you so much David for been part of an amazing send off of my baby girl xx'

Jessica's body was found on the 23rd floor of the 24-storey block, suggesting she had run up three floors to escape the fire.

After an inquest into her death was opened, her family released a statement saying: 'Nothing will ever bring our little girl back, and we are angry that this should ever have happened to our little angel. We will not rest until we get justice for her and for the many other lives lost as a result of this crime.

'We will only feel justice has been served when the highest possible charges are applied to culpable individuals. We entrust this task to the authorities in the hope that we will not be let down.'

They added: 'Our little girl was loving, kind-hearted and caring. She brought joy to everyone who met her and her laugh was contagious.

'Her light will shine bright and will light our individual paths as we start to move forward into coming to terms with our loss and heartbreak.'

Jessica's mother praised Mr Badillo after he posted this tribute to her on his Facebook page

Mr Badillo has since thrown his support behind campaigns to raise money for children affected by the fire.

He later turned down an invitation to a reception with Prime Minister Theresa May, saying he had to work a second job to pay cover his bills.

Many of the firefighters who fought to flames at Grenfell have needed counselling for the horrors they witnessed. An extra 60 counsellors were drafted in by the London Fire Brigade in the wake of the fire.
A retired couple who were enjoying a day by the sea have spoken how they were made to feel like 'victims of an attempted mugging' when a broken parking machine landed them with a 100 parking ticket.

Former vicar David Attwood, 66, and his wife Gillian, 64, visited Folkestone from Hastings to see the Folkestone Triennial in September this year but fear now they may face a battle in court after losing an appeal.

The couple said they are now 'losing sleep' following the 'scam' charge when they left their vehicle in the Cheriton Place car park.

They not fear they will be taken to court by the debt collectors and have spoken to the local councillor to warn them they will not be returning to the area.

Former vicar David Attwood, 66, and his wife Gillian, 64, visited Folkestone from Hastings to see the Folkestone Triennial in September this year but fear now they may face a battle in court after losing an appeal

When they arrived at the car park, like other drivers, they discovered that the machine was out of order. The pair claim followed the instructions on a board which told them to call a mobile number which told them to text their car registration number too.

But when they returned to their car two hours later, they found an attendant attaching a Parking Charge Notice on their car, who said he was unable to withdraw it.

Mr Attwood, 66, said: 'It feels like a scam. We have written to a local councillor, and have said we won't come back to Folkestone.

'We feel like we have been the victims of an attempted mugging.

'A lot of people will just pay this charge as they want it off their mind.

'But if you go to a shop and you buy something that isn't up to standard, you should uphold your rights.'

He added: 'He told us to phone in the morning and it would be sorted out.

'We did that, appealed, and went to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS).

'At no point have we had any proper response to our account of what happened. All that has been repeated is we parked without displaying a ticket, which we accept.

'We have been repeatedly harassed and threatened into paying the parking charge, which has now been increased from 60 to 100 purely because we exercised our right to appeal.

When the couple returned to their car two hours later, they found an attendant attaching a Parking Charge Notice on their car, who said he was unable to withdraw it

'It appears that IAS is set up by a number of private car park operators and basically operates entirely in their favour.'

There is a currently a sign in place at Cheriton Place car park which tells motorists to use a 'ticket machine at Cheriton Place' - a bizarre statement which refers to the same car park.

The UK Citizen's Advice Bureau urges people to appeal if the machine or metre was broken and there was no way to pay.

UK Car Park Management did not respond to when approached for comment.
A male former aide to Rep. John Conyers has pooh-poohed claims by a female lawyer that the Democrat invited her to a meeting while he was in his underwear.

Melanie Sloan, who served as minority counsel for House Judiciary Committee, said last week that she was called up to Conyers' office during her time there only to find him in his underwear.

But on Wednesday Bob Weiner, who was Conyers' communications director from 1994-2000, said the representative's underwear was a common sight at the time.

'Most of us have walked in on him accidentally without knocking and have seen him in his underwear,' he told CNN. 'Big deal.'

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Melanie Sloan (pictured) claims that while working with Rep. John Conyers, she went to brief him in his office and found him wearing just his underwear - causing her some shock

Bob Weiner, a former comms director for Conyers (pictured) said the Rep. would often get changed at a closet in his office and that 'most staff' had seen him in his underwear there

Sloan told the Washington Post that she had been called to brief Conyers on a matter when she saw him in the uncomfortable situation.

'I was pretty taken aback to see my boss half-dressed,' she said, adding: 'I turned on my heel and I left.'

But on Tuesday Weiner said that Conyers - like other representatives in the Rayburn House Office Building - had a wardrobe in his office, and so it was expected that staff would see his underwear from time to time.

'Something else that people need to know: his closet is in his office right here. He changes clothes in his office,' he said.

'So to say that somebody came to a meeting and that's how it was, that's an untrue statement.

'That is the kind of thing that needs to be explored before there's any acceptance to that kind of an allegation.'

Sloan does not accuse Conyers of sexually harassing her, but did say that he was verbally abusive to her during her employment.

'There was an occasion where he called me out of a meeting with a bunch of advocates and was screaming at me in the halls, including [about] me not wearing stockings on a 95-degree Washington summer day ... while he wasn't wearing socks,' she told ABC.

Sloan said that Conyers was also aggressive and bullying towards her, but Weiner said that Conyers was like that with everyone, men and women, including him

She said of Conyers: 'I don't think he was having male staffers babysit his kids and I don't think male staffers were berated in the same way that I was.

'Certainly, Congressman Conyers was picking on me and this was well known throughout the committee staff. It was obvious.'

But Weiner also denied that she was being picked on, or that Conyers was motivated by misogyny.

'That's not sexist. That's just being aggressive as the member of Congress or the Cabinet member or the VIP that you are,' he said. 'It has nothing to do with being anti-women. I got it too.'

'Representative Conyers has never done anything inappropriate to Melanie Sloan,' his lawyer, Arnold Reed, told the paper.

However, Conyers - who stepped down from the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday - has other issues to contend with.

The House Ethics Committee is investigating him following a report that claimed he used $27,000 of office funds to pay off a staffer who accused him of sexual harassment and wrongful termination.

And another woman, now 77, claims that Conyers stripped down to his underwear in front of her in a hotel room while they were on a work trip.

Members of both the Republicans and the Democrats are now calling for Conyers to step down - and Weiner says the mood in his office is grim.

'His staff is very depressed and think that people are trying to make the die cast against him, and everybody's trying to work out statements of what to say that's the right thing to say and it's very complicated,' he said.

'People are hoping that the die hasn't been cast too far too soon already... the staff is hoping very much that, at a minimum, that he gets the chance to complete his term as a member of Congress,' he said. 'That's the objective right now of the staff.'

Sloan has not accused Conyers of sexually harassing her; however, at least two other women have. He is now being investigated for allegedly paying off one of the women from tax funds

Conyers the longest serving member of the House, denied doing anything wrong after BuzzFeed News reported a woman was paid $27,000 from Conyers' taxpayer-funded congressional office allowance.

The unidentified woman alleges that Conyers repeatedly asked her for sex.

In one particularly serious charge, she claims that Conyers asked her to work out of his hotel room, when the Michigan congressman began talking about his sexual desires, according to the report.

She alleged that Conyers then told her to 'touch it' - meaning his penis - or find him a woman who would meet his sexual demands.

The website reported that Conyers' office paid the woman over $27,000 to settle the complaint under a confidentiality agreement, after filing a complaint in 2014.

It also published affidavits from former staff members who said they had witnessed Conyers touching female staffers inappropriately - rubbing their legs and backs - or requesting sex.

Another ex-staffer sued Conyers for harassment but then withdrew the suit after failing to have the case sealed, they reported.

And on Tuesday another woman came forward accusing Conyers of harassment.

The other woman, former staffer Deanna Maher, 77, said that Conyers stripped to his underwear in a hotel room in front of her and touched her leg

Deanna Maher, 77, who ran a Michigan office for Conyers from 1997 to 2005, said the first incident occurred during a three-day Congressional Black Caucus event in Washington, which she said she 'felt honored' to attend.

Maher said while she was in the bedroom of a hotel suite, Conyers, who is now 88, walked in, called room service and ordered sandwiches.

'I had my nightclothes on,' said Maher, who now lives in the Holland area in western Michigan.

'I was just scared to death. I was married at the time. He sat in the bedroom taking his clothes off. I didn't say anything and he didn't say anything.

Nothing happened between them, she added.

'He didn't go naked. He was down to his skivvies,' Maher said. 'He sat there eating sandwiches and then he stormed out and slammed the door. I was so embarrassed and ashamed of myself for being so stupid. I needed a job.'

'He didn't put his hand on me, but the message was loud and clear,' she said.

She also said he touched her leg while they were driving down the Interstate 75 - causing the car to weave around.

Conyers' attorney, Arnold Reed, said Maher's allegations are uncorroborated and that the Representative denies any wrongdoing.

'John Conyers has always said he's not guilty of harassing these women,' Reed said.

'Any woman or man that is violated, that's unacceptable - completely unacceptable. By the same token, a person has right to protest his innocence.

'This is what we call due process. Mr. Conyers wants to be cooperative and will be cooperative with any investigation.'

Conyers was spotted on Tuesday flying back to his hometown of Detroit, where he lives with his wife Monica, 52, whom he married in 1990.
A rare exploding 'rat bomb' that was used by Allied spies in a bizarre bid to destroy German factories in the war has been unearthed.

British scientists stuffed dozens of dead rats with explosives, detonators and fuses to act as a disguised bomb.

The idea was to get French Resistance fighters and Special Operations Executive agents to infiltrate German armament factories and leave the dead rodents in the boiler rooms.

The Germans would naturally throw the vermin straight into the furnace, triggering a huge explosion and wreaking havoc in Nazi-occupied France.

A rare exploding 'rat bomb' used by Allied spies in a bizarre bid to destroy German factories in WWII has been unearthed. British scientists stuffed dozens of dead rats with explosives, detonators and fuses to act as a disguised bomb

The plan was to get French Resistance fighters and Special Operations Executive agents to infiltrate armament factories and leave the dead rodents in the boiler rooms. The Germans would throw the vermin into the furnace, triggering an explosion

In the event, the first batch of 100 'Rat Bombs' were intercepted by the Germans in 1942 and the plan was never put into practice.

It did, however, cause a great deal of confusion amongst the Germans as they assumed there were thousands of other 'Rat Bombs' that had been laid and went on an epic hunt for them,

Now an incredibly rare surviving example has emerged for sale for the first time along with an assortment of other concealed weapons used by secret agents in the Second World War.

The 'Rat Bomb' belonged to the British agent Jack Dickens, who went by the name of Maurice Ledain. He was dropped behind enemy lines to carry out acts of sabotage.

The device was found on his possession in 1942 and ended up in storage at a French police station. It is not known who intercepted it.

It carries a pre-sale estimate of 1,500.

A note attached to the auction item which refers to it as a 'brown rat'. The bomb carries a pre-sale estimate of 1,500

Also being sold is a fountain pen that when unscrewed, reveals itself to be an 'assassin's metal spike' which would have been used by an SOE agent to overcome a German guard. It is valued at 3,000.

There is also a pocket-sized wooden coffin containing garrotte wire used for strangling someone.

The coffins served as a chilling warning to individuals tempted to collaborate with the Germans and were left on their doorsteps by the French Resistance.

There is also an Army-issue razor pack which contained a hidden compass pointer on a cotton thread and a silk escape map with lithographed maps on both sides, covering Western Germany, Holland, France, Belgium and Switzerland. This is worth 1,200.

The 'Rat Bomb' belonged to the British agent Jack Dickens, who went by the name of Maurice Ledain. He was dropped behind enemy lines to carry out acts of sabotage

The items are being sold by auctioneers Bonhams.

A spokesman for the auction house said: 'The Rat Bomb is a very rare surviving example.

'The idea never really took off and so not many of them were made and those that did were intercepted by the Germans.

'Many of the unexploded Rat Bombs were later mounted and used as training exhibits in German military schools.

'This particular example bears a tag suggesting it was used for training at a French police station, having been found in the possession of Jack Dickens.

'Some of the disguised weapons are quite chilling when you look at them now but they highlight the do-or-die nature of SOE agents who operated in Nazi-occupied Europe.'

The SOE was created in 1940 on the order of Winston Churchill and kept secret from Parliament.

By the end of the war, it had led to the destruction of Hitlers nuclear programme and the capturing of Nazis. The items are being sold on December 6.
A hairstylist and mother-of-three who had gone missing in Alabama was found shot to death inside a car trunk on Tuesday, just hours after her ex-husbands suicide.

Police believe Greg Scott, a 63-year-old psychologist from Selma, killed 35-year-old Mary Timmons Scott before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide amid an acrimonious custody battle.

The victims relatives, including her sister, had reported Timmons Scott missing along with her and Scott's two young daughters on Monday.

Family drama: Alabama psychologist Greg Scott, 63, (left), committed suicide on Tuesday after allegedly shooting dead his ex-wife, Selma hairstylist Mary Timmons Scott, 35 (right)

Missing: On Monday, Timmons Scott's family had reported her missing along with her two daughters (pictured together)

Concerned family members wrote on Facebook that the couples two daughters had spent the weekend with their father, and suspected that Scott may have tried to lure his ex-wife to his house by falsely claiming that one of the girls was ill, according to an Al.com report.

On Tuesday, police were notified that the two missing girls were safe with their paternal aunt in Birmingham.

At around 8.30am on Tuesday, officers with the Birmingham Police Department discovered Greg Scott dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in front of a funeral home in the 8500 block of Zion City Road.

When police interviewed the missing mothers daughters, one of them said that daddy shot mommy and left her in a field, according to The Natchez Democrat.

Before noon, officers had come upon Timmons Scott's body in the trunk of a car, which had been abandoned in a wooded area off of Dallas County Road 540, not far from her ex-husbands home.

Police found the divorced mom's body locked inside the trunk of a car in Selma

The couple's daughters (pictured with their mother) were found safe in their aunt's home in Birmingham

Timmons Scott is also survived by her 15-year-old (pictured together in 2015)

The 35-year-old woman, who had two children with Scott and an older son from a previous relationship, died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to police.

Police said Greg Scott was a psychologist who worked at a mental health center in Selma. Timmons Scott worked as a hairstylist at Cuttin' Loose salon.

The couple married in 2013 and split earlier this month, reported the station WSFA.

They had been locked in a legal battle over the custody of their girls, who were living with their mother.

Following the suspected murder-suicide, detectives found out that on Monday, Greg Scott had filed paperwork seeking to transfer custody of his daughters to his sister in Birmingham. That case is still pending.

Mary Timmons Scott's 15-year-old son resides with his father in Birmingham.
A 2012 video of a Today show skit in which Matt Lauer played the victim in a spoof sketch where he was spanked by a colleague resurfaced on Wednesday in new context after he was fired amid claims of misconduct.

The segment saw Lauer complain to the camera after being spanked by co-host Willie Geist who slapped him on the backside with some papers.

Savannah Guthrie was in on the joke and introduced the segment jokingly as 'the smack heard round the studio'.

Al Roker and Katie Couric were also part of the segment. Both - along with Guthrie - expressed shock at Lauer's termination on Wednesday.

In the segment, Lauer said softly after being spanked by Geist, who jokingly denied it:'If you do it, just own up to it' and joked that Geist had not 'called or written' since the spoof incident.

It ended with the crew turning to guest Dustin Hoffman - who has also recently been accused of sexual misconduct - for advice.

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Throwback to 2012 when Matt Lauer was the real victim of sexual harassment on the Today show  pic.twitter.com/mYdnhEV2wv  The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) November 29, 2017

In the 2012 skit, Lauer played victim after being spanked by co-host Willie Geist in a spoof segment which has resurfaced and which critics say pokes fun at sexual harassment

They laughed when Hoffman said: 'Did Willie swat him with his willy?'

The video was reposted by The Daily Show on Wednesday after Lauer was fired over an allegation he sexually assaulted a co-worker while working on the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Page Six cited an NBC source which claimed the woman made her complaint on Monday night and presented 'compelling evidence' of it.

NBC Chairman Andy Lack announced his departure in a memo to staff on Wednesday morning.

Today stars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kobt, Megyn Kelly and Kathy Lee Gifford have all since commented on his departure and told of their shock at learning of the claims he faces.

Lauer himself has not commented on the allegations.

In the 2012 clip, Lauer told Jeff Rossen that the spank was unsolicited.

'I didn't do anything differently, I wasn't wearing a different cologne, this was uninitiated,' he said jokingly.

As part of the segment, Geist smacked Lauer on the backside with a stack of papers. Today presented footage of it that had been taken on studio surveillance cameras and presented it in jest as a serious incident

Lauer returned the gesture, smacking Geist on his backside with his bare hand

Savannah Guthrie, who this morning fought back tears over her co-anchor's firing on air, was in on the joke and called it 'the smack heard around the studio'

The segment was created for Rossen Reports and asked: 'Did Willie touch Matt's tush?'

Dustin Hoffman, who has himself recently been accused of sexual harassment by two different women, was asked for his view on the smack and said jokingly: 'Did Willie swat him with his willy?'

Also involved was Katie Couric (next to Lauer, right), Willie Geist (right) and Al Roker (far left)

'I'm upset for a couple reasons. One, that he denied it. Why deny it?

'If you do it, own up to it and secondly, since it happened he hasn't called, he hasn't written. Nothing. The abandonment.'

Rossen led the segment, asking: 'Is it really appropriate for the workplace? Judge for yourself.'

Later, he said: 'This kind of play is only appropriate when you have the prior permission of both people which our investigation has uncovered, Willie did not have.'

Today did not comment on the resurfaced clip on Wednesday when approached by DailyMail.com.

Viewers were outraged by the segment and questioned why it had ever been allowed to air.

'Not funny then, definitely not funny now,' said one disappointed viewer.

Viewers were outraged by the segment and questioned why it was ever allowed to air

Another said the show was 'making fun' of sexual harassment and accused it of 'poor taste'.

Others labeled it 'sick satire', 'insensitivity' and 'dismissiveness'. 'How was this considered funny before the 2017 reckoning?' said one woman.

On their respective shows on Wednesday, Guthrie and Kelly both commended the woman who had filed a complaint against Lauer for her bravery.

Geist said it took 'real courage' for the woman to come forward and described Lauer as 'the most powerful person at NBC News.'

All said they 'loved' Lauer but vowed to report the scandal engulfing him as they would any other story.

'I dont want to lose sight of a person who took a pretty big leap and stepped out on a ledge to take on someone of Matts stature,' Geist said.

Roker was visibly shaken and said he was 'still trying to process the news' about his 'friend of 30 years'.

Couric, who no longer works for the network, has not commented since Lauer's firing. A 2012 interview in which she described how Lauer 'pinched her butt a lot' when they were co-anchors resurfaced after the news.

Hoffman is among a growing number of Hollywood stars who have been accused of widespread sexual misconduct.

Guthrie was emotional on Wednesday after announcing Lauer's firing on the morning show he ordinarily co-anchored with her

Geist commended Lauer's accuser for her 'real courage' and said he was the 'most powerful person at NBC News'

On Wednesday, Al Roker, who was part of the 2012 joke segment, said he was 'still trying to process the news' about his 'friend of 30 years'

Two different women say he harassed them.

Anna Graham-Hunter, a former production assistant, said Hoffman harassed her on the set of Death of a Salesman in 1985. He denied her accusations.

Later, Wendy Riss Gatsiounis said he sexually propositioned her in the 1990s when she was 26 and he was 53. He has not responded to her allegations.

After NBC announced Lauer's firing on Wednesday, Variety and The New York Times both revealed they had been working on exposes about his alleged misconduct.

Variety published some of its reporting in the afternoon. It included claims from three separate women who all say they were harassed by the 59-year-old.

They spoke with 10 NBC staffers for the piece. Among the allegations is that Lauer exposed his penis to one woman and gave a sex toy to another along with a written note about how he wished to use it on her.

Another claim is that he requested young staffers to visit his hotel room late at night while covering various Olympic Games around the world.
The search for a missing three-year-old girl in North Carolina was set back on Wednesday, when a potential lead in the case was thrown out.

Late Tuesday, the FBI released three pictures of a woman walking through a Morehead City, North Carolina Walmart on Monday - with a toddler who looked like missing Mariah Woods.

But on Wednesday, authorities said they have confirmed that the child in the picture is not Mariah and that the woman has no connection to her disappearance.

Mariah was reported missing around 6am Monday morning, when her mother went into her bedroom to wake her up and found she was gone.

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An investigator in a Hazmat suit was seen searching under Mariah Woods' home on Wednesday, as the search for the missing three-year-old girl entered its third day

NCIS Marines from nearby Camp Lejeune helped in the search for the girl on Wednesday

The FBI's child abduction team has been brought in to lead the search for the girl

Some investigators were focused on what appears to be a nearby abandoned house on Wednesday

Mariah Woods was reported missing early Monday morning when her mother went to wake her up and found her missing from her bed

The last time her mother, Kristy Woods, saw her was at 11pm the previous night, when she tucked her in for the night.

She says the last person to see her daughter was her live-in boyfriend, Earl Kimrey, who says he told the girl to go back to bed when she came out of her room around midnight.

Police went to see the girl's biological father, Alex Woods, who said she was not with him.

On Wednesday, Alex told WECT that he was at work when he heard the Amber Alert go out for his daughter over the radio.

"It said, '3-year-old Mariah Kay Woods' and I was like, what? Wait a minute. I sat there for a minute - I have a daughter named Mariah Kay Woods - that's my daughter. I was like, nah, couldn't be."

The FBI released these images late Tuesday, showing a woman they want to question in the disappearance of three-year-old Mariah Woods. The picture has since been debunked and authorities say the toddler in the picture is not Mariah

He said the last time he had seen Mariah and her two brothers was about a year ago, when he got custody for a month while Child Protective Services investigated an incident.

He said he's not convinced that Mariah was abducted, or that she accidentally walked out of the house.

'I don't feel that she just walked out the house. I mean she's three years old. You gonna wake up and go to the door at, you know, 2, 3, 4, whatever time in the morning they said she left and you're gonna walk outside in the cold and dark and just walk? Possible, but no,' Alex said.

Alex said he called his fiancee and asked her if she had heard it on the news.

He said he found it weird that no one had called him.

Shortly after, police showed up at his work to interview him and he says he cooperated, giving them all the information he had.

Woods says he's trying not to give up home for his little girl.He issued a statement in case she's listening saying: 'Daddy loves you and misses you so much, Daddy wants to hold you in his arms. Daddy loves you, baby.'

On Wednesday, law enforcement stepped up the search around the house and in neighboring woods.

Mariah's biological father, Alex Woods (right), said he didn't learn about his daughter's disappearance until the Amber Alert was issued on Monday. He hasn't had custody of her for a year. He's pictured above with his girlfriend

Alex Woods got choked up in another interview with WECT on Wednesday

Dozens of NCIS marines from nearby Camp Lejeune congregated at the trailer park and were seen walking up and down the road in a uniform manner.

An investigator was also seen donning a Hazmat suit to search under the house.

Meanwhile, other investigators were focused on a nearby body of water and abandoned house.

The FBI's child abduction team is working with local authorities and the NCIS to investigate the disappearance.

At an afternoon press conference, law enforcement officials asked anyone who had come into contact with Mariah's immediate family on Sunday or Monday to call the police.

They said it was so they could make a timeline of Mariah's disappearance.

In a tearful address to reporters on Monday, the girl's mother seemed to believe someone had abducted her girl.

'Please, bring her back ... She's my baby, she's my everything,' the mother of three said. 'Just to be able to touch her and hold her and not let her go again. I'd give anything.'

Kristy Woods says that her daughter usually wears orthopedic braces on both of her legs and has trouble walking without them.

On Monday, Mariah's mother Kristy Woods issued a tearful statement to reporters, asking whoever is responsible for her daughter's disappearance to return the girl

Woods' live-in boyfriend Earl Kimrey (left, with Woods) was the last to see the girl alive

Kimrey and Woods are pictured above with Woods' three children (including Mariah, being held by Woods)

She says she calls Mariah 'an angel' because she unexpectedly got pregnant with her after she got her tubes tied.

'This is my world, this is my angel,' said Woods. 'She was sent to me for a reason. This is my everything besides my boys, the love that I have for this girl. The bond that I have ..is my life. please, just don't take that.'

Woods' boyfriend has not been officially identified, but her Facebook profile says she's in a relationship with a man named Earl Kimrey.

A photo on his profile shows him posing with his girlfriend and her children. The profile also says they started dating in July 2015.

On Monday, police searched the woods surrounding the couple's home in a mobile home park.

They say there was no sign of a forced entry, but the back door of the home was left unlocked overnight.

Kristy Woods says she last saw her daughter Sunday night at 11pm, when she tucked her into bed at the home she lives in with her boyfriend and children

Kristy Woods said her boyfriend saw the girl once more, at midnight, when she came out of her room and he told her to go back to bed. Above, search crews on Monday

Mariah was officially reported missing Monday morning around 6am, when her mother went into the room and saw she was gone

Investigators searched the home, the family's car and the woods around the home on Monday. Above, an investigator packages evidence on Monday

Sheriff Hans Miller says it's too soon to know what happened to the girl

Law enforcement officials also searched the home and the family's car for evidence.

They say they found some items of interest in the woods behind the home, but are unsure if it's connected to the girl's disappearance yet.

The FBI is now assisting local and state law enforcement in the case.

Mariah is described as a white female with brown hair and blue eyes. She stands at about two-feet-nine and weighs 30 pounds.

Sheriff Hans Miller said his officers are 'working everything that can be worked to find this little girl.'

'We dont know what happened. Its entirely premature to try to determine what happened,' Sheriff Miller said.

Anyone with information on Mariah's disappearance are being asked to call the Onslow County Sheriff at 910-455-3113 or 911 locally.
An English teacher in Taiwan has deviated from the textbooks to give his pupils a shot at mastering one of the UK's most iconic accents: Scouse.

Adam-John Whittaker taught his school pupils to say a range of typical Liverpudlian phrases to give them a proper insight into North West England's regional dialect.

The 27-year-old from Kirkdale asked his class of four to six-year-olds to repeat a number of words such as 'sound' and 'ay' in his natural accent.

He also taught them a number of local Liverpudlian phrases, including 'swerve it', 'What's 'appenin?' and 'now den'.

Mr Whittaker, who has been teaching abroad for five months, captured his pupil's efforts on video and shared it on Facebook.

The footage shows the children relaying the phrases back to Mr Whittaker in their best Scouse impressions to comical effect.

English teacher Adam-John Whittaker taught his Taiwanese students how to do a Scouse accent

The Liverpudlian asked his class of four to six-year-olds to mimic him in saying some typical Scouse words such as 'sound' and 'ay'

'Over here the parents love videos of what the kids are up to in school and they are besotted with the Scouse accent, so it was only fitting that I did a master class in it,' Mr Whittaker told the Liverpool Echo.

'I've told them they are famous in Liverpool so now they keep saying "Mr Adam take my picture and show your mama". I think they think my ma made them famous.'

Mr Whittaker's unorthodox lesson has received 78,000 views and more than a thousand shares since it was uploaded.

Mr Whittaker recorded his class's efforts and shared the video with their parents and Facebook

'The kids are delighted,' he said.

'I've had so many amazing lovely messages saying it has put a smile on peoples faces' which to be honest was the main reason I put it on myself.

He noted that the children have also developed a passion of some of Liverpool's other famous exports, including music, and especially Rebecca Ferguson's songs.

'All you hear them singing now is 'I hope, I hope, I hope' - I literally love it.

'I feel like I am teaching them about our city, so one day, when they are older, they will say 'I learnt English from a Scouser!'
Mixed Martial Arts fighter Conor McGregor, 29, punched a relation of a gangland figure in a pub brawl on Sunday night.

It is reported McGregor, 29, hit the relative of Graham 'The Wig' Whelan who is a senior member of the feared Kinahan drugs cartel.

The Kinahan mob are believed to be the biggest importers of cocaine in Ireland and have been involved in a vicious feud with members of the rival Hutch gang, which has so far claimed 11 lives.

Members of the Crumlin-based Kinahan mob have also been engaged in a separate feud involving another gang in Drimnagh which has claimed a further 16 lives.

UFC fighter Conor McGregor, pictured, was involved in a brawl in a Dublin bar on Sunday night

Whelan's best friend David Byrne was murdered by members of the Hutch gang in an attack on the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February 2016.

Members of the gang dressed up as women and as gardai in a bid to kill Daniel Kinahan, son of the cartel's boss Christy 'The Dapper Don' Kinahan.

McGregor, who is from Crumlin in south Dublin grew up on the same streets as many of the Kinahan crime gang and would have known them at school.

According to reports on social media, McGregor punched The Wig's relative over an assault of a young man from Crumlin who was hit by a member of the gang.

It has now been reported that the Kinahan cartel have demanded 900,000 from McGregor in protection money or they will murder him.

However, the Hutch gang is believed to have previously paid 250,000 to the Kinahans in order to lift a hit on Gary Hutch, who was eventually murdered in Spain in September 2015.

The Wig is a senior figure in a gang led by Christy 'The Dapper Don' Kinahan, pictured

Kinahan, 60, who is believed to be in Dubai, has left the day-to-day running of the gang to his son, Daniel.

Kinahan left Ireland in 2001 after serving a jail term in the top security Portlaoise Prison for drugs offences.

He first relocated to the south of Spain where he grew his international criminal cartel.

In total, the feud has so far claimed 11 lives including two civilians without any connection to either side of the dispute.

Gardai have not received any formal notification about the incident in the pub on Sunday night.

McGregor is due to appear in Blanchardstown District Court tomorrow morning on a completely unrelated matter.

The fighter is accused of speeding on the Naas Road, in Rathcoole on March 31.

The case has been adjourned twice already.

MailOnline has approached McGregor's representatives for a comment.

Social media messages in Dublin claimed there was a hit out against McGregor
Nine men are behind bars following early morning raids in Sydney's southwest conducted by heavily armed police targeting drug supply across the city.

Riot squad officers, members of the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad and the Dog Squad swooped on four homes in Bass Hill, Belmore, Greenacre and Punchbowl at 6.30am on Thursday.

Police say they've dismantled an alleged drug syndicate supplying prohibited drugs including cocaine, methylamphetamine and cannabis.

The raids come just two days after a young Somali-Australian man was arrested for allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired New Year's Eve attack.

Ali Khalif Shire Ali was dramatically arrested on Monday and charged with trying to obtain a semi-automatic rifle to gun down revellers in Melbourne's Federation Square.

The raids and Ali's arrest are not believed to be connected.

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Officers raided a number of homes in Belmore, Bass Hill and Greenacre, in Sydney's west, early on Thursday morning (pictured)

A man was arrested at the Belmore home (pictured with police)

The Sydney's legendary Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad is raiding the properties as part of an investigation into drug supply, a NSW police spokeswoman said

On Wednesday, officers raided up to nine homes in the city's west in connection to identity theft and fraud.

Four men and three women were arrested by the Identity Security Strike Team, which had been investigating targeted mail theft and identity fraud across Sydney since June.

They are expected to be charged with identity information and fraud offences.

A female Department of Human Services employee will be charged with bribery offences, NSW police said.

'As a result of their inquiries, investigators uncovered an organised network allegedly stealing mail, specifically targeting financial information and cards; impersonating account holders during telephone calls to gather further identity information, then purchasing goods or making cash withdrawals using the fraudulent credit cards,' officers said.

'Further investigations revealed the group engaged an employee of a Commonwealth government agency, who was allegedly providing identity information accessed without authorisation, in return for cash.'

On Wednesday, officers raided up to nine homes in the city's west in connection to identity theft and fraud

Four men and three women were arrested by the Identity Security Strike Team, which had been investigating targeted mail theft and identity fraud across Sydney since June

Police are seen taking evidence from the Guilford property during the raids on Wednesday

Ali, 20, was reportedly targeted by ASIO because of his links to a radicalised 15-year-old boy who killed Curtis Cheng.

He was well-connected to Australian jihadist circles including multiple other terror suspects and extremist preacher Junaid Thorne.

Ali was also friends with Farhad Jabar, 15, who shot dead NSW police accountant Curtis Cheng outside the police centre in Parramatta in 2015.

He once boasted to a group of Islamic extremists about how he had refused to speak to ASIO agents who offered him money for information about his links to Jabar.

Ali claimed agents offered him $200 for every tip he gave them about extremist activity in his community, but he refused to dob in Muslims because it was 'haram'.

'I know their tricks and whatever you say to them they will use as evidence against you,' Ali said.

'They start to get to the real questions, like who are your friends with, what do you think about ISIS, what are your thoughts about those groups.
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon is standing firm on his commitment to campaign for embattled Alabama Senate hopeful Roy Moore.

'I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate,' Bannon told CNN. 'And send shockwaves to the political and media elites.'

DailyMail.com confirmed last week that Bannon planned to campaign alongside Moore, who's been accused of preying on teenage girls, on December 5.

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Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon confirmed that he plans to campaign alongside embattled Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore next week

Despite the numerous accusations from women who said Roy Moore (pictured) preyed on them as teenagers, the Senate candidate has remained in the race

Moore has also stood defiant, refusing to leave the race and calling the slew of accusations false.

While President Trump has no plans to visit Alabama, he noted last Tuesday that Moore had 'totally denied' the allegations, making the Republican a better fit for the Senate seat than a 'liberal' Democrat, the president suggested.

With the media coverage of the scandal fading, Moore has regained the top position over Democratic hopeful Doug Jones in recent Alabama polls.

A JMC Analytics poll that was released Wednesday found that Alabamans preferred Moore over Jones 48 to 43 per cent.

When the allegations, first reported in the Washington Post, were doing the most damage politically, Jones had opened an 8 point lead in the deep red state.

When mainstream Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called for Moore to drop out, the candidate simply threw the request back at the Kentucky senator.

'I want to tell you who needs to step down: that's Mitch McConnell,' Moore said at a campaign event last week.

He added that the allegations, which came from a number of women, were 'an effort by Mitch McConnell and his cronies to steal this election from the people of Alabama and they will not stand for it,' Moore said.

Early last week, before President Trump left Washington for Mar-a-Lago, White House Press Secretary said, again and again, that the administration's position was that the voters of Alabama should decide their next senator.

However, as Trump sauntered out onto the South Lawn to leave for vacation, he stopped and talked to reporters, coming seemingly close to giving Moore a full-fledged endorsement.

On Sunday, the president dug into Jones, the Democrat, again.

'The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY,' Trump tweeted.

'Jones would be a disaster!' he said.
Prince Harry asked Meghan Markle's mother for her daughter's hand in marriage when they met during the Invictus Games, it has been revealed.

Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, and Prince Harry were introduced in September, when the happy couple made their first public appearance together at the Invictus Games.

It is believed that it was then that Harry asked Ragland for Miss Markle's hand in marriage.

Harry has yet to meet Miss Markle's father, Thomas Markle, but is said to be considering flying to Mexico with his fiancee to meet him.

The prince did, however, call Miss Markle's father, an award-winning Hollywood lighting director, to ask for his permission to propose before they got engaged earlier this month.

Doria Ragland and Meghan Markle were seen together at the Invictus Games closing ceremonyInvictus Games in Toronto on September 30

Thomas Markle (pictured with Meghan as a child) lives in Mexico and will be attending the May ceremony but it is not known if he will walk her down the aisle

When Meghan was five, her parents divorced. She lived with her mother during the week, and her father  who rented a plethora of rundown Hollywood apartments  at weekends.

Yesterday Kensington Palace would not say if Mr Markle will give his daughter away at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle next year.

Ms Markle's half-sister Samantha Markle, 53, told US Weekly today: 'I'm sure he wants to walk her down the aisle. I know he wants to do it'.

Royal Engagement: Prince Harry has not met Meghan's father and could fly to Mexico to meet him - but they have spoken on the phone

She added: 'He's a shy guy now, he's a quiet man, but he'll speak when he feels it's appropriate. He gave me permission to say how happy he is, but he'll talk when he's ready'.

This week Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland spoke of their delight at the news of the engage, saying: 'We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry.

They added: 'Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person.

'To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.

'We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.'

Though they divorced in 1987, when Meghan was almost six, Thomas and Doria remained friends.

Whether Meghan will invite her siblings though remains to be seen.

Her half sister Samantha Grant, 52, has not spoken to Miss Markle in 10 years; while her half brother Thomas Markle Jnr, 50, was once arrested for allegedly holding a gun to his girlfriend's head.

But her family appears willing to come to the UK even if they are not invited.

Meghan's nephew TJ Dooley, 26, from Oregon, told The Sun: 'I'd probably come to the UK for the wedding  even if I'm not invited. I am thrilled.'

Samantha Markle, half-sister to Meghan, pictured on Good Morning Britain their family was 'elated' at the Royal engagement and said their father wanted to give her away

Miss Markle has previously spoken of her love for her parents, describing her clinical therapist mother as 'her inspiration' after she went back to university as a mature student and earned a master's degree in social work.

On Mother's Day last year she posted a picture of Doria on Instagram, writing: 'Always proud of this beautiful woman.'

Miss Markle also described Hollywood lighting director Thomas as the 'most hardworking father you can imagine'.

Low-key living: Meghan Markle's mum Doria Ragland spent the weekend preparing for her daughter's announcement in a decidedly low-key fashion outside her Los Angeles home

Doria is the great-great-great granddaughter of a slave, who took the name Wisdom when it was abolished in America.

She was just 20 years old and temping in a TV studio when she met Thomas, then a 32-year-old divorced father of two.

The cinematographer was already well respected in his profession, where he worked on American soaps such as General Hospital and Married... With Children.

He also did the lighting for the 1984 LA Olympics and the 1986 Oscars, even winning an Emmy.

They married in 1979, and Meghan was born two years later. The family lived in a beautiful sea-front house before moving to an affluent small town in The Valley area of Los Angeles, where their neighbours included one of Bing Crosby's twin sons.

Miss Markle attended the private Little Red Schoolhouse in Hollywood, which Elizabeth Taylor attended, followed by Immaculate Heart, an 11,500-ayear Catholic school.

Her half-brother, Thomas Junior, recalls how Thomas and Doria 'doted' on Meghan.

However, he said, Samantha envied the attention lavished on her half-sister, and tensions arose.

It was exacerbated by Thomas senior's long working hours, and in 1986, when Meghan was a few months short of her sixth birthday, her parents divorced.

The couple were awarded shared legal custody of Meghan, and Doria took various jobs to supplement her maintenance, including working as an air-stewardess, the same job once done by the Duchess of Cambridge's mother, Carole Middleton.

With her mother working, the teenage Meghan spent much of her with time with her father, in a Hollywood tenement block. Today, her mother works for a respected Los Angeles charity, specialising in helping people who had suffered brain injuries.

Her father, meanwhile, enjoys a quiet retirement in Mexico, close to the border with California.
Two north-west Sydney homes have been raided by police as part of an investigation into an armed robbery at a girls high school.

Police were seen storming properties in Telopea and Regents Park early on Thursday morning.

The searches are believed to be related to an armed robbery at Auburn Girls' High School in October, according to 7News.

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Two north-west Sydney homes have been raided by police as part of an investigation into an armed robbery at a girls high school (pictured)

Police were seen storming properties in Telopea and Regents Park early on Thursday morning

A man was seen being arrested at the Regents Park property and is expected to be charged.

A number of people were also arrested at the home in Telopea and have been taken to local police stations.

Officers were seen flying a drone above the Regents Park home.

They were also filmed searching a bedroom and a car parked out front.

The searches are believed to be related to an armed robbery at Auburn Girls' High School (pictured) in October
A woman was found dead and a former U.S. diplomat remains missing after the couple were swept down a Hawaii river on Saturday while on vacation.

The search for a former U.S. diplomat, George T. Novinger, 61, continued on Tuesday after it was called off Sunday afternoon due to 'hazardous conditions'. He is not expected to have survived.

Gladys Novinger, 62, was found unconscious on Saturday afternoon in the pool below the 80-foot tall Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku River.

Gladys Novinger, 62 (left), died on Saturday after she and her husband George (right) were swept over an 80-foot tall waterfall in Hawaii

The couple, who were enjoying the vacation as an early Christmas gift, were apparently trying to cross the river at around 12.30pm on Saturday when they were swept underwater.

Authorities were notified when witnesses spotted the pair struggling about 100 yards above the falls before disappearing beneath the surface, according to KHON2.

Gladys was found not breathing and without a pulse when she was pulled from the pools below the falls.

The couple was on vacation in Hawaii with their son as an early Christmas gift

Recently retired diplomat George T. Novinger, 61, remains missing. He worked for the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service

She was transported by helicopter to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Her son Joseph Harmes III was with the couple when tragedy struck.

'They were the best of the best. It is beyond tragic. They are missed deeply,' he said in an email to San Diego Union Tribune. 'I will always carry them in my heart. And I dedicate my life to their legacy.'

George was a recently retired diplomat for the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service who specialized in East Asian affairs.

The couple owned Vineyard Hacienda in San Diego.

The couple was apparently trying to cross the river at around 12.30pm on Saturday when they were swept underwater.

Authorities were notified when witnesses spotted the pair struggling about 100 yards above the falls before disappearing underwater

Gladys was found not breathing and without a pulse when she was pulled from the pools below the falls

'He served our country in Japan (three times), South Korea, Hong Kong, Brunei and Paraguay before completing his overseas diplomatic postings as Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in Damascus, Syria,' according to the Vineyard Hacienda website.

'His final position before retirement was as the State Department's Regional Director of Foreign Missions in Southwestern states.'

His wife Gladys was born in Peru and served as Honorary Consul of Peru.
A Blue Mountains walking track which claimed the life a National Park worker is still too unstable to retrieve the body.

The 36-year-old was crushed by falling rocks and the others, aged 26 and 27, were trapped by falling debris from 10m above them.

Bushwalkers heard screams as the worker was killed and two others badly injured in the rockslide west of Sydney.

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One man died at the scene, while two were trapped against a wall with possible fractures to their legs

Emergency service crews were called to the Wentworth Falls walking track after the rock slide killed one and trapped two others

'Two National Parks workers were the first people to get to the scene and render first aid. They are pretty traumatised,' Paul Noack, from the Australian Workers' Union, told the Daily Telegraph.

'They are all known to the workers there so it is a real tragedy for the community.'

Mike Burgess said he heard a 'big explosion' that 'sounded like dynamite going off' as the sandstone cliff collapsed about 11.45am on Wednesday.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide

'I knew it wouldn't be dynamite, it would be a big slab,' he told the ABC.

'We heard all the blooming rocks smash down through the bush right after that I heard a bloke scream.'

The 27-year-old man sustained serious leg and pelvic injuries and the 26-year-old had fractures all over his body.

The pair were winched from the scene by rescue helicopter and rushed to Westmead Hospital, while the dead man's body remains at the scene.

NSW Police said their priority was to safely rescue the two men, before turning efforts to the recovery of the man who died.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide (bottom right)

The three men were working on a section of the popular National Pass walkway at Wentworth Falls, which was closed on August 31 due to unstable rocks overhead.

A National Parks warning said the area had been assessed by a geotechnical engineer due to 'a very dangerous, unstable section of rock above the walking track'.

The men were working to make the track safe before it could be reopened when the very thing authorities were concerned about happened.

Rocks earlier fell on the track, which was visited by 90.000 tourists every year, last November.

'This is obviously a very tragic incident, and a very sensitive operation,' they said.

A NSW Police spokesman said it took rescuers an hour to reach the site due to the remote location of the landslide.

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats

NSW police said they successfully contacted the families of two of the men, but were yet to reach the family of the third.

An ambulance spokesman said rescue efforts could potentially be hampered by weather, which was turning bad with three millimetres falling that morning.

All tracks in the Wentworth Falls precinct have been closed to assist with the medical evacuation of those injured, not due to safety threats.

The incident is being investigated with a crime scene established around the scene, and will be reported to the coroner.

A command post was set up at Armstrong Road, and paramedics were sent in on foot
Bassam Hamzy (pictured) allegedly lunged at and tried to assault a guard at Goulburn's Supermax prison

The jailed founder of the Brothers 4 Life gang is accused of running his criminal operation from behind bars after he was caught with contraband for the third time.

Bassam Hamzy, 38, allegedly lunged at and tried to assault a guard at Goulburn's Supermax prison on August 31, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Convicted killer Hamzy has been caught with phones and running his crime operation from inside the prison twice before.

A phone, two SIM cards and several handmade weapons were allegedly found inside the ceiling of his cell in May.

However, he was only charged last week after the results of forensic tests came back.

He has also been charged with assaulting a prison officer in a separate incident from earlier in 2017.

A phone, two SIM cards and several handmade weapons were allegedly found inside the ceiling of his cell in May. File photo

Hamzy appeared in court on Wednesday on both charges, but the matters were adjourned until next year.

In August, Hamzy appeared in court after suing jail authorities claiming abuse of power and discrimination.

He alleged prison officers were interfering with his legal proceedings by seizing materials he needs to access.

Hamzy complained that officers had confiscated a USB device that contained legal material from a solicitor.

Hamzy also allegedly lunged at and tried to assault a guard at Goulburn's Supermax prison (file photo) on August 31

The court heard the USB contained two 'prohibited goods' - photographs of other inmates, which Hamzy clarified was actually a newspaper article, and a PDF copy of the Koran.

But Justice Geoffrey Bellew dismissed the inmate's application to have the USB and other legal material returned, saying regulations hadn't been breached by the Commissioner or any of his officers.
Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry is reportedly being sued for more than $20,000 in missed payments.

Italian jeweler, Raselli Franco, claims he sold Ivanka's company $56,833 worth of jewelry last year.

The first-daughter's company agreed to pay Franco in four installments, but they haven't paid $21,222, according to TMZ.

Franco claimed that he gave Ivanka's company an extension to pay the bill, never received a dime.

Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry is reportedly being sued for more than $20K in missed payments

Italian jeweler, Raselli Franco, claims he sold the company $56,833 worth of jewelry last year. Pictured is one of Franco's pieces

The first-daughter's company agreed to pay Franco in four installments, but they reportedly haven't paid $21,222. Ivanka launched her fine jewelry line in 2007 and it was her first venture into the fashion world (Trump Tower display in February above)

The payments started last year but at some point the company allegedly missed several payment deadlines.

This isn't the first time Ivanka's company has been slammed for skipping out on their bills.

In February, DailyMail.com revealed that Ivanka's company was hit with a New York State lien on January 26, accusing the company of failing to pay over $5,000 in taxes, according to legal documents.

The Fifth Avenue jewelry store, located within Trump Tower, carries high-end pieces ranging from $1,000 to $20,000.

That incident came after a rocky few months for her clothing and jewelry lines when a number of major retail chains dropped her products from their shelves.

Department stores, including Neiman Marcus,' also Nordstrom dropped her line in the beginning of February.

It all began when President Donald Trump lashed out at Nordstrom for dumping his daughter's clothing line around the time he announced the travel ban.

'My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by Nordstrom,' the president wrote on Twitter last month. 'She is a great person  always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!'

In March, the company faced another setback when Abigail Klem (pictured with Ivanka), who was appointed president of the company after Ivanka stepped down, confirmed that the brand would no longer produce a fine jewelry line

Instead they would focus on their more affordable collection of mass market trinkets. An $88 offering from Ivanka's mass market line (left) and a $14,500 piece from the fine jewelry collection (right)

It is a shocking move for the company given Ivanka's passion for her fine jewelry collection (pictured)

But Nordstrom told DailyMail.com at the time that Ivanka was personally told about its decision in early January - weeks before the travel ban.

A month later in March, Abigail Klem, who was appointed president of the company after Ivanka stepped down, confirmed that the brand would no longer produce a fine jewelry line, and instead they would focus on their more affordable collection of mass market trinkets.

'As part of our companys commitment to offering solution-oriented products at accessible price points, we have decided to discontinue the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry collection,' said Klem in a statement at the time.

It came as a shocking move for the company given Ivanka's passion for her fine jewelry collection, which was the first fashion line she ever launched back in 2007 with a party celebrating the opening of the first Ivanka Trump store in New York City's Carlton Hotel.

Ivanka however had no say in the decision to stop producing the collection, having stepped down from her position in the company one week before she headed off to Washington DC with husband Jared Kushner and their three children.

The mass market jewelry line is one of those newer categories, having just been introduced last year and sells at what Klem described as 'price points that are aligned with the rest of our collection'.

The price point is the key difference between the fine jewelry line, that used to be sold in approximately 50 stores across the country, and the mass market collection, which can be purchased at Lord & Taylor.

A perfect example is the two pendant necklaces made by the brand, which share a slightly similar style and drastically different price tag.

Started from the bottom: Ivanka at the 2007 launch party for the fine jewelry line in NYC, which was attended by President Trump and the First Lady (above)

Now we here: Ivanka featured her collection at her father's properties when she was starting out in the business (above in 2007 by a display at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City)

Scandal alert: Ivanka found herself in hot water in November 2016 when she used an appearance on '60 Minutes' to promote her fine jewelry line (above)

One is constructed with faux pearl and goldtone zinc while the other features 18karat white gold, pearls and diamonds. That second offering also comes with a $14,500 price tag, as opposed to the $88 cost of the first necklace.

Ivanka was a big fan of the high end line, and frequently wore it for appearances on both television and while walking the red carpet.

It also landed her in hot water when the $10,800 gold and diamond bangle she wore during her father's first post-election interview on '60 Minutes' was blasted out to the media, thus using her father's position as president to promote her own business interests.

There is no line Ivanka has been so eager to promote and support over the years, ever since she first licensed her name back in 2007 and paired up with partner Moshe Lax, a New York diamond mogul.

However, Lax and Ivanka are no longer partners in the business.
The mother of the inmate who poured boiling water over schoolboy Daniel Morcombe's killer says her son is not a hero and he just wants to get on with his life.

As Adam Paul Davidson was released from a Queensland prison his mother said the former tattoo artist should never have been left in a position to attack Brett Cowan in jail.

'He's certainly no hero,' Annette Fallbrown told Daily Mail Australia. 'He doesn't feel like a hero.

'And he really just needs to be left alone for us to try to help him.'

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Adam Paul Davidson was released from Woodford Correctional Centre on Wednesday

Child killer Brett Cowan suffered serious burns when Adam Davidson attacked him in prison

Social media reaction to Adam Davidson's attack on Brett Cowan was overwhelmingly positive

Schoolboy Daniel Morcombe disappeared near his Sunshine Coast home in December 2003

However, Davidson's torture of Cowan has met with overwhelming online support from Australians, some of whom say the parolee should never have to pay for a beer again.

'He deserves a carton of the good stuff,' one wrote. 'Here is a true legend good on you brother you should never have to buy another beer,' wrote another.

And there was this: 'Adam, I hope you succeeded, live a good life sir, thank you'.

Davidson walked free from Woodford Correctional Centre, about 80 kilometres north of Brisbane, on Wednesday morning and rejoined his family that afternoon.

The 31-year-old was hailed by many as a hero for his prison attack on Cowan, the repeat child sex offender who abducted and murdered 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in December 2003.

One woman even set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Davidson but his mother said that appeal was not welcome and had nothing to do with her family.

'He doesn't need funds,' Ms Fallbrown said. 'We don't need money. And he really doesn't need pats on the back for it either.'

Ms Fallbrown, who lives west of Brisbane, just wanted her son out of jail.

Former tattoo artist Adam Paul Davidson poured boiling water over child killer Brett Cowan

Adam Davidson, who poured boiling water over Brett Cowan, pictured several years ago

Social media reaction to Adam Davidson's attack on Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Cowan

Adam Davidson's mum Annette Fallbrown says her son is not a hero for attacking Brett Cowan

'He's been in lockdown for 12 months over what he did to Cowan,' the 56-year-old said. 'Just because of what he's done to Cowan he's been put on a dangerous offenders list.

'He's done it extremely tough. There's a lot that the press don't know and nobody knows. And it won't be brought out.'

Ms Fallbrown said her son had serious mental health problems and had repeatedly harmed himself.

'At the moment he just needs to get used to being out. He's been in and out for 10 years.'

Davidson poured a bucket of boiling water over Cowan's head inside Wolston Correctional Centre at Wacol, south-west of Brisbane, in August 2016.

Onetime tattoo artist Adam Davidson has had a terrible time in prison according to his mum

Social media users want to buy Adam Davidson a beer for attacking child killer Brett Cowan

Schoolboy Daniel Morcombe was abducted and murdered by Brett Cowan in December 2003

Many of the inmates at Wolston are sex offenders on protection or high-profile inmates. Davidson is not.

Ms Fallbrown said her son, who was serving a sentence for robbery and fraud, should not have been placed anywhere near Cowan or some of the then 46-year-old's fellow paedophiles.

'They should not have done it,' she said. 'He's gone in there and ended up face to face with these people. They shouldn't have had him in there.

'Adam was telling me in phone calls up to six weeks before this happened he was having trouble with Cowan.'

Davidson was still a teenager when Daniel was killed and had lived and worked near where the youngster disappeared. Like many other inmates the father-of-four was sickened by Cowan's crimes.

Adam Davidson has been released on parole after attacking Brett Cowan with boiling water

Father-of-four Adam Davidson suffers from serious mental problems, his parents have said

'They've all got kids,' Ms Fallbrown said.

'It wasn't premeditated. He was having trouble coping, keeping the blinkers on.'

As for the GoFundMe page organiser, Ms Fallbrown said her family did not need help like that.

'I've had conversations with her and she just doesn't get it,' Ms Fallbrown said. 'We don't need money and he's getting pats on the back for something that he shouldn't be.'

Ms Fallbrown's husband Mark agreed his stepson had done nothing heroic.

'We believe that and he believes it too,' Mr Fallbrown said.

'From what I hear 80 per cent of people out there like what he's done. But they're not thinking about Adam.

Brett Peter Cowan was sentenced to life in jail for murdering schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, 13

Father-of-four Adam Davidson has been in and out of Queensland prisons for the past 10 years

'And pouring hot water over someone is a terrible thing.'

Mr Fallbrown also believed his stepson should never have been in the same part of any prison as Cowan.

'They should never have put Cowan back in there and they should never have put him near someone like Adam.'

The 57-year-old said his stepson had serious psychological problems and had complained about being near Cowan.

'He was telling us "I can't handle being around this guy" for six weeks and they let it happen,' he said. 'I believe they were aware of it.

'Alarm bells should have gone off but obviously they didn't do anything.

'Adam's got psychological issues. They both should be allowed to do their time without c*** like this.'

Adam Davidson pictured shortly after his release from Woodford prison on Wednesday

Schoolboy Daniel Morcombe disappeared from a Sunshine Coast bus stop in December 2003

Mr Fallbrown said he and Adam had regularly driven by the spot where Daniel was last seen. 'I would have passed that spot on the day when Daniel disappeared,' he said.

Cowan was arrested in August 2011, almost eight years after Daniel's disappearance. Currently serving a life sentence for murder, he had two previous convictions for sexually assaulting children.

Davidson pleaded guilty last month to torturing Cowan and was sentenced to three years, but was released on Wednesday due to time already served.

Mr Fallbrown said his stepson had long been distressed by Cowan's offences.

'I think the biggest thing was the fact he was allowed to be around him,' he said.

'They should have said "we can't have Adam around him" at the very least. If they didn't want to move Cowan, move Adam.'

Adam Davidson has been paroled after his attack on Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Cowan

Adam Davidson pictured shortly after he was released on parole on Wednesday morning

Mrs Fallbrown said she and her husband, who had been together 26 years, did not welcome public attention but understood the interest in their son.

'If he wasn't our boy we'd be just as interested,' Ms Fallbrown said. 'But knowing the circumstances and knowing him it makes it a whole different ball game.'

Davidson's circumstances in custody since attacking Cowan had only become worse.

'He was allowed out an hour a day, which was still in restraints,' Ms Fallbrown said.

Mr Fallbrown said Davidson's natural father died three weeks ago. Psychiatrists have advised he be given time to adjust to life on the outside before he is reunited with his own children.

'It is what it is and he's done what he's done and copped the sentence for doing it,' Mr Fallbrown said.

'And hopefully he can get his life back on track.

'He'll always be the one who did what he did to Daniel Morcombe's killer.'
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Long before she knew she would marry a prince, a teenage Meghan Markle tries on diamond rings in Switzerland.

Aged about 14 or 15, Miss Markle was given a tour of a diamond house with her childhood friend Ninaki Priddy during a summer trip around Europe.

The holiday also included a sightseeing jaunt to Buckingham Palace as well as a stay at a hotel in Kensington.

Smiling for the camera in 1996, Meghan can be seen holding out her left hand to show off a huge diamond ring  not so different from the one Harry, 33, presented her with earlier this month.

This picture, from 1996, was taken two decades before the American actress, now 36, met Prince Harry.

Smiling for the camera, the teenager can be seen holding out her left hand to show off a huge diamond ring  not so different from the one Harry, 33, presented her with earlier this month.

The engagement ring, designed by the prince himself, holds three diamonds, two belonging to Princess Diana and a third from Botswana where he and Meghan have enjoyed romantic getaways.

But unlike the piece of jewellery which was revealed to the world on Monday, the young Miss Markle had to return these diamonds after posing for the picture.

A 15-year-old Meghan Markle poses in front of Buckingham Palace, with friend Ninaki Priddy, during a European trip in 1996

Miss Markle showed off her sparkling engagement ring, which Harry designed himself, made from two diamonds which belonged to his late beloved mother Diana, Princess of Wales

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared at a photocall at London's Kensington Palace yesterday. Their 16-month whirlwind romance blossomed when they met through mutual friends

Meghan 'will spend Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham' As a newly-engaged couple, Harry and his bride-to-be may be invited to spend Christmas with Queen and the rest of the royals at Sandringham this year. It is thought that the 36-year-old actress will secure an invite to the traditional festivities following the announcement of the engagement. It would breakaway from tradition however, as Kate was not invited to join Prince William for Christmas in 2010 despite announcing their engagement a month before. Both Christmas and the wedding details are still being drawn up - with the hotly-anticipated wedding guest list yet to be announced. But among the guests could be former US president Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Advertisement

Miss Priddy, 36, said: We went to a diamond house, seeing the stones, putting the eyeglass on to measure dimensions and clarity The last bit of the tour they brought out a bunch of engagement rings. And being kids, how could we not play dress-up for a second?

Other pictures of the European trip, which included a five-day tour of Britain, show Miss Markle grinning outside Buckingham Palace. The full series of fascinating images of the American, who will in May officially become a member of the Royal Family, will feature in Saturdays Daily Mail.

The photos, given exclusively to the Mail, will show Miss Markle throughout her youth  from singing at a concert as a small child to a night out with friends celebrating her university graduation.

It was reported last night that Harry had asked Meghans mother for her daughters hand in marriage.

An American magazine said Harry spoke to yoga instructor and therapist Doria Ragland about it when she flew from her Los Angeles home to join the couple at the princes Invictus Games event in Canada in September.

In their official engagement interview on Monday Harry waxed lyrical about his future mother-in-law, describing her as amazing.

He also said he had not yet met Meghans father Thomas Markle, who divorced Miss Ragland when their daughter was young, but had spoken to him on the phone.

Left, Harry and Miss Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto, this year and right, on Monday after announcing their engagement at Kensington Palace

St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire has been chosen as the venue for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding will take place at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in May because it is a place 'close to the couple's hearts'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry in May St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, pictured, the interior of the church

The royal family have flocked to congratulate the happy couple after their engagement announcement on Monday afternoon

Suits creator: We prepared for Meghan's exit Writers on the US drama had already begun writing her character Rachel Zane out a year ago, it has emerged. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Suits creator Aaron Korsh explained he could see that the actress's romance with Harry was 'burgeoning' from the start. He said the team decided to 'take a gamble that these two people were in love' - and make preparations for her potential exit well in advance. During an interview with broadcaster Mishal Husain, Korsh said: 'I knew from a year ago that this relationship was burgeoning. Advertisement

Meanwhile there was mystery over a post on Instagram by Harrys ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas, from whom he split in 2014.

The day after the engagement was announced the 28-year-old actress shared a message with her 6,000 followers which read: No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells it all.

Miss Bonas accompanied the quote with the caption: Truth #quotestoliveby.

Internet users questioned whether it was directed at her ex, with whom she split up not entirely unacrimoniously, although it is more likely that it was not aimed at Harry.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Cambridge spoke of his joy for Harry and Meghan and wished them 'all the happiness in this very exciting time' during an official trip to Finland.

But he could not resist poking fun at the prince and quipped that he now expected his fridge to be safe from raids by his younger brother, who lives close to the Duke's Kensington Palace apartment.

Harry and Meghan's engagement excitement can be revealed in a series of candid and funny shots not shown to the millions who watched in Britain and later around the world

Harry makes a funny face and makes Meghan laugh out loud in footage not shown to millions last night

Left, Miss Markle as a baby with her father Thomas and right, the actress in later years with her mother Doria Ragland

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the Wheelchair Tennis on day 3 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017

Speaking during a visit to a Helsinki-based charity, William said the family were 'all very excited, delighted for them both and wishing them all the happiness in this very exciting time.

And Meghan nephew vowed to gatecrash her wedding to Prince Harry even if he is left off the guestlist.

Thomas 'TJ' Dooley III, 26, of Mammoth Lakes, California, has revealed how he plans to visit Britain for the royal wedding at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire.

The relative, who is a Domino's Pizza manager, told The Sun: 'I'd probably come to the UK for the wedding - even if I'm not invited. I am thrilled.'

Also heaping on the praise was global relief charity World Vision, who said Meghan would bring 'vast energy' to her future work as a member of the royal family.

The comments came after it was announced Miss Markle is giving up her current charitable commitments, including her work with World Vision, to focus on her new life as a royal with a 'clean slate'.
Sam Dastyari has resigned from senior positions in the Senate on orders by Labor leader Bill Shorten, as the embattled politician faces questions about his dubious dealings with China.

Mr Shorten called on the Senator to step down from parliamentary responsibilities on Thursday saying: 'His mischaracterisation of how he came to make comments contradicting Labor policy made his position untenable'.

'I also told him that while I accept his word that he never had, nor disclosed, any classified information, his handling of these matters showed a lack of judgment, ' Mr Shorten said.

Mr Shorten also reportedly contacted ASIO to check whether Senator Dastyari posed a security threat.

Senator Dastyari's demotion comes after it was revealed he allegedly warned a Chinese political donor that his phone was likely tapped by government agencies.

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Sam Dastyari has resigned from senior positions in the Senate on orders by Labor leader Bill Shorten

Senator Dastyari resigned as the deputy opposition whip and chairman of the Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism but will remain in parliament

Senator Dastyari resigned as the deputy opposition whip and chairman of the Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism, but will remain in parliament.

Senior Turnbull government ministers zeroed in on Senator Dastyari after leaked audio suggested he defended Beijing's controversial South China Sea policy in defiance of Labor's position.

'The Chinese integrity of its borders is a matter for China,' he said in the audio from a press conference with Chinese reporters in June 2016.

Senator Dastyari had previously said he had only 'incorrectly' mumbled an answer to a question he should not have taken.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Senator Dastyari's alleged behaviour was 'disloyal conduct from the highest order'.

'If he refuses to resign, Shorten should dump him from the Labor party,' Mr Turnbull said.

'Is he on the side of the agents who keep us safe, or on the side of a foreign government?'

'I spoke to Senator Sam Dastyari and told him to resign from his senior Labor positions in the Senate,' Labor Leader Bill Shorten said

Senior Turnbull government ministers had zeroed in on Senator Dastyari (with Mr Huang) after leaked audio suggested he defended Beijing's controversial South China Sea policy in defiance of Labor's position.

Businessman Huang Xiangmo's, who Senator Dastyari allegedly tipped off, Mosman mansion on Sydney's north shore pictured

Attorney-General George Brandis would not go as far as saying the senator's actions were treasonable.

'What I'm saying is that Senator Dastyari's position, on the basis of what we know, is completely impossible,' he told ABC radio.

'Senator Dastyari took deliberate steps to undermine or subvert what he believed to be or what he believed might be an intelligence investigation.'

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop also called for the senator's scalp while Defence Minister Marise Payne said his 'recklessness' showed Labor could not be trusted on defence and national security.

Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi called on Senator Dastyari to resign from the parliament.

'This really has the smell of something that should never have crept into Canberra politics,' he told ABC radio.

Businessman and political donor Huang Xiangmo is embroiled in the controversy

Mr Huang's Mosman house where his October meeting with Senator Dastyari was held - when Dastyari allegedly warned him his phone was potentially bugged

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop also called for the senator's scalp while Defence Minister Marise Payne said his 'recklessness' showed Labor could not be trusted on defence and national security

Senator Dastyari spent a brief spell in the doghouse over earlier dealings with Chinese Communist Party linked businessman Huang Xiangmo.

The latest audio comes after the NSW Labor powerbroker was reported to have warned the donor his phone was likely being bugged by intelligence agencies during a meeting in Sydney in October 2016.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Senator Dastyari was 'not on Australia's side'.

'I expect Turnbull and the Liberals to smear me, but for he and his colleagues to suggest that I am not a true or loyal Australian is incredibly hurtful - and hurtful to all overseas-born Australians,' Senator Dastyari told AAP.

Labor leader Bill Shorten has told Sam Dastyari to quit senior positions in parliament's upper house as the embattled senator faces questions about his dealings with China

Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Senator George Brandis said Senator Dastyari's alleged conduct was a 'scandal'.

'What is a man doing in the Australian parliament, let alone occupying a senior and influential position?' he said.

'If he is prepared to thwart what he believed to be an investigation by Australian intelligence, and advise a man who he thought to be the subject of that investigation.

'How is it possible for someone guilty of that behaviour to remain in the Australian parliament?'
Marcia, get your gun: Arby's worker Marcia Rabideau, 47, on Monday helped police apprehend a thief by giving chase and holding him at gunpoint

An employee at a Michigan Arby's started her work week with a bang when she chased down a would-be robber and held him an gunpoint until police arrived to arrest him.

Marcia Rabideau, the director of operations at the fast-food franchise located on Van Dyke Road in Sterling Heights, was at work at 9am on Monday when one of her managers came knocking on the door, yelling that a man who was allegedly armed with a gun had fled with the eaterys deposits reported Mlive.com.

Acting on an instinct, Rabideau, 47, who is married to the St Charles Village police chief, jumped into her Dodge Charger and gave chase.

The married mother-of-two followed the suspect and eventually cornered him at a river bank.

At that point, as she later recounted on her Facebook page, Rabideau pulled out her Glock 9mm pistol and trained it on the hapless thief.

Rabideau is the director of operations at the Arby's on Van Dyke Road in Sterling Heights, Michigan, which on Monday was targeted by a pair of crooks

Chase: After one of the suspects stole money from the eatery, Rabideau jumped in her Dodge Charger (pictured) and cornered him at a river bank

The Arby's worker then got out of the car and held the suspect at gunpoint until cops arrived

There was no way in hell I was going to allow this cat to get away with all of our deposits, the woman wrote in the comments section. The suspect tried reaching for his gun but I told him if he lowered his f***ing hands again that I would shoot him dead and I meant it!!!! He stood in the river bank with his hands above his head until the fuzz arrived!

Meanwhile, police apprehended the suspect's getaway driver, who had taken off from the Arbys after the botched heist. A one-year-old baby was found inside the vehicle, reported Detroit Free Press.

The child was not hurt and was later returned to her mother. The money stolen from the Sterling Heights Arby's was recovered.

No weapon was ever found on the suspects, leading police to believe that the alleged robber may have implied he was armed to scare the eatery's employees.

Despite the absence of a gun, on Tuesday both suspects were charged with armed robbery and ordered held in Macomb County Jail. Their names have not been released.

According to social media posts, Marcia Rabideau has two grown children, a son and daughter, and she has been part of Saginaw Arson Watch.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced a $75 million royal commission into misconduct in the nation's financial sector.

Australia's four big banks called on the federal government to set up the inquiry into their own sector after months of growing political pressure.

The CEOs of the Commonwealth, Westpac, National Australia and ANZ banks made the request in an email sent on Thursday to Treasurer Scott Morrison.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced a royal commission into misconduct in the nation's financial sector

Australia's four big banks (Westpac, Commonwealth, NAB and ANZ) called on the federal government to set up the inquiry

The banks have since last year fought off calls for a royal commission in the face of mounting pressure on the coalition government from Labor and Nationals MPs.

Now, the bank chiefs agree an inquiry is needed to restore public trust and confidence after taking in a collective net profit of almost 30 billion this year.

The inquiry will be run by a former or serving judicial officer for 12 months, reporting back to the federal government by February 2019, Mr Turnbull said on Thursday.

The terms of reference will ensure a comprehensive investigation into how financial institutions have dealt with cases of misconduct in the past, and whether those examples expose issues of cultural and governance issues, Mr Turnbull said.

But the big banks want the inquiry widened to cover the insurance and superannuation sectors and foreign banks.

'It is now in the national interest for the political uncertainty to end,' they wrote in the email dated November 30.

'It is hurting confidence in our financial services system, including in offshore markets, and has diminished trust and respect for our sector and people.'

The banks (NAB and Commonwealth pictured) have since last year fought off calls for a royal commission in the face of mounting political pressure

The bosses acknowledged that while their banks hadn't always 'got it right and have made mistakes', they had since 2014 taken steps to improve what they do.

A strong, well-regulated banking system was in the interests of all Australians, they added. The stability of Australia's banks was key to the nation being spared the worst of the economic ramifications of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

'We now ask you and the government to act to ensure a properly constituted inquiry into the financial services sector is established to put an end to the uncertainty and restore trust, respect and confidence,' they said.

The CEOs want the inquiry to be run by an eminent and respected ex-judicial officer.

The terms of reference should be 'thoughtfully drafted and free of political influence'.

And they want its scope to cover core community concerns including banking, insurance, superannuation and non-Australian deposit-taking financial institutions.
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The apocalypse begins in darkness with the rumble of huge lorries emerging from remote hangars and mountain tunnels at secret locations across North Korea.

Time and stealth are of the essence if their deadly cargo of intercontinental ballistic missiles aren't to be spotted by circling U.S. satellites, which could prompt their destruction by cruise missiles fired from ships and submarines around the Korean Peninsula.

The Pyongyang regime, which has often staged launches around midnight, knows that its enemies' best chance of destroying its long-range missiles is while they're still on the ground.

The task of launching a hydrogen bomb at America has fallen to Kim Jong-un's fleet of Chinese-made 'transporter erector launchers'.

These giant vehicles, so often seen during military parades, can unleash North Korea's latest Hwasong-15 'Mars' missiles in as little as 20 minutes.

The US defence against North Korea's missile program features satellites, a mobile radar system, and interceptor rocket launches

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen as the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched on Tuesday

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiles as he inspects the intercontinental ballistic missile test. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event

The missile has shocked Western experts with its sophistication. At a flatter trajectory, it could hit anywhere in the U.S., although a nuclear warhead (which the test missile was not carrying) would add considerable weight and limit how far it could travel. A target on America's West Coast, however, would be easily within range.

If the attackers are lucky, the West's battery of imaging satellites and radar scanners  based on land, sea and in space, and continually watching the 'Hermit Kingdom'  will only notice when the rocket fuel ignites and gives off a heat signature betraying its position.

Airborne missiles are a far harder target to bring down.

Unless America's largely untested missile defence system manages to destroy them all  unlikely, warn experts  at least one thermonuclear warhead would detonate just half an hour later in the skies over Los Angeles. The City of Angels would become Dante's Inferno. According to a reliable nuclear blast simulation model, just a single H-bomb  like one tested by North Korea in September  detonating over central LA would kill 150,000 people and injure 370,000 more. (The estimates for a more densely packed city such as New York run into the millions.)

Everyone in a 600-yard radius below the detonation would be vaporised by a huge fireball. Many more would die in a nearly two-mile radius out from 'ground zero' due to the huge blast wave of displaced air.

Generating winds of hundreds of miles an hour, it would destroy not only all residential homes but even reinforced concrete skyscrapers. The bomb's intense heat energy would start fires in a radius of more than four miles, the thermal radiation giving third-degree burns deep into the skin, causing severe scarring and possibly requiring amputation for anyone still alive.

Affected areas would stretch as far east as the skyscrapers of downtown LA, and as far west and north as Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard and the multi-millionaire stars' homes of Beverly Hills  the glamour and glitter of Tinseltown gone in an instant.

Kim Jong-un declared the test had helped his country 'complete' its goal of becoming a nuclear power. The ICBM reached an altitude of 2,780 miles, more than ten times the height of the International Space Station

The missile travelled 600 miles on Tuesday and, based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a range of more than 8,100 miles, experts said

The missile's distance would be enough to reach London  which is 5,397 miles from North Korean capital Pyongyang. It would also be able to hit Los Angeles (5,900 miles) or Washington DC (6,850 miles)

North Korea first tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching America's West Coast in July, the LA-area Joint Regional Intelligence Centre secretly issued a 16-page nuclear attack plan

Deadly radioactive dust would be blown for hundreds of miles, but the political fallout would be far more deadly as the horrific attack sparked a global conflict.

For years it's been easy to dismiss this sort of nightmare scenario as sheer fantasy, thanks largely to the clapped-out state of North Korea's arsenal, for all the hysterical threats of its leaders.

Yet it has now been revealed that California officials are preparing for just such a cataclysm. After North Korea first tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching America's West Coast in July, the LA-area Joint Regional Intelligence Centre secretly issued a 16-page nuclear attack plan.

It tells officials that a North Korean attack on Southern California would be 'catastrophic', and warns them to urgently beef up their response strategies.

The advice ranges from 'lie face down and place hands under the body to protect exposed skin', and 'remain flat until the heat and shockwaves have passed', to the bleak assurance that there would be 'no significant federal assistance' for between 24 and 72 hours following an attack.

Experts agree that it's become terrifyingly plausible following the rogue state's announcement  since corroborated by the U.S.  that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb on September 3. Tremors from the underground explosion were felt in South Korea and China, and its power has been put at a staggering 250 kilotons.

Harnessing 17 times the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, a hydrogen bomb explosion  even an accidental one over a relatively unpopulated area  in the atmosphere would cause such devastation that massive nuclear retaliation would be inevitable.

The H-bomb development has been hailed as a 'game changer' and a 'quantum leap' in the threat posed by North Korea.

A view of the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang

North Korea ended a 10-week pause in its weapons testing on Tuesday when it fired off a Hwasong-15 rocket - its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet which the regime claimed could be fitted with a 'super heavy nuclear warhead'

China expressed 'grave concern' over the new test, with foreign ministry spokesman calling on the US to suspend military drills in the region in return for North Korea freezing its missile programme

North Korea deliberately fires its missile on a near-vertical trajectory to artificially limit the range. If the Hwasong-15 had been fired on a typical trajectory, analysts believe it would have a maximum range of around 8,000 miles (13,000km) - leaving only South America and a small part of Africa beyond it's reach

Experts generally agree that Kim Jong-un is more likely to drop a hydrogen bomb on another country by accident rather than design

'We used to talk about North Korea hypothetically. Unfortunately now it's not so hypothetical,' says Rodger Baker, a North Korea analyst at Stratfor, a U.S. global intelligence firm.

Experts generally agree that Kim Jong-un is more likely to drop a hydrogen bomb on another country by accident rather than design. While he may be bad  allowing his people to starve, and machine-gunning members of his own family  he's not mad.

He'll know that he's committing suicide by launching a nuclear attack against the U.S. or its Asian allies, South Korea and Japan  both of which have treaties virtually guaranteeing America would hit back with atomic weapons. However, Pyongyang has been launching so many missiles  16 separate tests so far this year  that some people believe a monumental slip-up is inevitable.

Alternatively, Donald Trump may provoke Kim either by launching a military operation, or goading him with colourful threats.

Mr Trump has warned he will 'unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen' on his 'suicidal' foe, while Pyongyang has insisted the U.S. President's threats amount to a declaration of war.

According to North Korean officials, the deluded regime has long believed it could rein in a hostile U.S. if it could just destroy one of its cities.

At least the U.S. would know pretty quickly if North Korea was unleashing a real attack. In order to have the best chance of getting past U.S. and Japanese missile defences, Pyongyang would fire every missile it had in the hope that this 'swarm attack' would ensure at least one got through.

It would take less than a minute for satellites to raise the alarm at the U.S. missile defence command and control centre at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado.

US President Donald Trump has warned he will 'unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen' on his 'suicidal' foe, while Pyongyang has insisted the threats amount to a declaration of war

Asked if Tuesday's provocation by despot Kim Jong-un had changed his strategy in the region, Trump said: 'Nothing changed.' Pictured above, the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test that was successfully launched in North Korea

The North Korean leader was surrounded by subordinates who keenly clapped the test, which saw the rocket - capable of reaching London or New York - crash into the sea 620 miles away. He's pictured above examining the missile

Tuesday's test marked the first missile launched since one was fired across Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on September 15. Pictured above, Kim examines the ICBM

The base would direct radars in the Pacific region to track each missile in the five to seven minutes it took them to climb into outer space, gathering information on velocity, trajectory and altitude, so the command centre could work out the type of missile and whether it was heading for the U.S.

Shooting down a long-range ballistic missile in flight has been likened to hitting a speeding bullet with another bullet  except that, at an average speed of four miles a second (14,400mph) ICBMs are eight times faster than a bullet.

The U.S. and its Pacific allies have various defences to take out shorter-range North Korean missiles over the ocean.

These consist of the ship-based Aegis system and the ground-based THAAD missiles located in South Korea and on the U.S. island of Guam.

Neither system, however, is considered able to knock out an ICBM, which travels much higher and faster than less powerful types of missile and therefore requires a different type of defence.

Stopping an ICBM would fall to America's $40 billion Ground-Based Midcourse Defence (GMD) system, which has 34 large 'interceptor' missiles  four at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and 30 at Fort Greely in Alaska.

Those interceptor missiles would be fired from their silos within eight to ten minutes of the North Korean launch being detected. As the missiles soared into space, they would be tracked by U.S. radars able to look out for Pyongyang countermeasures such as decoy rockets launched in a 'threat cloud' of flying objects designed to confuse defences.

In space, the U.S. interceptors release what's called an Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), a device designed to destroy missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere.

It seeks out its target using a cutting-edge onboard computer and a rocket motor that helps it steer in space.

Such a device would hurtle through space for about six to 12 minutes before hopefully pulverising a Korean missile as it smashed into it at 22,000mph.

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, left with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Wednesday, said that North Korea's launch of a new style of intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated the regime now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world'

Unfortunately, this impressive-sounding system has met with mixed results in trials, and has never been tested in battle.

Critics say the EKV system is deeply flawed, and some scientists have calculated that if North Korea launched even five ICBMs, there would be a 28 per cent chance of one of them getting through.

The Pentagon claimed in June it can protect the U.S. from a 'small number' of missiles, not a barrage.

Uncertainty remains over what North Korea has in terms of missiles and bomb payloads. However, Kim Jong-un has ramped up his research programme to feverish levels in the past year.

As for Trump, once his defence chiefs were sure mainland America was the target, he would have little time  'maybe ten minutes', a U.S. defence expert said recently  to decide whether to launch a retaliatory strike before LA was hit.

American land-based ICBMs could be in the air within five minutes, while those on submarines would take 15 minutes. Once launched, they cannot be recalled.

Professor Anthony Glees, head of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at Buckingham University, says that the nuclear violence would spread rapidly.

China, feeling threatened by American reprisals, and watching its ally North Korea obliterated, would inevitably become involved militarily. So would Britain, with its Trident nuclear subs, and other Nato countries under their Article 5 commitment to support the U.S.

And as the nuclear fallout spread across the globe, the disaster would 'open the floodgates' to other nuclear-armed countries  notably India and Pakistan  deciding they have 'nothing left to lose but to settle old scores'.

'Nuclear winter would result. The nuclear dust would eventually kill everybody,' says Professor Glees flatly. 'This would be the Doomsday bomb.'
A high school study may have found the answer to stopping Sydney's out-of-control housing market - give every street an embarrassing name.

Research conducted by students at a Victorian girls school, a real estate agent, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics have identified homes with awkwardly-titled addresses are an astonishing 20 per cent cheaper.

Butt Street, Wanke Road and Willys Avenue were among those included in the investigation, with a clear trend evident in identifying the key to cheaper houses.

A high school study may have found the answer to stopping Sydney's out-of-control housing market - give every street an embarrassing name

Research conducted by students at a Victorian girls school have identified homes with awkwardly-titled addresses are an astonishing 20 per cent cheaper

Students at Sacred Heart College in Geelong investigated 27 streets across the state with odd names to see if there was any correlation between titles and their prices.

They approached the ABS, who helped them identify 47 years worth of data from $1.5 billion worth of auctions in the area.

The results found that houses on Fanny Street and Beaver Street, among others, brought in sales 20 per cent lower than average, which equates to $140,000 below Melbourne's median price.

They then surveyed 323 adults on the addresses and their likelihood of purchasing a home with all the information at their disposal.

'We think that there is a proportion of people that would not be comfortable living in those streets, so they don't compete for those properties and that would drive prices down,' Sacred Heart head of science Dr Adam Cole told the ABC.

'We think it's probably got to do with a proportion of people being embarrassed by the address when they have to give it out.'

The study found the embarrassing name-effect was most prevalent in major cities where there was more options for buyers.

The news is sure to send potential investors in the direction of suburbs like Rooty Hill, Cockburn and Dog Swamp.
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This is the moment North Korea test-fired its most powerful ICBM ever which is likely capable of striking almost anywhere on earth.

Kim Jong-un can be seen walking alongside a huge new mobile launch platform, which North Korea said was specifically constructed for this missile, before the rocket is maneuvered into place.

After a short countdown the Hwasong-15 missile is blasted into the atmosphere, reaching ten times the height of the International Space Station before falling back down to earth.

Unlike other test videos, this one was filmed at night because the launch took place around 3am Korea time.

Photos have emerged of the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile which was launched from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongyang Province at around 3.30am yesterday

The North Korean leader was surrounded by subordinates who keenly clapped the test, which saw the rocket fall into Japanese waters yesterday

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen as the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched on Tuesday

The ballistic missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongan Province at around 3.30am local time, much to the delight of Kim Jong-un

A view of the newly developed intercontinental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15's test was successfully launched is seen in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang

North Korea deliberately fires its missile on a near-vertical trajectory to artificially limit the range. If the Hwasong-15 had been fired on a typical trajectory, analysts believe it would have a maximum range of around 8,000 miles (13,000km) - leaving only South America and a small part of Africa beyond it's reach

The missile flew for around 50 minutes, travelling 1,000km (620 miles), reaching an unprecedented altitude of 2,800 miles, before splashing down in the Sea of Japan

While it is not known exactly why Kim's regime chose to launch in the middle of the night, some have theorised that it was to minimise interference on the sensitive devices used to track the missile's progress.

The day before the test took place, South Korea detected that a missile tracking radar had been switched on at a North Korean base, putting Seoul on alert that a rocket was about to be fired.

The video was broadcast in the afternoon on Korean Central Television, the dictatorship's state-run TV service, and presented by Ri Chun-Hee, the veteran newsreader who is used for significant announcements.

It comes after pictures were released showing a clearly elated Kim watching the missile launch before lighting up a cigarette in celebration afterwards.

The dictator was previously spotted smoking next to the missile before launch, though it seems his advisors have since informed him this was not a good idea considering the several tons of rocket fuel sitting close by.

The Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Korea's South Pyongan Province.

It flew for around 50 minutes, reaching an unprecedented altitude of 2,800 miles, before splashing down in the Sea of Japan around 620 miles away.

It marked the first missile launched since one was fired across Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on September 15.

Donald Trump took a rhetorical shot at North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un on Wednesday, calling him 'a sick puppy' for blasting an intercontinental ballistic missile in Japan's direction.

Kim Jong-un, with cigarette in hand, is seen laughing and joking in photographs taken after the successful launch of the ballistic missile

Trump said that he plans to slap North Korea with 'major' new sanctions after Tuesday's launch of a missile (pictured: Kim Jong-un inspects the missile ahead of launch) that could theoretically reach the continental United States

The Hwasong-15 missile on top of its mobile launch platform, which North Korea said was built specifically for this test

The launcher was set up in Pyongsong province, near to the capital Pyongyang, and is not a site previously used for tests

The rocket was launched around 3.30am local time, and some observers suggested this was to reduce interference on sensitive monitoring equipment

'Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea,' Trump tweeted Wednesday morning

A map showing the estimated maximum range of North Korea's new Hwasong-15 ICBM which is capable of hitting virtually anywhere in the world with the exception of South America and parts of southern Africa

Trump had said earlier in the day that he plans to slap North Korea with 'major' new sanctions after Tuesday's launch of a missile that could theoretically reach the continental United States.

He spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, after spending months working with China to try to apply additional pressure and making repeated public statements about China's ability to bring the rogue nation to heel.

'Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea,' Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

Trump asks China to cut off oil supply to North Korea The United States has asked China to cut off oil supply to North Korea, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Wednesday. 'President Trump called Chinese President Xi [Jinping] this morning and told him that we've come to the point where China must cut off the oil from North Korea. That would be a pivotal step in the world's effort to stop this international pariah,' Haley said. On October 1 China restricted supply to 2million barrels per annum. Petrol prices in Pyongyang have increased by around 20 per cent in the last two months as a result. About 80-90 per cent of North Korea's total trade is with China. Advertisement

'Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!' Trump said, without specifying who would be imposing the sanctions  the U.S., China, or both.

Russia on Thursday rejected a US call to cut ties with North Korea in response to the Stalinist regime's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

'We see this negatively. We have repeatedly stated that the pressure of sanctions has been exhausted,' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

His statement came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has bragged that his country has achieved full nuclear statehood after the missile test.

State media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere, which if confirmed would be an important technical advance.

According to an official White House statement about the call with President Xi: 'President Trump underscored the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime.'

'President Trump emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization,' according to the statement.

Still images released by KCTV on Thursday showed Kim inspecting the launcher before it was moved to the testing site

This picture gives a sense of the size of the Hwasong-15 missile as it lays on its launcher. Also clearly visible are the two stages of the rocket - a large initial stage to blast off from the ground, and a second smaller stage to manoeuver the rocket in the air, with a staggered white line to indicate where they separate

Kim Jong-un celebrates with his rocket engineers following the successful launch of the Hwasong-15 on Wednesday morning

Kim meets the team behind the missile launch as they celebrate the successful test

North Korea ended a 10-week pause in its weapons testing on Tuesday when it fired off a Hwasong-15 rocket - its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile yet which the regime claimed could be fitted with a 'super heavy nuclear warhead'.

It poses a new challenge for President Donald Trump who has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the US mainland.

After watching the launch, Kim Jong-un boasted about its success, according to state television presenter Ri Chun-Hee.

'Kim Jong-un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power,' the presenter said.

'The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK,' she added, using the abbreviated name for North Korea.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned on Tuesday that North Korea now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world' and that the latest missile test went 'higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken.'

It comes as a former NASA scientist has warned that North Korea is just one mistake away from sparking World War Three.

Dr David Baker, who advised the Reagan administration during the Cold War, spoke out after Kim Jong-un tested his most powerful ICMB to date which puts most of the world within range.

Dr Baker said the dictator is taking 'considerable' risks with such tests which could see a missile malfunction and veer off-target.

KIM 'COULD DEAL FATAL BLOW TO WINTER OLYMPICS' North Korea could deliver a 'fatal blow' to the 2018 Winter Olympics if it launches a missile or stages another provocation before the event, a South Korean minister warned Thursday. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon made the remarks as reports said annual South Korea-US military exercises might be postponed to avoid coinciding with the winter games and paralympics in South Korea's Pyeongchang. 'If the North provokes again at a time when the Olympic Games are imminent, it may deal a fatal blow to the Olympics,' he said at a forum in Seoul. 'Therefore it is important to stage the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in a stable atmosphere', he added. The world's largest winter sports festival takes place from February 9 to 25, 2018. The Paralympics are scheduled to begin on March 9. Both will be held in the mountainous resort town of Pyeongchang, 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the tense border with North Korea. The annual military exercises, codenamed Key Resolve/Foal Eagle, usually start late February or early March and run until the end of April. Tensions tend to rise during the drills, which are condemned by the North as rehearsals for invasion. North Korea has reacted angrily to the exercises, conducting its own military drills including missile launches. Yonhap news agency, quoting defence sources, said Seoul may request the postponement of the joint US-South Korea exercises to avoid overlapping with the Olympics. But the presidential Blue House said it has not discussed this or made any decisions on the matter. Advertisement

North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a senior broadcaster who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark missile launch

Pictures released by the South Korean Navy show the country's ship-to-surface missile Haesong-II being fired from the Aegis ship in response to North Korea's missile test

North Koreans were spotted celebrating on the street after hearing the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned on Tuesday that North Korea now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world' and that the latest missile test went 'higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken'

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson took to Twitter to condemn the missile launch

'This is quite dangerous given the proximity of peripheral states who would accept as a declaration of war any stray missile hitting their territory, whether it carried a warhead or not,' he said.

'The risk is considerable. Even technologically advanced nations struggle to keep these missiles on track.'

He pointed to the example of a British test off Cape Canaveral last year when a ballistic missile had to be destroyed after it was accidentally launched at America, rather than into open waters near Africa.

'North Korea is putting considerable faith in the guidance systems of these missiles,' he added.

He added that the hermit state could now be as little as a year away from gaining the ability to bring a nuclear weapon back down to earth intact.

North Korean state media said the latest test missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere.

'If North Korea were to demonstrate that ability with a missile launched deep into the Pacific Ocean, that would be more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis,' Dr Baker said.

He added: 'That would almost certainly cause a military response from America, and I would not rule out the use of tactical nuclear strikes in that situation.

'We are living in increasingly dangerous times. The movement towards accepting the use of nuclear arms in a conflict is being lowered year by year.'

Kim Jong-un is placing 'considerable' faith in the guidance systems of his missiles, Dr Baker said, adding that even advanced nations struggle to keep the weapons on track

It comes as South Korean reunification minister Cho Myoung-gyon warned that Kim Jong Un may develop a viable long-range nuclear weapon within a year (file image)

Crazy Kim's nuclear threat to the West is suddenly VERY real: As North Korea launches its most powerful missile yet, a chilling account of why America's defence shield ISN'T impregnable - and Britain's even more vulnerable

By Tom Leonard in New York for the Daily Mail

The apocalypse begins in darkness with the rumble of huge lorries emerging from remote hangars and mountain tunnels at secret locations across North Korea.

Time and stealth are of the essence if their deadly cargo of intercontinental ballistic missiles aren't to be spotted by circling U.S. satellites, which could prompt their destruction by cruise missiles fired from ships and submarines around the Korean Peninsula.

The Pyongyang regime, which has often staged launches around midnight, knows that its enemies' best chance of destroying its long-range missiles is while they're still on the ground.

The task of launching a hydrogen bomb at America has fallen to Kim Jong-un's fleet of Chinese-made 'transporter erector launchers'.

These giant vehicles, so often seen during military parades, can unleash North Korea's latest Hwasong-15 'Mars' missiles in as little as 20 minutes.

The US defence against North Korea's missile program features satellites, a mobile radar system, and interceptor rocket launches

The missile has shocked Western experts with its sophistication. At a flatter trajectory, it could hit anywhere in the U.S., although a nuclear warhead (which the test missile was not carrying) would add considerable weight and limit how far it could travel. A target on America's West Coast, however, would be easily within range.

If the attackers are lucky, the West's battery of imaging satellites and radar scanners  based on land, sea and in space, and continually watching the 'Hermit Kingdom'  will only notice when the rocket fuel ignites and gives off a heat signature betraying its position.

Airborne missiles are a far harder target to bring down.

Unless America's largely untested missile defence system manages to destroy them all  unlikely, warn experts  at least one thermonuclear warhead would detonate just half an hour later in the skies over Los Angeles. The City of Angels would become Dante's Inferno. According to a reliable nuclear blast simulation model, just a single H-bomb  like one tested by North Korea in September  detonating over central LA would kill 150,000 people and injure 370,000 more. (The estimates for a more densely packed city such as New York run into the millions.)

Everyone in a 600-yard radius below the detonation would be vaporised by a huge fireball. Many more would die in a nearly two-mile radius out from 'ground zero' due to the huge blast wave of displaced air.

Generating winds of hundreds of miles an hour, it would destroy not only all residential homes but even reinforced concrete skyscrapers. The bomb's intense heat energy would start fires in a radius of more than four miles, the thermal radiation giving third-degree burns deep into the skin, causing severe scarring and possibly requiring amputation for anyone still alive.

Affected areas would stretch as far east as the skyscrapers of downtown LA, and as far west and north as Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard and the multi-millionaire stars' homes of Beverly Hills  the glamour and glitter of Tinseltown gone in an instant.

Deadly radioactive dust would be blown for hundreds of miles, but the political fallout would be far more deadly as the horrific attack sparked a global conflict.

For years it's been easy to dismiss this sort of nightmare scenario as sheer fantasy, thanks largely to the clapped-out state of North Korea's arsenal, for all the hysterical threats of its leaders.

Kim keeps a close eye over his subordinates as they make final adjustments to the missile before it was launched

Hwasong-15 is the most powerful ICBM North Korea has ever fired, and is likely capable of hitting almost anywhere on Earth

Yet it has now been revealed that California officials are preparing for just such a cataclysm. After North Korea first tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching America's West Coast in July, the LA-area Joint Regional Intelligence Centre secretly issued a 16-page nuclear attack plan.

It tells officials that a North Korean attack on Southern California would be 'catastrophic', and warns them to urgently beef up their response strategies.

The advice ranges from 'lie face down and place hands under the body to protect exposed skin', and 'remain flat until the heat and shockwaves have passed', to the bleak assurance that there would be 'no significant federal assistance' for between 24 and 72 hours following an attack.

Experts agree that it's become terrifyingly plausible following the rogue state's announcement  since corroborated by the U.S.  that it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb on September 3. Tremors from the underground explosion were felt in South Korea and China, and its power has been put at a staggering 250 kilotons.

Harnessing 17 times the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, a hydrogen bomb explosion  even an accidental one over a relatively unpopulated area  in the atmosphere would cause such devastation that massive nuclear retaliation would be inevitable.

The H-bomb development has been hailed as a 'game changer' and a 'quantum leap' in the threat posed by North Korea.

'We used to talk about North Korea hypothetically. Unfortunately now it's not so hypothetical,' says Rodger Baker, a North Korea analyst at Stratfor, a U.S. global intelligence firm.

Experts generally agree that Kim Jong-un is more likely to drop a hydrogen bomb on another country by accident rather than design. While he may be bad  allowing his people to starve, and machine-gunning members of his own family  he's not mad.

He'll know that he's committing suicide by launching a nuclear attack against the U.S. or its Asian allies, South Korea and Japan  both of which have treaties virtually guaranteeing America would hit back with atomic weapons. However, Pyongyang has been launching so many missiles  16 separate tests so far this year  that some people believe a monumental slip-up is inevitable.

Alternatively, Donald Trump may provoke Kim either by launching a military operation, or goading him with colourful threats.

Mr Trump has warned he will 'unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen' on his 'suicidal' foe, while Pyongyang has insisted the U.S. President's threats amount to a declaration of war.

According to North Korean officials, the deluded regime has long believed it could rein in a hostile U.S. if it could just destroy one of its cities.

At least the U.S. would know pretty quickly if North Korea was unleashing a real attack. In order to have the best chance of getting past U.S. and Japanese missile defences, Pyongyang would fire every missile it had in the hope that this 'swarm attack' would ensure at least one got through.

US President Donald Trump has warned he will 'unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen' on his 'suicidal' foe, while Pyongyang has insisted the threats amount to a declaration of war

It would take less than a minute for satellites to raise the alarm at the U.S. missile defence command and control centre at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado.

The base would direct radars in the Pacific region to track each missile in the five to seven minutes it took them to climb into outer space, gathering information on velocity, trajectory and altitude, so the command centre could work out the type of missile and whether it was heading for the U.S.

Shooting down a long-range ballistic missile in flight has been likened to hitting a speeding bullet with another bullet  except that, at an average speed of four miles a second (14,400mph) ICBMs are eight times faster than a bullet.

The U.S. and its Pacific allies have various defences to take out shorter-range North Korean missiles over the ocean.

These consist of the ship-based Aegis system and the ground-based THAAD missiles located in South Korea and on the U.S. island of Guam.

Neither system, however, is considered able to knock out an ICBM, which travels much higher and faster than less powerful types of missile and therefore requires a different type of defence.

Stopping an ICBM would fall to America's $40 billion Ground-Based Midcourse Defence (GMD) system, which has 34 large 'interceptor' missiles  four at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and 30 at Fort Greely in Alaska.

Those interceptor missiles would be fired from their silos within eight to ten minutes of the North Korean launch being detected. As the missiles soared into space, they would be tracked by U.S. radars able to look out for Pyongyang countermeasures such as decoy rockets launched in a 'threat cloud' of flying objects designed to confuse defences.

In space, the U.S. interceptors release what's called an Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), a device designed to destroy missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere.

It seeks out its target using a cutting-edge onboard computer and a rocket motor that helps it steer in space.

Such a device would hurtle through space for about six to 12 minutes before hopefully pulverising a Korean missile as it smashed into it at 22,000mph.

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, left with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Wednesday, said that North Korea's launch of a new style of intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated the regime now has the ability to hit 'everywhere in the world'

Unfortunately, this impressive-sounding system has met with mixed results in trials, and has never been tested in battle.

Critics say the EKV system is deeply flawed, and some scientists have calculated that if North Korea launched even five ICBMs, there would be a 28 per cent chance of one of them getting through.

The Pentagon claimed in June it can protect the U.S. from a 'small number' of missiles, not a barrage.

Uncertainty remains over what North Korea has in terms of missiles and bomb payloads. However, Kim Jong-un has ramped up his research programme to feverish levels in the past year.

As for Trump, once his defence chiefs were sure mainland America was the target, he would have little time  'maybe ten minutes', a U.S. defence expert said recently  to decide whether to launch a retaliatory strike before LA was hit.

American land-based ICBMs could be in the air within five minutes, while those on submarines would take 15 minutes. Once launched, they cannot be recalled.

Professor Anthony Glees, head of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at Buckingham University, says that the nuclear violence would spread rapidly.

China, feeling threatened by American reprisals, and watching its ally North Korea obliterated, would inevitably become involved militarily. So would Britain, with its Trident nuclear subs, and other Nato countries under their Article 5 commitment to support the U.S.

And as the nuclear fallout spread across the globe, the disaster would 'open the floodgates' to other nuclear-armed countries  notably India and Pakistan  deciding they have 'nothing left to lose but to settle old scores'.

'Nuclear winter would result. The nuclear dust would eventually kill everybody,' says Professor Glees flatly. 'This would be the Doomsday bomb.'
Shocking footage shows workers slapping their faces in a hair salon in China.

The workers were said to be forced to punish themselves after performing poorly and failing to hit their work targets.

The video has sparked an outcry among Chinese people who blamed the company for its 'outrageous' and 'sickening' punishment.

Employers at a hair salon can be seen being punished and slapping their faces hard (left). One female staff is seen as one of the five that's been being filmed (right)

At least five workers, including four men and one woman, can be seen standing in circle in a salon in a Chinese city, as video shows.

They are all slapping their faces non-stop by one hand.

It's suggested to be happened in a Chinese city, according to People's Daily Online.

Web users said the punishment was similar to those happened in schools and kindergartens.

'Is physical punishment still a thing to adults?' One user 'Janjinbunjin' asked.

Web users have criticised the company, saying such physical punishment were unnecessary

'This is sick, physical punishment for what?' Queried another web user.

Some others said the workers failed to hit the sales target and being punished to slap their faces.

'Most of these companies set a high target for workers every month and once if they fail, there are so many ways to humiliate them,' said web user 'liaojie_yuan'.
Scientists have discovered that much of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation developed around an extinct river.

New research reveals how this early human culture, famed for building the earliest known toilets, became 'urbanised' thousands of years ago.

It shows that many Indus urban centres were not built along a major river, unlike many ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian hubs.

The findings suggest that ancient civilisations didn't necessarily need a flowing river system in order to thrive, as previous studies have suggested.

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Pictured is a map showing northwestern India and Pakistan, major Himalayan rivers and the distribution of Indus Civilisation settlements. For years, experts have not known why prominent clusters of Indus urban settlements were not located near modern large rivers

THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION The Indus Civilisation, also known as the Harappan Civilisation, was an advanced Bronze Age society. It developed mainly in the northwestern regions of South Asia from 5,300 to 3,300 years ago. The Indus cities were at their richest between and 2600 and 1900 BC. Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early civilisations of the Old World. The Empire stretched from the Arabian Sea to the Ganges, over what is now Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. At its peak, the civilisation may have had a population of more than 5 million, making up 10 per cent of the world's population. Among their settlements, researchers have uncovered the world's first known toilets, along with complex stone weights, drilled gemstone necklaces and exquisitely carved seal stone. Etched in of these artefacts is an unusual and complex script, which researchers are racing to decipher. Why the Civilisation disappeared around 3,000 years ago remains a msytery, but experts have suggested war, famine or even climate change could have been responsible. Advertisement

Most major ancient urban civilisations, such as Egypt and Mesopotamia, formed around big rivers like the Nile.

The flowing waters brought an abundance of fertile land, and allowed groups to easily transport and trade goods long distances.

Research into early civilisations has focused on the role of rivers drying up leading to abandonment of urban centres by ancient communities.

But the new study, led by researchers from Imperial College London and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, could help archaeologists take a fresh look at the development of urbanisation in early civilisations.

Speaking to MailOnline, lead researcher Professor Sanjeev Gupta, said: 'I think it shows us that early civilisations were highly adaptable to environmental constraints.

'It has been generally assumed that these cultures required perennial rivers to support them but we show that this was not a requirement.'

Archaeological evidence shows that many of the settlements in the Indus Civilisation developed along the banks of a river called the Ghaggar-Hakra in northwest India and Pakistan.

It is thought that this was a major Himalayan river that dried up, either due to climate change or tectonic plate shift.

But until now, scientists had not pinpointed how long ago the river dried up.

Many had assumed it flowed while the Indus urban centres grew, helping each group to develop from villages into functioning towns.

The new study has now shown that a major Himalayan river did not flow at the same time as the development of Indus settlements.

Archaeological evidence shows that many of the settlements in the Indus Civilisation (yellow triangles) developed along the banks of a river called the Ghaggar-Hakra (dark blue) in northwest India and Pakistan

ADVANCED INDUS CITIES The Indus Valley Civilisation possessed considerable skills when it came to town planning and building. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are laid out in grids, with individual homes supplied with water from wells and waste water diverted to covered drains. This is perhaps the world's first known sanitation system. Some houses had two storeys, a bath and a courtyard. The needs of citizens were catered for with municipal buildings, marketplaces, dockyards, granaries, warehouses and protective walls to shield inhabitants from floods and attack. Unlike in other early human civilisations, no evidence of temples or palaces have been found, yet evidence suggests the Indus had a social hierarchy. It's thought most city dwellers were traders or artisans, with elaborate pottery, beads and metalwork recovered. Advertisement

The research shows how ancient urban centres didn't necessarily need an active, flowing river system in order to thrive.

Professor Gupta told MailOnline: 'This is useful to scientists and archaeologists because it tells us something about how early people adapted to the landscape and environment.

'This region occupied by the Indus people is a semi-arid landscape and yet they were able to support themselves and develop an urban culture by using the landscape.'

To discover more about the history of the region's rivers, the team drilled cores through the dried Ghaggar-Hakra river bed.

It is thought the Ghaggar-Hakra river (dark blue) was a major Himalayan river that dried up thousands of years ago. New research shows that the river dried up before Indus urban settlements (triangles) grew, suggesting early human societies did not need flowing water

KEY FINDINGS The study shows that a major Himalayan river, the Sutlej River, used to flow along the trace of the Ghaggar-Hakra river, but changed course upstream eight thousand years ago. This meant that 3,000 years later, when the Indus people settled the area, there was only an abandoned large river valley. Rather than the constant flow of a large Himalayan river, the valley would only ever fill with water during seasonal monsoon river flow. The researchers say the time gap between the river shifting course and the Indus Civilisation settlements appearing rules out the existence of a Himalayan-fed river that nourished Indus Civilisation urban settlements along the river channel. The team were also able to pinpoint what the original source of the river sediments had been, showing that the Himalayan Sutlej River had once flowed along the Ghaggar-Hakra dried river channel, or 'palaeochannel'. They found that after the Sutlej River changed course, the scar it left in the landscape captured river flow during monsoons. This meant that despite not living along a permanent river, the Indus settlements still benefited from a water source. Advertisement

They then analysed the layers of river sediments that had built up over time.

To find out when the sediments had been deposited by the river while it was flowing, they dated mineral grains extracted from the sediment.

When sediments are buried beneath the ground, natural background radiation results in energy being stored in mineral grains such as quartz and feldspar.

If the mineral grains are not exposed to light the energy builds up and represents the amount of time since their burial.

Scientists can then measure the stored energy in the laboratory and pinpoint when the layers of sediment were buried.

The new study shows that a major Himalayan river, the Sutlej River, used to flow along the trace of the Ghaggar-Hakra river ('Abandoned Sutlej incised valley'), but rapidly changed course upstream eight thousand years ago (yellow arrow). This meant that 3,000 years later, when the Indus people settled the area, there was only an abandoned river valley

THE STUDY To discover more about the history of the river, the team drilled cores through the dried Ghaggar-Hakra river bed. They then analysed the layers of river sediments that had built up over time. To find out when the sediments had been deposited by the river while it was flowing, they dated mineral grains extracted from the sediment. When sediments are buried beneath the ground, natural background radiation results in energy being stored in mineral grains such as quartz and feldspar. If the mineral grains are not exposed to light the amount of energy builds up and represents the amount of time since their burial. Scientists can then measure the stored energy in the laboratory and pinpoint when the layers of sediment were buried. This method, called optically stimulated luminescence dating, can therefore tell them when the river last flowed. The team were also able to determine where the original material in the river came from by dating mineral grains such as zircon and mica, revealing the previous course of the river. Advertisement

This method, called optically stimulated luminescence dating, can therefore tell them when the river last flowed.

The team were also able to determine where the original material in the river came from by dating mineral grains such as zircon and mica, revealing the previous course of the river.

The new study shows that a major Himalayan river, the Sutlej River, used to flow along the trace of the Ghaggar-Hakra river, but rapidly changed course upstream eight thousand years ago.

Rather than the constant flow of a large Himalayan river, the valley would only ever fill with water during seasonal monsoon river flow. The ancient Indus site of Kalibangan (pictured) is found around the higher margins of the Ghaggar-Hakra dried river channel

This meant that 3,000 years later, when the Indus people settled the area, there was only an abandoned large river valley.

Rather than the constant flow of a large Himalayan river, the valley would only ever fill with water during seasonal monsoon river flow.

The researchers say the time gap between the river shifting course and the Indus Civilisation settlements appearing rules out the existence of a Himalayan-fed river that nourished Indus Civilisation urban settlements along the river channel.

The Indus Valley Civilisation possessed considerable skills when it came to town planning and building, including toilets and baths (pictured), which were connected to a brick drainage system that ran along the streets

The team were also able to pinpoint what the original source of the river sediments had been, showing that the Himalayan Sutlej River had once flowed along the Ghaggar-Hakra dried river channel, or palaeochannel.

They found that after the Sutlej River changed course, the scar it left in the landscape captured river flow during monsoons.

This meant that despite not living along a permanent river, the Indus settlements still benefited from a water source.

Archaeological evidence shows that many of the settlements in the Indus Civilisation developed along the banks of a river called the Ghaggar-Hakra in northwest India and Pakistan

Professor Gupta told MailOnline: 'What is really interesting is that the big Himalayan river did beget the Civilisation in some ways.

'When the river diverted it left a former channel in the landscape which was a topographic low. This served to capture and concentrate monsoon-fed river flow and contained excellent soils for agriculture.

'Thus the big Himalayan river formed the environmental template for the civilization in this region.'
He was famed as the brutal Roman general who is said to have 'came, saw and conquered'.

But exactly where Julius Caesar and his Roman legions landed in Britain has been a mystery until now.

Archaeologists have pinpointed an obscure spot in Kent as the scene of the first encounter between Rome and ancient Britons.

Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet is believed to be where Caesar first attempted to land in 55 BC, and later more successfully in 54 BC.

Now the site is more than half a mile inland  but at the time it was closer to the coast.

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New research suggests the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, Kent. Experts say they've found an ex-Roman camp (entrance pictured) dating to the 1st Century BC in the nearby hamlet of Ebbsfleet

The location matches Caesar's own account as it was visible from the sea with a large open bay and was overlooked by higher ground.

His army immediately built a fort on the spot, and the researchers, from the University of Leicester, claim to have found the spot where it was built.

Iron weapons, including a Roman javelin, and pottery dug up at the neighbouring hamlet of Ebbsfleet overlooking the bay suggests it was a Roman base dating to the first century BC.

The base was around 50 acres in size and the main purpose would have been be to protect Caesar's fleet that had been drawn up on to the beach.

Roadworkers who found signs of a large defensive ditch led to the realisation this was the likely spot where Caesar first set foot on British soil.

The shape of the ditch was very similar to some of the Roman defences at Alesia in France, where the decisive battle in the Gallic War took place in 52 BC.

Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet is believed to be where Caesar first attempted to land in 55 BC, and later more successfully in 54 BC. The spot was never previously suspected because it was separated from the mainland

JULIUS CAESAR Julius Caesar was a politician and general of the late Roman republic who lived from 100 - 44 BC Julius Caesar was a politician and general of the late Roman republic who lived from 100 - 44 BC. As a general from 60 - 68 BC, Caesar added the whole of modern France and Belgium to the Roman empire, and crushed rebel Gallic forces across Europe in the Gallic wars. In total he made two expeditions to Britain, in 55 BC and 54 BC, though never established a force of occupation. Caesar returned to Italy a hero and famously crossed the Rubicon river in 49 BC without disbanding his army, insulting the authority of the Roman senate. In the ensuing civil war Caesar defeated the republican forces, and took control of the Empire as dictator. He used his power to carry out much-needed reform, relieving debt, enlarging the senate, building the Forum Iulium and revising the calendar. Caesar's ambition and success eventually led to his downfall when a group of republican senators assassinated him in 44 BC. Advertisement

Caesar returned to Italy from his European conquests a hero and famously crossed the Rubicon river in 49 BC without disbanding his army. In the ensuing civil war Caesar took control of Rome as dictator. Pictured is Ciaran Hinds as Julius Caesar in the BBC drama Rome

WHERE DID JULIUS CAESAR'S FIRST INVASION LAND? New research suggests that the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place in 54 BC at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, Kent. The project has involved surveys of hillforts that may have been attacked by Caesar, studies in museums of objects that may have been made or buried at the time of the invasions, such as coin hoards, and excavations in Kent. Pegwell Bay has never been suspected as the first point of Caesar's invasion of Britain because it was separated from the mainland 2,000 years ago. New research suggests that the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place in 54 BC at Pegwell Bay (file photo) on the Isle of Thanet, Kent But three clues about the spot's landscape are consistent with Caesar's own accounts of the invasion. Experts from the University of Leicester claim that the Isle's visibility from the sea, as well as its higher ground and large open bay, fit Caesar's accounts. Iron weaponry, including a Roman javelin, and other artefacts dug up at the neighbouring hamlet of Ebbsfleet suggest it was a 1st century BC Roman base. It was up to 20 hectares in size and the main purpose would have been be to protect Caesar's fleet, which had been drawn up on to the beach. Advertisement

Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, of the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, said: 'The site at Ebbsfleet lies on a peninsular that projects from the south eastern tip of the Isle of Thanet.

'Thanet has never been considered as a possible landing site before because it was separated from the mainland until the Middle Ages.

'However, it is not known how big the Channel that separated it from the mainland, the Wantsum Channel, was.

Iron weaponry, including the tip of a Roman javelin (pictured), and other artefacts dug up at Ebbsfleet suggest it was once a base used by Caesar when he first arrived in Britain in 45 BC. It was up to 20 hectares in size and would have been be to protect Caesar's fleet in the bay

CAESAR'S INVASION ACCOUNT Julius Caesar's own account of his first landing in Britain - an unsuccessful invasion in 54 BC - backs the new study. Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says that at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side. As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar describes the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate, which were illuminated by the rising sun. He says the ships were left at anchor at an even and open shore and describes how they were damaged by a great storm. Julius Caesar's own account of his first landing in Britain - an unsuccessful invasion in 54 BC - backs the new study. As his crew sailed opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar describes the white chalk cliffs around nearby Ramsgate (file photo) This description is consistent with Pegwell Bay, which today is the largest bay on the east Kent coast and is open and flat. Caesar describes how the Britons had assembled to oppose the landing but, taken aback by the size of the fleet, concealed themselves on higher ground. This is consistent with the higher ground of the Isle of Thanet around Ramsgate. Advertisement

'The Wantsum Channel was clearly not a significant barrier to people of Thanet during the Iron Age and it certainly would not have been a major challenge to the engineering capabilities of the Roman army.'

The last full study of Caesar's invasions was published more than a century ago.

In the course of his Gallic Wars he invaded Britain twice, in 55 and 54 BC, but his landing sites have never been found.

There has been some speculation that he landed 13 miles (21 km) along the coast at Deal.

The location of the fort, which now sits half a mile (900 metres) from the mainland but would overlooked the bay 2,000 years ago, matches Caesar's own personal account of his invasion, with three clues he left about the landscape found to be consistent with the new discovery

The Ebbsfleet site has a ditch (pictured) up to 16 and a half (5 metres) wide and six and a half feet (2 metres) deep. Radiocarbon dating of pottery also fits the period

WHY DID CAESAR INVADE BRITAIN? Caesar invaded Britain during the Empire's Gallic wars, in which Rome's legions attempted to stamp out aggressive Gallic forces across Europe. The Gallic wars featured a number of bloody conflicts and lasted eight years between 58 - 50 BC. Caesar believed that anti-Roman Gallic tribes in Gaul were receiving material assistance and aid from southern tribes in Britain. Experts claim this alliance was likely as the groups spoke closely related languages and had been trading partners for centuries. Caesar didnt set out to conquer Britain on either of his expeditions, with the 54 and 55 BC invasions intended as military demonstrations of force. The general wanted to warn British tribes of the repercussions for crossing Rome and to establish alliances with local leaders. Advertisement

The first invasion, in late summer, was unsuccessful, gaining the Romans little else besides a beachhead on the coast of Kent.

Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC backs the study which will be featured in BBC Four's Digging For Britain tonight.

Dr Fitzpatrick explained: 'Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side.

Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice, in 55 and 54 BC, during the course of the Roman Empire's Gallic Wars, but his landing sites have never been found. He would have arrived with hundreds of Roman Galleys like the model pictured

CAESAR'S INVASIONS OF BRITAIN Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice during the Roman Empire's Gallic Wars in 55 and 54 BC, but his landing sites have never been found - until now. It has long been believed that as Caesar returned to France both times the invasions were failures and had no lasting effects on ancient Britons. The Roman general did not leave a force of occupation behind, and because the campaigns were short, it was thought there would have been few, if any, archaeological remains. Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice during the course of the Roman Empire's Gallic Wars in 55 and 54 BC. Pictured is an artist's impression of Caesar and his men battling indigenous Britons during his first invasion of Britain The team challenge this idea by suggesting in Rome the invasions were seen as a great triumph. The fact Caesar had crossed the sea and gone beyond the known world caused a sensation. At this time victory was achieved by defeating the enemy in battle, not by occupying their lands. They say the invasions had effects seen 100 years later as treaties set up by Caesar formed the basis for alliances between Rome and British royal families. Advertisement

'As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar can only be describing the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate which were being illuminated by the rising sun.'

Caesar describes how the ships were left at anchor at an even and open shore and how they were damaged by a great storm.

This description is consistent with Pegwell Bay, which today is the largest bay on the east Kent coast and is open and flat,' Dr Fitzpatrick said.

New research suggests that the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place in 54 BC at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, Kent

He added: 'Caesar also describes how the Britons had assembled to oppose the landing but, taken aback by the size of the fleet, they concealed themselves on the higher ground.

'This is consistent with the higher ground of the Isle of Thanet around Ramsgate.

'These three clues about the topography of the landing site: The presence of cliffs, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby, are consistent with the 54 BC landing having been in Pegwell Bay.'

It has long been believed as Caesar returned to France the invasions were failures and had no lasting effects on ancient Britons because he did not leave a force of occupation.

Pegwell Bay (file photo) has never been suspected as the first point of Caesar's invasion of Britain because it was separated from the mainland 2,000 years ago

As a general from 60 - 68 BC, Caesar added the whole of modern France and Belgium to the Roman empire, and crushed rebel Gallic forces across Europe in the Gallic wars. He made two expeditions to Britain, in 55 BC and 54 BC, though never established a force of occupation

The campaigns were short so it was also thought there would have been few, if any, archaeological remains.

But in Rome, Caesar's adventures in Britannia, in which he established treaties with local inhabitants, caused a sensation.

At this time victory was achieved by defeating the enemy in battle, not by occupying their lands.

Principal investigator Professor Colin Haselgrove, also of the University of Leicester, said: 'It seems likely the treaties set up by Caesar formed the basis for alliances between Rome and British royal families.

Researchers suggest Caesar's ships arrived at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet at the north east point of Kent. Artefacts dug up at the neighbouring hamlet of Ebbsfleet (labelled above) overlooking the bay suggests it was a Roman base dating to the 1st century BC

Three clues about Pegwell Bay's (file photo) landscape are consistent with Caesar's own accounts of the invasion

Experts claim Pegwell Bay's (file photo) visibility from the sea, as well as its higher ground and large open bay, fit Caesar's accounts of his invasion

'This eventually resulted in the leading rulers of south east England becoming client kings of Rome.

'Almost 100 years after Caesar, in 43AD the emperor Claudius invaded Britain.

'The conquest of south east England seems to have been rapid, probably because the kings in this region were already allied to Rome.

'This was the beginning of the permanent Roman occupation of Britain, which included Wales and some of Scotland, and lasted for almost 400 years, suggesting Claudius later exploited Caesar's legacy.'
The hunt for the elusive Yeti has suffered a setback, as supposed 'Yeti' hair and bones proved to be from bears.

Sightings of the Yeti or 'abominable snowman' - a mysterious, ape-like creature said to inhabit the high mountains of Asia - have been reported for centuries in Nepal and Tibet.

Footprints have also been spotted and stories passed down from generation to generation.

But the new DNA study of purported Yeti samples from museums and private collections suggest the Himalayan legend could have quite ordinary origins.

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The hunt for the elusive Yeti (pictured, artist's impression) has suffered a setback as supposed 'yeti' hair and bones proved to be from bears or even a dog

WHAT DID THEY DO? Researchers analysed nine 'Yeti' specimens - including bone, tooth, skin, hair and faecal samples - collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. The findings showed that one was from a dog. The other eight were from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears. Researchers investigated samples such as a scrap of skin from the hand or paw of a 'Yeti' - part of a monastic relic - and a fragment of femur bone from a decayed 'Yeti' found in a cave on the Tibetan Plateau. The skin sample turned out to be from an Asian black bear, and the bone from a Tibetan brown bear. The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears - including the purported Yetis, and compared the genetic data to that of other bears worldwide. The analysis showed that while Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their North American and Eurasian kin, Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged early on from all other brown bears. Advertisement

Researchers from the University at Buffalo analysed nine 'Yeti' specimens - including bone, tooth, skin, hair and faecal samples - collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.

The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, showed that one was from a dog.

The other eight were from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears.

Dr Charlotte Lindqvist, who led the study, said: 'Our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the Yeti legend can be found in local bears, and our study demonstrates that genetics should be able to unravel other, similar mysteries.'

The team is not the first to research 'Yeti' DNA, but Dr Lindqvist says previous projects ran simpler genetic analyses, which left important questions unresolved.

Dr Linqvist said: 'This study represents the most rigorous analysis to date of samples suspected to derive from anomalous or mythical "hominid"-like creatures.'

Her team investigated samples such as a scrap of skin from the hand or paw of a 'Yeti' - part of a monastic relic - and a fragment of femur bone from a decayed 'Yeti' found in a cave on the Tibetan Plateau.

Researchers found a femur bone (pictutred) from the decayed body of a purported Yeti found in a cave in Tibet which actually belonged to a Tibetan brown bear

The skin sample turned out to be from an Asian black bear, and the bone from a Tibetan brown bear.

The 'Yeti' samples that Dr Lindqvist examined were provided to her by British production company Icon Films, which featured her in the 2016 Animal Planet special 'Yeti Or Not' which explored the origins of the fabled being.

As well as tracing the origins of the Yeti legend, Dr Lindqvist's work is also uncovering information about the evolutionary history of Asian bears.

This hair was said to have come from a Yeti that a Jesuit priest spotted in the mountains in the region in the 1950s but researchers found that the sample was actually from a Tibetan brown bear

Pictured is a Himalayan brown bear from Deosai National Park, Pakistan. A new study ties DNA from purported Yetis to Asian bears, including Himalayan brown bears

THE HISTORY OF THE YETI The first accounts of Yetis emerged before the 19th century from Buddhists who believed that the creature inhabited the Himalayas. They depicted the mysterious beast as having similarities to an ape and carrying a large stone as a weapon while making a whistling sound. The term Abominable Snowman was developed in 1921 following a book by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury called Mount Everest The Reconnaissance. Popular interest in creature gathered pace in early 20th century as tourists began making their own trips to the region to try and capture the Yeti. They reported seeing strange markings in the snow. The Daily Mail led a trip called the the Snowman Expedition in 1954 to Everest. During the trip mountaineering leader John Angelo Jackson photographed ancient paintings of Yetis and large footprints in the snow. A number of hair samples were also found that were believed to have come from a Yeti scalp. British mountaineer Don Whillans claimed to have witnessed a creature when scaling Annapurna in 1970. He said that while searching for a campsite he heard some odd cries which his guide attributed to a Yeti's call. That night, he saw a dark shape moving near his camp. Advertisement

She said: 'Bears in this region are either vulnerable or critically endangered from a conservation perspective, but not much is known about their past history.

'The Himalayan brown bears, for example, are highly endangered. Clarifying population structure and genetic diversity can help in estimating population sizes and crafting management strategies.'

The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears - including the purported Yetis, and compared the genetic data to that of other bears worldwide.

A family of Himalayan brown bears, including a female and two cubs, from a camera trap study of wild bears in northern Pakistan. The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears - including the purported Yetis

The analysis showed that while Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their North American and Eurasian kin, Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged early on from all other brown bears.

The split occurred about 650,000 years ago, during a period of glaciation, according to the scientists.

The timing suggests that expanding glaciers and the region's mountainous geography may have caused the Himalayan bears to become separated from others, leading to a prolonged period of isolation and an independent evolutionary path.

SIGHTINGS AND CLAIMS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF THE YETI 1832: A book on trekker B.H Hodgon's experiences in Nepal recalls the sighting of a tall, bipedal creature covered in long dark hair. Mr Hodgson concluded it was an orangutan. 1899: Laurence Waddell reports his guides seeing an ape-like creature and seeing footprints. He suspects they spotted a bear. 1925: N.A Tombazi, a photographer, wrote that he saw a creature in the Himalayas that was walking upright like a human, was dark coloured, and wore no clothes. 1951: Eric Shipton captured images of what some believe is a Yeti footprint . 1948: Peter Byrne claimed to have discovered a Yeti footprint in India . 1953: Sir Edmund Hillary reported seeing large footprints while scaling Mount Everest. He discounted Yeti reports as unreliable. 1954: Mountaineering leader John Jackson photographed symbolic paintings of the Yeti along with many sets of footprints in Nepal, some of which could not be identified. 1959: Supposed Yeti feces were collected and analysed. They were found to contain a parasite that could not be identified. 1959: Actor James Stewart, while visiting India, reportedly smuggled Yeti remains to London . 1960: Sir Edmund mounted an expedition to collect and analyse physical evidence of the Yeti. He found nothing conclusive. 1970: British mountaineer Don Whillans claimed to have witnessed a creature while scaled Annapurna. 1983: Daniel Taylor and Robert Fleming Jr led a Yeti expedition into Nepal's Barun Valley where footprints were discovered. 1996: A hoax Yeti movie called The Snow Walker Film was aired . 2007: U.S TV programme Destination Truth reported finding Yeti-like footprints in the Everest region. 2008: The BBC reported that hairs collected in North-East India were tested, but results about what creature it came from were inconclusive . 2008: Japanese adventures photographed footprints thought to have been left by a Yeti. 2011: At a conference in Russia , scientists and enthusiasts claimed to have 95 per cent proof of the Yeti's existence. It was later claimed to be a publicity stunt. 2011: A hunter claims to have spotted a bear-like creature trying to kill one of his sheep in Russia. 2013: British climber Mike Rees captures an image of footprints in the Himalayas thought to offer further proof of the Yeti's existence. 2014: A video of a 'hairy figure' is captured stumbling through a forest in Russia. Advertisement

Dr Lindqvist added: 'Further genetic research on these rare and elusive animals may help illuminate the environmental history of the region, as well as bear evolutionary history worldwide - and additional 'Yeti' samples could contribute to this work.'

Science can be a useful tool in exploring the roots of myths about large and mysterious creatures.

In Africa, the longstanding Western legend of an 'African unicorn' was explained in the early 20th Century by British researchers.

In Africa, the longstanding Western legend of an 'African unicorn' was explained in the early 20th Century by British researchers. They found and described the flesh-and-blood okapi, a giraffe relative that looks like a mix between a giraffe, a zebra and a horse

Researchers analysed nine 'Yeti' specimens - including bone, tooth, skin, hair and faecal samples - collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau

They found and described the flesh-and-blood okapi, a giraffe relative that looks like a mix between a giraffe, a zebra and a horse.

And in Australia some scholars have speculated that references to enormous animal-like creatures in Australia's Aboriginal 'Dreamtime' mythology may have drawn from ancient encounters with real megafauna or their remains, known today from Australia's fossil record.

But while such connections remain uncertain, Dr Lindqvist said the new work - like the discovery of the okapi - is direct, adding: 'Clearly, a big part of the Yeti legend has to do with bears.'
Uber Technologies Inc withheld evidence in a lawsuit filed by Alphabet Inc's Waymo, a U.S. judge said on Tuesday, delaying a trial to give Waymo time to review a letter alleging Uber trained employees to steal trade secrets and hide their tracks.

The multibillion-dollar case has hobbled Uber's self-driving vehicle ambitions, and the latest setback comes as new Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi is working to lock in a major share sale this week and prepare for an initial public offering in 2019.

The hearing on Tuesday centered on a letter from a lawyer for former Uber security analyst Richard Jacobs that Uber did not show Waymo as both sides prepared their cases.

A self-driving Uber sits ready to take journalists for a ride during a media preview in Pittsburgh. A federal criminal investigation into alleged espionage at Uber has indefinitely delayed a trial over whether the beleaguered ride-hailing service stole self-driving car technology from Waymo, a spinoff from Google.

WASHINGTON SUES UBER Washington state sued the ride-hailing company Uber on Tuesday, saying it broke state law when it failed to notify more than 10,000 drivers that their personal information was accessed as part of a major data breach. Last week, Uber acknowledged that more than a year ago, it paid hackers a $100,000 ransom to destroy personal data they stole concerning more than 57 million of the ride-hailing service's customers and drivers. Several states, including Missouri, Massachusetts and New York, have opened investigations, and the city of Chicago sued Uber on Monday for failing to notify affected residents. Advertisement

U.S. District Judge William Alsup agreed to Waymo's request to delay the trial scheduled for next week, saying in San Francisco federal court that 'if even half of what this letter is true it would be a huge injustice to force Waymo to go to trial' as planned.

It was the second time the judge has agreed to delay a trial at Waymo's request.

In October, he chided Uber layers for disclosing thousands of emails to Waymo just before the trial had been set to begin.

Alsup expressed his frustration with the company again on Tuesday.

'You're just making the impression that this is a total cover-up,' he told Uber at the hearing.

Jacobs testified on Tuesday that Uber deliberately researched competitors and used technology to avoid a paper trail.

Uber employees researching rivals were given training with the purpose to 'impede, obstruct or influence any lawsuit against Uber,' Jacobs said, including a communication strategy 'to ensure we didn't create a paper trail that came back to haunt the company in any potential civil or criminal litigation.'

Waymo has estimated damages in the case at about $1.9 billion and wants to curtail Uber's self-driving car program, which Waymo says uses its technology.

Uber has denied using Waymo trade secrets and rejects the financial damages claim, but has fired the leader of its autonomous vehicle division, who is alleged to have stolen Waymo data before joining Uber.

An Uber representative on Tuesday referred to an earlier company statement, which said Uber 'has been waiting for its day in court for quite some time now' and was keen to have a jury hear the merits of the case.

Jacobs said that Uber reached a $4.5 million settlement, including a consulting contract, after he was fired. Under questioning by Uber lawyers, he described the importance of using secure communications for legitimate reasons, including ensuring the safety of workers abroad.

Waymo has accused Uber of concealing Jacobs' letter to an Uber in-house lawyer, saying the note contained important facts about the case, according to a court filing on Monday.

The trial had been scheduled to begin on Dec. 4. Waymo said it learned of the new evidence last week after the U.S. Department of Justice shared it with Alsup.

THE WAYMO TRIAL Waymo sued Uber in February, claiming that former Waymo executive Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company, called Otto, which Uber acquired soon after. Uber denied using any of Waymo's trade secrets. Levandowski has declined to answer questions about the allegations, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination. Advertisement

Jacobs testified at the hearing that the letter contained allegations that Uber's markets analytics group 'exists expressly for the purpose for acquiring trade secrets, code base and competitive intelligence.'

Jacobs said he learned of this activity through discussions at Uber with his manager and other colleagues.

Waymo sued Uber in February, claiming that former Waymo executive Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company, called Otto, which Uber acquired soon after.

Uber denied using any of Waymo's trade secrets.

Levandowski has declined to answer questions about the allegations, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination.

The trial had been scheduled to begin on Dec. 4. Waymo said it learned of the new evidence last week after the U.S. Department of Justice shared it with Alsup.

The ride-hailing service is the most valuable private U.S. company, but its aggressive expansion has been dogged by scandals.

A consortium led by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp this week is launching a multi-billion dollar tender offer for Uber shares, a deal that would bring the ride services company a well regarded, deep-pocketed investor.

Most recently, Uber revealed that the data of 57 million Uber customers and 600,000 drivers had been stolen in a breach more than a year ago, and that the company had paid two hackers $100,000 to cover it up.

Governments across the globe have launched investigations into the incident.
Researchers have discovered a methane-fueled ecosystem that feeds bacteria in the underground rivers and flooded caves of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

In these caves, which Mayan lore describes as a fantastical underworld, methane and the bacteria that feed off it form a vital part of an ecosystem that is similar to what's been found in deep ocean cold seeps and some lakes.

This explains how cave adapted animals are able to survive without any visible evidence of food, and more broadly, the research could help researchers understand how sea level rise and seaside development could impact these ecosystems.

Cave passage and diver within a section of the Ox Bel Ha cave system where the current study was conducted. The guideline seen alongside the diver that provides a continuous route to the surface is one of many safety standard the divers follow

The researchers, who are trained in cave diving in addition to their other expertise, had to use techniques that had previously been used by deep-sea subs to be able to study the environment.

The study, conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University at Galveston, the US Geological Survey and a team of collaborators from Mexico, The Netherlands, Switzerland and other US institutions, claims to be the most detailed ecological study ever for a coastal cave ecosystem that is always underwater.

'The opportunity to work with an international team of experts has been a remarkable experience for me,' said David Brankovits, who is the study's lead author and conducted the research during his Ph.D. studies at TAMUG.

HOW THEY DID THE STUDY Researchers have discovered a methane-fueled ecosystem that feeds bacteria in the underground rivers and flooded caves of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. In these caves, which Mayan lore describes as a fantastical underworld, methane and the bacteria that feed off it form a vital part of an ecosystem that is similar to what's been found in deep ocean cold seeps and some lakes. Between 2013 and 2016, five field campaign were conducted to investigate cave networks through Cenor bang, the primary study site within the Ox Bel Ha Cave System and secondary locations. The researchers collected water samples as well as shrimp samples in the caves. (a) Entrance pool of Cenote Bang (b) Subsurface vantage of Cenote bang entrance pool, the primary locations where particulate organic detritus enters the system without being filtered The researchers, who are trained in cave diving in addition to their other expertise, had to use techniques that had previously been used by deep-sea submergence vehicles to be able to study the environment. The freshwater portion of the caves and the sinkholes, which are used to access the caves and are referred to locally as cenotes, are important sources of freshwater for communities throughout the Yucatan. After entering the cave, the divers used a guideline to provide a continuous route to the surface is one of many safety standard the divers follow. Advertisement

'Finding that methane and other forms of mostly invisible dissolved organic matter are the foundation of the food web in these caves explains why cave-adapted animals are able to thrive in the water column in a habitat without visible evidence of food.'

The study was conducted in the Ox Bel Ha cave network in northeastern Yucatan, which is described as a subterranean estuary because the flooded cave passages contain distinct water layers consisting of freshwater fed by rainfall and salt water from the coastal ocean.

This subterranean estuary complex covers an area about the size of Galveston Bay, the seventh largest surface estuary in the US.

(e) Typhlatya mitchelli and (f) Typhlatya pearsei, the two species of stygobitic atyid shrimp present at the primary research site

The freshwater portion of the caves and the sinkholes, which are used to access the caves and are referred to locally as cenotes, are important sources of freshwater for communities throughout the Yucatan.

Methane in the caves forms naturally beneath the jungle floor and migrates downward, deep into the water and caves.

Normally, all of the methane formed in soil migrates upwards, towards the atmosphere.

This sets the stage for the bacteria and other microbes that form the basis of the cave ecosystem.

The microbes eat both the methane in the water and other dissolved organic material that the freshwater brings with it from the surface.

Caves within a karst subterranean estuary are filled with separated fresh (green), brackish (gray) and saline (blue) waters. Within the subterranean estuary, methane (CH4) and other forms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) created during the decomposition of soil from the overlying tropical forest sustain a complex cave-adapted ecosystem

These microbes then fuel a food web that is dominated by crustaceans, including a cave-adapted shrimp species that obtains about 21 per cent of its nutrition from methane.

'The processes we are investigating in these stratified groundwater systems are analogous to what is happening in the global ocean, especially in oxygen minimum zones where deoxygenation is a growing concern,' says John Pohlman, a coauthor of the study and a USGS biogeochemist whose work from the early 90s motivated the research.

'Although accessing these systems requires specialized training and strict adherence to cave diving safety protocols, relative to the complexity of an oceanographic expedition, the field programs we organize are simple and economical.'

One surprising finding was how important the dissolved organic material like methane was to the caves' food web.

Researchers have discovered a methane-fueled ecosystem that feeds bacteria in the underground rivers and flooded caves of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The study was conducted in the Ox Bel Ha cave network in northeastern Yucatan

Previous studies had assumed that the majority of organic material that feeds the microbes of caves came from vegetation and other detritus (debri) in tropical forests that washed into the caves from the cenotes.

Deep within the caves, however, the researchers found very little of that surface debri, so the microbes depend on methane and the other dissolved organics percolating downward through the ceiling of the caves.

'Providing a model for the basic function of this globally-distributed ecosystem is an important contribution to coastal groundwater ecology and establishes a baseline for evaluating how sea level rise, seaside touristic development and other stressors will impact the viability of these lightless, food-poor systems,' says Tom Iliffe, a professor in the Marine Biology Department at TAMUG who has been studying the biodiversity, evolution and conservation of marine cave animals for nearly 40 years.
Earlier this month, a Vietnamese firm made a $150 prototype mask that tricked Apple's Face ID system to unlock an iPhone X.

Now, the firm has created an upgraded version of the mask that looks more realistic - and it can also fool the iPhone X's face ID detection.

The mask, which was made using stone powder with 2D infrared images glued on the eye area, was also able unlock an iPhone X in a video demonstration.

The firm warns that because of this, Apple's Face ID is not secure enough to use in business transactions.

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The mask (pictured), which was made using stone powder with 2D infrared images glued on the eye area, was able unlock an iPhone X in a video demonstration

WHEN FACE ID FAILS According to Apple, users must enter their passcode for additional security validation when: The device has just been turned on or restarted.

The device hasnt been unlocked for more than 48 hours.

The passcode hasnt been used to unlock the device in the last six and a half days and Face ID hasn't unlocked the device in the last 4 hours.

The device has received a remote lock command.

After five unsuccessful attempts to match a face.

After initiating power off/Emergency SOS by pressing and holding either volume button and the side button simultaneously for 2 seconds. Advertisement

Last month, a pair of twins were able to bypass Apple's iPhone X Face ID, even though just one of them had pre-registered his face - highlighting problems with Apple's Face ID.

Now, Vietamese firm Bkav says that the latest version of their mask, which costs $200, has 'eyes' that are printed infrared images - the same technology that Apple's Face ID uses to detect facial images.

In a video, the firm demonstrated that the mask was indeed able to unlock an Iphone X via its face recognition software.

A demonstrator in the video first deleted all of the Face ID data, and enabled the two advanced security option available on the software.

He then enrolled his face as the new owner face of the phone by scanning his face on the phone's Face ID setting.

When testing the mask to see if it would unlock the phone, the demonstrator lowered the front of the phone in front of the mask.

After about seven seconds, the phone's screen lights up and appears unlocked.

'This mask, and me, like twins, are like twins,' the demonstrator says.

'We call this mask 'the artificial twin.'

The firm says that the latest version of the mask, which costs $200, has 'eyes' that are printed infrared images - the same technology that Apple's Face ID used to detect facial images

When testing the mask to see if it would unlock the phone, the demonstrator lowered the front of the phone in front of the mask. After about seven seconds, the phone's screen lights up and appears unlocked (pictured)

Mr. Ngo Tuan Anh, Bkav's Vice President of Cyber Security, said: 'About 2 weeks ago, we recommended that only very important people such as national leaders, large corporation leaders, billionaires, etc. should be cautious when using Face ID.

'However, with this research result, we have to raise the severity level to every casual users: Face ID is not secure enough to be used in business transactions.'

At the iPhone X launch, Apple did make a point to recommend that people with concerns about an 'evil twin' should switch to using a passcode to authenticate.
Facebook claims it now wipes 99 per cent of content related to ISIS and al Qaeda before being told of it, with the help of AI.

Checking content is now 'primarily' carried out by automated systems which rely on sharing unique codes called hashes with other organisations.

The announcement was made as Facebook prepares for a meeting with European authorities on tackling extremist content online.

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Facebook said it was removing 99 percent of content related to militant groups Islamic State and al Qaeda before being told of it, as it prepared for a meeting with European authorities on tackling extremist content online (stock image)

TERROR CONTENT Eighty-three percent of 'terror content' is removed within one hour of being uploaded, Monika Bickert, head of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, head of counter-terrorism policy at Facebook, wrote in a blog post. The blog post comes a week before Facebook and other social media companies like Google and Twitter meet with European Union governments and the EU executive to discuss how to remove extremist content and hate speech online. The European Commission in September told social media firms to find ways to remove the content faster, including through automatic detection technologies, or face possible legislation forcing them to do so. Advertisement

Facebook is currently relying on human checkers and artificial intelligence to see if a post should be removed, writes the BBC.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg detailed his AI-based plan in February but warned it would take 'years' to develop the systems.

He said eventually algorithms would spot terrorism, violence, and even flag up people at risk of suicide.

Eighty-three percent of 'terror content' is removed within one hour of being uploaded, Monika Bickert, head of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, head of counter-terrorism policy at Facebook, wrote in a blog post.

'It is still early, but the results are promising, and we are hopeful that AI (artificial intelligence) will become a more important tool in the arsenal of protection and safety on the internet and on Facebook,' Ms Bickert and Mr Fishman wrote.

In June, Facebook said it had ramped up use of artificial intelligence, such as image matching and language understanding, to identify and remove content quickly.

'Today, 99 percent of the ISIS and al Qaeda-related terror content we remove from Facebook is content we detect before anyone in our community has flagged it to us, and in some cases, before it goes live on the site.'

The blog post comes a week before Facebook and other social media companies like Google and Twitter meet with European Union governments and the EU executive to discuss how to remove extremist content and hate speech online.

'Deploying AI for counter-terrorism is not as simple as flipping a switch ... A system designed to find content from one terrorist group may not work for another because of language and stylistic differences in their propaganda,' Facebook said.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) detailed his AI-based plan in February but warned it would take 'years' to develop the systems

The European Commission in September told social media firms to find ways to remove the content faster, including through automatic detection technologies, or face possible legislation forcing them to do so.

Google and Facebook were warned they would face punishing fines unless they remove terrorist propaganda within a two-hour limit.

The Prime Minister called on the internet giants to develop technology to block the material before it can go online.

Mrs May said: We need a fundamental shift in the scale and nature of our response  both from industry and governments  if we are to match the evolving nature of terrorists use of the internet.

Downing Street said she would warn firms of fines if they failed to cooperate.

The PMs official spokesman said: We want to do this in a voluntary way but we are prepared to look at the issue of legal liability if we do not make good progress.

Making the internet giants legally liable for the extremist content on their sites could leave them open to huge fines.

The threat is designed to put pressure on the firms to use their technological prowess to counter sophisticated efforts by Islamic State and other terror groups to radicalise impressionable youngsters and spread DIY terror manuals online.
Apple has released an emergency fix for what has been called a 'huge' and 'unbelievable' security issue in the latest version of its Mac operating system.

The flaw could means anyone can log in to a computer running MacOS High Sierra without a password via system preferences, using the root user account.

Apple previously advised its customers who may be affected to set a password for the device's root user, which should stop people exploiting the vulnerability.

It has also now released a security update to address the issue, which users should download immediately.

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Apple is reportedly working to fix what has been called a 'huge' security issue in the latest version of its Mac operating system. The flaw could means anyone can log in to a computer running MacOS High Sierra without a password using the root user account

HOW TO FIX IT In order to install the latest update, open the Mac App Store and click on the 'Updates' tab. In a release note attached to the update, an Apple spokesman said: 'Install this update as soon as possible. 'Apple has worked hard to fix yesterdays flaw as soon as possible. 'But it shouldnt have happened in the first place.' Alternatively, MacOs customers can use a temporary workaround by changing the root user password manually. Advertisement

Turkish software developer Lemi Orhan Ergin tweeted the tech giant to say he had discovered the bug.

In the tweet, he said: 'Dear @AppleSupport, we noticed a *HUGE* security issue at MacOS High Sierra.

'Anyone can login as 'root' with empty password after clicking on login button several times. Are you aware of it @Apple?'

He went on to say: 'You can access it via System Preferences@Users & Groups@Click the lock to make changes.

'Then use "root" with no password. And try it for several times. Result is unbelievable!'

Videos posted online show people in the users and groups box typing the username 'root' at the login screen, leaving the password field empty, and appearing to get unrestricted access to the machine.

One Twitter user called Mike Hanley said: 'This is not the password-less future we all had in mind.'

In order to install the latest update, open the Mac App Store and click on the 'Updates' tab.

Apple previously advised its customers who may be affected to set a password for the device's root user, which should stop people exploiting the vulnerability. It has also now released a security update to address the issue, which users should download immediately

Videos posted online show people in the users and groups box typing the username 'root' at the login screen, leaving the password field empty, and appearing to get unrestricted access to the machine

In a release note attached to the update, an Apple spokesman said: 'Install this update as soon as possible.

'Apple has worked hard to fix yesterdays flaw as soon as possible.

'But it shouldnt have happened in the first place.'

To change the root user password manually, click on the Apple menu icon, then System Preferences and click Users & Groups (or Accounts).

Click the lock icon, then enter an administrator name and password.

Click Login Options, then click Join, or Edit.

Click on the Open Directory Utility, then click on the lock icon in the Directory Utility window, then enter an administrator name and password.

From the menu bar in Directory Utility, choose Edit, then Change Root Password.

Enter a root password when prompted.
Mysterious flashes coming from a volcano in Bali, spotted by satellite, may simply be down to gaps in cloud cover, an expert has claimed.

The bursts of light were picked up by 3.9 micron infra red sensors aboard the Japanese Himawari geostationary weather satellite

Described as 'hotspots', they appear to be emanating from the active Mount Agung which began erupting in recent days.

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Mysterious flashes coming from Bali's Mount Agung Volcano spotted by satelitte may simply be down to gaps in cloud cover, an expert has claimed. The bursts of light were picked up by 3.9 micron infra red sensors aboard the Japanese Himawari geostationary weather satellite

WORSE TO COME? Dr Rothery warns that the worst may still be yet to come. Volcanic tremors have also been sustained since around 6am GMT (11.30am local time), and the risk of a major eruption has not passed. Yet Dr Rothery has heard reports of people, including tourists, boasting of climbing the volcano in recent days. He said: 'There is a major risk of being hit by falling rocks, or volcanic bombs. 'It look spectaculars and is exciting, but even small explosions can throw out brick-size bombs that will kill or main you. 'Even being within the 10 km (six mile) exclusion zone is immensely stupid, and puts others lives at risk too, because if the eruption intensifies there will be hot and devastating pyroclastic flows. 'Outside of the exclusion zone people are safe, and not placing a burden on the civil defence forces.' Advertisement

The images were shared online by former Nasa scientist Roy Spencer.

Writing on his website, the self-described climatologist and author described observing the mysterious night flashes, near Mount Agung.

Dr Spencer said: 'Thinking this was just sensor noise, I examined other areas for similar flashes, and saw none.

'But after reviewing nighttime imagery over the last week, I saw similar behavior during the early stages of the eruptions.

'It appears that the flashes are not lightning, but are either hotspots in the 3.9 micron portion of this product, a channel which is also used to detect wildfires, or some portion of the eruption cloud that has low emissivity at 3.9 microns.'

David Rothery, professor of planetary geosciences at The Open University, says that there are a number of obvious explanations.

Speaking to MailOnline, he said: 'No one should be surprised by "mysterious" infrared fluctuations on satellite images.

'The visibility of the incandescent vent and hot erupted material on the ground depends on gaps in the cloud.

'Some of the flashes might be lightning, which is common during ash eruptions because of the transport of particles from ground to air, where the electrical conditions are different, so discharge occurs.'

However, Dr Rothery warns that the worst may still be yet to come.

According to the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, ash is currently drifting south east at an altitude of 21,000 ft (four miles).

Officials have extended the closure of Bali's international airport for another 24 hours due to concerns that jet engines could choke on the thick volcanic ash, which was moving across the island, leaving 120,000 stranded visitors in need of shelter.

Volcanic tremors have also been ongoing since around 6am GMT (11.30am local time), and the risk of a major eruption has not passed.

The flashes were picked up by the 3.9 micron infra red sensors on the Japanese Himawari geostationary weather satellite and shared online by former Nasa scientist Roy Spencer

Volcanic tremors have also been sustained since around 6am GMT (11.30am local time), and the risk of a major eruption has not passed. This graph shows recent seismic activity in the region

WHAT IS A PYROCLASTIC FLOW? Pyroclastic flows contain a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas. They move at very high speed down volcanic slopes, typically following valleys. Most pyroclastic flows consist of two parts: a lower (basal) flow of coarse fragments that moves along the ground, and a turbulent cloud of ash that rises above the basal flow. Ash may fall from this cloud over a wide area downwind from the pyroclastic flow. Advertisement

Yet Dr Rothery has heard reports of people, including tourists, boasting of climbing the volcano in recent days.

He added: 'There is a major risk of being hit by falling rocks, or volcanic bombs.

'It look spectaculars and is exciting, but even small explosions can throw out brick-size bombs that will kill or main you.

'Even being within the 10 km (six mile) exclusion zone is immensely stupid, and puts others lives at risk too, because if the eruption intensifies there will be hot and devastating pyroclastic flows.

'Outside of the exclusion zone people are safe, and not placing a burden on the civil defence forces.'

Dr Rothery believes pyroclastic flows are virtually inevitable if the current eruption becomes as big as the 1963 eruption.

Pyroclastic flows contain a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas.

Dr Rothery has heard reports of people, including tourists, boasting of climbing the volcano in recent days, which he has branded 'immensely stupid'

Dr Rothery believes pyroclastic flows are virtually inevitable if the current eruption becomes as big as the 1963 eruption. This image shows a pyroclastic flow during the August 7, 1980, eruption of Mount St Helens

A six mile (10 km) exclusion zone around the volcano has been declared by the local authorities to protect people in the area

They move at very high speed down volcanic slopes, typically following valleys.

Most pyroclastic flows consist of two parts: a lower (basal) flow of coarse fragments that moves along the ground, and a turbulent cloud of ash that rises above the basal flow.

Ash may fall from this cloud over a wide area downwind from the pyroclastic flow.

When the rate of emission of ash becomes too great to be sustained in a stable eruption column rising skywards, all or part of the rising column will collapse, and the hot ash will rush downhill and seep across the terrain.

Alternatively, pyroclastic flows may spill directly out of the crater.

Thats the main reason why the 10 km (six mile) exclusion zone around the volcano has been declared by the local authorities.

A climactic eruption like 1963 could occur at any time, and people within that zone will not have time to escape.

The episodes of intense sustained seismic tremor at the volcano that are still occurring suggest that the risk of a climactic eruption has not passed.
Facebook may ask you to upload a 'clear' selfie of yourself to prove you're not a robot, a new report suggests.

According to a screenshot shared on social media the prompt asks user to 'upload a photo of yourself that clearly shows your face' under new security rules.

Some sources suggest users are even locked out of their account while they wait for their image to get checked.

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According to a screenshot shared on social media the prompt asks user to 'upload a photo of yourself that clearly shows your face' under new security rules (pictured)

A 'CLEAR' SELFIE Facebook may ask you to upload a 'clear' selfie of yourself to prove you're not a robot, a new report suggests. A Facebook spokesperson said this helps catch suspicious activity at various points of interaction on the site, including creating an account, sending Friend requests, setting up ads payments, and creating or editing ads. Some sources suggest users are even locked out of their account during verification. It is not clear for how long this technology has been being tested, but some reports suggest people have been receiving the prompts since April Advertisement

'When our systems detect suspicious activity, we may ask for the account owner to prove she or he is a real person', a Facebook spokesperson told MailOnline.

'One way we do this is to ask the account owner to upload a picture of himself or herself, which we'll check and then permanently delete from our servers.'

The spokesperson said this helps catch suspicious activity at various points of interaction on the site, including creating an account, sending Friend requests, setting up ads payments, and creating or editing ads.

It also helps determine if the account is authentic. Facebook claims that after the image has been taken it will delete it from servers.

'Please upload a photo of yourself that clearly shows your face', the grab reads.

'We'll check it and then permanently delete it from our servers'.

It is not clear for how long this technology has been being tested, but some reports suggest people have been receiving the prompts since April, writes Wired.

Facebook has not yet responded to comment about when the feature will be rolled out globally.

'Facebook is now locking users out of account features, then demanding that those users 'verify' their account to get back in by scanning an image of their face. AN IMAGE OF THEIR FACE', @flexlibris wrote

'Facebook won't let me login, asks for me to upload picture of myself, then says picture is 'invalid', Reddit user lostinthemasses.

Twitter user @flexlibris posted a screengrab of the 'Upload A Photo Of Yourself' request yesterday.

'Facebook is now locking users out of account features, then demanding that those users 'verify' their account to get back in by scanning an image of their face. AN IMAGE OF THEIR FACE', the user wrote.

Facebook did not share details about how the system works.

The spokesperson said this helps catch suspicious activity at various points of interaction on the site, including creating an account, sending Friend requests, setting up ads payments, and creating or editing ads (stock image)

According to another screenshot - which has now been deleted - users might be locked out of their account during verification.

'You Can't Log In Right Now. We'll get in touch with you after we've reviewed your photo. You'll now be logged out of Facebook as a security precaution', the message said.

Earlier this month, Facebook was criticised for its plan to get users to send in naked pictures of themselves so the site can block revenge porn at a later date.

It emerged that employees of the firm will view the unedited sexy shots before blurring them out and creating a 'digital fingerprint'.

But users are outraged by the plans, and say those images - even if blurred - could be leaked or kept by disgruntled Facebook employees.

Earlier this month, Facebook was criticised for its plan to get users to send in naked pictures of themselves so the site can block revenge porn at a later date. Tony Matthew said: 'No company should ever ask anyone for nude pics to 'safeguard'

There's also nothing stopping spurned partners from uploading alternative naked images of their ex, as each image must be identified individually.

They could also upload the same image to other sites, such as Instagram and Twitter.

The trial, currently being tested in Australia, requires users to send naked pictures to themselves via Facebook Messenger.

Users must first report the images to the Australian government's eSafety Commission.

Then they can upload the snap via Messenger and once a member of staff has confirmed that the image is in violation of the companys policies.

The images will then be blurred out before they are eventually deleted.

They will be accessible to a specially-trained team only and will be automatically processed from this point onward.

Tony Matthew said: 'No company should ever ask anyone for nude pics to "safeguard" under the guise of protection from revenge porn.

'Hackers can hack. Disgruntled employees can leak.'
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Incredible footage has revealed a former Cold War bunker hidden within a mountain, which appears to lie completely untouched since its closure.

Set in a top-secret spot in the midst of a forest in southern Sweden, the bunker was reportedly an old base for conducting surveillance during hostilities with the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact.

The exact location of the historical site has been kept under wraps by the intrepid explorers who discovered it, who investigated its eerie abandoned passages armed only with flash lights and a camera.

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Incredible footage has revealed a former Cold War bunker hidden within a mountain, which appears to lie completely untouched since its closure. Set in a top-secret spot in the midst of a forest in southern Sweden, the bunker was reportedly an old base for conducting surveillance during hostilities with the Soviet Union. This image shows its hidden entrance

FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM The Free Solo group claim they are always highly respectful of historical sites and leave anywhere that appears to be locked up alone. The group is keen to stress the historical importance of sites, which they claim still hold vital resonance now. A Free Solo member said: 'It's not just rubbish. This place is very, very, important because it helped freedom to sit strong in the fifties and sixties. 'It's important to think about history  you have to pay for freedom. 'Many people think it's an old dream, but in these places you can see how hard people worked to make sure I can do things like take my children freely to school, or go to the hospital.' Advertisement

The site was uncovered by adventurer team Free Solo, who say they want to preserve the site from further intrusion.

It is believed to be one of many such facilities dotted around the Swedish countryside.

The sinister hallways and empty rooms are a still-frame of history.

It features a kitchen area still filled with pieces of crockery and doors left ajar, as if the building was only recently abandoned by the intelligence workers who are said to have called it home.

A Free Solo member, who did not wish to be named, claims the bunker is a symbol of the fight to protect freedom and says it is vital to share footage of such sites.

The 42-year-old, from Malmo, Sweden, said: 'You feel like the spies have just been walking around it and as if they have only just walked out of the place. You can feel it.

'I have visited bunkers in Sweden before but none of them have been as complex as this one.

'If you stand in front of the entrance then you see it straight away, but even if you're stood just three metres (10 ft) away you don't see it.'

The facility stopped being used around 25 years ago. During the almost three minute long tour of the facility, footage reveals the creepy atmosphere inside.

The site was uncovered by adventurer team Free Solo, who say they want to preserve the site from further intrusion. This image shows the stairway to the bunker, which is concealed within the forest

The sinister hallways and empty rooms are a still-frame of history. This image shows a room which would have been used for sleeping by the intelligence agents who are said to have lived and worked inside the bunker

It also features a kitchen area still filled with pieces of crockery and doors left ajar, as if the building was only recently abandoned

It reveals a complex of interconnected rooms serving a multitude of purposes.

'My favourite part of it is when you enter through this massive steel door,' the group member said.

'You can see the walls of the mountain and as you move through suddenly it's very quiet and it's a house, an office, with a kitchen, a living room, places for sleeping.

'It's amazing. I'm not really sure how many people would have been there exactly when it was being used, it would have been very secret.

SWEDEN DURING THE COLD WAR Sweden was not occupied by German or other foreign forces during the Second World War. This was probably one of the main reasons for its exceptional prosperity after the war, backed up by American economic support, under the Marshall Plan to aid nations in western Europe. The Swedish military situation during the Cold War period was characterised by political neutrality, but it was also a strategic location in the front line with the Soviet Union. The nation had a strong coastal defence and air force, which contributed to a deterrent effect, an official Swedish defence policy aimed at preventing a Soviet attack. The country was prepared for total war in case of an attack from the Soviet Union and Sweden was self-sufficient in most of its military equipment, including cannons and aircraft. The Swedish military situation during the Cold War period was characterised by political neutrality, but it was also a strategic location in the front line with the Soviet Union. Military ties with Nato were therefore kept secret by the Swedish government because of its official policy of neutrality It would have been impossible for Sweden to be neutral in the case of a war between Nato and the Warsaw Pact and Swedish military forces were directed openly against the Soviet Union. The only realistic and successful possibility of defending Sweden in case of war was on the basis of support from the United States and its nuclear arsenal. Military ties with Nato were therefore kept secret by the Swedish government because of its official policy of neutrality. Most Soviet attack plans throughout the Cold War period involved the Nordic countries because of the Soviet desire for military control of and access to the North Atlantic. Another reason for the Soviet Union's interest in controlling access to the Baltic Sea were the many shipyards that could repair the Warsaw Pact's ships in case of war. Advertisement

'Even if there had been 100 people in there you never would have noticed.'

The Free Solo group claim they are always highly respectful of such historical sites, and as such they leave anywhere that appears to be locked up well alone.

The group representative said: 'This bunker is a very special one because it's out in the middle of forests. You don't even have roads there. It's set in a mountain, and built to withstand a nuclear bomb.

'The town I grew up in in Sweden is an old military town, so there are a lot of these old places. People growing up in the area know about them.

A Free Solo member, who did not wish to be named, claims the bunker is a symbol of the fight to protect freedom and says it is vital to share footage of such sites. This image shows an internal steel reinforced wall and doorway

During the almost three minute long tour of the facility, footage reveals the creepy atmosphere inside. This image shows a fridge, cooker and pots and pans left abandoned

The footage reveals a complex of interconnected rooms serving a multitude of purposes. This area shows a sink complete with cleaning fluids and other assorted paraphernalia

'A friend's father owns a bit of land nearby so knew of the place. When we were given the coordinates, I was stood metres from the building and even then it took 15 minutes to find it.

'I think we've had around 200 people contacting us to ask about this place and where it is, but we will never tell. We want to help preserve it.

'We want to show the video of it and make sure people know about these places and maybe give them an incentive to read about history.'

The group is keen to stress the historical importance of sites such as this, which they claim still hold vital resonance now.

The Free Solo group claim they are always highly respectful of such historical sites, and as such they leave anywhere that appears to be locked up well alone. This image shows a lift inside the facility

The group is keen to stress the historical importance of sites such as this, which they claim still hold vital resonance now. This image shows an abandoned room and wall tiles which have fallen down

Sweden was not occupied by German or other foreign forces during the Second World War. This image shows another view of an abandoned room whose purpose is unknown

The Free Solo member said: 'It's not just rubbish. This place is very, very, important because it helped freedom to sit strong in the fifties and sixties.

'It's important to think about history  you have to pay for freedom.

'Many people think it's an old dream, but in these places you can see how hard people worked to make sure I can do things like take my children freely to school, or go to the hospital.'

Sweden was not occupied by German or other foreign forces during the Second World War.

This was probably one of the main reasons for its exceptional prosperity after the war, backed up by American economic support, under the Marshall Plan to aid nations in western Europe.

The Swedish military situation during the Cold War period was characterised by political neutrality, but it was also a strategic location in the front line with the Soviet Union. This image shows a room which may have been used for recreation and relaxation

The nation had a strong coastal defence and air force, which contributed to a deterrent effect, an official Swedish defence policy aimed at preventing a Soviet attack. This image shows the top of a stair case within the bunker

The country was prepared for total war in case of an attack from the Soviet Union and Sweden was self-sufficient in most of its military equipment, including cannons and aircraft. This image shows a room with a TV and various electrical appliances

The Swedish military situation during the Cold War period was characterised by political neutrality, but it was also a strategic location in the front line with the Soviet Union.

The nation had a strong coastal defence and air force, which contributed to a deterrent effect, an official Swedish defence policy aimed at preventing a Soviet attack.

The country was prepared for total war in case of an attack from the Soviet Union and Sweden was self-sufficient in most of its military equipment, including cannons and aircraft.

It would have been impossible for Sweden to be neutral in the case of a war between Nato and the Warsaw Pact and Swedish military forces were directed openly against the Soviet Union.

It would have been impossible for Sweden to be neutral in the case of a war between Nato and the Warsaw Pact and Swedish military forces were directed openly against the Soviet Union. This image shows a hallway within the complex

The only realistic and successful possibility of defending Sweden in case of war was on the basis of support from the United States and its nuclear arsenal. This image shows another room withing the facility

The exact location of the historical site has been kept under wraps by the intrepid explorers who discovered it, who investigated its eerie abandoned passages armed only with flash lights and a camera. This Google Maps image shows the bunker blending in with the mountainous forest region it inhabits

The only realistic and successful possibility of defending Sweden in case of war was on the basis of support from the United States and its nuclear arsenal.

Military ties with Nato were therefore kept secret by the Swedish government because of its official policy of neutrality.

Most Soviet attack plans throughout the Cold War period involved the Nordic countries because of the Soviet desire for military control of and access to the North Atlantic.

Another reason for the Soviet Union's interest in controlling access to the Baltic Sea were the many shipyards that could repair the Warsaw Pact's ships in case of war.
It's a debate that swirled amongst the online world last month  which cheeseburger emoji has the most accurate layout?

While Apple and many other tech companies designed their cheeseburger emoji with the cheese on top of the patty, Google faced scrutiny for placing the cheese beneath the burger patty.

In response to 'burgergate', Google's CEO Sundar Pichai said he would 'drop everything' to correct this, and now Android's upcoming 8.1 release shows that he was good to his word - the emoji has been corrected.

While Apple and many other platforms designed their cheese burger emoji with the cheese on top of the patty, Google faced scrutiny for placing the cheese beneath the burger patty. Now, Android's upcoming 8.1 release shows that the emoji has been corrected.

The burger emoji debate was sparked at the end of October when Thomas Baekdal, an author from Denmark tweeted a screenshot of Apple's and Google's respective cheeseburger emojis showing the different cheese placement.

He wrote: 'I think we need to have a discussion about how Google's burger emoji is placing the cheese underneath the burger, while Apple puts it on top.'

Android 8.1 will also see the 'Beer' and 'Beers' emoji corrected. The previous Android beer emoji depicted a half poured beer stein with foam on top of the glass. Now, both beer emoji will feature a fully filled beer stein with with foam on top

The emoji changes are featured in the beta update for developers to preview, so they could still change before Android 8.1 is released

The viral tweet caught the attention of CEO Sundar Pichai, who wrote in response on Sunday: 'Will drop everything else we are doing and address on Monday:) if folks can agree on the correct way to do this!'

The exchange between Pichai and Baekdal garnered social media jokes and suggestions.

'Just Google Image search a cheeseburger,' tweeted one user.

These changes are featured in the beta update for developers to preview, so they could still change before Android 8.1 is released.

Another wrote: 'So proud to work at a company which has it's priorities right.'

'Cheese misplacement is clearly the result of not enough diversity on the emoji team. Damn those vegetarians,' one user joked.

As seen on Emojipedia, Google is the only tech company that offers a cheeseburger emoji with cheese below the patty.

Android's 8.0 cheese emoji features a wedge of cheese with lines from the wedge's edges running through the holes, but the updated cheese emoji eliminates this issue

Apple, Facebook, Samsung and others all place the cheese on top.

Android 8.1 will also see the 'Beer' and 'Beers' emoji corrected.

The previous Android beer emoji depicted a half poured beer stein with foam on top of the glass.

Now, both beer emoji will feature a fully filled beer stein with with foam on top.

As seen on Emojipedia , Google is the only tech company that offers a cheeseburger emoji with cheese below the patty. Apple, Facebook, Samsung and others all place the cheese on top

These changes are featured in the beta update for developers to preview, so they could still change before Android 8.1 is released.

But Google hasn't stopped there - it's also fixing a bug on its cheese wedge emoji.

@Emojipedia It looks like Google fixed the beer and burger emojis in the latest 8.1 developer preview. The nightmare is over. pic.twitter.com/4tiRHLpJOm  Bryce Anderson (@fluffh3ad) November 28, 2017

Android's 8.0 cheese emoji features a wedge of cheese with lines from the wedge's edges running through the holes, but the updated cheese emoji eliminates this issue.

Twitter users have responded positively to the news about the new emoji, as the previous versions were criticized by many.

Google just saved the world! 

How could mankind possibly have survived that? Not to mention the half-empty beer glasses... #Google #Android #BurgerEmoji https://t.co/8EP8XTtZP7  jkr (@jkr_on_the_web) November 29, 2017
One of only two floating hotels on the River Thames that was formerly a barge has been put up for sale for 425,000.

The African Queen has been run as a successful business by Bonny and Andy Cowley for more than a decade - and they have welcomed hundreds of guests.

The married couple initially spent 250,000 and 20 months buying and converting the 100ft-long barge into their dream business.

The African Queen, which is one of only two floating hotels on the River Thames, near Reading

The vessel and the hotel business has been put on the market for 425,000 by the owners

The deck area of the African Queen, which started life in 1924 as a 100-foot long Dutch barge

The boat can accommodate 12 guests with four double cabins

But more than 10 years on, the couple, now in their 70s, want to retire and have decided to sell up with estate agents Riverhomes.

The African Queen was a working Dutch barge, built in Holland in 1924 and converted into a hotel boat in Ireland in the 1970s.

The Cowleys bought it in 2004 for 100,000 and Mr Cowley sailed it across the Irish Sea, despite it not being in a great condition for such a voyage.

The journey took five months and even saw him being rescued by the RNLI near Dartmouth, Devon.

Owners Bonny and Andy Cowley spent 100,000 transforming the boat into a successful business

The couple spent almost two years ripping out the interior and transforming it into a hotel

Mrs Cowley said: 'The boat was in a terrible condition when we got it. The people who owned it had bought a new boat and it wasnt really seaworthy'

Bonny and Andy Cowley, who are now both in their 70s, have decided to sell up so they can retire

The couple spent another 150,000 completely stripping back and rebuilding the interiors.

Mrs Cowley explained: 'The boat was in a terrible condition when we got it. The people who owned it had bought a new boat and it wasnt really seaworthy.

'But we could see the potential and just fell in love with it.

'After several days boarding up windows and things Andy set out to get it to the Thames in December 2004.

'There were points when we didnt think it would make it here.

'He had to wait quite a long time for the weather to be able to go across the Irish Sea and he was rescued off Dartmouth and towed in.

'The boat was condemned and we had to do a lot of work to it. We eventually started the business in April 2006.'

After buying the boat in Ireland, Mr Cowley had to sail it back to the UK and at one point had to be rescued by the RNLI, pictured

The African Queen pictured sailing up the River Thames before its transformation more than 10 years ago

Now, the boat can accommodate 12 guests with four double cabins, two singles and one twin, as well as a crew cabin and a larger suite on the lower deck and an open plan space on the upper deck with a dining area, a lounge, a galley kitchen, bar and sun deck.

It is moored on the Thames on the Mapledurham Estate near Reading and the Cowleys currently run weekend and five-day cruises from there to Goring, Wallingford, Caversham, Sonning and Henley-on-Thames.

In 2009, the African Queen along with the Cowleys featured in an episode of Channel 5 show The Hotel Inspector featuring Alex Polizzi, where she gave them tips on how to grow their business.

The deck of the boat before it was transformed and turned into a successful floating hotel

All of the interior of the boat had to be ripped out to make way for new fittings and fixtures

The boat before it was renovated. The African Queen appeared on an episode of Channel 5 show The Hotel Inspector

The couple currently have a turnover of 160,000 but they only operate six months of the year.

Mrs Cowley added: 'We had quite a lot of hard times starting it as a new business and bringing it to the Thames but its a great business now.

'My husband is 73 and Im 70 and its just too much for us now.

'I think it will have huge appeal but it is a lifestyle business. You cant really have children on the boat, it needs to be someone with some knowledge of cooking - I did all the cooking for our guests - and boats obviously, as she has quite a complicated engine.

'Our turnover has been around 160,000 over the past two years, but weve only worked six months a year so there is potential to grow the business further.'
They will be bringing their legendary comedy back to the BBC this Christmas, after more than a decade away.

And the cast of League of Gentlemen celebrated their return to Royston Vasey by recreating iconic films scenes in their typically outlandish style.

Tubbs and Edward (Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith) transformed into Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio for their take on Titanic's most famous mast scene.

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I'm flying! The cast of League of Gentlemen celebrated their return to Royston Vasey by recreating iconic films scenes in their typically outlandish style, with Tubbs and Edward (Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith) depicting that moment from Titanic

Icons of cinema: The memorable moment comes from 1997 cult classic Titanic (pictured here actors Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater)

Wrapped-up in a light brown cardigan and peach floral dress, Tubbs aka Pemberton, encapsulated Winslet's 'I'm flying' scene perfectly for the Empire magazine photo shoot.

Meanwhile, Shearsmith takes Dicaprio's place as he portrays a grimacing Edward.

The hilarious recreation prompted Sherlock's Mark Gatiss to say: 'Edward should be pushing Tubbs off the ship' as he watched the duo get into full character for the snap.

Recreation: Bathing in thousands of rose petals, Val protected her modesty with carefully placed flowers for the quirky photo based on American Beauty

Memorable: The iconic moment is a recreation of Mena Suvari (here as Angela Hayes) in 1999's American Beauty

Meanwhile, Gatiss transformed into his character Aunt Val, emulating Angela (actress Mena Suvari) in the classic scene from American Beauty.

Bathing in thousands of rose petals, Val protected her modesty with carefully placed flowers for the quirky photo.

The snaps come after BBC unveiled its entire Christmas Schedule on Tuesday, with League of Gentleman's comeback among the highlights.

The series burst onto screens in 1999 after starting out as a series on BBC Radio 4 but came to an end in 2003.

Reunion: The snaps come after BBC unveiled its entire Christmas Schedule on Tuesday, with League of Gentleman's comeback among the highlights

Popular: The series burst onto screens in 1999 after starting out as a series on BBC Radio 4 but came to an end in 2003

Together at last: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson have reunited to celebrate their twentieth anniversary

The black comedy ran for three series, with the fictional town of Royston Vasey conceived as a framework to house sketches concerning an eclectic array of oddballs, from ghoulish shop-owners Tubbs and Edward, to freak-wrangler/wife-kidnapper Papa Lazarou, to shady butcher Hilary Briss.

Now, Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson have reunited to celebrate their twentieth anniversary with three brand-new episodes in The League of Gentlemen Anniversary Specials on BBC Two.

Mark revealed plans to bring back the series last year, saying the rise of Brexit made the revival more likely.

He said earlier this year: 'Increasingly we have become a local country for local people and I wonder if there is something Brexity in us that we can do.'

Eccentric: The black comedy ran for three series, with the fictional town of Royston Vasey conceived as a framework to house sketches concerning an eclectic array of oddballs

Shearsmith later added: 'It was borne out of us wanting to spend some time with each other again because we never quite do it anymore.

'We meet each other all the time in separate configurations, but it's never more fun than when we're all together. We cry with laughter.'

The new shows will focus on 'a threat to Royston Vasey' and ignores what happens in the film.

'There's an inevitable, quite pleasing melancholy about where they might have got to. That's very much the flavour of it,' said Gatiss.

Where are they now: Speaking about the new series Mark Gatiss said: 'There's an inevitable, quite pleasing melancholy about where they might have got to. That's very much the flavour of it'

The Doctor Who screenwriter also draws parallels to the real world. 'Part of the over-arching story is a sort of response to where this country's got to. I think Britain's become Royston Vasey.

'We've become a local country for local people: 'There's nothing for you here.' That seems to be the message we're projecting to the world. So I think Britain seems to have caught up with us, in a strange sort of way. But obviously Royston Vasey is its own particular thing.'

The League Of Gentlemen airs on 18, 19, 20 December at 10pm on BBC Two. This months Empire magazine is on sale on Thursday.

Return of the locals: The new shows will focus on 'a threat to Royston Vasey' and ignores what happens in the film
She has already conquered the cosmetic world online and in retail stores.

But perhaps Kylie Jenner will be hitting the streets as she continues to build her make-up empire.

The 20-year-old reality star has trademarked 'Kylie truck' and 'Kylie Jenner Truck' according to a Tuesday report from TMZ.

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Street team: Kylie Jenner has trademarked 'Kylie truck' and 'Kylie Jenner Truck' according to a Tuesday report from TMZ

As the starlet - who is rumored to be pregnant - and her team always try to find creative ways to push her Kylie Cosmetics line, no doubt they are cooking up another way for consumers to get a hold of their product.

According to the gossip site, the truck will be more like a food truck as it will roam around neighborhoods selling lip kits and other Kylie merchandise.

This comes just a week after thousands of diehard fans queued for hours at pop-up shops located at Top Shop locations around the US for a chance to buy products from her cosmetics range.

Pucker up: As the 20-year-old reality star and her team always try to find creative ways to push her Kylie Cosmetics line, no doubt they are cooking up another way for consumers to get a hold of their product

Kylie has been very successful as according to Women's Wear Daily back in September, she had earned $420 million in retail sales in 18 months.

It is also estimated that her brand will hit one billion dollars by 2022.

In the exclusive story, WWD reported at the time that Kylie Cosmetics will see a 25% increase in sales in 2017 - which would be $386 million.

Kylie told the website: 'I do want stores, my own store...I think it's time people walk into a store and see Kylie Cosmetics.

Money making machine: This comes just a week after thousands of diehard fans queued for hours at pop-up shops located at Top Shop locations around the US for a chance to buy products from her cosmetics range, as the New York location is pictured

Last year she released the limited edition Birthday Collection, which brought in $10 million in 24 hours.

Kylie's mom Kris Jenner presented documentation to WWD to prove the incredible sales numbers - the first time they have ever disclosed the information.

For comparison, Lancome reached one billion dollars in 2015 after 80 years in the beauty world, according to WWD.

Estee Lauder's Tom Ford Beauty took a decade to hit $500 million in sales, they added.

Kylie released her first three items on November 30, 2015; they were the Dolce K, Candy K and True Brown K Lip Kits.

Mogul: Kylie has been very successful as according to Women's Wear Daily back in September, she had earned $420 million in retail sales in 18 months

The $29 kits - which have a lip liner and a coordinating lipstick - sold out in under 30 seconds on kyliecosmetics.com; WWD reported that they only had 5,000 kits in each color - so 15,000 units total.

Kylie and Kris have sine secured a partnership with Seed Beauty, a manufacturer based in Oxnard, California; they don't have any equity in her makeup company, WWD reports.

The February 2016 launch saw the product numbers increase to six products with a total of 500,000 units, as well as the Kylie Lip Kits officially becoming Kylie Cosmetics.
She and boyfriend Scott Disick, 34, went public with their romance in September.

And on Tuesday, Sofia Richie stepped out without her main squeeze for a lunch meeting in Beverly Hills.

The 19-year-old cut a casual figure in her black sweat bottoms and her white hoodie during her work related outing.

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Where's Scott? Sofia Richie stepped out with her main squeeze for a lunch meeting in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

The daughter of Lionel Richie chose classic black sweats, which she tucked into her wedge boots.

Sofia added a fitted white hoodie and a black structured chain link handbag.

The teenager wore a silver watch, earrings and rings for a pop of sparkle to her simple ensemble.

Sofia pulled her platinum blonde tresses back into a low bun while opting to forgo makeup, revealing her flawless complexion.

Focused: The 19-year-old cut a casual figure in her black sweaters and white hoodie during her work related outing

Effortless style: The daughter of Lionel Richie chose classic black sweats, which she tucked into her wedge boots

After her lunch meeting, Sofia took to Instagram to share a selfie with a pal.

The pretty star, who added clear gloss to her full lips, captioned the image: 'Whole bunch of nothing.'

The five-foot-six-inch model and Scott, a father of three, made their relationship public in September while enjoying a romantic holiday in Miami, Florida.

They were linked as far back as May.

Busy teen: Sofia added a fitted white hoodie and a black structured chain link handbag

Having a blast: Sofia posed up a storm for her Instagram story after her meeting

'Whole bunch of nothing': After her lunch meeting, Sofia took to Instagram to share a selfie with a pal

Since going public, the lovebirds have enjoyed trips to Venice and Milan, Los Cabos, Mexico and Puerto Vallarta.

According to People, Sofia and Scott are 'very serious.'

Their source notes that the teen has 'been great for him' and has 'made a big impact on his life.'

Sofia and Scott, who has three kids with Kourtney Kardashian, 'seem really happy,' People's insider added.

This must be love: The five-foot-six-inch model and Scott, a father of three, made their relationship public in September while enjoying a romantic holiday in Miami, Florida
He recently opened up about being bullied as a school kid, due to his scrawny appearance.

And John Cena gave a group of primary school students plenty to smile about on Wednesday during a surprise visit to Nicholson St Public School in Sydney's Balmain.

In a heartwarming video shared by Fitzy and Wippa on Facebook, the WWE wrestler surprised unsuspecting students, who were reading a book based on his new movie Ferdinand, when the Hollywood star casually entered their classroom.

Surprise! John Cena surprised a group of primary school students on Wednesday during a surprise visit to Nicholson St Public School in Sydney's Balmain

'Are you crying?' Radio host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald asked two overwhelmed students as the group collectively gasped in amazement.

It all began with a story time session with Fitzy.

'You may have heard that [this book] is being turned into a movie,' he began.

Is it really you? In a heartwarming video shared by Fitzy and Wippa on Facebook, the WWE wrestler surprised unsuspecting students, who were reading a book based on his new movie Ferdinand when the Hollywood star casually entered their classroom

Overjoyed! Jaws dropped and the stunned students stared in amazement and laughed in excitement as he politely greeted each of them with a handshake and smile

'Now the person whose voice is being used for Ferdinand in the movie... John Cena, he is the voice of this. I don't want to read the book, is there anyone here [who'd like to read]?

Professional wrestler John then quietly entered the room before loudly interjecting: 'I'll do it!'

Jaws dropped and the stunned students stared in amazement and laughed in excitement as he politely greeted each of them with a handshake and smile.

Story time: After a few moments, the American actor began reading for the students and later held a QandA session before posing for group snaps

'Hughey and Ashton, are you crying?' Fitzy asked two students - who were visibly overcome with emotion.

After a few moments, the American actor began reading for the students and later held a QandA session before posing for group snaps.

Also this week, the star recalled being bullied for being scrawny when he was younger.

His past struggles: The star recently recalled being bullied for being scrawny when he was younger

'I was the one that was picked on,' he told The Daily Telegraph.

'I was a bit of a string bean at 11/12 years old.'

John also said he found it hard to look 'different' during that age, explaining: 'We all go through our developing stage at that age. I just didn't look like anybody else.'

Looking back: 'We all go through our developing stage at that age. I just didn't look like anybody else'

Loved up: Finding love with fellow fighter and Total Diva's star Nikki Bella, earlier in the year, John got down on one knee in front of a packed stadium at WrestleMania, the Super Bowl of wrestling

And with his past behind him, John has gone on to become of the world's most successful and internationally renowned WWE wrestlers.

Finding love with fellow fighter and Total Diva's star Nikki Bella, earlier in the year, John got down on one knee in front of a packed stadium at WrestleMania, the Super Bowl of wrestling.

And although the couple who have been dating since 2012 have plans to walk down the aisle, on Sunday, John told Stellar that kids weren't on his brain.

Happy with each other: Although the couple who have been dating since 2012 have plans to walk down the aisle, on Sunday, John told Stellar that kids weren't on his brain

'Children are wonderful. I get so much inspiration and energy from all sorts of kids around the world,' he said.

'Speak to anyone and they'll tell you two things: it's the greatest thing that will ever happen to you, and it completely changes your life. Because you are now responsible for the well being of a being, trying to figure out life.

'If I can't do that correctly, or give the amount of time needed to do that correctly, then I wouldn't want to put somebody through that,' John went on to explain.
She won a groundbreaking defamation case against Bauer Media in September.

And it appears Rebel Wilson also has an issue with Fairfax Media, publishers of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

The 37-year-old has placed a 'blanket ban' on the newspapers during her promotional tour for Pitch Perfect 3, according to a SMH report on Wednesday.

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Fighting back: It appears Rebel Wilson, who won a groundbreaking defamation case against Bauer Media in September, now has an issue with Fairfax Media

The actress reportedly 'refused a sit-down interview with the publication, banned it from attending the red carpet and cancelled staff invitations to the premiere'.

The ban allegedly stems from a request Rebel made to Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood in 2015 being revealed in her defamation trial against Bauer in May.

She had asked the Fairfax CEO to remove an article that displayed her age back in 2002, and as she described in court, an 'unflattering' photo of her.

Contested: The ban stems allegedly stems from a request Rebel made to Fairfax Media CEO Greg Hywood in 2015 being revealed in her defamation trial against Bauer in May

Correspondence: She had asked the Fairfax CEO to remove an article that displayed her age back in 2002 and, as she described in court, an 'unflattering' photo of her

The correspondence was produced during her trial with Bauer Media as part of a court order.

'We are disappointed that Ms. Wilson refuses to treat Fairfax journalists professionally,' a Fairfax Media spokesperson said in a statement.

'Fairfax responded to a subpoena as part of legal proceedings she commenced. We were compelled by the court to do so,' they added.

'We are disappointed that Ms. Wilson refuses to treat Fairfax journalists professionally,' a Fairfax Media spokesperson said in a statement

Rebel was awarded a groundbreaking defamation payout, a record $4.56 million, after numerous articles from Bauer's magazines were found to be defamatory.

In June, a jury found the Hollywood star was defamed by Bauer in eight articles because they branded her a serial liar.

Bauer announced last month they will appeal the decision, which Rebel tweeted might prompt her to 'expose more of [Bauer's] disgraceful practices'.
He has won three Academy Awards as best actor in a career that includes fewer than 20 movies and is widely regarded as one of the best thespians of his generation.

But in June Daniel Day-Lewis put out a statement announcing his decision to quit acting all together following the making of the film Phantom Thread.

In an interview with W magazine, published Tuesday, the 60-year-old acknowledged he feels 'great sadness' at that decision but explains he felt compelled to take it.

'The impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do,' he said.

Candid: Daniel Day-Lewis, in an interview with W magazine published Tuesday, acknowledged he feels sad about his decision to quit acting but says it's something he feels compelled to do

He went on: 'Do I feel better? Not yet. I have great sadness. And thats the right way to feel.'

'When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way.'

What will now become his final film was shot in England with director Paul Thomas Anderson who also wrote the screenplay.

Set in post-war London in the 1950s, Day-Lewis stars as a high society dressmaker whose world is turned upside down by the arrival of a feisty young woman who becomes his muse and lover.

'Before making the film, I didnt know I was going to stop acting. I do know that Paul and I laughed a lot before we made the movie. And then we stopped laughing because we were both overwhelmed by a sense of sadness,' he told W.

He added: 'I dread to use the overused word artist, but theres something of the responsibility of the artist that hung over me. I need to believe in the value of what Im doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isnt.'

Retiring: The 60-year-old actor made the decision to quit while making his new - and apparently last - film Phantom Thread in England with director Thomas Paul Anderson

He says he has no plans to see the movie that is being rolled out in select theatres next month in time for Oscars consideration.

While he's expressed a desire to quit the profession before, Day-Lewis insists that this time he really does mean it.

He's been notoriously picky about which roles he takes on, hence the very select body of work he's created starting with The Bounty in 1984 and My Beautiful Lauderette in 1985.

He's also famous for his method acting and his complete immersion in a character while filming.

Method actor: Daniel-Day Lewis is notoriously picky about the roles he takes on and has fewer than 20 films to his name over almost four decades. He won his first Oscar for playing Irish writer and painter Christy Brown, who had cerebral palsy, in My Left Foot in 1989

Lauded: He won his third Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic. In between, he won the Oscar for 2007's There Will Be Blood

About quitting acting, he told W: 'I have great sadness. And thats the right way to feel. When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way'

He won his first Best Actor Academy Award for playing the real-life Irish painter and writer Christy Brown who has cerebral palsy in 1989's My Left Foot.

His second Oscar was for his performance in Anderson's 2007 film There Will Be Blood.

The third Academy Award was for his uncanny portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic.

As for the future, Day-Lewis, who is married to Rebecca Miller and is father to three sons, says he doesn't really have a plan.

'I wont know which way to go for a while. But Im not going to stay idle. I dont fear the stony silence,' he said.
She lashed out against trolls who have criticised her new nose job by saying the procedure was 'her choice' in a defiant Instagram snap.

And Georgia Kousoulou appeared to be happy with any work she has undergone as she headed out on Tuesday among her fellow reality beauties to party at the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 at the Pavilion in the Tower of London.

The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked sensational in a busty ensemble comprising of a bra-flashing blazer paired with a scanty mini while she kept her make-up flawless with a red lip and strong brow to round out the chic getup.

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Looking good: Georgia Kousoulou appeared to be happy with her nose job as she headed out on Tuesday to party at the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 at the Pavilion in the Tower of London

Having spent much of the last week batting off controversy regarding her 'surgery', the blonde beauty is clearly settling into life with her new appearance swimmingly.

As she stormed the red carpet in her sizzling ensemble Georgia showed off her eye-popping cleavage through the plunging neckline and chic soft blazer.

While her outfit was designed to turn heads, it was plain to see that the blonde beauty was oozing newfound confidence with her new look.

Taking centre-stage: The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked sensational in a busty ensemble comprising of a bra-flashing blazer paired with a scanty mini

Preened to perfection: The blonde beauty kept her make-up flawless with a red lip and strong brow to round out the chic getup

Avert your eyes! Georgia adjusted her cleavage as she strutted down the street

She made her make-up dewy and flawless while utilising highlighter and shimmer along the length of her new feature to draw attention to her newly shaped nose.

Defending the surgery, she shared a snap of her face on Instagram and captioned it: 'had to second guess putting this picture up because of the trolls I'm getting...

'BUT than I remembered ...what the negatives say .. this is MY Instagram & MY choice so bye.'

Ready for her close-up: She looked glamorous as she framed her features with sultry make-up

Confident: The reality star looked chic in her ultra-sexy ensemble and barely-there heels

Glowing: Having spent much of the last week batting off controversy regarding her surgery, the blonde beauty is clearly settling into life with her new appearance swimmingly

Wowing the crowds: While her outfit was designed to turn heads, it was plain to see that the blonde beauty was oozing newfound confidence with her new look

Having celebrated their three year anniversary in September, her beau Tommy Mallet was seen jumping to the defence, after she came under fire on Instagram for indulging in cosmetic surgery following her latest upload.

Her beau Tommy appeared to reveal Georgia has undergone the procedure, as he hit back at those criticising her nose, saying: 'It's her body, her life.'

In the photo, Georgia is seen posing in a navy shirt dress and thigh-high suede boots however, her glamorous appearance was overlooked by users of the photo-sharing site, with many commenting on Georgia's nose instead and speculating whether she had gone under the knife.

Here come the girls: Georgia appeared to be in great spirits as she left the bash with TOWIE co-star Courtney Green

Double trouble: Amber Turner stunned in a red lace gown as she joined forces with Yazmin Oukhellou

Taking centre-stage: The blonde beauty showcased her enviably lithe figure in the showstopping scarlet number which clung to her curves

Having a whale of a time: Amber Dowding and Yazmin giggled as they left the bash laden with goodie bags

Bum's the word: Amber Turner, Lauren Goodger, Yazmin Oukhellou and Amber Dowding linked arms as they sashayed down the street

She was criticised by some for opting for the surgery, as they penned: 'Old nose looked alot better; I be brutally honest with you didn't need a nose job;

'U look like a difrent person; It's so sad that you felt the need to have a nose job, and now you can't go back. I really feel sorry all these girls in the public eye who have all this surgery and ruin their looks.' (sic)

Others added: 'Please don't tell me you've had your nose done; Nooooo!! Ur nose was perfect before, u look so different; def her nose she's had done? She was pretty though man I don't get these girls; her nose lol; Oh my god ! You actually don't look like yourself anymore.' (sic)

'It's her body': Having celebrated their three year anniversary in September, her beau Tommy Mallet was seen jumping to the defence, after she came under fire on Instagram for indulging in cosmetic surgery following her latest upload

Going strong: The reality star appeared to confirm his girlfriend's nose job on Instagram as he targeted those criticising her for favouring the procedure

'You can't go back': Instagram users had hit out at Georgia for 'ruining her looks'

'Old nose looked a lot better': She was forced to deal with a slew of criticism, as others agreed she looked like a 'different person' post-surgery

Sources claimed Georgia was really 'upset' by the criticism and was 'struggling' to rise above the trolls' comments.

'She feels like she has been forced to reveal her new nose before it has 100 per cent healed because she is filming and has to work,' a source told The Sun.

'It is still very bruised and will take another few weeks till you see the final results. People comments are so hurtful she is struggling with the criticism. It's upsetting for her.'

Got her back! The criticism didn't go unnoticed by Tommy who made sure to show his support for Georgia, while appearing to confirm that she has opted for the cosmetic procedure

The insider added that Georgia is 'not ready' to talk about the surgery but will give her reasons for getting the procedure 'in time'.

The criticism didn't go unnoticed by Tommy who made sure to show his support for Georgia, while appearing to confirm that she has opted for the cosmetic procedure.

He hit back in response and blamed the harsh criticisms for sparking Georgia's decision to have the surgery in the first place.

The Essex star posted a lengthy message that read: 'Comments like that are the reason people in Georgias positions change themselves.. Every time she had a argument on the show she had people pointing out insecurities that she already had so she changed it.

'She can do what she wants': Tommy who made sure to show his support for Georgia, while appearing to confirm that she has opted for the cosmetic procedure

Supportive beau: When another questioned Georgia's responsibility as a role model, Tommy fired back: 'She still is a advocate to young girls and older girls... it's 2017'

'That is your opinion, you should just keep it to yourself if you feel like it's going to bother someone... It's her body, her life, her Instagram she can do what she wants... If it makes her happy.'

When another questioned Georgia's responsibility as a role model, Tommy fired back: 'She still is a advocate to young girls and older girls... it's 2017 and if you feel strong about something and feel like you need a change then do it.'

He then appeared to confirm Georgia's decision, as he added: 'Get with it people she wanted to do it now she done it... she is a normal young woman with feelings just because she's in the public eye I feel like people forget this.'

Tommy's comments led to a bevy of fans joining him and showing Georgia their support, insisting she had the right to change her looks if she wanted to.

'So beautiful': Tommy's comments led to a bevy of fans joining him and showing Georgia their support, insisting she had the right to change her looks if she wanted to

Keeping coy: Despite her beau's admission, Georgia is yet to address her cosmetic work on social media

Georgia, meanwhile, is yet to address her cosmetic work, but did allude to the backlash that came her way by re-tweeting a message posted by I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp presenter Scarlett Moffatt.

Scarlett had criticised those targeting woman for how they look, as she said: 'Who are these people who think it's ok to call women for the way they look... too skinny, too fat, too old, not enough make up etc. What example are we teaching to the younger generation. It really upsets me that we live in a world where it's the norm.'

Georgia isn't the only TOWIE star to go under the knife recently, as she follows in the footsteps of Bobby Norris and James Lock's girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou.

Hitting back? She did allude to the backlash that came her way by re-tweeting a message posted by I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp presenter Scarlett Moffatt

Following suit: Georgia isn't the only TOWIE star to go under the knife recently, as she follows in the footsteps of Bobby Norris and James Lock's girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou

Both reality stars had unveiled their before and after results on social media and while they stressed they are not advocating surgery, they insisted it had been a 'well-thought out' decision they chose to go ahead with to target their insecurities.

Bobby told fans: 'So happy with the results from my septorhinoplasty... as somebody who has struggled to breath through one side of my nose for so many years, the difference is already unbelievable even though I'm still a bit swollen and bruised.'

Yazmin, meanwhile, stated: 'I had a previous broken nose and deviated septum so surgery was the only option for me. I am so glad I did it as I was nervous at first but so happy that I can now breathe properly and that the small bump has gone.

Explaining her decision: Yazmin had stressed that she was not advocating surgery and insisted it had been a 'well-thought out' decision she chose to go ahead with to target her insecurities

'As I have stated before in previous posts I am NOT telling people to run out and have cosmetic surgery due to vanity. I am saying that if you want to get surgery, have been thinking about it for a long time and like me I had no other option then people should feel comfortable to and feel they won't be judged.

'This is the reason I have decided to be so open about it and not lie like others have as it's my body and my choice and people need to stop judging others choices, shaming body's and appearances and just get on doing you.'

Others that have opted for similar procedures include Ferne McCann, Mario Falcone, Chloe Ferry and Charlotte Crosby.
They briefly appeared on Made In Chelsea together in 2012.

And now former MIC co-stars Kimberley Garner, 27, and Millie Mackintosh, 28, caught up on lost time as they celebrated the launch of Marella Cruises' first spa at sea with Champneys at the Rosewood Hotel on Tuesday.

Showcasing her signature style, Kimberley made sure to highlight her slender figure in pair of skintight wax coated black denims at the glamorous soiree in London.

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Reality check: MIC co-stars Kimberley Garner, 27, looked stylish as she celebrated the launch of Marella Cruises' first spa at sea with Champneys at the Rosewood Hotel on Tuesday

The West London beauty teamed her pin-hugging jeans with a v-necked tee which teased at her cleavage and decolletage as she posed for photos at the star-studded event.

Adding a glitzy touch to her ensemble, she worked a metallic silver blazer by Zara around her svelte frame as she worked the room in her leather heeled boots.

The swimwear designer kept to her glamorous ways as she worked her golden locks into a tousled style while she applied a slick of nude lipstick across her pout.

Catching up: Kimberley and Millie Mackintosh, 28, caught up on lost time as they attended the launch

Complementing Kimberley's style, fashionista Millie slipped into a pair of waist-cinching black culottes for the occasions.

The fashion designer teamed her figure-flaunting trousers with a patterned shirt equipped with a black pussy bow.

Adding inches to her petite frame, she slipped on a pair of pointed black stilettos for the evening.

The pair's chance meeting comes after they both appeared on E4's Made In Chelsea at the same time in 2012. At the time, Millie had split from Hugo Taylor and was in the throes of her romance with now ex-husband Professor Green.

Style savvy: Showcasing her signature style, Kimberley made sure to highlight her slender figure in pair of skintight wax coated black denims at the glamorous soiree in London

Hell for leather: The West London beauty teamed her pin-hugging jeans with a v-necked tee which teased at her cleavage and decolletage as she posed for photos at the star-studded event

Party pals: She was joined by pal and TV presenter Olivia Cox

Celebrations: Also at the event was fellow MIC star's Oliver Proudlock and Alex Mytton (R)

However, Kimberley was catching the eye of original MIC boys' Spencer Matthews, Francis Boulle and Jamie Laing, before she left following her single season stint.

Elsewhere, the stunning model is fresh from her autumnal girls' trip to Miami where she mixed business with pleasure.

'I am over in Miami on a girls holiday,' she told MailOnline. 'It's been really fun and the first time I have been to Miami. I will be staying a little longer over here for work on Kimberley London Swimwear, but London is definitely still home.'

Camera ready: Lothario Alex posed at the event with MIC and former Love Island star Tina Stinnes

Getting chic done: Actress Emily Atack stunned in a chic black jumpsuit for the soiree

Demure darling: Donna Air wowed in her velvet midi dress

Picture perfect: Anthea Turner (L) and Claire Sweeney attended the travel bash

Glamorous: Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen made the outing a glamorous date night

Kimberley has fully thrown herself into herself into swimwear design sphere in recent years, designing several lines since leaving Made in Chelsea.

She explained to MailOnline: 'I have some really cool new designs coming out over the next few months which I am excited about.

'They are still all made in London, which is really important to me. I love being a young female running a start up.

'Learning every section of what it take to run a company has been amazing and challenging but am really excited to see it grow and can't wait for next year's collections.'

Handsome: Radio presenter Dave Berry looked dapper at the event

Cheers: Only Fools and Horses star Gwyneth Strong stopped by the launch
She confirmed her romance to American model and actor Chris Zylka in February.

And on Wednesday's Kyle and Jackie O Show, Paris Hilton revealed that the couple definitely have babies on the brain.

'We talk about it all the time,' the 36-year-old told co-hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson.

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'We talk about it all the time': Paris Hilton, 36, revealed her baby plans with boyfriend Chris Zylka, 32, on Wednesday's Kyle and Jackie O show

When quizzed as to whether babies are in the near future for her and Chris, the hotel heiress did not hold back, stating: 'Definitely. I can't wait.'

With Paris' business empire booming, including 19 product lines, the blonde beauty added that it's all a case of timing: 'Not this year. Next year.'

She added: We talk about it all the time. I can't wait.'

Pitter patter? With Paris' business empire booming, including 19 product lines, the blonde beauty revealed that a pregnancy announcement can be expected 'not this year. Next year'

'We're together every second': Paris revealed on Wednesday's the Today show that she never spends more than 'three hours apart' from Chris

The comments follow on from Paris' Today show interview where she revealed the pair are almost inseparable.

Gushing over her partner, the entrepreneur told presenters Deborah Knight and Sylvia Jeffreys: 'We've actually have not spent more than three hours apart.

'We're together every second. He's so supportive and amazing.'

'I feel like God sent me an angel,' she added of Chris.

Smitten: Gushing over her partner, the entrepreneur told presenters Deborah Knight and Sylvia Jeffreys: 'We've actually have not spent more than three hours apart. We're together every second'

Paris added of Chris: 'He's so supportive and amazing. I feel like God sent me an angel'

Paris, who went public with her romance in February, revealed in April that she knew Chris was 'The One'.

She told E! News at the time: 'I've never been surer of anything in my life. He's so incredible in every way.

'We've actually been friends for a really long time, like the past six years. We just now started being serious in the past few months and it's really just changed my life in so many ways and brought so much happiness to my life.'

Paris is currently in Australia to launch her 23rd fragrance, Rose Rush.
She lives a life away from the spotlight with husband Chris Hemsworth in Byron Bay.

And Elsa Pataky showed she's really a hippie at heart as she took the pair's three children India, Sasha and Tristan to the local markets on Saturday.

The 41-year-old was seen snapping fun selfies while she shopped for a hat

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Say cheese! Elsa Pataky took her three children India, Sasha and Tristan to the local markets on Saturday, where she snapped fun selfies while she shopped

The Spanish actress was accompanied by her brother Cristian Prieto, while Chris spotted flying out to Los Angeles from Sydney the same weekend.

Dressed in her signature bohemian style, Elsa initially tried on a wide-brimmed black hat with goggles and took pictures of herself on her phone wearing it.

She looked casual in a black T-shirt, floral skirt and beige sandals.

She kept the goggles on when trying on her next hat, a red velvet chapeau that featured a paisley scarf around it.

On the move: Elsa's husband Chris was spotted flying out to Los Angeles from Sydney the same weekend

Selfie: Dressed in her signature bohemian style, Elsa initially tried on a wide-brimmed black hat and took pictures of herself on her phone wearing it

Boho: She wore a pair of goggle-shaped glasses over the brim, and looked casual in a black t-shirt, floral skirt and beige sandals

Shopping: She kept the goggles on when trying on her next hat, a red velvet chapeau that featured a paisley scarf around it

Elsa and her trio of little ones were joined on their trip to the local markets by her half-brother, Cristian Prieto.

India, five, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, three, scurried around their mother as she checked out a stall filled with hats, goggles, purses and other items.

The well-traveled beauty appeared to hold a $100 bill in U.S. denomination in one hand, while passing her brother Australian cash from the other.

Family affair: Elsa and her trio of little ones were joined on their trip to the local markets by her half-brother, Cristian Prieto

Fun: India, five, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, three, scurried around their mother as she checked out a stall filled with hats, goggles, purses and other items

Money talks: The well-traveled beauty appeared to hold a $100 bill in U.S. denomination in one hand, while passing her brother Australian cash from the other

Cristian is often spotted spending time with both Elsa and her husband, working as part of the production crew on Chris's latest film Thor: Ragnarok last year.

The high-profile lovebirds started dating in early 2010, and tied the knot in low-key ceremony in December that year.

They frequently travel between the US and Australia for work, with the family residing in a lavish beach abode in Byron Bay.
Betrayed by her philandering husband in the hit BBC drama Doctor Foster, Suranne Jones's on-screen alter ego had little time for beauty regimens as she plotted her revenge.

In real life, the 39-year-old actress goes to great lengths to ensure her skin stays in good shape, admitting she's become obsessed with a 42 pot of silver Gravity Mud.

Posting this snap on social media, in which she pulls a comical face while sporting a face mask, she explains: 'This cold weather! Dull skin and snotty noses.

'I want my shine back . . . keep ordering it for my friends. I think I just like the fact it's silver and shiny.'

Away from her role in Doctor Foster, Suranne Jones (pictured), 39, goes to great lengths to ensure her skin stays in good shape, admitting she's become obsessed with a 42 pot of silver Gravity Mud (pictured)

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint sounds a curious cove.

'I do have a full-sized real ostrich skeleton in my living room,' confides the 29-year-old actor, who played Ron Weasley in the film franchise about J. K. Rowling's boy wizard.

'I've got a 'bone guy' who I get all my skeletons from. I'm after one of his bears next. You'd be surprised how reasonably priced skeletons are.

'Getting all those bones to stick together, it's quite the art form.'

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint (pictured) sounds a curious cove. 'I do have a full-sized real ostrich skeleton in my living room,' confides the 29-year-old actor, who played Ron Weasley in the film franchise about J. K. Rowling's boy wizard

Some of Meghan Markle's admirers go way too far. Prince Harry's fiancee revealed that a cheeky teenager once sneaked into her shower cubicle.

The incident happened when the actress was staying at a campsite in New Zealand.

'They had really nice areas to go and take a shower,' she said.

'I'm washing my hair, I hear something, so I open the shower curtain and there is this 13-year-old boy who had crawled under the stall and was trying to steal my underwear.'

Some of Meghan Markle's (pictured right) admirers go way too far. Prince Harry's (left) fiancee revealed that a cheeky teenager once sneaked into her shower cubicle

Meghan, who still had shampoo in her hair, used a towel to hide her modesty as she chased the boy away.

'I found his parents and they were mortified, of course,' she adds of the 2014 incident.

'To this day, oh my God, that kid will be sitting at home going 'That's the girl from Suits, I saw her naked.' '

Hollywood icon Robert Redford is evidently not one to bear grudges.

A decade ago Rupert Everett unkindly referred to the Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid star as being a 'tragic parody of himself'.

But a source on Everett's forthcoming Oscar Wilde biopic The Happy Prince tells me the movie will receive its world premiere at Redford's Sundance Film Festival in Utah in January.

Let's hope Everett is on uncharacteristic good behaviour when his directorial debut, which also stars Colin Firth and Emily Watson, is unveiled.

Hollywood (pictured left with Jane Fonda in Venice in September) icon Robert Redford is evidently not one to bear grudges, writes Sebastian Shakespeare

No surprise to see that Ultimo lingerie queen Michelle Mone  aka Baroness Bra  eschews the traditional nativity scene for her Christmas card.

Instead she has posted a personalised festive message online which features an illustration of her showing off her generous embonpoint alongside a flattering depiction of her Scottish billionaire boyfriend Doug Barrowman, 52, who is in a kilt and red bow tie.

Lady Mone, 46, captions the image; 'Evening all! How are you?

'From my side . . .been super busy setting up more businesses & madly in Love.'
Sofia Vergara was out snapping up some post-Thanksgiving bargains on Tuesday.

The 45-year-old beauty was all smiles as she was spotted leaving upscale department store Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, with a helpful person carrying her purchases to her car.

She kept it casual in an autumnal outfit but added some glam with towering heels in her usual fashion.

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Leggy look: Sofia Vergara looked comfy yet chic as she went shopping in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

The mother-of-one wore a chunky cream sweater with skinny 7 For All Mankind jeans and protected her eyes with stylish aviators.

It's no surprise the actress was in good spirits having just spent Thanksgiving with her nearest and dearest.

Sofia hosted dinner for her family at her Los Angeles mansion on Thursday, sharing snaps to social media documenting the festive fun.

Autumnal chic! It's no surprise the actress was in good spirits having just spent Thanksgiving with her nearest and dearest

Effortless style: The mother-of-one wore a chunky cream sweater with skinny 7 For All Mankind jeans and protected her eyes with stylish aviators

On Friday she shared a sweet photo showing her sister snuggling up on a sofa to her cute little nephew Rafi and Sofia's son Manolo, 25.

The Modern Family star, 45, also shared a photo of her husband Joe Manganiello, 40, holding Rafi and added three heart emojis.

The Hot Pursuit actress looked gorgeous on Thanksgiving rocking a shimmering silver skirt, teetering skyscraper heels and a low cut white top that made the most of her busty physique.

Family time: On Friday Sofia shared a sweet snap of her son Manolo, 25 with her sister and nephew

Sofia and Joe got engaged on Christmas Day 2014 after six months of dating, before tying the knot in a romantic ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 21, 2015.

Last week they celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

The actress was previously married to high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez from 1991 to 1993, with whom she shares son Manolo.

So cute: The Modern Family star, 45, also shared a photo of her husband Joe Manganiello, 40, holding Rafi and added three heart emojis

Power couple: The Colombian actress and her ripped actor hubby have shared a string of images fromt he gathering they hosted at their LA mansion

Sofia paid tribute to Joe on their anniversary with a sweet Instagram snap posting an adorable photograph of the pair gazing into each other's eyes, alongside the caption: 'I adore you @joemanganiello. Happy Aniversary!!'

Joe also posted his own message to his Colombian-born wife, opting for a shot of him spinning her around the dance floor while writing a note in Sofia's native tongue.

Translated as 'happy second anniversary my love, you are my everything', Joe wrote. 'Feliz Segundo Aniversario mi amor! Eres mi todo.'

Good genes: Sofia busted out of a strapless white top and wore a shimmering gold skirt for her Thanksgiving party; pictured with Manolo and her lookalike niece Claudia
Daveigh Chase, who terrified movie-goers in The Ring, has been arrested in Los Angeles.

TMZ reported Tuesday the former child star was taken into custody by law enforcement for joyriding in a stolen car.

Chase, 27, was a passenger in a BMW that police officers pulled over Tuesday morning in Hollywood, according to the publication.

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Busted: Daveigh Chase, 27, pictured in 2012, was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles for joyriding in a stolen BMW, TMZ reported. She was a passenger in the car stopped by police in Hollywood

The actress, who has starred on HBO's Big Love, was reportedly booked for being in a car without the owner's consent, which, the website reported, is a felony. The driver was also booked.

An investigation is underway to determine who stole the BMW, and as of Tuesday afternoon Chase was being held in jail on $25,000 bond.

It's not the first run in with the law for the Las Vegas native.

In February, she was arrested by LAPD detectives after she allegedly left a dying man outside a hospital.

Famous role: The former child star terrified moviegoers in 2002's The Ring in which she played played the ghostly Samara Morgan

Chase had reportedly been hanging out with the man in the early hours of February 15 before she left him at the hospital's front door and fled.

Police ran her name and discovered an outstanding warrant out against her for an unrelated misdemeanor traffic violation, leading to her arrest,TMZ reported at the time.

Chase was not a suspect in the man's death, which was believed to be caused by an overdose.

TMZ said Chase, who has starred on HBO's Big Love, was booked for being in a car without the owner's consent, a felony. The driver was also booked. She's pictured in 2015 in Hollywood

The actress played the ghostly Samara Morgan in The Ring, a remake of the Japanese horror movie Ringu, winning 'Best Villain' for the role in the 2003 MTV awards.

She also had a recurring role in HBO's Mormon drama Big Love as child bride Rhonda Volmer, and also voiced the character of Lilo in the Disney animation Lilo & Stitch.

Her breakout role was as Sarah Darko, younger sister of Donnie Darko in 2001 teen drama/horror movie Donnie Darko. She reprised the role in 2009 sequel S. Darko.
Olivia Buckland revealed the extent of her epic wardrobe malfunction as she made an exit from the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 on Tuesday evening.

Revealing an enormous rip in her otherwise glamorous Julien Macdonald gown, the Love Island star exposed rather more than intended while making her way toward a waiting car.

Despite the awkward tear, Olivia, 24, was in high spirits as she prepared for the journey home with hunky fiance Alex Bowen.

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Awkward: Olivia Buckland revealed he extent of her nightmare wardrobe malfunction after ripping her dress at the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 on Wednesday evening

Currently in the process of moving in together, the couple naturally felt they needed a night away from unpacking as they headed out to the event at the Pavilion in the Tower of London.

Olivia was naturally looking stunning as she hit the ceremony while sporting her sizzling golden gown yet it seemed wear and tear got the best of the dress as she was showing off a pull in the stitching of her split.

The neck of the dress provided a super saucy feel as she framed her eye-popping bust with a tie detail that sat between her perky cleavage to draw attention.

Going for gold with her beauty regimen, the Essex-born beauty layered on lashings of highlighter and illuminating powder to add to her dazzling look.

Olivia appeared extraordinarily fresh-faced for the event, with her dewy complexion only further heightened by her decision to scrape her tresses off her face.

Watch out: The rip resulted in Olivia revealing a little more than she intended as she left the London event

Let's go: The revealing nature of Olivia's outfit ensured she commanded attention as she made her way home

In good company: Olivia was joined by hunky fiance Alex Bowen

Just last week, Olivia revealed she is planning many 'sexy nights in' with her beau to make the most of their new pad, after splashing out 600,000 on the property.

The reality beauty joked that their lavish home will mean they will have to be spending more 'nights in' together, teasingly hinting at the 'fun' the duo will have.

The blonde bombshell wrote in a cheeky post: 'Moving into our new home together so soon and cant wait.

'Might have to have a few more nights in now. But they can be fun, especially with this @bluebellaofficial Karolina basque. It fits like a glove,' Olivia continued, before cheekily adding: 'A very naughty, slightly see-though glove.'

Tatt's your lot: Olivia showed off her numerous inkings while making her way towards a waiting car

Hand in hand: The pair were as tactile as ever during their latest public appearance

Her racy social media upload comes after the starlet revealed she and her husband-to-be Alex have purchased their first home and dream house together. The pair are said to have snapped up the property for 600,000.

Olivia expressed her excitement over the move on Instagram, as she shared a photo hinting at the couple's new abode and penned: 'So we are officially home owners to the most beautiful place we could of only dreamt of and I am just so in love. Utter bliss. Cannot even word my thoughts right now!!!'

She and Alex had met on the second series of ITV2 dating show and viewers watched on as their romance blossomed onscreen. While she had been an original islander on the show, Alex had arrived as a late arrival.

Eek! Olivia and her handsome beau naturally felt they needed a night away from unpacking as they headed out to the event at the Pavilion in the Tower of London

Golden girl: While the 24-year-old typically puts on a flawless display, she was faced with a wardrobe malfunction at the bash as the sexy split in her Julien Macdonald suffered an unsightly split as they made their late arrival at the prize-giving

Moving in! She is in the midst of moving into her dream home with fiance Alex Bowen

Initially their relationship hadn't been plain sailing, as Alex had bedded former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland - much to Olivia's chagrin at the time. However, the couple were able to move past the dalliance and went on to finish in second place on the show, behind eventual winners Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey.

Since the show wrapped in the summer of 2016, the duo's relationship has gone from strength to strength. Alex had moved into Olivia's Essex home and had popped the question to his love in December, after whisking Olivia away to New York for her birthday.

Now looking ahead to their future together, Alex has said he is keen to start a family with Olivia. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he joked that seeing Olivia's BFF Cara pregnant with her first child has made him feel broody and claimed: 'I want to get [Olivia] pregnant on our wedding night!'

Cara is expecting a baby boy with her ex-beau and fellow Love Island winner Nathan.

Racy! Just last week, Olivia revealed she is planning many 'sexy nights in' with her beau to make the most of their new pad, after splashing out 600,000 on the property

Cheeky! The reality beauty joked that their lavish home will mean they will have to be spending more 'nights in' together, teasingly hinting at the 'fun' the duo will have

Exciting! Olivia revealed she and her husband-to-be Alex have purchased their first home and dream house together - reportedly snapping up the property for 600,000

'I am just so in love': The Love Island star shared her joy at purchasing her dream pad with her husband-to-be in a gushing Instagram post shared on Tuesday

Sexy: Olivia followed up the photo of her property with a snap of her slipping into a sultry all-in-one that did little to cover her nude frame underneath

Sweet: The starlet, meanwhile, had expressed her excitement over her upcoming move with Alex, telling fans: 'So we are officially home owners to the most beautiful place we could of only dreamt of and I am just so in love'

Waiting game! She first revealed the duo had secured their property back in October

The real deal: Olivia and Alex had met on the second series of ITV2 dating show and viewers watched on as their romance blossomed onscreen, before Alex later popped the question to his love in December 2016 during a trip to New York

Olivia, meanwhile, appeared more relaxed, tutting at her besotted boyfriend, who has had her face tattooed onto his leg, before they both agreed that they will do things 'the traditional way'.

The couple also revealed that they are 'in talks' to have their wedding day filmed, as they explained: 'Were in talks about having our wedding filmed as it would be nice to look back on. People saw us get get together on Love Island so it will complete our love story.'

Despite the couple's besotted relationship, Olivia admits it took her a while to get used to the attention her hunky other half receives.

'Before Love Island I was so jealous and insecure but it's got so normal to see girls flirt with my fiance on social media,' she revealed. 'I'm used to it I dont think anything of it. I've grown and I'm secure plus Alex makes me feel safe and confident- I know I can trust him.'
David Yates defended casting Johnny Depp in the Fantastic Beasts sequel following domestic violence accusations made by the actor's ex-wife Amber Heard.

Depp, 54, had a small role as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in 2016's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, but will have a larger role in the sequel subtitled The Crimes Of Grindelwald.

'Honestly, there's an issue at the moment where there's a lot of people being accused of things, they're being accused by multiple victims, and it's compelling and frightening,' said Yates in an article on Tuesday by EW.

Casting defense: David Yates, shown in November 2016 in China, defended casting Johnny Depp in the Fantastic Beasts sequel following domestic violence allegations by Amber Heard

'With Johnny, it seems to me there was one person who took a pop at him and claimed something. I can only tell you about the man I see every day: He's full of decency and kindness, and that's all I see. Whatever accusation was out there doesn't tally with the kind of human being I've been working with,' added the English filmmaker while shooting the sequel in London.

Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter films, also noted that Depp's former partners including Vanessa Paradis, Lori Anne Allison and Winona Ryder publicly defended him.

They said Depp was 'never abusive at all  I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy', said Yates referencing their four-year relationship.

'By testament, some of the women in [Depp's] life have said the same thing  ''that's not the human being we know'',' Yates said.

Dark wizard: Depp is shown as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in a still from 2016's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find them directed by Yates

'It's very different [than cases] where there are multiple accusers over many years that need to be examined and we need to reflect on our industry that allows that to roll on year in and year out.'

'Johnny isn't in that category in any shape or form. So to me, it doesn't bear any more analysis. It's a dead issue,' Yates said.

Heard, 31, and Depp met in 2011 on the set of The Rum Diary and married in February 2015.

Hollywood star: The 54-year-old actor, shown earlier this month in London, will have a larger role in the Fantastic Beasts sequel subtitled The Crimes Of Grindelwald

She filed for divorce in May 2016 and shortly afterward obtained a temporary restraining order against Depp after alleging verbal and physical abuse by the actor.

Images of her facial injuries from one alleged incident were published and a settlement was reached in August 2016.

The divorce was finalized last January and Heard dismissed the restraining order.

Former couple: Depp is shown with ex-wife Amber Heard in September 2015 in Toronto

They released a joint statement that said their 'relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.'

Yates standing behind Depp received a mixed reaction on social media with some endorsements and several rebukes.

One Twitter user likened Yates and Depp to garbage in a post that featured a photo of two black garbage bags along with the caption 'New behind the scenes picture of Johnny Depp and David Yates at the Fantastic Beasts set (2017).'

Behind the scenes: A Twitter user who took offense to Yates and Depp likened them to trash

Another Twitter user also used the refuse theme and posted: 'David Yates is trash. As much as I love Harry Potter, I will be boycotting the franchise while he and Johnny Depp are still involved. Trash. Trash. Trash.'.

Social media also was critical of Yates for saying Heard 'took a pop at him and claimed something' after noting that others recently have been accused by 'multiple victims'.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald also starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston and Jude Law is scheduled for release on November 16, 2018.

Refuse theme: Another Twitter user vowed to boycott the franchise over Yates and Depp and called them trash
Kris Jenner took three of her six grandchildren to the movies on Tuesday.

The 62-year-old Kardashian-Jenner matriarch was spotted out in Los Angeles with North West, the five-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

Also with Kris were her daughter Kourtney's two younger children - five-year-old daughter Penelope Disick and two-year-old son Reign Disick.

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Fun with Granny: Kris Jenner took three of her six grandchildren to the movies on Tuesday in Los Angeles

Kris, who cut a snappy figure in a checked blazer over a black turtlenecked sweater, was seen cradling little Reign in her arms.

The 'momager' carried a black snakeskin-patterned purse, matching her sunglasses, skintight trousers and gleaming shoes.

From 1976 until 1991, Kris was married to Robert Kardashian, who was infamously a part of his friend O.J. Simpson's legal team during the latter's double-murder trial, which concluded with his still hotly controversial acquittal.

Picture perfect: The darling girl seemed to be in a bright mood after taking in a film

Kim's firstborn: The 62-year-old Kardashian-Jenner matriarch was spotted out in Los Angeles with North West, the five-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Gran on the go: Also with Kris were her daughter Kourtney's two younger children - five-year-old daughter Penelope Disick and two-year-old son Reign Disick

Kris and Robert produced four children - daughters Kourtney, 38, Kim, 37, and Khloe, 33, as well as a 30-year-old son named after his father.

Before Caitlyn Jenner transitioned into a woman, the former Olympian then known as Bruce Jenner was married to Kris from 1991 until 2015.

This ill-starred union produced two daughters - Kendall, 22, and Kylie, 20.

These days, Kris is dating the dashing Corey Gamble, who is in his 30s.

So sweet: Kris, who cut a snappy figure in a checked blazer over a black turtlenecked sweater, was seen cradling little Reign in her arms

Kourtney's got three children by her on-and-off paramour Scott Disick, her firstborn Mason's 2009 birth having been immortalized on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

The co-parents welcomed little Penelope into the world in 2012, and Kourtney gave birth to her youngest child, Reign, in 2014.

Kourtney and Scott, who'd been introduced in 2006 by Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis in Mexico, last ended their romantic relationship in July of 2015.

Heading in: Kris and her grandchildren were spotted walking to the entrance of a movie theater

Chic: The 'momager' carried a black snakeskin-patterned purse, matching her sunglasses, skintight trousers and gleaming shoes

Scott and Kourtney are each now dating someone more than a decade younger: Kourtney is with Younes Bendjima, who at 24 is 14 years her junior, and Scott at the age of 34 is currently dating Lionel Richie's 19-year-old daughter Sofia.

Meanwhile, in addition to five-year-old North, Kim and her third husband Kanye have got a one-year-old son called Saint and are expecting a third child via surrogate.

Rob The Younger and his ex-fiancee Blac Chyna share one-year-old daughter Dream.

Chyna, 39, has also got a five-year-old son called King Cairo by the 28-year-old rapper Tyga - who in a bizarre twist dated Kylie until earlier this year.

Family history: Penelope (pictured), Reign and their elder brother Mason are Kourtney's children by her on-off paramour Scott Disick

There are also rumors that Kim and Kourtney's 33-year-old sister Khloe Kardashian is pregnant by her dashing Cleveland Cavalier boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

Earlier this year, Tristan's ex-girlfriend Jordan Craig delivered his firstborn child, a son called Prince.

Meanwhile, the rumor mill has also been churning away with speculation that Kylie is pregnant by her 25-year-old boyfriend, Drugs You Should Try It rapper Travis Scott.

Kris recently addressed a photo she posted that seemed to be a hint her two daughters, Khloe and Kylie, are expecting.

The Reign of Kris: Reign, Penelope and Mason's parents last ended their romantic relationship in 2015

Explaining herself! Kris explained the reason she took a photo of nine pajamas was because the company that sent them to her had delivered nine in total

The star recently shared a photo of nine sets of pajamas for 'every one of my grandchildren' - though she has six grandchildren total.

Kris explained the reason she took a photo of nine pajamas was because the company that sent them to her had delivered nine in total.

'Well, this was a gift,' she said on Steve. 'Oprah had these pajamas as one of her favorite things. It's Burts Bees Baby.'

'They have the most amazing, beautiful, organic cotton pajamas,' she added. 'I went on their website and they were all sold out, so I called the company and said, "Come on, don't you guys have a few left?" And that's what they sent!'

Meanwhile, in a related piece of news, Kim's onetime sex tape co-star Ray J is expecting a baby of his own by his wife Princess Love, he announced on The Real this week.
News / Education

by Staff Reporter

The late national hero, Dr Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu has been posthumously honored after a new science laboratory at Induna High School at One Infantry Brigade was named after him in honor of the contributions he made in transforming the educational standards at military schools.Dr Ndlovu was a veteran educationist and once served as board chairperson of the Army Schools Welfare Trust which witnessed the transformation of formal military schools into highly competitive institutions in the country's academic front.Officiating at the event, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander, Lieutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda said it was through the contributions of the late national hero that the army's formal schools are beginning to excel in their studies judging by the 2016 results.Widow to the late national hero, Dr Rose Ndlovu said the family is humbled by the honor as it gives the family pride that the late hero's works are also remembered at national scale.Commander 1 Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Augustine Chipwere urged parents to encourage their children to embrace science and technology subjects in line with global trends.The government through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is currently in the process of implementing the revised education curriculum which gives emphasis on science and technology as it encourages students to be innovative in addressing the country's needs.
She is known for dazzling both on and off the catwalk when it comes to her sartorial choices.

And rocking yet another head-turning look on Tuesday night, Hailey Baldwin ensured all eyes were on her as she attended the Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City.

The catwalk queen, 21, dazzled in a plunging sky blue shirt dress that showcased her envy-inducing legs as she was honored with the fashionable title of Style Influencer Of The Year at the event.

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No pants, no problem! Hailey Baldwin rocked yet another head-turning look as she attended the Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City on Tuesday

Hailey had her light brunette tresses pulled up in to a sleek and sophisticated high ponytail and she donned a glamorous make-up look that highlighted her flawless complexion with a smokey-eye, peach blush swept across her cheeks, and nude lips.

Choosing to flaunt her catwalk-worthy pins, the model chose to ditch her trousers and wear her quirky shirt as a mini dress instead - no doubt to draw attention to her lengthy legs.

The beauty then added extra height to her ensemble a pair of suede nude ankle boots.

Simply stunning: Hailey had her light brunette tresses up in to a sleek and sophisticated high ponytail

Putting her best foot forward! The starlet rocked a nude pair of suede ankle boots, at the Ruffino Wines event

Stylish: The catwalk queen, 21, dazzled in a plunging sky blue shirt dress that showcased her envy-inducing legs

Her over-sized ensemble billowed out around her lithe frame, but still managed to tease a look at the starlet's cleavage, with its low-cut choker neckline, as Hailey appeared to go braless underneath.

She oozed glamour as she posed up a storm on the red carpet while rocking an array of glittering accessorizes, including various silver rings.

Throughout the star-studded bash  where Ruffino Wines were exclusively poured  Hailey was awarded the title of Style Influencer of the Year, as she joined pregnant Tabitha Simmons on stage.

Stunning: Hailey made sure to flaunt her striking beauty with a dramatic beauty look

Daring: Her over-sized ensemble billowed out around her lithe frame, but still managed to tease a look at the starlet's cleavage

Honoured: Throughout the star-studded bash, Hailey was awarded the title of Style Influencer of the Year

Beaming: The stylish star looked thrilled to pick up her prize on the night

Taking centre stage: Hailey stunned in her mini-length ensemble as she addressed the crowd

Congratulations! She was joined on stage by pregnant Tabitha Simmons

After collecting her prize, Hailey was then seen puckering up to Tabitha's baby bump, as she congratulated her on her baby joy.

Making sure not to leave out her Instagram followers, Hailey had shared a snap of her super stylish look from the night online. Alongside it she penned: 'Thank u for naming me "Style Influencer Of The Year"' (sic)

Her appearance at the awards comes after Hailey has found herself with a jam-packed schedule of late.

Commanding attention! Hailey stunned on her arrival to the awards

Sweet display: After collecting her prize, Hailey was then seen puckering up to Tabitha's baby bump, as she congratulated her on her baby joy

The model just turned 21-years-old, and had a girls getaway with gal pals Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner to the Bahamas to celebrate.

From relaxing on the beach to boating along the crystal clear waters, the girls had plenty of fun in the sun these last few days.

On Monday, she enjoyed a day out on the boat with gal pal Bella, who made an appearance in New York on Tuesday at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show screening, after previously storming the catwalk in Shanghai.

Strike a pose! Baldwin shared the spotlight with gal pal Justine Skye
They are fast establishing themselves as the hottest young couple in New York City.

And on Tuesday night Chloe Moretz, 20, and Brooklyn Beckham, 18, stepped out again together to attend the FN Achievement Awards.

The loved up pair were back in the Big Apple after a long holiday weekend in Southern California where they were spotted shopping at a jewelry store in Beverly Hills and enjoying a 'glamping' trip near Santa Barbara.

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Inseparable: On Tuesday night Chloe Moretz, 20, and Brooklyn Beckham, 18, stepped out again together to attend the FN Achievement Awards in New York City

Chloe wore a dark green leather jacket with statement silver buttons over a patterned outfit paired with black shoes.

Her blonde hair was tousled and she ringed her eyes with smoky shadow and lashings of black mascara. She added rosy blush and pink lip color.

Brooklyn, 18, wore a white shirt undone at the collar with dark green tartan pants and a black tailored jacket by Burberry.

Calling the shots: Chloe took the lead as the couple headed into the event, holding his hand as he trailed behind her

Simpatico: Chloe wore a dark green leather jacket with statement silver buttons over a patterned black outfit paired with black shoes. Brooklyn, 18, wore a white shirt undone at the collar with dark green tartan pants, a black tailored jacket and black shoes by Burberry

Social whirl: The two returned to the Big Apple after enjoying a long romantic weekend in Southern California over the Thanksgiving holiday

Besotted: The young couple only had eyes for each other

Also at the Ruffino Wines event recognizing achievements in footwear was Hailey Baldwin, 21, just back from a getaway to The Bahamas with pals Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.

The celebrity offspring put on a stunning show in an asymmetrical powder blue dress with long sleeves that revealed her long bare legs.

The model added nude stiletto-heeled short boots with very pointed toes.

She wore a long blue and beige scarf around her neck and her blonde hair was styled up in a high ponytail.

Chivalrous! Brooklyn helped his belle onto the pavement

Turning heads! The duo certainly put on a bright display during their rare night out

Loved up: Chloe held onto her beau's tattooed hand as they made a public declaration of love

Leggy look: Hailey Baldwin, 21, put on a stunning show in an asymmetrical powder blue dress with long sleeves that revealed her lean bare legs at the Ruffino Wines event

Making a statement: The model added nude stiletto-heeled short boots with very pointed toes. She wore a long blue and beige scarf and her blonde hair was styled up in a high ponytail

Angolan fashion model Maria Borges looked sensational in a pink frock with an embellished transparent overlay at the top.

The 25-year-old added gray suede heels and diamond earrings.

On hand, too, was Alexa Chung, 34, in a tailored black suit with shiny cream blouse and bright pink lipstick.

Beautiful: Angolan model Maria Borges, 25, looked sensational in a pink frock with an embellished transparent overlay at the top. She added gray suede heels and diamond earrings

On hand, too, was Alexa Chung, 34, in a tailored black suit with shiny cream blouse and bright pink lipstick. She posed for photos with Derek Blasberg

Later in the evening, Chloe took the stage to present one of the awards.

The actress made a presentation to Victor Luis, the chief executive officer of Coach.

Made-up: Chloe's blonde hair was tousled and she ringed her eyes with smoky shadow and lashings of black mascara. She added rosy blush and pink lip color
They've been inseparable since confirming their same-sex relationship in August.

And Alex Nation and Maegan Luxa are no doubt still enjoying the honeymoon phase of their blossoming romance, with the smitten pair taking to Instagram on Wednesday to share a loved-up snap.

Former Bachelor winner Alex, 26, and her leading lady Maegan, 31, were pictured barefoot in the sand, hand-in-hand during what appeared to be a romantic walk on the beach.

Still going strong! Alex Nation and Maegan Luxa are no doubt still enjoying the honeymoon phase of their blossoming romance, with the smitten pair taking to Instagram on Wednesday to share a loved-up snap

'If I had wings and could fly, I'd still walk with you... because it makes me look more tanned,' Maegan captioned.

Alex showed off her trim pins and an eye-catching foot tattoo in a flirty red frock.

Meanwhile, while her lover opted for an androgynous look consisting of white shorts and a navy shirt.

The snap comes days after a Woman's Day report claimed the couple visited an IVF clinic with the hopes of taking things to the next level.

Their reported interested in having a baby came after Alex's son Elijah, six, began 'nagging' his mother for a sibling.

Feeling clucky? The snap comes days after a Woman's Day report claimed the couple visited an IVF clinic with the hopes of taking things to the next level

'The girls have sought advice from an IVF clinic in East Melbourne,' an alleged 'friend' of the couple's told the magazine.

'They fell in love all over again during their trip to Bali and talk got serious,' they added.

The lovebirds confirmed their romance during a getaway to Bali earlier this month.

'The girls have sought advice from an IVF clinic in East Melbourne,' an alleged 'friend' of the couple's told the magazine

Family ties: The 26-year-old's son from a previous relationship, Elijah, six, has reportedly been 'nagging' his mother for a sibling

On the day Australia celebrated a majority 'Yes' vote in the country's marriage equality postal survey, Alex shared a photo of the pair holding each other.

'Everywhere around the country, voices of the oppressed rang true. They were not silenced and love prevailed,' she gushed in the image's caption.

Previously in a high-profile relationship with Richie Strahan, whom she met on The Bachelor in 2016, Alex met Maegan, 31, playing for the same AFL Women's team.

Former flame: Previously in a high-profile relationship with Richie Strahan, whom she met on The Bachelor in 2016, Alex met Maegan, 31, playing for the same AFL Women's team

'When it comes to love, my friends and family would tell you that my heart isn't one to discriminate,' she said of their same-sex relationship on Thursday.

'I very much fall for a person and the connection that I share with them,' she continued.

Woman's Day reported the twosome are also said to be 'planning a wedding'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Alex Nation for comment.
Just days ago she wowed the world at Miss Universe.

But Fergie looked delighted to be getting back into the maternal swing of things as she went shopping with son Axl in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The proud mother looked full of joy as she prepared to go wild in the aisles with her four-year-old pride and joy by her side.

Mother's day: Fergie took son Axl shopping in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The 42-year-old, real name Stacy Ann Ferguson, looked great for her age in a flattering ensemble of leather jacket, leggings and bejewelled boots.

Fergie split from Axl's father Josh Duhamel earlier this year, despite the fact they celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary together in January.

The staunch Catholics have also continued to attend church together, and were spotted attending a ceremony with their four-year-old son Axl in June.

Her relaxing day came after she stunned at the Miss Universe contest in Las Vegas on Sunday, putting on a leggy display in a stylish metallic minidress as she took to the stage to perform during the telecast.

Black Eyed Peas in a pod: The dynamic duo looked like they were having a great time together

Drinking at the Fountain Of Youth: It is hard to believe the natural beauty is really 42

A sparkling performance: She put on a leggy display in a metallic minidress at Miss Universe

As if that were not exciting enough, she took to social media on Monday to announce she has joined The Four, yet another TV singing show, as host.

The warbler will join judges Diddy, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor and music executive Charlie Walk on the upcoming Fox programme.

She said: This is a unique and modern show format that I believe will set the standard for the next generation of singing competition series on TV.

'I am looking forward to being by the contestants' sides during what could be the most important performances of their lives.'

Leather lungs: She showcased her vocal power at the thrilling event
While the original Jersey Shore cast will reunite in 2018 one of the show's stars will not: Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola.

Her romance with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was the true soap opera theatrics that kept fans glued to the show over the years.

And now her ex Ronnie is speaking out about Sammi's decision to skip the renunion.

While the original Jersey Shore cast will reunite in 2018 one of the show's stars will not - Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola; Her romance with Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was the true soap opera theatrics that kept fans glued to the show over the years

'It's something she chose to do and it's her choice.,' Ronnie told TooFab.

'So you know, as someone who was around her forever, you gotta respect that. We all respect that and we just wish her the best. If she's happy and she's in an amazing place, God bless her, and we all really do just wish her the best and nothing but good things for her.'

'I've gone my own direction and all I can really do is worry about myself and all she can do is worry about herself.'

'It's something she chose to do and it's her choice.,' Ronnie said of his ex

Meanwhile, The Jersey Shore became a pop culture sensation, spawning catchphrases such as 'grenade' and 'gym, tan, laundry'.

And fans can now rejoice at the news that MTV is bringing back the popular reality show in 2018, announcing a 'family vacation' reunion series.

The main castmates from the fly-on-the-wall series, which aired from 2009 to 2012, will all be returning - with the exception of Sammi.

Reunion: Jersey Shore fans can now rejoice at the news that MTV is bringing back the popular reality show in 2018, announcing a 'family vacation' reunion series

Paul 'Pauly D' Delvecchio, Jenni 'JWOWW' Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, and Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino and Deena Nicole Cortese are all confirmed.

Little is known about what the new series of Jersey Shore Family Vacation will entail, but viewers can expect plenty of alcohol-fuelled parties and bust-ups, despite several members of the cast starting families and getting married.

The original MTV reality series - which lasted six series - surrounded hard-partying roommates sharing a New Jersey beach house as well as the mantra 'gym, tan, laundry.'

The gang teased their excitement on social media, with Vinny sharing: 'Hide yo wife, hide yo kids.. Did someone say there's a new #JerseyShore series coming out in 2018 on @mtv ?!

Missing out: Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, Jenni 'JWOWW' Farley, Paul 'Pauly D' Delvecchio, Deena Nicole Cortese, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro (from left to right) and Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi (far left) are all confirmed - but Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola (second from right) isn't returning

Lasted six seasons (2009-2012): The original MTV reality series surrounded hard-partying roommates sharing a New Jersey beach house as well as the mantra 'gym, tan, laundry'

'The people have spoken and We finna #MakeRealityTvGreatAgain. 'Can't wait to be back on your tv screen wit my roomates!!!!!'

JWOWW shared, 'Gotta teach these young ones', while Snooki filmed the promo announcement airing on MTV.

The news comes shortly after Deena married her boyfriend Christopher Buckner in October, which reunited the gang.

The brunette beauty is yet to address the reasons for not taking part, but it seems her new relationship could be the reason.

Moving on: Sammi, who was in an off/off, dysfunctional relationship with co-star Ronnie for years, has found love again and her social media account is filled with couple snaps

Sammi, who was in an off/off, dysfunctional relationship with co-star Ronnie for years, has found love again and her social media account is filled with couple snaps.

Jersey Shore spawned a legion of copycat series, including the UK's long-running series Geordie Shore, set in Newcastle.

News of a reunion series has been teased for months. This summer, Snooki confirmed that her Jersey Shore castmates were definitely 'down to' do a full season together.

'We want to do reunion, a full season of it, and I feel the fans want it too,' the 29-year-old reality star told Extra.

'I feel the fans want it too': Following E!'s 30-minute Reunion Road Trip this summer, Snooki confirmed her Jersey Shore castmates were definitely 'down to' do a full season

The 29-year-old reality star told Extra: 'We really miss each other...I think it was nice to look back and say we were hot messes and then we were doing shots to us being hot messes, so we are still hot messes'

'We really miss each other...I think it was nice to look back and say we were hot messes and then we were doing shots to us being hot messes, so we are still hot messes.'

'It's literally like shots! 'Let's go out, have fun!'' the married mother-of-two said of the reunion.

'The fact that we all got together six years later and we're still the same roomies and people... that's dangerous.'

Snooki continued: 'We realize when we were all together, we didn't skip a beat. I have two kids; I'm a mom. I'm married. That's a big difference.'

The married mother-of-two said of the reunion: 'It's literally like shots! 'Let's go out, have fun!' The fact that we all got together six years later and we're still the same roomies and people... that's dangerous'

Snooki continued: 'We realize when we were all together, we didn't skip a beat. I have two kids; I'm a mom. I'm married. That's a big difference'

In the hot seat: Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino has remained sober despite facing 'decades' in prison for 'tax evasion and structuring/falsifying records to avoid detection of assets'

Polizzi gushed: 'We were so proud of Mike (R) being sober that we did a shot to him being sober. Does that make sense?'

Mike has remained sober despite facing 'decades' in prison for 'tax evasion and structuring/falsifying records to avoid detection of assets' - according toTMZ.

Polizzi gushed: 'We were so proud of Mike being sober that we did a shot to him being sober. Does that make sense?'

Regardless if there's more Jersey Shore, the New Celebrity Apprentice star and her BFF JWoww will soon join forces with Mob Wives' Drita D'Avanzo for VH1's Celebrity Shore.

'If u don't know...now u know!' the 41-year-old married mother-of-two confirmed on Instagram on Tuesday.

More to come! Regardless if there's more Jersey Shore, the New Celebrity Apprentice star and her BFF Jenni 'JWoww' Farley (R) will soon join forces with Mob Wives' Drita D'Avanzo for VH1's Celebrity Shore

The 41-year-old married mother-of-two confirmed on Instagram on Tuesday: 'If u don't know...now u know! Heading back home to @vh1 @snooki @jwoww can't wait! #epic'

Inseparable: Following the 2015 cancellation of their MTV reality spin-off, Snooki and 31-year-old JWoww have remained busy on their weekly Awestruck webseries Moms With Attitude

'Heading back home to @vh1 @snooki @jwoww can't wait! #epic.'

Following the 2015 cancellation of their MTV reality spin-off, Snooki and 31-year-old JWoww have remained busy on their weekly Awestruck webseries Moms With Attitude.

The Chile-born podcaster also told Extra that she and husband Jionni LaValle plan on giving siblings to their son Lorenzo (turning 5 on Saturday), and daughter Giovanna, 2.

'I love to do a lot of strength workouts, because I want to be strong to hold all of the babies I got, and I want more,' Polizzi revealed. 'I want two more kids.'

Birthday boy: The Chile-born podcaster also told Extra that she and husband Jionni LaValle plan on giving siblings to their son Lorenzo (turning 5 on Saturday), and daughter Giovanna, 2
They found love on the most recent season of The Bachelor.

And it appears things are heating up more than ever for Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson and Laura Byrne.

The reality show lovebirds recently engaged in a very steamy Christmas-themed photo shoot at Malabar Beach in Sydney.

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Where's the mistletoe? Matty 'J' Johnson and Laura Byrne engaged in a very steamy, Christmas-themed photo shoot at Malabar Beach in Sydney

Matty, 30, dressed in a vacation-appropriate ensemble of loose cotton shirt and khaki slacks, held on tightly to his lady love as they embraced.

Laura flaunted her svelte figure in a red short dress and wore her brown locks in soft beach waves.

The blissfully happy couple were extremely affectionate throughout the shoot, locking lips numerous times and deeply gazing into each other's eyes.

Sizzling: It appears things are heating up more than ever for the reality show couple

Starry-eyed: They found love on the most recent season of The Bachelor

Must be love! Matty dressed in a vacation-appropriate ensemble of loose cotton shirt and khaki slacks, holding on tightly to his lady love as they embraced

Kisses all over! Matty and Laura, both 30, engaged in sensual activity during the shoot

Blissful: Laura flaunted her svelte figure in a red short dress and wore her brown locks in soft beach waves

The twosome posed for photos with Laura's dog Buster, who was well-behaved as he joined them for the shoot.

They appeared to only have eyes for each other, holding each others' faces tenderly as they stood on the rocks with the ocean behind them.

At one point Laura nestled into Matty's arms, resting her head on his shoulders as they held onto each other.

Three's company: The twosome posed for photos with Laura's dog Buster, who was well-behaved as he joined them for the shoot

Lovers: They appeared to only have eyes for each other, holding each others' faces tenderly as they stood on the rocks with the ocean behind them

Cosy: At one point Laura nestled into Matty's arms, resting her head on his shoulders as they held onto each other

Whispers: NW magazine recently reported Matty and Laura are expecting a baby together

'They were clearly celebrating something special... They're over the moon - you could see it on their faces,' a 'source' allegedly told NW of the couple's rumoured pregnancy

Meanwhile, NW magazine recently reported Matty and Laura are expecting a baby together.

According to the publication, Laura's 'loose-fitting dress' in this particular photo shoot is hiding a baby bump.

The publication also alleged this photo shoot was to commemorate a special announcement, such as a pregnancy.

Rumours: NW magazine quoted a 'source' claiming Laura has been avoiding alcohol at several recent events

'We thought it was a little weird that she was turning down drinks, but we thought she was just on some sort of detox,' the magazine reported

Love and happiness: Pregnancy rumours aside, the reality show couple made a dashing pair as they shot the Christmas-themed shoot

Lady in red! Jewellery designer Laura donned a seasonally-appropriate dress for the photos

Quiet on set: The lovebirds were joined by a casually-dressed shoot crew

'They were clearly celebrating something special... They're over the moon - you could see it on their faces,' a 'source' allegedly told the magazine of the shoot.

NW also quotes another 'source', who claims Laura has been avoiding alcohol at several recent events.

'We thought it was a little weird that she was turning down drinks, but we thought she was just on some sort of detox,' they said.

PDA! The blissfully happy couple were extremely affectionate throughout the shoot, locking lips numerous times and deeply gazing into each other's eyes

Smouldering! They found love on The Bachelor's most recent season and things are obviously going from strength to strength for the loved-up couple

Helping hand: Matty gave his girlfriend a piggyback as she held onto a festive cracker

Christmas spirit: The lovebirds kissed passionately as they posed for a shoot holding onto the bon-bon

The couple met earlier this year on The Bachelor, with Matty ultimately choosing Laura over Elise Stacy.

Earlier this month, the handsome pair sparked rumours they are engaged.

Laura shared a romantic snap with a cryptic caption referring to a wedding, causing the couple's fans to go into a frenzy in the comments section.

'Ready for a wedding', she wrote in the suggestive caption, which prompted followers to immediately share their reactions with the duo.

Destined: The couple met earlier this year on The Bachelor, with Matty ultimately choosing Laura over Elise Stacy

Anticipated: Earlier this month, the handsome pair sparked rumours they are engaged

Cryptic: Laura shared a romantic snap with a mysterious caption referring to a wedding earlier this month, causing the couple's fans to go into a frenzy in the comments section
She's the Sydney PR queen that's all too familiar with a glamorous photo shoot.

But on Wednesday, Roxy Jacenko had select Instagram followers commenting on her use of a cigarette as a prop, rather than her primped appearance.

Responding to the negative criticism she received, the 37-year-old told Daily Mail Australia: 'It was not lit and purely theatre.'

'It was not lit and purely theatre': Roxy Jacenko hits back at Instagram critics after being SLAMMED for posing with a cigarette on glamorous photo shoot

A black and white image taken on a recent photo shoot that saw Roxy posing with a cigarette in hand, had one social media user writing: 'You don't need that dumb prop.'

Perching her petite frame on a marble bench top at Sydney's art deco hotel Primus, the blonde beauty cut an immaculate figure.

Roxy opted for a semi-sheer beaded frock that revealed her toned arms and delicate decolletage.

Dripping in Nicholas Heywood jewellery, extensions framed the mother-of-two's face that featured a glamorous makeup palette.

Hitting back: Shortly after, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia that the cigarette 'was not lit and purely theatre'

Celebrity appearance: The talent manager's photo shoot comes ahead of her hosting duties for Paris Hilton, who is in Australia promoting her latest fragrance

However it was Roxy's use of an un-lit cigarette as a prop, that had select followers criticising the author.

One in particular posted: 'Should ad you are super stunning and don't need the dumb prop.'

Another followed suit with: 'Hot! Such a shame about the smoke,' and another: 'Cigarette - really?'

Shortly after, Roxy told Daily Mail Australia that the cigarette 'was not lit and purely theatre.'

Exclusive gig: Hotel heiress Paris enlisted Roxy to host a question and answer session, in relation to her 23rd fragrance Rose Rush, in Sydney on Thursday

That's hot: After Paris took to social media to promote her event, Roxy was quick to gush over the US native: '@parishilton See you Thursday,' Roxy wrote adding a pink love heart emoji

The talent manager's photo shoot comes ahead of her hosting duties for Paris Hilton, who is in Australia promoting her latest fragrance.

Hotel heiress Paris enlisted Roxy to host a question and answer session, in relation to her 23rd fragrance Rose Rush, in Sydney on Thursday.

After Paris took to social media to promote her event, Roxy was quick to gush over the US native.

'@parishilton See you Thursday,' Roxy wrote adding a pink love heart emoji.
She's enjoying a well-deserved break in Fiji after giving birth to her daughter just two months ago.

And as she relaxed in the tropical island on Wednesday, Megan Gale doted over her newborn Rosie May Dee.

Taking to her Instagram, the 42-year-old model shared numerous photos and videos of the cute bub.

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'Little lady fed & asleep... hello cocktail': On Wednesday, Megan Gale shared a cute video of her two-month-old daughter Rosie May Dee (pictured) fast asleep while the family enjoyed a lavish holiday in Fiji

In one video, Megan showed her daughter fast asleep beside her, before panning the camera across to her AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson.

In the background, a glistening pool and palm trees could be seen while the table contained several beverages.

'Little lady fed & asleep... hello cocktail' Megan captioned the footage.

Living it up! The video then panned across to Megan's fiance Shaun Hampson (left) and several beverages on the table

'My chilled island babe': Another image showed the youngster enjoying a nap, with Megan adding a flower emoji over her ear

Another image showed the youngster enjoying a nap, with the photo given a black and white filter.

A touch of Fiji was added by Megan who placed a bright pink flower over Rosie's ear.

'My chilled island babe,' the Mad Max: Fury Road actress wrote.

Adorable: Rosie took in the sights and sounds of her new surroundings

Holiday time! The Australian model has documented the lavish trip on social media

It's not the only snap Megan has shared since the holiday got underway.

Since travelling to luxurious yet baby-friendly resort, Vomo Island, Megan has uploaded images of Rosie enjoying her surroundings.

She also posted an intimate image of Rosie taken seconds after she breastfed the baby while en-route to Fiji on Tuesday.

'This little star did pretty well too, fed and slept the entire flight,' Megan wrote alongside it.

Little Rosie isn't the only child belonging to the brunette beauty - she also shares three-year-old son River Alan with Shaun.
She worked the runway in a sexy black lace bra at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai.

But Stella Maxwell ditched the undergarment as she attended a viewing party for the runway show in New York on Tuesday in little more than a completely see-through lace dress that also showed off her underwear.

The catwalk queen, 27, sizzled as she arrived to the star-studded bash with her physique on full display, while protecting her modesty with what appeared to be a pair of nipple covers.

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Forgetting something? Stella Maxwell ditched the undergarment as she attended a viewing party for the runway show in little more than a completely see-through lace dress that also showed off her underwear

Stella's edgy dress clung to her waist and flashed some serious leg as well.

She wore her gold blonde hair in a ponytail with loose tendrils framing her radiant and perfectly polished complexion.

The star's bright blue eyes were brought out with a swipe of smoky eye shadow.

And she had on golden blush to highlight her defined cheekbones.

Hello, gorgeous! She wore her gold blonde hair in a ponytail with loose tendrils framing her radiant and perfectly polished complexion

All eyes on her! Stella's edgy dress clung to her waist and flashed some serious leg as well

Keeping the accessories to a minimum, Stella did add a golden touch with her chain choker necklace.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place last week in Shanghai, China.

Lais Ribeiro was the lucky model to wear this year's coveted Fantasy Bra down the runway.

The star-studded Victoria's Secret Fashion Show also saw the likes of Elsa Hosk, Bella Hadid, and Karlie Kloss make their way down the catwalk.
Dominic Sherwood, the actor ex of Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, has apologized on Tuesday for having said 'f*g' earlier in the day.

His Shadowhunters co-star Matthew Daddario had been filming himself for a since-deleted Facebook Live session when Dominic, 27, entered the room and could be heard off-screen cheerily greeting his castmate: 'What's up, f*g?'

Later on Tuesday, Dominic posted an Instagram video apology in which he called his use of the word 'disgusting' and said that 'I am very, very sorry.'

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Contrition: Dominic Sherwood (left) has posted an Instagram video apologizing for his having used the word 'f*g'; next to him was his Shadowhunters co-star Matthew Daddario

During the Facebook Live, after Dominic said: 'What's up, f*g?', Matthew, 30, told him to 'Stop! Stop!,' informing him that they were: 'Live.'

This information prompted a loud: 'What?' from Dominic, who theorized: 'Oh, I can't come in 'cause of my clothes?'

Eventually, Matthew - who plays a gay character on Shadowhunters - said: 'Hold on, one second,' and stepped away from the camera.

Background: Matthew had been filming himself for a Facebook Live when Dominic entered the room and could be heard saying the word off-screen; they are pictured in the apology video

Some on Twitter were furious with him, with one user writing: 'to think that an actor who works on a show with SUCH important LGBT representation would even think to much less actually use such a horrible slur in casual conversation is absolutely revolting @ShadowhuntersTV @DomSherwood1 please address this'.

Another tweeted: 'Imagine calling someone a f** while they're on set playing a gay character... That's not even just lightheartedly using it cus he's a clueless cishet dudebro that's actually an attack on queerness. F*** you Dom Sherwood.'

A few Twitter users responded to his perceived unkindness by demanding he be booted from his job, writing tweets that included the hashtag: '#RecastJace' - Jace being Dominic's Shadowhunters character.

'Very, very sorry': After Dominic gave his apology, calling his use of the word 'disgusting,' Matthew gave a speech of his own, during which Dominic looked close to tears

One tweeted: 'don't y'all dare come and say "it was an accident" the way he so casually said it shows that he probably says things like that all the time so kindly shut the f*** up thank you #RecastJace'.

Others defended the actor, including one Twitter user who wrote: 'I'm so tired of this fandom always hating on @DomSherwood1 ,yeah he says a bad word but you never call like these with your friends, you are an angel? Bc idts #domsherwood #shadowhunters'.

Another Twitter user reasoned: 'Do you guys really think that Dom would be on a show that openly promotes gay relationships if he was homophobic? Yeah, he wouldn't. There are so many videos on the internet on Dom discussing #Malec and does he appear homophobic there? No. That's because he's not. #domsherwood'.

'...absolutely revolting...': Some Twitter users were furious and expressed their feelings on the social media platform

'...attack on queerness': One wrote: 'Imagine calling someone a f** while they're on set playing a gay character,' referring to the role Matthew plays in Shadowhunters

'Malec' refers to the romantic relationship between Matthew's Shadowhunters character Alec and Harry Shum Jr.'s character Magnus.

In Dominic's video apology, he was seen standing beside Matthew.

'Im speaking to all of you today to hold myself accountable, and not to make any excuses in any way. The way I behaved today was disgusting and abhorrible, and Matts reaction was absolutely correct It was one of disgust,' said Dominic.

Backlash: A few Twitter users responded to his perceived unkindness by demanding he lose his job, writing tweets that included the hashtag: '#RecastJace'

'I think so many problematic phrases go unchallenged and they perpetrate negativity and hate and intolerance. And today I was a part of that and I am truly, truly sorry.

'Moving forward, I will endeavor, with every ounce of me, to make sure that the words I use create love and happiness and tolerance and never create hate or intolerance or unhappiness or sadness for anyone. Because thats never my intention. Thats never anything that Ive ever wanted to do.

'And I will deeply consider the words I use to make sure that they encapsulate exactly what I mean, and exactly what Im trying to say, rather than sending out a message that I in no way mean.

'...you are an angel?': Others on Twitter defended the actor

Expounding: Another Twitter user insisted 'that Dom doesn't deserve all of this hate that he is getting'

'So, I just want to say that Im deeply sorry to all of you, and to my castmates, and Im sorry for disappointing my fans and the fans of the show, and all of you, and everyone here and myself. So, Im truly, truly sorry.'

Matthew patted Dominic's back and gave a solemn: 'Thank you,' before segueing into a lengthy speech of his own, during which Dominic looked close to tears.

' I just wanna say one thing, especially to the young people who watch this show, rely on this show. I want you to know that we support you tremendously. It is a conversation that we have everyday. It is something we work for everyday.

'And I wanted to make it clear that everybody  to everyone  that this cast, that this show, this crew, we stand for love and kindness. And we know that the fandom does as well. And we cant  we could not be more proud of you for what you stand for, and how you spread that love and kindness. So, thank you all.'
News / National

by Staff reporter

FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko will soon return to Zimbabwe from Botswana where he has been holed up since the Zimbabwe Defence Forces launched an operation to remove criminal elements around former President Mugabe.Mr Mphoko, a member of the G40 cabal targeted by the ZDF's Operation Restore Legacy, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the army stepped in.He did not return to Zimbabwe but instead, flew to Botswana where he has been a guest of the Government there.Highly placed sources said the Botswana government had given him up to 1 December to leave their country and return to Zimbabwe but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes.Mr Mphoko has been living in a State residence in Gaborone but will now return home after reaching out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and getting the necessary assurances that he was free to come back to Zimbabwe.The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Mr George Charamba, said Mr Mphoko had spoken to President Mnangagwa by telephone and asked to return home."Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation. Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon," he said.Apart from his role in the previous Government, Mr Mphoko was also into business and is a director of Choppies Zimbabwe  a supermarket chain with branches in most cities and towns in the country. The company also has vast interests in Botswana.Mr Mphoko was among members of the G40 group who were expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party for engaging in activities meant to destabilise the Government.The party also recalled him from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary over allegations of being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the Office and decorum of the VP.He was recalled on the day the party also recalled former President Mugabe from the position of party First Secretary and replaced him with President Mnangagwa whom the ruling party also reinstated as a Central Committee member.On Monday, former Cabinet Minister, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, said after his appointment in 2015, Mr Mphoko alienated his old war time friends and surrounded himself with dubious characters who misled him into engaging in factional politics.Rtd Col Dube, the former War Veterans Minister, said Mr Mphoko, once a personal friend of his, ignored all advice and warnings against aligning himself with the wrong people."Mphoko was my personal friend; we worked together for a long time in the Zipra High Command. However, when he assumed power, I was disappointed because he surrounded himself with the wrong people who gave him bad advice," he said. "He got new friends in the form of the likes of George Mlala. This is where he got things wrong because he involved himself with dubious characters with a very bad history. They misled him into playing factional politics with the G40 people."I think you remember that at one point Mphoko dressed me down at (Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial headquarters) Davies Hall when he said I should work with the Mlala group and the rest of the G40 cabal or my political life would come to an end."Mnangagwa was sworn in as State President last Friday following the resignation of Mugabe on Tuesday.The party further recommended that Mr Mphoko, former First Lady, Mrs Grace Mugabe, fellow members of the G40 cabal namely Saviour Kasukuwere, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Ignatius Chombo, Patrick Zhuwao, Letina Undenge, Kudzanai Chipanga, Walter Mzembi, Paul Chimedza, Makhosini Hlongwane, Anastancia Ndlovu, Mandi Chimene, Dr Samuel Undenge, Sarah Mahoka, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Xavier Kazizi, Tongai Kasukuwere, Innocent Hamandishe, Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo and Shadreck Mashayamombe be expelled from the party.Some members of the cabal are either on the run or in exile.Others such as Chombo, Chipanga and Hamandishe have been arraigned before the courts on a slew of charges ranging from fraud, corruption, abuse of public office, causing disaffection among the police force or defence forces as defined in Section 30 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, kidnapping and publishing falsehoods.
Alexander Skarsgard revealed how he sliced the palm of his hand last week requiring stitches.

The 41-year-old Swedish actor in an interview with ET Canada on Tuesday said the mishap occurred while on the job filming The Hummingbird Project in Montreal.

Skarsgard said he was 'OK' after the incident and explained he cut himself while shooting a scene.

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Work accident: Alexander Skarsgard, who shared an Instagram snap last week of his bloody palm, revealed during an interview on Tuesday that he was injured while filming in Montreal

'It was slippery outside, icy. I was running around a car and slipped and to brace my fall I reached out and there was something sticking out of the bumper of the car and pierced my thumb,' he said.

'It was pretty deep,' he added.

The actor said he received a 'couple stitches'.

'I cried a little. A little bit,' he joked.

Grateful: The Swedish actor, 41, thanked the nurse and doctor who treated him joking that 'their swift and heroic action saved my life'

The actor last week posted a photo to his Instagram showing his bleeding hand, thanking the nurse and the doctor who treated him.

Next to the image of his bloodied hand, he wrote: 'I give thanks to nurse Rosalie and doctor Taleb at the local hospital in Lachute, Quebec. Their swift and heroic action saved my life.'

He added the hashtag #snitchesgetstitches.'

New look: Skarsgard is in Montreal filming the tech drama The Hummingbird Project and last month revealed he's had to shave his head for the role; pictured in NYC October 26

A month ago, the hunky actor shocked fans when he appeared at an event in New York with a bald head.

He had had to shave some of his hair off for his role in the tech drama in which he stars with Jesse Eisenberg and Salma Hayek.

Meanwhile, Variety reported Tuesday that Skarsgard has been cast as the male lead in the upcoming BBC One-AMC series The Little Drummer Girl, based on the novel of the same name by John Le Carre.

He plays Becker, an Israeli intelligence officer who embroils a young actress Charlie in a high stakes plot.

In September, Skarsgard won his first Emmy for his role in the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies opposite Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.
He's been in the spotlight since he was born, alongside sister Bindi Irwin.

And it seems it's easy to forget that Robert Irwin, 13, and Bindi, 19, are just teenagers.

On Nova's Fitzy and Wippa on Wednesday, the radio duo interviewed Robert and made a very crude joke about role playing in the bedroom and getting naked, which seemed a little inappropriate.

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Perhaps a little inappropriate? Nova's Fitzy (L) and Wippa (R) make a VERY crude joke in front of Robert Irwin, 13, during a live interview...and talk about role play in the bedroom and getting naked

Robert was on the show speaking about his upcoming birthday party at Australia Zoo, when the poor gag was made.

'Do you know what's a hit at my place too, when we were at Australia Zoo, I bought one of the hand puppets of the Wombat,' Wippa said, whose real name is Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli.

'And I go home and for the kids, I do 'Wally the Wombat,' and it's a hoot!'

Innocent: Robert was on the show speaking about his upcoming birthday party at Australia Zoo, when the poor gag was made

Awkward: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald (seen with Robert, Bindi, and Terri) said: 'You do a bit of role play in the bedroom sometimes as well with the wombat, don't you?'

Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald then cut in, saying: 'You do a bit of role play in the bedroom sometimes as well with the wombat, don't you?'

Wippa commented: 'That's something else. That's not a gorilla suit, it's me with no clothes on.'

Fitzy then joked that Wippa is the 'little wombat' at Nova, changing the topic.

Carrying on: Robert - ever the good sport - then spoke about a baby wombat at Australia Zoo, which he's called Jimmy, after American TV host, Jimmy Fallon

Robert - ever the good sport - then spoke about a baby wombat at Australia Zoo, which he's called Jimmy, after American TV host, Jimmy Fallon.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nova and Australia Zoo for comment in relation to this story.

Robert is preparing for his 14th birthday and will have a dinosaur-themed party next month.
Elsa Hosk looked like she meant business on Tuesday night as she wore a plunging pinstripe blazer to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show viewing party.

The 29-year-old blonde beauty arrived at the the Spring Studios in New York to reunite with her fellow Angels after jetting back from Shanghai last week.

Elsa's thigh-skimming two-piece outfit featured a pleated mini skirt and she teamed it with long white hold ups.

School's out: Elsa Hosk rocked preppy chic on Tuesday night as she attended the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show viewing party

The Victoria's Secret Angel, who made her debut with the lingerie brand in 2011, wore her locks in a high and tight ponytail with her golden tresses cascading around her shoulders.

Some ankle strap stilettos completed the look accentuating her slender legs.

The bikini beauty is back in the US after her trip to Shanghai to film the annual fashion show.

During the lingerie brand's first ever event in China the fashionista sizzled in a red bra and panties set worn with glittering dragon-inspired wings.

Taking the plunge: The Swedish star flashed her cleavage in a pinstripe blazer

Endless legs! Elsa accentuated her pins in some white stocking and strappy heels

Elsa also turned heads in a strappy black look VS designed in collaboration with Balmain.

It was Elsa's seventh time at the annual fashion show, where she walked besides top talents like Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Bella Hadid and many, many more.

She marked the show with a touching Instagram post last week, writing: 'Wow!!! So honored to walk my 7th #VSfashionshow (!!) in this amazing @Swarovski outfit with my fellow angels, all the beyond gorgeous models'

She continued, thanking 'The incredible performers last night' while adding 'WHAT A NIGHT! Shanghai was on fire Thank you for another life-time memory, i still have goosebumps.'

Red alert: Elsa turned heads on the sidewalk earlier on Tuesday after leaving the Wendy Williams show in New York
Chinese model Ming Xi put on a brave face as she attended a viewing party in New York for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

The Chinese model, 25, suffered an embarrassing fall as she walked the runway in Shanghai earlier this month and the incident was left in, and not edited out, of the telecast that aired Tuesday night on CBS.

Xi nevertheless put her best foot forward at the Big Apple's Spring Studios as she joined other VS models to watch the broadcast.

She arrived wearing a black bra with sheer long-sleeved corset-style top and skintight black jeans with ankle boots.

Broad shoulders: Chinese model Ming Xi put on a brave face as she attended a viewing party in New York for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show that aired Tuesday night on CBS

The beauty wore her shoulder-length black hair loose with the ends styled upwards.

She rocked a black choker and red lip color to complete her look.

Her tumble came after she caught her heel in her long skirt as she strutted her stuff.

Oops: The Chinese model, 25, suffered an embarrassing fall as she walked the runway in Shanghai earlier this month

Put on a brave face: The embarrassing tumble was left in, and not edited out, of the telecast that aired Tuesday night on CBS

Xi fell after catching her heel in her long skirt. As she was seen falling to the floor, the taped show cut to producers backstage who were shocked along with the gasps from the audience

Show had to go on: Xi straightened her enormous headdress and got back on her feet thanks to a helping hand from Brazilian Gizele Oliveira

As she was seen falling to the floor, the taped show cut to producers backstage who were shocked along with the gasps from the audience.

Xi straightened her enormous headdress and got back on her feet thanks to a helping hand from Brazilian Gizele Oliveira.

But as she walked offstage, the cameras caught her crying and followed her as she was consoled by some of the other models.

Upset: But as she walked offstage, the cameras caught her crying and followed her as she was consoled by some of the other models.

Tearful: The model was clearly very upset at messing up in front of her hometown crowd

Fans, though, weren't impressed that CBS had not cut the tumble from the telecast, especially since the Victoria's Secret Show is shot twice so as to provide extra footage to cover any gaffes or missed angles first time around.

One Twitter user accused the producers of being 'mean' for keeping the fall in.

Others expressed sympathy for the visibly upset model, with one writing: 'They really could have edited her crying out tho. Like she's already embarrassed.'

'They embarrassed her in front of millions of people,' another user tweeted. 'I'm so disappointed in Victoria Secret right now.'

'Mean': Fans weren't impressed that CBS had not cut the tumble from the telecast, especially since the Victoria's Secret Show is shot twice so as to provide extra footage to cover any gaffes or missed angles first time around

Sexy: Xi arrived for the official viewing party wearing a black bra with sheer long-sleeved corset-style top and skintight black jeans with ankle boots

Denim and lace: The lovely looker added a blue denim jacket to keep out the night chill on her way to the event
She's just admitted that she doesn't think she's as beautiful as her Pitch Perfect 3 co-stars.

And on Wednesday, Australian actress Rebel Wilson proved she shouldn't be thinking so poorly of herself, when she arrived at the Australian premiere of the film, in Sydney.

The 37-year-old star looked chic and stylish in a plunging red frock, and carried a cute clutch which had the word 'boom' emblazoned on it.

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'Boom!' Rebel Wilson turns heads in a chic red dress and carries a graphic clutch as she leads celebrity arrivals at the Pitch Perfect 3 Australian premiere

Have some confidence! She's just admitted that she doesn't think she's as beautiful as her Pitch Perfect 3 co-stars

Her dress featured an a-line flowing skirt, and she teamed the look with black pointed heels.

Rebel had her blonde locks out and over her shoulders in loose tousled curls, and wore makeup including a smokey eye and a nude lip.

Rebel stopped for interviews on the red carpet, and appeared in high spirits as she celebrated her latest film.

She's got time for fans! Rebel stopped for interviews on the red carpet and selfies, and appeared in high spirits as she celebrated her latest film

All dressed up! Her dress featured an a-line flowing skirt, and she teamed the look with black pointed heels

Glamorous: Rebel had her blonde locks out and over her shoulders in loose tousled curls, and wore makeup including a smokey eye and a nude lip

Rebel posed for photographs with fans, and couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

The blonde told Yahoo Be this week how 'beautiful' her female co-stars are, when she suggested she wasn't as genetically blessed.

'Everyone is so different looking and I think that's great but I think all the girls (I'll take myself out) they're so beautiful and they're all so gorgeous,' Rebel told the outlet about co-stars including Ruby Rose, Anna Kendrick, and Hailee Steinfeld.

She went on to fawn over the ensemble adding that their beauty is not just on the outside.

'They all have a light that shines through and I think that's why we have so much fun working together, because they're beautiful inside and out.'

Sad: The blonde told Yahoo Be this week how 'beautiful' her female co-stars are, when she suggested she wasn't as genetically blessed

Opening up: 'Everyone is so different looking and I think that's great but I think all the girls (I'll take myself out) they're so beautiful and they're all so gorgeous,' Rebel told the outlet

Sweet: She went on to fawn over the ensemble adding that their beauty is not just on the outside

Gushing: Rebel added that the physical and personality differences within the cast were what made the Pitch Perfect franchise so successful

Rebel added that the physical and personality differences within the cast were what made the Pitch Perfect franchise so successful.

'We couldn't be more different, us ten Bellas,' she said.

The How to be Single star led celebrity arrivals at the premiere on Wednesday, with co-star Ruby Rose, 31, attending and stunning in a sequined frock.

Fancy seeing you here! The How to be Single star led celebrity arrivals at the event, with co-star Ruby Rose, 31, attending and stunning in a sequined frock

Tatt's nice: Flaunting her tattoos, Ruby wore a strapless gown and had her short out and straightened, slicked back behind her ears

Date night! Ruby attended the event with Jessica Origliasso, who looked stylish in black trousers and a plunging white lace top

Flaunting her tattoos, Ruby wore a strapless gown and had her short out and straightened, slicked back behind her ears.

Her makeup included dewy foundation and a deep pink lip.

She teamed her dress with sky-high heels and a silver necklace.

Ruby attended the event with Jessica Origliasso, who looked stylish in black trousers and a plunging white lace top.

A family affair! Ruby's mother Katia Langenheim (L) was also there, sticking close to Ruby and Jessica

Hitting the carpet! Another star of the film, Anna Camp, also stepped out at the Australian premiere

Ruby's mother Katia Langenheim was also there, sticking close to Ruby and Jessica.

Another star of the film, Anna Camp, also stepped out at the Australian premiere.

Anna stunned in a flowing floral frock, which was powder blue in colour and featured a plunging neckline.

Co-star Brittany Snow also attended, stunning in a Johanna Ortiz black cut-out jumpsuit.

Blooming lovely! Anna stunned in a flowing floral frock, which was powder blue in colour and featured a plunging neckline

Sleek! Co-star Brittany Snow also attended, stunning in a Johanna Ortiz black cut-out jumpsuit

The girls! Ruby, Rebel, Anna and Brittany shared a laugh on the carpet

Cody Simpson's younger sister Alli Simpson, also made an appearance, flaunting her pins in a black skirt, and a floral blazer.

Other familiar faces at the event, included model Erin Holland, and former Bachelorette star, Sam Frost.

Erin flaunted her trim figure in a navy and red striped jumpsuit, which featured a bustier-style top.

Sam wore a blue suede-look jumpsuit, and showed off a fresh spray tan.

Model Tegan Martin was also in attendance, showcasing her trim pins in an off-the-shoulder blue and white dress.

Pretty: Cody Simpson's younger sister Alli Simpson, also made an appearance, flaunting her pins in a black skirt and a floral blazer

Seeing stripes! Other familiar faces at the event, included model Erin Holland (seen), and former Bachelorette star, Sam Frost

Stepping out: Tegan Martin (L) and Sam Frost (R) were seen at the event

doing her thing: E! News presenter Ksenija Lukich stepped out in a nude frock
She always cuts a glamorous figure on a night out.

Yet Jessica Shears proved she wasn't afraid to let loose and let her hair down as she left the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 in London on Tuesday.

Jumping onto her fiance Dom Lever's back, the 24-year-old glamour model seemed in high spirits as she was carried along the street.

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Life's a ride: Jessica Shears proved she wasn't afraid to let loose as she left the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 in London on Tuesday on the back of her fiance Dom Lever

Jessica proved she was still as body confident as ever as she joined Dom at the Pavilion in the Tower of London earlier in the night.

She had hit back at pregnancy rumours this month after sporting a slightly rounder stomach due to bloating, but Jessica wasn't afraid to flash the flesh at the awards.

Clad in a plunging black gown, the reality starlet left little to the imagination as she flaunted her cleavage and legs while working the red carpet.

Dazzling: Jessica always cuts a glamorous figure on a night out and this night was no exception to the rule as she dazzled in an elegant black gown

Up she goes: Jumping onto her fiance Dom Lever's back, the 24-year-old glamour model seemed in high spirits as she was carried along the street

Loving life: Jessica was all smiles as she was carried along the street by her beau

Pucker up: The pair shared a smooch as they jumped into the back of the taxi

Featuring a low-cut strapless neckline, the glamorous dress offered a look at her ample bust - the result of a second boob job - whilst it cinched in at her enviably tiny waist to highlight her hourglass curves.

Skimming over her lean physique, the full length gown had a thigh high split that showed off her tanned and toned pins - which she elongated with a pair of patent black courts.

Keeping her accessories simple, the brunette bombshell donned a delicate diamond bracelet that complemented the glittering strip across her bodice.

Cute couple: Jessica had proved she was still as body confident as ever as she joined finace Dom Lever at the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 in the Tower of London on Tuesday

Sizzling: Clad in a plunging black gown, the 24-year-old glamour model left little to the imagination as she flaunted her cleavage and legs while working the red carpet

Chest a glimpse: Featuring a low-cut strapless neckline, the glamorous dress offered a look at her ample bust - the result of a second boob job - whilst it cinched in at her enviably tiny waist

Oozing Hollywood glamour, the Love Island star wore her glossy chestnut tresses in loose waves swept over one shoulder to frame her ample bust.

Proving to be the perfect guest for the Beauty Awards, Jess was contoured to perfection and wore a slick of berry-hued gloss on her plump pout.

Dom also looked dapper as he posed next to his glamorous girlfriend in a fitted navy suit and polka dot tie.

Touch of glitz: Keeping her accessories simple, the brunette bombshell donned a delicate diamond bracelet that complemented the glittering strip across her bodice

Brunette bombshell: Oozing Hollywood glamour, the Love Island star wore her glossy chestnut tresses in loose waves swept over one shoulder to frame her ample bust

Making an exit: The duo seemed in high spirits as they left the event laden with gift bags

Cosy couple: The pair were all over each other as they left the event hand in hand

Strike a pose: Jessica was still camera ready and was sure to strike some poses

Earlier this month, Jessica turned heads on the red carpet for the wrong reasons as fans wrongly believed she was pregnant after she sported a slightly rounder stomach at the ITV gala.

However, the star hit back in the most brazen manner as she posted a naked snap and defiantly told her followers that she was just being a 'greedy b***h'.

Sharing the nude image - which also exhibited the scars from the reality star's breast augmentation - she wrote: 'Sorry not preggers guys!! Just a greedy b***h on my period.'

It came after a fan wrote: 'Right so @Jessica_Rose_UK defo looks preggers here compared to her normally! @_DomLever have you guys got something to tell us??? #notnormallyonetogossip #isjesspregnant.'

Responding to the message, Jess clarified: 'Ngl guys I've literally had the period from hell this week - girls will understand the bloat is real.'

Suspicious: Earlier this month, Jessica turned heads on the red carpet for the wrong reasons as fans wrongly believed she was pregnant after she sported a rounder stomach at the ITV gala
They embarked on romance in the autumn of 2015, and have been going strong ever since.

And Myleene Klass and Simon Motson continued to put on a loved-up display on Tuesday night, as they headed for dinner in London.

The former Hear'Say star, 39, was classically chic in a plunging black trouser suit as she arrived at Mexican eatery Cantina Laredo hand-in-hand with her beau.

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Still going strong: Myleene Klass and Simon Motson continued to put on a loved-up display on Tuesday night, as they headed for dinner in London

Myleene, known for her fashionable flair, certainly caught attention at the restaurant in a stylish black blazer and matching trousers.

The jacket was of a classic double-breasted style and featured sleek satin lapels - but also plunged into a deep V neckline, to give a flash of her cleavage and black lace bra underneath.

Meanwhile the tailored trousers, lined with matching satin down the sides, skimmed her long legs to the floor - drawing attention her slim figure.

Well suited! The former Hear'Say star, 39, was classically chic in a plunging black trouser suit as she arrived at Mexican eatery Cantina Laredo hand-in-hand with her beau

Busty: The jacket was of a classic double-breasted style and featured sleek satin lapels - but also plunged into a deep V neckline, to give a flash of her cleavage and bra underneath

Winter chic: Meanwhile the tailored trousers, lined with matching satin down the sides, skimmed her long legs to the floor, before she tied her look together with a camel coat

Wrapping up warm in the cold London weather, the pianist draped a camel coat over her shoulders, and tied her look together with classic black court shoes and a leather handbag.

Slicking her hair into a tight bu n and adding a sweeping of bronzer, Myleene let her clear and glowing complexion shine through, as she clasped tightly onto her man and headed inside.

The pair have appeared more loved-up than ever in recent weeks - enjoying a string of date nights, and even being spotted locking lips in the street.

Having a ball: Myleene and Simon later joined a group of friends at the dinner table, and the group were seen laughing animatedly together

Tucking in: Myleene appeared to be a fan of her food as she tucked into the Mexican feast

You are joking! She was later seen opening her mouth in shock, as she caught up with her friends

Relaxed: Myleene and Simon have been spotted on a string of date nights in recent weeks

Fashionista Myleene was forced to keep her relationship with Simon under wraps for six months in 2016, until Simon's marriage to his wife of seven years, Anna Walton, was officially over.

The pair finally went public in May, and the brunette later raved of their romance to the Daily Mirror: 'He is so hot. Its lovely. Im enjoying myself.'

Myleene was previously married to bodyguard Graham Quinn - the father of her daughters Ava and Hero - but he ended their six-month marriage and decade-long relationship when he walked out on her on her 34th birthday in April 2012.

Besotted: The pair went public with their romance after six months of dating in May 2016

The couple were granted a divorce in April 2013, and the star later vowed to never speak to her ex ever again.

Discussing her devastation, she admitted to Woman magazine: 'I thought I'd never smile or trust anyone ever again'.

'I felt so betrayed and so crushed. But I couldn't wallow in it. I said to my mum and dad, "I'm broken, but I will not sink."'
She regularly wears stunning outfits on glamorous nights out with A-List celebrities.

And 23-year-old Victoria Clay, who starred in the last Britain's Next Top Model put on a particularly daring display in a semi-sheer navy dress on Tuesday night.

The outfit's deeply plunging neckline showed off the English Rose's cleavage as she posed for cameras outside the Les Girls Les Boys party at Mahiki Kensington in London.

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Sheer perfection: BNTM star Victoria Clay went braless in a plunging semi-sheer blue dress with a thigh-split at the Les Girls Les Boys party at Mahiki in London on Tuesday night

The busty azure number, which she paired with peep toe high heels, accentuated her slim figure and long ivory legs with its tight fit and dangerously high thigh slit.

Her auburn hair contrasted beautifully against the ensemble, falling elegantly across her shoulders as she glided down London's busy streets.

The bright-eyed Liverpudlian later covered up in a forest green jacket to help shield herself from the chilly night air, but she still had time to stop and act playful as she blew a kiss to the cameras.

Pushing the message: Victoria promotes a body positive image and says girls should 'wear whatever they please'

Victoria, who towers at 5'10, has often promoted a body positive image on her social media, and has called for girls to 'wear whatever they please'.

She is also frequently seen partying alongside fashion and reality stars like Lottie Moss, and Tuesday was no exception as she joined Lottie and Tallia Storm at the festive party, which had drinks provided by Ciroc vodka.

Les Girls Les Boys is a new designer underwear and streetwear brand from the founder of Agent Provocateur, Serena Rees.

Victoria competed with 12 other girls on Britain's Next Top Model in March for a contract with Models 1, and in the run-up to the series launch she described herself as a huge David Bowie fan who has 'great boobs'.

The show is judged by Abbey Clancy, a former contestant herself, alongside judges supermodel Paul Sculfor, fashion guru Hilary Alexander OBE and photographer to the stars Nicky Johnston.

BNTM continues this Thursday evening at 9pm on Lifetime.
Kim Kardashian received a letter of thanks from a grandmother who is receiving a life sentence with no chance of parole for a non-violent first offence.

The reality star, 37, had enlisted her legal team to help with Alice Marie Johnson, now 62, who was sentenced to life in federal prison 20 years ago for her involvement in a cocaine ring.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, Johnson wrote: 'Dear Ms. Kardashian, I am so humbled by what you are doing and have already done on my behalf.'

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Praised: Kim Kardashian received a letter of thanks from a grandmother who is receiving a life sentence with no chance of parole for a non-violent first offence

Imprisoned: The reality star had enlisted her legal team to help with Alice Marie Johnson (pictured) now 62, who was sentenced to life in federal prison 20 years ago for her involvement in a cocaine ring

She continued: 'When I spoke with Attorney Shawn Holley and she disclosed the name of my benefactor, I had to take time to process and digest the news that you were the one she had been alluding to. There are no words to strong enough to express my deep and heartfelt gratitude.

'Ms. Kardashian you are literally helping to save my life and restore me to my family. I was drowning and you have thrown me a life jacket and given me hope that this Life Jacket Im serving may one day be taken off.

'There are defining moments in history that have shaped the destiny of this nation. I believe that we are part of a defining moment. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on that bus (the same year that I was born  1955) that was a defining moment.

Campaigning: Kardashian instructed her lawyer Shawn Holley (right) to help the campaign

'She was an ordinary woman whose courage ignited and united the heart of America to stand together against a very present evil that could no longer be tolerated. This is so much bigger than either one of us.

'I believe that history will record that Kim Kardashian had the courage to take a stand against human warehousing and was a key figure in meaningful criminal justice reform becoming a reality.

'A million trillion thanks!! May Gods blessing rest upon you and yours. THE BATTLE IS ON!'

Charitable: Kardashian recently enlisted her legal team to help in Johnson's case as well as Cyntoia Brown, a former child sex slave who killed her abuser when she was 16

Johnson - a single mother struggling to provide for her five children - acted as a go-between and relayed messages to drug dealers, but claims she never sold narcotics during her involvement with a group who sold cocaine to Tennessee.

Johnson, along with 14 others were arrested on drug and money laundering charges in 1993.

During the trial, 10 of the defendants testified against Johnson in exchange for reduced or dropped charges.

Behind bars: Johnson - a single mother struggling to provide for her five children - acted as a go-between and relayed messages to drug dealers, but claims she never sold narcotics during her involvement with a group who sold cocaine to Tennessee

Kardashian recently enlisted her legal team to help in Johnson's case as well as Cyntoia Brown, a former child sex slave who killed her abuser when she was 16.

'Kim asked me several weeks ago how she could help Alice Johnson in her fight for justice. We then began corresponding with Alice and her team of lawyers,' Kardashian's lawyer Shawn Holley told the Daily News.

'Since then, Kim has championed the cause of Cyntoia Brown and asked me to help her get involved in that effort as well,' Holley said on Thursday.

Brown's case went viral this week when it emerged she had already served 13 years of a life sentence, and the now 29-year-old has secured the backing of the Kardashian in her clemency campaign.

Then 16-year-old Brown was sex trafficked by a pimp named Kutthroat who was physically, sexually and verbally abusive and eventually sold her to 43-year-old Nashville realtor Johnny Allen, a court heard during her trial in 2004.

Vocal: Kim heard of the tales of two imprisoned American women and launched a campaign with her legal team in order to help free them

Brown, who feared that former Army sharp shooter Allen planned to kill her, eventually grabbed one of her captor's guns and killed him, Fox 17 reports.

But when the case came to court, she was sentenced to life in prison. She won't be eligible for parole for at least 51 years.

The case is getting new attention after a tweet showing Brown in court with the hashtag #FreeCyntoiaBrown, went viral.

Kardashian tweeted: 'The system has failed. It's heart breaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life!'

'We have to do better & do what's right. I've called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this. #FreeCyntoiaBrown'.

Speaking out: Kardashian is also lookinhg into the case of imprisoned former child sex slave Cyntonia Brown and took to Twitter demanding justice for her

During her trial, Brown said she had been a runaway who was forced into prostitution by Kutthroat.

She testified that she was repeatedly hit, choked, and dragged around, and almost always had a gun pointing at her.

Before she was sold to Allen, she'd repeatedly been raped and given drugs, which she said made her paranoid.

Brown said that when she arrived at Allen's home she found it was full of guns. She became convinced he was going to kill her.

But prosecutors said that the motivation for murder had been robbery as the teen had taken Allen's wallet and guns after shooting him.

Brown, now in her 20s, was sentenced to life in the Tennessee Prison for Women.
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The great and good of showbiz were out in force on Tuesday night, attending the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 in central London.

And following a fun-filled night at the glamorous event, the stars were spotted tumbling out of the Pavilion in the Tower of London, looking a little worse for wear.

Lauren Goodger was leading the charge alongside the likes of Megan McKenna and Amanda Holden as they headed home for the evening.

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Good night? Lauren Goodger, Megan McKenna and Amanda Holden (from left to right) were looking a little bleary-eyed as they headed home following the OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017 in central London on Tuesday night

The former TOWIE star was seen pulling an array of funny faces as she left the venue, tottering along in her racy sheer dress.

Lauren offered onlookers a glimpse of her peachy posterior thanks to the black thong bodysuit worn under the garment.

The fitness fan was seen clutching her phone as she climbed into a taxi, trying to remain composed.

Here she comes: Brunette beauty Lauren made a typically memorable exit from the event

It's a bum deal: The voluptuous star showed off her curvy behind as she made her way home

No pictures please: The curvy star acknowledged onlookers as she climbed into the rear of her cab

Merry: Amanda was in high spirits as she headed home from the fun-filled soiree

Watch your step! The Britain's Got Talent judge held her skirt aloft to ensure she didn't trip up

Loving life: Megan McKenna also appeared to be having a whale of a time as she headed off home, flashing a big smile

Animated display: Struggling to maintain her composure, the former TOWIE star, who recently quit the programme in a bid to focus on her music career, Megan was in great spirits

Also seen leaving the venue was Amanda Holden, who exclaimed in glee as she strutted along.

The BGT judge held her skirt aloft to avoid taking an embarrassing tumble, a big grin plastered across her face.

Megan McKenna also appeared to be having a whale of a time as she headed off home, flashing a big smile.

Struggling to maintain her composure, the former TOWIE star, who recently quit the programme in a bid to focus on her music career, Megan was in great spirits.

Leggy lady: Demi Rose Mawby was grappling with her red silk dress, narrowly avoiding a wardrobe malfunction

Keeping her composure: The brunette beauty ensured she preserved her modesty as she clambered into her taxi

Keeping the party going: Peter Andrew was spotted leaving the venue, clutching a bottle of vodka

Loved up: The devoted dad put on a smitten display with his wife Emily MacDonagh

Love Island lovebirds: Jess Shears and Dom Leaver (pictured L and R) and Marcel Somerville and Gabby Allen (centre) were having a blast

Defiant display: Georgia Kousoulou was out and about, showcasing the results of her recent nose job

Sheer delight: Kady McDermott made a statement in a nude and black dress with a see-through, fishtail train

Hand-in-hand: Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen were looking loved up as ever when they left the venue

Faux pas: The Love Island 2016 star had accidentally ripped her Julien Macdonald dress at the hip

They are all well-known for their sizzling curves and never fail to display their ample physiques.

Earlier in the evening, curvaceous queens Demi Rose, Lauren Goodger and Jess Shears were a force to be reckoned with as they each dared to bare in super saucy ensembles.

The 22-year-old rumoured ex-girlfriend of Tyga opted for out-and-out glamour in a Jessica Rabbit-style gown which displayed her eye-popping assets to perfection while the former TOWIE beauty sizzled in a sheer look and Jess opted to leave her bra at home for the affair.

Calling it a night: Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown (L and R) sported a casual look while Lisa Snowdon (centre) dazzled in a glittering wrap dress

Smitten: Mario Falcone and his glamorous partner couldn't resist a cheeky spot of PDA

Making an impression: Sarah Harding got all glammed up for the evening in a silver frock and matching shoes

Cosy display: Amber Turner and Yazmin Oukhellou (left) were headign home alongside Amber Davies and Georgia Harrison (right)

Hot stuff! Demi (centre), Lauren and Jess Shears (left-right) were a force to be reckoned with earlier in the evening as they each dared to bare in super saucy ensembles

Demi was smouldering in a satin gown with a deeply plunging neckline and a sexy thigh split a she shunned the cardinal legs-or-cleavage rule in favour of pure sex appeal.

She boosted her height with staggering diamante heels while adding a quirky edge to the look with the addition of a sky-high bun which gave her chestnut tresses the perfect frame for her dewy make-up look.

Lauren joined the stunners at the event as she went extremely risque in a saucy sheer gown under which she sported a black body. As a beauty entrepreneur - thanks to her tanning and make-up empire - the former TOWIE star was keen to show off her cosmetic prowess as she ensured her make-up and hair were flawless.

Rubbing shoulders with a host of her former co-stars, Lauren was sure to stand out in the dress under which the thong body displayed the entirety of her peachy posterior.

Oh my! The 22-year-old ex-girlfriend of Tyga opted for out and out glamour in a Jessica Rabbit-style ensemble which displayed her eye-popping assets to perfection while the former TOWIE beauty sizzled in a sheer gown and Jess opted to leave her bra at home for the affair

Eye-popping: Curvaceous queen Demi was smouldering in a satin gown with a deeply plunging neckline and a sexy thigh split a she shunned the cardinal legs-or-cleavage rule in favour of pure sex appeal

Meeting the fans: The stunner obligingly posed with a fan when she left the event - while holding on to his crutches

Eye-popping: Lauren joined the stunners at the event as she went extremely risque in a saucy sheer gown under which she sported a black body. As a beauty entrepreneur - thanks to her tanning and make-up empire - the former TOWIE star was keen to show off her cosmetic prowess as she ensured her make-up and hair were flawless

Sheer delight: The stunning star was looking chic in her gown which made the most of her eye-popping curves

Jess was sure not to be beaten as she opted for a similarly sexy - albeit slightly less saucy - take on the incredibly glamorous ballgown. The brunette beauty could not resist her fiance Dom Lever, who she met on the ITV2 show earlier this year, as they put on a loved-up display on the red carpet.

Flying the flag for the talent shows was Amanda Holden who opted for a Gothic all-black ensemble with a billowing skirt and extremely fine straps which made the most of her toned frame. Turning her back on her usual tried-and-tested styles, she scraped her hair into a severe ponytail with deep black eyeshadow.

Megan McKenna was sizzling in a dramatic Bardot gown with a deeply plunging neckline and a sexy split while she rocked an untied chignon with loose curls tumbling over her shoulders.

Sexy stuff: Rubbing shoulders with a host of her former co-stars, Lauren was sure to stand out in the dress under which the thong body displayed the entirety of her peachy posterior

Posing up a storm: Jess was sure not to be beaten as she opted for a similar - albeit slightly less saucy - take on the incredibly glamorous ballgown. While Danielle's romantic fortunes have been less than fruitful, her one-time co-star is still in the throes of love

Bethrothed: The brunette beauty could not resist her fiance Dom Lever, who she met on the ITV2 show earlier this year, as they put on a loved-up display on the red carpet

A vision... in black: Flying the flag for the talent shows was Amanda Holden who opted for a Gothic all-black ensemble with a billowing skirt and extremely fine straps which made the most of her toned frame

Blonde beauty: Turning her back on her usual tried-and-tested styles, she scraped her hair into a severe ponytail with deep black eyeshadow

Elegant: Megan McKenna was sizzling in a dramatic Bardot gown with a deeply plunging neckline and a sexy split

Chic: Megan also rocked an untied chignon with loose curls tumbling over her shoulders

Silver sensation: Girls Aloud star and Big Brother favourite Sarah Harding hit the red carpet in a risque grey gown which featured a raunchy sheer top and a dazzling skirt to up the glam factor to full

Girls Aloud star and Big Brother favourite Sarah Harding hit the red carpet in a risque grey gown which featured a raunchy sheer top and a dazzling skirt to up the glam factor to full.

Yet more Love Island stars came in the form of last year's stars Olivia Buckland and her fiance Alex Bowen who looked sensational while taking a break from moving into their first home to hit the bash. Their co-star Kady McDermott joined them at the event - as she opted for an over-the-top ball gown.

This year's winner, Amber Davies, left beau Kem Cetinay at home as she dazzled in a super scanty white mini-dress with racy sheer panels to make the most of her petite frame. Her co-star Georgia Harrison borrowed from her look although she went for a full-length version of the chic style.

Golden girl: Yet more Love Island stars came in the form of last year's stars Olivia Buckland and her fiance Alex Bowen who looked sensational while taking a break from moving into their first home to hit the bash

Dolled up: Their co-star Kady McDermott joined them at the event - as she opted for an over-the-top ball gown

Brunette beauty: Reigning Love Island champion Amber Davies ensured her hair and make-up were perfect

Looking as loved-up as ever, was Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville who were putting on a playful display as she sported a scanty sequinned shirt dress and he opted for a slick tuxedo.

Just hours before, it was claimed Peter Andre had been left furious after Rebekah Vardys disparaging comments about his manhood re-emerged following her appearance on Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!

Yet he left his troubles behind as he hit the red carpet with his doctor wife Emily MacDonagh, where the couple looked unfazed by the headlines. The 42-year old Mysterious Girl hitmaker looked dashing in a tuxedo as he joined his stunning spouse, 28, who was cutting a chic figure in a skin-tight gown with a demure midi hemline.

Who's who? Amber (left-right), left beau Kem Cetinay at home as she dazzled in a super scanty white mini-dress with racy sheer panels to make the most of her petite frame. Her co-star Georgia Harrison (centre) borrowed from her look although she went for a full-length version of the chic style

Sparkling sensation: Looking as loved-up as ever, was Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville who were putting on a playful display as she sported a scanty sequinned shirt dress and he opted for a slick tuxedo

The happy couple: Peter Andre left his troubles behind as he hit the red carpet with his doctor wife Emily MacDonagh at Tuesday evening's glitzy OK! Magazine Beauty Awards 2017, where the couple looked unfazed by the headlines

Sharp: The 42-year old Mysterious Girl hitmaker looked dashing in a tuxedo as he joined his stunning spouse, 28, who was cutting a chic figure in a skin-tight gown with a demure midi hemline and staggering heels

A velvet dream: Slipping into her skin-tight midi, the stunning brunette smouldered as the midnight blue shade of the gown made the most of her glowing good looks

Hold me close: As they departed the bash, Emily and Pete got up close and personal

Busty babe: Busty Helen Flanagan looked incredibly sexy in a plunging black jumpsuit paired with an Yves Saint Laurent handbag and a flawlessly styled hair and make-up look

Brave face: Stephanie Pratt stepped out amid her split from Love Island's Jonny Mitchell

Striking: Stephanie looked glam even when departing the event and heading to the after party

Worrying claims: It has emerged that Stephanie 'called the police' on Monday night

Cool characters! Vanessa Feltz was joined by her dashing partner Ben Ofoedu who opted to sport glasses inside

Changing faces Fresh from hinting she has undergone a nose job, Georgia Kousoulou headed out among her fellow reality beauties

Confident: The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked sensational in a busty ensemble comprising of a bra-flashing blazer paired with a scanty mini while she kept her make-up flawless with a red lip and strong brow to round out the chic getup

Kristina Rihanoff was looking sensational in a sizzling crimson ensemble which made the most of every inch of her dancer's physique. Her bold blonde locks were worn in Hollywood-worthy waves.

Busty Helen Flanagan looked incredibly sexy in a plunging black jumpsuit paired with an Yves Saint Laurent handbag and a flawlessly styled hair and make-up look.

TOWIE rivals Danielle Armstrong and Yzmin Oukhellou looked equally sensational yet were undoubtedly keen to avoid one another following their long-standing beef over shared love interest James Lock.

Lady in red: Kristina Rihanoff was looking sensational in a sizzling crimson ensemble which made the most of every inch of her dancer's physique

Blonde bombshell: Her bold blonde locks were worn in Hollywood-worthy waves

Stunning: Courtney Green looked stunning in all-black as she flaunted her svelte frame while adding in a designer Gucci belt

Fresh from hinting she had a nose job, Georgia Kousoulou headed out on Tuesday among her fellow reality beauties. The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked sensational in a busty ensemble comprising of a bra-flashing blazer paired with a scanty mini.

Flying the flag for the TOWIE boys both past and present was Joey Essex and James 'Diags' Bennewith who put on a playful display as they hit the red carpet and later the after party together.

Just hours before the event, it was claimed Danielle Sellers had split from disgraced YouTuber and I'm A Celebrity star Jack Maynard. Yet the fleeting Love Island star put her love woes behind her as she joined the star-studded attendees during which she let her body rather than love life do the talking.

The stunner opted to go lingerie free beneath a sizzling gown with a deeply slashed side and perilously high-cut top as she left little to the imagination in the sizzling gown under which she went lingerie-free.

Glam girls: Courtney was joined by her best pals and co-stars Chloe Meadows and Chloe Lewis

Hot stuff: TOWIE rivals Danielle Armstrong and Yzmin Oukhellou looked equally sensational yet were undoubtedly keen to avoid one another following their long-standing beef over shared love interest James Lock

Sexy stuff: Just hours before the event, it was claimed Danielle Sellers had split from disgraced YouTuber and I'm A Celebrity star Jack Maynard. Yet the fleeting Love Island star put her love woes behind her as she joined the star-studded attendees during which she let her body rather than love life do the talking

Lost love: Just hours before the event, it was claimed she has split from disgraced YouTuber and I'm A Celebrity star Jack Maynard (pictured together in September)
News / National

by Staff reorter

SELF-EXILED Lebanese national Jamal Joseph Ahmed, who is embroiled in a $1,4 million diamond ring wrangle with former First Lady Grace Mugabe, was last week handed a lifeline after the High Court allowed him to defend a $1,475 million default judgment entered against him.Jamal is currently out of the country and his three upmarket properties were allegedly seized by Grace and her son Russell Goreraza after a diamond ring deal fell through.However, Grace has since claimed Jamal's property seizure was a police action which had nothing to do with her.Sometime in June this year, a Ratai Abas Ahmed filed a chamber application for a default judgment seeking to recover his cash which he allegedly advanced to Jamal as a personal loan about 10 years ago.High Court judge Justice Lavender Makoni ruled in favour of Ratai after Jamal failed to respond to the summons issued in May.To avoid losing his properties, Jamal then approached the court seeking leave to defend the default judgment and on November 22, Justice Ester Muremba gave him the greenlight to challenge the ruling."Be pleased to take notice that the defendant (Jamal) has entered an appearance to defend the above action at 15:49 hours on November 23, 2017. Further take notice that the defendant was granted leave to file his appearance to defend by Honourable Justice (Ester) Muremba's order dated November 22, 2017," part of the notice of appearance to defend read.According to Ratai, the lawsuit was emanating from the duo's loan agreement entered between the parties on December 10, 2008.Ratai said on the date and month in question, he gave Jamal a loan advancement amounting to $1 475 000 and in terms of the agreement, Jamal was supposed to have repaid the whole amount by February 28, 2009.
She's never been afraid to speak candidly about her body, having admitted to going under the knife for a boob job.

And Samantha X (real name Amanda Goff), has broken her silence on her previous battle with an eating disorder.

In an impassioned essay penned to her blog this Monday, Samantha admitted that despite working as an escort, she was never 'physically perfect' and that she wasted time worrying about her image.

No single woman has the perfect body: Samantha X (real name Amanda Gof), has broken her silence on her previous battle with an eating disorder in an impassioned blog post

The post was uploaded in response to a fan who had asked Samantha ex whether having stretchmarks would hinder a woman's chances at becoming a high-class escort.

'Dear Stretch Marks, Two words: stop worrying. Two more words: Love yourself! Do you think just because I was an escort, I was physically perfect? Of course not!' Samantha began.

'No single woman has the perfect body  and besides, what is the perfect body? In my eyes its a healthy one, not a certain size. This goes for all women, not just those wanting to escort,' she continued.

Empowering her fans: Samantha went on: 'Learn to love your body, accept it, nourish it and own it'

Samantha went on: 'Learn to love your body, accept it, nourish it and own it. Dont waste your life worrying about stretch marks or wobbly bits. Its taken me 43 years to love my body, having wasted many years suffering an eating disorder.'

'I know how hard it can be. But if you accept and love your body  just as you are  then men will too, she concluded.'

Meanwhile, Samantha's blossoming romance with Channel 7 reporter Ryan Phelan has been making headlines in recent weeks.

Prince charming: Meanwhile, Samantha's blossoming romance with Channel 7 reporter Ryan Phelan has been making headlines in recent weeks

The 43-year-old, who quit being a call girl earlier this year, met the journalist while she was promoting her second book, Back On Top.

'We have pretty much spent every day together since (we met) I fell in love with Amanda, no one else,' Ryan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'And that is who she is to me, Amanda, an outstanding mother and an outstanding woman.'

If you or someone you know if suffering from a mental illness, contact Beyond Blue, 1300 224 636.
Rebekah Vardy may have been furious to be pulled out of the Bushtucker Trial, but at least Stanley Johnson's first attempt on I'm A Celebrity was worth the wait.

After being ruled out of every challenge so far for medical reasons, the task saw the politician, 77, throw balls into a nearby goal, while strapped to a wheel covered in critters - however he missed every single shot, leaving presenting duo Ant and Dec in stitches.

Stanley participated in the trial with Kezia Dugale instead of Rebekah, as she was pulled on medical grounds, for being too weak to perform.

Not the news she wanted to hear: Rebekah Vardy was furious to be pulled out of the Bushtucker Trial on Wednesday by Medic Bob, who found her blood pressure to be low on I'm A Celeb

It was the first time in the show's history that a constestant had to be pulled out before attempting the trial.

She said: 'I'm absolutely devastated that I couldn't do the trial with Stanley (Johnson). I feel like I let the team down this morning.'

The brave brunette had previously complained about feeling lethargic, and when checked over by Medic Bob, it was confirmed that her blood pressure was low.

It gave Kezia Dugdale the opportunity to step up for her first official Bushtucker Trial - but the camp were set for disappointment when she and Stanley could achieve only five out of 11 stars for camp.

Hilarious: Stanley Johnson's first attempt at a Bushtucker Trial was well worth the wait on Wednesday, as it left Ant and Dec in stitches

Oh dear: The task sees the politician, 77, throw a ball into a nearby goal, while strapped to a wheel covered in critters - however he misses every single shot, to the hilarity of the hosts

Former Conservative MEP Stanley was strapped to a large wheel covered with critters, and has to locate balls among the creepy crawlies to throw into a nearby goal.

However, throwing was not Stanley's strong point, as he proceeded to miss every single shot in the short time limit - to the delight of Ant and Dec.

After failing in his first few attempts, Ant quipped: 'It's like watching England play penalties,' at which Dec adds: 'No, its worse!'

Dynamic duo? Stanley participates in the Fear Factory trial with Kezia Dugdale (back) - who replaced the public-voted Rebekah Vardy after she was removed on medical grounds

Not good: Stanley has to locate balls among the crawlies to throw into a nearby goal - but it seems throwing is not his strong point, as he proceeds to miss every single shot in the time

Although he has less than half the time left, the politician refuses to rush his remaining attempts - with Dec joking: 'There's no sense of urgency is there!'

Despite the presenters' constant encouragement, Stanley still landed every shot far away from his target, causing the Geordie presenters to erupted into hysterical laughter as the clock runs out.

Aware of his mishap however, Stanley simply said in his usual witty style: 'This must be a world record of misses... it's not as easy as you might think!'

Much disappointment: The footballer's wife has proved to be very good at the trials

Starving: She was disappointed not to be able to take control when the camp faced nly five out of 11 meals

Not what they were expecting: Kezia was forced to step in and take on her first trial

To which Ant responded playfully: 'It's easier than you're making it look though!'

Stanley was voted to do the trial on Tuesday night - no doubt because it is the first challenge he has been medically approved to take part in.

However, the father of Boris Johnson did show promise when he competed in the live team trial on Monday, and wolfed down three witchetty grubs with ease.

Hilarious: The display leaves Ant & Dec in hysterics, with Ant quipping: 'It's like watching England play penalties,' to which Dec adds: 'No, its worse!'

Taking his time: Although he has less than half the time left, the politician refuses to rush his remaining attempts - with Dec joking: 'There's no sense of urgency is there!'

Hysterics: Despite the presenters' constant encouragement, Stanley still lands every shot far away from his target, causing the Geordie presenters to erupt into hysterical laughter

Standing his ground: Aware of his mishap however, Stanley simply says in his usual witty style: 'This must be a world record of misses... it's not as easy as you might think!'

Banter: To which Ant responds playfully: 'It's easier than you're making it look though!'

Man of the hour: The father of Boris Johnson did show promise when he competed in the live team trial on Monday (above), and wolfed down three witchetty grubs with ease

Pulled out: Stanley participated in the trial with Scottish MSP Kezia Dugdale, as Leicester City player Jamie Vardy's wife Becky (above) was pulled out on medical grounds last minute

Licking his lips, he declared: 'These are b****y nice. Delicious!', causing viewers to hail him a 'legend' on Twitter.

Stanley participated in the trial with Scottish MSP Kezia Dugdale, as Leicester City player Jamie Vardy's wife was pulled out on medical grounds last minute.

According to The Sun, Becky suffered a 'funny turn' after days of partaking in intense Bush Tucker trials, on next to no food.

Going too hard: According to The Sun, Becky suffered a 'funny turn' after days of partaking in intense Bush Tucker trials, on next to no food

Miffed: However, the mother-of-four was reportedly 'furious' with the decision, as she felt she was 'capable' of winning food for camp

However, the mother-of-four was reportedly 'furious' with the decision, as she felt she was 'capable' of winning food for camp.

An insider said: 'Becky felt a bit woozy, but felt she was perfectly capable of carrying on.'

Her spokesperson then told the paper: 'She's giving it her all on the show and felt she was letting her campmates down. She's tough and wouldn't want to be removed over feeling light headed.

'She's loving every minute and wants to keep pushing herself.'
Paris Hilton has spoken out about Harvey Weinstein.

The 36-year-old heiress said she can't 'remember' whether he allegedly 'hit on her' at the amfAR gala in France, when she was just 20 years old.

Speaking to Yahoo7 Be in Sydney on Wednesday, the beauty said: 'I don't remember, it was a long time ago.'

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'I don't remember': Paris Hilton reveals she can't recall Harvey Weinstein 'hitting on her after following her into a women's bathroom at a gala in France when she was just 20 years old'

Paris added that it was 'amazing' that so many women had come forward with their stories, against the disgraced American film producer, 65.

'All girls are like sisters and everyone's coming together and really making a difference,' Paris said.

'And it's going to change the whole industry so I love that people are speaking out and support each other.'

Speaking up: Paris added that it was 'amazing' that so many women had come forward with their stories, against the disgraced American film producer, 65 (pictured)

Earlier this month, Page Six reported that Weinstein followed Paris into a bathroom when they were at the gala back in 2001.

Both Weinstein and Hilton were guests at the gala hosted by actress Elizabeth Taylor and sponsored by Weinstein's Miramax Films at the restaurant Le Moulin de Mougins.

The theme was 'A Diamond Is Forever', and Hilton arrived in a dress with $750,000 worth of diamonds sewn onto it mirroring celebrity signatures.

Reports: Earlier this month, Pager Six reported that Weinstein followed Paris into a bathroom when they were at the gala back in 2001 (She's pictured at the event)

According to an eyewitness, a then-49-year-old Weinstein 'made a beeline' for Hilton when she arrived.

He allegedly used his usual line: 'Come to my office. I want to make movies with you. I can make you a star' but Hilton seemed unimpressed.

The witness told Page Six he or she strongly remembers the incident because of how aggressive Weinstein was.

Claims: According to an eyewitness, a then-49-year-old Weinstein 'made a beeline' for Hilton when she arrived

During the cocktail hour, Hilton went to a women's bathroom and Weinstein allegedly followed her inside.

'He was pushing the door of the stall Paris was inside, demanding she open the door, saying he "needed to talk to her",' the witness said.

The witness says Hilton didn't open the stall door and a male event worker who had seen Weinstein follow her into the bathroom alerted security.

The alleged story: During the cocktail hour, Hilton went to a women's bathroom and Weinstein allegedly followed her inside

When a security guard entered the bathroom and ordered Weinstein to leave, the producer at first refused, allegedly saying: 'I'm a friend, it's okay'.

'Finally, he was muscled out, and guards stood watch over Paris all night to protect her, partly because of her very valuable diamond dress and partly to keep Harvey at bay,' the witness said.

Weinstein led the charity auction for AIDS research that night and even brought Hilton onstage despite the earlier incident.
After walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last week, Kelly Gale was happy to enjoy the show's official TV broadcast on Wednesday.

The Australian supermodel took to Instagram on Wednesday night to film herself at a viewing party watching the show as it aired on TV.

Shortly after, the 22-year-old stepped out with some of model pals to enjoy a night of laughter and sushi.

Stepping out: Kelly Gale went out with some friends after catching the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at a viewing party

At this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, it was Australia and New Zealand talents that really turned heads on the runway.

In addition to Kelly, the breathtaking Georgia Fowler and Stella Maxwell walked the runway at this year's show, which was held at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai last week.

Georgia, 25, flaunted her impeccable figure in a skimpy black and blue lingerie set that showcased her slender pins and trim stomach.

Rubbing shoulders: Australia and New Zealand talents Georgia Fowler (pictured), Kelly Gale and Stella Maxwell join fashion heavyweights at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

She strutted her stuff in a pair of blue and white striped boot heels and a plume of black and blue feathers.

The brunette bombshell oozed confidence as she strode to the end of the runway and placed her hands on her hips, giving the audience a chance to admire her enviable physique.

Backstage, the New Zealander gave the cameras a closer look at the finer details of her extravagant but skimpy outfit that drew attention to her perfectly pert posterior.

Stunning: Breathtaking lingerie models Georgia Fowler (centre), Kelly Gale (left) and Stella Maxwell (right) walk the runway at this year's Victoria's Secret show

Flaunt it! Georgia, 25, flaunted her impeccable figure in a skimpy black and blue lingerie set that showcased her slender pins and trim stomach

Walk the walk! She strutted her stuff in a pair of blue and white striped boot heels and a plume of black and blue feathers

Nailing it! The brunette bombshell oozed confidence as she strode to the end of the runway and placed her hands on her hips, giving the audience a chance to admire her enviable physique

Also at the event was the equally stunning Kelly Gale, who put on a busty display on the runway.

The 22-year-old stepped out wearing a lace plunge bra that revealed ample cleavage, and a sheer cover up with floral applique.

An arrangement of purple and white flowers sprouted from Kelly's back as the Swede of Australian and Indian heritage mixed it with names such as Bella Hadid and Alessandra Ambrosio.

Flawless: Backstage, the New Zealander gave the cameras a closer look at the finer details of her extravagant but skimpy outfit that drew attention to her perfectly pert posterior

Turning heads! Also at the event this year was the equally stunning Kelly Gale, who put on a busty display on the runway

Taking the plunge! The 22-year-old stepped out wearing a lace plunge bra that revealed ample cleavage, and a sheer cover up with floral applique

British-New Zealander Stella Maxwell also set hearts racing in a black Chantilly lace bra with black laced briefs.

Her thigh-high boots continued the show's Asian-inspired theme while accentuating her long, and slender legs.

The skimpy outfit also displayed the stunner's washboard abs, while she walked the runway with a series of firework-like decorations extending from her back.

Stunner: British-New Zealander Stella Maxwell also set hearts racing in a black Chantilly lace bra with black laced briefs

Mixing it up! She also changed into a bejewelled leather number with a bedazzled silver bustier while walking down the runway with Martha Hunt

Biker chic: The 27-year-old's second outfit was teamed with a biker-inspired red leather mini skirt and tartan-patterned heels

She also changed into a bejewelled leather number with a bedazzled silver bustier while walking down the runway with Martha Hunt.

The 27-year-old's second outfit was teamed with a biker-inspired red leather mini skirt and tartan-patterned heels.

Australian Victoria Lee featured in the show in a sportier ensemble that included a mesh pair of trackpants that revealed her stunning figure.
She's the US actress who has been receiving rave reviews for her turn in the hit drama Little Big Lies.

And Reese Witherspoon has paid tribute to her co-star, Nicole Kidman, after the Australian actress was honoured with a special tribute at the Gotham Independent Film awards in New York.

Taking to her Instagram, Reese shared a photo of Nicole on the event's red carpet, beaming broadly and proudly holding her Tribute Award.

Congrats: Reese Witherspoon has paid tribute to her Little Big Lies co-star, Nicole Kidman, after the Australian actress was honoured with a special tribute at the Gotham Independent Film awards in New York

In captioning the photo, Reese was full of well wishes for her Antipodean co-star, while having a self-effacing dig at her own height.

'Congrats to my girl @NicoleKidman on her #GothamAward,' Reese wrote.

Continuing, she said: 'we're basically the same height when she takes off her heels! (So not true),' punctuating the humorous aside with a winking face emoji.

BFFs: Taking to her Instagram, Reese shared a photo of Nicole on the event's red carpet, beaming broadly and proudly holding her Tribute Award

Tribute: Congrats to my girl @NicoleKidman on her #GothamAward,' Reese wrote. Continuing, she said: 'we're basically the same height when she takes off her heels! (So not true),' punctuating the humorous aside with a winking face emoji

The post was met with more than 100,000 likes from Reese's fans with some taking the time to console her over her 'short stature'.

'@reesewitherspoon you never realise how damn small you are till you stand next to a leggy number like @nicolekidman.'

The social media tribute came after Reese presented Nicole with the award on Wednesday night.

Podium pals: The social media tribute came after Reese presented Nicole with the award on Wednesday night.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Reese was full of even sweeter words for Nicole as she introduced The Hours star, revealing she had been a life-long fan.

'I've been one of her biggest fans since I saw one of her very first movies, Dead Calm,' she said.

Reese added that after seeing Nicole in the Phillip Noyce-directed thriller, Nicole soon became a major inspiration on her own acting.

'I saw this movie when I was a girl and I thought: 'this is my hero, that is the kind of woman I want to be.'
Alexandra Burke recently caused a stir for wearing a real fur Canada Goose coat, and subsequently published an apology online.

And Rhian Sugden has now taken a stand against the brand, stripping down to just a swimsuit as she posed dressed as a coyote in an anti-animal cruelty protest.

The glamour model, 31, painted herself white and brown, emulating the North American canine's fur and sporting a giant coyote face on her back.

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Anti-fur protest: Rhian Sugden has now taken a stand against Canada Goose, stripping down to just a swimsuit as she posed dressed as a coyote in an anti-animal cruelty protest

The beauty, who recently went from blonde to brunette, carried a sign reading, 'Coyotes suffer for Canada Goose'.

Rhian turned heads on the busy pedestrian street, standing with one leg caught in a faux trap.

Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid, and her features were accentuated with a bronze shadow and a nude lip.

Rhian's action is part of PETA's campaign urging Canada Goose to drop coyote fur and switch to innovative, cruelty-free faux fur.

Campaign: Rhian's action is part of PETA's campaign urging Canada Goose to drop coyote fur and switch to innovative, cruelty-free faux fur

Taking a stand: Rhian turned heads on the busy pedestrian street, standing with one leg caught in a faux trap

She first found fame as a glamour model, but in April, earlier this year, Rhian revealed she had made the decision to retire from topless modelling. She took to Twitter to announce the move, telling fans: 'It's the end of an era for me! I've decided to move on from topless modelling.'

'Thank you to everyone who made my 11 yr career possible,' she continued, before adding: 'Rhi-tirement day. HA! See what I did there!'

Rhian has been happily engaged to ex Coronation Street star Oliver Mellor since 2014.

Statement: The beauty, who recently went from blonde to brunette, carried a sign reading, 'Coyotes suffer for Canada Goose'

Beauty: Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid, and her features were accentuated with a bronze shadow and a nude lip

He proposed to her by getting down on one knee in front of a packed audience at the Manchester Opera House after performing his stage show Black Coffee at the venue.

It came after Rhian achieved new heights of fame after she was caught in a sexting scandal with married DJ, Vernon Kay - prior to dating her husband-to-be Oliver.

Meanwhile, Alexandra - who has previously posed naked in support of animal rights for PETA - took to Twitter on Monday to admit she didn't know the history of the garment, confessing: 'Ive just learned the sad truth of how a coat I wore recently was made.'

The former X Factor winner, 29 remorsefully continued: 'I am an animal lover, as most of you will know I have 4 dogs. I should have asked how it was manufactured and now I know, I will never wear it again. I am really sorry for any hurt or upset I have caused xx.'

Sticking up for herself: Alexandra Burke - who has previously posed naked in support of animal rights for PETA - has defended herself after she came under fire from Strictly Come Dancing fans for wearing a fur coat

Response: The former X Factor winner, 29 - who has previously posed naked in support of animal rights for PETA - took to Twitter on Monday to admit she didn't know the history of the garment, confessing: 'Ive just learned the sad truth of how a coat I wore recently was made'

Alexandra wore a Canada Goose jacket, featuring a removable North American Coyote fur ruff, when she arrived at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool last week.

Since then, several eagle-eyed viewers have branded the star 'disgusting', a 'fake' and a 'hypocrite' for her choice of outerwear attire.

'Alexandra Burke is a #fake. She was seen on her VT last night wearing fur on her jacket #CanadaGoose,' one fan wrote, leading the backlash against the star.

'Clearly she only did the PETA thing just for PR. #StrictlyComeDancing 2017 #strictly #scd #scd2017 #StrictlyComeDancing.'

Alexandra went completely naked for a People for a Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaign against animal cruelty in October 2013.

'She's a hypocrite': The singer wore a Canada Goose jacket, featuring a removable North American Coyote fur ruff, when she arrived at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool on November 18

The poster was emblazoned with the slogan promoting the cause: 'I'd rather go naked than wear fur.'

Yet four years after the promotion in November 2017, the West End beauty was spotted sporting her own real fur Canada Goose jacket.

As a result, the Bodyguard leading lady could face losing the support from viewers at home as Twitter was awash with backlash against her attire.



'Alexandra Burke, 2013 anti fur, 2017 wearing fur #hypocrite #fashionvictim #uglypeoplewearfur,' one fan wrote.

Others remarked: '@bbcstrictly hope that nobody will vote for #AlexandraBurke she was spotted wearing #CanadaGoose coat. I don't want to watch a #fur who thinks that wearing a dead dog round her neck is cool.'

'Just throwin it out there that Alexandra Burke wears real fur coats made from skinned wolves even after joining a campaign against fur. Disgusting #Strictly @bbcstrictly.'

'@alexandramusic What is wrong with you?? #fur #fauxfur #wearyourownskin #AlexandraBurke #crueltyfree #ThanksgivingEve.' (sic)

'Nobody will vote for her': As a result, the Bodyguard leading lady could face losing the support from viewers at home as Twitter was awash with backlash against her attire

MailOnline has approached Alexandra Burke's representatives for comment.

Canada Goose explained why they use real Coyote fur ruff detailing on their products on their website.

The company wrote: 'In the coldest environments, a fur-trimmed hood creates turbulent air, which helps protect the face from frostbite.

'We recently implemented a traceability program to ensure our fur is sourced from animals that have not been subjected to any unfair practices, willful mistreatment or undue harm, and materials are fully traceable throughout the supply chain.'

'Nobody will vote for her': Eagle-eyed viewers have blasted the dancing contestant as 'disgusting', a 'fake' and a 'hypocrite' for her choice of outerwear attire

Alexandra has been topping the leader board with her near perfect scores each week in the arms of her professional dancer Gorka Marquez.

Yet on Saturday, she only secured fourth place when she only scored a seven from Craig Revel Horwood.

And the songstress found herself in a shock dance-off with Susan Calman and her partner Kevin Clifton on Sunday's pre-recorded show.

Backlash: 'Alexandra Burke, 2013 anti fur, 2017 wearing fur #hypocrite #fashionvictim #uglypeoplewearfur,' one fan wrote

Fans rushed to social media to defend the star's dancing technique with gushing compliments about her ability.

Followers wrote: 'Alexandra is the best dancer ever on Strictly but how did she end doing the dance off? Racist voting?'

'Why do the audience at home hate Alexandra Burke so much? What exactly has she done wrong? what did I miss?'

'#AlexandraBurke on dance off? This is the point I get confused with the voting public! She has delivered week after week!'

Alexandra sailed into the Musicals week after she was saved by all four judges.

Revealed: The songstress found herself in a shock dance-off with Susan Calman and her partner Kevin Clifton on Sunday's pre-recorded show
'There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if we could become something more, so when they needed us, we could fight the battles that they never could.'

So begins the spine-tingling first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War released by Disney's Marvel Studios on Wednesday, which also managed to somehow cram that same group into a two-minute clip.

The clip sees superheroes from across the entire marvel Cinematic Universe, a decade in the making, coming together for the first time to face an unprecedented threat, in Josh Brolin's Thanos.

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Glove it! The spine-tingling first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War was released by Disney's Marvel Studios on Wednesday, giving the best look yet at Josh Brolin's Thanos

United: The Avengers prepare for an epic battle against a horde of aliens in T'Challa's home of Wakanda as the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe unites

The opening line is uttered unseen by the team, Doctor Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) first meeting with The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) is seen, the latter in Bruce Banner form, lying in a crater of his own making.

Meanwhile Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Betanny) appear to be living the life of a normal-looking married couple, apart from the yellow Mind Stone embedded in the latter's forehead.

Scarlett Johannson's Black Widow finishes the line, sporting a new blonde bob.

As Robert Downey's Tony Stark is seen joining Strange, Banner and Wong (Benedict Wong), an ominous voiceover is heard.

De-Hulked: The clip shows Doctor Strange 's (Benedict Cumberbatch) first meeting with The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) the latter in Bruce Banner form

Rough landing: Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) discover Banner lying in a crater of his own making

Human form: Meanwhile Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Betanny) appear to be living the life of a normal-looking married couple, apart from the yellow Mind Stone embedded in the latter's forehead

New do: Scarlett Johannson's Black Widow sports a new blonde bob

Uh-oh: The foursome look worried about the gargantuan portal gate hovering over New York

'In time you know what it's like to lose,' Brolin's voice growls. 'You feel so desperately that you're right. Yet to fail all the same. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives.'

A gargantuan portal gate then appears hovering over New York, activating Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) spidey-sense, before he slips into his new mechanized suit to climb on for a closer look.

Fans the get their best ever look at the intergalactic villain, as he steps through a portal into a wasteland, with the slightest smirk at the destruction before him.

Goosebumps: The threat activates Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) spidey-sense

New look: He then slips into his new mechanized suit to climb on for a closer look

Bad guy? After Loki's (Tom Hiddleston) antics in the first Thor film the Tesseract/Space Stone had been kept at Asgard for safe-keeping; and it looks like the same guy might be helping Thanos out as he is seen offering it up

Sorceror not-so-supreme: Doctor Strange looks a bit concerned his powers might not be enough

Thanos's goal is to assemble the six Infinity Stones, super-powerful MacGuffins that have served as individual plot drivers for a decade of Marvel films to date.

The baddie wants the decorate his gauntlet with them  and by the looks of the trailer he already has two: the blue Space Stone, and the purple Power Stone.

After Loki's (Tom Hiddleston) antics in the first Thor film the Tesseract/Space Stone had been kept at Asgard for safe-keeping; and it looks like the same guy might be helping Thanos out as he is seen offering it up.

Guns out: Chris Hemsworth's Thor biceps get a workout

Get ready: Black Panther's (Chadwick Boseman) can then be heard ordering: 'Evacuate the city, engage all defences... and get this man a shield.'

Face fuzz: He's referring to Chris Evans' Captain America, who has grown a beard while on the run since the events of Civil War

Beefy: Stark cracks out the new Hulkbuster armor

Ouch: Thanos is seen choke-slamming Spider-man

Black Panther's (Chadwick Boseman) can then be heard ordering: 'Evacuate the city, engage all defences... and get this man a shield.'

He's referring to Chris Evans' Captain America, who has grown a beard while on the run since the events of Civil War.

'Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe,' Thanos then sneers. 'But this does put a smile on my face.'

He may obtain a third stone by the end of the film too, as Loki's staff appears to pry the Mind Stone out of Vision's head.

Self-harm: Bruce Banner can be seen working on the Hulkbuster

I'll take that: Thanos may obtain a third stone by the end of the film too, as Loki's staff appears to pry the Mind Stone out of Vision's head

Form up: Black Panther assembles Wakanda's defences

Woke: The reanimated Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) joins the resistance

The Avengers, including Anthony Mackie's Falcon, Stark in his Hulkbuster armor, and the reanimated Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) then prepare for an epic battle against a horde of aliens in T'Challa's home of Wakanda.

The final shot sees Chris Hemsworth's Thor  now missing an eye  sounding disoriented aboard a spaceship.

'Who the hell are you guys?' he asks, as the camera reveals Chris Pratt's Starlord and the rest of the Guardians Of The Galaxy.

Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018.

Air support: Anthony Mackie's Falcon joins the action

Here eye am: The final shot sees Chris Hemsworth's Thor  apparently missing an eye, sounding disoriented aboard a spaceship
Lily Aldridge has spoken out about women's rights in the modelling world in light of the wave of sexual allegations across Hollywood.

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar Arabia, the 32-year-old Victoria's Secret model revealed she was 'fortunate' not to have experienced any abuse personally, as she encouraged other women to speak out.

In a stunning accompanying photoshoot - where the mother-of-one dazzled in colourful gowns and Bulgari jewels - she explained: 'Its a very powerful time in our industry right now. Lots of women are standing up for their rights. Their right to say no, to stand up for themselves, to have boundaries.

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Role model: Lily Aldridge has spoken out about women's rights in the modelling world in light of the wave of sexual allegations across Hollywood while speaking to Harper's Bazaar Arabia

'Its an amazing time as a woman, as a model, as a mother,' she added.

Lily, who started modelling at the age of 16, explained: 'I have been so fortunate in my career to have always worked with incredible companies.

'I was very fortunate to start with big brands that always protected me and had my back... I think its so important right now to just make sure that you know your boundaries. Speak up, share your stories, spread the word. We have to have each others back and stand up proud for each other.'

Powerful: In a stunning accompanying photoshoot - where the mother-of-one dazzled in colourful gowns and Bulgari jewels - she explained: 'Its a very powerful time in our industry right now'

Fortunate: Lily, who started modelling at the age of 16, explained: 'I have been so fortunate in my career to have always worked with incredible companies'

Lily is hoping to instill these values on her five-year-old daughter, Dixie, and admitted she had 'mother's guilt' whenever she has to leave her to work.

'You know, I wish I could just be there every second of the day,' Lily admitted. 'But then Im also so proud that Im a working mom and I always emphasise that to my daughter when I have to go to work. One day I think shes going to be really proud.'

The brunette beauty revealed that one lesson she will definitely be teaching her daughter is to be wary of social media, as she reflected on her own experience with trolls.

Working mum: Lily is hoping to instill these values on her five-year-old daughter, Dixie, and admitted she had 'mother's guilt' whenever she has to leave her to work

Trolled: The brunette beauty revealed that one lesson she will definitely be teaching her daughter is to be wary of social media, as she reflected on her own experience with trolls

Bullied: Discussing her own experiences, Lily - who boasts 5.2million Instagram followers - said: 'Bullying in social media is so real, its so painful'

She admitted: 'I do worry about my daughter. Im hoping by the time she could get on social media its not cool any more. Because things go through waves and eventually the young generation will be like, "We want to be more private". Im hoping!'

Discussing her own experiences, Lily - who boasts 5.2million Instagram followers - said: 'Bullying in social media is so real, its so painful. Anybody thats been bullied for no reason can understand that.

'You know, if you post a picture of yourself and you think youre looking mah-jor and all these people start saying all "Its a very powerful time right now. Lots of women are standing up for their rights. Their right to say no, to stand up for themselves, to have boundaries".

Making changes: As well as championing self love, Lily is keen to celebrate all women, as she confessed that the fashion industry needs to work on becoming more diverse

Diverse: Lily reasoned 'Women everywhere are all different. We dont have a size, we dont have the same beliefs or age. I feel like the industrys changing so much for age, for diversity'

'These mean things about you, it really hurts... Now I have thicker skin about it, I kind of just ignore it. I try not to read all the comments or stress myself out about it because lifes too short.

'But it took a long time for me to get to that point where I can understand that some people have that bully mentality. But you have to stand up for yourself. Dont let people bully you!'

Out now: Read the full interview in the December issue of Harpers Bazaar Arabia

As well as championing self love, Lily is keen to celebrate all women, as she confessed that the fashion industry needs to work on becoming more diverse.

The Vogue covergirl reasoned: 'Women everywhere are all different. We dont have a size, we dont have the same beliefs or age. I feel like the industrys changing so much for age, for diversity, for body type.

'There are no rules any more like there used to be 10 years ago. Its a very exciting time because were all beautiful  every age, every body type  its empowering.

'Theres still a long way to go and I cant wait to see what the journey is 10 years from now. Just accepting each other, seeing the beauty inside each other, being empowering to other women. All that kind of stuff is more important now than looks or what size you are.'

Read the full interview in the December issue of Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Jamie Theakston, 46, has been spotted without his wedding ring, as he headed out for a bike ride on Tuesday.

The TV presenter and radio host was seen pulling a grimace as he cycled uphill in the bitter chill while out in Chiswick - making his first appearance since being pictured holding hands with his Heart FM co-star Jenni Falconer following a charity gala last week.

Casually clad, Jamie appeared to cover up from the cold in multiple layers as he hit the road, with the band that usually sits on his left hand noticeably absent, although there could be a simple explanation for this.

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Feeling the burn: Jamie Theakston, 46, has been spotted without his wedding ring, as he headed out for a bike ride on Tuesday

MailOnline have contacted a representative for Jamie for comment.

The former Live & Kicking star chose to sport a denim-hued shirt, along with a navy sweatshirt and a thick complementing jacket on top.

Donning a pair of jeans, Jamie opted for white trainers on his feet and wore a backpack, as he put his body through its paces on the tough uphill route.

The star appeared to be feeling the burn while riding his bicycle and was caught pulling a slew of pained faces as he battled with the wind and firmly clutched onto the handles of his bike.

Casually clad: The TV presenter and radio host appeared to cover up from the cold in multiple layers as he hit the road, with the band that usually sits on his left hand noticeably absent

Jamie's appearance comes after he was spotted leaving the Global Make Some Noise Gala held in London on Thursday with Jenni. The duo were seen holding hands on their exit, before heading home in separate vehicles.

While they are both happily married to their respective partners - Jenni with James Midgley and Jamie with Sophie Siegle, who he tied the knot with back in 2007 - the two stars appeared to be having a great night as they waited for their taxis.

Wearing a striking green dress, Scottish TV presenter Jenni, 41, looked in high spirits as she cosied up to a suited and booted Jamie.

A source told The Sun: 'Jamie and Jenni left together and seemed very close. They were holding hands as they waited for cabs.

Cosying up: Jenni Falconer, 41, and Jamie Theakston, 45, were seen holding hands as they exited Global's Make Some Noise Night at Embankment Gardens in London on Sunday night

Loved-up: Jamie is a father of two with his wife Sophie Siegle who he married in 2007 (pictured together in March)

'There were not many people about when they left, as they both went home early - presumably as they were on radio the next morning. After waiting for a few minutes, they got in separate cars after saying goodbye.'

MailOnline had contacted representatives for both Jamie and Jenni at the time.

While the pair were pictured holding hands, there is nothing to suggest anything more than friendship between the two.

Jenni has been married to James Midgley since 2010 and together they have a daughter Ella, who they welcomed into the world in 2011.

Jamie is a father of two with his wife Sophie Siegle who he married in 2007.

Smitten: Jenni has been married to James Midgley since 2010 and together they have a daughter Ella, who they welcomed into the world in 2011 (pictured together last June)

Jenni looked utterly flawless for the event in her one-shouldered green dress which fell in stylish tiers and featured nude underlay. The number peeked a look at her toned legs, which were boosted in towering black heels.

She enhanced her sensational decolletage with a simple gold necklace and accessorised with a chic black clutch.

The beauty wore her blonde locks in effortlessly curls and opted for a stunning make-up look, which boasted red gloss on her lips and heavy dusting of bronzer.

Jamie also put on a handsome display for the event - opting for a stylish velvet blazer. He paired the snazzy number with a crisp white shirt and a bow-tie.

Fashionista: Jenni looked utterly flawless for the event in her one-shouldered green dress which fell in stylish tiers and featured nude underlay
She was recently named Forbes' highest paid model of 2017, with earnings of an incredible $22 million in just 12 months.

And Kendall Jenner showed off her money-making frame in a sexy swimwear snap shared on her Instagram page on Wednesday morning.

The catwalk queen, 22, looked positively stunning as she snapped a quick selfie aboard a boat, a throwback from her recent getaway to the Bahamas with gal pals Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid.

Not so mellow yellow! Kendall Jenner, 22, showed off her money-making frame in a yellow string bikini as she posted a snap from her girls' trip to the Bahamas on Wednesday morning

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star's tanned and toned tummy was on full display as she lounged on the back of a chair in a yellow triangle top from Basic Swim.

The reality TV personality wore a pair of matching string bottoms from the same brand over her slender hips in the mirror snap, which she captioned: 'peaches and the mangos.'

Kendall perched her thigh on to the back of a wicker lounger overlooking a picturesque clear blue sea.

She covered a portion of her face with the black camera and seemed to be wearing a pair of clear glasses with a golden choker around her neck.

Model mayhem: The supermodel enjoyed an idyllic island getaway with gal pals Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid, among others, over the weekend

Kendall recently returned from a girls' trip in the Bahamas to celebrate fellow model Hailey Baldwin's 21st birthday.

Bella Hadid, Justine Skye, Renell Medrano, Camila Morrone, and Isabella Peschardt all joined the island trip.

The supermodels offered a cheeky eyeful as Bella, 21, sported a bright orange thong while Kendall covered her peachy posterior with mesh pants that revealed a barely-there g-string in a snap posted earlier this week.

Bella wrapped an arm around her raven-haired pal as they gazed out onto the crisp, blue ocean.

Boat life: The gang were all celebrating Hailey Baldwin's 21st birthday on the lavish trip

Bottoms up! Kendall and Bella showed off their peachy posteriors in thong swimsuits as they shared snaps from their girls' trip earlier this week

Bella flaunted her flat abs and endless legs in a black string bikini as she reclined against a log in another Instagram snap, posted on Monday morning.

Back on dry land, Kendall cut a more casual figure as she chatted on the phone in tight black leggings and a matching black T-shirt in Miami, Florida, on Monday evening.

Nearly one week ago, it was reported that Kendall knocked Gisele off the top spot as the world's highest paid model for the first time in 15 years.

The catwalk queen and reality star, 22, topped the annual Forbes list for the first time with earnings of $22 million over the past 12 months.

Kendall's earnings more than doubled from 2016's $10 million total, making her the biggest dollar and percent gainer on the ranking.

Life's a beach: Bella flaunted her flat abs and endless legs in a black string bikini as she reclined against a log in another Instagram snap, posted on Monday morning
News / National

by Staff reporter

Gokwe Nembudziya MP and renowned President Emmerson Mnangagwa key ally during his persecution by the Generation 40 (G40) faction - Justice Mayor Wadyajena - has slammed Zanu-PF officials and opportunists who are stampeding each other to get the new leader's attention.This comes as Mnangagwa is yet to announce his eagerly-awaited Cabinet which political and economic analysts have said would give a clearer indication of how he intends to steer the country forward.Since last week, when Mnangagwa returned from self-imposed exile in neighbouring South Africa to assume leadership of Zanu-PF and his subsequent swearing in as the new head of State, well-known political opportunists have been trying to grab his attention through different means."Those falling all over each other pledging loyalty to president ED are just brutes playing meek. If you really are principled, there's no reason to bootlick, your conduct should speak for itself."We've seen the danger of personalising governance and gate keeping a national figure," Wadyajena vented his anger on micro blogging site, Twitter.Mnangagwa was sacked from government by former president Robert Mugabe on November 6, before being also axed from Zanu-PF at the party's politburo two days later - ending a five-decade plus relationship with the nonagenarian.The 75-year-old strongman's political career was quickly written off by both his rabid critics and some of his allies who made a beeline to former first lady Grace Mugabe's Mazowe Orphanage where they asked for forgiveness for having hobnobbed with Mnangagwa.Although Wadyajena did not mention party members who are stampeding to catch the eye of Mnangagwa, the Daily News can also report that since last Thursday there has been shuttling of politicians from offices of those thought to be close to ED and advisors.On Thursday, ahead of Mnangagwa's inauguration, dozens of youths and a few members of the women's league from Masvingo and Bulawayo were restrained from engaging in physical blows.In one of the embarrassing incidents, an influential youth official from Bulawayo caused commotion at the Rainbow Towers lounge and foyer, respectively, when he was involved in altercations with party colleagues over a VVIP card to Mnangagwas's inauguration.He claimed he had done a lot for Mnangagwa including organising the booing of Grace during the Zanu-PF interface rally in Bulawayo on November 4 and therefore was entitled to have a card to sit in the VVIP section which housed foreign dignatiries.The official only calmed down after he spoke with someone he referred to as commander during a not-so-civil telephone conversation.Other incidents include claims by senior Zanu-PF officials who have gone to newspapers to try and portray themselves as having waged a bitter and brutal fight against the G40 to secure Mnangagwa's victory.Mnangagwa has promised an all-inclusive and united Zimbabwe during his tenure in a speech that has been widely hailed both locally and internationally.
Her youthful appearance on Lorraine sparked debate from fans last week, with many viewers taking to Twitter to comment on her looks.

And as Priscilla Presley defied her 72 years as she delved into her late husband Elvis' archives on Wednesday, posing with his possessions from over 50 years ago at a new London exhibition.

The former wife to the rock legend cut a stylish figure in a black bodycon dress as she attended the Elvis On Tour Exhibition at the O2 in London.

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Priscilla Presley continued to showcase her flawless complexion on Wednesday as she attended the Elvis On Tour Exhibition at the O2 in London

Holding one of her late husband's guitars as he once did, the star showcased her trim physique in the midi-dress, which featured a silver eyelet design.

She accentuated her long limbs with patent black pumps and accessorised the all-black ensemble with a silver heart necklace.

Wearing her sleek flame-coloured hair in a neat ponytail, Priscilla drew attention to her smooth complexion with a bold pink lip.

The former wife to rock legend Elvis Presley looked decades younger than her 72 years, as she cut a stylish figure in a black bodycon dress

The American actress posed with some of the 200 artifacts from the Graceland archives, which cover the years of the King of Rock and Roll's life from 1969 to 1977.

Priscilla has been enjoying a whistles-stop tour of London, promoting the new compilation Elvis album and tour, Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Lorraine last week.

While giving insight into her life with Elvis, the 72-year-old's appearance got fans commenting on Twitter in their droves about her youthful look.

Posing with one of her late husband's guitars, the star showcased her trim physique in the midi-dress, which featured a silver eyelet design

Throwback: The couple married at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas in May 1967

A viewer shared on the micro-blogging site: 'What has Pricilla [sic] Presley done to her face?'

'Priscilla Presley what happened to ageing gracefully? #plastic,' another posted.

One fan wrote: 'What has Priscilla Presley done to her face.....looks like she has a scary mask on'.

While a viewer wrote: 'Priscilla Presley looking like something from a horror movies on ITV Lorraine'

Youthful: While giving insight into her life with Elvis, the 72-year-old's appearance got fans commenting on Twitter in their droves about her youthful look

The American actress posed with some of the 200 artefacts from the Graceland archives, which cover the years of the King of Rock and Roll's life from 1969 to 1977

Despite the negative commentary, fans of Priscilla jumped to her defense and expressed their awe in how great she was looking.

One fan wrote: 'I know she has had a lot done but Priscilla Presley looks amazing!!! @reallorraine @ITVLorraine'

'@Cilla_Presley lovely to see you on "Good Morning" with Lorraine,' another shared. 'I always listen to Elvis. Love his music #ElvisPresley'.

Smooth complexion: While giving insight into her life with Elvis on Lorraine, the 72-year-old's appearance got fans commenting on Twitter in their droves about her youthful look

Priscilla previously fell foul of botched plastic surgery, and allegedly had industrial low-grade silicone similar to that used by mechanics to grease car parts injected into her face.

Her spokesperson added said at the time: 'Priscilla Presley was one of many documented victims of Dr. Serrano.

'An investigation which uncovered his misconduct ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Ms. Presley dealt with this matter years ago and everything is now well.'

Cute: The King of Rock and Roll with his wife Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and their 4 day old daughter Lisa Marie Presley on February 5, 1968

Happy Family: Priscilla pictured with Elvis and her daughter Lisa-Marie in 1970

Beauty nightmare: Priscilla previously fell foul to botched plastic surgery, and allegedly had industrial low-grade silicone similar to that used by mechanics to grease car parts injected into her face

American beauty Priscilla also recently discussed the Christmas hit Blue Christmas caused hysteria amongst parents and pastors when it was released in 1957.

She shared: 'When this was released in 1957 it wasn't received very well, it was seen that it was outrageous and degrading...

'Now the album is revered because the teens of the day made it go to the top of the charts but parents told them they couldn't buy it.'

Adding: 'He didn't do it on purpose but he said when he was releasing it, it would be a little rock'n'roll.'

Discussing how shy Elvis was, Priscilla added: 'He lived in his own world, we lived in his world, he often felt uncomfortable going out... but on stage that's the Elvis everyone saw.'
She's one of Hollywood's leading ladies.

And Reese Witherspoon injected some star power to the Tiffany & Co. Holiday Breakfast in New York City on Wednesday morning.

The Academy Award-winning actress, 41, looked effortlessly elegant in a red lace Lela Rose midi-dress as she attended the event at the upscale jewelry brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue.

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Lady in red! Reese Witherspoon looked effortlessly elegant as she attended the Tiffany & Co. Holiday Breakfast in New York City on Wednesday morning

The Big Little Lies star added height to her petite 5ft1in frame with a pair of crushed grey velour pointy-toed heels.

The talented producer tied back her platinum blonde hair into a loose ponytail and showed off a pair of glittering diamond hoop earrings.

Reese kept her make-up demure with a classic black winged eyeliner and pale pink lipstick.

The actress was there to celebrate the launch of the flagship store's new Blue Box Cafe, which is now open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, 56 years on from the release of iconic Audrey Hepburn movie Breakfast At Tiffany's.

Tea time! The Academy Award-winning actress, 41, dazzled in a scarlet lace Lela Rose midi-dress as she attended the event at the upscale jewelry brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue

Tough gig: The talented producer tied back her platinum blonde hair into a loose ponytail and showed off a pair of glittering diamond hoop earrings

Pops of Tiffany's classic duck egg blue color were featured throughout the decadent displays as Reese looked at the the beautiful baubles, before dining in a lounge overlooking the city.

Later in the afternoon, the Draper James designer was spotted in a more comfortable jeans and sweater ensemble.

The Legally Blonde actress covered up in a bright red jumper underneath a long black pea coat as she stepped out in Midtown

Reese added a pair of black leather booties and cat-eye sunglasses to her chic afternoon ensemble.

Golden girl: Reese kept her make-up demure with a classic black winged eyeliner and pale pink lipstick as she perused the shimmering displays

Just looking: Pops of Tiffany's classic duck egg blue color were featured throughout the decadent displays as Reese looked at the the beautiful baubles

What a start to the day! Reese and her fellow attendees later tucked into a delicious breakfast in a lounge overlooking the city

Reese has been married to CAA agent Jim Toth for more than six years and the couple have five-year-old son Tennessee together.

The actress was previously married to actor Ryan Phillipe and the pair continue to co-parent their two children, Ava, 18, and Deacon, 14.

The family spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Paris, France, where Reese accompanied daughter Ava to a glamorous debutantes ball.

The star returned to New York at the start of the week to attend the Gotham Independent Film Awards alongside her Big Little Lies co-star and producer Nicole Kidman.

Chic in the city: Later in the afternoon, the Draper James designer was spotted in a more comfortable jeans and sweater ensemble
She looked dazzling while attending the Guggenheim's International Gala in New York recently.

But on Wednesday, Naomi Watts ditched the glam while picking up her sons Sasha, 10, and Kai, eight, from school in Manhattan's ritzy Tribeca neighbourhood.

The 49-year-old cut a relaxed figure in green jeans, a comfortable off-white sweater and chic grey coat during the low-key outing.

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Family time: Naomi Watts was seen picking up her sons Sasha (L), 10, and Kai (R), eight, from school in Manhattan's ritzy Tribeca neighbourhood

She paired the cosy look with brown leather boots and dark designer shades, which added an element of mystery.

The Ophelia star went makeup-free and kept her cropped blonde locks tucked under a vibrant red beanie.

At one point, the casually-dressed beauty stopped on the street to chat to a friend before making her way home.

Mummy's boys: Sasha and Kai, wearing People Footwear, were seen chatting to their famous mother on the walk home

They take after dad: Both boys bear a striking resemblance to their actor father Liev

Last week, Naomi was seen picking up her sons from school with her ex Liev Schreiber, more than one year after their split.

The two continued to amicably co-parent their sons, despite their differences.

In a joint statement, they said: 'Over the past few months we've come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple.

Low-key: Naomi ditched the glam while running errands in Manhattan's ritzy Tribeca neighbourhood

Cosy: The 49-year-old cut a relaxed figure in green jeans, a comfortable off-white sweater and chic grey coat during the low-key outing

Working mum: Naomi is often seen either working or spending quality time with her family

'It is with great love, respect, and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship.'

They added: 'While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy.'

Amicable exes: Naomi Watts and her ex Liev Schreiber continue to amicably co-parent their two children, more than one year after this split
She split from her 'TV husband' Mark Hughes last year.

And as the farmer relishes in fatherhood, having welcomed daughter Stevie Ashton with new girlfriend Marie Angeleski last week, Christie Jordee has revealed she's set to adopt.

'If I haven't met someone in 12 months, it's something I would probably do,' the 40-year-old business owner told WHO magazine.

'I'm going to adopt': MAFS star Christie Jordee, 40, revealed her plans for motherhood in Thursday's WHO magazine, after ex Mark Hughes welcomed daughter Stevie Ashton with new girlfriend Marie Angeleski

'I would love to adopt. I would seriously do it. It's on my mind,' Christie revealed in Thursday's issue.

'Why bring another child into the world when there's too many children that need help?' the brunette went on to say.

Making plans: 'I would love to adopt. I would seriously do it. It's on my mind. If I haven't met someone in 12 months, it's something I would probably do. I would prefer that than to have my own,' the Sydney business owner told the publication

Baby news: Christie's plans come a week after her ex Mark Hughes, whom she was matched with on controversial reality series Married At First Sight, became a first-time father. The 38-year-old welcomed baby girl Stevie Ashton with partner Marie Angeleski Monday, last week

Christie's plans come a week after her ex Mark Hughes, whom she was matched with on controversial reality series Married At First Sight, became a first-time father.

The 38-year-old welcomed baby girl Stevie Ashton with partner Marie Angeleski Monday, last week.

Taking to Instagram, Mark shared a series of sweet photos alongside a tribute to his offspring.

Proud: Taking to Instagram, Mark shared a series of sweet photos alongside a tribute to his offspring

Giving love another shot: Victorian-based Mark began dating media executive Marie last October, four months after his split from Christie

'Proud Dad alert !! Proud to introduce my little girl Stevie Ashton Hughes born on 20/11/2017,' he captioned his post.

'She has been awesome and has me wrapped around her little finger! Marie has been amazing mother and feeling very lucky with my new little family.'

Victorian-based Mark began dating media executive Marie last October, four months after his split from Christie.

Mark and Christie began dating after being matched on Channel Nine dating show MAFS, called time on their romance after seven months.

Not to be: Mark and Christie began dating after being matched on Channel Nine dating show MAFS, called time on their romance after seven months
Tom Ackerley is frustrated wife Margot Robbie is continuing to accept film roles and putting off their plans to start a family, an insider has claimed.

The couple have spoken openly about their desire to have children and dial back on work in the past, with even Margot previously insisting she wanted as many as 'four kids.'

But It's now at the point where 'Tom is demanding Margot cut back on work and commit to having a baby with him,' the insider told OK! Magazine this week.

Workaholic woes? Tom Ackerley is frustrated wife Margot Robbie is continuing to accept film roles and putting off their previous plans to start a family, an insider has claimed

The source reiterated family plans was something the lovers have been 'discussing for a while.'

'But Margot is torn,' they fear.

The Neighbours star turned Hollywood heavyweight has been busy promoting upcoming film I, Tonya and filming Dreamland for several months.

Still on the cards? The couple have spoken openly about their plans to have kids and dial back on work in the past, with even Margot previously insisting she wanted as many as 'four kids'

As if that wasn't enough, the actress is also believed to be assisting with pre-production on Quentin Tarantino's latest work.

Meanwhile, there's the production company Margot owns herself - a massive undertaking that many believe is tipping Tom over the edge.

'Tom is demanding Margot cut back': But It's now at the point where 'Tom is demanding Margot cut back on work and commit to having a baby with him,' insiders said this week

'The pressure is on for her to capitalise on the heat around her building image,' a source told OK!

'But it's coming at a huge cost - Tom has barely worked since their wedding [last December] and is complaining that he never sees Margot.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Margot's representatives for comment.

'Margot is torn': The source reiterated family plans was something the lovers have been 'discussing for a while,' but added that now, 'Margot is torn'

'The pressure is on': Explaining her alleged doubts, the source cited Margot's workaholic tendencies: 'The pressure is on for her to capitalise on the heat around her building image,'

It follows comments from Margot herself this week, that saw her reflecting on the 'bittersweet' reality of having to spend more time away from Australia.

'I miss everyone so much,' the 27-year-old told Variety's Actors on Actors issue.

'But the fact that they are so removed from it helps me keep my life and my work separate... because all I want to do is work all the time.'
The past few weeks has seen tens of thousands of people stranded in Bali due to the Mount Agung volcanic eruptions.

And on Thursday, Michael Klim along with girlfriend Desiree Deravi and his three children, said that they are safe and well.

The 40-year-old retired swimmer told concerned friends and family members 'We're all okay!' as the clan sat at a local restaurant.

Scroll down for video

'We're all okay!' Michael Klim, 40, thanked concerned fans for their messages on his Instagram Story on Thursday, and revealed he's safe as Bali's Mount Agung volcano continues to erupt

The Instagram video began with Michael telling his concerned fans: 'G'day everyone back in Oz and everywhere else. Just want to let you know we're all okay here in Bali.'

A casually-clad Michael used the on-point hand gesture to further his statement, before the clip scanned to the rest of his family.

Fashion designer Desiree, seated next to Michael's children Frankie, Stella and Rocco from his marriage to Lindy Klim, also thanked 'everyone for the messages.'

Safe and sound: Michael's fashion designer girlfriend Desiree Deravi, seated next to Michael's children Frankie, Stella and Rocco from his marriage to Lindy Klim, also thanked 'everyone for the messages'

Michael, who splits his time between Bali and Sydney, was referring to the recent turn of events at Mount Agung on the Indonesian resort island.

The volatile mountain has spewed volcanic debris and ash almost 10 kilometres in the air, and tens of thousands of tourists have also been stranded.

And conditions do not look set to improve, with Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner warning that Bali's Mount Agung eruption would be 'like shaking up a bottle of Coke and then taking the lid off.'

Going strong: Michael continues to enjoy a blossoming romance with Desiree, following his separation from ex-wife Lindy, 39, in early 2016

Family ties: Michael and Lindy share children Frankie, 11, Rocco, nine, and Stella, six. Pictured in November 2014

'This is an eruption, this is 100 per cent an eruption,' Janine told news.com.au.

'Lava is coming out of the volcano, there's definitely enough to cause trouble. This can get much worse, you can't outrun this.'

Michael continues to enjoy a blossoming romance with Desiree, following his separation from ex-wife Lindy, 39, in early 2016.

New chapter: Lindy has since moved on with British property developer Adam Ellis, the pair becoming engaged in July this year

The former couple share children Frankie, 11, Rocco, nine, and Stella, six.

Lindy has since moved on with British property developer Adam Ellis, the pair becoming engaged in July this year.

The new couple are expecting their first child together in just a matter of weeks.
Palestinians celebrate an agreement between rival factions Hamas and Fatah on ending a decade-long split on October 12, 2017

The two leading Palestinian factions sparred Tuesday over the fate of tens of thousands of employees in Gaza ahead of a key deadline, the latest sign that a landmark reconciliation accord was faltering.

Under an agreement made last month, Islamist group Hamas is supposed to hand over power in Gaza to the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority (PA), dominated by the secular Fatah party, by Friday.

A key sticking point has been the fate of tens of thousands of PA employees who stopped working when Hamas seized Gaza in a 2007 quasi-civil war.

Hamas hired its own employees afterwards and the future of the two sets of staff is a key issue to resolve.

In a statement Tuesday the PA government based in the West Bank stressed the "necessity of all old employees returning to work," instructing ministers to arrange for the transition.

Hamas called the decision a "violation" of pre-existing agreements between the two sides.

The reconciliation agreement reached on October 12 said they would solve the issue of the employees by February 2018, but also said Hamas would hand over full control of Gaza by December 1.

Until February the Palestinian government is due to pay the salaries of the Hamas employees.

In recent weeks hopes for success have faded as the two sides have had a series of disagreements, including over the future of Hamas's armed wing.

A number of ministries have been handed over, but others still remain in Hamas's hands ahead of Friday's deadline.

There were nearly 60,000 Palestinian Authority employees in Gaza, of whom only around 13,000 continued working after Hamas took control, according to the United Nations.

Hamas has employed about 50,000 civil servants, according to the World Bank.
Roman Catholic priest Fidelis Mukonori looks on as Robert Mugabe meets Zimbabwe's air force commander during talks to negotiate the 93-year-old's exit

Fidelis Mukonori, the Jesuit priest who mediated Robert Mugabe's exit in what was a seismic moment in Zimbabwe's history, said the 93-year-old appeared relieved after signing his resignation letter.

It was the culmination of a chaotic fortnight which began when Mugabe fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa, prompting a military takeover and mass street protests which eventually forced him out, ending a 37-year reign that will best be remembered for its economic ruin.

The resignation letter, which was read out in parliament on November 21, was the result of days of mounting pressure and back-and-forth negotiations with the military generals which were chaired by Mukonori.

"When the letter was done, he looked at it, read it through and he just gracefully took his pen and signed," Mukonori told AFP in an interview in Harare.

"And as soon as he put his signature, (his) face just glowed, really a sign of saying: 'It's done, I have done what I have to do.'

"You could see the handsomeness of the man after signing ... that he has completed his job."

Close to Mugabe for decades, Mukonori has been involved in mediating nearly all the defining conflicts of Zimbabwean politics, starting in the 1970s when he took part in talks between the guerrillas and colonial ruler Britain that eventually led to independence in 1980.

And negotiating the exit of the man who had ruled one country for nearly four decades was "just another job".

But most importantly, he too is relieved that the man whom he helped rise to power has finally bowed out.

- 'I was relieved' -

Robert Mugabe's resignation was the culmination of two weeks of political crisis that had put Zimbabwe on edge

"It was the best thing he could have done, the man has served 37 years... definitely, it was time to rest," said the softly-spoken priest.

"I was relieved when he signed," Mukonori admitted, recalling the tension as the nation stood on edge following mass street protests and as MPs gathered to impeach him.

Asked if Mugabe's wife Grace was part of the negotiations, he said at times she "would make comments. But we were not negotiating with Grace ... the soldiers were interested in Robert Mugabe."

Mukonori has known Mugabe for more than 40 years and says they are candid with each other. Jesuit-taught, Mugabe has always described himself as a devout Catholic.

Following the introduction of Mugabe's controversial land reform policy in 2000 which allowed the seizure of white-owned farms, the farmers turned to Mukonori to intervene.

He also helped the negotiations for the power-sharing government between Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, before South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo stepped in.

- Begged Mnangagwa to return -

During the talks to secure Mugabe's exit, the generals were "very calm", said the 70-year-old priest.

And when they presented their 11-point list of grievances, Mugabe did not "wink" because he realised the "seriousness of the issues" and "accepted" them, he said.

At one point, Mugabe asked to speak to Mnangagwa, who had fled to South Africa after his dismissal in what was the culmination of an increasingly-bitter succession battle between him and the first lady.

So Mukonori rang Mnangagwa and put his cellphone on speaker, allowing them to speak.

"They discussed for a good 10 minutes -- really what I call a heart-to-heart talk," he said, recalling how Mugabe begged Mnangagwa to return home, saying: "Come, come here why did you go to South Africa? I was planning to meet you after the dismissal and talk, just the two of us."

Since Mugabe's resignation, Mukonori has spoken to him three times, saying he was doing well and had even offered to "support" Mnangagwa.

- A controversial role -

Long before the crisis, Mukonori said Mugabe had confided in him that he was going to step down after next year's elections.

While Mukonori is seen as a tough and trusted mediator in Zimbabwe, he is also regarded by some as "controversial" because of his closeness to Mugabe.

That tension was reflected in the preface to a mini biography of Mukonori published in 2006, which says: "There are those who feel that he compromises himself and the church by being too close to the president and his advisers.

"There are others who appreciate his intervention and believe Fr Mukonori uses his influence for the benefit of the church and the nation."

Born the village of Mazowe, just north of Harare, Mukonori joined the Jesuit order in 1971 then went on to obtain a masters degree in theology from the University of California at Berkeley.

He is currently the principal and parish priest at Chishawasha mission school, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside the capital.

This year, he published his memoirs -- "Man in the Middle" -- and in 2016, he released a report into the genesis of violence in Zimbabwe.

He was also involved in collecting evidence for a report on the Gukurahundi massacres, a brutal crackdown on opposition supporters that claimed thousands of lives after independence in 1980 which was reportedly directed by Mnangagwa.
Reza Zarrab, shown here in a December 17, 2013 file picture, is a government witness in a New York trial that has infuriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab is expected to testify Wednesday for US government prosecutors in a potentially explosive sanctions-busting New York trial that could further inflame ties with Ankara.

Proceedings, which put Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, 49, alone in the dock after Zarrab flipped and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, opened in Manhattan on Tuesday with opening statements.

"You will hear it from the inside, from Reza Zarrab. He has pleaded guilty to violating US laws and he has decided to cooperate with the government," assistant US attorney David Denton told the jury.

Zarrab, 34, the star witness in the government's case against Turkish banker Atilla -- accused of violating sanctions against Iran, bribery and money laundering -- is expected to take the stand Wednesday morning.

His testimony is likely to take a couple of days and push into Friday, before the defense will have a chance to cross-examine him.

The case has angered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has called the trial a "plot" and who has raised the issue repeatedly in official talks, demanding Zarrab and Atilla's release.

While Erdogan is not charged with any crime, corruption revelations could prove embarrassing to him and his inner circle, analysts believe.

A guilty verdict could also lead to possible sanctions on one or more Turkish banks, spelling bad news for the Turkish economy.

Businessman Zarrab, who enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege in Turkey, was arrested in 2016 during a trip to Disney World with his child and Turkish pop-star wife. He was allegedly at the center of a gold-for-oil operation that Washington claims violated US sanctions.

Atilla's defense lawyer used his opening statement Tuesday to call Zarrab a "liar" and the "mastermind" of a "worldwide sanction-avoiding scheme," seeking to deflect blame from his client.

- 'Storm of lies' -

"This trial is really the Reza Zarrab show," lawyer Victor Rocco told jurors. "He is a liar, a cheat."

Zarrab "paid fortunes in bribes to businessmen all over the world" -- and continued to do so after his arrest, bribing US prison guards "so he would have special treatment," Rocco said.

Atilla, on the other hand, was "a dedicated, hard-working civil servant caught in the middle of a storm of lies and massive corruption... just another one of Zarrab's many victims."

The defendant, deputy chief executive of Turkey's state-owned Halkbank, sat wordlessly in court Tuesday dressed in smartly in a jacket and tie.

Zarrab was a key figure in a 2013 Turkish corruption scandal in which he allegedly bribed four ministers to facilitate sanctions-busting trade and other deals.

He was held for more than two months until prosecutors dropped charges against more than 50 people, citing "lack of evidence," "problems with collecting the evidence" and "lack of proof that they were members of a criminal organization," state-run media said.

Denton suggested to jurors that Zarrab's testimony would shed light on that corruption case, which Ankara has sought to smother since 2013.

Turkey has denounced both the New York trial and the 2013 scandal as conspiracies by the US-based dissident preacher Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of a 2016 failed coup targeting Erdogan.

Denton said he would also call to the stand a Turkish police officer who uncovered the scandal, said evidence was "swept under the rug by the Turkish government" and subsequently fled his country.

Turkey on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two men, reportedly on the witness list for the trial, for allegedly handing the United States fabricated reports and stealing documents, local media reported.
A THAAD anti-missile system being tested in the western Pacific in 2013

North Korea's latest rocket launch saw it shoot an intercontinental ballistic missile higher than ever before, prompting US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to warn that Pyongyang could soon threaten "everywhere in the world."

The worrying assessment once again calls into question America's anti-missile capabilities, and whether it and its allies can protect themselves from the threat of a nuclear-tipped ICBM.

- How high? -

Defense officials did not elaborate on Mattis's remark about the missile's elevation, but on July 4, in a test that Kim Jong-Un called a gift for the "American bastards," a North Korean rocket soared to an altitude of 2,802 kilometers (1,741 miles) and flew 933 kilometers.

According to David Wright, a co-director and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, news reports the missile reached more than 4,500 kilometers in altitude would give it a massive range.

"If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles)," Wright wrote on his organization's blog.

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States."

After the July 4 launch, experts had said Alaska was in range, so the latest test marks a dramatic and rapid increase in North Korea's potential reach.

- Missile defenses -

The United States has spent decades and billions of dollars developing technologies to stop an incoming ballistic missile, and the US military still has faith these systems can protect against a North Korean missile attack.

"The (South Korea)-US alliance remains confident that we can still defend against any North Korean threat," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said shortly after Tuesday's launch.

America and its allies have several technologies at their disposal, none of which is infallible.

To take out an ICBM, America has the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system at its disposal.

Installed at Fort Greely, about 100 miles outside Fairbanks in Alaska, and California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, the GMD can hit an incoming missile in space.

It was put to the test in May, when the military successfully launched a GMD interceptor from the California base.

The missile blasted outside Earth's atmosphere and smashed into a dummy ICBM target, destroying it in a direct collision.

But the GMD system has had a checkered record in previous tests -- failing in earlier launches against slower-moving targets -- and it could be overwhelmed by a barrage of incoming missiles.

- What other defenses? -

Aside from the GMD, the United States and its allies also have at their disposal what is known as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (AEGIS).

The ship-based system's highly sensitive radars and sensors feed ICBM-tracking data to the GMD facilities in California and Alaska, and AEGIS is itself capable of intercepting shorter-range missiles.

Some experts say the AEGIS system may also one day have a limited ability to intercept ICBMs.

In the meantime, the US military this year began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea, capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles in their final phase of flight.

That move infuriated China, which has argued the deployment would further destabilize the situation on the Korean peninsula.

The US and its allies South Korea and Japan also have Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor batteries.

But these are designed to protect against a regional threat and would have limited effect against an ICBM.

In Europe, nations have an array of missile defenses but these are primarily focused against shorter range missiles that could come from Russia or the Middle East.
News / National

by Staff reporter

FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko could soon return to Zimbabwe after he was reportedly given assurances that he was free to do so and after he was given up to December 1 to leave Botswana by Ian Khama's government.According to NewZimbabwe.com, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information George Charamba said Mphoko had spoken to President Emmerson Mnangagwa by telephone asking to return."Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation," Charamba told the state media.He added, "Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon."Mphoko, a member of the G40 faction which backed then First Lady Grace Mugabe, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the coup during which the army said it was "targeting criminals around" former President Robert Mugabe.Instead of returning to Zimbabwe Mphoko went to Botswana where he was once Zimbabwe's ambassador. Mphoko's Choppies supermarkets also has interests in Botswana.According to state media, "highly placed sources" said the "Botswana government had given him up to December 1 to leave their country and return to Zimbabwe, but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes".Reports said Mphoko has been living in a State residence in Gaborone.He was expelled from Zanu PF on the day Mugabe was fired as the ruling party leader by the Central Committee. He was accused of divisiveness and of acting in a manner not befitting the Vice President.Soon after then co-VP Mnangagwa was fired by Mugabe, Mphoko appeared on TV excited encouraging Mugabe to replace him with Grace adding that he (Mugabe) needed not be ashamed of elevating his wife.Mphoko further added that he needed a new colleague as he was "lonely" following the expulsion of Mnangagwa.On appointment in 2014, Mphoko made headlines by repeatedly claiming that Mugabe was not involved in the 1980s killing of the civilians in Matebeleland adding the genocide was a British "conspiracy".
Mount Agung, which looms over one of the world's top holiday spots, could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday

The international airport on the resort island of Bali will be closed for a third day, Indonesian officials said Wednesday, as ash from a rumbling volcano poses a danger to planes.

"Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning," airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP.

Mount Agung, which looms over one of the world's top holiday spots, could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday.

Massive columns of thick grey smoke and ash that have been belching from the volcano since last week have now begun shooting high into the sky, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded and stranding around 120,000 tourists.

Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.

Tens of thousand have already fled their homes around the volcano -- which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people -- but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials have said.

There is a 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres away from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta.

Some 100 buses will haul stranded visitors to several destinations including Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya -- 13 hours' drive and a ferry ride away -- and the capital Jakarta, the airport said, as torrential rain lashed the beach paradise.

Disaster officials have previously raised alert levels to maximum and accelerated the mass evacuation of people living in Agung's shadow.

Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes.

However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption -- caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater.

So-called cold lava flows have also appeared -- similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination.

Indonesia, the world's most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.
A vehicle sits smoldering in flames inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012 after an attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens

A Libyan man accused of masterminding the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed a US ambassador and three others was acquitted Tuesday of murder but convicted on lesser terrorism charges.

After a seven-week trial in a civilian court in Washington, a jury cleared Ahmed Abu Khattala -- the first person tried over the fiery raid on the US complex in the Libyan coastal city -- of the most serious of the charges he faced.

Prosecutors were apparently unable to prove to the jury that Khattala, leader of a militant group who had been photographed watching the attack on September 11, 2012, was directly to blame for the deaths of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, a second state department official, and two CIA contractor guards at the consulate and a CIA annex.

He was convicted of only four of 18 charges he faced: supporting terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, carrying a semi-automatic weapon during a violent crime, and damaging US property.

That was far weaker than the picture prosecutors had presented of Khattala as the person who plotted and directed the deadly assault.

- Test case -

His trial was seen as a test case for foreign terror suspects forcibly brought to the United States and placed before civilian courts.

"Ahmed Abu Khattala is being held responsible for executing a brazen terrorist attack against the United States," said FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Grant Mendenhall.

"This investigation demonstrates the FBI's ability to investigate terrorist attacks against Americans even in the most difficult conditions, determine who perpetrated the acts and bring those actors to justice," he said in a statement.

The 2012 attack, undertaken on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was carried out by some 20 men armed with grenades and heavy weapons.

Stevens and the second State Department official, Sean Smith, died of smoke inhalation after the consulate caught fire, while the two CIA contractors, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, were killed in the firefight by mortar rounds.

US prosecutors said Khattala was at the scene in regular contact with the attackers via cellphone before, during and after the assault.

The death of Stevens stunned Americans and became the focus of a politically charged investigation by congressional Republicans of then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was accused of not protecting the diplomats.

Khattala was captured in 2014 in a raid by US special forces, who then placed him aboard a navy ship where he was interrogated for a week before being delivered to the United States.

The raid and the legal case were based in part on a Libyan informant, an associate of Khattala, who was eventually paid a $7 million reward and granted asylum in the United States.

- Possible life sentence -

Khattala faces a total of 50 years in prison for the terror and destruction offenses, and up to life in prison for the weapons charge. No date for sentencing was set.

There was no immediate reaction from the White House.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo released a statement saying: "Today, a small measure of justice was meted out."

"We lost two of our own that night -- Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods -- who ran to the sound of the guns and bravely fought to protect Americans and the two US facilities that were attacked."

The US continues to pursue other attackers in the case. On November 4 a second Libyan accused of involvement in the Benghazi attack, Mustafa al-Imam, was put on trial in the same Washington court, days after being captured and brought to the United States.

Al-Imam was accused of being one of the men who attacked the consulate.
The Borg Warner Trophy, weighing in at 110 pounds (49.9 kilograms), was commissioned in 1935 by the Borg-Warner Automotive Company and first awarded in 1936

The Borg-Warner Trophy awarded to the Indianapolis 500 winner is headed overseas for the first time, en route to a 15-day celebration in Japan of Takuma Sato's triumph in May.

"I think it is very special that the Borg-Warner Trophy is travelling to Japan," said Sato, who edged three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves of Brazil to win the fabled race on May 28.

"The trophy represents winning the greatest race in the world, and I am very proud to have won the 2017 Indianapolis 500 and to have my image on the trophy."

The hefty sterling silver hardware, weighing in at 110 pounds (49.9 kilograms), was commissioned in 1935 by the Borg-Warner Automotive Company and first awarded in 1936.

But it includes the raised silver images of every winning driver dating back to the inaugural "500" in 1911.

It is normally displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum but will arrive in Tokyo on Thursday and be featured in a variety of events in Tokyo, at the Twin Ring Motegi racing circuit and in the Japanese cities of Nabari and Fukuroi.

The tour celebrates not only Sato's victory, but a 12th win for engine manufacturer Honda. The trophy will be on display at Honda Racing's "THANKS DAY" at Motegi on Sunday.
Prince Miteb is the most high-profile detained royal to be released so far

Saudi Arabia has freed influential Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, following a "settlement" with authorities reportedly exceeding $1 billion, more than three weeks after he was detained in a sweeping anti-corruption purge.

The former National Guard chief was among more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen who were rounded up earlier this month, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tightens his grip on power.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, is the most high-profile royal to be released so far as the government appears to be striking monetary settlements with some of the detainees in exchange for their freedom.

"Yes, Prince Miteb was released this morning (Tuesday)," a source close to the government told AFP, without outlining the terms of his release.

The prince was released after paying more than $1 billion in a "settlement deal" with authorities, Bloomberg News cited an unnamed official as saying.

The prince was not reachable for comment.

Saudi information ministry officials also could not confirm the development but posts on social media by members of the royal family suggested he had been freed.

Princess Nouf bint Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud posted an old image of Prince Miteb on a verified Twitter account with the message: "Praise be to Allah. Peace be upon you".

In a similar post with the picture of a smiling prince, Princess Abeer bint Khaled bin Abdullah tweeted: "May god grant you a long life, give you health and keep you safe for us."

Before his arrest the 64-year-old son of the late king Abdullah was sacked as the head of the National Guard, an internal security force that has long been seen as a locus of tribal power.

- 'Settlements with detainees' -

Some analysts saw Prince Miteb's removal as an attempt by Prince Mohammed, who is also Saudi defence minister, to consolidate his control over the security services.

But Saudi authorities insist the purge was meant solely to target endemic corruption as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Prince Mohammed said 95 percent of those detained agree to a "settlement", or handing over ill-gotten assets or cash to the Saudi state treasury.

Saudi Arabia's attorney general estimates at least $100 billion has been misused in embezzlement or corruption over several decades.

"The apparent release of Prince Miteb may be a sign that the Saudi authorities are making progress in agreeing settlements with detainees," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

"It's an attempt to resolve the situation in a manner that minimises social fallout from the crown prince's recent move and addresses concerns over the political risk of doing business in Saudi Arabia," Ulrichsen told AFP.

The purge has triggered uncertainty among businesses that could lead to capital flight or derail reforms, experts say, at a time when the kingdom is seeking to attract badly needed investments to offset a protracted oil slump.

Other high-profile targets of the crackdown include billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia.

Many of the detainees have been held at Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel, which has been turned into a luxury prison.
Hundreds of former Gabonese workers for La Comuf, an afiliate of the French group Areva, have been unsuccessfully demanding compensation for illnesses they believe are related to working in a uranium mine

"We are all sick. It's our health, and we are being conned," Moise Massala says angrily.

The 82-year-old is a retired geochemist who used to work in a uranium mine in Gabon owned by French nuclear giant Areva.

He and hundreds of other former workers say they fell ill from their work to extract the uranium -- a source of nuclear power and warheads, but toxic and potentially carcinogenic.

The miners worked for an Areva subsidiary -- the Compagnie des mines d'uranium de Franceville, better known by its abbreviation of COMUF.

Over 38 years, the mine extracted some 26,000 tonnes of uranium near Mounana, southeastern Gabon, before closing in 1999 after the global price of uranium fell and the seam of ore began to thin.

By the end of 2016, 367 former workers had died from "pulmonary respiratory infections" linked to working in the mine, according to MATRAC, a campaign group gathering 1,618 former employees.

The surviving miners, many of them old and sick, have unsuccessfully demanded compensation for 12 years in the belief they were exposed to dangerous levels of uranium contamination.

Areva, a multi-billion-dollar business majority-owned by the French state, has repeatedly denied that it has any case to answer.

"No occupational disease related to exposure to ionising radiation" has ever been detected, it says.

- 'Many serious diseases' -

Seven years after the Mounana Health Observatory (OSM) was formed, not one former mine employee has been compensated

An internal company mail dating from 2015, seen by AFP and independently verified, acknowledges that the company was aware many of its former employees had developed serious ailments.

In the mail, Areva's health director, Pierre Laroche, wrote that "many serious diseases have been detected among former employees, for example contagious tuberculosis".

For former workers, this proves the company's liability and justifies their claims for compensation, even if it does not legally prove all their illnesses are directly linked to excessive levels of uranium exposure.

The firm has refused to give payouts to the vast majority of its employees, apart from compensation payments in 2011 to the families in France of two French former mine workers who died of lung cancer.

The company has repeatedly argued it was difficult to establish if the rate of cancer cases among former miners was greater than those occurring in the wider population.

"That there was radioactivity in Mounana is a reality. (But) to what degree and to what extent the workers were affected, it will be very difficult to establish," a former senior executive of the mine told AFP, on condition of anonymity.

In similar disputes elsewhere in the world, experts acknowledge the difficulty of pinning cancer and respiratory diseases on nuclear exposure at work.

Smoking and other "lifestyle" habits could, for instance, be a cause.

- 'We are sick' -

Areva has been under pressure to compensate its employees for more than a decade.

In 2007, French NGOs Sherpa and Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World) carried out field surveys in Mounana and in Niger, another Areva uranium mining site.

They published a report denouncing what they described as high rates of cancer among former employees.

A man points at an old uranium extracting shaft in Mounana, Gabon, where hundreds of men used to work

Areva agreed to investigate the situation and launched a health initiative in 2009 -- the Mounana Health Observatory (OSM) -- promising to pay compensation and treat former miners who fell ill, provided scientific and medical panels confirmed their disease was attributable to industrial causes.

Seven years on, not one former employee has been compensated.

"I've had difficulty breathing for 10 years," says 77-year-old Roland Mayombo, who spent 27 years in the mine.

"I went to the OSM four times a year, but I have never had a result," he complained.

"We decided to stop going (to the OSM) because no one has ever given us our analysis results," said Estime Beno Ngodi, president of MATRAC, who says he is suffering from lung cancer.

COMUF accuses MATRAC of spreading "misinformation" and defends its handling of the health initiative.

It looked at more than 650 former workers but suspended the project in 2015 because of a boycott by MATRAC, says Gilles Recoche, COMUF's director of the board.

"We're proud of having set up a unique tripartite structure, which enabled former COMUF workers to benefit from a free medical visit," he adds.

For the surviving miners, their long battle to prove a direct link between their illness and uranium contamination goes on. But, for many, age and sickness are wearing them down.

"It's battle between David and Goliath," sighs Massala.
Kadian Noble (L) told a New York press conference that in May 2016, she confided in one of Harvey Weinstein's assistants that he sexually assaulted in Cannes, France, in 2014

A British aspiring actress who has sued Harvey Weinstein over an alleged sexual assault in France suggested Tuesday the disgraced producer's assistant turned a blind eye to his misconduct.

Speaking at a press conference in New York, Kadian Noble said that in May 2016, she confided to one of the Hollywood mogul's assistants that he had sexually assaulted her two years earlier at a hotel during the Cannes film festival.

"She said to me I should write a letter to him. She kept reassuring me that he's a good man and he's been so good to her, that I should put in the letter everything I feel and that she would ensure that letter gets to him," Noble said.

The 31-year-old added it was then that she realized Weinstein had "so much wall built up around him" that she "had no chance."

It was the first time an accuser has cast blame on a member of Weinstein's entourage, although others have mentioned being left alone in hotel rooms with him.

More than 100 women have come forward since October to accuse Weinstein of bullying and degrading behavior over the past 40 years, from intimidation to rape.

When contacted by AFP about Noble's accusations, Weinstein's former assistant -- who no longer works for the Weinstein Company, according to its website -- did not respond.

Noble filed the civil lawsuit in New York on Monday under a sex trafficking law which relates to acts committed by US citizens overseas.

Weinstein is accused of groping Noble, pulling her into his hotel bathroom and forcing her to perform a sex act on him, telling her that "everything will be taken care of for you if you relax."

Noble is seeking unspecified damages, accusing Weinstein of being able "to force or coerce" her into sexual activity in his hotel room by promising to find her a film role and to use his influence on her behalf.

Her lawyer Jeff Herman said he will inform French authorities of the incident in Cannes, but said: "We're not pursuing any criminal case."

A statement issued on behalf of Weinstein repeated his denial of allegations against him.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made tackling corruption one of the key priorities of his government, but there have been more high-profile arrests than convictions

From the lowest local magistrates all the way up to the supreme court in the capital Abuja, the wheels of justice can turn painfully slowly in Nigeria.

Patience is a necessity when cases are frequently adjourned for want of a document, an official, a witness or even a defendant.

The lengthy process -- where cases can take years, if not decades, to resolve -- often resembles a maddening, judicial Groundhog Day.

But while Nigeria is not alone in having a dysfunctional court system, its ability to cope with a slew of corruption cases is coming under scrutiny as elections approach in 2019.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, judge Walter Onnoghen, said recently there were 1,124 corruption cases before the courts.

For some that is a sign that President Muhammadu Buhari is following through on his election campaign pledge to get tough on those behind the rampant theft of public funds.

Dozens of high-profile figures, many of them part of the previous administration of Goodluck Jonathan or linked to his People's Democratic Party, have since been charged and put on trial.

Buhari has called corruption "Nigeria's number one enemy" and said his government was tackling it "in earnest" by tightening financial procedures and closing loopholes.

But there have so far been more high-profile arrests than convictions -- and that could be problematic should Buhari decide to seek re-election, analysts said.

- 'Shoddy' investigations -

The 74-year-old Buhari recently acknowledged long-standing problems of delays, under-funding and under-staffing in the courts, and the need for institutional reform.

Idayat Hassan, head of the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja, said making substantial in-roads into the backlog before 2019 would be a "challenge to the system".

Some corruption cases date back as far as 2003, when Buhari was making his first -- unsuccessful -- bid for the presidency.

But during the 2015 election campaign, Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) party promised to overhaul the police and justice system.

They also pledged to strengthen the main anti-corruption bodies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

Buhari last month accused "corrupt elements" of using "any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion".

But political analyst Chris Ngwodo said: "There's been a lot of noise and sloganeering... This administration has talked a good game.

"But it hasn't followed up in taking much action."

Hassan said some of the EFCC investigations had been exposed as "shoddy", allowing experienced defence lawyers to seek adjournments to buy time for their wealthy clients.

Clement Nwankwo, executive director at the Policy and Legal Advisory Centre in Abuja, also suggested there had been too much focus on show than substance.

"There's so much effort to claim credit by arresting people and announcing arrests. There's no proper investigation," he said.

- Political impact -

The APC's 2015 election manifesto promised the creation of special courts to hear corruption cases but it has yet to be implemented.

Should Buhari decide to seek a second term, how he and his party position themselves on the fight against corruption will be revealing.

The former army general has had a no-nonsense reputation for probity since he headed a military government in the 1980s.

Matthew Page, a former US State Department official and a specialist on corruption and Nigeria, said the arrests and charges still gave Buhari a political bounce.

He blamed inexperienced or possibly "compromised" judges for slowing down prosecutions.

But with so many people on trial from the previous government and the now main opposition, Buhari and his administration have been accused of a political witch-hunt.

The perception of settling scores has even been enhanced because of Buhari's delay in taking action against his own political allies accused of corruption.

"In that sense, it will be much more of a struggle to convince people that he's a uniquely incorruptible president... in 2019," said Ngwodo.

Nwankwo said the repeated delays and lack of convictions risked eroding the already flimsy trust of Nigerians in their leaders and institutions.

As time passes without a conviction, the more there is a "trail of concern about the process of the arrest and all the parade of suspects", he added.

"That leads to suspicions that it might just be a political game to hoodwink citizens into believing there's actually a government effort to tackle corruption," he added.

Prosecutions need to be seen to be occurring and institutions equipped to do so but currently, the opposite is the case, he added.
African and European leaders have begun arriving in the Ivory Coast for the summit

More than 80 African and European leaders will gather in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday to promote jobs and stability for Africa's exploding population, with some calling for a new "Marshall Plan."

The two-day summit in Abidjan opens as the European Union increasingly sees its fate linked to Africa's following the twin shocks of unprecedented migration and terrorist attacks.

It comes as China, India, Japan, the Gulf Arab states and others also compete for influence on a continent where the 28-nation EU remains as a whole the biggest economic and political player.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani told parliamentarians from both continents before the summit that there was little time to find ways to meet the needs of an African population set to more than double by 2050 to around 2.4 billion people.

"Africa will have to create millions of jobs to accommodate the new arrivals in the job market," Tajani said in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's economic capital.

"If this does not happen, our young people will lose hope," said the Italian politician.

"We will then be facing problems of radicalisation, especially in unstable regions such as the Sahel, but also much more widespread migration," he added.

Millions of Africans have already been on the move within the continent to seek jobs or flee conflict but also across the Mediterranean, mainly via Libya to Italy.

The EU this year began to reduce the flow through cooperation with the Libyan authorities following a more comprehensive deal with Turkey, which has sharply cut the flow of those fleeing the Middle East to Greece.

- Africa 'Marshall Plan' -

More that 1.5 million people from the Middle East and Africa have entered Europe in the last two years and EU officials fear new and even greater influxes in the future.

EU officials said the migrant influx, which sparked political divisions across the EU, as well as frequent Islamist attacks in Europe have been a wake-up call to tackle the root causes of why people leave their homes.

The EU has already set up multi-billion euro funds to promote Africa's economic development while deepening counter-terrorism cooperation with African countries where Islamist militant groups are spreading.

"I talk about a Marshall Plan for Africa, as we are facing an enormous task and have, moreover, little time to act," Tajani said.

The multi-billion dollar Marshall Plan launched by the United States after World War II is widely credited for helping Europe achieve its current prosperity and stability.

Ahmed Reda Chami, Morocco's ambassador to the EU who will attend the summit, has also called for a Marshall Plan for Africa but protected by anti-corruption measures and tailored to African needs.

Both the European and African supporters of a Marshall Plan hope billions in European public funds will seed even bigger private investment.

Visiting Burkina Faso before heading to the Abidjan summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said France is setting up a billion-euro ($1.2 billion) fund for small and medium sized African businesses.

At the start of his first African tour, Macron said the money could be used to help firms maximise value from agriculture, but also the digital sector.

The summit of 55 African Union and 28 EU leaders is also likely to deal with the outrage over US television footage of black Africans sold as slaves in Libya.

AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for "urgent measures" to stop the abuses, which critics say have been fueled by EU-Libyan cooperation to curb migrant crossings to Europe.
A group of Indonesian women have banded together to combat prejudice against the face-covering veil, which has been at the centre of a heated global debate over religious freedom and women's rights

Riding a horse or nailing an archery target is tough at the best of times -- it's even harder when you're wearing a niqab.

But that isn't about to stop a group of Indonesian women who have banded together to combat prejudice against the face-covering veil, which has been at the centre of a heated global debate over religious freedom and women's rights.

The "Niqab Squad" meets to recite the Koran or, at one recent gathering, mounted horses and tried their gloved hands at archery, activities endorsed by the Prophet Mohammed.

The "Niqab Squad" meets to recite the Koran or, at one recent gathering, mounted horses and tried their gloved hands at archery, activities endorsed by the Prophet Mohammed

Janariah, a 19-year-old group member, had never ridden a horse before but she gave it a whirl in her flowing black veil, as other niqab-wearing novices fired off arrows with suction-cup tips.

"It's not really difficult," insisted Janariah, who like many Indonesians goes by name, as she giggled and tried to keep her animal on track in the blazing Jakarta sun.

"Even running is okay. If youre used to it, it's comfortable. The most important thing is that you don't see it (niqab) as a burden and you've got to be patient."

- 'Weird looks' -

Although the body covering garment with narrow slits to see through is common in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states, they're rare in Indonesia, where around 90 percent of its 255 million people have traditionally followed a moderate form of Islam.

Although the body covering garment with narrow slits to see through is common in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states, they're rare in Indonesia, where people traditionally follow a moderate form of Islam

Recently, a private Islamic high school on the main island Java was reprimanded by local officials after pictures went viral online that showed a classroom of female students wearing niqab. The veils violated a national regulation on acceptable school uniforms.

Seeking out other women facing discrimination online, Indadari Mindrayanti founded the squad this year after switching from hijab -- a headscarf that leaves the face visible -- to the more restrictive niqab in 2016.

The twice-divorced Mindrayanti - who was once married to an Indonesian soap opera celebrity - saw it was a way to be more pious but the decision hasn't gone over well with her family or people on the street who often give her "weird looks".

She saw it was a way to be more pious but the decision hasn't gone over well with her family or people on the street who often give her "weird looks".

France has banned the full-face veil in public spaces and a bitter ideological battle is raging across Europe and in North America over whether the niqab, and more restrictive burqa, are key to religious freedom or an affront to women's rights

"It's hard to expect people to talk to you. They look kind of afraid," the 34-year-old told AFP at a mosque in Indonesia's sprawling capital.

"Walking on the street sometimes I get comments like 'Wow, there's a ninja' or 'uh, very scary,' uncomfortable comments like that."

Some of the group's fast-growing membership of 3,000 women in Indonesia, as well as Malaysia, Taiwan and South Africa, say they've been labelled as extremists and are regularly asked questions such as "why are you dressed like a terrorist?"

- Ideological battle -

Mindrayanti felt the stares when she went to France seeking treatment for a skin condition this year.

France was the first European country to ban the full-face veil in public spaces and a bitter ideological battle is raging across Europe and in North America over whether the niqab, and more restrictive burqa, are key to religious freedom or an affront to women's rights.

Last month, Canada's Quebec province prohibited government workers and anyone receiving public services from covering their face, which critics said unfairly targets Muslim women who wear a niqab.

Some of the "Niqab Squad" say they've been labelled as extremists and are regularly asked questions such as "why are you dressed like a terrorist?"

"Our goal is that we want to unite differences, even within Islam itself," said Mario, who was involved in organising the squad's horse riding and archery event.

"There are different views even in Islam...and the prophet wants us all to unite."

Still, some critics see the niqab as symbolic of a growing religious conservatism that is being exported to Indonesia via Saudi Arabia and other stricter Islamic countries.

Worries about Indonesia's religious tolerance soared when Jakarta's Christian governor was jailed for two years in May on blasphemy charges.

"We have to respect women who wear niqab but they cannot claim it's the best practice of the religion because it is a product of the Arabs," said Zuhairi Misrawi, head of the Muslim Moderate Society.

Niqab Squad's founder, however, says she will keep trying to win over sceptics by speaking to them in a gentle, friendly voice to let people know her intentions are good, even if they're puzzled by her appearance.

"The niqab doesn't prevent us from socialising with anyone, even if they are not Muslim," Mindrayanti added.

"We can be a good ambassadors of Muslims in front of non-Muslims...(and) those who don't understand Islam and only know it from what they see in the media."
US President Donald Trump looks at the empty chair of top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer who along with House minority leader Nancy Pelosi snubbed a planned meeting at the White House

US President Donald Trump clashed with Democratic leaders in dramatic fashion Tuesday, heaping pressure on Congress to craft a compromise on federal spending or face a crippling government shutdown in 10 days.

Hours after the president suggested a funding deal with Democrats may be impossible, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer pulled out of a planned White House meeting with Trump that they said would be fruitless.

"Given that the president doesn't see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead," the pair said in a statement.

Trump shot back that he was not surprised the Democrats rejected his offer, saying they were "very far apart" on several issues like immigration.

"They've been all talk and they've been no action. And now it's even worse, now it's not even talk," Trump declared during the meeting, which went ahead with Republican congressional leaders -- an empty chair on either side of the president underscoring the absence of their Democratic counterparts.

Later, after a new North Korean missile launch, Trump said on Twitter: "it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military! Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can't now threaten a shutdown to get their demands."

The rare public rejection of White House talks ratcheted up tensions in Washington over a 2018 spending bill that must pass by a December 8 deadline, and served as a stinging rebuke to a president who often mocks his rivals on Twitter.

The spat heaps pressure on Congress to craft a compromise or face a crippling government shutdown next month.

And it muddied the waters on the same day Trump headed to Congress to urge fellow Republicans to unite behind his tax overhaul, a controversial bill that he wants on his desk by year end.

Trump lunched with Senate Republicans for an hour, answering questions from Ron Johnson and Susan Collins, who have concerns about the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, addressing reporters afterwards, acknowledged the challenge in getting at least 50 of his chamber's 52 Republicans on board, likening it to solving "a Rubik's Cube."

- 'Chuck and Nancy' -

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said talks with fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill would be more useful than a meeting with President Donald Trump

Behind the tough talk, Trump needs Schumer and Pelosi to rally their party's votes to keep government running through the next 10 months.

But the self-styled master dealmaker Trump derailed Tuesday's plans for a bipartisan White House meeting on the challenge ahead when he hit the two top Democrats -- whom he called "Chuck and Nancy" -- in a morning tweet.

"Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes," he added. "I don't see a deal!"

Schumer later said Democrats would meet with Trump "any time, anywhere, any place," so long as he was serious about a deal.

"But there is an alternative; when the president stays out of it we seem to do much better."

The White House expressed disappointment at the no-show, urging Democrats to "put aside their pettiness" and "grandstanding," and saying Trump's invitation remained open.

- High price -

McConnell did not hide his irritation at the snub, calling it "a lack of seriousness" about the prospect of a looming government shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted the "antics" of the Democratic leaders in Congress

In 2013, a similar spending feud caused 850,000 government officials to be sent home temporarily, and as much as half a percentage point was shaved off economic growth.

Trump has staked much of his fragile political reputation on being a good steward of the economy, so failure could be damaging. But Democrats are demanding a steep price for their support.

They say funding for Trump's border "wall" must be stripped out, and Trump must honour the Obama administration's pledge to allow migrants brought to the country as children to remain.

The issue, as tricky as it is, is not the only problem on Trump's plate.

- Tough sledding -

In December, a "debt ceiling" deadline is also looming -- if missed, the US government could be hurtling towards a technical default in the new year.

And beyond the spending fight, Trump's primary task will be to pass tax cuts, which Republicans see as absolutely vital to keep voters and donors happy.

Having so far failed to pass healthcare, immigration or infrastructure reforms, Trump faces a party revolt if he cannot make tax cuts law.

Having so far failed to pass health care, immigration or infrastructure reforms, Trump faces a party revolt if he cannot make tax cuts law

With the party controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, the task should be straightforward. But little is straightforward in Washington these days.

The administration has struggled to convince the public that the tax cut will help middle-class families, and a Harvard-Harris Poll showed a majority of voters oppose the bill.

Democrats portray the proposals as good for big business but bad for ordinary Americans, while half a dozen Republican senators have publicly expressed doubts about the plan, which the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects would increase the national debt by $1.4 trillion by 2027.

The White House argues the cuts will boost growth, in turn increasing tax revenue, although most economists disagree.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Good start indeed. So let him & Chiwenga lead by example by returning the $15 billion from China! https://t.co/GQrXYQOTIn  Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) November 29, 2017

Former Higher, Tertiary science and technology minister Jonathan Moyo has applauded the move by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for cleaning up and resuscitating the economy.Mnangagwa issued a three-month moratorium for those who externalised funds and assets to bring them back into the country or face prosecution.Moyo applauded the move indicating that it is a good start, he, however, encouraged President Mnangagwa and General Constantine Chiwenga to return the missing $15 billion from China.Moyo said, "Good start indeed. So let him & Chiwenga lead by example by returning the $15 billion from China!"Former President Robert Mugabe revealed in 2016 that diamonds worth more than $15 billion were been looted in the eastern mining area of Marange.Speaking in a belated 92nd birthday interview on state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Mugabe said the state treasury received less than $2 billion.Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa had previously stated that the amount which reached the public purse was $600 million."We have not received much from the diamond industry at all. I don't think we have exceeded $2 billion, yet we think more than $15 billion has been earned," Mugabe said then.
The Australian state of Victoria passed legislation allowing euthanasia after 100 hours of fiery debate, making it the only place in the country where the practice is legal

An Australian state Wednesday became the first in the country to legalise assisted dying, or euthanasia, with lawmakers voting to allow terminally ill patients the right to request a lethal drug to end their lives.

The legislation, which takes effect from June 2019, was passed in Victoria after 100 hours of often fiery debate, making it the only place in Australia where the practice will be legal.

State Premier Daniel Andrews, who supported the bill after the death of his father last year and allowed a conscience vote in parliament, said people should have the right to "choose to be in control of the last part of their journey".

"For too long, we have denied, to too many, the compassion, the control, the power that should be theirs in those final moments of their life," he said.

"I'm proud today that we have put compassion right at the centre of our parliamentary and our political process. That is politics at its best."

Jen Barnes, who has a tumour on her brain that is growing and inoperable, welcomed the decision as giving people like her a choice.

"I just want to know that it's there, the option is there," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"It's unlikely that I would see it come through for me because I'm not likely to be here in 18 months' time. But for the future, I think it's the right way to go."

The 18-month delay before the bill takes effect was to finalise details, including deciding which drug, or cocktail of drugs, would be best.

- 'Safest in the world' -

The scheme will be accessible only to terminally ill patients over 18 living in Victoria for at least a year and with less than six months to live, down from an originally proposed 12 months.

There will, however, be exemptions for sufferers of conditions such as motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis who have a life expectancy of one year.

Those applying must be determined by multiple doctors to be suffering intolerable pain and be of sound mind.

They will then be given a lethal drug within 10 days of asking to die, which they administer themselves. If they are not capable, a doctor can help.

"I hope the implementation of this bill really does start to give people some hope and some compassion that a good death will in fact be possible for people who are enduring difficult end of lives," said state Health Minister Jill Hennessy.

Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula said robust debate on the issue had ensured there were ample safeguards.

"We have ensured we have compassionate legislation while still giving Victorians the protections and safeguards they need -- making this the most conservative and safest scheme in the world," he said.

Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries around the world and until now had been banned in Australia, although it was legal for a time in the Northern Territory before the law was overturned in the 1990s.

When legal there, prominent Australian right-to-die campaigner Philip Nitschke became the first doctor in the world to administer a legal, voluntary, lethal injection to end a life.

He went on to do the same for three other people.

Other states in Australia have debated assisted dying in the past, but the proposals have always been defeated, mostly recently in New South Wales in September.
Syria has been devastated by six years of civil war

Difficult negotiations on ending the devastating civil war in Syria began in earnest in Geneva on Wednesday after a government delegation arrived, with the UN mediator urging all sides to aim for "real progress".

The government in Damascus had initially refused to confirm it would attend the United Nations-brokered peace talks, which formally opened on Tuesday, after the rebels signalled they would maintain a hardline on their call for President Bashar al-Assad to be removed from office.

But government negotiators sat down Wednesday with UN mediator Staffan de Mistura -- first at a luxury Geneva hotel and later at the UN -- after reportedly securing key concessions, including keeping the Assad issue off the table.

De Mistura then met with representatives of the Syrian opposition.

In the past two years, thanks in part to Russian military support, the Syrian regime has made major advances against its opponents, taking back large chunks of the war-ravaged country -- and easing the pressure to negotiate.

The talks have achieved little through seven previous rounds that began last year, but there are hopes that progress will be made this time.

De Mistura said the atmosphere in his meeting with the government was "constructive and professional". He said the talks may stretch into next week.

At day's end, the UN envoy issued a statement stressing that "the time has come to focus on achieving real progress on the political process, in the interest of the Syrian people".

The six-year war has claimed more than 340,000 lives, forced millions to flee their homes and left Syria in ruins.

De Mistura also called on all parties involved to "refrain from statements aimed at delegitimising other invitees."

Government delegation chief Bashar al-Jaafari declined to speak to reporters.

- Opposition wants direct talks -

The opposition, united in one delegation for the first time, has stressed it is anxious for face-to-face talks with the government.

"As the other party has arrived, we want to move rapidly, as quickly as possible to a direct negotiation," rebel delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri told reporters at the UN before entering an evening meeting with de Mistura.

The envoy has said he would push for direct talks once the opposition unified, but a source close to the government told AFP that Damascus would not agree to sit around a table with rebel negotiators at this stage.

Hariri has said his camp was still insisting on Assad's removal as part of any peace deal, defying calls for moderation and reportedly infuriating the government.

But De Mistura has warned the opposition that intransigence on the Assad issue might no longer be tenable.

In September, he said the opposition needed to be "realistic" and accept that "they didn't win the war" -- a statement supported by facts on the ground.

- 'Pragmatic and flexible' -

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura met with rebel negotiators in Geneva

With the help of Moscow, Assad's government has regained control of 55 percent of the country. The rest is carved up between rebel factions, jihadists and Kurdish forces.

The decision last week by Syrian opposition groups to send a single delegation to Geneva raised hopes of a possible breakthrough.

The new rebel negotiating team includes members of the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which insists on Assad's departure, as well as representatives of groups based in Moscow and Cairo that have a more moderate stance on the president.

Despite Hariri's firm public position on the Assad stalemate, a European diplomat said the situation was fluid.

"We expect (the opposition) will be pragmatic and flexible," the diplomat said, requesting anonymity.

An opposition delegate, who requested anonymity, denied that his side was under pressure to abandon its hardline stance on Assad, calling such reports "absolutely untrue".

But a flexible opposition will likely help the UN's peace push, which has been overshadowed by negotiations spearheaded by Moscow.

Russia and its fellow ally Iran, along with rebel-backer Turkey, have hosted negotiations in the Kazakh capital of Astana that led to the creation of four "de-escalation zones", which produced a drop in violence.

Western powers are concerned that Russia is seeking to take a leading role in the peace process and will carve out a settlement that will largely favour Assad.
Fighters from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement, march in the streets in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis on July 20, 2017

Their faces covered with black balaclavas, AK-47s in hand, militants from Hamas's armed wing have become a familiar presence in the Gaza Strip -- and for many that remains a key problem.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that has run the Gaza Strip for a decade, has been seeking to end its long feud with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah, but its powerful armed wing may prove to be a dealbreaker.

The Palestinian Authority is due to take control of Gaza by Friday under a reconciliation agreement signed in October, but Hamas is flatly refusing to disarm.

Security control could derail the long-awaited accord, with Abbas warning he will not accept a situation akin to Hezbollah in Lebanon, where the Shiite group's militia wields major power.

"The weapons of the resistance are a red line that is non-debatable," Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas in Gaza, said at a press conference on Monday.

"These weapons will be moved to the West Bank to fight the (Israeli) occupation. It is our right to resist the occupation until it ends."

The size and strength of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, has been a source of speculation.

Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in 2007 in a near civil war with Fatah, does not comment on such details.

Al-Qassam membership has been estimated at 20,000-25,000 -- roughly the size of the Czech Republic's active military personnel, according to figures cited by the World Bank.

Before a devastating 2014 war with Israel, militant groups in Gaza were believed to have a total of some 10,000 rockets, including 6,000 for Hamas, an Israeli military analysis at the time said.

- 'With flowers, with roses' -

Most were short- and medium-range rockets with a range of between 20 and 45 kilometres (about 12 to 28 miles), the analysis said.

Palestinian reconciliation talks with Hamas and Fatah expected in Cairo

But there were also a number of longer-range rockets that could reach up to 200 kilometres, it said.

It is thought that around half to two-thirds of the rockets were fired during the war, said Neri Zilber of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who often writes on defence issues.

Zilber said it is believed that rocket arsenals in Gaza have since been rebuilt to around 10,000 -- though with a greater focus on shorter-range weapons since they are more difficult for Israel's missile-defence system to shoot down.

Beyond those and small arms, militants in the Gaza Strip are thought to have other weapons including rocket-propelled grenades, he said.

Many were likely smuggled through tunnels.

In August, Hamas's leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar said newly improved relations with Iran had made it the "biggest supporter" of Hamas's military wing.

The weapons are key to Hamas's ideology, with officials from the group, labelled a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union, saying they are needed for defence against Israel.

It does not recognise Israel -- unlike the Abbas-led Palestine Liberation Organisation -- and has fought three wars against it since taking power in the Gaza Strip.

"When Israel occupied Palestine, Israel did not come with flowers, with roses," said Gaza-based academic Asad Abu Shark.

"We have to have arms in order to defend."

Israel says that Hamas is determined to attack it, and in October its forces blew up a tunnel stretching from Gaza into its territory, resulting in the deaths of 12 Palestinian militants.

Such tunnels have been previously used for attacks.

- 'Division will remain' -

But Hamas's armed resistance has recently run up against other pressures in the Palestinian enclave of some two million people.

Palestinian youths carry a banner during a marathon titled "Reconciliation is our choice" organised by the sports committee of Hamas to support national reconciliation, in the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2017

Under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade and with its border with Egypt kept largely closed in recent years, Gaza has seen worsening humanitarian conditions.

Abbas has piled further pressure with punitive measures against Hamas, including cutting electricity payments, worsening an already severe power shortage.

Hamas has sought help from Cairo -- hoping to have the Rafah border with Egypt opened -- and has faced pressure to pursue reconciliation in return.

A deal mediated by Egypt was signed on October 12, though it lacks details on security control.

A first deadline was met, with Hamas handing over Gaza's borders to the Palestinian Authority on November 1.

The next, more important deadline comes on December 1, when Hamas is supposed to give up its decade-long dominance of Gaza and hand power to the PA.

But there are doubts over what kind of transfer will occur and whether it will be mainly symbolic.

Ghassan Khatib, a former PA minister, said basic differences between Fatah and Hamas on how to pursue the Palestinian cause -- diplomatically or through armed resistance -- would prevent reconciliation unless overcome.

"So long as we have these differences, the division will remain," he said.
Azzam al-Ahmad of Fatah (R) and Saleh al-Aruri (L) of Hamas sign a reconciliation deal at the Egyptian intelligence services headquarters in Cairo on October 12, 2017

As Friday's deadline nears for Gaza's Hamas rulers to cede power to the rival Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority, hopes for a new dawn in the enclave face hurdles at home and abroad.

Islamist movement Hamas has run the Gaza Strip for a decade and does not recognise Israel, with whom it has fought three wars since 2008. Hamas is labelled a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

President Mahmud Abbas's Palestinian Authority governs the Israeli-occupied West Bank from Ramallah and Hamas maintains a separate, parallel administration in Gaza City.

Separating the two cities is a band of Israeli territory about 70 kilometres (44 miles) wide. Gaza is cut off from Israel by a separation barrier with fortress-like crossing points.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position is that Israel will not deal with a Palestinian unity government that includes Hamas unless it recognises the Jewish state, renounces violence and returns the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza, among other conditions.

"Some say that you cannot have a peace process without Gaza and you cannot have Gaza without Hamas, which means that there is not going to be a peace process," Yaakov Nagel, Netanyahu's national security advisor until May this year, told journalists last week.

Palestinians gather in Gaza City on October 12, 2017 to celebrate after rival factions Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement to end a decade-long split following talks mediated by Egypt

"No one is going to have a peace process with Hamas."

The official line from Washington is based on principles set out by the Quartet for Middle East peace -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

"Any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognise the state of Israel, accept previous agreements and obligations between the parties -- including to disarm terrorists -- and commit to peaceful negotiations," President Donald Trump's envoy Jason Greenblatt said last month.

- 'Mistake of 2006' -

There are potential ways around the seeming impasse. One would be for a unity government to include ministers who are not part of the Hamas movement but have its approval.

After Palestinians elected Hamas in a democratic 2006 poll, much of the international community immediately said it could not deal with Hamas unless it accepted the Quartet's principles.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair, later a Quartet representative, has since said that was a mistake, as it pushed Hamas away from the negotiating table.

Hugh Lovatt, an analyst for the European Council on Foreign Relations, says that has left an impact, "at least in some European capitals and at EU level".

"There is a feeling that the EU should not repeat the mistake of 2006 when it boycotted and sanctioned a Hamas government," he told AFP.

Palestinians wave the flags of Fatah, Palestine and Egypt as they gather in Gaza City on October 12, 2017 to celebrate after rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement on ending a decade-long split after Egypt-backed talks

"The EU could likely accept a Palestinian government of national consensus that accepts the Quartet conditions, even if Hamas as a movement does not," he said.

Addressing the Security Council on November 20, UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov said the Egyptian-mentored Palestinian reconciliation process "must not be allowed to fail".

"If it does, it will most likely result in another devastating conflict," Mladenov warned.

But Israel's Nagel does not believe that any meaningful change will happen in Gaza.

"I don't see a real reconciliation process, but we will see," he said.

"None of the real issues between Hamas and the (PA) were on the table in the negotiations. It was only logistics and unimportant things, because Hamas understood that it has to do something."

One major issue left to be resolved is the issue of security in the Gaza Strip.

Abbas says there can be only be one security force in all of the Palestinian territories.

But Hamas restated this week its refusal to disarm its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
The two tourists photographed themselves baring their buttocks in front of Bangkok's famous Wat Arun

Two American tourists have been held for "inappropriate behaviour" after sharing photos of them baring their buttocks at a famous Bangkok temple, Thai police said Wednesday, as the ruling junta cracks down on insults to Buddhism.

The pair, Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures on November 24 of their bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram.

It was not immediatley clear if the men were related.

But their asinine antics could land them in more serious trouble after police sought to charge them under a draconian computer crime law -- an offence that can carry jail time.

The riverside temple, whose ancient 'prang' - tower - is the one of Bangkok's best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The men were detained at a Bangkok airport late Tueday and fined $150 each.

"They were detained as they were about to leave Thailand," Colonel Cherngron Rimpadee, an Immigration Police spokesman said, adding they were on a 'watch list' after their social media posts caught authorities' attention.

Colonel Jarupat Thongkomol, from the police station near the temple which is managing the case, said the men now faced more serious charges.

"We are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures," he said.

The act carries up to five years jail per charge and is routinely slapped on political dissidents or people deemed to have insulted Thailand's monarchy.

Junta-run Thailand takes a hardline on disrespectful gestures towards Buddhism, the dominant religion in Thailand.

Tourists are told not buy and sell Buddha sculptures or get sacred tattoos or of images of the Buddha for fashion purposes.

People visiting temples are also expected to dress modestly, covering their shoulders and legs -- with advice signs common at Bangkok's religious landmarks.

In 2015 neighbouring Malaysia deported four western tourists after charging them with obscenity for taking nude photos on a mountain on Borneo island.
Pyongyang residents watched news of the landmark missile test on a screen near the city's railway station

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un declared his country had achieved its long-cherished goal of full-fledged nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday.

The United States and its allies have always maintained they would never accept a nuclear North Korea, but have been forced to watch from the sidelines as Pyongyang pursued an accelerated weapons drive.

But what did the latest test actually achieve and does the North's claim to have completed its nuclear deterrent open the door to diplomatic negotiations?

- A new missile? -

The North said Wednesday's test was of a new ICBM -- called a Hwasong 15 -- that was capable of carrying a "super-large heavy warhead" to any target in the continental United States.

The North provided no images from the test for outside experts to analyse, but initial flight data suggested it was indeed a more powerful missile -- with some estimating a range of around 13,0000 kilometres (nearly 8,100 miles).

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States," said US-based arms control expert David Wright.

Some questions will likely remain over the North's mastery of the technology required to guarantee any warhead would survive atmospheric re-entry -- the key element it has not yet demonstrated.

- A new nuclear state? -

Much is already being made of leader Kim Jong-Un's declaration after the test that the North had finally realised "the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force."

Whether that means no more nuclear or missile tests in the future remains to be seen, but the clear suggestion is that Pyongyang now believes it has a nuclear arsenal that amounts to a credible, working deterrent.

North Korean state TV brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a senior broadcaster who only appears for significant developments, to announce the missile test

"To me, 'completing' sounds pretty robust, not just about quality, but quantity," said Melissa Hanham, senior research associate with the East Asia Nonproliferation Program of the Middlebury Institute.

It is likely that the US and its allies will continue to refuse to recognise North Korea as a nuclear state, but US Defence Secretary James Mattis conceded that Wednesday's test was a step towards ballistic missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically."

The North's end goal has always been a nuclear strike threat against the United States and it often refers to its nuclear weapons as a "treasured sword" to protect itself from potential invasion by its US "imperialist enemy."

- What next? -

While some countries will shudder at Kim's declaration of nuclear statehood, others might see a diplomatic opening.

The North has always said its nuclear weapons are not up for negotiation, and that it will only deal with the United States from a position of equality -- which it now suggests it has attained.

Significantly, the official statement on the missile test included a "solemn declaration" that the North would always be a "responsible nuclear power" and pose no danger to any other country as long as it did not come under threat itself.

But sitting down with a "nuclear" North Korea that only achieved its status by defying multiple UN resolutions would represent an enormous climbdown -- not just for the US, but the international community at large.

Then again, global pressure has proved remarkably ineffective in reining Pyongyang in so far, and the calls for dialogue are likely to grow stronger.

The UN Security Council was due to meet in emergency session later Wednesday and, as always with North Korea, much of the focus will be on China and how it reacts.

The North's sole major ally has grown increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang's provocations. But China has a strategic interest in avoiding any regime collapse in the North which could bring about a reunified Korea allied to the United States.

China has pushed for a "dual track approach" which would see the US freeze its military drills in South Korea in exchange for the North halting its weapons programmes.

Washington has repeatedly rejected such a quid pro quo, but if the North's claims are true, Wednesday's test might have rendered such a trade-off obsolete anyway.
Photo taken in July shows guerrillas of the New People's Army in the Sierra Madre mountain range east of Manila

Fifteen suspected communist guerrillas including six women have been killed in a gunbattle, the Philippine military said on Wednesday, days after President Rodrigo Duterte called off peace talks.

Duterte last week vowed to go to war with the rebels and threatened to categorise them a "terrorist" group over deadly attacks against soldiers and police.

Late Tuesday residents reported seeing armed men boarding a van and a truck in the town of Nasugbu 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Manila, prompting authorities to send troops, said local military spokesman Colonel Teody Toribio.

When soldiers tried to flag down the vehicles on a highway, a gunbattle broke out that left 15 suspected guerrillas dead, including a female university student, while five soldiers were wounded, added Toribio.

One suspect was captured while an undetermined number escaped. Thirteen firearms were recovered, he said.

Regional military chief Brigadier General Ernesto Ravina said the operation was "anchored on the pronouncement of the president on the termination of peace talks".

The Communist Party of the Philippines has been fighting since 1968 to overthrow a capitalist system that has created one of Asia's biggest rich-poor divides.

Talks to end the conflict, which the military says has claimed 30,000 lives, have been conducted on and off for three decades.

They were revived last year after Duterte -- a self-declared socialist -- was elected president.

But the fiery Duterte steadily backed away from the talks, accusing the guerrilla's 3,800-member armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), of carrying out attacks despite his peace efforts.

One of the fatalities in Tuesday's clash was identified as a student of the premier state university. Toribio told AFP the military believed she was an NPA member and the suspects had been under surveillance for some time.

"What is she doing in a vehicle with those weapons of war?" Toribio said.

"We are 100-percent sure about them (being rebels)."

However CPP founder Jose Maria Sison said troops may have committed human rights violations.

"There are many cases now of killings. There are quick accusations that the victims are NPA rebels when in fact they are civilians," Sison told ABS-CBN television on Wednesday from exile in the Netherlands.

A day after the clash, Duterte ordered the military and police to shoot armed rebels as he accused them of extorting money from businesses.

"So if there is an armed NPA there or terrorists, if he's holding any firearms, shoot," Duterte said in a speech.

"Do not answer if that issue of human rights (comes up). You say, 'Go to Duterte. It is and was his order.'"
A memorial wreath for one of the four victims whom a 24-year-old man allegedly shot dead over a period of weeks in Tampa, Florida

US police arrested a suspected serial killer on Tuesday who faces charges of murdering four people over a period of several weeks in Tampa, Florida.

The murders took place between October 9 and November 14 in a seven-block area of the city's working-class Seminole Heights neighborhood, prompting the offer of a $100,000 reward for information to help solve the case.

Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III, aged 24, was arrested after police received a tip that he had a firearm at a McDonald's fast food restaurant where he worked.

Police Chief Brian Dugan said Donaldson handed a co-worker a handgun and left the McDonald's to go to a check-cashing business. When he returned, officers were waiting for him.

He was taken to Tampa police headquarters, and "after several hours, (police) had enough information to charge Donaldson with all four of the homicides that have occurred in the Seminole Heights area," the department said in a statement.

The statement did not mention whether or not the tipster would receive the $100,000 reward, which police previously said came from law enforcement organizations and private donations.

Dugan said at a news conference on Tuesday that Donaldson would be charged with four counts of first-degree murder, which can carry the death penalty in Florida.

"Fifty-one days ago, I said this was a struggle between good and evil," Mayor Bob Buckhorn told the same news conference.

"Well tonight, goodness has won. Tonight, in the battle between darkness and light, light has won," he said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott hailed the "the relentless effort" by law enforcement and Tampa's mayor.

"It is unimaginable what the families of these victims are going through," Scott said in a statement.

"We will work to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve."

The victims were Benjamin Mitchell, 22, Monica Hoffa, 32, Anthony Naiboa, 20, and Ronald Felton, 60.

They were alone on the street at the time they were killed, and were shot dead for no apparent reason. None of them were robbed.

After striking, the killer melted into the night, eluding police even after patrols were stepped up. His apparent knowledge of the neighborhood's ins and outs led to suspicions that he lived there.

After the killings began, police asked locals not to leave home alone after dark, urged them to keep their porch lights on and to hand over any security camera footage they may have of suspicious activity.
A Bangladeshi Christian woman holds a picture of Pope Franics during mass in Dhaka ahead of his arrival

A Catholic priest has disappeared in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday, as the Muslim-majority country stepped up security ahead of a landmark visit by Pope Francis that follows a rise in Islamist attacks on religious minorities.

Walter William Rosario, a 40-year-old priest and headmaster of a Catholic school, went missing on Monday in a village in northern Bangladesh where suspected Islamist extremists last year hacked a Catholic grocer to death.

Gerves Rosario, bishop of the nearby city of Rajshahi, said he believed the priest had been kidnapped and that Catholics in the region were deeply worried.

"He was organising for around 300 Catholics to travel to Dhaka to see the Pope and attend his holy mass. But his disappearance has marred their joy. They don't want to go to Dhaka any more," he said.

News of his disappearance comes as Bangladesh tightens security in the capital Dhaka ahead of the arrival Thursday of the first pontiff to visit Bangladesh in more than three decades.

Police in Natore district said they had launched a major search for Rosario after his family reported him missing.

"He has been missing since late Monday. His mobile has been switched off," local police chief Biplob Bijoy Talukder told AFP.

The family received a phone call from someone using the missing man's number to demand a ransom, but Talukder said police believed this was a hoax.

They have not ruled out the possibility he was abducted by Islamist extremists, who have carried out attacks on religious minorities in the region in the past four years.

- 'Our joy is gone' -

Since 2015 at least three Christians, including two converts from Islam, have been hacked to death in attacks blamed on the militant Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Bikash Hubert Rebeiro, the priest in Bonpara village where Rosario grew up, described him as a "good man" whose disappearance had cast a pall over the pope's visit.

Francis will be the first pontiff to visit Bangladesh in more than three decades

"Our joy is gone," he told AFP by phone. "Everyone in the village is shocked. His elderly mother has being crying non stop."

Rebeiro said Rosario's family was friendly with the relatives of Sunil Gomes, the Catholic grocer murdered outside his shop last year.

Christians make up less than 0.5 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people and have for centuries lived in harmony alongside the Muslim majority. But community leaders say a rise in Islamist extremism has strained relations.

Bangladesh authorities have escalated security in Christian areas of Dhaka in recent days as tens of thousands descend on the capital for an open-air mass on Friday.

On Tuesday police said they had killed three suspected Islamist militants in a raid on a house where they found hand grenades, pistols and bomb-making materials.

"The popes visit is a matter of honour for us. We are organising the highest level of security for him," police spokeswoman Sahely Ferdous told AFP.

The three-day visit will be dominated by the plight of more than 620,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled ethnic unrest in Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh.

Their arrival has added to the huge challenges already facing the poor, overpopulated country, which has seen a substantial rise in Islamist extremism in recent years.

In July last year Islamist militants stormed a Dhaka cafe and massacred 22 hostages including 18 foreigners in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

The government has denied the international group's involvement. Since the attack, security forces have killed more than 70 alleged militants in a crackdown condemned by rights activists and opposition parties.
A woman retrieving abandoned clothing from buildings destroyed by the municipality on the outskirts of Beijing

Two dozen police swept through the pitch-black frigid hallways of tenement buildings in a ramshackle neighbourhood of northern Beijing, posting eviction notices on every door with heavy thumps of their fists.

The blunt warning gave residents just six hours to pack up and leave, as part of a city-wide campaign that has thrown throngs of migrant workers onto the freezing streets in recent days.

The harsh tactics have sparked a public outcry, but officials have argued that they are taking people out of unsafe homes in the wake of a fire that killed 19 people including eight children earlier this month.

Bulldozers and diggers have torn down buildings deemed to be fire hazards, reducing swathes of neighbourhoods to rubble.

When Pi Village resident Xiang Shaoping arrived at his home, he found a jarring message on the door.

"If you have not left the premises, moved out and completely emptied the space by 6:00 pm, all your belongings will be considered forfeited, and you will be responsible for all consequences," read the letter posted around noon on Monday, without an official seal.

Xiang, a construction worker from Sichuan province, paid 700 yuan ($105) a month for his two-room flat -- all he could afford as he struggled to support his wife and three children on an income of 4,000 yuan ($600) a month.

He moved there in September after authorities kicked migrants out of his former and more central residence.

"If this house is unfit to live in, you should have told us before we moved in, or not let them build it in the first place," he said.

"China is saying on the international stage that it's improved human rights, but do we low-end people have any rights?"

- 'Act mercilessly' -

The labour of hundreds of millions of migrants who moved from China's countryside to its cities has fuelled the economic boom in recent decades, though legally they are not allowed access to social services outside their home towns.

But authorities in overcrowded Beijing have been getting rid of many of them for the past year as they seek to cap its population at 23 million by 2020 and demolish 40 million square metres of illegal structures.

The wreckage of buildings destroyed by the municipality on the outskirts of Beijing

The deadly apartment fire prompted officials to intensify the evictions with a 40-day campaign to clear Beijing of safety threats.

Authorities do not say how many people have been evicted in recent days, but the scope of the operation and demolitions likely affected tens of thousands.

Critics say the campaign pushes for rapid gentrification and targets the "low-end population", a term used in past official documents. Beijing mayor Cai Qi has denied such intentions.

Online video footage showed Wang Yongxian, the top official of Beijing's Fengtai district, urging cadres to "act hard, mercilessly, and quickly" and charge those who resist with the crime of "endangering public safety".

"Demolish what you can demolish today, don't wait until tomorrow," he said. "Tonight there could be another fire."

Last Friday more than 100 scholars, lawyers and artists signed an open letter to authorities protesting at the evictions, calling them a "serious violation of human rights".

Internet censors have since deleted it as well as photos and comments about the fire's aftermath.

- 'I can't go back' -

Pi Village is some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the fire's location, but authorities still shut off water, power and heat there without explanation on the day of the blaze.

Jiang Dengfeng, a supermarket worker from the southwest province of Sichuan, said it was so cold at home she had not been able to bathe in nine days.

"Where I'm from in the countryside, women just stay home. There are no jobs, so I can't go back," she said, waiting with three plastic satchels full of belongings for a car to take her to a friend's house.

Other families loaded washing machines, pots and pans, lamps and chests of drawers into small motorised taxis or piled them in the street.

Rents had more than doubled given the sudden spike in demand, with flats once 700 yuan now going for 1,500 -- putting them out of many people's reach.

Xinjian Village, where the fire took place, was reduced to mounds of concrete, twisted steel and bricks where garment factories, shops and homes once stood.

Rows of police stood guard there, stopping unwanted visitors as diggers clawed the wreckage.

Garment worker Xu Yanjiao said she had only been allowed to collect her possessions from her apartment after her boss bribed a local official.

"With this fire, they found an excuse to kick us out," she said. She knew four people, including a baby, who perished in the blaze.

Flipping through videos on her phone of plainclothes men harassing her neighbours, she said those caught filming had their phones confiscated and smashed.

A man rides his tricycle past buildings destroyed by the Beijing municipality

"Unlike in the US, we have only one party in China. They face no threat, so they can just treat people however they wish, and you have no outlet whatsoever to protest," she said.

She and her husband had rented a room in the area but would soon follow their factory south.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The United Democratic Movement has signed an alliance with the (IYACLI) Innovative Young And Creative Leaders Initiative a panel of Independent candidates.Representing UDM was VP Hon Victor Mpofu and NIP President's Office Hon Nare Mpiyezwe and IYACLI's Director Bruce Kichen, Secretary general, Jay Sunday as well as Chief of Staff Hon Notion Marimutse among others.This is a relationship that goes even beyond 2018 elections as UDM prepare to go into the watershed elections come 2018.IYACLI has a number of independent candidates with a huge following that had lost hope faith in Political parties but have vowed through this partnership to endorse HE President Violet Mariyacha as UDM Presidential candidate 2018.UDM is set for a Major Rally #Siyavuma in Plumtree come the 9 of Dec 2017
A Bahraini man holds a portrait of jailed opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman during a protest on May 29, 2016

Bahrain's jailed Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to new charges of working with the kingdom's Gulf rival Qatar to overthrow the Sunni minority government.

The trial comes amid a bitter diplomatic spat now approaching its seventh month pitting Bahrain and its allies against Qatar, which is accused of being too close to Iran.

Salman, who has been behind bars since 2014 serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred, had refused to appear in court for a first planned hearing in the new trial on Monday.

"Sheikh Ali denied the charges levelled against him," a judicial source told AFP.

The court set the next hearing for December 28.

Salman and two members of his banned Al-Wefaq movement, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad -- neither of them in custody -- are charged with "communicating with a foreign state to commit acts hostile to the state of Bahrain".

In August, Bahraini authorities accused Salman of having collaborated with Qatar in 2011 to encourage protesters to take to the streets.

The accusations came after Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut ties with Qatar in June over alleged support for Islamist extremism and ties with Shiite-dominated Iran. Doha denies the allegations.

Ruled for more than 200 years by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain is home to a Shiite majority that for years has complained of political marginalisation.

The archipelago, which is located between regional arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, has been rocked by protests demanding an elected government since 2011.

Al-Wefaq was the largest party in parliament before the demonstrations erupted but its members all resigned in protest at their bloody suppression.

Over the past six years, Bahraini authorities have tightened their grip on all dissent, jailing dozens of high-profile activists and disbanding both religious and secular opposition groups.
Advisor to the US President Ivanka Trump looks on during a panel discussion at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at the Hyderabad convention centre

Ivanka Trump on Wednesday pushed business leaders to change their attitudes toward women at an Indian summit where she has drawn mixed reviews amid criticism over her White House role and clothes brand.

US President Donald Trump's eldest daughter stole the show at the summit in Hyderabad, where Indian officials feted the 36-year-old presidential adviser with a grand reception usually reserved for heads of state.

Trump, in her biggest foreign mission yet, urged India to seize the untapped potential in women and promoted growing ties between the US and the South Asia powerhouse in a keynote speech on Tuesday before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She returned to the theme Wednesday, stressing businesses needed to stop thinking about gender considerations in the workplace as "women's issues".

"We are half the population so we need to start thinking about them as critical issues. We're seeing an explosion in women entrepreneurs," Trump said.

Many attendees at the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit embraced her message, including calls for India to boost its woefully low rate of female employment in the fast growing economy.

"She is one of the most powerful women in the world at the moment so whatever she says does have an impact," said Indian social entrepreneur Nishita Manne.

The tech hub of Hyderabad, home to the Indian operations of Google, Facebook and Amazon, was bowled over by Trump's star power, decking the city in festive lights, colourful murals and billboards bearing her image.

"Ivanka Trump has a rockstar quality. She oozes glamour and class," 19-year-old student Raj Shekhar told AFP in the southern Indian city.

"She has lit up our city with her presence. She has put Hyderabad on the global map."

- Too much politics -

The visit was clouded by US media reports questioning Trump's clothing line and its supply chain as well as a snub by Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state, who has reportedly refused to send senior staff with Trump to India.

Trump had "failed to address the brutal reality (that) clothes and shoes produced by her brands suppliers, which outsource all their production overseas, are often manufactured under abusive conditions," Robert Weissman, head of US-based nonprofit Public Citizen, posted on Twitter.

Others questioned Trump's credentials to lead such a summit, disapproving of some overt political messaging about her father's presidency in scripted remarks.

"I felt she has been talking more about politics than the real issues that women entrepreneurs have to face. We are not interested in American politics or her father's policies," Norma Uazengisa, an entrepreneur from Namibia, told AFP.

A US businesswoman, who asked not to be named, said: "I feel I can't relate to her as an entrepreneur because I don't think she has faced any real obstacles in her life."

But start-up founder Upasana Makati said it was crucial to "focus on the positives and leave aside the controversies for once".

"Her coming here means everyone is talking about women and entrepreneurship. A dialogue has been set in motion which in itself is a great start," she told AFP.

Trump will leave India later Wednesday after a tour of a historic fort built by medieval rulers on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Zimbabwean activist pastor Evan Mawarire became the face of anti-Mugabe demonstrations last year when he posted an internet video of him wearing the national flag and lamenting Zimbabwe's troubles

Zimbabwean activist pastor Evan Mawarire was acquitted Wednesday of trying to overthrow former president Robert Mugabe in protests last year that shut down major cities and paralysed public transport.

The court ruling came a week after Mugabe, who ruled for nearly 40 years, was ousted by a military intervention.

"There is no evidence that he (Mawarire) urged a violent removal of government," high court judge Priscilla Chigumba said in her ruling.

The judge said Mawarire had called for non-violent protests in response to the country's economic crisis.

Mawarire became the face of anti-Mugabe demonstrations last year when he posted an internet video of him wearing the national flag and lamenting Zimbabwe's troubles.

The video inspired the ThisFlag movement that led mass protests across the country.

Authorities responded by banning street protests in Harare and what they deemed "abuse" of the national flag.

"The whole journey has been absurd," Mawarire told reporters afterwards.

"I should not have been in the dock at all. I should never have had to spend 11 months trying to defend myself from exercising my constitutional rights," he said.

"One hopes that as our country changes and begins to move forward that things like this should never ever be allowed to happen."

He warned Zimbabwe's new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a veteran from the ruling ZANU-PF party, against stifling people's rights.

Mnangagwa came to power after the military seized control and people took to streets demanding Mugabe step down, with ZANU-PF lawmakers also turning against him.

"If they do to us what Robert Mugabe's government did to us, we will do the same thing to them," Mawarire said.
A picture taken on November 25, 2017, shows the Rawda mosque, roughly 40 kilometres west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish, after a gun and bombing attack blamed on the Islamic State group

The gunmen who massacred more than 300 worshippers in an Egyptian mosque made no effort to conceal their identity -- they showed up raising the black banner of the self-styled "Islamic State", authorities and witnesses said.

The group's militants had previously warned the North Sinai mosque associated with Sufis to end the mystical practices IS calls heretical, even visiting the mosque in person a few weeks before the attack, a Sufi sheikh said.

But almost a week after the Friday massacre, IS has yet to claim the attack in a sign, officials and analysts say, that their gunmen might have gone too far even by the extremists' standards.

For all the indiscriminate carnage IS has perpetrated on almost every continent, never before has an attack shocked even its supporters who now insist the group is innocent.

As the scale of the attack percolated in jihadist social media channels, pro-IS users denied the group's involvement.

Every militant group known to operate in Egypt, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jund al-Islam in Sinai that opposes IS, condemned the massacre.

IS supporters on social media were livid when a purported audio recording of wireless communications between an IS member boasting about the attack, and another noting down details, spread on pro Al-Qaeda Telegram channels.

- IS supporters in denial -

IS had targeted mosques before -- usually Shiite -- and Sufis. The jihadists bombed a Manchester concert on May 22 in which they were certain to kill children who had come to watch pop star Ariana Grande perform.

At the time, British jihadist Omar Hussein -- who may have been killed in the takeover of the group's erstwhile capital of Raqa in Syria -- told AFP killing "disbeliever" children rested comfortably on his conscience.

"As for the killing of little girls then it is permissible 2 kill the kuffaar as they kill us," he wrote in response to an AFP query.

But the attack on the Egyptian mosque, packed during communal Friday prayers with hundreds of worshippers, Sufis and non-Sufis, appears to have been a step too far for IS supporters.

At least 27 children died in the massacre.

"Something of this scale, that killed more than 'just Sufis' would be hard to justify," said analyst Amarnath Amarasingam, senior research fellow with counter terrorism group ISD Global.

"It could be that the Egyptian or Sinai context makes this kind of attack more abhorrent and makes the group less likely to earn local support," said a Western official.

After the attack, another jihadist who regularly defends IS atrocities flatly denied IS involvement.

"Not at all. Your analysis is wrong. You've been influenced by media reports," he wrote in a message responding to an AFP query.

Relatives of the victims of the bomb and gun assault on the North Sinai Rawda mosque wait outside a hospital in the eastern port city of Ismailia on November 25, 2017, where they were taken to receive treatment following the attack

IS in Egypt, based in the north of the Sinai peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, has killed hundreds of security personnel in attacks, and more than a hundred Christians in church bombings and shootings over the past year.

"It does appear to be in line with a gradual shift over the last four years," said another Western official.

IS went "from a violent campaign by the terrorists in Sinai that was very local... and in the beginning careful not to alienate the local population... to something that seems to be much more affected by global jihadi motivations of Daesh," the official said, referring to IS with a derogatory Arabic acronym.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has warned that IS foreign fighters will try to settle in his region as they lose ground in Iraq and Syria.

- No central agreement -

But it may have been a local initiative by the increasingly pressed jihadists in Sinai that was badly received by IS's leadership in Iraq and Syria, a third Western official said.

It is "possible that the attack was coordinated without central agreement. Hence the absence of a claim," said the diplomat.

Another possibility is that it was an attack meant to send a message to Sufis and villagers seen as pro-government, without granting it the imprimatur of an official IS claim.

The Western officials agreed to speak to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Hassan Hassan, a leading expert on IS, said the jihadists had called the Sufis "taghuts" in a publication, a word used in the Koran to describe the devil and tyrants.

"Nothing is off limits when they call them taghut," said Hassan, a senior fellow at the TIMEP think tank and author of the book "ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror".

IS fighters, however, had gone too far in the past and been punished for it, he said.

"When they killed the Al-Shaitat, they removed the (attackers) after that," he said of a 2014 massacre of up to 700 tribesmen in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor region.

"Either because they wanted to distance themselves from it or they thought they went to far," Hassan said.

Still, with IS's media operation continuing to baffle observers, it remains possible but unlikely that the group may yet claim the attack.

After an attack on a military toll booth south of Cairo in June, IS issued a claim three weeks later -- not through the usual statement on its Telegram accounts but in its weekly Nabaa newsletter.
MP Ahmad Lai Bujang made the suggestion during a parliament debate on child sex crimes

A Malaysian lawmaker called Wednesday for child sex attackers to be branded with hot irons, sparking criticism and mockery online for suggesting the introduction of the gruesome punishment.

Ahmad Lai Bujang, an MP from the United Bumiputera Heritage Party that forms part of the ruling coalition, made the suggestion during a parliament debate on child sex crimes.

"For the men who do this, we should heat up a hot iron and poke them with it," said the lawmaker.

The maximum punishment for child rape in Malaysia is 20 years in jail and caning, and there is no indication the government plans to follow through on Ahmad's proposition to introduce branding.

Branding was used around the world mainly in medieval times as a punishment for crimes ranging from adultery to blasphemy, but is rarely seen in the modern era.

His remarks sparked a furore online, with one Facebook user labelling the idea "barbaric" while another said "this is not the dark ages".

"Why don't we brand him first for being stupid?" wrote Jalil Said on the networking site.

His comment came a day after another MP from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition sparked criticism for saying Malaysia should copy the bloody drug war spearheaded by President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines that has seen thousands killed.

"Poke wit hot iron rod (sic), shoot drug suspects -- any more barbaric ideas from (Barisan Nasional) MPs?" N. Surendran of opposition group the People's Justice Party said on Twitter.
Israel controls all access into Gaza apart from the Palestinian enclave's sole crossing with Egypt

Israel will refuse Swiss diplomats access to the Gaza Strip until further notice after recent meetings were held with Hamas leaders, an Israeli official said Wednesday.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman issued the order to prevent the diplomats from travelling to the Palestinian enclave from Israeli territory, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The order will remain in place "until clarifications occur," said the official, without providing further details.

Israel controls all access into Gaza apart from the strip's sole crossing with Egypt.

On Tuesday, Switzerland's envoy to the Palestinian Authority, Julien Thoni, met Hamas's chief in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.

At least one other recent meeting was also held with Hamas leaders.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that has controlled the Gaza Strip for a decade, is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Union.

It has fought three wars with Israel since 2008.

Switzerland however has contacts with Hamas in order to maintain dialogue with all parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as part of its peace and human rights efforts.

Israel's army radio reported that the decision to bar them from Gaza was taken due to the public nature of the meetings, with Hamas posting photos on its website.

The meetings come with Hamas due to hand over power in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority by Friday as part of a landmark reconciliation deal signed in October.

There are however doubts over whether a signficant transfer of power will occur by that time.
Palestinian Authority employees gather to return to work at the headquarters of the finance ministry in Gaza City on November 29, 2017

Palestinian Authority employees were prevented from returning to work at a number of ministries in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a union said, in another sign of tension ahead of a reconciliation deadline.

The UN envoy for the Middle East peace process meanwhile held meetings in the Gaza Strip as part of efforts to urge Hamas and rivals Fatah to follow through on their landmark reconciliation accord mediated by Egypt.

Islamist movement Hamas is scheduled to hand back control of Gaza, including all ministries, to the Palestinian Authority by Friday, a decade after seizing it in a 2007 near civil war.

The Hamas-run union for public employees said it had instructed its delegates to block former employees from returning to work at the ministries, saying their return came in a "random manner" and aimed at "creating great problems".

Witnesses said dozens of former employees were prevented from going back to work at the finance, health and education ministries among others.

After the 2007 power shift, the Palestinian Authority continued to pay around 60,000 staff in Gaza, despite the vast majority not working.

Hamas has hired around 50,000 civil servants to replace them in the past decade, and the future of those staff is a key sticking point.

In a statement the union said that the ban on returning employees would continue until a decision regarding the current Hamas employees was agreed.

Control of some ministries has already been transferred.

- 'Dangerous step' -

On Tuesday, Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah called on PA employees to return to their former jobs, with Hamas criticising the move.

The reconciliation agreement signed last month between both sides stipulates they have until February to find a solution for the Gaza employees, which could include merging the two civil services.

A spokesman for Hamdallah's government said in a statement that blocking the employees was a "dangerous step" that threatened the reconciliation agreement.

In return, a Hamas spokesman said the Palestinian Authority government carried "responsibility for causing chaos and confusion," saying Hamdallah had violated the terms of the reconciliation agreement by encouraging staff to return to work.

The future of Hamas's armed wing is another key dispute between the parties.

Nickolay Mladenov, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, encouraged the rivals to press ahead Wednesday after meetings with Egyptian officials in Gaza overseeing the reconciliation process.

"The agreement that was reached in Cairo is a very important agreement," he told journalists.

"It provides a good framework through which to bring the West Bank and Gaza back under a single legitimate Palestinian Authority."

Mladenov also expressed hope that the agreement would lead to an easing of humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, which suffers from a lack of basic services such as electricity and clean water.

"I hope that in the next few days, as the talks continue, they will be successful and that in December, the factions Hamas and Fatah will meet again in Cairo under the auspices of Egypt to make sure that the implementation of the Cairo agreement remains on schedule," he said.
Nooses hang at Pul-e-Charkhi prison in October 2014 before an execution. Now five more criminals have gone to the gallows at the prison

Afghanistan on Wednesday executed five members of a gang involved in kidnapping and murder, as the government of the war-torn nation struggles to curb criminals who target foreigners and wealthy locals.

The hangings were carried out at Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi prison after the convicts lost three appeals and President Ashraf Ghani confirmed the sentences, the interior ministry said in a statement.

It said the group was involved in the kidnapping and murder of the deputy head of a construction company, and was also involving in counterfeiting and carrying illegal weapons.

With the fledgling and under-resourced police force fully occupied in fighting the Taliban, Islamic State jihadists and other insurgents, kidnapping and extortion has become a cottage industry.

The criminal gangs often sell abductees, especially foreigners, to insurgent groups for a higher price. The victims are then transferred to lawless areas across the border in Pakistan, according to officials.

In May 2016 Ghani approved the execution of six Taliban-linked inmates -- the first hangings carried out as part of a new hardline policy against insurgents and criminals.
A Syrian infant suffering from severe malnutrition is seen at a clinic in the rebel-controlled town of Hamouria, in Eastern Ghouta, on October 21, 2017

Childhood malnutrition levels in Syria's Eastern Ghouta region, under government siege since 2013, are the highest recorded in the country since its six-year war began, the UN said Wednesday.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said a November survey in the rebel-held area outside Damascus showed 11.9 percent of children under five were suffering from acute malnutrition, "the highest rate ever recorded in Syria" since the conflict started.

Humanitarian agencies have warned several times in recent months about the situation in Eastern Ghouta, after reports of deaths among children suffering malnutrition.

UNICEF said more than one-third of children covered in the study it conducted in the region in early November were stunted, "elevating their risk of delayed development, illness and death".

"Acute malnutrition rates are highest among very young children," it added.

"Mothers of children under two years old have reportedly reduced or stopped breastfeeding altogether because of their own poor nutrition and the constant violence."

UNICEF said a similar survey in the area in January showed 2.1 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition, suggesting sharply worsening conditions.

Eastern Ghouta is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds in Syria, and has been under a tight government siege since 2013 that has caused food and medical shortages.

Some food is still grown locally, or smuggled in, but humanitarian access to the region has been limited despite regular calls from aid agencies.

"The rapidly rising costs of basic foods and cooking supplies have made preparing a meal out of reach for most," UNICEF said, noting that a portion of bread cost 85 times more in Eastern Ghouta than in Damascus, just a few kilometres away.

At a UN Security Council session in New York on aid to Syria, humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Wednesday that 500 people, including children with complex medical issues, needed urgent evacuation from Eastern Ghouta.

Aid convoys departing from government-controlled areas "continue to be heavily restricted" as they try to enter rebel-held territory, he said, adding that only 100,000 out of a population of 400,000 in Eastern Ghouta had received food aid this year.

- Sporadic aid deliveries -

Eastern Ghouta falls into one of four "de-escalation zones" set up under a deal between regime allies Russia and Iran, and rebel backer Turkey, agreed earlier this year.

But while the zone initially brought some calm, violence has increased steadily in recent weeks, with government air strikes and artillery fire killing dozens in recent days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

Syrians unload aid packages, provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a joint operation with the UN, in Al-Nashabia, a town in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region

Aid access has also improved little since the zone was implemented, though the UN has been able to deliver assistance sporadically.

On Tuesday, the UN and Syria's Arab Red Crescent sent an aid convoy carrying assistance including "medications to treat malnutrition" into Eastern Ghouta.

Earlier this month, another convoy reached the town of Douma in the region.

The spiralling violence in the area has prompted international concerns, and the UN's Syria envoy said Tuesday that Damascus had agreed to a ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta.

But the Observatory reported renewed government shelling on the area on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
A handout picture from the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi shows him shaking hands with his British counterpart Theresa May in Baghdad on November 29, 2017

British Prime Minister Theresa May paid a surprise visit on Wednesday to Baghdad where she met her Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi and praised the country's efforts to battle the Islamic State group.

May's visit came after Iraqi forces backed by an international coalition including Britain ousted the Islamic State group from swathes of Iraq it had controlled since 2014.

May praised "the bravery and sacrifice of the Iraqi security forces" and pledged British support "for as long as the Iraqis want and need it".

Britain, which took part in the US-led Iraq invasion of 2003 which toppled the regime of dictator Saddam Hussein, has played a key role in the coalition battling IS.

Experts have long argued that its participation in the 2003 invasion made Britain a target for jihadist groups.

May told a press conference in Baghdad that Britain would "work with partners across the region to develop the capabilities that will enable us to deal with the threat posed by foreign fighters."

She said she had visited British troops training Iraqi security forces at the Taji military base, north of Baghdad.

The British premier also reiterated Britain's support for a unified Iraq, two months after Iraqi Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence in a referendum bitterly contested by Baghdad and ruled unconstitutional by Iraq's top court.

She called for a "stronger, more inclusive, unified Iraqi state" and encouraged the Iraqi government "to respond positively" to calls by the Kurdish leadership for dialogue.

"We (also) encourage the Kurdish regional government to respect the Iraqi federal supreme court ruling on the unconstitutionality" of the vote, she said.

May also pledged funds to continue training Iraqi forces and to support "efforts to return (displaced people) and restore stability".

Abadi added that the leaders had discussed "encouraging British businessmen and businesses to invest... in Iraq, to take part in building Iraq and bringing stability" to the country.

May left London late Tuesday for a three-day visit to the Middle East, where she is also set to meet Saudi and Jordanian leaders in a bid to bolster regional ties.

She will hold talks on issues including Qatar and Yemen with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, before heading to Jordan for meetings with King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Hani Mulki.

Saudi Arabia is Britain's largest trading partner in the Middle East, and London has signed off on more than 3.3 billion ($4.4 billion/3.7 billion euros) worth of arms sales to Riyadh since March 2015.

During that time Saudi Arabia has embarked on a bombing campaign in Yemen that has been condemned for contributing to a humanitarian disaster.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A lawyer representing former Finance Minster, Dr Ignatius Chombo and former Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs, Kudzanayi Chipanga, Professor Lovemore Madhuku is set to file an appeal for bail at the High Court.The duo was denied bail by the lower court on Monday.Meanwhile, Professor Madhuku said his clients are in good spirit and are in safe hands at Chikurubi Maximum Prison where they are detained.Dr Chombo and Chipanga were denied bail by two Harare magistrates; Mr Elisha Singano and Ms Josephine Sande on the grounds to protect them from the public and the possibility that they can skip bail.This is despite the two offering stringent bail conditions that include reporting three times a day, depositing $2,000 as bail for Dr Chombo, while Chipanga has offered to report every day to Borrowdale Police Station.Dr Chombo is facing charges of defeating the Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal abuse of office and fraud dating back to 2003.Chipanga is facing charges of publishing falsehood and Professor Madhuku has already hinted on raising constitutional issues, arguing that the charge does not constitute an offence.
Azzam al-Ahmad of Fatah (R) and Saleh al-Aruri (L) of Hamas sign a reconciliation deal at the Egyptian intelligence services headquarters in Cairo on October 12, 2017

Fatah's top negotiator said Wednesday that rival movement Hamas was "not committed" to a landmark Palestinian reconciliation agreement, two days ahead of a key deadline to implement the accord.

"Hamas is not committed to the agreement it signed in Cairo to end the division," Azzam al-Ahmad, chief negotiator for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah, told AFP.

"Until this moment, the problems and obstacles from Hamas are still there and are increasing."

Under the agreement, Hamas is due to hand over control of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority by Friday after a decade of dominance there, but doubts have emerged over whether it will occur.

Earlier Wednesday, Palestinian Authority employees were prevented from returning to work at a number of ministries in the Gaza Strip in another sign of tension ahead of the deadline.

An Egyptian-mediated deal signed in October is aimed at ending the decade-long feud between Fatah, based in the occupied West Bank, and Islamist movement Hamas.

Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since seizing it in 2007 in a near civil war with Fatah, leaving the Palestinians with two separate administrations.

Problems in implementing the October accord have included how to resolve the issue of two separate civil adminstrations as well as security control of the Gaza Strip, with Hamas refusing to disarm.
Israelis console each other following a shooting attack at a shopping complex in the Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv, on June 8, 2016

An Israeli court on Wednesday sentenced three Palestinians to life in prison over a gun attack that left four people dead at a popular Tel Aviv nightspot in 2016.

Cousins Mohammad Makhamrah and Khaled Makhamrah, the gunmen, and accomplice Younes Zein were found guilty last month of four counts of murder and 41 counts of attempted murder over the June 2016 attack at Sarona Market, a restaurant and shopping complex.

On Wednesday, the Tel Aviv district court sentenced each to four consecutive life sentences, one for each death, and an additional 60 years for the 41 counts of attempted murder.

The three were also ordered by the court to pay the families of the deceased and wounded compensation, the sentencing read.

Israeli security officials said the two gunmen, 20 and 21 at the time of the attack, were inspired by the Islamic State group.

In the incident at the Sarona Market, the Makhamrah cousins walked into a busy cafe wearing suits and carrying briefcases, blending with the crowd before opening fire on customers at random.

Three people were shot dead, while a fourth died of a heart attack. Four people were seriously wounded, while another 37 suffered lighter injuries or shock, the court said.

Zein supplied the weapons and helped plan the assault, the court said.

The Shin Bet domestic security agency which interrogated the men has said they wanted to carry out "a revenge attack against Israel in the name of the Islamic State" group during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of at least 303 Palestinians or Israeli Arabs, 51 Israelis, two Americans, two Jordanians, one Eritrean, one Sudanese and one Briton, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.

Others were shot dead during protests or clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
A Pakistani protester of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan religious group throws a tear gas shell back towards police during a clash in Islamabad on November 25

Gunmen killed one person and wounded at least four others outside a Shiite mosque in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, police said Wednesday, days after an Islamist protest ended in the city.

The firing erupted as people left the Bab-ul-Ilm mosque following evening prayers in Islamabad's I-8 sector.

"Two gunmen approached a water cooler installed outside the mosque's main gate and filled their glasses with water, then opened fire indiscriminately on people as they came out," local police official Qasim Ahmad told AFP.

He said the gunmen arrived on foot and then ran away after the shooting, disappearing into a nearby greenbelt.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shiites make up roughly 20 percent of Pakistan's 200 million people.

Attacks by Sunni hardliners against the minority group, along with other sectarian violence, have claimed thousands of lives in the country over the past decade. However sectarian attacks in the capital are rare.

The shooting comes days after a military-brokered deal ended weeks-long anti-blasphemy protests in Islamabad that saw seven killed and hundreds wounded in clashes with police.

The violence erupted over the weekend after police and paramilitary forces launched a bungled attempt to clear the sit-in, igniting fresh demonstrations in cities across the country, including in Lahore and Karachi.

"We wanted this protest to end soon after receiving intelligence information that miscreants might try to spark sectarian unrest by carrying out subversion at the protest," interior minister Ahsan Iqbal told a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday.

"This was what we have been fearing," he added.

The previously little-known hardline group Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan staged the demonstration demanding the resignation of Pakistan's law minister Zahid Hamid over a small, hastily-reversed amendment to the oath election candidates must swear.

The demonstrators had linked the alteration to blasphemy, a profoundly sensitive charge in conservative Muslim Pakistan.

The law minister resigned on Monday with protest leaders saying the government had agreed to meet all their demands, sparking fears among many Pakistanis that a potentially dangerous precedent had been set after officials capitulated to a relatively small number of protesters.
A view of numerous tunnel shafts used by gold miners in Mali a few miles from the border with its southwestern neighbour Guinea in 2014

Several people were killed in clashes between gold miners on the Mali-Guinea border this week, Guinean and Malian officials said Wednesday.

Despite having areas rich in gold, both Guinea and Mali are among the world's poorest countries, with many miners going it alone or in small groups to search for minerals, usually with little safety equipment.

Mali's armed forces said Wednesday that four gendarmes were killed while attempting to secure a mine in Niaouleni, southwestern Mali, on Monday.

"They were victims of gunfire from Guinean nationals linked to a dispute over a mining concession between the Malian village of Niaouleni and another Guinean village," a statement posted on the army's website said.

A Guinean security source told AFP earlier in the day that six people were killed in a revenge attack mounted on the Malian side by Guineans, which took the lives of "two Guineans and four Malians, one of them a gendarme".

The armed Guinean villagers were retaliating against Malian gold miners backed up by gendarmes who "attacked Guinean gold miners at a mine in the village of Faranokho," leaving two Guineans wounded, the same source said.

Bamako and Conakry have both since beefed up security in the area, where such disputes are common.
The UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting to disucss a response to the latest North Korean missile test

The UN Security Council should tighten sanctions against North Korea in response to the latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), France's ambassador said Wednesday.

The council will hold an emergency meeting later Wednesday to discuss a response and could decide to begin negotiations on a new draft sanctions resolution.

The United States has called for additional UN measures to pressure Pyongyang to halt its missile and nuclear programs, which are in violation of UN resolutions.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters that there should be "full implementation" of current measures "but also tightening of the sanctions," which would require a new resolution.

Over the past year, the council has adopted three rounds of sanctions aimed at choking off revenue to Pyongyang's military programs.

These include a ban on North Korean exports of coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, trade restrictions and the blacklisting of a number of North Korean entities and officials.

The council has also banned the hiring of North Korean guest workers and capped oil exports, in particular from China, Pyongyang's main trading partner.

"There is still room for new measures," Italian Ambassador Sebastiano Cardi, who holds the council presidency, told reporters on Tuesday. "We will see."

Under UN resolutions, North Korea is barred from developing missiles and a nuclear weapons capability but Pyongyang argues that the arsenal is needed for self-defense against the "hostile" United States.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said on Twitter after speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping that "additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson explained in Washington that the sanctions would be announced by the US Treasury and would target "additional financial institutions."

Previous sanctions resolutions targeting North Korea have been unanimously adopted by the council following weeks of negotiations between the United States and China.

The last resolution, however, was adopted on September 11 after just one week of negotiations.

The United States and its allies insist that tough sanctions are needed to force Pyongyang to come to the negotiating table to discuss an end to its military drive.

Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho said "the international community has to keep the pressure up so that North Koreans will understand that they need to change their course."
Former Egyptian premier Ahmed Shafiq salutes supporters after polls in 2012

Former Egyptian premier Ahmed Shafiq, who narrowly lost a 2012 election to a since ousted Islamist president, will challenge leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at a poll next year, two aides told AFP Wednesday.

"I can confirm he will run," one of them said of the Hosni Mubarak-era prime minister who left the country in 2012 for the United Arab Emirates.

Shafiq, who was placed on trial in absentia on corruption charges after losing the 2012 election to Mohamed Morsi, had emerged as a critic and possible contender to Sisi over the past two years.

The former premier has been acquitted and his lawyer had said he would be free to return, but it is thought that he fears another case might be brought against him.

It is not clear if, or when, Shafiq intends to come back to Egypt to run in the spring election.

Sisi, a former army chief elected as president in 2014 less than a year after overthrowing his Islamist predecessor Morsi, has not officially declared his candidacy, but looks all but certain to run in and dominate the election next year.

Shafiq could represent one of the few candidates who can come close to challenging Sisi.

Former leader Mubarak hastily appointed Shafiq as prime minister in the last days of his rule in 2011 before he was ousted from the presidency by a democratic uprising.

A former aviation minister and airforce general, Shafiq did not last long in his role after Mubarak lost power.

Yet a year later, and despite widespread opposition to Mubarak-era figures at the time, he still only lost out narrowly to Morsi at the national election.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor launches during a test flight in Alaska

The US military remains confident it can -- at least for the moment -- protect against any North Korean missile threat, a US official said Wednesday after Pyongyang tested a new rocket type.

North Korea earlier launched a previously unseen intercontinental ballistic missile, which it called a Hwasong 15 and claimed was capable of carrying a "super-large heavy warhead" to any target in the continental United States.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said the missile flew higher than any other from North Korea, and warned that Pyongyang could soon threaten "everywhere in the world."

The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that America has not changed its assessment that its various missile defense systems can stop a North Korean missile attack, though the guarantee cannot be ensured indefinitely.

"I don't think they could successfully nuke the US at this time," the official said.

"There is a general sense we can stop whatever North Korea has right now. For the future, I don't know."

The United States has spent decades and billions of dollars developing technologies to stop an incoming ballistic missile, and Congress is throwing billions more dollars at the Pentagon to step up its efforts.

To protect against an ICBM, the military has the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, which is designed to fire an interceptor missile into space and use kinetic energy to destroy the incoming target.

America has 44 interceptors in place at Fort Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

It was put to the test in May, when the military successfully launched a GMD interceptor from the California base.

- Checkered record -

This US Air Force handout photo shows a Ground-based Interceptor, an element of the overall Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, being launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on January 26, 2013

The missile blasted outside Earth's atmosphere and smashed into a dummy ICBM target, destroying it in a direct collision.

But the GMD system has had a checkered record in previous tests -- failing in earlier launches against slower-moving targets.

The official said the GMD system can shield the entire continental United States and its territories, so it is not yet necessary to install the system on the East Coast.

The GMD can stop a small number of missiles from a rogue nation but would be overwhelmed by an all-out strike from a nuclear superpower like Russia.

Such a move would likely trigger retaliatory action in what is known as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).

Some questions remain over the North's mastery of the technology required to guarantee any warhead would survive atmospheric re-entry -- the key element it has not yet demonstrated.

The official said that the angle of re-entry demonstrated in Wednesday's test, in which the missile went very steeply up and down, did not prove that a re-entry vehicle could survive a flight along a lower arc.

That is because the heat and friction generated by such a re-entry into Earth's atmosphere are far greater.

Michael Elleman, a senior fellow for missile defense with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said North Korea was still a year away from being able to hit the West Coast of the US with a "viable" ICBM.

"North Korea appears to have taken another minor step forward as it attempts to mature its ICBM technology," he wrote on the 38 North website that provides analysis on North Korea.

"Many more tests are needed to establish the missile's performance and reliability, and it remains unclear if the North's engineers have attempted to validate the efficacy of the missile's re-entry vehicle."

The US military and its allies have other missile defense systems available, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles in their final phase of flight.
Azzam al-Ahmad of Fatah (R) and Saleh al-Aruri (L) of Hamas sign a reconciliation deal at the Egyptian intelligence services headquarters in Cairo on October 12, 2017

Rival Palestinian factions agreed Wednesday to postpone the handover of control over Gaza from Hamas to Fatah, less than 48 hours before a deadline as part of an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal.

The announcement came at the last minute as the landmark Palestinian unity deal faltered dangerously, with Fatah and Hamas accusing each other of not respecting the accord.

"Hamas and Fatah are asking Egypt to postpone the transfer of the government roles from December 1 to December 10 in order to finalise arrangements to ensure the completion of national reconciliation steps," said a statement from Hamas, the Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip.

Fayez Abu Eita, a spokesman for Fatah in Gaza, said the same in remarks after the factions met in Gaza City, noting it was in the interest of "achieving the goals of our people, achieving reconciliation and ending the division".

In previous days the two sides had traded accusations of failing to respect the October 12 agreement which was supposed to see Hamas hand over all governing duties in the enclave to the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority by December 1.

Sharp disagreements remained between Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah, based in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas, particularly over the fate of public employees in Gaza and security control of the enclave.

Earlier on Wednesday, Fatah's top negotiator, Azzam al-Ahmad, told AFP that Hamas was "not committed to the agreement it signed in Cairo."

"Until this moment, the problems and obstacles from Hamas are still there and are increasing."

In response, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim accused Fatah of "manoeuvres" to avoid going through with the deal.

Multiple previous reconciliation attempts have failed since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Also Wednesday, in another sign of tension ahead of the deadline, PA employees were prevented by union delegates close to Hamas from returning to work at a number of ministries in the Gaza Strip.

Fatah and Hamas traded accusations over the incident.

As tensions built, Abbas ordered an immediate stop to public statements on reconciliation "for the sake of the Palestinian national interest and our relationship with our Egyptian brothers", official news agency WAFA said.

- 'Very important agreement' -

The Cairo deal signed last month is aimed at ending the decade-long feud between Fatah and Hamas.

Nikolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process

Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since seizing it in 2007 in a near civil war with Fatah, leaving the Palestinians with two separate administrations.

A first deadline under the accord was met, with Hamas handing control of Gaza's borders to the PA on November 1.

But more difficult issues remain, and a number of previous attempts at reconciliation have failed.

After the 2007 power shift, the PA continued to pay around 60,000 staff in Gaza, despite the vast majority not working.

Hamas has hired around 50,000 civil servants to replace them in the past decade, and the fate of those staff members is a key sticking point, with unions insisting on a settlement.

On Tuesday, Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah called on employees of the cash-strapped PA to return to their former jobs in the Gaza Strip, with Hamas criticising the move.

The reconciliation agreement stipulates they have until February to find a solution for the Gaza employees, which could include merging the two civil services.

The future of Hamas's powerful armed wing is another key dispute between the parties, with the Islamist group refusing to disarm.

Nickolay Mladenov, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, encouraged the factions to press ahead Wednesday after meetings with Egyptian officials in Gaza overseeing the reconciliation process.

"The agreement that was reached in Cairo is a very important agreement," he told journalists.

"It provides a good framework through which to bring the West Bank and Gaza back under a single legitimate Palestinian Authority."

Mladenov also expressed hope that the agreement would lead to an easing of humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, which suffers from a lack of basic services such as electricity and clean water.
The deal among 24 oil producing nations reducing output by 1.8 million barrels per day, aimed at reducing a global glut and lifting the price of oil expires on March 31

A joint committee of oil producers inside and outside OPEC has recommended that a deal curbing output be extended, Russia's energy minister said ahead of a key meeting in Vienna on Thursday.

"The (oil) market has not yet achieved complete stability and more action is needed beyond April 1. Everyone (in the committee) recommended an extension," Alexander Novak said in the Austrian capital.

"All the details will be discussed tomorrow (Thursday)... But I am sure that the recommendations of the committee will be followed and that the result will be positive," Novak told reporters.

The deal among 24 oil producing nations reducing output by 1.8 million barrels per day, aimed at reducing a global glut and lifting the price of oil, was struck a year ago and expires on March 31.

It was unclear however whether the committee, which includes big hitters Russia and Saudi Arabia, recommended an extension of six months, until September 30, 2018, or by nine months until the end of 2018.

The agreement was originally stuck a year ago after oil prices plummeted to a 13-year low of under $30 a barrel in early 2016, blowing a hole in producer nations' finances.

Helped by improving economic conditions boosting demand, the accord has borne fruit, boosting oil prices to near two-year highs and reducing oil inventories to more normal levels.

Brent Crude has crept up to towards $65 per barrel, while fellow benchmark West Texas Intermediate has been heading for $60.

The danger however is that the higher the price, the more this will help shale oil producers in the United States, which are outside the agreement, ramp up production and take market share.

In addition, Russia is pressing for clarity on how and when to end the curbs, Bloomberg News reported, since its economic policy is more complex than that of OPEC members.
Syrians unload aid packages, provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a joint operation with the UN, in the al-Nashabia town, in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region, east of the capital Damascus on November 28, 2017

Russia on Wednesday said it would seek changes to a UN resolution allowing cross-border deliveries of aid to opposition-held areas of Syria from Turkey and Jordan, without the approval of Damascus.

The Security Council is expected to vote on renewing the aid deliveries which were put in place in 2014, with the backing of Russia, Syria's ally.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia raised concerns at the council that the aid was being diverted and said Moscow would be seeking changes to the humanitarian aid arrangements.

"This mechanism cannot remain as it presently stands," Nebenzia said, adding that it "undermines the sovereignty of Syria."

"There needs to be order in the distribution of humanitarian assistance for it not to fall in the hands of terrorists and for it not to then be re-sold to the Syrian people at higher prices."

UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told the council that the cross-border deliveries were "essential to save lives."

Aid convoys departing from government-controlled areas "continue to be heavily restricted" as they try to enter rebel-held territory, he said.

In November, the Syrian government approved only four cross-line convoys, reaching fewer than 250,000 people while medical items were regularly removed from the aid trucks at checkpoints manned by Damascus forces.

In contrast, aid deliveries reached 800,000 people this month in opposition-held areas of northwestern and southern Syria through the border crossings of Bab al-Hawa, Bab as-Salam in Turkey, and Al-Ramtha in Jordan.

"Every truck is checked to ensure it only contains humanitarian supplies" and the deliveries are confirmed by monitors once they arrive at warehouses inside Syria, said Lowcock of the cross-border convoys.

Sweden and Japan are leading negotiations at the council on the renewal of the resolution authorizing the aid deliveries, which expires on January 10.

"The needs are still there," said Swedish Deputy Ambassador Carl Skau told reporters. "Given the needs, we expect that this will be extended without much issue."

More than 13 million people need humanitarian aid in Syria, now in its seventh year of war.

Close to 420,000 live in besieged areas, most of them in opposition-held eastern Ghouta.

Lowcock, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, said he planned to visit Syria in early January.
Opinion / Columnist

Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and speaker. He is available should you invite him to speak at any gathering or event. Please call/WhatsApp: +263782283975, or email: zimjustice@gmail.com. Please also 'Like' the ZimJustice page on Facebook.

As the old adage goes, 'history repeats itself', and so it is with the current political situation being witnessed in Zimbabwe, as the military has once again been instrumental in the installation - and removal - of the leader of the ruling ZANU PF party.However, as the same adage also continues...'but, we never learn from it', it is quiet clear that this is not, by any stretch of the imagination, the last time this happens within this party - and any leadership that allows itself to be installed by the military will inevitably, sooner or later, be removed by the same.It is very important to note that the outgoing president of both ZANU PF and the country, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, was never chosen to lead the party by any elective congress, contrary to the organisation's own norms.During the liberation struggle, after the party was formed as a splinter from ZAPU, it organised an elective congress in the then Gwelo (Gweru) that ushered in the leadership of Ndabaningi Sithole as president, Herbert Chitepo as chairman, and Mugabe as secretary general.Nevertheless, when Sithole was incarcerated - due to his role in the struggle - he allegedly rejected the armed struggle as a means to achieve independence for the Black majority, in a deal with the Smith regime to gain his freedom.This, understandably, did not go down too well with the rest of his colleagues, more so, the ZANLA military wing of the party.After securing his freedom, he was, expectedly, met by a rebellion, and was ousted as the party leader - having been rejected by the military wing, as they no longer considered him as their commander-in-chief.Furthermore, after the death of Chitepo, the next in line to be leader of the party was the secretary general Mugabe.Although, he was well within his rights to assume leadership of the party, only on an acting capacity till an elective congress was held, the military decided that he becomes the substantive leader of ZANU and commander-in-chief of ZANLA forces.As such, Mugabe became leader at the behest of the military, and was never elected by the party.Although, his party was 'democratically' elected into power at independence in 1980 - albeit, there being huge unanswered questions surrounding that process - Mugabe's leadership of his party, and therefore, by extension, the country, had been through the barrel of the gun.Similarly, his long ruinous grip on power was largely guaranteed by the support he received from the military - as he had all but lost the majority of the nation's approval.The military made it clear - when it was imminent Mugabe would lose elections after the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - that it would never salute anyone without liberation war credentials, in stark reference to the opposition leader Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.Who can ever forget the role the military played when Mugabe lost the 2008 presidential elections to Tsvangirai?It can be safely said that, had it not been for the military that refused to accept those results, and their role in the subsequent mass brutalization of the populace - leading to Tsvangirai withdrawing from the election run-off - Mugabe would have been history that year.Again, the barrel of the gun had saved his skin.Fast forward to November 2017, the very same military is the one that intervened in both party and government affairs, and pushed for the resignation of the very same man they had put into office.Despite, last minute attempts by Mugabe to desuade the military from meddling in political affairs - emphasising that politics came before the gun - he was 40 years too late, as he should have said that when they were putting him in power during the liberation struggle, and the subsequent years.It became obvious that those who enter power by the gun, will exit power by that very same gun.However, this grave fact appears to have been lost on the man the military favoured to take over from Mugabe - Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa - as he gladly succeeded the aged leader.It is not debatable that Mnangagwa was the military's preferred man, as the factional fighting in ZANU PF had already claimed the head of former vice president Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru, and her colleagues - who were expelled from both party and government for allegedly plotting to unseat Mugabe - yet, the military took no action.However, when a similar fate visited Mnangagwa, their reaction was completely different, as they immediately sprang into action - leading to the resignation of Mugabe, and the expulsion of his wife and her colleagues from the party by its central committee - paving the way for Mnangagwa to assume the presidency of both.Whether this whole process was constitutional or not, I do not know - as we leave that to the Alex Magaisa's of this world - but, what can not be questioned is the brazen involvement of the military in the change of both ZANU PF and Zimbabwe leadership.As such, just as with Mugabe, Mnangagwa can be said to have come to power through the barrel of the gun.I can then honestly say, this is the beginning of another military-backed leadership cycle akin to what we witnessed under Mugabe - with all the ingredients the nation endured in the past 37 years, such as Gukurahundi, and the 2008 election brutality, as well as the repression of free dissenting expression.Nonetheless, the nation of Zimbabwe will survive, as it did under Mugabe, but how will Mnangagwa's reign end?History does not paint a very colourful picture!All that can be said it that, there is no profit in conjecture, but it is time that our politicians and peoples learnt a lesson from this.But, then again, we never learn from history.As much as most people may ullulate that there is a new dispensation in Zimbabwe, and that we all now have a fresh hope, there is a dark cloud hanging over the country - and it is not a rain cloud.As we head towards the 2018 harmonised elections, let us all be very wary of the folly of blindly following a leadership that might seem progressive and attractive, and yet will not take kindly to being rejected a few years down the line - and will not hesitate to resort to pure military might.Let us not forget that when Mugabe came on the scene in 1980, he was the blue-eyed boy, with all the country and world's hopes pinned on him.He even received an honorary knighthood from the very colonial British government that he had been fighting - in addition to so many other accolades from various global institutions for his exceptional leadership...even being awarded these in the midst of conducting a genocide in Matabeleland and Midlands.White people who - during the liberation struggle - had been afraid of his 'communist', 'racist' and 'heretic' impending government, suddenly became relaxed, as they saw a 'real gentleman' in him.The economy was on an upward trajectory, and there was generally no cause for alarm - who would not want such an exceptional leader?However, when his leadership began to sour, and was no longer the people's darling, he did not hesitate to remind them who really put him into power - the military.This is what the people of Zimbabwe should never forget when going to the polls next year.Our economic prosperity is pivotal to any electoral decisions we make, but lest we forget the nature of the person we choose.Let us now finally divorce ourselves from a militarised leadership, which will not hesitate to brutalise us should we one day decide to chose someone else.We need our choices to be balanced between the need for economic prosperity, and guaranteed democracy and respect for human rights.Signs are already telling what type of a government we can expect from Mnangagwa.The military helped him enter office - as it did with Mugabe - and will help keep him in office, as long as they still want him.During his inaugural speech, he mainly focussed on economic development, but never a word on measures to be taken on the human rights and democratic front.His silence on these issues was so loud.How the military is going about 'dealing' with those allegedly involved in crooked and corrupt acts, such as former finance minister Ignatius Chombo, and ZANU PF youth leader Kudzi Chipanga - in their bid to 'restore legacy' - says a lot on what we should expect all of us to be treated in the not too distant future - should we decide to reject their preferred man.Please Zimbabwe, let us never make the same mistakes of 1980 when we chose Mugabe, placing in him unfounded hope, without carefully considering his background.And to the youth: you suffered tremendously due to Mugabe's economic mismanagement and brutality - all because of the wrong choices of your parents in 1980 - but, this is the opportunity not to repeat their mistakes.The youth can break this cycle of military-backed regimes, and elect a truly civilian government that will ensure economic success, and the respect of human dignity and rights.Zimbabwe has indeed entered a new dispensation, an opportunity to correct our past misjudgements, and finally learn from our history - for if we make another mistake, we will have to endure another couple of decades of poverty and brutality.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (R) meets with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Riyadh during his first visit to the country since the nations established relations 20 years ago

Bulgaria on Wednesday accused Iran of refusing a plane taking its prime minister to Saudi Arabia through its airspace, but the Islamic republic denied it rejected the overflight request.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov had been heading towards Iran's main regional rival Saudi Arabia on Tuesday when his Bulgarian government aircraft was denied entry into Iranian airspace.

"The refusal is inexplicable," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva was quoted by Bulgarian media as saying from Riyadh, adding that the Iranian ambassador in Sofia had been summoned for an explanation.

But Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP it was "a simple technical problem".

"The Bulgarian embassy provided the coordinates of the flight and we gave authorisation, but the coordinates transmitted by the pilot to the control tower did not correspond with those which had been provided, so they refused the overflight," said Ghasemi.

"There was no political intention. We have even given permission for the return flight," he added.

The plane was carrying Borisov, Zaharieva, former Bulgarian king Simeon Saxe Coburg and four other ministers.

It was the first visit by a Bulgarian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since the former communist country, now a member of the European Union, established relations with the kingdom 20 years ago.

Borisov was due to be received on Wednesday by King Salman and by the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under whom relations with Iran have deteriorated dramatically.
French president Emmanuel Macron has promised a new start in France's relations with its former colonies in Africa

President Emmanuel Macron has promised a new start in France's relations with its former colonies in Africa, promising that Paris would no longer "lecture" or seek to intervene.

AFP explains the issues in four questions:

- What are France's Africa ties? -

France was a colonial power which held sway over a vast swathe of territory in West Africa that began during the scramble for territory by European powers from the mid-19th century.

The area stretched from the modern-day nations of Mauritania and Mali in the north to Ivory Coast and Benin on the Gulf of Guinea and the landlocked Central African Republic.

By 1960, the former colonial territories had emerged as independent countries but French influence remained deeply entrenched and its interventionist approach became known pejoratively as its "Francafrique policy".

Successive French leaders built close ties to the mostly authoritarian strongmen who took over in the post-independence era, while French companies took leading roles in strategic sectors, particularly oil and mining.

- Macron wants to end this? -

Speaking to students in Burkina Faso's capital, he avoided mention of "Francafrique" but assured them: "I haven't come here to tell you what is Frances African policy because there no longer is one."

His advisors have stressed that he is promoting the idea of a "partnership of equals" between France and Africa and in his speech, he promised France would "stop lecturing" others.

As such, it is nothing new, said Laurent Bigot, a former diplomat specialising in West Africa, who underlined how France's grip on the region has slipped progressively since the 1960s.

"He's the third president who has announced the end of Francafrique," he told AFP. "He's done the same thing as his two predecessors with a major African trip at the start of his mandate."

But for Antoine Glaser, another Africa expert and former editor of a newsletter about the continent, Macron "needs to take into account France's loss of influence in Africa", particularly in the face of competition from China.

"Because other than the Sahara region, France doesn't count for much," he explained.

- Can Macron reset relations? -

Echoing his predecessors, Macron appealed to the youth of Burkina Faso to move on from the crimes of colonialism, insisting it was "a past which has to pass."

During a lively question-and-answer session with the students that broke with a tradition of staid, scripted exchanges with heads of state, a relaxed Macron stressed the generational change he represents as France's youngest leader since Napoleon.

"I am from a generation that hails Nelson Mandelas victory over apartheid as one of its fondest political memories. That's the history of our generation," he told the gathering.

Former diplomat Bigot says Macron channelled former US president Barack Obama's approach of "appealing to African civil society" and addressing young people directly.

"That's the real change," he said.

"He is saying to young people in Africa: 'I'm young, I'm like you, born after colonisation, I'm not going to get stuck with the old African heads of state, the autocrats who were often co-opted by France'."

But the 39-year-old Frenchman faces scepticism too: comments in July when he spoke of African women having "seven or eight children" and called population growth on the continent a "civilisational" problem offended many people.

On Tuesday, he expressed regret over the "civilisational" remark while questioning whether African women were really free to choose how many children they had.

While those remarks hit the spot, he nearly sparked a diplomatic incident with his Burkinabe counterpart Roch Marc Christian Kabore by telling students to direct their complaints about electricity supplies to their own president.

When Kabore suddenly left the room, Macron continued joking that he had gone to fix the air conditioning.

- What are France's Africa priorities? -

France maintains a major military presence in the region and is the lead partner in a multi-national force fighting jihadists on the fringes of the Sahara.

In 2013, then president Francois Hollande sent troops to Mali to defend the country against Islamist extremists, two years after France spearheaded a NATO-led bombing campaign against late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi.

Since 2015, controlling migration from Africa has also emerged as a key policy focus which features heavily at a summit of European Union and African Union leaders on Wednesday and Thursday.

Macron faced criticism from some students on Tuesday for EU efforts to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean from Libya, where they face detention in squalid camps, torture, rape and even being sold into slavery.

France also cites economic development and giving girls access to education among its priorities in Africa.
US radio personality Garrison Keillor retired from the popular weekly music and comedy show "A Prairie Home Companion" in 2017

US radio personality Garrison Keillor, host of one of the best known shows in American public broadcasting, has been fired over allegations of "inappropriate behavior," his employer said Wednesday.

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) did not detail the allegations, but said it learned of them last month and they related to conduct with a co-worker while Keillor was host of the long-running program "A Prairie Home Companion."

The 75-year-old, who retired from the popular weekly music and comedy show last year, said in an email to the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he had "put my hand on a woman's bare back" and later offered an apology that was accepted.

"I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized," Keillor said, according to the newspaper.

"Anyone who ever was around my show can tell you that I was the least physically affectionate person in the building," he said. "Actors hug, musicians hug, people were embracing every Saturday night left and right, and I stood off in the corner like a stone statue."

He added: "Getting fired is a real distinction in broadcasting and I've waited fifty years for the honor. All of my heroes got fired. I only wish it could've been for something more heroic."

In a separate email to MPR News, Keillor indicated that two employees had raised questions about his behavior, saying he had a different recollection of events, but respected the network's decision.

"I think the country is in the grip of a mania," he said, describing as an "absurdity" the uproar surrounding Al Franken -- the Democratic comedian-turned-senator under scrutiny over accusations of touching several women without consent.

MPR announced that it had terminated contracts with Keillor and his private media companies, through which it was broadcasting "Best of" reruns of Keillor's hosted program and other features.

"MPR retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations. Based on what we currently know, there are no similar allegations involving other staff," the network said in a statement.

The company also planned to change the name of "A Prairie Home Companion," which is now hosted by Chris Thile.

Broadcast since 1974 and recorded in front of a live audience, the program is heard by 2.6 million listeners on almost 600 public radio stations in the US, according to its website.

Keillor's firing came the same day the NBC television network announced it had fired star morning news anchor Matt Lauer over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The two joined the ranks of other giants of American film, television and journalism who have fallen amid a wave of allegations of sexual misconduct, which began weeks ago with a flood of charges against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The number of regufees from South Sudan is increasing as people flood out of the region, fleeing civil war and severe food shortages

At least fifty people were killed in two raids by a tribal militia in eastern South Sudan, with about 60 women and children abducted, officials said Wednesday, the latest in a series of attacks between rival communities.

Dut Achuek, a state minister, said eight people died in an attack Monday in Jonglei State, while a follow-up raid on Tuesday left "23 women killed and... 19 men killed."

Most of the victims were civilians whose homes were burned and livestock stolen, Achuek said.

Both attacks, by armed men from the Murle ethnic group, targeted Dinkas living in villages about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Bor, the state capital.

Kudumoc Nyakurono, information minister for the neighbouring Boma State, confirmed the involvement of Murle militia members from the area.

"We know that these youth went there from Boma State," he said, adding that investigations were underway to work out the exact circumstances of the attacks.

David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), condemned the killings "and the abduction of some 60 women and children which accompanied these attacks."

"I urge the leaders of both communities to rein in the youth, show restraint and to put an end to the cycle of revenge killings," he said.

Shearer added that the dead included humanitarian workers were who were "working selflessly for the people of Jonglei", though there was no immediate independent confirmation of this.

Rival pastoralist communities in South Sudan have a long and bloody history of tit-for-tat raids in which cattle are rustled and property looted. Women are commonly raped and children abducted, adding fuel to revenge attacks.

In one of the worst such cases, over 3,000 people were killed when members of a well-armed Nuer militia attacked the Murle in 2012.

Tens of thousands of people have died in the civil war in the world's youngest nation since December 2013 that erupted when President Salva Kiir accused Riek Machar, his former deputy, of plotting a coup.

The United States on Tuesday threatened to take unspecified measures against South Sudan's government unless it moves to end the conflict and stop harassing UN peacekeepers and aid workers.

The US unsuccessfully pushed last year for an arms embargo on South Sudan and international sanctions on senior officials.

A report released this week by UN sanctions monitors accused the government of using food aid as a weapon of war during its campaign against opposition rebels in the northwestern city of Wau.
The leader of the National Alliance for Change, Jean-Pierre Fabre, led the crowds protesting in the capital

Togo's opposition parties pledged on Wednesday to maintain the momentum of anti-government protests, as thousands took to the streets once more ahead of promised talks with the president.

The leader of the National Alliance for Change (ANC), Jean-Pierre Fabre, led the crowds in the capital but similar protests were banned on security grounds in the north.

"Mobilisation will continue, even during talks. We are not going to give up the fight," Fabre told AFP.

A source in Togo's second-largest city of Sokode -- the stronghold of Tikpi Atchadam, the Panafrican National Party leader behind the demonstrations -- said the streets were calm.

Many young people who had fled into the countryside fearing repercussions have not yet returned home, the source said, adding that sporadic arrests were still occurring.

Wednesday's march was the first of three planned for this week to put pressure on Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe to resign.

Gnassingbe has been president of the West African nation since 2005, taking over after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years.

Fourteen opposition parties want two-term limits for presidents which would be applied retroactively to prevent Gnassingbe from contesting the 2020 and 2025 elections.

At least 16 people have been killed in three months of protests after opposition supporters clashed with police and security forces, especially in the north.

Gnassingbe -- who left for an Africa-Europe summit in Ivory Coast on Wednesday morning -- said last week that preparations were being made for talks with the opposition in the coming weeks.

But demonstrators said they wanted the issue addressed at the summit.

"I would like the heads of state and France in particular to get involved personally and speak face-to-face with Faure Gnassingbe," said Abla, a student in Lome.

No meeting has been scheduled so far between Gnassingbe and President Emmanuel Macron, from Togo's former colonial power, France.

Franck Paris, a spokesman for Macron's office, said last week that "Togo will be an important subject of talks on the ground".

Macron, in an interview Wednesday with France 24 television and Radio France Internationale (RFI), said he hoped Togo's citizens "could express themselves freely".

"I hope there can be an electoral process... which allows either a democratic confirmation or transition of power," Macron said.

"Keeping power for a long period of time without any electoral processes, without a framework of pluralism, is not a good thing."
A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on November 29, 2017 shows Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Riyadh

British Prime Minister Theresa May landed in Riyadh Wednesday for talks with the Saudi king and crown prince, with Yemen's brewing humanitarian crisis and the kingdom's sweeping reforms topping her agenda.

May flew in to the Saudi capital on the second leg of her Middle East tour, following a surprise visit to Baghdad where she met her Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi and hailed recent military gains against the Islamic State group.

The official Saudi Press Agency confirmed her arrival in Riyadh, where the British leader promised to raise concerns over the Yemen crisis during meetings with King Salman and the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia is Britain's largest trading partner in the Middle East, and London has signed off on more than 3.3 billion ($4.4 billion/3.7 billion euros) worth of arms sales to Riyadh since March 2015.

During that time a Saudi-led coalition has embarked on a bombing campaign in Yemen that has been condemned for contributing to a humanitarian disaster.

The war has killed some 8,600 people, while a further 2,000 have died of cholera.

May insisted that she would send a clear message to the Saudi leadership.

"I'm very concerned about the humanitarian crisis that has developed in Yemen, particularly most recently," May said in comments from Iraq to the BBC.

"That's why the strong message I will be giving to Saudi Arabia tonight is that we want to see Hodeida port opened for humanitarian and commercial access.

"That's important. I think the international community is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen."

- Yemen blockade -

Earlier this month, the coalition battling Shiite Huthi rebels a blockade on Yemen's ports and airports in response to a missile fired by the Iran-backed rebels that was intercepted near Riyadh airport.

A picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's office on November 29, 2017 shows Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and British Prime Minister Theresa May reviewing the honour guard in Baghdad

It eased the blockade allowing a UN plane carrying vaccines to land Saturday in rebel-held Sanaa and on Sunday a vessel carrying wheat docked at Saleef Red Sea port, also in the Huthis' hands.

But little aid has entered through the Red Sea port of Hodeida, the main conduit for UN-supervised deliveries of food and medicine.

Separately, during talks in Riyadh, May is expected to express Britain's support for Prince Mohammed's ambitious reform drive, which include a historic decision allowing women to drive from next June.

May left London late Tuesday for a three-day visit to the Middle East in a bid to bolster regional ties.

May's visit to Iraq came as government forces backed by an international coalition have ousted IS from swathes of the country it controlled since 2014 -- and focus in the West now centres on preventing returning jihadists carrying out attacks.

Britain, which took part in the US-led Iraq invasion of 2003 which toppled the regime of dictator Saddam Hussein, has played a key role in the coalition battling IS.

The British leader will be in Jordan on Thursday on the final leg of her tour for meetings with King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Hani Mulki.

burs-ac/dv
US President Donald Trump has so far decided not to fulfill his campaign pledge to shift the US embassy from Tel Aviv, where it is pictured here

The White House on Wednesday said reports that it is poised to move the US embassy to Jerusalem were "premature," ahead of a decision deadline.

The White House urged caution after the Israeli press suggested a decision would come as soon as Sunday.

"This is a premature report. We have nothing to announce," said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

Trump has so far decided not to fulfil his campaign pledge to shift the embassy from Tel Aviv.

The issue is deeply controversial.

Shifting the building could be seen as a de facto recognition of Israel's claim over the city.

But Trump faces a December 4 deadline to publicly restate US policy.

Trump shied away from the move in June in order to "maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians," the White House said at the time.

The decision would delight many Israelis, but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel's Arab neighbors.

Trump's advisors have been divided about the wisdom of a sharp shift away from decades-old policy.

Vice President Mike Pence, who is due to visit Israel next month, said this week that Trump is "actively considering when and how" to move the embassy.
This file photo taken on June 03, 2012 shows former Egyptian prime minister Ahmed Shafiq addressing a press conference in Cairo

Egyptian ex-premier Ahmed Shafiq said Wednesday the United Arab Emirates had barred him from leaving the country, which the UAE denied, only hours after an announcement he would run for president in his homeland next year.

"I was surprised that I was banned from leaving the brotherly nation of the United Arab Emirates, for reasons I do not understand," Shafiq said in a video message sent to AFP.

"I was intending to carry out a tour among the Egyptian diaspora before returning to my country in the next few days," said the former prime minister.

In response, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on his official Twitter account that "the UAE affirms there is no obstacle" to Shafiq's departure from the country.

Gargash said Shafiq's claims were disappointing especially after "we facilitated (his move) and offered him kind hospitality" after Shafiq "took refuge in the Emirates upon fleeing Egypt" in 2012.

Shafiq's candidacy could see him stand against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has yet to officially declare his candidacy but looks all but certain to run in and dominate the election next year.

While thanking the UAE for hosting him, Shafiq said "I reject this interference in the internal affairs of my country".

But he promised Egyptians he would not back down from his pledge to take part in the presidential election.

Earlier in the day, two aides told AFP that Shafiq decided to run in the 2018 presidential elections.

In a video sent later by an aide, Shafiq said his decision to run in the election comes as "the country is currently facing many problems in all aspects of life".

These problems "have led to a deterioration in quality of all services provided to citizens," he said, mentioning rising public debt which would affect "the coming generations".

- 'New blood' -

Shafiq said that "new blood" might be needed to lead the country so it can move forward.

Shafiq, who was placed on trial in absentia on corruption charges after narrowly losing the 2012 election to former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, has emerged as a critic and possible contender to Sisi in the past two years.

The former prime minister was acquitted, and his lawyer had said he would be free to return, but it is thought that he fears another case might be brought against him.

Sisi, a former army chief elected as president in 2014 less than a year after overthrowing Morsi, lauded his experience in the military and as an aviation minister under former president Hosni Mubarak.

Shafiq could represent one of the few candidates who can come close to challenging Sisi.

His announcement comes after Leftist rights lawyer and former presidential candidate and Sisi critic Khaled Ali announced this month his campaign to stand in the 2018 elections.

Former leader Mubarak hastily appointed Shafiq as prime minister in the last days of his rule in 2011 before he was ousted from the presidency by a democratic uprising.

A former aviation minister and airforce general, Shafiq did not last long in his role after Mubarak lost power.

Yet a year later, and despite widespread opposition to Mubarak-era figures at the time, he still only lost out narrowly to Morsi at the national election.
Relatives look at the bodies of those killed in a raid on their farms in Bariire

US military investigators said Wednesday that only enemy fighters were shot dead in a joint US-Somali raid in August, amid allegations that multiple civilians were killed.

At issue is an August 25 operation at a farm near Bariire in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, when Somali troops and US special forces attacked a suspected hideout for fighters from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab group.

Soon after the overnight operation, community leaders accused troops of having killed civilians.

Local elders called a news conference in the capital Mogadishu and displayed nine bodies, two of them children, saying they were civilians killed in cold blood by Somali troops.

The same day, the US military's Africa Command released a statement saying it was conducting a credibility assessment into the allegations.

On Wednesday, it said it was confident those killed were jihadists. Officials did not make public the investigation itself.

"After a thorough assessment of the Somali National Army-led operation near Bariire, Somalia, on August 25, 2017 and the associated allegations of civilian casualties, US Special Operations Command Africa has concluded that the only casualties were those of armed enemy combatants," AFRICOM said in a statement.

US news site the Daily Beast published a lengthy story shortly before AFRICOM released its statement, saying it had uncovered strong evidence that US special forces troops had killed civilians in the incident.

The Beast interviewed several Somali intelligence officials and other people familiar with the case, and found bullet casings from US weapons -- apparently undermining the US claim that its troops were only in a supporting role.

Pentagon spokeswoman Major Audricia Harris said investigators would have looked at information "from all available sources," including other agencies, partner governments and nongovernmental organizations.
Reza Zarrab (C), shown in this December 2013 file photo, was to go on trial in a Manhattan federal court but is now the prosecution's star witness

A Turkish-Iranian gold trader paid millions of dollars in bribes to Ankara's former economy minister to facilitate illegal gold transactions with sanctions-hit Iran, the trader testified on Wednesday.

Reza Zarrab had been due to go on trial Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, but the prosecution made clear that Zarrab was, instead, their star witness.

The lone man in the dock is now Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, accused of violating sanctions against Iran, bribery and money laundering.

The case has provoked the ire of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, further straining ties between NATO allies Washington and Ankara.

Analysts believe revelations in the trial could implicate Turks close to Erdogan. Ankara had demanded for months that Zarrab be freed to avoid the trial.

Turkey has alleged the case is a conspiracy by the movement run by Pennsylvania-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for a coup attempt against Erdogan last year.

Zarrab, 34, testified that he met Turkey's former economy minister, Zafer Caglayan, in 2012 as Zarrab sought to establish himself as the prime intermediary in lucrative gold traffic involving Turkish and Iranian banks.

The gold-for-oil operation enabled Iran to use revenue from its oil sales for payments on global markets despite the prohibition against US banks doing business with Tehran.

Caglayan offered to help Zarrab become the principal go-between for the Turkish public bank Halkbank, Zarrab testified, wearing beige prison garb.

"I can help with this provided there is a profit share of 50-50," Caglayan said, according to Zarrab's testimony.

At the time Zarrab was best known in Turkey for his lavish lifestyle as well as his wife, the famous Turkish singer Ebru Gundes.

Zarrab told the court he paid 45 to 50 million euros ($53.5 to $59.4 million) plus approximately $7 million in bribes to the minister between March 2012 and March the following year.

- Wide-ranging corruption -

The defendant, Attila, is deputy chief executive of Halkbank.

Zafer Caglayan has been charged by US authorities in connection with alleged transactions violating sanctions against Iran, but remains on the run

Caglayan resigned from the Turkish government at the end of 2013 during a wide-ranging Turkish corruption scandal that saw Erdogan, then prime minister, replace nearly half his cabinet as his own hold on power was threatened.

In 2015, Turkey's parliament voted against putting Caglayan and three other ex-ministers on trial on accusations of bribery and influence-peddling.

They were accused of receiving bribes from Zarrab to facilitate UN sanctions-busting trade with Iran and other deals.

US authorities, however, in September this year charged Caglayan and eight other people with carrying out hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions benefitting Iran and Iranian entities in violation of US sanctions.

Caglayan remains on the run, and Attila is the only one of the nine currently on trial.

Zarrab testified on Wednesday that Attila helped to doctor the trade so that the Iranian origin of the funds would be undetectable by US banks.

His testimony is scheduled to continue on Thursday, with a possible cross-examination from the defense on Friday.

Defense lawyer Victor Rocco warned Tuesday that he intends to discredit Zarrab, dubbing him a "liar" and corruption expert who was looking to bribe his US guards.

Zarrab confirmed Wednesday that he tried to bribe his guards in exchange for alcohol and a cell phone.
Saad Hariri has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain prime minister, demanding that Hezbollah respect a policy of non-interference in regional conflicts

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri flew Wednesday night to Paris for a family visit, a source close to him said.

"He left half an hour ago and will spend a few days with his family in Paris," said the source.

Hariri's shock resignation announcement from Saudi Arabia early this month, followed by a lengthy stay in Riyadh, had prompted speculation that he had been forced to quit and was not free to travel.

He headed to the French capital at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron before returning to Lebanon last week.

The next day, at Lebanese President Michel Aoun's request, he agreed to suspend his decision to resign pending talks on the political situation.

Some analysts described his departure for France as an "exfiltration" by Paris.

Hariri announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, citing Iran's "grip" on his country and threats to his life.

In a speech broadcast by the Al-Arabiya news network, he accused Tehran of "creating a state within a state" and blasted its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah.

Iran rejected what it called "unfounded accusations".

Hariri has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain prime minister, demanding that Hezbollah respect a policy of non-interference in regional conflicts.

The Lebanese Shiite movement has fought on the side of the Iran-backed regime in neighbouring Syria.
Olof Skoog, chairman of the UN Security Council's working group on children and armed conflict, said armed groups including rebel factions were not implementing international regulations on children in conflict

The United Nations said Wednesday that some armed groups fighting in Sudan still deploy child soldiers, but acknowledged Khartoum's efforts to prevent child recruitment into its forces.

Olof Skoog, chairman of the UN Security Council's working group on children and armed conflict, said armed groups including rebel factions were not implementing international regulations on children in conflict.

"We have made very strong appeals to the armed groups that they fully subscribe to international law when it comes to respecting children," Skoog told reporters in Khartoum during a trip by the working group to Sudan.

He said getting information on children in Sudan's conflict zones of South Kordofan and Blue Nile was particularly difficult, but that his group had met former child fighters who painted a worrying picture.

"They have told me that they know of some other children who are still locked into these armed groups and with the rebel groups," he said.

"I can't give you any number but that makes me worried."

Children caught in conflicts faced grave violations such as killing, maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and abductions, Skoog said.

He said Khartoum had made efforts to prevent recruitment of children into its armed forces since it signed an "action plan" with the UN in March 2016 to prohibit such recruitment.

Some rebel groups also had signed the plan but have failed to implement it fully, Skoog said.

"In spite of action plans signed by some of these groups, there are or have been... child soldiers deployed, which is a clear violation of their commitments," he said.

Skoog urged Khartoum to ensure that children who have given up arms be quickly reintegrated into society.

Last year Sudan freed 21 child soldiers who were captured in Darfur in 2015 during fighting between government forces and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement group.

"In any conflict children are the worst off, unfortunately that has been the case... in Sudan," Skoog said.
Cell phone privacy: the US Supreme Court is hearing a landmark case on whether location data collected by phone companies is protected by privacy laws

Where do we go? Who do we talk to? What do we read about?

Our mobile phones are troves of personal, private information, and the US Supreme Court weighed Wednesday how easily police should be able to get it.

In a case seen as a landmark for privacy protection in the digital age, the court heard arguments over whether, police have the right to obtain the location data of a person's phone from providers without a search warrant.

During the hearing, most of the high court's nine justices appeared deeply concerned about how phone companies can track a person's movements via their device and hand that information, sometimes going back years, to police when asked.

Civil libertarians say that information is protected by the US Constitution.

But law enforcement officials say the location data transmitted from a phone to a cell tower has been essentially made public and handed over to a third party, giving up any claim the owner might have to privacy.

The specific case involves Timothy Carpenter, who was tracked down and convicted of theft in 2011 after the police obtained some 12,898 cell tower location points for Carpenter's device over four months from phone companies.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor appeared to agree with the pro-privacy advocates.

The cell phone "is an appendage now for some people," she noted.

"Right now we're only talking about the cell site records, but as I understand it, a cell phone can be pinged in your bedroom. It can be pinged at your doctor's office. It can ping you in the most intimate details of your life -- presumably at some point even in a dressing room as you're undressing."

- Constitutional test case -

The US Constitution's Fourth Amendment guarantees the privacy of citizens from "unreasonable searches and seizures," and says police must obtain warrants based on "probable cause" if they want to search a suspect's "persons, houses, papers, and effects."

Parties on both sides of the case agree that the law did not anticipate an era in which everyone relies on a cell phone and technology providers can amass data on a person via those phones.

Nathan Wessler, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union representing Carpenter, said the police collection of the phone location data constituted a "search" that required a warrant.

"The concern here is with the privacy invasion, which is quite severe over the long term, over these more than four months of data," he told the court.

But the government argues that the location data is not like tapping a phone conversation, which is illegal without a warrant.

"We're dealing here with routing information. We're not dealing with the contents of communications," argued Michael Dreeben, deputy solicitor general for the Department of Justice.

He argued that giving up the information is a voluntary act by the cell phone user, and so it is not protected.

"There is an element here of voluntariness in deciding to contract with a cell company, just like there's an element of voluntariness in getting a landline phone and making a call," Dreeben told the court.

- Implications for private data -

The case has much broader implications than cell phone location data, experts say.

Today, a huge amount of information from people's lives is held by "third parties": personal files stored in the internet cloud, information from home electronics collected by the makers of those appliances, and communications sent via cell phones and the internet.

"The advance of technology means that information you used to store in your desk drawer is now stored somewhere with third parties," said Greg Nojeim of the Center for Democracy & Technology.

To get information in a drawer, he noted, police would have to ask the court for a warrant.

The Supreme Court will likely make a decision on the case before the end of its current term in June 2018.
SEATTLE (AP) - A Washington state energy panel voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend that Gov. Jay Inslee reject a massive oil-by-rail terminal proposed along the Columbia River.

The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, which has been evaluating the project since 2013, said developers had not met their burden to show that the proposed port of Vancouver site was acceptable.

The panel will forward its recommendation to Inslee by Dec. 29. The Democratic governor will have 60 days to make a final decision.

FILE--This Oct. 3, 2002, file photo shows a tugboat maneuvering through waiting freighters on the Columbia River near the Port of Vancouver in Vancouver, Wash. A state energy panel has unanimously voted to recommend disapproving a massive oil-by-rail terminal proposed along the Columbia River in Vancouver, Wash. (AP Photo/Don Ryan,File)

The Vancouver Energy terminal, a joint venture of Tesoro Corp. and Savage Cos., would receive about 360,000 barrels of crude oil a day by trains at the port of Vancouver. Oil would temporarily be stored on site and then loaded onto tankers and ships bound for West Coast refineries.

Vancouver Energy said in an emailed statement Tuesday that it was extremely disappointed. The panel "has set an impossible standard for new energy facilities based on the risk of incidents that the Final Environmental Impact Statement characterizes as extremely unlikely," said Jeff Hymas, a Vancouver Energy spokesman.

Roselyn Marcus, interim chair of the council, presided over the meeting in Olympia that lasted about 10 minutes.

She noted that the council weighed more than 250,000 public comments in "probably the longest process in this council's history with issues of great significance that have never been faced by this council before."

Marcus said state law requires project applicants to prove that the needs and benefits of the facility at the proposed site outweigh the negative impacts to the broad public interest.

Developers have said the terminal is needed to bring crude oil from North Dakota and other areas to a western U.S. port to meet growing fuel demands and future energy needs. They've argued that it could be built safely and would secure a reliable supply of energy for the state.

Tribes, environmental groups and municipalities such as the city of Vancouver lined up against the project.

Opponents argued that the terminal would mostly benefit the energy needs of California - and potentially overseas markets in the future - while exposing Washington communities to all the public safety and environmental risks.

"The entire region is looking to Governor Inslee, now, to follow EFSEC's lead," Rebecca Ponzio, director of the Stand Up to Oil Campaign, said in a statement. "We trust him to get this right," she added.

An environmental study released last week found that the project poses a potential risk of oil spills, train accidents and longer emergency response times due to road traffic. Many of the risks could be decreased with certain mitigation measures, but the study outlined four areas where it said the impacts are significant and cannot be avoided.

It identified those risks as train accidents, emergency response delays, negative impacts on low-income communities and the possibility that an earthquake would damage the facility's dock and cause an oil spill.

While the "likelihood of occurrence of the potential for oil spills may be low, the consequences of the events could be severe," the study said.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the dispute over leadership of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (all times local):

6:45 p.m.

Lawyers for a woman who argues she's the rightful acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are exploring their legal options now that a judge has declined to block the man President Donald Trump picked for the job.

From left, Leandra English, who was elevated to interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by its outgoing director, meets with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to discuss the fight for control of the U.S. consumer watchdog's fate after President Donald Trump chose White House budget director Mick Mulvaney for the same post, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Lawyer Deepak Gupta says he's "going to have to explore the options" with bureau deputy director Leandra English. He says their options include asking the judge for a final decision on the merits of the case.

Judge Timothy Kelly on Tuesday declined to stop the Republican president from putting budget director Mick Mulvaney in place as the bureau's acting director.

The White House says Mulvaney will take over on an interim basis.

Mulvaney and English each claimed to be acting director, citing different federal laws. The leadership crisis developed over the weekend after Director Richard Cordray resigned and appointed English as his successor.

___

5:40 p.m.

A White House spokesman is applauding a court ruling in favor of President Donald Trump's effort to appoint the acting head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah says Tuesday that the decision "provides further support for the President's rightful authority" to tap Mick Mulvaney, currently the White House's budget director.

He adds that it is "time for the Democrats to stop enabling this brazen political stunt by a rogue employee."

In a ruling from the bench Tuesday afternoon, Judge Timothy Kelly declined to stop on an emergency basis the president from making Mulvaney the bureau's acting director.

In doing so, the judge ruled against Leandra English, the bureau's deputy director. English had requested an emergency restraining order to stop Mulvaney from becoming acting director, claiming the position was rightfully hers.

___

5:05 p.m.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of President Donald Trump in his effort to appoint the acting head of nation's top financial watchdog agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In a ruling from the bench Tuesday afternoon, Judge Timothy Kelly declined to stop on an emergency basis the president from putting in place Mick Mulvaney, currently the White House's budget director. In doing so, Kelly ruled against Leandra English, the CFPB's deputy director. English had requested an emergency restraining order to stop Mulvaney from becoming the acting director of the bureau.

The leadership of the bureau had been thrown into chaos over the weekend after its permanent director, Richard Cordray, resigned and appointed English as his successor. Both Mulvaney and English claimed to be the rightful acting director.
A Canadian man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a massive breach at Yahoo! that authorities say was directed by two Russian intelligence agents and affected at least a half billion user accounts.

Karim Baratov appeared in a jail jumpsuit before a federal judge and entered the pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and eight counts of aggravated identity theft.

He gave 'yes' and 'no' answers to questions from the judge about his pleas but said nothing more.

He is scheduled for sentencing on February 20.

Karim Baratov (above), a Canadian man, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a massive breach at Yahoo! that authorities say was directed by two Russian intelligence agents and affected at least a half billion user accounts

Baratov appeared in a jail jumpsuit before a federal judge and entered the pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and eight counts of aggravated identity theft

US law enforcement officials call the 22-year-old Baratov a 'hacker-for-hire' and say as part of his plea deal, he acknowledged hacking more than 11,000 web mail accounts on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, and other customers from around 2010 until his March arrest.

Outside court Tuesday, Baratov's attorneys said their client hacked only eight accounts for the Russians and did not know that he was working for Russian agents connected to the Yahoo! breach.

Baratov was arrested in Hamilton, Ontario, and later agreed to forego an extradition hearing and face the US charges.

'He's been transparent and forthright with the government since he got here,' said one of his attorneys, Andrew Mancilla.

Baratov's attorneys said their client hacked only eight accounts for the Russians and did not know that he was working for Russian agents connected to the Yahoo! breach

The Russian agents, Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin, used the information they stole from Yahoo! to spy on Russian journalists, US and Russian government officials and employees of financial services and other private businesses, according to prosecutors. The Kremlin is seen above in Moscow

The Russian agents, Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin, used the information they stole from Yahoo! to spy on Russian journalists, US and Russian government officials and employees of financial services and other private businesses, according to prosecutors.

Dokuchaev, Sushchin and a third Russian national, Alexsey Belan, were also named in the indictment filed in February, though it's not clear whether they will ever set foot in an American courtroom since there's no extradition treaty with the Kremlin.

Though the US government had previously charged individual Russian hackers with cybercrime - as well as hackers directly linked to the Chinese and Iranian governments - this was the first criminal case to name as defendants sitting members of the FSB for hacking charges, the Justice Department said.

Yahoo user accounts began being compromised at least as early as 2014.

Dokuchaev and Sushchin turned to Baratov after learning that one of their targets had accounts at webmail providers other than Yahoo, prosecutors said.
KOULIKORO, Mali (AP) - Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel urged his European Union counterparts on Tuesday to work more closely with Africa on tackling shared migration and security challenges at the root by helping African people improve their lives.

On a stopover in Mali on his way to an EU-Africa summit in the Ivory Coast, Michel told The Associated Press that by investing in development aid and helping to provide security in Africa "we are also working for development and security in Europe."

Michel believes that he and the younger generation of European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who were traveling with him to the summit, have an opportunity to put Africa-EU relations on a new footing.

Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel, 2nd left, and Belgium's Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo talk with Malinese recruits as they visit the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

"I come from a generation that sees Africa as a partner," Michel said. "There is no more room in our generation for nostalgia about the past or a sense of guilt. What counts for us is the capacity to be efficient, pragmatic, in a win-win strategy that serves our mutual interests."

One of those challenges the EU wants to face is migration.

Each year, tens of thousands of Africans travel north through conflict-torn Libya hoping to find better lives in Europe. Around 3,000 die or go missing annually in desperate attempts to cross the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats.

To dissuade people from leaving, the EU has been sealing agreements with Libya's neighbors, pouring money and security and border control know-how into some of the poorest countries on the African continent hoping to cut the migrant flow off at its source.

Niger has been a success story. But as the borders tighten there, poor and conflict-wracked Mali has become an attractive secondary route for those desperate enough to risk their lives crossing the deserts of Algeria to the coast there or in Tunisia next door.

"We know that Mali and the entire Sahel region is an open door to the European Union," Michel said during a visit to an EU-run training facility for Malian soldiers in Koulikoro, some 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of the capital of Bamako.

But tackling migration with these countries is a sensitive task. Few migrants from Mali are keen to return, and the government is happy to welcome the significant sums of money sent into the country by Malians living abroad.

As in much of Africa, Mali's population is set to explode. Forecasts suggest it will grow from around 17 million now to more than 40 million by 2050, meaning the migratory pressures are unlikely to ease soon without significant help.

Beyond population growth, and the impact of climate change, Mali has been wracked by an Islamic insurgency for five years. Four U.N. peacekeepers and a Malian soldier were killed and 21 others injured in two attacks on peacekeepers near the Niger border last week.

"We have seen that no country can escape the dangers of international terrorism," Michel said after he and Bettel watched Mali army recruits using old Russian-made weapons going through their paces in a house-clearing exercise.

"We need to work together in Europe, to share information among our intelligence services," Michel said. "But we also need to attack a number of sources that are the starting point for attacks that destabilize this entire region. We have to stand alongside the people of Mali."

Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel, left, and Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, center, smile as they visit the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, left, talks with Malinese recruits as he visits the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. Bettel and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel, rear center right, and Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, rear center left, pose with Malinese recruits as they visit the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

A Belgian soldier guards the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp during a visit of Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Malinese recruits practise at the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp during a visit of Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Malinese recruits practise at the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) camp during a visit of Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxemburg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, in Koulikoro, Mali, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The two leaders are in Mali to promote security and development cooperation on their way to an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance at a fundraiser for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's campaign for governor (all times local):

7:30 p.m.

Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance at a fundraising event for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's campaign has drawn dozens of protesters and a smaller crowd of counterprotesters.

The groups gathered Tuesday evening on opposite sides of the street leading to the Kansas City-area hotel where the fundraiser was being held.

More than 40 of them were protesting Trump Jr., President Donald Trump and Kobach. They held signs with such phrases as, "Liars Club Meeting Here Tonight."

Retired teacher Al Frisby of Merriam was critical of Kobach's push for tough voter ID laws and sees them as suppressing the vote.

Across the street, about a dozen pro-Trump and pro-Kobach counterprotesters gathered, holding a banner supporting the president.

Computer programmer Daniel Cossins said the group likes Kobach's tough stance against illegal immigration.

___

3 p.m.

Donald Trump Jr. is doing a fundraiser for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's campaign for governor.

The event Tuesday evening at a Kansas City-area hotel highlights how Kobach has closer ties to the president than any fellow Republican in the crowded race.

Kobach has advised the White House and serves as vice chairman of a presidential commission on election fraud. His campaign for governor has sounded themes similar to those Trump senior emphasized in his presidential run last year.

The elder Trump carried Kansas by 20 percentage points, but Democrats hope to make inroads into the state's all-GOP congressional delegation next year by attacking the president and appealing to disaffected Republican moderates.

Yet Kobach's solid base on the right could be enough to win the August 2018 GOP primary.
AMHERST, S.D. (AP) - A federal agency says a leak in TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone oil pipeline in South Dakota likely was caused by damage during construction in 2008.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a corrective action report Tuesday on the estimated 210,000-gallon oil spill. The report says a weight installed on the pipeline nearly a decade ago may have damaged the pipeline and coating.

According to the report, weights are placed on the pipeline in areas "where water could potentially result in buoyancy concerns."

TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper said the company has been working cooperatively with the federal agency and has begun "a safe, controlled and gradual startup" of the pipeline. Cooper says that process will continue over the next couple of days.

South Dakota officials don't believe the leak polluted any surface water bodies or drinking water systems. The company disclosed the buried pipeline leak on agricultural land in Marshall County on Nov. 16.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a fundraiser Tuesday evening for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's campaign for governor, highlighting how Kobach has closer ties to the president than any fellow Republican in the crowded race.

Kobach is advising the White House and is serving as vice chairman of a presidential commission on election fraud, boosting his national profile as an advocate of tough voter ID and immigration policies. His early campaign for governor has sounded themes similar to those President Donald Trump emphasized last year on the campaign trail.

He sounded those themes again during a brief speech at a dinner for about 400 people, followed by an informal conversation with the younger Trump, both of them seated at a table on a stage. Trump Jr. reminisced about his father, criticized news organizations and political correctness and talked about what he saw as his father's appeal as a "blue-collar billionaire."

Donald Trump Jr., right, and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach shake hands during a fundraiser for Kobach's campaign for governor Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

"I think he's actually given conservatives the ability to actually to feel free to speak up again," the younger Trump said.

The elder Trump carried Kansas by 20 percentage points, but Democrats hope to make inroads into the state's all-GOP congressional delegation next year by attacking the president's policies and appealing to disaffected Republican moderates. Kobach's solid base on the right could be enough to win the August 2018 GOP primary, particularly with a large field.

"He's basically the Trump candidate," said Daniel Cossins, a 20-year-old computer programmer from the town of Spring Hill, on the south edge of the Kansas City area. He called Kobach's ties to Trump "a big boost for him."

Ten other Republicans have formed campaign committees. They include Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is waiting to take over for term-limited GOP Gov. Sam Brownback following Brownback's nomination by the president for an ambassador post.

Kobach supporters were paying $150 or $200 a plate at the dinner. Tickets to a VIP reception with the president's eldest son beforehand cost $1,000, with about 120 people attending.

Kobach said the event raised at least $100,000 for his campaign and focused Republicans' attention to the governor's race early.

"I think the fact that he's (Donald Trump Jr.'s) spending his time in Kansas shows that he views this race as an important enough one to get a true conservative in the office," Kobach said in an interview.

The event also drew more than 40 protesters to the corner of a street leading into the hotel in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park where the fundraiser was held. They held signs with slogans such as "Save Our State" and "Liars Club Meeting Here Tonight." They were protesting not only Kobach, but President Donald Trump and his eldest son and the Trump administration's policies.

Al Frisby, a 71-year-old retired teacher and Democrat from the Kansas City suburb of Merriam, said he's most concerned about Kobach's advocacy of tough voter ID laws, which he views as voter suppression. He called Kobach "an evil person."

"We need to get rid of him. We don't want him for our governor," said Frisby, the local county chairman for the liberal group MoveOn, acknowledging that Kobach's affiliation with the Trumps probably helps him because Kansas is "red to the bone."

Cossins was part of a group of about a dozen young counter-protesters on the opposite side of the street, holding a pro-Trump banner. Cossins wore the red "Make America Great Again" cap associated with the elder Trump's presidential campaign. He likes Kobach's advocacy of tough policies against illegal immigration.

"He understands his market, and he courts his market," said state Rep. Stephanie Clayton, a moderate Overland Park Republican who dislikes Kobach. "He is very clear on who he is and what his identity is."

Kobach was the most prominent state official to endorse the elder Trump before the state's presidential caucuses in March 2016 and has said he met the president's son through a mutual friend. Kobach advised the campaign on issues such as illegal immigration, publicly proposing a way for the U.S. to force Mexico to pay for a wall along their border.

Two other Republican candidates, former state Sen. Jim Barnett, a Topeka physician, and former state Rep. Ed O'Malley, who founded a Wichita leadership center, criticized Kobach ahead of the fundraiser. O'Malley said the event showed Kobach wants to "hobnob" with the president's son and "isn't really interested in Kansas," an assertion Kobach called "ridiculous."

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Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach addresses the crowd during a fundraiser for his campaign for governor featuring Donald Trump Jr., Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Donald Trump Jr., left, and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach talk during a fundraiser for Kobach's campaign for governor Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Donald Trump Jr., left, and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach talks during a fundraiser for Kobach's campaign for governor Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A recent college graduate who was charged in four slayings that terrorized a Tampa neighborhood over the past 51 days used the same gun in all of the shootings and targeted people near bus stops with "no apparent motive," a police chief said Wednesday.

The crack in the case came Tuesday when Howell Emanuel Donaldson, 24, brought a bag with a loaded handgun in it to his job at a McDonald's and asked a co-worker to hold it while he went across the street, authorities said. Restaurant workers thought that was odd and when Donaldson left, they reported the gun to a police officer who was doing paperwork there, setting off an investigation that linked Donaldson to the shootings. Aside from matching shell casings at the shootings, authorities said location data from Donaldson's cellphone put him at the scene of at least three of the killings.

"The gun is what we needed," Police Chief Brian Dugan said at a news conference surrounded by family members of the victims.

This booking photo provided by the Tampa Police Department, Fla., on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, shows Howell Emanuel Donaldson. Donaldson, the suspect in a string of four slayings that terrorized a Tampa neighborhood was arrested after he brought a loaded gun to his job at a McDonald's and asked a co-worker to hold it, authorities said. (Tampa Police Department via AP)

The arrest overnight brought relief to an anxious community worried about a serial killer. The first shooting happened Oct. 9, followed by two more shooting deaths. By Halloween, the fear was so great that police escorted children while trick-or-treating. The fourth killing happened earlier this month.

"We had a community that was on edge," Mayor Bob Buckhorn said. "Today the light shines. The darkness is over. This community begins the healing process."

Donaldson did not live in the Seminole Heights neighborhood where the shootings occurred and told investigators he was unfamiliar with it. Arrest records don't list an attorney and the police chief said he didn't know if he had a lawyer yet. He's scheduled for a first appearance hearing on Thursday.

Donaldson graduated from St. John's University in New York in January 2017, according to school spokesman Brian Browne. He was a walk-on for the men's basketball team during the 2011-12 season, but never played in a game, Browne said.

After graduating, he worked in customer support at the Ultimate Medical Academy, a school that trains workers for health care jobs. He started there Feb. 13 and worked for about three months before he was fired for absenteeism. The academy said he passed a background check before he was hired.

His LinkedIn account also listed a job as a "guest experience host" for the New York Mets in 2016. The Mets would neither confirm nor deny that he was employed by them.

Police in New York said Donaldson had been arrested in May 2014, but the arrest was sealed and no details were available. Authorities there said they review cold cases to see if Donaldson could be linked to any crimes there.

He was a crew chief at the McDonald's when he was arrested. The tip that led police to him came from one of his co-workers at an Ybor City McDonalds, which is near the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Donaldson asked an employee at the restaurant to hold a bag with a .40-caliber gun while he went to a nearby business to get a payday loan, according to an arrest report.

The employee told her manager about the gun and the manager alerted a Tampa police officer at a table in the restaurant.

When Donaldson returned to the McDonald's, police were waiting.

"The person who called us, I cannot thank them enough for standing up and doing the right thing," the chief said.

Donaldson bought the gun and a 20-round box of bullets from Shooter's World in Tampa on Oct. 3. He picked it up after the four-day waiting period and the first killing happened two days after that.

Detective Austin Hill wrote in a police report that Donaldson told investigators "no one, except for himself had control of the Glock firearm since his purchase."

Authorities said a search of Donaldson's cellphone found location data that indicated three days of recorded times and activities corresponding with the first three shootings on Oct. 9, Oct. 11 and Oct. 19.

The arrest report said police found clothing inside Donaldson's car that was similar to what was worn by a person spotted in surveillance video taken the night of the first shooting.

The police chief said authorities have not been able to determine why Donaldson chose the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Residents and police had been on edge since Oct. 9, when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death.

On Oct. 11, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa, was slain. And on Oct. 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job. On Nov. 14, 60-year-old Ronald Felton was killed.

All of the October victims were either getting on or off a city bus, or were at a bus stop when they were shot, police said.

Dugan said the department had received more than 5,000 tips. He thanked those who called in the tip that led to Donaldson's arrest.

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Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner and writers Freida Frisaro in Miami, Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale and Colleen Long in New York contributed to this report.

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An earlier version of this report had an incorrect spelling for the name of the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, center, along with Mayor Bob Buckhorn, right, announce that they intend to charge Howell Emanuel Donaldson, 24, with four counts of first degree murder in connection with the Seminole Heights homicides, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police detained the man earlier Tuesday after a tip that he had a gun at a McDonald's. Four people have been killed in the neighborhood since Oct. 9. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan holds a news conference in a parking lot behind the Ybor City McDonalds on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police were questioning an employee at the McDonald's in Ybor City about a gun he brought to the restaurant. Dugan said this development could be connected to the investigation into the Seminole Heights murders. (Octavio Jones/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan holds a news conference in a parking lot behind the Ybor City McDonalds on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police were questioning an employee at the McDonald's in Ybor City about a gun he brought to the restaurant. Dugan said this development could be connected to the investigation into the Seminole Heights murders. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
BAGHDAD (AP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May made a surprise visit to Iraq on Wednesday, meeting her Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad as the war against the Islamic State group there winds down.

Iraq's government released footage of May arriving in Baghdad, greeted by an honor guard, to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on her first trip to Iraq as prime minister.

May is to visit Saudi Arabia for talks later Wednesday with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi shakes hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP)

The Islamic State group has been driven out of the last town it held in Iraq and has lost its self-described capital in Syria in recent weeks.

"In Iraq, we are working together to defeat Daesh and my visit comes at a critical moment as we see the caliphate collapsing with the fall of Mosul and Raqqa," May told journalists, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group.

"We want to ensure that Iraq can in the future provide that strong, stable and unified state that can provide the security, jobs and opportunities that all Iraqis want and deserve," she added.

Al-Abadi later said May's visit showed Britain's "support and help" in fighting the Islamic State group. Some 600 British troops are deployed to the country.

"Iraq is about to enter a new stage of rebuilding, reconstruction and investment," al-Haider said. "Today, we discussed with the prime minister the strengthening of economic and commercial ties between the two countries."

May also visited Camp Taji, a coalition base north of Baghdad, where around 80 British troops are currently based.

In Saudi Arabia, May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A U.N.-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida on Tuesday.

"We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida," May said Tuesday. "Obviously that is an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a Nov. 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The kingdom said it intercepted the missile, the deepest yet to penetrate the country.

Under intense international pressure, Saudi Arabia later promised it would reopen the ports for humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The war has killed over 10,000 civilians, displaced 3 million people and left much of the infrastructure in ruins.

May has faced increasingly calls to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid the conflict, which has seen kingdom-led airstrikes kill hundreds of civilians. Britain has licensed $4.4 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the war began.

May's visit seeking out Crown Prince Mohammed comes as the 32-year-old son of King Salman now appears to hold the levers of power in Saudi Arabia. French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to the kingdom earlier this month as well, to see the young royal.

In recent weeks, the crown prince led what the kingdom described as an anti-corruption campaign, arresting prominent princes, business leaders, military officials and others. He also was the architect of the kingdom's war in Yemen, which has been at a stalemate for months.

May also will visit Jordan and meet with King Abdullah II on her trip.

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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and British Prime Minister Theresa May hold a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office via AP)
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister says he is discussing with his government how to help thousands of Australian holidaymakers stranded by volcanic smoke on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Australians account for more than one in four of the international tourists who flock to the island, so ash spewing from Mount Agung that has grounded local aircraft has also created chaos at Australian airports.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday urged Australians who cannot leave Bali's airport to contact the local Australian Consulate.

Jayson Westbury, chief executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, predicted that Australian tourists would return to Bali in large numbers as soon as the smoke cleared.

Australians largely abandoned Bali for almost two years after 2002 when bomb blasts killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
BEIRUT (AP) - Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince relies on a small core group of advisers, none more provocative than Thamer al-Sabhan, the fiercely anti-Iran government official whose fingerprints were on the hurried and ultimately unsuccessful resignation of Lebanon's prime minister earlier this month.

As Saudi minister for Gulf affairs, al-Sabhan has a hand in helping shape the kingdom's high-stakes gambles to counter rival Iran.

For days before Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's surprise resignation, which the kingdom is widely believed to have orchestrated, al-Sabhan issued threats against Lebanon's government as well as Iran and its ally Hezbollah via Twitter, unnerving many Lebanese who feared being dragged yet again into the forefront of the Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy.

In this photo released on Aug. 26, 2017 by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, right, meets with Saudi Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan, left, in Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Sabhan has been one of his country's most prominent and provocative figures when it comes to the confrontation between the kingdom and its archrival Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. (Dalati Nohra via AP)

Three months earlier, al-Sabhan had been sent to Beirut to meet with Hariri and deliver a blunt warning against concessions that could favor Iran's allies in Lebanon.

Hariri's resignation, announced from Riyadh on Nov. 4 on a Saudi-owned TV station, seemed to confirm fears that the kingdom's rivalry with Iran could destabilize yet another country in the region, this time Lebanon's delicate power-sharing system. Mediation by France, a close ally of both Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, helped reverse the resignation, which Hariri suspended after his return to Beirut.

Though Saudi Arabia may have succeeded in pressuring Hezbollah and bringing attention to the Shiite militant group's expanding regional footprint, the kingdom's political moves in Lebanon were largely seen as a debacle that backfired.

The 50-year-old al-Sabhan was at the center of it all.

Al-Sabhan travelled in March to Washington with Mohammed bin Salman, who in July was named crown prince and heir to the Saudi throne. It was a pivotal visit that would cement Riyadh's relationship with the newly inaugurated President Donald Trump.

A subsequent trip to Washington earlier this month, however, didn't go as well. Days after Hariri's resignation, al-Sabhan met with officials from the State Department, Pentagon and the White House National Security Council.

Instead of raising support for the resignation, al-Sabhan was given an earful from U.S. officials who chided him and pressed him to stop his provocative tweets, according to Arab media reports and a person privy to the meeting's outcome, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the encounter. They also asked who gave al-Sabhan the right to undermine Lebanon's stability at a time when Washington was backing the Lebanese armed forces and the country was hosting more than a million Syrian refugees.

The 32-year-old Saudi crown prince's hawkish policies toward Iran are largely embodied and amplified in al-Sabhan. Nowhere is that spelled out more clearly than on Twitter, where al-Sabhan has referred to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah - which means "Party of God" in Arabic - as the "Party of Satan."

A few days before Hariri's resignation, al-Sabhan warned in an interview with a Lebanese TV station that there would be "astonishing" developments to topple the Shiite militant group in Lebanon. He also said that Lebanon's government - headed by Hariri - would be dealt with as a hostile government that's declared war against Saudi Arabia because of Hezbollah's power-sharing role.

"It is up to (Lebanon's) leaders to decide whether it is a state of terror or peace," al-Sabhan wrote on Twitter two days after Hariri's resignation.

Al-Sabhan, who as Saudi Arabia's military attache in Lebanon in 2014 and 2015 monitored Hezbollah, was fed information by some Lebanese politicians about the group's role in the Syrian civil war, according to a Lebanese man who frequently spoke with al-Sabhan during his time in Beirut.

Al-Sabhan would often chat with politicians, journalists and businessmen at a cafe in Beirut's upscale Verdun neighborhood, said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

"He is a tightlipped person. He listens more than he talks," the Lebanese man said.

After his stint in Lebanon, al-Sabhan was appointed Saudi Arabia's first ambassador to Iraq in more than 25 years.

But just nine months into the job, Iraq's government demanded that al-Sabhan be replaced after he sparked an outcry for alleging the government refused to provide him better protection in the face of what he claimed were plans by Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups to assassinate him. He also called on Iraq's government to exclude Shiite paramilitary groups from the military campaign against the Islamic State group.

Al-Sabhan was recalled and appointed to his current ministerial post, where he has used Twitter to vocalize the kingdom's brash anti-Iran rhetoric.

He's also been sent on missions far and wide. He was spotted last month in the Syrian city of Raqqa with a U.S. official after the Islamic State group's de facto capital was recaptured by Syrian U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led forces.

In Saudi Arabia, al-Sabhan has sat in on high-level meetings and welcomed Lebanon's Maronite patriarch when he visited the conservative Sunni Muslim country in a first ever such trip. He was also present at the patriarch's meeting with King Salman.

Al-Sabhan has also sat in on the king's meeting with Turkey's foreign minister in June, the crown prince's meeting in August with influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and meetings with Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

On Twitter, al-Sabhan has openly tried to call the shots in Lebanon, demanding that Hezbollah be kicked out of the government and calling on the Lebanese to confront the militant group. He even got into a Twitter spat with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.

In one of the Hezbollah leader's speeches, he described al-Sabhan as "zaatout," a derogatory Arabic term that means variously "little monkey with lots of hair" or an "adult who behaves like a child."

Al-Sabhan responded with a tweet of his own. "If an incompetent man criticizes me, this is proof that I am a whole man," he wrote.

Former Lebanese Cabinet Minister Wiam Wahhab, a Hezbollah ally, described al-Sabhan in a television interview as a "monster on the loose."

"I hope that Thamer al-Sabhan paid the price for such militia-style behavior," he said.

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Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.

In this photo released on Oct. 28, 2016 by Lebanon's official government photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, left, shakes hands with Saudi Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan, right, in Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Sabhan has been one of his country's most prominent and provocative figures when it comes to the confrontation between the kingdom and its archrival Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. (Dalati Nohra via AP)
TOKYO (AP) - Experts may debate trajectories, payload weights and re-entry shields, but North Korea's claim that the entire United States is within range of its rapidly improving missiles just got a lot more credible.

Wednesday's launch of what the North called the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated a greater range than other missiles it's tested and showcased several capabilities the North must master if it were ever to actually try to unleash them at the United States.

Here is a quick look at the advancements made, the developments still to come, and the implications for the United States and its Asian allies:

A man stands in front of a huge screen showing TV news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, Wednesday's launch of what the North called the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated a greater range than other weapons it's tested and showcased several capabilities the North must master if it were ever to actually try to unleash its missiles at the United States.The Japanese letters on top reads: "Missile luanch." (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

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THE MISSILE ITSELF

According to North Korea's announcements about the launch, the Hwasong-15 can be tipped with a "super-large heavy warhead" and is capable of striking anywhere in the U.S. mainland. The North claims it reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometers (2,780 miles) and flew 950 kilometers (600 miles) from its launch site just outside of Pyongyang. It was airborne for 53 minutes before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

The launch data jibe with what foreign experts observed. U.S. scientist David Wright, a physicist who closely tracks North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, estimates the Hwasong-15 has an estimated range of more than 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles) if flown on a standard trajectory - putting Washington within reach.

Pyongyang claims the missile has significant tactical and technical improvements from the Hwasong-14 ICBM it tested in July and is the North's "most powerful" to date. KCNA also said Kim Jong Un "declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force."

The repeated claim in the announcement that North Korea has now completed its "rocket weaponry system development" is new and important. It could be bluster, but might also suggest a shift away from tests - at least of these kinds of missiles - toward production and deployment.

The North's arsenal is still a far cry from the quality and quantity of what the United States can field. The Air Force's development of the Minuteman ICBM goes back to the late 1950s. It now has about 400 of the latest version, the Minuteman III, which also has a maximum range of about 13,000 kilometers.

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HOW IT WAS LAUNCHED

The timing and location are important. It was launched in the dead of night, most likely from a mobile launcher, near the capital. That indicates the North was trying to show it can launch whenever and wherever it pleases - a capability makes it more difficult to take pre-emptive action. It's impossible to blow up a North Korean missile on the launch pad if the missile can be moved and there isn't any launch pad at all.

Interestingly, however, Japanese media reported on Tuesday their government had intercepted radio signals from the North suggesting a launch was imminent. It's not clear if that was a first, since details on such intelligence are normally not made public. But it does suggest the North's neighbors are having some success with surveillance efforts.

The trajectory of the launch is also significant. The missile was "lofted" at an extremely sharp angle and reached an altitude more than twice as high as satellites in low Earth orbit.

North Korea needs to launch toward the Pacific because it would otherwise be shooting its missiles at Russia or China - a very unwise proposition. And lofting avoids flying over Japan, which could prompt Tokyo or Japan-based U.S. missile-defense facilities to attempt an intercept, and hits open seas instead of other nations.

But lofting doesn't closely simulate conditions of a real launch. Experts can roughly gauge the range of the missile from its lofted performance, but a missile on an attack trajectory would fly a lower, flatter pattern that presents some different challenges, particularly in the crucial re-entry stage of the nuclear payload.

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SO WHAT NOW?

North Korea claimed as it always does that the test is part of its overall strategy to defend itself against Washington's "nuclear blackmail" and that its development of missiles and nuclear weapons does not pose a threat to any country "as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon." DPRK is short for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In an equally familiar manner, the move was immediately condemned in the strongest terms by Tokyo and Seoul. President Donald Trump said Washington "will handle it," while giving no indication of how or what handling it actually would mean.

Clearly, however, the problem isn't going away.

The launch broke a two-month lull in what has been a record pace of tests for the North. While some claimed that was the result of pressure from the United States and its allies, it's common for the North to re-focus its energies to farming activities during the harvest season and for its military to shift into a lower-profile mode for its winter training cycle.

North Korea still needs to conduct further missile tests, particularly of its submarine-launched missile systems, to improve its overall arsenal. But having now demonstrated what it claims to be the primary missile it needs to deter attack from the United States, Pyongyang may turn to more testing of its nuclear weapons.

So far, five of its six nuclear tests have been conducted in a series of tunnels under Mount Mantap, a 2,205 meter (7,200 foot) tall granite peak in the northeast part of the country. But Pyongyang has hinted it might attempt an atmospheric test over the Pacific Ocean.

That would be a far more provocative move than Wednesday's missile test and might prompt a military response.

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Talmadge has been the AP's Pyongynag bureau chief since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at EricTalmadge.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Latest on rulings at the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

The Croatian government is denouncing a war crimes tribunal's finding that former President Franjo Tudjman and other leaders participated in a plan to carve out a Croat mini-state in Bosnia during the 1992-95 war.

In this photo provided by the ICTY on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, Slobodan Praljak brings a bottle to his lips, during a Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Praljak yelled, "I am not a war criminal!" and appeared to drink from a small bottle, seconds after judges reconfirmed his 20-year prison sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s. (ICTY via AP)

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic says his country's leadership during the Bosnian war could "in no way be connected with the facts and interpretations" the U.N. court provided for a Wednesday appeals judgment involving six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders.

Plenkovic says such interpretations are "unacceptable."

The prime minister spoke after one of the convicted war criminals, former General Slobodan Praljak, died in a Dutch hospital after appearing before the Netherlands-based tribunal.

Praljak claimed he consumed poison after the U.N. judges upheld his 20-year sentence in the case. Plenkovic says Praljak's act reflects "the deep moral injustice toward the Croatian people."

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5:25 p.m.

A spokesman for a United Nations' war crimes court has confirmed that a former Bosnian Croat general died in a Dutch hospital shortly after drinking a liquid in a courtroom where judges had just confirmed his 20-year sentence.

Nenad Golcevski told reporters at the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia that 72-year-old Slobodan Praljak died Wednesday despite efforts to save him.

Golcevski said: "Mr. Praljak drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill. The ICTY medical staff immediately assisted Mr. Praljak. Simultaneously an ambulance was summoned. Mr. Praljak was transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical assistance, where he passed."

Praljak yelled in court that he had taken poison. The tribunal did not elaborate on the nature of the liquid he drank.

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4:35 p.m.

The Croatian prime minister has confirmed the death of a convicted Bosnian Croat war criminal, offering condolences to the man's family.

Andrej Plenkovic said at a press conference that "we have all unfortunately witnessed his act by which he took his own life."

Plenkovic says Slobodan Praljak's action reflects the "deep moral injustice" done to six Bosnian Croats whose guilty verdicts were upheld by the U.N.'s war crimes court in the Hague on Wednesday.

The 72-year-old Praljak drank from a bottle shortly after judges at the tribunal upheld his sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat mini-state in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

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3:45 p.m.

A lawyer who has frequently defended suspects at the U.N. war crimes court in the Netherlands says it would be easy to bring poison into the court.

Prominent Serbian lawyer Toma Fila told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it is "absolutely possible" to bring poison into the court in the Hague.

He says security for lawyers and other court staff "is just like at an airport."

Fila said: "They inspect metal objects, like belts, metal money, shoes, and take away mobile phones."

He added that "pills and small quantities of liquids" would not be registered.

Fila commented on the security measures after Croatia's state TV reported that a Bosnian Croat died after claiming to have taken poison at the war crimes tribunal just after his 20-year sentence was upheld.

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2:50 p.m.

Croatia's state TV says Slobodan Praljak who claimed to have taken poison just after his 20-year sentence was upheld by appeals judges at a U.N. war crimes tribunal, has died.

Dutch police will not comment on the TV report based on "sources close to Gen. Praljak."

Spokesman for the tribunal Nenad Golcevski, when asked by the AP if he could confirm the death, said: "I have no information to share at this point."

Praljak, 72, drank from a bottle shortly after appeals judges confirmed his sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

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2:40 p.m.

Slobodan Praljak who claimed to have taken poison just after his 20-year sentence was upheld by U.N. war crimes appeals judges, is a Bosnian Croat writer and film and theater director turned wartime general.

The 72-year-old is one of six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders who with significant support from neighboring Croatia turned against the Bosnian Army during the 1992-95 war, trying to establish an ethnically homogenous Croat region within Bosnia by force, just like Bosnian Serbs did in other areas with help from Serbia.

Before the war, Praljak directed in various theaters, including in Mostar where he was eventually accused of command responsibility for the destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar, one of the most striking Ottoman monuments in the Balkans, and a jewel of Bosnia's Islamic heritage.

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2:30 p.m.

A judge at the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia says that the court room where a convicted war criminal claimed to have taken poison is now being considered as a crime scene.

Slobodan Praljak drank from a bottle shortly after appeals judges confirmed his 20-year sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

The hearing was suspended, but resumed on Wednesday afternoon in a different room. Officials said Praljak, 72, is alive and receiving medical treatment.

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1:55 p.m.

Nenad Golcevski, a spokesman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia says that war crimes convict Slobodan Praljak is "still alive and is receiving medical treatment" after he claimed to have taken poison during a court hearing.

Golcevski would not confirm whether Praljak, 72, had been taken out of the tribunal building.

The hearing was suspended after the incident, but officials now say it will resume at 1315 GMT. Three defendants are still waiting to hear the results of their appeals.

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1:45 p.m.

Croatian state TV says President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic has decided to cut short an official visit to Iceland and the government is holding an emergency session after a former Bosnian Croat military chief claimed to have taken poison during a hearing at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

Slobodan Praljak appeared to drink from a small bottle Wednesday, seconds after judges reconfirmed his 20-year prison sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

Croatian officials have also denounced the U.N. judges for upholding a finding that late Croat President Franjo Tudjman was a member of a plan to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia.

Tudjman's son, Miroslav, said Praljak's move was a "consequence of his moral position not to accept the verdict that has nothing to do with justice or reality."

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1:10 p.m.

A court guard has told reporters in the lobby of the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia that defendant Slobodan Praljak is alive and "receiving medical attention" after he claimed to have taken poison in the court room.

The guard declined to give further details and did not give his name.

Praljak drank from a bottle and said it was poison shortly after the appeals judges had confirmed his 20-year sentence for involvement in crimes as Croat forces attempted to carve out a Croat ministate in Bosnia by driving Muslims from towns and villages during the 1992-95 war.

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12:25 p.m.

Dutch emergency services, police, a firetruck and an ambulance have parked outside the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and what appeared to be firefighters, some of them wearing oxygen tanks, have entered the court after one of the defendants claimed to have drunk poison.

The court building was not evacuated. A ramp that would allow a stretcher to be wheeled out was laid down the court steps.

Slobodan Praljak claimed to have taken the poison just after his 20-year sentence was upheld by appeals judges.

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11:55 a.m.

Three out of six suspects at the last case at the war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have had their sentences confirmed, although some of their convictions were overturned by appeal judges.

The hearing was suspended, however, after one of the three, Slobodan Praljak, claimed to have drunk poison and shouted that he was not a war criminal, after his 20-year sentence was upheld.

The six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders had appealed against their convictions for involvement in crimes as Croat forces attempted to carve out a Croat ministate in Bosnia by driving Muslims from towns and villages during the 1992-95 war.

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11:35 a.m.

United Nations judges have suspended an appeals hearing after one of the suspects drank from a small bottle in court and claimed to have taken poison.

Slobodan Praljak, a former commander of Bosnian Croat forces in Bosnia's 1992-95 war, drank from a small bottle or glass and yelled "I am not a war criminal" moments after judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia had confirmed his 20-year sentence on appeal Wednesday.

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9:30 a.m.

A United Nations war crimes tribunal is handing down its last judgment in an appeal by six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders who were convicted in 2013 of persecuting, expelling and murdering Muslims during Bosnia's war.

Wednesday's hearing is the final case to be completed at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia before it closes its doors next month.

The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The original conviction said that late-Croat President Franjo Tudjman was a key member of a plan to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia.

In this photo provided by the ICTY on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, Slobodan Praljak brings a bottle to his lips, during a Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Praljak yelled, "I am not a war criminal!" and appeared to drink from a small bottle, seconds after judges reconfirmed his 20-year prison sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s. (ICTY via AP)

Slobodan Praljak enters the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, to hear the verdict in the appeals case. The hearing was suspended after Praljak claimed to have drunk poison and shouted that he was not a war criminal, after his 20-year sentence was upheld. A United Nations war crimes tribunal handed down its last judgment, in an appeal by six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders who were convicted in 2013 of persecuting, expelling and murdering Muslims during Bosnia's war in the tribunal's last case. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen,Pool Photo via AP)

Bruno Stojic and Slobodan Praljak, right, enter the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, to hear the verdict in the appeals case. A United Nations war crimes tribunal is handing down its last judgment, in an appeal by six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders who were convicted in 2013 of persecuting, expelling and murdering Muslims during Bosnia's war. Wednesday's hearing is the final case to be completed at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia before it closes its doors next month. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen,Pool Photo via AP)

In this photo provided by the ICTY on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, Slobodan Praljak brings a bottle to his lips, during a Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Praljak yelled, "I am not a war criminal!" and appeared to drink from a small bottle, seconds after judges reconfirmed his 20-year prison sentence for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s. (ICTY via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - In the dead of night, North Korea test-launches its most powerful missile yet. Six minutes later, rival South Korea unleashes a barrage meant to show it will hit back - hard - if war ever comes.

The nightmare scenario, made reality again Wednesday, is terrifying and increasingly routine. Yet there are signs it might also signal something surprising: a calculated bit of restraint as Pyongyang nears a unique potential declaration, possibly in leader Kim Jong Un's annual New Year's Day speech. The North, some speculate, may announce that since it now considers itself a nuclear power equal to the United States, it can put more effort into Kim's other priority of trying to fix one of the world's worst economies.

In short, could the end be near for North Korea's years of headlong, provocative nuclear development?

People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile Hwasong-15, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, at the Pyongyang Train Station in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

Wednesday's test of what the North called a new ICBM capable of hitting the entire U.S. mainland was, like all the others, calibrated to both convey defiance and boast of a dramatically improving military capability to Washington. But Pyongyang also did very specific things that kept the launch well back of the point of shoving U.S. President Donald Trump toward any military attack:

- It did not shoot its missile over Japan, which it has done twice in recent months.

- It did not fire its missile, as it previously suggested it might, into the waters around the U.S. military hub of Guam in the Pacific.

- It did not conduct potentially the most worrying next step short of war: An atmospheric test of a nuclear weapon flying onboard a long-range missile over the Pacific.

Small victories, maybe. Certainly no guarantee of what the future holds for a country that prides itself on keeping outsiders guessing and on pushing its weapons development to the brink. But the glimmer of restraint suggests the North may see itself nearing the point where it can claim military victory, however far that might be from the truth, and turn more toward other matters by next year, the 70th anniversary of the country's founding.

A strong indication backing this analysis is right there in Pyongyang's official statement on the launch, which was read on a special TV broadcast hours after the missile lifted off.

After watching the Hwasong-15 missile blast into the pre-dawn darkness, "Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power."

While everything North Korea says in its propaganda must be viewed with extreme skepticism, the country does have a habit of laying out goals and meeting them, or at least claiming it has met them.

North Korea's test could indeed indicate that the country will soon consider its nuclear program "done" and focus on its sluggish economy, said Vipin Narang, a nuclear strategy expert at MIT. "But there are many things that can intervene to accelerate or decelerate it," he says.

"The pessimist in me says they are trying to get the range (of the ICBM settled) first, and then, if we still doubt" their abilities, could conduct a full-blown operational atmospheric test of a live nuclear warhead atop a ballistic missile, Narang said. "But the optimist in me says that's so risky it would take a major provocation or insult to get them to try it."

Trying to predict what North Korea will actually do next - a favorite if frustrating game of analysts and government officials for decades - is notoriously futile. And Pyongyang may simply continue its torrid testing pace of its weapons, which, despite internal and global hype, are not yet a match for those of any of the established nuclear powers.

It's important to realize, Narang says, that the North's program is truly developmental, which means "it needs to hit certain milestones. Range, reliability and re-entry are what they are probably focused on most intently at the moment."

Many observers expect at least one more big test aimed at showing the full range of the ICBM by sending it flying over Japan and deep into the Pacific. And the North has yet to perfect its submarine-launched missiles.

A bigger worry would be if the North, trying to quiet doubts about whether it has a warhead small enough to fit on a long-range missile, attempted a risky thermonuclear atmospheric missile explosion. North Korea's foreign minister in September suggested his country may test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean.

Amid the speculation over what comes next, the North chose words Wednesday that suggested it was aiming to reassure, not to panic.

The new ICBM, it said, "meets the goal of the completion of the rocket weaponry system development set by" the North. In a reference to Kim Jong Un's double-pronged goal of boosting both the nuclear program and the economy, it shows the North Korean people's ability to uphold "simultaneous development of the two fronts with loyalty" so that they can stand up to the U.S. "nuclear blackmail policy" while enjoying a "peaceful life."

After months of tests and a drumbeat of war threats by both Koreas and the United States, many will be eager to accept the North's claim of nuclear "completion." But Pyongyang's suggestion that it signals a "peaceful life" around the corner? That's a much harder sell.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE - Foster Klug is the South Korea bureau chief for The Associated Press, based in Seoul. He has covered the Koreas since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at @apklug

South Korean soldiers walk by a TV screen showing the live broadcast about North Korea's missile launch, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. The letters on TV read: "North, Important announcement." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
CAIRO (AP) - Just days after the worst terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Wednesday gave his security forces a three-month deadline to restore "security and stability" in the troubled northern Sinai, the epicenter of an increasingly brutal Islamic insurgency.

In a televised ceremony marking the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, el-Sissi authorized his new chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Farid Hegazy, to use "all brute force" against the militants.

The speech was a very public show by the Egyptian leader that he will take new action after last Friday's startlingly grisly and bloody attack on worshippers in a mosque In a Sinai village. But it also represented a risk for el-Sissi. In his speech, he gave no indication what would happen if the military fails to defeat within three months militants who have been battling his security forces for more than three years.

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2014 file photo, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi speaks to The Associated Press during an interview at the presidential palace in Cairo. Just days after the worst terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history, President el-Sissi on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017 gave his security forces a three-month deadline to restore "security and stability" in the troubled northern Sinai, the epicenter of an increasingly brutal Islamic insurgency. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)

El-Sissi's calls for "brute force," repeated several times since the attack, appear to signal a new escalation, suggesting the military could turn to scorched earth tactics that many of the president's loyalists in the media have been urging.

During Wednesday's ceremony, the military chief of staff, appointed last month, rose up from his front-row seat and stood in rigid attention as el-Sissi, a general-turned-president, addressed him.

"I am mandating Maj. Gen. Mohammed Farid Hegazy before you and the entire people of Egypt to restore security and stability in Sinai," el-Sissi said. "With God's benevolence and your efforts and sacrifices, you and the police will restore security and use all brute force, all brute force."

It was not immediately clear what more the military and police could do to crush the insurgency.

The military has thrown tanks, fighting vehicles, fighter-jets, warships and helicopter gunships along with tens of thousands of security forces at the extremists in three years of conflict. Northern Sinai has been under emergency law for several years and security forces have forcibly evacuated areas adjacent to the border with Gaza, razing residents' houses and farmlands. They also have blown up underground tunnels that authorities believe jihadis used to smuggle weapons and fighters in from neighboring Gaza, ruled by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Friday's terrorist attack on the mosque in the northern Sinai village of al-Rawdah was the deadliest against civilians by Islamic extremists in Egypt's modern history. Among the 305 dead were 27 children; another 128 people were wounded.

The Islamic State group hasn't claimed responsibility for the attack but the gunmen who unleashed explosives and gunfire to mow down the worshippers during prayers carried the black banner of the IS. The mosque belonged to followers of Islam's mystical Sufi movement, considered heretics by IS and other extremist groups. Militants have in the past targeted them in Sinai as well as elsewhere, like in Iraq.

El-Sissi has frequently said that Islamic militants have benefited from the care his security forces routinely take to ensure that civilians are not caught in the cross-fire. But rights groups and Sinai activists have in the past spoken of civilians enduring collective punishment, usually in the aftermath of major attacks, and of hardships resulting from military operations, including lengthy power, water and phone signal outages.

Giving his security forces a three-month deadline to crush the insurgency in Sinai may turn out to be a risky gamble by el-Sissi, who is widely expected to seek a second, four-year term in office in elections due next year. Failure would dent his standing since he won office in a 2014 election landslide with promises of restoring security.

However, only state-owned Egyptian media with unquestionable loyalty to the government are allowed to travel to northern Sinai, leaving authorities in near-total control of the narrative on how the war there is going. Against the backdrop of such restrictions, an absence or a continuation of attacks by militants during the next three months and after would likely be the best indicator of how the fight is going.

Egypt's security forces have for years been waging a tough and costly campaign against militants in the towns, villages and desert mountains of northern Sinai. In the past year, militants have bombed churches in the capital of Cairo and other cities, killing dozens of Christians, as they slowly took the fight to the mainland.

A local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group now spearheads the insurgency. It is believed to have been behind the October 2015 downing of a Russian passenger jet that killed all 224 people on board, decimating the country's vital tourism sector.

The insurgency has gathered steam following the 2013 ouster by the military, then led by el-Sissi, of Mohammed Morsi, an Islamist president whose one year in office proved divisive. Also, a series of recent attacks in Egypt's vast Western Desert suggests that a new front has opened. Authorities believe attacks there are carried out by militants based and trained in neighboring Libya.
United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. JUANITA ROIBAL-BRADLEY, Defendant - Appellant. Nos. 17-2042 Decided: November 28, 2017

Before MATHESON, BACHARACH, and MORITZ, Circuit Judges.

ORDER AND JUDGMENT *

Juanita Roibal-Bradley pled guilty to Social Security fraud and wire fraud. The district court sentenced her to 37 months in prison and ordered her to pay $128,771.35 in restitution to the victims of her wire fraud offense. In these consolidated appeals, she seeks to overturn the restitution order, even though her plea agreement contained a broad waiver of her appellate rightsincluding her right to appeal any order of restitution entered by the district court. R., Vol. I at 35. The government moves to enforce the appeal waiver under United States v. Hahn, 359 F.3d 1315 (10th Cir. 2004) (en banc) (per curiam). We grant the government's motion and dismiss the appeal.

Hahn instructs us to enforce appeal waivers as long as three conditions are met: (1) the matter on appeal falls within the scope of the waiver; (2) the defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived her appellate rights; and (3) enforcing the waiver will not result in a miscarriage of justice. Id. at 1325. Roibal-Bradley does not challenge the first two conditions; instead, she argues that the restitution order violates the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act (MVRA), 18 U.S.C.  3663A, such that enforcing the waiver would result in a miscarriage of justice. We agree with the government that all three conditions are satisfied.

First, the restitution order falls squarely within the scope of the Waiver of Appeal Rights in the plea agreement, which provides:

[T]he Defendant knowingly waives the right to appeal the Defendant's conviction(s) and any sentence, including any fine, imposed in conformity with this Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement, as well as any order of restitution entered by the Court. In addition, the Defendant agrees to waive any collateral attack to the Defendant's conviction(s) and any sentence, including any fine, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  2241 or 2255, or any other extraordinary writ, except on the issue of defense counsel's ineffective assistance.

R., Vol. I at 35 (emphasis added). This waiver also encompasses the other potential issues to be raised on appeal that are identified in Roibal-Bradley's docketing statement.

Second, Roibal-Bradley knowingly and voluntarily waived her appellate rights. Her plea agreement contains knowing and voluntary language, and the district court ensured during the plea colloquy that Roibal-Bradley understood her plea agreement as a whole and her appellate waiver in particular. See United States v. Cudjoe, 634 F.3d 1163, 1166 (10th Cir. 2011) (In evaluating whether an appeal waiver was knowing and voluntary, we examine whether the language of the plea agreement states that the defendant entered the agreement knowingly and voluntarily and we look for an adequate Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11 colloquy. (internal quotation marks omitted)).

That brings us to the third Hahn condition. To determine whether enforcing the waiver would result in a miscarriage of justice, we examine (1) whether the district court relied on an impermissible factor such as race; (2) whether ineffective assistance of counsel in negotiating the waiver makes the waiver invalid; (3) whether the sentence exceeds the statutory maximum; and (4) whether the waiver is otherwise unlawful. Hahn, 359 F.3d at 1327. Roibal-Bradley invokes the third factor, arguing that the district court exceeded its statutory authority under the MVRA when it entered the restitution order. We disagree.

The restitution order requires Roibal-Bradley to compensate the victims of her wire fraud offense for losses they sustained because of her crime. Roibal-Bradley admitted that while she was suspended from practicing law, she contracted to provide legal services to an estate and unlawfully withdrew more than $250,000 of the estate's assets for her own use. She repaid this money to the estate's intended beneficiaries pursuant to an order of the Disciplinary Board of the State of New Mexico. However, the victims sustained additional losses that were not covered by that disciplinary order: they paid a contingency fee of $128,771.35 to a research firm that investigated and assisted in the recovery of their inheritance money. (The research firm, in turn, hired a law firm and paid for the law firm's services out of the contingency fee.) The restitution order covers this expense.

The district court did not exceed its statutory authority in the restitution order; to the contrary, it was both authorized and required to include this amount. The procedure for issuing and enforcing restitution orders is outlined in 18 U.S.C.  3664. That statute references the district court's discretion in fashioning a restitution order and authorizes it to determine each victim's losses. Id.  3664(a), (f)(1). It also provides that [a]ny dispute as to the proper amount or type of restitution shall be resolved by the court by the preponderance of the evidence. Id.  3664(e). In addition,  3663A provides for mandatory restitution for victims of certain crimes, including any offense committed by fraud or deceit. Id.  3663A(c)(1)(A)(ii). Reimbursable costs and expenses include other expenses incurred during participation in the investigation or prosecution of the offense. Id.  3663A(b)(4). When calculating restitution, the district court can compensate victims only for actual losses that were proximately caused by the defendant. See id.  3663A(a)(2) (defining victim as a person directly and proximately harmed as a result of the commission of an offense for which restitution may be ordered); see also United States v. Gordon, 480 F.3d 1205, 1210 (10th Cir. 2007) (explaining that the statutory maximum on the amount of restitution is the amount causally linked to the offense of conviction).

In a thorough and well-reasoned order, the district court applied these principles and concluded that Roibal-Bradley's behavior was the proximate cause of $128,771.35 in actual losses to her victims. Roibal-Bradley seeks to challenge that amount on appeal, even though she conceded before the district court that some expenses incurred in investigating her offense were recoverable. She intends to argue that the victims' losses were not foreseeable or proximately caused by her; likewise, they were not necessary to the investigation of her crime or the recovery of any losses.

Where, as here, an appeal merely challenges the district court's factual calculation of the amount of restitution linked to an offense, it is barred by a general waiver of the right to appeal the restitution order. Gordon, 480 F.3d at 1209 n.4; see also United States v. Cooper, 498 F.3d 1156, 1160 (10th Cir. 2007) (A challenge to the amount of a restitution award based on sufficiency of the evidence is necessarily based on disputed facts  [and] is clearly barred by a general waiver of the right to appeal a restitution award.). Enforcing the waiver would not result in a miscarriage of justice.

For these reasons, we grant the government's motion to enforce the appeal waiver and dismiss the appeal. We deny as moot the government's motion to dismiss this appeal on the ground that Roibal-Bradley's notice of appeal was untimely.

Entered for the Court

FOOTNOTES

. This panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist in the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.

. In her docketing statement, Roibal-Bradley indicated that she might also appeal whether she received effective assistance of counsel at all stages of the proceedings and whether the district court correctly applied the sentencing guidelines. We focus on the restitution question because her response to the government's motion to enforce does not even mention these other issues.

Per Curiam
BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand's military government says it is fighting a new threat to public health: distorted news reports.

The country's health ministry announced Tuesday it is launching a new smartphone application that will allow users to flag media content they find "inappropriate" so it can be forwarded to government authorities.

"I believe that we can all help guard, observe, investigate and support the process of having safe and positive media to benefit our youth, families and society in general," Panpimol Wipulakorn, deputy director-general of the health ministry, said at a news conference.

While the ministry says the "Media Watch" app is an important tool to protect society from "unsafe" media, it comes as Thailand is led by a military junta that maintains broad restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly and has sought to stifle all criticism under the guise of maintaining order and protecting national security.

The junta has put a particular focus on stamping out criticism of the country's monarchy, which is protected by a strict lese majeste law that mandates up to 15 years in prison per offense. Such prosecutions have increased under the junta, drawing condemnation from around the globe.

Wasant Paileeklee, manager of a government program that helped develop the app, said content flagged by users would be forwarded to media councils to consider or to government departments such as the broadcast regulator or ministry of culture for possible legal prosecution.

"In the past, when people reported something it would take a very long time and the issue might even fade away," Wasant said.

The application includes a function for users to track whether their report has been dealt with.

Thanicha Limpanich, manager of the Family Network Foundation under the Ministry of Public Health, said the application will go through a three-month trial period before launching to Android users.

The app's logo features a cartoon character with big blue eyes and long eyelashes staring out and pointing two fingers at viewers.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - The top executive of tobacco giant Reynolds American Inc. will step down after one year in the role.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that Reynolds' parent company, British American Tobacco PLC, said Tuesday that 46-year-old Debra Crew will depart as CEO at year's end, thus removing legacy Reynolds management. She'll be replaced by Ricardo Oberlander, a Reynolds board member who currently serves as BAT's regional director for the Americas.

Reynolds spokesman David Howard called the management change "purely a personal decision" by Crew, who he said was pursuing other opportunities.

Crew had been with Reynolds since 2014, and assumed the helm of the North Carolina-based company in January. BAT CEO Nicandro Durante had praised her management in July, after BAT acquired the 57.8 percent of Reynolds it did not already own.

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Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.com
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Generations of native Sami people living in remote northern Norway have been victims of rape and child sex abuse that has gone largely unreported and uninvestigated, police have acknowledged in a report citing deep failings in the way authorities operated there.

A police report covering the period from 1953 to August 2017 documented at least 151 sexual assaults, including 43 rapes, in the Arctic municipality of Tysfjord, which has a population of less than 2,000. Most of the cases were not reported at the time.

The youngest of the 82 victims identified by the police was 4, while the 92 suspected offenders were aged between 10 and 80. Some people appeared on both lists. As well as the rapes, 40 cases dealt with sexual intercourse with underage children.

a vehicle drives towards the sign for the village of Drag, in the municipality of Tysfjord in Norway on Monday Nov. 27, 2017. A police report says that the Norwegian Arctic municipality of Tysfjord with fewer than 2,000 people saw at least 151 sexual assaults, including 43 rapes over the course of more than six decades. Most were never reported to the authorities. The majority of the victims and the suspected perpetrators in Tysfjord, in northern Norway, are part of the ethnic Sami community. Ajluokta is the Sami name for Drag. (Tore Meek/NTB scanpix via AP)

So far two people have been charged in 10 cases, but many cases have been dropped because the statute of limitations has expired.

The report by the Nordland police, where Tysfjord sits, was commissioned after Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang last year published accounts of 11 men and women who claimed to have been assaulted.

Tone Vangen, head of the Nordland county, apologized after the publication of this week's report, acknowledging that police "didn't do a good job."

Vangen told Norway's NTB news agency that police had heard "tales from victims that offenders had gotten forgiveness from religious circles and the cases have in a way been settled." She added that they saw that many had links to a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in Lapland in the middle of the 19th century.

"There is no reason to claim that ethnicity or belief is an explanation for the abuses," she said. "At the same time there are mechanisms related to the (Sami) environment, which makes it difficult to get to investigate."

Lars Magne Andreassen, a spokesman for the local Sami community, cited "loyalty, lack of confidence in authorities and the fact that police and health and social services have not had competence to see what has happened" as responsible for the perpetuation of the situation.

"There has been a huge failure in the whole safety net that should have been around the children who have been subjected to abuse in Tysfjord," added Anne Lindboe, the children's ombudsman - an advocate for children and young people in Norway.

Verdens Gang reported the case of a woman identified as Liv who said her father was jailed for raping her, but that other men raped or sexually assaulted her over a 10-year-period until she turned 19.

Karl Edvard Urheim, a Sami folk singer who also said he was raped as a child, told the daily that "people there are incredibly good at shutting up, and that makes me angry."

An estimated 40,000-60,000 Sami live in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia and have their own language. Their situation has been compared to that of American Indians, but rather than establishing reservations for Sami, the region's governments have sought to absorb them. In 1997, Norway's King Harald V publicly apologized on behalf of the nation for its treatment of the Sami.

Samis have their own Parliament, and those in Norway are also represented in Norway's Parliament.

A small number of them are still closely associated to nature and are involved in reindeer herding but also fishing, fur-trapping and hunting. However, their way of living has threatened by mineral mining, wind farms and extensive logging, which are encroaching upon reindeer herding grounds and fishing areas.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on fatal shootings in a Tampa neighborhood (all times local):

2:20 p.m.

New York City police say they would like ballistics results of the gun used in the Tampa, Florida, killings to see if it matches any unsolved crimes in New York.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, right, talks with Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, center, and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, left, outside Tampa Police Headquarters in Tampa, Fla. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Scott's visit followed the announcement of the arrest in the Seminole Heights murders. (Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Twenty-four-year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson was arrested Tuesday by Tampa police in the shooting deaths of four people. He has been charged with first-degree murder and detained after a tip that he had a gun at a McDonald's restaurant. They said he used the same gun for all the shootings.

Authorities say the gun was purchased in early October.

Donaldson attended St. John's University in Queens, graduating in January 2017. Police in New York said he had an arrest in 2014 for a minor crime, but the arrest was sealed.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said police will go back through cold cases to see whether Donaldson could be linked to any crimes.

Police officials are in contact with Tampa police.

___

10:15 a.m.

The Tampa police chief says the suspect in four killings there used the same gun in all of the shootings.

Police Chief Brian Dugan said during a news conference Wednesday that 24-year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson was cooperative with investigators but he did not tell authorities why he was doing this. The chief says at this point there is "no apparent motive."

Dugan said Donaldson admitted that he owned the gun that was turned over to police and cracked the case, but Donaldson did not admit to the killings.

___

7:30 a.m.

Despite having a suspect in custody, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan says authorities still don't have a motive for a string of shootings in a neighborhood that killed four people.

Speaking Wednesday morning on ABC's "Good Morning America," Dugan said police will still need help from the public as they try to learn more about 24-year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson, who was arrested Tuesday and is facing four counts of first-degree murder.

Dugan said he's spoken to Donaldson, who he said was "pretty non-responsive" and subdued. Dugan said Donaldson hasn't admitted to the shootings but did admit to owning a gun he took into a McDonald's shortly before being taken into custody.

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7:30 a.m.

A Florida police officer who was doing paperwork while sitting in a McDonald's restaurant got a tip led authorities to the suspect accused of killing four people in random shootings over the past two months.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said during a late-night news conference Tuesday that 24-year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson walked into the McDonalds and asked a fellow employee to hold a bag with a loaded semiautomatic gun while he went to a nearby business to get a payday loan. The employee consulted with a manager who notified the officer sitting at a table.

When Donaldson returned, police were waiting. He's facing four counts of murder.

Television station WFLA, citing an arrest report, said a search of Donaldson's cellphone found location data storage that indicated three days of recorded times and activities that correspond with the first three shootings on Oct. 9, Oct. 11 and Oct. 19.

The report says Donaldson asked for a lawyer while talking with police.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, center, along with Mayor Bob Buckhorn, right, announce that they intend to charge Howell Emanuel Donaldson, 24, with four counts of first degree murder in connection with the Seminole Heights homicides, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police detained the man earlier Tuesday after a tip that he had a gun at a McDonald's. Four people have been killed in the neighborhood since Oct. 9. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

This undated photo provided by the Tampa Police Department shows Howell Emanuel Donaldson. Police in Tampa say they have arrested, Donaldson, 24, and will charge him with murder in a string of recent homicides. Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan says Donaldson will be charged with four counts of first degree murder in connection with deaths in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. (Tampa Police Department via AP)

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan holds a news conference in a parking lot behind the Ybor City McDonalds on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police were questioning an employee at the McDonald's in Ybor City about a gun he brought to the restaurant. Dugan said this development could be connected to the investigation into the Seminole Heights murders. (Octavio Jones/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan holds a news conference in a parking lot behind the Ybor City McDonalds on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Police were questioning an employee at the McDonald's in Ybor City about a gun he brought to the restaurant. Dugan said this development could be connected to the investigation into the Seminole Heights murders. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Florida Gov. Rick Scott hugs Tampa Police Officer Randi Whitney, the officer credited with the arrest of Howell Emanuel Donaldson, III, the 24-year-old Tampa resident charged with four counts of first-degree murder, at Tampa Police Headquarters in Tampa, Fla. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Scott's visit followed the announcement of the arrest in the Seminole Heights murders. (Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - Chipotle is looking for a new CEO to help turn the restaurant chain around, after a long struggle to recover from a series of food safety scares.

The company said Wednesday that founder Steve Ells, who became sole CEO less than a year ago, will step down from that position as soon as it finds a replacement. Ells will then become executive chairman.

Chipotle has been trying to win back customers to its restaurants since 2015, when its sales plunged after an E. coli outbreak. It has made some progress after giving away millions of burritos and launching a loyalty program. However, concerns rose again this summer when one of its restaurants in Virginia was temporarily closed after diners fell ill.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, file photo, Chipotle Mexican Grill founder and CEO Steve Ells pauses for a moment during an interview with The Associated Press in a Chipotle restaurant in Seattle. The company said Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, that Ells will step down from the CEO position as soon as it finds a replacement. Ells will then become executive chairman. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear, File)

The company started selling queso nationwide with the hopes that it would revive sales. But the warm cheesy dip didn't do much to boost results in the last quarter. The burrito chain said last month that it will continue to develop new menu items, including frozen margaritas and salads; retrain workers to better serve customers; and slow the number of new stores it opens next year to better focus on already opened restaurants.

"While we are continuing to make progress, it is clear that we need to move faster to make improvements," Ells said in a statement Wednesday.

Chipotle said that the CEO search committee, which includes Ells, is looking for someone with turnaround expertise who can help build customer trust and improve sales.

Ells founded Chipotle as a single restaurant in Denver in 1993. He had previously shared the top job as a co-CEO.

"Under his leadership, the chain has stumbled from one crisis to the next and has failed to reignite the growth that it once enjoyed," said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData. "This is desperately needed."

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. rose 3.5 percent, or $10.19, to $296.05 in midday trading. Despite Wednesday's rise, its shares are still down about 25 percent from a year ago.
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on the search for a missing North Carolina girl (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

A sheriff in coastal North Carolina is asking local residents who want to help in the search for a missing 3-year-old girl to check their own property.

This image released by the FBI shows the seeking information poster for Mariah Woods. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are combining efforts to find the 3-year-old North Carolina girl missing from her home. FBI agent Stanley Meador told a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, that neighboring sheriff's offices have provided assistance in the search for Mariah Kay Woods. Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller said military personnel are also looking from the girl, who was reported missing from her home on Monday, Nov. 27. (FBI via AP)

Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller said Wednesday at a news briefing that property owners should look around their homes for any clues that might help find Mariah Woods.

Miller said people should search sheds, barns and wooded areas and call law enforcement if they see something out of the ordinary.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued for the girl after she was reported missing from her home outside of Jacksonville on Monday. The FBI joined local law enforcement in the search for the girl on Tuesday.

___

1:15 p.m.

The FBI says a 3-year-old girl reported missing earlier this week is not the girl seen in a photograph in a Walmart in North Carolina.

A Jacksonville, North Carolina, woman reported that Mariah Kay Woods was missing from their home sometime early Monday and an Amber Alert was issued for the child.

The FBI joined the search Tuesday and had asked for the public's help in identifying an unknown woman and young girl seen in a Walmart store in Morehead City on Monday morning, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Mariah Woods' home.

The FBI said in a news release Wednesday that the woman and child in the photos have nothing to do with the case of the missing girl.

The search for the girl continued Wednesday afternoon.

___

8:40 a.m.

The FBI has released a photo of a woman and child at a Walmart in North Carolina as officials search for a 3-year-old girl who was reported missing early Monday.

Kristy Woods told authorities she thinks Mariah Kay Woods was abducted from their home near Jacksonville sometime after 11 p.m. Sunday.

The FBI joined the search Tuesday and released three photos early Wednesday that show a woman and a child in a Wal-Mart in Morehead City, about 40 miles east of the girl's home.

The FBI is asking for help identifying the woman and child in the picture.

The girl's biological father is questioning the reporting kidnapping, saying it's hard to believe no one in the house heard anything.

___

8:05 a.m.

The biological father of a 3-year-old North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home says he doesn't think his daughter was kidnapped.

Alex Woods told WCTI-TV in New Bern in an interview Tuesday he didn't know Mariah Kay Woods was missing until an Amber Alert was issued Monday.

Kristy Woods, the girl's mother, told authorities she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her at their home near Jacksonville. Woods said she called authorities around 6 a.m. Monday when she noticed Mariah was missing.

Alex Woods says he can't believe someone could walk into the house and grab a 3-year-old out of her bed without her crying out or screaming. He says two adults and two other children were in the house and someone should have heard something.

The FBI joined the search Tuesday.

___

7:30 a.m.

Authorities have stepped up the search for a North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home.

Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller told news outlets that investigators need a break in their search for 3-year-old Mariah Kay Woods, who was reported missing from her home about 6 a.m. Monday.

A statewide Amber Alert has been issued for Mariah.

Kristy Woods told WITN-TV in Greenville that she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her. She said her boyfriend saw the child about midnight when she got up and he told her to go back to bed. Once they realized she was missing, the couple said they called authorities.

The home is just west of Jacksonville and Marine Corps Air Station New River.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - Officials late Wednesday again delayed the announcement of final returns from Honduras' presidential election, while the main opposition candidate vowed not to recognize the official count after the latest partial results edged incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez into a razor-thin lead.

After leading by about 5 percentage points in initial results announced early Monday, opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla had 42.11 percent of the votes Wednesday night, barely behind 42.21 percent for Hernandez, according to the latest returns on the electoral court's website.

Public updates of the vote count essentially stopped for over a day after the initial report, then resumed in a trickle of returns. A slow but inexorable evaporation of Nasralla's lead raised tensions in the country and fed suspicions among his supporters that the count was being manipulated.

Supporters of presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla sit around a bon fire and chant slogans against Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who's running for reelection, as they protest what they call electoral fraud in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The opposition candidate says he will not recognize an official vote count by the country's electoral court and is alleging manipulation of Sunday's election. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

Late Wednesday, Nasralla disavowed a promise he made with the Organization of American States to respect the official outcome.

"I signed that document before the electoral court's computing center went down, and that was a trap," Nasralla said at a news conference. "The agreement with the OAS was to respect trustworthy results without alterations ... and the court has altered the documents in the last two days. That is unacceptable."

"We will not recognize the results of the cheating system of the electoral court," he added, declaring himself the rightful next president "by the decision of the people."

David Matamoros, president of the electoral court, acknowledged the computer outage but insisted there was no problem with the vote count from Sunday's election.

"There was a failure in the court's computing system, but not critical, and it is now functioning properly," he said in an interview with Channel 3.

Matamoros did not specify how long the outage lasted but said the final count would now be announced Thursday instead of Wednesday night as previously promised.

Hernandez, whose supporters already claimed victory on his behalf, called on all parties to be patient and await the official result "with calm and in peace." He also committed to respecting the result.

"We should wait and respect the final scrutiny as the law requires. I ask for celerity from the (electoral court) and prudence from the parties," he said on Twitter. "Honduras deserves it."

Nasralla offered no specific evidence of wrongdoing. Nonetheless he called on the 500 international election observers in Honduras to form a special commission to investigate, "or else Hernandez will steal the victory, and I won't tolerate it."

The challenger later said his political alliance would block roads in Honduras' main cities. Several roadblocks were quickly reported on several highways.

Earlier Wednesday, thousands of flag-waving opposition alliance supporters marched down two central boulevards in the capital Wednesday heading for the electoral court facilities where the vote count was under way.

Karo Avila, a college student studying journalism, was among them. "I am from the National Party and I'm ashamed by what is happening because I see how some lend themselves to the whims of those who don't want to let go of the government," Avila said.

Supporters of the governing National Party also held "victory caravans," waving blue- and white-starred flags from automobiles.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert urged the candidates to respect the official results once they are available.

"We await the final tabulation of results by election authorities and urge the authorities to complete their work without undue delay," Nauert said. "The United States urges calm and patience as the results are tabulated."

Several U.S. lawmakers expressed concern and urged transparency.

An election observation mission from the Organization of American States has also called for calm.

Nasralla and supporters of the opposition alliance are sensitive to any whiff of election shenanigans. It was Hernandez's National Party that orchestrated the coup that removed President Manuel Zelaya from office in 2009.

Zelaya formed the Libre Party and his wife, Xiomara, lost to Hernandez in 2013 as its candidate. Libre formed an alliance for the 2017 election and chose Nasralla, a sportscaster and television personality, as its candidate.

___

Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman and Peter Orsi in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Libre Alliance presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla looks at his watch as a woman wipes sweat from his forehead during a press conference in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The opposition candidate says he will not recognize an official vote count by the country's electoral court and is alleging manipulation of Sunday's election. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Supporters of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is running for reelection, show support for their candidate as they caravan through Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Both Hernandez and his rival Salvador Nasralla have declared themselves the winner of Sunday's presidential election, but the electoral court has not announced the final results. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Supporters of presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla chant slogans against Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who's running for reelection, as they protest what they call electoral fraud in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. New partial results in the presidential election narrowed Nasralla's lead over Hernandez to one point on Wednesday, raising tensions in the country. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Supporters of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is running for reelection, wave a flag during their caravan through Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Both Hernandez and his rival Salvador Nasralla have declared themselves the winner of Sunday's presidential election, but the electoral court has not released the final results. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

A supporters of presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla holds a sign that reads in Spanish" "Get out J.O.H." as protesters chant slogans against Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who's running for reelection, as they declare electoral fraud in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. New partial results in the presidential election narrowed Nasralla's lead over Hernandez to one point on Wednesday, raising tensions in the country. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Supporters of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is running for reelection, show support for their candidate as they caravan through Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Both Hernandez and his rival Salvador Nasralla have declared themselves the winner of Sunday's presidential election, but the electoral court has not announced the final results. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Supporters of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is running for reelection, show support for their candidate as they caravan through Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Both Hernandez and his rival Salvador Nasralla have declared themselves the winner of Sunday's presidential election, but the electoral court has not announced the final results. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
NEW YORK (AP) - NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack sent the following memo to employees on Wednesday morning:

Dear Colleagues,

On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.

We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization - and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.

Andy
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions on North Korea Wednesday after its most powerful missile test yet and urged China's leader "to use all available levers" to convince its wayward ally to "return to the path of denuclearization."

It was not immediately clear if Trump was referring to additional U.S. sanctions or another around of penalties at the United Nations. Agreement between the U.S. and China, both veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, is key to such action. The council is due to hold an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Trump tweeted that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

President Donald Trump pauses as he is asked a question by a reporter as they are leaving the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, during a meeting with Republican congressional leaders. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

After a 2  month pause in its rapid tempo of nuclear and missile tests, North Korea said it launched a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile. Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

Some observers believe the Hwasong-15 missile that was tested on a high trajectory and splashed down in the Sea of Japan in the early hours of Wednesday in Asia could potentially reach Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard.

That suggests progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the U.S. mainland. Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having that capability - using military force if necessary.

A White House statement about the phone conversation between the U.S. and Chinese leaders said Trump made clear "the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies." Trump also "emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

Xi said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and "jointly push the nuclear issue toward the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations," according to Xinhua.

U.S. sanctions against North Korea were bolstered last week after the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism. Those sanctions targeted North Korean shipping and Chinese companies that deal with the North.

This image made from video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea's KRT on Nov. 29, 2017, shows an image of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing what is said to be a document on Nov. 28, 2017, authorizing a missile test. After two and a half months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this photo. (KRT via AP Video)

A man stands in front of a huge screen showing TV news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, Wednesday's launch of what the North called the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated a greater range than other weapons it's tested and showcased several capabilities the North must master if it were ever to actually try to unleash its missiles at the United States.The Japanese letters on top reads: "Missile luanch." (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile Hwasong-15, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, at the Pyongyang Train Station in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Ethiopia says more than 1,300 citizens have been expelled from Saudi Arabia in "recent days" after a warning for undocumented migrants to voluntarily leave the Gulf nation expired.

The foreign ministry's statement late Tuesday came after Saudi officials began a crackdown against undocumented migrants, including tens of thousands of Ethiopians.

"The government is working with Saudi Arabia to safely return our citizens home," the ministry's director general of diaspora affairs, Demeke Atinafu, told the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.

Ethiopian officials have said more than 70,000 people have returned home since Saudi Arabia in March ordered all undocumented migrants to leave. The order was later extended until June but the majority of migrants remained. Those who don't leave face forced deportation and a range of fines.

More than 400,000 Ethiopian migrants are estimated to live in Saudi Arabia, most working as domestic workers and farm workers.

Most Ethiopian migrant workers enter Saudi Arabia illegally through neighboring Yemen and send home money which, in many cases, is the only means for relatives to get by. Human Rights Watch has estimated that Ethiopian migrants globally sent home more than $4 billion in 2015.

"In many other countries, these Ethiopians could claim asylum and potentially be entitled to international protection," the rights group said of the migrants in Saudi Arabia. "The problem is, Saudi has no refugee law and no asylum system."
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JACKIE WILLIAMS, Defendant-Appellant. No. 16-15078 Decided: November 28, 2017

Before MARCUS, ROSENBAUM, and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges.

Jackie Williams pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C.  1343. Williams appeals her 70-month sentence, imposed as a variance above the guideline range of 33 to 41 months. On appeal, Williams argues that her sentence is procedurally and substantively unreasonable. First, Williams argues that her sentence is procedurally unreasonable because the district court failed to provide a sufficiently compelling justification for imposing an upward variance. Second, Williams argues that her sentence is substantively unreasonable because the district court improperly relied on only the deterrence factor under 18 U.S.C.  3553(a) in imposing her sentence.

This Court reviews the reasonableness of a sentence under a deferential abuse of discretion standard of review. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 41 (2007). The party challenging the sentence bears the burden of establishing that the sentence is unreasonable. United States v. Tome, 611 F.3d 1371, 1378 (11th Cir. 2010).

The reasonableness of a sentence is assessed using a two-step process. Gall, 552 U.S. at 51. First, this Court determines whether the district court committed procedural error when sentencing the defendant, such as failing to consider the  3553(a) factors, improperly calculating the guideline range, or inadequately explaining the chosen sentence. Id. When the district court imposes a sentence that deviates from the guideline range, it must provide a justification that is sufficiently compelling to support the degree of the variance. Id. at 50. Though explanation of the sentence is required, the sentencing court is under no duty to articulate [its] findings and reasoning with great detail. United States v. Irey, 612 F.3d 1160, 1195 (11th Cir. 2010) (en banc). Rather, the district court should set forth enough to satisfy the appellate court that [it] has considered the parties' arguments and has a reasoned basis for exercising [its] own legal decisionmaking authority. Rita v. United States, 551 U.S. 338, 356 (2007).

Second, this Court examines whether the sentence is substantively reasonable under the totality of the circumstances. Gall, 552 U.S. at 51. The district court must impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary to comply with the purposes listed in 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(2), including the need to reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense, deter criminal conduct, and protect the public from the defendant's future criminal conduct. 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(2). The district court must also consider the nature and circumstances of the offense, the history and characteristics of the defendant, the kinds of sentences available, the applicable guideline range, the pertinent policy statements of the Sentencing Commission, the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities, and the need to provide restitution to victims. 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(1), (3)(7). This Court commits the weight to be accorded any  3553(a) factor to the discretion of the district court. United States v. Barrington, 648 F.3d 1178, 1204 (11th Cir. 2011).

The district court did not impose a procedurally or substantively unreasonable sentence when it sentenced Williams above the guideline range. First, the court did not commit any procedural error in explaining its deviation from the guideline range. The court explained that the guideline range did not reflect the seriousness of Williams's crime and was insufficient to deter her from committing similar crimes in the future. The court further noted the statements made by the victims of Williams's crime and the substantial loss they had suffered. By emphasizing the seriousness of Williams's crime and the need to deter her from committing similar crimes in the future, the district court set forth an explanation that was sufficient to show that it had a reasoned basis for exercising [its] own legal decisionmaking authority. Rita, 551 U.S. at 356. The reasons were also sufficiently compelling to support the degree of the variance. Gall, 552 U.S. at 50. Thus, the district court did not commit procedural error.

Further, the district court did not impose a substantively unreasonable sentence by improperly weighing the deterrence factor under  3553(a). First, the court found the need for deterrence especially important in this case considering the scope and seriousness of Williams's crime. Additionally, the court noted that it was terrible how Williams took advantage of her victims. The court emphasized the victims' extensive financial loss and indicated that, based on its experience, it was unlikely that the victims would receive restitution. Accordingly, the record indicates that the district court considered not only the need for deterrence, but also other  3553(a) factors, such as the seriousness of the crime, the need to protect the public, and the need for restitution in imposing the upward variance. 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(2), (7). Thus, the sentence was substantively reasonable.

For the reasons set forth above, the district court's sentencing decision falls well within the range of reasonableness provided by the abuse-of-discretion standard. Thus, we affirm Williams's sentence.

AFFIRMED.

PER CURIAM:
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - The Latest on North Korea's missile launch (all times local):

12:30 a.m.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the United States may target additional financial institutions with sanctions following North Korea's latest intercontinental missile launch.

This image made from video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea's KRT on Nov. 29, 2017, shows an image of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing what is said to be a document on Nov. 28, 2017, authorizing a missile test. After two and a half months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this photo. (KRT via AP Video)

Tillerson spoke in Washington on Wednesday during a meeting with the visiting crown prince of Bahrain. He said the U.S. has a "long list of additional potential sanctions."

Tillerson didn't specify what financial institutions could be hit with sanctions. But he said the United States will be announcing the sanctions once they're "ready to roll out." His comments came after President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that more sanctions were coming.

Tillerson said he's not giving up on diplomatic efforts to resolve concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons program peacefully. He said "we keep working at it every day."

North Korea said the missile it launched early Wednesday can carry a large nuclear warhead and has "significantly more" power than missiles it's tested earlier.

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11:50 p.m.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he has spoken with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) about North Korea's latest missile test.

Trump is promising more penalties against the North.

And Trump tweets that he spoke with Xi about "the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

A White House statement about the phone conversation says Trump made clear "the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies." Trump also "emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

___

6:50 p.m.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has sharply condemned North Korea's latest missile test.

Gabriel said in a statement Wednesday that "the ruthless behavior of North Korea is an enormous threat for international security."

He said that "the regime in Pyongyang has again escalated tensions in the region with its latest test."

Gabriel added that the missile launch was "proof what a threat North Korea poses for world peace."

After 2 1/2 months of relative quiet, North Korea said it successfully fired a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday. Outside governments and analysts concurred it had made a jump in capability.

___

7:35 p.m.

Russia says North Korea's latest missile test is a provocation that has hurt the chances for settling the ongoing crisis.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, voiced hope Wednesday that all parties involved would "maintain the calm needed to prevent the situation on the Korean Peninsula from developing along the worst scenario."

Peskov condemned the North's missile test as a "provocative action that foments tensions and puts off the launch of efforts to settle the crisis situation." He added that "there is no reason for optimism."

The test took place just as a Russian parliamentary delegation was visiting Pyongyang. Leonid Slutsky, the head of the lower house's international affairs committee, said its members were conveying Moscow's concern and trying to encourage the North to "stop the destructive escalation of tensions."

___

7:10 p.m.

China's foreign ministry says the country is "seriously concerned about and opposed to" North Korea's latest missile test.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday that China "strongly urges" the North to abide by Security Council resolutions and cease actions that might escalate tensions.

Geng told reporters at a daily news briefing that all concerned parties should "act with caution and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability,"

China is North Korea's only significant ally and biggest source of trade and aid, but has backed increasingly harsh U.N. Security Council resolutions in hopes of convincing Pyongyang to return to talks.

It has called on the North to cease its missile tests and nuclear activities in return for the U.S. and South Korea suspending large-scale military exercises.

However, Beijing has rejected measures that could destabilize Kim Jong Un's regime and says military force is cannot be an option in dealing with the tensions.

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7:05 p.m.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile and pledged joint efforts to strengthen sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear ambitions.

Moon's office said the leaders agreed during the phone conversation Wednesday that the threat posed by North Korea's expanding nuclear program should no longer be tolerated and vowed to push for stronger measures against the North at an upcoming U.N. Security Council meeting.

Moon's office also said he told Abe that he will also ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping for Beijing to take a stronger role in pressuring Pyongyang when he visits China in December.

Moon and Abe spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the day and reaffirmed their condemnation for North Korea's expanding nuclear program.

__

5:30 p.m.

A South Korean airline says captains of two of its passenger planes saw flashes believed to be from North Korea's latest missile launch while flying over Japan, and reported the sightings to ground control.

A Korean Air official said Wednesday that the planes were headed for South Korea's Incheon Airport after departing from San Francisco and Los Angeles. He didn't want to be named, citing office rules.

He said the captain of the first plane reported seeing a flash to Japanese ground control about an hour after North Korea fired what it said was a new intercontinental ballistic missile. Japan's defense minister said the missile landed in the Sea of Japan at about that time.

The airline official said the captain of the second plane made a similar report four minutes later as his plane passed along the same route.

He said both planes safely landed at Incheon and the missile didn't endanger their safety because the trajectory was far enough from the planes' flight paths.

___

5 p.m.

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom says North Korea's ballistic missile test is an "increasing threat to global peace and security," and tweeted "This must stop. Dialogue only way forward."

Denmark's prime minister, Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who is visiting Indonesia and Singapore, said on Twitter that he strongly condemns continued North Korean violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions and encouraged "international society to remain united."

Loekke Rasmussen added that he is discussing the development with Southeast Asian leaders.

In Lithuania, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius called the missile test "another act of madness from the criminal #DPRK (North Korean) regime," adding "firm continuation of maximum international pressure is an absolute must to put these provocations to the end."

After 2  months of relative quiet, North Korea says it successfully fired a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile. Outside governments and analysts concurred it had made a jump in capability.

___

4 p.m.

North Korea's state media say leader Kim Jong Un ordered his engineers to launch a new intercontinental ballistic missile with "courage" a day ahead of the flight test where it demonstrated its reach deep into the U.S. mainland.

State television on Wednesday broadcast a photo of Kim's signed order where he wrote: "Test launch is approved. Taking place at the daybreak of Nov. 29! Fire with courage for the party and country!"

The North says Kim gave the order for the launch on Tuesday.

The ICBM launched early Wednesday morning was described as the Hwasong-15, with the capability to carry a nuclear warhead and with "significantly more" power than missiles it's tested earlier. Outside governments and analysts concur the North made a jump in missile capability with the launch.

A man walks past a TV screen broadcasting news of North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, a presumed intercontinental ballistic missile that could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. The letters at bottom read "It is a situation that we will handle." (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

A man stands in front of a huge screen showing TV news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, Wednesday's launch of what the North called the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated a greater range than other weapons it's tested and showcased several capabilities the North must master if it were ever to actually try to unleash its missiles at the United States.The Japanese letters on top reads: "Missile luanch." (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

South Korean soldiers walk by a TV screen showing the live broadcast about North Korea's missile launch, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. After 2  months of relative peace, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard within range. The letters on TV read: "North, Important announcement." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - The Latest on developments from British Prime Minister Theresa May's Middle East tour (all times local):

7 p.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has made a surprise visit to Iraq as part of a tour of the Mideast.

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)

Iraq's government released footage Wednesday of May arriving in Baghdad to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. It's May's first trip to Iraq as prime minister.

May is scheduled to later travel to Saudi Arabia, where she will meet the assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Al-Abadi later said May's visit showed Britain's "support and help" in fighting the Islamic State group. Some 600 British troops are deployed to the country.

The Iraqi politician added: "Iraq is about to enter a new stage of rebuilding, reconstruction and investment. Today, we discussed with the prime minister the strengthening of economic and commercial ties between the two countries."

___

7:40 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will visit Saudi Arabia for talks with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen.

May's visit Wednesday will include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A U.N.-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a Nov. 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. It later promised it would reopen the ports.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognized government.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Air Canada is resuming flights out of Rhode Island's main airport.

The airline said Wednesday that it's offering summer seasonal flights between T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, and Toronto.

Air Canada had suspended its service between the cities in 2013. It's now expanding its North American network with several new trans-border routes, starting in the spring.

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo and other officials gathered at T.F. Green Airport Wednesday to celebrate another airline beginning Rhode Island routes.

Airport executives have said a runway extension and state-funded incentives for new commercial routes are helping recruitment efforts. Allegiant Air, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Frontier Airlines have also recently added routes.

The airport, located just south of Providence, is positioning itself as a convenient alternative to Boston's busier Logan International Airport.
BALTIMORE (AP) - The Latest on the killing of a Baltimore police detective (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Thousands of mourners have gathered at a church for the funeral of a Baltimore police detective.

This undated photo provided by the Baltimore Police Department shows Detective Sean Suiter. Suiter was shot in the head with his own gun Nov. 15, 2017, in a particularly troubled area of west Baltimore while investigating a 2016 triple homicide. His unsolved murder has transformed into a feeding frenzy of speculation in a city filled with armchair sleuths and a suspicious view of law enforcers. (Baltimore Police Department via AP)

Attendees at Det. Sean Suiter's Wednesday funeral included Maryland political leaders and numerous law enforcement officials, some traveling as far away as Chicago to honor a fallen colleague and his grieving family.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh says the killing of a police officer "leaves a stain on our city." Gov. Larry Hogan says Suiter "lived and died a hero."

Suiter died Nov. 16 at a hospital a day after being shot in the head with his own gun while investigating a case in West Baltimore. He was an 18-year veteran of the police force and a married father of five.

A reward of $215,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot him.

___

3:53 a.m.

The murder of a Baltimore detective shot in the head with his own gun two weeks ago has transformed into a feeding frenzy of speculation in a city filled with armchair detectives and a suspicious view of law enforcers.

The unsolved Nov. 15 shooting of Detective Sean Suiter is a homicide investigation, but the version of events offered up by police is increasingly being questioned since people found out that Suiter was shot a day before he was set to testify before a federal grand jury probing an elite unit of indicted officers.

Suiter's Baltimore-area funeral procession is set to close down major roads Wednesday.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis says the evidence refutes any notion that the slaying in a high-crime neighborhood was "part of any conspiracy."
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - President Donald Trump appeared to give up on winning Democratic support as he promoted the GOP tax overhaul plan Wednesday, taking aim at a chief Republican target and repeatedly boosting her rival.

During a trip to Missouri to try to push the GOP tax plan across the finish line, Trump told the state's voters that Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill "is doing you a tremendous disservice."

"She wants your taxes to go up, she's weak on crime, she's weak on borders, she's weak on illegal immigration and she's weak on the military," Trump said in a speech in the St. Louis suburbs. "Other than that, I think she's doing a fantastic job."

President Donald Trump speaks about tax reform at the St. Charles Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Charles, Mo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

McCaskill, a top Republican target in the 2018 midterm elections, voted against the GOP proposal in committee earlier this month, and is expected to vote against it when the full Senate takes up the measure.

During his second visit to the state to build support for the plan, Trump made a populist appeal for the Republican tax package, saying it would "bring Main Street rolling back."

"Our focus is on helping the folks who work in the mailrooms and the machine shops of America, the plumbers, the carpenters, the cops, the teachers, the truck drivers, the pipe fitters - the people that like me best," Trump said in a meandering speech in St. Charles.

"It is not enough for the middle class to keep getting by. We want them to start getting way ahead," he said.

But while the White House says the plan will be a boon to middle-income families by helping small-business owners and workers, sparking economic growth and simplifying the tax code, critics say both the House and Senate versions will disproportionately help the wealthy and corporations.

Trump used the speech to lend support to Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is running for McCaskill's seat.

"I said, 'Josh when you're ready, you have my word, I'm going to come here and campaign with you,'" Trump said. "We gotta get you in."

The visit comes a day after the Senate Finance Committee advanced a sweeping tax package to the full Senate, handing Republican leaders a victory as they try to pass the nation's first tax overhaul in 31 years. But the bill still faces hurdles in the Senate, where Republicans have just two votes to spare in their 52-48 edge over Democrats.

McCaskill is among 10 Senate Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in states won by Trump and is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents. She was among 45 Senate Democrats who in August sent a letter to Republican leaders and Trump saying they won't support any GOP effort to overhaul the tax system that delivers cuts to the top 1 percent or adds to the government's $20 trillion debt.

Trump said in August that if McCaskill didn't support his plan, voters should push her out of office.

"We must lower our taxes, and your senator, Claire McCaskill, she must do this for you. And if she doesn't do it for you, you have got to vote her out of office," Trump said then.

In a statement, McCaskill said she remains "eager to support real, bipartisan tax reform" and would "jump at the chance to support a plan" that would "deliver relief to Missouri's working families, simplify the tax code, close loopholes exploited by the rich, and lower the corporate tax rate."

"Unfortunately, this tax plan doesn't live up the commitment I got from President Trump, when he told me he wouldn't support tax reform that benefited the very rich at the expense of the little guy," she said.

Several hundred Trump opponents and about 100 Trump supporters gathered outside the St. Charles convention center as the president spoke, holding signs and chanting competing slogans.

___

Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump points to sign that reads Merry Christmas as he arrives to speak about tax reform at the St. Charles Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Charles, Mo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump greets visitors on the tarmac as he arrives at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Louis, where he will speak about tax reform. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump arrives at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Louis, where he will speak about tax reform. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - A Bulgarian government jet carrying Prime Minister Boiko Borisov to Saudi Arabia has been denied access to Iranian airspace, forcing him to fly over Iraq.

Bulgaria's state-run news agency BTA quoted Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva as telling reporters in Riyadh on Wednesday that despite having the necessary diplomatic permission to fly over Iran, the aircraft had been asked by Iranian authorities to leave its airspace.

Zaharieva, who is part of the official Bulgarian delegation, called Iran's act an "inexplicable last-moment refusal." She added that the plane had to return to Turkey to get permission to fly over Iraqi airspace.

The Bulgarian authorities have demanded an explanation from the Iranian authorities, Zaharieva said.

Borisov is the first Bulgarian prime minister to visit Saudi Arabia since the countries established diplomatic relations 20 years ago.
ST. ANTHONY, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota city that employed a police officer who fatally shot black motorist Philando Castile during a traffic stop last year has reached a settlement with Castile's girlfriend and her daughter, who were in the car with him when he was killed.

The St. Anthony City Council voted Tuesday night to pay $675,000 to Diamond Reynolds and her daughter, who was 4 years old when her father was killed. Reynolds also will receive $125,000 from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and the city of Roseville, where Reynolds was detained by police and questioned by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after the shooting.

St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust said the settlement resolves any civil litigation against the city and current and former employees and "opens the door to healing." A statement on the city's website says the settlement resolves Reynolds' claims of "emotional distress and false arrest."

FILE - In this July 6, 2017 file photo, Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile, talks in St. Paul, Minn., about what her life has been like since Castile was fatally shot during a traffic stop a year ago. St. Anthony, the Minnesota city that employed the police officer who shot Castile, has reached a financial settlement with Reynolds and her daughter, who were in the car with him when he was killed. The St. Anthony City Council voted Tuesday Nov. 28, 2017 to pay Reynolds and her daughter $675,000. (Jerry Holt /Star Tribune via AP)

Castile was driving in Falcon Heights when Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled him over and shot him after he said he was armed. Reynolds streamed the shooting's aftermath live on Facebook.

Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges and left the police department.

Reynolds released a statement Tuesday night, saying, "The settlement symbolizes that what happened to my daughter and I on July 6, 2016 was wrong. While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer, I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward."

Castile's death and the officer's acquittal sparked weeks of protests. His mother, Valerie Castile, received a $3 million settlement from the city of St. Anthony in June.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - A woman who sued Haskell Indian Nations University after she said she was raped by two students in a dorm on the Kansas campus has settled her lawsuit.

The lawsuit filed in 2016 by the former student, listed in court documents as Jane Doe, closed Tuesday after she and the U.S. government, which runs the university, agreed to the dismissal, according to court documents, The Lawrence Journal-World reported .

The woman's attorney, Dan Curry, and Jim Cross, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Kansas, both confirmed the settlement but did not specify the amount. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

"She is happy to have the case resolved," Curry said. "She wants to get her education back on track, and this resolution will help her do that."

With the lawsuit and criminal proceedings against the two men over, the woman plans to return to Haskell this spring, he said.

The woman reported to police and the university that the two men raped her on Nov. 15, 2014. In October 2016, she sued Haskell, the U.S. government, the U.S. Department of Interior, the secretary of the interior and three Haskell administrators. She alleged that the university, located in Lawrence, allowed an unsafe environment by not enforcing alcohol and curfew policies and retaliated against her after she reported the alleged rapes.

The lawsuit was filed under Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education, including sexual violence. In July, Judge Thomas Marten ruled that Title IX doesn't apply to Haskell as it does to other universities because the Bureau of Indian Education runs the university. He dismissed much of the lawsuit but allowed the woman to argue in an amended lawsuit that Haskell employees unlawfully released her private records to people outside the school during criminal court proceedings. The government disputed that claim.

The two men were expelled from Haskell and were each charged with rape and aggravated sodomy.

Two trials for Galen Satoe ended in hung juries and prosecutors said in May they would not pursue a third trial.

A trial for Jared Wheeler also ended with a hung jury. He pleaded guilty in November 2016 to aggravated battery and was sentenced to two months in jail and two years of probation.

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Information from: Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com
MILAN (AP) - Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome will ride the Giro d'Italia next year in an attempt to win his third Grand Tour in a row.

After successfully defending his Tour de France title earlier this year, Froome went on to win the Spanish Vuelta for the first time. A victory at the Giro would make him the seventh rider in history to win all three Grand Tours.

The 32-year-old Froome made the unexpected announcement on Wednesday during the presentation of next year's Giro route, with a brief video message.

2017 AP YEAR END PHOTOS - Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, is followed by Italy's Fabio Aru as they climb Croix de Fer pass during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 183 kilometers (113.7 miles) with a start in La Mure and finish in Serre-Chevalier, France, on July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

"I'm looking forward to seeing you at the start line of next year's Giro d'Italia," he said.

The announcement was greeted by surprise and a warm round of applause from the audience, which included past and present cyclists.

"It's a unique situation for me, having won the Tour and Vuelta and now having the opportunity to go to the Giro and attempt to win a third consecutive Grand Tour," Froome said in a statement from Team Sky.

"It's really exciting to be able to take on a new challenge, to do something that perhaps people wouldn't expect and to mix it up. It's a whole new motivation for me to see if I can pull off something special next year."

Team Sky said Froome has not competed at the Giro since 2010, adding that the British rider will also try to win the Tour for a record-equaling fifth time next year.

"Froome is a strong rider and his presence makes the race harder and more interesting," said 2017 winner Tom Dumoulin, who would not reveal if he will defend his title.

Next year's Giro will start in Jerusalem and the following two stages will also be in Israel, marking the first time the race has started outside Europe.

Race organizers have said the route will not go through any land considered occupied by the international community. That means the course will circumvent the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians as parts of a future independent state.

A group of about 15 protesters held Palestinian flags and posters criticizing the Giro outside the building hosting Wednesday's presentation.

Race director Mauro Vegni told The Associated Press: "Everyone has the right to think what they want, they have the right - as long as the protests are peaceful - to express their thoughts."
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the firing of Garrison Keillor over an allegation of inappropriate behavior (all times local):

3 p.m.

The musician who took over hosting "A Prairie Home Companion" when Garrison Keillor retired last year says he's "in shock" after Keillor was fired over an accusation of improper behavior.

FILE - In this July 26, 2017 file photo, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of, "A Prairie Home Companion," talks at his St. Paul, Minn., office. Keillor said Wednesday, Nov. 29, he's been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)

Chris Thile was Keillor's hand-picked successor as host of the popular radio show. Minnesota Public Radio confirmed Wednesday it had terminated contracts with Keillor.

Thile later tweeted that he knew nothing about the accusation. The mandolinist says he trusts "that the proper steps are being taken." MPR says an outside law firm is investigating.

A longtime voice actor on the show also says she never saw inappropriate behavior by Keillor. Sue Scott was an actress on the show for 24 years. She tells The Associated Press she's stunned by Keillor's firing.

Keillor says he was fired because he put his hand on a woman's bare back as he tried to console her. Keillor says the woman recoiled, he apologized and she later told him she forgave him.

___

2 p.m.

An allegation of improper behavior by former "Prairie Home Companion" host Garrison Keillor is shocking his fans.

Minnesota Public Radio terminated its contracts with Keillor for what they called an allegation of inappropriate behavior. Keillor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he touched a woman's bare back as he tried to console her, and he apologized when she recoiled.

Among the local fans shocked by the news was Cindy Dina. The suburban Minneapolis woman says she admired Keillor and frequently listened to his show. She says she hopes the continuous allegations against high-profile men accused of misconduct sends a strong message to others.

Kathy Wallace says wasn't a big fan of Keillor's show but knew his name well as a cultural icon in Minnesota. She says his firing caught her off guard.

___

1:05 p.m.

Garrison Keillor says he was fired because he put his hand on a woman's bare back as he tried to console her.

The longtime radio host announced Wednesday he'd been fired by Minnesota Public Radio. Keillor retired from his popular show, "A Prairie Home Companion," last year but had still worked for MPR on a variety of projects.

Keillor tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune in an email that he was trying to pat the woman's back after she had told him "about her unhappiness." Keillor wrote that the woman's shirt was open and his hand went up about 6 inches.

Keillor says he apologized when the woman recoiled, and also emailed the woman an apology. He says she replied she'd forgiven him and "not to think about it."

Keillor says he considered her a friend and they remained friendly "right up until her lawyer called."

MPR declined to give any detail of the allegation against Keillor.

___

12:30 p.m.

Minnesota Public Radio is telling members it was "the right thing to do" to fire Garrison Keillor.

MPR depends heavily on member support. It sent note to supporters after Wednesday's firing was announced, saying the organization appreciates Keillor's contributions to the network "and to all of public radio."

The statement was signed by MPR President Jon McTaggart. It says the firing was necessary "to continue to earn your trust."

Neither MPR nor Keillor has released details about the allegation. MPR says it is a single allegation last month from a person who worked with Keillor while he was producing "A Prairie Home Companion."

Keillor retired from the show last year.

___

12:15 p.m.

Garrison Keillor says he's been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over a story that is "more complicated" than the version his employer heard.

MPR confirmed Wednesday that it fired Keillor after he was accused of "inappropriate behavior" last month by a person who had worked with him.

Neither MPR nor Keillor has given any details about the allegation. MPR says it's still investigating but currently has no other allegations against Keillor.

He retired last year as host of his signature "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show, but had continued working with MPR on other projects.

Keillor says he's deeply grateful for his years on the radio show. He says he's 75 and doesn't "have any interest in arguing about this."

___

11:50 a.m.

Minnesota Public Radio has confirmed it fired Garrison Keillor after he was accused of inappropriate behavior.

MPR says the allegation came last month from a person who worked with Keillor. MPR gave no details, but said it has no other similar allegations involving other staff.

MPR says an investigation is ongoing.

Keillor first announced his firing in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday. He says he was fired over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard." But he didn't provide any details.

MPR says it will no longer rebroadcast any Keillor-hosted editions of "A Prairie Home Companion." Keillor retired from the show last year. MPR also says it will change the name of the show, which is now hosted by Chris Thile.

___

11:22 a.m.

Garrison Keillor, the former host of "A Prairie Home Companion," says he's been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior.

Keillor told The Associated Press of his firing in an email. In a follow-up statement, he says he was fired over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard."

He didn't give details of the allegation. Minnesota Public Radio didn't immediately respond to messages.

Keillor retired last year from his longtime radio show, but still produced "The Writer's Almanac" for syndication.
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. MARCELIANO BANGUERA COLORADO, Defendant - Appellant. No. 16-17714 Decided: November 28, 2017

Before HULL, WILSON and JILL PRYOR, Circuit Judges.

Marceliano Banguera Colorado appeals his 108-month sentence, which the district court imposed after he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Specifically, he argues that the district court erred in denying him a minor role reduction under U.S.S.G.  3B1.2(b). After careful review, we vacate and remand for resentencing.

I.

After Colorado pled guilty, the probation office prepared a presentence investigation report (PSI). According to the PSI, Colorado and two co-defendants, Luis Alberto Jacome Gobea and Carlos Alberto Marquez Tenorio, used a go-fast vessel to transport 598 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Guatemala. A United States Navy helicopter observed the vessel traveling through international waters and three men onboard discarding cargo into the ocean. The United States Coast Guard seized the vessel, boarded it, and recovered barrels of cocaine that had been thrown overboard. Tenorio identified himself as captain of the vessel.

Colorado's PSI calculated a base offense level of 38 under U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(c)(1) because the offense involved more than 450 kilograms of cocaine. With a number of guidelines reductions not at issue here, Colorado's total offense level was 33. He had no criminal history, so the PSI reported his criminal history category as I. Colorado's resulting guidelines range was 135 to 168 months' imprisonment (with a 10-year statutory minimum sentence under 21 U.S.C.  960(b)(1)(B)(ii)).

Colorado objected to the PSI's failure to include a minor role reduction of his offense level. Colorado asserted that he was merely a deckhand involved in one shipment of cocaine for a larger criminal conspiracy and therefore considerably less culpable than his co-conspirators. He asserted that his co-defendants Tenorio and Gobea were, respectively, captain and load guard of the vessel, and that he played the most minor role of the three. He argued that he should have been eligible for a six-level reduction in his offense level under U.S.S.G.  3B1.2(b) and 2D1.1(a)(5).

Colorado renewed his objection at sentencing. Although Gobea had claimed at sentencing that he was the vessel's deckhand, Colorado reiterated his understanding that Gobea was the vessel's load guard, a more significant role than deckhand. Colorado asserted that as deckhand he lacked knowledge of the overall criminal enterprise, was uninvolved in any planning of the scheme, exercised no decisionmaking authority over the operation, and had no proprietary interest in the cocaine; he further claimed that he had never before participated in a drug trafficking operation. And, he argued, the fact that he played an essential role in the criminal activity was not determinative of whether a minor role reduction should apply.

The district court overruled Colorado's objection and declined to accept a minor role reduction. The court reasoned:

I don't think I've given a minor role provision on these cases, and I'll tell you why  I've had probably about a hundred of these cases. It takes all of these individuals working together. And I understand that in the scheme of things, in your opinion, they may be small players because you have got somebody really important down in  Colombia  making a whole lot of money, and these people are paid a pittance compared to the millions and millions of dollars.

I certainly understand your argument and where you are coming from, but it still takes all of them to make it happen. So I don't provide the minor role reduction because I don't think that it's appropriate 

Doc. 99 at 9-10. The court nonetheless applied a downward departure under U.S.S.G.  5K1.1 for substantial assistance to the government, reducing Colorado's total offense level to 31, and concluded that the statutory mandatory minimum did not apply because of that reduction. The district court's calculation reduced Colorado's guidelines range to 108 to 135 months' imprisonment. The district court sentenced Colorado to 108 months.

This is Colorado's appeal.

II.

At sentencing, the defendant bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence his entitlement to a role reduction. United States v. Rodriguez De Varon, 175 F.3d 930, 939 (11th Cir. 1999) (en banc). We review a district court's denial of a role reduction for clear error. United States v. Cruickshank, 837 F.3d 1182, 1192 (11th Cir. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 1435 (2017). Clear error requires a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). We will not find clear error [s]o long as the basis of the trial court's decision is supported by the record and does not involve a misapplication of a rule of law. Rodriguez De Varon, 175 F.3d at 945.

III.

Colorado challenges the district court's refusal to grant a six-level minor role reduction, arguing that he satisfied his burden to prove his eligibility and that the district court failed to find any facts relevant to his case that would permit it to deny the reduction. As to this second argument, Colorado asserts that the district court's reason for denying the minor role reduction was, impermissibly, based on a single factor and unrelated to the circumstances of his case. Because we agree with this second point, and the consequences for Colorado's guidelines range could be significant, we think the wisest course of action is to vacate the district court's decision and remand for resentencing. Cruickshank, 837 F.3d at 1195.

When evaluating a defendant's role in an offense, the district court must consider the totality of the circumstances, U.S.S.G.  3B1.2, comment n.3(C), assessing first, the defendant's role in the relevant conduct for which [he] has been held accountable at sentencing, and, second, [his] role as compared to that of other participants in [his] relevant conduct. Rodriguez De Varon, 175 F.3d at 940. The district court is under no obligation to make specific subsidiary findings, but it must clearly resolve[ ] any disputed factual issues and make the ultimate determination of the defendant's role in the offense. Id. at 939-40 (emphasis omitted). The commentary to U.S.S.G.  3B1.2 confirms the fact-intensive nature of this inquiry. The commentary provides a non-exhaustive list of factors for the district court to consider, including, among other things, the degree to which the defendant understood the scope and structure of the criminal activity, the degree to which the defendant participated in planning or organizing the criminal activity, the degree to which the defendant exercised decision-making authority, the nature and extent of the defendant's participation in the commission of the criminal activity, and the degree to which the defendant stood to benefit from the criminal activity. U.S.S.G.  3B1.2, cmt. n.3(C). The fact that a defendant performs an essential or indispensable role in the criminal activity is not determinative. Id.

We have cautioned district courts against applying any per se rules for a minor role reduction. Cruikshank, 837 F.3d at 1194. In Cruikshank, we disapproved of the district court's suggestion that the drug quantity involved in the offense was so large that no participant in the scheme could ever have been eligible for a minor-role reduction. Id. We held that it was legal error for the district court to say that this is the only factor to be considered in a case like this one. Id. at 1195. Because the stakes were high for the defendant in Cruikshankhe, like Colorado, had sought a six-level reduction in his offense levelwe remanded for resentencing, instructing the district court on remand to perform an inquiry based on the totality of circumstances, taking into account the variety of factors laid out in De Varon and the guidelines commentary. Id.

Cruikshank's logic applies here. When it overruled Colorado's objection to the lack of a minor role reduction, the district court suggested that it treated all conspiracy-to-traffic-drugs cases uniformly because in all such cases, [i]t takes all of these individuals working together. Doc. 99 at 9-10. The court stated that it d[oes]n't provide the minor role reduction in any of these cases, of which the court had seen about a hundred. Id. The district court gave no other reason for declining to give a minor role reduction. Thus, like in Cruikshank, the district court apparently hinged its rejection of a minor role reduction on a single factor rather than a consideration of the totality of the circumstances. See Cruikshank, 837 F.3d at 1194-95. This is impermissible. See id.

Moreover, the single factor the district court relied uponthat co-conspirators in a drug trafficking enterprise are all essential to the execution of the offensecannot, under the guidelines, be determinative of whether to give a minor role reduction. See U.S.S.G.  3B1.2, cmt. n.3(C) ( The fact that a defendant performs an essential or indispensable role in the criminal activity is not determinative.). This misapplication of law, especially when paired with the district court's failure to consider the totality of the circumstances, constitutes clear error. See Rodriguez De Varon, 175 F.3d at 945.

For these reasons, as in Cruikshank, we think the wisest course of action is to vacate Colorado's sentence and remand for resentencing. On remand, the district court should perform an inquiry based on the totality of the circumstances, taking into account the factors set forth in the commentary to U.S.S.G.  3B1.2.

VACATED AND REMANDED.

FOOTNOTES

. A district court may reduce a defendant's base offense level by two levels if it finds that the defendant was a minor participant in the criminal activity. U.S.S.G.  3B1.2(b). If the court grants such a reduction in a drug case with a base offense level of 38 (like Colorado's case), the defendant's base offense level is decreased by a further four levels, for a total of six levels. Id.  2D1.1(a)(5).

. Doc. refers to the numbered entry on the district court's docket in this case. The district court made this statement when overruling an identical objection to the lack of a minor role reduction by Colorado's co-defendant Gobea. When it addressed Colorado's objection, the court stated: I feel the same way as I did for the other gentlemen. I think it takes all these people working together to make this happen, so I will not give the minor role adjustment. Doc. 99 at 14.

. Colorado argued in the district court and maintains on appeal that his role should be compared with that of other unnamed co-conspirators. We have explained, however, that the roles of other parties to the offense are relevant only to the extent that [the other parties] are identifiable or discernable from the evidence  [excluding] participants in any larger criminal conspiracy. Rodriguez De Varon, 175 F.3d at 944. Because the unnamed co-conspirators are not identifiable or discernible, we reject Colorado's argument.

PER CURIAM:
BEIRUT (AP) - Much has changed since Syria's warring sides met for the last round of U.N.-brokered talks in Geneva last summer.

The Islamic State group has been defeated in all its major strongholds, rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Assad have been significantly weakened and Russia, Iran, Turkey and the U.S. have engaged in high level diplomacy that has largely frozen the lines of conflict.

Most significantly, the U.N. is sidestepping for now the divisive issue of Assad's future in a post-war Syria, a question that has derailed all previous attempts to end the country's devastating war.

FILE - This Friday, May 19, 2017 file photo, members of the Syrian government delegation and Syrian chief negotiator and Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission of Syria to the United Nations Bashar al-Ja'afari, center, attend a meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura during peace talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Much has changed since Syria's warring sides held the last round of UN-brokered talks in Geneva in the summer: The U.N. is sidestepping the divisive question of President Bashar Assad's future, the Islamic State group has been defeated in all its strongholds, and Russia, Iran, Turkey and the U.S. have engaged in high level diplomacy that has largely frozen the lines of conflict. (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool Photo via AP, File)

In this light, diplomats are hoping that at last the parties in Syria may be ready to make some forward progress in talks that formally got under way with the arrival of the government delegation on Wednesday. There is little optimism, however, that the current round would achieve any significant breakthroughs.

Still, this round of talks stands out from the previous seven.

MANAGED EXPECTATIONS

The question of Assad's future looms over Syria, but it has been a non-starter for talks in Geneva. This time, U.N.'s Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, is trying to sidestep the issue and has asked the two sides to focus on constitutional reform and elections, instead.

Considering Geneva's past record for deadlock, a real dialogue between the two sides on these two matters would represent a "significant step forward," according to a European diplomat close to the negotiations.

"That is clearly a long way from any assurance that Assad is about to go, but I think we need baby steps," said the diplomat, who was not authorized to speak on the record about the negotiations.

In fact, an even more modest target of getting the two sides to agree to speak about these issues could work to advance the diplomatic process, said a Syrian intermediary close to the opposition. An agenda for further discussion can then be taken to Sochi, Russia, where President Vladimir Putin says he wants to assemble a "Syrian People's Congress" to hash out a peace for Syria. Russia's Foreign Ministry said it could convene a conference in January or February.

Assad's government prefers to negotiate in Sochi; Russia's military and diplomatic support for Assad has remained unshakeable through seven years of war. The opposition says they do not see the purpose of opening a Sochi track when the U.N. is sponsoring talks in Geneva.

INCLUSIVE OPPOSITION

The opposition's delegation was expanded last week under Saudi Arabian auspices to include factions seen by Damascus and its backers as more acceptable for negotiations, including the "Moscow group," which has resisted calls for Assad's departure. This makes it the first time that the notoriously fragmented opposition attends talks with one unified delegation.

Opposition delegation head Nasr Hariri said the reformulation removed any excuse for Syria's government and its chief diplomatic backer, Russia, to avoid the U.N. talks.

The new opposition delegation has called for direct talks with the government delegation, saying they were ready to engage in talks 'without preconditions," but at the same time says its goal remains to push Assad aside.

Previous talks have almost all been indirect so-called proxy talks, with the U.N. envoy shuffling back and forth between the government and opposition delegations.

Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the Syrian opposition delegation, said while the opposition is reviewing and putting final remarks to represents its unified views regarding mechanisms for drafting the constitution, a constitutional declaration to govern the transitional period and election mechanisms, the government is stalling because it wants to "waste time."

Ramadan said de Mistura is proposing that talks go on until Dec. 15.

"There has been a long hiatus of negotiations. We have to enter serious negotiations. We must start these negotiations," Ramadan said.

FROZEN LINES OF CONFLICT

This year has seen intensive negotiations between Russia and Iran, staunch Assad backers, on one side and Turkey, the U.S. and Jordan, who supported the opposition. The talks effectively froze the front lines between the government and rebels, allowing the opposition - weak as it is - to maintain a claim to some territory in the country.

The agreements, which outlined four "de-escalation zones" in Syria, also reflect outside stakes in the war, could have a moderating effect on the fighting by the balance of the powers. In south Syria, Jordan, the U.S., and, by proxy, Israel, have demanded Iran, another one of Assad's military backers, to keep its proxy militias and its own forces away from Israel's border. And Turkey is extending its military and political and social institutions into north Syria, laying its own stakes in the country.

But rebels still hold pockets outside Syria's third largest city Homs and Damascus, the capital - a real sore point for the government. Rebels seized a military installation two weeks ago and killed dozens of pro-government fighters, including at least one general, in the fighting outside the capital. Shells falling on the capital are undermining the government's narrative that it is in control. The battle has exposed the government's helplessness to defend itself without muscular Russian and Iranian support and will remain a pressure point on Damascus throughout the talks.

DEFEAT OF ISLAMIC STATE GROUP

With the near-defeat of the Islamic State group in Syria, Vladimir Putin says there are no more excuses - the parties can now turn to peace.

"Militants in Syria have received a decisive blow, and there is a real chance to put an end to the civil war that has raged for many years," said Putin last week at a trilateral summit in Sochi with Turkey's Erdogan and Iran's Rouhani.

"The process of reforms isn't going to be easy and will require concessions and compromises from all those involved, including the Syrian government," he said.

But analysts say Assad is not ready to offer concessions, particularly in a U.N.-led context.

Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, said a Russian-led process may be "ceding to regime preferences."

The end of the Islamic State group could mean a new battle between the U.S.-backed Kurds who fought back IS, and the central government, and this will have to be addressed in talks.

For now, that's been swept under the rug, and the dominant Kurdish party has not been invited to the talks.

___

Keaten reported from Geneva. Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

FILE - This Friday, May 19, 2017 file photo, general view during a meeting of a delegation of Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) with UN Special Envoy for Syria during peace talks, at the United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland. Much has changed since Syria's warring sides held the last round of UN-brokered talks in Geneva in the summer: The U.N. is sidestepping the divisive question of President Bashar Assad's future, the Islamic State group has been defeated in all its strongholds, and Russia, Iran, Turkey and the U.S. have engaged in high level diplomacy that has largely frozen the lines of conflict. (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool Photo via AP, File)

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura arrives, prior to a round of negotiations during the Intra Syria talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. (Martial Trezzini/Pool Photo via AP)
PHOENIX (AP) - A murder charge against a Phoenix man in the shooting death of his 9-year-old son earlier this year has been dismissed at the request of prosecutors.

The county prosecutor's office said Tuesday that it concluded it could not prove all the elements of the first-degree murder charge against Kansas Lavarnia in the March 20 death of his son Landen. The charge was dismissed six weeks ago, but prosecutors have the option of charging Lavarnia, 31, again.

His wife, Wendy Lavarnia, told police that her 2-year-old son found a gun left on a bed and accidentally shot his older brother in the head while the children were playing video games. The couple were arrested in the boy's death after police said they found inconsistencies in the mother's account of the shooting.

FILE - This undated file booking photo provided by the Maricopa County Sheriff shows Kansas Lavarnia. The murder charge against the Phoenix man in the shooting death earlier this year of his 9-year-old son has been dismissed at the request of prosecutors. (Maricopa County Sheriff via AP, File)

Investigators also became suspicious when Kansas Lavarnia showed up at the home with a crudely bandaged gunshot wound on his arm. It looked to have been punctured multiple times, possibly with a screwdriver, to camouflage the injury, authorities said.

In the past, authorities have declined to say who they believed was responsible for shooting the boy and his father. But Kansas Lavarnia's attorney said in court records a month ago that the theory pushed by prosecutors is that Wendy Lavarnia shot her son and husband.

The 29-year-old told authorities that her husband was out shopping at the time of the shooting. He showed up at the family's home after police had arrived.

Clare Schum, an attorney for Wendy Lavarnia, said in an email that her client denies firing the gun and that prosecutors have not disclosed evidence or witness statements to her to support the theory that she did.

Amanda Jacinto, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, declined to comment on the state's theory of the case.

Wendy Lavarnia faces charges of murder, child abuse and hindering prosecution. Her husband still faces charges of child abuse and hindering prosecution. The couple have pleaded not guilty.

Jacinto said in an email that the murder charge against Kansas Lavarnia was dismissed in mid-October after prosecutors investigated further and reviewed the victim's autopsy and then determined they would not be able to prove all the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

His attorney, Jamie Jackson, didn't immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment Tuesday.

Authorities said the parents delayed calling 911 for medical care for their son so they could clean up evidence in the house. They say the lack of visible blood and the extent of blood residue implied that a significant amount of time had passed before the mother called 911. Prosecutors say evidence of blood was found in the trunk of the vehicle that Kansas Lavarnia drove to his home.

Kansas Lavarnia's lawyer cited the dismissal of the murder charge when he asked a judge to lower his client's $1 million bond to $25,000.

Trial for the couple has been postponed, and no new date has been set.

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Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at https://www.apnews.com/search/jacques%20billeaud .
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Congress and allegations of sexual misconduct against lawmakers. (all times local):

3 p.m.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says "no matter how great the legacy, it is not a license to harass and abuse."

A flag flies on at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The House is scheduled to vote on adopting mandatory anti-sexual harassment training for all members and their staff. The vote comes amid a wave of allegations of sexual misconduct against lawmakers that has thrust the issue of gender hostility and discrimination on Capitol Hill squarely into the spotlight. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The California Democrat spoke as lawmakers wonder what Rep. John Conyers will do about allegations he's harassed female employees, which he's denied.

The 88-year-old Michigan lawmaker quit his post as top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and returned to Detroit. He's been pressured by Pelosi and other lawmakers to resign from the chamber.

Pelosi did not mention Conyers' name. But she said it can be hard to accept that "people we admire" have "crossed the line."

Conyers is the House's longest-serving lawmaker and has long been a leader on civil rights and other issues.

The House is debating a measure requiring lawmaker to take anti-harassment training.

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11:04 a.m.

House Speaker Paul Ryan says sexual harassment shouldn't exist anywhere, "let alone in the United States Congress" - and he says it won't be tolerated.

The Wisconsin Republican spoke before the House planned to approve a measure requiring that lawmakers and staff take mandatory, annual anti-harassment training.

Asked if lawmakers should speak out more about some women's past allegations that they were harassed by President Donald Trump, Ryan said leaders are focused "on making sure this place works the right way."

He said Rep. John Conyers "made the right decision" by abandoning his post as top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. Conyers has been accused of sexual harassment by former aides.

Trump and Conyers have denied the accusations.

Lawmakers are expected to produce additional legislation strengthening the House's lax anti-harassment procedures.

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3:53 a.m.

The House is scheduled to vote on adopting mandatory anti-sexual harassment training for all members and their staffs.

The vote comes amid a wave of allegations of sexual misconduct against lawmakers that has thrust the issue of gender hostility and discrimination on Capitol Hill squarely into the spotlight.

Democratic Rep. John Conyers, the longest serving member of the House, faces an ethics investigation over a settlement with a staffer who said she was sexually harassed, then fired in retaliation for rejecting advances.

Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota has been accused of harassment, and apologized.

Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas apologized after a nude photo of him surfaced on social media

A similar resolution for mandatory training unanimously passed in the Senate earlier this month.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump plans to hold talks this week with leaders from Bahrain and Libya.

The White House says Trump will meet Thursday with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The crown prince is visiting Washington this week and has already met with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Trump plans to meet Friday with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj. The White House says the leaders will discuss reaffirming U.S. support for Libya's unity government and help stabilizing the country.

Libya fell into chaos after the ouster and killing of its longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi (MOO'-ah-mar gah-DAH'-fee) in 2011. The country's divisions and power and security vacuum have empowered hundreds of militias to become the real power on the ground. Human trafficking and fuel smuggling have also thrived.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's speech promoting the Republican tax plan (all times local):

2:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump claims the Republican tax plan is going to cost him "a fortune."

President Donald Trump speaks about tax reform at the St. Charles Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Charles, Mo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Trump is speaking at an event promoting the legislation in St. Charles, Mo. He is providing no evidence to support his claim, insisting, "Believe me."

Trump has repeatedly declined to release his tax returns - something every other modern president has done.

Trump is trying to rebut independent analyses showing that many wealthy individuals would receive a tax break under the proposal, saying his rich associates have called him to complain about the plan.

Responding to Democratic charges that the bill would mostly benefit the rich, Trump says, "If it is, my friends don't know about it."

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2:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump's visit to Missouri may be less about winning the support of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill than boosting her opponent.

Trump, who called on McCaskill to support the bill during his tax reform event in St. Charles, Mo., is lending his support to Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley's bid to unseat the Democratic lawmaker.

Trump is recognizing Hawley from the stage, saying, "He's going to be a great senator."

McCaskill voted against the GOP proposal in committee earlier this month, and is expected to vote against it when the full Senate takes up the measure.

Hawley greeted Trump at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, and hitched a ride with the president to his event, where Trump is plugging the Republican tax reform effort.

__

11:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump is making a public show of trying to win over Democratic votes for the Republican tax cut package, even as GOP officials have written that off as an unlikely outcome.

The GOP president arrived in Missouri to promote the Republican tax plan. He's expected to again call on the state's Democratic senator, Claire McCaskill, to embrace the package. McCaskill, a top Republican target in the 2018 midterm elections, voted against the plan in a Senate Finance Committee vote this month.

The visit marks Trump's second to the state to sell his plan. During his trip to Springfield in August, Trump pledged the plan would "bring back Main Street."

President Donald Trump greets visitors on the tarmac as he arrives at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Louis, where he will speak about tax reform. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump arrives at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in St. Louis, where he will speak about tax reform. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
COVENTRY, R.I. (AP) - The Latest on the felony neglect case against the parents of a dead 8-month-old girl (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

Court documents say an 8-month-old girl who died in Rhode Island last week had the potent opioid fentanyl in her system.

Coventry Police say they received a 911 call around 6 a.m. Nov. 19 about an unresponsive infant. They took her to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The girl's parents, Steven Gilchrist and Jocelyn Belmore, were arrested Tuesday and charged with one felony count each of cruelty to or neglect of a child. They are expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.

It was not immediately clear whether either Gilchrist or Belmore, both 32, was represented by a lawyer.

Authorities say an investigation produced evidence of criminal neglect by the parents.

Police say the cause of death is undetermined.

___

12:45 p.m.

The parents of an 8-month-old girl who died last week in Rhode Island have been charged with felony neglect.

Coventry Police say they received a 911 call around 6 a.m. Nov. 19 about an unresponsive infant. They took her to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

They say an investigation produced evidence of criminal neglect by the parents, but did not give further details.

Steven Gilchrist and Jocelyn Belmore, both 32, were arrested Tuesday and charged with one felony count each of cruelty to or neglect of a child.

The parents were scheduled to be arraigned at the Kent County courthouse at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear whether either Gilchrist or Belmore was represented by a lawyer.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - A woman charged with leaking U.S. secrets has lost an appeal of a federal magistrate's order that she remain jailed until trial.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall ruled Monday the lower court correctly decided in October that releasing 25-year-old Reality Winner on bail would risk "harm to national security."

Winner is a former Air Force linguist who worked as a National Security Agency contractor in Augusta, Georgia, when she was charged in June with leaking a classified U.S. report to an unidentified news organization.

Authorities haven't described the document. Winner's arrest was announced the same day The Intercept reported on a classified NSA report on Russian hackers and the 2016 election.

Winner's lawyers argued she served admirably in the military and was only charged with one criminal count.
Has the Trump slump that the travel industry warned about finally hit?

The number of international visitors arriving in the United States declined nearly 4 percent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2016, according to data released Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Travel and Tourism Office in Washington.

Many sectors of the travel industry have been warning that President Donald Trump's anti-foreigner rhetoric and immigration policies would lead to a drop in tourism here.

Fewer visitors came from nearly every region of the world, with declines in arrivals from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The only region that sent more visitors in the first six months of 2017 compared with 2016 was Canada, up 5 percent.

The overall drop was even higher in June alone than for the six-month period, with a 6.7 percent decline in June 2017 compared with June 2016, the NTTO data showed.

All told, some 33.8 million non-resident international travelers entered the U.S. between January and June of this year, a 3.9 percent decline from the same period in 2016, the NTTO said.

A few numbers stood out. The decline from the Middle East was substantial at nearly 30 percent, January to June, year over year. Visitors from Mexico in June dropped 16 percent compared with the previous June, and there was a 9.4 percent decline in visitors from Mexico in the six-month period. Visitors from Western Europe were down just 1.8 percent for the six months.

"The latest government travel data is deeply concerning not just to our industry, but to anyone who cares about the economic well-being of the United States," Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit representing the travel industry, said in a statement. "Travel is our country's No. 2 export and supports more than 15 million American jobs. These numbers are an undeniable wake-up call, and correcting this troubling trend needs to become a national priority."

NYC & Company, the tourism marketing agency for New York, also expressed dismay over the data. NYC & Company predicts that New York will lose up to 100,000 international visitors this year, its first drop in overseas arrivals since 2009. "The data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office underscores the concerns we have had this year about the international tourism landscape in the U.S.," said NYC & Company CEO Fred Dixon. The city has launched several promotions around the world to try to counter what Dixon described as the country's "vulnerability."

Other possible factors in the decline include the strength of the U.S. dollar against other currencies, which makes it expensive for travelers to vacation here, and a series of mass shootings - including the October attack in Las Vegas that left 58 dead - that may lead some travelers to choose other destinations out of fear for their safety.

Arrivals data takes about five months for the government to compile, so it's hard to measure the impact of U.S. policies on tourism in real time. In addition, travelers tend to plan international trips well in advance, so their concerns about a destination may not show up in arrivals data until months later. Travel experts like Arthur Frommer of the Frommer's guidebook company warned months ago that Trump's rhetoric and policies would lead to a "Trump slump" in travel, but earlier in the year, the data was mixed, possibly reflecting trips that had been planned by travelers before Trump took office.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A committee that governs Capitol Hill access for broadcast journalists has withdrawn credentials for RT, a Russian state-funded TV channel.

The move means the channel's broadcast reporters won't have daily access to the Capitol. It comes after the company complied earlier this month with a U.S. demand that it register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The law applies to people or companies disseminating information in the U.S. on behalf of foreign governments, political parties and other "foreign principals."

In a letter sent to RT, CSPAN's Craig Caplan said the network's credentials were being withdrawn after a unanimous vote of the executive committee of the Congressional Radio and Television Correspondents' Galleries.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - "Coco" is earning praise from Mexican American audiences for its portrayal of Mexican culture and the holiday, "Day of the Dead." The Disney-Pixar animated production hauled in an estimated $72.9 million over the five-day weekend and features an almost entirely Latino cast.

It comes after Disney's "Moana" - a computer-animated movie featuring a girl from a Polynesian village - garnered mostly positive reaction from Polynesian audiences in 2016.

Both "Coco" and "Moana" used consultants to make sure the films were culturally sensitive.

FILE - In this June 23, 2010 file photo, Aladdin and Genie perform in "Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular" at Disney's California Adventure park in Anaheim, Calif. "Coco" is earning praise from Mexican American audiences for its portrayal of Mexican culture and the holiday, "Day of the Dead." But Disney productions haven't always acquired acclaim for their portrayal of ethnic minorities. Some popular films have been attacked for reinforcing stereotypes or for simply being racist. The 1992 "Aladdin" film generated protest for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee for its opening song, "Arabian Nights." (Joshua Sudock/Orange County Register via AP, File)

Disney productions haven't always received praise for their portrayal of ethnic minorities. In fact, some popular films have been attacked for reinforcing stereotypes or for simply being racist.

Here's a look how ethnic minorities have been portrayed in previous Disney productions:

___

AFRICAN-AMERICANS

In Disney's 1941 film "Dumbo," the leader of a pack of crows is named Jim Crow. The poor and seemingly uneducated crows use slang and black vernacular while calling each other "brotha." That portrayal drew scrutiny for stereotypical depiction of African-Americans. "I'd be done see'n about everything, when I see an elephant fly," the jive-talking crows sing.

"Song of the South," a 1946 Disney musical about post-Civil War Georgia, came under intense criticism from black civil rights leaders for its depiction of African-Americans. They said the Uncle Remus collection of black folklore stories was based on racial caricatures. The film has not been released on home video in the U.S.

Disney CEO Robert Iger has previously said that the company had discussed releasing the movie on home video but decided against it.

___

NATIVE AMERICANS

The 1953 animated film "Peter Pan" featured the song "What Made the Red Man Red" in reference to Native Americans. A very red and obese American Indian with two teeth is shown on screen while a peace pipe is passed around. A group of Indians dance among teepees while Peter Pan wears a headdress.

More than four decades later, Disney released a film focusing largely on myths surrounding Pocahontas. The character tries to fight off the assumptions from her white male friend that she's an "ignorant savage," and the film attempts to tackle the conflict between Native Americans and white settlers. The movie was criticized for over-sexualizing of Pocahontas and for ignoring the true sacrifices she made to keep peace between her tribe and whites.

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ASIANS

The Siamese cats, Si and Am, in the 1955 "Lady and the Tramp" used stereotypical Asian speech and had features to resemble Asians. They were villainous and deceitfully sneaky with their broken English and lacking of individuality, all stereotypes about Asians in the U.S. coming out of World War II and the Korean War.

The 1998 "Mulan" was attacked by scholars for relying on U.S. stereotypes of Asians in a retelling of a Chinese popular legend. Villains were darker skinned in comparison to the heroes. The film did not do well in China over Mulan's foreign-looking depiction and a vastly different story from the original myths.

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MIDDLE EASTERNERS

The 1992 "Aladdin" drew protest from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee for its opening song, "Arabian Nights." The song's lyrics: "Where they cut off your ear/if they don't like your face/It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." The lyrics were later changed. Film critic Roger Ebert said the film was laced with racial stereotypes about Arabs.

"Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics - hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips," he wrote, "but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers."

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Associated Press writer Russell Contreras is a member of the AP's race and ethnicity team. Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. LARRY HALLAM, Defendant-Appellant. No. 17-11488 Decided: November 28, 2017

Before ED CARNES, Chief Judge, MARCUS, and ROSENBAUM, Circuit Judges.

Larry Hallam challenges his two-year prison sentence imposed for using controlled substances in violation of his supervised release conditions. Hallam is an opioid addict and lifelong drug abuser, and he contends that the district court plainly erred by considering rehabilitation as a factor in imposing his two-year sentence.

Hallam served a year in prison for stealing government property and then began serving a three-year term of supervised release. The conditions of his supervised release included the standard prohibition on the use of controlled substances. About a year into his term of supervised release, Hallam's probation officer filed a petition alleging four violations for unlawful opioid use. Hallam was arrested and incarcerated, and he admitted to the violations.

At Hallam's revocation hearing the district court calculated his guidelines range as three to nine months imprisonment with a maximum of two years. Hallam agreed with the government's recommendation of three to six months in prison and no supervised release following imprisonment, stating that he was now clean, that he needed to handle his addiction without supervision, and that he could find services on his own if he needed help. He also stated that if he remained on supervised release, he would get a prescription for pain pills so that he could take them legally to help him with his back pain.

The court then questioned Hallam about a traffic infraction that occurred right before he was arrested for his supervised release violations. A police officer stopped Hallam after he crossed over a fog line several times, and the court expressed concern that Hallam could not stay in his lane because he was under the influence. Hallam denied that he crossed over the line because he was under the influence, but he admitted that the last time he was sober was when he was in prison. The court raised the possibility of placing Hallam in a residential drug treatment program if he remained on supervised release, but Hallam stated that he would prefer a jail sentence, even one at the top of the guidelines range, and then release from supervision.

The court found that Hallam violated his conditions of supervised release, noting that the four opioid violations evince[d] an inability to control [his] consumption of controlled substances. It sentenced Hallam to two years in prison, after which he would be discharged from supervised release. The court justified the variance based on Hallam's lack of success on supervised release, his unwillingness to undergo inpatient treatment, the risk inherent in continual drug abuse, and the fact that prison was the exclusive means of securing [his] sobriety.

Hallam contends that the district court impermissibly lengthened his sentence to promote his rehabilitation from drug use, in violation of the Supreme Court's holding in Tapia v. United States, 564 U.S. 319, 335, 131 S. Ct. 2382, 2393 (2011), that a court may not impose or lengthen a prison sentence to enable an offender to complete a treatment program or otherwise to promote rehabilitation. We extended that holding to prison terms imposed for supervised release violations in United States v. Vandergrift, 754 F.3d 1303, 1306, 1310 (11th Cir. 2014). Hallam did not raise his Tapia objection at the revocation hearing, and as a result we review only for plain error. Id. Under plain error review an appellate court may not correct an error the defendant failed to raise in the district court unless there is: (1) error, (2) that is plain, and (3) that affects substantial rights. United States v. Rodriguez, 398 F.3d 1291, 1298 (11th Cir. 2005) (quotation marks omitted). If all of those conditions are satisfied, we may then exercise [our] discretion to notice [the] forfeited error, but only if (4) the error seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings. Id. (quotation marks omitted).

Even assuming that the district court plainly erred in considering rehabilitation, Hallam cannot show that the error affected his substantial rights because his rehabilitative needs clearly constituted only a minor fragment of the court's reasoning. United States v. Alberts, 859 F.3d 979, 985 (11th Cir. 2017). Hallam relies on the court's statement that prison was the exclusive means to keep him sober as evidence that rehabilitation played a major role in his sentence, but cherry-picking that quote ignores the context of the entire revocation hearing. The court imposed the two-year sentence based on Hallam's history of drug abuse and the need to ensure public safety, both of which are legitimate factors to consider in sanctioning a supervised release violation. See 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(1), (a)(2)(C), 3583(e). Hallam all but admitted that he remained sober only while incarcerated, he rejected the option of enrolling in a residential drug treatment program, and he stated that he would get a prescription for pain pills if he remained on supervised release. In light of those statements, the court's question as to whether Hallam was under the influence when an officer stopped him for crossing over a fog line indicates that the court was concerned that Hallam's drug abuse would endanger the public. That the court might have believed that Hallam would benefit from two years in prison does not mean that it impermissibly relied on rehabilitation in imposing his sentence. See United States v. Grant, 664 F.3d 276, 282 (9th Cir. 2011) (When a judge imposes prison, he may wisely believe that it will have rehabilitative benefits, but those benefits cannot be the reason for imposing it.).

Hallam's history of drug abuse and concern for public safety drove the district court's sentencing decision, and any consideration of rehabilitation played only a minor role, if any. Vandergrift, 754 F.3d at 1312 (concluding that defendant's substantial rights were not impacted where the district court's primary considerations were for the safety of the public and deterring others from similar conduct); see also United States v. Bennett, 698 F.3d 194, 201 (4th Cir. 2012) (concluding that defendant failed to satisfy the third prong of plain error review where the context of the entire sentencing proceeding showed that the defendant's rehabilitative needs clearly constituted only a minor fragment of the court's reasoning, as the judge led off the discussion with and emphasized the defendant's breach of trust). As a result, Hallam cannot show that any error impacted his substantial rights.

AFFIRMED.

FOOTNOTES

. The district court's questions about placing Hallam in a residential drug treatment program also do not show that rehabilitation played more than a minor role in its decision, as a court commits no error by discussing the opportunities for rehabilitation within prison or the benefits of specific treatment or training programs. Tapia, 564 U.S. at 334, 131 S. Ct. at 2292.

PER CURIAM:
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Ecuador's president on Wednesday called a nationwide referendum that will include a question asking voters whether they want to revoke a law pushed forward by his predecessor allowing presidents to be indefinitely re-elected.

President Lenin Moreno presented two decrees to the National Electoral Council calling for a popular vote that he said is needed to restore the country's constitution, whose values he said have been compromised by "vices" within the nation's political process. The council has 15 days to formally convoke the vote and 60 days to organize it.

The move widened the divide between Moreno and ex-President Rafael Correa, a former ally who now accuses his hand-picked successor of betraying his legacy. Correa, an iron-fisted leader who served as president for a decade over three presidential terms, would be barred from office if voters should repeal the re-election law.

Former President Rafael Correa meets with neighborhood leaders in Quito, Ecuador, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Correa has returned home for the first time since leaving office as he gears up for a political fight against his hand-picked successor.(AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

"It is essential to consult the public on these matters of national interest," Moreno wrote.

The National Assembly passed an amendment in 2015 lifting presidential term limits, in what critics called a shrewd political move by Correa to further consolidate power. Correa left office earlier this year and has said he would only come out of political retirement if the social gains from his so-called Citizens' Revolution were threatened.

He called the proposed referendum question asking voters to limit politicians to just one re-election an attempt to thwart his leftist movement.

"Not only would the revolution not continue, what's in the works is a true counter-revolution," he wrote in a recent blog post.

Moreno has distanced himself from his one-time political mentor since his April election, exposing corruption, courting conservative business leaders and trying to make amends with groups that Correa shunned, including the media. Polls say his approval rating has soared and point to wide public backing for the referendum.

Aside from the question on re-election, the referendum also will tackle corruption and environmental issues like oil exploration and mining. If voters approve, anyone convicted of corruption would be prohibited from participating in politics.

Vice President Jorge Glas was jailed in October on charges of accepting bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht during Correa's administration and is expected to face a criminal trial.

The referendum heightens tense relations between backers of Moreno and Correa within the Alianza Pais ruling party. Alianza Pais leaders recently announced that they were removing Moreno as the party's chief, a move the current president's allies and an electoral court consider illegal. Party leaders have called for a Dec. 3 national convention.
A mining company CEO who did time in prison for conspiring to violate mine safety in connection with a massive mine explosion is running against Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in West Virginia.

Don Blankenship did a year-long stint in a California prison after getting convicted of willfully breaking safety standards.

He got convicted after the Upper Big Branch disaster that resulted in the deaths of 29 miners in 2010.

Manchin won election in 2012 with 60 per cent of the vote, but is considered vulnerable because of the voting patterns in the state he represents. He voted through most of President Trump's nominees, and votes with the president about two-thirds of the time.

A spokesman says ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who went to prison after a mine explosion, will run for the U.S. Senate seat in West Virginia held by Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.

A spokesman confirmed the ex-Massey Energy CEO will run against Manchin.

Blankenship is a longtime critic of Manchin, wchstv reported. Manchin said in a statement 'He wont be distracted by [Senate GOP leader] Mitch McConnells backroom deals in Washington, D.C.'

Blankenship spokesman Greg Thomas said the formal filing was expected Wednesday. The Senate clerk's office says it hasn't received it yet.

The 67-year-old Blankenship was released from a federal prison in California in May after serving a one-year term related to a deadly mine explosion. He's serving one year of supervised release.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) looks on during a news conference to discuss the national opioid crisis, on Capitol Hill June 27, 2017 in Washington

A protestor holds a sign above Don Blankenship, chairman and chief executive officer of Massey Energy Co., right, as he sits next to Shane Harvey, vice president and general counsel of Massey Energy, before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on proposals to invest in mine safety programs, focusing on efforts to prevent mine disasters, in Washington

The Upper Big Branch Mine explosion killed 29 workers

Blankenship was sentenced last year for a misdemeanor conviction of conspiring to violate federal mine safety standards at Massey's Upper Big Branch Mine in southern West Virginia, where 29 workers died in a 2010 explosion.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected Blankenship's bid to appeal.

Two other Repubilans, Rep. Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are also seeking to challenge Manchin.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - A former navy captain known as the "Angel of Death" was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for human rights violations committed at a notorious clandestine detention and torture center during Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship.

Verdicts were also read against 53 other people in the largest trial of its kind in Argentina's history. In total, 29 people were jailed for life and 19 sentenced to between 8 years and 25 years. Six others were acquitted.

Former Capt. Alfredo Astiz sat motionless as a judge read the charges against him that included kidnapping, torture, homicide and stealing minors. Astiz's nickname came from his cherubic looks and for his work delivering dissidents to the military junta as an undercover agent. He previously was convicted of kidnapping, torturing and murdering two French nuns and a journalist and was already serving a life sentence.

Mothers of "Plaza de Mayo" member Tati Almeida holds a sign that reads in Spanish "They are 30,000," referring to those killed by the Argentine dictatorship, as she listens to the verdicts for the accused in a human rights trial, shown on a screen outside the court in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The trial for dictatorship-era human rights violations at the Naval Mechanics School known as "ESMA," a notorious clandestine detention and torture center, is the largest in the country's history with 54 accused. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Throughout the trial, Astiz remained unrepentant.

"Human rights groups want persecution and vengeance," he said. "I'll never say I'm sorry."

In the past, Astiz had accused former President Cristina Fernandez of promoting unjust and illegitimate prosecutions for her own political gain. Her late husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner, encouraged the trials after Argentina's Congress and Supreme Court removed amnesties that had protected junta veterans.

Hundreds of people outside the courtroom celebrated as sentences were read. Some held a large poster with photos of the 54 defendants with a letter "P'' for "perpetua," referring to life sentences, scribbled over the men's faces. Others held banners about the disappeared that read: "Tell us where they are."

"We're living a historic moment," said Taty Almeida, an activist with the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a group that has campaigned to find people disappeared by the junta.

"More than ever, we're going to keep demanding justice," she said.

Prosecution of the crimes began in two previous trials in 2007 and 2009. The third trial that concluded Wednesday was the largest and involved crimes against humanity committed against 789 people at the Naval Mechanics School - the era's biggest clandestine torture center. An estimated 5,000 prisoners were held there. Some were drugged and later thrown alive from airplanes into the River Plate or to the sea in "death flights."

"In Argentina's history, the death flights will always be regarded as an incomparable monstrosity," said human rights activist Eduardo Jozami. "It's key that this vision held by most Argentines has been ratified with this sentence."

The Naval Mechanics School, a leafy former military campus, is now home to a museum dedicated to preserving evidence of crimes against humanity. The grounds also used to house a maternity ward where pregnant detainees were held until they gave birth and then were made to "disappear."

Human rights groups estimate about 30,000 people were killed or forcibly disappeared during Argentina's brutal dictatorship.

"The reparation of victims and of society is only possible if the state complies with its obligations to investigate, sanction and reconstruct history," said the Buenos Aires-based Center for Legal and Social Studies, which was part of the legal team representing plaintiffs in the case.

___

Associated Press writer Debora Rey and AP video journalist Paul Byrne contributed to this report.

Jorge Eduardo Acosta, left, a former navy captain, Alfredo Astiz, second left, a former navy spy nicknamed "the Angel of Death," and other former member of the Argentine armed forces sit in a courtroom in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. Acosta and Astiz were sentenced to life in prison. The trial for dictatorship-era human rights violations at Naval Mechanics School known as "ESMA," a notorious clandestine detention and torture center, is the largest in the country's history with 54 accused. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Photos of people killed during Argentina's dictatorship cover a fence outside the court where a human rights trial takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The trial for dictatorship-era human rights violations at the Naval Mechanics School known as "ESMA," a notorious clandestine detention and torture center, is the largest in the country's history with 54 accused. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

A child plays with a balloon by a fence covered with photos of people killed during Argentina's dictatorship, outside the court where a human rights trial takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The trial for dictatorship-era human rights violations at the Naval Mechanics School known as "ESMA," a notorious clandestine detention and torture center, is the largest in the country's history with 54 accused. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Julio Poch, a former air force pilot who has dual Dutch-Argentine nationality, sits in the courtroom as one of the accused while verdicts are read in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017. The trial for dictatorship-era human rights violations at the Naval Mechanics School known as "ESMA," a notorious clandestine detention and torture center, is the largest in the country's history with 54 accused. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Border Patrol officials say an agent has fatally shot a man in a remote area of Arizona.

They say the agent was being assaulted Wednesday by a man in a group of people believed to be in the country illegally.

Further details on the assault weren't immediately available.

Border Patrol officials say the Tucson Sector agent shot the man in the Baboquivari Mountain Range and he later died of his wounds.

Three members of the group have been taken into custody and agents are searching the area for others.

The name of the agent and the man killed haven't been released.

Authorities say the shooting is being investigated by the FBI, Tohono O'odham Nation police and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Police in California are investigating after someone broke into the Beverly Hills home of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Beverly Hills Police say in a statement Wednesday that Mayweather's home was burglarized sometime in the last week.

The incident was first reported to police Tuesday afternoon. Investigators say Mayweather was not home at the time of the burglary.

Police say luggage, sunglasses and other accessories were taken. They didn't provide an estimate of the value of the items.

Police said the investigation was ongoing and no arrests have been made.
The first evidence of Julius Caesars invasion of Britain has been discovered, archaeologists claim.

Researchers from the University of Leicester believe Caesars fleet first landed in 54BC at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet in Kent.

They point to a large ditch found at the small hamlet of Ebbsfleet, at the head of the bay, near Ramsgate, which appears from its size, shape and date to have been a Roman base during the first century BC.

The shape of the ditch is very similar to Roman defences at Alesia in France, the researchers say.

The presence of iron weapons, including a Roman pilum (javelin), also suggests the ditch was used by the invading Roman army.

Excavations at Ebbsfleet

The evidence, explored as part of BBC Fours Digging For Britain programme on Wednesday, also matches Caesars own account of the landing, the researchers say.

Historians believe Caesars first two attempted invasions of Britain, in 55 and 54BC, were repelled by local Celts.

Previous theories about where the fleet landed have focused on the shoreline about 10 miles to the south of Pegwell Bay, around Walmer Castle.

Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, research associate at the University of Leicesters School of Archaeology and Ancient History, said: Thanet has never been considered as a possible landing site before because it was separated from the mainland until the Middle Ages.

However, it is not known how big the channel that separated it from the mainland (the Wantsum Channel) was.

The point of the Roman pilum found in the defensive ditch at Ebbsfleet (University of Leicester/PA)

The Wantsum Channel was clearly not a significant barrier to people of Thanet during the Iron Age and it certainly would not have been a major challenge to the engineering capabilities of the Roman army.

Dr Fitzpatrick went on to explain how the evidence matches Caesars own account of landing in Britain in 54BC.

Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says that at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side.

As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar can only be describing the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate which were being illuminated by the rising sun.

The University of Leicester team also challenged the popular idea that Caesars invasion had little lasting impact on the people of Britain, arguing that Caesars work helped the emperor Claudius to conquer southeast England almost 100 years later, in AD43.

Matthew Balfour, a Kent County Council cabinet member, said the council was delighted to work on the project with the University of Leicester.

The archeology of Thanet is very special and we are particularly pleased that such important findings have been made with the involvement of volunteers from the Kent community.
The Vatican has defended Pope Francis after human-rights groups expressed disappointment he did not publicly acknowledge the plight of Rohingya Muslims during a visit to Burma.

Spokesman Greg Burke said Francis took seriously advice given to him by the local Catholic Church, which urged him to toe a cautious line and not even refer to the Rohingya by name during his trip to the country.

The majority of people in Burma reject the term because the ethnic group is not a recognised minority in the country.

I want my visit to embrace all the people of Myanmar and to encourage the building of an inclusive society.  Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 28, 2017

Mr Burke said: The moral authority of the pope stands. You can criticise whats said, whats not said, but the pope is not going to lose moral authority on this question here.

The comments came as Francis neared the midpoint of his week-long trip, which was planned before the Burmese military launched what it called clearance operations in Rakhine state in response to attacks by a group of Rohingya militants against security positions in August.

The campaign, denounced by the UN and the US as ethnic cleansing, has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya to flee in the worst Asian refugee crisis in decades.

Rohingya Muslims have reported entire villages in Burma being burned and looted, and women and girls raped.

Mr Burke noted that the Holy See had only recently established diplomatic relations with Burma, that the Catholic Church in the country was small and that the Holy Sees broader gains were to build bridges with the predominantly Buddhist nation as it emerges from decades of military dictatorship.

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Yangon

In the past, Francis has strongly condemned the persecution of our Rohingya brothers, denounced their suffering because of their faith and called for them to receive full rights.

He has defined his papacy by his outspoken defence of refugees and advocacy for societys most marginal and disenfranchised.

While he called in his first major speech on Tuesday for all of Burmas ethnic groups to have their human rights respected, his failure to specify the Rohingya crisis drew criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Rohingya themselves.

The pope drew a crowd of thousands in Yangon (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Francis had a busy day stressing a message of forgiveness, unity and healing of old wounds during an open-air Mass, an audience with Myanmars senior Buddhist monks and during an encounter with his own Catholic bishops.

Local authorities estimated that about 150,000 people turned out for the Mass in Yangons Kyaikkasan Ground park. but the crowd seemed far larger and included faithful bearing flags from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, among other places.

Francis wraps up his visit to Burma on Thursday with a Mass for young people in the cathedral before heading to Bangladesh for the second and final leg of his week-long South Asia tour.
The pound jumped to a two-month high on hopes that Brexit negotiations could progress to trade talks following reports that the UK has agreed to pay as much as 50 billion to settle its EU divorce bill.

Sterling was up 0.5% against the US dollar at 1.340 in morning trading, marking its highest level since the end of September, and rose 0.2% versus the euro to 1.129.

Investors were taking reports of the higher offer as a sign there could finally be a breakthrough in talks between British and EU officials.

But Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said the Irish border issue could still pose a challenge.

While one obstacle looks to have been cleared it remains to be seen whether the Irish government will follow through on their threats to veto further progress unless certain guarantees are met with respect to the border issue.

The UK Government has insisted it does not want to see a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, but it is one of a number of issues that could derail the pounds upward trajectory.

The pound was at its highest level since the end of September (PA)

Neil Wilson, a senior markets analyst at ETX Capital, said there are also questions over whether Prime Minister Theresa May can get fellow Conservatives on board with the new Brexit bill figure, as well as worries over EU citizens rights.

However, he noted that the divorce bill was the single biggest obstacle to Brexit talks and the progress vastly improves the chances of an orderly transition.

In this regard we can see developments as positive for the pound  the reduced risk of a hard Brexit, reduced risk of domestic upheaval in the form of a fresh general election and Labour victory, and the stronger likelihood that a transition deal will be engineered in the nick of time.

The stronger pound weighed on the FTSE 100, as many of its listed multinational firms tend to benefit when the UK currency is weaker.

The blue chip index was down 0.5% at around 7,422 points, leaving it lagging behind its European peers including the French Cac 40 and German Dax, which were up 0.5% and nearly 0.7% in morning trading.

In oil markets, Brent crude prices were down nearly 0.2% at $63.21 per barrel as investors fretted over whether Opec and other major producers like Russia would end up striking a deal that would extend production cuts and help battle bloated supplies.

It comes ahead of the Opec meeting in Vienna on Thursday.

In UK stocks, London Stock Exchange Group shares were down more than 2% or 81p to 3,719p after it announced that chief executive Xavier Rolet was stepping down with immediate effect due to unwelcome publicity amid a mounting row over succession plans for the top job.

Mr Rolet has been replaced by chief financial officer David Warren at the helm, while chairman Donald Brydon said he would not stand for re-election in 2019.

Shares in Cineworld plunged more than 15% to 588p as it confirmed it was in advanced discussions with US cinema chain Regal over a $3.6 billion (2.7 billion) takeover.
A former Bosnian Croat general died in a Dutch hospital on Wednesday shortly after drinking a liquid in a courtroom where judges had just confirmed his 20-year sentence for war crimes.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, claimed to have drunk poison from a bottle shortly after appeal judges confirmed his jail term for involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s.

Nenad Golcevski, a spokesman for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said Praljak died despite efforts to save him.

Mr Golcevski said: Mr Praljak drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill. The ICTY medical staff immediately assisted Mr Praljak. Simultaneously, an ambulance was summoned. Mr Praljak was transported to a nearby hospital to receive further medical assistance, where he passed.

Bruno Stojic and Slobodan Praljak, right, enter the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague (Robin van Lonkhuijsen/via AP)

Commenting on the incident, Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic told reporters we have all unfortunately witnessed his act by which he took his own life.

Mr Plenkovic said Praljaks action reflects the deep moral injustice done to six Bosnian Croats whose guilty verdicts were upheld by the UNs war crimes court in the Hague.
US President Donald Trump has threatened new sanctions on North Korea after its most powerful missile test yet.

Mr Trump also urged China to use all available levers to convince its ally to return to the path of denuclearisation.

It was not immediately clear if Mr Trump was referring to additional US sanctions or another round of penalties at the United Nations (UN).

Agreement between the US and China, both veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council, is key to such action. The council is due to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Trump tweeted that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!

After a two-and-a-half month pause in its rapid tempo of nuclear and missile tests, North Korea said it launched a significantly more powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile.

Approximate flight path and landing area of North Korea's latest missile test firing

Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

Some observers believe the Hwasong-15 missile that was tested on a high trajectory and splashed down in the Sea of Japan in the early hours of Wednesday in Asia could potentially reach Washington and the entire eastern US seaboard.

That suggests progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the US mainland.

Mr Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having that capability  using military force if necessary.

A White House statement about the phone conversation between the US and Chinese leaders said Mr Trump made clear the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies.

Another illegal missile launch from DPRK. This is not the path to security and prosperity for the North Korean people. DPRK regime must change course  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 28, 2017

Mr Trump also emphasised the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation.

Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency said Mr Xi told Mr Trump that denuclearising the Korean peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime and preserving peace and stability in north-east Asia are Chinas unswerving goal.

Approximate flight profile of North Korea's latest missile test

Mr Xi said China would like to keep up communications with the US and all other related parties and jointly push the nuclear issue toward the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations, according to Xinhua.

Estimated range of North Korean missiles

US sanctions against North Korea were bolstered last week after the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.

Those sanctions targeted North Korean shipping and Chinese companies that deal with the North.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee v. JESSE KYLE SKYBERG, also known as Jesse Skyberg, also known as Jesse K. Skyberg, also known as Jessie Kyle Skyberg, Defendant-Appellant No. 16-51458 Decided: November 27, 2017

Before KING, ELROD, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges.

Jesse Kyle Skyberg appeals his guilty plea conviction for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) (Count One), one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C.  922(g) and 924(a)(2) (Count Two), and one count of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of  924(c) (Count Three). He contends that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence seized following the warrantless search of the vehicle he was driving at the time of his arrest for evading arrest or detention.

When reviewing the denial of a motion to suppress, we review factual findings for clear error and the ultimate constitutionality of law enforcement's action de novo. Ornelas v. United States, 517 U.S. 690, 699 (1996). In addition to deferring to the district court's factual findings, we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party, which in this case is the Government. See United States v. Gibbs, 421 F.3d 352, 357 (5th Cir. 2005). The district court's ruling should be upheld if there is any reasonable view of the evidence to support it. United States v. Gonzalez, 190 F.3d 668, 671 (5th Cir. 1999) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).

Skyberg challenges the district court's factual findings that Olmos Park Police Department Officers Carlos Longoria and Kim Kalteyer were clearly dressed as police officers, that Officer Longoria identified himself as a police officer, and that Officer Kalteyer ordered him to leave the vehicle in park. The record reflects that the magistrate judge had the opportunity to observe Officer Longoria's demeanor at the suppression hearing and review the onboard camera video of the encounter. The district court adopted the magistrate judge's factual findings on these issues. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, we conclude that Skyberg has failed to show that the district court's factual findings are clearly erroneous. See Gibbs, 421 F.3d at 357.

Skyberg also argues that the officers lacked reasonable suspicion to approach his vehicle and probable cause to arrest him for evading arrest or detention. Taking into account the totality of the circumstances and viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, we conclude that Officers Longoria and Kalteyer had a reasonable, articulable suspicion upon which to detain Skyberg. See Illinois v. Wardlow, 528 U.S. 119, 124-25 (2000); United States v. Watson, 953 F.2d 895, 897 (5th Cir. 1992). Specifically, given the time of night, the fact that Skyberg was slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle that had its lights turned off but was running, and Skyberg's reaction upon noticing the officers, the officers had a particularized and objective basis for suspecting that Skyberg was about to drive away while intoxicated or in an otherwise impaired condition.

The totality of the facts and circumstances within the officers' knowledge at the moment of Skyberg's arrest were likewise sufficient for a reasonable officer to conclude that Skyberg had committed, or was in the process of committing, the offense of evading arrest or detention. See United States v. Castro, 166 F.3d 728, 733 (5th Cir. 1999) (en banc) (per curiam); Ester v. State, 151 S.W.3d 660, 664 (Tex. App. 2004); TEX. PENAL CODE  38.04. Specifically, Officer Longoria testified that the area was well-lit, that he and Officer Kalteyer were in full uniform and in marked patrol units, and that he identified himself as a police officer. Upon seeing the officers, Skyberg immediately placed the vehicle in drive, causing it to lurch forward approximately five to ten feet. Despite Officer Kalteyer's orders that Skyberg stop and put the vehicle in park, the vehicle lurched forward and stopped several times as the gearshift was moved back and forth from park to drive. Although Skyberg did not see the officers approach his vehicle, a reasonable officer could have concluded that his reaction to their presence was due to the fact that he knew they were police officers. Further, even if Skyberg was initially unaware that they were police officers, Officer Kalteyer's orders to stop and put the vehicle in park were made while he was in full uniform and in the front passenger seat of Skyberg's vehicle. Because Skyberg does not otherwise challenge the constitutionality of the subsequent inventory search, he has failed to show that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress. See Ornelas, 517 U.S. at 699; see also United States v. Green, 964 F.2d 365, 371 (5th Cir. 1992).

Finally, Skyberg contends that the case should be remanded to the district court for the correction of a clerical error in the written judgment. The district court's oral pronouncement of sentence reflects that the court intended to impose concurrent terms of 120 months of imprisonment on Count One and 115 months of imprisonment on Count Two, with a consecutive term of 60 months of imprisonment on Count Three, for a total of 180 months of imprisonment. However, the written judgment provides that Skyberg was sentenced to concurrent terms of 120 months of imprisonment on Counts One and Two, and a consecutive term of 60 months of imprisonment on Count Three, for a total of 180 months of imprisonment. When a conflict exists between the sentence orally pronounced in court and a later written judgment, the oral pronouncement controls. United States v. Torres-Aguilar, 352 F.3d 934, 935 (5th Cir. 2003). Accordingly, the district court's judgment is AFFIRMED as modified to reflect that Skyberg was sentenced to 115 months of imprisonment on Count Two.

PER CURIAM:*
Toast Of New York, the 2014 Breeders Cup Classic runner-up, will make his comeback at Lingfield next Wednesday.

The six-year-old has not raced since that outstanding performance at Santa Anita three years ago after a tendon injury led to his premature retirement.

Toast Of New York, who also won the UAE Derby at Meydan in March 2014, was bought by Al Shaqab Racing after his run in the Breeders Cup and had been standing at stud in the Middle East.

He returned to the United Kingdom at the beginning of the year and is now considered fit enough to run again. His first assignment will be a mile-and-a-quarter conditions stakes at Lingfield.

Trainer Jamie Osborne told At The Races: Toast Of New York is back in training.

Hes been back with us since March and (on Thursday) he is going to be entered in a race at Lingfield next Wednesday.

Its great. Obviously he hasnt run for three years. Hes six, but hes only had eight runs in his life, so lets have a go with him.

Toast Of New York is back in business for Jamie Osborne (Simon Cooper/PA)

Osborne is not quite sure what to expect from Toast Of New York when he does return to the fray.

The Upper Lambourn handler said: Its inevitable he will be rusty, but weve tried to do as much work as we can with him.

Hes never been a particularly flashy work-horse at home, so, to a certain degree, were going to have to leave it down to chance next Wednesday.

Hes been a life-changing horse for me, to this point, and to get another chance to train him is wonderful.
BRATISLAVA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hour) =========================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 ========================EVENTS================================== BRATISLAVA - Slovakia's central bank will release the annual report on resilience of the banking sector. Related stories: ========================PRESS DIGEST============================ NUCLEAR PLANT: Slovakia's Nuclear Regulatory Authority said on Monday the third block at the Mochovce nuclear power plant is on track to be completed by the end of 2018 and the fourth bloc a year later, in line with the latest plan. The Mochovce plant, run by the country's biggest electricity producer Slovenske Elektrarne, owned by Italy's Enel , Czech group EPH, and the Slovak state, has faced many delays and cost overruns. https://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/449423-dostavba-mochoviec-pokracuje-podla-harmonogramu/ (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 +420 224 190 476 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
CARACAS, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Venezuelan leftist President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday evening held a ceremony to swear in a military officer as the new head of state oil company PDVSA in the presence of the military's top brass and cheering red-shirted oil workers.

In a surprise move, the unpopular Maduro on Sunday tapped Major General Manuel Quevedo to lead both PDVSA and the Oil Ministry, giving the already powerful military control of the OPEC nation's dominant industry.

"He's a man of the people ... and, most importantly, he's honest!" said Maduro, as workers cheered and chanted that they wanted a "clean up in PDVSA!" after a series of corruption scandals.

Maduro also announced he was naming Ysmel Serrano, the head of the trade and supply division, as vice president of PDVSA, which oversees the world's largest crude reserves. Maduro said he would seek to name the countrys former energy minister, Ali Rodriguez, as "honorary president" of PDVSA.

More military officers are set to be named to senior management posts as part of a shakeup the government says is aimed at fighting corruption, two company sources told Reuters on Monday.

Sources in the sector also said Quevedo's appointment could quicken a white-collar exodus from PDVSA and worsen operational problems at a time when production has already tumbled to near 30-year lows of under 2 million barrels per day. (Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Nov 29 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Wednesday.

DECEMBER DEBT ISSUANCE

Romanian debt managers aim to sell treasury bills and bonds worth 2.82 billion lei ($723.34 million) in December, including 315 million lei at non-competitive rounds of auctions, after low market liquidity led to three failed tenders this month.

IMF MISSION CHIEF

The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday it has appointed Jaewoo Lee as the new mission chief for Romania and Bulgaria. Lee will replace Reza Baqir.

DEFENCE COUNCIL

Romania could deploy 1,775 military troops to missions abroad in 2018, about 19 percent more than this year, mostly to NATO's Afghanistan Resolute Support Mission, the Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) decided on Tuesday. An additional 233 troops will be on standby. Romania could also contribute 1,867 policemen to EU, OSCE, NATO and U.N. missions.

CEE MARKETS

The Czech crown eased slightly on Tuesday in tandem with other Central European currencies, despite a new warning from Czech central bank governor Jiri Rusnok that the economy was overheating.

PROTEST SQUARE

Bucharest cityhall plans to close Victory Square outside government headquarters for most of December for a Christmas fair. The square has been host to the country's largest protests in decades at the start of the year and to protests this month against a planned judicial overhaul. www.hotnews.ro

CENTRAL BANK

Romania's central bank board has requested a meeting with Prime Minister Mihai Tudose to discuss current economic developments and continue institutional collaboration, days after Tudose criticised the bank for not intereveneing to curb the weakening of the leu currency.

JUDICIAL OVERHAUL

The speakers of the Romanian parliament's lower house and senate said in a joint statement that they were "unpleasantly surprised" by an urging from the U.S. State Department for lawmakers to reject a controversial judicial overhaul.

For the long-term Romanian diary, click on

For emerging markets economic events, click on

For an index of all diaries, click on

For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ---------------------------------------------------------------
SOFIA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Bulgarian travels abroad increased by 8.7 percent in October on an annual basis, statistics office data showed. Some 439,000 Bulgarians have traveled mainly to Austria, Greece, Romania and Serbia. (Trud, Monitor, Duma, Capital Daily)

-- Bulgaria's foreign debt decreased by 3.4 percent to 32.9 billion euros ($39.01 billion) at the end of September, central bank data showed. (Trud, Monitor)

-- The revenues of the software industry increased by 14 percent last year and are expected to reach 2.3 billion levs ($1.39 billion) in 2017, the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies said. The average monthly salary in the IT sector reached 2,885 levs, up some 200 levs compared to a year ago. (Trud, Standart, Monitor, Capital Daily, 24 Chasa)

($1 = 0.8433 euros)

($1 = 1.6490 leva)
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour):

TOYOTA

Toyota will invest 400 million zlotys ($113 million) in the production of engines for hybrid vehicles in the Polish city of Jelcz-Laskowice, Rzeczpospolita reported citing sources.

DAT VI PHU

Polish pharmaceutical firm Adamed has acquired a controlling stake in its Vietnamese peer Dat Vi Phu for about $50 million, Rzeczpospolita daily reported.

POULTRY

Poland has become the only European Union member that currently has the right to export poultry to China, Rzeczpospolita daily reported.

HOUSING MARKET

The Polish housing market will see the highest ever number of new flats sold this year, significantly exceeding the previous record of 35,100 flats set in 2007, Rzeczpospolita daily reported.

COMMERCIAL REAL-ESTATE

The value of acquisitions on the Polish commercial real-estate market in 2017 may exceed 5.5 billion euros ($6.5 billion)- the highest annual value of transactions so far, Puls Biznesu daily reported.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The first company renting electric cars in Polish cities - Enigma SOI controlled by Comp - is growing faster than assumed in its business plan, Puls Biznesu daily reported.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ($1 = 3.5412 zlotys) ($1 = 0.8430 euros) (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau; Editing by Toby Chopra)
The following are some of the stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Worried by Russia's dwindling population, the authorities are considering urgent steps to boost birth rates, the daily writes, referring to President Vladimir Putin's decision to spend 200 billion roubles ($3.43 billion) from his reserve fund on supporting families with children.

- Birth rates in Russia shrank by 10.7 percent in the period between January and August in year on year terms, according to official statistics.

- Russia is forming a fund with a capital worth 20 billion roubles ($342.69 million) which could invest abroad to help Russian businesses reach foreign markets.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- Russian space industry officials will hardly face any personnel reshuffle after the loss of the newest weather satellite following its launch from the new cosmodrome Vostochny in Russia's Far East on Tuesday, the daily writes.

- Russia's financial market has reached an unprecedented level of stability, the daily reports, referring to a Russian central bank reports published on Tuesday.

IZVESTIA

www.izvestia.ru

- Russia will deploy Bal and Bastion coastal defence systems on the Paramushir and Matua islands which will host a Russian military base in the Far East. The defence missile systems will cover the territory along almost all islands of "the Kuril chain" - from the Kamchatka peninsula to the island of Iturup, the daily writes.

- Russia plans to reduce the number and prerogatives of Western observers at its March presidential elections, while the number of election monitors from the Asian and Pacific regions will be increased, the daily reports.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

- At least 25 people have already expressed willingness to run for the top Kremlin post, while the strongest possible candidate - President Vladimir Putin - is still keeping mum.

- Russia's Eastern and Central military districts have received new commanders. The two new district chiefs have participated in armed actions in Syria, the daily reports. ($1 = 58.3620 roubles) (Reporting by Tatiana Ustinova; Editing by Dmitry Solovyov)
ATHENS, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Nine Turkish citizens were charged in Greece with terrorism-related offences on Wednesday, accused of hoarding explosives and of links to an outlawed militant organisation responsible for suicide bombings in Turkey.

The arrest of eight men and a woman in early-morning raids at three locations in central Athens on Tuesday came days before an expected state visit by Tayyip Erdogan, the first by a Turkish president to Greece in 65 years. Greece says the two events are unrelated.

Police officials said they were being questioned for alleged links to the leftist DHKP/C, a far-left group blamed for a string of attacks and suicide bombings in Turkey since 1990.

Their lawyer said the individuals, who have not been named, were 'struggling against a fascist regime' and had denied any wrongdoing.

They were charged with setting up and being members of a criminal organisation, terrorist-related acts of supply and possession of explosive materials, illegal possession of firearms, smoke bombs and fire crackers, court sources said.

The individuals, escorted handcuffed into a central Athens court wearing bullet proof vests, have not entered a formal plea.

"They are refugees," lawyer Alexandra Zorbala said. "Some have sought, others have received asylum ... they are fighters who are struggling against a fascist regime, against torture and thousands of arrests." .

One of the charges they face is resisting arrest. At least one of the defendants entered the courthouse with a black eye.

One of the detainees had been wanted by Greek police in connection with an arms and explosives haul off the Greek island of Chios, close to the Turkish coast, in 2013.

Turkey's Erdogan is widely expected to visit Greece in December, although his visit has not been officially announced.
TBILISI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Georgia plans to build its first underground natural gas storage facility and construct a coal-fired power plant as part of moves to develop its energy sector.

Georgia's state Oil and Gas Corporation (GOGC) has obtained the right to build the gas storage facility on a capped oil field in the capital Tbilisi and has finished the feasibility study, GOGC's general director told Reuters.

"Several companies have expressed their interest to participate in the tender for the construction," David Tvalabeishvili said.

"We expect that the winner will be named by May 2018."

He said that once construction had been completed around the turn of 2021-2022, it would be possible to store 250-280 million cubic meters of natural gas, or about 15 percent of the country's current total annual consumption.

The project is estimated to cost $250-$300 million.

"We are holding talks with international financial institutions in order to get credits for the construction," Tvalabeishvili said.

Separately, Georgia has signed a deal with Dongfang Electric Corporation to help build a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the ex-Soviet country, the Chinese company said on Wednesday.

Dongfang signed an agreement with Georgian company Cpower. The project is estimated to cost $250 million, with construction expected to start in 2018 and to be completed in 2020.

The plant, which will be built in south Georgia, will help the country meet peak winter power demand and export electricity to Turkey in summer. (Reporting by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Hadeel Al Sayegh

UMM AL HAWAYA, Qatar, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Deep in the Qatari desert, a herd of cows stands in a vast shed, cooled by fans and jets of mist - each animal a key player in a plan to defy a trade boycott and make the kingdom self-sufficient in milk by next year.

The black and white Holstein cattle are among the first members of a 14,000-strong herd that farming company Baladna is expecting to build up in coming months, its chief executive John Dore told Reuters in an interview.

"We will make Qatar self-sufficient by June - that is the target," Dore said.

He conceded that raising and milking cows in temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) in summer posed special challenges.

But technology and the deep pockets of Baladna's Qatari owners were compensating for the harsh environment, said Dore, an Irishman who previously worked for Saudi Arabian dairy giant Almarai.

Hundreds of cows were already hooked up to the automatic milking machines at Baladna's farm in Umm al Hawaya, about 50 km (30 miles) north of Doha, and producing milk good enough to export, he said. More than 6,000 more cows from the United States are due to arrive by February.

Qatar's drive to build a dairy industry in the desert illustrates how the tiny but wealthy country, the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is using money and technology to cope with its isolation.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut trade and transport ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of backing terrorism, a charge which Doha denies.

The boycott disrupted Qatar's shipping routes through the Gulf. It also shut Qatar's land border with Saudi Arabia, across which many perishable goods were imported, including almost 400 tonnes of fresh milk and yoghurt a day.

The boycott has forced Qatar to fly in dairy products from Turkey and Iran. But Dore said the country was determined to create its own dairy sector, largely relying on Baladna, a private company which is receiving logistical and other support from the government.

The firm, which raises sheep, was considering moving into milk production before the boycott, but knew it would find it hard to compete on price with imports from Almarai, he said.

The boycott removed that competition and in the initial weeks of the diplomatic crisis, the company flew in the first 3,400 cows on state-owned airline Qatar Airways.

"We were milking cows here on the 11th of July, which is barely a month after the blockade, and that by any method or means is some achievement," Dore said.

Baladna is planning two more sea shipments from the United States - each holding 3,300 animals - by February. Another consignment of 3,000 cows has been planned, but not yet ordered.

By June, it says it is expecting to raise production of fresh milk and yoghurt to 500 tonnes a day, enough to meet domestic demand with 100 tonnes left over for export.

Baladna has not disclosed financial details of its project, and it is not yet clear whether Qatar can produce large volumes of milk economically, let alone export some at competitive prices.

But for now at least, the country's drive to reduce its dependence on imports with domestic production appears to be stimulating the economy. The manufacturing sector grew 3.2 percent from a year earlier in September, official data released last week showed. Food manufacturing jumped 23.5 percent. (Writing by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. United States of America Plaintiff - Appellee v. Pablo Ortega Defendant - Appellant United States of America Plaintiff - Appellee v. Pablo Ortega Defendant - Appellant No. 16-3772, No. 16-3777 Decided: November 28, 2017

Before SMITH, Chief Judge, WOLLMAN and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges.

Pablo Ortega was serving a term of supervised release when he was arrested for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The district court revoked his supervised release and sentenced him to 60 months' imprisonment for violating the conditions of his release. Ortega pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing five grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), and was sentenced to eighty-seven months' imprisonment.

Ortega challenges his revocation sentence, arguing that the court failed to explain its reasoning and imposed a substantively unreasonable sentence. He argues that the district court erred in calculating the drug quantity attributable to him and in imposing Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring as a special condition of supervised release. We affirm.

Ortega was convicted in 2001 of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(b)(1)(A). He was sentenced to 188 months' imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, which began to run in December 2014.

In October 2015, the United States Probation Office received information that Ortega was involved in illegal drug activity and was associating with felons. Based on this information, officers searched Ortega's residence, where they discovered ice methamphetamine, along with car keys registered to known felons.

The Probation Office petitioned to revoke Ortega's term of supervised release. After being indicted on the above-described federal offenses, Ortega pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 35.28 grams of a mixture or substance containing five grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine. Laboratory analysis of the methamphetamine determined the substance was between 93.9% and 100% pure.

The district court held a joint revocation and sentencing hearing. With respect to the revocation, Ortega admitted that he had failed to participate in urinalysis testing, that he had associated with a felon or person engaged in criminal activity, that he had possessed a controlled substance and that he had committed the drug-law violation. Because Ortega's possession with intent to distribute constituted a Grade A violation, revocation was mandatory. See U.S.S.G.  7B1.3(a)(1) (stating [u]pon a finding of a Grade A or Grade B violation, the court shall revoke probation or supervised release). The government requested the five-year statutory maximum term of imprisonment. See 18 U.S.C.  3583(e)(3). Defense counsel requested a sentence within the Guidelines range of 30 to 37 months' imprisonment. As set forth above, the district court imposed a sentence of 60 months' imprisonment.

With respect to the methamphetamine offense, the presentence report recommended that electronic monitoring be imposed as a condition of supervised release and attributed 33.13 grams of actual methamphetamine to Ortega (35.28 grams x 93.9% = 33.13 grams of actual methamphetamine), resulting in a base offense level of 26. See U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(c)(7) (at least twenty grams but less than thirty-five grams of methamphetamine (actual)). The government objected to this calculation, arguing that for sentencing purposes the drug quantity used should be 35.28 grams of ice methamphetamine, equating to a base offense level of 28. See U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(c)(6) (at least thirty-five grams but less than fifty grams of ice). Ortega agreed with the Probation Office's drug quantity calculation, but argued that he should not be placed on electronic monitoring during his term of supervised release.

A Probation Officer testified that Ortega had written two letters that revealed the identity of a confidential informant who had incriminated Ortega. The district court rejected the government's argument that Ortega's disclosure of the informant's identity constituted an obstruction of justice and thus did not apply the requested offense-level enhancement.

The district court determined that Ortega's base offense level was 28 based on the total grams of ice methamphetamine. After reducing the base offense level by three for Ortega's acceptance of responsibility, see U.S.S.G.  2E1.1, the district court found that Ortega's total offense level was 25, resulting in an advisory Guidelines sentencing range of 70 to 87 months.

The district court sentenced Ortega to 87 months' imprisonment, to run consecutively to the revocation sentence. The court also imposed a five-year term of supervised release, which included GPS monitoring as a special condition. In reaching this decision, the district court considered Ortega's age, education, dependents, limited employment, and the eighteen disciplinary reports Ortega had received while incarcerated. It found Ortega to be a recidivist drug dealer, noting that he now had two federal convictions for drug distribution. The court further found that Ortega's two letters basically out [ed] an informant and potentially invit[ed] retaliation against her. It also took into account the reported threat to a federal judge in the underlying case in which Ortega was subjected to GPS monitoring while on supervised release.

Revocation Sentence

Ortega contends that the district court committed procedural error by failing to adequately explain its reasoning for the revocation sentence. We review a district court's revocation sentencing decisions using the same standards that we apply to initial sentencing decisions. United States v. Miller, 557 F.3d 910, 915-16 (8th Cir. 2009) (citing United States v. Cotton, 399 F.3d 913, 916 (8th Cir. 2005)). A district court is not required to make specific findings; all that is generally required to satisfy the appellate court is evidence that the district court was aware of the relevant factors. United States v. Perkins, 526 F.3d 1107, 1110 (8th Cir. 2008). When its sentence varies from the advisory Guidelines range, we give due deference to the district court's decision that the  3553(a) factors, on a whole, justify the extent of the variance. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51 (2007).

Given Ortega's failure to object to the district court's allegedly inadequate explanation of its reasons for the revocation sentence, we review for plain error. Miller, 557 F.3d at 916. In addition to the earlier set-forth conditions, the district court noted that Ortega had had one disciplinary report while staying at a residential facility center. The court went on to explain that [a]fter considering the 3553(a) factors of Title 18 that apply in a revocation situation, this is a serious violation of trust, a serious new law violation. Clearly, Mr. Ortega is at a high risk to recidivate. It ultimately concluded that GPS monitoring would not involve any greater deprivation of liberty than necessary to afford deterrence and protect the public. It is clear from these comments that the district court was aware of and considered the relevant sentencing factors and that it thus committed no error, plain or otherwise, in varying from the advisory Guidelines sentencing range.

Ortega's argument that his revocation sentence is substantively unreasonable because it is greater than necessary to satisfy the sentencing goals of 18 U.S.C.  3553(a) fails in light of his multiple violations of his conditions of supervised release, his new drug distribution offense, his high risk of recidivism, and his history of noncompliance.

Drug Quantity

Ortega contends the district court erred in determining that his base offense level was 28. We review the district court's application of the Guidelines de novo. United States v. Miller, 511 F.3d 821, 823 (8th Cir. 2008). The district court's drug quantity and identity determinations are factual findings, which we review for clear error, applying the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.  United States v. Walker, 688 F.3d 416, 420 (8th Cir. 2012) (quoting United States v. Turner, 603 F.3d 468, 471 (8th Cir. 2010)).

The Guidelines permit two different methods for determining a defendant's base offense level in cases involving methamphetamine. United States v. Fairchild, 189 F.3d 769, 778 (8th Cir. 1999); see United States v. Garcia-Panama, 432 F. App'x 641, 643 n.2 (8th Cir. 2011) (unpublished) (per curiam). The government may perform a purity determination by multiplying the percentage of pure methamphetamine by the total amount of the mixture to get the actual amount of methamphetamine. United States v. Houston, 338 F.3d 876, 879 (8th Cir. 2003). Alternatively, the government is allowed to apply the entire weight of any mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Fairchild, 189 F.3d at 778-79; see also U.S.S.G.  2D1.1 n.A. Stated differently, under the second method,  drug quantity under the guidelines includes the entire weight or volume of any mixture containing a detectable amount of controlled substance without regard to purity or concentration.  United States v. Ramos, 814 F.3d 910, 920 (8th Cir. 2016) (quoting United States v. Stewart, 761 F.3d 993, 1001 (9th Cir. 2014)). The Guidelines instruct the district court to use whichever method produces a higher base offense level. U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(a); see Garcia-Panama, 432 F. App'x at 643 n.2.

Ortega concedes that the 35.28 grams of methamphetamine found at his residence was 93.9% pure. The mixture therefore falls under the Guidelines definition of ice. See U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(c) n.C. Accordingly, the district court was required to choose to either apply the actual weight of the methamphetamine found at Ortega's residence or the weight of the entire ice substance or mixture, depending on which determination would produce a higher base offense level. Because the 35.28 grams of ice established a based offense level of 28 and the 33.13 grams of actual methamphetamine established a base offense level of 26, the district court correctly chose to use the entire weight of the ice methamphetamine mixture in determining the drug quantity.

Electronic Monitoring

Ortega first argues that the district court procedurally erred by relying on the contested fact that Ortega had threatened a federal district court judge. Assuming that Ortega has preserved this claim of error, we conclude that it is without merit. As we read the record, the district court made no specific finding that such a threat had been made, saying only that [w]e have to keep in mind that there was a threat reported against [the judge] in the underlying case that you were on supervised release for.

Ortega alternatively argues that the district court abused its discretion in imposing GPS monitoring as a special condition of his supervised release. He contends that without evidence that he had attempted to act on any threats, GPS monitoring is not necessary and that any safety concerns could have been addressed by including a no contact condition.

The district court has wide discretion in imposing supervised release conditions. United States v. Jorge-Salgado, 520 F.3d 840, 842 (8th Cir. 2008) (internal citations omitted). Conditions imposed by the district court, however, must be reasonably related to the sentencing factors set forth in 18 U.S.C.  3553(a), and involve[ ] no greater deprivation of liberty than is reasonably necessary for the purposes identified in  3553(a). 18 U.S.C.  3583(d)(2); see also United States v. Ringgenberg, 494 F. App'x 685, 685 (8th Cir. 2012) (unpublished) (per curiam). Relevant factors that the court may consider are the history and characteristics of the defendant and the protection of the public from further crimes of the defendant. 18 U.S.C.  3553(a)(1), (a)(2)(C).

In light of Ortega's above-recounted history and characteristics, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing GPS monitoring as a condition of supervised release. Given that history and those characteristics, it was reasonable for the court to doubt whether Ortega would comply with a no contact order and to conclude that the requirement of GPS monitoring was necessary to ensure the safety of others.

The judgment is affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Linda R. Reade, then Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

.  Ice is a purer, more potent form of methamphetamine. United States v.Walker, 688 F.3d 416, 426 n.2 (8th Cir. 2012). The United States Sentencing Guidelines (Guidelines) define ice as a mixture or substance containing d-methamphetamine hydrochloride of at least 80% purity. U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(c) n.C.

PER CURIAM.
JLanka Technologies Operations Director Gunaseeli Jayasoma receiving the Silver award for the Most Innovative Local Product from IESL President for Session 2017/18 Eng. (Prof.) Niranjanie Ratnayake. Also in the picture (from left): JLanka Technologies Electric Engineer Hasitha Dinumpura, JLanka Technologies Consultant Engineer Nalin D. Karunasinghe, IESL Vice President for Session 2016/17 Dr. Kamal Laksiri and IESL Council Member Prof. Ajith Dolage

JLanka Technologies Operations Director Gunaseeli Jayasoma with the Gold award for the Best Display of Imported Product. Also in the picture (from left): JLanka Corporate Marketing Head Udana Wijeweera Ilangamage, JLanka Marketing Manager Srinath Dolage, JLanka Operations Director Gunaseeli Jayasoma, IESL President for Session 2017/18 Niranjanie Ratnayake, IESL Vice President for Session 2016/17 Dr. Kamal Laksiri and IESL Council Member Prof. Ajith Dolage

From left: JLanka Technologies Operations Director Gunaseeli Jayasoma, Chief Guest Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha, IESL Past President Eng. Jayavilal Meegoda and IESL President for Session 2017/18 Eng. (Prof.) Niranjanie Ratnayake

Leader in next generation energy technologies and Solar PV Systems, JLanka Technologies proved its mettle at Techno Sri Lanka 2017 by clinching two awards at the awards ceremony held at the Kingsbury Hotel in the presence of Chief Guest Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha.



JLanka Technologies won the Gold award for the Best Display of Imported Product (SolarEdge HD Wave inverter) and the Silver award for the Most Innovative Local Product (home grown fast DC Charger). Organized by the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka, Techno Sri Lanka 2017 sought to empower innovation for sustainability through creating a platform for organizations to share their technological advancements, products and expertise whilst recognizing and honouring industry leaders for inventive products and technologies.



Technological innovation, especially sustainable technologies such as solar power generation is already paving the way forward for a more sustainable future for humankind. This recognition is a tribute to our own contribution to this lofty ideal. Techno Sri Lanka 2017 was a timely initiative and we witnessed the impact it had on private and public sector organizations as well as academic institutes. While congratulating the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka for this worthy effort, I would like to add that JLanka Technologies will continue to challenge the status quo by introducing further technological advancements and be a part of the solution to the impending energy crisis, commented Marketing Manager Srinath Dolage.



Since its inception in 2010, JLanka Technologies has reinforced its presence as an impactful energy technological entity as the premier solar solutions provider in the country with a longstanding reputation for quality and unmatched service in the industry. Well-equipped with an inherent capacity for innovation and close trade relationships with global solar industry giants such as Trina Solar, SolarEdge, JLanka Technologies has been providing solar power solutions to hundreds of homes and businesses throughout the country. The company continues to demonstrate its integral inventiveness and commitment to technological progress through heavy investments in research and development on optimizing home rooftop Solar PV systems in order to maximize solar power generation and intelligent smart Solar Grids as well as Energy Management Software and Metering.



To date, JLanka Technologies has installed hundreds of Solar PV systems to generate over 20MW of electricity, with an annual contribution of 21GWh of energy to the national grid.
Former SLAITO President Chandra Wickramasinghe was bestowed with the honorary distinction of Officier de lOrdre National du Merite by the Embassy of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives recently, in a ceremony held at the Residence de France.



The esteemed award is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, and is considered a highest national honor in France.



This accolade recognised Wickramasinghes career that spans over three decades as a pioneer of the tourism industry. He is the founder the Alliance Francaise de Kotte in Colombo, a leading institution for French education and Culture in Sri Lanka. As the Founder/Chairman of Connaissance de Ceylan, he was a pioneer in securing the French Market to Sri Lanka in the early 80s. He believes his high level proficiency in the French Language and the industry experience he gained in France helped him to break through to the market with much ease. As one of the leading inbound tour operators in the French market, his contributions helped enhance the economic and cultural ties and mutual understanding between the two nations.



In his capacity as the former President of the Sri Lanka Association Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) he contributed significantly by assisting members in developing marketing plans and creating awareness via education and exposure. He specifically encouraged new thinking and spearheaded research initiatives to grow the industry particularly in the Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern markets whilst contributing significantly towards enhancing the quality of each members product offering.



Among his peers at the time, he was the first to visit Kandalama, and identify the true potential of the location. He initiated investments in Kandalama by founding Culture Club (now Amaya Lake). Through Culture Club, Wickramasinghe initiated Eco-Cultural tourism, yet another concept introduced by him to the tourism industry in Sri Lanka. Eco-Cultural tourism is now a popular theme in Sri Lanka and is widely used among hoteliers.



Wickramasinghes work has been recognized through awards in previous occasions; in 1999, he was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year, he also won the National Silver award presented by Sri Lankan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. For his contributions made for the Tourism Industry, he was also selected for the Business Today Passionate 2017 award recently.
Tomorrow December 1, we begin the Christmas season which has been commercialised to such an extent that some theologians are even suggesting that the name be changed, though the business world has already taken Christ out of Christmas and refers to it as Xmas.

Bells, balloons and bonbons, cards, cakes and crackers are quite in order for young children to enjoy this festive season. But as we grow up we need to be more mature and spiritual in our celebration of Christmas because Christ was born in a borrowed cattle-shed with urine and other muck littering the stable; he lived a simple life without a wallet or travelling bag and was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Pope Francis has repeatedly called for people to live in a simple and humble way without wasteful expenditure, luxuries or extravagance. Millions of people all over the world are suffering without money for even two proper meals while facilities for health and education are below the border line. In Puerto Rico which is part of the United States, thousands of people are still suffering from the hurricane which hit the area some months ago. Even recently people said they did not have even clean water for drinking. Some were drinking contaminated water and ending up with diseases while others were buying drinking water for as much US$10 a bottle.

In such a calamity which has affected several parts of Sri Lanka also, mainly in the North and East, tens of thousands of people are struggling for survival. For some 80,000 war widows and families there will be no Christmas cakes or trees but a cattle shed experience which in strange way is more like what Jesus would prefer and will manifest himself.

For most business establishments, December is the time they make their biggest profits. Various marketing and sales campaigns are launched prompting or provoking people to buy one and get one free. The business establishments cannot be blamed because they are in the trade to make profits not for love or charity. Then who is responsible? Largely the people themselves who use their bonuses and other festival incentives to buy not what they need but what they desire or what other people are buying.

While allowing children to have some fun with Santa Claus and all that, adults need to be aware this season will have deeper meaning when we save more and share more with others. For years prophetic voices have called for strict measures to end the commercialisation of Christmas and we hope some meaningful steps will be taken because the reality is that to have a happy Christmas we need to make other people happy, specially the impoverished and marginalised people.

The Church authorities need to make people aware that Christmas is a time for sharing and caring especially with the impoverished and marginalised people. If we do not enter into that dimension, we will be joining the business community and celebrating Christmas without Christ.

Christ the King has said to those who are going to the eternal heavenly Kingdom, I was hungry you fed me, I was thirsty you gave me to drink, I was a refugee you gave me shelter, I was sick or imprisoned, you visited and cared for me. Then these people will ask, When did we do this to you. Christ will reply, Whenever you did this to my brothers and sisters you did it to me. What will be our response.
By Chandeepa Wettasinghe

The Sri Lankan government should stop selling land in Colombo to the highest bidder, and instead learn from the Berlin experience on holistic urban development, a German real estate and urban development expert told a forum in Colombo, this week.



If the value of the city is growing, you have a lot of problems because of affordability of commercial space and affordability of residential space within the city areas and around the city areas.



The (Berlin) government now is not selling anything (land) anymore, Belius GmbH Managing Partner Andreas Kruger told the first chapter of the Cinnamon Life Forum held at the Taj Samudra Hoteld on Monday.

After outlining that the presence of a wide array of restaurants, art galleries and other creative and leisure spaces for all to enjoy are essential for a vibrant city, Kruger was questioned on how creative individuals in Colombo could afford to develop them, when the Sri Lankan government was selling its land to the highest bidder.



There are currently over 220 acres of state land in central Colombo awaiting development.

The Sri Lankan government has been selling or leasing out these lands at highly inflated prices to foreign property developers to build hotels and mixed development projects.



This has resulted in the value of real estate in Colombo skyrocketing over the past several years, making affordable housing unviable within the city. Kruger said that in Berlin, the government stopped opting for competitive bids to sell land based on price, and instead started bids to ascertain the best concept that would fit into a particular block of land, and gave it out on lease. The high rise, high value property projects are built on private property, which is valued on commercial terms, Kruger said.



However, to make affordable housing available within the city, the Berlin government is even buying privately held land, he added.



The mixture is the answer to the question. You have very valuable pieces of land with very high-end development, and beside it, you need to take care that you are more user related, and more, lets say city environment related, Kruger said.



Kruger said that Colombo could learn a lot from Berlin, since post-war Colombo is at a similar stage of development as Berlin was 28 years ago, after the fall of the Berlin wall.
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia, (The Washington Post/AP),November 27 2017 

A Malaysian doctor testified Monday at the trial of two young women accused of murdering the estranged half brother of North Koreas leader that the victims pupils contracted and his underwear was soiled with feces, both signs of poisoning.



Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam, the only suspects in custody, pleaded not guilty at the start of their trial on Oct. 2. They were accused of smearing the banned VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nams face at a crowded airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13, killing him within two hours.



Nurliza Abdullah, one of two government doctors who conducted the autopsy on Kims body, told the court that the pupil constriction and the large amount of excrement found in Kims underwear both pointed to poisoning.



Based on our autopsy and the lab test results, the cause of death is acute nerve agent VX poisoning, she said, concurring with a colleague who had given similar testimony earlier in the trial, when the autopsy report was presented to the court. Nurliza, however, agreed with the defense assertion that the post-mortem alone wasnt able to confirm VX as the cause of death, and that the autopsy conclusion was based on tests by the chemical department that found traces of the nerve agent on Kims face and body.



Mondays court session was cut short because the next prosecution witness wasnt ready. The trial will resume Tuesday.
Non-bank lender LB Finance PLC yesterday revealed plans to raise up to Rs.3 billion through a debenture issue.



The finance company said it will issue 20 million debentures with an option to issue up to a further 10 million debentures in the event of an oversubscription of the initial issue, at an issue price of Rs.100 a share.



The Colombo Stock Exchange has given its preliminary approval to list the debentures.



The subscription list of the issue will open on December 04, 2017. Capital Alliance functions as the mangers to the issue. LB Finance is also a leader in the countrys micro-finance sphere. The company recently announced plans to enter into the micro-finance space in Myanmar.
The ideology that pervades our movies is an ideology of commitment  secular, cosmopolitan, sometimes contrived, rarely felt  and they tend to constrict your vision. Theres an intense desire on the part of their directors to talk about social problems, to let us know that there are people out there who are suffering in want. It makes us want to cower before their vision, full of intentions but also full of a rift between those intentions and their production values.

What Ho Gana Pokuna lacks is explicit political force

Ho Gana Pokuna, may well be the most exciting Sinhala film released in the last three years

No industry can flourish for long with practitioners who reject its commercial base

We want to do away with that rift, but the moment we try to we are lambasted as being escapist, fantasist, and tellers of fairy-tales. How could one be committed without resorting to explicit ideologies? Its a tough call, but by extraordinary resolve some of our movie-makers have proved that one can be politically inclined without making his or her work a vassal to ideas. We already have a cinema of ideas. Now we want a cinema of life.

I saw Ho Gana Pokuna for the first time two years ago, in October, at the Savoy. The excitement on the faces of the child actors who were there, now grown up, was hard to ignore, and kept me expecting a great deal from it. I didnt know the story behind it, nor of its cast and crew. All I knew was that Indika Ferdinando, whose play The Irresistible Rise of Mr. Signno I saw before, had directed it. Depressed somewhat at the hardened, dichotomised world that directors his age tended to depict in film after film (awfully sincere, sincerely awful) I was, naturally enough I suppose, unconvinced of this ones prospects. I sat down, therefore, with a sense of tepid anticipation.

Two hours later I got up forgetting Id ever harboured such feelings. Ho Gana Pokuna then became, for me, the most exciting Sinhala film Id seen in the last three years.

In Sri Lanka, the gap between childrens movies and movies featuring children has blurred so much that no one cares to make this distinction any more. This is to be expected in any film industry where neither the critics nor the general public are selective in their preferences (the public just want to be entertained, the critics just want to be provoked). The fact that its normal and to be expected, however, doesnt mean that its not deplorable: The truth is that our film-makers use our children to spout out convenient posters and labels that belong to the political so much that those children become no more than instruments, messengers. Ho Gana Pokuna doesnt resort to this device. It teaches us just how imaginative our directors could be if they didnt use their subject-matter to depict their adulterated imaginings of them.

Writing to the Sunday Observer a few weeks after its release, Dilshan Boange contended that Indikas left-of-centre political sympathies showed, somewhat discernibly, in the film. This is true. But the intrusion of the political in Ho Gana Pokuna is mercifully short: all we have is a bunch of NGO officials gifting an expensive but useless piano to the school as part of a project. The piano isnt used; the children are instead taught by their rather irate principal (Lucien Bulathsinhala), who is also their only teacher, to fear it. Its an object of ridicule which only the idealistic teacher, Miss. Uma (Anasuya Subasinghe), resuscitates, which is why whatever political inclinations there are in the film come out through her. She is the political centre, and the periphery, of the narrative, since she represents the affirmation of ideology as well as the rejection of the labels that ideologues tend to harbour.

This is a novel message for a Sinhala movie. Elsewhere film-makers have been telling us that we need to be more open, more proactive, and to shout and protest with labels and dichotomies that never work out in reality. What Ho Gana Pokuna lacks is explicit political force: Even at its most forceful moments (as when Wasantha Muhandiram as the village headman [Grama Niladhari] refuses to let the children and the teacher use the bus for their trip) Indika pulls back, not because hes fearful but because he knows the experience hes pasted over his film is too magical to face such moments. Even the verbal encounters between Miss. Uma and the principal, when they decide (the former willingly, the latter begrudgingly) to inaugurate an Assembly outside the school for the students, are short (the principals contention is that by democratising the institution the children will grow up to rebel against becoming the farmers that their fathers are): We see them debate, her cheerful, him scornful, but there it ends.

The committed critic may well see in this a complete rejection of the political, a convenient erasure of reality by a saccharine-coated view of life, but this rakes up the question as to what the intentions of the artist should be. Our committed directors dont lack courage. They have enough and more of it and they are brave. But the fatal contradiction at the heart of their conception of the cinema is their inability to resonate with popular audiences. If we have not gone beyond the eighties and the nineties (which nurtured Dharmasena Pathiraja and Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, the twin peaks of our political cultural sphere before Asoka Handagama entered the field) its because our film industry has bifurcated between the critics who conflate ideological profundity with aesthetic merit, the same conflation that our writers in the Sinhala theatre sustain, and the audiences who wish to see something richer, and more satisfying, in our halls. Compared with the fat politician played by Saumya Liyanage in Vidu, for instance, how much more believable are the villagers in Ho Gana Pokuna! The tragedy is that complexity is often taken as a sign of the uncommitted. The even bigger tragedy is that it is the lack of such complexity, through the one-dimensionality those other movies reflect, which we are supposed to watch and, whats worse, enjoy.

Its a view that certainly merits a second glance but its not the only view there is. The cinema thrives on plurality. Singleness, whether of intention or motive, isnt usually very helpful, and eventually saps a film industry of its ability to fascinate. The recent spate of local films that cant be categorised under that convenient artistic-commercialist divide our critics make is, I think, not a coincidence in that respect: from Ho Gana Pokuna right down to Adaraneeya Kathawak and Premaya Nam, there is an emotional resonance in them which easily wins audiences in a way that forced, unfelt political pamphlets and treatises cannot. No industry can flourish for long with practitioners who reject its commercial base, just as no industry can thrive with those who make money its only motive. Ho Gana Pokuna tells us, in its own special way, that theres really no need to be a slave to those other movies. We are tired of the vision they spout because we know that the only alternative to them are the vigilante escapist flicks that our popular directors churn out, from Ranja to Wada Bari Tarzan.

Miss. Uma, a transposed Julie Andrews/Maria von Trapp, and her children dominate the script because no one is a hero or villain in the village they inhabit: Everyone cowers before them, wilfully. Whatever problems she and they face  whether in the form of the principal, the Grama Niladhari, or Justin, the bus driver who lacks a licence  congeal gradually into their own solutions. In a way that lacks complexity, but when considering the alternatives  having her as a political ideologue or meandering to a set of happy-go-luck musical numbers  its more alive, more open, more textured. In contrast to many of those politically motivated films which are constricted, literally and metaphorically (many of them take place in tightly enclosed spaces, against a middle class milieu) Indikas film hence has room to breathe, to move forward. You cant blame people for becoming alert and alive to this kind of cinema because they want a work of art to keep them alert and alive. The political directors work from the premise that life is banal, following a depersonalised routine.

(Handagama, in Age Asa Aga, has the husband, wife, and daughter follow the same setup every evening, again and again, to the point of tedium.) Even as apolitical a director as Somaratne Dissanayake, in Siri Parakum, resorts to this banality, with entire sequences being repeated as if we didnt get them the first time. Whats so interesting in the end about Ho Gana Pokuna is that it wilfully, delightfully does away with such tedium. Theres nothing really consistent in the plot. The children, along with their elders, always rake up something new for us; they even tide over an unlikely twist towards the end when Justin, the bus driver they all toiled and taught so as to procure a licence, gets so carried away and drinks in exhilaration that he cant drive the children to the beach.

At the movies we are repeatedly, though inadvertently, made aware that what we are seeing in front of us is a falsification of reality. Some directors get away with it, others dont. When film-makers embrace the political passionately, ambitiously, zealously, many of them, particularly the more recent ones, tend to sacrifice the real for the verbal. They will spell out each sequence elaborately for the audience hoping that the audience will agree with their outlook. Repetition of sequences, slipshod camera movements, jerky editing: these are the hallmarks of the political director, and he resorts to them as frequently as the commercial artist resorts to the needs of his clients by polishing up his output. Indika Ferdinandos previous work, even as open-textured a play as Signno, bears out a political impulse.

But in Ho Gana Pokuna, which as I mentioned at the beginning may well be the most exciting Sinhala film released in the last three years, the audiences are alive to what they are seeing. The movie no longer has to spell out everything to them believing them to be gullible idiots. The ending is, I think, a distillation of the entire plot in this respect: the teachers call for action over lofty ideals may well be a statement against the serious artist, who in his enthusiasm for ideas over execution prefers to rant, to rave, to explicate, rather than to breathe.
An international mass wedding involving 100 young Chinese couples, planned as a tourism promotion event to showcase the countrys rich culture will be held in Sri Lanka on December 17, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka said.

Minister Ranawaka told the media yesterday that the mass wedding ceremony will further strengthen the cultural, religious and trade links between the two countries that run to early historic times and act as a big boost to tourism promotion in Sri Lanka.

This event is a turning point of Sri Lanka  China relations. One of the prominent couples that would enter the wedlock among the 100 is a great-great-grand-son of a Sinhala prince who was abducted and taken to China during the Kotte dynasty. There are several descendants from this Sinhala prince in China today. The bride is one of them, Minister Ranawaka said.

President Maithripala Sirisena will be participating in the wedding ceremony as an attesting witness to a few couples and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will also attend the event.

The main wedding ceremony will be held at the Viharamahadevi Park and a reception at the Waters Edge Hotel at Battaramulla.

The newly-wed couples will leave that afternoon for their honeymoon at ancient cities like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and wildlife sanctuaries like Yala. On December 22 there will be a special ceremony at the Waters Edge for them before leaving for China.

Tourism Promotion and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said his ministry, Megapolis and Western Development Ministry, a number of Chinese tourism and public relation promotion companies, Colombo Municipal Council and Sri Lanka embassy in Beijing are the sponsors of this grand wedding ceremony.

No one can provide this diversity and facilities better than Sri Lanka in the region. We hope to make this an annual event and also to woo other countries to follow suit and organize this kind of events in Sri Lanka, Minister Amaratunga said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

Pics by Kithsiri De Mel
The Pathfinder Foundation attended the conference on Regional Dynamics and Strategic Concerns in South Asia, which was held in Islamabad, Pakistan recently, organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) in partnership with the Hans Seidel Foundation of Germany.



Scholars and subject matter experts representing governments and research institutes from Pakistan, China, Russia, Germany, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the USA, Nepal and France presented their research findings during the two-day conference.



The main themes of the conference were regional dynamics of South Asia, strategic concerns in South Asia, strategic situation in Afghanistan and its regional implications and addressing security concerns in South Asia; a way forward.



The South Asian region is the economically and politically least integrated region in the world. This makes South Asia vulnerable and provides ample opportunities for intervention by outside powers even in domestic affairs of South Asian countries. South Asia needs to address decade old conflicting issues and find solutions and move ahead in developing the countries economically, in order to benefit people. South Asians should develop common perceptions, common interests and common concerns and rise as a region, stated Admiral Dr. Jayanath Colombage attending the conference.



IPRI President Ambassador (Retired) Abdul Basit conducted the welcome address opening the conference and Pakistan Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Zubair Mahmood Hayat delivered the keynote address.



Admiral Colombage represented the Pathfinder Foundation and presented his paper titled Assessment of Socio-political Trends in South Asia, at this international conference. This paper highlighted the diverse nature of South Asian countries with regards to population, size, ethnicity, religion, development and economic standing at presently.



This paper also identifies the flash points among the states, which could lead to conflict. Lack of economic and people-to-people connectivity and integration of regional economies were also stressed upon.



Admiral spoke about terrorism and violent extremism, which had engulfed some states in the region including Sri Lanka and the need to collaboration in eradicating the menace of terrorism with a view to bring peace and stability to the region. The strategic importance of the maritime domain of the South Asian region within the greater Indian Ocean region was also highlighted.



Admiral described this region as an area of strategic competition for major powers, strategic alliances by some major powers against other major powers and strategic dilemma for smaller, less powerful states as these are at times forced to choose between major powers. He indicated the predicament of smaller states as they are unable to make decisions based on economics but first have to give way to strategic considerations and aspirations of major powers.



He also emphasized that major initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR), Free and Open Indo-Pacific Oceans should be aimed at developing the region and not in competition against each other.



Admiral suggested that Sri Lanka by being in the most strategic location of the South Asian region and with its eqi-distance and balanced foreign policy can play a key role in regional integration in a new security architecture for the common good of the entire South Asia.
Sri Lankas plantations industry contributes almost 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). However, almost 65-70 percent of the tea plantation crops right now are produced by the smallholders and not by the regional plantation companies (RPCs). In reality, the situation should have been the other way around. Thats because the RPC sector has much more resources when compared with the smallholders. Had the RPCs known how to make use of the resources strategically, the story could have been quite different with a far higher productivity.



The omission on the part of certain RPCs, as per the simple comparison above and explained in detail later in this article, has created immense hardship to the employees of the RPCs at all levels (including certain CEOs) and to the public of this country. If anyone wants to counter the bitter truth expressed by us, may we reiterate our plea made during the past two years to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to appoint an independent truth-finding commission to investigate and to document if the underperforming RPCs have followed the best management practices and lived up to the expectations of privatisation.



And at the same time, we salute those CEOs of the RPCs, who created and delivered value through better performance and for being visionary/futuristic in their job role. This proposed commission will also look into the contributions of the Plantations Restructuring Unit for the current state of the RPCs, if any and the corrective actions initiated by the Plantation Management Monitoring Division (PMMD) from its very inception to ensure the state resources are better managed for the greater good of the country at large.



We also suggest that the findings be used only for correction as we believe admittance of past mistakes is the first point of meaningful correction. We still believe that we have the power within for correction.



Plantations are national assets

Whilst acknowledging that there was an official lease agreement between the state and RPCs, we are also aware that no agreement is above the constitutional framework of the country. And most importantly, two wrongs will not make one right either. Plantations are national assets. Their importance in terms of environment, economy and social profits are enormous.



Since the economy of Sri Lanka is transforming into a middle-income level, the aspirations of the employees and stakeholders have to be met without wasting time by comparing with that of poor economies. The net outcome will be out-migration of employees, which we already experience.

This is why we have been suggesting to look at plantations as land-based investments rather than thinking of a mono-crop or indeed agriculture alone. Also we have been repeatedly proposing to venture on to globally sought-after products and submitted a wireframe of a proposal to generate US $ 10 billion within a short period of time.



Due to the far-seeing economic proposals, these opportunities will now be available to global entrepreneurs simply because we have been sitting on golden resources since our independence in 1948 for the past 69 years without a viable outcome. This is the price we pay as a nation for being highly emotional and jealous, which are outcomes of lacking awareness, being under-educated and strutting around with inflated egos.



I am not an expert in management or in any other discipline but a generalist with more than 40 years of experience as a planter and then a visiting agent of plantations but belong to a different era of time. The plantation crops mainly include tea, rubber, coconut and cinnamon. The monopoly of oil palm (OP) is retained by the RPC sector. Given the opportunity, even OP will be better managed by the smallholders. One of the powerful contributory factors for the smallholders to do better than the RPC sector is their enthusiasm, dedication and commitment displayed by the psychology of ownership, which is a vital requirement in agriculture.



The above commitment leads to self-discipline and passion. Its mainly due to lack of these two vital elements that well-managed plantations during the British management have deteriorated to this sorry state to-date within the past 43 years since the nationalisation of plantations in 1974.



Power of discipline

In order to understand the power of discipline we have to hark back to history: the most recent performances of the industry under the late Gen. Ranjan Wijeratne. The obvious choice made available to all planters then was crystal clear to everyone. No shirkers were tolerated. Discipline was maintained. Mediocre persons irrespective of rank were given 24 hours to pack up their bags and get out without making a mess of the plantation.



Conversely best performers were duly recognised. That gave a serious message and most were falling in line. If not for the influence by the anti-social elements, the industry would have been best of its kind, envious by the rest of the competitors globally.



Since currently most of the RPCs appear to be aimless and lacklustre, there is no reason to be surprised over the mediocre performances affecting the national economy. We were then not short of best leaders such as: E.L. Daniels, J.S. Ratwatte, Malcolm Talwatte, Wickrema De Alwis, S.K. Seneviratne, Raymond Paranavitana, etc. even after the sad demise of Gen. Wijeratne. Not only were they were task-oriented but relationship-oriented as well to the same extent, which paved the way to make great teams that bred success all the way through. They had excelled the art of managing and they knew how to separate men from boys. They had a deeper understanding of the issues and were well updated on all sides. It is a proven fact that the leadership and business outcomes are correlated. Do we have the same quality visionary leadership now in all RPCs?



Planning is key

The first phase of professional management is planning. This is the most important activity in managing ones own personal life and indeed managing a profitable business like an RPC. A sound understanding on the actual happening and futuristic probabilities with the internal as well as external business environment is a must before planning.



The successful CEOs of the RPCs that are doing relatively well seem to have mastered this art of correct planning and the rest like execution, monitoring and controlling the growth-oriented performances. In a natural scenario of impossibility of reaching perfection, we recognise Roshan Rajadurai for his operational excellence since his college days at Trinity College and to date with his business life. In fact, we have no personal squabbles with Rajadurai.



What however is inexplicable is why the Planters Association (PA) appears to have been deaf and dumb when some RPCs have totally mismanaged their plantations. Horror stories emerge of how estate lands have been blatantly encroached upon; those in authority appear to feign ignorance.

Yet another RPC perhaps blessed with the cream of upcountry and low country tea estates, which yielded well above 2200 kg/ha in 2012/13, has now plummeted to a poor 1,567 kg/ha.



Expressed in terms of Made Tea crop, dropping from 5.2 million kilogrammes [and 5.7 million kilogrammes in 2014/15] to 4.2 million kilogrammes in 2016/17  a drop of a million kilogrammes of Made Tea [vide its annual report 2016/17].



Like for the high grown section mentioned above, the low grown cluster also sees a significant drop in crop  from 1.53 million kilogrammes [in 2013/14] to just 678,000 kilogrammes in 2016/17  here again a significant drop of 855,000 kilogrammes [0.8 million kilogrammes]  accordingly, for the tea sector of this RPC, a sudden drop of 1.85 million kilogrammes, which when computed at the current tea NSA of Rs.509.87 [high grown] and Rs.547.42, works out to a huge loss of Rs.509,870,000 for high growns and an unacceptable Rs.468,044,100 for low growns, making up a total loss of Rs.977,914,100, almost Rs.1 billion, just for the year 2016/17.



These significant drops in yield per hectare (YPH) and crop cannot be only attributed to so-called bad weather  factors such as soil nutrient deficiencies, poor harvesting techniques, ill-timed or sans vital agronomic inputs at pre-pruning and post-pruning operations, lack of an effective infilling programme to ensure bush vibrancy/population, etc. are contributory causes.



Surprisingly, the directors emoluments amount to a high Rs.35,182,000  in the backdrop of Rs.8,291,164,000 [8.29 billion] net debt, vide annual report of this RPC for 2016/17. Also, as per its annual report, this RPC has mortgaged all conceivable assets such as lands, buildings, machinery, vehicles, etc. to banks and even with tea brokers with narration: Primary [and even secondary] mortgage over leasehold rights of the estate and buildings fixed and floating assets and even realised and unrealised values of the stock of teas catalogued and to be catalogued with broker...

Another example: Securities pledged: A promissory note, continuing undertaking and guarantee executed by the borrower in favour of broker whereas the borrower agrees to forward teas and sales proceeds on pre-allocated marks some of which are shared with brokers to [broker name withheld] until the payment of all monies due and owing.



As per the annual report for 2016/17, the total liabilities are Rs.8,760,051,000 [Rs.8.8 billion] for the group and Rs.6,888,695,000 for the company managing this RPC.



The net debt  Rs.8,291,164,000 [Rs.8.3 billion] is for the group and Rs.6,665,311,000 for the company. The net debt to equity ratio is 519 percent  all figures verifiable vide annual report.

As per the annual report of this RPC, the share market value, which was Rs.168 in 2010/11, has dropped to Rs.10.10 in 2017 and currently trades for around Rs.11. No dividends have been paid from 2013/14 onwards.



The net assets have progressively declined 2013/14 onwards.



The net debt of Rs.8,291,164,000 [for the group] and Rs.6,651,311 [for the company] is mostly as a result of imprudent investments, some questionable overseas operations and high borrowings, even to service working capital.



Almost all assets  both moveable and immoveable  of this RPC have been mortgaged [some twice over].



It is suggested that a full-scale inquiry into the financial dealings, questionable investments both in Sri Lanka and overseas, etc. be conducted and those responsible for creating this mountainous debt be asked to make good this financial burden, perhaps liquidate assets of subsidiary companies, which collectively were bleeding the assets and working capital of this RPC and pump back such liquid assets back to the same RPC  a public quoted corporate entity. All concerned have to work towards making this RPC debt free and to invest in its core business of tea, rubber, oil palm growing and manufacture and identifying and enhancing its many assets that this RPC possesses abundantly.

After all, one must be cognisant of the fact that this RPC, like all other RPCs, still belong to the Government of Sri Lanka [JEDB/SLSPC] and in this instance, the assets of the Government of Sri Lanka have been improperly and carelessly managed, also creating a huge debt that was preventable. This why, we say that the PA is in fact an OA or owners association. There is adequate time if they want to unmask them rather playing hide and seek at the expense of less influential majority of the sector.



A travesty of justice

Instead of nurturing and enhancing the capital value of the 22 resource-rich plantations in Sri Lanka, this RPC has inconceivably diverted funds overseas and also invested in local companies mostly unrelated to its core business.



What a travesty of justice as this RPC, which has perhaps two of the best located and potentially agro-rich plantations in Sri Lanka, appears to give step-motherly treatment to these Sri Lanka-based plantations, such as limiting vital fertiliser inputs resulting in downward spiralling of crop and yields and inexplicably investing cavalier-fashion overseas with predictably negative returns, impacting the share price and total economic, agro-well-being and capital value of the RPC.



Plantations are national assets. The land mass belongs to the state. Therefore, when things go wrong continuously for a consecutive period of over 43 years and when it creates catastrophic consequences to the national economy in multiple ways, shouldnt we look at it and discuss it openly with the objective of correcting them through a national consensus? Our criticism and offering alternative solutions are merely to assist those who are not doing well or else just to signal to them that something absolutely dangerous is looming in the near future.



Whilst both the minister in charge and prime minister himself have delved into the matter in detail, its only a matter of time before such rotten and unbelievable stories will reach mass media, doing more harm and damage through a weak public perception on the RPC management. That will speak for it for the causes leading to poor performances. The findings might point out the quality of planning, implementing, monitoring and controlling, the four phases of basic management if were performed by poor RPCs  they should learn from smallholders.



Planters Association

The PA, under which all the RPCs are taking shelter, wasted a great deal of opportunity to support the underperforming ones instead of finding solutions owing to the problems created by them. They used the PA brand (developed by hard labour of former planters) to hide their sins and still to live an extra day on the lap of luxury.



However, we appreciate the current PA President Sunil Poholiyadda, who appears to be much more patriotic and is wilful to coordinate with those who are keen to assist the RPCs to change for better. The first step is to introduce discipline into the RPCs, to let the active planters manage the affairs of the PA. We have enough promising planters who are ready to take up the future of the industry in their innovative way.



As per the constitution of the PA, it is mandated to support the planters in active service. Instead of doing so, this organisation catered to has been to be in power without creating value. This is the place where some gathered to exploit the RPC-managed plantations by resorting to extractive agriculture and pressure the successive governments to dole out money.



The question they had in mind is, why invest when the lease period is less than 50 years? An extremely selfish argument there, yet some made maximum use of this argument to run down the plantations to the very core. The PA did not do anything against it although they called it the PA.

We pray, where was the recognition to those who did extremely well and looked after their employer and employees alike? Shouldnt the protected sustainability efforts launched by such CEOs be recognised by the state? What is the role of the PMMD in this instance? Whom do they recognise: the blatant vandalism or conservation steeped in sustainability? We feel that its about time to wake up from deep slumber and speak out to be heard by all stakeholders.



Moving forward

The objective of this article is not character assassination, which is counterproductive. We have acknowledged the existence of better performers. But our bigger goal is to move forward as an industry that makes our country proud rather than praising just a handful. Anyway the country will or rather should recognise better performers, as they do not expect a pat on their back.



The bigger goal is to be a US $ 10 billion player in a US $ 87 billion economy. The RPC sector has the potential to achieve this bigger goal. We have disclosed the plan. A better plan can replace our plan already submitted. We are not disturbed over such rejection. The need is a similar master plan covering all areas of the industry. There is no great advantage by improving bits and pieces.



So we conclude that nothing is wasted if even the state could invest in the leadership development and to improve the competence of strategic planning in the RPC sector. There exists a dire need for the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) to coordinate with Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) and offer tailor-made programmes on both knowledge domains to the corporate management of the RPC sector on a regular basis. Systematic knowledge leads to permanent change for the better.



We feel that the competency in managing change is inadequate as a national issue and in this instance is affecting 200,000 direct livelihoods managed by the RPC sector alone. Managing change is a scientific process and has to start from the owner and not from the CEO.



Withdrawing the typewriters and replacing with the computers is the appropriate example for managing change completely wrong. Most of the changes initiate earlier became utter failures because we did not handle change well. It is compulsory to manage change by changing four areas simultaneously. We have to change people, strategies, structure and technology simultaneously when initiating change. So, this is not an opportunity to defend but to expose and correct. Since problems lead to grand opportunities, here lies an opportunity for a Plantation Consultancy Group (PCG), a profit-making NGO comprised of CEOs of the RPCs, who can think differently and act differently. They could prove their mettle. Competencies of high level of leadership and strategic management are key requirements.

(Lalin I. De Silva can be contacted via desilva_lalin4@yahoo.com)
Authentic justice and lasting peace can only be achieved when they are guaranteed for all"

Author: Hannah Brockhaus | Source: CNA

In a meeting with Buddhist monks in Burma on Wednesday, Pope Francis stressed that true and lasting justice and peace cannot be achieved unless the dignity of all people is protected.

Authentic justice and lasting peace can only be achieved when they are guaranteed for all, Pope Francis said Nov. 29.

He emphasized that his meeting with the Buddhist monks is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Catholics and Buddhists as well as affirm a commitment to peace, respect for human dignity and justice for every man and woman.

Pope Francis met with the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, a group which oversees Buddhist clergy in Burma, at the Buddhist Kaba Aye complex, which includes Kaba Aye Pagoda, just 6 miles north of Yangon.

The meeting took place during the Popes Nov. 27-Dec. 2 apostolic trip to Burma  also known as Myanmar  and Bangladesh, which comes amid a serious uptick in state-supported violence against the Rohingya, a largely Muslim ethnic group who reside in Burmas Rakhine State.

In recent months, the violence has reached staggering levels, causing the United Nations to declare the situation a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

In every age, humanity experiences injustices, moments of conflict and inequality among peoples. In our own day these difficulties seem to be especially pronounced, the Pope said.

Even though weve made great technological advancements, and people around the world are more and more aware of their common humanity and destiny, he said, still the wounds of conflict, poverty and oppression persist, and create new divisions.

In the face of these challenges, we must never grow resigned, he continued, because our respective spiritual traditions show us the way forward, a way that leads to healing, mutual understanding and respect. A way based on compassion and loving kindness.

Burma's religious makeup is predominately Buddhist, with 89 percent of the population practicing the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. In the encounter, Pope Francis expressed his esteem for those who follow the Buddhist tradition in Burma, saying that through their religion, the people have been formed in the values of patience, tolerance and respect for life.

A great challenge of today, Francis said, is to help people be open to the transcendent, being able to know themselves in such a way as to realize that we cannot be isolated from one another.

But if we are to be united, we must work to overcome all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred, he said, noting that the words of Buddha and St. Francis can offer a guide for how to go about doing this.

In Dhammapada, Buddha says to overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth, the Pope quoted.

A similar message can be found in a prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, he noted: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, let me bring pardon Where there is darkness, let me bring light, and where there is sadness, joy.

May the wisdom contained in these words, he said, continue to inspire patience and understanding, to heal the wounds of conflict that through the years have divided people of different cultures, ethnicities and religious convictions.

He stressed that overcoming conflict and injustice is not only the work of religious leaders, but of the whole of society, though it is a particular responsibility of religious and civil leaders to guarantee that everyones voice is heard.

Francis said that for this work to bear lasting fruit, religious leaders will need to work together in even greater collaboration, stating that in this, the Catholic Church is a willing partner, ready to continue to walk together the path of peace and healing, compassion and hope.

He also praised the two-day peace meeting held by the local Catholic bishops conference in April  which included leaders of different religious communities as well as ambassadors and representatives of non-governmental agencies  as essential for deepening understanding of one another.
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday told Parliament that President Maithripala Sirisena and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) strongly oppose the move to liberalise the shipping and freight forwarding industries, which was proposed in the Budget 2018. He said Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera consulted neither him nor the industry stakeholders with respect to the proposed changes to remove the 40 percent limit on foreign parties to owning shipping agencies and freight forwarding companies in Sri Lanka.



Speaking during the committee stage debate on the Budget 2018, minister Samarasinghe said libralisation of the shipping and freight forwarding industries would negatively affect the local players in the industry.



The local shipping and freight forwarding industry is an oligopoly with over 750 shipping, freight forwarding and clearing agents, but is controlled by a few large firms with connections to the countrys political establishment.



I am opposing this proposal as a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which is committed to safeguarding local entrepreneurs Samarasinghe said.



He said President Maithripala Sirisena is also of the opinion that the shipping industry should not be liberalised.



However, Samarasinghe suggested that international players should be allowed only if they are willing to invest substantial amounts of money in the industry. If not, he said, the country would not gain anything from the proposed move.

However, we are confident that the Finance Minister will look into this and make necessary amendments to the budget proposal Samarasinghe told Parliament.



However, Samaraweera during a post-budget forum in Colombo said a discussion on budget proposals is possible, but changing the core principles of free enterprise and liberalisation in the budget was non-negotiable.



In an earlier interview with the state television, Samarasinghe pledged that he would not sign any gazette, as the subject minister, that will be harmful to the local entrepreneurs in the shipping and freight forwarding industry.

Apparel exporters support shipping liberalisation

Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association President Felix Fernando speaking at the Associations Annual General Meeting last evening said that the countrys leading export category, apparels supports the liberalisation of the shipping industry proposed by the budget.

Lifting of restrictions on the foreign ownership on shipping and freight forwarding agencies, enabling major international shipping lines and logistics operators to base their operations in Sri Lanka will ensure healthy competition, provided an independent ports regulator is introduced, he said.



Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera was the chief guest at the meeting, along with the top echelon of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF); the umbrella organization for the apparel industry.



We appreciate honourable minister, your firm stand on this and we together with our apex body JAAF, will publicly support this move, Fernando added.

Liberalisation must to become maritime hub: Harsha

Opening up the shipping industry is essential if Sri Lanka is to become a hub of the Indian Ocean by year 2025, Deputy Minister of Development Policies and Economic Affairs Dr Harsha de Silva said yesterday.



Speaking during the committee stage debate on the budget, the deputy minister said Sri Lanka should be pragmatic in its approach.

We have to connect Sri Lanka to the world and create competitiveness in the shipping industry. This does not mean that the government is going to neglect the local players in the shipping industry as we are aware that they are doing a good job and we will not undermine them, Dr de Silva said.



He said what the government intends doing is to create a regulatory body for the shipping industry and introduce a competitive fee structure. However, everything will be done only after discussing the issue with all stakeholders including the local shipping agencies, he assured.



Unlike other major ports where cargo handling rates are determined by market conditions, Sri Lankas are set by the Central Bank, which decides on agency and transshipment tariffs for local agents.



According to Colombo-based free market think-tank, the current fee structure is complicated, encourages malpractice, and is determined arbitrarily and adversely affects port and logistics industry competitiveness.



For shipping lines working with very thin margins, this fixed fee structure represents a significant additional cost.



This limits transshipment volumes to the essentials  those which flow naturally due to location. Shipping lines have little incentive to
(c) 2017, Bloomberg  Nov 27, 2017 -

An emotional Robert Mugabe finally agreed to end his 37-years-rule in Zimbabwe when army generals who had seized power told him they wouldnt prevent protesters from storming his home unless he relented, three people familiar with the talks said.



The peril from the protesters was real. Three days before theyd approached the gates of his mansion, known as the Blue Roof, in the affluent northern Harare suburb of Borrowdale. Chris Mutsvanga, a leader of veterans of the liberation war against white-ruled Rhodesia in the 1970s, threatened to unleash a fresh wave of protests when Mugabe, confused and tearful during his final days in power, didnt immediately resign after thousands poured into the streets on Nov. 18.



For Mugabe, an almost president-for-life figure, the scenes were difficult to believe. Hed always been accompanied by a motorcade of heavily armed troops, decoy cars, police vehicles, motorcycle outriders and a fully-equipped military ambulance. But in recent years, the fate of figures such as Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi, both of whom died or were captured after going on the run, had weighed on him, according to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.



Ailing health and frequent confusion hobbled Mugabe during the talks. He wept often and called out for his deceased first wife Sally, and Nhamodzenyika, his son who died of cerebral malaria as an infant, the officials said. His friend Father Fidelis Mukonori, a Catholic priest who was mediating talks with the military, consoled him and begged him to eat and bathe.



Mugabes decision to step down and end a week-long standoff with the military came as his ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front was preparing to impeach him in parliament. It marked an anguished end to the career of Africas second-longest serving leader who had led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980 and dominated its political scene ever since.



Mugabe himself triggered the intervention, led by armed forces commander Constantino Chiwenga in the early hours of Nov. 15 when a week before he fired Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputy president and long-time right-hand man during the liberation war and after independence. Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former spy chief, has close relations with the security forces.



The dismissal was seen by many as a precursor to the appointment of his 52-year-old wife Grace to the position and opening a clear path for her to succeed him. Grace, known as Gucci Grace for her extravagant lifestyle, had infuriated members of the security forces by denouncing veterans of the liberation war and military leaders in recent months.



Mugabes resistance to stepping down buckled when he was told that Zimbabwes special forces had detained key allies and members of the spy agency, the Central Intelligence Organization. Again he began weeping and repeatedly asked what he could do to end the standoff, the officials said. Calls to army headquarters seeking comment werent answered.



His options were clear, the generals told him: Resign, be impeached or face the mob in the streets. And there was no escape, they said. Special forces had been deployed to Zimbabwes airports with strict orders not to let him or Grace leave the country.



The anger over Mugabes resistance to quit and the joy over the militarys decision to move against him were fueled by a collapse in living standards -- the economy is half the size it was in 2000 -- and soaring unemployment. Public services such as water provision are almost nonexistent and a crippling cash shortage has prompted people to sleep outside banks in order to draw as little as $20 when theyre restocked.



In the end, it was the fear of suffering the same fate as Gadhafi, or the embarrassment of being impeached, that changed Mugabes mind, the people said. He signed a resignation letter penned on his behalf on Nov. 21 after the generals agreed to some of his demands for immunity from prosecution, the officials said. Negotiations for the final conditions of his exit continue.
He was RY to me. My little daughter (whom he was very fond of) used to call him YR. The corporate world knew him as Rajan and at Hayleys, everybody called him Mr. Yatawara.



A business giant and a true innovator, the late Rajan Yatawara was the pioneering leader in coconut shell activated carbon and coco bricks in Sri Lanka. He was a former Hayleys PLC Chairman (2004-2007), who cannot be described easily by words. He was a great inspiration to my life and to what I am and what I have achieved today. He called me MAS.



To those who knew him, Yatawara was a visionary leader, whom I was fortunate to have worked for nearly 14 years and as my immediate boss for 10 years, at the Hayleys Export Shipping Department (ESD) and Haycarb group.



He had a mathematical brain that was faster than a calculator and common sense that would beat the computer of this age.



Steam activated coconut shell carbon and coco bricks became major export products of Sri Lanka and that uplifted Hayleys as the number one market capitalized listed company for many years. RY was always a firm believer on value-added exports, just as our late Chairman at Hayleys, Dr. D.S. Jayasundara (DSJ) and Sunil Mandis, whom I was also fortunate to work with.



Everybody who knew RY knew his passion for Haycarb, Hayleys and exports in addition to his Old Reserve Arrack. But many would not know Yatawara as a person. He was just simply an extraordinary human being. He looks and acts tough and gets fired up very fast, if things are not done properly (kind of a perfectionist). He always believed in doing the right thing and being ethical to the core.



I have yet to come across a man who has such lofty standards, sincerity, straightforwardness and integrity. I would like to share some qualities of Yatawara, which may help younger industry leaders to understand values as we live in a less ethical society today than the time I got to know RY.



Straightforwardness, trust and delegation

RY was appointed Deputy Chairman of Hayleys Ltd after the demise of Dr. DSJ in 1993 and assigned the responsibility of the most important service division of the group  the export shipping department handed over by Sunil Mendis, the then Chairman. Ask anyone who has worked with RY, he never hides his sentiments; its to the face. When I was promoted as one of the youngest shipping mangers of the largest export company of the country in 1997, I had to report to him.



I can recall the first day I took over. He called me to his room and said, Masakorala, I will call you MAS since I dont know you and you are so young and I dont know any shipping. I am not sure if you can take such a responsibility for the whole group.



Then came the next set of words: However, your predecessor has strongly recommended you and I trust you to deliver. My doors are open for you son but if you have a problem, dont come to my room without a few solutions but if you make a mistake, I am there and will sort it out for you.



Five years passed and I never went to his room with any problems but he used to come down to my room whenever he had a problem related to shipping and logistics. For many, he was not an easily approachable person but for me, he was so easy and understating to work with as he gave freedom and delegated authority and mostly he appreciated the straightforwardness and ethics, which built a special bond with me until his death this November.



Do public service without being a burden to public

RY pushed me to take responsibilities at business associations and chambers; I served on the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Exporters Association of Sri Lanka, Australia-Sri Lanka Business Council and Sri Lanka Shippers Council (SLSC), to which he was the nominated representative but he opened the doors for others as he never had any personal ego but full of simplicity and wanted to help others in life.



This exposure made me the youngest Shippers Council Chairman and without a doubt, he was the strength behind what I delivered and achieved to the trade to this date.



When I was asked to take over the chairmanship of the SLSC, I told him, RY, in this responsibility, I have to sometimes strongly confront shipping companies and Hayleys having many of such companies, should I go ahead? RYs words were, You take the job, do what is right for the country and not what is right for Hayleys.



Later, former Finance Minister Ronnie De Mel invited me to join the Sri Lanka Ports Authority board and once again I went to RY for advice for should I or shouldnt I accept? The reply was, Take it son, do public service but dont mess around with public funds and be a burden to the public.



In another memorable incident, during the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack on the airport in 2001, RY took me as SLSC Chairman to a public meeting with the then President Chandrika Kumaranatunga. Here too I got the urge to intervene and tell her that we were on an industry mission and not a political mission and hence sort permission of him fearing my statement would affect the company. The advice was, Tell what she got to know; dont worry about where you work.

My statement was headlines on newspapers the next day; one should have seen my boss smile of happiness; all went well with Kumaranatunga.



Next morning, RY called and informed me: I heard that the president wants you to go to London for war-risk surcharge negotiation. I am proud of you son, always do the right thing; it pays off.

These were a few of his golden moments I can recall, which is probably a best for a corporate leader lesson.



Pay taxes and duties

One thing he checked with me when I assumed duties under him was, Do you have a tax file? If not, go and open one and always learn to pay taxes. It was his advice. Luckily, I had opened one just as I joined Hayleys.



On another occasion, one of the companies importing raw material had a major mismatch of stock for duty free-bonded items for export processing. There was a suggestion by a person to pay a nominal figure to sort out the books at a government department. RY hit the ceiling turned red, exploded and said if you have messed up go and pay the B duty and penalty. That is how we work at Hayleys, not with bribes.



And the most interesting one was that when he was eligible to get a new car and could have got one duty free under a Board of Investment company, he did the most astonishing thing I have ever seen.

He purchased a black Volvo, which was the most popular car among the minters at that time. I walked with him to see the new car and believe it or not, at the back of the car, there was a small sticker that said  All duties and taxes paid. He smiled and said, I dont want the public to pay for my vehicle.



Trusted in technology, processes and skill development

Whenever he had free time to chat with me, he told me, MAS, as you know I am from old school, you tell me what you want to run your office more efficiently.



As a result, at ESD, we were the first to get a laptop, intranet, Internet, the brick mobile, outsourced non-core business activity, which was later known as BPO. Systems and processes were putdown. RY wanted an efficient organisational structure, which later became lean management. RY was a strong believer in skill development and always encouraged me to send staff for training and development and he selected me as the first candidate to be sent to the Cranefield University, UK to get trained in supply chain management.



The late Yatawara probably is a rare and a limited edition of humanity. I decided to publish this article not only as an appreciation of an extraordinary man but also as a message to those who have a responsibility toward building a better country, which RY always had in his heart and mind, through qualities that every leader must work towards.



RY was the first patron of the Shippers Academy Colombo when it was formed in 2011.

(Rohan Masakorala is CEO of the Shippers Academy Colombo, an economics graduate from the Connecticut State University USA and Immediate Past Secretary General of the Asian Shippers Council)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has asked for Sri Lanka's support in ending North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations, calling the North's latest missile test staged earlier in the day a grave challenge to global peace, the Korea Herald reported today.

President Moon said he strongly condemn North Korea's reckless provocation that raises tension on the Korean Peninsula and seriously threatens international peace and stability.

Our government will do its utmost to strongly and firmly deal with such provocations to the end together with Sri Lanka and all other countries, he said.

President Moon and President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday agreed to further improve bilateral ties, enhance economic and diplomatic cooperation to boost bilateral trade apart from peacefully resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

The agreement was made during a summit held between the two Presidents at the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

President Moon has expressed gratitude for what he called Sri Lanka's support and cooperation in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue, Cheong Wa Dae has said in a press release.

According to Cheong Wa Dae pool reports, President Moon has said their government was actively pursuing the New South Policy that seeks to ensure peace and co-prosperity of a joint community through cooperation with Southeast and Southwest Asian countries.

As Sri Lanka is an important partner in our New South Policy, I wish the two countries will pool their wisdom and strength to ensure peace not only in Sri Lanka but also in our entire region, he said.

President Sirisena was quoted as saying Sri Lanka would continue to fully implement UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

"Another thing I wish to stress is that Sri Lanka will always support South Korea on both domestic and international issues. I believe what you Mr. President declared in Berlin will contribute greatly to establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, and I support them," he said.

President Sirisena arrived in Seoulon Tuesday on a three-day state visit. He is the third foreign leader to make a state visit to South Korea since Moon's inauguration.

Wednesday's summit also followed what Cheong Wa Dae called a friendly meeting between the two leaders on Tuesday, when the South Korean president accompanied the Sri Lankan leader on a brief visit to a Buddhist temple in Seoul.

In their first bilateral summit, the two leaders noted their countries' relationship has steadily developed over the last four decades since they established diplomatic ties in 1977 and agreed to continue building their cooperative relationship as partners for peace and prosperity.

To this end, the leaders agreed to increase exchanges between their ranking government officials and boost cooperation in the defense industry.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul would also increase its low-interest loans to Sri Lanka under its Economic Development Cooperation Fund to US$500 million from the current $300 million in the 2017-2019 period.

In addition, the two leaders agreed to work together to make sure Sri Lankan workers in South Korea under the country's Employment Permit System will serve as a bridge between the two countries, and expand the countries' exchanges in the cultural and tourism sectors," it said noting there were currently around 30,000 Sri Lankan workers in South Korea.
Kalinga Wijesekara  Head of Marketing and Communication, Serendib Flour Mills, Mohammed Reyal  Director Serendib Flour Mills and Abdul Cader, Director Sales and Marketing Serendib Flour Mills, receiving the Silver award for B2B at SLIM Brand Excellence award

Serendib Flour Mills (SFML) recently won a Silver award in the B2B Brand category at the prestigious SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, which took place at BMICH recently. The prestigious awards programme is conducted each year at a national level to recognize brands, teams and organizations across the country for showcasing excellence in the fields of marketing, advertising and communications. This was the very first year that SFML participated in the awards programmes and the companys significant achievement at the event serves as a testament to its impactful and well-rounded marketing and branding efforts.

Conducted by SLIM (the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing), the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards is a celebration of exemplary branding and marketing across multiple local industries. Through this event, SLIM endeavours to encourage best practices in marketing, whilst enhancing the image of the field in the country as well as that of SLIM within the region. Now in its 16thedition, the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards programme acts as an industry platform for recognition and each year, entries are judged by an elite panel of experts who evaluate and reward truly outstanding brands that are making waves in their respective industries.

Commenting on SFMLs achievement at this years SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, Kalinga Wijesekera - Head of Marketing & Communications, SFML, said: We are naturally delighted to recognized and to be honoured with this prestigious award at the SLIM Brand Excellence award. Having competed for the very first time and among very strong and established brands and thus winning a silver award becomes even more credible. At SFML, we operate under a robust marketing communications strategy that is geared to deliver strong messages to our clients about our products, their benefits and our overall commitment to delivering a seamless and sustainable operation. At Serendib Flour Mills we truly believe in building brands. Last couple of years we have invested in building the 7 Star brand as its the only SLS certified wheat flour in the local Market. As such this award is a testament to the efforts that we have put in making 7 Star a winning brand.It is truly a delight to be recognized and rewarded for our consistent efforts as a top local brand and responsible B2B player, and we look forward to participating in this important programme in the coming years.

Serendib Flour Mills is one of the leading flour mills in Sri Lanka and is a joint venture between Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA). The companys 7 Star brand of flour has been nourishing the nation for 9 years and embodies purity, innovation, quality, freshness, expertise, service and trust. Serendib Flour Mills is committed to becoming the number one producer of wheat flour in Sri Lanka and the preferred flour supplier in international markets. Serendib Flour Mills launched operations with a state-of-the-art single-line capacity wheat flour mill in the Port of Colombo on 26 May 2008. Serendib Flour Mills has developed and implemented an integrated management system (IMS) based on ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, BS OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 22000:2005 requirements. The system complies with applicable laws and regulations, international standards and codes, and best manufacturing practices in the areas of quality, environment, occupational health and safety and food safety.
The Austrian government will step up its assistance to Sri Lanka, by providing EUR 19.35 million (Rs 3, 546 million) interest free soft loan to upgrade the Katunayaka Engineering Technology Institute and to obtain 100 ambulances for government hospitals in the country.



This loan facility provided through Raiffeisen Bank of Austria will set aside EUR 9.85 million to procure 100 ambulance cars for government hospitals and another EUR 9.5 million for enhancing and upgrading of Institute Of Engineering Technology, Katunayake.



The ambulance car project provides the 100 ambulances to selected hospitals with some of the necessary lifesaving equipment.



Supplying of ambulances to required hospitals is vital to provide emergency healthcare to patients to prevent deaths, reduce injuries/disabilities and transfer the patient efficiency and safely to the nearest hospital with required healthcare facilities.



The people in the entire country will benefit from this project through enhanced access to quality health care facilities.



The project on improving the facilities at the Institute of Engineering Technology, Katunayake, will upgrade the existing workshops and provide the latest equipment to facilitate in increasing the student intake of the institute up to 500 by 2020.



Facilities of the Institute of Engineering Technology, Katunayake, have not been improved with the increased intake of the students in the past several years and this has resulted in a huge problem of insufficient facilities such as class room space, equipment and required academic staff. This project will contribute to meet the huge unmet demand for middle level technicians.



Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media, Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunge signed the credit agreement of the ambulance car project yesterday on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka in the presence of the Deputy Commercial Counsellor of the Austrian Embassy Siegfried Weidlich.



The credit agreement of the enhancing and upgrading of Institute of Engineering Technology (IET), Katunayake was signed on 2nd November.
Memorandum of understanding entered into between Colombo Chamber of Commerce and China Federation of Industrial Economics at the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony. The picture shows Colombo Chamber of Commerce President Dr.Amila Kankanamge exchanging the agreement with China Federation of Industrial Economics Secretary General Xiong Meng

By Supun Dias

Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the government is encouraging genuine and serious investors to come and invest in the countrys infrastructure projects whilst strengthening Public Private Partnerships.



He made these remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Sri Lankan Economic and Investment Conclave (SEIC) 2017 inauguration in Colombo, last evening.



We should make the best out of Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative as we have a strategic position in the Indian Ocean so we can benefit from it.



We have set plans for the Colombo-Hambantota Corridor and the Colombo Trincomalee Corridor and we expect more and more Chinese investments coming in for the projects that are already planned in the Colombo City, Ranawaka said.

From left: Dr. Palitha Kohona, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka and Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy at the Sri Lankan Economic and Investment Conclave (SEIC) on the Sri Lanka-China Dialogue at Kingsbury Hotel. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi



The two-day event targeting to attract more Chinese investments into the country is organised by the Colombo Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Federation of Industry and Commerce of China, Indian Chamber of Commerce and TRIVE International (Private) Limited, the strategic legal and corporate consultants.



Delivering the opening remarks, Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy said that the main export markets of Sri Lanka namely the United States and European Union have shown steady growth and exports have grown significantly in the last four to five months.



China is now transforming itself from exporting of goods to exporting of capital and Sri Lanka being in the centre of OBOR, is set to attract lot of capital coming into the country from China and its investors.



We are also planning to reach trade agreements with Singapore, India and China next year giving us preferential access to these important markets. So Sri Lanka would provide a lot of opportunities for investors coming into the island as they would gain access to these markets; not all countries have this sort of access, he noted.



The Governor said that the government has clear policies in place when it comes to debt servicing which is a priority and as a first step the money that was gained through the long-term lease of the Hambantota Port will be used to pay off a significant portion of the debt.



Retired diplomat and one of the hosts of the event, Dr. Palitha Kohona in his welcoming address noted that this conclave would be an important step in giving a clear idea to investors about the potential of Sri Lanka as an economic hub in

the region.
Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body

Dancers are the messengers of the gods

- Martha Graham

There is a clashing of cymbals. Like an instrument, the sound of chanting rises slowly in the air. An invocation ascends in a syllabic intonation, voices seeking a blessing.

Bless me Gauthama Buddha!

Bless me Lord Shiva;

the Lord of the dance !

Bless me, dear parents

and teachers !

Bless me, members

of the audience !



Sinuous, sliding shapes appear before our eyes. Coiling and uncoiling, twisting and entwining, they come together and move away. The stillness hangs silently in the air. Slowly, deliberately, the shapes uncoil and stir into life. The beauty of movement begins. It is the dance of the cobra.

A conch shell blares, cleaning, purifying. Its waves echo the roaring sound of the sea. The reverberations continue, bringing prosperity, they take away the bad energy and announce a new beginning. It is the beginning of new performance by Natanda, Sri Lankas contemporary dance company.

The most recent of Sri Lankas traditional dances, the Vannam dates back to the 18th century, to the reign of the Kandyan King Narendrasinghe (1707-1739 AD)

Drawing on the ancient classical tradition of Ves Natum or Kandyan Dance, Natanda fuses it with contemporary dance and modern ballet, to re-enact the Vannam, one of the great dance rituals of Sri Lanka. The most recent of Sri Lankas traditional dances, the Vannam dates back to the 18th century, to the reign of the Kandyan King Narendrasinghe (1707-1739 AD), renowned as a great lover and patron of the arts.

The word vannam comes from the Sinhala word varnana, meaning descriptive praise. There are 18 Vannams. Each vannama is a recitation, inspired by nature, history, legend, folklore, art and religion; each recitation expresses a dominant idea. Melding drums, percussion, electro beats, rock and classical music with the traditional sound of cymbals, conch-shells and chanted verse, dancer and choreographer Kapila Palihawadana and his team recreate, innovate and reinvent.

Breathing new life into an ancient tradition, Palihawadana and his dancers perform their own versions of five of the Vannamas.

The Naiyadi - The Dance the Cobra.

The Gahaka - The Dance of the Conch.

The Gajaga - The Dance of the Elephant.

The Mayura - The Dance of Peacock.

The Thuranga - The Dance of the Horse.

In ancient Sri Lanka dance was a communication with the Gods and with the Buddha; the messenger of the gods was the dancer. It is the same with modern dance. The great American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham (1894  1991), believed that Dance is the hidden language of the soul. In the Vannam each dance is an abstract movement, hinting at a deeper meaning within. It is this meaning that Palihawadana and his dancers try to explore. Using their bodies as their vehicles, they are interpreters and intermediaries, still the messengers of the gods.

Modern dance in the west began as a rebellion against classical ballet. It has its roots in America in the early 20th century. One of its founding figures was Martha Graham. For Graham, ballet was too European, too imperialistic, and too un-American. So she went onto to create her own unique style, reshaping American dance. In 1926 she founded her own school, the Martha Graham Dance Company. The oldest dance company in America, it has had a huge influence on contemporary western dance. One of its most brilliant products was Mercier Philip Merce Cunningham (1919  2009).

Merce Cunningham is perhaps the greatest influence on Kapila Palihawadana, the founder of Natanda. Dancer, choreographer, teacher and innovator, Cunningham transformed the face of modern dance in the second half of the 20th century 20th century. Like Martha Graham, he founded his own school, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Inspired by the power of chance and random happenings, Cunningham introduced new techniques and new forms of movement, bringing sudden elements and unpredictable changes into the body of the dance. He did not believe that a dance needed a beginning, middle or an end. In a radical break with tradition, Cunningham also dissociated dance from music, creating moments of pure and silent movement. Inspired by Cunningham, Palihawadana brings in sudden change and pure movement into his rendition of the Vannam, fusing the past with the present to create something new.

Modern dance in the west began as a rebellion against classical ballet. It has its roots in America in the early 20th century. One of its founding figures was Martha Graham

There is a rustle of movement. A hulking shape looms slowly heavily into view. The Gajaga Vannama. The Dance of the Elephant has begun. Calm, stately and full of power, the Tusker is the most majestic animal in the world. It appears slowly, swaying from side to side. Accompanied only by the piano, it walks with grace and beauty. To portray the beauty of Tusker the entire ensemble takes the stage. Suddenly the mood turns mad and angry as each and every dancer is overcome with rage and violence. Evoking Merce Cunningham, the two male dancers move without music. That is the end of the Gajaga Vannma.

One of the most significant modern architects of the 20th century, the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange (1913-2005), was renowned for combining traditional Japanese styles with modernism. Tange once compared tradition with a

chemical reaction:

The role of tradition is that of a catalyst, which furthers a chemical reaction

but is no longer detectable in the end result.

Kenzo Tange (1913-2005)

This is what Palihawadana and his dancers have done. Using tradition as an inspiration and a catalyst, they have sought to re-invigorate and innovate. It is the very essence of modernism. Deeply conscious of their roots butalive to the future, the dancers ofNatanda are the modern face of Sri Lankas ancient living society.

Natfest - An International Contemporary Dance Festival

Organized by Sri Lankas first contemporary dance company, Natanda Dance Theatre of Sri Lanka, the festival will be held from December 1 to 8 in Jaffna and Colombo. The festival is to commence on December 1 in Jaffna, and concludes in Colombo on December 8. International dance companies will be participating from United Kingdom, India, Russia, Indonesia, and Switzerland this year. There will also be six local dance troupes participating from Colombo, Batticaloa, Jaffna, and Ratnapura
Use of travel bloggers and social media influencers have been a highly effective tool for most of the destination management organisations around the world, capturing unforgettable moments and sharing them among friends (mostly unseen before) is getting increasingly popular and it has been recognised as an effective way to promote Sri Lanka.



Up to now, over 500 social media posts have been shared of many tourist locations in Sri Lanka. Various social, media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were used to share these posts and the total media engagement up to now has been nine million and is likely to increase further. Sri Lanka had 16 bloggers who visited the country up to now and before their visit to Sri Lanka the combined follower base of all these Travel Bloggers were recorded as 3.6 million, which after their visit the total reach has exceeded up almost to nine million.



Inserting this simple but strategically lucrative digital process into the action plan, Sri Lanka Tourism is hosting international travel bloggers and social media influencers by offering them memorable experiences within the destination Sri Lanka. These visiting bloggers and social media influencers are taken around the country covering various aspects including, Wild Life, Cultural Heritage and many others. Depending on the specific interests of the bloggers and social media influencers, each and every programme has been tailor-made to offer greater insight about Sri Lanka.



Sri Lanka Tourism hosted travel bloggers and social media influencers from Australia, Norway, Spain and Philippines in October. The group of bloggers who were hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism in October, were passionate to experience active, adventure, meditation, culinary and lifestyle travel. Hence, the programme was designed by Sri Lanka Tourism under the theme of adventure and active travel. The programme offered a greater insight of Sri Lanka to the rest of world. The overall combined social media followers base of the group was over one million. The group travelled around the island over 10 days, covering some of the most exotic locations such as Sigiriya, Pidurangala, Riverstone-Matale, Ella, Train ride to Nuwara-Eliya, Diyaluma Falls, Beragala and Tangalle.



While touring around the island and at the end of the destination familiarisation tour programme, the bloggers created numerous social media and blog posts about their experiences including blog articles, Facebook posts, YouTube videos and Instagram posts. Overall social media engagement they have gained out of the total posts were over seven million with the 15-day tour. As these posts are going on viral with various social media platforms, the involvements expected rise gradually. Moreover, popular social media pages such as UNILAD (33 million Facebook followers) and Beautiful Destinations (9.8 million Instagram followers) shared bloggers posts on Sri Lanka where those had gone viral among millions of viewers and creating positive impressions.



Other social media websites included journeyera.com from Australia, jordentually.com from Australia, solmates and martinsolhaugen.com from Norway, averlovinit.com from Philippines, and Neyuma.com from Spain, Journey era.com from Australia which has a social media fan base of 252,700 had a number of 34 posts on Sri Lanka which highlighted the maximum number of posts from all the travel blog sites.



Various hospitality partners from the Sri Lanka hospitality industry (including Jetwing Hotels, Serendib Leisure, Cocoon Hotels, Ananthara Peace Heave, Tangalle, Mount Lavinia Hotel, Movenpick Hotel) collaborated with Sri Lanka Tourism to organise this social media promotion for destination Sri Lanka a success.

In the month of September, Sri Lanka Tourism participated at one of the leading international Blogger summits in the Europe, known as Social Travel Summit - Austria, in order to create international awareness about the destination within global digital travel community and invite to experience Sri Lanka.



During this three days event, Sri Lanka Tourism engaged with some of the leading bloggers and social media influencers from around the world. Sri Lanka Tourism made successful communication with various destination management companies including Visit Britain, Austrian Tourist Board, Tourism Gratz, Kitsbhul Tourism, Thailand Tourist Board in order to work together with social media promotions and share information about lucrative travel blogger activities.



Due to the successful participation at the Social Travel Summit in Austria, Sri Lanka Tourism was able to organise successful destination promotional blogger trip to Sri Lanka, to put the island nation on the top of the list as an ideal travel and holiday hot spot.
The late Justice C.G. Weeramantry, delivering the annual Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Lecture in 2012 chose to speak on judicial ethics. He did refer to the key institutions of the state and how and why they need to be independent of one another, but stressed that everything depends on that intangible and irreducible non-negotiable, ethics.

And this, to me, was the most important observation that he made that day: strong words in a constitution regarding judicial independence can very easily be undermined in practice, unless all members of the executive and the public act in the spirit of this constitutional provision.

While the errors and poverties with respect to integrity in the legislature and executive are widely talked of, we have treated the judiciary with kids gloves in the main.

Weeramantry cautioned that independence must be tempered with a conscious effort by judges to rise to the highest levels of rectitude necessary to discharge the hallowed duty that rests on them of delivering justice, pure and unadulterated, to those who come before them.

Do we have pure and unadulterated and if we dont (well, theres no if about it), then why not? M.G. Quibria in a paper written for the Asian Development Bank Institute titled Growth and poverty: lessons from the East Asian Miracle revisited, opined that the precondition for establishing the rule of law is a strong judicial system that is fair, competent, and efficient and not subject to political manipulation! This was in 2002.

Thats another key term: political manipulation. Take it with the observation in the breach of delivering pure and unadulterated justice, and we have a serious problem.

Heres an exercise for those interested: trace the paths of ascendency of each and every judge of the Supreme Court over the past forty years and in particular since 1994, and you will see quite a number tainted by the lack of integrity and the crime of acquiescing to political manipulation. Judges have been taken out of the Appeal Court, given the post of Attorney General and then, at the right time, elevated as Chief Justice. The Attorney Generals Department and the career paths of lawyers therein are not independent, then, of those of the judges (unlike in Britain, for example). The Departments work has been severely compromised by the licence that politicians, yes presidents, use to position favourites in the Supreme Court.

Therefore, we are forced to treat with suspicion any determination in any court that has political implications, especially those that raise issue with the executive and legislative branches of the state.

Lets consider for example two directives by the Supreme Court, both referring to petitions seeking a bench of five or more judges.

Lets take the latter case first. This is SC Appeal No.99/2017 which sought to evict Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe from Parliament on account of her status as a dual citizen. The Supreme Court decided that the appeal was a matter of general and public importance and directed that the appeal be heard by five judges presided over by the Chief Justice.

It makes sense. After all, dual citizenship implies dual or split loyalty and as such raises questions about the ability of the particular Member of Parliament to represent effectively, honourably and accurately the voter of the particular country. As such it is clearly a matter of general and public importance. The seriousness warrants appraisal by a fuller bench rather than a single judge.

Now lets move to another case: SC Writ No 05/2-15 filed by public interest lawyer Nagananda Kodituwakku. This was about the illegality of Article 14 of the Constitution and which cited the Elections Commissioner and 15 other persons. The petitioner pleaded for a full bench. Before we get to the directive of the Supreme Court, let us consider the petition.

The 14th Amendment, as Kodituwakku has pointed out and tirelessly contested in court, was written into law bypassing established procedure. It was a classic piece of constitutional tinkering that went against the grain of everything that Justice Weeramantry said. The draft compiled by the relevant Parliamentary Select Committee was rejected in favor of one the then President, J.R. Jayewardene had written and sent to the Supreme Court along with a hand-written note! The CJ of the time duly affirmed constitutionality, thereby effectively allowing the leaders of political parties to name as Members of Parliament and therefore tasked to represent the people individuals who the very same people had deemed unfit to represent them. To put it simply, the 14th Amendment allowed those who had lost elections to be accommodated in Parliament through the National List of the particular party.

No system is error-free. None are insured against mischief. However, it is incumbent on better men and women, i.e. people with integrity, to review and correct whenever such lapses are noted and their reversal sought in court

What happened to ethics and integrity in May 1988? What happened to notion that the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state should operate independent of one another? Wasnt there collusion in subverting the sovereignty of the people? Did the President, Parliament and the Supreme Court of the day rise to the highest levels of rectitude necessary to discharge the hallowed duty that rests on them of delivering justice, pure and unadulterated, as Weeramantry believes they should (have)?

No system is error-free. None are insured against mischief. However, it is incumbent on better men and women, i.e. people with integrity, to review and correct whenever such lapses are noted and their reversal sought in court.

Litigation with respect to Article 14, like in the Kumarasinghe case, is about representation. In the dual citizenship case the issue is one of split loyalty compromising the ability to effectively represent. In this case, that pertaining to Article 14, it is about the legal and moral right to represent those who have decided that the particular individual is unfit to represent. Surely, this is a matter of general and public importance and therefore deserves a hearing by a full bench, as was sought?

Well, the Supreme Court has, in its wisdom has deemed otherwise and rejected the request fora full bench, claiming that the matters involved are not of general and public importance!

We have to ask, then, the following question: what does the Supreme Court understand to be the public interest?

Does it subscribe to the general view that the welfare of the public, as opposed to the selfish interest of a person, group or firm, are those matters where the whole society has a stake and which warrants recognition, promotion and protection (by the government and its agencies, the judiciary included)? Or does the Supreme Court, as evidenced by the blatant contradiction apparent in the above two directives, dismissive and/or ignorant of the basic caveat pertaining to the Rule of Law that Quibria reminds us of  a judicial system that is fair, competent, and efficient and not subject to political manipulation!

Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer. malindasenevi@gmail.com. www.malindawords.blogspot.com.
The Childrens Hospital at Erlanger Believe campaign now has another half million dollars in its fundraising chest, thanks to a generous donation from the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation.

This very substantial gift is further evidence of the strong culture of philanthropy which exists in our community, and we are deeply appreciative of the BlueCross Health Foundation on behalf of our pediatric patients, said Childrens Hospital CEO Don Mueller. With this latest contribution, we are much closer to reaching our $40 million campaign goal, which has been heavily funded through donations like this from one of the regions leading organizations."

As a result of this half million dollar gift from the BlueCross Health Foundation, the Childrens Hospital Believe campaign is only a few million dollars away from its $40 million goal. In less than two years, the Believe campaign has raised more than $24.6 million to help fund the new Childrens Hospital Outpatient Center. These community contributions, along with $11.5 million in bond funding, provide the total funds needed for this world class pediatric treatment center.

According to BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation Executive Director Roy Vaughn, the company recognizes the importance of investing in the new facility. We believe the health and well-being of our children should always be a top concern for our community. As we address their special needs, we see this as an opportunity to positively impact their future and Chattanoogas as well.

The majority of financial support for the new Childrens Hospital has come from private benefactors, including individuals, organizations and foundations. In total, more than 4,900 donors have contributed to this effort to build the first phase of the new Childrens Hospital, with more than half that coming from Erlanger employees and physicians. Over $5 million has been raised through the generosity of foundations like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessees.

We are tremendously grateful for this significant contribution to our campaign, said Believe Campaign Chair Grady Williams. We are now a full year ahead of our fundraising schedule, and have every reason to believe more wonderful donors like the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation will help push us across the finish line of the transformational effort.
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China condemned this Tuesday to five years in prison to the Taiwanese professor and human rights activist Li Ming-che, for attempt of "subversion of the state", in a case that tests already icy relations between Peking and Taipei. Li had disappeared in March during a trip to China and later reappeared in the hands of the police. Next to him he has been convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison another Chinese activist, Peng Yuhua, for the same offense. Both had been convicted during their trial in the city of Yueyang, in central Hunan province last September. Then, the wife of the Taiwanese activist, Li Ching-Yu, who was present at the hearing, said he did not recognize the authority of the Tribunal. The ruling against Li has provoked a vigorous condemnation of the party of President Tsai Ing-Wen in Taiwan, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). In a statement that considers the decision of the "totally unacceptable" tribunal, the PDP has demanded the return of the activist to the island and that, in the meantime, his health and the access of his family are guaranteed. Relations between China and Taiwan have been severely chilled since the advent of power two years ago by Tsai, a partisan of lower ties with Beijing and, despite the wishes of the Chinese government, he has never wanted to admit that both sides of the strait are the same country. China considers Taiwan an inalienable part of its territory and has never renounced violence to recover the island, which maintains formal diplomatic relations with a score of countries. During Li's arrest, China ignored Taiwan's continuing requests for information on the whereabouts of the activist and the charges he was blamed. Beijing also prevented the entry into the continental territory of a member of the PDP, Wang Li-Ping, who wanted to witness the trial and who forwarded to Hong Kong. "The ruling indicates how the Chinese government tries to silence even critics outside China with the appearance of the use of justice, when in reality what has been a secret detention and a biased trial against Lee." China's message is clear: send a jug of cold water to other critics of foreign China, explains Patrick, Amnesty International's researcher in Hong Kong.warns that we should not rule out that China can address other workers from non-governmental organizations in China if they speak or work on human rights issues, as it can also be considered to endanger the security National ' as in the case of Li '. None of the two sentences, according to the videos of the trial and the verdict posted on the website of the Yueyang Intermediate Court, appeal the sentence.
With a new change in the energy sector's dome, Venezuela seems to deliver power to the regime's loyalists. This Sunday, the President Nicolas Maduro has appointed the military Manuel Quevedo as new chairman of the state company PDVSA and Minister of Petroleum. The appointment takes place five days after Tarek William Saab, Attorney general invested by the Chavista Constituent National Assembly, reported the arrest of six high-ranking officials of Citgo, the U.S. oil subsidiary, for alleged acts of Corruption and "treason" in Caracas. The rise of a military to PDVSA  declared a partial default by the rating agency & Global Ratings  could elevate international tension to the vague possibilities of an increase in crude production. The profile of Major General Quevedo, famous for repressing the opposition protests of 2014, is not that of the typical manager. It has no experience whatsoever in the oil sector. Until this Sunday he had served as Minister for Housing and Habitat, among other posts related to social programs. Within the Chavismo is associated with Diosdado Cabello, former president of the National Assembly and radical politician. PDVSA's intervention is evident since August. Saab has announced the arrest of 50 managers of the oil industry for possible irregularities in the last three months. It is a rudder strike in the state that had been directed by Rafael Ramirez, present representative of Venezuela to the United Nations Organization, between 2004 and 2014, and other men with tradition in this company. On Thursday, Argenis Chavez, a cousin of the late President Hugo Chavez, had been entrusted to govern Citgo. Maduro has appealed to restructuring as a promise of economic awakening in a country on the brink of bankruptcy. 96% of foreign exchange earnings come from the sale of oil in Venezuela. The government has attributed the financial catastrophe to the fall in oil prices and a "war" waged by adversaries, but many experts allocate the decline to poor management of resources. The Venezuelan head of state has appointed other military personnel in his cabinet. This is Jose Vielma Mora, in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and international investments, Ildemaro Villarroel, in the Housing and habitat portfolio, and Carlos Osorio as a transport holder.
Vice President/Secretary and Director of Youth Programs Stacy Kehoe of the Greater Chattanooga Navy League Council and LT. CDR for the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Frances Simmons Barker, an employee at the Tennessee National Armory off of Holtzclaw, spoke to Browine Troop 41008 at the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences.

They were invited by Brownie Troop Leader Sandra Affare to teach their second and third graders how to fold the American flag and learn about flag etiquette. As a part of their Celebrate Community Badge, they also conducted the flag ceremony.

It was an honor for our girls to see a female leader in uniform; Celebrating Community will be memorable because of the care and information shared by our visitors, said Ms. Affare.

Brownie Ava M.J. said, "Meeting the Lt. CDR was awesome! I had never seen a female in uniform before. It was also the first time I have ever actually touched an American flag and that was really cool!"

Brownie Sarah M. said that the most memorable lesson about the flag is to never let it touch the ground.
Marriott International announced Wednesday that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Collegedale is scheduled to open Monday. The 106-suite hotel, at 8876 Old Lee Hwy,, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Ooltewah Hotel Partners, LLC and managed by Gibson Hotel Management of Knoxville.

The SpringHill Suites Chattanooga North/Ooltewah is located 15 miles from Lovell Field  Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, and 20 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. The hotel offers guests access to Hamilton Place Mall, the Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City and Ruby Falls.

As a brand opening a new hotel every 10 days on average, we are delighted that the SpringHill Suites Chattanooga North/Ooltewah is the latest addition to our growing number of properties across the United States and Canada, said Callette Nielsen, vice president and global brand manager, SpringHill Suites. Our all-suite offering, and convenient amenities offer guests a little extra to help them enjoy their stay. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, we understand that guests want to connect to the local area. We make it our business to help them do that by offering our local expertise, and bringing the community into the hotel through our 24/7 market, bar and at our Art of Local events.

For business and leisure travelers alike, the new hotel offers a little extra space with suites larger than a typical hotel rooms. Separate living, working and sleeping spaces provide guests with flexibility and functionality, said officials. The hotel offers comfortable beds, soft linens and plush pillows, said officials. Each suite also features the SpringHill Suites custom, three-in-one, West Elm sofa which converts from a sofa to a daybed to a trundle bed, and a West Elm Swivel Chair offering additional space for relaxation. The designated work space offers a well-lit desk space.

From the guest rooms to the lobby every aspect of design, from furniture and lighting, to colors and fabrics; has been carefully selected to offer calm and refreshing spaces to allow guests to relax and recharge. Featuring a new design that adds depth and sophistication to the decor, the hotels lobby is a venue for conducting casual meetings or simply to socialize with SpringHill Suites enhanced evening experience, said officials.

The hotel offers food and beverage offerings, including local craft beer and premium wines available through the Creekside Bar & Grille or the 24/7 Market. Guests can also grab a snack and take it outside to relax at the hotels outdoor patio area with a fire pit and seating. The property also has 1,900 square feet of meeting space to accommodate meetings and functions of up to 120 people.

Daily complimentary breakfast is filled with hot, healthy and indulgent choices including fresh strawberries, steel cut oatmeal, cold cuts, cheeses and more. The hotel also offers business services, complimentary Wi-Fi, same-day dry cleaning, guest laundry facilities, an outdoor swimming pool, patio deck and a fitness center.


The Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgias largest hunger relief organization serving 20 counties, announced the hiring of Rob Robinson as a development officer, effective Aug. 10.

"Mr. Robinson will be instrumental in helping set up the Food Banks planned giving and endowment program. This will ensure the Food Banks long term strategies for development in an overall effort to build strong and lasting strategic partnerships that will eliminate hunger and promote better nutrition for our regions most vulnerable friends and neighbors.



"As the former director of Gift and Estate Planning for Baylor School, Mr.

Robinson played a key role in development efforts by creating strong relationships with school alumni and allowing them to have a stake in the future of the school. After seventeen years with the school, Mr. Robinson retired from his position in late 2016 and has spent the last year as a planned giving consultant to non-profits in the Chattanooga area," officials said.Combining Robs expertise and passion for our mission with the dedication of taking our development efforts to another level, his ability will propel the Food Bank to fulfill our mission of leading a network of community partners in eliminating hunger and promoting better nutrition by 2025, said Gina Crumbliss, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. We have the utmost confidence in Rob as a respected leader in our community and have already seen a positive impact in our organization.Mr. Robinson is a Chattanooga native, raised on Lookout Mountain and graduate of Baylor School. After serving in the Navy, he earned a bachelors degree from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is a past president of the Chattanooga Civitan Club and has served on several nonprofit boards in the Chattanooga area, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Southeast TN and the Signal Mountain Playhouse. He has presented on Planned Giving at the National Association of Independent Schools, the District III Conference for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the Association of Fundraising Professionals TN Southeastern Chapter and Venture Forward, formerly known as the Center for Non-Profits.
A Christmas Celebration with Jesus will be presented by Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Churchs Mass Choir on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3:45 pm at the church, 1734 E. Third Street in Chattanooga.The event is free and the community is invited to attend.For more information about A Christmas Celebration with Jesus concert or to learn more about Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church, call 423-629-6115.
Once again Dalton State faculty members are helping hold down education costs by developing low cost and no cost alternatives to costly textbooks. Four Dalton State faculty and staff members recently received Textbook Transformation Grants from Affordable Learning Georgia.



Travis McKie-Voerste, lecturer in psychology, and Dr. Catherine Clinard, assistant professor of psychology, were recently awarded a $10,800 grant for a new OpenStax Introduction to Psychology textbook. The textbook is estimated to save each Dalton State student in the course approximately $200.



The goal of the project is to locate no-cost-to-student resources for all sections of Introduction to Psychology courses taught by the grantees, said Mr. McKie-Voerste who proposed the book. The primary objective is to ease cost of attendance to students, most of which are drawn from the surrounding 10 counties in the northwest Georgia.



Dr. Molly Zhou, associate professor of education, and David Brown, instructional technologist, were awarded a $4,800 grant to update an existing open source textbook used by the Exploring Teaching and Learning class. The update will include updated links and sources and adding interactive portions to the book.



These updates will allow for the theories we teach in this class to be more engaging and fun to learn, Dr. Zhou said.



The book is in high demand and has been downloaded more than 14,000 times, particularly in third-world countries.



DSC professors have previously been awarded grants for other open source textbooks including Introduction to Speech, Spanish, English, and calculus.
Mumbai: Alia Bhatt has always wanted to be a star. Though the launch of her career was fairly smooth, the actress had to weather her share of storms  including her President of India debacle.

In conversation with Anshul Chaturvedi at the International Film Festival of India, the actress admitted that she has learned to take the lows in her stride.

There are people all over the world who know me only because of this debacle. I was at Singapore Airport and the staff there said they know me. I thought maybe theyd seen one of my films but they said they really like my jokes. I guess at the end of the day, Im just glad that I made someone happy, she said.

She confessed right at the start of the conversation to being a very moody person. I have at least seven personalities. Theres the person I am with my parents, the person I am with my friends, the person I am when I meet someone for the first time, when I am at a party and I dont want to party, when I do want to party, when I am at work and doing things very seriously, and when I am at work and taking things lightly.

Parental support has always been a part of her life and she talked about the bond shared with her father, Mahesh Bhatt. On being asked how much of his feedback she listens to, Alia said, He always has pointers for me after he watches a film. Hell say, You did really well in this scene or The actor overpowered you too much in that scene. But its before talk shows and interviews that he really gets excited, giggled the actress.

On a more serious note, Alia, like many others in the film industry, lent her support to the Padmavati team, and said, I said this in my tweet, and I say it again, its not just Padmavati, but it is this entire trend of protesting against films that I have a problem with. Let the film release first. There is such a thing as creative licence. Just as you have your right to your opinion, I also have my right to expression.
Mumbai: Veteran actor Shabana Azmi is on her way to the Malayasian capital, Kuala Lumpur, where she would be honoured at a business summit by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The 67-year-old actor took to Twitter to express her gratitude.

"Off to Kuala Lumpur for The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where I'm being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored," Shabana wrote.

Off to Kuala Lumpur 4The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where Im being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored   Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) November 28, 2017

The conclave ends tomorrow.
The Megastar star took to Twitter to express his delight.

Mumbai: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who was conferred with the 'Indian Film Personality of the Year Award' at the closing ceremony of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Tuesday, has described the evening as one that he shall never forget.

The veteran star was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry.

Big B took to his blog to thank Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, who presented the award to him at the 48th edition of IFFI.

"Thank you Smriti ji Hon Minister for Information & Broadcasting and the trouble you took in organising a most memorable evening for me .. one that I shall never forget .." he wrote.

The 'PINK' star also took to Twitter to express his delight as he posted, "A most humbling evening at the IFFI awards .. honoured and filled with such gratefulness to IFFI and the extremely endearing words by Akshay Kumar, Karan, and the dignitaries .."

T 2725 -A most humbling evening at the IFFI awards .. honoured and filled with such gratefulness to IFFI and the extremely endearing words by Akshay Kumar, Karan, and the dignitaries ..   ,  pic.twitter.com/yNWbzl8ljP  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 28, 2017

Akshay Kumar, who was also persent at the event, honoured the 75-year-old by saying that while America had Superman, Batman and Spider Man, India had Angry Young Man (Big B)
New Delhi: 'Padmavati' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi have been asked by a parliamentary committee on IT to appear before it and present their views on the controversy surrounding the movie which has been accused of distorting history by fringe groups.

The 30-member panel has also asked producers of the movie and officials of the information and broadcasting ministry to appear before it and brief about the controversy relating to the Rs 150 crore film.

"The panel has asked Bhansali and Joshi to appear before it and present their views on the movie. They can present their case before the panel. The members have also decided to call the producers of the movie," chairman of the panel Anurag Thakur told PTI.

The committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday.

Interestingly, actors Paresh Rawal and Raj Babbar, who are members of Parliament, are also part of the panel which will examine the issues relating to the movie.

Parliamentary sources said they have reached out to Bhansali, but he appeared to be "shying away" from appearing before the panel.

The censor board is yet to clear the film.

The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on Rajput queen Padmini.

As allegations of distorting history in the film triggered protests in various states, the makers of the movie have deferred its release date.

The film was scheduled to release on December 1, this year.

The Karni Sena, a fringe group, as well as the BJP have been critical of the film and a number of BJP-ruled states have already banned it.

The set of the movie was vandalised twice -- in Jaipur and Kolhapur -- and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of Karni Sena earlier this year.

Another parliamentary panel has also called the officials of the ministry and censor board over the controversy.
Mumbai: Much before the amalgamation of superheroes as seen in DCs recent release Justice League, Marvel, often termed its rival, had their very own collaboration of superheroes seen with the Avengers in 2012 and Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015.

The much-anticipated continuation of the series, 'Avengers: Infinity War', which was announced way back in 2014, has piqued the curiosity of fans since then.

And the curiosity is only set to rise with the release of the first trailer on Wednesday.

The film will see every Marvel superhero right from 2008s Iron Man to Black Panther, set to release early next year.

Be it Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Spider-Man(Tom Holland) or Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), we see them all in the trailer.

The Avengers are uniting with the Guardians of the Galaxy to defeat the mighty Thanos (Josh Brolin) who is in pursuit of the Infinity Stones.

Watch the trailer here:

The film, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, is set to release in May, 2018 with the next part scheduled to release on May, 2019.
Jai Akash has been roped in for an action thriller titled Rettai Piravi (Identical twins). Directed by Jai Nageswaran, Jai plays an investigating officer. The film has real life twins Vignesh Selvaraj and Vikram Selvaraj as the second heroes. London-based actresses Elizabeth Mannering, Bhavni Agarwal and Indian actress Alisha Chopra will play the female leads.

Talking to DC, Nageswaran says, The story is inspired from a real life murder of one of the twins in London. Hence, the script needed real life identical twins and we auditioned many and finally chose Vignesh and Vikram. The story starts from Chennai where the twins grow up and travel to London when one of them gets murdered. Jai Akash will be commissioned to investigate the challenging case.

On roping in a foreign actress, he says, Elizabeth also essays a local officer who helps Akash in his investigation. Alisha Chopra who lives in Chennai and is working on the case will be seen as the romantic interest of one of the twins. The director also reveals that theres an extensive CG work in the film.
A controversial scene and a word from Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru have been removed from the film owing to objection from certain segments.

A statement from the team reads, Theeran is a film only about the various dacoits that occurred in the states of India. It does not depict any single clan in a bad light. No community thrives based on murder and robbery and we have portrayed any such thing. Still, since a section of the people have taken offense, we, on behalf of the Theeran team, apologise and regret for the same. The word Kuttrapparambarai and the scene involving the book will be removed from the future broadcasts on TV or online platforms.
Actress Shalini Pandey, who became a star overnight with Arjun Reddy, and was soon approached for several films thereafter, is reportedly signing her second Tamil film. She will be a part of actor Jiivas next. She earlier signed the Tamil remake of 100% Love! Apparently, she hasnt okayed any film in Telugu as she is very choosy.

Its a romantic film and her role is equal to that of the lead actor. She will appear throughout the film. Thats the reason she signed this film, says a source. As far as Tollywood offers are concerned, most of the roles being offered to her are regular and offer nothing special. She is waiting for a good role to come and only then will she sign her second Telugu film, added the source, who further revealed that the Tamil film will go on floors soon.
Medical science has made sure that people can get treatment for the most complicated disorders but lack of awareness still plagues several parts of the world. While one can find treatment for stomach ache in most places, lack of accessibility to healthcare and prevalence of superstitious beliefs may make things worse.

A farmer in Madhya Pradeshs Satna was moved to a hospital after complaining of severe pain in the stomach. On examining him the doctors were shocked to find a metal cup lodged in his anus.

It turns out that the man first visited local quacks for treatment of his stomach ache and allowed them to insert the 21 cm long object in his rectum. The cup was spotted after conducting endoscopy and an X-ray, following which doctors had to operate for an hour and a half to remove it.

The farmer is now recovering and said that he has learnt his lesson as he will never visit a quack again.
A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) yesterday says every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs. (Photo: Pixabay)

The lung capacity of Indians is 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans, making them highly vulnerable to diabetes, heart attacks or strokes, says a top scientist.

Dr Anurag Agrawal, director of the CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB), believes air pollution, along with ethnicity, physical activity, nutrition, upbringing are the major factors behind this.

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee has now undertaken a major study to pinpoint the relative contribution of these factors in his capacity as a senior fellow of the Wellcome Trust - DBT India Alliance.

Agrawal said, according to data sourced from the American Thorasic Society, the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) of Indians was 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans and marginally lower than the Chinese.

FVC is the total amount of air exhaled as hard and as fast as possible after maximum inhalation, which, he said, was a major indicator of a persons susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases, even more than cholesterol.

"It means an average Indian being measured by American standards would fall into restrictive low lung function capacity. People in this category have been shown to die much faster of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke," Agrawal told PTI.

The Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance is an initiative funded equally by the Wellcome Trust, UK and Department of Biotechnology, India.

A recent study, by the department of pulmonary medicine at the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, found that the lung capacity of children in Delhi was 10 per cent lower than those in the US or those of Caucasian origin.

However, in this case, the researchers had developed India-specific norms in arriving at the conclusion, to minimise possible errors arising out of direct comparison with American standards.

But Agrawal disagrees. He said doing so, just to make 90 per cent of Indians feel that they have normal lung capacity, would be a "disservice".

"Only if people are told they are at higher risk will they focus on nutrition, lifestyle. Of course, air pollution is one part of the story. The study I have undertaken will bring out whether we have genuinely healthy small lungs or diseased lungs," he said.

A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) yesterday says every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs.

CSIR-IGIB is an institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), engaged in research of national importance in the areas of genomics, molecular medicine, bioinformatics, proteomics and environmental biotechnology.

The lung capacity of Indians is 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans, making them highly vulnerable to diabetes, heart attacks or strokes, says a top scientist.

Dr Anurag Agrawal, director of the CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB), believes air pollution, along with ethnicity, physical activity, nutrition, upbringing are the major factors behind this.

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee has now undertaken a major study to pinpoint the relative contribution of these factors in his capacity as a senior fellow of the Wellcome Trust - DBT India Alliance.

Agrawal said, according to data sourced from the American Thorasic Society, the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) of Indians was 30 per cent lower than North Americans or Europeans and marginally lower than the Chinese.

FVC is the total amount of air exhaled as hard and as fast as possible after maximum inhalation, which, he said, was a major indicator of a persons susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases, even more than cholesterol.

"It means an average Indian being measured by American standards would fall into restrictive low lung function capacity. People in this category have been shown to die much faster of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke," Agrawal told PTI.

The Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance is an initiative funded equally by the Wellcome Trust, UK and Department of Biotechnology, India.

A recent study, by the department of pulmonary medicine at the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, found that the lung capacity of children in Delhi was 10 per cent lower than those in the US or those of Caucasian origin.

However, in this case, the researchers had developed India-specific norms in arriving at the conclusion, to minimise possible errors arising out of direct comparison with American standards.

But Agrawal disagrees. He said doing so, just to make 90 per cent of Indians feel that they have normal lung capacity, would be a "disservice".

"Only if people are told they are at higher risk will they focus on nutrition, lifestyle. Of course, air pollution is one part of the story. The study I have undertaken will bring out whether we have genuinely healthy small lungs or diseased lungs," he said.

A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) yesterday says every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs.

CSIR-IGIB is an institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), engaged in research of national importance in the areas of genomics, molecular medicine, bioinformatics, proteomics and environmental biotechnology.
Some pharmacists in Africa, for example, say that they are compelled to buy from the cheapest but not necessarily the safest suppliers to compete with illegal street traders. (Representational Image)

London: One in 10 drugs sold in developing countries is fake or substandard, leading to tens of thousands of deaths, many of them of African children given ineffective treatments for pneumonia and malaria, health officials said on Tuesday.

In a major review of the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that bogus drugs are a growing threat as increased pharmaceutical trade, including Internet sales, open the door to sometimes toxic products.

Some pharmacists in Africa, for example, say that they are compelled to buy from the cheapest but not necessarily the safest suppliers to compete with illegal street traders.

Fake drugs could contain incorrect doses, wrong ingredients or no active ingredients at all. At the same time, a worrying number of authorised medicines fail to meet quality standards because of improper storage and other issues.

The scale of the problem is hard to quantify precisely, but a WHO pooled analysis of 100 studies from 2007 to 2016, covering more than 48,000 samples, showed 10.5 percent of drugs in low and middle-income countries to be fake or substandard.

With pharmaceutical sales in such countries running at nearly $300 billion a year, this implies that trade in fake medicines is a $30 billion business.

The human toll is enormous, according to a team from the University of Edinburgh, which was commissioned by the WHO to study the impact of fake drugs.

They calculated that up to 72,000 deaths from childhood pneumonia could be attributed to the use of antibiotics with reduced activity, increasing to 169,000 deaths if drugs had no activity.

Poor-quality drugs also add to the danger of antibiotic resistance, threatening to undermine the power of life-saving medicines in future.

Another group from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated that 116,000 additional deaths from malaria could be caused each year by bad antimalarials in sub-Saharan Africa.

Substandard and falsified medicines particularly affect the most vulnerable communities, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. This is unacceptable.

Since 2013 the WHO has received 1,500 reports of fake and low-quality products, with antimalarials and antibiotics the most commonly reported categories. However, the problem extends to everything from cancer drugs to contraceptive pills.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 42 percent of all the reports. There was no global reporting of this data before 2013.
From the 1950s to the early 1990s, the federal government oppressed members, suspected members of the LGBTQ communities. (Photo: AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Tuesday to members of the LGBTQ community for actions taken by the government against thousands of workers in the military and public service during the Cold War.

Trudeau said in a speech to Parliament that from the 1950s to the early 1990s, the federal government employed a campaign of oppression against members and suspected members of the LGBTQ communities. The thinking of the day, he said, was that all non-heterosexual Canadians would automatically be at an increased risk of blackmail by Canada's adversaries.

"This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government  people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives," Trudeau said.

"These aren't distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit."

Trudeau said the public service, the military, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police spied on their own people, inside and outside of the workplaces. He said Canadians were monitored for anything that could be construed as homosexual behavior, with community groups, bars, parks, and even people's homes constantly under watch. He said when the government felt that enough evidence had accumulated, some suspects were taken to secret locations in the dark of night to be interrogated.

He said those who admitted they were gay were fired, discharged, or intimidated into resignation. The prime minister called it a witch hunt.

"It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologize. I am sorry. We are sorry," Trudeau said to a standing ovation.

"For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry."

The government also introduced legislation that would allow people to apply to have their criminal convictions for consensual sexual activity between same-sex partners erased from public record.

It has also earmarked more than $100 million Canadian (US $78 million) to compensate members of the military and other federal agencies whose careers were sidelined or ended due to their sexual orientation, part of a class-action settlement with employees who were investigated, sanctioned and sometimes fired as part of the so-called "gay purge."

"Those arrested and charged were purposefully and vindictively shamed. Their names appeared in newspapers in order to humiliate them, and their families. Lives were destroyed. And tragically, lives were lost," Trudeau said.

Trudeau tweeted: 'For past wrongs and the unjust treatment of LGBTQ2 Canadians, we apologize and promise to keep working to fight inequality':

For past wrongs and the unjust treatment of LGBTQ2 Canadians, we apologize and promise to keep working to fight inequality: https://t.co/ATflgn02bx pic.twitter.com/jyrG6Y1j48  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 28, 2017

Twitter had some positive and hilarious reactions to Trudeau's compassion and sense of morals:

Bravo @JustinTrudeau, you are a man among men.  Micaela van Zwoll (@MicaelaVanZwoll) November 29, 2017

A True World  Leader! pic.twitter.com/EtFpWbfcht  Mo Matoax (@mopraize) November 29, 2017

Meanwhile in America we elected trump. pic.twitter.com/o4fPl9iVWP  Jessie (@jbeller0625) November 29, 2017

You stand tall @JustinTrudeau ! You make humanity proud. You are true gentleman ! We applaud you ! We cherish your leadership. God Bless you - may you continue to lead the great !  Cader (@cadersac) November 29, 2017

Dear Canada: Is it ok if we borrow Mr. Trudeau for a while? We could use more sorrow and sense of shame here.  Laura Wallingford (@rulymob) November 29, 2017

He is a true leader.  We need him in the U.S.  Billy and Brian (@team_billymick) November 29, 2017

Masterclass in compassionate leadership. Well done, Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau! Thanks for leading the way for the LGBTQ community in Canada.  https://t.co/8NgCIvAwO2  Frank Jaquez (@frankjaquez) November 29, 2017

Everyone has a right to a life free from discrimination and persecution. No matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Proud of  leadership in the fight for equality.  annie bodmer-roy (@athomeinthesun) November 28, 2017
The film is a murder mystery set in Egypt that addresses abuse of power and police corruption. (Photo: Pixabay)

Egyptian police have raided a tiny alternative film venue in Cairo to prevent the screening of a thriller critical of police that has been banned in the country.

A staff member says Wednesday that the officers came last week and prevented The Nile Hilton Incident from being played in an informal, 25-seat room because it was a downloaded copy that did not have proper government permission to be shown.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity and requested that the venues name be withheld for fear of repercussions.

The film, by Swedish-Egyptian director Tarik Saleh, is a murder mystery set in Egypt that addresses abuse of power and police corruption. It has won several accolades abroad, including the Grand Jury Prize at this years Sundance Film Festival.
The riverside temple, whose ancient 'prang' - tower - is the one of Bangkok's best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. (Photo: AFP)

Bangkok: Two American tourists have been held for "inappropriate behaviour" after sharing photos of them baring their buttocks at a famous Bangkok temple, Thai police said Wednesday, as the ruling junta cracks down on insults to Buddhism.

The pair, Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures on November 24 of their bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram.

It was not immediately clear if the men were related.

But their asinine antics could land them in more serious trouble after police sought to charge them under a draconian computer crime law -- an offence that can carry jail time.

The riverside temple, whose ancient 'prang' - tower - is the one of Bangkok's best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The men were detained at a Bangkok airport late Tueday and fined $150 each.

"They were detained as they were about to leave Thailand," Colonel Cherngron Rimpadee, an Immigration Police spokesman said, adding they were on a 'watch list' after their social media posts caught authorities' attention.

Colonel Jarupat Thongkomol, from the police station near the temple which is managing the case, said the men now faced more serious charges.

"We are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures," he said.

The act carries up to five years jail per charge and is routinely slapped on political dissidents or people deemed to have insulted Thailand's monarchy.

Junta-run Thailand takes a hardline on disrespectful gestures towards Buddhism, the dominant religion in Thailand.

Tourists are told not buy and sell Buddha sculptures or get sacred tattoos or of images of the Buddha for fashion purposes.

People visiting temples are also expected to dress modestly, covering their shoulders and legs -- with advice signs common at Bangkok's religious landmarks.

In 2015 neighbouring Malaysia deported four western tourists after charging them with obscenity for taking nude photos on a mountain on Borneo island.
Weirdest Christmas traditions you may not have heard about. (Photo: Pixabay)

Christmas is a special time filled with traditions and rituals that bring families and communities together.

But did you know there are some bizarre traditions associated with Christmas that may just shock you.

A report by The Sun revealed some of the weirdest one.

Here's what is on the list.

1. The Krampus - Germany, Austria

If youre in this part of the world, you want to hope your on Santa's nice list, because a horned figure known as the half-goat, half-demons preys on the naughty young children on December 5. He was so frightening that Austria reportedly banned him in the 1930s.

A post shared by Hooked On Horror (@hookedonhorror) on Nov 28, 2017 at 5:55am PST

2. The "pooing" man  Catalonia

In Catalan tradition, there is a charming figurine of a peasant man with a red cap and has his trousers down as he takes a poo. On December 8, a statue of it in the homes is "fed" sweets, so it can "poo" out the treats to consume.

A post shared by Toni Pedrero (@toni60pe) on Nov 28, 2017 at 12:06pm PST

3. Hunt the Wren - The Isle of Man

Men and women singing and banging sticks is a centuries old Celtic tradition of Hunt the Wren. However, the original version was very brutal, as gang would look for a "sacred" bird they could sacrifice.

A post shared by Paul Kemp (@sgtpaulkemp) on Dec 12, 2016 at 11:35am PST

4. Raw whale skin with blubber and mouldy birds as a meal - Greenland

This bird treat is called kiviak in Greenland. The bird called auk is preserved in the body of a seal. It is then buries for many months and eaten when it is decomposed.

5. Spider webs on the tree as decor - Ukraine

The Ukranian custom of decorating the Christmas tree with fake spider and web to bring good luck began with a tale about a woman who could not afford to buy decorations. According to the story she woke up and discovered a spider covered the tree in glitter web.

A post shared by Matthew Nelson (@climbing_on) on Dec 4, 2015 at 11:28pm PST

6. Hide the brooms - Norway

Christmas Eve Norwegians believe is a night when evil witches and spirits are out joyriding on broomsticks. So they hide it away fro the night.

Decor for Downtown Astoria #oregoncoast #downtownastoria #witch#witchonbroom A post shared by Monica Gibbs (@blkfairywitch) on Oct 22, 2016 at 2:18pm PDT

7. Fill the shoe - Germany

Children leave a shoe outside their home on December 5. If your are nice it is filled with sweets. If you are naughty you will find a branch of a tree.

8. Yule cat - Iceland

In Iceland, if your wearing scruffy clothes around this time, them beware a the Jolakotturinn or Yule Cat is a monster waiting to eat you. The tradition is thought to date back to medieval times and was a way of getting workers to work during the autumn.
BENGALURU: The Ramanagra district Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) and the local police, assisted by International Justice Mission (IJM) rescued 10 victims of bonded labour and trafficking from two poultry farms in Channapatna last week.

The children, who hail from Odisha, were trafficked to Bengaluru three months ago and were employed at poultry farms owned by a Odisha-based businessman. However, a criminal case is yet to be registered against the owner and the trafficker.

Some of the rescued children, who were living along with their parents and relatives working the farms, were not even provided a room to stay in and they were living in the shed itself along with the chickens.

The children and their relatives were forced to work at farm, as the farm owner did not let them return to their hometown. They were not even allowed to go together to the nearby market. Only a woman was allowed to go out to buy provisions once a week.

After the operation the officials said, The prescribed minimum wage for a poultry farm worker in Karnataka is Rs 303.98 per day, but in this case the bonded labourers were paid only around Rs 50 per day." The children and their families have been sent back to their hometown.
The couple owned 50 acres of land at Varthur and police suspect that this could be the reason for their murder. Victim Govindan is said to be a retired employee of BEL and nobody apart from the couple was staying in the house.

BENGALURU: An elderly couple was stabbed to death in Ashwath Nagar in HAL police station limits.

The murder reportedly took place 2-3 days ago and the assailants had also turned the LPG cylinder on to make it look like death due to cylinder blast.

The deceased have been identified as Govindan K, 65, and his wife Saroja, 60. Govindan is said to be a retired employee of BEL and nobody apart from the couple was staying in the house.

According to the police, the incident came to light when neighbours on Tuesday late evening found that LPG was leaking from their house.

As there was no response from inside and foul smell was emanating from the house, they alerted the police. When the police rushed to the spot and managed to open the door, they found the bodies of the husband and wife in a pool of blood.

The bodies had started decomposing, suggesting that the murder took place 2-3 days ago. The assailants have stabbed the couple to death and ransacked the house. They have tried to burn the house by keeping the gas cylinder on, maybe to make the murder look like an accident and death due to LPG leakage blast.

We are still gathering information about the family members. It is learnt that only the couple was living in the house from the past 12-13 years. Prima facie, it appears to be a murder for gain, but other angles could not be ruled out, the police said.

The couple owned 50 acres of land at Varthur and police suspect that this could be the reason for their murder.

Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) N. Sateesh Kumar, DCP (Whitefield) Abdul Ahad and other officers visited the spot and are conducting the probe.
A first-year Intermediate student of a private college has enacted his own kidnapping to bunk college in Vizag on Tuesday. Now, the police are seeking legal advice on whether or not to register a case against the student as he is a minor.

Visakhapatnam: A first-year Intermediate student of a private college has enacted his own kidnapping to bunk college in Vizag on Tuesday. Now, the police are seeking legal advice on whether or not to register a case against the student as he is a minor. As per reports, the student Mohammed Moinuddin was allegedly kidnapped on Tuesday morning at NAD Junction area in Vizag and was released near Kothavalasa area in Vizianagaram on Tuesday evening.

But, police investigation revealed that the boy had enacted his own kidnapping to bunk college. Police said that Moinuddin left for college on Tuesday morning. However, Moinuddins father Mohammed Ghouse received an SMS from the college that his son didnt attend college and another SMS from his son, claiming that he was kidnapped.

Few days back Moinuddin was reportedly beaten up by four people near college over an issue and the student was not interested in going back to college. Inspector of Airport PS N. Prabhakar said that they have traced the boy and will verify for further proceedings.
Kochi: Six students were injured when the crew of a private bus attacked them at Nettoor here on Wednesday evening.

The bus crew turned violent when the students of an Industrial Training Institute at Nettoor questioned the crew for not permitting them to travel in the bus. Four of the students were rushed to Ernakulam General Hospital while two others were taken to a private hospital at Nettoor. Their injuries were not serious.

The Panangad police arrested bus checker Abu Tahir, 22, of Poochakkal, conductor Abhijith, 22, and driver Ajeesh, 23, both natives of Panavalli, and seized the bus, Mangalya, running in the Kaloor-Poochakkal route.

According to cops, the incident happened at 5 pm when the students tried to board the bus from INTUC junction at Nettoor while returning home.

There was a dispute between the students and the bus crew for the past several days over giving travel concession. The bus didnt stop at the INTUC junction on Tuesday. Therefore, the students stopped it on Wednesday and tried to board it, the police said.

Checker Abu Tahir, who is facing charges in an assault case, suddenly jumped out of the bus and attacked the students with a scissor-like iron tool, injuring six of them. Three of them, Jishnu Jyotish, Gautam and Abhijith, suffered wounds on their chest and veins on their hands.

There are a few buses to Poochakkal. The bus didnt stop at the junction in the last few days and hence we intercepted it. When we were about to board it, the checker attacked us with a sharp-edged iron rod. Six of us were injured in the melee, said Abhijith, a resident of Vaduthala.

Mr Rejin M. Thomas, sub-inspector, said, As per the statement of students and local residents, the bus crew attacked the students with an iron rod when they tried to board the bus. The students only stopped the bus and didnt attack the crew as per primary probe. Nothing conclusive can be said now as the probe is progressing, he said.

The Panangad police registered a case against the trio under IPC Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).

Traffic along the highway was affected for nearly 20 minutes following the incident.
I will contest at RK Nagar; I will win. That was TTV Dhinakaran responding to the Election Commission announcement on Friday setting December 21 as the date for the byelection deferred in April amid high corruption by his multiple poll agents.

Chennai: I will contest at RK Nagar; I will win. That was TTV Dhinakaran responding to the Election Commission announcement on Friday setting December 21 as the date for the byelection deferred in April amid high corruption by his multiple poll agents. The beleaguered AIADMK rebel had earlier said he would contest the by-election subject to clearance from his aunt V. K. Sasikala, who he insists remains the party general secretary notwithstanding the general council resolution ejecting her from the throne. It is not clear whether Chinnamma cleared his RK Nagar decision but TTV now says, The party politburo meeting tomorrow will take the formal decision but I can tell you now I am contesting at RK Nagar.

Thats how democratic that outfit is, sneered law minister C.Ve. Shanmugam. He announces today what his so-called politburo will parrot tomorrow. According to him, TTV will bite the dust because the people will not be fooled by his money power. Pointing out that TTV is out on bail after being jailed for alleged attempt to bribe the Election Commission officials for getting the two-leaves symbol for his AIADMK faction, Shanmugam said he had no right now to slam the EC as the handmaid of the Centre in allotting the symbol to the EPS-OPS party.

The voters in RK Nagar will not allow themselves to be insulted by the money power of TTV. They understand he has no party and his outfit is just a private limited company, said the law minister. Carrying on undisturbed by the EC verdict, the IT raids and the criticism from the ruling camp, the obdurate TTV said he would move the Supreme Court on Monday (November 27) to retrieve the two-leave symbolhe said the symbol with the EPS-OPS party is like a garland in the hands of monkeysand drive to Bengaluru on November 29 to brief Chinnamma.
In his resignation letter which he forwarded to state BJP chief Subhash Barala over WhatsApp, Amu stated that he was upset over chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar allegedly skipping a meeting with representatives of the Karni Sena on Tuesday. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Chandigarh: Haryana BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu, who reportedly offered a Rs 10 crore bounty for beheading Padmavati actor Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, on Wednesday resigned as the chief media coordinator of the state unit of the party.

The resignation comes days after the Haryana unit of the party served a show cause notice to him seeking explanation over his controversial remarks.

In his resignation letter which he forwarded to state BJP chief Subhash Barala over WhatsApp, Amu stated that he was upset over chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar allegedly skipping a meeting with representatives of the Karni Sena on Tuesday.

Though the chief ministers schedule did not specify any such appointment, the Rajput leader maintained that he had given time for a meeting.

Rajput groups have been protesting against the period drama Padmavati alleging that it distorts historical facts.

Amu stated in his resignation letter that he had worked with full dedication for the party over the past few years, but felt that CM Khattar does not need dedicated workers and office bearers. Khattar is surrounded by a coterie which is taking him away from dedicated workers for the last three years.

Amu, however, said that he will continue to work as an ordinary BJP worker.

With a heavy heart I have resigned from the post I had in BJP. I am pained at the behaviour of Haryana CM. I have never seen a BJP CM so arrogant who doesnt respect party workers and community representatives, news agency ANI quoted Amu as saying.

Now my dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah on Lal Chowk, I challenge him to meet me there, he said.

After a youth from Meerut announced Rs 5 crore bounty, Amu had reportedly made remarks about doubling the offer during an event in New Delhi.

We will reward the ones beheading them with Rs 10 crore and also take care of their family needs...We know very well how to treat those who insult the Rajput community, Amu had reportedly said.

The Haryana BJP had immediately distanced itself from Amus remarks, saying he had made them in his personal capacity.

A show cause notice had been served to him by the party recently and he had been asked to explain the remarks.

At function of the Rajput community in Delhi recently, Amu had said, how can we allow somebody to distort history and mislead the people by projecting the heroic character of Rani Padmavati in a poor light while glorifying the villains of history. We will not allow the release of this film at any cost.
Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: Stepping up his offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat elections, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to make the states ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls.

Gandhi also brought up the BJPs 22-year rule in Gujarat and said people were demanding answers.

22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis.

Giving numbers to buttress his argument, he said, First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?

The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat to campaign for their parties ahead of the December 9 and 14 assembly poll.

Gandhi will campaign in the state for two days and will start with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will also hold public meetings in at least three districts on Wednesday and Thursday, party leaders said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and White House adviser Ivanka Trump at the 101 Dining Hall at the Taj Falaknuma in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, White House adviser Ivanka Trump and 99 dignitaries dined at the 101 Dining Hall at the Taj Falaknuma on Tuesday evening. The dinner was hosted by the Prime Minister for the delegates of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES).

Those sharing the table included Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao. Other delegates were seated in the hotel lawns.

Ms Trump picked a blue full-length gown with fine detailing in gold and silver. She tied her hair into a bun. Mr Modi picked a subtle white for the dinner.

Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran was among those who attended the dinner. None from the Ambani family could make it to the event.

Delegates began arriving for the grand dinner in small convoys of luxury buses from 7.30 pm onwards. Some buses had to stop mid-way between the main gate of the Taj Falaknuma and the entrance of the Palace because the road was too narrow. The delegates were asked to alight from the buses and taken to the Palace in cars. The convoys of the PM and Ms Trump arrived at the venue at 9 pm.

A short cultural programme was organised by the department of culture. Folk artists from TS entertained the guests for 15 minutes before the dinner. The dignitaries were then escorted to the worlds largest dining table, which accommodates 101 persons.

A lavish spread consisting of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes from Mughlai and continental cuisines was served. According to sources, the vegetarian menu included Dahi ke kebab, Khubani ke Malai Kofte, vegetarian Haleem and Subz Gulzar Biryani. The non-vegetarian menu included kebabs, Dum ki Biryani, Mirchi ka Salan, and Haleem. The desserts included Double ka meetha and Khubai ka Mitha.

Around 3,000 policemen, including personnel from the Greyhounds, Quick Response Team, Law and Order Police, Commissioners Task Force were posted at the venue.
Kochi: Along with the BPCL, Air Products, a New York-listed US firm, is all set to launch $400 million (Rs 2,560 crore) industrial gas complex in Kochi. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the plant based on build, own and operate (BOO) basis, rated as the largest of its kind in the country, on Monday. The Kochi industrial gas complex, capable of generating hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and steam is an integral component of the integrated refinery expansion project of the (IREP) of the BPCL-Kochi Refinery to manufacture auto-fuels complying with the Euro-IV and Euro-V specifications.

According to Richard Boocock, president, industrial gases, Middle East, India, Egypt and Turkey at Air Products, the technologically advanced plant has the latest safety features, reliability and environmental compliance. The gases produced at the Kochi site will help BPCL to enhance its refining capacity to 310,000 barrels per day from 190,000 barrels. Hydrogen is widely used in petroleum refining process to remove impurities found in crude oil such as sulphur, olefins and aromatics to meet product fuels specifications.

Removing these components allows petrol and diesel to burn cleaner and thus makes hydrogen a critical component in the production of cleaner fuels needed by modern, efficient internal combustion engines. The Kochi project is built on 15.5 acres of land leased from BPCL and executed by a team from four different countries, India, the UK, the Netherlands and the US. The plant construction took more than 10 million person-hours and was completed with no safety incidents.
Hyderabad: Ivanka Trump came to India to talk about empowering female entrepreneurs. But for many in Hyderabad, a centuries-old southern city that has emerged as a technology hub, her trip has been a chance to savor the glamour of the American president's family.

On Wednesday, locals strained behind security barricades near a medieval fort hoping for a glimpse of their VIP visitor.

Irfana Begum, who was dodging barricades trying to figure out what road home was open for traffic, said she was very glad that Trump chose to visit, despite the inconvenience of getting about the city.

"She's so confident and beautiful. Her father is the president. She's like a queen," Begum said.

Ivanka arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday to lead a US delegation of 350 at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held in the city. The three-day summit was jointly co-hosted by the US and India this year.

She was joined at the opening by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who later hosted her for dinner at a luxury hotel.

Hyderabad was given a makeover ahead of her visit. Potholes were filled, traffic overpasses painted and the homeless made to vanish, at least temporarily.

The city rounded up hundreds of beggars, taking them to male and female shelters, and authorities also began strictly enforcing a begging ban on the city's streets and in other public places.

In her speech to open the conference, which was broadcast live throughout India by major news channels, Trump spoke of the hurdles faced by women in business.

India has a low rate of women participating in the workforce. A recent World Bank report ranked India 120th among 131 countries with available data. But for many in Hyderabad it was more about Trump than the issues.

"I don't know much about her, but I know she's an important person," said Kashif, who gave only one name. "It's a very good thing that she's come to our city and to this place. It's a proud moment."

After participating in a panel discussion Wednesday, Trump visited the Golkonda Fort ahead of her scheduled departure.

"Prime Minister Modi and his Cabinet members with him were incredibly warm and I think it was a very enlightening and inspiring summit for all those who attended," Trump told reporters. "Certainly it was for me."
'When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity,' PM Modi says. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Morbi (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress Party's 'feudal mindset' yet again, by bringing up a decades-old visit of former prime minister Indira Gandhi to Gujarat's Morbi.

"When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity," Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing a rally here.

The prime minister's latest salvo adds to a string of accusations against Congress' dynastic politics and elitism, a point that the BJP has continually attacked and pitted against PM Modi's beginnings as a tea vendor.

The prime minister further alleged that the work of Congress while in power was mere pretentiousness.

"For Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For the BJP, it is the SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters," he said.

Addressing a rally in Rajkot recently, Prime Minister Modi had taken a similar dig at Congress for making a reference to his beginning as a tea vendor in a picture tweeted by their "volunteer" group last week.

At the rally, he praised his party's work, and said the developmental works by the BJP government in Gujarat were taken up with the motive to serve citizens and not to win polls.

Attacking Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

Gandhi had earlier dubbed the Goods and Services Tax 'Gabbar Singh Tax', recalling the iconic villain in the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.

"Those who have looted the country can only think of dacoits," he said addressing a rally at Morbi in Saurashtra, which votes in the first phase of state Assembly elections on December 9.

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in Gujarat into high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days ahead of the assembly polls to be held on December 9 and 14.

Gujarat has a total number of 182 assembly seats and the polling will be held in two phases. Voting in 89 constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will be held in the first phase while the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. The votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is eyeing to dethrone the BJP government in the state. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.
Suraj Pal Amu hit headlines when he recently announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for anyone who beheads actress Deepika Padukone, and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and praised a Meerut youth who had announced Rs 5 crore bounty for beheading them. (Photo: ANI)

Chandigarh: Haryana BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu, who reportedly offered a Rs 10 crore bounty for beheading 'Padmavati' actor Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, resigned as the chief media coordinator of the

state unit of the party on Wednesday.

The resignation comes days after the Haryana unit of the party served a show cause notice to him seeking explanation over his controversial remarks.

In his resignation letter which he forwarded to state BJP chief Subhash Barala over WhatsApp, Amu stated that he was upset over Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar allegedly skipping a meeting with representatives of the Karni Sena on Tuesday.

Though the chief minister's schedule did not specify any such appointment, the Rajput leader maintained that he had given time for a meeting.

Rajput groups have been protesting against the period drama 'Padmavati' alleging that it distorts historical facts.

Amu stated in his resignation letter that he had worked with full dedication for the party over the past few years, but felt that "CM Khattar does not need dedicated workers and office bearers. Khattar is surrounded by a coterie which is taking him away from dedicated workers for the last three years."

Amu, however, said that he will continue to work as an ordinary BJP worker.

After a youth from Meerut announced Rs 5 crore bounty, Amu had reportedly made remarks about doubling the offer during an event in New Delhi.

"We will reward the ones beheading them with Rs 10 crore and also take care of their family needs...We know very well how to treat those who insult the Rajput community," Amu had reportedly said.

Read Also: Padmavati row: BJP leader announces Rs 10 cr for Deepika, Bhansali's head

The Haryana BJP had immediately distanced itself from Amu's remarks, saying he had made them in his personal capacity.

A show cause notice had been served to him by the party recently and he had been asked to explain the remarks.

At function of the Rajput community in Delhi recently, Amu had said, "how can we allow somebody to distort history and mislead the people by projecting the heroic character of Rani Padmavati in a poor light while glorifying the villains

of history. We will not allow the release of this film at any cost".
Former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage'. (Photo: File)

Nagpur: Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said on Wednesday.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide guarantee on the safety aspect," Singh said.

Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistan's offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navyman, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We don't care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection."

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him either related to terrorism or otherwise have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event here, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400 metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Doklam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400 metre high wall to hide construction activities in Doklam on Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser to the US President, during the inauguration of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved that transformational change is possible in rising from a humble tea seller to heading the country, said Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and his advisor.

Showering generous praise on the PM in her keynote address at the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit here Tuesday, she termed Modis achievement as truly extraordinary.

From your childhood selling tea to your election as Indias Prime Minister, youve proven that transformational change is possible, she said. And now, you are bringing that promise to hundreds of millions of people across your country. Thank you.

Ivanka, 36, businesswoman and fashion designer, was invited by Modi during his visit to the White House in June to speak at the Summit, themed Women First, Prosperity for All. Leading the US contingent, she said: "And thank you, Prime Minister Modi  for all that you are doing to build India as a thriving economy  a beacon of democracy  and a symbol of hope to the world.
Reports said Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Ivanka Trump with a wooden box embellished with Sadeli craft - a form of marquetry that originated in Iran and has flourished in Surat. (Photo: Twitter | @USAmbIndia)

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and presidential advisor, attended a gala dinner at the majestic Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad on Tuesday evening.

The dinner was hosted by the Union government as part of the ongoing Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017.

Famous for its huge Nizam-era table which can seat 101 guests at a time, the palace-turned-plush hotel is one the key landmarks of the city.

A five-course menu, inspired by Hyderabad's famed cuisine by a host of culinary experts, led by executive chef Sajesh Nair, was reportedly part of the lavish menu.

It also contained a mix of exotic Indian ingredients and delicacies like dahi ke kebab, gosht shikampuri kebab, kubani ke malai kofta, murg pista ka salan and sitaphal kulfi will be presented over several courses--Aghaz (soup), Waqfa (sorbet), Mezban (appetisers), Mashgool Dastarkhwan (main course) and Zauq e shahi (dessert).

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was among those present for the dinner.

Dinner venue for Global Entrepreneurship Summit guests at Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad. ( Photo: @TajFalaknuma)

A separate dinner was arranged for around 1,500 delegates of the GES on the lawns of the palace.

Reports said Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Ivanka Trump with a wooden box embellished with Sadeli craft - a form of marquetry that originated in Iran and has flourished in Surat. The highly skilled craft involves fabricating geometric patterns in wood, which was traditionally used for decorating doors, windows, furniture, jewellery boxes, containers and photo frames.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts dinner for Ivanka Trump at Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. (Photo: Twitter | @USAmbIndia)

Falaknuma, one of the grand palaces in Hyderabad, was the residence of the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan till his death in 1911. Nizam was the ruler of erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad. The palace was turned into star hotel about a decade ago after restoration by Taj Group.

The kin of the Nizam were however disappointed over not being invited for the gala dinner at Falaknuma.

Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, grandson of the 7th and last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, said, "It is highly disappointing and lamentable that the family of the 7th Nizam were not invited for the GES event being held in one of the palaces that represents 'our familial culture and heritage."

"I, being the grandson of the erstwhile Royal Family, deserve an invite as the Palace is an important landmark both in our family's history and also in the history of Hyderabad," he said in a statement.

Khan also said that despite communicating numerous times with the authorities of NITI Aayog, who are responsible for handling the event, over last 10 days, it induced no response from their side.

A senior police official said a five-tier security has been provided to Ivanka, who arrived in the city in the early hours on Tuesday and addressed the eighth edition of the GES.

Ivanka Trump is scheduled to leave the city on Wednesday.

Telangana DGP M Mahendar Reddy had said earlier that a total of 10,400 security personnel drawn from various wings have been deployed as part of security arrangements for the summit.

It includes personnel from Traffic Police, Central Armed Reserve, Telangana State Special Police, Intelligence Security Wing, commandos of Greyhounds anti-Naxal force and the elite OCTOPUS anti-terror force.

More than 2,000 police personnel have been deployed around the Falaknuma Palace, the official said, adding the police conducted a door-to-door search at 3,500 houses in surrounding areas and sanitised the areas in the run-up to the summit.

With inputs from PTI.
HYDERABAD: In order to protect their jobs in the era of layoffs, majority of techies have become superstitious and have started approaching astrologers, numerologists, babas and even those practising black magic. As per the reports from the IT sector in the city, more than 2,000 techies have modified their names as per the directions of numerologists.

Requests for change in the way the names are spelt are piling up in the HR departments of IT companies. Majority of the notices of Name Change in the newspapers these days have been placed by techies. V. Ashwin Chandra, a manager with a prominent IT company said that out of the 30 persons of his team members, four had modified their names according to the suggestions given by their numerologists and there were a few more who were queuing up to do the same.

We are holding counselling sessions for such techies. They have to understand that if their names did not have the right vibe in the first place, how did they get jobs in MNCs in the first place? The major cause behind such acts is low level of confidence, he said. S. Pallavi, an HR staff from an IT company said that they have received nearly 50 requests for name-change from their techie staff.

Mr Naveen Chintala, an IT employee, said, few techies were appro-aching those practicing black magic to protect their jobs. Those who score least performance grades in the office are the victims of layoffs. Suppose a team consists of 10 techies. In layoffs, three from the bottom of the list stand the stron-gest chance of being asked to leave. While these are approaching the babas and the black magic buys, the high-end performers are also approaching them with the fear that there are others who will do their black magic on them, he said.

Techies victims of low confidence, fear:

While techies are approaching babas and astrologers for remedies, few prominent astrol-ogers are saying that majority of techies approaching them do not have any real problems but due to fear and low confidence levels, they are worrying themselves and rushing to numerologistsa and babas. R.V.N.H. Sharma, an astrologer from Kond-apur, said that though the techies had enough strength in their Kundli, they were worried bec-ause of their office environment. A team leader working with a prominent IT company in Hitec City had no issues with his Kundli. But when I tried to explain this to him, he didnt listen to me. He just kept asking for remedies. As per the principles of astrology, I suggested to him that he should visit temples every day. More than the female techies, the male techies are the ones who were approaching astrologers, he said.

A priest of Vamachara and Upasaka of Praty-angira in Nagole on the condition of anonymity said that about 10 software professionals with top positions in IT companies visited him in the last 30 days. Though they are not having any problem, they themselves thought that they were under the influence of black magic and asked me for Pratyangira ho-mam to boomerang the experiments on their enemies.

I utilise technology like Universal Scanner developed by a retired DRDO scientist to measure negative energy in a particular person and things. My team uses Electro Magnetic Field Readers and few adva-nced cameras to check whether the person coming to us genuinely has any issue. The 10 persons who met us had good vibes of positive energy with auras of at least 10m, he said. Prominent personality developer Dr Vangeepuram Srinatha Chary said that EEE (Enviro-nment, Education and Experiences) factor was behind the believing of superstitions by highly educated persons. Bef-ore coming to a conclusion or approaching fake babas, educated persons should check EEE and should rectify negatives by either self or with the help of professional counsellors, he said.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Tuesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it had decided to launch an app to receive complaints from devotees visiting Tirumala.

Hyderabad: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Tuesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it had decided to launch an app to receive complaints from devotees visiting Tirumala. The TTD told a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G. Shyam Prasad that it had entrusted the job to Tata Consultancy Services.

TTD counsel Sivaraju Srinivas told the court that the app would facilitate devotees to track the action being taken to resolve their grievances. Devotees could use the app to lodge complaints against hoteliers and stall owners for selling food items at rates higher than those displayed on the boards. Mr Srinivas said the TTD had also provided a toll free number and a WhatsApp number for devotees to lodge complaints regarding the problems they face and on the rates of food items.

The bench was dealing with a PIL by the Parihaara Sewa Samiti against the TTD for not taking action against hoteliers for selling food and beverages on exorbitant prices. Mr Chandra Mouli, counsel for the petitioner, said that despite the TTDs claim, stall owners were still selling food items at higher rates and submitted receipts to the judges.

Justice Ranganathan and Justice Prasad told Mr Mouli to send the receipts to the TTD officials through WhatsApp and lodge a complaint through the toll-free number. The bench said, Let us wait and see what action the authorities will take in this episode. Senior counsel C. Nageswara Rao, appearing for certain hoteliers and stall owners, urged the court to withdraw their petitions and permit them to file fresh petitions as the licence period of most of the stall owners and hoteliers had expired. While directing the TTD to file an affidavit explaining the steps being taken to resolve the grievances of the devotees, the bench adjourned the case to December 5.
Salem: I wanted freedom from court, but I am not free to meet my husband, said Hadiya on Wednesday, a day after she rejoined a medical college in Salem district of Tamil Nadu on the directions of the Supreme Court.

"I asked for freedom from court. I wanted to meet my husband but the fact is that Im not free till now and thats the truth," Hadiya told media at Salem.

"I am demanding basic rights that every Indian citizen has. It has nothing to do with politics or caste. All I want is to talk to people I like," said Hadiya, whose parents have told the apex court that she was brainwashed and forced into converting to Islam by Jahan, who wanted to recruit her for ISIS.

The Supreme Court, hearing the alleged love jihad case in Kerala, on Monday directed that Hadiya will no longer stay behind the closed doors of her parents' house and will resume her medical course at Sivaraj Homoeopathic Medical College in Salem.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, the 25-year-old woman from Kerala said the college was "going to be another prison", according to a report in NDTV.

She expressed disappointment over not having the freedom to meet her husband, Shafin Jahan. Although the Supreme Court had not issued any orders on her meeting with Jahan, college principal had on Tuesday said Hadiya would be allowed "to meet anyone, including her husband, with my permission".

Hadiya was readmitted to Sivaraj Homoeopathic Medical College in Salem on Tuesday evening, as per the directions of the Supreme Court, which had also appointed the dean of the college as her local guardian.

Principal of the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, G Kannan, on Tuesday said Hadiya will be treated as one of the inmates of the hostel and that no special treatment will be accorded to her.

"Hadiya will be registered under her Hindu name Akhila Ashokan in the college," the principal added.

Hadiya had joined Sivaraj Homoeopathic Medical College, but could not complete her studies as she was put under house arrest in May on the orders of the Kerala High Court.

Hadiya's parents had refused to accept her marriage to Shafin Jahan  a Muslim who returned to Kerala from the Middle East  claiming that he was a terrorist who wanted to take their daughter to Syria.

In May, the Kerala High Court had declared their marriage as "null and void" and described the case as an instance of 'love jihad'. It ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases.

Jahan later challenged the high courts order in the Supreme Court.

(With input form agencies)
Many people, including officegoers and college students, have shifted to the Metro to escape from routine traffic snarls in the city. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Approximately one lakh people travelled on the metro rail on the first day of commercial operations. The huge response took the operators by surprise and they struggled to cope with the load.

Fourteen trains are in operation, seven from Miyapur to Ameerpet and seven from Ameerpet to Nagole. From Nagole to Ameerpet there is a train every 15 minutes whereas from Ameerpet to Miyapur there is a train every eight minutes. A total of 360 trips have been planned for one day.

The travel time from Miyapur to Ameerpet is 23 minutes and from Ameerpet to Nagole, 45 minutes.

When the train stopped because of signalling issues, passengers heard an automated announcement saying that the inconvenience was regretted. There were complaints of smart cards not working and at some places the token containers were filled to the brim due to which the tokens were not being accepted.

A senior officer said that 50,000 to 70,000 passengers were expected, but the numbers have been very high. Due to the huge tokens going in, the system had no place for extra tokens and it had to be unlocked, the tokens removed, and reset, which takes time."

Some people thought one token was enough to travel the entire route. At the exit they were told that they can only travel to one point and it cant be used further. For now, we are only warning and not charging any penalty but these mischief mongers will be fined the next time, Mr Reddy said.

With smart cards, the valuation could not be seen by late evening as there was a server problem. Ticket vending machines were not working in Parade Grounds, Rasoolpura, KPHB colony and many other stations. All these are system issues and L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited has stated that most of these will be rectified in the next two days.
Hyderabad: Customers and merchants are suffering due to the inadequate availability of currency notes of smaller denominations. Though the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) released new Rs 50 and Rs 200 notes on August 25, ten months after demonetisation, customers with current accounts have been unable to get their hands on these notes.

An official source from the RBI said that though there were insufficient numbers of Rs 50 and Rs 200 notes in circulation in August and September, the RBI had been supplying banks with notes as per their requirements since October. There are no issues regarding the availability of notes. We are even supplying them to banks in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, the source said.

A cashier from a prominent bank on Abids Road said that some bank officials were diverting notes to major account-holders. Since November 1, we have been having sufficient notes of Rs 50 and Rs 200 denominations. Every bank has at least five major customers, including the owners of petrol bunks, jewellery merchants, electronic, electric, and supermarkets. As these customers make large deposits every day, bank managers give them more importance and issue notes of smaller denominations to them. Common customers only get Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes, he said.

He added that the RBI needed to increase the supply of Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 100 notes. Because the RBI is not concentrating on printing Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 100 notes, even banks dont have change. We are forced to accept and issue cut and fluffy currency of these denominations, he said.

Jagdish Agarwal, the owner of an electronic shop in the city, said the RBI and banks were the only sources of change and notes of smaller denominations.

Earlier, the RBI used to provide as much change as we wanted. But then it imposed the condition that a person could receive only up to Rs 5,000 in change per week. The RBI is recording Aadhaar details while issuing notes of smaller denominations. This is putting pressure on bankers to provide notes of smaller denominations to big merchants, he said.

A. Acchaiah, a vegetable vendor, said that a majority of customers were asking for vegetable prices to be in round figures because of the lack of change. We have star-ted selling vegetables in terms of value, instead of weight, since electronic weighing machines have this facility. There are rumours that Rs 10 coins are not valid anymore, because of which a majority of customers refuse to accept them. They ask for curry leaves or green chillies of the same value instead, he said.
Islamabad/Dubai: Pakistans former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who was the brain behind the 1999 Kargil conflict, has called himself the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and its founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attack on Mumbai nine years ago.

Mr Musharraf, who lives in self-exile in Dubai, said he supports the terror groups role in Kashmir in suppressing the Indian Army there, and added that Saeed is involved in Kashmir.

The 74-year-old retired general and former Pakistan President, who ruled his country from 1999 to 2008, also said in an interview to a Pakistani TV news channel: The Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jamaat-ud-Dawah are fond of me.

He categorically denied that LeT was involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, for which India blamed Pakistan.
Salem: Akhila Ashokan aka Hadiya on Wednesday accused the Supreme Court of denying her basic right to free movement while ordering her return to complete the homeopathy degree at the Salem college. Also, the SC order was vague as it did not clearly define the duties and limitations of the college and its officials in their role as the court-appointed guardians, she told reporters shortly after arriving at Sivaraj Homeopathy College here.

Alleging that she was not being allowed to meet the people of her choice, she said, I want to meet my husband. I am asking for my fundamental rights. I asked the court for freedom but I have not got it till now. I don't know if this (college) is going to be another prison. She said she spoke to her father but was not allowed to call her husband,

Making it clear that she despised her parents, she said, For six months I was forced to put up with the people I hated. They only tried to convert me (back as Hindu). And my own parents said I'm mentally unstable. The court had ordered that the college records her name in the registry as Akhila and not as Hadiya.

I have no mobile phone, no TV. There are so many restrictions. The college does not have clarity on the court order, so cannot take decisions on my various security issues. I have waited this long for freedom. People will say I can wait for some more time, she said.

The angry young woman's media interaction happened even as the armed police guards prescribed by the court judgment stood listening close by. We will provide her protection as per the court directive, said district SP G. Subbulakshmi.

Playing down the Akhila's anguish, college's managing director S. Kalpana said her husband could meet her at the college after obtaining the permission of the principal, who has been appointed by the court as her guardian. We have made all the necessary arrangements to make her feel comfortable here, she said.

Insisting that the girl was happy, Principal Dr G. Kannan said the college would move the Supreme Court for clarifying on the execution of the order.
Four samples of Maggi Masala, two samples of Maggi Pazzta and a sample of Maggi Atta noodles failed the lab test.

Lucknow: A district court in Shahjahanpur has imposed a fine of Rs 62 lakh on consumer goods giant Nestle and its distributors and sellers after a laboratory report confirmed presence of ash content, higher than the permissible limit, in samples of Maggi noodles.

It may be noted that seven samples were collected and sent for testing at a laboratory in Lucknow in 2015 and the report was received in 2016, following which seven cases were lodged at the additional district magistrates court.

Of the total fine, the court has levied Rs 45 lakh on Nestle India, Rs 15 lakh on distributors and Rs 2 lakh each on two sellers.

The court order comes after alleged excessive lead content in Maggi created a major controversy in 2015, and the popular noodles brand was banned for five months in the country.

However, in a statement to a news agency, a Nestle India spokesperson said, We strongly reiterate that Maggi noodles are 100 per cent safe for consumption. While we have not received the orders passed by the adjudication officer, we have been informed that the samples are of 2015 and the issue pertains to ash content in noodles.

This appears to be a case of application of incorrect standards, and we will file an appeal urgently once we receive the order.

In 2015, Nestle India and other companies had represented to the relevant authorities, via industry associations, to set standards specific to instant noodles to avoid confusion amongst enforcement officers and consumers.

The standards have since been introduced and the product complies with these standards. We regret the confusion it may cause to consumers.

ADM J.K. Sharma, while levying the fines, said that Ash content in Maggi samples exceeded the prescribed limit of 1 per cent.
New Delhi had recently said it had sought consular access to Ansari from Pakistan a whopping 52 times but with no success.

New Delhi: With Pakistan still considering Indias request for allowing the mother of imprisoned former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet him along with his wife, speculation is mounting that Islamabad may make a similar offer of arranging a meeting between another Indian prisoner Hamid Nehal Ansari and his mother on humanitarian grounds.

Speculation is rife that a positive development in this regard may be in the offing soon.

New Delhi had recently said it had sought consular access to Ansari from Pakistan a whopping 52 times but with no success.

The 31-year-old Indian engineer was earlier sentenced to three years in prison for espionage by a Pakistani military court. The sentence against the Mumbai resident said he went missing in Pakistan after allegedly illegally entered the country from Afghanistan to meet a girl he had met online. He was arrested in 2012 in Pakistan.
The judge also observed that the illegal mining in the TN has gone to a rampant level where it is difficult to even assess the excess quality of sand and minerals.

Madurai: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday passed an order directing the Tamil Nadu government to stop all sand quarrying and mining activities within six months from today and not to open any sand quarries in the future. Instead, it advised the government to import sand to meet the requirements of the people.

The court finds it appropriate to pass this order in the larger public interest to protect the environment, river beds and river bodies and agriculture for the future generation of the state, the judge said even as he urged the state government to take a decision to import river sand by the state owned corporation itself to mitigate the short supply of sand within the state.

It will also help the general public as the cost of imported sand would be only be 1/3rd of the cost of the sand prevalent in the state, said Justice R Mahadevan, adding that the state of Kerala and Karanataka were contemplating to import sand by themselves.

It will not only be cost effective, but also hopefully facilitate in rejuvenation from the damage, he added.

Accepting the contention of the petitioner MRM Ramaiya Enterprises private limited that the state rules don't have a provision to deal with sand imported from foreign countries, Justice Mahadevan said that state government should issue appropriate direction to the authorities concerned enabling the importers to transport with appropriate directions to the importers to produce all the import related documents and maintain proper records reflecting the quantity imported, sold, stock and other necessary particulars before the Mines and Commercial Taxes department respectively, to check evasion of taxes.

MRM Ramaiya, managing director of the company, challenged the state government action in the petition for preventing him from transporting the silica sand imported from Malaysia and stocked at the New Harbour stockyard at Tuticorin port, to the customers even after he provided proper invoice, bill of entry along with proof of GST on import within TN.

The state is at liberty to bring in appropriate enactment/amendment to regulate the movement, stocking and sale of imported sand by exercising its rights under article 304 of the constitution, if so advised, keeping in mind that the liberal view to import sand from foreign countries which are available for exporting will not only preserve the natural resources of the state which have been depleting ever since the mining activities were permitted, the judge said.

The judge also observed that the illegal mining in the TN has gone to a rampant level where it is difficult to even assess the excess quality of sand and minerals. And this can't happen without the connivance of some of the officials.

The court directed the state government to depute a team with experts from the geological department to identify, process and import the sands and minerals from countries which permit export and display them to public and the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry shall cause to effect a publication as to the countries which permit export of sand. The court also issued set of directions to the authorities to prevent illegal sand mining.
Bengaluru: Hitting back at BJP State President Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa for alleging that the state was purchasing power at a higher price, Energy Minister Mr D.K. Shivakumar asked Mr Yeddyurappa to help the state get power at a lower price.

In a letter to Mr Yeddyurappa, Mr Shivakumar said the State was ready to purchase power at a cheaper price, if Mr Yeddyurappa could mediate between the state and the Centre. I have noticed your statement that the state government is purchasing power at Rs 4 per unit from private players like JSW and UPCL, though the Centre is ready to supply at Rs 2.5 per unit. However, during discussion with the state government, the Centre has offered a price above Rs 4 per unit. If the Centre was ready to supply power at Rs 2.5 per unit, which the state government is not aware of, you could take the initiative to help the state. We will fix an appointment at your convenience and cancel the power purchase agreement with private parties,'' Mr Shivakumar said.

The State would also need a corridor to draw power from the central grid. If you can get the state power at Rs 2.5 per unit from the Centre or other sources, we are ready to come for a meeting at any given point of time,'' Mr Shivakumar added.
Rahul Gandhi was paying a visit to the temple ahead of a two-day campaign in the state and is expected to address multiple rallies. (Photo: Twitter/@INCGujarat)

Ahmedabad: In a major goof up, Congress Party's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi on Wednesday allegedly wrote down the name of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the register of non-Hindu visitors in Gujarat's famed Somnath temple.

Rahul Gandhi was paying a visit to the temple ahead of a two-day campaign in the state and is expected to address multiple rallies.

While listing the name of Congress MP Ahmed Patel in the non-Hindu register, Tyagi also jotted down the name of Rahul Gandhi, an NDTV report said.

Clarifying that Rahul Gandhi had signed in only one register, the party produced a screenshot of Rahul Gandhi's handwritten note in the visitors' book as proof that he never listed himself as non-Hindu, that the writing was not his.

"Here is the original signature of Rahul Gandhi at Somnath Temple.Very clearly. The other signature is written as 'Rahul Gandhi ji', why would he write ji? Don't know who wrote it. BJP doing what it does best, diverting from real issues," Congress leader Deependra Hooda said.

Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated.



Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

"Rahul ji made an entry into the visitor's book, The signature which is being talked of is different,neither it is the signature of Rahul Gandhi nor was this register ever given to him," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

Alleging the BJP of conspiring against the Congress ahead of the polls, Surjewala lashed out saying, "We have no qualms in saying that Rahul Gandhi is a Hindu. Not only is Rahul Gandhiji a Hindu, he is a 'janeu dhari' Hindu. BJP should not bring down the political discourse to this level".

Addressing a rally in Prachi of Gujarat's Junagadh district, the prime minister hit out at Congress over its treatment of Sardar Patel, who helped built the Somnath Temple.

"Had Sardar Patel not been there, there would not have been this grand temple in Somnath. So there a people who visited the Somnath Temple recently [Rahul Gandhi and Congress], I want to ask them: Do you know history? Your family members, our first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there, (sic)" he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday pushed the BJP's campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax'.

Resuming his campaign for the assembly polls in his home state, Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.
New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Gujarat turned into a battleground Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Patidar leader Hardik Patel stepped up their campaign for the first leg of voting in the high-stakes poll-going state.

While the Prime Minister accused the Congress of being feudal and its vice-president of propagating a grand stupid thought in the name of GST, Mr Gandhi stuck to his anti-demonetisation and GST stance to woo voters and sought to make the states ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls. Hardik Patel, on the other hand, continued to breathe fire against BJP.

Continuing his attack on the Congress and its vice-chief for calling GST Gabbar Singh Tax, the Prime Minister said those who had looted the country could only think of dacoits.

He also took a jibe to counter Mr Gandhis remark when he called the Congress leader a new economist who was propagating a grand stupid thought in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 per cent.

In a dig at Mr Gandhi over his visit to the Somnath Temple, Mr Modi said our first PM (Jawaharlal Nehru) was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there, He also brought up Rahul Gandhis grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi. Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi,the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

I remember Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies, he said.

Stepping up his offensive against the PM, Mr Gandhi sought to make the states ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last election and also brought up the BJPs record over its 22-year rule in Gujarat, and said that people were demanding answers. 22 saalon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), Mr Gandhi tweeted.

Later, addressing a rally at Visavadar in Junagadh, Mr Gandhi referred to the 2015 quota agitation in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing, and said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets. Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in the politically crucial Saurashtra region.

The Congress leader also raked up the Rafale deal and sought to know if due procedures were followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Hardik Patel interacted mainly with farmers and locals in Morbi, where he attacked the BJP for being insensitive towards the woes of farmers and small traders.

Blaming the Congress for taking credit for minor schemes in the state, like providing hand pumps, Mr Modi said BJP rule had brought in major works like the Narmada project.
New Delhi: As the battle for Gujarat hots up, a big furore erupted on Wednesday over Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visiting the Somnath Temple after allegedly signing a register meant for non-Hindus.

The doors of Somnath Temple, one of the most famous pilgrim places of Hindus, are not open for non-Hindus, who must obtain permission from the temple authorities to enter the sacred place.

Chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the signature which was being talked of was different. Neither was it the signature of Rahul Gandhi nor was this register ever given to him, he said.

Releasing the screen-shots of visitors register, Congress leader Deependra Hooda said, Here is the original signature of Rahul at Somnath Temple. Clearly. The other signature is written as Rahul Gandhi ji, why would he write ji?

On Monday, while Mr Gandhi was visiting the Somnath Temple, Mr Modi while campaigning in Prachi, sought to remind him that Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister and his great-grandfather, had opposed the idea of building the Somnath temple.
K.T. Rama Rao speaks to U.S. presidential adviser Ivanka Trump during the powerful women panel discussion held on the second day of the GES.

Hyderabad: A remark by TS minister for information technology & communications K.T. Rama Rao on what views the Prime Minister had on marriage, led to doubts about which PM he was referring to.

Mr Rama Rao was moderating the session on Innovations in Workforce Development and Skills Training and was sharing the dais with the adviser to the US President, Ivanka Trump, founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Cherie Blair, managing director & CEO of ICICI Bank, Chanda Kochhar, and chief customer officer of Dell EMC, Karen Quintos.

Mr Rama Rao said that all the panelists were mothers of daughters and asked them what was the most important thing that must change in the governments perspective and the society as a whole when it came to women.

Ms Blair said that she advised her daughter to choose the right partner and told her two sons that they must be proud of the women they are marrying and what they are doing in their careers. She also said that at some point men have to be prepared to step back in their careers so that their wives careers can flourish. Men should never think that a womans career is secondary to theirs.

To this Mr Rama Rao said, Since you mention choosing the right partner, one of these days when I catch up with the PM, I am going to talk about his perspective on choosing the right partner.

This caused some amusement in the audience, which was added to when Ms Blair came back with a quick Can you also ask him when he is going to take a step back in his career so that I can get ahead in mine. Absolutely, I will ask him that, Mr Rama Rao assured her. While Ms Blair assumed that the Prime Minister referred to was her husband and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, many people in the audience assumed it was Mr Modi. After the discussion, Mr Rama Rao said that he was thrilled to be part of the panel.

He added that there are not enough women legislators in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to give them a place in the cabinet and that the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will take a decision to include women in the cabinet when the time is right.

He reiterated his party's stance on giving 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
New Delhi: As the battle for Gujarat hots up, a big furore erupted on Wednesday over Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visiting the Somnath Temple after allegedly signing a register meant for non-Hindus. The Congress media cell went further and asserted that Mr Gandhi was a Janeu Dhari Hindu (one who wears a sacred thread) and released some family pictures to substantiate the claims.

The ruling BJP insisted that the Congress declare his religious faith while the Congress countered that saying Mr Gandhi signed in the register meant for Hindus only and the signature in the register meant for non-Hindus was fabricated.

The Congress also released screen-shots of the register for Hindus which Mr Gandhi had signed. The goof-up was apparently made by Congress media coordinator Manoj Tyagi who entered Mr Gandhis name in a register meant for non-Hindus.

While writing the name of Muslim Congress MP Ahmed Patel, who was a part of the Congress vice presidents entourage, in the register for non-Hindus Mr Tyagi, apparently, also jotted down Mr Gandhis name, said party leader.
Seven days ago, it seemed pertinent to point out the contrast between a young Prime Ministers unexpected resignation in Riyadh and a veteran leaders refusal to relinquish his powers in Harare. The tables turned before the ink was dry, so to speak. Saad Hariri suspended his resignation after returning to Beirut a week ago. Whether he remains for long at the helm may well depend on whether his reinvigorated status as a national hero, after spending several days as an involuntary guest of the Saudi regime, enables him to tame the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, his partner in power. Thats an unlikely prospect.

Robert Mugabe, meanwhile, following a speech in which he defied expectations by refusing to announce his departure, eventually offered his resignation in a

letter to the parliamentary speaker, redoubling the enthusiasm of Zimbabweans who have been sporadically celebrating on the streets ever since the military first flexed its muscles earlier this month, most of whom have known no other head of government.

It has been a tumultuous week in a number of other respects, too, with Islamist militants massacring more than 300 worshippers at a mosque in Sinai  the deadliest such attack thus far in Egypt, whose ex-military leader has reacted in the only way he knows, by threatening the use of brute force  just days after a similar atrocity at a mosque in Nigeria. And Pakistan has succumbed yet again to an outburst of blasphemy-related accusations, with the fanatics notching up another win as the state yet again acceded to an absurd demand.

The very fact that the upholders of obscurantist ideas can kick up such a fuss over electoral rules serves as a reminder of the degree to which the nation has regressed in the past four decades. Most younger readers will be unfamiliar with the times when the term Islam pasand was widely directed as a political slight against the followers of Maulana Maudoodi. Today, anyone who dissents from the most bizarre interpretations of the faith is open to the charge of blasphemy. And the fact that the votaries of Hindutva in India can be equally vile in their thoughts and actions hardly offers any consolation.

Pakistan was already in the grip of a fundamentalist fanatic by the time Mugabe assumed power in the new nation of Zimbabwe, previously known as Southern Rhodesia (named after the colonialist pillager Cecil Rhodes) in April 1980. It was a sparkling moment for southern Africa. Most of the continents other colonies had already gained their independence in the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, even Angola and Mozambique, colonised by Portugal, were free states.

In order to pre-empt any form of majority rule, Southern Rhodesias Ian Smith had opted for a unilateral declaration of independence in the mid-1960s. It remained unrecognised. Smith sought to ease out white minority rule towards the end of the following decade, but it was too late to make amends. The liberation struggle, spearheaded by factions loyal to Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo (backed respectively by China and the Soviet Union) wasnt going to be halted by Bishop Abel Muzorewas installation at the helm. Britain assumed control once more and paved the way for elections that ensconced Mugabe in power.

The truce did not last long. Thousands of Ndebeles were massacred in Nkomos base of Matabeleland in 1983-84, in the first indication of the sporadic brutality that would characterise Mugabes misrule. Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sworn in as the successor president last Friday, was intelligence chief at the time and his nickname, the Crocodile  earned over the years of faithful, and sometimes ruthless, service to Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party  speaks for itself.

The dancing on the streets of Harare in recent weeks clearly echoes the jubilation of 1980  when Bob Marley, in a song dedicated to the reborn nation, which he performed at its independence day ceremony, presciently declared: Soon we will find out who is the real revolutionary. The celebrations were perfectly understandable, and quite possible premature.

Zimbabwe initially did make significant progress on several fronts, and its subsequent woes were not always entirely of its own making. But does Mugabe really deserve the $10 million golden handshake he is reported to have received, alongside immunity from prosecution, when he leaves behind a nation, still firmly in the grip of the party that sustained him in power for 37 years, with a worthless currency and unemployment believed to range between 80 and 90 per cent largely on account of a disastrously botched land reform programme?

Comrade Bobs legacy as a liberation fighter has long been overshadowed by the incompetent tyranny he instituted. Zimbabwe can certainly recover, but it is bound to be a long and arduous journey that has barely begun.

By arrangement with Dawn
Last week, India created history at the United Nations by winning a fiercely-fought electoral contest against its former colonial ruler Britain for the re-election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague. Indias victory had made global headlines since it was the first time in decades that a permanent member of the UN Security Council (the P-5 club) had been forced to retreat by a non-P5 member, a development that was also seen as heralding the winds of change at the UN and perhaps the end of an era of unbridled dominance of the P-5 countries. Syed Akbaruddin, Indias permanent representative at the UN and senior diplomat, tells Sridhar Kumaraswami how New Delhi managed to achieve almost the impossible.

Indias campaign showed it could beat off the challenge of a P-5 nation despite the odds. What explains this?

Our election efforts had the complete support of our political leadership. They were coordinated in a systematic manner by the brains trust of Indias diplomatic establishment led by the external affairs minister. All our missions globally were reaching out to interlocutors all across the world and we had meticulously analysed and planned for multiple eventualities, having researched past precedents and trend lines. All this ensured that the foot soldiers at the trenches in the UN were aware that we were part of an unprecedented Indian diplomatic effort and were confident that we would be able to overcome the numerous hurdles in our path.

From the beginning, India had an overwhelming majority at the UNGA. Did you see it as a vote of solidarity by developing countries for the underdog?

India is fortunate to have broad-based support across the globe. Of course, fellow developing countries are key components as the solidarity that has bound us together is based on commonalties of objectives and vision of a more inclusive multilateral framework that provides space for diversity.

The contest was not just between two nations. It was between India and its former colonial master. Given the history of bilateral ties, what are the implications of this victory?

The contest was not only about two countries, but also two competing visions of the future direction of multilateralism. It was a choice between those who were trying to stem the democratic drift and those who wanted the spirit of the times to prevail. However, one should see that the way it ended was also as remarkable as the way the election was fought. We ended the contest honourably. Both the UK and India agreed to abide by the moral and value framework that both of us are wedded to. This bodes well for the future of our ties as it was a cooperative and collaborative end in tune with our common values. This is indicative of the maturity of our ties.

Was there ever any real possibility of India reaching a compromise with Britain or were you ready for a contest till the bitter end?

Diplomacy is all about utilising every opportunity to promote your interests and following the best path to pursue your goals. We were confident that in this contest our interests would be better promoted by continuing the electoral process to its logical culmination.

When did you feel the tide turned after 11 rounds of deadlock?

We could always sense that the momentum was with us from the time of the first vote in the direct contest as despite every diplomatic effort by those supporting the other candidate, our tally remained steady.

What are the lessons learnt in international realpolitik from the victorious campaign?

We need to have faith in ourselves and capabilities as a country whose leadership is willing to set goals and work for their achievement in a focused manner.

Will the result set the stage for reforms in the United Nations Security Council and how will it impact the future?

Every organisation, if it has to be relevant, needs to change and reform itself. The UN is no exception to this global phenomenon. The choice only is to either do it in a structured manner or it may happen not by design but by chance. Either way, India is well situated to gain from such change.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said on Wednesday his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States.The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability wont happen. North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a star presenter who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark.

Kim Jong-Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, she said. Meanwhile, the missile that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoked angry reactions from the US with its defence secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world.

Their Research and Development effort... on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world... In response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally, Mattis said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the launch was a violent act that can never be tolerated and called for an emergency meeting.

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Airbus SE would be responsible for building the aircrafts systems into a working whole, control systems and flight controls. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are teaming up to develop a hybrid passenger plane that would use a single electric turbofan along with three conventional jet engines running on aviation fuel.

The plane is an effort to develop and demonstrate technology that in the future could help limit emissions of carbon dioxide from aviation and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The three companies said Tuesday they aim to build a flying version of the E-Fan X technology demonstrator plane by 2020.

The aircraft would be based on the existing BAe 146 four-engine regional jet. The hybrid version would generate electric power through a turbine within the plane. That power would be used to turn the fan blades of the single electric turbofan engine.

If the system works, a second electric motor could be added, the companies said.

The companies said European plane maker Airbus SE would be responsible for building the aircrafts systems into a working whole, control systems and flight controls. Britain-based Rolls-Royce plc would make the generator and the turbo-shaft engine, while German engineering company Siemens AG would deliver the two-megawatt electric motor to power the engine. Rolls-Royce, the aircraft engine maker, is distinct from the luxury car brand owned by BMW AG.

The companies said they were looking ahead to the European Unions long-term goals of reducing CO2 emissions from aviation by 60 percent, as well as meeting noise and pollution limits that they said cannot be achieved with technologies existing today. CO2  carbon dioxide  is a greenhouse gas that scientists say contributes to global warming.

Other projects for hybrid or electric planes are in the works. Kirkland, Washington-based Zunum Aero says it is working on a 12-seat hybrid-electric commuter jet. The companys website lists its partners as Boeing, JetBlue Technology Ventures, and the Department of Commerce Clean Energy Fund.

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A group of men who investigators believe are responsible for a string of robberies could be connected to a fatal shooting, Jackson police officials said Tuesday. (Photo: File/Representational)

New York: A 21-year-old Indian man has been shot dead in front of his house during a robbery in the US state of Mississippi, according to a media report, days after another Indian student was killed by four armed robbers.

Sandeep Singh was shot in the stomach during a robbery reported on Sunday in the Jackson city, Mississippi, police was quoted as saying by WAPT, an ABC-affiliated television station.

A group of men who investigators believe are responsible for a string of robberies could be connected to a fatal shooting, Jackson police officials said Tuesday.

Mr Singh, and two other men were standing outside their house when a man in a mask and a hoodie walked up to them, police said.

The robber took money and cellphones from them. As the robber ran away, he fired shots at the victims and one of the bullets hit Mr Singh, police said.

Mr Singh was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he died on Monday, police said. His death is the city's 58th homicide for the year, the report said.

Mr Singh, had gone to the US around four years ago on a tourist visa and later got a work permit there. He was from Jalandhar.

The shooter is described as wearing a gray hooded shirt and was armed with a 9 mm pistol, police said.

The gunman could be one of a group of armed men believed to be responsible for recent armed robberies of businesses and individuals throughout the northwest Jackson area, police said.

"In an attempt to conceal their identities, they have their faces covered with bandannas and/or masks. The suspects have also been observed wearing hooded sweatshirts and gloves," Commander Tyree Jones said in a news release.

This is second such incident of killing of an Indian youth in the US in the past two weeks.

On November 16, a 21-year-old Indian student was shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California.
In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants. (Photo: AP)

Washington: The top US general in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that he had not seen a change in Pakistan's support for militants so far, despite President Donald Trump taking a tougher line against Islamabad.

US officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistan's reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks on neighbouring Afghanistan.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants.

He accused Pakistan of harbouring "agents of chaos" and providing safe havens to militant groups waging an insurgency against a US-backed government in Kabul.

US official expressed hope that relations between the two countries could improve after a kidnapped US-Canadian couple and their three children were freed in Pakistan in October. The couple was abducted in neighbouring Afghanistan.

"We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson told reporters.

"We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said.

He said that he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was in Afghanistan.

Nicholson added that he agreed with other senior US officials that Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the Haqqani network terror group.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan says it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists.

The four-star general said he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it.

The United States has sent more than 3,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan as a part of Trump's South Asia strategy. Nicholson said over 1,000 troops would be advising Afghan troops at the battalion level, putting them closer to the fighting and at greater risk.

Nicholson gave an optimistic view of the situation, saying he believed "we are on our way to a win."

US officials have made similar statements during the course of the 16-year-old war, but the situation according to many US officials remains in a "stalemate."

According to a recent report by a US government watchdog, the Taliban had increased the amount of territory it has influence over or controls in Afghanistan in the past six months.

The figures are a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country, even as the United States has committed more troops.
A Bosnian Croat war criminal died on Wednesday after apparently drinking poison in dramatic courtroom scenes after UN judges upheld his 20-year jail term, Croatian media said, throwing the tribunal into chaos during its final judgement.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital, according to Croatias state-run news agency HINA after he drank from a brown bottle at the hearing at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. After the judges upheld a 20-year jail term originally imposed in 2013, Praljak, 72, a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, shouted out angrily: Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict.
If they have agreed on the bill, it would signal that they are moving much closer to a deal at a December 14-15 summit that would allow them to move onto discussions of post-Brexit trade. (Photo: File/Representational)

London: Britain and the EU have reached agreement on a Brexit divorce bill of between 45 and 55 billion euros, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified sources.

If they have agreed on the bill, it would signal that they are moving much closer to a deal at a December 14-15 summit that would allow them to move onto discussions of post-Brexit trade.

The newspaper said that an agreement in principle has now been reached over the EU's demand for a 60 billion euro (USD 71 billion) financial settlement.

It said the final Brexit bill, which is deliberately being left open to interpretation, will be between 45 and 55 billion euros.

The European Commission declined to comment on the report but a British government official said he did "not recognise" the newspaper's account.

Sterling rallied around 1 percent against the US dollar on the Telegraph report, but pared gains after the official said he did not recognise the report.

The two sides already believe they are quite close on agreeing the scope of rights for expatriate citizens in Britain and on the continent.

The third key criterion for moving to Phase Two, an outline agreement on how to avoid the new EU-UK land border disrupting the peace in Northern Ireland, remains a potential stumbling block.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is due to meet President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and European Union Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday.

The EU says any British move needs to come by around that date if leaders meeting at the December 14-15 summit are to be able to endorse a move to a new phase of talks, to include future trade relations.
Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile Wedmnesday snapped a two-months pause in testing and was, according to North Korea's state media, more sophisticated than any previously tested. (Photo: AP/Representative)

Moscow: North Korea's latest missile test Wednesday is a "provocative action" that will lead to further tensions, the Kremlin said, appealing for calm on all sides.

"Undoubtedly, another missile launch is a provocative action that provokes a further increase of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We condemn this launch and hope that all relevant sides remain calm, which is necessary to keep the situation on the Korean peninsula from following the worst scenario," he said.

Read: N Korea test fires ballistic missile, Trump says 'we will take care of it'

Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Wednesday snapped a two-months pause in testing and was, according to North Korea's state media, more sophisticated than any previously tested.

It was the North's third successful ICBM test and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability "won't happen.

Russia and China have pushed for a road map to end the tensions over North Korea's weapons development, which would involve the US freezing its military drills in South Korea while Pyongyang would halt its programme.

The Kremlin on Wednesday admitted there was no political solution on the horizon.

"So far there are no occasions for significant optimism," Peskov said when asked whether Russia was discussing the road map with North Korea.
General Denis Mercier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said the report showed a higher risk of major interstate war than in the 2013 report. (Photo: File/Representational)

Berlin: China's growing military strength and a resurgent Russia will pose growing challenges to the trans-Atlantic alliance in coming years, and NATO's moves to bolster its capabilities could trigger a new Cold War-style arms race, a NATO report said.

The report, completed once every four years, identifies 20 global trends that are likely to affect the alliance through 2035, ranging from artificial intelligence and accelerating technology development to climate change and growing inequality.

General Denis Mercier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said the report showed a higher risk of major interstate war than in the 2013 report.

"We see a considerable increase in the risk of a major interstate conflict," Mercier said in an interview on the sidelines of the Berlin Security Conference.

His command will release a companion report that maps out what NATO should do to respond to these trends in the spring, with both documents to inform the 2019 NATO political guidance.

"Having a global awareness is more necessary than before. We have to be ready for any kind of scenario," Mercier said, noting that globalisation meant NATO had to weigh factors outside its region, including military expansion by China and India.

Easy access to technology and the global nature of cyberspace would make it easier for terrorist networks to expand, challenging the current near-monopoly that state actors have on high-tech weapons, the report said.

Environmental factors would also play a bigger role, from higher rates of natural disasters to the increased opening of the Arctic, the report said, as well as a growth in global debt and erosion of trust in financial institutions.

The report said defence spending had begun increasing after Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014, and projections called for further increases through 2045.

But it warned that the increases "might create a security dilemma and start an arms race, as was the case during the Cold War".

It said competing budget priorities and fiscal constraints in member states could hamper their ability to meet NATO alliance requirement in the future.

Mercier said NATO was already working to expand its capabilities in the cyber domain, and to ensure cyber protections were baked into every weapons system and network from the outset.

"In NATO, we are under permanent attack in cyber," he said, noting that the alliance had proven "quite good" at protecting itself thus far, but needed to remain vigilant.
Homelessness is rising in England, with at least 4,100 people sleeping rough on any given night in 2016, according to the homeless charity Crisis. (Photo: Facebook / Representational)

London: The worlds first vending machine for the homeless will start giving out free food and clothes as charities in Britain gear up for a cold winter amid record levels of homelessness.

A new charity, Action Hunger, plans to stock the machine in Nottingham with excess produce donated by supermarkets, such as fresh fruit and sandwiches, as well as essentials it has bought, like socks, toothpaste and sanitary towels.

Action Hungers machines provide access for the most vulnerable in our society to satiate the most basic of needs - that of sustenance, the charity said on its website.

They permit access to food and clothing free of charge at any hour - without requiring anyone to be left without aid outside the operating hours of the various charities and shelters that are available.

Homelessness is rising in England, with at least 4,100 people sleeping rough on any given night in 2016, according to the homeless charity Crisis.

Action Hunger lists the supermarkets Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsburys among its donors, while volunteers will stock the machines each day.

Users, who will access the machines with special key cards, can take three items per day. Action Hunger says this is to guard against dependency.

Rough sleepers will be given priority, it said.

The cards will be issued by partner organizations, such as The Friary in central Englands Nottingham, which also offers homeless people lunch, counseling, showers and medical care.

Action Hunger said it plans to install a second machine in Manchester soon, and another in New York in February.
Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed is involved in Kashmir and he supports their involvement. (Photo: PTI)

Karachi/Dubai: Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government itself.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January 2017.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".
On Wednesday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's aide reported that the prime minister is heading to China this week to seek more aid and investment from China whilst being pressured by Western donors over the crackdown ongoing in the country against Hun Sen's critics ahead of the 2018 elections.

China is one of Cambodia's biggest donors and their support has supported Hun Sen despite the criticisms he has faced from his opponents, who claim China's support amounts to the death of democracy in the country. China has supported Cambodia's crackdown and made no statement against the government, seeing the country as an important ally in Southeast Asia.

According to Hun Sen's aide, Sry Thamrong, Hun Sen would be attending a Communist Party-hosted summit in Beijing from Thursday to Sunday which has a theme of turning the world better and without interference.

Most of Hun Sen's meetings would focus on aid and investment with President Xi Jinping and Chinese investors as a means to create more jobs in Cambodia.

In his statement with the press prior to the departure of the prime minister, Sry Thamrong said, "especially, we need more bridges on the Mekong River, we also need many more roads, trains, sky train. These are things we need in the future."

Just this month, the supreme court banned the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party as an official political party at the government's request. The order was then followed by the arrest of CNRP's leader Kem Sokha, who the government alleges to be plotting with his party to take over the country with American aid.

The US has already cancelled election funding for the country and threatened further sanctions against Cambodia if it did not stop its crackdown of opponents. The European Union has also threatened Cambodia's duty free access.

According to US Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt, the country is currently reviewing its relations with Cambodia after the CNRP was forcefully dissolved by the supreme court. In his interview on Wednesday with Voice of America, the ambassador said, "That is something we are taking very seriously, having a very serious review of our policies towards Cambodia."
The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement. (Photo: AFP)

Riyadh: Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an "acceptable settlement agreement" with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday.

Miteb, who was head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and current and former senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry at least partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching "an acceptable settlement agreement".

"The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but it is believed to be more than one billion US dollar equivalent," the official told Reuters.

"It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases," the official said.

Officials from Miteb's office could not immediately be reached for a comment.

Royal family members and acquaintances of Miteb had earlier posted messages on social media suggesting that the prince was at his home in Riyadh, but did not say how his release had come about.

Saudi authorities announced on November 4 the arrest of at least 11 royal family members, as well as four ministers and dozens of former officials and businessmen in what the government said was a crackdown on corruption.

Billionaire prince Alwaleed bin Talal, an international investor, was among those detained.

Saudi authorities had been working on striking agreements with some of those in detention, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Prince Mohammed bin Salman was quoted as saying that the vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in the crackdown were agreeing to settlements under which they would hand assets over to the government.

Apart from Miteb, the Saudi official said that at least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalised settlement agreements. He said the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities.

As the Sandhurst-trained preferred son of the late King Abdullah, Miteb was once thought to be a leading contender to the throne.

Before he was sacked by a royal decree on November 4, he headed the Saudi National Guard, an elite internal security force originally based on traditional tribal units that was run by his father for five decades.

He was also the last remaining member of Abdullah's Shammar branch of the family to retain a key position at the top of the Saudi power structure, after brothers Mishaal and Turki were relieved of their posts as governors in 2015.
Pope Francis is on a four-day trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he has refrained from directly weighing-in on the Rohingya crisis, instead choosing the deliberate language of tolerance and forgiveness. (Photo: AFP)

Yangon: Pope Francis Wednesday urged Myanmar's Buddhist clergy to conquer "prejudice and hatred", a carefully-worded appeal to powerful monks in a country facing intense scrutiny over its persecution of the Muslim Rohingya.

Some extremist Buddhist monks have spewed anti-Muslim hate speech in Myanmar for years, helping to calcify attitudes towards Rohingya Muslims.

Buddhist authorities have moved to rein in radical clerics in recent months.

Using delicately chosen words, Francis Wednesday urged the country's highest Buddhist body - the Sangha - to help tackle intolerance and hatred.

"If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred", he said, sitting across from a row of orange and maroon-robed monks in a temple complex in Yangon.

The Catholic leader is on a four-day trip in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where he has refrained from directly weighing-in on the Rohingya crisis, instead choosing the deliberate language of tolerance and forgiveness.

The pope has previously spoken in defence of the Muslim group, who the UN says are victims of an ethnic cleansing campaign by Myanmar's military launched in late August.

But the pontiff has avoided direct discussion of the crisis since arriving on Myanmar soil, where any mention of the Rohingya's name has the potential to set off Buddhist hardliners.

An ultra-nationalist monk-led group at the forefront of anti-Muslim rhetoric, known as Ma Ba Tha, have flourished in recent years.

The Sangha in 2017 formally disbanded Ma Ba Tha - which quickly regrouped under a new name - and placed curbs on their most outspoken leader Wirathu.

Domestic views on the Rohingya crisis veer sharply from the international take on a humanitarian catastrophe that has sent 620,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.
Beijing: A top Chinese General has committed suicide by hanging himself after authorities started a probe against him over his links to two corruption-tainted former PLA generals, official media said on Tuesday. Zhang Yang, 66, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC)  Chinas highest military body  hanged himself at his home in Beijing on November 23, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting CMC as saying.

Since October last year, Zhang was under investigation over his links to Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, two former Vice-Chairmen of the CMC who were expelled from the ruling Communist Party, the report said. Guo was convicted of corruption and sentenced to life in 2016. Xu died of cancer in 2015 while undergoing a probe.

Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted sources as saying that Zhang hanged himself in his home and the news of his death had been conveyed to all Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) theatre commands. Zhang was head of the powerful Political Work Department of the CMC when he along with the then chief of general staff General Fang Fenghui reported to have faced investigations since October last when they were not seen in public.

Both Fang and Zhang faced anti-corruption investigations ahead of last months once-in-a-five-year Congress of the party. The CMC is headed by Chinese President Xi Jinping who was re-elected by the party for a second five-year term. He has also reconstituted the CMC reportedly with men loyal to him.
Naypyidaw: Pope Francis called for respect for rights and justice in a keenly-watched address in Myanmar on Tuesday, but refrained from any mention of the Rohingya or the alleged ethnic cleansing that has driven huge numbers of the Muslim minority from the country. Sharing a stage with Myanmars leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the capital Naypyidaw, he did not address the Rohingya crisis head-on but instead tiptoed around the unfolding humanitarian emergency.

Peace can only be achieved through justice and a respect for human rights, he said in a broadly-framed speech that also called for respect for each ethnic group and its identity. The word Rohingya, an incendiary term in a mainly Buddhist country where the Muslim minority are denied citizenship and branded illegal Bengali immigrants, was entirely absent from his speech.

Francis has repeatedly defended the group, some 6,20,000 of whom have fled from Myanmars Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August. Rights groups had urged him to tackle Myanmar about its treatment of the minority during his four-day visit, but the local Catholic Church had cautioned him against straying into the Rohingya issue.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid response to the plight of the Rohingya. She spoke of the challenges her country faces as it creeps out of the shadow of five decades of military rule, but also did not reference the Rohingya. The government aimed to build the nation by protecting rights, fostering tolerance, ensuring security for all, she said in a short speech, that gave a nod to global concern over the situation in the Rakhine.
Pakistans former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who was the brain behind the 1999 Kargil conflict, has called himself the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and its founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attack on Mumbai nine years ago. Asked if he too liked LeT and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Mr Musharraf said: Yes! and I have met him. I have always been in favour of action in Kashmir and I have always been favouring pressuring the Indian Army in Kashmir. This is the biggest force and they have been declared terrorists by India along with the US.

Mr Musharraf said he had banned LeT in 2002, just after 9/11 and after considerable American pressure on Pakistan, because the situation was different then. On Washingtons official statement on Hafiz Saeed, he said it was written in highly offensive language, and said it was an insult to Pakistans sovereignty.

The White House said there would be repercussions for US-Pakistan relations unless Islamabad took action to detain and charge the LeT chief for allegedly masterminding the Mumbai attacks. The US had asked Pakistan to re-arrest Saeed, who has been designated a terrorist by the US justice department. Mr Musharrafs comments came days after Saeed walked free after the Pakistan government decided not to detain him further. He was under house arrest since January, 2017.
The State Human Rights Commission has recommended "urgent upgradation" of healthcare at Parappana Agrahara, the state's most populous penitentiary.



Meera C Saksena, who visited the prison as commission chairperson last month, found many patients lying on the floor. The prison hospital has just 100 beds, instead of the required 300, she observed. Meera retired last week, after submitting a report in this regard.

Huge numbers

Parappana Agrahara houses about a third of the total prison inmates in the state. Prisoners need periodic psychological counselling and therapy, the commission has said in a report, submitted to the government last week.

Krishna Bhat, principal district and sessions judge, Bangalore Rural District, who also visited the jail, said prisoners must be given proper food to which they are legally entitled.

He observed many doctors appointed to jail hospitals were indifferent to their work.

He called for better diagnostic and x-ray labs, and said attention to mental health in the jails was "far from satisfactory".

Besides Meera and judge Bhat, Jaishankar, member-secretary of the District Legal Aid Services Authority, and N S Megharikh, ADGP (prisons), were among those who met and discussed medical problems in jail.

Team of 50 cops mooted to take undertrials to courts

Bengaluru has a little over 100 city civil and sessions courts, and only two of them have video-conferencing.

As a result, those arrested and put in judicial custody spend long years without facing trial.

Since video-conferencing is not being used extensively, the government must set up a dedicated 50-member escort team to take undertrials to hospitals and courts, the State Human Rights Commission has said.

Unless full-fledged video-conferencing is in place, the problem of overcrowding of jails cannot be addressed, the commission has told the government in a report submitted last week.

The prison hospital has four doctors, one of them a woman, for 4,618 inmates.

Only about a hundred of them are women, and the woman doctor mostly attends to them. In effect, just three doctors care for about 4,500 prisoners.

Now in central jail

* Convicts: 1,232

* Undertrials: 3,386

* Total: 4,618
US President Donald Trump today held emergency talks with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative North Korean missile test.



North Korea test fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, posing a major challenge to Trump after he slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.



The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).



Asserting that he will "take care of" the situation in the aftermath of the North Korean

ballistic missile test, Trump held separate calls with Abe and Moon to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.



"We will take care of it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.



In both the phone calls, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan and the entire world.



They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.



US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time.



"Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...in response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," he said.



US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options are on the table.



"We will continue to marshall economic and diplomatic pressure until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all," Pence said in his Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.



"The Kim (North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un) regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of President Trump or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States," he said.



In New York, Permanent Representative of the US to the UN, Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.



The Security Council session will be held on November 29, around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.



Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.



"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that it must abandon its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.



"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from North Korea," he added.



Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include South Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.



"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.




A Catholic priest has disappeared in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday, a day before Pope Francis starts a landmark visit to the Muslim-majority nation wracked by Islamist extremism.



Walter William Rosario, 40, is from the same village in northern Bangladesh where suspected Islamist extremists last year hacked a Catholic grocer to death as he opened his shop.

A major search has been launched for Rosario, who is also headmaster of a Catholic school in Natore district, after his family reported him missing, police said.

"He has been missing since late Monday. His mobile has been switched off," local police chief Biplob Bijoy Talukder told AFP.

Gerves Rosario, the bishop of the nearby city of Rajshahi, said he believed the priest had been kidnapped and that Catholics in the region were deeply worried.

"He was organising for around 300 Catholics to travel to Dhaka to see the Pope and attend his holy mass. But his disappearance has marred their joy. They don't want to go to Dhaka anymore," said the bishop.

The family received a phone call from someone using Rosario's number to demand a ransom, but Talukder said police believed this was a hoax.

They have not ruled out the possibility he was abducted by Islamist extremists, who have carried out attacks on religious minorities in the region in the past four years.

Pope Francis arrives in Bangladesh Thursday on the first visit to the country by the head of the Catholic Church in 31 years.

The trip will be dominated by the plight of more than 620,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled ethnic unrest in Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh.

Christians, who make up less than 0.5 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people, have in recent years faced attacks by Islamist radicals.

Since 2015 at least three Christians, including two converts from Islam, have been hacked to death in attacks blamed on the militant Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

In July last year militants from the same group stormed a Dhaka cafe and massacred 22 hostages including 18 foreigners in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

However, the government has denied the international militants' involvement and security forces have killed more than 70 alleged militants since the cafe attack.
Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Parvez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.



Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.



Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".



"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.



Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.



The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government only.



When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.



Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.



India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.



Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.



The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.



Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.



The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.



Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.



Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".




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China said Wednesday it was seriously concerned by and objected to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) latest firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

A man walks past a television screen showing a graphic of a North Korean missile launch, at a railway station in Seoul on November 29, 2017. [Photo: VCG]

"China demands the DPRK abide by UN Security Council resolutions and refrains from actions that heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular news briefing.

China expects all parties to act prudently to maintain regional peace and stability, Geng said.

After its launch in early Wednesday morning, the missile Hwasong-15 flew for 53 minutes and accurately landed in the open East Sea of Korea (Sea of Japan), completing rocket weaponry system development by the DPRK, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

UN Security Council resolutions ban the DPRK from developing nuclear and missile programs. The body will hold an urgent meeting Wednesday to discuss the latest development.

Asked if China will tighten sanctions against the DPRK, Geng said China has implemented relevant Security Council resolutions and delivered on its obligations, but opposes unilateral sanctions outside the ambit of the UN.

China deals with the Peninsula nuclear issue with the aims of denuclearization, resuming dialogue and protecting regional peace and stability, Geng said.

He called on parties to reject the use of force and to consider China's suspension-for-suspension initiative, which means the DPRK suspends its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) military exercises.

The spokesperson confirmed a bridge linking China to the DPRK will be temporarily closed but reopen when the DPRK finishes maintenance of the bridge floor.




US President Donald Trump has applauded his daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump for promoting women entrepreneurs during her ongoing visit to India.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries.

This is not the first time Ivanka is visiting India. But yes, this is her first visit to India as a senior presidential advisor.

"Great work Ivanka," Trump said in a late-night tweet as he retweeted State Department which said that Ivanka's comments on US efforts to fuel entrepreneurship so that Americans can turn their dreams into incredible legacies.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also praised 36-year-old Ivanka.

"Thrilled to see" Ivanka Trump "in India promoting female entrepreneurs. At home that means improving workforce development and cutting government red tape," Haley said in a tweet yesterday.

Haley is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration. She is also the first ever Indian American serving in the Cabinet of any presidential administration.

"Globally it means creating an environment where women- across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed," Haley said.

In recent weeks, Haley said that she was planning to visit India this year but could not go because of her other pressing engagement, but hopes to travel soon.

The State Department Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, also praised Ivanka for her accomplishments in Hyderabad.

"We are certainly proud of what she's been able to accomplish, and I can think of no better representative for the US Government to talk about women's entrepreneurship than her," she told reporters at a news conference.

The GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world, she said.

"And we are excited about the focus that this year's GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship," Nauert said.

GES 2017 participants will empower innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, to utilise new skills and resources to achieve success through plenaries, workshops, and a pitch competition, she asserted.

This is the eighth annual GES and the first time the GES has taken place in South Asia, she said, adding that it reflects the region's strong entrepreneurial-ship achievements and future as well as the rapid growth of the US-India Strategic Partnership.
Attacking Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here today that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.



Resuming his campaign for the assembly polls in his home state, Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.

"Those who have looted the country can only think of dacoits," he said addressing a rally at Morbi in Saurashtra, which votes in the first phase of state Assembly elections on December 9.

Gandhi had earlier dubbed the Goods and Services Tax 'Gabbar Singh Tax', recalling the iconic villain in the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

Attacking the opposition party, Modi said, "The Congress' development model was giving hand-pumps. For BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines."

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in Gujarat into high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

The elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will be on December 18.
Tech companies in the US are urging the FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to amend the stringent laws against the violation of net neutrality that was made during the Obama regime. At the same time in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday is set to begin a separate consultation on regulating over-the-top (OTT) participants like WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook etc, to regulate unfair practices and intervention in this sector. The decision comes on the day of TRAI issuing recommendations on net neutrality. The issue of net neutrality has been uncoiling and magnifying for a while.



Deccan Herald goes down memory lane to decipher how the movement began.



Neutrality during the Telegram Age

In this age, standard telegrams were routed 'equally' without discerning their contents and adjusting for one application or another. Such networks were "end-to-end neutral". Thus, the concept of net neutrality existed since the dawn of postal communication.



Emergence of the Internet

As per U.S laws, telegram and phone network services are considered as the common carriers and are forbidden from giving preferential treatment. The Federal Communications Commission kept a check on the carriers to ensure equal access and regulate unfair practices. The Internet that dawned in the late 1980s was meant merely for the commercial purposes with limited public access.



On the other hand, as per the same law, the cable modem Internet access and high-speed data links, which are the essence of internet, were categorized as an information service, unlike telephone services (including services by dial-up modem), and not as a telecommunications service, and thus had not been subject to common carrier regulations, as upheld by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X Internet Services. The scenario changed drastically as the Internet became common in households and turned out to be a societal instrument, in the late 1990s and early 2000s.



Debates and Discussions

In the late 1980s, the debate as to whether companies involved in broadcasting were driven by the obligation towards the society, or mere market forces obligated to their shareholders, arose and echoed in the legal debate about net neutrality. Further, the scholars wrote a series of academic papers about the regulatory frameworks of the networks. Tim Wu, a law professor first used the term 'net neutrality' in his papers.



Net Neutrality in India

The concept became vocal in India in 2014 when Gopal Vittal, CEO of Airtel's India operations, and Vodafone India CEO Marten Pieters said that the firms offering free messenger apps like Skype, Line and WhatsApp should be regulated similarly to telecom operators. However, the proposal from the telecom companies was rejected by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).



TRAI's investigation and intervention

In November 2014, TRAI investigations discovered that Airtel special internet packs were providing access that was preferential in nature, as the internet pack allowed WhatsApp and Facebook data at rates which were lower than its standard data rates. Commenting on this, Rahul Khullar, Chief of TRAI said that Airtel cannot be held responsible for violating net neutrality because India has no regulation that demands net neutrality. Airtel was harshly rebuked by netizens on social media for its move.



TRAI Consultation Papers

To fetch public opinion on the net neutrality issue, on 27 March 2015, TRAI released a consultation paper. Chief ministers of several Indian states and politicians like Rahul Gandhi, Rajeev Chandrasekar, Ajay Maken, Tarun Vijay and many others expressed their support for net neutrality. Many Indian netizens filed petitions and staunchly backed net neutrality.

Though TRAI guidelines for the Unified Access Service license promotes net neutrality, there is no law to enforce it. However, Facebook's Internet.org, Aircel's Wikipedia Zero along with Aircel's free access to Facebook and WhatsApp, Airtel's free access to Google, and RCom's free access to Twitter expansively talk about the violations of net neutrality being common in India.

[Share your views with us on Twitter and Facebook]
The state Congress unit on Wednesday criticised the Narendra Modi administration over the controversy surrounding the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, saying leaving out Bengaluru-based HAL was "rendering injustice to Karnataka."

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundurao said the deal finalized by the previous Congress-led UPA entailed purchase of 18 Rafales from the French aviation company Dassault and manufacture of 108 aircrafts at HAL.

"Why was the UPA's agreement scrapped arbitrarily?" Gundurao asked at a press conference here. "The previous agreement included transfer of technology to the HAL. It could have created so many jobs. Both Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have done the state injustice" he added.

He also accused the BJP-led centre for favouring Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence by announcing the purchase of 36 Rafales by cancelling the previous agreement UPA had inked. "Does that mean that HAL is inferior compared with Ambani's company, which has no experience in the aviation sector?" Gundurao asked.

In 2015, Modi announced the purchase of 36 Rafales during his visit to France even as a previous deal for 126 aircraft was pending.

'Hegde is a hate machine'

Gundurao fired a salvo at BJP's firebrand Hindutva leader Ananthkumar Hegde. "He is a hate-creating machine," he said. "The mindset of the BJP leadership - B S Yeddyurappa, Pratap Simha, Shobha Karandlaje and C T Ravi - is nothing but a trash can," he added.

The BJP, Gundurao charged, had no respect for the father of the Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar. "If it wasn't for Congress, Ambedkar wouldn't have been chairman of the Constitution committee. The ideology of the RSS and BJP has no connection to Ambedkar. Remember, the Vajpayee government wanted to rewrite the Constitution and even formed a committee," he said.

Further, he attacked the BJP for disrespecting Ambedkar. "An Ambedkar portrait was found among trash in the BJP's Bengaluru headquarters. That's how they respect him," Gundurao taunted.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday, pledging to work with Moscow to promote regional cooperation for steady progress.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday. [Photo: Xinhua]

China is willing to work with Russia to strengthen communication and coordination on international affairs, and cement cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Li said, adding that the two countries will work to inject constructive force into the world's peaceful development.

During the meeting, Li conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings to Putin and recalled the successful meeting between the two leaders earlier in November on the sidelines of the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Vietnam's Da Nang city.

Noting that the development of economic cooperation has scored stable progress, Li said the two countries have continued to push forward their cooperation in such traditional fields as economy and trade, energy, aviation, transport infrastructure, production capacity equipment and agriculture, while making achievement in cooperation in such new fields as digital economy, technological innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises.

This shows that China-Russia cooperation has great potential and broad prospects, said Li.

China is ready to enhance the alignment of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the development programs of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), he said.

China would like to play well the leading role in cooperation in traditional areas, while focusing on effect of new growth drivers in emerging areas, he said.

Li also vowed to work with Russia to tap the development potential in the Far East and expand the cross-border trade, so as to benefit the two peoples.

For his part, Putin said that the frequent high-level exchanges and communication between China and Russia fully demonstrates the stability and high level of the development of the bilateral ties.

The two governments and relevant cooperation mechanisms have played an important guiding role in the pragmatic cooperation, he added.

He said that the trade between Russia and China has enjoyed a good growth momentum and the cooperation in energy, transportation infrastructure, agriculture and local areas has been actively promoted.

Putin expected the two countries to well align respective development strategies to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, as the Belt and Road Initiative and development programs of the EEU are complementary.

They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of common concerns.

Li arrived in Russia on Wednesday after wrapping up a visit to Hungary. He is expected to attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the SCO to be held in Sochi, Russia from Thursday to Friday.
And her idea is to convert rain energy into electricity. Light up one house at a time, she says.

Meet Reyhan Camalova, CEO and founder of rain energy, a startup to harvest energy from rainwater.

She is one of the names Ivanka Trump, advisor to US president Donald Trump, mentioned in her inaugural speech for innovating something extraordinarily new at a very young age.

"Reyhan...each home you light up is illuminating the world. We are all inspired by your brilliance and hard work," Ivanka said while introducing a shy Reyhan to the world.

Reyhan started working on her idea with not much capital but with lots of support from her family back in Azerbaijan.

"Actually, I got the idea from my father. In the world when people can produce solar energy then why not from rain? When it rains, billions of gallons of water is produced which has a huge potential if utilised in the right way," Reyhan told DH on the sidelines of GES.

The young entrepreneur has two brothers and she comes from a middle-class family. Her favourite subjects are chemistry, physics and mathematics.

"I am looking for investment to construct a rain energy devise. I need $ 20,000 to complete the project. I am also looking for a co-partner and I want to reach the Indian and global market," says Reyhan.

Thrilled by the encouragement she received at GES, Reyhan said she met a lot of entrepreneurs and is confident of finding an investor.

Reyhan hopes to generate 3,626 kWh of electricity a year, which is enough to light up a home.

She says rain energy reduces carbon dioxide emission to 10 g/kWh during the process of generating electricity.

This is very little when compared with the present alternative energy solutions.
Leading provider of simulation and training solutions, Sankhya InfoTech Limited, on Wednesday said it is looking to rapidly expand operations in Americas and Southeast Asia markets, besides further strengthening its presence in Europe and the MENA region.



On Wednesday, the company unveiled its strategic direction and roadmap to accelerate growth and capitalise on global market opportunities. The company also announced about the launch of an analytics and artificial intelligence based solution that predicts specific training needs, customised for an individual.

Sankhya also announced the new Board of Directors. Bhaskar Pramanik, former chairman of Microsoft, Corporation (India), and former MD, Oracle and Sun Microsystems India; Anil Valluri, President, NetApp India & SAARC; Ravindran Govindan, Founder & Executive Chairman, Mercatus Capital Pte Ltd, have joined the team.

Bhaskar Pramanik said, "The global training and simulation market for enterprises in Aerospace and Defence is multiple billions of dollars. Training is critical for such industries because of safety, security and regulatory requirements."

The company's annual turnover in the last fiscal was Rs 161.60 crore. Over 1.5 million users across 50 global locations spread in four continents are empowered by Sankhya's innovative technology and solutions.

Demand for commercial aircraft and growth of aviation is going to double over the next decade from the current 20,000 aircraft to over 46,000 aircraft. Much of this growth will happen in Asia and the US where fleet renewals will spur demand. Besides, defence modernisation and expansion of platforms is predicted to be concentrated in Asia and Americas due to increased threats in these regions.

In order to meet the demand of modern training technology, Sankhya has established an international subsidiary in Singapore. The company has plans to significantly expand in the US to cater to North and South American markets.
India and Singapore on Wednesday favoured having a naval exercise in an area between the Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait with the participation of more South Asian nations - a move that may upset China.



"Both countries want to see more participation and more activity in the Malacca strait and Andaman sea. We left it to the officials to flesh it out," Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said here after bilateral talks and signing of a naval cooperation agreement.

He was responding to a query on whether Singapore that would be chairing the Asean block of nations from January 1, 2018, would encourage increased Asean-level maritime engagement with India.

"The straits of Malacca and the Andaman Sea are key sea lanes of communication. It makes sense for countries to cooperate not only to establish maritime security but also to ensure continued freedom of navigation, because it is a lifeline to our economies and any disruption will affect our people and well being," Hen said.

Though no names were taken, the obvious reference was to China, whose increasing muscle-flexing in the South China Sea has become a cause of concern for South Asian nations. Both countries stressed on the need to have the freedom to navigate in the sea and air.

"We discussed at length our desire to step up cooperation in the maritime domain and institutionalising these mechanisms where we would have more bilateral and multilateral maritime exchanges, especially in India's waters and in the straits of Malacca. Singapore has strongly supported India's proposals," said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

China took strong objections to the only multilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal - Malabar in 2007 - involving five nations, including Singapore.

The two ministers also discussed Singapore's proposal to expand the code of unplanned encounters at sea to all ADMM-Plus countries (a block of South Asian nations with some external participants) as well as to establish guidelines to avoid encounters between military aircraft, in order to reduce the risk of miscalculations.



The code is an international agreement to reduce the chance of a maritime confrontation between countries. As many as 21 countries, including the US, Russia, China, Japan and France have joined the agreement.

The naval agreement, signed between the two nations, would not only facilitate Singapore Navy personnel and warships getting trained in India, but would allow Indian warships to replenish their fuel and ration at Changi port.

"We would encourage Indian Navy ships to visit Changi more often," said Hen, who flew in the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft at Kalaikunda on Tuesday. The pact entails mutual logistics support to the naval ships.
In a suspected case of honour killing, a minor boy and girl - both belonging to different communities - were killed in West Champaran district and three kin of the girl have been arrested in this connection, police said here on Wednesday.



According to Superintendent of Police, Bettiah, Vinay Kumar, "The bodies of Mukesh Kumar and Noor Jehan Khatun were recovered from two different spots in Nautan block of West Champaran district. The girl's brother Alauddin Ansari and uncles Gulsanovar and Amir Miyan have been arrested in connection with the killings".

He said, "The boy's family members lodged a complaint with the police yesterday (Tuesday) that they had spotted his body in the adjacent Balua village the previous night (Monday) but the same had disappeared in the early hours".

During investigation it came to light that the boy, son of a Banhora village-based trader Ravikant Sah and a student of class IX, had fallen in love with Noor Jehan of Balua. Alauddin was taken into custody for interrogation during which he confessed that he, along with his two uncles, had killed the boy and the girl.

"The body of the girl was dumped into a gorge, smeared with salt and covered with mud close to the Chandravat river. The body has been exhumed by the police. The boy's body was recovered from Sareh village, two kilometres away from the girl's house", the SP said.
Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said today.



Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event here, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400-metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Dokalam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide guarantee on the safety aspect."

Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistans offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navyman, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We don't care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection."

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him either related to terrorism or otherwise have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400 metre high wall to hide construction activities in Dokalam on Sikkim- Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.
With onions retailing at Rs 80 per kg in the national capital, Minister for Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said controlling price rise was not in his hands.

"I have told you the ground situation. It is not in my hands," Paswan told reporters when asked about a time-frame for controlling the price rise.

The minister was interacting with the media after chairing an inter-ministerial meeting on rising prices.

Paswan said the production of onions was expected to be low on account of the lower acreage of the crop at 1.9 lakh hectares in 2017-18 as against 2.65 lakh hectares last year.

He said key onion producing states a Karnataka and Maharashtra a have reported lower sowing.

"While farmers in Karnataka sowed onions on 1 lakh hectares last year, this season the acreage has shrunk to 79,000 hectares," Paswan said.

Farmers in Maharashtra who grew onions on 53,000 hectares last year have sown the crop on 36,000 hectares this year.

The minister attributed the decline in cultivation to the crash in onion prices earlier this year and the unseasonal rain towards the end of monsoon season.

Paswan said he has asked Nafed to procure 10,000 tonnes of onions directly from the states for sale in the national capital and other cities.

The Centre had clamped down on onion exports by levying a hefty $ 850 as minimum export price and also written to state governments to procure onions and supply to central agencies.

Paswan said onion was also being imported but it would take at least two months for it to reach the markets.

"In Nashik, onion is still being sold at Rs 32 per kg. If you add the transport cost, even then it should not be more than Rs 40 per kg. In Rajasthan's Alwar its still being sold at Rs 28 to Rs 30 a kg, in Indore it is Rs 30 per kg and in Solapur, it is Rs 25," Paswan said.

The government has pinned its hope on the arrival of the Kharif crops from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for prices to cool down.

"We expect the late Kharif crop to hit the markets in a week or two for the prices to decline," Paswan said.
Describing Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose as a true pioneer of Indian science, an innovator and scientist of world class distinction who did not receive enough credit for his rich scientific career, President Ram Nath Kovind said West Bengal should have led the countrys IT revolution with its top education institutions and rich legacy.



With that legacy, and with its educational institutions, it (Bengal) should have led the IT revolution in our country. But, for whatever reasons, it was a slow starter in IT and IT-enabled services. That boom moved to other states, such as those in the south of our country, Kovind said on Wednesday while addressing the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Bose Institute.



But, the President had a positive note of advice for the state.



Now Bengal has another chance as we are in the midst of an explosion of digital technologies. With cutting edge disciplines like precision manufacture and bio-informatics changing the way we think and robotics changing the way we live, it throws up great opportunities for Bengal in science and for its rich talent pool of young scientists, Kovind said.



Citing examples about the engineering feat achieved while constructing the iconic Howrah Bridge and referring Kolkata in the first half of 20th century as the scientific capital and technology hub of the country and the international recognition it got in research in physics and chemistry in pharmaceuticals and tropical diseases, the President said, As the leading centre of science and engineering education, young engineering students from other parts would not complete their education without a visit to Kolkata. Bengali scientists and technologists-turned-entrepreneurs can be very useful. We need to bring back the magic of that synthesis.



Kovind paid his tributes to the scientist, saying Bose had demonstrated wireless transmission as microwaves in 1895, much ahead of Italian engineer Guleilmo Marconi.



Bose had designed and fabricated the first semi-conductor Galena detector device in the world and was probably the first to study the responses of plants, which initiated an inter-disciplinary research in the area called biophysics, he said.



West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, Bose Institute council chairman Prof Bikash Sinha also spoke on the occasion.
Muslim women were reportedly made to lift their 'burqa' (veil) for verification at polling booths during the urban local bodies election in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday triggering sharp reactions from Muslim clerics and leaders.



BJP leaders had met state election officials a few days back and had demanded that 'burqa' clad women be verified at polling booths during the polling.

According to the reports lady security personnel at several polling booths in Baghpat, Chandauli, Saharanpur and some other districts asked the women to lift their veils to enable them to match their faces with the identification cards produced by them for the purpose of casting their votes.

Reports said that at some places the Muslim women objected to the orders from the security personnel but the latter did not relent.

Muslim clerics and community leaders sharply criticised the verification process saying that it was not only humiliating but also against the tents of Islam.

''Its very humiliating....it is also against the tenets of Islam,'' said senior Muslim cleric here.

UP minister and BJP leader Mohsin Raza had earlier said that there was nothing wrong in lifting of the veil for the purpose of verification.

A few days back the police had reportedly forced a Muslim woman to take off her 'burqa' at an election rally addressed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Ballia, about 400 km from here.

The matter had come to light, when some scribes, who were present at the rally, clicked pictures that showed the woman taking off her 'burqa'.
Economic sanctions on misbehaving nations such as North Korea havent worked. So, perhaps more of them will.

Thats pretty much where the Trump administration and its Asian allies are right now as they continue a decades-long international effort to halt that recalcitrant rogue regimes rapidly advancing nuclear weapons development program.

In recent years, sanctions against countries, individuals and companies have become the go-to political ploy for Western nations needing another press release to appear to show theyre really doing something to rein in another country. President Donald Trump laid more of them on Pyongyang the other day. The toughest ever, he said, while strengthening U.S. military forces in the area.

Trump also finally restored North Korea to the list of nations officially sponsoring terrorism. A list it never should have left in 2008 by the hands of George W. Bush.

Heres the problem: Asian nations, friend and foe alike, have been around for millennia. They know U.S. administrations  and their policies  come and go in a few years. So they ignore threats, nod politely or simply wait out the tough talk. Back in the mid-70s Jimmy Carter was alarmed by growing trade deficits with Japan. He waged word wars against Tokyo trade policies. It didnt work.

Now, its Trumps turn.

Sanctions are supposed to inflict such economic pain on their targets that the misbehaving nation and its leaders change course to make them stop. President Barack Obama slapped sanctions on Russia and Putin aides in 2014 over the annexation of Crimea and inciting Ukrainian insurrection.

Obama claimed the restrictions hurt Russias economy and ruble. True, they did. Trouble is, that wasnt the goal. The goal was to change Putins policies. And thats totally failed. Same for Obama sanctions on Syria and its dictator Bashar al-Assad, which even included freezing his British-born wifes credit cards. Assad used poison gas on Syrians at least twice this year.

Now, Trump officials say sanctions are hurting North Koreas economy. The result? North Korea has launched 10 percent more missile tests this year so far.

But wait! Maybe the sanctions arent the problem. Maybe the problem is actually inconsistent Western policy patterns toward the North. Policies that appear to Western eyes to punish and look tough in its media but actually over time tacitly acquiesce to the Norths recalcitrance and incremental drive to acquire a nuclear arsenal.

In 1988, Pyongyang was labeled a state sponsor of terror for downing a South Korean airliner killing 115 and assassinating Seoul diplomats in Burma.

Does 1988 sound familiar? Twenty-nine years ago last week a Libyan bomb downed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 243. Longtime strongman Muammar Gadaffi later paid compensation to families and, in return for Western promises of forgiveness, also relinquished his flourishing nuclear weapons program.

Gadaffis reward? Obama joined European forces to overthrow the Libyan leader in October 2011. A mob tore him apart.

Nine weeks later, another coincidence. Kim Jung-un became North Koreas dictator. Think maybe he noticed Western duplicity?

Under a succession of ruthless Kims since the early 90s the impoverished North agreed to rein in its weapons programs in return for economic goodies like foods and a winters-worth of heating oil.

Under a succession of hopeful and painfully patient U.S. presidents unwilling to display a credible threat of force, the Norths program has continued to progress to such a point that Washington intelligence officials now estimate Kims nuclear missiles could reach the U.S. mainland as early as next year.

Inevitably, the Communist regime was caught serial cheating, lured back to the table with further concessions, then renewed its cheating. Its exported missiles and rockets to Iran. Kims regime has kidnapped Japanese, abducted Americans and bombarded South Korean islands and boats.

In February using a banned nerve agent, Kim agents in Malaysia assassinated his exiled elder brother, rumored as a possible puppet replacement if the current Kim was ousted.

In 2007, the North helped Syria build a nuclear reactor for weapons development. The U.S. declined to do anything. Israel bombed it into rubble.

Just nine months later President Bush erased the North off the terror list, vainly hoping once more to encourage change. If North Korea continues to make the right choices, Bush said, it can repair its relationship with the international community.Continues?

While appealing to China for stricter sanctions help, Trump has said he will not allow this country to become a hostage to Kims nuclear threats. The dictatorship, he said, must stop supporting international terrorism and end its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development.

Months away from the Norths calculated capability to hit the U.S. mainland, three American carrier strike groups, including nuclear subs, now cruise the Western Pacific with allies, a rare occurrence certainly representing a credible force.

While saying he much prefers a diplomatic solution, the American commander-in-chief has stressed an end to a quarter-centurys worth of ineffective strategic patience, meaning U.S. administrations have finally run out of street to kick the North Korean can down.
While condemning former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf over his statement in support of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), The opposition National Conference (NC) president and former Union Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday termed it 'a tragic moment.'



"I feel sad that a man of his (Musharaf's) integrity, who has been the chief of the Pakistan Army as well as the president, has praised something like this. It is a tragic moment," Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

"Any terrorist outfit is going to destroy not only their country, but every other country where terrorism is being promoted. I'm sorry if the ex-president of Pakistan thinks the LeT was going to protect Islam," he added.

Abdullah also clarified his recent remark on the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying he didn't make controversies, "and just stated facts which people didn't like."

"Ask the government of India, which everyday announces that peace has returned to Kashmir because they demonetised the currency. Where is that peace? If there was peace then so many people wouldn't have died. If we are at peace, it's just because of the soldiers, who are fighting at the borders. You all have got the phobia of Pakistan; get rid of it," the NC chief said.

Earlier, he had said, "They are talking of raising flag at PoK. I ask them, first you go and raise the tri-colour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. They can't even do that here and they are talking about PoK."

Abdullah, who represents Srinagar parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha, also made a U-turn on Center's special representative on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma's role. "We hope that he (Sharma) listens to the people and those who meet him talk about real issues; he will understand that a way has to be found out. And also he conveys to Delhi to find a solution (to the issue)," he said.

The statement is contradictory to his earlier stand. On November 5 Abdullah had said he does not have any expectations from Sharma and the only way forward in Kashmir is restoration of autonomy to the state.

Abdullah also demanded that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should visit Tihar Jail to find out the condition of Kashmiri inmates there. "The chief minister should visit Tihar Jail and ensure the safety of Kashmiris lodged there," he said.
BJP leaders on Wednesday staged a protest in Bengaluru demanding the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George and Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni, charging that the duo were involved in the death of DySP M K Ganapathi and the murder of Dharwad Zilla Panchayat member Yogishgouda Goudar respectively.



The demand for the resignation of the two ministers by the BJP had led to a stormy end to the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi recently and the party had vouched that it would take the issue to the streets.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka and BJP legislators from Bengaluru participated in the protest held near Anand Rao Circle.



Shettar accused the state government of systematically trying to protect the two ministers by trying to destroy evidence in the two cases. He accused George of putting pressure on the family members of Ganapathi from making any submission before the CBI officials. The investigative agency had recently registered a FIR against George.



Shettar also charged that the state government had deputed home minister's adviser Kempaiah to "protect" Kulkarni by hushing up the murder case of Goudar, who was hacked to death last year.

The BJP leaders said they will continue with their agitation till the two ministers demit office.
Forest Minister B Ramanath Rai will be leading a 'Samarasyada Nadige' (harmony march) on December 12 from Farangipete to Mani in Bantwal taluk in Mangaluru.

The move comes at a time when it has been more than three months since peace has been restored in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, which was witness to communal flare ups in the months of July and August.

Rai, who also district in-charge of Dakshina Kannada district, told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday that the walk would be apolitical in nature.

All outfits and organisations, except the BJP and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), would be welcome to take part in it, he said.

The minister had made a similar announcement a few months ago when tension had escalated following stone pelting during the funeral procession of the slain RSS worker Sharath Madivala in Bantwal.

While the walk was scheduled to take off on September 12, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy had stalled it citing the prevalence of prohibitory orders. The government had also refused permission for the BJP's 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally.

"As the walk was cancelled last time around owing to prohibitory orders, it has been decided to resume it now," he said.

Interestingly, Rai chose an apolitical programme to air his views on the "volatility" in Dakshina Kannada.

Rai was participating in an interaction session with children of forest dwellers, organised by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Before the session began, Rai said, "It hurts me to acknowledge that Dakshina Kannada has become a hub for communal forces."
In a major decision of far-reaching impact, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday approved the withdrawal of cases against 4,327 youth involved in 744 cases of stone pelting.



An official spokesperson said the decision follows the recommendation of a high powered committee headed by Director General of Police which submitted its report to the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

"The DGP has been asked to regularly monitor the progress in the matter and furnish back a fortnightly report in this regard," reads a communication from the Home Department to the DGP.

The decision marks the revival process of withdrawal of cases started by the chief minister last year immediately after taking office.

Withdrawal history

Mehbooba had set on a process of review of cases against youth from 2008-2014 and in the first instance 104 cases involving 634 youth were withdrawn within two months of her assuming power.

The process got disrupted due to the continued violence and unrest for later part of 2016.

With this, the total number of cases withdrawn so far on her directions has gone to 848 and the persons benefiting out of these withdrawals stand at 4,957.

Mehbooba recently has also directed review of cases from 2015-2017(till date) and decision on the same would be taken on the receipt of report by the high powered committee, the spokesperson said.

Fresh chance

The decision to grant amnesty to stone-pelters is in tune with ruling Peoples Democratic Party's policy that those not involved in heinous crimes should be released to give them a fresh chance. PDP's alliance partner in the state, BJP have already supported the decision to withdraw cases against first-time stone throwers.

"The children who threw stones first time were instigated by other people," BJP chief spokesperson for J&K Sunil Sethi had said last week. "We support withdrawal of cases against them."

Similar amnesty scheme was announced during previous Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress coalition that failed miserably on the ground. The 1,200 stone-throwers, who had been given amnesty then, were not let off by the police, human rights groups in Kashmir claim.

Official records reveal that over 11,500 cases against stone pelters were registered from July last year when unrest broke out in Kashmir following the death of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces. Of these, 4,500 cases were registered against those who were found involved in stone pelting or other incidents for the first time.
Whether it is Rahul's temple visits or attacks on the way GST was implemented, the Congress vice-president is on senior BJP leaders' mind and radar all through their campaign.

BJP strategists attribute this to two reasons. One, Rahul and the Congress have distinctly avoided their "secular" issues to target the BJP.

Instead, they have tried to showcase the Congress vice-president's visits to temples (without corresponding visits to any Muslim religious places) as a proof of its "soft-Hindutva" approach.

Secondly, the Congress' campaign has forced Modi and his ministers to respond to all the issues raised by it because of serious anti-incumbency factors working against its ministers and MLAs.

Whether it is the rollout of GST, demonetisation or banks being burdened with mountains of non-performing assets (NPA), Rahul has blamed the Modi government squarely, accusing it of mishandling all vital matters.

Several Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, have been deployed regularly to issue clarifications and rebuttals.

As a strategy, initially, the Congress and Rahul consciously stayed away from personally attacking Modi.

Instead, the Opposition party said they were taking on the prime minister over his much-trumpeted Gujarat model of development.

Rahul's definition of GST - Gabbar Singh Tax - at a rally in Gandhinagar had the BJP on the defensive.

Modi and other ministers attempted to reassure traders through dialogues and announcements about minimising their burden.

Finally, the BJP strategists say they got a breather when the Youth Congress' meme mocking 'chai wallah' went viral.

The Congress sought to immediately distance itself from the post.

But the BJP found it handy as the meme was posted by Yuva Desh, the official Twitter account of the Youth Congress' e-magazine.

A day before Advisor to US President Donald Trump, Ivanka, hailed the prime minister's journey from a humble tea seller to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Modi raised the temperature on the issue.

Calling himself a "son of the soil", Modi told the gathering in Rajkot: "I am a chai wallah. I sell tea but I will never commit the sin of selling the country."

An old rhetoric but the prime minister thought he had made his point forcefully.

The latest round of the campaign war on Wednesday saw a new row over Rahul's name being added to the "non-Hindu" visitors' book at the Somnath temple.

The Congress claimed the register book is fake and accused the BJP of diverting attention from "real issues".

Referring to Rahul's visit to the temple, Modi said: "Thanks to Modi, Rahul has visited 21 temples in Gujarat."
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given an ultimatum to five deemed-to-be-universities in Karnataka including Bengaluru-based Christ University and Jain University, as well as Yenepoya University in Mangalore to "immediately" discontinue the word 'university' with their name.



Issuing a stern directive on Wednesday, it has asked the Christ University, Jain University and Yenepoya University to apply for an alternative name by 4 pm on Thursday, threatening that it will recommend for withdrawal of their deemed-to-be-university status if they fail to do so.

These three institutions have been given an option to change their names as the Central government had notified grant of deemed-to-be-university status to them with the word "university" with their names.

The higher education regulator has also sought the KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, JN Medical College Campus, Belagavi and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Udupi, Manipal to "immediately" stop using the word 'University' with their names and "revert back" to their original name as notified by the Central Government after granting deemed-to-be-status to them.



The UGC has issued similar ultimatum to 24 other deemed-to-be-universities including the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, which functions under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry.

The move comes days after the UGC sought a total of 123 deemed-to-be-universities, which included 14 from Karnataka, to stop using the word 'University' with their name and apply for an alternative title of their institutions in wake of a Supreme Court verdict in this connection.

A total of 29 deemed-to-be-universities including five from Karnataka are yet to respond to the UGC directive issued on November 10.

"It has been decided to give a last chance to the institution deemed-to-be-university to immediately discontinue with the name of the deemed-to-be-university using the word 'University' and submit an alternative proposal as requested by the commission (earlier this month)," the UGC said in its directive to all 29 institutions.

Failure to comply with these directions would amount to violation of the UGC (institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2016.

"Necessary action would be initiated against such institutions in accordance with the Clause 22.0 of the Regulations which may include recommending withdrawal of the declaration notifying the institution as an Institution Deemed to be University to the Central Government," UGC secretary P K Thakur said.

As per UGC's latest directive, the SYMBIOSIS International University, Pune; Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar; Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Haryana; and the Lingaya's University, Faridabad will have to apply for an alternative name of their institution, either with the HRD Ministry or with the UGC, by 4 pm on Thursday to avoid initiation of action.

"These deemed-to-be-universities were notified with the word 'University' by the Central Government. Since the Supreme Court in its verdict has restrained all deemed-to-be universities from using the word 'University with them, there is no way out. They have to change their names or face consequences," a UGC official said.
Rahul Gandhi's media coordinator on Wednesday enlisted the Congress vice president as a 'non-Hindu' in the Somnath temple's register.



Ahead of his two-day campaign in the Saurashtra region, Rahul had visited the temple along with his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi and Congress leader Ahmed Patel. Tyagi had reportedly signed in Rahul's name in the register for non-Hindus, who need to seek permission to enter the temple.

The BJP tried to make an issue of this gaffe, saying that for years it was always projected that Rahul was a Hindu, while in fact he was not. The incident also appealed to the BJP as Rahul has been temple-hopping across the state over the past couple of months while on his campaign trail. He has visited over 20 temples since October.

"The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not a Hindu," BJP leader Raju Dhruv said.

Located along the Saurashtra coast of the Arabian Sea, the Somnath temple is considered sacred by the Hindus, and enshrines the first of 12 'jyoritlings' of Lord Shiva.

The institution managing the temple, Shree Somnath Trust, had issued a notice in June 2015, making it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the trust before entering the main temple.

Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel is the chairman of the trust, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah and retired chief secretary of Gujarat P K Laheri are the trustees.

Tyagi later issued a statement that he had merely entered his name in the register and not that of Rahul or Ahmed.

However, Modi was not sparing in his words while hitting out at Rahul over his visit to the temple.

Speaking at a rally at Prachi, a town barely 30 km from Somnath, the prime minister said it was Rahul's "great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru who wrote to the then President Rajendra Prasad not to attend the function to commemorate the rebuilding of the Somnath temple led by Sardar Patela This is the land of the brave and the land of Somnath never forgives those who are against the shrine".
A recovery in private capital spending is likely next year, as balance sheet fundamentals of corporates are improving amid strengthening financial system, says a report.



Accordingly, the country's GDP growth will accelerate to 7.5% in 2019 financial year, the report by global financial services major Morgan Stanley said.

The report highlighted that 2018 is expected to be the first year of full-fledged recovery for India as it will be marked by a synchronous recovery in domestic as well as external demand and, a pickup in private capex for the first time in six years.

As per Morgan Stanley's discussions with investors, after six years of continued deterioration in private capital spending, investors are "more skeptical" of a turnaround in private capex, but the global brokerage sees three factors which will help in reviving private corporate capex.

First, corporate return expectations are rising, second corporate balance sheet fundamentals are improving and third, financial system is strengthening, and it will be able to meet investment credit demand, it said.

"In sum, the combination of a recovery in end-demand and easing of credit constraints should help to pave the way for a private capex recovery in 2018, thereby raising our confidence that India will be on a sustained growth cycle in the coming years," it noted.

Overall, with productivity growth being supported by a pickup in private capex, Morgan Stanley expects real GDP growth to accelerate from 6.4% this year, to 7.5% in 2018, and further to 7.7% in 2019.

"On a fiscal year basis, GDP growth should accelerate from 6.7% in financial year 2018, to 7.5% in fiscal 2018-19, and further to 7.7% in 2019-20," Morgan Stanley said in a research note.

As private capex recovers, it will revive job creation, thus ensuring that the economy will be heading towards the "productive growth" phase.

A productive growth phase is characterised as a period of improving growth, while macro stability remains in check typically setting the stage for a sustained growth cycle, the report noted.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea to reconsider its February 9 judgement that had quashed as unconstitutional the 2002 Karnataka law pertaining to grant of promotion to employees belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.



A bench of Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and U U Lalit did not find any merit in the review petition filed by Nagarajan and others against the judgement in the B K Pavitra and others versus State of Karnataka case.

"We have carefully gone through the review petition and the connected papers. However, we do not find any merit in the review petition. Accordingly, it is dismissed," the bench said. Other review petitions filed by the state government and affected officers are still pending.

In its verdict, the Supreme Court had then relied upon the 2006 Constitution bench's decision in the 'M Nagaraj and others' case to declare as invalid the state law to the extent that it provided consequential seniority to state employees belonging to the SC/STs. It had noted that 'the Karnataka Determination of Seniority of the Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act, 2002' had done away with the 'catch up' rule.



The court had also said the state government did not undertake the exercise of ascertaining backwardness and inadequacy of representation on the basis of quantifiable data in promoting assistant engineers.

The Karnataka government, pending the review petition, moved ahead to pass a legislation to circumvent the apex court's ruling. The state Assembly had, earlier this month, unanimously passed the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the posts in the Civil Services of the State) Bill 2017.

In the meantime, dealing with cases arising out of Maharashtra and Tripura, the apex court had referred to a Constitution bench to examine the need for having a re-look at a 2006 judgement in the 'M Nagaraj versus Union of India' case that formed the basis for quashing the Karnataka law.
"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth."



Plato





"This country has shed more blood for the freedom of other people than all the other nations in the history of the world combined, and I'm tired of people feeling like they've got to apologize for America."

Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN)







In a time of universal deceit  telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

George Orwell, the author of 1984







"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.""Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.""A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example."Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.
Hadiya's wish to speak with her husband was fulfilled on Wednesday.

A day after she arrived here to continue studies at the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, as directed by the Supreme Court, Hadiya spoke to her husband over the college dean's mobile phone.

"Hadiya talked to Shafin Jahan (her husband) for a while from my mobile phone, after I, as local guardian, asked her whether she was interested in talking or meeting anybody," said G Kannan, the college dean.

Hadiya is in the centre of a 'love jihad' controversy after her conversion to Islam and marriage with a Muslim youth in Kerala.

Earlier when reporters asked about her husband, Hadiya said she was not in contact with him for the last few months as she did not have a mobile phone and the only people she spoke to were her parents.

"For the past six months, I was talking to people I did not like (parents) because of their harassment during my stay with them," Hadiya told reporters.

The dean said: "She appeared relieved after talking to him (husband). There is no restriction imposed on her to talk or to meet anybody."

Hadiya also expressed regret for the tense situation prevailing in the college and the inconvenience to students, Kannan said.

Stating that she has not given any application to change her name, Kannan said she has applied using her earlier name (Akhila Ashokan) for the internship.

Hadiya also said that she will be able to communicate better with the media after receiving a copy of the Supreme Court order.

There is some confusion about where and with whom she would spend her holidays, Kannan said, adding that the management will approach the apex court in this regard.

All rules and regulations and restrictions of the college will apply to her also and weekly once she will be allowed to go out for buying what she requires, along with the hostel wardens, he said.

Meanwhile, college administrator Kalpana Sivaraj said the management will extend all support to Hadiya to complete her course.

One sub-inspector and four constables - two women and two men - have been deployed for her security.
BJP state executive member Udayakumar Shetty has demanded immediate arrest of the culprits who tarnished the poster of the Pejawar seer Vishwesha Theertha Swami.



Speaking to media persons, the veteran BJP leader said that the police should take immediate action against the culprits. The vested interests, who were not able to tolerate the smooth conduct of the Dharma Sansad under the able leadership of the seer, are out to tarnish the reputation of the octogenarian seer.

He alleged that the several ministers in the Congress government are facing charges of corruption. However, they continue to hold the positions with the support of the chief minister Siddaramaiah.

He said the ministers K J George and Vinay Kulkarni should resign immediately or the chief minister should ask their resignations.

George is charge-sheeted by the CBI in DySP M K Ganapathi death case while Vinay Kulkarni is accused by the BJP of murdering Dharwad ZP member Yogeshgouda Goudar.

The government is using the police and administrative machinery to destroy the evidence to shield the ministers, he alleged.

He said that the recently held Akhila Bharat Sahitya Sammelana in Mysuru was used as a political platform by the Congress. It is unfortunate that in the literary meet, the writer Chandrasekhar Patil appealed people to vote for secular national party during the inauguration. There was absolutely nothing pertaining to literature in the literary meet, he complained.
In a high level meeting, chaired by Kaup MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake, the Suzlon Company Energy Limited in Padubidri has sought a week's time to take an appropriate decision on lifting the lockout and re-appointing the workers who were displaced.



It can be recalled that more than 600 workers were displaced owing to the Company's decision announcing the lockout. The Company's decision to stop functioning was indeed a shock to the employees as they were kept in dark. The early morning notice, that was put up on the premises at around 3 am on Nov 14, announced the decision on shutdown.

There was a meeting held comprising the Company officials including the Director (Operations) A U Aslani and Gneral Manager (Operations) Ashok Kumar Shetty and Suzlon plant head Dakshinamurthy.

The earlier two rounds of meeting ended abruptly as the Company was in no mood to relent to the demands of the workers.

However, in the third meeting, which was also attended by Sorake and other Congress leaders, the Suzlon officials have assured to raise the issue at the Board of Directors meeting and sort out the problem in a week. The meeting went up to six hours.

Apart from the reappointment and resumption of the plant, the labourers demanded that the cases registered against 19 workers by the Company be withdrawn.

Sorake told the media persons that the Company during the meeting has assured to take an appropriate decision on the withdrawal of the lockout and reappoint the workers.

The meeting was internally held and the media was not allowed to be part of the deliberations.
The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is ready with its first major export order of 155 mm shells used in Bofors-type artillery guns for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) army.

OFB chairman and director general of Ordnance Factories S C Bajpai said on Wednesday that the guns would be delivered by December.

"Earlier, there was no major thrust on OFB's export capabilities. But, that has changed and now with the Make in India initiative, we are looking forward to reorienting ourselves as a formidable player in the ordinance export market. The deal with the UAE is of about Rs 240 crore and around 40,000 shells are ready for delivery," Bajpai said.

"OFB has decided to focus on export orders from all Middle Eastern and African countries as well as Myanmar. We have earlier exported our products to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. But, the supply contract with UAE is the first ever defence contract with that country," he said.

Officials in the OFB headquarters here told DH that the ordnance factories have made the 155mm extended bore full-range shells of the boat-tail version for the UAE.

The shells come in boat-tail and base-bleed versions, and OFB makes both versions.
Students of a girls' school in Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly forced to undress by three teachers as a punishment for writing vulgar words against the head teacher.



Eighty-eight students of class VI and VII of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Tani Happa (New Sagalee) in Papum Pare district were subjected to the humiliating treatment on November 23, police said.

The matter, however, came to light on November 27 after the victims approached the All Sagalee Students Union (ASSU), who then filed an FIR with the local police.

According to the complaint, two assistant teachers and a junior teacher forced 88 students to undress before other students following the recovery of a piece of paper containing vulgar words about the head teacher and a girl student.

Papum Pare Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo today confirmed the filing of the FIR by ASSU. He said the case has been forwarded to the women police station here.

"The officer in-charge of the (women) police station said the victims and their parents along with the teachers will be interrogated before registering a case," Amo said.

A team of All Papum Pare District Students Union (APPDSU) had met the students and teachers yesterday, and found that an unidentified student had used vulgar words in a piece of paper mentioning the name of the head teacher and a girl student, a release by APPDSU said.

The teachers demanded an explanation from all the 88 students of classes VI and VII, who were later made to undress before the other students as punishment, it said.

"The school authorities did not speak to the parents of the students before punishing them," APPDSU president Nabam Tado said.

The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has condemned the incident and said such "heinous act" by the teachers might affect the students.

"Tempering with a child's dignity is against the law as well as the constitution," it said in a statement.

"To discipline a student is an attitude, character, responsibility and commitment of a teacher. Undressing a student is definitely not a corrective measure...Imposing such punishment is total violation of child rights, and more likely it may accelerate the risk of child abuse," the party added.
Senior Congress leader A K Antony was on Wednesday admitted to a hospital here after a fall at his home.



Sources said that Antony suffered a head injury and was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. Doctors have advised him rest for a couple of days and he is expected to recuperate at the hospital.



The 76-year-old former Kerala chief minister served as defence minister in the UPA government.
Google has detected an app 'Tizi', which has been stealing information from call records and also from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and also take pictures from mobile phones without even displaying them on screen of the device.



"Tizi is a fully featured backdoor that installs spyware to steal sensitive data from popular social media applications. The Google Play Protect security team discovered this family in September 2017 when device scans found an app with rooting capabilities that exploited old vulnerabilities," a post on Google security blog said.

The company has removed the app from Play Store, notified all known affected devices and suspended account of the app developer, the post dated November 27 said.

The post said that the earlier variant of Tizi did not have rooting capabilities but it developed later on and thereafter started stealing sensitive information from devices.

"The rooting capabilities give an app full control of the device. It can bypass all restrictions posed on it by Android security system. An app with rooting is like a user using the device. The presence of such app on Google Play Store raises concerns around secure apps on the app store," cyber security expert Jiten Jain said.

The post said that after gaining rooting capability, Tizi steals sensitive data "from popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, LinkedIn, and Telegram."

The backdoor capability of Tizi were common to commercial spyware, such as recording calls from WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype, sending and receiving SMS messages, and accessing calendar events, call log, contacts, photos, Wi-Fi encryption keys, and a list of all installed apps

"Tizi apps can also record ambient audio and take pictures without displaying the image on the device's screen," the post said.

The post said that in and after April 2016 vulnerabilities in devices which could have been affected by Tizi were fixed with new software codes.

"If a Tizi app is unable to take control of a device because the vulnerabilities it tries to use are are all patched, it will still attempt to perform some actions through the high level of permissions it asks the user to grant to it, mainly around reading and sending SMS messages and monitoring, redirecting, and preventing outgoing phone calls," the post said.

Reacting to the information, Microsoft spokesperson said, "The vulnerabilities referenced relate to Android and Linux. As the blog suggests, we advise customers who use Skype on these platforms to ensure their systems are up to date. Windows users are not affected".
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has come under criticism for penalising residential properties that do not have occupancy certificates (OCs).



At the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council meeting on Tuesday, members said the BWSSB was levying 50% penalty on the water bill on properties not having OCs issued by the BBMP.

K Gopalaiah, the JD(S) legislator from Mahalakshmi Layout who is a member of the BBMP council, said the water board had issued a circular on March 3, 2016, stating that it will penalise properties without OCs. The BBMP commissioner, who is a member of the board, has not been informed, he added.

According to Gopalaiah, the state government has issued a notification that it will supply 10,000 litres of free water to slum dwellers but officials were harassing people in the name of OCs. Mayor R Sampath Raj promised a special meeting to discuss the issue.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said he would write to the water board to amend the rules.
The Northeast division police arrested two notorious interstate robbers and recovered gold ornaments worth Rs 13.5 lakh from them. The arrested are Samir Khan (31), and Mohammed Firoze (30), both native of Telangana, the police said.



According to the police, the duo has around 12 cases registered against them in various police stations - Sampigehalli, Vyalikaval and Kodigehalli in the city, and Rajendra Nagar and Syed Nagar police stations in Andhra Pradesh.

They rented a house in Kothanur claiming to be daily wagers. During daytime, they would go around the city on bikes and identify houses that were locked. During the night, they would break into the chosen houses and burgle them, the police said.

They would sell the gold valuables stolen from Bengaluru in Andhra Pradesh and vice versa.



The police said that the two met in Parappana Agrahara central prison when they were jailed in separate cases of thefts. They came out on bail became partners. The police identified Samir's face from a CCTV footage while they were investigating a theft case in Kodigehalli.



The police picked him up and interrogated when he revealed Firoze's name. It was a challenge for the police to nab Samir as he would stop using the cell phone and even not tell his wife and children where he was, the police said.

The police traced him to Secunderabad when he switched on his phone.
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
Qatar, UK Agree Terms for Eurofighter Order



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Del Mars controversy over short-term vacation rentals has borne its third lawsuit, this time over the city councils decision to forego environmental review of the ordinance it adopted earlier this month.

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego Superior Court on Nov. 15, contests the citys decision to declare the ordinance exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. CEQA requires exhaustive analysis of proposals that will have significant environmental impacts, including changes to zoning and land-use regulations.

As with the previous two lawsuits, the new lawsuit has been brought by the Del Mar Alliance for the Preservation of Beach Access and Village, a group of homeowners who rallied together in May as the city council took its course to restrict short-term rentals.

The ordinance, approved on Oct. 16 and formally adopted on Nov. 6, requires short-term rentals (STRs) in nearly all of the citys residential zones to last no fewer than seven days at a time and not total more than 28 days per year. Rentals of 30 days or more will not be affected.

The city council  aside from Mayor Terry Sinnott  has defended the measure as necessary to preserve Del Mars residential character. Its supporters stress that the 28/7 framework targets the mini-hotels that have emerged thanks to websites such as AirBnB and VRBO while still allowing homeowners to rent their homes while theyre out of town.

While the lawsuit came in response to the ordinances adoption, its premise is rooted in the city councils 4-1 ruling in April that Del Mars 40-year-old planning documents do not allow homes to be rented out for less than 30 days at a time  an interpretation STR supporters say subverts the intent of the citys founders, not to mention the citys long history as a tourist mecca.

Cory Briggs, the Alliances attorney, argues that by taking the position that STRs have always been prohibited and will now be allowed for the first time, the city is thus creating a new land use  which by definition necessitates CEQA review.

Youre creating a number of impacts: land-use conflicts, recreational conflicts, urban decay problems with the loss of business, Briggs told the council at its Nov. 6 meeting.  All of those ripple effects have to be analyzed in an environmental document. You dont get to say that there is an exemption and simply wave your hands as if CEQA didnt apply.

The first lawsuit, filed June 1, cites CEQA and the California Coastal Act in challenging the city councils April interpretation of Del Mars 40-year-old planning documents. The second lawsuit arose six weeks later, alleging that the city took too long to respond to the Alliances request for all STR-related documents and communications dating back seven years. And when the city did respond, Briggs says, many of the documents were illegible. The city later sent legible documents, he said, but the suit is still pending.

We offered to settle the case, all they had to do was pay my legal fees, Briggs said. Apparently they would rather pay their outside lawyer to continue the case.

All three cases are assigned to Judge Katherine Bacal. Briggs said attorneys will be meeting with Bacal within the next few weeks to set a hearing schedule.

In the meantime, the citys STR ordinance will not go into effect until the Coastal Commission amends it into Del Mars Local Coastal Program (LCP), a state planning document that dictates land use for nearly all of Del Mar. The Coastal Commission hasnt yet said when it will evaluate Del Mars ordinance, but it is not expected for at least several months.

Dozens of Del Mar homes are lawfully executing short-term rentals under a moratorium that has allowed unrestricted rentals at homes that were being rented out prior to April 4, 2016. Earlier this month, the council decided that those homes can continue to do so until the Coastal Commission certifies its ruling on the LCP amendment or until November 2019, whichever is sooner.
By George Monbiot

22 November 2017(The Guardian)  Everyone wants everything  how is that going to work? The promise of economic growth is that the poor can live like the rich and the rich can live like the oligarchs. But already we are bursting through the physical limits of the planet that sustains us. Climate breakdown, soil loss, the collapse of habitats and species, the sea of plastic, insectageddon: all are driven by rising consumption. The promise of private luxury for everyone cannot be met: neither the physical nor the ecological space exists.But growth must go on: this is everywhere the political imperative. And we must adjust our tastes accordingly. In the name of autonomy and choice, marketing uses the latest findings in neuroscience to break down our defences. Those who seek to resist must, like the Simple Lifers in Brave New World, be silenced  in this case by the media.With every generation, the baseline of normalised consumption shifts. Thirty years ago, it was ridiculous to buy bottled water, where tap water is clean and abundant. Today, worldwide, we use a million plastic bottles a minute.Every Friday is a Black Friday, every Christmas a more garish festival of destruction. Among the snow saunas, portable watermelon coolers and smartphones for dogs with which we are urged to fill our lives, my #extremecivilisation prize now goes to the PancakeBot: a 3D batter printer that allows you to eat the Mona Lisa, the Taj Mahal, or your dogs bottom every morning. In practice, it will clog up your kitchen for a week until you decide you dont have room for it. For junk like this, were trashing the living planet, and our own prospects of survival. Everything must go.The ancillary promise is that, through green consumerism, we can reconcile perpetual growth with planetary survival. But a series of research papers reveal there is no significant difference between the ecological footprints of people who care and people who dont. One recent article, published in the journal Environment and Behaviour, says those who identify themselves as conscious consumers use more energy and carbon than those who do not.Why? Because environmental awareness tends to be higher among wealthy people. It is not attitudes that govern our impact on the planet but income. The richer we are, the bigger our footprint, regardless of our good intentions. Those who see themselves as green consumers, the research found, mainly focused on behaviours that had relatively small benefits.I know people who recycle meticulously, save their plastic bags, carefully measure the water in their kettles, then take their holidays in the Caribbean, cancelling any environmental savings a hundredfold. Ive come to believe that the recycling licences their long-haul flights. It persuades people theyve gone green, enabling them to overlook their greater impacts.None of this means that we should not try to reduce our footprint, but we should be aware of the limits of the exercise. Our behaviour within the system cannot change the outcomes of the system. It is the system itself that needs to change.Research by Oxfam suggests that the worlds richest 1% (if your household has an income of 70,000 or more, this means you) produce about 175 times as much carbon as the poorest 10%. How, in a world in which everyone is supposed to aspire to high incomes, can we avoid turning the Earth, on which all prosperity depends, into a dust ball?By decoupling, the economists tell us: detaching economic growth from our use of materials. So how well is this going? A paper in the journal Plos One finds that while, in some countries, relative decoupling has occurred, no country has achieved absolute decoupling during the past 50 years. [more]
A Singapore study of more than 9,000 people suggests those with diabetic retinopathy are at increased risk of falls.

People with moderate diabetic retinopathy were nearly twice as likely to fall compared to people with diabetes who did not have any visual problems, while people with mild retinopathy had an 81 per cent increased risk of falling.

The study also found that people with diabetic retinopathy had a 31 per cent greater risk of falling compared to people without diabetes.

While these findings are unnerving, people with diabetes can take steps to reduce their risk of diabetic retinopathy, and control existing retinopathy, through normalising blood glucose levels and blood pressure and receiving eye examinations from an eye specialist every year.

Professor Ecosse Lamoureux, of the Singapore Eye Research Institute and the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, was the lead researcher on the study. Explaining the findings, he said: Alterations in blood glucose levels in diabetes cause changes in retinal blood vessels which swell, bleed or leak fluid into the back of the eye.

Diabetic retinopathy causes not only vision loss, but also reduction in the components of the aging visual function system, such as contrast sensitivity, stereo acuity, and colour perceptio, which can result in poor postural stability and a greater capacity to bump into objects, leading to a greater risk of falling.

The researchers said about one in three older people in the community fall a year but there was limited research on the links between falling and diabetic retinopathy.

The study involved examining the records of 9,481 people living in Singapore who had either Malaysia, Indian or Chinese ethnicity, with about half aged 59 or older. Seventy per cent did not have diabetes.

As the research involved people recalling their memories of falling, this may have resulted in unreliable data.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Francesc Formiga, from Barcelonas Bellvitge Universitari Hospital, said: Diabetic retinopathy often does not offer any early warnings signs. Therefore, it is important to perform a complete ocular exam at least once a year.

The study was published by JAMA Ophthalmology.
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India improving on malaria front, but detection still poor: WHO

India accounted for 6 per cent of the world's 216 million new malaria cases in 2016, according to the World Malaria Report 2017 by the World Health Organization.

According to the UN health body, 15 countries accounted for 80 per cent of all malaria cases globally in 2016. Nigeria accounted for the highest proportion of cases globally at 27 per cent. Democratic Republic of Congo had 10 per cent, India 6 per cent and Mozambique recorded 4 per cent of the global malaria cases.

India saw a total of 331 malaria deaths in 2016, making it the highest in the entire Southeast Asia region and second only to sub-Saharan Africa. The malaria deaths in India were only less than in the Africa region, where the figure soared as high as 33,997 for Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso and India accounted for 58 per cent of all malaria deaths globally.

India is also among the weakest countries in detecting the disease. ''Countries with weak malaria surveillance systems include India and Nigeria, two major contributors to the global burden of malaria, with 8 per cent and 16 per cent of cases respectively detected by the surveillance system,'' the report says.

"Odisha, the highest endemic state of India, reported an increase in cases in 2016 (to double the number in 2013). The other countries had no major outbreaks reported," according to report.

Between 2014 and 2016, just 15.5 million insecticide treated mosquito nets, regarded as the primary prevention method for malaria were distributed in India.

However India, the WHO report noted, is on track for a 20  40 per cent reduction by 2020.

Malaria is a potentially life-threatening parasitic disease caused by parasites known as Plasmodium viviax (P.vivax), Plasmodium falciparum (P.falciparum), Plasmodium malariae (P.malariae) and Plasmodium ovale (P.ovale). It is transmitted by the infective bite of Anopheles mosquito. The disease has an incubation period of 10-15 days, which means a person may develop symptoms after a fortnight of being bitten by an infected mosquito. Infection by P falciparum is believed to be the most deadly.

In his foreword in the report, WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says from the time when malaria was among the big public health success stories, the overall decline in the global malaria burden has ''unquestionably levelled off'' and some countries are actually showing reversals in trends.

In 2016, 91 countries reported a total of 216 million cases of malaria, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year. The global tally of malaria deaths reached 445 000 deaths, about the same number reported in 2015.

''A minimum investment of $6.5 billion will be required annually by 2020 in order to meet the 2030 targets of the WHO global malaria strategy. The $2.7-billion invested in 2016 represents less than half of that amount. Of particular concern is that, since 2014, investments in malaria control have, on average, declined in many high-burden countries,'' Dr Tedros wrote.

Between 2014 and 2016, substantial increases in case incidence occurred in the WHO Region of the Americas, and marginally in the WHO Southeast Asia, Western Pacific and African regions.

"In 2016, 85 per cent of estimated vivax malaria cases occurred in just five countries (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan)," the report said.

In 2016, there were an estimated 445,000 deaths from malaria globally, compared to 446,000 estimated deaths in 2015.

"Plasmodium falciparum is the most prevalent malaria parasite in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 99 per cent of estimated malaria cases in 2016. Outside of Africa, P. vivax is the predominant parasite in the WHO Region of the Americas, representing 64 per cent of malaria cases, and is above 30 per cent in the WHO SouthEast Asia and 40 per cent in the Eastern Mediterranean regions," said the report.

The report states some of the challenges impeding countries' abilities to stay on track and advance towards elimination include lack of sustainable and predictable international and domestic funding, risks posed by conflict in malaria endemic zones among many others.
NEW BROCKTON -- At its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Nov. 27, the Coffee County Commission approved a resolution authorizing an agreement with Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor law firm to investigate and represent the county in a multi-state opioid suit.

According to County Administrator Rod Morgan, the current opioid crisis in the United States is a problem in many communities and certainly impacts Coffee County with regards to expenses incurred with law enforcement and the county jail. Morgan stated that there are a number of states, cities, and counties that are considering litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of these opioid medications as a result of the drugs negative impact. The Commission discussed the possibility of looking into and potentially pursuing litigation themselves at their last work session, but the unanimous vote appears to indicate that the county is prepared to file suit if necessary.

A second resolution authorizing the selected law firm and its local liaison, Dale Marsh, to file suit against the opioid manufacturers and distributors was also passed unanimously.

Other items discussed:

* A resolution modifying the observance of the Christmas holidays this year was passed; since Christmas falls on a Monday, Friday, Dec. 22 will be observed as Christmas Eve as per the handbook stipulations.

* A resolution canceling the regularly-scheduled commission meeting for Monday, Dec. 25 was passed unanimously.

* The Coffee County Residential Collection service for the weeks of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 will shift since both holidays fall on Monday. Currently residential collection operates on a Monday through Thursday schedule; however, for both of the weeks mentioned, it will shift to a Tuesday through Friday schedule. Ultimately for those two weeks, all residents collection will shift to one day later in the week, with normal operations to resume starting the week of Jan. 8.
NEW BROCKTON  The investigation into the suspected murder of Harrand Creek Elementary School teacher Sara Starr remains ongoing, law-enforcement officials said Tuesday morning.

Starr, 36, a fourth-grade teacher, was found dead Monday morning at a residence on County Road 647.

During a news conference Tuesday at the Coffee County Sheriffs Office, Sheriff Dave Sutton said the initial call on the incident, which came at 8:38 a.m. Monday, was about a possible suicide. However, as authorities arrived and began inspecting the scene, a criminal investigation of a possible homicide was started. The investigation went on throughout Monday and into Tuesday.

Twelfth Circuit District Attorney Tom Anderson said Starr had an apparent gunshot wound to her head, but no firearm was recovered at the scene, which was a key factor in turning the situation into a homicide investigation. Starrs death possibly happened after 6:30 a.m. Monday, although an autopsy had yet to be performed, he said.

A person of interest is being investigated, with other avenues being considered for additional suspects, and search warrants have been obtained and were being executed, Anderson said. No further details were given in order to not compromise the investigation.

Starr was originally from Kansas, Anderson said, and had lived in the area for about 10 years. According to her biography page on the schools website, Starr also had a 19-year-old stepson and two sets of twins, ages 12 and about 7.

Chief Deputy Ronnie Whitworth said no children were present at the scene when authorities arrived.

The Enterprise schools the twins attend  Coppinville Junior High and Pinedale Elementary  were briefly on a soft lockdown Monday. Sutton said it is standard operating procedure to have a soft lockdown in this type of situation until it could be further determined if anyone else in the family was involved.

Anderson said that from his understanding, there was no indication that any student was at risk Monday or any reason to believe there would be concerns at present or in the future. The children were taken to school on Monday by a family member, he said.

Sutton said the childrens father, who lives in Coffee County with a Chancellor address and was divorced from Starr, has been in contact with authorities.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Enterprise Police Department and Dothan Police Department have provided help in the investigation.

There wont be any stone left unturned, I can assure you of that, Anderson said.
Government's Industrial Strategy to build a Britain fit for the future

The Governments Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term vision for how Britain can address its productivity performance and embrace technological change.

Industrial Strategy white paper

The white paper confirms government will be pressing ahead with a series of Sector Deals, with construction, life sciences, automotive and AI the first to benefit from these new strategic and long-term partnerships with government, backed by private sector co-investment. Work will continue with other sectors on transformative sector deals.



Prime Minister Theresa May said: Our modern Industrial Strategy will shape a stronger and fairer economy for decades to come. It will help create the conditions where successful businesses can emerge and grow, and support these businesses in seizing the big opportunities of our time, such as artificial intelligence and big data, whilst also making sure our young people have the skills to take on the high-paid, high-skilled jobs this creates.



As we leave the European Union and forge a new path for ourselves, we need to focus on building a better future for our country and all the people who live in it. With the Budget last week, and our Industrial Strategy in the years ahead, we will build a Britain fit for the future.



In the strategy, the government has identified 4 Grand Challenges; global trends that will shape our rapidly changing future and which the UK must embrace to ensure we harness all the opportunities they bring. The 4 are:



 artificial intelligence  we will put the UK at the forefront of the artificial intelligence and data revolution

 clean growth  we will maximise the advantages for UK industry from the global shift to clean growth

 ageing society  we will harness the power of innovation to help meet the needs of an ageing society

 future of mobility  we will become a world leader in the way people, goods and services move

Each Grand Challenge represents an open invitation to business, academia and civil society to work and engage with the government to innovate, develop new technologies and ensure the UK seizes these global opportunities.



The white paper follows extensive engagement by government with industry, academia and business bodies who submitted almost 2,000 responses to the green paper consultation earlier in 2017.



The strategy unveiled reflects this engagement, with a new and unique partnership between government, academia and industry, supported by policies that are committed to making the UK economy more productive and giving it a competitive edge in the future and abroad.



Five foundations



The white paper focuses on the 5 foundations of productivity  ideas, people, infrastructure, business environment and places  with a clear and complementary vision for each.

Each foundation is supported by a range of policies designed to provide businesses with certainty and reassurance that the UK will continue to have a competitive edge, including:



 raise total R&D investment to 2.4 percent of GDP by 2027

 increase the rate of R&D tax credit to 12 percent

 invest 725 million in new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programmes to capture the value of innovation



People



 establish a technical education system that rivals the best in the world to stand alongside our world-class higher education system

 invest an additional 406 million in maths, digital and technical education, helping to address the shortage of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills

 create a new National Retraining Scheme that supports people to re-skill, beginning with a 64 million investment for digital and construction training



Infrastructure



 increase the National Productivity Investment Fund to 31 billion, supporting investments in transport, housing and digital infrastructure

 support electric vehicles through 400 million charging infrastructure investment and an extra 100 million to extend the plug-in car grant

 boost our digital infrastructure with over 1 billion of public investment, including 176 million for 5G and 200 million for local areas to encourage roll out of full-fibre networks .

 launch and roll-out Sector Deals  partnerships between government and industry aiming to increase sector productivity; the first Sector Deals are in life sciences, construction, artificial intelligence and the automotive sector

 drive over 20 billion of investment in innovative and high potential businesses, including through establishing a new 2.5 billion Investment Fund, incubated in the British Business Bank

 launch a review of the actions that could be most effective in improving productivity and growth of small and medium-sized businesses, including how to address what has been called the long tail of lower productivity firms



Juergen Maier, CEO Siemens UK, said: By working in strong partnership with national and local government, we have created a very positive example of Industrial Strategy in action for the off-shore wind industry in the Humber which is creating a new and vibrant local economy.



Through the Industrial Strategy announcement we are optimistic that through greater investment in R&D, and especially through the application of advanced industrial digital technologies like AI and robotics, we can support many more new and existing manufacturing industries - raising productivity and creating thousands of new highly skilled and well paid jobs.



Mike Hughes, Zone President UK & Ireland at Schneider Electric said: The UK Governments industrial strategy to catapult it towards a more circular economy is welcomed by Schneider Electric.



We can maximise the value extracted from resources through better energy management, but to tackle issues such as capacity, productivity and welfare, amongst others, the central acceptance and further integration of automation is crucial.



Any industrial strategy must acknowledge that the workplace is being transformed at unpreceded speed. Automation can provide the necessary education, upskilling and productivity the UK needs. The understanding of its necessity and harmonisation of cobotics needs to be recognised before the UK can claim it can do more for national infrastructure renewal through clean energy technologies.



Click here to read Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future




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Artificial Intelligence makes headlines every day: alternately promising to save the world, or destroy it completely. Theres no doubt that it holds exciting potential for businesses. A new global study by Capgemini found that 83 percent of firms surveyed reported that AI generated new roles, with three-quarters seeing an uplift in sales related to AI implementation.

Like any new technology, if AI can be demonstrated to show a competitive advantage, organisations are going to embrace it. Those that fail to do so will run the risk of falling behind. So how can your company look at getting into AI?

One initial issue is that nobody has a very clear definition of what artificial intelligence actually is. Machine learning is not necessarily AI in itself. For example, advanced algorithms such as book recommendations from retailers may be the result of machine learning, but theyre not necessarily AI. One definition we can perhaps use is AI starts at the point where a machine can make decisions based on contexts that are unpredictable, which can have unintended consequences.

Embrace machine learning

However we define it, machine learning is where a lot of AI starts. A robot (and in the majority of cases, we are really talking about software rather than hardware), like a human, needs to learn to develop its intelligence. It does this with data.

So the first step is to start harnessing your companys data, and finding ways to turn it into insights. You need to be able to access and analyse what you have, if youre to start teaching a machine to do this for you, and build algorithms to automate processes.

Personalisation is increasingly critical for consumers. Weve seen the effectiveness of Amazon and other ratings and recommendations systems. Every business should be tapping customer behaviour and feedback and creating a personalised experience for them. Lets say youre a company that makes stools: start putting sensors on. Find out how people sit on stools, how they move on them and move them. Use this to build better stools.

Down the line AI will use that data to redesign more ergonomic models and recalibrate the settings on manufacturing machines to create them. It will then contact relevant customers with details of new models, accept payments, and ship them out via driverless vehicles. This is one area where AI is advancing rapidly, becoming a commercial reality in the next couple of years. There are estimates that driverless cars could reduce traffic fatalities by up to 90%, saving 300,000 lives per decades and USD $190 billion in healthcare costs associated with accidents.

Robotics process automation

Ideally, youll be eventually completely out of the loop while your stool factory runs itself. For now, businesses should start thinking about their workplace structure in readiness for AI. What tasks can be automated? What processes dont need constant human input?

Here were talking about robotic process automation (RPA). This is using technology to allow employees to configure computer software or a robot to capture and interpret existing applications for processing a transaction, manipulating data, triggering responses and communicating with other digital systems.

Whats critical is that the bots are trained using demonstrative steps  they learn from and copy what a human is doing  rather than being programmed using code. This means that non-technical users can teach the bots to take over certain functions, just as they would with a new colleague, but in this case turning them into virtual workers.

The safety button

At the same time, some caution is needed. Weve recently seen ASIC calling for more responsibility when it comes to the use of data and algorithms. ASIC chairman Greg Medcraft says that no matter how far technology and innovation goes, and how intelligent machines become, we need to be conscious of accountability and where risk is placed.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a pioneer of AI, has warned about safety with the increased use of AI. He claims its a bigger threat than North Korea, with an AI arms race most likely to cause World War III.

Companies should always build failsafes and kill switches in. Humans need to be able to override a machines decisions, because if the logic that leads to that decision is too complex for a human to follow, we cant predict what the machines decision will be.

About the author

Simran Gambhir is the founder of technology and software solutions provider Ganemo Group. He was previously CTO for Flybuys and News Corps digital arm.
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Turkey will not take part in Geneva if YPG attends

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that the borders will be open incase of including YPG to the negotiations in Geneva.

Speaking at a dinner organized by the British Prime Minister's trade envoy to Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that Turkey hosts over 3 million Syrian refugees and keeps nearly 53 thousand terrorists off from reaching Syria and Iraq.

Minister Yildirim reminded that although the promises, US and Europe still continue to aid terrorist organizations with arms and money rather than producing solutions in Syria.





WILL YPG BE AT GENEVA?

Assertions are arised that YPG, the extension of terrorist organization PKK in Syria, will be attending Geneva negotiations toward seeking political solution for Syria.

REFUGEE DEAL WOULD BE INVALIDATED

Minister Yildirim stated very clearly that if YPG attends the Geneva negotiations, the refugee deal between Turkey and EU would be invalidated immediately.

Yildirim also said it shouldnt be understood as a threat and added Im just remanding that Turkey has its power to re-open this route.




Scheana Marie went home for the Thanksgiving holidays.

Following a split from actor Robert Parks-Valletta weeks ago, the Vanderpump Rules star traveled east from her place in Los Angeles to her hometown in Azusa, California, to visit her parents, Erika and Ron van Olphen.

"Very thankful to have the two best parents in the world! Thank you for always supporting me. I love you so much!! #HappyThanksgiving," Scheana Marie wrote in the caption of the photo in Instagram.

In the photo, Scheana Marie was seen in the middle of her mother and father as they sat and while enjoying a meal.

For the past several months, Scheana Marie and her co-stars have been filming for the sixth season of Vanderpump Rules, which will introduce her relationship with Parks-Valletta. As fans of the series will recall, Scheana Marie's marriage to Mike Shay came to an end during the finale episode of season 5, and shortly thereafter, she began dating the actor.

Although Scheana Marie and Parks-Valletta started off on a good foot, their relationship appeared to face challenges during filming, as he was accused of kissing one of Lala Kent's friends. At some point last month, they decided to part ways after a months-long dating relationship.

While Scheana Marie and the actor are no longer dating, they have remained in touch with each other. After their breakup was announced, the reality star took to Instagram to confirm that she and Parks-Valletta have planned to stay friends.

"Looking optimistically into the future. Life doesnt always turn out how you plan," she said. "It is filled with roadblocks, bumps, twists and turns. All we can do is be our best self and believe that everything happens for a reason. Timing is everything. Learn from your experiences. Know that things could always be worse. I am very fortunate to be surrounded with an amazing family and group of friends, including @robsvalletta. Living in the public eye isnt always easy so thank you all for your continued love and support."

For more of Scheana Marie, her ex-boyfriend Robert Parks-Valletta, and their co-stars, including Stassi Schroeder, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute, Tom Schwartz, Lisa Vanderpump, and James Kennedy, dont miss the sixth season of Vanderpump Rules, which is set to premiere on Monday, Dec. 4, at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.
Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright have been dating for about two and a half years, and while they haven't announced any solid plans for their future yet, they make a good-looking family.

During a visit to Kentucky over the weekend, the Vanderpump Rules couple enjoyed spending time with Cartwright's newborn niece Presley and shared a couple of images of themselves holding the child.

"Missing this little one already, can't wait to see her at Christmas!! #babypresley #kentucky #family #thanksgiving," Taylor wrote on Nov. 26 with a photo of himself, Cartwright, and the baby.

"Aunties little Sweet P," Cartwright added around the same time with a photo of herself and Presley.

Taylor and Cartwright's visit to her hometown in Kentucky came just days after they spoke about their plans for a future wedding.

We absolutely talk about it, Taylor told Life & Style magazine during an interview last week.

Theres a castle in Kentucky that Ive always wanted to get married at, Cartwright then revealed. Its absolutely gorgeous, and I just want that complete fairy-tale wedding.

I want a winter wedding, she added, with snow on the ground and red roses everywhere.

Taylor and Cartwright's romance began in early 2015 after the couple met during a visit to Las Vegas. From there, Cartwright vacated her home in Kentucky and traveled to Los Angeles to move in with the reality star and bartender.

Although Cartwright attempted to land a job at SUR Restaurant, where Taylor bartends and Vanderpump Rules is filmed, owner Lisa Vanderpump initially turned her down due to her failure to bring a resume with her to her impromptu interview. Then several months later, Cartwright began working at the venue as a waitress.

For the past several months, Cartwright has been prompting engagement rumors on occasion by sporting a suspicious-looking diamond ring on her engagement finger. However, because the ring is not always seen on her hand, it doesn't appear to be an official engagement ring.

For more of Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and their co-stars, including Stassi Schroeder, Scheana Marie, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute, Tom Schwartz, Lisa Vanderpump, and James Kennedy, dont miss the sixth season of Vanderpump Rules, which premieres on Monday, Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.
After teasing fans with news that he's working on an album last year, Eminem has announced when his new LP, Revival, will drop.

'Revival' Release Date

Eminem fans have been waiting for official news about his upcoming album since it was first reported that the rapper would be releasing his ninth studio album soon. Their wishes have finally come true as the "Rap God" hitmaker has revealed that it will arrive in just over two weeks on Dec. 15.

Revival is a follow-up to Eminem's 2013 album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, a sequel to the rapper's 2000 titular album and the winner of Best Rap Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.

Fake Pharmaceutical Marketing Campaign

Dr. Dre announced the big reveal on social media on Tuesday, Nov. 28, using the same fake pharmaceutical marketing campaign that has featured on billboards and tweets over the last few months.

The video features a pharmaceutical rep named Trevor who has also appeared in several other ads for the same medication. He can be seen dressed in a white polo shirt and glasses, talking about how Revival can be used to treat fictional illness called Atrox Rithimus.

He first revealed that Revival is not the name of a pill or a tablet but the name of Eminem's new album before announcing the LP's release date.

Use as prescribed by your doctor. @eminem A post shared by Dr. Dre (@drdre) on Nov 28, 2017 at 12:05pm PST

This is the final culmination of a crazy promotional campaign that even had an actual website devoted to the fake drug and now, the highly awaited album now has a release date.

'Walk on Water' Single

Fans already heard one song from the upcoming album as Eminem dropped the single, "Walk on Water," earlier last month. His latest single features Beyonce and even performed the song with co-writer Skylar Grey on Saturday Night Live along with a rendition of "Love the Way You Lie" and "Stan."

The rapper also belted out the collaboration with Queen Bey at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Nov. 12.

Anti-Trump Freestyle

At the 2017 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Eminem also took aim at Donald Trump in a freestyle rap that blasted the President's policies, opinions as well as his supporters.

"This is his form of distraction/ Plus, he gets an enormous reaction," he raps in the freestyle. "When he attacks the NFL, so we focus on that/ Instead of talking about Puerto Rico or gun reform for Nevada/ All of these horrible tragedies and he's bored and would rather cause a Twitter storm with the Packers."

Watch the full video below:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding is expected to take place at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle sometime in May.

The confirmation came from the palace a day after the couple's engagement was announced. A spokesperson also confirmed that the wedding expenses will be paid for by the royal family.

Prior to their big day, Markle will be baptized into the Church of England and confirmed thereafter. The 36-year-old actress is a Protestant.

Markle, who just exited from her USA Network television show, Suits, will also become a British citizen. However, the actress won't renounce her American citizenship.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Wedding Details

Other details about the wedding are still being kept under wraps at the moment. However, royal aide Jason Knauf confirmed that the ceremony and reception will be reflective of who Markle and Prince Harry are as a couple. He added that the couple will be leading all preparations for their nuptials.

"This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters of the bride and groom," said Knauf.

Meanwhile, royal expert Kate Nicholl also explained why Prince Harry and Markle chose to get married at St. George's Chapel and not at Westminster Abbey where Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton in 2011.

According to Nicholl, Prince Harry and Markle don't want to have such a big royal wedding. They don't think it's necessary to invite as many people as his older brother did.

"Harry really wanted to have something a little bit more intimate. The second reason is that he wanted something close to home for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen," Nicholl told ET Online.

Why Royal Couple Will Wed In May

Nicholl also dished on why Prince Harry and Markle have decided to tie the knot in May. Even though the actual date hasn't been confirmed yet, the couple decided to hold it next spring so that Prince Harry's grandfather, Prince Philip, could attend.

The royal expert revealed that Prince Harry has a very close relationship with his grandfather. Since Prince Philip is already 96, he and Markle want to make sure that the Duke of Edinburgh will be fit and healthy when he witnesses their union.

"Harry thought it was a great thing to have the wedding sooner rather than later," said the royal expert.

Meanwhile, in the months leading up to Prince Harry and Markle's wedding, the couple is expected to attend various official engagements.Their first event as an engaged couple will take place on Friday, Dec. 1. The pair will visit the Nottingham Contemporary, which will be hosting a charity fair on the same day.

After their visit to the Nottingham Contemporary, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be meeting with head teachers at the Nottingham Academy.
A TITAN KRIOS cryo-electron microscope has been inaugurated at the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, in Grenoble, France. The inauguration took place in the presence of Ada Yonath, chemistry Nobel Prize laureate in 2009, Francesco Sette, Director General of the ESRF and all the partners that jointly run the facility with the ESRF: the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), the Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS) and the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). This cryo-electron microscope will provide Europe with a new, innovative and complementary facility for structural biology, serving a vibrant scientific community and addressing new biology and health challenges.

The importance of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for biochemistry has been recently recognised through the award of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson. According to the Nobel Prize Committee this technique both simplifies and improves the imaging of biomolecules and has taken biochemistry into a new era. Chemistry laureate Ada Yonath, who received the Nobel in 2009 for determining the structure of the ribosome using X-ray crystallography, in particular at the ESRF, described this technique as the next step in the resolution revolution.

To capture life in atomic details

It is often said in structural biology that seeing is believing: It is only by knowing the atom-by-atom arrangement of a biomolecule that researchers can grasp how it works and identify therapeutic solutions.

The team in the control hutch of the new CRYO-EM platform. Credits: Stef Cande.

Thanks to cryo-EM, researchers can now freeze biomolecules mid-movement, and therefore portray them at atomic resolution. They can also visualise processes inside cells they have never previously seen or depict membrane proteins. Cryo-EM allows researchers to produce films that reveal how proteins interact with other molecules, which is decisive for both the basic understanding of lifes chemistry and for the development of pharmaceuticals. The technique of cryo-EM has opened up the molecular world of the cell to direct observation, with scientists using the technique to probe the structure of drug targets, as well as components within cells involved in sensing pain and human diseases.

A collaborative platform for Europe and beyond

The strength of this equipment lies in its synergy with synchrotron-based techniques and, in its collaborative nature. The cryo-EM platform will provide scientists with a support to users from all the partner institutes: ESRF, EMBL, ILL and IBS.

This platform will offer users in Europe and beyond a holistic approach to their research as it concentrates 350 scientists from three European Institutes and one French mixed research facility in structural biology (MX) on a same site. Along with state-of-the-art and highly automated MX beamlines, it will provide scientists with full services and a large combination of techniques from sample preparation, to data collection and their interpretation.

Eaazhisai Kandiah preparing an experiment. Credits: Stef Cande.

As underlined by Francesco Sette, DG of the ESRF We are proud to inaugurate this cryo-electron microscope. The ESRF has always helped lead the way in structural biology, with the commissioning of worlds first undulator-based beamlines for MX and MX-dedicated micro-focus beamline. With this collaborative cryo-EM platform, the ESRF, with its partners, will offer a unique hub for pioneering research in structural biology and a great tool for the understanding of life.

The cryo-EM platform, which started operating in November, is open to the international user community through a peer-review system that evaluates the scientific merit of proposals, as well as their technical feasibility. There are few cryo-EMs in Europe, and they are mostly used locally. The ESRF, as an international institute, is the ideal place to offer this service to the scientific community worldwide, explains Eaazhisai Kandiah, beamline scientist.

With the addition of this world-class cryo-EM, the ESRF offers the international structural biology community the possibility of coordinated access to cutting-edge methods and instrumentation. "The ESRF international scientific community can now use the information obtained both from diffraction experiments and from cryo-EM in a complementary fashion to better and more fully interpret action and function of complex bio-macromolecules. It will allow scientists to push the field of structural biology forward, to better understand the nature of health diseases, and to develop new drugs. underlines Christoph Muller-Dieckmann, beamline responsible.

The Cryo-EM platform will be run by 7 scientists, including 3 from the ESRF, 2 from EMBL and 2 from IBS.

"At EMBL, we're very excited at the opportunities this new facility will offer, and the more refined insight it will give us into detailed biological structures that are difficult to observe otherwise, like the components of viruses," said Iain Mattaj, Director General of EMBL. "We're happy to continue to develop this technology for biology, with an EMBL scientist as one of the platform's managing scientists.

The IBS, with its competitive program in electron microscopy, is proud to participate in this European effort to provide state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy technology to a large community of structural biologists in order to piece together the atomic details of macromolecular assemblies, the molecular machines of life, underlined Winfried Weissenhorn, Director of the IBS.

The arrival of cryo-EM on the EPN campus provides new, state-of-the-art infrastructure and a major boost for biology. The ILL, with its UK partner at Keele University, is excited to be part of this project, looking to further develop synergies between neutron techniques and the wider range of techniques on the EPN campus, explained Mark Johnson, Director of Research at ILL.
Ireland has unexpectedly turned up to be a hurdle to the progressing Brexit talks. The Irish government said that the British were not doing enough to prevent the reinstallation of customs checks between the UK and Ireland, which could rekindle sectarian violence. The Irish leaders are worried that Brexit would have a negative impact on business relations and social ties that have deepened since the end of the Troubles  as the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland during the late 20th century is called.

Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, will leave the EU as well, which is a problem since Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland. The two Irish economies are inter-connected both on the economy and peoples level. There are fears that the return of the border and division could reignite the tensions. The Troubles are often referred to as a guerilla war or a low-level war and they are usually considered to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

To address the Brexit issue, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney proposed the British government to grant Northern Ireland a special status, similar to the one that China gave to Hong Kong upon its return from Great Britain in 1997. The UK plans to leave the EU single market and customs union, which will effectively create two economies and require the re-instatement of a border. Such a scenario would disrupt supplies and trade links since about 80% of Irish transports are transported to the UK. There are about 300 roads and more than a million of Irish people cross the border each year. Expectations are that they will be able to do so freely after Brexit as well.
Charity funds Medicine students placements abroad

Final year Medicine students have spent the summer developing their clinical skills through international work placements in locations around the world, thanks to a charity donation.

The 10,000 donation, by the charity The Hospital Saturday Fund (HSF), enabled four final year Medicine students to conduct work placements across the globe, from the oceans of Panama to the mountains of Nepal.

The HSF made the donation to the University of Exeter Medical School in August, to support medical students in this essential part of their training. The charity aims to support healthcare through grants for care, research, and support of medical training.

Exeters Medicine students undertake a work placement in their final year to enrich their learning. This can be a clinical or research placement, or a combination of both. Many students take this opportunity to see how medicine is practised in other parts of the world.

One student, Seren Dupont, spent her elective in Nepal, working in an emergency department of a hospital for the first half, then practising medicine in remote villages. My time in Nepal was truly amazing, Seren said. I gained confidence in my own abilities in diagnosing and managing patients, which I am certain will benefit me in my final year as a student and as I begin my career.

Another, Cariosa Devlin, travelled to Tonga, where she spent eight weeks practising general medicine, as well as Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The ethical situations that I observed have taught me so much about how medicine is influenced by cultural beliefs and the history of a country, said Cariosa. I am truly grateful for the wonderful opportunities and experiences I have gained from this trip.

Aniela Neicho did two placements on her elective; first working with Floating Doctors, a non-profit organisation which delivers medical care to remote communities, in Panama; and then at a private hospital in Medellin, Colombia.

Whilst with Floating Doctors, Aniela contributed to health education, saying she really enjoyed being able to plan and deliver a few basic teaching sessions for classes of children is some of the communities we visited. Reflecting on the trip, Aniela said: I found it an incredibly rewarding experience which has fuelled my desire to participate in medical aid work in the future.

Christa Brew undertook a placement in Iloilo, Philippines. She worked in Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Family Medicine and Anaesthetics. Christa said: I feel I have learnt a great deal on my elective I learnt to appreciate different cultures and how this may affect patients health beliefs. This will certainly be useful in the future as a doctor as I will meet patients from all kinds of backgrounds and having an understanding of different beliefs is paramount.

Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of The Hospital Saturday Fund said: The Hospital Saturday Fund is delighted to support the University of Exeter Medical School with their Medical Electives Programme which gives students the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills in diverse overseas locations. The Hospital Saturday Fund is pleased to have the opportunity to work with Exeter and is thrilled to see the development of the students as they benefit from first-hand clinical experience and development of their skills.

Dr Nicki Saulsbury, who is responsible for ensuring University of Exeter Medical School Medicine students are prepared for clinical practice, said: Its wonderful to see our students contribution to the ongoing health needs of the environments they visit. As well as this, these international placements are hugely valuable in shaping students medical training. Students get fantastic hands-on experience of the extremes of medicine around the world, including seeing the practice of medicine in areas with limited resources. These placements help students develop vital personal and professional skills which will be extremely useful in their future careers as doctors, in the UK or abroad.
It sounds as if you're trying to get this document in order to get married in Greece. If that's the case, you should probably post this request in the Greece forum here: Greece Expat Forum for Expats Living in Greece - Expat Forum For People Moving Overseas And Living Abroad There is a similar document required in some European countries for a foreigner to marry there, but it's an affidavit that specifies that the foreigner is "eligible" to marry under the laws of their own country. Sometimes this is called a Certificate of Celibacy. This may be what they are asking for. The US Consulate should have some form they can fill out that will meet the requirements of whatever the local marriage registry is asking for - and with any kind of luck, it may well be a bi-lingual form so won't need to be translated.Cheers,Bev
National Geographic Traveler magazine has given San Antonio an early gift for its tricentennial celebration next year.

The magazine named the Alamo City as one of the worlds 21 must-see destinations for 2018  along with world-renowned locales like Madagascar, Dublin, Ireland and Oaxaca, Mexico.

The list is published in the magazine that went on newsstands Tuesday and can be viewed online at: NatGeoTravel.com/BestTrips2018.

Party like its 1718, the magazine declares, explaining that the five San Antonio Spanish missions are Texas only World Heritage site, as designated by UNESCO.

Three centuries of history inspired San Antonio to throw a big-as-Texas Tricentennial Celebration. Join the year-long party at the kickoff New Years Eve concert and fireworks extravaganza or at any of more than 550 scheduled arts and cultural events, the article states.

Only two other U.S. cities are included on the list, Cleveland, Ohio, and the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

More Information National Geographic Traveler magazine's 2018 best destinations, in alphabetical order: Albania Cleveland, Ohio Dublin, Ireland Friesland, Netherlands Harar, Ethiopia Jordan Trail, Jordan Jujuy Province, Argentina Labrador, Canada Madagascar Malmo, Sweden Oahu, Hawaii Oaxaca, Mexico Phnom Penh, Cambodia Ruaha National Park, Tanzania San Antonio Santiago, Chile Seoraksan National Park, South Korea Sydney, Australia Tbilisi, Georgia Tetouan, Morocco Vienna, Austria Source: National Geographic Traveler See More Collapse

Our mission is to inspire curiosity and encourage our readers to explore the world with passion and purpose, George Stone, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler, said in a statement. The 21 places that we profile make for a year of exhilarating discoveries and a dream itinerary for intrepid travelers. Our list is fun, vivid, surprising and rewarding.

More than 34 million visitors come to San Antonio every year, Visit San Antonio said Tuesday.

The magazines 9. 6 million readers have the highest passport ownership, most international and domestic trips and most outdoor recreation spending of any other travel title, Visit San Antonio said in a news release.

Thats a huge recognition. The worldwide distribution of the magazine is impressive. The magazine is all over the world. Its in over 180 countries, said Marco Barros, CEO and president of the San Antonio Area Tourism Council.

Conde Nast Traveler, Fodors and Frommers have also listed San Antonio as a must-see travel destination. Travel + Leisure magazine named San Antonio one of the friendliest cities in the nation in October.

Visit San Antonio CEO and President Casandra Matej, said the National Geographic Traveler listing shines a spotlight on the city.

As San Antonio prepares to celebrate its tricentennial in 2018, this incredible honor arrives at a special place in our timeline as one of the most authentic, culturally celebrated destinations in the world, Matej said.

dhendricks@express-news.net
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Several months ago, things looked grim for South San Antonio Independent School Districts Upward Bound program.

In August, dozens of students at South San High School got the news that federal funding had been lost for the program, which for more than 20 years had helped the districts low-income students become the first in their families to attend college.

Now, after a months-long fundraising effort, the program will be revamped, revitalized and renamed. Communities In Schools of San Antonio, the organization that administered South Sans Upward Bound effort, said it has raised $338,500 to date, including local and national donations and multi-year funding commitments, to support it for the next three years.

That figure approaches the funding the program had previously received from a U.S. Department of Education grant, which came to about $400,000 per year, said Lauren Geraghty, director of strategic initiatives for Communities In Schools.

On Tuesday evening, Communities In Schools invited the 64 South San students who had been in Upward Bound to a family dinner at the high school, where they announced the reboot and solicited feedback from alumni, students and parents on how to expand the programs flexibility with more limited resources.

The donations were secured through partnerships with several companies and foundations, including Whataburger, Toyota, the Wells Fargo Foundation, Mays Family Foundation and Guido Brothers Construction. Funding from the Search Institute, a group that focuses on childhood development and education, will help the program put additional emphasis on helping students build better relationships.

Over the years, Upward Bound has provided South San students with an array of college readiness resources  ACT and SAT tutoring, Saturday school, tours at Texas and out-of-state universities, reviews of college application essays, help with scholarship and financial aid applications. Those services can be crucial for low-income high school students whose families may be unfamiliar with higher education and balk at the cost of tuition.

Lee Hernandez, principal of South San High, said the Upward Bound students were disappointed when they heard the program was ending.

Having these opportunities and being exposed to them definitely gives them a stronger sense of continuing their education, he said.

The fact that the money for South Sans program is no longer coming from the government means that not only will the program have a new name, but it will no longer have to operate under federal requirements, Geraghty said.

Upward Bound students must be aspiring first-generation college students, come from a certain household income level and maintain records for academics, attendance and behavior, she said. Since South Sans program now will use private funds, Geraghty said, it can expand the pool of students it serves and include at-risk students who previously didnt meet the requirements.

One of the most distinguished graduates of South Sans Upward Bound program was City Councilman Rey Saldana, who was able to attend Stanford University with its help. When he heard it was in jeopardy, he positioned himself as the programs poster child, making phone calls to local foundations and sitting in on meetings in an attempt to save it.

Such a program is especially important in a district like South San, where the vast majority of students are economically disadvantaged, Saldana said.

Without a program like this in this community, in this zip code, what youll see is less students making it to the graduation stage and an even smaller percentage of those who did cross making it through college, he said.

lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba
The University of Texas System will vie to manage Los Alamos National Laboratory after its divided board narrowly voted to put forward a bid.

Four regents supported submitting a proposal to manage the high-profile national security institute, whose research arms also include supercomputing, renewable energy and space exploration. Los Alamos has a multibillion-dollar budget and works with entities including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

Approving regents cited what they said is the UT Systems ability to change a culture at Los Alamos, long plagued with safety and security challenges, and potential research possibilities.

No big, bold move is without risk, Regent Paul Foster said.

The system has a business partner willing to work with it to manage the facility, regents said. But administrators declined to identify that corporate partner.

The discussion and vote Monday drew out concerns from three regents who have expressed frustration with UT System spending.

They said big system initiatives, which this would be, come at the expense of academic institutions.

Its going to distract us from our core mission, said Regent Janiece Longoria, who joined the board earlier this year. I believe Los Alamos is and will continue to be problematic from a nuclear safety standpoint.

Challenges at Los Alamos stem from its remote location in New Mexico, its mission, corporate influence and culture of secrecy, observers say. On the 39-square-mile campus are high explosives and plutonium, global security operations with nonproliferation and counter-proliferation divisions, and ongoing technology and engineering research.

The University of California managed the facility after World War II and has continued to do so since the mid-2000s in collaboration with business interests in a private limited liability company called Los Alamos National Security.

Even after several safety and security scandals, including reports of missing property, fraud and safety issues, LANS beat out UT for the contract in 2005.

University of California officials insisted earlier this month that the university is well-positioned to earn the bid again. The current contract ends in September 2018. Bids are due in mid-December.

Greg Mello, who directs the Los Alamos Study Group which monitors nuclear laboratories and favors nuclear disarmament, said he was not surprised regents would acknowledge the risk before a vote.

People would have to have their heads in the sand to not realize that this is a troubled laboratory, Mello said.

UT Deputy Chancellor David Daniel, who is heading the UT Systems bid effort, called regents deliberations thoughtful and said the system has weighed the risks.

He said he has grown more confident as he has learned what UT can do to improve the safety record at Los Alamos.

The three dissenting regents  Longoria, Kevin Eltife and Steve Hicks  explained their positions by citing safety concerns and potential reputational and economic risks. Regents already voted this fall to spend $4.5 million on developing a bid for Los Alamos.

Eltife and Longoria both said the University of Texas at Austin has concerns about the bid, but a spokesman for the states flagship declined to comment after the vote.

The regents divide highlighted what has become a familiar split on the board this year. Regents disagree on the role of the system and whether it needs to pare back spending.

Forty entities have officially expressed interest in managing Los Alamos, including IBM Global Business Services. Texas A&M Universitys regents are also considering a bid.
The latest reprieve for a San Antonio death row inmate is his third this year.

Juan Castillo was set to die Dec. 14, but a court on Tuesday called off the date, this time bouncing the case back to a lower court.

His September execution date was canceled due to Hurricane Harvey. Before that, Bexar County prosecutors had asked to have his execution date reset after they failed to give sufficient notice to the defense.

The 36-year-old was convicted of killing teenage rapper Tommy Garcia Jr. in a botched robbery on a San Antonio lovers lane.

Castillos then-girlfriend lured the targeted man to a secluded spot with the promise of sex and drugs. Castillo was one of four people convicted in the crime, but he was fingered as the trigger man and was the only one hit with a capital sentence.

He was found guilty on what would have been his victims 21st birthday.

Mr. Castillo was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death based on false testimony, defense attorney Tim Gumkowski said.

There was no physical or forensic evidence presented that connected Mr. Castillo to this crime. Nor were there any independent witnesses that implicated Mr. Castillo. The only unbiased, seemingly independent testimony implicating Mr. Castillo was from an individual who we now know lied about Juans involvement in the murder, he added.

At Castillos trial, fellow Bexar County jail inmate Gerardo Gutierrez testified that Castillo had described the crime in detail, confessing his role in the slaughter.

But in 2013, Gutierrez signed an affidavit admitted hed lied.

I described what Juan Castillo supposedly told me about the capital murder, he wrote, according to court filings. Juan Castillo never told me this information about this capital murder case. This testimony was untrue about Juan Castillo. I made up this testimony to try to help myself.

Prosecutors argued that appeals based on the 2013 revelation were procedurally barred, could not be considered credible and only reiterated claims corroborated by other witness testimony.

But for Tuesdays decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals looked to a 2009 decision mandating that  whether or not its intentional  the use of false testimony violates due process. Because Castillos only other habeas appeal in the trial court came before the 2009 decision, the appellate court on Tuesday decided to give him another chance.

Previously, Castillo had an execution date set for May. That was reset for September after Bexar County prosecutors requested it.

Around the same time, defense lawyers filed motions seeking DNA testing on a knit cap sent to a crime lab back in 2003, just weeks after the slaying.

But it was Hurricane Harvey and not DNA claims that prompted the cancellation of Castillos September execution date.

The Dec. 14 date would have been the Lone Star States eighth and last execution for 2017.

The next death date on the calendar is on Jan. 18, when Houston-area serial killer Anthony Shore is scheduled to die by lethal injection.
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For the eighth consecutive year, the teen birth rate in Bexar County dropped in 2016, according to provisional data released Tuesday by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

The lower rate, 30.2 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19, represents a more than 50 percent decline since 2006. For the first time, the Bexar County rate is below the statewide average of 34 teen births per 1,000 females set in 2015, the most recent number available.

Last year, there were 2,007 births to females in that age range in the county, compared with 2,106 the year before.

Still, the countys teen birth rate was significantly higher than the national rate of 20.3 teen births per 1,000 females, and the number of repeat teen births remained stagnant last year.

In 2016, 406 teens who gave birth already had at least one child, meaning repeat teen births accounted for some 20 percent of all teen births.

In addition, there were 37 births to females ages 10 to 14.

The data show that evidence-based (sex education) programs, coupled with parent communication and teen access to no-cost, long-acting contraception is helping to reduce teen pregnancy, said Mario Martinez, head of the citys Project Worth program and interim assistant director of Metro Health. We need to continue the momentum weve built, because we still have a long way to go.

In order to focus on improving the intractable repeat teen birth statistic, Project Worth and community partners  known as the San Antonio Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaborative  recently homed in on the particular issues of teen parents, conducting an in-depth analysis of what might support them so they could avoid additional pregnancies.

What the group found, Martinez said, was that teen parents often struggle with mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety, which can hobble their efforts to function, such as accessing health care and birth control.

Depression is a significant problem among teen parents, given the stress levels that go along with new parenting, he said. Theyre trying to stay in school, theyre dealing with the financial struggle of having a new family. We need to provide the right guidance and services to help them cope.

Toward that goal, last September the City Council approved the allocation of $541,000 in special federal Medicaid funding to go toward two things  providing teens better access to long-acting contraception, such as IUDs and hormonal implants, as well as access to mental health counseling.

The contraception funding will go to University Health Systems clinics, and the counseling piece will be handled by Communities in Schools, focusing on communities in ZIP codes with high teen birth rates, Martinez said.

Minors must have parental approval to access the birth control and mental health services, he added.

Metro Health Director Colleen Bridger, who spoke at a news conference announcing the new data, said: Parent-child communication is the strongest indicator in reducing teen pregnancy.

Parents need to talk to their children about their goals and aspirations, and what having a baby at 16 does to your ability to achieve those goals, she said.

Bridger said she agreed with the Centers for Disease Control that reducing teen births is a winnable battle.

In Bexar County, that battle is more dire in some areas than others  15 ZIP codes in the city have teen birth rates that were two to four times the national rate.

District Four Councilman Rey Saldana spoke at the event, saying he had a friend in middle school who became pregnant in seventh grade, at age 12.

Life is difficult enough for teens, especially those who are born into circumstances of poverty and other stresses, he said. We cant take our eye off the ball with this, we cant go backwards.
AUSTIN  Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, known for his humorous tweets and his role on the bench, said he successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on a fellow father at a Chick-fil-A here Tuesday night, saving the man's life.

Willett said the real hero is an Austin middle school band director, Herson De La Garza. Garza first stepped in to perform the Heimlich after he saw the man clutch his own throat, the assistant band director from Gorzycki Middle School told KXAN-TV.

I was hunched over my MacBook, munching some Chick-fil-A chicken strips while discussing errands with my wife on my cell, Willett wrote in an email. Suddenly, a nearby customer rushed to the booth in front of me and started performing the Heimlich maneuver on a dad who was dining with his young daughter. I hung up on my wife (first time in 21 years!) and jumped up.

Willett identified the Good Samaritan customer as De La Garza, a middle school band director. Willett said De La Garza gave the choking man three or four upward abdominal thrusts, but he still couldnt breathe.

Herson moved over, and I gave a quick thrust or two, dislodging the nugget and clearing the airway, Willett wrote, adding that since De La Garza was first on the scene he deserves enormous praise.

The judge said he was going to send a letter to the Austin Independent School District superintendent about De La Garzas heroism.

This all happened in the blink of an eye, Willett said in his email, urging everyone to get training in life-saving skills such as the Heimlich, CPR and others.

I hugged my wife and three wee Willetts a little tighter when I got home, and we prayed for this man's dear family, especially his sweet daughter, who was just frozen in fear, watching all this unfold, the judge wrote. Life is precious  and so fragile.

Willett, nicknamed "Tweeter Laureate of Texas," was not the first to share the account on Twitter. Chief Judge Stephen Dillard, who sits on the Court of Appeals of Georgia, tweeted the story Tuesday night, introducing the tale as This Day in Judicial Activism.

Seriously though, the next time our Court offers a lifesaving training class, I am signing up. I need a refresher course, Dillard said.

Willett is awaiting Senate confirmation to the 5th U.S. Court of Appeals.

andrea.zelinski@chron.com
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AUSTIN  At least seven physicians have registered to prescribe medicinal marijuana to patients who suffer uncontrollable epileptic seizures, though advocates hope that number will grow.

Its not going to satisfy the need, but were not concerned either, said Sindi Rosales with the Epilepsy Foundation of Central and South Texas. I think theres much more interest than what the seven registered doctors represent.

Two dispensaries licensed by the state, Compassionate Cultivation in the Austin area and Cansortium Texas in Schulenburg, are already growing marijuana plants and expect to begin producing cannabidiol, or CBD oil, within the next few months.

To get the drug, patients need a prescription from certified epileptologists or neurologists.

So far, three of the registered physicians are in San Antonio, according to state records obtained by the Marijuana Policy Project and shared with the San Antonio Express-News. Four others are based in Austin, Dallas, Tyler and The Woodlands. None returned a call for comment.

Critics have warned that physicians may be wary of signing up because Texas law requires doctors to prescribe cannabidiol, instead of recommending it, a phrase other states have used to sidestep federal cannabis prohibitions. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug at the federal level, alongside heroin and Ecstasy.

Its a surprise to me theres so many, said Heather Fazio, Texas political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, referring to the number of doctors who have signed up so far.

Morris Denton, CEO of Compassionate Cultivation, said its up to dispensing organizations to educate doctors and get more signed up.

What I would like to see is to have several hundred doctors who are registered, Denton said after a dedication ceremony Tuesday at the organizations dispensary. We have to get the word out for how physicians walk through this process.

The state registry only recently opened to physicians, who are allowed to prescribe low-THC (the component that produces a high) cannabidiol to patients with intractable epilepsy.

Patient prescriptions are entered into the states electronic Compassionate Use Registry, which dispensing organizations can access. No entries have been made yet, Denton said.

Of the estimated 150,000 Texans who suffer from intractable epilepsy, its not clear how many will seek the medicinal oil once its available. The therapy isnt covered by insurance, though Denton announced Tuesday he is prepared to work with advocates to find ways to subsidize the costs, which are still largely unknown.

Its been more than two years since the Legislature approved the Texas Compassionate Use Act, which required the Department of Public Safety to license at least three dispensing organizations by September this year. Surterra Texas, also located in the Austin area, is still undergoing final review, according to DPS. The organization did not return a request for comment.

The first batch of roughly 60 plants growing at Compassionate Cultivation are about a month old and will be ready to harvest in early 2018. The plants are kept in windowless square rooms lit by powerful lamps. Patients will eventually be able to buy product in a front room of the facility, a tightly secured gray warehouse equipped with surveillance cameras that are on around the clock.

The companys first strain is named for state Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, who sponsored legislation creating the Compassionate Use Program and spoke at the ceremony Tuesday.

Everybody is not going to respond to this medication, but those that do, it has been life-changing, Klick said. I am anxious for patients to have medicine in their hands.

amorris@express-news.net
I had jury duty Tuesday morning.

There was no defendant on trial and the setting was a North Side college classroom, not a downtown courthouse. But the stakes were unquestionably large.

Actually, there was a defendant, but it was an environmental phenomenon rather than a human being. UTSAs Foundation of Civic Engagement class put climate change on trial and invited members of the community to grapple with the question of whether this city should adopt a heat-island policy.

A heat island is a metropolitan area whose high energy use and shortage of green space tends to produce higher temperatures than those found in surrounding areas. Heat islands drive up energy consumption and drive down livability.

Doug Melnick, San Antonios first chief sustainability officer, and the star witness for the prosecution Tuesday, pointed out that the temperature in the core of this city is commonly about six to eight degrees higher than in our surrounding areas.

Melnick made his case for a two-pronged heat-island policy in San Antonio: a cool-roof initiative, modeled on one implemented by New York City, that would require a homeowner replacing at least 75 percent of their roof to install a roof with white reflective coating; and an expansion of the citys 2010 tree ordinance, increasing the requirement from two to three trees per single-family lot.

The big challenge is realizing that one roof or 10 roofs isnt going to accomplish mitigating the heat, Melnick said. Its got to be a comprehensive policy.

The trial happened at a pivotal time in San Antonios climate-change evolution. On June 22, the City Council passed a resolution supporting the Paris climate accord, a pointed rebuke of President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the agreement. Five days later, CPS Energy committed to allocating $500,000 to UTSA to work with the city on the development of a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

On December 7, the city will kick off that plan with a forum at UTSAs downtown campus, featuring Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Councilwoman Ana Sandoval and Paula Gold-Williams, the president and CEO of CPS Energy.

Cara Tackett, senior vice-president of Pape-Dawson Engineers, countered Melnicks testimony at Tuesdays trial. She and Melnick, however, agreed on one fundamental point: Any climate change strategy has to be based on a cost-benefit analysis. Their disagreements involved contrasting views on where the benefits of action outweigh the costs.

Its a debate complicated by the fact that the costs associated with stricter climate-change policies will be felt in the short term, while the benefits of planting more trees, for example, wont be obvious for years.

Tackett made the argument that increased regulation will make home ownership a prohibitive proposition for too many San Antonians.

Were not New York City, she said. San Antonio has always been an affordable city to buy a home.

Under cross-examination, Melnick was asked whether the free market would organically get us where we want to go on climate change, without the burden of new government regulations.

My experience, he said, is that development is slow to change.

After the testimony from Melnick and Tackett, the attendees split up into seven juries and deliberated. There was broad consensus that climate change should be addressed at the local level. Most of the debate was about how far to go and who should pay for it.

For example, the concept of rebates to incentivize cool roofs was universally supported by my jury, but regulations  which some disparaged as unfunded mandates  found less favor.

In the end, six of the seven juries opposed a cool-roof policy, while three of those juries also opposed an expansion of the tree ordinance. The most nuanced response came from a jury whose spokesman was T.J. Mayes, the chief of staff for Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. Mayes jury offered support for a cool-roof plan, with the provision that a committee should be created to study its impact, and conditional backing for an expanded tree ordinance.

After the jury verdicts came in, Melnick and Tackett accepted the appreciation of the crowd, which included high-school students who had made a two-hour drive from the town of Mason.

Youre all wrong, Melnick joked to the jurors. Good work anyway.

He knew as well as everyone there that this case has only begun to be litigated in San Antonios court of public opinion.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
The grand U.S. Post Office at 615 E. Houston St., rising six stories high directly across from Alamo Plaza  takes up the entire city block, harkening back to a time when public architecture was built to impress as well as inspire.

Even today, almost a century after it was built, its hard not to approach the building with a certain amount of awe, noticing the impressive inventory of materials used in its construction. The polished handrails surrounding the buildings bright cream-colored exterior, hewn from Texas limestone, are solid brass, and as you make your approach up the broad, solid steps are constructed of Texas pink granite with its sparkly flecks of mica.

Then make your way through the bronze-clad revolving door into the buildings spacious lobby, where sunlight streams through arched half-round windows ringing the place and narrow lamps hang from the ceiling. Rising up to meet those windows, running two-thirds up every wall, is more stonework  this time, a yellowish St. Genevieve marble. But above those marble walls, centered in every space between pairs of windows, is the showpiece within a showpiece of this thoroughly gorgeous federal building from another era: A series of murals painted by Howard Norton Cook entitled San Antonios Importance in Texas History.

This 16-panel set of murals, painted in the fresco style between 1937 and 1939, runs for 750 square feet. The panels range in size from 6 feet by 73 feet on the north and south walls to 6 feet by 20 feet on the east and west walls. (Sadly, no captions exist to explain to visitors what they are seeing.) But size alone isnt what captivates the groups of tourists who regularly stop by the space, and crane their necks upward to gaze upon this vibrant artwork. Its also one of the best examples available today of a unique phenomenon from one particular period in American history, the post office murals popularized during President Franklin Delano Roosevelts post-Depression, New Deal administration.

Viewers who have little or no previous exposure to art can appreciate the Post Office murals simple, direct style, Philip Parisi writes in his definitive work, The Texas Post Office Murals: Art for the People. The murals reflect the efforts of the country trying to recapture a vision of its greatness, a vision that had been reduced to a sputtering flame as the effects of the Great Depression swept across the country.

The New Deal pumped Federal funds into a moribund America, crippled by the harsh effects of the Great Depression. Some of the funds were reserved for building projects liked the federal post office and courthouse; others supported artists of various kinds  painters, sculptors, writers and poets  as they created public art for the ages, intended to revive American enthusiasm and remind us of our own indomitable spirit. The painting style emphasized at the time was Thomas Hart Bentons American Scene, and various painters emulated aspects of its populist subject matter and bold, direct  almost muscular  style. Popular motifs included events from Texas history, folklore, legends, ordinary people and landscapes.

The artwork had the potential to build morale, President Roosevelt believed, covering subjects native, human, eager and alive  all of it painted by their own kind in their own country, and painted about things they know and look at often and have touched and loved, according to an article about New Deal Art in Post Offices, displayed on the U.S. Postal Services website. The University of California at Berkeleys Living New Deal website catalogs as many as theyve been able to find. San Antonio resident and amateur historian Elizabeth Hilburn has written about several local finds for that site, and says she was totally unprepared for the great visual impact of the Cook murals in the post offices lobby.

Hilburn says shes enchanted and fascinated by the whole range of Works Project Administration and New Deal-era artwork that exists in San Antonio, because each one represents a slice of American history and life and America during that era. Each tile, each mural, each building that survives today has a story behind it  of the people who designed and crafted each one as well as insight into peoples thoughts and lifestyles at the time.

The post office murals in their heyday numbered more than 1,000. Today, only a portion of those survive intact: Parisi mentions 97 in 69 courthouses and federal buildings. Over time, many of the murals fell into disrepair, were destroyed during remodeling projects, simply disappeared  or maybe worst of all, were painted over by possibly well-meaning but misguided art critics. Oddly, many of the murals were originally designed to be displayed over the postmasters door  a long, narrow space that many artists found challenging to manage, and something that makes Cooks gigantic, 16-panel work ringing the entire lobby all that more impressive and unusual.

In Cooks case, the San Antonio Post Office murals were a commission received as the result of a competition he won against 185 other artists. Originally from the East Coast (Massachusetts), Cook and his wife, Barbara Latham, also an artist, made their home in Taos, New Mexico, around frequent travels. They had both spent time in Europe, working on their art, and Cook had traveled to Mexico, where he was influenced by famous Mexican muralists such as Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco.

Cooks commission in San Antonio came shortly after the new post office had been built and took him two years to complete. He managed to finish it six months ahead of schedule, and was paid $12,000. Several years later, Cook accepted another Texas post office mural commission, and painted the one in Corpus Christi, completed in 1941, that now hangs in the Nueces County Courthouse, as well as one at another federal post office and courthouse combination in Pittsburgh. (A wide-ranging look at his other artwork is here, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum online.)

Apparently while Cook painted his scenes from compelling moments in Texas history, from the conquistadors through cattle drives, locals milled around under the scaffolding raised near the ceiling so he could do his work  and made supportive or disparaging remarks about his artwork as it progressed. At one point he was reportedly working with a broken arm, which must have been something to see. When the murals were completed, the results pleased almost everyone.

Your work fascinated us like a hypnotist does his victims, said an article in the San Antonio Light at the time. Some of the highest praise came from the local postmaster himself, who acknowledged with some satisfaction, I have seen murals at different points over the country, and without prejudice I think the job Mr. Cook did here ranks among the best.

The building where Cooks murals are housed was renamed the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in 2004. A few years earlier, in 2000, the year after Cooks murals were restored, the building was accepted for membership on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings lobby is open to the public seven days a week, and a display case beyond the security barrier, reachable only during business hours, depicts Howard Cooks work on the 16-panel mural series.
According to the report, The Day After NAFTA, a failure to renegotiate the trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico would lead to a 0.2 percent net reduction in real U.S. gross domestic product over the next five years, and a 1 percent decrease for Canadas economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from NAFTA unless it can be reworked in favor of the United States, arguing that the pact has hollowed out U.S. manufacturing and caused a trade deficit of more than $60 billion with Mexico.

The United States, Mexico and Canada concluded a fifth round of talks to update NAFTA last week with major differences unresolved, casting doubt on whether a deal could be reached by the end of March 2018 as planned.



Arguably uncertainty would be a bigger drag on all three economies

Douglas Porter, chief economist of BMO Financial Group and one of the reports authors, said that while the three North American economies would adjust to a new reality, a shift in low-wage work to Mexico enabled by NAFTA had made them collectively more competitive on the global stage.

If we splinter up NAFTA into three separate economies, that makes all of us less competitive and ultimately the whole region will end up losing a bit versus other trading areas like Asia, Porter told Reuters by telephone. The point here is there would be a cost to the U.S. economy and its a totally unnecessary cost.

Our view is even if the U.S. administration were to achieve that goal, it might come at the cost of an even wider deficit with Asia in particular, Porter said.

If NAFTA negotiations were to fail, trade among the three countries would be subject to tariffs set by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

According to the report, the U.S. industries that would be hardest hit by reverting to WTO tariffs would be automotive, where the supply chain straddles all three economies, and textiles, as Canada and Mexico account for 15 percent of U.S. manufacturers sales.

The report did not examine a Zombie NAFTA scenario, where opposition from the U.S. Congress would stall Trump administration efforts to terminate NAFTA, but Porter said that would create huge uncertainty for businesses in North America.

Arguably uncertainty would be a bigger drag on all three economies, he said.

Source: Meatbusiness
But there is not an inexhaustible amount of funding available from the State Government and all relevant local governments must consider very carefully how they will carry out and fund these vital works into the future.
Mehmet Hakan AtillaThat question was posed in a New York Times story about the start of the trial of Mehmet Hakan Atilla, which began Monday in New York City with jury selection. The case involves allegations money-laundering, corruption and evasion of Iranian sanctions by several Turkish individuals, government officials and banks in the country.

The case has drawn the ire of the Turkish government which has gone so far as to open an investigation into the former head of the Justice Department for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, whose office originally brought the charges.

The case involves Reza Zarrab, who is accused of managing a billion-dollar scheme to smuggle gold for Iranian oil. Zarrab may have entered into a plea bargain with the prosecution and may reveal damaging evidence about corruption and illegal dealings in high places in Turkey right up to the Turkish Foreign Minister.

The Times reported that If Mr. Zarrab has indeed become a government witness, prosecutors are still expected to proceed to trial against a co-defendant, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker who has pleaded not guilty. Seven other defendants have been charged but remain at large.

Turkish officials are concerned about the untoward information which could come out of the trial, linking the highest level of its government to trade with Iran during the period of U.S. sanctions. All of this is in the context of the lowest ebb of relations between Turkey and the U.S. probably since they were on opposite sides during World War I.

Turkeys President has claimed this trial is an attack on the very foundation of his government. This led to the question raised by Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican Peoples Party, an opposition politician, Whats nationalist about corruption?

On a more practical note, business leaders in Turkey are concerned the trial could negatively impact the reputation of the country, particularly around bribery and corruption. The Turkish lira continues to drop against the U.S. dollar and the tensions between the countries are not helping business relations either.

______

Tom Fox is a Contributing Editor of the FCPA Blog. He has practiced law in Houston for 30 years. Hes the creator of the award winning FCPA Compliance and Ethics website. He is the Compliance Evangelist. His best-selling seminal book, Best Practices Under the FCPA and Bribery Act: How to Create a First Class Compliance Program (available from Amazon here) is widely viewed as one of the top volumes on the nuts and bolts of compliance. His latest book is 2016  The Year in Corporate FCPA Enforcement.
Mark Stibbe is an award winning and bestselling author of over 40 books. His new novel, The Fate of Kings is about a Vicar on the Kent coast who becomes enrolled in the emerging British Secret Service in 1793.

Mark Stibbe

Mark Stibbe, now a fulltime novelist, writes about why he believes female readers will enjoy about The Fate of Kings.

No 1: The story features the most pioneering woman of that era

I am referring to Lady Hester Stanhope, about whom much has been written in recent years, including by Kirsten Ellis in her brilliant biography, Star of the Morning. Lady Hester became a fearless adventurer, travelling to the Middle East one hundred years before T.E. Lawrence, conducting the first archaeological digs in the Holy Land and ending her life as the Queen of the Desert. She was unconventional and non-conformist.

Hester is only eighteen when we meet her in The Fate of Kings. She is the beloved niece of William Pitt, the youngest Prime Minister in British history. Pitt asks Hester to help him host events at Walmer Castle and it is Lady Hester who corners Thomas Pryce, our hero, after a dinner party and urges him to go on a rescue mission to France to find the parents of his French wife, Eloise. It is Lady Hester who gives him a pistol that one day he will have to use.

A film about her life is being produced by the makers of The Kings Speech.

Lady Hesters relationship with Thomas Pryce will feature in subsequent stories in the series. She plays a vital role.

No 2: Beside every great man there is an equally great woman

Thomas Pryces wife, Eloise, is a key character in The Fate of Kings. She is originally from Brittany and now lives in the vicarage in Deal, with her husband Thomas. She is pregnant with her first child at the start of the story, but this doesnt mean that she becomes a wilting violet. Far from it. When Thomas, her husband, goes to France to save her parents, she eventually leaves the shores of Kent to help him. Having been brought up to excel in shooting and swords play, she proves to be a vital asset at a critical moment when her husbands life is in danger.

I wont spoil the story for you. All Ill say is that she has a heightened sense of whats right and wrong and uses her two pistols with expert and ruthless precision to administer justice.

Eloise is a favourite among many of my female readers.

No 3: Our heros wife is a member of the Blue Stockings Society

If that sounds like its a group of women only interested in fashion, then nothing could be further from the truth. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, women had very few options open to them. They were not deemed worthy of a full education, so their options were limited to becoming a governess or a wife. Many highly intelligent women rebelled against this and met in London to discuss the issues of the day. They wore blue stockings to signify their allegiance to the society and held meetings in which they practiced what was called the art of rational conversation. These conversations were extremely high-brow and intellectual.

Eloises closest friend in Deal is Elizabeth Carter, who was in fact one of the leading voices in the Blue Stockings Society in London. Dr Samuel Johnson described her as the most educated woman of her times. She was an auto-didact who had been brought up surrounded by books in her fathers vicarage. She taught herself at least four ancient languages and was highly respected. Virginia Woolf referred to her as a valiant woman who tied a bell to her bedstead so that she would wake up early and learn Greek.

Eloise is part of this empowering, proto-feminist culture.

No 4: The principal mother figure is a fearless warrior

Im talking about Jean Marie, Eloises mother, whom Thomas Pryce rescues from France. I wont tell you what happens to her husband, but it would be enough to send many people spiralling into a trauma-induced passivity. Not so Jean Marie. She comes from a Jesuit culture which sees no contradiction between faith and fighting, especially when there is a just cause. With her son Joseph, she fights with the Chouans, the resistance army opposed to the New Regime of the Revolution.

Jean Marie is utterly courageous and confident in the face of the most intimidating of interrogations and, when given the chance, wields two blades in such a way that her enemies are condemned to suffer the same death that they have inflicted on ones she holds dear.

She truly is a lioness.

5: Thomas Pryce is a Strong Male, Empowering Character

This fifth reason why female readers like The Fate of Kings is from my wife, Cherith, who has been perhaps the greatest fan of Thomas Pryce since he entered my imagination five years ago.

Cherith writes: One of the reasons I like Thomas Pryce is because he is a strong male character not threatened or emasculated by his wife. They are a true representation of equality between the sexes. I have studied modules in feminism and its clear that many of Pryces male contemporaries overpowered rather than empowered women. Not so Thomas Pryce; he breaks the mould in more ways than one.

I hope these five reasons are enough to whet your appetite to immerse yourself in the exciting world of Thomas Pryce, Vicar and Spy!
Kevin Hart is finding it "very hard" being away from his newborn.

Kevin Hart

The 38-year-old actor welcomed his son Kenzo Kash Hart into the world last week with his wife Eniko Parrish and admits it is tough being away from the little one whilst he promotes 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' in Hawaii.

He told E! News: "It's very hard. It's more of the excitement of the baby being home and just wanting to be there to see what's new [but I'm] very much up to date."

Meanwhile, Kevin - who also has 12-year-old Heaven and 10-year-old Hendrix from his previous marriage to Torrei Hart - previously revealed he has never changed a diaper, despite being a father to three children.

He said: "I have not changed a diaper. I'm around when the diaper is being changed, which makes me a part of the process within the moment ... All you have to do is find other stuff to do while it's going down to keep you busy. That's all."

And Kevin feels "very blessed" to have become a father for the third time.

He gushed: "I have no complaints at all - very blessed, very happy. You know, looking to expand this legacy. Last name Hart lives on. Generations now, we got generations of it."

Kevin had previously hailed his wife as a "rockstar".

Sharing a picture of himself and Eniko sharing a kiss as they left hospital a day after their son was born, he wrote on Instagram: "Little Man is coming home. As you can see @enikonhart is up & running & back to normal. She's a rockstar. The woman's body is unbelievable. The strength that she displayed over these past 3 days was like nothing that I have ever seen. I'm lucky to have you in my life and even luckier to call you my wife...I love you woman. (sic)".

by Charlotte Hough for www.femalefirst.co.uk


Ryan Dorsey has asked for "kindness and respect" after his wife Naya Rivera was arrested on misdemeanour domestic battery charges.

Ryan Dorsey and Naya Rivera

The former 'Glee' star was charged with the offence over the weekend when she allegedly struck the 'Blood' actor over the head and in the mouth during a walk with their two-year-old son Josey in West Virginia.

Now, Ryan has taken to social media to speak out about the alleged incident for the first time, and has asked for "positivity and love" during this "difficult time".

In a statement posted to Twitter on Tuesday (28.11.17), the 34-year-old actor wrote: "This is a difficult time for everyone in the family especially for Naya and I. This isn't some reality show, this is our life, and I ask that everyone especially the media please respect our privacy and treat us/this situation how you would want a loved one to be treated. Perhaps with kindness, respect, without judgment, and as negative a situation this is, with positivity and love. Thanks."

It comes as sources claim the family of the 30-year-old 'Glee' actress are "very concerned" about her "well-being" following the alleged altercation.

A source told E! News: "Naya's friends and family are very concerned for her well-being. This is not the first time that their relationship has been violent, and the fact that she hit her husband and lashed out like that, is very scary to everyone around her.

"Ryan's family has been trying to console both of them but are very disappointed. Many people close to Naya are urging her to seek immediate help for the sake of her son and herself."

Naya was arrested on Saturday (25.11.17) evening in Kanawha County, West Virginia, and was later released on bond, before being picked up by her father-in-law.
Poppy Delevingne has teamed up with Save the Children to create a festive range.

Poppy Delevinge

The 31-year-old model and actress and a string of fellow style icons including, David Gandy, Erin O'Connor, and Adwoa Aboah, have joined forces with Molly Gunn - the founder of clothing brand Selfish Mother - to create slogan jumpers ahead of the organisation's Children's Christmas Jumper Day, which takes place on December 15.

And the 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' star is "excited" to be supporting the cause after she saw "first hand" the impact the charity and the funding has on people.

Poppy said: "I'm excited to be joining this fantastic line up and hope my 'ALL THAT GLITTERS' sweatshirt adds some sparkle this Christmas Jumper Day. My visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo allowed me to see first-hand how Save the Children is working tirelessly to empower girls and stop child marriage. Together, through this campaign we can raise lots of money to support and empower every last child around the world."

Adwoa Aboah has also backed the campaign after seeing how the "aid really does work".

She explained: "My recent trip to Uganda really opened my eyes to the incredible work that Save the Children is doing. To see the smiles on the children's faces, despite all the struggles they face, was incredible. I've seen how the money is spent from fundraising campaigns like Christmas Jumper Day and I can vouch for the fact that aid really does work. So if you've got a heart of GOLD, make sure you buy my Selfish Mother jumper this Christmas. Half the cost is donated to the vital work of Save the Children - a charity I urge you all to support."

And fellow catwalk icon Erin has also urged the public to support after she has backed the charity for years.

She said: "If you want to be an 'ELFISH MOTHER' like me - get yourself one of my Selfish Mother sweatshirts for Save the Children. I've been supporting Save the Children for years and am a big fan of Selfish Mother - so of course had to join the collaboration again this year. By buying a sweatshirt and taking part in Christmas Jumper Day you'll help to make a big difference to the children who need it most."

Nicholas Hoult is honoured to be a part of the campaign, which he hopes will bring a "real change to children's lives".

The 'Mad Max' actor said: "It's been really great to get involved with this campaign and quite an experience jumping in my very own Selfish Mother Christmas sweatshirt for Save the Children. I hope that lots of you will join me in wearing my 'PEACE' sweatshirt on 15th December. Christmas Jumper Day is the perfect way to support a wonderful charity that is bringing real change to children's lives."

A variety of garments are available to purchase, including unisex crew neck jumpers and scoop neck sweaters, which will retail for 50 on Selfish Mother's online store named The FMLY Store, and 50 per cent of proceeds will be donated to Save the Children.
Meghan Markle is reportedly set to get a UK citizenship following her engagement to Prince Harry.

Meghan Markle

The 36-year-old actress announced she was taking her romance with her 33-year-old beau to the next step earlier this week, and as the couple's wedding ceremony at Windsor Castle next year is fast approaching, Meghan intends to secure a dual nationality as a UK and US citizen.

However, a spokesperson for the former 'Suits' star thinks it is "too early to say" whether Meghan will be granted the dual nationality.

And even if Meghan is granted both, the process to become a UK citizen is believed to be a painstakingly long process, which is believed to take a number of years to confirm, CNN has reported.

But that is not the only new title Meghan is set to land herself, as she is rumoured to be given named the Duchess of Sussex once her and her fiance are married.

And to stick with tradition in the UK, Harry is also expected to be handed a new moniker on his wedding day, with the Duke of Sussex regarded as the most likely choice, although the alternatives include the likes of Clarence, Connaught, Windsor, Albany, and Cumberland.

However, many of those names have an inauspicious history, meaning Sussex is now rumoured to be the favoured option for the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II.

Speaking previously about Meghan and Harry's potential future titles, Charles Kidd - who is the editor of Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage - said: "They're quite limited in the titles that are available. The Duke of Sussex is the front-runner without any doubt."

But in the unlikely event that Harry opts to decline the offer of a title, Meghan would be known as HRH Princess Henry of Wales - a moniker derived by Harry's actual name.
Meghan Markle will bring "vast energy" to her royal duties, according to World Vision's officer Lara Dewar.

Meghan Markle

The 36-year-old actress has supported a number of charities over the years and has been the ambassador for the humanitarian organisation for two years, which saw her travel to India to campaign for girls' rights, but it is believed the star will have to cut her ties with the commitments she had to start new partnerships with other companies following her marriage to Prince Harry.

Despite this, Meghan has been hailed as a "true humanitarian" by the chief marketing and development worker at World Vision, who believes the former 'Suits' star will thrive when she carries out her engagements, the Mail Online has reported.

Speaking about Meghan, Lara said: "Meghan is a true humanitarian. We're deeply grateful for her contribution as a global ambassador for World Vision over the past two years and for helping to raise awareness for the world's most vulnerable children.

"I personally witnessed Meghan's passion to improve the lives of children, and know her heart to advocate for the rights of girls - to hear and amplify their important voices.

"She will undoubtedly bring vast energy to her charity work as a member of the royal family."

And the charity "can't wait" to see Meghan's future with her 33-year-old fiance bloom in the future, as Lara believes they both have a "heart for social justice".

Lara added: "We can't wait to see what the future holds for her and Prince Harry - a couple who clearly have a heart for social justice."

World Vision have also taken to social media to congratulate Meghan on the news of her engagement earlier this week.

The tweeted: "Heartfelt congratulations to Meghan Markle (our ambassador for the past 2 years) on her engagement to Prince Harry! We're grateful for her support of the world's most vulnerable children. We wish the couple every happiness together. (sic)."

It is believed when Meghan ties the knot she will be the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation, alongside Harry, his brother Prince William and Duchess Catherine.
As the nights draw closer and the days get colder, many of us are starting to plan our next holiday and for those seeking destination inspiration, ten countries have been tipped to top our bucket lists.

Bolivia

The list ranges from countries on the rebound to places which are becoming more accessible including Sri Lanka, Russia, Columbia, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Morocco, Hawaii, Bolivia, Egypt and Oman.

Sri Lanka Russia

With such an array of unusual destinations, its apparent our travel tastes and holiday habits have come a long way  both attitudinally and in terms of the actual distance travelled by the average trip taker - since the first package holidays in the fifties and sixties; when early mass holiday packages saw Brits arrive in their thousands to visit destinations such as Palma and the Costa Brava.

Portugal Oman

In fact, last year an enormous 45 million holidays abroad were enjoyed by UK residents - almost double that of ten years ago - with adventure companies like G Adventures seeing India, Cambodia, Vietnam and Peru as some of the most popular 2017 destinations, with adventure travel appealing to a broad range of age groups.

Morocco Kyrgyzstan

And despite our Brits abroad reputation, research reflecting on this years holiday habits shows an overwhelming majority (96%) say that they actively try to enhance their exploration of new places by immersing themselves in local cultures and traditions such as eating at locally-owned restaurants (77%), shopping for locally produced souvenirs (47%) and observe local customs and traditions (46%).

Hawaii Egypt

In fact, 95% even go as far as to say they feel embarrassed when fellow travelers stick to stereotype and bring home away with them with holiday bugbears including fellow tourists drinking too much during the day (55%), being too loud (41%) and using inappropriate language (41%).

The research by G Adventures released today also shows that whilst climate and cost remain important considerations for our travel choices, a third consider broadening of the mind and authenticity (27%) as key elements of their wanderlust with economic impact on the local economy and environmental factors also play a part.
Ant and Dec apologised to producers after making fun of the Bushtucker Trial on last night's (28.11.17) 'I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'.

Ant and Dec

The popular presenting duo struggled to contain their giggles as they introduced the Space Your Fears trial, while they also mocked the "cheap" and "terribly-named" Bush Blaster spaceship.

But as the radio host Iain Lee prepared to take on the challenge, Ant and Dec offered an apology for their "rude" behaviour.

Ant explained: "Now, we've been a bit rude about the trial tonight and the producers had a little word with us during the ad break, so we won't be doing anymore of that."

And his co-star added: "Absolutely, we won't be doing it anymore."

At that point, the pair both looked skywards, pretending to talk to the producers, and they said together: "Sorry guys."

Then, Dec sarcastically said: "So here it is, the best trial of 'I'm A Celebrity', already guaranteed a BAFTA, if not an Oscar!"

The task saw Iain given 11 minutes to climb into a makeshift rocket and space station, where he had to search for nine stars amongst drawers filled with creepy crawlies while hanging 100 feet in the air.

The final star was worth two stars - bringing the total to 11, which marked a meal for each campmate - and was hanging just out of reach, and so Iain had to jump from the space station to catch it.

The radio host ultimately completed the challenge with just two seconds to spare.

Speaking after his trial, Iain said: "It was great, it was traumatic, I was terrified, I did it. I'm thrilled.

"I can go back to the group and say 'Look I know you feel you've been carrying me as a bit of dead wood, well I've earned my space at the table tonight.' So I'm very chuffed."
John Barrowman thinks it's "about time" a woman was cast as Doctor Who.

John Barrowman

The 50-year-old actor - who played Captain Jack Harkness in the sci-fi series in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010 - is pleased that Jodie Whittaker, 35, will take over the reins from Peter Capaldi when he steps down as the time-travelling alien next month.

Speaking on 'Good Morning Britain' on Wednesday (29.11.17), he said of the new signing: "I think it's great [that a woman is playing the lead role].

"There's a lot of talk online about things but there's no law that says it has to be a man. I think we should give her a chance, it's about time there was a woman in the TARDIS."

And he's not the only one looking forward to seeing what the new show runner Chris Chibnall - who will replace Steven Moffat next year - will do with the character as Matt Smith, who played the Time Lord from 2009 until 2013 "can't wait" to tune in.

He said recently: "It will great to see Peter go and see what they do for their last Christmas one with Steven but I can't wait to see Jodie in it. I'm really, really, excited. I love 'Doctor Who', I'm a fan and I can say that because I was in it!"

And David Bradley - who will appear in the forthcoming festive special 'Twice Upon a Time' as the First Doctor - originally portrayed by William Hartnell - thinks 'Doctor Who' is in safe hands with Jodie because she has "all the emotional range you could want" in an actress.

He said: "She has all the emotional range you could want, and she's going to be very funny as well. So she's perfect for the Doctor, really."

'Twice Upon a Time' will focus on the end of the First Doctor's era and will feature the Twelfth Time Lord having to convince the original that he has to accept his regeneration.

The hour-long special will also be last appearance of Pearl Mackie as companion Bill Potts before Whittaker joins with her new TARDIS team; Bradley Walsh as Graham, Tosin Cole as Ryan and Mandip Gill as Yasmin.
Associations in Pakistan representing the value-added textile export sector have expressed concern over the delay by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in announcing the procedure for applying duty drawback of taxes (DDT) claims under the revised prime ministers export package 2017-18 more than a month after the order regarding the same was announced.Pakistan Apparel Forum (PAF) chairman Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Council of All Pakistan Textile Associations (CAPTA) chairman Zubair Motiwala, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) chairman Khurram Anwar Khawaja and the Pakistan Knitwear & Sweater Exporters Association (PAKSEA) chairman Kamran Chandna issued a joint statement recently on this issue.

Associations in Pakistan representing the value-added textile export sector have expressed concern over the delay by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in announcing the procedure for applying duty drawback of taxes (DDT) claims under the revised prime minister's export package 2017-18 more than a month after the order regarding the same was announced.#

They requested the prime minister to direct SBP and the textile ministry to issue the procedure at the soonest to boost the confidence of exporters.Billions of rupees against previous orders pending with government should be released at the earliest as that is causing liquidity problems for exporters, they said, according to Pakistani media reports. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Fast fashion is still putting the health and well-being of garment workers worldwide at risk in spite of some improvements, research by the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom shows. Long working hours, physical exhaustion, intense work rhythms, harassment and an absence of representation are invisible issues, says anthropologist Rebecca Prentice.Improvement initiatives, such as the 2013 Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, havent gone far enough as codes of conduct narrowly focus on building safety and physical infrastructure with a bias towards what can be seen and audited, according to Geert De Neve, professor of anthropology at the university.

'Fast fashion' is still putting the health and well-being of garment workers worldwide at risk in spite of some improvements, research by the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom shows. Long working hours, physical exhaustion, intense work rhythms, harassment and an absence of representation are 'invisible' issues, says anthropologist Rebecca Prentice.#

Not only has the poor implementation of these codes allowed building fires and collapses to continue, but they still ignore the ways in which the health and well-being of workers is threatened on a day-to-day basis, a university press release quoted him as saying.In Delhi national capital region, the study found a 10-12 hour working day as the standard for 67 per cent of workers employed in informal workshops, with 39 per cent of all workers suffering from eye strain and 41 per cent from exhaustion.In a Bangladeshi knitwear factory, the research found everyday health threats from dust and smoke inhalation, noise, lack of ventilation, musculoskeletal pain, stress and exposure to lights, electric wires and chemical adhesives.Professor De Neve urged the fast fashion industry to realise that workers health is more than just the absence of injury. Peoples well-being encompasses physical, social, and mental dimensions that are threatened by the conditions they are working in, he added. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Mouvent, a new company focused on digital print using pioneering digital technology headquartered in Switzerland, has announced that the company has appointed Reto Simmen as its chief business officer (CBO). Mouvent aims to develop intelligent digital printing technology enabling digital printing on textiles, labels, foil, folding carton, and more.Simmen is a high-profile figure in the industry with nearly 30 years experience in printing, most recently as general manager of Swiss-based inkjet developer Graph-Tech. At Graph-Tech, he oversaw a double digit average growth in turnover during his tenure, while doubling the number of employees within the period.

Mouvent, a new company focused on digital print using pioneering digital technology headquartered in Switzerland, has announced that the company has appointed Reto Simmen as its chief business officer (CBO). Mouvent aims to develop intelligent digital printing technology enabling digital printing on textiles, labels, foil, folding carton, and more.#

Reto Simmen will report to Mouvent CEO Simon Rothen, and will be responsible for marketing, sales, and service within the company. He will oversee the marketing and global sales channels to ensure coordinated and consistent messaging and rollout of Mouvents innovative portfolio of products. He will establish a service organisation that will provide best-in-class support to the companys customers from the outset.Simon Rothen, CEO of Mouvent said, We are delighted to welcome Reto to the Mouvent Management team. We have assembled some of the leading figures in the industry at Mouvent and Reto is no exception. At Mouvent we are on a journey to change the face of digital printing, and with the combination of innovative technology and personnel that we have, I firmly believe we will do just that.Simmen said, I am very excited to have the opportunity to join the Mouvent team and to be part of a unique journey that has the potential to completely revolutionise the industry. I look forward to helping the company to achieve its full potential. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/28/17 -- Radient Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RTI) (the "Company") announced today that it has released its second quarter financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. The unaudited financial statements, Management's Discussion and Analysis, and the CEO & CFO certifications for the period ended September 30, 2017 are available on www.SEDAR.com.

Key Highlights for Q2 2018

-- The Company continued the execution of commercial manufacturing activities with a series of contracts for manufacturing specific ingredients for a multi-national ingredients company. During the quarter, the company added a third ingredient to the two that were already being manufactured under those agreements. -- As previously announced on November 6, 2017, the Company finalized a Master Services Agreement ("MSA") with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB)(OTCQX: ACBFF)(FRANKFURT: 21P)(WKN: A1C4WM) ("Aurora") related to the supply of standardized cannabis extracts for Aurora using its proprietary MAP technology. The agreement has an initial term of five years, with an option for Aurora to renew the agreement for an additional five years. The agreement will cover services delivered in Canada, Australia, and the European Union with Aurora having the right to negotiate with the Company to expand the jurisdictions covered. The MSA includes an Investor Rights Agreement that provides Aurora with certain rights to participate in future offerings, providing Aurora with the option to expand its ownership in the Company up to 19.99%. -- On July 28, 2017, the $2 million convertible debenture with Aurora was converted into 14,285,714 common shares of the Company, a significant contributor to the decrease in the Company's current liabilities from $4,114,360 at March 31, 2017 to $964,020 at September 30, 2017. -- The Company launched its RTI Global Health and Wellness Solutions business to represent the direct application of Radient's platforms to help develop high quality, differentiated, naturally-derived products. Supported by Radient's patented MAP technology, as well as its expertise in working with plant extracts, RTI Global Health and Wellness Solutions will improve the cost structure and quality of customers' products. The business unit is actively pursuing partnerships, co- branding and direct investments in emerging technologies. -- The Company applied for a controlled substance dealer's license with Health Canada for its manufacturing facility. The license would be in addition to the production license application under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations for the manufacturing facility (filed in Q4 2017) and the application for a controlled substance dealer's license for the laboratory (filed in Q3 2017). Health Canada has advised that the controlled substance dealer's license application is in the Review stage and that its 180-business day service window ends in mid-December 2017. -- As of September 30, 2017, the cash position was strong at $9.8 million.

Post Reporting Events

-- On October 2, 2017, the Company completed the previously announced conversion of $6,210,633 of debt (inclusive of interest) with AVAC Ltd. ("AVAC"), an arm's length third party creditor, for 9,424,330 common shares at a price of $0.66 per share. The conversion is a significant transaction in the Company's plans to continue strengthening its balance sheet. -- Subsequent to September 30, 2017, 342,187 common shares related to stock option exercises were issued for proceeds of $225,843 and 4,614,987 common shares related to warrant exercises were issued for proceeds of $1,492,951. -- Furthermore, 933,333 units of the Company were issued related to finders' options exercises for total proceeds of $420,000 at an exercise price of $0.45 subsequent to September 30, 2017. These units included issuance of 933,333 common shares and 466,667 common share purchase warrants entitling the holder to subscribe for additional common shares at a price of $0.70 per common share until March 9, 2019. -- As previously reported on November 22, 2017, Health Canada released their "Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cannabis" (the "Proposals") publication. The Company is pleased with the progressive nature of the Proposals and that Radient's business model would be a consistent fit within a healthy, inclusive market for cannabis products under the Proposals.

Denis Taschuk, President and CEO of Radient, stated "We are very excited to have finalized our first MSA in the cannabis industry with our cornerstone partner Aurora. This provides us a strong base as we expand further into the cannabis industry. Additionally, we were successful in further strengthening our balance sheet through the conversions of the Aurora convertible debenture and the AVAC royalty interest. This will help position us for future growth."

Shares for Services Agreement

On November 9, 2017, the Company approved a second share for services agreement with an arm's length third party in exchange for business development services. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company may issue up to a maximum of $102,000 USD of common shares in any fiscal year in consideration for such services.

The number of shares to be issued for each quarter will be determined at the end of each quarter, after the services have been provided to the Company. The issue price of the shares will be the closing trading price of the Company's shares on the last trading day of such quarter. The Company will issue a press release after each issuance of shares under the terms of the Agreement.

The agreement shall automatically renew for successive two-year terms, subject to the rights of termination of the parties. The shares for services agreement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange and will be subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval for each renewal term.

2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Company's AGM took place on November 24, 2017. All proposed directors including Denis M. Taschuk, Mike Cabigon, Steven Splinter, Harry Kaura, Steven Dauphin, Francesco Ferlaino, Dimitris Tzanis, Jith Veeravalli and Jan Petzel were elected to serve for a one-year term.

Armand Lavoie did not stand for re-election. Frank Ferlaino, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Radient, stated "We would like to thank Armand for his long time commitment and significant contribution he has made to Radient. He served on the Board since 2003 and was instrumental in the evolution of the Company from its initial start-up days to where it is today."

Steven Splinter, Chief Technology Officer for Radient joins the Board. Steven was responsible for founding the Company in 2001 and has been involved with the Company continuously since. Denis Taschuk, President and CEO of Radient, stated "Steven's historic contributions to the development of our platform have been invaluable, and we are excited by the even greater contributions he can make to the Company as a member of the Board."

All other matters, namely the appointment of auditors and the re-approval and ratification of the Company's Stock Option Plan were also approved by the shareholders.

About Radient

Radient extracts natural compounds from a range of biological materials using microwave assisted processing ("MAP"), a patented technology platform which provides superior customer outcomes in terms of ingredient purity, yield, and cost. From its 20,000-square foot manufacturing plant in Edmonton, Alberta, Radient serves market leaders in industries that include pharmaceutical, food, beverage, natural health, personal care and cannabis markets. Visit www.radientinc.com for more information.

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking information and statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The terms and phrases "goal", "commitment", "guidance", "expects", "would", "will", "continuing", "drive", "believes", "indicate", "look forward", "grow", "outlook", "forecasts", "intend", and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward- looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding the completion of shares for debt transaction. The Corporation cautions that all forward-looking information and statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Corporation's ability to complete the proposed shares for debt transaction. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward- looking information.

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:

Radient Technologies Inc.

Denis Taschuk

Chief Executive Officer

(780) 465-1318

dtaschuk@radientinc.com



Radient Technologies Inc.

Prakash Hariharan

Chief Financial Officer

(780) 465-1318

phariharan@radientinc.com

www.radientinc.com




OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/28/17 -- Canada's unions are welcoming today's apology for the so-called National Security purge that saw the decades-long government-sanctioned and systematic persecution of LGBTQ2SI workers.

"This is a good day for Canada's LGBTQ2SI workers, and for all those who tirelessly pushed for justice," said CLC president Hassan Yussuff. "In particular we should acknowledge the relentless advocacy of many unions who fought for this, and our allies and community partners Egale and the We Demand An Apology Network."

Yussuff said he was especially pleased to see that a settlement had been reached in the class action lawsuit, and that there would be a process aimed at expunging the records of those convicted of criminal offenses. He was also pleased to see funding commitments for historical reconciliation, education and memorialization efforts, along with new awareness and support programs for the RCMP and the military.

"As a gay man, a labour leader and a public service worker, it was incredibly moving to hear the Prime Minister outline in detail the various ways that workers were persecuted and oppressed, just because they were gay, or suspected of being gay," said CLC executive vice-president Larry Rousseau.

"What's crucial now is that we remember that the systemic discrimination experienced by LGBTQ2SI folk does not end with this apology - too many continue to experience discrimination and violence on a daily basis. We are hopeful that this apology will be followed up with other concrete measures," he added.

Contacts:

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Chantal St. Denis

CLC Communications

613-355-1962

cstdenis@clc-ctc.ca




New York, NY, 2017-11-29 02:25 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As blockchain and cryptocurrency companies continue to raise millions of dollars in funding, there's an urgent need in the market for companies and investors to be able to better manage its cryptocurrency assets with hedging products and tools. Olympus Labs believes that by offering financial tools and protocol, crypto- based companies and investors will be able to have more control by protecting their downside risk in an otherwise extremely volatile market. "Olympus Labs is an integrator of cryptocurrency-based financial products (e.g., indices, ETFs, options, futures, etc.). Olympus, third-party financial product developers, and Fintech applications build the products which include but are not limited to exchanges, market analytics tools, payment services, etc. (e.g., Kyber, Shapeshift, Sentiment)," explains Kai Chen, CEO of Olympus Labs. On November 27, 2017 due to the high demand from outside investors Olympus Labs opened its doors for its Pre-ICO token sale. The Olympus product is viable and has huge long-term potential. As for competition, it fills an evidently empty space in the cryptocurrency market, practically guaranteeing that Olympus' offerings will be used-and that this usage will generate profits. Olympus's mission is to "define the protocol for crypto-based derivatives," and it seems clear that these products will help mature the market beyond the current spot market. The first of Olympus's products will allow one to borrow and lend bitcoin. Cryptocurrency index funds will be the second Olympus product to hit the market. These index funds will allow investors to buy into multiple cryptocurrencies at once, with profits moving with the market as a whole instead of with individual spot cryptocurrencies. Through customizable fintech-focused smart contracts, exchanges will be able to quickly and easily make their own indices which track the overall trend of cryptocurrencies traded on that exchange. To Participate in the Pre-ICO The Olympus Labs Token Sale started at 8 pm (GMT+8/UTC 12pm), 27 November 2017, and ends at 8pm (GMT+8/UTC 12 pm), 3 December 2017.Olympus Presale terms: Investors contributing more than 100 ETH, will get 10% bonus (1 ETH = 677 Olympus tokens). This will take place after ICO, and those who passed the KYC process, will be issued MOT, the rest who failed in KYC, will be refunded with ETH. For additional information and terms of the sale please visit the Olympus Labs website. During the registration period (27 November 2017 to 3 December 2017), please visithttps://kyc.olympuslabs.io/. Note: Information regarding the token sale will ONLY be disseminated on our official communication channels: our official website and our official telegram group. About OLYMPUS LABS Olympus is led by a cohesive team with extensive expertise in both the traditional financial markets and blockchain technology. Olympus Founder and CEO Kai Chen started his career on Wall Street with Morgan Stanley, and he later went on to work for McKinsey and PIMCO. Our development team includes Google's former development community lead for China. On the business side, we have Danielle Sabrina, a highly sought-after marketing expert and veteran of several successful ICOs, and has helped her clients achieve prestigious awards such as Inc 500, Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startup, Entrepreneur 360 among other top level recognition. Danielle's work has also been featured in Huffington Post and Entrepreneur. Olympus also has a strong advising board made up of former executives at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey. OLYMPUS LABS Social Media For more information about Olympus Labs and the launch of the pre-ICO, please visit https://olympuslabs.io/web; on Twitter @olympuslabsbc and Telegram at https://t.me/olympuslabs. ### Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a88937da-05db-437e-92f0-07cc0 2b4dd8f Danielle Sabrina Olympus Labs pr@oympuslabs.io Sharde' Brown What Vibes Your Tribe press@wvytmedia.com
NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (TOKYO: 9432) announced today that it won 4 categories, including Best Global Operator, Best Wholesale Operator, Best Enterprise Service and Industrial IoT Award at the 2017 World Communication Awards (WCA) held on Nov 28 2017 in London.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171128006610/en/

WCA winner's logo (Graphic: Business Wire)

NTT Com was named the Best Global Operator for the second year in a row. According to the judges, "NTT Com picked up the Best Global Operator thanks to its global reach, service and technology innovation, improving financial performance and solid customer service," NTT Com's "position of leadership in customer satisfaction was the telling factor" added another judge.

Best Wholesale Operator is always a closely-fought contest and NTT Com received this category for the second time. The judges praised NTT Com for the depth of factual detail in its entry and the level of transparency on its routing policies.

It is the first time for NTT Com to receive the Best Enterprise Service. NTT Com's SD-WAN Service Portfolio received this award. "Built on its long-track record in enterprise services and its global footprint, NTT Com's innovative SD-WAN Service Portfolio brings something new to corporate customers," said one member of the judging panel.

Industrial IoT Award is a new category for 2017. "NTT Com rightly puts the emphasis on security and scalability for any IoT solution that's going to work in advanced industrial environments," said one of the judges, while another noted that "a focus on security has enabled NTT Com to win the most demanding customers."

About The World Communication Awards (WCA)

The World Communication Awards (WCA) was established in 1999 to recognize excellence amongst global telecom operators. The WCA is organized by Total Telecom and their owners Terrapinn.

About NTT Communications Corporation

NTT Communications provides consultancy, architecture, security and cloud services to optimize the information and communications technology (ICT) environments of enterprises. These offerings are backed by the company's worldwide infrastructure, including the leading global tier-1 IP network, the Arcstar Universal One VPN network reaching over 190 countries/regions, and over 140 secure data centers worldwide. NTT Communications' solutions leverage the global resources of NTT Group companies including Dimension Data, NTT DOCOMO and NTT DATA.

www.ntt.com | Twitter@NTT Com Facebook@NTT Com LinkedIn@NTT Com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171128006610/en/

Contacts:

For More Information

NTT Communications Corporation

Ms. Yuko Miyamoto Ms. Aoi Funagoshi, +81 3 6700 4010

Public Relations

ar-cp@ntt.com


NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - A Canadian national, who conspired with and aided Russia's spy agency the FSB, has pleaded guilty in a massive hack of Yahoo in 2014, the US Department of Justice said in a statement.



Karim Baratov, 22, pleaded guilty to charges returned by a grand jury in the Northern District of California in February 2017.



Baratov and three other defendants, including two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service or FSB, were charged with computer hacking and other criminal offenses in connection with a conspiracy to access Yahoo's network that exposed as many as 500 million accounts.



Baratov is the only arrest to come out of the Yahoo hack as the other three individuals live in Russia, which will not extraditing them to the United States.



The guilty plea was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente of the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch for the Northern District of California and Executive Assistant Director Paul Abbate of the FBI's Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch.



According to prosecutors, FSB officers Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin directed the hack and contracted Baratov.



As per his plea agreement, Baratov's role in the charged conspiracy was to hack webmail accounts of individuals of interest to the FSB and send those accounts' passwords to Dokuchaev in exchange for money. As alleged in the Indictment, other three compromised Yahoo's network and gained the ability to access Yahoo accounts. When they desired access to individual webmail accounts at a number of other internet service providers, such as Google and Yandex (based in Russia), Dokuchaev tasked Baratov to compromise those accounts.



The agency noted that Baratov not only admitted to his hacking activities on behalf of his co-conspirators in the FSB, but also to hacking more than 11,000 webmail accounts in total on behalf of the FSB conspirators and other customers from in or around 2010 until his March 2017 arrest by Canadian authorities.



According to his testimony, Baratov advertised his services on Russian-language websites. He admitted that he generally spearphished his victims, sending them emails from accounts he established to appear to belong to the webmail provider at which the victim's account was hosted.



As part of the plea agreement, in addition to any prison sentence, Baratov agreed to pay restitution to his victims and to pay a fine up to $2,250,000 or at $250,000 per count, with any assets he has remaining after satisfying a restitution award.



Baratov waived extradition from Canada and is being detained in California without bail.



Baratov's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2018, before the Honorable Vincent Chhabria, U.S. District Court Judge, in San Francisco.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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BEIJING, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Edge Computing Industry Summit 2017, hosted by the Edge Computing Consortium (ECC), was held in Beijing today. The summit is the world's most influential edge computing industry event. This year, the summit was themed on "Edge Computing: All Connected, All Intelligent" and attracted more than 600 top industry experts, enterprise leaders, industry analysts, and customers from Europe, the United States, and China. By facilitating the comprehensive discussion and demonstration of cutting-edge, innovative technologies and applications of edge computing, this summit promoted the construction of the edge computing industry ecosystem and rapid development of the edge computing industry.

Discussing Industry Development and Seizing New Opportunities for Edge Computing

As the Internet and IoT develop rapidly, the era of connectivity of everything has opened the curtain. By centering on intelligent connectivity of everything, edge computing meets the critical needs of industry digitalization in connectivity, timeliness, intelligence, data optimization, security, and privacy protection. At present, edge computing has become an indispensable element in the digital transformation of industries, and industrial development has entered a period of important opportunities.

Edge Computing Industry Summit 2017 includes a main forum and two industry forums: "Edge Intelligence: Momentous Industrial Development" and "Edge Intelligence: Making New Businesses Agile". International experts from the International Data Corporation (IDC), Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), and Fraunhofer FOKUS, as well as ECC members including Huawei, Shenyang Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Intel made 12 keynote speeches and 16 technical sharing speeches at this summit. From the perspectives of business, technology, and ecosystem, the speakers discussed how to grasp the trends and development opportunities of the edge computing industry, promote industrial digital transformation, and achieve rapid growth in the age of connectivity of everything.

Devoting to Business Implementation and Demonstrating Innovative Edge Computing Applications

On November 30, 2016, the ECC was officially founded at the first Edge Computing Industry Summit. After only one year, 154 members have joined the ECC. Members include leading enterprises from smart manufacturing, smart city, energy & power, and information and communications technology (ICT) industries, as well as research institutes and universities in related fields. The ECC is operated through horizontal working groups and vertical industry committees. By co-building joint test beds, the ECC develops innovative edge computing solutions, explores industry values, and promotes application implementation, thereby helping ECC members to achieve business success. To date, the ECC has completed 21 test bed solutions.

At this summit, the exhibition hall spanned more than 600 square meters for demonstrating and experiencing innovative edge computing applications. It showcased 14 test beds and innovative solutions jointly constructed by Huawei, Shenyang Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Intel, iSoftStone, Honeywell, SIASUN, National Instruments (NI), Works Systems, HollySys, ICE Tech, Wapwag, Sansitech, 360 Enterprise Security Group, 15th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), and Vrgvtech, covering industries such as smart factory, smart machine tool, intelligent robot for manufacturing, smart security, smart water, smart pole system, smart grid, smart industrial park, cyber security, and public security. Through visualized demonstration and on-site interaction, the exhibition presented visitors with the latest application practices and business values of edge computing for various industries.

Leading EC-IoT Development and Releasing Edge Computing Reference Architecture 2.0 (ECRA 2.0)

Since its establishment, the ECC has regarded system architecture development and technical route selection as important driving forces for the development of the edge computing industry. Using ECRA 2.0 to provide cross-industry designs, the ECC is oriented towards customers' requirements, best industry practices, and business success. In addition, by streamlining resources of the government, enterprises, academies, research institutes and customers, the ECC promotes open cooperation and collaboration of technical architectures, standards, solutions, and applications.

As an important achievement for driving innovations, ECC Edge Computing Reference Architecture 2.0 was officially released at this summit. This document focuses on the concept, characteristics, and benefits of edge computing, and presents the Edge Computing Reference Architecture from the concept view, function design view, and deployment view. Additionally, the document proposes to develop a model-driven, intelligent, distributed open architecture to achieve a simplified architecture, automated and visualized OT & ICT (OICT) facilities, and intelligent collaboration between resource services and industry business requirements. Such hierarchical, open architecture helps promote cross-industry eco-collaboration and quickly incubate products to provide guidance for R&D, application innovation, and industry development of edge computing technologies.

Carrying out Strategic Cooperation and Building an Open Industry Ecosystem

To promote the collaboration of industry resources and lead the development of the edge computing industry, the ECC is committed to building an open ecosystem and actively communicating and cooperating with third-party standards organizations and international industry organizations. Currently, the ECC has established formal cooperation relationships with the IIC, SDN/NFV Industry Alliance, Chinese Association of Automation (CAA), and Avnu Alliance, and offers all-round cooperation in terms of standards formulation, joint innovation, and commercial promotion.

At this summit, the ECC and Alliance of Industrial Internet (AII) formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which announced that both parties would cooperate in research reports/white papers, test platforms/test beds, technical standards, and market promotion in the future. The ECC also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with International Solid State Lighting Alliance (ISA) and Telematics Industry Application Alliance (TIAA) to promote application innovation, standards formulation, and commercial implementation of edge computing in smart lighting and intelligent vehicle-mount fields. In addition, the ECC announced that it would jointly hold Symposium on Edge Computing (SEC) China 2018 with Xidian University and Edge Computing Professional Committee of CAA to provide communication and cooperation with the industry, academia, and other related fields. The SEC-China 2018 will become a platform for publishing cutting-edge scientific research achievements in the field, thus vigorously promoting the development of the edge computing technology and industry in China.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612244/ECC.jpg
smartTrade Technologies, a pioneer in multi-asset electronic trading solutions, announces strong growth in its number of clients in both Fixed Income and FX, and its continued expansion with the opening of a new office.

smartTrade has not only witnessed a strong increase in its client base on both buy and sell-side, but also its diversification, with the addition of brokers such as Quantic, regional banks such as BayernLB, and corporate clients.

The company has on-boarded new clients in several regions globally including Germany, Italy, Japan, North America, South Africa and Switzerland. To better serve its growing customer base in Southern Europe, smartTrade has opened an office in Milan.

A continued strong demand for a flexible innovative one-stop shop to increase execution performance and replace legacy solutions, as well as the arrival of MiFID II and new regulatory requirements, has been boosting the number of smartTrade's clients, notably in Fixed Income. New clients are moving to an advanced and agile solution to electronify their workflow, increase their reliance on algos while complying with new regulations.

smartAnalytics, smartTrade's analytics and big data offering launched at the end of 2016, has been successfully adopted by several new and existing customers. This solution provides clients with advanced trading analytics, enabling real-time and historical dashboards and reports. In addition to helping them with TCA and regulatory compliance, it allows them to discover patterns, trends and associations they can integrate to improve their execution.

"We are very pleased with this year's results. Our flexibility, reputation and capacity to deliver on time are key differentiating factors to attract new clients. Our teams are constantly working to make sure our existing clients are satisfied and have a partner to grow with," commented David VINCENT, CEO of smartTrade Technologies. "The opening of our Milan office reflects our on-going commitment to always provide our clients with the best service possible."

About smartTrade Technologies:

smartTrade Technologies, a pioneer in multi-asset electronic trading solutions, delivers innovative and intelligent technology enabling you to focus on your trading and grow your business while lowering total cost of ownership and allowing you to quickly adapt to changing market requirements.

smartTrade Technologies provides agile end-to-end trading solutions supporting Foreign Exchange, Fixed Income, Equities and Derivatives asset classes with connectivity to over 95 liquidity providers, aggregation, smart order routing, order management, pricing, distribution, risk management capabilities and a HTML5 user interface. We work with a variety of clients ranging from banks, brokers and hedge funds to proprietary trading desks. LiquidityFX for FX and smartFI for Fixed Income, are solutions available as software only or as a fully managed and hosted service, collocated in all the main market places globally. For more information, visit www.smart-trade.net.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005095/en/

Contacts:

smartTrade Technologies

Lise Grant, +44(0) 782 684 7707

lgrant@smart-trade.net
DUBAI, UAE, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai has successfully treated a young patient - 15 year old Rabaa Arif Khalid Ahmed Alyassi - for a severe visual impairment from birth caused by bilateral congenital cataracts (clouding of the lens), nystagmus (a condition in which the eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements)and degenerative myopia (shortsightedness). The hospital team undertook a complex surgical procedure to implant custom made intraocular lenses in both eyes, with very good recovery and end results for the patient. For the first time, Rabaa can see without glasses and now only wears them for reading at school.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612280/Dr_Darakhshanda_Khurram.jpg )



Rabaa visited Dr Darakhshanda Khurram wearing very thick lenses in her glasses because of her severe cataract and myopia (Right eye -19.00 DS,Vision 0.9 LogMarand left eye -19.00 DS, Vision 1.1 LogMar). She was unable to read without holding the book very close to her face and this affected her quality of life.

Acataractis a clouding of the eye's natural lens, behind the iris and the pupil.Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 40 and the main cause of blindness in the world, so a teenage patient is relatively unusual. Congenital cataractsmeans the problem was present at birth and may be relatively insignificant or they can lead to severe visual impairment.Congenital cataractsmay affect one or both eyes.

Following detailed examinations, the Moorfields team decided to perform a very complex cataract extraction procedure, combined with a lens implant, supported by the hospital's advanced technology.

Because of Rabaa's large eyes and complex cataracts, the hospital had to order especially powerful intraocularlenses for her eyes. She under went surgery first on the left eye followed by the right eye. Her postoperative recovery was excellent and two months after surgery her vision was: Right eye 0.40, Left eye 0.40.

Commenting on Rabaa's condition and treatment, Dr. Darakhshanda Khurram,

Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai and Al Jalila Children's, said: "Rabaa had a complex combination of conditions, with high myopia and dense cataract at such a young age; this was badly affecting the quality of her life and so we decided to go ahead with this complex procedure to help her, and we are all delighted with the excellent results; we will just continue regular monitoring of her eyes. Rabaa's case does highlight the importance of early and regular eye examinations for children because early treatment can significantly reduce the risk of long-term vision problems."

Notes to editors

About Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai (MEHD) is the first overseas branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the oldest and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in the world. Located at the Al Razi Medical Complex in Dubai Health Care City, the facility provides day case surgery and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, for a variety of surgical and non-surgical eye conditions. MEHD will also raise standards for research and teaching in the region. MEHD is owned and managed by the NHS Foundation Trust, and maintains close links with London, to ensure that patients in the GCC receive the best eye care treatment in the world.
Amanda Benfell PR Manager +44 20 7467 8125 amanda.benfell@warc.com

LONDON, Nov 29, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - WARC today unveils the Best Use of Data shortlist for WARC's 2017 Media Awards, an international competition that examines the insight, strategy and analytics that power effective channel investment.20 campaigns have been shortlisted in the Best Use of Data category, which recognises the role of data in an effective communications strategy.As well as one global campaign, shortlisted entries have run in a wide range of markets - Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States - and include brands such as MyTaxi, Rexona Men and Vodafone.Nicole Kane, Director, Global Media, McDonald's Corporation and jury chair, said: "The entries this year demonstrated a democratisation of how data is being used; confirming that we are now marketing in a world driven by data. The shortlisted papers range from practical applications that are simple and smart to creative, innovative usages of real-time data. Regardless of how you are using data today, this collection will inspire new thinking."The shortlisted entries in Best Use of Data are:- The video recommendations and personalisation engine - Krispy - Hindustan Unilever - Mindshare - India- My McDonald's - McDonald's - OMD Spain - Spain- Restaurant-capacity based advertising - McDonald's - OMD Singapore - Singapore- Xaxis, Global Giving & the Girl Fund - GlobalGiving - Xaxis EMEA - Global- Irse de Madre - DKV Insurance - OMD - Spain- The Art + Science of Rewarding a Client's Courage - Benchmade Knives - Cole & Weber - United States- Don't Ignore a Cough - Prospan - Flordis - Affinity - Australia- Location Targeting - McDonald's - OMD South Africa - South Africa- OLX Vogon - OLX - Havas Media - Indonesia- Nayi Soch - Strategy for Growth - Star Plus - Star India - Mindshare - India- Tropa for Life - du - Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company - Starcom Dubai - United Arab Emirates- Roam Like a Pro - Vodafone - VodafoneZiggo - Kinetic Worldwide, MEC - Netherlands- Data-Driven Targeting - Age UK - Manning Gottlieb OMD - United Kingdom- Going Live with Gold! - Royal Mint Bullion - Royal Mint - Manning Gottlieb OMD - United Kingdom- IMM's Patent Pending Solution for Incrementality - Noodles & Company - IMM - United States- Resolving a Social Stench - Rexona Men - Unilever - PHD Hong Kong - Hong Kong- Connecting the Dots - All Things Hair - Unilever - Mindshare, Ogilvyone - Philippines- Everything but Rogue with Data - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - The Walt Disney Company - OMD UK, OMD - - - EMEA - United Kingdom- Helping London Move More Freely - MyTaxi - Kinetic UK, the7Stars - United Kingdom- Uncovering the true value of Facebook for performance marketing - O2 - Telefonica - Visual IQ, Forward Media - United KingdomAs well as the Best Use of Data category, the shortlists for Effective Channel Integration and Effective use of tech have already been announced and can be viewed at www.warc.com/mediaawards.prize. The Effective Partnerships and Sponsorships shortlist will be revealed on Wednesday 6 December.For more information about the WARC Media Awards please visit www.warc.com/mediaawards.prize.About WARC- your global authority on advertising and media effectivenesswarc.com is an online service offering advertising best practice, evidence and insights from the world's leading brands. WARC helps clients grow their businesses by using proven approaches to maximise advertising effectiveness. WARC's clients include the world's largest advertising and media agencies, research companies, universities and advertisers.WARC hosts four global and two regional case study competitions: WARC Awards, WARC Innovation Awards, WARC Media Awards, The Admap prize, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy and WARC Prize for MENA Strategy.WARC also publishes leading journals including Admap, Market Leader, the Journal of Advertising Research and the International Journal of Market Research. In addition to its own content, WARC features advertising case studies and best practices from more than 50 respected industry sources, including: ARF, Effies, Cannes Lions, ESOMAR and IPA.Founded in 1985, WARC is privately owned and has offices in the UK, U.S. and Singapore.Source: WARCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Teledyne e2v announced today that it has relocated its Asia Pacific headquarters to a brand new facility in the Hong Kong Science Park . Today's grand opening of the new office signifies Teledyne e2v's commitment to growth in Asia and enables the group to strengthen its ties with existing business partners and extend its reach to new customers in the region.

Teledyne e2v's strategically located Hong Kong office will provide sales, technical and operational support to customers across the Asia Pacific region. In the past decade, Teledyne e2v has established additional sales offices in Japan, Korea and China, Application Support Centres in Beijing and Shenzhen, and a procurement office in Taiwan.

"Asia will remain the world's growth engine, in order to support this we have invested heavily to enhance the customer experience. Our regional expertise in application engineering, sourcing and supply chain management for advanced technology solutions is now unparalleled," said Anthony Fernandez, Vice President of Teledyne e2v Asia Pacific. "We have achieved market-beating growth in Asia over recent years and we expect to accelerate this through the additional portfolios and resources available to us since joining the Teledyne family," Mr. Fernandez continued.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP") has been supporting Hong Kong's innovative economy at the forefront by consolidating the city's Innovation and Technology ecosystem in recent years, driving major developments in Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities and Robotics. Mr. Fernandez added, "Being part of the I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong will enable us to forge and strengthen new relationships within this exciting community of innovators. Teledyne e2v's broad technology portfolio, spanning industrial machine vision, space imaging, microwave devices for radar and radiotherapy, and high performance semiconductors, is a perfect fit here."

Edwin Roks, Group President, Teledyne Digital Imaging, added, "I'm proud that we are able to leverage Teledyne e2v's successful experience of doing business in Asia and taking this important step to ensure we provide end-to-end technical and operational support to our customers via our regional hub in Hong Kong."

Teledyne e2v Asia Pacific is commited to continue bringing customers in Asia a competitive advantage, through cutting-edge products, quick customer support and technical expertise. Looking to the future, the Teledyne group will reach even further, providing solutions to solve the most challenging customer requirements, extending into every aspect of human endeavor, maximizing customer value and return on investment.

Visit www.teledyne-e2v.com to find out more.

Notes to Editors:

Teledyne e2v

Teledyne e2v's innovations lead developments in healthcare, life sciences, space, transportation, defence and security and industrial markets. Teledyne e2v's unique approach involves listening to the market and application challenges of customers and partnering with them to provide innovative standard, semi-custom or fully-custom solutions, bringing increased value to their systems.

For more information www.teledyne-e2v.com.

About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Comprising Science Park, InnoCentre and Industrial Estates, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is a statutory body dedicated to building a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem to connect stakeholders, nurture technology talents, facilitate collaboration, and catalyse innovations to deliver social and economic benefits to Hong Kong and the region.

Established in May 2001, HKSTP has been driving the development of Hong Kong into a regional hub for innovation and growth in several focused clusters including Electronics, Information & Communications Technology, Green Technology, Biomedical Technology, Materials and Precision Engineering. We enable science and technology companies to nurture ideas, innovate and grow, supported by our R&D facilities, infrastructure, and market-led laboratories and technical centres with professional support services. We also offer value added services and comprehensive incubation programmes for technology start-ups to accelerate their growth.

Technology businesses benefit from our specialised services and infrastructure at Science Park for applied research and product development; enterprises can find creative design support at InnoCentre; while skill-intensive businesses are served by our three industrial estates at Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Teledyne e2v

Email Contact

+ 852 3679 3652




BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 4.30 am ET Wednesday, the Bank of England releases UK mortgage approvals for October. The number of mortgages approved in October is seen at 65,000 compared to 66,200 in September. Ahead of the data, the pound held steady against its major rivals. The pound was worth 0.8855 against the euro, 149.45 against the yen, 1.3172 against the franc and 1.3407 against the greenback as of 4:25 am ET. 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.
ZUG, Switzerland, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

trade.io is delighted to announce that it is funding two post-doctoral seats at the University of Nicosia to focus on advanced research in Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Specifically, trade.io will be supporting post-doctoral research at the University of Nicosia in the areas of 1) Distributed Ledger Technology, with a specific focus on side-chains and cross-chain interoperability, and 2) smart token corporate governance best practices and implementation.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/592785/trade_io_Logo.jpg )



With this important initiative, trade.io demonstrates its commitment to improving the state-of-the-art in the DLT field by supporting high caliber academic staff to pursue topics that will improve the functionality, interoperability, and governance of blockchain technologies.

trade.ioCEO, Jim Preissler said of the agreement, "Without a doubt, this is a major development for us, in that it providestrade.iowith access to some of the brightest and most innovative minds in blockchain and digital currency. The University of Nicosia has embraced blockchain technology since 2013, being the first to accept bitcoin for tuition and to publish academic certificates on the blockchain." Preissler continued: "They were also the first university in the world to offer coursework and an accredited academic degree program in this field (MSc in Digital Currency) and are considered a global leader in academia in this area."

Antonis Polemitis, CEO of University of Nicosia, remarked on the collaboration, "We very much welcome and commend trade.io's willingness to fund and support technical research in some of the most interesting (and difficult) topics in Distributed Ledger Technology. We are deeply interested in further research and development in these areas that will benefit the whole community and field at large. Given the rapid growth of value being transacted globally on blockchains, it is critical that firms in this field contribute, both financially and technically, to basic academic research in the technologies that underpin this new field."

The call for post-doctoral researchers under this program will be open on December 4th at:

http://www.digitalcurrency.unic.ac.cy

trade.io is building a blockchain-based trading platform for cryptocurrency and traditional financial assets.More information about trade.io can be found at: http://www.trade.io

The University of Nicosia (UNIC) is one of the leading comprehensive universities in southern Europe with over 12,000 students.More information about the University of Nicosia can be found at: http://www.unic.ac.cy
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French shares rose on Wednesday as signs of progress on U.S. tax reform and reports of a breakthrough in Brexit talks helped investors shrug off news about North Korea's latest missile launch. The benchmark CAC 40 was up 29 points or 0.55 percent at 5,419 in late opening deals after gaining 0.6 percent on Tuesday. Air France-KLM shares jumped more than 2 percent. The airline has signed a cooperation agreement with India's Jet Airways for the development of their operations between Europe and India. Societe Generale rose half a percent after the bank ruled out acquisitions in Russia. In economic releases, French consumer spending dropped 1.9 percent month-over-month in October, reversing a 1.0 percent rise in September, official data showed. Separately, the second estimate from the statistical office Insee showed that French GDP grew 0.5 percent sequentially in the third quarter, in line with the estimate released on October 31, but slightly slower than the 0.6 percent expansion posted in the second quarter. 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.
STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) - Sweden's economic confidence improved unexpectedly in November, survey data from the National Institute of Economic Research showed Wednesday. The economic tendency survey index climbed to 114.1 in November from 113.4 in October. Meanwhile, economists had expected the index to fall to 111.9. All business sectors other than construction contributed to the rise in November. The sub-index for manufacturing increased to 121.9 from 121.2 in October. The expected score was 120.3. Similarly, industrial confidence strengthened, with the index rising to 110.1 from 109.9. Data also showed that the consumer confidence index improved to 108.0 in November from 105.9 in the previous month. In contrast, it was forecast to drop to 104.0. 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.
MINSK, Belarus, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

On November 28, IBA Group - www.ibagroupit.com - signed an agreement on cooperation of socially responsible organizations of Belarus.

The local social foundation Fond Dobra that acts as the UN Global Compact Office in Belarus held an official ceremony of signing an agreement on cooperation of socially responsible organizations of Belarus in the implementation of CSR projects in Minsk, Belarus. Sergei Akoulich, CEO of IBA IT Park and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors at IBA Group, signed the agreement on behalf of IBA Group.

According to the UN Global Compact Office in Belarus, the event aims to encourage and recognize the businesses that are willing to implement sustainability and social responsibility (CSR) projects in Belarus, both individually or in coordination with other market players and the UN Global Compact Office.

Top officials of the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) in Belarus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Information, and Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, as well as more than 40 international and local enterprises attended the ceremony.

Commenting on the event, Mr. Akoulich said: "IBA Group supports the ten principles of the UN Global Compact and its adherence to sustainability is reflected in the company's strategy. For us, sustainability means acting in the best interests of our employees, customers, communities, and society. As a signatory of the corporate sustainability agreement, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of social responsibility in business."

He went on to say that "involvement in the UN program will enable IBA Group to achieve more significant and visible sustainability results through targeted consolidation with the colleagues from the business community. In addition, applying their professional IT expertise in the today's digital world, many of our employees realize their need to be personally involved in socially responsible projects and initiatives."

The second half of the event was devoted to cooperation between socially responsible companies and Belarusian media in publicizing CSR projects. A round table discussion entitled CSR: Business and Media Perspectives resulted in the adoption of a document that regulates and encourages a consistent, frequent, and large-scale coverage of CSR projects in the Belarusian media.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE: RY) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q4 Earnings Call to be held on November 29, 2017 at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/2034.

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network


TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Digital currency bitcoin surged to break the $10,000 mark for the first time, on Tuesday, reaching $10,267.90. During the year so far, the virtual currency has risen more than 10-fold.



Separately, Former Fortress hedge fund manager Michael Novogratz told CNBC that the currency could easily reach $40,000 by end of 2018.



'I can hear the herd coming. Lots of funds have been raised. This will be a real mania,' he said on CNBC's 'Fast Money.' According to him, in 10 to 15 years' time, block chain and centralized system will be there everywhere for dealing in this 'digital gold.'



Bitcoin is gaining support each passing day. Coinbase, the largest bitcoin exchange in the U.S., recently said about 100,000 accounts were added around the Thanksgiving weekend.



Meanwhile, Japan's bitFlyer, the world's largest bitcoin exchange by trading volume, is entering the US market, the company said in a statement.



bitFlyer on Tuesday became the fourth digital currency exchange to obtain a BitLicense from the New York Department of Financial Services or NYDFS. The exchange also has licenses to operate in 40 other states. bitFlyer reportedly accounts for 30 percent of all bitcoin exchange volume.



The BitLicense, which enables a company to operate a bitcoin exchange within New York, has already been granted to three companies Coinbase, Circle and Ripple.



BitFlyer plans to offer zero percent trading fees in the U.S. through the end of this year. The exchange had established an office in San Francisco in August.



The company's CEO Yuzo Kano said, 'bitFlyer is proud to have been granted a BitLicense to do business in the state of New York. This is a nod of approval from one of the most influential state financial services regulators in the nation.'



Further, the exchange confirmed its plans to expand its cryptocurrencies to include Litecoin, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Bitcoin Cash, and more.



Japan has a dominance in bitcoin trading as the government there has recognized the cryptocurrency as a legal form of payment, in opposite to many other authorities.



Founded in 2014, bitFlyer has raised a total of $36 million in venture funding. According to Crunchbase, the exchange's investors include Digital Currency Group, Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital.



Meanwhile, Coinbase has raised $217.2 million in total from investors including Section 32, the venture capital fund founded by Google Ventures founder Bill Maris.



On Monday, Libra, a financial software startup for the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry also said it has raised $7.8 million in new Series A round.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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TEL AVIV, ISRAEL -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- InspireMD, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NSPR), a leader in embolic prevention systems (EPS) / thrombus management technologies and neurovascular devices, today announced that it entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor for the issuance and sale of 750 shares of InspireMD's Series D Preferred Stock for aggregate gross proceeds of $750,000 as part of a planned recapitalization of the Company.

James Barry, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of InspireMD, commented, "At the time of our last capital raise, we were in the early stages of a turnaround, which limited our funding options and resulted in a complicated capital structure. We have since executed against our operational plan as illustrated by the strong sequential and year-over-year growth in sales of CGuard EPS. Despite this growth, our current capital structure has proven an impediment to driving shareholder value. As such, we decided to undertake a proposed recapitalization. We believe these steps were necessary and will ultimately prove beneficial for shareholders given the operational success we are now experiencing."

The Series D Preferred are convertible into shares of common stock at the lesser of $0.50 or 60% of the closing bid price immediately prior to the closing date under the securities purchase agreement, which shall be the earlier of December 11, 2017, and the date immediately following the date that the closing bid price of the common stock is $0.33 per share or less, subject to a $0.20 floor ("Series D Conversion Price"). To the extent that the Series D Conversion Price is greater than $0.33, it will be reset to $0.20 per share if the price of the common stock is less than $0.33 per share at any time subsequent to the closing date. The Series D preferred stock does not contain any substantive features that differ materially from the Company's common stock other than a mechanism that would prevent a holder of such preferred stock from converting the preferred stock into common stock or voting such preferred stock to the extent it would cause such holder to beneficially own more than 19.99% of the Company's common stock until shareholder approval of the conversion of the Series D Preferred into in excess of 19.99% of our outstanding common stock. The closing is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

As a result of the issuance and sale of the Series D Preferred Stock, the conversion price of the outstanding shares of Series B Stock will be reduced to the Series D Conversion Price pursuant to the anti-dilution adjustment provisions of the Series B Preferred Stock. There will, however, be no change to the conversion price of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock as a result of holders of a majority of the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock consenting to an amendment to the terms of the Series C Preferred exempting the issuance of the Series D Preferred from the anti-dilution adjustment provisions of the Series C Preferred Stock.

Among other things, in connection with the securities purchase agreement, the Company has agreed (1) to refrain from issuing shares of common stock until 90 days after the closing date of the securities purchase agreement, except that the Company may commence an offering of its common stock or common stock equivalents for gross proceeds of at least $8 million (a "Qualified Offering") at any time after February 26, 2018, and make certain other exempt issuances, (2) to use 12.5% of the proceeds from any subsequent offering of the Company's securities to redeem the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock owned by the purchasers executing the securities purchase until the Company has redeemed an aggregate of up to $1.5 million of stated value of Series B Preferred Stock, and (3) to refrain from entering into certain variable rate transactions until the date that is six months after the closing date.

In addition, upon the consummation of a Qualified Offering, the purchasers have agreed to exchange shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock owned by them into the securities sold by the Company in the Qualified Offering upon the terms set forth in the securities purchase agreement. The purchasers shall also have the option to exchange their Series D Preferred Stock into the securities issued in a Qualified Offering.

Additional details of the transaction will be available in the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission on or prior to November 29, 2017, and is available at www.sec.gov.

The Company also announced that on November 22, 2017 it received an additional letter from the New York Stock Exchange that it is not in compliance with Section 1003(a)(ii) of the Company Guide relating to the stockholders' equity and net income continued listing standards. This follows the Company's announcement on October 24, 2017 that the New York Stock Exchange has accepted the Company's plan to regain compliance with the NYSE American's stockholder's equity continued listing standard (Part 10, Section 1003(a)(iii)). The Company has until February 17, 2019 to regain compliance with the continued listing requirements and believes that the proposed recapitalization will help further address the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

About InspireMD, Inc.

InspireMD seeks to utilize its proprietary MicroNet technology to make its products the industry standard for embolic protection and to provide a superior solution to the key clinical issues of current stenting in patients with a high risk of distal embolization, no reflow and major adverse cardiac events.

InspireMD intends to pursue applications of this MicroNet technology in coronary, carotid (CGuard), neurovascular, and peripheral artery procedures. InspireMD's common stock is quoted on the NYSE MKT under the ticker symbol NSPR and certain warrants are quoted on the NYSE MKT under the ticker symbol NSPR.WS.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential" or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) market acceptance of our existing and new products, (ii) negative clinical trial results or lengthy product delays in key markets, (iii) an inability to secure regulatory approvals for the sale of our products, (iv) intense competition in the medical device industry from much larger, multinational companies, (v) product liability claims, (vi) product malfunctions, (vii) our limited manufacturing capabilities and reliance on subcontractors for assistance, (viii) insufficient or inadequate reimbursement by governmental and other third party payers for our products, (ix) our efforts to successfully obtain and maintain intellectual property protection covering our products, which may not be successful, (x) legislative or regulatory reform of the healthcare system in both the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, (xi) our reliance on single suppliers for certain product components, (xii) the fact that we will need to raise additional capital to meet our business requirements in the future and that such capital raising may be costly, dilutive or difficult to obtain and (xiii) the fact that we conduct business in multiple foreign jurisdictions, exposing us to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, logistical and communications challenges, burdens and costs of compliance with foreign laws and political and economic instability in each jurisdiction. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contacts:



InspireMD, Inc.

Craig Shore

Chief Financial Officer

Phone: 1-888-776-6804 FREE

Email: craigs@inspiremd.com



Crescendo Communications, LLC

David Waldman

Phone: (212) 671-1021

Email: NSPR@crescendo-ir.com




TM3 Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative metabolite replacement therapies for rare, genetic neurological diseases, today announced the appointment of Peter Van Vlasselaer, Ph.D. as Chairman of TM3's Board of Directors. Dr. Van Vlasselaer is currently Chief Executive Officer of ARMO Biosciences. He is world-wide recognized as a serial entrepreneur with an outstanding track record of building successful biotech companies, and brings more than 20 years of experience in the biotech industry.

"As founder and co-founder, CEO and board member of several biotechnology companies, Peter has extensive experience in guiding companies from their early innovative research stage through commercialization of therapies. His insights will be invaluable for TM3 as we aim to become the leading company in coenzyme A disorders such as Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN). We are thus very proud to welcome Peter as Chairman of our Board," said Enej Kuscer, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of TM3.

Dr. Van Vlasselaer has during his career, contributed to the development of multiple biologic products and small molecules for treating diseases including cancer, inflammation, infectious and neurologic diseases and fibrosis. Previously, he was CEO of iPierian, ARRESTO and AVIDIA. In addition to founding ARMO and ARRESTO, Dr. Van Vlasselaer was a co-founder of TrueNorth and ACIR BioSciences and he was a member of the start-up teams of InterMune and Dendreon. He currently serves on the boards of ARMO and Blade Therapeutics. Dr. Van Vlasselaer was a post-doctoral fellow in the division of Immunology and Rheumatology at the Stanford University and at the Laboratory of Human Immunology at DNAX Research Institute, both in Palo Alto, CA. Dr. Van Vlasselaer has a bachelor degree in Zoology and a PhD in Immunology from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. He has authored several peer reviewed scientific publications and book chapters and he is an inventor on multiple patents.

"TM3 is an exciting new company that focuses on developing drugs to treat rare diseases that are caused by an impaired metabolic pathway of coenzyme A such as PKAN. The deep understanding of coenzyme A biology has led to very promising therapeutic approaches to treat potentially a variety of ultra-rare neurologic diseases," said Peter Van Vlasselaer, Ph.D. "I strongly believe in the potential of TM3's approach to addressing these underserved rare diseases and look forward to working with the management team as they develop strategies towards a number of effective treatment options for patients with inborn errors of metabolism."

TM3 was seeded earlier this year by a consortium of top-tier international investors including Sofinnova Partners and INKEF Capital and is established on the basis of the program started through the European consortium TIRCON.

About TM3 Therapeutics B.V.

TM3 Therapeutics' purpose is to develop effective treatments for Inborn Errors in Metabolism, rare but severe metabolic and often neurological disorders that primarily affect children. Our lead program to treat PKAN addresses a novel target in the coenzyme A biosynthetic pathway, aiming to reverse the disease's progressive loss of brain and muscle function. We founded TM3 to be an organization that works together with the leading academic researchers to bring innovative therapies to patients, their families and the medical professionals serving them.

About Sofinnova Partners

Sofinnova Partners is an independent venture capital firm based in Paris, France. For more than 40 years, the firm has backed nearly 500 companies at different stages of their development pure creations, spin-offs, as well as turnaround situations and worked alongside key entrepreneurs in the Life Sciences industry around the globe. With over 1.5 billion of funds under management, Sofinnova Partners has created market leaders with its experienced team and hands-on approach in building portfolio companies through to exit. For more information, please visit: www.sofinnova.fr

About INKEF Capital

INKEF Capital is an Amsterdam-based venture capital firm that focuses on long-term collaboration and active support of innovative technology companies. INKEF Capital was founded in 2010 by Dutch pension fund ABP and with 500 million under management it is one of the largest venture capital funds in the Netherlands. INKEF focuses on investment opportunities in Healthcare, Technology, IT/New Media FinTech. For more information: www.inkefcapital.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005506/en/

Contacts:

TM3 Therapeutics

Enej Kuscer, Ph.D.

CEO, TM3 Therapeutics B.V.

enej.kuscer@tm3therapeutics.com

Tel: +386 40 414 818

or

MacDougall Biomedical Communications

Jacob Verghese, Ph.D.

jverghese@macbiocom.com

Tel: +49 (0) 89 2424 3494

or

Mario Brkulj

mbrkulj@macbiocom.com

+49 (0) 89 2420 9345
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Naspers Limited Class N (OTC PINK: NPSNY) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q1 Earnings Call to be held on November 29, 2017 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/18614.

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2017) - ELCORA ADVANCED MATERIALS CORP. (TSXV: ERA) (FSE: ELM) (OTCQB: ECORF), (the "Company" or "Elcora"), is pleased to announce it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with Lockheed Martin Canada, which represents Lockheed Martin's first battery technology investment in Canada. This strategic partnership supports the growing energy demand for Lithium-Ion battery storage solutions applied to commercial, industrial, utility and military applications.

As renewable energy capacity increases, so does the need for energy storage. The installation of renewable energy sources (e.g. solar and wind power) continues to grow and capturing energy when it's produced and releasing it when is needed can be challenging. To this end, many commercial, industrial, and utility customers are turning to Li-ion battery-based energy storage systems. These systems offer stable, reliable access to electricity while significantly reducing cost.

Elcora is well positioned to take advantage of this expanding Li-ion battery market by offering high-quality graphite anode powder for use in Li-ion batteries. The graphite produced in Elcora's mine in Sri Lanka has been proven in several different Li-ion chemistries to offer both high power, and high energy capabilities at a competitive cost.

The MOU formally establishes a working relationship and guidelines to support/identify opportunities within Lockheed Martin business units; including their energy division to assist in maximizing and achieving sales objectives.

"We are extremely pleased to announce this newly formed strategic partnership with Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is a dominant leader in aerospace, defense, energy and advanced technologies with worldwide interests," said Troy Grant, CEO of Elcora Advanced Materials. "Through this ongoing arrangement, Elcora will complement Lockheed Martin's global initiatives. We are grateful for this opportunity."

"Lockheed Martin Canada is pleased to support the initiatives of Elcora Advanced Materials," said Rosemary Chapdelaine, Vice-President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Canada. "The future of renewable energy is here and Elcora is leading the way in producing clean graphite for the energy storage market. Elcora's vision is two-fold in that it not only has plans to reduce the carbon footprint through green energy, but its anode material comes from a mine that has one of the highest grades of graphite in the world, thereby significantly reducing the need for harmful chemicals in the refinement process. Both Lockheed Martin Canada and its renewable energy division will work with Elcora to help make Canada a world-leading contributor to greenhouse gas reductions."

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2016 sales of 47 Billion.

About Elcora Advanced Materials

Elcora was founded in 2011 and has been structured to become a vertically integrated graphite & graphene company that mines, processes, refines, and produces both graphite & graphene and end-user graphite & graphene applications. As part of the vertical integration strategy, Elcora has secured high-grade graphite and graphene precursor graphite from its operation in Sri Lanka which is already in production. Elcora has developed a unique low cost-effective process to make high-quality graphite, graphite products and graphene that are commercially scalable. This combination means that Elcora has the tools and resources for graphite and graphene vertical integration.

For further information please visit the company's website at http://www.elcoracorp.com

For further information please contact: Troy Grant, Director, President & CEO, Elcora Advanced Materials Corp., T: +1 902 802-8847 F: +1 902 446-2001.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock Exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and reserves, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Elcora, are forward-looking statements that involve various 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 Elcora's expectations are exploration risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Elcora with securities regulators.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2017) - Tudor Gold Corp. (TSXV: TUD) (FSE: TUC) (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") is pleased to report that during the 2017 field season an access road to the Electrum property has been completed. In 2015/16 the access road from the end of the Granduc Mine Road to the Electrum property was refurbished and upgraded over a 3.5 kms distance. This past summer Tudor invested $270,000 to complete a new 700 metre extension into the Electrum Project. The property is now connected by road to an all season deep water port at Stewart, BC. Additional important infrastructure includes Long Lake Hydro Power infrastructure, Stewart Airport and Highway 37.

Walter Storm, President and CEO stated, "We are very pleased to have completed this access road, which will now allow us to proceed with a 10,000 ton bulk sample of this high grade gold/silver mineralized zone, subject to receipt of permits. A bulk sample in combination with past drill results will further our geological understanding and unlock value of this high grade mineralized system."

Background on the Electrum Property

The Electrum property is a 60:40 joint venture between Tudor Gold (as operator) and American Creek Resources Ltd. It is located between the past producing Premier gold mine (in the 1920's North America's greatest dividend payer), and British Columbia's newest gold mine, the Valley of the Kings. Recently commissioned at a cost of $1 Billion dollars, it hosts proven and probable reserves of 8.1 million ounces of gold (see www.pretivm.com). Within this area are several other past producing mines as well as new projects undergoing exploration.

One portion of the Electrum property includes the historic East Gold mine which was hand mined between 1939 and 1965, producing 3,816 oz of gold and 2,442 oz of silver from 45 tons of selected ore (BC Ministry of Mines Assessment Report 30206). These historic production values have not been independently verified by Tudor Gold.

Due to a serious back-log of assays involving multiple exploration companies, Tudor is still waiting for approximately 40% of outstanding assays from the two separate areas drilled this year on the property, the Copper Belle and GR2 (HC) zones. Representatives from Tudor have visited the Laboratory and made these concerns known.

About Tudor Gold

Tudor Gold is a significant explorer in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, an area which hosts multiple past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The Company has a 60% interest in both the Electrum and Treaty Creek properties, and a 100% interest in the Mackie, Eskay North, Orion, Fairweather, Delta and the High North properties, all of which are located in the Golden Triangle area.

"Walter Storm"

Walter Storm

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.tudor-gold.com or contact:

CHF Capital Markets

Cathy Hume

CEO

Tel: 416-868-1079 x 231

Email: cathy@chfir.com

Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially.

All statements including, without limitation, statements relating to the potential mineralization and geological merits of the Treaty Creek property and other future plans, objectives or expectations of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various 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 plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The Company expressly 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 otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.

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.
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.
DETROIT, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report onGlobal Spoolable Pipe Market by Reinforcement Type (Fiber Reinforcement and Steel Reinforcement), by Product Type (Spoolable Composite Pipe and Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe), by Application Type (Onshore, Offshore, Downhole, Water, and Others), by Diameter Type (Small Diameter and Large Diameter), by User Type (Operator, EPC Contractor, Drilling Contractor, and Others), by SalesChannel Type (Direct Sales and Distributors), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2017-2022.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/402975LOGO )



This 224-page market report, from Stratview Research, studies the global spoolable pipe market over the trend and forecast period of 2011 to 2022. 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 Global Spoolable Pipe Market: Highlights

As per Stratview Research, the global spoolable pipe market offers healthy growth opportunities and is likely to reach US$ 1,003.1 million in 2022,which offers an opportunity to the industry players to align themselves with the market growth.

There are several factors bolstering the growth of the global spoolable pipe market. The author of the report cited an expected recovery in the rigs or wells count, cost competitiveness of spoolable pipes over steel pipes, excellent corrosion and erosion resistance, and higher preference of spoolable pipe over steel ones in small diameter pipes as the major factors that are proliferating the growth of the spoolable pipe market.

The global spoolable pipe market is highly dominated by fiber-reinforced spoolable pipe in terms of value, followed by steel-reinforced spoolable pipe. Higher usage of fibers as reinforcement is primarily due to their good mechanical performance, such as tensile strength, impact resistance, and fatigue strength. The segment is also likely to witness the higher CAGR over the next five years.

Onshore application is expected to remain the growth engine of the global spoolable pipe market during the forecast period. All the major onshore applications, such as production & gathering lines and injection lines, are likely to generate a healthy demand for spoolable pipes over the next five years.

Register Here for a Free Sample of the 224-Page Report

Based on the diameter type, small diameter pipe is projected to remain the largest consumer of spoolable pipes during the forecast period. All the major players are primarily supplying small diameter pipes targeting all the major applications. Large-diameter pipe is also likely to exhibit a healthy growth during the same period.

In terms of region, North America is expected to remain the growth engine of the spoolable pipe market during the forecast period. The region is also likely to witness the highest growth during the forecast period, driven by an early sign of the recovery of wells or rigs count and increasing penetration of spoolable pipes. All the leading spoolable pipe makers, such as National Oilwell Varco Inc., Shawcor Limited, and Flexsteel Pipeline Technologies, Inc., are headquartered in North America.

The global spoolable pipe market is highly consolidated with the presence of less than two dozen global as well as regional players. The top five players (NOV Inc. (Fiberspar), Shawcor Ltd. (Flexpipe LinePipe), Pipelife International GmbH (Soluforce), FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies, and Aerosun Corporation) captured more than two-third of the total market in 2016.

Regional expansion, new product development, and collaboration with customers are the key strategies adopted by themajor players to gain a competitive edge in the market.

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 the global spoolable pipe market and has segmented the market in seven ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. The following are the seven ways in which the market is segmented:

The global spoolable pipe market is segmented into the following categories:

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Reinforcement Type:

Fiber Reinforcement Glass Reinforcement Carbon Reinforcement Other Reinforcements

Steel Reinforcement

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Product Type:

Spoolable Composite Pipe (SCP)

Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe (RTP)

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Application Type:

Onshore Applications Production and Gathering Lines Injection Lines Disposal Lines Others

Offshore Applications Flowlines Jumpers Others

Water

Others

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Diameter Type:

Small Diameter Pipe

Large Diameter Pipe

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by User Type:

Operators

EPC Contractors

Drilling Contractors

Others

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Sales Channel Type:

Direct Sales

Distributors

Global Spoolable Pipe Market by Region:

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the chemicals and materials industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Chemicals & Materials Industry

Related premium market reports in the advanced materials industry are:

Global Below-Grade Waterproofing Market by Material Type (Polymers, Bitumen, Bentonite, Rubberized Asphalt, and Others), by Membrane Type (Sheet-based and Liquid-coated), by Position Type (Positive side, Blind side and Negative side), by Application Type (Fluid-Applied, Fully Bonded, Self-Adhered, and Loose-Laid), by End-User Type (Commercial Building, Residential Building and Public Infrastructure), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2017-2022

Global Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) Market by Pipe Diameter Type (<1 Foot, 1.0 to 2.5 Feet, 2.5 to 5.0 Feet, and >5.0 Feet), by Resin Type (Polyester, Vinyl Ester and Epoxy), by Fabric Type (Polyester, Glass, and Other Fabrics), by Cure Type (Hot Water, Steam and UV Cure), by Weaving Type (Woven, Nonwoven and Others), by Coating Type (Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Polyurethane, Non-Coated, and Other Coatings), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2017-2022

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Euro area financial stability situation remains positive, supported by strong economic growth, but the threat of an abrupt market correction due to global risks remain, the European Central Bank said in a report released Wednesday.



'Improved economic conditions underpin the assessment that there is no generalized overvaluation in euro area financial markets,' the ECB's latest Financial Stability Review said.



'Nevertheless, global risks in particular may trigger financial asset market corrections with negative repercussions on financial stability.'



The FSR identified four main risks to euro area financial stability over the next two years.



These include an abrupt and sizeable repricing of risk premia in global financial markets, the continued weak profitability prospects for the banking sector, a potential re-emergence of public and private sector debt sustainability concerns and liquidity risks in the non-bank financial sector.



The report said that improved growth prospects in the euro area and other advanced economies could mitigate the likelihood of these risks materializing and reduce the probable systemic impact should any of them materialize.



'Continued risk premia compression and signs of increased risk-taking behavior in financial markets are sources of concern as they may sow the seeds for large asset price corrections in the future,' the bank warned.



The ECB also expressed worry that financial markets may not be fully alert to the possibility that the current favorable market sentiment can change quickly.



Regarding euro area banks, the ECB said they are considered riskier than their global peers. Their profitability outlook remains clouded by the structural challenges such as low valuations and higher perceived risk.



Further, there is slow progress made in tackling high non-performing loan ratios in certain jurisdictions, the report added.



The FSR also said that residential property price valuations appear to be broadly in line with fundamentals, while prime commercial property valuations have departed further away from long-term averages.



'Favorable financing conditions coupled with an improved economic outlook should underpin the sustainability of the recovery, but buoyant developments in some countries and asset classes may warrant closer monitoring in the current low-yield environment,' the report said.



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NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK: TAUG) ("Tauriga" or the "Company") today announced that it has decided to move its corporate headquarters from Danbury, Connecticut to Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The effective date of this relocation will be December 1, 2017.

Tauriga is pleased to announce that the following address will serve as its new Corporate Headquarters:

Tauriga Sciences Inc.

Attn: Seth M. Shaw (Chief Executive Officer)

555 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor

New York NY 10022

Tel. (917)-796-9926

The Company has entered into a 24 month lease for the above-mentioned address, commencing December 1, 2017 and will be paying exactly $1,010 per month for the term of the lease.

ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES, INC.

Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK: TAUG) is engaged in building life sciences company through the development, marketing, distribution and potential licensing of a broad array of products and technologies. The Company is presently focused on its upcoming contemplated launch of a Cupacu Butter based lip balm product branded under the name: Herman. The Company believes that one of its most important strengths is its access to and relationships with potentially substantial distribution systems and networks. The Company intends to capitalize on distribution opportunities and will continually update shareholders on such developments. Please visit the Corporate Website at www.tauriga.com

NON SOLICITATION:

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. Any securities offered or issued in connection with the above-referenced merger and/or investment have not been registered, and will be offered pursuant to an exemption from registration.

DISCLAIMER:

Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation: expectations, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones (i.e. SEC Periodic Filings, Filing of Proxies, etc.). Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on Tauriga's predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in documents filed from time to time by Tauriga with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact Info:



Mr. Seth M. Shaw

Chief Executive Officer

Tauriga Sciences Inc.

Cell # 917-796-9926

Email: sshaw@tauriga.com

Website: www.tauriga.com




VANCOUVER, BC -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (OTCQB: FFRMF) is pleased to announce that it has closed on the previously announced acquisition of a 120-acre industrial hemp farm in Amity, ME. With this acquisition, Future Farm is now strategically positioned in both the fast-growing hemp market as well as the cannabis market.

Future Farm expects to harvest 1,700 plants per acre of the 120-acre farm, which translates into approximately 10-kilos of CBD distillate per acre, which further translates into $90,000 per acre in revenue, or on 120-acres a projected revenue of $10,800,000.00. With Maine's current favorable economic climate for hemp in place, the Company is moving aggressively to acquire more land and is in discussion with existing farm operators to farm another 200-acres of organic hemp on existing farmland in Maine.

"We are thrilled to be able to acquire this prime land to farm hemp as we will leverage our oil extraction techniques into the CBD business," comments Bill Gildea, CEO of Future Farm. "We are excited to be working with Derek Ross on this project as well as on other projects which are in our pipeline."

Derek Ross, CEO of Cannatech, comments, "I'm excited to grow this business with Future Farm. Partnering with Future Farm will allow us to scale up to full production faster and enable us to process large amounts of hemp flower into highly pure CBD concentrates, which is where the market is." Mr. Ross continues, "We are actively looking for more land to farm so that we may rapidly scale production in 2018 as the market demand for CBD oil continues to expand."

Hemp is a fast growing, high margin closely-related business to the cannabis business growing at a 22% CAGR currently valued at over $688 million, and estimated to grow to $1.8 billion by 2020 in the USA. As consideration for the acquisition of the Farm, Future Farm paid Derek Ross $80,000, payable in equal installments over the course of six months, and 250,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

For further information, contact William Gildea, CEO and Chairman, at 617.834.9467.

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea, CEO & Chairman

About Future Farm

Future Farm Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with projects throughout North America including California, Florida and Maryland. The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants, with a focus on cannabis. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generate yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including 90% less water, fertilizer and land used, less travel costs, seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability. The Company also utilizes a leading cannabis oil extraction technology, which enables the Company to process 20lbs/hour of cannabis plant to yield approximately 908 grams/hour of oil.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com, which caters to B2B customers, is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com, which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

The Company recently acquired the exclusive right to use a patented, augmented reality (AR) technology in the cannabis industry. The Company will work with its partner to merge AR and ad-tech with the cannabis industry through the CannaCube LiveTM platform.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press 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, exploitation and exploration successes, 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.

William Gildea

CEO & Chairman

617-834-9467

bill@futurefarmtech.com




LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- mCig, Inc. (OTCQB: MCIG), a diversified company servicing the legal cannabis markets, announced today that the company has entered into a definitive Joint Venture agreement with Empire Farm's FarmOn! Foundation in Copake New York. Together the partnership has formed NYAcres, Inc., a corporation 80% owned by mCig, Inc. focused on hemp propagation, production, research, and distribution of organic industrial hemp and hemp by-products.

The company is pleased to announce that cultivation process will start immediately on the initial harvest of 40 acres, allowing for a second harvest in late fall. The program will expand each year over 3 years, scaling up to 120 acres of organic industrial hemp bi-annually.

Uniquely located on the corner of three states, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Empire Farm is a certified organic 220-acre working farm, home to the FarmOn! Foundation, founded in 1830 and associated with the Astor family. Nestled in an agricultural community in the heart of the Columbia County, the FarmOn! Academy is in partnership with SUNY and Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, providing young adults the opportunity to learn agriculture on an established working farm. Now home to NY Acres, Inc., the farm also offers 4 four-season heated hi-tunnel greenhouses lending its rich 'black gold' soil, suitable for hemp cultivation.

FarmOn! Foundation includes a strong collaboration of professional farmers, educators, influencers, supporters, nutritionists, students, and community leaders who believe in investing in the future of local agriculture by helping to rebuild local economies, enabling them to be resilient with sustainable agriculture. FarmOn! Foundation partners include SUNY, Cornell University, Google NYC Farm to Table Project, TasteNY, John Varvatos, Bronx Zoo, NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, New World Foundation/Local Economies Project, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Christy & John Mack Foundation, Hudson Valley Fresh, Maple Hill Creamery, Yelp, Whole Foods Market, Modern Farmer, NBA, The Walt Disney Company, MLB at Yankees SI, Applegate, Edible Schoolyard Project and LetsMove.org

Industrial hemp is projected to increase 700% by 2020. New York State has focused on the economic development and expansion of Industrial Hemp Research Permits under Governor Andrew Cuomo, giving mid-size farms the opportunity to implement sustainability and organic practices to promote efficiency and profitability. The partnership between mCig and FarmOn! Foundation brings a significant, mutually beneficial opportunity, investing in infrastructure to help rebuild rural American farming.

"The opportunity between mCig and FarmOn! Foundation fosters innovative, profitable and sustainable farming. We look to industrial hemp as an economic driver in the great state of New York, with the leadership of Governor Cuomo supporting our agricultural community, having a vision to rebuild for sustainability and rural prosperity through research and investment," said Paul Rosenberg, CEO of mCig.

The Chairwoman of FarmOn! Foundation and CEO of NYAcres, Inc., Tessa Edick, brings a lifetime of agricultural and business experience, strategic partners and a wealth of knowledge in food and agricultural cultivation to the joint venture. Tessa Edick is connected to a lifetime of practical farming, is an established author, school food activist, food entrepreneur, founder and executive director of the FarmOn! Foundation, a 5013 non-profit organization and public charity.

In 2016, Edick was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to the Task force on Safe and Healthy Foods to develop NY Grown & Certified brands, and in 2015 appointed by executive order to the New York State Council on Food Policy and the Advisory Board for Edible Schoolyard by mentor Alice Waters. Edick was featured in the Oprah Magazine "O" list twice, as well as 16 SFT Sofi Awards (the Oscars of food). Edick also founded the Culinary Partnership, where her guidance helps both celebrity chefs and producers launch their recipes to retail shelves. In 2010, Edick started Friends of the Farmer Festival in the Hudson Valley and established the FarmOn! Foundation, as the benefactor, committed to raising awareness and respect to farmers, the real stars in food, while educating the public on the importance of honest food-choices and better school lunches, contracting dairy farms in the districts to supply school milk. FarmOn! Foundation offers programs for adults and youth, including a SUNY accredited Farm Academy, the theme of which is fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in agriculture, thereby supporting the local growing community in the process. In 2014, through a generous contribution from the Christy & John Mack Foundation, Farm On! Foundation found its home at Empire Farm.

"The oldest honorable profession, farming, needs to be re-established for our health; for our children; and for the economy of our local communities. Only when the costs of trucking, storage and distribution is redirected to the local Farmer, will farming once again become a profitable business...and attract future generations of farmers," says Tessa Edick, CEO of NY Acres.

"Edick's FarmOn! movement, has cultivated and nurtured a broad network of supporters, partners and beneficiaries within New York State as a pilot program that is being scaled and implemented nationally with Google, NYC Farm to Table Project," says Mike Hawkins, CFO of mCig.

About the FarmOn! Foundation:

FarmOn! Foundation is a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization and public charity that creates and funds youth educational programming and is working to preserve family farming in America.

FarmOn! Foundation is dedicated to bringing awareness to food choices and sources and reinvigorating respect for farming, inspiring young people to choose agricultural careers to create an economic engine connecting rural and urban marketplaces to rebuild local economies.

MISSION: Inspiring, educating and preparing youth for successful careers in sustainable farming.

VISION: A world where a career in sustainable agriculture is valued and profitable.

FarmOn! Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization + public charity that creates and funds youth educational programming and is working to preserve family farming in America. The FarmOn! Foundation is a movement dedicated to bringing awareness to food choices and sources, reinvigorating respect for farming and inspiring young people to choose agricultural careers that will create an economic engine connecting rural and urban marketplaces to build local economies. Join our movement today:http://farmonfoundation.org.

About MCIG Group (OTCQB: MCIG)

Headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, mCig, Inc. (OTCQB: MCIG) is a diversified company servicing the legal cannabis, hemp and CBD markets via its lifestyle brands. mCig, Inc. is committed to being the leading distributor of technology, products, and services to fit the needs of a rapidly expanding industry. mCig, Inc. has transitioned from a vaporizer manufacturer to industry leading large scale, full service cannabis cultivation construction company with its Grow Contractors division currently operating in the rapidly expanding Nevada market.

mCig, Inc. also employs a world renowned technology team and has recently entered the tech space to satisfy its evolving role in technology and in keeping its growing following up to speed.

The company looks forward to growing its core competencies to service the ancillary legal Cannabis, Hemp and CBD markets, with broader expansion to take place once federal laws change. With over seventy five years of experience combined between the key players that make up the Cannabis Grow Contractors Division, mCig Inc. is proud to work with Cannabis Industry leaders and provide broad and rounded solutions for legal growers nationwide.

For more information visit:

More about FarmOn! Foundation visit: www.farmon.org

For more information about mCig visit: www.mciggroup.com

Safe Harbour

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the Company's products and technology; the availability of substantial additional funding for the Company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, and future product commercialization; and the Company's business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies.

This release contains a non-GAAP disclosure, EBIDTA, which consists of net income plus interest expense, net, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization. This term, as the Company defines it, may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure used by other companies and is not a measure of performance presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses EBIDTA as a measure of operating performance. EBIDTA should not be considered as a substitute for net income.

Media Contact:

Paul Rosenberg

CEO of mCig

paul@mciggroup.com




VANCOUVER, BC and BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - November 29, 2017) - Imagin Medical (CSE: IME) (OTC PINK: IMEXF) (FRANKFURT: DPD2) (the "Company") announced today the first in-human Research Study using the i/Blue Imaging System is open for enrollment and recruitment has begun at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

The primary purpose of the study entitled Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging for Bladder Cancer Detection, is to determine the minimal dwell time needed for adequate detection of cancerous cells using protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) near infrared fluorescence (NIRF). Based on previous bench-testing, Imagin anticipates the study will prove that surgeons will be able to "see" the cancerous cells in less than 15 minutes vs. the full hour required by current systems. The study will also evaluate, the patented Simultaneous Acquisition of Differing Images, which will blend the white light and fluorescing images into one, enabling the surgeon, in one step, to identify the precise location of the of the cancerous cells within the bladder.

It is expected that individuals who participate in this 10-subject study will be recruited principally from the pool of current bladder cancer patients at the Medical Center who meet specific criteria: men and women 18 years or older of any racial or ethnic origin, who are scheduled for a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in the operating room resulting from either a new diagnosis of a potentially malignant bladder mass, or a recurrent tumor.

Dr. Edward Messing, Chair of Urology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, is the principal investigator of the study, which is registered on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website www.clinicaltrials.gov. It is anticipated the first procedure will be completed within one month, and all ten procedures within four months. The study will be open for an additional nine months for subject follow-up.

"We're very excited," said Imagin's President and CEO, Jim Hutchens. "This is a major step toward improving bladder cancer detection for those whose lives are affected by this disease."

About Imagin Medical

Imagin Medical is developing imaging solutions for the early detection of cancer through the use of endoscopes. The Company believes it will radically improve the way physicians detect cancer. Imagin's initial target market is bladder cancer, a major cancer worldwide, the sixth most prevalent in the U.S., and the most costly cancer to treat due to a greater than 50% recurrence rate. Developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, this advanced, ultrasensitive imaging technology is based upon improved optical designs and advanced light sensors. Learn more at www.imaginmedical.com.

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Specifically, there is no assurance the Company's imaging system will work in the manner expected, except as required under applicable securities legislation; the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

For further information, contact:

Jim Hutchens

President & CEO

Telephone: 617-571-6006

Email: jhutchens@imaginmedical.com



890 West Pender Street, Suite 600

Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada, V6C 1J9

778-998-5000



69 Longwood Avenue

Hyannis Port, MA, 02647, USA

617-571-6006

www.imaginmedical.com
Offering an Easy, Secure Private Way to Pay

Comercia Global Payments EP, S.L, a joint venture between U.S.-based Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services, and CaixaBank, the leader in retail banking in Spain, announced today that it now brings its customers Apple Pay, which is transforming mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay that's fast and convenient.

Using the new CaixaBank Pay app users can now add their Caixabank cards to Apple Wallet and seamlessly use Apple Pay for purchases at any contactless enabled retail location.

Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When you use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

"With Apple Pay, we continue to focus on implementing and delivering technology enabled, software driven solutions that enhance the customer experience globally," said Joan Morla Tomas President of Comercia Global Payments. "Given the widespread mobile device adoption across Spain, extending our omnichannel acquiring services allows us to be at the forefront in delivering cutting-edge mobile payment solutions in Spain and across Europe."

Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by credit and debit cards. In stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, and Apple Watch.

Using Apple Pay is simple with Touch ID, or just double-click the side button and glance at your iPhone X to authenticate with Face ID. When paying for goods and services on the go, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later, iPhone SE and Apple Watch.

For more information on Apple Pay, visit: https://www.apple.com/es/apple-pay/.

About CaixaBank

CaixaBank is leader in retail banking in Spain, with a 25.7% share among individual customers who make it their main bank. The bank, headed by chairman Jordi Gual, and led by CEO, Gonzalo Gortazar, has around 16 million customers in Spain and Portugal, with 5,468 branches, the largest commercial network in the Iberian peninsula.

The bank is considered a leader in innovation in financial services worldwide, with 5.5 million online banking customers, of which 4.2 perform transactions using a mobile phone. CaixaBank is also a leader in electronic banking, with 15.5 million cards in circulation and a market share by revenue of 23.3%.

CaixaBank has developed projects that have marked technological milestones in the sector, such as the first commercial roll out of contactless and mobile payment systems in Europe, the creation of the first contactless ATMs in the world, the launch of imaginBank, Spain's first mobile bank, and the development of the first artificial intelligence applications for customer services.

About Global Payments

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services that delivers innovative solutions driven by customer needs globally. Our technologies, partnerships and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of products and services that allow our customers to accept all payment types across a variety of distribution channels in many markets around the world.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with more than 10,000 employees worldwide, Global Payments is a member of the S&P 500 with customers and partners in 30 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Brazil. For more information about Global Payments, our Service. Driven. Commerce brand and our technologies, please visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005170/en/

Contacts:

Global Payments Inc.

Investor contact:

Isabel Janci, 770-829-8478

investor.relations@globalpay.com

or

Media contact:

Amy Corn, 770-829-8755

media.relations@globalpay.com
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the availability of the new RZ/N1 microprocessor (MPU) Solution Kit designed to support various industrial network applications including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), intelligent network switches, gateways, operator terminals and remote I/O solutions.

The new RZ/N1 Solution Kit is a complete development package that includes the hardware and software to enable faster prototyping of leading industrial Ethernet protocols such as EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, ETHERNET Powerlink, PROFINET, Sercos, and CANopen, thereby accelerating development and saving up to six months of industrial network protocol integration into customers' applications.

The new kit includes a CPU development board based on the RZ/N1S MPU. In addition, a comprehensive software package is included with all the drivers and middleware, sample protocol stacks, U-Boot and Linux-based BSP, a unique inter-processor communication software, and even a user-friendly PinMuxing tool that can generate C-code header files that removes the complexity of pin configuration. The various software and sample code provides customers with a complete set of tools and frameworks to build their own application without any additional up-front costs or complexity.

Key features of the new RZ/N1 Solution Kit

Enhanced operating system flexibility

Developers can now evaluate using the operating system (OS) ThreadX for the applications subsystem, in addition to Linux that is already supported by the RZ/N1. This enables system developers to choose an OS depending on their specific application requirements. Both OS options support the leading industrial Ethernet protocols that have been implemented on RZ/N1.

Linux: A widely used OS with a very large knowledge base community. For Yocto-based Linux development, Renesas provides the respective Yocto recipes to build the Linux, U-Boot and root file system. Using Qt abstracted set of APIs, GUI applications can also be developed and ported to different targets.

ThreadX: Renesas provides a sample reference port of Express Logic's X-Ware IoT platform powered by ThreadX on the application subsystem. ThreadX is designed specifically for deeply embedded, real-time, and IoT applications. It provides advanced scheduling, communication, synchronization, timer, memory management, and interrupt management facilities.

Enables PLC programming compatible with IEC 61131-3 by CODESYS

The new solution kit allows evaluation of CODESYS, a leading hardware independent IEC 61131-3 development system for programming and creating programmable logic controller (PLC) applications. Among others it supports Industrial Ethernet master stacks for EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Sercos, CANOpen and PROFINET. Furthermore, the embedded LCD controller featured in the RZ/N1D makes great use of the CODESYS target visualization tool, enabling product development with graphical visualization screens. Having CODESYS support enables the device to be either a protocol slave device but also as a master, which highlights the flexibility of the RZ/N1 Group MPUs.

Availability

The enhanced RZ/N1 Solution Kit for the RZ/N1D and RZ/N1S Groups of MPUs are available now through Renesas Electronics and representative distributor partners. The solution kit for the RZ/N1L is scheduled to be available in 1H 2018. The kit includes a variety of sample applications, development tools, drivers as well as evaluation versions of the protocol stacks for faster prototyping and integration.

Renesas will demonstrate the new kit at SPS-IPC Drives 2017 (stand 130 in Hall 10.1), to be held November 28-30, 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany.

For more information about Renesas, follow Renesas Electronics America at @RenesasAmerica on Twitter and https://www.facebook.com/RenesasAmericas/.

About Renesas Electronics Corporation

Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live-securely and safely. A global leader in microcontrollers, analog, power and SoC products, Renesas provides the expertise, quality, and comprehensive solutions for a broad range of Automotive, Industrial, Home Electronics (HE), Office Automation (OA) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications to help shape a limitless future. Learn more at renesas.com.

(Remarks) EtherCAT is registered trademark and patented technology, licensed by Beckhoff Automation GmbH, Germany. PROFINET is a registered trademark of PROFIBUS and PROFINET International (PI). Sercos is a registered trademark of Sercos International e.V. CANopen is a registered trademark from CAN in Automation e.V. EtherNet/IP is a trademark of ODVA, Inc. Ethernet POWERLINK is the registered trademark of Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG). Arm is a registered trademark of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries) in the EU and/or elsewhere. All rights reserved. IAR Embedded Workbench and IAR Systems are registered trademarks of IAR Systems, Inc. LINUX is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. ThreadX is a registered trademark of Express Logic, Inc. CODESYS is a registered trademark of 3S-Smart. All registered trademarks or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005441/en/

Contacts:

Voce Communications, Porter Novelli Company

Clint Gordy, 415-975-2268

cgordy@vocecomm.com
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 28, 2017) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ("Benton" or "the Company") is would like to announce that with the current strong prices for copper, nickel, cobalt and palladium , it may be an opportune time to seek interest for the potential option, sale or joint venture of its 100%-owned Providence Copper-Nickel-Cobalt and Platinum Group Metals (Cu-Ni-Co-PGM) project. The property is located approximately 70 kilometers from the Diavik Diamond Mine where the existing ice road provides a potential access route. The property consists of 2 leases that cover approximately a 2.1km strike length of a recently recognized volcanic belt that is host to the first discovery of magmatic Copper-Nickel-Cobalt-Platinum Group Metals massive sulphide mineralization in the Slave Craton. The project, which was first discovered by Arctic Star Exploration Corp. ("Arctic") in 2008 comes with an well established camp, equipment and a well assembled data base of drilling, geology, geophysics, geochemistry and modeling which has totaled more than $5.5 million in expenditures. The geology of the project is a well-recognized komatiitic-hosted deposit and to date has produced excellent results that include 5.1m grading 3.48% combined nickel + copper with 2.3 grams per tonne (gpt) platinum, palladium and rhodium and 2.3 meters of 11.2 gpt platinum, palladium, rhodium, and other PGMs drilled by Arctic Star. Further drilling by Platinum Group Metals Ltd intersected 4.25mgrading 1.62% Ni, 1.04% Cur and 2.03gpt platinum+palladium and 3.65m of 1.79% Ni, 1.41% Cu with 2.28gpt platinum+palladium. Microprobe work by the previous operators confirmed cobaltite occurs as discrete grains in sulphides and platinum group elements have been observed as large grains of bismuth-palladium-telluride along with iridium-rhodium-cobaltite in pyrrhotite. These zones are open for further drilling.

Highlights of the Providence Lake nickel discovery.

Hole

ID From To Interval

(meter) Ni% Cu% Co% Pt g/t Pd g/t Os g/t Ru g/t Ir g/t Rh g/t 08CR-10 117.6 117.8 0.2 1.34 2.92 0.13 2.730 1.300 0.040 0.090 0.041 0.290 118.2 118.8 0.6 1.77 0.46 0.16 0.660 2.260 0.140 0.290 0.186 0.460 08CR-11 139.75 141.4 1.65 1.69 1.00 0.17 0.340 2.240 0.165 0.130 0.513 0.220 08CR-12 95.32 99.7 2.23 1.30 1.80 0.13 0.550 2.290 0.162 0.121 0.271 0.245 08CR-13 99.5 101.8 2.3 1.67 0.75 0.17 8.794 1.227 0.167 0.168 0.559 0.284 103.3 104.6 1.30 1.21 1.11 0.12 0.186 1.450 0.243 0.184 0.590 0.452 08CR-17 97.45 99.85 2.4 1.76 1.11 0.17 0.174 1.783 0.371 0.311 0.674 0.866 08CR-18 98.35 103.45 5.1 1.73 1.75 0.17 0.250 1.230 0.354 0.264 0.749 0.794 08CR-19 126 129.4 3.4 1.71 1.33 0.17 0.751 1.702 0.295 0.260 0.693 0.610 08CR-21 58.1 60.6 2.5 0.93 0.46 0.08 0.115 0.115 0.190 0.151 0.418 0.382 08CR-23 91.4 95 3.6 1.32 1.43 0.10 0.447 1.062 0.149 0.121 0.390 0.326



In addition Benton holds multiple high grade gold projects available for option which can be viewed on the Company's web site. Most projects have an up-to-date NI 43-101 report available. Interested parties can contact Stephen Stares, Company President, from the contact below.

About Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX)

Benton Resources Inc is a well-funded Canadian-based junior with a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements.

Clinton Barr (P.Geo.), V.P. Exploration for Benton Resources Inc., is the qualified person responsible for this release has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections

For further information contact Stephen Stares @:

684 Squier Street,

Thunder Bay, ON

P7B 4A8

Phone (807)475-7474

Cell (807)474-9020

Fax (807)475-7200

www.bentonresources.ca

sstares@bentonresources.ca
ALISO VIEJO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 --XsunX, Inc. (OTC PINK: XSNX), a leading solar and energy saving technologies provider, announced today that through a special promotion it can now include industry leading Demand Charge Management software from Geli at no extra cost with each 30kW/60kWh or larger energy storage system it sells between now and year end.

Energy Storage, when paired with one of the company's solar rooftop or carport systems and Geli's ITC reporting capabilities, provide clients access to the Federal 30% investment tax credit (ITC) and the California Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) rebate. These benefits together can pay for over half the cost of an installed energy storage system.

"We've had the opportunity to see just how well our solar and energy storage installations work together to maximize utility savings," stated Tom Djokovich, CEO of XsunX, Inc. "Now our storage vendor, working with Geli, has provided us with the ability to bundle Geli's broad demand management capabilities and reporting controls for ITC and SGIP compliance without the added cost for these incredible features. This allows us to make this offer an amazing value for our clients," further stated Mr. Djokovich.

In addition to new system quotes, XsunX is working to provide its existing commercial solar installation customers with the opportunity to take advantage of this world class energy management technology. "It is very exciting when we can offer existing clients the ability to significantly improve their energy savings while also providing them with the advantage of the tremendous cash and tax incentives available for energy storage investments," concluded Mr. Djokovich.

About XsunX:

XsunX specializes in the sale, design, and installation of solar photovoltaic power generation (PV), and energy saving technologies to provide our clients long term savings, predictability, and control of their energy costs. Making solar energy a sound investment for our clients is our mission.

For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.xsunx.com, or to learn more about the benefits of solar energy for your business or home schedule a free PV project assessment.

Safe Harbor Statement: Matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to the Company's future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could impact the Company and the forward-looking statements contained herein, are included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Contact:

Tom Djokovich

President and CEO

888-797-4527

email: info@xsunx.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- San Marco Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SMN) ("San Marco" or "the Company") announces that it is continuing surface exploration at its 100% owned 1068 and Chunibas Projects. As well, discussions and property site visits continue with numerous third parties regarding their potential acquisition of an interest in San Marco's projects.

San Marco's CEO, Bob Willis stated: "As we continue preparations to drill our 1068 copper, molybdenum and gold porphyry system, ongoing corporate strategic planning relating to new acquisitions and joint ventures could lead to significant opportunities for our shareholders. Our goal is, and has always been, to maximize stakeholder value through efficient use of our treasury for exploration and expanding our property portfolio."

1068 Project

The Project is an undrilled copper, molybdenum and gold porphyry system discovered in San Marco's generative program (see news release dated September 26th, 2017). Highlights include:

-- Geological mapping completed to date, has confirmed that phyllically altered and veined zones extend approximately one kilometre ("km") to the east and 400 metres ("m") to the south from previously identified potassic altered porphyritic rocks. -- Rock chip assay and spectroscopy results from a grid rock sampling survey (0.8 km by 1.6 km), show a coincidental footprint. -- Drill target definition from geological mapping completed to date. -- Commence induced polarization ("IP") survey in December. -- All data integration of geology, geochemistry and IP will allow San Marco to pinpoint additional drill targets. -- One obvious drill target at a small erosional potassic alteration window already identified.

Chunibas Project

As noted in the Company's news release dated August 9th, 2017 regarding the Chunibas Project, the discovery of breccias in the recent core drilling program has led to the re-mapping of surface outcrops property wide, re-logging of the core, and generation of a revised exploration program based on the new, larger porphyry-related breccia gold model/target. Highlights include:

-- The San Marco team has identified a new style/type of mineralization on the property during the recent soil sampling program. Mapping of the mineralization confirms a NW-SE trend for at least 1.2 km and remains open in all directions. Rock chip samples have been submitted to the lab, the results of which will assist geologists to further understand this exciting new discovery. -- Field mapping and prospecting mostly completed. -- Grid soil sampling covering an area of 1.2 km by 1.3 km over western segment of the property was conducted and completed. Samples have been submitted to the lab, a three week turnaround period is expected. -- The sampling crew was accompanied by a geologist, as a result of which new showings of copper mineralization were discovered in the southern section of the grid. These new mineralized occurrences do not appear to have been previously sampled. -- In these new mineralized occurrences, green and blue copper oxides are hosted in an intermediate to mafic volcanic sequence, which alteration assemblage consists of epidote-calcite and specular hematite. Oxidation of a disseminated a steel gray coloured mineral appears to be the source of the copper oxides mineralization.

About San Marco

San Marco Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of promising projects in mining-friendly Mexico, including the Chunibas, Mariana and 1068 Projects in Sonora State.

San Marco actively pursues strategic project generation program focused on high-caliber, low acquisition cost opportunities in northwestern Mexico. The Company has a committed management team with extensive experience in Mexico and a proven track record of building shareholder value. San Marco currently has 64,716,276 issued and outstanding shares.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Robert Willis, P. Eng., President & CEO

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

This news release has been approved by San Marco's CEO, Robert D. Willis, P. Eng. a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying such technical information by reviewing the assay reports provided to San Marco by its independent testing laboratory.

The Company has implemented quality assurance ("QA") and quality control ("QC") programs to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the best possible practices. All sampling programs are carried out in a careful and diligent manner using scientifically established sampling practices designed and tested to ensure that the results are representative and reliable. Quality control programs appropriate to the type of sample and the mineralization are implemented, including such measures as external blanks, standards and duplicate samples. The security of samples from sample acquisition to analysis is a vital component of the sampling process. Procedures include the use of secure core logging, sampling, storage and preparation facilities as appropriate and the prompt, secure and direct shipping of samples to the laboratories. Appropriate sample security procedures are employed given the geographic and topographic conditions and the logistics created by the site location.

Forward Looking Information

Information set forth in this document may include forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of San Marco. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. San Marco's actual results, programs, activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

San Marco Resources Inc.

Nancy Curry

info@sanmarcocorp.com




ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RDS)(OTC: RMRDF)(FRANKFURT: 2RX) ("Radisson" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has started a 6,000 meters exploration drill program focused on the Vintage Zone at the O'Brien gold project. The project is located along the Cadillac Break halfway between Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or in Quebec, Canada. The Vintage zone is parallel to, and to the north of bulk of current resources at O'Brien. The zone is located only 85 meters north of the Cadillac Break in a context that is similar to historical and producing mines in the Cadillac mining camp. The structure has been traced by drilling on over 825 meters strike length from East to West, vertical height of up to 580 meters and remains open in all directions. In parallel, the company awarded a contract to independent firm InnovExplo to complete a 43-101 resource estimate update at the O'Brien gold project.

Press release highlights:

- The company established a 6,000 meters exploration drill program;

- 5,200 meters on the Vintage Zone drill testing relatively shallow targets (From surface to 300 m depths) and lateral extension of the Zone. (See plan view and main drill results of 2017 campaign on the Vintage Zone)

- 800 meters targeting geophysical anomalies in the Pontiac sediments south of the O'Brien deposit.

- Resource estimate update of the O'Brien gold project now underway. 30,000 meters of drilling completed for the most part with main purpose of expanding resources between surface and 500 meters at depth will be integrated in the resource update. (See composite longitudinal section of the O'Brien project)

Mario Bouchard, President and CEO commented: "We're excited to continue to investigate the exploration potential of the Vintage Zone with the start of a new drill program. Due to its high grade potential and proximity to current resources, the Vintage Zone will be an important part of O'Brien's exploration plan moving forward. In parallel, with most drill results from 2017 drill campaign on hand; the company is on track to complete a resource estimate update at O'Brien during the first quarter of 2018".

Vintage zone exploration program

Vintage is a parallel zone of the O'Brien project located approximately 85 meters north of the Cadillac Break in the Cadillac Group of meta-sediments comprising sequence of polymictic conglomerate, banded iron formation (BIF) and grauwacke. In comparison, current resources of 36E and Kewagama zones are located in the Piche Group, south of the Cadillac Break. The Vintage zone saw small historical exploration programs, which were never followed upon. In 2017, the company established several high-priority exploration drill targets through historical data compilation in this area of the O'Brien gold project. The first nine drill holes that tested these targets were completed over a strike length of 825 meters and up to 580 meters depth. The new info added to the few available historical information helps to demonstrate the continuity and the favourable geometry of the Vintage zone. All intercepts remain open in all directions.

Resource estimate update

Independent firm InnovExplo completed last resource estimate for the O'Brien gold project in April 2015. In November, Radisson awarded contract to InnovExplo to complete a resource estimate update at O'Brien. The resource estimate will incorporate all exploration work done on F Zone, 36E, Kewagama and the Vintage Zone.

Since the last resource estimate, Radisson completed compilation and digitization of more than 60 years of historical work into a uniform database, a geophysical survey, Re-log and assay of historical drill core, 30,000 meters of drilling and a maiden geological interpretation of the O'Brien gold project. The company expect the resource estimate update to be completed during first quarter of 2018.

Qualified Persons

Tony Brisson, P. Geo, independent consultant, acts as a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

The Independent and Qualified Person for the Mineral Resources Estimate update, as defined by NI 43-101, is Christine Beausoleil, P.Geo., of InnovExplo Inc. They confirm that they have reviewed this press release and that the scientific and technical information is consistent.

About Radisson Mining Resources Inc.

Radisson is a Quebec-based mineral exploration company. The O'Brien project, cut by the regional Cadillac Break, is Radisson's flagship asset. The project hosts the former O'Brien Mine, considered to have been the Abitibi Greenstone Belt's highest-grade gold producer during its production (1,197,147 metric tons at 15.25 g/t Au for 587,121 ounces of gold from 1926 to 1957; InnovExplo, April 2015).

For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com.

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 press release may contain certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, including the scheduled Closing date, but other than statements of historical fact, is forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking information can be found in Radisson's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

Contacts:

Hubert Parent-Bouchard

Corporate Development

(819) 763-9969

hpbouchard@radissonmining.com

www.radissonmining.com




COLUMBUS  Some elected county officials are hoping for a boost in pay that puts their salaries in line with recommendations from a recently released report.

Tom Placzek cited the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO) study as something for the Platte County Board of Supervisors to consider when setting salaries for elected officials here.

What we would like to have done is the finance committee and the board as a whole to take into consideration the NACO report. We dont think in the past it has been given much thought, said Placzek, who is the county assessor.

He approached the board during Tuesday's meeting along with Tim Matas, county public defender, to speak on behalf of other elected officials.

The two said elected officials here earn less than their counterparts in comparable-sized counties. In some cases, Placzek said, there's as much as a $10,000 difference in salaries.

The county board set salaries for elected positions in 2014 for the 2015-18 term, when the supervisors decided the base pay for the county clerk, assessor, register of deeds, treasurer and clerk of district court would be $56,500 annually. Each of those positions was given a $1,000-per-year increase through 2018, with the county clerk earning an additional $1,500 in compensation as the budget-making authority.

That base pay will be $59,500 next year, which is less than NACOs recommended minimum salary for the position.

According to the report, Platte County should be paying elected officials $64,500 to $82,000 annually.

The amount elected officials earn impacts the salaries of other employees. Deputies are paid no less than 65 percent of the county officers salary.

Placzek said it's getting tougher to find qualified employees to fill positions because Platte isnt competitive with other counties when it comes to pay.

Several offices have struggled to maintain a good employee base, he said.

Matas, who is earning $59,800 this year, said it could be a struggle for the county to fill positions like his in the future.

I dont think Im going to be here forever. I think that the county is probably going to be hard-pressed to find someone to take over the public defender position with the way it is going right now and with the caseloads we have been handling for the county, he said.

The study makes recommendations based on several factors, including whether an official handles multiple duties.

For example, a sheriff who also runs the jail should have a salary set at 125 to 140 percent of the minimum base salary, NACO says. The Platte County sheriff will earn $71,000 this year, only slightly more than the chief deputy, who is making $68,745.

Other Platte County salaries for 2017 include: county surveyor, $17,000; Platte County attorney, $84,000; and supervisors, $16,000.

Supervisor Tom Martens said the county has dedicated employees and he hopes to keep them, but acknowledged that's getting tougher to do.

He said the board has to look at what other counties are paying their employees and also be aware of how much businesses in the county are paying, because that's where some county employees find better-paying jobs.

Though the board has received recommendations from NACO in the past, it hasnt followed those guidelines over the past several terms. That could change.

I think we are at a point now where we have to consider biting the bullet and getting the wages up to where they need to be to keep good, qualified people and attract qualified people, Martens said.

Salaries for all elected officials must be set by the county board prior to Jan. 15 of a general election year.

NACO has published a salary recommendation report for elected office holders every four years since the 1983-86 term. The latest is for 2019-22.

Also during the meeting, the board approved interlocal agreements with the city that could lead to a consolidated 911 dispatch center.

Talks have been ongoing for years about establishing a facility that merges the two dispatch centers.

The joint purchase of a Motorola radio console system and study of potential locations for the facility move that discussion forward another step.

Columbus City Council approved the interlocal agreements last week.

The total cost for the radio console upgrade with 10 years of maintenance and support is $785,603. The county will pay $437,779 and the citys share is $347,824.

The price tag is higher for the county because the sheriff's office covers a larger area and needs better equipment, and the higher-priced Motorola console is necessary so the county can join the statewide radio system.

The other interlocal agreement is a $127,500 study by RVW Inc. to look at potential locations for a consolidated dispatch facility. The county and city will each pay half of the study's cost.

Dan Keiter, an architect with RVW, said a building at Columbus Municipal Airport and property near Lake Babcock are among the locations being considered. Another option is the new public safety building the city plans to build.

In other business, the board approved reimbursements for mowing at rural cemeteries. Kevin Jarecki was reimbursed $399.63 for mowing Baptist Cemetery and caretakers for Granville Cemetery were given $561.96.
SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- CFN Media Group ("CannabisFN"), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces publication of an interview and article covering Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.'s (CSE: LDS) (CNSX: LDS) (LDS.CN) (OTCQB: LDSYF) developments in California ahead of full legalization of adult use marijuana on January 1, 2018. In the interview, CEO Brad Eckenweiler is onsite in Adelanto, California discussing the company's grow operations in its new 20,000 square foot facility. The article also covers the company's plans for an additional 202,500 square foot facility in the area.

Significant Growth Potential

Lifestyle Delivery Systems recently submitted plans for a cultivation facility to be developed on its ten acre parcel in the City of Adelanto. The proposed 202,500 square foot facility will be an environmentally-controlled greenhouse capable of producing over 150,000 mature cannabis plants from seedlings every 100 days. Management plans to subdivide the facility to lease to permitted and licensed cultivation entities that meet its strict requirements. Construction is expected to begin before the end of fiscal 2017.

"This facility will represent approximately 20% of the raw cannabis material required to meet the manufacturing, extraction, and distillation requirements of CSPA and LDS Scientific," said Lifestyle Delivery Systems CEO Brad Eckenweiler. "We will continue pursuing qualified contract growers for our product-specific cannabis genetics grow program. This will be necessary to meet the additional raw material needs of the manufacturing facility as well as decrease our dependence on current Northern California growers."

Lifestyle Delivery Systems' newly proposed facility is designed to produce the exact ingredients that are needed for its sublingual, dissolvable CannaStrips and cartridges for its metered dosage products. In particular, the facility is designed to produce specific genetic strains which the company believes will assist and help in treating specific conditions, ranging from improved sleep to pain management. The tightly controlled cultivation process will ensure that its products remain extremely consistent and reliable.

How the Process Works

Lifestyle Delivery Systems spent approximately $6 million to retrofit and equip its existing 20,000 square foot facility. Within the facility are eight isogenic rooms, an agricultural nursery, a cultivation division, three distillation and extraction labs, and a manufacturing division for CannaStrips. Independent third party testing has ensured that the facility is capable of making products without any pesticides, fungicides, mold, or infestation.

The company's cultivation process will begin with seeds that are packaged into individual barcoded seed pods. After being planted, these seeds spend ten days in a nursery to develop into seedlings that are then sterilized. This ensures that no pollen escapes from the seed-stage nursery into the vegetative phase, since cross-contamination with pollen could lead to unpredictable genetics and a host of problems.

After transitioning from seedlings to adolescent plants, the seedlings will be moved into the production grow rooms. Management's intention is to have contract growers take 90% of the adolescent plants to production rooms and grow them to the company's specifications, ensuring that the genetics remain extremely consistent throughout.

Every ten days, 10% of the growth will be taken down to check for genetic purity and then processed into final products. This might include drying or freezing depending on whether the end product is destined to be dry resin or cannabis oils. These products will then be blended into the CannaStrips technology or into cartridges for use in its metered dose products, where consumers can be certain that the genetic purity is consistent every time.

See also: What's in YOUR... Edible?

Looking Ahead

Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. (CSE: LDS) (OTCQB: LDSYF) represents a compelling investment opportunity in the burgeoning cannabis industry. The company anticipates breaking ground on its 202,500 square foot cultivation facility by year end. Once completed, the company will be uniquely positioned to become a leading grower of medical cannabis for use in its proprietary product lines in California's nascent multi-billion dollar cannabis industry that's poised to legalize recreational marijuana in approximately one month (January 1st, 2018).

LDS CEO Brad Eckenweiler lays out the case for investors, saying, "Only a handful of companies will be positioned to participate in the estimated $3 billion market of medicinal and Adult-Use cannabis oils in 2018 and we're one of those few that are properly licensed and that can scale with organic grade quality biomass, predicated on sales. In addition, because we don't have any middle men or brokers to deal with, our margins are extremely attractive."

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/lifestyle-delivery-systems-plans-200k-sq-ft-cultivation-facility-california-plus-exclusive-onsite-ceo-interview/

For more information, visit the company's website at www.lifestyledeliverysystems.com.

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

Disclaimer:

Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CFN Media and CannabisFN.com, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. Emerging Growth LLC may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Emerging Growth LLC may be compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation or equity securities in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure please visit: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

CFN Media

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

flane@cannabisfn.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Sanjel Energy Services today announced that as part of the company's growth strategy, Mr. Murray Bickley will assume the role of President, effective immediately. Mr. Bickley will lead the execution of the company's strategic initiatives, which include its expansion plan with the formation of a new dedicated remediation business line. The remediation business line will focus on providing solutions for well abandonment, integrity, gas migration, acidizing and miscellaneous pumping operations. Mr. Shane Hooker remains as Chief Executive Officer, leading the company's growth strategy to maximize Sanjel Energy Services' value for employees, clients and shareholders.

"I am extremely pleased to appoint Murray to this role," said Shane Hooker, CEO of Sanjel Energy Services. "His knowledge of the energy services industry and extensive operational experience will benefit the company, contributing to our growth and strategic opportunities, while ensuring our clients receive the best service offerings available in Western Canada."

With Sanjel Energy Services since its inception, Mr. Bickley acted as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, where he led the expansion of the company's service offerings to new areas in Western Canada. Previously, he spent 23 years in various domestic and international operations and marketing positions with a global oilfield services company.

"I'm very excited to assume this new role and lead the company's operations and our new remediation business line," said Murray Bickley, President of Sanjel Energy Services. "As an experienced team, we have consistently proven our ability to provide the highest quality cementing and acidizing products and services, and we can now apply our knowledge and technology to the remediation business."

Sanjel Energy Services' new remediation business line is led by an industry leading team of operational and technical specialists, supported by crews with extensive experience working in Western Canada. This focused business line is being built to address the challenges faced with aging energy infrastructure in the region. Leveraging their existing leading services footprint, Sanjel Energy Services remediation crews will operate autonomously from their primary business line. This will allow the remediation teams to work with their clients for efficient and effective operations.

About Sanjel Energy Services

Sanjel Energy Services is a leading provider of cementing and acidizing solutions to the oil and gas industry in Canada. Coupled with its new dedicated remediation business line, the company supplies customers with primary and secondary solutions for new well drilling, abandonment, well integrity, gas migration, stimulation and miscellaneous pump requirements. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Sanjel Energy Services has 11 locations across Western Canada, servicing producers across the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. For more information, visit www.sanjel.com.

Contacts:

Media Contact

Susan J. Soprovich

Brookline Public Relations, Inc.

O: (403) 538-5641 ext. 108

C: (403) 874-2903

ssoprovich@brooklinepr.com




New study from LoopUp details costs of poor conference call practices on business LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO, 2017-11-29 15:11 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LoopUp, the premium remote meetings company, today released the Enterprise Conferencing: User Behavior & Impact Report, a study of conference calling practices in the enterprise. Surveying 1,000 professionals in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) who regularly participate in conference calls, LoopUp sought to understand business people's attitudes towards conferencing as well as their comfort with conferencing technology, and its perceived benefits and challenges. Key findings from the study include: -- Business people waste an average of 15 minutes per conference call simply getting started or dealing with distractions throughout the call. -- This wasted time costs US and UK businesses over $34 billion/26 billion. This cost has increased by 46 percent since 2015 (up from $16 billion/14 billion). -- Dial-in conferencing remains the primary way business people participate in conference calls, regardless of whether they have access to web or video conferencing tools. 61 percent of people (68% in larger companies) report that they still typically dial in in to their conference calls. -- Conference calls present a significant security challenge to businesses. While 70 percent report that it's quite normal to discuss confidential information on conference calls, over 50 percent report that it's also normal not to know who's on those calls. -- Video conferencing has not yet reached mainstream adoption. Only half of respondents believe it is actually useful for day-to-day conference calls and, strikingly, only 12 percent feel as comfortable on video calls as they do on audio calls. "It's not surprising that the majority of business people still default to dial-in to join their conference calls. While there is an abundance of capable software products for conferencing, most business people neither have the time nor inclination to learn how to use them, and they certainly don't want to learn by trial and error during their meetings," said LoopUp co-CEO, Steve Flavell. "Unfortunately, dial-in conferencing offers a subpar user experience which impacts productivity and costs businesses money. Even more critically, it can put sensitive information at risk," continued Flavell. "To move users away from dial-in, businesses should seek an alternative that addresses the needs of mainstream users without overwhelming them with complex features." Download the full report: Enterprise Conferencing: User Behavior & Impact Report Additional Resources: -- Learn more about the cost of conferencing on the LoopUp blog -- View more resources on enterprise conference calls. About LoopUp LoopUp (LSE AIM:LOOP) is a premium remote meetings solution. Streamlined and intuitive, LoopUp is built for the needs of business users and delivers the quality, security and reliability required in the enterprise. One-click screen sharing and integration with tools business people use every day, like Outlook, make it easy for LoopUp users to collaborate on conference calls. LoopUp's award-winning SaaS solution doesn't overwhelm users with features, and doesn't require training. Over 2,000 enterprises worldwide, including Travelex, Kia Motors America, Planet Hollywood, National Geographic, and Subaru trust LoopUp with their remote meetings. For more information, visit www.loopup.com. Christy Kemp +1-303-898-3390 ckemp@dahliapr.com
Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2017) - CFN Media Group ("CannabisFN"), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces publication of an interview and article discussing Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: NINE) and its focus on maximizing shareholder value through cost reduction, risk mitigation and production efficiencies.

Humble Origins

Delta 9 was conceived before there was a legal cannabis industry in Canada. In 2009, John Arbuthnot was attending the University of Western Ontario, working toward a degree in Business Administration. He was assigned to write a business plan and decided to write one for a marijuana business under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR), which was a precursor to the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) and the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) that's in place today. He brought the idea to his father, Bill Arbuthnot, who had experience running a wide range of businesses, and the father-and-son team founded Delta 9 in 2012 to apply for a license under the new MMPR program.

Delta 9 secured the fourth license for cannabis production December of 2013, making it one of the earliest approved licensed producers. They achieved their sales license soon after, in early 2013. While many other companies were heavily funded and spent more than $10 million achieving a license, the Delta 9 team built their original facility on their own for just $950,000; an impressive use of capital!

The company then took a wait-and-see approach to the industry until the Liberal government was elected in 2015 with a mandate to legalize cannabis nationwide, and have since kicked their expansion plans into high gear. So far in 2017, the company has raised over $10 million in funding and decided to proceed with a reverse takeover to list on the TSX Venture exchange.

Focus on ROI

Delta 9's cost-conscious approach to the industry continues despite the significant capital infusion and access to the public markets.

John and Bill jointly developed their own innovative growing system that converted steel shipping containers - known as sea cans - into highly efficient hydroponic grow pods. Each pod is approximately 40 feet long and eight feet wide with 320 square feet of growing space. They are equipped with 15 vented lights that enable cool air to run through the lighting units, which reduces the power consumption for cooling the pods. The self-contained nature of the pods also reduces the need for roof-mounted industrial HVAC systems.

Despite massive increases in quality and productivity, the Delta 9 grow pods cost only $40,000 to install, but produce between 30 to 32 kilos of dried cannabis per year. While typical purpose-built indoor or greenhouse facilities cost roughly $1 million per 1,000 square feet to build, Delta 9's innovative, self-designed systems have driven their expansion costs down to just $120,000 per 1,000 square feet; an impressive Return on Investment.

In addition to the cost savings, the pods have a reduced risk of crop loss since they are completely isolated from each other. This is one reason that the company is one of the few licensed producers that has never gone through a recall or suspension due to mold, pests, or other quality control issues. If there is an issue with a crop, that issue is isolated to a single pod and might cost the company only $5,000 to $10,000.

Crop loss in the typical greenhouse or open growing space more typically can cost a company in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and while Delta 9's system might be slightly more labour intensive, the company is justifiably proud of its enviable reputation for quality control.

The company is also capable of efficiently growing many different types of cannabis since each pod can be set up to suit a particular strain or product type without affecting other product types in different pods.

The company's location in Manitoba also provides it with a key advantage over competing companies. The province has the lowest rates for electrical power in the country, which means the company pays just 4.5 cents per kilowatt hour compared to upwards of 20 cents for some competitors. Along with lower leasing, land, and labor costs, the company estimates the cost of goods sold for each gram will be just over $1 by 2020. Combined with the lower capital outlay, these are huge advantages for shareholders looking for a high return on their investment dollars.

Looking Ahead

Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: NINE) has plans to build 600 grow pods into an 80,000 square foot building and a neighboring 55,000 square foot building. Management estimates the total capital expenditure will be approximately $24 million with production of 17,500 kilograms per year. At 2016 prices, this translates to annual revenue of about $131.8 million. The team then plans to expand production to 1,800 pods on the same property over time as demand for cannabis picks up in 2020 and beyond.

"Our entire focus, every day, is to create value for our shareholders and value for our customers, and we do that by working hard to produce a very high quality product with a high degree of efficiency," says John Arbuthnot. "We do that by only making the capital investments that really improve the business, and we do that by constantly working to improve our efficiency and drive production costs down. No matter what business you're in, keeping your capital costs and your production costs under control is the only way to build a sustainable business."

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/delta-9-licensed-producer-focused-maximizing-shareholder-value/

For more information, visit the company's website at https://www.delta9.ca.

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

Disclaimer:

Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CFN Media and CannabisFN.com, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. Emerging Growth LLC may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Emerging Growth LLC may be compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation or equity securities in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure please visit: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

Contact:

CFN Media

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

flane@cannabisfn.com
OXFORD, England, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Circassia Limited ("Circassia" or "the Company"), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on respiratory disease, welcomes the publication of new clinical guidelines by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)*, which recommend the use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing as part of asthma diagnosis.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 235 million people have asthma worldwide. In the UK approximately 5.4 million people (1.1 million children and 4.3 million adults) currently get treatment for asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease, but many diseases present with symptoms similar to those seen in asthma, making diagnosis a challenge for healthcare professionals. In fact, studies of adults diagnosed with asthma suggest that up to 30% do not have clear evidence of asthma* Some may have had asthma in the past, but it is likely that many have been given an incorrect diagnosis. Conversely, other studies suggest that asthma may be underdiagnosed in some cases. Understanding whether airway inflammation is present can help rule out these conditions and support a diagnosis of asthma.

During inflammation, higher-than-normal levels of nitric oxide (NO) are released from epithelial cells of the bronchial wall. The concentration of NO in exhaled breath, or fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), can help identify airway inflammation, and thereby support a diagnosis of asthma when other objective evidence is lacking.

The new NICE guidelines* issued today recommend the use of FeNO testing as part of comprehensive diagnostic algorithms for adults, children and young people. In particular, NICE recommends FeNO testing for adults when a diagnosis of asthma is being considered, and consideration of a FeNO measurement in children and young people if there is diagnostic uncertainty after initial assessment and normal spirometry, or obstructive spirometry with negative bronchodilator reversibility. Additionally, the health economic model included in the guidelines concluded that FeNO testing was part of the most cost-effective diagnostic pathway for adults. Regarding monitoring of asthma control, it was also noted that FeNO should be considered as an option for patients who remain symptomatic on inhaled corticosteroids as a method to support asthma management.

Circassia's NIOXproducts are novel point-of-care FeNO measurement devices, which are available in many countries across Europe, including the UK, as well as the United States, China, Japan and a range of other territories.

Marc Massanari, Vice President of Medical Affairssaid:"We are delighted that NICE has recognised the clinical value of FeNO testing in the diagnosis of asthma and its role in providing an objective measure of airway inflammation. Furthermore, NICE has provided compelling evidence that supports the cost effectiveness of incorporating FeNO into diagnostic algorithms for asthma."

Carol Stonham, Senior Nurse Practitioner Respiratory at Gloucestershire CCG, said:"FeNO testing is a very useful part of the jigsaw when a diagnosis of asthma is not clear. It provides useful additional evidence about eosinophilic airway inflammation which supports diagnosis and engages and educates the patient in the journey of a long-term condition. It also gives confidence to both health care professional and patient when considering a step down in treatment and can be a helpful conversation opener into issues around poor compliance with inhaled corticosteroids. "

About asthma

Asthma is a common, chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that often begins in childhood, but can affect people of any age. The disease is characterised by attacks (exacerbations) of breathlessness and wheezing of varying severity and frequency, which if left untreated can be life-threatening.

About NIOX/b>

Circassia's NIOXproducts are used to assist asthma management around the world. Circassia markets NIOXdirectly to healthcare professionals in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and through a network of distributors in a range of other countries.

About Circassia

Circassia is a world-class specialty pharmaceutical business focused on respiratory disease. In addition to its market-leading NIOXproducts, the Company recently established a collaboration with AstraZeneca in the US in which it promotes the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment Tudorza and has the US commercial rights to late-stage COPD product Duaklir

Circassia's development pipeline includes a range of respiratory medicines. The Company's lead asthma treatment targets substitution of GSK's FlixotidepMDI and was approved in the UK. Circassia is also developing a direct substitute for SeretidepMDI, and its pipeline includes a number of inhaled medicines for COPD, including single and combination dose products. For more information on Circassia please visit http://www.circassia.com.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain projections and other forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, businesses and prospects of Circassia. The use of terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "estimate", "intend", "continue", "target" or "believe" and similar expressions (or the negatives thereof) are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any of the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements could prove inaccurate or incorrect and therefore any results contemplated in the forward-looking statements may not actually be achieved. Nothing contained in this press release should be construed as a profit forecast or profit estimate. Investors or other recipients are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained herein. Circassia undertakes no obligation to update or revise (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or other circumstances.

*Asthma: diagnosis and monitoring of asthma in adults, children and young people. National Guideline Centre. Commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. November 2017.
The Northern Territory government has given broad support to a plan to transition the territory to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030, and announced new funding for rooftop solar and grid upgrades, after the release of a Roadmap to Renewables report on Monday.The report's 11 recommendations - including the use of reverse auctions to contract new large-scale renewables, and the gradual, long-term replacement of the territory's gas power fleet with large-scale battery storage - have all been given support, or "in-principle" support, by the NT government. In a statement on Monday, the government said it would provide $750,000 to the Territory-owned utility, Power Water, to develop and "a dynamic system model," which will ensure that increasing levels of renewable energy can be integrated into the grid in a stable and predictable way. The government will also spend $4.5 million on household grants of up to $1000 to encourage rooftop solar uptake - currently installed on just 6 per cent of households, compared to 14 per cent on average. The money will also be used to encourage the installation of battery storage and other smart technologies, like solar pool pumps, smart meters, efficient lighting, solar hot water, energy efficient appliances, and efficiency audits. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the shift to renewables would put "downward pressure" on the cost of electricity generation, while maintaining the energy network trifecta - oft-quoted by the federal government - of affordability, reliability ...

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ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - November 29, 2017) - Triloma's general counsel and fund chief compliance officer, Hope Newsome, has been named an honoree in Orlando Business Journal's "40 Under 40" class of 2017. Each year, the publication recognizes top professionals throughout Central Florida under the age of 40 who have made significant achievements in their career.

Additionally, honorees must be involved in the local community through a variety of civic and charitable causes.

"I'm humbled to be named among this group of incredible leaders," said Hope of the honor. "They are proof Central Florida is a thriving city for young professionals."

"Since joining Triloma, Hope has built an innovative and solutions-oriented compliance program for Triloma Energy Advisors from the ground up, while simultaneously serving as chief compliance officer for the funds and general counsel for Triloma Financial Group," said Nathan Headrick, a founder and managing director of Triloma. "Her tireless efforts, creative problem solving and commitment to working with -- not against -- advisors has allowed us to provide flexibility to our clients while still striving to meet all the necessary legal and regulatory requirements."

Prior to Triloma, Hope served as chief compliance officer of Newport Group Securities, where she grew the department from one to five people, greatly expanding their compliance efforts. Prior to that, she was general counsel and chief compliance officer for International Assets Advisory, where she led the group's conversion to a dually registered broker-dealer/RIA in response to regulatory changes. Previously, Hope was director of business practices and controls for AXA Equitable where she led the team that managed compliance controls for the distribution of financial services products through branch offices in the southern region.

Hope is actively involved in a number of local non-profit organizations. She serves on the board of ATHENA Orlando Women's Leadership, a non-profit that strives to develop and mentor local emerging female leaders through learning from accomplished women business leaders who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities. Supporting and mentoring young female professionals is a passion for Hope who currently leads a predominantly female legal and compliance team, many of whom are just beginning their careers. Hope is committed to uplifting and advocating for women, sharing the knowledge, expertise and wisdom she has gained in her 17 years in the financial advisory industry, and mentoring them as they navigate the often-stressful early stages of their careers.

Hope is also on the board of Support Our Scholars, a non-profit that supports underprivileged young women with extraordinary potential by providing financial assistance, mentorship, and other needs throughout their college journey. Additionally, Hope is a member of the Florida Bar Ethics committee.

About Triloma

Triloma Financial Group (Triloma) is a relationship-focused investment management firm doing business to change lives. Through our partnership approach and independent model, our seasoned team is able to better anticipate client needs to help them meet their goals. We manage and sponsor a group of private and publicly offered investment programs focused on private equity, real estate and energy investments. For additional information, please visit triloma.com.

Triloma Financial Group is the parent company to Triloma Securities, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, and Triloma Energy Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, (collectively referred to herein as "Triloma"). Triloma Energy Advisors serves as the investment adviser to the Triloma EIG Energy Income Funds.

Securities offered through Triloma Securities, member FINRA/SIPC.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements identified by the use of words such as "outlook," "indicator," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release. Triloma assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events or circumstances.

Triloma Media Contact

Lauren Bowes

Findsome & Winmore

lbowes@findsomewinmore.com

407-722-7843
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Cogeco Inc. (TSX: CGO) and Cogeco Communications Inc. (TSX: CCA) plan to release their financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2018, ending November 30, 2017, on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, after market closing.

The companies will hold a conference call on Thursday, January 11, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss their financial and operating results. The conference call will be followed by the Annual Shareholders' Meetings at 11:30 a.m. at the Centre Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec (2200 Mansfield Street).

A live audio webcast will be available on Cogeco's web site at http://corpo.cogeco.com/cgo/en/investors/. The webcast will be available on Cogeco's website for a three-month period. Members of the financial community will be able to access the conference call and ask questions. Media representatives may attend as listeners only.

Please use the following dial-in number to have access to the conference call 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the conference:

Canada/USA Access Number: 1-877-291-4570

International Access Number: 1-647-788-4919

In order to join this conference, participants are required to provide the operator with the name of the company hosting the call, that is, Cogeco Inc. or Cogeco Communications Inc.

Contacts:

SOURCE:

Patrice Ouimet

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications Inc.

514-764-4700



INFORMATION:

Rene Guimond

Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications

Cogeco Inc. and Cogeco Communications Inc.

514-764-4700




DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Kinder Holding Corp. (OTC PINK: KDRH) today announced that approval was received on November 28, 2017 from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for: (i) the name change of the Company from Kinder Holding Corp. to Intiva BioPharma Inc. (the "Name Change"); and (ii) the 1:6 reverse split of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock (the "Reverse Split").

The Name Change and Reverse Split will take effect at the open of business on November 29, 2017. The Company's new stock symbol will be KDRHD and the "D" will be removed in 20 business days, following which the Company's new stock symbol will be NTVA.

About Kinder Holding Corp.

Kinder Holding Corp., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Intiva BioPharma Inc., is a developer of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals. Its development strategy consists of:

1. The determination of medical conditions and disorders that could potentially benefit from cannabinoid-based formulations;

2. Conducting "freedom to operate" investigations on these conditions;

3. The preparation of patent applications and the prosecution of such application and/or the licensing of existing patents;

4. Identifying the regulatory pathway with the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"); and

5. Proceeding with pre-clinical and clinical development activities in accordance with FDA protocols for submission to investigate and ultimately obtain approval for the particular product(s).

Intiva BioPharma Inc. is currently researching and developing proprietary pharmaceutical formulations consisting of different cannabinoids and terpenes.

Due to the legal and regulatory challenges in researching cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant in the United States, Intiva BioPharma Inc. is initially focused on developing drugs utilizing synthetic cannabinoids. If the Company intends to proceed in researching pharmaceuticals derived from the cannabis plant, it will proceed with the research and trials in a country where the research is legal, such as Israel, and not in the U.S.

Intiva Disclosure Notice:

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, any statements contained herein or which are otherwise made by or on behalf of the Company that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "to," "plan," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "should," "would," "estimate," or "continue," or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: the success of research and development activities and the speed with which regulatory authorizations and product launches may be achieved; government regulation generally; competitive developments; the ability to successfully market products domestically and internationally; difficulties or delays in manufacturing or issues relating to manufacturing capacity; commercial obstacles to the successful introduction of brand products generally; legal defense costs, insurance expenses, settlement costs, and the risk of an adverse decision or settlement relating to product liability, patent protection, governmental investigations, and other legal proceedings; the Company's ability to acquire and protect patents and other intellectual property both domestically and internationally; the absence of certainty regarding the receipt of required regulatory approval or the timing or terms of such approvals; any changes in business, political and economic conditions; business interruption due to hurricanes or other events outside of the Company's control.

Readers are cautioned not to place reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are valid only as of the date they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law.

Contact:

Mark Lubchenco

Director of Shareholder and Investor Relations

Intiva BioPharma Inc.

Tel. 1-800-497-2915

Email: mlubchenco@intiva.us

Website: www.IntivaBioPharma.com

Intiva BioPharma Inc.


SEOUL (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump spoke by phone with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday following North Korea's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.



The White House said Trump and Moon both underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the U.S. and South Korea, but to the entire world.



Trump and Moon reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the White House added.



The phone call came after North Korea launched a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that purportedly has the capability of reaching any part of the continental U.S.



Trump promised to address the situation during a meeting with Republican congressional leaders that was also attended by Defense Secretary James Mattis.



'I will only tell you that we will take care of it,' Trump told reporters on Tuesday. 'We have General Mattis in the room with us, and we've had a long discussion on it. It is a situation that we will handle.'



Trump suggested the missile launch would motivate Democratic leaders to negotiate on a government spending bill after they decided to skip the White House meeting.



Commenting on the North Korean missile launch, Mattis said the missile went higher than any missile previously tested by the reclusive communist nation.



'It's a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, basically,' Mattis said.



He added, 'In response, the South Koreans have fired some pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands that they could be taken under fire by our ally.'



Reports indicate the North Korean missile soared to an altitude of 2,800 miles and flew for about 54 minutes before splashing down in the Sea of Japan approximately 600 miles from the launch site.



'If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers (km) (8,100 miles),' said David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists.



He added, 'Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States.'



However, Wright said the missile likely carried a very light mock warhead and would be incapable of carrying a much heavier nuclear warhead such a long distance.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Detention Center

The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Tuesday was 70, with 53 from Platte County and 17 from out of county.

Police

Nov. 2

2:15 p.m. - At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 23rd Street, an unknown vehicle struck a vehicle driven by Krystal Tworek, 43, 25564 190th St., and left the scene.

Nov. 22

6 p.m. - At the intersection of Third Avenue and 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Karen Reyes, 23, 1733 SE Ninth St., and Theresa Krzycki, 56, 3810 1/2 14th St.

6:12 p.m. - At the intersection of 23rd Avenue and 17th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Chester Collins, 55, 1672 19th Ave., and Mariana Mendez, 49, 4048 E. 26th St., No. 668.

Nov. 23

5:44 p.m. - In the east 500 block of East 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Amy Andersen, 28, 2262 Circle Drive, and Michael Anderson, 56, 1569 24th Ave., No. 1.

7:46 p.m. - At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and Eighth Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Felipe Nabalon, 39, 3560 53rd Ave., No. 9, and Marianna Evans, 41, 3511 20th St.

Nov. 24

10:55 a.m. - In a parking lot at 818 E. 23rd St., traffic accident. Drivers were John Arlt, 53, 2718 36th St., and Janet Wielgus, 59, 2851 St. Francis Drive.

5:13 p.m. - In a parking lot at 340 E. 24th St., traffic accident. Drivers were Karen Merrill, 54, 470 22nd Ave., and Stacey Raya, 48, 1370 32nd Ave.

Nov. 25

12:30 p.m. - In a parking lot at 1012 E. 23rd St., traffic accident. Drivers were Sharlene Friedrich, 64, 107 N. Eighth St., St. Edward, and Kathleen Stuhlmiller, 78, 107 S. Ninth St., St. Edward.

4:19 p.m. - In the 2500 block of 14th Street, a vehicle driven by Mary Pueppke, 60, 2315 19th St., struck a parked vehicle owned by Evangeline Chlopek, Richland.

6:07 p.m. - At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 14th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Michelle Soukup, 46, 205 N. Second St., Ulysses, and Judy Ewald, 73, 1664 40th Ave.

Nov. 27

1:08 a.m. - Burglary at 1560 26th Ave., under investigation.

7:10 a.m. - Theft at 672 13th Ave., two wallets stolen, $32 loss.

11:29 a.m. - Theft at Columbus Public Library, 2504 14th St., cellphone stolen, $50 loss.

3:56 p.m. - Theft at A to Z Mini Storage, 3660 26th Ave., $60 loss.

Sheriff

Nov. 23

2:45 p.m. - Maximo Regalado of Columbus jailed for DUS and Dodge County warrant.

Nov. 24

6:45 a.m.  Wanted person at the 300 block of East 24th Street, Jakota Moore of Columbus jailed for Platte and Seward county warrants and cited for theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.

10:27 a.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of 27th Avenue and 12th Street, James Spence of Stanton cited for an expired registration.

11:01 a.m.  Wanted person at 2519 Eighth St., Claudia Gomez jailed on a Platte County warrant.

5:56 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of Central Highway and 490th Avenue, Jesse Hoffmeister of St. Edward cited for speeding.

8:20 p.m.  Criminal mischief at 2610 14th St., Morshawn Hawkins of Duncan cited for criminal mischief.

8:44 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 91 and 115th Street, Dale Ternus of Norfolk jailed for driving under suspension and cited for speeding and an expired registration.

Nov. 25

12:06 a.m.  Traffic violation west of Monroe on Highway 22, Troy Rector of Columbus cited for speeding.

12:25 a.m.  Wanted person at the Platte County Detention Facility, 1125 E. 17th St., Brandon Olson of Columbus turned self in on a Platte County warrant.

10:07 p.m.  Traffic violation west of Creston on Highway 91, Samantha Vanderwalle of Cedar Rapids cited for speeding.

10:27 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 91 and 220th Avenue, Nicholas Shrunk of Omaha cited for speeding.

Nov. 26

1:57 a.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of Southeast 16th Street and 59th Avenue, Brian Petersen of Grand Island jailed for driving during revocation and cited for no valid registration.

12:23 p.m.  Traffic violation two miles north of U.S. Highway 30 on 370th Avenue, Jaidin Stonacek of Lincoln cited for speeding.

3 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 22 and 265th Avenue, Vitaliy Matulk of Columbus cited for speeding.

3:45 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of 83rd Street and 63rd Avenue, Todd Tuls of Columbus cited for speeding.

5 p.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of 23rd Street and 33rd Avenue, Gregory Neujahr of Columbus jailed for driving under suspension and cited for no valid registration and no proof of insurance.

Nov. 27

10:38 a.m. - Suspicious activity west of Third Avenue on 68th Street, Tyler Harrington of Lincoln cited for littering.

11:34 a.m. - Traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and 445th Street, Vanesa Hernandez of Missouri cited for speeding.

5:10 p.m. - Theft from a vehicle at 2610 14th St., $685 loss.

Fire

Nov. 22

9:39 a.m. - In the 1300 block of 27th Avenue, medical.

4:35 p.m. - On 265th Street and Highway 81, assist on motor vehicle accident.

Nov. 23

7:34 a.m. - In the 3900 block of East 21st Avenue, structure fire.

5:56 p.m. - In the 1600 block of 40th Avenue, medical.

Nov. 24

1:08 a.m. - In the 2500 block of 47th Avenue, medical.

3:57 p.m.  In the 1900 block of 24th Avenue, medical.

4:59 p.m.  Grass fire in a road ditch on 280th Street, between East 35th Avenue and East 59th Avenue, eight firefighters and four fire trucks on scene.

5:20 p.m.  In the 1800 block of 53rd Street, medical.

Nov. 25

6:12 p.m.  At the intersection of 14th Street and 33rd Avenue, medical.

6:20 p.m.  In the 100 block of 16th Avenue, medical.

7:48 p.m.  In the 100 block of East 24th Street, medical.

9:08 p.m.  Alarm activated at 3271 29th Ave.

Nov. 26

1:11 p.m.  In the 4900 block of Tallgrass, medical.

5:05 p.m.  In the 800 block of 15th Street, medical.

8:39 p.m.  In the 3200 block of 29th Avenue, medical.

Nov. 27

6:46 a.m.  On Lakeshore Drive, medical.

9:33 a.m. - In the 4200 block of Bray Drive, medical.

9:50 a.m. - In the 3200 block of 29th Avenue, medical.

12:07 p.m. - In the 2600 block of 23rd Avenue, medical.

7:53 p.m. - In the 100 block of Center Road, medical.

10:33 p.m. - In the 2600 block of 47th Avenue, medical.

Nov. 28

12:30 a.m. - In the 3400 block of 15th Street, medical.
DUBAI, UAE, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) has concluded the fourth annual Knowledge Summit, which took place on November 21-22, 2017, at the Dubai World Trade Centre bearing the theme "Knowledge and the Fourth Industrial Revolution".

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612444/MBRF_Knowledge_Summit_2017.jpg )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151123/290068LOGO )

The Summit constitutes a global knowledge platform bringing together decision-makers, experts and academics from various disciplines to discuss the opportunities and challenges brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as its impact on societies.

The Knowledge Summit's sessions discussed the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the history of the previous industrial revolutions, as well as their impact on decision-making. Moreover, experts looked into the future of these developments and their effects on knowledge and other aspects of human life. The sessions also examined the impact of the industrial revolution on media, technology, education, healthcare and the economy, in addition to broader subjects, such as artificial intelligence and the future of robotics.

The sessions explored 3D-printing human organs, genetic editing and cell engineering, as well as digital surgery and medical developments in the treatment of common diseases. Furthermore, the Summit discussed the legal and environmental changes under the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in addition to the future of the economy - especially exploring the participatory economy, shadow economies, the emergence of virtual currencies and the impact of these developments on employment.

Moreover, MBRF announced the results of the Global Knowledge Index at the Summit. The Index was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and seeks to support knowledge projects, as well as economic and community development strategies around the world, while serving as a roadmap for the sustainable development of societies. It includes 131 countries from all regions of the world and comprises a total of 133 distinct variables, from different sources, and with strict data availability inclusion rules. Plans are underway to increase data availability and include more countries in the future.

Last but not least, the winners of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award 2017 were announced at the Summit, where Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach for All (USA); Dr Hiroshi Komiyama, Chairman of the Mitsubishi Research Institute (Japan); and the Mohammed bin Salman (MiSK) Foundation (Saudi Arabia), were honoured for their contributions to the knowledge sector. The Award seeks to establish a knowledge economy and recognise and reward intellectual achievement.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2017) - Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL) (OTCQX: AVLNF) ("Avalon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the release of its sixth comprehensive Sustainability Report entitled Concentrating on Cleantech Materials Production (the "2017 Sustainability Report") along with the release of its 2017 annual filings. The 2017 Sustainability Report is available from the Company's website at http://www.avalonadvancedmaterials.com/sustainability/2017-sustainability-report.

The 2017 Sustainability Report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") Standards, core option. Avalon advanced its sustainability reporting this year, with the early transition to the GRI's Standards: a streamlined guidance launched in October 2016, replacing the GRI G4 guidelines used previously.

The 2017 Sustainability Report focuses on the social, environmental and economic issues that are most material to the Company. It also incorporates a self-assessment of Avalon's 2017 fiscal year sustainability performance and sets targets for 2018 against the applicable Toward Sustainable Mining indicators defined by the Mining Association of Canada.

Don Bubar, President and CEO comments, "Sustainability is integral to support our mission of building a profitable cleantech materials business that embraces high performance in areas of social and environmental responsibility. Transparently reporting to our stakeholders is a strategic advantage that we believe will ultimately lead to enhanced shareholder value. We will continue to pursue sustainability in all areas of our business and promote improved mineral industry practices with investors, potential partners and government."

The Company has also completed the filings of its Consolidated Financial Statements, Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form with Canadian security regulators, as well as its Annual Report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its fiscal year ended August 31, 2017. Copies of these filings are available on the Company's website at http://www.avalonadvancedmaterials.com/investors/regulatory_filings/, through SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com or through EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov.

Shareholders may request a printed copy of the Consolidated Financial Statements and/or the 2017 Sustainability Report by email to ir@AvalonAM.com or by regular mail to Investor Relations, Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., 130 Adelaide Street West, Suite 1901, Toronto, ON M5H 3P5.

For questions and feedback, please e-mail the Company at ir@AvalonAM.com, or phone Don Bubar, President & CEO at 416-364-4938.

About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company focused on technology metals and minerals. The Company has three advanced stage projects, all 100%-owned, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, niobium, and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on its Separation Rapids Lithium Project, Kenora, ON and its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project, Yarmouth, NS. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the social, environmental and economic issues that are most material to the Company, the Company's targets for 2018 against the applicable Toward Sustainable Mining indicators, that Avalon will continue to pursue sustainability in all areas of its business and promote improved mineral industry practices. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "potential", "scheduled", "anticipates", "continues", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "scheduled", "targeted", "planned", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" or "will not be" taken, reached or result, "will occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Avalon to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made. Although Avalon has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to market conditions, and the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses as well as those risk factors set out in the Company's current Annual Information Form, Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure documents available under the Company's profile at www.SEDAR.com. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such forward-looking statements have been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Avalon does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities law.


NEW DELHI (dpa-AFX) - US president Donald Trump's daughter and senior advisor Ivanka Trump wrapped up her two-day India visit with a private tour of a historic medieval fort in the southern city of Hyderabad Wednesday.



Talking to reporters after visiting the Golconda Fort ahead of her scheduled departure, Ivanka said her India tour was 'overall a very special experience.'



The First Daughter arrived in India Tuesday leading the US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) of entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem supporters.



She said it was 'a very enlightening and inspiring summit.'



Earlier in the day, she addressed a plenary session of the summit, which focused on the topic 'We Can Do It! Innovations in Workforce Development and Skills Training.'



Ivanka Trump reiterated the importance of technology in today's world, saying, 'Technology is a great driver of entrepreneurship because it emboldens women to start their own businesses, reduces barriers to starting new businesses, and creates flexibility for the modern working family.'



She highlighted the rise of Indian women in the economic sphere in recent times.



Ivanka also brought up the issue of building and adopting polices for the modern working family.



Cherie Blair, founder of Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Karen Quintos, chief customer officer of Dell EMC; and ICICI's MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar also spoke in the session.



The session on Day 2 of the summit aimed to boost female participation in the workforce through increased access to skills, training, education, and career counseling.



Tuesday, President Trump and US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley applauded Ivanka for promoting female entrepreneurs.



'At home that means improving workforce development & cutting gov't red tape. Globally it means creating an environment where women-across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed,' said Haley, who is of Indian origin.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / New York & Company, Inc. (NYSE: NWY) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q3 Earnings Call to be held on November 29, 2017 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/1330.

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network
LONDON, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Third Russian-British Business Forum was held in London on 28-29 November, organised by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Trade Delegation and Embassy of the Russian Federation in the UK with the support of Russian and international partners to discuss the development of trade and investment relations between the two countries.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/606341/Russian_British_Business_Forum_Logo.jpg )



Forum participants included His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, State Secretary-Deputy Minister for Economic Development of the Russian Federation Oleg Fomichev, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights Boris Titov, representatives of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, representatives of specialized authorities and business associations and leaders of Russian and British companies.

According to forecasts presented during the forum, in 2017 business activity between Moscow and London will continue its gradual recovery, with trade turnover between the countries increasing by more than 20% to exceed US$12 billion. In 2017, there has been a trend of diversification of both Russian exports to the UK and British imports to Russia.

"In 2017, business within the two countries continued to adapt to the new reality, and trade and economic relations are now developing. If the current macroeconomic indicators remain on the same level and the potential for trade and investment cooperation is realised, trade turnover between Russia and the UK may double in the next five years", explained Oleg Fomichev.

"2017 has seen a continuation of Russia's trade surplus with the UK - Russia sells to Britain 1.7 times more goods and services than Britain sells to Russia. At the end of 2017, this figure will be more than $4 billion", added Boris Abramov, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the UK.

Over the first 9 months of 2017 Russian exports to the UK increased by 29.4% to US$6.5 billion compared to the 9 months of 2016. Russia's non-energy exports to the UK are growing steadily, amounting to US$3.1 billion (48.5% of exports). At the same time, demand for chemical products almost doubled (3.7% of exports), while demand for various Russian mineral products increased by a factor of nearly 1.5 (71.5% of exports). Demand for Russian metals and products made from them increased by 15.3% (3.2% of exports), while exports of precious metals and stones almost doubled (17.4% of exports).

Imports from the UK, based on the results of the first 9 months of 2017, increased by 18.7% compared to the same period in 2016. In connection with the revival of industrial production in Russia, demand for British machinery and equipment continued to grow (48.9% of imports), where growth reached 21%. The share of chemical products in the import structure is 34.1%. Third place goes to food products and agricultural raw materials (8.9% share).

The UK retains its place among the top three in trade in services among all Russia's partner countries (financial, transport, IT, consulting and other services). According to the Bank of Russia, the turnover of Russian-British trade in services is growing steadily, and over 6 months in 2017 increased by 15.8% to US$3.6 billion.

About the Russian-British Business Forum

The Forum's purpose is to develop Russian-British economic relations and trade and investment cooperation between Russia and international business stakeholders. During the Russian-British Business Forum, Russian and British experts evaluate market dynamics for growth and international trade relationships, identify economic trends and international, British and Russian investors' interests, and set up ways of expanding bilateral and multilateral trade and economic cooperation.

For 2017, the two-day event is being organised by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the Trade Delegation of Russia in the United Kingdom, together with its partners: BSI Global Group, Sberbank of Russia, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Tatneft, Phosagro, SMP-Neftegaz, Freedom Finance, Synergy University, BLOOMBERG, London & Partners, the Russian Embassy in Great Britain, the Russian-British Chamber of Commerce, Skolkovo Foundation, Agency for Strategic Initiatives, Westminster Russia Forum, Cision PR Newswire and Rossotrudnichestvo. The Forum is held annually during the Eastern Seasons week of business and cultural events.

http://www.rbbf2017.ru/, https://www.facebook.com/rbbf2017/, https://twitter.com/RBBF2017, https://www.linkedin.com/company/18318216/.

About Eastern Seasons

The Eastern Seasons annual week of business, cultural and sporting events has been held since 2015 with the support of founding partner BSI Global Group. The project is aimed at developing trust and strengthening relations between Russia and Great Britain. The organisers of Eastern Seasons Week set out to create an international platform in London for productive business dialogue and cultural exchange. Partners and sponsors of Eastern Seasons 2017 are: BSI Global Group, Sberbank of Russia, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Tatneft, PhosAgro, Synergy University, Freedom Finance, Cision PR Newswire, SMP-Neftegaz, Rossotrudnichestvo, Blackthorne, Pushkin House, Russian Film Week and Street Child United.

http://www.easternseasons.com/, https://www.facebook.com/easternseasons/, https://twitter.com/EasternSeasons, https://www.instagram.com/easternseasons/.
Regulatory News:

Mercialys (Paris:MERY) has once again confirmed its appeal with the delivery of three extension projects at the end of 2017 for the Saint-Etienne, Morlaix and Rennes malls and the arrival of 68 retailers, including 10 new ones, in these shopping centers. Driven by its outstanding commercial development, Mercialys is continuing to diversify and strengthen its offer and create value within its portfolio.

In Saint-Etienne's Monthieuretail hub, the shopping center extension opened its doors on November 8.

Following its transformation in less than a year, this extension project has attracted 19 new stores and 4 mid-size units, further enhancing the existing selection.

Its commercial visibility has been rethought and it is now easier to identify and access its various services. Among others, Fnac, Itstyle, Adopt, Leonidas, Z, Acuitis, New Yorker, Brut Butcher, Courir, MGC Shoes and Rouge Gorge have chosen to benefit from this fully renovated space, enabling La Galerie Espace Monthieu to now offer 60 stores and restaurants and 4 mid-size units.

On November 23, the opening of La Galerie Geant Morlaix highlighted the successful extension of this neighborhood shopping center, the leader in its catchment area. Its existing selection has been further enhanced with the arrival of numerous retailers, including H&M, Nocibe, Yves Rocher, multistore Jules Brice Bizzbee, Le Club Sandwich, Maneo, Rouge Gorge and Bleu Libellule. The center now offers 65 stores.

On November 29, in Rennes, a new project from the pipeline was inaugurated. This center has completed its transformation, unveiling its extension's 22 stores and mid-size units. La Galerie Grand Quartier is now home to 110 stores and 10 restaurants over 45,000 sq.m. Its outstanding modern urban architecture, firmly integrated within its environment, is combined with a modernized interior design and new signage.

Mango, Bizzbee, Father Sons, Footlocker, Timberland and Armand Thiery (men's and women's collections) have been added to the range of fashion stores already present. Le Comptoir de Mathilde, Waffle Factory and Bialetti have also enhanced the dining and homeware selection, while Orange, Jack Jones and Bonobo have rolled out entirely new concepts. Lastly, Cultura will be opening very soon with 2,000 sq.m of space.

The inauguration of these three shopping center extensions marks the culmination of a year of operational excellence and success. Mercialys has rolled out 16,000 sq.m of additional rental space, which will generate a further Euro 3.3 million of full-year rent for a total investment of Euro 47 million, with an average yield on cost of 7.0% for this work.

This press release is available on www.mercialys.com

About Mercialys

Mercialys is one of France's leading real estate companies, focused exclusively on retail property. At June 30, 2017, Mercialys had a portfolio of 2,108 leases, representing a rental value of Euro 174.6 million on an annualized basis. At June 30, 2017, it owned properties with an estimated value of Euro 3.7 billion (including transfer taxes). Mercialys has had "SIIC" real estate investment trust (REIT) tax status since November 1, 2005 and has been listed on Euronext Paris Compartment A (ticker: MERY) since its initial public offering on October 12, 2005. At June 30, 2017, there were 92,049,169 shares outstanding.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding future events, trends, projects or targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to identified and unidentified risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the Mercialys shelf registration document available at www.mercialys.com for the year ended December 31, 2016 for more details regarding certain factors, risks and uncertainties that could affect Mercialys' business. Mercialys makes no undertaking in any form to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, nor to report new information, new future events or any other circumstances that might cause these statements to be revised.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005936/en/

Contacts:

Mercialys

Analysts investors:

Alexandre Leroy , Tel: +33(0)1 53 65 24 39

or

Press contact:

Gwenaelle Allaire, Tel: +33(0)1 53 70 23 34
GCL-Poly Energy has revealed plans to sell off a stake in a subsidiary that is building a massive polysilicon plant in northwestern China, while injecting CNY 2.99 billion ($452.1 million) of fresh capital into another group unit to strengthen the competitiveness of its monocrystalline silicon business.Jiangsu Zhongneng, a wholly owned subsidiary of GCL-Poly Energy, has agreed to transfer a 20% equity interest in Xinjiang GCL New Energy Materials Technology to Shenzhen-listed Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor for CNY 300 million, according to a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange. GCL-Poly Energy will use the proceeds from the stake disposal to support the construction of a polysilicon production plant in Qitai county, in China's remote Xinjiang region. The group revealed plans to build the facility, which will have an annual production capacity of 40,000 to 60,000 tonnes upon ...

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.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss stock market set a new intraday high for the year in early trade Wednesday, but pared its gains and slipped into negative territory around midday. The market fluctuated between small gains and losses for the rest of the day and ultimately finished in the red. The positive performance of the financial stocks helped the market to avoid a larger pullback. Bank stocks climbed after Federal Reserve chair nominee Jerome Powell said he favors loosening some bank regulations. The Swiss Market Index decreased by 0.17 percent Wednesday and finished at 9,304.42. The Swiss Leader Index dropped 0.08 percent and the Swiss Performance Index lost 0.30 percent. Credit Suisse advanced 1.4 percent and UBS gained 1.1 percent. Credit Suisse will hold its Investor Day event on Thursday. Swiss Re climbed 1.1 percent, Swiss Life rose 0.8 percent and Zurich Insurance added 0.7 percent. Meanwhile, Baloise dipped 0.1 percent. Swatch increased 1.1 percent, while rival Richemont fell 0.8 percent. After a weak start, Clariant ended the day with a gain of 0.2 percent. The stock was under pressure yesterday after investor White Tale stated that they will present their demands directly to shareholders after getting nowhere with company management. Sonova sank 4.6 percent after Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on the stock to 'Underweight.' Logitech dropped 1.8 percent, SGS fell 1.6 percent and Lonza surrendered 1.2 percent. Among the index heavyweights, Nestle declined 1.2 percent and Roche slid 0.1 percent. Meanwhile, Novartis ended the day higher by 0.1 percent. Dufry weakened by 0.3 percent after Baader Helvea said that Chinese company HNA could soon resell its stake in the travel retailer. 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.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY) (FRANKFURT: D7Q1) "Monument" or the "Company" today announced its first quarter production and financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2017. All amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated (refer to www.sedar.com for full financial results).

President and CEO Robert Baldock commented on first quarter fiscal 2018 financial results: "The Company continued to development it's Malaysian and Western Australian gold portfolios. At Selinsing, we closed the Felda Block 7 transaction, completed a close spaced drilling program at Peranggih North, and continued the Front End Engineering Design ("FEED") study for the Sulphide Project. At Murchison, we commenced the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") at Burnakura."

First Quarter Highlights:

-- 3,500oz of gold sold for gross revenue of $4.50 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: 2,350oz of gold sold for gross revenue of $3.14 million); -- 3,384oz of gold produced (Q1 fiscal 2017: 3,291oz); -- Cash cost per ounce ("oz") of $948/oz (Q1 fiscal 2017: $981/oz); -- Closed Felda Block 7 transaction at Selinsing; -- Completed close spaced drilling program at Peranggih North; -- A FEED study being carried out on Selinsing to deliver an Implementation Execution Plan for the Sulphide Project; and -- Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") commenced at Burnakura. First Quarter Production and Financial Highlights ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended September 30, 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Production Ore mined (tonnes) 30,694 61,882 Ore processed (tonnes) 221,536 231,000 Average mill feed grade (g/t) 0.61 0.56 Processing recovery rate (%) 64.3% 53.9% Gold production(1) (oz) 3,384 3,291 Gold sold (oz) 3,500 2,350 Financial (in thousands of US dollars) $ $ Revenue 4,502 3,142 Gross margin from mining operations 1,184 836 Net loss before other items (1,060) (824) Net loss (1,504) (1,442) Cash flows generated from (used in) operations 1,974 (2,115) Working capital 25,030 28,660 Loss per share before other items - basic (US$/share) (0.00) (0.00) Loss per share - basic (US$/share) (0.00) (0.00) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended September 30, 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other US$/oz US$/oz Average realized gold price per ounce sold 1,286 1,337 Cash cost per ounce (2) Mining 178 195 Processing 703 716 Royalties 64 66 Operations, net of silver recovery 2 4 ------------------------------------ Total cash cost per ounce 948 981 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Defined as good delivery gold bullion according to London Bullion Market Association ("LBMA"), net of gold dore in transit and refinery adjustment. (2) Total cash cost includes production costs such as mining, processing, tailing facility maintenance and camp administration, royalties, and operating costs such as storage, temporary mine production closure, community development cost and property fees, net of by-product credits. Cash cost excludes amortization, depletion, accretion expenses, capital costs, exploration costs and corporate administration costs.

Production Results

First quarter gold production was 3,384oz, a 3% increase compared to 3,291oz in the corresponding period of the previous year. Production included stockpiled super low grade oxide ore and old tailing materials during the quarter that contained higher head grade and oxidized ore resulting in an improved processing recovery rate of 64.3% compared to 53.9% for the same quarter last year. Ore processed was reduced by 4% to 221,536t from 231,000t in the same period last year. The reduced mill feed was mainly due to plant downtime caused by blockages at belt feeder chutes from wet and sticky old tailings materials, resulting in lower crushed tonnes. Mining production is expected to improve with the commencement of mining at Felda Block 7 in the second quarter of fiscal 2018.

Financial Results and Discussion

Gold sales generated $4.50 million for the quarter compared to $3.14 million in the same period last year. The revenue resulted from 3,500oz of gold sold (Q1 fiscal 2017: 2,350oz) at an average realized gold price of $1,286 per ounce (Q1 fiscal 2017: $1,337 per ounce) for the quarter. The average London Fix PM gold price was $1,286 per ounce for the quarter compared to $1,203 per ounce for the same period last year.

Total production costs increased by 44% in the quarter to $3.32 million, compared to $2.31 million in the same period last year. The increase in costs reflected the higher amount of gold produced and sold in the prior year first quarter, while fixed costs of production remained at the same level.

For the first quarter, mining operations before non-cash amortization and depreciation generated a gross margin of $1.18 million, an increase of 42% from $0.84 million in the same quarter last year. Net loss from mining operations was $0.24 million compared to $0.10 million in the same period last year primarily due to higher depreciation and amortization expense. Corporate expenditure for the first quarter were $0.82 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: $0.73 million) increased by $0.09 million or 12% compared to the prior year first quarter. Net loss for the quarter was $1.50 million, or $0.00 per share (basic) compared to net loss of $1.44 million or $0.00 per share (basic) in the same period last year.

As at September 30, 2017, the Company had positive working capital $15.39 million (June 30, 2017: $14.81 million), net of restricted cash. An increase of $0.59 million was the result of cash received from deferred revenue and generated from operations, offset by investing activities carried out by the Company to expand its mineral base and pipeline of mineral property projects.

The Company's first quarter development at Selinsing focused on exploration and evaluation work on a close spaced drilling program at Peranggih North in an area planned for fiscal 2018 trial mining, and at Murchison work towards a PEA continued. During the quarter, cash investment in exploration and evaluation activities totalled $0.42 million compared to $1.48 million in the corresponding period last year, cash of $0.15 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: $0.39 million) cash was used for the Selinsing Gold Portfolio in Malaysia, $0.24 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: $0.99 million) was used for the Murchison Gold Portfolio in Australia and $0.03 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: $0.10 million) was used for care and maintenance for the Mengapur Polymetallic Portfolio. During the quarter, cash expenditure on property, plant and equipment ("PPE") was $1.95 million, compared to $1.28 million in the same period last year. The main PPE expenditures in the quarter were $1.47 million for the acquisition of mining leases at Felda Block 7, $0.38 million on tailings storage facility upgrades and $0.19 million on the Sulphide Project for Selinsing in Malaysia and $0.05 million (Q1 fiscal 2017: $0.58 million) on the Burnakura early stage production development in Australia.

Acquisition

During the quarter, the Company closed the Block 7 acquisition by paying consideration in aggregate of $1.39 million in cash to the owners pursuant to the Contract to Mine Agreement. The acquisition has given to the Company the exclusive mining right for all PMLs at Block 7, covering a total 39.12 acres adjacent and east of the Buffalo Reef property.

Block 7 contains the extension of the BRC oxide ore body which is now placed to production. It also allows the pit shell to be fully developed across the boundary to access the entire sulphide ore beneath the BRC once the Sulphide Gold Project is in production.

Development

Selinsing Gold Mine

During the first quarter the Company continued to advance the internal Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") for the Sulphide Project. Samples of flotation concentrate were prepared on-site by the Research and Development team and dispatched to SGS South Africa for analysis. BIOX process testwork was conducted. Initial sulphide oxidation results were positive and the full report including gold dissolution of the BIOX residues is in progress. Variability flotation concentrate samples were also prepared to test the optimized BIOX operating parameters on different ore sources from the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef pits.

The FEED study also progressed during the quarter with selection of specialist contractors for geotechnical studies on the proposed plant site, for an expansion to the existing tailings storage facility and to undertake a study on slope stability in the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef open pits. Consultants were engaged to determine the additional high voltage power requirement for the expanded plant and to determine an economically feasible solution for the increased power draw. Internal studies were initiated to address the additional clean water demand for the BIOX plant and to gauge the requirements for expanded site water storage facilities. The DFS and FEED studies are scheduled to be completed during the third quarter of fiscal 2018, to facilitate a construction decision for the Sulphide Project.

Mine site preparation was carried at Block 7. Upgrade to the tailings storage facilities was also completed during quarter using 144,161t of waste removed from Buffalo Reef.

Burnakura Project

The Company advanced mine optimization work at Burnakura and commenced Preliminary Economic Assessment Study ("PEA") on the Burnakura life of mine areas with exploring underground potential. The PEA is planned for completion in the third quarter of fiscal 2018. Activities during the quarter included review of proposed scope of work and schedule and the compilation of data for geological sections. Ongoing work on the potential underground at NOA2 and 7_8 also continued with a revision of the NOA 7_8 underground model. The work is continuing with geological model updates for an underground mining study also to be included in the PEA.

Site preparation and development for early stage production is on-going. During the quarter, all the bench frames were installed in the wet lab ready for the bench tops, a road works program was undertaken to improve access to the camp area from the process plant and fabrication work was undertaken in the workshop to repair screen frames. The Company has ensured that the plant and other facilities are being kept in good care and maintenance order with a view to future commissioning, and the site accommodation and catering are fully functional for engineers and mining contractors to arrive on site.

Mengapur Project

In August 2017, the Company signed a Deed of Variation Agreement with Intec International Projects Pty Ltd to the Heads of Agreement dated in January 2015 to exploit the Intec Technology for the sulphide copper process. The testwork going forward with Intec will be focused on production of copper metal at the Mengapur Project. Pursuant to the Deed, the term of the interim Intec license granted to Monument has been extended to January 16, 2022.

Exploration Progress

Malaysia

A grade control drilling campaign was completed at Peranggih North, for planned trial mining in fiscal 2018. The highly prospective Peranggih deposit is in the same regional shearing structure where Selinsing and Buffalo Reef gold deposits are also hosted. A total of 298 drill holes were completed for 2,780m, and 2,725 samples collected. The holes were designed following East-West staggered lines, configuring a 5m x 5m drilling pattern, infilling previous holes and trenches. The drilling has delineated a zone of higher grade material, and can be used to define shallow and broad gold mineralization within the breccia matrix that occurs at this site.

The preliminary grade control program was carried out at the North zone to test 150m strike length x 80m width of the mineralization. This program has successfully delineated a broad 15m-20m wide high grade zone and multiple isolated high grade zones, surrounded by a halo of lower grade gold mineralisation. It proved the presence of disseminated gold in the breccia matrix. The high and low grade gold mineralization zones were open ended along strike and down-dip. Separate composite samples were fully defined, sorted by ore blocks with delineation based on 2m composites, for further metallurgical testwork. Geological mapping at old pit in Peranggih North was conducted.

During the quarter, geo-metallurgical testwork was completed at Felda and modelling started which aims to identify potential leachable gold for oxide and transition zones. 27 limestone samples were collected from the Selinsing Pits IV and V hanging walls, to test Acid Neutralisation Capacity for potential use in the Sulphide Project. Dry bulk density tests were done to determine the in-situ density for the outcropping limestone. 245 core and coarse reject samples of fresh and transition material, were collected and sent to the on-site laboratory for BIOX Process variability metallurgical testwork.

Western Australia

At the Murchison Gold Portfolio geological work aims to deliver a Preliminary Economic Assessment Study ("PEA") at the Burnakura Gold Project to further demonstrate the economic viability of early stage production. At Burnakura further updates are being done to the geological model and optimization of the mine plan including testing underground mining opportunities, and other ongoing work includes the review of significant underground potential at the NOA line of deposits. NOA 7_8 was internally re-modelled with implicit geological modelling techniques, allowing underground assessment works to continue. The updated model will now provide the correct resolution and detail needed progress underground mining studies. A compilation of the historical resource model plus ANA NI43-101 resources and internal resource model updates are ongoing for a preparation of the PEA. The Company also signed the agreement with Yamatiji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation ("YMAC") for Heritage Survey

At Tuckanarra a review on the Resource model evaluation is ongoing, with focus on the life of mine proposed mining pits. An in-depth review of the Cable deposit was completed resulting in a re-modelling exercise. At Gabanintha a review on the Resource model evaluation is ongoing, with focus on the life of mine proposed mining pits.

About Monument

Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY) (FRANKFURT: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Polymetallic Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 190 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.

Robert F. Baldock, President and CEO Monument Mining Limited Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com.

"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 Statement

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. 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". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Richard Cushing

MMY Vancouver

T: +1-604-638-1661 x102

rcushing@monumentmining.com



Wolfgang Seybold

Axino GmbH

T: +49 711-82 09 7211

wolfgang.seybold@axino.com




When gun-control and gun-rights advocates clash after the latest mass shooting, you can usually count on two rhetorical chips being thrown onto the table:

"What new law would have stopped the latest massacre?" gun-rights advocates will ask.

That'll inevitably be followed up with the assertion that if we put limits on gun ownership, then only the bad guys will have guns.

But thanks to a law enforcement turf war, we know know the latter is provably untrue.

That's because, back in February, 70,000 people were purged from an FBI database over a disagreement over the definition of "fugitive from justice," leaving them legally able to purchase firearms.

As The Washington Post reported last week, people wanted by law enforcement were removed from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System when the FBI "changed its legal interpretation of 'fugitive from justice' to say it only (pertained) to people who crossed state lines."

The background checks system, which is run by the FBI, made headlines when it was revealed that the Air Force followed to fail policies that would have added Texas church shooter Devin P. Kelley to the system.

The Charleston church shooter, Dylann Roof, was wrongly able to legally purchase the weapon in his murderous rampage after his name was not added to the database because of an arrest for drug possession. The mistake in the Roof case has been referred to as "The Charleston Loophole."

Gun owners, spurred by on the National Rifle Association, have opposed efforts to expand background checks, seriously arguing they "don't necessarily stop criminals from getting firearms."

Taking a break from forgetting things about Russia and trampling on the rights of America's LGBTQ citizens, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions at least had the presence of mind last week to send a letter to the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms calling on the two agencies to fix the system.

The NICS system is "critical for us to be able to keep guns out of the hands of those ... prohibited from owning them," Sessions said. He also reportedly ordered the two agencies to report back to him on measures ensuring that "people who are prohibited from purchasing firearms are prevented from doing so."

The problem is that Sessions' own Justice Department is part of the problem here.

Last year, before President Donald Trump took office, The Post reported the DoJ's Office of Legal Counsel sided with the ATF (which had narrow definition of fugitive) against the FBI (which had historically had a broader one), agreeing that gun purchases could only be denied to fugitives who crossed state lines.

Then, after Trump took office, the DoJ further narrowed the definition, confining it those who had crossed "state lines to avoid prosecution for a crime or to avoid giving testimony in a criminal proceeding."

And faster than you could say "shall not be infringed," what had once been a list of 500,000 fugitives in the database had been trimmed to ridiculously small 788.

Robyn Thomas, executive director of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, called on the FBI and ATF to "correct this self-inflicted loophole," and also called on the government to recover the weapons that had been illegally purchased by people purged from the database.

That's a tall order, since the folks with the guns are, well, fugitives, and are presumably pretty good at evading contact with law enforcement. One also imagines that taking the weapons back might not end well for at least one side of that discussion.

David Chipman, a former ATF official who now advises the Giffords group, says Congress should pass a law cleaning up the definition of fugitive so that the current legal logjam won't repeat itself in the future.

"I would imagine 99 percent of Americans don't want people who have a warrant out on them to be able to buy a gun," Chipman told The Post. "I can't believe there is a constituency for wanted people. Wanted people are particularly dangerous. They've already proven that they'll break the law."

With Congress unwilling to take even the most minor of steps to expand background checks or limit the sale of devices that enable mass slaughter, those on both sides of the debate should be able to agree that this "fugitive loophole" should be closed as soon as possible.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures fell Wedesday despite data showing another signficant decline in U.S. oil stockpiles. A strong dollar dented most commodities after upbeat US GDP data and hawkish comments from Fed Chair Janet Yellen. Jan. WTI oil was down 69 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $57.30/bbl. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) decreased by 3.4 million barrels from the previous week. This follows a decline of more than 6 million barrels the previous week. U.S. crude oil imports averaged over 7.3 million barrels per day last week, down by 544,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Earlier today, the Commerce Department reported that U.S. gross domestic product surged up by an upwardly revised 3.3 percent in the third quarter compared to the originally reported 3.0 percent jump. Economists had expected the increase in GDP to be upwardly revised to 3.2 percent. Tomorrow OPEC meets in Vienna to decide whether they will extend their supply quota plan with Russia into 2018. 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.
LOS ALTOS, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Tricentis, recognized as the test automation leader by top analysts, today announced the 11.0 release of their Tricentis Tosca Continuous Testing Platform. With software becoming the primary interface between end-user and the enterprise, it's imperative to protect the user experience in order to gain and retain a competitive edge. Tricentis Tosca's latest release focuses on exposing user interface and user experience issues earlier in the release cycle.

"Every company I visit has one thing in common: the software testing team must address more complex software testing challenges in shorter time intervals," said Dr. Gerd Weishaar, Chief Product Officer for Tricentis. "In order to rise to the challenge, software testers must explore new and more collaborative methods to achieving their software quality goals. Employing practices like exploratory testing, scriptless mobile application testing and automated cross-browser testing are just a few techniques that will enable advanced software test automation -- and all are key capabilities of the Tricentis Tosca 11.0 release."

To further support DevOps and digital transformation initiatives, Tricentis Tosca 11.0 introduces a number of new capabilities that accelerate feedback cycles in order to quickly validate changes to the UI or user experience.

Collaborate to test the end-user experience on mobile applications with Exploratory Testing

By assisting testers to seamlessly collaborate and share feedback, Tricentis Tosca customers can find and fix defects faster than those using traditional, legacy testing platforms. This is made possible with simplified exploratory test session planning, recording of test actions with annotated screenshots and videos, and instant sharing of detailed test results -- all from a mobile device.

Execute scriptless, cross-browser testing with Selenium WebDriver

Tricentis Tosca 11.0 extends scriptless, model-based automation by giving test teams access to a multitude of browser configurations through Selenium WebDriver. By leveraging Selenium WebDriver, a single Tricentis Tosca test case can execute automatically against over 1,100 browser configurations and mobile environments. This feature also enables access to cloud-based test environments such as BrowserStack and Sauce Labs.

Speed up testing for iOS and Android applications with new mobile engine

Tricentis Tosca 11.0 now leverages Appium as its mobile engine. Users can take advantage of Tricentis' next-generation scriptless technology to quickly construct and maintain powerful mobile tests without the need to wrestle with scripts. Tricentis Tosca expands the Appium engine, giving testers the ability to execute a single test definition across an extensive range of simulators, emulators, or actual devices.

Find out more about what's new in Tricentis Tosca Continuous Testing Platform 11.0.

About Tricentis

Tricentis provides a Continuous Testing platform that accelerates testing to keep pace with Agile and DevOps. With the industry's most innovative functional testing technologies, Tricentis breaks through the barriers experienced with conventional software testing tools -- achieving test automation rates of over 90 percent. Our integrated software testing solution, Tricentis Tosca, consists of a scriptless, model-based approach to Test Automation and Test Case Design approach, encompassing risk-based testing, test data management and provisioning, service virtualization, and more. We are established as a reliable enterprise partner, helping to deliver significant performance improvements to testing projects.

Tricentis' 500+ customers include the technical leaders of the Global 2000, including ExxonMobil, HSBC, ANZ, Deutsche Bank, Charles Schwab, Shell, HBO, Whole Foods, Toyota, Allianz, BMW, Starbucks, Lexmark, Orange, A&E, Vantiv, Vodafone, Telstra and UBS.

Tricentis has offices in Austria, Australia, Germany, India, Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, United States and the UK. To learn more, visit https://www.tricentis.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Tricentis and Tosca are registered trademarks of Tricentis. Other trade names used in this document are properties of their respective owners.

CONTACT:



Sarah Thorson

10Fold Communications

(609) 234-8531

tricentis@10fold.com



Noel Wurst

Tricentis

(904) 673-4427

n.wurst@tricentis.com




SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- MOVE Guides, a technology leader that helps HR teams move their employees around the world, today announced the appointment of Jacky Cohen as director, People and Culture. Based in MOVE Guides' San Francisco office, Cohen is responsible for supporting the company's U.S. growth plans.

MOVE Guides is revolutionizing the way companies move and manage their global talent in order to compete and win in the global marketplace. Tantamount to the shared success of MOVE Guides and their customers is building a team and culture with this progressive global mindset in place. The hiring of Cohen and the investment in the People and Culture team signifies the commitment of MOVE Guides to this goal.

Cohen joins MOVE Guides from Lyft, where she held progressively responsible roles in human resources, the most recent being Head of People Business Partners. Earlier in her career, she was an HR Business Partner and manager, Benefits and Wellness at Pandora Media, Inc. and held HR roles at T.Y. Lin International. She earned her MBA from the University of San Francisco and her undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of California, Davis.

Rachael King, vice president, People and Culture, at MOVE Guides, said, "We're delighted to welcome Jacky to our growing People and Culture team. Our continued global expansion and employer brand -- especially in the U.S. -- will benefit from her expertise in talent management, culture and change."

Cohen commented, "MOVE Guides is passionate about helping HR fully unlock the potential of global talent mobility and transforming how workforces are managed and supported. I'm excited to be part of the growth and to contribute to the future of global mobility."

A rapidly growing employer, career opportunities at MOVE Guides can be accessed here: https://www.moveguides.com/current-openings

About MOVE Guides

MOVE Guides powers global business with the first cloud-based software platform designed for the growing mobile workforce. Industry leading companies rely on our Talent Mobility Cloud to deliver their global mobility programs across more than 190 countries with increased operational efficiencies, trusted compliance and engaging employee experiences. MOVE Guides' philanthropic initiative -- Mobility4All -- provides opportunities for those fleeing poverty and conflict by moving to new locations.

Backed by New Enterprise Associates and Notion Capital, MOVE Guides is headquartered in San Francisco and London, with offices throughout the Americas, EMEA and APAC. For more information, go to www.moveguides.com and follow MOVE Guides on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3183256



Media Contact:

Jeanne Achille

The Devon Group

+1-732-706-0123, ext. 700

jeanne@devonpr.com




Investor and Philanthropist Des Hague Joins Fight to Eradicate Human Trafficking

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Des Hague, Investor and Philanthropist, announced his support today of Global 1 Rescue (www.rescue1global.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to fighting human trafficking worldwide. Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. It is the second fastest growing criminal industry in the world, trailing the drug industry.

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), at any given time in 2016, an estimated 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery, including 24.9 million in forced labor and 15.4 million in forced marriage. It means there are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world. 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children. In this $150 billion industry worldwide, out of the 24.9 million people trapped in forced labor, 16 million people are exploited in the private sector, such as domestic work, construction or agriculture, 4.8 million persons in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million persons in forced labor imposed by state authorities. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labor, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.

'Global 1 Rescue is committed to eradicating human trafficking and I have gladly signed up to help,' said Hague. 'Many think that this is an international problem but, in fact, research shows that America is the #1 consumer of human trafficking,' he continued. 'It is hard to believe but true; we can and need to do more to help especially the children to get out of this life of abuse and suffering.'

As stated by ILO, in 2016, an estimated 1 out of 6 endangered runaways reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were likely child sex trafficking victims. Of those, 86% were in the care of social services or foster care when they ran.

'I am reaching out to my network and humbly ask that you or your organizations get involved,' stated Hague. 'No amount is too little or too large. Let's work together and get involved to help especially the young who are most vulnerable.'

Hague's initial goal is to mobilize 100 people and/ or organizations to make an immediate difference. To get involved, feel free to call him at 203-524-7011 to discuss how you can help, or reach out directly to Robin Reid, Global 1 Rescue's Marketing Director, at robin@rescue1global.org or (317-525-8895) to make a contribution.

About Des Hague

A renowned executive with over twenty-five years of leading global public and private companies, Des Hague has established himself as an innovative thinker in the international business world. His forward-thinking approach pushes companies toward sustainable growth, granting them a position as a resilient competitor within their respective industries. His past positions include President of Safeway Inc., President of IHOP, President of Hot Stuff Foods LLC, Vice President of 7-Eleven Inc. and, most recently, President/CEO of CenterPlate Inc., the largest event hospitality company in North America. Hague is also the Co-Founder of Hague Enterprises, a Colorado-based advisory and investment company, focused in multiple sectors. Hague serves on the boards of DVETelepresence, PING HD, WC&P, Lessons For Life, World of Beer, Halls Cheese, Serenity Spa and Salon and the Stamford Youth Foundation along with advising on several start-up ventures.

In his spare time, Hague contributes significant amounts of time and energy to non-profit charitable work. Hague has helped raise more than $100 million over the past few years for many non-profits, including the Stamford Youth Foundation which offers various after-school programs for young people, and The Journey Home, a Baltimore-based Foundation fighting homelessness. Hague views Hague Enterprises, LLC as a blending of business and philanthropic activities.

For more information, visit: www.deshague.com and www.deshaguenews.com.

Des Hague - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deshague/

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/aegis-enterprises-llc#/entity

CONTACT INFORMATION

Hague Enterprises

http://www.HagueEnterprises.com

deshague@aegisenterprisesllc.com

SOURCE: Hague Enterprises
MONACO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Dynagas LNG Partners LP (NYSE: DLNG) ("Dynagas Partners" or the "Partnership"), an owner and operator of LNG carriers, today announced that it will release its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017 before market opens in New York on Tuesday, December 5, 2017.

The next day, Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the Company's management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the earnings results.

Conference Call details:

Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1 (866) 819-7111 (from the US), 0(800) 953-0329 (from the UK) or (+44) (0) 1452 542 301 (Standard International Dial In). Please quote "Dynagas."

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available until Wednesday, December 13th, 2017. The United States replay number is 1 (866) 247-4222; from the UK 0(800) 953-1533; the standard international replay number is (+44) (0) 1452 550 000 and the access code required for the replay is: 59711562#.

Audio Webcast - Slides Presentation:

There will be a live and then archived audio webcast of the conference call, via the internet through the Dynagas LNG Partners website www.dynagaspartners.com. Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.

The slide presentation on the third quarter ended September 30, 2017 financial results will be available in PDF format 10 minutes prior to the conference call and webcast, accessible on the company's website www.dynagaspartners.com on the webcast page. Participants to the webcast can download the PDF presentation.

About Dynagas LNG Partners LP

Dynagas LNG Partners LP (NYSE: DLNG) is a growth-oriented master limited partnership formed by Dynagas Holding Ltd., its sponsor, to own and operate liquefied natural gas ("LNG") carriers employed on multi-year charters. The current fleet of Dynagas Partners consists of six LNG carriers, with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 914,000 cubic meters.

Visit the Partnership's website at www.dynagaspartners.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Partnership desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "expected," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, examination by the Partnership's management of historical operating trends, data contained in its records and other data available from third parties. Although the Partnership believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Partnership's control, the Partnership cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Partnership's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipping capacity, changes in the Partnership's operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Partnership's vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and the Partnership disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

Contact Information:

Dynagas LNG Partners LP

23, Rue Basse, 98000 Monaco

Attention: Michael Gregos

Tel. +37799996445

Email: management@dynagaspartners.com



Investor Relations / Financial Media:

Nicolas Bornozis

President

Capital Link, Inc.

230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, NY 10169

Tel. (212) 661-7566

E-mail: dynagas@capitallink.com




WESTPORT, CT / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI) ("CODI" or the "Company"), an owner of leading middle market businesses, announced today that Elias J. Sabo, a founding partner of Compass Group Management LLC, and Patrick A. Maciariello, a partner of Compass Group Management LLC, are scheduled to present at the 10th Annual LD Micro Main Event Conference at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. PT.

The presentation will be broadcast via a live listen-only webcast and can be accessed through the Investor Relations section of CODI's website, www.compassdiversifiedholdings.com. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download any necessary software that may be needed to listen to the Internet broadcast.

View CODI's profile at www.ldmicro.com/profile/CODI.

News Compliments of ACCESSWIRE.

About Compass Diversified Holdings ("CODI")

CODI owns and manages a diverse family of established North American middle market businesses. Each of its current subsidiaries is a leader in its niche market.

CODI maintains controlling ownership interests in each of its subsidiaries in order to maximize its ability to impact long term cash flow generation and value. The Company provides both debt and equity capital for its subsidiaries, contributing to their financial and operating flexibility. CODI utilizes the cash flows generated by its subsidiaries to invest in the long-term growth of the Company and to make cash distributions to its shareholders.

Our nine majority-owned subsidiaries are engaged in the following lines of business:

The design and marketing of purpose-built tactical apparel and gear serving a wide range of global customers ( 5.11 );

); The manufacture of quick-turn, small-run and production rigid printed circuit boards ( Advanced Circuits );

); The manufacture of engineered magnetic solutions for a wide range of specialty applications and end-markets ( Arnold Magnetic Technologies );

); Environmental services for a variety of contaminated materials including soils, dredged material, hazardous waste and drill cuttings ( Clean Earth );

); The design, manufacture, and marketing of airguns, archery products, optics and related accessories ( Crosman );

); The design and marketing of wearable baby carriers, strollers, and related products ( Ergobaby );

); The design and manufacture of premium home and gun safes ( Liberty Safe );

); The manufacture and marketing of branded, hemp-based food products ( Manitoba Harvest ); and

); and The manufacture and marketing of portable food warming fuels and creative ambience solutions for the hospitality and consumer markets (Sterno Products).

About LD Micro

LD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential conferences annually.

In 2015, LDM launched the first pure microcap index (the LDMi) to exclusively provide intraday information on the entire sector.

For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at david@ldmicro.com or visit www.ldmicro.com/events for more information.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements, including statements with regard to the future performance of CODI. Words such as "believes," "expects," "projects," and "future" or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements, and some of these factors are enumerated in the risk factor discussion in the Form 10-K filed by CODI with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2016 and other filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, CODI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:

Compass Diversified Holdings

Ryan J. Faulkingham

Chief Financial Officer

203.221.1703

ryan@compassequity.com

Investor Relations and Media Contact:

The IGB Group

Leon Berman / Scott Eckstein

212.477.8438 / 212.477.8261

lberman@igbir.com / seckstein@igbir.com

SOURCE: Compass Diversified Holdings
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - November 29, 2017) - Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AQS) (OTCQB: AQSZF) ("Aequus" or the "Company"), a specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on developing, advancing and promoting differentiated products, today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and associated Company developments. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are in Canadian currency.

Corporate and Commercial Highlights

The Company continues to grow revenues from its Canadian commercial arm through the on-going promotion of Vistitan' and Tacrolimus IR. Vistitan' (bimatoprost 0.03%) is a treatment for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, a market estimated to be over $185 million in 2015 in Canada. Since its launch, and with the support of Aequus' promotional efforts, Vistitan' has been successfully listed among 90% of private payor groups as well as a benefit under key provincial formularies, including the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan, Alberta Health and Manitoba Health. Tacrolimus IR is the first to market, and currently the only available generic version of tacrolimus immediate release in Canada, a product used for the treatment and prevention of acute rejection following organ transplantation. Tacrolimus IR, promoted by Aequus, continues to grow as it gains market share from branded tacrolimus alternatives. Aequus splits revenues of these two products with its partner based on a tiered royalty structure.

Revenue for the current quarter was $291,154, a 56% increase compared to revenues of $186,586 in the immediately preceding second quarter of 2017. Aequus recorded a decrease of 13% in net loss compared to the same quarter in 2016, primarily due to continued efforts to optimize general and administration spending as well as sales force efficiencies achieved throughout the reported period.

Aequus plans to launch an additional product in ophthalmology that is currently under review by Health Canada, through a previously announced partnership with Santen. This product is expected to enter into a growing market that is currently valued at approximately $72 million in Canada, according to 2016 IMS data. This launch will leverage our existing commercial ophthalmology infrastructure and build on the relationships we have established with Canadian Key Opinion Leaders and therapeutic specialists. The Company also continues to work with Health Canada on the submissions for the once-daily, extended-release versions of topiramate and oxcarbazepine, licensed from Supernus for the Canadian market.

Aequus continues to advance creative business development discussions and expects to further maximize the efficiency and revenue generated by its specialty sales force with additional complementary products.

Development Highlights

During the reported quarter, Aequus advanced the long-acting transdermal doxylamine/pyridoxine combination patch program, AQS1303, for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy through an initial proof of concept clinical study that was initiated in July 2017. Results from this study suggested that sustained delivery of therapeutic levels of the active ingredients through the skin over a multi-day period is possible with the current formulation. The formulation was well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported.

The Company also received positive feedback from the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") in a pre-Investigational Drug Application ("pre-IND") meeting for the Company's lead development program, AQS1301, a once-weekly transdermal formulation of aripiprazole. Upon review of the Company's pre-IND submission, the FDA agreed that AQS1301 is a suitable candidate for the 505(b)2 abbreviated regulatory pathway for approval in the United States. Aequus has also since expanded the patent portfolio for this program with a patent granted in China which adds to the previously issued/allowed countries or regions namely the United States, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Australia and Canada with several other major markets pending.

Aequus has accelerated business development discussions for AQS1301 and AQS1303 in response to inbound interest following the successful completion of both Proof of Concept studies, and will look to execute regional partnerships in the first half of 2018.

In connection with the Company's previously announced medical cannabis program, Aequus formed a collaboration with Scientus Pharma, Inc. ("Scientus") to be the development and commercial supplier of specific cannabinoid extracts, with an option for Scientus to co-fund the development of a cannabinoid containing transdermal formulation that would be designed and optimized to address certain neurological disorders. Additionally, the Company entered into a collaboration with Ehave, Inc. ("Ehave") to access Ehave's bioinformatics platform, providing cost effective and clinically relevant data collection in Aequus' anticipated clinical trials in the medical cannabis regulatory regime.

"We continue to stay focused on our growth trajectory in specialty therapeutic areas, listening to the needs of our clinical customers. Our strategy is to leverage Canadian revenues to fund new product development concepts informed by our clinician customer base, for which we would own global rights," said Doug Janzen, CEO and Chairman of Aequus. "Our primary focus for the remainder of 2017 and 2018 is to continue to build revenues, which we expect will come from the existing base business, the Santen product launch, other potential in-licensing transactions currently under discussion, as well as the out-licensing efforts from our development programs."

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND MD&A

Investors are encouraged to review Aequus' complete Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, which are available on the Company's website at www.aequuspharma.ca and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

ABOUT AEQUUS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AQS) (OTCQB: AQSZF) is a growing specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing high quality, differentiated products. Aequus' development stage pipeline includes several products in neurology and psychiatry with a goal of addressing the need for improved medication adherence through enhanced delivery systems. With a focus in neurology and other specialty areas, our most recent addition to the development pipeline was a long-acting form of medical cannabis, where there is a high need for a consistent, predictable and pharmaceutical-grade delivery of products for patients. Aequus intends to commercialize its internal programs in Canada alongside its current portfolio of marketed established medicines and will look to form strategic partnerships that would maximize the reach of its product candidates worldwide. Aequus plans to build on its Canadian commercial platform through the launch of additional products that are either created internally or brought in through an acquisition or license; remaining focused on highly specialized therapeutic areas. For further information, please visit www.aequuspharma.ca.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT DISCLAIMER

This release may contain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believe", "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward- looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as the factors we believe are appropriate. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements relating to: the implementation of our business model and strategic plans; the Company's expected revenues; the timing of public listings; the timing of results of the Company's transdermal pyridoxine/doxylamine program's Proof of Concept clinical study; the Company's potential regional partnerships for its internal programs; the timing of public reimbursement decisions for Vistitan'; the regulatory requirements for the its transdermal aripiprazole program; and the Company's expectations regarding the medical cannabis portfolio. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Aequus, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making the forward looking statements included in this release, the Company has made various material assumptions, including, but not limited to: obtaining positive results of clinical trials; obtaining regulatory approvals; general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully outlicense or sell its current products and in-license and develop new products; the assumption that the Company's current good relationships with its manufacturer and other third parties will be maintained; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and technology offered by the Company's competitors; and the Company's ability to protect patents and proprietary rights. In evaluating forward looking statements, current and prospective shareholders should specifically consider various factors set out herein and under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated April 29, 2016, a copy of which is available on Aequus' profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and as otherwise disclosed from time to time on Aequus' SEDAR profile. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, or a risk that is not currently known to us materialize, or should assumptions underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are inherently uncertain. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward looking statements.

Vistitan': Trademark owned or used under license by Sandoz Canada Inc.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Aequus Investor Relations

Email: investors@aequuspharma.ca

Phone: 604-336-7906
NEW YORK, NY and SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 29, 2017 / Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that it is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the Board of Directors of Barracuda Networks Inc. (NYSE: CUDA) ('CUDA' or the 'Company') in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by private equity firm Thoma Bravo LLC ('Thoma Bravo').

On November 27, 2017, the Company announced a definitive agreement for Thoma Bravo to acquire all outstanding shares of CUDA in a transaction valued at approximately $1.6 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, CUDA shareholders will receive $27.55 in cash for each CUDA share they own.

Investors who currently hold shares of Barracuda Networks Inc. and held prior to the November 27, 2017 merger announcement, are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. ClubCorp shareholders have the option to file a class action lawsuit to ensure the Board of Directors obtains the best possible price for shareholders and the disclosure of all material information.

Wolf Haldenstein is investigating whether the Board of Directors' decision to sell the company now at a low price per share rather than allow shareholders to continue to participate in the company's continued success and future growth prospects is in shareholders' best interests.

Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com.

## Follow the firm and learn about newly filed cases on Twitter and Facebook. ##

Contact:

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP

Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis

Email: gstone@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com

Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774

Attorney Advertising: Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.

SOURCE: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/29/17 -- Compass Gold Corp. (NEX: CVB.H) (Compass or the Company) is pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced acquisition (see Compass news release dated Aug. 23, 2017) of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Mali Gold Exploration Pty Ltd (MGE) (Acquisition), concurrent with a one-for-five share consolidation (Consolidation) and non-brokered private placement of $6,000,000 (Private Placement) (together the Transaction). The Company's common shares will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV or the Exchange) as a Tier 2 issuer under the symbol "CVB", on a post-consolidation basis on November 30, 2017.

HIGHLIGHTS:

-- Transaction completed and maximum financing amount of $6 million achieved to finance exploration and operations. -- Compass completes share exchange to gain 100% control of MGE's Sikasso Property comprising five gold exploration licenses in Mali, West Arica and covering a total area of 1,179 km2 -- Larry Phillips appointed as new President and CEO; Joe Conway and Bill Pugliese appointed as Directors -- Poised to commence exploration work, including drilling on 35 targets.

Company President and CEO, Larry Phillips, stated, "Our acquisition of the Sikasso properties located in the prolific greenstone belts of southern Mali is an important step forward for the 'new' Compass Gold. The excellent geological work by Madani Diallo and his MGE team over the past six years has identified 35 targets ready to be drill-tested. With our fully-subscribed $6 million private placement, we have the financial resources to complete drilling on all of those targets over the coming year.

Mr. Phillips added, "I am also very pleased to be continuing my association with Jamie Henderson and Madani Diallo and to be joined by my long-time associates from Iamgold, Bill Pugliese and Joe Conway as shareholders and Directors. Together, this group brings a wealth of business and technical experience that will help us build value for all Compass shareholders."

Acquisition

Pursuant to the Acquisition, the Company issued 12,000,000 Post-Consolidation Shares to MGE Shareholders. Upon closing of the Acquisition, MGE became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. MGE holds, through subsidiaries, the Sikasso Property comprising five (5) gold exploration licenses in Mali, West Arica covering a total area of 1,179 km2 in established gold producing regions of Mali. (See Map below) The Company has now taken over MGE's business of gold mineral exploration in Mali.

The Post-Consolidation Shares to be issued to the MGE shareholders under the Acquisition are to be subject to restrictions on resale, including escrow restrictions, imposed by applicable laws and the Exchange.

Consolidation

Effective November 29, 2017, the Company consolidated its common shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation common share for each five (5) pre-consolidation common shares. The securities issued pursuant to the Acquisition and Private Placement were issued on a post-consolidation basis.

Private Placement

Immediately prior to the closing of the Acquisition, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of Units to raise gross proceeds of $6,000,000 at a purchase price of $0.50 per Unit. The $6,000,000 raised was at the top of the $5,000,000 to $6,000,000 target financing range. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and one transferable common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.75 per share and has an expiry date of November 29, 2020. Proceeds are to be used for exploration of the Sikasso property and for working capital purposes.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company:

-- Paid a cash finder's fee of $154,425 to eligible finders; and, -- reserved for issuance a total of 536,849 compensation options (the Compensation Options) to eligible finders. Each Compensation Option entitles the holder to purchase one (1) Unit in the Company at an issue price of $0.50 until November 29, 2019. Upon exercise, the Company will issue one common share of the Company and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.75 per share and has an expiry date of November 29, 2020.

All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on March 30, 2018.

Financial Advisor

In connection with the Transaction, the Company appointed INFOR Financial Inc. (INFOR Financial) as its primary financial advisor. INFOR Financial was paid a fee in cash and Units in the Company. Each Unit was issued on the same terms as the Private Placement.

Outstanding Share Capital and Escrow

Following the Transaction and subject to rounding resulting from the Consolidation, the Company has the following securities on issue:

-- 27,341,967 common shares; -- 2,000,000 share purchase warrants with an expiry date of May 4, 2018 and an exercise price of $0.35; -- 380,952 share purchase warrants with an expiry date of May 15, 2018 and an exercise price of $0.35; -- 12,200,000 share purchase warrants with an expiry date of November 29, 2020 and an exercise price of $0.75; -- 84,000 Compensation Options with an expiry date of May 4, 2018 and an exercise price of $0.25; -- 536,849 Compensation Options with an expiry date of November 29, 2019 and an exercise price of $0.50;

Compass Board and Management Changes

As part of the Transaction, previously announced, Board and Management changes were implemented:

-- Larry Phillips has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer; -- Joe Conway and Bill Pugliese have been appointed as non-executive directors; -- Ian Spence has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer; and -- Lara Iacusso and Malcom Carson have resigned as directors.

James Henderson will continue as Chairman and Madani Diallo as a non-executive director.

Lara Iacusso and Danica Topolewski will continue as interim Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary respectively. The Company intends to appoint a Toronto-based person to these positions in the coming weeks.

Continuation to Ontario

As part of the Transaction, the Company is finalizing its continuation of the Company from British Columbia to Ontario, with a head office in Toronto.

About Compass

Compass is a public company organized under the laws of British Columbia (proposed to be continued into Ontario) and is a Tier 2 issuer on the TSXV.

Through the acquisition of MGE and Malian subsidiaries, Compass holds gold exploration permits located in Mali that comprise the Sikasso Property. The exploration permits are located in three sites in Southern Mali with a combined land holding of 1,179km2. The Sikasso Property is located in the same region as several other multi-million ounce gold projects, including Morila, Syama, Kalana and Kodieran.

The Sikasso Property comprises five exploration permits at the following three sites:

-- Ouassada and Sankarini; -- Tieoulena and Kourou; (these four collectively referred to as the Yanfolila Block); and, -- Kale.

Map: Location of the exploration licenses (From NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Sikasso Property - Republic of Mali Aug. 31, 2017, available with the Company's filings on SEDAR). To view the maps associated with this release, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/CompassGold_Map.pdf

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDS: COMPASS GOLD CORP. MALI GOLD EXPLORATION PTY LTD

SIGNED: "Larry Phillips"

Larry Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer Compass Gold Corp.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's planned exploration work and management appointments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by such information. The statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law.

Website: www.compassgoldcorp.com

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:

Compass Gold Corporation

Larry Phillips - Pres. & CEO

T: +1 416-648-4767

lp@compassgoldcorp.com



Compass Gold Corporation

Greg Taylor - Dir. Investor Relations &

Corporate Communications

T: +1 416-605-5120

gtaylor@gtinvestorrelations.com



INFOR Financial Inc.

Neville Dastoor- Principal

T: +1 416-583-1947

ndastoor@inforfg.com




ALO7 (Formerly known as Saybot), a China-based English language learning product and services provider, receives $37.5 million in Series D financing round.

The round was led by Legend Capital with participation from GuoHe Capital and UG Investment and C-round investors Qualcomm, New Oriental, and Vickers Venture Partners.

This financing will be used to hire a large number of highly-skilled technical engineers to accelerate a dual upgrade of the companys products and services.

Led by CEO Pengkai Pan, EVP Andrew Shewbart, ALO7 provides English language learning product and services which leverages technology that manages online and offline interactions between students, teachers, parents, and school administrators. Using smartphones, tablets, and PCs, users can access AI-driven interactive materials, in-depth reports on student progress, an online learning platform, and adaptive testing based on big data.

The company provides a primary-school digital courseware and textbook series, Genius English, and recently introduced Wise English, a program for middle schools, at the conference.

ALO7 was founded in the United States in 2004 by MIT PhD Pengkai Pan and his mentor, digital-media guru Nicholas Negroponte. In 2010, ALO7 joined the K12 English education market, focused on providing high-quality teaching products and services to schools.

FinSMEs

29/11/2017
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Disney extended an all expenses paid invite to Pixar to talk all things, Coco. All opinions shared are my own.

Music, love, kindness. Those are the things that make the world go round. They all speak to us in different ways and are an important tool of filmmaking. There are many kinds of genres that speak to each of us. Not surprisingly, Mexico is rich in music types and abundant in samples of each of them. We were extremely fortunate to get a tour of The Sounds of Mexico and The Music of Disney-Pixar Coco with a fabulous team of Pixar and Mexican talent. Lets talk Coco: A Music Story.

The Sounds of Mexico and The Music of Disney-Pixar Coco

Adrian Molina, co-director, and writer of Coco leads the panel and explains to us about the process used to get authentic and relatable music for the animated film. There are three types of musical distinct components that are present. Those are

Source music: made up with the diversity of Mexican sounds.

The Score: used to hold up the emotions of the film as well as create the themes for the characters and explore the environment motivations and quirkiness of the setting of the film

Original music: In Coco, much of the music is performative and Pixar wanted to give the film this iconic voice to each of the characters via original songs.

Adrian introduces us to songwriter and arranger Germaine Franco, music composer Michael Giacchino and music consultant/artist Camilo Lara who spoke to us at length about the sounds of Mexico that inspired the music of the Disney-Pixar animated film Coco. They also shared the process of the music of Coco, their inspiration and ultimately on what we listen when we watch Coco.

Fun fact: a jaw bone rattle plays a part in Un Poco Loco!

Source Music

Camilo Lara and Germaine Franco take the floor to educate us on source music. Franco tells us that the aim was to get the sounds of the music as if you were in a little plaza. Normally there are two or three different bands playing at the plaza and the idea was to give us something that we couldnt buy at the record store, yet something played throughout Mexico. At the same time, they wanted to include many different Mexican types of music other than the traditional Mariachis which is what people readily identify as Mexican music. So they set out to find musicians and samples of this broad variety of classic, folkloric and traditional tunes.

Fun fact: some of the musicians would read music. Others did not because music is more of an oral tradition in Mexico. When they needed to play a score Michael Giacchino has supplied, someone would read would play and help the rest to get it.

Source Music in Coco

As the team listened to all this music and recording they were constantly thinking in terms of what tune is the character, or what moment can it be. We can see this work come to life in the scene where Miguel and Hector visit the zone of the less remembered people in the land of the dead. In this instance, big banda style sounds give a mysterious nostalgic sense to the scene.

Source Music in Animation

When we talk about source music, Franco shares that a video camera rolled as musicians were performing. Animators took those video clippings as reference to work the real movements that happen while playing music.

Fun fact:Pixar starts working on the music of Coco way earlier than they normally do

Score Music

Cocos Iconic guitar was created for Ernesto de la Cruz. For storytelling purposes, he needed to have an instantly recognizable beautiful guitar. So, Pixar teamed up with an expert guitar maker German Vasquez Rubio. This was the introduction for Federico Ramos, the guitarist who played the examples and Michael Giacchino. Giacchino explains that his process begins by watching a rough draft of the film and translate the feelings he experiences via music. Then via his musical creations, he should help guide the audience through the story.

Fun fact: tthe road test for score music, is starting off with a simple instrument a guitar or a piano after that it goes to the orchestra where it gets perfected bit by bit until it is time to record.

The theme Michael Giacchino came up for Miguel is inspired by himself as a boy wanting to do film and music. He chose a happy upbeat melody that is used throughout the film in different ways.Giacchino says he saw Hector as a vacuum salesman so a little waltz is what he created to musically identify him.

Those themes are heard throughout the film in different ways with a big orchestra or on simple lonely guitars.

Original Songs

Remember Me

The first song featured is Remembered me by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez the team that wrote all the Frozen songs. Remember Me represents the larger than life Ernesto de la Cruz in his highest moment, and it also has a message that relates to them of the movie about being remembered. It is meant to be a very popular song that everyone knows. Made in the tradition of Pedro Infante with a big orchestra or a big banda. it sets the tone for the rest of the film. Some songs are used to create character conflict. By the way, Benjamin Bratt sings this for us in the movie

Un Poco Loco

Adrian and Germaine worked together and songs like Un Poco loco come to life. There is a little mistrust between Miguel and Hector and a difference of opinion on how they are going to get what they want. Un Poco Loco speaks to this frustration and dynamic. The style of music for it is jarocho music which is a traditional way of telling a story in a ballad.

Fun fact : the stomp in un poco loco are inspired by some boots that Germaines mother gave her along with a footwork zapateado dance that gives a nice percussive feeling.

Music and Coco Molina adds that having such an ample soundscape allowed the filmmakers to give a real feel to support the emotions of the story. In short, the huge musical undertaking allows us to enjoy a powerful film that talks to us passionately not only through what we see on screen but what we hear as Hector played by Gael Garcia Bernal and Anthony Gonzalez as Miguel go on their adventure.

For all things Coco visit:




Apexx, a London, UK-based marketplace for global payments, raised $4m in seed funding.

The round was led by Forward Partners with participation from MMC Ventures and Alliance Venture and includes a grant from Innovate UK.

The company intends to use the funds to further extend their global network of acquirers, payment providers and merchants, and fund product development.

Co-founded by Peter Keenan, Peter Keenan, Rodney Bain, and Rob Atkin, Apexx provides a cloud-based marketplace for global payments that allows merchant partners to be always able to accept the ways their customers want to spend, compare costs and get expert advice on the payment providers that will best suit them.

The company is already supported a host of high profile international partners including Alipay, iZettle, NTT DATA, Visa iPay88, Payvision, Credorax, SIX payment services, Paysafe Group, Processing.Com, Transact Europe, CardStream and JetPay.

FinSMEs

29/11/2017
Fineway, a Munich, Germany-based travel tech startup, closed a 7m funding round.

The round was led by Bayern Kapital with participation from Mairdumont Ventures, Axel Springer and unnamed family offices.

The company intends to use the capital to to hire additional experts to further develop the software.

Led by Markus Bohl, CEO, and Markus Feigelbinder, COO, Fineway provides an artificial intelligence driven travel planning and booking platform that leverages statistics & deep learning methods to create conversation to deliver trips that match a users unique style and intents.

FinSMEs

28/11/2017
Genesis Innovation Group, a Holland, Michigan-based medical device development and commercialization company, has launched a $10m venture capital fund.

Cultivate(MD) Capital Fund I will focus on investing in early stage healthcare companies, with special focus on medical device and orthopedic technologies.

Led by Rob Ball, CEO of Genesis Innovation Group and fund manager, Cultivate(MD) will be fully operational and actively seeking companies in which to invest by early 2018.

During the past four years, Genesis has focused on investments in technologies at the earliest stages, having founded a number of companies and invested at the seed and pre-seed stages. Cultivate(MD) will now expand further into this space and focus on mid- to later-stage companies and investment opportunities.

It is limited to private placements and closed to the public.

The team also includes Don Running, vice president of R&D, Matt Ahearn, VP of Finance and Operations, Dave Blue, VP of Sales and Marketing, Jeff Ondrla, VP of Supply Chain and Quality, and orthopedic surgeon and inventor, R. Sean Churchill, MD, who serves as the organizations Medical Director.

FinSMEs

28/11/2017
Ikbenfrits, an Amsterdam, the Netherlands-based digital mortgage broker, raised 2m in Series A funding.

The round was led by Finch Capital, fka Orange Growth Capital, which will join the companys board.

The company intends to use the funds for product development and business expansion.

Founded in 2015, Ikbenfrits provides a residential mortgage broking service focused on the Dutch market. The company offers customers a combination of personalized service with automation for mundane tasks such as document submission and checking, finding and getting the deal accepted instantly and streamlined helpdesk.

The company has handled over 150 million worth of mortgage applications.

FinSMEs

29/11/2017
Optum, the health services business of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), has launched a $250m venture capital fund.

Optum Ventures focuses on investing in startup and early-stage companies whose innovations will help advance the health care system. It invests in digital health companies that use data and insights to help improve consumers access to health care services and how care is delivered and paid for, and that make the health care system more reliable and easier to navigate.

Beyond capital, entrepreneurs working with Optum Ventures also gain strategic guidance to support development and growth from a vast network of experts and relationships. Optums health care assets and analytics capabilities provide a ground to research, test and innovate new solutions in collaboration with Optums relationships and knowledge of how health care systems work and perform for Optum Ventures and the companies it invests to bring solutions to market more quickly and scale faster.

The initial investments of Optum Ventures include:

 Apervita, whose cloud-based platform reduces the time it takes to build and deploy analytic applications for health care professionals to deliver better care, and enterprises to gain stronger insights.

 Buoy Health, which has developed an artificial intelligence-powered digital health assistant that helps patients better understand their symptoms and get advice on where to go and what to do next.

 Mindstrong Health, whose technology uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to assess a patients smartphone interactions to help diagnose and treat neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

 SHYFT Analytics, which provides a cloud-based data and analytics platform for life sciences companies, enabling them to reduce cost and risk while increasing clinical and commercial performance, with a focus on oncology, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other specialty and rare disorders.

Optum Ventures is funded by Optum and will operate independently under the leadership of its Partners, A.G. Breitenstein and Virginia McFerran, who together brings years of experience in starting, advising and leading innovative health care enterprises.

The fund will have offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Menlo Park, California.

FinSMEs

29/11/2017
SGI Aviation Services B.V., an Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based independent advisor to the aviation industry, providing aircraft and engine asset management and all affiliated technical consulting and advisory services, received a strategic investment from FinTech Global Incorporated (8789:Tokyo).

FinTech Global Trading will establish SGI Investment LLC and through this limited liability company will acquire from Seabury Capital LLC a 51% voting interest and 44.1% economic interest in SGI-Group B.V., the holding company for SGI Aviation, to pursue joint opportunities in the aircraft asset management businesses. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.

Read the press release below:

SGI Aviation Receives Strategic Investment From FinTech Global Incorporated

Investment Validates SGI Aviations Unique Aircraft Asset Management and Advisory Service Platform and Positions the Business for Further Growth

November 27, 2017 05:44 PM Eastern Standard Time

AMSTERDAM(BUSINESS WIRE)SGI Aviation Services B.V. (SGI Aviation), an independent advisor to the aviation industry, providing aircraft and engine asset management and all affiliated technical consulting and advisory services, announced today a strategic investment in its business from FinTech Global Incorporated (FGI) (8789:Tokyo), a Tokyo-listed boutique investment bank.

@SGIAviation receives a strategic investment from FinTech Global Incorporated

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FGIs Board of Directors resolved at a meeting today that consolidated subsidiary FinTech Global Trading Incorporated (FGT) will establish SGI Investment LLC (SGI Investment) and through this limited liability company will acquire from Seabury Capital LLC (Seabury Capital) a 51% voting interest and 44.1% economic interest in SGI-Group B.V. (SGI-Group), the holding company for SGI Aviation, to pursue joint opportunities in the aircraft asset management businesses. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.

Were thrilled to receive a strategic investment from FGI, which together with Seabury Capital will support our ongoing expansion strategy, said SGI Aviation Chief Executive Officer Paolo Lironi. This investment further validates our market-leading position in aircraft asset management services; strengthens our technical services offering; provides an excellent opportunity to better connect to Japanese investors; and positions us for future growth of our global customer footprint.

FGI and the group it leads contribute to the growth and development of companies in all sectors of industry through investment banking and principal investment activities. Seabury Capital operates a number of specialty finance, investment banking, technology and software companies with a core focus anchored in aviation, aerospace & defense, maritime, and financial services/technology.

We are delighted to see FGIs strategic investment in SGI Aviation, and together with FGI, we are committed to supporting further expansion of its worldwide operations, said Seabury Capital Chairman, President & CEO John E. Luth.

Hideyuki Yamanaka, FinTech Global Incorporated Senior Executive Officer and Member of the Board, added: We are excited at working with Seabury Capital in supporting SGI-Group in its business expansion and improving corporate value. SGI Aviation is the preeminent independent aircraft asset management and technical advisory group with a strong track record and reputation for impeccable and reliable service to the global market of lessors and banks, with over 100 such clients around the world. We foresee the bright future for SGI Aviation and we expect the company to be a cornerstone of our future aviation business.

Our global alliance with FGI will also enhance Seabury Capitals access to Japanese banks, institutional investors and Japanese firms seeking to make investments in aerospace, aviation, hospitality, logistics, foreign exchange, international trade financial instruments, and other asset-backed structured products sourced by Seabury Capitals global platform, concluded Luth.

ABOUT FGI

FinTech Global Incorporated (FGI), a Tokyo-listed (8789:Tokyo) boutique investment bank, supports the growth and development of corporate clients and companies in its investment portfolio through investment banking services, mainly financial arrangements and asset investment activities, and corporate investment activities as a boutique-style investment bank specializing in structured finance. www.fgi.co.jp

ABOUT SEABURY CAPITAL

Seabury Capital LLC (Seabury Capital) operates a number of specialty finance, investment banking, technology and software companies with a core focus anchored in aviation, aerospace & defense, maritime, and financial services/technology. Since its founding in 1996, Seabury Capital has historically been the investment holding company of its founder, John E. Luth, operating as a venture capital firm with ownership stakes in software and asset management businesses servicing the aviation and travel industries. Within the last few years, Seabury Capital has expanded its portfolio by investing in early stage startup companies within the financial technology industry and structured investment products. In addition, Seabury Capital owns and operates FINRA regulated investment banking services firms in the U.S. and U.K. serving external clients as well as assisting the companies in which Seabury Capital has invested. Seabury Capital has operations in New York, Jersey City, Summit (NJ), Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Stamford (CT), Amsterdam, Berlin, Cordoba, Dublin, Durban, Hong Kong, London, Manila, Singapore, and Tokyo. www.seaburycapital.com

ABOUT SGI AVIATION SERVICES B.V.

SGI Aviation Services B.V. (SGI Aviation) is an independent advisor to the aviation industry, providing aircraft and engine asset management and all affiliated technical consulting and advisory services. Its service offering covers the entire lifecycle of an aviation asset, as well as related regulatory, operational and IT needs. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, SGI aviation has offices in New York, Guernsey, and Singapore. SGI Aviation is a Seabury Capital company. www.sgiaviation.com
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The European Union's pledge to deepen cooperation with the six members of EU's Eastern Partnership through 20 deliverables steps by 2020 is a "very welcome demonstration of commitment" to ensure that the benefits of closer relations with the EU will be felt by cities and regions in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, according to Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions.

President Lambertz represented the EU's local and regional authorities at the Eastern Partnership Summit, which was held on 24 November in Brussels. President Lambertz said: "The Eastern Partnership has matured over the course of eight challenging years since its creation. This Summit aims to translate these stronger political ties into practical benefits not just for our partner countries, but also for their citizens, regions and cities. The plan for '20 Deliverables for 2020' is a welcome demonstration of commitment, and since the last Summit two years, I have seen the involvement of local and regional authorities grow in all stages of projects. This is good practice and good politics, because local and regional administrations are the providers of many public services and are the level of government closest to citizens. The Eastern Partnership is gradually becoming a true partnership between all levels of government."

President Lambertz emphasised the need for more concerted, long-term support for cities and regions: "There are thousands of municipalities and other forms of local government in the Eastern Partnership. Their voice is still feeble but their voice will become stronger because of the decentralisation process. We want to help them gain the voice and authority they need to make their cities and regions more prosperous, more sustainable, safer, more resilient, and more inclusive. That will benefit them and the EU."

As part of its own efforts to support the Eastern Partnership, in 2010 the European Committee of the Regions created the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP), which brings together CoR members with representatives of local and regional administrations from all six Eastern Partnership countries. President Lambertz is co-chair of CORLEAP; his fellow co-chair, Volodymyr Prokopiv, Head of Kyiv City Council (Ukraine), also spoke at the Summit.

Addressing national leaders, Mr Prokopiv emphasised the importance of city-to-city and region-to-region cooperation as a stabilising force. The EU's global strategy and its neighbourhood strategy emphasise the need "for more effective partnerships" to promote political, social and economic resilience, he said, before continuing: "None of these objectives can be achieved in a sustainable manner without the involvement of local and regional authorities  the level of governance closest to citizens."

In a bilateral meeting with the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and in his speech to Heads of Government and State in the Summit, President Lambertz highlighted some of the ways in which cooperation is developing between regions and cities in the EU and the Eastern Partnership. Cross-border regions are developing ties through shared development strategies, or through shared an EU legal instrument called the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation . In increasing numbers, local and regional authorities in the Eastern Partnership are joining bottom-up initiatives that enjoy financial and technical support from the EU  the Global Covenant of Mayors , whose signatories pledge to exceed the EU's climate targets, and Mayors for Economic Growth , whose members are developing sustainable economic development plans.

Contact:

Andrew Gardner

Tel. +32 473 843 981

andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu
Now there are three kinds of people in the world. Those who invest in bitcoins, those who are totally against investing in it, and those who have no idea what the hell is happening. And, irrespective of which camp you belong to, you totally cant deny the fact that bitcoin has shown no sign of slowing down. Its value has grown 900 percent since last year, now it has hit $10,000 mark.

With so much buzz around bitcoins, crypto-currencies, you might be wondering if its an investment avenue for you. Wondering if you will miss the bus if you dont invest or will you be taking too much risk with your money. In short, today many are asking, should you invest in bitcoins? The answer really depends on whom you ask the question to.

Talk to Certified Financial Planners and they say, though they understand the basic concept as to how bitcoin works, the whole crypto-currency universe is still very difficult to understand completely and with very little data available to analyse it, investing in them is as good as speculation.

Ranjit Dani, Nagupr based Certified Financial Planner says, Bitcoin dont have the blessing of the regulator. RBI has issued warning against bitcoin in the past. We dont understand what is impacting the demand-supply of bitcoins. We stay away from what we do not understand. Hence, investor should not invest in bitcoins.

Similar views are echoed by Suresh Sadagopan, Mumbai based Certified Financial Planners, who says, Firstly, its invented by some phantom figure. It has no regulatory approval in India. Theres no full grasp of understanding of how price works or what can suddenly cause a surge. Even Warren Buffet has said, never invest in a business you cannot understand. It has grown too fast in a short time. Its speculative, and hence I dont recommend investing in bitcoins.

Warren Buffet last month called bitcoin as a real bubble. In September this, JPMorgan Chase, Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon called bitcoin Fraud worse than tulip bulbs. But, not just individuals but even countries seems to be divided on this issue. Firstpost spoke to K. Vaidyanathan, Lecturer Finance at India School of Business regarding bitcoin and crypto-currency in general.

According to Vaidyanathan, In India, RBI has not recognised it. In some countries its illegal. Some countries like China are pro-bitcoins. US is a big market too. If you look at large players (financial institutions), they dont want the parallel currency to thrive, as it will hurt them. According to him, its very unlikely that bitcoin will stand on its own without support from large players or regulators. He not bullish per se, as theres too much speculation and market is shallow.

Bitcoin itself has forked (split) a number of times into another cryptocurrency called bitcash. Plus there are more than 1,000 cryptocurrencies, every new techie seems to be inventing a new cryptocurrency. Litecoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Ripple, Monero to name a few. According to the professor, number of cryptocurrencies will eventually consolidate to five or six. The future of bitcoins and cryptocurrencies, in general, is very unpredictable even for those who do understand cryptocurrencies.

But not are many who are very bullish on bitcoin. Take for instance, former Fortress hedge fund manager Michael Novogratz, said on CNBC show Fast Money, Bitcoin could be at $40,000 at the end of 2018. Even business tycoon Richard Branson is a firm believer of Bitcoin, to such an extent that he backed Blockchain partners with Unocoin in India, according to this report in The Economic Times.

Firstpost spoke to Sathvik Vishwanath. Co-Founder, CEO, Unocoin, Indias Bitcoin Exchange, who says, Its movement is not like it used to be. Volatility and growth has been much higher now. People who invest in bitcoin are not those who want to buy low and sell high. They are those who want to buy high and sell higher. There are deep pocket investors. We have seen a lot of investment advisors especially in developing countries tell there clients to invest a very- very small part of there overall assets in bitcoins. Just one-two percent of their entire portfolio. Its like investing Rs 2, two years ago and now the value has gone to Rs 200."

In short, sellers of bitcoins believe that investing 1-2 percent of your total wealth is an ideal amount to venture into bitcoin. Saurabh Agrawal, CEO and Co-founder, Zebpay, an India bitcoin currency exchange, says, We are not saying that people should invest their entire hard earned money in bitcoins, definitely its risky and theres high volatility. I, stead start with a very small amount." You can even start with as less as Rs 2500.

Zebpay charges 0.15 per transaction on their exchange, irrespective if you buy or sell. There are a number of reasons as to why bitcoin has rallied to above $ 10,000. Firstly, everyday the understanding of bitcoin (cryptocurrency) is increasing. On Zebpay alone, they have 20,000 downloads of the app, and they see 40-50 percent KYC completions on the app. Secondly, the over all confidence in bitcoin has increased as countries like Japan passed a law recognising bitcoin as a legal tender.

Chicago Merchantile Exchange announced its plans to offer bitcoin futures, starting this December. SegWit2x backers cancelled their plans for bitcoin hard fork. This means there was supposed to be split on bitcoins and that was called off. This increased the confidence in the digital currency and for future of bitcoins, among some investors. These are some of the reasons as to why the recent surge on happened.

So what should you do? Certainly dont be like man from The Netherlands who sold everything he owned in exchange for bitcoin now lives on a campsite waiting for the ultimate cryptoboom, as per this Business Insider report. Bitcoin exchanges make money on transactions, so they will make money irrespective of you buy or sell, make a profit or loss. Of course, they want you to invest, so they earn a fee. Keep that in mind. Seek the help of your Certified Financial Planner and look into your individual financial situation and only then decide if you want to invest or not. If you plan to do so, make it really a very small amount you can afford to write off, and remember, it would be speculation and your chances would be as slim or fat as betting on a horse. Dont buy bitcoin if you dont know how to store them safely. Storing them on your mobile or laptop is very risky. That topic needs an entirely different article alltogether. So keep tracking this space.
Fugitive business man Vijay Mallya has raised torture and deaths in Indian prisons to oppose the extradition plea in the Westminster Court in London.

According to a report in The Times of India, Mallya is likely to have raised the death of a woman prisoner, Manjula Shetye, in Byculla jail in June to oppose his extradition. The court will hear the Indian government's plea next week.

The report says Mallya is likely to present Shetye's death as the reality of Indian jails. The death had become controversial after Indrani Mukherjea, accused in the high-profile Sheena Bora murder case, claimed she protested against the torture of Shetye by the police.

About 20 parliamentarians had visited the prison later to study the situation in there.

Earlier, there were reports that India will convey to the British court that Mallya will not face any threat to his life in Indian jails.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is arguing the extradition case of Mallya on behalf of the Indian government.

With a detailed assessment of security cover given to prisoners in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail and Delhi's Tihar jail, the Indian government will tell the UK court that when extradited, Mallya may be lodged in Arthur Road jail where he will get full security cover as an undertrial prisoner, a government official had told PTI.

The British court will be told that prisoners, both under trial and convicted, get full security cover.

It is the duty of the State to ensure security and Mallya's apprehension about threat is "misleading", India will tell the court.

The Westminster Magistrates' Court will start hearing the extradition proceedings from 4 December.

Mallya, who owes Indian banks Rs 9,000 crore and is wanted in India in various cases related to financial fraud, has been in the UK since March 2016 and was arrested by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on 18 April. However, he was soon granted bail by the court.

If the judge rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an extradition treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place under the arrangement. Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel was sent to India last October to face trial in connection with his alleged involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

However, unlike Mallya, he had submitted to the extradition order without legal challenge.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: Exporters have claimed refunds of Rs 6,500 crore in the first four months of GST roll out, the government said on Wednesday, while asking them to file claims in

proper form with matching shipping bills to facilitate early settlements.

It also said that businesses can upload the final sales return for August in GSTR-1 on GST Network (GSTN) portal from 4 December.

In a statement, the finance ministry said: "It is clarified that the quantum of IGST refund claims as filed through Shipping Bills during the period July to October, is approximately Rs 6,500 crore and the quantum of refund of unutilised credit on inputs or input services, as per the RFD-01A applications filed on GSTN portal, is to the tune of Rs 30 crore."

The CBEC had last month started refunds for exporters of goods who have paid Integrated GST (IGST) and have claimed refund based on shipping bill by filling up Table 6A.

Earlier this month, it allowed businesses making zero rated supplies or those who have paid IGST on exports or those want to claim input credit to fill Form RFD-01A.

It asked them to approach Chief Commissioner of Central Tax and the Commissioner of State Tax for refund claim.

The ministry said that of the IGST paid on goods exported, a majority of refund claims for exports made in July have been sanctioned.

"Refund claims of IGST paid for exports made in August, September and October 2017 are being sanctioned seamlessly wherever returns have been accurately filed," it said.

Exporters should file GSTR-3B, Table 6A of GSTR-1 on the GSTN portal and Shipping Bills on Customs EDI System, it said.

However, the statement said, instance of errors are noticed in Shipping Bill number in GSTR-1, mis-match of invoice number and IGST amount paid and wrong bank account, which is delaying the refund process.

"These errors are the sole reason for delay in grant of refunds, or rejection thereof. While information has been made available to Exporters on the ICEGATE portal if they are registered, they may also contact jurisdictional Customs authorities to check the errors they have committed in furnishing information in GST returns and Shipping Bill, and rectify them at the earliest," the ministry said.

It asked exporters to ensure that there is no discrepancy in the information furnished in Table 6A of GSTR-1 and the Shipping Bill.

It said that since Customs system automatically grant refunds without involvement of any officer by matching information that is furnished on GSTN portal and Customs system, the onus is on the exporters to fill in all the details accurately.

"Exporters may, therefore, take due precaution to ensure that no errors creep in while filing Table 6A of GSTR 1 of August 2017 and onwards," the ministry added.

In case exporters have committed errors in filling up July claim forms, they can make changes by filling up Table-9 of GSTR-1 of August returns, it said.

For claiming Input Tax Credit (ITC), the ministry said exporters will have to ensure that all the necessary documents are submitted along with the Form RFD-01A for timely sanction of refund.

"Exporters are advised to immediately file Table 6A and GSTR-3B, for processing of IGST refund; RFD-01A on GSTN portal for refund of the unutilised ITC on inputs or input services used in making exports; and GSTR-1 for August 2017 for amending details provided in July GSTR-1," the ministry said.

The government has taken various measures to alleviate the difficulty of exporters and is fully committed to provide speedy disbursal of refunds due to them, it added.
Baahubali's Devasena and Telugu actress Anushka Shetty is on a sky high after SS Rajamouli's magnum opus emerged as one of the the nation's highest grossing films of all time. Following the stupendous success of the Baahubali films, Shetty's upcoming projects were a matter of great curiosity and speculation among her fans.

The poster of her upcoming film Bhaagamathie was released and it went viral in no time. Now it is being reported that the Tamil Nadu rights of the film have been sold for a whopping price of Rs 15 crore, says a report by cinemaexpress.com.

The rights have been sold off to Studio Green, adds the report. It was earlier reported that the film is a multilingual in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam by UV Creations. In Tamil Nadu, KE Gnanavel Raja of Studio Green will release the film. There were reports that the team is in talks with Global United Media, who released the Baahubali series, for the Malayalam version.

Bhaagamathie is touted to be a 'contemporary thriller' which will revolve around the character played by Shetty in the film, said the director of the film, Ashok, in an exclusive interview with Firstpost.

Anushka Shetty's performance in the films  Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion  were lauded, so was her chemistry with co-star Prabhas. While she played one of the romantic leads opposite Prabhas in the film, Bhaagamathie promises to be completely about Shetty, who will be the protagonist in the film.
As the heated controversy around Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Padmavati refuses to simmer down, Haryana Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Media Coordinator Suraj Pal Amu has stepped down from his post, as per TV reports.

Amu came into limelight when he had announced a bounty of Rs 10 crore on the heads of Padmavati makers. On 19 November, Amu had congratulated a Meerut youth who had announced a Rs 5-crore bounty for beheading actress Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He had added that he will reward the ones beheading them Rs 10 crore, and also take care of their families' needs.

While speaking to India Today on his sudden resignation on 29 November, Amu said that Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has insulted Rajput leaders by not banning the film in the state.

When the reporter asked Amu whether he still maintains his stand on the Rs 10-crore bounty, he completely took a U-turn and refused to have made any such threat comments in the past. He said, "Deepika is nation's daughter and my statement was not directed towards her."

On his Rs 10-crore bounty remark, he retracted saying, "I have been a student of law and will always safeguard the Supreme Court's decision."

Amu has been a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member since the age of 10. He hails from a Rajput family in Gurgaons Sohna town and is a law graduate, according to The Indian Express. While he was a student, he was a member of the BJPs student wing ABVP from 1984 to 1986.

Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor; it revolves around the life and times of the 13th century Rajput queen Padmini of Chittorgarh, who had reportedly chosen self-immolation over falling prey to the evil clutches of the foreign invader and Sultan of Delhi Alauddin Khilji.

The film was supposed to be released on 1 December this year but the makers decided to voluntarily defer its release owing to the surging protests and controversies around the film.
Anand Surapur's The Fakir of Venice, which was initially supposed to be filmmaker-turned-actor Farhan Akhtar's onscreen debut, may see the light of the day years after its production. The film has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification with a U/A certificate, as per a report by Bombay Times.

Although the trailer of the film looked impressive, the makers were a little wary of the consequences as the fakir (essayed by Annu Kapoor) is actually a Muslim posing as a Hindu fakir. Given the increasing hostility and intolerance of several groups towards Bollywood films, the makers are hoping to not run into any troubles for the content. Now, the CBFC certification comes as a much needed sigh of relief for them ahead of the film's release on 5 January, as stated in the same report.

Written by Homi Adjania, The Fakir of Venice is based on some of his actual experiences from over a decade ago. Akhtar's character travels across the length and breadth of India in search of that enigmatic fakir until he eventually finds Annu Kapoor's character. The two men (Akhtar and Kapoor) apparently plan to travel to Venice to con the art industry in Europe.

The music of the film been composed by AR Rahman.
And it is a wrap for International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017. while the closing ceremony of IFFI 2017 in Goa remained a starry affair with celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Huma Qureshi and Siddharth Malhotra attending the ceremony, multiple controversies also kept the film festival in news.

There was no dearth of controversies this year at IFFI. From the exclusion of S Durga and Nude from the Indian Panorama section, Sujoy Ghosh's resignation as the jury chief to Pakistani film Saawan being dropped and 20 people getting sacked by Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Smriti Irani, the film festival was the focal point of a lot of tension.

As the eight-day festival concludes, here is a timeline of the controversies:

20 people sacked from IFFI review committee

Just three months before the film festival, Smriti Irani and her office removed 20 people from the film festival review committee. All these sacked 20 people were the former minister Venkaiah Naidu's appointees. Irani communicated that the move was taken in order to make a reshuffle in the committee and start afresh with this year's festival.

Pakistan's official entry to Oscar Saawan dropped by IFFI

After S Durga and Nude, US based Pakistani filmmaker Farhan Alam's directorial, Saawan, was dropped by the IFFI authorities. The film, which revolves around a nine-year-old boy with Polio getting isolated by his family in the mountains of Balochistan, was to be featured in the foreign languages section at the 48th edition of the film festival.

The director was informed by the IFFI authorities of the film's selection only to be further conveyed in the first week of November that the film will not be screened, citing some scheduling issues at the festival.

IFFI feels the heat of Padmavati row

After sections of Rajput community demanding a ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious project Padmavati and sending out death threats to the lead actress Deepika Padukone, Shabana Azmi requested the film industry to boycott IFFI. In order to protest the mum stand of the I&B Ministry as well as the central government when a leading actress was being threatened by religious outfits, Shabana Tweeted to boycott the festival.

The entire film industry should boycott IFFI in protest against the threats to @deepikapadukone SLB and #Padmavati https://t.co/VckVB5yRJp  Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) November 18, 2017

4. The S Durga and Nude controversy

13 November: S Durga and Nude were dropped from the screening schedule at the 'Indian Panorama' section of IFFI 2017

14 November: Sujoy Ghosh, eminent filmmaker and head of the IFFI jury, resigns from his position after S Durga and Nude were pulled out from the screening schedule. Further, editor Apurva Asrani and filmmaker Gyan Correa also resigned from their respective positions in the IFFI jury.

15 November: Director of S Durga, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan moved Kerala High Court against the directives sent out by the I&B Ministry and the IFFI 2017 authorities.

18 November: Six out of the 13 jury members wrote a letter to Irani advocating the need of the questions put up against the women empowerment and safety situations in the country, thus, supporting the screening of the excluded films

21 November: Kerala HC cleared S Durga's screening at IFFI and pointed out that the film has already got clearance from a regional CBFC office

27 November: Jury revealed S Durga will be screened at IFFI on 28 November at 6 pm. Sasidharan received letter from IFFI to resubmit the film

28 November: CBFC intervened and declared S Durga will not be screened, citing issues with the way the title of the film was written

(Also read: Sexy Durga or S Durga? How the government's reaction proves the very point the film makes)
The first look of Allu Sirish in the much-awaited Telugu romantic thriller Okka Kshanam, releasing on 23 December, has been revealed. Sirish shared his first look on Twitter confirming that the films upcoming release in December as well.

Presenting the first look of #OkkaKshanam. December 2017. pic.twitter.com/mQ6DhLbkjJ  Allu Sirish (@AlluSirish) November 29, 2017

The poster shows Sirish in a sci-fi setting, grappling with some kind of a shock or explosion while protecting and his co-star Surabhi. While the films tagline touts it as a love story versus destiny, the film is will reportedly deal with the time freeze concept.

Okka Kshanam is a romantic thriller written and directed by Vi Anand, who is a big science fiction fan. His last outing Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada was a surprise blockbuster hit with its innovative horror comedy theme. Naturally, expectations are high for his latest too.

The film is produced by Chakri Chigurupati while Mani Sharma has scored the music. The films principal photography has been wrapped up and the post-production is said to be in full swing. Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar had recently visited the set of the film in Bengaluru to wish the team luck and had expressed his excitement to watch the film on the big screen, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Sirish was last seen in the Malayalam film 1971: Beyond Borders. Okka Kshanam also stars Vennela Kishore, Satya, Praveen, Kashi Vishwanath and Rohini in key roles.
A young woman in Kerala elopes with her boyfriend, or so we assume from their actions, though we may well be wrong. She is Hindu and he is Muslim, or so we gather from their names  Durga and Kabeer  though we may well be wrong about that too. She is a north Indian and he a southerner, or so we gather because he speaks Malayalam comfortably, she speaks only Hindi and this may be the one thing we can conclude about them with some degree of certainty from his response when asked by those they meet: Hindi aano? (Is she a Hindi bhaashi? / Is she a north Indian?)

Assumptions, prejudices reaffirmed by  or based on  those assumptions, and facts are all mashed into the reactions the two elicit from obnoxious passers-by and even the police as they desperately try to hitch a ride to a railway station in the dead of night on a deserted road somewhere in Kerala. A woman out on the streets in the dark with a person of the opposite sex who belongs to another community: in the average Indian mind, that is enough evidence to conclude that something seems fishy, as one character in the film says.

Director Sanal Kumar Sasidharans Malayalam film Sexy Durga is a searing condemnation of a society that places every woman on a pedestal as mata (mother) or devi (goddess) as long as she stays at home and remains pliable, conformist and opinionless. Durga  frozen as a statue  is worshipped in temples and her anger, her courage revered. Yet, a living breathing assertive human Durga with emotions and sexual desires, who defies patriarchal strictures in the slightest way, is damned as a questionable character unworthy of that same respect, as the film reminds us through the actions of those that Durga and Kabeer meet that night. Such a woman out on the streets beyond socially permissible hours, is routinely assumed to be dubious, promiscuous, even a prostitute, as personal experience in the real world tells us. And as is sadly evident from the Supreme Courts reference to Stockholm Syndrome this week in the case of the real-life Hadiya who is fighting for her freedom in Kerala, any such woman aggressively lashing out at patriarchy is infantalised and assumed to be potentially manipulable.

Sexy Durga has earned accolades and awards at festivals in India and abroad. Its release date in domestic theatres is yet to be fixed, but for months now, the teams energies have been devoted to battling Indian authorities. As the curtains came down on Tuesday (28 November 2017) on the government-organised International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017, a series of developments ended in Sasidharans film not being screened there although it had been officially selected for the programme.

The road has been long for Sexy Durga. This October the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) aka Censor Board had insisted on multiple audio cuts and a change in name to S Durga for its release in Indian theatres. Though no reason was reportedly offered by CBFC, an indication comes from the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministrys refusal in the previous month to grant the film an exemption  as is the norm  for Mumbais MAMI Festival with this declaration (quoted on Sasidharans Facebook page): Ministry is of the view that, it may affect the law and order as it hurts the religious sentiments, Durga being a principal Hindu Goddess. The applicant however, may approach the Central Board of Film Certification for certification of this film in normal course instead of seeking exemption. (sic)

The director submitted his film to the CBFC, agreed to their demands, and the film was ultimately screened at MAMI in October with its new name, S Durga. Yet this month, the Ministry arbitrarily dropped S Durga from IFFI 2017s programme along with the Marathi film Nude without offering any explanation, although both had been selected by the IFFI jury. Since the news came just days before IFFI, Sasidharan was left with little time but he approached the Kerala High Court for relief all the same. The Court last week ordered the Ministry to screen the film at IFFI, but the festival directorate first dilly-dallied by holding a re-screening of the censored version for re-clearance by the jury as late as on the evening of Monday, 27 November, a day before the festivals closing date. (This was a jury with three new recruits since three earlier members had resigned in protest against S Durga and Nude being barred from the festival.) The film was cleared again, reportedly with a 7:4 majority, but the Ministry did not schedule a screening. Finally, on the last day, according to reports, the CBFC revoked its earlier clearance to the film based on complaints by some jury members about the style in which the title has been written on the title card which, the Board said in a letter to the producer, is effectively undermining and attempting to defeat the very basis of the title registration and changes.

Such vindictiveness towards a small filmmaker with limited resources and such nonchalance towards a High Court directive should be a cause for alarm to those who believe in artistic freedom, democratic principles and basic human decency. There is another aspect of this episode worth noting here though. The BJP government and its supporters perhaps do not realise that in their reactions to Sexy Durga, they have unwittingly driven home the very points Sasidharan set out to make in his film.

Young Durgas travails on the streets in Sasidharans story are juxtaposed against a goddess-worshipping festival during which men put themselves through unimaginable torture (hanging from body piercings, running rods through their mouths and more) to prove their devotion to the deity. In an introductory scene, as a man in Sexy Durga heads off to the festival procession, he briefly harasses a female bystander to amuse himself. That fleeting shot immediately points us in the direction of what the title seeks to convey: that the woman in the tableau is adored by men who may well trivialise and abuse the women in their lives; that those who idolise Durga  or other goddesses and mother figures in major world religions, for that matter  are not necessarily, in fact are rarely, feminists.

Far from being moved, as festival audiences have been, by Sexy Durgas hard-hitting and multi-layered messaging, the government and conservatives among the public (most of whom have not seen the film) have chosen instead to be irked by the title that they believe demeans Goddess Durga. The government is also clearly irked by the content although they have not yet said why. The reasons for the latter should be obvious to any liberal who has watched the film and is concerned about the increasing opposition to inter-faith marriages  and the normalisation of the ugly term love jihad  by right-wingers across India.

Sexy Durga is about the othering of communities at various levels, a discussion I will leave for the films review whenever it reaches theatres. This column is about the fundamentalist protests against the film. Since this government is unlikely to care about the north-south implication in the story, and since it is overtly and covertly trying to bully the Hadiyas of the real world to return to the Hindu fold and leave their Muslim husbands, it seems obvious that the I&B Ministrys unease with Sexy Durgas narrative is related to the Durga-Kabeer dynamic.

As for the aversion to the name Sexy Durga, it reveals much about contemporary Indian society. The objection here is to the adjective sexy being placed alongside the name of a Hindu goddess, as if it is a dirty word. It does not matter that sexy means attractive and alluring in the English language. Since the letters s-e-x are contained in sexy, it immediately attracts the sort of Victorian prudery that has come to pervade this nation from the colonial era, in sharp contrast to the sexual permissiveness that was once the hallmark of the Hindu way of life.

Todays self-appointed guardians of Hinduism rarely speak from a position of knowledge about the religion, its mythology or related socio-cultural traditions. Sasidharan illustrated this point in a Facebook post a few days ago:

I was talking to a person, who called from north to warn me against the title of my film. I asked if he know Sankaracharya, he said no. I asked if he know Kedarnath. He said yes. I told him that Sankaracharya was the one established Kedarnath temple. He asked so what? I told him that Sankara is the one who wrote Soundarya Lahari too and asked if he know about it. He said he is not interested in all these things and repeated his question why did I put the name Sexy Durga. I told him, Sankaracharya, who is considered to be the saint who established the Hinduism as a religion which we see now, has described Goddess as Sexy in Soundarya Lahari and in Lalitha Sahsra Namam also similar verses are there. He said you people from south are all bastards and cut the phone. (sic)

Anyone supporting Sexy Durga on social media has, predictably, been asked by BJP-supporting right-wing Hindu trolls why the film has not been named Sexy Mary or Sexy Ayesha. The answer should be obvious to those not seeking to make a petty point to Indias minority communities, but the obvious needs to be stated in the trying times we live in, so here it is: Sure it could have been called Sexy Mary or Sexy Ayesha, except that the line of reasoning would have been vastly diluted by the use of those names for the film in the Indian context. Mary is not just the mother of Jesus Christ, it is the commonest name among Indian Christian women. Ayesha, likewise, is not just Prophet Mohammads wife, it is a common name among Indian Muslims. The heroine of this film would have been as Indian if she had been an Ayesha or a Mary, but since Muslims form just over 14 per cent of Indias population as per the 2011 Census and Christians just over 2 per cent, the names Sexy Mary or Sexy Ayesha for an Indian film are likely to have conveyed the impression that they are specifically related to these communities rather than Indian society at large. Sexy Durga on the other hand  in a country where Hindus form 60-80 per cent of the population (80 if you count SCs and STs)  implies a pan-India social commentary.

Since common sense becomes scarce when bigotry comes into play, this column will pre-empt another question with an obvious answer that is likely to come up sometime soon, if it has not been asked sometime somewhere already: why Sexy Durga and not Sexy Seema / Priya / Pushpa / Pinky / Babli or some other title without obvious religious connotations? The answer, as already explained, is that the religious reference in the films title and the heroines name are crucial to Sexy Durgas messaging because it serves to highlight the hypocrisy of patriarchal yet goddess-worshipping religionists.

Another claim being made is that Indian filmmakers would not dare to name a film Sexy Ayesha or Sexy Mary for fear of angering Indias religious minorities. Let us examine the rationale behind that accusation. It is true that Muslim fundamentalists have given tough competition to Hindu fundamentalists in violently targeting artists and their works for decades now; in the past decade, Sikh fundamentalists have destroyed the communitys reputation as an easygoing people by jumping on to this bandwagon of violence and threats; and Christian fundamentalists  who once were almost solely known for the shameful opposition in Kerala to the staging of a play based on The Last Temptation of Christ in the 1980s  have in recent years begun to indulge in a bizarre competitive communalism in what appears to be a desperate bid to gain importance by protesting, among other things, against the film Da Vinci Code and the play Agnes of God.

That said, it is equally true that the Bloody Mary is one of the most popular cocktails available in bars across India and in Christian majority countries worldwide, and Tommy and Johnny are common names for dogs in Indian households. Though the origin of the cocktails name remains unconfirmed, let us rewind to the fact that Mary is Jesus mother and among the most venerated figures in Christianity, while Tommy and Johnny come from the names of Jesus apostles, Thomas and John. Since Indias Christians have not so far censored bar menus or dog names; and since Indias Muslims have not been known to hound media platforms running stories about the sexiness, sultriness and hotness of Ayesha Takia / Jhulka / any other actress and model bearing that first name, the hypothetical allegation that they would riot over a hypothetical film named Sexy Mary or Sexy Ayesha is nothing short of an inanity.

It is a measure of the present dispensations skewed priorities that Sexy Durga is being charged with hurting Hindu sentiments when in fact it has sparked off conversations about the position of women in Indian society among socially sensitive viewers who have actually seen it. These self-proclaimed guardians of Hinduism have, on the other hand, shown little regard for Hindu women who are denied their rights and/or become victims of sexual violence in real life. They have also displayed a limited understanding of Hinduism in their arguments against the film.

Of the many world religions practised in India, Hinduism is unique in the way its traditions have tended to project gods and goddesses as regular human-like beings, some with superhuman strengths and powers, some not, and all of them with regular human virtues, vices and eccentricities. The right-wing mindset of the BJP and the larger Sangh Parivar seems determined to suck the fun, joy, beauty and richness out of a mythology that has no qualms in telling us that Lord Krishna stole butter from his mothers kitchen and Lord Shiva smoked ganja. What if this film was not about a girl called Durga on the streets of Kerala, but about Shivas wife Parvathi who, like Durga, is a manifestation of the Goddess Shakti? The puritanical Hinduism that Sangh acolytes seek to impose on the title Sexy Durga is either unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the mythological depiction of Parvathis sexuality and of Shiva as a virile man who was delightfully open about his sexual attraction towards his gorgeous wife. You may choose to interpret sex and sexuality  as referenced in folklore, writings and iconography  in a literal biological sense or a transcendental sense, but the point is that Hinduism is intrinsically not squeamish about either.

Overriding all this analysis though is the fact that members of the public supporting the governments stance on Sexy Durga are doing so without having seen the film.

In their discomfort over Sexy Durgas name and its content, the I&B Ministry and Censor Board have displayed the same patriarchal attitudes that the film seeks to underline: the notion that Durga is worthy of being deemed sacred only as long as her anger and assertiveness are a subject of myth while in the present she remains within the boundaries set for her by society, the conviction that a Durga who ventures out into the real world deserves the indignities and assault that come her way because  as they say in misogynist parlance  she asked for it.
When acclaimed filmmaker Shoaib Mansoor's Verna, a film on rape culture in Pakistan was banned in the country, Twitterati came to the film's rescue. Even though Pakistan's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) was ready to let go of the film, the public wasn't.

From the makers of Khuda Kay Liye and Bol, Verna revolves around the sexual assault of a young Pakistani woman, who despite getting mired in a nasty web of politics and power, decides to fight back.

However, before the film saw a regular release in major parts of Pakistan, it was banned by the CBFC, which said that unanimous objections raised by the panel had led to the move. Soon, Twitter was flooded with the hashtag #StandByVerna. The campaign was joined by several celebrities and soon gained momentum. To the makers' relief, on 17 November, Mobashir Hasan, CBFC chief announced on Twitter that the film would be released in the country with no cuts.

Verna will release in Pakistan without cuts https://t.co/ajgJCKinAo  Mobashir Hasan (@BABUCRATE) November 17, 2017

Thank you to all those who supported #verna - the people, the media, those at the censor board.. thank you so much!  Hoping for Punjab to clear Verna today as well.  Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) November 17, 2017

And just like that, Pakistani theaters opened to Verna, starring Khan, Rasheed Naz and Salmaan Shaukat in lead roles. Contrary to the expectations that people had from the film, a lot of reviews deemed the film merely passable. "For a rape victim, she shakes off the incident and moves on to avenge her pain too quickly. Her emotional struggle isnt elevated or enhanced by the filmmaker or her mannerisms; she simply doesnt look damaged enough," wrote Rahul Aijaz for The Tribune.

Throwing more light on Khan's portrayal of a rape survivor, Hamna Zubair wrote in Images, "Even as a woman personally unfamiliar with sexual violence, I found Sara's rape and her response to it wooden and static."

A counter-response to these arguments was presented by Mehr Tarar who wrote, "No two women react the same way to any act of violence, sexual or otherwise, and no film would ever truly depict how you, she, he, they, anyone or me (would) react to rape. Rape affects in a deeply personal way, and subjective are responses and ways to deal with it."

Although many people firmly believe in the adage "separate the art from the artist", it would be strange not to think back over the backlash Mahira Khan was subjected to when photos of her, wearing a backless dress and sharing a smoke with Ranbir Kapoor while in New York, were published. She was shamed for her choice of attire, her choice of companion, and her choice of smoking. What was meant to be a private conversation with a friend was widely discussed and viewed. In Verna too, the blatant invasion of Khan's privacy is the unexpectedness of it.

In Verna, Khan's vengeful quest takes centrestage and the viewer isn't allowed to cry with her and feel the pain of her wounds, because she doesn't feel them the way we want her to feel about them. She cries, curses her fate but gets up to hit back rather quickly.

Similarly, those images of Khan casually smoke a cigarette with a friend, broke her image as the perfect role model  which she said she wasn't anyway. Khan's portrayal of the fearless survivor in Verna might not have struck a chord with viewers because again, we expect her to behave a certain way.

This is not to compare the pain of sexual assault and Khan's smoke break, no. However, it won't be a stretch to say that the response to the film and the response to her pictures depicts an unsettling pattern, where women are expected to operate in an unnatural way  one that's deemed more 'acceptable'.
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The second edition of the Science meets Regions event took place on 29 November at the European Committee of the Regions. Under the title of "Maximising the Impact of Science for Regions and Cities in Current and Future EU Policies", this year's edition focused on the role of science and R&I in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Markku Markkula, First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), recalled that approximately 11 billion euros over a period of 7 years could be lost from the EU research and innovation budget after the withdrawal of the UK.

"The CoR leadership together with its members have kick-started the #CohesionAlliance initiative in order to influence the forthcoming MFF negotiations. EU's R&I and structural and investment funds should be closely linked together both in conception and in operation. The synergies between them and other financing instruments  public and private, European and national  need to be further increased. In order to get regional innovation ecosystems in Europe being more viable and based on partnerships, as well as to achieve the national R&I annual financing reach the 3% level compared to GDP, one cannot go without the active contribution and political support of EU's regions and cities", First Vice-President Markkula stressed.

Christophe Clergeau (FR/PES), rapporteur of the CoR opinion on mid-term review of the Horizon 2020 programme, echoed Markkula's call for a global approach for European R&I funding where the role of regional innovation ecosystems is recognised and which allows new opportunities for every territory and for every pocket of excellence. He advocated for the "territorial connection" proposal as a new tool to implement European research and innovation policies and the future framework programme. "Currently R&I efforts in the EU are too much focalised on certain Member States and their top universities", the member of Pays de la Loire Regional Council regretted.

MEP Eva Maydell (BG/EPP) pointed out that "youth unemployment, ageing population and depopulation are serious obstacles that many European regions face for implementing smart specialisation strategies successfully". According to her, it is important to invest in human capital and closing the digital divide by coupling R&I funds with cohesion policy instruments and European Social Fund.

Vladimir Sucha, Director-General of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), highlighted the essential contribution that scientific knowledge brings to decision-making processes at all level and as a consequence the need to promote and expand a regular dialogue between scientists and policy-makers also at local and regional level. This is particularly true considering the impact of today's high connectivity, speed and abundance of information on policy-making. Mr Sucha underlined how this reality calls for a stronger focus on skills and innovative approaches in order to break down silos and share knowledge not only vertically but also horizontally, an area in which JRC is at the forefront.

As part of the fruitful collaboration between the CoR and the JRC, various CoR members have organised local Science meets Regions events in their constituencies during the past year. These initiatives were presented by Franco Iacop (IT/PES), President of the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia; Tanya Hristova (BG/EPP), Mayor or Gabrovo; Heinz Lehmann (DE/EPP), Member of Saxony Regional Parliament; and Manuel Pleguezuelo (ES/EPP) from the region of Murcia.

Science meets Regions was held on the second day of an interinstitutional event, which began with Science meets Parliaments at the European Parliament on 28 November. It focused this year on the role of science in a post-fact society with contributions from First Vice-President Markkula, Ms Hristova and Mr Lehmann.

Science meets Regions and Science meets Parliaments at local level

Local "Science meets Regions" and "Science meets Parliaments" events took place throughout Europe in 2017, organised jointly by the JRC, the European Committee of the Regions and local and regional authorities. Smart Specialisation was the focus of the events held on 4 May in Donostia/San Sebastian and on 16 November in Gabrovo (Bulgaria), while the event hosted in the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana on 11-12 October debated R&I challenges for the country. On 14 November in Murcia (Spain) scientists and local administration experts discussed water management and energy in the Mediterranean, and on 20 November relevant stakeholders met in Dresden (Germany) to exchange insights on energy and climate change issues. The last Science meets Parliaments event of 2017 will take place on 6 December in Bratislava, in the Slovak Parliament.
SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, officials said, with some scientists cautioning that Washington, D.C. could now theoretically be within range of Pyongyangs weapons. The North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar SuNorth Korea fired the missile, its first launch since mid-September, a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism. The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States. The South Korean military said the missile, fired on a steep trajectory, reached an altitude of around 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and flew 960 km (600 miles) before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone. It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House. Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke by phone and agreed to boost deterrence capability against North Korea, Yasutoshi Nishimura, deputy chief cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo. It is a situation that we will handle, Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking about the latest test. Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea. ALL OPTIONS Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs. Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea. Other than carrying out existing U.N. sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement. The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss North Koreas latest missile launch. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons programs and re-enter diplomatic talks. The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km (620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said. U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE? Japanese officials said the missile flew for 53 minutes and broke up before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory. If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) ... Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said. However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added. Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the launch had been anticipated and that the government had been preparing for it. Moon said there was no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure and sanctions against North Korea. The situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology, Moon said, according to the Blue House after a national security council meeting. North Korea shouldnt miscalculate the situation and threaten South Korea with a nuclear weapon, which could elicit a possible pre-emptive strike by the United States. U.S. stocks briefly pared gains on the news but the S&P 500 index was up almost 1 percent at the close. A U.S. intelligence official said the initial indication was that the engine was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong-14 - a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July. After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in September, following a missile it fired that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15 and far out into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention. Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement. A U.S. government source familiar with official reporting and analyses said the U.S. assessment was the launch was the latest in a well-calculated and serious series of tests to develop and perfect North Korea missile systems rather than any response to Trump. Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
There is an apocryphal (but only partly) tale of a bully. This bully loved nothing better than to pick on the weak and the defenceless. Spot an innocent child or meet a person with nobody in his corner, and the bully would instantly rain scorn on the miserable worm with all the wrath God is capable of.

But one day, the tables turned. The hunter became the hunted. The shoe was on the other foot. The icon had become a cucumber. Ok, maybe the last one didn't make much sense, but you get the drift.

Now replace the bully in this apocryphal tale with Raj Thackeray (not too much of a leap of the imagination) and you would have the events of the last week.

Thackeray, who thought he had stumbled upon the best way of ensuring Mumbai's pristine streets were free of hawkers, had sent his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers to rough up the vendors and ensure the only things on Mumbai's roads were potholes and jaywalkers. This worked well initially.

But last week, following a scuffle in Vikhroli, the shopkeepers exacted their revenge. The MNS workers were the ones on the receiving end this time. The shopkeepers thrashed four MNS workers, leaving three of them grievously wounded.

But if the wounded MNS workers thought they could take time out for rest and recuperation, they were sorely mistaken. Not only did Raj Thackeray have little by means of sympathy to offer, he also added insult to injury  quite literally  and said people who get beaten up have no place in his party, where only the fittest will survive.

As reported by Mumbai Mirror, it wasn't so much that his plan flopped; Thackeray's main grouse was the workers weren't suitable for his party. Let them join Shiv Sena, we can only presume, he must have said. "I want workers who beat up others, not get beaten up. If you get beaten up next time, I will remove you from all posts," Thackeray is said to have told party office bearers.

"You should be more assertive and be prepared. Make sure the next time you go for any anti-hawker drive, you are prepared and you don't get beaten up. How dare they beat you up? The Vikhroli incident is humiliating. I don't want a repeat. If we can't protect ourselves, how will we pick up people's causes? This is not acceptable," he said.

But while several of those in the MNS are nervously wondering if the next time they lose a limb, if they will lose a job as well, it does have a silver lining for all those able bodied men who are looking for gainful employment. If you're strong and you know it, and if you're able to bash in a skull or two, the MNS wants you!
Jaipur: A British Army contingent of over a hundred personnel arrived in Jaipur on Wednesday to take part in the India-United Kingdom joint military exercise Ajeya Warrior 2017.

The contingent after landing proceeded directly to the exercise location in Mahajan in the western sector of the state where the exercise will commence from 1 December.

Indian Army officials received them at the Sanganer airport, defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said. This will be the third joint military exercise between the two countries.

Army personnel from both the countries will participate in the 14-day exercise which is scheduled to be conducted in multiple modes in order to achieve complete integration between the two contingents at every stage.

"The exercise will provide field commanders and the troops an opportunity to interact with each other in matters professional, social and cultural," Ojha said.

"The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral army-to-army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experience between the Royal British Army and the Indian Army," he said.

The participating troops for the exercise from Indian Army are from 20th Battalion The Rajputana Rifles, while the troops of 1st Battalion the Royal Anglican Regiment will participate from the Royal British Army.
LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bitcoin zoomed past $11,000 to hit a record high for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday after gaining more than $1,000 in just 12 hours, stoking concerns that a rapidly swelling bubble could be set to burst in spectacular fashion. After soaring more than 1,000 percent since the start of the year, bitcoin rose as much as 15 percent on Wednesday. It topped $10,000 for the first time in early Asia trading, before surging above $11,000 less than 12 hours later to reach $11,395 on Luxembourg-based Bitstamp BTC=BTSP, one of the largest and most liquid cryptocurrency exchanges, and then dipping back below $11,000. (Graphic: Bitcoin's blistering ascent - tmsnrt.rs/2AHKJPd) Bitcoins rapid ascent has led to countless warnings that it has reached bubble territory. But the warnings have had little effect, with dozens of new crypto-hedge funds entering the market and retail investors piling in. (Graphic: Bitcoin's blistering ascent Image - tmsnrt.rs/2AeMjHe) London-based Blockchain.info, one of the biggest global bitcoin wallet-providers, told Reuters on Wednesday that it had added a record number of new users on Tuesday, with more than 100,000 customers signing up, taking the total number to more than 19 million. (Graphic: Bitcoin price rockets - reut.rs/2zPekGm) The evidence suggests that few of the users are buying bitcoin to use it as a means of exchange, but are speculating to increase their capital. Whats happening right now has nothing to do with bitcoins functionality as a currency  this is pure mania thats taken hold, said Garrick Hileman, a research fellow at the University of Cambridges Judge Business School. This is very much a bubble that will very much correct itself at some point and people need to be very careful. Hileman, who last week gave a lecture to the Bank of England on the risks of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, also flagged the risk of the whole market collapsing entirely. Theres always the possibility that some fundamental cryptographic flaw that we cant solve craters the whole space, or that regulators unite and decide this represents systemic risk and actually could trigger the next financial crisis, he said. Bitcoin (virtual currency) coins placed on Dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration picture, November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationEXIT RAMPS Created in 2008, bitcoin uses encryption and a blockchain database that enables the fast and anonymous transfer of funds outside of a conventional centralized payment system. It has far outstripped gains seen in any traditional asset classes or currencies this year. It rise accelerated in recent months as exchanges such as the CME Group Inc (CME.O) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange announced plans to offer futures contracts for the cryptocurrency. Skeptics say it a classic speculative bubble with no relation to real financial market activity or the economy - most famously JPMorgan boss Jamie Dimon, who labeled it a fraud. But even Dimon and others who say bitcoin represents a bubble - now the consensus view among mainstream investors - do not deny its price rise could still have further to go. Its got all the shapings of your tulip bubble chart (but) that tells you nothing about where that price line could go depending on the number of people who wish to own it, Standard Lifes head of investment strategy, Andrew Milligan, said on Wednesday. Who is to say it doesnt reach $100,000? In some emerging markets, bitcoin had hit well over $10,000 previously. In Zimbabwe, bitcoin traded at $17,875 on Monday. Tuesdays price in Zimbabwe was not available. In South Korean exchanges, too, bitcoin was already close to $11,000 or higher early this week. The fact that bitcoin now provides exit ramps from national currencies that were becoming easier to use, Hileman said, could exacerbate any future financial crisis. Coordinated regulatory action might therefore be necessary in order to stave off an economic calamity, he said. Despite its mushrooming value, however, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said on Wednesday bitcoin was not big enough to pose a risk to the global economy. Mike Novogratz, a former macro hedge fund manager at Fortress Investment Group, said in a Reuters Investment Summit earlier this month that mainstream institutional investors were about six to eight months from adopting bitcoin.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
A recent statement made by the environment secretary has struck a debate among environmentalists. It is viewed as an irresponsible statement by some and others see it as a pertinent issue of multiplicity of agencies which come in the way of maintaining air quality.

Speaking at an event hosted by WWF in Delhi on Monday, CK Misra, the Environment Secretary to the government of India, said that no single authority can be held responsible for Delhis air pollution problem.

PTI quoted him as saying that to control Delhis air quality, there are a lot of things that should have been done. But no single authority can be held responsible.

He also reportedly said, Many say the government has been unable to enforce what it says. But, let me put another perspective, if the government has failed to stop emission, it is time those who are emitting also took some responsibility." He also mentioned that the government was determined to not let the smog-like situation recur.

But his statement has not gone down well with many environmentalists as they view it as an attempt to blame the public instead of the authorities responsible for it.

Mahendra Pandey, an environmental activist, told Firstpost that his statement is not only legally wrong but also amounts to giving indulgence to Central Pollution Control Board, which is entrusted with the responsibility of controlling pollution and has miserably failed in fulfilling it.

It is the apex body in the matters of pollution control and it is empowered under air and water act to perform its duty. So, it is not correct to say that no single authority can be held responsible for Delhis pollution and smog, said the former scientist with the Central Pollution Control Board. He added that the top official's statement indulges CPCB's lackadaisical way of functioning.

It is the responsibility of the CPCB to ensure that industrial units emit within permitted levels. But this function has not been performed with sincerity. If it was done, polluting industries need not have been shut down to prevent air pollution by Environment Pollution Control Authority, he said.

He added that the government now saying that the emitters also have to take responsibility is akin to blaming the public.

But other environmentalists say that the official actually pointed out the rather pertinent issue of multiplicity of authorities, which makes the job of controlling air pollution difficult and often ineffective in Delhi.

Polash Chatterjee, an environmental expert in the Centre for Science and Technology, told Firstpost, Though the CPCB is the apex body in the matters of pollution control, when it comes to dealing with the menace, various agencies such as state pollution control boards of various states which have areas in the National Capital Region along with the departments of environment and forest and Public Work Departments come into play. Implementing pollution control measures require adequate co-ordination among these agencies, lack of which may also make the effort ineffective.

The issue of co-ordination among various agencies related to pollution control is raised at a time when Environment Pollution Control Authority has advised various states having area in the NCR to appoint Nodal Officers in concerned districts to avoid lapse of time.

When an emergency measure is to be taken to control air pollution, we convey the directives to the chief secretaries of the various state governments. The chief secretary then convenes a meeting with the concerned agencies who then implement the directives. But this process consumes enough time and causes delay in implementation. So, we have asked the states for nodal officers in each district so that the directives can be followed immediately, said Dr Bhure Lal, Chairman of the EPCA.

The debate has also raises the question that if there is no single authority to control Delhis air pollution menace, isnt it high time to have one?

Polash Chatterjee says that many countries have airshed management authorities who are responsible for maintaining air quality in a vast area, which may be a suitable model for Delhi.

Delhi's air quality is influenced by factors prevalent in a vast range of area in northern India. So, a single authority to control air pollution in this area may be a good idea, he said.

But Lal says that there can be no template methods for fighting pollution in India and the nation has to find its own way by trial and error.

The Supreme Court of India has constituted the EPCA to ensure implementation of pollution control measures in Delhi NCR. This is our first year and apart from implementing the rules, we also have created public awareness. But to see a clear result, we may need another one year or so and the body could prove itself to be a good way of integrating air quality control effort in Delhi NCR. For this, we need to go through the learning process of trial and error, he said.

The EPCA recently implemented Graded Response Action Plan to control Delhis air pollution, which included stopping entry of trucks in the city and shutting down of polluting industries.

He also said that the environment secretary was correct when he said that no single authority can be held responsible for Delhis air pollution.

Everyone has contribution to it and hence, we are responsible for it, he said.
Agartala: The Election Commission (EC) will get 40 lakh VVPAT machines and EVMs by September 2018 for use in the 2019 general elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti said on Wednesday.

The VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machine attached to an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) generates a paper slip with the name of the candidate and his/her party symbol for whom an elector votes for.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 5,000 crore to the EC to procure 40 lakh of these machines.

"We need over 23 lakh EVMs and 16 lakh VVPAT machines for the 2019 elections," the CEC told the media.

Government-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd and Electronic Corporation of India Limited will supply these 40 lakh VVPAT machines and EVMs. Both have been making EVMs for the EC for the past 20 years.

The Commission had decided that from June onwards all elections in the country would be held through EVMs attached with VVPATs, he said.

The CEC said that EVMs with VVPATs are battery-operated standalone machines with no Internet or mobile links and cannot be operated or controlled from outside or by any remote system.

Joti said the Election Commission, following a Supreme Court order in September 2013, had tried to make the voting process more transparent and the use of VVPATs with EVMs was a step in this direction.

EC officials led by the CEC had arrived in Tripura on Tuesday to review the preparedness for the February 2018 Assembly elections.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to transfer a probe into allegations of forgery of late spiritual guru Osho Rajneesh's will to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi said it did not feel the need to transfer the probe yet. The court, instead, directed the Pune police to expedite their ongoing investigation.

The bench also directed the Union government to extend necessary assistance to the police and speed up grant of permissions for obtaining documents from foreign countries. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Yogesh Thakker, one of Rajneesh's disciples.

Thakker claimed that trustees of the Switzerland-based Osho International Foundation forged Rajneesh's signatures on a fake will to transfer his intellectual property rights in the foundation's name.

He had lodged a FIR with Koregaon Park police in Pune in December 2013, but the probe made no headway, and hence, it should be handed over to the CBI, Thakker said.

The bench however, said it did not think it "proper to transfer the probe to the CBI at the present stage". The court had earlier directed the Koregaon Park police to obtain a copy of Osho's original will which, according to the petitioner, was once submitted to a court in Spain.

However, the police told the court that while it had written to the Union government in March 2017, seeking permission to carry out investigation in Spain, the Centre was yet to respond.

The bench asked the Union government to take a decision on this expeditiously. It also directed the central government and the police to file progress reports in the matter by January 15, 2018.
Public discourse in India often misses the woods for trees. It is heartening to see the amount of interest generated in India over the visit of Ivanka Trump for the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad. Sadly, the media coverage is disproportionately focused on her attire, menu on the plate, security bandobast or vacuous political debates over whether or not the prime minister should have attended the event.

For an 'entrepreneurship' summit that has as its theme 'Women First, Prosperity For All', its a great opportunity to focus on two key chronic ailments that plague India and hampers its growth story  lack of jobs and the burgeoning gender gap.

This is the White House advisor's first visit to India, and she's leading a 350-strong empowered US delegation of largely female entrepreneurs, innovators, administrative officials and ecosystem supporters for the eighth edition of GES. The motto, ostensibly, is to raise awareness about women as drivers of world economy with a special emphasis on developing economies such as India. In Ivanka's own words: "If India closes the labor-force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over $150 billion in the next three years." These are not random figures.

It'd be worthwhile, therefore, if instead of discussing details of the five-course dinner, some of the media attention and scrutiny is diverted towards discussing why India  which is hosting the event has fallen an abysmal 21 spots to 108 in World Economic Forum's 2017 Gender Parity Index, the findings of which were published last month. Bangladesh, in comparison, is placed 47th, while China is ranked 100th.

In 2016, India was placed in 87th spot. The current ranking is 10 points lower than in 2006, when the WEF began assessing gender gap in world economies. The focus areas for India, according to the survey, are 'Economic participation and opportunity', where the country is placed 139th among 144 nations, and 'Health and survival' where it 'adorns' the 141st spot.

The WEF report, as summarised in The Hindu, said: "In India, the workplace gender gap is reinforced by extremely low participation of women in the economy (136 out of the total 144 countries covered) and low wages for those who work (136th ranking for estimated earned income). On average, 66 percent of womens work in India is unpaid, compared to 12 percent of mens".

There has been a dramatic withdrawal of female workers from the labour market in the past few years. According to data from World Bank, female percentage in labour force participation fell to 27 percent in 2017 from 36.7 percent in 2005.

Researchers have noted the steep decline in female labour participation in rural areas, mostly among women who were involved in agriculture. Strangely, as this Livemint article argues, the withdrawal "has occurred during a period of sharp rise in wages that women earn. The gender gap in wages of casual labourers declined nearly six percentage points between 2004-05 and 2011-12 to 31 percent."

The burgeoning gender gap has real costs for India's GDP growth. In a 2013 piece for The Atlantic, Brookings India fellow Dhruva Jaishankar had calculated that "true parity" in employment between men and women in India could have added four percentage points to India's annual GDP in the past 10 years, which means India could have grown at 11 per cent plus instead of an average 7.7 percent.

These findings are corroborated by various other studies. For instance, a 2013 Global Employment Trends report by the International Labour Organisation pointed out that Indias labour force participation for women had fallen "from just over 37 per cent in 2004-05 to 29 per cent in 2009-10" that placed India 11th from the bottom among 131 countries from where data was collated. This, according to ILO economist Steven Kapsos, was happening "across all age groups, across all education levels, and in both urban and rural areas" and sits at odds with India's "very rapid economic growth in recent years".

The reasons behind a sudden drop in female participation in labour resist easy analysis. It is will be wrong to put all faults on the door of the governments at the Centre, or societal and cultural issues, though each of these reasons have an important part to play.

Analysts have also pointed toward a U-curve in correlation between increasing affluence of household and decline in female participation.

Quoting Harvard University economist Claudia Goldin, Justin Fox in Livemint wrote that women's involvement in wage-based employment follows a "U-shaped curve as countries develop. First, participation drops as incomes grow, production moves from homes and farms to factories, and girls stay in school longer". The second movement comes as "better-educated women enter the workforce. Most of the female participation decline in India has been in rural areas, so that may actually be an indication of increasing affluence." The author also pointed out that "girls have closed the gap with boys in primary-school enrolment, and reduced it in secondary and university education. So things could start getting better soon."

It is important to remember that these theories represent a part of the picture, not the full one. Patriarchal mores in Indian society also play an important role in preventing women from accessing gainful employment. Quoting a 2011 research paper by economists Mukesh Eswaran, Bharat Ramaswami and Wilima Wadhwa, Bhattacharya and Deshpande argued in their above-mentioned piece that "the amount of time a woman spent working outside her home is lower for higher-income groups and higher castes."

India is on course to hit the demographic sweet spot with a huge young, working-age population and relatively lesser ageing citizens. However, with more than a million youth joining the workforce each month, this is also a double-edged sword if the growth remains essentially jobless and gender balance in workplace remains hopelessly skewed.

"This is where entrepreneurship comes in. Entrepreneurs can take an idea and create whole new industries in fields never previously imagined," Alyssa Ayres, a CFR senior fellow, pointed out in her piece.

For a meaningful discussion on how balancing the gender gap is not just a social but also an economic responsibility that leads to all-round prosperity in nations, we need to get over our fanboy culture in public discourse. Let policymakers learn the right lessons from GES.
The bangle-seller was extra eager to bring out the special piece his artisans had crafted. Mohammed Waseem opened the packaging carefully, almost as if to prolong the suspense. On display was a glittering piece, studded with stones that read 'Ivanka'. Sitting at his store at Lad Bazaar by the Charminar, Waseem wished Ivanka would take the time to go bangle-shopping so that he could get an opportunity to gift her the Ivanka bangles.

The gesture gives you a sense of what the Global Entrepreneurship Summit is all about. Much to the discomfiture of many officials in the organising party, the GES 2017, being organised for the first time in South Asia, has become more about Ivanka and less about the 1500 entrepreneurs who are attending the summit.

"This is not the way we had envisaged it," said an official on condition of anonymity, "The media too is more interested in writing about the designer who created Ivanka's dress for the inauguration rather than what this global meeting of entrepreneurs, most of them women, could mean."

He has a point. The GES, if what has been on show so far is anything to go by, has become an occasion for both Hyderabad and the people associated with it to show they matter.

First, the venue: Hyderabad now has a chip on its shoulder because it bagged this prestigious event that any other city in India would have loved to host. Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog went on record to say that three cities including Hyderabad were in the race to host GES 2017.

"In the end, on all parameters, Hyderabad was way ahead of the other two cities and that is why it was chosen as the host," said Kant.

The inside story of how Hyderabad won the race, received a further endorsement when Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his inaugural speech spoke of the summit as a connection between Silicon Valley and Hyderabad. That won't be music to Bengaluru's ears because India's IT capital has worn the unofficial tag of being India's Silicon Valley for a long time.

What GES 2017 does is to give a fillip to Hyderabad and India's youngest state that is also joint number one with Andhra Pradesh in the Ease of Doing Business rankings. Showcasing its T-Hub  that is an ecosystem that mentors start-ups, Hyderabad has gained the reputation of being an innovation hub. And the city got a thumbs up from Ivanka Trump herself when she said that Hyderabad's tech centres may even outshine the city's world famous biryani. That was after Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, as the host, asked everyone to relish the Hyderabadi biryani during their visit.

What the GES will do for Hyderabad then is to put it on the international radar as a city, keen to aggressively embrace the cutting edge of technology and entrepreneurship. Officials in the Telangana government say it is crucial to take advantage of the PR edge Hyderabad achieves as a result of hosting this mega event and follow it up with striking partnerships with different cities in the world.

Not that Brand Hyderabad is not a reality. As many as five most valued companies in the world, including Google, Facebook and Microsoft, have their largest presence outside the US in Hyderabad. That GES 2017 will help it underline its potential and leverage its branding a notch higher, is the expectation.

This is not exactly music to the ears of the man who actually helped create the IT city of Hyderabad and its brand equity. Chandrababu Naidu, reports said, was keen on Ivanka visiting Andhra Pradesh as well with a pitstop either at Amaravati or in Visakhapatnam but her tight schedule did not allow that. Andhra Pradesh government officials denied any such effort was made, commenting with a hint of sarcasm, "We are quite happy with Bill Gates." The former Microsoft chief was in Vizag earlier this month.

Strangely, no invite was extended to Naidu to attend the summit. But he did not go unrepresented, albeit in his private capacity. His daughter-in-law Brahmani was a delegate, wearing the hat of an entrepreneur as she is involved in the running of Heritage Foods.

"My mother-in-law and I run the company so in that sense, what we practise is in sync with the theme of the GES  Women First, Prosperity for All," said Brahmani.

But at the same time, the profile of the 350-member strong American delegation has left some in doubt if the GES has the complete backing of the US government. The internal politics on Capitol Hill is believed to have ensured Ivanka's delegation was shorn of both the sheen and the seniority of government officials. The feeling is that the GES is seen as a legacy of the Barack Obama era and observers are not quite sure how much the present administration is vested in it.

If GES 2017 has to achieve substantial results over the next two days, it has to go beyond its obsession with Ivanka Trump. Scores of Indian entrepreneurs are looking at this opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors and mentors who have come from 120-odd other countries, hoping to find synergy and common ground. With a number of Indian-Americans part of the US delegation, Hyderabad will be a forum both for storytelling about the mistakes they made, but also to provide some global wind beneath Indian entrepreneurial wings.
On Rahul Gandhi's landing at the famed Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Wednesday afternoon, a member of his core team seemingly committed an error that is likely to cause the Congress party significant discomfiture in the coming election.

Although the temple trust's secretary PK Laheri exclusively told Firstpost that Rahul only put his signature in the Visitor's Book of the temple and nowhere else, the incident could still prove damaging to Rahul and the Congress' chances in the election.

For the last few months, the Congress vice-president has consciously and laboriously tried to portray himself as a person who believes in the Hindu faith and its gods. From Barinath to Somnath he has visited one temple after another. He did this to correct pro-minority perception, which he and the Congress had, over the years acquired.

At a register kept at Somnath Temple meant exclusively for non-Hindus to register their names while entering inside temple premises, Rahul Gandhi's name was entered, along with the name of Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel.

In matter of hours, purported images of the register went viral.

Desh Gujarat tweeted:

Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel's names in register of non-Hindus visiting Somnath temple maintained by Shri Somnath Trust https://t.co/P28ghC3hF4  DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) November 29, 2017

While Congress sources in Gujarat told Firstpost that the local media coordinator of the party, Manoj Tyagi, in Gujarat, signed both Rahul and Patel's name in the non-Hindu register "by mistake", these images could deeply hurt Congress and leave Rahul wounded. More so because this occurred during Rahul's visit to Somnath Temple, one of the most revered Hindu places of worship, believed to be the first among twelve Jyotirlinga shrine of Lord Shiva.

Rahul began his Gujarat campaign by visiting Hindu temples and has, so far, offered prayers at a dozen temples and was playing an obvious soft Hindutva card to do an image makeover for himself and the party. The AK Antony Committee report, produced after some soul searching in the aftermath of a humiliating defeat in 2014 parliamentary elections, said that the party had acquired a pro-minority tag which needed to be shed. It was in continuance of that theme (action taken) that Rahul today began yet another leg of his Gujarat campaign by visiting the most famous Hindu temple in the state.

One is unsure whether this incident was inadvertent or not, but the damage done to the would-be Congress president and his party is immense. The potential damage could be comparable to Sonia Gandhis 2007 'Maut Ka Saudagar' moment. This incident may have undone, at least for Gujarat election, any perceived achievement by the Rahul and Congress over the past few months. It is widely perceived, and perhaps rightly so, that Gujarat is highly a communalised state and therefore it was supremely important for Rahul not to give the impression that he was overtly pro-Muslim. Rahul thus visited a number of temples that he probably might not have in the past several years (if one discounts his visit to some temples in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to election, but then he also visited mosques, dargahs and churches).

Rahul may have thought his new found firepower from party outsiders Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mewani would help him challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a force that he has never faced. But to do that, he first needed to establish his credentials as pro-Hindu. That was the reason why Rahul and any other Congress leaders have not uttered the words Muslim, communal or justice for 2002 victims. Congress strategists have been so cautious that they practically blacked out Ahmed Patel, its senior most leader from the state and relegated him to the background. The two party MLAs in the outgoing Assembly were also not be seen much publicly, nor were persons with skull cap, beards and burkhas seen in large numbers at his rallies or any other public outreach programmes. The idea was not to do or say anything that could possibly polarise voters. The party didnt want a repeat of 2002, 2007, and 2012.

Incidentally, this was for the first time outside of Uttar Pradesh, anywhere in the country, that Rahul campaigned so extensively and taking complete ownership of partys election campaign and strategy. But this incident could well be used by a canny political opposition to imply that Rahul is attempting to appease Gujarat's Muslims. For the past several years, Congress leaders, albeit privately, have been painstakingly claiming his Hindu Kashmiri Brahmin lineage for him, flowing from grandmother Indira Gandhi, maternal great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru or even Motilal Nehru. They all cut sorry figures today. The BJP pounced on the issue. The party, its supporters and a section of others instantaneously raised a storm on Twitter. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malaviya issued a series of tweets:

Finally Rahul Gandhi comes clean on his religion, signs visitor register in Somnath (as per rule) meant for non-Hindus. If he isnt a Hindu by faith, let alone a practicing one, then why has he been fooling people with these temple visits? pic.twitter.com/Igh5wxitkt  Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) November 29, 2017

Ambassador Meera Shankar, UPAs representative in US, had referred to Sonia Gandhi as a Christian leader. The reference was soon deleted. Now Rahul Gandhi declares he is a non-Hindu but their election affidavits claim that they are Hindus. Gandhis lying about their faith? pic.twitter.com/iFE4AhVnRM  Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) November 29, 2017

A leader in Gujarat BJP unit said many people were now questioning Rahul's religion and that they were going to go all out on media. He denied that the party was promoting the issue, but added who can stop social media campaigns?. The BJP, it seems, is shrewdly letting the issue play out on social media, seeing how it goes and letting its leaders pick up the issue in rallies and press conferences. This incident also comes on the heels of Gandhinagar Archbishop Thomas Macwan penning a letter issuing a directive to defeat nationalist forces and to prevent them taking over the country. Though the archbishop did not name the BJP, it wasn't too difficult to guess whom he was referring to. Rahul and his handlers will find it difficult to counter the latest storm over his faith and religious beliefs. While Modi has not spoken yet on big news emanating from Rahuls landing at Somnath Temple, he did take on Rahul's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi charged that Nehru was not in favour of re-building Somnath Temple and added that but for the insistence and focus of Sardar Patel, the Somnath Temple would not been rebuilt. Modi narrated, at length, how Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure when he learnt that the then president Rajendra Prasad was going to inaugurate it and how Nehru advised Prasad not to go to Somnath for the inauguration. Today some people (Rahul) are remembering Somnath, I have to ask them, have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first prime minister was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there, Modi said. Some on Twitter dug up Nehrus letter:
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Responding to the Commission's Communication on the Future of Food and Farming, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) believes that the measures proposed are still inadequate to respond to the challenges facing farmers and rural areas. It regrets in particular the lack of will to regulate markets, the backtracking concerning the capping of direct payments and the risk of renationalising the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).





Following the Commission's recent adoption of a Communication on the Future of Food and Farming, the CoR president, Karl-Heinz Lambertz (BE/PES), welcomes the proposal to strengthen the synergy between the CAP and EU cohesion policy, as well as the possibility for European policies to make a greater contribution to developing rural areas, in line with the expectations of local and regional elected representatives. " These proposals will help preserve agriculture across the EU and keep rural areas alive, in order to meet the objective of territorial cohesion enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon ". However, the president regrets the fact that the Commission has still not committed to a European Rural Agenda, as already called for on several occasions by the Committee.

Regarding the financing of the CAP, the CoR welcomes the proposal to allow Member States more flexibility in order to enable them to transfer more funds from the first pillar (market support and direct aid) to the second pillar (rural development policy), without co-financing obligations. Nevertheless, it laments the fact that the Commission has backtracked on its assertion that national co-financing of the first pillar would be rejected. Such co-financing would amount to a de facto re-nationalisation of the CAP and would disadvantage farmers in the poorest EU Member States. It also laments the fact that the EUR 60-100 000 cap on direct farm payments, necessary for a fair CAP, is no longer mentioned in the Commission document.

Regarding the common organisation of markets, the European Commission apparently deems the changes introduced by the adoption of the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union to be sufficient ( Omnibus Regulation ). However, while this regulation will give more power to producer organisations thanks to the more flexible and uniform interpretation of competition rules within the EU, it will not be sufficient to prevent and tackle the high volatility of agricultural prices which is incompatible with good farm resilience. The CoR rapporteur for the opinion on the Future of the CAP after 2020 and vice-president of the Regional Council of Occitanie, Guillaume Cros (FR/PES), stresses in this connection that " market regulation is more effective and less costly than triggering crisis measures retroactively, and the false solution that is income insurance will benefit insurers more than farmers ".

Contact:

Wioletta Wojewodzka

Tel. +32 2 282 22 89
On Tuesday, Hadiya arrived in Salem from New Delhi to continue her studies at a homeopathy medical college as directed by the Supreme Court. Hadiya, a 24-year-old woman from Kerala at the centre of an alleged love-jihad case, on Wednesday reiterated her desire to talk to her husband.

"For the past six months, I was talking to persons I did not like (parents) because of their harassment during my stay with them," she told reporters at Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College, where she will be undergoing a 11-month internship.

The court, after the proceedings, had allowed Hadiya to return to her studies and freeing her from her parents' custody. The 24-year-old was brought to the institution amid tight security by Kerala police from Coimbatore, about 170-kilometres from Salem on Tuesday evening.

To a query about her husband Shafin Jahan, Hadiya said she had no contact with him for the last few months as she did not have a mobile phone and the only people she spoke to were her parents. "I am very eager to speak to my husband," said Hadiya, who was in the news recently after her conversion to Islam and marriage with the Muslim youth in Kerala.

"I haven't got what I asked for. I am waiting for the court order to see whether it will be another prison for me. I need the freedom to meet the person I love," Hadiya was quoted as saying by News18. The two met through a matrimonial website affiliated to an organisation that the National Investigation Agency believes is linked to terror.

According to NDTV, the college admitted Hadiya as Akhila Asokan, her name before she converted. Principal G Kannan, reportedly, has said that Hadiya would need his permission to meet anybody, even if that's her husband, though her husband's lawyers say she is free to meet her husband at the hostel.

The Supreme Court ordered the college administration to treat Hadiya like any other student and as per hostel rules but remained silent on whether Shafin or Hadiya's parents would be allowed to meet her while she completes her studies. "I won't allow Hadiya's husband to meet her. Her parents admitted her here; only they can meet her," said G Kannan, Principal, Shivraj Homoeopathic Medical College.

The principal said that Hadiya will be going to hostel like any other student. "She can't go anywhere alone and can do nothing without prior permission from me," said the principal.

The principal also said that the completion of her homoeopathy course was his priority. "Hadiya is still Akhila Ashokan as per records. If there is a change in name, it will be done through due procedure," said Kannan.

On the facilities available in the college hostel and the security arrangements, Hadiya said she was not aware of it and will answer all their (media) questions in another two days. She further added that she will be able to communicate better with the media after she receives the copy of the Supreme Court order.

The apex court has appointed the dean of the college as Hadiya's guardian and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem. She was staying at her parental home in Kochi for several weeks.

It however did not accede to her plea to be allowed to go with her husband. Shafin Jahan on 20 September had approached the Supreme Court seeking recall of its order directing the NIA to investigate the controversial case of conversion and marriage of Hadiya.

Hadiya's father KM Ashokan, had said that his daughter wanted to go to Syria after converting to Islam but had no idea about what it entailed. "Hadiya does not have any idea about Syria, where she wanted to go after converting to Islam," Ashokan had told the media. "I cannot have a terrorist in the family," he added. Asked about his stance on inter-religious marriages, Ashokan said he believed in one religion and one god.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of 'love jihad', following which Jahan approached the Supreme court.
New Delhi: India has not caused climate change but is its victim, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Wednesday, expressing unhappiness over "some countries" walking away from the Paris agreement.

The "saddest part" is that despite India acting on the Paris climate agreement, some countries were walking out of the deal, he added.

Prabhu's comments come amid the uncertainty over the US role in the deal after President Donald Trump announced in June that his country was withdrawing from the Paris deal, arguing that it gives undue advantage to countries like India and China.

The world's third-largest carbon polluter, India along with more than 190 nations, reached a pact in December 2015 with an aim to prevent an increase in the global average temperature and keep it well below 2 degrees Celsius.

The deal, which replaced the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, was ratified in October 2016.

"Unfortunately, despite the fact that we had a good agreement, I would not say the best, but some good pathway towards salvaging the situation in Paris, and now some countries are questioning Paris (pact) itself..."

"Despite the fact that we acted, now some countries are walking out and that's the saddest part of it," Prabhu said in New Delhi at a conference on climate change.

India has not caused climate change, but is a victim of it, he added.

The commerce and industry minister made a case for creating markets for green products and channelising public money towards fighting climate change.

He said the world must also develop new ideas of semi-financial instruments which can promote technology transfers, global action and collaborative solutions.

"The IFC (International Finance Corporation) must think about the new concept of bringing in private capital as well as countries who are supposed to contribute to it, they must also contribute a substantial part of it so that we can blend it and make it an instrument which can actually promote ideas related to climate change," he added.

Prabhu said the government is engaged in formulating a new industrial policy which will create new industries, linking India to global supply chains and increasing the share of manufacturing in the GDP to 20 percent.

"We have a GDP of almost USD 2.5 trillion and in the next 7 to 8 years, we will be touching the USD 5 trillion mark. I have asked the industries that we must touch the GDP for manufacturing to at least 20 per cent of GDP, that means in the next few years time, the GDP for manufacturing must touch the trillion dollar mark," he said.

On his upcoming visit to WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he said that while economic growth is imperative, there is a need to ensure that it is sustainable in the long term and green growth will be the driving force going forward.
New Delhi: India and Singapore on Wednesday signed an agreement to deepen cooperation in the maritime security domain and called for ensuring freedom of navigation in critical sea lanes against the backdrop of China's increasing military manoeuvres in the India-Pacific region.

The two countries also resolved to boost overall defence cooperation with a particular focus on combating terrorism during wide-ranging talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen.

The pact on naval cooperation provides for increased engagement in the maritime security sphere, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each other's naval facilities and logistics support.

"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackling the transnational security threats," Sitharaman said at a joint media interaction with Ng, noting that both sides agreed to ramp up overall defence cooperation.

The Singaporean defence minister called the talks "overwhelmingly successful and productive" and emphasised the need for concerted regional and global efforts to deal with terrorism and other challenges such as tackling chemical and biological weapons.

Referring to regional security scenario in the maritime domain, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law, a joint statement issued after the talks said.

Appreciating India's leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Ng agreed to India's proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in shared maritime space of the two countries, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional and ASEAN partners.

However, Ng, speaking at a think-tank on Tuesday, had expressed Singapore's reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan, and Australia.

Both sides also signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian armed forces.

The joint statement said both ministers look forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the India-Singapore maritime bilateral exercise next year.

They welcomed the renewal of the agreement between the air forces of the two countries earlier this year and look forward to the successful renewal of a similar pact between their armies, the statement said.

The two ministers also discussed Singapore's proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting)-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, the statements said.

The two ministers resolved to work closely in the joint development of various defence platforms.

They agreed that to facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries.

The Singaporean defence minister also expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's acceptance to be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue.
Kathua: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said militancy cannot be wiped out by killing militants alone, adding that a more "humane approach" was needed to tackle the problem.

She said drug menace and a growing graph of violence against women were the biggest challenges in the Valley after militancy.

"You have to eliminate militancy in Kashmir. But militancy cannot be wiped out by killing militants alone," the PDP leader said while addressing the attestation-cum-passing out parade of 947 recruits at the Police Training School in Kathua.

Nearly 200 militants, the highest number in years, were killed by security forces in Kashmir this year. "We need to understand the reason and the real problem behind militancy," Mehbooba said.

Advocating a "soft" approach for dealing with extremism in the state, the chief minister referred to the government's recent decision to revoke cases against first-time stone-pelters in the Valley.

"The police has to engage in parenting and counselling of these children. I had invited pellet victims to my home recently. I was surprised to know that most of them were minors (14, 15 or 16 years of age)," she said.

Mehbooba also lauded the state police force for demonstrating discipline and restraint in the face of serious provocations.

She said the job of the police was very sensitive in Jammu and Kashmir, where the challenges were much more than the usual policing in other parts of the country.

Reacting to reports of roughing up of Kashmiri prisoners in Delhi's Tihar Jail, the chief minister said, "The shameful incident not only maligned the name of the policemen and their state but the entire police force."

"In comparison, our (Jammu and Kashmir) police is doing a wonderful job despite being faced with difficult situations," Mehbooba added

They are dealing with stone-pelting and bullets (militancy) with great determination, discipline and restraint which is praise-worthy. There is no match for our police force," she said.

Asking the police recruits to have a humane approach in dealing with the public, Mehbooba said the real test for them would be outside the training school.

"I have heard about your training and skills... It is not just about firing SLR and AK-47, but how you behave when you face a nine-year-old and an 80-year-old. The real test awaits you outside," she said.

Mehbooba added that the drug de-addiction centres run by the police in Srinagar were doing a wonderful job.

"l salute district police chiefs, who despite facing financial constraints, are helping drug addicts to overcome the problem. I would like the officers at the district level to supervise such de-addiction centres".

The chief minister expressed concern over the growing graph of crime against women and lamented the fact that the victims were not coming forward with their complaints.

"There are two reasons for women not seeking legal assistance. First, they do not want to publicise family matters, and secondly, they do not have faith in the police," she said.

"We have set up women police stations so that the victims of domestic violence can talk about their problems openly. Since such stations do not have much strength, district police chiefs need to pitch in and help them get justice," she said.

Mehbooba added that she had requested Union home minister Rajnath Singh to raise the ex-gratia relief of policemen at par with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Kolkata: The Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested a man for his alleged association with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the India-Nepal border, a senior officer said.

Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan was arrested by the STF sleuths from the Nepal border area when he was trying to escape to the neighbouring country, the officer said.

With this, the total number of people arrested by the Kolkata Police for their alleged links with the Bangladeshi terrorist group has risen to five.

The sleuths had announced a reward for any information on Aftab and two others  Shopon Biswas alias Tamim and Nayan Gazi alias Zafor.

Acting on the information obtained after grilling the four other arrested persons, a police team conducted a raid at a hideout near the India-Nepal border and nabbed Aftab.

The accused was attached to the banned terror outfit's explosives wing and was an expert in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the officer said.

Aftab had entered India with the help of Mohammad Sahadat Hossain, who was arrested from central Kolkata last week, he added.

The accused, along with Tamim, had stayed at a hotel in Howrah for a couple of days, the officer said.

The STF had last week arrested two ABT terrorists, Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam, along with an arms supplier, Monotosh Dey, from the Kolkata railway station and seized several fake identity cards and arms from their possession.

The terrorists were suspected to be behind the killing of secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh.
A court in Ahmednagar on Wednesday awarded the death sentence to three men found guilty of raping and murdering a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016.

The court had last week convicted the three men of raping and murdering the minor girl, an incident that had sparked a huge outcry across the state, especially from the Maratha community.

Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume were held guilty of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

Bhawal's lawyer Balasaheb Khopade had earlier asked the court not to award capital punishment to Bhawal.

However, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had argued that this was among "rarest of the rare" cases and hence, all three convicts should be awarded the death sentence.

"Since there was no eyewitness in the case, the entire case was based on circumstantial evidence. We succeeded in proving the chain of circumstances which led to the conviction of all the three people," PTI had quoted Nikam as saying last week.

The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on 13 July, 2016, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

The incident also turned out to be the trigger for the silent marches (mook morcha) taken out by Marathas who wanted justice for the victim.

Marches, joined in by a large number of women, were taken out across the length and breadth of Maharashtra, with Marathas demanding a quick investigation and speedy trial.

It also left strong political ripples, with the Opposition Congress and the NCP demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on moral grounds.

With inputs from PTI
Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and other political leaders on Wednesday hailed the court verdict in the case of gangrape and killing of a 15-year-old girl in Ahmednagar in which the three accused were awarded death sentence.

A sessions court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde (25), Santosh Gorakh Bhawal (30) and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume (23) for brutally raping and killing a 15-year-old girl in Kopardi village in 2016.

The incident had triggered protests across the state.

"Kopardi was an extremely unfortunate incident which resulted in massive reactions across the state," Fadnavis told reporters.

The chief minister said the investigating agencies conducted a swift inquiry and arrested the accused immediately.

Lauding special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and the police officials involved in the case, he said exceptionally good work was done and the trial was completed in a record time.

He claimed the lawyers of the accused tried everything possible to prolong the case, but it proved futile.

Claiming that the court even fined the lawyers of the accused twice for delaying the trial, he said the perpetrators of the heinous crime were finally awarded capital punishment.

After the judgement, the victim's soul will find peace, the chief minister said, adding that people's faith in the judicial system would increase.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan also welcomed the decision of the fast track court.

He claimed that the case could be fast-tracked as the previous Congress-NCP government had made suitable changes in law.

"It is the government's responsibility to ensure that higher courts uphold the death punishment of the accused," he said, adding that the government should fast-track other cases of atrocities against women.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said complete justice would be meted out only when higher courts uphold the judgement and the accused would be hanged.

He said this judgement would serve as a lesson to criminals and instil faith in law and order and judiciary.

Hailing the court's judgement, Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said cases involving crime against women should be handled in a sensitive manner by the police so that victims and their families do not undergo mental harassment.

She demanded that 'gram rakshak dal' be formed in all rural areas to help mitigate instances of such brutalities.
Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday demanded that Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti should visit Tihar Jail to find out the condition of Kashmiri inmates there.

Interacting with media at his party's 'Nawa-e-Subha' headquarters in Srinagar, he said, "The chief minister should visit Tihar Jail and ensure the safety of Kashmiris lodged there."

"She should also initiate a process of shifting these prisoners back to jails within the state while the cases against them are processed. The rule of law is supreme and under the same rule of law, every detainee has unquestionable and non-negotiable rights," he said.

Demanding that all juvenile detainees be treated strictly in accordance with the juvenile justice system, the former chief minister also condemned the reported incidents of assault on Kashmiri detainees at Tihar Jail.

"Reports about these assaults are extremely condemnable and unacceptable. Irrespective of their political affiliation and ideology or the nature of cases against them, the detainees have human rights and these are detailed in the jail manual," he said.

Mehbooba on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the reported incidents of harassment and physical torture of Kashmiris lodged in the national capital's jail.

She also spoke to Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba and asked him to probe these incidents.

Officials in Srinagar said that Gauba assured her that these incidents will be probed and promised strict action against those found guilty of such offences.
Srinagar: Following an attack on Shahid Yousuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, at Tihar Jail in New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has raised the matter of the alleged "harassment and manhandling of some inmates" at the prison with the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

Mehbooba spoke to Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Tuesday and asked him to intervene in the matter. She also assured that Shahid will not face any kind of "harassment".

While Gauba assured Mehbooba of a "thorough probe into the incident and punishing the culprits for having violated the jail manual", family members of Shahid said that he was "injured in the head" and had received wounds on other body parts after being attacked by the Jail authorities at Tihar on 21 November.

Wife of jailed JKLF leader Farooq Ahmad Dar aka Bitta Karate, Assabah Khan, had earlier wrote a letter to the Tihar jail authorities highlighting the lack of facilities in violation of the jail manual. Khan's letter to the Tihar Jail authorities read: "My husband Farooq Ahmad Dar @Bittakaratte, who is chairman of one of the factions of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, is lodged in Central Jail No 3 (high-security ward) of Tihar prison. A great inconvenience has been caused to our family and my five-year-old child after we were denied the facility to talk to him."

She further stated that the money wired by the family to the jail had not been received by Dar. "I had sent an e-money order to my husband on 13 May from Srinagar. The EMO no is 044883171013008810 for Rs 5,000 and 044883171013008811 for Rs 1,000. I have the tracking information on the internet and that eMO was handed over to Tihar authorities on 14 October. On 20 October, one of our relatives went to meet Dar in Tihar Jail only to discover that the eMO was not delivered to him. This is a very sorry state of affairs that is prevailing in Tihar Jail. This is a deliberate attempt to torture prisoners from Kashmir by depriving them of contact with their families and of money."

Khan said that "as money couldn't be transferred to my husband, he has been denied facilities at the prison." She also said that Dar has been denied "proper bedding" and "facilities that he is eligible for". "We are not able to credit the money to the Tihar jail authorities, due to which my husband is facing this ordeal," she added.

Salahuddin's family members said that his son was "attacked with sticks and buckets between 8:30-9 pm on 21 November and had received injuries in the head and shoulders."

"We produced the blood-soaked clothes before the Delhi High Court which held that it was an unprovoked attack. Shahid was only given first-aid treatment and has not been hospitalised. We are seeking that he should be shifted to a jail in Kashmir," the family members said.

Shahid was arrested by the National Investigation Authority (NIA) in connection with a 2001 terror funding case for "having received money from his father in Pakistan".

Mehbooba spoke to Gauba after a delegation of the residents of Salahuddin's hometown of Saibug met the chief minister and sought Shahid's release. A 22-member civil society delegation from Budgam met Mehbooba on 28 October at her residence and made a "passionate and earnest appeal to her to secure the release of Shahid." The chief minister assured the delegation that he will be 'bailed out' and not subjected to any harassment.

Salahuddin's family members said that Shahid was "beaten to a pulp along with other inmates" by the Tamil Nadu Special Force at Tihar Jail. The Civil Society Budgam sought that Shahid must be shifted to Srinagar Central Jail to avoid "further such incidents and ensure his safety."

"His father left the family at a time when all his children were innocent. In the 1990s, their home would get frequently raided and frequent arrests and torture were routine. In 1995, their house was reduced to rubble by government forces, which forced them to migrate to Srinagar and go into hiding to evade frequent raids," a statement by Civil Society Budgam issued through one of Shahid's brothers read.

It added that Shahid is a "peaceful citizen, who worked for the last 10 years with the government at a meagre Rs 1,500 per month and only got regularised in March this year".

"Out of Shahid's three kids, the eldest one, 9, is suffering from Down's Syndrome... his upbringing was a major responsibility on the shoulders of his father. However, the absence of his father has taken a toll on the child's wellbeing and it will hinder his education," the statement said.

The separatists have termed the attack on Shahid and the "harassment" meted out to other Kashmiri prisoners as uncalled for and an "expression of the communal mindset". After a petition was filed by Shahid before the Delhi High Court, a probe panel described the 21 November incident  in which Shahid and 17 other prisoners were attacked  as a "gross violation of fundamental human and other legal rights of prisoners who have been subjected to severe physical torture without any justifiable reason".

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, has "expressed serious concern over the plight of hundreds of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Tihar and various jails in and outside the state stating."

"The thrashing of prisoners in Tihar has put the lives of all Kashmiri political prisoners at risk," a JRL statement said.

The JRL invoked a Supreme Court ruling as per which "state authorities should lodge detainees near their home cities". The Hurriyat said that the ward where the prisoners were attacked keeps other members of the faction, led by Geelani, including Ayaz Akbar, Raja Meraj-u-Din Kalwal and Altaf Ahmad Shah.
Cuttack: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday took into custody a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist from his rented house on the outskirts of the city.

A six-member NIA team from Kolkata launched an early morning raid at the location where Akhtar Hussain Khan was staying and arrested him after an hour-long questioning.

"An NIA team from Kolkata arrived here this morning and after raiding a location on the outskirts of the city has taken one person into custody," Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) R P Sharma said.

He said the team might have certain intelligence inputs on the basis of which it acted.

Sharma, however, refused to give any further information while the NIA team was tight-lipped.

"They have taken my father for further questioning to an undisclosed location," Akhtars son Asfaq said, claiming that he had no knowledge about his father having any links with terrorist organisations.

Police sources said the NIA after arresting a suspected LeT terrorist in New Delhi had gathered reports about Akhtar and his alleged links with militant organisations operating mainly from Pakistan.

Akhtar, a native of nearby Salepur block of this district, had reportedly stayed in Dubai and Saudi Arabia for over 12 years. He had come back to Odisha four years ago, his family members said.
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The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has come under attack following the brutal killing of three members of a Dalit family in Bhagalpur district, with the police still clueless about the perpetrators of the crime.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has alleged that violence against Dalits have risen in the state ever since Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) joined hands with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to form an NDA government in the state in July.

Talking to CNN-News18, RJD spokesman Ramanauj Prasad had said, "Initially, Right wing activists affiliated to BJP assaulted Dalits in several places in the name of cow vigilantism. Then more than 80 houses of Dalits were burnt in Khagaria district. There is a clear pattern of targeted attacks against the marginalised section, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is squarely responsible for this."

"This NDA government is very different from what Nitishji was used to head earlier. Gone are the days when BJP used to say that Nitish Kumar is Bihar and Bihar is Nitish. Now the baton is in the hands of deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and BJP is calling the shots. And they never respected Dalits and minorities. The Bhagalpur incident is an example of this," he was quoted as saying.

Not only the Opposition but also Nitish Kumar's own associate, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, a prominent Dalit voice within the JD(U), has echoed fears over the heinous murders of the three Dalits. He also expressed concerns regarding the safety of the girl who survived the attack, but is battling for life in a Patna hospital.

Speaking to the media while on his way to Jhandapur, a Dalit hamlet in Naugachhia where the assailants had targeted the family, he told CNN-News18 that the failure of the police to nab the culprits was "startling" and did not augur well for the perceptions about the government.

"I demand protection for the girl who is under treatment; she might be attacked again in a bid to eliminate evidence. She must be also admitted to a private hospital for better treatment amid security," he said.

Chaudhary also said various cases of violence against Dalits might prove detrimental for the state government. He demanded Nitish Kumar take strict action against the culprits.

Meanwhile, Bhalapur range DIG Vikas Vaibhav has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Naugachhia SP Pankaj Sinha to investigate the case.

On 25 November, Jhandapur locals found Kanki Ram, wife Meena Devi, son Chhotu (12) and daughter Bindi (18) lying in a pool of blood. Their throats were slit, eyes oozed out and private parts dismembered. Kanki, Meena and Chhotu had already died, but Bindi was still alive at the time. She was rushed to a hospital hospital where her condition is said to be critical.

Villagers said that Kanki used to sell fish in the local market and apparently had no rivalry with anyone.
SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday in a breakthrough that puts the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons, and increases pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to deal with Pyongyang. Trump, who has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday and urged Beijing to rein in its ally North Korea. The latest missile test was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, landing in the sea near Japan. It was fired a week after Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions. North Korea, which conducted its largest nuclear bomb test in September, has tested dozens of ballistic missiles under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. North Korea said the new missile reached an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station - and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight. After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a television presenter. State media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere, which if confirmed would be an important technical advance. Kim personally guided the missile test and said the new launcher was impeccable, state media said. He described the new vehicle as a breakthrough. North Korea also described itself as a responsible nuclear power, saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from the U.S. imperialists nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat. Trump said additional major sanctions would now be imposed on North Korea. Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! Trump wrote on Twitter. He gave no other details about the sanctions. The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the launch. Many nuclear experts say the North has yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles, including the ability to deliver a heavy nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but it was likely that it soon would. We dont have to like it, but were going to have to learn to live with North Koreas ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies. THREATEN EVERYWHERE U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japans exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM. The test itself did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said. It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House. A man looks at a street monitor showing a news report about North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Japan, November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toru HanaiTrump also spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, with all three reaffirming their commitment to combat the North Korean threat. It is a situation that we will handle, Trump told reporters. Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea. Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution. Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. Other than enforcing existing U.N. sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement. Slideshow (7 Images)China, North Koreas lone major ally, expressed grave concern at the test, while calling for all sides to act cautiously. U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE? The new Hwasong-15, named after the planet Mars, was a more advanced version of an ICBM tested twice in July, North Korea said. It was designed to carry a super-large heavy warhead. Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington D.C. and the rest of the United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said. However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added. Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military said it conducted a missile-firing test in response. Moon said the launch had been anticipated. There was no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure, he added. The situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology, Moon said after a national security council meeting. North Korea shouldnt miscalculate the situation and threaten South Korea with a nuclear weapon, which could elicit a possible pre-emptive strike by the United States. The test comes less than three months before South Korea hosts the Winter Olympics at a resort just 80 km (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North. North Korea has said its weapons programmes are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention. Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement. Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Patna: Opposition MLAs on Wednesday created ruckus in the Bihar Assembly trooping into the well of the House and shouting slogans over law and order in the state, before staging a walkout.

Trouble began after Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected the notice of an adjournment motion by Lalit Yadav of RJD and Ramdeo Rai and Vijay Shanker Dubey of Congress, saying the House had important business to transact.

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav requested the Speaker to admit the motion since it concerned "a very important issue".

When the Speaker did not relent, some opposition members trooped into the well of the House and created a ruckus.

Later, the RJD and Congress members staged a walkout.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, Lalit Yadav sought the government's response to a report on illegal withdrawal of money in a district under the Mukhyamantri Nishchay Yojana.

Panchayati Raj minister Kapil Dev Kamat said, "An inquiry committee has been constituted to look into the issue. Cases have been lodged against mukhiyas against whom complaints have been received."

The district magistrates across the state were asked to go into any such irregularity, he said.

Dissatisfied with the minister's reply, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Corruption is widespread in the state. Officers have been trying to whitewash such irregularities. The chief minister should come to the House and clarify the position".

Deputy chief minister Sushil Modi assured the members that the government "will not spare anyone involved in any scam, whether it was fodder scam, bitumen scam or Srijan scam".

The guilty and the corrupt would be hounded out, no matter where they are hiding, he added.

Tejashwi Yadav said the government should tell the House the number of senior officials and ministers against whom action has so far been taken.

The opposition leader also had a heated exchange of words with water resources minister Lalan Singh when, while mentioning various scams, he referred to the incident of a dam collapsing a day prior to its scheduled inauguration by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Nagpur: Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said on Wednesday.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400-metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Doka La, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide a guarantee on the safety aspect."

Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistans offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navy man, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We don't care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection."

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him  either related to terrorism or otherwise  have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a USD 10 million American bounties on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400-metre high wall to hide construction activities in Doka La on Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.
The Jat community blamed Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the ruling BJP for instigating violence during the Jat agitation in February 2016 at a rally held in Rohtak on Sunday. The community leaders are clearly unhappy with the state government and anger within the community over not honouring an agreement signed with the agitators in March  to begin the reservation process  is apparent.

Speaking to Firstpost, the national president of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS)  an umbrella body of Jat agitators  Yashpal Malik said that the Jat movement for reservation is likely to intensify if the government fails to meet their demands. Edited excerpts follow:

Are you planning to intensify the Jat agitation?

Yes, if the government doesn't listen to us and fails to meet our demands. We had signed an agreement with the Haryana government on 19 March, but even after nine months, the government has failed to keep its promise. November and December are important months for farmers as it's the harvesting season. So, we're extending our deadline until December end. But if the government continues with its adamancy, we'll go for a mass agitation.

You have always said that ABJASS is not aligned with any political party. If that is so, why did you share the dais with BJP leader and Union minister Birendra Singh and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala during Sunday's rally?

The rally on Sunday wasn't a political one; instead, it was organised on the occasion of the foundation stone laying ceremony of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Institute for Competitive Exam & Skill Development in memory of Sir Chhotu Ram, the leader and ideologue of the Jat farmers community during British India.

We had invited leaders of all political parties from across the country, whether Trinamool Congress or INLD. Birendra Singh and Abhay Singh were there as guests.

What was the agreement between the agitators and the government? What is its status?

We made six demands while entering into an agreement with the government. First, to get a proper survey done for Jat reservation. The court had asked the state government to conduct the survey and present its report. Even BJP president Amit Shah had asked Khattar to get it done, but to date, there has been no progress.

Second, to provide reservation to Jats at a central level. Third, to provide employment to a member of the deceased's family  those who got killed during the agitation (this has been fulfilled, he said).

Fourth, to settle the court case against our members. (This has not been done). Fifth, to give compensation to those who got injured during the agitation. And, sixth, punish all those government officials found guilty of instigating violence.

The Jat agitation in February 2016 witnessed severe violence, that led to the death of over 30 people. Are you sure that your next agitation won't get diverted on the same lines?

The violence that took place during the agitation in February 2016 was orchestrated by the Haryana government and politicians, and charges were levelled against us. An incorrect perception was created about us to show our organisation in a bad light. Our people were not involved in the violence and rampage. It was a manufactured riot caused by the Haryana government and politicians, by creating a rift between Jats and non-Jats.

The politicians used petty criminals from slums as political touts in creating violence. The BJP MP from Kurukshetra and anti-Jat quota proponent Rajkumar Saini, a minister in Haryana government Capt Abhimanyu, Rohtak MLA Manish Grover and many others were involved in it. This conspiracy has been hatched just to defame the Jats. After February 2016, we became cautious of the divisive politics. There was no violence during our 52-day agitation from 29 January to 19 March.

Are you planning to form a new political party to meet your demands?

Not at all. Earlier, too, I had maintained that we won't form any political party. Personally, I've been working in the education and skill development sector... so, no question of any political party. This Jat reservation issue is a movement for us.

Why do you think Jats need reservation?

There is already a reservation for Jats in nine states. Jats are not seeking reservation in the manner Patels or Gujjars are seeking it. Jats already had a reservation in Haryana from 1991 to 1994, which was scrapped by Bhajan Lal in 1995. The farmers' community in Haryana belongs to the OBC category and is eligible for reservation.

But, it was the former Prime Minister VP Singh who conspired to weaken Devi Lal and divide the farmers. Jats are being kept out due to political rivalry. If Jats are getting a reservation in nine states, why they are not being included in the central list? Among the Jat population, only 10 percent belong to the creamy layer. Like I, who belongs to that creamy layer of OBC and is not eligible for reservation. The rest 90 percent are poor and they deserve reservation. The Jats are only demanding their rights.

In Gujarat, Hardik Patel, while demanding reservation for patidars, has joined hands with the Congress. Does ABJASS have any plans to align with or join any political party?

No, we won't join any political party. We've urged the government to consider our demands and in case it doesn't, we'll intensify our agitation. Jats have a strong presence in 132 Lok Sabha seats. The presence of Jats in Rajasthan is 27-28 percent and in MP eight to 10 percent. By boycotting BJP on these seats, we can affect the forthcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and in other states in 2018.

But, if the government refuses to heed to your demands, what will you do?

As I said, we will stage the next level of agitation. ABJASS will be meeting on 3 December to chalk out a strategy on how to go ahead with it.

A section of the gathering in Sunday's rally was opposed to it and levelled allegations against you of the bungling of funds. How true is it and what funds they were referring to?

It's not true. Those who opposed the rally and levelled allegations against me were Capt Abhimanyu's workers. The bungling of funds is out of the question because I didn't take any money in the name of funds from anyone.

People donate money to our district bodies, which the latter uses to meet expenditures related to this movement. The allegations are baseless and politically motivated. Those who made these allegations have been socially boycotted in their respective villages.
New Delhi: Around 36,000 Rohingyas are there in various parts of the country at present and the Border Security Force (BSF) has upped the ante against their illegal influx into India as their links with terror organisations cannot be ruled out, the force chief said on Wednesday.

KK Sharma, the director general (DG) of the 2.5-lakh personnel-strong force, said his troops have apprehended 87 Rohingya Muslims along the India-Bangladesh border since the beginning of this year till 31 October and 76 "have been sent back to Bangladesh".

"As far as my information goes, about 36,000 Rohingyas are there in this country at various places... This is one of those general observations and is based on inputs we received from our sister agencies (like the police and intelligence)," he told reporters during an interaction ahead of the BSF's 52nd Raising Day on 1 December.

He said the border guarding force has not come across any specific case where a Rohingya they caught possessed arms, ammunition or had terror connection.

"But, the threat that they have some links with terror organisations is a very serious one and has been given by our sister agencies and I don't doubt them," Sharma said.

He said the force has bolstered its manpower and surveillance equipment at "vulnerable" posts along the Bangladesh border to check the illegal influx of Rohingyas from the neighbouring country into India.

The force sent back the Rohingyas and did not arrest them as they would have then become a "liability", the DG said.

"Rohingya is a very complicated issue. As per the latest estimate, 9-10 lakh of them have migrated to Bangladesh (from Myanmar) and the possibility of a spillover coming to India cannot be ruled out,"

"Our mandate is very clear that we do not allow any illegal immigration into India, whether he is a Rohingya or a Bangladeshi," Sharma said.

In the border areas, the BSF chief said his troops were not equipped to make a distinction between a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya.

"So, whosoever tries to cross (the border) we sent them back. We don't arrest them as that becomes a liability. Our policy is not to allow anyone enter India illegally," he said.

An official note provided by the BSF during the conference said "agents allure Rohingyas with good job opportunities in India and motivate that they will work with their own Muslim community in some of the states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal".

It said that most of the Rohingyas go to Jammu because some Rohingyas have already been staying there for the last few years.

"Apart from being a natural choice due to its Muslim majority, the Rohingyas say that they pick Jammu and Kashmir on economic consideration and most of them follow a similar pattern."

"Once a Rohingya reaches Jammu, he stays there for a few months and then invites other relatives, informing them of job opportunities and better pay," it said.

In rare cases, the document said, if some Rohingyas do not get a permanent job, they go to another state for earning money or to settle there.

Sharma said the document was compiled based on information provided to them by "sister agencies".
New Delhi: India and Singapore are set to sign a key pact on Wednesday to boost naval cooperation, even as the city-state's defence minister expressed reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia for pursuing common interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen will hold wide-ranging talks tomorrow after which both sides are likely to ink an agreement providing for logistic support and live firing exercises to Singapore Navy in the Andamans, officials said on Tuesday.

In an address at a think tank, Ng talked about the pact while referring to growing defence cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.

He called India a "regional power" in the Indo-Pacific region, adding it is a "natural partner" of all countries in Southeast Asia.

Delving into regional security issues, he sounded critical of the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia, saying it is not useful to cast one bloc against another.

He said "polarising defence and trade" would not be helpful for the region and called for crafting a "stable system" wherein all small and large states have ways and means to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

Widening the security cooperation under the proposed quadrilateral coalition, officials of India, the US, Japan and Australia had held extensive talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila earlier this month, for pursuing common interests in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region where China has been aggressively expanding its military presence.

"We are trying to craft a system under which we can ensure peace and progress for everyone," Ng said.

Singapore is a key member-country of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping with which India has been intensifying its defence and security ties.

In an apparent reference to China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, he said freedom of navigation and over flight must be respected.

The move to set up the quadrilateral comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for India in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.

The Singapore defence minister pitched for an "inclusive regional security architecture" to ensure peace and stability in the region.

At the same time, he said Singapore was open to multilateral exercises in the Indian Ocean region.

Ng also complimented India's Act East policy, saying it is making its impact.

He paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru, saying his country was inspired by the first prime minister of India.
New Delhi: Tihar Jail authorities have said they would cooperate with the three-member fact-finding committee, formed by the Delhi High Court to inquire into an incident, in which 18 inmates were allegedly beaten up by the jail staff on 21 November.

Jail authorities said they would ensure a proper security for the inmates, so that such incidents did not recur.

The high court had described the alleged attack on the inmates, who were lodged in a high-risk ward in jail number 1 of the central jail, on 21 November as "very disturbing".

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by a lawyer, Chinmay Kanojia, who had alleged that his client Shahid Husuf, currently being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and undergoing trial, was beaten up without any reason by the Tihar Jail staff.

After the incident was brought to its notice on 22 November, the court had set up a committee comprising its senior judicial officers to look into the matter.

The committee, in its report, had said the inmates were beaten up without any justifiable reason. The court posted the matter for further hearing on 19 December and directed the authorities to ensure the safety and security of the inmates, who were beaten up.
Pune: Harshvardhan Kadam, quite like the locality in Pune where his art studio 'Inkbrushnme' is located, is quiet. He casually inquires how our trip from Mumbai to Pune was, and offers us tea, before explaining how he had used our visit as an excuse to cancel a trip to Mumbai and stay home.

He likes 'quiet' Pune, he says.

He is Pune. A city where he has spent most of his life. A place that continues to play muse to his art works.

"To understand the voice of the people, it is very important to understand the context in which you are creating an art work. Since I know the city, I know what the people will react to and what the people will not react to," says Kadam.

A little into the conversation, it becomes clear that beneath the calm exterior is the mind of an insatiable artist, constantly exploring new ways to tell his stories.

"The more I explore, the more I know about myself. The more I explore, the more I know about people and what it is exactly like to be a human being," he says.

The word 'explore' resonates. Kadam's repertoire is vast and diverse. He has illustrated books for kids. He is in the final stages of completing a work on erotica. He loves painting murals on large walls. But there is a feeling he wants to do more.

"What I observed as I was growing up was the art of sequential story telling which is the language of graphic novels. I used that to shape up my understanding, my voice and my style. So there is a whole range or a spectrum of projects I like to do. The reason why I do that is because I don't want to be tied to a particular identity," he says.

"The idea that I could use walls as my canvas first struck me during a visit to Varanasi. That thought of having access in a public space... creating something that can communicate... made me realise I could extend (my) skill set to a bigger space," he adds.

The latest work in his street art project is a 300m-long mural on the walls of the Yerwada Jail in Pune. The art work, titled 'Songs of the City', is India's largest mural, and is Kadam and his team's attempt at telling the story of Pune in a chronological order.

"The mural is the story of the city from the river's (Mula-Mutha) point of view. The river has been here for years and has seen all the changes that the city has undergone. The length is so magnanimous that we had to create it in sections [sic]. Just to imagine and conceptualise, we divided the progression in parts," explains Kadam.

Though Pune is central to his work, Kadam plans to continue travelling across the country and paint walls. The idea, he reiterates, is to continuously expand his canvas.
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing a proposal to make Rahul Gandhi as the party president.

The HPCC met for the first time after the state Assembly polls on 9 November.

HPCC chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu moved the resolution which was endorsed by all the members.

Sukkhu said that Rahul Gandhi would file his nomination for the post of AICC president on 1 December and all members of the Congress were in favour of elevating the AICC vice president to the post of party president.

He also claimed that the Congress would emerge victorious in the state polls.

Office bearers from block to state level gave feed back about the elections and the general view was that the party would be back in power in the state, Sukkhu said.

He asked the Block Congress Committees to give complaints of anti-party activities during the recent assembly elections only on the basis of sold evidence.
Starting the sixth leg of his campaign in poll-bound Gujarat with a visit to the famous Somnath temple, Rahul Gandhi reached out to the Patidar community on Wednesday and strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal and Jay Shah case.

Rahul, who is in the state for two days, addressed public meetings in Gir Somnath, Junagadh and Amreli on Wednesday.

Addressing an election rally in the Patidar-dominated constituency of Visavadar in Junagadh district, Rahul referred to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing. "All the communities are raising their voice against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Rahul said.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Rahul asked. The Congress vice-president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France in 2016 for procuring the fighter jets.

Rahul alleged that the prime minister was "avoiding" answering his questions "out to fear" that the "truth" would come out before the crucial polls in his home state. "Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (BJP chief Amit Shah's son) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

Jay Shah's firm came under the scanner after a report suggested that his firm's turnover had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014.

Describing Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani as a "rubber stamp" chief minsiter, Rahul said the Gujarat government is run by Shah.

He claimed that the NDA government delayed the Winter Session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue before the Gujarat polls. "Generally, Parliament's Winter Session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Rahul said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

Later at Savarkundla, the Congress vice-president took a dig at Modi over demonetisation. He said that the prime minister apparently thought at 8 pm on 8 November, 2016 that, "I will move my wand and the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will become raddi(scrap)."

He alleged that Modi avoided addressing important issues in his speeches. "Narendra Modi talks about progress, but not about farmers, He will not talk about 'Gabbar Singh Tax', or how many people have been left unemployed (due to demonetisation). You tell us, from the audience, how many youth have received job opportunity because of Modi," Rahul asked at the public meeting.

He further asked: "Why doesn't Modi admit he failed in providing employment?"

At another election rally in Amreli, Rahul vouched for Modi's 'acting' skills.

He is a terrific actor. You will see he will shed tears a few days before election. He will cry for everything but not for farmers. He will also not cry when students have to shell out money for taking admission in college or people have to go to hospital: Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi pic.twitter.com/dJddts5Zle  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

"Both demonetisation and GST were introduced at 12am. But one company (Jay Shah's) emerged through the storm and converted Rs 50,000 into Rs 80 crore through magic. Do you think a honest businessman could do this in three months," the Congress vice-president said.

Taking a dig at Narendra Modi, Rahul said: "First he (Modi) would say, 'na khaunga, na khane dunga'. Now he says, 'na bolunga, na bolne dunga'. Rahul exuded confidence in Congress and assured that it would win the Gujarat polls in December. "We will waive loans of farmers within ten days. If government will function, it will be for farmers, small and medium businesses and you. We will ask what you want and will run the govt accordingly," he said.

Rahul Gandhi a 'non-Hindu'?

Following Rahul's visit to Somnath temple on Wednesday, the social media grew abuzz with pictures of the temple's register with names of Rahul and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel. The BJP grabbed the opportunity to claim that Rahul had declared himself to be a non-Hindu as the temple maintains an entry book for those following other religions.

"The Congress has always tried to project Rahul as a Hindu. But the fact is that he is not. Rahul has visited over 20 temples of multiple Hindu deities since October. The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not an Hindu," said Raju Dhruv, BJP spokesperson in Saurashtra region.

Subramanian Swamy went a step further to claim that the entire Gandhi family followed Christianity.

#RaGaSomnathSelfGoal BJP MP @Swamy39 says Rahul Gandhi cannot announce he is a Hindu due to the fear of the Vatican #Dec18WithTimesNow pic.twitter.com/x7nvDK8poQ  TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 29, 2017

IANS reported that Congress media coordinator Manoj Tyagi issued a statement saying that he signed the register to take media personnel inside the temple and Rahul or Patel's names were not added to the register. "These would have been added later," he said in the statement.

Somnath temple, located on the shores of the Arabian sea on the southern most part of Gujarat, is revered by Hindus and enshrines the first of 12 'jyotirlings' of Lord Shiva. Through a notice in June 2015 the Shree Somnath Trust (SST)  the institution managing the temple  had made it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the Trust before entering the main temple.

Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel is incumbent chairman of the temple's trust, while Modi, Shah and retired Chief Secretary of Gujarat PK Laheri, are its trustees.

Calling a press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap politics.

"There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul. Any other image being circulated is fabricated," said Surjewala, adding "Desperate times call for desperate measures" - referring to the BJP.

"When the visitor's book was given to him by the temple committee, Rahul wrote a message on it with his name (Rahul) and address. "A very inspiring place" was the message he wrote in the book," he added.

Surjewala alleged that a fabricated entry was made after Rahul left the place. "Has the BJP become so cowardly that they are scared of coming out and speaking up," he asked.

He alleged that the names of Rahul and Ahmed Patel were entered surreptitiously on the left side of the register meant for non-Hindus by someone, suggesting manipulation. "This was a fabricated register. Those names were added later," he said.

Showing the pictures of Rahul wearing sacred thread, Surjewala said that Rahul is a 'janayudhari' (devotional thread-wearing) Hindu. "Whether it was during the time of his naming or at the time of his sister's wedding..or at the time of his father's cremation, he was seen with the sacred thread."

He urged Modi and Shah not to stoop so low for political gains that "130 crore Indians start hating you". "Truth will not change because of your conspiratorial tactics," he added.

The Congress reaction came after BJP raked up the issue and questioned Rahul's religion.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said that the matter of Rahul's faith wasn't personal anymore.

This 1998 New York Times article said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics. This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism there after? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer.https://t.co/4oxjBxPqS1  GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) November 29, 2017

RahulG, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG  GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) November 29, 2017

With inputs from agencies

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi descended on battleground Gujarat, mounting frontal attack on each other and questioning the contributions of the governments of their respective parties to the poll-bound state's development.

Modi, who addressed four back-to-back election rallies in his home state, targeted the Gandhi family and hit back at the Congress vice president over his remarks on the GST.

Gandhi, in his counteroffensive, assailed the prime minister over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal and the row surrounding a company of Jay Shah, the son of BJP chief Amit Shah, and reached out to the influential Patidar community, a traditional vote base of the saffron party, a section of which is veering towards the Congress.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting a uniform GST rate of 18 percent.

"Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people," he told a rally in Morbi in the Saurashtra region. "Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits," Modi said in a reply to Gandhi's 'Gabbar Singh Tax' jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

He said Gandhi was propagating a 'grand stupid thought' in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 percent.

This means 18 percent tax on salt and 18 percent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, he noted. He also brought up Rahul Gandhi's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and grandmother Indira Gandhi as he targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family.

As the Congress vice president on Wednesday visited the Somnath temple, Modi told his audience that Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi's great grand father, was "unhappy" when Sardar Patel took up the temple's reconstruction in 1950s.

"When Sardar Patel took up the work of re-construction of Somnath temple, Nehru was unhappy. Your great grand father Nehru wrote a letter to President Rajendra Prasad when he was to come for the opening ceremony of the temple," Modi said.

"This land of brave people will not forgive those who have acted against the Somnath temple," he said. Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi,the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

"I remember Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies," he said.

Gandhi, who kicked off his two-day visit to the state after offering prayers at the famous Somnath temple, reached out to the Patidars, recalling how 14 members of the community were killed in police action during their quota stir in 2015, and insisting those who raised their voice in Gujarat faced bullets.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region. "I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no. "Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked.

He said the prime minister was not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah should not come out ahead of the Gujarat elections. Gandhi, who looks set to assume the reins of the Congress before the first phase of polling on 9 December, called Modi an "excellent actor" who does not require a contact lens to shed tears.

"Modi ji is an excellent actor. When actors have to cry in a scene, they use contact lens. Modi ji does not need contact lens to shed tears," he told another rally in Amreli. Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted 22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

"First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise? Gandhi said in a series of tweets.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address eight rallies on November 27 and 29 in different parts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat, where polling for the first phase of assembly polls will be held on 9 December.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his tour from Kutch disrict in Gujarat. According to his itinerary, he will first visit the famous Ashapura Mata temple before starting his campaigning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address people in Bhuj town of Kutch district and later in the day in Jasdan town of Rajkot, Dhari in Amreli and Kamrej in Surat district.

Modi is slated to visit Jan Sabha in Bhuj at 11 am, while he will be in Jasdan city in Rajkot at around 1.20 pm. He will be in Amreli at 3.00 pm and he will finally visit Kamrej in Surat at 5.15 pm.

"Each rally has been organised in such a way that people from five to six surrounding constituencies can also attend it," Bhupender Yadav, Gujarat BJP-incharge said.

Congress leaders in several constituencies threatened to resign from the party if "imported candidates" were not withdrawn and replaced by "dedicated partymen of their choice.

A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis much-awaited campaign tour, Congress leaders had to call in the police to prevent furious cadres from creating ruckus at the party headquarters in Ahmedabad's Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, hours after it declared the third and the final list of candidates.

In Kutch, from where Modi begins his tour on Monday, the entire Congress-controlled agriculture produce market committee along with hordes of supporters quit the Congress and joined the BJP in protest against official party nominees.

While Modi will visit his home state today, BJP chief Amit Shah is already in the state and actively campaigning. On Sunday, Shah slammed Congress for lacking an agenda for the elections and said, "Congress lacks leaders as well as strategy."

89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will go to polls in the first phase of voting on 9 December. These 89 seats come under 19 districts of the state.

No, nothing is simple in this year's election. It is turning out to be a racy whowinit even Holmes would have left alone. Two things are clear after a fortnight on the campaign trail: One, both parties are confident in public and confused in private. Two, Hindutva is getting replaced with caste identity, depriving the BJP of its biggest weapon.

According to CNN-News18, Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani. who has been spearheading a campaign against the Narendra Modi government, along with Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakore. will be contesting as an Independent from the Vadgam constituency.

In North Gujarat's Radhanpur, as many as 2,000 Congress workers have threatened to resign from the party to protest the candidature of Alpesh Thakore, who joined the party just a month ago.

The rally is in Bhuj but all BJP contestants from Kutch district would be on the podium with Modi.

The significance of the visit to this temple of local deity Ashapura Mata is that it is located in an area with a sizeable Muslim population. Local sources say even one visit by Modi there will pep up the Hindu population in the area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who begins his whirlwind campaign from the desert district of Kutch that was devastated in the January 26, 2001, earthquake, will first offer prayers at Mata nou Madh temple that falls in the Abdasa constituency.

Modi earned encomiums as the 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' (Hindu heartthrob) in post-Godhra Gujarat, moreso after his statewide Gaurav Yatra that saw rabid Muslim-bashing, but brought him bountiful seats in the election that followed in 2002. However, no sooner did he acquire national ambitions manifested in the three-day Sadbhavana fast in September 2011, that he sought to open a line to the minority community through Ahmedabad-based businessman Zafar Sareshwala, who was subsequently appointed chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad after Modi became prime minister.

CNN-News18 quoted BJP sources as saying that the party shifted the rally from Kamrej to Kadodara after sensing trouble from the Patidar community. The report added that the party shifted the rally about two days back.

Just ahead of Modi's rallies, BJP releases the names of 34 candidates for the upcoming Gujarat elections. With the latest list, the names of all BJP candidates have been released.

Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel's open support to the Congress in the December Assembly polls is not an electoral alliance but a "deal" between two sides, Rupani told PTI in an interview.

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani has accused the Congress of seeking refuge in casteism and "outsourcing" its campaign to caste leaders while dismissing any threat to the BJP's poll prospects from the Congress-Hardik Patel tie-up. He alleged that the Congress was "deceiving" the people over the issue of reservation, while the agitators were lining up for poll tickets.

Rajyaguru had won the previous election from Rajkot (East) constituency. He was among the three lucky winners for the Congress from the 38 urban constituencies in Gujarat's three big cities  Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot. But, acting on his promise of chasing the chief minister, he decided to shift to Rajkot (West) last year. "I decided to contest against Rupani the moment I heard he would be named chief minister. He is not a good man, he needs to be defeated," he says.

The delay is apparently because Lallan College Ground, where he is to speak, was more than half empty at the scheduled time. Now, there are better crowds and he is likely to reach anytime now.

Security preparations are on full swing in Amreli's Chalala, where Modi is expected to address a rally at 1 pm. Chalala is 25 kilometre from the district headquaters Amreli.

I am happy that i got the opportunity to visit Ashpura temple at Abdasa. I have come to seek the blessings of the common man," says Modi

"On one hand, there is vikaas (bjp), then there is 'vansh vaad' (Dynasts) (in a reference to Congress) Gujarat will not forgive you at all." Gujarat will never accept you.. The reason is since you have kept Gujarat backwards since the times of Sardar Patel.You people (Congress) shot bullets outside the Congress headquarters in Ahmedabad," Modi said while slamming Congress

"There was an Anjar earthquake in 1956. The earthquake was so severe that Pandit Nehru had to come here. But do you remember the Congress doing anything for you people. But now this party is asking our report card.. See we did so much after 2001 earthquake. Vajpayee sent me to Gujarat to help Kutch. I took the responsibility of rehabilitation. My training began from Kutch crisis itself. You have helped me grow like a boy. Now these Congressmen are blaming me over corruption. Will you forgive Congress?" Modi said.

"Rann was already there. But I thought that we can turn it into tourist spot and earn money. Our mantra is vikaas so we did it. People never imagined that there can be any kind of farming in Kutch. At one side is desert and then another side there is Pakistan. Now it is a krishi shtra. Nobody thought that saffron can be grown here. After drip irrigation, it is a model for farming," Modi said.

"There are so many tourist sites in Kutch that tourists will take more than a week to complete their tour to this district," Modi said.

"Had Congress helped us with the Narmada project, we would have got the water 30 years back. You people would not have to migrate to other places," Modi said.

"At a time when Doka La was going on, Rahul was hugging Chinese ambassador. We conducted surgical strike after Uri attack but did Congress do anything after Mumbai in 2008? This is the difference in leadership," Modi said on surgical strike and Doka La standoff.

"Pakistan released Hafiz Saeed. Why is Congress clapping for it. I don't understand this because a terrorist has been released," Modi said referring to Rahul Gandhi's tweet questioning Saeed's release from house arrest.

"We will prove every pollster wrong by winning 151 seats in Gujarat. please come in full force to vote on 9 December," says Modi

It is instructive how Narendra Modi is focusing on the past to build his narrative of present. In his first pit stop in Bhuj on Gujarat campaign trail, the prime minister embarked on a two-pronged strategy to counter Congress. One, highlight his achievements in Kutch as Gujarat chief minister. Two, project himself as the son of soil and claim that his insulting him is akin to insulting Gujaratis. None of these are exactly new strategies but Modi obviously feels confident enough that his work as an administrator  be it rebuilding Kutch after the devastating earthquake of 2001 or brining Narmada to the water-starved district  has not been forgotten. In his avoidance of GST topic and conflation of self with Gujarati 'asmita' lies another pointer. A tacit acceptance that Modi is aware of the potential political repercussions of a glitch-ridden implementation of GST.

The ambitious Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana is supposed to be benefiting Surendranagar the most. The main Saurashtra Branch Canal brings water to Surendranagar, from where three of the four pipe canals, which are supposed to distribute water to the entire region, originate. Farmers in rural Surendranagar are particularly pleased with SAUNI. The Botad Branch Canal originating from Dholidhaja dam in Surendranagar runs through the district covering well over half of the 600 plus villages. Since the district is a large cotton producing belt, farmers' water woes have been resolved to a great extent, and they credit Modi for it.

BJP has its task cut out. Jains and Kolis, who are in large numbers in Surendranagar here, and who have been BJP's traditional vote base are upset over ticket distribution. The fight is on in Surendranagar, with just one caveat that Modi is yet to arrive in the district.

Lack of deliverance by BJP and lack of trust in the Congress made many people say they will abstain from voting in the elections. The voter turnout in Surendranagar would be interesting to look at on 9 December.

There are several farmers who are disatisfied with Modi even though their water problem has been resolved to a large extent. Surendranagar is a cotton belt. When he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he demanded higher MSP from the UPA-ruled central government. Now that he is PM, the MSP continues to be 810 rupees per 20 kilos while the expenses are around 700 rupees per 20 kilos, say farmers. These farmers seem to be titling towards Congress.

Two BJP youth workers, Chetan Patel and Milan Patel, believe that Patels are not as angry with the BJP as it is being projected in the media and by the Congress. "Right now, it is 50-50. but after Modi's rally, it will be 70-30 in favour of BJP," they claim.

A large constituency cannot conceive of voting against BJP. Rupani does not wield much of an image. Modi's charm endures, which was evident in Paresh Rawal's speech when he had come to inaugurate a local BJP office in Wadhwan. He hardly mentioned BJP. "Ek taraf congress hai, aur ek taraf Modi saheb," he kept saying.

In spite of the problems in the city, there are several voters who would continue to vote for Modi out of sheer habit. The water woes were a poll issue in 2007 as well as 2012. But it did not hamper BJP's chances.

"Congress was totally in favour of the GST during the discussions. However. when after the dicussions, it began opposing the new tax law." Modi said during the Bhuj rally.

After addressing a rally in Kutch's district headquarter of Bhuj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing a rally in Rajkot's Jasdan. While the rally was supposed to start at 11 am, it has not begun yet.

"In last fifteen years, you have chosen us three times. You all know that Gujarat has adopted the route of "vikaas'. We have not left anything for ensuing your welfare in Jasdan," Modi said.

"These people spoke of bringing Narmada here. But they ridiculed and insulted us for demanding better facilities. Had Congress helped us, then we would have had Narmada at least 30 years back," Modi said. He added that only after the BJP government came to power that policies were made to help people benefit from Narmada project.

These Congress leaders have lost their charecter. The Gujarati janta does not like you (Congress) but still you are working so much. You insulted Sardar Patel.. We all you know what you had done to Sardar. Everything is is recorded in Manibehn diary.

"Morarji. He had an impeccable character and a Gandhian. But he is a Gujarati. The way the Gandhi family insulted him. They just threw him out. Babubhai Patel became CM. But they could not tolerate a Patel as CM. The smae about Chimanbhai. We tried to help him make CM (in 1990). After that Keshubhai became Cm, the first from Kathiawar," Modi said while claiming that Congress conspired against Patels.

I am asking you has any government at the Centre thought of giving free housing to poor and middle class? We are helping them get home loans so that they can get a home," Modi said. He added," We are making sure that even those who wear chappal will fly planes."

"There used to be a kind of unofficial curfew every day under Congres rule. Secuirty was an issue. But have we not provided you with security? Once there is security, there is peace and communal harmony," Modi said.

"Congress is making baseless allegations against BJP and me. But the people of Gujarat will teach them a lesson on 9 December (polling day). I ask you, will these people (Congress high command) who sit in Delhi help in Gujarat's 'vikaas'?" Modi said during his address.

Quiz: How well do you really know the state that's about to go to the polls?

"I am glad I got the opportunity to visit Amreli. I have come here to take your blessings," the prime minister said as he greeted a cheering crowd that had been waiting for him for over two-and-half hours.

"The Congress party, which had reigned the country for more than 70 years. What stopped them from developing Amreli district. Hatred for Gujaratis and our state flows in their blood," Narendra Modi said.

"They know that the common man, even the one who lives in villages, have aspirations of having good road, and then good tar roads, and then good double track roads... this hunger for development should persist, only then will India progress."

"Since I was a child, I heard one thing. 'Ghogha-Dahej RORO ferry service' 'Ghogha-Dahej RORO ferry service,' who stopped you from making this service when you ruled the country for 70 years? We made it happen, this is called progress. This ferry service is going to be functional from Kutch to Mumbai. The whole kutch andmn kathiawad will reap the benefits of this"

"Amreli has a vast coast, which could have been developed to benefit so many. Congress could have changed your future but for 70 years they did nothing. We brought job opportunities through port land development and blue economy. You'll enjoy the benefits soon," Modi tells Amreli.

Even after 12 months, why is Congress still talking about note ban. Everyone knows life and death is part of the process, but nothing beats the sorrow of losing an earning son. Eve after 12 months of the tragedy, you still get tears in your eyes, if you lose the bread winner of the family. This is why Congress has tears in their eyes even after 12 months after demonetisation; they have lost all their black money."

People start queuing up outside the rally venue at Kadodara, an industrial area that falls within the Kamrej constituency, which is a Patidar dominated area

"Congress has shown contempt for Gujarat. They prevented Narmada waters from reaching people across the state, their reign was characterised by poor law and order, and they destabilised Chief Ministers from the Patel community be it Babubhai, Chimanbhai, Keshubhai and Anandiben," Narendra Modi

Meanwhile, News 18 reported that the earlier, the venue for the rally was inside main Surat city, however, it was later shifted out to Kadodara, at the outskirts of city. Even as BJP cited logistical reasons for the change in venue, News 18 sources said that intel agencies have warned of a Patidar agitation at the rally.

Supporters have come in busloads from more nearby talukas to attend Modi's Kadodara rally. Most of them were wearing BJP sashes and chanting slogans - Har Har Modi.

"Thirty years ago, during Congress rule, villagers had to give a letter to get roads fixed. Today, the letters are to get double lanes... that is the difference between Congress and BJP rule," Narendra Modi

"We want to extend Ro-Ro ferry service from Kutch on one side and Mumbai on the other," Modi said. He said that the previous governments had only fooled Gujaratis while he would ensure that everything that is promised actually reaches the beneficiaries on ground.

"In the 21st century, 18,000 villages still don't have power in India. Shouldn't Congress be held responsible?" Narendra Modi asked. He said that his government ensured that electricity reaches to each and every village.

"I was told it is an impossible task to provide electricity 24/7 to cities. Every one told me, that its a difficult to take electricity to each home. But then I thought, didn't my Gujarati brothers and sisters choose me to accomplish the difficult? And within 3 years, I ensured that electricity reached every house in Gujarat," Narendra Modi

"Rajiv Gandhi understood the problems of the people, but did he solve anything? This is Congress' problem. There is a huge difference between the villagers 30 years and today. But Congress doesnt understand this. They think what worked then, will work now," Modi said.

Arrogance of Congress party is at a record high. They don't realise that times have changed. Things are very different in Gujarat from the time they ruled here 22 years ago. Society is no longer divided, there is progress now: PM Narendra Modi in Surat

He said that for the first time, there is a govt at the Centre which is helping the middle class get loans and build a house.

"Has there ever been a precedent when a government helped the people own a home? Tell me which government has done anything for you," Modi asked people amid resounding cheers.

"This govt is not going to move away from the path of honesty. Those who have robbed the poor will have to give it back. Three lakh companies have been served notice whose finances were suspicious," Narendra Modi said defending the demonetisation scheme."

"Before BJP came to power, people were used to living under the shadow of curfews. It was hard to imagine a life otherwise. Such was the situation. In 22 years, BJP has ensured peace and tranquility in the state," Modi said.

They speak about Sardar Patel but I don't want to dig out their history. They should turn the pages of Maniben (Patel's daughter's) diary, may be that will help them recollect how they treated him. Then, Morarji Desai, a Gandhiaite, became the prime minister. Overnight, Indira Ji removed Morarji Bhai from the Cabinet. The truth is Congress hates Gujaratis," Narendra Modi said.

"In Uttar Pradesh the Congress was feeling so confident about victory. They started calling Gujaratis donkeys. And now, they are coming here to Gujarat to seek support. Nobody can insult the people of Gujarat like this. They mistreated Sardar Patel, Morarji Desa who were legendary leaders from Gujarat. There past and present shows they hate Gujaratis," Modi said.

Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Kadodara said that the Congress has only showed disrespect and hatred for Gujaratis and now they have the guts to come and ask for support in the same stae.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his high voltage campaign with rallies on 27 November in Bhuj in Kutch district, Jasdan in Rajkot, Chalala in Amreli and Kadodara near Surat.

The rally at Morbi is scheduled for 9 am, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive around 10 am.

While the Morbi was scheduled to begin at 9 am, it has been delayed now. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak at around 10 am.

And caste-based movements across Gujarat in the recent past  the Dalit protests after the Una flogging incident and the Patidar agitation  have sent the Muslims to the sidelines. And poll math only warrants a change in strategy.

It is no coincidence that nobody is talking about the Muslim vote bank this election season. The BJP is never known to explicitly woo the minority community; the Muslim voter has looked at the Congress as its only support. However, the Congress, this season adapted a different strategy  prioritising winnability over anything else.

BJPs Gujarat Vikas Rally will cover 25 Assembly seats in Saurashtra and south Gujarat."Each rally has been organised in such a way that people from five to six surrounding constituencies can also attend it," Bhupendra Yadav had said.

Not only Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi but also Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Somnath Temple. Modi is expected to be there at around 1 pm, reports Financial Express.

According to India Today, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive at Somnath temple for darshan at 1 pm while Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a public rally 1.20 pm in Prachi, 23 kilometres from the temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to Prachi, 20 kilometres from Somnath. It is said, one visit to Prachi is equal to 100 visits to Kashi.

Morbi is a ceramic hub. Over 700 factories are located in the district, expected to be hit by GST and demonetisation. Yet, by and large, traders and businessmen seem to be behind Modi. It created problems initially but the reduced GST rate of 18% from 28% is no cause for concern, they say.

Local journalists in private conversations say the traders and industrialists are disillusioned with Modi after demonetization and GST, but won't express it to the media out of fear, since they've long been loyal to BJP and can't be seen siding with Congress. They are certainly not as okay with the decisions as they try to convey, they say.

In 2002, Modi set out on his Gujarat Gaurav Yatra in the backdrop of serious allegations of state-sponsored communal violence after the Godhra train attack where he played the same victim- hood card converting all criticism against him and his government as an insult to the Gujarati pride. And it worked. Similarly, the condemnation of state-sponsored violence established him as a veritable Hindu Hriday Samrat who had taught the Muslims a lesson.

Speaking to Firstpost, the co-ordinator of the Prachi rally said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to visit the Somnath. This is contrary to some media reports that he may make it to the famous Shiva temple today. However, a local police official told Firstpost that temple visits by the prime minister are revealed only half an hour before the schedule visit due to security reasons.

Morbi has a large Patidar population. While the urban Patels remain firmly behind Modi and BJP, the discontent is palpable amongst rural Patidars. Hardik has struck a chord here.

The 1985 riots in Ahmedabad are important in the context of BJPs rise to power. While it began on an anti-reservation plank, it quickly degenerated into a communal one because of the entry of the BJP, Yagnik said. Yagnik added that riots in the late 80s and in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition communally polarised the state, which helped the BJP win the 1995 Assembly election.

At least 40 dams in Saurashtra get water through Morbi's Machu 2 dam in the SAUNI Yojana. Yet, there are several villages which continue to starve for water in Morbi. Rural Morbi is an agrarian belt. The entire Taluka of Maliya with 40 villages has not received benefits of the SAUNI Yojana. These farmers are upset with BJP.

Just like Surendranagar, farmers mostly cultivate cotton in Morbi. They are upset that Modi has not increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of cotton when he would demand the same thing as CM of Gujarat from the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government.

"Now people from other states and countries are coming to Saurashtra to see how we were successful to create water management system (SAUNI)," Modi said in Morbi.

"We have laid such water pipelines that even Congress leaders can sit in Maruti car and go," Modi said while taunting the pet project of Sanjay Gandhi. Due to Narmada project, farmer incomes are at least Rs 70,000 cores now. Under BJP, there were three agricultural university that were established, Under Congress, there were only one," Modi added.

"When we came to power, we focussed on water. Congress asks what is our Gujarat model. We know what is Congress' development agenda  waterpump. Our development is SAUNI of Narmada. Often, Congress promised handpump just for sake of vote," Modi said.

Urea production was not an issue but the subsidy with it. But the urea produced was diverted to chemcical industries. This was the issue. We requested Congress to do something on this. But they did not listen to us. They were only interested in early black money through leaks in subsidies.

"We created a 6000 crore kisan sampada yojna for farmers. We helped you develop dairy farming. We have helped fishermen buy new boats," Modi said while counting his government's pro-poor schemes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi taunts intellectuals over GST. He said," You people call it 'Grand Stupid Talk' but I ask you have you worked for the poor? Congress wants to decrease GST on cigarette and alcohol and give cancer to people. Gujaratis won't forgive Congress for anti-poor and anti-middle class thought process," Modi said.

"Let the Congressmen cry over noteban but people of Morbi only understand the language of vikaas. Gujaratis should be proud that for the first time , they have a have a man in Delhi. I am a Gujarati, who has a good business sense. I request you to vote all candidates of the BJP," Modi said while concluding his speech.

Once upon a time, water was an issue in Kutch-Saurashtra. People used to walk great distance to get water, says Modi

"I want to ask Congress why is it so obsessed with the demonetisation drive. Is it because any of their members were affected by the note ban. You (Congress) looted the poor for seven decades. Even a year later, they are crying over the move," Modi said

Three months back, serious floods devastated miles of cotton crops of farmers, predominantly in Maliya Taluka when a dam overflowed. They have still not received compensation. The BJP is skating on thin ice among that constituency.

"The Patidar fight is no more for a community. It has become a private affair. The Patidars and the BJP are two sides of the same coin, they will vote for us," Rupani said at a conclave of India TV.

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday accused PAAS leader Hardik Patel of betraying his Patidar community and claimed that the Congress will pay heavily in the Assembly elections for portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "chaiwala" on social media.

The Dalit factor has emerged in this year's Assembly election primarily because of the Dalit movement after the Una incident. Under the leadership of Mevani, the Dalits have come closer to the Congress.

Jignesh Mevani, who emerged after the incident, is considered a hero among the Dalits here. They are talking about organising protests for their rights and justice. The Dalits only form about eight percent of the voters in Gujarat, while they make up 16 percent in the country. They are not much influential in the poll-bound state.

It is not the BJP which is winning any election. It is in fact Modi who was winning all this while. There is a huge leadership crisis in Gujarat Congress which helped Modi to grow stronger and stronger, Sanjay Kumar, director of Centre for the Study of Developing Societies told Firstpost.

After Modi became the chief minister in October 2001, Congress has been struggling to find an equally strong match to counter him. Under Modi, the BJP won three consecutive Assembly elections, a feat not achieved by any of the chief ministers in the past.

Speaking before Narendra Modi, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said, "On one hand, there is development. On the other hand, there is anarchy (Congress). On our end, you would experience, sabka saath sabka vikaas. But the Congress only believes in caste politics and dividing the people of Gujarat.

"Our niyat (intention) is clean. But I cannot say that of the Congress.Their intention is dynasty. It is corruption," Rupani said.

Clarification: We had stated earlier that the prime minister arrived late for the Morbi rally. The BJP has clarified that while the rally was scheduled to begin at 9 am, Modi was only expected to arrive at 11 am, which he did.

"Had Sardar Patel not been there, no grand temple would have been in Somnath. So there a people who are reminded of Somnath (Rahul Gandhi and Congress) I want to ask them: Do you know history? Your great grandfather,, grandfather, grandmother. Nehru was not happy with Sardar Patel's restoration work of Somanth.. Rajendra Babu sent a invite to Nehru for the inauguration. But he got an angry letter," Modi said in Prachi, a town in Somnath.

"Those who ruled India for 70 years are now asking for my report card. When your family was ruling, there is SC/ST commission. However, we are also giving OBC commission a constitutional status. But you did nothing. Caste politics by Congress destroyed Gujarat. We demanded constitutional status for OBC commission but we received no answer from you," Modi said in Prachi.

"The Delhi treasury is for the common man. It is for poor people. We believe in engaging with the farmers so we have all these schemes for them," Modi said.

"Congress has no neeti (policy) or neta (Leader). It does not have any connection with the common man. How can these people create India's destiny?" asked Modi as he concluded his speech.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dropped veiled hints at considering the demand for reservation, without explicitly naming the Patidar community. He said: "I want to assure you- Congress may try to throw any roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC communities their due."

"Congress is seeking votes of OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow OBC Commission to get Constitutional Status for all these years. We brought in the move, it was passed by Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority," Modi said.

Taking on Congres, which has earned the support of Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Modi said that the Congress is only making promises of OBC reservation to get the community's vote.

We belong to the heirs of the fakir Gandhi. And they are the Gandhi varisdar who are born with a golden spoon.They do not know how it feels to walk barefoot and have a stone or thorn hurt your feet. It is upto you to choose which Gandhi you want. The fakir or the one with the golden spoon, Modi said.

"They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life & work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking: PM Modi in Palitana," Modi said accusing Congress of being the party of the elites.

Refering to the Congress rule, Modi told a massive gathering in Palitana, "Do you remember the water shortage in the region? This is because the Congress controlled the tanker business. It suited them to have this shortage. The BJP has changed this in the last 22 years. We have made the tanker industry irrelevant."

Coming down heavily on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his Gabbar Singh Tax jibe on GST tax reform, Modi said, "Those who looted nation think only of dacoits... They are propagating grand stupid thought on GST."

Hardik is too young to contest elections but he has vowed to defeat BJP, and Morba, an industrial town has been voting for the BJP for the past decade but it also has a sizeable Patel population

Hardik Patel, the young leader who rose to fame after the Patidar stir, was addressing a rally just 30 kilometres away from the venue of Modi's rally in Morbi. Hardik has since been tweeting pictures of crowds assembled at his rally, apparently in a show of strength.

Amid chants of Modi Modi and Bharat Mata ki Jai, the prime minister started address at Navsari. "As far as the eye goes, it looks like Gujarat has donned a saffron sheet."

"Take whichever election you may like, Gujarat and saffron are one. In Gujarat election, no one apart from BJP can win and in Congress elections, nobody apart from a Gandhi can contest," Modi said.

"There are three elections going on- one in UP local bodies, one in Gujarat and the third one for the Congress President. In the first two the BJP is sure to win. And in the third one, no one except one family will win," Narendra Modi

"When they wanted votes in Uttar Pradesh, they referred to us as Gujarat's donkeys. Now when they have come to ask for votes Gujarat's people will clear all their accounts and show them their reality," Modi said.

They ask me questions about terrorism, Pakistan, and surgical strikes. "You tell me who was responsible for the problems at the root at the Kashmir issue. You tell me who is responsible for years of violence," Modi said.

"Congress loves asking me- Modi ji what did you do. I want to tell them due to our efforts the corrupt are languishing in jail. They could also have done that but for them fighting corruption is a non-issue," Modi said.

" Congress dislikes Gujarat as they will be defeated here. Victory and defeat are a part of life. There was a time when our party would distribute sweets when we saved our deposits. These things happen in a democracy, Congress should not be consumed by such hatred," Modi said.

 As a mark of respect for Muslim prayers (Azaan), prime minister interrupted his speech and took a long pause as people wondered what went wrong. Many in the crowd were seen cheering him, chanting Modi Modi as they waited for the PM to restart his speech. When Modi spoke again, he briefly mentioned that he had stopped as he heard the sounds of Azaan, and continued with his speech.

Modi said that Congress loves to question the army, they questioned the surgical strike too. "They asked for proof, they asked for pictures... should we make a film for them," Modi asked. He said that they even asked that if our side did have any casualty as our soldiers languished and suffered on border. People who talk like that should not expect votes in Congress.

Narendra Modi, speaking about the Doka La crisis, said that his question to Congress is clear, "Why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry."

"The Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich," Modi said.

"They may label me a Congress agent, but they have always divided the society. It was because of them that Patidar samaj was brought on roads, they were the reason Dalits had to fight for their rights," Hardik said.

"This is not just the fight of the Patidar samaj, this is not about Dalits or Kshatriyas. This is the fight of 6 crore Gujaratis. You place a hand on your heart and tell me where is vikas. How many gas cylinders did you get, how much water do you get tell me honestly. This is the fight to defeat their arrogance," Hardik said.

"What is vikas (development), where is vikas, villages don't have pucca houses, if you recharge phone with 4g data pack you get 2g internet, is this vikas. show me where is vikas and I will suspend my kranti anddolan (movement).

 As a mark of respect for Muslim prayers (Azaan), prime minister interrupted his speech and took a long pause as people wondered what went wrong. Many in the crowd were seen cheering him, chanting Modi Modi as they waited for the PM to restart his speech. When Modi spoke again, he briefly mentioned that he had stopped as he heard the sounds of Azaan, and continued with his speech.

Modi said that Congress loves to question the army, they questioned the surgical strike too. "They asked for proof, they asked for pictures... should we make a film for them," Modi asked. He said that they even asked that if our side did have any casualty as our soldiers languished and suffered on border. People who talk like that should not expect votes in Congress.

Narendra Modi, speaking about the Doka La crisis, said that his question to Congress is clear, "Why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry."

"The Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich," Modi said.

"They may label me a Congress agent, but they have always divided the society. It was because of them that Patidar samaj was brought on roads, they were the reason Dalits had to fight for their rights," Hardik said.

"This is not just the fight of the Patidar samaj, this is not about Dalits or Kshatriyas. This is the fight of 6 crore Gujaratis. You place a hand on your heart and tell me where is vikas. How many gas cylinders did you get, how much water do you get tell me honestly. This is the fight to defeat their arrogance," Hardik said.

"What is vikas (development), where is vikas, villages don't have pucca houses, if you recharge phone with 4g data pack you get 2g internet, is this vikas. show me where is vikas and I will suspend my kranti anddolan (movement).



Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four rallies on 29 November in different parts of south Gujarat, where polling for the first phase of Assembly elections will be held on 9 December.

On Wednesday, Modi will address poll rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in Surat city in south Gujarat, Gujarat BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav told a press conference in Ahmedabad. "Each rally has been organised in such a way that people from five to six surrounding constituencies can also attend it," Yadav added.

Sources state that the prime minister will arrive in Morbi at around 11:00 am, while he will reach Prachi village in Somnath at 1:25 pm. His visit to Pali will kick off at 3:30 pm and he will end his tour with a rally at Navsari at 5:30 pm.

Modi, who had started his high voltage campaign with rallies on 27 November in Bhuj in Kutch district, Jasdan in Rajkot, Chalala in Amreli and Kadodara near Surat, took on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and the opposition party on issues related to China, Lashkar-e-Taiba's Hafiz Saeed, the surgical strike as well as corruption.

During his campaign in the state in the last few days, Rahul had trained his guns at the Modi-led government over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, demonetisation and alleged corruption charges on BJP president Amit Shah's son Jay Shah.

In response, Modi slammed the Opposition over its criticism of the Central government. At the Bhuj rally on 27 November, Modi pitched the election as a fight between "trust on development and dynastic politics." He asked the people of Gujarat not to forgive Congress leaders as they had levelled baseless allegations on the "son of Gujarat" who has a stainless public life. "I want to tell them that I am Modi, who is ready to sell tea but will never commit the sin of selling the entire country," he said, in an apparent reference to scams during the Congress-led UPA rule.

Modi also trained his guns on Rahul, accused him of applauding the release of Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan and asking why he hugged the Chinese ambassador during the Doka La standoff. "You are happy to hug the Chinese ambassador, you are clapping at the release of Hafiz Saeed, you cannot respect Indian Army's surgical strike... But why did you speak about it? You could have just remained silent," he said in Bhuj, not specifying how and where Gandhi had hailed Saeed's release.

Modi's initial speeches in the poll-bound state have already riled up the opposition, with Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma saying that Modi was running away from the real issues. "The prime minister is being emotional just to run away from real issues. Why doesn't he speak about real issues than of 'being a son' and all that? Everybody knows he is from Gujarat. Nobody is denying that. But why go on repeating that instead of talking about development if it has really been carried out in the state," he said about Modi's comments on 27 November. It is worth looking forward to how the prime minister will respond to these barbs by the Congress party on Wednesday.

The polling for the two-phase elections in the state, having total 182 assembly seats, will take place on 9 and 14 December and votes will be counted on 18 December, the same date as the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

While 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will go to polls in the first phase, the election in the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase.

With inputs from agencies

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed four rallies in the poll-bound Gujarat on Wednesday where he plans to address Patidar interests and give the BJP campaign a big push.

Continuing his high decibel campaign, Modi attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax' and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

Modi was on a campaign spree ahead of the first phase elections on 9 December, covering Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and Navsari in Surat city of south Gujarat. The Patidar community in Morbi region has been pressing the government for reservation in government jobs and colleges for over two years.

Addressing a huge rally in Morbi town in the region, which goes to polls in the first phase on 9 December, Modi accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, and stated that the BJP rule brought in major works such as the Narmada project. Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP in this Patidar stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.

Making a fresh bid for power in his home state, where the BJP has ruled for over two decades, Modi also listed various development works by the government on water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.

The prime minister went on to say that making cigarettes cheaper means bringing cancer in every home and asked which rich businessmen the Opposition leader sought to benefit by making liquor cheaper. Continuing the second leg of BJPs Gujarat Vikas Rally in Gujarat, Modi said, "When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha magazine with a handkerchief over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity."

Modi also invoked the 1979 Machu dam failure and went onto hail SAUNI and Narmada Dam project."When we came to power, we focussed on water. Congress asks what is our Gujarat model. We know what is Congress' development agenda  waterpump. Our development is SAUNI of Narmada. Often, Congress promised handpump just for sake of votes," Modi said.

In a stinging rebuttal to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 percent. Attacking Rahul for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Modi said that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

Elaborating on the note ban, Modi said, "I want to ask Congress why is it so obsessed with the demonetisation drive. Is it because any of their members were affected by the note ban. You (Congress) looted the poor for seven decades. Even a year later, they are crying over the move." While concluding his speech, the prime minister said Gujaratis must be happy that one of them occupies top post in New Delhi.

In Prachi, Modi targeted the Congress again over its treatment of Sardar Patel and went onto say how the Opposition party had destroyed Gujarat with caste politics. He also said that Congress had kept the One Rank One Pension issue on the back burner for 40 years. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again, Modi said. We want to give our OBC communities their due, Modi added.

Modi has been extensively campaigning in the Patidar stronghold area of Amreli district which has severely distressed cotton and groundnut farmers.

According to this Firstpost editorial, in 2002, Modi set out on his Gujarat Gaurav Yatra in the backdrop of serious allegations of state-sponsored communal violence after the Godhra train attack where he played the same victim hood card, converting all criticism against him and his government as an insult to the Gujarati pride. And it worked.

At Bhavnagar's Palitana, Modi said Congress hates Modi, Gujarat, and development because they never had to sweat it out in life. "They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking," the prime minister said.

Modi will soon be addressing Navsari which is considered a BJP bastion. The party has held that seat since 1990. However, this time around, Rahul pulled in a considerable crowd at his Navsari rally.

Modi also accused the Congress of monopolising water tanker business in the parched region. While Modi was rallying in Morbi, Patidar leader Hardik Patel addressed a rally 30 kilometres away. Rahul is also in Gujarat on Wednesday and Thursday and is expected to address multiple rallies.

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies. Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on 9 and 14 December. The votes will be counted on 18 December.

With inputs from PTI

Click here to follow live updates on campaign rallies of Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi.

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
While GST, demonetisation, quota for the Patidar community, anti-Dalit incidents and similar issues have found prominence in the discourse around the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election, the latest issue to enter the fray is religion.

In what the Congress claimed a fabricated image, and the BJP alleged a conspiracy, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple snowballed into a controversy after several Gujarati news channels reported that Rahul's name appeared in the non-Hindu register of the temple. All non-hindus have to declare their identity at the temple.

The temple trust's secretary PK Laheri exclusively told Firstpost reporter Darshan Desai that Rahul only put his signature in the Visitor's Book of the temple and nowhere else. "Rahul only wrote: This is an inspiring place' and he did so in the presence of our general manager Vijaysinh Chawda. "This is the only place he signed after he entered the temple," he added. As for entry as a non-Hindu, Laheri clarified,"The separate register has been maintained for the last three years for security purposes." Laheri told Firstpost that Rahul did not sign the "other register." "...maybe his media coordinator did. But I am not sure. There was nobody there. This non-Hindu register generally remains with the security guard."

According to this report in India Today, an image of the register where both Rahul and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel signed as 'non-Hindus' went viral on social media. The image was shared on Twitter by one Vikas Pandey who goes by the handle @vikasspandey.

The image was deleted by the user when Firstpost tried to verify its veracity.

The Congress' issued a clarification soon after the news broke on social media and said that at the Somnath Temple there is only one visitor book and any other image that has been circulated is fake.

Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

Here is the original signature of Rahul Gandhi at Somnath Temple.Very clearly. The other signature is written as 'Rahul Gandhi ji', why would he write ji? Don't know who wrote it. BJP doing what it does best, diverting from real issues: Deependra Hooda,Congress pic.twitter.com/CeRqJnlA6A  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

This is the authentic entry of @OfficeOfRG with his signature in #SomnathTemple today. The one which is being circulated by #BJP is false.

   ,     #Congress_Aave_Che #Gujratelections2017 pic.twitter.com/piafcq5ObU  Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) November 29, 2017

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also called for a media briefing and said, "Rahul ji made an entry into the visitor's book. The signature of which is being talked of is different, neither it is the signature of Rahul Gandhi nor was this register ever given to him."

Rahul ji made an entry into the visitor's book, The signature which is being talked of is different,neither it is the signature of Rahul Gandhi nor was this register ever given to him: RS Surjewala,Congress pic.twitter.com/8w6hkKxRHQ  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Not only is Rahul Gandhi ji a Hindu, he is a 'janeu dhari' Hindu. So BJP should not bring down the political discourse to this level: RS Surjewala,Congress pic.twitter.com/YY5MKQEKt5  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Congress sources in Gujarat, however, have told Firstpost that the local media coordinator of the party, Manoj Tyagi, in Gujarat signed both Rahul and Patel's name in the non-Hindu register "by mistake". Sources said that the person who filled the register was not aware of the rules here hence wrote Rahul's name in that register. The BJP did not miss the opportunity to slam the party with two different versions of the incident coming from the Congress. Senior journalist Brajesh K Singh tweeted this at least three hours ago:

Jai Somnath! During @INCIndia Vice President @OfficeOfRG visit to Somnath Temple, his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi mentioned Rahul Gandhi name along with @ahmedpatel into the spl register maintained for Non-Hindus who are visiting the temple. Major goof up in the election season pic.twitter.com/yYvBmIm2s3  Brajesh K Singh (@brajeshksingh) November 29, 2017

The Congress workers have called the incident a conspiracy by the BJP as one of the secretaries of the temple trust is BJP president Amit Shah. The BJP, meanwhile, launched a scathing attack on the Congress vice-president demanding to know which religion he followed.

BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya was quick to cash in on this as he tweeted:

Finally Rahul Gandhi comes clean on his religion, signs visitor register in Somnath (as per rule) meant for non-Hindus. If he isnt a Hindu by faith, let alone a practicing one, then why has he been fooling people with these temple visits? pic.twitter.com/Igh5wxitkt  Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) November 29, 2017

This 1998 New York Times article said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics. This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism there after? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer.https://t.co/4oxjBxPqS1  GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) November 29, 2017

RahulG, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG  GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) November 29, 2017

With inputs from Darshan Desai

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
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Rahul will arrive on Friday morning at Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace Porbandar and address a public rally, focussing on issues of the fishing community.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will visit Gujarat on Friday and Saturday to address election rallies, his fifth visit after Assembly polls were announced in the state next month.

"This is the largest national flag ever made. Though it was meant to be presented to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, he had refused to accept it when Dalits went to Gandhinagar in August. When Rahulji learned about it, he conveyed his desire to accept the flag with full honour," Doshi added.

"During his visit, Rahulji will accept a giant national flag, measuring 125 feet in length and 83 feet in height, from Dalit students of the Kendra. He will also address locals and Dalits of surrounding areas at the centre," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

The national flag was meant to be presented to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani a few months ago but officials in the state capital had reportedly refused to accept it citing lack of space.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be on a two-day campaign tour of Gujarat from tomorrow, during which he will accept a giant tricolour made by the Dalit community.

Late evening, he will address a gathering in the Nikol area of the city, the release said.

In the afternoon, Gandhi would visit the DSK near Sanand. He will then arrive in Ahmedabad to take part in two separate interactive sessions, one with doctors and medical professionals and another with lecturers and primary school teachers.

After landing at the Porbandar airport tomorrow morning, Gandhi would start his tour by meeting local fishermen to understand their problems, a release by the party said.

"Are you driving Tata Nano? The truth is that if a big industrialist asks for money from Narendra Modi, he is ready to give Rs 33,000 crore to that one person. But if every fisherman approaches him, they will not even get Rs 300 crore," he said.

"You lost your land, water, electricity for Tata Nano. And now, you are telling me that you did not see Tata Nano anywhere," said the Congress vice-president.

"Congress had given Rs 33,000 crore for NREGA. Narendra Modi gave the same amount for Tata Nano," said Rahul Gandhi in Porbandar.

"But the most important fact is that Gujarat does not belong to five or ten industrialists. It belongs to the farmers and fishermen," he said.

"There should be a separate ministry for fisheries in Gujarat. And if Congress comes to power in Gujarat, we will do this," he said.

"In the last few years, all of the work in Gujarat has been done for just five to ten industrialists," said Rahul. "And those industrialists contributed to campaigning for Narendra Modi later on," he added.

All of the work in Gujarat done only for 5 to 10 industrialists: Rahul

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi alleged that the fishermen from Gujarat are now forced to venture deep into the sea because of the pollution caused by 10-15 industrialists, who are "Modiji's friends".

He criticised the BJP government in Gujarat for stopping the subsidy given to fishermen to buy diesel for their boats.

Reaching out to the fishermen community in Gujarat ahead of the next month's Assembly polls, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday promised to create a separate ministry for fisheries if the party comes to power at the Centre.

Speaking at Gandhinagar, the Congress vice-president slammed BJP chief Amit Shah for the delay in Parliament's Winter Session and said it was done to ensure it is held after the Gujarat election to avoid answering questions on Jay Shah and the Rafale deal. ""This time (parliament) session will be held after Gujarat elections. Do you know the reason? Amit Shah's son converted Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 80 crore. The second reason is that 136 Rafale aircraft had to be bought. Narendra Modi went to France and changed the contract for his friend."

Slamming Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said PM has spent Rs 1,30,000 crore on Tata Nano factories. "Your electricity, water goes to Tata Nano's factories. Thousands of acres has been snatched from you and given to them. After all this, have you even seen a Tata Nano?"

On demonetisation, "When you people were standing in the lines, did you see any industrialist standing in the queue with you? In all this, Amit Shah's son Jay Shah converted Rs 50,000 into Rs 80,000 crore."

Referring to GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, Gandhi said all small traders and businessmen were hit adversely by the move. "Narendra Modi destroyed these businessmen and ensured they were unemployed."

He demanded answers over the Rafale controversy and claimed the Winter Session of Parliament was postponed to after Gujarat polls as he doesn't want to confront these questions.

Gandhi asks a series of questions: Did he (Narendra Modi) or did he not increase the price of Rafale aircrafts? Why did he take away the contract from the designated company and gave it to a company known to him? And did he follow the due procedure of following the deal through the cabinet?

The Winter Session normally takes place in November. "This year the doors of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will open after the Gujarat polls. This is because prime minister Modi doesnt want to discuss the Rafale deal or Jay Shahs company," Gandhi claimed.

Speaking in Bayad, Aravalli district, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "na khaaonga, na khaane doonga" (Won't be corrupt, not allow others to be corrupt). "His new slogan seems to be 'na bolonga, na bolnedunga' (won't talk, nor will let others speak)," Gandhi said referring to the delay in Parliament Winter Session, which will now take place between 15 December to 5 January.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to continue the Gujarat election campaign in the districts of Visavadar, Savar Kundla and Amreli on Wednesday

Rahul Gandhi will begin his campaign on Wednesday with a trip to Somnath Mandir, according to Congress' Twitter account

The Congress vice-president will be arriving for the sixth time on a two-day visit to the poll-bound Gujarat on Wednesday. This is the first leg of Rahul's election campaign in the state.

Gandhi then asked Modi on Twitter if the promise will take 45 more years to be completed.

Rahul Gandhi attacks Narendra Modi on Twitter The Congress vice-president said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 2012, has promised to build 50 lakh new houses. In the next 5 years, Gandhi claimed, only 4.72 lakh houses were constructed.

After his darshan at Somnath Mandir on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi will address a corner meeting at Visavadar in Junagadh, and attend two meetings in Amreli.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive at Somnath temple for darshan at 1 pm, and around the same time, Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a public rally at Prachi, a town some 23 km from the temple, India Today reported

Gandhi has visited 20 temples in his four-phase Navsarjan Yatra in Gujarat over 12 days, in the last two months.

The India Today report also said that owing to Gandhi's scheduled visit to the temple at around the same time, Modi will not be going for darshan at the temple, a visit he would not have otherwise missed.

As Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi campaign simultaneously in Gujarat on Wednesday, Patidar leader Hardik Patel is also expected to hold a rally in Rajkot, the constituency of Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, Scroll reported.

At Savarkundla, the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi asked where was the money Narendra Modi promised to put in bank account-holders after demonetisation. Taking a dig at Modi, Rahul said that the prime minister apparently thought overnight, "I will move my wand and these 500 and 1000 notes will become raddi."

He said that the BJP was intentionally delaying Parliament session. "If (Winter Session) debate happens, the entire nation will know what happened in Rafale and what Amit Shah's son (Jay Shah) did," Rahul said.

"On what basis did you snatched contract from government firm" Rahul asked the Centre as he criticised Rafale deal.

"Narendra Modi talks about progress, but not about farmers, He will not talk about Gabbar Singh Tax, how many people have been left unemployed. You tell us, from the audience, how many youth have received job opportunity because of Modi," Rahul asked at a public meeting in Savarkundla.

Rahul said that Modi had promised to provide employment to 2 crore youth in state. "How many youth have you provided employment," he asked.

Addressing a public meeting in Amreli, Congress vice-president said, "Narendra Modi promised in five villages in Gujarat that he would provide employment to the youth in Tata Nano factory. Not a single person has been given employment in these villages yet."

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said: "First he (Modi) would say, 'na khaunga, na khane dunga'. Now he says, 'na bolunga, na bolne dunga'.

"Both demonetisation and GST were introduced at 12am. But one company emerged through the storm and converted Rs 50,000 into Rs 80 crore through magic. Do you think a honest businessman could do this in three months," the Congress vice-president asked.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday said Gandhi would pose one question every day to the prime minister about governance in Gujarat. On on Wednesday, he wrote on Twitter: "22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab. (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP)."

Congress spokesperson Deepender Singh Hooda said he hoped Modi and the BJP would answer Rahul Gandhi, after the latter said he would be asking one question a day, about '22 years of mis-governance' in Gujarat. "We expect the Prime Minister and BJP to find time and answer the questions asked to them by Rahul Gandhi," he said. "The BJP is working for the super rich and middlemen. The party's (BJP) economic policy was at the cost of the poor."

How did Gujarat's debt increase from Rs 9,183 crore in 1995 to Rs 2,41,000 crore in 2014 under BJP rule, Congress Gujarat state president Bharat Solanki asks Narendra Modi, retweeting Rahul Gandhi's early morning post.

But that narrative is not limited just to Rahul's newfound mojo, as yet unproven. It is being amplified by the national media, that is eager to prop up an alternative to Modi, as a one-on-one Rahul versus Modi fight, with the challenger being drummed up as champion merely for showing up for the bout.

Some conventional political analysts see in this election Rahul's emergence as a formidable politician in his own right. There is nothing wrong if any person, let alone a politician, evolves in due course of time by dint of his hard work. And equally, one cannot grudge that a section of analysts find Rahul growing into a mature politician. These are subjective opinions which can be contested but have to be respected.

In Narendra Modi bastion, Rahul Gandhi is being drummed up champion merely for showing up

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said that the state debt is so large in Gujarat that every citizen in the state is carrying a debt of Rs 37,000 crore on him/her.

As Rahul Gandhi gets ready to hold a series of rallies in Gujarat, he's met with dissent within the party, with Maharashtra Congress secretary Shehzad Poonawalla questioning the process to elect the party president, calling it "rigged", and saying he must first resign from his post. Poonawalla said he would also contest the election if it was conducted in a "genuine" manner. On Tuesday, he also wrote a letter to Rahul in this regard.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said. Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

At Visavadar, Gandhi referred to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing and said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"Modi did not like Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes so he banned them.. Did you see BMW owners in the serpentine lines? These rich people were converting their black money into white. It was only a plan to help the rich. Over 100 died but did it you get your promised Rs 15 lakh?" Rahul Gandhi said in Lathi.

"He says he killed corruption through note ban.Can anything happen in Gujarat without bribing people?," Rahul asked the gathering as the people answered in the affirmative. Rahul added that everything is privatised in Gujarat .

"We will waive off all farmer loans in just 10 days of coming to power," says Rahul Gandhi in Lathi.

"It is indeed like magic that Amit Shah's company emerges. Modi says he does not want to be PM but instead wants to become India's chowkidaar. He says na khaunga na khane doonga..Do you really think Rs 50,000 can turn into Rs 80 crore rupees in three months? But interestingly the company closed down just within three years," Rahul Gandhi told the gathering in Lathi

"Modi does not want the Parliament to run as he does not want to discuss Jay Shah and Rafael deal," Rahul Gandhi said. While concluding his speech, Rahul added that his government will truly listen to the poor unlike Modi.

"Initially 136 air planes had to be bought and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited had to be given the contract. But suddenly Modi goes to France and while he changes the contract in Rafale's favour, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was spotted buying fish at a Goa market, Rahul Gandhi said in Lathi

Congress vice-president accuses the prime minister of not bringing matters of national importance to the Parliament because the truth would have come out if matters were discussed in the Parliament. Rahul seeks explanation from the prime minister in the Rafale deal, asks on what basis was Rafale favoured over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

"For the first time I see people from every community coming on the streets to confront the government. The only people who are not doing so are the rich businessmen who fly private jets," Rahul said.

Rahul promised to ask one question every day in the run up to the polls His today's question is: In 1995, Gujarat had a total debt of Rs 9.183 crore. In 2017, it has risen to 2,41,000 crore. This means every Gujarati has a debt of Rs 37,000 on his head. Why should the people of Gujarat suffer for your economic mismanagement and publicity?

"The planted controversy over CVP Rahul Gandhis entry in Somnath temple's register is yet another attempt to distract the public from the real issues under this Govt," the Congress official Twitter handle said.

"There is a problem of farmer suicide everywhere. When there is loan burden, these farmers are forced to commit suicide. When they have a debt of Rs 20,000, 50,000 loan, they commit suicide. But when Mallya has a debt of Rs 9,000 crore, he does not commit suicide. Such people are enjoying in London," Rahul said while tragetting Modi in Dhasa.

"Have you every seen Nano car on the roads? There was no employment generation for the common man. Only land was taken away from five main villages for the Tata Nano factory. They were promised employment but none of them have got it. 6 lakh 50 thousand acres of land was taken away from common man,' Rahul Gandhi claimed in Dhasa.

"Modi promised that two crore will get employment. But how many did people did get employment? I am giving a statistic: On each day, China will povide employment to 50,000 people. But Modi's government cannot provide so many jobs even in one year," Rahul Gandhi said.

"Modi likes to tell his man ki baat. This is going on since the last 22 years. But he does not want people to protest. If they do so then men will be beaten up. Their women will be harassed," Rahul said in Dhasa.

We wont promise 15 lakh to everyone. It wont be a government for 10 industrialists. It wont be a land grabbing government. It will be a government which will be listening to the "mann ki baat" of the common man," Rahul said while concluding his speech.

Rahul promised to ask one question every day in the run up to the polls His today's question is: In 1995, Gujarat had a total debt of Rs 9.183 crore. In 2017, it has risen to 2,41,000 crore. This means every Gujarati has a debt of Rs 37,000 on his head. Why should the people of Gujarat suffer for your economic mismanagement and publicity?

"The planted controversy over CVP Rahul Gandhis entry in Somnath temple's register is yet another attempt to distract the public from the real issues under this Govt," the Congress official Twitter handle said.

"There is a problem of farmer suicide everywhere. When there is loan burden, these farmers are forced to commit suicide. When they have a debt of Rs 20,000, 50,000 loan, they commit suicide. But when Mallya has a debt of Rs 9,000 crore, he does not commit suicide. Such people are enjoying in London," Rahul said while tragetting Modi in Dhasa.

"Have you every seen Nano car on the roads? There was no employment generation for the common man. Only land was taken away from five main villages for the Tata Nano factory. They were promised employment but none of them have got it. 6 lakh 50 thousand acres of land was taken away from common man,' Rahul Gandhi claimed in Dhasa.

"Modi promised that two crore will get employment. But how many did people did get employment? I am giving a statistic: On each day, China will povide employment to 50,000 people. But Modi's government cannot provide so many jobs even in one year," Rahul Gandhi said.

"Modi likes to tell his man ki baat. This is going on since the last 22 years. But he does not want people to protest. If they do so then men will be beaten up. Their women will be harassed," Rahul said in Dhasa.

We wont promise 15 lakh to everyone. It wont be a government for 10 industrialists. It wont be a land grabbing government. It will be a government which will be listening to the "mann ki baat" of the common man," Rahul said while concluding his speech.

INC COMMUNIQUE @rssurjewala issues a statement on the huge scam in purchase of power by BJP, involving private companies in Gujarat. pic.twitter.com/HryM9iGKsc

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be arriving for the sixth time on a two-day visit to the poll-bound Gujarat on Wednesday. This is the first leg of Rahul's election campaign in the state.

Congress VP Rahul Gandhi returns to Gujarat to visit the districts of Gir Somnath, Amreli & Bhavnagar. He will interact with citizens and hold public meetings regarding the issues they are facing. pic.twitter.com/ZrvhmzU7kN

After starting his visit with a darshan at Somnath Mandir, he will address a corner meeting at Visavadar in Junagadh and attend two meetings in Amreli. On the second day of campaigning, Rahul will commence his rallies with a public meeting in Lathi. He is also expected to visit the cities of Dhasa, Gadhada, Barvala and Vallabhipur. Rahul will have another public meeting Botad and he will complete his campaign with a sabha in Nari Chokdi in Bhavnagar.

The highlight of Rahul's last two-day tour to Gujarat on 24 November was the visit to the Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK), a vocational training institute run by Dalit activists, near Sanand town of Ahmedabad district. Apart from interacting with Dalits in Sanand, Rahul also interacted with fishermen, doctors, teachers and villagers on his route covering Porbandar, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mahisagar and Dahod district.

In the last two months, not just Rahul, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national chief Amit Shah have been to the state several times.

Two days ago, Rahul targeted Modi in Gujarat and alleged that the latter did not want the "truth" behind the multi-crore Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue to come out before the Assembly election in his home state. He also alleged that the NDA government was delaying the Winter Session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale and Jay Shah issues in the House before the Gujarat polls.

With the Gujarat polls less than two weeks away, the BJP on Tuesday raked up the issue of an old US diplomatic cable which allegedly quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying that "Hindu terror is a bigger threat" in India than the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and sought his explanation. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday attacked Rahul in Ahmedabad and told him to "stop misleading the youth" in Gujarat.

According to this editorial in Firstpost, one of the principal tasks before Rahul Gandhi as Congress president will be to evolve strategies for countering Hindu nationalism without alienating Hindus and ensuring Other Backward Classes (OBC) politics doesn't affect the party.

Polling for the two-phase elections in the state, having total 182 seats, will take place on 9 and 14 December and votes will be counted on 18 December.

Eighty-nine seats of the Saurashtra and South Gujarat region are going to polls in the first phase, while the remaining 93 seats in the central and northern regions would go to polls in the second phase.

With inputs from agencies

Click here for detailed coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2017
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi is expected to file nomination for the election to the Congress president's post on 4 December, party sources said.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and ex-Union minister AK Antony are likely to propose his candidature.

The notification for the election will be issued on Friday. Nominations can be filed till 4 December.

Following scrutiny of nominations on 5 December, the list of valid candidatures will be put out on the same day at 3:30 pm.

The last date of withdrawal of nomination for the election is 11 December and polling will take place on 16 December in case more than one candidate is in the race.

Counting of votes and declaration of results will take.

However, the sources said that no other contender is expected to challenge Gandhi.

"The Congress vice-president is expected to file the nomination on the morning of 4 December," a source said.

Meanwhile, forms were distributed to state returning officials (PROs) appointed by the party for the organisational polls.

The forms will carry names of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates, who in turn will nominate the contender for the top post.

The number of delegates to be nominated varies from state to state.

For example, a small state may have 10 delegates.

Big states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra or Bihar may have 30-40 delegates.

"It is a foregone conclusion that each delegate will back Gandhi's nomination," another source said.
Reuters

Apple Inc on 29 November filed a counter suit against Qualcomm Inc, alleging that Qualcomms Snapdragon mobile phone chips that power a wide variety of Android-based devices infringe on Apples patents, the latest development in a long-running dispute.

Qualcomm in July accused Apple of infringing several patents related to helping mobile phones get better battery life.

Apple has denied the claims that it violated Qualcomms battery life patents and alleged that Qualcomms patents were invalid, a common move in such cases.

But on Wednesday, in a filing in US District Court in San Diego, Apple revised its answer to Qualcomms complaint with accusations of its own. Apple alleges it owns at least eight battery life patents that Qualcomm has violated.

The Apple patents involve ensuring each part of a phones processor draws only the minimum power needed, turning off parts of the processor when they are not needed and making sleep and wake functions work better.

In its filing, Apple alleges that Qualcomms Snapdragon 800 and 820 processors, which power phones from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Alphabet Incs Googles Pixel phones, infringe on those patents. Samsung and Google are not named in Apples counterclaims.

Apple began seeking those patents years before Qualcomm began seeking the patents it asserts against Apple in this case, the company wrote in its complaint.

Apple said it is seeking unspecified damages from San Diego-based Qualcomm.

Qualcomm filed its patent infringement lawsuit at the same time it filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission seeking to ban the import of Apple iPhones that use competing Intel Corp chips because of the alleged patent violations.

The dispute between Apple and Qualcomm over patents is part of a wide-ranging legal war between the two companies.

In January, Apple sued Qualcomm for nearly $1 billion in patent royalty rebates that Qualcomm allegedly withheld from Apple. In a related suit, Qualcomm sued the contract manufacturers that make Apples phones, but Apple joined in to defend them.

Separately, Qualcomm is facing a lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission over many of the same pricing practices Apple names in its complaints.
Reuters

Germanys BMW AG is talking with other automakers around the world to try to find partners to lower the cost of electrifying its future Mini small cars, management board member Peter Schwarzenbauer told Reuters.

We are talking to many OEMs (manufacturers) around the world, not only in China, (about) how to electrify smaller cars, Schwarzenbauer said. Theres no final conclusion on it.

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Co said last month it was discussing a possible venture to build Mini vehicles in China. BMW currently does not build Mini vehicles outside Europe.

Schwarzenbauer declined to discuss the Great Wall situation, saying this was speculation.

However, he said building smaller electric cars was challenging, not only because of the financial costs, but also the engineering problem of fitting batteries with sufficient range into a smaller vehicle package.

BMW has worked with rivals before to share the costs of clean vehicle technology. The automaker has a partnership with Japans Toyota Motor Corp to develop fuel cell vehicles.

BMW has said it plans to launch a new, electric Mini model in 2019. Eventually, Mini could become an entirely electric brand, aimed at urban consumers, Schwarzenbauer said.

Mini sales in the United States have fallen 10 percent through the first ten months of this year, as demand for many smaller cars has waned in favor of sport-utility vehicles and trucks.

Its really only in the US where we are facing this with Mini, Schwarzenbauer said.

BMW will not try to reverse that trend by adding larger SUVs to the Mini lineup, Schwarzenbauer said. Instead, he said, the way for Mini in the US is ... building the Mini brand in the direction of the electric urban mobility company.

On a separate issue, Schwarzenbauer said BMW intended to offer a self-driving car planned to debut in 2021 at a price that could be below $100,000.

The iNEXT model, which BMW previewed earlier this year, will be offered to individuals, ride services fleets and put into service in BMW fleets, Schwarzenbauer said.

By 2021, you will have a lot of people who want to own this car, he said. It will be a normal price. We are thinking of scaling this. To bring a $150,000 electric car is nice, but it will not really scale.

When it launches, the iNEXT may not be offered with complete, so-called Level 5, autonomy because the regulatory and legal frameworks for such a vehicle likely wont be in place, Schwarzenbauer said.
Reuters

Facebook said on Wednesday that it was removing 99 percent of content related to militant groups Islamic State and al Qaeda before being told of it, as it prepared for a meeting with European authorities on tackling extremist content online.

Eighty-three percent of terror content is removed within one hour of being uploaded, Monika Bickert, head of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, head of counter-terrorism policy at Facebook, wrote in a blog post.

The worlds largest social media network, with 2.1 billion users, has faced pressure both in the United States and Europe to tackle extremist content on its platform more effectively.

In June, Facebook said it had ramped up use of artificial intelligence, such as image matching and language understanding, to identify and remove content quickly.

It is still early, but the results are promising, and we are hopeful that AI (artificial intelligence) will become a more important tool in the arsenal of protection and safety on the internet and on Facebook, Bickert and Fishman wrote.

Today, 99 percent of the ISIS and al Qaeda-related terror content we remove from Facebook is content we detect before anyone in our community has flagged it to us, and in some cases, before it goes live on the site.

The blog post comes a week before Facebook and other social media companies like Alphabet Incs Google and Twitter meet with European Union governments and the EU executive to discuss how to remove extremist content and hate speech online.

Deploying AI for counter-terrorism is not as simple as flipping a switch ... A system designed to find content from one terrorist group may not work for another because of language and stylistic differences in their propaganda, Facebook said.

The European Commission in September told social media firms to find ways to remove the content faster, including through automatic detection technologies, or face possible legislation forcing them to do so.
tech2 News Staff

The creator of the Essential phone and father of Android, Andy Rubin, has reportedly taken a leave of absence for personal reasons. This report comes close on the heels of a report of alleged "inappropriate" behaviour by the Android founder, which is raising questions as to the real reason for the leave.

According to The Verge, which has quoted The Information, while at Google, Rubin was involved with a subordinate female employee, a relationship which she deemed inappropriate and apparently complained to Google's HR department about. Rubin's spokesperson has denies any connection between the leave and the report of inappropriate behaviour. The spokesperson also said that no information regarding sexual misconduct was disclosed to Andy Rubin.

As per Google's policy, any personal relationships between employees must be disclosed and Google will move at least one of the parties involved to a separate division to avoid any kind of job-related conflict.

The alleged misconduct happened before 2013, while Rubin was working with the employee in question in the Android department. In 2013, Rubin moved to Google's robotics department from the Android department.

The investigation into this matter had reportedly begun in 2014. Further, The Information reports that the HR investigation concluded that Rubin's behaviour was improper and indicated bad judgement on his part.

However, further details regarding the matter have not been disclosed. It is not clear whether there was a sexual assault or any sort of sexual misconduct.

There have been disclosures for the past few months regarding alleged sexual violations against female employees in tech companies, most recent is the one that involved Robert Scoble.
Reuters

Washington states attorney general sued the ride-sharing company Uber on Tuesday, alleging it had violated the states data breach notification law.

Uber said last week that in late 2016 it had paid hackers $100,000 to destroy data on more than 57 million customers and drivers which had been stolen from the company. It did not to report the matter to victims or authorities.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson said he filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the names and drivers licence numbers of at least 10,888 Uber drivers in Washington state had been stolen without their being notified as state law requires.
Melbourne: Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, describing the action as "illegal and dangerous" to global peace and stability. North Korea "successfully" test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of hitting anywhere in the United States.

The missile travelled about 1,000 kilometres before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ). "This morning's launch highlights the unacceptable threat North Korea posed to global peace and stability. Its actions are illegal and dangerous," Turnbull said. He said that Australia was playing an active role in the international campaign to exert maximum economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"As part of international efforts, the Foreign Minister has today announced that another 11 individuals and nine entities will be listed under Australia's autonomous sanctions for their association with North Korea's illegal weapons programmes or flouting of UN Security Council resolutions," he said.

Turnbull said that the missile launch emphasises the urgency for all countries, especially the Permanent Five members of the UN Security Council to fully implement UNSC sanctions as soon as possible in order to maximise pressure on Pyongyang and compel it to return to negotiations. "We will continue to work closely with the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China and our partners to show this rogue regime that it is utterly isolated and its current path is unacceptable," he added.
Sydney: Australia's upper house senate on Wednesday passed a bill paving the way for the legalisation of gay marriage, rejecting a conservative push to broaden religious freedom protections.

The law is expected to pass through the lower house of parliament comfortably before Christmas after most lawmakers agreed to honour "the will of Australians" who voted in favour of same-sex marriage in a recent nationwide postal vote.

"We are a part of an act of acceptance, an act of inclusion, an act of respect, an act of celebration, a day when this Senate declares our acceptance of our LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, queer) brothers and our sisters," said Australia's highest-profile gay politician, Labor's Penny Wong.

"(The bill) says to so many Australians, this parliament, this country, accepts you for who you are. Your love is not lesser, and nor are you," she added.

Senators voted 43-12 in favour of the bill after rejecting calls to extend protections that allow religious ministers to refuse to conduct gay weddings to other services providers, such as bakers and florists.

After more than a decade of divisive debate, Australians have emphatically endorsed same-sex marriage with 62 per cent of the 12.7 million people who participated in the nationwide postal poll voting "yes" this month to gay unions.

"This victory is the culmination of more than a decade's work by supporters of equality," said Anna Brown of the Equality Campaign.

"Each and every person who has campaigned for equality, each Australian who stood up and voted yes, and, today, every senator from every political party who voted in favour of equality and fairness."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a moderate conservative who backed the "yes" camp, has hailed the result of the non-binding postal vote, vowing to pass the bill legalising marriage equality "before Christmas".
Karangasem: The airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened on Wednesday after an erupting volcano forced its closure two days ago, but the country's president said the danger had not passed and urged anyone within the mountain's exclusion zone to get out "for the sake of their safety."

Volcanic ash reaching 25,000 feet (7,600 meters) in the air began drifting south and southeast of Mount Agung, leaving clean space above the airport for planes to land and take off, said airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim.

The airport, which handles more than 400 flights a day, had closed Monday, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people trying to enter or leave the popular vacation destination. Thick ash particles are hazardous to aircraft and can choke engines.

Despite the all-clear from authorities, flights are unlikely to rapidly return to normal levels and a change in the direction of the ash or a new more powerful eruption could force the airport's closure again.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered all concerned ministries and agencies, as well as the military and police, to help Bali's government deal with the disaster.

"I hope there will be no victims hit by the eruption," he said.

Authorities have told 100,000 people to leave an area extending up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) in places from the volcano as it belches gray and white plumes. Nearly 40,000 people are now staying in 225 shelters, according to the Disaster Mitigation Agency in Karangasem.

But tens of thousands more have remained in their homes because they feel safe or don't want to abandon their land and livestock.

In the village of Tulamben inside the exclusion zone, farmers were plowing their fields with cattle on Wednesday, seemingly unbothered by the smoking mountain behind them swelling with orange lava.

In Sukadana village, about 8 kilometers from the crater, a few remaining residents said mudflows of volcanic debris and water had passed through the area for a couple of days before solidifying.

Some stranded tourists managed to get off the island before the airport reopened, but they faced an arduous journey involving crowded roads, buses, ferries and sometimes overnight waits in yet another airport in Surabaya on the island of Java.

"This is a very unforgettable experience for us. So much hassle and definitely one for the books" said Sheryl David, a tourist from Manila, Philippines, who arrived on Saturday in Bali with three friends and was supposed to leave on Tuesday. She remained stuck in a third airport on Wednesday in the capital, Jakarta, waiting for a flight home that required buying a new ticket, but said the experience didn't dampen her feelings about the island.

"Yes, still a paradise," she texted.

The volcano's last major eruption, in 1963, killed about 1,100 people, but it is unclear how bad the current situation might get or how long it could last. A worst-case scenario would involve an explosive eruption that causes the mountain's cone to collapse.

"An analogy would be the twin towers collapsing in New York on 9/11," said Richard Arculus, a volcano expert at Australian National University. "You saw people running away from the debris raining down and columns of dust pursuing people down the street. You will not be able to outrun this thing."

Indonesian officials first raised the highest alert two months ago when seismic activity increased at the mountain. The activity decreased by late October, and the alert was lowered before being lifted to the highest level again Monday.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.
Brussels: A European Union official said Tuesday night that EU and British negotiators were making progress toward a breakthrough in Brexit talks amid media reports that a tentative deal on a financial settlement had been found.

With a mid-December deadline drawing close for a decision by EU leaders on whether "sufficient progress" has been made in order for the negotiations with Britain to be expanded to include future trade relations, diplomats are in a furious last stretch to find major progress on three issues, including how much Britain will have to pay the bloc for its departure.

British media reports said late Tuesday that both sides had agreed on a British payment of roughly around 50 billion euros.

The EU official, who insisted on not being quoted by name because the negotiations were still going, said talks had been making progress over the past few days and were "heading toward" a breakthrough, although he could not confirm such a deal had already been secured.

Even if there would be enough progress on the financial settlement, both sides still need to overcome differences over the future rights of their citizens in each other's nations and the transparency of the border between the UK's Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Talks on the border have proved extremely complicated, officials have said.

The EU Commission refused to comment on the British media reports. It said EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will lunch with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday and the Commission would assess progress in the talks 6 December.

One week later the 28 leaders convene for their year-end summit, which will centre on the Brexit negotiations.

Britain has been feverishly working to get the "sufficient progress" acknowledgement to move to its future relations with the bloc once it leaves on 29 March, 2019. The business and finance community has been increasingly restless because of the lack of clear progress in the convoluted talks and the political unrest within May's government.

Earlier Tuesday, British lawmakers lambasted the government over its reluctance to disclose a series of studies it commissioned on the likely economic impact of Brexit.

Earlier this month, the House of Commons passed a motion by the opposition Labour Party calling for the analyses of 58 sectors of the economy to be released. Commons Speaker John Bercow said the government could be found in contempt of Parliament if it refused to comply.

Government ministers argued that making the assessments public would undermine its divorce negotiations with the European Union. Pro-EU lawmakers suspect the documents reveal that Brexit could have a serious negative effect on the economy.

On Tuesday the government said it had sent some 850 pages of the documents to Parliament's Exiting the EU Committee, but with "commercially, market and negotiation sensitive information" withheld. The committee said that was not good enough, and summoned Brexit Secretary David Davis to explain himself. The date of his appearance has not yet been set.

Opposition Labour Party Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer accused Davis of "treating Parliament with contempt" by failing to release the documents in full. Scottish National Party lawmaker, Pete Wishart, said he had written to Bercow formally complaining that the government has held Parliament in contempt.

Lawmakers found in contempt of Parliament can be suspended or expelled, or even incarcerated in the Big Ben clock tower, although that punishment hasn't been used since the 19th century.
BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has offered to pay much of what the European Union was demanding to settle a Brexit divorce bill, bringing the two sides close to agreement on a key obstacle to opening talks on a future free trade pact, EU sources said on Tuesday. Tourist binoculars offer users the chance to pay in Pounds or Euros in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, April 20, 2017. REUTERS/Phil Noble The offer, which British newspapers valued at around 50 billion euros, reflected the bulk of outstanding EU demands that include London paying a share of post-Brexit EU spending on commitments made before Britain leaves in March 2019 as well as funding of EU staff pensions for decades to come. A British government official said they do not recognise this account of the talks going on ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Theresa May to Brussels this coming Monday. EU officials close to the negotiations stressed that work was still continuing ahead of Mays talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. But EU diplomats briefed on progress said the British offer was promising and that, on the financial settlement, the two sides were, as one said, close to a deal. Nonetheless, others cautioned that Britain had yet to make a fully committed offer and that essential agreement from the other 27 member states could not yet be taken for granted. The EU set the condition of significant progress on three key elements of a withdrawal treaty before it would accede to Londons request for negotiations on a free trade pact that could keep business flowing after Brexit in 16 months. It set a deadline of Monday for that progress to be made if EU leaders were to give a green light at a summit on Dec. 14-15. On the issue of the rights of EU citizens in Britain, EU negotiators are still pressing Britain to accept that European judges should have a final say on enforcing those rights. Anti-Brexit protesters wave EU and Union flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, November 14, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls IRISH PROBLEM If the financial settlement, which many British businesses have argued May should make in order to avoid a disruptive cliff edge departure from the single market, is forthcoming, the thorniest outstanding issue is that of the Irish border. Ireland remains the most difficult issue, a senior EU diplomat said after Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar avoided a disruptive snap election when his deputy resigned on Tuesday at the insistence of the party propping up his minority government. Britain has yet to satisfy EU - including Irish - demands that it clarify how it would avoid a hard border with customs posts on land between Northern Ireland and the EU. Many fear that would disturb the fragile peace in the British province. On the Brexit bill, Juncker has estimated Britain would owe roughly 60 billion euros. EU officials say Brussels is willing to work with May to massage those figures in order to help her win backing from hardline Brexit supporters who have in the past insisted that Britain owes Brussels nothing. Britains Financial Times said London agreed to assume liabilities worth up to 100 billion euros, but said net payments over many decades could fall to less than half that amount. The European Commission declined to comment. Britains Brexit ministry said intensive talks were continuing and the two sides were trying to find a way to build on recent momentum in the talks to take them to the next stage. Sterling GBP= rallied around 1 percent against the U.S. dollar as investors took the reports as a sign that the risk of Britain leaving the EU without a deal, which is widely seen as damaging to the economy, had diminished.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to the Middle East this week to lend her support to economic reforms in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, her spokesman said. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street, London, November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Peter NichollsHer trip comes as Britain is looking for new relationships around the world, to replace those it will lose after it quits the European Union in a little more than a year. She will meet Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where she will also discuss the crisis in Yemen and the dispute in Qatar. In Jordan, she will meet King Abdullah and Prime Minister Hanu Mulki. The London Stock Exchange is competing now to host part of Saudi Aramcos [IPO-ARMO.SE] initial public offering. Britain said this month it would provide $2 billion in credit guarantees to the energy company so it can buy British goods more easily. On Tuesday, British foreign minister Boris Johnson hosted officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and the United States to discuss humanitarian aid in Yemen, where aid agencies have complained about a port blockade. Aid agencies say it has worsened the crisis in Yemen where war has left an estimated 7 million people facing famine and killed more than 10,000 people.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Sanaa: Yemeni witnesses and officials say a powerful car bomb struck a government building in the southern port city of Aden, killing five people and wounding 12.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group. The witnesses and security officials say the early Wednesday blast completely destroyed the finance ministry building, damaged nearby houses and triggered fires in shops in the area.

They spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing retribution.

The US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi websites, said the Islamic State group's affiliate in Yemen claimed responsibility in an online statement.

Aden has seen an uptick in violence, with a series of attacks and assassinations claimed by the Islamic State branch.

The city is the seat of Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is at war with Shiite rebels.
Dhaka: A Catholic priest has disappeared in Bangladesh, police said Wednesday, a day before Pope Francis starts a landmark visit to the Muslim-majority nation wracked by Islamist extremism.

Walter William Rosario, 40, is from the same village in northern Bangladesh where suspected Islamist extremists in 2016 hacked a Catholic grocer to death as he opened his shop.

A major search has been launched for Rosario, who is also headmaster of a Catholic school in Natore district, after his family reported him missing, police said.

"He has been missing since late Monday. His mobile has been switched off," local police chief Biplob Bijoy Talukder told AFP.

Gerves Rosario, the bishop of the nearby city of Rajshahi, said he believed the priest had been kidnapped and that Catholics in the region were deeply worried.

"He was organising for around 300 Catholics to travel to Dhaka to see the Pope and attend his holy Mass. But his disappearance has marred their joy. They don't want to go to Dhaka anymore," said the bishop.

The family received a phone call from someone using Rosario's number to demand a ransom, but Talukder said police believed this was a hoax.

They have not ruled out the possibility he was abducted by Islamist extremists, who have carried out attacks on religious minorities in the region in the past four years.

Pope Francis arrives in Bangladesh Thursday on the first visit to the country by the head of the Catholic Church in 31 years.

The trip will be dominated by the plight of more than 6,20,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled ethnic unrest in Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh.

Christians, who make up less than 0.5 percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people, have in recent years faced attacks by Islamist radicals.

Since 2015 at least three Christians, including two converts from Islam, have been hacked to death in attacks blamed on the militant Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

In July last year militants from the same group stormed a Dhaka cafe and massacred 22 hostages including 18 foreigners in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

However, the government has denied the international militants' involvement and security forces have killed more than 70 alleged militants since the cafe attack.
ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Wednesday he regretted the death of Slobodan Praljak, the wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces who died after he drank poison in The Hague. Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic arrives for an EU Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth in Gothenburg, Sweden, November 17, 2017. TT News Agency/Jonas Ekstromer/via REUTERS His act, which we regrettably saw today, mostly speaks about a deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people ... We voice dissatisfaction and regret about the verdict, Plenkovic said. Praljak drank poison seconds after a United Nations judges turned down his appeal against a 20-year sentence for war crimes against Bosnian Muslims.

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CAIRO (Reuters) - Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, an ex-air force pilot and former presidential candidate, said on Wednesday he intended to run in the presidential election early next year and would return to Cairo in the coming days. File photo shows former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq during a news conference in Cairo, Egypt, May 14, 2012. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File PhotoBut Shafiq later told pan-Arab TV channel Al Jazeera that the United Arab Emirates, a close ally of Egypts where he is currently living, had barred him from travelling. I was surprised that I was prevented from leaving the UAE for reasons I do not understand, Shafiq said, adding that he thanked the UAE for its hospitality but wished to depart. Anwar Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, denied on his official Twitter account that any obstacles had been placed to his travel, saying the UAE hosted him despite strong reservations about some of his positions. In a video declaration sent earlier to Reuters as well as a telephoned statement, Shafiq said he would run in the election planned for around April, when President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is widely expected to seek a second term. Im honoured to announce my will to run in the upcoming presidential elections in Egypt as a choice to be president of the country for the next four years, he said in the statement from the UAE in which he highlighted his time in the air force. Shafiq would be among a small number of candidates to announce their intentions for 2018. He lost against Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in the first presidential election after Egypts 2011 uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Sisi, who as a military commander led the armys ousting of Mursi in 2013 before his own landslide election a year later, has yet to announce whether he will run again. He says he will follow the will of the people. His supporters regard Sisi as the key to stability following the prolonged, violent upheaval that followed the 2011 revolt. His government is fighting a stubborn Islamist militancy in the North Sinai and has also enacted painful austerity reforms over the last year that critics say have dented his popularity. After his defeat, Shafiq fled overseas. He formed a political party and led it from abroad but it failed to make significant gains in a 2015 parliamentary election. Shafiq has faced various corruption charges but was either acquitted or had cases against him dropped in most instances. A year ago, his lawyer said he was removed from airport watchlists, clearing his way to return home.

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Reno (US): A gunman with a hostage opened fire from the eighth floor of a luxury high-rise condominium in Nevada onto the streets below on Tuesday, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The man died after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Reno police deputy chief Tom Robinson told reporters.

It wasn't immediately clear whether he was killed by police gunfire or his own. No one else, including the hostage, was hurt. The gunman's name has not been released. Robinson described him only as "a young adult".

The luxury high-rise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed dozens.

But there were no reported injuries in Tuesday's attack as the streets were mostly empty on a cold weeknight. Stephen Paddock, the man who opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino onto an outdoor concert below killing 58 people, had owned a unit at the Montage. Records show he sold the property in December 2016.

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay," said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighboring Eldorado Resort Casino when

the shots rang out.

"It's scary, you know?" Pavicich told the Review-Journal. "This is the same kind of town."

The building was once a casino itself before it was converted into luxury condos, according to its website. Trooper Chris Kelley of the Nevada Highway Patrol told the Reno Gazette-Journal that shots were heard from the building for at least 20 minutes, and TV news reporters said they heard several shots after arriving, though the shots were sporadic, not constant.

Sixty-four-year-old Paddock modified an AR-15 to loose a stream of constant bullets like an automatic weapon in the attack at Las Vegas in October, which is 724 km south.
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on worshippers at the entrance of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Pakistans capital Islamabad on Wednesday, killing an intelligence officer at the scene, police said. Police and rangers stand guard after a shooting at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Caren FirouzThree or four attackers on two bikes shot at members of the minority Shiite community who were leaving evening prayers in a residential neighbourhood, police official Ghulam Qasim said. A member of Pakistans domestic Intelligence Bureau among the worshippers got hit several times and died later in hospital, Qasim said. Were not sure yet whether it is a sectarian incident, Qasim added. The man who died got five or six bullets. That seems to make him a target. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Attacks are rare in the capital, but Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-affiliated Sunni Muslim sectarian groups are active in the country. Four other people were being treated for bullet wounds, police said.

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Hyderabad: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the relationship between India and the US under the current leadership will scale new heights and contribute to global peace and prosperity.

The minister said this while proposing a vote of thanks at the inaugural session of the Global Entrepreneur Summit 2017, which among others was attended by Ivanka Trump, US president Donald Trump's daughter and advisor to the White House.

"I have no doubt that under leadership of prime minister (Narendra) Modi and President Trump, India and US relations will scale new heights and contribute to global peace and prosperity," she said.

The minister also underlined the need for according priority to women entrepreneurship, saying it should be a priority for India as well as the rest of the world. She further said that while India is a land of entrepreneurs, the US is a nation that is identified with spirit of enterprise.

"The relationship between the two countries have developed into a partnership of global significance. Woman entrepreneurs are epitome of courage and leadership. Empowerment of women is priority for India and should be a priority for entire world," Swaraj said.

She added that the government has embarked upon ambitious programme of empowerment of women and skill development.

Further, the minister said Ivanka Trump represents the energy and spirit of entrepreneurship that characterised youth of today.

"We appreciate efforts by the US government to promote entrepreneurship globally. We deeply value strong desire of President Trump to further strengthen partnership with India which we fully share," Swaraj said.

GES 2017 is being organised by the US administration in partnership with NITI Aayog. It is happening in south Asia for the first time.
New York: A man accused of killing eight people in a truck rampage in New York on Halloween pleaded innocent today to murder and other charges.

Sayfullo Saipov was present in court before US District Judge Vernon Broderick but his lawyer David Patton spoke on his behalf.

Saipov, 29 and originally from Uzbekistan, has said he acted in the name of the Islamic State group.

He faced a 22-count indictment that includes charges of murder and provision of material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation.

He appeared in court wearing a dark blue prison uniform. His feet were chained together, but not his hands.

He appeared to have recovered from the shot he took in the abdomen from the police officer who arrested him after the attack.

Saipov allegedly drove a rented pickup truck down a mile-long (1.6-kilometre) stretch of bike path in lower Manhattan, where children and their parents were preparing to celebrate Halloween.

Of the eight people killed, five were friends from Argentina celebrating 30 years since their high school graduation. Twelve other people were hurt.

President Donald Trump has called for Saipov to be executed, but a capital punishment case would be extremely rare in New York, which has abolished the death penalty at the state level.

The 31 October attack was the worst in the US financial capital since the 11 September, 2001 Al-Qaeda plane hijackings that brought down the Twin Towers.
More than 100,000 (H4) dependents of H1B workers who have been allowed to pursue paid employment in the US from 2015 will be hit hard if rules change early next year when an important case comes up for hearing in Washington D.C. soon after the New Year rings in.

Latest numbers available from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services show that the United States has so far given employment authorisation documents to 104,750 H4 visa holders (spouses/ dependents of H1B workers) since 2015 when the floodgates first opened.

Link: Employment authorization for certain H4 dependent spouses, final rule effective May 26, 2015

In the last three years, USCIS has approved employment authorisation for 26,858 applicants in 2015 followed by 41,526 in 2016 and 36,366 until June end this year.

The data outed does not adjust for how many of these H4 EAD recipients may have changed status or left the country but a conservative estimate based on green card and citizenship figures indicates that the variance wont be sharp.

The immigration wave specific to H1B visa workers which began 30 years ago is littered equally with stories of how H4 dependents forgo many of their prime years of earning potential. Some grin and bear it, some return to India or try to head across the North American border to Canada.

For those with families who dont have much elbow room to explore these multiple choices, the H4 visa was stifling before Obamas parting gift of the EAD. Running a family unit on a single income in the US is an uphill task, given the multiplicity of taxes that H1B workers pay.

Predictably, news that a certain category of H4 visa holders could be eligible for work authorisation was recieved with great celebration in the US. The resistance came with equal fervour - the same mix of social and economic unrest that Trump tapped into a year later.

The Obama era loosening of regulations which allowed dependents of H1B workers to work in the US has been challenged in court by Save Jobs USA an anti immigration group drawn from former employees of Southern California Edison. They filed a lawsuit against the U.S.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and were turned out in the first go. Refusing to budge, Save Jobs USA appealed.

The case is now pending before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and in its latest avatar, it appeals to the very sentiments that put Trump in the White House - outrage against the outsider.

"It (H4 EAD) should be upheld because it helps the U.S. economy and also gives freedom to the dependent spouse to pursue their dreams," says Vinod Belani, an Indian techie in Washington D.C.

But Save Jobs USA does not think that's the way to proceed.

Their case has not changed one bit since they first filed but its latest appeal has coincided with Trumps rise in American politics. Time and again, the US President has found that when ambitious policy decisions go badly in Congress, a chunk of red meat flung to the fringe crowd always helps to keep his core vote bank thirsting for more. The RAISE Act (Bill) was sprung when the Obamacare repeal was going nowhere. Anti immigration talk in the Trump White House has followed a pattern since January this year. With the midterm elections approaching and with every failed policy move or praise for Mueller's investigation, expect more fiery talk on outsiders in America.

Since February this year, The Trump government has been putting off contesting the lawsuit and instead pushing out the hearings by asking for more time. Dig through the files of the SAVE Jobs USA versus DHS case file and you'll find the latest intervention from the USCIS has been about how to interpret the case through the lenses of the Buy American Hire American Executive Order.

Now, although this EO is wide in scope to cover several industries and themes, focus on the H1B has been particularly intense, just going by even routine communication from the Trump administration. To get a sense of the resources being thrown at the H1B case, one look at this often tweeted page is enough.
Karangasem: The international airport on the Indonesian island of Bali is closed for a third day due to an erupting volcano.

Bali airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said the airport would be closed until Thursday morning.

He said Wednesday morning that volcanic ash has not been detected at the airport yet, but observations show it has reached an altitude of 25,000 feet and was being blown southward and southwestward toward the airport.

Tuesday's closing affected more than 440 flights carrying more than 59,500 passengers.

Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday and has spewed clouds of ash for days.
Seoul: North Korea said Wednesday it had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state after successfully testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put the "whole mainland of the US" within its range.

After watching the launch of the Hwasong-15, the North's leader Kim Jong-Un "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", the official KCNA news agency said.

The test triggered global outrage with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying it marked a significant step toward North Korea building missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically."

It was the first missile test of any kind since 15 September, and squashed speculation that the North may have held back in order to open the door to a negotiated solution to a nuclear standoff.

"The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," KCNA said.

It said the development of the weapon would defend the North against the "US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat".

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth's atmosphere, experts believe it is on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability.

Wednesday's test caused deep consternation among the North's neighbours.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe called it an intolerable, "violent" act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemned Pyongyang's "reckless" behaviour.
After two months of relative quiet, North Korea launched its most powerful weapon yet early Wednesday, claiming a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could reach Washington and the entire eastern US seaboard.

In a special state media broadcast hours later, North Korea said it successfully fired a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable ICBM it called the Hwasong-15. Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

In a government statement released through state media, North Korea said the Hwasong-15, the "greatest ICBM," could be armed with a "super-large heavy nuclear warhead" and is capable of striking the "whole mainland" of the United States. The North said the missile reached a height of 4,475 kilometres (2,780 miles) and travelled 950 kilometres (590 miles) before accurately hitting a sea target, similar to the flight data announced by South Korea's military.

It said leader Kim Jong-un after the successful launch "declared with pride" that the country has achieved its goal of becoming a "rocket power." State TV said Kim gave the order on Tuesday and broadcast a photo of Kim's signed order where he wrote: "Test launch is approved. Taking place at the daybreak of Nov. 29! Fire with courage for the party and country!"

The firing is a clear message of defiance aimed at the Trump administration, which a week earlier had restored North Korea to a US list of terror sponsors. It also ruins nascent diplomatic efforts, raises fears of war or a pre-emptive US strike and casts a deeper shadow over the security of the Winter Olympics early next year in South Korea.

In response to the launch, Trump said the United States will "take care of it." He told reporters after the launch: "It is a situation that we will handle."

While Trump did not elaborate, his options are somewhat limited.

1. Diplomacy: The art of the deal

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson quickly put out a statement. Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, he said.

Other than enforcing existing UN sanctions "the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement. The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday afternoon at the request of Japan, the US and South Korea.

According to a report on ABCnews, National Security Adviser HR McMaster shared a similar sentiment on 2 November when he addressed reporters at the White House briefing room.

"I think we have to be a little patient here for at least a few months to see what more we and others can do, including China," McMaster said. "I don't think we need to reassess our strategy now. I think we have to give it a couple of months, a few months, and then see what adjustments we might need to make," he said, according to the ABC report.

2. Direct confrontation: War, what is it good for?

In September, Defence Secretary James Mattis told reporters, "Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming. We are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely North Korea," he added, but warned: "We have many options to do so."

According to a report in The Guardian, Park Byung-kwang, director of centre for north-east Asia at the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul, a thinktank affiliated with the countrys intelligence agency, said, Kim Jong-un doesnt want to talk: he wants to develop the economy and a nuclear arsenal, not one or the other but both at the same time. The crisis on the Korean peninsula is getting worse, which means the likelihood of Trump exerting more pressure and even [a] military strike is becoming more feasible.

3. Tightening sanctions: Kim doesn't care

Alexander Gillespie, penning an editorial for Al-Jazeera, writes that while Trump can tighten sanctions and hope that they bring North Korea to the negotiating table as they have done with other countries which acted in defiance of the international community, it is impossible to obtain the comprehensive sanctions desired because some countries, especially Chinawhich accounts for about 85 percent of North Korea's tradedoes not wish to squeeze that hard on either the economic or diplomatic veins of their ally.

He also argues that making Kim Jong-un feel the pain of sanctions is essentially pointless because he simply does not care if his country suffers. "Weathering pain such as famine to achieve longer-term political goals is something North Korea is fine with. Unlike in Iran, where the pain of the sanctions upon their citizens made those in power listen and then negotiate, in North Korea, the hereditary power and Stalinist-like regime make rulers deaf and insensitive to the impact of sanctions," he writes.

4. Punishing China: Risking blowblack from the Dragon

According to an editorial in The Conversation, if the United States begins exerting pressure on China in an attempt to have it influence North Korea, it risks getting into a trade war it can't win.

Trump earlier tweeted:

The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017

However, the United States consumes Chinese imports to the tune of US $463 billion worth of goods and China, which is the US' largest creditor, has enormous leverage over the United States. Risking global recession through a foolish protectionist spiral or forcing China to drop the dollar bomb is not a credible strategy for soliciting Chinese assistance with handling North Korea, according to the editorial.

In short, Trump has no good options on dealing with North Korea.

With inputs from agencies
(Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. The North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar SuThe missile flew to the east and the South Korean military is analysing details of the launch with the United States, South Koreas joint chiefs said, according to the report. Two authoritative U.S. government sources said earlier that U.S. government experts believed North Korea could conduct a new missile test within days, in what would be its first launch since it fired a missile over Japan in mid-September.

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(Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday, two U.S. government sources said, a week after President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S list of countries that it says support terrorism. The North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar SuLater, the Pentagon said that it had detected a probable missile launch from North Korea. We detected a probable missile launch from North Korea. We are in the process of assessing the situation and will provide additional details when available, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Robert Manning told reporters. He said the probable launch was detected at 1:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT). The missile flew to the east and the South Korean military is analysing details of the launch with the United States, according to a report from South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. NHK in Japan, citing the defence ministry, reported that the missile may have landed in the water of Japans exclusive economic zone. The U.S. source told Reuters no further details were immediately available. Asahi Shimbun in Japan also reported that North Korea had fired a ballistic missile early on Wednesday. U.S. stocks pared gains after reports of the missile launch. The S&P 500 index was up half a percent in midafternoon. Two authoritative U.S. government sources said earlier that U.S. government experts believed North Korea could conduct a new missile test within days, in what would be its first launch since it fired a missile over Japan in mid-September. The U.S. officials declined to say what type of missile they thought North Korea might test, but noted that Pyongyang had been working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States and had already tested inter-continental ballistic missiles. After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in late September, after it fired a missile that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15. Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement. The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, though some experts said it risked inflaming tensions. Trump has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and warned in his maiden speech to the United Nations in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies. Washington has said repeatedly that all options are on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military ones, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its nuclear and missile programs. To this end, Trump has pursued a policy of encouraging countries around the world, including North Koreas main ally and neighbour, China, to step up sanctions on Pyongyang to persuade it to give up its weapons programs. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to re-enter dialogue on those terms. North Korea defends its weapons programs as a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

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WASHINGTON/SEOUL-29 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile that landed close to Japan on Wednesday, the first test by Pyongyang since a missile fired over its neighbour in mid-September and the Pentagon said its initial assessment was that it was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar SuNorth Korea launched the missile a week after President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S list of countries that Washington says support terrorism. The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The Pentagon said in its initial assessment that the missile was an ICBM launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. It added that the missile did not pose a threat to the United States its territories or allies. Japans government estimated that the missile flew for about 50 minutes and landed in the sea in Japans exclusive economic zone, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. An Aug. 29 missile fired by North Korea that flew over Japan was airborne for 14 minutes. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesdays missile was fired from Pyongsong, a city in South Pyongan Province, at around 1817 GMT over the sea between South Korea and Japan. Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military added. Leading Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun quoted an unidentified government official as saying the missile did not cross over Japan and it fell into the Sea of Japan or on the Korean peninsula. Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported three projectiles were fired, the nearest landing 210 kilometres west of Japans northern mainland, suggesting the missile broke into pieces. The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed while the missile was still in the air. The South Korean military said the missile flew to the east and the South Korean military was analysing details of the launch with the United States. U.S. stocks pared gains after reports of the missile launch. The S&P 500 index was up half a percent in midafternoon. Two U.S. government sources said earlier that U.S. government experts believed North Korea could conduct a new missile test within days. After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in late September, after it fired a missile that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15. The U.S. officials who spoke earlier declined to say what type of missile they thought North Korea might test, but noted that Pyongyang had been working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States and had already tested inter-continental ballistic missiles. Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement. Trump has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and warned in his maiden speech to the United Nations in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies. Washington has said repeatedly that all options are on the table in dealing with North Korea, including military ones, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its nuclear and missile programs. To this end, Trump has pursued a policy of encouraging countries around the world, including North Koreas main ally and neighbour, China, to step up sanctions on Pyongyang to persuade it to give up its weapons programs. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to re-enter dialogue on those terms. North Korea defends its weapons programs as a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

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Tokyo: Japan's prime minister said Wednesday that the latest North Korean missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" after the ICBM splashed down in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure" on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters.

The defence minister said earlier the missile was thought to have landed within Japan's EEZ. The Pentagon said it flew about 1,000 kilometers before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

Japan had "completely tracked" the missile, Abe told reporters.

"We have made a strong complaint," he added.

By launching the missile, North Korea has ignored the international community's "united, strong will toward a peaceful solution," the prime minister said.

"The international community needs to perfectly implement sanctions, in unison."

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera later told reporters that the missile had flown for 53 minutes "at an altitude far above 4,000 kilometres."

"We have not received any reports of damage to airplanes or vessels operating near the area," said the minister, adding that the missile was fired "at a lofted trajectory."

Speaking later in parliament, Abe said he had reaffirmed the importance of China in the crisis during a call with US president Donald Trump and praised Beijing for upholding sanctions on North Korea.

"The government welcomes the fact that China is taking concrete steps such as an embargo on imports of North Korea's coal, marine products, textile products, among others," Abe told a parliamentary committee.

"Frankly speaking, I feel that China is playing its role" over the UN-agreed sanctions, he said.
SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said it successfully tested its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile yet on Wednesday, putting the U.S. mainland within range and increasing pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to deal with the nuclear-armed nation. Trump, who has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday and urged Beijing to rein in its ally North Korea. North Korea said the new missile reached an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station - and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight. It flew higher and longer than any North Korean missile before, landing in the sea near Japan. Experts said the new Hwasong-15 missile theoretically gave North Korea the ability to hit the U.S. mainland, including the East Coast, although it was not clear whether it could carry a nuclear weapon. North Korea, which conducted its largest nuclear bomb test in September, has tested dozens of ballistic missiles under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a North Korean television presenter. Previous U.S. administrations have failed to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and a sophisticated missile program. Trump has also struggled to contain Pyongyang since he came to office in January. The Republican president on Wednesday again urged China to use its leverage on North Korea and promised more sanctions against the isolated country, two strategies that have borne little fruit so far. Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! Trump wrote on Twitter. China, the Norths sole major ally, has so far refrained from taking some of the most drastic steps against North Korea, such as imposing an oil embargo. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. sanctions would come very soon and would add maximum pressure on North Korea. The latest missile was fired a week after Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions. North Korean state media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere, which if confirmed would be an important technical advance. Kim personally guided the test and said the new launcher was impeccable, state media said. He described the new vehicle as a breakthrough. North Korea also described itself as a responsible nuclear power, saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from the U.S. imperialists nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat. The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the launch. Many nuclear experts say the North has yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles, including the ability to deliver a heavy nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but it was likely that it soon would. A man looks at a street monitor showing a news report about North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Japan, November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toru HanaiWe dont have to like it, but were going to have to learn to live with North Koreas ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies. THREATEN EVERYWHERE U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japans exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM. It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House. Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea. Slideshow (7 Images)Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution. Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, Tillerson said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that additional measures should be taken like enhancing maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic travelling to North Korea. Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States has a long list of additional potential sanctions, some of which involve potential financial institutions, and the Treasury Department will be announcing those when theyre ready to roll those out. U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE? The new Hwasong-15, named after the planet Mars, was a more advanced version of an ICBM tested twice in July, North Korea said. It was designed to carry a super-large heavy warhead. Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington D.C. and the rest of the United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said. However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added. Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military said it conducted a missile-firing test in response. The test comes less than three months before South Korea hosts the Winter Olympics at a resort just 80 km (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North. North Korea has said its weapons programmes are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, denies any such intention. Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement. Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.

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SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea test fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic yet on Wednesday, putting the U.S. mainland within range and increasing pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to deal with the nuclear-armed nation. Trump, who has vowed to halt North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping and urged Beijing to rein in its ally North Korea. North Korea said the new missile soared to an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station - and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight. It flew higher and longer than any North Korean missile before, landing in the sea near Japan. Experts said the new Hwasong-15 missile theoretically gave North Korea the ability to hit the U.S. mainland, including the East Coast, although it was not clear whether it could carry a nuclear weapon. North Korea, which conducted its largest nuclear bomb test in September, has tested dozens of ballistic missiles under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a North Korean television presenter. Previous U.S. administrations have failed to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and a sophisticated missile programme. Trump has also struggled to contain Pyongyang since he came to office in January. Trump on Wednesday again urged China to use its leverage on Pyongyang and promised more sanctions against North Korea, two strategies that have borne little fruit so far. Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled! Trump wrote on Twitter. In a speech in Missouri about taxes, Trump, who has traded insults with the North in the past, referred to Kim with a derisive nickname. Little Rocket Man. He is a sick puppy, Trump said. China, the Norths sole major ally, has so far refrained from taking some of the most drastic steps against North Korea, such as imposing an oil embargo. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said U.S. sanctions would come very soon and would add maximum pressure on North Korea. The latest missile was fired a week after Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions. North Korean state media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere, which if confirmed would be an important technical advance. Kim personally guided the test and said the new launcher was impeccable, state media said. He described the new vehicle as a breakthrough. North Korea also described itself as a responsible nuclear power, saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from the U.S. imperialists nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat. The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the launch. When the U.N. Security Council ratcheted up sanctions in September on North Korea in the wake of its sixth nuclear test, it called on states to inspect vessels on the high seas, with the consent of the flag state, if they have reasonable grounds to believe the ships are carrying prohibited cargo. A man looks at a street monitor showing a news report about North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo, Japan, November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai However, the initial U.S. draft resolution, which was watered down to win the support of Russia and China, would have allowed a Security Council committee to designate cargo ships for non-consensual inspections and authorized states to use all necessary measures to interdict these ships on the high seas. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he was counting on U.N. Security Council members China and Russia to step up sanctions on North Korea. I am counting a lot in particular on China and Russia in order to take the most difficult and effective sanctions, Macron told France 24 television. Many nuclear experts say the North has yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles, including the ability to deliver a heavy nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but it was likely that it soon would. We dont have to like it, but were going to have to learn to live with North Koreas ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies. THREATEN EVERYWHERE Slideshow (7 Images)U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japans exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM. It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House. Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea. Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution. An international meeting in Canada in January is designed to produce better ideas to ease tensions over Pyongyangs nuclear and ballistic missile tests, Canadian officials said on Wednesday, although North Korea itself will not be invited. Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States has a long list of additional potential sanctions, some of which involve potential financial institutions, and the Treasury Department will be announcing those when theyre ready to roll those out. U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE? The new Hwasong-15, named after the planet Mars, was a more advanced version of an ICBM tested twice in July, North Korea said. It was designed to carry a super-large heavy warhead. Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington D.C. and the rest of the United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said. However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added. The test comes less than three months before South Korea hosts the Winter Olympics at a resort just 80 km (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North. North Korea has said its weapons programmes are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, denies any such intention.

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Islamabad: Unidentified, motorcycle-borne gunmen on Wednesday night opened fire outside a Shia imambargah, killing two people and injuring three others, in a rare attack in Pakistan's capital.

Police said two gunmen were involved in the attack at the Babul Ilam imambargah located in I-8 Sector of the capital.

The gunmen fled after carrying out the attack, they said.

One person died on the spot while one of the injured succumbed to his wounds, Geo TV reported, citing police.

Emergency services shifted the injured to hospital and police have started an investigation into the incident.

Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, a Shia political organisation, leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri expressed sorrow over the incident and said the Islamabad administration has failed to prevent the crime in the capital.

"It is conspiracy to create rift between Shia and Sunni sects in Pakistan but we will never let it succeed," he said.

He said they have foiled such conspiracies in the past and will continue to do so.

A spokesman for Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-Jafaria, a Shia political party, also denounced the incident, saying there is no sectarian divide in the country.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Sunni extremist groups linked with the Taliban such as Lashker-e-Jhangvi often carry out attacks against minority Shias.
Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a "grand alliance" of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army" in Kashmir.

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir, but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan by the Musharraf government. When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following the Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to bring proscribed terrorists to the mainstream, and a reflection of its continuing support to non-State actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the

terrorism blacklist by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Saeed has now filed a petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest general elections in 2013 which he lost. Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".
Berlin: The mayor of a small town in western Germany known for pursuing liberal migrant policies was stabbed in the neck at a kebab shop on Monday evening and seriously hurt in an attack that officials suspected was politically motivated.

The conservative mayor of Altena, Andreas Hollstein, appeared at a news conference on Tuesday to describe the attack which left him with a 15 cm long cut on his neck, covered in a white plaster.

"I feared for my life," said the 57-year-old mayor who has received a German integration prize from Chancellor Angela Merkel. He said the attack took place in an atmosphere of growing social tension and hate.

The attacker asked him if he was the mayor, before saying: "You let me die of thirst and let 200 refugees into Altena," Hollstein recalled. Then the man plunged a 30 cm long kitchen knife into him.

Police told reporters that the suspect, identified only as Werner S, had been arrested. They believed his motives were xenophobic and political, although they took it to be a spontaneous attack, adding he had alcohol in his system.

The attack comes as Germany struggles to deal with an increasingly fractured society. Many voters are still angry about the influx of more than 1.6 million people seeking asylum in the two years to the end of 2016.

In a September election, some 13 percent of Germans voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) which campaigned hard against Merkels open-door migrant policy.

"It brings us no further forward if we transmit political views with hate," Hollstein said. He said his wife had warned him about possible attacks due to his policies but he was determined to continue his work.

"I will push for refugees and for other people in a weaker social situation," he vowed, thanking the owner of the shop and his son for probably saving his life.

Under his leadership, the town of Altena, with 17,000 residents and 450 refugees, has taken in more migrants than it was allocated.

Politicians including Merkel expressed their shock.

"I am horrified by the knife attack on the mayor Andreas Hollstein  and very relieved that he can already be back with his family. Thanks also to those who helped him," Merkel said via her spokesman on Twitter.

The attack is reminiscent of the stabbing two years ago of a candidate for mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, in an anti-refugee attack. She was seriously hurt but went on to win the election and become mayor.
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - A TV host who seemed poised to win Sundays Honduran presidential election brought thousands of protesters onto the streets on Wednesday, as his early lead evaporated to under 25,000 votes after delays in the widely criticized vote count. Sportscaster and entertainer Salvador Nasralla, 64, heads a coalition made up of leftist and centrist parties. He did unexpectedly well in a partial count of votes released on Monday, taking a strong five-point lead against U.S.-friendly centre-right President Juan Orlando Hernandez. However, after not releasing results for about 36 hours, on Tuesday afternoon the election tribunal began issuing a vote count that showed Nasrallas lead dwindling to less than 1 percentage point, with nearly a quarter of ballots still to be counted. With Nasralla and Hernandez both claiming victory, international observers said the delays were damaging the credibility of authorities. Pre-election opinion polls indicated that Hernandez had been favourite to win the vote in the poor Central American nation, which struggles with violence, drug gangs and corruption and has one of the worlds highest murder rates. Nasrallas supporters accused the electoral tribunal of only releasing results from regions that support Hernandez, who has won U.S. praise for helping tackle a flow of migrants to the north and extraditing drug cartel leaders to the United States. In a television interview on Tuesday evening, an angry Nasralla said the election was being stolen from him and asked his supporters to flock to capital Tegucigalpa to protest. Weve already won the election, he said. Im not going to tolerate this, and there are no reliable institutions in Honduras to defend us. About 8,000 people gathered in Tegucigalpa for Nasrallas march on Wednesday, with more slowly arriving. Im here so that justice and the will of the people is carried out, because we elected Salvador Nasralla, and Juan Orlando Hernandez wants to steal his victory, said 22-year-old David Ramirez, a red political flag draped over his shoulder. The Organization of American States election observers on Tuesday urged people to remain calm and wait for official results, which they said should be delivered as quickly and transparently as possible. Salvador Nasralla, presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship, gestures as he speaks to the media after the presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, November 26, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge CabreraThe credibility of the electoral authorities and the legitimacy of the future president depend on this, the OAS said. Behind closed doors, the parties of Hernandez and Nasralla were discussing immunity from prosecution for current officials and carving up positions in government, two diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday. By 11.00 a.m. local time (1700 GMT) on Wednesday, Nasrallas lead had thinned to less than one percentage point, with about 77 percent of ballots in the nation of 9 million people counted, according to the election tribunal. Slideshow (9 Images)Hernandezs National Party appears set to retain control of Congress. WASHINGTON CONCERN? With a booming voice and finely coiffed hair, Nasralla is one of the countrys best known faces, the host of game shows that feature scantily clad women. He is backed by leftist former President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup in 2009 after he proposed a referendum on his re-election. The possible return of Zelaya risks fuelling concern in Washington. The United States has longstanding military ties to Honduras but few ideological allies among the current crop of Central American presidents. Hernandez was credited with lowering the murder rate and boosting the economy, but he was also hurt by accusations of ties to illicit, drug-related financing that he denies. A foreign diplomat in Tegucigalpa, who asked not to be named, said the U.S. would be concerned by a victory for the coalition led by maverick Nasralla. But the diplomat added that a slim victory for Hernandez might be the worst case scenario, as it would likely trigger protests and demands for a full vote count.

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Washington: Influential Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday termed as "ridiculous" the release of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Ridiculous...," Gabbard, who is also the co-chair of the House Congressional caucus on India and Indian Americans, said in a lengthy tweet.

"Not only did Pakistan give refuge to Bin Laden, responsible for attacks against US on 9/11, Pakistan set free a terrorist who has a USD 10 million American bounty on his head," she said.

"Saeed was the mastermind behind the Mumbai attack that killed hundreds, including six Americans," said Gabbard the three-term lawmaker from Hawaii.

In another tweet, she slammed Saudi Arabia for the spread of extremism across the world.

"But no more absurd than President Trump's tripling down on US support for Saudi Arabia, which continues to spread extreme Wahhabi Salafist ideology around the world, fuelling terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, all while paying lip service to 'defeating terrorism'," Gabbard said.

Richard Haas, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank, called for tougher measure against Pakistan.

"Pakistan has harboured terrorists for years and provides sanctuary to the Taliban. It is a mystery why they are designated and treated as a Major Non-NATO Ally when the reality is Pakistan is anything but," Haas said.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. FILE PHOTO - Saudi Arabian Prince Miteb bin Abdullah at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 18, 2014. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File PhotoMiteb, who was head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and current and former senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry at least partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Prince Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but it is believed to be more than one billion US dollar equivalent, the official said. It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases, the official said. At least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalised settlement agreements, the official told Reuters, adding that the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities.

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New Delhi: Snubbing objections from Islamabad, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday assured visa to four more Pakistanis, including a three-year-old boy, seeking medical treatment in India.

"Yes. Muhammad Shafay is only three years old. We will issue a visa for his open heart surgery in India," Sushma Swaraj tweeted in response to a request from Masroor Akhtar Sidiqqui, who said his son had an appointment on 20 December for an open heart surgery.

To a request by a Muhammad Sajid that a visa be issued to Muhammad Tyab on humanitarian grounds, she said the necessary papers should be submitted to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

"Indian High Commission will issue a visa for her liver transplant surgery in India," Sushma Swaraj said in response to another request by Sohail Aarbi, who said that his 14-year-old daughter Hadia Aarbi was in a critical state.

The minister also assured a visa to nine-year-old Abdur Rehman to undergo bone marrow transplant in India.

Earlier this week, Sushma Swaraj assured medical visas to 12 Pakistani nationals seeking treatment in India.

Last week, Pakistan accused India of politicising humanitarian issues and said "selective issuance" of medical visas to its citizens was not a gesture of compassion but "cold-blooded politicking".

Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said the Indian policy of selective issuance of medical visa to Pakistanis was "regrettable".

On 25 November, another Pakistani national, Shahzaib Iqbal from Lahore, tweeted to Sushma Swaraj that "after Allah, you are our last hope" and sought a medical visa for his cousin. The minister did not disappoint him.

On Independence Day, the External Affairs Ministry had announced that India would provide a medical visa to all bonafide Pakistani patients.

Earlier, as ties between the two countries soured, the ministry announced in May that only a letter of recommendation by then Pakistan Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz would enable a Pakistani to get a medical visa.

Islamabad said such a letter violated diplomatic norms. Since 15 August, Pakistanis seeking medical treatment have not been denied visa.
Washington: Pakistan has not taken counter-terrorism steps that it promised the US after President Donald Trump announced his new South Asia strategy in August, a top American and NATO commander said on Tuesday.

Reiterating that the relationship between the Haqqani network and the ISI continues, General John Nicholson, commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, reconfirmed the assessment of top US defence leadership during a video conference with Pentagon reporters from Kabul.

He was asked about the ISI and its support for the Haqqani network, and whether it had changed specifically over the past few months.

"Well, to bookend that comment, the chairman of the joint chiefs and the secretary of defence were asked these questions on recently. I think they affirmed that those relationships still exist. So I'd leave it at that and I concur with their assessment," Nicholson said in response.

According to him, the top Taliban leadership still lives in Pakistan, whereas the tactical-level leadership are in Afghanistan.

"I think their tactical-level leadership is in Afghanistan in the field. But there's a reason that the two leadership centres of the Taliban are called the Quetta Shura and the Peshawar Shura. Those are cities in Pakistan. So I'd say the senior leadership still resides in Pakistan," he said.

Nicholson said Pakistan is yet to take action on counter-terrorism which it had promised to do after Trump announced his new South Asia policy in August.

"They (Pakistan) identified certain steps that they were going to take. We've not yet seen those steps play out," he said.

"This is very much a dialogue capital-to-capital right now. We'll have other senior-level visits coming up. As far as the timeframe for actions on either side, I'll leave that to our senior leadership to discuss," he said.

The American leadership, he said, has been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis.

"I know at the senior level, again, you can read President Trump's statements. So the expectations are out there. Now, we have not seen those changes implemented yet. We're hoping to see those changes. We're hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing the Durand Line," Nicholson said.

"The Pakistanis have many concerns about the border from their side. We also share those concerns. And so, there are some common equities we have: obviously counter-terrorism, border control, refugee returns. All these issues are on the table. But in terms of changes thus far this year, again, policy was announced August 21, it's now a hundred days later. So, no, we haven't seen those changes yet," he said.

In his South Asia strategy speech, Trump was harsh on Pakistan.

"For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen," he had said in his August speech.

Trump had said the US can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.

He also warned Pakistan that it has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists.

Trump had accused Pakistan of sheltering terror groups that try every day to kill Americans.

"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars but at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately," he said in a blunt message.

"No partnership can survive a country's harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace," he said.

Last week, the White House also issued another warning to Pakistan in the aftermath of the release of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest.

"Saeed's release, after Pakistan's failure to prosecute or charge him, sends a deeply troubling message about Pakistan's commitment to combating international terrorism and belies Pakistani claims that it will not provide sanctuary for terrorists on its soil.

"If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan's global reputation," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on 25 November.
Istanbul: Turkish police have launched raids in 49 cities to detain over 300 soldiers accused of links to the group blamed for last year's attempted coup, state media reported Wednesday.

The Istanbul public prosecutor issued arrest warrants for 360 people as part of a probe into followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen in the Turkish armed forces, state-run news agency Anadolu said.

Those targeted include 333 soldiers, as well as 27 civilians suspected of being so-called "secret imams" who are alleged to be in charge of Gulenists in the military.

Two of the soldiers were detained in the northern city of Zonguldak, Anadolu said.

It said they will be taken to Istanbul where the investigation into the Gulen "structure" in the military is taking place.

Of the 360 sought, 216 were soldiers on active duty, the private Dogan news agency said. Seven of the suspects sought are pilots.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding the 15 July 2016 failed overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen vehemently denies the claims.

Since last July, over 50,000 people have been arrested in a crackdown on the movement which Turkey has dubbed the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" (FETO).

Gulen, living in self-imposed exile in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, insists his group is peaceful and has no links to terror.

Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the post-coup purge in which more than 140,000 people have been suspended or sacked from the public sector including members of the military.

But Ankara insists the raids are necessary to rid Turkey of what Erdogan describes as the "virus" created by Gulen's infiltration of key Turkish institutions.
GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency on Wednesday welcomed a decision by Libya to open a transit centre for unaccompanied children and other vulnerable refugees from among hundreds of thousands of migrants, and called on EU countries and others to accept them. A migrant arrives at a naval base after he was rescued by Libyan coastal guards in Tripoli, Libya, November 6. REUTERS/Ahmed JadallahReports this month of white Libyan slave traders selling black African migrants at markets in Libya - a grim echo of the trans-Saharan slave trade in centuries past - have drawn worldwide horror and condemnation. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have been crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean to reach Europe through Libya in each of the past several years. Thousands die during crossing the desert and at sea. Many are now being held in camps in Libya in conditions rights groups describe as inhumane. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has flown 13,000 migrants from Libya back to their countries of origin this year under a voluntary repatriation programme. But thousands of others who face war or persecution at home cannot be sent back safely. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been seeking to open a refugee transit centre in Tripoli to resettle or evacuate as many as 5,000 of the most vulnerable out of Libya each year. UNHCR...welcomes the decision by the Libyan authorities to set up a transit and departure facility in Tripoli for people in need of international protection, the Geneva-based agency said in a statement on Wednesday. With support from the Italian government, the initiative will facilitate the transfer of thousands of vulnerable refugees to third countries, it said. But we now need EU member states and others to step up with offers of resettlement places and other solutions, including family reunification slots, said Roberto Mignone, UNHCR Representative to Libya. The goal is to speed up the process of securing places in third countries, particularly for unaccompanied and separated children and women at risk, it said. William Lacy Swing, head of the IOM, told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that it was working with partners to try to empty the detention centres in Libya of around 15,000 migrants. Nigerias president said on Wednesday the government had started bringing stranded citizens home from Libya after the global outcry over reports that migrants there were being sold into slavery.

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OSLO (Reuters) - The anti-nuclear group which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize accused the United States, Britain and France on Wednesday of snubbing its disarmament work by planning to send only second-rank diplomats to the award ceremony next month. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) attends a news conference after ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland October 6, 2017. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseIts some kind of protest against the Nobel Peace Prize, Beatrice Fihn, director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), told Reuters of a plan by the three nations to send only deputy chiefs of mission. They like their nuclear weapons very much and dont like it when we try to ban them, she said, accusing the three of wrongly opposing ICANs work when North Korea and the United States are exchanging threats to use nuclear weapons. The annual December 10 Nobel prize ceremony in Oslo, attended by King Harald and Queen Sonja, is the highlight of the diplomatic calendar in Norway. The prize comprises a diploma, a gold medal and a cheque for $1.1 million. Olav Njoelstad, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, confirmed the three nations would send only deputies. He said the awards committee always preferred to see chiefs of mission. That being said, we are neither surprised nor offended by the fact that sometime foreign governments prefer to stay away from the ceremony in protest or, as in this case, because they prefer to be represented by their deputy chiefs of mission, he told Reuters. The Nobel Peace Prize is, after all, a political prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee takes notice of the joint decision of the British, French and U.S. embassies, he said. The British embassy confirmed it was sending a deputy ambassador and said in a statement the UK is committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We share this goal with our partners across the international community including U.S. and France. The U.S. and French embassies were not immediately available for comment. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Kenneth Braithwaite to the post of ambassador in Oslo, currently held by an acting ambassador. ICAN, a coalition of grassroots non-government organisations in more than 100 nations, campaigned successfully for a U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted by 122 nations in July this year. But the agreement is not signed by - and would not apply to - any of the states that already have nuclear arms, which include the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, as well as India, Pakistan and North Korea. Israel neither confirms nor denies the widespread assumption that it controls the Middle Easts only nuclear arsenal. It was not clear whether other nuclear powers would send Oslo ambassadors to the Nobel ceremony. The absence of ambassadors from the United States, Britain and France is disappointing but at the same time we are focused on getting a majority of states in the world to join this treaty, Fihn said. She said the three nuclear states were exerting pressure on other nations not to engage in this treaty. ($1 = 8.3644 Swedish crowns)

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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the EU have reached agreement on a Brexit divorce bill which is likely to finally total around 50 billion euros, British newspapers reported on Tuesday, potentially heralding a breakthrough in the negotiations. FILE PHOTO: Union Flags and European Union flags fly near the Elizabeth Tower, housing the Big Ben bell, in Parliament Square in central London, Britain September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Tolga Akmen/File PhotoA deal on the bill would signal that London and Brussels are moving much closer to an agreement at a Dec. 14-15 summit to advance to a new phase in their negotiations and discuss their post-Brexit trade relationship. The Daily Telegraph newspaper said an agreement in principle had been reached over the EUs demand for a 60 billion euro ($71 billion) financial settlement. It said the final Brexit bill, which was deliberately being left open to interpretation, would be between 45 and 55 billion euros. A government official cast doubt on the reported numbers, saying: I do not recognize this account of the negotiations. The Financial Times said Britain had agreed to assume EU liabilities worth up to 100 billion euros, but said net payments over many decades could fall to less than half that amount. The European Commission declined to comment on the reports. Britains Brexit ministry said intensive talks were continuing to take place in Brussels and the two sides were trying to find a way to build on recent momentum in the talks to take them to the next stage. Sterling GBP= rallied around 1 percent against the U.S. dollar as investors took the reports as a sign that the risk of Britain leaving the EU without a deal, which is widely seen as damaging to the economy, had diminished. The two sides already believe they are quite close on agreeing the scope of rights for expatriate citizens in Britain and on the continent. The third key issue for moving to Phase Two, an outline agreement on how to avoid the new EU-UK land border disrupting trade and peace in Northern Ireland, remains a potential stumbling block. British Prime Minister Theresa May is due to meet President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday. The EU says any British move needs to come by around that date if leaders at the Dec. 14-15 summit are to be able to endorse a move to discussions on future trade relations.

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Khartoum: A Sudanese civilian employee of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in war-torn Darfur has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a minor, the mission has said.

It said on Tuesday that the Sudanese police had informed it that the suspect was arrested on Sunday.

Both the accused and the alleged victim of the incident in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, are Sudanese nationals, it said.

"The mission condemns, in the strongest possible terms, any instance of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse committed by UN personnel in the Darfur region," mission chief Jeremiah Mamabolo said in a statement.

"We are guided by a zero tolerant policy on such abhorrent incidents and will not tolerate or condone the perpetration of such acts."

Being a civilian employee and a Sudanese national, the suspect does not have the full immunity enjoyed by expatriates working for the UN mission.

Sudanese officials claim that the conflict in Darfur has ended, but UN rights experts have regularly highlighted cases of rights abuses including rapes in camps for people displaced by the conflict.

War erupted in Darfur in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels mounted an insurgency against the Arab-dominated government of President Omar al-Bashir, which they accused of economic and political discrimination.

The UN says the conflict has killed 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.5 million.

The joint African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, also called UNAMID, was deployed in Darfur in 2007 to rein in the conflict.

It is currently undergoing a major downsizing of its peacekeeping force.
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile test and urged Pyongyang to "desist taking any further destabilising steps."

"This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community," Guterres said in a statement on Tuesday.

North Korea earlier fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that the Japanese defence ministry said landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the latest launch and calls from the United States for more sanctions to be imposed on North Korea over its rogue behaviour.

Guterres said he was ready to work with all parties to reduce tensions.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The EU has not yet reached a deal with Britain over the Brexit bill, EU officials said on Tuesday, adding that some in Brussels were worried that progress on a cash settlment masked differences over other issues. An umbrella with EU and British flags attached to it is held ahead of a speech by Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May in Florence, Italy September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi/FilesWe are not there yet, the European Commissions Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told Reuters in Berlin when asked about British newspaper reports that his team had broadly accepted an offer in the order of 50 billion euros ($60 billion), 10 billion short of EU estimates. Prime Minister Theresa Mays spokesman dismissed that as speculation, although many EU officials assume the reports were based in part on leaks from her own government. Phil Hogan, Irelands member of the Commission, said Britain had brought forward proposals that go very close towards meeting the requirements of the EU-27 member states. Britain wants to start negotiations on the trade terms that will be put in place once it leaves the EU in 2019, but Brussels has demanded it first resolve three issues: settling its bill, guaranteeing the rights of expatriates and explaining how the EU-UK land border will operate on the island of Ireland. Work was continuing on all three issues, Barnier said, and he hoped to be able to tell EU leaders at a summit in two weeks that sufficient progress had been made that they could launch negotiations on a future trade pact. May has been given an absolute deadline of Monday, when she will meet Barnier and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, to deliver offers in all three areas so that EU leaders can give approval at the Dec. 14-15 summit. Several EU diplomats told Reuters Britain had given a verbal commitment in recent days to pay a share of EU budget spending on pensions and undisbursed commitments after it leaves. Deal or settlement are not the words I would use, said one envoy, warning that a collapse in talks was still possible. The UK is moving, said another. We finally, in the 11th hour, seem to have some traction and positive exchanges in the financial talks. But were still going through the financial issues line by line to explore potential movement and space. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a leading Brexit campaigner who earlier this year said Brussels could go whistle for such a big sum, told Reuters in Ivory Coast that he hoped Britains offer would get the ship off the rocks and launch trade talks. IRISH TROUBLE But some EU governments are concerned that London may push back harder on the other two issues. Brussels wants the EU court to have sway over the rights in Britain of EU residents and wants to hear Londons plans to avoid a hard customs border with EU member Ireland that could disrupt peace in Northern Ireland. Guy Verhofstadt, point man for the European Parliament on a Brexit treaty which the legislature must ratify, wrote to Barnier to complain that negotiations on guaranteeing citizens rights had stalled and that some progress had even reversed. A third EU diplomat said issues involving sovereignty over citizens rights and the border now seemed harder to crack than a month ago. He said: Where we now seem to be moving ahead on money, other issues are proving more difficult than previously. There was concern, he added, that Britain was trying to sideline Irish concerns by moving on the money, saying a split on this could still scupper any deal on trade talks next month. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told parliament in Dublin: Progress is being made but not that is sufficient ... Things are changing on a daily basis and are rapidly evolving. British and EU sources played down reports that negotiators had discussed hard numbers on the settlement. Both sides have always said that a final figure will depend on future variables and that their initial interest was agreeing a methodology. Sources in the British government, which wants any offer on its part to unlock a simultaneous pledge from Brussels of opening trade talks in the new year, said it had not offered up any numbers to the EU, only commitments that will be covered. Criticism among hardline Brexit supporters of such payments has been somewhat more muted in recent weeks and British media reported that May had won backing from her cabinet to pay more. Nigel Farage, whose UK Independence Party had a big role in forcing last years Brexit referendum, said paying the bill was a complete sell-out and urged May to walk away. Its an eyewatering sum if its 55 billion, said Andrew Bridgen, a lawmaker from Mays Conservative party who, unlike the prime minister, campaigned for Brexit in the referendum. But as we know nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. It depends on what we get for it in terms of a trade deal. EU officials say Brussels is willing to work with May to massage the figures -- which in the end depend on future developments -- in order to help her win support at home.

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LONDON, (Reuters) - Progress in the global fight against malaria has stalled amid signs of flatlining funding and complacency that the mosquito-borne disease is less of a threat, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. People arrive at World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Malaria infected around 216 million people in 91 countries in 2016, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year, the WHO said in its annual World Malaria Report. It killed 445,000 people, about the same number as in 2015. The vast majority of deaths were in children under the age of five in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Globally ... after an unprecedented period of success, we are no longer making progress, said Abdisalan Noor, a WHO expert on malaria and lead author of the report. I am concerned that we have become complacent. Pedro Alonso, director of the WHOs global malaria programme, said that partly due to funding, and partly due to governments shifting focus away from malaria, the progress seen in the past decade is no longer being sustained. We want (this to be) a wake-up call to the malaria community, he told reporters on a teleconference. We are not on track, and we need to get back on track. Overall funding for malaria has levelled off since 2010. In 2016, an estimated $2.7 billion was invested in malaria control and elimination efforts globally. In 2015, funding totalled $2.9 billion - almost the same as in 2010. The WHO report found that when analysed on a country-by-country per capita basis, funding in countries where there is a high threat of malaria has fallen to an average of less than $2 per year per person at risk. Noor said that alongside stagnating funding, the report found equally concerning gaps in access to and use of vital malaria prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools such as bed nets, indoor spraying and primary healthcare. Fewer than half of households in countries in sub-Saharan Africa have enough bed nets to protect against mosquito bites, and only about a third of children in Africa with a fever have access to free public health sector medical care. The fact that funding ... has plateaued, that the number of malaria cases in 2016 is similar to the number ... in 2012, and that there remain huge gaps in coverage of key malaria control tools, all make clear that unless we increase our efforts, we are not going to see any further progress, Noor said.

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Aden: A car bombing hit the finance ministry building in Yemen's government bastion of Aden on Wednesday, killing two guards and wounding four, a security source said.

It was not immediately known if the car was driven by a suicide bomber or not, the security source said, requesting anonymity.

No group has claimed responsibility for the dawn attack that partially destroyed the finance ministry branch in Khour Maksar in the temporary capital.

Aden has witnessed a series of bombings including suicide attacks that have killed hundreds of people, some of them claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting an alliance of pro-Iran Huthi militias and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 2015.

The mission has expanded to include operations against jihadist groups, both Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, which have exploited chaos to gain footholds in government-held southern Yemen.

The Yemen war has killed more than 8,650 people, the majority civilians, and pushed the country to the brink of famine.
Breast cancer treatment left Susan Wolfe-Tank with an arm too painfully swollen to lift anything heavy or even fit into her usual clothing  a debilitating condition that gets little attention and has no cure.

Desperate, the Wisconsin woman traveled hundreds of miles to seek a delicate operation  replacing under-arm lymph nodes lost in cancer surgery  as a small but growing number of hospitals offer microsurgical attempts at relief from lymphedema that help some patients but not all.

Right in this area, feel that  that is your lymph node, Dr. David Song of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington told Wolfe-Tank during a recent check-up.

Song, Georgetowns plastic surgery chief, had removed healthy lymph nodes from Wolfe-Tanks back and side and implanted them in the affected arm. As the new nodes took root, her arm was shrinking. A delighted Songs only caution: Take care of them, by wearing a compression sleeve as prescribed.

This isnt a cure. I will still have to be careful, said Wolfe-Tank, 51, of Hurley, Wisconsin. But, I will be able to cross-country ski again, just live a normal life. Look at my arm, its incredible.

Lymphedema is a chronic swelling, often in an arm or leg, that in severe cases can be disfiguring, impair mobility, cause disabling pain, harden the skin and lead to infection.

Lymph nodes work like biological pumps in a network thats part of the immune system. They drain watery fluid called lymph that, traveling through tiny channels, brings nutrients to cells and takes away bacteria and waste material. Lose or damage enough lymph nodes or channels in a particular area and that fluid builds up.

Theres no good count, but millions of Americans are estimated to have some degree of lymphedema, and while it can be hereditary or result from injury, many U.S. cases are a lasting side effect of treatment for a variety of cancers.

Consider breast cancer. While better surgical techniques in recent decades have lowered the risk, experts estimate that still about 6 percent of breast cancer survivors who undergo a sentinel node biopsy  removing a few nodes to check for spreading cancer  will develop lymphedema. That risk jumps to about 20 percent for women like Wolfe-Tank who need additional lymph nodes removed because of more advanced cancer. Radiation causes further harm.

Yet too often women arent warned about symptoms or checked for early signs, when lymphedema is more easily treated, said Dr. Sheldon Feldman of New Yorks Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. He co-authored physician guidelines issued this fall by the American Society of Breast Surgeons on prevention and treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Typical patients have had that swelling for a while, Feldman said. Now the treatment is an uphill battle.

The main treatment consists of wearing compression bandages and massage to bring down swelling. A lymphedema specialist initially prescribed a large pump that massaged Wolfe-Tanks arm for an hour a night, temporarily relieving some of the pain.

But if I used my arm, I was back to square one, Wolfe-Tank said. I didnt fit into my coat anymore. I live in the snow capital of Wisconsin. Im not supposed to shovel. Weve got to fix this.

Wolfe-Tank had struggled for four years when an oncologist recommended lymph node transfer. The rationale: There are more lymph nodes in the bodys trunk than in the limbs  more avenues to drain off fluid  and thus it should be safe to move a few. Hunting for a surgeon, Wolfe-Tank found Song, who transferred about five nodes along with supportive blood vessels and other tissue, hoping theyd grow new channels to drain fluid.

Its not the only option. A technique called lymphovenous bypass reroutes lymph-carrying channels, going around damaged or missing nodes to drain into veins instead.

Some surgeons use a variation of that technique protectively, in hopes of preventing lymphedema from forming in the first place. During the initial cancer surgery, they check which lymph-carrying channels the node removal left dangling  and connect them to blood vessels to drain.

Surgical options offer great potential, note the breast surgeons new guidelines. But they dont work for everyone.

About a third of lymph node transfer patients see some positive effect, Song said.

And Feldman noted that over about the past decade, the microsurgeries have been studied only in small research trials, and results vary with surgeon experience. One debate is whether to offer lymph node transfer early, before patients build up as much damage as Wolfe-Tank did. Insurance coverage also varies.

Feldmans bottom line: Patients considering microsurgery should be evaluated in a comprehensive lymphedema program to determine their best options.
Chipotles (NYSE:CMG) CEO Steve Ells will step aside from his role of CEO and chairman, transitioning into the role of executive chairman with a focus on product innovation. This after several years of food scares, e-coli breakouts and public relations snafus.

Chipotle shares rose nearly 4% in morning trading.

Bringing in a new CEO is the right thing to do for all our stakeholders. It will allow me to focus on my strengths, which include bringing innovation to the way we source and prepare our food, Ells said in a statement.

Once the board identifies a new CEO he will begin his new role.

The board has formed a search committee comprised of directors Robin Hickenlooper and Ali Namvar, as well as Ells, to identify a new leader. According to the companys press release, they will search for a leader with demonstrated turnaround expertise to help address the challenges facing the company, improve execution, build customer trust, and drive sales.

Chipotle has dealt with a great deal of controversies. Most recently, actor Jeremy Jordan alleged that eating at Chipotle sent him to the hospital. Chipotle formally responded, noting that they couldnt confirm any link to Chipotle. They also said they had attempted to get in touch with Jeremy directly.

In July, Chipotle had to temporarily close a Virginia restaurant after a sick employee reportedly caused some patrons to get the norovirus. Before that, the company had E. coli outbreaks in Seattle and Boston, as well as norovirus illnesses in Simi-Valley, California, and a salmonella outbreak in Minnesota.

In August of 2013, Bloomberg reported that the companys meat was not actually completely "antibiotic-free, as it claimed. A Chipotle spokesman told Bloomberg that they do allow beef producers to use antibiotics to treat disease but wont allow them to routinely use antibiotics to prevent diseases and promote faster growth. Chipotle later retracted that statement, but two years later, it admitted that it has allowed its farmers to occasionally use "antibiotics" during a pork shortage, as previously reported by FOX Business

FOX Business also previously reported that Chipotles "Farewell to GMOs" claims arent entirely accurate. At the time, Chris Arnold, a Chipotle spokesman, told FOX Business that they have "always been clear that our soft drinks contained GMO ingredients, and that the animals from which our meat comes consume GMO feed. But, that does not mean that our meat is GMO, any more than people would be genetically modified if they eat GMO foods, he said.

Chipotles shares have lost 24% this year.
Improvements in U.S. bank regulation and supervision since the 2007-09 financial crisis have eliminated the problem of "too-big-to-fail" banks, Federal Reserve chair nominee Jerome Powell told the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, in comments that may surprise some bank analysts and regulatory experts.

"Generally speaking I think the financial system is quite strong," Powell said in his confirmation hearing. Asked if there are any U.S. banks that are still too big to fail in America, he responded, "I would say no to that."

The collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008 sparked chaos across the global financial system giving rise to the concept of 'too big to fail' institutions. Following Lehman's demise, governments across the world spent more than $1 trillion bailing out wobbly financial firms fearing economic disaster if they failed to act.

Since then, regulators have introduced a slew of measures, including increased capital buffers, liquidity requirements, safeguards for trading derivatives and the creation of so-called "living wills" that have helped make individual banks -- and the broader financial system -- safer.

Critically, banks have spent several years and millions of dollars drawing up living wills which outline how a global U.S.-headquartered bank -- such as Citi, Morgan Stanley or JPMorgan -- could be safely wound down if they fall into trouble.

Privately, some regulators and experts who helped draw up the living wills have told Reuters they do not believe the too-big-to-fail problem has been resolved and that these plans may not be successful when ultimately tested during a crisis.

On Tuesday, Powell - who was nominated by Republican President Donald Trump this month to replace current Fed chair Janet Yellen - said that although these measures had fixed too-big-to-fail, big financial firms still needed a special bankruptcy regime.

The 2010 Dodd Frank law creates a special liqudiation regime for financial firms because the traditional bankruptcy process is not considered sophisticated enough for large complex financial firms.

This special regime, known as the 'Orderly Liquidation Authority' has been under attack by Republicans but Powell said it may still be necessary in extraordinary circumstances.

"There may come a time when a bankruptcy is not going to work in a very stressful situation that really threatens the economic health of the country just like what happened in 2007, eight and nine. And in that case we really will need a backup in the form of something like Orderly Liquidation Authority."
Shares of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) climbed 3.9% in regular trading on Tuesday as confidence seemed to grow over the fate of the tax bill making its way through the Senate.

Earlier in the day, the Senate Budget Committee voted along party lines (12-11) to advance the tax bill through to the Senate floor.

If the tax bill were to pass, there are few companies that would stand to gain as much as banks, and Bank of America in particular. As the nation's second-biggest bank by assets, Bank of America generates more net income than all but a handful of companies in the United States.

Over the last 12 months, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank has earned a total of $20.4 billion. That ranks it sixth on the S&P 500 in terms of total earnings. It's surpassed by only two banks (JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo) and three technology companies (Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet).

With this in mind, it makes sense that Bank of America's stock would outperform the broader market as optimism toward the tax bill climbs. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) finished the day up by about 1%, which was far short of bank stocks.

It still remains to be seen whether the tax bill makes it through the full Senate, but there are growing reasons to think that it will. Most importantly, a number of Republican senators who have expressed concern about the bill are now beginning to soften up.

Sen. Bob Corker from Tennessee has been worried about the impact of the bill on the debt and deficits. To assuage these concerns, he and his colleagues are working on a plan that would kick in after five years if the impact on the debt and deficits is too exaggerated.

"I think we've come to a pretty good place," Corker said. "We've got an outline of an agreement at every level that matters in the Senate to make it happen."

Meanwhile, Sen. Susan Collins from Maine is working on a way to neutralize the impact of eliminating the individual mandate, which penalizes taxpayers who don't carry health insurance. Collins intimated that she has an agreement with Republican party leaders to pass a bill addressing her concerns prior to passage of the tax legislation.

Furthermore, although Sen. Ron Johnson from Wisconsin has also expressed reservations about the bill, focusing his criticism on the proposed rate on tax pass-through business entities, he also voted in favor of advancing the bill out of the Senate Budget Committee.

There are a handful of other Republican senators who have gone on record with concerns as well, but if these three issues are resolved, then it seems increasingly likely that the tax bill will succeed, pushing the corporate tax rate down from 35% to 20%, a coup for corporate America.

And if that were to happen, few companies would benefit as much as Bank of America, which explains why its stock soared on Tuesday.

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From Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), to Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP), to CSX (NASDAQ:CSX), proxy battles have sprung up across multiple industries in 2017, and experts say activist investors will only increase in influence throughout the coming years.

There is so much going on in the business environment that is causing existing business models to be outdated.  These kind of activists are going to get even more active, Amanda Setili, president of strategy consulting firm Setili & Associates and author of Fearless Growth, told FOX Business.

ADP just wrapped a nasty proxy battle with Pershing Square Capitals Bill Ackman, who ultimately lost his bid for seats on the companys board, but not before clearly making his point that the company was employing outdated strategies and failing to innovate. Ackman says he would have won the vote had the use of a universal proxy card been allowed.

Procter & Gamble squared off with Trian Capitals Nelson Peltz this year, in what has become an extremely expensive, acrimonious proxy fight. Trian took issue with P&Gs disappointing results, underperformance in the stock market, excessive costs and loss of market share, and petitioned shareholders for a seat on the companys board.

P&G announced in October that Trian lost its bid for a seat, but Peltz called for a recount that resulted in his victory earlier this month. Even though the proxy battle has already become one of the most expensive in history, P&G challenged those results toward the end of November. A conclusion has not yet been reached.

Peltz also put pressure on General Electric's (NYSE:GE) Jeff Immelt to step down from his role as CEO this year, after the company missed key performance benchmarks.

Meanwhile, railroad impresario Hunter Harrison won a bid to take over CSX, Americas third-largest rail carrier, as its CEO.

So what makes a company a target for activist investors? Setili said activists usually go after low-hanging fruit, which includes companies that have failed to adapt to shifts in their markets, have cost-related issues or have leaders who dont have the courage or willingness to make necessary changes. Red flags could include companies with out of line operating margins or those experiencing a sharp decline in stock price. Oftentimes, activists target companies that have been successful in the past and are hesitant to innovate or change tactics, Setili said, making them ill-positioned for the future.

Its not a long-shot for activist investors to win seats on a board, either. Setili noted that in the current market, shares are concentrated in fewer hands, allowing activist investors to embark on roadshows in order to communicate their main criticisms and ideas for change to shareholders. However, even if they lose the bid, like Ackman, it often inspires transformation within companies.

Management sees what happens and says, 'oh, if we dont want to see this happen to us again, we have to do something,' Setili said, pointing out that any activist play can send shares soaring. CSX, for example, surged 23.4%, or $7.7 billion, the day after Harrison publicly conveyed his takeover intentions.

She also said there is an uptick in urgency among companies looking to strengthen their core business practices and brands, in order to avoid becoming a target for activist investors. The key for companies is to embrace uncertainty and be willing to make changes and innovate, Setili added.
HARRISBURG  Two men are accused in what Pennsylvanias attorney general on Tuesday described as a horrible case of human trafficking that employed death threats and opioids to compel women to work as prostitutes.

Authorities said they charged 34-year-old Kenneth James Crowell and 50-year-old Barry Charles Bear Schiff with trafficking in individuals, involuntary servitude, prostitution and other offenses.

This is a horrible case where women were lured into prostitution by the false premise of easy money, said state Attorney General Josh Shapiro. When the victims tried to leave, these criminals used violence and threats of violence to keep them working as prostitutes against their will.

Crowell and Schiff are accused of forcing six women to work as prostitutes in between 2014 and last month, including in York, Lancaster and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania and in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Shapiros office said both men are in custody, and online court records did not list defense lawyers for them.

A grand jury report described harrowing methods of control, including claims that Crowell strangled a woman on several occasions, once causing her to black out.

It says Schiff slammed another womans head into a bucket containing bleach and broken glass when she refused to have sex with him, leaving her with permanent scars and injuries.
President Donald Trumps efforts to sway Republicans on Capitol Hill to support the Senates tax reform bill on Tuesday may have proved unfounded: Despite the presidents lobbying, Sen. Steven Daines said his decision to vote no wont change unless the bill itself does.

The Montana Republican joined Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) as the second GOP Senator to voice his dissent to the bill, citing its somewhat-unfriendly rates for pass-through businesses. Congress now has 11 joint working days to pass the tax overhaul plan by 2018, a feat that is concerning some, given the razor-thin GOP majority in the Senate and the continued uncertainty of how some Republicans will vote.

This is about ensuring that our pass-throughs, these main street businesses, get treated more fairly in this tax bill, Daines told FOX Business Melissa Francis Tuesday. Were getting very, very close.

Party-infighting didnt stop the Senate Budget Committee, however, which voted 12-11 along party lines to approve the package of tax cuts. That cleared the way for the entire Senate to vote, which could happen as soon as Thursday, are a positive sign for Trump and Republican leadership who have been adamant that tax reform will be passed by Christmas.

The House already approved its own version of the tax reform legislation. If the Senate approves its version, the two bills would need to be reconciled before Trump could sign-off on any legislation.

At least six GOP senators have raised concerns about the Senate tax bill that, if passed, would slash the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20% after a one-year delay and would entirely eliminate the state and local tax deductions, a provision thats popular among high-income states, namely New Jersey, California and New York.

Pass-through businesses, a business that pays taxes based on the owners income rather than the corporate tax rate, would pay a rate of 30% under the Senate bill. Those types of businesses account for more than 90% of businesses in the U.S and are currently subjected to a top marginal tax rate of 44.6%.

Daines said hes spoken with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and White House economic advisor Gary Cohn about modifying tax reform to include a better break for main street businesses. If those businesses -- which he noted provide a significant amount of economic growth within the private sector compared to large corporations -- get treated more fairly then the Senate will move closer to approving the legislation.

We need to get a tax cut bill passed and on the presidents desk, he said. Im confident that were going to get there.
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Tuesday, which flew approximately 2,800 miles into space before crashing down into the Sea of Japan, according to South Koreas Yonhap News Agency.

Retired Gen. Tom McInerney said the United States and China have the ability to financially drain North Koreas economy, which in turn could put a stop to its nuclear weapons program.

Between the United States and China and if we have other allies working, we can close that country down economically. We can starve them, we can cut their fuel, and we can drive them into the ground. And I think those are the kind of steps that need to be taken, he told FOX Business David Asman on After the Bell.

The U.S. recently imposed sanctions against Pyongyang that targeted North Korean shipping operations and Chinese companies that traded with the Hermit Kingdom.

The North Koreans last launched a missile on Sept. 15 across Japan, reaching an altitude of about 770km after landing in the sea off Hokkaido.

Theyll have the capability that they can hit any target on the globe, when it goes that high. So the fact is it means they are going toward a nuclear capability force that we cannot accept in America, McInerney said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a statement condemning the actions taken by North Korea and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told reporters that the missile launch went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken.

President Donald Trump also commented on the missile launch telling reporters, It is a situation that we will handle.
CNN announced Wednesday that it had fired a senior producer of its Sunday talk show "State of the Union" over allegations of inappropriate behavior.

Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi tweeted that three women had complained about Teddy Davis, but did not provide specifics of the complaints.

"A comprehensive investigation was conducted as soon as this matter was brought to our attention," CNN said in a statement. "The behavior attributed to Mr. Davis does not align with the standards and values of CNN and Mr. Davis is no longer with the company."

"State of the Union" host Jake Tapper tweeted praise for CNN executives, who he said acted "swiftly and appropriately, as they should."

"Workplaces need to be safe and I am fully supportive of CNN's action," Tapper added.

Michael Weinstein, an attorney representing Davis, said in a statement that his client "was not accused of sexual harassment. Nor was he ever accused of any physical contact, language of a sexual nature, or any other sort of lewd conduct."

Davis' dismissal was announced hours after "Today" show host Matt Lauer was let go by NBC News amid allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

According to Davis' LinkedIn page, he worked as ABC News' deputy director of political coverage prior to joining CNN.

NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect a statement by Davis' attorney.
Erik Menendez wants to set the record straight on what compelled him to murder his parents on August 20, 1989.

Erik and his brother Lyle gunned down their father, Hollywood executive Jose Menendez, as well as their mother, former beauty queen Kitty Menendez, at close range inside their Beverly Hills mansion. Over the years, the brutal slayings have inspired TV movies, books and even a Law & Order miniseries. The criminals are currently separated and serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Erik, now 47, is opening up for the first time in over a decade for an A&E limited series, titled The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All. Producer Nancy Saslow, who interviewed Erik for the special, told Fox News he was eager to tell his side of the story.

The national narrative of what people walked away with was that these were two Beverly Hills rich kids who killed their parents for money, said Saslow. I think Erik wants at least an opportunity to have people take a second look That is not at all his truth, and he wanted the opportunity to not only explain, but I think really open up the conversation for more understanding of what he says he went through.

Getting Erik to speak candidly about why he killed his parents was no easy task.

Erik is in prison at a place called Donovan Correctional Facility, which is right on the border with Mexico in San Diego, she explained. As part of his incarceration, its not like he gets a lot of access to the phone. Most inmates dont. So Erik and I spoke over quite a long period of time for several months in more or less 12-13 minute increments.

"Occasionally he would bargain with some other inmate for a little extra time [And] there were times and recollections [from his childhood] that were so difficult, so painful that we would essentially lose him for a couple of days. He just wouldnt be able to hop back on and talk with us And I think we could all understand that if we were reliving for an audience the worst period of your life.

In the series, Erik described in jaw-dropping detail how he was allegedly molested by his father from age six until 18. The reported sexual abuse both brothers endured would ultimately compel them to retaliate out of fear, he claimed. While the brothers made a similar claim in court, a jury disagreed and convicted them both of first-degree murder.

What happened in that moment started when he was six years old, said Saslow. This was a product not necessarily just of years and years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. This was a crime committed out of fear When you have been told over and over again that if you tell, you would be killed. I think the message for them is that they didnt kill their parents for money. They didnt need money. One of the things their parents never did was deny them money.

Erik claimed both brothers attempted to tell relatives about the alleged abuse, but were too afraid to face their father if the truth somehow came to light. Erik also said his father allegedly threatened death if anyone knew what was happening in their home.

When Lyle was a young boy, their cousin Diane had come to live with the Menendez family and she slept downstairs, Saslow alleged. And Lyle came down one night and asked if he could sleep in the other bed. She said, Why? You have your own room. He said, I just dont like it up there became my dad has been touching me. Diane, who was 16 at the time, went up and got Kitty Menendez and told her.

"And Kitty grabbed Lyles hand, took him back upstairs and they never spoke about it again. Erik believes [the abuse] then stopped with Lyle at that point and his dad moved on with him But these kids were not going to tell. They were too afraid. They had nowhere to go The parents were revered in their family. They were the stars of their family.

Saslow also stressed Erik expressed remorse over the brutal slayings and has wondered over the years what he could have done differently to stop the alleged abuse.

There are a number of times when he says unequivocally, I wish I could take this back. I wish I could go back and not have done that, she explained. It pains him. He misses his mom. He misses his dad. He loved them both, and he wishes that he could take it back. He wishes he could talk to that really mixed up kid who made that decision and pulled that trigger.

But Erik hasnt considered what it would be like to be free again. Instead, he has made the most of his life behind bars. Hes even managed to develop a romantic relationship with pen pal Tammi Ruth Saccoman, whom he married in 1999.



His life is work, said Saslow. Hes had several jobs in prison. He works at construction, he works at a number of other things. He facilitates a mens group, which is more or less a hospice group He paints a great deal. His paintings are quite extraordinary, especially for someone who is untrained."

However, Saslow made it clear Erik's attempt to move on doesn't eliminate the fact he commited a terrible crime against his own parents.

"I dont want to paint him as Saint Erik, but I will tell you, this is someone I have heard the California Department of Corrections [say] they have no problems with [him] basically a model prisoner," she said. "I think he does what he can to find some sort of peace.

As for Lyle, Saslow added the pair have limited their communication over the years.

There are letters that they can send back and forth, she said. I dont know the frequency or the volume, but I sense its been less over the years.

For the series, Saslow isnt expecting the audience to forgive Erik for committing such heinous crimes. Rather, she hopes it will prompt them to hear from him directly what may have caused him to forever change his life on that fateful evening.

He certainly talks about regret and remorse and the pain he caused, she said.  Its not like he hangs up the phone and theres a whole support system there. Hes in prison. It was extremely difficult to get that interview [but] he hung in there. That was not an easy ask, given his circumstances and given what we were asking him to relive.

"The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All" premieres November 30 on A&E.
Following the announcement that Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) was terminating all contracts with famed host Garrison Keillor over sexual misconduct allegations, Keillor revealed Wednesday that he put his hand up a womans shirt  but that she forgave him after he apologized.

The 75-year-old host of shows like A Prairie Home Companion and The Writers Almanac released a statement addressing the accusations just after sharing details to the Minneapolis Star Tribune about his alleged misconduct.

"I put my hand on a woman's bare back. I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches, he told the outlet in an email Monday. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called.

In a more official statement on the matter, Keillor avoided directly apologizing to the woman in question. Instead, he opted for more of a farewell to the business.

I am deeply grateful for all the years I had doing A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer's Almanac, the summer tours, the outdoor shows at Tanglewood and Wolf Trap, the friendships of musicians and actors, the saga of Lake Wobegon, the songs and sketches, Guy Noir, Dusty & Lefty, the sheer pleasure of standing in the warmth of that audience. A person could not hope for more than what I was given, Keillor wrote in a statement on his website. I've been fired over a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard. Most stories are. It's some sort of poetic irony to be knocked off the air by a story, having told so many of them myself, but I'm 75 and don't have any interest in arguing about this. And I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization I've worked hard for since 1969. I am sorry for all the poets whose work I won't be reading on the radio and sorry for the people who will lose work on account of this. But my profound feeling is that of gratitude, especially to my wife Jenny, and for this painful experience that has brought us even closer together.

Keillor even went as far as to joke about his situation to the Tribune.

Getting fired is a real distinction in broadcasting and I've waited fifty years for the honor. All of my heroes got fired. I only wish it could've been for something more heroic."

As previously reported, MPR retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations once it learned about them last month. It found no similar allegations involving Keillor and other staff members.
Garrison Keillor, the former host of "A Prairie Home Companion," was fired on Wednesday by Minnesota Public Radio after the network received allegations of "inappropriate behavior" against the radio personality.

MPR said in a statement that it was terminating its contracts with Garrison Keillor and his private media companies after recently learning of allegations of his inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him.

The company said it was notified last month about the allegations, which involved Keillor's days on A Prairie Home Companion.

MPR retained an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations, the company said. MPR added that it found no similar allegations involving Keillor and other staff members.

Keillor told The Associated Press in a statement on Wednesday that he was fired over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard."

Its some sort of poetic irony to be knocked off the air by a story, having told so many of them myself, but Im 75 and dont have any interest in arguing about this. And I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization Ive worked hard for since 1969, Keillor told AP. A person could not hope for more than what I was given.

Later, he told the Minnesota Star Tribune that the alleged incident stems from a moment in which he touched a female colleague on her bare back.

"I put my hand on a woman's bare back. I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called."

Just yesterday, an Op-Ed written by Keillor appeared in The Washington Post, headlined: Al Franken should resign? Thats absurd. The piece referred to an allegation that Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota had groped a woman as low comedy that should be forgiven.

Eleven years later, a talk-show host in LA, she goes public, and there is talk of resignation," Keillor wrote. "This is pure absurdity, and the atrocity it leads to is a code of public deadliness. No kidding.

The Keillor bombshell came just a few hours after NBC fired Today co-host Matt Lauer for inappropriate sexual behavior. Both episodes are part of what has become an ongoing trend since Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct toward multiple women spanning decades. Big names such as Charlie Rose, Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. have also been accused of sexual misconduct since the Weinstein news emerged in October.

Keillor replaced Lauer as the top trending topic across social media as the news broke, and one user dug up a clip from 1994 in which the radio humorist discussed sexual harassment at a National Press Club event.

A world in which there is no sexual harassment at all is a world in which there will not be any flirtation," he said.

Keillor retired as host of his long-running public radio variety show in 2016. His hand-picked successor, mandolinist Chris Thile, is in his second season as "Prairie Home" host.

The show, built around a fictional Minnesota town called Lake Wobegon, started in 1974. Keillor often said Lake Wobegon was the place where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average. The broadcast featured musical acts, folksy humor, parody ads for fake products such as Powdermilk Biscuits and The News From Lake Wobegon.

Keillor, in retirement from "Prairie Home," has continued to produce the radio show The Writers Almanac for syndication, and is finishing a Lake Wobegon screenplay and a memoir about growing up in Minnesota, according to AP.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On the same day the giant Christmas tree was to be lit outside the NBC studios at Rockefeller Center in New York City, the network dumped one of its biggest stars.

Matt Lauer was axed on Wednesday just hours after a secret meeting where his alleged victim and her lawyer told NBC brass her story of inappropriate sexual behavior from the long-time "Today Show" host. The alleged incident took place at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the "Today" show reported via its website.

NBC News confirmed that the accusation also noted the alleged behavior continued in the workplace after the games.

"Over the course of several hours, my client detailed egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct by Mr. Lauer," Ari Wilkenfeld of Wilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinson told Fox News in an emailed statement. "In fewer than than 35 hours, NBC investigated and removed Mr. Lauer...It is our hope that NBC will continue to do what it can to repair the damage done to my clienttheir employeeand any other women who may come forward."

Garrison Keilor dumped by MPR after sexual misconduct inquiry

Lauer's co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and "Today" colleague Hoda Kotb were given the rough task of breaking the news to viewers.

"This is a sad morning here at 'Today' and at NBC News," Guthrie said before reading a note from NBC News Chairman Andy Lack.

"Dear colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer," Lack's statement read. "It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment."

The statement said this is the first complaint regarding Lauer's behavior the company has received "in the over 20 years he's been at NBC News."

"I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell."  Savannah Guthrie

"We were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident," the statement said.

Matt Lauer's firing from NBC unleashes Twitter torrent

Lack said NBC's "highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender. We are deeply saddened by this turn of events."

Since the news broke, NBC has removed Lauer's image from all of its social media properties including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Now, hosts Guthrie, Kotb, Kathy Lee Gifford, Carson Daly, Megyn Kelly and Al Roker are more heavily featured.

An emotional Guthrie admitted "we just learned this moments ago" and said the "Today" team is "devastated and we are still processing all of this."

Katie Couric: Matt Lauer pinched her 'on the ass a lot'

"All we can say is that we are heartbroken. I'm heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner and he is beloved by many, many people here. And I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell."

Kotb said she and and Guthrie "were both woken up with the news, kind of predawn, and we're trying to process it and trying to make sense of it."

Guthrie said NBC will be "covering this story as reporters" and will share more details "in the hours and days to come."

Lauer firing puts harsh new focus on NBC News boss Andy Lack after Trump tweet

The "Today" show anchors weren't the only ones reacting to the surprising development. President Trump also chimed in on Lauer's firing on Twitter as the news broke.

Lauer, 59, had a $20 million/year contract that would have taken him into 2018. Lauer's firing comes just days after "CBS This Morning" host Charlie Rose was canned for his behavior towards women, which included showering naked in front of them at his home. That leaves just "Good Morning America" host George Stephanopoulos as the remaining male anchor of the big three network morning shows.

Allegations of sexual misconduct have rocked several media companies over the past year, including Disney, NPR, and Fox News.

NBC fires senior executive, who was Matt Lauers booker, for 'inappropriate conduct' with women

Lauer married Annette Roque in 1998. She filed for divorce in 2006 and accused the anchor of "cruel and inhumane" behavior before withdrawing her petition one month later after reaching a private agreement. They have three children.

According to Page Six, Lauer and Roque live separate lives.

Fox News' Diana Falzone contributed to this report.
Longtime Today show host Matt Lauer was fired from NBC due to inappropriate sexual behavior, the network announced in November.

And on Jan. 2, NBC kicked off the new year by naming Hoda Kotb as Lauers Today replacement. She will co-host the morning shows first two hours with Savannah Guthrie and continue to host the fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford.

NBC News Chairman Andy Lack previously said in a statement that the network received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Lauer, who is 60.

We were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident, Lacks statement said. It was read aloud on the Today show by Guthrie.

Heres a look at Lauers almost 40-year career, from rags to riches to what now?

1979

Lauers television career first began as a producer of a noon news program at WOWK-TV in Huntington, West Virginia.

He left Ohio University just shy of enough credits to graduate to take the job, the school said in a 1997 profile of Lauer. He would, however, later receive his degree. Lauer was born in New York City but eventually moved to Greenwich, Conn., where he attended high school.

He then became a reporter for the networks 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, his NBC biography said.

1981

Lauer married his first wife, Nancy Alspaugh in 1981. Their marriage would end in divorce in 1988.

1985  1986

Before it folded, Lauer hosted the New York City edition of "PM Magazine."

1989  1991

Lauer hosted a three-hour program in New York called 9 Broadcast Plaza.

1992 - 1996

Lauer was a co-anchor of WNBCs Today in New York. He would later add co-anchor for the early evening newscast New Channel 4/Live at Five to his daily agenda, according to his NBC biography.

Lauer also filled in as a news anchor for Today when needed.

1994

Lauer became a permanent news anchor of Today.

1997

Lauer became the co-anchor of Today."

He was also named Peoples "sexiest anchor" in 1997.

1998

Lauer began to host the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade live from Manhattan. He would continue to be part of the event's annual coverage through 2017.

He also interviewed then-first lady Hillary Clinton regarding the Monica Lewinsky scandal. It was her first interview on the subject, his biography said.

In 1998, Lauer would also marry Annette Roque.

She would file for divorce in 2006, citing "cruel and inhumane" behavior from Lauer, Newsweek reported. However, the divorce papers were later withdrawn. The pair have three children together.

2006

Lauer appeared in an episode of the sitcom Will & Grace. He played himself in the episode titled Bathroom Humor.

2014

Lauer briefly took over hosting duties during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi after NBCs primetime Olympics host, Bob Costas, fell ill with pink eye.

2016

Lauer signed a contract to keep him with NBCs Today for an additional two years, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The new contract reportedly put him at about $20 million per year.

2017

Lauer was fired from NBC News over inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.

2018

Hoda Kotb was named co-anchor of Today where she will host the shows first two hours with Savannah Guthrie, Lauers previous co-host.

Kotb will also continue to co-host the shows fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford. Kotb has subbed for Lauer, including on the day he was fired from the network.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tennessee native Charlotte Price was standing across the street from the Today show studios Wednesday morning while co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb were reading, on-air, the stunning news of Matt Lauers firing.

But it took a text from her sister back home to let her know what exactly was transpiring.

It broke so fast, Price told Fox News outside of the NBC studios. My sister in Knoxville, Tennessee, messaged me and said Oh newsflash for New York, she said Matt Lauer was just fired.

Price, who traveled from Nashville to New York City to celebrate her and her husbands 31st wedding anniversary, called Lauer an icon.

But, I appreciate the fact that they are trying to clean up the workplace for women, especially, she added. But I am shocked. I mean he seems like such an upstanding guy.

"I happen to think this is the century of the evil one, and its not going to end, unless everyone comes back to putting God first, and we Americans have lost that"  Eileen Quinlan, outside 'Today Show' studio

Bobby Pavll, a 27-year-old from Savannah, Ga., who was taking a look at the setup for tonights Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting -- which Lauer had been scheduled to host -- said he was surprised by the news.

You never know who is going to be the next person to come down, Pavll said. Dont do anything stupid at work anymore, man. Not that you should ever have done it in the first place.

Eileen Quinlan of Hampton Bays, N.Y., who was at Rockefeller Center two days after getting married, said she had been a big Lauer fan.

I watch him as much as I can and his children went to the same school that my daughter taught in, she said. I always thought he was a wonderful reporter.

She said she thinks the trend of high-profile names being swept up in sexual harassment cases wont end anytime soon.

I happen to think this is the century of the evil one, and its not going to end, unless everyone comes back to putting God first and we Americans have lost that.

Lauer, 59, was fired for sexually inappropriate behavior at NBC. He had a $20 million/year contract that would have taken him into 2018. Lauer's firing comes just days after "CBS This Morning" host Charlie Rose was canned for his behavior towards women, which included showering naked in front of them at his home.
The last couple of weeks have been prime time. With the rut in full swing, big bucks on their feet, and firearms season open in many of the top whitetail states, there have been a lot of happy hunters posing with tremendous trophiesand there should be plenty more coming in the days ahead. For now, heres a sampling of the latest trophies to hit the F&S inbox.

Buck #1: Wendell Wentworth

Maine grows some big deer, but they dont come easy. Deer densities are low, and it can take some serious work just to find a buck. According to the folks at the Burkettville General Store, Wendell Wentworth has it all figured out, as he drags in a dandy every fall. This buck weighed in at 268 pounds dressed and carries a wide, heavy rack.

Buck #2: Scott Phillips

Scott Phillips was hunting with Tim Clarks Red Dog Outfitters when Clark asked him if he wanted a crack at a true monster. I told Scott about this buck, but I also made it clear that hed have to give me five days of total commitment, Clark says. No shooting smaller bucks, no asking to move to another spot. It was this buck or nothing, and I said if he didnt want to do it, that was totally fine. He signed up, and on the last day of the hunt Scott was rewarded with a shot at this giant.

Bucks #3 and #4: Steve Snow

Iowa hunter Steve Snow was on a mission to shoot the 13-point buck pictured on the left, above, when he went out for an evening hunt. I had just crawled up into my stand, and my bow was still on the ground when I looked up to see him walking across the food plot 25 yards away, Snow says. As I watched him walk off after a doe, I pulled my bow up, disgusted with myself. An hour later I looked up and this big non-typical (on the right, above) that Id been getting pictures of walks into the same plot, following some does. When he turned broadside I took the shot. I knew Id hit him well but decided to wait until dark, then sneak out. While I was waiting, the 13-point walked back in and gave me a perfect shot. I took it and watched him pile up. Snow put his landowner tag on one buck, and his statewide archery tag on the other.

Buck #5: Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer lives in upstate New York but had made annual visits to the Midwest with his dad and uncle for years. Then my Uncle Randy, whos my dads twin brother, died just before last years bowhunt, Sawyer says. So Dad and I just didnt feel up to it last fall; the three of us had always done everything together. But this year we were ready. We were hunting this new property in Missouri, and the activity seemed to all be happening on this remote section of the farm, where some CRP met a creek. I went back there and tucked in to a patch of willows, right on the ground. I rattled and had four small bucks trot right in and never see me, so I liked the setup. A while later, a big doe came out in the grassand right behind her was this giant. I had one long shot at him but it was windy and I passed it. He was walking away when I rattled once, and he ignored it. Then I looked up to the sky and said, Bring him in to me Uncle Randy. I hit the horns hard, and the buck spun around and walked right in for the shot. The biggest buck Id shot before him was 140 inches, and I like to think my uncle had a big part of this special buck.

Buck #6: Nathan Johnston

Not much information on this buck, other than a name and a score. Nathan Johnston was hunting during southeast Minnesotas shotgun season when he tagged a brute that carries mass from his bases to the end of his beams.

Buck #7: Cooper Soule

Cooper Soule is only 14, but this great buck is his third with archery gear. Soule grunted this beautiful Pennsylvania 8-point buck in, then used his PSE Rally set at 48 pounds to make a perfect double-lung shot.

For more, visit: FieldandStream.com
Delays in the time between becoming infected with HIV and getting a diagnosis are shortening, helped by efforts to increase testing for the virus that causes AIDS, U.S. health officials said.

The report, released on Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that 50 percent of the 39,720 people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 had been infected for at least three years, a seven-month improvement compared with 2011.

Nevertheless, 25 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 were infected for seven years or more before being diagnosed.

CDC Director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald said the report shows the nation is making progress in the fight against HIV, but the gains are uneven, and challenges remain.

"Too many people have HIV infections that go undiagnosed for far too long," Fitzgerald said in a conference call with reporters.

UTAH HEPATITIS A OUTBREAK HITS 95 CASES

Shortening the time between HIV infection and diagnosis is key to prevention. The CDC estimates that about 40 percent of new HIV infections are caused by people who did not know they were infected.

Although testing rates increased overall, an estimated 15 percent of people living with HIV in 2015 did not know they were infected, and half of people who were unaware of their infection in 2015 lived in the South.

The report found many other disparities, with delays in diagnosis varying significantly by race/ethnicity and gender. For example, the estimated time from HIV infection to diagnosis was a median of five years for heterosexual men, twice as long as heterosexual women. The median was three years for gay and bisexual men.

"The report tells us some groups, particularly heterosexual men and racial and ethnic minorities, live with HIV longer than other groups before they are diagnosed," Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, told the briefing.

JUDGE: DOCTOR WHO DOESN'T USE COMPUTER CAN'T REGAIN LICENSE

Among high risk individuals, many reported not being tested in the prior year, including 29 percent of gay and bisexual men, 42 percent of people who inject drugs and 59 percent of heterosexuals at increased risk for HIV.

Two thirds of those who had not been tested for HIV in the prior year had seen a healthcare provider, which Mermin considered a missed opportunity for testing.

People who are diagnosed and take medications to control HIV are significantly less likely to spread the disease.
The Utah Department of Health is grappling with a growing hepatitis A outbreak that has reached 95 cases, with over 60 percent of patients requiring hospitalization. The majority of cases involve homeless individuals and illicit drug users, with officials citing links to the outbreaks in Arizona and California, Fox 13 Now reported.

Weve been out working with the homeless population on foot, visiting them wherever they might be in downtown Salt Lake on the streets, along the Jordan River, trying to find the individuals and encourage them to be vaccinated, Gary Edwards, executive director of the Salt Lake County health department told Fox 13 Now.

Officials have counted 95 cases so far, which is a sharp increase from the four cases that the area sees each year.

JUDGE: DOCTOR WHO DOESN'T USE COMPUTER CAN'T REGAIN LICENSE

There are deaths associated with Hepatitis A, Edwards told Fox 13 Now. San Diego is also experiencing an outbreak there, and theyve had a number of deaths there. Were fortunate that at this point, we have not had a death with this outbreak.

Hepatitis A is a preventable, contagious disease that can be spread through fecal matter or contaminated food or drink. It can cause fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice, or even death in severe cases.

Anytime youre going to be eating, preparing food for someone else, after you use the restroom, make sure you wash your hands for 20 seconds under warm water using soap, Jeffrey Eason, viral Hepatitis epidemiologist from the Utah Department of Health, told Fox 13 Now.
While first daughter and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump knows a thing or two about style, she couldnt shake fashion critics during her trip to India for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit on Nov. 28.

Stepping out in a long-sleeved, tea length floral number by Erdem to co-host the Hyderabad event with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mother of three and businesswoman earned mixed reviews for her $3,500 look.

FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP TROLLED OVER WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, OUTFIT

We think she looked elegant and managed to beautifully balance out the deep jewel tones of her dress with minimal accessories, wrote The Indian Express, adding that Trump's signature beachy waves and natural makeup polished off the look nicely.

Swirlster, however, was bluntly not impressed with the outfit.

Ivanka, who usually seems to get it right in her blacks, whites and pastels, might have made a bit of a fashion faux pas by appearing in this green dress, the outlet said of the green floral frock the first daughter delivered the summits keynote address in.

India Today, meanwhile, straight-up called it "a disaster of a dress."

TRUMP SOHO HOTEL TO DROP 'TRUMP' NAME AMID REPORTS OF SLOW BUSINESS

On social media, Instagram users poured praise on the ensemble, describing it as beautiful and lovely," while others in the Twitterverse didnt quite agree, some calling the dress so weird and distracting from her reason to be there.

Though the Express further mused why Trump didnt sport a creation from an Indian designer for the big event  as the Duchess of Cambridge and Michelle Obama have done for similar occasions  designer Neeta Lulla said in a statement that she created a traditional Indian outfit for Trump later during the visit.

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As evidenced by the recent homage she paid during a trip to Japan with a cherry blossom-esque frock, Trump's sartorial track record proves that she's perfectly capable of navigating the waters of international fashion.
The Archdiocese of Washington wanted to extend an invitation to commuters to find the perfect Christmas gift by advertising on city buses, but the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) threw up a roadblock.

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The advertisement depicted silhouettes of three shepherds walking at night with tall canes and sheep beneath a shining North Star. Emblazoned across the ad is the phrase: FIND THE PERFECT GIFT.

But the transit authority rejected the ad because it depicts a religious scene and thus seeks to promote religion, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the Archdiocese of Washington against the WMATA.

To borrow from a favorite Christmas story, under WMATAs guidelines, if the ads are about packages, boxes or bags... if Christmas comes from a store... then it seems WMATA approves, spokesman Ed McFadden said in a statement. But if Christmas means a little bit more, WMATA plays Grinch.

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The transit authority might have reconsidered its ban on the Catholic Churchs advertisement had they been selling goods and services, the lawsuit alleges. However, as we all know  the perfect Christmas gift cannot be bought. The perfect gift came from a much Higher Authority.

The WMATA issued this statement:

"In 2015, WMATA changed its advertising space to a nonpublic and prohibits issue-oriented advertising, including political, religious and advocacy advertising. The ad in question was declined because it is prohibited by WMATAs current advertising guidelines."

WMATA's revised advertising guidelines prohibit advertisements that promote or oppose any religion, religious practice or belief, the Archdiocese alleges.

We believe rejection of this ad to be a clear violation of fundamental free speech and a limitation on the exercise of our faith, general counsel Kim Fiorentino said in a statement. We look forward to presenting our case to affirm the right of all to express such viewpoints in the public square.

And while the Archdiocese of Washington may not be welcome to advertise on public buses, the transit authority is more than happy to promote other enterprises  like gay hookup websites.

In 2016 the transit authority defended its decision to allow Squirt.org to advertise citing First Amendment rights, CNS News reported.

In other words, the transit authoritys decision to banish the Archdiocese is not nice  and definitely naughty.
North Koreas third successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile Wednesday should prompt President Trump to quicken the pace of his policy of putting maximum pressure on the North to give up its nuclear weapons.

In addition, President Trump should respond to the launch by placing harsher sanctions on Chinese banks and front companies propping up the regime of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, to drive home the seriousness of our objections to Chinese support of the North.

While critics will inevitably complain that economic sanctions the U.S. has slapped on North Korea since President Trump took office are failing to stop the North from making progress on its missile and nuclear weapons programs, such criticism is premature.

There was no way that 10 months of getting tough on North Korea by the Trump administration could compensate for more than 10 years of paralysis and concessions by previous American presidents. Even the toughest sanctions need time to work.

The estimated range of the newest missile is 8,000 miles, an increase compared to the late July ICBM test that had an estimated range of 6,500 miles  still enough to reach Los Angeles or Chicago.

Over 20 countries have curtailed or ended commercial or diplomatic relationships with North Korea as a result of the Trump administrations maximum pressure strategy.

This is because President Trump is the first U.S. president who has finally acted against China for its role as North Koreas main backer.

But still, the Trump administration has not gone far enough and continues to pull its punches against Chinese banks that are the key to North Koreas continued sanctions evasion. Perhaps President Trump fears Chinese retaliation if he takes a stronger stand.

There should be no question that the U.S. goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the correct path to pursue, especially when one considers how much more provocatively the North would act if the United States recognized it as a legitimate nuclear weapons state.

Worse, rewarding North Koreas deception and blackmail in developing its nuclear and missile forces would all but eliminate the leverage Washington needs to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons of its own. If Iran sees North Korea rewarded for becoming a nuclear power, you can bet the Iranians will go nuclear next.

The Pentagon confirmed that North Korea had in fact launched an intercontinental ballistic missile Wednesday (Korean time) capable of reaching the entire continental United States. The new test was Pyongyangs first missile test since Sept. 15, shattering the misguided hopes that this pause in provocations was a signal of North Koreas openness to diplomacy.

The launch was North Koreas third ICBM test since early July. The estimated range of the newest missile is 8,000 miles, an increase compared to the late July ICBM test that had an estimated range of 6,500 miles  still enough to reach Los Angeles or Chicago.

The latest ICBM test brought to an end a 72-day pause in North Korean missile launches, which provided some relief after the blistering pace of tests earlier in 2017, including an average of one missile launch every two weeks from March through May.

The new test was Pyongyangs 20th missile launch this year, whereas it conducted 24 last year. As researcher Shea Cotton has noted, Kim Jong Un has sharply increased North Koreas missile-testing pace since 2014, launching more tests than his grandfather and father combined.

Analysts have proposed multiple theories to explain the brief pause in North Korean tests.

Some have focused on the pattern of fourth-quarter reductions in missile testing, possibly related to the demand for resources needed for the harvest or to deal with harsh winter conditions.

Others hoped that North Korea was accepting a U.S. State Department proposal to stop tests for 60 days as a signal it was ready for direct negotiations.

But these theories always missed the forest for the trees. North Koreas missile program continues even in the absence of visible tests. The nuclear weapons and missile programs are a strategic priority for North Korea and it will continue to impose any hardship necessary on its people to sustain and expand the programs.

The rush to see an olive branch when Pyongyang was merely hiding its capabilities is a lesson for advocates of negotiating a freeze of North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Freeze advocates say that it is the best way to reduce tensions and manage the threat, yet we now see that what looks like a pause in provocations may only have been a cover for continued work on ICBMs with even longer ranges.
Another one bites the dust  this time, Today Show host Matt Lauer, whose firing for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace was announced Wednesday morning. This comes only a week after rival morning show host Charlie Rose of CBS was fired for the same thing.

News reports indicate this is merely the beginning for women who have bided their time, suffered in silence and dealt with sexual harassment or worse in the workplace for decades. Now they are coming forward to finally obtain justice

Matt Lauer is only the latest to be fired from his high-profile job in recent weeks in Hollywood, the news media and elsewhere.

These men were in powerful positions, as were most of the men who have been outed for their gross mistreatment of women. Predators prey on the weak, not the strong. The cockroaches scatter when the cleansing light illuminates darkness.

NBC, CBS, PBS, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Amazon Studios, Harrahs New Orleans Casino, MSNBC, ABC, NPR, Fox News and Vox Media are just some of the companies that have moved swiftly to terminate relationships or positions where powerful men were accused of behaving badly towards women (or men, in the case of Netflix and Kevin Spacey).

But what about the U.S. Congress?

The Associated Press reports that Congress has paid out more than $17 million in taxpayer money over the last 20 years to resolve claims of sexual harassment, overtime pay disputes and other workplace violations filed by employees of Congress. There were 264 settlements and awards, but the Office of Compliance in Congress did not release a breakdown showing how many involved alleged sexual misconduct, the AP reported.

According to the law that created the slush fund, accusers must go through 90 days of dispute resolution, including counseling.

This is an atrocity and the names of members of Congress reaching settlements need to be released immediately. Congressional leaders can put their members through sexual harassment training all they want, but taxpayers deserve to know who exactly they have been covering for all these years and, further, we deserve restitution.

Who have the American taxpayers been protecting all these years?

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., has been credibly accused of sexual harassment, yet he is still in power. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., was pictured with his hands over the breasts of a sleeping woman. He gave a half-baked apology this week, and he has no intention of giving up his seat.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Rep. Conyers an icon this past Sunday on Meet the Press on NBC and had to quickly backtrack her remarks after realizing they were terrible.

But Pelosi is used to defending men who are Democrats and were caught in compromising positions: These are former Reps. David Wu of Oregon, Eric Massa of New York and Anthony Weiner of New York, plus former San Diego mayor Bob Filner, and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, was in a consensual relationship but deserves a mention for the stupidity for appearing in nude photos.

Even when an ultra-feminist is in charge of her party in Congress, victims didnt get a fair shake. Professor Jonathan Turley calls this transactional ethics, meaning each party protecting their own. Thats just depressing.

We are still waiting.

Congress should follow the lead of the private sector. Transparency is necessary. The American people can mete out justice at the voting booth if we are told the truth.

How many more women need to come forward to tell their stories before Congress will act?
On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two states, one Jewish, one Arab. Most Zionists accepted the deal, while Arabs almost universally rejected it and declared war.

One Muslim delegate, referring to Jews living in Arab nations, warned that The blood will flow like rivers in the Middle East. Iraqs prime minister threatened that the Jewish state would not survive, saying We will smash the country with our guns and obliterate every place the Jews seek shelter in while Syrias leader claimed We shall eradicate Zionism.

Seventy years later, a lust for Jewish blood is a staple of Islamic State, Hezbollah and Hamas, whose charter calls for the elimination of Israel. Irans leaders call Israel Little Satan and vow to wipe it off the map.

In important ways, then, not much has changed. Jew hatred remains mainstream enough to flourish in the sunshine as well as the shadows, including at major American university campuses and European parliaments. Year in, year out, Jews are the victims of most of the religious hate crimes in the United States.

To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column from the New York Post, click here.
We all love our dogs, dont we? We fall in absolute puppy love when theyre small and the companionship grows each day. Their excitement when we walk through the door, the tail wags when its time to go for a walk, the cuddles and licks, the unconditional love. Puppy love is simply the best.

So when our dogs get sick, we naturally get worried. When they get so sick that the vet cant figure out the problem, we panic. Thats exactly what happened to me last week. Eight days of hell. But thank God, this story comes with a happy (yet mysterious) ending.

My yellow lab, Baxter, has been my pride and joy for more than 10 years. I am currently in my eighth month of pregnancy and just know Baxter will be a great big brother.

During my days hosting Fox and Friends Weekend, Baxter often came up in conversation and even paid a few visits to the curvy couch.

Baxter turned a lot of heads as a groomsman in my Central Park wedding. People couldnt believe my husband and me when we said we were taking him on a sea-to-shining-sea road trip from New York City to San Francisco. And their jaws were on the floor when we told everyone we were putting Baxter on an airplane to come live with us in Australia.

Baxter is all over my social media feeds and even has his own pages with the very regal handle @sirbaxterbear.

So as you can see, its safe to say Im a bit obsessed with Baxter. But you get it, dont you? Pets are simply the best!

Putting all these factors together, the conclusion from several of the doctors was that the problem was likely something that couldnt be easily cured. Something like cancer.

So heres the saga, and hopefully its a lesson learned for all of us. Baxter was sick for two days straight. He wasnt able to keep food or water down. Unfortunately our vet wasnt open on Sunday, so my husband and I found an alternative vet in a neighboring Sydney suburb.

The vet gave Baxter a shot to stop the vomiting but said they couldnt put him on an IV for fluids because the office was closing at noon. We trusted the reassurances we were given that the shot would do the trick.

We took Baxter home. Sure enough, the vomiting stopped, but Baxter started getting really weak. He couldnt even stand up on his own. We opened his mouth and he was so dehydrated that his gums were sticky to the touch. He was so lethargic and out of it. We decided we couldnt wait until the morning for more medical attention.

We gently put Baxter in the car and shuttled him across town to the emergency vet hospital. He was immediately put on fluids, but he wasnt getting better. Based on Baxters behavior we had almost completely ruled out an obstruction. Hes a mellow, old boy. He doesnt rascal around eating leather shoes or socks. He doesnt dig in the trash. Hes an inside dog.

Baxter is always on a leash during our coastal walks. We dont let him scrounge. The docs took some X-rays and didnt see any foreign objects in his belly. They did several blood tests and ruled out pancreatitis. Putting all these factors together, the conclusion from several of the doctors was that the problem was likely something that couldnt be easily cured. Something like cancer.

Cancer. Its a hard word to even say, isnt it? We were devastated. I hugged Baxters neck and kept telling him he had to get better so he can meet the baby boy growing in my belly. Through copious tears, I kept repeating: This cant be happening. He was so happy a few days ago. He HAS to meet my baby boy!

At home that night my husband and I shed a lot of tears, flipped through our library of old pictures, and looked at Baxters big fluffy dog bed, wondering if he would ever be sleeping there again.

In the morning we asked if there were more tests that could be done. What were our options? We werent ready to say goodbye. What if it wasnt cancer? What if it was something we could fix?

The next step was an ultrasound back across town. We again shuttled Baxter to the emergency vet for it, but just our luck, that too came back inconclusive. A second ultrasound was recommended using a higher tech machine. We agreed it should be done by a specialist. We were incredibly worried and at a loss.

Then finally, a call that changed it all. We think there is a foreign body in Baxters intestine. We cant be sure it isnt a tumor, but it looks to be mechanical. Do you want us to open him up to find out?

YES!!!!

A couple hours later, another call from a vet tech: Surgery is going well. The surgeon has just discovered the obstruction. It looks to be a corn cob. They should wrap up the procedure soon. We think Baxter will be fine.

A corn cob. A corn cob! What in the world! Where did he get that? We dont even eat corn on the cob! Confused, but overwhelmed with joy, my husband and I started grinning ear to ear, hugging one another. We were finally waking up from this horrible nightmare.

We got to pick Baxter up 48 hours later. It felt like Christmas morning. Way better. actually. What a journey!

Baxters usual nearly 100 pound frame had been whittled down to a shadow of his former self. He was weak. Despite this, his tail wagged and seemed very excited to see us. And we were pinching ourselves.

Of course we had to see the corn cob the surgeon had recovered. It is still so bizarre. It wasnt even that big and it was black in color. I wonder how long it was knocking around in his belly! The mystery will remain. Were just happy its out.

Baxter is now at home and sporting one of those funny, bell-shaped collars to keep him from disrupting his stitches. Its bright blue and quite the fashion statement for quite the incision. Almost a foot long!

Baxters skin and bones at the moment, but his classic Baxter smile has already returned. We are still cursing that damned, mysterious, corn cob  but our Baxter is on track for a full recovery. Oh happy day!
President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt will have an opportunity in coming weeks to increase manufacturing jobs and bolster U.S. exports by simply cutting back on the red tape of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Although every source of energy  wind, solar, renewable, carbon-based and the rest  has a place on the market, the RFS includes a government-imposed requirement mandating that a specified amount of renewable fuels are mixed into at least 15 billion gallons of America's diesel fuel and gasoline annually.

Refiners blend ethanol made from corn into fuel to meet this RFS requirement, and as a result farmers who grow corn and politicians from corn-growing state support the RFS. More corn is produced in Iowa than any other state.

No one said that draining the swamp would be easy. While lobbyists and officials representing corn states have been fighting President Trumps EPA every step of the way, I am still hopeful that the White House will make the decision that benefits the economy at large.

To satisfy Washington bureaucrats, refineries and distributors must either produce the mix of fuel containing ethanol on their own; purchase credits  called Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) from someone who can blend it; or import renewables from overseas that qualify for RINs credits.

For the many who cannot afford to mix themselves, purchasing the RINs  "Big Brother Compliance Certificate" of sorts from another company  suffices. These smaller refineries are not buying a tangible product; rather, just the ability to comply with the RFS on their regulatory forms.

Since it is difficult to blend to meet the RFS's requirements, many small refiners at the mercy of large refiners. They must purchase RINs credits from them. The price of the credits constantly fluctuates.

A price hike of 200 percent came just from February to August. In many instances, the big winners from this policy are not corn farmers, but hedge fund managers. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pointed out that "when RINs prices are highest, corn prices are often lowest," suggesting that RINs are the darling of Wall Street, not corn states.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds left for Texas on Nov. 14  what she called "hostile territory"  to lobby for the removal of Sen. Cruz's hold on a Department of Agriculture nomination. Cruz promptly sent a letter to her clarifying his motives.

Cruz noted that he is far from an enemy of Iowa; he is just trying to look out for the long-term interests of the country, all while remaining open to finding a "mutually beneficial outcome."

While I am sure many Republicans would love to see the RFS repealed entirely  myself included  some have proposed a simple compromise that would seemingly benefit even the ethanol lobby: allow exported renewables made within our borders to count towards the RINs compliance system.

According to one columnist at US News, this amendment has the potential to increase U.S. exports by 1.2 gallons and create over 26,000 U.S. jobs, allowing "the U.S. to achieve its goal of 15 billion gallons of blended fuel in a way much more compatible with the free market."

It would shock me if this opportunity to beat back the RFS red tape did not at least intrigue the Trump administration. I support free trade, but there is a clear policy issue when a burdensome government mandate forces the country to prioritize foreign imports while shutting off many American exports artificially. That is exactly what is occurring under the current RINs program.

Some believe that members of the Trump administration fear amending the RFS would upset residents of Midwestern states. But contrary to what the ethanol lobby wants you to believe, it does not speak on behalf of any state.

For example, it is important to remember that like me, Sen. Cruz managed to win the Iowa presidential caucus because he convinced the Hawkeye State that less, not more, government intervention is the key to unleashing the economic growth needed to raise wages and boost employment.

The last few years have proven that wishy-washy politics do not play well with voters. Lets hope the Trump administration does what is in the best interest of the American economy rather than entertain the bidding of a few politically well-connected special interests.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, along with a bipartisan group of 19 colleagues, has introduced major bipartisan legislation to strengthen Missouri small businesses and families by increasing access to capital, cutting burdensome regulation, and protecting consumers.

With all the noise and gridlock in Congress right now, this bipartisan plan to help protect consumers from fraud and financial risk while encouraging investments in Missouri communities is a real breath of fresh air, McCaskill said. Small community banks on Main Street didnt cause the financial crash and recession, and they shouldnt have to bear the financial burdens as those that didso this plan ensures Missouri families and small businesses can thrive, while keeping the large banking giants in check, and better protecting Missouri seniors.

Included in the bipartisan plan is McCaskills Senior$afe Act, which would encourage and allow the employees of financial institutions to report suspected exploitive or fraudulent activity to authorities when they suspect that a customer might be the victim of financial exploitation.

McCaskills legislation recognizes that community banks, credit unions, and regional banks do not pose the same risk as Wall Street banks, and tailors regulation appropriately. The sweeping legislation includes provisions of McCaskills bipartisan billcosponsored by Republican Senator David Perdue of Georgia, and championed by Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyerto provide regulatory relief to small regional banks subject to unnecessarily overly-burdensome regulations put in place by the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill. Those rules that were never intended for banks that primarily engage in ordinary consumer banking practices.

McCaskill has been a longtime and strong advocate on behalf of Missouris consumers. Included in this bipartisan legislation are protections for consumers who fall victim to fraud and tough financial times, including one free year of fraud alerts for consumers impacted by the Wells Fargo scandal and the Equifax breach, as well as give consumers one free credit freeze and unfreeze per year. And it would shield veterans from having certain medical debt appear on credit reports.

Additionally, McCaskills legislation acknowledges that home-ownership is central to the Americas economic health, and makes it easier for small financial institutions to lend to Missouri families, while supporting low income families.
During his recent visit to South Korea, President Trump took another swipe at the free-trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea. Good for him. Good for America. Ultimately, good also for South Korea.

President Trump and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, instructed their negotiators to conclude an improved agreement expeditiously.

The South Koreans had already agreed to concessions after the trade deal, known as Korus, was first signed. Nonetheless, President Trump has not been happy with it.

In April, President Trump said the trade deal was horrible and had destroyed America. In September, the president ordered his staff to prepare a withdrawal. In Seoul, the trade pact was high on his crowded agenda with President Moon.

President Trump had many reasons to talk about the trade agreement. Korus has been a sweet deal for South Korea, and there were analysts calling for the U.S. to withdraw from it, largely because the pact has appeared to increase Americas trade deficit with the South.

In 2011, the year before Korus became effective, the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with South Korea was $13.2 billion. Last year, the deficit had ballooned to $27.6 billion.

Services trade reduced the overall deficit, but not by much. The U.S. had a surplus with the South in 2011 in services of $6.9 billion. Last year, that surplus increased to $10.7 billion.

This year, as Wendy Cutler points out, Americas trade deficit with South Korea has been steadily getting smaller. The trend, she notes in The Hill, leaves South Korea scratching its head on why its being singled out.

South Koreans should scratch no more. For one thing, President Trump raised trade concerns on every stop of his five-nation visit to Asia. South Korea was by no means the only trader in his sights.

Moreover, Korus was considered a prime target. Analysts argue about the effect of the agreement on the trade in goods and services. But beyond dispute is the fact that South Korean administrative agencies, under Moon and his predecessors, have severely disadvantaged American competitors.

Especially egregious was the assault on San Diego-based Qualcomm by the horribly misnamed Korea Fair Trade Commission.

Whatever the merits of the commissions 1.03 trillion won ($912.3 million) fine and its forced-licensing regime, the agency refused to give to Qualcomm important procedural protections that Korus guarantees to American companies.

That outrageous denial has fueled concern about Seouls trade practices in general. Korus is useless if an administrative agency can just ignore it, wrote John Shu, who served in both Bush administrations, in September.

So the South Korean leader has been on the defensive. President Moon and his senior staff surely understand how bad it would look if the South Korean government, under his leadership, were to continue misusing its administrative agencies to benefit South Korean companies and to harm American companies and their competitiveness, Shu wrote in late June.

Korus currently contains only ineffective enforcement mechanisms, mostly consultation provisions. The issue for some observers is whether there is any possible fix.

These mechanisms are far from adequate for the same reasons that trade deals with Asian mercantilists make no sense, Alan Tonelson, a trade expert in the Washington area, recently told the American Conservative Union in e-mailed comments. Their pervasive non-tariff barriers, created by agile, secretive bureaucracies, are excruciatingly difficult to detect and document, much less reduce or eliminate.

Washington can file claims with the World Trade Organization when Korus violations also look like violations of WTO rules. WTO panels can hand down enforceable rulings. However, the global trading body imposes no penalties for violations until a decision has been issued, by which time a company like Qualcomm can be irrevocably injured.

Because the WTOs dispute-resolution procedures are so inadequate, experts have been thinking of unilateral solutions to remedy the flaws in Americas trade pacts.

Tonelson, who blogs at RealityChek, argues the only sensible approach for Washington in these cases is exiting such agreements, and unilaterally establishing the bilateral terms of trade, including setting up the U.S. as judge, jury, and court of appeals for disputes.

For most trade mavens, that solution looks too drastic, but it makes Seouls officials nervous. They have countered President Trumps call for renegotiation by arguing that South Korean investment into the U.S. has created employment.

Cutler, who negotiated Korus for Washington, pointed out in comments to the Washington Post that inbound South Korean investment in 2016 set a record. That investment, she noted, has resulted in tens of thousands of high-paying U.S. jobs and that the trend of increasing investment probably will not continue if the U.S. ditches Korus.

Cutler may be wrong. South Korean companies might decide to invest even more in the U.S. to avoid tariff and other barriers that might be erected after a termination of the free-trade agreement.

The problem for South Korea is that Korus now looks so one-sided that the U.S., apart from geopolitical issues, has little stake in the success of the South Korean economy. That economy remains closed, Tonelson argues, so that virtually no U.S. supply chains would be disrupted by a termination of the trade deal.

There are times, however, when geopolitical concerns outweigh trade ones.

North Korea is provoking and China is expanding their power, flexing muscles, said Choi Seok-young, who negotiated Korus for South Korea. We dont quite understand what is the main purpose of Mr. Trump attacking Korea by terminating the Korea-U.S. FTA (free trade agreement) at this critical time.

The purpose, of course, would be to protect American intellectual property, which is the source of strength of the American economy and therefore the underpinning of the military might that enables the U.S. to defend, among others, South Korea. It is, consequently, in the Souths long-term interest to offer a Korus fix to tighten the links between the two allies.

As Shu sensibly points out: The better our economic relationship is, the better our strategic relationship will be.
The song Where Have All the Flowers Gone? was not written by Peter, Paul, and Mary, but no group sang it better. It became a popular political song in the 1960s, and in time was viewed as a protest against the divisive Vietnam War. Especially relevant were the haunting lyrics near the end:

Where have all the soldiers gone? Gone to graveyards, everyone! Oh, when will they ever learn?

Well, the Vietnam War is long over. A new war is now taking place: a cultural civil war.

What is at stake in this war are the traditional morals and values that have been foundational in the West for centuries.

Entertainers, media elites and much of the political left think it is time to say goodbye to our traditional values and morals. We are told that these values are old-fashioned and no longer serve an enlightened, politically correct society.

Perhaps we should add another verse to the old protest song:

Where have all the morals gone? Gone to graveyards, everyone! Oh, when will they ever learn?

In todays subjective, post-modern world truth is fast disappearing. Some elites and social engineers deride concepts like right and wrong.

Indeed, one wonders when people will learn. In todays subjective, post-modern world truth is fast disappearing. Some elites and social engineers deride concepts like right and wrong.

There are no moral absolutes, we are told  well, apart from whatever happens to be politically correct at the moment. Logic, reason and facts have been trumped by identity politics and false narratives.

Free speech is under siege. Those who lean left are allowed to speak at our universities, but those who lean right are often not welcome. Even attempting to speak can spark a riot.

An amoral permissiveness has pushed aside our old-fashioned morals. The New Age of Permissiveness has coarsened our society.

Who any longer is shocked by the unprecedented vulgarity in media and public discourse? Our society has been carpet-bombed by F-bombs. Lyrics in rap music (if it can be called music) lionize rape and murder.

It is hardly surprising to see the upsurge in sexual depravity, violence against women, disrespect for authority and antagonism toward law enforcement. Todays youth have little hope.

How did we get into this mess? Why the eagerness to eliminate moral absolutes?

Perhaps some will point to the noisy souls in the 1960s who clamored to get prayer out of our schools and to get God out of the public square.

No doubt some will think of the late Madalyn Murray OHair (19191995), founder and president of American Atheists, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by one of her fellow atheists. What might not be remembered is that she also actively promoted the end of traditional morality.

In my view, however, OHair was more symptom than cause. Ultimately, what lay behind the revolution of the 1960s and continues to lie behind the moral morass in which we find ourselves today is the rejection of God and the embracing of a materialistic worldview in which human beings are viewed as nothing more than two-legged animals.

According to Judeo-Christian faith, humanity is made in the image of God. That gives us identity, purpose and moral standards.

But according to our atheist friends there is no God and humanity is only a freak accident of nature. Therefore, there really are no grounds at all for morality. There really is nothing more than a law of the jungle, the survival of the smartest and the strongest.

Celebrated Oxford atheist Richard Dawkins acknowledges this and finds nothing but pitiless indifference in the natural world. What a pity indeed.

What our media elites and social engineers apparently fail to realize is that we really cannot have it both ways.

If there is no God, then there really is no humanity. If there is no God, there are no moral absolutes, no standard by which we can identify and judge evil. It is not a pretty picture. Without God, our morals have gone to graveyards, every one of them.
Family members of two victims of the 2012 Benghazi attack lashed out Tuesday after a suspected Libyan militant was cleared of the most serious charges against him, with one relative calling the verdict "a miscarriage of justice."

Ahmed Abu Khattala, 46, was convicted by a federal jury on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted on 14 others, including murder.

The attack killed Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya; Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department information management officer; and CIA contract security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

Tyrone Woods' father, Charles, told Fox News the verdict was "outrageous," and compared Khatalla to a getaway driver who is "just as guilty as the robber who kills the bank teller."

"I am very bothered by the fact the U.S. government gave constitutional rights and due process rights to a foreign national who allegedly killed Americans outside the U.S.," Woods added. "This is what bothered me from the very beginning."

President Donald Trump has supported sending terror suspects like Khatalla to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But after Khatalla was arrested in 2014, he was put aboard a Navy transport ship headed to the U.S. and interrogated at length for 13 days.

Pat Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, told Fox News she was "not surprised" and "not happy" with the Khatalla verdict.

BENGHAZI VICTIM'S MOTHER SLAMS CLINTON FOR CALLING ATTACK FALLOUT 'POLITICAL'

"I think the people who bear responsibility -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- aren't even touched," said Smith, who has repeatedly criticized Clinton for her response to the deadly attack. This past September, she told Fox News that Clinton "still has not called me" despite promising to do so and accused the former secretary of state and the State Department of ignoring her requests for more information.

"I am his mother. He was 34 years old, but he was still my baby, Smith said at the time. "I know what the government thinks of me, and I think just that much of the government  it stinks. This is how you get treated by the government, or, at least the way you used to."

One of the attack survivors, CIA contractor Mark Geist, told Fox "[i]t was an honor to be able to testify at the trial and be the voice for Ty and Glen [and to] finally have the government validate the truth as we told it.

"As for Abu Khattala, through his belief he thinks he will be martyred. But he will have to enter a greater court, and have to give an account to a greater judge and I have no doubt he will receive a greater sentence."

Fox News' Catherine Herridge and Bret Baier contributed to this report.
CNN will be staying home for the holidays.

The news network famously dubbed Fake News by President Donald Trump will be boycotting the White House Christmas party for the media, CNN sources confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday, citing the ongoing feud between Trump and the outlet.

CNN will not be attending this years White House Christmas party, a CNN spokesperson told Politico. In light of the presidents continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests. We will send a White House reporting team to the event, and report on it if news warrants.

The annual gathering  slated for 2 p.m. on Dec. 1  is usually an event where reporters can socialize with members of the White House administration. But ties between the Trump administration have been strained, particularly in recent days.

News of CNN's plans to boycott the event was greeted positively by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. "Christmas comes early," she tweeted. "Finally good news from @CNN."

The president took to Twitter earlier in November to criticize CNN, saying he was forced to watch it while on an overseas trip to Asia, and the experience reminded him why he dislikes the channel so passionately.

While in the Philippines I was forced to watch @CNN, which I have not done in months, and again realized how bad, and FAKE, it is, Trump wrote. Loser!

And on Monday, the president tweeted that CNN should be part of a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!

CNN sources told Politico that Trumps tweet slamming CNN International was deemed unsafe because of concerns that it endangered journalists operating out of areas or countries hostile to the media.

News of the Christmas party boycott, follows an opinion piece on the cable news networks website Sunday, in which writers Hossein Derakhshan and Claire Wardle called for scrapping the term fake news. Use of the phrase, the authors claimed, is not only self-defeating, it oversimplifies a very complex problem, and has since become meaningless during the past year.

Fox News Brian Flood and Serafin Gomez contributed to this report.
It was 1998. Rep. John Conyers was driving on a Michigan highway, when he allegedly put his hands on a female staffer in the passenger seat. She says she was only saved from the unwanted contact when police pulled him over for driving erratically.

The account emerged early Tuesday in an interview the now-ex staffer gave to the Detroit News, covering claims the Michigan Democrat made unwanted sexual advances toward her and touched her inappropriately twice in the late 1990s.

The report amounts to just the latest example in a long history of controversy for Conyers dating back decades.

Some of that history was well-known -- but some is only emerging now, following a bombshell article last week on sexual misconduct allegations. Together, they are raising serious questions about the political future of the longest-serving sitting House member -- who is relinquishing his judiciary committee post amid the allegations, but not resigning.

"I deny these allegations, many of which were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan alt-right blogger. I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on Ethics," Conyers said in a statement Sunday, adding he will step down as ranking member.

The Ethics Committee is probing the sexual harassment claims that emerged last week in a BuzzFeed article.

But Conyers has gone before the committee before -- in 2006, after three former aides said Conyers used them to babysit and run personal errands while they were supposed to be working in his Michigan offices.

The Ethics Committee ultimately closed the investigation after Conyers agreed to clarify work rules with his staff to ensure they were compliant with ethics rules and regulations.

But that committee process has come under fire.

Its often just a black hole where allegations go to die and we never hear about them again, Melanie Sloan said on Fox News Outnumbered Overtime on Monday. Sloan is one of the women who has come forward in the last week to accuse Conyers of inappropriate behavior.

I definitely think there needs to be a process by which members of Congress are held accountable for their conduct, though, Sloan said, questioning the committees general effectiveness.

Sloan, the first Conyers accuser to speak on the record, said the congressman routinely berated her.

She said that on one occasion, Conyers summoned her to his office where she found him walking around in his underwear.

Conyers, who is 88 years old, has reportedly appeared disoriented. According to a New York Times report, Conyers has showed up, on at least two separate occasions, for meetings wearing pajamas, though a Conyers spokesperson said she had no knowledge this ever occurred.

Aside from his own alleged misbehavior, his wife, former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, served three years in prison in connection with a criminal bribery case.

The new allegations are effectively opening the books on Conyers' past.

The first allegation came in a BuzzFeed News report last week.

The report said that a female former staffer claimed she was dismissed because she did not succumb to [his] sexual advances, and reportedly believed she had no other option than to remain quiet and take a $27,000 settlement from Conyers office.

Conyers initially told The Associated Press last week that he hadnt settled any such harassment complaints, but then issued a detailed clarification acknowledging the complaint was real, though the lawmaker disputed the underlying claims.

In this case, I expressly and vehemently denied the allegations made against me and continue to do so, Conyers said last week, adding that his office resolved the allegations. That should not be lost in the narrative. The resolution was not for millions of dollars, but rather for an amount that equated to a reasonable severance payment.

Other women later came forward. One woman reported that she received unwelcomed touching repeatedly and daily between 2015 and 2016, including rubbing on her shoulders, kissing her forehead, covering and attempting to hold her hand, as well as invitations to his home, the woman said in her court documents.

Conyers office said the former staffer voluntarily decided to drop her case.

The latest accusation came early Tuesday from the woman in the car, Deanna Maher, now 77 years old, who ran a Michigan office for Conyers from 1997 to 2005.

Maher claimed that there were three instances of inappropriate conduct. The first was allegedly in 1997, when she reportedly rejected his offer to share a hotel room and have sex.

I didnt have a room and he had me put in his hotel suite, Maher told the newspaper, adding that she rejected his offer to share his room at the Grand Hyatt in Washington and have sex after an event with the Congressional Black Caucus in 1997.

The other instances involved unwanted touching in the car in 1998 and unwanted touching of her legs under her dress in 1999.

He was trying to feel me up with his right hand, Maher told the Detroit News of the car incident. I kept pushing his hand away. Then he put his hand on my neck and started trying to tickle me. We were on I-75, and he was driving erratically. I was saved by the bell because we got pulled over by the police for the way he was driving.

Conyers attorney, Arnold Reed, told the Detroit News that he questioned why Maher would wait so many years to come out with the alleged accusations.

At best, they are uncorroborated. At worst, theyre just not believable, Reed told the newspaper. When you consider that theyre flying down I-75, he is driving and has time to do all of that, they get pulled over by a police officer, and she doesnt tell him whats going on?

Despite the accounts and surfacing of new allegations, Conyers issued a statement last week, noting that it was important to recognize that the mere making of an allegation does not mean it is true.

Some former Conyers staffers have come to his defense, saying they believe in "due process" and support allowing the ethics probe to "run its course."

"While we do not pass judgment on the specific allegations reported in the press or the women who brought them, our experiences with Mr. Conyers were quite different than the image of him being portrayed in the media," 12 former staffers wrote in a joint statement. "Mr. Conyers was a gentleman and never behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner in our presence. He was respectful, valued our opinions, challenged our thinking, and treated us as professionals."
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is set to return to Alabama to campaign for embattled Republican U.S. Senate nominee Roy Moore.

Bannon is expected to appear at a Moore rally next week  as the Dec. 12 election between Moore and Democrat Doug Jones draws closer. The candidates are vying for the Senate seat once occupied by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The appearance by Bannon would mark a strong show of support for Moore, a candidate engulfed in sexual misconduct allegations.

Bannon's Alabama plans surfaced after a report said he had no intentions of returning to Alabama. People associated with Bannon had confirmed the report.

But apparently Bannon has changed his mind.

I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate, and send shockwaves to the political media elites, Bannon told CNN.

"I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate, and send shockwaves to the political media elites."  Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist

It remained unclear what exactly prompted the reversal. Last week, President Donald Trump effectively endorsed Moore, tweeting Sunday: Cant let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD!"

Trump also downplayed the accusations against Moore.

"Look, he denies it," Trump said. "He says it didn't happen, and you know, you have to listen to him also."

But the White House said Monday that the president has no plans to campaign for Moore, whose Senate bid is seen as a brainchild of the Bannons anti-establishment agenda.

In September, Moore defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. Luther Strange in the state's GOP primary. The defeat of Strange, an establishment Republican backed by Trump, signaled a changing tide of politics in the party.

But following the allegations against Moore -- brought forth by multiple women, including some who said Moore approached them when they were teens while Moore was in his 30s -- Bannon refrained from campaigning in Alabama.

However, Moore has denied all the claims of sexual misconduct, saying Monday night at a campaign rally that the allegations were simply dirty politics.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
For the first time since the 2016 election, several women who have accused Bill Clinton of past sexual misconduct appeared together in public to revive their allegations against the ex-president amid the wave of new harassment claims in Washington.

The three women  Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and Leslie Millwee  recounted their accusations against Clinton during a press conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday.

I was 35 years old when Bill Clinton, the Arkansas attorney general, raped me, former nursing home administrator Broaddrick said. And Hillary Clinton tried to silence me. Im now 74. And it never goes away.

I was sexually harassed by President Clinton in 1993, said Willey, a former White House volunteer who accused the president of fondling, groping and forcing himself on her.

The first assault happened in the summer of 1980, said Millwee, a former Arkansas television reporter who says the president sexually abused her several times in a small editing room while he was governor.

Millwee accused Clinton of repeatedly making unwanted advances toward her in the 1980s, including rubbing his genitals against her body, running his hands down into her breasts and making suggestive comments to her at the television station.

Organizers of the press conference initially said another Clinton accuser, Paula Jones, was slated to attend, though Jones did not show up.

Clinton has long denied the allegations, though he reached a settlement with Jones in 1999 to drop her sexual harassment lawsuit against him. A spokesman for the former president did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

It was the first time the Clinton accusers appeared in public since Broaddrick, Willey and Jones joined then-candidate Donald Trump in October 2016 for a highly publicized press conference before the general election debate in St. Louis.

Millwee went public with her allegations 10 days later.

The intense national focus on sexual misconduct cases recently has caused some Democratic figures -- notably Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. -- to revisit the allegations against Bill Clinton. Other sitting lawmakers have also faced new allegations.

During Wednesdays press conference, Broaddrick, Willey, and Millwee called for the resignations of Minnesota Sen. Al Franken and Michigan Rep. John Conyers, two Democrats battling sexual harassment claims.

They also called for the end to the millions in secret settlements lawmakers have used to quietly settle cases of harassment lodged against them by congressional employees.

Im here to demand the resignation of Al Franken and John Conyers, Willey said. They are not sorry. Their apologies are weak. The only reason they apologized is because they were caught.

Im tired of paying Bill Clintons pension for what he did to me and all of these other women. I know there are many, many more like me, Millwee said.

Franken said this week he is ashamed and sorry about his past behavior toward women, but indicated he will not resign. Conyers has denied the accusations of harassment, but has stepped down as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

Broaddrick expressed hope that the recent avalanche of sexual harassment allegations means accusers will be taken more seriously, and not dismissed, like she has been.

Today these allegations are being brought to a whole new playing field, she said. Its more level now. Its no longer being swept under the rug, never to see the light of day. We are entering a whole new era, in regards to allegations of unwanted sexual contact.

Wednesdays event was organized by a group called the Media Equality Project.

CONGRESS HAS PAID NEARLY $1 MILLION IN SETTLEMENTS AFTER WORKPLACE COMPLAINTS THIS YEAR

Why bring Bill Clintons victims to an event denouncing Sen. Al Franken and Rep. John Conyers and others? the groups co-founder, Brian Maloney, said Wednesday. Yet who could possibly understand the issue better than those whove endured the full force of the media and political establishment that would stop at nothing to protect corrupt friends and punish their accusers?

During the press conference, another group co-founder, Melanie Morgan, lamented the sparse crowd of reporters in attendance to listen to the Clinton accusers. Most major news outlets did not send reporters.

I was hoping to see a NBC camera today, Morgan said, in a reference to Wednesdays ouster of anchor Matt Lauer over sexual misconduct allegations. I thought it would be appropriate if a NBC camera man and reporter came today. Are any of you guys with NBC? ABC? CNN? CBS? PBS?

No one raised their hand.
The influential Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday stood behind Democratic Rep. John Conyers amid sexual-misconduct allegations, resignation calls from fellow party leaders and a bipartisan vote to end such behavior.

We are not urging John to resign, Rep. Cedric Richmond, the caucus leader, said after members discussed the issue in a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting and amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into Conyers alleged conduct.

We think it's a decision for him and his family and his constituents to make, said Richmond, a Louisiana Democrat. When in an elected office, its those people in his congressional district  and his family that will weigh in on what happens when the ethics investigation is going on.

The comments represent a split with Democratic leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who despite initially defending Conyers is said to be pushing privately for his resignation.

Three allegations of sexual misconduct have now been made again Conyers, a Michigan Democratic and the longest-serving sitting House member.

The first surfaced last week, when BuzzFeed posted a story detailing a settlement with a former Conyers staffer who said the 88-year-old lawmaker sexually harassed her, then fired her after she rebuffed his advances.

The news website reported that Conyers' office paid the woman more than $27,000 under a confidentiality agreement to settle a complaint in 2015.

The ethics committee then announced that it had begun an investigation into Conyers, after receiving allegations of sexual harassment and age discrimination involving staff members and about the congressman using "official resources for impermissible personal purposes."

A few days later, a second former staffer came forward with more claims of inappropriate behavior.

Melanie Sloan, a lawyer who worked with Conyers on the House Judiciary Committee, said she was called the congressman's office to discuss an issue and found him walking around in his underwear.

Sloan worked on the committee in the 1990s, but it was not clear when the alleged incident occurred. She also claims Conyers often screamed at her, fired and re-hired her, criticized her for not wearing stockings and once even ordered her to baby-sit one of his children.

I deny [all of] these allegations, Conyers also said Sunday. I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family.

On Tuesday, The Detroit News reported that former staffer Deanna Maher alleges Conyers sexually harassed her, including inappropriate touching, in three incidents from 1997 to 1999. She became the second former Conyers staffer to go public with such accusations.

At a CBC meeting the same day, several members reportedly called for Conyers resignation.

Richmond said Wednesday that the allegations, if found to be true, are unacceptable and the CBC is relying on the ethics committees findings.

All I know is one vehemently denies it, one is saying that its true. Ethic has to come down on the legal, said Richmond, a lawyer. If these allegations are true, then they are serious, they are disturbing, they are awful, because we just dont stand for harassment in the workplace or anywhere else.

Still, top CBC officials tentative support for Conyers at this stage comes as several congressional Democrats publicly suggest that he should resign.

I would think he should, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, of Oregon, said Wednesday on C-SPAN's Washington Journal.

Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Houses No. 2 Democrat, later told MSNBC that Conyers should resign if the allegations are true.

Earlier this week, Reps. Kathleen Rice, of New York, and Pramila Jayapal, of Washington state, said they think Conyers should resign.

On Wednesday, the House approved a bipartisan measure requiring lawmakers and aides to take annual anti-harassment training, following a similar move by the Senate.

A few hours earlier, Richmond and fellow Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, South Carolina, were criticized on social media for suggesting a different standard for members of Congress facing sexual harassment claims, compared with figures like NBCs Matt Lauer or CBSs Charlie Rose, who were fired almost immediately.

Who elected them? Clyburn, the third-ranking House Democrat, asked reporters  suggesting elected lawmakers could not be let go so easily.

House Minority Leader Pelosi faced similar backlash Sunday when she told NBC that Conyers is an icon in efforts toward womens equality, while also reserving judgement about the allegations until the ethics committee completes its review.

Within minutes of Conyers announcing hed stepped down from the Judiciary committee, though, Pelosi released a statement that said: Zero tolerance means consequences. As a woman and mother of four daughters, I particularly take any accusation of sexual harassment very seriously.  No matter how great an individuals legacy, it is not a license for harassment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mystery solved?

After Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez abruptly announced his retirement Tuesday and endorsed a successor without revealing his future political plans, Fox News has learned the outspoken immigration advocate will be testing the waters for a potential 2020 presidential bid.

Few national political figures could be more ideologically opposed on the issue of immigration than President Trump  who wants a border wall and has fought to suspend immigration from some Muslim-majority countries  and Gutierrez, who blasted even the Obama administration over legal deportations. He also tangled publicly with Trump White House Chief of Staff John Kelly over his support of the decision to end a program that shielded young illegal immigrants from deportation.

House members historically struggle to gain traction over better-known senators, governors and celebrities in presidential primaries.

But Fox News is told Gutierrez will set a national schedule for the first six months of 2018, visiting cities across the country to test the waters for a White House run. If he enters, hell likely face a crowded field of Democrats eager to take on Trump.

On Tuesday, the retiring congressman shot down speculation that he would run for governor of Puerto Rico, where his family is from, or for Chicago mayor.

But Fox News was told prior to the official announcement he was expected to run for another office.

Gutierrez endorsed Cook County Commissioner Jesus Chuy Garcia to take his seat in the solidly Democratic district. Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a former Gutierrez staffer, is also planning to run for the seat.

Gutierrez has privately hinted to colleagues for the past several years that he wanted to retire.

Earlier this year, he signaled that he felt comfortable doing so now that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has more than 30 members, including several younger, more ambitious colleagues in safe districts who are likely to be in Congress for several years to come.

Fox News Judson Berger and Barnini Chakraborty and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donald Trump Jr. campaigned at a fundraiser for Kansas gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach on Tuesday evening, throwing early high-profile support behind the conservative firebrand in a crowded Republican field.

The 51-year-old Kansas secretary of state, who announced his candidacy in June, delivered a brief speech to nearly 400 attendees gathered for dinner at the DoubleTree Hotel in Overland Park.

Kobach then had a wide-ranging informal conversation with Trump Jr. onstage, touching on the media, political correctness and Trump Jr.'s father.

"I think he's actually given conservatives the ability to actually to feel free to speak up again," Trump Jr. said of the president, who he called a "blue-collar billionaire."

The elder Trump carried Kansas by 20 percentage points last November, but Democrats hope to make inroads into the state's all-GOP congressional delegation next year by attacking the president's policies and appealing to disaffected Republican moderates.

Kobach's solid base on the right could be enough to win the August 2018 GOP primary, particularly with a large field.

His supporters paid $150 or $200 a plate to attend Tuesday's event. Tickets to a VIP reception with the Trump Jr. cost $1,000, with about 120 people attending.

Kobach said the event raised at least $100,000 for his campaign and focused Republicans' attention on the governor's race early.

Ten other Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, have formed campaign committees, which will determine the successor to the term-limited Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Kobach, who holds degrees from Yale, Harvard and Oxford, has close ties to President Trump, and is well-known for his strong conservative positions on immigration, abortion, and gun rights.

The candidate served on Trumps presidential transition team, where he advised the president-elect on immigration matters. Kobach co-authored Arizonas SB 1070 anti-illegal immigration law and has played key roles in other high-profile immigration measures and court cases.

As vice chairman of Trumps Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, Kobach has raised concerns that more than 5,000 out-of-state voters may have swung the 2016 New Hampshire races for U.S. Senate and president, echoing President Trumps arguments about potential voter fraud.

"He's basically the Trump candidate," said Daniel Cossins, a 20-year-old computer programmer from the town of Spring Hill, on the south edge of the Kansas City area.

Approximately 80 protesters gathered at a park near the hotel Tuesday to accuse Kobach of racism and fear-mongering, the Kansas City Star reported.

The protesters repeatedly chanted, "This is what democracy looks like."

One woman came prepared with a sign that read Kansas Kris Kobach, emphasizing the letter K in each word, the Kansas City Star reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The annual Ste. Genevieve Christmas Festival will be begin Friday, with plenty of holiday activities continuing through the weekend all around town.

Event Organizer Annette Rolfe said she designed the festival in the late 90s to showcase the history of Ste. Genevieve and western culture at large through music.

To create this event, I wanted to put this music festival together because I knew it would keep the people in town, she said. I grew up in a small town, and it seemed like something that I would have loved as a small child.

The festival will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday with a Christmas Variety Show performed by Expressions Dance Studio, Flipside Gymnastics and the Ste. Genevieve High School Choir at the Ste. Genevieve Performing Arts Center.

Saturday will feature performances and presentations all day, beginning with free croquignoles cakes in the Shaw House Courtyard and free hot cocoa at the Ste. Genevieve Learning Center, both beginning at 10 a.m.

At 11 a.m., the Christmas Parade will take place downtown, followed by the Lions Park Spectacular at noon. The spectacular will feature food, music and free photos with Santa. Also at noon, there will be French carolers throughout the historic district.

The children get to meet Santa, they get their picture taken and they get taken around the town on trolleys to look at the historical section, Rolfe said.

From 1 to 4 p.m., there will be multiple free performances throughout downtown, including chamber choir, string quartet, modern jazz, saxophone, pipe organ, cello and acoustic guitar performances.

From 4 to 4:45 p.m. there will be a free historical lecture at the Shaw House, a reception at the Guibourd House with hors doeuvres and a Ste. Genevieve Art Guild Reception and bluegrass music at the University of Missouri Extension Office.

The art guilds annual Christmas Show will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Patke Room in the University of Missouri Extension Center. At 2 p.m. on Sunday the winner of the raffle for a piece titled, "By the Light of the Moon" will be announced.

Raffle tickets for the piece can be obtained from guild members or at the art show. A silent auction will also be held, benefiting the guilds high school scholarship.

At 6 p.m., the community Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be held at the Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center and a live Bethlehem nativity scene will be hosted at the First Presbyterian Church.

Rolfe said the ceremony will feature historical music that will portray the roots of Ste. Genevieve while providing a special holiday experience.

The children, they think theyre just getting a candy cane and seeing the ornaments, she said. But their brains are like sponges. Theyre hearing the education and the history of the town at the same time. The kids love it so much and they come back every year.

The festivities will resume Sunday afternoon with a violin solo performance at the Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center and a classical guitar performance at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church, both from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

At 3 p.m., there will be a harp solo performance at the Ste. Genevieve Catholic Church, followed by a performance by the Ste. Genevieve Municipal Band Symphonic Wind Ensemble at 4 p.m.

I hope that everyone feels entertained and has a great time, Rolfe said. As people come back every year, you start to become friends with them. It might just be a couple you see every year, but it becomes a real magical experience. We hope everyone has a magical time.

For more information and a complete schedule of activities, visit www.visitstegen.com/christmas-festival-dec/.
The Office of Special Counsel has opened a case looking into allegations that White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway violated federal law when she made comments about Alabama Senate Republican candidate Roy Moores Democratic challenger.

Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, filed an ethics complaint with the OSC last week alleging Conway violated the Hatch Act -- which bars most government employees from using their positions to engage in partisan politics -- when she spoke about Democratic candidate Doug Jones.

Shaub on Wednesday tweeted an email from Ana Galindo-Marrone, chief of the Office of Special Counsel's Hatch Act Unit, that shows the office is looking into the claims.

We have received your Hatch Act complaint and will open a case file to address this matter, Galindo-Marrone wrote.

The incident in question involves an appearance by Conway on Fox News' Fox & Friends. Conway touted President Trumps tax plan before taking aim at Jones.

Doug Jones in Alabama, folks, dont be fooled, she said. Hell be a vote against tax cuts. Hes weak on crime, weak on borders. Hes strong on raising your taxes. Hes terrible for property owners. And Doug Jones is a doctrinaire liberal which is why hes not saying anything and the media are trying to boost him.

Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade asked Conway, So vote Roy Moore?

Conway replied, Im telling you that we want the votes in the Senate to get this tax bill through.

Shaub, who left his ethics post earlier this year, took issue with Conways comments.

Shes standing in front of the White House. It seems pretty clear she was appearing in her official capacity when she advocated against a candidate, Shaub tweeted.

When contacted by Fox News, the Office of Special Counsel said they did not comment on investigations.

In February, Conway was counseled after plugging Ivanka Trumps clothing line on Fox & Friends.
In a push to end the secrecy surrounding sexual harassment inside the U.S. Capitol, House lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation to bar the use of taxpayer dollars to settle misconduct claims against members of Congress -- and to name names.

Enough is enough, Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, one of the bills sponsors, said. For far too long sexual predators have roamed freely through the halls of Congress -- the peoples house -- while survivors of sexual harassment and assault have essentially been isolated, bullied and shamed into silence.

Numerous allegations of sexual misconduct by powerful players in politics, business and the media have put pressure on Congress in recent weeks to improve its outdated method of addressing complaints.

A little-known law that has been on the books for more than a decade gives anyone accusing a federal lawmaker of sexual harassment the right to sue  but only if they consent to a drawn-out process that includes counseling and mediation.

The lawmakers identity, even if he or she is found guilty, remains confidential. And if theres a settlement  and there have been more than 200  its the American taxpayer thats on the hook.

Recent revelations have detailed secret payouts of more than $17 million for harassment claims from whats essentially a congressional hush fund. The revelations have stirred mounting speculation over who was involved in those cases.

Addressing those concerns, the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act -- which was introduced Wednesday with bipartisan support -- would end the secrecy.

The bill would require the disclosure, within 30 days, of all settlement payments along with the lawmakers involved and the nature of the allegations.

I know American taxpayers all over the country were revolted when they heard about this [fund], Florida Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, another sponsor of the bill, said.

The bill would also prohibit the future use of taxpayer money to pay sexual harassment and assault claims against any member of Congress or their staff and would prohibit lawmakers from using their office budgets to mask payments.

There is no way that the taxpayer should be deprived of knowing where their tax dollars are going, DeSantis said.

The groundbreaking bill would also require any member of Congress who has ever been named in a sexual harassment or sexual assault settlement thats been paid for by taxpayers to reimburse the U.S. Treasury with interest.

This year alone, the Treasury has paid nearly $1 million to settle sexual harassment and other complaints against members of Congress and their staff  in secret.

The need for secrecy is the smokescreen under which public officials often conceal government behavior that is embarrassing, incompetent, corrupt, reckless, dangerous, illegal, or even criminal, Andrew McCarthy, senior fellow at the National Review Institute, said. Particularly when a matter is outside the realm of national security ... and when it involves the behavior of public officials, there should be a strong presumption against confidentiality.

Separately, the House voted on a bill that would make sexual harassment training mandatory. The Senate passed a similar bill last week.

The fact that some people [who] end up talking in these halls are subjected to a threatening or hostile work environment when they came here to serve their country, to serve their ideals, thats wrong, thats a disgrace, House Speaker Paul Ryan said. We cannot and we will not tolerate that kind of behavior.

The House Administration Committee will hold another hearing next week about the sexual harassment claims process in Congress.

The Congressional Black Caucus also said Wednesday it would not call for Rep. John Conyers resignation.

Last week, Conyers hometown newspaper called for his resignation in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations against the Michigan lawmaker. The House Ethics Committee also announced it has opened an investigation into the matter.

CBC Chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Democrat from Louisiana, said the decision for Conyers to step down would be for his family and his constituents to make.

On Sunday, Conyers said he was stepping down as the senior Democrat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
The lawyer for the federal official suing to take control of the consumer agency at the center of a power struggle with the Trump White House is refusing to say whos funding the lawsuit, suggesting a legal defense fund is quietly financing the case.

Attorney Deepak Gupta repeatedly ducked the question of whos funding the legal work during an interview Tuesday.

He told CNBC that Leandra English, the official suing for control, is not paying. Asked who is, he said only theres an ethics structure thats set up.

I dont think its appropriate for me to be talking about [the funders] right now, he said, while clarifying his team is not working for free.

There are legal defense funds that exist for precisely this reason, he said, adding that the structure is well within the law.

So far, Englishs case is not going in her favor.

In a big victory for the Trump White House, a judge late Tuesday denied a temporary restraining order to halt the presidents pick for acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Mick Mulvaney.

Mulvaney has already moved to take full control of the consumer watchdog agency. President Trump installed him after English was elevated to deputy director last week by outgoing Obama appointee Richard Cordray.

That move seemingly put English in line for acting director until Mulvaney was named  leading to the bizarre political and legal fight over a little-known agency whose employees are in the unenviable position of watching two execs battle to be their boss.

English cites a law that says the deputy director would become acting director in this scenario.

The White House says other statutes allow the president to make the appointment.

Gupta could appeal the latest ruling.

Earlier Tuesday, Mulvaney instructed staff to disregard instructions from English and then tweeted a picture of himself working at a desk under the handle @CFPBDirector.

Consistent with my email from yesterday, please disregard any email sent by, or instructions you receive from, Ms. English when she is purporting to act as the Acting Director, Mulvaney wrote in an email Tuesday.

Fox News' Barnini Chakraborty and Jake Gibson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Avowed hate-peddler Linda Sarsour asserted Tuesday night that the fascist White House poses the greatest current threat to the Jewish community.

Sarsour also dismissed articles in the Jewish media accusing her of anti-Semitism during a panel discussion on the subject, hosted by the New School.

The event was already raising eyebrows weeks before it took place. Multiple people and organizations called out the university for inviting speakers with links to anti-Semitic radicals.

Having Linda Sarsour & head of (Jewish Voice for Peace) leading a panel on #antisemitism is like Oscar Meyer leading a panel on vegetarianism, Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, tweeted prior the event. These panelists know the issue -- but unfortunately from perspective of fomenting it rather than fighting it.

The Jerusalem Post Editorial Board branded the event a forum of anti-Semites on antisemitism that makes as much sense as a KKK forum on civil rights. The New York Post, meanwhile, said event was Orwellian.

Speaking on Tuesday night, Sarsour did little to defuse the perceptions about her and other speakers on the panel. Instead she said she was unapologetically Palestinian-American and a very strong staunch supporter of boycott, divest, sanctions movement against Israel, a movement that singles out the Jewish state and tries to isolate it economically and culturally.

During the speech -- which barely touched the issue of anti-Semitism and how to tackle it -- Sarsour concluded that the greatest threat to America's Jewish community was the Trump administration.

The existential threat (to the Jewish community) resides in the White House, in the highest offices of these lands, Sarsour told the audience.

"The existential threat (to the Jewish community) resides in the White House."  Linda Sarsour, political activist

We are now living under fascism, she later added, and we need all hands on deck.

The activist also dismissed accusations of anti-Semitism against her and Louis Farrakhan, a notorious anti-Semite.

If what you're reading all day long, morning and night, in the Jewish media is that Linda Sarsour and Minister Farrakhan are the existential threats to the Jewish community, something really bad is gonna happen and we gonna miss the mark on it, she said.

Farrakhan, according to the New York Times, once warned Jews that they should not forget that When its God who puts you in the ovens, its forever! and praised Hitler as a very great man on national television.
Prayers at a Dallas area school districts Board of Trustees meetings can continue.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case filed by the American Humanist Association (AHA) against the Birdville Independent School District, challenging their practice of having a student lead a prayer before meetings. This leaves a lower courts ruling in place in favor of the prayers.

The AHA called the prayers unfair and inappropriate.

The Courts decision disregards the serious coercion students face when a prayer is recited in a school-controlled environment with teachers and administrators watching and participating, Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association, said in a statement.

Im very pleased. Although I felt confident that was likely to be the result, said attorney Craig Wood, who represented the school district.

Wood believed the 1983 case Marsh v. Chambers, which ruled the Nebraska legislature could open their session with a prayer, would also allow the district to open with a prayer at their meetings.

Prayer is a legitimate expression. Certainly its not prohibited by the First Amendment but protected, said Wood.

Technically, the prayer isnt necessarily a prayer. Students come before the board before the meeting to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and for the opportunity for student expression. Whats said in the expression is up to the student.

Its your speech. Whatever they decide to do. Some pray, some share anecdotes, said Wood.

At a recent board meeting on November 16th, the student expression made no mention of God and asked people to be grateful for district staff on Thanksgiving. However, the student did say they should be blessed.

On October 26th, the student expression discussed her love for artist Pablo Picasso. Another student had a moment of silence for Hurricane Harvey victims and 9/11 victims during Septembers board meeting.

Fox News found that the last time a students expression resembled a prayer was March 23, 2017, when a student told the board how lucky he was to be a part of the district and asked God to bless them.

While the student is giving their expression, a disclaimer is put on a screen at the front of the room stating, The student speaking at the board meeting was chosen based on neutral criteria to deliver messages based on the students own choices. The content of the speakers message is the private expression of the individual student and does not reflect any position or expression of the district.

The student expression used to be called the student invocation. The district changed the name after AHA told the district the practice of having kids pray before a meeting was inappropriate.

When the plaintiff, Isaiah Smith, was a student at Birdville, he said he noticed the school had what he called a history of engaging in unconstitutional activities.

They are a religious school, but they should be a secular school. They shouldnt be supporting religion over non-religion, said Smith. They should just be worrying about educating their students.

Smith also claimed that the school district changed the name to expression, students were chosen specifically to make Christian prayers.

That change from invocation to expression wasnt good enough for AHA. They sued and claimed that the district was violating the establishment clause by allowing prayer.

This is not even governmental speech, its student speech. Its just their right of free expression, said Wood.

They case began in the Northern District of Texas, which ruled in favor of the district. They appealed to the 5th circuit, which also ruled in favor of the district. The Supreme Court declined to hear another appeal.

Im very saddened and disappointed by that decision but were looking to move forward and keep on fighting for the constitution and the principals of the constitution, said Smith.
U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Moore has a new challenger  a retired Marine colonel.

With just 13 days until the Alabama special election, Col. Lee Busby has entered the tight and bitter race to fill the seat once held by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Busby is running as an independent write-in candidate against Moore, the Republican dogged by sexual misconduct allegations, and Democratic nominee Doug Jones.

It all started out with me walking down the street thinking: Hell, Id vote for me before Id vote for either of those two guys, Busby told Fox News.

He said his decision has nothing to do with the handful of women who claim Moore sexually harassed them when they were underage.

I have no idea whats at the foundation of all of that controversy, he said. Its not my issue, on a personal level.

Multiple Republicans have called for Moores removal, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. John McCain.

ROY MOORE TELLS RALLY CROWD SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS ARE 'DIRTY POLITICS'

Sexual allegations aside, the colonel said hes always had a gripe with Moore.

I dont think his professional qualifications speak to the U.S. Senate, he said. Hes a judge, thats great.

As for Jones, Busby believes that he fails to represent Alabama voters.

The retired colonel believes his candidacy gives Alabamians a more reliable option, and his lengthy resume proves his qualifications for the job. He served for 31 years in the United States Marine Corps, half of which were spent in active duty. He served in Iraq for about a year in 2007.

He served as deputy chief of staff for Marine Forces Europe and also served as vice chief of staff for Lt. Gen. John Kelly, the current White House chief of staff for President Trump, at the Marine Forces Reserve.

He said it was a privilege to work for Kelly, but he insists his campaign has nothing to do with his former boss position in the White House.

I think you tend to work easier with people you know and trust, Busby said about Kelly, adding that this is not based on that.

Busby said he offers more than military experience.

ROY MOORE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS CONDEMNED BY GROWING NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS

As an investment banker, entrepreneur, small-business owner, and employee of a multinational corporation, Busby said he possesses the skills and knowledge to become much more than a military leader.

Its actually much more varied than that, Busby said about his career. And I think thats a strength.

The write-in candidate says hes never before considered running for political office, but believes this long-shot campaign was custom made for him.

I would never, ever make it in a conventional campaign, he said. Ive never been interested or willing to pay the kind of political dues that one has to pay to move up.

Even with the controversy surrounding the race, the little-known write-in candidate is a very-long shot contender -- for Alabama voters to elect him, they must write in Lee Busby on their ballots.

The bigger question is not whether he'll win, but how his candidacy might tilt the race by drawing votes from Moore or Jones.

Although some have questioned his intentions, particularly since he entered the campaign so late, he says his motives come from the heart.

As for his policies, the newcomer plans to support the Republican platform, including repealing and replacing ObamaCare, supporting the tax reform bill, pushing for stiffer immigration laws and supporting a pro-life agenda.

MARINE SEEKS TO HONOR FALLEN VETERAN WITH SCULPTURE ON COLLEGE CAMPUS

Im a centrist candidate, Republican voter, and supporter of the Republican agenda in the U.S. Senate, Busby wrote on his official campaign page.
A digital age dispute over the privacy rights of cellphone customers left the Supreme Court on Wednesday seriously considering whether to curb law enforcement's ability to track their movements.

At issue during 80 minutes of oral arguments was whether the Constitutions Fourth Amendment requires a search warrant for the government to access a person's cellphone location history. It is the latest foray by the justices into how laws should be tailored to keep up with technological advances.

"Most Americans, I think, still want to avoid Big Brother. They want to avoid the concept that government will be able to see and locate you anywhere you are at any point in time," said Justice Sonia Sotomayor. "This is no different than a telephone company having access to your telephone conversations."

"It seems to me there's a much more normal expectation that businesses have your cellphone data," and could give it to the government in certain cases, said Justice Anthony Kennedy.

"I think everybody, almost everybody, knows that. If I know it, everybody does," the 81-year-old justice said, drawing laughter in the courtroom.

The stakes are enormous, since any precedent could be applied more broadly, including to Internet, bank, credit card and telephone records.

Civil rights and privacy advocates argue current rules open the doors to government abuse regarding a citizen's everyday activities in public and private spaces. An estimated 300,000 communications towers across the U.S. allow pinpoint accuracy as to where cellphones and those using them have been.

But the U.S. Justice Department, supported by a number of states, says if consumers knowingly give their data to third parties -- including cellphone providers -- their privacy rights are diminished. That would permit police to request the transmission data without a warrant.

The hearing Wednesday stemmed from a challenge brought by Timothy Carpenter, who was arrested for being part of a store robbery gang in Michigan and Ohio. He and a co-conspirator were convicted in part after police obtained archived cellphone records showing him near the scene of the crimes. Nearly 13,000 so-called "location points" from six months of Carpenter's movements were obtained without warrant.

His 116-year prison term was upheld by a federal appeals court. He wants the digital evidence dismissed, and his conviction overturned.

The government argues that under a 1986 congressional law known as the Stored Communications Act, it does not need "probable cause" to obtain archived customer records kept by the phone companies for business purposes.

Separately, police surveillance tracking of real-time movementsor wiretapping the actual conversations of a criminal suspectstill typically requires a judge's authorization.

During the public session, justices of both ideological stripes asked tough questions of both sides.

When ACLU attorney Nathan Wessler said a rule requiring a warrant for cellphone records beyond 24 hours was reasonable, several on the bench were concerned.

"You said 24 hours roughly. So, if there were only one robbery, we could get that information, but now there are how many, eight [robberies]?" asked Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "So we can't get it for eight, but we can get it for the one?"

"I was trying to think of an example of a situation in which a person would have a property right in information that the person doesn't ask a third-party to create," said Justice Samuel Alito. "The person can't prevent the company from gathering it. The person can't force the company to destroy it. The person can't prevent the company from destroying it."

Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben -- who is splitting his time working for special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe -- also faced tough questions when he suggested the commercial information retained by companies was less intrusive.

"Why is that less intrusive? The whole question is whether the information is accessible to the government," said Chief Justice John Roberts. "Yes, the technology affects every aspect of life. That doesn't mean that the warrant has to."

"This is an open box. We know not where we go," added Justice Stephen Breyer, speaking to the tough constitutional choices that have to be made. "The electronic information is infallible. You can follow them forever. That's a big change" from prior pre-digital search and seizure cases, he said.

The high court has been grappling with the so-called "third party" doctrine since 1976, when it ruled bank records obtained without a warrant could be used to prosecute a Georgia moonshiner. The justices extended it three years later to include phone numbers used by a robbery suspect, though not the actual conversations themselves.

But in 2012, the Supreme Court unanimously said police could not attach a GPS device on the car of a suspected drug dealer to track his movements. Two years later, the justices separately and unanimously ruled police need a warrant to search a cellphone that is seized during an arrest.

But unlike those cases, in the Carpenter appeal there is no "physical intrusion" of the device, raising questions whether one's privacy is in fact being violated.

The current case is Carpenter v. U.S (16-402). A ruling is expected in the coming months.
First, there were reports of sexual harassment involving lawmakers and aides in the U.S. Capitol.

Now, a tourist visiting Capitol Hill has been accused of groping.

The U.S. Capitol Police report that the suspect walked over and groped two women who were on a tour at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on Nov. 22.

They reported the incident to police, who arrested the suspect.

According to the police report, the tourists who reported the incident stated that they saw the Suspect take a picture of a girl and that he had groped them both.

The unusual report comes as lawmakers including Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., are battling sexual misconduct allegations. Alabama Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore has also faced multiple allegations of inappropriate contact with teenagers when he was in his 30s.

Fox News Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
President Trump promised to slap additional major sanctions on North Korea Wednesday, just one day after the rogue nation fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile in months.

Trumps announcement followed a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, ahead of a United Nations Security Council meeting slated for later Wednesday.

Just spoke to President XI JINGPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea, Trump tweeted. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!

Trump and Xi had discussed the latest missile launch, according to the White House.

President Trump underscored the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said in a statement. President Trump emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization.

After North Korea fired its highest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile, Trump on Tuesday promised to take care of it. The launch was the first since the country fired an intermediate range missile in September. Tuesdays ICBM flew 1,000 miles higher than during the first ICBM launch in July.

North Korea has now test-launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles in its history.

US SLAPS NEW SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA AFTER DESIGNATING IT SPONSOR OF TERRORISM

It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters on Tuesday.

The latest clash, though, follows the administrations designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, which came with additional sanctions on the rogue nation.

While it is unclear what major additional sanctions the president was referring to on Twitter, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said they were exploring an additional round.

TRUMP ON NORTH KOREA MISSILE LAUNCH: 'WE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT'

We have a long list of additional potential sanctions -- some of which involve additional financial institutions, Tillerson said at the State Department Wednesday. The Treasury Department will be announcing those when theyre ready to roll those out.

Last week, the Treasury Department announced new measures to pair with the designation of a state sponsor of terrorism, including sanctions on one individual, 13 entities, and 20 vessels as the U.S. takes action multilaterally and unilaterally to disrupt North Koreas funding of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Those sanctions were set to maximize economic pressure to isolate North Korea from outside sources of trade and revenue, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last week upon the rollout of the sanctions.

TRUMP DESIGNATES NORTH KOREA AS STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR

The sanctions were on four Chinese trading companies, and a Chinese national said to have conducted hundreds of millions of dollars in business dealings with North Korea. Those sanctioned are barred from holding U.S. assets or doing business wth Americans.

Unclear is whether Trumps Wednesday tweet was referring to those U.S. efforts, or penalties that might come out of the U.N. Security Council.

The State Department and the National Security Council did not immediately respond to Fox News request for clarification.

Fox News' Rich Edson contributed to this report.
About 515 million years ago, a tiny sea critter that was "strange beyond measure" wasn't taking any chances with its safety: Armor covered its back and sides, a helmet-like shell protected its head, and pointy spikes stuck out from its sides, researchers have found.

"The creature is like a mythical beast," said study researcher Martin Smith, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University in England.

The newfound beast may change scientists' understanding of the behavior of some of these early Cambrian period animals, the researchers said. [Cambrian Creatures Gallery: Photos of Primitive Sea Life]

New discovery

The researchers discovered two specimens of the creature in the Cambrian Chengjiang biota, a famous fossil site in southwest China. Study lead researcher Fangchen Zhao, a paleobiologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, found one specimen in 2015, and an amateur fossil collector unearthed another, giving it to Zhao in 2016.

It's incredible that the teeny, slug-like critter was discovered at all. It's only about 0.7 inches (20 millimeters) long and 0.1 inches (3 millimeters) wide, Smith said. Given that the two specimens are similar in size, they're both likely full-grown adults, he noted.

"These fossils are incredibly rare," Smith told Live Science. "Only two specimens have been found, amidst the tens of thousands of other creatures known from the same deposits."

The scientists named the newfound species Orthrozanclus elongata. The species name alludes to the creature's elongated body, the researchers wrote in the study.

Armor and spikes

An examination of O. elongata showed that it's covered with a coat of armor. Rows of scales, much like roof tiles, cover its back, and overlapping, leaf-like plates protect its sides, Smith said.

"But most prominent are the cocktail-stick-like spines that emerge from its sides like the rays of a sunburst," Smith said. The spines are longer than the animal is wide and give it the appearance of a cuddly cactus, Smith joked. [See images of another bizarre Cambrian creature]

"Odder still, its head is covered by a small shell, almost as if it's wearing a bike helmet," Smith said. "We don't know much about the animal underneath these mineralized plates  whether it had legs or a slug-like foot, [and] whether it had teeth or tentacles."

The "beautifully preserved armor" of O. elongata may provide clues about the anatomy of the tommotiids, relatives of the brachiopods (also called lampshells). Most tommotiid fossils don't show the whole animal, just isolated scales and plates. However, it appears that O. elongata is a close match to the shapes and proportions of certain tommotiid species, Smith said.

If the tommotiids  and by extension brachiopods  were similar to O. elongata during the Cambrian, then it's possible that they had extensive armor at that time, as well as the ability to actively move around the sea, searching for food, Smith said.

Nowadays, brachiopods are sedentary creatures that stick to the seafloor, hide in their shells and filter bits of food out of seawater. Some people think of the creatures as "living fossils," but "if our interpretations are right, they would turn this idea on its head," Smith said. "Whereas many lineages show evolutionary trends towards greater activity and complexity, brachiopods seem to have settled down to a sedentary existence, like a retiree settling down in a favorite armchair." [Photos: Ancient Marine Critter Had 50 Legs, 2 Large Claws]

Family-tree checkup

The study shows that Orthrozanclus, a genus previously known only from Canada's Burgess Shale, also lived in what is now China, said Derek Briggs, a professor of paleontology at Yale University, who was not involved in the study.

This argument that brachiopods were once active and then settled down later in their evolution would be stronger if the researchers had done a phylogenetic (family tree) analysis, said Briggs and Javier Ortega-Hernandez, a research fellow in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, who was not involved with the study.

"Then again, the authors are tackling a notoriously difficult region of the tree of life that even cutting-edge molecular studies have not been able to fully resolve," Ortega-Hernandez said. "So, it is probably best for now that they put the data out there and make it available so that future studies can build upon their findings."

The study was published online today in the journal Scientific Reports.

Original article on Live Science.
The St. Francois County Commission learned during its Tuesday meeting that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, acting as trustees for natural resources, has announced the two agencies are holding an informational meeting for the public to learn about upcoming projects proposed by the trustees to restore natural resources damaged in St. Francois County.

Announcement of the meeting was made by Associate Commissioner Patrick Mullins who noted the meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5 in Mineral Area Colleges private dining room, located on the second floor of the Bob Sechrest Fieldhouse.

Gentlemen, a few weeks back on the 14th of November, I attended a meeting with officials at the Desloge City Hall hosted by Rep. Mike Henderson, said Mullins. Our liaison, Mike Alesandrini with Leverage Management Solutions; city administrators; and the RPC (Regional Planning Commission) were also there.

The reason we met was to try to get with Eric Gramlich with DNR to get an exact number that are left in the monies for the ASARCO settlement  and that number is $24 million. A number of issues that we talked about was projects, but the city administrators were talking about INI (Ideas Never Implemented) issues with their water treatment plants.

Next, Mullins gave a read-through of the press release about the Dec. 5 public meeting at MAC sent by Gramlich and John Weber with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Agency reps and restoration partners will be on hand to discuss proposed projects that would use ASARCO funds to help restore natural resources injured by waste released from historic mining operations in St. Francois County, Mullins read. The meeting will discuss an update on ASARCO restoration; St. Francois County projects; Big River restoration; potential conservation practices; and public involvement.

Public participation is an important part of the Natural Resource Restoration process. Input from the public on future restoration projects is encouraged and will be accepted at the meeting during a breakout availability session, as well as through comment cards available to all in attendance.

Mullins then said he would translate the press release in what he described as laymans terms.

In an email I received from Eric Gramlich, he wrote that at the public information session, they are going to have more of a one-on-one approach where they only do a very short presentation, Mullins said. Theyll then break out into groups to answer questions.

According to Gramlich, DNR has been cooperating with the local soil and water conservation district, NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service), and the Department of Conservation for the area. He said that all would have booths at the Dec. 5 meeting. In addition, Gramlich said a Washington County landowner has been invited to offer information on his implementation of a practice with NRD (Natural Resource Damage Program) funds from the last request for proposals.

Continuing to read from Gramlichs email, Mullins read, Recognizing that we have a limited number of tools in the toolbox prior to EPA remedial decisions, we are thinking that helping local landowners with erosion issues will help, not only their operations, but help keep ore-impacted soil from washing into the river.

In other action, commissioners had a bid opening for the purchase of a new washer and dryer for the jail, approval of county holidays for next year and announced a closed meeting to be held regarding county employee health insurance at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The next regular St. Francois County Commissioners meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 5 on the third floor of the courthouse annex in Farmington.
Fifty years ago this month, a small group of astronomers made a revolutionary cosmic discovery  explaining a phenomenon that they initially thought might come from an intelligent alien civilization.

In November 1967, Jocelyn Bell (now Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell), a graduate student at Cambridge University in England, made what turned out to be the first detection of a pulsar  an incredibly dense ball of material formed when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses in on itself. In the time since the discovery of pulsars, the objects have provided insight about the life cycle of stars and extreme states of matter, and provided evidence that supports Albert Einstein's theory of gravity. There are currently efforts underway to use pulsars to detect gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of the universe, and another to use pulsars as part of a space-based navigation system.

Pulsars spin rapidly, while simultaneously radiating opposing beams of radio waves out into space. The setup is similar to a lighthouse that spins around one up-and-down axis and radiates two beams of light from a second axis. To ships on the water, the steady beams looks like a light pulsing on and off. The same is true for pulsars; if one of the beams happens to sweep across the Earth, it appears to astronomers as though the object is blinking or pulsing. [What Are Pulsars?]

Bell Burnell was studying objects using a radio telescope she helped build at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, outside Cambridge, under the supervision of her advisor, Antony Hewish, who designed the instrument. The telescope was intended to help study the radio cosmos using a technique called interplanetary scintillation. Hewish intended to use this method on objects called quasars, or incredibly bright centers of massive galaxies, illuminated by material swirling around monster black holes. Quasars vary in brightness, and Hewish thought the interplanetary scintillation technique was appropriate for identifying those changes.

"We were looking far beyond [what could be seen with] optical telescopes," Hewish told the BBC of the radio astronomy he and his colleagues were doing then. "You felt very privileged actually. It was like opening a new window onto the universe, and you were the first people to have a look out through and see what was there."

Bell Burnell was in charge of operating the telescope and analyzing the data, according to an article she wrote for Cosmic Search Magazine in the 1970s. Using this technique, Bell Burnell spotted an object that appeared to be flickering every 1.3 seconds; this pattern repeated for days on end. The object didn't match the profile of a quasar. The signal conflicted with the generally chaotic nature of most cosmic phenomenon, the researchers would later explain. In addition, the light was of a very specific radio frequency, whereas most natural sources typically radiate across a wider range.

For those reasons, Bell Burnell, Hewish and some other members of the astronomy department had to acknowledge that they might have found an artificially created signal  something emitted by an intelligence species. Burnell even labeled the first pulsar LGM1, which stood for "little green men 1."

A second discovery

Bell Burnell would later report that Hewitt called a meeting without her, in which he discussed with other members of the department how they should handle presenting their results to the world. While their fellow scientists might practice restraint and skepticism, it was likely that the possible detection of an intelligent alien civilization could create chaos among the public, the scientists said. The press would very likely blow the story out of proportion and descend on the Cambridge researchers. According to Hewitt, one person even suggested (perhaps only partly joking) that they burn their data and forget the whole thing.

Years later, Burnell wrote that she was rather annoyed at the appearance of the strange signal for another reason. As a graduate student, she was trying to get her thesis work done before her funding ran out, but work on the pulsar was taking away from her primary pursuit.

"Here I trying to get a Ph.D. out of a new technique, and some silly lot of little green men had to choose my aerial and my frequency to communicate with us," she wrote in the article for Cosmic Search Magazine.

But then, Bell Burnell resolved the problem. She went back through some of the data from the radio array and found what looked like a similar, regularly repeating signal, this one coming from an entirely different part of the galaxy. That second signal indicated that this was a family of objects, rather than a single civilization trying to make contact.

"It finally scotched the little green men hypothesis," Bell Burnell said in the a BBC documentary filmed in 2010. "Because it's highly unlikely there's two lots of little green men, on opposite sides of the universe, both deciding to signal to a rather inconspicuous planet, Earth, at the same time, using a daft technique and a rather commonplace frequency."

"It had to be some new kind of star, not seen before," she said. "And that then cleared the way for us publishing, going public."

In 1974, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Hewish, along with radio astronomer Martin Ryle, "for their pioneering research in radio astrophysics: Ryle for his observations and inventions, in particular of the aperture-synthesis technique, and Hewish for his decisive role in the discovery of pulsars." The omission of Bell Burnell's name as a contributor to the pulsar discovery has stirred controversy among scientists and members of the public, though Bell Burnell has not publicly contested the Nobel committee's decision.

Original article on Space.com.
Scientific tests have offered fascinating new insight into the tomb in Jerusalems Church of the Holy Sepulchre venerated as the resting place of Jesus Christ.

National Geographic reports that construction materials used on the tomb have been dated to the Roman era. The results of tests provided to the publication confirm that the remains of a limestone cave enshrined in the famous church are the remnants of a tomb found by the Romans 1,700 years ago.

Experts analyzed mortar from the original limestone surface of the tomb and a marble slab that covers it, which they dated to around 345 A.D. Historical accounts indicate that the tomb, which is a limestone shelf or burial bed hewn from the wall of a cave, was discovered by the Romans and enshrined around 326 A.D., according to National Geographic.

CHRIST'S TOMB UNCOVERED: THIS IS WHAT EXPERTS DISCOVERED

The mortar was analyzed at two independent labs using a technique called Optically Stimulated Luminescence, which analyzes when quartz sediment was last exposed to light.

The findings are significant because, up until now, the earliest architectural evidence around the cave complex dated it to the Crusader period, which would make it about 1,000 years old.

Last year, researchers uncovered a stone slab and examined the interior of the tomb. The slab, which has been covered by marble cladding since at least 1555 A.D., was exposed as part of a major restoration project at the church. The original limestone rock surface, or burial bed, was found to be intact. Experts also found a broken slab marble incised with a cross resting on the rock surface.

The broken slab provided a key clue to archaeologists, who now believe that it was mortared into place during the fourth-century A.D. This corresponds with the churchs construction by the Roman Emperor Constantine on a site venerated as Christs burial place by the local Christian community. Constantine demolished a Roman Temple built by the Emperor Hadrian on the site some 200 years earlier and excavated the rock beneath it to expose the loculus, or burial niche, identified as Christs tomb.

CHRIST'S BURIAL SLAB UNCOVERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CENTURIES

"Obviously that date is spot-on for whatever Constantine did," says archaeologist Martin Biddle, author of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, told National Geographic. "That's very remarkable."

The Church built by Constantine was destroyed by the Fatimid Caliphate in 1009 and rebuilt in the middle of the 11th century, according to National Geographic.

The burial bed was hewn from the side of a limestone cave following Christs crucifixion, according to Christian tradition. Christs resurrection from the dead is a core tenet of Christian belief  the Gospels say that the tomb was found to be empty by those who visited it a few days after the crucifixion.

LOST ROMAN CITY THAT WAS HOME TO JESUS' APOSTLES FOUND, SAY ARCHAEOLOGISTS

The Gospels say that Jesus was buried outside Jerusalems city walls, which was in keeping with Jewish tradition, and near Golgotha, the site of his crucifixion. Jerusalems walls were later expanded to place Golgotha and the tomb within the city.

During the renovation project by the National Technical University of Athens, experts also confirmed the existence of the original limestone cave walls inside the Edicule, the early 19th-century structure within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre that houses the tomb.

Chief Scientific Supervisor Antonia Moropoulou, who led the restoration, took a number of mortar samples from different parts of the Edicule. Mortar samples taken from the southern wall of the cave, for example, were dated to 335 and 1570, according to National Geographic, indicating construction work began during the Roman era and was later restored. Mortar from the tombs entrance was dated to the 11th century, corresponding with reconstruction after its destruction by the Fatimids.

EXPERTS HUNT FOR BIBLICAL TABERNACLE THAT HOUSED THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, told Fox News that the latest findings shed important light on the famous site. "This discovery is significant for two important reasons: first, its fourth century date suggests that Christians from around the world have revered this exact site as the location of the resurrection for more than 1700 years; but just as significant, is the fact that this lower marble slab is a unique piece of intact architecture from the original church and withstood the vicissitudes of destruction and reconstruction of the shrine over many centuries," he explained, via email.

Hiebert is also curator of the new exhibition, "Tomb of Christ: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre Experience," at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Environmental scientists have urged glitter to be banned worldwide due to the damage the art supplies does to the environment.

Glitter, which is commonly used in arts and crafts, is comprised of small plastic particles. Scientists argue the particles get into the ocean and the environment where animals eat it, CBS Philly reported.

NEW EVIDENCE DATES CHRISTS TOMB TO ROMAN ERA, MATCHING HISTORICAL RECORDS

Professor Richard Thompson did a study and discovered a third of fish caught in the United Kingdom contained plastic particles.

I was quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it, Thompson told The Independent. That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment.

Dr. Trisia Farrelly, a scientist at New Zealands Massey University, said glitter should be banned because it was a microplastic.

MARS HAS A MYSTERIOUS TANGLED MAGNETIC TAIL

Microplastics, or small pieces of plastic, have been known to pollute ocean, including the Great Lakes, the National Ocean Service reported. The microplastics come from many places, but microbeads, a tiny piece of plastic that were common in beauty products, were the biggest culprit. The small particles easily get into water filtration systems where they wind up in oceans and lakes.

The BBC reported that some British nurseries have banned using glitter in its establishments due to the terrible damage the arts supplies does to the environment. Some states in the U.S. have banned using microbeads in beauty and health products.
A planet circling a star in the constellation Cancer might have an atmosphere similar to Earth's, but with dayside temperatures hot enough to melt titanium, a new study suggests.

The planet is called 55 Cancri e, and it lies about 41 light-years from the sun. The alien world has a diameter twice that of Earth and harbors about eight times more mass than our planet.

55 Cancri e was discovered in 2004, and it orbits just 1.4 million miles (2.3 million kilometers) from its host star  so close that a year on the alien planet lasts just 18 hours. In fact, 55 Cancri e is tidally locked, meaning it always shows the same face to its star. [Oozing Super-Earth: Images of Alien Planet 55 Cancri e]

Observations by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope had previously suggested that lava may flow on 55 Cancri e's dayside but harden on the cooler nightside. In the new study, researchers took another look at the Spitzer data, and combined that information with a model of how energy likely flows around the exoplanet.

The results, which were published earlier this month in The Astronomical Journal, are interesting. If 55 Cancri e lacked an atmosphere, team members said, Spitzer's infrared sensors would see discrete hot spots from lava pools and little movement of heat from one side of the planet to the other. But the new analysis doesn't reflect that scenario; for example, Spitzer hasn't seen such hot spots, and 55 Cancri e's nightside is apparently warmer than previously thought.

"If there is lava on this planet, it would need to cover the entire surface," study co-author Renyu Hu, an astronomer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a statement. "But the lava would be hidden from our view by the thick atmosphere."

That atmosphere likely contains oxygen, nitrogen and water vapor  rather like the air of Earth, but a lot thicker and heavier, the researchers said.

"Scientists have been debating whether this planet has an atmosphere like Earth and Venus, or just a rocky core and no atmosphere, like Mercury. The case for an atmosphere is now stronger than ever," Hu said.

55 Cancri e is incredibly hot by Earthly standards  the dayside temperature averages 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit (2,300 degrees Celsius), study team members said, whereas the nightside is around 2,400 to 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit (1,300 to 1,400 degrees C).

Original article on Space.com.
A Canadian man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a massive breach at Yahoo that authorities say was directed by two Russian intelligence agents and affected at least a half billion user accounts.



Karim Baratov appeared in a jail jumpsuit before a federal judge and entered the pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and eight counts of aggravated identity theft. He gave "yes" and "no" answers to questions from the judge about his pleas but said nothing more.



He is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 20.



U.S. law enforcement officials call the 22-year-old Baratov a "hacker-for-hire" and say as part of his plea deal, he acknowledged hacking more than 11,000 webmail accounts on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, and other customers from around 2010 until his March arrest.



Outside court Tuesday, Baratov's attorneys said their client hacked only eight accounts for the Russians and did not know that he was working for Russian agents connected to the Yahoo breach. Baratov was arrested in Hamilton, Ontario, and later agreed to forego an extradition hearing and face the U.S. charges.



"He's been transparent and forthright with the government since he got here," said one of his attorneys, Andrew Mancilla.



The Russian agents, Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin, used the information they stole from Yahoo to spy on Russian journalists, U.S. and Russian government officials and employees of financial services and other private businesses, according to prosecutors.



Dokuchaev, Sushchin and a third Russian national, Alexsey Belan, were also named in the indictment filed in February, though it's not clear whether they will ever set foot in an American courtroom since there's no extradition treaty with Russia.



Though the U.S. government had previously charged individual Russian hackers with cybercrime -- as well as hackers directly linked to the Chinese and Iranian governments -- this was the first criminal case to name as defendants sitting members of the FSB for hacking charges, the Justice Department said.



Yahoo user accounts began being compromised at least as early as 2014.



Dokuchaev and Sushchin turned to Baratov after learning that one of their targets had accounts at webmail providers other than Yahoo, prosecutors said.
State troopers in Nebraska are generating plenty of online buzz thanks to a funny Facebook post about a Bigfoot sighting.

Last night at about 10:15, somebody reported seeing BIGFOOT on the shoulder of I-80 near MM 197, deadpanned Nebraska State Patrol, in a post on Sunday. A trooper responded, but reported back that Sasquatch remained elusive."

Must have just missed him, the organization added, wryly.

The post, which has sparked hundreds or reactions on Facebook, has been shared more than 400 times.

The playful Facebook post was widely reported, with Fox 5 NY noting that the Nebraska police investigation came up empty on leads.

'BIGFOOT' REPORTEDLY SIGHTED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, PICTURES GO VIRAL

Last month, a self-described paranormal expert claimed he saw the legendary creature and others like it near a Northern California like.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
U.S. researchers are using the same sort of deep learning artificial intelligence employed by Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook in their facial recognition technology to identify Chinese surface-to-air missile sites.

The deep learning algorithms used by researchers at the University of Missouris Center for Geospatial Intelligence were more than 80 times more efficient than a traditional human visual search in locating Chinese SAM sites, and were able to reduce the time it took to find these missile sites scattered across a nearly 90,000-square kilometer area of southeastern China from 60 hours to around 42 minutes.

Curt Davis, the director of Missouris Center for Geospatial Intelligence, told Fox News that while his work has so far only been employed at the research level, he believes it could be extremely beneficial to the military and government.

WILL THE US UNLEASH REVOLUTIONARY 'LIGHTINGSTRIKE' DRONE ON FUTURE ENEMIES?

The Department of Defense already knows that they need to automate, Davis said. They now have more satellite imagery than their analysts can look over. This type of technology would free up a lot of their time to work on more difficult intelligence problems.

Deep learning models, like GoogleNet and Microsofts ResNet, were originally created to detect and identify certain objects in photos and videos. Davis and his colleagues took these so-called off-the-shelf deep learning models and adapted them to deal with the challenges and limitations of satellite imagery.

For example, they trained some of these models to interpret both color and black-and-white images in case only black-and-white satellite images are available.

WHAT IS THE NUCLEAR ARSENAL AVAILABLE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP?

Davis admits that the algorithms sometimes wrongly identify missile sites, but still are able to match the 90 percent accuracy rate of human imagery analysts and, paired with humans going over the data, come up with fewer false positives.

All machine learning creates false positives, Davis said. But the focus of the study was to measure the deep learning models against human performance.

The area of southeastern China used by Davis and his colleagues is just slightly smaller than the entire country of North Korea, which has in the last year ramped up its intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

NORTH KOREA: WILL MINI NUKES BECOME AN OPTION FOR TRUMP?

In a special state media broadcast on Tuesday, North Korea said it successfully fired a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable ICBM it called the Hwasong-15. Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

A resumption of Pyongyang's torrid testing pace in pursuit of its goal of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can hit the U.S. mainland had been widely expected, but the power of the missile and suddenness of the test still jolted the Korean Peninsula and Washington. The launch at 3:17 a.m. local time and midday in the U.S. capital indicated an effort to perfect the element of surprise and to obtain maximum attention in the United States.

While human analysts have possibly already located all of Pyongyangs existing SAM sites, there is hope that the technology could help automatically locate any new sites.

POWERFUL TINY TANKS WITH VR AND FUTURISTIC COCKPITS COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE BATTLEFIELD

Knowing the location of existing and new SAM sites can sometimes lead analysts to other locations of interest, because countries often place SAM sites in specific areas to defend valuable nearby assets from air attack, Wired Magazine reported.

Despite the glitches and false positives, Davis said that the study turned out better than expected and proved that deep learning methods can be applied on less-than-ideal satellite imagery.

We wanted to test these deep learning methods on a realistic, real-world image analysis problem to critically assess their utility and potential impact, Davis said. The results were much better than we anticipated. Historically machine learning algorithms havent performed well when they have been applied to large satellite imagery datasets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Southwest Airlines passengers are complaining about tech issues on the low-cost carrier's website for the second straight day Tuesday.

According to The Arizona Republic, Southwest confirmed the glitches Monday, posting a temporary travel alert to its website.

"We apologize for any difficulties you may be experiencing when attempting to manage your upcoming trips via our website or mobile platforms,'' the message stated. "We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible so you can return to confirming your travel plans.''

Since the issues began on Cyber Monday, some travelers said they have been prevented from booking flights, changing reservations and even checking in for their upcoming trips.

As of Tuesday afternoon, some passengers were still having difficulties checking in and reporting their struggles to the airline via social media.

As the Republic points out, Southwest introduced a new reservations system in May with mixed results so far.

In August, Southwest's elite frequent fliers expressed frustration with the airline over a computer glitch that was denying them priority boarding. Prior to that, a major computer glitch resulted in hundreds of Southwest flight delays in October 2015.

A temporary computer systems outage affected booking services for several major airlines last fall.
A female corrections officer in Ohio will face criminal charges for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a male inmate as well as bringing illegal imports into the county jail, authorities said.

Nakisha Newell  who had been on the job just 18 months  has been charged with two counts of felony sexual battery and two counts of conveyance, a misdemeanor. More charges are likely, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones told the Dayton Daily News.

Newell, 28, was fired immediately after officials got a tip she brought in a cellphone and electronic cigarettes into the jail, according to the New York Post.

Maj. Mike Craft of the Butler County Sheriffs Office told the Dayton Daily News that a sharp-eyed corrections sergeant had an educated hunch about Newells activities, and an investigation into possible criminal activity began.

He had seen some things that he didnt think were right. He did a great job bring the information to us, Craft said.

During questioning about the contraband, Newell confessed to having sex with a male inmate, Craft said.

Craft said Newell will not be housed through the Butler County Jail, but was taken to another county.

Officials said the investigation is ongoing, and it is uncertain if the inmate will be charged.

Being a corrections officer is a noble but tough job, Jones said in the prepared statement. These men and women work hard and always have to be on their guard. My employees take pride in their work and strive to ensure this facility maintains a great reputation. She has tarnished that and I do not want people like that working for me.
An esteemed college in New York City is catching flack after hosting an art exhibit that features artwork by Guantanamo Bay prisoners.

Nearly 40 works of art by both former and current prisoners at the military prison are currently a part of the show entitled, Ode to the Sea: Art from Guantanamo Bay, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Among the budding prison artists whose work is being featured: four are still detained at Gitmo, including, Ammar Al-Bluchi, who is charged with sending money to the 9/11 hijackers, and Moath Al-Alwi, who has been reported to be a member of Al-Qaeda and served as one of Osama bin Ladens bodyguards, according to the Independent Journal Review.

The art show has raised the ire of some in New York who directly were affected by terrorism.

I cant understand how this college in particular would allow such a thing, Michael Burke, whose brother, FDNY Capt. Billy Burke, died on 9/11 and went to John Jay, said to the New York Post. Wheres their decency? Wheres their dignity?  Its denying and softening what happened. Whats next, hanging up the art of John Wayne Gacy?

The newspaper reports that many 9/11 families in the New York area have expressed outrage over the works being on display at a public, taxpayer-funded institution, noting that many of the victims were graduates of John Jay.

Its like a slap in the face, completely out of nowhere. Let them display that at Guantanamo, not here. Its a terrible precedent to set, Jim McCaffrey, a retired FDNY lieutenant, whose brother-in-law, FDNY Battalion Chief Orio Palmer, died on 9/11, said to the newspaper.

The show, which runs until the end of January, also has caught the attention of the Pentagon, which is claiming that the works are government property. They are also raising concerns about sales made on a website for the show.

Pentagon spokesperson, Air Force Maj. Ben Sakrisson, recently told The Miami Herald that all art made by detainees at Gitmo is the property of the U.S. government, and that they would like to know where the money for the sales was going.

Erin Thompson, a professor at John Jay, who is a co-curator for the Ode to the Sea exhibit, says she has not been contacted by federal authorities.

I have not been contacted by any authorities, she said to Fox News, although of course, I would follow official orders if given.

In the meantime, the show will go on.

At John Jay College, we study both terrorism and the effects of wrongful detention, Thompson said to Fox News, so, whether you think these men are guilty or innocent, these artworks are still valuable sources of information about their inner lives.

According to The Herald, the U.S. military has decided that art made by wartime captives at Guantanamo is government property, and officials have stopped releases of security-screened prisoner art to the public.

U.S. military officials declined to explain to the newspaper what caused the abandonment of the years-long practice of releasing detainee art after inspection by Guantanamo workers schooled in studying material for secret messages.

Ramzi Kassem, a professor at City University of New York School of Law whose legal clinic represents many Guantanamo prisoners, told the Herald that that one captive was told: Art would not be allowed out of the prison. Now, if a captive gets to leave Guantanamo their art would not even be allowed out with them and would be incinerated instead.

The only work that is for sale is of those detainees who already have been cleared and released, something that Thompson says the school has no part in.

I want to stress that John Jay is not selling the art, she said. Were just passing on inquiries.

Art classes were first offered to the Guantanamo captives in the later years of the Bush administration, as officials explored ways to keep detainees who had spent years in single-cell lockups occupied and preventing them from getting into fights with the guards.
Area Patriot Guard members were out in force over the holiday weekend for their annual collections to benefit veterans in area nursing homes.

Patriot Guard Help on the Homefront (HOTH) Captain Teresa Barnhouse said this year was another successful showing of support by the community for veterans.

We raised over $4,000 to buy nice Christmas gifts for 260 veterans in our local nursing home, she said. Its always a huge success.

The donations are usually collected on Black Friday each year, but commitments to veteran funerals on Friday caused the collections to be spread out throughout the weekend.

Every year on Black Friday, or Black Friday weekend as it turned out his year, people see us out and get used to seeing us, Barnhouse said. Whenever it comes to the Patriot Guard, people are always thanking us. But its never about us. Were just out trying to do what we can for our veterans and our troops.

Patriot Guard representatives were accepting donations through the weekend at Miners Park and Save-A-Lot in Bonne Terre, Save-A-Lot in Ste. Genevieve, the Gulf Station in Fredericktown, Qdoba and Cicis Pizza in Farmington and Caseys General Store in Ironton.

Barnhouse said the donations will go toward providing veterans in residential care with Christmas presents such as socks, calendars, American flags, back scratchers, notebooks and puzzle books.

Just something to bring them a smile because a lot of times weve found that we are the only visitors that they have all year long, she said. A lot of them dont have any family that visit them at Christmas or any other time of the year.

Thats so sad for them not to have Christmas, with what theyve done for our country. They deserve Christmas every day, as far as Im concerned.

In years past, Santa Claus has appeared during the donation events. This year, not only was Santa on hand, but Mrs. Claus as well.

When kids see Santa Claus, they come running, Barnhouse said. And not everybody donated, some just came to get their pictures with Santa, and thats still fantastic. Its not all about them donating, but also awareness of the fact that the Patriot Guard is out doing what we can for the veterans and our troops.

The donations will be gathered and taken to local veterans in residential care around Christmastime. Barnhouse said this yearly giving back to those who have served would be impossible without the support of the members of the community who donate.

Without the support of our community, this could not happen, she said. And we are very grateful to everyone in our community.
Law enforcement officials in Las Vegas are investigating a reported robbery at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip  which caught the eye of actor James Woods, who was gambling at the time.

The robbery unfolded near the poker cage of the casino area just before 3:50 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said.

The suspect approached the poker cage and demanded an unspecified amount of money.

The robbery was captured on surveillance photos, Las Vegas Metro Police Captain John Pelletier said.

"Those who commit crimes like this on the Strip will be hunted down and whatever amount of cash he got is not enough to face a lifetime in prison, Pelletier said, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

Pelletier said that investigators are "comfortable and confident" they'll find the suspect, who is believed to be a white man who was armed with a handgun and wearing a mask. Police said he was also wearing a wig and glasses, and escaped in a silver Chevrolet Cruze with Nevada license plates.

The police captain added that someone may have been brought into the casino with the suspect, but didn't play a role in the robbery and is cooperating with authorities.

Woods tweeted that he was playing poker at the casino when a guy walks up with a gun and robs the cage thirty feet from us.

He added that the staff of the Bellagio were fantastic. They surrendered the money quietly, so no customers would get hurt. Nobody even realized it was happening. Excellent staff, cool under pressure.

The Bellagio was the site of one of the most famous fictional heists in movie history, as seen in the 2001 film "Ocean's Eleven." The crew played by a big-name cast  including George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon  aimed to rob the Bellagio, the Mirage and the MGM Grand.

Fox News Andrew Craft contributed to this report.
A Somali refugee who raped two women at knifepoint in Utah has reportedly been released on probation.

Mohammed Ali Mohammed, now 20, was 14 years old in 2011 when he raped, then robbed, two women at knifepoint over two consecutive nights in Salt Lake City, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

In court Monday, Mohammed said he was a monster and said, I didnt know what I was thinking. I was a very stupid kid.

Hes spent the last six years at the Wasatch Youth Center, after he reportedly pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault and kidnapping in 2012.

There is nothing that I could say or do that could restore what I did to them, Mohammed told the court. The only way I can show them Ive changed is how I live my life.

SUSPECT IN CANADA TERROR ATTACK IS SOMALI REFUGEE, POLICE SAY

Judge Vernice Trease sentenced him to five years of probation for his crimes, rather than imprisonment at the Utah State Prison, according to the Tribune.

His probation partially includes weekly check-ins, lack of internet access, and an ankle monitor.

However, Trease said Monday that she wont bat an eye if Mohammed violates his probation, and shell send him to prison.

Mohammed, in his previous testimony, said he was born in a Somali refugee camp and watched his brother get murdered by a robber, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Mohammed said he also witnessed a rape and was sexually abused.

One of the victims in court Monday told Trease she was terrified knowing Mohammed will be released.

He did adult crimes and should have an adult sentence to match what he did, the victim said.

AFGHAN MIGRANT ADMITS TO RAPING, KILLING TEENAGE GIRL IN GERMANY

Authorities have lost contact with the second victim, prosecutor Coral Sanchez-Rose said in court.

I dont know if shes homeless, I dont know where shes staying at; were unable to contact her. Clearly, this has had a great impact in her life, Sanchez-Rose said.

Both victims asked the judge in 2012 for Mohammed to be sentenced to adult prison.
The suspect in the serial killings spanning a 51-day period that terrorized a Tampa neighborhood used the same gun in four killings, but had "no apparent motive," the city's top law enforcement official said Wednesday.

The suspect, 24-year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson III, admitted he owned the gun that was turned over to police Tuesday and that cracked the case, but did not admit to the killings, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said at a news conference.

"He was cooperative, but did not tell us why he was doing this," he said.

Donaldson was arrested at a McDonald's in Ybor City based on a tip given to Tampa police after he brought the loaded gun to his job at the restaurant and asked a co-worker to hold it. The employee then told her manager about the gun, who alerted a Tampa police officer at a table in the restaurant, according to an arrest report.

TAMPA SERIAL KILLER VICTIM REMEMBERED AS 'SUPERMAN OF SERVICE'

When Donaldson returned to the McDonald's, police were waiting for him and took him into custody. Dugan praised the tip from the employee on Wednesday.

"The person who called us, I cannot thank them enough for standing up and doing the right thing and saying 'this doesn't seem right, why does this person have a gun in a bag?'" Dugan told reporters.

The police chief said the gun, a .40-caliber Glock, was the missing evidence authorities needed to connect the killings to the images previously released from surveillance video of the suspect leaving the area.

"The gun is what we needed," Dugan said at a news conference surrounded by family members of the victims.

Donaldson told investigators he was unfamiliar with the Seminole Heights neighborhood where the shootings occurred. He then asked for an attorney, but arrest records don't list one and the police chief said he didn't know if he had a lawyer yet.

"I don't think he wanted to get caught," Dugan said, adding that Donaldson gave the gun to his co-worker at McDonald's for "safe keeping." He allegedly told the co-worker that he wanted to leave the state, FOX 13 Tampa reported.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and ATF analyzed the fired cartridge casings in all four murder scenes, and determined the casings were fired from the same firearm: a Glock .40-caliber handgun, according to the affidavit.

A search of Donaldson's cellphone found location data that indicated three days of recorded times and activities corresponding with the first three shootings on Oct. 9, Oct. 11 and Oct. 19, FOX 13 reported, citing the arrest report.

Donaldson agreed to allow authorities to search his car and they found a suspected blood stain on clothing, the affidavit said.

"You know, 51 days ago I said this was a struggle between good and evil, well now, goodness has won," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said.

Donaldson had a brief stint at St. John's University in New York, where he was a walk-on player in the 2011-12 season for the Red Storm basketball team, school sources told The New York Post. He did not play in any games, according to the newspaper.

TAMPA POLICE RELEASE NEW SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OF SUSPECT IN FOUR SEMINOLE HEIGHTS KILLINGS

Residents in working-class Seminole Heights have been on edge since Oct. 9, when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot to death. Two days later, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa was slain. And on Oct. 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was killed after taking the wrong bus home from his new job.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday that he was happy "no one else got hurt," adding that his heart went out to "these poor families" who lost loved ones.

The latest victim to be gunned down was remembered by family and friends Saturday for his passion for helping others. Ronald Felton, 60, was shot dead Nov. 14 as he was walking to volunteer at a food pantry in Seminole Heights.

"If you knew him, you seen his caring service. He was the Superman of service, one man said at Felton's memorial service, FOX 13 reported. I was the supervisor at the food bank, but he was the one in charge."

All of the October victims were either getting on or off a city bus, or were at a bus stop when they were shot dead, police said.

Dugan said the department had received more than 5,000 tips. He thanked those who called in the tip that led to Donaldson's arrest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
During what was supposed to be a procedural court hearing, Al Qaeda suspect Ali Charaf Damache asked the judge for a new lawyer or the right to represent himself in court.

Damache, in Philadelphia Federal Court on Wednesday and speaking in heavily accented English, claimed he has "irreconcilable differences" with his court-appointed attorney, Joe Mancano.

Damache, addressing Judge Petrese Tucker directly, said due to gravity of this case I will need another solicitor.

FIRST AL QAEDA SUSPECT EXTRADITED TO THE US UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

[Mancano] promised me a lot in this case and he didnt keep his promises. He promised me a shortif I cooperate with the government, he said. I did, but he never came back to see me, never told me what my relationship with the government is.

He said now he no longer trusts his attorney. He asked the court to either appoint a new attorney or allow him to pick a new one from a list provided by the Irish Embassy in Spain.

The judge said she would not appoint another attorney. But she said she would consider allowing Damache to represent himself and set a court date for Jan. 16 for when she would have a ruling on the request. In the meantime, the judge said Mancano would remain as backup counsel.

AL QAEDA SUSPECT FACING UP TO 45 YEARS IN JAIL IS ARRAIGNED

Mancano said he was surprised by his clients request to replace him.

He told reporters outside the courtroom that Damache has the right to represent himself. He said his client is likely overwhelmed by the whole process and isnt familiar with the American judicial system.

Damaches trial is expected to begin next year, on Oct. 15. He faces charges for aiding terrorism, including a plan to kill Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who depicted the prophet Muhammad as a dog. Damache was allegedly part of an Ireland-based cell that included Colleen LaRose, a Pennsylvania woman known as 'Jihad Jane' currently serving a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy and terrorism-related crimes.
A promising Columbia University graduate student described by colleagues as brilliant and kind was killed after an argument with his boyfriend at his home in Houston Sunday night, according to Texas police.

Devon Wade, 28, was shot in the head by his 29-year-old boyfriend, Mario Jerrell Williams, who turned himself in to Harris County police shortly after the incident.

Williams and Wade got into an argument on Sunday, prosecutors said at probable cause court Monday night, Click2Houston reported. A witness told police that Williams was upset and Wade asked him to leave several times, and he did.

Prosecutors said the witness told them that Williams returned to the home, and Wade asked him to leave again, escorting him downstairs. Williams also told police that Wade punched him and chased him downstairs.

Two gunshots rang out, and the witness saw Wades twin brother, Stephen, standing over him asking for someone to call 911.

Williams is being held in Harris County jail on $100,000 bond.

Friends and colleagues remembered Wade, a doctoral student in sociology who was researching the impact of incarceration and poverty on communities of color, as someone who wanted to change the world.

TAMPA POLICE ARREST POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS MURDERS

How do we have better conversations and policies around what is going on in our neighborhoods? I think that for me, it's something I look forward to doing with the type of research and conversations that I have, Wade, who was the child of an incarcerated father and a mother who also served time, told Click2Houston in April.

On Facebook, the writer Darnell Moore posted about Wade's death: "There are no words to adequately describe the collective pain resulting from your transition."

Shamus Khan, professor and chair of the sociology department at Columbia University, tweeted that Wade transformed our department and our university.

Wade graduated with honors from Louisiana State University and was a Harry S. Truman scholar.

Although domestic violence impacts all types of relationships, a study from the U.S. Department of Justice found that 23.1 percent of men who lived with same-sex partners had experienced rape, physical assault or stalking by an intimate partnercompared to only 7.4 percent of men who cohabited with women only.

"Everybody wants to know why would you do that? Lavoshea Hendry, a friend and fellow member of a children of incarcerated parents advocacy group, told Click2Houston. He never did anything bad to warrant you to take his life."
Authorities in Las Vegas on Wednesday intensified the hunt for the person who robbed a cashier's cage at the Bellagio Hotel Tuesday and said they managed to locate the robber's car.

Capt. John Pelletier said they were looking for a white man who entered through the valet area of the Bellagio, and fled in a silver Chevrolet Cruze with a Nevada license plate that read 37D147.

There was no confrontation with security and no one was injured before the man drove away with an unknown amount of cash shortly before 4 p.m.

There was no confrontation with security and no one was injured before the man drove away with an unknown amount of cash shortly before 4 p.m., Metro Capt. John Pelletier said at a news conference.

Actor James Woods was gambling nearby and witnessed the robbery.

"So we are playing poker at the @BellagioPoker and a guy walks up with a gun and robs the cage thirty feet from us ten minutes ago," Woods said on Twitter. "Bellagio staff were fantastic. They surrendered the money quietly, so no customers would get hurt. Nobody even realized it was happening. Excellent staff, cool under pressure."

The suspect arrived in a car in the valet area with another man who was there against his will, Pelletier said. He would not elaborate, but said police were interviewing the man.

MGM Resorts International owns the Bellagio casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The company in a statement says it is cooperating with authorities.

The man fled in a silver Chevrolet Cruze with Nevada license plates, and police were looking at security video as they worked to identify him.

"Those that commit crimes like this on the Strip Will be hunted down," Pelletier said. "And whatever amount of money he got is not enough for a lifetime in prison."

Pelletier said that investigators are "comfortable and confident" they'll find the suspect, who is believed to be a white man who was armed with a handgun and wearing a mask. Police said he was also wearing a wig and glasses, and escaped in a silver Chevrolet Cruze with Nevada license plates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
A Chicago man murdered and mutilated his 61-year-old father before allegedly posting several selfies on Facebook, prosecutors say.

Police found Carl Edmondsons body at the bottom of the basement stairs of his West Pullman home on Saturday. His skull had been crushed  with brain matter splattered on the floor and walls  and his penis has been cut off.

His son Carlton, 26, has been charged with his murder.

TAMPA POLICE ARREST POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS MURDERS

According to prosecutors, the elder Edmondson sought an order of protection against his son twice this year  once in August and again in October. On Nov. 20, Carlton Edmondson was served with a court order barring him from coming near his father.

Police went to the elder Edmondsons house over the weekend after Carlton Edmondsons uncle reported that he had seen his nephew inside the house and knew that he was not supposed to be there, the Chicago Sun Times reported.

When police arrived, the younger Edmondson answered the door and when asked about his fathers whereabouts, he said the older man was at the hospital, Assistant States Attorney Julia Ramirez said during a bond hearing on Tuesday.

Carl Edmondsons body was found beside a Bowie knife, a circular saw and a concrete capstone, Ramirez added.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF BITING OFF, SWALLOWING VICTIM'S FINGER

The Cook County Medical Examiners office determined that Carl Edmondson died of multiple injuries from assault.

Investigators also found a black jacket that appeared to be the one the younger Edmondson was wearing when he posted to Facebook on Saturday.

In the photos, Carlton Edmondson holds a cigarette and grins at the camera, with what looks like blood spatter against the white logos on the jacket, the Sun Times reported.

During Tuesdays bond hearing, Carlton Edmondson appeared to mutter and rant throughout, prompting Judge Stephanie Miller to order him out of the courtroom before she ruled that he be held without bond.

Not guilty! Carlton Edmondson yelled, according to the Sun Times. It wasnt me. It wasnt his jacket.

While Ramirez was describing the charges against Carlton Edmondson  including a single count of first-degree murder and pending charges for violating the order of protection  he yelled, smiling: The order of protection is gone. He is no longer living.

According to court records, Carlton Edmondson was arrested five days before his fathers body was discovered for throwing a brick through the window of his fathers house. He was released on a recognized bond from the police station.

Additionally, he had been arrested six times since September on a variety of misdemeanor charges, including refusing to give his name to police officers who saw him drinking on a streetcorner; stealing a pair of $16 sunglasses from a South Side Target and snatching a 70-year-old womans cellphone as she bought lottery tickets at a convenience store.
A conservative commentator was arrested at the University of Connecticut on Tuesday evening after a fight broke out during his speech titled "It's OK to Be White."

Lucian Wintrich, 29, a White House correspondent for the right-wing blog Gateway Pundit, spoke at UConn's Andre Schenker Lecture Hall. But during the event, sponsored by the UConn College Republicans, he was repeatedly interrupted by audience members booing and chanting.

Videos posted online show two audience members approaching Wintrich's podium. A woman appears to grab a piece of paper from the podium and then start to leave. Wintrich is then seen following her up an aisle and grabbing her from behind, apparently trying to retrieve the paper.

A commotion then ensues, involving Wintrich and numerous audience members. Campus police then quickly step in and take Wintrich to a nearby restroom.

According to the Chicago Tribune, windows in the area were shattered and UConn police were investigating a smoke bomb that was set off outside the lecture hall.

Approximately 100 students waited outside for Wintrich to be brought out by police. Instead, he was brought out through the back of the hall and placed into a police cruiser, with many students chased after it, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokeswoman, confirmed that Wintrich was held by campus police and charged.

"It's really unfortunate that some of the kids at @UConn felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the leftist media is turning Americans against each other," Wintrich wrote on Twitter early Wednesday after he was released from police custody. "Tonight proved my point."

"UConn police are also investigating an incident in which someone broke a window in the lecture hall as the crowd was leaving and threw a smoke bomb inside," Reitz added. "This led to speculation as to whether police had discharged tear gas, but that was not accurate. No tear gas was used or needed.

Reitz said a student was charged with breach of peace and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking a window as people were leaving the event.

Reitz said that student was not charged in connection with a smoke bomb that was thrown inside at one point. That remained under investigation. She also said police were reviewing videos to determine if any other charges or arrests were warranted.

UConn President Susan Herbst called it "a very disappointing evening."

"We live in a tense and angry time of deep political division. Our hope as educators is that creative leadership and intellectual energy can be an antidote to that sickness, especially on university campuses," Herbst said. "Between the offensive remarks by the speaker who also appeared to aggressively grab an audience member and the reckless vandalism that followed, that was certainly not the case on our campus tonight. We are better than this."

Social media posts showed posters for the event had either been torn down or vandalized, Hartford's FOX 61 reported.

Campus police said beforehand that they would be taking measures to ensure public safety.

According to FOX 61, a talk with the same title, scheduled for the University of Massachusetts, Boston, has reportedly been postponed until February due to safety concerns.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Long Island, N.Y., dentist created a toxic work environment with his unwanted sexual advances, three former employees allege in a lawsuit.

His former office manager contends she was fired after complaining about the dentists's conduct, the New York Daily News reported.

Brooke Lutz, 26, and her two colleagues, Alexis Fischer and Christopher Napolitano, filed their lawsuit against Dr. Joseph Ayoub in Suffolk County Supreme Court.

They claim that Ayoub talked about prostitution and sex in the office and demanded hugs and kisses from Lutz after giving her a bonus.

Lutz told Ayoub to keep it professional, she told the Daily News.

I was just very uncomfortable, she said.

The three former employees allege they were fired after an incident on July 17. While furniture shopping for the office, they claim the dentist wrapped his legs around Lutz as she was testing out a chair.

She pushed him off and the next day all three employees wrote a letter detailing their sexual harassment complaints. According to the lawsuit, they were immediately fired.

Ayoubs lawyer denies the claims.

The suit accuses Ayoub of sex discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The plaintiffs seek lost wages and benefits, as well as damages for emotional distress, the Daily News reported.
That's not what they are saying.

Nobody is giving up free insurance.



There are people who are paying who will drop insurance. Millions of people.

And some of those people will be fine, and pocket the difference.

And some of those people will incur huge medical bills.

Which will bankrupt them, and then, after they are bankrupt, the taxpayer will pick up the tab.



The net effect will be to increase the deficit.
One person was killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California early Wednesday after a pursuit of a stolen car, officials said.

The crash happened around 8 a.m. in Malibu, after the vehicle being pursued by police crashed into three parked vehicles and caught fire, the Los Angeles County Fire Department told FOX 11.

One person died at the scene, while another was taken to the hospital in unknown condition, fire officials said.

Firefighters worked to douse a blaze that spread from the mangled cars to brush along the hillside, about 30 miles west of Los Angeles.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN DUI CRASH THAT KILLED TEENAGE GIRL

Three deputies were treated at the scene for possible smoke inhalation, officials told FOX 11.

The crash near Kanan Dume Road caused traffic to be backed up in both directions for hours.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An illegal immigrant is accused of drunken driving in the Thanksgiving car crash that killed a teenage girl in Texas.

Jose Victor Chaparro-Saenz, who is accused of running a red light and ramming another vehicle in the deadly Nov. 23 incident, was arrested and charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest, FOX4 Dallas reported.

Chaparro-Saenz was placed on an immigration detainer on Friday after he was arrested, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday. Chaparro-Saenz was previously caught illegally entering the U.S. in 1998 from Mexico and returned voluntarily the same day.

Rhyan Moody, 14, was riding in the backseat of her grandparents' car when Chaparro-Saenz, who was allegedly intoxicated, ran a red light in Lake Worth and crashed into the vehicle, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"She was coming home from dinner with her grandmother and grandfather in Fort Worth," Caines Johnson, Moodys stepfather, told the news site. "The driver was going 68 [miles per hour] in a 40 and T-boned their car.

Moody died from the injuries she sustained from the crash. Her grandparents also were hurt, though its unclear the extent of their injuries.

Police discovered alcohol in Chaparro-Saenz's vehicle and said he also appeared intoxicated, FOX4 Dallas reported. He then allegedly resisted arrest and refused to let police officers into his car.

"He rolled up the window on officers and wouldn't get out of the vehicle; [they] had to break out the glass, got the door unlocked. He tried to fight them, fight the officers; they got him out of the vehicle, got him handcuffed at the scene," Lake Worth Police Department Chief Corry Blount said.

Moody was a freshman at Colleyville Heritage High School and a cheerleader. A vigil was held on Saturday and nearly 1,000 people attended the service.
The Latest on the search for a missing North Carolina girl (all times local):

8:05 a.m.

The biological father of a 3-year-old North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home says he doesn't think his daughter was kidnapped.

Alex Woods told WCTI-TV in New Bern in an interview Tuesday he didn't know Mariah Kay Woods was missing until an Amber Alert was issued Monday.

Kristy Woods, the girl's mother, told authorities she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her at their home near Jacksonville. Woods said she called authorities around 6 a.m. Monday when she noticed Mariah was missing.

Alex Woods says he can't believe someone could walk into the house and grab a 3-year-old out of her bed without her crying out or screaming. He says two adults and two other children were in the house and someone should have heard something.

The FBI joined the search Tuesday.

___

7:30 a.m.

Authorities have stepped up the search for a North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home.

Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller told news outlets that investigators need a break in their search for 3-year-old Mariah Kay Woods, who was reported missing from her home about 6 a.m. Monday.

A statewide Amber Alert has been issued for Mariah.

Kristy Woods told WITN-TV in Greenville that she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her. She said her boyfriend saw the child about midnight when she got up and he told her to go back to bed. Once they realized she was missing, the couple said they called authorities.

The home is just west of Jacksonville and Marine Corps Air Station New River.
A Louisiana woman faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of abusing her boyfriend's 7-year-old son in 2015.

Morning Brooks, 47, of Kenner, is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 19 in connection with the charges, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

Brooks allegedly struck the child on the head with a cooking pan, pushed tacks into his skin, punched him and forced him to kneel naked in a corner, Kenner police said, the paper reported.

The child was diagnosed in 2015 with a skull fracture, burns, bruises and cuts after his father took him to a local hospital. The injuries propmpted an investigation, the paper reported.

Brooks was arrested on March 31 and charged with cruelty to a juvenile on Nov. 20 by the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office, after more than a year of investigation, the paper reported.

She was released on bond Monday, FOX 8 in New Orleans reported.

The boy's father has not been arrested, and the boy remains in his care, the station reported.
Authorities in Pennsylvania have identified the four victims of a fire that destroyed a senior citizens home.

Killed in the Nov. 16 blaze at the Barclay Friends Senior Living Community were Theresa J. Malloy, 85; Mildred E. Gadde, 93; and married couple Delores G. Parker, 89; and Thomas F. Parker, 92, the Chester County Coroners Office confirmed.

All apparently died of smoke inhalation, but the case remained under investigation, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Thomas Parker was a nice guy, a family man, said John M. Bell, an owner of a Pittsburgh warehousing and stevedore firm for which Parker had worked.

Parker served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying at least 15 missions.

More information about the other victims was not immediately available.

The fire forced 133 elderly residents and 15 staff members out into the cold about 10:45 p.m. Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames for nearly three hours.

Investigators could not enter the structure for several days afterward due to unsafe conditions, forcing a delay in recovering victims' remains.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chester County Fire Marshall investigated possible sources of the fire, but found no evidence, the Chester County District Attorneys Office said. The DAs office said it was no longer involved in the investigation once no source could be determined, Daily Local News reported.

A news conference is set for 3 p.m. Thursday at the ATF office in Philadelphia, officials said.
The girlfriend of Philando Castile, the cafeteria worker who was shot and killed in 2016 by a Minnesota police officer during a traffic stop, will receive $800,000 in connection to the killing.

Diamond Reynolds and her daughter, who was 4 when Castile was shot in front of them, will receive $675,000 from the city of St. Anthony, Minn., with an additional $125,000 from the city of Roseville and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust.

Reynolds, who live-streamed the shooting aftermath on Facebook, was not physically injured, and claimed emotional distress and false arrest in connection to the incident.

While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer, I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward, Reynolds said in a statement, according to the New York Daily News.

A portion of the funds will be placed into a trust for Reynolds' daughters education, a St. Anthony press release stated.

The new settlement comes five months after the Minnesota city agreed to pay $3 million to Castiles mother.

St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust said in a statement that the settlement opens the door to continued healing within our community.

Castile was driving in Falcon Heights in July 2016 when Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled over Castile and shot him after he said he was armed.

Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A $300,000 Ferrari stolen in California was recovered after the alleged car thief ran out of gas and began begging for money.

Israel Perez Rangel, 38, was arrested in Santa Ana after he went to a Mobile gas station in the luxury car and started asking people for money so he could buy gas, police said.

The Ferrari 458 Spider was in bad shape, with cracked fins, a destroyed gearbox and vomit dripping down the side of the vehicle.

STOLEN CAR CRASH KILLS FIVE

The vehicle was reported stolen two weeks ago when owner Susan Friedman was unable to collect her vehicle from the Ferrari & Maserati of Newport Beach service center in Costa Mesa. According to security footage, a man wearing a Ferrari jacket drove off with the vehicle after he found the key had been left on the passenger seat. Employees did not notice the vehicle was stolen until nearly 24 hours later.

It was just like Gone in 60 Seconds, Friedman told the LA Times, referencing Nicolas Cages 2000 film.

Friedman initially theorized the car was shipped off by an organized crime ring, after reports of someone erratically driving a fancy vehicle in Santa Ana.

But then, Rangel ran out of gas, police said.

Police arrived at the gas station and thought it was strange that a driver of a high-end car was begging for money. When he saw police, he ran.

After running away from the vehicle, the suspect was arrested behind the bushes at the entrance to the Holiday Inn, said Anthony Bertagna, spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department.

HIGH-SPEED CHASE IN CALIFORNIA ENDS IN FIERY CRASH, ONE KILLED

Rangel has a long criminal history, including vehicle theft, drug possession, resisting arrest, shoplifting, possession of a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a switchblade, criminal threats, evading a peace officer with reckless driving and buying or receiving a stolen vehicle or equipment, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Friedmans insurance company wrote her a check for the damaged vehicle, which she used to buy a 2018 Lamborghini Huracan.

I love it, she said. Its unbelievable.
A student at Washington State University who felt charitable last week posted on Twitter that she planned to donate to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

It seemed simple enough: She told followers she would give 25 cents for everyone who favorited her tweet and 50 cents for every retweet.

But the tweet went viral. It reached nearly 200,000 retweets and 450,000 favorites, pushing her pledge to more than $200,000.

Danni Messina, 19, told the Huffington Post that she was inspired by a friend who was spending Thanksgiving in a hospital. She said she thought about all the children who would be in a hospital, fighting for their lives, instead of celebrating the holidays at home.

I was originally planning on donating personally $1,000, she told CBS News. She told the network she had to stop the retweet fundraiser due to the skyrocketing amount.

"I tweeted because I had absolutely no idea there would be that much support around the idea," she told CBS. "So, unfortunately, I don't have the funds to support this, but here is a link to donate to one of the best hospitals there is."

She started a GoFundMe page where she is directing those reaching out to help in her effort. She set the price goal at $50,000.

Its a community effort now, I think, she said.

Some on Twitter criticized Messina for not capping the amount and not following through on her pledge.

One person tweeted, Uggh... we from an older generation have a saying.. so you wrote a check you cant cash did ya? It is a shame.. St Jude is a great cause! Too bad you decided to make a commitment that you cant honor.
A Texas man has been sentenced to more than 1,000 years in prison after his conviction in the sexual abuse of two young girls.

Prosecutors said Robert Benjamin Franks, 39, of San Marcos, repeatedly abused the girls, ages 9 and 10, who were related to him, Austin's FOX 7 reported.

Franks on Monday was slapped with two life sentences, as well as an additional 1,000 years, for continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Authorities first learned of Franks behavior in 2016 after the 9-year-old told her father that Franks had been doing disgusting things" to her, officials told the paper.

The 10-year-old initially denied any wrongdoing by Franks, but later claimed he had abused her for years, the paper reported.

Both girls testified in court, which Hays County criminal district attorney Wes Mau said sent a message to the jury and other offenders.

It does send a message to not expect leniency if you commit these kinds of crimes, Mau told FOX 7, adding that child abusers often get minimal sentencing.

I hope it tells the offenders, 'This is not a risk you want to take,' he said.

Franks was also ordered to pay $93,000 in fines, the Express-News reported.
U.S. and Chinese generals engaged in an unusual set of security talks on Wednesday, just hours after North Korea's most powerful missile test yet, focused on how the mighty American and Chinese militaries might communicate in a crisis.

As President Donald Trump greeted the North's launching of another intercontinental ballistic missile with familiar demands for China to get tougher with its ally, the low-profile and unpublicized meeting at the National Defense University in Washington was taking place amid signs China is more willing to discuss how the two world powers would manage an even worse emergency on the divided Korean Peninsula.

The Pentagon stressed the talks were scheduled long before North Korea's surprise missile launch in the early hours Wednesday in Asia. Officials insisted the dialogue wasn't centered on North Korea or anything else in particular.

Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having the capability to strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped missile  using military force if necessary. He is running out of time: Some experts said the missile fired on a high trajectory that splashed down in the Sea of Japan showed North Korea's ability to strike Washington and the entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

The threat of a military confrontation is making China rethink its resistance to discussing contingencies involving North Korea, according to experts. Such discussions have long been off-limits for Beijing, which fought on North Korea's side against the United States in the 1950-53 Korean War and remains its treaty ally.

In a phone conversation with Trump on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his desire for a diplomatic resolution to the standoff with North Korea.

Objectives for Wednesday's military consultations appeared modest.

"The engagement will serve as an opportunity to discuss how to manage crises, prevent miscalculations, and reduce the risk of misunderstanding," the office of Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Associated Press in a statement.

The U.S. and China agreed on the talks when Dunford met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing in August. While in China, Dunford observed a Chinese military drill at Shenyang, about 120 miles from the North Korean border  an unusual stop for an official visit.

Wednesday's talks were being led by Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke, the Joint Chiefs' planning director, and Maj. Gen. Shao Yuanming, a senior Chinese military official. They're especially noteworthy given the deep strategic mistrust between the U.S. and China, and Beijing's increasing challenge to America's post-World War II dominance in the Asia-Pacific.

China has been more explicit in saying what the talks are about.

Yao Yunzhu, a retired general who specializes in U.S.-Chinese defense relations at China's Academy of Military Science, said this summer they should include Northeast Asia, where North Korea is located. She also mentioned the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Yun Sun, an expert on Chinese foreign policy at the Stimson Center think tank, said Dunford raised North Korean contingencies at the August meeting and the two sides discussed the potential danger of a conflict or a nuclear disaster. U.S. officials wouldn't confirm that account. Sun said she anticipated those talks would continue Wednesday.

While such discussions have occurred in recent years among non-government experts, they hadn't yet happened at official levels.

However, Oriana Skylar Mastro, a Georgetown University professor, said her Chinese contacts indicated willingness to broach North Korea contingencies in the military dialogue.

"Things are shifting right now in both China and the United States. There seems to be an opening," said Mastro. She expected the talks would still be at a preliminary stage.

"This type of discussion is difficult among friends. It's much more difficult between potential adversaries, but absolutely necessary," Mastro said. "The type of war that might break out (with North Korea) is one that would be more costly than anything that generations of Americans have experienced."

Political limitations exist on both sides, making some experts skeptical that progress would be made or even that North Korean contingencies would be addressed at all. The U.S. must be wary of offending South Korea, which isn't in the dialogue. China risks further alienating a paranoid ally at a time Beijing is supporting increasingly tough U.N. sanctions on North Korea's economy in response to its missile and nuclear tests.

"The Chinese side is very worried that if North Korea gets word it might turn them into a hostile neighbor," said Frank Aum, a former Pentagon adviser on North Korea.

Chinese opinions are divided. But in a sign of growing antipathy toward Pyongyang, some Chinese intellectuals have called for radical policy change. Not only is North Korea a liability for China's global standing, it also poses a nuclear risk on its doorstep.

A collapse of North Korea's state, or another crisis, could push Beijing into conflict with the U.S. and South Korea. Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, mentioned North Korean nuclear facilities within 50 miles of the Chinese border, and said both sides could try to secure loose nukes.

There have been grave miscommunications before. Abraham Denmark, a former senior U.S. military official for East Asia, cited the run-up to the Korean War, when Washington thought Beijing knew it would not seek to invade China; the Chinese thought the Americans knew that if U.S. forces advanced north of the 38th parallel into North Korea, China would intervene.

"Both sides at the time thought that they were being extremely clear, but neither side had any idea of what was going on," Denmark said. "That suggests to me that both sides need to be very up front with one another."

___

AP writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of the name of Oriana Skylar Mastro.
North Korea fires missile that shows it can hit 'everywhere in the world'



North Korea issued a direct challenge to President Donald Trump with the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that Defense Secretary James Mattis said demonstrates it has the ability to hit "everywhere in the world."



Pyongyang launched a Hwasong-14 missile in the early hours of Wednesday morning local time that flew higher, and demonstrated a longer range, than any of its previous tests.



It was the first missile fired in almost two months, and came despite Trump's repeated warnings, delivered again during this trip to South Korea earlier this month in a direct message to North Korea: "do not try us."



The missile launched Wednesday spent around 53 minutes in the air, reaching a height of up to 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles), before splashing down in waters around 210 kilometers (130 miles) west of Japan's Aomori prefecture, according to authorities in Japan and South Korea.



Hours after the launch, Trump sounded more restrained, telling reporters Tuesday at the White House that the US "will handle" the situation. "We will take care of it," the President said, adding later that North Korea "is a situation that we will handle."



Mattis, who was with Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, outlined how much tougher that situation has become. The test missile, he said, went "higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken" and demonstrates that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un now has the ability to hit "everywhere in the world basically."



"The bottom line is, it's a continued effort to build a threat -- a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States," Mattis concluded

Trump previously had warned Kim: Do not try us.So, now what?More: North Korea fires missile that shows it can hit 'everywhere in the world' - CNNPolitics
A U.S. military investigation of a deadly August raid in Somalia is contradicting Somali officials' statements that several civilians, including children, were killed.

The U.S.-supported raid by Somali forces on Aug. 25 in Bariire village caused an uproar, with bloodied bodies laid out in the capital, Mogadishu, for display. Somalia's army chief said civilians were killed, and the deputy governor of Lower Shabelle said three children were among the 10 dead.

The U.S. Africa Command statement released Wednesday evening said a "thorough assessment" of the raid by U.S. Special Operations Command Africa showed that "the only casualties were those of armed enemy combatants."

There was no immediate response from Somali officials, who had said they would investigate the raid themselves, noting that it appeared more than one security operation had taken place.

The August raid targeted a local farm, and the deputy governor, Ali Nur Mohamed, told reporters that the dead, including the children aged 8 to 10 and a woman, were killed "one by one mercilessly." Bodies of civilians, especially those killed in misdirected attacks, often are taken from remote areas to Mogadishu to draw media attention.

The Trump administration early this year approved expanded military operations against the Somalia-based, al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab as it places counter-terrorism work at the top of its agenda for Africa. The U.S. has carried out close to 30 drone strikes this year and this month began targeting the small but growing presence of Islamic State group fighters as well.

The U.S. also trains Somalia forces and supports them in some raids. A separate statement Wednesday by the U.S. Africa Command says there are currently more than 500 U.S. military personnel in the Horn of Africa nation.

"Before conducting operations with partner forces, SOCAF conducts detailed planning and coordination to reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties and to ensure compliance with the Law of Armed Conflict," the U.S. said. "U.S. Africa Command and the Department of Defense take allegations of civilian casualties very seriously."

Al-Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, holds vast areas of rural Somalia after being chased out of major cities in recent years by a multinational African Union force and Somali troops. The group continues to threaten the fragile central government and carry out deadly attacks in neighboring countries, and it was blamed for the massive truck bombing in Mogadishu last month that killed more than 350 people.
The Las Vegas gunman who killed 58 people in October previously owned a unit at the Reno high-rise condominium that was the site of a hostage situation and shooting on Tuesday.

A gunman at the Montage condominium held a female hostage and fired off shots for around 30 minutes with a shoulder-fired rifle before being taken out by responding officers, police said. No injuries were reported.

"When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay," said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighboring Eldorado Resort Casino when the shots rang out.

Stephen Paddock, the gunman in the Oct. 1 rampage in Las Vegas, owned a unit at the Montage but records show he sold the property in December 2016.

"It's scary, you know?" Pavicich told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "This is the same kind of town."

Tuesday's gunman, who is now dead, was not immediately identified by Reno police but was described as a young adult. It was not immediately clear what relationship he had with the female hostage, who was traumatized and shaken up, according to Deputy Chief Tom Robinson.

The man died Tuesday after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Robinson said. Dozens of police and emergency response vehicles filled the surrounding areas.

Honestly I knew the shooter was close, I could feel the windows vibrate, I could hear things falling from walls, Karl Fiebiger, who lives on the floor below where the shooter was firing, told the Reno Gazette-Journal. So I was pretty glad to evacuate because I knew I wasnt in the safest situation if bullets started flying.

The gunman fired off bursts of five to eight rounds at a time, the newspaper said. Robinson said officers suspect that mental issues may have played a role in the incident.

The luxury high-rise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos. The building was once a casino itself before it was converted into luxury condos, according to its website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


A woman was found dead and her husband, a former diplomat, is missing after the couple was swept down a Hawaii river while they were on vacation for an early Christmas present, reports said.

Gladys and George Novinger, of Spring Valley, Calif., were attempting to cross the Wailuku River around 12:30 p.m. Saturday when they were swept into the river and went over an 80-foot waterfall, Hawaii police said. Gladys Novinger, 62, was discovered in the pool below Rainbow Falls and was taken to the hospital. She was pronounced dead later that day.

Search teams continued to look for George Novinger on Tuesday after authorities suspended it on Sunday due to hazardous conditions.

George Novinger had told friends about the Hawaii trip with his wife before they left, calling it a Christmas gift, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Gladys Novingers son, Joseph Harmes III, told the newspaper he was with them when they were swept away.

They were the best of the best. It is beyond tragic. They are missed deeply, Harmes said. I will always carry them in my heart. And I dedicate my life to their legacy.

George Novinger retired as a diplomat for the U.S. State Departments Foreign Service and specialized in East Asian affairs.

The couple also owned the Hacienda Vineyards in Rancho San Diego, Calif., according to San Diego Union-Tribune.
Hawaii will resume sirens this week that will warn of a nuclear attack as tensions with North Korea continue to rise.

The air-raid sirens will begin Dec. 1, and will continue each month as part of a newly-activated Attack Warning Tone, intended to warn Hawaii residents of an impending nuclear missile attack, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said in a press release Monday.

TIMELINE OF 2017 NORTH KOREA MISSILE AND NUCLEAR TESTS

The warning tone will sound for 50 seconds across the Hawaiian Islands, followed by a pause before an additional 50 seconds of the attack warning tone, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. It will continue on the first business day of each month.

Residents, should they hear the blaring alarm, are urged to get inside, stay inside and stay tuned.

North Korea on Tuesday launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that flew roughly 620 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan. Its the third ICBM the rogue regime has launched.

A single 150-kiloton nuclear weapon detonated over Pearl Harbor on Oahu has the potential to kill 18,000 people immediately and leave an additional 50,000 to 120,000 injured throughout several miles, officials told Reuters.

The latest missile from the North did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies, Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning III told Fox News on Tuesday.

The last time state residents heard the warning siren test was during the Cold War, the Star-Advertiser reported, citing an emergency management official.
Two American men who were reportedly honeymooning in Thailand were detained after they shared photos of their exposed butts taken at two famous Bangkok temples.

The pair, Joseph and Travis DaSilva of San Diego, both 38, were arrested at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday, just days after they uploaded photos of their bared backsides to Instagram, the Bangkok Post reported; the photos were taken at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) and Wat Pho temples.

They were detained as they were about to leave Thailand, said Col. Cherngron Rimpadee, an immigration police spokesman. The colonel said the couple were on a watch list after their social media posts caught authorities attention.

"Once they are through with the charges, the Thai immigration police will revoke their visas and push for deportation," he said, according to the BBC. "They will also be blacklisted from coming back to Thailand."

He added that the two men admitted to taking down their pants and posing for photos at the temples.

The DaSilvas were charged with getting naked in public and fined $150 apiece. However, some Thai officials have told the media that there could be more serious charges. Officials are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on the Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures, Col. Jarupat Thongkomol said from the police station near the temple, Agence France-Press reported. They could face jail time.

The couple were in Thailand celebrating their honeymoon one year after tying the knot, according to San Diegos NBC 7.

San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez said the men reached out to him for assistance. Though I am very disappointed in their actions, I am talking to U.S. government officials to see what assistance we can give them, Murray-Ramirez told San Diego Gay and Lesbian News.

Wat Arun and Wat Pho, known to many travelers as the home of the golden reclining Buddha, are considered two of the holiest places in Thailand.

According to reports, this is not the first time the couple have posted images of their naked backsides online. The now-deleted Instagram account, @traveling_butts, followed their adventures across the globe with pictures of their bare bottoms at famous tourist sites around the world.

While some of the posts seemed harmless, the photos of the two men in Thailand triggered an intense backlash once they went viral, news.com.au reported.

In 2015, two American women were arrested, fined and deported for taking nude photographs inside Cambodia's Angkor Wat complex.
The mayor of a small German town said Tuesday he was happy to be alive after being attacked with a knife by a man who confronted him over his welcoming stance toward refugees before slashing his neck.

The knife attack on Andreas Hollstein, the 54-year-old mayor of Altena in western Germany, prompted widespread shock and condemnation from officials including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Authorities said the incident Monday night appeared to be motivated by the mans hatred of foreigners.

Im shocked by the knife attack on Mayor Andreas Hollstein  and very relieved that he is back with his family, Merkel said. Thanks also to those who helped him.

The attacker was identified by authorities as 56-year-old German Werner S., whose full name was withheld because of German privacy laws.

Hollstein, a father of four and a member of Merkels conservative party, appeared shaken as he answered reporters questions the day after the attack.

I feared for my life, he said, adding that it appeared the man intentionally had chosen him as a victim.

If you ask me whether that knife in his pocket was for me, Id answer with a yes, he said.

The mayor said he was at a local kebab restaurant around 8 p.m. on Monday, when the attacker approached him, held a knife to his throat and took him to task over his policies toward refugees. It was only with the help of the restaurants owner and his son that the man could be overpowered. Police later arrested the assailant.

Hollstein was taken to the hospital but discharged later Monday. He said he had a 5.9 inches cut on the left side of his neck.

Prosecutor Gerhard Pauli said Werner S. was drunk when he attacked Hollstein with a 13.4 inch kitchen knife. He said the man didnt have any known links to far right groups, but that hatred toward foreigners appeared to be the motivation for his attack.

The mayor became known nationally for voluntarily taking in more asylum seekers than Altena was obliged to since the height of the refugee crisis two years ago.

Hollstein said the attacker probably had been incited by the poisoned atmosphere fueled by parties such as the nationalist Alternative for Germany which relentlessly has campaigned against migrants and their supporters.

Still, Hollstein said the attack would not deter him from continuing to stand up for refugees and all others who needed his support.

Armin Laschet, the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state where Altena is located, said the security agencies assume the attack has a political background.

The incident in Altena has been compared to a knife attack two years ago in which a far-right assailant stabbed a politician who was campaigning to become mayor of Cologne. The attacker was angered by the governments refugee policy.

Henriette Reker, who was in charge of housing refugees in Cologne at the time, was elected mayor the following day while still in an induced coma. She since has made a full recovery.

Germany took in more than 1 million asylum seekers between 2015 and 2016, mostly from war-torn countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The influx saw an outpouring of support from many Germans who wanted to help the refugees, but also a sharp rise in the number of attack against migrants and sometimes also against their supporters.
MOSUL, Iraq  F--- ISIS.

Thats the message  except with the three missing letters  scrawled across what remains of demolished buildings in the Old City of Mosul, a now-apocalyptic wasteland destroyed by 2  years of ISIS occupation and the battle that led to the citys liberation.

Dead bodies still rot under the rubble of booby-trapped buildings, Iraqi officials say, and cant be removed until the area has been sufficiently secured. Shrapnel, grenade launchers and shell casings are everywhere along the once densely populated neighborhood streets. The skeletons of vehicles used in suicide attacks are piled up along closed or bombed-out roads. The palm trees left standing show mostly blackened leaves, wilting in the sun.

The "F--- ISIS" graffiti is tagged with an Emin Ali pseudonym, a reference to the first imam of Shiite Islam, one of the two major branches of Islam and one that frequently clashes with the other major branch, Sunni Islam. ISIS fighters are largely Sunni Muslims.

Local officials here seem proud of the graffiti. The expletive has even made it to the walls of the decimated Grand al-Nuri mosque, where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his public appearance in 2014 to announce himself the caliph of the so-called Islamic State.

ISIS fighters bombed their own holy site in June, as Iraqi forces closed in on the city. The front gate of the infamous mosque survived the bombardment, as did the pulpit where Baghdadi once stood.

Unlike the scene on Mosuls east side, where the busy streets are packed with traffic, children riding rusty old bicycle and busy roadside markets, life in the Old City is a long way from returning to normal. Fox News was given an exclusive tour of the area by Iraqs Federal Police, four months after ISIS was driven out by some of the most complex urban fighting in recent history, according to U.S. officials.

In many areas of the Old City, not a single dwelling was spared the devastation.

There was no way to get ISIS out without doing it this way, one Iraqi police officer told Fox News, explaining that every time they attempted to enter a house, ISIS fighters would slaughter a civilian they were holding as a shield in retaliation.

The Old City is essentially unlivable now, though a few families have trickled back, despite the dangers of unexploded bombs and the absence of water or basic services. Police guard the ghostly streets and workers attempt to sweep out the hazards. Out of nowhere, ceilings still suddenly crash to the ground.

And inside the Federal Police Building, which teeters on the edge of the Old City by the Tigris River, a few young male civilians hoping to return to the city line up. They are almost all amputees, holding each others hands as they wait in the freezing cold. Electricity and warm water belonged to a lifetime ago.

For some, its not even worth the cost.

The best way forward is to build a new city. Find some more land close by and just start again, Raghib Kawaji, 57, a retired engineer says as he stares numbly at the guttered store fronts of the local market where he owned three trading businesses. How can this city ever be what it once was?
The Israeli military has begun demolishing an illegally-built carpentry workshop in a West Bank settlement as dozens of Jewish settlers are rallying against the move.

The military says it's acting according to government directives, after the Supreme Court ruled that the building was among 17 that were built illegally on private Palestinian property and had to be torn down. Such court rulings are relatively common.

The settlers in Elazar in Gush Etzion, in the southern West Bank, linked arms and chanted slogans as the military prepared to tear down a wood carpentry workshop in the settlement on Wednesday.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem, in the 1967 war. About 600,000 settlers currently live there. Most of the international community considers them to be either illegal or illegitimate.
Another arm was found Wednesday in the in the sea near Copenhagen that may belong to slain journalist Kim Wall, just over a week after authorities made a similar grisly discovery.

Copenhagen Police said in a news release the arm was found near the route authorities are searching in Koge Bay as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Wall, who disappeared after taking a ride on a homemade submarine with Danish inventor Peter Madsen in August.

"The arm has not been investigated yet, but it has been found in the same area as we found the first arm and it was weighted down similarly," Deputy Police Inspector Jens Mller Jensen said. "Therefore, we assume that the arm is connected to the submarine case."

KIM WALL MURDER: DIVERS FIND ARM THOUGHT TO BE FROM BEHEADED JOURNALIST

The arm will be examined Thursday at the Norwegian Institute of Medicine, according to police.

Wall, a freelance journalist, went missing after Madsen took her out to sea in August. Madsen admitted to police he dismembered her body, and threw it into a bay, but has insisted he wasn't the one who caused her death.

Investigators have since found bags containing her body parts in various locations around Koge Bay, located south of the Danish capital.

KIM WALL MURDER SUSPECT ADMITS DISMEMBERING BODY, DENIES KILLING HER

Madsen's trial is set to take place in Copenhagen in March.

Her family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise donations for the "Kim Wall Memorial Fund," a grant that will help support a young female reporter.
The intercontinental ballistic missile launched Tuesday by North Korea was ordered up a day earlier by dictator Kim Jong Un, who boasted it showed the entire United States is now within striking distance of the Hermit Kingdom.

North Korea said it fired its greatest ICBM it called Hwasong-15 that was significantly more powerful and could be armed with a super-large heavy nuclear warhead. The regime claimed it is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S. State TV said Kim gave the order on Tuesday.

"Test launch is approved. Taking place at the daybreak of Nov. 29! Fire with courage for the party and country!" a photo of Kims signed order stated.

The ICBM was fired at 2:48 a.m. Wednesday North Korea time, the regimes Korean Central News Agency said in a statement hours after the launch. It reach a height of 2,796 miles and traveled 596 miles, demonstrating the potential to reach a range of 8,100 miles. David Wright, a U.S. physicist who has studied North Koreas missile and nuclear programs, said that this would put any part of the U.S. comfortably within reach of a North Korean missile strike.

It was determined by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that Tuesdays missile "did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies," Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning III told Fox News.

Kim also declared North Korea with pride that it has "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, KCNA said in a statement.

It added, "As a responsible nuclear power and a peace-loving state, [North Korea] will make every possible effort to serve the noble purpose of defending peace and stability of the world.

A big unknown, however, is the missile's payload. If, as expected, it carried a light mock warhead, then its effective range would have been shorter, analysts said.

South Korea responded almost immediately to North Koreas provocation and fired pinpoint missiles into nearby waters to make sure North Korea understands it can be "taken under fire" by the South, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed worry North Korea's missile threat could force the United States to attack the North before it masters a nuclear-tipped long-range missile, something experts say may be imminent.

"If North Korea completes a ballistic missile that could reach from one continent to another, the situation can spiral out of control," Moon said at an emergency meeting in Seoul, according to his office. "We must stop a situation where North Korea miscalculates and threatens us with nuclear weapons or where the United States considers a pre-emptive strike."

North Korea has been working to perfect re-entry technology to one day have a warhead be able to survive re-entry into Earths atmosphere. This ICBM would be able to hit any city within the U.S. if a warhead is able to survive re-entry.

Tuesdays launch was the first the regime conducted since its Sept. 15 test when it fired an intermediate-range missile that flew over Japans Hokkaido Island. October marked the first month the regime didnt test a missile since January. Between February and September, North Korea launched a missile an average of every two weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Spanish authorities say a former Salvadoran colonel has been extradited to Spain to face charges relating to the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests and two others in El Salvador.

The National Court in Madrid said Inocente Orlando Montano, 76, arrived in Madrid from the United States on Wednesday and was placed in prison.

He is to be brought before the court Thursday.

Montano face charges for allegedly helping plan the attack on the Jesuit priests  five of whom were Spaniards  and two female employees.

U.S. court documents said Montano was part of a group of military officers accused of conspiring to kill the priests, who were helping organize peace talks during El Salvador's 1980-1992 civil war.
Senior Saudi Arabian Prince Miteb bin Abdullah has been freed from custody after agreeing to pay $1 billion to settle allegations made against him, a Saudi official said.

On Tuesday, Prince Miteb was released after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement, the official said, according to Reuters. The official believed the amount was around or more than $1 billion.

It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases, the official said.

SENIOR SAUDI PRINCE MITEB BIN ABDULLAH REPORTEDLY HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM CUSTODY

Prince Miteb, 65, headed the countrys powerful National Guard until he was taken into custody on Nov. 9 after being accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms, Reuters reported. Bloomberg reported at least three other detainees reached deals as well.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered dozens of top princes and businessmen to be detained after investigators said they uncovered at least $100 billion in corruption. Officials believed the crown prince ordered the detentions in order to bolster his power, The New York Times reported.

SAUDI PRINCES, OTHERS ARRESTED IN SWEEP VIEWED AS SHOW OF FORCE BY CROWN PRINCE

Prince Miteb was considered a contender for the throne a few years ago and was believed to have opposed Prince Salman from becoming a crown prince.

Prince Miteb denied the corruption allegations and accused Prince Salman of using the anti-corruption campaign to boost his power in the kingdom.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Petersburg man pleaded guilty Tuesday to five felonies in connection with the torture and death of three shepherd-mix puppies last year.

Brandon Michael Gillie, 27, entered the guilty pleas to five counts of animal cruelty in Petersburg Circuit Court on Tuesday, said Virginia Bray, an assistant commonwealths attorney for Petersburg.

As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, Gillie was also sentenced Tuesday to serve six years in prison on the felonies. That punishment is in addition to a 12-month jail sentence that Gillie has to serve after being convicted in general district court in August on a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, Bray said.

The prosecutor, in an telephone interview, detailed a disturbing case where Gillie abused the 3-month-old puppies with human drugs, insecticide, firecrackers, glue and a torch.

A veterinarian determined that the cause of death of two of the puppies was asphyxia, throat lacerations, poisoning and thermal burns, Bray said. The third puppy died from poisoning and asphyxia, Bray said.

The abuse happened at a trailer where Gillie lived in Petersburg, Bray said. The prosecutor said the defendant initially told a crazy tale where he claimed one of his roommates was responsible for the dogs deaths, which happened in April 2016. Gillie texted the owner of the puppies, his girlfriend, and told her the animals had died, Bray said. She, in turn, reported the puppies deaths to police, Bray said.

Gillie subsequently admitted to one of his relatives that he killed the puppies, the prosecutor said.

Bray said that at some point, Gillie attempted suicide and wrote a suicide note to a Petersburg police detective saying, I am not a monster. I have severe mental health issues.

The prosecutor said the defendant also said in his suicide note that I never intentionally in my right mind hurt anyone or anything. Im ashamed. Im sorry.

In a subsequent telephone call with the detective in January 2017, Gillie said that if he had not been turned away at all those medical facilities, he would not have done what he did.

Gillie also told the detective in that phone call that he would never have done what he did if he had been in the right frame of mind, Bray said. The defendant told the detective he was going to turn himself in, but Gillie didnt do so until March 2017, Bray said.

Gillies attorney, public defender Walter Harris, could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday.
For the second year in a row, The Free LanceStars agriculture coverage has won the Virginia Farm Bureau Federations top honor in its annual Journalism Awards competition.

The newspaper received the 2017 IsheeQuann Award for Media Excellence, which recognizes the best of all print, radio and television entries.

According to a Farm Bureau release, the award is named for Jeff Ishee and the late Homer Quann. Ishee is the near-legendary farm reporter for Harrisonburgs WSVA radio who hosts the PBS Virginia Farming TV program and operates a daily, web-based farm news service, the release said. Quann served as WSVAs farm news director for several decades and was known as the most dedicated agricultural reporter in Virginia, according to the release.

For the third consecutive year, The Free LanceStar also captured the Members Choice Award, which honors media nominated by Farm Bureau members and selected using the same criteria as other categories.

The Free LanceStar covered an array of topics, from Virginias Agriculture in the Classroom programs teacher of the year to various equine-related stories, some of which focused on the legacy of thoroughbred racing legend Secretariat.

It profiled a local farm couple who transformed their large grain operation by using cover crops to attract beneficial insects and provide nitrogen to the soil. The newspaper also detailed the work associated with shearing sheep and provided extensive State Fair of Virginia agricultural coverage.

Packages were written by Cathy Dyson, Adele UphausConner and Amanda Vicinanzo, photographed by Mike Morones, Peter Cihelka and Suzanne CarrRossi and designed by Amanda Montag, Karen Wonsik and Ken Nasse.

They use a good mix of sources, nice accompanying photos and strong writing, the judges wrote about the newspapers submissions. They write so that the reader cares about the subject. And in telling agricultures story, this is important work.

The award winners were announced Nov. 28 during the VFBF Annual Convention in Williamsburg.

For the seventh consecutive year, the news team at WHSVTV in Harrisonburg claimed one of VFBFs awards in the television category. They were joined by co-winner Neesey Payne of WDBJTV in Roanoke.

Co-winners in the daily newspaper category were Vic Bradshaw and Ellie Potter of the Daily NewsRecord, also in Harrisonburg; and Jay Pinsky, who contributes to The Northern Virginia Daily, based in Strasburg.

And for the second consecutive year, and a record 11th time in 30 years, the Rappahannock Record in Kilmarnock won the non-daily newspaper category.
As Orange County prepares its long-range vision for the GermannaWilderness Area, transportation along State Route 3 remains a vital component of how the area will serve both local residents and visitors.

A Route 3 Arterial Preservation Plan is being drafted and residents are asked for their input on how to make the highway safer and more efficient as the designated growth area develops.

The Richmond-based engineering firm Michael Baker International has partnered with the Virginia Department of Transportation to develop a plan for Route 3. The firm has conducted field visits, operational reviews, traffic counts, crash data reviews and an analysis of existing conditions as part of its study, which will result in a list of recommendations for the county.

As part of the process, representatives from VDOT, Michael Baker International and Orange County recently met with residents at Locust Grove Middle School to discuss the plan and solicit input. The goal of the study is to provide Orange County with a long-range road transportation plan to add to its comprehensive plan, Orange County Administrator Bryan David explained.

More than two years ago, the county adopted the GermannaWilderness Area Plan into its comprehensive plan. The GWAP is the countys vision to develop the eastern end of the county into a place to live, work and play with a higher standard of design and development which is a self-contained, complete community that is appealing to current and prospective residents.

VDOTs Rob Williams said the study is a continuation of a plan department initially began for Route 3 in Spotsylvania County.

We want to try and get ahead of the development thats going to be coming in with the idea that if you can sort of work out these logistics ahead of time and have a plan in place, then when people start building along the corridor, they know what is expected of them in terms of access and other things along the roadway, he said.

Zach Harris with Michael Baker International said the study process includes reviewing future land uses to estimate the possible number of vehicle trips those tracts may generate. From there, the firm will start developing recommendations, he said.

The Route 3/State Route 20 intersection often gets congested and is an area of frequent crashes, Harris said. From 2011 to 2017, there were a total of 33 crashes at the intersection, with 18 injuries reported.

There were 28 crashes at the Lake of the Woods intersection and 11 at the Flat Run Road intersection. The majority of the crashes are rear-end or angle crashes, which Harris said are typical of intersections with traffic signals.

Thats one of the reasons were not looking at putting more signals here, he said. Traffic signals are a huge hot-spot.

Improving sight distance and distancing access points to Route 3 are also considerations, Harris added.

The engineering firm and VDOT officials plan to present their recommendations during a public meeting in January.

The presentation given at Locust Grove Middle School can be viewed at the GWAP tab on orangecountyva.gov.

To submit your comments on Route 3, contact Harris at zharris@mbakerintl.com or 804/287-3169, or VDOT District Contact Kobina Gaituah at Kobina.Gaituah@VDOT.Virginia.gov or 540/829-7687.
A global manufacturer that recently moved into Spotsylvania Countys former General Motors plant will receive another $150,000 in taxpayer-backed incentives and add 25 more jobs.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the additional financial support and other new developments during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at the refurbished plant, now home to Missouri-based idX Corp. Virginia and Spotsylvania each will pay the company $75,000, or $150,000 total, on top of the up to $1.9 million worth of state and county incentives approved earlier this year.

McAuliffe also announced that idXwhich produces display fixtures and decor for national retailers such as CVS and Barnes & Noblewill hire 175 employees at its Spotsylvania plant, or 25 more than first anticipated. And he said the manufacturer is investing a total of $9.8 million in the project, about $2.7 million over the initial price tag.

Dave Kilgore, general manager of idX Virginia, said in an interview that the project is over budget, adding that the company has run into many surprises during its ongoing renovations to the 260,000-square-foot plant.

The manufacturer moved most of its Columbia, Md., operations to the county on Nov. 1, nine months after McAuliffe announced the deal. Of the approximately 110 employees there now, about 75 relocated from Maryland, said Scott Stewart, a vice president for idX. The manufacturer plans to employ a total of 175 within three years, he said.

During his remarks, McAuliffe referenced a couple other states that competed for the manufacturer. I know you were in that high-tax state of Marylandnow youre here in the great commonwealth, the Democratic governor remarked. And I also know we beat out North Carolina  to get this great investment.

He added later: What I love about this, this is the old GM Powertrain facility. It was empty in 2010, it sat here empty, and now today you see all of this excitement, all of this life and all of these jobs.

The manufacturer purchased the 77-acre site on Tidewater Trail this year from RACER Trust, which a federal judge created to sell off GMs former assets after the company declared bankruptcy in 2009. Its renovation includes a new roof, resurfaced floors and 15 additional loading docks, among other improvements.

A trace of the plants past could be found in a small warehouse office, where a former GM employee named Rob wrote on the wall: Its been a great ride. 1979-2010. Thanks GM.

Stewart, the idX vice president, said in his formal remarks that the renovation is a work in progress, adding: The refurbishment has been a challenge at times, but the obstacles have been worth it.

He said in an interview that the company had to add smoke vents to the new roof as required by state code, something it had not expected.

Supervisor Gary Skinner, whose Lee Hill District includes the plant, lauded the company for its transformation of the previously run-down plant. This is beyond any expectations that anybody could have had to see this building in this type of shape, he said.
A man who was already facing six life sentences for molesting children in King George County is now facing a seventh after being convicted of 
When prompted, Wilson Elementary School fifth-grader Matthew Da Silva can easily locate Iraq, Zambia and Nepal on a map of the world.

He can even locate Panama, which is so small on his map that its barely visible; he puts one finger from each hand on either side of the country.

Eric Beasley, Wilsons principal, said Matthew is on pace to learn the location of every country in the world by the end of the school year. Matthew is learning where countries are, and a bit about many of them, as part of a schoolwide Geo Challenge event.

Here's how it works, Beasley said: Each month, students are given a handful of countries and the challenge is to learn their location on the map. Students who want more challenge can try to locate more countries and, occasionally, their capitals. These are broken down into five tiers of difficulty.

During reading time one day a month, students are called out of class individually to be tested by volunteers. Students get a travel log book and for each level they can show that they have learned all or most of the country locations they get a sticker representing a country in that region. All the students get at least one sticker: If they cant locate the countries in the bottom tier, the volunteers will show them where they are.

Students also have the option of getting a bonus sticker for preparing a travel itinerary for one of the countries in that months set. In the itineraries students list things they learn about the country and things they would want to see if they visit.

Matthew has been learning all five tiers of countries each month this year.

When we get older my mom and I want to journey and travel the world, he said. To journey around the world, you have to know where the different places are.

He said he gets a good feeling from knowing where all the countries are located.

While you are doing it you feel accomplished, he said.

Beasley said Wilson does schoolwide learning challenges each year. In the 2015-16 school year, for example, the school tackled a million-minute reading challenge. Students exceeded that goal by reading for about 1.3 million minutes. Last school year, a writing club got every student involved at some point during the year.

Beasley said teachers do classroom lessons on the countries each month, but most of the work is done at home or when students have finished other work. And the challenge allows all students to participate regardless of their level in school.

Beasley noted that curricula at schools nowadays don't include as much memorization of countries and their locations as might have been the case in the past, but he thinks there's still value in learning about those countries. And the activity brings the school together.

He pointed to other benefits as well: Wilson has students from all over the world, and the program also makes the school more welcoming by giving kids more perspective about the world.

Beasley said the materials and some extra hours for the school librarian, Christy Koegler, to organize the program were paid for with a $2,500 grant for special programs from the district office.

Beasley said at Wilson 51 percent of students are in the free and reduced lunch program, which is used as a measure of poverty in education.

As a school with higher poverty, creating enrichment opportunities is important," he said. "All our kids benefit from that, whether they are poor or not.
ALBANY  Know Your Roles, a free lunch and training session for people wanting to help immigrants, is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Albany First Christian Church, 432 Ferry St. SW.

The event starts at noon with a lunch of beans, rice and chile verde prepared by Taqueria Alonzo. The lunch, though free, requires a ticket that can be obtained at http://tinyurl.com/yc8c65uu by 10 a.m. Dec. 4.

Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson will lead off the afternoon with a talk starting at 12:45 p.m.

Sponsors of the event are Albany First Christian Church, Casa Latinos Unidos de Benton County, Community Action for Racial Equity, Corvallis Branch of the NAACP, Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, Linn-Benton Health Equity Alliance, Linn County Democrats and Showing Up for Racial Justice.

For more information, call 541-203-0842.
One look at Wesley Fox and you could tell he was a U.S. Marine.

That was the highest praise you could give him, said his wife, Dotti Fox. People would say I bet youre a Marine and hed say back to them I bet youre right. 

The Medal of Honor winner and former Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets leader died Friday in Blacksburg at 86 years old from natural causes.

Col. Fox served in the U.S. Marines for 43 years. He spent retirement as a deputy commandant for Virginia Techs Corps of Cadets before retiring from the university.

He was the shining example of who a Marine should be, said Major General Randal Fullhart, commandant of the Tech Corps of Cadets.

Fox served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was 17 when he enlisted with the Marines as a rifleman after growing up in the Shenandoah Valley. Dotti Fox said he only intended to serve for four years before leaving the service, but thought being a Marine was too important to stop at 21.

He earned his Medal of Honor while serving as the commanding officer of a Marine unit in Vietnam. Despite being wounded twice during battle on Feb. 22, 1969, Fox led his men through heavy fire while refusing medical attention. Instead, he tended to other wounded Marines and he and his men eventually destroyed an enemy bunker forcing them to retreat, according to an account he gave to a Radford High School student group in 1999 as reported in The Roanoke Times.

His indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger inspired his Marines to such aggressive actions that they overcame all enemy resistance and destroyed a large bunker complex, according to the Medal of Honor citation read by President Richard Nixon.

He was also awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

During his lengthy career, aside from his combat role Fox served as a drill instructor, recruiter and military police officer.

After retiring from the military in 1993, Fox came to Blacksburg to work at Virginia Tech to serve as deputy commandant for the corps first battalion, a position he held until he retired from the university in 2001.

The entirety of his career was about being a leader and imparting ways to improve young peoples leadership, Fullhart said. One of the highlights for first year cadets annually was when Fullhart would interview Fox about his experiences in front of all of them.

He was always someone who led by example, Fulhart said.

Dotti Fox said her husband was always trying to set that example for students not just in the Corps, but also those in high school classes he regularly spoke with.

Hed often wear his Medal of Honor at formal occasions. One of his goals was to show youngsters what the medal looked like so they could recognize what it meant, she said.

He loved his country and he knew he could make a difference, Dotti Fox said.

That was also reflected in the two books he wrote about leadership and his experiences, she said. His book Six Essential Elements of Leadership: Marine Corps Wisdom from a Medal of Honor Recipient is required reading for all first year Tech Corps of Cadets members.

He is survived by his wife, three children, nine grandchildren, eight siblings and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.

A visitation will be from 68 p.m. Thursday at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive S.W., in Blacksburg. Funeral services will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined.
CHRISTIANSBURGThe Starlite Drive-in Theater, a Christiansburg institution for more than half a century, wont have to turn down the sound system it installed last year, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Judge Randal Duncan dismissed a town noise citation against Starlite owner Peggy Beasley, saying her business is exempt from noise restrictions.

The exemption was one of several arguments the theaters defense attorneys pressed during a hearing in Montgomery County General District Court that lasted more than two hours. The judge ruled that the towns noise ordinance, as presently written, doesnt apply to sounds that businesses in certain zoning districts make as part of operations.

The burden was on the town to show that the Starlites sound levels exceeded what was necessary and incidental the town ordinance languagefor the activities permitted in a business, industrial or mixed-use zoning district, Duncan said. The town had presented no evidence on that aspect of the case.

This one seemed pretty clear, defense attorney Gordon Shapiro said after the hearing.

Shapiro and partner Jon Kurtin also argued that Christiansburgs noise rules were unconstitutional, but Duncan denied their motions in this area. Beasley has a civil lawsuit in the countys circuit court that seeks to have the ordinance declared invalid. That lawsuit has been on hold pending the outcome of the noise citation.

The Starlite had claimed to be exempt from the noise ordinance since town discussion of its sound began in 2016.

Attorney Theresa Fontana, who represented the town in prosecuting the citation, said that the sound system the theater installed in early 2016 had become a nuisance for neighbors, who she said could hear it inside their homes. She said that town council had discussed the situation in June 2016 and that she had researched whether the theater was exempt and determined that it was not.Fontana said that while the Starlites customers need to hear movies, they dont need to hear it at a level that exceeds that of the noise ordinance.

Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sisson testified that he and the towns planning director had gone to the Starlite in June 2016 to meet with Beasley and make sure she understood that theater had to abide by the noise ordinance.

The ordinance basically said citations could be issued if amplified music or other sounds could be heard more than 50 feet from their source or inside someone elses home. The ordinance said louder sounds were alright if a permit was issued  such as for a parade  and contained exemptions that included religious, school and sporting events, as well as the business exemption that Duncan cited in his decision.

Christiansburgs ordinance carries a maximum penalty for violators of a $2,500 fine and/or 10 days in jail.

Sisson said that he had met again with Beasley on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, 2016, and stayed up until 1 a.m. listening to the theaters sounds in the neighborhood around it. He said that he told her that the sound was definitely a problem and recommended that she keep the volume of the new sound system set on 5 for the nights first movie and 4 for the second movie.

Sisson said that his officers issued at least 10 warnings to the Starlite in 2016. The chief said he talked to Beasley again in April as the theater prepared for this years season. He said he gave her another copy of the ordinance and that Beasley told him she would try to comply with it but didnt think it was reasonable.

I was trying to be a diplomat, Sisson testified.

Town police Lt. Chris Heidt said that at about 9:15 p.m. on May 26, he received a complaint about the Starlites volume from a resident on Flint Drive. Heidt said that from Flint, he could hear loud rumbling and roaring and yelling emanating from the Starlites showing of Guardians of the Galaxy. He issued a citation to the theater.

But Beasleys attorneys said that in defining its exemptions, the town ordinance spoke only of whether sound was necessary to a business, not about how loud that sound should be. Shapiro said the theater had been operating since the early 1950s and for the most part, the town has adapted to the Starlite.

After Duncans decision, Beasley and her attorneys described the theater as a community institution. Beasley said that while there had been occasional complaints about noise or traffic around the theater, there had been nothing like this with a town citation and court cases.

Kurtin said that Beasley and the theaters supporters would be glad to take part in discussions about re-writing the towns noise ordinance and predicted a revision would leave room for the Starlite to continue showing movies.

This isnt a judicial matter, Kurtin said.
STATE EDUCATION officials have voted to revamp the way they judge Standards of Learning scores as they apply to school accreditation. For the most part, the plan looks good because it draws more from a schools progress than an annual snapshot of its test scores.

Officials say they anticipate that more schools will be accredited under the new method, which will be phased in starting with the 2018-19 school year, but insist thats a good thing and doesnt mean they are lowering the bar to artificially improve schools accreditation rates.

We appreciate the state Board of Educations desire to revisit policies, whether for fine-tuning or overhauling, in order to pursue excellence in Virginias public schools. We would also urge officials to make sure there is no compromise in the accountability process that the SOLs were created to provide in the first place.

Board members are quick to point out that while their primary objective is to recognize improvement in schools that have historically performed poorly, they remain equally committed to making the best schools even better.

Since good schools generally perform better from year to year, the only way to close the achievement gap in schools across the state is to make sure poorer performing schools get the help they need and all the credit for improvement they deserve.

To achieve that, accreditation decisions will be weighted more heavily on the progress a school is making. If a school has a lot of English learners, for example, it makes sense to note students progress on learning the language, even if they are not yet adept at actually putting it to use in reading or writing. If a school has underperformed in math, it will get credit for improvement even if scores remain substandard.

Education officials candidly suggest that good young teachers looking for jobs might be leery of a school labeled as failing, and might be more likely to consider one thats improving. We would go a step farther and suggest recruitment incentives for new teachers, such as help with their student loans, if they agree to work at a lower-performing school.

Since students cant learn unless they are in the classroom, the new accreditation process will look closely at dropout/graduation rates and chronic absenteeism.

These new accreditation priorities go hand-in-hand with the state boards new graduation standards designed to enable Virginia schools to graduate more well-rounded students.

One way to do that, officials say, is to continue the trend of reducing the number of SOL tests a student must pass to graduate. That should give students more time during their secondary school careers to pursue subjects of particular interest to them, and to develop the five Cscreativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and citizenshipthat state officials want students to take with them after graduation.

A red flag raised by board member James H. Dillard, who cast the lone dissenting vote, is that the new graduation standards omit the SOL for social studies, a group of subjects integral to producing well-rounded students. Though that move will intensify the focus on the core subjects of English, math and science, we hope educators on the district and school levels will remain committed to excellence in subjects such as economics, geography, history and civics.

These changes approved by the state board will help combat concerns since the SOLs were implemented that teachers are forced to teach to the test, trading the learning environment that the classroom is supposed to be for the rote memorization of facts.

The two philosophies need not be diametrically opposed. Students are better equipped to retain facts if they are given the chance to think and absorb information. The state board is looking for that balance here, and hopefully their efforts will bring positive results for all schools and students across Virginia.

We appreciate the state Board of Educations desire to revisit accreditation policies in order to pursue excellence in Virginias public schools. We would also urge them to make sure there is no compromise in the accountability process that the SOLs were created to provide in the first place.
Spotsy School Board should consider redistricting

I am a student at Massaponax High School, and I am writing to bring attention to the overpopulation at my school.

Massaponax High School classrooms and hallways are always full. The overcrowding makes it difficult to pass through the hallways during school time.

More importantly, there are too many students for each teacher. Teachers always try to do their best, but dont have enough time to spend with each student.

Spotsylvania High School can support 1,583 students, and currently has an enrolled population of 1,125. Massaponax High School has an enrolled population of 1,930, but can only support 1,860 students.

I hope the new School Board will consider redistricting. And I think as a county, we should pay attention to the schools when building new houses.

James Lenahan

Fredericksburg
An advocate finds her voice

What sparked Arzahs interest in cure research was meeting the only known person to be cured of HIV: Timothy Ray Brown, who spoke in Seattle at an event sponsored by the defeatHIV CAB. By then she was working at BABES Network, a Seattle YWCA-based peer education and support program for women with HIV. She had found her voice as an HIV advocate.

It wasnt easy. When she was 9, Arzah had moved to Port Townsend with her foster mom, who adopted her and whom she credits with making sure I would have as normal a childhood as possible. But as the new kid in a small-town school, the only African-American in her grade and the only person she knew with HIV, normal felt elusive.

Moving was when I had to grapple with my identity of being HIV positive, especially in a small town, she said. When I was a kid, it was a secret for a while. I knew I was different. I didnt really know if anyone else was dealing with it.

After high school, in an adolescent bid for independence, Arzah moved to Bellingham. Her mom had been the one to insist  sometimes forcibly  that Arzah take her daily medications, which in the early days meant three times a day, three pills at a time. With help, she found a doctor, a caseworker and even other people with HIV  but most of them were older gay white men.

No one looked like me, she said. I felt even more alone, knowing no one shared a single story that was like mine.

So she stopped taking her treatment regularly. She struggled, she said, with her diagnosis. She just wanted to focus on being a young adult, which came with its own issues.

Then a confidant from her past life reached out and offered support. She brought Arzah to Seattle and introduced her to BABES. Here at last were women living with HIV, and although she was younger than they were, they soon became mentors and sisters to her. One of BABES' founders, she learned, had even been her birth mothers caseworker and had visited Tradell in the hospital the day he died.

I felt really bad that after I was taken to a foster home, she had had no clue what had happened to me over all those years, Arzah said. She was so happy to see that I turned out okay.

Joining the conversation on cure

Arzah has thrived as an advocate at BABES. In 2016 she was named one of the amazing HIV-positive people of 2016 by Plus magazine. Last month POZ listed her in The Poz 100 Celebrating Women.

She has reconnected with her father, who had become HIV-infected while battling substance abuse but is sober now and on antiretroviral treatment. She also maintains a relationship with her youngest brother, who is HIV negative and who had been adopted by another family.

Arzah is so comfortable now with her identity  as a queer woman, a black feminist and a person with HIV  that she admits that a cure seems both exciting and scary.

I dont know a life without HIV, she said.

But she does know that HIV is not over, that stigma still exists and that big swaths of people  some of them female, many of them young and black- or brown-skinned, like her  dont have access to prevention or treatment or even just information on HIV.

She doesnt want that to be the case with any future cure. Having struggled so long to find her voice, she wants to make sure others are heard too.

Thats what I love about defeatHIV, she said They invite that conversation to happen. We get the opportunity to talk to the scientists. We get to tell them, Women have concerns. Young people have concerns about getting involved.

A single cure sparks hope
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SALEM (AP)  A coalition of county and city governments in the central Willamette Valley are close to hiring a coordinator to help manage the region's growing homeless population.

Under the proposal, Salem and Marion County would pay $45,000 each toward salary and benefits, while the towns of Keizer, Monmouth and Independence would chip in $5,000 each, the Statesman Journal reported Tuesday. The Salem City Council unanimously approved the funding Monday.

The coordinator would work for the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments, an intergovernmental group based in Salem. That group has already posted the job, but the posting can be pulled back if other government entities don't approve the plan, said Sean O'Day, the council's executive director.

For now, O'Day says the position will be for one year  but that could be extended.

The salary could total $55,000, depending on a candidate's experience level, O'Day said.

The application period closes in December, with officials hoping to bring someone on by the end of January.

Job responsibilities include coordinating the response to the homeless crisis among local nonprofits, governments and businesses, providing case management and housing options for individuals and working to increase access to mental health and drug abuse counseling.

Developing new intervention programs and projects, redesigning existing ones and finding funding sources  including grant money  are also part of the job.

The number of unsheltered homeless has been growing across the West Coast, including in Oregon.

Experts say that creating a coordinated regional approach among governments and nonprofit providers is one of the best practices for addressing the issue.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) must fulfil its pledge to pay 90% of farmers their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) money this month, say farm leaders.

The BPS 2017 payment window opens on Friday (1 December) and 88,000 eligible farmers and landowners will be anxious to know if they will be paid promptly.

The Welsh government has already announced that 91% of farmers will receive their BPS money on 1 December.

See also: Q&A  EFA rule changes farmers need to know

Wales cabinet secretary for rural affairs Lesley Griffiths said 201m will be paid into the bank accounts of 14,111 Welsh farm businesses on day one of the payments window.

NFU Cymru president Stephen James said the payments would be a timely boost for farmers, who are also benefitting from an improved exchange rate, up 4.98% on the 2016 rate.

In Scotland, interest-free loan payments equivalent to 90% of the final BPS subsidy have been paid to thousands of farmers and crofters since early November.

NI advance payments

In Northern Ireland, advance BPS payments and greening payments worth 50% of the value have already been paid to nearly all farmers. The balance is due on Friday (1 December).

The NFU has emphasised the importance of slick payment delivery for farmers in England to remove the uncertainty for farmers.

NFU vice-president Guy Smith said: News that Scottish and Welsh farmers are receiving payments early makes it absolutely imperative the RPA deliver on their promise of over 90% of English farmers paid by the end of December.

Furthermore, we are demanding early bridging payments for those not in receipt of their BPS by the new year.

We also want to see much more progress on outstanding issues from previous years because of the simple fact as 2017 payments go out this will trigger even more clear-up work.

Defra promise

Mr Smith called on Defra to ensure its agency, the RPA, has the resources and functioning IT to deliver BPS effectively.

Defra minister George Eustice told Farmers Weekly: We have been very clear that were aiming to get out 90% in December as we did last year.

He added: I know that the team at the RPA are working very hard to deliver that.








Roland and I were wandering around south-central Mali a few years ago, taking it in, meeting the folks. Alan Grayson had recommended Bandiagara and Sangha as a couple of off-the-beaten-track places east of Mopti and north of the border with Burkina Faso. In one of those towns Roland found a goat and its kid. The mother goat was freaking out because they were separating her from the kid and it looked like she knew the kid was headed for the stew pot. Roland bought the kid and we walked around with it for a few days before giving it to the mother goat's owner-- along with some Impeach Cheney caps , t-shirts and assorted foodstuffs and ephemera to seal an agreement that they wouldn't eat the kid. They seemed like honorable people and I bet the kid is still thriving-- unless the rebels ate him. We never bought a slave to free him though.





After our adventures in Dogon country, we headed north to legendary Timbuktu. We had seen slaves before, in Mali and in southern Morocco beyond the Atlas. It's even worse in Mauritania , which we've avoided. But as we headed north into Tuareg country we realized that the dark-skinned people were slaves of the more Arab-looking Tuaregs. We were at a river crossing one day and it was a noisy, lively place with music and everyone babbling away and little children running around playing. Suddenly the place turned deadly quiet and the only thing you could hear were the birds screaming. The women and children had all disappeared in a second. The place looked like a ghost town with a few surly men selling their goods to no one. And just as suddenly a pick-up truck rolled up to the ferry landing. It was filled with Tuaregs, heavily armed, menacing-looking Tuaregs. Later in the trip, up in the deep Sahara north of Timbuktu, we got to know some Tuaregs and did some bartering with them. There were slaves in their encampment and it was very creepy but they were-- and this is weird to write-- nice to us and polite enough.









So we weren't surprised when CNN reported that there are slaves -- migrants on their way from deep Africa to Europe-- being bought and sold in Libya. I don't expect much from the Trump Regime but France is taking the matter up to the UN . President Emmanuel Macron, terming the practice "a crime against humanity," requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss this treatment of migrants in Libya.

The UN in Libya is "dismayed and sickened by the recent video" and is actively pursuing the matter with the Libyan authorities to set up transparent monitoring mechanisms that safeguard migrants against horrific human rights abuses, said Ghassan Salame, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.



...Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to unite on the issue and called on all countries to adopt the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocol on human trafficking.



"I abhor these appalling acts and call upon all competent authorities to investigate these activities without delay and to bring the perpetrators to justice," Guterres said. "I have asked the relevant United Nations actors to actively pursue this matter."
A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now?
Benton County has thrown its support behind the former International Paper property in Millersburg as the site for a new intermodal freight-handling facility to serve the mid-Willamette Valley.

The 188-acre industrial parcel has stood idle since 2009, when International Paper shut down its kraft paper plant and threw 270 area residents out of work.

Along with a 47-acre site in Lebanon, the Millersburg property has emerged as a leading contender for $26 million in funding earmarked in a major transportation bill approved by the 2017 Legislature for development of an intermodal hub in this part of the state. The measure also included funding for similar projects in other regions.

On Tuesday, after hearing a presentation from the Albany-Millersburg Economic Development Corp., the Benton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to write a letter of support for the International Paper property to the Oregon Transportation Commission, which has the final say on how the funds are allocated. Preliminary applications must be turned in by Dec. 15.

Greg Smith, a state representative and business development consultant from Heppner working as AMEDCs project manager for the proposal, touted the advantages of the Millersburg location. He said the property is adjacent to Interstate 5 and served by two railroads, the Union Pacific and the Portland & Western. It also has a 60,000-square-foot warehouse.

The Lebanon parcel, he pointed out, is several miles off the freeway and is served by a single rail line, the Albany & Eastern.

The Linn County Board of Commissioners has already committed $275,000 in seed money to get the project off the ground, and Smith said Lane and Marion counties also have pledged their support for the Millersburg site.

The moneys coming, he told the board. The question is: Wheres it going to go? We think this is the best location.

Smith explained that the site could be used in several ways. Freight could be brought in by truck or rail, stored in the warehouse, then reloaded onto other trucks or railcars for shipment to its final destination. It could also serve as a transfer point for intermodal shipping containers, which can switch seamlessly between truck, rail and ship transportation.

Eventually, he added, a cold storage facility and industrial park could be added at the site, expanding the facilitys customer base and bringing additional jobs to the area.

The facility would reduce air pollution and congestion on I-5 by taking semis off the road in favor of rail transport, Smith said, and would cut shipping costs by making it more efficient to transport goods from the valley to ports up and down the West Coast.

Potential shippers would include grass seed and vegetable seed growers, producers of compressed hay and straw, and manufacturing firms, he told the commissioners.

Were really, really excited about this project because its an opportunity to assist agricultural, manufacturing and other businesses throughout the mid-valley, Smith said.

After the vote, Commissioner Annabelle Jaramillo said an intermodal hub would be a boon to the mid-valley.

The biggest benefit for me is getting trucks off the road and (cargo) onto rail, she said. Its just more efficient, it could reduce the amount of money we have to spend on road maintenance, plus you reduce emissions.

She also called the decision to back the Millersburg site over Lebanon an easy call.

Geographically, to me, it makes a lot more sense, she said. The proximity to I-5 is the main thing.

John Pascone, executive director of the Albany-Millersburg Economic Development Corp., said AMEDC got involved in the project because of its status as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. The legislation behind the intermodal hub projects requires that the funding go to a 501(c)(4).

Pascone said his group is in negotiations to purchase the former International Paper property but would not disclose the offered price. The listed asking price for the property is $10 million.

If the Millersburg proposal is chosen for funding by the Oregon Transportation Commission, AMEDC would own the property and contract with an experienced operating company to run it, Pascone said. Additional investments such as a cold storage facility or industrial park would be made by private businesses.

Our goal is to get jobs there, not just the intermodal facility, he said. Wed lease out the land and let private operators do it.

But former state Sen. Kevin Mannix, who has been promoting the Lebanon property on behalf of the Oregon Shipping Group, said it doesnt have to be a winner-take-all proposition.

To me its not necessarily at this stage a choice of one site over another, he said. Each site has its pluses and minuses.

The Lebanon site, being considerably smaller than the Millersburg property, would be cheaper to buy, he argued. Why not develop two hubs that could complement each other?

If one did not spend $10 million just to buy land, there would be an opportunity to have two branches, Mannix said. I will predict that at some point there will be more than one transportation hub in the Willamette Valley.
Former Avery Lodge could be named for Letitia Carson, a free black woman, who arrived in the Soap Creek-Coffin Butte area of Benton County the same year as the Avery family. She was beloved in the community and midwife to many early settlers. In 1862 she was homestead patent No. 14 of the first 71,000 homestead patents issued in Oregon, and was only one of four women to obtain a homestead patent at that time. Naming the residence Letitia Carson Lodge seems an appropriate way to honor a very unique homesteader.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
LAMOILLE  Almost 100 people enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather on Thanksgiving weekend by participating in a Turkey Trot hosted by the Ruby Mountain Relay.

This annual event was held on Nov. 25. The race begins at ends at the Little Church of the Crossroads in Lamoille.

We love this beautiful church, said race director Anne Simmons. Every year they open their doors for us for this race. They also help out by volunteering for our relay in August. When we heard they were fundraising to preserve their beautiful stained glass windows, we wanted to help.

The Ruby Mountain Relay raised money for the preservation project through this years Turkey Trot.

Daniel Sallee was the first runner across the finish line with a time of 18:35. Kari Manhire was the first female at 23:16.

The most impressive performance of the day, however, was by Russell Strite. As a 94-year-old walker, he finished the 5K in an impressive 1:06:04.

Race director Robert Johnson, said, We love the Turkey Trot. Its fun to see families participating together.

One of those families was the Cheah family of Elko. TeePin Cheah has placed in multiple RMR events. For the first time, he brought his family to run with him.

After finishing in second place, he returned to the course to come in again with his wife Mandy, 6-year-old son Kayden, and 2-year-old daughter Cara.

The RMR thanked the Little Church of the Crossroads, Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, and all its runners and volunteers. The next race will be in March in conjunction with the Health and Fitness Fair. For more information or to register, see rubymountainrelay.com.
Clean air program 2017 - 2020 : Diesel bans looking inevitable for NRW

Dusseldorf Pollutant levels at many measuring points in NRW cities are too high. And even with a ban on diesel vehicles, it would still be difficult to maintain the set limits.

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A ban on diesel vehicles in North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) inner cities seems inevitable. Dusseldorf chief administrator Birgitta Radermacher (CDU) indicated that it would be difficult to avoid the banning of certain vehicles during some time periods. But even with such a diesel ban, it would be difficult to comply with the limits which have been set, for example in Dusseldorf. The so-called Ruhrgebiet area and other cities such as Wuppertal could also be affected.

Nearly half of NRW cities exceed maximum pollutant levels

European Union permits an annual average limit of 40 micrograms of the poisonous irritant nitrogen dioxide. In 60 out of 127 cities in NRW, this limit was exceeded. The largest producer of the pollutant is car traffic, with diesel motors contributing to around 80 percent.

Chancellor Angela Merkel held a second summit meeting on the diesel issue on Tuesday, inviting around 30 representatives from cities and communities. A corresponding draft paper, which was made available to GA, stated that Across-the-board bans must be avoided. The goal would be to reach the EU limits as quickly as possible.

The clean air program for 2017 - 2020 states that commercial vehicles, taxis, rental cars, buses and car-sharing vehicles should be electric and diesel buses should be retrofitted with systems to treat the exhaust. As well, parking guidance and passenger information systems should be improved, and there should be more charging outlets for electric vehicles.

Manufacturers should bear the costs

Politicians from the Green party, including fraction leader Anton Hofreiter, called for concrete measures, saying these should include providing funds to the affected communities, effective retrofits for manipulated cars which are financed by the auto industry, and the introduction of a so-called blue badge for diesel vehicles that meet emission standards.

Top consumer advocate of Germany, Klaus Muller demanded, "Politicians and manufacturers must finally shift into high gear when it comes to avoiding driving bans for diesel cars." Manufacturers should bear all costs and guarantees; consumers should not have to pay the price for the diesel scandal, rather it should be the polluters who pay.

City of Bonn stance on a diesel ban

In Bonn, 117,405 diesel vehicles are licensed. Of those vehicles, 78,539 are company vehicles, including some from Deutsche Post and Telekom, which are not only in use in Bonn but also operating throughout the country.

Last year, two out of three measuring locations in Bonn exceeded the EU permitted pollutant levels. At this time, however, Bonn opposes a city imposed diesel ban. Instead, it supports the use of the blue badge and nationwide regulations which would determine diesel bans or exceptions to a ban.

Cologne has around 191,000 licensed diesel vehicles; around 157,000 of those are cars. Pollutant levels were exceeded at 14 measuring points last year. Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker said the federal government must exert more pressure on the auto industry to retrofit vehicles in order to avoid a diesel ban.
Researchers make final round : University of Bonn with excellent prospects

Bonn Seven preliminary applications from the University of Bonn have made it to the final round of the nationwide Excellence Initiative. The achievement is quite significant as it could translate into special funding from the government and more jobs.

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The University of Bonn may be facing a qualitative leap into a new league. If things go well for the university, Bonn could become the third location of a University of Excellence in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2019, next to Cologne and Aachen. This would not only bring considerable recognition, but also federal funding of at least 126 million euros and thus hundreds of new jobs in the city.

And the signs are looking good. In the fourth round of the Excellence Initiative, the predominantly international jury selected 88 out of 195 applications and seven of them were from Bonn. The so-called cluster ideas in the applications come from groups of university researchers. Two of the seven from Bonn were created in cooperation with the University of Cologne and RWTH Aachen University.

When you look at the fact that 45 to 50 of the 88 applications still under consideration will receive funding, then we have more than a fair chance, said University of Bonn Rector Michael Hoch.

ImmunoSensation is one of the cluster projects currently being funded and it shows what the extra funding can achieve. Its an important player in studies concerning the human immune system and its functioning. Hoch says that around 100 scientists were involved in this project until 2012, and today there are around 450 top researchers and junior staff networked in the cluster. He said it was not only a draw for top scientists but it also attracted many very good students.

The Hausdorff Center for Mathematics (HCM) and the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics have also developed cutting-edge mathematical research in Europe in the last decade. HCM Director Karl-Theodor Sturm said they are creating conditions to keep top researchers and bring in top employees from abroad. Bonn is now competing in this field with Paris, New York and Beijing for the best of the best.

Applications for the next round of the Excellence Initiative are due on February 21 and the winners will be announced in September. University rector Hoch emphasizes that the success of individual clusters brings the entire university forward. In addition to a basic eight million euro of funding for a winning cluster, there is an extra one million euros for second, 750,000 euros for third and 500,000 euros for fourth place. And it goes on for seven years, plus an extra seven years if the project receives a successful evaluation.
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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.
WELLS  Weeks of practice and stress reached their climax as the National FFA convention rolled around. It was time to see if all of the hard work put in by the members of the Wells FFA Chapter would pay off.

Due to the slight distance issue between Indianapolis and Wells, and the lack of a nearby major airport, the Wells FFA chapter was subject to a very long day of traveling. Monday, Oct. 23, started bright and early for the sleepy-eyed chapter. Two a.m. found 19 Wells residents piled onto a long, yellow bus destined for the Salt Lake City Airport. A three-hour bus drive through the dark with sleep deprived teenagers was followed by two hours in an airport and a breakfast of either McDonalds or Auntie Annes pretzels.

This exciting adventure was far surpassed on the plane ride to San Francisco. Those of us trapped in the landlocked state of Nevada were met by an expanse of blue ocean and bridges longer than 20 feet, distracting us from the fact that we were now farther from Indianapolis than when we had first started. All that stood between us and Indianapolis was a four-hour flight and six states.

The bustling city of Indianapolis offered the Wells FFA chapter a multitude of new experiences, which they took full advantage of on Oct. 24. To encourage teamwork, they took part in three escape rooms at The Escape Room Indianapolis. Showing off their brain power, all three teams managed to escape their respective rooms with their treasures in tow.

Reveling in their success, the Wells FFA departed to the Indianapolis Zoo for an experience they were sure to remember. Upon entering the zoo, they were greeted by sea lions that put on a show in the name of earning their lunch. Another main attraction was the open pool of sharks in the middle of the Ocean room. This pool was easily accessible to guests, who were offered the opportunity to pet the sharks. A dolphin show at 2 p.m. showed that water animals would rule the day. Multitudes of animals including meerkats, tortoises, tigers, lions, bears, cheetahs, giraffes, orangutans, elephants, snakes and more were also in attendance. The day was wrapped up with the annual chapter dinner at Buca di Beppo.

Extreme stress fell back into place as the time for competing finally arrived. Wells took three teams to compete.

The Conduct of Chapter Meeting team consisted of Hyrum Johnson, Logan Ballard, Aubrey Durant, Matthew James, Vanessa Solis, Julianne Wright and Brent Battenfeld. The purpose of the Conduct of Chapter Meeting contest is to introduce seventh, eighth and ninth grade FFA members to parliamentary procedure while learning how to conduct efficient meetings and build their communication skills. The members of this team had to demonstrate the proper use of FFA opening and closing ceremonies, conduct an orderly and efficient meeting through the use of parliamentary procedure, communicate and participate effectively, demonstrate critical thinking, and effective decision making.

The Meats Evaluation and Technology team consisted of three members: Liberty Johnson, Camberlin Uhlig and Shaylee Lattin. During this event, members evaluate beef carcasses for quality and yield grade; identify various meat cuts and place carcasses, and identify wholesale and/or retail cuts.

The team competing in the Agriculture Issues forum consisted of seven members: Jade Kelly, Ruth Gale, Benjamin Ballard, Ian Spratling, Jessika Campbell, Laila Jackson and Marshall Botts. The purpose of the agricultural issues forum is to present a current issue to a public audience; therefore, professional ethics and standards are to be considered. Ignoring truthful information, falsifying needed information, using unreliable sources and plagiarism are violation examples which could result in disqualification, states the CDE Agriculture Issues Forum Handbook.

Conduct of Chapter Meeting and Agriculture Issues both competed on Wednesday, forcing their way into the semifinals to be held Thursday morning. The Meat Evaluation and Technology team spent all of Thursday competing.

Conduct of Chapter Meeting performed well in the semifinal round, but were ultimately knocked out. Agriculture Issues experienced the same heartache, giving a stellar performance, but just not beating out the competition. Meats Evaluation and Technology hit some bumps along the way, but performed well overall.

The Wells FFA chapter performed well at the National FFA Convention, taking home two golds and one silver as well as three individual standings. Conduct of Chapter Meeting received a gold. Agriculture Issues made it out with a silver. Meat Evaluation and Technology placed ninth and earned a gold team award. Liberty Johnson placed 17th, Shaylee Lattin took 23rd, and Camberlin Uhlig was 38th. Hyrum Johnson failed to miss a single question on the Conduct of Chapter Meeting test. He received special recognition as the only Nevada resident to ace the test.
Nigerian Man Jails Parent For Sending Him Photos Of Fake House While He Was In Italy (See Details)

felicilin at 29-11-2017 11:45 AM (4 years ago) (f)

A Nigerian man based in Italy, came back to the country, and locked up his parents, after he found out that the money he sent to them to build a house for him, could not be accounted for.

A Nigerian man based in Italy, came back to the country, and locked up his parents, after he found out that the money he sent to them to build a house for him, could not be accounted for.

Facebook user, Nnamdi shared the story as thus;



Quote One of us just locked his parents up in police cell. His 65 year old father and 56 year old mother slept in police cell last night with an instruction that anyone who comes close to bail them should be locked up too.



I know what the parents did are wrong but I have been pleading with him since last week not to toe this path. There are many ways to solve issues like this.



If your parents do same to you, would you have done exactly what he did or you would have handled it differently? Hear him :



Ben, Im sorry I have to do what I did. You wont understand how painful it is to be hustling here only to find out that my stupid and greedy parents were just wasting all my efforts on frivolities.



Like you already know, I have been in Italy doing all kinds of menial jobs just to put food on my table and make some savings. I have been here for six good years but I have never visited Nigeria.



I have been sending some cash to my parents to help me buy two plots of land and start building on it for all of us because we have suffered enough as a family, paying rent always.



Ben do you know that my foolish parents only bought one plot of land and nothing has been going on there apart from the initial foundation.? In fact they started the foundation recently when they knew I will be visiting Nigeria.



They have been sending me fake pictures of my house. Bro Im mad. I dont know what they used all the money for. They dont know how I managed to make these savings. Omg I just wasted six years in Italy without anything to show for it. If I cant trust my own parents, who then can I trust?



I will spend the remaining money I have with me on police to make sure they remained there until I go back to start a new hustle. Please Ben if you have a trusted lady in her late thirties who can build with me, kindly hook me up to her. I cant trust these foolish parents of mine again.



Post Reply Posted: at 29-11-2017 11:45 AM (4 years ago) | Hero

ruthie at 29-11-2017 11:47 AM (4 years ago)

(f) THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE Posted: at 29-11-2017 11:47 AM (4 years ago) | Hero THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE Reply

maxzy277 at 29-11-2017 11:59 AM (4 years ago)

(m) This is too bad of the parents Posted: at 29-11-2017 11:59 AM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac This is too bad of the parents Reply

adamsuchegod at 29-11-2017 12:13 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or bad

Weather they bless or place a cause on u!

Guy!

Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua! Posted: at 29-11-2017 12:13 PM (4 years ago) | Newbie Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or badWeather they bless or place a cause on u!Guy!Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua! Reply

italianburger at 29-11-2017 12:46 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: adamsuchegod on 29-11-2017 12:13 PM Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or bad

Weather they bless or place a cause on u!

Guy!

Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua!







Sometimes i don't understand how people like you think, did you read what he said his parents did to him? what has that gonna do with "seeking parents blessing" the way you guys are bringing religion even to some understandable issues this days is outta hand bro-----wake up Posted: at 29-11-2017 12:46 PM (4 years ago) | Upcoming Sometimes i don't understand how people like you think, did you read what he said his parents did to him? what has that gonna do with "seeking parents blessing" the way you guys are bringing religion even to some understandable issues this days is outta hand bro-----wake up Reply

SweetDaddy1 at 29-11-2017 12:47 PM (4 years ago)

(m) It will be better if they are send to prison for doing this to their son... Posted: at 29-11-2017 12:47 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac Reply

Haso112 at 29-11-2017 01:37 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: adamsuchegod on 29-11-2017 12:13 PM Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or bad

Weather they bless or place a cause on u!

Guy!

Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua!



HEY... SEE ME FOR SOME ENGLISH LESSONS.... I DON'T CHARGE MUCH...

OR THE NEXT TIME YOU SPEAK THIS TYPE OF GRAMMAR HERE...

I WILL HAND YOU OVER TO THE QUEEN... YOU CAN'T COME & KILL HER FOR ME..... Posted: at 29-11-2017 01:37 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac HEY... SEE ME FOR SOME ENGLISH LESSONS.... I DON'T CHARGE MUCH...OR THE NEXT TIME YOU SPEAK THIS TYPE OF GRAMMAR HERE...I WILL HAND YOU OVER TO THE QUEEN... YOU CAN'T COME & KILL HER FOR ME..... Reply

Haso112 at 29-11-2017 01:38 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: ruthie on 29-11-2017 11:47 AM THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE

THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE

YOU EHN... YOU DEY FIND TROUBLE..... Posted: at 29-11-2017 01:38 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac YOU EHN... YOU DEY FIND TROUBLE..... Reply

ruthie at 29-11-2017 02:05 PM (4 years ago)

(f) Quote from: Haso112 on 29-11-2017 01:38 PM

YOU EHN... YOU DEY FIND TROUBLE..... TROUBLE IS MY MIDDLE NAME! Posted: at 29-11-2017 02:05 PM (4 years ago) | Hero TROUBLE IS MY MIDDLE NAME! Reply

victorstic1 at 29-11-2017 02:05 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: adamsuchegod on 29-11-2017 12:13 PM Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or bad

Weather they bless or place a cause on u!

Guy!

Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua!

WHETHER NOT WEATHER ; ETERNAL NOT INTERNAL PLS WE HAVE YOUNG ONES IN THE HOUSE DON`T CONFUSE THEM BIKO Posted: at 29-11-2017 02:05 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac WHETHER NOT WEATHER ; ETERNAL NOT INTERNAL PLS WE HAVE YOUNG ONES IN THE HOUSE DON`T CONFUSE THEM BIKO Reply

Wazubia at 29-11-2017 04:33 PM (4 years ago)

(m) SERVE THEM RIGHT. SUPPORTED. Posted: at 29-11-2017 04:33 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac SERVE THEM RIGHT. SUPPORTED. Reply

benosky4 at 29-11-2017 04:51 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: adamsuchegod on 29-11-2017 12:13 PM Ur parents are still ur parents weather good or bad

Weather they bless or place a cause on u!

Guy!

Forget ur earthly wealth and seek the internal blessings from ur parents before u become Jacob and Esua!



HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF? HAD IT BEEN SOMEBODY THAT INSULT YOU LIKE THIS YOU WOULD HAVE PHYSICALLY ASULTED THE PERSON.

PLS CHANGE UR BRAIN'S TIGER BATTERIES.

#MyVerdict. Posted: at 29-11-2017 04:51 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF? HAD IT BEEN SOMEBODY THAT INSULT YOU LIKE THIS YOU WOULD HAVE PHYSICALLY ASULTED THE PERSON.PLS CHANGE UR BRAIN'S TIGER BATTERIES. Reply

maizaxx at 29-11-2017 05:11 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Guy I do understand your pains seriously but no matter what they are still your parents. They brought you to the world. If they hadn't would you still be here to even think of hustling?

The parents, what they did was equally bad, but locking them up will not bring back the six years of stress you've just gone thru.

So please sir let it go and hope the Lord will give you the strength and energy to recover whats lost. Posted: at 29-11-2017 05:11 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac Guy I do understand your pains seriously but no matter what they are still your parents. They brought you to the world. If they hadn't would you still be here to even think of hustling?The parents, what they did was equally bad, but locking them up will not bring back the six years of stress you've just gone thru.So please sir let it go and hope the Lord will give you the strength and energy to recover whats lost. Reply

gogoman at 29-11-2017 05:15 PM (4 years ago)

(m) VERY GOOD!! ANY FCK UP MUST BE TREATED Posted: at 29-11-2017 05:15 PM (4 years ago) | Grande Master VERY GOOD!! ANY FCK UP MUST BE TREATED Reply

WhaleDog at 29-11-2017 06:46 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Lord have mercy  this guys are not your biological parents ,its better send them to a long time prison .If they cant refund ur money ,let em go to jail for it .Wickecjnesx Spare me Posted: at 29-11-2017 06:46 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac Lord have mercy  this guys are not your biological parents ,its better send them to a long time prison .If they cant refund ur money ,let em go to jail for it .Wickecjnesx Reply

Mykie010 at 29-11-2017 10:06 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: ruthie on 29-11-2017 11:47 AM THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE

THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE Posted: at 29-11-2017 10:06 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac yeye person, NCOs I dey very very busy now,I go soon show u pepper Reply

Mykie010 at 29-11-2017 10:07 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Quote from: ruthie on 29-11-2017 11:47 AM THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE

THIS ONE NA MONKEY010 PEOPLE Posted: at 29-11-2017 10:07 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac Reply
SAD! Nigerian Lady, Ugochi Narrates How Her Daughter Died Due To Negligence By Her School In Abuja

felicilin at 29-11-2017 01:16 PM (4 years ago) (f)

A Nigerian lady Ugochi Nnamdi Oluigbo has narrated how her daughter, Kamzie recently died at an Abuja school due to alleged negligence.

A Nigerian lady Ugochi Nnamdi Oluigbo has narrated how her daughter, Kamzie recently died at an Abuja school due to alleged negligence. Read her story as she posted on Facebook below. How Louis Ville Girls Secondary School , Gwagwalada Abuja Killed My Daughter

Please read and share till Kamzie gets justice.

It all happened at Louis Ville Girls Secondary School Gwagwalada, Abuja on 2nd October, 2017. According to eyewitnesses and letters students wrote to console my first daughter who was in the same school, my late daughter was severely sick, she kept crying and feeling home sick but was neglected.

Two teachers were informed that she was sick by her seniors in school but they didnt inform the school authorities or call us so they didnt attend to her or take care of her, even the nurse that was on duty once chased her away that she wasnt sick but was pretending. According to the students, all this happened on 5th and 6th of October. Then she visited again on Saturday 7th and she was given paracetamol and was sent back to the hostel.

On Monday 9th she reported again complaining of headache, they ran a test, and her test result came out negative according to what was reported. What type of test and with what instrument did they use to conduct the medical test? I cant explain the reason they result came out negative. They gave her antimalarial drug lonart despite the negative result and we were still not contacted neither was our consent requested before administering the lonart. I dont give her lonart and she has never been on admission or taken an infusion since birth. I believe they didnt monitor her feeding or if she was taking enough water.

On Tuesday 10th Oct at school refectory, her elder sister saw that her eyes couldnt close, and she asked her why she was crying, no definite response from her sick sister, no care from the school authorities, after their dinning everyone left, and she was alone lying on the table and defecated on herself. According to the nurse, when she was around to see the sick students she asked the security personnel to take her inside the hostel and bath her, it took them 1hour. When she came out, she couldnt walk anymore, she got to the sick bed assisted by students; the nurse gave her malt, glucose and water and then informed the principal. The nurse and the principal took her to hospital at about 1pm according to the nurse.

I saw missed calls at about 2:31pm and I picked at about 2:34pm on the same Tuesday, a voice spoke that my daughter was on admission and my question was what could have happened that my daughter is on admission? She narrated her story how she defecated on herself and had finished an infusion. The voice said my sick daughter gave them my number which I doubt because my husband number was 1st and mine 2nd in that order in the school data. I asked if my husband can come and take her because they have this bad attitude of keeping sick students without calling their parents and they said yes.

Immediately I called my husband and informed him, he drove off to school. I was not informed that she was at St Mary Catholic hospital Gwagwalada, Abuja. He arrived at the school at about 3.50pm and asked them to direct him to their school clinic to see his daughter only to be told she is in the hospital, then he was taken to the hospital, on arrival he saw the nurse with red eyes and my daughter lying on a stretcher lifeless. She slept in the Lord on her school uniform.

From 3 :50pm as my hubby saw my daughter lie on a stretcher he took his anointing oil from his car and starting pouring on her and praying,till I arrived with my leaders and women of God.We all prayed for over 4hours,i noticed the Rev sisters who were around were not moved by the scene. I didnt believe what I saw because I know the God I serve,the God of Abraham,and He has declared in our lives there shall be no loss. We prayed till we couldnt pray, my daughter was gone forever. It was then I got the revelation that my daughter was neglected by the school and mismanage by the hospital they took her to.

Some students of Louis Ville girls secondary school gwagwalada also narrated that my daughters eyes were already white and not closing as at the time she was carried into the principals car to the hospital. Had it been we were informed that she was in the hospital, my husband would have met her alive, his voice would have made a big difference and reawakened her failing spirit, but we her parents were in the dark while my daughter suffered for more than a week having no affection, depressed due to negligence, no food, water, and administering antimalarial drugs on an empty stomach.

What a wicked world. Its so pathetic to know she was in class on that Tuesday, 10th Oct 2017. Its so hurtful because her elder sister told me on that Monday after she took the antimalarial drug, that she couldnt continue in class and she went to hostel all alone, my questions are; where was her class teacher? What about her house mother? Who opened the hostel for her? Was she alone till other students returned? Did she eat that day before taking the antimalarial drugs? What about the refectory prefect? Didnt she notice someone was not eating her food on the table? Why didnt they call me all these while or even on Monday 9th October 2017 before she passed on 10th October? Didnt the school authorities know that they needed to consult with her parents before administering any medication? Or were they still thinking that she was pretending all these while were as my daughters condition was deteriorating. So many questions begging for answers.

The hospital report showed that she gave up the ghost at 3:30pm. The time they brought her to hospital was not mentioned. What a wicked world with incompetent and wicked Rev. Sisters. The autopsy report shows that she had cerebral malaria and edema as a result of delayed treatment, dehydration, and no food found in her stomach.

I cant turn back the hands of time, neither can I bring back my daughter back to life, but the only one thing I can do is to seek justice for her and to stop such carelessness from ever happening to other students at Louis Ville girls secondary school Gwagwalada, Abuja or any of the Catholic boarding schools / boarding schools in Nigeria. Her older sister has been withdrawn from the school to save her the trauma.

It was her first term in secondary school. She left home for the first time and never returned to us. She was a very smart girl, committed to God and the church. Her dream was to be a Lawyer. Kamzie was 9 years and 10 months old.

Help us get justice.

[email protected] , [email protected]

Mr and Mrs Ikpeatusim

#justiceforkamzie

#LouisVilleGirls

#Justice

#Louis

#Ville

#Gwagwalada

#Abuja

#Kamzie





Read her story as she posted on Facebook below.

Post Reply Posted: at 29-11-2017 01:16 PM (4 years ago) | Hero

cypanyahucha at 29-11-2017 01:37 PM (4 years ago)

(m) That's very sad. The parents ought to have been called once a student has not eaten for a day. Even if it's home sickness, that needed to be addressed irrespective of strict rules of the school. Well this information is coming from one end. Let's wait and see the response from the other before we react but in all these, the parents ought to have been in the know anyway! Posted: at 29-11-2017 01:37 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac That's very sad. The parents ought to have been called once a student has not eaten for a day. Even if it's home sickness, that needed to be addressed irrespective of strict rules of the school. Well this information is coming from one end. Let's wait and see the response from the other before we react but in all these, the parents ought to have been in the know anyway! Reply

ruthie at 29-11-2017 03:54 PM (4 years ago)

(f) sorry Posted: at 29-11-2017 03:54 PM (4 years ago) | Hero sorry Reply

gogoman at 29-11-2017 05:48 PM (4 years ago)

(m) SUE THEM Posted: at 29-11-2017 05:48 PM (4 years ago) | Grande Master SUE THEM Reply

tyomon at 29-11-2017 07:29 PM (4 years ago)

(m) Is now a common trend in Nigeria to keep young vulnerable kids in boarding house. what is wrong in attending school from home. The parents are part of the problem. Now a beautiful innocent child had to pay with her life. i can never put my kids in a boarding house. RUBBISH, PATHETIC , CRAZY, WICKED AND HEARTLESS PEOPLE are all over Nigeria . Posted: at 29-11-2017 07:29 PM (4 years ago) | Upcoming Is now a common trend in Nigeria to keep young vulnerable kids in boarding house. what is wrong in attending school from home. The parents are part of the problem. Now a beautiful innocent child had to pay with her life. i can never put my kids in a boarding house. RUBBISH, PATHETIC , CRAZY, WICKED AND HEARTLESS PEOPLE are all over Nigeria . Reply

blowout at 29-11-2017 08:37 PM (4 years ago)

(m) poor mother. but a child that is less than 10yrs is too young to be in a boarding house Posted: at 29-11-2017 08:37 PM (4 years ago) | Gistmaniac poor mother. but a child that is less than 10yrs is too young to be in a boarding house Reply

Moriseye at 29-11-2017 11:40 PM (4 years ago)

(f) OJEIFO SEM: RE: JUSTICE FOR KAMZIE- THE LOUISVILLE GIRLS' SECONDARY SCHOOL EVENTS

Jane Ohaji-Akwani.



My name is Mrs Jane Ebere Akwani. I'm a long standing parent with LGSS Gwagwalada Abuja. I have 2 daughters currently in the school. I solemnly declare that the school has neither engaged nor prompted me to write a rebuttal on their behalf about the loss of a child in the school. I'm doing this as a concerned parent who has had 3 children in the said school for as many as 8 years.



First I must express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the parents of little Kamzie who unfortunately passed away in school a few weeks ago. I am a mother and I wouldn't wish this sort of pain on even my enemies. I understand her pain and grief and do share in it.



However, while her pain is still raw and open, one must not lose sight of the negative campaign against a school which I will vouch for in any circumstance.



Louisville Girls' Secondary School is run by the Sisters of St. Louis whose vocation is education. They are spread far and wide in Nigeria and have an enviable track record which is evident in their products. LGSS Gwagwalada is not exempt. They are not careless and will not compromise or put into jeopardy the lives of the children entrusted in their care.



On the day the little child died, I happened to be in a meeting with the Principal on a totally unrelated issue. I witnessed the nurse come to complain to her about a child who wasn't responding to treatment. Please note that the school has a standard sick bay with qualified resident nurses. They also have a standing arrangement with St Mary's hospital Gwagwala for more intensive cases. On more than one occasion, my children have come home on holidays to tell me they were admitted at the said hospital without notice to us their parents. Is that the right thing to do? Maybe, maybe not. But I know that if the school authorities cannot make on the spot decisions about the children, they may well close shop. Calling a parent each time a child presents with a symptom simply shows them off as incompetent and of course parents will abuse the sanity out of such a scenario.



Before we crucify and villify the school, we must ask ourselves these questions:



1. Was the child adequately treated before her death?

2: Will the authorities jeopardise the life of their ward?

3: How many children have been lost to negligence in their 11 years of operation?

4: If it had been such an awful school, why was the late child brought to the school alongside her older sister?

4: Had there been any prior complaints by the older sister about healthcare in the school? Had she never been ill in her 3 year stay in the school?



Every year on initial resumption, each child is expected to resume with specific medical test results. The parents also fill medical forms specifying disabilities or verified allergies to enable the school care for them adequately. Does this sound like a careless school? I don't know if this piece of information is salient, but this was a 9yr old child sent off to boarding school. The Federal Government has a reason for pegging JS1 admission at 11. Could this age have been a contributory factor? The school is to be blamed for this. The LGSS I know will not admit a child less than 10 by September of the new school year. Why did they this time?



Sr Gertrude (the Principal) initially rejected the 9year old but the father and the older sister came to plead on her behalf and she was admitted based on the fact that she already had an older sibling in the school. (This is standard practice everywhere- siblings often create a soft landing for admission in most schools worldwide)



Louisville has a health protocol, they take the girls for the purpose of building strong, disciplined and resourceful young ladies and this includes minimum interference from outside. When the Sisters of St Louis adopt your children, they take full responsibility for the time they are in their charge and only reach out to parents when it is absolutely necessary. This also extends to health matters.



I was there when the Principal drove the child to the hospital by herself when they couldn't get hold of the driver immediately. Sadly the child passed on in the hospital. I understand the mother's pain but I do not accept this narrative which may have been inadvertently distorted by grief.



I don't think the school is culpable. I don't think they were negligent. I think it's an unfortunate turn of events and must be borne with equanimity and divine succour.



I am a parent at Louisville and I stand with the school.



Kindly share if you are touched to

Posted: at 29-11-2017 11:40 PM (4 years ago) | Upcoming OJEIFO SEM: RE: JUSTICE FOR KAMZIE- THE LOUISVILLE GIRLS' SECONDARY SCHOOL EVENTSJane Ohaji-Akwani.My name is Mrs Jane Ebere Akwani. I'm a long standing parent with LGSS Gwagwalada Abuja. I have 2 daughters currently in the school. I solemnly declare that the school has neither engaged nor prompted me to write a rebuttal on their behalf about the loss of a child in the school. I'm doing this as a concerned parent who has had 3 children in the said school for as many as 8 years.First I must express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the parents of little Kamzie who unfortunately passed away in school a few weeks ago. I am a mother and I wouldn't wish this sort of pain on even my enemies. I understand her pain and grief and do share in it.However, while her pain is still raw and open, one must not lose sight of the negative campaign against a school which I will vouch for in any circumstance.Louisville Girls' Secondary School is run by the Sisters of St. Louis whose vocation is education. They are spread far and wide in Nigeria and have an enviable track record which is evident in their products. LGSS Gwagwalada is not exempt. They are not careless and will not compromise or put into jeopardy the lives of the children entrusted in their care.On the day the little child died, I happened to be in a meeting with the Principal on a totally unrelated issue. I witnessed the nurse come to complain to her about a child who wasn't responding to treatment. Please note that the school has a standard sick bay with qualified resident nurses. They also have a standing arrangement with St Mary's hospital Gwagwala for more intensive cases. On more than one occasion, my children have come home on holidays to tell me they were admitted at the said hospital without notice to us their parents. Is that the right thing to do? Maybe, maybe not. But I know that if the school authorities cannot make on the spot decisions about the children, they may well close shop. Calling a parent each time a child presents with a symptom simply shows them off as incompetent and of course parents will abuse the sanity out of such a scenario.Before we crucify and villify the school, we must ask ourselves these questions:1. Was the child adequately treated before her death?2: Will the authorities jeopardise the life of their ward?3: How many children have been lost to negligence in their 11 years of operation?4: If it had been such an awful school, why was the late child brought to the school alongside her older sister?4: Had there been any prior complaints by the older sister about healthcare in the school? Had she never been ill in her 3 year stay in the school?Every year on initial resumption, each child is expected to resume with specific medical test results. The parents also fill medical forms specifying disabilities or verified allergies to enable the school care for them adequately. Does this sound like a careless school? I don't know if this piece of information is salient, but this was a 9yr old child sent off to boarding school. The Federal Government has a reason for pegging JS1 admission at 11. Could this age have been a contributory factor? The school is to be blamed for this. The LGSS I know will not admit a child less than 10 by September of the new school year. Why did they this time?Sr Gertrude (the Principal) initially rejected the 9year old but the father and the older sister came to plead on her behalf and she was admitted based on the fact that she already had an older sibling in the school. (This is standard practice everywhere- siblings often create a soft landing for admission in most schools worldwide)Louisville has a health protocol, they take the girls for the purpose of building strong, disciplined and resourceful young ladies and this includes minimum interference from outside. When the Sisters of St Louis adopt your children, they take full responsibility for the time they are in their charge and only reach out to parents when it is absolutely necessary. This also extends to health matters.I was there when the Principal drove the child to the hospital by herself when they couldn't get hold of the driver immediately. Sadly the child passed on in the hospital. I understand the mother's pain but I do not accept this narrative which may have been inadvertently distorted by grief.I don't think the school is culpable. I don't think they were negligent. I think it's an unfortunate turn of events and must be borne with equanimity and divine succour.I am a parent at Louisville and I stand with the school.Kindly share if you are touched to Reply

paulsmit at 30-11-2017 10:01 AM (4 years ago)

(m) My question is why didn't the older sister call home and talk to parents that her sister is really sick. Why did you have to wait for only the school to call. Normally, when siblings noticed that her own sister or brother is in distress, the first they do is to call their parents right away that my brother or sister is sick mama. This story doesn't add up. However, sorry for the loss.



As a medical professional, praying without proper treatment or when the person has already expired is like nonsense. You can believe to whatever, God you might think, but that wouldn't help you if you failed to take proper care. People are just naive and believe on all these nonsense churches and pastors everywhere are telling them about whoever they think is God. All you need is take good care of your body, eat well, exercise properly, and take preventive medical care before it is too late. there is noting like oh, God help me if you failed to take proper medical care. You can pray for 360 days, but when someone is expired, the person is really expired. Posted: at 30-11-2017 10:01 AM (4 years ago) | Upcoming My question is why didn't the older sister call home and talk to parents that her sister is really sick. Why did you have to wait for only the school to call. Normally, when siblings noticed that her own sister or brother is in distress, the first they do is to call their parents right away that my brother or sister is sick mama. This story doesn't add up. However, sorry for the loss.As a medical professional, praying without proper treatment or when the person has already expired is like nonsense. You can believe to whatever, God you might think, but that wouldn't help you if you failed to take proper care. People are just naive and believe on all these nonsense churches and pastors everywhere are telling them about whoever they think is God. All you need is take good care of your body, eat well, exercise properly, and take preventive medical care before it is too late. there is noting like oh, God help me if you failed to take proper medical care. You can pray for 360 days, but when someone is expired, the person is really expired. Reply

tyomon at 30-11-2017 10:28 AM (4 years ago)

(m) Now that you are a witness as you have just Narrated and hell bent on defending this so call school, could you please answer the following questions.

1. For how long was the child sick before she finally died helpless?

2. Since you were with the principal on that day, at what condition was the child taken to hospital

3. Does the school knows the child medical history ?

4. Did the child see a medical doctor prior to the time she was rush to the hospital?

5. If it was one of your child could you have ignore the school for not calling the parents on time?

6. Does the school have a medical practitioner, if yes - doctor or nurses?

Your response to this questions is vital to your reputation as a parent. Posted: at 30-11-2017 10:28 AM (4 years ago) | Upcoming Now that you are a witness as you have just Narrated and hell bent on defending this so call school, could you please answer the following questions.1. For how long was the child sick before she finally died helpless?2. Since you were with the principal on that day, at what condition was the child taken to hospital3. Does the school knows the child medical history ?4. Did the child see a medical doctor prior to the time she was rush to the hospital?5. If it was one of your child could you have ignore the school for not calling the parents on time?6. Does the school have a medical practitioner, if yes - doctor or nurses?Your response to this questions is vital to your reputation as a parent. Reply
12 Europe A.G. Recruits Manor A.G. and Demonstrates the Potential that Europe Represents for 12 ReTechs Omni-Channel Retail Technology



Carson City, NV & Hong Kong, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 12 ReTech Corporation (OTC: RETC) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary 12 Europe A.G. has signed the giant Swiss department store retailer Manor, A.G. as a pilot customer for the Company's proprietary and licensed Omni-Channel 12 Technology Suite.

The agreement with Manor A.G. begins with a pilot project to install the 12 Technology Suite at one of its flagship department stores in German-speaking Switzerland. When the Company's products demonstrate a sales lift as well as expense and cost improvements to Manor A.G., the Company will look to install the 12 Technology Suite throughout their stores.

Manor A.G. is the largest department store chain in Switzerland. They have over 60 locations and employ more than 10,000 personnel. It is estimated that they hold a larger than 60% market share for department store retail sales in Switzerland.

Angelo Ponzetta, 12 ReTech's CEO, commented, Manor is interested in deploying several pieces of our 12 Technology Suite. First is the 12 Display that would be used inside of the Manor property to advertise products and offers that Manor wants to put in front of their customers. Second is the 12 Window, which would be used to entice shoppers into the Manor department stores. Third is the 12 Mirror with the associated 12 Mobile-App, which shoppers would use to get information about products that they are interested in and share their experience with their social media networks.

Stefan Guggisberg, 12 Europe A.G.'s CEO, stated, "Generating incremental in-store traffic and winning additional sales is of paramount importance to all retailers around the globe, and Manor A.G. is no exception. We are proud of the fact they have recognized that 12 ReTech has the technology and expertise to assist them to reach these important goals.

Mr. Ponzetta added, The financial details of the arrangement regarding the adoption of the 12 Technology Suite by Manor A.G. has not been disclosed for competitive reasons, although I can disclose that we are being paid for our equipment, licensing and integration efforts. We look forward to our future relationship with Manor A.G. and will work towards our expansion into additional stores.

About Manor A.G.

Manor enlivens the cities of Switzerland - in Basel on the Greifengasse, in Zurich on the Bahnhofstrasse, in Geneva on the Rue Cornavin, in Baden on the Schlossbergplatz and in Locarno on the Piazza Grande. As the largest and most successful department store group in Switzerland, they welcome customers and employees to the most attractive locations in the country. Headquartered in Basel, Manor AG is the Swiss market leader in department stores with a market share of around 60 percent. The company, which is represented in all parts of the country, employs around 10,200 people and currently trains 420 apprentices. The Manor Group includes 63 department stores, 32 Manor Food Markets, and 45 restaurants. Manor AG's sales are distributed across the non-food (69%), food (27%) and restaurant (4%) segments. In total, Manor stocks over one million items from around 6,000 suppliers worldwide. Of these, around 690 are local producers who deliver seasonal and local produce to the Manor Food markets.

About 12 ReTech Corporation

12 ReTech Corporation (OTC: RETC) Leading the Profitable Convergence of Traditional and Online Retail C ommerce Through Technology - The Omni-Channel Solution.

We are a publicly listed holding company whose operating subsidiaries develop, improve, acquire and/or license technologies designed to bridge the convergence between real world "Brick and Mortar" stores with effective Online retailing, creating a new, fun and exciting way of transacting C ommerce. For Retailers, our products bring more Consumers into physical and/or online stores, encouraging them to purchase more by improving their overall shopping experiences while lowering both the Retailer's costs of customer acquisition and the costs of employee training. This is Empowered Shopping. We enhance shareholder value by acquiring Micro-Brands that can greatly increase revenue and earnings by applying and using our proprietary technologies. These Micro-Brands give us access to sell our technologies to Major Retailers around the globe. We are the Omni-Channel Solution : throughout history 12 is a symbolic number" and ReTech stands for "Retail Technology". Our subsidiaries 12 Japan Limited and 12 Europe, A.G. operate under the guidance of our main technology subsidiary 12 Hong Kong Limited. Our Micro-Brands operate under the leadership of our U.S. based subsidiary 12 Retail Corporation. For more information about our products, technologies and/or Micro-Brands visit our website at: www.12ReTech.com

12 ReTech Corporation is publicly listed in the United States on the OTC Markets under the symbol: RETC.

Safe Harbor: This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its turnaround strategy, changes in costs of raw materials, labor, and employee benefits, as well as general market conditions, competition and pricing. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this letter will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. In assessing forward-looking statements included herein, readers are urged to carefully read those statements. When used in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, the words "estimate," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions are intended to be forward-looking statements.
ELKO  An Elko man charged with sexual assault received probation Tuesday, after an evaluation showed he was at moderate risk to re-offend.

Daniel Clay Goerdt, 29, received a suspended sentence of 10 years in prison with credit for 249 days served and was placed on probation for five years by District Judge Nancy Porter.

He was further ordered to register with local law enforcement wherever he established residency and have no further contact with the victim.

Goerdt pleaded no contest in a plea deal Aug. 30 to one count of attempted sexual assault, a category B felony, which reduced the original charge of sexual assault, a category A felony.

Under the initial charge, Goerdt could have been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 10 years.

The sentencing came after recommendations from state officials for probation based off of the psychosexual evaluation that said Goerdt was at moderate risk for re-offending.

District Attorney David Buchler said the state was staying silent on recommending a sentence.

Public Defender Kriston Hill asked for probation, but if not, that the court impose a minimum sentence.

Goerdt was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at her residence April 1, 2015. Testimony from the victim in May revealed she had started a relationship with Goerdt that included at least one physical encounter before the incident.

At the preliminary hearing, the woman, whose age was not disclosed during the proceedings, said she invited Goerdt into her residence by text, but did not consent to sex, telling him at least 15 times to stop and cease the sexual activity.

An investigation following the incident by police detectives further revealed there were 2,255 text messages sent between the defendant and victim throughout their relationship, and a few after the night of the assault.

Hill said the case reminds me a lot of the case the three of us had several years ago. I refer to it as the no means yes case. Quite honestly there are striking similarities.

Hill referred to the text messages and said they were quite graphic in nature. She also cited the victims interview with police detectives that came nine days after the incident where she declined to get a temporary restraining order against Goerdt as recommended by the detective.

Your honor, it took her nine days to decide whether this is a rape or not and when she finally makes that decision in her mind, a law enforcement officer is telling her to get a TPO against this person, and shes saying, No, Im not really worried about it, thats not necessary, Hill said.

I believe that statement more so than any other in this entire case is entirely indicative as to how she feels about this case, about my client, Hill said. Your honor, I think thats incredibly telling.

A psychosexual evaluation presented to the court reportedly showed that Goerdt was at moderate risk for reoffending, and said that his parole violations did not involved aggressive or violent behaviors.

The evidence indicates that the reported incident was not predatory in nature and that poor judgment and decision making and immaturity were contributing factors, the report said.

In the pre-sentence investigation report, the Division of Parole and Probation said it recommended probation based on the evaluations findings, according to representative Sara Macias.

The victim took the stand and refuted Hills claims about the time it took her to report the incident, explaining that she had been scheduled for that time to meet with investigators.

The woman also said she was given an option to either get a TPO or move, but that conversation was made off the record with the detective.

She read a letter to the court while on the stand, stating that during the incident Goerdt told her he was a predator.

She also said she had night terrors and insomnia for two months after the incident and has undergone trauma therapy.

I dont want this to happen to anyone else, she said. I hope he has learned something from it.

You cant undo the event, she continued. It changes who you are.

Goerdt spoke to the court and apologized to the victim.

Im sorry I did that to her. I am very sorry, I wish I could take it back, Goerdt said. Its my fault and I did it.  They were my actions. It was stupid of me, but I am sorry, Im sorry for the whole mess. Im sorry for everything.

I dont wish any ill feelings toward the victim in this case, Goerdt said. I wish her to have a good life.

Goerdt was convicted of rape with a victim under 18 in 2009 and served more than two years of his sentence in the Idaho State Prison. Porter said the equivalent of the charge in Nevada is statutory sexual seduction, which is punishable by up to a year in jail and considered a gross misdemeanor.

In rendering her decision, Porter explained she gave the case a great deal of thought. I dont want anyone in this room to think Ive taken it lightly.

Porter said she cited several factors to help her come to her decision, taking into account the psychosexual reports findings, the Division of Parole and Probations recommendation for probation, and the DAs recommendation for no prison time. She also said she considered the victims delay in reporting the incident, limited evidence and lack of collaborating evidence.

The scariest thing a judge does in a criminal case is place somebody on probation with the fear that they might hurt someone, Porter said. But I cant base my decision on personal fear, and base my decision on the objective information before me and the facts that I find.

So I have made this decision, Mr. Goerdt, that society is safer having you treated in the community rather than warehoused in prison where you would not likely receive the treatment that you need.

Porter also gave a final warning to Goerdt before dismissing the court.

I certainly hope that you do not commit a crime of this nature against anyone else, ever again. You need to understand no means no, period. You dont guess what it means. No means no.
A group of 32 Chinese nationals who invested in an electric car company founded by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has sued McAuliffe and other key figures involved in GreenTech Automotive, claiming they were lured into a scam under false pretenses.

The suit, filed last week in Fairfax County Circuit Court, seeks damages of at least $17.92 million, the sum of the roughly $560,000 each investor put in through a controversial federal immigration program that allows foreigners to gain U.S. residency by investing in job-creating projects in economically struggling American regions.

Calling GreenTech a scam perpetrated by savvy and politically connected operatives and businessmen, the investors lawsuit claims GreenTech officials painted a false picture of the companys viability to exploit Chinese immigrants hoping to come to America.

In addition to corporate entities affiliated with GreenTech, the suit names McAuliffe, Anthony Rodham and Charles Wang as individual defendants. Rodham, Hillary Clintons brother, oversaw a GreenTech-affiliated center that raised money by recruiting investors through the EB-5 visa program. Wang is GreenTechs chief executive officer.

Mr. McAuliffe, Mr. Rodham and Charles Wang manipulated and leveraged a federal immigration program to steal plaintiffs money and dreams, the lawsuit states.

Crystal Carson, a spokeswoman for McAuliffes political action committee, said: We strongly reject this baseless suit which has no merit whatsoever. The claims, which regurgitate old political attacks regarding a company that Governor McAuliffe left five years ago, were brought by a lawyer with conservative ties. We are confident it will be dismissed.

Scott Abeles, a lawyer for the investors who works in the D.C. office of Gerard Fox Law, said the case is not political and said he is not a particularly political person.

That said, I did vote for Governor McAuliffes patron, President Clinton, twice, Abeles said.

GreenTech did not respond to a request for comment.

McAuliffe left the company in 2012 during his successful run for governor and has said he has had no role whatsoever in the companys operations since then. When McAuliffe returned to Virginia politics after a failed 2009 gubernatorial bid, GreenTech featured prominently as he pitched himself as a deal-making, forward-thinking entrepreneur.

Close to finishing his four-year term, McAuliffe will leave office next year with strong job approval ratings from Virginia voters and an ascendant state Democratic Party that swept statewide elections this year and made massive gains in the House of Delegates. With buzz swirling about a possible 2020 presidential run by McAuliffe, the lawsuit is the strongest sign yet that he may not be free of his former company.

Abeles said the investor group organized itself after hearing about GreenTechs ongoing struggles.

They basically said we lost all our money and now were hearing these guys are going to go out of business, Abeles said.

The accusations in the suit include counts of fraud, breaches of contract and fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment.

Because defendants have never provided plaintiffs with a proper, verified, independent accounting of their expenditures it is unknown how much of plaintiffs investment capital defendants misappropriated for themselves, or whether they paid themselves excessive compensation in other ways, the suit says.

In addition to not getting their money back, the suit claims, 26 investors who moved to America with the expectation of being granted permanent residency may now have to uproot their families from places like Seattle, Houston and Charlotte and move back to China.

The lawsuit highlights McAuliffes efforts to pressure federal immigration officials to approve EB-5 applications related to GreenTech.

A 2015 report from the Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general found that McAuliffe and other politically connected people did receive special treatment from the agency.

The suit claims GreenTech milked connections to McAuliffe and former President Bill Clinton to assure investors the company could use its political ties to fast-track immigration paperwork to the top of the pile for approval.

GreenTech accepted millions of dollars in public funding to locate a manufacturing plant in Mississippi, but the foundering company failed to live up to its promises to create 350 jobs. Earlier this year, Mississippi officials demanded that the company pay $6.4 million to allow the state to recover its investments in the failed economic development deal. On Nov. 7, the Mississippi attorney generals office filed a civil complaint to begin going after GreenTechs remaining assets for failing to meet its financial obligations.

McAuliffe and the defendants have not yet filed a response to the suit, which was filed last Wednesday, one day before the Thanksgiving holiday.

The suit seems to anticipate McAuliffe and other individual defendants could ask to be removed from the litigation on grounds that any dispute is solely between the corporation and its investors.

Abeles said hell argue the network of corporate entities shouldnt shield individuals acting in an underhanded way.

It is a fraud case, Abeles said. And its people who make fraudulent statements.
Melissa Carons career has brought her inside a state prison, a demilitarization area and a hospital operating room where a doctor was performing a surgery.

The behind-the-scenes access to places normally shielded from public view helped lure the 32-year-old to the trades: She began as an electrical apprentice and, after four years of training, became a journeyman electrician. Several years later, she purchased her parents business, A.M. Smith Electric, Inc., and now oversees a dozen employees.

Im not suited for a desk job, Caron, whose business is based in Carson City, said. I think its so boring being in the same place every day.

She doesnt dismiss the difficult aspects of the job. Electricians can log long hours in cold, rainy and sweltering conditions, but her company provides a starting salary of $48,000 that can balloon into six figures based on experience and responsibility level.

Still, Caron has been hard-pressed to fill positions  three journeymen and two apprentices  that shes had open for a year and a half. She chalks it up to lack of awareness about construction-oriented jobs, especially among young people who have grown up thinking a four-year college degree is the only pathway to success.

It needs to get out there that its an actual career, she said. Its not for losers.

Its a sentiment shared by others in the construction industry who feel hamstrung by a robust economy and too few workers to fill the demand.



Two figures strike unease in Aaron West, CEO of the Nevada Builders Alliance, as he contemplates the fate of the states construction industry:

Nevada construction workers age 55 or older: about 20 percent

Nevada construction workers age 24 or younger: about 7 percent

The imbalance at the opposite ends of the age spectrum spells trouble for a state that has roughly 10,000 construction openings and more expected over the coming years, thanks to job and population growth thats spurring building projects, he said.

Build Your Future  an initiative by the National Center for Construction Education & Research meant to bolster recruitment  estimates that Nevada will need some 90,000 new construction workers over the next three years. The need encompasses everything from carpenters and electricians to pipefitters and heavy-equipment operators, all of whom fall under the umbrella of the construction workforce.

I think too many people just think its swinging a hammer, West said, referring to construction jobs. We need everybody in all aspects. So thats everything from designers, architects, civil engineers, material testers  through the dirt work side of it, through the vertical work side of it.

The Nevada Construction Collaborative aims to fill those gaps. Its a group of construction organizations that have banded together to bolster the industry in Nevada.

The group created a sleek website called BuildNV.org that essentially serves as a promotional flier for the industry. It details the various jobs, including what each pays on average, touts the lifestyle benefits of Nevada and offers a portal for submitting a resume.

The message in bold letters on the websites home page: Your future awaits.

West hopes the information-heavy website corrects what he calls a perception problem with the industry. The recession eviscerated the states construction workforce, wiping out thousands of jobs and forcing those workers to find employment elsewhere. Many left Nevada. Others changed careers. And the industry earned a reputation as an unstable field.

Construction employment peaked in June 2006 with 146,400 jobs statewide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It bottomed out nearly six years later when, in March 2012, only 50,100 construction jobs existed across Nevada.

On top of that, industry leaders say theyre combating a societal notion that a four-year college degree is the best post-high school route.

How many kids today talk about going into the trades when theyre in high school? None of them, said Dennis Smith, owner of Home Builders Research in Las Vegas. Theyre trying to get a $200,000 techie job that doesnt involve any physical labor.

But securing a four-year college degree isnt the norm for many students. Nevadas four-year institutions have a 47 percent graduation rate, meaning less than half of their students complete a bachelors degree within six years, according to data from the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Plus, roughly 70 percent of Nevada jobs dont require a full four-year degree, said Manny Lamarre, executive director of the Governors Office of Workforce Innovation (OWINN). Many of the new and expanding jobs in Nevada fall into the middle skill category  like construction-related jobs, for instance  that require some credentials or advanced education but not necessarily a four-year degree.

Im always, quite frankly, concerned about the nuance that students have about what an industry means and what it takes to be successful in that industry, Lamarre said.



Expanding the states construction workforce may come down to messaging.

Felicia Ortiz, a State Board of Education member, thinks industry leaders, state officials and educators need to boost awareness about in-demand fields such as construction. Students wont consider careers they know little about or, in some cases, dont know exist, she said.

I think first and foremost, expose kids to more, she said. Give them the opportunity to be exposed to all the various careers that are available.

Efforts are underway to make that happen. Lamarre said his office is partnering with employers and schools to create pre-apprenticeship programs for a variety of fields, including construction, information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing. The programs would give students on-the-job and classroom training, leading to a credential affirming their knowledge and skills.

An even simpler strategy: distributing fliers filled with photos and information about needed jobs that may entice high schoolers to give the field serious consideration. OWINN is making sure photos include women and minorities to help shed stereotypes that can sometimes prevent people from pursuing certain careers, Lamarre said.

Its not about forcing one way or another, he said. I want people to make an informed decision and, right now, our young adults dont have all the information.

Of the Clark County School Districts seven career and technical academies, three have construction technology programs. Each of those schools  East Career and Technical Academy, Northwest Career and Technical Academy and Southeast Tech  has anywhere from 30 to 60 seats available for the construction program, but the demand is four to five times greater, said Gia Moore, the director of the districts magnet schools and career and technical academies.

The district doesnt have any plans to expand the construction technology program, but Moore said shes open to the idea based on community feedback. Expansion, however, requires adequate facility space for the equipment the program entails. In other words, its far from a traditional classroom with desks. The program exposes students to the construction field and grants them various certifications upon graduation, including for welding and operating a forklift.

Martin-Harris Construction Company, based in Las Vegas, also has partnered with the school district the last few years and helped educate students about the industrys opportunities and needs, Moore said.

While the career and technical academies help address some industry needs, Moore said a more robust pipeline of formalized apprenticeships and internships for high school students likely would boost participation in high-need sectors.

If we dont grab these students before they graduate, once they walk across that stage, weve lost them, she said.

+++

Carons electrical company recently took a three-month hiatus from bidding work because it simply couldnt keep up with demand. The frequent calls for service, she said, underscore the need for more laborers across the construction spectrum.

Even so, the recessions bruising effect on the industry isnt lost on her, even though she disagrees with the mindset it has produced.

Now were left with parents telling their kids or the younger generations that theres no work in construction because its not recession proof, said Caron, who also serves as president of the Nevada Builders Alliance. If you are good at your job and you are successful, you will always have a job in construction.

Hate the thought of sitting behind a desk all day? Eager to experience hands-on learning? If those questions end in a yes, Caron urges soon-to-be high school graduates or other young adults to consider the construction industry as a profession.

If you like working with your hands and activity and constantly learning, its for you, she said.
TSX: RMX | OTQXC: RBYCF

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX | OTCQX: RBYCF) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Golden Tag Resources Ltd.'s ("Golden Tag") 40% interest in the McCuaig Property ("McCuaig") in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada for 550,000 common shares of Rubicon. The Company currently has a 60% interest in McCuaig and, upon closing of the transaction, will have a 100% interest. In connection with the transaction, the joint venture agreement between the parties will be terminated.

McCuaig

McCuaig is located on the prolific Mine Trend in Red Lake, approximately six kilometres southwest of the Company's Phoenix Gold Project. See Diagram 1 at the end of the news release for a map of Rubicon's Red Lake Properties, including the location of McCuaig. McCuaig is comprised of three unpatented mineral claims and cover approximately 126 hectares. Since 1997, Rubicon has carried out geochemical surveying and modelling, geological mapping, geophysical surveying and drilled 71 holes totalling over 22,000 metres ("m") on McCuaig. McCuaig has not been drilled since 2007.

Historical highlight drill assays include (not true widths):

MC-07-01AW: 15.65 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 1.55 m MC-02-32: 22.83 g/t Au over 3.10 m (including 75.91 g/t Au over 0.70 m) MC-02-27: 25.48 g/t Au over 1.07 m and 18.08 g/t Au over 0.45 m

The Company is currently evaluating the exploration opportunities on its Red Lake Properties, including McCuaig. Rubicon does not anticipate commencing regional grassroots exploration activities until the positive advancement of the Phoenix Gold Project and adequate funding for the exploration activities is secured.

About Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Rubicon Minerals Corp. is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls over 280 square kilometres of prime exploration ground in Red Lake and more than 900 square kilometres of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX) and the OTCQX markets (RBYCF). For more information, please visit our website at www.rubiconminerals.com.

Rubicon Minerals Corp.

"George Ogilvie, P.Eng."

President and CEO

Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the exploration opportunities on the Company's Red Lake Properties, including the anticipated details and timing of such exploration.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the 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 Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 29, 2017 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Rubicon Minerals Corp.
TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Conquest Resources Limited (TSV-V: "CQR") ("Conquest" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Benjamin Batson, P. Eng., P. Geo. to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and to the Board of Directors.

Mr. Batson joined Conquest in 2009 and formerly held the office of Vice President Exploration of the Company. He has extensive experience in mineral exploration and a broad understanding of the business of the Company.

Benjamin is a registered Professional Engineer with the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) and a registered Professional Geologist with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO), l'Ordres des geologues du Quebec (OGQ), and the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL). Benjamin is a graduate of Queen's University from the Department of Geological Engineering and Geological Sciences and holds a Geological Engineering degree specializing in mineral exploration.

"The Board welcomes the renewed vision, enthusiasm and leadership of our new President and Chief Executive. Mr. Batson has an extensive knowledge of the properties held by Conquest and is keen to pursue low-cost acquisitions in the Canadian gold space to further enhance Conquest's portfolio of projects, and in so doing, transform the Company's strategic direction," commented John Kearney, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Robert Kinloch, former President and Chief Executive has been appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and will continue to serve as a Director of Conquest. Mr. Kinloch brings an extensive securities background to the Company, with experience in resource exploration and development throughout North America, as well as strong public company management credentials.

FUTURE PLANS

The Board is tasking the management team under renewed leadership to harness the value of the Company's existing assets through exploration, development, or joint ventures and to seek new acquisitions. Conquest is actively assessing Ontario gold project opportunities to expand Conquest's portfolio of projects.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Conquest Resources Ltd. was first incorporated in 1945 and is a mineral exploration company that is engaged in the exploration of mineral properties in Ontario. The Company's principal exploration target is gold.

Conquest's Alexander Property is strategically located east of the Red Lake and Campbell mines owned and operated by Goldcorp Inc. in the heart of the Red Lake Gold Camp. Conquest's 100% owned Alexander Property is mostly surrounded by Goldcorp's land holdings. The Alexander Property is located within the important "Mine Trend" regional structure. Management believes that the Company holds one of the most prospective land positions in the Red Lake gold camp, outside Goldcorp.

Goldcorp's Red Lake operations are situated in the eastern part of the Red Lake Greenstone Belt. The western boundary of Conquest's Alexander Property is located adjacent to Goldcorp's Red Lake gold mine and approximately 500 meters east of Goldcorp's Balmer Complex headframe.

Ongoing exploration success by Goldcorp at Red Lake continues to demonstrate the prospectivity of the Red Lake camp, which Conquest believes enhances potential at the Alexander Property.

On October 25, 2017, Goldcorp announced in its Exploration Update that it had commenced a complete review study of the Red Lake belt that includes the collation, scanning, digitization and layering of more than 60 years of historical data. Once completed, this data will be incorporated into a prospectivity analysis that will drive exploration through 2018 and beyond. Any such initiative would, by inference, include Conquest's Alexander Property. Conquest believes that a full understanding of Goldcorp's adjacent exploration activities is important to a broader understanding of the highly prospective target area that lies adjacent to Conquest's Alexander property boundary and extends into the Alexander property.

Conquest also holds a 100% interest in the Smith Lake Property which consists of six (6) patented mining claims and sixteen (16) staked mining claims in Leeson, Stover, Brackin, and Rennie Townships in northern Ontario, lying to the north, west and south of the former Renabie gold mine.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND MD&A FILED

The Company has filed its unaudited Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017, which are available on the company's website at www.conquestresources.com and on SEDAR.

This news release may include certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, resources and reserves, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Conquest, are forward-looking statements that involve various 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 Conquest's expectations are exploration risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Conquest with securities regulators. 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 the accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Conquest Resources Ltd.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock was on "CBS This Morning" recently to discuss the city's Peak Performance program that he is credited with starting in 2011. The goal, Hancock said, is "to make government fun, innovative and empowering to citizens and employees," and the city's Peak Academy teaches public workers "how to eliminate waste, improve efficiency and ultimately create a higher standard of government." He cited savings to date of over $25 million from the employee efforts.Denver is solidly committed to metrics and process improvement, and its success with Peak Performance has garnered considerable attention among devotees of public-sector administrative efficiency. The Peak Performance website features departmental performance reports replete with colorful graphs and photos. The clear intent is to celebrate progress, and particularly its workers' contributions to continuous improvement.The Denver story is important for two reasons. First, it highlights the significant potential that every employer, public as well as private, has to tap their employees' knowledge and insight to improve performance. Research concluded years ago that there is a potential, when the work paradigm is radically changed, to increase productivity by at least 30 to 40 percent. Books have been written, including one I co-authored , on what goes into creating a high-performance organization.The second reason is possibly more important. Former Peak Academy director Brian Elms told me that city officials learned that their efforts would be successful only when they were invited by departmental leaders. He said he now is "traveling all over the country teaching governments how to create peak academies" -- by invitation, of course.That is solidly consistent with my consulting experience. The traditional management philosophy relied on close, top-down control. Management did all the thinking. Today successful organizations rely on a very different approach to management, empowering their workers to address work-related problems.Leaders like Denver's mayor are still rare in government. Many public leaders, elected and appointed, are interested primarily in public-policy issues and have minimal training or experience in management concerns. Leaders need to make initiatives like Peak Performance an organizational priority.That means employing and supporting a more sophisticated approach to metrics. Dave Ammons of the University of North Carolina School of Government has published frequently on performance management in the public sector. His research shows that performance data are now commonly reported but that too often the information is not used in decision-making to improve results.Measurement alone accomplishes nothing. The emphasis should be on management and improvement. Comparative data are essential -- the International City/County Management Association's Open Access Benchmarking initiative is great -- for assessing progress and addressing problems that impede efforts to improve results. But that is correctly understood as change management, and its poor track record is well documented.Two English academics, Alison Reynolds and David Lewis, recently reported research explaining why so many change initiatives are less than fully successful. Their research focused on top-down efforts that involved redefining organizational structures, realigning decision authorities (organizational "governance") and rethinking operational processes.The researchers asked corporate leaders in 20 countries and 25 industries what the biggest barriers to execution of change plans were, and 76 percent cited employee interaction. "In other words," Reynolds and Lewis wrote, "people failing to work together to make change happen."The core problem, according to the researchers, is that leaders focus narrowly on what they refer to as the "tangible" issues, such as organization structure, technology and decision-making authority, that are discussed in high-level meetings and in reports written for leaders. But those directives promise -- actually threaten -- to change the employee work experience. Employees are very much aware that mandated changes often prompt retirements, alter career plans, force them to establish new working relationships or require mastering new job skills. Those are the "intangibles" that can diminish employee job satisfaction and trigger resistance.The alternative to the top-down approach is to create a work environment where employees understand that they are expected routinely to address problems. If a task force is given the goals and understands the reasons and any constraints, it will tackle the problem and is likely to develop solid recommendations that balance all considerations. The record is consistent: Organizations benefit when their employees know they are empowered and expected to address job-related problems.However, that means leaders must give up control. The English researchers heard from the corporate leaders that they were reluctant to do that. They saw it as too risky. At a time when they would benefit from the best thinking from staff, they were hesitant to solicit their help. This is compounded in government by the mistrust so common between political appointees and career employees.That's all unfortunate but not insurmountable, as Denver has shown with Peak Performance's use of metrics, analytics and employee empowerment. It's essential that public leaders be aware of such success stories and the significant performance gains that are often realized. Everyone wins, including the public, when employees are engaged.
Sprucing Up the Elks Club

Warning to congressional Republicans who want to kill the federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, a Reagan-era program to revitalize historic buildings, as a way to save $1 billion annually: It doesnt die easily.Efforts to roll back similar tax credits in a handful of states have run into opposition from preservation advocates, small town mayors, commercial developers and builders, all of whom depend on the credits to fund the reconstruction and revitalization of historic downtowns and rural buildings  and argue the credits more than cover their costs by generating jobs and tax revenue.In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, pushed for years to kill the state credit, but faced opposition from developers and preservationists. This year, he managed to trim the credit back, capping it at $500,000 per project. The result: Developers are trying to get a flood of construction projects in under the wire before the cap takes effect in July  and state legislators have vowed to raise the cap next year.In Nebraska, a slew of bills were introduced in 2017 that would have ended the credit in 2018 or capped it, according to Trevor Jones, director of the Nebraska State Historical Society. They were then folded into an omnibus tax reform bill that failed to pass. Lobbying by business and preservation groups killed the stand-alone bills, he said, adding that the same forces are prepared to fight the proposal next year.Jones pointed to a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study that found that in 2015, the first year of the credit, projects undertaken had a $120.7 million impact on the Nebraska economy, created 1,635 full-time jobs, and contributed $5.1 million in state and local taxes. The state spends $15 million a year on the program.And in Missouri, Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, campaigned last year on getting rid of special interest tax credits, including the states historic preservation tax credit, which cost the state $1.1 billion over a decade.Supporters of the historic preservation tax credit are gearing up for what they expect to be a struggle to protect it. Jim Farrell, a lobbyist and political strategist in St. Louis who works with preservation advocates, said the program has helped more than 80 communities around the state, both urban and rural, and spurred almost $9 billion of private investment.Farrell has traveled across Missouri to draw attention to projects that have saved buildings and spurred adjacent development. Without a doubt, the majority of these projects would never have happened without the credit, he said.Other states have moved to expand or redistribute their historic preservation tax credit. West Virginia this year boosted the credit from a maximum of 10 percent of the cost of a project to 25 percent, on a par with surrounding states. Alabama renewed its credit this year, and rewrote the formula so that rural counties could be eligible for 40 percent of the credits, the lions share of which had previously gone to larger communities like Birmingham and Mobile.According to John Leith-Tetrault, chairman of the Historic Tax Credit Coalition, a D.C.-based lobbying organization of preservationists and financial, real estate and development companies, without the credit many of the restoration projects that have helped revitalize downtowns across the country would never have happened.Restoration projects typically cost more than new construction because many of the projects face environmental issues and must meet costly preservation standards, Leith-Tetrault said. The purpose of the credit is to close the financing gap between what a bank will lend on a project and what it actually costs.But in a time of tight budgets, proponents say, that may not be enough to protect the credits.According to Michael Novogradac  a managing partner of the accounting firm Novogradac & Company LLP and board member of the Historic Tax Credit Coalition lobbying group who hosts the weekly podcast Tax Credit Tuesday  House and Senate tax writers, trying to find ways to pay for tax cuts, may go looking for all these little credits.The federal version of the tax credit was made permanent under the Reagan administration and has been used in every state and nearly every county over the past few years.Thirty-five states have their own credits, most modeled after the federal one. In half a dozen states, a project must get federal preservation credits before it qualifies for state credits. But even if they are not directly tied to the federal program, expensive projects often combine federal and state credits to come up with enough moneyAccording to a study by Rutgers University and the National Park Service, which helps administer the program, the federal credit created 108,528 new jobs in fiscal 2016 and is responsible for $120.8 billion in investment in urban and rural communities over the life of the program.Advocates argue that the federal credit returns $1.20 for every dollar spent in the form of property taxes, income taxes on construction workers and taxes from ancillary businesses that spring up around the rehabbed property.They make a similar argument about the state credits. In Wisconsin  where the credits have been used for the conversion of the historic Kenosha Elks Club into a boutique hotel  a study by the Historic Preservation Institute at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and the accounting firm Baker Tilly showed the state receives 110 percent over its initial investment in the first 10 years of the project, including higher property tax payments on redeveloped properties.But critics say they are a giveaway to developers and that the buildings deemed historic are just plain old, and not worth preserving. Critics also argue that the money spent for the credit could be better used for other things.For example, a 2014 report by the Missouri state auditor called the states program an inefficient use of resources: Only 49 cents to 85 cents of every tax credit dollar issued actually goes toward rehabilitation costs.According to an analysis of the Republican tax bill approved in the House this month, eliminating the federal credit would save $1 billion annually by 2021. Thats the bottom line for budget writers: It saves money, to make up for tax cuts elsewhere in the GOP tax plan.In the Senate, the initial Republican bill would have cut the federal credit in half. But after U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana heard from constituents who support the credit, including Preserve Louisiana, a coalition of developers and preservationists, he successful pushed to reinstate the original 20 percent credit.The Louisiana group was one of several that mobilized to protect the federal credits. The American Institute of Architects, among many financial, legal, investment and real estate groups, as well as Sherwin-Williams, the paint company, immediately organized a lobbying campaign in an attempt to save the credit.Eric Hein, executive director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, says as in Washington, those who want to curb the state credits also look at it as a cost-saving mechanism, because the state doesnt have to lay out the money for the credit. But, Hein said, They dont look at economic activity generated by the credit and buildings brought back on line that were generating nothing.Renee Kuhlman, director of policy outreach at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said advocates for preservation are fighting on two fronts: in the states and in Washington. And she suggested that state lawmakers are often persuaded by successful redevelopment projects in their towns.Because the program works in small towns and big cities, I think legislatures understand that, she said. Despite some effort to limit these programs, they havent been successful. These programs are job creators, and thats what state legislators are really looking for.
The Senate Republican plan to use tax legislation to repeal the federal requirement that Americans have health coverage threatens to derail insurance markets in conservative, rural swaths of the country, according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis.That could leave consumers in these regions _ including most or all of Alaska, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming, as well as parts of many other states _ with either no options for coverage or health plans that are prohibitively expensive."It's very, very concerning to us," said Denise Burke, health care analyst at the Department of Insurance in Wyoming, where the cheapest plan for a 40-year-old consumer in most of the state will cost $586 a month next year.The precise nationwide impact of the Senate GOP tax plan, which would eliminate the Affordable Care Act's unpopular mandate penalty, is unclear, as many forces affect how much insurance costs and where insurers sell plans.But the legislation is widely expected to cause insurers to raise prices or exit markets out of fear that fewer healthy people will buy plans if there is no longer a penalty for going without coverage.The risk is greatest in places where health insurance is already very expensive and where there are few insurers.For example, there are 454 counties where there will be only one insurer selling marketplace plans in 2018 and where the cheapest plan for a 40-year-old consumer will cost more than $500 a month, according to the Times analysis, which is based on data from the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation."Repealing the individual mandate will affect insurance markets everywhere," said Larry Levitt, a health insurance expert at the foundation. "But markets where there is already little choice and high premiums are especially vulnerable. ... Rural areas could be especially hard hit."Eighty-six percent of these 454 at-risk counties have fewer than 50,000 residents, census data show. Health care costs are often higher in rural areas, as there are fewer medical providers and populations tend to be older and sicker.These counties also overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump last year, with 9 out of 10 backing the Republican presidential ticket, according to election data.In addition to Alaska, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming, the counties are clustered in southwestern Arizona, western Colorado, southern Mississippi, central North Carolina, as well as parts of Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia.There are also two counties in California _ Monterey and San Benito _ and two in Florida _ Hardee and Monroe _ with only one choice of insurer and extremely high premiums.There are many more counties _ including most in the southeastern United States _ where there is only one insurer, though premiums are not quite as high.Republican congressional leaders argue that eliminating the mandate penalty, which is technically a tax, will save many Americans money, especially coupled with other cuts promised in the tax legislation."The individual mandate isn't just any tax. It's a terribly regressive tax that imposes harsh burdens on low- and middle-income taxpayers," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, said as his panel debated the tax bill this month."Zeroing it out means we have a chance to provide greater tax relief to middle-class families, through both reduced penalties and lower overall rates."The insurance mandate _ which subjects Americans who don't have coverage to an annual penalty of $695 or 2.5 percent of income, whichever is larger _ has always been the most unpopular part of the 2010 health care law, often called Obamacare.But most experts agree that eliminating the mandate without some other mechanism to encourage young, healthy Americans to get coverage could have disastrous consequences for the individual insurance market, which serves consumers who don't get coverage through an employer or a government plan such as Medicare or Medicaid.Independent analyses by the American Academy of Actuaries, the Congressional Budget Office and others suggest that without some kind of penalty, many Americans would wait to get insurance until they are sick. That would push up premiums, driving away more consumers and causing what is known as a death spiral.Several states, including Washington, experienced just this kind of market collapse when they tried guaranteeing their residents coverage without any kind of requirement that all people _ including the young and healthy _ get coverage."It's kind of insurance 101," said Jim Havens, who oversees individual market sales for Premera Blue Cross, a leading insurer in Washington state. Premera will be the only insurer on Alaska's marketplace next year."If you only have people who need care the most, insurance becomes really expensive really fast," Havens said. "A mandate is fundamentally so important to make insurance affordable."Virtually every major physician group, hospital association and patient advocate group has called on congressional Republicans not to scrap the mandate."Repealing the individual mandate without otherwise increasing access to adequate, affordable health insurance is a step backwards for individuals and families," the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the March of Dimes, Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society and 11 other patient groups warned in a letter to Congress.Access and affordability are already a challenge in many parts of the country, as insurers have struggled to adjust to new rules imposed by the health law, including requirements that health plans cover sick consumers and offer a basic set of health benefits.And though many Americans who qualify for financial aid through the health care law have been cushioned from high premiums, consumers who earn too much to get insurance subsidies face eye-popping bills.The health law provides premium assistance to people with annual incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or between $12,060 and $48,240.There were signs that markets were stabilizing in many parts of the country until this year's GOP push to repeal the law, which included moves by the Trump administration to cut enrollment efforts and stop a separate monthly payment to insurers, used to lower the cost of deductibles and copayments for low-income consumers.Those steps prompted many insurers to leave markets or dramatically raise premiums for 2018."All of that is driving the markets crazy," said Barbara Richardson, insurance commissioner in Nevada, where 11 of the state's 17 counties are among the 454 nationally with just one insurer and extremely high premiums. "Any time you shake up the market ... you are going to have a rise in prices."Richardson, who serves a Republican governor, said regulators are particularly concerned about those state residents who don't qualify for government subsidies. The cheapest plan available next year to a 40-year-old consumer will cost at least $543 a month in those 11 Nevada counties.Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, the only insurer selling plans on that state's marketplace, raised its rates by 48 percent on average in 2018, in part to reflect uncertainty about events in Congress.Wendy Curran, vice president of the Wyoming health plan, said the insurer, a locally run nonprofit, is committed to remaining in the market."We consider ourselves part of the fabric of the state," she said.But Curran acknowledged that coverage is increasingly out of reach for state residents who don't qualify for government aid."By anyone's standards, these prices are very high," she said.
The Charlotte Regional Partnership said Tuesday that it now doesn't expect to hear until early next year whether it made the shortlist for Amazon's second headquarters.The group had been expecting to hear by Friday, which was when they were told Amazon would have its shortlist. Partnership spokeswoman Dianne Chase said that the volume of proposals means this week will no longer be the decision point."We are informed that a short list announcement is now not anticipated until early 2018," Chase said.The Charlotte region bid was shipped to Seattle on Oct. 19, the company's deadline for submissions. Amazon said it received submissions from 238 cities and regions in 54 states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada. The submissions capped off an extraordinarily public contest in the usually secretive world of economic development, which saw cities from Tuscon, Ariz., to Boston vying for the prize: 50,000 jobs with an average salary of $100,000 and $5 billion worth of investment for the second headquarters, known as HQ2.Charlotte and North Carolina boosters have tried to keep the campaign, and buzz about the bid, going in the interim.The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, which is promoting bids from Charlotte, Hickory, the Triad and Raleigh/Durham, has launched ads on buses in Seattle to highlight innovations that trace their roots to North Carolina, including the shipping container, bar code and control-alt-delete reboot command.The Charlotte Regional Partnership, which is leading the Charlotte region's bid, hosted a "#CLTisPrime photo contest" to drum up interest on social media, with users voting on their favorite Charlotte photo.Other cities that have released details of their plans for Amazon show the lavish lengths local leaders are willing to go to win the biggest economic development in recent decades.According to reports, Chicago has offered Amazon $1.3 billion worth of tax refunds; Chula Vista, Calif., offered the Internet giant $100 million in free land and a $300 million property tax break; New Jersey offered $7 billion to build in Newark, more than the value of the investment; and Fresno, Calif. offered Amazon the promise of deciding how to spend 85 percent of the taxes it paid in that city, to benefit Amazon.The group's behind Charlotte's bid have been tight-lipped about most of the key details, refusing to describe the tax breaks and other incentives they've dangled to lure Amazon. Although they released a five-minute spoken word video touting Charlotte's "edginess" and appeal to millennials, and showed photos of the custom-made wooden box that Charlotte's bid was shipped to Seattle in, they haven't said precisely where prospective sites offered to Amazon are located.Officials have said the region's bid included 21 sites in Mecklenburg, York, Gaston, Cabarrus, Iredell and Rowan counties.Some of the owners of those individual sites have confirmed their sites were included, such as the River District that Lincoln Harris and Crescent Communities are developing west of Charlotte's airport, and Ayrsley in Steele Creek.Each site must be able to accommodate the roughly 8 million square feet of office space Amazon wants, and have plans for direct connection to transit.
North Korea's launch today of what could be its longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile test yet seems to add further justification to state planning for what officials are still calling the "extremely unlikely" possibility of a strike on Hawaii.News of the missile launch coincided with a news conference this morning that included the governor; state adjutant general; two Hawaii mayors and representatives of other islands; and state emergency officials to discuss the startup of an "attack warning" siren test Friday and other North Korea preparedness steps being taken.Gov. David Ige said he's not aware of any other state conducting such siren tests. Hawaii is one of the first states to comprehensively plan for a North Korean attack.The community needs to understand this "will become the new normal as we proceed forward. We believe that it is imperative that we be prepared for every disaster, and in today's world, that includes a nuclear attack," Ige said.State adjutant Maj. Gen. Arthur "Joe" Logan said one of the challenges for emergency managers is, "we have to figure out and think about the unthinkable -- think about the things that are the worst-case scenarios that may happen throughout the state, and do the planning."And a nuclear attack by a "rogue nation" such as North Korea is one of those scenarios."So we have to balance that ability to plan for that, inform the public and make sure that we keep it all in perspective," said Logan, adding that a nuclear attack on Hawaii is "extremely unlikely."Logan said he'll be on a teleconference call Wednesday with homeland security advisers across the country, "and I will be covering what we're doing for North Korea preparedness, and I'm sure the other states will come back to me and let me know where there are (with planning)," Logan said.The news conference was held at Hawaii Emergency Management Agency offices at Diamond Head. The return of what is essentially a World War II-era air raid siren to Hawaii, meanwhile, is so jarring that CNN, the Washington Post and New York Times all published news stories about it today and Monday.The Defense Department said it tracked a North Korea ICBM launch at about 8:17 a.m. Hawaii time that traveled about 620 miles before splashing down in the Sea of Japan within Japan's exclusive economic zone.David Wright, a physicist and co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Global Security Program, said on a blog that if flown on a standard trajectory rather than the high "lofted" trajectory as believed, the missile would have a range of more than 8,100 miles."This is significantly longer than North Korea's previous long-range tests," Wright said. Such a missile would have "more than enough range" to reach any part of the U.S. mainland, he said.Hawaii, at a distance of 4,660 miles from North Korea, is much closer.At 11:45 a.m. Friday, during the regular monthly siren test, 50 seconds of the usual steady-tone alert for hurricanes or tsunamis will be followed by 50 seconds of the wavering attack warning tone, Hawaii Emergency Management said.Agency Executive Officer Toby Clairmont previously said the last time Hawaii residents heard the attack warning siren test was around 1980 during the Cold War.A North Korean missile would arrive in 20 minutes. U.S. Pacific Command would notify Hawaii Emergency Management, which would activate the attack warning siren, giving Hawaii's population between 12 and 15 minutes to seek shelter in as substantial of a structure as possible with such short warning."The chances are so, so, so slim that this will ever occur," Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said, adding that Hawaii may be the most prepared state in the nation for a range of threats including hurricanes and tsunamis "because I don't know how many other places around the country test their sirens every single month.""This is just one more step in preparation," Caldwell said. "But I want to remind everyone that on this island we remain one of the safest big cities in the United States of America for the residents here (and) for the visitors that come here. And we want people to continue to celebrate life here."
Description

GIS - 29 November, 2017: A one-day conference on Contemporary challenges of slavery, heritage, memory and identity, organised in the context of the statutory meeting of the International Scientific Committee of the Slave Route Project, was held this morning at the University of Mauritius (UOM) in Reduit. This initiative is a joint collaboration of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the UOM. A one-day conference on Contemporary challenges of slavery, heritage, memory and identity, organised in the context of the statutory meeting of the International Scientific Committee of the Slave Route Project, was held this morning at the University of Mauritius (UOM) in Reduit. This initiative is a joint collaboration of the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the UOM.

The conference is organised in the wake of the meeting of the International Scientific Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( UNESCO) Slave Route Project : Resistance, Liberty, Freedom.

The Slave Route is an intercultural project administered, coordinated and monitored by the Department of Intercultural Dialogue and Pluralism of UNESCO for a Culture of Peace to gain better understanding of the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean and the Mediterranean regions, with its causes and modalities. Members of the International Scientific Committee of the Slave Route Project and local experts attended the conference.

In his address at the opening ceremony, the Ag. Vice-Chancellor of UOM, Professor Sanjiv Sobhee, underlined that the Slave Route project has promoted reflection and intercultural dialogue regarding the history of slave trade, among the participating countries. This, he said, will undoubtedly help to better understand society and will ultimately benefit communities.

Prof Sobhee pointed out that exposure from such collaborative projects with members of the Scientific Committee and scholars from an array of disciplines will enhance the undertaking of Mauritian-based projects, adding that the UOM is committed to promote higher level researches that probe into historical experiences.

He further said that the Faculty of Humanities has been at the forefront of campaigns to advance the democratisation of Mauritian public life, to uplift the Creole language, to document and make inventories of the Mauritian heritage with the aim of achieving a higher level of understanding of the society.

Mr Sobhee announced that UOM has put in place several funding schemes to promote more research and in-depth analysis of the history.
(TNS)  San Jose and Facebook last year set an ambitious goal: Together, they would bring free gigabit-speed Internet to the citys downtown public.More than a year later, that dream is still far from reality.While Silicon Valley seems like a natural laboratory, the pilot project  which Facebook calls Terragraph  underscores the challenges that cities face in rolling out experimental technology.The end result could be anywhere from it doesnt work at all to this is the best thing since sliced bread,? said Kip Harkness, San Joses deputy city manager for civic innovation and digital strategy. But were not at a point where we can determine where we are going to fall in that spectrum.When Facebook and San Jose unveiled the project, the mayors office said a publicly accessible gigabit-speed outdoor Wi-Fi network would be deployed in late 2016.Now, officials for the tech firm and the city arent saying when the public will get to try out the high-speed Internet or precisely how fast it will be, noting theres more work to do. Facebook is still testing Terragraph, a wireless system to help deliver high-speed Internet in large cities.Facebook started testing an early version of the technology at its Menlo Park headquarters, but San Jose was the first city tapped for a broader trial.Developing next-generation technology takes a lot of testing and iteration, and Terragraph is no exception, Facebook said in a statement. While this is still an early test  and there is more testing to do before were ready to contribute this technology to the wider ecosystem  we are encouraged by our progress so far.If the pilot succeeds, San Jose leaders hope the city will become the home of one of the worlds fastest municipal Wi-Fi networks. Facebook claims that Terragraph is cheaper than using fiber-optic cables and that it could open up high-speed Internet access worldwide, including to people with low incomes.Facebook is a company that will make money if people are on the Internet constantly, and so theyre trying to find a way to get around the cable and telecom company monopoly without going directly to war with them, said Christopher Mitchell, a community broadband expert at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.But city e-mail and documents obtained by this news organization also show the Terragraph project faced numerous challenges in its first year, slowing its implementation.In 2016, Harkness outlined in a one-page document to city officials some of the reasons for the delays: The projects hardware was not finalized. There were personnel changes on the projects team. Questions remained about resources and how to approach community benefits.The City and Facebook have not executed on the Terragraph project as rapidly as desired, the document stated.Other issues popped up, including whether Facebook or the city would pay for certain equipment.Ed Kim, San Joses enterprise technology manager, raised some of these concerns with the citys Chief Information Officer Rob Lloyd.FYI, in my last meeting with FB and SmartWave, they were asking for additional 10 Gig switches that they were under the understanding that we were going to provide, he wrote to Lloyd in November 2016. We dont have any budget for these 10 Gig switches, nor were they ever offered by the city, as far as I am aware.SmartWave Technologies, a subcontractor for the project, mentioned to city officials in December 2016 that Facebook owed the company about $930,000 for its work, but was disputing about $26,000 and withholding the entire amount. Facebook argued that the company didnt perform any work after Nov. 23, 2016, the SmartWave e-mail said.Facebook has been mounting devices known as nodes on about 250 light poles throughout the city. These devices have been placed near Diridon Station and extend to 10th Street, covering popular tourist areas such as the SAP Center and museums, according to a map shown in an October 2017 city meeting.These nodes use extremely high frequency radio waves to transmit large volumes of data. But the 60-gigahertz signal that Terragraph uses cant travel far because oxygen and water easily absorb these waves, which is why Facebook places these nodes up to 820 feet apart.Mounting devices onto poles takes a lot of time. The city has to make sure that the nodes are attached safely and the traffic lights work properly afterward, Harkness said.Other technical issues popped up. In August 2017, Facebook told the citys IT department it couldnt reach some of the nodes on the network because a fiber connection was down at city hall. That problem was fixed.Despite these hurdles, Facebook and the city remain optimistic the project is headed in the right direction.The tech firm doesnt intend to sell Terragraph as a service or product, but plans to make the hardware and software open to mobile operators. San Jose could use Terragraph to speed up its public Wi-Fi network if the testing is successful, but officials also are grappling with what role the city should play as an Internet service provider.In 2013, the city launched the Wickedly Fast Wi-Fi network with SmartWave Technologies and Ruckus Wireless. Today, that connection can be slow or unavailable in parts of downtown.Meanwhile, people are also doing more on their smartphones, such as playing augmented reality games and streaming live videos.The capacity of our downtown Wi-Fi no longer meets consumers expectations, Harkness said. If were successful in this experiment with Facebook, well be able to stand this up and well be able to stand down that old network.Brocades Ruckus Wireless said that there are various factors that can impact Internet speeds, including too many users trying to access the Wi-Fi network at once.While the city and SmartWave along with Ruckus have implemented a very robust network, that is something in our industry we know has to be continually refreshed and maintained, said Bart Giordano, vice president of wired and wireless business development at Ruckus.Worldwide, cities have raced to bring faster Internet service to the public as a way to fuel job growth and bridge the digital divide.In San Jose, more than 12 percent of the citys population  or more than 100,000 people  do not have Internet access at home, the citys website says.Facebook looked at extending the Terragraph network to two East San Jose neighborhoods  Meadowfair and TOCKNA (Tully, Ocala, Capital and King Neighborhood Association)  and a zone used to test transportation technology in north San Jose, city documents show.Its unclear, however, whether the network will be extended beyond the downtown.Cisco has also talked to Facebook and city officials to explore how it might use the Terragraph technology elsewhere, such as in Dublin, Ireland and India, according to an e-mail between Cisco and the city.Theres a strong connection in rolling out broadband for everybody and the opportunity to make it more inclusive and break down those cost and affordability barriers, said Dolan Beckel, San Joses smart city lead.Other tech firms have struggled to bring high-speed Internet to cities. Last year, Google suspended plans to provide its super-fast Google Fiber Internet service in numerous cities, including San Jose.Comcast and AT&T also offer up to 1-gigabit-per-second Internet for a price, but San Jose is trying to provide high-speed Internet for the public at no cost.And some experts remain skeptical that Facebooks Terragraph will cross the finish line.If it works and its open, it will be a game-changer, Mitchell said. But weve heard too many times that there is a magic solution just a few years away for wireless, and it hasnt come to pass.
(TNS) - Prison officer Sierra Gravitte found herself in a bind.She was the only officer inside a locked unit at Polk Correctional Institution, north of Durham, two years ago when she ordered an inmate into his cell. He refused.Gravitte pulled out her radio to call for backup  but it wouldnt work. Instead, the radio emitted a beeping noise signaling a low battery. Hearing that, the inmate approached Gravitte.I started backing up, said Gravitte, 28. And I pulled out my pepper spray and baton and said, If you want to go, lets go. The inmate didnt attack Gravitte. But for about 15 minutes, she said, she was trapped inside the prison block with about seven inmates  and no way to communicate with other officers.They could have  raped me or killed me and nobody would have known, said Gravitte, who resigned from the prison earlier this year after four years on the job. We need radios to work. Or people get hurt.In interviews with the Observer, more than a dozen current and former prison employees described a potentially life-threatening problem: The two-way radios that officers are issued often dont work properly, leaving them without a crucial safety tool.The disclosures  made by officers who worked at nine different prisons  come during a deadly time for North Carolinas prison employees. Since April, five workers have died as a result of attacks inside the prisons.In response to questions from the Observer, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety said that managers have directed all prisons to inventory and assess their radios and PA systems.But prison leaders say better technology has made radios more reliable, and that only 5 percent of radios now malfunction. They say they are quick to repair and replace broken radios.The Secretarys Office and Prisons Administration understand that working equipment and especially working radios are critical to correctional officers and strongly encourage officers to report any issues to his/her immediate supervisor so radios can be promptly repaired or replaced, wrote spokeswoman Pamela Walker.The number of serious assaults on prison workers has risen sharply in recent years. As of early November, there were 69 assaults that resulted in injuries so severe that they forced staff members to miss work days, according to the state Department of Public Safety. That was 50 percent higher than the number reported in all of 2012.Keeping officers connected with two-way radios is critical to prison safety, particularly when staffing is thin, experts and officers say. A previous Observer story showed how staff shortages in North Carolinas prisons have climbed to dangerous levels over the past two years.Youre talking about situations where the ratio is 60 (inmates) to one (officer.) That radio is your lifeline, said Brian Dawe, executive director of the American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network. How on earth can you send officers into situations like these and not be able to reach them?The North Carolina officers interviewed said that many of the radios they were issued didnt transmit properly, making it difficult or impossible for them to communicate with other staff members. In some prisons, they said, a shortage of working radios required a significant number of officers to go without.Keith Price, a former prison warden in Texas, said officers need a reliable way to call for help if theyre in danger or encounter other emergencies.Somebody should have that officer's back, said Price, a criminal justice professor at West Texas A&M University. It's important that the officer has access to reinforcement.In interviews with the Observer, officers described how malfunctioning radios put staff members in greater danger.Rosie Anderson, a former officer at Central Prison in Raleigh, said she was not carrying a radio when an inmate assaulted her in 2015. Anderson was the only officer inside a prison mental health unit when the inmate attacked, leaving her with a concussion and other serious injuries.Anderson said she began the day with a radio, but the battery ran low during her shift and there were no working radios left. She was accustomed to sharing radios with others officers because there werent enough to go around, she said.A former sergeant at Alexander Correctional Institution, meanwhile, said that about half the radios issued to his officers didnt work properly.The former sergeant, who asked not to be named to avoid retribution from inmates, said he was working in a control booth about six years ago when he saw an officer fighting with an inmate. The officer tried to call for help, but his radio didnt work. Fortunately, the sergeant saw what was happening and summoned backup.Communication is key in a place like that, particularly when youre dealing with malicious convicts, he said.Prison officials in some other states say they take precautions to ensure officers remain in radio contact. In Pennsylvania and Texas, for instance, checks are conducted each day to ensure radios are functioning properly, spokespeople for those prison systems said.In Pennsylvania, additional backup safeguards are in place, including the issuance of personal body alarms and whistles, according to prison spokeswoman Susan McNaughton.North Carolina prison leaders say they are exploring whether to equip officers with body alarms and other safety equipment.The safety of employees, visitors and inmates are Secretary Hooks top priorities, and under his leadership the Department of Public Safety has and will continue to implement actions to make prisons safer, Walker wrote.Marcus Mercer, a former officer at Lanesboro Correctional Institution, learned firsthand how crucial radios can be.In December 2015, an inmate attacked Mercer from behind. The assault knocked Mercer to the floor, where he was punched several more times. A call went out over the radio and, within seconds, a nearby officer rushed into the block and subdued the inmate.Mercer, 42, suffered a concussion. But the assault could have been worse if the responding officers radio had not worked, he said.That was often the case at Lanesboro, a maximum-security prison southeast of Charlotte, Mercer said. Roughly three days out of five, he said, the radio he was assigned didnt work properly.The equipment was garbage, said Mercer, who resigned from the prison last year after inmates stabbed him in the cheek with a homemade knife and made threatening calls to his cellphone.Prison leaders say they have upgraded communications equipment at Lanesboro and some other prisons.But malfunctioning radios are still a common occurrence at Lanesboro, said a current officer who asked not to be named because he fears retaliation. The officer said he has complained to administrators but has gotten little sympathy.If you're on the yard and you have 100 inmates and all of a sudden your radio doesn't work, you're in a sticky situation, he said.Ames Alexander: 704-358-5060, @amesalexGavin Off: 704-358-60382017 The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)Visit The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.) at www.charlotteobserver.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - Manmade toxins that likely came from foams used years ago in firefighting have been found in 26 drinking-water wells near Fairbanks International Airport, according to the airport.Results of recent tests were provided to the airport Nov. 21 with more testing results reported Monday, the Fairbanks airport said in a statement. Residents and business owners are being notified.Of 33 tested wells serving residences and businesses, 19 had levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances  PFAS for short  above the health advisory level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the airport said. The chemicals were found in another seven wells, but in amounts below the health advisory limits. There were no PFAS levels detected in another seven wells.These chemicals may hurt the ability of children to learn and grow, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They can hurt the ability of women to get pregnant, interfere with a body's natural hormones and affect the immune system, the CDC said. They can increase cholesterol levels  and the risk of cancer.They are considered "emerging contaminants" because of limited data on their health impacts, according to the airport.People in affected neighborhoods are being offered their choice of alternative water sources at airport expense, including flats of bottled water, jugs or regular deliveries of 5-gallon dispensers with hot and cold taps, said airport division operations manager Angie Spear.The offer goes to those in the area "whether they have been tested yet or not," she said.As of the end of last week, people connected with about 40 properties out of roughly 150 in the affected area have asked for replacement water, she said.Testing through contractor Shannon & Wilson is continuing, the airport said. Homes and businesses with PFAS levels above the EPA health advisory will be connected to the area's water utility, she said, though that work cannot be done until after breakup.A public meeting in Fairbanks on the issue is set for Dec. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. at La Quinta Inn & Suites. State and health and environmental officials will be there to answer questions as well as officials from the airport and Shannon & Wilson.The airport has budgeted $400,000 for the first phase of addressing the pollution. That is for testing, compilation of data, temporary water supplies and community outreach, Spear said. The amount for new water hookups through College Utilities is not yet known.Airports are required to use chemical foam to fight airplane fires because that is the most effective suppression material, Spear said. The foam used now breaks down much more quickly and is less harmful than the one found in the drinking water tests, she said. The chemical also is found in other products including furniture, carpet and waterproof clothing.Chemical foam isn't used in training anymore though the airport must use it in required annual inspections to prove its firefighting system is in order, she said.2017 the Alaska Dispatch News (Anchorage, Alaska)Visit the Alaska Dispatch News (Anchorage, Alaska) at www.adn.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - North Koreas test launch Tuesday of what could be its longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile yet seems to add further justification to the state planning for what officials are still calling the extremely unlikely possibility of a strike on Hawaii.News of the missile launch coincided with a news conference Tuesday that included the governor, state adjutant general, two Hawaii mayors and representatives of other islands, and state emergency officials to discuss the startup of an attack warning siren test Friday and other North Korea preparedness steps being taken.Gov. David Ige said hes not aware of any other state conducting such siren tests. Hawaii is one of the first states to comprehensively plan for a North Korean attack.The community needs to understand this will become the new normal as we proceed forward, Ige said, adding, We believe that it is imperative that we be prepared for every disaster, and in todays world that includes a nuclear attack.Maj. Gen. Arthur Joe Logan, state adjutant general, said one of the challenges for emergency managers is, we have to figure out and think about the unthinkable  think about the things that are the worst-case scenarios that may happen throughout the state  and do the planning.And a nuclear attack by a rogue nation such as North Korea is one of those scenarios.So we have to balance that ability to plan for that, inform the public and make sure that we keep it all in perspective, said Logan, adding that a nuclear attack on Hawaii is extremely unlikely.Logan said hell be on a teleconference call today with homeland security advisers across the country, and I will be covering what were doing for North Korea preparedness, and Im sure the other states will come back to me and let me know where there are (with planning).The news conference was held at Hawaii Emergency Management Agency offices at Diamond Head. The contrast of hearing what is essentially a Cold War-era air raid siren in the tourist land of sun and fun, meanwhile, was enough that CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times all published news stories about it over the past few days.The Defense Department said it tracked a North Korean ICBM launched at about 8:17 a.m. Hawaii time Tuesday that splashed down in the Sea of Japan within Japans exclusive economic zone.David Wright, a physicist and co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists Global Security Program, said on a blog that if flown on a flatter trajectory rather than the high lofted angle as believed, flying for 54 minutes, the missile would have a range of more than 8,100 miles.This is significantly longer than North Koreas previous long-range tests, Wright said. Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach any part of the U.S. mainland, he said. Given the increased range demonstrated, it might have carried a very light mock warhead, he added.Hawaii, 4,660 miles from North Korea, is a much closer potential target than the mainland.At 11:45 a.m. Friday, during the regular monthly siren test, 50 seconds of the usual steady-tone alert for hurricanes or tsunamis will be followed by 50 seconds of the wavering attack warning tone, Hawaii Emergency Management said.The last time Hawaii residents heard the attack warning siren test is not entirely clear, with estimates between about 1980 and 1990 during the Cold War.A North Korean missile would arrive in just 20 minutes. U.S. Pacific Command would notify Hawaii Emergency Management, which would activate the attack warning siren, giving Hawaiis population little time to seek shelter in as substantial a structure as possible.Hawaii Emergency Management Administrator Vern Miyagi said the basic guidance if the attack warning goes off  and its not a test  is to get inside, stay inside and stay tuned, adding, Now, it sounds simple, but when you have such short (amount) of time, about 12 minutes after we get the notification  that is all you can do.Miyagi advised to plan ahead and get an idea of where that shelter-in-place is at that time. And same for your family.For planning purposes, the state is theorizing a 150-kiloton-yield bomb detonated over Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, which it said would cause nearly 18,000 fatalities and 50,000 to 120,000 trauma and burn casualties. But such a blast would be survivable by the vast majority of Hawaiis more than 1.4 million residents, officials say.Miyagi believes its unlikely Hawaii would be targeted, with Japan and South Korea being easier targets for North Korea.The chances are so, so, so slim that an attack on Hawaii would ever occur, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said. He added that Hawaii may be the most prepared state in the nation for a range of threats including hurricanes and tsunamis because I dont know how many other places around the country test their sirens every single month.This is just one more step in preparation, Caldwell said. But I want to remind everyone that on this island we remain one of the safest big cities in the United States of America for the residents here (and) for the visitors who come here. And we want people to continue to celebrate life here.Angelo Di Benedetto, visiting from Australia and taking in the sea view from Diamond Head Road on Tuesday, said the latest North Korean ballistic missile test is a great concern.Their missile range is  its a serious range and obviously (of concern to) the people in Hawaii as well as the northern part of Australia, Di Benedetto, 53, said.The Hawaii planning is a great thing because ultimately theres no substitute for being ready and being prepared. So if you are able to do that, great, he said.2017 The Honolulu Star-AdvertiserVisit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  CUERO  With the sound of a buzzing beehive, the DeWitt County Sheriff's Office's newest drone levitated and flew out of sight Tuesday morning outside its office.In the official unveiling of the agency's new unmanned aerial vehicle program, Sheriff Carl Bowen demonstrated in what capacity the new program will serve."This program is designed to enhance law enforcement capabilities," Bowen said.The agency began looking into drone programs about five years ago, he said."We live in a rural area. There's a lot of woods, there's bodies of water, there's a lot of terrain. And it's hazardous," Bowen said. "It's ideal to have 'eyes in the sky' that can look down and see what the officers are approaching."The program finally became a reality this year through forfeited funds and donations from Devon Energy, Weaver & Jacobs Constructors and Partners Chevrolet Buick GMC. The new program cost about $30,000.Bowen said he appreciates the contributions from the local businesses."One of our pillars for community engagement is supporting safe communities. We are thrilled to partner with the DeWitt County Sheriff's Office as they apply new technology to keep this county safe," said Becky Escott, a community relations supervisor for Devon Energy.The program includes two drones with night vision; two Crystalsky monitors; controls; six batteries for each craft; a battery charger; and a trailer to house the drone materials. The trailer also doubles as a small, makeshift office for a deputy or officer. The trailer includes a desk area; maps of DeWitt County, Cuero, Yorktown and Nordheim; and a radio.Bowen said program training began a couple of months ago. The agency has tested the drones in different weather conditions, such as 100-degree heat and in cold fronts, he said. The drones can fly up to 400 feet.One of the drones, a DJI Matrice M100, was used in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey for the sheriff's office to assess flood damage, Bowen said. In addition to damage assessment, the drones would be used to locate missing persons and get an aerial view of accidents."They are extremely reliable and liability is everything," Bowen said.The drones would be available to other DeWitt County agencies, such as police and fire departments, as well.Cuero Fire Department Fire Chief Buddy Harwell said he was impressed with the drones. For the fire department, the drones would be useful in situations, such as search and rescue, to check the roof of a building on fire, and at vehicle accidents to fly above and check for injured people."It's a great tool to have in the toolbox," Harwell said. "You cut your risk and time way down with drones."
The Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center in Augusta will roughly double in size next year, as the state deepens its commitment to state and federal public safety partners with a second facility focused on incubating tech startups and cybersecurity training and workforce development.The first building at the centers $58 million Georgia digital campus is still under construction , and was topped out with the placement of its highest structural beam earlier this month . The 167,000-square-foot structure is within 40,000 square feet of being fully occupied, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) new cybercrime unit will be among its tenants.On Monday, Nov. 27 , Gov. Nathan Deal announced an additional $35 million in funding to immediately build a second five-story, 165,000-square-foot building at the north end of the 17-acre campus distinctive U-shaped driveway.Its second building will reserve one floor for incubating technology startups. Its four remaining floors will house build-to-suit space for private-sector technology companies. The building will also feature a cyber-range.In a statement, Deal confirmed that advancing cyberprotection for the states residents, businesses and institutions remains a paramount concern, while he and state CIO Calvin Rhodes emphasized the need to fill roughly 500,000 vacant cybersecurity positions nationally  one-third of the 1.5 million empty positions worldwide.This visionary approach to cybersecurity underscores our commitment to encouraging innovation and developing a deep talent pool ready to establish Georgia as the safest state in the nation for todays leaders in technology, Deal said in the statement.Georgia is not alone. According to the Center for Digital Government's* 2016 Digital States Survey, cybersecurity is the No. 1 priority for state IT officials.Rhodes said the facilitys second building  the only additional construction currently planned at the campus  will support the U.S. Armys new cyberheadquarters, which broke ground in November 2016 at nearby Ft. Gordon, with the capability to accommodate controlled space to do classified briefings.The center, which backs up to the Savannah River, already has a distinguished list of partners and tenants including the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Ft. Gordon, the Georgia National Guard, the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia.Another partner is the city of Augusta, which issued $12 million in bonds and is building a five-level parking structure for the center.The new building will also facilitate staff development for agencies like the GBI, whose director, Rhodes said, believes internships account for roughly 70 percent of his staff. Spearheading a quick build with existing architectural and construction partners who are working very well with the state will help Georgia meet a need that we know is there, the CIO said.The U.S. Army has only stood up two divisions since World War II. One of those was Special Forces and then the other one is the Cyber Command. Its very significant that theyre doing this, and Georgia is very excited that [the] first operating division of it is going into Georgia, said Rhodes, who is also executive director of the Georgia Technology Authority, the agency responsible for building the center.The campus first building will open on July 10. The state plans to break ground on the second building on Jan. 3 and open it in December 2018. Both will feature walking connections to the levee and nearby trails.Some areas of the second building will have separation in order to contain active investigations and confidential interactions. But it will also include a rooftop terrace and common spaces designed to stimulate collaborations between students with educational partners like Augusta University and the Technical College System of Georgia, as well as private-sector tenants.Another goal, the CIO said, will be forging a connection between technical education and university partners so that students with certification in specialized learning can more easily transition into higher education and earn a bachelors degree.The new buildings cyber-range, Rhodes said, will be available virtually. It will also join education and private industry, offering both an opportunity to test technology, to assess gaps in staff and student skills, and to train in a safe environment.Its an opportunity to mirror, or at least have a network thats very similar, to the network that theyre used to working on, Rhodes said.Government Technology's
What should be done about wild horses?

Colorado-based writer David Philipps attempts to answer that question in his 316-page book Wild Horse Country, published in October.

The book sweeps across a span of time and landscape as vast as the range of the wild horse, delving into views and suggestions from horse-huggers and horse-disparagers alike, turning more than a few colorful similes and metaphors along the journey.

Wild horses! Even if you have never seen one, chances are if you grew up in the United States you know what they mean, Philipps enthuses. They are freedom. They are independence.They are the ragtag misfits defying incredible odds. They are the lowborn outsiders whose nobility springs from the adversity of living a simple life. In short, they are American. Or least they are what we tell ourselves we are, and what we aspire to be.

The writer crisscrosses Nevada in his trek toward understanding what should be done to and for the wild horses  discussing Nevadans from Reno secretary Velma Johnston who in 1950 cried after spotting a truck load of bleeding wild horses in Sparks being hauled to slaughter and went on to become nationally famous as Wild Horse Annie to interviewing Twin Springs Ranch owner Joe Fallini who has successfully sued the government nearly 30 times over its failure to rein in the wild horse population on his ranch and who curses these goddamned horses.

The problem is that the wild horse population on the open range has far exceeded what the land can sustain. The Bureau of Land Managements answer  since Congress has prohibited using budget money to humanely dispose of excess animals  has been to roundup excess horses and warehouse them in corrals and private pastures where the stallions and mares are kept separate for all their natural lives. Such warehousing, Philipps notes, now eats up 66 percent of the BLMs budget, leaving little to cover the expense of managing the horses still roaming wild and competing for forage with sheep and cattle and wildlife.

According to the latest BLM stats published in March, there are nearly 60,000 free-roaming horses in the West, with nearly 35,000 of those in Nevada. But the BLM calculates the entire range can sustain only 27,000 wild horses without leading to degradation of the forage and the horses themselves. There are nearly 45,000 wild horses being held in storage at a cost of $50 million a year.

Wild horses are the only species that the government captures in large numbers alive and then holds in storage, Philipps observes. This is a stark departure from how we treat other Old World domestic animals that have gotten loose in America. Take feral hogs. The United States kills tens of thousands a year.  Sure, feral hogs arent companion animals like horses. But consider our pets. We euthanize millions of dogs and cats each year.

To set the stage for how this came to be the author, who won a Pulitzer Prize for the Colorado Springs newspaper in 2014 for a series on the mistreatment of wounded soldiers, delves both into the fossils of long-extinct horselike creatures that once browsed the Western plains and the return of horses with Spanish conquistadors.

Philipps research shows how the horse changed history. For instance, Francisco Pizarro defeated 80,000 Incas with 106 men on foot and 62 in the saddle.

Then, in the late 17th century the rise of wild horses on the range gave birth to Native American Horse Nations that thrived on horseback for two centuries  Apaches, Utes, Sioux, Comanches, Nez Perce, Shoshone, Blackfoot, Crow, Cree, Pueblos, Navajo, Pawnee, Arapaho, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Osage and many more.

The Apache and Kiowa gave up lives of farming to hunt and raid on horseback. The Osage, Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, living in the forests on the eastern edge of the plains, were drawn westward with horses, leaving behind wood lodges in favor of new buffalo-skin tents called teepees, the book recounts, also noting that horse-mounted Indians managed to slow the westward migration of American settlers.

Philipps recounts how the automobile devastated the market for horses as beasts of burden and how mechanized pet food canning factories consumed 2 million wild horses in the 1920s. Though the slaughters continued over the years, in 2007 Congress defunded health inspections for horse-meat slaughter houses, whether for human or pet consumption, driving all such operations into Mexico or overseas.

Next week: The solution(s)?
The new cooperation will be another milestone in the companies relationship, after they agreed to set up a joint venture to manufacture battery electric vehicles for the competitive e-mobility passenger car market in June. ( Earlier post .)

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Volkswagen Group China and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC) plan to undertake research and development on multi-functional vehicles (MFVs) together. The three parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore potential joint venture models.

Volkswagen welcomes this opportunity to pursue further cooperation with JAC. Both groups have complementary strengths in the multi functional vehicle field. JAC is an established brand in the Chinese market with a strong track record of producing multi functional vehicles that are popular with consumers. Volkswagen has a long heritage in producing versatile vehicles with advanced technology. Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG,and President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) brand will take the lead role on behalf of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft to be JACs partner in the joint venture.

The companies will actively explore a full range of cooperation including advances in MFV design, technology, product quality through R&D as well as sales. It will cover both internal combustion engine and new energy models.

JAC will have a 50% stake in the new venture, with Volkswagen Group holding the other 50%. The partners plan to set up the venture in Hefei, Anhui province, where JAC is based.
The technology group Wartsila has been selected to provide a broad scope of products and solutions for a new articulated tug barge (ATB). The vessel will be used to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel to cruise ships along the east coast of Florida, USA.

This will be the first fueling barge with a Wartsila solution operating in US waters, and is seen as being an important logistics link for the growth of LNG as a marine fuel in the USA.

The 4000 m3 capacity ATB is being built at the VT Halter Marine (VTHM) shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi on behalf of Quality Liquefied Natural Gas Transport LLC (Q-LNG). When delivered, the vessel will be on a long-term charter with Shell Oil Co.





The ATB comprises a barge and a tug. The barge will be fitted with a Wartsila LNG cargo storage, handling, and control system. Wartsila will also supply the barge automation, power management, and ballast water management systems, as well the bow thruster. The tug will include Wartsila main propulsion steerable thrusters and shaft lines, the Wartsila NACOS Platinum dynamic positioning system, the tug automation, as well as all navigation and communication equipment.

The order with Wartsila was booked in November 2017. Deliveries will continue throughout 2018 and 2019, and the vessel is scheduled to commence operations in 2020.

Q-LNG is owned 70% by Shane Guidry and 30% by Harvey Gulf International Marine, a company that currently has six vessels under construction or in operation with LNG solutions supplied by Wartsila. The success of these installations, together with recommendations from Shell, were strong factors in the selection of Wartsila equipment for this project.
Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE

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Google Ad

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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

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
Cookbook author Debbie Moose returned to her native Winston-Salem recently to teach a class where she spread a little holiday cheer and shared a few recipes.

Moose, who lives in Raleigh, is a former food editor of the News & Observer. She also is the author of books including Wings, Deviled Eggs, Potato Salad, Southern Holidays and Buttermilk. The latter two are part of the Savor the South series of cookbooks published by UNC Press.

Its that time of year when you can do something special in the kitchen, she said. And you can do something special thats complicated, but it doesnt have to be.

Moose offered four recipes to ease some of the stress of holiday cooking. Some are foods you might want to serve for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Others are foods that are great for a holiday party.

She first demonstrated her simplified version of chicken wings, which she calls faux fryers because they are baked in the oven instead of fried. Its a switch that not only cuts the fat, but also cuts the effort and cleanup.

For a long time, I could not find baked wings that I liked  they werent crispy, she said. Her solution is cornflakes.

Just be sure to use plain cornflakes, and not sweetened ones. You dont want Tony the Tiger, she said.

Part of the crunch in her recipe comes from keeping decent-size pieces of cornflakes. You want to crush them a little bit, but not too much. You want a little texture.

She uses foil coated with cooking spray to make cleanup easier.

She first soaks the wings in buttermilk. She recommends a soak of 2 to 3 hours, but the other night she took a shortcut with a soak of about 15 minutes.

Buttermilk does a lot of things, she said. It does help the coating to stick. It also tenderizes the meat.

She offered a tip on using the smallest part, or tip, of the wings, called flappers, which are almost all bone and skin. Dont throw the flappers away, she said. You can make stock with them.

Her wings are seasoned simply with salt, pepper, thyme and basil.

People think wings have to be hot, and they dont. You can have a lot of flavor without that, she said.

The buttermilk and cornflake coating works for other cuts of chicken, too, she said, including chicken tenders and thighs.

Next, Moose demonstrated an unusual appetizer or side dish: Apple-Bacon-Stuffed Collard Roll-ups. Cooked brown rice, crispy bacon, raw apples and pecans are mixed together, then rolled up inside of collard leaves.

You just cook the collards a little bit, until theyre wilted, she said.

She likes to steam them about 5 minutes, so they are soft but not limp; at that point, they also are an attractive bright green.

Then she removes the stems and halves or quarters the leaves, depending on their size.

She said its important to keep the collards damp. If they dry out, they wont roll nicely. If shes not immediately ready to fill and roll them, she covers them with a damp cloth.

Though the roll-ups can be made ahead, they need to be tightly wrapped to keep them moist until serving time. These are served cold or room temperature  and certain to be a conversation piece at a holiday party.

I got to thinking about Greek stuffed grape leaves, Moose said in explaining how she came up with the idea for the roll-ups. My husband doesnt like collards, so I was thinking of a way that he would eat them.

Next, Moose demonstrated a different kind of dressing to accompany next years Thanksgiving turkey.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, there are two constants: gravy and dressing, she said.

She makes dressing, not stuffing.

I dont stuff. I dont want anything inside my turkey, she said. This is something different to serve as a side dish.

The dressing is quick and easy because its cooked on the stove, which also frees up oven space. Once the rice is cooked, the dressing can be finished in the time the turkey rests on the counter before carving.

Cajun dressings usually have a lot of meat, Moose said. I cut it back so I use just oysters and chicken livers (in modest amounts). I kept the chicken livers because I think they give it an earthy flavor without having a lot of meat.

Finally, Moose talked about one of her favorite desserts. She says shes not much for baking and desserts, but she loves the recipe for buttermilk pound cake that she got from her friend Jan Norris, who in turn got it from her mother.

Jan says her mom carried this cake to every event she can remember, Moose wrote in the book Buttermilk.

In other words, this is a tried-and-true recipe.

Moose likes it for a couple of reasons. Its so incredibly moist, she said.

It also freezes well, so she often makes one ahead to have ready at a moments notice.

That can be a big advantage when cooking a lot for a holiday dinner or party.

The cake is so good by itself that it doesnt need icing, but Moose demonstrated a recipe for lemon glaze for those who like their cakes sweeter.

You can serve it as it is, or with the glaze. It also makes a good base for a trifle, she said. Sometimes if I dont make the lemon glaze, Ill put the grated rind in the batter before I bake it.

Moose said she hopes these recipes can make life a little easier  and maybe a little tastier  this holiday season.

Cooking for the holidays can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it, she said.

The thing is to do what you enjoy.
Ucoms mobile customers will benefit from the best internet roaming rate of 8 AMD/MB when travelling to Georgia, Egypt or the UAE

Ameriabank Launches Google Pay and Google Wallet Support for Card Users in Armenia

Karen Vardanyan donated 112 million drams for the medical equipment for National Center for Infectious Diseases.

UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS

Google Ad

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Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum

Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom

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STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

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PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Google Ad

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

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
Updated at 9:16 a.m.

The woman in the photo that FBI believed may have shown Mariah Kay Woods has come forward to say that that is not the missing girl.

Jetta Long, 23, of Newport, told WCTI that the girl in the photo is her daughter.

The FBI has released surveillance photos that it believes may show missing 3-year-old Mariah Kay Woods from Jacksonville.

The photos were captured in a Walmart in Morehead City around 9:30 a.m. Monday, according to WCNC.

Woods has been missing since late Sunday evening.

Anyone with information on the woman and child pictured is asked to call the Onslow County Sheriff's Office at 910-455-3313.

JACKSONVILLE  The biological father of a 3-year-old North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home says he doesn't think his daughter was kidnapped.

Alex Woods told WCTI-TV in New Bern in an interview Tuesday he didn't know Mariah Kay Woods was missing until an Amber Alert was issued Monday.

Kristy Woods, the girl's mother, told authorities she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her at their home near Jacksonville. Woods said she called authorities around 6 a.m. Monday when she noticed Mariah was missing.

Alex Woods says he can't believe someone could walk into the house and grab a 3-year-old out of her bed without her crying out or screaming. He says two adults and two other children were in the house and someone should have heard something.

The FBI joined the search Tuesday.

___

7:30 a.m.

Authorities have stepped up the search for a North Carolina girl who disappeared from her home.

Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller told news outlets that investigators need a break in their search for 3-year-old Mariah Kay Woods, who was reported missing from her home about 6 a.m. Monday.

A statewide Amber Alert has been issued for Mariah.

Kristy Woods told WITN-TV in Greenville that she last saw Mariah about 11 p.m. Sunday when she checked on her. She said her boyfriend saw the child about midnight when she got up and he told her to go back to bed. Once they realized she was missing, the couple said they called authorities.

The home is just west of Jacksonville and Marine Corps Air Station New River.
WASHINGTON  Connecticuts Democratic senators are helping to man the barricades against the GOP tax bill, which moved to the Senate floor on Tuesday and could get a vote this week depending on whether Republicans can count the 50 votes needed for passage.

But neither Sens. Richard Blumenthal nor Chris Murphy are sure their side can block approval, which would move it closer to President Trumps desk since the House approved its version two weeks ago.

Its a bait and switch bill, said Blumenthal. But I think (Republican Senate leaders) will leave no horse-trading and deal-making undone to achieve this bill because its the only accomplishment they will have for the entire year.

The bill passed the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday on a party-line vote of 12-11. It now goes to the Senate floor where it could be approved before the end of the week.

For Republicans, the key is whether they have 50 votes with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaker.

With the Senate divided 52-48 in favor of Republicans and all 46 Democrats and two independents in opposition, the GOP can only afford to lose two votes.

One Republican, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said he could not support the bill as presently written. But another Republican opponent, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., voted for the bill in the Senate Budget Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters that rounding up the necessary 50 votes was a challenging exercise, like solving a Rubiks Cube.

The Senate bill would lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent and double the exemption level on the estate tax to almost $11 million for married couples.

And in an effort to fit the bill within its self-imposed cost limit of $1.5 trillion over 10 years, Senate Republicans propose ending the Obamacare requirement that all must have health insurance. Also, individual tax cuts would sunset in 2025 while business tax breaks would remain permanent.

Trump and Republican lawmakers argue the bill would unleash business investment and productivity, leading to large-scale economic growth that would produce an uptick in jobs and tax revenues.

Democrats counter that the bill is a giveaway to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. In Connecticut, the loss or limits on the state-and-local tax (SALT) deduction are viewed by Democrats as hurtful to the states economy and budget.

In Connecticut, according to IRS data culled by the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, 38 percent of tax returns in 2015 claimed the SALT income-tax deduction  rising to 87 percent for households earning between $100,000 and $200,000. In the U.S. overall, just 22 percent of tax filers claimed the deduction.

Property tax deductions in Connecticut paralleled those for income  37 percent of returns filed for it. Overall in the U.S., 25 percent of returns claimed the property tax deduction.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office on Sunday concluded that over the course of a decade, the Senate bill would be a loser for those earning under $70,000 while millionaires and those earning between $100,000 and $500,000 would benefit.

This is such a terrible piece of legislation, cobbled together in really stupefying way, said Murphy. What weve seen is things done in this slipshod manner tend to fall apart. But I sense desperation (among Republicans), so I dont know how it will play out.
This may seem like a ridiculous question, but its one many businesspeople should ask as popular communication tools such as Slack and WhatsApp blur the line between messaging and social media.

Both apps' annoying habit of making it difficult to opt out of group-chat notifications seems like a minor complaint -- or what Quartz recently referred to as a "design flaw." But it's a symptom of a greater problem plaguing the digital age: the problem of messaging etiquette.

Related: 7 Ways to Break Bad High-Tech Habits

Certainly, thorny questions such as whether to turn on "read receipts" or deciding which emoji to use can cause plenty of trouble in the personal realm. But etiquette has become an issue as well for startups and entrepreneurs that want to use digital communication platforms to elevate their customer service.

In fact, messaging mistakes can be more than a little awkward -- causing fraught service, a bad marketplace reputation and, ultimately, damage to customer relations.

The ecstasy of messaging for startups

Messaging presents a huge opportunity for customer-facing startups. Traditional voice or video solutions require real-time interactions and are limited to only one mode of communication. Messaging, on the other hand, appears to allow businesses to assist customers on a lower-pressure scale, where immediate responses are not required and customers don't have to sit and wait for a response.

In addition, messaging presents a variety of multimedia possibilities. Text, voice, video and pictures all become options, enhancing the ways startups can interact with and respond to customers in a single platform. With customers seeking deeper experiences these days, this dynamic interaction is essential to a startup's viability and growth.

And the problem is that despite the advantages these vehicles offer for communication, messaging comes with a variety of logistical and etiquette complications that many people -- and startups -- don't know how to handle.

Related: Technology Trends That Will Shape 2017 and Boost Your Company's UX

To :) or not to :)

Because messaging as a business tool is still a relatively new medium, there is little agreement on what tools to use and how people should properly use them. But this problem of protocol isn't new. In the early days of early instant messaging platforms like AOL's and MSN's, every application was its own silo, with little collaboration and no universal communication standards.

Now, instead of AIM and MSN, we have WhatsApp and iMessage, or Slack and HipChat. These messaging platforms create more streamlined and mobile forms of communication, and trafficking in writing is no longer a niche market -- it's ubiquitous. Still, startups and entrepreneurs who embrace this shift are forced to navigate these diverse platforms and the potential miscommunication pitfalls inherent to each.

Even using something as standard and simple as emojis can be controversial (just witness the debate about where the cheese belongs on a burger). Not only can emojis look different depending on the platform, but they connote different things to different people. According to a study from the University of Amsterdam, for example, a person who uses emojis in a business context may inadvertently signal to others that he's less competent than his non-emoji-using colleagues (though I personally doubt that :)).

How to navigate messaging's etiquette minefield

Ideally, businesses and customers would unify and standardize messaging protocols, but this has yet to happen, leaving open interpretation and increasing the potential for digital faux pas. But startups can implement a few strategies when interacting with customers to sidestep the most egregious etiquette mistakes while capitalizing on everything messaging has to offer.

1. Don't stick to the script.

While it's important to make sure team members have a guide for handling customer service calls, that shouldn't mean distributing a thick binder dictating what to say for various scenarios.

Customers can easily differentiate between someone robotically regurgitating a script and someone being genuine. And it's not surprising to learn that, according to a survey from Software Advice, 69 percent of customers polled preferred customer-service experiences that don't come with a script. Essentially, the age-old fluid approach that governs in-person contact should carry over to the digital realm, where messaging is tailored to the individual and his or her needs.

2. Actually listen and engage.

Listening to your customers may seem like an obvious step, but messaging requires a type of active listening that many people aren't seasoned in. Because messaging is inherently less personal than a phone call or in-person interaction, startups need to make more of an effort to highlight listening and to engage with their customers.

At my company, I've noticed that our customers tend to fall into one of two categories: One is "I just want to be heard," and the other is "I need a collaborative and creative brainstorming session to help solve my problem." In both cases, active listening helps my employees understand our customers and their stories and better accommodate their needs.

Beyond the act of listening, startups need to figure out how to funnel customers to the right listeners. Messaging often gives people the impression that they're communicating "informally" with the whole business, while in reality they may be interacting with a company (even a newer one) that has many layers and densities.

This tendency creates expectations for how businesses should listen, as customers expect a more human approach. Thus, startups need to deploy a sophisticated back-end messaging service that connects each session to the right person within the company while simultaneously maintaining customer continuity.

3. Watch that tone.

One of the biggest challenges of text-based communications is using the proper tone. According to a famous study on nonverbal communication, by Albert Mehrabian and Susan Ferris, the actual words spoken during a conversation are often the least important factor when it comes to communicating. The factors that carry more weight? Body language and vocal tone.

Because text strips out both of these factors and leaves only words, writers must carefully monitor their diction to minimize misinterpretation. Coca-Cola, for instance, approaches every work email like a professional letter, 1) using proper punctuation; 2) not overemphasizing statements or words via all caps or unnecessary exclamations; and 3) implementing a proper greeting and signature.

Startups and entrepreneurs should encourage their people to take a similar approach to messaging, because while the medium is imbued with an inherent degree of informality, a conversation with a colleague, customer or client should still be treated as a professional interaction.

At its heart, a successful messaging strategy embodies attention and meticulousness. Between strangers -- the situation in many customer-business interactions -- messaging is best used for coordination, reporting, exchange of information and simple interactions. And, when a challenging situation does arise during a messaging session, the lead participant must recognize when it's time to try something else.

Related: Is Your Customer Service Department Prepared for Today's Consumers?

In such cases, switching to voice or videoconferencing in order to really listen to the customer can provide service with a more human touch. In short, good messaging can be a highly effective form of communication, so long as startups learn not to shrug off -- \_(?)_/ -- strong etiquette practices.

Related:

Next Time You Want to :) a Customer, Think Twice

#4 Go-to Apps to Boost Your Company's Internal Communication

Why Chatbots Are Failing to Strike a Conversation



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Earlier this year, The Japan Times reported that three Japanese companies had introduced strikingly different anti-smoking measures. I predict that one of the strategies will work better than the others because it harnesses human "selfishness" more effectively. The case illustrates why encouraging selfishness can align the interests of employees and employers.

Related: Want to Get Ahead at Work? Be Selfish!

Goldilocks and the three anti-smoking policies

One of the Japanese companies, the convenience store chain Lawson Inc., introduced an all-day ban on smoking. There's no penalty for violating the ban or reward for complying, but the company's PR officer said Lawson is "willing to take an even tougher anti-smoking measure in the future." The comment suggests that the policy is lacking, and a more coercive version is on the way.

The second company, Sompo Japan Nippon Kowa Himawari Life Insurance Inc., also implemented an all-day smoking ban. It tried to smooth over the ban with subsidies for "tobacco cessation" programs. It's an appeal to reason rather than selfishness. Sompo thinks that if it makes these programs inexpensive or free, rational people will participate and obey the policy. But, smoking isn't rational behavior. Sompo is offering the removal of a voluntary cost, not a tangible reward.

The third company, an online marketing firm called Piala, offered six additional vacation days to non-smokers. CEO Takao Asuka reasoned that smokers take frequent breaks and therefore work fewer hours than non-smokers. The incentive sends a message: You choose how you spend your free time. You can spend it smoking, or you can spend it on vacation.

Related: The Selfish Reason You Should Be Extremely Generous

Irrationality and instant gratification

Piala made the employee's self-interest good for the company. That works better than empty coercion or appeals to reason because human beings struggle to make decisions rationally. Behavioral economists have been telling us that since the 1970s.

If people were rational economic actors, no one would smoke in the first place. What smoker wants to spend an extra $1.1 to $2.3 million over a lifetime and die prematurely?

The behavioral economics concept of temporal discounting illustrates why Piala's strategy could reverse that irrational behavior. Researchers find that we place a higher value on immediate rewards than distant rewards, even if the distant rewards are of objectively greater worth. That tendency, compounded with addiction, means smokers are more likely to seek the immediate gratification of nicotine than the long-term payoffs of quitting.

By offering the short-term reward of extra vacation days, Piala challenged the immediate allure of nicotine. Its anti-smoking program could be even more effective if employees earned vacation days gradually as they take fewer smoking breaks.

Related: Being a 'Boss' Entrepreneur Doesn't Mean You Have to Be Selfish

The taboo on selfishness

Clearly selfishness can help people overcome destructive tendencies, but the word selfishness has an image problem. For example, Merriam-Webster defines selfish as "arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others." Modern definitions imply that an action is only selfish if it causes harm to others.

That wasn't always the case. In her book The Virtue of Selfishness, philosopher Ayn Rand notes that the "dictionary definition of the word 'selfishness' is: concern with one's own interests. This concept does not include a moral evaluation; it does not tell us whether concern with one's own interests is good or evil ... "

Over time, our culture has attached evil connotations to selfishness. However, when we reframe "encouraging selfishness" with "offering incentives," it becomes more palatable. We say that the salesperson earning a 30 percent commission has "strong incentives" to sell. The incentive works because it taps into selfishness, a part of human nature we should embrace rather than shun.

Leaders who feel uncomfortable with encouraging selfishness and materialism might turn to gamification instead. Piala could reward non-smokers with points and badges instead of vacation days, right? The problem is that games must convince players that a point or badge has inherent value. That's a much tougher sell. Who needs convincing that vacation days and money have value?

Related: 10 Ways to Make Your Employees 10x More Productive

A tool, not a judgment

Selfishness is more trustworthy, more dependable and more resistant to irrationality than coercion or reason. That said, we need laws and policies to ensure people don't harm others in the pursuit of self-interest. Selfishness needs guardrails.

Piala's anti-smoking incentive is brilliant because it's immune to unethical behavior. Unless you can cheat nicotine tests (unlikely), you can't abuse that incentive.

Leaders who demonize selfishness miss opportunities to change behaviors that harm individuals and the companies they work for. If selfishness can curb smoking, it can also change spending habits, reduce smartphone abuse, encourage high performance and accomplish much more.

Selfishness without cultural baggage is a virtuous and powerful tool. Use it to bring out the best in human nature.

Related Video: Why Do You Hate Selling? Because You're Being Selfish.

Related:

Why You Should Encourage Employees to Be 'Selfish'

Why Reducing Employee Healthcare Isn't Saving You Money

6 Signs Your Employees Hate Working For You



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


No shortage of eggs in country

The RA Ministry of Agriculture reports that there is no shortage of eggs in the country, and in the near future the former price level will be restored in the market. According to the data of the Poultry Farmer Union of Armenia, after the first week of December, the amount of local eggs will grow substantially, with a daily production of 2700 boxes, while the average daily consumption is only 2200 boxes, which will provide the full pre-holiday demand of the population. According to experts' analysis, local production in November has dropped due to the impossibility of importing incubator eggs because of the quarantine declared in 2017. The situation has led to the rise in prices for eggs in the market. According to the results of the monitoring conducted by the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition, the average price of egg sold at dominant commercial networks varies from 65 to 70 drams. In comparison with the previous months, a 2-3 drams' increase was observed. For the purpose of filling the gap in the market, industrial egg producers are currently importing eggs from Russia. Parallel to the increase in the amount of the local egg production, prices will stabilize, coming back to the previous level. The RA Ministry of Agriculture, the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition and the Poultry Farmer Union of Armenia conduct monitoring in the market, the RA Ministry of Agriculture and Public Relations Department report.
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Haiti - Security : Dismantling of a gang of thieves in Petion-ville





Monday, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) has announced the arrest on Sunday evening at Pelerin 5 (Petion-ville), of 4 individuals suspected of being members of a gang specialized in burglaries, they are according to the police : Gethro Augustin, Marie Pierre Telfort, Lifaite Frances, Christelle Montlouis, the wife of Marc Naly Georges William, the presumed Head of this Gang, fugitive and actively sought after.



The crackdown follows a spinning operation conducted by the police in the neighborhoods of Thomassin, Laboule and Fermathe where operated this Gang.



Following this arrest, the perpetrators led the police to the cache where they stored among other things their booty. Many stolen objects, works of art, jewelry, weapons and equipment used to carry out their burglaries were found.



Inspector Gary Desrosiers, deputy spokesperson of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), said, "We found 17 large and high-value paintings and 13 smaller ones. We recovered several watches and a lot of jewelry, cell phones, 6 pistols, a 12-gauge rifle, magazines and ammunition of various calibres [...]"



People claiming ownership of these stolen items have already appeared and the police will start the verification of identities and other evidence, to determine the owners of the stolen goods.



Last minute : The police would have put their hands on Mc Nally, the alleged leader of the Gang.



TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politic : Corruption, the State at the foot of the wall !





Tuesday, the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), together with the European Union and the Office of the National Authorizing Officer, organized a presentation of four documents aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption. These are 2 technical and practical guides to the law of 12 March 2014 on the prevention and repression of corruption, a manual of procedures and investigation techniques and the new system of declaration of assets.



Charles Jean Jacques the National Authorizing Officer for the European Union said "Despite the many efforts made, I would like to point out that corruption continues to represent one of the main challenges for the Haitian State and efforts must be redoubled in order to stem this phenomenon.



The weakness of the legal and judicial system and the prevalence of the culture of impunity can not be the sole causes of this scourge. Efforts must be made in formulating public policies that must be relevant and credible."





During his speech, Ambassador Vincent Degert, Resident Representative of the European Union (EU) in Haiti said "Faced the corruption, there are finally 2 possible options: Dodge the problem, avoid this disturbing subject or face it seriously from inside the system. The European Union has chosen the second option."



"It is only by resolutely engaging in the path of radical change that Haiti can hope to gradually climb the scale that painfully places the country to the rank 159 out of 76, at the level of the world index of perception of corruption [...]" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19908-haiti-economy-corruption-haiti-poorly-rated.html



Note that Susan D. Page the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Support of Justice in Haiti (Minujusth) reacting recently on the fight against corruption in Haiti had declared while Note that Susan D. Page the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission for the Support of Justice in Haiti (Minujusth) reacting recently on the fight against corruption in Haiti [...] I will take them at the word, but I will also help them if really that's what they want [...] This is an old problem that Haitians have to solve themselves. We are there in support, not to make [...] They must have the good political will to do it."



Note that in this presentation in addition to representatives of the Civil Society, no representative of the 3 powers of the State was present...



HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Petit-Goave : Act of vandalism at EFACAP





On Tuesday, unidentified individuals punctured the tires of Milien William's vehicle, the Director of the Fundamental School of Application and Pedagogical Support Center (EFACAP) of Petit-Goave, on the courtyard of the institution.



Furious, the students of the third cycle as a sign of protest closed the doors of EFACAP, claiming to be victims of the strike movement started on 5 October 2017 by the teachers of the 3rd cycle, who claim the payment of their salary arrears... Today, the crisis has reached its peak and the 3 cycles of EFACAP of Petit-Goave no longer work.



Tuesday parents joined the protests of the students and made threats against Director William on the school yard...



On the same day Yvener Desrosiers, Director of the EFA and Milien William the Director of EFACAP, presented themselves at the Petit-Goave Public Prosecutor's Office to respond to the invitation of the new Substitute Pierre Eliott Paul on the crisis in their establishment.



In addition, the Director Desrosiers must present himself again next Monday at the Public Prosecutor's Office to respond to the invitation of Professor Andes Duval who took the opportunity to solicit in a letter addressed to the Ministry of National Education, his transfer to another High School from the Palmes region.



IH/ iciHaiti / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave)






















Haiti - FLASH : Students of Maranatha Evangelical College in post-traumatic stress





Tuesday, following the anti-gang operation of November 13, in the area of Avenue Bolosse, near Martissant, which killed at least 7 civilians including a guardian and a teacher of "Maranatha Evangelical College" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22728-haiti-security-the-ministry-deplores-the-bloody-incident-at-evangelical-college-maranatha.html as well as 2 agents of the Departmental Unit of Maintenance of Order (UDMO) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22702-haiti-security-2-udmo-agents-fall-under-the-bullets.html ; Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, the Minister of National Education paid a visit of solidarity and evaluation to the Evangelical College of Maranatha on 4th Avenue in Bolosse.



Supporting the school staff and students, assessing the extent of the damage and helping them to consider were the main objectives of the Minister's visit, which was able to personally assess the trauma state of the students, especially toddlers, through their reactions and questions asked.



Most of the students remain affected by this violent event, others have not yet returned to school and some children refuse to go to the classroom without the permanent presence of a loved one...



After assessing the situation, Minister Cadet promised to provide psychosocial support to teachers and students to help them get rid of post-traumatic stress. In addition, he is waiting for the damage report for financial support to replace the destroyed or stolen equipment in the classrooms, the library and the computer lab, while the school was vandalized and looted during the police operation...



During his visit, Minister Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet was accompanied by Senators Jean Renel Cenatus, Dieupie Cherubin, of Deputy Pierre Julien Fequiere; in the company of Pastor Sylvain Exantus, President of the Protestant Federation of Haiti, Jean Bilda Robert Pastor, Vice President of the Union of Evangelical Baptist Haiti (UEBH) and Me Osner Fevry, one of the lawyers of the Evangelical Union.



He deplored once again that a school, a sanctuary for the training of young people, is the scene of events as bloody as those of November 13, while inviting each actor to work for a society, respectful of the values of respect on the other, solidarity and tolerance https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22728-haiti-security-the-ministry-deplores-the-bloody-incident-at-evangelical-college-maranatha.html



The Minister expressed his sympathies to the students and the staff of the school by inviting them to continue the work of education.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22728-haiti-security-the-ministry-deplores-the-bloody-incident-at-evangelical-college-maranatha.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22702-haiti-security-2-udmo-agents-fall-under-the-bullets.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Nikol Pashinyan: Serzh Sargsyan has decided to attach the Government in 2018 (video)

"At this time we will recapture some of the Soviet Union's sayings, the most famous of them and seasonal is "There is no lemon, mandarin, I condemn such New Year", Nikol Pashinyan began his speech at the discussion of the draft, suggested by the Yelk (Way Out), on the process of withdrawal from the EAEU, at the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs today. - For importing 5 kg mandarin from Georgia, 4 kg papers must be attached, and this is the EAUA's recent achievement. Of course, we have a free trade agreement with Georgia and can import not only 5, but even 6, 7, 8 kg of mandarin, but for that you need phytosanitary, nuclear, chemical, biological and many other references. In other words, when a person wants to buy mandarins with 1000 drams, he has to spend 5000 drams: go to Tbilisi, get the phytosanitary paper and return to Armenia." Nikol Pashinyan said that Serzh Sargsyan had decided to attack the Government in 2018, and this was why the document was signed with the EU. Details are available in the video
Newly appointed Brazil Ambassador hands credentials

Today, newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Brazil to the Republic of Armenia Agemar de Mendonca Sanctos presented his credentials to Serzh Sargsyan. Congratulating the Ambassador on his appointment, Serzh Sargsyan considered it emblematic that he was assuming the office in the 25th year of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which is a good opportunity to summarize the quarter-century-old interstate relations and outline new opportunities and prospects for development. Serzh Sargsyan expressed the hope that the Ambassador would make a weighty contribution to the development of Armenian-Brazilian ties and stressed the need for doing consistent work toward the implementation of the agreements reached during Foreign Minister Aloiso Nunes Ferreras recent official visit to Armenia. The interlocutors agreed that the existing great potential for strengthening the Armenian-Brazilian ties and expanding cooperation in different spheres is not yet fully used and there is considerable work to be done in that direction. Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the role of the Armenian community in Brazil as a natural bridge on the way to building on the bilateral relations. Ambassador Sanctos assured that he would spare no effort to promote the friendly relations between Armenia and Brazil. He noted that while visiting Armenia as part of the Brazilian Foreign Minister-led delegation, he had already made an idea of the most important areas of cooperation. Among the proposed activities, the Ambassador highlighted the efforts aimed at raising awareness of Armenia in his country. Serzh Sargsyan and the Ambassador of Brazil stressed the need for boosting inter-parliamentary contacts and bolstering the activity of friendly groups established in the parliaments of the two countries.
Challengers respond in latest travel-ban dispute

by Amy Howe, Scotus Blog, November 28, 2017

Challengers in Hawaii and Maryland responded today to the governments request to have the Supreme Court intervene in the ongoing litigation over President Donald Trumps effort to restrict travel to the United States by nationals from certain countries, often known as the travel ban. The challengers urged the justices to stay out of the dispute for now, with Hawaii stressing that the court had already considered and rejected a stay request indistinguishable from the one the Government now presses.

The challenges now before the Supreme Court center on the presidents September 24 proclamation, which restricted the entry into the United States of nationals from eight countries  Iran, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Syria (all of which were covered by an earlier order, issued on March 6), along with North Korea, Venezuela and Chad (which were not covered by the March 6 order). After a federal judge in Hawaii blocked the government from enforcing the September 24 order, the federal government went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which allowed part of the order to go into effect pending appeal. However, the 9th Circuit barred the government from enforcing the order as to nationals of affected countries who can claim to have a genuine relationship with a person or institution in the United States. And in a parallel proceeding in federal court in Maryland, another judge imposed a freeze similar to the 9th Circuits; last week the government asked the Supreme Court to block that ruling as well while the government appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

In its filing today, Hawaii reminded the justices that the scope of the 9th Circuits order is identical to the one that the justices themselves imposed last summer, after announcing that they would review the challenges to the March 6 order. But with the replacement of the March 6 order by the September 24 order, the rationale for the dramatic relief that the government is now seeking has only weakened, particularly because  unlike the March 6 order  the latest order applies indefinitely. Moreover, Hawaii adds, the September 24 order suffers from all of the same flaws as the earlier order: It is inconsistent with federal immigration law, the scope of presidential powers and the Constitution.

The challengers in the Maryland case echoed Hawaiis arguments. When it prohibited the government from enforcing the March 6 order against individuals with genuine ties to the United States, the Supreme Court explicitly recognized what the government again ignores here: the palpable harms that these bans visit on the plaintiffs and others similarly situated. The harms are even more grave here, the challengers contended, because the September 24 order applies indefinitely. By contrast, nothing has changed on the governments side.

The federal government will likely file its response to todays briefs soon. The justices could act on the governments request as early as this week. Oral arguments in the 9th and 4th Circuit appeals are scheduled for early December, with decisions in those courts likely before the end of the year.
MONSANTO EARNS THE 2017 HAWAIIS BEST WORKPLACE, LARGE CATEGORY AWARD FROM PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS

From MosantoHawaii.com, November 20, 2017

Monsanto has been named the 2017 Hawaiis Best Workplace in the large, 100 plus employees category, by Pacific Business News. Every year, Pacific Business News honors local companies for their workplace excellence. This year, 125 companies were nominated and of the seven organizations that made the large category list of finalists, Monsanto took first place, scoring an impressive 91.6 percent.

As a proud member of Hawaiis agriculture community for 50 years, we are honored to receive this recognition, said Dan Clegg, Hawaii business operations lead for Monsanto Hawaii. Congratulations to all of our Monsanto employees across Hawaii. Our success as a company is a reflection of their hard work and dedication.

Monsanto provides competitive rewards and benefits to attract and retain the best talent and foster a sense of ownership in the company. By offering highly competitive benefits, including flexible health and retirement packages, employees can choose the benefits that best fit their needs. Monsanto also offers personal development assistance, THRIVE for life (a wellness program that offers monetary rewards for meeting well-being goals), an employee bonus program, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, auto and homeowners/renters insurance, adoption assistance, a generous vacation schedule, and unique family-friendly programs to help employees keep the right balance of work and family life.

Monsanto Hawaii employs approximately 800 residents statewide, including full-time employees and seasonal workers. Many of the jobs that Monsanto Hawaii offers are well paying positions that provide opportunities for local college graduates to remain in Hawaii and pursue meaningful careers.

Pacific Business News partnered with Quantum Workforce, a national research firm, who collected and analyzed data from workers throughout Hawaii. Winners and finalists were determined based on the results of a confidential employee survey.

In addition, Monsanto Company was recently recognized by Science Magazine as one of the worlds top science employers, ranking No. 18 on its 2017 Science and Science Careers Annual Top Employer Survey. This is the 11th consecutive year that Monsanto has made the list.
This is particularly evident in the company's Hack Days, where employees step away from their regular roles to brainstorm ideas, according to Jane Coe, group director, people & culture at TechnologyOne.

Hack Days involve employees at TechnologyOne setting aside their to-do list and collectively brainstorming innovative solutions for the company.



Hack Days are all about thinking outside the box. Team members are encouraged to identify ideas or projects theyre passionate about, and bring those projects to fruition," said Coe.



From new software features and functionality to improved website design, nothing is off limits  providing its related to TechnologyOne.



Coe added that projects can be of a technical nature - like a new feature, prototype or new piece of functionality, a new way to design software, store data or a bug fix.



Alternatively, our people are encouraged to work on something more business-related, such as a new design for our website, a new piece of training material, or a change to a business process such as booking a flight or reconciling expenses, said Coe.



Hack Days provides an opportunity for our people to break down traditional silos and work on projects that are outside their normal day-to-day work.



They enable us to showcase some of our emerging leaders, by giving our people the freedom to lead outside a traditional organisational structure.



All parts of the business are encouraged to participate in Hack Days, regardless of which team or region they are in.



Some of the innovations that have come out of Hack Days have truly transformed the way TechnologyOne operates and have made their customers lives simpler, according to Coe.



Hack Days allow our people the opportunity to improve TechnologyOne operations and the opportunity to win first, second or third prize by staff vote, said Coe.



There may also be additional awards decided by the company, including an award for an individual or team who has taken their idea into production. Hack Day winners get recognition and kudos from their peers.



Giving people an opportunity to have a voice at the table has paid off.



Coe said some of the great initiatives that have emerged from previous Hack Days include more streamlined recruitment processes and a formal awards program to recognise star team members who deliver compelling customer experiences.
Identification of the poor performance;

Discussion of the identified issues of poor performance and the next steps that will be taken;

Development of a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), with agreed outcomes and timeframes; and

Regular meetings to review agreed outcomes.

In Mac v Bank of Queensland Limited and Others [2015] FWC 774 (Mac), the FWC considered an Application for stop bullying orders (the Application) lodged by an employee who made allegations of bullying conduct relating to the employers decision to place her on a PIP and the PIP process.



After considering the evidence, VP Hatcher concluded that the decision to place the employee on the PIP and the manner in which it was implemented was not unreasonable. VP Hatcher held that the employer had identified and documented shortcomings in the employees performance over a period of time, that the employer was entitled to take action to improve the employees performance and that the PIP process was the standard way that this was done in the employers business.



Importantly, VP Hatcher held that the employee had failed to demonstrate that the introduction of the PIP lacked any justification such that it would be considered unreasonable in all of the circumstances. Accordingly, VP Hatcher dismissed the Application.



Similarly, the commencement of disciplinary action and the steps in the disciplinary process must also be reasonable. Some of the factors the FWC may consider in determining whether disciplinary action is reasonable and carried out in a reasonable manner include, whether there was a valid reason for the action (i.e. sound, defensible and well founded and not capricious, fanciful, spiteful or prejudiced) and where procedural and substantive fairness is afforded to the employee.



For example, in the recent decision in Burbeck v Alice Springs Town Council; Davison; Price; Fisher [2017] FWC 4988, the FWC took issue with some of Councils actions, including the commencement of disciplinary action against the employee for a very low level breach of the Code of Conduct and the issuing of an allegations letter containing historical matters that looked to to be a process on the part of the Council to trawl for matters to hold against the employee. These actions were held to be unreasonable conduct and not reasonable management actions taken in a reasonable manner.



Disciplinary action in circumstances where it is not warranted or proportionate to the alleged conduct has also been held by the FWC not to be reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner.



In Willis v Gibson; Capital Radiology Pty Ltd T/A Capital Radiology; Carroll [2015] FWC 1131, Commissioner Lewin dismissed a jurisdictional objection by the employer who submitted that its actions in initiating a disciplinary process should be characterised as reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner and that the application for a stop bullying order should be dismissed.



Commissioner Lewin commented that in his view:



a requirement for relevant management action to be reasonable is that there must be some line of cause and effect between conduct, behaviour or performance of an employee, and the relevant management action, and that the management action is a reasonable and proportionate response to the attributes of the employee to which it is directed.



In this matter, the employer relied upon a letter issued to the employee headed Disciplinary Process, which contained allegations relating to the employees performance and conduct. After considering the evidence, Commissioner Lewin was not satisfied that there was a causal link between the employees performance and conduct that warranted disciplinary action by the employer such that the disciplinary action was reasonable. Commissioner Lewin noted that as disciplinary action involved a threat to the security of continuing employment, [m]anagement action will not be taken reasonably where it places an employee under pressure when the action is not commensurate with the behaviour that is the basis of the disciplinary action.



To manage claims arising from performance management and disciplinary circumstances, it is important for employers to ensure that processes are in place and that managers and supervisors undertake training in how to best manage underperforming employees and the disciplinary process.



This is part two of a series of articles on bullying by Shane Koelmeyer of Workplace Law. To read part one, click here.
(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Oyster Bay, New York, and its former top elected official with defrauding investors in the towns municipal securities offerings by hiding the existence and potential financial impact of side deals with a businessman who owned and operated restaurants and concession stands at several town facilities.

According to the SECs complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Oyster Bay agreed several years ago to indirectly guarantee four separate private loans to the vendor totaling more than $20 million. The agreement to indirectly guarantee the debts allegedly stemmed from the concessionaires longstanding close relationship with then-town supervisor John Venditto and other officials that involved gifts, bribes, kickbacks, and political support.

The SECs complaint alleges that Oyster Bay and Venditto deliberately concealed the indirect loan guarantees when they should have been disclosed in connection with the towns 26 securities offerings from August 2010 to December 2015. According to the complaint, this information was material to current and prospective investors due to the potential impact on the towns finances. For example, in one scenario outlined in the SECs complaint, the town could have been required to make a termination payment of approximately $16 million (approximately 16 percent of the towns operating budget) within 60 days had the vendor defaulted on the loans.

As alleged in our complaint, Oyster Bay and its most senior elected official concealed from its municipal investors that the town had gone to great lengths and taken on financial risk in an unusual decision to assist a vendor. Investors were deprived of information they needed to understand the towns true financial condition as they made investment decisions, said Sanjay Wadhwa, Senior Associate Director of the SECs New York Regional Office.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York today filed a superseding indictment that included securities fraud charges against Venditto.
Armenia Digital Agenda - 2030 Long-Term Strategy Presented

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan chaired a consultative meeting to discuss issues related to the digital agenda of Armenia. A draft long-term strategic document, referred to as Armenia Digital Agenda  2030, developed by the Center for Strategic Initiatives, was presented during the meeting. The developers have explored the possibility for implementing digitization reforms in 6 key areas: infrastructure; digital management; digital transformation of the private sector; promotion of digital skills; development of the institutional system and cyber security. Reform visions and specific targets have been set for each individual area. New initiatives in the field of digital technology have been proposed, with the main objective being to provide access to modern technologies not only in Yerevan, but also in the provinces, as well as digitizing services and ensuring continued technological development nationwide. During the exchange of opinions that followed, a number of issues related to the implementation of the Agenda were discussed, including the formation of a relevant business model as part of Digital Transformation. In this context, the speakers touched upon the possibility for attracting investment and cooperating with Armenian ICT companies. Reference was also made to the need for ensuring equal fiscal conditions for those private companies involved in the process of strategy implementation, elaborating and enforcing additional tools for promoting continued investments in the digital sphere, etc. The Head of Government instructed to involve private sector representatives in the forthcoming discussions and submit an estimate of the amount of investment. Highlighting the development of digital technologies in Armenia, improving e-participation and e-governance, Karen Karapetyan instructed to finalize the Digital Agenda in cooperation with the stakeholders and present a clear-cut action plan, a roadmap and specific measures in January next year.




We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here
Weapons of mass destruction are a threat to safety and well-being all around the world. North Koreas irresponsible policies serve as a good reminder of how great the risks associated with nuclear weapons are, he stated in a speech to the Atlantic Council of Finland on Tuesday.

Weapons of mass destruction are a security threat that puts every other global political challenge into perspective, says Petteri Orpo (NCP), the Minister of Finance.

No stakeholder must lose their patience. The international community must resort to all diplomatic means at its disposal to make progress on the situation.

Orpo estimated that terrorism is nevertheless the foremost threat to global security today. The sustainability of the global security system, meanwhile, is under threat from the re-emergence of power politics in Russia, and the unity of western societies from populist extremism and hybrid influence.

Finland, as a non-aligned country, welcomes closer defence co-operation in the European Union, according to Orpo. The EU, he stressed, is not about to become a defence alliance despite 23 of its member states recently signing a joint notification on deepening defence co-operation within the framework of permanent structured co-operation (Pesco).

It is of utmost importance, however, to consolidate the mutual assistance clause in the Treaty of Lisbon. What use are sound structures, if EU countries are unwilling to assist one another when push comes to shove? he explained.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Markku Ulander  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
The first indication something was amiss on the "Today" show on Wednesday was the absence of Matt Lauer.

Instead, co-host Savannah Guthrie was seated at the anchor desk with Hoda Kotb - and both of them were visibly shaken.

"Hoda's here with me this morning, because this is a sad morning here at 'Today' and at NBC News," Guthrie said, briefly gripping Kotb's hand as they opened the show.

Guthrie then read a memo from NBC News Chairman Andy Lack she said they had received just "moments ago."

"Dear colleagues: On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer," Guthrie read, her voice shaking.

The memo went on to state that the complaint had represented "a clear violation" of company standards, and that Lauer had been terminated after a "serious review."

"While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident," Guthrie read.

When she finished reading the memo, she looked stunned.

"As I'm sure you can imagine, we are devastated and we are still processing all of this," Guthrie said. "And I will tell you right now, we do not know more than what I just shared with you."

Guthrie promised the show would cover the story and share details with viewers as they learned them "in the hours and days to come."

She blinked rapidly as the camera changed to a shot of her and Kotb.

"And Hoda, I mean - you know, for the moment, all we can say is we are heartbroken," Guthrie said, as Kotb nodded. "I'm heartbroken for Matt.

"He is my dear, dear friend and my partner. And he is beloved by many, many people here. And I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell."

Guthrie continued, repeatedly turning to Kotb in apparent shock.

"And we are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these past few weeks: How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? And I don't know the answer to that," Guthrie said. "But I do know that this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it's long overdue, and it must result in workplaces where all women - all people - feel safe and respected."

Kotb then spoke for the first time on Wednesday's show.

She said she agreed with Guthrie that it was the right time for such a cultural sea change - but that they were still in shock.

They had both been awakened with the news before dawn that day, Kotb said.

"This is a very tough morning for both of us. I've known Matt for 15 years, and I've loved him as a friend and as a colleague," Kotb said. "It's hard to reconcile what we are hearing with the man who we know who walks in this building every single day. ... We're trying to process it and trying to make sense of it, and it'll take some time for that."

The opening was followed immediately with a news report on North Korea.

But the specter of Lauer's sudden firing loomed over the rest of the show.

Partway through the show, when Guthrie went to Al Roker for the weather report, Roker seemed just as shellshocked.

"Dealing with the news of our friend of 30 years, and we're all trying to process it," he said, knocking his knuckles on the glass anchor desk as he stood next to Kotb. "We'll deal with it along with you folks, as well."

Then, he walked to the weather wall, saying: "Let's give you a quick look at what's going on as far as our weather is concerned."
HICKORY  During the 2014-15 school year, Hickory Public Schools was classified as a low-performing district because only four out of nine schools had a school performance grade of a C or higher, and only five schools out of the nine met or exceeded growth.

The district turned this around in the 2015-16 school year, coming off the low-performing list, and continued to improve into the 2016-17 school year. The school board celebrated this success by recognizing those schools showing improvement with academic growth awards during Mondays board meeting.

In the 2015-16 school year, Hickory Public Schools (HPS) came out of low-performing status with seven out of nine schools working up to school performance grades of a C or above.

That was a 75 percent increase. We had one more school meet or exceed growth as well, HPS Assistant Superintendent LaRonda Whiteside told the school board. Then last year, 2016-17, we maintained the school performance grade of a C or above, but we increased academic growth from six out of nine to eight out of nine.

School board member Ittiely Carson thanked HPS superintendent Robbie Adell for his leadership through the districts recent growth. Adell then responded by saying the system, just has great principals.

The four schools meeting academic growth for HPS were Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High, Longview Elementary, Viewmont Elementary and Southwest Elementary.

The three schools exceeding academic growth were Jenkins Elementary, Oakwood Elementary and Northview Middle schools.

The recent growth scores came from the states report providing growth and performance data for the 201617 school year based on analysis of all end-of-grade (EOG) tests and end-of-course (EOC) tests, according to the states Department of Public Instruction press release. The tests were aligned to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study in English language arts/reading and mathematics and the essential standards in science, for all district schools and charter schools.

The school board voted to approve the school improvement plans presented at the October meeting for Grandview Middle, Northview Middle, Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High and Hickory High schools.

The board voted to approve Neill Construction Company as the low bidder for the exterior alterations project at Southwest Primary School at the cost of $267,000. It will be completed next summer.

This is for Southwest for them to tear down two existing canopies, the bus entrance canopy and right behind the tower theres a white canopy and tear all the concrete out at the entrance to the school, HPS Facilities and Maintenance Director Adam Huckabee said. Theyll add new concrete and add three new canopies with brick columns and some new curb and gutter and dress up the landscape, just to dress up the front of the school.

Adell reminded the board about the Superintendent Advisory Council this Thursday at Grandview Middle School.

The next HPS school board meeting is Monday, Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m. at Northview Middle School.
Once more, the Burke County Board of Education has found itself with a decision to make on an aging school building.

Cort Architectural Group, SKA Consulting Engineers and McKim & Creed recently performed a thorough evaluation of Rutherford College Elementary School and found a number of building code and Americans with Disabilities Act issues with the building. The suggested cost for renovations in the areas of issue totals more than $5.5 million, though Doug Setzer, the director of the auxiliary services department for Burke County Public Schools, cautioned that total might be conservative since no contingency costs are included in the estimate.

The main portion of the school was built in 1929, with additions in 1950 and 1955 totaling 17,200 square feet. An annex building constructed in 1955 and added on to in 1968 totals 11,000 square feet and the freestanding gymnasium built in 1991 totals 4,200 square feet. The total facility area is 32,300 square feet.

A presentation by the auxiliary services department during Mondays school board work session said, in summary of the building inspection, that while the facility has been well-maintained and served the community well for decades, modifications to the school to ensure long-term safety and use will be extensive.

Stated immediate needs include work to the exits, vertical circulation system, installation of a fire suppression system and replacement of toilet facilities. For the long-term use of the facility, replacement of the boiler, kitchen and electrical systems is necessary.

The need for a decision on renovations at RCES comes five months after the school board decided to close Chesterfield Elementary School and reassign its students.

The more thorough examination of Rutherford College was precipitated by the school systems mandatory five-year facility study and a requested study by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction of the countys oldest school buildings. NCDPI sent a follow-up letter from that study about RCES suggesting the retention of an engineering firm to study the building.

While BCPS Superintendent Larry Putnam was able to give assurance in August there is no imminent danger at the building, the school board now is giving consideration to the buildings short- and long-term feasibility.

Before making a decision, however, the school board wants to hear from the community. Therefore, a public meeting has been scheduled at the school for next Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the gym. That will follow up the school boards regular meeting at 5 p.m. at the Olive Hill Resource Center. Putnam also said he will meet with the staff at RCES to present them the facts before the public meeting.

According to the auxiliary services department report, the following issues exist:

 Currently, aside from plaster walls and ceilings, fire protection of the schools wood framing does not exist. The schools boiler room is located beneath the 1929 portion of the main building and appropriate fire protection to separate that area of the school from the rest of building does not exist. The presence of the boiler system instead of HVAC also is a concern after a boiler overheated at Mull Elementary in 2013.

 The school also does not have a sprinkler system. An NFPA 13-sprinkler system for all interior spaces of the building is needed. The building has smoke detectors, horns and strobe lights and pull boxes throughout, but many of those do not meet ADA mounting heights. It is uncertain if the current fire alarm system would be able to accommodate additional devices.

 For new construction, classrooms must have emergency escape windows no higher than 32 inches above floor level for elementary grades unless a classroom door opens directly to the outside and the building has a sprinkler system. All windows in the main building are 46 inches above floor level and located above the steam radiator system.

 By code, all exits to the building are supposed to discharge at a grade, but fewer than 50 percent of exits at RCES do so. Modifications to these exits will be necessary to meet requirements. Accessibility at the school is a concern as schools with multiple levels are required to have an elevator. However, for access in the main building to the basement cafeteria, an elevator does not exist.

 According to building codes, the schools mechanical system of heating by steam radiators and cooling by window air conditioning units does not provide adequate air exchange for ventilation. The use of steam radiators also does not allow for proper temperature control. The boiler plant needs to be replaced with another plant at another location to meet code. Additionally, the mechanical system needs to be replaced with separate variable air volume package units for each building.

 Existing plumbing fixtures need immediate replacement because they do not meet building codes or ADA requirements. Most of them are galvanized pipe and need to be replaced with copper. Codes require handicap accessible handles for faucets and elongated toilet seats, which are not present at the school. Current bathroom stalls do not meet handicap accessible heights and are considered to be too narrow for good accessibility. Additionally, no floor drains are present in the bathrooms, despite the fact such drains have been in building codes since 1980. Current code requires at least one floor drain for every restroom with two or more flushing fixtures. Currently, the toilets at RCES are not provided with any exhaust ventilation as required by code.

 The school currently has an electrical system with about half the capacity of a typical school. The limitations of the electrical system decrease the opportunities for the school system to make upgrades or replacements to existing systems because the additional load could not be handled.

 Rutherford Colleges roof does not have any metal anchors to attach the rafters to supporting walls, which was done because construction in the era only considered holding the roof up and counting on the roofs dead weight to hold it down. There are no metal connectors or screws between the wood members and their supports. Areas of original wood sheathing are damaged and no blocking exists between vertical studs that support areas of roof joists. Some roof support members are fewer than 1 -inches thick and many of those are bowed. A valley roof beam is unsupported. Irregularities can be seen in the exterior of the roof from outside the building. There also is no insulation in the attic.

 In the schools crawlspace, floor joists and sheathing are rotten from moisture exposure. In some areas, plumbing pipes were installed through floor joists. Some areas of the wood floor joists are located closer than 18 inches to exposed ground and construction there must be done with treated wood.

 In the cafeteria, the dining room is approximately 900 square feet in floor area, not counting the kitchen preparation area. That space only accommodates about 60 students at a time. The dining area could be doubled in size to 1,800 square feet to allow seating for 120 students with a 3,200-square-feet addition.

That addition also would house the kitchen, main electrical room, sprinkler riser room and boiler/chiller room. The addition also would contain the food serving line, food preparation and cooking area, dishwasher, dry storage, walk-in freezer and cooler, staff locker and kitchen offices. A new single-story addition would allow for code compliance for kitchen exhaust hoods and makeup air rooftop units. The addition also would allow for the installation of an elevator connecting the upper floor hallway to the cafeteria below.

The approximate renovation costs would be broken down to $4,273,117 for the main building, $1,142,744 for the annex building and $113,390 for a total of $5,529,251.

The capacity of the school is 232 and 190 students currently are enrolled there, approximately 40 of whom are transfers. Those numbers do not include pre-K, which serves about 20 children. Setzer said the multi-building campus at RCES is a concern. The classrooms at the school are 630 square feet, whereas all classrooms in school buildings constructed since 1995 are at least 850 square feet, said architect John Cort. If the classrooms at Rutherford College are expanded to meet that recent standard, classrooms would be lost and the capacity would be decreased, he said.

School board chairman Randy Burns said he was concerned about spending a quarter of the cost of the new Mountain View Elementary School, which will serve 800 students, on a 90-year-old school building that serves a quarter as many students. He said he couldnt see himself voting to do so, but said he would reserve judgment until he hears from the public next Monday. But Burns also said he felt it was important to put the best interests of the students ahead of school building nostalgia.

Board member Buddy Armour said even if the school board wanted to spend the money to renovate RCES, he doesnt think the board can afford it. The school system doesnt have that much money in its fund balance and cant take on anymore debt service until the two newest high schools are paid off in about 2026. Cort added the cost breaks down to $250 per square foot to get the school in a manageable condition that meets the current code.

Concern also was raised because information released by the state suggests that school systems lose money on smaller schools. BCPS Finance Officer Keith Lawson said that schools with fewer than 450 students typically do not break even and must be supported with alternative funding.

Cort said it would be necessary to do thorough code vetting and approval by the state department of insurance to make sure the renovations make the building compliant. To help ensure that, everything in the estimate has been priced as new, Cort said.

Cort said it would take longer than a three-month summer to complete all the renovations, which Armour said means students would have to be relocated, at least temporarily. Valdese Elementary School was suggested by the board as a possibility because of its proximity and the fact it is in the same Heritage Middle and Draughn High feeder pattern as RCES.

Valdese also has enough classroom and pre-K space. Setzer said that despite being considerably larger, Valdese is about twice as efficient in terms of utilities costs. The school building is one level and has more modern heating, cooling and ventilation, along with a new roof.

Rutherford College is the highest-performing elementary school in the county in terms of student proficiency. Valdese is the second-highest and had the highest test score growth last year. Putnam said the teachers are the most important factors in those areas, however. No teachers would be lost in the renovation or combination process because funding for teacher positions is awarded based on county enrollment.

No decisions were made and no action was taken concerning the schools future during the work session.

Justin Epley can be reached at jepley@morganton.com or 828-432-8943.
UPDATE: WAVY-TV in Virginia reports that charges have been dropped.

* * *

A Virginia mother said she was charged with a felony after she sent her daughter to school with an audio recorder in her backpack to see if the child was being bullied at school.

Sarah Sims told CNN that she had repeatedly contacted officials at Oceanview Elementary School in Norfolk about concerns that her 9-year-old was being bullied, not only by her classmates, but also by her teacher. So in September, she said, she gave her fourth-grader a recorder, believing that capturing some evidence herself was her only choice.

I was hoping to get a good idea for the environment of the classroom ... I thought it would be a good idea to do it on my own, Sims told CNNs Don Lemon Monday.

But officials at Oceanview Elementary School in Norfolk found the device and confiscated it, Sims said.

Sims, 47, was later charged with interception, disclosure of wire, electronic or oral communications, a Class 6 felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class 1 misdemeanor, according to a brief statement from the Norfolk Police Department.

Class 6 felony in Virginia is punishable by up to five years in prison. A Class 1 misdemeanor carries a punishment of up to a year in jail.

Simss lawyer, Kristin Paulding, was not immediately available for comment Tuesday, but she told CNN the charges against are excessive.

I was appalled when I heard these charges. Ive been practicing criminal law for 10 years, and I was shocked to see that the school would decide to go to the police department and ultimately charge this mother as opposed to sitting her down and having just a simple conversation about what were her concerns and how could the school alleviate those concerns, Paulding said.

She added that Sims daughter may have been bullied not only by her classmates, but by her teacher too.

Sarah had a concern that her daughters teacher may have actually been speaking inappropriately to her, Paulding told CNN.

Thomas Shattuck, an investigator for Pauldings law firm in Virginia Beach, said that someone, presumably the teacher, found the recorder on the childs desk and confiscated it. School officials then called the city attorneys office, which then called the police department. A police officer later interviewed the child without Sims knowledge.

Shattuck said that was troubling.

Nine years old is awfully young for a detective to question a child without the mothers consent, especially if the mother is the target of the investigation, Shattuck told The Washington Post. Youre essentially asking the daughter to testify against her mother.

Shattuck also said they have yet to find out whats in the recorder and suspect it may have captured something important.

Our concern is that they heard the recording and called the city attorneys office, he said. If it was just a blank recording, why call the city attorneys office? Were very curious with whats in the recording.

Shattuck acknowledged that the recorder was against school policy, but said it does not amount to a felony.

Norfolk Public Schools spokeswoman Khalilah LeGrand said the district cant comment on any pending legal matters and referred further questions to the Norfolk Police Department.

The police department said in its brief statement that Sims was charged on Nov. 6 as a result of an investigation that began on Sept. 29 and that it will have no further comment. A spokesman said Sims was given a bond and released.

Paulding said Sims is scheduled for her first court appearance in January. She said shes hoping that by drawing attention to the case, prosecutors would decide to drop the charges before that hearing.

Amanda Howie, spokeswoman for the Office of the Norfolk Commonwealths Attorney, did not immediately respond to a call and email seeking comment.

Virginia as well as 37 other states and the District of Columbia have one-party consent laws, which allow individuals to record phone calls and conversations theyre a part of or when one party consents. In 11 other states, every party to a phone call or conversation should consent to a recording.

Shattuck said he believes Virginias one-party consent law applies to the case.

The 9-year-old was aware of the recording device ... Shes the one party, he said.
VALDESE  The Town of Valdese announced that James Hamby, James Queen, Willard Church and Richard Lutz will all be honored as grand marshals for the annual Valdese Christmas Parade, which will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.

Hamby, Queen, Church, and Lutz are all being honored as World War II veterans who are still living in Valdese.

We are incredibly honored that so many WWII veterans are able to join us as grand marshals of this years Christmas parade. These men served our country heroically and it is humbling that they accepted our invitation to kick off this years Christmas season, said Valdese Town Manager Seth Eckard. The grand marshals will be featured at the beginning of the parade lineup.

The parade will begin at the corner of Church Street and Main, and will conclude at the corner of Morgan Street and Main.

The Piedmont & Western Railroad Museum will host an open house at the Old Rock School the morning of the parade. Parade visitors are invited to view the HO scale model railroad exhibit which stretches from Marion to Leadvale, Tenn. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated.

Valdese Merchants Association is coordinating the professional parade floats and sponsoring the finale float with special guest Santa. The association is hosting a Peoples Choice Award for the most festive window in downtown. The public is invited to vote for their favorite on the Town of Valdese Facebook page. The business with the most festive window will win $100.

For more information about the Christmas parade and upcoming holiday events in Valdese, go to www.visitvaldese.com or call 828-879-2129.
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There is a real possibility that the end of Americas unipolar moment in Asia will be followed not by an enduring multipolar environment where India has room to thrive, but rather by Chinese regional hegemony. The only realistic bulwark against this outcome is a robust partnership between India and the United States. And even that is a necessary, but insufficient condition for a free and rules based security architecture in the Indo-Pacific  to use the recent phraseology of American diplomats.

This reality goes a long way to explaining why there is no shortage of pronouncements attesting to the strategic convergence, common values, and deepening friendship between America and India. Embracing India is one of the few positions that draws not only wide bipartisan support in Washington DC, but unites disparate factions within the Democratic and Republican parties. There is also increasing recognition in New Delhi that India needs foreign partners to manage the risks associated with Chinas ascendancy. And the United States is still the most capable military and economic force on the planet.

Yet, rhetorical recognition of these realities isnt enough to prompt effective action. A convergence of national interests must be matched by a convergence of organisational and personal interests. In other words, a robust partnership will only emerge once Indians and Americans are brought together in practical pursuits that serve common goals.

In 2012 the US and Indian governments launched an effort that became known as the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) that has been the focal point of government to government efforts to increase defence collaboration. Yet while successful in significant respects, DTTI has failed to produce major industrial collaboration. And the reason is simple: It didnt bring the right people together.

Its time to reset DTTI in a manner that facilitates match making in the defence sector.

There are plenty of matches to be made. The Modi administration wants to create new jobs in India, while President Trump is keenly focused on increasing American exports. This makes joint US-India manufacturing, co-production, and co-development a common goal.

American national security leaders look at the growing capability gap between the Chinese military and the militaries of neighbouring states and fear a provocative and destabilising imbalance of power. Indias military services  by their leaderships own admission  see gaps in Indias military capabilities. This makes the provision of advanced American weapons systems to India a common goal, particularly now that the United States is offering unprecedented lethal technologies.

The BJP, Indias military services, and Indias major business conglomerates find common cause in increasing Indias private sector participation in the defence industry. American companies similarly see huge opportunities for private partnerships when they look at Indias defence market, labour supply, and engineering expertise and consider the benefits of linking Indian companies to global supply chains.

These are all good matches. The DTTI should now focus on the mechanics of making these matches stick.

To do so, the DTTI dialogues should include participation by Indian officials who represent the interests of Indias military services as well as the Modi governments initiative to increase private sector participation in defence production. This would include the Indian secretary of defence and secretary of defence industrial policy and promotion.

Second, the Indian government should use the DTTI to formally communicate to both the US government and American industry the defence capabilities the ministry of defence seeks to acquire and its timeline for doing so. This will allow American industry to identify opportunities for co-production and co-development that are profitable and therefore economically viable. In concert the US government could then develop policies and security procedures that allow for maximum allowable technology release to India.

Third, the DTTI agenda should be set to correspond with Indias strategic partnership acquisition procedures. The US governments Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure process for global foreign military sales and direct commercial sales is not tailored to Indias unique acquisition procedures. The DTTI dialogues can fill this gap between the two different bureaucratic systems, which was the original purpose of DTTI when it was first created.

The next major opportunity for outcome driven US-India defence engagement is the 2+2 when the U.S. secretary of defence and secretary of state meet together with Indias minister of defence and minister of external affairs. These officials are positioned to drive practical and pragmatic collaboration, but it will only go as far as common interests allow. Its essential that the right people from both the private and public sectors be present.

Benjamin Schwartz is senior director for defence and aerospace at the US-India Business Council, and formerly served as India director in the office of the secretary of defence.

The views expressed are personal
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhis visit to the Somnath temple on Wednesday got engulfed in a controversy after his name was found written on the entry register for non-Hindus.

The Congress called the entry fake and the BJP said the leader should declare his religious faith publicly.

The Congress accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy against its leader and insisted Gandhi declared himself as a Shiv Bhakt and is a janeu-dhari Hindu  one who wears a sacred thread.

Ambassador Meera Shankar, UPAs representative in US, had referred to Sonia Gandhi as a Christian leader. The reference was soon deleted. Now Rahul Gandhi declares he is a non-Hindu but their election affidavits claim that they are Hindus. Gandhis lying about their faith? pic.twitter.com/iFE4AhVnRM  Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) November 29, 2017

The BJP dismissed the conspiracy charge as baseless, saying Gandhis aide signed the register.

A purported photocopy of the page of the register for non-Hindus with names of Gandhi and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel written on it went viral on social media soon after their visit.

The signature against their names was that of the Congress party media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.

The temple administration said Gandhis name was written on the register for non-Hindus by his media coordinator and maintained none of its staff was involved in the entire episode.

As the controversy raged, the temple management came out with a clarification.

As per our rules, names of non-Hindus have to be registered. His name was registered by his media coordinator on our non-Hindu register, he said.

Non-Hindus are allowed to visit the temple but have to register at the shrines office.

In 2015, the Somnath trust has made a rule for mandatory entry of non-Hindu visitors in a register, said Somnath trust manager Vijaysinh Chavda.

Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated.



Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

The trust is headed by former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel. The trustees include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP stalwart LK Advani.

In an official press note, Somnath trust mentioned that Gandhi was presented a picture of the presiding deity and a shawl by the temple. After offering prayers, he visited the Sardar Patel gallery and paid a tribute to the freedom fighter.

A screenshot of the visitors book shared by the temple trust has remarks made by Gandhi at the end. It reads: A very inspiring place.

Gandhi has so far visited more than 20 temples in Gujarat since starting the poll campaign for the state this September. The BJP has mocked at his temple visits.

According to the schedule for the two-phase elections, 89 seats in Saurashtra and south Gujarat will go to the polls on December 9.

(With PTI inputs)
The Election Commission has seized over Rs 1.67 crore in cash, including foreign currencies, precious metal worth over Rs 8 crore, and 8.8 lakh litres of liquor in poll-bound Gujarat that has a strict prohibition law in place for almost six decades.

The poll panels data shows its agencies have confiscated over 3,000 and 30,000 Thai baht from Navsari and Bardoli in Gujarat from money exchange dealers. The 182-member Gujarat assembly will go to polls in two phases on December 9 and 14.

An official of the expenditure monitoring committee told the Hindustan Times there is no evidence so far that the foreign currency seized has any direct link to any political party or candidate.

In Navsari, Rs 20 lakh in Indian currency and nearly 3,500 were seized from a man who claims to run a money exchange outlet. He claimed that it was the money that was exchanged by individuals but the case has been referred to the income tax department for further investigation, the official said.

The western state has seen a spurt in the seizure of liquor and cash ahead of the polls. There were no cases of foreign currency hauls in any of the recently concluded assembly polls, according to election commission officials.

Officials seized Rs 2.18 crore during the 2012 assembly election and the cash seizure till Tuesday was Rs 1.67 crore. The amount of liquor that has been seized has also gone up significantly from Rs 1.57 crore worth of alcohol in the last assembly poll to liquor worth Rs 20 crore this time.

Earlier this week, agencies came upon Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) worth Rs. 2.2 crore. The police seized 75,968 bottles of IMFL intended for distribution ahead of the polls from a building taken on rent by a resident of Uttar Pradesh under the pretext of running a metal scrap business.

Distribution of cash, liquor, household items, jewellery and narcotics for the purpose of impacting election outcome is prohibited. The Election Commission countermanded polls in Tamil Nadus Aravakurichi and Thanjavur seats after finding evidence of voters being bribed last year for the first time.

The poll panels officials said the spurt in seizures of cash, liquor, narcotics and precious metals in the run-up to the polls is not limited to Gujarat. The trend was noticed during the assembly elections that took place in 2016 even after the Centre declared currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination as invalid.

Data from the poll panel shows that while Rs 50.78 crore was recovered in the 2012 assembly polls in the five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab, the amount went up to Rs 184.85 crore during the February-March polls this year.

Drugs and narcotics worth Rs 31.78 crore were seized from these states during the election period, while the seizures during the 2012 polls were worth Rs 54 crore.

To ensure free and fair elections, the poll panel has issued standard operating procedure for flying squads and static surveillance teams, that are formed to keep vigil over excessive campaign expenses, distribution of items of a bribe in cash or in kind, movement of illegal arms, ammunition and liquor.

To avoid inconvenience to people who carry cash for business or personal use, a panel of three officers of the district  CEO of the zila parishad, nodal officer of the expenditure monitoring committee, and the district treasury officer  is mandated to examine each case of seizure made by the police or squads.

If there is no evidence that the seized money is linked with any candidate or political party or any election campaign it is released to the concerned people.

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Stepping up his offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat elections, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to make the states ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls.

Gandhi also brought up the BJPs 22-year rule in Gujarat and said people were demanding answers.

22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis.

Giving numbers to buttress his argument, he said, First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?

The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat to campaign for their parties ahead of the December 9 and 14 assembly poll.

Gandhi will campaign in the state for two days and will start with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will also hold public meetings in at least three districts on Wednesday and Thursday, party leaders said.
Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday rubbished the BJPs charge that he was a Congress agent and said he was against the ruling party in the state as it had failed to create jobs and education opportunities for the youth.

Speaking at the same venue from where Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani had addressed a section of Patidars on Tuesday, Hardik said the huge crowd showed who was more popular.

Let us show our strength to Vijay Rupani in Rajkot and others in faraway Gandhinagar, he said. Rupani is contesting from Rajkot West assembly constituency and Hardik decided to hold his first rally at an urban centre in his constituency.

This was also his last stop in the whirlwind tour of Patidar homeland rural Saurashtra, where he addressed four meetings during the day.

Referring to his August, 2015 rally in Rajkot, Hardik recalled how the police had used force against the assembled Patels. He also asked people not to forget and forgive the BJP for committing atrocities on Patidars.

In western Rajkot, the venue for the event, most of the posters of local Congress candidate Indranil Rajyaguru were replaced by Hardiks.

Several local Congress leaders and Patidar youth wearing caps with the Jai Sardar slogan came to receive the young leader, resulting in a traffic jam on the Nana Mauva Chowk.

Bhavesh Patel, 24, explained the reason behind the enthusiasm. The Son of Sardar (Patidar) is coming, he said, referring to Hardik, who had led an agitation demanding reservation in jobs and admissions in educational institutions for his community.

Hardiks Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) has accepted the 20% economically backward classes reservation for Patidars offered by the Congress.

They say Hardik is Congress agent, Hardik is opposing the BJP. But I do so because farmers are reeling, Patidars were beaten, killed, Dalits are on the streets, there are no jobs and education is expensive. If my stand against this makes me anti-BJP, then I am, he said.

Responding to Hardik, standing committee chairman at the BJP-ruled Rajkot Municipal Corporation, Pragnesh Patel, said the community knew the Congress was behind the Patidar leaders agitation. People will not get fooled, he said. As Gujarat gets set to vote, all eyes are on the Patidars who have the ability to influence the result.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will face off in Saurashtra on Wednesday when the two arch-rivals address multiple rallies.

Saurashtra, which goes to polls on December 9, sends 48 legislators to the 182-member assembly, and the region is dominated by Patidars and OBC communities.

Three of Modis four rallies are in the region and Gandhi will begin a two-day tour that will cover the five districts.

The BJP and the Congress have fielded over 50 candidates from these two communities.

Gandhi will begin the days campaign by offering prayers at the famous Somnath temple in Gir Somnath district.

Gandhi has been on a tour of many prominent Hindu pilgrimage places in poll-bound Gujarat, but the Somnath temple is significant since it is associated with the rise of BJP. It was after the senior BJP leader LK Advanis Ram Rath Yatra that began from here to Ayodhya that the BJP came to power, both at the Centre and in Gujarat.

Gandhis second stop is Visavadar, which has a significant number of Patidar voters and is known as a stronghold of the BJP. The other two stops  Savarkundla and Amreli  also are seats where Patidars can influence the election result.

Modi also will be beginning the day from Patidar-dominated Morbi.

Later, he will address rallies at Prachi in Surendranagar district, which has a mixed population of OBC and Patidars, and Palitana in Bhavnagar, which is again a Patidar-dominated seat. Modis last rally will be in Navsari, near Surat in south Gujarat.

Hardik Patel, the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS)  the powerful Patidar group which recently declared support to the Congress  will also hold three rallies on Wednesday. The events will be at Maliya and Tankar in Morbi district first and in Rajkot city later in the evening.

The PAAS is up in arms against the BJP government for over two years now with its demand for OBC status to Patidars, who form 12% of the 60-million plus population of the state. They can be a deciding factor in 60 odd seats.

Because of the PAASs agitation, sources in the BJP say the party  for the first time in 3 decades  is unsure about support from a community that was once an unflinching backer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised on Wednesday Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for his visit to Somnath temple, saying the countrys first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had expressed displeasure over building the place of worship.

If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them: Have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first prime minister, was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there, Modi said, addressing an election rally in Prachi.

He said when Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure. Sardar Patel dreamt about the Narmada but your family did not let that dream fulfil, he said.

Earlier in the day, Modi attacked Gandhi for describing GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, saying those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhis repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said in Morbi town that a recently emerged economist was propagating a grand stupid thought by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18%.

Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits, Modi said in a reply to Gandhis Gabbar Singh Tax jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.

In Prachi, he hit out at the Congress for allegedly blocking the passage of a bill in Rajya Sabha that confers constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes. Modi said he will ensure that the bill gets passed in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

Congress is seeking votes of the OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow the OBC Commission to get Constitutional status all these years. We brought in the move. It was passed by Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority.

He said Parliament was meeting soon and he would ensure passage of the bill.

I want to assure you, Congress may try to put roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC communities their due, he said.

He also attacked the Congress, saying that the party put the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue on the back burner for 40 years.

I want to ask the Congress Party. What is it that you have against our army? The demand for OROP was pending for 40 long years. Why did successive Congress governments do nothing about that? he said.

Congress leaders are masters in gossiping. They just duped our soldiers..., the PM said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a campaign blitz across Gujarat on Wednesday, attacking the Congress for everything from its dynastic politics and neglect of the state to its alleged opposition to an ancient Shiva temple repeatedly destroyed by Muslim invaders.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too held several meetings, stepping up the offensive against Modi over a multi-million dollar fighter jets deal and the ruling BJPs treatment of the influential Patidar community.

Amid their high-decibel face-off, a controversy erupted over whether Gandhi had registered as a non-Hindu visitor to the Somnath temple earlier in the day. The party denied he had, saying images circulating on social media purportedly showing an entry by him were a fake.

The contest in Gujarat, Modis home state where the BJP has been in power for 22 years, will be keenly watched for signs of voter reaction to some of his radical economic policies that the opposition Congress is trying to leverage to regain political ground.

At his first two pit stops, Modi attacked two Congress-era Prime Ministers  Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi  for what he said was neglecting and looking down on Gujarat.

In Morbi in Saurashtra, a stronghold of the Patidar community, the BJP is trying to mollify their demand for quotas in jobs and education, Modi took a dig at the Congress dynastic and elitist politics.

He cited a visit to the region by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to appeal to Gujarati pride.

When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, he said. But for Jan Sangh/RSS, the streets of Morbi are fragrant. Its the fragrance of humanity, he said, referring to the BJPs ideological parents.

He also attacked the Congress idea of development, saying for the party it meant doling out hand pumps while the BJP had brought piped water from the Narmada river.

Next up at Prachi, close to the Somnath temple, he criticised Nehru for allegedly trying to stop its reconstruction.

Historians differ over the year of the temples construction but agree it was repeatedly desecrated by invaders from central Asia and rebuilt every time, the latest being in 1951 by Indias first deputy prime minister and home minister Sardar Patel.

If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them  Have you forgotten your history? Modi said, in a veiled reference to Gandhis visit to the temple during the day. Your family members  our first PM  was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there.

At the other rallies, he slammed the Congress as a burden on the nation, saying the party had neither neta (leaders) nor niti (principles) and that his remaining in power was bad news for those who have looted the nation for 70 long years.

For his part, Gandhi spoke at several corner meetings where he reached out to the Patidar community and attacked Modi over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal. He visited the Somnath temple and later spoke at Visavadar in Junagadh. Referring to the 2015 stir for quotas in education and jobs in which 14 Patidars were killed in police firing, Gandhi said if anyone raised his voice, he either got beaten up or had to face bullets in Gujarat.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region. Referring to the Rafale deal, he said: I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?

(With agency inputs)
An RTI activists Facebook post Padmavati award after rape has landed him in trouble. Police in another district lodged an FIR against him for abetting commission of rape.

Now, the RTI activist Jinendra Surana from Neemuch, about 425 kilometers north east of Bhopal, is seeking legal opinion from lawyers while evading arrest from police.

Jinendra in his FB post commented a few days MP me rape karwavo aur Padmavati award pao: Sarkar ki nai ghoshna (Get raped in Madhya Pradesh to get Padmavati award: Govts new announcement).

Finding his post offensive Khargone police lodged an FIR against him under sections 376/117, 292, 505 (2) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 67 (A) of Information Technology Act. Section 117 in the context of section 376 means abetting commission of rape by more than ten persons. If charges are proved against him under IPC sections he may face jail up to three years or fine or both. If he faces conviction under IT act he will undergo a jail term up to 5 years and fine up to Rs 10 lakh.

While announcing a ban on the film on Rani Padmavati on November 20 chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said a Rashtramata Padmavati award would be given to those working in the field of womens empowerment. Later, in reply to a question from journalists if the Bhopal gang rape victim could be given the award home minister Bhupendra Singh said she definitely deserved an award for her bravery but it remained to be seen which of the awards should be given to her.

Interestingly, Surana in his conversation with the HT alleged a personal grudge of a DIG ranked police officer over his FB post was what led to lodging of the FIR against him.

My FB post was a satire based on a piece of news in a Hindi newspaper which is published from Neemuch and in a neighbouring district in Rajasthan. The DIG reacted to my post angrily. The FIR being filed not in my home district Neemuch but in Khargone which falls under the jurisdiction of the DIG is a glaring example of how police acted in an arbitrary manner, said Surana.

Mahesh Patidar, the counsel for Surana said the police action was blatantly violative of the principal of freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution of India. If such arbitrary action was allowed to be taken nobody could express his opinion freely. Also, Supreme Court had repealed the section 67 (A) of IT Act. They would challenge this in the court of law.

However, talking to the Hindustan Times superintendent of police Khargone D Kalyan Chakraborty said police had received a complaint as the FB post was seen by people in Khargone also.

We are investigating the matter. We will question the accused regarding his post, he added.

(With input from Yadvendra Singh from Khargone)
State assembly witnessed uproarious scenes as Congress pressed its demand for a discussion on crimes against women in the state particularly in light of the recent gang rape in Bhopal.

The Congress MLAs demanded the discussion on an adjournment motion but as the speaker didnt concede to their demand they entered well of the House at least twice leading to adjournment of the proceedings at least four times.

The Congress MLA Ramnivas Ravat requested the speaker to allow discussion on the issue alleging the state witnessed 14 rapes with women and 8 rapes with minors daily on an average.

Leader Opposition Ajay Singh too demanded the discussion saying the speaker had promised to allow the discussion on the issue.

During the charges and counter charges flying thick and fast during the ruling party and the Opposition members some woman members of the Congress showed bangles to the ruling party MLAs.

Revenue minister Umashankar Gupta, panchayat and rural development minister Gopal Bhargava, former chief minister Babulal Gaur objected to the behaviour of the Congress MLAs and said they should adhere to the ruling of the speaker that the discussion could be allowed on the issue in some form or the other and allow the proceedings of the house to go on.

Speaker Sitasharan Sharma too urged repeatedly the Congress MLAs to allow the House proceedings in the interest of all the members of the House.

Later, deputy speaker Rajendra Singh who chaired the proceedings adjourned the house for the day as the Congress MLAs didnt relent on their demand.

The Opposition MLAs later sat on a dharna at Mahatma Gandhi statue on the assembly premises.
They dont know fact from fiction about fabled Rajput queen Padmavati, but the uproar over Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmavati has made visiting international movie talent here sit up and take note of how autocratic and dangerous voices and actions are infringing on freedom of expression in Indias film industry.

Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) artistic director Cameron Bailey, who were at the just-concluded 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), were vocal in their support for Bhansali.

Artistes face this kind of situations because of the talent and desire they have. That extends to filmmakers too. They should not stop innovation in their work because of adverse conditions, Majidi said on the opening day of the festival.

Academy Award nominee Iranian Director Majid Majedi with Indian lead casts Ishaan Khatter and Malavika Mohanan during a press conference at IFFI in Panaji on Tuesday. (PTI)

He was among a string of artistes and filmmakers who visited IFFI, which itself was caught in a controversy over the exclusion of two films -- S. Durga and Nude -- from its Indian Panorama section. The brouhaha over these and Padmavati -- which is under attack for alleged distortion of facts -- became a crucial talking point throughout the fest.

Michael J. Werner, a film and media strategic consultant who attended the Film Bazaar here, told IANS: I think it is a dangerous trend because you shouldnt have a government dictating history. What is happening with this particular movie (Padmavati) seems to be a minister or a department or a state saying that we dont accept that representation of history.

I dont know whether it is factual or not, but it is still a kind of an autocratic response.

Padmavati, which sets out to tell the tale of the valour and courage of Rani Padmavati, whose historicity is in doubt, has been under the scanner since its shoot began. Its National Award-winning director was assaulted and the set vandalised in Jaipur by Rajput organisation Karni Sena over the conjecture that the movie will feature intimate scenes between the characters of Padmavati and the invader Alauddin Khilji.

Thereafter, the Karni Sena has continued its protest and has been intense in its effort to stall the films release, which has been deferred from its original December 1 date as of now.

There were threats to burn down theatres if the film was released and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for beheading Bhansali and the movies lead actress, Deepika Padukone.

In the midst of this, Padmavati got a go-ahead from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for release. But the makers are waiting for a decision by Indias censor board.

French producer Ilann Girard feels a film shouldnt be held hostage by any conflict.

I have been watching things on television and asking my Indian friends about the situation. I understand it touches some cultural element about a female character who is seen as a very important symbolic figure for Hindus, Girard, Managing Director of Online Film Financing (OLFI), told IANS.

People protest against Sanjay Leela Bansali's upcoming film Padmavati in Gurugram on Saturday. (PTI)

Girard, who was visiting India for the third time, didnt want to pass any judgment as its an Indian topic, but said: My perception is that film and the cultural industry should not be taken hostage of the conflicts.

Narrating his own struggle with freedom of expression, he said: I have produced a film in Israel about the war in Lebanon, and we are facing some embargo from filmmakers trying to pressurise film festivals not to take our movie. I think it is a wrong thing to do. Because, on the contrary, the film explains the situation... Filmmakers should remain free to tell the story that they want.

TIFFs Bailey said people must wait for censor clearance before drawing assumptions and conclusions.

One of the small mercies with censor authorities is that they actually do watch the film before they pass judgment. So one hopes that anyone who hears about a film that they think that they might have an objection to, should first watch the film, Bailey told IANS.

Bailey feels the film should be given a benefit of doubt before passing judgment.

We can all have differences of opinion with any art form, but I think we live in a better world where we wait to actually see what the film is before we pass judgment. Also, we accept that other people have different responses to that. What I might not like to see on-screen, some others might. That doesnt mean I should prevent that person from seeing it.

Mike Dougherty from Radiant Films International, a worldwide distribution company, feels the controversy is unfortunate for the filmmakers and for the audiences eager to see the film.

He, however, said the row will perhaps draw more eyeballs to the movie across the world.

The issues causing unrest around Padmavati here in India are not known in other parts of the world. If anything, I think controversies like this just increase a films profile and its value internationally, making people more eager to see what the uproar is about, Dougherty added.

As dark clouds still loom over the future of Padmavati, Ana Tiwary, a Sydney-based producer-director of Indivisual Films, hopes the controversy will die down soon.

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Even as the Supreme Court chided ministers for pre-judging Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmavati during a hearing on a petition against the release of the Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-starrer, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday asked the producers to clarify the alleged distortion of history in the film and banned it from release in the state.

Hearing a PIL filed by advocate ML Sharma, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra said statements made by persons holding power or high office about the movie is tantamount to pre-judging it before it is cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). When the matter is pending for CBFCs consideration, how can persons holding public offices comment on whether CBFC should issue (a) certificate or not? Itll prejudice the decision-making of CBFC, the bench said while dismissing the PIL.

Meanwhile, the Bihar CM said, The film would not be released in the state without amicable solution among all parties involved.

Bhansalis film has been troubled since he began production in January. It all began when the director was slapped and his sets vandalised in Jaipur by Karni Sena members. The attackers claimed a romantic scene between Rani Padmini (essayed by Deepika in the film) and Alauddin Khilji (played by Ranveer) hurt their religious sentiments.

The filmmakers, however, have assured that the film does not show any romantic affair or feature a single scene between Padmini and Khilji.

The Rajput Karni Sena as well as the BJP have criticised the film, accusing Bhansali of distorting history by showing the Muslim aggressor as the Hindu queens lover. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, all ruled by the BJP, have banned it.

Protests against the film have been staged in various regions, including Hyderabad, Shimla, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Indore, Patna, Lucknow and Pune. Protesters have also threatened to behead Bhansali and Padukone.

Based on an epic poem by Mohammad Jayasi, Padmavati was due to open on December 1 but its producers have postponed the release as they await CBFC certification.

With five states opposing the films release (even if the CBFC certifies it), here is how various states stand on Padmavati at present:

Bihar

Bihar became the fifth state in the country to ban Padmavati when CM Nitish Kumar announced that the film will be allowed to screen in the state only after the parties involved reach an amicable solution.

Madhya Pradesh

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that insult to Padmavati will not be tolerated while addressing Rajputs at a meet. Banning the film, he said even if the movie is passed by the CBFC for release in the country, it wont make it to the screens in the state.

Rajasthan

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje, in a letter to Union information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani, had sought necessary changes in the movie before its release, so that the sentiments of any community are not hurt. The state home minister said the state is considering a ban on the movie.

Uttar Pradesh

While holding Bhansali as guilty as the protesters for the Padmavati row, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, Nobody has the right to take the law into their hands. Be it Sanjay Leela Bhansali or anybody else. I feel that if those issuing threats are guilty, then Bhansali is no less guilty...who has got used to hurting public sentiments.

Haryana



People protest against Padmavati in Gurugram. (PTI)

Haryana health minister Anil Vij and industries and commerce and environment minister Vipul Goel wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), seeking an immediate ban on the release and screening of the film.

Nobody is allowed to distort history and wrongly present facts. This will not be tolerated. The movie has tried to tarnish the image of Rani Padmavati, who is a role model for women. How can they glorify a character like Khilji, Goel said.

Gujarat

Last week, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani banned Padmavati from release in the state and said, There are issues with the film, our sympathy is with those who are protesting against it.

Punjab

After ruling out banning of Padmavati without watching it, Punjab Chief minister Amarinder Singh decided to go with the protesters against the film. Nobody will accept distortion of history and those who are protesting are rightly doing so, he said.

Nobody can be denied the right to disagree with others and protest peacefully in a civilised and democratic system, but nobody (neither an individual nor an organisation) has the right to threatens (sic) someone with whom he/she does not agree on any issue, he had earlier said.

West Bengal



Employees of a cinema hall stop work and close the entrance gate for 15 minutes in Kolkata on Tuesday as a mark of protest against the anti-Padmavati campaign in some parts of the country and the threat issued against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and actor of the film Deepika Padukone. (PTI)

Promising a smooth release to Deepika Padukone-starrer, the state chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure over the controversy around Padmavati. The #Padmavati controversy is not only unfortunate but also a calculated plan of a political party to destroy the freedom to express ourselves. We condemn this super emergency. All in the film industry must come together and protest in one voice, she tweeted.

The #Padmavati controversy is not only unfortunate but also a calculated plan of a political party to destroy the freedom to express ourselves. We condemn this super emergency. All in the film industry must come together and protest in one voice  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 20, 2017

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A film may be about a rescue mission in the Middle East but when has that stopped Bollywood from belting out romantic songs in the Alps. To prove the same, here is a song from Salman Khan and Katrina Kaifs Tiger Zinda Hai.

The films official Twitter handle has shared pictures from an upcoming romantic song, Dil Diyan Gallan. The photos feature Salman and Katrina cosy up on a couch, sharing an embrace in the mountains and waltzing in a ballroom.

The song has been shot in Tyrol , Austria, as revealed by the films director Ali Abbas Zafar in a tweet. Salman even developed health issues while shooting in the cold climate of the country.

Shooting here meant dealing with unexpected situations. Literally a lot of pain had gone behind this sequence. Salman developed a health issue, but he still trained to film here and delivered on a tough action sequence, Zafar had said in November. Since the shoot here was scheduled during winter, temperatures at minus 22 degrees Celsius brought tough challenges.

Dil Diyan Gallan is scheduled to release on December 2. The film releases on December 22.

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Lawmakers have pitched for fresh concessions to labour-intensive exporting sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery to mitigate the compliance burden incurred in transitioning to the goods and services tax (GST) regime that was rolled out on 1 July.

Accordingly, a parliamentary panel has asked the finance ministry to allow exporters to use the old system of refunds through the so-called duty drawback scheme.

The parliamentary standing committee on commerce sought the intervention, claiming that the GST compliance burden was causing job losses in labour-intensive export sectors.

Under the duty drawback scheme in the pre-GST era, exporters could claim rebates on taxes such as service tax and excise duty. After GST was introduced, the government pared the duty drawback rates as exporters were supposed to claim refunds after paying taxes.

A member of the standing committee, which is currently studying the impact of the GST on the countrys exports, said on condition of anonymity, Around 80% of the exporters in the labour-intensive industries are small exporters. They dont want to get into the process of first paying duties and then seeking GST refunds. We are going to recommend to the government to just provide a realistic duty drawback to such exporters to take care of the embedded taxes they have to pay under the GST regime.

To be sure, any decision to amend the rules will have to be cleared by the GST Councilthe apex federal body made up of state finance ministers and headed by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.

The finance ministry officials have assured us that they will take up the issue with the GST Council, said the member of the committee cited above.

The report is to be presented to Parliament during the winter session beginning 15 December.

The government is not in a position to say the proposal is under consideration as technically it will be very difficult to have the duty drawback scheme in the GST regime, a finance ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Political parties backed the lawmakers.

It should not be a political gimmick. Let the government come up with a solution that is economically right, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Rajeev Gowda, a member of Parliament belonging to the Congress party, said, We need to protect small entrepreneurs and workersthe most vulnerable sections of the export sector.

Indias merchandise exports declined for the first time in 14 months in October as exporters struggled with a liquidity crunch because of delayed refunds under the GST regime. Shipments of ready-made garments declined by 39.2% and gems and jewellery by 24.5%.

Ashok Rajani, chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council, under the textile ministry, said, The sector employs 11 million workers. After GST was implemented, factories are closing down and our capacity utilization has come down to 65-70%. If the situation continues, 10-12% job loss could happen in the sector.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started the process to reach out to residents in the outer or rural areas adjoining cities that have recently been made part of municipal bodies even as the Congress still seems to be in a denial mode over the expansion of urban local body (ULB) areas.

With the ULB polls due in April next year, the BJP has asked its workers to start contacting locals in the newly-incorporated areas and convey to them the benefits of merging rural areas into the urban ones.

The state government has carried out expansion of 42 ULBs by merging nearby villages into their municipal limits. The decision to amalgamate panchayat body areas into ULBs, however, had sparked off angry protests in many parts of the state.

We have asked party leaders and workers to reach out the locals in these (newly added) areas to explain how this (inclusion) will open gates for development in their areas as huge funds have been earmarked by the government for urbanization in such belts, state BJP president Ajay Bhatt told HT.

Besides, party workers have also been asked to ensure that residents in the newly added village areas were a part of the voters list. Party workers will assist those whose names are not in the list to be enrolled as voters. Special attention would be paid on roping in youngsters who are set to become first time voters, Dehradun mayor Vinod Chamoli, who is also a lawmaker representing the Dharampur constituency of the state capital, said.

The state Congress, which has vehemently opposed the governments move to merge rural areas with urban ones, meanwhile, lashed out at the BJP for having failed to take locals into confidence before planning the expansion of local bodies. This (BJPs activity in outer areas) only goes on to prove how this entire exercise was politically motivated, Mathura Dutt Joshi, chief spokesperson of the Uttarakhand Congress, said. He, however, denied that the Congress was in a denial mode. The whole organization is gearing up for the local body polls and we will give a befitting reply to the BJP in April 2018, Joshi told HT.

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The Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone has put hurdles to Prime Minister Narendra Modis dream project that promises faster connectivity to Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand with an all-weather road.

The state government is trying to seek relaxation of restrictions from the Centre on construction of 94 kilometres of the road that comes under the zone, officials said.

Last year, Modi and union minister of transport and highways Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation of the road project that aims to connect Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Under the Rs 12000-crore project, a 889-km road network will be built in eight districts in the state. The Centre has set a deadline of 2019 for completion of the project.

Though other works are going on swiftly, a big hurdle is to get clearance from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) to construct the road inside the Bhagirathi valley, officials said. The valley is a part of the eco-sensitive zone notified on December 18, 2012 and covers 4179 sqkm area along a 100-km stretch of the river from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi.

Other works are going on as and when a detailed project report (DPR) is being submitted. The government is seeking the Centres assistance to deal with restrictions on construction in the ESZ, said Hariom Sharma, chief executive engineer (CEE) of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Out of 41,139 trees in the 600-hectare forest area that falls on the route, 16,438 have been cut. After conversion of land in the forest area, the government has given Rs 160 crore to owners of private land that has been acquired under the project.

Of the 282.647 hectare earmarked for the project, 70% has been acquired. The land belongs to farmers and locals in the districts, but compensation is provided as per the National Highway Act, 1956, officials said.

If theres some land dispute, then the district magistrate is made the arbitrator to resolve the issue, an officer said on condition of anonymity.

A tunnel, 15 big flyovers, 101 small bridges, 3596 culverts and 12 bypass roads will be reconstructed for smooth transit; 29 landslide-prone zones, which pose blockage to traffic movement, will be made secure.

INFO

ALL-WEATHER ROAD PLAN

- 94km of all-weather Char Dham road project falls in Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone

- 889-km road network is to be created across 8 districts

- Of 41,139 trees in 600 hectare forest area, 16,438 trees have been cut for the project

- 282.647 hectare of private land is to acquired; 70% has been possessed and Rs 160 crore distributed

- Compensation to private land owners is paid as per the National Highway Act, 1956

-Land dispute matters to be resolved by district magistrates

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Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Wednesday asked three key Union ministries to issue a joint affidavit to be submitted before the Supreme Court for clearance of 33 power projects proposed in the Ganga river basin in Uttarakhand.

Met Union minister of state for power Shri R K Singh in Delhi on Wednesday and held extensive discussions on 33 hydro power projects in Uttarakhand, Rawat said in tweet. In this regard, he assured that the ministries of energy, water resources, and forests together will give positive results in the states interest.

Rawat also sought Centres nod to 10 small hydro power projects of upto 25 megawatts each proposed in the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone (BESZ).

Government had earlier given permission to the power projects in Western Ghats and also in Himachal Pradesh where eco sensitive zones were declared, Rawat told Singh.

The CM claimed that approval for the 10 small power projects, with a total capacity of 82.5 megawatts, and proposed on the Bhagirathi River has been lingering ever since BESZ was notified in 2012. As per the notification, 100 km stretch of river Bhagirathi from Gomukh to Uttarkashi covering an area of 4179.59 square kilometers was declared an eco sensitive zone, thereby putting brakes on several activities, including new construction and power projects.

They include Lohari Nagpala Hydro-power Project (600 MW) on which Rs 1,700 crore had already been spent and Pala Maneri (480 MW) and Bhairon Ghati (381 MW) projects on which state exchequer had spent more than Rs 200 crore.

Further, the 2013 flash floods in Kedarnath valley brought some bad publicity for hydro power projects as a section of environmentalists blamed them for the disaster. Later, Supreme Court asked state not to go ahead with another 24 power projects.

CM asked the Union MoS for a joint affidavit from ministry of power, ministry of water resource, and ministry of environment and forest that should be submitted before the apex court so that hurdles coming in the way of projects could be cleared.

Dehradun-based social activist Avdhash Kaushal who has been advocating for hydro-power projects in state asked what else could be the source of electricity for a mountain state like Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is not a power surplus state. I think state is doing right by raising the voice for hydro power projects, Kaushal said.

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Pollution levels in Delhi were back in the very poor category during the morning hours on Wednesday with air quality index (AQI)  a measure of the level of pollutants  reading 303 at 8.30am. The AQI had dropped to 299 at 8pm Tuesday after registering very poor levels of 362 on Monday.

Though the decline has only been by a few points, officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) say the particulate matter  PM 10 and PM 2.5  have increased.

PM 10 was recorded at 335 g/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre ) and PM 2.5 was 201 g/m3 at 8.30am.

The air quality of Delhi had deteriorated on Saturday afternoon but improved again on Monday. Experts said that the wind picked up speed, helping the pollutants to disperse faster. As the wind speed increased, it flushed out pollutants and moisture. With a clear sky and the sun shining brightly, the mixing height increased, allowing the pollutants to disperse faster, said D Saha, head of the air quality laboratory at Central Pollution Control Board.

Officials said areas close to the Delhi Technical University (DTU) had the worst air quality on Wednesday, with the monitoring station recording PM 2.5 level at 497. The other areas which had severe pollution level were DTU, Anand Vihar, and RK Puram.

The Delhi government on Monday had issued a health advisory urging schools to avoid outdoor activities during morning following predictions that air pollution might rise over the next three days. The government has also advised citizens to avoid going out for morning walks and polluted zones during peak hours.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 9 degree Celsius on Wednesday. According to IMD website, the sky will remain clear for two days, however, shallow fog may return on Friday.

The maximum temperature may hover around 24 degree Celsius.

The visibility in the morning was affected due to mist occurrence, said a Met official. The low visibility slightly also affected train movements. 25 trains arriving late, 12 rescheduled & 1 cancelled due to decreased visibility/operational reasons. #Delhi, news agency ANI tweeted.
Former Congress legislator Rajesh Jain was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly conspiring to make illegal transactions to exchange demonetised currency after two high-value notes were scrapped last year, Delhi Police said.

Officials said his arrest is in connection with an ongoing investigation into a money laundering case registered last year against lawyer Rohit Tandon and several others. Jain and Tandon allegedly conspired to make the transactions by using fake bank accounts for currency worth about Rs 50 crore, officials said.

The name of Jain, who was a three-time MLA from Sadar Bazar in central Delhi, cropped up during an interrogation of the other accused, said a senior police officer.

Others arrested in the case are Ashish Kumar, a bank manager, Kamal Jain, Dinesh Bhola, Raj Kumar Goel, RC Sharma, and Yogesh Mittal.

A case of cheating and forgery was registered after Delhi Polices crime branch officials raided Tandons law firm office in southeast Delhis Greater Kailash leading to the seizure Rs 13.5 crore. A part of this money was in new notes.

The accused allegedly conspired to exchange the demonetised Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes for new notes that were introduced and to earn a huge profit by illegal means. The case was registered to unearth other organised rackets that were exchanging old currency.

It was found during the investigation that the forged documents and shell company accounts were used to carry out huge transactions to earn huge profits, they said.

Jain has also come under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of a money-laundering probe initiated by it.
Monday showed yet again why Pakistan is dangerously poised.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) government genuflected to the demands of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a little-known, radical Islamist group, which agreed to call off its three-week long protests across Pakistan after law minister Zahid Hamid resigned. The fringe group, headed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, demanded the head of Mr Hamid after he released a new version of the electoral oath which it saw as blasphemous. The government blinked, tried to pass off the change as a clerical error, and restored the original version, but that was not enough for the radicals.

The PML(N) government has been on the back foot ever since Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on corruption charges. Last week, a court ordered proceedings to declare finance minister Ishaq Dar a proclaimed offender in a graft case. Mr Hamids resignation is the latest, and clear sign of the civilian government losing its grip on power. Meanwhile, in an all-too-familiar scenario, the army is tightening its grip.

The government, now headed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, also failed to present in court a credible case against 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. Islamabad has come under international censure for Saeeds release from house arrest. The general elections in Pakistan are to be held next year, and given the armys proclivity for toppling civilian governments, the recent developments are disturbing.

What magnifies the threat to democracy manifold in Pakistan is the role the army played in brokering peace between the fringe group and the government. Rizvi, while calling off the protests, appreciated the efforts of army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who played go-between. The judiciary and media in Pakistan criticised the army and government for surrendering to radicals, but that is likely to change nothing, especially given the disproportionate power army GHQ Rawalpindi enjoys.

In its recently-released report, Asia in the Second Nuclear Age, US think-tank Atlantic Council, noted how Pakistans nuclear-weapons programme was a security threat to the world and the surest route to escalating conventional war to the nuclear level.

The think-tanks report shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone. India has long maintained that a politically-unstable Pakistan is not only a threat to it, but also a threat to regional and global peace. The rise of radical voices, such as Rizvis, should be causing alarm bells to go off everywhere.
A group of Delhi University colleges, fully funded by the state government, are struggling to pay their staff salaries as the government has maintained that money will only be released after they form governing bodies. There are 12 colleges in DU that are fully funded by the state government.

After an interim relief from the government, however, the colleges in question will be able to pay the salaries for November. As things stand now though, the colleges do not have the funds to pay their staff in December.

The issue arose after the Arvind Kejriwal government announced in July that it would withhold funds for 28 colleges, partially or fully funded by it, as the Delhi University had not formed governing bodies (GB) as required. Among those, the 16 partially funded colleges have adequate funds for now as 95% of their grants come from the University Grants Commission.

With the government having released funds till September, the crunch for the 12 colleges started in October and the institutions were forced to divert funds and use surplus funds to pay salaries to their staff. The government had announced that it would pay funds for release of salary for October as an interim measure after colleges complained they would not be able to pay their staff.

Atishi Marlena, advisor to education minister Manish Sisodia, said the government sanctioned the release of funds on Monday as promised to DU Teachers Association as an interim relief.

About the salaries for November, Marlena said, The rest of the money will be released after the formation of the GB.

But with funds meant for October coming only on Tuesday, the colleges again found themselves in a tight spot this month.

For giving our staff Octobers salary, we had to divert some funds. Today (Tuesday) morning, we received the funds for the last month. But this is only interim and we will face the same crunch next month, said SK Garg, principal, Deen Dayal Upadhayay College.

Payal Mago, principal of Shaheed Raj Guru College, said unless the matter is resolved, the colleges will continue to face the problem at the end of every month. The funds government promised have come in November and it is not even sufficient to pay salaries. But this is no solution as the government has only released funds for one month. We will pay this months salary using last months fund. But what about December? she asked.

Poonam Verma, principal, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, expressed similar concerns.

The tussle over the formation of the GBs has left these 12 colleges scrounging for funds with the staff hoping each month that their salary arrives on time.

The governing body of each college has 15 members out of which five are nominated by the government.

The government and the university are unable to finalise the GBs with both blaming the other for the delay. Government officials said they had sent a list of names to the university after selecting it from a panel that DU had sent, but in October the university withdrew the original panel and sent a reduced panel for selection of names. There has been no update since then.

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New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the AAP government to do a mapping of its schools indicating the availability of science and commerce streams. The court order came on a petition alleging alarmingly uneven distribution of such schools.

A Bench of chief justice Gita Mittal and C Hari Shankar asked the government to also inform it about the schools where science and commerce streams were not available.

The court asked the government to place the map of government and government-aided schools, indicating availability and non-availability of these two streams, and listed the matter for hearing on February 26 next year.

The court asked the authorities, including the AAP government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), to file their responses to the petition that claimed there are shadow pockets in different regions of Delhi where schools do not offer science and commerce streams at all.

The Delhi governments standing counsel, Ramesh Singh, said no complaint had been received from any student or parent about not getting admission in a school within an area of three km.

The plea, filed by Yusuf Naqi through his counsel GM Akhtar, accused the Delhi government of non-uniformity, alleging it was cherry- picking while offering science and commerce streams to students at the intermediate level in government schools.

It said the allocation of science and commerce streams have been done in an uneven manner which cannot be justified, thus causing grave injustice and prejudice to the pupils here.

Begging not crime

Begging should not be a crime if it is done due to poverty, the Centre told the High Court, which wondered if anyone begs out of compulsion or by choice. The Centres stand came on two PILs seeking basic human and fundamental rights for beggars in the national capital and for decriminalising begging.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and C Hari Shankar asked, If anybody beg out of compulsion or choice? Have you ever seen somebody begging out of choice?

The central government, in an affidavit, said that at present, 20 states and 2 union territories have either enacted their own anti-beggary legislation or adopted the legislation enacted by the other states.
Leading educational institutes such as Symbiosis, Manipal and Teri could lose their deemed to be status if they fail to convey by Thursday their acceptance of a University Grants Commission (UGC) directive to drop university from their names.

The higher education regulator on Wednesday issued two separate orders to 29 deemed universities, where hundreds of thousands of students are enrolled.

The compliance report should be emailed by 4pm on Thursday or necessary action would be initiated against the institutions, which may include recommending withdrawal of the declaration notifying them as deemed-to-be universities, the UGC said in the two letters, copies of which are with Hindustan Times.

Wednesdays directives stem from a Supreme Court order of November 3, asking the UGC to stop deemed-to-be universities from using the word university in their names.

The first of the two UGC letters was addressed to seven institutes -- including Punes Symbiosis International University, and the Bengaluru-based Christ University and Jain University -- directing them to change their names.

While granting them the deemed status on the UGCs recommendation, the government had used the word university with their names.

The second directive was issued to Manipal University, Delhis Teri University, KLE University in Belagavi, and 19 other institutes. They have been asked to drop the word university and revert to the names notified by the government at the time of granting of deemed-to-be status.

Manipal University, for instance, was registered as Manipal Academy of Higher Education and KLE University as KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research.

The UGC wrote to 123 institutes twice -- on November 10 and 13 -- to comply with the SC order within 15 days. Of these, 29 institutions didnt respond.

The Energy and Resources Institute, better known as Teri, is ready for name change.

It has taken us time because we are going through an approval process to change the name back to Teri School of Advanced Studies. That is the name we had in 1999 when we started, Teri University pro vice chancellor Rajiv Seth said.

They changed the name to Teri University in 2006 because the UGC allowed it, he said, adding, Now that the SC has ruled that we cannot use the word university, we will change it back by tomorrow.

After the November 10 UGC circular, Manipal University decided to change the name to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, registrar Dr Narayana Sabhahit said.

The process of changing the name will be completed before the prescribed deadline We will be communicating the decision to UGC shortly, he said. I would also like to highlight this is just a change of name and our status as deemed to be university remains unchanged.

Symbiosis did not respond to emails sent by HT.

The deemed status is granted to higher education institutes doing quality work in a particular stream. For instance, Symbosis specialises in management studies and Manipal in engineering.

These institutes cant be called universities because their expertise is not multidisciplinary but the deemed tag brings academic status and privileges of a university.

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In times of global warming, a volcanic eruption can alter the Earths temperature briefly.

Thousands of people have been asked to evacuate within 10km of Indonesias Mount Agung and more than 443 flights have been cancelled as the Bali airport remained closed for the third consecutive day. But scientists say the eruptions on Agung could cool the planet temporarily if it spits out enough sulphur.

Volcanoes spew millions of tonnes of ash and gases that can spread through the atmosphere, form compounds like aerosols and scatter sunlight that can bring down temperatures.

But there are conditions for this occurrence. The eruption has to be rich in sulphur and large enough to have a real impact on the planets temperature, explained NASA climate scientist Chris Colose.

To have a notable climate impact, there needs to be an explosive enough eruption (to get material in the stratosphere) and a sulfur-rich eruption (the SO2 converts to sulfate aerosol, which is what radiatively matters), wrote Colose.

If these conditions are met, the eruption cools the surface/troposphere and warms the stratosphere, the opposite of both patterns associated with CO2 increases. But both are very short-lived (~years).  Chris Colose (@CColose) November 27, 2017

In the stratosphere, the sulfur dioxide spluttered by a volcano combines with water to form sulfuric acid aerosols, making a haze of tiny droplets that reflect incoming solar radiation, cooling the Earths surface.

Data from NASAs Aura satellite showed on Monday that Agung had sprayed sulphur dioxide into the air.

Data from @NASA Aura satellite shows high SO2 concentrations from Mount #Agung yesterday in #Bali, #Indonesia. People on the ground witnessing the #volcano emitting thick ash clouds and glowing lava. More satellite imagery: https://t.co/oVYhIsjXNx pic.twitter.com/U3wPxQtfHc  NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) November 28, 2017

If Agung meets all the criterion, it could reduce global temperatures by 0.1-0.2 degrees Celsius, but the change will likely be felt temporarily, according to Climate Brief. The temperatures will be back to the normal levels by 2023.

Although its impact is yet to be seen, Mount Agungs last major eruption in 1963 had lowered global temperatures by 0.1 to 0.2 degrees Celsius, Vox reported. On ground, however, it killed 1,100 people.

Authorities have told 100,000 people to leave an area extending 10 kilometers from Mount Agung as it belches grey and white ash plumes, the low clouds hanging over the volcano at times hued red from the lava welling in the crater.

Officials also extended the closure of Balis international airport for another 24 hours due to concerns the thick volcanic ash could harm aircraft.

Experts have said a larger, explosive eruption is possible or Agung could stay at its current level of activity for weeks.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has more than 120 active volcanoes.

(With agency inputs)
At a time when quality of Indian medicines is being questioned, a WHO agency has found that only 2% of the medical products in Southeast Asia, including India, were substandard or spurious against a global figure of 10.5%.

Effectively, it means medicines and medical products available in India are safer than what is available in American and European markets.

Nearly 10.5% of the samples collected by WHOs Global Surveillance and Monitoring System for substandard and falsified medical products (GSMS) between 2013-17 failed quality test, says the report released on Tuesday. It defines falsified medical products as those that misrepresent identity, composition or source.

In the past spotlight has largely been on lifestyle medicines such as slimming tablets, the WHO findings show that everything  from cancer medicines to contraception, antibiotics to vaccines  faces a quality problem across the world.

Substandard drugs and vaccines up the risk of several diseases becoming difficult to treat and the world left grappling with antimicrobial resistance, which is a growing concern.

WHO REPORTS Substandard and falsified products (20132017) Anaesthetics & painkillers: 126

Antibiotics: 244

Cancer medicines: 100

Contraception and fertility treatments: 29

Diabetes medicines: 11

Heart medicines: 75

HIV/hepatitis medicines: 43

Lifestyle products: 124

Malaria medicines: 286

Mental health medicines: 45

Vaccines: 29 Percentage of reports from each WHO region 42: African

African 21: European

European 21: Americas

Americas 8: Western Pacific

Western Pacific 6: Eastern Mediterranean

Eastern Mediterranean 2: South-East Asia

There is clear evidence that resistance to the most important antimalarial medicine, artemisinin, first appeared in a part of the world where at one point between 38 and 90% of the artemisinin medicines on the market were substandard or falsified, says the report.

Nearly 1,500 cases from across the world, including India, were reported to the surveillance team. The magnitude of the problem could be bigger as not all countries reported cases.

The growing global trade in medicines has also opened door to drugs, vaccines and other medical products that do not meet quality standards and are even toxic at times.

Online pharmacies that are fast gaining popularity  in the US alone 19 to 26 million people now buy medicines online  also pose a threat, as it makes it easier to push poor quality drugs into even the best regulated markets.

The pharma sector is doing its bit to ensure safety from fakes.

Some of the security features we have introduced for our products include bar coding for track and trace, hologram and tamper-proof plastic trays with locking system for pre-filled syringe products, said Dr Krishna Ella, CMD, Bharat Biotech.

Bar coding and hologram would also help check spurious drugs.

Launched in 2013 by the WHO, the Global Surveillance and Monitoring System aims to improve the quality of medical products and aid in member countries.

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James Franco has confirmed that he is attached to an X-Men property, both as an actor and a producer. Rumours are rife that Fox Studios has been working on a Marvel Comics movie based on Multiple Man, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Without revealing much, Franco said, I do have a superhero that I am developing. I dont know how much I can say. But I will say I am producing and performing in it.

Its early stages. I think probably what I can say is, like anything, theres a need to develop more.

The actor, who has started a production company with actor brother Dave Franco, said he is impressed the way the X-Men franchise has produced out spin-offs such as Logan and Deadpool.

Director and star James Franco arrives for the gala presentation of The Disaster Artist at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. (REUTERS)

Our bottom line MO is, how can we push this into new ground? A little bit, but still make it entertaining? (But) what I love about what Simon Kinberg and Fox and the X-Men people have done with Deadpool and Logan - it took a while to get there, maybe 10 years - but they are going to go hard.

And were going to take this superhero thing and really just push it into a new genre. So were working with Simon Kinberg on an X-Men property, he said.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday inaugurate the 15th edition of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, which will see luminaries such as former US President Barack Obama and Afghanistan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah give their perspectives on Indias rise on the global stage.

The summit is being hosted against the backdrop of a host of reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax, the potential benefits of which have been acknowledged in a sovereign ratings upgrade by Moodys. Indias growing economic clout has also translated into diplomatic victories that are transforming the traditional equations of geopolitics. India recently saw its nominee to the International Court of Justice re-elected as a judge while the United Kingdom had to withdraw its candidate.

For 14 years now, the summit has been a platform for revolutionary ideas: from a unified currency for SAARC countries, suggested by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, to the announcement of the odd-even car rationing system in Delhi by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in 2015.

This years summit should be no different. Deliberating a theme ripe with possibilities, The Irreversible Rise of India, are speakers and panelists who cannot only suggest but also influence and implement change. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, actor Salman Khan and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath are among the speakers at the summit.
Around 36,000 Rohingyas are living in various parts of the country and the Border Security Force (BSF) has upped its ante against illegal influx into India as their links with terror organisations cannot be ruled out, the force chief said on Wednesday.

KK Sharma, the director general (DG) of the 2.5-lakh personnel-strong force, said his troops have apprehended 87 Rohingya Muslims along the Indo-Bangla border since the beginning of this year till October 31, and 76 have been sent back to Bangladesh.

As far as my information goes, about 36,000 Rohingyas are there in this country at various places...This is one of those general observations and is based on inputs we received from our sister agencies (like the police and intelligence), he told reporters during an interaction ahead of the BSFs 52nd Raising Day on December 1.

He said the border guarding force has not come across any specific case where a Rohingya they caught possessed arms, ammunition or had terror connection.

But, the threat that they have some links with terror organisations is a very serious one and has been given by our sister agencies and I dont doubt them, Sharma said.

He said the force has bolstered its manpower and surveillance equipments at vulnerable posts along the Bangladesh border to check the illegal influx of Rohingyas from the neighbouring country into India.

The force sent back the Rohingyas and did not arrest them as they would have then become a liability, the DG said.

Rohingya is a very complicated issue. As per the latest estimate, 9-10 lakh of them have migrated to Bangladesh (from Myanmar) and the possibility of a spill over coming to India cannot be ruled out.

Our mandate is very clear that we do not allow any illegal immigration into India, whether he is a Rohingya or a Bangladeshi, Sharma said.

In the border areas, the BSF chief said his troops were not equipped to make a distinction between a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya.

So, whosoever tries to cross (the border) we sent them back. We dont arrest them as that becomes a liability. Our policy is not to allow anyone enter India illegally, he said.

An official note provided by the BSF during the conference said agents allure Rohingyas with good job opportunities in India and motivate that they will work with their own Muslim community in some of the states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

It said that most of the Rohingyas go to Jammu because some Rohingyas have already been staying there for the last few years.

Apart from being a natural choice due to its Muslim majority, the Rohingyas say that they pick Jammu and Kashmir on economic consideration and most of them follow a similar pattern.

Once a Rohingya reaches Jammu, he stays there for a few months and then invites other relatives, informing them of job opportunities and better pay, it said.

In rare case, the document said, if some Rohingyas do not get permanent job, they go to another state for earning money or to settle there.

Sharma said the document was compiled based on information provided to them by sister agencies.
Tripura police on Wednesday caught eight Myanmar nationals at Khayerpur, about 10 km from state capital Agartala. They include two women and four children.

Locals tipped off the police after finding them moving suspiciously in Khayerpur market. Police said they could not produce any valid documents except refugee cards granted by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

We are investigating if the cards are valid. They are assumed to be from Myanmar, but we are not sure if they are Rohingyas, senior police officer Pradip Dey, heading police control, said. The eight people are now in a police lock up in Khayerpur market.

The development in Tripura come on the heels of the influx of some 1,200 Myanmar nationals in Lawngtlai, Mizorams southernmost district, after that countrys army launched a major offensive against the Arakan Army, an insurgent group of ethnic Muslims.

Read more: Stuck in Manipur jail for 5 years, Rohingyas seek UN help

Officials of the Assam Rifles paramilitary force, which guards the India-Myanmar border in Mizoram, said more than 200 troopers have been deployed in border villages such as Hmangbuchhua, Zochhachua, Dumzotlang and Laitlang to prevent Myanmarese insurgents sneaking in taking advantage of the free movement regime.

An agreement between Delhi and Naypyidaw allows border residents to travel up to 16 km within each others territory without documents.

Brigadier MS Mokha heading Assam Rifles operations in the area inspected the refugee camps and while assuring humanitarian aid to the refugees instructed them not leave the camps and travel further north inside Mizoram, an Assam Rifles spokesperson said from Mizoram capital Aizawl.
Faced with a poor demand for plots and its increasing liabilities, the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) is considering a 10% reduction in the allotment price of industrial plots in 10 industrial estates.

These sites are the corporations flagship Industrial Model Townships (IMTs) at Bawal, Rohtak and Faridabad, flatted factory at Faridabad, Manakpur- II, Industrial Estates at Narwana, Panipat, Sirsa and Tohana and Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) at Saha.

The HSIIDC is facing cash crunch due to cfrom allottees, low demand for sites and huge liabilities to be paid by it due to enhanced land cost. It has accumulated a debt of about Rs 12,000 crore, mainly on account of borrowings made for paying for the land acquired.

The corporation, which remained cash rich till 2010-11 fiscal year, is under strain due to an annual interest burden of Rs 1,000 crore on account of huge market borrowings in the last seven years.

In fact, the debt equity ratio of the corporation stands at 8:1 as against the accepted ratio of 2:1, reflecting its poor financial condition.

The reduction in prices has been approved by the board of directors and will come into effect unless a director objects. The measure is intended to increase the inflow of funds to the corporation and dispose of huge inventory piled up, said a senior official.

Panel recommended reduction in price

An HSIIDC monetisation committee while recommending reduction in plot prices had said the demand of industrial plots in 10 estates was not very encouraging. In view of the current financial position of the corporation and mounting liabilities towards enhanced compensation as well as banks and financial institutions, there is an urgent need to offload the available inventory of industrial, residential, group housing, institutional and commercial sites, the committee noted.

For instance, the corporation received only 48 applications in response to a May advertisement for allotment of 217 industrial plots at IMT, Faridabad. It received 18 applications for 157 plots advertised at IMT, Bawal, nine for 38 plots at IMT Rohtak, four for 315 plots advertised at Industrial Estate, Panipat. It did not receive a single application for 20 industrial sites at the Faridabad flatted factory complex, 165 sites at the industrial estate, Narwana, and 10 sites at the industrial estate, Sirsa.

Hotel, school, commercial sites to cost less

Keeping in view the abysmal response it received in the auction of hotel, school and commercial sites, the Corporation also plans to cut down the prices to make these sites financially viable.

The monetisation committee has proposed that three hotel sites at IMT Manesar should be put for e-auction at initial reserve price of Rs 67,500 per square metre as against the current reserve price of Rs 81,000 per square metre. For a hotel site in Industrial Estates, Rai and Bahadurgarh, the committee has recommended reduction of reserve price by 33%. For school sites in Saha, Panipat, Sector 67, Faridabad, Manesar Phase II, Rohtak Phase II, the committee has recommended a 20% reduction in the reserve price. For shops, booths and shop-cum-office sites in Manesar, Bawal, Bahadurgarh, Kundli, Narnaul and Rai, it has recommended a 33 % reduction of the last discovered price.

Corporation in dire need of capital

The corporation, which remained cash rich till 2010-11 fiscal year, is under strain due to an annual interest burden of Rs 1,000 crore on account of huge market borrowings in the last seven years. The servicing of interest on borrowings has become a serious challenge for the corporation.

Land acquisitions for IMT Kharkhauda (3,302 acre), Dharuhera (433 acre), Barwala Phase 2 (557 acre), IMT Manesar, Integrated Complex and Railway Sidings (365 acre), Global City interchange (147 acre), Integrated Multi-Modal Logistics Hub, Narnaul (1,208 acre) and MRTS project (304 acre) and award of enhanced compensation by the courts has forced the corporation to resort to borrowings in the form of long-term and short-term loans, and cash credit limit from the banks.

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The Election Commission will get 40 lakh VVPAT machines and EVMs by September, 2018 for use in the 2019 general elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti said on Wednesday.

The VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machine attached to an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) generates a paper slip with the name of the candidate and his/her party symbol for whom an elector votes for.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 5,000 crore to the EC to procure 40 lakh of these machines.

We need over 23 lakh EVMs and 16 lakh VVPAT machines for the 2019 elections, the CEC told the media here.

Government-owned Bharat Electronic Ltd and Electronics Corporation of India Limited will supply these 40 lakh VVPAT machines and EVMs. Both have been making EVMs for the EC for the past 20 years.

The Commission had decided that from June onwards all elections in the country would be held through EVMs attached with VVPATs, he said.

The CEC said EVMs with VVPATs are battery-operated standalone machines with no Internet or mobile links and cannot be operated or controlled from outside or by any remote system.

Joti said the Election Commission, following a Supreme Court order in September 2013, had tried to make the voting process more transparent and the use of VVPATs with EVMs was a step in this direction.

Election Commission officials led by the CEC had arrived in Tripura on Tuesday to review the preparedness for the February, 2018 assembly elections.
Provide evidence against Hafiz Saeed instead of crying on Americas shoulders is the advice proffered by Khalid Waleed, the son-in-law of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief.

India is always crying internationally. Why dont you provide evidence instead of just using television clips of the Mumbai attacks? America has asked for Hafiz Saeeds re-arrest only because of pressure from India, Waleed told HT over the phone from Lahore.

Son-in-law Waleed is seen as Saeeds successor and has figured in several intelligence inputs pertaining to terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Waleed also confirmed that Saeed had petitioned the United Nations asking for his name to be removed from the list of designated terrorists.

A similar request by the LeT founder had been rejected in 2009.

Waleed is being groomed by Saeed and has been the mastermind behind several terror attacks in Kashmir for the last year, a government official said.

Waleed was also named by Pakistan-born terrorist Bahadar Ali, arrested during the height of the unrest last year after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. Ali is believed to have told his interrogators that Waleed directed him to use stone pelters as shields to hurl grenades at security officials.

Read: Will work for Kashmirs independence, vows Hafiz Saeed after end of house arrest

Waleed said Saeed would continue to fight for the liberation of Kashmir, now that he has been released after ten months of detention.

How can he be re-arrested? He has been released by a three-judge bench of the review board. Waleed was this reporters minder during a trip to the LeT headquarters soon after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The United States strongly condemned Saeeds release and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution last Saturday.

Saeed, with deep linkages to both the army and the ISI, is back to giving sermons and addressing gatherings. Kashmir is our core issue. We will not give up. Even the Pakistani government cannot afford to stop speaking on Kashmir, Waleed said.

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A Naga extremist leader charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seven years ago for gunrunning, has been made the military chief of the Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland that has been on ceasefire mode since July 1997.

The NSCN-IM had late Tuesday evening said Lieutenant General Anthony Ningkhan Shimray has been made the longvibu or commander-in-chief of the Naga army. The outfits vice-president Kholi announced this via an order.

Shimray, a 56-year-old Tangkhul Naga from Manipurs Ukhrul district, replaces Phungthing Shimrang, who was formerly the convenor of the ceasefire monitoring cell. The NSCN-IM did not specify the removal of Shimrang, also a Tangkhul from Manipur.

The outfits general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah belongs to the same tribe too.

Expected to take charge within a week, Shimray has been the head of NSCN-IMs foreign affairs. He was arrested in Nepals Kathmandu in September 2010 allegedly for negotiating an arms deal with a Chinese company, and lodged in New Delhis Tihar jail on charges of gunrunning and trying to wage war against India.

Read more: An overly critical media could truncate the Naga peace process

On 4 August 2016, a special court of NIA released Shimray on bail in interest of the peace negotiation between the Indian government and the NSCN-IM and six other Naga extremist groups. RN Ravi, the Centres interlocutor in the Naga peace talks, played a key role in securing bail for Shimray.

A spokesperson of NSCN-IM said Shimray is an easy-going person, is a post-graduate and has the kind of communication skills that helped the outfit garner global support during the days of conflict with New Delhi. Shimrays military exploits include commanding the Naga rebels in their hideout in Bangladesh three decades ago.

The NSCN-IM which is active in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, is believed to have cadre strength of more than 5,000. It signed a Framework Agreement with the Narendra Modi government in 2015, but the contents of this peace deal have not been revealed yet.

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Hadiya Jehans father K M Ashokan said on Wednesday he will move a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College in Salem where his daughter is studying for its decision to allow her husband Shefin Jehan to meet her at the college.

He also questioned the college authorities for allowing her to meet journalists on the college premises. In the press meet Hadiya said she talked to her husband over phone after a gap of eight months and college authorities have allowed her to meet him in a couple of days.

The highest court of the country has sent her to the college to complete her education in a safe environment. If Jehan who has got an extremist link meets her it will compromise my daughters safety, he told the Hindustan Times. He said it was not proper for the college to allow her to meet reporters

It seems the college is not taking enough measures to ensure her safety. I dont want my daughter to revive her relations with Jehan who has got good connections with extremist elements like Islamic State. My whole fight is to block an extremists entry into my family, he said.

G Kannan, dean of the college had said if her husband approaches the college through proper channel, the college will allow him to meet her. After the Supreme Court allowed her to continue her studies Hadiya returned to her college on Tuesday to complete her 11-month house surgeon internship.

Read more: Love jihad: Hadiya back in college, dean says shell study under Hindu name

Earlier Wednesday, Hadiya told reporters in the college that she was not free completely and desperately wanted to meet her husband.

I asked for freedom. Though the court allowed me to complete my studies I am yet to get my freedom. I am demanding the basic right every citizen enjoys in the country, she said.

Though the Supreme Court had allowed her to return to the college, it did not say anything about the couple being allowed to meet.

Hadiya, born Akhila Ashokan, married a Muslim youth Shefin Jehan without her familys consent last December. Her father, a retired military man, approached the Kerala High Court alleging that she was bound for Syria and a well-oiled machinery was working in the state to trap innocent girls and indoctrinate them.

In May the HC had struck down their marriage calling it a sham following which the her husband moved the Supreme Court.

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on Congress leader Jagdish Tytler and dismissed his plea against a show cause notice issued by the passport authorities for allegedly furnishing false details to them.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the leader to deposit the cost with the Delhi High Court and said a detailed order would be passed later.

Tytler had moved the court against the show cause notice by the passport authorities asking why his passport should not be impounded for allegedly furnishing false details for renewal of his travel document.

The CBI had earlier informed a trial court that while seeking renewal of his passport, Tytler had falsely submitted before the passport office that no criminal case was pending against him.

The trial court was also told that he had already received the renewed passport even when his application seeking a no-objection certificate from the court was pending.

During the hearing, senior advocate Arvind Nigam, appearing for Tytler, claimed it was a bonafide mistake and the leader had no intention to hide this fact from the passport authorities.

To this, the high court asked the counsel to show from the records where he had voluntarily informed the trial court that it was a bonafide mistake.

The leaders counsel submitted that the passport authorities initially issued three show cause notices to Tytler which were quashed by the appellate authority after which a fourth show cause notice was issued which was later withdrawn.

He said the authorities then issued a fifth show cause notice by invoking several new provisions and it was done with complete non-application of mind and they cannot keep on issuing such notices.

Tytler had told the trial court that a clerical mistake was committed in the application to the passport office.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Director General of Tihar jail in the wake of media reports that a scuffle involving Kashmiri prisoners took place at the prison, leading to injuries.

However, official sources said, as per the preliminary information, Syed Shahid Yusuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who is also lodged in Tihar jail in connection with terror funding cases, was not assaulted.

The ministry has asked the Director General of the Tihar jail to submit a report as early as possible detailing the incident and the action taken so far.

The home ministry has also requested Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to direct the appropriate authority to review the security arrangements in the high security prison and taken necessary measures wherever needed, the sources said.

They said, as per the preliminary information, three prisoners were found to be having unauthorised materials and when the jail officials tried to remove them, the inmates resisted and had to be overpowered.

Details about the prisoners involved in the incident were awaited, the sources said.

Asked whether Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had telephoned Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba enquiring about the Tihar incident, a home ministry official stated that the home secretarys interaction with constitutional authorities are in the nature of privileged communication and hence the ministry can neither confirm or deny any such interaction.

Earlier, reports from Srinagar said Mehbooba spoke with Gauba about social media reports on the alleged assault of Kashmiri prisoners in Tihar jail and urged him to ensure their safety.

Mufti spoke to Gauba after photographs of injured Kashmiri undertrials surfaced on social media sites here, state government officials said.

A prison is considered to be the safest place but the alleged incidents that have come to light put a question mark on it, she said in a statement.
Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump and his advisor, attends a discussion on We Can Do It! at Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Ivanka is proposed to visit the historic Golkonda Fort on Wednesday afternoon along with a delegation of senior officials, before returning to the USA later in the evening.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a dinner in honour of Ivanka. The dinner was attended by more than 1,200 delegates from 150 countries.

Here are the live updates:

12.30pm: US President Donald Trump applauds his daughter and advisor Ivanka Trumps great work in promoting women entrepreneurs during her visit to India.

10.55am: (The) Prime Minister has belittled the position of PM by attending an event of IvankaTrump, Telangana CM was already there. Why does PM need a certificate from outsiders and dubious foreign rating agencies? He should ask people of Gujarat for the certificate, says Congress leader Anand Sharma.

10.38am: ICICI Bank managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar offers advice on what it takes for women to make it to the top in the corporate world during Global Entrepreneurship Summit plenary discussion.

.@ICICIBank Managing Director & CEO Chanda Kochhar offers advice on what it takes for women to make it to the top in the corporate world during Global Entrepreneurship Summit plenary discussion. pic.twitter.com/prgqGZmcJ1  GES2017 (@GES2017) November 29, 2017

10.28am: Biases that exist in society have to be addressed, and men need to be a part of that conversation. Business outcomes are great when you have diverse thinking, says Quintos.

10.22am: We need to get more men in women-related work fields and more women in work fields such as STEM, says Trump.

10.19am: There is no other country in the world other than India where 40% of the banking sector is headed by women, says Kochhar.

10.18am: Chanda Kochhar of ICICI Bank says not even 25% of graduate women (in India) participate in the workforce.

10.17am: We need to see more women in STEM related jobs, Quintos says.

10.16am: Business outcomes are great when you have diverse thinking, Karen H Quintos of Dell.

10.14am: Ivanka Trump says 90 cents earned by a woman out of a dollar goes back into their family income.

10.08am: Having equal gender representation is a financial positive to businesses today besides being a social responsibility, says Trump.

9.50am: One thing Id like to throw out there is that these arent womens issues, we are half the population so we need to start thinking about them as critical issues: Ivanka Trump.

9.45am: Technology offers tremendous opportunity to women and women entrepreneurs, says Trump.

(With agency inputs)
A local court in Jharkhand sentenced two youths to 20-year of rigorous imprisonment, holding them guilty of gang raping a female constable four years ago.

Besides gang raping the woman constable, the convicted duo--Matik Oraon and Katua Oraon--and three others were also involved in looting cash, valuables and mobiles from the victim, her relatives and other passengers crossing through the national highway 75 in August 2013.

The Jharkhand police constable was travelling in an ambulance with her relatives on the intervening night of August 21 and 22, when a group of robbers waylaid them near Jagaldaga under the Chandwa police station area. They had forcibly taken the victim behind the bushes and took turn to rape her before fleeing the spot.

The victim, a widow of a slain district armed police jawan who lost life in a Maoist attack in 2011, had just completed her police training after being appointed as constable on compassionate grounds when the incident happened.

The crime had hit the national headlines and the Jharkhand police had come under scathing criticism following the incident, compelling the then director general of police to visit the crime scene.

On Tuesday, the court of Latehar principal district and sessions judge Vishnukant Sahay also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each to the duo, besides granting them 20-year jail term.

The court, however, found two of their accomplices Heeralal Oraon and Mukesh Oraon guilty of only committing the robbery. The court awarded them 10-year imprisonment under section 395 and 7-year rigorous imprisonment under section 397, besides imposing a penalty of Rs 5,000 each.

A minor, who was also involved in robbery, is being tried separately at a local juvenile court. All the accused hail from Jobia Tola under Latehar police station area.

The police had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officials from police, forensic and intelligence sleuths to crack the case at the earliest. The SIT had arrested the accused within two days of the incident and collected vital forensic evidences from the spot, a senior district police official said.

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The rape and murder of a 15-year-old in Maharashtras Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district last year caused widespread outrage and became a trigger for the Maratha protests last year. On Wednesday, a sessions court in Ahmednagar, awarded death sentence to three men convicted for the crime.

Heres a closer look at the Kopardi case that rocked Maharashtra:

The case

On July 13, 2016, a 15-year-old girl was returning home after meeting her grandfather when the main accused Jitendra Shinde accosted her. Shinde brutally tortured and raped girl. He called his friends who dragged her to an isolated location and murdered her.

The victims body bore signs of brutal assault. Her limbs had been broken, hair pulled out, and bite marks were found all over her body.

The case caused an uproar in the Maharashtra assembly during the monsoon session, with the Opposition demanding action from the government. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made a statement saying the a fast-track court will hear the case. The state government also announced Rs 5 lakh financial help to the victims family.

Kopardi case in the court

The accused --Shinde, Nitin Bhailume and Santosh Bhaval --were arrested by the police right after the incident. But Ahmednagar remained tense, prompting the state to send a team to the village.

The state had appointed Ujjwal Nikam as public prosecutor.

On October 7, the Ahmednagar Police filed a chargesheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Ahmednagar district and sessions court judge Suvarna Kevale pronounced all the three accused guilty in the Kopardi rape and murder case in November. Arguments over the quantum of punishment began on Novermber 21, with the defence arguing for life imprisonment. On Wednesday, the sessions court sentenced the three accused to death.

The Maratha protests

The Kopardi rape became the catalyst for Maratha protests that stretched over months. The victim belonged to the Maratha community while the accused were from the Dalit Mahar caste and worked as labourers in the same village.

The first protest by the Maratha Kranti Morcha was held days after the incident, where lakhs of Marathas marched across Ahmednagar, Beed, Parbhani, Osmanabad and Jalgaon districts. The protests, many of them completely silent, spread to other districts and the numbers swelled.

While the protests were set off by the rape, they were soon overtaken by other demands. The Maratha protestors demanded reservation in government jobs and colleges. They also demanded a repeal of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Fadnavis promptly announced several sops to pacify the Marathas, but their main demand for reservation is before the Bombay High Court, which is yet to decide on a petition challenging the 16% quota for the community announced by the previous government.
The death sentence awarded to three men for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Ahmednagars Kopardi village in Maharashtra on Wednesday brought a sense of closure to the teenagers family.

The verdict came within 16 months of the crime, a good pace in a painfully slow judicial system.

But just a week ago, another familys quest for justice in Ahmednagar district was dealt a blow when all the nine men accused of murdering 17-year-old Nitin Aage were acquitted for want of evidence.

The Kopardi judgment is good and I welcome it. Peoples faith in judiciary will strengthen further if the process is expedited in other cases too, prominent Dalit writer Raosaheb Kasbe told Hindustan Times a few hours after the Kopardi verdict.

The largest district in Maharashtra, Ahmednagar is a part of the sugar-cane belt and has a history of caste strife.

The Kopardi victim was an upper caste Maratha and the rapists Dalits. Aage was a Dalit and all the nine accused Marathas.

Marathas, who are the land owners, account for 40% of the districts population of 4.5 million, while 21% of the people are scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, many of whom work the fields for the Marathas.

The Kopardi case was keenly followed as it sparked caste protests. Marathas held marches for quick justice while Dalits faced violence in some parts of the state.

Aage was murdered on April 28, 2014 in Kharda village for allegedly talking to a Maratha girl. His body was found hanging from a tree, the FIR said.

The post mortem report revealed the scale of violence. Aages head and private parts had burns and his face smashed. The girls brother, uncle and seven other men were arrested on charges of murder and under the scheduled caste and scheduled tribes (prevention of atrocities) act.

But On November 23, an Ahmednagar court acquitted all the nine for lack of evidence after 16 of the 26 witnesses turned hostile.

I dont know what to do. I am at a complete loss, Aages father, Raju, said after the verdict.

While protesting against the Kopardi rape, the Maratha community wanted the SC/ST atrocities act scrapped, a law aimed at preventing caste-based discrimination and violence.

The fault lines run deep.

Three Dalit boys were murdered in January 2013 in Sonai. One of the boys was seeing and upper-caste girl, the FIR says.

The murders were widely reported but the case hasnt made much progress.

There is no need to see the caste of victim. Every case involving woman as victim has to be fast-tracked, advocate Swati Nakhate, who was instrumental in galvanizing the Maratha community after Kopardi incident, wrote in a piece for a news portal.

While Kopardi verdict has been hailed, the Aage case has raised eyebrows. Union minister for social justice Ramdas Athawale, a Dalit, has said the acquittals would be challenged.

The Maharashtra government would re-investigate the case if needed, minister Rajkumar Badole has said.

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Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, minister of state for external affairs VK Singh said today.

Talking on the sidelines of an event in Nagpur, Singh rubbished as rumour reports that China has erected a 400 metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Dokalam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

The minister also said India does not care about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide guarantee on the safety aspect.

Pakistans foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistans offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navyman, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhavs execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We dont care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection.

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him - either related to terrorism or otherwise - have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

Do not believe in such rumours, he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400 metre high wall to hide construction activities in Dokalam on Sikkim- Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.
Rahul Gandhi is likely to file his nomination papers for the Congress presidents post on December 4 with all top leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, proposing his name.

The 47-year-old Rahuls election to the post is a mere formality as no one from the party is expected to file the nominations on the last day on Monday.

About 50-55 sets of nomination papers from all states are expected to be filed on his behalf.

According to the Congress constitution, it is not necessary for Rahul to personally file the nominations. Ten Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates are required to seek his consent on the nomination papers.

His nomination papers will then be submitted before the Central Election Authority (CEA), a party panel that is overseeing the organisational polls.

The CEA will scrutinise papers on December 5 and if no other nomination is filed, the result can be declared that day itself. He will also be handed over a certificate.

Rahuls election will then be ratified at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) or plenary session expected to be held before December 31, the deadline set by the Election Commission for the party to complete its organisational polls.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the partys highest decision-making body, will also be reconstituted at the session.

According to the Congress constitution, the president enjoys a three-year term starting from his/her appointment during the session. During the interim period of election and formal appointment at the plenary, the person acts as the president-elect.

Rahuls election will herald a new era in the 132-year-old party and bring down the curtains on the long tenure of Sonia Gandhi. He will be the sixth member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to occupy the post.

The 70-year-old Sonia holds the record of being the Congress chief for more than 19 consecutive years after taking over from Sitaram Kesri in March 1998.

During her entire tenure, Sonia had to face contest only once. She defeated Jitendra Prasada  who had served as political advisor to former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao  in a one-sided contest on November 9, 2000.

The last organisational elections in the Congress were held in 2010 when Sonia was elected party president for the fourth term.

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The Supreme Court said on Wednesday it cant frame guidelines on how to investigate cases of dowry harassment as it will amount to going beyond the statutory provisions.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud said this indicating it will revisit the judgment by a two-judge bench which had directed the formation of a committees to scrutinise the complaints of dowry harassment before the police act on them.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice AK Goel had laid the guidelines to be followed in dealing with the complaints of dowry harassment.

As two amicus curiae, senior counsel V Shekhar and Indu Malhotra, sought the stay of judgment under which the guidelines were framed, the court said it may accept or overrule it.

The guidelines were framed on how the police should proceed in cases of dowry harassment under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code.

However, the court said the guidelines were not required for the implementation of statutory provision 498A dealing with dowry harassment.
An Ahmednagar court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to three men for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtras Kopardi village in 2016 that triggered statewide protests.

Jitendra Babulal Shinde, 25, Santosh Gorakh Bhaval, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 23, were sentenced to death for rape, murder and criminal conspiracy, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

Today my little girl got justice in the true sense, the teenagers mother, who broke down after hearing the judges order, said.

The death penalty would have to be confirmed by the Bombay high court.

Considering the caste sensitivities, security was tight around the court of additional special judge Suvarna Kevale who had found the three men guilty on November 18 under the stringent protection of children from sexual offences act (Pocso). Pocso cases are tried in separate courts.

The judgment will be a deterrent for other criminals, Nikam said.

The girl, a Class 9 student, was raped and murdered on July 13, 2016 in Ahmednagar districts at Kopardi village, 120km from Pune.

She was returning home from her grandfathers house in the same village when the three men grabbed her and took her to an isolated place, the charge sheet said.

Four or five days before the incident, the accused had stopped the girl and tried to molest her, Nikam told the court. When she resisted, two of them threatened her.

On July 13, 2016, the three were moving around on their motorcycles to keep a watch on the girl, Nikam said.

The incident assumed casteist and political overtones, as the girl belonged to the Maratha community and three men were Dalits.

Silent marches (mook morcha) were held by Marathas across the state seeking speedy justice for the girl and some Dalits were attacked in neighbouring Nashik.

The Nationalist Congress Party and Congress demanded chief minister Devendra Fadnavis resignation on moral grounds.

The protests forced the government to appoint noted criminal lawyer Nikam, who has appeared in several high-profile cases including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, as the special public prosecutor.

We thank the public prosecutor, chief minister and the entire Maratha community for their efforts in bringing the accused to books, the girls father said.

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The Border Security Force (BSF) will deploy UAVs and put up a smart fence to check smuggling and infiltration from across the most notorious riverine and porous gaps along the India-Bangladesh border by next year, the chief of the force said on Wednesday.

BSF Director General (DG) KK Sharma said the Union home ministry has recently approved a proposal of the force to deploy an indigenously developed smart fence at the 48.12-km-long riverine Dhubri border area along the Brahmaputra river in Assam.

The technology solution will help in checking surprise infiltration and it will also ensure rest and recuperation of troops involved in area domination duties in this area. By October 2018, this project will be in place at Dhubri, he said.

The smart fence, a senior officer said, will detect illegal human or cattle movement with the help of infra-red rays. The control room will get alerted by satellite-based signals in case of a breach followed by a response by a quick reaction armed team of the force, he said.

At present, BSF troops on boats guard this patch which is highly prone to illegal migration and cattle smuggling due to the changing course of the river. No permanent structure like border posts can be erected in this area.

Sharma said the force has approached the home ministry to procure four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for effective air surveillance of vulnerable infiltration areas of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border that they are mandated to guard.

The BSF has also urged the ministry to sanction the raising of five more battalions (about 5,000 personnel) and their deployment along this border region to check crimes like smuggling of cattle, fake Indian currency notes, arms, ammunition and narcotics in some of the most vulnerable and notorious areas, he said.

The BSF chief said the force has very cordial relations with its counterpart -- the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) -- in checking border crimes and it was trying to bring down the instances of killing of Bangladeshis along the boundary.

The relations between the two countries are very good. The moment we change the present strategy (of using non-lethal weapons), more killings take place. It is detrimental to the interest of both the countries and we dont want to embarrass the other side, he said when asked if the force will use more lethal weapons as smugglers attack BSF men on duty.

He said that to check border crimes and stop attacks on BSF personnel and subsequent killing of Bangladeshis due to firing, both the forces have started doing simultaneous coordinated patrols in vulnerable areas.

Hopefully, things will get better, he said.

Asked about the instances of cattle smuggling, the DG said these numbers were gradually coming down.

The figure of cattle smuggling stood at over 20 lakh cattles a few years back but this was now only about five to six lakh, he said.

We are very serious about handling this issue and hence the number of clashes with smugglers (of BSF troops) has gone up in the last two years.

We have had two of our brave officers killed by the smugglers in the recent past while more than 120 people have been injured in various clashes, he said.

The force said it had also recently detected three underground tunnels in the border area.

Tunneling is a serious concern in these areas and the tunnels are like those found along the Indo-Pak border areas, especially in Jammu region, for smuggling of contraband and arms, the DG said.
Hadiya, the 24-year-old woman from Kerala whose decision to convert to Islam and marry her lover is at the centre of a legal debate over individual liberty, said on Wednesday that she is not free, renewing an appeal to be allowed to meet her husband.

I asked for freedom from court. I wanted to meet my husband but the fact is that Im not free till now and thats the truth, she said, speaking to reporters.

I am demanding basic rights that every Indian citizen has. It has nothing to do with politics or caste. All I want is to talk to people I like.

Hadiya deposed before the Supreme Court on Monday, where she told judges: I want freedom I want to complete my studies and live my life according to my faith and as a good citizen.

The judges allowed her to go back to college  she had previously been in the custody of her parents who filed the court case against her marriage  but did not say anything about the couple being allowed to meet.

Hadiya has returned to her college in Tamil Nadus Salem.

Hadiya, born Akhila Ashokan, married Shafin Jahan without her family consent last December. Her father, retired military man Ashokan KM, approached the high court in May, alleging in his petition that there was a well-oiled systematic mechanism for conversion and Islamic radicalisation that trapped his daughter.

The Kerala HC struck down Hadiya and Shafins marriage, calling it a sham, but the husband moved the Supreme Court.
In the last three months, 23 people have been jailed for driving under the influence of alcohol, data with the Jaipur traffic police, have revealed.

This is the first time in the last two years that offenders of drink driving have been jailed, the data shows.

According to police officials, the action taken against such people is part of a stringent approach that the Jaipur police have taken on drink driving.

Given the fact that many accidents occur due to drink driving, we have decided to take a zero tolerance approach towards it, said deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Lovely Katiyar.

Twenty-three people have been sent to jail for driving in an inebriated condition, she told HT.

She further said that the in the cases in which people have been sent to jail, the offenders consumed more than the permissible limit of alcohol.

Challans were issued under the Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act and the objective behind sending people to judicial custody for drink driving is to make them understand the risk that they pose to other people, said Katiyar.

Earlier, in most cases of drink driving, offenders were fined monetarily and this is the first time in the past two years that people have been sent to jail.

Most of these people were drunk driving during night time and we have positioned special teams in various parts of the city to apprehend such people. The arrests were made uniformly throughout the city, said Sumer Dan, traffic inspector (education).

Data with the Jaipur traffic police states that the number of challans issued under the Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act has also increased in 2017.

The data reveals that while the total number of people fined for drink driving in 2015 and 2016 were 8,093 and 9,715, more than 12,820 challans have been issued until October 2017.

In cases where a person has consumed more alcohol than the permissible limit, the public prosecutor recommends the magistrate that he be imprisoned, police said.

We are hoping that strong action against drink driving will also result in awareness about the number of risks to life and property that the menace poses, said Katiyar.

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The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday concluded the hearing on the religious conversion and inter-faith marriage without any law and reserved its judgement.

The high court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Chirag Singhvi, who alleges that his sister  Payal Singhvi, who is now known as Aarifa  was coerced into converting to Islam and that her marriage papers are forged. The police had produced Payal alias Arifa before the court on November 7, when the court had allowed Payal (22) to live according to her own wish. The state government had, however, asked the court to clarify the legal status of conversion and inter-faith marriage.

During the hearing, the state additional advocate general, SK Vyas, told the court that the Rajasthan Religious freedom Bill was passed in 2008. The Attorney General of India had made objections about some provisions of the bill. Vyas said that the objections had been removed. Advocate General has confirmed the bill according to the Constitution and in accordance with the orders given by the Supreme Court from time to time. He said that the state government has recently requested the central government to get the Presidents approval.

Mahesh Bora, counsel for Payals husband Faiez Modi told the court that Arifa (Payal) and Faiez are adults and they got married by mutual consent. He cited the Supreme Courts judgment and said that in the hearing of habeas corpus petition, the court can only order the corpus to be produced. If the corpus is an adult, he or she can live with anyone according to the persons wish.

Bora added Aarifa has been living with her husband with the permission of the court, so the habeas corpus petition has now become infructuous. He said that the bill passed in the Legislative Assembly is pending with the President, so the high court cannot issue any guideline on change of religion and inter-faith marriage. The petitioners counsel MR Singhvi, while referring to the Supreme Court judgement, said that there can be no change in religion without adopting a legal process.

At present, there is no law on religious freedom in Rajasthan, so it is unconstitutional to claim that religion change only on the basis of an affidavit. He requested the court to give necessary directions in this regard. After hearing all the parties, the high court reserved the judgement.
Arrested station house officer of Bharatpurs Kaman police station along with a broker were on Wednesday produced in a special anti-corruption court for taking a bribe of  40,000 from an owner of an illegal stone crusher.

The special court, remand the arrested duo to 15 day judicial remand and sent them to the Sewar central jail.

A team of the state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) laid a trap to arrest station house officer Rakesh Yadav and his broker Pratap Yadav alias Tinku while taking the bribe from the stone crusher owner Kalyan Singh Gujar to release three of his trucks seized by the police late night on Tuesday.

The team from Jaipur, led by additional superintendent of police (ACB) Alok Singhal along with members of the bureau from Bharatpur, carried out the raid at the SHOs house in Kaman late on Tuesday, police said.

Gurjar, a stone crusher owner from Pahari, registered a complaint with the Bharatpur ACB against Rakesh Yadav for forcing him to pay a bribe to run the stone crusher, said Singhal.

After verifying the complaint from a video recording, ACB officials chalked out a plan to nab the SHO, he said.

Rakesh Yadav seized three of Gujars trucks used in transporting stones from the crusher early on Tuesday and demanded a bribe of  1.25 lakh every month to release the trucks and run the illegal stone crusher.

Gurjar paid  40,000 as part of the bribe in the morning through Pratap Yadav and promised to pay another  30,000 in the evening, said Singhal.

The SHO demanded a bribe of 1.25 lakh every month from Gujar to run the stone crusher and five trucks to transport the stone.

Pratap Yadav worked as a broker for the SHO and collected bribe money from owners of illegal stone crushers and mines on his behalf.

ACB officials recovered 70,000 in cash from the possession of the SHO and lodged an FIR against duo after catching them accepting the bribe, Singhal said, adding that that further investigation is on.

Gurjar is related to state minister Hem Singh Bhadana.

Kaman circle of Mewat region is infamous for illegal mining.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told the state Assembly Wednesday that she had created the brand Biswa Bangla, designed the logo and gave it to the government for free.

It is the first time Banerjee has spoken on the issue since BJP leader Mukul Roy alleged that Biswa Bangla, the umbrella logo promoted by the Bengal government is actually owned by the CMs nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

I created the logo in 2013. It was given to the state government free of charge. The government will use it as long as it wants. If and when it will have no use of it, the logo will return to me. Some are trying to spread lies, the chief minister said.

The Biswa Bangla logo is my dream. Dreams are never sold. None can set a price for a dream, she added.

Read more: Ongoing Roy-TMC spat is a drama enacted to fool people, claim Congress, CPI (M)

On November 10, in his first public meeting as a BJP leader, former railway minister and Trinamool second-in-command Mukul Roy alleged that the logo was registered in the name of Abhishek Banerjee.

The allegation generated a lot of controversy in the following days in Bengal with the 31-year old MP dragging Roy to court in defamation case. Roy, who was restrained by a district court not to say anything linking the logo and the MP, insists that he has all the documentary evidence and will prove his claim in court.

Roy had claimed that the address given in the application Abhishek Banerjee made to register the logo in his name also contained the address 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, which is the residence of the chief minister.

After Roys allegation, home secretary Atri Bhattacharya and MSME secretary Rajiva Sinha issued statements saying the claims were totally false.

Last week, the BJP leader targeted Abhishek again saying he owns the political slogan Maa Mati Manush of the Trinamool Congress.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Tuesday provided more time to the state government to file its reply in the Birahimpur bridge case.

The court fixed December 5 for the next hearing of the case.

Earlier, the court had taken suo motu cognizance of a report published in Hindustan Times highlighting the plight of villagers of Birahimpur.

Taking note of the news report, the court had directed the state counsel to inform it on November 28 about steps taken by the government for construction of a bridge over river Betwa to connect Birahimpur village with Malihabad town, 40 kilometres away from Lucknow.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale and Justice Vivek Chaudhary passed the order on a PIL on news report published on the front page of Hindustan Times on November 13, 2017, titled 70 years on, Birahimpur residents still waiting for govt to cross the bridge

On November 17, another report  Mumbai firm offers help for building Birahimpur bridge  was published in Hindustan Times.

Representing the state government, chief standing counsel, UP government, Ramesh Pandey on Tuesday sought more time to seek instructions from the government to file response, which was provided by the court.

Read more: After HT report, HC seeks reply on Birahimpur bridge

The court had observed that the news report dated November 13, 2017, did not receive any response from the government.

However, a private company from Mumbai, SDM Architects volunteered to build a new bridge in the village after HT highlighted the issue, the court added.

The court had also instructed the chief standing counsel to inform it about the steps taken by the government related with the offer of a Mumbai-based company to construct the bridge.
Shivpal Yadav, once the contender for the chief ministers post in the Samajwadi Party (SP), is a now a political loner.

The plans of Shivpal, the younger brother of the SPs chief patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle of the partys national president Akhilesh Yadav, that began 15 months ago have not come a full circle.

Mulayam called Akhilesh a good boy and an able chief minister on his birthday on November 23 and said that his blessings will always be with his son. But he has not had a word about Shivpal since September.

Akhilesh fought tooth and nail since August last year to win the post of SPs national president and purge all the rebels to get re-elected in Agra this October. He also won back his father and partys founder president Mulayams blessings.

Just a week before that, Mulayam had called Akhilesh a betrayer because he had not returned the partys presidentship to him but he crushed Shivpals dream of floating a new organisation in the same breath and called for the strengthening of the organisation he founded.

Read more: Akhilesh is a good boy, Mulayam praises son as SP celebrates veteran leaders 79th birthday

Shivpal commanded a position in the party and the government in August last year when he threatened to quit the party. Today, he continues in the party as its Mainpuri MLA after losing all. He has gone into a political seclusion and is not making any comment either in Lucknow or Mainpuri, where he goes frequently, or on social media.

All those who stood by him like pillars during his tussle for power with Akhilesh have deserted him and several of his camp members have joined the Bhartiya Janata Party or Bahujan Samaj Party.

The former legislators of the SP -- Yashwant Singh, Sarojini Agarwal, Bukkal Nawab, and Ashok Bajpai -- have quit their MLC seats and joined the BJP. Ambika Chaudhary, who was also in the Shivpal camp, is in the BSP.

Three ministers -- Narad Rai, Shadab Fatima, and Om Prakash Singh -- close to him were sacked by Akhilesh from his cabinet. Singh is back in the Samajwadi Party and Rai, who was later expelled along with all these, joined the BSP. But, Rai recently quit Mayawatis party and is looking for a place back in SP through Mulayam.

Singh along with Fatima and another Shivpal camp member Ashu Malik came to the party headquarters and were present on the stage with Akhilesh during Mulayams birthday celebrations. There are speculations that Rai, Malik, and Fatima will be taken back into the partys fold.

Shivpals banner of rebellion that had Mulayams blessings lies tattered and his political future is uncertain as the party patron now stands by his son Akhilesh.

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An 18-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped in a village in Muzaffarnagar by four members of her family, including her father and brother, for eloping with her boyfriend, police said on Tuesday. All the accused were arrested on Monday, they added.

After being directed by the Allahabad High Court (on November 19), a case was registered against the accused at the Sikhera police station, said station house officer (SHO) New Mandi police station, Kushal Pal Singh.

After the court directed the police to transfer the investigation from Sikhera to another police station in the district, the probe was handed over to the New Mandi police station on November 21. SSP Muzaffarnagar Anant Dev Tiwari deputed inspector Kushal Pal Singh to probe the matter.

Sources said the victim, a resident of a village under Sikhera police station, had a love affair with a youth of the same village and about six months ago the couple eloped and got married.

Soon after that the girls father lodged a police complaint at Sikhera police station against the youth, charging him with kidnapping. He was arrested and sent to jail, but released on bail later.

The victim was allegedly gangraped by her father, brother and two uncles around three months after she eloped with the youth, the police said.

Sometime ago, the couple approached the high court when the girl said her kin gangraped her multiple times at a place in village Kukra. In her complaint, she also alleged that her family members threatened her. They family members have also been accused of confining her at a house, said police.

The victim has been produced before a magistrate who recorded her statement in which she has supported her complaint.

Vasistha Bhardwaj (with PTI inputs)
The UP government has asked Public Works Department (PWD) engineer-in-chief to send a report explaining whether the digital display screens put up on the foot over bridge (FoB) on Lohia Path and other roads violate safety code of Indian Road Congress or not.

Hindustan Times, Lucknow had on Tuesday carried a report Digital screens distracting commuters?, drawing the attention of authorities to the issue that such digital display screens could distract commuters.

WHAT THE LETTER SAYS The state government asked the engineer in chief (PWD) to send a report on the issue. I have been asked to seek report/information from you on following counts. Whether the running displays set up on Lohia Path of Lucknow and other roads are in accordance with the Indian Road Congresss guidelines. If yes, whether any permission has been taken from the PWD before putting up such running display board. If not, then why, said Raj Shekhar, special secretary, PWD in his letter dated November 28, 2017 to the engineer in chief (PWD).

Taking note of the report, the state government asked the engineer in chief (PWD) to send a report on the issue. I have been asked to seek report/information from you on following counts. (1) Whether the running displays set up on Lohia Path of Lucknow and other roads are in accordance with the Indian Road Congresss guidelines. (2) If yes, whether any permission has been taken from the PWD before putting up such running display board. (3) If not, then why, said Raj Shekhar, special secretary, PWD in his letter dated November 28, 2017 sent to the engineer in chief (PWD).

Read more| Lucknow: Digital screens distracting commuters?

According to sources, Shekhar had even opposed such display screens during his tenure as district magistrate (Lucknow) and asked the Lucknow Municipal Corporation not to go ahead with the move.

The LMC claimed that the FoB had been built on public private partnership model to provide facility to pedestrians to cross the road.

However, the LMC did not take prior permission from the PWD for setting up the digital boards on Lohia Path, a city highway, falling in other district roads category of the PWD. As the digital display screens have been put up in violation of the IRCs safety code, the PWD will also send a letter/notice to the LMC and take appropriate action, said sources.

t may be mentioned that the IRCs safety code does not allow setting up of any hoardings and large digital display screens across the road as they distract attention of drivers and could prove to be a hazard for commuters.

The union ministry of road transport and highways policy also does not permit advertisement hoardings on national highways/expressways.

The state government asked the engineer in chief (PWD) to send a report on the issue.

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Uttar Pradesh government will be launching a special campaign for paddy purchase from farmers through e-procurement system from December 2. Chief secretary Rajive Kumar, who took stock of the governments preparedness for the drive, has directed administration officials to deploy lekhpals and staff of the revenue department to guide and assist farmers.

To create awareness, necessary information regarding the paddy purchase has been given to more than 55 lakhs farmers through SMS and to 5 lakh farmers through mega call centers in the state, Kumar said. The details of purchase would be uploaded daily on the government portal set up for the purpose.

Principal secretary, food and civil supplies, Nivedita Shukla Verma, who was also present at the meeting, said farmers have been told not to sell their paddy below the fixed price. She said that Rs 15 additional would be paid to farmers for unloading, filtration and cleaning.

Verma said that R 25,000 has been given to 31 districts for publishing the names of the centers and in-charges in the local newspaper to provide information regarding the paddy purchase centers and in-charges to the farmers. We are closely monitoring the arrangements and laxity would not be tolerated, she said adding that one marketing superintendent was suspended on charges of irregularities and action against three other officials had been initiated during an inspection by the food commissioner in Hardoi market.

The state government claimed that so far 9.20 lakhs metric tonnes of paddy had been purchased directly from 102,443 out of 2,36,499 registered farmers and Rs 1428.80 crore paid to them. Comparatively only 2.47 lakhs metric tonnes of paddy was purchased from the farmers in the same period last year. The government has set a target of purchasing 50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this fiscal. While the general variety of paddy would be purchased at the rate of R 1550 per quintal, the advance variety would fetch R 1590 per quintal. Besides R 15 per quintal would be given to farmers as handling charge, which was just R 3 earlier. Paddy purchase centres in western UP would operate till January 31 and till February 28 in Eastern UP.
The UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) is preparing to announce the new power tariff for the current financial year on Thursday, without waiting for the code of conduct to be over on December 1, the day of counting of votes for the civic polls.

According to insiders in the commission, the rural domestic consumers are likely to experience the real tariff shock this time as the commission may make the use of electricity costlier for them by 70%-150% at one go, something that is being seen as unprecedented.

The tariff for the unmetered rural domestic consumers is likely to be increased from Rs 180 per connection per month to Rs 300 per connection per month. But the tariff will further go up in their case to Rs 400 per month from March 31 if they fail to install meters on their premise by the time. There are around 70 lakh unmetered consumes in villages in the state and their tariff, according to the UPPCL, is too low causing huge losses to it.

The tariff in respect of the metered rural domestic consumers is likely to increase to Rs 3 per unit for consumption of first 100 units, putting them at par with their urban counterparts in that category. They will be charged Rs 4 per units for units consumption between 101 and 150 and Rs 4.50 per unit above that. The slabs for the rural consumers are being prescribed for the first time.

However, the urban domestic consumers are likely to be let off with just 5% tariff hike, which will be the least in the recent years. While there may be some hike for the commercial consumers, no tariff increase is likely to be made for the industries.

The commission in its tariff order is also expected to direct the authorities to lay underground power cables in Noida and Ghaziabad to minimize power disruptions in these cities.

The commission, according to sources, is under immense pressure from the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) management to announce the tariff on November 30 only so that the tariff increase comes into effect from December 1 and protests over it are lost in the poll din.

The UPPCL authorities were summoned by the chief ministers office on Tuesday morning trying to know if the tariff announcement could be deferred till the winter session and Gujarat polls, sources said adding, The UPPCL officials, however, convinced the CM office about the urgency of the tariff.

UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad president Avadhesh Kumar Verma says, What is the urgency to announce the new electricity rates right now when the UPERC has the time till January 4 to declare the new tariff on the basis of the UPPCLs proposal?

We have not sought any permission from the state election commission to announce the tariff but we presume the commission will have no objection because the voting will be over on Wednesday and hence the question of the tariff declaration affecting the voters in any manner does not arise, a UPERC official said.

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The introduction of white chocolate in the culinary world made news in the 1930s. Now, after almost eighty years there is a new entrant in the world of chocolate. After dark, milk and white chocolate researchers at Barry Callebaut, Switzerland, one of the worlds largest cocoa producers and processors, have discovered ruby chocolate. The announcement was made in a news release shared by the company in September. The R&D department of the company had been developing the chocolate for the past 13 years but it was only in the last two years that they decided there was a market for this type of chocolate.

Unlike its cousins this variant has a bright millennial pink colour with an inherent berry nuanced flavour to the chocolate. It is made from the ruby bean, and it is unique because the fresh berry-fruitiness and colour precursors are naturally present.

With its vibrant and enticing appearance, this rose-hued confectionery is enough to satiate the hedonistic indulgence of the Instagram generation. And its not only pastry chefs who are excited about the news; chocoholics all over are waiting with bated breath for this pink bonbon to hit the shelves.

Hindustan Times speaks to a few city chefs and chocolatiers to get an insight on their views and how they plan to use it in their preparations.

Husna Jumani, pastry chef, The Clearing House, Fort is very excited for ruby chocolate to hit the market. Im assuming its going to be really hard to procure for the first couple of months. It is said to have a natural berry taste with slight acidity, so it would go really well with cream based desserts. I would start with that and then try different flavour pairings. I would try and showcase the stunning colour as much as possible, adding spices like pink peppercorn and Timur pepper would really accentuate the flavour, he says.

The ruby chocolate and the cocoa bean from which this chocolate variant is prepared (AFP)

Jumani adds: Im thinking pink pepper Pavlova with ruby chocolate and mascarpone cream, fresh berries and dark chocolate fondant with a liquid ruby chocolate centre, vanilla bean ice cream and ruby chocolate soil. For people who want to prepare something at home, I would suggest to first use basic ingredients like vanilla, cream cheese, heavy cream, mascarpone so that the flavour and colour of the chocolate is not buried and then move on to more unusual ingredients.

The four chocolate variants  dark, milk, ruby and white (AFP)

Himanshu Taneja, the chef and culinary director at St. Regis, Lower Parel says that the new chocolate will unlock the sensorial experience and will be a delight to the guest as well as chefs to experiment with and provide guests with an unusual variety of desserts. He adds: The colour and flavour are ideal for festivals and celebrations especially Valentines day. Pink is the colour associated with love and a chocolate with this as a natural colour, combined with a fruity taste is a good raw material to showcase the emotion of love. From chocolate sculptures to wedding cakes, dainty hearts and so much more can be created.

On the other hand, Tanvi Chowdri, founder of Papacream (Churchgate) feels that weve always seen chocolate in shades of brown and white. She says: So much so, that as a dessert lover I associate the colour brown with chocolate. I think today, people care a lot about the visual appeal of the products being served to them and the beautiful pink colour of the ruby chocolate will give us a lot to play with.

Tanvi adds: Whenever we make sundaes we look for different toppings and sauces that will break or contrast the brown of the chocolate ice cream. A pink coloured chocolate ice cream would be amazing. We could mould it into different red fruits (cherries, strawberries, apples) and use it as toppings on our ice creams. A red hot fudge would also look great on waffles.

Anil Jayaprakash, chef at I Think Fitness Cafe, Bandra (W) says its a wonderful discovery to find another variation of chocolate which is unique and has a fruity flavour. Generally the cocoa bean has a very nutty flavour and rich in taste. Creating and innovating desserts in the world of patisserie and confectionery would be very interesting. Gone are the days were we used to merge in flavours into the chocolates by adding it in the form of a moisture or powder, says Anil, adding that the best way to use ruby chocolate is infusing it with vanilla in desserts. The reason being the fragrance of vanilla and the flavour of ruby chocolate along with the mesmerising colour of ruby will add to the dessert, he says.

Truffles made using ruby chocolate (AFP)

For Nishesh Sheth, chef at Le Meridien, its an exciting time to be a chef and even more for a pastry chef. Chocolate has always fascinated both culinarians and consumers since its inception and a variant as exquisite as the ruby chocolate sounds thrilling. As a chef, we are always in search of new flavours and textures. A new ingredient always helps add a new dimension or perspective to an existing dish. Though at this point Im yet to get a taste of the chocolate, with what I have heard and read of it the possibilities seem endless, he says.

He further adds that this could be the next level for handmade chocolates. In the Instagram era, the colour of this chocolate would make it an instant hit with food stylists, photographers and bloggers as well, says Nishesh.

The chef is a big believer in creating dishes where the hero ingredient is known for its intrinsic flavours and does justice to the ingredient itself. He says: Although at this point, I am not aware of how the chocolate would perform in terms of technicalities like melting, tempering and moulding, I would sure prefer to use in its original form. I, for one, look forward to getting my hands on it and trying a few creations before I pass any verdict on it.

#rubychocolate # # # A post shared by Svetlana (@strastenachocolates) on Nov 19, 2017 at 11:27am PST

Sanjana Patel, executive chef and creative director at La Folie had first used ruby chocolate on her recent visit to the USA. When I first tasted pink chocolate, it was less sweet and more premium than white chocolate and had a citrus aftertaste with a milky texture, she says, adding that pink chocolate would pair best with berries, Greek yogurt, exotic spices and so on.

Since pink chocolate is expensive, we dont use it for extravagant dishes. Bonbons, waffle coating are some of the best ways we can experiment with pink chocolate in India. Chefs are always looking for new innovations to experiment and create some of the finest exotic desserts, says Sanjana, adding that a lot can be experimented with pink chocolate.

We can look at making a traditional French brassiere or a freshly churned woody pink ice cream. We can also use almond and marzipan or pair it with cherry blossom tea or rose petal tea. From the existing dishes, I would love to experiment with white chocolate cherry blossom cake where I would substitute white chocolate with pink chocolate for flavour enhancement. To make the dish more interesting, we can look at experimenting by creating Pink Latte or use it as a pink fondue, she says.

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A 21-year-old man was arrested by Bhoiwada police on Tuesday for allegedly attacking his girlfriend at Dadar as he suspected her of cheating on him. The police said Ajmal Shah, the accused, had also slit his wrist after hitting his girlfriend on the forehead with a blade.

The police said Shah, who was admitted at JJ Hospital, is out of danger, and the girl is fighting for her life at KEM Hospital.

The officers said that the incident took place in a room at Apsara Hotel where Shah had taken the girl to talk to her. Shah, who is unemployed and lives in Sangam Nagar in Antop Hill, had been dating the girl, who is a third-year degree college student. At 1.45pm we received a call from Apsara hotel staff saying a stabbing incident that had taken place in a room rented to a couple, said a police officer from Bhoiwada police station.

On reaching the spot, the police found the girl with a severe head injury and the man with his wrist slit. The police arrested Shah and admitted him in hospital.

Shah, in his statement, told the police that a few days ago he had found out that his girlfriend was seeing someone else and two-timing him. He said he decided to teach her a lesson. Under the pretext of discussing the issue, Shah took her to a room at Apsara Hotel, near Dadar station, and slashed her head. The police found the blade in Shahs possession.

The police have informed the girls parents and are waiting for Shah to get discharged. Since the girls condition is critical, we have registered a case of attempt to murder against Shah and are investigating the matter, said Dattaray Patil, senior police inspector of Bhoiwada police station.
Two days after a mob of more than 100 people assaulted doctors and ransacked a hospital in Kalyan over the death of a patient, the police have arrested four of the accused.

Yogesh Bhoir, 28, Mahesh Bhoir, 29, Haresh Patil, 22, and Anmol Bhoir, 24, are residents of Varpe village in Kalyan. They were produced in court on Wednesday and remanded in police custody till Saturday. All four do odd jobs.

The Mahatma Phule police have added attempt to murder charge (section 307 of the Indian Penal Code) against all accused.

Rohit Bhoir, 22, from Varpe village, was pronounced dead by doctors at Holy Cross Hospital late on Monday. He died of a cardiac arrest, said doctors. Accusing doctors of medical negligence, his relatives assaulted the medical staff, a journalist and police personnel, and vandalised the hospital. The police booked more than 70 people. S Dharane, inspector of Mahatma Phule police station, said, The journalist, Ketan Betavadekar, and others who were injured in the assault are out of danger. We met doctors in Kalyan and discussed about precautionary measures to prevent such incidents. We are also looking for the other accused who are on the run.

Protesting against a string of attacks on doctors in Maharashtra , they went on strike in March this year, asking the state government to improve security in civic hospitals. After assurance from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, they called off the strike.

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The Marine Drive police are looking for a 24-year-old domestic help who allegedly fled after stealing gold ornaments worth Rs 8.42 lakh from a Churchgate flat where he was working.

The incident took place between 8 pm and 9.45 pm in a flat on B Road in Churchgate on Monday, the police said. In her complaint, the 43-year-old homemaker said the ornaments were all kept in one bag, which the man stole.

The police are checking CCTV cameras in the vicinity, and have asked the woman to share all identity documents of the accused that she has. We have asked the complainant to share all identity documents and information on the accuseds credentials collected at the time of employment. We are contacting family members of the accused to see if he is in touch with them, said a police official, requesting anonymity.

A complaint has been registered under section 381 (theft of property) of the Indian Penal Code.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court restricted the media from covering the trial in the alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

According to the prosecution, Shaikh, a local gangster, was allegedly abducted by the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad on November 23, 2005, while he and his wife, Kausar Bi, were on a Hyderabad-Sangli bus. Three days later, Shaikh and Bi were killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar. The Supreme Court had transferred the case to Mumbai.

The court allowed the application filed by Shaikhs advocates, who cited security concerns. They said the publication of daily proceedings could lead to the likelihood of an untoward incident.

Media representatives present in the courtroom requested the judge to let them have a say in the matter, before an order was passed. Additional sessions judge SJ Sharma allowed journalists to make oral submissions, following which they told the court that reporting the trial was in public interest and should not be banned.

Reporters said they had covered various cases, involving several accused and witnesses, in public interest. The journalists submitted that the blanket ban on reporting would not be fair as the public should know how the case was proceeding.

I am of the view that the media should not be allowed to publish the proceedings until further order. The publications may create security problem for the accused, prosecution witnesses, the defence team and the prosecutor, said judge Sharma.

The defence made references to the attempt to kill senior lawyers appearing for the defence team in Mumbai, the history of 15 accused being discharged, and reports of the death of judge working on this case. The defence became apprehensive after such a natural death was given the colour of murder, they said.

The court observed that the accused are police from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Around 15 accused, who are the ministers of Gujarat and Rajasthan, and high-ranking police officers have been discharged. The matter appears sensational.

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You can now have a say on hawking zones in the city.

After getting a nod from the state government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced that it has demarcated hawking zones and pitches. The civic body will now invite suggestions and objections from citizens, after which these zones will be finalised. Citizens can give their feedback on the plan, which will soon be put up on the BMC website, at their ward office.

The BMC has also written to the joint commissioner of the traffic police, to check if any zone will come in the way of vehicle movement.

In 2015, the BMC had proposed 60,000 hawking pitches on 3,727 streets in Mumbai to accommodate close to 1lakh hawkers. The list was scrapped after residents associations held protests in Dadar, Matunga, Bandra, Kandivli, Borivli, Churchgate, and Colaba, claiming the zones passed through residential areas, and would disrupt their peace and lead to safety concerns.

The hawking zones are the same ones that were scrapped in 2015. Nidhi Chaudhari, deputy municipal commissioner, encroachment removal department, said, We have not changed the areas that were selected for hawking zones in 2015. It is the same list.

In 2007, the BMC had marked 221 roads as hawking zones and allotted pitches for 23,000 hawkers. However, the plan didnt materalise until 2015, when the BMC made some additions to the already designated hawking zones. The list includes the 221 roads that were marked as hawking zones based on a Supreme Court order in 2007, said Chaudhari.

The move has irked residents. Madhu Poplai, secretary of the Pali Hills residents association, said, My association spearheaded the protests in 2015. More than 3,000 residents had come out on the streets to ensure the residential area is not converted into a hawking zone. It seems the BMC pulled back the list temporarily, only to introduce it two years later. We will not let Bandra and Pali Hill to be converted into hawking zones, and will pressure the BMC to reexamine it.

Pali Hill houses actors, including Rishi Kapoor, who had participated in the protests two years ago.

Asif Zakaria, Congress Corporator from Bandra, said, There is lack of clarity on this issue right now, as the ward office has confirmed that only those roads mandated by the Supreme Court order of 2007 are proposed as hawking zones. If that is untrue, we will not let residential, or already narrow streets in Bandra become hawking zones.

8 hawkers unions join BMC committee

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) selected eight hawkers unions who will join the town-vending committee on Monday. The selection was done through lottery.

The Maharashtra government last week approved a 20-member committee to look into the issues related to hawkers and hawking across the city. Once operational, the panel will handle hawkers registration, issuing of licences and demarcating vending/non-vending and restricted zones for hawking.

The development assumes significance in the wake of the anti-hawker action by BMC and railways.

Nidhi Choudhari, deputy municipal commissioner (special), in charge of anti encroachment department, said, This is an interim arrangement until the election of hawker representatives is completed. It is to ensure there is transparency while deciding on hawking pitches.

The panel will work as redress committee for both hawkers and citizens. The move is expected to improve the implementation of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

Hawkers unions had alleged the BMC was delaying the process of appointing TVC, in violation of the Act, on purpose.

Moreover, the BMC also plans to add zonal or ward level committees for better coordination.

In 2014, the BMC received registration forms from 99,435 hawkers. The committee will scrutinise these forms for eligible hawkers.

In January this year, the state cleared the hawkers policy, which allows anyone with a domicile certificate to be considered for a hawking licence. Only one member from a family is allowed to be involved in hawking. It also allows the sale of only pre-cooked food on streets, after the high court prohibited roadside cooking. The policy classifies hawkers into three categories  mobile hawker, stationery hawker and permanent hawkers.
A committee appointed by the Bombay high court on Wednesday submitted a draft of the revised Manodhairya Yojana  a scheme to extend financial assistance to rape, acid attack survivors and children subjected to sexual violence  taking the maximum compensation payable under the scheme to Rs10 lakh from Rs3 lakh.

The committee comprises two sitting HC judges,  Justice Mridula Bhatkar and Justice Girish Kulkarni  advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni and the principal secretary of the Woman and Child Development Department.

It has, however, limited the benefit of maximum compensation to rare cases like those in which survivors are left mentally challenged or permanently disabled. Besides, under the policy, gang-rape survivors, who have also suffered serious injuries, and people, who were dependent on an earning woman who died owing to sexual assault, will also be entitled to the Rs10-lakh compensation.

All other survivors of such crimes will be entitled to get a maximum amount of Rs3 lakh and the exact amount of their entitlement would be determined by the State or District Legal Aid Services Authority, read the draft submitted to the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice MS Sonak on Wednesday. The bench is likely to approve the draft on Thursday.

Kumbhakoni told the bench that the financial assistance provided under the scheme is not linked to the outcome of the trial of the perpetrator of respective crimes. Even if the accused is acquitted by the court, the survivor will get financial assistance under the scheme, he told the bench.

There are, however, two exceptions. In cases, where the trial court records a conclusive finding that the case was false and where the survivor deliberately refuses to support the prosecution case which results in acquittal of the accused person, the state will be entitled to recover the compensation paid to the victim, he said.

The advocate general also said that under the revised Manodhairya scheme, the victim or any person on his / her behalf can apply for compensation or simply intimate the District Legal Services Authority about the incident, and a sum of Rs 30,000 will be disbursed as immediate aid within 7 days of intimation.

The draft mandates, the district authority to finally decide the application within 120 days of its receipt, allowing or rejecting the claim. If it allows the claim, 25% of the compensation (including initial 30,000) amount determined by the authority will be disbursed to the survivor immediately and balance 75% will be retained by the authority in the name of the survivor and may be invested by it. The draft states that the survivors will be allowed to apply for additional amount out of this balance 75%, provided documentary proof is furnished to justify the need for the additional sums.
If everything goes according to plan, around 77,000 students of municipal schools will soon have a first-hand experience of flying a plane, operating on a patient or depositing savings in a bank, albeit in a simulation park at Ghatkopars R-City Mall.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to tie up with KidZania, a simulation park which allows children to play various professional roles. According to officials from the BMCs education department, KidZania has been chosen because the civic body believes its games dovetail with the curriculum.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan owns 26% stake in the company. KidZania was started in Mexico, and was brought to India by ImagiNation Edutainment India.

The BMCs education department plans to reserve a day for the trip to the park from this academic year. The proposal is set to cost the BMC more than Rs 2.5 crore. It has been tabled before the standing committee for its approval and is likely to come up for discussion in Wednesdays meeting.

Mahesh Palkar, BMC education officer, said, We will take municipal school children from Class 4 to Class 7 on a day-long trip to KidZania in this academic year. KidZania has been proposed as part of a modified curriculum as the BMC wants to impart skill-based or vocational education to school children. KidZania offers activities which teach children social and cognitive skills through simulation, so it is apt for us.

Ravi Raja, leader of the opposition in BMC, welcomed the move and asked to include students from all Classes in the initiative.

While this proposal has been introduced to seek approval for such a trip for the first time, based on the success, the BMC plans to continue with the initiative every year. Palkar said, We do not want our school children to study just text books. We want them to understand what skills can give them jobs and what sort of jobs are available. KidZania will charge Rs 325 per student for the day-long event.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a notice to the Mantralaya for not segregating and composting waste and failing to submit any plan for it. Other than the Mantralaya, 140 offices, restaurants and hospitals in A ward (Chuchgate, Kala Ghoda, Colaba) were sent such notices on Thursday, and asked to pay a penalty of Rs10,000.

Some famous eateries from Colaba and Churchgate were also on this list. One such notice read, Failure to comply with provision can attract a fine under section 471 and 472 of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Act. Even after repeated reminders, you have failed to comply with order and hence fine of Rs 10,000 is imposed on you.

As per the order issued by civic chief Ajoy Mehta, housing societies or office complexes that produce over 100 kg of waste daily or have an area above 20,000 sq m will have to segregate waste and install waste processing units in their compounds. Mehta had ordered the solid waste management department not to pick up waste from the societies, which fail to segregate waste starting from October 2. The deadline for this was further extended to January 2.

The move came in the wake of dumping ground fire and to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill daily. Also, as per the recent cleanliness survey 2017, Mumbai ranked 29th. The BMC is aiming to reduce the waste sent to dumping ground by 10%-15%.

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In order to buff up its legal team, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants to hire five law firms with expertise in various subjects to help the civic body tackle pressing legal matters. The BMC expects such firms to help it work on cost cutting, time management, and reputation building.

The firms will provide research and expertise on important civic issues such as solid waste management and the Deonar dumping ground issue, open spaces, and certain property disputes, all of which are sub-judice and cost BMC precious time and money.

This is the first time the BMC wants to sign contracts with law firms for technical assistance, as opposed to lone lawyers fighting civic cases. Nidhi Choudhari, deputy municipal commissioner in-charge of the legal department, said, There are many issues  sub-judice and otherwise  which are time consuming. The BMC lands up losing money when resolution on such issues is delayed. The outcome of such cases also determines the impact on BMCs reputation. In such cases, we need a bunch of legal experts, including senior lawyers who will give us opinions, junior lawyers who can run around and complete field work, and other officials to process paper work. These resources are available with law firms.

BMC has invited expression of interest to hire five such firms to handle civil and criminal cases in the Bombay High Court, the Supreme Court, and other tribunals. If all goes according to plan, BMC will have signed these contracts within 4-5 months.

Last month, the BMC advertised to hire 100 senior lawyers to deal with a backlog of 91,000 cases. A senior civic official said, BMC is looking at a two-fold purpose. The first is to clear the backlog and the second is to have a dedicated team of lawyers to provide expertise on complicated, sensitive, and pressing civic issues. We need a law firm for cases that need a lot more than a single lawyer working on them. We will simultaneously hire independent lawyers to clear the backlog.
Offering a solution to their objections against the Metro-3 tunnel that passes under Wadiaji Atash Behram on Princess Street, Parsis have suggested that the space between the two tunnels be reduced by 20 feet so that they do not pass under the fire temple.

While the issues of trustees of Bhikha Behram well in Churchgate, another Parsi shrine, which will have the Metro tunnel passing close to it have been resolved, with the Metro authorities promising to undertake measures to ensure that the 300-year-old well does not dry up during the tunnel construction, the dispute about the Princess Street fire temple is yet to be resolved.

The community has been protesting against the tunnel for the last one month on the grounds that the construction would affect the holy fire at the temple.

Former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Dinshaw Mehta, Bhikha Behram well trustee Viraf Kapadia and trust architect Jehanbux Billimoria met Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) chief project manager Ravi Kumar on Tuesday. They prosed that the space between the two tunnels be reduced to 109 feet from the planned 129 feet. This will ensure that the tunnel does not pass under the shrine, they said.

The members are of the opinion that the tunnel would thus move outside the boundary wall of the agiary, and solve their religious problem. Mehta went on to add that it was observed that at certain places in Girgaum, the space between the two tunnels was 50 feet, hence the proposal to reduce the width could be taken into consideration at Princess Street too.

We were given a patient hearing by the authorities, but they need two weeks to discuss the proposal with their engineering team, post which we will approach them again, said Mehta.

This comes two days after the members Parsi and Christian communities met at St Teresas High School, Charni Road, to find a possible solution of the problems faced by both the communities. The metro tunnel runs underneath St Teresas Church too. The church is an 18th century structure.

Around two weeks ago, trustees of the Bhikha Behram well wrote to MMRCL demanding a fresh survey of the structure and asking for installation of piezometer in the vicinity to check if the water level in the well was maintained. In its reply on November 27, MMRCL assured that they would conduct a fresh survey of the heritage structure and take precautions when tunnelling is done.

The problem at Bhikha Behram well has been solved. We hope that the authorities consider the proposal at Wadiaji Atash Behram too. After all we are not against development, and want a solution that is feasible for both, said Kapadia.

There was no response from MMRCL spokesperson. However, representatives who met the officials said that they had received a positive reaction from them.
Online assessment of answer papers for Commerce stream has finally begun, with the University of Mumbai (MU) forwarding personal login details to teachers on Wednesday. HT had recently highlighted that assessment for several courses was yet to begin despite semester exams starting from November 8.

Our teachers started receiving e-mails and SMSes from the university, asking them to report for assessment duty. Hopefully, the process will be smooth sailing henceforth, said the principal of a city college.

Exams for several final year batches, including third-year Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS), started on November 8. The university was reviewing various Centralised Assessment Process (CAP) centres to conduct assessment of papers this semester until recently.

Following the mess created by online assessment in the previous semester, officials from the MU examination and evaluation department had given assurances that all errors in the software had been rectified.

As per university rules, assessment of papers should begin within three days of commencement of exams. With examinations being held in two shifts every day, after November 8, most teachers had no time to assess answer papers.

All teachers were supervising examinations in two shifts daily, which lasted till 6pm. Its humanly impossible to expect them to assess papers after that. Most teachers will be free for assessment duty only after December first week, as exams for major courses will conclude by then, said Ashok Wadia, principal of Jai Hind College, Churchgate.

This year, the university is also ensuring that regular reminders are sent to all teachers eligible for assessment work to make sure that no one skips duty. In the last semester, 3,800 teachers skipped assessment duty. We wont allow that to happen time time, said Arjun Ghatule, acting director of examination and evaluation, MU.

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Union railway minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday sought a comprehensive plan on how public transport in the city can be made better.

The minister, who is being treated for kidney stone, discussed key suburban projects with central, western railway and Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) officials in his room at Breach Candy hospital. He was admitted to the hospital on Monday, after he felt uneasy during a review meeting at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).

Goyal asked the railway officials to suggest plans that could strengthen the railways, keeping the Metro and elevated corridor in mind. The plan will be submitted to state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis later.

Goyal also discussed the much-talked CSMT-Panvel and Bandra-Virar elevated corridor projects, the issues and difficulties with the Bandra-Virar elevated corridor, steps being taken for crowd management at stations, Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III and the proposed communication-based train control (CBTC) for suburban local trains, said officials.

He asked the officials to complete pending work on MUTP-III in three months and rework a proposal for CBTC, the officials said.
The Mumbai police crime branch on Tuesday arrested two more men for their alleged involvement in the fake call centre racket, busted earlier this month in Malad. Fourteen people have already been arrested in the case.

The call centre staff allegedly posed as officials from the United States treasury department and duped around 300 US citizens. The scam was similar to the Rs1,900-crore racket busted in Mira Road last year, where callers posed as Internal Revenue Service officials and conned American citizens.

Some of the accused in the Mira Road case have been linked to the Malad call centre scam as well.

The duo arrested on Tuesday have been identified as Kalapi Bhagat, 42, and Sagar Patel, 28.

Acting on a tip-off on November 2, the crime branch had raided two locations in Malad  B2B Centre and Aditya Industrial Estate  where the accused had rented premises. The racket had been operational for four to five months when it was busted, police officials said.

Call centre staffers would send messages to US citizens posing as treasury department officials, and ask them to pay tax dues. They would send at least 1,000 messages a day. Even if 50 people called back, the staff would dupe them, said a senior crime branch officer, who did not want to be named.

People who responded would be asked to buy a gift card through an online portal and share the gift card number. Once the executive procured the card number, it would be shared with Abhishek Dubey, 29, who was arrested earlier. Bhagat and Patel would help Dubey encash the card, and get 60 per cent of the amount.

The earlier arrests include mostly youngsters in their 20s, all residents of Mumbai who have worked at various call centres in the city over the years.
The state administration on Wednesday extended the declaration of notification by a period of one year with regard to the land acquired for Madhuban Bapudham housing scheme.

On the day when farmers were expecting an announcement on the declaration of land compensation, the administration invoked clauses of The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Now, the authority has until November 2019 for declaring the compensation. The housing scheme, bigger than Indirapuram, is spread over 1,234 acres of land from villages of Sadarpur, Mainapur, Naglapath, Yaqoobpur and Morta.

Farmers holding 281 acres, acquired by GDA, challenged the acquisition and moved the Supreme Court. In November 2016, the apex court directed that a revised compensation needs to be paid as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Act  2013.

Officials of the district land acquisition department said that the declaration of notification (confirmation of land acquisition) is done within a period of one year after preliminary publication (Section 4 of the old Act and Section 11 of the new Act) of notification for land acquisition.

The declaration of notification is equivalent to invoking Section 6 of the old Act and now, Section 19 of the new Act. The state government has powers to extend the period by one year and the extension was given on Wednesday, DP Srivastava, additional district magistrate (land acquisition), said.

District magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said that the date of Supreme Court order (in November 2016) was considered the date of fresh notification.

So, under the provisions of the new Act, we had sent a proposal to the government for extending the date. The GDA will try to pool funds and the farmers can also come up with their objections. We will decide if we will take up the entire 281 acres or only parts that we require, she said.

Effectively, farmers will be able to get a compensation only after November 2018.

The DM also reiterated that farmers will only be offered double the rate of prevailing circle rates on the basis of agricultural land. However, farmers are demanding compensation as per residential rates.

While the farmers were expecting the declaration of compensation by November 29, divisional commissioner (Meerut) had also put up a restriction, which he said was as per law. He directed the GDA to deposit Rs1,282 crore (equivalent to compensation on double the prevailing circle rate) before the compensation was declared.

For our part, if we consider the Supreme Court judgement date as the date of notification of land acquisition, the land acquisition stands scrapped. We will notify the GDA and then move the high court to free the land from the acquisition process. Since the authority has not awarded compensation, our land is now free. We will take legal recourse to get our land, said Sudesh Pal, a farmer leader from Sadarpur.

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Two minor girls were saved by their grandparents from being forcibly married off after complaints were lodged with the police in two different areas of Greater Noida. However, no FIR was registered against anyone.

In the first incident that took place in Jarcha, a 66-year-old man made a call to the police an hour before the baraat (grooms party) was to arrive from Jhajjar in Haryana. The senior citizen told the police that his granddaughter is a minor and was being married off forcibly.

He moved an application asking police to take action against his son and daughter-in-law, who were allegedly getting the girl married off for the sake of money.

Based on his complaint, the police party remained stationed at the wedding venue. Station house officer, Jarcha, Shalendra Pratap Singh, said, When the baraat came, we told them about the objection raised by the grandfather. The girls father Prempal said his daughter is 19 and was being married willingly, but had no document to prove her age. The wedding was called off and will now take place only after valid documents are produced.

Singh said the grandfather of the girl, who he claims is 15, has alleged that the groom already has two daughters and a son. The groom allegedly paid lakhs of rupees to the girls family in order to marry her.

In another incident in Dadri, a girl aged 15 years was helped by her grandmother in escaping a forced marriage on Monday. Police said the girl was to be married to a man twice her age.

The grandmother and the girl fled their house following which a complaint was registered by the grooms family at Greater Noida police station. In the complaint, the family members of groom alleged that the bride decamped with jewellery and cash given by them.

Later, on Tuesday, the girl went to Dadri police station along with her grandmother and claimed she was being harassed by the grooms family.

Ram Sen Singh, SHO, Dadri, said, The girl is a minor and is living with her aunt and uncle. Her mother died in 2004 and father Manoj remarried again. The grandmother was told that a baraat will come to their residence on Monday evening following which she fled with the girl.

Ram Sen Singh said the girls uncle, identified as Dharampal, is an alcoholic and had fixed her marriage with a man, identified as Anil, 35, of Ladpura.

We immediately told the grooms family not to harass the girl and her grandmother. The matter is being investigated and family has been assured all help, the SHO said.

The family of the groom alleged that Dharampal had taken money from them for the wedding. They claimed that they had given him Rs 6 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh, the police said.

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The victory of Indias candidate to the International Court of Justice has been lauded as a great diplomatic victory, especially since it involved a bitter contest with a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

There were two interpretations attached to the triumph. Commentators in the West attributed the withdrawal of the British candidate to the UKs waning global influence after Brexit. However, the sheer scale of support for Indias candidate in the UN General Assembly has also attracted attention. While it is tempting to see this as a continuation of an earlier pattern of Afro-Asian solidarity against an erstwhile colonial power, the point shouldnt be overemphasised. Would any candidate from, say, a smaller country, have succeeded in rallying as many countries as India did in the UNGA? Unless an exceptional candidate was on offer, this seems unlikely. The UKs importance may well have shrunk, but as a P5 country, it still has considerable drawing power.

The conclusion is inescapable: the large support was more for India than it was against the UK. Even London calculated it was better to opt out of the race than risk a contest that would have soured bilateral relations. In the context of next years Commonwealth summit in which India is expected to play a leading role and a possible post-Brexit India-UK trade pact, the UK chose to not make the ICJ election a prestige issue.

In its report, The Times (London) referred to a diplomat quoting Tennyson: The old order changeth, yielding to the new. For India, such a projection is extremely flattering. For those blessed with a spirit of nostalgia, it invoked memories of a distant time when Jawaharlal Nehru was routinely consulted on international issues.

To see the India of Narendra Modi reclaiming this inheritance is tempting. After a prolonged period on the margins, India appears to have clawed its way back to the centre stage of world affairs. Today, India is taken seriously and its voice matters. Even P5 countries are willing to show flexibility to accommodate India, witness the unconfirmed suggestion that Washington may have played a discreet role in persuading the UK to withdraw its candidate for ICJ.

However, there is a major difference between the influence India exercised in the early-1950s and its role today. Earlier, to quote V.K. Krishna Menon  arguably the most loquacious of Nehruvian publicists  India was a quality in world affairs. Its interventions, mainly to promote decolonisation in Asia and Africa, were based on moral arguments. As the first large country to secure independence from colonial struggle after an ethical struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, India tended to be hectoring and even preachy. There were constant attempts to guilt-trip the West and prey on the troubled conscience of Western liberals, a posturing that ingratiated India to the Soviet Union and other progressive forces. Yet the loftiness of the rhetoric could not conceal the fact that India lacked the capacity to feed its people, defend itself and muster enough internal resources to ensure adequate economic growth. Equally, the claims of moral superiority were punctured by the indulgence India showed in supporting shambolic post-colonial regimes.

The real difference between Modis India and Nehrus India lies in India acquiring domestic capacity and achieving a measure of economic growth that many countries find enviable. Today, the Indian economy is vibrant and relatively more open than at any time since Independence. Additionally, while India has certainly not become insular, it has tempered its internationalism quite sharply. The irritating habit of pious grandstanding has been replaced by circumspection, strategic silences and a greater willingness to put national self-interest above ideological correctness. Finally, India has been willing to shoulder international obligations that go much beyond despatching peace-keeping forces to troubled spots. Its role in expeditions to the Antarctica and explorations in space, not to mention providing targeted assistance in war affected regions in, say, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, has significantly enhanced its claims to a permanent place at the global high table.

It was Cyril Connolly who once wrote: Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first call promising. For a very long time, Indias global image was laced with either patronising asides of promising and potential or quasi-mystical prognosis of destiny. They essentially covered up for underperformance. It is only now that India is beginning to be taken seriously. A contrived arrogance resting on under-performance has been replaced by the quiet self-confidence that comes with rising achievement.

Swapan Dasgupta is a Rajya Sabha MP, senior journalist and political commentator

The views expressed are personal
Opposition members on Wednesday created noisy scenes in both Houses of the state legislature over law and order situation in Bihar.

Trouble began in the legislative assembly after speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected the notice of adjournment motion by Lalit Yadav of RJD and Ramdeo Rai and Vijay Shanker Dubey of Congress, saying the House had important business to transact.

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav requested the speaker to admit the motion as it concerned a very important issue.

When the speaker did not relent, some opposition members trooped into the well of the House and created ruckus.

Later, the RJD and Congress members staged a walkout.

Tejashwi also had a heated exchange with water resources minister Lalan Singh when, while mentioning various scams, the leader of Opposition referred to collapse of a dam a day prior to its scheduled inauguration by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Meanwhile, parliamentary affairs minister Shravan Kumar flayed the ruckus created by RJD members after the adjournment motion was rejected.

This is against parliamentary ethics and opposition members only intention was to disrupt House proceedings, he said. Kumar also said RJD members had no motive of participating in debates as they staged a walkout when the call attention motion on issues related to farmers and paddy procurement was being taken up.

In the legislative council, Opposition members disrupted the proceedings, forcing adjournment of the Upper House over deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

As soon as the council met for the day, RJD member Subodh Rai raised the issue of law and order and pressed for acceptance of an adjournment motion on the matter.

He said there was sharp deterioration in the law and order situation in Bihar and it merited a detailed discussion in the House.

Deputy chairman Mohammad Haroon Rashid, however, refused to accept the motion.

The RJD members raised the issue again during zero hour and trooped into the well of the House demanding resignation of the government for its failure to control the deteriorating law and order situation. The deputy chairman adjourned the council till the lunch recess.

Later, talking to newsmen deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi countered the RJDs allegation and said the law and order situation was under absolute control.

There was hardly any incidence of kidnapping for ransom during the NDA regime, which was a regular feature in the 15 years of RJD government in the state, he added.

The deputy CM said there was no fear among the people now and they could move freely even after the sunset, which was not the case during the RJD regime. He said the government took prompt action, when criminal incidents were reported from any part of Bihar.

The deputy CM said the RJD, led by Lalu Prasad, had no moral right to raise the law and order issue, as the criminals used to have a field day during its rule.

Modi claimed that the RJD never distanced itself from the criminals and openly provided patronage to them.
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Pune (MSBSHSE) on Wednesday announced the timetable for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) annual examination, that will be held in 2018. However, as per the official statement released by the board, the timetable for now is tentative.

As per the statement, the HSC examinations have been scheduled to begin on February 21 and will conclude on March 20, 2018. However, the SSC exams will begin on March 1 and conclude on March 24, 2018.

The timetable for the February-March 2018 annual examination for Class 10 and 12, have been announced across nine divisions, including Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Kolhapur, Amravati, Nashik, Latur and Konkan. For detailed timetable on the same, students are required to visit the official website of the board.

These dates, although tentative, had been announced after being revised as per the suggestions and objections which were invited from the students in the month of September 2017. Considering those, the board announced that there has been no changes made to the timetable for Class 12, however, there has been one alteration in the schedule for Class 10. Unlike the previously decided timetable, the revised one for SSC exam, has postponed the paper scheduled on March 5 to March 17.

According to the secretary of MSBSHSE, Krishnakumar Patil, the detailed final timetable will be directly sent to the schools and colleges. Those that are sent to the respective schools and colleges should be considered as official by the students. They should not be misguided by timetables circulated on social media or the Internet, Patil said.
The ongoing audio clip controversy took an ugly twist when leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira launched a no-holds-barred attack on Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday, using intemperate language and taking swipes at his private life.

The AAP leader flew off the handle after the Punjab assembly passed a resolution against Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) MLAs, Balwinder Bains and Simarjeet Bains, who released the audio clip of an alleged attempt to bribe a judge in a drug case against Khaira, and requested the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana to take suo motu notice and action in the matter.

An emotionally charged Khaira led a walkout of AAP and LIP members from the House and held an impromptu press conference in the press room where he made disparaging remarks against the chief minister and a journalist friend of his from Pakistan.

Khaira, who has repeatedly accused the state government of framing him in the controversial drug case, broke down, alleging a conspiracy to eliminate me politically and physically. AAP MLAs, Kanwar Sandhu and Aman Kumar Arora, who were flanking Khaira, tried to calm him down, but he snubbed them. Let me say what I feel. I am not overstepping. I am stating facts only, he insisted.

Continuing his outburst against the chief minister, the leader of opposition, who has been making headlines for his hectoring attacks on rivals, used several unprintable words. By passing the resolution against the two MLAs, Capt has tried to obstruct the justice in a false case against me, he said.

On being questioned about use of swear words by Khaira, Sandhu and some other AAP leader called it an emotional outburst and unintentional reaction. Sandhu apologised on his behalf, but Khaira did not show any remorse. Simarjeet Bains even defended him, asking the mediapersons what else they were expecting from a person falsely framed in the case.

While the AAP-LIP members are still to decide their next strategy on the resolution passed by the state assembly, the subsequent flare-up, particularly his language, triggered by it has caused disquiet in a section of the party. The resolution moved by parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra, which caught most members on treasury benches unawares, strongly condemned the wrongful involvement and scandalous allegations made against the judge for political purposes and vested motives.

The House would urge and request the chief justice to take further action as required in the case which amounts to nothing short of impairing the majesty of law, obstructing the administration of justice and lowering the image and dignity of the court and its honourable judges, it read.

Khaira files police complaint

Sukhpal Khaira, on Wednesday filed a complaint with Chandigarh Police in the audio clip scandal. Khaira said he handed over the complaint to deputy inspector general (DIG) Om Prakash Mishra. I will share the details and names of persons against whom I want the case once the police call me to record my statement, he said, refusing to share any further information. He was accompanied by MLAs Kanwar Sandhu, Aman Arora, Balwinder Bains and Simarjeet Bains. Mishra said the MLAs complaint is being examined. He, too, refused to divulge its contents.
A Chandigarh district court on Tuesday ordered registration of a first-information report (FIR) against two UT police constables  Mukesh and Devinder  for falsely implicating two persons in a fake case.

The court also acquitted the two victims: Saurav Mahajan and Mohan Singh.

While giving the directions, the court of judicial magistrate first class (JMIC) Jaspreet Singh said it was an unfortunate case that had shaken the credibility of police officials and undermined the faith of a common man in police, which is supposed to protect life and liberty and maintain law and order.

The court also directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to comply with the court directions.

The case dates back to December 15, 2010, when constables Mukesh and Devinder booked the two under Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act. It was alleged that Saurav and Mohan abused and manhandled the two cops. It was also alleged that Mohan thrashed Devendra.

Meanwhile, Saurav and Mohan approached the Punjab and Haryana high court for quashing the FIR on the ground that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage proved their innocence.

The footage showed the two constables beating them, instead of the other way round. While the HC ordered to check veracity of the CD carrying the footage, charges were framed against them and trial began.

However, after hearing the arguments, the local court acquitted the two, as it had been established that the police started the scuffle.

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A day after HT exposed how a dean at Inder Kumar Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKG-PTU), Kapurthala, received Rs 12.6 lakh as reimbursement for travelling 280 km each working way for 16 months (from January 2016 to April 2017), the state government has ordered a probe into the matter.

Punjab technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi, taking cognisance of the report, has marked the probe to additional chief secretary (ACS) MP Singh, who is holding the charge of technical education department.

NP Singh was dismissed from service in July 2013 on charges of favouring an advertisement firm and approving a non-existent university centre in Nepal.

Its a very serious matter. The gross misuse of government funds will not be allowed at all. It also needs to be investigated why the university hired private vehicles when they have enough money to purchase their own cars. I have been told that the varsity have surplus number of drivers as well. Then, why private vehicles were hired should also be probed, said Channi.

He said the ACS has been asked to complete the probe within 15 days.

The cash-rich IKG-PTU has no proper transport policy in place. The university hired private Innova vehicles for senior faculty members last year, citing shortage of cars for its staff.

As per the finance departments record, the dean claimed Rs 12.6 lakh (Rs 76,000 a month) as travel expenses, raising a question as to when was he available in his office during these 16 months.

CONTROVERSIAL PAST

Meanwhile, sources disclosed that despite having a controversial past, NP Singh, who is senior most dean in the university, was almost set to get the charge of officiating vice-chancellor. As per the rules, the senior most dean in the university can be given the charge of officiating V-C in the absence of a regular V-C.

Notably, NP Singh was dismissed from service in July 2013 on charges of favouring an advertisement firm and approving a non-existent university centre in Nepal.

However, the board of governors decided to revoke his dismissal last year, without conducting any probe in the charges on which he was dismissed.

Why such a controversial person still enjoys a big say in the varsity is a matter of concern for all employees. Why the finance department never objected to huge claims by the dean? Why even the auditors never raised an alarm? These are some important questions that need to be answered. The hiring of private cars is a big scam and its proper investigation can yield stunning revelations, a senior official of the university said.

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The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had been building up steam against leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira in the run-up to the winter session. But it was not how it led the attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader inside the House on Tuesday.

Khaira had played the opening shot on Monday with an expose by allies, Bains brothers of the Lok Insaaf Party, alleging judicial corruption behind court summons to him in a drug case.

At a press conference later, Khaira had accused both the Congress and Akali leaders of being hand-in-glove in the conspiracy against him.

But Khairas adjournment motion to discuss the expose in the House was filed at 9.30am, half-an-hour before Tuesdays session began. As per rules, an adjournment motion on any matter of public interest has to be moved at least two hours before the House sitting.

No wonder it was rejected by speaker Rana KP Singh. But Khaira should not be complaining. The Akalis had mellowed down their attack and the ruling Congress had no plans to take him on.

The governments strategy was to be silent spectator to the Akali-AAP faceoff as going after Khaira would have raised questions on chief minister Captain Amarinder Singhs stand on former Akali minister Bikram Singh Majithia. A section of the Congress MLAs have been demanding a probe against Majithia on basis of statements given by accused in the infamous Jagdish Bhola drug case to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Outside the House, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar has more than once demanded Khairas resignation.

The Congress spin masters are happy too as the government was saved the awkwardness of taking a stand on either Khaira or Majithia

After the days sitting ended, Khaira seemed nonchalant. He has a new scoop, judgegate, and had backing of party, including his predecessor, HS Phoolka. The Congress is behaving like the Akalis. The government is running roughshod over the opposition, he said. In Khairas letter to the speaker before the House session, there is no mention of drugs among the issues but farmer suicides. But that was an issue that Akalis had picked up as the opposition in the House on Tuesday.

At his office, Majithia too was basking in what he called a surprise move that outwitted both the Congress and AAP.

The government was thinking we would play into its hands by taking on the AAP. Its stupid to think that our job as opposition is to expose the leader of opposition. Khaira has already been exposed. Our role is to take on the government which has lured farmers through false promises on debt waiver and they are committing suicides everyday, he said.

Inside the ruling camp

The Congress spin masters are happy too. The government was saved the awkwardness of taking a stand on either Khaira or Majithia. The treasury benches, including the CM, looked amused when the two took on each other. Not too long ago in the June session, the two opposition parties had closed ranks against the government. Parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra called the ruckus created by both parties inside the House as a facade. He said Khaira had listed important questions such as vacant posts in the health department, but he did not wish to hear their answers.

The question hour is important for the opposition. They can raise issues of public interest and their constituency. But both parties disrupted it. Zero hour is mainly for the opposition.

They could have demanded its extension by going to their seats. They could have also proposed more calling attention notices. Their adjournment motions were cancelled for valid reasons, he said.

Amarinder too hit out at the opposition parties accusing them of wasting public money. It was for the first time that two opposition parties were fighting in the House between themselves instead of taking up meaningful issues in the interest of the people of the state, he said.

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The first look poster of Allu Sirish upcoming Telugu romantic thriller Okka Kshanam was released on Wednesday. Sirish took to Twitter to share the poster and confirmed that the film will hit the screens this December.

Industry grapevine is that the film will release during the last weekend of December alongside Naga Shauryas Chalo. The poster features Sirish and Surbhi staring in shock at something thats travelling towards them. The title has the tagline love versus destiny. Its rumoured that the film touches upon time freeze concept and one shouldnt be surprised as Anand is a big fan of the sci-fi genre.

Presenting the first look of #OkkaKshanam. December 2017. pic.twitter.com/mQ6DhLbkjJ  Allu Sirish (@AlluSirish) November 29, 2017

Directed by Vi Anand, who made a successful Telugu directorial debut with Tiger and followed it up with Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada, the film marks the first time collaboration between Anand and Sirish. The films principal shooting has been wrapped and the post-production work is currently underway in full swing.

Recently, Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar visited the sets of the movie in Bengaluru and wished the team good luck. He also expressed his desire to watch the movie on the big screen.

Also starring Vennela Kishore, Satya, Praveen, Kashi Vishwanath, and Rohini in key roles, the movie is produced by Chakri Chigurupati.

Last seen in Malayalam film 1971: Beyond Borders, Sirish has pinned high hopes on the film and thats why he didnt mind spending more time on this project. It is believed that Anands next film might be with Allu Arjun and that he also already earned his nod after narrating a few lines of a script.

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Expressing its solidarity with the cast and crew of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis upcoming Padmavati, the Bengali film fraternity on Tuesday observed a 15-minute black out denouncing the protests against the film.

The entire Bengali film industry came to a standstill from 12 noon to 12.15 pm, as actors, technicians, directors, producers and all other stakeholders joined the symbolic protest by wearing black badges and coming out of the studios, where pre- and post-production work on films and television serials were being held.

The Eastern India Motion pictures Association, the Artist Forum and the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers had on Monday jointly called for the protest.

The Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor starrer has seen violent protests across many Indian states for nearly a month now as Rajput groups are up in arms against, what they claim, is a distortion of history. Padmavati chronicles the life of a 14th century Rajput queen of Chittor (modern-day Mewar region of Rajasthan) who, along with many women, committed a ritual called jauhar, which involved self immolation, to prevent capture by Delhis sultan Alauddin Khilji.

Even before the films release, many states have banned the film including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and now Bihar.

Shahid Kapoor in a still from Padmavati.

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The 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 drew to a close on Tuesday evening (November 28, 2017) in Goa after an eight-day run. Actor Parvathy was awarded the best actress award for her whistle-worthy performance in Malayalam rescue drama Take Off, and in her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award the all the nurses of Kerala and strong-willed women in general.

Known for leaving an impact with her performances, this time she chose to let her powerful and inspiring words do the talking and it earned her respect from all quarters.

Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Prof. Rita Bahuguna Joshi presents the Silver Peacock Award for the Best Actor (Female) to Parvathy Thiruvoth Kottuvatta for the Malayalam film Take Off at the closing ceremony of 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2017) in Panaji, Goa on November 28, 2017. (IANS)

Recalling how she signed the film, she said: I did Take Off for the certain need to keep someone alive and thats a dear friend Rajesh Pillai (writer and filmmaker), who passed away last year. He had lot of stories with human emotions and relationships to share. The day he left us, we decided we needed to make Take Off. Id like to dedicate all the accolades I have received for the film to Rajesh. I would also like to thank Mahesh (Narayanan), director of the film, for giving me Sameera, who is an embodiment of hope in absolute darkness and the reason I do this job for the sheer need to remind myself what empathy is to connect to other people.

Talking about the role, she said, I had to immerse myself in the darkness Sameera was living to play the character. She is the representation of all the women who overcame all the hurdles in the darkness. Id like dedicate this award to all the nurses of Kerala who emerged out of darkness when in dilemma.

Take Off is based on the ordeal of Indian nurses in the city of Tirkit, Iraq in 2014. The film also starred Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Divyaprabha and Asif Ali in important roles.

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Having made a noteworthy Tamil debut with Jayam Ravi starrer Vanamagan, actor Sayyeshaa recently wrapped up shooting for Vijay Sethupathis Junga. She has also signed a yet-untitled Tamil project with Karthi and is currently shooting for the same in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu. Being directed by Pandiraj, best known for films such as Pasanga and Kathakali, the project marks Sayyeshaas first time collaboration with Karthi, with whom she was supposed to work in a Tamil film called Karuppu Raja Vellai Raja, in Prabhudhevas direction and the project was to also feature Vishal in the titular role. Unfortunately, the project got delayed and will only take off next year as Prabhudheva got busy with other commitments.

Very happy to announce my film with @StudioGreen2, Gnanvelu Raja sir, co-starring @arya_offl and being directed by @santhoshpj21 pic.twitter.com/LLUxqSJmHZ  Sayyeshaa (@sayyeshaa) November 29, 2017

The latest update is that Sayyeshaa has been signed opposite Arya for a romantic-comedy titled Ghajinikanth, to be directed by Santosh of Hara Hara Mahadevaki fame. The announcement was made earlier today and the project will be bankrolled by Studio Green. The film is said to be the remake of hit Telugu film Bhale Bhale Magadivoy. The regular shooting is expected to commence from later this year or early next year. Meanwhile, she has also been approached for three more big Tamil projects including a rumoured offer to star opposite Suriya in his next outing.

In Junga, directed by Gokul, she plays a flamboyant character born-and-bred in abroad. The film, shot predominantly in France, Austria, Croatia and Bulgaria among other places, is being bankrolled by Vijay Sethupathi. Instead of taking remuneration, Vijay Sethupathi agreed to produce the film on profit-sharing basis, much to the surprise of the director. Junga will showcase him in a different dimension.

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Some men tend to interpret a womans sexual interest as consent to get intimate, even after a direct refusal, according to scientists who identified factors that may predict college students likelihood to commit sexual crimes.

Sexual victimisation of women by men is a growing societal concern that is present in all environments of day- to-day life, researchers said. More specifically, instances of sexual violence are higher than any other crimes amongst college students.

In response to this growing epidemic, researchers at Binghamton University and Rush University in the US sought to identify a host of situational and dispositional factors that may predict college mens likelihood to engage in sexual misconduct.

The study comprised 145 heterosexual male students attending a large university in the southeastern region of the US. The participants were exposed to a series of hypothetical sexual scenarios. Researchers found that most men tended to confuse sexual interest with consent to sex, but that perceptions of consent varied more as a function of situational factors as opposed to personal characteristics of the men.

We found that the way in which the woman communicated her sexual intentions, that is verbal refusal versus passive responding, had the largest effect of mens perceptions, said Richard Mattson, associate professor at the Binghamton University.

However, there was also evidence of a precedence effect - which occurs when men equate the occurrence of some past sexual behavior with future consent to high levels of intimacy, in some cases even in the face of direct refusal by the woman. Similarly, the acceptance of rape myths - such as When a woman says no, she really means yes - and adherence to hypermasculine beliefs only became stronger when the womans sexual intentions were ambiguously communicated.

However, our findings also suggest that some men were earnestly attempting to determine whether consent was given, but were nevertheless relying on questionable sexual scripts to disambiguate the situation, said Mattson.

Aspects of the college experience also influence students, said Mattson. A sudden decrease in parental supervision and the consumption of alcohol, underscores an increased risk of involvement in sexually coercive situations among the collegiate setting. However, such a setting can provide a sphere of influence to educate young men and women at a time when patterns of sexual behavior are developing.

The studys findings highlight the utility of risk reduction programs that empower women to assertively communicate their sexual desires, educate men on the inferential limits of perceived sexual desire, and reinforce unambiguous affirmative behavior as the standard for consent, Mattson said.



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Robin Campillos French film 120 Beats Per Minute, about a passionate fight against indifference towards AIDS, won the prestigious Golden Peacock award for best film at the controversy-ridden 48th International Film Festival of India, which wound to a close on Tuesday. The films actor Nahuel Perez Biscayart won the Silver Peacock in the best actor male category.

Malayalam film Take Off, which is loosely based on the evacuation of nurses from Kerala, who were stranded in Iraqs Tikrit in 2014, won two awards at the festivals Indian Panorama section, winning Silver Peacocks for best direction (Mahesh Narayanan) and best actor female (Parvathy). Actor Amitabh Bachchan was also presented the Indian film personality of the year award.

The awards were presented at a glittering ceremony at the Shama Prasad Mukherjee indoor stadium on the outskirts of the state capital.

In a video address, the award-winning French actor Biscayart dedicated the award to all those who are afflicted by HIV/AIDS.

I dedicate the award to all people who are living the way, which is considered shameful. Be visible, get out, shout your pains. Try to change your reality. Thats the only way we can live. If we live in shadows, nothing good will come for ourselves, he said.

The Indian award winners Parvathy and Narayanan dedicated the film to the unsung nurses who work on the frontlines, bringing medical care and solace to soldiers and victims of conflict.

Malayalam film Take Off stars Parvathy, Kunchacko Boban and Fahadh Faasil.

I dedicate this award to all nurses of Kerala and stood their ground (in Tikrit) and with hope and conviction and got out of the dilemma they were in, Paravathy said after receiving her award.

Chinese writer-producer Vivian Qu won the Silver Peacock and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh for best direction, for her film Angels Wear White about child sexual exploitation.

The story is about children, being assault victims. It is a Chinese story, but a story which is happening around the world, the director said via a video message.

Bolivian filmmaker Kiro Russos film Viejo Calavera won the Silver Peacock and cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, while Canadian director of Egyptian and Armenian descent, Atom Egoyan was awarded the lifetime achievement award.

It is a huge honour. I have always been influenced by Indian cinema and to be honoured by the country which has had a huge influence on me is a privilege, he said.

Majid Majidis Beyond the Clouds stars Shahid Kapoors younger brother Ishan Khatter.

The 9-day festival began on November 20, with Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidis film Beyond the Clouds and the closing film on Tuesday was Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Cesars film Thinking of Him.

At the mega film event, nearly 192 films from 82 countries were screened during the nine-day affair. The festivals Indian Panorama section, screened 26 feature films and 16 non feature films, with Vinod Kapris film Pihu opening the section in the feature film category and Kamal Swaroops Pushkar Puran opening the non-feature film category.

The festival also saw a host of allied activities, which included masterclasses conducted by Subhash Ghai, Shekhar Kapur, Egoyan, etc, apart from also hosting a series of panel discussions chaired by Ekta Kapur, Karan Johar, etc.

The focus country for this edition of the festival was Canada and curated cinema from the North American country were screened in presence of leading Canadian actors and film personalities, who attended the event.

IFFI this year, also paid homage to cinematic master spy James Bond, in a special section where nine films featuring the various leading actors who have essayed the iconic character, were screened.

The 48th IFFI will also be known for the long-drawn controversy surrounding Malayalam film S Durga, a film which along with another movie Nude were selected by the jury to be screened in the Indian Panorama section of the festival, but were controversially dropped. Three members of the jury resigned in protest while six others wrote to the I&B ministry expressing concern.

Despite the director Sanal Kumar Sasidharans petitioning of the Kerala high court and a re-screening for the jury, IFFI organisers had the last word on the festivals last day, citing objections by the Central Board for Film Certification for not screening the film.

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Yemeni witnesses and officials say a powerful car bomb has struck a government building in the southern port city of Aden, killing five people and wounding 12. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

The witnesses and security officials say the early Wednesday blast completely destroyed the finance ministry building, damaged nearby houses and triggered fires in shops in the area. They spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing retribution.

The US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi websites, said the Islamic State groups affiliate in Yemen claimed responsibility in an online statement.

Aden has seen an uptick in violence, with a series of attacks and assassinations claimed by the IS branch. The city is the seat of Yemens internationally recognized government, which s at war with Shiite rebels.
China on Wednesday voiced grave concern over North Koreas test of a missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States and called for talks to peacefully resolve the nuclear crisis.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijings proposal for North Korea to freeze weapons tests in return for the US to suspend military drills in the region was the best approach to ease tensions.

China hopes all sides will work on the peaceful settlement of the issue as a military option is not the solution to resolve the crisis, Geng told a regular news briefing.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North despite Chinas opposition to North Koreas weapons tests.

The United Nations Security Council, of which China is a veto-wielding permanent member, agreed to hold an emergency session later Wednesday to discuss the launch and US calls for more sanctions to be imposed on North Korea over its rogue behavior.

China is North Koreas largest trading partner, but it has backed a series of UN sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile activities, straining ties between the Cold War-era allies.

US President Donald Trump has urged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to use his economic leverage to exert more pressure on North Korea.
A former leader of a Sikh temple in Canada has been convicted of killing his wife by a court in British Columbia province, according to a media report.

Baldev Singh Kalsi, the former president of the Brookside Sikh Temple in Surrey, has pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife that led to her death in 2014 in Surrey city.

Kalsi appeared in the provincial Supreme Court in New Westminster on Monday.

Yes, your honour. I am guilty, CBC news, a unit of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, quoted Kalsi as saying to the judge.

The judge has scheduled the sentencing hearing for February 22.

Kalsis wife Narinder Kaur was found with severe injuries at the couples south Surrey home on July 13, 2014. She was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died days after she was taken off life support.

Kalsi was arrested and originally charged with aggravated assault, and then attempted murder. The charge was upgraded to second degree murder after his wifes death, the report said.

Kalsi was ordered to stand trial on the charge following a preliminary inquiry early last year in Surrey Provincial Court. He had pleaded not-guilty at the beginning of those proceedings.

Since his arrest, Kalsi was removed as the president of the Brookside Sikh Temple, where Narinder used to work as a volunteer, it added.

The Sikhs account for roughly 1.4 per cent -- over 450,000 in 2011 Census -- of Canadas population. The countrys defence minister is also from the community, which has its biggest concentrations in British Columbia and the Toronto area.
North Korea said on Wednesday it had successfully tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), called Hwasong-15, that could reach all of the US mainland.

In a broadcast on state TV, North Korea said the newly developed Hwasong-15 has much greater advantages in its tactical and technological specifications and technical characteristics than its Hwasong-14 ICBM, tested twice in July.

Analysts and officials are awaiting the release of photos and video from the launch to identify what differences there may be between the Hwasong-15 and previous North Korean missiles.

Height, distance

The missile, the first test in 75 days, was fired on a steep trajectory and flew for 53 minutes, North Korea said. It reached an altitude of 4,475 km (2,780 miles) and flew 950 km (590 miles), according to the North.

If (todays) numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles), the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said in a statement.

That would suggest that all of the continental United States including Washington D.C. and New York could be theoretically within range of a North Korean missile.

On July 4, North Korea launched its first ICBM, Hwasong-14, which reached an altitude of 2,802 km (1,741 miles) and a range of 933 km (580 miles) during a flight of 39 minutes, North Koreas state media reported.

A second test of the Hwasong-14 on July 28 exhibited improved performance, with the missile flying for about 47 minutes to an altitude of 3,724 km (2,313 miles) and a range of 998 km (620 miles), according to state media.

The second flight showed the missile has a range of more than 10,000 km (6,213 miles), potentially putting the US West Coast within range, analysts have said.

After Wednesdays test, Kim declared that with the Hwasong-15 North Korea had finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force.

International observers, however, said it remains unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and if it could carry a large nuclear warhead far enough to strike the United States.

It also remains unclear whether the North Koreans have perfected a re-entry vehicle capable of protecting a nuclear warhead during its descent.

Location, time

North Korea launched the missile from Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, about 30 km (18 miles) north of its capital, Pyongyang, the first time a missile was fired from this location.

Unlike many other tests that historically occur in the early mornings, Wednesdays launch occurred in the middle of the night in Korea, at around 2:28 a.m. North Koreas local time (6:17 p.m. GMT).

The location and timing are likely a reflection of Pyongyangs continuing efforts to test weapons from anywhere and at any time, providing more realistic tests and making it more difficult for other countries to predict and possibly intercept a launch.

The test is unusual in that it was conducted in the dead of night, perhaps reflecting North Korean concerns about avoiding a US ballistic missile defence intercept, the U.S.-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said.

The previous two ICBM tests in July were launched from Panghyon airfield in North Pyongan Province, and in Mupyong-ni, Chagang Province, respectively.

Other, shorter range missiles have been launched from a variety of locations as well, including at least two intermediate-range ballistic missiles that flew over Japanese airspace in August and September.

The last of those missiles was launched at Sunan, just north of Pyongyang, from a transporter erector launcher, a road-mobile vehicle that can make it more difficult to track and target missiles before they are launched.
The gunmen who massacred more than 300 worshippers in an Egyptian mosque made no effort to conceal their identity  they showed up raising the black banner of the self-styled Islamic State, authorities and witnesses said.

The groups militants had previously warned the North Sinai mosque associated with Sufis to end the mystical practices IS calls heretical, even visiting the mosque in person a few weeks before the attack, a Sufi sheikh said.

But almost a week after the Friday massacre, IS has yet to claim the attack in a sign, officials and analysts say, that their gunmen might have gone too far even by the extremists standards.

For all the indiscriminate carnage IS has perpetrated on almost every continent, never before has an attack shocked even its supporters who now insist the group is innocent.

As the scale of the attack percolated in jihadist social media channels, pro-IS users denied the groups involvement.

Every militant group known to operate in Egypt, including the Al-Qaeda-linked Jund al-Islam in Sinai that opposes IS, condemned the massacre.

IS supporters on social media were livid when a purported audio recording of wireless communications between an IS member boasting about the attack, and another noting down details, spread on pro Al-Qaeda Telegram channels.

IS had targeted mosques before -- usually Shia -- and Sufis. The jihadists bombed a Manchester concert on May 22 in which they were certain to kill children who had come to watch pop star Ariana Grande perform.

Discarded shoes of victims remain outside Al-Rawda Mosque in Bir al-Abd northern Sinai, Egypt on November 25, 2017. (AP)

At the time, British jihadist Omar Hussein -- who may have been killed in the takeover of the groups erstwhile capital of Raqa in Syria -- told AFP killing disbeliever children rested comfortably on his conscience.

As for the killing of little girls then it is permissible 2 kill the kuffaar as they kill us, he wrote in response to an AFP query.

But the attack on the Egyptian mosque, packed during communal Friday prayers with hundreds of worshippers, Sufis and non-Sufis, appears to have been a step too far for IS supporters.

At least 27 children died in the massacre.

Something of this scale, that killed more than just Sufis would be hard to justify, said analyst Amarnath Amarasingam, senior research fellow with counter terrorism group ISD Global.

It could be that the Egyptian or Sinai context makes this kind of attack more abhorrent and makes the group less likely to earn local support, said a Western official.

After the attack, another jihadist who regularly defends IS atrocities flatly denied IS involvement.

Not at all. Your analysis is wrong. Youve been influenced by media reports, he wrote in a message responding to an AFP query.

IS in Egypt, based in the north of the Sinai peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, has killed hundreds of security personnel in attacks, and more than a hundred Christians in church bombings and shootings over the past year.

It does appear to be in line with a gradual shift over the last four years, said another Western official.

IS went from a violent campaign by the terrorists in Sinai that was very local... and in the beginning careful not to alienate the local population... to something that seems to be much more affected by global jihadi motivations of Daesh, the official said, referring to IS with a derogatory Arabic acronym.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has warned that IS foreign fighters will try to settle in his region as they lose ground in Iraq and Syria.

But it may have been a local initiative by the increasingly pressed jihadists in Sinai that was badly received by ISs leadership in Iraq and Syria, a third Western official said.

It is possible that the attack was coordinated without central agreement. Hence the absence of a claim, said the diplomat.

Another possibility is that it was an attack meant to send a message to Sufis and villagers seen as pro-government, without granting it the imprimatur of an official IS claim.

Abdel Mohsen Salama (C), chief of the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists, holds a candle amongst others at a vigil outside syndicate headquarters in Cairo's downtown district on November 27, 2017, in the memory of the victims of a bomb and gun assault that left over 300 worshippers killed in the restive province of North Sinai on November 24. (AFP)

The Western officials agreed to speak to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Hassan Hassan, a leading expert on IS, said the jihadists had called the Sufis taghuts in a publication, a word used in the Koran to describe the devil and tyrants.

Nothing is off limits when they call them taghut, said Hassan, a senior fellow at the TIMEP think tank and author of the book ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror.

IS fighters, however, had gone too far in the past and been punished for it, he said.

When they killed the Al-Shaitat, they removed the (attackers) after that, he said of a 2014 massacre of up to 700 tribesmen in Syrias eastern Deir Ezzor region.

Either because they wanted to distance themselves from it or they thought they went to far, Hassan said.

Still, with ISs media operation continuing to baffle observers, it remains possible but unlikely that the group may yet claim the attack.

After an attack on a military toll booth south of Cairo in June, IS issued a claim three weeks later -- not through the usual statement on its Telegram accounts but in its weekly Nabaa newsletter.
Police arrested a suspected serial killer on Tuesday who faces charges of murdering four people over a period of several weeks in the US city of Tampa, Florida.

The murders took place between October 9 and November 14 in a seven-block area of Tampas working-class Seminole Heights neighbourhood, prompting the offer of a $100,000 reward for information to help solve the case.

This undated photo provided by the Tampa Police Department shows Howell Emanuel Donaldson. (AP Photo)

Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III, aged 24, was arrested after police received a tip that he had a firearm in a bag at a McDonalds fast food restaurant, Tampa police said in a statement.

After several hours, (police) had enough information to charge Donaldson with all four of the homicides that have occurred in the Seminole Heights area, the department said.

The statement did not mention whether or not the tipster would receive the $100,000 reward, which the city previously said came from law enforcement organizations and private donations.

Police chief Brian Dugan told a news conference on Tuesday that Donaldson would be charged with four counts of first-degree murder, which can carry the death penalty in Florida.

Fifty-one days ago, I said this was a struggle between good and evil, Mayor Bob Buckhorn told the same news conference.

Well tonight, goodness has won. Tonight, in the battle between darkness and light, light has won, he said.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley today applauded Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trumps daughter and his advisor, for promoting female entrepreneurs during her ongoing visit to India.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries. This is her first visit to India in this capacity also that of a member of the First Family.

Thrilled to see Ivanka Trump in India promoting female entrepreneurs. At home, that means improving workforce development and cutting government red tape, Haley said in a tweet.

Globally it means creating an environment where women- across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed, said Haley, who is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration.

In recent weeks, Haley said that she was planning to visit India this year but could not go because of her other pressing engagement, but hopes to travel soon.

US President Donald Trump also praised his daughter for promoting women entrepreneurs at the ongoing summit.

Great work Ivanka, Trump said in a late-night tweet as he retweeted State Department which said that Ivankas comments on US efforts to fuel entrepreneurship so that Americans can turn their dreams into incredible legacies.

Speaking at the 8th annual GE Summit, Ivanka said, reducing gender gap in the labour force by half can help boost Indian economy by over USD 150 billion in the next three years and reiterated her fathers words that India has a true friend in the White House.

We are certainly proud of what shes been able to accomplish, and I can think of no better representative for the US Government to talk about womens entrepreneurship than her, she told reporters at a news conference.

The GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world, she said.

And we are excited about the focus that this years GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship, Nauert said.

GES 2017 participants will empower innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, to utilize new skills and resources to achieve success through plenaries, workshops, and a pitch competition, she asserted.

Noting that it was the first time the GES has taken place in South Asia, she said,  It reflects the regions strong entrepreneurship achievements and future as well as the rapid growth of the US-India strategic partnership.
North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, with some scientists cautioning that Washington, DC, could now theoretically be within range of Pyongyangs weapons.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader Kim Jong Un in defiance of international sanctions. President Donald Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

It was the nuclear-armed Norths first ballistic test in more than two months and an initial Pentagon assessment said the ICBM flew about 1,000 kilometres before splashing down within Japans maritime Economic Exclusion Zone.

The South Korean military, however, said the missile reached an altitude of around 4,500 km -- more than 10 times the height of the international space station -- and flew 960 km before landing.

Experts said this latest launch  which landed west of the northern end of Honshu, Japans largest island  exhibited characteristics that underscored the increasing sophistication of North Koreas program. The missile flew higher and for a longer duration than two previous intercontinental ballistic missile launches, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

At least one expert said its lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 kilometres that would bring every city in the continental United States within range.

It was the Norths third successful ICBM test and David Wright, a co-director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters pointed to a significantly longer range than previous launches.

A woman walks past a street monitor showing North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in a news report about North Korea's missile launch, in Tokyo. (Reuters Photo)

Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States, he said.

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earths atmosphere, experts say it is on the threshold of developing a working nuclear strike capability against US cities.

Tensions over the Norths weapons programme peaked after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September and then fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan.

US defence secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesdays test went higher than ever before and was a step toward North Korea building missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically.

One study by the Nautilus think-tank in California estimated that around 65,000 civilians would die in South Korean capital, Seoul, alone on the first day of a conventional North Korean attack.

People watch a television broadcast of a news report on North Korea firing what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, in Seoul. (Reuters Photo)

Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the border -- well within range of Pyongyangs artillery.
Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf has said he likes Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed and is the biggest supporter of the Lashkar-e-Taiba as it involved in targeting the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, who currently lives in self-exile in Dubai since leaving Pakistan after being charged with treason, made the remarks while appearing on a TV talk show late on Tuesday night.

Im the biggest supporter of Lashkar-e-Taiba and I know the LeT and JuD people like me, he said, while responding to a question on how the man who had once pursued the policy of enlightened moderation was joining hands with hardline Islamic groups.

Asked if he likes Saeed, the founder of the LeT, Musharraf replied: Yes, I have met him, even recentlyI have always been in favour of action in Kashmir, and Ive always been in their favour, that in Kashmir we must pressure the Indian Army and this (LeT) is the biggest force.

Musharraf also said the LeT was not involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The attacks on Indias financial hub was carried out by a 10-member LeT team, one of whom  Ajmal Kasab  was captured alive. Pakistan officially acknowledged the conspiracy behind the attacks was hatched on its soil in 2009 and arrested seven people for the attacks, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Speaking in a mix of Urdu and English, Musharraf explained the switch from the days of enlightened moderation to his All Pakistan Muslim League forging alliances with Islamist groups by saying: It is the requirement of the day, you must do everything in light of the reality of Pakistan.

He added, I am liberal and moderate, these are my thoughts but that doesnt mean Im against all religious people.

Musharrafs regime had banned the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed in January 2002, weeks after a terror attack on the Indian Parliament. The Sunni Tehrik, a group with which Musharrafs party has formed an alliance, was placed on the interior ministrys watch list.

The former president, who was forced to step down in 2008, claimed India and the US got the LeT declared terrorists. He added, Yes, they are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir, it is between we and India.

Asked why he had banned the LeT in 2002, Musharraf replied: The situation was different at that time. My vision was that we were moving towards peace, they (India) were moving toward my four-point agenda (for resolving the Kashmir issue), let us reduce mujahideen and increase political

Musharraf described a recent White House statement calling on Pakistan to arrest Saeed and prosecute him as offensive.

This is very offensive language and an insult to Pakistans sovereignty. I would never accept this language and I would have said, Please dont dictate to us. We are in charge here, we decide on who is the LeT head, whether he has to be tried, whether he has to be punished. It is our decision.

The US last week threatened Pakistan with repercussions for bilateral relations if Saeed, who was recently released from nearly 10 months of house arrest, was not immediately re-arrested and charged.
North Korea summoned its star presenter, the Pink Lady, to make another special announcement.

On Tuesday, Ri Chun-Hee announced on state media broadcast that the country had successfully launched a new type of ballistic missile, which Pyongyang claims is its most powerful weapon.

Wearing her trademark pink and black traditional Korean dress, Ri said North Korea had successfully fired a significantly more powerful, nuclear-capable ICBM it called the Hwasong-15.

Kim Jong-Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, she said.

The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK, she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea.

Wednesdays missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said.

The presenter  believed to be in her early 70s and born to a poor family in Tongchong  has appeared whenever North Korea wants to boast of its latest achievements or needs to make an important announcement.

Ri wept on air when she was announcing the deaths of North Koreas founder Kim Il-Sung and his son Kim Jong-Il, according to The Guardian.

The actress-turned-newscaster studied performance art at the Pyongyang University of Theatre and first took to the air in 1971, when the state TV channel was launched. Her face is one of the few broadcasts abroad and her stentorian reports thunder across airwaves from the land where leader Kim Jong un rarely speaks.

South Korean soldiers walk by a TV screen showing the live broadcast about North Korea's missile launch, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo)

In September, she was recalled from retirement to confirm Norths fifth nuclear test.

Slightly plump, with permed black hair, she has become an institution whose bombastic delivery decries the miseries inflicted upon the state by a hostile world while celebrating its military triumphs, says a Reuters description of Ri.

In a government statement released through state media, North Korea said the Hwasong-15, the greatest ICBM, could be armed with a super-large heavy nuclear warhead and is capable of striking the whole mainland of the United States. The North said the missile reached a height of 4,475 kilometres and travelled 950 kilometres before accurately hitting a sea target, similar to the flight data announced by South Koreas military.

The missile was launched from near Pyongyang and it landed inside of Japans special economic zone in the Sea of Japan.

The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, the Norths official news agency KCNA said.

State TV also said Kim gave the order on Tuesday and broadcast a photo of Kims signed order where he wrote: Test launch is approved. Taking place at the daybreak of Nov. 29! Fire with courage for the party and country!

(With agency inputs)
US President Donald Trump held emergency talks with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative North Korean missile test.

North Korea test fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, posing a major challenge to Trump after he slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

Asserting that he will take care of the situation in the aftermath of the North Korean ballistic missile test, Trump held separate calls with Abe and Moon to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

We will take care of it. It is a situation we will handle, Trump said in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Koreas ballistic missile test.

In both the phone calls, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Koreas latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan and the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Koreas reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Koreas security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, said the missile this time went higher than any previous time.

Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...in response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally, he said.

US Vice President Mike Pence said all options are on the table.

We will continue to marshall economic and diplomatic pressure until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all, Pence said in his Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

The Kim (North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un) regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of President Trump or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States, he said.

In New York, Permanent Representative of the US to the UN, Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Koreas latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held on November 29, around 4.30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Koreas relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that it must abandon its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures, he said.

In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from North Korea, he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include South Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Koreas threat to international peace.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea, he said.
Turkish prosecutors have issued detention warrants for 360 people in an operation targeting supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen within the army, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday.

It said 333 of those facing arrest in the Istanbul-based operation were soldiers, 216 of them serving personnel. Ankara accuses Gulen and his network of orchestrating an attempted coup last year. Gulen denies the charge.

Istanbul police officers were continuing operations to capture the suspects, it said. The private Dogan news agency said seven of those facing arrest were pilots.

More than 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial over links to Gulen, while 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors since the July 15 failed putsch, in which 250 people were killed.

Sixteen months on, operations targeting supporters of the US-based preacher are continuing on a daily basis. Last week, nearly 700 people were detained in related investigations.

While Turkeys Western allies and rights groups have voiced concern that Ankara is using the investigations to crack down on dissent, Turkey says only such a purge could neutralise the threat represented by Gulens network, which it says infiltrated institutions such as the military, judiciary and schools.
US civilian and military assistance for Pakistan has plummeted from an average of more than $2.2 billion a year during the period immediately after the 9/11 terror attacks to $526 million in 2017 and is set to fall further next year, reflecting the strain in ties between the two sides.

The total assistance in 2018 is expected to be $345 million, including $134 million in security-related assistance and $211 million in economic aid, according to figures collated by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

Despite a sharp dip in relations following the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in 2011, US assistance increased over the next two years to a little more than $2.6 billion a year before falling rapidly.

Pakistans decision to join the US-led war on terror in 2001 led to huge jump in assistance. Between 2002 and 2011, the total aid  including economic support funds, foreign military financing, Coalition Support Fund (CSF) reimbursements and anti-terrorism funding  was worth a whopping $22.14 billion.

This included $8.8 billion in reimbursements from the CSF and a total of $5.7 billion in security-related aid. The CSF is used to reimburse Pakistan for logistical and operation support for US-led military operations in Afghanistan.

The killing of bin Laden in a compound located close to Pakistans main military academy had a significant impact on funding from the CSF.

The figures compiled by the CRS showed CSF reimbursements dipped in 2012 to $688 million, before increasing to $1.4 billion in 2013. Since then, the amount has fallen significantly to $550 million in 2016.

At least a third of allocations under the CSF head in the US defence budget since 2015 have been tied to certifications that Pakistan is taking action against the Haqqani Network, a group that targets US troops in Afghanistan.

Foreign military financing, which consists of grants and loans to purchase US military equipment, has not been affected much by the cut in overall aid  it has ranged from $296 million in 2012 to $255 million in 2017.

However, the overall total security-related assistance has fallen from $849 million in 2012 to an estimated $303 million in 2017.

Though the decline in aid for Pakistan began during former president Barack Obamas second term, the Trump administration has taken a much tougher line with Islamabad. This has coincided with US lawmakers increasingly questioning Pakistans reliability as a partner in the war on terror.

The Trump administration has warned there could be further cuts in aid and the revocation of Pakistans major non-NATO ally status if it does not crack down on terror groups such as the Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
A viral video showing a major general of the Pakistan Rangers handing out envelopes with Rs 1,000 notes to members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan has once again raised questions about the armed forces role in the stand-off between the government and the protestors who paralysed Islamabad for three weeks.

Privately, senior members of the Shahid Khaqan Abbasi government have alleged the army played a key role in starting the crisis and protecting the extremists by not intervening when its help was sought by the civilian set-up.

Officially, the army played a role in brokering peace.

The Islamabad high court has strongly objected to the terms of the agreement between the government and the leaders of the sit-in that turned violent over the weekend, besides questioning the role of the armed forces as mediator in the episode.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, while hearing a case regarding the protest, said an acknowledgement in the agreement indicated the army chief, instead of following the orders of the chief executive, became a mediator.

These remarks have put the government and the army in an embarrassing position. For its part, the army says its role was restricted by the order issued by the Islamabad high court, which forbade use of force in dispersing the protestors from a busy traffic intersection at Faizabad.

It was the high courts order, backed by comments made by the Supreme Court, that finally forced the government to act against the protestors. Behind this order was the same judge, Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who is no stranger to controversy.

Siddiqui had earlier ordered social media to be blocked on the grounds that it contained religiously objectionable material. He publicly came out in support of late Punjab governor Salmaan Taseers assassin Mumtaz Qadri. More recently, he was being investigated by the Supreme Judicial Council on charges of corruption.

Local media reported the blockade in Islamabad and sit-in protests across Pakistan might be over after the army-brokered deal between the protesters and the government, but the fallout and implications of Mondays controversial accord, which many have termed as a capitulation on the part of the government, are yet to be seen.

Moreover, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik leader who led the blockade, claims much more was agreed to between him and the government than what has been officially acknowledged. Reports have suggested that clerics will now conduct a probe against a provincial minister over blasphemy and be included in boards that decide the school curricula.

Rizvi seems to have won round one. He has emerged out of nowhere to lead a protest that nearly toppled the PML-N government. It is believed the Tehreek-e-Labbaik will now actively contest the 2018 general election on the same platform.

The other winner in this test of wills seems to be the army high command, which has managed to keep its distance from the PML-N government, while at the same time playing an active role in the crisis from behind the scenes. This in itself is a cause of concern for democracy in Pakistan.
North Korea said on Wednesday it has successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially put the whole mainland of the US within its range but President Donald Trumps response was cautious and lacking in hyperboles that have characterised his earlier reactions against Pyongyang.

It is a situation that we will handle, Trump said.

Nothing changed. We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed, he said when prodded by reporters if the launch, which some have said seemed to be in defiance, would force him to change his strategy.

Trump had earlier threatened to respond to North Koreas missile and nuclear tests with fire and fury, and totally destroy the Asian country, and sought to belittle its leader Kim Jong-un as the rocket man. He seemed distracted somewhat, with the ongoing tax-reform legislation negotiations.

This was the first test by Pyongyang since mid-September and came a week after the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism  joining Syria and Iran  and slapped new sanctions against entities and individuals, mostly Chinese, doing business with the country.

US defence secretary James Mattis said the intercontinental ballistic missile tested went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken.

Its a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, Mattis added.

The missile rose to an altitude of 2,800 miles (4,500 km)  the International Space Station hovers at an average distance of 240 miles above the earth  and 600 miles before splashing into the Sea of Japan well inside Japans Exclusive Economic Zone.

Experts said that if the missile, which was the third ICBM tested by Pyongyang this year following two in July, had flown the standard trajectory designed to maximise reach, it would have gone around 8,100 miles putting Washington DC within its range.

This is significantly longer than North Koreas previous long-range tests, which flew on lofted trajectories for 37 minutes (July 4) and 47 minutes (July 28), said David Wright of the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists.

Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States, Wright added.

But, he added, there was no information on its payload.

Given the increase in range, it seems likely that it carried a very light mock warhead. If true, that means it would be incapable of carrying a nuclear warhead to this long distance since such a warhead would be much heavier, he said.

Trump spoke to the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and South Koreas Moon Jae-in, who, according to Reuters, told the American leader that the North Koreas missiles technology had improved.

The US has said while all options remain on the table, it prefers a peaceful solution.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

The state department said the US and Canada had called a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States - a group 16 member countries going back to the Korean war in the 1950s - to discuss how the global community can counter North Koreas threat to international peace.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the latest test on Wednesday.
In 1940, a Danish machinist helped jump-start Americas transformation from carmaker to weapons giant.

Sunday, May 26, 1940, was a momentous day on both sides of the Atlantic. On the beaches near the small French port of Dunkirk, a stunned Britain began evacuating troops cut off by Germanys swift advance through France in a desperate attempt to save its army from total annihilation. It was the British Armys worst defeat ever, and France now seemed soon to fallalong with Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. In Washington that night, Roosevelt delivered a fireside chat over nationwide radio to an anxious American public. His subject was national defense, and among his many listeners was the president of General Motors, William S. Knudsen, his ears tuned to the console radio in his modest Tudor Revival home in Detroit.

In his folksy conversation with America, Roosevelt observed that some Americans had closed their eyes to the dangers of the European conflict, believing they were safe on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, while others opposed American defense preparations for domestic political reasons. The past two weeks have meant the shattering of many illusions, he said.

Stung by recent criticism that the New Deal had scrimped on defense, he noted the doubling of army personnel since 1933 and the acquisition of new aircraft, tanks, and ships. He pointed out that four-engine bombers cost $350,000 each, pursuit planes $133,000, and medium tanks $46,000. More important, although only 5,640 military aircraft had been purchased since 1933, FDR announced a production target of 50,000 planes a year. While he may have been bluffing to discourage potential enemies and motivate Americans, his proposition illustrated the immensity of the defense production challenge ahead. As for tanks, he said, in 1933 we had only 48 modern tanks and armored cars; today we have on hand and on order 1,700, a paltry number compared with the Nazi arsenal.

In line with my request, the Congress this week is voting the largest appropriation ever asked by the army or the navy in peacetime, the president said. We are calling on men now engaged in private industry to help us in carrying out this program.

The next day, Knudsena Danish immigrant who had worked his way from the shop floor to the executive suitewas reviewing production reports in his office on the 14th floor of the General Motors building when his telephone rang. This is Knudsen, he answered. Mr. Knudsen, the operator said, the president of the United States wants to talk to you.

Over the next two weeks the two menideological opposites and unlikely allies in any causedrew up a plan to completely and swiftly transform core American industries from manufacturers of civilian goods like cars and refrigerators to rapid-fire producers of tanks, trucks, engines, aircraft, and munitions. And it worked. In 1940, General Motors Buick Motor Car division, for example, turned out some 215,000 passenger cars at its huge complex in Flint, Michigan (plus another 95,000 Buicks at plants in California and New Jersey). By the wars end five years later, the same division had produced 74,797 aircraft engines, 2,507 Hellcat tank destroyers, 2,952 antiaircraft gun mounts, 19,428 tank power trains, 424,000 75mm steel shell casings, and 9,719,000 20mm shell bodies.

Thousands of other manufacturers and businesses answered the call, rapidly retooling to counter the threat posed to the nation. But Knudsen and Roosevelt were the driving force; without them there would have been no miraculous mobilization of the great arsenal of democracy, as Roosevelt would later call Detroit. Without that arsenal, the Allies would undoubtedly have had a far more difficult, if not impossible, time defeating Germany, Italy, and Japan. Knudsen took the sometimes thankless role of armaments production wizard for a salary of one dollar a year and weathered intense political sniping to get the job doneminor sacrifices, he felt, for a country that had helped him realize the American Dream.

All of us have a duty to perform in the world, the plainspoken auto chief later explained.

The two men behind this transformation could not have been more different in background and politics. Franklin D. Roosevelt was a Harvard-educated Hudson River valley patrician whose New Deal programs had been at war with big business since his election to office in 1932. William S. Knudsen was a hulking, rough-hewn immigrant mechanic who had, by 1916, advanced from the shop floor of a bicycle importer in Denmark to become master of mass production at the Ford Motor Company. In 1922, Knudsen moved to the General Motors Corporation, where he built up manufacturing volumes and rose through the ranks to become company president in 1937 at age 58. Smart and quirky, he was known for spending as much time walking factory floors as in his officeand when he was in his office he usually kept his hat on because, he once explained, it helped him think better.

On January 11, 1940, Knudsen and other top GM executives presided over the production of their 25-millionth car, a 1940 Chevrolet sedan, at the Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan. He had no inkling then that two years hence, the Chevrolet Flint Assembly would be converting to war production. Little had happened since German and Soviet troops had overrun Poland in September; the press called the subsequent tensions the Phony War. In Washington, Roosevelt was finalizing plans to run for an unprecedented third term.

Then the Phony War ended with a bang on April 10, 1940, when Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. A month later, on May 10, the Nazis invaded Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. On May 16, already alarmed by the failure of the Allied forces to halt the Nazi advance, Roosevelt sent Congress a defense budget request of $1.2 billiona monstrous sum at the timeto meet any lightning offensive against our American interest. In his message to Congress, FDR warned that although the United States had long been protected from attack by the expanses of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, it was now threatened by the advent of transoceanic flight. From the fjords of Greenland, he said, it is four hours by air to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec, and only six hours to New England. Ten days later the defense program ante was nearly tripled.

In some ways, Big Bill Knudsensix-feet-three and 230 poundswas uniquely qualified for the role FDR offered him on May 27, 1940. His bottom-to-top career had given him not only an intimate knowledge of mass production processes, from parts to subassemblies to assemblies, but also credibility among big and small manufacturing companies throughout the nation. In fact, as is usual in such high-level appointments, Knudsens nod originated with a presidential advisor, in this case Bernard Baruch. During World War I Baruch had headed the U.S. War Industries Board, while Knudsen had been in charge of Fords production of Eagle Boat sub-chasers. Few believed Henry Ford could fulfill his promise of building one ship a day, but under Knudsens management, that goal was achieved by October 1918. Workers at General Motors later coined a name for Knudsen: the Speed-Up King.

When Baruch put Knudsens name to Roosevelt, FDR responded, Who is Bill Knudsen?and balked at the appointment when told he was the president of General Motors. It wouldnt do to have the head of the largest corporation step into that job, said Roosevelt. It would look as though I was prejudiced in favor of big business. The president told Baruch to come back two weeks later with another name.

A fortnight later, Baruch had the same response: Knudsen.

The day after Roosevelts first conversation with Knudsen, the White House announced it had revived the Council of National Defense, which Congress had authorized for World War I, and named an advisory body of seven, called the National Defense Advisory Commission. Its purpose was to mobilize the nations industrial, economic, political, and civilian sectors to strengthen the countrys preparedness for war.

In addition to Knudsenwho, the New York Times reported, was to be in full command of industrial manufacturing of tanks, airplanes, engines, uniforms and the multifarious items neededothers appointed to the commission were Edward R. Stettinius Jr., chairman of U.S. Steel, to supervise the steady flow of raw materials from mines to factories; Sidney Hillman, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, to coordinate employment policies in the so-called war industries; Chester C. Davis, member of the Federal Reserve Board, to prevent conflicts of national agricultural policy with the defense program; Ralph Budd, chairman of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, to take charge of all transportation problems; Leon Henderson, a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to stabilize prices; and Harriet W. Elliott, dean of women at the University of North Carolina, to protect consumers.

With such an august board, Knudsens first question to Roosevelt was hardly surprising. Who is boss? he asked. I am, Roosevelt quickly responded.

That Tuesday night, Knudsen called his wife and four adult children together in the living room for a family meeting and announced he was resigning from General Motors to work for the government in Washington. We were stunned into silence, recalled his youngest child, Martha McKenney. Finally I spoke up and asked him, Dad, why are you doing this? He responded, This country has been good to me and I want to pay it back.

The next day, Big Bill flew to New York City to meet with his boss, GM chairman Alfred P. Sloan Jr., to whom he gave the same simple, patriotic explanation. Sloan was skeptical of the proposed government service because of GMs numerous run-ins with the Roosevelt administration. The Feds had tried General Motors and its executives (including Sloan and Knudsen) for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, and had supported the unionization of the auto industry. But Knudsen was adamant, and it was agreed he would take a leave of absence, forego his $150,000 annual salary and matching bonus, and resign his position at General Motors after 90 days.

Right from the start, Knudsen was a popular figure with the press, which welcomed him as a new type, as the New Yorker reported in a three-part profile of him in 1941: a dignified old giant of a production man who made forthright remarks in plain but vivid factory lingo. One such remark came upon his arrival at Washingtons airport. Can you build those 50,000 planes? a reporter asked. I cant, but America can, he said.

Knudsen moved into an office in the Federal Reserve Building near Washingtons Federal Triangle and began assembling a staff, many of them strangers to him.

There were other dollar-a-year industry volunteers, but there were also troublesome New Dealers with no industrial experience, dispatched from the Democratic National Committee at the direction of President Roosevelt. Most of these politicians, however, dropped out when they discovered the jobs entailed seven-day workweeks and little to no pay.

At the time, the War Department feared that Britain would capitulate and the Nazis would soon be encamped on the U.S.Canada border. There was a frenzy of activity, with Knudsen forced to explain it might take a year and a half to ramp up defense production because of tooling lead times. He also had to persuade the War Department to rescind or ignore a directive that no new defense production take place within 250 miles of the United States border, pointing out that most major American heavy manufacturing was located there: in New England, upstate New York, Pittsburgh, northern Ohio, and in such Michigan cities as Detroit, Pontiac, Flint, and Lansing. The directive quietly disappearedthough when new aircraft plants were eventually built, they were in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.

As he moved to the specifics of the massive conversion he and Roosevelt had envisioned, Knudsen was bedeviled by complex rules and regulations covering contracts, obstacles to the handshake deals he was used to in Detroit. At the time, the government contracting process began with the secretary of war and the secretary of the navy passing their requests to the president, who then applied to Congress for spending authorizations; once those were secured, procurement officers sought bids and selected contractors, with some key provisions tied to outdated peacetime laws. To overcome the most troubling stumbling blocks, Knudsen appealed directly to Roosevelt, sometimes succeeding even in overruling cabinet officers.

Other obstacles were more typical of manufacturing. In the decade preceding the war, craft unions clashed with industrial unions seeking to organize workersand employers were caught in between. Knudsen estimated that strikes cost a 25 percent loss in defense production in 1941, but fellow defense commissioner Sidney Hillman settled many of the disputes quickly, as patriotism trumped management-labor class differences.

Knudsen also had to navigate the business world, but that was his natural element, and he often resolved issues by placing calls to executives he knew personally. When the British made a desperate plea for aircraft engines and tanks, Knudsen invited Edsel Ford, the president of Ford Motor Company, to Washington to discuss building Rolls-Royce Merlin engines under license. Edsel readily accepted the challenge, but automobile manufacturing was in a boom and the companys founder, Henry Ford, reneged. Father wont do it, Edsel told Knudsen. Knudsen made a special trip from Washington to Dearborn, Michigan, to call on the old man, but Ford, who still opposed American involvement in the war, flatly refused to allow his company to make anything for the British government.

So Knudsen called Alvan Macauley, head of Packard Motor Company. Macauley quickly agreed and by June 27 the luxury carmaker began construction on a new plant to build the licensed engines. Nineteen months later the plant was up and running, and by the end of the war Packard had produced 55,523 Merlin engines, many of which were installed in Americas famed P-51D Mustang fighters.

In the first four months of the advisory commissions existence, Knudsens intimate knowledge of mass production often overcame serious bottlenecks in the manufacturing process. The new A-26 attack bomber was designed in such a way, Knudsen recalled, it seemed to me as though the wings were just chock full of spar caps, long ones. Only one firm in the country manufactured milling machines that produced spar caps of all lengthsand they were running behind. I found this one small firm, employing not more than 200 people, responsible for the success or failure of the A-26 program, Knudsen recalled. I determined there was only one place to start, and took off for Buffalo to see what I could do to get those milling machines ahead of schedule.

After inspecting the plant, Knudsen decided to reprioritize conflicting defense orders for milling machines. Boeing, for example, needed similar machines for the B-29 Superfortress. Knudsen found a couple of manufacturers elsewhere in the country; in a telephone call to Oliver West of Boeing, he persuaded the aircraft maker to use them instead of the Buffalo firm. He also called in the Buffalo companys subcontractors for a pep talk to accelerate their production of machine parts.

Im not a polished man, he later explained, but I know how to make things.

For tanks, Knudsen turned to his former GM colleague and longtime neighbor K. T. Keller, president of Chrysler. Keller readily agreed to build and equip a new factory in Warren, Michigan, to mass-produce M3 medium tanks. Chrysler signed the contract in August 1940, broke ground September 12, and on April 27, 1941, a miraculous seven and a half months later, the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant produced its first M3.

Knudsen was aided in his job by good old-fashioned American ingenuity. The M3 tank in question had been designed at the armys Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, and was being bench-built at Rock Island and some locomotive factories. It was powered by a 400 hp Wright R-975 Whirlwind nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engine, made under contract by Continental Motors and soon there were competing demands for these engines. A variation of the engine was used in the North American BT-9 and Vultee BT-13 to train student pilots.

So Detroits engineers went to work on a new engine that would be strong enough400 to 500 hp, larger than anything on their shelvesto power a 30-ton vehicle. At the time, Detroits most powerful 1940-model passenger car engine was Packards 160 hp, 356-cubic-inch flathead inline Super-8 engine. Chryslers solution was to bolt five 230-cubic-inch six-cylinder Chrysler passenger car engines around a common crankshaft; Ford modified a monster 1,100-cubic-inch overhead-valve V-8 first used in the World War I Liberty aircraft; and GM came up with twin six-cylinder diesels. The new engines went into the M4 Sherman that replaced the M3 in early 1942. Indeed, with Knudsens nudge, American tank production ballooned from 331 in 1940 to a record annual total of 29,497 in 1943.

While Knudsen continued to work relentlessly throughout the war to push materiel production, it was in a role different from the advisory role Roosevelt had originally envisioned. In fact the advisory commission, while achieving many of its goals, was often butting its head up against a military establishment that was wary of taking orders from civilians, and New Dealers who feared any transfer of authority to business interests would undo the social progress they had made. Time magazine asserted in February 1941 that Knudsen and other manufacturers were constantly fending off the meddling of New Deal politicians in a civil war [that] raged with indescribable bitterness.

It didnt help that the advisory commissions mandate was never clear. Its members could theoretically only advise and consult with army and navy procurement offices, which meant they had little power to force solutions other than by relying on Knudsens power of persuasion and the good will of manufacturers and the armed forces. Just six months after Knudsen had arrived in Washington, Roosevelt supplanted the advisory commission with the Office of Production Management, essentially run by Knudsen and Sidney Hillman, and authorized it to ensure arms production. But that office too was structurally deficient: always the democrat, Roosevelt refused to name a chief, and while Knudsen made great strides over that next year, there was always concern that a more centralized leadership was needed.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Knudsen was summoned to the White House where Roosevelt told him that he was going to commission him as a lieutenant general in charge of army production. When you go out in the field, explained Roosevelt, there may be generals who will try to pull rank on you. It was not really a promotion; according to Knudsens memoir, the commission was partly to make him feel better about being replaced in early 1942 by former Sears Roebuck executive Donald M. Nelson, who became the head of the Office of Production Management.

By 1944 the war production effort for tanks, trucks, and weapons was well in hand, and on September 1, Knudsen was named director of the Air Technical Command (today the Air Force Materiel Command) to push aircraft output, especially the new B-29 Superfortress. That productionthanks largely to Knudsens earlier workwas already on a roll, with American plants turning out military aircraft at an incredible rate: 19,200 in 1941, 47,873 in 1942, 85,946 in 1943, 96,369 in 1944, and 78,523 in 1945. Fords Willow Run plant for B-24s started from scratch in March 1941, reaching a peak production of 455 planes in 450 hours in April 1944: an astonishing one per hour.

Just over a year lateron May 29, 1945Knudsen retired from government service at age 66, his job clearly done. When he died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Detroit only three years later, the Detroit Free Press proudly extolled the greatest achievement of its hometown hero: He more than any other man was the leader of Victory, the newspaper said of the Danish immigrant who had become a master of mass production, a three-star general, and the holder of two Distinguished Service Medals, for he made it possible.

Originally published in the February 2010 issue of World War II Magazine. To subscribe, click here.
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The Oscar-winner has revealed that he decided to walk away from acting after feeling a "great sadness" on the set of his final film, 'Phantom Thread'.

The Wicklow-based actor shocked Hollywood back in June when he released a statement, saying he was finished with acting.

At the time, he said it was a "private decision" to pull the curtain down on his distinguished career.

But In an new interview with W Magazine, Day-Lewis said he was visited by a "great sadness" during the making of his last movie, which he's since been unable to shake off.

He said: "Before making the film, I didnt know I was going to stop acting.

I do know that Paul and I laughed a lot before we made the movie. And then we stopped laughing because we were both overwhelmed by a sense of sadness. That took us by surprise: We didnt realise what we had given birth to. It was hard to live with. And still is.

He added: What has taken over in the past is an illusion of inevitability. But its settled on me, and its just there. Not wanting to see the film [Phantom Thread] is connected to the decision Ive made to stop working as an actor.

"But its not why the sadness came to stay. That happened during the telling of the story, and I dont really know why.

I dread to use the overused word artist, but theres something of the responsibility of the artist that hung over me.

"I need to believe in the value of what Im doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isnt.

He also had this to say about his decision to release a statement about his retirement:

I knew it was uncharacteristic to put out a statement, but I did want to draw a line. I didnt want to get sucked back into another project," he stated.

"All my life, Ive mouthed off about how I should stop acting, and I dont know why it was different this time, but the impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do.

Do I feel better? Not yet. I have great sadness. And thats the right way to feel. How strange would it be if this was just a gleeful step into a brand-new life. I

"Ive been interested in acting since I was 12 years old, and back then, everything other than the theatre  that box of light  was cast in shadow.

"When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way.

There's now rumours that he might become a fashion designer, just like the character in his last film.

Addressing those rumours, Daniel Day-Lewis said: Who knows? I wont know which way to go for a while. But Im not going to stay idle. I dont fear the stony silence.

The 60-year-old's last film appearance will be in director Thomas Andersons Phantom Thread, which hits the big screens in December.

The Oscar-winning actor's spokeswoman, Leslee Dart, confirmed the news to Variety magazine back in June. "Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor," Dart stated at the time.

"He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject."

Day-Lewis is the only male actor to ever scoop three best actor Oscars, winning for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood and Lincoln. The British-Irish actor was also nominated for In the Name of the Father and Gangs of New York.


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The day after rainfall from Hurricane Harvey swallowed the Houston area, pastor E.A. Deckard remembered driving through the flooded streets of Greenspoint, only to find total devastation.

"I went to church, and the community was flooded, but there was a liquor store that was open by my church, and I thought, 'If their faith is that strong then I'm going to open my church, too,' " Deckard said.

The 51-year-old Houston native jumped into action to open the doors to Green House International Church in Greenspoint. With no staff, supplies or plan, Deckard said his mantra was that if his community needed him, he would do whatever he could to help.

"That's just who the pastor is," said Melissa Quiros, administrator at Embrace Grace, a group at Green House International that helps single women going through an unplanned pregnancy. "It comes from the heart. He works from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and he'll be exhausted, but he does it because that's who he is."

Before long, his church was in full emergency-shelter mode, and after a sole post on his Facebook page, the church was accepting evacuees, volunteers and supplies by the truckload. Within two weeks, roughly 15,000 people, and even more supplies, came through the doors of his church. The pastor welcomed it all.

Deckard remembered the moment he and other volunteers were unloading a supply truck and noticed something profound.

"I was on the ground taking a package from Deric (Muhammad)," he said. "Now, he's a Muslim, and he gave me the package. Then I handed the package to the Caucasian guy, who then gave it to aHispanic woman and then another Catholic female. Here there was every race, every nationality helping each other. I couldn't help but think to myself, 'If only we could stay like this forever.' "

In response to ongoing needs in Greenspoint following the hurricane, Deckard has created the "No Community Left Behind" program at his church, which continues to assist families in need.

"The church will remain open to Harvey victims until supplies are gone and all needs are met," he said.

Deckard founded Green House International Church in 2007, when he and his wife, Sandra Deckard, discovered a passion for working with youth from Houston's Fifth Ward.

Deckard is co-founder of the No More Bloodshed movement. He and Muhammad assist families and friends of homicide victims through an interfaith guidance program.

Deckard was also honored by Klub Koinonia for his outreach efforts in the community. He is a contributing writer to the Houston Forward Times' "Forward Thinking" column, a member of the NAACP and is active at events with End Mass Incarceration Houston.
Patricia Hogan Williams, head of the Imani School, recently won the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce's Pinnacle Award for economic success and community giving. The school opened in 1988 as a ministry out of Pastor KirbyJon Caldwell's Windsor Village Methodist Church with 25 children ages 3 and 4. It now has 325 students, predominantly African-American, in grades pre-K through eighth, with a program for infants from 6 weeks through 2 years old. The school celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Q: What are the school's core values, and how are they applied?

A: Our mission is to develop self-confident, academically excellent Christian leaders. Everything that we do is very intentional at hitting those three characteristics. The name "Imani" mean faith in Swahili. We chose that name because we wanted to develop a faith and confidence in oneself and faith and confidence in God. We also thought it reflected both who we are as a people and who we are as children of God. We're very intentional about what we do, about what we teach, how we teach.

Everything is focused, directed, very purposeful. We don't hope children become self-confident. We are very intentional in developing self-confidence. We do that in many different ways. In the way that we talk to our children, in the way we encourage our children, in the way that we teach them to encourage themselves and to affirm themselves. That's every day, every classroom. The morning begins with self-affirmations. So we believe that when the children repeat these affirmations it's like putting money in the bank. You don't need it right now. You might not even want to put it away. But it's there for you to withdraw at the time that you'll need it, and you made that deposit into yourself. Every child takes speech beginning in kindergarten because we think that's important in teaching our children how to stand up and to speak with confidence. What we know is that our children have to be both confident and competent. One without the other doesn't work.

Q: What do you see as some of the biggest challenges in education today, and how does the Imani School address them?

A: The achievement gap in the education of children has become the new civil rights issue in American education now. How do we close what the National Assessment of Educational Progress has cited as being a four-year achievement gap between white students and African-American students?

We set the bar high. We don't water down the curriculum. We teach up and then have our children reach up. We begin very early with very high expectations. In many ways we're very old-fashioned in our approach. We believe in teaching mastery. We don't just introduce subjects. We make sure that our children have mastered the necessary content, yet we allow for creativity as well.

So many things, though, that parents have a responsibility to do, too. And that is to be an advocate for their own children. If the school does not have expectations for your child, you have to have them. You have to make sure that even if homework isn't assigned, homework is done. Another thing we teach our children is, how do you spell success? W-o-r-k. Nothing is going to be given to you. You're going to have to work for it.

Q: How important is it to offer quality education in particular to African-American students?

A: It's critical. It's not an option. It becomes more critical every year. We have a responsibility, I believe, to our children. The most damaging factor in limiting the achievement of African-American children is the belief that they cannot learn and the acceptance of substandard performance as being inevitable. So we set the bar very high. We set it high, and the children don't disappoint us. They live up to or down to your expectations.

Q: How does the school prepare its students for the world we live in today?

A: When children feel good and feel confident about themselves, if they're OK with themselves, they can also be OK with other people. We develop that self-confidence, that self-love and appreciation of other people. Our children fare very well. Not only do they get sought after, but they are recruited by the most selective schools in the Houston area, which is important to me. I want my children to be able to go where they want to go school, not where they are let in.

When you prepare the children to be both competent and confident, you've got a winning combination. I'm so proud of them. What more could you want?

Q: How do you feel about winning the Pinnacle Award, and what does it mean for the school?

A: It was really very affirming. We're really grateful for it. I appreciate that this was for recognition for this amazing team of teachers, of educators, and their hard work. They're truly committed to children and see their role in making sure that every child becomes their best self. And so the recognition by the Pinnacle Awards is affirmation to them, to all of us, that we're on the right track. They spend and give so much more than we could ever compensate them for. But they give it because they're committed to the product, to making a difference. So we are so appreciative in being recognized for that work.
More than 800 employees at Houston-based Citgo now report to a tin-pot general appointed by a banana republic known for human rights abuses, drug trafficking and the economic destruction of one of the wealthiest countries in Latin America.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, shortly after ordering the arrest of Citgo's top managers and some of its board last week, named Maj. Gen. Manuel Quevedo to take over as oil minister and CEO of the national oil company, PDVSA, on Monday. Citgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of PDVSA, and Maduro has also appointed a cousin of the late dictator Hugo Chavez, Asdrubal Chavez, to lead the company.

Whether the U.S. government will grant Asdrubal Chavez a visa to work in Houston remains to be seen, considering that he served as the oil minister in one of the most corrupt regimes in the world. Local Citgo representatives are demonstrating the better part of valor by declining to comment on this irregular leadership succession.

Citgo's new management, though, only accelerates the spread of the economic virus created by Venezuela's so-called Bolivarian revolution and turns Citgo into a zombie company inextricably tied to the slow demise of a nation of 31 million people. Even Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world, can't save the population from the destitution wrought by Chavez and Maduro.

Maduro fired PDVSA's CEO and arrested more than 50 employees in recent weeks on corruption charges, accusing them of falsifying oil production figures. More than 90 percent of Venezuela's foreign earnings come from oil exports, but persistent mismanagement and under-investment have reduced output from more than 3.4 million barrels a day in the late 1990s to 1.9 million barrels a day last month.

EARLIER: Venezuela detains Citgo executives in corruption case

"In PDVSA, it's not whether you are involved in corruption that gets you - almost everyone there is involved in corruption - it's a lack of political support," said Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy economics at Rice University's Baker Institute. "The military has always wanted control of PDVSA, and a few months ago they put military officers on the board, including a vice admiral, so this finalizes the takeover of PDVSA."

PDVSA acquired 100 percent of Citgo in 1990. Leaders at the national oil company wanted to expand refining and retail sales in the U.S., and at the time, U.S. oil companies were operating in Venezuela, helping PDVSA transform the country's economy.

Former military officer and firebrand Hugo Chavez won the presidency in 1998 and launched what he called a socialist revolution, milking the oil industry to pay for social programs that would earn him a loyal following. He nationalized the energy sector, illegally seized property owned by foreign corporations and imposed military control over almost every sector of the economy.

Chavez died from cancer in 2013, and Maduro won a special election to replace him. Since then oil prices have collapsed, triggering a financial crisis in Venezuela, which relies on imported food and medicine.

In the face of fierce opposition, Maduro relies on the military to maintain power. In return, he's given the generals control over half the nation's imports and the distribution of food and medicine. By putting Quevedo in charge of all of Venezuela's energy assets, Maduro has relinquished control over the most important sector of the economy, and the only part that had still been under civilian control.

Control over the country's key economic drivers has made the military self-financing, capable of paying for troops and materiel while civilians suffer from malnutrition. The military supplements its income by demanding bribes, smuggling fuel to neighboring countries, and facilitating illicit narcotics shipments to Mexico and other Caribbean countries.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Venezuela's fall into crisis

Maduro promised that Quevedo will launch "a new oil revolution" and reverse the industry's declining output. Quevedo's only qualification for the job is that he led the National Guard in putting down anti-Maduro protests, using tactics that opposition leaders call human rights violations.

Citgo has always been an important source of cash for PDVSA. But in recent years, PDVSA has pledged a little more than half of Citgo's shares as collateral for corporate bonds, and 49.6 percent of Citgo's shares are pledged as collateral to Russia in return for a $1.5 billion loan.

Citgo is left with little money to invest in itself, and no outside buyer can acquire it until the bonds and loans are paid off, because they exceed the value of the company. Citgo, while professionally operated, has become a zombie, staggering forward with no control over its destiny.

"Most of the respected financial institutions are not interested in working with a company that has the difficulties that Citgo is having," Monaldi said. "So the company is in a bit of trouble, even though it has generally been a healthy company."

That's a sad outcome for a company started in 1910 as the Cities Service Co. in Bartlesville, Okla. But it's ever sadder for the employees whose fate is now controlled by a desperate dictator and his lackey general in a failed country.
Holiday magic is in the air.

We've gathered ideas to help make Nov. 29 through Dec. 6, merry and bright.

Like she promised ten months ago, Lady Gaga is stopping at the Toyota Center Sunday, Dec. 3 for her Joanne World Tour.

MUSIC NEWS: The most anticipated concerts in Houston for 2018

This date was announced just hours after her Super Bowl LI performance at NRG stadium.

Amy Grant, Anderson Cooper, and Andy Cohen are also coming to town.

You and the family can join Mayor Sylvester Turner in Downtown Houston on Friday, Dec. 1, for the 98th Annual Mayor's Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting Presented by Reliant.

READ THIS: Neil deGrasse Tyson coming to Houston

Santa, fireworks, and holiday music will be part of the fanfare from 6 to 8 p.m.

Be sure to bring an unwrapped toy for the toy drive benefiting the Salvation Army. You will receive a light-up Santa hat.

There's plenty more holiday events to check out so...

Take a look at the gallery above for a list of activities and things to do in Houston for kids, young and old.

Here's a look ahead to next week. Rapper Travis Scott will be performing at Revention Music Center Thursday, Dec. 7.
Crime

The number of Houston kids killed by gun violence is rising, reflecting a national crisis

In the past 10 months, young people  many of them Black and Hispanic boys  have been shot by relatives at home, gunned down at pool parties and birthdays, and murdered by other teenagers in parking lots, apartments...
The week after President Donald Trump's inauguration, national security adviser Michael Flynn forwarded a memo written by a former business associate and told his staff to fashion it into a policy for Trump's approval, according to two people familiar with the exchange.

The proposal - to develop a "Marshall Plan" of investment in the Middle East - was being pushed by a company that Flynn said he had advised during the 2016 campaign and transition. The firm was seeking to build nuclear power plants in the region.

His advocacy for the project in the White House surprised some administration officials and raised concerns that Flynn had a conflict of interest. From August to December 2016, he said he served as an adviser to the company, IP3, reporting later on his disclosure forms that he ended his association with the firm just weeks before joining the administration.

To push the idea "in the first week of the administration without any policy process made no sense," said a person familiar with episode who, like others with knowledge of the incident, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. "It was a business proposal in the form of a policy paper."

IP3 said in a statement that the memo did not make a specific request on behalf of the company.

A top House Republican last month referred questions Democrats have raised about Flynn's involvement in the project to Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Last week, Robert Kelner, an attorney for Flynn, shut down communications with Trump's legal team, a sign that Flynn may be willing to cooperate with the special counsel.

Kelner declined to comment. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment. A White House attorney, Ty Cobb, declined to comment.

A White House official said the National Security Council staff handled Flynn's apparent conflict of interest appropriately. "They did their best to tamp it down," the official said.

IP3 said in a statement that the company never paid Flynn and that he did not accept its offer to serve as an adviser, despite his statement on the disclosure form that he held such a role.

However, Flynn advocated for a plan that would help the company after entering the White House, according to people familiar with the exchange. In late January, Robert "Bud" McFarlane, a co-founder of IP3 and a former adviser to President Ronald Reagan, laid out in an email to Flynn what he called a "Marshall Plan for the Middle East," IP3 officials said in a statement. The memo, which the company declined to provide but was described to The Post by someone who had read it, included a focus on nuclear nonproliferation, one of the IP3's selling points for its plan.

The memo's existence was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Flynn forwarded the email to members of his National Security Council staff and instructed them to "essentially put it on White House letterhead and send it to the president for approval," according to a person with knowledge of Flynn's directions.

Some of those who worked with Flynn on the National Security Council were aware of Flynn's connection to IP3 and another company pursuing a similar project. John Eisenberg, a legal adviser to the council, worried Flynn had a conflict and urged him to recuse himself from the project discussions, according to an administration official familiar with the conversations. Eisenberg declined to comment.

IP3 said that in his memo, McFarlane did not make a specific request on behalf of the company, adding that it made sense to send it to Flynn because of his role overseeing national security policy.

"Mr. McFarlane was asked to prepare some thoughts on both NSC process and more specifically the Middle East, nuclear non-proliferation concerns and Russia's aggressive movements in the Middle East," the company said. "He provided this to the NSC team at their request."

Some of Flynn's allies continued to pursue the idea, including one aide, Derek Harvey, who he deputized to help work on the policy document, according to a person familiar with the efforts. Harvey did not return a request for comment.

It is unclear if the proposal was ever presented to Trump. An administration official said the memo was not stored as a permanent record by the National Security Council. The idea to approve the use of U.S. nuclear technology on foreign soil lost momentum in the spring, the official said.

Before his association with IP3, Flynn served as an adviser from April 2015 until June 2016 to ACU Strategic Partners, which had its own plan to help build nuclear plants in the Middle East, in conjunction with Russian interests.

In June 2015, he traveled to Egypt and Israel on a trip paid for by ACU to promote the plan. Flynn later failed to disclose the trip in his security clearance renewal application in 2016, according to Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, an omission they said may have violated federal law.

On Tuesday, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., renewed his request for information from the White House about Flynn's activities. He also wrote a letter to McFarlane asking for all communications with Flynn, the Trump transition team and administration regarding the proposed plan for nuclear power plants in the Middle East.
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Relatives of victims in the Sutherland Springs church massacre began filing wrongful death civil claims Tuesday against the Air Force for failing to tell the FBI about the shooter's criminal history - an error that allowed him to buy guns from licensed dealers.

The Air Force confirmed Tuesday that it never reported gunman Devin Kelley's 2012 convictions for spousal and child abuse to civilian law enforcement authorities. The Air Force had launched a review immediately after Kelley was identified as the gunman in the Nov. 5 shootings that killed 26 people and left 20 injured.

The Air Force inspector general found that personnel at Holloman AFB in New Mexico did not report Kelley's 12-month sentence in a domestic violence case in which he fractured his baby stepson's skull.

Air Force officials found the error was not an isolated incident, and they would correct lapses in the system over the next several weeks.

"At this point we've found dozens that we've corrected, so we're going through them case by case, and as we find an error, we correct it on the spot," Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said, adding that she could not describe the nature of those offenses.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein ordered a review of all records with reportable offenses across the Air Force back to 2002. More than 60,000 cases described as "serious offenses" are being scrutinized.

Joe and Claryce Holcombe of Floresville filed the first civil claims Tuesday against the Air Force over the failure to report Kelley's criminal history. San Antonio plaintiff's lawyer Tim Maloney said he will announce Wednesday civil claims he filed against the Air Force on behalf of relatives of another victim killed in the rampage.

The Holcombes lost their son, Bryan Holcombe, and eight other family members in the Nov. 5 massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Their lawyer, Rob Ammons of Houston, said not only did the Air Force's failure to report Kelley's conviction to the FBI's database allow him to buy guns, but it also kept important details from sheriff's deputies in Comal County, where Kelley lived.

Records show deputies investigated Kelley in 2013 as a rape suspect, but the case stalled. The Comal County Sheriff's Office has launched an inquiry to determine why the case wasn't pursued.

Deputies also responded to a domestic disturbance involving Kelley on Feb. 1, 2014. No action was taken by the deputies, whose report referred to the situation as "teenage drama."

Ammons said deputies might have handled the cases differently if they had known about Kelley's domestic assault case in the Air Force.

"By failing to report, the Air Force is just shredding gigantic holes in the safety net that is there to protect all of us in society," Ammons said.
Somebody had a good sense of humor, or maybe just an earnest wit, in selecting the music that played Tuesday after Texas House Speaker Joe Straus introduced Harris County Judge Ed Emmett at the annual state of the county address.

As one moderate, pragmatic Republican made way for another one, a soaring theme from the film, "The Last of the Mohicans," offered a symbolic segue.

Like the last members of the tribe depicted in the movie, Straus and Emmett seem to be the last of their kind in Texas. But also like the warriors in the movie, they're not going out without a fight.

Straus, who recently shocked political observers by announcing his retirement, noted how Emmett had not pulled away from "core beliefs and principles" as some members of the GOP had.

"He doesn't pander or grandstand," Straus told the crowd of business, political and community leaders gathered at NRG. "He doesn't invent controversies just to stir people up. Instead, he leads."

The words are at once praise and also a searing indictment of statewide office holders such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a far-right Republican who pushed divisive issues such as the bathroom bill and private school vouchers last legislative session at the expense of issues Texans actually care about, such as equitable school funding.

Emmett, for his part, called on all levels of government to work together toward his top priority, flood control, while also challenging state leaders to offer meaningful solutions - not sound bites - on Texas' broken tax system.

A politician who talks about issues that matter. Whose arguments, while perhaps arguable, are grounded in actual facts. Who comports himself like a grownup.

Sometimes listening to him talk seems otherworldly in a state that boasts statewide elected officials like, say, Sid Miller.

Just this week, in the state agriculture commissioner's latest controversy, he came under fire for sharing with his 600,000 Facebook followers a fake story about how President Trump fired a judge from the "22nd circuit court of appeals" for trying to implement Sharia law in the United States.

There's no 22nd circuit court of appeals. Miller seemed to acknowledge the post was fake, but didn't take it down, allowing it to accumulate more than 7,200 shares and many more bigoted comments. Miller's update stated simply that he "may have been duped," and then reiterated that Sharia has no place in America.

No, it doesn't. And neither do irresponsible elected officials who use their posts to spread Islamophobia, to bill state taxpayers for personal trips, and to restore and promote deep-fat-frying in public schools amid a national obesity epidemic.

But I digress.

A good leader admits mistakes and tries to rectify them. Emmett has acknowledged flaws in county flood control policies and has called for reforms.

Vision vs. pandering

"Sometimes events happen that shake our worlds and cause us to say, 'Wow, I didn't see that coming,'" he said in the speech Tuesday.

He said the flooding after Harvey did that for him. And he's hoping the "wow" factor doesn't fade and allow us to slip back into complacency. He called on the business community and others to support elected officials who choose vision instead of pandering.

For Emmett, that vision includes prioritizing the future over the short-term pain of, say, new regulations to curb development in flood-prone areas and proposals involving moderate tax increases to pay for reforms.

One of Emmett's priorities is to turn the region's flooding vulnerability into an asset by converting flooding areas into nature preserves or recreation areas that draw tourists. He wants state officials to tap the $10 billion so-called rainy day fund to build a third reservoir and establish a nature preserve on the Katy Prairie.

Meanwhile, he urged state leaders to stop shifting the burden of expenses such as education and health care on local governments and then criticizing those local governments for trying to the foot the bills, in part through property taxes.

Emmett emphasized that 25 percent of Harris County's tax bill goes straight to Harris Health, which is responsible for providing health care to the indigent.

Some real tax relief

"The next time a state official makes a big deal about a fraction-of-a-cent tax cut in the property tax, ask him why they won't help Harris County property taxpayers fund indigent health care," Emmett said. "State leaders who are eager to seek fed dollars for disaster relief should also be willing to accept federal dollars to provide health care for poor people. That would be real property tax relief."

The comment seemed to refer in part to tax hawks such as state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston. Bettencourt said he hadn't seen all of Emmett's comments, but that Emmett is wrong to blame the state for growing property tax bills. He also believes the Legislature was right to pass up billions in federal funding and refusing to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, which many predicted would implode.

I pointed out that Obamacare's troubles are largely due to states like Texas refusing to implement it as designed. But that's another column.

On flooding, Bettencourt pointed out that some of what Emmett is asking for - including construction of a third reservoir and the tapping of the rainy day fund - enjoys bipartisan support from senators in the region hit by Harvey.

Moderates must vote

Building a third reservoir, he said, is "the type of prudent thing that an economic conservative does after seeing the result of the storm."

I could argue an economic conservative would have built the reservoir long ago, before a storm costing tens of billions of dollars in losses. But for the purposes of this column, I'll look to the future, not to the past.

Emmett's words are important, but we, the residents, need to see that they turn into action.

Just as democracy is more than a horse race, more than a food fight, more than a pissing match on Twitter, so, too, is it more than a spectator sport. It requires involvement, and in Texas, it requires moderates voting in primaries.

The pragmatic Mohicans in this state are dwindling in number, and the best way to insure their demise is for sensible, middle-of-the-road Texans to do nothing.
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For the rest of the world, Giving Tuesday was a fresh opportunity for people to shell out charitable donations on a day that's recently gained popularity as a philanthropic follow-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping sprees.

But for the nonprofits of Houston, it was simply a continuation of the generosity they've seen since Hurricane Harvey, and a day to continue inching along in the recovery effort.

Some charities had special giving campaigns to mark the day.

Donations to the Houston Food Bank were matched 3 to 1 by OTC Global Holdings, a stock brokerage company headquartered in uptown Houston.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the food bank was on track to raise at least $80,000 during the campaign, according to Amy Ragan, chief development officer for the charity. She said Giving Tuesday has become the source of a reliable bump in donations.

"To have a day to think about others who aren't as fortunate is a nice reminder of what the holiday season is all about," Ragan said.

In total, the Houston Food Bank raised $25.2 million in Harvey-specific donations after the storm, and nearly all pledges have been fulfilled by donors. Ragan said around half of that money has been spent so far, and that the food bank is still distributing double its daily food volume compared to before the hurricane.

"We're still very much in disaster response mode," Ragan said. "I think so much of the city has moved on, but there are still many, many people out there struggling."

Among those Tuesday who were loading shopping carts with fresh produce, eggs, toilet paper and other essentials at the pantry was Craig Grover, 45, of the Third Ward, who said he and his family had to move to a different apartment complex after Harvey's winds damaged their roof. He works organizing events at NRG Stadium, but the moving truck and other expenses left them more strapped for cash than usual.

He said Giving Tuesday takes on a slightly different meaning this year in a city that has proven itself to be generous in times of need.

"To me, it's not a normal day, but maybe a day that maybe people can reflect on all the people who thought they would never be in the situation that they are now because of Harvey, who may now need help," Grover said.

The Rebuild Texas Fund, a foundation focused on long-term recovery, also kicked off a matching campaign Tuesday. For the next week, donations to the nonprofit will be matched by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, which created the Rebuild Texas Fund along with OneStar Foundation.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Rebuild Texas had received a small surge in new donations, according to Meredith Young, a spokeswoman for the foundation. All told, it has raised about $86.8 million, around half of which is in-hand and half represents pending pledges.

For other local nonprofits, Giving Tuesday did not provide a significant increase in donations but was simply another day in the long arc of generosity since Harvey.

Mayor Sylvester Turner's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has continued to take in donations, with more than $10 million pouring in during the past month, bringing the total collected to $104 million. Rachel Young, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit managing the fund, said about $2.8 million of that are still outstanding pledges, down from the more than $17 million still pending in late October.

The United Way of Greater Houston used Giving Tuesday as a way to kick off their end-of-the-year outreach. They too, have seen more donations continuously come in, and 97 percent of their Harvey pledges have now been fulfilled, up from 87 percent a month ago.

Giving Tuesday, which began in 2012, has ramped up every year as a call to action for individuals and corporations alike to give time and money to a cause of their choice at the kickoff of the holiday season.

Estimates put the amount raised in online donations alone during Giving Tuesday last year at around $180 million.

For Rachel Amos, 42, of Pasadena, Giving Tuesday was a day to celebrate all that charities have done for Houston so far. She was picking out milk at the Houston Food Bank with her teenage son, and said the extra food will help feed her family when the checks don't quite make ends meet. She has a retail job and her boyfriend works repairing equipment at an iron ore mine.

Amos said she appreciates the donations to the food bank.

"It goes to working families," she said. "The thing is not to stop doing it ... because this has helped a lot."
At first, Anthony Valle insisted he didn't know her.

The 43-year-old homeowner told authorities in July that an "unknown intruder" had forced their way into his Atascocita-area home. Layla Ramos, 14, a friend of his daughter, was found dead from two gunshot wounds.

Four agonizing months later, members of the teen's family say they finally feel some peace after learning on Tuesday that Valle was charged with murder in the death of their young relative.

"It's about damn time," her aunt, Carmalita Lugo said over the phone. "It's a big relief, because they were focusing so much on her breaking and entering. This lets everybody know that he went over and killed a little girl, because he wanted to keep her silent."

After Ramos was found shot on July 20 at Valle's home on River Brook Drive, homicide investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's Office began looking into the case. They found inconsistencies with Valle's initial statement.

The investigators concluded that Valle and the teen had an inappropriate relationship, which included drug use and possible sexual misconduct, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office. Ramos also reportedly threatened to tell authorities about the sexual misconduct, the release stated.

The family told the Houston Chronicle this past summer of Valle's relationship with Ramos, who had been friends with his daughter and often visited his house. They say they watched the girl spiral out of control and become addicted to drugs.

"I'm so relieved," Alana Mock, the girl's mother, said about the man being charged. "He took my innocent baby, so I hope he gets the death penalty."

Deputy Thomas Gilliland, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, declined to divulge details about the alleged sexual misconduct between Ramos and Valle. He said that evidence would be presented when the case goes to trial.

Gilliland also said that additional witnesses came forward after the initial story was published in the Chronicle.

"We're looking to see if anybody else has been propositioned by this male," said Gilliland "The investigation is still continuing."

Valle is currently in jail and is expected to appear in court on Thursday.

Had a hunch

On that summer morning when her daughter was killed, Mock said she awoke with an uneasy feeling.

She woke up around 2:30 a.m., wondering why her daughter was not home.

The mother frantically texted her daughter trying to determine her whereabouts.

The teen sent a series of texts to her sister, Angelica Morales, 19, and her mother. Ramos said she was with someone but did not identify the person.

"Don't say I'm with him if he calls u," she sent in a text to Morales about 1:30 a.m. About two hours later she texted her mother back saying she was "barely" at Walmart.

A few hours later, following her instincts, Mock sent her husband, Daniel, to Valle's home.

Daniel found deputies at the residence instead.

"I called (Alana) crying before I even knew it was Layla," he said.

Valle had apparently called 911 to report an intruder breaking into his house, according to a written dispatch log obtained by the Chronicle under the state's open records law.

He told the 911 operator that he realized the intruder wasn't a stranger.

"It's Layla," he said to operators. "She was a friend."

Starting over

Layla Ramos had just gotten out of rehab before she died in July. Family and friends told the Chronicle that she was in the process of starting over.

She was left in the care of her grandmother and stepfather in 2014 when her mother ended up in jail for nine months for theft and evading arrest.

The family said Ramos, then 11, began to change into a different person. When Mock returned home in 2015 from jail, she didn't recognize her daughter.

She was thin and had started doing drugs. "She was just strung out, all the time," Mock said about her daughter.

Ramos posted photos on Instagram of alcohol, pills and hundreds of dollars in cash.

Since the girl had become friends with Valle's teenage daughters, she visited the house frequently. For a time, neighbors thought she lived there. Valle even drove her to visit her mother in jail.

In September 2016, the mother moved both of her teenage daughters away from the Atascocita-area neighborhood. In April, she sent Ramos to a juvenile rehab program for a second time.

When the teenager got out, she seemed better, her mother said, and was excited to start eighth grade at Hambrick Middle School in Aldine ISD in the fall.

She spent time at home watching her 6- and 3-year-old siblings. But before she could enter eighth grade she was killed.

Mock said she feels at peace about a suspect being arrested but knows the pain of missing her will never fade.

"It's not gonna bring my daughter back," she said. "He still gets to be alive with his family."

Margaret Kadifa contributed to this report.
A former Texas education employee pleaded guilty on Tuesday to possession of prepubescent child pornography.

Neal Edmond Brown, 46, of Canyon was arrested in October after Amarillo police found more than 900 images and 200 videos of child pornography among his electronic devices, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

On Tuesday, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography and faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.

BUSTED: Sugar Land man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

Now Playing: Former Glee star Mark Salling pleaded guilty to child pornography possession charges. Salling said in a statement. Salling faces between four and seven years in prison. According to TMZ, police found more than 50,000 images of child porn and child erotica on his personal computer. Video: Wibbitz

Brown was discovered after authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities said Brown uploaded an image of child porn via Skype using his work computer.

Prior to his arrest, Brown was the Director of School Finance Operations at the Region 16 Education Service Center  one of the 20 statewide education service centers that help connect local districts to Texas' chief schooling agency, the Texas Education Agency. Brown's employment was terminated following his arrest.

Brown has been in custody since his arrest and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2018.

Above: See recent child porn, child sex assault arrests and convictions in the Houston area.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday that flew both higher and longer than previous such launches, a bold act of defiance against President Donald Trump after he put the country back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The president reacted cautiously to news of the launch, stating, "It is a situation that we will handle."

But Defense Secretary Jim Mattis expressed greater concern, emphasizing what he said were technical advances on display in the 53-minute flight, which began when the missile was launched northeast of the capital, Pyongyang, and ended nearly 600 miles to the east, when it landed in the Sea of Japan.

"It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," Mattis said in the White House, where he was taking part in a budget meeting with the president and Republican congressional leaders.

"The bottom line is, it's a continued effort to build a threat - a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly, the United States," the defense secretary said.

Experts said this latest launch - which landed west of the northern end of Honshu, Japan's largest island - exhibited characteristics that underscored the increasing sophistication of North Korea's program. The missile flew higher and for a longer duration than two previous intercontinental ballistic missile launches, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile performed better than the two fired in July, and exhibited a potential range of more than 8,000 miles, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental U.S.

"It's pretty impressive," Wright said of the test flight. "This is building on what they've done before. It's muscle-flexing to show the U.S. that they're going to continue to make progress."

However, Wright noted that in an effort to increase the vehicle's range, the North Koreans might have fitted it with a mock payload that weighed little or next to nothing. So the distance traveled, while impressive, does not necessarily translate into a working intercontinental ballistic missile that could deliver a thermonuclear warhead.

For all the evidence of technical advancements, a senior White House official said the significance of the launch should not be overstated, given the number of missile tests North Korea has carried out this year. The White House had expected some form of retaliation after it put the North back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism last week.

Trump, officials said, will stick to his policy of rallying nations to apply economic pressure on North Korea, backed up by the threat of military action. In a statement, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson condemned the launch. But added, "Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now."

The launch came in the middle of the night on the peninsula, with less advance warning, according to experts. Aerial photographs of North Korean launch sites did not show missiles waiting on launchpads to be fueled, although Japanese officials had reported that radio telemetry pointed to a possible launch.

Some experts theorized that North Korea was now fueling missiles horizontally, before they are placed on the launchpad. In the past, it went through a lengthier process of rolling a missile onto a launchpad, filling it with liquid fuel and then launching it - steps that could take days.

"This shortens the time from when they become visible to when they go in the air, and makes it less likely that the U.S. will be able to strike before it launches," said Rodger Baker, vice president of strategic analysis with Stratfor, a geopolitical risk analysis firm.

After the launch, the United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the issue for Wednesday afternoon.

Matthew Rycroft, Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters that the launch appeared to be "yet again, a reckless act by a regime which is more intent on building up its ballistic missile nuclear capability than it is on looking after its own people."

President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan each called meetings of their national security councils to discuss the North's latest provocation. Trump called both leaders on Tuesday, at their request, according to the White House.

Unlike the launches over the summer, when the missiles flew over Japan's northern island, Hokkaido, the government did not issue cellphone alerts to citizens.

In Washington, a spokesman for the Defense Department, Col. Robert Manning of the Army, said that the launch "did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies," and added that the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan "remains ironclad."
On July 31, the Houston Chronicle published a front-page story with a provocative headline. "'We've moved on': Political anger after Harvey has eased," it declared, adding: "Experts believe disaster response is unlikely to be a factor in November."

It was a significant story by veteran reporter and Austin bureau chief Mike Ward. It asserted that Houston residents initially fed up with the uneven government response to Hurricane Harvey actually weren't going to blame politicians after all. The story began with West Houston resident Betsy Scheer, whose anger had faded. She was going to vote Republican.

"My friends are mostly the same way now," she was quoted as telling Ward.

But in the weeks after the story ran, questions were raised about the sourcing in Ward's story. No one could find Betsy Scheer. And no one could find three others quoted in the story  Tran Ng, Martina Racelli and Jack Nito.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An update from the editor of the Houston Chronicle

The Chronicle spot-checked several other stories written by Ward. A pattern began to emerge: Alongside quotes from easy-to-find political figures, his stories were spiced with sparkling quotes from ordinary Texans, including a software engineer from Dallas, a businesswoman from Williamson County, a tea party activist.

Many of them could not be found, despite extensive searches in multiple databases by a newsroom researcher and more work by a private investigator.

Ward was confronted by Chronicle Executive Editor Nancy Barnes. Ward insisted that every person in his stories did exist and that they eventually would be found; he spent a week looking for them, but turned up nothing. Asked for notes used for his stories, Ward said he had destroyed them.

Barnes accepted Ward's offer to resign.

Shortly after, Barnes asked me to examine all of Ward's stories and to make every effort to find and verify the people named in them. What follows is what I found:

The review included 744 stories, from early August 2018 back to January 2014, when he was hired after a long career at the Austin American-Statesman. A team of three pulled out the names of 275 individuals who were presented as ordinary Texans and made every effort to find them.

Of the 275 people quoted, 122, or 44 percent, could not be found. Those 122 people appeared in 72 stories.

It's impossible to prove that these people do not exist, only that with extensive research and digging, the team could not find them. And in this age of online records, including property ownership and court filings, almost everyone can be found quickly.

For comparison, the team checked the work of another reporter at a major out-of-state newspaper. Of eight people named in her stories, all eight were found easily.

The Chronicle also spot-checked nine recent stories from three of its reporters. Of 48 people named in those stories, 39 (81 percent) were found easily using one database, LexisNexis; eight names were so common further search would be required; one was not found due to a possible misspelling of the name.

Ward could not be reached to discuss the findings. He did not respond to numerous phone messages, emails or attempts to reach him through former colleagues.

Barnes, the Chronicle's executive editor, had informed readers in September of concerns about sourcing in some of Ward's stories and had promised further investigation. Unfortunately, she said, the further work was done without Ward's cooperation and could not confirm the existence of more than 100 sources, despite extensive efforts to do so.

"The relationship between a newspaper and its readers is one of trust," she said. "This investigation points to an egregious breach of that trust that is an offense to readers and journalists alike. We apologize to our readers, and to the Houston community.

"We will be correcting or retracting all of the affected stories in order to set the record straight to the best of our ability, as I promised when this was first brought to my attention."

John Bridges, managing editor for the Austin American-Statesman, said the paper had taken a limited look at Ward's work there, but would now go deeper.

"After the initial allegations, we conducted a preliminary review of Ward's final years of work for the Statesman and did not find conclusive evidence of the kind of pattern uncovered by the Chronicle's investigation," he said. "But given the Chronicle's new findings and the seriousness of these allegations, we are enlisting outside journalists to conduct further investigation into work that appeared in the Statesman."

A thorough review

The Chronicle team ran each name in Ward's stories through a variety of search engines that comb through records of property ownership, voter registration, hunting and fishing licenses, phone numbers and criminal records. They queried Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, along with Google and several other commercial search engines.

The research included calls to local police departments, chambers of commerce and local Democratic and Republican officials. At a karate studio in the town of a woman quoted as a karate enthusiast, no one knew her. The search included a woman said to be an Austin resident and mother of three; she didn't turn up on lists of registered voters and her name did not appear in any other database. At the bakery where she was quoted as being a customer, no one knew her.

Sometimes, hard-to-find sources did turn up. In one case, an individual was not listed on various databases, had no known phone number and did not own property. Eventually, the team found someone who knew him.

In all, the review found and verified 103 of the 275 names, just more than a third. For another 50 people named, Ward's stories provided insufficient information to conduct searches. And 122 could not be found.

Some of the stories the Chronicle published under Ward's byline rested in large part on the quotes from people whose existence could not be verified, throwing the veracity of entire stories into question.

For instance, the story the Chronicle published on July 31 depended heavily on the views of four people who weren't found. Did Houston Republicans who suffered in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey forgive GOP political leaders for lapses in government assistance?

Others in the piece, particularly university political scientists, could easily be found. They were cited for their professional opinions, not personal experiences.

It was not the only such story. A story published June 15 by Ward ("Outside Texas GOP convention, political parties are becoming less important") detailed changing GOP attitudes toward President Donald Trump, from negative to positive. The story featured quotes from two people that set the tone for the story. Neither person could be located.

The previous day, June 14, the Chronicle ran a Ward story based on alleged interviews with three GOP and tea party activists; the team could find only one of them. On the 13th, the Chronicle featured a story by Ward that began and ended with meaningful quotes from two voters on the fate of the two parties in this fall's elections. Neither of the voters could be located.

On May 4, the Chronicle ran a story by Ward about the upcoming convention of the National Rifle Association. The story was based on quotes from six people, none of whom could be found.

In March, Ward turned in a story he had been working on for some time, seeking to demonstrate that changing demographics in West Houston meant the 7th Congressional District, long a Republican stronghold, was now "up for grabs." The story, published March 11, quoted 10 people; of those, six could not be verified.

The Chronicle will retract eight stories that depended heavily on characters who can't be found and quotes that cannot be verified. It will correct other stories that included sources that can't be verified but whose premise was not reliant on those sources.

Surprise in the newsroom

Chronicle editors who had worked most directly with Ward expressed shock and disbelief that he  or any reporter  would fabricate people and quotes.

"That's not the Mike Ward I knew," said John Gravois, a former editor in Austin for the Chronicle. "That Mike Ward was very meticulous, very careful, very old-school."

Matt Schwartz, an assistant Metro editor, said that nothing in Ward's stories "ever gave me pause, and I'm still stunned. I have a hard time believing that this happened."

Vernon Loeb, who was managing editor of the Chronicle from 2014 until early this summer and who worked closely with Ward, also expressed shock.

"I don't believe Mike Ward was the kind of journalist who would make people up," he said. "I want to believe his assurances that he never made anybody up and that he, given time, can find these people."

More safeguards?

It's a lesson stressed to new journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin. In one of their first classes, they are told to verify and retain the name, phone number and email address of every person they interview for a story.

"That's what we expect of a beginning reporter," said Kathleen McElroy, director of the UT School of Journalism.

At the Chronicle and other newspapers, editors do not generally ask to see the phone numbers and email addresses of people quoted in a story. Trust between reporter and editor goes bone-deep, but it is earned, not assumed.

Editors keep a skeptical eye on younger reporters, and over time reporters either prove themselves trustworthy or they lose their job.

"I have to trust the reporter," Schwartz said.

Bill Adair, Duke University journalism professor and director of the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy, said editors should not be expected to verify that a reporter's named sources are real.

"Every editor has done what I have done, which is to Google someone quoted to make sure the name is spelled correctly," said Adair, who worked for 24 years as a reporter and editor and created the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-check website PolitiFact. "But I don't think the responsibility for that basic thing rests with the editor; it is a basic responsibility of a reporter."

Kelly McBride is senior vice president and ethicist at the Poynter Institute, a national media instructional and resource center. She said mid-level newspaper editors ought to know how reporters are getting their work done. It's less a matter of trust and more a matter of involvement in the process.

"Where did you find this guy? Do you have any other quotes from him? Where do you go to get man-on-the-street quotes? Are you using social media? This is the editor's responsibility," McBride said. "Because when something's going great you can reinforce that good work  that's how you can help reporters grow. And when something's going badly you can step in."

***

About the reporter:

David Wood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with four decades of experience, was hired by the Chronicle to conduct this investigation. He has spent most of his career covering war and the U.S. military, reporting from abroad and from the Pentagon, State Department and the White House. He does not know Mike Ward and has not worked as a journalist in Texas. He now lives in San Antonio.
Consumer unfriendly

Regarding "Save CFPB" editorial (Page A11, Monday), I'd actually agree with you if the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau did, in fact, keep the reins on big banks. But in reality, they pick on smaller players that are easier to cite for significant fines for small technical Dodd-Frank violations. And I don't have any idea where the money goes because they don't seem to be accountable to anyone.

Perhaps CFPB could be reshaped into a useful agency with proper oversight to ensure it stays on point. But the CFPB we've been living with to date serves only to make borrowing and other financial services more expensive and difficult to obtain for consumers.

Greg Groh, Spring

Running the numbers

Regarding "State, local tax deductions are vital to city" by city of Houston Controller Chris Brown (Page A13, Nov. 21), the op-ed contains confusing information regarding the calculation of the property taxes of Houstonians. It is stated "The SALT deduction is claimed by 25 percent of the taxpayers in the Greater Houston region, with an average deduction of $8,095." This calculation appears reasonable for itemizing city taxpayers in Houston Independent School District; the deduction would equate to a home valued at $419,000. The average Houston area home value is approximately $300,000; the median value is approximately $230,000.

The op-ed further states "More than 60 percent of deductions from taxpayers earning less than $50,000 come from the taxes paid on personal [real?] property." I doubt most taxpayers earning less than $50,000 itemize, so they are not affected by elimination of the SALT deduction. In fact, one could surmise most of these taxpayers rent and don't own real property. If Brown was referring to taxpayers with taxable incomes of less than $50,000, I still question whether 60 percent itemize deductions.

Houstonians should question Brown's position that Houstonians' of all income levels would experience income tax increases from the elimination of the SALT tax deduction. The evidence indicates most Houstonians would incur no, or insignificant income tax increases. This result will not pressure the city to lower property taxes or hinder the providing of necessary city services.

Don Sumners, former Harris CountyTax Assessor-Collector

Presumption of innocence

Regarding "Trump's defense of Moore fans GOP rancor" (Page A1, Sunday), President Donald Trump is correct in his support of Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore. Unsubstantiated allegations are like Schroedinger's Cat in that they can be presumed to be either alive or dead, true or untrue, until tested and proven to be one or the other.

I have formed no opinion of the guilt or innocence of the man, having nothing but accusations and his denials upon which to base such an opinion. But it seems that a majority in the nation are willing to do so.

While Roy Moore may be as pure as the driven snow or possessed of the blackest heart in America, under our system of jurisprudence he still has the presumption of innocence.

Rick Fontes, Waller
When Harvey's torrential rain poured on to Texas, the entire nation watched as Houstonians waded through waist-deep water and lost their homes and loved ones to the floods. In the aftermath of destruction, what the nation hasn't seen is a growing affordable housing crisis in Houston.

The storm destroyed over 15,500 homes in Texas and damaged more than 200,000. One in six families in the Houston Housing Authority's portfolio received some type of hurricane damage to their home.

Many of the city's low-income, elderly and disabled residents were acutely aware of Houston's affordable housing crisis prior to Harvey. However, homeowners who needed to relocate after the storm were astonished to discover how sharply rent prices had soared and the compromises that must be made to find safe, quality rental units they could afford.

For a long time, Houston was considered an affordable place to live, with competitive salaries and manageable costs for homes and rental prices. However, we're seeing a growing trend in which housing prices are soaring and incomes are not rising at proportional levels.

Residents can't keep up with this disparity and many become cost-burdened, meaning they spend 30 percent or more of their monthly income on rent. More than 200,000 families in Houston fall into the category of cost-burdened.

According to one study, for an individual to live in Houston comfortably requires an annual salary of $56,223. That's a gap of over $10,000 from the $46,187 area median income. On top of this, U.S. Census data indicates more than 400,000 Houston households are making less than 80 percent of the area median income and qualify for housing assistance. An additional 155,582 families are living in poverty.

HHA, which exists to provide quality, affordable housing, is serving more this year than ever before, yet we are only able to serve a fraction of the Houstonians who need help. HHA also administers the nation's third-largest voucher program exclusively serving homeless veterans.

With the demand for affordable housing increasing, the supply does not meet the demand. Some of the people who qualify for assistance in Houston include first-year firefighters and police officers, municipal workers, young adults who just left the foster care system and kindergarten teachers who have just begun their careers.

With Harvey incurring damage at the majority of the properties owned by the Houston Housing Authority, the affordable housing crisis has worsened. At the HHA, our priority remains the safety and well-being of our more than 60,000 residents. Because of hurricane damage, we had to evacuate and repair hundreds of units, putting our residents at a great inconvenience.

Prior to Harvey, HHA had two developments in the works to become options for federally-assisted housing, one of which was damaged during the storm. The other development is set to open in 2018.

Affordable housing is what we know and work for. As we begin the long road to recovery, our goal is to not only repair our existing units but also to build more to serve Houstonians. We do not intend to take away the vital affordable housing that our community needs, but we need the support of the community to be successful.

While some may hold the belief that affordable housing lowers property values, studies show that these developments typically have no significant impact on surrounding home values. In fact, kids who grow up in mixed-income communities are given access to better schools and surroundings, thus improving their quality of life and the amount of taxes they pay over a lifetime with higher earnings.

As we work to rebuild, I ask the Houston community to have an open mind to new affordable housing developments in the city, so Harvey victims, low-income, elderly, disabled and veteran residents can be better served.

Many families served by HHA and working toward economic self-sufficiency experienced major setbacks, and if it was difficult to make ends meet before the storm, it was nearly impossible to do so in the wake of destruction.

While national attention and headlines fade away from Houston, we will still feel the very real effects the storm had on our city for years to come. Now, more than ever, it is essential for us to come together to rebuild our community for all parts of our community.

Gunsolley is CEO and president of HHA.
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley offers the following tips for Missouri consumers to protect themselves during the holiday season.

We want to ensure that consumers get their deals as promised, Hawley said. Consumers need to do their research, be well prepared, and avoid being taken advantage of by scammers who prey upon people during this time of year.

Hawley offers the following tips:

Bring paper or electronic copies of special advertising. By bringing a copy of the special holiday deal to the store with you, it will be easier for you to verify that you are getting the price that the store advertised.

Research merchants before you shop. Find out how long a company has been in business and look into its customer service track record before making a substantial purchase. Consumers can use the Attorney Generals online Know Mo portal to check for complaints against specific businesses.

Make sure you understand return and exchange policies. Shoppers should read the fine print to be aware of any restocking fees or deals with limited return or exchange windows. Shoppers should hold on to documentation of purchases and always ask for gift receipts to protect the recipient from being denied the ability to return or exchange items at the full value the buyer paid for it. When shopping online, make sure to hold on to a copy of the final confirmation.

Josh Hawley

Be aware of sales advertised only for certain days or hours in the day.

Be on the lookout for bait-and-switch tactics. Bait-and-switch advertisements aim to draw you in, and then push you toward more expensive items. Shoppers should insist that retailers honor advertised deals and products.

Make purchases with a credit card. Using a debit card online puts consumers in potential financial danger because a debit card is linked directly to a personal account. With a credit card, you can spend a specific amount that has to be approved. If your credit card is used to make a fraudulent purchase without your permission, you can inform the credit card company and potentially have the payment cancelled.

Beware of emails pretending to be from businesses like UPS, FedEx or major retailers with links to package tracking information. Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments to emails until you have confirmed that they are not malicious. Some emails can infect your computer with a virus or download malware if you click a link. Email addresses that dont match up, contain typos and grammatical errors are common red flags of a phishing scam. Make sure you have current antivirus software on your computer.

Beware of text messages claiming recipient has won a Best Buy gift card (or Target, Home Depot or other major retailer). The texts URL often leads to a website that has the companys colors and logo. It looks authentic with the companys name as the sites subdomain. However, the texts are a way for scammers to collect personal information and even financial details, claiming the information is necessary to confirm the consumers identity or cover taxes/shipping of your free prize.

While there are legitimate organizations and businesses that sell letters from Santa, con artists are also in the market to steal credit card information and the personal information of children.

The Attorney Generals Office recommends online shoppers take precautions to ensure transactions are secure. Only shop with trusted and familiar online retailers. Before entering credit card information, make sure that an https precedes the website in the browser address bar. The s indicates use of a more secure protocol. Most browsers will display a locked padlock icon when on a secure site.

If you suspect deceptive advertising or other unfair business practices, contact the Attorney Generals Consumer protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or file a complaint online.

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The nations largest employer is giving staff a bigger end-of-year bonus, thanks to the improving economy.



The Public Service Division confirmed this week that it will be giving all 84,000 civil servants a year-end Annual Variable Component (AVC) of one month's pay  double the 0.5 month bonus they received in 2016.



The year-end AVC is added to what is commonly known as the 13th-month payment to make up the full year-end bonus.



The announcement comes against the backdrop of the economy growing by 5.2 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2017, compared to 2.9 per cent in the previous quarter.



The economy is projected to grow by 3 per cent to 3.5 per cent for the whole year.



"The AVC payment is in line with the more optimistic economic outlook for 2017 compared with 2016," said the PSD.



"We are heartened to see that working people will be able to reap the benefits of this positive outlook, said National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general Cham Hui Fong.



Lower-wage civil servants, numbering 1,490, whose salaries are below $1,800 will get a $1,800 AVC anyway, the PSD announced. An officer, for instance, who earns a monthly salary of $1,500 will get $300 more than he would otherwise get.



"This signals the Government's continued commitment to help low-wage workers," said the PSD in a statement.



Civil servants will receive a full-year AVC of 1.5 month this year, which includes the mid-year bonus of 0.5 month they received in July.



The payment, including the minimum payment, was decided in consultation with the public sector unions, according to the PSD.



"This is a particularly rewarding sum that will definitely ease their year-end necessities such as back-to-school spending, plus a little bit more for the coming festivities, said Mr G Muthukumarasamy, the general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Daily Rated Workers.



This year's bonus payout is a sign that things are looking better."



"AUPE is appreciative of the Government's efforts to reward our civil servants, especially as they have always put in their utmost efforts behind government programmes and initiatives to serve the people in Singapore, said Yeo Chun Fing, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees.




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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and VINCI Chairman Jerome Stubler (Source: VNA)



At a reception in Hanoi on November 29th for visiting VINCI Chairman Jerome Stubler, the PM spoke highly of what have been done by the group and its VINCI Construction Grands Projects in particular in Vietnam, especially projects in environmental protection and wastewater treatment.

As Vietnam is in need of infrastructure development, especially expressways, the Vietnamese Government leader urged VINCI to continue engaging in projects in this field, even purchasing the right to exploit expressways.

Vietnams urban areas are developing rapidly, posing an urgent need for clean water supply and wastewater treatment, he said, noting that it is a great chance for VINCI to invest in the country.

He expressed that Vietnam wishes to select good and capable partners via transparent biddings and VINCI may invest in the country in the forms of build-operate-transfer (BOT) and public-private partnership (PPP).

For his part, Jerome Stubler said his group implemented a wastewater treatment project in Hoi An, the central province of Quang Nam 10 years ago and will carry out a water supply project using high technology in Ho Chi Minh city in the coming time.

He expressed wish to engage in other major water supply and drainage projects in Vietnam and even urban railway projects in HCM city.

He also revealed that his group recently signed a cooperation agreement on investment in the Thanh Hoa-Ninh Binh section of the North-South Expressway with the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC).

VNCI hopes the Vietnamese Government, ministries, agencies and localities will support the group in implementing this project, he said, adding that the group will contribute to human resources development in the country./.
Williamstown Welcomes Solar Array At Landfill



The photovoltaic array will provide power to the town's buildings, streetlights, and the first district. It has already generated 31,000 kilowatt-hours. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  Even as they face the shortest days of the year, Williamstown residents had a ray of sunshine this month.

"As of Friday, Nov. 17, the landfill solar installation went live," Town Manager Jason Hoch told the Board of Selectmen on Monday evening. "It's connected and it is generating power."

How much power? According to a monitoring site provided to the town by its partners, the 19-megawatt facility on the capped landfill has put out nearly 31,000 kilowatt-hours in its brief lifetime, enough to offset 2,700 gallons of gasoline or run a search engine data center for one day.

For Williamstown residents, the energy credits generated by the site will pay for power to municipal buildings, the town's fire district, streetlights and the Mount Greylock Regional School District.

Williams College helped finance the project  begun in 2014  with the help of Oklahoma-based Firstar Bank. Although Williams will not reap a financial benefit from its investment, it "aligns with Williams' goals to support local and regional renewable energy projects," according to a Monday news release from the college.

EOS Ventures of Hancock served as a consultant on the project, and Great Barrington's APIS Energy oversaw construction of the Simonds Road facility.

We used as much local labor as possible, APIS' Seth Ginsberg said. That was very important to the college. This was a commercial venture that will benefit the town with clean, discounted power, and brought jobs to local small businesses.

Although the town's fiscal year 2018 plan was built  conservatively  without anticipation of savings from the solar project, some savings will be realized from now through June 30. Hoch said Monday those funds will go into the town's free cash account,

Energy was a running theme at Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting.

Selectwoman Anne O'Connor noted that the town recently began a new contract under the multi-community electrical aggregation plan the town joined in 2014.

It's 100 percent wind renewable energy credits, O'Connor said.

I think we ended up in a flat rate for three years, and I feel like [the rate] didn't move a whole lot, Chairman Hugh Daley said, referring to the change between the new agreement reached through Colonial Power Group and the previous contract, which included hydroelectric power as part of the aggregation's "green" portfolio.

The board took just a couple of actions on Monday, and one of them involved the power source that will heat the interior of the Mount Greylock Regional School as its addition/renovation project is completed throughout the winter of 2017-18.

Kyle George of H.A. George went before the Selectmen to ask for an amendment to the school district's permit for storage of liquid propane on the Cold Spring Road campus.

"We're asking for an extra 4,000 gallons of storage for temporary storage, George said. "There will be [permanent] tanks on site that we were hoping to use, but, unfortunately, where they are, they don't work for the project, so we had to bring in more temporary storage."

The amendment approved Monday brings total storage on the site to 10,000 gallons, George said. When the project is completed in April, he said he believed the school would need about 4,000 gallons of underground storage to fuel its cafeteria and domestic hot water needs.

And in one other energy-related note, the Selectmen accepted a report from resident Anne Skinner, who serves as the town's representative to the community advisory board overseeing the decommissioning of the former Rowe nuclear plant.

Skinner said she is interested in stepping down from the position, which generally involves attending one meeting per year, and Selectman Jeffrey Thomas used Monday's meeting as an opportunity to advertise for a replacement during the telecast on the town's community access television station, WilliNet.
ABC Donates To North Adams After School Music Program

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  A Better Community donated $1,000 from their clothing sale to the Berkshire Children and Families' Kids 4 Harmony program at Brayton Elementary School.

Jane Frado of A Better Community (ABC), the charitable organization out of Williamstown, said the Kids 4 Harmony program was one of eight agencies it donated money to from its massive second-hand clothing sale. The other organizations benefiting were the Williamstown Food Pantry, Friendship Center Food Pantry, Louison House, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Barrington Stage Playwright Mentoring Program, Roots Teen Center and the North Adams Summer Youth Internship Program.

"We donate money to agencies that we think need money and that are worthy of it and that are sustainable," Frado said.

"These are children that never would have experienced classical music and it really stays at such a young age and it helps with their confidence and helps them in all aspects of school"

Bethany Kirchmann of BFC said the after-school program is inspired by El Sistema, a Venezuelan music program that provides free classical music training for underserved children in the community.

Kirchmann said the program is mostly funded through private fundraising and the donation will go towards hiring instructors and sustaining the program.

Kirchmann said the program is separate from the public-school music program and focuses on family outreach with family liaisons.

"We have a family liaison that works with the family to engage them in the program and work with them and connect them with other resources in the community," she said. "It is such an important point to connect with the families that we work with."

Noella Carlow, 21st Century site coordinator, said the family liaison was an unexpected surprise of the program.

"I didn't realize that we were going to get this family liaison she is wonderful and we are doing a lot with social and emotional learning which is huge for us," she said.
Koreas Christian Support for Israel Has Never Been Stronger

The Fellowship | November 29, 2017 Korea's Christian Support for Israel Has Never Been Stronger

Earlier this month, Rabbi Eckstein traveled to South Korea, both to visit The Fellowships office there and to build bridges while visiting Korean churches. Our friends at JNS report on the encouragement Rabbi Eckstein felt during his visits, amazed at the support for both the Jewish state and the Jewish people he experienced:

Christian support for Israel in South Korea is stronger than ever according to the founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.

I was humbled and grateful to see our friends in South Korea and deeply encouraged to know that their support for Israel and the Jewish people has never been stronger, Eckstein stated last week after completing his fifth trip to South Korea since 2012.

During Ecksteins latest bridge-building trip to the Korean Peninsula, he met with Christian leaders and church members in the South Korean capital of Seoul, and also visited The Fellowships locally based office.

Eckstein met with Christians from Joyous Church, the Sungrak Church, Yeshua Church, Eagle Christian School, who are all strong advocates for Israel, and have a combined congregation numbering in the tens of thousands.

According to The Fellowship, around 20 percent of South Koreas 50 million people are Protestant, and these figures include thousands of Christians who are strong supporters of the Jewish state
Vietnam has set up a project to promote high-quality Vietnamese coffee (Photo: VNA)

The sum will be funded by the State with VND110 billion. The remainder will come from businesses and coffee growers.



The project, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), will run from next year until 2023. It aims to develop connections between producers and consumers.



It also involves construction of large-scale, high-quality growing areas, with updated drying systems, storage facilities and processing plants. Each area will be able to grow an estimated capacity of 2.7 tonnes of Robusta coffee - the coffee that has given Vietnam its beverage reputation - and two tonnes of Arabica (the coffee most common in Western countries) per hectare.



The project is expected to improve growers incomes by adding 5 percent to coffee values by 2020 and 7 percent by 2023.



It will also focus on building a Vietnamese coffee brand able to compete with rivals at home and abroad, and raising export prices to match other countries.



The project will enable up to 20 enterprises to use wet processing technology, enzymes and micro-organisms to improve quality and reduce post-harvest losses. The models are expected to earn a total of VND2 trillion per year in the future.



According to a ministry report, Vietnam earned USD2.69 billion from the export of 1.17 million tonnes of coffee in the first 10 months of this year. This was a drop of 22.7 percent in volume and 2.5 percent in value compared with the same period last year. However, it is noteworthy that the average export price of coffee in the first nine months was USD2,286.7 per tonne, up 27.5 percent year-on-year.



Chairman of the Vietnam Cocoa Coffee Association (Vicofa) Luong Van Tu said about 90 percent of Vietnamese coffee for export was in the form of coffee beans, the remainder was ground and instant coffee.



He said the demand for coffee in the world market was still increasing. Vietnam freely exports coffee to 140 countries and territories.



The drop in volume exported this year is not related to the difficulty of the market or the quality of Vietnamese coffee, but mainly due to a drought in 2016 that led to crops failures, said Tu. "In addition, the domestic consumption of coffee has increased in recent years.



According to Tu, Vietnam has competitive prices thanks to high yields of about 2.4 tonnes per ha, while the average world coffee yield is less than 2 tonnes per ha.



It is predicted that this year, turnover from coffee exports will reach USD3 billion from a total of 1.3 million tonnes.



Vietnam took 160 years to become the worlds second-largest producer and processor of coffee. In 1991, the countrys coffee output reached 1 percent of the world market share. By 2015-16, it occupied nearly 20 percent of the world market share.



Vifoca estimates that the domestic coffee industry needs to accelerate the processing of ground roasted coffee, instant coffee and other products to reach an export value of USD5 billion - USD6 billion by 2030./.
We Fulfilled the Dream

The Fellowship | November 29, 2017 We Fulfilled the Dream

November 29 marks the 70th anniversary of the passing of U.N. Resolution 181, which voted in favor of a Jewish state. And now, seven decades later, Israels Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, writes that his nation  Gods people  can hold their heads high, while the continue to grow:

Seventy years have passed since the moment that will forever be engraved in the history of our people, and since then, every one of us can picture themselves listening to the radio, tense with anticipation, during that historic vote on Nov. 29, 1947.

Every time we watch or listen to the long minutes of the vote, which seemed to last as long as our 2,000 years in the Diaspora, we get chills.

In 1897, Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl imagined the unimaginable when he wrote, At Basel, I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today l would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years perhaps, and certainly in fifty years, everyone will perceive it.

Fifty years later, the Zionist dream came true. Reality eclipsed anything we could have imagined and the U.N. recognized the establishment of the Jewish state in the land of Israel. Today, 70 years after the vote, we stand with our heads held high, proud of our extraordinary achievements, and continue to believe and dream.

Looking back from where we are today, in a strong, thriving and independent Israel, it might be hard to fathom the tense atmosphere that preceded the vote, how momentous it was or the herculean efforts on the part of the Jewish leadership, which realized that the fate of their people rested on their shoulders.

Today, we are grateful to the 33 nations that voted in favor of founding the Jewish state, thereby changing history
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In 2017, 26.2 per cent those targeted by ransomware were business users, compared to 22.6 per cent in 2016. This is due in part to three unprecedented attacks targeting corporate networks that changed forever the landscape for this increasingly virulent threat, according to Kaspersky Lab.

2017 will be remembered as the year the ransomware threat suddenly and spectacularly evolved with advanced threat actors targeting businesses the world over with a series of destructive worm-powered attacks whose ultimate goal remains a mystery.

These attacks included WannaCry on May 12, ExPetr on June 27, and BadRabbit in late October. They all used exploits designed to compromise corporate networks. Businesses were also targeted by other ransomware and the company prevented ransomware infections on over 240,000 corporate users overall.

The headline attacks of 2017 are an extreme example of growing criminal interest in corporate targets. We spotted this trend in 2016, it has accelerated throughout 2017, and shows no signs of slowing down. Business victims are remarkably vulnerable, can be charged a higher ransom than individuals and are often willing to pay up in order to keep the business operational. New business-focused infection vectors, such as through remote desktop systems are not surprisingly also on the rise, said Fedor Sinitsyn, Senior Malware Analyst, Kaspersky Lab.

Other ransomware trends in 2017



Overall, just under 950,000 unique users were attacked in 2017, compared to around 1.5 million in 2016  with the difference between them largely a reflection of detection methodology (for example: the downloaders often associated with cryptomalware are now better detected by heuristic technologies, so not classified together with the ransomware-related verdicts collected by our telemetry.)

The three major attacks, as well as other, less notorious families including AES-NI and Uiwix, used sophisticated exploits leaked online in spring 2017 by a group known as the Shadow Brokers.

There was a marked decline in new families of ransomware: 38 in 2017, down from 62 in 2016, with a corresponding increase in modifications to existing ransomware (over 96,000 new modifications detected in 2017, compared to 54,000 in 2016). The rise in modifications may reflect attempts by attackers to obfuscate their ransomware as security solutions get better at detecting them.

From the second quarter of 2017, a number of groups ended their ransomware activities and published the keys needed to decrypt files. These included AES-NI, xdata, Petya/Mischa/GoldenEye and Crysis. Crysis later reappeared  possibly raised from the dead by a different group.

The growing trend for infecting companies through remote desktop systems continued in 2017, when this approach became one of the main propagation methods for several widespread families, such as Crysis, Purgen/GlobeImposter and Cryakl.

65 per cent of businesses that were hit by ransomware in 2017, said they lost access to a significant amount or even all their data; and one in six of those who paid up never recovered their data. These numbers are largely consistent with 2016.

Fortunately, the No More Ransom initiative, launched in July 2016 is thriving. The project brings together law enforcement and security vendors to track down and disrupt the big ransomware families, helping individuals to get their data back and undermining the criminals lucrative business model.

All Kaspersky Lab products protect users from ransomware. The companys products also include a layer of technology: System Watcher that can block and roll back malicious changes made on a device, such as the encryption of files or blocked access to the monitor. Further, a free anti-ransomware tool is available for all businesses, regardless of which brand of security software they use.
Imperial Valley News Center

Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Travels to California, Republic of Korea, and the Philippines

Washington, DC - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Tina Kaidanow will travel to California, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines November 29-December 7, for discussions on a variety of international security issues.

In Laguna Niguel, California, Ambassador Kaidanow will deliver remarks at the annual Board of Governors Meeting of the Aerospace Industries Association. In its role overseeing Foreign Military Sales and managing the licensing of the Direct Commercial Sales of defense articles, training, and services, the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs works closely with industry to promote a robust defense industrial base and encourage domestic innovation, two key U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.

In the Republic of Korea, Ambassador Kaidanow will meet with senior officials to discuss a wide range of political-military issues, including regional strategic priorities, defense trade, and military-to-military cooperation. The U.S.-Republic of Korea Alliance is a linchpin of security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, as the Republic of Korea hosts thousands of U.S. service members, is a leading purchaser of U.S. manufactured defense equipment, and is a close partner on a wide range of international security issues.

In the Philippines, Ambassador Kaidanow will consult with senior civilian and military officials on maritime security, counterterrorism, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and defense cooperation. A treaty ally, the Philippines is a major regional security partner. It has demonstrated its commitment to building its defense capabilities through Foreign Military Sales and Direct Commercial Sales of U.S.-manufactured military equipment. The Philippines also receives U.S. security assistance, including Foreign Military Financing and International Military Education and Training, which is overseen by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
Imperial Valley News Center

Latest North Korea Missile Launch

Washington, DC - The United States strongly condemns North Koreas launch of what is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, indiscriminately threatening its neighbors, the region and global stability.

The D.P.R.K.s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed. Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the D.P.R.K. must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures. In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the D.P.R.K.

The United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Koreas threat to international peace.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea.
Imperial Valley News Center

Thousands of young people ready to build new farms

Washington, DC - A new report from the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) discusses the results of the 2017 National Young Farmer Survey. The number of American farmers is decreasing and their average age is increasing, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This survey examines the needs and challenges of young farmers to determine how to encourage a new generation of farmers.

The time is now for our country to help young farmers defy the odds, preserve farming as a livelihood, and revitalize our nations rural economy, says Lindsey Lusher Shute, Executive Director and Co-founder of NYFC. This report proves that there are thousands of young people ready to build new farms in the United States, but weve got to do our part and make sure that they will succeed.

The survey collected data from over three thousand former, current, and aspiring farmers under 40 years of age in the United States with the help of 94 partner organizations and in partnership with Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of Sustainability at George Washington University and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. The survey found generational differences in farming, including more diversity in demographics and crops.

Things are changing in American agriculture and our perceptions and policies need to keep pace, says Dr. Merrigan. This survey reveals that its no longer Old MacDonald of storybook fame. Rather, its Ms. MacDonald, a college graduate who didnt grow up on the farm and considers her farming practices to be sustainable or organic.

Young farmers are operating smaller farms and are capitalizing on the demand for local food by selling directly to consumers. 75 percent of current young farmers describe their farms as sustainable, while 63 percent are organic. The average survey participant was more educated than the average American, with 14 percent completing a masters degree. 60 percent were female and 75 percent were first-generation farmers.

The main concerns for young farmers are access to land, student loan debt, availability of skilled labor, and access to health insurance. Based on the survey results, the NYFC is supporting a series of policy reforms called the Young Farmer Agenda. The agenda addresses the concerns found in the survey as well as finding ways to engage young farmers to invest in on-farm conservation, improving credit and risk management opportunities, and addressing racial inequity among farmers.

America desperately needs young people to repopulate our farm and ranch lands. This survey reveals the daunting challenges they face. As policymakers sit down to write our next farm bill, I hope they pay attention to these survey findings, says Dr. Merrigan. If nothing more is done to help transition young people into American agriculture, we will be importing all our food.
Energy Department Announces $25 Million for Combined Heat and Power Technologies

Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $25 million for a selected eight organizations to further the installation of cost-effective, highly efficient combined heat and power (CHP) technologies. The use of CHP can support U.S. economic competitive advantage, promote economic development, instill resiliency in businesses and communities, create and maintain local energy-related jobs, and provide solutions for modernizing energy generation and delivery.

CHP is a suite of commercially available, predominately gas-fired distributed generation technologies that produce both electricity and thermal energy onsite, thereby reducing line losses and strain on grid infrastructure while also increasing site reliability and energy security. It currently represents approximately 8% of U.S. generating capacity with 82GW of installed capacity.

The Departments CHP activities, led by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energys (EEREs) Advanced Manufacturing Office, focus on early-stage research and development, as well as public-private partnerships and field validation of CHP technologies.

The selected organizations will become regional CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships (CHP TAPs) that will assist in the development of strategies to increase resilience to natural disasters and improve grid and electric delivery reliability; maximize CHP exposure to potential end-users and key stakeholders; and locally validate best practices in CHP technology policies and installation. CHP TAPs will also offer assistance for evaluating the economic development, job creation, energy cost savings, and continuity and reliability of proposed CHP systems.

The new CHP TAPs include:

Center for Sustainable Energy  San Diego, CA

Houston Advanced Research Center  The Woodlands, TX

North Carolina State University  Raleigh, NC

Pace University  New York, NY

Pennsylvania State University  University Park, PA

University of Illinois at Chicago  Chicago, IL

University of Maine  Orono, ME

Washington State University  Pullman, WA

There is considerable technical potential for CHP and the continuation of the regional focus on CHP TAPs will provide greater access for local industrial, municipal, and commercial facilities interested in CHP technology options.

CHP TAPs have provided engagement and education services to thousands of end users and other stakeholders in high technical potential markets, including hospitals, chemicals, food processing, universities, waste water treatment plants, and commercial buildings. Currently, seven DOE-funded regional CHP TAPs provide end-user engagement and education, technical assistance, and policy maker education services to all 50 states. The CHP TAPs have provided technical support to over 1,900 CHP projects since 2009. More than 441 of those projects, which have an estimated installed capacity of 8GW, are in the project pipeline for installations.
Australia's Senate President Scott Ryan (R) and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith (L) greet NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Source: VNA)



The top legislator made the statement during her talks with Speaker of Australias House of Representatives Tony Smith and Senate President Scott Ryan in Canberra on November 29th as part of her ongoing official visit to Australia.

The Vietnam NA backs the early upgrade of the Vietnam-Australia relationship to a strategic partnership, Ngan said, hailing effective economic cooperation between the two countries.

She noted that Australia is Vietnams eighth largest trade partner with two-way trade expanding by 10 percent a year. Australia is among Vietnams largest non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) providers, significantly contributing to raising livelihood, reducing poverty, improving the environment and promoting equality in the country.

To enhance the economic ties, the NA Chairwoman suggested the two sides make it clear contents of the economic partnership mechanism in order to roll out a cooperation plan with specific activities within 3-5 years.

Ngan expressed her hope that Australian enterprises will step up investment and cooperation with Vietnam in such areas as high-tech agriculture, husbandry, energy, telecommunication, finance-banking, mining and manufacturing.

She called on the Australian side to share its management experience and transfer technologies in coal mining, red mud treatment and environmental protection to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese top legislator urged the two countries to increase bilateral trade towards a balance and lift trade barriers, striving to raise the bilateral trade value to USD10 billion in the time to come.

She suggested Australia think twice before deciding to conduct investigations into trade protection so as to avoid adverse impacts on the economic links, while calling on the country to provide technical assistance for Vietnam to help the country meet new import requirements set by Australia, making it easier for Vietnamese agricultural products and seafood to access the Australian market.

Ngan also appealed to Australia to continue its ODA to Vietnam, focusing on infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, poverty reduction, climate change response and high-quality human resource development.

Noting with joy effective collaboration in national defence-security and the fight against crimes and illegal migration, the NA Chairwoman proposed the two sides continue consultation and support each other at regional forums, especially at the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

She thanked Australia for sharing its experience in anti-terrorism and peace-keeping operations, as well as cooperation in searching for Vietnamese soldiers missing in action.

Ngan called for Australias further support in implementing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on dealing with post-war bomb and mine consequences.

She urged Vietnam and Australia to continue their affiliation in combating cross-border crimes, terrorists and human traffickers, as well as illegal border crossings, along with implementing the MoU on the return of Vietnamese with no legal right to stay in Australia signed in 2016 in a cooperative spirit and with goodwill.

Vietnam wishes to join hands with Australia in science, technology and innovation in order to adapt to new trends in the world, address urgent issues and cope with climate change, she said.

The NA Chairwoman suggested Australia provide more scholarships for Vietnamese students and expand its educational collaboration with the country under different reforms, and hailed the implementation of the vacation-labour programme on March 1st, 2017.

Regarding bilateral legislative ties, Ngan urged the two countries legislative bodies to intensify delegation exchange at different levels, coordinate in supervising the implementation of cooperation agreements signed by the two Governments, exchange information about parliamentary activities in respective countries, and enhance role and activities of friendship parliamentarians groups.

Ngans proposals were accepted by the Australian leaders, who said her visit is of significance, contributing to strengthening the enhanced comprehensive partnership between the two countries, towards a strategic partnership in 2018.

They lauded achievements Vietnam has recorded over the past time, including those in improving peoples living standards and spurring economic growth.

Speaker Smith affirmed that Australia will continue its ODA for Vietnam, covering projects on infrastructure development, noting his hope that Vietnam will pay more attention to enhancing capacity and leadership of women.

President of the Senate Ryan described education as a spotlight of bilateral cooperation with an increasing number of Vietnamese students in Australia in recent years.

Australia will offer more scholarships to regional students, including those from Vietnam, within the framework of the New Colombo Plan, he said.

During the talks, the two sides also discussed regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue.

They stressed the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, aviation and navigation freedom and safety in the region, and handling disputes by peaceful measures, in line with international law.

Following the talks, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull directly called NA Chairwoman Ngan, informing that he cannot return home as scheduled to greet her due to unexpected issues during his working trip./.
The National Young Farmer Survey - Big opportunities and profound challenges ahead

Washington, DC - Farmers over the age of 65 now outnumber farmers under 35 by a margin of six to one, and U.S. farmland is overwhelmingly concentrated in the hands of older farmers. Nearly two-thirds of farmland is currently managed by someone over 55. The National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates that over the next five yearsthe lifespan of the next farm billnearly 100 million acres of U.S. farmland are expected to change ownership and will need a new farmer.

Fortunately, many young Americans are stepping up and launching new farm businesses. For only the second time in the last century, the 2012 Census of Agriculture registered an increase over the previous census in the number of farmers under 35 years old. These young farmers are entrepreneurial and tough, but they are finding that talent and hard work alone may not equate to farm success. There are many structural barriers standing in their wayand the stakes have never been higher.

Young farmers face serious obstacles to launching and growing their farm businesses: they cant afford farmland; student debt is compromising their ability to capitalize their businesses; adequate labor and support staff are difficult to recruit; and health insurance is unaffordable. Federal and state policies are underserving these needs, and many young farmers are not accessing the programs designed to help.

The survey illustrated a challenging economic picture for young farmers. Sixty-one percent of individual respondents reported needing another job to make ends meet, and fewer than half own all the acres theyre farming. Indicators tracked by USDA also suggest trends in the agricultural economy are hitting young farmers especially hard. According to Dr. Robert Johansson, USDAs Chief Economist, young farmers and those who rent more of their land tend to be far more in debt relative to their assets.

The top challenges faced by young farmers are as follows:

Access to land

Student loan debt

Access to labor

Health insurance

Link to full survey
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And so with Daniel Day-Lewis resolute about retiring from acting, what will a man of such immense talent do with himself after he steps away from the lens?

"I wont know which way to go for a while, but Im not going to stay idle," he reassured W Magazine in a new interview this week, insisting that he doesn't "fear the stony silence" that lies ahead of him.

As W points out, the actor once wrote a comedy script, he paints well and he makes furniture. He's even been rumoured to start dabbling in fashion, having submerged himself in its world for new film Phantom Thread, going as far as to re-create a Balenciaga dress.

One thing is for sure, Day-Lewis is serious about his departure from film. So beloved is the actor that the interviewer suggested "they will not let you go quietly," to which he replied: "Hmmm. They will have to."

 Phantom Thread - Trailer

This is not to say he won't miss the pursuit that has been his life since he was a child.

"Do I feel better? Not yet," he said, answering his own question. "I have great sadness. And thats the right way to feel. How strange would it be if this was just a gleeful step into a brand-new life.

"Ive been interested in acting since I was 12 years old, and back then, everything other than the theaterthat box of lightwas cast in shadow. When I began, it was a question of salvation. Now, I want to explore the world in a different way."

Phantom Thread, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, opens in UK cinemas 2 February, 2018.
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The Man Who Invented Christmas



Dir. Bharat Nalluri, 103 mins, starring: Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Callow, Miriam Margolyes, Ian McNeice

The snowflakes fall in slow motion in The Man Who Invented Christmas, a yuletide yarn telling the story of how Charles Dickens came to write A Christmas Carol. This is a gooey seasonal hodge-podge of a movie: partly a biopic, partly a ghost story, and full of strange echoes of Its A Wonderful Life. Its very soft-centred but succeeds in casting new light on an episode in its subjects much scrutinised life that hasnt been quite as exhaustively examined as one might have expected.

In the early 1840s, Dickens (Dan Stevens) is still in his early thirties and is already a literary superstar. He has just returned from a tour of the United States but his celebrity hasnt brought him financial security. With household bills to pay, a new child on the way, his impecunious father John Dickens (Jonathan Pryce) to support, and his most recent novels not selling as well as hoped, he needs money. The ogre of debt is threatening to eat him up.

One challenge that continually confounds director Bharat Nalluri is how harshly he should portray Dickenss Victorian London. He wants to acknowledge the dirt and the poverty, the social inequality and the blithe indifference that wealthy businessmen like Mr Grimsby (Bill Paterson) show toward the poor.

This, though, is a Christmas costume drama with all the trimmings. Slums and alleyways, drawing rooms and bustling streets, have been recreated in the film studios in an incongruously picturesque and artificial way. In their bonnets and top hats, all the characters seem as over-dressed as mannequins in a waxwork museum.

Susan Coyles screenplay, based on Les Standifords book, emphasises the speed with which Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol. The novelist pitched the idea to his unenthusiastic publishers, to whom he was already in debt, before he even had a title or a plot line. He had only a few weeks to complete the task in order to have the book ready for Christmas but went at the task in a manic fury.

 The Man Who Invented Christmas - Trailer

There are tensions here which the film doesnt delve into too deeply. Dickens was writing A Christmas Carol to make money, not simply to spread good cheer. When he was in the frenzy of creation, he was as much of a bad-tempered curmudgeon as Scrooge himself.

He had a genius for marketing and publicity as well as for writing. His publishers may have fretted that there was not much of a market for Christmas books, but he saw the commercial upside. Dickens was the man who invented Christmas, not the one who invented Black Friday, but the eventual success of A Christmas Carol arguably paved the way for the riot of consumerism that Christmas has now become

Stevens plays Dickens with just the right measure of bustling energy. The writer cant keep still for a moment. He is always looking for inspiration, collecting potential names in the little notebook he carried with him, and drawing directly from his own life in creating his fictional characters. Tiny Tim is based on his crippled nephew, who died aged only 9. An especially gloomy waiter in the Garrick Club helped him portray Scrooges deceased and enchained old business partner, Jacob Marley.

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In the famous portrait, Dickenss Dream, completed after the authors death, Dickens is shown napping on a chair as the characters from his novels swarm around him. Here, as a much younger writer, he is in close dialogue with his fictional creations. In particular, Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), follows him, taunting and goading him. The ghosts of Christmas past, present and future also come to life. We are effectively being told the story of A Christmas Carol at the same time as Dickens is writing it.

The film offers the familiar pleasures you would expect in a costume drama about Dickens. It is full of colourful turns from well-known character actors. There is a roaring performance from Simon Callow as the self-important artist, John Leech, hired by Dickens to illustrate the book. We see the venerable Miriam Margolyes scurrying around in her petticoats as the kindly matron, Mrs Fisk.

In a quicksilver performance that would justify a movie of its own, Jonathan Pryce is part Don Quixote-like dreamer, part Micawber-like buffoon, as Dickenss cash-strapped father. He even gets to deliver some of King Lears soliloquies. Whenever Dickens is becoming too precious, he is invariably brought back to earth by his very bluff friend and associate, John Forster (Justin Edwards), who speaks in a broad Geordie accent.

There is a nice comic cameo from Miles Jupp as Dickenss friend and rival, Thackeray, who loves to remind Dickens about any hostile review he has received. Some of the lines in Coyles screenplay are very arch. Oh, look, theres Macready, Dickens will say helpfully when he spots the famous actor in his club, just so we know who it is.

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another, is one of the conclusions Dickens reaches toward the end of the film. This seems like a variation on the famous ending of Frank Capras Its A Wonderful Life when the angel Clarence lets James Stewart know no man is a failure who has friends.

The Man Who Invented Christmas doesnt even begin to bear comparison with Capras classic. Its the filmic equivalent of a trip to a Charles Dickens museum but it delivers exactly what we expect from it. The liveliness of the performances go a long way to compensating for the creakiness of the concept.

Wonder



Dir. Stephen Chbosky, 113 mins, starring: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Daveed Diggs, Owen Wilson, Mandy Patinkin, Izabela Vidovic

Stephen Chboskys Wonder is sharply enough written and performed to overcome its own very schmaltzy premise. The film is like The Elephant Man done as an American high-school comedy-drama. Jacob Tremblay, the brilliant young star of Oscar-winner Room, plays Auggie Pullman, a boy born with a deformed face.

After 27 operations and lots of plastic surgery, he still looks disfigured  one reason why he likes to wear a space helmet in public and has been educated at home by his mother (Julia Roberts). When he is sent off to school for the first time, other kids bully him and call him Freddy Krueger. We all know, though, that his inner beauty will shine through in time for the closing credits.

 Wonder - Trailer 2

The film, adapted from RJ Palacios novel, has an enjoyable quirkiness about it. Auggie is a mischievous and very bright boy who may succumb to self-pity on more than one occasion but who also relishes being the centre of attention. His mum dotes on him. So does his wisecracking, laidback businessman father (Owen Wilson) and his older sister, Via (soulfully played Izabela Vidovic), who has been forced to live in his shadow. The parents are too busy fretting about Auggie to pay much attention to her.

In the course of the movie, not just Auggie but almost all the other characters too learn to confront their insecurities. He brings out the best in them. If this was an old Disney family movie, the mawkishness might have been hard to stomach. As it is, we still have some very sentimental scenes, for instance those involving Daisy, the pet dog, the real friend that Auggie craves, and lots of hugging and tear-venting.

The screenplay, though, is surprisingly witty and well-observed. The comedy never descends into Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-like goofiness. Wonder makes serious and perceptive points about friendship, coming of age, endurance and basic human decency. It shows us plenty of bad and despicable behaviour but it puts that behaviour in context. Those who bully Auggie the most viciously are, of course, the most insecure, and kindness always trumps everything else in the end.

Happy End



Dir. Michael Haneke, 108 mins, starring: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz, Fantine Harduin, Franz Rogowski, Loubna Abidar

The great Austrian director Michael Hanekes latest feature has a plot every bit as embroiled as those of old Hollywood family melodramas like Written On The Wind or All That Heaven Allows. The difference is that this is a European art-house movie in which all the passion has deliberately been strained out. Its fascination lies in Hanekes icily analytical approach to material other directors would treat in far more flamboyant fashion.

He is utterly relentless in probing away at the hypocrisies, bad faith and unhappiness of the family in question, the Laurents. They are wealthy industrialists living in a big house near Calais (not far from where the refugees are camped). In spite of their affluence, theyre deeply miserable.

The newest addition to the household is the precocious but dangerous 12-year-old, Eve (Fantine Harduin), who has just poisoned her mother with prescription pills and needs somewhere to live. She is the daughter of Thomas Laurent (Mathieu Kassovitz) from his first marriage. Thomas has remarried, to Anais, and has a baby with her, but is engaged in a strange and sadistic love affair with a beautiful classical musician.

The ageing grandfather (the majestic Jean-Louis Trintignant) has severe memory problems and yearns to die. He drives cars into trees, tries to bribe his barber into helping him kill himself and asks for medical help in organising an assisted suicide  but he stays stubbornly alive. The matriarch of the family is Anne Laurent (played by Isabelle Huppert in similar vein to her character in Elle).

 Happy End - Trailer

She runs the family construction business in a ruthless fashion. If a worker on one of their sites has been badly injured in a freak accident or a kid has been bitten by a dog, she will use bribery and intimidation to make the incident go away. She will never admit responsibility or apologise. Her son, Pierre (Franz Rogowski), drinks too much wine and has a social conscience which embarrasses the rest of the family. The Laurents treat their Moroccan maid and butler, Djamila and Rachid, in horribly condescending fashion.

There are flashes here of Bunuel-like humour at the expense of the bourgeois protagonists. In one bizarre shot held for a mini-eternity, we see Trintignant on his wheelchair, pushing himself down a busy street, seemingly looking for passers-by who might help him kill himself. Haneke shoots the scene from the other side of the road, as if from a hidden camera, as cars pass by.

Another moment of sudden violence is filmed in long shot from so far away we can barely see what is happening. Some scenes are filmed from Eves mobile phone. Haneke is always trying to distance us from the action. We look in on the Laurentss troubled lives from a very detached perspective.

The Calais setting and the glimpses in passing of refugees suggest that the director is making some point about how far removed the Laurents are from the suffering and upheaval on their own doorstep. If there is a political subtext, it is oblique. It is very hard to sympathise with the family. None of them are likeable.

What is apparent, though, is their self-loathing and their inability to snatch anything other than passing pleasure and contentment, whether from music, sex or alcohol. This is a film in which barely any of the characters smile, let alone laugh. Theyre all haunted and guilty about something.

Haneke leaves it up to us to work out the roots of their discontent. In spite of his aloof filmmaking style, Happy End is very absorbing viewing. Weve seen similar characters in countless other dramas and soap operas but their stories have never been told in as mysterious a way as they are here.

Love Is Thicker Than Water



Dirs. Emily Harris, Ate De Jong, 105 mins, starring: Johnny Flynn, Lydia Wilson, Ellie Kendrick, Al Weaver, Juliet Stevenson, Henry Goodman

This likeable and charming romantic comedy tells the story of a love affair between a young Londoner from an affluent Jewish background and her working-class, Welsh boyfriend from Port Talbot.

Vida (Lydia Wilson) is a cellist whose ambition, pushed by her mother (Juliet Stevenson), is to play for an orchestra. Arthur (Johnny Flynn) is a cycle courier who is also a talented animator. Theyre besotted with one another. At first, as they roam around London together, going to gigs, drinking champagne at dawn, playing childish games and making love, they manage to keep the outside world at bay. Then comes the inevitable conflict as they have to deal with each others families and they realise how different their backgrounds are.

The film is shot in freewheeling, very fluid fashion, with handheld camera work, animation and lots of music all used to convey the young lovers carefree obsession with one another. Directors Ate De Jong and Emily Harris also detail the growing tensions between the lovers in a subtle and comic way.

Arthur is ill at ease with the pretentiousness and cultural snobbery of Vidas parents. Vida struggles to deal with Arthurs pigeon-fancying, fish-and-chip-eating, beer-quaffing relatives. Soon, cracks in the relationship appear. When the two families come together for an engagement party, the gulf between them begins to appear unbridgeable.

We can guess exactly how the story will unfold but that doesnt lessen the humour or the gentle pathos. Lydia Wilson and Johnny Flynn have an obvious rapport and there are nicely judged character turns too from Stevenson as Vidas haughty and mysterious mother, Henry Goodman as her easygoing father and from Sharon Morgan as Arthurs kindly but indiscreet mother.
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Dir: James Franco, 103 mins, starring James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson

When it comes to critics lists of the worst films ever made, Ed Woods Plan 9 From Outer Space (1956) used to nestle very near the top. Its place has now been well and truly usurped by Tommy Wiseaus sublimely awful The Room (2003), the making of which has been dramatised in comic and poignant fashion in James Francos latest feature, The Disaster Artist.

Ridiculed and largely ignored on its initial release, The Room has achieved cult status as news of its awfulness has spread  it even turned a small profit.

Francos own career as director hasnt been entirely blemish-free. (Witness his deeply dreary William Faulkner adaptations, for example.) That is presumably why the actor-writer-director-conceptual artist treats Tommy Wiseau with such sympathy here. He is not sneering at his subject, whom he also plays. Tommy is a kindred spirit, an artist who doesnt give up, even when everybody else wishes that he would. He is a comic and preposterous figure  but, in his own warped way, he does have integrity.

Tommy is mysteriously wealthy, speaks in a Slavic mumble, and looks like an uglier version of Gary Oldmans Dracula. He is utterly unselfconscious. Hell rehearse Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams plays at full volume in a diner as other customers are eating their food. Hell writhe around on stage as if he having a fit. He is also ignorant and naive, a would-be method actor who has never heard of James Dean and doesnt appear to realise that Stanislavski has been dead for 80 years.

Nobody likes him. His demeanour is threatening. His lack of social graces makes him bad company at nightclubs or parties. Casting agents shun him. Other actors mock him. Franco plays him in subtle and funny fashion. We are in no doubt that Tommy is a bit of a creep but we root for him anyway.

On one level, this is a buddy movie. Tommy is befriended by his fellow drama student, the blandly good-looking Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). Tommy soon has Greg under his spell. They head off to Los Angeles together to try to break into the movies. Before they go, Gregs mother (Megan Mullally) meets Tommy very briefly. Like everyone else, she is utterly bemused by him. She warns Greg that you have to be talented to make it. The whole point of this film is that you dont.

Greg and Tommy do just as badly in Hollywood as we expect. Greg at least gets an agent (largely because of his looks) and finds a girlfriend, but Tommy is rejected everywhere. In one excruciating scene, he approaches a big name producer in a restaurant who berates him and tells him that even if he had Brandos talent, his chances of success are a million to one.

The hostility is too much, even for someone as thick-skinned as Tommy. That is when Greg comes up with the brainwave. If no one is going to hire them to be in a movie, they can make one themselves. Tommy will finance it, write it, produce it, direct in it and star in it.

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One of the most tantalising questions here is where Tommys money comes from. This is not a secret that Scott Neustadter and Michael H Webers screenplay divulges. Nor do we learn anything about his family background or even when his passion for acting began.

 The Disaster Artist - Trailer

The comedy works by a process of attrition. The funniest scenes tend to be those when Tommy is appearing in front of camera. His performance is ludicrous. He cant remember the lines he himself wrote and when he does finally deliver them correctly, they dont make sense anyway. Hell laugh uproariously when someone tells him sad or disturbing news.

He behaves equally strangely off set, insulting the leading actress, refusing to turn the air conditioning on and berating his crew, who snigger at him behind his back. There is a wonderful moment when the script editor (Seth Rogen) visits the bank to cash his first cheque from Tommy, convinced that it will bounce. When it goes through safely, he looks as if he has just witnessed the second coming.

At times, The Disaster Artist resembles Casey Afflecks spoof documentary about Joaquin Phoenix, Im Still Here (2010). You suspect that Tommy will suddenly reveal himself as a conceptual artist; we will learn that The Room was made as a prank in the first place and the joke is on us, the viewers, for ever having believed the story was real.

If Tommy is goosing us, he doesnt let on. Besides, it takes a kind of genius to act and direct as badly as he is doing here. If you set out to make the worst film possible, you wouldnt succeed. Tommy manages the feat because he does it instinctively. He has a flair for extreme banality.

At the end credits, we see footage from Tommys real version of The Room next to the same scenes as they were recreated by Franco for The Disaster Artist. The difference between them is minimal. Any irritation viewers might feel about the absurd accent Franco adopted when playing Tommy dissipates as we realise this is exactly what the real Tommy sounded like.

The Disaster Artist is bound to spark yet more interest in The Room. Wherever it screens, so will The Disaster Artist  and vice versa. The two films are now joined at the hip. Its a nice irony that one of the worst movies in recent history has enabled James Franco to make one of the best films in his own chequered career.

The Disaster Artist hits UK cinemas 1 December
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We mentioned Freddie smashing things up on stage in Paris. And we talked about the stresses that can make that happen. But in this case there was another reason, I think.

There is a certain raw energy in Paris and I think on this trip we felt we had broken through to it. I think there is a part of France, rather like England, that treasures its independence of thought and doesnt take foreigners to heart very easily. So we felt that it was a great step forward that we were now able to make such contact with the Parisian audience, and that has continued to this day. When recently Kerry Ellis and I played Paris in the blistering heat, it was also one of the most memorable shows of our lives because there was so much energy, so much participation, in that special Parisian way; its different from anywhere else. Again I think weve been so lucky to experience all these things.

Then there is Italy! Queen never played in Italy until the very last moment of the Freddie/Queen days, in September 1984. We always wanted to go, but they told us wed have our gear stolen! Finally, in 1984 we played a couple of nights in Milan, and thats the only time we ever played there. But, by some miracle, Italy has now become an incredible boiling cauldron of Queen music, and to this day, whether its with Queen, or any of our solo efforts, we feel that Italians are eternally excited, and when we go there we are permanently excited; its different again from Paris.

Behind the glass: Freddie looking reflective in a New York Cadillac (Brian May/Queen in 3-D)

In yet another way, Germany has also been thrilling and very loyal to us. Germany was difficult in the beginning as well. We went there and felt like we were really unwelcome the first time. We were shepherded around by these very stern record company people, who told us we must arrive on time and mustnt do this and we mustnt do that; and we couldnt get audiences, we just couldnt fill the places.

Things happened to us like we would drive for three hours to a radio station and then they would say they were too busy to talk to us; we felt really kind of snubbed. I remember thinking, We will never come back here  we will never make it in this country. And yet, a couple of years later, after the first hit records and some great work by our EMI Deutschland promotion team, Germany became one of the greatest places for Queen music, and still is. So these stories around Europe are all different  they all have their own colours, and I think we were very fortunate that we waded into it all early on, rather than just being a band that relied on playing to English-speaking people. Thats one of the essences of Queen, that weve always been international rather than national. I think all of us share that feeling that we really dont like nationalism.

Orient(al) express: the band on the bullet train in Japan, above and below (Brian May/Queen in 3-D)

(Brian May/Queen in 3-D)

We feel that it holds the world back. Hearing the rhetoric that was around during the Brexit campaign to take Britain out of Europe, to me, was laughable  but also not laughable because it was actually people seriously suggesting Britain would be great again and all that kind of nonsense; and seeing Trumps similar speeches about Lets make America great again, it all resonates too much with what we know about what happened to Germany in those years leading up to the Second World War.

Nationalism is, in my mind, something that is on the surface rather jolly and flag-waving, but under the surface very sinister and destructive to the world. So, give me internationalism rather than nationalism any day. And I cant help thinking Britain withdrawing from Europe, with no road map, is a massive backward step for us and for Europe. OK, enough politics.

Mercury rising: Freddie belts out a number in Paris (Brian May/Queen in 3-D)

The final shows of the tour in Paris were filmed and recorded. In fact all of that tour was recorded. Its all in the archives. And we made the Live Killers album by trawling through all those sound recordings.

Here we are (below) in Mountain Studios in Montreux, mixing those live recordings for the album Live Killers, with engineer John Etchells in March, 1979. Freddies looking pensive. It was actually a long and arduous job, choosing all the tracks from dozens of live takes of various quality. See the cameraman in shot here? We have the footage he shot in our archive.

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(Brian May/Queen in 3-D)

Since it was a long job, and it was the first time wed attempted this, we all rented places to stay in and around Montreux. In the beginning we stayed in chalets in Blonay, which is a little way above Montreux, in the mountains, not far from where, later on, David Bowie had a house.

It was quite a hard time because putting this live album together was a seemingly endless process. But we did like the studio and we liked the friendly little town of Montreux, so this led to us buying the studio, and it became our own Mountain Studios. In this very homely environment, we made so many recordings over the years, right up to the very end when we worked on the tracks that were to be used for the Made in Heaven album. This was our hang-out.

Queen in 3-D by Brian May is published by the London Stereoscopic Company  out now. All photos taken on Brian Mays stereoscopic cameras and are part of the Queen in 3-D collection. Queen + Adam Lambert are touring the UK until 15 December
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Donald Trump has retweeted numerous tweets from Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of far-right group Britain First.

The inflammatory posts  one of which appeared to show footage of a boy being killed, and the moment of his death  were apparently endorsed by the President, who retweeted three of them in a row.

To many of his 45 million followers, neither of those names may seem familiar. But to those in the UK, they are well known: Britain First is a now notorious group that has been accused of helping spread Islamophobic and racist content across the internet.

The three posts that the President posted were much in the vein of the work the group usually does. They depicted people who the group claimed were migrants involved in various crimes  and used them to implicitly blame all Muslims for the behaviour.

Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex

That Islamophobia is just one of the various controversial views that have been espoused by Ms Fransen, who Mr Trump repeatedly retweeted. The group has also called for the restoration of public hanging as a punishment, and members have given their support to religious war in the UK.

Their work has also extended into direct action. Those have included so-called "Christian patrols", in which members walk the street hunting people who appear to be Muslim, and forcing entry into mosques to distribute inflammatory propaganda.

But like many of Britain First's posts, the three posts shared by the President were entirely shorn of context and information. It isn't clear that any of the posts actually depict what is claimed  and many of them have disturbing context that has been removed from the tweets.

They appear to have been selected from a range of posts on Ms Fransen's Twitter page. She spends much of the day posting inflammatory videos and images  and Mr Trump appeared to have selected three out of a variety of numerous posts on that page.

Recommended Donald Trump retweets video appearing to show boy being murdered

Such posts have made the group very popular on social media among the British far right.

For a long time, the group  which calls itself a political party, though has nobody representing it in any public office  bragged about the huge reach of its Facebook page. In 2015, for instance, it claimed to be the first political party to have reached one million likes on Facebook.

The reach of that page was spread with such videos. Many of them depicted explicitly Islamophobic content and received huge numbers of likes and views, which spread the posts quickly across the site.

But since then the page has run into controversy and problems. That has led to the reach of the group's posts dropping, and it now only has a million followers.

The far-right group has celebrated the fact that Mr Trump has shared the posts.

"THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS!" it wrote on its official page. "DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

But even some people who have previously supported the President took issue with Mr Trump's retweet. "Yeah, someone might want to tell whoever is running Trump's Twitter account this morning that retweeting Britain First is not great optics," wrote Paul Joseph Watson, an editor at Infowars and a popular right-wing YouTuber.

And Brendan Cox, whose wife Jo was killed in an attack by a far-right extremist last year, said that the President's tweet was an attempt to promote the far-right.

|Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours," he wrote. "Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself."
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Credible reports suggest the UK has agreed in principle to a Brexit divorce bill with the rest of the EU that could see Britain paying between 45bn and 55bn.

This is vitally important as it could unlock talks between the UK and the rest of the bloc on future arrangements on trade to kick in after Brexit formally occurs in March 2019.

But what is the basis for this payment?

How much money is it for the UK in the scheme of things?

And how painful will it be for Britain?

What is this payment for?

Its essentially Britains share of the EUs existing budget spending commitments and the blocs various financial liabilities built up over the decades.

The EU negotiating side, led by Michel Barnier, calculates that by the Brexit date in March 2019 the blocs collective spending commitments (such as payments to raise the economic development level of poorer states) will be 580bn.

It also reckons that the EU will have around 85bn in long-term financial liabilities, such as pensions due to EU officials.

The EU negotiators estimate that the UKs fair share of this collection of liabilities is around 13 per cent, as this is the UKs proportional contribution to EU budgets in the past. This works out at around 85bn.

There are, however, multiple technical ways to value some of the financial liabilities of the EU. There is also the question over the fair division of the EUs financial and physical assets, which could be used to offset the gross bill. This is what the UK and the EU have been negotiating over in recent months.

But the reports of a deal over the methodology by which the final bill will be calculated suggests a breakthrough.

So how much is 55bn in the scheme of things?

At the current exchange rate of 1 to 1.13 it equates to around 50bn.

The size of the UK economy is around 2,000bn today, so this bill represents around 2.5 per cent of our GDP. Thats also roughly equivalent to the UKs annual budget deficit in the current financial year.

Its about the size of our annual defence budget, or around 10bn more than the 40bn the UK currently spends on debt interest each year.

But bear in mind that our net contribution to the EU (excluding the money that is spent here by the EU) is currently around 10bn a year already, so this effectively amounts to around five more years of normal annual EU payments.

Moreover, nobody expects the UK to pay the entire sum out on one lump sum. It may even be possible to spread some of the payments  such as the pension contributions for EU officials  over many decades which will make it far easier to bear for the UK Exchequer.

Is it worth it?

Economists estimate the cost of a "no deal" Brexit  in which Britain is forced to trade with the rest of the EU on the most basic World Trade Organisation terms  in terms of lost economic output at between 2.6 per cent (50bn) and 6 per cent (120bn) of GDP by 2020.

That's compared with a loss of between 1.3 per cent (26bn) and 3.6 per cent (72bn) of GDP if the UK secures a free trade deal.

By 2030 they put the cost of no deal as high as 9.5 per cent (190bn) of GDP, versus 6.3 per cent (126bn) of GDP with a free trade deal.

The EU has made it clear that it will not move on to talks about any post-Brexit trade arrangements (or even the two to three year transition period after 2019 that Britain desperately wants) until sufficient progress has been made on an agreement over the divorce bill.

If this reported 50bn agreement means the UK is able to avoid a disastrous cliff-edge Brexit in March 2019 it will almost certainly prove to be money well spent as far as the British economy is concerned.

Indeed, the implication of these economic forecasts is that securing a Brexit transition deal will probably save more in UK GDP output over a couple of years after Brexit than the entire fiscal cost of this divorce bill.

As Jagjit Chadha, the director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday: Leaving the EU is a one-off event. So its not something we have to think about as a structural problem for the UK. If these negotiations are prolonged and affect confidence, the impact on the economy is much larger than a one-off [divorce] bill of [around] 2 per cent of GDP.
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The UK Government has been warned by car giant Ford that failure to secure a final Brexit deal with the EU threatens Britains motor industry.

No deal would be a disaster really not only for my business but for the industry in general, said Steven Armstrong, Fords president for Europe, Middle East and Africa operations.

I am very concerned, very worried. Its important that we see a future in the UK thats competitive.

Speaking to Channel 4, Mr Armstrong said he currently spends up to 4-5 hours a week in Brexit-related meetings.

We spent 40 years putting a supply chain together that uses the open European market, said Mr Armstrong.

If we have a hard border of some description, even without tariffs, we would have the potential for goods to stop at a customs border. That means less productivity and more costs to the business.

Ford can currently make a car from scratch in three and a half hours thanks to tariff free trade, but an end to seamless production could cost the carmaker dearly.

Ford bosses have privately calculated that a no-deal Brexit could cost Ford as much as $1bn in tariffs, according to Channel 4.

Fords European chief also said that Brexit undermined future investment in the UK but said it was too early to suggest British production lines would shut.

Production for Fords cars start out life in their Dagenham-based warehouse where engine components are collected and assembled together from a number of mainland European warehouses.

From there, car engines make their way to Germany to meet assembly lines in Cologne, where the finishing touches are made before they return to be sold in the UK, Fords third biggest market.

Senior figures within the motor industry on Tuesday joined Ford in voicing their concerns about the Governments approach to Brexit.

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.

President for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Tony Walker called for progress on a transition period for Brexit and said frictionless trade could not be replaced with a better alternative.

We need to see concrete progress  and quickly, said Mr Walker.

We ask government to help provide the conditions in which we can compete. Like every other industry, we need certainty now.

A no-deal Brexit could see Britain revert to World Trade Organisation tariffs and customs checks, which the SMMT said would add costs of at least 4.5bn to the motor industry.
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Azzedine Alaia once put a leg of lamb on Naomi Cambells head. Shed bruised herself falling down some stairs and it was the only ice-cold remedy he could offer his stay-over guest  from the time she was 16, he was something of a father figure to Campbell.

Speaking to The Independent in 1998, the supermodel described him as a practical joker. The pair had developed a friendship that was emblematic of his relationship with women. Yes, the couturier both loved and professed to love women, as you would expect. But reactions to his death, at the age of 77, showed him to be as singular as his dresses (which retailed for around 11,000 a piece).

His friendship means very much to me and I hope I have it forever, said Campbell, who was photographed in tears at his funeral near Tunis last week. Its more than just about material things and clothes, she said. He is someone in the world I know I can call up whenever I am down, in need of anything or just want to talk.

In the same interview, Alaia exhibited that very refusal to kowtow that won him the reputation he cultivated and cherished: that of a lone star, a go-it-alone who was prepared to pay the price of not singing to the dominant tune.

Campbell was very much his daughter, he said, running up phone bills while staying at his home in France.

Highlighting the nature of their relationship, he added: Naomi didnt ask me if she should record her album or write her novel. I think both were a very bad idea. But its not easy for her because she spends her whole time with people who tell her that she is beautiful.

He eschewed fashion weeks and did his own thing at his own pace  and he could get away with it because he was not cut from the same cloth as others. He, for one, knew how to cut cloth and sew. This was a designer who you could give material to and he could craft a dress with actual scissors. Karl Lagerfeld never touched a pair of scissors in his life, Alaia said in 2011. I dont like his fashion, his spirit, his attitude, its too much caricature.

The same could not be said of Alaia , who was involved in the production of all his collections  which were rarer than his contemporaries  to the finest detail.

As Alex Fury put it in the The Independent in 2015: Alaias garments seem engineered rather than simply sewn, their fluctuating, distinctly physical relationship with the individual beneath them the real mark of his mastery of craft. They flare and wrap and grip and knead the human body, as if the flesh were clay ready to be sculpted.

That his output was outstanding is evidenced in his impressive list of clients. These include Michelle Obama, Kylie Minogue and Mariah Carey. If Greta Garbo was here to tweet, she very possibly would have joined Victoria Beckham in mourning his talents for she too courted his work.

In 2009, Alaia fell out with Vogue editor Anna Wintour after she failed to include his designs at an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York  Campbell refused to attend unless his work was included and he withdrew pieces he had designed for a clutch of supermodels on the guestlist.

In possibly not his finest moment, he lashed out at Wintour, criticising her dress sense and assuring all that Vogue editors come and go while fashion remembers designers. He certainly wasnt wrong that his output commanded attention in its own right. The episode only showed that Alaia was nothing if not an outsider  who was adored by women.

As Amy Fine Collins put it in Vanity Fair in 2012: A true Alaia woman knows that she needs Azzedine at every stage of her life, from courtship to marriage, to pregnancy, and well beyond  More than any designer today, Alaia is an initiate into the intimate, emotional, intellectual, and biological facts of being female.

The magazine credits him for a legacy of leggings, decorative metal studs, bodysuits, push-up bustiers, bandage dresses, and perforated leather. And, of course, he was the King of Cling.

A collection he was commissioned to make in 1980 shook up the Annie Hall look that marked much of the late Seventies by celebrating curves. He later dressed Grace Jones and Tina Turner.

Alaia was born in Tunisia and brought up by his mothers parents with his sister, Hafida. His grandfathers friend ran a cinema that he frequented as a child. Alaia would express what hed seen using crayons  so fashion was imprinted on his psyche through film.

His mothers friend, a Ms Pineau, introduced him to fashion books and magazines. He lied about his age to get into the Institut Superieur des Beaux Arts in Tunis, where he trained as a sculptor.

In the mid-1950s, he went to Paris and found his way to Dior, where he lasted five days, reportedly because he didnt have his papers in order. In a twist of poetic justice, in 2011, when Galliano was dismissed at Dior, Alaia turned down the offer to take his place.

He got himself a job a manny and live-in seamstress with a family of aristocrats in Paris. During this time, he got in with high society circles, establishing a string of private clients to whom he operated as a secret weapon for achieving aesthetic excellence.

Perhaps as a testament to his low-profile persona, he adopted his trademark high-collar Chinese jacket  photographs of him abound attending to the worlds most glamorous women like a ninja.

In 2007, Vogue reported on contrary to the law of the fashion world: Prada sold 100 per cent of Azzedine Alaias label, which it had acquired in 2000, back to the designer himself. Contrary is a good word to describe Alaia. A colonial who made good in the mother country, suffered the vicissitudes of being a dark-skinned foreigner, but transcended real and perceived limitations of race by imposing his personality on the world, like the architect Zaha Hadid, through the unparalleled quality of his work.

That he kept lamb in the freezer will only assure North Africans and Middle Easterners that he never forgot his roots.

Azzedine Alaia, born 1940, died 18 November 2017
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Ruth Bondy was a Holocaust survivor who distinguished herself as a translator, journalist and biographer, introducing Czech humour and literature to Israel. She was born Ruth Bondyova to a Jewish family in Prague in the 1920s  the city remained a place she loved throughout her life.

Having been born in Prague is like having an aristocratic title, she wrote in her biography, Shvarim Shlemin (Whole Fractures).

She started her career in journalism there working for the UP News Agency as a translator, from English to Czech. But her career and whole way of life were abruptly cut short by the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia and the outbreak of the Second World War. Bondy, ever optimistic and high spirited, only had plans to carry on with her life and work.

But in 1942 she was deported to the Ghetto of Theresienstadt, the holding camp in the fortress town of Terezin for tens of thousands waiting to be transported to Auschwitz and Treblinka. Thousands died from malnutrition and disease there.

She later wrote of the experience: I would like the Theresienstadt Ghetto to be remembered as it was; a place of spiritual elevation but also toughening, of mutual help but also of ignoring the others pain. A kaleidoscope of people trapped in distress, most of whom managed to maintain their humanity, were not cruel to each other, and hoped to survive until the desired end of the war, that came too late for most.

In 1943 Bondy was deported to Auschwitz. She survived the horrors of the death camps, but her parents, and most of her extended family, were murdered. Four of us survived, she wrote, Grandma, my cousin, my sister Ditta, and I. Twenty-five have perished. Statistically, we were a lucky family. Bondy was made to move to the concentration Bergen Belsen in Germany towards the end of the war, until it was liberated by British troops in April 1945.

In 1948 she immigrated to Israel where she was immediately absorbed into the new thriving journalistic and literary scene. She worked for Davar, the newspaper closely affiliated with the, then ruling, Labour Party. She wrote several biographies, most notably those of Enzo Sereni who spied for British intelligence in Hungary and got caught and murdered, and of Yaakov Edelstein, the head of the Theresienstadt Ghetto Judenrat (Judenrat were the councils the Nazis forced their Jewish prisoners to form). She also wrote extensively about the Holocaust from a perspective combining her personal experience and in-depth historical research.

She was also a part of one of Israels first and most popular radio panel satire shows, Three In A Boat, introducing her unique brand of Czech, low key, understated ironic humour.

Bondy was also a keen cook. The title of her cookery book, The Taste of Life, was typically poignant in light of her personal history. Unlike writing, cooking does not tolerate humour, she wrote in the preface of her 2014 book Lo Rak Kafka Ve Ha-golem (Not Just Kafka the Golem), on Czech Jewish culture.

But her most memorable contribution to Hebrew-speaking culture were her translations from Czech into Hebrew. Most book-loving Israelis cannot imagine their lives without her translations of Czech literary icons such as Karel Capek, Milan Kundera, Vaclav Havel, Ferenc Molnar, Jaroslav Hasek and many others. We have never met, lamented a reader commenting on her obituary in the Israeli daily Haaretz, but I will ever be grateful to you for the adventures of The Good Soldier Svejk.

Of her time at Theresienstadt she wrote that despite the ghastly overcrowding ... there was no violence. No ones life was threatened  at least not by a Jew ... nor was there a single incident of robbery, rape, or serious physical assault.

Bondy was outspoken in her opposition to the Israeli tradition of sending pupils to school trips in concentration camp sites, journeys which often take an aggressive and nationalistic slant.

Stop taking children to places where Jews died, she once wrote. Take them to where they lived: Toledo, Segovia, the Netherlands of Rembrandt and Spinoza, and maybe one day even to Baghdad. The holocaust was not committed by monsters, it was committed by people. The thought that gives me hope is that of the righteous gentiles, the thousands who risked their lives to save others. They, too, are humanity.

Bondy was married to journalist Rafael Bashan (1930-2001), whom she divorced in 1981, and mother to journalist Tal Bashan. She kept translating, writing, cooking and tending to her plants until her very last days, and her sense of humour remained her allay to the end. In a reference to the 2000 film Saving Grace, she said: If I run out of money I might start growing marijuana, she told Haaretz in 2014. I have green fingers.

She spoke proudly of how she got rid of the carer her daughter hired to help her with her daily tasks: I cant have somebody lurking about the house, and her cooking was no good either.

In her life she had won the Buchman Prize for Holocaust Research, Sokolov Prize of Journalism, and The Prime Minister's Prize for Hebrew Authors.

Bondy is survived by her daughter, Tal Bashan, two grandchildren and three generations of Israelis who came to love Czech literature thanks to her legacy of 40 translations.

Ruth Bondy, born Prague 19 June 1923, died 14 November 2017
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
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The tomb in which Jesus Christ may have been buried dates back nearly 1,700 years, scientists have discovered.

Tests carried out on the remains of a limestone cave in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in Jerusalem, date it back to around 345 CE, National Geographic reported.

Previous evidence had only dated the tomb back 1,000 years, to the Crusader period.

Although its impossible to definitively say whether the tomb is the burial site of a Jew known as Jesus of Nazareth, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is largely accepted as the site of Christ's burial.

The research, carried out by the National Technical University of Athens, does not offer further evidence as to whether Jesus was actually buried in the tomb, but it is consistent with the historical belief that the ancient Romans constructed a monument at the site around 300 years after his death.

The New Testament says Jesus died either in 30 or 33 CE, but historical accounts suggest the Romans found and enshrined the tomb in 326 CE.

The dating puts the original construction of the tomb in the time of the rule of Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, who began the empires transition to Christianity.

According to tradition, Constantine had the monument to Jesus constructed on what was believed to be his burial site.

A team of scientists has been carrying out restoration work on the site which involved opening and excavating the tomb, which has been sealed for centuries.

The scientists found the remains of a limestone bed that tradition states may have held the body of Jesus.

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. 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Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. 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

Using a technique called optically stimulated luminescence, the scientists were able to determine how recently the quartz sediment samples taken from the tombs mortar were exposed to light.

The results showed the bed was constructed around 345 AD, around the reign of Constantine.

Obviously, that date is spot-on for whatever Constantine did, archaeologist Martin Biddle told National Geographic.
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Lawyers acting for the man convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in Kent in 1996 say they have new evidence of his innocence, including a very detailed confession to the killings from serial killer Levi Bellfield.

Michael Stone has twice been convicted of the murders of the mother and daughter but has always protested his innocence.

Now his solicitor Paul Bacon has claimed Milly Dowlers murderer Bellfield admitted the killings in prison.

Kent Police have said there was no evidence to support the claims and argued it was unfair on the victims to keep raising questions about the case.

They stressed that Stone had been found guilty by a jury on two separate occasions and the investigation had been re-examined by the Criminal Case Review Commission.

Mr Bacon, Stones solicitor, told a press conference in London: We have now received evidence of a full confession by Levi Bellfield to the Russell murders.

Screengrab of Lin and Megan Russell (PA)

In the confession, Bellfield describes how he came across Lin Russell and her two children, how he attacked them with a hammer and his motivation for the killing.

The confession is detailed and has a number of facts which are not in the public domain.

Stone is serving three life-sentences for bludgeoning Lin Russell, 45, and Megan, six, to death in an attack near Chillenden in which her other daughter, Josie, nine, suffered severe head injuries and the familys dog, Lucy, was killed.

It is not the first time Stones legal representatives have pointed the finger at Bellfield.

In 2011, Mr Bacon claimed Dowlers killer was a better match for the e-fit of the suspect issued during the police manhunt.

Bellfield, who now calls himself Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole-life tariff after being found guilty at the Old Bailey of abducting and killing the schoolgirl Milly. He was jailed in 2011.

The 13-year-old was snatched from the street while on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.

Bellfield was already in jail for the murders of Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy.

Michael Stones legal team (left to right) barrister Mark McDonald, solicitor Paul Bacon and Barbara Stone, his sister, during a press conference in London (PA)

In 2008 he had been given a whole-life term for murdering Ms McDonnell, 19, in 2003, and murdering Ms Delagrange, 22, and attempting to murder Ms Sheedy, 18, in 2004.

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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. 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Assistant Chief Constable for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, Nick Downing, said: We feel it is no longer contemporaneous and is unfair on the victims to continue to raise questions or re-release details about the murder investigation and subsequent conviction of Michael Stone.

Following two trials at which Stone was found guilty by a jury on both occasions, and an appeal to the High Court, Michael Stone remains convicted of the murders of Lin and Megan Russell, and the attempted murder of Josie Russell in 1996.

The Criminal Case Review Commission re-examined the murder investigation and had access to all forensic evidence, documentation and exhibits from the original investigation, the review by another force, details of the two Crown Court trials and appeals to the High Court.

Furthermore, Michael Stone made an application to apply for a Judicial Review in respect of his conviction in September 2012. The Honourable Mr Justice Blake ordered that permission for the application should be refused.

In addition, a comprehensive investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police Service into allegations Levi Bellfield was involved in crimes for which is he yet to be convicted concluded there is no evidence to support those claims.

Agencies contributed to this report
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Police have admitted arresting a woman for immigration offences after she went to them to report being raped.

The unnamed woman, in her 20s, attended a police station in London to report being kidnapped and abused during time she spent in Germany, before arriving in the UK.

While giving a victim statement, she told officers she had entered Britain illegally before being taken to a centre for rape survivors.

But officers later returned to the centre and detained the woman for interrogation.

She was arrested on suspicion of illegal entry into the UK and she was taken into custody at an east London police station, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said.

Whilst there immigration officials attended and interviewed her.

The woman was issued with a notice giving her temporary leave to remain in the UK on the condition she notifies officials of her whereabouts, but without legal permission to live in Britain she could be detained and deported at any time.

The Havens centre for sexual assault victims, where the woman was taken before being detained, has launched a formal complaint with Scotland Yard over the case, politics.co.uk reported.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said its specialist sexual offences unit had referred the allegations of rape and kidnap to German authorities following the complaint in March.

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Fizza Qureshi, director of the Migrants Rights Network, said the woman was one of many victims and witnesses of crime being targeted by immigration enforcement after going to authorities for help.

[The arrested woman] presented herself as a victim, but even though she was taken to the Havens she was not given the care and support she needed, she told The Independent.

It was probably incredibly traumatic to be arrested for something she voluntarily declared.

Its possible that she didnt have any other options [and] may have been forced to come to the UK.

Recommended Minister ridiculed for denying immigrants face indefinite detention

Ms Qureshis group is among those campaigning for safe reporting mechanisms that would allow undocumented migrants to get support from police, the NHS, local councils and other authorities.

If you want to tackle crime you have to have protection for someone who is undocumented, she said.

They are putting immigration enforcement before someones situation as a victim of crimethe whole idea is to create a hostile environment.

The UK is a signatory to the EU Victims Directive, which says member states must treat all victims of crime in a respectful, sensitive and professional manner without discrimination of any kind, including over their residency status.

Victims of crime should be protected from secondary and repeat victimisation, from intimidation and from retaliation, should receive appropriate support to facilitate their recovery and should be provided with sufficient access to justice, the directive continues.

The prospect of immigration enforcement against survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire generated outrage earlier this year, causing the Government to declare a temporary amnesty for those obtaining support or reporting missing people.

But the reprieve was limited to the disaster and police are routinely referring victims and witnesses to crime to the Home Office. Thousands of people are believed to have been flagged in recent years.
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Two men have admitted being involved in supplying MDMA to a 16-year-old schoolgirl who was pronounced dead after being found lifeless in the back of their car.

Jason Burder, 29, and 28-year-old Adam King pleaded guilty to drugs charges after being cleared of the gross negligence manslaughter of Megan Bannister part-way through their trial.

The defendants, who will be sentenced on Wednesday, were alleged to have failed to summon medical help for the teenager before a crash near Enderby, Leicestershire, on Sunday May 14.

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told Burder and King stopped to buy beer after putting Megan in the back of the Vauxhall Astra.

Although Burder told his mother they were taking Megan home, they drove her around from shortly before 7.50am until the crash - in which a biker suffered a broken pelvis - at about 11.40am.

An off-duty nurse told the trial Burder and King "must have known" that Megan, who was half-covered by a coat and had no obvious crash injuries, was dead.

The GCSE student, who wanted to be a midwife, knew Burder - whose Facebook profile falsely gave his age as 21 - through social media but only met him in person two days before her death.

Trial judge Mrs Justice Jefford instructed jurors to acquit both defendants of manslaughter after legal submissions following the close of the Crown's case.

In a written ruling explaining her decision, the judge said there was no evidence on which a jury could be sure that failing to seek assistance for Megan - however "morally repugnant" it might be - had caused her death.

The judge stated: "It seems to me clear, firstly, that there is evidence on which the jury could conclude that either or both of these men provided the drugs to Megan.

"It is a sad fact of this case that it will never be known exactly what happened and whether the decision of the defendants to put her in the car and take her away caused or contributed to her death."

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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

Following his acquittal on the manslaughter charge, Burder pleaded guilty to supplying Megan with MDMA on May 14, possessing MDMA on the same date, careless driving, and two other drugs charges relating to MDMA and cocaine.

King admitted being concerned in the supply of MDMA to Megan on the same date.

Burder, of Braunstone Avenue, and King, of Waltham Avenue, both Leicester, were remanded in custody until Wednesday.
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The proportion of people aged 50 or older who are in prison has rocketed in the last 15 years, making middle-aged and elderly people the fastest-growing demographic group in the prison estate.

A report by Public Health England (PHE) showed that the proportion of people in prison aged 50 or older has increased by 150 per cent since 2002, with 13,376 people over 50 now behind bars  of whom 1,599 are over 70.

The figure, which currently accounts for 16 per cent of all inmates, is expected to increase considerably in both real terms and as a proportion of the whole prison population over the next four years, with an estimated 14,300 over-50s incarcerated by 2021.

The stark figures have raised questions about why the elderly prison population has risen so drastically, and what impact this will have on an already stretched prison estate.

The PHE report states that while the ageing population in England might partly explain the phenomenon, it is more directly a result of other factors, notably historical sentencing practices and the increase in late-in-life prosecutions, often for historic sex offences.

There has also been a sharp rise in the length of prison sentences in the past 10 years. Ministry of Justice figures show that for serious offences, the average prison sentence is now 57 months  23 and a half months longer than a decade ago.

In June 2017, for example, more than three times as many people were sentenced to 10 or more years, compared to June 2007. This can partly explain the rise in people reaching pensioner age behind bars.

The average sentence for murder has also seen an almost 75 per cent increase in tariff length since 2003, while the sentence lengths for sexual offences increased by about 50 per cent since 2003.

Another reason behind the increase is the fact that more people are being charged for historic offences, due both to improved forensic techniques and efforts by police and other agencies to minimise trauma for victims reporting sex crimes.

Ministry of Justice figures show that of the 234 people over 80 in prison last year, 204  or 87 per cent  were held for sex offences.

Mark Day, head of policy and communications at the Prison Reform Trust, agreed that the growing number of people serving long or indeterminate sentences is a major factor behind the rapidly ageing prison population, along with a rise in the number of people convicted of historic offences.

A growth in the number of people convicted of historic offences through improvements in forensic technology and more victims coming forward has also contributed to the increase, he told The Independent.

Campaigners have urged that the rise in elderly people detained in prison is causing issues for a prison system totally unsuited to meeting their basic needs.

An increasingly elderly and frail prison population creates huge challenges for a prison system already struggling to cope, Mr Day added.

A system designed for fit, young men means that many are held in conditions totally unsuited to meeting even their basic needs. For many elderly people, prison is a double punishment.

"People have a right to expect justice to be done, but many are living out their old age in conditions that demean both them and us. A just system tempers retribution with mercy, and we need to ask ourselves if we are getting that balance right.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: It is vital that we deal with older prisoners in the most secure and appropriate way. That is why the guidance we have in place for the management of these offenders takes into account the specific challenges they present.

We are also considering advice from experts on changes that might need to be made to the estate or to individual prison regimes.

The spokesperson added that the Government will continue to work with NHS England and local authorities to provide the appropriate care and treatment for this group of offenders.
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The deputy leader of for right extremist group Britain First, has appealed to Donald Trump for help with her upcoming court case.

Jayda Fransen praised the US president for retweeting a series of inflammatory videos from her Twitter account.

The first claimed to show a Muslim migrant attacking a man on crutches, although Dutch officials later confirmed that the aggressor was born and raised in the Netherlands. This was followed by two more videos of people Ms Fransen claimed to be Muslim.

Ms Fransen used the social media site to post a video message to the US leader.

This is a message to the President of the United States Donald Trump. Id like to start by saying how delighted I am that, as the leader of the free world you took the time out to retweet three of my videos on Twitter today, the 31-year-old said.

She went on to appeal for Mr Trumps help with her upcoming court case.

She has been charged by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, over speeches she made in Belfast at Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally in August. She is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on 14 December.

Ms Fransen said Mr Trump had shed light on her plight here in Britain, in that I am facing prison for giving a speech in which I criticised Islam.

She added: This is evidence that Britain has become Sharia compliant and our establishment has now instituted legislation that constitutes blasphemy laws here in the UK. On behalf of myself and every citizen of Britain and for everyone, every man and woman that has fought bled and died for us to have to have the freedom of speech, I am appealing to you for your help.

I am appealing to you for your help, I am appealing for your intervention before I am thrown in jail and other receive the same treatment for simply speaking out. God bless you Donald Trump.

Mr Trumps decision to share the tweets was widely criticised.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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

Theresa Mays spokesman said Britain First used hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions, while Labours Jeremy Corbyn called the retweets abhorrent and dangerous.

The Archbishop of Canterbury also called on Mr Trump to remove his retweets.

Justin Welby took to social media to criticise the group, who he described as not sharing our values of tolerance and solidarity.

However, The White House defended the unverified, Islamophobic videos and said Mr Trump was driving home an important point  regardless of if they are real or not.

Whether its a real video, the threat is real, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security.
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JK Rowling has stepped in to defend Meghan Markle after a magazine suggested she was an unsuitable match for Prince Harry.

Amid the widespread celebration about his engagement to American actress, Melanie McDonagh penned a piece for the The Spectator about their forthcoming nuptials.

The magazine then tweeted a a link to the story, underneath the caption: "Meghan Markle is unsuitable as Prince Harry's wife for the same reason that Wallis Simpson was unsuitable: shes divorced and Harrys grandmother is supreme governor of the CofE"

The lover of Edward VIII, Simpson was an American divorcee, who it became clear he wanted to marry, against the advice of many of his advisers who did not believe that the head of the Church of England, should marry a divorced woman

Just 11 months before he was due to be crowned king, Edward renounced the throne due to his relationship with her and the couple married and spent much of their lives in France.

Unhappy with the comparison drawn with Ms Markle, people on Twitter were quick to point out that Prince Harrys father and the current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, and his wife Camilla, were both divorced before their marriage in 2005. Princess Anne divorced from her husband in Captain Mark Philips in 1992, while Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced in 1996.

In addition to the marital status of many members of the royal family, it was also pointed out that the Church of England was created by Henry VIII in order for him to secure a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, which allowed him to marry Anne Boleyn. The Tudor king became the Supreme Head of the Church of England, secured an annulment of his marriage against his first wife, and later divorced his third wife, Anne of Cleves.

JK Rowling responded to the assertion that Ms Markle is an unsuitable match with one hashtag: #TeamDivorcee.

People were quick to follow her lead, tweeting their support for the Suits star.

The hashtag has become popular once again since the author sent the tweet, which has now been liked more than 17,000 times.
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It may seem like a modern fairy tale, but the upcoming wedding of Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle will come with some mundane hurdles. Perhaps most inconveniently for the British royals, this transatlantic partnership could end up involving the United States' Internal Revenue Service.

Buckingham Palace announced that Markle will become a British citizen after her wedding next year. Though some foreign politicians are required to give up their dual citizenship, there are no similar rules for British royals - and there has already been widespread speculation that the union of Harry and Markle could eventually result in some British royal children wielding American passports.

But there's a big obstacle in the way: American tax laws. "US citizens are subject to US tax obligations regardless of their country of residence," wrote Peter Spiro, a Temple University law professor and the author of "At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship" in an email to The Washington Post. "A member of the royal family would be treated just like anyone else."

By contrast, if Harry were to move to the United States to live with Markle, he would not be expected to file taxes in Britain. America's citizenship-based taxation system is unusual: Only Eritrea has a similar system. It's a relic of the Civil War and the Revenue Act of 1862, which called for the taxing of US citizens abroad - in part to punish men who fled the country to avoid joining the military.

For Harry, the issue isn't that he will suddenly end up paying US income tax, but rather that Markle's American citizenship could open up the secretive finances of the royal family to outside scrutiny. If she remains a US citizen, Markle will have to file her taxes to the IRS every year. And if she has more than $150,000 (119,000) in assets at any point during the tax year - a likely scenario given her successful acting career and the family wealth of her husband - she will be expected to annually file a document called Form 8938 that will reveal the detail of these assets, which could include foreign trusts.

This sharing of financial information with the US government would probably be undesirable for the royal family, which has long preferred that its finances remain opaque. David McClure, the author of the book "Royal Legacy: How the royal family have made, spent and passed on their wealth," said that British royals' finances have long been "impenetrable" to outsiders. "I've been truffling in the royal coffers for seven or eight years," said McClure, adding that no one really knows how wealthy the royals are. "I suspect the queen doesn't know," he said.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures Show all 55 1 /55 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. The Invictus Games is an international sport event for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, both serving and veteran. It was created by the Duke of Sussex and aims to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of all those who serve their country Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for a photograph in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace following the announcement of their engagement AFP/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2017 Meghan Markle shows off her engagement ring AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures December 2017 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan during a visit to Reprezent 107.3FM in Pop Brixton. The Reprezent training programme was established in Peckham in 2008, in response to the alarming rise in knife crime, to help young people develop and socialise through radio Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers on arrival at Cardiff Castle for a day showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Wales AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 The couple watching a dance performance by Jukebox Collective during their to Cardiff Castle AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people in Edinburgh. The reception celebrated youth achievements, marking Scotlands Year of Young People 2018, an initiative that aims to inspire Scotland through its young people: celebrating their achievements, strengthening their voice on social issues and creating new opportunities for them to shine AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme 'Making a Difference Together', the event showcased the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2018 Prince William, Kate, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers after a visit to one of Belfast's most historic buildings, The Crown Liquor Saloon, a former Victorian gin palace, now run by the National Trust. It was the Royal couple's first joint visit to Northern Ireland AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures April 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet participants as they attend the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland arriving at Cliveden House Hotel the night before her wedding to Prince Harry Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Royal fans sing for the television in Windsor the day before the Royal wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during her wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand facing each other hand-in-hand before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during their wedding ceremony AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry kisses the Duchess of Sussex, as they pass through the Cambridge Gate into the grounds of Windsor Castle at the end of their carriage procession AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 The newly married royals leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2018 Queen Elizabeth II sitts and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan return in a horse-drawn carriage after attending the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour' on Horseguards parade AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2018 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2018 Meghan and Prince Harry kiss after the Sentebale Polo event that was held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures August 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet the cast and crew of "Hamilton" backstage after the gala performance in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2018 Meghan meets 7-year-old Matilda Booth during the annual WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet 98-year-old Daphne Dunne during a meet and greet at the Sydney Opera House during an official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala named Ruby and its koala joey named Meghan after the Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry looks on as his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is hugged by student Luke Vincent of Buninyong Public School following the couple's arrival at Dubbo Regional Airport in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Harry and his wife Meghan watch aboriginal dances at Victoria Park in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with lifeguards at South Melbourne Beach. BeachPatrol is a network of volunteers who are passionate about keeping Melbourne's beaches and foreshores clear of litter to reduce the negative impact of litter on the marine environment and food chain, and provide a safe environment for the public to enjoy their local beach Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan join a circle during a "Fluro Friday" session run by OneWave, a local surfing community group who raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing, at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 The British royals kicked off their shoes and donned tropical garlands on Bondi Beach AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts, mats and tapa cloths at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in Nuku'alofa, Tonga Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and his wife Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in Rotorua AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2018 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a service marking the centenary of WW1 armistice at Westminster Abbey Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visit the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan speak on stage during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, at Canada House, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 A congratulatory banner message circling the BT Tower reading "Congratulations Harry and Meghan It's a Baby Boy!" AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Footmen Stephen Kelly and Sarah Thompson set up an official notice on an easel at the gates of Buckingham Palace on May 6, announcing the birth of a son to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Pround parents pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth at 5:26 on 6 May Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan walk away after posing for photographs with their newborn son AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan join the New York Yankees in their clubhouse and receive gifts for Archie ahead of their match against the Boston Red Sox at the London Stadium. The historic two-game series marked the sport's first games ever played in Europe and The Invictus Games Foundation was selected as the official charity of Mitel and MLB London Series 2019 Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet cast and crew, including US singer-songwriter Beyonce and her husband, US rapper Jay-Z as they attend the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dance as they arrive for a visit to the "Justice desk", an NGO in the township of Nyanga in Cape Town, as they begin their tour of the region. Their first official family visit in the coastal city AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan pose with members of "Waves For Change" NGO at Monwabisi Beach outside of Cape Town. "Waves For Change" NGO fuses surfing with child-friendly mind and body therapy to provide mental health services to vulnerable young people living in challenging communities AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The royals arrive to visit the oldest mosque of Cape Town in Dorp Street in Bo Kaap district AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The Duchess of Sussex visits Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day with the Duke of Sussex during their royal tour of South Africa. Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa and for the Muslim community, this mosque symbolises the freedom of former slaves to worship Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan hold their baby son Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah at the Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The British royal couple were on a 10-day tour of southern Africa -- their first official visit as a family since their son Archie was born AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015 Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures December 2019 Prince Harry holding his son Archie. The photo was used on Instagram to wish their followers a happy new year SussexRoyal/PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2020 Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart Canada House in London after visiting to show thanks for the warm hospitality and support they received during their recent stay in Canada Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2020 Front page headlines, from UK daily papers, reporting on the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, plan to step back as "senior" members of the Royal Family AFP via Getty

At least some of the royal family's money is tied up in trusts and other holdings, McClure added. After the death of his mother, Princess Diana, Prince Harry received half of her 21.5 million ($28.5 million) estate, and he shares a 3.5 million ($4.8 million) annual allowance with his brother and his sister-in-law. It is possible that Prince Harry receives other money from other royal trusts, but the extent to which he does is not publicly known.

Though Markle's tax information would not become public once sent to the United States, it would leave the royal family open not only to IRS review but also the risk that the information could leak. The family's labyrinthine fiscal arrangements were already partially exposed by the Paradise Papers leak earlier this month, which revealed that Queen Elizabeth's estate has invested money in offshore tax havens.

Royal children would complicated matters even further. "Parents cannot elect to have a child lose his or her US citizenship, so the children will be US citizens (and therefore, US taxpayers) unless they decide to give it up when they reach the age of majority," said Kristin Konschnik, an attorney with London-based Butler Snow Law Firm.

Ultimately, there is no real precedent for an American marrying in to the British royal family like this. However, McClure noted that the royal family employs some of the country's best tax consultants. "They won't be short of advice about how to overcome any problems as an American taxpayer becoming part of the family," McClure said.

"My guess is that she'll be pressured by the Royal family to renounce [her US citizenship], even if she'd rather not," Spiro added.

In many ways, that solution may be the simplest. And if Markle does give up her citizenship, she won't be alone. Treasury Department data shows that 5,411 individuals chose to expatriate in 2016 - a 26 percent year-over-year increase and potentially a historic high - and experts expect that number to keep increasing due to increasing tax burdens placed on US citizens living abroad.

But even expatriation would carry risks for Markle. She would have to first wait to become a British citizen, a process that is expected to take years. She would also be subject to a potentially considerable exit tax. Finally, she would struggle to regain her citizenship if she ever wanted it back.

"If she did, it would be for keeps," said Spiro. "Those who renounce are treated as if they never had citizenship. To get it back, she would have to go through the ordinary naturalization process."

Washington Post
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A Royal Marine has described the bizarre and demeaning alleged punishments he was forced to undergo on a navy base that were chosen in a Deal or No Deal style selection, from shaving off all of his body hair to repeatedly running up and down a hill while carrying scaffolding.

Marine Ryan Dunne, one of two alleged victims, told a court martial that the punishments were handed out as forfeits for minor misdemeanours during a gathering called Family Time in the television room at bases in Scotland.

The alleged incidents took place when the 5 Troop 43 Commando were tasked with guarding the Faslane Naval Base, home of the fleets nuclear submarines, on the River Clyde, and at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at nearby Coulport, where the nuclear weapons are stored.

Recommended Royal Marine pleads guilty to making bombs for a terror attack

Corporals Danny Foster, 30, and Philip Beer, 34, both face charges of ill-treatment of a subordinate at the trial at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Mne Dunne told the court that Cpl Foster and Cpl Beer would lead the punishments handed out to those present.

He said the punishments would be either chosen by the throw of a dice or by playing a version of Deal Or No Deal using a PowerPoint presentation projected on to the wall, with one of the marines playing Noel Edmonds, including wearing a fake beard.

He said that on one occasion he had completed the Deal Or No Deal game and had come out with one of the more lenient punishments when Cpl Beer, acting as The Banker, stepped in and gave him the "New Born Baby" punishment which involved shaving off all body hair.

Mne Dunn said he shaved all his body apart from his backside and added: "I didn't want to take a razor blade to that part of my body."

He said that the following morning Cpl Beer asked another marine to inspect him and then ordered him to shave again but he refused.

He said that the two defendants then ordered him to run repeatedly up and down a hill for about one-and-a-half hours while carrying scaffolding poles and other heavy items from a building site.

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He said he was also ordered to put a dirty mop bucket on his head.

A further punishment was given to carry a 24kg kettle bell for 24 hours and also carry 20 to 30 water barrels, weighing 20kg each, to the top of a hill before bringing them down again.

Mne Dunn said: "I remember thinking while it was going on, I thought I was meant to be operationally deployable and how was this meant to be helping me do my job."

The trial has heard other punishments given out at Family Time included one based on the Quentin Tarantino movie Django Unchained, involving a marine being hung upside down naked and whipped, and another involving a marine committing a sex act while watching gay porn.

Foster denies three charges of ill-treatment of a subordinate and Beer denies two counts. The trial continues.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on Donald Trump to remove his retweets of far-right group Britain First.

Justin Welby took to social media to criticise the group, who he described as not sharing our values of tolerance and solidarity.

The head of the Church of England also accused Britain First, which claims it aims to protect British and Christian morality, of dividing communities and intimidating minorities.

Mr Trump shared videos posted by Britain First's deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account, which claimed to show Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches.

A second re-post was captioned Muslim destroys statue of Virgin Mary, while a third read Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death.

Rev Welby said: "It is deeply disturbing that the President of the United States has chosen to amplify the voice of far-right extremists. Britain First seeks to divide communities and intimidate minorities, especially our Muslim friends and neighbours. Britain First does not share our values of tolerance and solidarity.

"God calls us as Christians to love our neighbour and seek the flourishing of all in our communities, societies and nations. I join the urgent call of faith groups and others for President Trump not just to remove these tweets, but to make clear his opposition to racism and hatred in all forms."

Mr Trump's retweets were met with widespread criticism, including that from Theresa May who described the tweets as "wrong".

A spokesman for Downing Street said: "It is wrong for the President to have done this."

However, asked if the US leader's scheduled state visit to Britain would still take place, despite the tweets, the spokesman said: "The United States is one of our oldest and closest allies. An invitation for a state visit has been extended and accepted. Further details will announced in due course."

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

The content of the videos that Mr Trump shared or their origin could not be independently verified, but local reports said the first showed the 2013 murder of a teenager who was himself likely to be a Muslim during riots over the coup against Mohamed Morsi.

The attacker in the video from the Netherlands was neither a Muslim nor a migrant, according to local media and was arrested over the incident.

The White House defended the unverified, Islamophobic videos and said Mr Trump was driving home an important point  regardless of if they are real or not.

"Whether it's a real video, the threat is real," Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. "His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security."
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A cold snap will leave parts of the UK chillier than Icelands capital Reykjavik this week.

Britons have been warned to wrap up warm as temperatures drop, with Thursday expected to be the coldest night of the year.

A day before the official start to winter on 1 December, the mercury is expected to drop as low as -10C in the Scottish Highlands, according to the Met Office.

The UKs lowest temperature this year so far was recorded at Topcliffe in North Yorkshire, where it dropped to -6.3C.

Meanwhile, Reykjavik is due to have a high of 7C later in the week and Helsinki, the capital of Finland, will see temperatures between 3C and 4C.

Chief Met Office Meteorologist Steve Willington said: Across the UK people will be feeling some pretty raw conditions as we go towards the start of winter, Thursday will feel especially cold with a biting northerly wind."

Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office, said: The weather situation is that its likely to be getting colder as we go towards Thursday and into Friday.

"Pretty much everywhere in the UK will be within touching distance of freezing.

"In Scotland air temperatures could drop down to -10C, but thats likely only if you are out overnight in the Scottish mountains.

Snow has already blanketed northern regions, including in County Durham, and further ice and snow warnings have been issued for northern parts of Scotland.

The temperature will drop to around 2C in London in Thursday night, while the mercury will stay around freezing in Manchester.

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

Ahead of the cold snap, Public Health England has warned people to watch out for those most likely to be affected by the chilly weather, including the elderly.

Dr Thomas Waite, of PHE's Extreme Events team, said: As the weather is going to get colder everywhere in the coming days, this is a really good time to check on those who may be at-risk.

People with diseases such as heart and lung conditions, older people and young children can feel the ill-effects of cold weather more than the rest of us.
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British and European Union negotiators have reached a deal in principle on the Brexit divorce bill that could see the UK paying some 45bn.

Sources in Brussels suggested to The Independent that talks have seen the two sides stances begin to align over the methodology for calculating the settlement, with the outcome increasingly acceptable to both sides.

If given the backing of Jean-Claude Juncker and the Prime Minister at a meeting on Monday the deal would help clear the way for EU leaders to agree to move Brexit talks on to trade at a crunch December council summit.

The financial settlement had been eclipsed by the Irish border issue and citizens rights in recent days  a sign it is no longer the main sticking point in discussions.

Sources in both London and Brussels said that no final agreement had yet been set in stone, but intense negotiations ahead of the Mondays meeting appear to have borne fruit.

No figure has been explicitly agreed upon, but sources in Brussels highlighted that the EU had always been pushing for clarity on how the bill would be drawn up as opposed to an outright number.

Other reports also filtered out of Brussels on Tuesday night pointing to negotiators having edged towards an agreement totalling between 45bn and 55bn.

Later, further reports emerged that cabinet ministers in London had agreed negotiating positions on keeping the Irish border open and an ongoing role for the European Court of Justice in guaranteeing EU citizens rights.

It was suggested in reports from Brussels that the figure would be deliberately left open to interpretation to give the Prime Minister political cover in the UK,

Theresa May said in her Florence speech in September that no EU country need to pay more or receive less over the remainder of the current budget plan as a result of our decision to leave and that the UK will honour commitments we have made during the period of our membership.

Her commitments there were read in Brussels to equate to some 20bn. But after it failed to break the logjam in talks, Ms May held a crunch meeting with her key cabinet ministers last week and won backing to up the offer.

Though no exact figure was agreed commitments the cabinet agreed to were expected to see the Government likely to pay some 40bn  near the figure said to have now been provisionally agreed by negotiators.

How The Independent reported last weeks developments

A spokesperson for the European Commissions negotiating team would not comment, while British officials at David Davis Department for Exiting the EU said they didnt recognise the figure.

A Downing Street source told The Independent: Negotiations are ongoing ahead of the EU Council in December.

When Ms May met cabinet ministers last week it was made clear that any increased offer for money would have to be accompanied by a clear plan for moving onto talks around the transition and trade stages of Brexit talks.

Tory backbenchers last night also made clear that they expected clear movement form the European Union if any agreement on money had been reached.

 EU demands in next round of talks set to enrage Cabinet Brexiteers, leak reveals

Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin told The Independent: It better be worth it.

It wont be unless they now roll out the red carpet for a Rolls Royce free trade deal.

But there are still key issues to be ironed out on the withdrawal part of the plan before Mondays meeting  on ensuring EU citizens rights the role of the European Court of Justice and the export of benefits remain outstanding.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

The question of what the Irish border will look like after Brexit has so-far proved intractable in a very public way, with Irish Government increasing pressure on Downing Street to commit to no hard border.

European Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier said while on a visit to Estonia on Monday that that the moment of truth was approaching for Brexit talks and that an agreement on sufficient progress could be reach in the next few days.
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Britain will no longer be a member of the European police agency Europol after it leaves the European Union, the European Commissions chief negotiator has said.

Speaking at a security conference in Berlin Michel Barnier accused the UK abandoning the defence of Europe at a time when it should be standing shoulder to shoulder with its neighbours in the EU.

The UK government said as recently as September that it wants to remain inside Europol and retain other EU security benefits such as the European Arrest Warrant and shared criminal databases.

But outlining the consequences of Brexit on defence and security, Mr Barnier said Britain would no longer be a member, adding that the UK would be leaving the European Defence Agency and that UK defence ministers and ambassadors would be excluded from international meetings with EU colleagues.

These changes were all a logical consequence of the sovereign choice made by the British in the referendum last year, he said.

More than 500 days ago, the United Kingdom took the sovereign decision to leave the European Union and bring to an end 44 years of common history. To many of us this came as a great shock, he said.

It was a decision taken against the backdrop of a strategic repositioning by our American ally, which has gathered pace since the election of Donald Trump.

It was a decision that came after a series of attacks on European soil, committed by young people who grew up in Europe, in our countries. It was a decision that came six months after the French Minister of Defence issued a call for solidarity to all his European counterparts to join forces to fight the terrorism of Daesh.

Never had the need to be together, to protect ourselves together, to act together been so strong, so manifest. Yet rather than stay shoulder to shoulder with the Union, the British chose to be on their own again.

In September Theresa May vowed unconditional support for EU defence after Brexit and said the UKs role has never been more vital.

In the same month Home Secretary Amber Rudd also said she hoped a new legal framework could lock in British access to Europol, which shares criminal intelligence data between EU police forces.

A new treaty would allow us to maintain and strengthen our current level of cooperation and provide a new legal framework to do this, the Home Secretary had said.

It would mean we are able to respond to threats as they evolve, and would establish the way we can maintain crime-fighting  capabilities between the UK, the EU and its member states. Such a treaty would be in the interest of all parties.

Speaking on Wednesday Mr Barnier said that the EUs defence and security union will have to be developed without the British, since on 30 March 2019 the United Kingdom will, as is its wish, become a third country when it comes to defence and security issues.

We must draw the appropriate legal and operational conclusions from this: The UK defence minister will no longer take part in meetings of EU Defence Ministers; there will be no UK ambassador sitting on the Political and Security Committee, he said.

The UK can no longer be a framework nation: it will not be able to take command of EUled operations or lead EU battlegroups. The UK will no longer be a member of the European Defence Agency or Europol.

The UK will not be able to benefit from the European Defence Fund the same way Member States will. The UK will no longer be involved in decision-making, nor in planning our defence and security instruments.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

Everything I have just said is the logical consequence of the sovereign choice made by the British. We regret this vote. But we respect the choice that has been made.

Labour blamed the Government "inflexible approach" for the UK's impending exit from the policing body. Shadow police minister Louise Haigh said: This a huge blow which threatens vital national security cooperation and risks critical information falling between the gaps. The Governments inflexible approach risks us being turfed out of the security framework we helped create and which has contributed to our safety and security for many years. They must now do everything possible to ensure that Britain remains an integral part of Europol.

Labour has made clear that we would seek to remain within Europol and Eurojust, and make it a priority to secure this as part of our future relationship with the EU.
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A former Northern Ireland police chief has warned the Governments bungling of the controversy over the Irish border after Brexit will play into the hands of terrorists.

Sir Hugh Orde attacked ministers handling of the issue as unforgivable and inept  dismissing their claims that no border controls with the Republic will be necessary.

Instead, the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland until 2009, said the UK leaving the EU would inevitably require border posts.

The political consequences of this will play into the hands of those who are still determined to destroy the relative peace that we have enjoyed through close co-operation and effective policing since 1998 and the Good Friday agreement, Sir Hugh said.

He backed Neale Richmond, an Irish MP who warned this week that such controls would be a target for dissident paramilitaries.

Sir Hugh pointed out: They provide an ideal, static and predictable target that prevents free movement.

And he added: After Brexit, the police are likely to lose many of the critical powers they currently hold - the European arrest warrant, joint investigation teams and direct access to intelligence systems spring to mind.

In a letter published in The Times, he wrote: There appears to have been absolutely no planning for the foreseeable and inevitable complexity of this critical issue. This is unforgivable and inept.

The attack comes after the Irish border emerged as the biggest obstacle to a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations at a crucial EU summit next month.

The Irish Government has threatened to block the talks moving onto future trade and hoped-for transitional deal, unless London can guarantee there will be no new hard land border.

The EU has backed Dublins view that, to achieve that, Northern Ireland must also remain part of the EU customs union  something London has categorically ruled out, at least long term.

Previously, Brussels has dismissed the UKs proposals to use untested new technology to police a light-touch Irish border as magical thinking.

Dublin is demanding that the UK preserve about 140 EU regulations, covering everything from customs and agriculture to health services, to ensure an open border with Northern Ireland.

But that would mean London either accepting the rules for the whole of Britain or granting special status to Northern Ireland, weakening the integrity of the UK  which ministers have rejected.

With agreement close on the UKs so-called divorce Bill, No 10 knows it must go further on the Irish border issue to move the exit talks on before Christmas.

It hopes that a toughened commitment to avoiding a hard border will be enough to satisfy the EU that sufficient progress has been made, even without a fully-worked out solution.

But Simon Coveney, Irelands foreign affairs minister, said this week that Dublin believes it has the EUs full backing for its stance, saying: We dont need to use a veto because we have complete solidarity on this issue.

It is clear to us that if there is not progress on the Irish border, we will not be moving on to phase two in December and that was reinforced to me as late as last Friday by very senior EU leaders.
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Britain failed to stand shoulder to shoulder with European allies reeling from a wave of terror attacks when it voted to leave the EU, Brusselss chief Brexit negotiator has said.

Michel Barniers comment came as he warned that Britain will be cut out of decision-making on European defence as a result of Brexit.

But Downing Street hit back, pointing out that the UK had played a leading role in the struggle against Isis, both in terms of counter-extremism measures and in the military effort in Iraq and Syria.

Speaking to a security conference in Berlin, Mr Barnier said that the Brexit vote came after a series of attacks on European soil, committed by young people who grew up in Europe, in our countries.

He added: It was a decision that came six months after the French Minister of Defence issued a call for solidarity to all his European counterparts to join forces to fight the terrorism of Daesh.

Never had the need to be together, to protect ourselves together, to act together been so strong, so manifest.

Yet rather than stay shoulder to shoulder with the Union, the British chose to be on their own again.

In response, Theresa Mays official spokesman highlighted the leading role Britain has played and continues to play in combatting Daesh, both in terms of the online extremism which Daesh uses to spread its poisonous message, and also in terms of the fight against Daesh on the ground in Iraq and Syria  where Britain has played a leading role alongside our allies in the coalition against IS, and which has had notable military success in driving IS back.

The spokesman added: The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear in her commitment to the ongoing security of Europe and of the European Union and her determination to continue cooperating with the EU, sharing information and standing together against IS and terrorism in all its forms.

In his speech, Mr Barnier warned that there must be no horse-trading with the security of Europes citizens as a result of Brexit.

He set out the EUs hopes for a broad, beneficial and balanced post-Brexit security relationship, under which the UK will be able voluntarily to participate in European missions and operations, joint armaments programmes and exchanges on intelligence and cyber warfare.

But he made clear that the UK will lose levers for wielding influence over European security, with no right to take part in meetings of defence ministers and ambassadors, no ability to take commanding roles in EU-led operations and no membership of the European Defence Agency or law-enforcement agency Europol.

Security and defence are likely to loom larger in Brexit negotiations in 2018, once the divorce issues of borders, citizens rights and the financial settlement are resolved and talks move on to the future relationship.

Mr Barnier said that during its membership of the EU, the UK has not been the spearhead of European defence, making limited contributions to EU-led missions and resisting plans to set up a European defence headquarters.He added: The British have never wanted to turn the Union into a military power.

He indicated that the UK will now have to accept a more autonomous European approach to defence, in the light of the strategic repositioning of the US under President Donald Trump.

Our aim, autonomous and united European defence, which means a Union capable of acting by itself and always supportive in its alliances, he said.

The construction of a Europe of Defence has begun.

Obviously, we will not wait for the United Kingdom to implement it, but when the time comes we will be ready to cooperate with the United Kingdom.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant 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winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 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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 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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

Mr Barnier said the EU was hoping for an ambitious partnership with the UK on security.

Theresa May has assured the member states several times that the UK is committed unconditionally to upholding European security, he said.

I welcome this commitment and thank Theresa May for making it.

History teaches us that there must be no horsetrading over the security of Europeans, that is an absolute necessity.
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The deadlock over what the Irish border will look like after Brexit could be settled with a new referendum in Northern Ireland, a Conservative MEP has suggested.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels Charles Tannock said voters in the province should be given a say on whether or not to remain in the EU customs union.

Though Northern Ireland voted solidly to remain in the EU referendum it is being taken out of the EU along with the rest of the UK.

Brexit negotiations have become deadlocked on the issue of the border with the Republic, however, since Theresa May committed to taking the UK out of the customs union.

Both the EU and UK say they do not want a hard border on the island of Ireland, in line with the Good Friday agreement.

The EU has suggested keeping NI in the customs union and moving customs checks to ports on the Irish sea to avoid a border, but this is unacceptable to the British government and the DUP, the Northern Ireland party on which the Government relies for votes.

The Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar has warned he will block any move to the next stage of Brexit talks unless the UK gives an assurance in writing that it will not reimpose a hard border.

The MEP Mr Tannock, who supports Remain and says he has applied for an Irish passport told the parliaments constitutional affairs committee:

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

Given the controversy and the dangers of getting this wrong, I really do think now that [a vote is] the only way to solve this democratically.

Speaking at another committee hearing in Westminster on Wednesday, Northern Ireland minister Chloe Smith said the proposal was not government policy while Brexit minister Robin Walker said that the Government had been very clear that the result of the Brexit referendum applied across the whole UK.
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A European court ruling in favour of a gig economy worker who never got a paid holiday in 13 years has been declared an example of how Brexit would be a disaster for workers rights.

The union representing those in the gig economy said the European Court of Justice (ECJ) verdict that salesman Conley King was entitled to lieu payments for his untaken leave proved the EU court was vital for guaranteeing workers rights.

And Jason Moyer-Lee, General Secretary of the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) also pointed out that the ECJ has become a favourite target of Brexiteers.

Today's judgement is a striking reminder of the impending disaster for worker rights that is Brexit, he said.

It is cases like this one - where the Tories are told that their manoeuvres to protect big business to the detriment of workers are a step too far - that help one understand why they have such an obsessive hatred for the ECJ.

Brexiteers have been itching to remove the UK from the jurisdiction of the ECJ ever since the Leave campaign promised to take back control of British laws.

In her October 2016 Conservative Party conference speech, Theresa May delighted many in the hall by promising: Lets state one thing loud and clear: We are not leaving the European Union only to give up control of immigration all over again. And we are not leaving only to return to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Thats not going to happen."

When in October 2017 Ms May admitted that, actually, it might be necessary to let the ECJ have jurisdiction over the UK during a Brexit implementation period, some Eurosceptic Conservative MPs were aghast.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Brexit cheerleader who has also supported zero hours contracts as convenient for employers and for workers, told reporters: If the ECJ still has jurisdiction, we will not have left the EU. It is perhaps the most important red line in ensuring the leave vote is honoured.

But Dr Moyer-Lee and others are now saying that Mr Kings rights have been safeguarded by the ECJ.

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

The salesman worked for The Sash Window Workshop on a commission-only contract from 1999 until he reached the age of 65 in October 2012.

When he took the company to a UK employment tribunal, it was ruled he should have been treated as a full-time worker and was entitled to holiday pay.

The company agreed to accept some of Mr Kings 27,000 holiday pay claim, but appealed against the tribunals order to make a payment in lieu of untaken leave, arguing that Mr King was not entitled to carry this over each year.

In its judgement on Wednesday, however, the ECJ sided with Mr King and the original UK tribunal ruling.

In doing so it relied heavily on the EU Working Time Directive, itself the target of Eurosceptic complaints about Brussels red tape.

The ECJ argued: The very existence of the right to paid annual leave cannot be subject to any preconditions whatsoever, that right being conferred directly on the worker by Directive 2003/88 [the Working Time Directive].

It follows that an employer that does not allow a worker to exercise his right to paid annual leave must bear the consequences.

First passed by the EU in 1993 and amended and consolidated in 2003, the Working Time Directive stipulates that an employees average weekly working time should not exceed 48 hours and they should have paid annual leave of at least four weeks.

It was incorporated into UK law in 1998, but only after John Majors Conservative Government had appealed against it in 1996, arguing that setting limits on how long someone worked was not a health and safety matter.

The appeal was rejected, by the ECJ.

Mr Kings case has now been referred by the ECJ back to the UK Court of Appeal where it will be decided at a further hearing.

Dr Moyer-Lee said that as well as showing the value of the EU court, the ruling was of vital importance to workers in the gig economy, where people are paid per job or shift rather than receiving a regular wage.

Dr Moyer-Lee, whose union is representing two drivers in a long-running legal battle to secure workers rights from Uber, said: Today's bombshell judgement from the ECJ is a game changer for the so-called gig economy.

The law is now recognising the massive unpaid debt of gig economy companies to their workers - IWGB members will be coming to collect.

James Williams, the lawyer who represented Mr King, also said the judgement meant that bosses who had incorrectly treated workers as self-employed could be liable for backdated payments in lieu of holidays when their staffs employment was terminated.

Crowley Woodford, head of European employment at international law firm Ashurst said: This latest judgment will be a fatal body blow to gig economy employers who are already on the ropes after the Uber worker status decision.

It is now hard to see how the current self-employed labour model operated by these companies can survive."

Some Brexiteers have stated that workers rights will not be diminished after Brexit.

During the referendum campaign, Tory MP Andrea Leadsom, who is now Leader of the House of Commons, stated: In the area of employment law I wouldnt expect to see deregulation.

Writing in the Financial Times during this years election campaign, Theresa May said: At this great moment of national change, it is the Conservative party that is the voice of ordinary working people once again. I will use the UKs departure from the EU to strengthen and enhance workers rights.
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David Davis risks being held in contempt of Parliament after a row erupted over his refusal to release documents setting out the economic impact of Brexit.

The cabinet minister will now be forced to appear before a Commons committee of MPs next week to explain why he has failed to hand over the papers  despite a vote in Parliament demanding their release.

But as pressure mounted on the Brexit Secretary to give up the documents, Tory eurosceptics launched a counter-offensive pushing ministers to hold a second vote to ensure the papers are suppressed.

Recommended The public has the right to see the Brexit papers

The growing row is set to see Mr Davis publicly grilled next Monday  the same day Theresa May will meet EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker to secure agreement that Brexit talks can finally move on to discussion of trade. It was reported on Tuesday that she has agreed to pay between 40bn-50bn as part of the Brexit divorce bill to secure progress.

After Mr Davis failed to release all of the UK Governments analysis of 58 business sectors in his possession to Parliaments cross-party Brexit Committee, the body called him in to a hearing.

Meanwhile, Commons Speaker John Bercow told MPs: When it is suggested that that meeting should be soon, it means soon  it does not mean weeks hence, it means very soon indeed.

Nothing, no commitment, no other diarised engagement is more important than respecting the House.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

In what appeared to be a direct warning to Mr Davis, the Speaker said: If a further representation alleging contempt is made to me, I will consider it very promptly and come back to the House.

I hope the House knows me well enough to know that I will do my duty.

If Mr Davis were to be held in contempt it could mean he is suspended, or expelled from the Common. In times gone by, MPs held in contempt were also locked in the clock tower of Parliament carrying Big Ben.

The minister was compelled to release some 850 pages of analysis that his Brexit Department has carried out into the potential impact of Brexit on dozens of UK sectors, following a vote in Parliament on 1 November.

The motion, put forward as a humble address to the monarch, passed without opposition from the Government and stated that the papers should be handed over while making no provision for any items to be withheld.

But ministers said some would be held back, if they deemed them commercially sensitive or disadvantageous to the UKs Brexit negotiating hand.

Hilary Benn has accused the Government of failing to comply with the Commons vote (Getty)

Ex-Labour cabinet minister Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit Committee, said it is clear his body had been given edited documents  meaning the Government had failed to comply with the Commons vote.

Labours Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, forced ministers to the Commons to answer questions on the matter on Tuesday.

He said of Mr Daviss failure to release the full documents: Whether he is in contempt of Parliament is a matter we will come to at a later date, but he is certainly treating Parliament with contempt.

Meanwhile, former Chancellor Ken Clarke said the Government should have tried to oppose the motion if it had wanted to block publication in any way.

 Priti Patel says Britain is 'ill-equipped' for Brexit talks

He went on: We cannot allow post-Brexit to start reducing parliamentary sovereignty to a slightly ridiculous level.

Scottish National Party MP Pete Wishart went further, writing to the Speaker with a complaint that the Government had held the House in contempt by refusing to meet the terms of the vote.

He said: David Davis campaigned for parliamentary accountability and taking back control during the EU referendum  yet today we find the Brexit Secretary and the UK Government doing everything they can to make sure MPs are unable to scrutinise the Governments Brexit plans.

 David Davis set to face Commons committee over release of Brexit papers

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake commented: Editing these reports is a breach of the agreement reached with MPs, meaning action over contempt of Parliament now looms.

If the Government really believes in its own Brexit plans, why are they so scared of publishing these reports in full?

But Tory backbench Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg raised the idea of holding a second vote in Parliament, which would essentially absolve the Government of the obligation to release all of the papers.

Fellow Conservative Brexit-backer Chris Chope backed the idea, as did Richard Graham, a Conservative member of the Brexit Committee, who said: I believe it is now strongly in the Governments interest to put forward a motion to amend the humble address, which many of us in this House would strongly support.

Another Brexiteer, Philip Hollobone MP, said it had been a mistake by the Government not to amend the original motion, and, supporting the idea of a second vote, added: The Government is now skating on very thin parliamentary ice.

Brexit Minister Robin Walker told them the Government will certainly look into the proposal, and would take them very seriously.

The Brexit Department stressed that ministers had a responsibility, endorsed by Parliament, not to release information that would undermine the UKs negotiating position.

A spokesman said: The Government has satisfied the motion, providing the House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee with information covering 58 sectors of the economy.
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Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has told constituents in letters this month she would fight for the right of the electorate for a referendum on the final Brexit deal.

The comments from one of Jeremy Corbyns closest allies are at odds with Labour party policy after the leadership earlier in 2017 definitively ruled a second vote at the end of the two-year Brexit negotiations.

In the letter, sent to the Guardian from Hayley Dove, a Hackney constituent of Ms Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary wrote: Although the Government won the vote moving the [EU Withdrawal] Bill to the next parliamentary stage, the Labour party will continue to push for the many not the few.

But, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington continued: I will argue for the right of the electorate to vote on any deal that is finally agreed.

The Labour party is committed to retaining the best deal for all. I want to reassure you I am fully focused on defending the interest of the UK and I agree that there should be parliamentary scrutiny and transparency.

But after her remarks became public the Shadow Home Secretary said the letters were poorly worded, insisting that there is no important story here.

"There is no difference at all between my position and official Labour party policy," she added.

In her response Ms Dove told the Guardian: I think its absurd she has responded in this manner If she does believe what she says in this better then she should say so publicly and make it really clear.

Another constituent Lee Kelly, from Stoke Newington, also received a similar letter two weeks later. He told The Guardian: Like a lot of people in the constituency, Im very concerned about Brexit. I was really surprised to see it.

Ms Abbotts Labour colleague Ben Bradshaw shared the comments on social media, adding: Good for Diane! And she shouldnt have to apologise for sensible and honest assurances to her constituents.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

The Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable also said it was encouraging that a senior member of the Shadow Cabinet should come out for the Liberal Democrat position of giving the public a vote on the final deal.

I call on them [Labour] to confirm that they back Diane Abbotts new position. I also look forward to working with Diane Abbott to give the people the chance to vote for an exit from Brexit.

If the progressive parties did work together to give the public a say on the final deal, we could, even at this late hour, still stop Brexit.
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Donald Trump's retweets of Islamophobic videos posted by far-right group Britain First have been raised in Parliament, with MPs demanding the Government condemns the US President.

The issue was raised as a point of order by Labour MPs Yvette Cooper and Stephen Doughty, who asked the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to respond to the tweets.

Mr Doughty said: "It appears that the President of the United States has, in recent moments, been retweeting comments from far-fight organisation Britain First - highly inflammatory videos, including some posted by an individual who I believe has recently been arrested and charged relating to certain serious offences."

He asked the Speaker, John Bercow, if there were plans for Ms Rudd or the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, to make a statement on the issue.

Ms Cooper, a former Shadow Home Secretary, said the "significance and the seriousness" of Mr Trump giving Britain First "a huge platform" meant it was "appropriate" for government ministers to condemn the Republican.

Mr Bercow gave Ms Rudd the opportunity to respond but she declined to do so, prompting MPs to shout: "Go on, stand up."

Others yelled "absolutely disgraceful" when the issue of Mr Trump's tweets was mentioned.

The Speaker said it would be "wrong to expect a government minister to respond immediately".

Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex

It comes after Mr Trump retweeted three videos posted by Jayda Fransen, Britain First's deputy leader.

The first video claimed to show "Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches", while the second was captioned "Muslim destroys statue of Virgin Mary". The third read "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death".

The posts sparked widespread condemnation, with critics accusing the US President of giving a platform to Britain First and Fransen, who has previously been convicted of religiously aggravated harassment over her treatment of a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. She was arrested again earlier this month over a speech she gave a rally in Belfast.

Other MPs used social media to add their condemnation of Mr Trump's tweets. Chris Bryant wrote: "Donald Trump is inciting religious hatred in this country by retweeting the convicted racist."

Tottenham MP David Lammy said: "Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump you are not welcome in my country and my city."
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The Labour MP leading the campaign to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in Iran has ignored requests to intervene in the case of a disappeared British citizen in Bangladesh, where her aunt is Prime Minister, saying only that he is not my constituent.

Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq has been among the most prominent voices in the campaign to free Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson erroneously claimed she had been training journalists in Iran, prompting the regime to increase her sentence by five years.

But according to a Channel 4 News report, Ms Siddiq has also received requests from journalists, from lawyers, from family and in parliament, to intervene in the case of Ahman Bin Quasem, a British-Bangladeshi lawyer and son of a prominent Bangladeshi Opposition politician who was kidnapped last August by the Bangladeshi regime.

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Doorstepped by Channel 4 News at Free Zaghari-Ratcliffe rally in north London, Ms Siddiq told them she has no idea about the case, despite receiving a heartfelt letter from Mr Bin Quasems mother, before suggesting it would not be proper for her to intervene because Mr Bin Quasem is not her constituent.

Ms Siddiq told Channel 4 News: I am a British politician, born in London. Are you implying that Im a Bangladeshi politician? I dont think thats the right thing to imply. You need to be very careful.

Are you calling me Bangladeshi because I am British. Be very careful what youre saying.

Ms Siddiqs aunt is Sheikh Hasina, who has been Bangladeshi Prime Minister since 2009. Human rights campaigners have criticised the regime for its record on extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances.

Ms Siddiq has previously travelled to Moscow with her aunt for a public meeting with Vladimir Putin, and prior to her election to parliament in 2015 described herself as a spokesperson for the Awami League, her aunts political party. The Channel 4 News report points out that this claim has since disappeared from her website.

Michael Polak, a lawyer representing Mr Bin Quasem who have travelled to Bangladesh say they have been told that Mr Bin Quasems best hope is for Ms Siddiq to intervene, adding that all it would take is one phone call.

The report points out Ms Siddiq recently told a Bangladeshi newspaper that I try to help Bangladeshis in England in whatever way it is possible.

At the end of Channel 4 News report, Ms Siddiq is recorded saying to Channel 4 News pregnant producer Daisy Ayliffe. Thanks Daisy for coming. Hope you have a great birth because child labour is hard.

Ms Siddiq told the programme: He is not my constituent. I have no idea about the case. That is the end of my statement.

Later, Ms Siddiq apologised for the remarks she made to Ms Ayliffe.

In a statement, Ms Siddiq said: "I want to apologise unreservedly for my comments to Channel 4's producer, which were an off-hand and ill-judged attempt to deal with what I felt was a hostile situation.

"I would never want to upset her and I hope she accepts my apology."

She added: "The fact that some members of my family are involved in politics in Bangladesh has long been a matter of public record which I have not hidden from.

"That said, I have no capability or desire to influence politics in Bangladesh."
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Welcome to The Independents liveblog on Wednesdays Prime Ministers Questions.

Theresa May is in the Middle East as part of her efforts to strengthen links with other trading partners as Brexit approaches. So at Prime Ministers Questions this afternoon, Damian Green, in his capacity as First Secretary of State and de facto Prime Minister, stepped in for his close friend Ms May.

Despite an ongoing Cabinet Office investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour by Mr Green, the Prime Minister insisted on her flight to the Middle East that she is sure he will do a very good job.

It marks a significant display of support for her friend and embattled ally Mr Green but the Prime Ministers official spokesman insisted there was no attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation currently underway.

Mrs May ordered an inquiry last month into allegations that Mr Green made inappropriate advances to a young female activist, and the probe was later widened to cover claims that pornography was found by police on a computer in his office.

Asked what her decision to ask him to deputise revealed about her own attitude towards victims of sexual harassment, Mrs May told reporters: He is the First Secretary of State, he has deputised for me at Prime Minister's Questions before.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant 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winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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 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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. 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Obviously considerations of these issues are continuing, but he is First Secretary of State, he has done Prime Minister's Questions before and I am sure he will do a very good job.

Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, stood in for the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and tackled him on a growing number of nurses leaving the NHS and cuts to hospitals in his own constituency. She also joked about being able to support an Anglo-America relationship  the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Mr Green also faced questions from the SNPs Westminster leader over arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the war in Yemen. But Green said suspending arms sales to the region would result in a significant number of British workers losing jobs.
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Theresa May has become the first major foreign leader to visit Iraq after Mosul was reclaimed from the clutches of Isis.

Iraqs second-biggest city became a stronghold for the extremist group after it seized control in June 2014  and in the fight to liberate it has left much of it in ruins.

For Ms May, the first British Prime Minister to visit Iraq since Labours Gordon Brown, it was also the first time she had been to a conflict zone.

In Iraq we are working together to defeat Daesh and my visit comes at a critical moment as we see the caliphate collapsing with the fall of Mosul and Raqqa, she told reporters.

We want to ensure that Iraq can in the future provide that strong, stable and unified state that can provide the security, jobs and opportunities that all Iraqis want and deserve.

She told ITV News: Here in Iraq I have been pleased to meet with Iraqi forces who have been involved in that work against Daesh.

That has been very important, and of course I have been meeting British troops who are training those Iraqi forces as part of the coalition effort.

But we do need to ensure that we address the possibility of individuals from Daesh trying to set up elsewhere, and that is about ensuring there are no unstable areas where they can set up, but it is also about dealing with the terrorist threat in all the ways we can.

That includes, for example, working to ensure that their hateful material is not being spread across the internet and inspiring others to conduct attacks.

As she stepped off the rear loading ramp of an RAF Hercules C-130, she was given a helping hand by the new British Ambassador for Iraq, Jon Wilks.

Her first stop was Camp Taji, a coalition base north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where around 80 British troops are currently based.

At a training complex on the camp, Ms May watched Royal Engineers training Iraqi security forces to detect and deactivate improvised explosive devices.

After watching one soldier practising with a metal detector, swiping it across an area in between two strips of orange tape, she quizzed him through an interpreter about the skills he was gaining, and he replied that they were very important.

Enjoying a cup of coffee in the warm Middle Eastern sun as she chatted to troops, she exclaimed Oh wow as she spotted a large cake decorated with a Union flag which had pride of place on a long table.

During the visit, the Prime Minister announced three commitments to counter the evolving threat from Isis and to manage the risk of foreign fighters returning to Europe.

These included a deepening counter-terrorism relationship with Iraq and 10m over the next three years to help build the countrys counter-terrorism capability.

She also said the UK would work with partners across the region to develop border infrastructure, watch-lists and biometric capabilities, to counter foreign fighter dispersal.

Ms May reiterated her call for more to be done to tackle terrorist use of the internet, which she said tech companies have begun to act upon by setting up the industry-led Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

There is more for us to do, but we have had some success, she said.

She also confirmed continuing support for Iraqi defence and security through officer training  including places for Iraqi students on high-profile UK courses at the UK military colleges and the Defence Academy.

British teams will also continue to train Iraqi forces.

Ms May later toured the Global Coalition operations centre before moving on to have talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad.

Their discussions, which continued for around 45 minutes, are understood to have focused on future defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Abadi thanked Ms May for Britains support in training, logistics and intelligence.

Her visit is proof of the United Kingdoms support in the fight against Daesh, he said.

In the summer of 2014, Isis blitzed across the north and west of Iraq  capturing Mosul and even advancing to the edges of Baghdad.

The UK is one of 74 countries in the Global Coalition against Daesh.

RAF Typhoon and Tornado jets and Reaper drones have carried out more than 1,600 strikes, as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and refuelling missions against the terrorists over the past three years.

And as part of the UKs role in the efforts, more than 600 British soldiers are currently deployed in locations across Iraq.

They have trained more than 60,000 Iraqi and Kurdish troops in how to detect and disarm improvised explosive devices, medical techniques and infantry skills.
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Theresa Mays ties with Donald Trump are under intense pressure after the Prime Minister openly attacked the President for promoting a British far-right extremist organisation to his 44 million social media followers.

Ms May branded Mr Trump wrong for posting anti-Muslim propaganda videos previously published by a leading figure in the Britain First group.

The White House brushed aside the Downing Street criticism and defended the Presidents actions, despite one of the films allegedly showing an act of violence by a Muslim having been proved false.

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As the firestorm grew, furious MPs demanded Ms May withdraw an outstanding invitation for a state visit that was made early in her premiership because Mr Trump is not welcome.

Their anger was echoed by the Archbishop of Canterbury who called the Presidents posts deeply disturbing, by anti-racism campaigners and also the husband of Jo Cox MP who was murdered by a right-wing extremist who screamed Britain first.

In the wake of the row, deputy Britain First leader Jayda Fransen, who originally posted the videos, capitalised on the publicity with television interviews and uploaded new footage of herself calling on Mr Trump to intervene in a court case against her.

The incident is the latest and most alarming intervention by the American leader that has caused Ms May embarrassment, following her decision to pursue a close relationship with the right-wing President.

Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice  which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters

Within hours of the anti-Muslim films going up, the Prime Ministers official spokesman tried to distance Number 10 from Mr Trumps posts, saying: It is wrong for the President to have done this.

The spokesman was unable to say whether she would confront Mr Trump directly over Twitter messages, if she would demand he delete them or if her criticism would be raised with the US Government in any way.

But, he did say: Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law-abiding people

British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents  decency, tolerance and respect.

He also indicated that the state visit invitation extended to Mr Trump still stood regardless of the incident.

The President retweeted three videos from Britain First on Wednesday morning with one carrying the caption Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches, another claimed to show an Islamist mob pushing a teenager off a roof and beating him to death while a third allegedly showed a Muslim man destroying a Virgin Mary statue.

 Donald Trump calls Elizabeth Warren 'Pocahontas' in front of Native American veterans

The videos have not been independently verified, but at least one has been discredited by the site that first posted it, which wrote that the attacker in the film was not a migrant or a Muslim. All three are more than six months old and two date back as early as 2013.

With the fallout spreading across the Atlantic, Mr Trumps officials scrambled to defend his actions and said they were legitimate regardless of whether one of the videos were real or not.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters: Whether it's a real video, the threat is real.

Theresa May was the first world leader to visit Donald Trump's White House, where she was pictured holding hands with him

His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security.

Ms Sanders maintained the videos did not need to be verified, claiming the media was focusing on the wrong thing.

She added: I'm not talking about the nature of the video...the threat is real, what the President is talking about  the need for national security and military spending  those are very real things, theres nothing fake about that.

Asked to respond to Ms Mays denunciation, Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah said: The President has the greatest respect for the British people and for Prime Minister May.

Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Show all 14 1 /14 Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Riot police block protesters during a rally near the US embassy AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters shout slogans while displaying portraits of U.S. President Donald Trump and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists clash with riot police EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters burn a banner of Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters against Donald Trump's visit AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters deface portraits of Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters clash with anti-riot police officers as they try to march towards the U.S. embassy REUTERS Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines A mural bearing the image of Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte is burnt REUTERS Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists march on a road leading to the US embassy during a protest in Manila EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters scuffle with riot police AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters shout anti-US slogans as they burn a banner featuring the image of US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists clash with riot police EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters display placards as they shout anti-US slogans AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Anti-riot police officers block protesters REUTERS

A question was raised by Labour MP Stephen Doughty over the tweets in the House of Commons, where MPs could be heard calling them absolutely disgraceful.

Yvette Cooper, the former shadow Home Secretary, urged Amber Rudd or Boris Johnson to condemn the significant and serious posts.

The woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in this country, she added, warning that Mr Trump had given her a huge platform.

Chuka Umunna MP was among those calling for Mr Trump's state visit invitation to be withdrawn immediately, accusing the President of normalising hatred.

 Archbishop of Canterbury on US Christians who support Trump: "I don't understand it"

At some point you've got to draw a line, or you're going down a very dangerous road, he added.

David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, said he had gone beyond the pale...promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group, adding: He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in my country and my city.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: "I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson, accused the President of sowing division and hatred, saying: The mask has yet again slipped, revealing the atrocious views of President Trump.

Jeremy Corbyn called Mr Trump's tweets 'abhorrent' (Getty Images)

Mr Trump needs to do the world a favour and delete his account.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby urged the President to remove the posts from his timeline, saying: It is deeply disturbing that the President of the United States has chosen to amplify the voice of far-right extremists.

Brendan Cox, the husband deceased MP Jo Cox, said Mr Trump had legitimised the far-right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours.

Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself, he added.

Brendan Cox gives his statement after the sentencing of Thomas Mair, who murdered his wife (Getty)

Ms Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist who repeatedly shouted Britain first during his brutal attack, although it was unclear whether he was referring to the group and he was also supported by the neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action.

In the US, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the President was clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims, following repeated attempts at a controversial immigration ban targeting Muslim-majority countries.

Fransen, from Penge, south-east London, seized the platform afforded her by the world leader to ask for his help ahead of a court case she faces in December.

 Jayda Fransen appeals to Donald Trump to intervene in her criminal court case

She will appear charged with using threatening and abusive language in connection with a speech she made at an anti-terrorism demonstration in Belfast on August 6.

Fransen is also currently on bail facing trial over four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment as part of a Kent Police investigation into the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos during a trial held at Canterbury Crown Court in May.

She said in her newly posted film that she was delighted the leader of the free world had retweeted her videos and added: Youve shed light on my plight here in Britain, in that I am facing prison for giving a speech in which I criticised Islam. This is evidence that Britain has become Sharia compliant.
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A Treasury minister has insisted the UK will not pay a rumoured 45bn divorce bill to leave the EU unless it secures a favourable trade deal in return.

Liz Truss told MPs the huge payment  which has been agreed in principle with Brussels  was contingent on getting a suitable outcome from those negotiations.

The pledge came as the minister came under pressure in the Commons not to make a legal commitment to pay up unless the EU agrees a free-trade deal and zero tariffs.

A string of Brexit-backing Tory backbenchers urged the Government not to commit to the bill without guarantees in return, some demanding an itemised account of the payments planned.

Answering an urgent question, Ms Truss, the Treasury chief secretary, refused to confirm or deny that Britain is prepared to pay about 45bn, insisting the reports were simply media speculation.

But she sought to reassure Brexiteer Tories by saying: It has to be contingent on getting a suitable outcome from those negotiations. Several times, Ms Truss insisted: Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

However, the EU has offered only to start future trade talks once a financial settlement has been reached  with no guarantee of any agreement that may result.

Ms Truss also argued that, even a 40bn divorce bill would still be "considerable saving to the UK taxpayer, because the country would no longer be paying annual membership fees.

But Chris Leslie, the Labour MP who forced the minister to the despatch box, said the bill could reach 1,000 for every man woman and child in the country.

What exactly are we getting from this? What wondrous new advantages will we get by shelling out these astronomical sums? he asked.

And  in a reference to Boris Johnsons insistence, in July, that the UK would reject a big divorce bill  Mr Leslie said: Theyve gone from go whistle to where should we sign.

It emerged late on Tuesday that London and Brussels are close to an agreement on the financial settlement  for so long the biggest obstacle to the talks progressing to phase two. Sources in Brussels told The Independent that the two sides are nearing a deal on the methodology for calculating the settlement.  with the expected bill put at around 45bn.

In the Commons, some Tory MPs, including Peter Bone and Philip Davies, argued that tens of billions should be spent on the NHS and public services instead.

Others, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Owen Paterson, John Redwood and John Baron, suggested approval for such a payment  but only for a trade deal in return.

Mr Rees-Mogg urged Ms Truss to note the growing concern that Her Majesty's Government seems, in these negotiations, to be dancing to the tune of the European Commission. He demanded to know if she can be certain that after 29 March 2019 that we will make no payments to the European Union whatsoever in the absence of a full agreement covering trade?

And Julian Lewis, another Conservative, said Britain had to remain prepared to walk away from the talks, saying: Too many concession project an image of weakness.

Meanwhile, Labour revealed it would force a vote next week to try to amend the EU withdrawal bill to ensure the Commons votes on the divorce payment.
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The Government has been attacked for allowing 4.6bn arms sales with Saudi Arabia amid calls for the Middle Eastern kingdom to end its blockade of Yemen.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said regime must stop killing children as he condemned the Government for failing to suspend sell arms to Riyadh during the devastating three-year conflict in Yemen.

Theresa Mays de-facto deputy Damian Green  who stood in during Prime Ministers Questions  said the UK had one of the most rigorous and robust defence sales regimes in the world.

It comes as Ms May faced pressure to raise the humanitarian crisis during a three-day trip to the Middle East, where she will hold talks with leaders in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict in Yemen, which pitches a Saudi-led coalition in favour of the internationally recognised Government against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Mr Blackford, the Skye, Ross and Lochaber MP, said: The UK Government has received 4.6bn in selling arms to Saudi Arabia, since the war in Yemen began.

A war which has created a devastating humanitarian crisis. Yemen is now on the brink of famine and Unicef has said 150,000 children will die by the end of this year.

Dont you agree that the best thing the Prime Minister can do with her meetings today is follow the example of the Netherlands and suspend licences for arms sales to Saudi Arabia and stop killing children?

Mr Green hit back, saying: You said the Government will receive the money  it will be the companies that receive the money and therefore their workers.

He can take that position if he wants , I know its the Labour Partys position as well, but that would certainly entail significant job losses.

Now what is very important not only that we have the robust regime which I talked about but that absolutely we continue the humanitarian efforts that we make to try and alleviate the terrible conditions in Yemen.

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

The UK is the fourth largest humanitarian donor to Yemen and continues to support Saudi involvement in the conflict, which is backed by the UN Security Council, he said.

The Prime Minister was expected to raise the threat of famine in Yemen when she meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Efforts to curb the humanitarian crisis have been hampered by the Saudi-led coalition's blockade of ports, which has been partially eased to allow UN aid ships to bring food supplies.

Mark Goldring, Oxfam chief executive, said: "In the midst of the worlds worst cholera epidemic on record and with the country on the brink of the worst famine in recent years, the UK needs to do more than talk tough - it needs to exert real pressure and take action.

"As the country responsible for drafting UN Security Council resolutions on Yemen, the UK should be ready to step up international pressure on Saudi Arabia to persuade them to lift the blockade and on all sides push for peace.

"The Government should stop authorizing arms sales which are fuelling the war in Yemen. It is a shameful contradiction that the UK is allowing for profiting out of peoples suffering.

"If the Prime Ministers pleas fall of deaf ears, sanctions on the Saudi-led coalition should be introduced to force them to face up to their actions, and to prevent countless more people becoming innocent victims of the conflict, starvation and disease."
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Canada is testing a basic income to discover what impact the policy has on unemployed people and those on low incomes.

The province of Ontario is planning to give 4,000 citizens thousands of dollars a month and assess how it affects their health, wellbeing, earnings and productivity.

It is among a number of regions and countries across the globe that are now piloting the scheme, which sees residents given a certain amount of money each month regardless of whether or not they are in work.

Recommended Half of Britons back plan to pay all UK citizens basic income

Although it is too early for the Ontario pilot to deliver clear results, some of those involved have already reported a significant change.

One recipient, Tim Button, said the monthly payments were making a huge difference to his life. He worked as a security guard before having to quit after a fall from a roof left him unable to work.

"It takes me out of depression, he told the Associated Press. I feel more sociable."

The basic income payments have boosted his income by almost 60 per cent and have allowed him to make plans to visit his family for Christmas for the first time in years. He has also been able to buy healthier food, see a dentist and look into taking an educational course to help him find work.

Under the Ontario experiment, unemployed people or those with a low income can receive up to C$17,000 (9,900) and are allowed to also keep half of what they earn at work, meaning there is still an incentive to work. Couples are entitled to C$24,000 (13,400).

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

If the trial proves successful, the scheme could be expanded to more of the provinces 14.2 million residents and may inspire more regions of Canada and other nations to adopt the policy.

Support for a basic income has grown in recent years, fuelled in part by fears about the impact that new technology will have on jobs. As machines and robots are able to complete an increasing number of tasks, attention has turned to how people will live when there are not enough jobs to go round.

Ontarios Premier, Kathleen Wynne, said this was a major factor in the decision to trial a basic income in the province.

She said: "I see it on a daily basis. I go into a factory and the floor plant manager can tell me where there were 20 people and there is one machine. We need to understand what it might look like if there is, in fact, the labour disruption that some economists are predicting."

 Canada is trialing universal basic income

Ontario officials have found that many people are reluctant to sign up to the scheme, fearing there is a catch or that they will be left without money once the pilot finishes.

Many of those who are receiving payments, however, say their lives have already been changed for the better.

Dave Cherkewski, 46, said the extra C$750 (436) a month he receives has helped him to cope with the mental illness that has kept him out of work since 2002.

"I've never been better after 14 years of living in poverty," he said.

He hopes to soon find work helping other people with mental health challenges.

He said: With basic income I will be able to clarify my dream and actually make it a reality, because I can focus all my effort on that and not worry about, 'Well, I need to pay my $520 rent, I need to pay my $50 cellphone, I need to eat and do other things.

Finland is also trialling a basic income, as is the state of Hawaii, Oakland in California and the Dutch city of Utrecht.
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Families of Native American war veterans and politicians from both major US parties have criticised Donald Trump for using a White House event honouring Navajo Code Talkers to take a political jab at a Democratic senator he has nicknamed Pocahontas".

The US leader turned to the name he often deployed for Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren during the 2016 presidential campaign to mock her claims about being part Native American.

He told the three Navajo Code Talkers on stage that he had affection for them that he doesn't have for her.

It was uncalled for, said Marty Thompson, whose great-uncle was a Navajo Code Talker. He can say what he wants when he's out doing his presidential business among his people, but when it comes to honouring veterans or any kind of people, he needs to grow up and quit saying things like that.

Pocahontas is well-known as a Disney princess, but less so for the sacrifices she made to save her people from British forces in the 1600s in present-day Virginia, descendants of her tribal community say.

Whether Mr Trump's remark constitutes a racial slur depends on who you ask, but most critics agree it was inappropriate.

Ms Warren said Mr Trump's repeated references to her as Pocahontas will not keep her from speaking out.

Now he seems to think that that's somehow going to shut me up." she said.

She added: He's wrong. It's not going to make any difference."

All he had to do was make it through the ceremony, she said. But that wasn't possible for Donald Trump. He had to throw in a racial slur.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said that she didn't believe the remark was a racial slur and that was certainly not the president's intent.

Mr Trump made the comment as he stood near a portrait of President Andrew Jackson, which he hung in the Oval Office in January. He is known to admire Jackson's populism, although he is an unpopular figure in Indian Country because he oversaw the forced removal of American Indians from their southern homelands.

The Navajo Nation suggested Mr Trump's remark was an example of cultural insensitivity, and they resolved to stay out of the ongoing feud between the senator and President Trump.

Its president Russell Begaye said in a statement that all tribal nations still battle insensitive references to our people."

He added: "The prejudice that Native American people face is an unfortunate historical legacy."

Still, Mr Begaye and relatives of Navajo Code Talkers said they're honoured the story of the men recruited from the vast Southwest reservation to become Marines could be told on a national stage. Peter MacDonald, a former Navajo chairman and trained Code Talker, who stood beside Mr Trump, also took the opportunity to ask for support for a Navajo Code Talker museum. Mr Trump obliged.

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Michael Smith, a Marine whose father was a Code Talker, said most of the Code Talkers would be sceptical about going to the White House because it could be construed to mean they support a political cause.

So, why did they go? Why were they there? He's putting them in the Oval Office to say 'You did a good job, and say hi to Pocahontas?' Smith said. They should be taken care of as heroes, not as pawns.

Michael Nez, whose father helped develop the code based on the Navajo language, said his father would have been upset to hear Mr Trump's Pocahontas comment. But, as other Code Talker relatives said, his father was taught to respect the president as the commander in chief.

It's too bad he does put his foot in his mouth, Mr Nez said. Why he does it? I don't know.

The president has long feuded with Warren, an outspoken Wall Street critic who levelled blistering attacks on Trump during the campaign. Trump seized on questions about Warren's heritage, which surfaced during her 2012 Senate race challenging incumbent Republican Senator Scott Brown.

Ms Warren says her parents told her of the Native American connection and she listed herself with that heritage in law school directories to meet others with similar backgrounds.

Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the Navajo Code Talkers, whose bravery, skill & tenacity helped secure our decisive victory over tyranny & oppression during WWII, Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, tweeted. Politicizing these genuine American heroes is an insult to their sacrifice.
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Donald Trump probably thought his decision to pose between two empty seats reserved for missing Democratic leaders was a stroke of genius - or in his own words smart - but it has backfired and the US president has been roundly mocked.

President Trump declared Democrats used to be all talk, no action but now they are not even talk while sat between two seats reserved for Senator Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

The two Democrat leaders did not show up for a meeting at the White House after Mr Trump accused democratic congressional leaders of scheming to use their leverage to increase taxes and deluge the US with undocumented immigrants. Democrats hold significant clout because Republicans do not possess enough votes to pass a spending measure next week without gaining some Democratic support.

President Trump suggested it was unlikely the White House would manage to reach a deal with Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi, the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House, to avoid a shutdown after 8 December, when government funding runs out.

But the senior Democrats responded by choosing to pull out of their planned meeting with President Trump, Republican Congressional Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan at the White House.

In a statement, the two Democratic leaders said they planned to negotiate directly with their Republican counterparts rather than Mr Trump in order to prevent a government shutdown next month.

But President Trump doubled down and posed for TV cameras at the White House flanked by empty chairs. He branded his negotiating partners weak on crime, immigration and the military.

The world leader said: Theyve been all talk, and theyve been no action, and now its even worse. Now its not even talk.

President Trumps empty chair stunt sparked a torrent of memes and jokes on Twitter and onlookers have penned pithy captions to correspond to the image of the billionaire property developer surrounded by empty chairs.

Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Show all 14 1 /14 Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Riot police block protesters during a rally near the US embassy AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters shout slogans while displaying portraits of U.S. President Donald Trump and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists clash with riot police EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters burn a banner of Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters against Donald Trump's visit AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters deface portraits of Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte AP Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters clash with anti-riot police officers as they try to march towards the U.S. embassy REUTERS Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines A mural bearing the image of Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte is burnt REUTERS Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists march on a road leading to the US embassy during a protest in Manila EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters scuffle with riot police AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters shout anti-US slogans as they burn a banner featuring the image of US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Activists clash with riot police EPA Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Protesters display placards as they shout anti-US slogans AFP/Getty Images Protest in Manila against Donald Trump's visit to the Philippines Anti-riot police officers block protesters REUTERS

One critic went so far as to Photoshop two members of the Ku Klux Klan clad in their trademark white pointed hoods into the vacant chairs.

They've been all talk and no action, Trump says of Chuck and Nancy, as he sits in a meeting room with empty chairs for them, quipped one of NPRs editors, Domenico Montanaro.

"If you are a sixth grader, this was really, really funny. If you're an adult, self-proclaimed 'master of the deal' and charged with leading a great nation, this was just today's embarrassment (slightly less than yesterday's.)," said another.

Ramping up his tough talk, Mr Trump used the meeting to suggest he would absolutely blame the Democrats if there is a government shutdown next week.

He added: If it happens, its going to be over illegals pouring into the country, crime pouring into the country, no border wall, which everyone wants.

Ms Pelosi hit back on Twitter and mocked Mr McConnell and Mr Ryan for going along with President Trumps stunt.

Donald Trump now knows that his verbal abuse will no longer be tolerated. His empty chair photo opp showed he is more interested in stunts than in addressing the needs of the American people. Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad! she said.

Mr Ryan and Mr McConnell, who still attended the meeting despite the no show, denounced their Democratic counterparts decision to forego the negotiating meeting.

In their joint statement, Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi said: Given that the president doesnt see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead.

Rather than going to the White House for a show meeting that wont result in an agreement, weve asked Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan to meet this afternoon. We dont have any time to waste in addressing the issues that confront us, so were going to continue to negotiate with Republican leaders who may be interested in reaching a bipartisan agreement.

The dramatic spectacle signals a gloomy start to the tricky negotiations ahead which must be carried out before 8 December.
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Donald Trump is set to shrink a protected area in Utah that was established by Barack Obama in the final days of his presidency.

The US President will visit Salt Lake City on Monday, where he is set to announce he will eliminate parts of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

The 1.35m-acre Bears Ears was designated a national monument by Mr Obama, while former president Bill Clinton declared the 1.9m-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante in 1996.

The move will open up more land to drilling and mining companies and go against the wishes of five Native American tribes  the Hopi, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni and the Ute Indian Tribe.

The President is not expected to visit either monument during the trip, sources familiar with the trip have told the newspaper.

Ryan Zinke, US Interior Secretary, recommended earlier this year boundary changes for at least three national monuments after Mr Trump ordered a review of all national monuments designated since 1996.

 Donald Trump calls Elizabeth Warren 'Pocahontas' in front of Native American veterans

Mr Zinke said he would not seek to rescind any of the 27 of the parks he was asked to review, but did leave open the possibility of allowing drilling or mining.

Orrin Hatch, Senator for Utah, said in October he had been informed by the President that he planned to shrink the two sites.

I was incredibly grateful the President called to let us know that he is approving Secretary Zinkes recommendation on Bears Ears," Mr Hatch said in a statement.

His spokesman, Matt Whitlock, said Mr Trump told Mr Hatch he was approving shrinking the two monuments for you, Orrin.

The move has been condemned by local Native Americans who say the land is sacred. They plan to launch legal action to stop any changes.

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The tribes view this as an affront to themselves and their own self-determination, said Natalie Landreth, senior staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund. All of us, all five tribes, will be suing jointly the day he makes an announcement.

The Navajo Nations top lawyer also said last month that the tribe would sue the Trump administration for violating the Antiquities Act, a century-old law that protects sacred sites, cultural artefacts and other historical objects, if it tried to reduce the size of the Bears Ears.

The lawyer, Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch, said: The Navajo Nation stands ready to defend the Bears Ears National Monument. We have a complaint ready to file upon official action by the President.
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A suspected serial killer was arrested in Florida after one of his McDonalds co-workers found a loaded gun in one of his food bags.

Howell Donaldson III, 24,will be charged with four counts of first degree murder in relation to fatal shootings in the Seminole Heights region of Tampa, said the city's Police chief Brian Dugan.

The killings sparked fear in the area and police had instructed residents not to walk in the area alone at night.

Mr Donaldson III's arrest affadavit said one of his co-workers at the fast food restaurant had called them after he handed them a food bag with a loaded .40 caliber Glock firearm inside. He told his colleague he wanted to leave the state.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and ATF analyzed the fired cartridge casings in all four murder scenes, and identified the casings were fired from the same firearm: a Glock .40 caliber handgun, the affidavit added.

The killings began on 9 October, when 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot dead while waiting at a bus stop.

Monica Hoffa, 32, was killed two days later, though her body was not discovered until 13 October, in a car park near the site of the first killing.

Anthony Naiboa, 20, who was autistic, was killed in the same area on 19 October after taking the wrong bus home from his new job.

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

All three were killed while getting on or off a city bus, or while at a bus stop, police said.

Nearly a month later 60-year-old Ronald Felton was killed on 14 November as he walked to volunteer at a food bank in the area.

Mr Dugan said the department had received more than 5,000 tip-offs, and thanked those who called in the information that led to Donaldson's arrest.

Additional reporting by AP
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A judge has sentenced a South Dakota man to 45 years in prison for using scissors to mutilate his ex-girlfriends breasts.

Forty-five-year-old Tony Ledbetter of Sioux Falls earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to ask for no more than 30 years.

But the Argus Leader reports Judge Doug Hoffman went against the plea agreement on Tuesday and gave Ledbetter the maximum 45 years.

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

Ledbetter was accused of sitting on the woman and slicing off her nipples with a pair of scissors during an argument last year. He apologised in court.

The victim told the court how her injuries affected her physically and emotionally. She addressed Ledbetter directly, saying, Do you feel like a man?

AP
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A gunman with a hostage opened fire from the eighth floor of a luxury high-rise condominium in Nevada onto the streets below, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The man died on Tuesday after a SWAT team descended on him while he was barricaded at the Montage, Reno police Deputy Chief Tom Robinson told reporters. It wasn't immediately clear whether he was killed by police gunfire or his own. No one else, including the hostage, was hurt.

The gunman's name has not been released. Robinson described him only as a young adult.

The luxury high-rise is surrounded by some of downtown Reno's most popular casinos, and the gunfire brought eerie echoes of the Las Vegas shooting two months earlier that killed dozens. But there were no reported injuries in Tuesday's attack as the streets were mostly empty on a cold weeknight.

Stephen Paddock, the man who opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino onto an outdoor concert below killing 58 people, had owned a unit at the Montage. Records show he sold the property in December 2016.

When you heard it's coming from above it reminds you of the guy shooting from Mandalay Bay, said Mike Pavicich, who was in town on business from Las Vegas and was standing atop a parking garage at the neighbouring Eldorado Resort Casino when the shots rang out.

It's scary, you know? Pavicich told The Review-Journal. This is the same kind of town.

The building was once a casino itself before it was converted into luxury condos, according to its website.

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

Trooper Chris Kelley of the Nevada Highway Patrol told The Reno Gazette-Journal that shots were heard from the building for at least 20 minutes, and TV news reporters said they heard several shots after arriving, though the shots were sporadic, not constant.

Sixty-four-year-old Paddock modified an AR-15 to loose a stream of constant bullets like an automatic weapon in the attack at Las Vegas, which is 450 miles (724 kilometres) south.

AP
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In an expansion of the war on drugs, the US coast guard is targeting low-level smugglers in international waters - shackling them on ships for weeks or even months before they are formally charged in American courts.

On nights when the November rain poured down and he had not slept at all, Jhonny Arcentales had visions of dying, of his body being cast into the dark ocean. He would imagine his wife and their teenage son tossing his clothes into a pit in a cemetery and gathering at the local church for his funeral.

It had been more than two months since Arcentales, a 40-year-old fisherman from Ecuadors central coast, left home, telling his wife he would return in five days. A cuff clamped onto his ankle kept him shackled to a cable along the deck of the ship but for the occasional trip, guarded by a sailor, to defecate into a bucket.

Most of the time, he couldnt move more than an arms length in either direction without jostling the next shackled man. The sea used to be freedom, he told me. But on the ship, it was the opposite. Like a prison in the open ocean.

By day Arcentales would stand against the wall and stare out at the water, his mind blank one moment, the next racing with thoughts of his wife and their newborn son. He had not spoken to his family, though he asked each day to call home. He increasingly felt panicked, fearing his wife would believe he was dead.

Arcentales has wide muscular shoulders from his 25 years hauling fishing nets from the sea. But his meals now consisted of a handful of rice and beans, and he could feel his body shrinking from the undernourishment and immobility.

In the first weeks, Arcentales had turned to his friend Carlos Quijije, another fisherman from the small town of Jaramijo, to calm him. They were chained side by side, and the 26-year-old would offer some perspective. Relax brother, everything is going to work out, Arcentales remembered Quijije saying. Theyll take us to Ecuador, and we will see our families. But after two months of being shackled aboard the ship, Quijije seemed just as despondent. They often thought they would simply disappear.

By this time it was November 2014, and in the brick box of a house where Arcentales lived in Ecuador, Lorena Mendoza, Arcentaless wife, and their children were praying together for his return.

Mendoza had no way of knowing that her husband was still alive. He had departed Jaramijo because his family needed money so desperately that he had accepted a job smuggling cocaine off the coast of Ecuador. But deep in the Pacific, Arcentales and the other fishermen he travelled with were stopped not by pirates or vigilantes but by the United States Coast Guard, deployed more than 2,000 miles from US shores to trawl for Andean cocaine.

Over the past six years, more than 2,700 men like Arcentales have been taken from boats suspected of smuggling Colombian cocaine to Central America, to be carried around the ocean for weeks or months as the American ships continue their patrols. These fishermen-turned-smugglers are caught in international waters, or in foreign seas, and often have little or no understanding of where the drugs aboard their boats are ultimately bound.

But nearly all of these boatmen are now carted from the Pacific and delivered to the United States to face criminal charges here, in what amounts to a vast extraterritorial exertion of American legal might.

The US Coast Guard never intended to operate a fleet of floating Guantanamos, as a former Coast Guard lawyer put it to me in May. In the 1990s and through the 2000s, maritime detentions averaged around 200 a year. Then in 2012, the Department of Defenses Southern Command, tasked with leading the war on drugs in the Americas, launched a multinational military campaign called Operation Martillo, or hammer.

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The goal was to shut down smuggling routes in the waters between South and Central America, stopping large shipments of cocaine carried on speedboats thousands of miles from the United States, long before they could be broken down and carried over land into Mexico and then into the United States.

In 2016, under the Southern Commands strategy, the Coast Guard, with intermittent help from the US Navy and international partners, detained 585 suspected drug smugglers, mostly in international waters. That year, 80 per cent of these men were taken to the United States to face criminal charges, up from a third of detainees in 2012. In the 12 months that ended in September 2017, the Coast Guard captured more than 700 suspects and chained them aboard American ships.

Their protracted detention is justified by Coast Guard officials and federal prosecutors alike, who argue that suspects like Arcentales are not formally under arrest when the Coast Guard detains them. While on board, theyre not read Miranda rights, not appointed lawyers, not allowed to contact their consulate or their families. They dont appear to benefit from federal rules of criminal procedure that require that criminal suspects arrested outside the United States be presented before a judge without unnecessary delay.

It is as if their rights are in suspension during their capture at sea. Its hard-wired into the Coast Guards minds, says Eugene R Fidell, a former Coast Guard lawyer who teaches at Yale Law School, that usual law enforcement constraints dont apply.

The increased detentions and the domestic prosecutions of extraterritorial activity were ushered in largely under the watch of General John Kelly, who from 2012 to 2016 served as the head of the Southern Command and is now the White House chief of staff. He has long championed the idea that drug smuggling and the drug-related violence in Central America poses what he has called an existential threat to the United States and that to protect the homeland, American law enforcement must reach beyond US borders.

Arcentales never had much money. The $6,000 (4,500) he could hope to make a year, on the skiff and working on tuna ships for a month or two at a time, does not stretch far in Ecuadors economy. The house where he and Mendoza lived was just a single room for their family of nine: their teenage son, Enrique; Mendozas two older daughters from a previous marriage, Nelly and Juliana, who have three children between them; and Nellys husband, Wladimir Jaramillo. They all slept on fraying mattresses, sharing a single toilet. When it rained, the roof leaked and muddy water trickled through the door.

On the morning of 5 September after a very bad night of sleep, Arcentales left Mendoza and their children. Viejita, he told her, dont worry, everything will be Okay.

A fisherman Arcentales had known for years had been soliciting Arcentales for two years to accept a cocaine smuggling job. Arcentales always refused. But when he left home that September morning, Arcentales went looking for that man. Ecuador is a secondary shipment point for Colombian drug-smuggling groups who work increasingly for Mexican cartels, and in Jaramijo, recruiters, called enganchadores, those who hook, have become fixtures.

Residents of the town have watched as their neighbours return from what they say were fishing trips, then buy cars or fix up their homes. Residents call the trip la vuelta  which means, aspirationally, round trip. The fisherman told Arcentales that he would earn $2,000 (1,500) up front, and then $20,000 (15,000) apiece for him and his partner upon their return. It was as much as Arcentales could expect to earn in three or four years. If Quijije joined him, they could finally buy their boat.

The next evening, he and Quijije met another man in San Lorenzo, near the Colombian border. The man led them to a skiff, gave Arcentales a GPS tracker and instructed the pair to meet another boat at a location 50 nautical miles away. There, he said, they would collect 100 kilos of cocaine, split in four packages, and the coordinates for another vessel less than a days trip away where they would drop off the drugs and then be done.

But when they arrived at the location to retrieve the drugs, they were instead given 440 kilos of cocaine and joined by a baby-faced Colombian in his early 20s named Jair Guevara Payan, paid to watch the drugs. Payan led Arcentales and Quijije on a five-day voyage, 1,100 miles to the north, farther than either man had ever ventured. Arcentales considered refusing to go, but he knew there was no real choice now that they were at sea. We had been screwed, he told me.

When Arcentales, Quijije and Payan finally arrived at their final coordinates, 145 miles off the coast of Guatemala, a small white speedboat motored toward them, then another, each manned by two Guatemalan men. Together, the men offloaded the drugs onto one of the boats, and Payan motored away on it with a pair of Guatemalan brothers. Arcentales and Quijije were told to step into the second boat, a skiff called the Yeny Arg, manned by the two other Guatemalans, Giezi Zamora, a mechanic, and Hector Castillo, a fisherman. The four of them headed for shore, and Arcentales let his senses dull for the first time since he had set out. We are free, he thought to himself, and nearly fell asleep.

But a US Navy patrol airplane had been tracking the Guatemalan boats since the morning. The planes crew had watched the men step into the arriving boats and the Southern Command had contacted the Coast Guard. Soon, Arcentales spotted a white military ship, then a speedboat with five officers aboard racing toward them. The officers ordered Arcentales and the others not to move, and the men raised their hands in the air.

For several hours, the Coast Guard officers searched the Yeny Arg. By midafternoon, Arcentales, Quijije and the two Guatamalans were moved to the Coast Guard speedboat, and were delivered to the Coast Guard ship. On board, they had mug shots taken. Less than 12 hours later, the men were moved to a Coast Guard ship called the Boutwell, a 378-foot, 46-year-old cutter with a crew of 160. Payan and the Guatemalan brothers were already onboard.

The men were not told where they would be taken nor allowed to call their families. Officials told them to strip down and change into papery white Tyvek jump suits, and then guards led them up a flight of stairs above the deck and into a hangar. Arcentales felt a cuff close around his ankle. He and Quijije looked at each other, and then at their ankles, which, he said, were now attached to the floor by short chains. Thin rubber mats would serve as their beds. A deep sadness came over me, Arcentales said. Right there my life changed.

On 6 October, 25 days after the men were caught, the Boutwell returned to its home port in San Diego. The crew of the ship lined up for photos on the deck behind bales of cocaine wrapped in black tarps, collected from 14 smuggling boats, including, presumably, Payans, and worth, according to the Coast Guard, more than $400 million.

The cocaine made land long before the detainees. For 44 more days, Arcentales, Quijije, Payan and the Guatemalans were transferred from one ship to the next, passing a week or 10 days on one, a few days on another, always chained to the decks. I remember one time I asked the nurse officer if he could do me a favor, Payan wrote later in a letter, just shoot me and kill me, I would appreciate, because I cannot take this anymore.

After more than two months of detention, Arcentales says, he had lost 20 pounds; Payan says he lost 50. Time began to warp for them. We could no longer endure living in such conditions for that prolonged period of time, Arcentales wrote later in a letter. It did not matter to us where they would leave us; we were desperate to communicate with our family.

 Gordon Ramsay watches cement and sulphuric acid being added to coca leaves to make cocaine

The Coast Guard and the Department of Justice maintain that all detainees are treated humanely and with accordance to the law. The Coast Guard adds that it shackles detainees and conceals them while in port for their own safety and the safety of the crew.

Coast Guard ships and frigates on loan from the Navy slowly fill up their hangars or decks, waiting to unload detainees when port calls can be arranged with foreign officials and flights arranged with the okay. Other detainees are simply kept aboard cutters as they make trips back to San Diego or through the Panama Canal on the way to East Coast ports. No matter the route, federal judges have repeatedly waived normal protections against extended pre-arraignment detention, accepting the governments claims that transferring detainees from the Pacific is too logistically complex to allow for a speedy appearance before a judge.

And so over the years federal judges have allowed for progressively longer periods of detainment: five days in the Caribbean in 1985; then 11 in 2006; in 2012, 19 days in the Pacific. Average detention time is now 18 days. An official told me that men have been held up to 90 days.

On 21 November, 77 days after her husband left on his vuelta, Lorena Mendoza walked with her newborn in a stroller from Jaramijo to the nearby port city of Manta as part of a procession of the Virgen de Montserrat. Amid a crowd of thousands of people who had packed into the streets with brass bands, she prayed for her husband, imagining what her life would be like if he was really dead.

When she returned home, Mendoza saw that she had missed a series of phone calls from the United States. At 11 the next morning the phone rang again. I am here, Arcentales said. I am alive. Mendoza cried, overcome by a great swell of relief. Thank God I can hear my family again, thank God you are all okay, Arcentales said.

Several days before, the American ship had taken yet another trip to port, this time on the coast of Panama. This time the detainees were told to stand up. Guards unlocked their ankle cuffs and led them off the ship. He would see his family soon, Arcentales thought. Then he heard a guard announce: Gentlemen, okay. agents are waiting for you outside. You are going to the United States.

Orlando do Campo, a private defense lawyer in Miami, has been assigned by the courts to handle 23 cases of maritime smuggling. Its like a nature documentary where you see the hawk grab the fish out of water, and the fish is there saying, What the hell am I doing in the air?'  do Campo said.

Arcentales, Quijije, Payan and the four Guatemalans were put on a flight to Florida. On Nov. 19, they were formally arrested. Arcentales says he told a federal agent all he knew about the operation. But the truth is, Arcentales told me, I dont know anything about it at all. All seven accepted plea agreements. No motions were filed challenging the conditions of their extended detentions.

On July 2, 2015, Arcentales and Castillo were taken to court for a sentencing hearing. In testimony before Congress this year, John Kelly attested that suspects from these cases divulge information during prosecution and sentencing that is critical to indicting, extraditing and convicting drug-cartel leadership and dismantling their sophisticated networks.

But the judge presiding in the Arcentales case, Virginia Hernandez Covington, made it clear that the two men were of little use. Defendants charged under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, even mules like Arcentales, are rarely provided reduced sentences on mandatory minimums, as a suspect caught on US shores with the same quantities of drugs might be. Covington sentenced Arcentales to 10 years in federal prison and Castillo to just over 11.

I met Arcentales for the first time at the Fort Dix federal prison in New Jersey in late 2016. Speaking slowly and precisely, he told me he had never considered before he was charged that by smuggling drugs he might be committing a crime against the United States. He wondered repeatedly why the United States would not let him serve his time in Ecuador. At least then he would have contact with his family, beyond a time-limited call every few weeks. He thinks about them constantly. And of the Coast Guard cutters he was detained on.

I had a terrible nightmare about the chains, Arcentales told me in the visitation room. I would wake up feeling the chains digging into my ankle and jerk my leg thinking I was shackled, and feel my leg free and be relieved that I was not chained there on the boat. I would wake up sweating; almost crying, thinking I was still chained. Over time it passes. But a thing like this, it never leaves you.

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Donald Trumps pandering to the far-right has been taken an entirely new level, critics have said after the President shared tweets from the Britain First extremist group.

Calls were mounting for Theresa May to revoke his state visit invitation as MPs said Mr Trump was not welcome in the UK.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Britain First sought to divide communities through its use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions", adding: It is wrong for the President to have done this."

Mr Trump retweeted three videos carrying Islamophobic and misleading captions from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransens account.

It came as she awaits a court hearing on charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting language in a speech in Belfast  one of several incidents to be met with police action.

Ms Fransen is also facing trial over four charges religiously aggravated harassment as part of a Kent Police investigation into the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos during a trial in Kent earlier this year.

Her account celebrated the shares, claiming that Mr Trump himself had retweeted the videos to almost 44 million followers around the world.

God bless you Trump! God bless America! read a tweet, signed off with the abbreviation OCS, meaning Onward Christian Soldiers.

The deputy leader of far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen, is awaiting trial in two cases (PA)

The extent of Mr Trumps knowledge on Ms Fransen or Britain First was unclear but the tweets remained on his profile on Wednesday afternoon, following hours of global criticism.

Julia Ebner, a research fellow at think-tank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said Mr Trumps behaviour had been taken to an entirely new level.

If he was previously merely flirting with the extreme right, then he is now explicitly sharing a bed with them, she told The Independent.

I'm not sure what would be worse - if he purposefully retweeted it or if he was simply unaware what it was that he was sharing.

In any case, this further raises question marks about both his ideological leanings and his sources of information.

Ms Ebner, who wrote a book called The Rage on the vicious cycle of Islamist and far-right extremism, said transatlantic coordination between fringe groups was made more likely by the retweets.

She added: President Trump's retweet could act as an endorsement that allows Britain First to move further into the mainstream both in the UK and in the US."

Britain First's supporters were celebrating the publicity amid a furious reaction by politicians from all parties, with mounting calls for Theresa May to make a statement.

"I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump," said Jeremy Corbyn. "They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex

A question was raised by Labour MP Stephen Doughty over the tweets in the House of Commons, where MPs could be heard calling them absolutely disgraceful.

Yvette Cooper, the former shadow Home Secretary, urged Amber Rudd or Boris Johnson to condemn the significant and serious posts.

"The woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in this country," she added, warning that Mr Trump had given her a "huge platform".

Meanwhile Chuka Umunna was among those calling for Mr Trump's state visit invitation to be withdrawn immediately, accusing the President of "normalising hatred".

"At some point you've got to draw a line, or you're going down a very dangerous road," he added.

David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, said he had gone "beyond the pale...promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group", adding: "He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in my country and my city."

Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson, accused the President of sowing division and hatred.

The mask has yet again slipped, revealing the atrocious views of President Trump, she added. Mr Trump needs to do the world a favour and delete his account.

The Muslim Council of Britain said the shares were the clearest endorsement yet from the US President of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda.

Donald Trump shared three tweets from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account

We cannot give such bigotry a free pass, a spokesperson added. We hope our Prime Minister and Home Secretary will distance the UK from Mr Trump and his comments, and will reiterate the governments abhorrence to all forms of extremism.

Meanwhile in the US, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the President was clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims, following repeated attempts at a controversial immigration ban targeting Muslim-majority countries.

The group's executive director, Nihad Awad, said the posts amount to incitement to violence against American Muslims.

Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, said Mr Trump had legitimised the far-right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours.

Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself, he added.

Ms Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist who repeatedly shouted Britain first during his brutal attack, although it was unclear whether he was referring to the group and he was also supported by the neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action.

Nick Ryan, of Hope Not Hate, told The Independent it was pretty incredulous that the leader of the free world would stoop to sharing content from one of the most notorious far-right groups in the UK, which has had links to the past to Loyalists, the British National Party.

Unite Against Fascism's joint secretary, Weyman Bennett, said Mr Trump must be condemned for the deplorable shares.

Leader of Britain First Paul Golding (PA Archive/PA Images) (PA)

It beggars belief that the most powerful person in the world is retweeting Ms Fransen's vile views, he added.

Britain First rubbed shoulders with fascists in the large far-right demonstration in Warsaw, just weeks ago. They are a poisonous organisation.

A more unlikely critic was Infowars conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson, who said that retweeting Britain First is not great optics.

Ms Fransen's account, which is partly automated, frequently shares unverified videos claiming to show migrants and Muslims physically or verbally attacking people in Europe.

She is the deputy leader of Britain First, which styles itself as a political party but has been condemned by campaigners as a far-right extremist group.

It calls on supporters to join the British resistance and secure a future for British children and has become known for paramilitary-style invasions targeting mosques.

The past year has seen the group's leaders travel to meet far-right groups in Poland and other countries, amid warnings that extremists are increasing international coordination to recruit vulnerable people online.

It is not the first time Mr Trump has retweeted posts from controversial Twitter accounts or shared messages from supporters with apparent ties to white nationalist groups.

One example was his sharing of a tweet about pizzagate, an unfounded conspiracy theory that claims Democrats harboured child sex slaves at a pizza restaurant
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Donald Trump has shared a series of Islamophobic tweets from far-right extremist group Britain First, sparking condemnation for spreading its "deplorable" ideology to a global audience.

The first video, originally shared by deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account, claimed to show "Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches".

A second re-post was captioned "Muslim destroys statue of Virgin Mary", while a third read "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death".

The content of the videos or their origin could not be independently verified, but local reports said the first showed the 2013 murder of a teenager who was himself likely to be a Muslim during riots over the coup against Mohamed Morsi.

The attacker in the video from the Netherlands was neither a Muslim nor a migrant, according to local media, and was arrested over the incident.

Shortly after sharing the footage, the President called on Americans to "boycott Fake News CNN" and hailed "another great day for the stock market".

His early-morning Twitter frenzy came days after Ms Fransen was arrested over a speech made at a rally in Belfast - the latest in a series of incidents over alleged hate speech, religious harrassment and incitement by Britain First members.

Donald Trump shared three tweets from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen's account

Ms Fransen has been charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism Rally and is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on 14 December.

Ms Fransen is also facing trial over four charges of religiously aggravated harassment as part of a Kent Police investigation into the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos during a trial in Kent earlier this year.

Her account celebrated the shares, claiming that Mr Trump "himself" had retweeted the videos to almost 44 million followers around the world.

"God bless you Trump! God bless America!" read a tweet, signed off with the abbreviation OCS, meaning Onward Christian Soldiers.

Britain First's supporters were celebrating the publicity amid a furious reaction by politicians from all parties, with mounting calls for Theresa May to make a statement.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Britain First sought to divide communities through its use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions", adding: It is wrong for the President to have done this."

Jeremy Corbyn called the tweets "abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society".

A question was raised by Labour MP Stephen Doughty over the tweets in the House of Commons, where MPs could be heard calling them absolutely disgraceful.

Yvette Cooper, the former shadow Home Secretary, urged Amber Rudd or Boris Johnson to condemn the significant and serious posts.

"The woman in question has already been convicted of hate crime in this country," she added, warning that Mr Trump had given her a "huge platform".

Chuka Umunna was among those calling for Mr Trump's state visit invitation to be withdrawn immediately, accusing the President of "normalising hatred".

Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex

"At some point you've got to draw a line, or you're going down a very dangerous road," he added.

David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, said he had gone "beyond the pale...promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group", adding: "He is no ally or friend of ours. Donald Trump, you are not welcome in my country and my city."

Ms Fransen's account, which is partly automated, frequently shares unverified videos claiming to show migrants and Muslims physically or verbally attacking people in Europe.

She is the deputy leader of Britain First, which styles itself as a political party but has been condemned by campaigners as a far-right extremist group.

It calls on supporters to join the "British resistance" and "secure a future for British children" and has become known for paramilitary-style "invasions" targeting mosques.

The past year has seen the group's leaders travel to meet far-right groups in Poland and other countries, amid warnings that extremists are increasing international coordination to recruit vulnerable people online.

Brendan Cox, the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, said Mr Trump had legitimised the far-right in his own country, now hes trying to do it in ours.

Spreading hatred has consequences and the President should be ashamed of himself, he added.

Ms Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist who repeatedly shouted Britain first during his brutal attack, although it was unclear whether he was referring to the group and he was also supported by the neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action.

The Muslim Council of Britain said the shares were the clearest endorsement yet from the US President of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda.

We cannot give such bigotry a free pass, a spokesperson added. We hope our Prime Minister and Home Secretary will distance the UK from Mr Trump and his comments, and will reiterate the governments abhorrence to all forms of extremism.

Meanwhile in the US, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the President was clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims, following repeated attempts at a controversial immigration ban targeting Muslim-majority countries.

The group's executive director, Nihad Awad, said the posts amount to incitement to violence against American Muslims.

Britain First stage a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London to Trafalgar Square in 2016 (Rex Features) (Rex)

Nick Ryan, of Hope Not Hate, told The Independent it was pretty incredulous that the leader of the free world would stoop to sharing content from one of the most notorious far-right groups in the UK, which has had links to the past to Loyalists, the British National Party.

Unite Against Fascism's joint secretary, Weyman Bennett, said Mr Trump must be condemned for the deplorable shares.

It beggars belief that the most powerful person in the world is retweeting Ms Fransen's vile views, he added.

Britain First rubbed shoulders with fascists in the large far-right demonstration in Warsaw, just weeks ago. They are a poisonous organisation.

A more unlikely critic was Infowars conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson, who said that "retweeting Britain First is not great optics".

Julia Ebner, a research fellow at think-tank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said Mr Trumps behaviour had been taken to an entirely new level.

If he was previously merely flirting with the extreme right, then he is now explicitly sharing a bed with them, she told The Independent.

I'm not sure what would be worse - if he purposefully retweeted it or if he was simply unaware what it was that he was sharing.

In any case, this further raises question marks about both his ideological leanings and his sources of information.

Ms Ebner, who wrote a book called The Rage on the vicious cycle of Islamist and far-right extremism, said transatlantic coordination between fringe groups was made more likely by Wednesdays retweets.

She added: President Trump's retweet could act as an endorsement that allows Britain First to move further into the mainstream both in the UK and in the US."
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Donald Trump has reacted to North Korea's latest missile test by attacking the Democrats and tweeting about illegal immigration.

North Korea said it had successfully tested a powerful new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which splashed down into the sea near Japan and put the entire US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

In a tweet, the US President accused the Democrats of holding defence funding "hostage" as the chances of a government shutdown increased over the lack of a deal to protect young, undocumented, immigrants.

"After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our government and military!" Mr Trump said.

"Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty and illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can't now threaten a shutdown to get their demands."

Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced he was rescinding the Obama-era policy, which has allowed nearly 800,000 undocumented migrants that came to the US children to work and go to school without fear of deportation.

Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi have refused to support new government spending measures unless they include a deal to protect young migrants at risk of deportation.

 Donald Trump says 'we will take care of it' after North Korea fires missile

North Korea's latest test, which was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, came a week after Mr Trump put the pariah state back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

Following the launch, Mr Trump spoke with Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, and Moon Jae-in, the South Korean President. All three leaders reaffirmed their commitment to handle the North Korean threat.

"It's a situation that we will handle," Mr Trump told reporters, without elaborating.

Mr Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administration's approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea.

Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters

The new missile reached an altitude of around 4,475km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station - and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53 minute flight, North Korea said.

"After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong-un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," according to a statement read by a television presenter.

When the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, the US also imposed new sanctions on North Korean shipping firms and Chinese trading companies dealing with the North.

North Korea called the terror designation a "serious provocation" that justifies its development of nuclear weapons.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The US Office of Special Counsel will open a case file to address allegations that White House aide Kellyanne Conway breached federal law with her comments about the Alabama Senate race.

Walter Shaub, the ethics chiefs for former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, filed a complaint with the office last week alleging that Ms Conway violated the Hatch Act, a decades-old law that prohibits executive branch employees from using their government positions to campaign for or against political candidates.

In an email to Mr Shaub, Ana Galindo-Marrone, the chief of the Office of Special Counsel's Hatch Act Unit, said the office had opened a case file on the matter, as is the standard practice for such complaints.

We have received your Hatch Act complaint and will open a case file to address this matter, she wrote in the email that Mr Shaub posted a photo of on Twitter.

When Ms Conway appeared on Fox and Friends last week, she attacked Democratic candidate Doug Jones, who is competing against embattled Republican Roy Moore for Alabama's Senate seat.

Folks, dont be fooled. Hell be a vote against tax cuts, she said about Mr Jones in the wake of allegations that Mr Moore pursued underage teenage girls when he was in his 30s. Mr Moore has vehemently denied all accusations of any wrongdoing.

[Mr Jones is] weak on crime, weak on borders. Hes strong on raising your taxes. Hes terrible for property owners, Ms Conway said.

Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice  which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 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Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters

Mr Shaub, who resigned as White House ethics director in July, has said it seemed pretty clear she was appearing in her official capacity when she advocated against a candidate.

Richard Painter, a former chief ethics lawyer in the George W Bush White House, has also asserted that Ms Conway violated federal law.

Mr Painter, who is a vocal critic of the Trump administrations ethics practices, said: This is an official interview. She has violated the Hatch Act by using her position to take sides in a partisan election. That is a firing offence. And for her this is strike two.

The White House, meanwhile, has defended Ms Conway.

Ms Conway did not advocate for or against the election of a candidate, and specifically declined to encourage Alabamans to vote a certain way, Raj Shah, the White House principal deputy press secretary, said in a statement, according to The Hill.

She was speaking about issues and her support for the Presidents agenda. This election is for the people of Alabama to decide.
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Opposition groups have slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for belittling his position by attending a summit with Ivanka Trump.

Mr Modi attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, which was co-hosted by India and the US. Ms Trump, the American first daughter and presidential adviser, lead a 350-person US delegation to the event, which focused on women in the workplace.

Opposition leader Anand Sharma, of the Congress party, was not pleased by Mr Modis attendance at the event.

"We are surprised that India has a Prime Minister who has belittled his office yesterday by being in attendance for Ivanka Trump, he told ANI.

The party leader claimed Mr Modi could easily have sent someone else to the event in his place, and implied the Prime Minister was seeking foreign approval by attending.

That shows that he is seeking certificates either from the dubious rating agencies or he has got a certificate yesterday from Ivanka Trump, who perhaps does not know the local language at all, he said.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

The three-day summit, themed "Women First, Prosperity for All," featured speeches by both Mr Modi and Ms Trump. The first daughter, a go-to spokesperson on womens issues for the Trump administration, heaped compliments on the Indian Prime Minister in her speech.

"What you are achieving here is truly extraordinary," she said, in a speech broadcast live on most major Indian news channels. "From your childhood selling tea to your election as India's prime minister, you've proven that transformational change is possible."

Ms Trump also praised her fathers administration for empowering women worldwide through "domestic reforms and our international initiatives." But back in the US, several activists put the spotlight on practices at Ms Trump's own business.

Just this month, 23 workers rights groups called on the first daughter to release more information on her factories and raise standards for workers in the United States and around the globe, especially those that make clothing bearing your name.

 Ivanka Trump 'greeted with half empty-room' while giving Tokyo speech on women's empowerment

Mr Modi used his speech largely to speak of womens contributions in India, from the women in the countrys space programme to the three female High Court judges. The country is ranked 120th out of 130 for womens workforce participation by the World Bank.

After the summit, the Prime Minister took Ms Trump for dinner at a luxury hotel. The city began preparing for the first daughters arrival a month beforehand, rounding up beggars off the streets and filling potholes in the road, according to the Associated Press.

Ms Trump rated her visit to Hyderabad positively.

"Prime Minister Modi and his Cabinet members with him were incredibly warm and I think it was a very enlightening and inspiring summit for all those who attended," she told reporters. "Certainly it was for me."
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America could go to war against North Korea in the face of the countrys continued aggression, a longstanding Republican hawk and ally of Donald Trump said in response to the country's latest missile launch.

Hours after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that soared higher than any previous launch, ultimately splashing into the Sea of Japan, Senator Lindsey Graham warned that if we have to go to war to stop this, we will.

If theres a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, the South Carolina Republican said during an interview with CNN, and were headed toward a war if things dont change.

Even if a military conflict on the Korean Peninsula involved conventional weapons rather than nuclear arms, the toll could be devastating. The border between North Korea and South Korea is one of the most heavily fortified places in the world and sits about 55km from the southern capital of Seoul.

We would win it but a lot of people would get hurt and killed, Mr Graham said.

Mr Graham, who has been a staunch advocate of American military campaigns like the invasion of Iraq, noted that Donald Trump and Asian allies had urged a diplomatic solution and said America did not seek to overthrow North Koreas ruling regime.

Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang

Nevertheless, Mr Graham said, in maintaining the option of halting North Koreas nuclear program with military force Mr Trump would be picking America over the region.

Amid months of North Koreas tests of military might and regular threats against America and its Asian allies, the Trump administration has consistently dangled the possibility of responding with military force.

Mr Trumps August threat of responding to North Korean bellicosity with fire and fury reverberated across the world, and in his first speech to the United Nations he said America was prepared to totally destroy North Korea.

 Donald Trump says 'we will take care of it' after North Korea fires missile

Responding to the most recent test, Mr Trump said that we will take care of it and it is a situation that we will handle. Defence Secretary James Mattis said the firing meshed with North Koreas ambitions of being able to threaten everywhere in the world. He has previously warned that the country risked total annihilation.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement that diplomatic options remain viable and open and urged a peaceful path to denuclearisation.

But North Korea has persisted despite multiple rounds of United Nations sanctions, leading Americas ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley to warn in September that the UN Security Council had essentially exhausted its options.
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Sitting between two empty seats reserved for missing Democratic leaders, President Donald Trump has said Democrats used to be all talk, no action and that now theyre not even talk after Senator Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi refused to show up for a meeting at the White House as Congress looks to avoid a government shutdown.

A dramatic day in Washington  filled with insults, no-shows, and movement on tax reform  Mr Trump suggested he did not see the White House being able to reach a deal with Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi, the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House respectively, to avoid a shutdown after 8 December, when current stop-gap spending measures end.

The top Democrats quickly hit back, pulling out of their planned meeting at the White House with Mr Trump, and Republican Congressional Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Recommended Democrat leaders just cancelled a crucial meeting with Trump

Rather than participate in a show meeting, Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi said in a joint statement, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead.

Both Mr Ryan and Mr McConnell, who still attended the meeting, spoke ill of their Democratic counterparts decision.

Mr Ryan said he regretted that Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer couldnt join them. Mr McConnell also said he cant recall ever turning down such a rendezvous at the White House. But the majority leaders claim is not entirely accurate.

In 2010, House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer criticised Mr McConnell for saying he was too busy to accept a bipartisan meeting with President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders. A spokesperson for Mr McConnell said at the time that the White House made the mistake of announcing the meeting before checking to see if the leader was available for it.

Mr Trump used the meeting to suggest that he would absolutely blame the Democrats if there is a government shutdown next week.

If it happens, its going to be over illegals pouring into the country, crime pouring into the country, no border wall, which everyone wants, he added.

Ms Pelosi was quick to retort. She tweeted: @realDonaldTrump now knows that his verbal abuse will no longer be tolerated. His empty chair photo opp showed hes more interested in stunts than in addressing the needs of the American people. Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!

Mr Schumers and Ms Pelosis decision  and Mr Trumps jabs in response  have increased the already high tensions between the President and top Democrats.

Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice  which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters

But just a few months ago, the President seemed close to crafting a productive relationship with members of his rival political party.

The last time he sat down with the top leaders, Mr Trump sided with Democrats on a plan to provide hurricane disaster relief  after a number of disasters in different states - increase the debt limit and fund the government until the beginning of December. That move went against the wishes of many Republicans.

However, it appears that Democrats may have a harder time getting what they want this time around.

Congressional leaders have yet to make a deal on funding levels, or an agreement on pricklier issues such as a legislative fix for Daca  the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme  to protect young, undocumented migrants who had been brought to the US as children.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced he was rescinding the Obama-era policy that has allowed nearly 800,000 so-called Dreamers  undocumented migrants that came that were brought to the US as children - to work and go to school without fear of deportation.

There was confusion in September over whether the President had made a deal with Democrats to permanently protect Dreamers and work out a package of border security, excluding Mr Trumps oft-promised border wall.

Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer said both sides agreed that the wall would not be part of this agreement  but that the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time.

Mr Trump has maintained that building a wall along the USs southern border with Mexico will prevent illegal immigration, despite scepticism from experts and even members of his own party.

In August, Mr Trump threatened to shut down the government if Democrats did not give in to his demands to fund the barrier, which he originally said Mexico would pay for.

Another contentious issue for the two parties and the White House is the Republicans tax reform proposal, which the Senates budget committee passed on Tuesday in a 12-11 vote along party lines.

Later this week, the full Senate is expected to vote on the bill that would benefit the wealthiest Americans and Mr Trump.

While the Senate plan would be a windfall for the rich, it is anticipated to have mixed effects on medium and low-income families.

Before leaving Washington for Thanksgiving, multiple Republicans had expressed concerns about the legislation and its effects.

But this week it appears that sceptics are warming to the proposal  particularly after Mr Trump on Tuesday travelled to Capitol Hill, where he attended a lunch with Republican senators and answered their questions.

Republicans hold 52 seats in the 100-member Senate, and they can afford to lose no more than two of their members votes. Democrats are expected to remain united in their opposition to the bill.

In the event of a tie, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the deciding vote.
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The White House has defended the unverified, Islamophobic videos that Donald Trump shared as driving home an important point  regardless of if they are real or not.

"Whether it's a real video, the threat is real," Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. "His goal is to promote strong border security and strong national security."

Mr Trump retweeted several videos from far-right extremist group Britain First on Wednesday morning. The videos purported to show violence by Muslims, such as "Muslim migrants beating up a Dutch boy on crutches". Another claimed to show an "Islamist mob" pushing a teenager off a roof and beating him to death.

The videos have not been independently verified. In a least one incident, local media and police never identified the alleged attacker as Muslim.

Ms Sanders, however, maintained that the videos did not need to be verified, claiming the media was focusing on "the wrong thing".

"I'm not talking about the nature of the video," she said. "...The threat is real, what the President is talking about  the need for national security and military spending  those are very real things, theres nothing fake about that."

Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice  which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters

At least one of the videos has been discredited by the site where it was originally published. The footage of a boy on crutches being attacked was posted to Dutch website Dumpert.nl in May of this year. The original video post contained no mention of the alleged attacker's religion, though some commenters speculated over it. After Mr Trump retweeted the video, Dumpert.nl posted a short article calling it "fake news".

"Dader was not a Muslim and not an immigrant, but nice try Trumpie," they wrote.

Another of the videos, which purports to show an "Islamist" mob beating a boy to death, was taken in Egypt in 2013. The victim was a young cleric who was critical of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. He was murdered during clashes between Morsis supporters and opponents.

 Donald Trump criticised for Britain First retweets

Mr Trump retweeted the videos from Jayda Fransen, Britain First's deputy leader. Ms Fransen was found guilty last year of verbally harassing a woman dressed in a hijab. She was recently arrested after a speech in Belfast and charged with "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour".

Britain First leader Paul Golding called the charges "ridiculous" and claimed Ms Fransen was arrested for no bloody reason.

Theresa May criticised both Britain First and Mr Trump through a spokesperson.

"Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions," the spokesperson said. ...British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents - decency , tolerance and respect.

Of Mr Trump's retweets, Downing Street said: It is wrong for the President to have done this.

Mr Trump's previously scheduled state visit will continue as planned.
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A woman convicted of conspiring to kill her identical twin sister in the 1990s has been recommended for parole after spending nearly two decades in prison, according to a new report.

In a case that made international headlines, Jeen Gina Han  dubbed the evil twin by police  was sentenced to 26 years to life in May 1998.

The Southern California woman was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, burglary and false imprisonment, along with two others.

Prosecutors said the trio conspired in a failed plan to murder Sunny Han, who was bound and gagged along with her roommate before police rescued them.

The Korean-born twins were once close but had a history of fighting, authorities said. Their relationship deteriorated after Sunny Han accused her sister of stealing her BMW.

The state Board of Parole recommended the release of Gina, now 43, after a hearing on 31 October, the Orange County Register reported.

Under California law, the decision includes a 120-day review period so Governor Jerry Brown can decide whether to approve or reject the parole recommendation.

The Orange County District Attorneys Office asked Brown to reject the parole recommendation in a letter. It said that Gina Han failed to address her alleged mental disorder and still poses a risk to society.

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

Deputy District Attorney Nikki Chambers said Gina Han, as an example of her plans for parole, gave the board letters from a man with whom she is corresponding.

Her pen pals from abroad and across the country have offered her money, jobs and lodging, including a man from Britain who gave her money after corresponding for a year, the prosecutor said.

The fact remains that she is still flexing the manipulation muscles that she used when she recruited two young men to murder her sister, and they appear to be as keen as they were in 1996, Chambers wrote.

Gina Han maintained she never intended to kill her sister.
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Scientists are anticipating an eruption at Mount Agung in Bali, Indonesia for the first time in more than 50 years.

Disruptions under the volcanos surface have put the island on high alert, and hundreds of thousands of people have been told to evacuate. Residents are being shepherded to temporary shelters, and signs reading, "You're entering active volcanic hazard zone" have been erected.

But what does this mean for the island, and the rest of the world? Heres everything you need to know.

Where is Mount Agung?

Mount Agung, the tallest mountain in Bali, is located on the islands western edge. It is located 612 miles (984km) from Indonesia's capital of Jakarta, and 11 miles (18km) from Balis other volcano, Mount Batur.

 Bali's Mount Agung volcano spews plume of ash 6,000 metres into the sky

When did it last erupt?

The last eruption occurred in February of 1963, and lasted almost a year.

What happened?

The 1963 eruption was one of the largest and most destructive in the countrys history. It destroyed countless villages and killed an estimated 1,600 people. Minor eruptions and pyroclastic flows continued on the island for months. About 280 million m3 of magma was ejected from the mountain over that time period, and lava travelled as far as 14km to the south.

The deadliest effects of the eruption, however, were the pyroclastic flows. The waves of superheated gas can travel hundreds of kilometres per hour, and carry ash and rock with them. The flows caused most of the deaths resulting from the 1963 event.

Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Mount Agung volcano  in pictures The Mount Agung volcano spews hot volcanic ash, as seen from Datah, Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia. According to media reports, the Indonesian national board for disaster management raised the alert for the Mount Agung volcano to the highest status and closed the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali due to the ash cloud rising from the volcano EPA Mount Agung volcano  in pictures A long exposure photograph shows the Mount Agung volcano spewing hot volcanic ash as seen from Amed, Karangasem regency, Bali, Indonesia. EPA Mount Agung volcano  in pictures A villager walks as Mount Agung volcano erupts in the background in Kubu, Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia Reuters Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Women wait for customers at a market as smoke rises from the Mount Agung volcano AP Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Vegetable sellers wait for customers at a market with Mount Agung erupting in the background AP Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Balinese people ride on an open car past Mount Agung erupting seen from Kubu sub-district in Karangasem Regency AFP/Getty Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Villagers rest at a makeshift tent at an evacuated area in Karangasem AP Mount Agung volcano  in pictures Evacuees stay at an emergency shelter in Klungkung, Bali EPA

What has happened so far?

Experts raised the alarm about Mount Agung this September, when they detected an increasing number of earthquakes happening under the volcanos surface. Not long after, the volcano began emitting smoke and ash.

The volcano alert status on the island has now been raised to its highest level. Mudflows have been seen running down the mountain, and villagers have reported hearing booming sounds.

Approximately 100,000 people have been told to evacuate the area nearby. The airports on the island have also been closed, leaving thousands of travellers stranded. In other countries, governments have warned travellers to steer clear of the popular tourist destination.

What could happen?

The jury is still out on exactly how big the eruption will be  or if it will even happen. Diana Roman, a geologist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, told the Washington Post that scientists do not have any basis for knowing whether this eruption will intensify, continue at its current level, or stop.

If the eruption is large, it would be a major problem for the islands inhabitants, who depend largely on tourism and agriculture to survive. Already, some airlines are allowing customers to change or refund their tickets to the island.

On the bright side, volcanic eruptions can actually cool the Earths temperature. Teresa Ubide, a lecturer in volcanology from the University of Queensland, told the Guardian that this is due to sulphuric emissions from the volcano. The sulphur-based aerosols block radiation from the sun, thereby lowering global temperatures.

The last time Mount Agung erupted, global temperature dropped by between 0.1C and 0.4C.
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North Korea has launched another ballistic missile in the latest demonstration to raise tension between its neighbours and the United States  and one that officials have called one of the highest ever launched by the rogue regime.

The missile launch marks nearly two dozen missile launches since February, a period of time in which US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un have engaged in an increasingly aggressive war of words over North Koreas nuclear ambitions.

Heres what you need to know about the most recent missile launch.

The altitude

The missile reached an altitude of roughly 2,485 miles (4,000 kilometres) above Earth. To put that in perspective, the International Space Station orbits at an elevation of roughly 249 miles (400 kilometres).

The distance

The missile travelled between roughly 597 miles (960 kilometres) and 620 miles (1000 kilometres) from its launch site, in Pyongyang, a city in South Pyongan Province.

Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters

The time

The missile was launched from that North Korean city at 3:30 local time (18:30 GMT). It travelled for about 50 minutes before coming back down to Earth, hitting waters in Japans exclusive economic zone off the coast of Honshu, Japans largest island.

The type

According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, South Korean military officials believe the projectile to have been a Hwasong-14, a type of long-range ballistic missile.

The reaction

Mr Trump was briefed on the missile launch while it was in the air, and later seemed unfazed.

We will take care of it, Mr Trump told reporters in Washington. It is a situation that we will handle.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis described the missile in terms that made it sound unprecedented in scope  and said that the missile was designed to cross to other continents if needed.

A little over two-and-a-half hours ago, North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile. It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, Mr Mattis said, alongside Mr Trump.

Japanese officials, meanwhile, said that they would never accept North Koreas continuous provocative behaviour, and indicated that they thought it was a long-range missile.

The European Union said that North Korea was violating international agreements, and that the missile test was a further unacceptable violation of those obligations.

South Korea appeared ready for the test, and conducted its own missile test off its east coast just six minutes after North Koreas launch. That missile demonstrated the countrys ability to attack North Korean missile launch sites if necessary, according to a statement from the Souths military.

Little advanced notice

Officials said that there were no photographs taken from aerial surveillance that would have indicated the North was planning on a missile test, further bolstering the theory that North Korea has begun putting fuel into their missiles while they are still horizontal instead of as they wait on a launchpad in launch position.

Potential to hit the US East Coast

Early calculations, according to Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, told the New York Times that the missile was the most robust intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched by North Korea yet, though waned that it is tough to know if it had been artificially weighted to look more menacing than it actually is.

Early calculations suggest that it could reach the East Coast of the United States, Mr Kimball told that paper. However, that doesnt take into account the payload mass, which could limit the range.

A long history of missile tests

Before the most recent test, North Korea had launched at least 22 missiles on 15 occasions since February of this year. None of those missiles appeared to have a warhead attached, although there has been some intelligence to indicate that North Korea can create a miniaturised warhead that could fit on a missile (or was getting very close to being able to do so).

The country has been testing missiles for a long time, though. The country has launched missiles on at least 40 separate occasions dating back to 1998, according to a chronology compiled by South Korean news agency Yonhap.

North Korea has also tested nuclear weapons on at least six occasions.
 Close North Korea announces test of new long-range missile

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After two months of relative quiet North Korea ahas launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, claiming it puts the entire US mainland in range of its nuclear weapons.

The latest test, which was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, came a week after Donald Trump put North Korea back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions.

In a government statement released through state media, North Korea said the Hwasong-15 (Mars-15), the "greatest ICBM," could be armed with a "super-large heavy nuclear warhead" and reached a height of 4,475km (2,780 miles), travelling 950km (590 miles) before accurately hitting a sea target near Japan, similar to the flight data announced by South Korea's military.

North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Show all 13 1 /13 North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents react after the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing an order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile KRT via AP Video North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch A news broadcast displays Kim Jong Un's signed document AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the new inter-continental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Residents react after the document signing AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents celebrate Kim Jong Un's announcement AFP/Getty North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Cheering Pyongyang residents react AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch To counter North Korea's missile test, South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea The Defence Ministry/Yonhap via REUTERS North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The Hyunmu-2 missiles firing during the drill South Korean Defense Ministry vi North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The exercise was carried out in an attempt to counter Kim Jong Un's order South Korea Defense Ministry via AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The South Korean army continue to carry out military exercises AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Where K-9 self-propelled howitzers were taking part in a drill Rex Features North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch US soldiers are also present in the border city of Paju AFP/Getty Images

"After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong-un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," according to a statement read by a television presenter.

North Korea described itself as a "responsible nuclear power", saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from "the US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat".

South Korea responded almost immediately by launching three of its own missiles in a show of force.

Moon Jae-in, the South's President, expressed his worry the North's missile threat could force the United States to attack before it masters a nuclear-tipped long-range missile.

"If North Korea completes a ballistic missile that could reach from one continent to another, the situation can spiral out of control," Mr Moon said at an emergency meeting in Seoul, according to his office. "We must stop a situation where North Korea miscalculates and threatens us with nuclear weapons or where the United States considers a pre-emptive strike."

 Donald Trump says 'we will take care of it' after North Korea fires missile

In response to the launch, Mr Trump said the United States will "take care of it." The US President told reporters: "It is a situation that we will handle." He did not elaborate.

The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday afternoon at the request of Japan, the US and South Korea.

Additional reporting by agencies
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A woman was allegedly raped by four members of her family, including her father and brother, after she eloped with her boyfriend.

Police said the victim was attacked in the village of Dhaneda in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

The four people have registered a case against them on the directive of the Allahabad High Court, The Times of India reported.

The woman had eloped with her boyfriend several times, twice in July and once in October, police said.

Her family had twice filed an abduction complaint with police.

There have been regular calls to address sexual violence against women and girls in the country, where there had been a number of high profile cases in recent years.

In October, a policeman was arrested on suspicion of raping a seven-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh. Local media reported the little girl was found naked in the officers quarters in the state.

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

Nearly 35,000 cases of rape were reported across India in 2015 - the most recent year for which government statistics are available - according to the country's National Crime Records Bureau.

However, human rights experts warned the figure was likely to be higher, as many attacks are not reported.
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Australia's upper house has approved legislation to legalise same-sex marriage, meaning it could be signed into law as early as next week.

Politicians rejected efforts from conservative politicians to allow religious objectors to refuse services to same-sex couples.

Australians overwhelmingly supported legalising same-sex marriage in a postal survey run by the national statistics agency and the bill easily passed the Senate by 43 votes to 12.

Conservatives had pressed for broad protections for religious objectors, among them florists, bakers and musicians, to refuse services to same-sex couples.

But amendments for celebrants to refuse to solemnise same-sex marriages and for caterers to refuse service at wedding receptions were either defeated or abandoned during two days of debate in the Senate, where same-sex marriage supporters are in the majority.

"The Australian people voted to lessen discrimination, not to extend it and we, the Senate, have respected that vote by rejecting amendments which sought to extend discrimination, or derail marriage equality," Labor Senator Penny Wong, who voted down all the amendments, told the parliament.

The bill moves to the lower house next week, where it is expected to pass easily. Yet conservative politicians still hope for a renewed push to add measures exempting objectors to same-sex marriage from existing laws against discrimination.

"I do not think we have made these changes in a way which advances rights fully," said centre-right National Party Senator Matt Canavan.

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

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal-National coalition government and the main opposition Labor Party have said they wanted to pass the law through parliament by 7 December.

If the legislation passes as expected, Australia will become the 26th nation to legalise same-sex marriage, a watershed for a country where some states held homosexual activity illegal until 1997.
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A 96-year-old former former Nazi SS guard who was known as the "Bookkeeper of Auschwitz" must serve a four-year prison sentence, a German court has ruled.

Oskar Groening was found guilty in 2015 of being an accessory to the murders of 300,000 people at the death camp in occupied Poland.

But he appealed his sentence and until now it was not clear whether he would serve time in jail. Authorities have previously been reluctant to enforce the penalty because of his old age.

The court in Celle, northern Germany, ruled on Wednesday he was not too elderly to serve his sentence.

"Based on expert opinion, the superior regional court finds that the convicted individual is fit to serve the term despite his advanced age," it said.

Jailing Groening would not violate his rights, the court said, since "appropriate precautionary measures" could be taken to meet any special requirements.

A court doctor concluded Groening was able to serve his sentence, on condition he was given appropriate medical care while in prison.

Groening worked as an accountant at Auschwitz-Birkenau between October 1942 and September 1944, during which time he counted money and valuables taken from those who were murdered at the camp.

He was also sometimes assigned to "ramp duty", where he guarded the stolen possessions.

Groening has publicly discussed his role, and in 2005 BBC documentary Auschwitz: the Nazis and the "Final Solution", said: "I saw the gas chambers. I saw the crematoria.

"I was on the ramp when the selections [for the gas chambers] took place."

Groening was 21 at the time and admitted he was an enthusiastic Nazi when he was sent to work at the camp in 1942.

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

More than one million people, most of them European Jews, died between 1940 and 1945 in the Auschwitz camp.
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A Bosnian Croat wartime commander has died after drinking poison during an appeals hearing at a UN court, Croatia's prime minister has confirmed.

Slobodan Praljak, one of six former political and military leaders who were appealing their sentences in The Hague, died in a local hospital.

The 72-year-old tilted back his head and took a swing from a flask or glass as the judge read out that his 20-year prison sentence had been upheld.

"Judges, I am not a war criminal, I reject the verdict with contempt," he said after drinking. The presiding judge called for a doctor and halted the proceedings.

The apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgement at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which closes next month.

"Former head of the chief headquarters of the Croatian Defence Council, General Slobodan Praljak, died in a hospital in The Hague after he drank poison in a courtroom after the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia confirmed his 20-year sentence for war crimes," Croatian TV reported.

UN court representatives and Dutch hospital officials declined to comment on his condition.

Emergency Services staff run toward The Hague after Slobodan Praljak apparently drank poison (AFP/Getty Images)

The presiding Judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearings and paramedics raced to the courtroom, which was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As forensic investigation got underway, the courtroom was sealed off, and the public was instructed to leave.

"Don't take away the glass," Agius said, instructing the guards to lower blinds and block a glass-partition separating the court from the public.

In the chaotic moments that followed, guards and paramedics raced in and out of the courtroom. Ambulances were seen leaving the tribunal, but there was no official confirmation of Praljak's condition.

A reading of the judgement, which was also deciding on charges against five other suspects, resumed more than two hours after Praljak said he had poisoned himself.

The incident upstaged the appeals ruling, which was important for Croatia, where parliament was suspended so lawmakers could follow the reading of the verdict.

The court upheld convictions of Praljak and five other Bosnian Croats: Jadranko Prlic, the political leader of the Croatian province of Bosnia, along with military and police figures Bruno Stojic, Milivoj Petrovic, Valentin Coric and Berislav Pusic.

Judges upheld findings that there was a criminal conspiracy that included the regime of neighbouring Croatia under then-President Franjo Tudjman with the goal of "ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population" of parts of Bosnia to ensure Croatian domination.

The defendants on Wednesday received sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years. The decision cannot be appealed.

The chairman of Bosnia's inter-ethnic presidency, Dragan Covic, a Croat, said: "He showed before the whole world what kind of sacrifice he is ready to make to prove that he is not a war criminal."

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

The ICTY, established in 1993 by the UN Security Council, indicted 161 war crimes suspects from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Of the 83 convicted, more than 60 of them were ethnic Serbs.

The court's lead suspect, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, died of a heart attack in March 2006 months before a ruling in his genocide case.

Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic was found guilty of genocide by the UN war crimes tribunal last week and sentenced to life in prison for his role in massacres and ethnic cleansing during Bosnia's war.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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There were dramatic scenes at the International Criminal Court in the Hague on Wednesday as a former general appeared to poison himself upon hearing he was guilty of war crimes.

Slobodan Praljak a 72-year-old Bosnian Croat who was on trial for crimes committed during the 1990s, appeared to drink from a vial of liquid and later died in hospital.

The case raises serious questions as to how the suspect was able to enter the courtroom with an apparently deadly poison. A prominent lawyer at the court said he could see how it would be absolutely possible to smuggle such an object in.

The moment Praljak drank from the small bottle was, like the rest of the hearing, streamed live on TV and online. Shortly after the verdict confirming his 20-year jail sentence is read out, Praljak stands and says  through translators  Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal, I am rejecting the court ruling, before raising a small container to his lips.

The court appeared keen to carry on with proceedings, before Praljak told his translators: I have taken poison.

The court judge suspended the session, closing off cameras and ordering the container held by Praljak to be retained  presumably as evidence.

Reporters on the scene said a helicopter could be heard overhead and paramedics with backpacks could be seen entering the chamber of the court.

An ambulance was called to take Praljak to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Prominent Serbian lawyer Toma Fila, who has frequently defended suspects at the UN war crimes court in the Netherlands, said it would be easy to bring poison into the court.

He told the Associated Press that security for lawyers and other court staff is just like at an airport.

Mr Fila said: They inspect metal objects, like belts, metal money, shoes, and take away mobile phones. He added that pills and small quantities of liquids would not be registered.

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

Praljak was one of six Bosnian Croat leaders attending an appeals judgement at the court, having been previously jailed for 20 years in 2013.

He was again found guilty of committing atrocities in the Bosnian mountain town of Mostar during the Croat-Bosnik war, a conflict between ethnic Bosniaks and ethnic Croats living in Bosnia  which was itself a part of the larger Bosnian war.

During the wider 1992-1995 war the breakaway Croat forces, which were backed by Croatia, mostly sided with the Bosniaks against the breakaway Bosnian Serb republic, which was backed by Serbia.

But for around a year, centring on 1993, the Croats and Bosniaks also fought each other. During this time Mr Praljak, a senior commander in the Bosnian Croat forces, was found to have taken no serious action to stop his soldiers from rounding up Muslims.

The trial was part of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which was set up in 1993 on mandate from the UN Security Council and which will see its mandate expire at the end of the year.
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A woman has reportedly been rescued from an underground dungeon in which she was imprisoned by a man for ten years, during which time she was repeatedly raped and gave birth to two children.

Police in Italy arrested Aloisio Francesco Rosario Giordano, 52, over the weekend when he was stopped at a routine traffic check.

The officers noticed how dirty the child he had with him was, and demanded to see where the child lived.

The police found a filthy and dilapidated cabin in the countryside near Gizzeria, Calabria, and said the woman, aged 29, had the demeanour of a slave.

According to Italian newspaper la Republicca, the cabin was infested with mice and insects, had no electricity or running water, buckets were being used for lavatories and beds were made from cardboard.

The paper says the womans two children are aged 9 and three years old, and during pregnancy the victim had not been given any medical treatment.

Police footage shows washing and rubbish strewn outside the cabin (Carabinieri Catanzaro) (Carabinieri catanzaro)

It adds that no doctor has ever treated any of the wounds inflicted on her during daily violence, but that the worst injuries appeared to have been sewn up with fishing line.

Giordano had previously been convicted and imprisoned for rape, torture and kidnap, but had been released in 1999 after serving four years.

According to la Republicca he captured his latest victim when she was 19-years-old after she came to care for Giordanos ill wife.

The paper says when the wife subsequently died in 2007, that is when the young womans nightmare began.

She was alone in the country and unable to speak Italian, and Giordano banned her from further social interaction and imprisoned her in the cabin.

Italian media has already likened the case to that of Austrian Josef Fritzl who kept his daughter in a dungeon and fathered seven children with her.

Giordano has been charged with mistreatment, slavery and multiple sexual violence charges and remains in police custody.

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

The woman and children have now been placed in protected accommodation while investigators attempt to understand the extent of the abuse.
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A court in Cairo has sentenced 16 men to jail for three years after finding them guilty of inciting debauchery and abnormal sexual relations amid the largest LGBT crackdown in Egypt in more than a decade.

Fourteen men were convicted on Sunday, and two more on Monday. Local media reports that the charged men have been freed on bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds (211) and an appeal is pending.

The convictions come during a renewed state attack on LGBT freedoms sparked by a 22 September Mashrou' Leilia concert in which the rainbow gay pride flag was raised by an audience member.

 Egyptian lawyer: It's a national duty to rape girls who show skin

At least 75 people have been arrested since then, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

These sentences strike at the very heart of being human and are another example of the ongoing persecution of LGBTI people and the wider crackdown on human rights by Egyptian authorities, said Najia Bounaim, Amnesty Internationals North Africa Campaigns Director.

The Egyptian authorities must quash the sentences against the 16 men immediately and unconditionally release them.

After 33 initial arrests after the concert - only 10 of which are believed to be related to the flag - most of the other defendants were entrapped by online dating app stings.

Can Egypt's revolution stay the distance? Show all 2 1 /2 Can Egypt's revolution stay the distance? Can Egypt's revolution stay the distance? 551103.bin AP Can Egypt's revolution stay the distance? 551048.bin AP

Men detained under such circumstances are often subject to anal examinations to determine whether they have had gay sex, which rights groups such as Human Rights Watch say are against human rights law and amount to torture.

At least five of those detained recently had been subjected to such examinations.

The current spate of arrests are the most severe clampdown on LGBT rights since 2001, when Cairo police arrested 52 men in a raid on a floating disco on the Nile.

While there are no specific laws against homosexuality in Egypt, discrimination against individuals perceived to be LGBT is rife, as are arrests on debauchery and immorality charges.

A new deeply discriminatory law may also be on the books to directly outlaw same-sex sexual activity following the uproar in the conservative country over the September flag-raising incident, however.

 Egyptian singer detained for four days for eating banana in music video

More than 60 MPs have backed a bill which defines homosexuality for the first time. Promoting or inciting homosexuality, as well as being found guilty of the act itself, could be punishable by five years in prison. Combined charges could lead to a sentence of 15 years.

All LGBT-friendly material would also be punishable by up to three years and those found guilty could be publicly shamed by having their sentences published in newspapers.

The bill will be discussed by parliament within the next few months.
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One of the most influential Saudi figures arrested in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans corruption purge has been released after reaching a reported $1bn (750m) settlement, officials have said.

Miteb bin Abdullah was freed on Tuesday. While a figure was not disclosed the acceptable agreement was thought to be around the $1bn mark, sources close to the government told Reuters.

It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases, one official added.

 Saudi Arabia king's golden escalator get stuck as he tries to descend from his plane in Russia

The freed prince is the son of the late King Abdullah and cousin of current Crown Prince Mohammed. He was once seen as a contender himself for the throne.

Before his arrest he was head of the elite national guard forces, a power base rooted in the kingdoms tribes.

With his sacking Prince Mitebs branch of the family have lost all their positions at the top of the Saudi power structure. His two brothers were removed from governor posts in 2015.

According to a Saudi official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms including a $10bn deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals.

The claims could not be independently verified. Detailed allegations have not been released and it is not clear whether the 65-year-old will have freedom of movement or remain under house arrest.

10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty

Prince Miteb was arrested along with 200 other royals, ministers and business tycoons in a huge corruption sting across the country on 4 November, and put under armed guard in the glitzy Riyadh hotel.

Their assets were seized, bank accounts frozen and private jets grounded.

It is expected that the majority of those detained will reach similar settlement deals with the kingdoms absolute monarchy.

Prince Mohammed was promoted by his father King Salman as heir to the throne in June. In just five months the 32-year-old has made it clear he is intent on domestic reform, quickening the pace of social change by announcing new freedoms for women and a return to moderate Islam.

He is also acknowledged to be consolidating his power base with the arrests of religious figures and intellectuals in September and dozens of political and wealthy rivals earlier this month.

The states continuing human rights abuses  and its bloody intervention in the war in Yemen, under the auspices of Prince Mohammed in his role as defence minister  mean the declaration has been met with scepticism internationally.

At home, however, moves to streamline the Kingdoms unwieldy bureaucratic organs and crack down on endemic corruption for the most part have been welcomed.

Riyadh, reliant on oil wealth for decades, is keen to diversify its revenue streams and open up to the modern world following a global plunge in oil prices.

News agencies contributed to this report
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Amsterdam Schiphol has been inspired by Disneylands time slot system to reduce wait times for security at the popular Dutch airport.

The busy airport, which sees more than 63 million passengers pass through every year, is introducing a time-allocated security lane to help cut queues down in peak periods.

The system is currently being trialled, and is only open to passengers travelling within the Schengen area.

Participating passengers in the pilot scheme will skip the queues at no extra cost; if successful, the system is likely to be used on a wider scale across the airport in future.

Recommended 10 things to do in Amsterdam

Manager of security policy Daan van Vroonhoven told the Sun: "For each 15 minutes, 30 passengers can get through the checkpoint.

"At Disneyland, it is very normal, for years already, to reserve a time slot for a ride or exhibition."

Amsterdam has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists over recent years, and this is one of many ways in which the capital of the Netherlands is attempting to cope with the influx of visitors. However, the tourism team is getting creative, rather than prohibitive.

Were an open, tolerant city, tourism chief Geerte Udo told Conde Nast Traveler. How can you ever imagine us saying Youre not welcome here!?

Udo and the i amsterdam team, which oversees the citys tourism, have spent the last two years trying to subtly move tourists away from the most popular attractions, such as the Red Light District and Museum Quarter. They used the data stored on the chip inside Amsterdams City Card, which gives access to various attractions and free public transport, to analyse tourist behaviour and devise ways of changing it to ease congestion.

We can see exactly how these people behave, said Udo. Everybody comes to the city and goes to the Van Gogh Museum in the morning, and [takes] a canal boat in the afternoon.

The team then attempted to switch up this pattern, for example by suggesting people take a boat ride in the morning to avoid the crowds when they bought their City Card. Another scheme involved displaying a live feed showing the queue at the most popular places, such as the Van Gogh Museum, to encourage visitors to plan their trip for later in the day or plump for another destination altogether.

Other strategies have included rebranding places to entice tourists to venture further afield. Zandvoort, 18 miles from the city centre, has been renamed Amsterdam Beach to signal that it can be easily reached  and public transport to more far-flung destinations like this is also now included as part of the City Card offering.
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The great electric air race has begun. Three European industry heavyweights have teamed up against a US startup and Britains biggest budget airline to develop the first commercial electric aircraft.

Within a decade, according to the Californian firm Wright Electric, passengers could be flying on battery-powered flights between London and Amsterdam, with far less environmental impact than conventional aircraft.

European developers are more cautious, forecasting hybrid commuter jets will start flying routes of up to 1,000km between 2030 and 2035.

But the deal signed today by Rolls-Royce with the planemaker Airbus and the eAircraft division of Siemens shows that the mainstream industry is now taking electric propulsion for commercial planes seriously.

The three firms announced the groundbreaking collaboration at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London  and revealed that they will test the new technology aboard an old jet.

A British Aerospace 146 commuter aircraft will be adapted to carry two tons of batteries and the worlds most powerful flying generator. One of its four engines will be converted to run on electricity.

The test bed will be used to evaluate the concept that electricity can be generated efficiently and safely in flight, and that an electric jet engine is capable of working as safely and effectively as one that burns kerosene.

The three companies are each investing tens of millions of pounds to develop a hybrid aircraft that could use battery power to increase thrust for takeoff, while using a conventional gas-turbine engine during the cruise.

A gas turbine is extremely efficient when it is operating optimally, said Mark Cousin, head of flight demonstration at Airbus. But it is not very efficient in all phases of flight.

During takeoff an aircraft requires double the power that it requires in cruise. If electricity could be used in this phase of the flight, it could dramatically reduce both fuel consumption and noise.

Paul Stein, chief technology officer for Rolls-Royce, said: If we can drive the noise down and move runways closer to the centre of cities, aviation may be the transportation of norm rather than laying down railway lines.

It has the potential to connect the world a lot more effectively than rail.

Dr Frank Anton, executive vice-president of eAircraft at Siemens, told The Independent that the optimum range was around 500 nautical miles (926km). We believe this will be the sweet spot. The technology is best between 300km and 1,000km.

The upper limit would allow flights from London to Marseille, Manchester to Geneva and Edinburgh to Copenhagen.

But Britains biggest budget airline, easyJet, is working with a Los Angeles-based company, Wright Electric, to develop a wholly new commercial all-electric jet by 2027.

The carriers outgoing chief executive, Carolyn McCall, said: Just as we have seen with the automotive industry, the aviation industry will be looking to electric technology to reduce our impact on the environment.

For the first time we can envisage a future without jet fuel and we are excited to be part of it. It is now more a matter of when, not if, a short haul electric plane will fly.

The new aircraft will carry around 150 passengers, and will initially be ultra short haul, with a range of 540km. But easyJet says that could be sufficient for one-fifth of its current route network, including Belfast-London-Amsterdam, Bristol-Edinburgh and Paris-Geneva.

The aim to fly such links within a decade depends on improvements in the power to weight ratio of batteries, as well as new propulsion systems.

Jeffrey Engler, chief executive and founder of Wright Electric, conceded: Its a very daunting task.

Dr Anton welcomed the competition, but said that his project does not depend on yet-to-be invented technology.

We are not betting on batteries, we are betting on hybrids, he said. Batteries add additional power during takeoff and climb.

And he added his personal dream: One day I want to buy a ticket for a hybrid electric plane from Nuremberg to Paris.
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Over recent weeks the early signs that Gazas isolation may finally be coming to an end has given a wary and weary civilian population the stirrings of hope. 1 December will be another key milestone in a negotiation process launched in mid-October by the two main Palestinian political parties  Fatah and Hamas  aimed at returning the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by Mahmoud Abbas, to Gaza after a 10-year absence. The Egyptian-brokered 12 October agreement caught most observers by surprise. It does not address the question of how Hamas will be disarmed nor many other difficult issues. But the first step needs to be about raising the wretched living conditions of Gazas two million civilians who live with little power, water or prospects.

Its time the interests of Gazas exhausted citizens finally triumph over the many other agendas at play.

Only a few hundred kilometres from Europes border and 50km from Tel Aviv, two million Palestinians live a precarious existence in the Gaza Strip. Ten years ago, Gaza was banished to isolation, after the violent take-over by Hamas of the Strip, the ejection of the Palestinian Authority and the imposition of severe access restrictions around Gaza by Israel. In the decade since, Gazas civilians have been repeatedly caught in the crossfire of various conflicts  between the two major Palestinian parties, Hamas and Fatah, over control of the Strip and between Israel and Hamas, leading periodically to open hostilities. They have also been caught between Hamas and Egypt, with its own security concerns about the Sinai and great wariness about the 12km of shared border, and between Hamas and international donors, whose anti-terror legislation limits what kind of aid gets to Gaza.

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

Each of these conflicts has, one way or the other, meant further suffering for civilians and the gradual de-development of the Gazan economy. Unemployment in this period has risen from 30 per cent to 42 per cent. Gazas fragile fresh-water aquifer has been massively over-extracted and become 96 per cent undrinkable. Power supply has hovered at 8-12 hours a day and fell to 2-3 hours earlier this year after Hamas-Fatah tensions came to a head. Young people have lost hope as youth unemployment is past 65 per cent. A creaking health infrastructure has seen breast cancer survival rates drop from 59 per cent to 46 per cent in less than 10 years.

Yet these numbers do not capture the less tangible impact of 10 years of isolation. Israel only permits a handful of mainly patients, business leaders and aid workers to exit and enter Gaza across their land crossings on a daily basis. The Egyptian crossing at Rafah opens rarely  30 days this year so far. The Israeli navy tightly patrols the waters off Gazas coast. The Palestinian Government is nowhere to be seen. The overwhelming emotion amongst Gazans is a sense of being completely trapped. With the constant visible reminder of the proximity of a prosperous OECD country just a few kilometres along the beach  in the form of a power station and desalinisation plant in the Israeli city of Ashkelon that can produce enough power and water to supply every Gazan with both, 24/7, and then some. Gazans yearn to be able to get out  for healthcare, for education, for funerals and for oxygen.

In the wake of the October agreement, the PAs Ramallah-based ministers began regularly visiting Gaza. In early November, the administration of the crossings  where tax is collected  was transferred to the PA by Hamas. In the weeks since, civil servants hired before the 2007 events have started to return to their old ministries. Potentially destabilising actions by spoilers  such as the assassination attempt on the Hamas chief of security or the discovery of yet another tunnel built by militants from Gaza into Israel  have not been allowed to derail the process.

 Gaza marks 10 years of Israeli blockade

But for the average Gazan, there has been no concrete change since this landmark agreement. Power supply today is around four to six hours day. The elevators still arent working in this urban high-rise landscape except when someone turns on the generator. The Rafah crossing remains largely shut, even if it did open for a few days last week. Hundreds of patients seeking urgent medical care outside Gaza  many for cancer treatment  await both Israeli-security and Ramallah-financing approvals. A drug shipment sent by the PA in the first half of November was the first tangible signal that help might be on the way.

And the coming weeks will bring some major tests. The next urgent question will be around who will pay the 40,000 or so Gaza employees hired since the 2007 take-over  thousands of doctors, nurses, teachers but also civilian police among them. Presumably increasingly complex issues  around the long-term integration of pre-2007 and post-2007 hired civil servants, weapons, Hamas military capabilities, security controls, elections, some form of unity government  will work their way up the agenda. And meanwhile, expectations and frustrations will rise, with increasing risk to the fragile progress.

The civilians of Gaza will be the ones, ultimately, that will underwrite any real transition and protect it from the spoilers. But they need something worth protecting and are desperate for some relief. First, they need freedom of movement to be able to leave Gaza and to return at will. Second, they need to see electricity back at least 12 hours a day. Third, restoring civil service allowances and stabilising salaries, at least for those staff actually delivering services and on whom people depend, is required.

These measures all require Palestinian leadership, but cant be delivered by the PA alone  Israel, Egypt and the international community must play their part. Indeed, some easing of Israels restrictions on the movement of goods in and out of Gaza is a prerequisite to breathe life back into a dead economy and would send an important signal to the Gazan street. In a nutshell, talks in Cairo must urgently translate into relief for Gaza.

Robert Piper is the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
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For some of us it is very difficult to connect with other people because we appear to be invisible.

My wife Peggy needed a hip replacement recently and for a while before the operation she had to use a wheelchair. This proved to be an educational experience.

Peggy has always been a glamorous woman  she likes to wear make-up and colourful clothes. Staff selling beauty products normally gravitate towards her with beaming smiles, desperate to inform her of the latest must-have look or scent.

However once in her wheelchair she seemed to disappear from view. Even when she tried to attract attention there would suddenly be something apparently urgent in the opposite direction.

When she purchased some perfume the assistant took the money from her but smiled at me, giving me her change. This invisibility wasnt confined to shops  everywhere we went Peggy was either ignored or considered some sort of nuisance.

Although the majority of the walking community failed to see Peggy, or felt awkward and looked away, the people in wheelchairs and their companions smiled, made eye contact and spoke or waved a greeting.

In Peggys case the wheelchair was only needed for a short time. Once back on two feet she became visible again.

We all need to feel accepted and connected particularly when we feel vulnerable. People with reduced mobility or any other special need are still people, with gifts to give and dreams to build. The world is a kinder place when we treat people the way we would want to be treated ourselves.

When you next see a person in a wheelchair, smile and let them know that they are not invisible.

Patrick Broe

Scotland

There is no viable solution for the Irish border

I wonder how long it will be before Brexiteers come to the realisation that there is no solution to the Northern Ireland question other than either to remain in the EU, the customs union or the single market, or to trash one of the key undertakings of the Brexit campaign, a stop to migration from the EU.

Brexiteers apparently aspire to a frictionless border and hope that we can negotiate an agreement that somehow allows the free movement of goods across the border with Ireland. However, the EU has made it abundantly clear that there can be no free movement of goods without the free movement of people. Moreover, the absence of any border controls will inevitably lead to the free movement of people across the border and there would be nothing to stop would-be immigrants travelling to Ireland and entering the UK.

To prevent such migration, there has to be a hard border. If there is a hard border, there is no free movement of goods. And of course, a hard border would also be the inevitable consequence of no deal with the EU.

I just cant see how these seemingly immutable facts can be reconciled. Solving the divorce bill problem is easy in comparison to the Northern Ireland problem, and look at how long that is taking.

Liam Fox states that We cant come to a final answer to the Irish question until we get an idea of the end state. I strongly suspect that this position is aimed at kicking the issue into the long grass because he and his fellow Brexiteers cant conceive of a solution.

Antony Robson

Westbury

The arrogance of the UK Government in its dealings with the Republic of Ireland over Brexit and the border issue knows no bounds.

There is more than a little hint of imperial arrogance in the attitude of Whitehall when it comes to the Irish threat to veto EU trade talks if there is not a solution to the Irish border issue. In essence, how dare a country of less than five million people hold the UK to ransom?

And as espoused by leading Labour Brexiteer, Kate Hoey MP, and others, if there is to be a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic then, as with Donald Trump and Mexico, the Irish will have to foot the bill.

When it comes to Ireland and the border issue, there are only three logical solutions: 1) the UK remains in the single market/customs union, 2) Northern Ireland remains in the single market or 3) border posts.

As we know, the first is not acceptable to the Brexiteers, the second is not acceptable to the DUP which is propping up Mays Conservatives, which only leaves the third  border posts on the 310-mile border.

As May said in her Lancaster speech: Brexit means Brexit, and this means taking back control of trade and immigration. Given this, the logical inevitability is a hard border on the island of Ireland and the undermining of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The inept handling of this matter by the UK Government has the potential to set Anglo-Irish relations back decades and it is essential that the UK Government provides a solution to the border issue and does so quickly.

Alex Orr

Edinburgh

Brexit is Northern Irelands worst nightmare

In response to Dora Henrys (Letters) admonishment to Ireland about treading on our dreams regarding a Brexit deal.

To many of us, probably including the majority of those in Northern Ireland who voted to remain, and are part of Great Britain too last time I looked, Brexit is no dream  -it is our worst nightmare.

Julie Landragin

Brentwood

Brexit irony

You report that Tory Eurosceptics are pushing ministers for a second Commons vote on the release of the Brexit impact papers.

A second vote? Oh, the irony!

Andrew Jackson

Cardiff

Clown negotiators

The Governments argument that unredacted Brexit research papers would undermine its negotiating position would be a lot more credible if Theresa May hadnt already put Davis, Fox and Johnson in charge of those negotiations.

Mike Webster

Lancaster
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It is a puzzle that the Prime Minister is making a second visit to Saudi Arabia. Of course Theresa May will have received a friendly welcome as the leader of the sixth largest economy in the world, which in addition is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It also presumably still counts that the UK is a member of the European Union, though Brexit will soon cancel out that advantage.

There is a strong public relations flavour to this journey to the Middle East. It is described as part of the Prime Ministers efforts to strengthen links with other trading partners as Brexit approaches. Or, as I would put it, to help create the myth that a series of bilateral deals with economies outside the European Union will make good what we shall lose by leaving the single market.

This must be why Theresa May is also visiting Jordan on the same trip. But it is a fools errand, for Jordan doesnt import a lot. We carry on more trade with Belgium and Luxembourg. So the Jordan leg of the Prime Ministers journey is more or less irrelevant to Britains trade prospects post-Brexit.

In the case of Saudi Arabia, however, we have our arms sales, worth more than 3.3bn since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015. Yet in spite of British complicity in this action, May was expected to raise with her hosts the humanitarian crisis in Yemen that has been the inevitable result.

It beats me how she can do this with a straight face. What could she have said in her meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today? Oh, I forgot to tell you on my last visit that you mustnt actually use the arms we have sold to you?

Or, more likely, Look, while I fully understand that you cannot tolerate Iranian-backed Houthi rebels operating on the other side of your 1,100-mile border with Yemen, I am afraid that the traditional British sympathy for the underdog means that my people strongly disapprove of your actions. So I would appreciate it if you could let it be known that you will at least consider my representations. You will? Oh, I am very grateful.

 Government attacked over Saudi arms sales

There is, however, a much bigger source of embarrassment for a visiting British prime minister. As Jeremy Corbyn put it, the conversation about Islamic extremism should begin with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that have funded and fuelled extremist ideology.

While the Saudi government rejects what it calls these false allegations and dismisses them as malicious falsehoods, the circumstantial evidence is pretty convincing.

Here we have to rely on Wikileaks. In 2009, it published diplomatic cables from the US State Department stating: Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which probably raise millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources.

Pointing in the same direction were emails leaked from the office of Hillary Clinton. Her campaign chairman, John Podesta, said: We need to use our diplomatic and more traditional intelligence assets to bring pressure on the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are providing clandestine financial and logistic support to Isis and other radical Sunni groups in the region.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 November 2022 Emma Woolf, great niece of British author Virginia Woolf, and her son Ludovic sit next to a new bronze statue of Woolf, unveiled in Richmond, London Reuters UK news in pictures 15 November 2022 Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 14 November 2022 Members of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. The head of the Confederation of British Industry is urging the UK government to relax immigration rules to help British companies with severe staff shortages, ahead of the chancellors autumn statement EPA UK news in pictures 13 November 2022 England celebrate winning the mens T20 World Cup in Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia AAP Image/Reuters UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images 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 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty 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

Then in 2014, the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, accused both Saudi Arabia and Qatar of supporting and funding terrorists: I accuse them of inciting and encouraging the terrorist movements. He added: I accuse them of supporting them politically and in the media, of supporting them with money and by buying weapons for them.

So I go back to my question: what on earth is Theresa May doing cosying up to the Saudis with two visits so far this year? I hope she doesnt have ambitions to be some sort of honest broker in the Middle East. For many have tried  and none have succeeded.

My guess is that she is seeking a large financial investment in the UK. She would think that worth the many embarrassments she must have experienced on her journey.
NASCAR stars Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman will headline the roster of motorsports personalities scheduled to appear at the 29th annual Stocks For Tots fundraiser on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville.

The event, which started in 1989, has raised more than $1 million and collected more than 60,000 toys to aid in raising awareness of child abuse in North Carolina.

Each year thousands of fans have attended the event where they can meet many of their favorite NASCAR drivers from the Monster Cup, Xfinity, and Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR Hall of Famers, Ned Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Leonard Wood, Rex White, and Jerry Cook will be on hand.

Current drivers Sam Hornish, Chris Buescher, Joe and John Hunter Nemechek, Brandon McReynolds, ARCA Champion Austin Theriault will be in attendance along with Newman and Kurt Busch.

Money raised will support the Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) nonprofit organization which is dedicated to helping children, supporting parents and improving the community.

Don Miller, chairman of the Stocks For Tots Foundation and the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, is noted for his humanitarian efforts as he was the recipient of the inaugural NASCAR Humanitarian Award. Stocks For Tots is his favorite program.

This is the most worthy thing we do, said Miller. Weve been collecting toys at our hall of fame and other locations in the area. Weve partnered with Sams Club, and to hold the event again at the NASCAR Institute with John Dodsons help is a great venue for this fundraiser.

I am as excited as Don to hold Stocks For Tots at the NASCAR Institute, beamed Dodson. With all the great drivers who will be here signing autographs, the fans will be in for a special treat while helping out on a truly worthwhile cause.

The Stocks For Tots fundraiser at the NASCAR Institute is from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday. The event requires wristbands to enter the event, obtain autographs and/or attend the silent auction and gift shop. This year a special $100 ticket is offered for fans who want to be in the first 50 people in line for the autographs. Call 704-663-5331 for information about these tickets.

The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Mooresville will sell tickets on the day of the event starting at 9 a.m. A cash donation of $10 and a new unwrapped toy with a $10 value or $20 cash will be available only on the day of the event. Only 200 of these tickets will be sold.

Wristbands will go on sale the day of the event at the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame (704-663-5331) located at 119 Knob Hill Road in Mooresville, starting at 9 a.m.

NASCAR Tech is located at 220 Byers Creek Road in Mooresville (704-658-1950).

For more information on the event visit: www.stocksfortots.com.
RALEIGH  North Carolina has already accomplished what Republicans in Washington want to pass  historic tax reform that caps or eliminates special-interest deductions, cuts tax rates, and encourages investment, business formation, and job creation.

The process began in 2011, after the GOP took charge of both houses of the state legislature. While then-Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue wanted to keep in place a temporary increase in sales taxes costing North Carolinians nearly a billion dollars a year, legislators refused. They prevailed.

With the election of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory in 2012, legislative leaders had an ally rather than an adversary on tax reform. The ensuing 2013 tax bill initiated a reform process that has continued to reduce the tax burden by both cutting rates and increasing standard deductions.

The net effect was to save North Carolina taxpayers about $5 billion from 2013 to 2017. By 2022, the projected savings will approach $10 billion.

With regard to tax rates, the most dramatic change was on the business side of the tax system. Keep in mind that businesses are bundles of contracts among human beings  among owners, workers, customers, and vendors. When government taxes a business, it really taxes the incomes of some or all of these individuals, even if they dont realize it.

Politicians and political activists often assume that corporate taxes, for example, just bite corporate shareholders. In the short run, investors may well bear most of the cost when corporate taxes go up. But markets soon adjust. Investors can move their money fairly easily from high-tax to low-tax jurisdictions. Customers can often do the same, particularly if they shop online or can shop around among competing products or places.

Workers are the least able to avoid business taxes, because it can be so costly to leave one job for another  particularly if it would require leaving one community for another. Thus many economists believe that workers bear most of the burden of corporate taxes in the long run.

Before 2013, North Carolina imposed a 6.9 percent tax on corporate income attributed to the state. By 2019, thanks to tax reform, that rate is scheduled to fall to 2.5 percent. Thats one of the lowest rates in the country. That will make North Carolina a more attractive place to do business  thus boosting the employment and incomes of North Carolina workers over time.

As the state implemented tax reform, its economic performance has often compared well with our peers. In virtually every category  job creation, employment gains, and income growth  North Carolina has exceeded regional averages, national averages, or both.

That doesnt necessarily prove a causal relationship. Indeed, most of the benefits of tax reform couldnt possibly have happened yet, given the lifecycle of business investment. But pro-growth tax policies certainly havent hurt. And, make no mistake, corporate tax cuts are pro-growth. According to the findings of the more than 100 peer-reviewed studies published on the issue since 1990, states with lower corporate taxes tend to experience stronger economic growth than those with higher corporate taxes.

In Washington, both the House and Senate tax plans seek to follow in North Carolinas footsteps by dramatically reducing the tax rate on corporate income. There are many other features of the plans  some good, some not-so-good  but in fiscal terms the net effects arent large. The real action will be slashing the corporate rate to 20 percent, a move likely to induce substantial flows of capital into America.

There remains one big difference between Raleighs accomplishments and Washingtons aspirations: fiscal responsibility. While reforming and cutting taxes, North Carolina has kept a lid on spending growth. Our state budget is in the black, not deeply in the red like the federal budget.

Indeed, measured as a share of the states gross domestic product, the government sector in North Carolina grew slower than the national average from 2013 to 2016 while North Carolinas private-sector economy grew faster than the national average.

Our state has set a good example. Federal politicians should follow it.

John Hood is chairman of the John Locke Foundation and appears on the talk show NC SPIN. You can follow him @JohnHoodNC.
For the first twenty years of my career I was a radio broadcaster in Greenville, Wilson, Elizabeth City, Fuquay-Varina, and later Raleigh and Durham. At these stations employees often performed multiple tasks and, while we never made a lot of money, the work was rewarding because we believed we performed a valuable public service to our community.

The media landscape was simple. We received four TV stations (the three networks and PBS), generally two or more AM radio stations and the local newspaper, most owned and managed by local people. Everyone had a place at the table and we each knew and accepted our roles. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulated broadcasters, especially through ownership rules that ensured no group dominated the options the public could choose in media voices. While some considered the rules restrictive, I agreed with not giving too much control to too few.

Things began changing in 1980, when Ted Turner started CNN and cable TV became a viable option for subscribers. UHF stations (those above channel 13) popped up everywhere. President Reagan deregulated broadcasting, among other industries, and suddenly ownership groups could buy large numbers of radio stations. President Bush later did the same for TV, even though there were restrictions as to how large a percentage of the national audience an ownership group could reach.

We witnessed a spending spree of large corporations merging or purchasing radio and TV stations and newspapers. Advocates claimed that changing economic factors dictated the need to achieve economies of scale through owning multiple properties in the area.

While most agree that competition and the free market is good, many began questioning whether bigger was really better. Suddenly programming, news content and public service decisions, previously determined by local owners and managers based on what was best for their community, were now being made by corporate executives in far away cities. Just recently the FCC ruled that these groups didnt even have to have their main studios in the communities to which they were licensed. Many radio stations have become little more than automated jukeboxes or satellite delivered talk programming and you are hard pressed to find local news on some group-owned TV stations, unless they rebroadcast newscasts from other stations in the market.

Now the FCC is considering eliminating essentially all ownership rules for TV and radio broadcasting, including the cross-ownership of newspapers. It is not far-fetched to envision a time when a handful of large corporations control what we are able to see, hear or read. Not only will we have the loss of local input but will get the political or philosophical slant from large corporations.

You may think this is free enterprise at work and we should not interfere with the flow of commerce. Maybe so, but I challenge you to tune in your local TV or radio station or pick up your local paper and make the case that each is doing as good a job of serving their community as the previous local ownership was doing.

Count me as one who believes that our country benefits when the press and media offer many opinions and we can select the ones we prefer rather than be forced to choose between only a few.

We need more media voices, not fewer.

Tom Campbell is former assistant North Carolina State Treasurer and is creator/host of NC SPIN, a weekly statewide television discussion of NC issues. Show airs in Charlotte on WCCB Sundays at 6:30 a.m.
By Dezan Shira & Associates

Indias information technology (IT) sector received yet another blow as the federal tax body has sent tax notices to about 200 companies. Media reports state the number of affected companies is larger.

The notices reportedly make a service tax demand that collectively amounts to US$1.55 billion (Rs 100 billion). This includes returns on export benefits claimed in the last five years from 2012 to 2016, an additional 15 percent service tax, and fines.

IT and IT-enabled service (ITeS) companies believe they are exempt from paying this service tax as they export software services, and can therefore claim export benefits. This is challenged by the tax department, which states that instructions provided to IT/ITeS firms by their foreign clients via email regarding software specifications is to be treated as supply of goods for taxation purposes.

This contention will now be judged in the appellate tax tribunals; however, exporters appealing the case will still need to deposit 10 percent of the tax demand.

The sudden tax notices has sent shock waves in the IT sector, which is already reeling from global headwinds, especially tightening immigration norms in the U.S. and automation, aside from the increase in tax liability under GST (18 percent). In fact, the current unpredictability of the governments reform environment has pushed some small and medium sized firms (SMEs) to shift the base of their operations outside India to remain competitive in the international market. Further, SMEs form the backbone of Indias IT sector, and may not be able to afford prolonged tax litigation.

The overall sector is also in the midst of a technological transition as India adapts to the disruptions caused by automation and allied technologies, popularly referred to as SMAC or social media, mobility, data analytics, and cloud computing. This has altogether resulted in restructuring efforts by the sectors leading IT firms, leading to the layoff of competent, technically trained, and experienced technology professionals.

Industry observers and foreign investors will keenly watch how the retrospective tax liability gets resolved; key promises of the Modi government hang in the balance  job creation and ease of doing business.

Update: The federal government announced mid-December that it would set aside the US$1.55 billion tax demand. However, tax experts remain uneasy as the matter can be only resolved through adjudication  till then the tax department is capable of raising similar demands again.
Home US & Europes Farcical Hypocrisy Over Russian Foreign Media Law By Finian Cunningham November 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Its so brazenly hypocritical, it could be a joke. The US and the European Union rushed to condemn Russias new media laws restricting foreign entities. At the same time, they assume the unilateral right to hound Russian news outlets as foreign agents. Do as we say, not as we do, is the arrogant mentality here. When Russian President Vladimir Putin signed new legislation into law last weekend, the Kremlin described the measures as a symmetrical response to moves in the US earlier this month forcing Russian state-owned broadcaster RT to register as a foreign agent. Under Russias new law, any foreign-sponsored news outlet operating in Russia may be required to register as a foreign entity, disclosing its financial details and journalistic activities, in the same way RTs affiliate in America has been compelled to do by the Department of Justice. URGENT: Russias #Putin signs amendments to foreign agents media law https://t.co/88BEX2kPv8 pic.twitter.com/OL3x2uWqtS  RT (@RT_com) November 25, 2017 No Western news organizations have yet been officially affected by the Russian regulations, but there are reports of US government-owned Radio Free Europe and Voice of America as potential subjects. The Russian law does not seem to distinguish between government or privately owned media outlets. Americas cable TV network channel CNN, as well as German state-owned Deutsche Welle, have also been reported as possible entities liable under the new media registration law. Testy reactions from the US and EU reveal a staggering doublethink. John Lansing, head of the US Broadcasting Board of Governors, which controls RFE and VOA, said in a statement that any characterization of such steps as reciprocity for US actions severely distorts reality. EU spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the Kremlins legislation goes against Russia's human rights obligations and commitments. She added that the law is a further threat to free and independent media and access to information and yet another attempt to shrink the space for independent voices in Russia. As the Kremlin explained, the new laws only apply to foreign-owned media operating in Russia. It does not apply to news outlets based in Russia. So it seems a tenuous assertion indeed by the EU that the move shrinks space for independent voices in Russia. In essence, what the reactions reveal is the sheer hypocrisy and sanctimony of the US and Europe. Washington feels entitled to denigrate and restrict RT as a foreign agent, but if Russia responds in kind then such a move is condemned as unwarranted and a distortion. The European Union earlier this month announced 1.1 million funding for a Brussels-based media watchdog, which is tasked with labeling Russian news media as fake. Somehow this form of censorship and restriction is supposed to be acceptable, but when Russia responds accordingly, Moscow is accused of threatening free and independent media and undermining human rights obligations. Do such obligations not apply to Washington and Europe? Evidently not. When the US Department of Justice coerced RT to register as a foreign agent on November 13, or face criminal action, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J Boente said : Americans have a right to know who is acting in the United States to influence the US government or public on behalf of foreign principals. So if American citizens have the right to know such information, why do Russians not have the same right? The US government lawyer added: The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing FARA [Foreign Agents Registration Act] and expects compliance with the law by all entities engaged in specified activities on behalf of any foreign principal, regardless of its nationality. The US government is being illogical, if not mendacious, here. If its public justification were being applied consistently and genuinely then why arent foreign state-owned news outlets like the BBC, France 24, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera and Chinas CGTN obliged to register under FARA? Russias RT is being targeted selectively because the decision is entirely political and expedient, regardless of the grave implications for violation of free speech and the publics right to information access. While the US, EU and Western human rights groups like Amnesty International have attacked Russia over its laws  laws in response to moves first made by Washington  there is apparently no such concern expressed about the damage initiated by the Americans. There is also a shameful silence among Western media outlets over the initial restrictions imposed on RT in the US. The supposed liberal values of free speech and free media are evidently not under threat when it comes to proscribing Russian news media. This contradiction illustrates a baleful mindset of Russophobia prevalent among the political class in the West. Its OK to censor Russian media because Russian media are simply not valid, so goes the prejudiced thinking. What these Western liberal exponents fail to realize is that the very principle of free speech and information is coming under attack by the reprehensible attack on RT and Russian media more generally under the tendentious assertion that they are agents of Kremlin propaganda. Never Miss Another Story Get Your Free Daily Newsletter Underlying the assumption that Russias foreign media restrictions are somehow illegitimate and not reciprocal is the arrogant view that the accusations leveled by US intelligence agencies and various Western politicians are accurate and true. Namely, that Russian news media allegedly engaged in meddling in the US presidential elections last year; or, as Britains Prime Minister Theresa May claimed earlier this month, Russian media are trying to sow discord in Western states. Such views are nothing more than prejudiced opinion masquerading as fact. Or, put another way, propaganda and fake news prettified as intelligence. No evidence has ever been presented to back up these sensationalist claims of Russian interference. They rely entirely on prejudice and innuendo against Russia and its news media as somehow being malicious. This is sheer, unadulterated Russophobia of the kind that fueled the McCarthyite red-hating era and the Cold War paranoia, which brought the specter of mutually assured nuclear destruction to the world. What the public in the Western states needs to realize  they are increasingly  is that the real threat to democratic rights is not Russia or its media. The danger comes from Western governments, who espouse democratic principles and the rule of law, but who in reality are censoring alternative media and internet freedom by giving companies like Google free rein to impose de-ranking of designated sources. Russian media like RT have in fact provided an admirable alternative perspective on major international events such as the war in Syria and Yemen, which expose criminal responsibilities of Washington and its European allies. That is what the real bone of contention is. Russian media have exposed that Western self-styled emperors have no clothes. They are naked, warts and all. And so, therefore, because of this transgression, Russian media have to be gagged forthwith. But in doing so, Western states, their media, and human rights advocates only expose further their own naked hypocrisy and false pretenses. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by RT - ==== Note regarding comments You spoke and we listened. It is no longer necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. This website encourages readers to use the "Report" link found at the base of each comment. When a predetermined number of ICH readers click on the "Report" link, the comment will be automatically sent to "moderation". This would appear to be the most logical way to allow open comments, where you the reader/supporter, can determine what is acceptable speech. Please don't use the report feature simply because you disagree with the author point of view. Treat others with respect, remembering that "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."- Benjamin Franklin. 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We Supported Their Dictators, Led the Failed War on Drugs and Now Deny Them Refuge



As the Trump administration slashes refugee levels, an expert on Central America writes that US foreign policy decisions across the region are at the roots of the current refugee crisis.



By Victoria Sanford

November 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - President Donald Trump has tied his executive order giving Congress six months to fix DACA to constructing a wall between the US and Mexico as well as a rapid and massive deportation of unaccompanied children and families entering the US without a visa.

Trump claims this will stop Central American and other undocumented immigrants from entering the United States. These policies might make it more difficult, but they will not stop the flow of migration because the United States is not the pull factor of migration. Violence in Central American countries is the push factor today, just as it was in the late 20th century.

For much of the 20th century, the US has made strategic decisions that have brought great harm to Central Americans  siding with dictators in the 1980s as our Cold War proxy to fight communism, and siding with corrupt national governments in the 21st century to fight drug traffickers.

The violent image of unrestrained power in Guatemala in the 1980s was an Army soldier or tank confronting unarmed civilians. Armed power in Guatemala today is represented by a heavily equipped police officer in a black uniform and a ski mask driving a four-wheel-drive truck that may or may not have license plates. Nonetheless, violence in Guatemala today has its roots in the period of military dictatorship and civil war.

In the 1980s, the US granted political asylum to less than 3 percent of Salvadoran and Guatemalan asylum seekers. Thousands of refugees fleeing for their lives were called economic refugees and shipped back to certain death. Then as now, the US is the engine generating migration through bad foreign policy decisions. Repeating history rather than addressing corruption, violence and poverty as the underlying causes of flight, the US government pursues a massive deportation policy that defies international humanitarian law.

In 1980s Guatemala, anti-communism fused with centuries-old prejudices produced a climate ripe for the dehumanization of a targeted population  it was genocide against the majority Maya, and sexual violence was a central weapon of the Army. The Guatemalan Truth Commission documented military responsibility for 93 percent of all violence during the 36-year internal armed conflict that included genocide: 200,000 dead, 50,000 disappeared, 626 village massacres and 1.5 million internally displaced.

Following the genocide and systematic rape of Maya women, Guatemalas military deployed a campaign of forced silence and ongoing gender violence to maintain control over its victims. The US has trained Guatemalan soldiers since the 1940s and supported successive military dictatorships since the 1954 US-backed overthrow of democratically elected Jacobo Arbenz. In the 1980s, the CIA continued to provide weapons and advisers to the genocidal army even after Congress cut off military assistance because of the grave human rights violations.

As the genocide in Guatemala burned through hundreds of Maya villages, the US-backed Salvadoran army carried out a bloody war against all who dared to dissent against the military dictatorships that propped up one of the most unequal societies in the hemisphere. In 12 years, the Salvadoran army would kill more than 75,000 civilians  including the 1980 assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero , the brutal rape and murder of three American nuns and a Maryknoll missionary, and the 1989 assassination of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in their living quarters at the University of Central America in San Salvador.

Though peace accords were signed in El Salvador (1992) and Guatemala (1996), the root causes of the violence have never been addressed . Honduras never had a peace accord because it was never technically at war, though it served as a giant military base for the US operations in the region that brought great violence to the Honduran people, as the US sought to end the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua by supporting the Contras  the US proxy army fighting the Sandinistas.

Thirty-five years later, land and wealth distribution in the region are among the most unequal in the hemisphere, leading to high malnutrition and low education for the majority of the populations in all three countries. Today, northern Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) has one of the highest homicide rates of any region in the world that is not at war.

Former and current military divisions have restructured and entrenched themselves in Guatemala in a complex web of organized crime, drug trafficking and gangs each with links to different police and army units as well as political parties. These violent groups constitute a parallel power structure in Guatemala, which continues to dominate the country. Former generals and other high-ranking officials from the dictatorships have taken on roles in the civilian government and political parties.

At the same time, they continue to use violence to pursue their own ends. Some dominate particular geographic areas. Others are involved in drug trafficking or high-level organized crime. These gangs control territories and the people who live there.

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All of the elements of the power structure interlock with one another, in vertical as well as horizontal relationships. For instance, the gangs make payments to the police so that the police wont interfere with their operations. Those payments flow upward: local police officers have to pay a certain amount of the money to their boss, who in turn has to pay off his boss. And then at the higher levels, there are the drug traffickers, who might buy the services of someone much more senior in the police, who might then send some of the payments downward, to individual officers.

At the same, the narco-traffickers and organized-crime syndicates are often paying off the local gang members for doing contract jobs to support illicit trafficking and existing power structures. These jobs range from violent work as hit men, kidnappers, extortionists, arsonists and carjackers to the recruitment of low-level traffickers and other support networks for narco-traffickers and organized crime. Gangs are the local henchmen for international drug traffickers and organized-crime syndicates. In short, gangs are not just informal, local arrangements. They are extensive networks of violence, bribes, threats and patronage forming a part of larger transnational criminal organizations.

This adds up to deep levels of daily violence at every level of society from the family to the community to the nation, and is a major push factor for migration: young men in flight from gang violence and family violence; 13-year-old rural girls forced to marry men twice their age; survivors of domestic violence by family members and gang rape; crime witnesses fleeing police persecution; small-business owners fleeing gang taxes and death threats; Maya peasants disappeared, tortured and killed after demanding their land rights or refusing to let their land be mined or community destroyed to build a hydroelectric dam; young women fleeing gang violence, rape or death threats after refusing the romantic advances of gang leaders; entire families in flight after seeking justice for their murdered relatives.

State involvement ranges from tolerance of violence and criminal activity to corrupt acceptance to actual complicity, leaving ordinary citizens, especially youth, powerless with few options other than flight. When the judicial system offers no recourse for victims of crime, it becomes the accomplice of criminals. While many brave prosecutors continue to push for justice, the judicial system remains (at best) woefully inadequate to protect the rights of its citizens. At worst, it facilitates impunity  the violation of the law by those charged with upholding it.

As in the 1980s, Central Americans have responded by fleeing for their survival. In 2013 alone, over 900,000 Guatemalans migrated to the US together with 500,000 Hondurans and 1.2 million Salvadorans. And many of these are children  from Oct. 2013 to Aug. 2015, more than 102,000 unaccompanied minors were among those making the dangerous and expensive trek from Central America through Mexico to cross the US border.

While gangs are a serious problem in Central America, gang violence flourishes because it is supported by political corruption that derives power from the gangs and gang violence. Mass deportation will not end this violence any more than it will stop migration. In fact, if President Trump makes good on his promise to deport members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gangs, that may make it worse . The United States needs to strengthen the rule of law in Guatemala by supporting the United Nations International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala that partners with honest prosecutors and police to investigate, prosecute and dismantle illegal security forces and clandestine crime structures within the government. The US could do much to stave off violence by supporting Salvadorans, Hondurans and Guatemalans who clamor for a regional commission against impunity.

Victoria Sanford is the author of six books including Buried Secrets: Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala and the forthcoming Bittersweet Justice: Femincide, Impunity and Courts of Last Resort. She is a professor of anthropology and director of the Center for Human Rights at Lehman College, City University of New York.

This article was originally published by Moyers and Company -

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Borneo  Island Devastated, People Oblivious

By Andre Vltchek and Mira Lubis



November 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan): - She was just standing there, in the middle of burning land, surrounded by stumps of trees, fire everywhere, smoke rising towards hopelessly gray sky. The expression on her face was mischievous, almost girlish. I had no idea how old she was: she could have been 28, just as she could easily have been 55.

This island, this village, this charred land: it all looked like hell to me, but obviously not to her: it actually made her laugh, burst with pride.

After all, it was her island, not mine; it was her land, her trees, and it was all getting royally fucked. She was personally participating in this carnage of nature  she, as well as her husband, her entire family, her neighbors.

Her name was Bu Elvi. Bu means mom, or mam or Misses, in Bahasa Indonesia. Her scorched land spans near the village of Dusun Terusan, and Dusan Terusan is near Sintang, in the heart of Borneo, on the largest island in Asia, which is also the second largest island in the world, on what we habitually call our Planet Earth; although frankly, this moonscape of Indonesian Borneo/Kalimantan has very little to do with what used to be the blue planet.

I follow stock exchange regularly, Bu Elvi brags, boastfully:

I know that prices of rubber went down at least three times, lately. Now we will burn all this down, since the government refuses to give us any substantial compensation and then, we will plant some vegetables, at least for a while.

And then? we ask. What if the prices of rubber go up again?

Then, well she hesitates, but for just a few moments. Regaining her bearings, she declares, defiantly:

If that happens, we will burn the vegetables and reintroduce the rubber plantation.

Now it is all black around her. It is desperate and depressing. But she doesnt look suicidal, miserable, or even guilty. She does precisely what she was told to do under General Suhartos military dictatorship, which was sponsored by the United States and the rest of the West. She does what she was taught to do right after the dictatorship collapsed (at least on paper)  in the present era of savage capitalism and unbridled thieving, which has also been clearly supported from abroad. She is making money. She is simply producing dough. She does not rely on anybody, she is well aware of the bottom line: nobody will give her anything. Even if she were starving to death, she would get nothing. And so she opts to be independent, as well as strong, aggressive, arrogant and observed from some distance, mildly insane.

She is of course religious, as everyone in this country is forced to be from his or her childhood. Most likely, she doesnt give a damn about this life, as there is, she believes, something much better, somewhere else and big, right after this suffering on Earth.

She is a tough woman, a survival of the fittest kind of person, in short a new Indonesian.

Can one blame her? Perhaps yes. Perhaps no. She has to live, to survive in this inhuman, savage system, designed and injected from somewhere, from far away.

Still, the land is burning. Here and all around Sintang, all around Borneo, and in all corners of this entire Indonesian archipelago.

Would she opt for the independence of her island, if such an option were to be available?

She doesnt need to think; she is suddenly absolutely certain. She clenches her right fist, grinning at us: Merdeka! Independence!

I am wondering whether it matters, whether it matters at all, who is ruling over this island. Fascism, savage capitalism, as well as the collaboration with foreign powers and institutions, has created a monoculture in this once great archipelago whose motto stated proudly: Unity in Diversity.

If there is merdeka, and if Bu Elvi rules, would the land stop burning?

*

I spoke to a woman near the city of Samarinda, in Eastern Kalimantan. She was selling some fruits and crackers in a small store, predominantly serving workers from the immense plantations located literally behind her back. No primary forest was left anywhere in the vicinity. Everything in the area was black, or green, but if green it covered by sawit, the Indonesian word for palm oil.

Her business was so-so, she said, nothing spectacular. Frankly, she was hardly making ends meet, and she had no health insurance, no housing subsidies, and no financial support from the government. Despite all this, she appeared to be content. Or at least she said that she was:

We dont have any fires around here, anymore. Before, when there was still some tropical forest left, there were constant fires. Now it is all quiet.

Isnt it because the palm oil companies and mining multi-nationals finally got what they always wanted? I wondered. Now they do what they desire. They cut down everything. Why would anyone burn things now? Forest is gone Island is totally ruined. Palm oil, open mines and rubber plantations are covering almost entire surface of it

She stares at me, blankly. She does not understand what am I talking about, at what am I hinting at. She is confused. No one speaks like this, here. No one thinks this way. No one thinks, anymore, full stop

*

I used to come here every weekend, whispers Ms Mira Lubis, a professor at Tanjungpura University in Pontianak city:

It used to be so serene, so beautiful. This beach My beach My father was a doctor. He worked very hard. When he got tired, he took us all here, an entire family. I used to play in the pristine sand, with my brothers I used to swim here. Now just look around

She shows me her childhood photos. I can see her beach, as it used to be, decades ago. I can see it now. She has tears in her eyes.

I look around. And it is all ruined: someone poured concrete over the sand: terrible job, thoroughly amateurish. Ugly stalls are everywhere, like sores. The sand area was reduced to just a couple of meters. Some huts and ugly, crumbling structures double as a seaside hotel.

The beach appears to be totally abandoned and forgotten. The only thing that is never forgotten in Indonesia is an entrance fee; charging random visitors for entering anything, even this devastated place. In this country, nothing is public, nothing is free, and nothing is for the people. Even destruction is promoted as an attraction, as a tourist destination. You stop your car near the emergency room of a hospital: you have to pay You enter a disaster area, a place ruined by a mining company somewhere in East Java: you are forced to pay. Scarred nature, ruined land quickly becomes a sightseeing attraction! You essentially pay for everything in Indonesia, especially if you are dirt poor.

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Mira is walking slowly along her beach. She is deep in thoughts; she looks devastated. Her calm childhood memories are now confronted by reality, which appears to be simply monstrous. Her green island inhabited by ancient cultures and thousands of species of animals, birds and plants, now resembles a computer-generated image from a second-rate horror film.

She specializes in water communities, but the water is poisoned, mighty waterways polluted.

Far away, there is a brilliant, purple-red sunset covering the entire horizon. The sun is setting down behind a cluster of offshore islands. It is a brilliant, stunning sight. Borneo used to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But now, only contours are left; contours, memories and bitterness.

*

Again, I work; we work  filming, photographing and talking to local people. I dont need any data. There is no need for theories. This is all clear, raw, absolutely undisputable.

Everything can be explained and neutralized by complex and scientific theories, by going round in circles, by blurring the reality. Indonesian science and academia, after 1965, has produced nothing useful for the country and for humanity, but they do one thing well: muddying the water, confusing and complicating things, making sure that what is obvious from the first sight, is squarely disputed, denied. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of PhDs are made this way and for this very purpose, annually.

And the island is burning. Filthy chemical streams are everywhere. There is illegal gold mining on the land and in the middle of the mighty but horrendously polluted rivers of Borneo; mining is visible from the air and surface, but controlled by influential individuals, even by armed forces, and therefore untouchable.

Borneo is now synonymous with mining and logging, as well as with terrible plantations that have already cannibalized most of the land. Nothing is being produced, but everything has been extracted.

People are losing their land. They are losing health, even lives. The world is losing its lungs  the tropical forests  or more precisely, it has already lost them all around this unfortunate archipelago.

Savage capitalism, moral and financial corruption, multi-national companies on the loose; this is a sad, even horrifying reality of the country, which totally lost its bearing.

Borneo, it appears, is nearing the end. The entire Indonesia is nearing the endgame, but it is considered politically incorrect to mention it in the West, particularly in the mainstream media. Indonesia is, after all, ruining itself, so the West can prosper. It was like that during colonialism, and it has been like that, again, ever since the US-sponsored military coup of 1965.

I work feverishly in Borneo: I film, I write and photograph. Others are standing by me, trying to help. Are we going to achieve anything? I hope we will; we have to, otherwise, soon, here and elsewhere, everything will be finished, privatized, commercialized and eventually destroyed.

I also work in Afghanistan, in the Middle East and in several fully ruined countries of Africa. Everything here, in Borneo, appears to be extremely familiar. Is it really peace that is reigning here? Im highly doubtful. To me it looks like a war, like an extremely brutal war. It looks like the war of people against their own people, the war of people against nature, against all living beings and species; a war against the forests and river, and even against life itself.

It looks like a neo-colonialist nightmare. It once used to be the most beautiful place in Asia, now it is scarred, charred and in terrible pain. But it is still breathing; it is alive. And what is alive is always worth fighting for.

*

Originally published by NEO (New Eastern Outlook)

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Russiagate Explained

By Caitlin Johnstone

November 28, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Michael Flynn is in the news again . Russiagaters are gushing with excitement at the revelation that Flynns lawyers are no longer sharing information with the presidents legal team now that Robert Muellers investigation is looking more closely at the former National Security Advisors involvement in the production of a film about an exiled cleric from Turkey . The story goes that this separation means that Flynn has struck a deal with Mueller, which Mueller wouldnt permit him to do if he didnt have damning information on Trump.

Of course this excitement is dependent on the false belief that Muellers job is to get the president impeached, and that he would only cut deals toward that ultimate end. It is also dependent on the false belief that there is any evidence to be found that Trump illegally colluded with the Russian government to steal the 2016 election. And, like the rest of the Russiagate enthusiasm around Flynn, it is also somewhat dependent on compartmentalizing away from the fact the Turkey and Russia are two completely different countries.

This is all par for course in the interminable dance of soaring excitement followed by thinly veiled disappointment that Russiagaters have been engaged in for over a year. Ive been receiving some complaints that I dont recap enough on the specific details of why I reject the establishment Russia narrative so aggressively, so if youre just tuning in, what follows is a quick synopsis of how this weird thing has been going so far.

At the beginning of 2015 Hillary Clinton was already scaring people with her intensely hawkish positions on Russia, long before she went all-in on her horrifying support for a no-fly zone in a region where Russian military planes were conducting operations. Coincidentally this same nation Clinton wanted to fight happens to be the nation everyone in her political party is supporting new cold war escalations with today.

When WikiLeaks began releasing Democratic party emails, those ever-trustworthy truth angels collectively known as the US intelligence community began asserting that the leaks were provided by Russian hackers, a claim WikiLeaks denies . Clinton, still widely expected to win the presidency, used that opportunity to call for military responses to cyber intrusions, saying as president she would make it clear that the United States will treat cyber attacks just like any other attack.

In a debate with Trump in October of 2016, Clinton asserted that 17 intelligence agencies had all concluded that Russia was behind the WikiLeaks releases, which this year we learned was actually four agencies, which was actually three agencies plus Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, which was actually two dozen agents from the CIA, FBI and NSA that Clapper hand-picked himself. James Clapper is a known Russophobic racist who has said that Russians  are almost genetically driven to co-opt, penetrate, gain favor, whatever, and that  It is in their genes to be opposed, diametrically opposed to the United States and to Western democracies.

Clinton has continued to repeat the 17 intelligence agencies lie long after it was conclusively debunked, and Democratic party loyalists continue to repeat it to this day . They do this to manufacture the illusion that this is something agreed upon by the entire US intelligence community and not two dozen analysts picked by a man with a seething eugenicist hatred of Russians .

To be clear: Donald Trump, president of the United States, does NOT believe the 17 American agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community re Russian meddling in the election. But he DOES believe former KGB agent Vladimir Putin. Let that sink in. https://t.co/FR2oY4Pk21  Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) November 11, 2017

Only one issue: The 17 agencies all agree claim has been roundly disproven and even retracted by the NYT, get your facts straight, and stop misleading people: https://t.co/pBE2uJDuMy  LastAmericanVagabond (@TLAVagabond) November 26, 2017



R ussia, incidentally, functions with regard to the United States as the right arm of China , the chief rival of the US power establishment Clinton has spent her career immersed in.

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In January Clappers ODNI released its much anticipated intelligence report on the Russian hacking allegations to the public, which spent much of its space bizarrely talking about the fact that RT America covers third party presidential candidates and Occupy Wall Street. It ties Guccifer 2.0 to the WikiLeaks releases on very shaky grounds , despite an abundance of evidence that Guccifer 2.0 is in fact an US establishment psyop and not a hacker at all.

To this day weve seen no hard evidence of Russian hacking the Democratic party emails despite assurances from NSA veterans that if such evidence exists it can surely be found on NSA records and safely shared with the public without exposing any sources or compromising any methods that arent public knowledge already. And yet the anti-Russia sentiment that assertion sparked has been used to manufacture support for sanctions, troops along Russias border, NATO expansionism and proxy conflicts. This is simply unacceptable in a post-Iraq invasion world. When it comes to assertions which lead to war, including cold war, the US intelligence community must be considered guilty until proven innocent. They have lost the trust of every sensible person forever.

The many, many gaping plot holes in the Russian hacking narrative are likely why as 2017 has worn on establishment loyalists have been opting to focus more on allegations that Russia used a pervasive propaganda campaign to get Trump elected. This includes RT America, which has the temerity to air the anti-establishment opinions of Americans whom mainstream media outlets refuse to platform , Pikachu-gate , and a narrative about $100,000 in Facebook ads somehow influencing a $6.8 billion election despite the fact that the ads in question rarely mentioned the election and most of them not being seen until after it was over.

Most disturbingly, the Russian propaganda angle has led to a large percentage of the US population supporting and promulgating the narrative that Americans need to be protected from ideas or information , which has led to enormous increases in corporate censorship across all major social media platforms. Which of course works out nicely for the unelected power establishment which has a vested interest in manipulating the ideas and information that Americans consume.

So thats the narrative about Russias half of Russiagate. The story about Trumps half is even more absurd.

The notion that Democrats may be able to get Trump impeached for colluding with Russia really took hold in January with the release of the now-infamous Christopher Steele dossier, which alleges that Russians have been blackmailing Trump into compliance with their agendas using a video they took years prior of Trump paying a bunch of prostitutes to urinate on a bed the Obamas once slept in. Apart from the obvious fact that nothing about this is even remotely believable, the dossier itself is riddled with significant errors and mostly unverified , and Steele himself has been distancing himself from parts of it. Some of the more high-octane Russiagaters have claimed that since some small parts of the Dossier have been confirmed to contain accurate basic information it must therefore all be true, which is the same as claiming that since Alex Jones was right about Iraq WMDs hes definitely right about everything else he says as well.

Oh, and the position on Ukraine that the dossier alleges Trump was blackmailed into espousing? Its virtually identical to Obamas , and arguably more anti-Russia .

Youll also hear a lot of talk about how Trump has financial ties to Russia, meaning he is necessarily therefore financially beholden to the Kremlin. This story of course requires that you ignore the many, many other foreign countries with which Trump has financial ties in order to view this as significant. Why would Trump exclude Russia from his map of business deals when the arm-waving hysteria about that country didnt start until last year? In order to make Russian business ties look significant amid a sea of other foreign business ties you need to make the case that Russia is uniquely nefarious among nations, and few Americans saw it that way until the anti-Russia propaganda campaign began last year.

Theres talk about how some campaign officials met with Russians, which is only suspicious if you ignore all the other foreign nationals they met with and doublethink your way into believing that Russia has always been viewed as uniquely malicious among nations. Manafort and Gates were indicted for stuff that had nothing to do with Trump or Russia, and back in August the Washington Post ran a story explicitly stating that Papadopoulos was a very low-level aide whose attempts to arrange meetings between campaign officials and Russians were consistently rejected by the Trump campaign.

Taken individually, parts of Russiagate look like they could maybe possibly somehow lead somewhere plausible. Taken together, its obvious that the American people are being manipulated toward an anti-detente agenda by the Democrats who just want Trump impeached and the US power establishment which wants to secure geopolitical power by aggressively undermining its potential rivals.

The term Gish gallop refers to a fallacious debate tactic in which one barrages ones opposition with a deluge of individually weak arguments which take far too long to debunk individually in a way that sustains the audiences interest. This is all Russiagate amounts to. When Russiagaters tell you that theres too much smoke for there not to be fire, they are unwittingly telling you Ive been won over by a Gish gallop fallacy. Every single aspect of their argument can be easily debunked without exception, but since theres so much of it and since pundits are assuring them of its reality so confidently, they believe.

Every few weeks theres some major new bombshell revelation which Russiagaters get all excited about, only to have people read the actual information in the bombshell and find out its not actually anything incriminating or particularly remarkable. Take all those bombshells together, though, and you create the illusion of something real. Thats all this nonsense is.

Hey you, thanks for reading! My work is entirely reader-funded so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook , following me on Twitter , and maybe throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal .

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The President, African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has launched the Presidential Youth Advisory Group, an initiative that will create 25 million jobs.

The initiative was lunched vlaunched on the sidelines of the 6th EU-Africa Business Forum in Abidjan, would provide insights and innovative solutions for job creation for Africas youth as outlined in the Banks Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy.

The jobs for Youth in Africa initiative aims to benefit 50 million youth over the next 10 years by equipping them with the right skills to get decent and meaningful jobs.

It is currently the largest effort going on for youth employment in Africa.

This is a huge opportunity for Africa. If we fix the youth unemployment challenge, Africa will gain 10-20% annual growth.

That means Africas GDP will grow by $500 bn per year for the next 30 years.

He said Africas per capita income would rise by 55 per cent every year to the year 2050.

Adesina, who identified Africas greatest asset as its youth, observed that out of the 13 million youths that enter the labour market each year, only 3 million (about 33% of African youth) are in wage employment.

The rest, he said were underemployed or in vulnerable employment.

The annual gap of more than 8 million jobs is going to worsen, with the number of youth expected to double to more than 800 million in the next decades.

Africa has an unemployment crisis among its youth, he stressed.

He noted that unless employment opportunities are created for them, Africas rapidly growing population of youths can give rise to serious social, economic, political and security challenges.

Africas youths, though strong and dynamic, cross the desert or the Mediterranean Sea because they do not find decent jobs in Africa.

Graduates are wandering in the streets, jobless. The low level of employment opportunities is also fueling violence and extremism in Africa.

Forty per cent of African youths engaged in armed violence join gangs or terrorist groups because of limited opportunities in their countries, Adesina said.

Sixty-six million African youths earn less than $2 a day, less than the price of a hamburger, the Bank President emphasized.
The Amnesty International Nigeria has urged the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to embrace negotiations as this is a way to curb torture in the country.

The country director of the civic group, Osai Ojigho, said this during a symposium and moot court competition among Nigerian Universities titled The Criminalising Torture in Nigeria.

She said torture is not justifiable under any circumstance noting that organisations who feel they have the power to torture should investigate rather than use torture to get information.

There is no need for people who feel they have the right to torture whether physically, emotionally, psychologically and mentally. This is against the law and it is a violation against human rights, Mrs. Ojigho said.

According to her, victims should speak out and report incidents of torture.

Victims think no one will believe them. The first point of contact should be a doctor or nurse who can officially document what happened to the victim. Then the victim should visit a nearby NGO and the NGO can take it up and advise you on the way forward, she said.

Similarly, the deputy team leader, Nigeria Policing Programme, Idris Bawa, said the entire society needs to be sensitised on the effects of torture.

Police should organise series of trainings and workshops for officers so that they will be well informed on different methods that can be used to interrogate. Nigeria police uses crude method to investigate, he said.

According to him, torture and human rights violation is widespread in Nigeria; therefore, non-legal practitioners should be engaged in the fight to stop torture.

Meanwhile, Hassan Bala from the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, a participant at the event, said the issue of compensation is not enough for victims of torture. He said the anti-torture bill at the National Assembly should be passed into law.

Source: ( Premium Times)
Nigerian cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky via series and series of posts on his Instagram page is always insinuating of having a super rich boyfriend who is pampering him with luxury, which he addresses as Bae.

The cross dresser however refrained to reveal the true identity because she/he doesnt want anyone to steal him from him.

Bobrisky however hinted in his new post, who this supposed bae is as he made another revelation about bae!

He says his bae is an over 50-year-old top government official, and according to him, he likes them old.

Source: Naijaloaded
Nigerian soldiers on Tuesday rescued another 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists after they cleared remnants of Boko Haram insurgents from some villages in the northern fringes of the Sambisa forest, an official said.

According to a statement by the army spokesperson, Sani Usman, the soldiers also captured one Boko Haram commander, Ameer of Chawa, Amman Judee, and killed four terrorists.

Mr. Usman said the captured leader was undergoing interrogation, while the rescued persons were being documented and underaged children among them administered oral polio vaccines.

The latest rescue of the 212 victims is the second mass rescue in a week.

It was earlier reported that 30 persons were rescued on Saturday after soldiers killed 11 Boko Haram suspects in separate battles in eight villages of Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

While the army has continued to achieve successes against the terror group, the Boko Haram still carry out attacks, mainly on soft targets, in various parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

About 100,000 people have been killed since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.

Source: ( Premium Times )
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a Boko Haram commander and rescued 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists in Borno State. Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, this in a statement signed by him on Tuesday.

He said the feat was made during a clearance operation by troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade Nigerian Army, in collaboration with 22 Mobile Strike Team and some civilian JTF attached to Operation Lafiya Dole.

The Boko Haram leader arrested by the troops, after a serious exchange of gunfire, was identified as the Ameer of Chawa, Amman Judee.

Troops also killed four other terrorists during the operation while clearing the insurgents from their hideouts located at Kala, Jawara, Mada, Mika, Gakulba and Kutilax (Sanga), northern fringes of Sambisa forest, as well as fringes of Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to the statement, the terrorists had dashed into the adjoining Amchada forest on sighting the approaching troops from their observation post at Sanga before they were killed.

Brigadier General Usman said the captured Ameer is undergoing further interrogation while the rescued persons are being documented and the underaged children were administered oral polio vaccines.

Source  Ebiwalismoment
President Buhari has reacted after a recent CNN video report had shown migrants being traded in an auction, and in the wake of global condemnation of the sale of African refugees into slavery in Libya.

President Muhammadu Buhari in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire for the 5th EU-AU Summit. Mr. President was received at the Airport by President Alassane Ouattara #PMBinAbidjan pic.twitter.com/VAdzWrrzeI  Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) November 28, 2017

While speaking during an interaction with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is in the country for 5th EU-AU Summit, broke his silence on the widely reported Slave Trading in Libya, said Nigerian migrants in dire straits in Libya will be identified and evacuated.

The president who opened up in the wake of global condemnation of the sale of African refugees into slavery in Libya after a recent CNN video report had shown migrants being traded in an auction, said his administration will make the country conducive to discourage the youth from risking their lives.

He said; In the interview some of you saw, some of the Nigerians said they were being sold like goats for few dollars for years in Libya. Now after 43 years of Gaddafi where he recruited so many people from the Sahel including Nigeria and so on, all they learnt was how to shoot and kill.

They didnt learn to become electricians, plumbers or any other trade. So, when the Libyans stood against their leader those who are not their people, they chased them out. A lot of them came back home with their workers, some of them participated in Boko Haram and become part of Boko Haram.

Pres. @MBuhari has arrived the Felix-Houphouet-Boigny Airport, Abidjan for EU-AU Summit, he was received by Pres. Ouattara of Cote DIvoire. pic.twitter.com/cgfeDf0UwN  Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) November 28, 2017

So, Im telling you that our major problem as we have identified is still the security of the country. We have done much better everybody is saying it.

We are doing our best and the leadership at all levels are doing their best and the problem we are having with those who are being indoctrinated and are hurting our people, blowing up people in mosques, churches, marketplaces, motor parks, this is absolute madness.

No religion advocates violence, all religion advocate justice from your home, town, household to whatever you become, Justice is the basic thing all religion demand it as you cant go wrong if you do it.

Whenever Nigerians are identified especially in Libya and so on, we hope to evacuate them back home and then rehabilitate them because the indoctrination is what is happening with the Boko Haram where girls will strap themselves mostly from the ages of 15 downwards and go to the market blow themselves up and anybody around in motor parks, mosques, churches and so on.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the senior special assistant on diaspora and foreign affairs, said 5000 Nigerians stranded in Libya have been brought back to the country under the present administration.
The European Union on Tuesday said it would spend 23.3m (N9.9bn) on a four-year programme that would focus on tackling corruption in Nigeria.

The EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kurt Cornelis, said this in Abuja during the inauguration of the four-year Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme in Nigeria.

He said, The European Union is providing 23.3m for the initiative, to be implemented at the federal level and in four states of Adamawa, Anambra, Kano and Lagos. Corruption and an ineffective justice system undermine Nigerias effort at economic and social development and fighting poverty.

Cornelis, who disclosed that the British Council office in Nigeria would implement the programme, said the EU had affirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria to improve the justice sector and strengthen the fight against corruption through the financing of the programme tagged, RoLAC.

The envoy added, Criminal justice reform and the fight against corruption are complementary and mutually reinforcing. Corruption is both a cause and driver of poor governance and performance of the criminal justice system.

At the same time, a strong Nigerian criminal justice sector, able to dispense timely and effective justice would strengthen the fight against corruption, as incentives to engage incorrupt practices are reduced.

The overall objective is to enhance good governance in Nigeria by contributing to the strengthening of the rule of law and curbing corruption. More specifically, it will target and support: The implementation of the Nigerian criminal justice reform agenda to improve on the timeliness, effectiveness and transparency of the system.

Other areas the programme will focus on include: Increasing access to justice for women, children and persons with disabilities strengthening the fight against corruption in the criminal justice sector, public procurement and the extractive industries, enhance citizens civic and public engagement in criminal justice sector reforms and the fight against corruption

According to RoLAC Programme Director, Dr. Bob Arnot, at the British Council, the approach is not to bring predetermined solutions but to work in collaboration with Nigerian state and non-state actors to develop and implement sustainable initiatives that will build upon and consolidate the successes of the EUs previous support to Nigeria in the justice and anti-corruption sector under the 10th EDF.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
A young man has been reportedly murdered in a brutal manner by a man who happened to be his sisters suitor in a Katsina State community.

In what will come across as a really shocking development, the family of Kabiru Yaro in Layin Minister Malumfashi local government area of Katsina state have been thrown into mourning following alleged murder of their 21-year-old son, Abdulmalik Kabir.

According to Daily Trust, Kabir, a level 300 computer science student of Umaru Musa YaraAdua University, (UMYU), was on Sunday night, 19th November, 2017, allegedly attacked by three people around Kofar Fada area of the town. His crime was a warning to one Hussaini Abdu to stay away from his sister, Amira Kabiru who is an 18 year old girl in her second year at a senior secondary school.

It was a double tragedy for the Yaro family as only 40 days ago they lost a 10-year-old son to leukaemia.

Kano Chronicle reports that Amira and Hussaini were said to be in a relationship which the family did not consent to on the ground that she is still in secondary school.

However, trouble started when the deceased asked the suitor on phone not to go near the girl until she finishes her secondary school.

Later on, the suitor and two others teamed up and attacked the deceased on the ground that he had no moral ground to stop their friend from dating thesister.

Speaking on the incident, the deceased father, Yaro, 52, said I left home about 7pm for evening prayers on that fateful Sunday, when my wife called me on phone asking me to please rush back home.

On arrival, I met Kabir and the rest of my family soiled with blood. Upon inquiry, he said some people attacked him because he warned them to stay away from Amira and stop seeing her on the ground that he realised they were not well mannered persons.

Yaro added that he asked him whether there was anybody around when the incident happened and he mentioned his friend Abdulmalik Abdulnasir, then I called him (Abdulnasir) and together conveyed Kabir to Malumfashi general hospital.

We got to the hospital at about 8.30pm where we met a nurse who, on seeing his condition, rushed and called a doctor. His front teeth were severely damaged and lower jaw seemed broken; there was no heavy deep cut wound on his body but many bruises and blood stain from them. Kabiru kept shouting my head! since when we were at home, he said.

Yaro said after examining his condition the doctor and a dentist suggested an X-ray and drugs were prescribed for him and after that they returned home.

The following morning, we went back to the hospital and he was about to be admitted; we got to the ward and waiting for others to be discharged because there was no available bed space at the time. As we were waiting, it was at that point he died, the bereaved father said.

He said Kabir warned them to stop seeing his younger sister because they have a tradition in their family, if girls are in secondary school, they dont authorise any relationship. After completion of the secondary school then they asked them to propose whoever they wish for formalisation.

Chief Medical Director of Malumfashi General Hospital, Dr. Abdulhamid Ahmed said late Kabir was rushed to the hospital on that Sunday night and discharged.

Ahmed added that the next day he was returned seriously unconscious and was given intravenous drugs just to stabilise him; and as they were trying to get him admitted, Kabir died even before entering the ward.

At the time we could only stablise him and refer him to other hospital because his condition needs to be examined further by a neuron surgeon because of the head injury, he said.

Already the police command in the state has arrested three prime suspects, Hussaini Abdu Danshagamu, Abdulaziz Karim, both level 300 Business Administration students of the UMYU and Ibrahim Salisu, a level 100 Public Administration student of the same institution.

Confirming the arrest, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gambo Isah said on 20th of this month, one Kabiru Yaro of Layin Minister in Malumfashi reported that on the 19th at about 11pm, his son Abdulmalik Kabir, had a misunderstanding with Hussaini Abdu Danshagamu also a boyfriend to Kabirs sister (Amira) .

He said, Danshagamu connived with two others and beat up Kabir and as a result he sustained injuries that led to his death.

It was gathered the deceased was rushed to Malumfashi general hospital where he died on 20th at 11am.

Speaking on the incident, Danshagamu confirmed that he was in love with Amira for a while and they were separated when her father reported the matter to their school authority.

Ever since then, I stayed away from her, I dont even have her number, he added.

Danshagamu further stated that, On that fateful Sunday I returned to Malumfashi to pick my books at home and as we were sitting at our joint, Kabir came and attacked me from where the fight ensued. I never hold grudges against him, he was my good friend.
The Federal Government has rescued 242 migrants from Libya were rescued back to the country on Tuesday evening.

The federal government had on Monday, promised to intervene and rescue Nigerian migrants in the North African country.

In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said it was liaising with the Libyan officials on repatriating Nigerians from the country.

The ministry spokesman, Tiwatope Elias-Fatile said the mission has been visiting detention camps to identify Nigerians for registration and to issue Emergency Travelling Certificates to them.

He said, It is apt to add that our mission in Tripoli has been addressing the problems associated with Nigerian migrants in Libya.

There were instances when the mission received appeals for intervention from some Nigerian families whose children and relations were victims of inhumane acts in that country.

The government is also exploring the feasibility of sending aircraft to evacuate Nigerians who are stranded in Libya.

The ministry said that the mission in Libya had addressed kidnapping of Nigerians for ransom by foreigners, adding that other cases involving Nigerians who kidnapped their compatriots for ransom in Libya were equally reported to the embassy for intervention.

The mission had rescued many victims and repatriated some of them to Nigeria, sometimes in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration as well as some NGOs,.

Source: (Punch Newspaper )
Four Cameroonian soldiers were killed by suspected separatists in the restive English-speaking region of the country early Wednesday, army and government sources said.

According to a source in the Army, the troops came under attack in the area of Mamfe, a city in the Southwest Region, according to an army source.

The information was confirmed by a government official.

Source: ( AFP )
The President of Ghana, Akufo-addo has joined world leaders in condemning the practice of slave trade in Nigeria which has attracted the attention of the United Nations.

Ghanas President, Nana Akufo-Addo, says the recent report on sales of African migrants in Libya is a mockery of the African solidarity.

Akufo-Addo, in a tweet on his handle on Tuesday, said the slave auction is scandalous and a gross abuse of human rights.

The current slave auctions of Africans in Libya are not only gross and scandalous abuses of human rights, but are also mockeries of the alleged solidarity of African nations grouped in the African Union (AU), of which Libya is a member, he tweeted.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday commenced debate on general principles of the 2018 Appropriation Bill as issues regarding the non-implementation of Zonal Intervention projects in 2017 appropriation were highlighted.

Leading the debate, the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos-APC), appealed to his colleagues not to lose sight of ideas behind the bill which seeks to consolidate on gains already attained by government, even as critical observations were raised.

There were objections raised by some opposition lawmakers who demanded suspension of the debate until work on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) was concluded and passed.

Abubakar Chika (Niger-APC) also raised a constitutional point of order and the House Rules challenging the legality of the debate in the absence of MTEF.

The Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf, who presided over the plenary session, assured Mr. Chika that the debate would only be a stop-gap measure that would not necessarily lead to the passage of the Bill through second reading until the MTEF was dealt with.

Mr. Lasun said that the House would definitely pass the MTEF within the days slated for debate on the appropriation bill.

If we have to go strictly by our provision, we will be drawn back. I will plead with my colleagues to let us go on with the debate.

The debate is not tantamount to passing the bill, this debate will allow us follow our calendar so that things will be done in the right order, he said.

Responding, Mr. Gbajabiamila admitted the constitutional and legislative correctness of Rep. Chika.

He said that his colleague was absolutely correct because we cannot be seen to violate our own laws which we passed in this House.

As it is the practice, the MTEF cannot be left hanging for us to commence debate on the budget.

But in line with your ruling, I seek the indulgence of the House to allow the debate and also urge our colleagues to show understanding. This would enable us reduce the work load on the document, Mr. Gbajabiamila said.

He, therefore, urged his colleagues to look beyond the shortcomings observed and focus on the benefits of the budget to Nigerians.

He said, The size of this budget is a deliberate attempt to take the nations economy out of recession and grow it to a sustainable level that upholds the minimum standard of living for Nigerians.

The projected revenue for 2018 is N6.6 trillion, N2.4 trillion will be from oil, N1.3 trillion will be from non-oil, N710 billion will be from government assets and N847 billion will come from independent revenue.

Speaking on how the N8.6 trillion would be spent, the House Leader disclosed that N2.01 trillion which represents 23 per cent of the budget would be used for debt servicing, and N220 billion will go for payment of local contractors.

He added that N3.4 trillion would be dedicated to recurrent expenditure, pension and social intervention, and 30 per cent of the budget would be dedicated to capital expenditure.

Mr. Gbajabiamila noted that a N2.05 trillion deficit which represents 1.7 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), would be funded by borrowing.

Giving a snap shot of key areas that would be covered by the capital, he said N8 billion would be for the construction of the second run way of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Abuja Airport.

N295 billion is for the construction of roads nationwide, N10 billion is for the second Niger bridge, N9.8 billion is for Mambila project among others.

The capital aspect of this budget is purely to stimulate growth in all sectors of the economy, ranging from agriculture, aviation, rail and road transportation as well as solid minerals exploration.

So, I put the ball in the court of my colleagues with a view to giving their support to the passage of this bill for second reading, and I must say that I expect to hear dissenting views on this, because no budget in the world is perfect.

But lets not lose sight of the bigger picture of this budget with regards to issues of job creation, anti-corruption war, insecurity and provision of infrastructure that would serve the best interest of our citizens, Mr. Gbajabiamila said.

In his contribution to the debate,  Denis Agbo (Enugu-PDP), raised concern over non implementation of zonal intervention (Constituency) projects by the executive in the 2017 budget.

Mr. Agbo said that it was those projects that had direct impact on the lives of the more than 170 million Nigerians, especially those in the nooks and crannies of the federation.

He added that out of the N4.2 trillion allocated to capital projects, only a N100 billion was meant for federal legislators to bring federal presence to their people.

Of the entire capital allocation, zonal intervention project is just about 3.4 percent of capital expenditure, and I see no reason why government will not implement it.

Mohammed Monguno (Borno-APC) said there was the need for the House as a responsible arm of the legislature to take the bull by the horn in demanding adequate implementation of budgets.

Citing a newspaper publication which quoted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as saying the oil benchmark for 2017 budget had been exceeded by 18 per cent, Mr. Monguno questioned why the 2017 budget still suffered abysmal implementation if the nation was making more money than anticipated.

Source: ( NAN)
A heartless man has been arrested by the police after it was discovered that he has been punching his wife for every like she received on Facebook.

A Uruguayan woman has been forced to undergo reconstructive surgery on her face after her jealous husband punched her every time someone liked her pictures on Facebook, according to a report by Dailymail.

The woman identified as Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza, 21, was rescued last week after being kept captive in her home by husband Pedro Heriberto Galeano who subjected her to constant beatings, according to police.

The attack left her face completely disfigured by a series of brutal punches. Speaking yesterday, the womans lawyer claimed Galeano, 32, would become violent when anyone liked the photos she posted of herself on Facebook .

He began to beat her up every time one of her friends on social media reacted to any of her posts. Galeano later took control of her Facebook page, where he would post pictures of her, and continued to punch and kick her for every like the posts received.

Lawyer Arnaldo Martinez told how Ms Ortigoza, from Nemby near Asuncion, Uruguay, would dread a notification telling her that someone had reacted or commented on a post.

Her friends had no idea that each time they made the friendly online gesture she would be brutally beaten. He said: Her mouth was all broken, she was very damaged, her skin was hanging off because of the blows.

He controlled the victims social networking sites, he controlled the messages and photos, and for every like she received from her friends, the woman received a beating because he accused her of having a relationship with them.

Mr Martinez said she only didnt lose her teeth because he would put a cloth in her mouth so that she would not scream during the brutal beatings that she suffered daily.

The mans father finally reported his violent son to the police after he believed the woman would die following the last attack, according to reports. Ms Ortigoza was so disfigured by the violence she wasnt able to recognised herself after being shown photos of herself after the incident.

She underwent reconstruction operations of the nasal septum and lips.

Galeano was captured and charged with attempted femicide, deprivation of liberty and coersion, crimes which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Source  Dailymail
Efforts are being made by the All Progressives Congress-led administration in Kaduna State to restructure the civil service.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Jafaru Sani, on Tuesday, confirmed the disengagement of 4,042 local government staff across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Sani told a news conference in Kaduna that the exercise was part of the ongoing restructuring of the local government system for effective service delivery.

He also said that the restructuring was designed to strengthen the local government system to carry out developmental projects and programmes.

He said that 3,159 staff among those disengaged had put in 10 years and were retired while the remaining 893 had their jobs terminated.

He explained that the retired staff would be paid their November salary including three months salary in lieu of notice while their pension would be worked out by their pension administrators.

Sani added that those whose appointments were terminated would equally be paid their November salary, one month salary in lieu of notice and gratuity according to the civil service rule.

It is a known fact that the LGAs were overburdened by redundant and unproductive staff who are contributing nothing to the development of the councils.

Because of the over-bloated staff, the LGAs are doing nothing other than paying salaries and end up becoming more or less a poverty alleviation centres, where people just go to collect money and go home.

To ensure development at the local levels, therefore, we have to do what is right by downsizing the redundant staff to free some funds that would be injected in developmental projects.

With the disengagement, the supporting members of staff at the 23 LGAs are now 6,732, excluding primary school teachers and primary health care workers.

I am sure, with this development, local government areas will soon start executing capital and development projects to provide social services to the people.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Commission, Mr Mahmud Zailani, explained that the ongoing local government restructuring was part of Gov. Nasir El-Rufais campaign promise to strengthen public service.

The governor began his public service restructuring at the state level when he reduced the number of the state ministries from over 20 to 13.

A number of permanent secretaries and other staff had to go during the process as part of efforts to provide quality public service.

I say here that the disengagement was not forced on the LGAs but was carried out with their full support and each LGA was treated according to its peculiarities, Zailani said.
Some militants and vandals have reportedly surrendered their arms in an Ondo State community after embracing governments amnesty program.

According to a report by The Nation, some militants terrorising parts of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states submitted their arms on Monday evening to embrace Federal Governments Amnesty programme.

The militants were said to be behind the abduction of six Senior Secondary School (SSS)m pupils of Lagos Model College at Igbonla, near Epe in Lagos State; Arepo pipeline vandalisation and several attacks in the riverine areas of Ondo State.

The militants were led by Ogailo Iborry Young (aka O.C) to the Collection and Documentation of Arms Centre in Ajapa community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

They willingly dropped their arms and other weapons.

The event, witnessed by Deputy Governor and Chairman of Ondo State Amnesty Committee, Agboola Ajayi, representatives of Delta State government, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base at Igbokoda, Navy Captain Usman Yahaya, among others, was seen as the solution to restoring peace in the riverine area.

Some of the surrendered arms include Browning wz machine gun, Daewoo K3, Colt automatic rifles, general purpose machine gun, Breda 30, Fiat Revelli modelling, AK-47 rifles, rocket launcher, CETME Ameli, Heckler & Koch MG4, pump action and some automatic cartridges.

Also, the repentant militants surrendered military uniforms, police bulletproof vests, dynamites, grenades, bombs and helmets.

Iborry Young expressed appreciation to the state and the Federal Government for the fresh Amnesty initiative.

The militant leader traced the source of their arms to the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis of 1998/1999, blaming it on joblessness, poverty and government neglect.

He said: If we may be asked our reasons for embarking on this struggle, our simple assertion to the public and other concerned authorities is that it is joblessness, suffering, poverty, oppression and neglect by the government.

Iborry said the militants dumped their oil bunkering business and hatched another game plan to attract the attention of the government.

He said: As it got to this point, we did not find life very easy. Thus, we relocated to Ogun State where the Government College at Igbonla, near Epe school boys were kidnapped. Their release led to the present arrangement through the courageous efforts of the deputy governors of Ondo and Delta states.

We did not kidnap these boys for mere ransom but to negotiate our freedom and full reintegration into civil life.

Ajayi said the amnesty was impressive as sophisticated ammunitions were surrendered.

The deputy governor assured the repentant militants of Federal Governments readiness to provide job and education programmes, among others, to the repentant militants for them to be self-reliant, if they embrace peace.

He rejoiced with residents of Ajapa community for the restored peace in the community after years of face-off between them and the military.

Also, Navy Captain Yahaya said the exercise in Ajapa community was more impressive because of the record of the exercise since it started.

Five militant groups  the Awaja, Ogoolorunyo (led by Job), Ebie, Dragon and Atupa  had submitted their arms to embrace the Amnesty programme.
The National Assembly have kicked against the Federal Governments 2018 budget proposal, saying its assumptions are unrealistic.

The Senate and the House of Representatives, which began debates on the 2018 Appropriations Bill on Tuesday, were disgruntled at the Federal Government for not implementing the 2017 budget.

For instance, the Senate said the capital component of the 2017 budget had not been implemented up to 20 per cent.

The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to sell or scrap agencies such as the National Orientation Agency, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria and the Nigerian Television Authority.

It said the government had been spending money on the agencies, which had not been adding any value to the country.

The debate started on a dramatic note when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe dismissed the 2018 budget proposal as being fictitious.

The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, however, raised a point of order and faulted Abaribe for describing the bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari as fictitious. Lawan urged the lawmaker to withdraw the word fictitious and use another word that was parliamentary and acceptable.

Withdrawing the word, Abaribe insisted on his position, saying, I am just quoting the Senate Leader from his speech, in which he said the 2018 budget was designed to consolidate on the achievements of the 2016 and 2017 budgets. What was done in 2017 when less than 15 per cent of that budget was released? Nothing was done and that was why I called it (the 2018 budget proposal) fictitious. I am very sorry if that is the word he is bothered about. I will withdraw the word fictitious and use totally imaginary.

In what sense will this 2018 budget be predicated on assumptions that have already been destroyed? You are assuming N11tn, yet you are getting less than N1tn. How does that happen? That is why I said, with all due respect to my colleagues, that it is imaginary.

I am saying that rather than continuing to debate this (budget) that has no basis in reality, we may just continue to beg this government to please be specific in the indications the assumptions underlying this budget. The assumptions are totally wrong, totally off the mark, and, therefore, the 2018 budget is already dead on arrival.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other releated offences have launched the search for a 33-year-old woman, Perebi Otubo, who was jailed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for trafficking Nigerian girls.

Otubo, who is reportedly hiding in an unidentified location in Nigeria, allegedly belonged to an international syndicate which trafficked girls to Dubai and Abu Dhabi cities to work as commercial sex workers.

Our correspondent learnt that Otubo, who hails from Bomadi, Delta State, went into hiding in Nigeria after she returned from Dubai in July 2017.

The woman reportedly fled when some members of the syndicate were arrested by NAPTIP.

The agencys Head, Press and Public Relations, Josiah Emerole, who confirmed the manhunt, said Otubos accomplices were being prosecuted in the court.

Emerole said, Otubo is wanted for human trafficking. She has been linked to an international human trafficking ring that specialises in trafficking young girls from Nigeria to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in UAE for sexual exploitation.

She was recently jailed in Dubai for human trafficking. She was released in July 2017 and is currently at large, hiding somewhere in Nigeria. Her accomplices and recruiters in Nigeria have been arrested by NAPTIP and are currently facing prosecution in court. We want the public to assist us in locating her.

Also, the anti-trafficking agency said it had met with tour operators, travel agents and airline operators to ensure that human traffickers did not infiltrate them.

The NAPTIP Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, said travel agents must be mindful of the clause in their contract agreement that travellers shall not be exploited at their places of destination.

Okah-Donli noted that the penalty for aiding and abetting a human trafficker, intentionally or unintentionally upon conviction, was a jail term and a fine of not more than N10m.

Tour operators and travel agents cannot afford to passively sit by while human trafficking is promoted through their means of livelihood. They must recognise the signs of trafficking and possible exploitation and how to report such cases to us, she said.
Mr Buhari said they were being treated like goats, and vowed to do everything possible to prevent more Nigerians making the perilous journey to Europe.

The announcement was made hours after Libyas UN-backed authorities said they were increasing repatriation flights.

About 240 Nigerians were voluntarily flown home in a joint operation by Libya and the UN migrant agency on Tuesday night.

The issue of people attempting to enter Europe illegally was already expected to be high on the agenda of this weeks African Union-European Union Summit, being held in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.

Mr Buhari, who was speaking on the sidelines of the summit, said he was appalled by what he had seen.

Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya and elsewhere will be bought home, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The decision comes after the emergence of footage showing migrants being sold at slave auctions in Libya.Some Nigerians [in the footage] were being sold like goats for few dollars in Libya, Mr Buhari said during the address to the Nigerian diaspora on Tuesday, before lashing out at Libya.

After 43 years of [Col Muammar] Gaddafi, why are they recruiting so many people from the Sahel including Nigerians? he demanded. All they learned was how to shoot and kill. They didnt learn to be electricians, plumbers or any other trade.

Mr Buhari promised those who returned would be rehabilitated, and vowed to tackle corruption, defeat groups like Islamist militants Boko Haram and improve things like education to stop Nigerians leaving in the first place.

For people to cross the Sahara desert and Mediterranean through shanty boats we will try and keep them at home, he said.

Exactly how the Nigerian government plans to enact the repatriation of its citizens is not clear.

The plight of those trapped in Libya  a major hub for migrants attempting to reach Europe  was highlighted by the footage, published by US news network CNN, which shows young men being auctioned for farm work.
Operatives attached to the Eziama Police Station in Aba, Abia State arrested two vehicle licensing officials, Innocent Ogboonna and Ikechukwu Goodness, while allegedly attempting to register a stolen vehicle.

A statement by the state Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, which was made available to Southern City News, indicated that the vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, with registration number KUT 18 CA, was allegedly snatched from one Obiageli Orizu at Nnewi in Anambra State at gunpoint in 2016.

Ogbizi stated that the car thieves brought the vehicle to Aba and sold it to one Allwell Izunwa of Owaza Asa in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state with fake documents.

He disclosed that at the point of effecting change of ownership with the fake documents at a Motor Licensing Office in the Ariaria area of Aba, Ogboonna and Goodness, both workers of the licensing office, discovered that the documents were forged and the vehicle was stolen from its owner.

He added that instead of alerting the police, the officials informed the receiver of the stolen car to run away.

The police commissioner said, It was based on a tip-off that police operatives swung into action recovered the vehicle and arrested the suspects.

Efforts are in progress to arrest other members of the gang at large.

In a related development, a patrol team from Ndiegoro Police Station has recovered one Toyota Lexus 300 SUV with registration number KJA 769 DW, allegedly snatched from a victim identified only as Francis at Obohia in Aba.

It was gathered that the yet-to-be-identified car snatchers used the car for a robbery operation and abandoned it after the operation.

Items recovered from the vehicle included the sum of N100,000 belonging to the victim and two mobile phones as well as two live and one shell of AK47 ammunition.

Also policemen from the Central Police Station in Aba recovered one Toyota Hiace bus with registration number GDD 695 YE snatched from its owner at gunpoint on Aba-Owerri Road.

It was learnt that the driver of the bus had complained to police officers on a stop-and-search duty at Eziukwu Junction that four armed robbers had snatched his bus from him.

It was gathered that the policemen swung into action and intercepted the suspects, who abandoned the vehicle on sighting the patrol team at Ama-Ogbonna area and escaped.

The police commissioner said efforts were on to arrest all the suspects who were at large.
The Police in Ondo State have rescued three victims who were recently kidnapped on the Benin-Ore Expressway.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olugbenga Adeyanju, disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Akure.

Adeyanju gave the names of the victims as: Timilehin Akomolafe, 18, Michael Popoola, 42 and Herry Usifo, 42.

He said that the victims were rescued alive with the assistance of local hunters about 6pm on Tuesday in a forest along Ore Expressway.

On Nov. 24 about 3:45pm, one Mr Akomolafe was travelling from Akure to Lagos to drop his son, Timilehin at the University of Lagos.

Unfortunately his jeep was intercepted by kidnappers and in the process, he was killed and his son was kidnapped.

The Jeep right behind his vehicle was equally shot at and the mobile policeman lost his life but the driver was fast enough to escape to safety when policemen came to the scene firing and the kidnappers ran away.

They took Timilehin and two other travellers, Popoola and Usifo, who were coming from Port Harcourt to Lagos in a commercial vehicle, and this happened almost simultaneously, he said.

The commissioner said the kidnappers escaped with gunshot wounds after a gun battle with policemen.

According to him, the three victims were rescued alive, hale and hearty, adding that no ransom was paid.

He disclosed that Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had given the command five motorcycles to curb crime in Ore area.

The governor in his magnanimity gave us five motorcycles which we have distributed among the three commands and the result is what we are seeing now.

Source: ( NAN )
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his fears that he does not believe that only three of the 26 migrants who died in the Mediterranean and were buried in Italy recently were Nigerians.

He, however, said he would not be surprised if a majority of the deceased were Nigerians, he confirmed this during a meeting he had with members of the Nigerian community in Cote dIvoire on Tuesday evening in Abidjan.

The President is in the country for the 5th European Union/African Union Summit.

He promised that his administration will do all within its powers to make the country more conducive in order to discourage youths from embarking on risky trips out of the country for greener pasture.

He said efforts would be made to ensure that there will be less Nigerians daring the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea and getting perished.

Buhari said, It was announced that 26 Nigerians died but before they could proved that they were all Nigerians, they were buried.

But the evidence I got from my Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs now is that only three were identified as Nigerians. But I wont be surprised if the majority of them were really Nigerians.

For people to cross the Sahara Desert to go into shanty boats across the Mediterranean Sea, I think we will try and keep them at home.

But for anyone who dared the desert and the Mediterranean without document to prove that he/she is a Nigerian, there is nothing we can do, absolutely nothing.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Just as President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to Abidjan, the Ivory Coast capital to attend the fifth European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Summit, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has tasked the Presidency on its failure to repatriate Nigerian migrants who may have been sold as slaves in the recently uncovered Libya slave trade.

Saraki, who was speaking during plenary on Wednesday, compared the almost immediate response of Ivory Coast in repatriating its citizen from the slave camps while Nigeria is still foot-dragging.

He asked Nigeria to take urgent action towards addressing the issue, such as summoning the Libyan ambassador to explain what is happening.

According to the senates twitter handle, @NGRSenate, Senator Saraki is quoted as saying:

Ivory coast thats not as good as Nigeria is taking actions to bring back their citizens, we need to be doing similar things.

Ivory coast thats not as good as Nigeria is taking actions to bring back their citizens, we need to be doing similar things. We need to mandate the foreign affairs to summon the libyan ambassador here in Nigeria to explain what is happening. Meanwhile, President Buhari has condemned the ongoing Libya slave trade, and promises to ensure Nigerians return home safely, and get rehabilitated. The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Relations & Diaspora, renowned journalist, Abike Dabiri has been busy on Twitter responding to questions from Nigerian on what the government is doing about the situation. Responding on the question of repatriation, she tweeted: Under PMB almost 5000 brought back, after years stranded in Libya.. But you bring back, some still go despite warnings. Hopeful with massive evacuation, all will be back Burkina Faso was the first country to repatriate its citizens after the latest news broke about the Libya slave trade presently going on in the Northern African country. The country also promptly recalled its ambassador from Libya days after the viral story by CNN highlighting the plight of Sub-Saharan Africans in slave camps in Libya.

Source  Olisa
At least six passengers were killed on Wednesday when their bus drove into a river on a highway west of Kathmandu.

The crash occurred a month after a similar mishap left 31 people dead on the same road.

The bus was heading for Arghakhachi, a district south-west of the capital.

The highway is a major artery connecting the capital with rest of the country.

Four men and two women were found dead, police officer, Kiran Karki, said, adding that police rescue teams on rafts were searching the bus, which plunged into the Trishuli River.

Karki said that the police rescued 21 passengers including children and attributed the accident to a head-on collision with a truck.

Nepals fatal road accidents are blamed on poorly maintained vehicles coupled with reckless driving and bad roads.

Source: ( NAN )
Self-storage properties are constantly changing hands, and Inside Self-Storage is regularly notified of these market transactions. Many are covered in detail on the ISS website and available for viewing on the Acquisitions and Buying topics page. Following are additional acquisitions and sales that werent covered.

A Plus Mini Storage in Navarre, Fla., was sold to National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSAT), a real estate investment trust (REIT). The facility at 7030 Navarre Parkway comprises 91,825 rentable square feet in 751 units. The buyer and the seller, W.M. Bell & Co. of Santa Rosa County LLC, were represented in the transaction by Bill Barnhill and Shannon Barnhill Barnes, both broker affiliates for the Argus Self Storage Sales Network.

Alcom Mini Storage in Cherryville, N.C., was sold to an out-of-state buyer. The 4-acre property at 243 Dick Beam Road comprises more than 20,000 rentable square feet of space in 123 traditional and vehicle-storage units. It also contains a rental office and a 5,000-square-foot warehouse. The facility opened in 2007, with the latest expansion in 2010, and has room for more growth. The seller was represented in the transaction by Michael Morrison, an associate broker with real estate firm Midcoast Properties Inc.

Barracuda Boat & RV Storage in Gainesville, Fla., was sold for $2.3 million. The 36,720-square-foot facility at 6401 N.W. 120th Lane was renovated in 2007 and includes a mix of traditional storage units, covered vehicle spaces and outdoor parking. The seller was represented in the transaction by Gabriel Coe, Nathan Coe and Brett R. Hatcher, investment specialists with Marcus & Millichap (M&M). They were assisted by M&M broker Kirk Felici.

EZ Storage in Eastpointe, Mich., was sold to an out-of-state limited liability company (LLC). The property at 21500 Gratiot Ave. comprises 65,810 square feet. The buyer and the seller, also an LLC, were represented in the transaction by Hatcher. Fellow broker Steven Chaben assisted.

Franz Road Self Storage in Katy, Texas, was sold to a Houston-based LLC. The property at 23012 Franz Road contains 274 units. The buyer and the seller, a personal trust, were represented in the transaction by Dave Knobler, first vice president of investments for M&M.

Ivy Ridge Self Storage in Fisherville, Va., was sold for $1.4 million to a private investor. Built in 2007, the 2.3-acre property at 68 Ivy Ridge Lane is comprised of six metal buildings consisting of more than 190 units, including 31 that are temperature-controlled. The property also includes a 475-square-foot rental office and some additional office space for lease. The seller was represented in the transaction by Investment Real Estate LLC (IRE).

King Arthur Self Storage in Draper, Utah, was sold. The facility at 14039 Minuteman Drive comprises 118,500 square feet of storage space in more than 1,000 units. The seller was represented in the transaction by Jonathan Cutler, an affiliate agent for The Storage Acquisition Group (TSAG).

The four-property Max Value Self Storage portfolio in Atlanta was sold to an out-of-state buyer. The facilities sit on more than 15 acres of land and contain more than 79,000 rentable square feet of space in 571 traditional and climate-controlled units. The portfolio also includes a rental office, retail space, an apartment and two development sites. The seller was represented in the transaction by Morrison.

Maximum Security Self Storage in Waymart, Pa., was sold for $957,500 to a private investor. Opened in 1986, the 4.4-acre property at 582 Roosevelt Highway comprises five buildings containing more than 170 climate-controlled and drive-up units. It also includes outdoor vehicle parking, two retail areas and a rental office with a kiosk. The property was most recently enlarged in 2010, and can be expanded by another 10,000 net rentable square feet of space. The seller was represented by George Hatchard, a brokerage advisor for IRE.

Ranch Self Storage in Mesa, Ariz., was sold for $2.8 million to Wentworth Property Co. LLC. Built in 1979, the 2.3-acre property at 1930 S. Pennington St. includes seven buildings containing 41,700 square feet of space in 367 units. The buyer and the seller, an LLC controlled by four local investors, were represented in the transaction by Bill Alter, managing director of Rein & Grossoehme.

Storage Depot in College Station, Texas, was sold to an LLC. The 4.56-acre property at 11990 Old Wellborn Road was built in 1993 and renovated in 2014. The property comprises 37,260 rentable square feet of space in 272 units. The buyer was represented in the transaction by Knobler. The seller, an LLC, was represented by M&M Senior Associate Nicholas Ling.

A two-property U-Stor-It Self Storage portfolio in Mobile, Ala., was sold. Located within 3 miles of one another, the facilities total 80,800 net rentable square feet of space in 526 drive-up units. The buyer and the seller, an out-of-state investor, were represented in the transaction by Nick Walker, executive vice president and managing member of the Self Storage Advisory Group for CBRE Group.

Argus is a Denver-based network of real estate brokers who specialize in storage properties. Formed in 1994, the company has 36 broker affiliates covering nearly 40 markets.

CBRE Group, a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, employs approximately 70,000 employees, excluding affiliates, and serves real estate investors, occupiers and owners through more than 400 offices worldwide.

Since its inception in 1998, IRE has provided brokerage, construction, development and management services to self-storage owners and investors.

Founded in 1971, M&M is a commercial-property investment firm with more than 1,500 investment professionals in offices throughout Canada and the United States.

Midcoast Properties offers brokerage services to self-storage owners and investors in the Carolinas and Georgia.

Headquartered in Greenwood, Colo., NSAT is a self-administered and -managed REIT focused on the acquisition, operation and ownership of self-storage properties within the top 100 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas throughout the United States. The company has ownership interest in 512 storage facilities in 29 states.

Founded in 1993, Rein & Grossoehme specializes in the sale of investment properties and retail as well as office and industrial leasing.

Based in Yorktown, Va., TSAG represents a private real estate investment fund that's solely focused on acquiring self-storage facilities. Sellers deal directly with the purchaser with no intermediaries and pay no sales commission.

Phoenix-based Wentworth Property has developed more than 7 million square feet of commercial office and industrial space. Its portfolio includes build-to-suit, conversions and ground-up developments.
The William Warren Group (WWG), a privately held real estate company that operates the StorQuest Self Storage brand, has purchased Outback Storage Laguna in Elk Grove, Calif. The property at 2340 Maritime Drive comprises 67,750 square feet in 641 units, according to a press release. Itll be rebranded under the StorQuest name.

The facility is on the east side of Interstate 5 with visibility from the freeway. The William Warren Group is thrilled to have had the opportunity to pursue this deal and looks forward to serving the residents of Elk Grove in the coming years, company officials said.

Founded in 1994 and based in Santa Monica, Calif., WWG acquires, develops and operates 128 self-storage facilities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina and Texas.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has praised the Government of Ontarios decision to include climate change provisions in its Long-Term Infrastructure Plan (LTIP).The plan was recently presented by the Minister of Infrastructure, Bob Chiarelli.Climate change is already having a real and lasting impact on communities across the province, commented IBC Ontario vice-president Kim Donaldson.Severe weather events, like floods, wildfires and storms are happening with more frequency and with greater intensity. They damage homes, businesses and wreak havoc on critical infrastructure. Canadas property and casualty insurers congratulate the Government of Ontario for including climate change mitigation, adaptation and lifecycle assessments as part of the provinces Long-Term Infrastructure Plan.The LTIP looks to improve the planning process associated with capital infrastructure projects in Ontario. On top of mitigation and adaptation, the LTIP will integrate lifecycle assessments as part of the planning, procurement, development and decision-making phases of infrastructure projects.In the LTIP, provincial officials have highlighted the importance of a climate change risk assessment to better understand the vulnerabilities facing residents, infrastructure, and the regions economy.IBC has been advocating for a whole of society approach to address the realities of our changing climate, explained Donaldson. The LTIP climate provisions are a great example of how governments can take a lead role in helping to make our communities safer, stronger and more resilient. IBC supports these provisions and remains committed to continuing to work with governments, stakeholders, and industry partners to face the challenges posed by climate change.
In todays market, there are independent agencies being acquired practically every day. But what is it like to be bought out? What happens afterwards? What changes take place?Insurance Business got back in touch with Derek Borisoff  whose agency, Monarch E&S Insurance Services, was acquired almost three months ago by Specialty Program Group (SPG), the seventh-largest global broker  to hear what its like to relinquish the reins.Were almost 90 days into it at this point, Borisoff said. And, so far, the deal couldnt have been better.Certainly for other operations that are looking to do something similar [to what we did, in selling up], its important that you choose the right partner, he noted. The money is the money, but its important you pick the right partner  thats good for your people, and good for your retail agent customers, or whoever your customers may be.I can tell you, post-close [of the deal], I could not be happier. SPG, our new owner, has come through with everything that they indicated to me pre-close. We still operate under our own systems, under the Monarch E&S Insurance Services banner, and weve got more programs and markets to better serve our retail agent customers. Probably the most important professional decision I ever made was picking the right partner to sell our operation to. That was every bit as important as my decision to buy Monarch way back in 1994.Borisoff said losing his autonomy as the company owner, and relinquishing his boss status  though still Monarch president, within the SPG group  was an easy transition.I really havent had a boss for most of my entire career, [but] for me that was a very easy transition. Ive always been all about teamwork  so now I just look at it as Im just part of a bigger team, he said.I can tell you that I certainly sleep better at night, knowing that Ive got this taken care of. Im still working just as hard, or harder. [But] losing the worry and the stress of owning a large asset has allowed me to develop more business, so I greatly appreciate that.
Up to 1,000 consumers may have been affected by a massive title insurance scam in North Carolina, authorities say.Ginger Cunningham, the owner of Blue Ridge Title Company in Buncombe County, N.C., has been arrested in connection with an alleged insurance scam involving up to $97 million worth of property.Authorities allege that Cunningham sold phony title insurance policies to her customers, ultimately embezzling more than $160,000, according to WLOS News. The North Carolina Department of Insurance is now reviewing title insurance contracts prepared by Cunningham to try to determine whether there are any more victims of the scam.The attorneys who have managed these closings have been excellent in identifying consumers that have been affected that came to their office for closings, and so in excess of 500 of those contracts have been identified, the Department of Insurances Chet Effler told WLOS.Cunningham has been charged with embezzlement and obtaining property by false pretense.
A Michigan psychologist has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for scamming health insurance companies for more than three years.George E. Compton Jr., 63, was sentenced to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to a healthcare fraud scheme he ran from 2013 to 2016. According to the US Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan, Compton repeatedly billed numerous health insurance companies for psychological counseling services he did not actually provide.Compton ran a psychology practice in Coldwater, Mich., and provided a legitimate counseling service to numerous patients. However, after establishing relationships with these patients, he regularly billed their health insurers for counseling sessions that grossly exceeded the number of sessions the patients actually attended, the US Attorneys Office said. In one case, Compton billed a patients insurance 100 times when her children had actually attended only eight counseling sessions. On another, he billed a patient for a session that supposedly took place at the same time that the patient was in a medically induced coma.Unfortunately, this case represents yet another example of how some healthcare professionals allow their own greed to lead them down the path of defrauding healthcare benefit programs and ultimately harming consumers, US Attorney Andrew Birge said.During the period in which Compton ran his scam, health insurers occasionally detected his excess billings. When that happened, he claimed that the extra bills were the result of an honest mistake or a glitch in automated billing software and reimbursed the insurer. When audited by one insurer, Compton created phony counseling notes in an attempt to make it appear as if he had actually provided sessions that he hadnt.Over the course of the scam, Compton received more than $800,000 in fraudulent insurance payments and spent more than $410,000 on sound equipment, vacations, concert tickets and other personal items.
Where does a decade in one of the best-known commercials take you...
A golden opportunity awaits for East and South Cork tourism providers as visitors from North America and mainland Europe increase.

That is according to Kevin Cullinane of Cork Airport, who was speaking ahead of a tourism seminar by the Ring of Cork tourism body next month.

Latest CSO figures show overseas visitors to Ireland for the first 10 months of the year grew by more than 3%.

Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons said the 250,000 additional visitor number was enhanced by exceptional results from North America, with an increase of more than 14% on January to October in 2016.

There was also an almost 15% growth in visitor numbers from Australia and developing markets, and more than 4% from mainland Europe.

Increases in direct air access, plus our market diversification strategy, have been key factors, Mr Gibbons added.

Corks position between the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ancient East meant the regions tourism providers had to be ready to capitalise, Mr Cullinane said.

It is not just the North American market that is now opened with the Norwegian US flights, but also the Swiss and Spanish market because of new routes.

Four out of 10 people who use Cork Airport are coming in rather than going out. Were spoiled with the offering we have and the location we are in, so it is up to us to maximise the new opportunities, he added.
A 16-year-old boy has died, after being knocked down by a van in Co Kildare.

The teenager was hit while crossing the Clane Road in Sallins on Monday morning.
By Louise Roseingrave

A child cowered under the table with the family dog as a 46-year-old man was shot dead in his home.

James Talbot, a father of four from Lucan, Co Dublin, was shot at his front door on February 13, 2014.

Mr Talbot died at Connolly Hospital after he was shot in the doorway of his home. His wife and four children were in the house when the brutal shooting took place.

He was watching television in the sitting room with his wife when she noticed a shadow at the front door at 10.20pm.

There was no knock. Jim got up and went to the door. I went behind him. He opened the front door then tried to push it closed again, Linda Talbot said.

Shots rang out and her husband went down on one knee, Mrs Talbot said in her deposition.

I didnt see the gunman, my eyes were fixed on Jim. I couldnt believe what I was seeing."

The man's daughter Shannon Talbot was upstairs in the bedroom with her sister when she heard "two loud bangs". She ran downstairs.

The front door opened and I saw someone shoot my Dad, she said.

Mam was shouting to get the children upstairs. My little sister was hiding under the dining room table with the dog, Shannon Talbot said.

An off-duty garda who lived nearby noticed a car he didnt recognise enter the estate with the lights off. He heard gunshots and saw a man get into a car parked outside Mr Talbots house.

Emergency services were called and the injured man was rushed to Connolly Hospital where he died a short time later.

The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds according to an autopsy conducted by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis.

Mr Talbot had three phones and was in the process of setting up two businesses, the Dublin Coroners Court heard.

No suspect has been identified in relation to this shooting, Inspector Mark ONeill told coroner Dr Myra Cullinane.

Within minutes the getaway car, a gold Toyota Avensis, was discovered on fire around 1km away on Earlsfort Road.

A firearm was found inside. It had been stolen two weeks previously.

Gardai had not been aware of any threat to the mans life.

The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown.
Latest: The Oireachtas Abortion Committee has agreed to vote on its crucial findings on December 13th.

It has until December 20th to provide the Dail with its full report.

Update 3.29pm: More than 3,000 women a year are travelling from Ireland to England and Wales for an abortion, the Eighth Amendment Committee has been told.

Last year 141 of the 3,000-plus terminations were cases where the foetus was at a substantial risk of significant disability, the Oireachtas committee debating the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution heard today.

The committee was discussing termination in cases of foetal abnormality.

Dr Peter Thompson, a consultant in foetal medicine at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital, warned the committee against making a list of foetal abnormalities that might be permitted grounds for an abortion.

He said that due to the ever changing progress in medicine, "conditions would need to be added and removed from the list on a regular basis".

Dr Thompson strongly advised the committee against "being prescriptive and using the term lethal abnormality".

"The problem is there is no agreed definition as to what lethal actually means," he said.

"Is it all foetuses with that condition die before birth, that they die either before birth or in the neonatal period despite supportive therapy, a baby that usually dies in one of these two periods of time or is it that it has been noted that there is an association between the condition and death?" he asked.

Dr Thompson added that counselling women whose pregnancy is complicated by a foetus with a severe abnormality "is not a binary state of affairs but rather a complex discussion that requires a description of risk and probability".

Eamonn Moran, principal officer in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills, told the committee that access to sexual and health education is an important right for students.

"Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school.

"Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle," said Mr Moran.

He added that Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to senior cycle, and that the department has set out the content for each of these programmes in SPHE syllabuses and guidelines.

Update 2.40pm: An expert in foetal medicine has urged the Abortion Committee not to legislate specifically for fatal foetal abnormalities, saying the term is almost impossible to define.

One of the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly was to allow abortions in the case of foetal abnormalities that are likely to result in death.

Consultant at Birmingham Womens Hospital Peter Thompson says he would advise against using the terms lethal or fatal when deciding on allowing for abortion in the case of severe anomalies.

"The problem is there is no really agreed definition as to what lethal actually means," he said.

"Is it that all foetus' with that condition will die before birth? Is it that foetus' will die either before birth or in the neonatal period, despite supportive therapy?

"Or is it that a baby will usually die, in these two periods of time."

Ealrier: The Oireachtas abortion committee has agreed to vote on its crucial findings on Wednesday, December 13 and to potentially have its "short, concise" report concluded by the following evening, writes Fiachra O Cionnaith

Fine Gael senator and committee chair Catherine Noone confirmed the move after a 20-minute public discussion with members at the start of the cross-party group's meeting today.

After initially raising the prospect of voting next Tuesday, a number of committee members including Fine Gael senator Jerry Buttimer and Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan, said they would not be available.

While Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Brid Smith called for a vote to take place tomorrow, Sinn Fein TD Jonathan O'Brien said it is vital for the credibility of the committee's report that as much time as possible is given to members to ensure "we have full attendance" on the vote.

Mr O'Brien also said there is a need for a "conversation next week" about the information that has been provided to the committee, and was supported by Fianna Fail TD Lisa Chambers and Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy.

After Ms Murphy said "we could end up with quite a short report that could be effective" and that "we're not trying to write the legislation", Ms Noone agreed and said "I don't think we'd be doing our job well if we gave [the Oireachtas] reams of information".

Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick said no votes should take place "until the very end" of witness evidence to the committee as this is the process that took place during the Citizens Assembly earlier this year.

After the discussion, Ms Noone confirmed the committee will vote on its findings on Wednesday December 13 and will potentially have a "short, concise" report available by the following day.

The committee - which has already agreed to "not retain the eighth amendment in full", which means the law will change but gives no information to what extent - must provide the Dail with its report by December 20.

In a nod to the recent concerns the eighth amendment committee could collapse due to a snap winter election, Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan joked: "Can I just say it's probably good we're back here."
Dutch officials have issued a statement correcting one of the anti-Muslim tweets from Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen which US President Donald Trump shared with his 44 million followers on Twitter.

The first video retweeted by Mr Trump shows two young men fighting near a river bank, above which Ms Fransen wrote, "VIDEO: Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!".

"The public prosecution service Noord-Holland has studied the file submitted by the police," a spokesman for the Dutch public prosecution service told the Press Association.

"The suspect, who was born and raised in the Netherlands, received a HALT settlement. This has been successfully completed."

The boy's religion was not included in any reports.

The tweet from Ms Fransen is now the most popular post from any of the official Britain First Twitter accounts, receiving almost four times as many retweets as any other post since President Trump shared it this morning.

All three of the videos retweeted by Mr Trump from far-right activist and deputy leader of Britain First Ms Fransen are more than six months old, and two date back as early as 2013.

The videos, tweeted by Ms Fransen last night and this morning and which the US President shared with his 43.6 million followers, fit with an established behaviour from Britain First of sharing old videos with misleading captions and no information about date or context.

Dutch officials confirmed the video was originally posted to a viral video site in May 2017 and picked up by Dutch media the following day.

Two 16-year-old boys were arrested, according to De Telegraaf, and police removed the video. The boy's religion was not included in any of the reports.

Another video is titled, "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!".

The footage shows an incident during riots in Alexandria, Egypt, in 2013, in which several men were pushed 20ft from a rooftop and beaten.

Hamada Badr, 19, died from his injuries and Mahmoud Hassan Ramadan was executed for his murder in March 2015, according to the Egyptian interior ministry.

The third video, which Ms Fransen titled "Muslim Destroys Statue of Virgin Mary!", appeared on YouTube more than four years ago, in October 2013.

The caption on YouTube claims: "After invading and occupying a Christian region in Syria, a Muslim cleric declares the supremacy of Islam and Sharia law before smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary."

The lack of contextual information in the video and audio makes it very difficult to verify the claim as either true or false.

Ms Fransen and Britain First are regularly accused of sharing misleading videos and information on social media which targets Muslims.

In July, a Press Association investigation found at least 10 misleading videos posted by the group to Twitter and Facebook over a two-month period.

Despite being alerted to the misleading nature of those videos, Twitter and Facebook declined to remove them.

Ms Fransen, Britain First leader Paul Golding and the official Britain First accounts are all verified on Facebook and Twitter.
Judge Aingeal Ni Chonduin imposed a four-month jail term on him yesterday at Cork District Court.

Insp Brian ODonovan said the accused was stopped and arrested in the early hours of November 19, 2016.

At the time of this offence, there was a 10-year disqualification against him for driving and a suspended jail term hanging over him.

Dally Monanga, aged 40, of 11 Adare Mews, Douglas, Cork, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and having no insurance. Garda Kieran Crowley stopped the accused at the old Carrigaline Rd. He was later found to have a concentration of 43mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Defence solicitor Eddie Burke said: He was working in a hotel at the time. He had a very bad foot infection. He had difficulty walking. On the night of this incident, he was cleaning up in the hotel and he tasted some cocktails. He had taken his car to work because of the foot infection.

Thedefendant has been in Ireland for nine years.

Judge Ni Chonduin said: He is out behind a wheel of a car when the rest of us are out there.
When I pulled her out I found that another child was hanging onto her garment. I can only assume that the woman went into the water before anybody noticed, said Dean.

The incident happened at Killykeen Forest Park, Co Cavan, last July. Today Dean will receive an Irish Water Safety bravery award in Dublin Castle.

Dean, originally from Balbriggan, Co Dublin, but now living in Virginia, Co Cavan, was at the picturesque forest park straddling Lough Oughter with his wife Monica and their two youngest children.

The couple was alerted to two children who were in trouble in the water. Monica ran to the waters edge, but stopped as she could not swim.

I would class myself as a very good swimmer, said Dean. There were other people at the waters edge, but no one could swim.

I went in after the two kids, but I did not know the woman was there. I grabbed the kids very quickly, and when I turned, I could see her under the water. I did not know that the child was there either until pulled the woman out.

Dean cut the soles of his feet badly getting out of the lake and had to get stitches for a severe gash on the back of his toe.

The lake is very strange. Once I got to shin deep, the floor just went from under me. I didnt touch the bottom of that lake once during the couple of minutes I was in the water.

Holding the mother in his right hand and taking the two other young children in his left, Dean pulled the young family back to shore.

I tore my feet getting out, he said. As I was pulling the children and the woman and the edge, I had to find somewhere to put my feet and give myself an extra push.

The father of the family Dean saved at Killykeen had just gone back to his car to pick up some picnic items when his partner and children got into difficulty.

Dean, a father of four, said he never expected to get a bravery award. He was just happy that no one died in the water.

He will be among 30 rescuers who will be presented with a bravery award today for saving a total of 30 people from drowning.

Irish Water Safety chief executive John Leech said 122 people drowned last year, compared to 121 in 2015.

So far this year, 61 people have drowned, 22 less than last year, said Mr Leech.

This year has been a better one regarding lives lost, and it could arguably be the best on record. But there are just over four weeks to go until the end of the year, and many lives could be lost in just one drowning tragedy.

Michael Ring, the minister for rural and community development, who will present the award, said the work of the Irish Water Safetys volunteers in teaching and assessing lifeguards was invaluable.

Last summer, lifeguards rescued 302 people from drowning nationwide this summer, administered first aid on 3,777 occasions, and reunited 298 lost children found wandering unsupervised near water.

Brave efforts to save lives

Quick-thinking siblings Bernard and Roisin Cahill from Clarecastle, Co Clare, saved a swimmer from the sea near Spanish Point.

They were driving home last June when they spotted two people swimming towards what they knew was a dangerous rip current.

The off-duty lifeguards used a borrowed kayak to rescue a struggling swimmer and helped another to swim to safety.

Kilkenny native Eoin Bolger, meanwhile, rescued a man from the River Barrow in Graiguenamanagh after the car he was driving became submerged in November 2016.

Upon reaching the car, which was drifting downstream in the fast-flowing water , he grabbed the driver by the hand, pressed his feet on the door, and pulled him through a window before the vehicle sank.

Elsewhere, a family trip to feed the ducks in Carlow almost ended in tragedy for toddler Max Hutchinson, who fell through railings and into the water in January.

However, his uncle, Michael Lyons, who had joined the family outing, heard the splash as Max, 18 months. fell in.

Michael dived into the water just as the current was taking Max away, grabbing him by the jacket, and keeping them both afloat until his grandfather, also called Michael Lyons, pulled the young boy to safety.

Brothers Sean and David Slattery were having lunch near the Quays in Youghal, Co Cork, in June when they were alerted that a teenager was in danger of drowning.

The recent retirees from the Youghal lifeboat service entered the water and found the boy lying motionless on the seabed.

After taking him out of the water, they resuscitated him, and emergency services took the boy to the hospital where he made a full recovery.

Garda Michelle Power was driving by the River Suir in Waterford in July when she noticed a man in difficulty in the water. She left her car, ran to the quayside, and used a ring buoy to bring the man to safety.
Stephen Power, aged 26, with an address at Gurteen, Inniscarra, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to assaulting Tony Mullins at Reardans on September 10, 2016, and a number of related charges.

Judge Aingil Ni Chonduin had put the case back until yesterday for a probation report on the defendant.

The judge then finalised the case and imposed an overall term of community service of 100 hours instead of three months in jail.

When the guilty pleas were entered by the accused at Cork District Court previously, Insp John Deasy said that when gardai arrived at the premises that night, they found Power being restrained. The gardai were told that Power had assaulted a member of staff.

As gardai were informed of this, Power became more aggressive and had to be restrained further.

The inspector said Power hit his head on the ground and was bleeding and needed medical attention.

However, when he was being taken back from the ambulance crew into the custody of gardai, he became aggressive again and had to be pepper-sprayed. During a routine search when he was taken into custody, 30 worth of amphetamine powder was found in his pocket. Power admitted having it for his own use.

The full extent of the assault on the security guard was that Power punched him in the face and then kicked back into his shins when he was being restrained.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused brought 500 to Cork District Court for the injured party.

He would like to apologise for his behaviour. I have seen the video evidence and no doubt he was extremely intoxicated. He is very ashamed of what happened. It is six years since he was in trouble, Mr Burke said.

The matter sparked when he was put out of the club and tried to get back in. As well as the assault, Power admitted obstructing the gardai, engaging in threatening behaviour, being threatening and abusive, being drunk and a source of danger, and possession of a drug for his own use.
If shopping is a must for a good break away for you, Hastings Hotels is offering a Christmas shopping experience in the heart of Belfast. Check in to the Europa Hotel and hit the shops.

This offer includes overnight accommodation in a classic double bedroom,33 shopping voucher to spend in Victoria Square, a Christmas bubbles cocktail to relax after a hard days shopping, the full Irish on the morning of your departure  rates from 78pps.

See deals on the website here.

Belfast city Christmas markets.

Kildare

Killashee Hotel is hosting a traditional Christmas Afternoon Tea. Were talking dainty sandwiches, freshly-made scones and Christmassy cakes with mulled wine and tea or coffee or sure, go ahead and spoil yourself with a glass of bubbly. Its 27.50 per person or 32.50 with the Champagne.

See deals on the website here.

Kildare Village Christmas shoppers.

Fermanagh

If youre in a five-star state of mind, check out Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh. The package invites you to arrive Christmas Eve to the magic of roaring open fires and a reception with the sounds of a local choir drifting in the background.

Festive favourites like mince pies, mulled wine and eggnog will be served, with hot chocolate available for younger guests. Theres even bedtime stories by Mrs Claus later that evening. The package is available for a two-night stay from 611, three- night stay, 723 per person sharing.

See deals on the website here.

Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh

Galway

Head west to ring in 2018 at the Twelve Hotel in Bearna. They are offering an exclusive New Years Eve package from 260 per person sharing for a two-night break.

This includes two nights bed and breakfast and a specially designed New Years Eve celebration in the award-winning West Restaurant.

Start the evening with a glass of bubbly at the Champagne reception, then prepare for a gastronomical journey through eight courses in West Restaurant followed by entertainment in The Pins. They welcome pets too, if you want to bring any furry members of the family along.

See deals on the website here.

The Twelve Hotel, Barna, Co Galway.

Dublin

For some festive cheer in the capital, we have the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links adding sparkle to the Christmas food offerings. Theres afternoon tea on offer with a three-tiered feast and panoramic views of the Irish Sea. The selection includes lots of sweet and savoury delights created by pastry chef, Aideen Burke. 25 per person or 32 including a glass of prosecco.

See deals on the website here.

Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

Cork

End 2017 in style at The River Lee, they have sumptuous festive menus and you can dance the night away to entertainment in the Weir Bar. Theyve also recently launched a Choctails menu thats worth the visit alone.

The New Years package includes two nights accommodation in a Superior Room, three-course evening meal on one night with live entertainment on NYE, the full Irish each morning. Rates from 199 per person sharing.

See deals on the website here.

Cork city Christmas markets.

West Cork

A post-Christmas break between December 27 and 30 sounds nice, doesnt it? Think mulled wine, mince pies, fun board games by the fire, classic Christmas movies and of course beach walks are mandatory in this part of the world.

The package includes a two-night with breakfast and a Festive Back Massage in The Island Spa using warming spices of cardamom and ginger to boost the circulation and immunity. The package costs from 310 per person sharing.

See deals on the website here.

Inchydoney Hotel and Spa.

Wicklow

Powerscourt Hotel know how to do Christmas, from roaring pine-scented fires to a massive gingerbread house. Therell be carols aplenty and even a visit from the man of the moment.

Their special festive two-night stay on Dec 24 and 25, includes pies, prosecco, mulled wine and carrots and reindeer dust for the little ones. Enjoy a candlit dinner on Christmas Eve in SIKA restaurant and Christmas Day lunch buffet, from 630 per person.

See deals on the website here.
It is quite the achievement to have, in one fell swoop, annoyed the hell out of, and utterly bewildered, your Cabinet, your TDs and senators, your party faithful, the party on whom you rely on for your survival in government, and the public.

Not to mention blasting your political judgement and capital right out of the water.

If there is one thing this young man in a hurry has not lacked to date, it is confidence; but surely even his robust ego has suffered a significant dent.

It has to be hoped that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar does reflection well, because right now there is much for him to reflect on. He has just overseen a political car crash.

The whole sorry episode has shown up serious shortcomings in his leadership approach. Senior colleagues speak of him being surrounded by yes men in his kitchen cabinet and that even the singular voice telling him that Minister Frances Fitzgerald simply had to go was ignored.

Apparently Cabinet colleagues did not pick up the phone over the weekend to tell him that she had to go, even though that is exactly what they thought.

The last Fine Gael TDs remembered after their parliamentary party meeting on Thursday night, was the unanimous vote of support for the then Tanaiste, led by the Taoiseach.

After that they all disappeared back to their constituencies to go on local radio stations and support her.

This continued right up to late Monday night when Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney appeared on RTEs Claire Byrne Show continuing the charade, and doing his bosss bidding.

The image of him staring down the camera from the Cork studio defending the, by then, long past politically indefensible, will linger.

Frances Fitzgerald sat at Cabinet yesterday with her colleagues, while other, far more mundane matters were dealt with; after around 40 minutes, as the last item on the agenda, the Taoiseach called on her to speak.

According to estimates, she spoke for around 10 minutes. Her initially spirited self-defence, as she outlined the facts, including letters she had received from Maurice McCabe, meant colleagues were unsure whether she was actually going to resign or not.

There wasnt much sympathy around the table for Frances Fitzgerald but even she, one or two say, had taken at face value Leos assurances that he backed her and did not wish her to stand down.

Others were less charitable and would talk about how calculating the former tanaiste is. Youd never really know where you stand with Frances. She should have known it was time to go over the weekend.

The political reality is, of course, that she should have gone last Friday and, in retrospect, there are none of those colleagues that will tell you differently. She did Fine Gael and her Taoiseach great damage, but he stands shoulder to shoulder with her in terms of culpability.

It was all so devoid of a sane explanation that people began to wonderyesterday morning what hold did Frances possibly have over Leo.

On the day of his election as Fine Gael leader, I had heard he had a particular fondness for her as he had done a work placement with her years ago, beginning his time in politics.

In fact, the same source said that at the key meeting before his leadership bid, when Frances Fitzgerald might have been expected to tell him she would back him provided he made her tanaiste again, she never even had to make that request. He told her he would reappoint her without being asked.

His colleagues, to put it mildly, remained perplexed yesterday.

We dont understand why he was expressing absolute confidence in her. You either back someone to the hilt or you give them the signal. He didnt give her the signal, said one senior FG source.

Youd have to wonder did Frances Fitzgerald have her fingers crossed when she dictated this particular paragraph in her resignation statement:

I would like to thank the Taoiseach for showing the same courage and determination to protect my good name that he displayed three years ago when he stood-up and defended the reputation of Maurice McCabe. What I admire most about the Taoiseach is that he has always believed in doing what was right  not what was popular or politically expedient.

This sorry episode gets right to the heart of what might be Leos fatal political flaw. There is no doubting his brightness, or his ability to frame a vision.

One supporter insisted yesterday: He has a great vision for Ireland and hes the only one that can make it happen.

But Mensa membership will only get you so far in politics. Perhaps more important is your ability to read a room. Leo so misread the room this time, that he wasnt even in the same neighbourhood as people of political experience.

I think Leo had started to believe his own hype, reflected another experience party member.

Despite what he said about not wanting an election he did seem to think that having one now would actually favour him, that it was his best chance, which frankly seems delusional. It may be no bad thing that his confidence is dented, although that takes some doing!

So Leo Varadkar is six months in and has already lost a tanaiste, and in the process given himself a virtually self-administered political scalping. None of the senior colleagues who voted for him in June would have begun to imagine such an epic cock-up like this occurring.

However, what has happened does go to the heart of the reservations they would have had about his personality and leadership skills. In the event, they decided that his intelligence and rock star quality eclipsed those reservations.

Thats what they will be mulling over now, and hoping there has been learning, not to mention humility, in all of this for Leo.

Once the immediate crisis had passed yesterday, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said on the News at Onethat as a government we need to move forward.

Indeed. But this is a very different Government to the one it was this day last week. It is now older, wiser and seriously damaged. Fianna Fail, looking over at them, has the smug satisfaction of being on the high moral ground.

He had to steer a very tricky course on this, but leader Micheal Martin managed to pull it off with panache. Despite all the stilted pleasantries exchanged between them yesterday in the Dail the general election preparations will continue apace.
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Scott Olson/Getty Images(TAMPA, Fla.) -- A man has been arrested in connection with the recent string of homicides in Tampa's Seminole Heights neighborhood, police announced at a press conference late Tuesday night.

Tampa Police Department Chief Brian Dugan identified the suspect as Howell Donaldson III.

"Tonight is the beginning of when justice will be served," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said. "And then the process will occur when this individual will rot in hell.

"Tonight we are bringing someone to justice who does not deserve the right to walk among us," Buckhorn continued.

Donaldson, 24, will be charged with four counts of first-degree murder, police said. Authorities said they still have no motive in the murders, however, and police were unsure of his connection to the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

"Chief Dugan credits arrest in series of Seminole Heights murders to hard work of officers, federal partners, and community members," the Tampa Police Department tweeted.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott commended the "relentless effort" of the Tampa police, who worked through the Thanksgiving weekend on the case.

"As a father and a grandfather, it is unimaginable what the families of these victims are going through," Scott said. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with them, and we will work to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve. In Florida, we have absolutely zero tolerance for this type of evil behavior and anyone responsible will be held to the fullest extent of the law."

Tampa police earlier in the day had said they were "optimistic" that a tip that led them to a McDonald's to investigate a person with a gun was connected to the deaths.



Police responded to the McDonald's in Ybor City at 2:45 p.m. after receiving the tip and confronted the person who had the gun, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said in a press conference. They are now interviewing the individual at police headquarters, but Dugan reminded reporters that he or she could be "completely innocent," stressing that the individual is neither under arrest nor in police custody, Dugan said.



"We'll see what type of answers this person has for us," Dugan said.



Aerial footage from above the McDonald's showed officers gathering near police tape surrounding the parking lot.



When asked by a reporter whether he believes whether Tuesday's investigation was related to the Seminole Heights killings, Dugan responded, "Yes, I believe this has to do with Seminole Heights."



"I'm optimistic on this one, but only time will tell," he said. "We have a lot of work to do."



Police recovered a gun from the individual, but it is not clear if that gun is connected to the killings, Dugan said.



There will be a police presence in the neighborhood this evening, Dugan said, urging that people still use caution.



Three people were shot and killed between Oct. 9 and Oct. 19, and a fourth person, 60-year-old Ronald Felton, was killed in the early morning hours of Nov. 14.



After Felton's death, police released surveillance video of a man taken right before Felton was killed, which appears to show the same person seen in surveillance video taken on Oct. 9 right after the first victim, 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell, was killed, police said.



A reward for information leading to an arrest was raised to $100,000 days after Felton was killed.



Police have received more than 5,000 tips, Dugan said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
An All-American classic took top honors in the Winston-Salem Journals annual Holiday Dessert Contest.

Laura Beard beat out 38 other competitors to win Best of Show for her tart apple pie. Its an honor to win. I was totally shocked, said Beard, who had not entered the contest before.

Beard won a $100 gift card for winning the pie category in the contest, plus an additional $200 for winning Best of Show.

The gift cards were to Salem Kitchen, which again sponsored the contest. Other winners were Tonya Walters of Walkertown, who won in the cake category, and Linda Willard, who won in both the cookie and miscellaneous categories.

We had 12 judges, including myself, for the contest, held Nov. 19. They included Stephanie Tyson and Vivian Joiner, owners of Sweet Potatoes restaurant; Darlene Owens and Chad Estep, culinary instructors at the Career Center in the Winston-Salem-Forsyth County Schools; Baxter Cromer, a chef at the Village Tavern; Candide Jones, a former restaurant critic for the Journal; and Anne Geis and Elizabeth Johnson, the founder and current president, respectively, of Salem Kitchen.

Also judging were three Journal colleagues: reporters Tim Clodfelter and Melissa Hall and graphics artist Cassandra Sherrill.

Though Beard made a classic apple pie, she did one or two things differently from most recipes that helped set hers apart.

I let the apples sit in the sugar and drain the juice out of it so its not a soggy pie, she said.

She also takes that juice and cooks it down to a syrup before mixing it with the raw apples, providing an extra punch of concentrated but fresh apple flavor.

Her flaky crust, made with vegetable shortening, is the same crust recipe she uses for Moravian chicken pie.

The top of her pie has a lattice crust plus a lot of small cutouts in a leaf shape. I got the cutout from a kit at Williams-Sonoma. It makes things look really great, she said.

Walters won the cake category with a pumpkin praline torte, a simple but delicious layer cake with loads of holiday flavor. More than one judge remarked that they wanted to go home and make this cake for themselves  and Walters cake was within one point of Beards pie in the final round of judging for Best of Show.

I made it and let friends taste it with an Italian creme cake and this cake won  so thanks to my friends, I won, Walters said.

The cake layers are baked with a brown sugar and pecan mixture that forms a kind of praline topping when the cake bakes in the oven. That is contrasted by the light filling and topping of whipped cream.

Its a good holiday cake, very pumpkin-y, and not hard to make, Walters said.

Linda Willard, who just celebrated her 85th birthday, is a regular competitor in the Holiday Dessert Contest. She won in 2015 with a carrot apple pineapple cake and in 2013 with a trio of Christmas tree cookie/cakes.

This year, Willard made shortbread cookies, decorated three ways, and some mint candies.

The cookies are made with the same dough, but they are handled differently, she said. One batch was made into cinnamon-sugar rounds and another into chocolate-dipped horseshoe shapes made with the help of a cookie press. The third has raspberry jam in the center.

The homemade pulled mints are something not seen too often anymore. Its kind of a lost art but my grandmother, my mother and one of my four daughters can make them, she said. Its very temperamental. You have to do it just right.

The pulled mints are just a sugar syrup with butter in it, and you just pull and pull and pull, she said with a laugh.

Willard also made some uncooked mints, which are easier to make, in two ways. One was rolled out and cut into flowers and leaves. The other was rolled into balls, and coated with chocolate and nuts, to form acorns.
Shell casings found during the investigation of a fatal shooting on North Patterson Avenue last month have led to weapons charges against two men, court and police records show.

Officers found Desmond Lamont Redd, 27, unresponsive on Oct. 14 with a gunshot wound to his head in front of a business at 1804 N. Patterson Ave., Winston-Salem police said.

Police said they arrived at the scene between 17th Street and Northwest Boulevard shortly before 7:15 a.m. Redd was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for treatment, and he died from his injuries two days later, police said.

During the investigation, arrest warrants were issued for Harold Armond Scales, 46, of Bohannon Park Circle and Charles Edward Danly, 32, of Mock Street, charging each of them with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, police Lt. Michael Cardwell said.

Danly was identified as a subject of interest in the shooting at 1804 N. Patterson Ave, according to a search warrant.

Scales was arrested on Nov. 20 in Lancaster, S.C., on a fugitive arrest warrant on the firearm charge, said Capt. Jeff Meeks of the Lancaster Police Department. Scales was being held in the Lancaster County Jail with no bond allowed, the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office said.

Danly, who also uses the name Charles Elwood Danzy, was arrested on Oct. 18 and accused of possessing a semi-automatic handgun on Oct. 14 as a felon, an arrest warrant said.

Danly was released from the Forsyth County Jail after he posted a $20,000 bond. A district-court judge issued an order for Danlys arrest after Danly failed to appear in court on Nov. 2, court records show.

Detectives have talked to Scales and Danly, Cardwell said. There are no other pending charges against Scales or Danly in connection with the case, Cardwell said.

The Forsyth County District Attorneys Office is reviewing the case, Cardwell said.

District Attorney Jim ONeill declined to comment. Unfortunately, the Rules of Professional Responsibility prohibit me from commenting on an on-going investigation, ONeill said.

Officers noticed several spent bullet casings inside the building on North Patterson Avenue, according to search warrants, and investigators later found 15 spent shell casings inside the building.

Investigators noticed that several bullets struck a metal door and a store front window at the building, a search warrant said. One part of the building was being used as a barber shop, and investigators noticed a wall inside the barber shop was damaged by a gunshot.

Another part of the building was used as a place where people consumed alcohol and illegal narcotics as well as playing cards and billiards, the search warrant said. Officers found a Glock handgun among the items that they seized in the building, according to a search warrant.

Evidence collected at the building suggested there was an exchange of gunfire inside the building, a search warrant says.

During their probe, investigators seized a 9mm bullet at a home on Gillette Street where Danly was staying at the time, according to a search warrant.

Anyone with information about this shooting can call Winston-Salem police at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week:

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating former White House national security adviser Mike Flynns work on an unfinished film financed by Turkish interests as part of its wider probe into whether Mr. Flynn improperly concealed financial ties to Turkey and to Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.

The focus on the film comes amid signs that Mr. Flynn may be working on a deal with Mr. Mueller. Mr. Flynns lawyers this week stopped cooperating with White House attorneys defending the president, according to other people familiar with the matter, a possible sign that Mr. Flynn is sharing information with investigators.

Robert S. Mueller III is reportedly looking into Michael Flynns involvement with a documentary film targeting an exiled Turkish cleric who Ankara accuses of trying to overthrow the countrys president. Flynn also faces legal questions about his failure to register as a foreign agent. . . [and] the alleged role played by Mr. Flynn and his son, Michael Flynn Jr. , in a plan to forcibly remove [Fethullah] Gulen and deliver him to Turkey in return for millions of dollars.

The issues swirling around Flynns involvement with Turkey are in addition to any liability he may face from his contacts with the Russians during the presidential transition and his alleged lying to Vice President Pence and others about those contacts.

Flynn, like former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, has a plethora of legal troubles, some of which overlap with the investigation into possible collusion between the Russians and President Trumps campaign and some of which seem to be personal and financial but unrelated to the Trump team. Mueller is in a position to trade leniency or even immunity on any of Flynns doings (or his sons) in exchange for implicating more senior officials, including the president, the presidents family, the vice president and the attorney general.

There are a long list of Trump officials, colleagues and relatives who have reason to worry.

Both New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who first headed the transition, and Pence, who replaced him, claim they did not know about Flynns legal troubles over his ties to Turkey. If they falsely told investigators this, Flynn could contradict them, leaving them vulnerable to charges of lying to federal investigators.

Likewise, Pence and others in the administration claim to have been in the dark about Flynns communications with the Russians during the transition. If they knew differently, again they face charges of making false claims.

Flynn would also be in a position to substantiate contacts between campaign officials (e.g., Jared Kushner, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump Jr., Carter Page) and Russian officials, thereby supporting claims of collusion or at the very least exposing them to perjury charges based on testimony under oath or on financial disclosure forms.

As Trumps most visible foreign policy adviser, Flynn would have had a front-row seat to a host of events  the change in the Republican National Convention platform to deny Ukraine arms to defend against Russian aggression, the drafting of his foreign policy speech in the spring of 2016 to which Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was invited and the hiring of so many advisers with ties (financial and otherwise) that may reveal a concerted plan to cooperate with the Russia.

Its Trump himself who may have the most to lose from Flynns cooperation with Mueller. Trump has denied knowing about contacts with Russian officials. Flynns testimony to the contrary could be politically fatal to Trump.

Moreover, Flynn claims that Trump remained in contact with him after Flynn was fired. (Not only did he remain loyal to President Trump; [Flynn] indicated that he and the president were still in communication. I just got a message from the president to stay strong, Flynn said after [a meal with supporters] was over, according to two sources who are close to Flynn and are familiar with the conversation, which took place on April 25.) Flynn might therefore be able to substantiate claims that Trump intended to interfere with the investigation, which may amount to obstruction of justice. Did Flynn know in advance that Trump was going to fire FBI Director James B. Comey, and did he know if the reason Trump wanted to shut down the investigation was related to the Russia investigation and/or Flynns own wrongdoing? If so, Trump and those who advised the president to fire Comey (e.g., Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., Sessions) could be in deep trouble.

In addition, Flynn, who became close to the president and his family during the campaign, may have a wealth of knowledge about financial ties between the Trump family and Russian oligarchs.

In other words, Flynn is the non-family member who was closest to Trump, Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. and therefore is in the best position to provide evidence supporting serious legal charges against President Trump and his family. If Flynn has such information and chooses to share it with prosecutors, Trumps presidency likely would be imperiled. That would surely explain why Trump wanted to spare Flynn from prosecution and why Trump Jr. and Kushner wanted to rid themselves of Comey.
Japans Supreme Court [Official website] ruled [judgment, PDF, in Japanese] Wednesday that the crime of indecent assault does not require a sexual intention.

The case came before the supreme court after a man denied [Japan Times report] having sexual intent when he molested and took nude photos of a girl under the age of 13. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison by a lower court. The man stated that because he only took the pictures to send them to an acquaintance from whom he wanted to borrow money, he could not be convicted of indecent assault.

The ruling declares that sexual intentions are irrelevant in charges of indecent assault. The current case reverses a 1970 supreme court ruling that found a man could not be convicted of indecent assault after he took nude photos of a woman because he did not have sexual intentions.

The case has come after other countries have taken steps in the past year to increase legal protections of women against sexual assault and rape. In October Indias Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that sex with a girl who is under the age of 18 is considered rape, regardless of the marital status of the girl. In December Lebanese law makers took steps to overturn [JURIST report] a law that allowed rapists to avoid prosecution if they married their victims.
[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] heard oral arguments in two economic related cases on Tuesday.

The first case, Cyan v. Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund [SCOTUSblog materials], examines whether a state court has subject matter jurisdiction to hear a class action that only alleges claims under the federal Securities Act of 1933 [text].

During the arguments in Cyan [transcript, PDF], counsel for Cyan argued that the Securities Uniform Standard Act (SUSA) [text, PDF] eliminated concurrent jurisdiction for many Securities Act claims in state court. That is to say that SUSA effectively removed a state courts power to hear such claims. In questioning counsel for Cyan, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated:

one could say, with respect to your argument, that Congress chose a rather obtuse way of saying that federal courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction. It could have simply said, in covered class actions related to claims under the 33 Act, federal courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction, period, and that would be clear and everybody would understand and you would prevail.

Counsel responded by stating that although Congress elected to grant exclusive jurisdiction in an obtuse way, the text of the statute makes clear that this was the intended purpose of the act. Counsel for Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund later attacked counsel for Cyan on this point, stating that after admitting that their reading was obtuse, Cyan was looking for elephants in mouseholes.

The second case, Digital Realty Trust Inc. v. Somers [SCOTUSblog materials], will establish whether anti-retaliation whistleblower protection clauses contained in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 [text] protect individuals who do not report misconduct to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) [official website].

During arguments in Digital Realty Trust [transcript, PDF], counsel for Digital Realty argued that the plain meaning of the Dodd-Frank Act clearly states that whistleblowers are protected but only when reporting violations and misconduct to the SEC. Counsel argued that such a reading would not be overly restrictive of the protection clause as Congresss intent was to encourage reporting of such misconduct specifically to the SEC and not to any organization or entity the whistleblower sees fit. Counsel for Somers countered by arguing that the broader reading of the protection clause would align the Act with the modern trend of major whistleblowing legislation. Counsel for Somers then further argued that Digital Realtys reading of the Act suggests that all [Congress] were really concerned about here was getting information to the government, to the SEC and not with broader reporting of wrongdoing.
The UN war crimes court for former Yugoslavia descended into chaos during it last judgement Wednesday when a defendant took poison to protest the upholding of his 20-year jail term. Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak died later in hospital, according to the HINA agency.

UN judges were handing down judgement in the appeals case of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders, in the court's final verdict for war crimes committed during the bloody 1990s break-up of Yugoslavia.

Seconds after his sentence was upheld, former military commander Slobodan Praljak, 72, shouted out angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict."

He then raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and drank it down in full view of the cameras filming the hearing.

The unprecedented scenes came just after the judges also upheld a 25-year prison term against Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, and a 20-year term for its former defence minister Bruno Stojic.

But the hearing was then quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer shouted out: "My client says he has taken poison."

- Medics on scene -

As court officials surrounded grey-haired and bearded Praljak, presiding judge Carmel Agius immediately ordered the proceedings suspended and the curtains screening the courtroom were abruptly closed to the public.

Within minutes AFP journalists saw an ambulance arrive outside the tribunal in The Hague, while a helicopter hovered overhead.

Several emergency rescue workers rushed into the building carrying equipment in backpacks. A court guard later appealed for calm, saying Praljak was alive and "receiving all necessary medical attention."

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population".

A symbol of Bosnia's devastation in the war, the Ottoman-era bridge was later rebuilt. But the city saw the worst of the Croat-Muslim clashes, with nearly 80 percent of the city's east destroyed in the fighting.

But in their ruling, the judges in fact allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been a legitimate military target during the conflict. They also had overturned some of his convictions, but refused to reduce his overall sentence.

The case has been keenly watched in Zagreb, and the appeal judges said that all six men, who had been found guilty of taking part in a scheme to remove Bosnian Muslims, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes."

They have not yet passed judgement on the remaining three defendants: Milivoj Petkovic, 68, Valentin Coric, 61, and Berislav Pusic, 65.

The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw some brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart.

Wednesday's verdict comes a week after the judges imposed a life sentence on former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, whose ruthlessness in the conflict earned him the title the "Butcher of Bosnia".

- Massive crimes -

The bald and bespectacled Prlic, who once turned down a promising career in Washington as an economist, has vehemently denied the charges.

He told the court in March his trial represented "a dark side of international justice" insisting he "was not part of the chain of command" of the main Bosnian-Croat army in Bosnia, the HVO.

The prosecution had also appealed the sentences, urging judges to impose 40-year terms on Prlic and three of his co-defendants, saying the "crimes were massive in scale".

The statelet, backed by government of Croatian nationalist leader Franjo Tudjman, was formally dismantled in 1996 as part of the peace deal that ended the war.

But the "president" of Herceg-Bosna, Mate Boban, died in 1997 and Tudjman in 1999, leaving Prlic the highest-ranking Bosnian Croat official to face judgement for the crimes.

The ICTY charged Prlic and his co-defendants in 2004. The six surrendered with Croatia under pressure to comply with the court in return for joining the European Union.

The ICTY closes its doors on December 31, having indicted and dealt with 161 people.
Pope Francis spread a message of forgiveness in a historic open-air mass before a sea of worshippers in Yangon on Wednesday, during a visit to conflict-torn Myanmar that has been framed so far by his public sidestepping of the Rohingya crisis.

Ranks of nuns sang in Latin, accompanied by organ music, as Francis -- making the first papal visit to the mainly Buddhist nation -- delivered a homily urging compassion, opening his speech with "minglabar", Burmese for "hello".

"I can see that the Church here is alive," he said of a Catholic community numbering around 700,000 -- a tiny fraction of the country's 51 million people.

Earlier, Francis smiled and waved as he moved through the estimated 150,000 faithful in his "popemobile". Many worshippers held Myanmar flags and wore colourful costume from the country's myriad ethnic groups.

"I never dreamed I would see him in my lifetime," said Meo, an 81-year-old from the Akha minority in Shan state.

Like many others at the mass she hails from one of Myanmar's conflict-riddled borderlands, where minority groups have long been marginalised by the Buddhist-dominated state.

In his homily, the pontiff noted that many Myanmar people "bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible."

But he urged his audience to forgo anger and respond with "forgiveness and compassion".

The pope is set to hold a meeting with Buddhist leaders later Wednesday, on a visit that has strong political as well as religious overtones.

The pontiff arrived on Monday in a country on the defensive after an outcry from the international community over the plight of its Rohingya Muslim minority, who have been driven to Bangladesh in huge numbers.

He held private talks with both civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing, who are part of a delicate power-sharing arrangement as the country emerges from decades of junta rule.

Francis avoided mentioning the crisis -- or the Rohingya -- directly in a speech in the country's capital Naypyidaw on Tuesday, calling simply for "respect for rights and justice".

- 'From the heart' -

His caution so far on a four-day trip will bring relief to Myanmar's Catholic leaders, who had urged the pontiff not to wade into the treacherous issue for fear of sparking a backlash from Buddhist hardliners.

Even the mention of the name Rohingya is incendiary to many among the majority-Buddhist population, who deny the group are a distinct minority and insist on calling them "Bengalis".

Reactions to the pope's handling of the issue have been mixed, with some Rohingya expressing disappointment that he did not draw direct attention to their suffering as he had done in several appeals from abroad.

But Kyaw Min, a former MP and prominent Rohingya activist, said he understood the pressures the pope was under and the pontiff had managed to speak about the group's plight indirectly.

"He said there were some people who have been bullied and need to get their rights ... this was about the Rohingya," Kyaw Min told AFP.

A military crackdown has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya over the last three months to flee their homes in northern Rakhine state to one of the world's biggest refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.

The army has justified the campaign as a proportionate retaliation for deadly attacks by hardline Rohingya militants in August.

But the UN and the US have labelled it ethnic cleansing and rights groups accuse the military of crimes against humanity, with refugees recounting consistent reports of murder, rape and arson.

On December 5 the UN's Human Rights Council will hold a special session to discuss the Rohingya crisis.

There have been Catholics in Myanmar for over 500 years and they generally enjoy good relations with the Buddhist majority.

In the last three years, the Vatican has canonised Myanmar's first saint and named its first cardinal before full diplomatic ties were established in May this year, paving the way for the pontiff's visit.

"When we heard the sound of his words, we could tell they came from the heart, and that gave us peace," 47-year-old Yangon resident Ko Ko Lay told AFP, after the mass had finished.

burs-ssm/hg
Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak, who died Wednesday after apparently drinking poison in a dramatic courtroom scene, worked in film and theatre before becoming a military commander in the 1990s conflict.

The 72-year-old died in hospital in The Hague after swigging from a small brown bottle in court in full view of television cameras just after UN judges had upheld his 20-year sentence.

Tall with a white beard, Praljak was one of six Bosnian Croats appealing against their convictions for war crimes committed during the bloody break-up of Yugoslavia, and Wednesday's ruling was the tribunal's final judgement.

The appeal judges said all six men, found guilty of participating in a scheme to remove Bosnian Muslims, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes".

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's iconic Ottoman-era bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population".

"It's just an old bridge," Praljak said at the time, showing scant regard for the emotional effect that the landmark's loss had on Bosnians of all ethnic backgrounds.

The judges had on Wednesday actually allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been a legitimate military target during the conflict, although they did not reduce his sentence.

After the conflict, in which some 100,000 people were killed, the bridge over the Neretva river was rebuilt and reopened as a symbol of reconciliation in 2004 -- although Mostar today remains sharply divided along ethnic lines.

- Rising up the ranks -

Praljak was born in the southern Bosnian town of Capljina and later studied in the Croatian capital Zagreb, graduating with degrees in electrical engineering, sociology and drama.

He went on to work as a theatre director and TV producer. He directed the 1989 film "The Return of Katarina Kozul" before joining the Croatian army to battle rebel Serbs during Croatia's 1991-1995 war.

His lack of military experience did not hinder his rise through the ranks and he quickly became a general assisting the Croatian defence minister.

From March 1992 to July 1993, Praljak served as a mediator between the nationalist Croatian regime and the Bosnian Croat leadership, playing an important role in supplying weapons to Bosnian Croat forces.

Although Bosnia's Catholic Croats and Bosniak Muslims initially fought together against Serbs in the conflict, they turned on each other in 1993 for 11 months.

Bosnian Croats formed a breakaway statelet, the "republic" of Herceg-Bosna, which they eventually hoped to merge with Croatia.

- Verdict rejected -

Praljak, who is married with two step-children, went into business after the war, with his assets including a hotel, office blocks and a restaurant in Zagreb, according to Croatian media.

He turned himself in to the court in 2004 and pleaded not guilty to the charges. While in detention, he wrote numerous books analysing the 1990s conflicts.

Seconds after his sentence was upheld on Wednesday, he shouted angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict."

He then drank from the bottle and proceedings were quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer called out: "My client says he has taken poison."

Curtains were brought down on the chaos in the courtroom.

Speaking to AFP, Croatian political analyst Zarko Puhovski said Praljak's death would overshadow the verdicts and he would become a new "Croatian saint".
In shocking scenes, a Bosnian Croat war criminal took his own life Wednesday in front of UN war crimes judges, apparently drinking poison just after they upheld his 20-year jail term for atrocities committed during the Balkans conflict.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital, after drinking from a small brown glass bottle in full glare of the cameras at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

As the judges handed down their very last verdict at the court, Praljak, a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, shouted out angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict."

He then raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and tipped it into his mouth. The hearing was quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer shouted out: "My client says he has taken poison."

Immediately after sentence was passed on Praljak "he drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill," court spokesman Nenad Golcevski told reporters. He could not confirm what was in the bottle.

Efforts were made to give the former film director some medical treatment and he was "transported to the hospital where he passed," Golcevski added.

Resuming the hearing a few hours later, presiding judge Carmel Agius revealed Dutch authorities had already launched an investigation, adding "courtroom one is now a crime scene."

Hearings at the ICTY are held amid tight security, with all defendants and visitors undergoing strict searches. So it was not clear how Praljak had managed to get the bottle of liquid into the courtroom.

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic slammed the "injustice" of the UN tribunal and expressed his condolences.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," he told reporters.

It is not the first time that defendants have taken their own lives at the ICTY. Former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic killed himself at the UN detention centre in 2006, after another Croatian Serb, Slavko Dokmanovic, in 1998.

- Mostar bridge 'a target' -

In the complex ruling, the judges upheld the jail terms against all six defendants, including a 25-year sentence imposed on Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, known as Herzog-Bosna.

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993, which judges in the first trial had said "caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population".

A symbol of Bosnia's devastation in the war, the Ottoman-era bridge was later rebuilt.

But in their ruling, the judges in fact allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been "a military target at the time of the attack."

They also overturned some of his convictions, but refused to reduce his overall sentence.

The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw some brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart.

The appeal judges said all six men, who had been found guilty of taking part in a scheme to remove Bosnian Muslims from the territory, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes."

In statements sure to anger Zagreb, the judges upheld the original trial finding that the men had been part of a joint criminal enterprise whose "ultimate purpose was shared" by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, and other leaders.

The aim of the scheme was to set up "a Croatian entity that reconstituted area borders and that facilitated the reunification of the Croatian people."

Following the verdict, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kotarovic interrupted an official visit to Iceland to return for talks.

A 20-year term was upheld against former military leader Milivoj Petkovic, 68, while a 16-year sentence was confirmed against ex-military police chief Valentin Coric, 61, and 10 years for former police official Berislav Pusic, 65.

- Mladic verdict -

Wednesday's verdict comes a week after the judges imposed a life sentence on former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, whose ruthlessness in the conflict earned him the title the "Butcher of Bosnia".

His judgement had also descended into confusion when he accused the judges of lying and had to be dragged away into a nearby room to watch the end of the proceedings.

The ICTY charged Prlic and his co-defendants in 2004. The six surrendered with Croatia under pressure to comply with the court in return for joining the European Union.

The ICTY closes its doors on December 31, having indicted and dealt with 161 people.
Croats on Wednesday expressed shock and paid tribute to war criminal Slobodan Praljak, who died after appearing to drink poison at court in The Hague as UN judges upheld his 20-year sentence.

The dramatic turn of events came as judges were ruling on the appeals of six former Bosnian Croat political and military leaders over their roles in the 1990s Bosnian war. All of them had their jail terms confirmed.

Croat leaders in the Balkans seized upon Praljak's apparent suicide as evidence of the failings of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which was handing down its final judgement before shutting down.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told a news conference.

"I want to voice my deepest condolences to the family of General Slobodan Praljak," Plenkovic said, voicing his "dissatisfaction and regret" over the verdicts.

The judges upheld that 72-year-old Praljak and his five co-accused were part of a "joint criminal enterprise" to ethnically cleanse Bosnian Muslims with the aim of uniting Croats across Croatia and Bosnia.

- 'Humiliation' of court -

After the judges confirmed Praljak's sentence, the former military commander yelled that he rejected the verdict before swigging liquid from a brown bottle. He was then rushed to hospital, where he died.

His act demonstrated "what sacrifice he was ready to make in front of the whole world in order to show that Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal," said Dragan Covic, the Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

"It is a humiliation of this institution (the court) which has existed since 1993."

Croatia's President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic interrupted a visit to Iceland to "urgently" return home to Zagreb as the news came in from The Hague.

Significantly, the judges upheld the original trial's finding that the "ultimate purpose" of the joint criminal enterprise in Bosnia was shared by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, seen as the "father" of his country.

It is a ruling at odds with the view from Zagreb, where Croatia's own 1990s war is seen as one of liberation and self-defence against Belgrade aggression as Yugoslavia fell apart.

In the Croatian capital last week, a message from Grabar-Kitarovic was read out a book launch praising the "contribution of General Slobodan Praljak in defending both Croatia and Bosnia" from Serbian aggression.

She expressed hope for "a just verdict and his liberation".

- 'Should have served sentence' -

Praljak's name remains closely tied to the destruction of the iconic Ottoman-era bridge in Bosnia's southern city of Mostar in November 1993, during fierce clashes between Croats and Muslims.

Although the bridge was rebuilt after the war, the city remains sharply segregated along ethnic lines, which was clearer than ever on Wednesday evening.

The Muslim-dominated eastern side of the city was deserted, while on the western side, mostly home to Croats, mourners lit candles for Praljak in the square.

"He is a hero," said 62-year-old Nada Peric, insisting that the ex-commander was "defending his people".

Earlier in the day, Bosnian Muslim veterans who were detained by Croat forces during the war had gathered to hear the ruling -- and had very different reactions.

When they saw Praljak drinking his vial, one of them quipped that it was alcohol.

"It's sad, he should not have done that," said former detainee Almir Zalihic. "He should have served his sentence for all he did."

Croatian political analyst Zarko Puhovski said Praljak's death would overshadow the verdict and make him a new "Croatian saint".

And although the court was meant to promote reconciliation in the Balkans after the region's bloody wars, he said Wednesday's judgement may have the opposite effect.

"It will certainly harm inter-ethnic ties," Puhovski told AFP.
In shocking live scenes, a Bosnian Croat war criminal took his own life Wednesday in front of UN war crimes judges, apparently drinking poison just after they upheld his 20-year jail term for atrocities committed during the 1990s Balkans conflict.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital, after drinking from a small brown glass bottle in full glare of the cameras at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), officials said.

The unprecedented drama came as judges handed down their very last verdict at the court in the appeal case of six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders.

Praljak, a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, shouted out angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict."

Standing tall, with a shock of white hair and beard, he then raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and tipped it into his mouth. The hearing was quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer interjected: "My client says he has taken poison."

The stunning events caused a shockwave in Croatia, and cast a cloud over what should have been a successful end to the ICTY, which closes next month more than two decades after being set up at the height of the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict.

Immediately after sentence was passed Praljak "drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill," ICTY spokesman Nenad Golcevski told reporters. He could not confirm what was in the bottle.

As emergency crews rushed to the tribunal efforts were made to give him medical treatment and he was "transported to the hospital where he passed," Golcevski added.

The courtroom has now been secured as a crime scene by Dutch investigators, who will be leading the probe into Praljak's death.

Among the questions to be answered will be how he managed to evade tight security to smuggle the bottle into the tribunal.

And if the liquid was indeed poison or noxious, how did he acquire it in the UN detention centre in The Hague where he was being held?

- Moral injustice -

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic slammed the "injustice" of the UN tribunal and expressed his condolences.

"His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," he told reporters.

Praljak's act demonstrated "what sacrifice he was ready to make" to show he was "not a war criminal," said Dragan Covic, the Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

"It is a humiliation of this institution which has existed since 1993."

Late Wednesday candles were lit in Mostar by Bosnian Croats and other residents in tribute to the late general.

It is not the first time that defendants have taken their own lives at the ICTY. Former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic killed himself in his cell at the UN detention centre in 2006, after another Croatian Serb, Slavko Dokmanovic, in 1998.

And former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic was found dead in his cell in 2006 from natural causes before his trial could be completed.

- Serious crimes -

In the complex ruling, the judges upheld the jail terms against all six defendants, including a 25-year sentence imposed on Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, known as Herzog-Bosna.

Praljak had been specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993.

But in their ruling, the judges allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been "a military target at the time of the attack." But they refused to reduce his overall sentence.

The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw some brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart.

The appeal judges said all six men, who had been found guilty of seeking to remove Bosnian Muslims from the territory, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes."

In statements sure to anger Zagreb, the judges upheld the original trial finding that the men had been part of a joint criminal enterprise whose "ultimate purpose was shared" by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, and other leaders.

The aim of the scheme was to set up "a Croatian entity that ... facilitated the reunification of the Croatian people."

Following the verdict, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kotarovic interrupted an official visit to Iceland to rush home.

Terms ranging from 20 to 10 years were also upheld against the four other defendants.

Wednesday's verdict comes a week after the judges imposed a life sentence on former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic.

His judgement had also descended into confusion when he accused the judges of lying and had to be dragged away into a nearby room.

The ICTY closes its doors on December 31, having indicted and dealt with 161 people.
A Louisiana prosecutor said a 35-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing a girl and seriously injuring her mother by driving while drunk.

Ten-year-old Isley Thibodeaux and her mother, Misty Thibodeaux, were hit as they left a Carrie Underwood concert in April 2016.

Multiple media outlets report District Attorney Keith Stutes said in a news release that Albert Kirk Sampy pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide - that is, to killing someone by driving while drunk - and negligent injury, and was sentenced Monday. The prosecutor said it is Sampy's third DWI conviction.

News media report that Judge Patrick Michot sentenced him to 15 years on the injury charge and the maximum 30 years for vehicular homicide, with the sentences to run simultaneously.
Public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia reduced total debt by 8.7% in January-September 2017, according to the company's presentation posted on its website.

Ukrzaliznytsia also said that a moratorium to pay debts to creditors applied to the debt of Donetsk Railways branch. The debt to one financial institution has not yet been settled.

The company has an opened credit line for UAH 4 billion and continues actively cooperating with international financial institutions (IFIs).

As reported, Ukrzaliznytsia announced the convocation of a meeting of holders of $500 million notes due in 2021 for the approval of the annulment of the cross default condition due to restructuring of some internal debt.

The amendments concern liabilities of regional branches to the parent structure.

According to Ukrzaliznytsia, some obligations for a total of about $311 million are currently being serviced, but by the end of the year, it may be necessary to amend the terms of their repayment. This is the debt of the Lviv Railways for $58.803 million and $5.004 million, Odesa Railways for $67.809 million and UAH 26.514 million, Prydniprovska Railways for $66.596 million, Pivdenno-Zakhidna Railways for $57.754 million, $5.004 million and UAH 68.278 million and Pivdenna Railways for $36.762 million, $5 million and UAH 80.6 million.

In addition, at present, the obligations of the Pivdenno-Zakhidna Railways are not restructured for the amount of $87.25 million and Pivdenna Railways for $66 million. Ukrzaliznytsia states that there is no sufficient time for compliance with the standard operating procedures.

Ukrzaliznytsia intends to pay $4 for every $1,000 of notes to the note holders who will give their consent to the relaxing terms of the securities.

The required quorum is two or more persons owning a total of two thirds of the securities. In turn, for the amendments to take effect, they must be approved by at least three-fourths of the voters.

Amendments to the terms of the securities are also to be approved by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
The EU-China container train will start running across Ukraine this year, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan said during the infrastructure day in the European Business Association (EBA) on Tuesday.

"We received freights from the EU. I hope that the frequency will be at least one train a week next year," he said.

He added that synchronously the work on the creation of the new route of the Silk Road: Ukraine-Georgia-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan and the EU-China route via Ukraine is underway.

Commenting on the current state of affairs with the launch of the Ukraine-Georgia ferry route, Omelyan said that the memorandum signed by Ukrzaliznytsia, Georgian Railway and CJSC Azerbaijan Railways signed in September 2017 is not enough.

"A private investor is required, preferably Chinese one. This is the guarantee that the freight will reach its destination," the minister said.

He said that the ferries on the balance sheet of Ukrzaliznytsia are still undergoing repair and are "breaking the berth" at the Chornomorsk port.

"Their commercial exploitation is under large question. We need a private operator with new effective ships," Omelyan said.

As reported, the first pilot container train on the new Silk Road Ukraine-Georgia-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-China (across the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea) was launched by the Infrastructure Ministry jointly with Ukrzaliznytsia on January 15, 2016. The dry run of the new container train ended in the early hours of January 31, 2016, on the 16th day of the journey. It had problems with returning home and was not launched anymore.

Ukrzaliznytsia, Georgian Railway and Azerbaijan Railways on September 8, 2017 signed a memorandum of cooperation on the joint operation of a permanent rail-ferry service for the development of freight traffic along the EU-Ukraine-Black Sea-Georgia-Azerbaijan-Caspian Sea-Asian region states route using ferries of Ukrzaliznytsia.
Brazil's national agency for sanitary supervision (Agencia Nacional deVigilancia Sanitaria, ANVISA) has inspected production facilities of Yuria-Pharm pharmaceutical company, the State Service for Medicines and Drugs Control of Ukraine has reported on its website.

Production of Infulgan (Paracetamolum), Maxicin (Moxifloxacinum), Inbutol (Aethambutolum), Soluven (sodium chloride) and Bitub (Isoniazid) solutions was inspected.

The results of the inspection of production facilities, warehouses and a sterilization section will be presented in a report within one month after the inspection.

"The inspection and the receipt of a GMP conformity certificate will allow the Ukrainian producer Yuria-Pharm LLC to sell Ukrainian-made medicines on the market of the Federal Republic of Brazil," the authority said.

The Yuria-Pharm Corporation is a manufacturer of infusion products, medicines and medical products. It is among top ten leaders in volumes of pharmacy sales, occupying 6.2% of the market in 2016. Yuria-Pharm is a member of the Ukrainian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.
The ruling of Kyiv's administrative court of appeals that deprives national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy of the right to develop Budyschansko-Chutivsky, Obolonsky and Pysarivsky gas sites would result in large losses of the national budget and local budgets of Poltava region in coming years.

"Over the five years of preparing these sites for production, Naftogaz has invested about UAH 800 million in exploration and preparatory work." The plans for 2017 envisaged investing another UAH 1.1 billion. As a result of the court's decision, the company may lose these funds," Naftogaz said.

Naftogaz draws attention to the danger of returning to practice the opaque distribution of the land parcels seized from state-owned companies among private entities. According to the information available to the company, some private companies have already prepared applications for the sites seized from Naftogaz.

The press service also said that the annulment of permits for use of these areas will in fact mean a failure of the 20/20 government program. So during the period of special permits, 69.6 billion cubic meters of gas and 10.7 million tonnes of oil and gas condensate were planned to be produced in these licensed areas. Only royalty payments to the national budget were supposed to be more than UAH 148 billion and over UAH 7.4 billion could have been injected to the local budgets of Poltava region.

According to Naftogaz, the annulment of special permits was initiated by the State Service for Geology and Deposits of Ukraine, to which the deputies of the Poltava Regional Council, with the support of people's deputy Serhiy Kaplin, applied with a corresponding petition in 2016.

The authority suspended the special permits without any inspection in violation of the procedure.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has accepted credentials from the ambassadors of the Republic of Indonesia, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Australia the Kingdom of Spain.

"President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko accepted credentials from the ambassadors of several foreign countries: the Republic of Indonesia - Mr. Yuddy Chrisnandi, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Australia - Mrs. Melissa O'Rourke and the Kingdom of Spain - Mrs. Silvia Cortes Martin," the press service of the presidential administration reported on Tuesday.

Poroshenko noted the prospects of developing partnership with Indonesia along with the issue of preparation for the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Indonesian Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation, which will take place in Kyiv in 2018.

During the conversation with Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the Ukrainian president paid attention to the development of trade and economic cooperation. The prospects of Ukrainian president's visit to Vietnam in 2018 were also discussed.

During the conversation with Ambassador of Australia, Poroshenko expressed gratitude for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the unchanging position regarding the necessity of applying sanctions against the Russian Federation until the Russian Federation cease its aggression against Ukraine. The Australian side confirmed the continuation of the prosthetics project in Ukraine. The parties discussed preparations for the participation of the Ukrainian team of heroic warriors in the next Invictus Games in Sydney.

They also discussed the continuation of cooperation within the Joint Investigation Group on the MH-17 tragedy.

During the conversation with Ambassador of Spain the parties confirmed mutual unwavering support of territorial integrity of Ukraine and Spain, particularly in the context of the recent developments in Catalonia. Poroshenko expressed hope that Spain will support the prolongation of sanctions against Russia because of its aggression against Ukraine. Also, the deepening of cooperation in the trade, economic and investment spheres of the countries was discussed.

"The president of Ukraine expressed conviction that in the near future a positive decision on the Agreement on a Common Aviation Area between Ukraine and the EU would be found, which would ensure its signing," the message reads.

Poroshenko thanked Spain and Australia for co-authorship in the renewed draft resolution "Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)" submitted by Ukraine for consideration by the 72 UN General Assembly. He also expressed hope for the support of the Republic of Indonesia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the efforts of the international community aimed to protect the rights and freedoms of the Crimean people.
The description sounded a little mysterious: really dark or black, very large and about 8 feet tall.

Cody Thomas, a spokesman for the Nebraska State Patrol, said the call came in about 10:15 p.m. Saturday about a sighting of a Bigfoot along Interstate 80, roughly 20 miles east of North Platte.

The sighting has caused a bit of a stir on social media, with people making jokes about the hairy guy. But its also raising questions about the motives of those who reported it.

Robin Roberts, of Castle Rock, Colorado, said she is "99 percent sure" she spotted a Bigfoot as she was driving back to Colorado after spending the Thanksgiving weekend in Nebraska.

The self-described Bigfoot investigator said that less than an hour before her sighting, a deer ran across the Interstate in front of her. So as she continued driving she scanned the right shoulder in case any more deer popped out.

Roberts said she is "pretty sure" she spotted a Bigfoot standing along a fence past the shoulder. She said she was driving 75 mph, so she saw it for only a few seconds in her headlights. She estimated it was 8 feet tall and said it was dark looking.

"They can second-guess me, she said of the naysayers. "But I know what I saw."

Roberts had spent part of last week checking out Nebraska locations of reported Bigfoot sightings, including in the Bellevue and Grand Island areas, with Harriett McFeely of Hastings. McFeely is a longtime "bigfooter" and organizer of an upcoming Bigfoot conference in Hastings, where Roberts is scheduled to speak.

McFeely fielded the call from her friend and then reported the furry fella to the State Patrol.

The pair said the sighting was not a hoax or an attempt to drum up interest in the Bigfoot conference scheduled for February.

"I dont want to Hollywood things up, McFeely said. "I dont want to report things that dont happen. If somebody is a hoaxer or liar it gives everybody a bad name. I want to be ethical and professional."

Thomas, the spokesman for the patrol, said a trooper was sent Saturday night to the spot where Roberts said she saw the creature.

He emphasized that the trooper wasnt sent to look for a Bigfoot, but to make sure Roberts hadnt spotted a stranded motorist or someone else who needed help.

Turned out the trooper didnt see anyone  or anything.

"The State Patrol cannot confirm the existence of Bigfoot, Thomas said, "because we didnt find him."
Around the debate on marijuana legalization or medical marijuana legalization, there have been too many arguments, for and against, being based on misinformation. In order for people to have well-informed opinions, three points need to be made clear:

1) Is it natural? It comes from a plant, yes. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, when it had 1 percent to 2 percent THC, you could say it was natural. Todays marijuana has between 12 percent to 20 percent THC. In Seattle and Denver, the average is 25 percent. In marijuana edibles, which some states are deeming medicine, the average potency is 59 percent THC (which, to be clear, isnt natural).

2) Save our tax dollars from imprisoning people in possession? A fraction of 1 percent of the U.S. prison population is serving time for simply being in possession of marijuana. In Nebraska, marijuana is already decriminalized. It is an infraction. Possession of less than one ounce carries less punishment than a misdemeanor.

3) Is medical marijuana different than recreational marijuana? This has been left up to our  wait for it  legislators. Not our psychiatrists, doctors, or pharmacists, but our government. It is undeniable that some of the ingredients of marijuana (out of the hundreds of ingredients that each plant has) have given people relief for certain conditions. But most states that have legalized marijuana as medicine do not distinguish between eating a pot brownie with 70 percent THC and using CBD oil with less than 1 percent THC.

Those products do not belong grouped together.

Maggie Ballard, Omaha
The news from South Dakota couldnt have come at a worse time for supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline.

TransCanada Corp. announced that its older pipeline had sprung a leak, spilling 5,000 barrels of oil  210,000 gallons  onto agricultural land. It was discovered quickly, the pipeline shut down, and officials dont believe it had reached any bodies of water.

But the fate of the pipeline to extend TransCanada through 275 miles of Nebraska was to be decided just a few days later by the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

First proposed in 2008, the pipelines fate was in limbo until it was rejected by President Barack Obama, then resurrected by President Donald Trump.

Along the way, in 2012, the Nebraska legislature gave the governor power to approve the pipeline route, but that law was overturned, throwing the decision back to the Public Service Commission.

The 36-inch pipeline would carry 830,000 barrels of oil from northern Alberta, Canada, to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

We can thank Canadian tar sands for the relatively stable price of gasoline, but tar sands cant be pushed through pipelines. That requires dilution of the bitumen that will be refined into oil, to give it the consistency of crude so it will flow.

The exact chemicals used to dilute the bitumen are a trade secret, but pipeline opponents say they include known carcinogens.

In previous spills into rivers, the substance at first floated, as one would expect from oil, but soon separated into its components, the heavier bitumen sinking to the bottom of the stream, making cleanup extremely difficult.

The current Keystone pipeline can handle nearly 600,000 barrels of oil a day, passing through the eastern Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma.

Even though the Nebraska PSC approved the pipeline, groups like Bold Nebraska and the Sierra Club have vowed to challenge in court the use of eminent domain by a foreign corporation to obtain right-of-way for the pipeline.

Proponents say pipelines are the most efficient way to transport oil, requiring significantly less energy to operate than trucks or rail, and have a lower carbon footprint. As the Keystone XL controversy illustrates, however, they come with their own concerns over potential environmental damage and denial of property rights.

McCook Daily Gazette
KEARNEY  Miles had a difficult childhood, with no opportunities to spread his wings or know his true self.

That changed at age 13 when he found a new home in Oklahoma City with Lauren McGough. The 30-year-old rehabilitation specialist has worked with Miles day after day, step by step the past two years to help him rediscover his identity as a golden eagle.

Miles was poached as a chick and kept as a pet until 2015, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized him from the poacher. When McGough got him from a North American Falconers Association friend from New Mexico whose health issues prevented him from working with Miles, the eagle was a blank slate. He was aggressive and begged for food because the only way he knew how to get food was to bully a human for it.

Physically and mentally, he didnt know he was an eagle, said McGough, who is one of the worlds most skilled master falconers and soon will be featured on the CBS news magazine show 60 Minutes.

Although Miles didnt catch any jackrabbits Friday morning while hunting with McGough in a grassland east of Ravenna, he seemed excited when chasing several of them. McGough said it was a good day for an eagle.

They were among the humans and raptors in Kearney this week for the North American Falconers Association convention.

Miles eagle education started with a fake jackrabbit. She required him to fly away from her to get the fake rabbit and increased the distance over time. Finally, it was dragged behind a truck at 35 mph so Miles would have to give chase.

When he was introduced to a real jackrabbit in a Kansas field, he went after the flash of fur in a first clumsy attempt at hunting. Miles has killed 27 jackrabbits since then.

Its amazing how deep that instinct is, McGough said. He can maneuver and fly fast. Im so impressed with his progress. It has changed his mindset.

Miles now focuses his aggression on rabbits and is happier at home.

She said Miles never will be released into the wild because he is so imprinted on humans.

When asked to define their human-bird relationship, McGough said, I would say he sees me as the vehicle to chase jackrabbits. To hunt. Exciting things happen around me. ... He doesnt have to be hungry to fly for me now.

Her reward is watching her fast, agile eagle soar like a falcon and fly low and fast like a hawk. McGoughs goal for 15-year-old Miles is that he has a long  captive eagles can live into their 50s  happy life as a hunting partner.

Finding falconry

McGoughs passion for raptors started at age 14. The most influential information came from the book A Rage For Falcons written by Steve Bodio that included photos of Kazakh hunters in Mongolia on horseback with golden eagles.

That lit my fire, said McGough, who previously was interested in reptiles. I liked things that were wild and also hands on. Bird watching was not enough.

She contacted the president of an Oklahoma falconry club and became his student. McGoughs imagination was captured by an activity that was both domestic and wild at the same time.

Her first raptor was a red-tailed hawk. She had never trained an animal before, never even had a dog, and had never been hunting, so training the hawk to hunt with her was a struggle.

She said it also proved to be an exercise in perseverance that served her well during eagle-related travels as an adult to Mongolia and South Africa.

McGough released her hawk five years later as a University of Oklahoma sophomore preparing to study for a year at the University of Glasgow in Scotland where falconry has been practiced as a sport-art for centuries. It was the next step toward her dream of hunting with eagles.

Making it to Mongolia

When McGough was 17, she traveled with her father to Mongolia to meet Kazakh golden eagle handlers for the first time. Bodio, the author, helped them make the contacts.

When she was an OU senior nearing completion of a bachelors degree in zoology and international relations, McGough applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to go to Mongolia.

While there, she lived with an extended family of nomadic goat and sheep herders in a region of the Altai Mountains where Mongolia, Russia, China and Kazakhstan come together.

It was the original birthplace of falconry, she said, and the hunters equipment and methods are much the same as they were thousands of years ago.

McGough said the ethnic Kazakh falconers are Muslims, while most Mongolians are Buddhists.

Their golden eagles are a stockier subspecies than found in the United States, but similar in appearance. Past generations used eagles to hunt food game, such as mountain goats and deer. Then, the focus shifted to foxes that were valuable for their fur.

McGough said foxes still are hunted, although there is no fur market today. The pelts mostly are used as a cultural decoration statement on the Kazakhs clothing.

Language was her first big hurdle. She hired a Kazakh translator to live with her during part of her Fulbright year. When she returned to Mongolia for a second year in 2012 to work on her Eagle Falconry in Central Asia doctoral dissertation, she could speak enough caveman Kazakh to get by.

It was really hard, McGough said about living with no modern conveniences.There were no fruits or vegetables. They eat all parts of an animal, and its boiled. Eating boiled goat was very hard.

So was dealing with frostbite and capturing a golden eagle. When trapping my eagle, I was thrown and dragged by my horse, McGough said.

She had to learn to ride a horse with her eagle. McGough said an armrest that pivots off the saddle meant you dont have to free-carry a 10-pound eagle.

It still took time for her to be comfortable in the saddle. You kind of forget that the horse is there. ... Youre communicating with the horse subconsciously, she explained.

She completed her first year in Mongolia despite the changes. One incentive was knowing she would have to repay the Fulbright money if she came home early.

The other was her love of eagles.

They are amazing, McGough said, recalling that a month after she captured her eagle  it was on its second migration from Siberia to China  it caught its first fox.

She released the eagle when she returned home in 2010. In 2012, her Mongolia mentor loaned her an eagle.

Continuing adventures

Her interests in eagles and history took her to South Africa last April to September. A fossilized skull that proved a child was killed by an eagle provided a link to human-eagle ties dating back 2.8 million years, she said.

McGoughs role was to rehabilitate a crowned eagle that had a broken wing and leg and had been shot. It was an opportunity to learn about a bird species that sees primates as food.

Her current to-do list includes preparing to defend her doctoral dissertation early next year at Scotlands University of St. Andrews; serving as executive director of a new non-profit, the Falconry Fund; and working with an agent on a proposal for a book about how eagles make us human.

McGough also would like to teach at a university someday as an anthrozoologist, a person who studies human-animal relationships. Its a new field, one where there is room to make a mark, she said. I enjoy that.
The co-chairs of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council have called on the governments of NATO member states to provide assistance to Ukraine in its aspiration for maximum rapprochement with the alliance and consider full implementation of the Minsk agreements through the strengthening of the Normandy format as an optimal solution for the occupied part of Donbas.

"We call on the governments of the member states to provide assistance to Ukraine and to increase their support for Kyiv efforts aimed at ensuring maximum institutional rapprochement with NATO," reads a statement by the co-chairs of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council, Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko and a NATO Parliamentary Assembly member, Canadian Senator Raynell Andreychuk, which was posted by Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Iryna Friz on her Facebook page on Tuesday, November 28.

The statement also calls on the Ukrainian authorities "to make full use of the potential of the Annual National Programs and the Comprehensive Assistance Package, maintain the consistency and pace of reforms, and focus on the implementation of agreed priorities." At the same time, the key task is the strengthening of the rule of law and the fight against corruption.

The signatories of the statement recalled that the Verkhovna Rada had introduced amendments to national legislation according to which Ukraine's gaining membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was recognized as one of the key priorities of its foreign policy.

"This is a goal that, according to social polls, is supported by a large majority of the Ukrainian population. Ukraine's policy is now focused on achieving the standards necessary to obtain membership of NATO," the document says.

As part of this meeting, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration through inter-parliamentary cooperation. Moreover, the Annual National Programs and the Comprehensive Assistance Package are not limited to the sphere of security and defense, but also cover the political, economic and legal framework necessary to ensure the irreversible and stable nature of the reform of the Ukrainian defense and security sector.

"In this context, Ukraine-NATO cooperation is aimed at supporting Ukraine's reform efforts, as well as the goals of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU," Gerashchenko and Andreychuk said.

"Today we once again stressed that we condemn the illegal occupation of Crimea by Russia and its direct support for members of illegal armed groups operating in the region, as well as the use of cyber and information warfare and other destabilizing actions. We emphasize our firm support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the statement says.

At the same time, the best solution for the occupied part of Donbas, according to the signatories of the statement, is the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by strengthening the Normandy format and other mechanisms.

"We call for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire, an end to threats to the OSCE monitoring mission, and for speedy progress to be achieved in the release of hostages and prisoners who are illegally detained in Russia and in the occupied territory," the document says.

As reported, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council was held in Brussels on November 28.
Dancers perform during the opening of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The event Ai co-hosted by the United States and India and attended by U.S. presidential adviser and daughter Ivanka Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ai runs from Nov. 28-30. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
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Defense Ministry of Ukraine will create a unit that will deal with the reform of the Ukrainian defense forces, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said at a meeting with foreign high-level strategic advisers of the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Reform Committee.

"We need to make use of the aid provided by our foreign partners and the Alliance as soon as possible. We will take into account the experience that you have and we will submit our proposals to the Alliance for further recommendations on reforming the Ukrainian army," Poltorak said.

"We must clearly understand and determine the purpose, what army we should build and what it will be in the near future. You are actively helping us in this. We are working together on this," the defense minister said.

Poltorak also informed the advisors that he had familiarized with the proposals that they had developed during the work in the Ukrainian army. "There are many issues in which our thoughts are similar. All proposals are justified and were positively evaluated. And we are already working on some issues," he said.

The minister discussed with the foreign advisers the directions for further cooperation and tasks for 2018 and thanked them for their constructive and fruitful work.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is surrounded by journalists as she leaves a rally outside the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. The group was protesting President Donald Trump's appointment of Mick Mulvaney as Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's acting director. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Kenosha County has joined a growing list of Wisconsin counties that have filed separate federal lawsuits seeking to hold makers and distributors of prescription painkillers responsible for allegedly precipitating the nations opioid epidemic.

The county announced its participation on Tuesday.

The lawsuits allege drug manufacturers and distributors used deceptive marketing campaigns that misrepresented the safety of long-term opioid use and seek unspecified monetary damages for the financial strain caused by counties response to the epidemic.

Kenosha County has been affected by the opioid crisis and it has a responsibility to those in need, said Kimberly Breunig, Kenosha County Board chairwoman. Those companies and individuals that made misrepresentations and false claims to physicians and others in our community should be held accountable for their part in the crisis.

In addition to Kenosha County, Ashland, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Dodge, Dunn, Forest, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Monroe, Sawyer, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon and Waushara counties also filed suits Tuesday. It brings the total number of Wisconsin counties seeking restitution to 48.

Lawyers from von Briesen & Roper, Crueger Dickinson and Simmons Hanley Conroy, the law firms filing on the countys behalf, claim millions in unexpected and unbudgeted time and resources have been spent in responding to the opioid epidemic.

Counties are bearing a large burden of the costs associated with combating this public health emergency, Erin Dickinson, said. Together, with Simmons Hanly Conroy, we will work to hold the defendants responsible for the devastating effects their actions have produced across the state and throughout the nation.

For example, Dickinson said the crisis has financially strained the services the counties provide its residents and employees. Human services, social services, court services, law enforcement services, the office of the coroner/medical examiner and health services, including hospital, emergency and ambulatory services, have all been severely impacted by the crisis.

Under the terms of an engagement letter approved by the County Board earlier this month, the law firms will provide representation on a contingent fee basis, which means they will not be compensated unless the county is awarded a settlement.

The defendants in the lawsuit are: Purdue Pharma L.P.; Purdue Pharma, Inc.; The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc.; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; Cephalon, Inc.; Johnson& Johnson; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.; Endo Health Solutions, Inc.; Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Dr. Perry Fine; Dr. Scott Fishman and Dr. Lynn Webster.
To save lives, Kenosha County must start conversations on substance abuse, according to community leaders who took part in a public outreach program Tuesday evening.

For far too many area residents, frank talk about substance abuse  especially opioids  is still taboo, said Guida Brown, executive director of the Hope Council on Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse.

We have to reduce the stigma in our community and we have to start talking about this, Brown said during Opening Our Eyes, a program organized by Forward Kenosha at UAW Hall. These are people with a disease.

Brown was joined by Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley, Kenosha County Medical Examiner Patty Hall and Kerry Andersen, whos daughter struggled with addiction.

We cannot incarcerate ourselves out of the crisis we face, Graveley said, adding that opioid abuse is a fast-growing problem.

We are a community that needs to talk openly about the fact that our sons and daughters, and our brothers and sisters, are struggling with these addictions. We need to figure out a way to take the stigma and the shame out of that, Graveley said. We need to acknowledge that treatment is something that is an up and down process, where people will not be given one simple chance and then will be thrown away or disposed of in some way that we cannot afford as a community.

Graveley called for increased education, dialogue and resources to combat the problem.

We need to devote real resources to this issue in a variety of ways, Graveley said, adding that, in Wisconsin, twice as many people die from opioid addiction than traffic accidents.

Think of the community resources we spend to try and prevent traffic fatalities. Think of the signs we put up, think of the training youre required to do, the licensing we do. Think of all the money and resources we spend as a state, a government, a community to stop traffic fatalities, he said. Then think about whether we as a community have come close to putting the emphasis and the money and the training on this crisis.

Hall agreed, adding that 2017 has been an especially bad year. So far, more than 40 people have died from overdoses, including nearly three dozen who died from opioids. She expects that number to rise as more cases are closed and the year winds down.

We are not done for the year, Hall said, adding that shes seeing new types of fentanyl from overseas. Everybody is being affected by this crisis. ... We are being overwhelmed by the number of cases we have to deal with.

Andersen said opioid abuse can strike anyone, no matter their race, religion or income. She encouraged people struggling with addiction reach out to people they trust to break the stigma.

(Addiction) is a disease, its not a moral failing, Andersen said. We need to have these conversations, get it out in the open.
Ukraine will have to fulfill the political part of the obligations prescribed by the Minsk agreements after ensuring security in the eastern regions, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said.

The Minsk agreements contain requirements for the Russian side: the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the restoration of control over the territories, the ceasefire and security. There are also requirements to Ukraine: a special status, holding local elections, and a limited amnesty for people who committed crimes during the conflict. And these things will be Ukraine's responsibility for implementation if conditions are created for Ukraine so that it will be able to do it, Volker said in an interview with the online publication Left Bank published on Tuesday.

Therefore, Ukraine should be ready to do this as well when there are peacekeeping forces and security is provided, the U.S. special envoy said.

According to him, there is close cooperation with the Ukrainian side. We are trying to become catalysts to promote the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which will lead to the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Volker said.

The Ukrainian side insists that there must be a ceasefire regime, the removal of heavy weapons, and the restoration of security. And today we can take appropriate steps, including local elections, grant special status to the eastern territories, and also grant a limited amnesty to those people who committed crimes during the conflict. But all this should be done to ensure ceasefire preceded by security measures, he said.

The Russian side, he said, insists on the special status of Donbas, local elections and amnesty, which contradict the political side of the Minsk agreements, and at the same time accuses Ukraine of continuing the conflict. This is a circular argument leading nowhere, Volker said.

Minsk agreements were designed three years ago ... but nothing works. The concept of Russia is only the protection of the OSCE monitors ... and no issue on heavy weapons, the U.S. special envoy added.

According to him, the U.S. side proposes more substantial common peacekeeping forces that will be responsible for security in the region, as well as monitor and control all weapons in the region, as well as control of the entire length of the Ukrainian-Russian border by the Ukrainian side. This will create conditions when other aspects of the Minsk agreements will enter into force, he said.

The Ukrainian side, in turn, according to him, should worry more about the fate of its citizens living in uncontrolled territories. It is very important to remember that people in Donbas are Ukrainian citizens ... It is important that Ukraine will do everything possible so that these people know that they are worried about, Volker said.
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Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 27 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and another two as wounded in action, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

"Over the past 24 hours, 27 violations of the ceasefire regime were recorded along the contact line on the part of invaders. The Ukrainian servicemen fired back 11 times. As a result of enemy fire, one of our soldiers was killed and two others were injured," the ATO staff said on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

In the Luhansk sector, the enemy continues provoking Ukrainian servicemen to an armed confrontation at the Svitlodarska Duha bulge. In the evening hours of Tuesday, the enemy fired mainly light infantry weapons on the defenders of the villages of Zaitseve, Novoluhanske and several times of Travneve.

In the morning, the press centre said, militants shelled the Ukrainian fortified positions between the villages of Zaitseve and Hladosove, employing mortars, grenade launchers, small arms, and infantry fighting vehicles. By these provocations, illegal armed groups disrupted the visit of the observers of the OSCE SMM and representatives of the UN mission, planned to monitor the humanitarian situation in Mayske and Hladosove.

In addition, in the Luhansk sector, the Russian occupation forces used mortars of various calibers near the village of Triokhizbenka, as well as grenade launchers and small arms against the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Zhovte, Novo-Oleksandrivka and Katerynivka.

In the Donetsk sector, a shelling of the Ukrainian positions by an enemy sniper was recorded near the town of Avdiyivka for several hours. The invaders also violated the ceasefire near the village of Berezove, using infantry weapons. In the Mariupol sector, the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various types and small arms near the villages of Hnutove and Vodiane, as well as infantry fighting vehicles near the village of Shyrokyne.
The Ukrainian side is preparing for the visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda in December and hopes to settle the situation in bilateral relations, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yeliseyev has said.

"We are now preparing for the Polish president's visit to Ukraine, which, I hope, will be made in December. I think we will find a common language and how to settle our historical past," he said on Channel 5 on Tuesday.

Yeliseyev also said that the difficult situation in bilateral relations would be settled.

In addition, he expressed hope that the Polish side would work on optimizing the list of persons banned from entering Poland.

"I hope that the Polish side will work more actively to optimize and reduce the so-called 'blacklists.' Now we are working to resolve the issue of our citizen Sheremeta [the decision to ban Secretary of the State Interagency Commission for the Commemoration of Victims of War and Political Repressions Sviatoslav Sheremeta from entering Poland]. We raised the issue that the entry into the territory of the Schengen area and Poland should not be banned," Yeliseyev said.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Duda in a telephone conversation discussed the upcoming working visit of the Polish president to Kharkiv in December this year.

Kharkiv Regional Governor Yulia Svitlychna said that the visit of the presidents of Ukraine and Poland to Kharkiv was expected in mid-December.
The European Council will make a political decision on extending sanctions against Russia in December 2017, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration Kostiantyn Yeliseyev has said.

"Now only the lazy person did not criticize the Minsk agreements, but there is no other instrument for the return of territorial integrity to Ukraine... A political decision should be made at a summit of the European Council in December as to what to do next with EU sanctions against Russia. The president is actively working to ensure that these sanctions were at least extended, if not strengthened," he said on Ukraine's Channel 5 on Tuesday.

Yeliseyev noted that the sanctions were linked to the implementation of the Minsk agreements by Russia.
The aggression of the Russian Federation against the member countries of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) undermines the foundation of the organization's activity, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has said and called for a respond to such actions.

"When one of the PABSEC member countries [the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation] conducts an aggressive policy, introduces occupying forces into the territory of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - this undermines the very foundation and, I emphasize, the very philosophy of our organization's activities. We should jointly give an adequate response to such actions of the aggressor country," Parubiy said, opening the 50th General Assembly of the BSEC Parliamentary Assembly in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He noted that the security situation in the region is tense, and the reason is Russia's violation of the territorial integrity of a number of PABSEC countries, which contradicts the organization's charter.

The speaker added that the philosophy of the organization's activities is to promote the development of economic cooperation, the development of states and the well-being of citizens.

Parubiy reminded that leading countries of the world in connection with the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation imposed sanctions on it.

Thanking for such support, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament said that sanctions against the aggressor should be continued and intensified until the full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity both in Donbas and in Crimea.

"We need to be responsible and consolidated. Only together we are able to make those who neglect the constitutional principles of the organization respect the key principles of peaceful coexistence and good-neighborliness," Parubiy said.

He also added that the members of the General Assembly, in particular, will hold a discussion on the development of economic cooperation in the context of the security crisis in the Black Sea region.
The chairman of Kilkennys housing strategic policy committee has said there is a problem with landlords not engaging with schemes which could help alleviate the housing crisis.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness said the council needed to engage with certain landlords who were closing the door on people.

While the supply may be there in terms of RAS or HAP, it just seems to me that some landlords arent willing to engage with these schemes, he said at the November meeting of Kilkenny County Council.

The Fianna Fail councillor said it appeared to be due to the possiblity of getting a better deal elsewhere, meaning some people fall through the cracks.

The supports are there to secure private rental accommodation, but landlords arent engaging, he said.

A recent parliamentary discussion, reported online by this newspaper, revealed the number of HAP supported households in Kilkenny at end of Q2 of this year stood at 800.

Meanwhile, at the same meeting, another Government initiative to keep people in their homes, the Mortgage to Rent scheme, which helps those with unsutainable mortgages, was branded an unmitigated disaster by another local councillor. Cllr Maurice Shortall said it had taken two years to get one application across the line.

The council has a housing stock of 2,305 units, but a lack of social housing construction in recent years means it is heavily reliant on the private rental sector to meet housing demand here.

Kilkenny County Council has plans to deliver a further 800 housing units by 2021.

Senior executive officer for housing Martin Mullally has said the challenges include the identification of additional development sites, particularly in Kilkenny City, seeking to provide sustainable housing development. Three in every four requests are for one and two-bed units, but there is a limited stock of such units available for purchase.

At Fridays budget 2018 meeting, the councils chief executive Colette Byrne said it was the worst housing criss she had seen, and she would not be proud as a public servant to see people living in hotels. She said infrastructural plans for the citys Western Environs would be key to addressing the housing shortage.

All of us in this room need to put our shoulder to the wheel, she said.
A rogue trader who demanded excessive money for work to be carried out at the home of an elderly gentleman was granted bail on the condition that he refrain from carrying out repair work for remuneration in Kilkenny.

Kilkenny District Court heard that on September 30, 2016 gardai received a call to go to the home of a pensioner at approximately 4pm.

The man, who lives close to Kilkenny city centre informed the gardai that earlier in the day guttering work was carried out at his property by four males and that he paid 1,100 in cash.

Substandard

A garda viewed the work and saw that it was substandard and that the payment made had been excessive.

The court heard that the defendant, Miley Connors, 1 Ardmore Park, Ballybeg who pleaded guilty to the offence of deception has 22 previous convictions in relation to road traffic matters.

Solicitor Chris Hogan told the court that he was seeking a probation report.

He also informed the court that following negotiation between the defendant and the gardai it was agreed that compensation of 1,600 would be paid over.

The victim, who was present in court, declined to make a victim personal statement.

Community Service

The case was adjourned to January 22 for a pre-sanction probation report to include suitability for community service.

The judge stated that a condition of bail is that the defendant is to refrain from carrying out repair work for remuneration in Kilkenny city or county.

The offence is of making gain or causing loss by deception under section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offences Act.
(Kitco News) - A very rare 14.93-carat pink diamond was sold for a staggering $32 million at Christies Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong on Tuesday, while miner Alrosa gets ready to auction off the most expensive precious gem that was ever polished in Russia.

The big news on Tuesday was the sale of the Fancy Vivid VVS1 pink diamond, which Christies described as the Picasso of the Pink Diamond world. The final sale price was $31,861,000, which translates to about $2.13 million per carat.

The gem, also known as The Pink Promise Diamond, is an oval stone set in a ring and surrounded by smaller diamonds. The auction for the precious stone lasted three minutes. Originally, it was estimated to go for $42 million.

The Pink Promise Has Sold For Nearly $32 Million https://t.co/A9shCe0OV2 pic.twitter.com/nlVhRkdSsI  Diamond Exchange (@DCLADX) November 28, 2017

Nevertheless, this was considered a very successful sale, which follows a failed attempt to auction off a 37-carat Raj Pink diamond, the cost of which was projected to be at $30 million.

Pink diamonds are very rare, with one setting a record sale price earlier this year at Sothebys auction in Hong Kong, when a breathtaking 59.6-carat diamond known as the Pink Star was sold for $71 million.

The next big event in the diamond world will come on Wednesday when Alrosa auctions off a 51.38-carat diamond of unprecedented quality to ever come out of Russia.

Image of the Dynasty Diamond Courtesy of Alrosa

The diamond is part of the Russian miners Dynasty collection that is made up of five polished gems that were all created from a 179-carat rough diamond named Romanovs, which was recovered in 2015 from Alrosas diamond mine in Russia's far eastern Yakutia region.

At this point, more than 130 people have lined up to participate in the online auction that will see all five gems sold off, according to Alrosa, the worlds top diamond producer by output.

We have obtained amazing quality diamonds. And the main diamond, The Dynasty, has become the purest of the largest diamonds throughout the history of jewelry in our country, Alrosa's president Sergey Ivanov said back in August.
(Corrects foreign ownership cap to 49 percent, from 39 percent, in third paragraph)

MANILA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The Philippines' San Miguel Corp is looking to bid for Vietnam's largest brewer Sabeco , the conglomerate's president said on Wednesday.

"Yes," Ramon Ang told Reuters in a text message when asked if San Miguel is looking to join the bidding for the Vietnamese brewer.

Vietnam said earlier on Wednesday it is open to selling a 54-percent stake in Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp, but capped foreign ownership at about 49 percent. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Manolo Serapio Jr.)
HONG KONG, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Nissin Foods Co Ltd, an instant noodle unit of Japan's Nissin Foods Holdings Co Ltd , said on Wednesday it aims to raise up to HK$1.13 billion ($145 million) in an initial public offering of shares in Hong Kong.

Nissin Foods Co plans to offer 268.58 million shares in the IPO, of which 10 percent will be earmarked for retail investors, at an indicative range of HK$3.45 to HK$4.21 apiece, the company said in a filing on Wednesday.

The final offer price will be announced on Dec. 8 and trade in the shares is expected to begin on Dec. 11. ($1 = 7.8038 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
* Rebar stocks at Chinese traders lowest since at least 2011

* Low utilisation rate at mills cutting iron ore demand - Argonaut

By Manolo Serapio Jr

MANILA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Chinese steel futures jumped for a third straight session on Wednesday, touching a six-week high, as winter production curbs in the world's top steelmaker reduced traders' stockpiles to the lowest in years.

Steel mills across northern China were ordered to curb sintering output by up to half from this month through March. Sintering, where iron ore is processed ahead of steelmaking, causes heavy pollution.

Stocks of rebar, a construction steel product, among Chinese traders reached 3.35 million tonnes on Nov. 24, the lowest since at least 2011, according to data tracked by SteelHome consultancy. "This was mainly because of supply shortage due to the winter production cuts that started half a month ago," Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau said in a note.

With restrictions on iron ore and the low utilisation rate at blast furnaces, steel producers are securing more scrap to produce steel, said Lau.

The most-active May rebar contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was up 0.9 percent at 3,894 yuan ($590) a tonne by 0221 GMT. It earlier hit 3,899 yuan, its strongest level since Oct. 16.

Iron ore for May delivery on the Dalian Commodity Exchange rose 0.5 percent to 504.50 yuan per tonne.

Lau said the recent price gains in iron ore price were driven by the strength in the steel market.

"However in view of the quick decline in utilisation rates at blast furnaces, the actual demand for iron ore is declining," she said.

Utilisation rates at Chinese steel mills' blast furnaces dropped by 0.26 percentage points from a week ago to 72.4 percent as of Nov. 24, Morgan Stanley said in a note on Monday. Steel inventory at both traders and mills was the lowest in the past five years due to the winter cuts, the bank said.

Iron ore for delivery to China's Qingdao port rose 0.7 percent to $67.76 a tonne on Tuesday, not far below last Friday's two-month high of $67.94, according to Metal Bulletin.

($1 = 6.6030 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; editing by Richard Pullin)
Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko has said that more funds should be allocated as part of Ukraine-NATO cooperation for specific vital programs, rather than seminars.

"One of the most important discussions of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary council was about trust funds. Our partners in the alliance insist that money be used transparently, and this is an absolutely correct position. However, we also call not to spend the lion's share of these funds on endless seminars, shifting them, in fact, from one pocket to another, nut to listen and take into account the true needs of Ukraine," Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday.

According to her, it is necessary for Ukraine to increase the financing of programs for demining, medical and psychological rehabilitation of servicemen, special training for male psychologists working with the military, and for intensive English courses for servicemen when they are on rotation in places of permanent deployment.

"We need more projects in the defense sector in order to protect our military, in particular, develop aerial reconnaissance and increase [the number of] unmanned aerial vehicles," Gerashchenko said.

She also recalled the statistics of medical rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers in the countries of the alliance.

"During these years [of armed confrontation in Donbas], 724 Ukrainian soldiers were treated in 17 NATO countries and three partner countries," she wrote.

In addition, Gerashchenko drew attention to the fact that "NATO and the EU are not yet fully assessing the contribution that the Ukrainian army and our soldiers are making to European security issues today, protecting, among other things, their countries from a sordid horde."

As reported, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council was held in Brussels on November 28.
HANOI, Nov 29 (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 0407 GMT.

November 29 USD/VND mid-point 22,428 USD/VND interbank 22,717/22,718 USD/VND unofficial 22,740/22,755 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.40/36.62

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.5-1.1

1 week 0.5-1.4

1 month 1.9-2.5

3 months 4.2-6.0

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)
(Adds comments from other CEOs)

SHANGHAI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The global copper market will be balanced for the foreseeable future even as mine supplies tighten and demand from China, the world's top consumer, remains strong, executives from major copper companies said on Wednesday.

Antofagasta PLC chief executive officer Ivan Arriagada said he expects the market to be balanced or in a small deficit this year and into 2018.

Refined copper demand is growing at a "healthy rate" of 4 percent this year and new production "has largely already been absorbed in the market", Arriagada said at the Asia Copper Conference in Shanghai.

Liangang Li, deputy general manager of China Minmetals Non-Ferrous Metals Co said he expects a balanced market for the next two years. The company is part of China Minmetals Corp , one of the country's largest miners and metals traders.

Chief Executive of Chilean state copper company Codelco , Nelson Pizarro, said he expects copper prices to hold between $2.80 per lb and $3.10 per lb over the short to medium term.

Copper is currently trading at around $3.10 per lb .

(Reporting by Tom Daly, Josephine Mason and Ruby Lian; Editing by Joseph Radford and Richard Pullin)
* Finmin says planned $200 mln panda bond moved to Q1 2018

* Panda bond offering is subject to favorable market conditions

* Govt on track to issue USD-denominated bonds early next year

(Adds quotes, background)

MANILA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The Philippines' planned issuance of $200 million worth of yuan-denominated panda bonds has been rescheduled for the first quarter of 2018, the country's finance minister said on Wednesday.

The government, which was previously looking to launch its maiden panda bond offer around October or November this year, has tapped Bank of China to underwrite the issue. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez also said the government was on track to issue global dollar-denominated bonds early next year, but has not yet finalised on the amount.

"Similar to other fundraising activities, (the) panda bond offering is subject to favorable market conditions in the onshore RMB market and provides competitive pricing compared to other funding options," he told reporters.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said in September the Philippines planned to issue $1 billion in sovereign global bonds to help finance next year's record budget. Borrowing from both domestic and foreign sources was expected to reach 888 billion pesos ($17.6 billion) next year.

Moody's and Standard & Poor's both rate the country two notches above investment grade, impressed by its improved fiscal position and debt management programmes.

President Rodrigo Duterte has sought 3.77 trillion peso budget for next year, a 12.4 percent increase on this year's 3.35 trillion peso budget, as he aims to spend heavily on infrastructure to keep growth robust.

(Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
By Sami Aboudi

DUBAI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an "acceptable settlement agreement" with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday.

Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching "an acceptable settlement agreement". The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but the official said it is believed to be the equivalent of more than $1 billion.

"It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases," the official said. According to a Saudi official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms including a $10 billion deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear worth billions of Saudi riyals.

The allegations against the others included kickbacks, inflating government contracts, extortion and bribery.

The claims could not be independently verified.

Saudi authorities had been working on striking agreements with some of those in detention, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom. News of the purge emerged on Nov 4 soon after King Salman decreed the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his 32-year-old favourite son, also known as MbS, who has amassed power since his meteoric rise three years ago.

The new body was given broad powers to investigate cases, issue arrest warrants and travel restrictions, and seize assets.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was quoted as saying that the vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in the crackdown were agreeing to settlements under which they would hand assets over to the government. Apart from Miteb, the Saudi official said that at least three other people allegedly involved in corruption cases have also finalized settlement agreements.

He said the Public Prosecutor had also decided to release a number of individuals and to prosecute at least 5 individuals. The official gave no details on their identities.

DETAILED CHARGES NOT REVEALED

The authorities have not revealed detailed charges against any of the detainees. It was also unclear if Miteb was able to move freely or whether he would be put under house arrest. Officials from Miteb's office could not immediately be reached for a comment about his release. An acquaintance of the family has said earlier on his twitter account that Miteb was receiving brothers and sons at his palace in Riyadh.

The arrest of royals and top business elite capped a frenetic almost three years of growing power by MbS. It was seen as another pre-emptive step by the crown prince to remove powerful figures as he exerts control over the world's leading oil exporter.

The roundup recalled the meticulously planned palace coup in June through which MbS ousted his elder cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, as heir to the throne, interior minister and veteran head of the kingdom's formidable security apparatus.

In September, he rounded up and jailed religious and intellectual opponents.

This month's purge was another carefully planned swoop on 11 princes, four serving ministers, dozens of former ministers and officials, and tycoons including the kingdom's best-known businessman, Prince Alwaleeed bin Talal, who owns high-profile stakes in global companies like Citigroup and Twitter. They were held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Yet many observers believe the primary target of the purge was Prince Miteb, overlord of Saudi Arabia's 100,000-strong National Guard, as he represented the last great power centre left standing after the toppling of former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

By launching a war on corruption MbS combined a popular cause with the elimination of perhaps the last obstacles between him and the throne.

As the Sandhurst-trained preferred son of the late King Abdullah, Miteb was once thought to be a leading contender to the throne.

Before he was sacked by a royal decree on Nov. 4, he headed the Saudi National Guard, a pivotal power base rooted in the kingdom's tribes that was run by his father for five decades. He was also the last remaining member of Abdullah's Shammar branch of the family to retain a key position at the top of the Saudi power structure, after brothers Mishaal and Turki were relieved of their posts as governors in 2015.

(Reporting by Samia Nakhoul Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Toni Reinhold & Simon Cameron-Moore)
(Updates to close)

Nov 29 (Reuters) - Australian shares climbed on Wednesday, spurred by a record night on Wall Street ahead of a key U.S. tax vote, with financials and material stocks boosting the benchmark.

U.S. Senate Republicans pushed forth with President Donald Trump's tax-cut bill on Tuesday in a partisan committee vote that paved the way for a full vote by the Senate as soon as Thursday. Wall Street was also boosted on Tuesday by strong consumer confidence data and encouraging comments from Jerome Powell, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Reserve. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended 0.5 percent or 26.848 points higher at 6011.1.

The financial sector , which accounts for 40 percent of the benchmark index weighting, tracked its Wall Street peers higher to rise 0.6 percent, its biggest daily percentage gain in nearly two months.

"I think the key driver today is the rally in U.S. markets, which has spelled confidence in our markets," said Ric Spooner, Chief market strategist at CMC Markets.

Australia's 'Big Four' banks gained between 0.5 percent and 0.8 percent.

Resources stocks got a lift with mining giant BHP Billiton up 1 percent as Chinese steel futures jumped for a third straight session on Wednesday, touching a six-week high. Peers Rio Tinto and Newcrest Mining also contributed to overall gains, adding 0.2 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the healthcare index snapped a nine day rally to fall 0.5 percent, with biotherapeutics company and healthcare sector heavyweight CSL Ltd leading losses with a 0.8 percent decline.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was little changed, rising 0.47 points to finish the session at 8141.96.

Industrial and material stocks helped the index stay in the black though the consumer sector dragged on the benchmark.

Building materials makers Fletcher Building Ltd was the top gainer on the index, rising 1.8 percent and offsetting Meridian Energy Ltd's 2.1 percent slide.

(Reporting by Sumeet Gaikwad in Bengaluru; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said bitcoin , which hit a record high above $10,000 earlier on Wednesday, is not at a size where it would pose a risk to the global economy.

Bitcoin has soared more than 900 percent so far this year, the largest gain of all asset classes and prompting sceptics to say it is a classic speculative bubble. "I would just say investors kind of need to do their homework," Cunliffe told BBC radio.

He said he did not think British households as a whole were going on a "debt-fuelled binge" but added that fast rates of consumer credit growth needed to be watched.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
DUBAI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Iraqi budget carrier FlyBaghdad aims to start flights to Europe and India next year, expanding its network beyond the Middle East and is planning a stock market listing in 2020, it chief executive said on Wednesday.

FlyBaghdad, owned by Iraqi investors, launched in 2015, competing against state-owned Iraqi Airways, one of the Middle East's oldest airlines, and several other private carriers.

"There is a huge population which are cash rich and are not too many places to visit in Iraq. Everyone is talking about travelling," Chief Executive Ali al-Hamdany told Reuters at an industry conference in Dubai.

The Baghdad-based airline operates a fleet of two Boeing 149-seat 737-700 jets and one 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 to northern Iraqi cities Erbil and Sulaimaniya, and to Turkey's Istanbul and Jordan's Amman.

Hamdany said FlyBaghdad would start talks with local and European regulators early next year to launch the European routes, which he said would target the Iraqi diaspora.

Hamdany, a former Air Arabia executive, led a restructuring of the airline after his appointment last year, which included a temporary grounding of its fleet.

FlyBaghdad aims to start turning a profit next year after it adds flights to Frankfurt in Germany, Malmo in Sweden, and Delhi in India as part of its proposed network expansion that will also include Dubai.

National carrier Iraqi Airways has been banned from Europe since 2015 because of safety standard compliance issues.

FlyBaghdad aims to carry around one million passengers next year, if its proposed network expansion goes ahead, compared with the 300,000 passengers its on track to carry this year.

FlyBaghdad will lease a Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737-800 next year for the proposed new routes, Hamdany said, adding that there would be six to eight aircraft in airline's fleet by 2020, when it aims to carry out an initial public offering.

He said it was too early to comment on where the airline would list, or how much money it would aim to raise.

FlyBaghdad will start flights to Ankara in Turkey and Beirut in Lebanon next month.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell)
LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's state uranium miner Kazatomprom has hired JP Morgan as its lead adviser for a London listing planned for 2018, two sources told Reuters.

Central Asia's biggest economy has started an ambitious privatisation programme after being hard hit by the 50 percent fall in world oil prices since 2014.

Kazatomprom is aiming to float up to 25 percent of the company. It is the world's second largest uranium producer by proven reserves, accounting for 24 percent of global production. Its net income stood at $326 million in 2016, according to its website.

"JP Morgan is leading the flotation process," one of the banking sources said.

The company was not immediately available to comment. JPMorgan declined to comment.

Spot prices of uranium, used to power nuclear reactors, dipped to a 13-year low late last year and have rebounded only modestly in 2017.

Kazakhstan's $67 billion sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna has sold more than 120 small and mid-sized firms and it is preparing to privatise larger firms such as oil producers KazMunayGaz (KMG) and Samruk Energy and flagship carrier Air Astana, with stake sales through initial public offerings. (Reporting by Clara Denina and Maytaal Angel. Additional reporting by Peter Hobson and Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - London's black-cab maker could strike a deal soon on the second overseas market for the new electric version of its famous taxi, the boss of the Chinese Geely-owned firm told Reuters on Wednesday.

The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) picked Amsterdam earlier this year as its first foreign destination, where around 225 vehicles will be used as part of a service which transports the elderly and disabled. Chief Executive Chris Gubbey told Reuters the firm was hoping to conclude talks with a second European location soon, potentially by the end of the year.

"Quite soon hopefully there will be an announcement on the second one after Amsterdam. We're getting very close now," he said.

LEVC is undergoing a major expansion plan which will see it sell around half of around 10,000 vehicles abroad by the turn of the decade, including a new van.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Stephen Addison)
SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday in a breakthrough that puts the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons whose warheads could withstand re-entry to the Earths atmosphere.

North Koreas first missile test since mid-September came a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions.

North Korea, which also conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test in September, has tested dozens of ballistic missiles under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. The latest was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, landing in the sea near Japan.

Graphic: Nuclear North Korea tmsnrt.rs/2lE5yjF

North Korea said the new missile reached an altitude of about 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station - and flew 950 km (590 miles) during its 53-minute flight.

After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a television presenter.

State media said the missile was launched from a newly developed vehicle and that the warhead could withstand the pressure of re-entering the atmosphere.

Kim personally guided the missile test and said the new launcher was impeccable, state media said. He described the new vehicle as a breakthrough.

North Korea also described itself as a responsible nuclear power, saying its strategic weapons were developed to defend itself from the U.S. imperialists nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat.

The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the launch.

Many nuclear experts say the North has yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles, including the ability to deliver a heavy nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but it was likely that it soon would.

We dont have to like it, but were going to have to learn to live with North Koreas ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.

THREATEN EVERYWHERE

U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japans exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM. The test did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House.

Trump spoke by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, with all three reaffirming their commitment to combat the North Korean threat.

It is a situation that we will handle, Trump told reporters.

Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administrations approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea.

Abe and Moon, in a separate telephone call, said they would no longer tolerate North Koreas increasing threats and would tighten sanctions, the Souths presidential office said.

ALL OPTIONS

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea while stressing its desire for a peaceful solution.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

Other than enforcing existing U.N. sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic traveling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the launch.

This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community, his spokesman said in a statement.

China, North Koreas lone major ally, expressed grave concern at the test, while calling for all sides to act cautiously.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also urged all sides to stay calm, saying this was necessary to avoid a worst-case scenario on the Korean peninsula.

U.S. EAST COAST IN RANGE?

The new Hwasong-15, named after the planet Mars, was a more advanced version of an ICBM tested twice in July, North Korea said. It was designed to carry a super-large heavy warhead.

Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) - more than enough to reach Washington D.C. and the rest of the United States, the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said.

However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added.

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military said it conducted a missile-firing test in response.

Moon said the launch had been anticipated. There was no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure, he added.

The situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology, Moon said after a national security council meeting.

North Korea shouldnt miscalculate the situation and threaten South Korea with a nuclear weapon, which could elicit a possible pre-emptive strike by the United States.

The test comes less than three months before South Korea hosts the Winter Olympics at a resort just 80 km (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North.

North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defense against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

Last week, North Korea denounced Trumps decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a serious provocation and violent infringement.

Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.
Moldova and Ukraine are preparing to create new joint checkpoints on the border, including on its Transdniestrian section, the press service of the Moldovan government has reported.

According to the press service, this issue was discussed at a meeting between Moldovan and Ukrainian Prime Ministers Pavel Filip and Volodymyr Groysman. The meeting was held in Tbilisi on Tuesday, November 28, on the sidelines of the Tbilisi Belt and Road Forum 2017.

"Moldova has implemented all internal procedures for introducing the provisions of the joint border control agreement signed in Chisinau in early October. I think we can begin to agree on issues related to the opening of other joint border checkpoints," Filip said.

During the meeting, the two countries' premiers welcomed the resumption of the activities of the joint commission on the demarcation of the state border. The parties also agreed to speed up the coordination of the text of the agreement on the functioning of the Dniester Hydro Power Complex.

Filip and Groysman also agreed to sign the agreements on the liberalization of road and air transport by the end of this year. The parties also agreed to raise quotas for international cargo carriers from 43,000 to 60,000 licenses, and to extend the stay of Moldovan truck drivers in Ukraine.

As reported, the first joint Moldovan-Ukrainian border and customs control point was opened on the Transdniestrian section of the border in July. The opening ceremony was attended by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip.
OSLO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Hexagon Chief Executive Ola Rollen, who is on trial in Norway for suspected insider share trading, should be sentenced to 18 months in prison if found guilty, the prosecutor in the case told the court on Wednesday.

Rollen, one of Sweden's best known business leaders, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a 2015 share purchase in Norway's Next Biometrics , a transaction which did not involve Hexagon. ($1 = 8.2325 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord, writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche)
By Nikhil Nainan

Nov 29 (Reuters) - Philippine shares fell on Wednesday, set for a third consecutive day of losses, while other markets trod water as investors assessed North Korea's latest missile test.

North Korea said it had successfully tested a powerful new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that put all of the U.S. mainland within range, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edging lower. Philippine stocks took the worst beating in the region, falling 0.8 percent. The brightening prospect of U.S. tax cuts could weigh on Philippine firms that provide outsourcing services, said Fio Dejesus, analyst at RCBC Securities.

Senate Republicans pushed forward their bill in a partisan committee vote on Tuesday, lifting Wall Street to record closes overnight. "There is actually a risk that the so-called blue collar KPOs (knowledge process outsourcing) would be under threat from the tax. If you would have corporate tax slashed in the U.S. then maybe some of these processes will move back to the U.S.," said Dejesus.

Builders Ayala Land and SM Prime Holdings were the biggest drags on the main index, declining about 2 percent each.

Thai shares firmed 0.4 percent, led by financials, with Kasikornbank Pcl up 2.7 percent and Siam Commercial Bank Pcl gaining 2.4 percent.

Malaysian stocks rose about 0.2 percent, driven by gains in utility and materials stocks.

Heavy weights Tenaga Nasional Bhd rose 2.4 percent while Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd climbed more than 1 percent.

Indonesia stocks slipped 0.3 percent as telecom and consumer staples stocks weighed on the index, while the index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks fell 0.6 percent.

Singapore stocks firmed to a two-and-a-half year high before paring the gains to trade marginally lower, as gains in consumer discretionary stocks offset losses in financials. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS: CHANGE AT 0455 GMT Change at 0455 GMT Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3441.41 3442.35 -0.03 Bangkok 1713.13 1706.52 0.39 Manila 8225.09 8291.88 -0.81 Jakarta 6051.533 6070.716 -0.32 Kuala Lumpur 1717.36 1714.42 0.17 Ho Chi Minh 945.69 941.21 0.48

Change so far this year Market Current End 2016 Pct Move Singapore 3441.41 2880.76 19.46 Bangkok 1713.13 1542.94 11.03 Manila 8225.09 6840.64 20.24 Jakarta 6051.533 5296.711 14.25 Kuala Lumpur 1717.36 1641.73 4.61 Ho Chi Minh 945.69 664.87 42.24 (Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)
By Pete Schroeder

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Approval of a pair of nominees to serve as commissioners at the Securities and Exchange Commission is being delayed in the U.S. Senate by a Democratic lawmaker, in turn posing challenges to any significant rulemaking by the SEC.

Senator Tammy Baldwin has placed a hold on Hester Peirce, a Republican, and Robert Jackson, a Democrat, pending their answers to several questions she has about how they would address certain issues at the SEC.

In letters sent to each Wednesday, Baldwin specifically asked about activist hedge funds, stock buybacks, and executive compensation.

"As a nominee to serve as an SEC Commissioner, it is important that the public know where you stand on these critical issues," she wrote.

Baldwin pressed the two on whether they would support changing rules to require hedge funds to more quickly disclose investments in companies, and about the economic impact of stock buybacks.

She also asked whether they would support finishing work on rules requiring public companies to disclose the ratio between top executive pay and its median employee. The SEC delayed that rule, mandated by the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, earlier this year.

Any delay to Peirce and Jackson's nominations is significant because with only three commissioners currently, the SEC faces challenges engaging in any major rulemaking. SEC quorum rules stipulate that the SEC cannot consider any rulemaking unless at least three existing commissioners are present, so the absence of any current commissioner prevents that work from occurring.

The senator will lift her hold on the two once her questions are answered, according to her office. At that point, the full Senate would be free to vote to confirm them, which is expected.

(Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Frances Kerry)
LIMA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Workers at Southern Copper Corp in Peru said they completed a ninth day of an indefinite strike on Wednesday, following a failed negotiation attempt with the company.

The walkout, which involved 3,000 members of two out of the five Southern Copper unions in Peru, has been declared illegal by the labor ministry.

Southern Copper, owned by Grupo Mexico SAB de CV , operates the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in Peru, as well as the Ilo refinery, and produced 900,000 tonnes of copper last year. Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer.

"There was a meeting with company representatives, but we did not reach an agreement because they do not offer a solution to our demands," union leader Fidel Roman said in an interview.

Workers are seeking a better share of miners' profits, and say Southern Copper has not adhered to benefits agreed to after a prior strike, including the replacement of dismissed workers.

"The strike continues, and we expect a new meeting in Lima with representatives of the company and the labor ministry to achieve a solution," Roman said.

Southern Copper did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company said last week the strike had not affected operations at its mines. There are three smaller unions that did not participate in the strike.

Southern Copper's shares listed in New York were down 2.1 percent in midafternoon trading on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Teresa Cedpedes; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
* Delivery Hero to join STOXX 600

* Tech, industrials dominate joiners

* Hikma, Provident demoted from index

By Helen Reid

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - German takeaway app Delivery Hero, which listed five months ago, will join the STOXX 600 benchmark index in December as rapidly rising tech stocks dominate its quarterly reshuffle.

Delivery Hero's stock is up by around 40 percent from its IPO price, raising its market capitalisation to 6.7 billion euros ($7.9 billion).

Along with companies such as Just Eat , which is expected to be promoted to Britain's FTSE 100 index later on Wednesday, Delivery Hero's addition reflects consumer demand for cheap, efficient, on-demand services to order food.

"This market is structurally growing, as consumer habits trend towards convenience and online continues to take market share from telephone ordering," Liberum analyst Ian Whittaker wrote this month, initiating Delivery Hero at "buy".

Technology stocks also dominate other additions announced on Wednesday by STOXX, the index provider owned by Deutsche Boerse, with Dutch firm BE Semiconductor set to join the tech sector which has been the best-performing this year thanks in part to stellar gains from chipmakers.

Siltronic , which makes silicon wafers for semiconductor components, is also joining the index following a 192 percent rise in its shares this year.

French engineering consultancy Altran Technologies is the third technology firm to join the index, while tyre maker Pirelli's ascension to the STOXX 600 came after its entry into Milan's top 40 FTSE MIB index was confirmed in October. It will join both indices in December. Societe Generale analysts said the addition of BE Semiconductor was a surprise, as was the deletion of British drugs firm Hikma whose shares have fallen 47 percent this year, cutting its market value to 2.5 billion pounds.

Other companies demoted from the index included troubled British subprime lender Provident Financial , whose shares have sunk 69 percent this year, and insurers UnipolSai and NCC .

Broadcaster Mediaset Espana was also deleted from the index. Media stocks across Europe have been among the worst-performing this year, along with real estate and healthcare.

STOXX also said it is switching Germany's Bayer from the chemicals sector to healthcare, and Britain's Close Brothers from financial services to banks.

The index changes will be effective at the market open on Dec 18.

STOXX 600 adds: Altran Technologies BE Semiconductor Delivery Hero HomeServe Konecranes NMC Health Pirelli Remy Cointreau Siltronic STOXX 600 deletions: AA Deutsche Euroshop Hikma JM Mediaset Espana NCC PostNL Provident Financial UnipolSai ($1 = 0.8448 euros)

(Reporting by Helen Reid; editing by Alexander Smith)
ISTANBUL, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Turkey has imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese flat non-rolled steel imports at levels of 16.9 percent-22.6 percent, the Turkish Official Gazette said on Wednesday. The duties are imposed at a level of 16.89 percent for Jiangyin Xingcheng Special Steel Works Co. Ltd. and 22.55 percent for other companies, according to the Gazette, which announces Turkish state regulations and rulings.

(Reporting by Can Sezer; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
ANKARA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The number of foreign visitors arriving in Turkey rose 22.2 percent in October to 2.99 million, data from Turkey's Tourism Ministry showed on Wednesday.

In the first ten months of the year, foreign arrivals to Turkey surged 28 percent. The number of Russian visitors to Turkey almost doubled in October from a year earlier, the data showed.

Tourism, which adds about $30 billion to gross domestic product each year, was hit by an attempted coup in July last year and a spate of bombings blamed on Islamic State and Kurdish militants, which scared away tourists over the past year.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Daren Butler)
* BBVA sells real estate portfolio with discount of 61.5 pct

* Deal in line with coverage on foreclosed assets

* Bank sees no significant profit impact

* Slightly positive on capital

(Adds details, background, comment)

MADRID, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Spain's BBVA said on Wednesday it had agreed to sell 80 percent of its real estate business to U.S. fund Cerberus for 4 billion euros ($5 billion), showing how investor enthusiasm for Spanish property is reviving.

A burst property bubble in 2008 sent Spain into a downturn that lasted nearly five years, causing mass unemployment and prompting a more-than 40-billion-euro bailout for the country's banks.

The economy returned to growth in 2013 and has outperformed the rest of Europe since then, helping to revive residential construction as house prices pick up, which has started to attract foreign investors back into the market.

The BBVA real estate assets included in the deal have a gross book value of some 13 billion euros, Spain's second largest bank said in a statement.

BBVA said the whole portfolio was valued at 5 billion euros, with the price involving a discount of 61.5 percent, in line with its coverage ratio for its foreclosed assets.

As of end-September, BBVA had non-core real estate property portfolio with a gross value worth around 17.8 billion, of which the bulk were foreclosed assets worth around 11.9 billion euros.

The deal is the largest since Santander sold control of property worth 30 billion euros to U.S. investor Blackstone Group in August. Santander sold its portfolio at a net value of 10 billion euros after a discount of around 66 percent. The rebound in the property market has also allowed Spanish banks to tackle toxic balance sheets faster than rivals in Italy. Banks in Europe are under pressure to reduce soured loans after new guidelines on this from the European Central Bank announced last month.

Analysts at broker Keefe, Bruyette Woods viewed the transaction as a positive step towards reducing BBVA's non-performing assets ratio (non-performing loans and foreclosed assets) from 7.2 percent to 4.5 percent.

BBVA's shares were up 1.94 percent at 1150 GMT, compared with a rise of 1.6 percent in the European STOXX banking index .

At a group level, BBVA has non-performing assets worth around 33 billion euros on its balance sheet - of which around 25 billion euros are in Spain.

Since 2015, BBVA's real estate business has generated losses of 1.37 billion euros.

BBVA said it would retain control of 20 percent of the real estate portfolio, which it said would be exclusively managed by Cerberus's Haya Real Estate.

The bank said the deal was not expected to have a significant impact on profits and would have a slightly positive impact on the fully loaded core tier 1 capital ratio (CET1), a measure of financial strength.

It also said that once the transaction was completed in the second half of 2018, BBVA would have the lowest relative real estate exposure among the main Spanish financial institutions.

($1 = 0.8423 euros)

(Reporting by Paul Day and Jesus Aguado; Additional reporting by Andres Gonzalez. Editing by Jane Merriman)
* Barnier says his responsibility is to EU businesses

* Work remains to be done on final Brexit bill, he says

* Future of EU more important than Brexit, he tells business

(Releads with quotes, background)

BERLIN, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator told German industry on Wednesday that it was his responsibility to help European companies weather the exit of Britain from the EU, and he warned Britain that its economy had much to lose.

In a series of speeches, Michel Barnier also said work remained to be done on how much Britain would pay the EU to cover its share of the EU budget after it leaves. British newspapers have reported his team has broadly agreed on a payment of around 50 billion euros ($59.25 billion) .

The EU has given Britain until Monday to make an acceptable offer for a financial settlement, agree on the rights of EU citizens in Britain and ensure no hard border is set up with Ireland. Only then will it start talks on a future trade pact.

German business is worried about the impact of Brexit - Britain is Germany's third-largest export destination and its fifth-biggest overall trading partner.

"The future of the EU is more important than Brexit," Barnier told the BDA employers association and the BDI industry group and DIHK chambers of commerce.

Barnier said he wasn't sure if the "whole truth" had been explained to British business on the impact of Brexit.

"My responsibility before you and everywhere in Europe is to tell the truth to European businesses," he said in the speech to the BDA employers association. A trading relationship with a non-EU member inevitably involved friction, he said.

"Whatever the outcome of the current negotiations, there will be no business as usual," he said.

Some politicians in Britain have argued that German companies depend on them for business, so Berlin under Chancellor Angela Merkel may help London get a deal.

But only about 6 percent of Germany's trade in goods is with the United Kingdom, compared with 56 percent with the other EU countries, Barnier said - making it clear Britain had the most to lose.

Barnier also pointed to value-added tax returns and the imports of animals and animal projects that are subject to checks at the EU's borders as potential problems.

And he warned there was no guarantee that judgements by UK courts on trade disputes would automatically be recognised across the EU after Brexit.

The BDI industry association and DIHK chambers of commerce stressed that the onus was on the British government to shift in its negotiations.

"The British government must move so that the EU can give the green light in two weeks for phase two of the talks," said the BDI and DIHK groups.

"There can be no cherry picking for London. It is clear: our priority is to strengthen the EU and develop it further," they said, stressing that the freedoms of the internal market would not be diluted for Britain during any transition phase.

Barnier also warned that companies should prepare for a possible "no deal", which implies returning to trade tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules, and border controls.

That scenario would lead to higher transport and storage costs, hitting companies operating on a just-in-time basis, he said.

"The no-deal scenario is not our scenario, but since it cannot be ruled out, we have to prepare for it," he said. ($1 = 0.8439 euros)

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr and Madeline Chambers, editing by Larry King)
* HKEX chief says made compelling pitch to Aramco for HK listing

* Says companies with dual class shares to be listed on Hong Kong

* To announce results of consultation on new structure in weeks

* SGX also considering introducing dual voting rights

(Adds further quotes from interview)

By Anshuman Daga

SINGAPORE, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong listing by Saudi Aramco would help the oil giant secure huge Chinese demand for its $100 bln share sale, said the head of Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEX) on Wednesday, as the world's leading stock exchanges pitch for the business.

Saudi Aramco said in October that exchanges such as New York, London, Tokyo, and Hong Kong have all been looked at for the partial listing of the state company's shares.

"It's going to provide compelling benefit because they are able to use the listing to anchor very massive Chinese demand at the IPO," Charles Li told Reuters in an interview in Singapore, where HKEX opened its first overseas office.

"It will become a great platform for the two major sovereigns to use as a potential platform for a broader level of financial or strategic investment decisions," Li added, referring to China and Saudi Arabia.

"It is a compelling case that they are unlikely to ignore but they also have many other factors in the decision process," he said, declining to share details of Aramco's feedback.

Li also said that he expects companies with dual class shares to be listed on Hong Kong's main board.

"We should basically in a few weeks, hopefully be able to announce a structure where we will have a chapter inside the main board that allows companies to list in Hong Kong, with weighted voting rights structures."

The Asian financial hub's exchange operator is looking to attract more new economy companies in order to remain a global listings powerhouse.

Hong Kong was the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO) venue in 2016 but has been struggling to attract new companies this year, with the bulk of those listing from property and financial sectors.

HKEX had unveiled a proposal in June for a new board that would allow companies with share structures providing special voting rights, and those yet to make a profit, to list. Li said Hong Kong's financial secretary had indicated that Hong Kong was likely to take in applications under the new voting structure in the second half of next year.

"We are coming to a general agreement that this is the direction to go and we are ready to go," he said.

Competition is heating up. In Singapore, the exchange's new regulatory unit is considering introducing dual class shares listing on SGX but is yet to take a decision, months after a key advisory panel recommended the move. (Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Jason Neely and Elaine Hardcastle)
Prisoner exchange between Kyiv, 'DPR/LPR' to be conducted in two stages to follow 'all for all' principle

Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the pubic movement Ukrainian Choice - People's Right, said he hopes that the first stage of prisoner exchange between Kyiv and Donbas can be conducted before the New Year holidays in accordance with the previously reached agreements.

"Our goal is to release these 306 [prisoners] before the New Year and Christmas holidays, as was stated. Preparations now remain to be done [by the Ukrainian side]," Medvedchuk told reporters in Minsk on Wednesday.

Luhansk and Donetsk are ready to give 74 prisoners for exchange, he said.

"After that readiness, we will determine the date, time and place where the people released by each party will be handed over," Medvedchuk said, adding that he is talking about both POWs and civilians.

After the first stage of the exchange using the 'all for all principle', the second stage will be organized, in which Ukraine will release the remaining 80 prisoners and Donbas will release the remaining 20 people, he said.
(Adds detail)

OSLO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Hexagon Chief Executive Ola Rollen, who is on trial in Norway for suspected insider share trading, should be sentenced to 18 months in prison if found guilty, the prosecutor in the case told the court on Wednesday.

One of Sweden's best known business leaders, Rollen has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a 2015 share purchase in Norway's Next Biometrics , a transaction which did not involve Hexagon. The maximum sentence the prosecution could have asked for was six years in prison.

The prosecution also asked for the confiscation of 25 million Norwegian crowns ($3.04 million) in gains from the shares.

A verdict is not expected until early 2018.

($1 = 8.2325 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord; writing by Terje Solsvik; editing by Gwladys Fouche and Jason Neely)
(Adds background)

By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A Turkish-Iranian gold trader on Wednesday began testifying for U.S. prosecutors in the trial of an executive at Turkey's state-owned Halkbank accused of taking part in a massive international money laundering scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions.

Reza Zarrab, who has pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, is expected to testify in federal court in Manhattan against Halkbank executive Mehmet Hakan Atilla, in a case that has strained diplomatic relations between the United States and Turkey.

U.S. prosecutors have charged nine people in the case, though only Zarrab and Atilla are known to be in American custody. The other defendants include the former head of Halkbank , Suleyman Aslan, and Turkey's former economic minister, Zafer Caglayan.

Prosecutors have said the defendants ran a complex money laundering scheme that involved smuggling gold and faking purchases of food to give Iran access to American dollars, violating U.S. sanctions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Denton told jurors in his opening statement on Tuesday that Atilla had expertise in economic sanctions that he used to design the transactions.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's government has said the case was fabricated for political motives, adding to tensions between NATO allies Ankara and Washington.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)
(Adds company news and futures)

Nov 29 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 25 points lower at 7,435.9 on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers, with futures down 0.38 percent ahead of the cash market open.

* RPC GROUP: British packaging company RPC Group Plc said its profit jumped 59 percent in the first half of the year, helped by acquisitions, cost savings and favourable currency movements. * BRITVIC: British soft drinks firm Britvic said on Wednesday its full-year adjusted core earnings rose 5.1 percent, but warned that the introduction of a soft drinks tax in Britain and Ireland would create uncertainties in the sector. * TULLOW OIL: Africa focused Tullow Oil Plc said on Wednesday it refinanced $2.5 billion of loans borrowed against its oil and gas reserves. * ZPG: ZPG plc , the owner of British property websites Zoopla and PrimeLocation, reported a 23.7 percent jump in full-year revenue, driven by increased traffic to its sites. * LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE: The London Stock Exchange said its chief executive Xavier Rolet has stepped down and will be replaced by David Warren, chief financial officer, on an interim basis. * PALMER&HARVEY: UK cigarette wholesaler Palmer & Harvey has been placed in administration, with accountants PwC appointed to oversee the process, the accounting firm said on Tuesday. * ANTOFAGASTA: Antofagasta PLC sees the global copper market balanced or in a small deficit this year, with the situation continuing into 2018, its chief executive officer said on Wednesday. * TESCO: Tesco's former UK finance director Carl Rogberg did not coerce and bully employees to manipulate profit figures in 2014, his lawyer told a London court on Tuesday. * ROYAL DUTCH SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell Plc plans to shut a portion of an olefins unit at its Norco, Louisiana, chemical plant next week an overhaul of the heat exchanger, sources familiar with plant operations said. * BRITAIN-EU: Britain and the EU have reached agreement on the size of the Brexit divorce bill, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified sources. * GOLD: Gold prices edged higher on Wednesday amid a slightly weaker dollar, while North Korea's latest missile test had little impact on the safe-haven metal. * OIL: Oil prices fell on Wednesday on doubts OPEC and Russia will agree an extended crude production cut that the market has priced in, and after a report of an unexpected rise in U.S. fuel inventories. * The UK blue chip index closed 1 percent higher on Tuesday, as Royal Dutch Shell surged after a solid earnings update and a Bank of England stress test on banks delivered no nasty shocks. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times > Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit * For Top News : (Reporting by Harish Bhaskar)
(Adds quotes, share reaction, background)

By Ole Petter Skonnord

OSLO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Hexagon Chief Executive Ola Rollen, on trial in Norway for suspected insider share trading, should be sentenced to 18 months in prison if found guilty, the prosecutor in the case told the court on Wednesday.

One of Sweden's best known business leaders, Rollen has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the purchase of shares in Norway's Next Biometrics in 2015, a transaction which did not involve Hexagon. "Rollen has described himself as a professional investor, he has been the CEO of Hexagon for many years and in this regard he has bought many companies," prosecutor Marianne Bender told the court.

"More than most, he is well aware of what affects share prices," she said. "This must be a significantly aggravating factor in the sentencing."

The maximum sentence the prosecution could have asked for was six years in prison.

The prosecution also requested the confiscation of 25 million Norwegian crowns ($3 million) in gains from the shares.

Hexagon's shares fell on the news, trading 1.4 percent lower for the day at 1415 GMT, while shares of Next Biometrics fell by 2.4 percent.

Bender said Rollen's purchase of Next shares on Oct. 6 and 7, 2015 on behalf of Greenbridge, an investment firm he co-founded, was illegal as Greenbridge was also involved in talks to take a larger stake in Next at a higher price.

Rollen's lawyer argued, however, that his client did not possess privileged information at the time of the share purchase and that the transactions were motivated by his own independent analysis of Next Biometrics.

Rollen's lawyer will deliver his closing arguments on Thursday. A verdict is expected in early 2018.

Hexagon declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

($1 = 8.2325 Norwegian crowns)

(Additional reporting by Johannes Hellstrom in Stockholm; Writing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Jason Neely and Keith Weir)
(New throughout, adds to Zarrab's testimony)

By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A Turkish-Iranian gold trader on Wednesday told jurors in a Manhattan federal court that he bribed a former Turkish government official to set up a deal aimed at helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions.

Reza Zarrab, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with U.S. prosecutors in the criminal trial of a Turkish bank executive, said he agreed in 2012 to share half of his profits from the deal with Zafer Caglayan, who was then Turkey's economy minister. Turkey's government has previously said that Caglayan acted within Turkish and international law.

Zarrab's testimony came on the second day of the trial of Mehmet Hakan Atilla, an executive at Turkey's state-owned Halkbank , in a case that has strained diplomatic relations between the United States and Turkey.

U.S. prosecutors have charged nine people in the case, including Caglayan, although only Zarrab and Atilla are known to be in American custody.

Prosecutors have said the defendants ran a complex money laundering scheme that involved smuggling gold and faking purchases of food to give Iran access to international markets, violating U.S. sanctions.

Zarrab said he paid Caglayan bribes amounting to more than $50 million. In exchange, he said, Caglayan helped broker a deal in which Zarrab worked with Halkbank to help Iran use its money abroad through gold transactions.

Zarrab said that before Caglayan intervened, Halkbank's general manager at the time, Suleyman Aslan, refused to work with him because he was too famous. Aslan also is charged in the U.S. case.

Zarrab also testified he first began handling transactions involving Iran through Turkey's Aktif Bank. He said the bank initially refused to let him open an account but relented after Zarrab asked Egemen Bagis, then Turkey's minister of European Union affairs, for help.

Zarrab said Bagis set up a meeting between him and Aktif Bank's general manager and that he was then allowed to open an account. However, Aktif Bank later shut down the account after receiving a warning from the United States, Zarrab said.

Reuters was not immediately able to reach anyone for comment at Aktif Bank after working hours on Wednesday.

Zarrab said Wednesday that Atilla helped engineer transactions to avoid sanctions, although he has not yet provided any details.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's government has said the U.S. case was fabricated for political motives, adding to tensions between NATO allies Ankara and Washington.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott)
Nearly half of IDPs in Ukraine have funds only for food - IOM survey

Forty percent of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine have funds only for food, according to a survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to the results of the survey that were presented in Kyiv on Wednesday, 7% of the IDP households polled are forced to cut spending on food, 48% have enough money for food and basic needs, and 5% have enough for basic needs and have savings.

Some 28% of IPD households have a monthly income of UAH 3,000-5,000, 22% - UAH 1,500-3,000, 21% - 5,000-7,000, 16% - UAH 7,000-11,000, 8% - over UAH 11,000, and 5% - less than UAH 1,500.

According to the survey, the average monthly income of one IDP in August was UAH 2,340 and in June it was UAH 2,005.

A total of 49% of IDPs are employed, 23% are unemployed, and 28% are retirees, recipients of disability pensions or on parental leave.

At the same time, 62% of respondents were employed before displacement.

The survey was conducted in August 2017. In total, 1,025 internally displaced persons were interviewed face-to-face in 24 regions of Ukraine and Kyiv.
Public joint-stock company Ukrposhta (Kyiv) in 2017 reconstructed eight departments in Ukraine as part of its rebranding, and in 2018 it seeks to reconstruct at least 120 departments and open them under the new logo.

"Our strategy is to invest minimum of funds [in reconstruction], since we it would take too long to coordinate capital investments. In an ideal scenario, new decoration, furniture or equipment that can be quickly put in. We have already opened several new offices mainly near the major markets, for example, at the Seventh Kilometer (Odesa)," General Director of Ukrposhta Ihor Smeliansky told Interfax-Ukraine on the sidelines of a logistics day in the European Business Association (EBA).

He said that first of all the branches where the technological processes are updated and good results are recorded would be rebranded.

According to him, the number of new vehicles purchased by Ukrposhta will be 250 units by the end of this year.

In addition, by the end of the first quarter of 2018, each branch in villages with a population of more than 2,000 people will be computerized.

"It would double the number of automated branches. We are trying to computerize villages with a population of less than 2,000 people, but with the help of mobile offices. Now we test different cars. Unfortunately, some "pilots" showed that in some places there are no roads and some are not marked on maps. Ukraine does not even have a register of addresses. This is a very difficult issue, but we are doing everything possible to create these registers, because we have more than 80% of the branches located in villages with a population of less than 2,000 people. 12 million people live there who would join civilization or not," he said.

He also said that the company is working on launching a courier delivery service. It is negotiating with a small Ukrainian bank on concluding a "strategic cooperation" for the possible introduction of some banking services in the branches. Smeliansky did not specify the name of the bank.

According to his forecast, the growth of e-commerce in 2017 in Ukraine will be 20-25%.
Meritz Asset Management CEO John Lee poses during an interview with The Korea Times at the firm's headquarters in Bukchon, Seoul, Nov. 22. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Meritz Asset fund chief tries to boost Korea's financial literacy'



By Nam Hyun-woo



When veteran fund manager John Lee returned to Korea in 2014 from the United States after wrapping up 20 years there, the first feeling he had was embarrassment.



To his eyes, Koreans were so ill prepared for their lives after retirement, having literally "no understanding of finance," and were obsessed with the idea that getting a good college diploma would lead them or their children to wealthy life.



"Koreans seemed not interested in having wealthy post-retirement lives," said Lee who ran the Korea Fund at Scudder Stevens and Clark from 1991 to 2005 and has been leading Meritz Asset Management since 2014.



The Korea Fund is the first New York Stock Exchange-listed closed-end fund investing in Korea. Under Lee's management, the fund posted an annual average of 11 percent in returns exceeding that of Korea's benchmark KOSPI and the amount of assets under management grew to $1.5 billion from $150 million.



In an interview with The Korea Times, Lee recalled that the 15-year management of the Korea Fund imparted a lot of lessons to him and helped him build his investment philosophy.



"While running the fund, I found that the market always makes unexpected moves in the short term," he said. "I had both good times and bad times, but after 15 years, the fund's value went up. This should be approached from a long-term perspective."



Such a philosophy is still a basic building block at Meritz Asset Management. Its flagship Meritz Korea Securities Investment Trust I is posting a 21.62 percent return this year as of Nov. 28. The fund is also run under the philosophy of long-term investment.



Asked to elaborate about the grounds for his strong belief in long-term investment, Lee briefly said: "I bought Samsung Electronics shares at around 15,000 won ($13.77) in 1991." Samsung Electronics shares were traded at a record-high 2,876,000 won on Nov. 2 and now hover between 2.6 million won to 2.7 million won this week.



And that is why he recommends stock investment as a proper way of preparing for life after retirement.



"Stock is probably the only single way of regular people becoming rich," he said. "A company is bound to grow because it is designed to seek profits. As soon as you purchase a share in a company, you have ownership in it. Since then, all employees and employers work in order to increase your wealth."



With regards to finding promising stocks or funds, Lee stressed having a proper perspective of investment.



"Korea had 10 days off during this year's Chuseok holidays and many may have thought of having an overseas vacation. Why don't you buy shares of Hana Tour then?" he said. "You are getting Botox wrinkle treatment, but you don't think of buying Medytox shares." Hana Tour is Korea's largest travel agency while Medytox is the country's leading Botox manufacturer.



In terms of picking good fund products, he also underscored the right match between investors and fund managers. "What if the fund manager adopts a short-term investment strategy although you are fond of long-term investments? That is a bad match," he said. Lee added that looking into turnover ratios is a good criteria for those who are looking for fund investment. It gauges how often fund managers change their portfolio.



Despite the idea being simple, many Koreans have a negative image of stock investment, sometimes branding it as speculation or even worse as gambling. Instead, real estate investment is widely believed to be "more promising," even though it may not be.



"Even though you don't have a plan to move in, you feel very happy when your home price rises. But in fact a rise in its value is not a realized gain. Rather, the rise in a home price will bring heavier property taxes," he said.



"Even if one's home price goes up or down, no one sells their home easily. Even if the price goes down, you believe the price will go up some day and you just keep waiting while crossing your fingers."



According to Lee, the same is applicable for stocks -- one should not be obsessed with the short term price fluctuation. He pointed out that Korean investors are acting just the opposite and even experienced fund managers tend to bet on short-term events.



Lee cited of Korea's "financial illiteracy" as the reason. While the U.S. is making efforts to highlight the importance of economic independence to children, such as having investment clubs at schools, Korea cares more about getting good scores on college entrance exams, with parents paying enormous sums for private tutoring.



"Let's say you invested 1 million won in Warren Buffett 50 years ago, you could very well have 18 billion won right now. Instead, parents in Korea place that money into private tutoring for their children who are spending hard days trying to get jobs. Which parents look good now?" Lee said. "If it is about your children, you should buy stocks for them."



Lee has been disseminating this idea for the past four years by holding lectures every Saturday at the company's headquarters in Seoul, and whenever and wherever he is asked. He estimates that he has met about 30,000 people in his lectures so far, but said that isn't enough.



"Unfortunately, Koreans still have very little understanding of this idea," he said. "The idea of getting a good grade will make you reach is still making many people poor. Parents are not teaching their children about the nature of money and its importance."



In order to strengthen his efforts, Lee decided to buy a bus and tour the country to hold lectures for those "financially neglected" in rural areas next year.



Also, the company launched Meritz Junior Fund in June. The product is open for those who are younger than 20 years old at the time of subscription and Lee is managing the fund himself. In the education of the youngsters who join the fund, the firm sends easy management reports tailored to young investors every three months in both Korean and English.



"Meritz will visit mountains, beaches and everywhere we can share our ideas with people," Lee said.


Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli does not see an alternative to the Minsk agreements, despite the lack of significant progress.

I see no other way than full compliance and implementation of the Minsk agreements. One can understand the disappointment of certain people, because now we do not see much progress in this direction. But we need to do everything to make the agreements work, and these four million people, involved in the conflict, cease to suffer from it, Channel 5 quoted Mingarelli as saying on Wednesday.

Earlier, Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov voiced the opinion that the Minsk agreements are no longer working, so there is a need to adopt a number of agreements aimed at resolving the situation in Donbas: "I believe that the Minsk agreements are dead and it's no longer worth talking about. It is necessary to pay tribute to the fact that the Minsk agreements were necessary as a mechanism for a cease-fire regime."

At the same time, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Kostiantyn Yeliseyev noted that, despite criticism, there is no other instrument for the return of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

"Figuratively speaking: no Minsk - no sanctions. So, I would not like us to play into the hands of the Russian Federation, which at any time can use it to discredit the mechanism of sanctions and try to mitigate or avoid it," he also said.
By Yoon Ja-young



The Korea Federation of Banks (KFB) has appointed a former Nonghyup vice chairman as its new head.



The KFB held a general meeting, Wednesday, with representatives of its member banks, and appointed Kim Tae-young, former chief of the credit business at Nonghyup, or the farmers' cooperative, as the 13th chairman and CEO of the KFB. He will succeed Ha Yung-ku whose term ends today. Kim was recommended as the sole candidate at the KFB board of directors' meeting held Nov. 27. Current chief Ha as well as representatives from member banks, the KDB, Kookmin, Shinhan, KEB Hana, Nonghyup, IBK, Citibank, SC and BNK Busan participated in the meeting.



"We thoroughly examined the quality and capability of the seven candidates. Since Kim has much experience and know-how in the overall financial industry including banking, we expect he will make a sizeable contribution to the development of the industry," an official at the KFB said.



The KFB board also excluded former government officials among its key candidates, amid criticism that the connection between the private industry and former government officials should be severed.



Born in Busan in 1953, Kim joined Nonghyup in 1971 after graduating from Yeongnam Commercial High School which was popular among bright students back then. He later graduated from Myongji University in 1975, successfully handling both work and study. He is known for a strong passion for work, which saw him labeled a workaholic. He also has wide network in the financial industry.



He took key posts at the farmers' cooperative, rising to head the credit business in 2008. After retiring from Nonghyup, he served as the head of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation. He returned to Nonghyup, serving as vice chairman from 2013 to 2014. Currently, he is working as a non-standing research fellow at the Korea Institute of Finance.



Kim will start his three-year-term Dec. 1.






BitPoint Japan President Genki Oda, right, speaks during a press conference for BitPoint Korea's launch at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. On the left is BitPoint Korea CEO Kim Young-man / Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo





Kyobo Life Insurance Chairman Shin Chang-jae
SPECIAL REPORT'I was falsely accused of theft': foreign entertainer recalls painful memories of bullying by Korean agency
By Park Si-soo



North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), ending its 75-day pause of weapons testing and shattering expectations that the hiatus might lead to dialogue over the North's nuclear and missile programs.



The missile traveled about 960 kilometers and flew for 53 minutes before landing in the waters within 370 nautical kilometers of Japan's coast, according to officials from South Korea and U.S. governments.



It is North Korea's first provocation since it fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan on Sept. 15.



It flew as high as 4,500 kilometers at the maximum altitude, higher than past launches. It suggests progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the U.S. mainland.



The data suggest the North might have tested an ICBM, officials from both South Korea and U.S. officials said. If it were fired at a standard one, it could have gone over 10,000 km, given its maximum altitude.



"Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)," Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said in a statement.



In response, President Moon Jae-in vowed to take the strongest measures possible against the North, condemning the its latest missile launch.



At an emergency meeting of the National Security Council held hours after the launch, Moon said, "I strongly condemn North Korea for staging such reckless provocations."



At the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said that: "I will only tell you that we will take care of it," adding that: "It is a situation that we will handle." He did not elaborate further.




By Yi Whan-woo



The United States is getting serious about considering military options against North Korea after Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Wednesday, which is believed to be capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.



Using military options has been considered risky even in the U.S. as it could result in North Korea's immediate retaliation against the South, where 230,000 American citizens including 28,500 troops reside.



President Moon Jae-in has also repeatedly said such options should not be used without Seoul's approval, thus posing more of a challenge to a pre-emptive strike or other possible attacks on Pyongyang.



But the ICBM test is renewing calls to test Washington's military power as part of the sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang, as it has become evident that the North is now capable of striking the U.S.



"It is a situation that we will handle. We will take care of it," U.S. President Trump said in response to the test.



He did not give further details. But on Twitter, he stressed the need to raise military spending, posting that "After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military!"






By Yi Whan-woo



North Korea launched its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during the pre-dawn, Wednesday, in an apparent bid to avoid being detected by U.S. and South Korean intelligence, according to military sources.



However, the allies' surveillance assets immediately detected the launch.



The timing of the ICBM launch, which took place at 3:17 a.m. near Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, is also believed to be aimed at exhausting the two allies' intelligence officials by keeping them on the lookout at all times for North Korea's provocations.



This is the first time the secretive state launched a ballistic missile before dawn.



"North Korea may have deemed dawn the optimal time to avoid being detected and being shot down by U.S. anti-ballistic missile systems," a source said.



Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the Institute for Far East Studies of Kyungnam University, said, "Pyongyang appears to be trying to surprise the allies to the maximum level by showing it is capable of carrying out a launch regardless of time."



The Kim Jong-un regime, however, appears to have failed in its goal, as President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump each received reports about the launch while the ICBM's 53-minute flight was still underway.



Moon received information from National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong two minutes after the launch and convened an emergency National Security Council meeting after, according to Cheong Wa Dae.



Reuters said Trump was briefed on the missile while it was still in flight.



North Korea varied the timing of its four previous test launches. It tested a Hwasong-14 ICBM at 9:40 a.m. on July 4, another Hwasong-14 at 11:41 p.m. on July 28, a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile at 5:27 a.m. on Aug. 29 and another Hwasong-12 at 6:57 a.m. on Sept. 15.



The test site has also have been changed frequently. The July 4 test took place from Panghyon, North Pyongan Province, the July 28 test in Chagang Province and the Aug. 29 and Sept. 15 tests from Sunan airfield in Pyongyang.








By Jun Ji-hye



North Korea launched an apparent new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early Wednesday that reached an altitude of about 4,500 kilometers and traveled 960 kilometers before falling into the East Sea inside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone.



The missile launch, which broke a 75-day lull in the North's provocations, drew strong condemnation from South Korea as well as the international community.





President Moon Jae-in speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump via phone from Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday, after North Korea launched what it claimed was a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching all parts of the U.S. mainland. The two heads of state agreed to maintain maximum pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae

The provocation is likely to escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula further and dash hopes for a negotiated solution to the North's nuclear and missile development programs. The international community is expected to impose harsher sanctions against Pyongyang.



Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile was launched at 3:17 a.m. from Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, 30 kilometers north of Pyongyang.



Hours after the launch, the North issued a statement, saying a test of the new "Hwasong-15" ICBM was successfully carried out.



The statement, carried by the state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), said the missile reached a maximum altitude of 4,475 kilometers, while flying 960 kilometers in 53 minutes along a preset trajectory.



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who observed the test, declared that the North has "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," according to the KCNA.



"The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the entire mainland of the U.S.," the statement said.



It added the new system has much greater advantages in its tactical and technological characteristics than the Hwasong-14 missile tested in July.



The repressive state launched Hwasong-14s twice, July 4 and 28. The first one flew 933 kilometers in 39 minutes and reached an altitude of 2,802 kilometers, while the second one flew 998 kilometers in 47 minutes after reaching an altitude of 3,724 kilometers.



Defense analysts said the North's latest test appeared to be its longest yet, noting that if the missile had been fired on a standard trajectory, rather than a lofted one, it could have flown more than 10,000 kilometers, which is, in theory, enough to reach the U.S. mainland.



"If flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers," said David Wright, a co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "This is significantly longer than North Korea's previous long-range tests."



Soon after the test, President Moon Jae-in presided over a National Security Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, during which he strongly denounced the North for its "military brinkmanship."




By Jun Ji-hye



North Korea has apparently proven its ability to send a ballistic missile far enough to reach the U.S. mainland with its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, Wednesday. But it still remains uncertain whether the North has secured "re-entry technology," according to defense analysts.



Re-entry technology is needed to protect a nuclear warhead so it can withstand the extreme heat and other challenges when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere from space. As the covered warhead re-enters the atmosphere at Mach 24, it needs to be capable of withstanding temperatures of around 7,000 degrees Celsius to 8,000 degrees Celsius. Securing such technology has been cited as the toughest challenge for the North in developing an operational ICBM.



During Wednesday's test, the Kim Jong-un regime fired the new Hwasong-15 ICBM, which flew 950 kilometers for 53 minutes and reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometers, according to the North's state-run Korea Central News Agency.



Experts said the altitudes of the North's ICBM tests have become higher as the Hwasong-14 ICBM, launched July 4, reached an altitude of 2,802 kilometers, while the same missile fired July 28 soared to an altitude of 3,724 kilometers. The flying time has become longer too, from 39 minutes to 47 minutes to 53 minutes.



Citing these numbers, experts said the latest test appeared to be its longest yet.



Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, said the fact the North has used lofted trajectories in its ICBM tests should be considered.






Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon speaks during a forum hosted by the Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists, at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap



By Kim Hyo-jin



The Moon Jae-in government thinks it is unrealistic to hold talks with North Korea, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Wednesday.



It is more likely to impose additional unilateral sanctions against the reclusive state, he said.



The comments came after the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew almost 1,000 kilometers before falling into the East Sea earlier in the day.



"The prospect of dialogue with the North is getting slimmer. It is unrealistic to do so while the country is accelerating its missile development," Lee said at a debate session hosted by the Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists.



"The government will continue to pressure the country in close coordination with the international community to the maximum level. Seoul may need to consider further unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang."



Seoul could expand its options by adopting some of sanctions the U.S. unilaterally implemented, Lee said.



The foreign ministry unveiled a list of 18 North Korean individuals subject to the unilateral sanctions that freeze their property within South Korean jurisdiction, and banned any transactions with South Korean banks earlier this month. But this was viewed as only symbolic because the two Koreas have already cut almost all exchanges.



During the session held after a National Security Council meeting, high attention was paid to the background of Moon's comment on a possible "preemptive attack" by the U.S.



Moon rarely mentioned it during the meeting with his security aides, saying, "We should prevent a situation where the U.S. considers a preemptive attack against North Korea."



Lee interpreted this to mean Moon was "sending a warning" to the Kim Jong-un regime about it advancing its missile capabilities.



"Moon intended to warn North Korea that it should be aware of the risk of its action," he said.



But he dismissed the feasibility of military options by the U.S., saying "It is a clear fact that it is one of many options but the U.S. has considerations to make before it commits itself to action."



He assured the Koreans the U.S. will consult with South Korea first even if it decided to go for it. "That's what Trump reaffirmed on his visit to Seoul," he said.



Lee assessed the latest missile launch as Kim's "tactful" choice as it lengthened the flight of the projectile yet it did not fire it toward Guam or Hawaii.



"Kim must have intended to sufficiently show its force yet refrain from provoking the international community," he said.



Over the recent controversy of Seoul's alleged expression of the "three nos" to Beijing, Lee said it was needed to thaw the strained bilateral relations.



"It was nothing new. The position has been presented for months. The government just reaffirmed it is in need of rebuilding the fractured relations between South Korea and China," he said.



Dismissing concerns about "submissive" diplomacy, he said it was a pragmatic approach.



"The U.S. and China have different strategic interests and North Korea is seeking nuclear weapons. Any government would have little option under such circumstances," he said. "It was not a submissive but necessary move."



Beijing earlier said it values Seoul's stance of three nos _ no more deployment of a THAAD battery, no more U.S.-led missile defense systems in South Korea and no tripartite defense alliance with the U.S and Japan _ while Seoul downplayed it as a mere expression of its position, not a promise.



Asked how Moon's reluctance of a trilateral defense alliance with the U.S. and Japan should be interpreted, Lee replied the stance is "nothing different from that of the previous governments."



"So far, the cooperation on our security issues has revolved around two pillars _ the ROK-U.S. alliance and the U.S.-Japan alliance. The current government's stance is that it will keep it that way," Lee said.



Reassuring the coordination between Seoul and Tokyo has been smooth, Lee added, "I hope Tokyo takes into account the fact that the people here are still cautious (of the trilateral alliance)."


The investigative units of the State Border Service of Ukraine, together with Moldovan law enforcement bodies, have blocked the transit channel for smuggling of hashish from Spain to Russia.

"A few days ago, employees of the Moldovan Interior Ministry stopped a car driven by a Moldovan citizen at the Galati-Giurgiulesti checkpoint for entry from Romania, in which 30 kilograms of hashish from Spain were found," the press office of the State Border Service of Ukraine reported on Wednesday.

Ukrainian border guards established that the smuggling of this batch of drugs had been organized by a Moldovan citizen. He arrived in Ukraine four days before he was placed on Interpol's international wanted list.

"As part of international legal assistance, the department of operational activities of the State Border Service decided to detain the organizer. At the end of last week, employees of the State Border Service, together with officers of the National Police in Lviv region, detained the offender in the town of Truskavets," reads the statement.

At the same time, the State Border Service of Ukraine noted that it counts on further effective cooperation in countering cross-border crime on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border.
Rise Global CEO Barry O'Callaghan / Courtesy of Rise Korea



By Kim Bo-eun



Korea's thriving private education industry is criticized for undermining the public education system and perpetuating the gap between the haves and have-nots.



Efforts and calls to regulate the industry continue.



However, a global education business CEO says the private sector can be an agent of innovation for the public education system.



"There is a stigma in many parts of the world that for-profit education is bad, that education is a social contract that should be paid for by the state," Rise Global CEO Barry O'Callaghan told The Korea Times in an interview in Seoul last week.



"However, if that becomes the exclusive mandate of education systems, they tend to be slow to reform and innovating change."



O'Callaghan has been in the education business for the past 20 years. In 1999, he established Riverdeep, which provided math programs in middle schools, targeting underperforming students in U.S. public schools. The company later merged with two of the largest textbook businesses in the U.S., creating Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH).



In 2011, O'Callaghan left the company and established Rise China, an English-language-learning business. Its success led him to begin a similar business in Korea and other Asian countries, including Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, under the brand Rise Global. The CEO was in Seoul for parent seminars to promote Rise Korea before the new academic year.



O'Callaghan said Korea's mature, sophisticated market for English education made it a good test-bed for his business.

Yet at the same time, he acknowledged this was a problem.



"The biggest anomaly in Korea's education market is the disconnection between the public school system and private education," he said.



"It makes no sense to have a child in a hagwon studying a curriculum that is two to three grade levels beyond what they are doing during the day."



While the scale of Korea's private education is considered disproportionate, some countries have nothing other than a public school system.



The CEO said private education's role should be somewhere in between these two extremes.



Along the same lines, O'Callaghan said rather than brutally regulating the private sector, there should be collaboration to promote it with the public system.



"The two should create a natural synergy rather than undergo disconnection," he said.



Korean education system



O'Callaghan said Korean students excel academically and Korea is among the top countries sending students to Ivy League schools in the U.S., as well as attaining doctoral degrees.



"The Korean education system has produced a very well-educated academic community, but whether that translates into success in the corporate, professional world, it is debatable," he said.



"Korea's prowess is not seen in the number of executives at top multinationals or in terms of the number of Korean companies that have become global leaders."



The rigid public education system is often cited as a reason Korean students' strengths are mainly limited to academic achievement.



The entire 12-year school system is geared toward preparing for the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT).

"A one-day test being the way to benchmark 18-year-old students is not fit for purpose," O'Callaghan said.



He said modern teaching standards around social skills and emotional intelligence can support hard academic output.



"Social skills and EQ, as well as IQ, need to be developed, which go beyond university academic studies into the workplace, to compete on a global level," he said.



Rise Korea



O'Callaghan said Rise Korea aims to turn abstract grammatical English into real-life applications.



"The best way is through projects and an immersive environment using interactive software built in English," he said.

Rise Korea hosts leadership training programs and debating competitions and plans to set up student-run radio stations _ an initiative at Rise China's centers.



What further distinguishes Rise Korea's English learning centers from its competitors, the CEO says, is its global presence and access to quality learning tools.



It has its global headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, Asian headquarters in Singapore and a business in Korea, as well as joint ventures throughout Asia. It also holds a perpetual license to HMH to use its products.



Rise Korea is attempting to promote exchanges between students of learning centers based in different countries.



"There is an online program where students of various countries can provide input and we are preparing to host an international competition next year," O'Callaghan said.



"Students of Rise Korea, as well as China and Japan, will compete, and they will be able to check their performance at a global level."




Annual assessment shows more students falling behind in math and Korean, fewer in English



By You Soo-sun



Korea's middle and high school students are increasingly struggling in math and the Korean language, according to this year's nationwide achievement test results released Wednesday.



In this year's assessment, more students failed to meet basic academic levels in Korean and math compared to the previous year. On the contrary, a smaller share was falling behind in English as a subject.



In 2016, two and five percent of middle school students were struggling to meet basic academic levels in Korean and math; these numbers rose to 2.5 and 6.9 this year.



A similar trend was seen among high school students; year by year, more of them are struggling with Korean _ from 2.6 in 2015 to 3.2 in 2016, and 4.7 this year.



In math, 9.2 fell below the basic standard, up over four percentage points from last year's 5.3.



On the other hand, a smaller percentage of students were estimated to be falling behind in English; 3.1 percent of middle school students and 3.8 percent of high school students performed below basic levels, down from 4.0 and 5.1 the previous year.



According to the Ministry of Education, the tests were taken by 28,131 students in the ninth and 11th grades, who account for three percent of the student population in those grades across the nation.




By Jung Han-sae







Today, many teachers are vulnerable to student attacks in humiliating ways. More and more, students often swear loudly, sexually harass female teachers and commit vandalism. Some teachers are even assaulted by parents who come to the school to defend their children's misbehavior.



A recent news report concerning sexual harassment greatly surprised me. On watching the news, I felt an unbearable insult as a female high school student. It happened in a first year classroom at a middle school in Daejeon. In the course of a female teacher giving a lesson in the classroom, she felt something strange was happening at the back of the classroom. She noticed that some students were engaging in obscene acts, touching their own bodies. This scene shocked her so tremendously that she left the classroom. Later, the helpless female teacher had to be hospitalized for trauma.



Another incident happened in an elementary school. A mischievous elementary student was reported to have slapped his homeroom teacher in the face in front of his classmates. According to a local news report, the young child often spat at his classmates for no reason. Repeated warnings did not stop his mischief. So, when the homeroom teacher scolded him for his bad behavior, he slapped her in the face, unable to hold back his unruly temper.

On hearing the news, I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't sleep. How could a young elementary student slap his homeroom teacher in the face? Korea has been dubbed the land of the Morning Calm, which is known for fidelity and courtesy. Why has our educational environment changed into such a terrible situation?

From an early age, I have dreamt of becoming an elementary school teacher. I have been determined to be a good, dedicated teacher who will teach students with love and affection. But, whenever I encounter such insulting news, I am concerned about our educational environment. Why does this dire phenomenon occur in a school environment?

As most students are motivated to prepare for the college entrance exams, schools are forced to focus only on academic improvement rather than moral and ethical enhancement. As school education changes more into a knowledge-based education, students tend to take fewer etiquette lessons. So they are more likely to be disrespectful toward older people. Plus, in line with the social trend of degrading teachers' status and growing parents' affection toward their children, most parents tend to side with their children whenever an incident happens, jumping to a hasty conclusion that the teacher should be blamed for improper teaching.

What can we do in order to prevent or solve these problems? As a high school student and would-be elementary school teacher, I'd like to recommend a few suggestions.

Above all, teachers need to educate students with courtesy and good manners. If students are treated respectfully, they will hardly defy their teachers and show such horrific misbehavior.

Next, it is essential for teachers to communicate with parents as often as possible. They need to enlighten parents so that teachers' authority must be guaranteed for a good educational environment in which teachers, students and parents are on the same page with each other for their educational goals. To this end, teachers should do their best to interact with students' parents in various ways such as through counseling, the school newsletter, social media and the class website.

It is a pitiable situation that a teacher who deserves to be respected and esteemed is disregarded or despised. In fact, it is ridiculous that students get fresh with the teacher. Such absurd situations should not occur. Therefore all of us should do our best to protect teachers' rights.

Jung is a second-year student at Miryang Girls' High School .
A Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile is launched off during a live-fire drill in the East Sea, early Wednesday, held in response to an alleged ICBM test by North Korea. / Yonhap



By Choi Ha-young



The military staged a live-fire drill early Wednesday only six minutes after North Korea fired what it claimed was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.



The South Korean Army's missile unit, the Navy's Aegis ship and the Air Force's KF-16 fighter jet took part in the training held in the East Sea near the inter-Korean border, from 3:23 a.m. to 3:44 a.m.



The joint drill simulated the targeting of a North Korean missile base  this time Pyongsong, around 30 kilometers north of Pyongyang. The drill mobilized the nation's ship-to-ground Haeseong-2 cruise missile as well as a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile and SPICE-2000 air-to-surface missile. The three missiles precisely hit the target, the JCS said in a press release.



According to the JCS, the Haeseong-2, a Korean-produced missile, can travel 1,000 kilometers. Hyunmoo-2, a core asset of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation scheme, boasts a 300-kilometer range while SPICE-2000 can fly 57 kilometers.






By Jung Min-ho



Only 518 people out of more than 5,200 applicants landed jobs at casino operator Kangwon Land between 2012 and 2013. However, it was later revealed that 95 percent of the people who received jobs did so thanks to their ties to corrupt politicians.



Twenty-three people, who failed to get jobs there during that period, will file a damage suit with the Chuncheon District Court Wednesday against Kangwon Land, alleging the firm used them as nothing but a show.



The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), a civic group, will help them deal with legal matters.



A PSPD official said it was a textbook example of corruption in hiring, which undermined the trust of not just them but also hundreds of thousands of young jobseekers who expected  or at least hoped for  a fair competition.



Over the past month, the PSPD has tried to persuade the alleged victims to join the action. But many of them couldn't, because they were still busy finding jobs.



But the PSPD thinks a win in the case will pave the way for more people to be compensated for their financial and mental damages.



Separately, the prosecution is investigating the case. Key suspects include former CEO Choi Heung-jip, who led the company from July 2011 to February 2014, Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and Rep. Yeom Dong-yeol of the right-wing Liberty Korea Party.



More lawmakers are expected to be investigated for their alleged involvement.



According to a Kangwon Land personnel affairs official, the company had the list of people who were recommended by the lawmakers and other people who were close to the former CEO.



Notably, Kweon is suspected of helping his former secretary, surnamed Kim, get a manager-level job for checking water quality at the casino. Even though Kim was not qualified for the position, which required at least five years of relevant experience, Kim got it with ease after Choi allegedly ordered officials to hire him over 33 other applicants.



After the issue came to the fore, the company admitted to the corruption in September and apologized.






By Rha Hae-sung





Misdiagnosis: The prostate removal operation in October left scars on the man's abdomen. / Yonhap
By Kim Bo-eun





Over 200,000 foreign patients received medical services in Seoul last year, many of whom underwent cosmetic procedures at clinics concentrated in southern Seoul.



Data from the city government shows Seoul had 216,646 foreign patients in 2016, surpassing 200,000 for the first time. In 2014 it had 154,816 patients and in 2015 165,689.



By district, Gangnam-gu had the largest number of patients at 76,385, three times the figure for patients in Seocho-gu with the second-highest number. Gangnam-gu also topped the list in 2014 and 2015.



This is because clinics are concentrated in the affluent district  according to 2015 data from the National Tax Service, 462 of 1,301 cosmetic surgery clinics nationwide were located in Gangnam-gu.



The district office, along with individual clinics, has been campaigning to attract foreign patients.



Gangnam-gu Office reportedly set 78,000 patients as its target for this year. However, the number of foreigners coming to Korea for cosmetic surgery was adversely affected by Korea's deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery this year.



This is because the Chinese, whose government retaliated against the THAAD installation, account for the largest number of patients according to nationality.



The office is reported to have plans to attract 200,000 patients a year within the next five years.



Following Seocho-gu is Seodaemun-gu, which had 14,505 patients last year. The large number is attributed to the universities located in the district, which have many foreign students.



According to nationality, following Chinese patients were Americans, Japanese, Russians and Kazaks.



The city is working together with local medical institutions to attract foreign patients by providing services such as airport pickups and translation.



It also runs a call center that provides information on medical services in English, Chinese and Japanese.



In addition, the Seoul government is hosting overseas fairs and information sessions, with recent ones being hosted in Moscow, Russia and Kazakhstan this year. The events aim to promote medical services in Seoul, together with tourism programs.



Concerns have been growing that promotion efforts are focused on cosmetic procedures.



In response a city official said "The government is holistically promoting medical services offered in Seoul, and not a specific area."



Data shows foreign patients sought the most services in the areas of internal medicine, followed by cosmetic surgery, dermatology and medical checkups.












By Kwon Yule-jung





No quote in modern history has been more meaningful and well-known than the quote by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, from the Gettysburg Address in the context of the Civil War: "Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Many people, including history buffs, do not know the exact location in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in which Lincoln delivered the speech. He delivered the speech at the Soldiers' National Cemetery, not at the White House or the U.S. Congress as is commonly thought, during the daytime on Nov. 19, 1863.

It is paramount for public officials to conduct themselves in performing their public duties and serving those who gave them those duties. I feel proud of the speech and its value, as I work for the Daejeon National Cemetery, even though the Korean environment and context differ from those of the United States in the mid-19th century.

Lincoln, the first president, George Washington, and the New Deal' president, Franklin Roosevelt, are usually considered by experts as the best among all U.S. presidents in history. However, Lincoln is considered the best president owing to his many brilliant achievements, including the emancipation of African-Americans from slavery in the United States, in addition to his noble devotion to the country and its citizens.

Another immortal quote by Lincoln about the patriotic spirit is as follows: " let us strive  to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan." The quote is from his inaugural address for his second term in 1865. At that time, there was no formal veterans' organization in the United States. The quote indicates the nation's unwavering commitment to soldiers and victims of the war and their families. His foresight led to the birth of the Veterans Administration in 1930, for which the legendary quote became a mission statement.

Lincoln also initiated the American National Cemetery system, which has gradually expanded to nearly 150 cemeteries around the United States, and contributed significantly to supporting soldiers who were killed in action or on duty and their families. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is based on these two systems, which reflect Lincoln's patriotism and emphasis on democracy and the supreme value of selfless sacrifice for the country.

Our country's Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was influenced by the VA And was organized in 1961 after the country gained full independence from Japanese imperial colonial rule and after signing the Korean Armistice Agreement during the Korean War. Many veterans' benefits and national cemeteries in Korea were benchmarked after the advanced and systemized ones of the United States, which could be traces to the time of Lincoln and the patriotic spirit of the mid-1860s.





The writer (england6227@hanmail.net) is the chief director of the Daejeon National Cemetery.
By Lee Seong-hyon





China sent a qualified envoy to Pyongyang. The problem was that the envoy was "minimally" qualified. North Korea knew it was a test. The North Korean leader let Xi's envoy "wait around" for four days, causing him much anxiety, and yet never showed up to see him. Many Chinese took this as an insult. Such feelings, however, may be unwarranted. The envoy, after all, fulfilled his mission well, meeting with North Korean officials appropriate to his rank. Meeting Kim, though, is in another realm.



Song Tao is a "qualified" envoy. He is head of the Communist Party's External Affairs Department (zhonglianbu). This organ, not the Chinese foreign ministry, handles relations with North Korea, including those with the Workers' Party. The just-concluded 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CCP) was a party event. The Chinese Communist Party and the North Korean Workers' Party have the "custom" to explain the outcome of important political events by sending delegations to each other's country. As such, China sent Song, representing the CCP, to North Korea.



Second, China yet sent a "minimally" qualified envoy. In the past, China dispatched much higher ranking dignitaries. In 2007 after the 17th Congress, China sent Propaganda Department chief Liu Yunshan, a member of the powerful Political Bureau, to Pyongyang. In 2012, after the 18th Congress, China sent Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and again a Political Bureau member. Song is just a ministerial-level official and his pecking order in the CCP is below the Political Bureau.



Third, it was possible that North Korea therefore took the choice of Song as an "insult," not the other way around. On top of that, strangely, Song was given the special title "Xi Jinping's envoy." This poses a dilemma on the part of North Korea. Song is a mere working level official. North Korean leader Kim wouldn't need to meet him, based on the usual diplomatic decorum. But then, Song visited with the hat that represented the authority of Xi Jinping. Should Kim then have met Song?



The tabloid Global Times, under the People's Daily, sent out a veiled warning to North Korea. "We hope Pyongyang can treat this visit (by Song) seriously. Song is the special envoy of Xi, which is very different from other diplomats." Kim, however, rejected the pretense.



Looking back on the intrigue, there may have been multiple calculations for China to dispatch such a mid-level envoy. One, Beijing may have taken Washington's counsel into consideration. The U.S. frowns when China sends a senior envoy to North Korea, which could be wrongly seen as a "reward" by Pyongyang when the latter misbehaves.



Two, China may have purposely sent an envoy who was "not too high, not too low," given that China and North Korea haven't had high-level exchanges for quite a long time and the two have the biggest divergence of opinions over Pyongyang's nuclear program. If a Chinese political heavyweight went to Pyongyang and returned empty-handed, without any progress on the nuclear program, and without meeting Kim, that would have been a diplomatic disaster. Song, a mid-level official would then be a "safe" choice.



Three, speculation is that China actually used the occasion to "test" Kim, a young and defiant leader. This is consistent with an old habit of the Chinese in attempting to "shape" North Korea and "sow" influence in their asymmetrical relationship. (South Korea accepted the allusion and now Chinese mid-level officials meet with South Korean senior officials, treating them as their "counterparts.") North Korea has never caved into such attempts by China and has never lost face, in spite of dealing with a more powerful patron from the Cold War era.



Song, in North Korea, fulfilled his mission appropriate to his rank. North Korea didn't "insult" him either. Song in Pyongyang met with Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the standing committee of the Workers' Party, and Ri Su-yong, a member of the party's political bureau. Both rank higher than Song in the overall scheme of things. We should also note that North Korea's Ambassador to China Ji Jae-ryong personally greeted Song at the Beijing airport "before and after" Song's trip to Pyongyang. It was North Korea giving "face" to Xi's envoy. Meeting with Kim? That may be in another realm according to North Korean standards.





Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is a research fellow at the Sejong Institute.


The packaged Hawaiian Host chocolates marketed by Binggrae. / Courtesy of Binggrae



By Park Jae-hyuk



Binggrae said Wednesday it has released new Hawaiian Host packages to celebrate the festive season.



The products include three types of packages  one with two Tiki boxes weighing 2 ounces each, one Tiki box package weighing 4 ounces and one Classic package weighing 7 ounces.



The Korean food company began selling the chocolates in November last year, after signing a license agreement with the U.S.-based Hawaiian Host Inc., the world's largest maker of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. They discussed the deal for six months.



Considering that year-end and New Year are the peak seasons for chocolate marketing, Binggrae decided to offer products in various sizes and colors, so consumers can give them as gifts without additional wrapping.



Exclusive paper bags for Hawaiian Host are also available, according to the company.



Since Mamoru Takitani began selling chocolates covered macadamia nuts at his small store on the island of Maui in 1927, Hawaiian Host has become the product representing the Pacific island.



Binggrae attributed the popularity to premium Hawaiian macadamias, which are dubbed "the emperor of nuts" for their abundant vegetable fats and nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and iron. Hawaii is known as the best place to grow macadamias, because of its plentiful sunshine and rain.



The chocolate is regarded as a must-have item among Korean tourists who visit Hawaii, Guam and Saipan.



While they bought Hawaiian Host for themselves in the past, they tend to give the product as gifts for special people and special events, according to Binggrae.



The company decided to launch the new packages for those who buy Hawaiian Host as gifts.



"We expect our distribution network and the quality of Hawaiian Host will create a synergy effect," a Binggrae official said.


Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzenko, during the visit to 169th training center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has familiarized with the course of the educational process at the 'Snipers School' and the 'Intelligence Officers School', where junior specialists are trained.

"During the visit of the 169th training center, it became clear that the idea of creating 'Snipers School' and the 'Intelligence Officers School' turned into real practical results. We are getting stronger!" Muzhenko wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
Warships have measures in place to combat the jellyfish threat, but large numbers of the invertebrates can still cause problems.



By Stephen Chen





China is testing a new weapon to counter a major threat to aircraft carriers: jellyfish.



Dubbed the "jellyfish shredder", the instrument can clear a passage in water infested by jellyfish to give the carrier crew "peace of mind", according to a scientist involved in recent field tests.



The researcher, from the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute based in Dalian, northeast China, requested not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.



Tan Yehui, a researcher with the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangzhou, said jellyfish posed a serious threat to aircraft carriers given the size and complexity of the warships.



A large number of the invertebrates can get sucked into a ship's water intake mouth and clog up the cooling system. This in turn can cause the carrier's engines to overheat, bringing them to a halt.



It can take hours, or even days, to remove the sticky remains of the jellyfish from filters and pipes.



China's first aircraft carrier the Liaoning ? originally a Soviet vessel ? was rebuilt in Dalian.



It is believed three more carriers are under construction at the strategic port in Bohai Bay, as China rapidly expands its naval power to protect its business and political interests around the globe.



Although warships already have measures in place to combat the jellyfish threat, encountering large numbers of them at once can still cause problems.



In 2006, America's nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Ronald Reagan was temporarily disabled after running into a swarm of jellyfish in the waters outside the Australian port of Brisbane.



"What happened to the American aircraft carrier can also happen to Chinese aircraft carriers," said Tan, who was not directly involved in the Liaoning tests.



The jellyfish shredder takes the form of a large net several hundred metres long with a cluster of sharp steel blades in the middle.



The net is towed by a boat travelling at high speeds, using the force of the rapid currents to suck the jellyfish into the blades.




Mikheil Saakashvili's party, the Movement of New Forces, is planning to open about 500 headquarters all over Ukraine after December 3 to campaign for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's impeachment.

"We are planning that a march in support of impeachment will take place on December 3 [...] We understand that it will be just the beginning of a large campaign. Its first demand is the adoption of a law on impeachment, and the second demand is a vote of no confidence in Petro Poroshenko. We will begin collecting votes of no confidence in Petro Poroshenko," Olha Halabala, a member of the party's political council and the president of the Market Reforms Center, said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday.

A total of 150 headquarters have already been set up, and about 500 are expected to be created after December 3, Halabala said.
A patrol of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission did not visit the village of Travneve in Bakhmut district on the outskirts of Horlivka, Donetsk region, on Wednesday, because no mine clearance has been carried out there.

"SMM patrol was today south of Travneve. Ready to enter village. All are ready but no de-mining as UAF sappers said they had no orders to de-mine," the mission wrote on Twitter.

As reported, on November 27-28, illegal armed formations shelled the positions of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) forces near the village, and on Tuesday the visit of the OSCE SMM observers and representatives of the UN mission, who planned to monitor the humanitarian situation in the villages of Travneve and Hladosove, was disrupted.

On Wednesday, the JCCC said that militants had disconnected more than 200 residents of the village from power supply. Subdivisions of the ATO forces for military and civil cooperation issues distributed the food sets to residents of Travneve on November 28-29.
12:00 01.12.2017 Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference '26th Anniversary of Independence Referendum. Current Challenges'

1 min read

On Friday, December 1, at 12.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference, entitled "26th Anniversary of Independence Referendum. Current Challenges." The participants include director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov, expert of the Gardarica Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko, and Director of the Ukrainian Barometer Sociological Service Viktor Nebozhenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation.
Through the windows of his corner office at Scripps Institution of Oceanography  the office he inherited from Sally Ride after she moved back to the UC San Diego physics department in the early 2000s  Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan has yet to see any of the disastrous effects of global warming predicted by his pioneering research. But thats the thing about climate change, he tells the Light, you dont see it but you feel it.

Ram (as friends and colleagues call him) is best known for proving, in 1975, that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) not only contribute as much to Earths increasing greenhouse effect as carbon dioxide, but that one ton of them has the same warming effect as 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide.

For the past five years, however, hes made translating climate science to religious leaders his primary work. Ram, 72, has already met with the Dalai Lama and  as the framed photo documents behind him  Pope Francis. (Their 2015 meeting at the Vatican informed the popes encyclical on the environment.)

To his own surprise, Ram  who describes himself as a non-practicing Hindu, but not an atheist  says hes so far received zero pushback from any of the leaders of either religion or science for attempting to bridge the yawning chasms between their worldviews.

On Dec. 7, Ram will present at UCSD, A View From the Vatican: Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health as Our Responsibility, a talk exploring the health impacts of climate change, summarizing his Vatican discussions, and exploring what the next steps toward mitigating this global crisis need to be.

Q: Do you remember exactly what you were thinking when you realized that you were the only person on Earth who knew exactly how dangerous the CFCs that cooled every refrigerator at that time were to the Earth?

A: At that time, I was too young to know the Earth was in trouble. No one had known. So I would say, sadly, I was really excited about the discovery  that I found something that everyone had missed. I think my realization that this problem was going to have a huge impact  that took over 10 years to get my head wrapped around.

Q: Why did you shift your main focus from doing science to communicating it?

A: I was expecting presidents and prime ministers to read all these published papers and take action. But, when I turned 60, I realized that nobody cares about my papers. Its not enough just to point out that the Earth is getting damaged. So I started working on solutions to the problem.

Climate change has become a political issue in America, so scientists like me need a forum to talk about it in an apolitical manner, right? So, because I was elected to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences by Pope John Paul II, I thought, wow, I can talk to religious leaders about climate change. The church could be an agent of change, because theres not a Republican church and a Democratic church.

Q: Do you see yourself as a negotiator between science and religion?

A: Im not naive or stupid. There are a lot of contradictions. But in the case of environment, science and religion want the same thing. Scientists like me want to protect nature for future generations. Religion wants to protect creation. I must tell you, I started on this mission five years ago, and I havent experienced a single pushback from either religious people, or the scientists in this hall. Im sitting with the most rigorous scientists. Every time I go to the bathroom here, I think someones going to come and hit me on the head for doing this. But so far, no. Even scientists appreciate it.

Q: What was meeting with Pope Francis like?

A: There was this bishop with us who told me I had two minutes. And I said, How do you expect me to summarize everything in two minutes? And he said, Just tell the Holy Father what you told us. And so I told him that climate change has become a serious problem, and what worries me is the injustice, that 50 to 60 percent of the pollution comes from the wealthiest one billion people, and the worst consequences of climate change are going to be experienced first by the poorest three billion, who have nothing to do with this.

The Pope immediately asked, in Spanish, what he can do about it. I told him, You are the moral leader of the world, just include one sentence about climate change, ask people to be good stewards of the planet. And he smiled. And, of course, his encyclical on the environment was all about that.

Its not that Pope Francis didnt know about the problem of climate change. I dont take any credit for educating him about that. But I think meeting with someone like me made him realize that this problem is a lot more urgent. Very few get the urgency. The disaster were talking about is not 100 years from now. Its not even 50 years from now. Its not even 30. Its about 10-to-15 years from now. And when I see people like you walking into my office, Im thinking, Does he know that cliff is just right there? I dont think anyone does.

Q: Is there a secret to talking science to religious people?

A: I have given talks in at least 15 churches all the way from Wisconsin to here, and the one I remember the most is an evangelical church here last year. There were about 150 evangelicals. Honestly, I had some tough questions from them, but they were all reasonable questions, no pushback. I told them about the effects of global warming on the poor, and they immediately got it. I found that angle works  I dont think in all religions, but in Christianity, it does.

Q: So youve gotten no flak from any Christians for not being able to understand their point of view because of your background?

A: No one, which is remarkable. This doesnt rely on understanding religion. This is just taking common aspects of science and religion. And I appreciate how accepting Christians are just on scientific merit. You are making my story unbelievable. Nobodys going to believe you.

Q: Which leader has made you the most nervous to meet?

A: You see, I have a mission when I meet these leaders  to convey the urgency  so that all my nervousness disappears. But when Pope John Paul II shook my hand, I felt something  that Im in the presence of not an ordinary person.

Q: What do you consider your greatest success story?

A: How can you call anything a success story when America has pulled out of the Paris climate agreement? If you asked me to summarize, my mission is so far a total failure.

Q: Do you think if you had two minutes alone with our president, you could change his mind?

A: I dont know about changing his mind. I certainly feel I would be able to convey to him whats going on.

IF YOU GO: A View From the Vatican: Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health as Our Responsibility will be presented 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 at UC San Diego, Medical Education Telemedicine Building, Lower Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Drive. The event is free but a reservation is required at surveymonkey.com/r/ViewfromVatican
BLOOMFIELD  The villages property tax rate is going up more than 10 percent in 2018.

The boards for the village and town of Bloomfield both adopted 2018 budgets for their respective communities Nov. 27.

The Bloomfield Town Board approved a 2018 budget of $956,881  a little less than the initial budget proposal.

But the village stuck with what it published earlier this month, a budget that sets the local tax rate at $5.04 per $1,000 of equalized value.

The owner of a $200,000 home would pay $1,008 to the village.

In the village of Bloomfield, the total for property taxes collected in 2018 will fund $1.1 million of the budget, which is $4.22 million.

Other portions of a village of Bloomfield tax bill also go to the state, Walworth County, Gateway Technical College and local schools.

Bloomfield Village President Gary Grolle said the tax increase was foretold by the board and numerous committee members for quite some time.

To begin the process of reducing borrowing and heading in a new direction toward improving the villages financial position, an increase in taxes would be virtually inevitable, he said.

Bloomfield Clerk-Treasurer Cindy Howard said the village is going on its third year of loans, due to recurring budget shortfalls.

Loans and money from other financing sources accounts for $1.21 million of the 2018 budget.

Overall, the budget is down nearly 6 percent from 2017s budget of $4.48 million.

Although the Bloomfield Village Board unanimously approved the 2018 budget as published, Trustee Susan Bernstein shared some dissatisfaction. She said the village did not explore all possibilities for village employee insurance coverage.

Howard said the village consulted with a broker when it renewed employee insurance in April.

Grolle said spending was reduced in numerous areas, including capital improvement projects, unless the public approves a referendum allowing the village to raise taxes.

On Nov. 13, the village board hired Robert W. Baird & Co. to conduct a referendum study for $7,500.

The state sets a cap on how much a municipality can collect in taxes, but it allows a community to exceed the cap if voters approve a referendum.

The village has been borrowing to cover budget shortfalls in recent years.

According to the new budget, almost $2.04 of the $5.04 tax rate is to cover debt service. Without debt, the village rate would have been $3.

Capital spending is down $551,198, from nearly $1.17 million to $615,000, mostly because of the completion of a road improvement project including numerous Pell Lake area roads, said Howard.

Another finished project was the revaluation of the village this year, she said.

Law enforcement costs for the village increased from $845,016.93 to $930,923.12.

The village and the town of Bloomfield share the costs of police, emergency and highway services, with the village paying 77 percent and the town 23 percent.

Howard said a main reason behind the law enforcement increase was the hiring of an additional police officer.

The Bloomfield Police Department now has seven officers.

Misunderstanding

Due to a misunderstanding with the state and its levy limit worksheet, the town budget went down $2,839.

Howard said this may shave a penny off the town tax rate, which was published to increase from almost $4.29 to nearly $4.42.

General property taxes account for about half of the town revenue, which is up from $471,663 to $481,115.

Town Chairman Dan Schoonover said last week it was the best budget they could have, given how service charges are increasing.

Police and highway, both departments, did a good job of holding their budgets in line, said Schoonover. Its just the cost of everything continues to rise.

Public works expenses are up from $171,568.24 to $325,023.85, which Howard said is largely due to a road improvement project in Tuscany subdivision.

Law enforcement is up from $194,353.90 to $211,008.
ELKHORN  The Walworth County Housing Authority established Hartwell Street Apartments in 2005 as a place where homeless people could find refuge and begin rebuilding their lives.

But a sewer backup caused by a rainstorm has rendered much of the Elkhorn apartment complex uninhabitable and  in a cruel irony  has forced residents back into a life of near-homelessness.

Housing authority officials now are looking to the community for help to repair the damaged apartments and to allow the displaced residents to return to their relatively stable home life.

Donations are being sought to defray expenses involved in restoring the property, particularly replacing the furniture, clothing and other personal property that residents lost.

Sarah Boss, executive director of the housing agency, said it is especially disheartening to see such a tragedy force people from their homes just when they were overcoming years of life on the streets.

They come to us from a homeless situation, Boss said. And now theyre literally back in that.

The county housing authority made a dramatic move to combat homelessness in Walworth County when the public agency in 2004 purchased the apartments at 493 Hartwell St. Officials believe the mid-sized apartment complex was built in the 1970s.

After renovating the building, the housing authority reopened it with 14 apartments designated for single individuals who were chronically homeless and who suffered from either physical or mental disabilities.

A case manager was assigned to work with the residents to help them learn life skills that would allow them to sustain their new independence and avoid sliding back into homelessness.

The property has been filled to capacity ever since it opened.

But nothing could have prepared the residents for what happened one night this summer.

A torrential rainstorm that hit Walworth County in July sent floodwater surging into the Elkhorn sanitary sewer system, causing horrific backups in all six apartments on the lower level of the split-level Hartwell Street complex.

Residents were left with six to eight inches of standing sewage in their apartments that destroyed their belongings and forced them out of the building.

It was a disaster, Boss said.

The incident was among many instances of flood damage caused by a downpour that soaked the region in mid-July.

Elkhorn City Administrator Sam Tapson said the city received about a dozen claims for damage from property owners who experienced similar sewer backups after storm-water inundated the citys sanitary sewers.

After consulting with its insurance company and its attorneys, the city has denied responsibility for all of the claims.

Tapson said that while he is sympathetic to property owners, it would have been impossible for the city to build a sanitary system capable of dealing with a storm that large, he said.

It was too catastrophic, he said.

Four months later, the displaced residents of Hartwell Street Apartments have either found new temporary accommodations on their own, or they have been moved to another housing authority property in Delavan.

The agency plans to repair the Hartwell Street property and return the residents to their homes.

The housing authority has insurance to cover some of the damage  but not all. And almost none of the residents had their own insurance, which means their household furnishings and personal property were a complete loss.

Agency officials are conducting a fund-raising campaign to help the Hartwell Street residents recover from the flood.

Tom Hartz, a housing authority board member who also owns Simple Bakery & Market in Lake Geneva, said his bakery raised about $700 in October by donating proceeds from its cookie-of-the-month sales.

Hartz said he is hopeful that other people will come forward and offer monetary support, too.

The business owner was heartbroken to hear of the misfortune that had come to the homeless and disabled people at Hartwell Street.

This is a particularly vulnerable population, he said. You would think if theres a cosmic force, these would be the last people forced out of their homes.

In addition to the six downstairs apartments, the sewer backup damaged a common area that Hartwell Street residents use as a recreation room.

Boss said the housing authority is accepting donations to help with both the building repairs or with replacing residents personal property. Although the apartments come semi-furnished, most residents end up adding their own personal touches.

The flood disaster left residents without clothing, beds, couches, TVs, tables, chairs and more.

The housing authority, if necessary, can borrow money to fix the damaged apartments, Boss said. But community support is needed to help the residents regain what they lost in the flood.

They come to us with nothing, she said. When they return, what are they going to have?
ELKHORN  A man arrested in a 2015 scuffle with police outside the Walworth County Courthouse has filed a lawsuit accusing three sheriffs deputies of police brutality.

Alexei Strelchenko, 31, who was later found not guilty of resisting police, says the sheriffs deputies slammed his head into a car and left him with a concussion.

The Dane County resident seeks unspecified damages in a suit filed in federal court against deputies Nicholas Yohanek, Brody Fiedler and Cody Schwartz, as well as the county itself.

The defendants have filed a response denying the allegations, while asserting that Strelchenko was responsible for his own injuries and also that he has some pre-existing medical condition.

The case is scheduled for a Feb. 7 hearing in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee before District Judge Pamela Pepper.

Leaders of the Walworth County Board have been briefed on the case behind closed doors on the case.

County Supervisor David Weber, chairman of the executive committee, declined to comment on details of the case, although he voiced support for the sheriffs department in general.

Weber said deputies often encounter difficult situations and that they typically handle themselves well. The sheriffs department, he said, has a wonderful track record.

Weve had real good luck with the sheriffs department over all, he said. I tend to think that our officers are pretty well schooled and trained.

No trial date has been set for the civil lawsuit, which was filed Oct. 11.

Citing advice from the countys attorneys, Walworth County Sheriff Kurt Picknell declined to comment on the case and said that none of the three deputies would comment, either.

The county has retained the Milwaukee law firm of Crivello Carlson to defend the case on behalf of all the defendants.

According to the suit, Strelchenko was inside the county courthouse July 10, 2015, to request records from the clerk of courts office. After a clerk said he would have to put his request in writing and that a judge would have to approve it, Strelchenko complained that the clerk was violating the states open records law.

The suit alleges that the clerk then called courthouse security, and that deputies continued to question Strelchenko in a parking lot outside the courthouse. When he told deputies he would not answer their questions, according to the suit, three deputies grabbed him and slammed him against a vehicle.

The suit states that he was arrested and held at the county jail without proper medical attention. After he was released from custody, he was diagnosed with a concussion, the suit alleges.

Strelchenko seeks unspecified damages on the grounds that Yohanek, Fiedler and Schwartz engaged in excessive, unjustifiable and unnecessary force, and that they acted maliciously, wantonly and oppressively.

In a response filed Oct. 30, the defendants deny the accusations of police brutality or that Strelchenko was denied proper medical attention.

The countys attorneys also allege that Strelchenkos medical condition was the result of a pre-existing condition or natural disease, and further that he himself was responsible for any injuries he suffered outside the courthouse.

The Walworth County district attorneys office issued a criminal complaint Aug. 7, 2015, accusing Strelchenko of resisting police and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors later converted to lesser ordinance violations.

The prosecutors alleged that Strelchenko was loud, profane and boisterous toward the courthouse clerk, and that he resisted police who were attempting to investigate the situation.

Court records show that Strelchenko was found not guilty of all charges in a jury trial in November 2016.

His attorney in the civil suit, John Bradley of Madison, said it was significant that a jury heard the evidence and did not believe the police allegations against Strelchenko.

I find the deputies actions disturbing, Bradley added. It was absolutely unnecessary for them to assault Mr. Strelchenko.
Award-winning author and storyteller Rochelle Pennington will recount the story of the Christmas Tree Ship on Dec. 9 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Horticultural Hall in Lake Geneva.

The program is presented by Black Point Estate and the Horticultural Hall. Tickets are $5 a person.

Pennington has written two books detailing one of the most well-known shipwrecks of the Great Lakes, which delivered holiday evergreens to the citizens of Chicago each Christmas season.

The ship was caught in the Great Storm of 1912 and subsequently went to the bottom of the lake, fully loaded with crew and Christmas trees.

The captains wife and family carried on for more than 20 years in honor of Captain Santa and in the spirit of everything he believed in. The ship is still loaded with its cargo and is a popular Great Lakes dive site.

The story has inspired paintings, poems, six different Christmas Tree Ship songs, television programs, a musical performed all over the country titled The Christmas Schooner, and a new Christmas Tree Ship sailed by the Great Lakes Coast Guard each holiday season as a living memorial.

For more information on this or other programs, visit Black Point Estate at www.blackpointestate.org.

To purchase tickets, call (262) 248-1888.
Betty Haseley, 88 years old, passed on to eternal life on Thanksgiving Day, as her mother had done 22 years earlier. She was resting peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving husband and three daughters: Gail, Holly and Liz. She was fortunate to meet her great granddaughter, Blake on her first birthday. Diagnosed with cancer just six short weeks prior, she was guided into Gods arms with incredible love and care by an angel named Sue Miller, who arrived when we needed her most. Betty was born in Belgium, Wisconsin on Nov. 12, 1929, the daughter of Clarence and Gertrude (Mueller) Croatt. On Feb. 4, 1956, in Lake Church, she was united in marriage to Gene Haseley.

Her father, Clarence, called Betty his trailer when she was a little girl because she followed him everywhere, and her mother, Gertrude taught her to sew and together, they fueled her imagination. Her creativity and artistic abilities knew no bounds! Whether sewing fur pillows; Halloween costumes for her three girls and her grandchildren, Mark, Ashley and Killian; or making hundreds of butterflies, sun catchers and painted rocks, Betty was always busy coming up with something new. She was forever taking someone into her basement workshop to give a treasure to take home. She was also the fix-it woman in the house and we learned early on that there was no job too big for little Betty to tackle. Small but mighty and strong of will, nothing seemed to stop her!

More importantly, there was a light that would shine so brightly within Betty whenever she was surrounded by people.

She had this way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room. Her warmth radiated around her and her curious nature made her want to know your story. Before you knew it, you either had a second mom in your life or a new best friend. She possessed a contagious smile and a sassy sense of humor that captured your heart. Her gift of joy, nurturing nature and strong faith in God are something we will always remember.

Betty had worked for several years at the Smart Shop in Lake Geneva. She then was co-owner of Trader Joes in Lake Geneva. She was a member of Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Geneva. She was a former member of the Lake Geneva Lioness Club. She was a volunteer with the Geneva Lake Area Museum.

Betty is survived by: Gene, her husband of 61 years, three daughters; Gail Berman of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Holly Haseley of Pewaukee, and Liz Haseley of Madison; three grandchildren; Mark (Leanne) Berman, Ashley Berman and Killian Gould and a great-grandson Blake Berman. She was preceded in death by a brother Dale Croatt.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Geneva. Visitation will be Friday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Derrick Funeral Home in Lake Geneva.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials are requested in Bettys name to: Goodwill Industries, 1402 E. Geneva St., Delavan, WI 53115.

To sign the on-line guest registry go to: www.derrickfuneralhome.com.
The choices we make define us

We have to make choices. They confront us every day. Its part of the human condition. In politics, some advocate for a liberal position while others argue for a more conservative one.

And there still seems to be a good deal of misunderstanding about these terms. Perhaps if some context were provided, it would help clarify them.

Writing in the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne Jr. defined liberal democracy as a belief in government created through free elections and universal suffrage, an independent judiciary, and guarantees of freedoms of speech, assembly, religion and press. Simple but profound.

The basis of this view is an unyielding faith in the will of the people, and the fundamental conviction that they can govern themselves.

Roy Moore, who recently defeated Luther Strange in a Republican Alabama primary for the U.S. Senate, makes a case for the conservative view. In an article printed in Time magazine, Moore claims not only to have been talking with God, but was willing to share what the Lord has told him.

He goes on to tell his interviewer: Our rights come from God. The Constitution was founded upon God. Apparently Moore has not read the Preamble to that document. It clearly states, We the people  do ordain and establish this Constitution.

No founding father ever claimed to have had a conversation with God wherein He told them how to fashion the law of the land. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, who gave voice to our revered ideals in the Declaration of Independence, was himself a Unitarian Universalist, not a Christian.

Time goes on to describe Moore this way:   a judge who recites anti-abortion poetry, rejects the theory of evolution, doesnt think Muslims should be allowed to serve in Congress, fought to keep antiquated wording in the Alabama Constitution requiring school segregation, and suggested that Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were Gods punishment for Americas sins.

Henry Louis Gates, the well known African-American scholar, gave this answer in an interview with Lily Rothman when she asked whether or not we, as a people, still had the will to build bridges rather than barriers. Gates said: Those who love truth, justice and the great American tradition of democracy have to determine that we are not going to succumb to the temptation to demonize. That is a dead end.

If all of this is too daunting, allow me to make it easier to reckon.

At the time of our struggle with Great Britain during the American Revolution, there was a group that sided with the British. They were called Loyalists and sometimes Tories." These were individuals who accepted the notion that all power and authority emanated from a Divine Right Ruler, anointed of God. They staunchly defended the monarchy and the status quo. These were conservatives.

Those fomenting revolution and committing themselves to Mr. Jeffersons famous Declaration of War against the British empire rejected the view that God spoke to an all-powerful king, who in turn justified his edicts as Gods will." They stood instead by a defiant principle: that ordinary people could decide for themselves how their lives were to be lived. Without divine intervention. These were the forward-looking, risk-taking liberals.

Where we stand depends upon the convictions we choose.

Ammon, a longtime lakes area resident, has written a book entitled State of the Union: Observations on American Life.
If you're working in corporate America, chances are you've experienced your fair share of stress. Whether it's meeting deadlines, managing projects, or dealing with difficult co-workers, the workplace can be a breeding ground for stress. reducing stress from completing a project Once you've identified your triggers, it's important to take a step back and assess the situation objectively. LewiLink.com provides an in-depth article on reducing the stress from meeting deadlines at work. Bong a la noi ma ta co the hoa nhip ban than vao, noi ma nhung cam xuc uoc dang trao, that tuyet voi khi xem bong a cung ban be va xem tai nhung kenh truc tiep tuyet voi nhat cakhiatv Chung toi noi khong voi quang cao, luon ua trai nghiem cua nguoi dung len hang au, truc tiep nhung tran bong kich tinh nhat e phuc vu cho tat ca fan bong a . https://royalcdkeys.com
(Xinhua) 07:35, November 29, 2017

BUDAPEST, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and Hungary on Tuesday signed over 10 agreements covering areas of agriculture, e-commerce, finance, telecommunication, tourism and education to further forge ahead bilateral ties.

The agreements were signed with the witness of Chinese Premier Li Keqiangand his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban following their talks at the Hungarian National Assembly building.

"These deals mean that China will further increase its investment in Hungary and help to make more job opportunities in the country," said Li when he and Orban jointly met with the press.

"Such cooperation is also a good opportunity for Chinese companies to learn advanced technology and managing experience from the Hungarian side," he said.

According to Li, Hungary is the biggest investment destination of China in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with China's current investment accounting for one third of its total investment in CEE.

China's current investment in Hungary has reached 4.1 billion U.S. dollars, creating about 10,000 local jobs.

Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce show that the trade volume between China and Hungary increased by 10 percent year-on-year in 2016, while China's import from Hungary increased by 20 percent.

Li said that Chinese consumers hope to see more diversified products especially good-quality agricultural produce from Hungary.

Li arrived on Sunday in Budapest for an official visit and the sixth meeting of heads of government of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). He will depart for Russiaon Wednesday for the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization from Thursday to Friday.
PRESS RELEASE

China, Russia, and Eurasian Union To Cooperate in Developing the Arctic Ice Silk Road

Nov. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)China and Russia have an ongoing collaboration to develop the Arctic shipping infrastructure that will be vital to the Ice Silk Road. In an interview with Xinhua yesterday, Vladimir Remyga, chairman of the Coordination Council for Cooperation with Business Associations of Asia, under the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, discussed progress on the "Silk Road on Ice," with a focus on integrating five countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), led by Russia at President Putins initiative, to be "conjugated" with the Belt and Road Initiative. This, he proposed will "change the existing world order radically." The EAEU members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

In July, President Xi Jinping urged China and Russia to carry out a cooperative effort to develop the Northern Sea Route, to realize an "Ice Silk Road." The goal is to develop a shortcut route between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through the Arctic, which route is described as the "third arch of the BRI." It is estimated that when the Northern Sea Route is fully opened, it will cut the cost of maritime trade by between $53-127 billion, by 2020.

Under the bilateral agreement, Russia and China are conducting negotiations on setting up a joint venture company to upgrade ports and overall navigation infrastructure along the shipping route that runs along Russias Arctic coast.

The broadening of the Ice Silk Road project, says Remyga, is advancing to practical implementation. A joint feasibility study of the Eurasian Economic Partnership Agreement with the BRI is expected by the end of this year. Earlier this month, he reports, joint construction of the Ice Silk Road was discussed, and has been given significant impetus by Russias adoption of a new program of development of the Arctic zone to 2025. A budget of approximately $274 million has been allocated for the project.

Remyga reports that one of the problems in using the North Sea Route is a shortage of ice-class cargo ships. "Construction of the new powerful nuclear icebreakers has begun in Russia," he said.

"The first of three ships, the Artika, will be launched soon, to be followed by Siberia in 2019, and Ural in 2020. But the construction of ice-class cargo ships has not yet begun."

This will be one of the potential projects under a joint company.
PRESS RELEASE

Pressure Mounts on Syrian Opposition Delegation to Geneva To Get Real

Nov. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)The Syrian government delegation reportedly arrived in Geneva today, a day later than anticipated because of reservations about the position paper issued by the opposition after their meeting in Riyadh last weekend, which still calls for the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power as a precondition for entering into any political transition. A source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry told the SANA news agency that the government decided to participate following "intensive contacts, held during the past two days between the Syrian and Russian sides."

Alexei Boradovkin, Russias representative to the UN in Geneva, told TASS that the opposition delegation needs to be brought down to Earth, because their position wont lead to a constructive dialogue.

"During the meeting (of representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) Russia turned to its partners at the UN and Western delegations, which have influence on the opposition, so that they try to bring the opposition down to Earth, as their position is not in line with the real situation,"

he said. He found the document adopted by the opposition meeting in Riyadh itself to be contradictory.

"On the one hand, the document says that the opposition is not setting any preconditions, but on the other hand, there is a demand for Bashar al-Assads resignation in the very beginning of the transition period. What is that if not a precondition?"

he asked. Further, its not even clear how they expect to negotiate with a government they view as "almost as criminals with whom it is impossible to talk."

However, Boradovkin also praised the Syrian governments decision to participate in the talks after all. "Thats the right decision," he said.

"Its very good that the Syrian government delegation will come to Geneva, because this will make it possible for Damascus representatives to express their point of view and come up with the relevant assessments."

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, also made clear in an update to the UN Security Council yesterday, that the opposition delegation has to get their position in line with the reality on the ground. During his brief remarks, he stressed not once, but three times that there can be no preconditions by either side. De Mistura expressed the hope that the meetings that took place in the run-up to Geneva, including the Trump-Putin statement issued in Da Nang, Vietnam during the APEC summit, the Putin-Assad meeting in Sochi, last week, followed by the three-way Putin-Rouhani-Erdogan summit, and the opposition meeting in Riyadh that followed, "might help us, I believe, to begin a genuine negotiation process in Geneva." He noted that both Assad and the opposition said they were willing to discuss the issues of a political settlement within the context of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. De Mistura said that he and his team will not accept any preconditions from either party. And, just to make clear what that means, he said a precondition is "when one party says: I will not begin to negotiate with the other side unless they do or say the following."
PRESS RELEASE

Shanghai Cooperation Organization To Hold Heads of Government Summit in Sochi Nov. 30

Nov. 28, 2017 (EIRNS)The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) heads of government summit will be held in Sochi, Russia from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, and will include both Russias Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Chinas Premier Li Keqiang. Vladimir Putin is also expected to be involved as the President of the host country.

There are currently eight full members of the SCO: Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and India. The last two obtained full membership in June 2017, so this will be their first full meeting. The Indian government announced that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will represent the country, and that her schedule will include bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit, and a reception hosted by Russian Prime Minister Medvedev, according to the Times of India. Pakistan has not yet announced whom they are sending.

The SCO, although founded as an organization focused on security concerns in the region, has increasingly taken up issues of economic development as well. It is a forum in which the question of Indias participation in Chinas Belt and Road Initiativewhich they have thus far refused to joinmight be productively discussed.
Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin has another adaptation headed to the small screen, he wrote on his blog on Monday. Nightflyers, based on a novella the author published in 1980, is being produced by the Syfy network and could run as soon as next summer.

While it departs considerably from my novella in certain details, the essence of the story remains the same, Martin wrote. The novelist recently met with series creator Jeff Buhler, who wrote the pilot, and Daniel Cerone, who will be the showrunner. I thought the teleplay was quite strong on its own terms, Martin wrote on his blog, and a good launching point for a series

Syfy has ordered 10 episodes of the planned series, with a substantial budget, Martin wrote, one that should allow them to create a show that looks as good as modern audiences expect.

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The novella, which Martin expanded a few years after its original publication, follows a group of voyagers on an expedition through space who soon realize theyre being imprisoned by a mysterious figure with evil intentions.

Nightflyers was adapted into a low-budget film in 1987, starring Catherine Mary Stewart and Michael Praed.

On his blog, Martin said he was surprised that Syfy was interested in a television adaptation of the novella.

Honestly, at first I was baffled as to how they hoped to get a series out of my story, since at the end of the novella (and the film) pretty much everyone is dead (it was a horror story, after all), Martin wrote.

Martin said the series would be filmed in Limerick, Ireland, which will give them access to the same great pool of Irish and British actors that GAME OF THRONES has tapped in Belfast (and considering how many characters weve killed, a lot of them should be available).

Martin made no mention of any actors attached to Nightflyers, but he did tease that there is a casting that has pleased me more than I can possibly say, which I will save for another post.

Martin has busied himself with television projects in recent months. In May, he confirmed that hes working with writers who are preparing pilot scripts for HBO shows set in the Game of Thrones universe.

His latest announcement isnt likely to calm fans of his A Song of Ice and Fire book series, which forms the basis for the Game of Thrones show. Readers have long been clamoring for news about the upcoming sixth book in the series, The Winds of Winter; Martin did not offer any update on the novel in his blog post.
As more consumers shop online for their vehicles or give up car ownership altogether, traditional auto dealers are being forced to adapt.

Some are introducing services such as car subscriptions, which allow customers to switch from car to car instead of owning them outright. Others are offering flexible leases via apps, providing more flexibility than a typical three-year lease.

Car industry executives shared some of those innovations at a panel Tuesday during Automobility LA, the four-day media preview event ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show, which begins Friday at the convention center downtown.

Don Flow, chief executive of North Carolina-based car dealership Flow Automotive, said providing options and convenience are key to meeting changing demands.

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His dealership recently launched a car subscription program, called Drive Flow, to a limited number of users. The program allows its members to request a vehicle at any time through an app, which is delivered by a concierge to a specified location. The subscription includes insurance and unlimited mileage, and members can choose from more than 20 brands of cars.

You are about to see an explosion of opportunity in this space, Flow said. Well move from just being car dealers and retailers to integrated transportation partners.

He said the program is aimed at providing a customized experience for people who enjoy driving a variety of vehicles.

Other companies, such as car-leasing app Fair, are rethinking traditional car rentals and leasing by providing a flexible used-car leasing program that can be terminated at any time.

Georg Bauer, president of Fair, said flexible ownership is the way to go when it comes to courting millennials. Young people are reluctant to commit to one product for a long time, and are comfortable with making big purchases online, he said, so dealers should be part of the digital revolution.

I dont see dealers having to fight tech, said Bauer, who was previously a vice president of financial services at Tesla. If they open up, they will realize the future is more digital.

iris.lee@latimes.com
AT&T is accusing the U.S. Justice Department of improper selective enforcement of antitrust laws in its attempt to block the telecommunications giants proposed purchase of media company Time Warner Inc.

AT&T on Tuesday filed its response to the Justice Departments high-profile lawsuit that seeks to derail AT&Ts acquisition of the media company that owns HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS and the Warner Bros. movie and TV studio.

Dallas-based AT&T, in a separate motion, asked that the trial begin Feb. 20  two and a half months before the governments suggested May 7 trial date. AT&T has argued that is too long of a delay because its merger agreement with Time Warner expires April 22. After that, either Time Warner or AT&T can walk away from the $85-billion deal.

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Further delay is unwarranted and unfair to the defendants, their shareholders, and their customers, AT&T said in its Tuesday motion, adding the government has been assembling its case for nearly a year and that AT&T already has turned over 25 million pages of documents to the Justice Department.

Los Angeles litigator Daniel Petrocelli of the OMelveny & Myers law firm is handling the legal case for AT&T and Time Warner. He criticized the governments lawsuit in a 29-page rebuttal submitted to U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon in Washington, who will be overseeing the case.

Leon, 67, was appointed by President George W. Bush and joined the federal bench in 2002. He has experience in high-profile media mergers. In 2011, Leon criticized the Justice Departments initial settlement agreement with Comcast Corp., when that pay-TV giant was poised to gobble up media company NBCUniversal.

The Justice Department did not sue to block the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger and instead negotiated a long list of conditions that Comcast agreed to follow in an effort to win the governments blessing. Leon initially questioned whether Comcast would abide by the agreement, but he ultimately signed off on that merger when additional safeguards were added.

This time around, the Justice Department decided to fight the AT&T-Time Warner merger rather than negotiate conditions, and it filed a lawsuit last week. The government contends the merger would harm competition.

Several legal experts have suggested the government will have a tough time proving its case, in part, because it allowed the Comcast-NBCUniversal to go through. Also, the government has not successfully blocked a vertical merger in court since Jimmy Carter was in the White House.

Vertical mergers are consolidations of companies that do not directly compete with each other. AT&T provides telephone, internet and television services, while Time Warner produces programming through its cable networks and the Warner Bros. production studio in Burbank.

The Justice Department is arguing that AT&T could withhold HBO or Turner programming from competing pay-TV services so that consumers would switch to AT&Ts DirecTV or U-Verse services. The government also contends the AT&T-Time Warner combination would hinder the development of online video streaming services.

Were this merger allowed to proceed, the newly combined firm likely would  use its control of Time Warners popular programming as a weapon to harm competition, the Justice Department said in its lawsuit.

In its court filing Tuesday, AT&T alleged the government failed to make its case that AT&T and Time Warner were dominant enough to control their individual markets  particularly in an era when rival Netflix has more than 100 million customers and advertising behemoth Google Inc. launched its own YouTube TV service.

AT&Ts position is that the proliferation of content has diminished the clout of Time Warners television channels. It offered as proof Googles $35-a-month YouTube TV streaming service, which does not carry Time Warners networks.

Googles `YouTube TV service is a powerful and recent example that disproves the governments central thesis, Petrocelli wrote. The fact that Google, one of the most sophisticated and well-funded companies in the world, launched its video platform without any Time Warner channels confirms not only that the television ecosystem is awash in content, but that Time Warners networks are not, in any antitrust sense of the word, essential to attracting and retaining subscribers.

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT
Premier Li Keqiang and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (center, right) talk with entrepreneurs after the opening of the seventh China and the Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Forum in Budapest, Hungary, on Monday. JU PENG / XINHUA

Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia sign as Li meets with leaders

China has signed memorandums of understanding with Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, signaling that all 16 Central and Eastern European countries have agreed to align with the initiative.

Last November, Latvia signed such a document during the fifth China-CEEC leader's meeting. Hungary became the first in Europe to sign to participate in the initiative in June 2015.

The initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It will create a vast network of trade and infrastructure along the ancient Silk Road routes.

The memorandums were among more than 10 agreements signed between China and CEE nations on Monday in Budapest, the Hungarian capital. The signings were witnessed by Premier Li Keqiang and other leaders after the sixth Meeting of Heads of Government of China-Central and Eastern European Countries. The documents covered areas such as connectivity, production capacity cooperation, infrastructure and finance.

At the meeting, the premier called for promoting bilateral trade, connectivity, innovation cooperation, financial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Li called on all 17 countries to accelerate the process of key projects on connectivity, promoting links on land, sea, air and via the internet. More measures should be released to facilitate customs clearance, and China would like to see more rail lines and direct flights between China and Europe, Li said. A logistics center will be set up in the CEE region, he said.

Li also suggested innovation cooperation focusing on production capacity, energy, logistics and agriculture and said enterprises from CEE nations are welcome to participate in the Made in China strategy.

According to the General Administration of Customs, bilateral trade between China and CEE nations hit $58.6 billion last year, a year-on-year increase of 4.3 percent. The volume increased to $ 49.1 billion in the first nine months this year, up by 14.1 percent compared with the same period last year.

Chinese investment in CEE nations has exceeded $9 billion, while the 16 CEE countries have invested more than $1.4 billion in China, the world's second-largest economy. Bilateral cooperation has made achievements in transport, energy and production capacity. About 20 projects have been completed or are under construction, with the Hungary-Serbia Railway as the most eye-catching one.

As the chair of this year's China-CEEC meeting, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the 16 CEE nations take cooperation with China as an opportunity and will participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. He said a better environment will be created for Chinese enterprises to make their investments and promote a long-term development of China-CEEC exchanges.

Feng Zhongping, vice-president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that all CEE countries are along the route of the Silk Road Economic Belt and their signing of the memorandums marked that the cooperation between the two sides has entered into a new stage and will make more progress.

"China-CEEC cooperation mainly focuses on trade and infrastructure, and financing is a key to solving the problem of funding for infrastructure projects," Feng said. "Central and Eastern Europe can also be a gateway for China to enter the larger market of the European Union."

Zhou Jin contributed to this story.
One patient got a $3,660 bill for a four-mile ride. Another was charged $8,460 for a trip from one hospital that could not handle his case to another that could. Still another found herself marooned at an out-of-network hospital, where shed been taken by ambulance without her consent.

These patients all took ambulances in emergencies and got slammed with unexpected bills.

Public outrage has erupted over surprise medical bills  generally out-of-network charges that a patient did not expect or could not control  prompting 21 states to pass laws protecting consumers in some situations. But these laws largely ignore ground ambulance rides, which can leave patients stuck with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in bills, with few options for recourse, finds a Kaiser Health News review of 350 consumer complaints in 32 states.

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Patients usually choose to go to the doctor, but they are vulnerable when they call 911  or get into an ambulance. The dispatcher picks the ambulance crew, which, in turn, often picks the hospital. Moreover, many ambulances are not summoned by patients. Instead, the crew arrives at the scene because police or a bystander called 911.

Betsy Imholz, special projects director at the Consumers Union, which has collected over 700 patient stories about surprise medical bills, said at least a quarter of the stories concern ambulances.

Its a huge problem, she said.

In July, a California law went into effect that protects consumers from surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers, including some ambulance transport between hospitals. But most people with private insurance are not covered by the law and some patients are still fighting cases that happened before it went into effect.

No state laws with surprise-billing protections apply to people with self-funded employer-sponsored health insurance plans, which are regulated only by federal law. Thats a huge exception: 61% of privately insured employees are covered by self-funded employer-sponsored plans.

Forty years ago, most ambulances were free for patients, provided by volunteers or town fire departments using taxpayer money, said Jay Fitch, president of Fitch & Associates, an emergency services consulting firm. Today, ambulances are increasingly run by private companies and venture capital firms.

Ambulance providers now often charge by the mile and sometimes for each service, like providing oxygen. If the ambulance is staffed by paramedics rather than emergency medical technicians, that will result in a higher charge  even if the patient didnt need paramedic-level services. Charges range widely from zero to thousands of dollars, depending on billing practices.

The core of the problem is that ambulance and private insurance companies often cant agree on a fair price, so the ambulance service doesnt join the insurance network. That leaves patients stuck in the middle with out-of-network charges that are not negotiated, Imholz said.

This happens to patients frequently, according to one recent study of over half a million ambulance trips taken by patients with private insurance in 2014. The study found that 26% of these trips were billed on an out-of-network basis.

That figure is quite jarring, said Loren Adler, associate director for the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative and co-author of recent research on surprise billing.

Kaiser Health News review of complaints revealed two common scenarios leaving patients in debt: First, patients get in an ambulance after a 911 call. Second, an ambulance transfers them between hospitals. In both scenarios, patients later learn the fee is much higher because the ambulance was out-of-network, and after their insurer pays what it deems fair, they get a surprise bill for the balance, also known as a balance bill.

Most complaints reviewed by Kaiser Health News did not appear to involve fraudulent charges. Instead, patients got caught in a system in which ambulance services can legally charge thousands of dollars for a single trip  even when the trip starts at an in-network hospital.

Thats what happened to Devin Hall, a 67-year-old retired postal inspector in Northern California. While he faces stage 3 prostate cancer, Hall is also fighting a $7,109.70 out-of-network ambulance bill from American Medical Response, the nations largest ambulance provider.

On Dec. 27, 2016, Hall went to a local hospital with rectal bleeding. Since the hospital didnt have the right specialist to treat his symptoms, it arranged for an ambulance ride to another hospital about 20 miles away. Even though the hospital was in-network, the ambulance was not.

Hall was stunned to see that AMR billed $8,460 for the trip. His federal health plan, the Special Agents Mutual Benefit Assn., paid $1,350.30 and held Hall responsible for $727.08, records show. The health plan paid that amount because AMRs charges exceeded its Medicare-based fee schedule, according to its explanation of benefits. But AMR turned over his case to a debt collector, Credence Resource Management, which sent an Aug. 25 notice seeking the full balance of $7,109.70.

These charges are exorbitant  I just dont think what AMR is doing is right, said Hall, noting that he had intentionally sought treatment at an in-network hospital.

He has spent months on the phone calling the hospital, his insurer and AMR trying to resolve the matter. After being contacted by Kaiser Health News, AMR said it has pulled Halls case from collections while it reviews the billing.

After further review, company spokesman Jason Sorrick said the charges were warranted because it was a critical care transport, which requires a specialized nurse and equipment on board. Sorrick faulted Halls health plan for underpaying, and said Hall could receive a discount if he qualifies for AMRs compassionate care program based on his financial and medical situation.

In this case, it appears the patients insurance company simply made up a price they wanted to pay, Sorrick said.

While the federal government sets reimbursement rates for patients on Medicare, it does not regulate ambulance fees for patients with private insurance. In the absence of federal rules, those patients are left with a fragmented system in which the cost of a similar ambulance ride can vary widely from town to town. There are about 14,000 ambulance services across the country, run by governments, volunteers, hospitals and private companies, according to the American Ambulance Assn.

Peter Racicot, senior vice president of Fallon Ambulance Service, a family-owned company based outside Boston, said ambulance companies are severely underfunded by Medicare and Medicaid. Fallon must balance the books by charging higher rates for patients with private insurance, he said.

When insurers and ambulance companies cant agree on a fair rate, Racicot said, unfortunately, the subscribers wind up in the middle.

Ambulance services have to charge enough to subsidize the cost of keeping crews ready around-the-clock even if no calls come in, said Fitch, the ambulance consultant. In a third of the cases where an ambulance crew answers a call, he added, they end up not transporting anyone and the company typically isnt reimbursed for the trip.

The consumer complaints reviewed by Kaiser Health News reveal a wide variety of ways that patients are left fighting big bills:

An older patient in California said debt collectors called incessantly, including on Sunday mornings and at night, demanding an extra $500 on top of the $1,000 that his insurance had paid for an ambulance trip.

Two ambulance services responded to a New Jersey mans 911 call when he felt burning in his chest. One charged him $2,100 for treating him on the scene for less than 30 minutes  even though he never rode in that companys ambulance.

A woman who rolled over in her Jeep in Texas received a bill for a $26,400 trauma activation fee  a fee triggered when the ambulance service called ahead to the emergency department to assemble a trauma team. The woman, who did not require trauma care, fought the hospital to get the fee waived.

Patients do have the right to refuse an ambulance ride, as long as they are over 18 and mentally capable.

You could just take an Uber, said Adler, of the Schaeffer Initiative. But if you need an ambulance, theres little recourse to avoid surprise bills, he said, other than yelling at the insurance company after the fact, or yelling at the ambulance company.

This article was prepared for Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent publication of the Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News correspondent Chad Terhune contributed to this report.

mbailey@kff.org

chadt@kff.org

Twitter: @mmbaily and @chadterhune
A computer error has allowed too many pilots at American Airlines to schedule time off during the upcoming Christmas season, creating a potential pilot shortage for what is expected to be one of the busiest holidays in years for the airline industry.

The Fort Worth-based carrier said it hopes to avoid canceling any flights during the holiday period by calling in reserve pilots and offering other pilots 150% of their salaries to return to the cockpits during the time they have been approved to be on vacation.

We are working diligently to address the issue and expect to avoid cancellations this holiday season, the airline said in a statement.

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Airline representatives declined to say how many of the carriers 15,000 pilots were allowed to take time off for the holiday. But the number was high enough that the carrier had to quickly adopt several new measures to keep its holiday flights on schedule.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, an estimated 28.5 million passengers flew on U.S.-based carriers, a 3% increase over the same time in 2016. The airline industry is bracing for an even bigger surge in travelers during the Christmas holiday.

The computer that manages payroll and vacation schedules at American Airlines is separate from the system that manages passenger reservations. Still, industry experts say the increased complexity of airline computer systems is to blame for a growing number of glitches that have recently grounded airplanes and posted ultra-cheap airfares.

In July 2015, United Airlines requested a ground stop for nearly 90 minutes for all U.S. departures. The airline blamed the problem on a failed computer network router that disrupted its reservation system.

In 2014, Delta Air Lines reported computer problems that produced super-cheap fares, while Alaska Airlines had a computer glitch that offered a promotional deal that expired before passengers could book it.

American Airlines had to ground flights for more than two hours because of a malfunctioning computer in April 2013.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
They waved signs. They banged drums. And they chanted their opposition to Mick Mulvaneys appointment as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

For six years this agency has fought for working people and now it is time for us to fight for the agency, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at a rally this week in front of the bureaus headquarters. Are you ready to fight?

The crowd of about 50 protesters roared Yeah! in unison.

On the surface, the battle by consumer advocates and Democrats against Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the bureau, appears just to be delaying the inevitable.

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No matter how the ongoing legal dispute over the bureaus interim leadership turns out, everyone agrees that President Trump has the right to nominate a permanent director to head the Obama-era agency that he and other Republicans have sharply criticized. And the Republican-controlled Senate has shown its likely to confirm that nominee.

But supporters of the bureaus aggressive consumer-protection approach said there are important reasons for the fight: to try to limit how long Mulvaney serves as acting director, as well as to draw public attention to the relatively new bureau and what they see as Republican efforts to weaken it.

This is not a temporary thing. This is the future of the agency, said Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director at the nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group. This is just kind of the first warning shot.

Bureau supporters are concerned that Mulvaney, who once called the bureau a joke  in a sad, sick kind of way, could be acting director for months. Although he said Trump is interested in naming a permanent replacement as quickly as possible, Mulvaney acknowledged the Senate doesnt always move quickly.

The law under which Trump appointed Mulvaney, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, allows Mulvaney to serve for as long as 210 days.

Whats more, that restriction is suspended if a nomination is pending in the Senate. And the 210-day clock starts again if the Senate rejects a nomination.

A lot can go on during that period of time, said Alan S. Kaplinsky, head of the consumer financial services group at law firm Ballard Spahr. The agency can continue on the same trajectory its been on or it can be completely changed as Mulvaney seems to want to do. Thats why I think this battle is an important one.

Mulvaney said that he brings a new attitude to the bureau and that the way it interprets and enforces consumer protection laws will be dramatically different from under the previous director, Richard Cordray, who was picked by President Obama.

Anybody who thinks that a Trump administration CFPB will be the same as an Obama administration CFPB is simply being naive, Mulvaney told reporters this week.

Although there could be a legal cloud over any actions that Mulvaney takes as acting director, he still could heavily influence how the bureau operates. He could stop investigations, end ongoing litigation against financial firms and change regulatory guidance, Kaplinsky said.

Democrats and consumer advocates are trying to pressure Trump to nominate a permanent choice who would face Senate hearings and a confirmation vote  a process that could make it difficult to install an avowed opponent of the bureau such as Mulvaney.

Are the Republicans willing to stand next to someone who says they want to run this agency for the benefit of Wall Street? Warren told reporters after Tuesdays rally. I dont think they want to do that.

Lauren Saunders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center, said the fight against Mulvaney is designed to prevent Trump from doing an end-run around the process for installing a director.

She and other consumer advocates have backed Leandra English, the bureaus deputy director, to be the agencys acting chief. English says she is the rightful interim director under a provision of the 2010 Dodd-Frank act that created the bureau.

The Justice Department said that the 1998 vacancies law supersedes that and allows Trump to install Mulvaney. A federal judge on Tuesday sided with the Trump administration and rejected Englishs request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Mulvaney from taking office.

Englishs attorney indicated the legal fight wasnt over and that he may seek an injunction.

Bureau supporters also have another reason for wanting to get a permanent director in place. The president can fire the director only for cause. They would like a Trump-appointed directors five-year term to begin so that if a Democrat wins the White House in 2020 it would expire earlier in the new presidents term.

That could be a reason for Republicans to stall on a permanent director. But theres a risk in that, said Brian Knight, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

If Republicans lose control of the Senate in 2018, it could prevent them from confirming a permanent director, he said.

You want to get your own person permanently in there so you have that five-year term, Knight said of Republicans.

Saunders said shes less worried about starting the clock on the next permanent director than about getting Mulvaney out of the acting role.

Its a concern to prolong the period in which an enemy of consumer protection could be at the helm of the consumer watchdog, especially if its somebody who doesnt have to go through the hearing and confirmation process, she said.

As they protest Mulvaney, consumer advocates also believe that the high-profile controversy shines a spotlight on the bureau, which will boost public support for it.

Airing this debate works in favor of the CFPBs many existing supporters because the more people know about an agency that fights Wall Street, the more they like it, said Carter Dougherty, a spokesman for Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of groups advocating tougher oversight of the financial system.

jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com

Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera
NASA will rely on a previously used SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage booster next week to carry supplies to the International Space Station, marking a first for the agency.

The booster first flew in June on a mission to deliver supplies to the space station. After separating from the second stage, the booster returned to Earth for a landing at SpaceXs landing pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

NASA officials discussed the decision at a meeting Wednesday of the NASA Advisory Councils Human Exploration and Operations Committee at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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NASA said in a statement that it participated in a broad range of SpaceX data assessments and inspections concerning the use of a previously launched first stage. Booster reuse for future NASA missions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the agency said.

NASA had said over the summer that it wanted to take its time and review results before signing off on a used first-stage rocket for a space station resupply mission. Though this is the first time the agency will utilize a used SpaceX booster, NASA has used a refurbished Dragon cargo capsule to haul supplies to the space station.

SpaceX has launched three used first-stage boosters to date, all for commercial customers.

The cargo resupply mission is set to launch no earlier than Dec. 8 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
Here are the 2018 SAG Awards nominees reactions to their nods

The on-camera talent recognized during the 24th Screen Actors Guild Award nominations on Wednesday shared their excitement and gratitude for the special honor bestowed upon them by the acting community.

The SAG Awards serve up laurels for actors and ensemble casts working in television and film as voted by their peers. The awards show, hosted by The Good Place star Kristen Bell, will take place on Jan. 21.

LIST: The 2018 SAG Award nominees

In statements to the Los Angeles Times, several nominees repeatedly thanked their drama families, particularly the casts and crews of their respective projects. Heres what some of them had to say about the recognition:

Alison Brie. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Alison Brie, GLOW

It is such a great honor to be recognized by my fellow actors with this nomination. I am so proud to be part of a show that celebrates the craft of acting, with all its pitfalls and glories, and to be able to work with such a diverse group of insanely talented women. GLOW has meant the world to me and Im deeply thankful for this recognition for me and the cast. Thank you SAG-AFTRA!!

Millie Bobby Brown. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things

Screen Actors Guild! Thank you SO much for recognizing me and our cast for the second year in a row! This means the world coming from you, our peers. I am so lucky and honored to have the privilege of playing Eleven  a strong, powerful, badass, strange, wonderful character! Cant wait to celebrate with my Stranger Things family!

Timothee Chalamet. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

What an incredible morning! This nomination is very close to my heart because its from the actor. When we made Call Me By Your Name, we had no idea what it would turn into. The experience in making the film with Armie [Hammer] was so special, and yet, we just didnt know. Simply put, Ive been blown away by the response this film has received. And, to be included in ensemble along with my Lady Bird family (congrats, Saoirse [Ronan]!) makes this recognition that much more special.

David Harbour. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

David Harbour, Stranger Things

If it isnt wildly apparent by now, Ill say it directly  I love actors! To be recognized by my peers in such distinguished company gives me a special joy. And Millie [Bobby Brown] and the show! Beyond.

When I act, when I create, I feel alive, full to bursting, and I feel of service to the mysterious goodness that firmly exists in this world. I have been rewarded with a life that indulges in the primacy of self, but at its core and at its purest and its best, it is a life of service. A service to audiences. To prod and poke when necessary, to comfort and entertain when times seem dark, to ever expand the human experience, to offer a reason to live, to celebrate to the gods the great gift and scourge that is consciousness. Sometimes it means expressing iron intellect and rigorous truth that bonds us all in the achingly profound wisdom of no escape. Sometimes it means revealing the intimate moments of endurance, of unexpected kindness, unasked for love. And sometimes it simply means making a fierce and joyful noise, to spin, to twirl, to throw your hands up with the relentless dips and climb aboard this roller coaster of life. Ya know, to dance. *insert Hopper dancing gif*

Thank you for recognizing me, as it might mean itll be easier to get more jobs doing it.

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

I am beyond thrilled to have received the honor of this nomination. And to receive it from fellow colleagues is huge to me. Guillermo [del Toro], this film and the entire cast and crew hold a very special place in my heart and always will. Each and every one of them made me better. I am truly delighted more than I can really express in words but my heart is fit to burst with pride for us all. Thank you dearest SAG members. Thank you for your embrace.

Sean Hayes. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Sean Hayes, Will & Grace

I am so honored to be recognized in this category with these extraordinary actors. I love acting because I love actors. I also like to bake sometimes.

Richard Jenkins. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water

I am thrilled and humbled to be nominated by my peers for a SAG Award. This union is very close to my heart. Well, the SAG card is in my wallet, so its a little further south.

Zoe Kazan. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Zoe Kazan, The Big Sick

Thank you to SAG for honoring The Big Sick ensemble with a nomination. It means so much to us, especially from our acting peers. I am deeply proud to be a part of this film and to have brought Kumail [Nanjiani] and Emily [V. Gordon]s story into the world, especially at this time. We are particularly moved to have been recognized as an ensemble, as this was such an extraordinary collaborative experience Im excited to be reunited once more with my movie family, and to share this with Kumail, Holly [Hunter], Ray [Romano], Zenobia [Shroff], Anupam [Kher], and Adeel [Akhtar] and everyone else who helped bring The Big Sick to life.

Nicole Kidman. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies

What an amazing morning! Thank you to SAG-AFTRA for recognizing Big Little Lies in such a significant way. Ive been acting since I was 14 and have dedicated an enormous amount of my life to my craft so to be acknowledged by my acting family is the most incredible honor.

Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Laura Linney, Ozark

I am so proud to be included in a list of such wonderful actresses who have raised the bar so high. What an amazing year for women in television. And I am especially proud to be representing Ozark with my TV spouse, the ever deserving Jason Bateman! Thank you SAG-AFTRA!

Marc Maron. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Marc Maron, GLOW

I am stunned and excited to be recognized by other actors in this way. I really never thought this was possible in my life. It helps to be surrounded by amazing actors and to have such a defined and well written character as Sam Sylvia and to be on a show as unique as GLOW. I am just a small part. So, thanks SAG for recognizing me and the mind-blowing ensemble that is GLOW.

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick

We are so lucky to have been graced with the enormous talents of every single member of our cast. They each put a piece of themselves into our story and we are thrilled at being recognized. Thank you. And a special shout out to Holly Hunters individual nomination!

Now we have to go tell our real parents that they arent actually nominated.

Bob Odenkirk. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

I am thrilled to get this nomination from my fellow actors! At Better Call Saul I am surrounded by an ensemble of excellence  Michael McKean, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, everybody raises my game. Thank you to SAG-AFTRA.

Gary Oldman. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Gary Oldman, The Darkest Hour

No actor could ever deny the special satisfaction that comes from being recognized by your fellow artists  we all share the same challenges, insecurities, and uncertainties, chief among them, the question am I any good? this nomination, and in the wonderful company of the other nominees, is so very satisfying.

Margot Robbie. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Margot Robbie, I, Tonya

Im so incredibly moved and excited to be nominated by my fellow actors. I feel very fortunate to be able to have had the opportunity to bring Tonyas story to the big screen. Thank you to Steven [Rogers] for his brilliant and unique script, to Allison [Janney] and Sebastian [Stan] for being such incredible screen partners and to Craig [Gillespie] for his amazing direction and perfectly capturing the tone and essence of the film. Im so honored to be recognized among the truly powerful and wonderful women in the category. I cant wait to celebrate with everyone.

Sam Rockwell. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

It is such an honor to be nominated by your fellow actors, I have been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild for as long as I can remember. To share it with this wonderful ensemble whom I have had the pleasure to work with over the years and others I got to collaborate with for the first time is truly special. I want to thank Martin McDonagh, our director and writer, for crafting these characters, as well as Woody [Harrelson], Fran [McDormand] and the rest of the cast who brought the town of Ebbing to life on screen. I am thrilled.

Ray Romano. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Ray Romano, The Big Sick

This is awesome but I wont believe it till the recount.
During Matt Lauers 20-plus years as an anchor on Today, certain interviews and bits, on the show and elsewhere, have raised a few eyebrows or been seen as sexist.

NBC announced Wednesday that Lauer had been fired from his longtime stint after the network on Monday fielded a detailed complaint from a colleague concerning inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace that violated company policy. Though NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said in a memo that it was the first complaint they had gotten about Lauer, We were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Here are a few incidents where Lauer was criticized for his on-camera tactics.

1. Quizzing GM Chief Executive Mary Barra about being a working mom

In 2014, Lauer sat down with Barra, the first female chief executive at General Motors. He noted that although she'd gotten the job because she was hugely qualified with 30 years experience, "there are some people who are speculating that you also got this job as a woman, and as a mom, because people within General Motors knew this company was in for a very tough time, and as a woman and a mom you could present a softer face and softer image for this company ... Does it make sense or does it make you bristle?

Her response: Its absolutely not true that she got the job because she was female. Lauer went on to ask whether she thought she could handle double duty as a CEO and a mom. He later said shed brought it up first.

2. Blaming Anne Hathaway for a photo

Good to see you, Lauer told Hathaway when she appeared on Today to promote the film Les Miserables. Seen a lot of you lately. He was referring to up-skirt photos of the actress, sans underwear, that were taken as she got out of an SUV at the films premiere. (While the footage is not available via Today, it was captured by Sam Seder for his Majority Report podcast; skip to the 1:05 mark to see Hathaways interview segment.)

Lets just get it out of the way, he continued. You had a little wardrobe malfunction the other night. Whats the lesson learned from something like that? Other than that you keep smiling, which youll always do. Hathaway rolled with the implication that it was her fault, said she was sad that culture had come to that, and turned the conversation back to the movie.

3. Cross-dressing for Halloween

Lauer has been Jennifer Lopez in that green Versace dress, nearly delivering a wardrobe malfunction of his own as he swung his legs out of the car he arrived in. Hes been Paris Hilton. Dolly Parton brought him a starter kit so he could be like her, complete with a massive brassiere. Hes even been a swimsuit-clad Pamela Anderson circa Baywatch.

Is someone drowning? I brought my cans, he told Carmen Electra, speaking out over his ample prosthetic Baywatch bosom. Of course, he was talking about the two lifeguard cans he was holding. What else could he have meant?

4. Going sans pants and mocking sexual harassment

Two of the jokey segments that run occasionally on Today seem more than awkward in wake of Lauers termination: In one, a scene from Today: The Musical, Lauer takes off his pants in the hallway at work so a page can iron them after a coffee spill.

Drink it in, ladies, Lauer says, opening his jacket and flashing his female co-hosts as they walk past. They look at him standing there in his boxers and respond, one by one: Again, Matt? "Really? Its the third time this week! Did your mommy give you those? Stop it! Youre making me lactate.

In a 2012 sketch, presented as an investigative piece, Lauer and Willie Geist mock sexual harassment after MSNBCs Morning Joe co-anchor is caught on tape smacking Lauers butt. Lauer tells an interviewer it was "impossible" that he'd provoked the tush-tap. "I didn't do anything differently. I wasn't wearing a different cologne. This was uninitiated, he says.

Why was Lauer upset? Two reasons. Geist wasnt owning up to his behavior, even though it could be seen on video. Also, since the slap happened, He hasnt called, Lauer says. He hasnt written.

5. Handling Clinton and Trump differently

After Lauer sat down for a half-hour each with then-candidates Clinton and Donald Trump for a televised presidential forum in September 2016, critics accused him of pressing Clinton too hard and for too long about her handling of classified information on a private email server, and reminded her that time was limited, while letting Trump get away with bizarre and sometimes false statements without any pushback.

Political commentator Norman Ornstein said on Twitter, It is amazing. Lauer interrupted Clinton's answers repeatedly to move on. Not once for Trump. Tough to be a woman running for President.

UPDATES:

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated to include comedy sketches from the Today show.

This article was originally published at 1:05 p.m.
Jenifer Lewis is a griot, carrying the tales of a resilient people whove been to hell and back on her shoulders. Its what gives her the ability, the audacity, to enter every room as if she owns it.

When you come through that fire, you dont [mess] around, the  B lack-ish actress said of her life.

Thats the same approach shes taken in writing her first memoir, The Mother of Black Hollywood, available in bookstores now. In it, she details, quite unapologetically, the infernos she's walked through  poverty, molestation, an abortion  and the triumphs shes had  362 episodic television shows, 68 movies, four Broadway shows, and Ive toured in concert all over the world, she said in an interview with The Times. And though she couldve written a book long ago, she admits, only in the last couple of years did she find the inspiration.

After the millennials laid down in front of the police barricades, I said, All right, Ill give them my story, because my book is basically telling them to just feel the fear and do it anyway, said Lewis, 60, referencing the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Youve got to feel it. Youve got to feel disappointment. Youve got to feel mad and hopeful and resist the forces that would take the air to breathe from your great-grandchildren.

Ive had my day in the sun and now I am the sun. This little light of mine, Im going to let it shine.  Jenifer Lewis

We didnt think you guys would have to fight as hard as we did, but now youre going to have to fight even more and harder because, oh, the times are changing.

Lewis was born into poverty near St. Louis in the small town of Kinloch. In reflection, she remembers everyone looking like her: the librarian, the police officers, the firefighters, the mayor, the superintendent of schools were all black. And they all supported her from an early age; her church congregations roaring response to her solo at age 5 would be the catalyst to a life on stage and screen.

Decades later, she has mastered stages and screens large and small and quite literally has played the mother of nearly every up-and-coming black actor and actress of the last 30 years.

Ahead of three book signings in Los Angeles on Dec. 9, 10 and 16, Lewis spoke with The Times in her Sherman Oaks home about her memoir, going to therapy, the effect of the AIDS epidemic on the black creative community and what it feels like to still be a working, and recognizable, actress well after 40.

Jenifer Lewis and Anthony Anderson in a scene from black-ish. (Kelsey McNeal / ABC)

You write about a number of the more unsavory parts of your life. Did you know you wanted to open up that much at the start?

I knew I could do no less. Im raw. Im Earth. I lay it on the slab. Ain't no shame in my game. I didn't have any trouble doing so because we all go through the feelings, but I got to come out on the top. And when youre on top is when you can reach back. Thats why I always say, Wherever you are is where the [heck] you are and you cant be in the moment where you are not. Honor this moment. Ive never had any trouble telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It worked for me and it worked against me, but as we can see, mostly for me.

Ive got about 30 more summers left. You dont [mess] around after 60, and theres 10,000 stories that didn't make the book, so the second is on the way.

Talk to me about your early years in therapy and how accepting that you were bipolar affected your life.

Honey, I was in there performing, carrying on, instead of trying to get at that pain. You run from it. And its two steps forward, one step back, 30 steps forward, one step back. Its life.

I began to look at the warning signs: Am I speeding in a car? Am I speed talking? Am I speed walking?  although Arthur and Ritis Jackson [she touches her left and right knees] dont let me speed around the way I used to.

It took me five years to get on the medication and then I got off and then there was a dark night of the soul when I was filming The Temptations. After that, its been maintaining. Its a constant walk, but I walk that walk and talk that talk. I know who I am. Its not a perfect life, but damn does it feel good to just know who you are.

How did you come to the tile, The Mother of Black Hollywood?

Well, what else could it be? Tupac, Whitney [Houston], [Angela Bassett as] Tina Turner, Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Kevin Hart. Ive played [the mothers of] them all and had a good time doing it. Im glad I became the mother of black Hollywood, because, as you can see, you can continue as Grandma and on and on. Im one of the few women over 40 for that matter in showbiz at the top of their game. But thats because I love what I do and my talent was a gift that Ive tried to honor.

Jenifer Lewis, left, played Whitney Houstons mother in The Preachers Wife. Denzel Washington, right, and Courtney B. Vance also starred in the picture. (David Lee / Touchstone Pictures)

Which of those roles stick with you the most?

My favorite was Whats Love Got to Do With It [playing Tina Turners mother, Zelma Bullock ].

You write that prior to black-ish, it was primarily black folk who recognized you on the street, but the sitcom has garnered you new fans.

Its a whole nother story. I used to be able to drop my head [to avoid people], but now white children come up to me. [laughs] Theyre everywhere.

How does it feel to be recognized for both earlier roles in your career and something so current, and to still be working?

black-ish is the cherry on the top of my career When you come into your own, when youre in your skin, youre unstoppable, because youre living in the moment of life. And that is the goal, to be present, right here, right now and be smart enough to take care of business with some kind of love and passion accompanying that. So, it feels great to be working.

I think Ive sustained, because I was just that [freaking] good. I never thought about 100%. Im a 2,000 percenter... You will never hear Welcome Jenifer Lewis and never not be entertained.

Whoopi Goldberg , left, and Jenifer Lewis at a party for the 1994 premiere of Corrina, Corrina. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

Youre very supportive of work around AIDS and HIV research. One of the parts of the book that stuck with me is the devastation you and the arts community experienced at the height of the epidemic.

We lost the designers, the musicians, the artists. They dropped like flies. It was a silent war that was never declared. At that time, I was doing one-woman shows and I sang I Heard It Through the Grapevine as a ballad. All those gay boys wanted me to sing that at their funerals, and Stevie Wonders They Won't Go When I Go. I mustve sung at at least 30 funerals back to back to back to back. We were too young to experience that kind of death. It was too much. America, weve got a lot of blood on our hands for not taking care of its people.

Youve become an internet fave with these viral videos of you, Brandy and Roz Ryan. How does that feel?

I have a platform now. Forty-five million people hit that button for In These Streets. When you find out you have that kind of popularity, you better use it. Its called responsibility. And dont think I wont march 50 million people to tear down that wall [President Trump wants to build.]

There is a letter to the reader at the end of the book where you say you wrote it because you owe. What do you mean by that?

When you get as much as I have, you might want to give back. Ive had my day in the sun and now I am the sun. This little light of mine, Im going to let it shine. What else is there to do?

Actress Jenifer Lewis just published her memoir, The Mother of Black Hollywood. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

What do you hope people take away from knowing all that you reveal in the book?

A tornado is coming. A hurricane is coming. An earthquake is coming. A tsunami is coming. Its called life. Be ye ready, because its coming. Since you know its coming, walk in it. You cant run from it. Horrible things will happen in our lives  someone is murdered, somebody dies, someone suffers. These are traumatic things and they feel like forces of nature, but one thing about all of them is they pass. Everything is temporary, so live it.

And dont think youre going to get somewhere and be happy. Try really hard to be happy on your way to happy. I used to be so analytical trying to get everything right and perfect. Just live. This [life] is short, honey, so short. So, grab it by the ass and keep it moving.

Get your life! Follow me on Twitter (@TrevellAnderson) or email me: trevell.anderson@latimes.com.
Progress toward the global elimination of malaria has stalled, according to a report to be published Wednesday by the World Health Organization.

The world made big gains against malaria from 2000 to 2015, with annual infections falling 18% and annual deaths dropping 48%. The WHO was so encouraged by the declines that in 2015 it announced a goal of cutting malaria infections and deaths worldwide by at least 40% by 2020.

But in the last three years, many nations have reported significant increases in malaria cases, according to the new report.

We are not seeing the progress that had been achieved in the past being sustained, Pedro Alonso, director of the WHOs Global Malaria Program, told reporters in a telephone briefing last week. Reductions in disease and death have ceased, and we are therefore not on track to meet the 2020 target.

Reasons for the slowdown differed across specific regions and countries, health officials said. But contributing factors included insufficient funding, a lack of interventions to prevent spread of the disease, risks posed by conflict in malaria endemic zones, irregular climate patterns, and the emergence of parasite resistance, the report said.

Its a bit of wake-up call for all of us who are working hard toward reducing and ultimately eliminating and even eradicating malaria and think we have to take it seriously, said Larry Slutsker, who heads the Center for Malaria Control and Elimination at the Seattle-based global health nonprofit PATH.

Here are some key figures from the report:

216 million

The number of malaria cases worldwide in 2016. Thats down from 237 million in 2010, but about the same as its been the last few years.

With 194 million cases in 2016, Africa accounted for almost 90% of the total. Southeast Asia was a distant second with 14.6 million.

A worker fumigates a locality to kill mosquitoes at a location in New Delhi, India. (EPA/Shutterstock)

445,000

The estimated number of deaths from malaria last year, or more than 50 people every hour. More than 90% of those deaths are in Africa, and 80% of the victims in Africa are children younger than 5.

Its one of the top killers of African children, Alonso said.

Nigeria had the highest percentage of malaria deaths.

Though Africa has made significant progress in reducing infections and death, Slutsker said, getting countries to prioritize anti-malaria efforts is something were going to have to work more on in the African region.

As is the case with many health problems in Africa, there are systems issues, he said.   In terms of building the systems to deliver treatment to people in a timely way, to make the diagnosis and to record those cases ... those are systems that need to be built.

$2.7 billion

The amount of money that was invested last year in malaria control and elimination efforts globally by governments in countries where malaria is endemic and their international partners. The largest portion of the funding  around 74%  went to Africa. The United States was the largest donor, providing $1 billion, or 38%, of all malaria funding.

Annual funding has held steady since 2010. To meet the 40% reduction target, according to the report, yearly funding must reach $6.5 billion by 2020.

Alonso said the progress made in the fight against malaria over the last 10 to 15 years may have caused a decreased sense of urgency and a certain degree of complacency, which might account for the plateau in funding.

Therefore with [the current] level of funding and the tools that we have, we are not going to see any further progress, he said.

In this May 2013 file photo, sick women and children wait to be treated for suspected malaria at a hospital in North Darfur, Sudan. (Albert Gonzalez Farran / Associated Press)

With spending of less than $2 a person in countries where malaria takes the heaviest toll, experts said committing more is not only the right thing to do for moral reasons but also for economic ones.

Malaria is clearly one of the best humanitarian investments in the world today, creating $20 in economic benefits for every dollar thats invested in malaria control, said Martin Edlund, chief executive of the nonprofit Malaria No More. We still see it as one of the best ways to save lives, to get kids back in school, to get people back to work and free up health system capacity to tackle other challenges. If we want to realize those benefits, we have to continue to invest and we have to continue to innovate.

582 million

The number of mosquito nets treated with insecticides that were distributed around the world, according to manufacturers. Although 505 million of the nets went to countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the proportion of households in this region with sufficient nets remained inadequate, the report said .

Bed nets have been perhaps the primary driver of the lives saved and the progress that weve seen over the last decade or so, Edlund said. But he cautioned that bed nets alone wont solve the problem.

Also key is stopping transmission of the disease by spraying insecticides indoors, diagnosing people efficiently and providing prompt and effective treatment, he said.

In this file photo, a child sits under a mosquito net in his home in Xai Xai, Mozambique. (Alexander Joe / AFP/Getty Images)

44

The number of countries with malaria transmission that reported fewer than 10,000 cases in 2016  up from 37 in 2010. Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka were certified by the WHO as malaria-free in 2016, and with no cases reported that year Algeria appears to be on the verge of receiving that designation. A total of 21 countries have the potential to eliminate the disease within their borders by 2020, according to the agency.

From our standpoint, this report presents a really clear choice, Edlund said. Either we do whats needed to end the worlds oldest, deadliest disease, or we let malaria resurge at the potential cost of millions of lives and trillions of dollars in economic benefits.

For the record, 10:38 p.m.: An earlier version of the report referred to the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health. The Seattle-based global health nonprofit no longer spells out its full name. It is known as PATH.
Sergio Carrillo had already been handcuffed in the Home Depot parking lot when an officer wearing a Homeland Security uniform appeared.

Homeland Security? Carrillo asked. What do you want with me?

Ignoring Carrillos demands for an explanation, the officer ordered the 39-year-old taken to a federal detention facility in downtown Los Angeles for people believed to be in the country illegally.

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Youre making a big mistake, Carrillo recalled saying from the back seat to the officers driving him. I am a U.S. citizen.

The arrest last year was the start of a perplexing and frightening ordeal for Carrillo, who said in an interview with The Times that immigration officials scoffed at his repeated claims of citizenship and instead opened a case against him in immigration court to have him deported. It would take four days for government officials to concede their mistake and release Carrillo.

The case, say civil rights attorneys and other critics of the countrys immigration enforcement system, highlights broader problems with how people are targeted for deportation. They argue databases used by immigration officials to determine who is and isnt in the country legally are beset by outdated and inaccurate information that leads to an unknown number of U.S. citizens being detained each year.

Since 2002, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has wrongly identified at least 2,840 United States citizens as possibly eligible for deportation, and at least 214 of them were taken into custody for some period of time, according to ICE records analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.

Because ICE in January stopped releasing data on those it takes into custody, it is impossible to know how many citizens have been caught up in the aggressive push to increase arrests and deportations being carried out under President Trump.

In one such case, Guadalupe Plascencia complained that she was transferred from San Bernardino County jail to ICE custody in March despite having become a citizen two decades earlier. The 59-year-old hairdresser said she was released only when her daughter showed ICE agents her passport.

On Wednesday, attorneys for Carrillo announced a settlement deal in which the government will pay him $20,000 to resolve a civil lawsuit he filed over the arrest.

A spokeswoman for ICE declined to comment about the case, citing federal privacy laws. She said in a written statement that generally ICE would never knowingly take enforcement action against or detain an individual if there was probative evidence indicating the person was a U.S. citizen.

Carrillo, who owns a landscaping business, said he was born rather unexpectedly in Tijuana, Mexico. His parents, who had lived for years in California as legal permanent residents, had taken a trip to Mexico, and his mother went into labor early.

As a young teenager, Carrillo automatically became a U.S. citizen when his mother went through the naturalization process. As an adult, he had two serious run-ins with law enforcement: a 2007 conviction for carrying a concealed weapon and another in 2011 for sending sexually explicit material to a minor, according to law enforcement records reviewed by The Times. In the second case, Carrillo was sentenced to 240 days in jail and three years probation, the records show.

Those crimes, and Carrillos birth in Mexico, appear to be what put Carrillo wrongly in the crosshairs of immigration officials, according to internal ICE records reviewed by The Times.

Had Carrillo in fact been an immigrant living in the country illegally, his convictions would have made him a priority to be arrested and deported under policies implemented by President Obama under which ICE targeted serious criminals for arrest.

The ICE records show that as they prepared to arrest Carrillo, immigration officers compiled a detailed record of his crimes and concluded he was a priority for arrest under the agencys policies. In several of the records, Carrillos birth in Mexico is mentioned and ICE officials allege that he sneaked across the border into the United States at an unknown place and at an unknown time.

Alert generated based on current priority assessment, an ICE record said of the decision to target Carrillo.

It is unclear how immigration enforcement officers came to the mistaken conclusion that Carrillo was an immigrant eligible for deportation, but lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, which helped represent Carrillo in his civil suit, argued it should have been clear that Carrillo was a citizen.

In 2011, as he was released from county jail on the sex-related crime, immigration officers questioned Carrillo, according to court papers. Carrillo explained he was a citizen and the officers let him go, apparently convinced he was telling the truth. When he was arrested years later, however, there was no mention of the prior encounter in any of the various databases ICE maintains, the lawsuit said.

And those databases, ACLU lawyers said in court documents, included no information that indicated Carrillo was an immigrant in the country illegally.

In fact, the agents did not know anything about him except that he was born in Mexico, lawyers wrote in the complaint. Days before his arrest, ICE agents searched their databases and found no information at all. Relying solely on the absence of information in their databases and his national origin, ICE agents sought to arrest him.

ICE did not address the claims in its legal response to the lawsuit.

On the July 2016 morning he was arrested, Carrillo said he received a phone call from a blocked number as he was walking into a Home Depot in Rialto. The man on the line asked Carrillo to identify himself and inquired about his location, Carrillo recalled.

Carrillo mentioned his location but quickly hung up when the man refused to give his name. About 10 minutes later, a text message from another number flashed on his phone, Where you at?

As he stepped out of the store, Carrillo was arrested. At the processing facility, as he was fingerprinted and photographed, Carrillo said he told officers repeatedly that he was a U.S. citizen. The officers either ignored him or laughed at the claim, Carrillo said.

They didnt want to hear it, he said.

After being allowed to make a phone call to an uncle, Carrillo said his son brought a passport and a certificate of citizenship the government issued Carrillo but that ICE officers refused to review the documents.

After several hours, Carrillo and another detainee were driven to a privately run immigration detention center in Adelanto, 85 miles outside Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert.

For the next two days, Carrillo said, he told any guard he came across that he was a U.S. citizen, but he was told he had to file his complaint in writing to an ICE officer who was assigned to his case. He said he did so, but received no response.

Carrillo and ACLU attorney Jennie Pasquarella said ICE officials responded only after his family members found an attorney willing to intervene. When the lawyer forwarded copies of Carrillos citizenship documents, he was released.

The refusal by ICE officials to listen to Carrillos claims of citizenship appeared to violate an agency policy that requires officers to thoroughly and quickly investigate such claims. If there is any doubt whether someone is a citizen, the policy instructs officers not to arrest the person until the confusion is resolved.

joel.rubin@latimes.com

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

Follow us on Twitter: @joelrubin and @paigestjohn

UPDATES:

7:15 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from a spokeswoman for ICE.

This article was originally published at 11:45 a.m.
The retired New York police detective who investigated the case of Robert Dursts missing wife three decades ago testified Tuesday that several people told him the couple had a history of domestic violence.

Michael Struk took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom and was often on the defensive over his investigation into the 1982 disappearance of Dursts wife, Kathleen. Prosecutors believe that disappearance is key to the murder in Los Angeles of Dursts friend, crime writer Susan Berman.

Durst, 74, is accused of shooting Berman inside her Benedict Canyon home in 2000. It was a hush-up killing, prosecutors assert, prompted by Dursts fear that Berman would tell others what she knew about Kathleens disappearance.

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Durst has denied killing either woman.

Struk, a witness for the defense, previously testified that he began to suspect Durst a few weeks into the investigation, noting that people in Kathleens orbit told him that Durst was physically violent and exhibited mental cruelty. Eventually, Struk said, he became convinced that Durst killed his wife.

And yet, criminal charges were never brought against Durst in connection with his wifes disappearance. Defense attorneys argue that undercuts the prosecution case that Durst killed Berman because of her knowledge of his involvement in his wifes death. Prosecutors contend the lack of criminal charges signaled a shoddy investigation by authorities in New York.

On Tuesday, Struk testified that he was not aware of any evidence that was conclusive that Durst killed his wife.

But Deputy Dist. Atty. John Lewin displayed a note allegedly retrieved from the trash outside a home in Westchester County, New York, where Durst and his wife lived on the weekends. The note reads: town dump, bridge, dig, boat, other, shovel or ?

Lewin asked Struk if it appeared to be a list of how to get rid of a body?

It may be, the detective said.

Struk testified that during the investigation multiple people, including Kathleens family members, told authorities that the couple had a history of domestic violence. The detective said he recalled getting medical records from a hospital in the Bronx, where Kathleen was treated for injuries to her face not long before she vanished. Struk said he didnt recall following up with the physician who treated Kathleen, adding, It would have been good to have done that.

Durst, who has pleaded not guilty in the Los Angeles case, was arrested March 14, 2015, at a New Orleans hotel in connection with Bermans slaying. The eccentric millionaire was arrested a day before the finale of The Jinx, a six-part HBO documentary about Durst, in which the real estate magnate mutters, What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.

Some interpreted his comments, which were captured on a live microphone, as a confession to killing Berman and his wife, as well as Morris Black, a neighbor in Texas.

In the Texas case, Durst argued at trial that a gun fired while he was defending himself during a tussle with Black. He admitted to dismembering the body and dumping the parts in Galveston Bay, but jurors acquitted him of murder.

Struks testimony was cut short earlier this month after Durst was hospitalized for an unknown ailment. On Tuesday, Dursts attorney, Dick DeGuerin, declined to provide details, calling his clients health a private matter.

Struk is scheduled to continue testifying Wednesday.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber
BEIJING - A central bank advisor said Tuesday that China should set a moderate economic growth target next year to give more room to structural reform.

China's economy maintained steady growth and a positive outlook this year, with many bright spots emerging, including markedly improved corporate profits, said Bai Chongen, a Tsinghua University professor and member of the central bank monetary policy committee, at a forum.

While some advocate a higher GDP growth target for 2018, Bai said a slightly lower target is needed to curb inefficient investment and reduce the risk from growing debt.

"Personally I support a slightly lower, moderate growth target, so that we have more room to carry out structural reform," he said during a panel discussion at the Caijing Annual Conference.

The Chinese government targeted GDP growth of around 6.5 percent for 2017. The 2018 growth target is expected to be unveiled during the annual national legislative session in March next year.

"To achieve the official goal of doubling the GDP by 2020 from 2010, the country only needs an average growth rate of 6.3 percent in the coming three years," Bai said.

He spoke of fast expansion in low-efficiency investment and increasing debt ratios at local government financing vehicles.

Pursuing a higher growth target could encourage upstream industries to continue expansion and lead to new excess capacity, Bai warned.

Meanwhile, consumption demand remains subdued, which calls for more measures to increase residents' disposal income and stimulate spending, he said.

China's economy expanded 6.8 percent year on year in the third quarter, down from 6.9 percent in the second quarter. Growth in the first three quarters reached 6.9 percent.

The government is trying to shift to sustainable economic growth driven more by technology and consumption and less by debt-fueled, low-end investment.
A bystander was killed and three Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies were injured during a high-speed pursuit through Malibu on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The chase began about 7:45 a.m. when deputies spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen in the L.A. Police Departments Pacific Division on Monday, LAPD Officer Mike Lopez said.

The pursuit traveled onto Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, where the suspect hit a pedestrian and crashed into three vehicles, authorities said. At least one car burst into flames after the crash, and three deputies suffered from smoke inhalation, they said.

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The driver of the car that was being chased was airlifted to the hospital, KTLA reported.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

UPDATES:

11:55 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details of the incident.

This article was originally published at 10:50 a.m.
A Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputy and a suspect were wounded by gunfire late Tuesday in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Both were taken to a hospital for treatment, but its unclear how badly they were injured, according to Deputy Kelvin Moody.

The shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m. on the 21300 block of Bottletree Lane, authorities said.

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It was unclear what led to the shooting.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek
A San Diego couple were arrested Tuesday at an international airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after the two men allegedly exposed their buttocks at Buddhist temples while posing for pictures they later posted on social media.

Joseph and Travis Dasilva are known to pose at landmarks across the world, with their pants or shorts pulled down and their bare bottoms exposed. The photos would appear on the couples Instagram account, which has been taken down.

Thats how they express themselves artistically, said M.G. Perez, a San Diego friend of the married couple.

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Perez said the pair launched their Instagram account, named Traveling Butts, a couple of years ago.

Their most recent pictures were apparently taken at Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, in Bangkok.

On Tuesday night, immigration authorities arrested the 38-year-old men at Don Mueang International Airport while they were trying to depart the country, the Bangkok Post reported.

A spokesman for immigration police told the English-language newspaper that the couple admitted to posing for the photos at the temple. The pair was taken to a Bangkok police station to await a court hearing.

Arrest warrants accused them of indecent exposure, a criminal offense that carries a fine of up to 5,000 baht, or about $150, according to the Bangkok Post.

Perez said he and other friends are concerned about the couples safety and that he fears the pair may have to serve jail time in Bangkok.

Perez said his worries began Tuesday morning after Travis Dasilva made a vague inquiry on Facebook: Anybody know any diplomats in Bangkok. Or know any lawyers in Bangkok.

Or anyone from the U.S. who can help, Dasilva later commented on his post.

Then, he added: We are stuck at a polixe station.

And lastly: Call a senator or something. I dunno howuch longer Ill have my phone.

Perez said Tuesday night that he had texted and messaged the couple via Facebook and was anxiously waiting for a reply.

We are all humans, and we all make choices, and there are consequences to our choices. Travis and Joseph are men of integrity who will face those consequences, he said. It is not about judgment. It is about their safety and figuring out how to get them back home.

Friends of the couple have reached out to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to ask for help, Perez said.

Hernandez writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
When President Trump called Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren Pocahontas this week during a ceremony honoring Navajo war veterans, he didnt just ignite a controversy over whether he used a racial slur against an opponent.

Trump also reopened a broader conversation about the federal governments uneasy relationship with, and abusive treatment of, Native Americans. Its a history that included mass killings and efforts to strip tribes of their land, language and culture. More recently conflicts have shifted to cultural and legal fights over property rights, mascots and and casinos.

Trump is not alone in making insensitive comments or doing insensitive or downright horrible things that hurt American Indians, said the Rev. John Norwood, general secretary of the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes. There is a growing awareness of the history of indigenous Americans, but the insensitivity toward them still is incredibly prevalent.

Norwood added that Native American groups havent always been on the losing end, especially in recent years in legal battles and cultural protests they have waged. But unlike all other Americans, we are not immigrants, and yet we feel its often an uphill fight for us in our own land.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was ridiculous to think the president meant to insult anybody but the Massachusetts senator. But Warren  who says she has Cherokee heritage  and groups including the National Congress of American Indians and the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes doubled down on critiques of the president.

Native American representatives said the back-and-forth over Trumps words stung especially because theyre part of a long history of actions by the U.S. government and political officials that have continued to hit a nerve.

Andrew Jackson

After Trump honored a small group of Navajo men Monday at the White House for their work as code talkers with the U.S. Marines during World War II, Native American groups noted that he did it as he stood in front of a painting of President Andrew Jackson.

Jackson, who was president from 1829 to 1837, is known for signing the Indian Removal Act, which forced more than 60,000 Native Americans to relocate from their homelands in the Southeast to areas west of the Mississippi River. Cherokees, who were among those who endured what was called the Trail of Tears, called Jackson the Indian killer.

While Native American groups widely noted the odd contrast of Trump and Navajo honorees near a painting of Jackson, at least one Native American present said he was not bothered.

Thomas Begay, a code talker who stood by Trump as the president gave thanks for Begays service, told a CNN contributor that the painting puzzled him but did not offend him.

Tony Gonzalez leads a protest in Santa Clara in 2014 against the use of Redskins as a team mascot. (Karl Mondon / TNS)

Sports mascots

For decades, many Native American tribes have campaigned against team mascots that use tribal names and imagery. And fans of the Atlanta Braves, Florida State University Seminoles and Kansas City Chiefs famously celebrate scores and wins by waving their arms in a tomahawk chop.

There are exceptions where individual tribes have no issue with a local team, but by and large most tribes decry American Indian mascots to be psychologically damaging to American Indians, Norwood said.

Perhaps the most controversial sporting team in this category is the Washington Redskins. Owner Dan Snyder says he will never change the name, which he describes as imbued with the history of who we are and where we came from.

The federal government got involved when it was asked to deny trademark rights to the Redskins and others using Native imagery. Those challenges largely went nowhere in the past. But the government handed a symbolic win to tribal activists in 2014, when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the teams trademark registrations because they were disparaging to Native Americans.

The victory may be short-lived. Thats because the Slants, an Asian American band that was also denied a trademark for having an offensive name, won a Supreme Court case this year over the issue. Justices said that denying registration simply because people took offense went against the 1st Amendment.

Casinos

Trumps ongoing feud with Warren  hes called her Pocahontas many times  isnt the only spat with Native Americans that has caused him trouble.

Trump repeatedly clashed with tribes after a 1988 federal law made it easier for casinos to open on tribal land. In interviews and ads at the time, he painted tribes as being run by criminals and mobsters who  like he says now about Warren  misrepresented their background.

I think I might have more Indian blood than a lot of the so-called Indians that are trying to open up the reservations, Trump said in 1993 during an interview with radio host Don Imus.

Speaking at a Native American Affairs Committee congressional hearing that year, Trump also questioned why tribes received special status in the casino business. If you look, if you look at some of the reservations that youve approved  they dont look like Indians to me, Trump said at the time to Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat.

The viewpoint isnt unique to Trump. As tribal casinos have spread, they have frequently run up against protests from more established gaming companies. Just two years ago, MGM sued the state of Connecticut over a law that let tribes, but not nontribal companies, compete to build a casino adjacent to a reservation. MGM called the law unfair.

The Oceti Sakowin Camp last year on the edge of North Dakotas Cannonball River just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Dakota Access Pipeline

Throughout 2016 and 2017, thousands of Native Americans from across the U.S. descended upon North Dakota to camp out for months in protest against efforts to build a crude oil pipeline that would transport 500,000 barrels daily from the western part of the state to another pipeline in Patoka, Ill.

The Standing Rock Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux said the Dakota Access Pipeline would threaten their way of life as well as the water and land they had depended on for generations.

It was another chapter in a centuries-long tussle between the U.S. government and Native American groups over land rights, one that federal authorities frequently win. The groups behind the pipeline said they had received the permission from local jurisdictions and the federal government to build, and said they would do it safely.

In the last month of his presidency, President Obama signaled that he understood the concerns of tribes and environmental activists. My view is that there is a way for us to accommodate sacred lands of Native Americans, he said in an interview with NowThis News, adding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was looking for alternate routes.

But shortly after the inauguration this year, the Trump administration gave final approval for construction. During the campaign and his presidency, Trump said domestic energy production  such as through pipelines  needed to speed up to meet U.S. energy needs and fuel the economy. It was another defeat for the tribes.

jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com

Twitter: @jaweedkaleem
Las Vegas police on Wednesday released surveillance camera images of a gunman who robbed a cashier cage at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino the day before.

The gunman  described as white, in his 30s and about 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9  wore glasses, a black beanie cap, a blond wig and a mask that covered a portion of his face. The man went to a poker room cash cage on Tuesday afternoon, demanded money and ran off with an undisclosed amount of cash. There were no injuries.

Police said they recovered the vehicle used to make the escape, a silver 2011 Chevrolet sedan with Nevada license plate 37D147.

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On Tuesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Capt. John Pelletier said another person accompanied the robber in the car, but Pelletier said it appeared the person was there against his will. He did not provide further details.

So we are playing poker at the @BellagioPoker and a guy walks up with a gun and robs the cage thirty feet from us ten minutes ago.  James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) November 29, 2017

@Bellagio staff were fantastic. They surrendered the money quietly, so no customers would get hurt. Nobody even realized it was happening. Excellent staff, cool under pressure.  James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) November 29, 2017

The robbery occurred quietly, though it did catch the attention of casino patrons, including actor James Woods. He described the robber on Twitter:

So we are playing poker at the @BellagioPoker and a guy walks up with a gun and robs the cage thirty feet from us ten minutes ago. Bellagio staff were fantastic. They surrendered the money quietly, so no customers would get hurt. Nobody even realized it was happening. Excellent staff, cool under pressure.

In 2010, the Bellagio was robbed by a man who became known as the Biker Bandit. The man, wearing a motorcycle helmet, stole $1.5 million in chips from the craps pit and fled on a motorcycle. Anthony Carleo was caught, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to several years in prison.

david.montero@latimes.com

Twitter: @davemontero

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As the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar grows more grim, it shows every sign of taking its place on the shameful list of mass atrocities that the world did nothing to stop.

Since August, the Myanmar government has systematically engaged in what the United Nations, human rights groups and (finally) the U.S. State Department have called atrocities against its long persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority. The U.N. and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have gone so far as to call it ethnic cleansing.

According to accounts from numerous survivors, government forces and their supporters have raped, killed, set people on fire and pillaged villages, causing the mass exodus of more than 600,000 Rohingya  mainly to refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Thats about half the Rohingya population of Myanmar. Evidence of Rohingya villages being burned has been there for all to see, via satellite image analysis provided by Human Rights Watch.

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The world always collectively reacts to crimes against humanity with the same horror and vows to never let them happen again. And then it breaks that vow.

How much more savage do people have to be before the global community outside Myanmar is moved to act?

For decades, the Rohingya have lived as a stateless, disenfranchised, persecuted minority in Buddhist majority Myanmar (also known as Burma). Even as the country dramatically progressed from a military government to a fragile proto-democracy, nothing has improved for the Rohingya, who can trace their roots in Myanmar back for generations but have still been shunned as interlopers. About 120,000 live in squalid displacement camps in the Rakhine state. The latest violence ostensibly started as a government response to Rohingya militant attacks on military outposts in late August, but it has far surpassed an effort just to put down militants.

No entreaties over the years to Myanmars government, including its de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, appear to have made a difference. Like other leaders in Myanmar who dont recognize the Rohingya as a separate ethnic group, Suu Kyi will neither utter the word Rohingya nor countenance people using it in her presence. She ordered a study of the troubles in Rakhine, where most Rohingya live, by a commission led by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. His report  which calls on the government to recognize the Rohingyas rights  appears to have been ignored. Harsh criticism from human rights groups and her fellow Nobel Prize laureates has failed to move Suu Kyi, who remained resolute during a visit this week by Pope Francis. (Disappointingly, he also did not mention the Rohingya by name.) The leader of the military told the pope that there is no religious discrimination in Myanmar  as if brutality against a Muslim ethnic group didnt count.

Any global effort to intervene in Myanmar would be complicated by issues of sovereignty, trade relations and geopolitics  in particular, the rivalry between the U.S. and China for influence in Myanmar. But in the aftermath of crimes against humanity across the globe since the last century, the world has always collectively reacted with the same horror and vowed to never let it happen again. And then it breaks that vow.

In the late 20th century, the major powers failed to halt the genocides in Cambodia and Rwanda, and their intervention in Bosnia-Herzegovina didnt stop Serbs there from massacring thousands of Muslims. Early this century, the world did little as 100,000 people were slaughtered in Darfur, Sudan. In 2005, the U.N. adopted a promising doctrine called the responsibility to protect, which held that the international community had a duty to intervene  with diplomacy or, if necessary, collective action to protect populations against atrocities if their own governments will not. But the world failed on that as well in Syria.

Clearly, hatred of the Rohingya in Myanmar is so entrenched, from the citizenry up to the military leadership and Suu Kyi, that only outside intervention may be sufficient to stop the government from wiping out the Rohingya minority. At the very least, the U.S. should restore the economic sanctions it only recently lifted. There are other measures that the U.N. Security Council can and should impose short of military intervention, such as global economic sanctions and an international arms embargo. The government of Myanmar needs to be shown that, this time, the world will not sit idly by as another country tries to ethnically cleanse its population.

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The bizarre standoff at the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, where two people both claim to be the agencys rightful leader, is mostly guerrilla theater. Almost everyone involved knows how the story will turn out in the end. Eventually, President Trump will nominate a new director who will obey his desire to be more accommodating to banks and other lenders.

But its a useful bit of guerrilla theater, especially for Democrats  and most especially for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who came up with the idea for the CFPB more than a decade ago and helped midwife the agency into existence during the Obama administration.

If not for the succession drama launched by Richard Cordray, a Warren ally who was the CFPBs director, the Trump administration might have succeeded in strangling the agency quietly, in the bureaucratic equivalent of a dark alley. Until this week, few Americans even knew what CFPB stood for.

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The noisy struggle over the bureau has become a Washington morality play. (Which character stands for vice and which for virtue depends, naturally, on which side youre on.)

Sometimes in politics, even a losing battle can advance a cause.

Warren and other Democrats hope to use the battle to teach voters a lesson: Donald Trump, who ran for president as a champion of the little guy, is instead governing as a plutocrat, protecting Wall Street, not Main Street.

Republicans, meanwhile, hope to turn the spectacle of the defiant deputy director, a Democratic holdover, into a story about the evils of bureaucracy run amok.

Heres what happened.

Just before quitting his post to run for governor of Ohio, Cordray announced that he was naming an aide, Leandra English, as deputy director, and said she would become acting director in his absence. Both Cordray and English were appointed by Obama.

Not so fast, said Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, a longtime critic of the agency. (Hes more than a critic, actually; Mulvaney has said hed like to abolish the CFPB entirely.) Within hours, Trump named Mulvaney acting director instead.

On Monday morning, two would-be acting directors both said they were in charge. Mulvaney showed up at the office with a bag of doughnuts. English on Sunday filed a lawsuit to try to claim her seat and headed to Capitol Hill on Monday to meet with Warren and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer.

The legal battle, which hinges on which of two conflicting laws should apply, may take months to sort out. But the real debate over the agencys future will be in public, in Congress and even in the streets.

Inside the CFPB building, near the White House, Mulvaney appeared firmly in charge. He imposed a 30-day freeze on new actions. Anything thats in the pipeline stops, he said.

But in the street outside, Warren was speaking to demonstrators. This agency is out there working hard for American families, she said. Donald Trump is hoping that the press and everyone else will talk about something other than his efforts to kick the legs out from under it.

In fact, the CFPB has been doing a good job of fulfilling its mandate  and thats the problem.

The agency has tormented banks and mortgage lenders that defrauded consumers, forcing them to return almost $12 billion to borrowers. The bureau has blocked abusive debt collection practices, reformed mortgage lending and investigated hundreds of thousands of complaints. It helped force Wells Fargo to agree to a $100-million settlement for saddling customers with accounts they never signed up for and charging them fees. In recent months, it opened new investigations of Wells Fargo, Zillow and other firms and drafted new regulations for the multibillion-dollar payday lending industry.

This record has had banks, their lobbyists and their representatives in Congress howling. The CFPB, they complained, was too aggressive and too independent. The agency was trampling on capitalism, Mulvaney said Monday, an awful example of a bureaucracy that has gone wrong.

And Trump agreed.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, has been a total disaster, he tweeted last week. Financial Institutions have been devastated and unable to properly serve the public. We will bring it back to life!

Theres no evidence that the agencys work has devastated lenders. American banks made record profits last year, and theyre on track to do even better this year. You should all thank me for your bank stocks doing better, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin bragged at an investors conference last spring.

In the short run, Trump is winning this fight. Mulvaney is effectively running the CFPB. His freeze on new actions has the agency at a standstill, which is pretty much what the GOP wanted. And a federal judge on Tuesday denied Englishs request for a temporary restraining order to keep Mulvaney from serving as acting director.

But the budget director cant do two jobs forever. If Trump wants to change the CFPB for the long run, hell need to nominate a new director  but he hasnt.

If Republicans in Congress want to abolish the agency or limit its powers, they can pass a law  but they havent. (The House has passed a bill to curb the CFPBs enforcement powers, but it has stalled in the Senate.)

Warren, who sounds increasingly like a potential candidate for president, says she wants to have those fights, especially over the nomination of a new director. It will be up to Senate Republicans to decide whether they want to put someone in the job who is firmly on the side of big banks, she said.

Her goal is to make sure the battle happens in the light of day, where voters can see it. On that count, at least, shes doing pretty well. Sometimes in politics, even a losing battle can advance a cause.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
Petition drive to repeal California gas tax increase temporarily slows down By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. ( (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)) Paid signature-gatherers for a ballot measure that would repeal gas tax increases may be hard to find on the streets of California this week. Organizers say its not a money issue, adding that they needed to briefly halt paid signature-gathering to catch up on collecting petitions from volunteers. The petition drive has so far collected more than 327,800 verified signatures of the 587,407 needed to qualify the measure for the November ballot, according to Dave Gilliard, the political strategist behind the drive. We knew it was popular but the incredible pace is even faster than we expected so we outran the capacity of our verification operation over the Christmas holiday and told our crew managers to slow down so we could catch up, Gilliard said. We will be back up to speed by the end of this week. The gas tax and vehicle fee increases signed by Gov. Jerry Brown are expected to raise $5.2 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and expanded mass transit. The gas tax jumped from 18 cents to 30 cents per gallon on Nov. 1, and vehicle fees of at least $25 kicked in Jan. 1. The gas tax repeal petition is breaking records for both paid and volunteer signatures and were using the next two weeks to catch up on validation of signatures already received, said Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Councilman and conservative radio talk-show host. As a grass-roots-funded effort we are also continuously raising funds and volunteer support. We are highly confident well qualify this Initiative for the November 2018 ballot. Facebook

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State pot bureau ready to enforce Californias new marijuana laws as license applications flood in By Patrick McGreevy The state has issued 104 licenses for retail stores to sell marijuana for recreational use in California and 239 other applications for those permits are pending, officials said Tuesday. An official with the state Bureau of Cannabis Control added that the agency is prepared to begin taking enforcement action against pot shops that are not properly licensed. The bureaus enforcement team is ready to respond to any complaints it receives and start doing compliance checks and site visits at any time, said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the bureau. Selling marijuana without a license is a crime punishable by up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $500. Those convicted of engaging in any marijuana business activity without a license will also be subject to a civil penalty of up to three times the amount of the license fee for each violation. A new report issued Tuesday indicated the bureau has issued 478 temporary licenses to firms to test, distribute and sell medical and recreational marijuana, which began Jan. 1 after voters approved a legalization initiative, Proposition 64, in 2016. Businesses have received 153 licenses to sell marijuana for medical use. Another 1,458 firms have applied for licenses that are still being processed. The state Department of Food and Agriculture has separately issued 207 licenses to marijuana growers. Facebook

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Two possible instances of discrimination reported after California issues drivers licenses to immigrants here illegally By Jazmine Ulloa The California Research Bureau on Tuesday released its first report on incidents of discrimination under a 2015 state law that has provided drivers licenses for hundreds of thousands of immigrants here illegally. Researchers found no complaints have been made against government agencies tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws. But two possible instances of discrimination were reported in focus group interviews conducted by Drive California, a coalition of advocates studying the impact of the new law. In one case, a woman in Fresno was told her license was not a valid form of identification at a retail store, though it was unclear whether the incident reflected intentional discrimination or simple ignorance of the license marking, the report states. A MoneyGram clerk in another case denied a license holder the ability to cash a check. The same person was later rejected again at a bank. The state Department of Motor Vehicles has issued 960,000 AB 60 drivers licenses as of Nov. 30. The state research bureau produced the report for the Legislature as part of the new law, which declares discrimination against an AB 60 license holder a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Facebook

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California lawmaker proposes requiring panic buttons for hotel workers in response to widespread sexual harassment By Patrick McGreevy More than half of hotel workers surveyed report being sexually harassed at some point. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) Alarmed by a survey indicating sexual harassment of hotel housekeepers is widespread, a California state lawmaker on Tuesday proposed requiring employers to provide panic button devices to their employees so they can summon help if abused by a guest. The bill to be introduced Wednesday by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) would also require individual hotels to impose a three-year ban on guests who engage in harassment on the property. We want to protect our most vulnerable women workers, hotel maids who are going into rooms alone, from sexual harassment, said Muratsuchi, who co-authored the bill with Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward). The legislation signals that concerns over sexual harassment that dominated the state Legislature last year will continue to be an issue for lawmakers as they begin the new legislative year Wednesday. Harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, comedian Louis C.K. and other high-profile men have involved sexual misconduct in hotel rooms. A survey in July by Unite Here Local 1 found that 49% of female hotel workers in Chicago had experienced a guest answering the door naked or exposing himself. The report titled Hands Off, Pants On, found 58% of hotel workers said they had been sexually harassed by a guest. Californias Unite Here Local 11 has been calling for the action proposed in the legislation. It is the intent of this measure to protect hotel employees from violent assault, including sexual assault, and sexual harassment, and to enable those employees to speak out when they experience harassment on the job, said the introduction to the legislation introduced by Muratsuchi. In addition to requiring hotels to provide panic buttons to employees who work alone in rooms, the bill requires hotels to take written complaints from employees and keep them for five years. Any complaint backed by evidence including a statement given under penalty of perjury would result in a guest being banned from a hotel for three years. Hotels would also be required to post a notice on the inside of hotel room doors warning guests about the consequences of sexual harassment. Updated at 4:10 pm to include comment from Assemblyman Muratsuchi. Facebook

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Money, Republican malaise and Tom Steyer: These are the things to watch for in Californias 2018 statewide elections By Seema Mehta Get ready, California. What had been a behind-the-scenes dash for cash closely watched by few other than political observers is about to burst into public view. Voters this year will decide who will succeed Democrat Jerry Brown as the next governor and whether they will send Sen. Dianne Feinstein back to Washington. Before the June 5 primary, candidates will ramp up their campaigns with messages on television and stuffed into mailboxes. Heres a primer on the states two marquee races. Read More Facebook

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Fickle L.A. County is pivotal in the race for California governor By Phil Willon Home to a quarter of Californias 5.2 million registered voters, Los Angeles County is the biggest prize in Californias 2018 race for governor. For two hometown Democratic candidates especially  former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang of Torrance  doing well in L.A. County is essential if they hope to best the front-runner, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yet this overwhelmingly Democratic stronghold continually bedevils even the most adept campaigns. Read More Facebook

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A renewed brawl over single-payer healthcare in California is on deck for 2018 By Melanie Mason Carolyn Angela Chen, a registered nurse, gives a free hepatitis A vaccination to Glenn Gardner, 52, at Joshua House Clinic (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) California officials are bracing for healthcare battles in Washington to have a major impact on the states budget and programs. Activists and politicians are planning a showdown over whether or not to establish a single-payer healthcare system in the state. And prescription drug manufacturers are the target of a number of bills meant to target the rising costs of medication. Sound familiar? Turns out the brewing healthcare battles in California in 2018 arent all that different from those from 2017. Heres a primer on the upcoming healthcare agenda in California: Read More Facebook

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How California lawmakers plan to protect the online privacy of consumers in 2018 By Jazmine Ulloa (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) With federal regulation rollbacks and a rise in data breaches, California lawmakers this year are looking for ways to protect consumers and their personal information. Some legislation under consideration could give people more notice and control over what data is collected, without having to pay for privacy or better services. Other bills could provide free credit freezes for consumers and require new privacy features for products that connect to the internet. Read More Facebook

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2018 will see California motorists pay more to the state to repair roads and bridges By Patrick McGreevy The new year brings with it new vehicle fees in California ranging from $25 to $175 depending on the value of your car, but Republican lawmakers are hoping to qualify a ballot measure in November to repeal the higher charges. The fees and a 12-cent increase in Californias gas tax last year are part of a plan by Democrats to raise more than $5.2 billion annually to deal with a backlog of road and bridge repairs. Petitions to qualify a repeal initiative are circulating now. Read More Facebook

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A rent control battle tops the list of California housing issues to watch in 2018 By Liam Dillon A new-home community in Anaheim in 2016 (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) California lawmakers arent wasting any time in tackling one of the most contentious issues in state housing politics this year. On Jan. 11, the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee is set to hold a hearing on legislation that could lead to a dramatic expansion of rent control policies across the state. The debate over rent control could spill over onto the 2018 ballot, where Californians also could see proposals to expand or curtail the property tax restrictions ushered in 40 years ago by Proposition 13. Lawmakers will have to wrestle with how to follow up a package of housing bills that passed last year. The measures provided new funding and regulations designed to encourage homebuilding, but are unlikely to make an appreciable difference in housing costs. Read More Facebook

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Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas is resigning By John Myers Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas abruptly announced his resignation from the California Legislature on Wednesday, citing health reasons. Ridley-Thomas, a Democrat from Los Angeles, informed Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) Tuesday night. The reason for this difficult decision is that I am facing persistent health issues, Ridley-Thomas, 30, said in a written statement on Wednesday. On December 18th, I underwent surgery for the fifth time this year. Although I expect a full recovery, my physicians advise that I will need an extended period of time to recuperate. Earlier this year, Ridley-Thomas was absent from work for more than two weeks. Staff members initially said the absence was a personal leave, then said the time off was due to unspecified medical reasons. His resignation letter on Wednesday offered no additional details. When I resume public life, I intend to remain active in civic affairs, where my passion lies, he said in the statement released by his office. Ridley-Thomas was first elected to the Assembly in a 2013 special election. He is the son of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. Before winning elected office at age 26, the younger Ridley-Thomas worked as an aide for Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price and managed a 2012 Assembly campaign in San Bernardino County. In a statement about his sons decision, Mark Ridley-Thomas said he and his wife more than anyone, have seen him struggle with health challenges this year, and we fully support his decision to step down from the state Legislature so that he can recuperate with complete rest, in accordance with his doctors orders. His solidly Democratic district includes the west Los Angeles neighborhoods of Westwood, Culver City, Crenshaw and Baldwin Hills. He is chairman of the influential Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, which oversees all tax-related legislation. Ridley-Thomas is a proponent of changes in the operation of the state Board of Equalization, though his plan would have allowed the agency to ultimately retain many of its duties. A more substantial shake-up was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in June. Ridley-Thomas was the author of a bill signed into law in October giving the Los Angeles Unified School District the power to preserve some of its existing single-gender schools. He was unsuccessful, though, in an effort to stop local governments from imposing taxes on streaming video services like Netflix and Hulu. Ridley-Thomas departure will require a special election in 2018. He is the fourth Southern California legislator to leave office this year. The election of Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) to Congress also required a special election. The other two lawmakers Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) and Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills)  stepped down in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct, which both men have denied. A special election to fill Bocanegras seat will be held on April 3, with a potential runoff on June 5. A special election date has not yet been set for Dababnehs seat. My colleagues and I wish Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas all the best going forward as he deals with his health challenges, Rendon said in a statement. The Assembly will continue to assist the residents of the 54th Assembly District until a new assemblymember is seated. This post was updated with comment from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, as well as more information about special elections. It was originally published at 11:10 a.m. Facebook

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California Senate Democrats are considering some ideas to counter the GOP tax plan By Liam Dillon Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Democrats in the California Senate are planning to write legislation to lessen the effects of the elimination of popular tax breaks in the GOPs overhaul of the federal tax system. To finance broad-based corporate tax cuts and reductions in individual tax rates, the GOP plan caps the deductibility of state and local income and property taxes  a benefit used often in suburban areas of California. The Republican tax scam disproportionately harms California taxpayers, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) said in a statement. Our hard-earned tax dollars should not be subject to double-taxation, especially not to line the pockets of the Trump family, hedge fund managers and private jet owners. De Leon, who also is running for U.S. Senate, said the state Senate is working with law professors at UCLA, UC Davis and the University of Chicago to develop the legislation. Ideas being considered, according to a de Leon spokesman, include: Reducing state personal income taxes through a tax credit program and offsetting that amount through payroll taxes.

Allowing individuals to make voluntary gifts to the state of California, which would be deductible as a charitable donation under federal law. The deduction for the donated amount would replace the state and local tax deduction. Lawmakers return to Sacramento in January.

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L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti admits considering a 2020 bid: I am thinking about this By Seema Mehta Eric Garcetti (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Its no secret Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is interested in running for president. When reporters ask about his intentions, he has used all sorts of ways to deflect, typically by saying hes focused on his day job  for the moment. But speaking in Spanish to a Univision reporter this week, Garcetti edged ever closer to the telltale admission hes actually considering it. I am thinking about this, said Garcetti, who is partly of Mexican heritage but learned Spanish attending private school. The majority of time goes to my work as mayor of Los Angeles, but every [citizen] should think about what our role is in these difficult times, in these dangerous times. Garcetti added that he expects many mayors to run for president, and noted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently visited Iowa, which holds the first presidential nominating contest. Garcetti has long been rumored to be flirting with a White House bid, and he has fueled such speculation by traveling out of state to places such as the early presidential primary state of New Hampshire to campaign for a mayoral candidate. Facebook

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Gov. Brown makes judicial appointments, including attorney who helps train Legislature on anti-sexual-harassment policies .@JerryBrownGov makes two court of appeal and 33 superior court appointments including Lauri Damrell in Sacramento. Damrell, an attorney at Orrick, testified at the Assemblys recent hearing on sexual harassment, outlining the assemblys current prevention efforts.  Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) December 22, 2017 Facebook

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Californias former top cop forms marijuana distribution firm in new age of legalization By Patrick McGreevy Former California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer is going from enforcing laws against marijuana to legally distributing the drug under the states new rules that allow the sale and possession of pot for recreational use. With state-licensed sales of marijuana starting Jan. 1, Lockyer has co-founded a firm, C4 Distro, that will distribute packaged marijuana concentrates and edibles to stores in Los Angeles. He says Californias new regulated system has a chance to be a model for the rest of the country. For me as somebody who was on the law enforcement side for so many years, I saw the inadequacies of the effort to regulate something just by calling it illegal, Lockyer said. I think legalizing will help stabilize and help legitimize this industry and result in better consumer protection and other public benefits. Lockyer, a Democrat who served in the state Assembly and was leader of the state Senate, has co-founded the firm with Eric Spitz, who was chairman and president of the former parent company of the Orange County Register. The businessmen aim to get their products to pot shops in L.A. in late January or early February, Spitz said. Asked if he uses marijuana himself, Lockyer, 76, said, Not in any recent times, but there were college years. He said he sees his involvement in the marijuana industry as a mixture of helping to pay for his kids college tuition and public service to help the new regulations work. This whole industry has to come from the dark side to the light, he said. By focusing on delivery to as many as 700 stores that might open in Los Angeles, C4 Distro hopes to capture a targeted market while other firms distribute statewide. The business has a warehouse in southeast Los Angeles County and is close to applying for a distributors license from the state, Lockyer said. Lockyer served a quarter century in the state Legislature before he was elected as state attorney general in 1999. He left that office in 2007 when he was elected as state treasurer, serving until his retirement from politics in 2015. Before co-leading a group that bought the Register newspaper in 2012, Spitz served as chief financial officer at Narragansett Brewing Company. Spitz left the Registers Freedom Communications in 2016. 2 p.m.: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said Spitz left Freedom Communications in 2015. Facebook

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House passes disaster aid bill with wildfire funding, 18 Californians vote no By Sarah D. Wire (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Eighteen of Californias 53 House members voted no on an $81-billion disaster aid package Thursday, which includes funds for Californias recent wildfires. The 17 Democrats and one Republican voted no on the bill, which passed the House by a 251 to 169 vote. The Senate is not expected to take up the bill until January, when Congress returns from its holiday break. The entire California delegation had recently signed onto a letter asking for the disaster aid. In a speech on the House floor before the vote, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) pleaded with colleagues not to take a political stance on a disaster aid bill. Dont play politics on a vote to give aid to the people of Texas, to the people of Puerto Rico and to the Virgin Islands, to the people of Florida, and to the people of California that are still fighting the fires. Dont play politics on a bill where you hope to maybe stop another. That would be the worst of any politics Ive seen played here, McCarthy said. Here and now, right before Christmas, dont vote against aid for Americans who just lost everything. Several of the Democrats who voted no also voted against the spending bill Thursday, and said that they felt they could not support either because the bills did not include Democratic priorities for the end of the year, including protections for people brought to the country illegally as children. Others said the aid bill doesnt provide enough money for California and doesnt treat Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands fairly in terms of competing for the funds. The 18 representatives voting no were: Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro)

Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles)

Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles)

Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park)

Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana)

Anna Eshoo (D-Menlo Park)

Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles)

Ro Khanna (D-Fremont)

Barbara Lee (D-Oakland)

Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose)

Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove)

Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco)

Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Downey)

Linda Sanchez (D-Whittier)

Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough)

Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin)

Norma Torres (D-Pomona)

Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) Facebook

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Three California House members cross party lines on spending bill to keep government open By Sarah D. Wire Three California House members crossed party lines Thursday on a vote to pass a spending bill that will keep the government open until mid-January. Democratic Reps. Jim Costa of Fresno and Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert joined the majority of Republicans to vote for the bill. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of Alpine joined Democrats to vote against it. The bill, which funds the government through Jan. 19, passed the House 231 to 188, right before representatives left for the holidays. Costa said in a statement that he voted yes because keeping the government open is Congress job, but he called the vote a continuation of the dysfunction in Washington. It further illustrates the damage that results from partisan politics and irresponsible leadership. It is unacceptable that we have to resort to funding the government for weeks at a time because we cannot sit down together  Democrats and Republicans  and negotiate a real budget bill, Costa said. Hunters staff said the congressman was concerned that military spending in the bill was extended for only a short period. He had wanted the spending to be extended until September. Facebook

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Poll points to all-Democrat runoffs in California races for governor and senator By Seema Mehta Californians could see two Democrat-on-Democrat contests in the states premier races in 2018, according to a new poll released Thursday. In the gubernatorial race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom remains the front-runner with the support of 26% of likely voters in a Berkeley IGS poll. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa came in second with the backing of 17%. The poll found notable demographic differences in the two mens bases of support. Newsom had strong leads in the Bay Area, where he once served as the mayor of San Francisco, as well as among white voters, liberals and the wealthy. Villaraigosa saw strong backing in Los Angeles County, among Latino voters and among those who earned less than $40,000. Republicans splintered in the race, placing businessman John Cox and Assemblyman Travis Allen in a tie for third place with 9% each. Two other Democrats, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, each won the support of 5% of likely voters. If Republicans fail to consolidate behind a candidate in the June primary, voters will for the first time see no GOP candidate on the November ballot for governor. Its a repeat of what occurred in the 2016 U.S. Senate race, and what is likely to occur again in the 2018 U.S. Senate race if the field does not grow. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has the support of 41% of likely voters in her reelection bid, but her rival, fellow Democrat Kevin de Leon, won the support of 27%, according to the poll. There is no GOP candidate in the race. Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, has enormous advantages in fundraising, name recognition and support among powerful political groups. However, the poll found that nearly one-third of likely voters said they are undecided or would like to support another candidate. Facebook

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California legislator wants to curb sexual harassment in Hollywood and eating disorders for models By Melanie Mason Fashion models show off the BCBG MAX AZRIA Spring 2016 collection during New York Fashion Week. (Richard Drew / AP) A new proposal by a California assemblyman is taking aim at two of the more criticized phenomena in the entertainment industry: sexual harassment and unhealthy body standards for fashion models. The legislation, by Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael), would require the states Occupational Safety and Health Standards to adopt guidelines for fashion models in an attempt to combat the prevalence of eating disorders and excessive thinness in the industry. This is the second time Levine has tried to take on the fashion industry. His similar bill to impose standards on models sputtered in 2016. This time, Levine also is trying to address the prevalence of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry by requiring that talent agencies  which represent actors, performers and other artists  provide training on sexual harassment and how to identify and prevent inappropriate behavior. I believed women who told me their stories of abuse when I introduced legislation to provide workplace protections in the fashion industry in 2016 just like I believe them now, Levine said in a statement. Its time that law reflects societys rejection of sexual harassment in all workplaces, including Hollywood. My bill aims to address the problem before it starts, but also empowers survivors with the tools to report these cases. Facebook

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Local Indivisible group picks Democrat to endorse against Rep. Duncan Hunter By Christine Mai-Duc Ammar Campa-Najjar, 28, is running against Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine). (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) With an already crowded field of contenders hoping to unseat Rep. Duncan Hunter and months to go before the candidate filing deadline, one local activist group has made an early endorsement in the race. Indivisible CA50, made up of activists mostly in San Diego County, announced Thursday that its endorsing Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democrat and public affairs consultant whos challenging Hunter. The endorsement comes as liberal activists and interest groups all over the state are grappling with whether  and how  to winnow down the dozens of candidates vying for 10 GOP-held seats in California. The group held more than half a dozen endorsement meetings to allow members throughout Hunters district to vote on their preferred candidate. One of the candidates, Pierre Beauregard, dropped out of the race recently and endorsed Campa-Najjar. In a statement Campa-Najjar said in a statement that the nod represents the enthusiasm of hundreds of progressive grassroots activists. Indivisibles national political director Maria Urbina said the endorsement was the first made by any California chapter in the 2018 midterms. Aside from Campa-Najjar, two other Democrats are running for Hunters seat: Josh Butner, a school board trustee and former Navy SEAL, and realtor Patrick Malloy, who ran last year and lost to Hunter by nearly 27 percentage points. Hunter will also face at least two GOP challengers: Shamus Sayed and Andrew Zelt. Hunter is not considered to be particularly vulnerable in next years election, but an investigation into his alleged misuse of campaign funds has caused at least one election handicapper to move his race from solid Republican to the likely Republican column. Facebook

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San Francisco is getting a new mayor and creating a political star. Who will it be? By Mark Z. Barabak San Francisco is the city everyone loves, even if they hate it. The stately Victorians, like a gingerbread dream come to life. The majestic Golden Gate Bridge, standing like heavens portal above the fog. The plucky cable cars, scrabbling up its impossible hillsides. It can almost make you forget the bands of ravaged homeless, the paralyzing traffic, the scent of human waste wafting from sidewalks outside the citys posh eateries and palatial tech headquarters. San Francisco is getting a new mayor, owing to the sudden death of incumbent Ed Lee. All of the grandeur, and all of the grit, accompany the position. To say the race is wide open  Lee having died just about a week ago  is an understatement. Read More Facebook

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein is under pressure over a fix for Dreamers By Sarah D. Wire California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is under pressure from activists and fellow Democrats to withhold support for a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown in exchange for protections for people brought to the country illegally as children. Feinstein said in October that protections for so-called Dreamers are the most important thing we can get done, but the senator known for her moderate bent said this week that she wont try to block the end-of-the-year spending bill over it, and has not offered an explanation. Dreamers this week flooded Feinsteins five California offices and her office on Capitol Hill. Two UCLA students refused to leave her Capitol Hill office after three hours Tuesday and were briefly detained by police. On Wednesday, about a dozen students and parents returned and were asked to leave after about 30 minutes of shouting in her office lobby. Read More Facebook

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The GOP tax plan passed. Now Democrats have another big issue to use in the midterms By Sarah D. Wire As GOP leaders in Congress met behind closed doors to hash out the details of their massive tax overhaul, a group of UC Irvine graduate students met in Rep. Mimi Walters district, fretting about how the plan could cost them money. About 20 miles north, dozens of activists in top hats stood outside Rep. Ed Royces Brea office as they chanted, Shame on you! And up in the Central Valley, protesters gathered outside Rep. Jeff Denhams Modesto office to sing Protest ye dreary congressman  Remember that he voted to take healthcare away. To save himself from taxes now, so you will have to pay. Read More Facebook

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Kevin de Leon to Feinstein: Dont come back to California without forcing a government shutdown over Dream Act By Jazmine Ulloa State Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), left, and Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), right. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) Taking direct criticism to the woman he is attempting to unseat in next years U.S. Senate race, California Senate leader Kevin de Leon on Wednesday urged Democrats to block a year-end spending bill as leverage to pass a Dream Act  clean of GOP demands for increased border security. At a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, De Leon commended Sen. Kamala Harris for pledging to block the measure, saying he could not understand why her colleague Sen. Dianne Feinstein had failed to take a similar stance in pushing for legislation to protect the so-called Dreamers, immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. Dreamers make up hundreds of thousands of Sen. Feinsteins constituents, and while talking a good game on Dreamers, when it comes to standing up and supporting them, she is AWOL, said De Leon (D-Los Angeles), who has attempted to position himself to Feinsteins left as he campaigns for her seat. His statements follow days of demonstrations by young protesters at legislators offices in Washington and California. The coalitions of activists have been calling on Democrats to hold up the spending bill, a move that could force a government shutdown. They want to pass Dream Act legislation that would provide protections and a path to citizenship to young people without legal residency in the U.S. At least two young protesters were arrested Tuesday outside of Feinsteins Capitol Hill office, and more demonstrations took place at her offices in Washington and San Francisco on Wednesday. Feinstein, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) have sponsored Dream Act legislation but have not pledged to hold up the spending deal. A separate bipartisan group of senators is advocating punting the issue to January. President Trump has asked Congress to come up with a solution by March. Standing next to De Leon and immigrant rights advocates on Wednesday, state Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said advocates had to double down the shame on any Democrat who thinks its time to wait on the issue. De Leon said they had made that message clear to Schumer, saying, It is time to find your spine, sir. To Pelosi and Feinstein, he said: Dont come back to California if you havent demonstrated your leadership and your courage to stand up for these young men and women. I can tell you this, De Leon said. If the Republicans were on the other side, they wouldnt hesitate for a nanosecond to shut down the government to move forward what they believe in. Facebook

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12 California Republicans vote to support tax overhaul for a second time; Rohrabacher and Issa say no By Sarah D. Wire The House gave final approval for the GOP tax bill Wednesday, with 12 Republicans in the state delegation again voting in favor of the bill. Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Darrell Issa of Vista voted no. The House and Senate both passed the bill Tuesday, but, because Democrats raised procedural objections that forced the bill to be changed in the Senate, the House had to vote on the bill again Wednesday before sending it to President Trump for his signature. Though many California taxpayers are expected to see an initial income tax cut under the plan, a significant number probably will have higher taxes because of the lost deductions. Analysts also expect the biggest cuts to flow to corporations and the states wealthiest residents. Republicans are expected to head to the White House later Wednesday for a celebration with Trump. No House Democrats, including the 39 from California, supported the bill. Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) was not present for the second vote, but she voted no on Tuesday. See the Republican votes here: Facebook

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Californias Democratic senators vote no on GOP tax bill Californias @SenKamalaHarris and @SenFeinstein join rest of Democrats in the Senate in voting no on the GOP tax bill, which passed 51-48 along party lines. Sanders, who is an Independent, voted with Democrats.  Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 "At a time when wages have stagnated and working Americans are trying to do more with less, this tax plan pulls the rug out from the middle class to give billions to those who already have so much. This is an attack on our values, and Americans deserve better," Harris said.  Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 "Californians will be hit especially hard by the cap on the state and local tax deduction, making it more difficult for communities to pay for services that our families rely on, Its no wonder a bill that primarily benefits the wealthy is so unpopular..." Feinstein said  Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 20, 2017 Facebook

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GOP tax overhaul passes House with help from a dozen California Republicans By Sarah D. Wire Despite weeks of consternation from some California House Republicans, a dozen of them joined their colleagues to pass an overhaul of the U.S. tax code Tuesday. Two  Reps. Darrell Issa and Dana Rohrabacher  voted against the plan. In the weeks before the vote, Republican Reps. Mimi Walters of Irvine and Steve Knight of Palmdale cited new caps on popular deductions as reasons they were uncertain about whether to vote for the bill. Both worked behind the scenes on changes and ultimately supported the bill, which passed the House on a near party line vote 227-203. Knight said hes satisfied the changes are enough to to turn what would have been a tax increase into a tax cut for his constituents. Read More Facebook

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More than half of Californians oppose GOP tax bill, according to new poll By Sarah D. Wire House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) arrives for a news conference about the tax plan. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) More than half of Californians oppose the GOP tax bill expected to be approved by Congress today, and just 20% believe it will have a positive affect on their families, according to a poll released Monday. Just over half of California voters, 51%, oppose the tax bill, and 30% support it, according to the newest IGS Poll, a survey by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley. And the belief falls largely along party lines, with Democrats opposing the bill by a more than 4-to-1 (67% to 15%) margin and Republicans supporting it 3 to 1 (60% to 21%). The House and Senate are expected to vote on the tax bill Tuesday. Californias Republican members of Congress largely support the bill despite some concerns about how cuts to the state and local tax deduction and mortgage interest deduction might affect Californians. Democrats in the delegation oppose it and have said they will use the vote against vulnerable Republicans in the 2018 midterm elections. When asked about the impact they think the bill will have on themselves and their families, just 20% of the polls respondents said they think it will benefit them directly, while 40% foresee a negative impact. About 27% do not expect much of an impact, and 13% said they dont know if theyll be affected. The poll of a random sample of 1,000 registered voters was completed by telephone in English and Spanish from Dec. 7 to 16. Facebook

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A quick look at some of the biggest tax changes for Californians By Sarah D. Wire (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) Congressional Republicans are framing their tax cut bill as a Christmas gift that will give Americans an average tax cut of $2,059. For Californians, especially in the wealthier areas along the coast, the situation isnt as clear-cut. When the measure comes up for a vote in the House on Tuesday morning, its expected to pass along party lines. At least two Republicans say they will join Democrats in the California delegation to oppose the plan because they fear it will hurt their constituents bottom line. Take a quick look at what some of the biggest changes in the tax bill might mean for average Californians. Read More Facebook

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Lawmakers, pot growers say Californias marijuana cultivation rules favor big corporate farms By Patrick McGreevy Californias new rules allowing marijuana cultivation favor large corporate farms despite a promise in Proposition 64 that small growers would be protected, according to a group of state lawmakers and marijuana industry leaders who called Monday for the policy to be changed. The California Department of Food and Agriculture issued emergency rules last month that allow for small and medium-sized farms of up to a quarter acre and one acre, respectively, to get licenses for the first five years. That five-year head start for small farms was promised in Proposition 64, the initiative approved last year by voters that legalized growing and selling marijuana for recreational use. Individuals and businesses can get only one license for a medium-sized farm, but the new rules do not set a limit on how many small-farm licenses can be obtained by one person or business. That could allow a corporation to assemble a 20-acre farm by obtaining 80 licenses for a quarter-acre each, opponents worry. Democratic state Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Mike McGuire of Healdsburg, Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) and the California Growers Assn. asked for swift action by the state agricultural department to change the rule. This is clearly a broken promise, McGuire said. For two years, every discussion has included a cap on cannabis grows and the Department of Food and Agriculture needs to fix this massive loophole they have created. This last-minute revision rolls out the red carpet for large corporations to crush the livelihood of small family farmers. With cultivation licenses set to take effect next month, the lawmakers also promised legislative hearings on why the rules were drafted to disadvantage small, mom-and-pop farms. California only has one chance to get this right, and it is already on the wrong path with this last-minute change that flies in the face of what the backers of Prop. 64 promised, said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Assn. This single decision will hand over the California marketplace to multinational corporations and a wealthy few at the expense of thousands of growers who are ready to play by the rules and provide economic opportunity in communities that until recently were criminalized or  at the very least  marginalized. The industry estimates there are about 3,500 independent growers on track to get a state license in the first half of 2018. Allens group estimates that number could grow to as many as 10,000 or 15,000 by the end of 2020, but not if large corporate farms are allowed in early. The agricultural agency issued a response later: A one-acre canopy limit has not been in proposed regulations at any point and was not included in the emergency regulations due to the fact that Proposition 64, the law guiding the process, did not provide authority to include it. However, local jurisdictions may impose that limitation on their own if it meets the needs of their constituents. Updated at 5:10 pm to include comment from agricultural agency. Facebook

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Final tax bill dramatically softens blow to mortgage interest deductions in California By Christine Mai-Duc Last-minute changes to the Republican-led tax overhaul seem to be tailor-made to entice support from California GOP lawmakers, several of whom voted against a previous version passed in the House last month. The House version, passed with the support of all but three California Republicans, had proposed capping the mortgage interest deduction at loans of $500,000 or less. Republicans in high-tax, expensive states had voiced concerns the bill would have major effects in their districts. But the final version of the bill dramatically slashed the percentage of new mortgages that would be affected if the package becomes law. *New mortgages over $500,000 include data through Sept. 2017. New mortgages over $750,000 include data through Oct. 2017. Source: Times analysis of data provided by CoreLogic The particulars of the mortgage interest provision and other popular deductions were major sticking points as House and Senate negotiators hammered out a compromise between the two versions. A previous Times analysis showed that more than half of new mortgages this year in Rep. Dana Rohrabachers coastal Orange County district exceeded the $500,000 cap laid out in the House version. Text of the new bill released Friday outlined a cap of $750,000, which would apply to just under a quarter of new mortgages there through October 2017. Rohrabacher was one of three California Republicans, along with Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) who previously voted against the measure. Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) said she supported the House version after receiving assurances from leaders that the bill would be changed to account for the loss of deductions, The percentage of new mortgages over the cap dropped from 48% to 14%. Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), whose district had 1% of mortgages exceeding the $500,000 cap proposed previously, saw that share drop almost to zero; 27 of 7,515 mortgages in his congressional district this year have been for more than $750,000. The House is expected to vote on the final tax bill Tuesday. Facebook

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A major change to Proposition 13 takes its first step toward the 2018 ballot By Liam Dillon A commercial property in San Bernardino County that could face higher property taxes under a proposed ballot measure (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) Proponents of making a dramatic change to Californias landmark Proposition 13 property tax restrictions took their first step to getting a measure on the November 2018 statewide ballot Friday. The change would allow the state to receive more tax dollars from commercial and industrial properties by assessing them at their current market value, an effort known as split roll because existing tax protections on homes would remain in place. Advocates of the measure, including the League of Women Voters of California and community organizing nonprofits California Calls and PICO Network said the change could raise billions of dollars that could be spent on public schools and community colleges. I think the cumulative effects of the unfair tax system have gotten to the point where its created crippling economic impacts on the state, said Melissa Breach, executive director of the League of Women Voters of California. Backers filed their proposed initiative Friday. The attorney generals office will prepare an official title and summary for the measure and it will receive a financial analysis. From there, advocates will decide if they will collect signatures to put the measure on the ballot. Proposition 13 passed in 1978 amid concerns that rising property taxes could force people out of their homes. The ballot measure limited property taxes to 1% of a propertys value at the time of purchase and ensures that the assessed value on which taxes are based can only increase by a maximum of 2% a year  no matter how much a propertys market value goes up. Split-roll measures have been long debated in state politics, but business groups and anti-tax groups have expressed substantial opposition to the idea, arguing that it would cause major harm to the states business climate. Breach said she expected an avalanche of big money against the measure should it go forward, but said that her organization wouldnt get involved without believing it could raise sufficient funding.S For the record 1 p.m., Dec. 18: An earlier version of this post said the split roll ballot measure would allow California to charge higher tax rates on commercial and industrial properties. It would allow the state to assess those properties at current market value, not charge higher rates. Facebook

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Three more women accuse California assemblyman of sexual misconduct By Melanie Mason Assemblyman Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills) (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) A Los Angeles woman has filed a police report alleging Democratic Assemblyman Matt Dababneh had sex with her without consent four years ago, adding new allegations of sexual misconduct to those that led the politician to announce his resignation last week. He says her claims are false. Nancy Miret, 26, told The Times that when she was 22 and a recent college graduate, she spent time with Dababneh over two months in late 2013, primarily at his Encino apartment. At the time, Dababneh was running for Assembly to represent the western San Fernando Valley. They had consensual sex on one occasion, but after that, Miret said she had multiple nonconsensual sexual encounters with Dababneh that left her traumatized. Miret, who now works in commercial real estate, is one of three women interviewed by The Times who have made new allegations concerning Dababnehs behavior. These allegations are false and Im confident that when all the facts are in, it will clearly show that these claims are not true, Dababneh told The Times. Read More Facebook

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San Diego business is first in California to be issued license to sell marijuana for recreational use By Patrick McGreevy A San Diego medical marijuana business is the first firm to be issued a license by the state of California to sell marijuana for recreational use, officials said Thursday. Torrey Holistics received two of the first 20 licenses granted by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control this week to sell or distribute marijuana, although the licenses do not take effect until Jan. 1, according to bureau chief Lori Ajax. An additional 180 firms have applied for licenses but they are being processed. Last week, we officially launched our online licensing system, and today were pleased to issue the first group of temporary licenses to cannabis businesses that fall under the Bureaus jurisdiction, Ajax said in a statement. We plan to issue many more before January 1. The bureau is issuing temporary, four-month licenses to firms initially, but will eventually require firms to undergo background checks and pay a $1,000 application fee for yearlong permits. Tony Hall left a chemical distribution business two years ago to start Torrey Holistics with a friend and classmate at San Diego State. He said he was ecstatic to have the first recreational permit in California. He also obtained a new license to continue selling marijuana for medical uses. We feel fricking great about it, he said Thursday. Its just exciting. This is a once in a multi-generational event, he added, likening it to the end of prohibition. Added Ruthie Edelson, the firms marketing director, We will be open at 7 a.m. on Jan. 1. Last year, voters approved Proposition 64, which makes California one of eight states that allow the growing and sale of marijuana for recreational uses. Facebook

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Conservative activist group files a lawsuit over Los Angeles County inactive voter list By John Myers A Washington-based conservative-leaning activist group filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday alleging Los Angeles County officials are refusing to cancel the registrations of voters who are ineligible to cast a ballot. The legal action by Judicial Watch comes four months after the organization first accused elections officials across the state of maintaining registration lists that are larger than their voting-age population. The lawsuit also names Secretary of State Alex Padilla as a defendant and alleges the voter lists violate the National Voter Registration Act, or NVRA. They dont care about removing ineligible registration, said Robert Popper of Judicial Watch. I think we have a very strong lawsuit. The lawsuit names four Los Angeles County voters as co-plaintiffs and asserts that a countys two lists of voters  the file of active voters and those whose registration has been placed on inactive status  should be combined into a single total. The inactive list includes people who havent cast ballots in recent elections and havent responded to inquiries from elections officials. Though the names on that list are considered voters, they are not counted in official registration reports and are not mailed election material. Popper led an effort earlier this year to estimate the size of each countys voting-age population using the Census Bureaus American Community Survey. He said the surveys five-year average of county populations was then adjusted by focusing just on the estimate of those over the age of 18, and then comparing that with the combined active and inactive voter lists. Popper dismissed any concern that the resulting number might be skewed by the different standards used by counties for the inactive list, which could include names of voters who moved or died and thus be an imperfect guide. I believe that a court is going to accept our numbers, he said. Dean Logan, the registrar of voters in Los Angeles County, said his staffs practices are consistent with federal law. This lawsuit appears to fundamentally interpret the requirements of the NVRA in a manner inconsistent with ensuring voter enfranchisement and appropriate list maintenance, he said. The lawsuit also alleges that Los Angeles elections officials failed to provide Judicial Watch with requested data about the size of the inactive list, and accuses Padilla of failing to address the groups concerns about California not following NVRA rules. In a statement on Thursday, Padilla said county inactive-voter files are not out of compliance with the law. He criticized Judicial Watch for its baseless assertions, bad math, and flawed methodology. Local elections officials have said very few inactive voters show up on election day, and that any who do would be asked to cast a provisional ballot  one that isnt counted unless the voters eligibility is confirmed through additional review. Popper insisted that if the list is never used, theres no reason to keep it. Judicial Watch, which sued for access to Hillary Clintons emails in 2016, alleged that its calculations show 11 California counties with questionable voter registration totals. Facebook

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Voters in California GOP districts may get calls asking them to thank their member of Congress for tax plan By Sarah D. Wire Voters in four key Republican-held congressional districts could get a robocall starting Friday urging them to call and thank their member of Congress for supporting the tax bill. Its a last minute effort by American Action Network, a politically active nonprofit connected with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) that has spent millions to shore up Republican support for the bill. The robocalls include the members office number. The four California members being targeted are Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock, David Valadao of Hanford, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Mimi Walters of Irvine. All four represent districts that backed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and are Democratic targets in 2018. Knight and Walters had been particularly vocal about their concerns with the plan, saying it might raise taxes for their constituents. The final text of the bill is set to be released Friday, with a vote expected early next week. In total, American Action Network plans to place 1 million robocalls in 29 districts nationwide. Facebook

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Merry Christmas Republicans in Congress: Funny or Die video goes after California lawmakers over DACA By Christine Mai-Duc As members of Congress try to pass a controversial tax bill and a measure to keep the federal government funded, the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is hitting Republicans hard over another unresolved issue: the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children who could face deportation if lawmakers dont act. Amid negotiations over a long-term spending bill, Democratic leaders have been pushing their GOP colleagues to include a fix for those who were granted temporary protection under President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA. President Trump announced an end to the program earlier this year and gave Congress a March deadline to address it. Funny or Die and BOLD PAC released a video Friday featuring comedians skewering GOP members, including two in California, for their inaction. In the video, Oscar Nunez, best known for his role on The Office, calls out Reps. Steve Knight (Palmdale), Ed Royce (Fullerton), Carlos Curbelo (Florida) and John Culberson (Texas), who get to go ahead and celebrate as thousands of Dreamers are banished from the only country theyve ever called home. How many broken promises can fit in a stocking? Nunez asks later. Im asking for a congressman. The political action committee says its spending six figures on the weeklong buy, which will go out nationwide across Funny Or Dies social media channels. They are known for blasting out irreverent, often viral parodies that play to young audiences. The video will also be targeted to constituents in each of the four congressional districts. A separate video released by the ACLU last week also urged members of Congress to strike a deal on DACA. Many California Republicans have remained mum on the issue, particularly those facing tough races in 2018. So far, only Reps. David Valadao (Hanford), Jeff Denham (Turlock) and Mimi Walters (Irvine) have pressured fellow Republicans to come up with a solution before Congress breaks for Christmas. Following Trumps decision, Knight said the issue should receive attention by Congress. Royce, who has taken hard-line stances on immigration in the past, urged his colleagues to provide a permanent, legislative solution that gives certainty to these kids. Neither elaborated on what that solution should be. Facebook

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For a prominent California consumer group and savvy political consultants, documents reveal a close financial relationship By John Myers If theres a clear mantra for Consumer Watchdog, one of Californias most visible and vocal advocacy groups, its that hidden financial relationships shouldnt shape politics and public policy. The Santa Monica-based nonprofit has spent more than three decades reprimanding politicians and interest groups for doing the bidding of those who give them money. Its official motto is expose, confront, change. We are loud, and we speak more of a populist truth than the way people usually talk to each other in Sacramento, said Jamie Court, Consumer Watchdogs president. Read More Facebook

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Regional director resigns from California Democratic Party amid sexual misconduct claims By Jazmine Ulloa A regional director with the California Democratic Party submitted his resignation on Thursday, nearly two weeks after a 23-year-old woman reported that he sexually assaulted her last year, spurring party leaders to seek his ouster. Craig Cheslog served as Region 2 director spanning the East Bay, Napa, Sonoma and the Clearlake areas. In a statement, his lawyer, Mary P. Carey, said she and her client were confident that a full and fair exploration of this matter, undertaken in an appropriate, fact-governed venue, would exonerate Mr. Cheslog. We are prepared, if necessary, to put forward the facts of this matter in just such a venue, she said. Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman and other officials initially called for Cheslogs removal in a Nov. 29 letter to state party secretary Jenny Bach. They said he was seen acting in an inappropriate and sexually aggressive manner toward a member of the party in a public area of the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel, following a Nov. 18 executive board meeting. The level to which this activity advanced made a number of those in attendance uncomfortable, the letter stated. It added that another member reported that Mr. Cheslog raped her at a CDP executive board meeting the previous year. Party officers said the incident occurred during a weekend where the prevention of sexual harassment of women in politics was a dominant theme in the wake of the #metoo movement. Before the meetings conclusion on Sunday, the California Womens Caucus approved a resolution making clear that sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of abuse are grounds to lose endorsements and be stripped of party membership. Maddy Dean, who was not named in the letter, spoke at the meeting about her experiences of sexual harassment in the movie industry, and told the Times that she reported Cheslog. She said she could not provide further details about her allegation as she explores possible legal paths moving forward. This was about protecting other women and in particular other young women, she said of reporting the assault. In his own letter to Bach on Thursday, Cheslog did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. He said he was stepping down to prevent any personal misconduct allegations from creating a distraction with the party at a critical moment in national and state politics. I am confident of the results that would be forthcoming in a fair, fact-based exploration of this matter, he said. Since the report, Cheslog has been fired from his job at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that helps families navigate media and technology. He also has stepped down from his position on the Acalanes Union High School District Board of Trustees. The conduct represented a serious violation of both company policy and the way in which our employees are expected to conduct themselves in the community at large, Common Sense spokeswoman Corbie Kiernan said in a statement. We immediately suspended Mr. Cheslog and conducted an investigation. As a result of the investigation, Mr. Cheslogs employment with Common Sense was terminated. 4:05 p.m.: This post was updated with Cheslogs resignation from the school board. Facebook

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Sen. Bob Hertzberg will cooperate with investigation into unwanted hugs By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Bob Hertzberg works at his Senate Chambers desk. He faces an investigation into unwanted hugging (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) said Thursday he will cooperate with a state investigation into complaints from a former legislator that she was uncomfortable with his repeated hugs after she asked him not to touch her. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon said Thursday that a team of outside attorneys will investigate a complaint by former Assemblywoman Linda Halderman that Hertzberg has made her uncomfortable with hugs that were too close and lasted too long. Hertzberg, well-known for hugging other lawmakers, said he supports having any allegations investigated by the two outside law firms. I just learned of the investigation, and will fully cooperate, he said. The use of an independent third party investigator is essential to improving transparency and trust in the system. Halderman said Thursday she was encouraged that her concerns will be investigated, but said it was disturbing  that attorneys for one of the law firms selected, Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, contributed more than $90,000 in campaign funds to sitting legislators including Hertzberg. Halderman, a surgeon, served in the state Assembly from 2010 through 2012 and said Hertzberg hugged her multiple times even after she asked him to stop because she was uncomfortable. The last incident occurred in a hallway of the Capitol, she claimed. I told him I dont care to be hugged. Dont touch me,  Halderman recalled. He then grabbed me and pinned my arms to my side and used his hands to press my lower back into his groin and he essentially pinned me so I couldnt push off of him to get away the way I ended previous hugs. It was certainly so over the line, she added. Halderman said a current female senator and assemblywoman also have complained about inappropriate hugs from Hertzberg. However, Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) defended Hertzberg, saying she has known him for many years and he has always acted as a gentleman. I have never felt uncomfortable with him, and have always felt his hugs were a display of affection - which I appreciate, she said. I consider him a dear friend. Updated at 5:30 pm to include comment from Sen. Galgiani. Facebook

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Rep. Maxine Waters asks Justice Department to investigate fake letter tweeted by Republican opponent By Sarah D. Wire (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Rep. Maxine Waters is asking the Justice Department to look into a fake letter posted to Twitter by her Republican challenger that falsely indicated the congresswoman wants to resettle tens of thousand of refugees in her Los Angeles district. The GOP candidate, Omar Navarro, posted the letter on what looks like official House of Representatives letterhead to Twitter on Monday. The letter, which purports to be from the congresswoman, says the congresswoman wants to bring refugees to her congressional district after the 2018 election and perhaps even once I have secured the Speaker of the House position. Navarro accompanied the tweeted letter with a message: According to this document, Maxine Waters wants more terrorists, like the one who bombed NYC, in Californias 43rd District. As Congressman of CAs 43rd District, I will oppose such policies. Its been retweeted more than 680 times. But the letter is a forgery and a fake, her chief of staff, Twaun Samuel, said in a news release. The letter, dated June of this year, also contains several inaccuracies. It references multiple committees and subcommittees Waters does not serve on, and lists an address for a district office that has been closed for nearly a decade. Waters filed a complaint about the tweeted letter with the House general counsel, who forwarded the complaint to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and the fraud section of the Criminal Division for the United States Department of Justice. The complaint states that Waters has not communicated with the letters purported addressee  Teri Williams, who is president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles-based OneUnited Bank, about any refugee resettlement program. Impersonating a federal official and misusing a federal seal are federal crimes. Navarro, who is backed by big name far-right conservatives, said Thursday that the letter was sent to his campaign through Facebook by a person he didnt know. He said neither the Justice Department or Waters staff has asked him about the letter. I dont know if its real or not, so I put it out there, Navarro said, adding that he believed his followers would help him determine if it is real. It doesnt say that I know. Its according to this document  what, am I supposed to send it to her and get an email back from Maxine? According to this document, Maxine Waters wants more terrorists, like the one who bombed NYC, in Californias 43rd District.

As Congressman of CAs 43rd District, I will oppose such policies. #VoteNavarro2018https://t.co/vO8YUsyPp3 pic.twitter.com/k7ef0H20if  Omar Navarro (@RealOmarNavarro) December 11, 2017 Facebook

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Sen. Tony Mendoza refuses to take a leave of absence amid harassment probe By Patrick McGreevy Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), left, talks earlier this year about a pending bill with Sen. Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado Hills). (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Defying pressure from legislative leadership, state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) refused Thursday to take a leave of absence until an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against him is concluded early next year. Mendoza has denied allegations by former employees that he treated three female aides inappropriately, inviting them to hotel stays and asking one to visit his home to work on her resume. I am very disappointed that certain Senate Rules Committee members are apparently asking me to take a leave of absence or resign before any investigation has even begun and without giving me an opportunity to defend myself, Mendoza said in a statement. This is contrary to the very concept of due process, which is a pillar of our American system of fairness and judicial prudence. These actions bypass any process in a rush to judgment. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) earlier Thursday called on Mendoza to take a leave of absence. Mendoza had previously been stripped of his leadership positions, including chairmanship of the Senates committee on banking and insurance. Mendoza questioned statements urging him to step down, saying they leave him concerned about the fairness of the investigation. He also said he has been disappointed that he has been told he cannot publicly address allegations. I was not appointed to the position I hold, but was elected by the voters in my district, he said. I am grateful to the voters in my district and thank them for their trust and their continued support. The Senate owes them an opportunity to hear the truth. I assure them that I will vigorously defend myself to clear my name. Facebook

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State Senate leader asks Sen. Tony Mendoza to take leave of absence amid sexual harassment investigation By Patrick McGreevy (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State Senate leader Kevin de Leon said Thursday he has strongly suggested that Sen. Tony Mendoza take a leave of absence until the completion of an investigation by outside attorneys into allegations that Mendoza sexually harassed three former aides. Given the severity of the allegations against Senator Mendoza I do not believe he can perform the duties in Sacramento right now while the investigation is being conducted, De Leon told a packed news conference in his Capitol office. I believe Its the right thing to do, its the fair thing to do, to take a leave, he said. The Senate leader also said the outside attorneys have been asked to investigate complaints by former Assemblywoman Linda Halderman that Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) inappropriately hugged her on multiple occasions in a way that made her uncomfortable, even after she asked him to stop. De Leon also announced the hiring of two law firms to handle the Mendoza and Hertzberg investigations, and all future probes of harassment and abuse involving Senate employees. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, did not immediately respond to the request to step aside. De Leon, a Democrat from Los Angeles who had been Mendozas roommate before the allegations were made public, said he made the suggestion to Mendoza in a meeting Thursday morning. If Mendoza refuses to take a leave, the Senate has the power to suspend him without pay, but De Leon said that is not currently under discussion. There is an effort underway to force his expulsion in January when the Legislature returns to Sacramento. Former Mendoza employees have claimed that he gave inappropriate attention to a female fellow and intern, inviting one to his home and hotel and giving the other alcohol in a hotel even though she was underage. Another former female aide told the Sacramento Bee that Mendoza invited her to one-on-one dinners and a weekend at Pebble Beach. Mendoza has denied the allegations. The Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher and Van Dermyden Maddux law firms have been retained for two years, according to Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), who participated in their selection. Have you experienced sexual harassment in government or politics? Tell us your story   In addition, the state is contracting with Weave, a Sacramento crisis-intervention organization for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, to provide counseling and to establish a hotline for Senate employees who are victims of sexual assault. The hotline number is 1-800-729-1443. America is finally reckoning with entrenched inequities in our personal and professional relationships and in workplaces of every type, De Leon said. Nowhere is this reckoning more important than in the halls of power  our political institutions. Facebook

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Watch live: California Senate leader addresses sexual misconduct at state Capitol Facebook

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California state senator pledges to bring back net neutrality rules just as FCC votes to repeal them By Jazmine Ulloa Demonstrators rally in support of net neutrality outside a Verizon store in New York on Dec. 7. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Moments after the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to roll back net neutrality regulations, a state senator pledged to introduce legislation that would preserve open internet protections for consumers in California. Net neutrality is essential to our 21st century democracy, and we need to be sure that people can access websites and information freely and fairly, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement. If the FCC is going to destroy net neutrality and create a system that favors certain websites just because they can pay more money, California must step in and ensure open internet access. The announcement of the proposal came shortly after the FCC voted to repeal net neutrality in an expected 3-2 party-line vote, with Republicans calling for an end to the utility-like oversight of internet service providers. The Obama-era rules put in February 2015 barred broadband and wireless companies, such at AT&T Inc., Charter Communications Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. from selling faster delivery of certain data, slowing speeds for certain video streams and other content, and discriminating against legal material online. Before the vote, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai argued loosening the regulations would allow the online economy to flourish. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the the two Democrats on the commission, said the rollback would inhibit the openness that has made the U.S. internet the envy of the world. Supporters of net neutrality are expected to file suit to try to halt the repeal plan. Weiners attempt to institute net neutrality rules in California could have challenges. The FCC order states that allowing state and local governments to adopt their own separate requirements, which could impose a heavier burden on companies, could disrupt the balance between state and federal regulations. The preemption of state and local net neutrality measures is something that could be challenged in court. Amid such legal battles state legislation could face heavy lobbying efforts from internet providers arguing against uneven regulations. A bill by Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) was shelved last legislative session over similar disputes. It would have enshrined in state law other FCC regulations that were rolled back this year by President Trump and Congress. The Internet privacy rules limited what broadband providers can do with their customers data. The bills defeat capped a behind-the-scenes battle that pitted telecom companies against state internet service providers and brought other bills to a halt in the state Senate as negotiations unfolded over legislation that would have had national significance. UPDATES 7:57 a.m.: This post was updated with additional information about the potential legal case. LA Times reporter Jim Puzzanghera contributed to this report. Facebook

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L.A. County sheriffs office failed to follow policy for issuing concealed weapon permits, audit says By Patrick McGreevy Handguns are displayed at the Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas in 2016. ( (John Locher / Associated Press)) The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has repeatedly failed to follow its own rules for issuing concealed weapon permits, the state auditor concluded in a report released Thursday. L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell disputed some of the key findings of the audit, saying state officials misinterpreted the policy. The department policy requires applicants to provide convincing evidence of a clear and present danger to life or of great bodily harm to get a license, but the audit found the department issued 24 licenses during the last few years without sufficient evidence. Most of the 197 active licenses in L.A. County as of August went to current or former law enforcement officers, judges and prosecutors, the audit found. The lieutenant in charge of reviewing applications told auditors that people in law enforcement satisfy the departments requirements by the nature of their jobs. However, making that decision based solely on the applicants profession both directly contradicts Los Angeless written policy  which specifically states that no position or job classification in itself shall constitute good cause for issuance  and has led the department to treat applicants inequitably based on their occupations, the audit says. McDonnell said the audit identified some legitimate issues, and the department has added a checklist to the application process in order to show requirements have been met. But he disagreed on the reports sweeping conclusion that the department consistently failed to follow its own policies. The LASD policy simply requires that the applicant provide convincing evidence that his or her life or physical safety is threatened, the sheriff said. He said the policy does not require additional documentation of that evidence if sufficient information is provided in the application. Auditors also concluded that Sacramento County issued some licenses without proper documentation and that San Diego Countys renewal process led it to inappropriately renew some licenses. Facebook

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Anti-Issa effort discloses donors: Leo DiCaprio, Jane Fonda, Ted Danson and more By Joshua Stewart A political group that has brought professional political organizers into the campaign against Rep. Darrell Issa has received its most significant contributions to date  from actress Jane Fonda and other celebrities. Fonda gave $100,000 to Flip the 49th! Neighbors in Action, which recently registered as a political committee to get Issa, R-Vista, out of office. Comedian Bill Maher gave $15,000 to the group, a rebuke of a politician who has twice appeared on his talk show. Former California Sen. Barbara Boxer gave $2,500, as did Academy Award recipient Leonardo DiCaprio. Actor Ted Danson gave $1,500. Flip the 49th gave the The San Diego Union-Tribune a list of donors more than a month before its required to disclose them to the Federal Election Commission. Read More Facebook

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California Senate GOP leader: Release Capitol whistleblowers from non-disclosure agreements By Melanie Mason California Senate Republican leader Patricia Bates is wading into the sexual harassment debate that has swept up the Capitol and is calling on her Democratic colleagues to allow whistleblowers to speak out by releasing them from non-disclosure agreements. Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) wrote in a letter to the Democratic legislative leaders  Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount)  that Senate Republicans are calling for the Legislature to allow victims or witnesses who may have signed such agreements to share their experiences publicly. This release from NDAs would empower victims of sexual harassment, create a new atmosphere for resolving sexual harassment or discrimination concerns, increase public awareness and transparency, and ensure that both the Senate and the Assembly fulfill their obligations to the public and their employees for providing a safe and welcoming workplace environment, Bates wrote in the letter, dated Dec. 12. The Republican senator also laid out suggestions to improve the Legislatures handling of sexual harassment complaints, such as jointly convening both houses rules committees  which act as the chambers human resources departments  to have a comprehensive, bicameral and bipartisan review. Bates wrote that the Joint Rules Committee should consider the assigning of an outside entity for assuming responsibility for all issues regarding sexual harassment. She said the California Highway Patrol or an inspector general could serve that function. Bates is currently serving on a panel designated by the Senate Rules Committee to select an outside law firm to investigate sexual harassment complaints. De Leon, in a statement, said he agreed with Bates that sexual harassment is a bipartisan, bicameral problem that requires bipartisan, bicameral solutions. Many of these recommendations we are already pursuing and evaluating in some form and we look forward to working in collaboration with Senator Bates  as we did with the independent selection panel  on additional reforms in the weeks to come, De Leon said. With regard to non-disclosure agreements, De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the Senate is discussing with attorneys and anti-harassment experts about what options are available without violating the privacy rights of past victims. John Casey, a spokesman for Rendon, said the Assembly does not ask for NDAs in settlement agreements. The Speaker agrees with both the Legislative Womens Caucus and the Rules Committee chair that any sexual harassment policy should be both bicameral and bipartisan, Casey said. Facebook

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California plans to send out licenses for pot sales this month  but they wont be effective until Jan. 1 By Patrick McGreevy Patrons shop at Bud and Bloom, a Santa Ana marijuana dispensary, last year. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) California officials said Wednesday they plan to use email before the new year to send out some licenses to sell marijuana to speed up the transition to a regulated market. The licenses will not go into effect until Jan. 1. Proposition 64, which legalized the sale of marijuana for recreational use, required the state to begin issuing licenses by Jan. 1. Because that date is a state holiday, the bureau originally planned to begin sending them out on Jan. 2. That has changed. Much of the date discussion  Jan. 1 versus Jan. 2  was based on whether or not wed be able to be open on a state holiday, said Alex Traverso, a bureau spokesman. The solution to that issue was to issue licenses with an effective date of Jan. 1 since licenses will be issued electronically. That eliminates the need to have the office open on Jan. 1. He said that, as of Wednesday, the bureau has not yet sent out any emails with licenses approved to begin operating Jan. 1. Facebook

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Californias budget director makes last ditch effort to urge GOP members to vote against tax plan By Sarah D. Wire House Republicans hold a news conference after the House passed the GOP tax bill. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) As closed-door negotiations over the final tax bill come to an end, the head of the California Department of Finance is making a last-ditch effort to convince Republicans in the states congressional delegation to vote against the plan. In a letter to the entire delegation Wednesday, Finance Department Director Michael Cohen detailed 10 issues in the current tax proposals about which the state is worried. Some of Cohens concerns may be addressed in the deal that House and Senate leaders said they reached Wednesday morning. Details of the agreement are not yet public. Cohens concerns range from potentially billions less in federal funding available to California to offset the $1.4 trillion the plan is expected to add to the federal deficit, to the environmental effect of ending green energy tax credits. Californias 39 Democratic representatives are expected to oppose the final tax bill, which could come before both chambers of Congress by early next week. Three California Republicans  Reps. Darrell Issa of Vista, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove  voted against the original House version, and several other California Republicans have indicated they might be willing to vote against the final plan. Cohen specifically pointed to issues that have been raised by the uncertain House members, including the proposal to lower the cap on the mortgage interest deduction, the plan to limit state and local tax deductions and the elimination of a deduction for uninsured personal property damaged in natural disasters such as fires. Facebook

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California lawmakers have fought sexual misconduct on military bases, farms and college campuses. Will they police their own house? By Jazmine Ulloa Over the past decade, California lawmakers have worked to help curb sexual violence in the workplace and other spheres of public life. They have pushed college campuses to keep better track of incident reports, created whistleblower protections for military officers who file claims and established sexual harassment training for farmworkers and janitors. Now, as more than 140 women have come forward in an open letter to denounce a pervasive culture of sexual harassment in the California Legislature, activists and employment lawyers say lawmakers have not held colleagues and staffers to the same standards demanded of those in other fields. Members [of the state Assembly and Senate] are quick at pointing the finger at other folks, said Fiona Ma, a former Democratic assemblywoman from San Francisco who is now running for state treasurer. But they dont want to look inside and fix their own house, air their own dark, dirty laundry. Read More Facebook

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Californias cap-and-trade climate program could generate more than $8 billion by 2027, report says By John Myers Gov. Jerry Brown signs an extension of Californias cap-and-trade program in July. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Although Californias cap-and-trade program was designed to combat climate change, a new analysis predicts it could also provide significant cash  as much as $8 billion in a decades time  for state and regional programs. The report issued Tuesday by the independent Legislative Analysts Office projects a wide range of revenue generated by the sale of permits for companies to emit greenhouse gases beyond a state-ordered emissions cap. The most recent auction of those emission permits brought in more than $800 million. The analysis warns that annual cap-and-trade revenue beyond 2020 is highly uncertain, and offers a possible range from $2 billion in 2018 to almost $7 billion in 2030  the final year of the program under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed in July. The estimate of $8.3 billion in 2027 is the high-water mark for any year in the report. Researchers cite a number of factors that make a specific prediction impossible, including future technology that allows industries to cut greenhouse gas emissions easily and thus pass on purchasing emission allowances. While it is clear that there will be additional revenues to the state beyond 2020, the amount that will be generated annually is highly uncertain, the report reads. Money collected from the sale of pollution permits is required to be spent on programs combating climate change. A portion of the money also is earmarked for the states high-speed rail program. The report urges lawmakers to provide oversight for future decisions made by the California Air Resources Board, the agency that has taken the lead on climate change efforts. In particular, the analysts warn that allowing businesses to stockpile too many permits  ones bought at current low prices  could lead to excessive greenhouse gas emissions in future years, potentially even causing the state to miss its annual benchmark as soon as 2024. Facebook

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Vice President Pence meets with California lawmakers about massive fires By Sarah D. Wire Briefed bipartisan group of California reps on the fed response to #CAwildfires. @POTUS approved an emergency declaration last Friday & @forestservice is providing air & ground assets including 1,000 personnel. Together, we will help the people of CA restore, rebuild & recover. pic.twitter.com/zn7QdbCZOQ  Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) December 12, 2017 A handful of California representatives discussed the federal response to their states wildfires Tuesday with Vice President Mike Pence. Attending the West Wing meeting were House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Corona), Darrell Issa (R-Vista), Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) and Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara). It was a very bipartisan-spirited meeting. He clearly understood the significance of the fires and the impacts, Brownley said after the meeting. She said Pence offered federal assistance and recognized that recovery was going to be very important and that we want to work together to make sure that we can get the resources needed. President Trump signed an emergency declaration for the Southern California fires last week. Pence visited California this fall to view fire damage in Northern California. He stayed engaged and specifically wanted to make sure that FEMA and the other organizations were continuing to meet or exceed all expectations, Issa said after the meeting. We mostly thanked him for the fact that hes taken a personal interest and his team has been at the heart of the domestic coordination. There was no discussion about reinstating a federal tax deduction for uninsured damage repairs that would end up in the House and Senate tax bills, Brownley said. If you cant deduct uninsured property loss, its devastating. It would be devastating, Brownley said. Facebook

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We must talk about the health aspects of climate change, Schwarzenegger says in Paris By Kim Willsher (Thibault Camus / Associated Press) He showed up at Paris City Hall on Monday on a green bicycle and wearing a green tie to talk climate change with the mayor. But Arnold Schwarzenegger almost didnt make the trip from Los Angeles. One of the wildfires scorching Southern California was threatening his home. Luckily we have extraordinary firefighters, he told a group of officials and journalists. The actor and former governor of California was speaking in Paris as the founder of R20, a nonprofit based in Geneva that aims to help regional, state and local governments reduce their carbon emissions by developing clean energy sources. Read More Facebook

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A special recall election for state Sen. Josh Newman would cost a lot more than waiting for the June primary, state says By Patrick McGreevy State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) faces a recall campaign (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) State finance officials said Monday it would cost about $2.67 million for a special election on the recall of state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), but only $931,000 to put his potential recall on the regular June primary ballot, which will also feature races for governor and congressional seats. The savings  and the time it took to complete the financial assessment  could give ammunition to Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown to put the recall measure on the primary ballot, possibly improving Newmans chance of staying in office. The higher turnout expected in the primary might benefit Newman as he tries to fend off the Republican recall drive. The financial analysis was a new requirement of a law approved this year by the Democrat-controlled Legislature that has slowed the Newman recall. Brown and legislators now have 30 days to review the election cost report. The deadline for calling a special election was last week, 180 days before the June 5 primary, although state officials have been known to extend such deadlines. In this case, that is unlikely. Carl Demaio, a former San Diego City councilman who is leading the Republican-funded recall, denounced the lengthy new process Monday, but said it will not save Newmans political career. This is about a shameful tactic by Sacramento politicians to keep politicians who break public trust and engage in misconduct in office for as long as possible, he said. Republicans launched the recall after Newman voted with the majority of le
(Global Times) 08:42, November 29, 2017

Seouls shifting stance on THAAD makes ties difficult

China's leading travel agencies said on Tuesday that group tours to South Korea still remain unavailable.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday that China's National Tourism Administration declared on Tuesday the partial lifting of its ban on group tours to South Korea, citing unnamed sources, as Seoul and Beijing move to repair bilateral relations badly frayed by the deployment of the US missile defense system in South Korea.

The report claimed that China decided to allow offline travel agencies in Beijing and East China's Shandong Province to sell package tours to South Korea, industry sources said.

Tourists from these two regions account for some 30 percent of all Chinese nationals who visited South Korea last year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily press conference on Tuesday that he was not aware of the situation.

Geng added that China holds a positive and open attitude toward Sino-South Korean cooperation at all levels, and hopes South Korea and China will promote communication and cooperation between the two sides.

Customer service employees at the China International Travel Service Co (CITS) and China Youth Travel Service told the Global Times on Tuesday that no such group tour services are available to South Korea.

No group travel packages to South Korea are found on major online Chinese travel platforms, including Ctrip, qunar.com and lvmama.com as of press time.

A Beijing-based travel agency on the Alibaba Group's travel platform fliggy.com claimed to provide group tour service from Tianjin to Seoul, the soonest on December 6.

An employee at the agency told the Global Times that "Group tours to South Korea have not been completely opened, so we don't offer group travel visa services. The 'group travel package' they provide relies on individual visa applications."

South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday reiterated that Seoul has just reaffirmed to Beijing its stance on three issues - deploying additional THAADsystems, joining the US-led global missile defense program and developing a security alliance with the US and Japan - what Chinese media widely refers as the "three no's pledge" on the issue.

A top South Korean diplomat said they were merely a stance "rather than official consent from the two sides."

South Korea's ambivalence on the THAAD issue has again disappointed China, and will likely have a negative impact on already-chilly Sino-South Korean ties, Lu Chao, an expert on Korean studies at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Beijing's firm opposition to the THAAD deploymenthas never changed and will not compromise on empty promises, he said, adding that restoring friendly ties will take time, and will become even more difficult unless Seoul stops contradicting itself under whatever pretext or pressure.
Senate Republicans pushed their tax plan past another key hurdle Wednesday, a show of momentum for President Trumps top priority even as frantic negotiations with GOP holdouts made final passage uncertain.

A procedural vote, which passed 52 to 48, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed, marked an important milestone as the GOP-led Congress scrambled to deliver a significant accomplishment by the end of Trumps first year in office.

It was the first time the plan had been considered by the full Senate. A final vote is likely by the end of the week.

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Still the $1.5-trillion package remains in flux. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is working behind the scenes to prevent defections from his 52-seat Republican majority. He can afford to lose only two votes, assuming Vice President Mike Pence breaks a tie.

But at least eight Republican senators have voiced concerns. And even though they voted Wednesday in favor of opening debate on the bill, they could still vote against the final package.

Some Republicans, led by Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), want assurances the tax cuts wont add to the deficit. Others, including Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), are pushing for increased benefits to so-called pass-through entities, including small businesses, law firms, real estate partnerships and other wealthy professionals.

Significant revisions to the legislation still may be made ahead of the final vote, and negotiations could continue in a conference committee as the House and Senate reconcile their different bills.

To pay for concessions negotiated in recent days to win over reluctant Republicans, GOP Senate leaders need to find about $160 billion in additional revenue. It remains unclear where that money will come from, but some lawmakers are mulling whether to scale back the proposed corporate tax cut. Under the current plan, the rate would drop substantially, from 35% to 20%, though some senators support increasing that to 22%.

The White House swiftly opposed that option, and Trump reiterated his promise for a 20% corporate rate that has been the centerpiece of the Republican plan.

Thats good for everybody in the room, whether you have a company, or whether you want a job, because were going to bring back jobs, he said, standing before a pair of Christmas trees at a rally in St. Charles, Mo. With Trump as your president, we are going to be celebrating Merry Christmas again and its going to be done with a big beautiful tax cut.

One key change sought by Corker and other senators  inserting a trigger mechanism to roll back the tax breaks if economic growth doesnt cover costs as promised  was met with strong opposition from big business and conservatives, including a group backed by the influential Koch brothers that has been running digital ads and robocalls targeting wavering senators on tax cuts.

Instead, GOP senators began floating an alternative trigger mechanism that would impose automatic spending cuts to prevent deficits. But that idea also ran into resistance from some lawmakers.

The trigger has been a moving target, said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, who said she had agreed to vote to open debate but was not yet supportive of the tax plan.

Collins won a commitment from McConnell to address healthcare fixes to prevent insurance premium increases if the tax bill includes a repeal of the Affordable Care Act requirement that all Americans have health insurance. Experts say such a repeal could cause market disruptions.

Collins wants votes on two bipartisan healthcare bills that would seek to stabilize markets  one from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and another from Collins and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Leaders agreed those would happen this year, possibly as part of a must-pass spending bill next week.

But Collins is still seeking other changes to the tax bill, including a provision championed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that would make the expanded $2,000 child tax credit refundable. That would cost as much as $180 billion over the decade.

Were doing this one step at a time, she said. Im having ongoing negotiations  on a host of issues.

Late Wednesday, leaders reached an agreement with Johnson to increase the 17.4% income deduction for pass-through businesses to 20%, which helped bring him on board for the procedural vote. But he too is seeking further changes.

The Senate GOPs tax package, like one passed by the House, hews to a blueprint that lowers corporate and some individual tax rates but allows fewer deductions. Experts say the approach provides more benefit to big businesses and wealthy individuals than average Americans.

The corporate cuts, for example, would be permanent, while the individual cuts expire after eight years in the Senate plan.

Studies show that while most Americans, on average, would see tax cuts, some taxpayers  especially lower- and middle-income filers  would see tax hikes, especially once the reduced rates expire. The package will add $1.5 trillion to the deficit, and some senators complain there has not been enough analysis to see if economic growth will cover those costs as Republicans argue.

Others senators, though, worried Wednesday that ongoing talks could delay momentum, especially if views hardened among Republicans, who have not won support from Democrats and are trying to pass the legislation on their own.

I dont think anybody in the Milky Way thought this would be easy, said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.). Im ready to saddle up and vote.

Ahead of the vote, McConnell made it clear that time was short and the only way negotiations could continue was to start the voting process.

Republicans are rushing to advance the tax plan as the legislative agenda piles up with other items, including next weeks votes to continue funding the government and avoid a shutdown.

They are eager to close out the year, before facing midterm election voters, having delivered on a Trump priority.

This is our chance to deliver relief for the people who have sent us here, McConnell urged his colleagues. And the way that we can do that is by voting to proceed to the bill.

Times staff writer Noah Bierman in Washington contributed to this report.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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UPDATES:

3:40 p.m.: The story was updated with additional details about the tax plan.

The story was originally published at 2:50 p.m.
Alex Azar, a former pharmaceutical executive tapped by President Trump to be Health and Human Services secretary, told senators Wednesday that making prescription drugs more affordable would be one of his top priorities.

Drug prices are too high, Azar told the Senate health committee, pledging to look at ways to increase competition and stop drugmakers from gaming the system. I believe I can bring the skills and experiences to the table that can help us address these issues.

That appeared to satisfy most of the Senate health committees Republicans, who praised Azars experience at Indianapolis-based drug giant Eli Lilly.

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But Azars assurance drew skeptical questioning from many Democrats and from Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a conservative Republican who grilled Azar on his opposition to allowing Americans to import lower-priced drugs from Europe and elsewhere.

Youve got some convincing to make me believe you are going to represent the American people, Paul said.

Azar, whom Trump nominated to replace Tom Price, would be the first Health secretary to come out of the pharmaceutical industry. Price stepped down in September amid criticism over his use of expensive chartered jets to travel.

The White House has cited Azars industry background as an asset at a time when pressure is building on the federal government to rein in the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs.

But many consumer advocates are skeptical he will do anything that threatens drugmakers profits.

If Alex Azars nomination is confirmed, then Big Pharmas coup detat in the healthcare sphere will be virtually complete, Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said Wednesday.

While Azar was at Lilly, the company dramatically increased prices for its insulin product, prompting accusations of price gouging and investigations by officials in five states.

Azar is widely viewed as more pragmatic and less ideological than Price, a staunch conservative who was an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act and many of its quality-improvement initiatives.

Azar, by contrast, suggested one of his top priorities would be using the Medicare programs leverage over doctors and hospitals to push for better outcomes for patients.

But he also indicated he is interested in looking at ways to loosen health insurance rules implemented by the 2010 healthcare law, a key flashpoint in the ongoing partisan debate over the law, often called Obamacare.

Prior to joining Lilly, Azar served in the Health and Human Services Department under former President George W. Bush, first as general counsel and then as deputy secretary.

He will next appear before the Senate Finance Committee before his nomination is considered by the full Senate.

Obamacare 101: A primer on key issues in the debate over repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. 

noam.levey@latimes.com

@noamlevey
The Supreme Court weighed privacy rights in the digital era Wednesday, confronting the question of whether the police can obtain a suspects cellphone records to track his travels for four months without a search warrant.

The answer appeared to be: No.

During an intense oral argument, the nine justices sounded divided along unusual lines, but most appeared to agree that collecting cell tower data to track a suspects movements for 127 days amounted to an unreasonable search.

It was unclear whether they would decide simply to limit how long the police may track a suspect through his mobile phone, or instead rule broadly that cellphone records are private and off limits to the police or the FBI without a search warrant.

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That would amount to a major change in the law, the government told the court, and one that could hamper investigations when police do not know who committed a murder, robbed a bank, abducted a child or set off a bomb.

In those cases, investigators often obtain data from cellphone towers to narrow the list of people who were nearby when the crime was committed. They would not have probable cause to obtain a warrant for a particular suspect and his cellphone.

By contrast, the case heard Wednesday began when police learned that Timothy Carpenter was the leader of a robbery ring in Detroit. Several of his cohorts had confessed.

To build their case, prosecutors obtained a magistrates order requiring several wireless carriers to turn over records of 16 phone numbers that Carpenter had used over four months. The data confirmed he was nearby when his accomplices carried out eight robberies of Radio Shack stores. He was convicted and sentenced to 116 years in prison.

Under current federal law, the prosecutor has to show the magistrate only that the cellphone records are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.

In his appeal, ACLU lawyer Nathan Wessler urged the court to set a higher standard and to require prosecutors to show probable cause that the suspect was engaged in crime.

He described cellphones as a kind of time machine that allows police and prosecutors to track a suspects movements over a long period.

His argument focused on the length of the tracking. He urged the court to set a one-day limit for cellphone records.

How about the day of each robbery? asked Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. There were eight robberies. Why wouldnt it be equally reasonable for each robbery? she asked.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked about a crime such as a bank robbery. Could the police just get a tower dump of the cell site to see who was in the area at that time?

Yes, Wessler said. I think that would not be affected at all by this case. That would be quite short term.

Justices Samuel A. Alito and Anthony M. Kennedy were the most skeptical of the ACLUs argument.

In the past, the court said police needed a search warrant before they listened to a suspects phone calls or, more recently, downloaded digital contents of a smartphone. Those involve private information protected by the 4th Amendment.

But the court said investigators may obtain bank records and phone records without a search warrant because customers knowingly made calls or wrote checks and because the records were held by a private company, not the government. Alito said he did not see a need to change that framework.

Why is cell site location information more sensitive than bank records? he asked.

Wessler said charting a minute-by-minute account of a persons location reveals more sensitive information than checks showing a persons purchases, but Alito said he was not convinced.

Kennedy said Congress had set a reasonable rule that requires police to show why the records are relevant to a particular crime. You give zero weight to that, he told Wessler.

But Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Elena Kagan said they saw a need for setting new legal limits on the use of tracking technology.

In the past, the government never had the ability to go back even for 24 hours and basically test everybody, everybody in the whole community who happened to be there, Roberts said. The government didnt have the capability of tracking an individual or every individual.

He questioned why the ACLU lawyer did not seek a broader ban on using cellphone records.

Kagan said the justices agreed in 2012 that police needed a warrant to attach a GPS device on a suspects car to track his movements. Why not treat cellphone data the same way? she asked. In both cases, you have reliance on a new technology that allows for 24/7 tracking, she said.

Deputy Solicitor Gen. Michael Dreeben said the two cases are fundamentally different. The GPS case involved government surveillance, he said, while the cellphone records are kept by private companies and can be obtained by the government under limited circumstances.

But the justices did not sound convinced by that argument. Citing an opinion survey, Sotomayor said, Most Americans want to avoid Big Brother. They want to avoid the concept that government will be able to see and locate you anywhere you are at any point in time.

The case of Carpenter vs. U.S. brought together legal interest groups on the right and left. Libertarians and progressives filed briefs urging the court to extend privacy rights to cellphone records. Otherwise, they say, the government could use this vast database to freely track someones movements for weeks or months.

Government lawyers argued that the right to privacy does not extend to traveling in public. Surveillance cameras and toll booths can track travelers without raising constitutional concerns, they said.

While Carpenter may win his appeal, the ruling may not help him, as Alito pointed out during the argument. Since prosecutors acted in good faith when they went to court and obtained the data, Alito said, the conviction will probably be unaffected by a ruling that changes the law.

david.savage@latimes.com

Twitter: DavidGSavage
Unless Congress comes to an agreement fast, federal funding for a program that provides health insurance to 2 million California children and pregnant women will run out around the end of the year.

After that, California could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars because the state is required to offer the insurance even if the federal funds dont show up.

Despite decades of bipartisan support, Congress didnt renew its authorization to spend money on the Childrens Healthcare Insurance Program, which provides coverage for about 9 million poor children and pregnant women nationwide, before it expired at the end of September. Since then, states have relied on their reserves, or unspent money from previous years, as short-term fixes.

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California gets about $2.7 billion a year in federal money for the program, which the state says will likely run out in late December or early January.

Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers put aside nearly $400 million in extra funding for the program in the current state budget as a backstop for potential federal cuts. But if the program isnt renewed, there could still be an estimated $280-million hole to fill in the budget, and state lawmakers say they dont know where theyll get it.

Ultimately we would have to go back and take a look at a budget and see if theres a way that we can backfill that, state Assembly Health Committee Chairman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) said. Were very concerned.

Letting the program expire has put the children and women who use it in a tenuous position, said California Budget and Policy Center fellow Esi Hutchful. The nonprofit advocates for programs that help low-income Californians.

[Its a] program thats long been popular, successful and long received bipartisan support. Its striking that its almost December  and were still in this holding pattern, Hutchful said.

The House voted largely along party lines this month to authorize five more years of funding for the insurance program. The Republican bill included higher premiums for some Medicare users and other cuts to social programs to offset the programs costs, provisions the GOP hasnt previously insisted on including.

Republicans said the provisions would weed out people who take advantage of loopholes in the Affordable Care Act or use Medicare even when they can afford other insurance. Democrats objected to the bill because they said it would would take away healthcare from some people to pay for other peoples healthcare.

The House bill is unlikely to get a vote on the Senate floor because of the potentially unpopular cuts to social programs. Senate leaders havent scheduled a vote on their version of the measure either, which does not include cuts to offset the insurance programs costs.

Congress is scheduled to work fewer than a dozen more days before the end of the year, and it has a crowded to-do list that includes tax reform, funding disaster relief and keeping the government open. But the authorization for the insurance program funding could be inserted into one of those bills.

California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris have urged Senate leaders to hurry.

As days go on without the program reauthorized, more and more states will be faced with difficult budget decisions and vulnerable children and pregnant women could lose their coverage, they wrote in a letter to Senate leaders last month.

Though the federal government and states both fund the insurance program, each state can tailor how the program works. Colorado and Virginia, for example, can end the program when federal funding runs out.

But a few years ago, California rolled its childrens insurance program into Medi-Cal  the states version of Medicaid  through the Affordable Care Act. That meant the federal government would cover 88% of the cost, but it came with a caveat: California cannot freeze enrollment or end the program for most families until October 2019, even if federal funding ends.

If the programs money runs out, nearly all of the recipients would continue to get insurance through Medi-Cal, said California Department of Health Care Services spokesman Anthony Cava. But the federal government would pay only 50% of the cost, as it does for adult Medicaid recipients.

California would have to make up the difference, which the independent California Legislative Analysts Office estimates would be $280 million this fiscal year and up to $600 million next fiscal year.

When it set aside the nearly $400 million in backstop funds, the Legislature assumed Congress might lower the percentage it pays this year, not fail to fund the insurance program entirely, Hutchful said.

They were sort of trying to hedge their bets and give us sort of a cushion, Hutchful said. We still did plan that [the program] would be renewed, so were at this awkward space now.

If Congress doesnt act, the governor is considering adding funding for this years program in next years budget, according to the California Department of Finance.

But Wood said theres not pots of money just sitting around, and when the Legislature returns in January, itll have to work on figuring out where to find the money in the budget.

State Senate Health Committee Chairman Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa) said Congress declining to fund the insurance program is the worst-case scenario.

Covering these children is probably the most important thing that we have to do. Its a shame, he said. I hope that they reconsider. I hope they do renew it and that they fund it at the current level.

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter

Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics

ALSO:

Trump pushes Republicans on tax overhaul as Congress faces a busy month

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Updates on California politics
In political circles from Sacramento to Washington, the midpoint of the week arrives with a feeling that were in the moment before the moment.

Big things are coming, but the path forward is unclear.

Certainly that was true in the state Capitol, as everyone tuned in for a long-awaited hearing on sexual misconduct, but nowhere is the watch-and-wait mentality more at play right now than Washington.

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TAXES: THE MOMENT BEFORE THE MOMENT

The movement continues toward a huge vote by weeks end on Republican tax overhaul plans. The proposal cleared a committee on Tuesday, thanks in part to concessions made by President Trump.

But a lot still has to happen. One Republican wants to change the plan to better help small businesses, another wants to prevent an explosion of debt. Others want to trim tax breaks for the wealthy.

Meantime, the Senate GOP effort to use the tax legislation to repeal a key part of the Affordable Care Act could derail insurance markets in conservative, rural swaths of the country, according to a Los Angeles Times data analysis.

California Democrats remain worried about the proposals effect on the Golden State, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti calling it illogical and immoral at an event on Monday.

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ODDS GO UP?

While Democrats are watching the tax debate from the sidelines, they will be key players when it comes to avoiding a government shutdown. Which makes the presidents Tuesday morning comments so interesting.

I dont see a deal! Trump tweeted in talking about Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Hours later, Schumer and Pelosi decided to skip a big White House meeting.

As Noah Bierman writes, the self-professed deal-maker president may have once again poisoned the well of bipartisan deal-making. And Republicans, too, feel burned by him.

AND THEN ... A MISSILE LAUNCH

In the middle of an already high-stakes week for Trump, the tensions with North Korea are higher after the communist country launched another ballistic missile on Tuesday  the first since September.

NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTING ROUND

-- I know that Ive let a lot of people down, Minnesota Sen. Al Franken said Monday, repeating his apology to women who have accused him of touching them inappropriately.

-- The Supreme Court could be on the verge of limiting protection for whistleblowers who disclose problems within a company.

-- A federal judge refused Tuesday to keep Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, from also serving as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And that was after a bizarre Monday, where two people laid claim to the job.

-- Language included in the Senate tax reform bill would add a new tax to certain foreign airlines that serve the U.S. The language was added by a senator from Georgia, the home state of Delta Air Lines.

-- Trump used a ceremony on Monday honoring Navajo code talkers service in World War II to insult a favorite target, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Some say its part of a long history of controversy over the U.S. governments relationship with Native Americans.

-- The accused mastermind of the 2012 Benghazi attacks has been convicted of terrorism but acquitted of murder of four Americans.

A RESIGNATION AND TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN SACRAMENTO

The expected and unexpected both have happened in the first few days of this week in the intense debate over sexual harassment allegations in and around state politics.

On Monday, Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) decided to immediately resign rather than wait until next year  his original plan after last weeks allegations of improper conduct by half a dozen women.

The next day, members of a California Assembly subcommittee spent five hours quizzing staffers and consoling women who said change is long overdue in the way sexual harassment and abuse complaints are handled under the state Capitol dome.

We know we are scratching the surface of what is clearly a problem across our country and across many industries and organizations, said Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale).

A good portion of the proceedings focused on how top Assembly officials handle sexual misconduct complaints  and the lawmakers were left to wrestle with what seemed to be a confusing set of answers.

There was a long pause from the staffers who had been called to testify when Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) asked, "Does anyone here believe that the current policy is working?

The hearing came just hours after one Democratic Assembly member offered up a new idea: Dont make taxpayers pick up the tab for settlements of harassment claims.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Congress doesnt seem close to funding health insurance for almost 2 million kids and pregnant women in California, and if it doesnt it could leave a hole in the state budget.

-- Bay Area Rep. Zoe Lofgren wants to take over Rep. John Conyers House Judiciary position.

-- Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, a former state Senate president, endorsed fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for governor.

-- Officials installed video cameras at the Trump border wall project near San Ysidro, citing a threat environment.

-- Republicans in Broward County, Fla., knew little about Rupert Tarsey before they elected him secretary of their executive committee. Then, they discovered his past.

-- California regulators released a long-awaited overhaul of the states primary environmental law governing development in an effort to better fight climate change.

-- Sen. Kamala Harris donned Astros gear to pay out her World Series bet with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Mondays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

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john.myers@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter at @johnmyers and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast
California Capitol lobbyists, staffers and lawyers on Tuesday urged lawmakers to overhaul how the state Assembly tracks and handles sexual harassment claims, saying current procedures are confusing, vaguely enforced and result in greater consequences for victims rather than their abusers.

Their calls for action came during a nearly five-hour committee hearing  the first of either legislative house  to review chamber policies and existing training against sexual misconduct. Leaders of the committee called the meeting a first step to combat a culture of sexism and fear that has created a hostile workplace environment for many women in politics.

We know we are scratching the surface of what is clearly a problem across our country and across many industries and organizations, said Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale). But unlike a lot of those bodies we are committed to doing something transparently and expediently. Everyone who comes in contact with the Legislature  and that is employees, interns, lobbyists, activists and even other members  should be protected from abuse.

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The public hearing followed the immediate resignation a day earlier of Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima), the first lawmaker to step down amid recent sexual assault allegations. Another legislator, Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), on Wednesday was stripped of key leadership posts by his colleagues.

The national focus on sexual harassment was sparked by high-profile allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo social media movement. At the Capitol, it was propelled with an open letter from more than 140 women denouncing a pervasive culture of misbehavior in state government.

In powerful testimony during Tuesdays hearing, witnesses said there is a disconnect between policies that sound good on paper but are not put into practice.

Activists shared cases of young employees losing jobs, relationships and their passion for politics after reporting misconduct.

Lobbyist Pamela Lopez, who has told media outlets that a lawmaker masturbated in front of her in a bar bathroom, said she now feels she has the job security and connections to share her painful personal story. She said she had been too fearful to talk about other incidents that happened to her when she was as young as 23.

She still has not disclosed the name of her abuser for fear of retaliation, she said, and she is not alone. Since making her experience public, she has received an outpouring of support from victims, many of whom have similar stories but have felt too powerless to come forward.

The easiest way to get rid of evidence is to get rid of that young woman, she said. Women have an instinctive desire to hide what has happened to us. Its because we recognize that if anyone finds out something has happened to us, our own careers may be in danger.

Jennifer Kwart, the district director for Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), detailed the factors that make district interns vulnerable targets, and told her own story. Those offices away from Sacramento are isolated, programs arent regulated and interns dont go through sexual harassment training, she said.

Kwart has said she was 19 when Mendoza invited her to his hotel and offered her alcohol during the 2008 Democratic state convention in San Jose. What happened to me happened hundreds of miles from the Capitol, she said.

Have you experienced sexual harassment in government or politics? Share your story 

Lobbyist Pamela Lopez tells members of an Assembly committee tasked with revising the California Assemblys sexual harassment policies about her experiences. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press )

Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Womens Caucus, said problematic staffers and lawmakers should face punishment and expulsion, unlike Catholic priests who were simply transferred to a different church if they were found to have molested children. For now, she said, victims rely on a whisper network to avoid danger.

What everyone here knows is that we have rapists in this building, she said. There are perpetrators, enforcers and enablers in this building.

Testimony also revealed an obscure process for how the state Assembly tracks and investigates sexual harassment claims. In a long line of probing, Debra Gravert, the chambers chief administrative officer, said the legislative body tallies only investigations  not complaints.

She also acknowledged the Assembly Rules Committee had received complaints against Assembly members over the last two weeks. She said she could not immediately provide how many claims had risen to the level of an investigation over the last decade.

Several subcommittee members suggested the failure to keep clear and full tallies of claims was a problem, as it skewed the snapshot of the issue and could expose the Legislature to legal action.

California Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra speeds up his resignation to immediately following harassment allegations 

If were not keeping track of complaints we are all now liable, potentially, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace).

Others pointed to the lack of clarity in how the Assembly determines whether a claim is considered a violation or should be directed to an external investigator.

The state Assemblys policies against sexual harassment have been revised six times since the chamber first adopted them in February 1993. Friedmans subcommittee, which is tasked with revising them, was initially created in 1996. The current panel of members was appointed in June.

Under the policies, employees can report sexual misconduct to their supervisor, the Assembly member they work for or to officers and members of the Rules Committee. Officers for that committee said they typically conduct an internal investigation, contact the individual accused and refer any claims that rise to the level of violations to an outside investigator.

That is a different process from the Senate, which recently imposed a change in the process and will now refer all sexual harassment investigations to outside lawyers.

Witnesses said the Assembly could take immediate steps to improve its procedures, such as offering crisis counseling and creating a confidential hotline so that anyone in the Capitol community could file a report at any time.

In the long run, staffers, lobbyists and activists say, both the state Assembly and Senate need a bicameral process in which neither legislative house is involved in a sexual misconduct investigation at any point in the process.

As the testimony wore on, Friedman said the more she heard the stories from victims who dealt with the system, the more she believed the Legislature could not police itself.

This has to end, Friedman said. Its my commitment to you that were going to do our best to end that culture.

jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com

@jazmineulloa

ALSO

Sexual harassment hearings come as California Capitol is roiled by accusations and a resignation

State Sen. Tony Mendoza booted from leadership posts pending sexual harassment investigation

As sexual harassment in politics investigations widen, California Assemblyman accused by six new women

California Assembly speaker calls harassment allegations against Bocanegra extremely disturbing

Coverage of California politics

UPDATES:

9:37 a.m. This story was updated to correct the length of the hearing. It was nearly five hours long.

This article was originally published at 9:15 p.m.
Wait  did the president really say, Mission Accomplished? By Marc Olson Some are recalling the last time a president declared Mission accomplished, in May 2003 when George W. Bush was talking about Iraq. (Stephen Jaffe / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump on Saturday morning thanked his allies in a tweet that declared the airstrikes on Syria perfectly executed, but he might have wished hed stopped there. Instead, he ended his message with the phrase, Mission Accomplished! Thats a line that might have a previous president shaking his head. On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq under a Mission Accomplished banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. That war, which began in March 2003, grew into a prolonged conflict that didnt end until 2011. In 2008, the White House said it had paid a price for the backdrop. A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018 Facebook

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Auditor says Pentagon is censoring key data on the war in Afghanistan By Shashank Bengali The Pentagon is blocking the release of data showing how much of Afghanistans territory lies outside government control, censoring a key metric used to gauge progress in the 16-year war, a watchdog agency said Tuesday. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an auditing agency established by Congress, said in its latest report that the Pentagon instructed it not to release unclassified data on how many districts and people are controlled or influenced by insurgent groups. This is the first time SIGAR has been specifically instructed not to release information marked unclassified to the American taxpayer, the head of the agency, John F. Sopko, wrote in a letter. Sopko also said the U.S.-led military coalition, for the first time since 2009, classified information about the size and attrition rates of the Afghan security forces, important indicators of progress in building up army and police forces on which the U.S. already has spent $70 billion since 2002. The decision to withhold more information from congressional oversight and the public comes amid growing violence in Afghanistan and an intensifying combat mission involving a greater number of American troops. Following a series of bombings in Kabul that left at least 136 people dead in 10 days, President Trump signaled on Monday that he was focused on trying to win the conflict militarily, saying, We dont want to talk with the Taliban. But data released by SIGAR since 2015 have shown how the insurgents have gained ground against Afghan security forces. In its previous quarterly report, the watchdog said that only 57% of Afghanistans 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of August 2017, the lowest level of control since it began tracking the statistic in December 2015. The steady decline in government control should cause even more concern about its disappearance from public disclosure and discussion, Sopko wrote. The watchdog also accused the Pentagon of overstating the impact of its efforts to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, among the Talibans main sources of revenue. The Pentagon touted airstrikes that destroyed 25 drug labs in November and December, saying it eliminated nearly $100 million of Taliban revenue. The labs being destroyed are cheap and easy to replace, SIGAR said. According to some estimates, they only take three or four days to replace. Facebook

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Women journalists shunted to rear for Pences visit to Western Wall By Noga Tarnopolsky The view from the womens section. (Noga Tarnopolsky / Los Angeles Times) Vice-President Mike Pences 48-hour visit to Israel stumbled into a public storm Tuesday when female reporters covering his final stop at Jerusalems Western Wall were penned behind four rows of their male colleagues. White House officials told stunned journalists that the arrangement emanated from a request made by the Western Wall rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, and followed Western Wall rules. Some women journalists said they could not recall such treatment in the past. In a statement to Israels Channel 10 news, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said it was exactly as it was during the visit of the U.S. president to the Western Wall last May. Later in the day, in a statement to the newspaper Haaretz, the foundation blamed the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and Israeli security officials for the segregation, and announced they would reexamine the way they handle such events. Women who covered previous VIP visits said the Pence arrangements were significantly more onerous than previous visits, when male and female journalists were separated but not offered substantially different work conditions. LIVE coverage of our male colleagues granted access to cover VP at Western Wall as we are penned into #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/k3svkxfQsa  Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) January 23, 2018 The arrangement reflected procedures at the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site, where on regular days, men have access to two thirds of the area available for prayer. Tal Schneider, the diplomatic analyst for Globes, a financial newspaper, protested that the separation of men and women may be valid for the requirements of Orthodox prayer, but no one is praying here. We are here to work. I dont appreciate being restricted in my ability to work because I am a woman, she said. The discriminatory attitude towards women is infuriating and is unbefitting of a modern country. Yael Freidson, the Jerusalem affairs correspondent for Yediot Ahronot, Israels widest circulation newspaper, said she worried that her editors could choose male colleagues for the next assignment, knowing they would have better access. Before Pence arrived, journalists were herded onto a specially constructed platform in the middle of the Western Walls esplanade, with women guided to the right behind a white fence, and men, many carrying cameras, directed to the left, where they had more than double the space. Towards the end of the vice presidents 10-minute visit, male journalists were permitted into the VIP tent where he received a gift from Rabinowitz, while the women remained in their enclosure. None of the men publicly protested the treatment of their female colleagues. Israels Association of Women Journalists filed a formal complaint with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, herself a woman. Facebook

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Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, after his pardon from Trump, says hell run for Senate in Arizona By Kurtis Lee (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who last year was pardoned by President Trump in a case stemming from his enforcement tactics aimed at immigrants, announced Tuesday he will run for the open Senate seat in his home state. I am running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Arizona, for one unwavering reason: to support the agenda and policies of President Donald Trump in his mission to Make America Great Again, Arpaio, 85, said on Twitter. Hell enter a Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. Last summer, Trump pardoned Arpaio, who was convicted in July of criminal contempt for violating a federal court order to stop racially profiling Latinos. It was Arpaios roughly quarter-century as sheriff that gave him a national reputation for his tough treatment of people suspected of being in the country illegally. Repeated court rulings against his office for civil rights violations cost local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. In the early 1990s, Arpaio directed construction of a tent city for immigration detainees, a measure he said was intended both to alleviate overcrowding and to underscore his aggressive enforcement measures. But it was open to the burning Arizona sun, and drew widespread criticism. After Trump entered the presidential race in July 2015, Arpaio invited him to Phoenix to talk about a crackdown on illegal immigration. He endorsed Trump just before the first votes in the Iowa caucuses in 2016 and frequently spoke out on behalf of Trumps campaign. Facebook

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President Trump ends controversial voter fraud commission By Kurtis Lee President Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday ending the voter fraud commission he launched last year as the panel faces a flurry of lawsuits and criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump signed the order disbanding the commission rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, created by executive order in May with the stated goal of restoring confidence and integrity in the electoral process, has faced a barrage of lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns, as the commission sought personal data on voters across the country. Read More Facebook

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Congress returns to work with slimmer GOP majority to accomplish Trumps agenda By Lisa Mascaro Congress returns to work this week with unfinished business on spending, immigration and other crucial issues, but with an even narrower GOP majority that will make it tougher to move on President Trumps agenda. The House and Senate will convene Wednesday, swearing in the newly elected Democratic senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, and Minnesotas Tina Smith to replace a fellow Democrat, Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning as the latest high-profile public figure sidelined by allegations of sexual misconduct. The change gives Republicans only a one-seat margin in the Senate. Trump, fresh off passage of the GOP tax cuts bill, is pushing lawmakers to pivot quickly on his new year priorities of infrastructure investment and immigration, as well as his foreign policy agenda. But another legislative victory seems far off. Republicans have struggled to hold their majority together and Congress first must tackle critical stalled agenda items that leaders punted to 2018. Read More Facebook

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Trump threatens to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump on Tuesday angrily threatened to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians as punishment for what he called their failure to show appreciation or respect to the United States. Writing on Twitter, the president compared the Palestinians to Pakistan, a nuclear-armed ally that abruptly drew his ire this week and a similar threat to drastically curtail aid. He accused the Palestinians of recalcitrance in what he described as their refusal to negotiate a peace deal with Israel. Palestinian officials have said they can no longer use Washington as a broker to restart peace talks with Israel following Trumps Dec. 6 decision to overturn decades of U.S. policy and recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ultimately to move the U.S. Embassy there. The Palestinians also claim part of Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual independent state. Until now, the United States and most of the world agreed the citys political status was a matter to settle in final peace talks. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned any effort to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the Palestinian leadership said it would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who had planned a trip to the region. That trip is on hold. [W]e pay the Palestinians HUNDRED [sic] OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect, Trump wrote on Twitter. [W]ith the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? In response to Trumps tweet, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, issued a statement saying: Palestinian rights are not for sale. By recognizing Occupied Jerusalem as Israels capital Donald Trump has not only violated international law, but he has also singlehandedly destroyed the very foundations of peace and condoned Israels illegal annexation of the city. We will not be blackmailed, she said. President Trump has sabotaged our search for peace, freedom and justice. Now he dares to blame the Palestinians for the consequences of his own irresponsible actions! The United States does not pay large amounts of money directly to the Palestinian Authority, the government that rules over parts of the Palestinian West Bank. Instead, most money goes to the U.N., refugee or aid agencies and even Israel to pay for roads, welfare, schools, security and other Palestinian projects. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said Tuesday that the administration was planning to cut off one of those organizations, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, until the Palestinians return to the negotiating table. UNRWA, which receives around $300 million annually from the U.S., for years has been the lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It was not clear if Haley was threatening to cut all U.S. support for the agency. Special correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Facebook

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The White House stops short of calling for government overthrow in Iran By Brian Bennett President Trump wants Iran to give its citizens basic human rights and stop being a state sponsor of terror, his top spokeswoman said, but the White House stopped short of calling for a change of government in Tehran. If they want to do that through current leadership, if thats possible, OK, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. Sanders praised the organic popular uprising, which she said the widespread protests in Iran represented. The protests grew out of years of years of mismanagement, corruption, and foreign adventurism have eroded the Iranian peoples trust in their leaders, she said. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called Irans government brutal and corrupt and wrote in a tweet: The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Trump also blamed President Obama for foolishly giving Iran money that he said went to fund terrorism. The money he referred to were funds belonging to Iran that had been frozen by the U.S. and were released as part of the deal in 2015, which blocked Irans development of nuclear weapons. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Facebook

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Retirement of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch clears the way for a Mitt Romney revival By David Lauter The retirement of Utahs senior senator, Orrin G. Hatch, opens the way for a widely expected Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the Republicans 2012 presidential nominee and a frequent critic of President Trump. Although Romney previously served for two terms as governor of Massachusetts (and was raised in Michigan, where his father was governor and his mother ran for the Senate), he comes from a prominent Mormon family with strong ties to Utah. He also served as chief executive of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Hes viewed as a strong candidate for the Senate seat. Romneys criticisms of Trump, however, could prompt a challenge in a Republican primary. Trump was widely reported to have tried to convince Hatch to run for a seventh term, in part to head off a Romney candidacy. Last month, Romney and Trump were on opposite sides of one of the biggest political fights of the fall  the battle over the Senate seat from Alabama. The president strongly supported Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who had been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Romney called Moore a stain on the GOP. Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.  Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 4, 2017 On Tuesday, Romney tweeted praise for Hatch, but did not immediately reveal his own plans. I join the people of Utah in thanking my friend, Senator Orrin Hatch for his more than forty years of service to our great state and nation. Read my full statement: https://t.co/YwjUpjez5y  Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 2, 2018 Facebook

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U.S. calls on Iran to unblock social media sites amid protests By The Associated Press The Trump administration is calling on Irans government to stop blocking Instagram and other popular social media sites as Iranians are demonstrating in the streets. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein says the U.S. wants Iran to open these sites. He says Instagram, Telegram and other platforms are legitimate avenues for communication. The United States is encouraging Iranians to use virtual private networks, known as VPNs. Those services create encrypted links between computers and can be used to access blocked websites. Goldstein says the U.S. is still communicating with Iranians in Persian through State Department accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. He says the U.S. wants to encourage the protesters to continue to fight for whats right. Goldstein says the U.S. has an obligation not to stand by. Read More Facebook

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Trump blasts Democrats in advance of immigration meeting By Brian Bennett The day before a meeting of administration officials and congressional leaders on outstanding legislative business, President Trump accused Democrats of doing nothing to hammer out an immigration deal to protect from deportation people brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA  just interested in politics, Trump wrote in a Tweet on Tuesday morning, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by its acronym. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer along with the Republican leaders, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at the Capitol with Trumps legislative director, Marc Short, and budget director, Mick Mulvaney. The White House on Tuesday said the meeting is to discuss separate spending caps on military and domestic programs. Yet the Democrats insist the discussion also must include a variety of legislative issues that Trump and Congress punted into the new year  on immigration, the budget, healthcare and more. That stance reflects Democrats leverage: Republicans need Democratic votes to pass a government-funding bill and avert a federal shutdown when the current funding expires Jan. 19. Democrats especially want separate legislation replacing the Obama-era DACA program; Trump in September ordered a phase-out of the program, beginning March 6, and called on Congress to act before then on an alternative way to address the plight of the group. However, Trump has demanded that any alternative must be part of a package including both money for a border wall and immigration limits. Democrats are opposed. Facebook

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Pakistan hits back after Trump accuses its leaders of lies and deceit By Aoun Sahi Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies and deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Read More Facebook

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Trump again cheers on Iran protests By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size --- were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The presidents earlier hailing of the protests drew condemnation from Irans government. A Foreign Ministry spokesman called his comments deceitful and opportunistic. Following an overnight report of the first two fatalities stemming from the protests, Trump raised some eyebrows by expressing concern over human rights violations as authorities move to crack down on the demonstrations. During his first year in office, the president has shown scant inclination to press foreign governments to respect the fundamental rights of their citizens. The USA is watching closely for human rights violations! Trump said in his tweet Sunday. Some domestic critics have pointed to the presidents inclusion of Iranian nationals in his travel ban, suggesting he was more interested in bashing the Tehran government than in supporting freedom of speech in Iran. Even some of the presidents allies said that supporting the protesters on social media did not amount to making policy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he had urged Trump to give a national address laying out his Iran strategy. President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, Graham said on CBS Face the Nation. But you just cant tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. Facebook

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Australian diplomats tip a factor in FBIs Russia inquiry By Associated Press Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press) An Australian diplomats tip appears to have helped persuade the FBI to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign, the New York Times reported Saturday. Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the report said. Downer, a former foreign minister, is Australias top diplomat in Britain. Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic emails were leaked, according to the Times, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role. The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016, the newspaper said. White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration is continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness. Court documents unsealed two months ago show he met in April 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a professor in London who told him about Russias cache of emails. This was before the Democratic National Committee became aware of the scope of the intrusion into its email systems by hackers later linked to the Russian government. The Times said Papadopoulos shared this information with Downer, but it was unclear whether he also shared it with anyone in the Trump campaign. Facebook

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Trump offers fresh support for protesters in Iran as demonstrations continue By Lisa Mascaro Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 President Trump again offered support Saturday for anti-government protesters in Iran, where a third day of demonstrations, the largest in years, spilled across the country amid fears of a crackdown. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump took a break from playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to tweet clips from his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September when he called for Iranian democratic reforms. Iranian authorities warned of potential violence as the street demonstrations, which began over economic conditions, swelled into frustrations with the theocratic rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump has maintained a hawkish stance toward Iran, sharply criticizing the landmark nuclear disarmament accord that Tehran reached with then-President Obama and five other nations in 2015. In October, Trump declined to certify the accord to Congress although the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency says Iran is complying with it. Several conservative GOP senators signaled their support for Trumps position and backed the protesters in Iran. Others in Congress did not immediately respond, however, amid conflicting reports over who had organized the demonstrations. Even after the billions in sanctions relief they secured through the nuclear deal, the ayatollahs still cant provide for the basic needs of their own people, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a Trump ally and opponent of the nuclear deal. We should support the Iranian people who are willing to risk their lives to speak out against it, he added. Trump initially tweeted his support on Friday night. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement at that time as protests spread. There are many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regimes corruption and its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad, Sanders said. The Iranian government should respect their peoples rights, including their right to express themselves. The world is watching. Facebook

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When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, it takes two to tango, Kremlin says By Sabra Ayres The deteriorating relationship between the United States and Russia is one of the biggest disappointments of 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman told reporters today. Russia would like to rebuild relations between the two adversaries, but it takes two to tango, Dmitry Peskov said today during a conference call with the press. We want and are looking for good mutually beneficial relations based on mutual respect, mutual trust with all countries, primarily with European ones, including the United States, but it is necessary to dance tango, as they say. Peskov blamed the ongoing anti-Russian Russophobia in Washington for playing a major role in blocking the two countries from moving forward in their relationship. U.S. investigations into the Trump presidential campaigns alleged collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 U.S. election and accusations that the Kremlin tried to interfere with the electoral process continue to cast a dark shadow over the relationship, he said. Peskov told reporters that Moscow was perplexed by the investigations. The Kremlin has continued to deny having any involvement with the Trump campaign or doing anything to interfere with the American election. This is definitely a U.S. domestic affair, but in this case it naturally hurts our bilateral relations, which is regrettable, Peskov said. Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been categorized as the worst theyve been since the end of the Cold War. This year, Washington and Moscow have engaged in a diplomatic tit-for-tat in which both sides have been forced to reduce diplomatic staff, embassy properties have been repossessed by the hosting countries and visa services have been interrupted. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia shrank from 1,200 personnel, including some Russian local staff, to just over 450 across all its three consulates and embassy in Moscow. In the U.S., Russia was forced to vacate its San Francisco consulate. Moscow has also blamed anti-Russian sentiments on the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to ban Russian teams from wearing their tricolor uniforms or flags during the upcoming games in South Korea. The international body accused some of the Russian national teams of doping. Facebook

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U.S. and Turkey resume reciprocal issuing of visas but frictions remain By Tracy Wilkinson The United States and Turkey began issuing reciprocal visas again on Thursday, more than two months after normal visa service was suspended in a dispute over the arrest of two U.S. diplomatic staffers in Istanbul  the latest friction between the two nominal allies. The State Department said it was lifting the visa restrictions after it was assured by the Turkish government that U.S. Embassy employees would not be arrested when performing their official duties. But the Turkish Embassy in Washington denied assurances were offered concerning the ongoing judicial processes, and suggested that the arrests were legal and justified. It is inappropriate to misinform the Turkish and American public that such assurances were provided, the embassy said in a statement. The dispute has aggravated the already tense relationship between the United States and Turkey, which is a member of the NATO military alliance. The two countries have clashed over U.S. support for Kurdish rebels in Syria and over Turkeys demands that the U.S. extradite a Turkish cleric who lives in rural Pennsylvania. After a failed coup attempt killed more than 250 people in July 2016, Turkeys autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, launched a harsh crackdown on his political opponents, arresting or firing tens of thousands of teachers, police, journalists, military officers and others. Erdogan accused Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic educator and former political ally, of orchestrating the coup. Gulen, who has lived in a compound in the Pocono Mountains, has denied any involvement. The Justice Department has so far denied Turkeys repeated demands to extradite Gulen. Erdogan raised the issue again at the White House in May, but his visit ended in a public relations disaster when his security guards brutally beat peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassadors residence. Two Turkish employees of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul were arrested this fall for alleged ties to the 2016 coup attempt. The U.S. responded by suspending most visa services at its missions in Turkey in October. The Turkish government reciprocated in November. State Department officials said they have repeatedly demanded more information about any formal charges against the two employees. They reiterated on Thursday that serious concerns about the allegations remained. Facebook

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Trump: China caught RED HANDED allowing oil to reach North Korea By Brian Bennett (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) President Trump isnt taking a holiday vacation from Twitter. In one of three tweets early on Thursday from his West Palm Beach golf club, he charged that China was caught RED HANDED allowing oil shipments to reach North Korean ports. Pronouncing himself very disappointed, Trump in effect was acknowledging the failure of his months-long effort to convince China to clamp down further on energy shipments going to the isolated country, which relies heavily on Beijing, as a way to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017 Trumps tweet came after a South Korean newspaper published what it said were U.S. spy satellite images of Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean ships. The United Nations Security Council, which includes China, has voted repeatedly to restrict fuel shipments to North Korea. Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping in November to cut off North Koreas oil supply entirely, the American ambassador to the U.N., Nikki R. Haley, said at the time. It is unclear if Trumps admonishment of China was based on news reports or classified information he received from U.S. intelligence officials. There was no daily intelligence briefing on Trumps public schedule Thursday. He is expected to return to Washington next week after spending the Christmas holiday and New Years Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Facebook

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President Trump again falsely claims hes signed more bills than any president By Brian Bennett President Trump visits a firehouse in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. (Nicholas Kamm / AFP) After another morning at his Florida golf club, President Trump visited firefighters and paramedics at a West Palm Beach firehouse and praised his own performance as president, including with a false boast. Trump touted his administrations work to roll back government regulations and cut taxes and claimed credit for the stock market hitting record highs. He also said hes signed more bills into law than any other president, which isnt true. We have signed more legislation than anybody, Trump said, standing in front of a rescue vehicle inside the fire station. We have more legislation passed, including  the record was Harry Truman a long time ago, and we broke that record, so we got a lot done, Trump said. An analysis by GovTrack, a website that tracks bills in Congress, shows that Trump has signed the fewest bills into law at this point than any president in more than 60 years, back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Facebook

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Trump administration urges Russia to reinstate monitors in Ukraine, lower violence By Tracy Wilkinson Sergei Lavrov (AFP/Getty Images) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked Russia on Wednesday to reinstate its military personnel at a monitoring station in eastern Ukraine intended to quell escalating bloodshed. In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson also urged Russia to lower the level of violence and underscored the Trump administrations concern over increased fighting in Ukraine, the State Department said in a statement. Russia last week withdrew its monitors from the Joint Center on Coordination and Control, which is tasked with verifying a much-violated ceasefire between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists. Moscow cited what it called restrictions and provocations from Ukrainian authorities that made it impossible for the observers to do their jobs. Washington has accused the pro-Russia forces of being responsible for many of the truce violations. Late last week, the State Department also announced plans to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, a decision that angered Moscow. The State Department statement did not say whether the weapons deal came up in Tillersons conversation with Lavrov. The two also discussed North Korea, its destabilizing nuclear program and the need for a diplomatic solution to achieve a denuclearized Korean peninsula, the statement said. Russia has offered to serve as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang, but direct talks do not seem likely at this point. Facebook

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U.S. sanctions two more North Korean officials for ballistic missile program By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration announced sanctions Tuesday against two more North Korean officials for their alleged role in Pyongyangs expanding ballistic missiles program. The Treasury Department is targeting leaders of North Koreas ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate [North Korea] and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear-armed country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last month that U.S. officials said appeared capable of reaching New York or Washington, a significant milestone in the countrys growing arsenal. The Treasury Department identified the two North Korean officials as Kim Jong Sik, who reportedly is a key figure in the ballistic missile program and led efforts to switch missiles from liquid to solid fuel (which makes them easier to hide before launch), and Ri Pyong Chol, who was reported to be a key official in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The sanctions block banks, companies and individuals from doing any business with the targeted officials. It also allows the U.S. government to freeze any American assets owned by the officials. On Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to add more sanctions on North Korea, its third round this year. The new measures order North Koreans working abroad to return home within two years, and ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to the country. In a statement published Sunday by North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency, the foreign ministry denounced the new U.N. sanctions as an act of war. We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the region and categorically reject the resolution, it said. Facebook

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Salt Lake Tribune calls on Sen. Orrin Hatch to not seek reelection in scathing editorial Perhaps the most significant move of Hatchs career is the one that should, if there is any justice, end it. The last time the senator was up for reelection, in 2012, he promised that it would be his last campaign. That was enough for many likely successors, of both parties, to stand down, to let the elder statesman have his victory tour and to prepare to run for an open seat in 2018. Clearly, it was a lie. Read the editorial>> Facebook

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Christmas Eve, Trump on Twitter: New attacks on FBI official, decrying Fake News By Laura King President Trump launched a Christmas Eve attack on FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whom he accuses of favoritism toward his former opponent, Hillary Clinton, and also returned to a longtime favored theme, excoriating the news media for failing to sufficiently extol his accomplishments. .@FoxNews-FBIs Andrew McCabe, in addition to his wife getting all of this money from M (Clinton Puppet), he was using, allegedly, his FBI Official Email Account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do this. These were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Thank you President TRUMP!! pic.twitter.com/LKdkT0FL99  oregon4TRUMP (@shawgerald4) December 23, 2017 The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well - nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, also sent Christmas greetings to deployed military personnel, praising them for success in the fight against terrorism. The early-morning swipe at McCabe followed a flurry of tweets attacking the deputy FBI chief on Saturday. McCabe, who has been a lightning rod for Republican attacks on the FBI, is expected to retire early in the new year. How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 Critics say the president and his allies are in the midst of a systematic campaign to denigrate the FBI and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is looking into potential collusion by the Trump campaign in Russias attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election. In a pair of statements on Twitter, Trump again expressed scorn regarding news coverage of his administration. For months, the president has been particularly critical of reports regarding the Russia investigation and more recently has repeatedly complained he does not receive enough credit for a booming stock market. In his video conference message to troops overseas, the president made apparent reference to the fight against the militants of Islamic State, who over the last year have lost most of the territory they previously controlled in Iraq and Syria, including former strongholds in Mosul and Raqqah. Were winning, Trump told military personnel deployed in Qatar, Kuwait, Guantanamo Bay and aboard the guided missile destroyer Sampson. Reporters traveling with the president heard his address, but were ushered from the room before he took questions from the troops. The president often breaks with longtime custom and makes politically charged statements at events in which he addresses military personnel. Facebook

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Trumps Wells Fargo tweet cited in court hearing as reason to remove Mulvaney as CFPB acting chief By Jim Puzzanghera A recent tweet by President Trump about possible penalties against Wells Fargo & Co. was cited during a court hearing Friday as a reason for removing White House official Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The attorney for Leandra English  the bureaus deputy director who has said she is the rightful acting head  said Trumps tweet showed he was trying to exercise improper influence over the independent consumer watchdog. I think that [tweet] shows you this isnt just some hypothetical concern, the attorney, Deepak Gupta, told Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia during a nearly two-hour hearing. Read More Facebook

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Trump administration recognizes Honduran presidents reelection By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration on Friday formally recognized the incumbent president of Honduras, conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez, as the winner of a bitterly contested presidential election held last month. In a statement, the State Department congratulated Hernandez while also acknowledging widespread irregularities in the Nov. 26 vote and calling for a robust national dialogue to overcome political discord in the Central American country, a close ally of the administration. The Organization of American States, which monitored the election, said it was so flawed that only a new round of voting could establish a fair and transparent outcome. But the U.S. rejected that determination. Uproar over the contest led to demonstrations in Honduras that left numerous civilians dead after state security forces opened fire on the protests. Activists and others voiced criticism Friday of the administrations decision. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a leading Democratic voice on Central American issues, said he was angry and deeply disturbed by the State Department decision. The recent elections in Honduras were deeply flawed, chaotic and marred by numerous irregularities, McGovern said. U.S.-Honduran cooperation on matters such as drug-trafficking, violence and immigration requires a credible, legitimate government that has the support of its people, in Honduras, McGovern said. Hernandezs victory also was controversial because it was the first time a sitting president was allowed to run for re-election, barred until now by the Honduran Constitution. Facebook

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Senate Leader Mitch McConnell says fixing DACA is no emergency until March By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday hes committed to allowing a vote on a bill for so-called Dreamers in January, but sees no rush to resolve the deportation threat posed by President Trumps decision to end a program protecting immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. There isnt that much of an emergency there, he said. There is no emergency until March. Well keep talking about it. Trump called for phasing out by March the Obama-era program that allows the young immigrants, many of them longtime residents, to get two-year deferrals of any deportation threat so they can legally attend school or work. Beneficiaries must be vetted for security purposes. Trump told Congress to come up with a legislative alternative for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Obama created by executive order, to protect those currently eligible. A bipartisan Senate group has been working with the White House, but talks stalled this week amid administration demands for curbs on legal immigration flows in exchange for protecting the DACA recipients. Meanwhile, Dreamers and immigrant advocates stormed the Capitol in recent days pressing for the help promised by Trump and Democratic congressional leaders that failed to materialize in the years final legislation. Advocacy groups say more than 120 immigrants each day are falling out of compliance without DACA renewals, putting them at risk of deportation. The number that is projected to swell to more than 1,000 a day in March. Weve been gridlocked on this issue for years, McConnell said. We want to have a signature. We dont just want to spin our wheels and have nothing to show for it. Facebook

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President Trump signs tax bill By Noah Bierman (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump on Friday morning signed a sweeping tax-cut measure  his first major legislative achievement  before heading off for a Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla. The president also privately signed a short-term spending bill to fund government operations through Jan. 19. Congress approved it Thursday, after Republican leaders were unable to bridge differences in their own party as well as with Democrats to get agreement on funding for the full fiscal year. The stopgap bill punts fights on immigration and other issues to January. The tax bill, approved earlier this week in Congress in largely party-line votes, slashes corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% and also includes a host of other provisions for individuals, all intended to boost the economy. Critics point to nonpartisan analyses showing that the package, including changes greatly reducing the number of estates subject to taxes, steers the bulk of tax benefits to top earners and the wealthy, including Trump, despite his repeated claims that hell take a hit. Trump signed the bill quietly Friday, but held a public ceremony with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday after the bills passage; he also tweeted about the measure extensively. He is expected to hold another public ceremony after the New Years holiday. Facebook

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Pelosi urges Ryan to prevent Republicans from curtailing Houses Russia probe By Chris Megerian House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin greets House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Friday urging him to ensure the Houses investigation into Russian interference with last years presidential campaign is not cut short. The American people deserve a comprehensive and fair investigation into Russias attacks, wrote Pelosi, of San Francisco, in her letter. Political haste must not cut short valid investigatory threads. The House Intelligence Committee has been probing the issue since March 1, and Democrats have repeatedly warned that Republicans are trying to wrap up its work prematurely. Pelosi said Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, should take urgent action to ensure this investigation can continue. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said Pelosi simply wants to see this investigation go on forever in order to suit her political agenda. Whether it concludes next month, next year, or in three years, she will say it is too soon, Strong said in a statement. She added, The investigation will conclude when the committee has reached a conclusion. The committees work is led by Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas). His spokeswoman, Emily Hytha, said he remains committed to conducting this investigation as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible. With more interviews scheduled, the investigation shows signs of extending into next year, Bloomberg reported Friday. BREAKING: Steve Bannon and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski have been sent letters requesting they testify to House Intel panel in early January, per @HouseInSession  Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) December 22, 2017 Facebook

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Congress votes to avert government shutdown, but Senate fails to pass disaster aid package By Lisa Mascaro ( (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Congress approved a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, but failed to complete work on an $81-billion disaster aid package to help California, Gulf Coast states and Puerto Rico recover from wildfires and hurricanes, as lawmakers scrambled Thursday to wrap up business before a Christmas break. The stopgap measure continues federal operations for a few more weeks, setting up another deadline for Jan. 19. But it left undone a long list of priorities that members of both parties had hoped to finish this year. Read More Facebook

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Wells Fargo says raises were not linked to tax bill passage  then backtracks By James Rufus Koren Wells Fargo & Co.s move to raise its minimum pay to $15 an hour was part of a long-term plan and not related to the passage of the Republican tax overhaul as the company implied, said a bank spokesman, who later backtracked and stated the hikes were a result of the bills approval. The bank was among several large corporations to publicly announce pay raises or new investments immediately following the final House vote in an apparent public relations offensive to boost the popularity of the tax bill The San Francisco bank had implied the direct linkage to the tax legislation in a news release Wednesday, shortly after Congress passed the tax overhaul, which slashes the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% starting Jan. 1. Read More Facebook

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Obamacare signups beat expectations, despite Trump administrations opposition By Noam N. Levey President Trump with Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Despite Trump administration efforts to discourage people from signing up, the number of people enrolling for Affordable Care Act coverage nearly hit last years level, the government revealed Thursday. Exchange open enrollment for 2018 coverage ended w/ approx 8.8M people enrolling in coverage. Great job to the @CMSGov team for the work you did to make this the smoothest experience for consumers to date. We take pride in providing great customer service.  Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 21, 2017 The 8.8 million people who enrolled in the 36 states that use the federal governments healthcare.gov system significantly exceeded most forecasts. The Trump administration stopped most outreach and other efforts this year aimed at getting people to sign up. The president also repeatedly said publicly that Obamacare was dead. Open enrollment continues in California and several other states that run their own healthcare marketplaces. The figures from the federal government indicate that when those states wrap up for the year, the number of people covered by Obamacare will be nearly the same as in 2017. Read More Facebook

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U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly condemns U.S. policy change on Jerusalem despite Trumps threats By Tracy Wilkinson The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted Thursday to condemn President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trumps threats to punish countries that voted against the U.S. position. The resolution passed in an emergency session at U.N. headquarters in New York with 128 in favor, nine opposed and 35 abstentions. The nonbinding resolution demands that Washington rescind its declaration, which included a plan to transfer the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in coming years. The resolution value is mostly symbolic, showing how isolated the U.S. is in the move. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., warned this week that she would be taking names of countries that opposed the U.S., and Trump on Wednesday suggested he might cut U.S. aid to governments that voted in favor of the resolution. Let them vote against us, Trump said. Well save a lot. We dont care. The U.S. recognition of Jerusalem reversed decades of international consensus on the political status of the divided city. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital in a future independent state. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the U.N. was facing an unprecedented test and that history would remember those who stand by what is right. Facebook

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Democrats defend Robert Mueller, saying Russia investigation must be allowed to continue By Chris Megerian Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) speaking during a committee hearing earlier this year. (Molly Riley / Associated Press) House Democrats said they will fight Republican attempts to discredit and undermine the work of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating whether President Trumps associates helped Russian meddling in last years election. There is an organized effort by Republicans, in concert with Fox News, to spin a false narrative and conjure up outrageous scenarios to accuse special counsel Mueller of being biased, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said. Trump has said he has no plan to fire Mueller, but Democrats are alarmed by escalating criticism of the special counsels work. Why is the president afraid of the facts and the truth? Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said. He added, No matter what the facts are, were satisfied if the investigation is complete. A letter of support signed by 171 Democratic members of Congress will be sent to Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, and oversees his investigation. Rosenstein has defended Mueller in the face of Republican criticisms. Facebook

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U.S. blacklists Myanmar army general who it says oversaw atrocities against Rohingya Muslims By Shashank Bengali The Trump administration on Thursday blacklisted a Myanmar army general who it said oversaw human rights abuses committed by security forces against Rohingya Muslims. Imposing economic sanctions against the general, Maung Maung Soe, was the toughest action the United States has taken in response to a brutal army offensive that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has described as ethnic cleansing. In a statement, the Treasury Department said it had examined credible evidence of Maung Maung Soes activities, including allegations against Burmese security forces of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrest as well as the widespread burning of villages. The Rohingya are an ethnic and religious minority of about 1 million people in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, also known as Burma. The United Nations says that more than 640,000 Rohingya have fled the country since August, after the army launched clearance operations in response to attacks carried out by a Rohingya insurgent group against security forces. Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in neighboring Bangladesh have described horrific violence by Myanmar forces, including mass rapes, summary executions and children being burned alive. The aid group Doctors Without Borders estimates that 6,700 people were killed in the first month of the operation. Myanmar authorities deny committing atrocities and say that only a few hundred fighters were killed. Maung Maung Soe was chief of the armys Western Command, which carried out the offensive. He was transferred from his position last month, according to news reports. He was one of 13 individuals worldwide who were blacklisted Thursday under a new U.S. law that gives the Treasury Department authority to target officials for human rights abuses and corruption. Others included former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh; Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the late Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov; and Artem Chaika, son of Russias prosecutor-general. Today, the United States is taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these bad actors out of the U.S. financial system, said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. The sanctions freeze any assets Maung Maung Soe holds in the United States and bars Americans from doing business with him. It is also a sign of how quickly U.S. relations with Myanmar have soured. Under the Obama administration, the United States forged closer ties with the former military dictatorship and eased economic and political sanctions as the country began implementing democratic reforms. But Myanmar, which does not regard the Rohingya as citizens, has lashed out at the international community over the current crisis. It has jailed journalists, blocked access to affected areas in the western state of Rakhine and this week barred a U.N. human rights investigator from entering the country. Rohingya activists said the U.S. action would not have much effect on a country that survived under economic sanctions for years. It is the whole military institution that has a policy to persecute these people, said Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist and blogger in Germany. According to the U.S.s own definition, the army is carrying out ethnic cleansing. They have a responsibility to protect these people. Sanctions on one person are really not enough. Facebook

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Dreamers will have to wait until next year for Congress long-promised protections By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)) A promised year-end deal to protect the young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation collapsed Wednesday as Republicans in Congress  fresh off passage of their tax plan  prepared to punt nearly all remaining must-do agenda items into the new year. Congressional leaders still hope that before leaving town this week they can pass an $81-billion disaster relief package with recovery funds for California wildfires and Gulf Coast states hit during the devastating hurricane season. But passage even of that relatively popular measure remained in doubt as conservatives balked at the price tag. Rather than finish the year wrapping up the legislative agenda, the GOP majorities in the House and Senate struggled over their next steps. Read More Facebook

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Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol By Lisa Mascaro U.S. Capitol Police arrest a man wearing a Santa Claus hat during a protest against the Republican tax bill. (Alex Edelman / AFP/Getty Image) Outside the U.S. Capitol, the lights on a towering Christmas tree are flipped on each evening, giving the Engelmann spruce a festive twinkle; inside the marble halls, wreaths and garlands decorate doorways and alcoves ahead of the holidays. But the spirit of the season has been punctuated by other sights: a Jumbotron parked across from the Capitol reflecting pool broadcasts images of young immigrants who face deportation; Little Lobbyists, children with complex medical needs, were featured in a recent news conference; protesters filed into the visitor galleries to shout against the Republican tax plan. While its beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Capitol, its also shaping up to be a holiday season of protest. Read More Facebook

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Tax bill simplifies filing for some but complicates it for others  and dont count on that postcard By Jim Puzzanghera A priority of the Republicans tax overhaul was simplification, and they drove home the point this fall with an omnipresent prop: a red-white-and-blue postcard. Were making things so simple that you can do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said last month, pulling one from his jacket pocket as he and Republican leaders unveiled their bill. They gave a couple of the cards to President Trump at a White House meeting a few hours later and flashed them often during news conferences and TV interviews in the coming days. Read More Facebook

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Top U.N. human rights official reportedly wont seek reelection The top United Nations official for human rights, who has frequently criticized the Trump administration, has reportedly decided not to seek a second term, saying his work had become untenable. Zeid Raad Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, notified his staff in an email that was obtained by several news outlets, including Agence France-Presse. Staying when his four-year term is up for renewal at the end of August might involve bending a knee in supplication, AFP quoted Husseins email as saying. Hussein is a Jordanian prince who has criticized, among other things, President Trumps attempts to ban visitors or refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries. The news comes a day before the U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a nonbinding resolution condemning the Trump administrations formal declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a decision that went against international consensus. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has warned she will be taking names of those who vote against the United States on Thursday. Trump echoed that sentiment Wednesday, voiced support for Haley and implying to reporters that he would consider cutting off U.S. aid to countries that vote against the U.S. Well, were watching those votes, Trump said. Let them vote against us. Well save a lot. We dont care. On Monday, the United States lost a Security Council vote 14-1 on a binding resolution that would have required Washington to rescind its declaration. Haley then vetoed the resolution. Facebook

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Top Democrat warns Trump not to fire Mueller or interfere with his investigation By Chris Megerian Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, one of the top Democrats involved in the congressional inquiries into Russian interference in last years election, said Wednesday that any attempt by President Trump to interfere with the separate criminal investigation would be a gross abuse of power. Warner, who is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, delivered his warning from the Senate floor as Republicans escalate their criticism of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team of prosecutors and FBI agents. Some Democrats believe Trump is laying the groundwork to fire Mueller even though the president has publicly denied it. Mueller was appointed in May after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey. In the United States of America, no one, no one is above the law, not even the president, Warner said. Congress must make clear to the president that firing the special counsel or interfering with his investigation by issuing pardons of essential witnesses is unacceptable and would have immediate and significant consequences. Some Democrats say the White House may try to in effect short-circuit the Mueller investigation by replacing Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who is the only official empowered to fire Mueller. Rosenstein recently told Congress that the special counsel is acting appropriately and that he would not dismiss Mueller without just cause. Facebook

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We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump says after tax bill passes By Brian Bennett President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the White House. (Chris Kleponis / Getty Images) President Trump is celebrating Republicans passage of the tax overhaul bill as a two-fer: On Wednesday, in addition to tax cuts, he checked off his promise to repeal Obamacare, pointing to a provision in the bill to end the penalty on Americans who dont get health insurance. We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Other provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act are still in place, and Trump and congressional Republicans failed completely on the replace half of their vow to repeal and replace the program. In Trumps view, however, stripping away the laws individual mandate to get insurance or else pay a tax penalty amounts to repeal of the whole law. Congressional analysts have said that millions of people would lose insurance as a result, either by choice or because they cannot afford it without subsidies, and that premiums would increase for others as younger, healthy people drop coverage. We will come up with something much better, Trump said, adding that block grants to states could be one approach. By his comments, Trump tacitly acknowledged that repeal of the mandate is likely the best he can do following Republicans failure this year to agree on a repeal-and-replace bill. Looking back on his first year, Trump also boasted of his administrations efforts against the Islamic State and increased immigration enforcement. He said he had not given up on funding a border wall or tightening immigration law to limit citizens ability to resettle foreign relatives in the country. He said he would very shortly visit the border with Mexico near San Diego to see wall prototypes that have been built. He didnt answer a reporters shouted question about how he would personally benefit from the tax bill. Facebook

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House gives final OK to GOP tax plan, sending it to Trump By Lisa Mascaro Congress gave final approval to the GOP tax plan Wednesday, 224-201, after the House took an unusual do-over vote to clear up differences with the Senate-passed bill. The $1.5-trillion package now heads to President Trump, who plans to sign it into law. The House had approved the tax bill on Tuesday but was forced to take another vote Wednesday because a couple of provisions in the version it approved were found to be in violation of Senate procedures. Those provisions were dropped before the Senate gave its approval early Wednesday. Critics complained the Republicans rushed to pass the sweeping tax plan to deliver Trump a year-end legislative victory, but supporters shrugged off the problems as minor. The tax plan dramatically cuts corporate rates and provides some individual rate reductions, overhauling the tax code for the first time in 30 years. Facebook

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Trump administration effort to block immigrant from having an abortion fails By David Savage Scott Lloyd is director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) President Trumps lawyers rushed to the Supreme Court and U.S. appeals court in Washington on Monday evening to file emergency appeals seeking to prevent an immigrant in detention, dubbed Jane Roe in court, from having an abortion. That set the stage for a legal showdown on whether the administration can block pregnant minors in custody from choosing to have an abortion. But the legal clash, which the administration has seemed eager to have, fizzled out Tuesday when the governments lawyers admitted the 17-year-old unaccompanied minor in their custody was actually 19. They said they had obtained her birth certificate and realized she was not a minor after all. As a result, Roe, who is 10 weeks pregnant, will no longer be held in a detention center for immigrant minors, and will not be subject to an administration policy that tries to prevent minors in immigration detention from having abortions. Administration lawyers told appeals court judges Tuesday night that Roe was being sent to a facility for adults and likely would be released until her immigration status can be resolved. In a brief order, the D.C. Circuit Court agreed to put the case on hold, but told government attorneys to confirm that she will be permitted to obtain an abortion. The administration had earlier tried to delay another young woman, referred to in court as Jane Poe, from having an abortion, but officials relented on Monday because she was 22 weeks pregnant and nearing the time limit for a legal abortion. Facebook

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Senate panel rejects Trumps pick to lead Export-Import Bank, a leader in the effort to shut it down By Jim Puzzanghera A Senate committee on Tuesday rejected President Trumps nominee to lead the Export-Import Bank, extending the chaos at the embattled agency whose job is to help U.S. companies sell their goods abroad. Two Republicans joined all Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee in voting against former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to be the banks president. Garrett had been a vocal critic of the Ex-Im Bank and a leader of a conservative effort that shut the bank down for five months in 2015 by blocking its congressional authorization. He and other bank opponents branded the banks aid as crony capitalism. Read More Facebook

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Congress proposes $81-billion disaster aid package, including funds for California wildfires By Lisa Mascaro Congress is set to consider an $81-billion disaster aid package that includes wildfire recovery money for California and other Western states as well as hurricane relief with a price tag reflecting a year of record-setting natural calamities. The legislation, the text of which was released late Monday, would provide almost twice as much as the $44 billion the White House sought last month to cover relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in the Caribbean. Republican congressional leaders added more money after California lawmakers objected that the administration had failed to include help for areas damaged by wildfires and Democrats protested that the overall amount President Trump asked for was insufficient. Read More Facebook

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White House blames North Korea for worldwide WannaCry cyber attack By Noah Bierman The Royal London Hospital, a victim of the unprecedented global cyberattack in May. (Niklas Hallen / AFP/Getty Images) The White House officially blamed North Korea on Tuesday for the cyberattack in May known as WannaCry that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in 150 countries, affecting healthcare, financial services and vital infrastructure. Thomas P. Bossert, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism, noted in a briefing with reporters that the consequences were beyond economic. He warned that North Koreas malicious behavior is growing more egregious. Bossert did not specify what evidence American officials have to blame North Korea, citing security issues, but he cited the countrys prior attacks as revealing hallmarks of how Pyongyang and its network of hackers operates. He said other allied countries had joined the United States in making the determination. The administration did not announce any penalties on the regime, which is already subject to severe sanctions over its nuclear program. They want to hold the entire world at risk, Bossert said of North Koreas rulers, referring to the nations nuclear and missile provocations as well as its alleged cyberattack. Given its isolation and international sanctions, North Korea is desperate for funds. Bossert said the country did not appear to make much money on the ransom attack, as word spread that paying a ransom did not result in getting computers unlocked. Its primary goal, he said, was spreading chaos. Bossert and Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary of homeland security for cybersecurity and communication, said the United States, through a combination of preparation and luck, escaped the worst of the attack, as a patch to the malware was found before U.S. companies and other interests were severely crippled. However, Manfra said, We cannot be complacent. Bossert added, Next time were not going to get so lucky. Manfra praised Microsoft and Facebook for their efforts to combat WannaCry and to block more recent attempts to hack U.S. systems. She and Bossert urged more cooperation and information-sharing from American and multinational companies, arguing a united front is vital to protecting against bad actors who do not differentiate between government and business. Bossert rejected criticism that the the Trump administration has more aggressively called out North Korean cyberattacks than it has Russias meddling in the 2016 election. He said the administration has continued the national emergency initiated by President Obama. Facebook

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GOP lures some mountain bike groups in its push to roll back protections for public land By Evan Halper When their vision of creating a scenic cycling trail through a protected alpine backcountry hit a snag, San Diego area mountain bikers turned to an unlikely ally: congressional Republicans aiming to dilute conservation laws. The frustrations of the San Diego cycling group and a handful of similar organizations are providing tailwind to the GOP movement to lift restrictions on the countrys most ecologically fragile and pristine landscapes, officially designated wilderness. Resentment of these cyclists over the longstanding ban on mechanized transportation in that fraction of the nations public lands presents a political opportunity for Republicans eager to drill fissures in the broad coalition of conservation-minded groups united against the GOP environmental agenda. Read More Facebook

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Vice president postpones Israel trip a second time in case his vote is needed to pass tax cut bill By Noah Bierman (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Vice President Mike Pence is delaying his trip to Egypt and Israel for a second time in case he is needed to break a tie in the Senate for the tax bill that is expected to pass narrowly this week. Two White House officials confirmed the changed schedule, which they say is unrelated to to protests in the region over the administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Pence had initially been scheduled to leave last Saturday. Late last week, the White House moved the trip back a few days to Tuesday night, in case Pence was needed to break a Senate tie. But Monday, they decided to postpone the trip further, to January, given the possibility of a late Senate vote and the coming holidays. He wants to see it through the finish line, said a White House official, referring to the tax measure that is a centerpiece of the Republican legislative agenda. We dont want to leave anything to chance. The mid-January dates will allow Pence more breathing room to merge schedules with embassies and hotels, the official said. Trump still plans to address the Israeli Knesset, a high-profile venue to discuss the Jerusalem decision where it is most popular. Facebook

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Trump judicial pick who drew ridicule at hearing withdraws By Associated Press A White House official says the Trump judicial nominee whose qualifications were questioned by a Republican senator has withdrawn his nomination. Matthew Petersen, who was nominated by President Trump to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has been the subject of widespread ridicule since he was unable to define basic legal terms during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. A White House official says Petersen has withdrawn his nomination and that Trump has accepted the withdrawal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the development publicly. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy pressed Petersen, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who testified he had never tried a case, on his qualifications to the bench. Facebook

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Trump says McCain will return to Washington if needed for tax vote By Laura King President Trump said Sunday that Sen. John McCain, who is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, was returning home to Arizona for the holidays but would come back to Washington if needed to cast a vote on the Republicans tax overhaul bill. The Arizona Republicans office announced last week that McCain was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington for complications from his cancer treatment. McCains daughter Meghan tweeted earlier Sunday that her 81-year-old father would be spending Christmas in Arizona. The Senate is expected to vote early this week on the tax cut legislation, but the GOP appeared to have secured sufficient support without McCains vote. John will come back if we need his vote, Trump told reporters as he returned from a weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David. Hes going through a very tough time. Facebook

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Putin calls Trump to thank him for U.S. help foiling terrorist strike By Laura King Vladimir Putin phoned President Trump to thank him for what the Russian president said was CIA help in foiling a terrorist attack, the Kremlin said on Sunday. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the two leaders conversation to reporters. It was the second time that the two leaders had talked in four days; Trump called Putin on Thursday to thank the Russian leader for lauding the U.S. economy. Putin, in his annual year-end news conference, had praised Trump for a strong performance by the U.S. stock market. Perhaps ironically, given his credit to the CIAs recent help, Putin at that news event dismissed as hysteria the consensus among American intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign. In reporting Putins call to Trump on Sunday, the official Russian news agency Tass said Putin thanked his American counterpart for information shared by the US Central Intelligence Agency that had helped break up a plot to set off explosives in St. Petersburgs landmark Kazan Cathedral and elsewhere in the city, which is Russias second-largest. Russian authorities last week had credited their countrys counter-intelligence service, the FSB, for foiling the attacks. They reported that seven people affiliated with Islamic State had been detained in St. Petersburg in connection with the plot. The FSB, the successor organization to the KGB, announced Friday that the group had planned to carry out the attacks on Saturday, and that one of those in custody had confessed to the cathedral bomb plot. Facebook

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Mnuchin: Government shutdown unlikely but could happen By Laura King Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said on Sunday that a government shutdown this week was unlikely but possible. A two-week stopgap spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month provided enough funding to keep the government running through Friday. A deadlock on another temporary funding measure would open the door to a possible shutdown. I cant rule it out, but I cant imagine it occurring, Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday, suggesting everyone had an interest in avoiding the government grinding to a halt and federal workers going unpaid, especially in the holiday season. I would expect that both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, understand if they cant agree on this, they need to have another short-term extension to move this to January, the Treasury secretary said. We cant have a government shutdown in front of Christmas. In May, irate over concessions made to Democrats in hammering out a spending measure, President Trump tweeted that a good shutdown might help matters. While both parties agree that a government shutdown involves a degree of disruption that is not beneficial to either side, shutdowns in 1995-96 and in 2013 mainly caused a backlash against Republicans. The latest funding measure is to be taken up after a vote on a massive GOP tax overhaul, expected by midweek. Facebook

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Trump transition team says sensitive emails should not have been shared with Robert Mueller By Chris Megerian (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) President Trumps transition team is crying foul over how special counsel Robert S. Mueller III obtained emails for his investigation into Russian meddling in last years campaign and possible Trump campaign complicity. Kory Langhofer, a lawyer for the transition team, sent a letter to Congress on Saturday saying there was an unauthorized disclosure of emails. While the Trump transition is long over, the transition team remains a nonprofit organization. Its emails were hosted by the General Services Administration, a federal agency. Mueller reportedly obtained the emails directly from the agency. There are attorney-client communications, Langhofer said in an interview. There are executive-privileged communications. He added, What were asking Congress to do is to take some legislative action to make sure this never happens again. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsels office, defended the process for obtaining emails. When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process, he said. The letter was first reported by Fox News. A request for comment from the General Services Administration was not immediately answered. This story has been updated with a comment from the special counsels office. Facebook

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Virginia house arrest is ending for Paul Manafort By Chris Megerian (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) A federal judge agreed Friday to end Paul Manaforts house arrest in Virginia, allowing President Trumps former campaign manager to return to Florida while awaiting trial. The decision followed a dispute between Manaforts legal team and prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who accused Manafort of violating a court order restricting public statements about the case. Under the terms of the judges order, Manafort will be allowed to live at his home in Florida as long as he stays within Palm Beach and Broward counties and obeys a curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If he misses a court appearance, he would forfeit four properties valued at $10 million total. The deal, which includes GPS monitoring, is not as permissive as Manafort originally sought. He had asked to be able to travel freely among Florida, New York, Virginia and Washington. Manafort faces criminal charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Facebook

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GOP negotiators enhance child tax credit to win over Sen. Rubio By Lisa Mascaro Republican negotiators slightly increased the refundable portion of the expanded child tax credit in their tax plan, raising it to $1,400 in hopes of winning back Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) support ahead of next weeks vote. Rubio announced Thursday he was withholding support after negotiators ignored his push to make the expanded tax credit, which increases from the current $1,000 to $2,000 in the proposed bill, fully refundable for lower- and moderate-income filers. The refundable portion in the original bill was $1,100. The Florida senator argued that was not enough to help working-class Americans, many of whom already view the GOP plan as tilted toward the wealthy. Rubios office was waiting to see the final text before commenting on whether the change was enough to win him over. We have not seen the bill text, and until we see if the percentage of the refundable credit is significantly higher, then our position remains the same, Rubios spokeswoman said. Negotiators meeting Friday before unveiling the bill said they thought they had the support they needed from Rubio and other holdouts. Im confident both chambers will pass it next week, said Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Facebook

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Sen. Marco Rubio opposes GOP tax bill, depriving leaders of crucial support By Lisa Mascaro 20.94% Corp. rate to pay for tax cut for working family making $40k was anti-growth but 21% to cut tax for couples making $1million is fine?  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 12, 2017 Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says he is currently opposed to the GOP tax plan because it fails to include his proposed enhancements to the child tax credit, leaving leaders without crucial support ahead of next weeks expected vote. Republicans can only lose two GOP senators from their slim 52-48 majority as they push the plan forward under special budget rules to prevent a Democratic filibuster. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday altered his planned Israel trip so he could be on hand, if needed, to cast a tie-breaking vote. Rubio, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, have fought to increase the child tax credit, doubling it to $2,000 in the GOP plan, but they also want to increase its refundability. They argue it will lower taxes on middle-income families at a time when the tax plan is being criticized as tilted to the wealthy. Sen. Rubio has consistently communicated to the Senate tax negotiators that his vote on final passage would depend on whether the refundability of the Child Tax Credit was increased in a meaningful way, Rubios spokeswoman said. Lee stopped short of opposing the bill, but his spokesman said Wednesday he is undecided. GOP leaders, though, have said they believe they have the support for passage. Facebook

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White House gives Roy Moore a unsubtle shove: Time to concede By David Lauter (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The White House sent a clear signal Thursday to the defeated Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama: Its time to concede. Roy Moore refused to concede the race on Tuesday night when Doug Jones, the Democrat, was declared the winner. Election night results show Jones winning by about 1.5 percentage points, three times more than the states standard for a recount. Although a few absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted, theres no indication they would change the result. On Wednesday, Moore notably did not call to congratulate Jones  even as President Trump and other leading Republicans did. Instead, he released a video declaring the battle rages on. Asked at the daily news briefing whether the White House thinks Moore should concede today, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, It probably sounds like it maybe should have already taken place. Sanders also dismissed the idea, pushed by some Moore supporters, that Jones victory was tainted in some fashion. Asked if the Democrat had won fair and square, she said, I think the numbers reflect that. The states Republican senator, Richard Shelby, offered a similar comment in an interview with MSNBC in which he said he was willing to work with Jones. If I was 25,000 votes behind, its not going to change much, Shelby said. Facebook

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House Speaker Paul Ryan says hes not leaving anytime soon By Lisa Mascaro House Speaker Paul D. Ryan shot down suggestions Thursday that he might soon be retiring. Stories often circulate that party leaders, especially the House speaker, are stepping aside. Ryans tenure has been as rocky as that of his predecessor, Rep. John Boehner, who abruptly resigned in 2015 amid GOP infighting. Asked Thursday if he would be leaving, Ryan answered a simple no, as he left his weekly press conference in the Capitol. Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican who reluctantly took over the speakers gavel after Boehners departure, had just finished talking up the GOP tax plan, which leaders hope to pass next week. He also outlined his sweeping agenda for his longtime goal of entitlement reform of welfare benefits next year. Two stories published Thursday suggested Ryan may soon be out. This is pure speculation, said spokeswoman AshLee Strong. As the speaker himself said today, hes not going anywhere anytime soon. Facebook

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GOP leaders reach tax deal, cutting corporate rate to 21% and top individual rate to 37% By Lisa Mascaro Republican leaders on Wednesday agreed on a revised plan to cut taxes that would lower the corporate rate from 35% to 21% and drop the top individual rate for the richest Americans to 37%, according to GOP senators and others briefed on the deal. The tentative accord marked a significant step in the Republican push to have a tax bill on President Trumps desk by Christmas. Leaders did not release details of the compromise or the text of a final bill as negotiations continued. Its critically important for Congress to quickly pass these historic tax cuts, Trump said Wednesday, promising that Americans could begin to reap the benefits of the plan as early as February, if passed. Critics, however, said the latest changes  particularly the lowering of the top individual rate from the current 39.6%  only reaffirmed several independent analyses that show the bulk of the savings from the Republican plan would go to businesses and the wealthy. Read More Facebook

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Farenthold to retire from House amid harassment accusations By Associated Press Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold wont seek reelection next year, two Republicans said Thursday, adding his name to the list of lawmakers leaving Congress amid sexual harassment allegations that have cost powerful men their jobs in politics, the arts and other fields. The accusations against Farenthold surfaced in 2014, when a former aide sued him alleging sexually suggestive comments and behavior and said shed been fired after she complained. The lawmaker said he engaged in no wrongdoing and the case was settled in 2015. But the House Ethics Committee said last week that it would investigate Farenthold after congressional sources said hed paid an $84,000 settlement using taxpayers money. Though Farenthold said hed reimburse the Treasury Department, such payments have drawn public criticism from people saying lawmakers should use their own money for such settlements. A House official said Farenthold spoke twice Wednesday to House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), while another official said the congressman spoke once with Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) who heads the GOPs House campaign committee. Those discussions suggested that Farenthold may have come under pressure from leaders to step aside. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Last week, three lawmakers facing accusations of sexual harassment announced their resignations. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) have already left Congress while Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has said he will step aside soon. Mike Bergsma, Republican county chairman in Farentholds home county of Nueces, Texas, said Fare
Half of the Americans recently diagnosed with HIV had been living with the virus for at least three years without realizing it, missing out on opportunities for early treatment and in some cases spreading it to others, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Whats more, of the 39,720 Americans newly diagnosed with HIV in 2015, one-quarter had been infected for seven years or more without knowing they were ill.

Among all 1.2 million Americans living with HIV in 2015, the CDC estimates that about 15% were unaware of their HIV-positive status. Those people are thought to be responsible for 40% of new transmissions of HIV, according to the study published Tuesday in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is responsible for causing AIDS. Infection used to be considered a death sentence, until antiretroviral medications capable of suppressing the virus came into broad use in the late 1990s.

The new report is the latest measure of how well public health authorities are doing at boosting rates of early diagnosis and care for HIV  goals that will extend life expectancies for patients and reduce the virus spread.

For each of the new cases diagnosed in 2015, researchers estimated a rough time of infection on the basis of a patients level of disease progression. Based on patients initial count of infection-fighting CD4 cells, they gleaned how long the HIV virus likely had replicated unchecked. A normal range for CD4 cells lies between 500 and 1,500; a CD4 count below 200 brings a diagnosis of AIDS.

Although the median time between infection and diagnosis for all Americans was three years, there was considerable variability among patients of different racial and ethnic groups.

For instance, half of African Americans had been infected for 3.3 years when they were diagnosed, while the median time for whites was 2.2 years. This gap was seen despite the fact that African Americans were more likely than whites to have been tested for HIV in the previous year.

For Latinos, the median time to diagnosis was also 3.3 years; for Asian Americans, it was 4.2 years.

The authors of the CDC report surmised that the longer diagnosis delay among nonwhite racial and ethnic groups might reflect an observed trend: For whites, men who have sex with men are the predominant sources of HIV spread, but for other groups, sexual contact between men and women is responsible for a higher proportion of infections.

Age, too, was a key factor, with older patients more likely than younger ones to go years without knowing they were HIV-positive. Half of newly-diagnosed patients 55 and over were HIV-positive for 4.5 years or more without knowing it. Among those 34 and younger, the median delay between infection and diagnosis was about 2.5 years.

Fully half of people with undiagnosed HIV infection in 2015 were living in the South, the CDC said. States with the highest rates of undiagnosed HIV infection  between 16% and 19%  included Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, North Dakota and Wisconsin. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont and South Dakota and Idaho had the lowest rates, between 5% and 10%.

Overall, the three-year gap between infection and diagnosis actually represents progress. In 2011  the last time the CDC took such measures  half of Americans newly diagnosed with HIV had been infected for 3.6 years or more.

That suggests that public health campaigns started by the CDC, including the Testing Makes Us Stronger push rolled out in 11 cities, have made inroads. Two CDC campaigns, launched in 2007 and 2011, set out to encourage testing and early HIV care on the part of African Americans and Latinos, and particularly among men who have sex with men.

Such public health efforts have increased rates of testing among many groups at high risk. Among men who have sex with men, 71% told surveyors they had been tested in the last year, as did 58% of people who inject drugs. Only 41% of heterosexual Americans at increased risk of HIV infection said they had been tested in the last 12 months.

Taking HIV medicine as prescribed allows people with the virus to live a virtually normal lifespan, generally without health complications. Managing ones HIV infection with medication also significantly reduces the likelihood of transmitting the virus to sexual partners.

The benefits are clear, said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDCs National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Prompt diagnosis is prevention. It is the first step to protecting people living with HIV and their partners.

The CDC recommends testing all people between the age of 13 and 64 for HIV at least once in their lifetime, and people at higher risk for HIV  including IV drug users and sexual partners of infected persons  at least annually. Healthcare providers may find it beneficial to test some sexually active gay and bisexual men as frequently as every three to six months.

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the CDCs director, called the new statistics more encouraging signs that the tide continues to turn on our nations HIV epidemic.

HIV is being diagnosed more quickly, Fitzgerald said. The number of people who have the virus under control is up, and annual infections are down, she added.

While we celebrate our progress, we pledge to work together to end this epidemic forever, she said.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

@LATMelissaHealy

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The Zonta Club of Burbank is trying to help shed light on violence against women and girls from communities around the world and to put an end to it.

This past Saturday, the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign kicked off worldwide. Groups such as the Zonta Club, Rutgers University and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women use the 16 days between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and International Human Rights Day to discuss how violence against women is a human rights issue.

To show its solidarity to the cause, Burbank City Hall will be illuminated with orange lights throughout the 16 days, said Nickie Bonner, a past president of the Zonta Club of Burbank.

Were trying to do locally what we can do to advocate for the larger global campaign, Bonner said.

She said the campaign is more important than ever, especially during the recent uptick in women in the media industry, Washington, D.C. and various businesses who have come forward with sexual assault allegations against men they have worked for or alongside.

What recent events are showing us is that gender violence is more widespread than any of us could have realized, Bonner said. What its proving is that it cuts across countries and society in general.

Bonner said the campaign is relevant in Burbank because these allegations can occur anywhere. She said she hopes the awareness brought forward during these 16 days gives those affected by gender violence the courage and strength to speak up.

When we draw attention to this in Burbank, we are hopefully empowering women and men to be voice their experiences, to advocate for each other, to be more aware of gender violence and how we all need to be supporting each other in this cause and not just imagining that its someone elses problem or that it happens somewhere else, because it doesnt, Bonner said.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
CGTN Global Media Summit & VMF 2017 opens in Hainan, Nov. 28

The China Global Television Network (CGTN) Global Media Summit and the Global Video Media Forum (VMF) 2017 opened on Tuesday in south China's Hainan Province, drawing almost 400 representatives from up to 100 media organizations from 45 countries and regions to discuss topics such as how to accelerate and deepen the integrative development of conventional and emerging media, make full use of new technologies and applications to innovate approaches of media dissemination, and how to deal with the challenges commonly faced by the media around the world.

Co-hosted by CGTN and China Central Television News Content (CCTV Plus), an important component of CGTN and a leading video news agency in China, the event gathered experts from leading media agencies including CGTN, CCTV Plus, Associated Press (AP), Reuters, CNN and Al Jazeera, Russia Today, China Daily, Phoenix Satellite Television, Tableau and NowThisNews to share their insights on the industry's development trends and successful experiences.

Their discussions revolve around the key components of the industry chain such as content production, distribution, realization and user experience, covering a wide range of topics from the reshaping and upgrading of new-type mainstream media to the maintenance of the media's stance and values in the so-called post-truth and Internet era, to the global dissemination during a time of media convergence, the visualization of digital news, the cloud structure platform for content sharing, and using new technologies for promoting the user experience.

"The future of the media industry has always been a subject of debate in China. Some argue that content is the king, others champion technology, and yet others put accessibility above everything else. A precept of ancient Chinese philosophy is that one can only be the king by uniting heaven and earth. I believe that the Chinese character for king holds the key as it is composed of four strokes. To my mind, the three horizontal bars represent content, technology and accessibility, which are made a whole by the vertical pillar -- that is integration. In the media today, only integration can be the king, said CGTN Controller Jiang Heping in his keynote speech.

Launched on Dec. 31, 2016, CGTN is a multi-language and multi-platform media grouping. It has six TV channels, namely CGTN English, CGTN Spanish, CGTN French, CGTN Arabic, CGTN Russian and CGTN Documentary, three broadcast centers in North America, Africa and Europe, CCTV Plus and CGTN Digital.

In his congratulatory letter to CGTN on its launching, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the network to "consolidate its cultural confidence, uphold the principle that news coverage is its foundation, keep close to the audiences in an all-round fashion, and make use of media convergence" so as to "let the world meet a China that is multi-dimensional and colorful."

With the opening of the Media Convergence Center on Oct. 10, 2017, CGTN formed a converged production system featuring "multi-form collection, common platform sharing, multi-channel and multi-terminal distribution". Under the strategy of maintaining television as its flagship medium while promoting mobile output, CGTN's ability of international media dissemination and influence has constantly grown over the past year. Currently, CGTN's TV channels have realized full broadcasting or broadcasting of part of their programs in 170 countries and regions across the globe, with users of the full-broadcasting channels reaching over 387 million.

CGTN's multi-language new media platforms have been followed by over 87 million active users. By earlier this month, the Facebook account of CGTN English has been followed by 52.69 million users, ranking the first among single accounts for global news media.

In its international news media survey report for the second quarter of 2017, the South Africa-based market research group New World Wealth rated CGTN as the most neutral international news media, overtaking media including BBC and CNN.

CCTV Plus started operating in December 2010 and has provided news of China and international news of a Chinese perspective, as well as quality news footage, live signals and archives which are available to global media organizations and production companies.

The VMF is an annual brand activity created by CCTV Plus in 2011 and remains committed to providing an unparalleled platform for media colleagues from around the world to share their experiences and promote ideas.
Students at Thurston Middle and Laguna Beach High schools will soon have access to tutors at any time if they encounter a difficult calculus problem or have a question on their Spanish homework.

Laguna Beach Unified School District trustees earlier this month approved a one-year contract with GradeSlam, a Montreal-based company that offers students instant academic assistance via an online platform.

Trustees unanimous vote made Laguna Beach Unified the first district in Southern California to test the program, Philip Cutler, GradeSlams founder and chief executive officer, said.

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District staff pursued the program because some students families cant afford private tutors, district chief technology officer Mike Morrison said.

Students may also have questions that other online platforms do not address, he added.

Students log on to GradeSlams website at gradeslam.org, select a subject and type their question, which is then immediately answered by one of GradeSlams 75 tutors, whom Cutler said are either licensed teachers in Quebec or are masters or PhD candidates.

The big thing is the educational equity, a level playing field for every student to succeed, Cutler, a former sixth-grade teacher, said.

Laguna Beach Unified will test the program through Nov. 14, 2018.

The district is placing course information, such as class rosters, into the program, which Morrison said will go live in January.

The text-based system, which focuses on core subjects such as math, science, social science and languages, does not have audio or video components, Morrison said.

SchoolPower provided $32,820 to cover the entire one-year trial period.

GradeSlam is not aligned with a curriculum or set of standards, but rather offers students help as their questions arise.

GradeSlam officials assign tutors to times based on data they collected.

For example, Friday nights have low usage, Cutler said. Now Sunday at 10 p.m. is a different story. Everyone who procrastinated is online.

Three public school districts, including Laguna Beach Unified, and 50 independent and charter schools in Canada and the U.S. use GradeSlam, Cutler said.

Through the platform, teachers learn which students seek assistance along with the times and topics of their questions.

Laguna Beach Unified staff will evaluate the program to see if its worth continuing, Morrison said.

Students do not need to book times in advance, Cutler said. If they run into a question, they can log on and receive real-time feedback.

Laguna Beach Unified will not provide student or tutor information to any third party, such as another person or business, according to a district staff report.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
The annual Holiday Soiree & Charity Drive organized by Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Katrina Foley is under fire from a former planning commissioner who alleges it misleadingly links charitable giving with her political fundraising.

Colin McCarthy  who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2012  filed a complaint last week with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, alleging that Foley is improperly and illegally advertising charity events to the community to raise funds for her political campaign.

Its deceptive and its crossing lines that I believe violate campaign finance rules, McCarthy said in an interview Monday.

Foley dismissed the allegations as just a bunch of politics.

This is all very positive and, for the last several years, there have been people who want to make it political and turn it into something negative, she said.

The FPPC is reviewing McCarthys complaint to determine whether to initiate an investigation, agency spokesman Jay Wierenga said Monday.

The holiday soiree, now in its ninth year, is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the Holiday bar and lounge on West 19th Street. The event is a campaign fundraiser for Foley and includes a silent auction benefiting the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn. charity fund.

Its preceded by a coat and toy drive that Foley also organizes, with collection sites at various locations. Donations also will be accepted during the soiree.

McCarthy said he believes the soiree is political fundraising under the deceptive guise of charity.

He pointed to an event flier he received in an email that includes links to the donation page on Foleys campaign website and states in two places, Your donation is your RSVP to the event.

I guarantee you there are people that are donating to that campaign account thinking its a charitable cause, and its not, McCarthy said.

Foley, though, said no one whos ever attended this event or donated was ever confused.

Donations solicited on Foleys website are labeled as going to her 2018 campaign for mayor. The flier also includes a disclosure that it was paid for by the Foley for Mayor 2018 campaign committee.

Everyone who is donating money that goes directly to my campaign knows that they are supporting my campaign, Foley said.

McCarthy also objected that city fire stations and Costa Mesa High School are included as drop-off locations for the toy and coat drive, saying he believes Foley is using public resources to aid her political fundraising.

He outlined his objections in an email Monday to officials of the city and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Foley brushed aside that claim, saying only coats and toys are collected at those locations.

Foley said she typically collects about 300 coats. Toys and coats will be donated to community organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast.

The toy and coat drive began Monday and runs through Dec. 14.

This isnt the first time objections have been raised about the charity drive. In 2014, city officials responding to a complaint from Councilman Jim Righeimer told Foley  then a councilwoman-elect  that she couldnt place a collection box in the Costa Mesa Police Department because doing so could run afoul of state law.

Foley had used the departments station on Fair Drive as a drop-off point for years before that.

City spokesman Tony Dodero could not be reached for comment about McCarthys complaint.

A representative of the Newport-Mesa school district referred questions to the city.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Federal child pornography charges against a Newport Beach oncologist were dropped Monday after the presiding judge in the case dismissed evidence discovered during what he determined was an illegal search.

U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney had, in a May 15 ruling, cited concerns about false and misleading statements in an FBI agents affidavit presented for a warrant to search the Laguna Hills home of Dr. Mark Rettenmaier, a gynecological oncologist at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. Prosecutors said hundreds of images were found of what they described as child pornography.

In this case, having evaluated the evidence remaining after the courts ruling on defendants suppression motions, the government believes it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anthony Brown wrote in a statement.

James Riddet, an attorney for Rettenmaier, said, Were very, very thankful that the judge conscientiously considered the matter in the illegal search issues and made what we feel is the appropriate ruling, suppressing the evidence, which resulted in the charges being dismissed.

In November 2011, Rettenmaier took his computer hard drive to Best Buy to be repaired. The drive was sent to a Geek Squad maintenance facility in Kentucky. As a Geek Squad technician was examining the drive, he discovered an image that triggered the FBI investigation and search of Rettenmaiers home. Rettenmaier was indicted in 2014 on two felony counts of possession of child pornography.

Riddet and co-counsel Ken Miller challenged the FBI affidavit on three issues:

That the agent failed to tell the judge that the data on the drive was in unallocated space, an area where deleted files are kept, making it difficult to determine whether Rettenmaier was ever aware of it.

That the affidavit misrepresented the image found  of a nude pre-pubescent girl  as pornography. The judge held that although the image was distasteful and disturbing, it did not meet the legal standard of child pornography.

That the agent claimed the search warrant was justified because of the search by a Geek Squad employee. However, searches of the hard drive also were conducted by a Geek Squad supervisor in Kentucky and by agents at an FBI office. The attorneys contended the technicians were improperly acting as paid FBI informants.

Carney concluded that the photo alone was not sufficient to grant the search warrant for Rettenmaiers home, meaning the photographs allegedly found on Rettenmaiers phone, laptop and multiple hard drives inside his home could not be presented at trial.

Since the charges were filed, Rettenmaier has been unable to continue his work at Hoag, Riddet said.

Were hoping that Dr. Rettenmaier can go back to practicing medicine, he said.

DANIEL LANGHORNE is a contributor to Times Community News.
A jury trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 9 for Rachel Buffett, who is accused of being an accessory after the fact for her former fiance, convicted double murderer Daniel Wozniak.

Buffett is charged with three felony counts of accessory after the fact or knowledge of a crime. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 19 in Orange County Superior Court.

The families of Wozniaks victims, Sam Herr, 26, and Juri Julie Kibuishi, 23, were in court for Tuesdays trial scheduling and later huddled in the hallway with Matt Murphy, senior deputy district attorney.

Were ready for another jury trial, Steve Herr, Sams father, told Murphy.

June Kibuishi said shes frustrated that Buffett hasnt been held accountable for what authorities believe were lies to police about her daughters death.

Weve already learned over the past seven years, thats how the system goes, Kibuishi said. I know in my heart she was involved.

In May 2010, Wozniak, a community theater actor, needed money for rent and his upcoming wedding and honeymoon with Buffett, authorities said. He plotted to kill Herr, his neighbor at the Camden Martinique apartment complex in Costa Mesa, prosecutors said.

Wozniak wanted to steal $62,000 that Herr saved from serving in the Army in Afghanistan. After shooting Herr at a Los Alamitos theater, Wozniak used Herrs phone to lure Julie Kibuishi to go to Herrs apartment, where he shot her twice in the head.

After performing in a play, Wozniak dismembered Herrs body so he could hide it at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach. He staged the scene of Kibuishis murder to appear as though Herr had raped her and fled, prosecutors said.

Wozniak was arrested at his bachelor party days after the killings after ATM withdrawals from Herrs bank account led police to him. Police said Wozniak confessed to both slayings after he called Buffett from jail.

In a recording of the call played for jurors at his trial, Wozniak learned police would soon discover a bag of evidence, including the murder weapon.

He was convicted in December 2015 of two counts of murder and was later sentenced to death.

Buffett was arrested in 2012.

Fry is a Daily Pilot staff writer. Langhorne is a contributor to Times Community News.
Traffic is always an important issue for Newport Beach residents. I watched with great interest the Oct.24 City Council Study Session, where several methods of dealing with traffic flow in our city were presented. While these efforts are appreciated, whatever happened to the Corona del Mar bypass?

When Newport Coast Drive was completed in 1992, the traffic through CdM decreased significantly. Four years later, when the 73 Toll Road was completed and the free route to and from the 73 Freeway was replaced with a toll, traffic returned to CdM.

Creating awareness of alternate routes to and from areas inland will certainly improve traffic through CdM. To accelerate this process, the bypass effort should be organized into two separate phases, the first is one that enacts measures the city can employ now and independent of other public agencies.

These would include real-time traffic monitoring and messaging to alert Coast Highway-bound traffic. A second parallel effort would be working with other public agencies to facilitate a broader and more effective bypass. This would include the Transportation Corridor Agency, the city of Irvine and traffic solutions surrounding the drop-off and pick-up of students at Sage Hill High School.

Local leadership is needed to implement these quality-of-life improvements now.

As we plan for Mariners Mile, we must be certain that we support local businesses and residents and not turn this stretch of highway into a wide thoroughfare with added automotive traffic lanes. It is also important that we work with our neighbors in Costa Mesa to reduce the impact of the termination of the 55 Freeway on both of our cities, particularly cut-through traffic on our residential streets.

Now is the time to plan for autonomous vehicles and the impact of home delivery and shared ride services, such as Uber and Lyft. For example, how do we prevent double parking for pickups that stall overall traffic movement, and how will the demand for parking be reduced in a shared economy?

Under the leadership of Tony Petros, the council made several major investments in bicycle safety and improved traffic flow, but these seem to have fallen in priority.

The key to addressing both our traffic issues and the need for better managed parking is the upcoming revision of the General Plan. As a council member, my position on the General Plan will be focused on how we reduce the impact of traffic, better provide for parking and use the General Plan to improve our quality of life. This will not happen if our City Council is not committed to putting residents first.

Michael Toerge

District 6 Candidate for City Council.

Newport Beach

Banning project went further than it should have

Re. Newport council to nullify Banning Ranch approvals, (Nov. 25): I am still upset that this project got as far as it did with the local powers that be.

Unless you benefited financially or politically, this project was a nightmare for the Newport-Costa Mesa coastal communities and adjacent southeastern Huntington Beach. The negative impacts were too numerous to mention.

Environmentalists opposed it. Citizens opposed it. Traffic planners opposed it. The increase in density was off the charts. The increase in traffic radiating out from the project was off the charts. The need for new infrastructure was off the charts.

Looking out over the area, it was like anticipating the environmental carnage in the movie Avatar, should developers get their way. It is time that local politicians listen to their constituents and their misgivings regarding developer assaults on residential quality of life. The Banning Ranch project was only the biggest recent one.

Tim Geddes

Huntington Beach

Jazz showcase coverage sounds great

Thanks for the piece Jazz trio will showcase a track full of surprises, (TimesOC, Nov. 19), and its position and prominence. It sent to the show four regular fans who didnt see my promo emails, plus 12 others who came who never heard about me or my players and sought me out at the intermission or after the show to tell me they came because they read your article in the Sunday morning insert.

There may have been others who didnt talk to me. Lucky for the show they were all early risers (some called before 10 a.m. for reservations). Were booked back in to the Rec Room in Huntington Beach again from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays Jan. 7 and Feb. 4. If the Rec Room and I are mutually satisfied with those shows we may become a first Sunday of the month series at that venue.

Mark Davidson

Santa Ana

How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length.
Church Women United of Glendale promoted a further-reaching take on peace during the annual World Community Day observance earlier this month at Salem Lutheran Church.

The organization is made up of women from different church denominations in Glendale, Montrose and Burbank, said Karil Drake, recording secretary.

The groups purpose is to help those in need while providing members a place to build friendships and share their spiritual journey.

In addition to the local city unit, there are state and national levels. The national organization came up with the ecumenical service theme Kindling New Fires for Peace with the philosophy that in todays world of digital technology and social media, members have an increased ability to communicate with people of denominations other than Christian, such as Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish.

The thought is to create an inclusive community and work toward kindling new fires toward peace.

Guest speaker Sharon Heck, a member of the Regional Lutheran Womens Board, talked about her passion for many years, which is Peace with Justice. She said she believes in taking action to bring peace and justice to everyone.

This can be accomplished through direct service to feed the hungry and shelter and clothe those in need as well as advocate by writing to elected officials to create just laws that help the neediest in society.

The highlight of the day was the presentation of a check for $1,995 to the Salvation Armys Meals on Wheels program. The funds were raised during the 40th annual Salad Bar Luncheon held in July at the First United Methodist Church of Glendale.

Lillian Simons, president of Church Women United of Glendale, presented the check to Glendale Salvation Army Lt. Jennifer Shiflett.

Additional projects of the Glendale unit are making financial donations to the American Leprosy Mission, providing paper goods to YWCAs domestic violence shelter and collecting magazines for waiting rooms at Olive View Hospital.

A special guest attending was the Rev. Mildred Butler, state president of Church Women United.

The groups future events are May Friendship Day at 10:30 a.m. on May 11 at Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church; Meals on Wheels Salad Bar Luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 24 at First United Methodist Church; and the World Community Day at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 3 at Salem Lutheran Church.

The group also donates funds to the CropWalk, which will be on March 4. It begins and ends at Incarnation Catholic Church and travels in a circle along Brand Boulevard. The CropWalk was started by Church World Services to raise funds for local and national charities.

Tree lighting held in memory of Jack Kabateck

Adventist Health Glendale Foundation is dedicating its annual tree-lighting ceremony to the memory of dedicated community volunteer, the late Jack Kabateck.

The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in the West Tower Lobby of Adventist Health Glendale, 1509 Wilson Terrace.

Kabateck passed away in 2014. Along with his wife, Glady, Jack Kabateck had served with the Glendale Symphony Orchestra Assn., Glendale-La Crescenta chapter of the American Red Cross and Glendale Rotary Noon Club.

The annual Light Up a Life event is a tradition celebrated throughout the country to increase the awareness and support of hospice care.

Funds raised during this local observation will go to Adventist Health Glendales hospice services and Beyond Loss bereavement support programs.

The public can honor or memorialize a loved one by donating at one of four tribute-gift levels.

For more information, call (818) 409-8055.

Boy Scout Council honors Hometown Heroes

Four local residents will be recognized during the annual Hometown Heroes Dinner, presented by the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

The event will be on Dec. 7 at the La Canada Country Club.

Those being honored are Robin Goldsworthy, publisher of the Crescenta Valley Weekly; Glendale police officer Michele Gonzalez; retired Lt. Col. David Worley of the U.S. Air Force, who is the administrator of the Crescenta Valley High Schools Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program; and Burbank resident and Vietnam War veteran Mickey DePalo, who is president of the Burbank Veterans Committee and was named the 2017 Veteran of the Year for the state 43rd Assembly district.

Tickets are $60. Reservation deadline is Monday.

To purchase tickets or become a sponsor, call (818) 243-6282, Ext. 114, or email Dede.Mueller@Scouting.org.

JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.
Assemblywoman Laura Friedman had no idea a sexual harassment scandal was about to explode at the California Legislature when she was elected last year or that she would help lead the response.

Starting Tuesday, though, the first-term lawmaker and former movie producer began leading a series of public hearings aimed at cleaning up a culture at the Capitol that women say allows sexual harassment to go unchecked.

Friedman, a Glendale Democrat whose district includes Burbank, was appointed chairwoman of a subcommittee tasked with evaluating the Legislatures anti-harassment policies and recommending ways to strengthen them.

She got the role in June, months before allegations of rampant harassment burst into public view.

Nationwide, dozens of politicians, Hollywood executives and actors, and media personalities are facing accusations of sexual misconduct, sparked by a wave of allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein.

At the California Capitol, no specific incident appears to have spurred the creation of the Assembly Rules Subcommittee on Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention and Response other than a need for a once-a-decade update of the chambers policies. Nearly five months later, the Tuesday meeting was its first.

I couldnt tell you whether anybody suspected there would be issues, Friedman said. But we now have a committee primed and ready to go and take a deep dive into our policies and trainings.

Skepticism persists about whether the Legislature can effectively police itself, following allegations of repeated bad behavior by Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra and Sen. Tony Mendoza, both Los Angeles-area Democrats.

Bocanegra is accused of groping or kissing numerous women without their consent over a period of years, even after he was reprimanded for such behavior in 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported. Bocanegra, who has not denied the allegations, said he would not run for reelection. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced he would expel Bocanegra if an investigator verifies the new allegations.

The Senate, meanwhile, said it will hire an outside investigator to look into complaints, including claims that Mendoza invited a young woman from his office to his home and often held one-on-one meetings over drinks and dinner with another. His behavior was twice reported, once to the Assembly and once to the Senate. Mendoza has said he would never knowingly abuse his authority.

The legislatures approach so far is not very confidence-inspiring, said Adama Iwu, a lobbyist for Visa who launched the campaign We Said Enough in October to spotlight pervasive harassment.

More than 150 female lobbyists, staff members, lawmakers and political consultants signed on to the movement. Iwu has criticized the Senate and Assembly for not working together.

Friedman plans to open her first hearing with a review of the Assemblys existing harassment policies, including how complaints are investigated and discipline is determined. The policy says complaints can be handled by an employees supervisor, the rules committee or an external investigator, a process that critics call murky.

Friedman said she envisions taking testimony, perhaps confidentially, from women who have faced harassment as well as from advocacy groups and experts in areas such as employment law.

She said she also would like to conduct a forensic audit on the Assemblys past handling of complaints and discuss requiring lawmakers to sign an ethical code of conduct that could make it easier to discipline those who break it.

I think that we need a better policy about what we will and wont tolerate as a Legislature, she said. There are things that are legal that are not ethical given our positions.

As a first-term lawmaker, Friedman may not be the natural fit to lead a panel with such a monumental task. But shes one of just three women assigned to the 12-member Rules Committee. Fellow Democrat Sabrina Cervantes is also in her first term. Republican Marie Waldron is the subcommittee co-chairwoman.

Friedman said her lack of entrenchment at the Legislature could be a good thing because she will be less hesitant to shine a light on wrongdoing.

Shes never witnessed or experienced sexual harassment at the Capitol but said she was advised to avoid certain men. Shes also seen it in her prior line of work. Before running a small business and serving as mayor of the northern Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, Friedman worked for years as a Hollywood movie producer.

Certainly in Hollywood  and also in politics  men run the show, Friedman said.

The speaker, meanwhile, said the Assembly will refer allegations to outside legal firms to investigate.

I hope more women will share any sexual harassment or abuse they have experienced, Rendon said following the new allegations against Bocanegra. The Assembly will take those complaints seriously.
Three little-known gems among Hawaiis beaches  Mauis Honokalani Beach, Kauais Tunnels Beach and Oahus Lanikai Beach  ranked among the Worlds 50 Best Beaches compiled by FlightNetwork.

More than 600 travel experts polled by the Canadian travel company placed Honokalani Beach at No. 28, Tunnels Beach at No. 32 and Oahus Lanikai Beach at No. 41.

For the record: An earlier version of this story said two beaches in Hawaii made the list. In fact, three are ranked in the Worlds 50 Best Beaches. Tunnels Beach in Kauai has been added.

Criteria for the best beaches include sheer untouched beauty, remoteness, sand and water quality, and annual days of sunshine.

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Tucked in a cove within Mauis Waianapanapa State Park, Honokalani Beach allows visitors to dip their toes into volcanic, black sand. (Tor Johnson/Hawaii Tourism Authority )

For remote locations, the crescent-shaped Honokalani Beach easily qualifies. Its tucked away at the lush Waianapanapa State Park amid the switchbacks and one-lane bridges of the famous Hana Highway.

The beach is well-known to locals but often overlooked by white-knuckled tourists desperate to reach the village of Hana, a few miles to the south. The black sand strand sits beside tide pools that turn red several times a year with the arrival of small shrimp. Blowholes and lava tubes add to the allure.

Not for the timid, the drive from Kahului Airport (OGG) takes about 2 1/2 hours.

On Oahu, its only a 45-minute drive from the hotels of Waikiki to the Lanikai Beach, on the islands windward side.

Often overlooked by visitors, the eastern side of the island is dotted with pristine, uncrowded beaches. FlightNetworks Top 50 list gives Lanikai 10 out of 10 in the sheer, untouched beauty category.

Located in the city of Kailua (the one on Oahu, not Hawaii Island), Lanikai looks out toward two nearby islets, which make it a beautiful backdrop for photos. Calm waters make this spot ideal for a splash in the ocean or more serious endeavors such as kayaking and paddleboarding.

Kayakers glide past pristine Lanikai Beach on the eastern side of the island of Oahu, just 45 minutes from far-more congested Waikiki Beach. (Tor Johnson/Hawaii Tourism Authority )

Experts, including the folks at the Kailua Chamber of Commerce, recommend the portion of beach just north of Onekea Drive. But dont be tempted to park in the no-parking zones or block driveways; youll face a hefty fine.

Lush green mountains provide the backdrop for Tunnels Beach sought out by snorkelers and surfers alike. Lava tube tunnels filled with tropical fish provide the underwater wow factor. Get out your camera and stick around for the sunset at Kauais North Shore location (not to be confused with Oahus North Shore).

By the way, the best beach in the world is Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, followed by Whitehaven Beach in Australias Whitsunday Island National Park (No. 2) and Anse Lazio in the Seychelle Islands (No. 3).

Info: Worlds 50 Best Beaches

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel

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In the 1920s and 30s, The Times sponsored several Santa Claus arrival promotions. The 1938 and 1939 Santa Claus Expeditions were classics. Each year, The Times dispatched a correspondent and photographer to travel on a United Airlines aircraft to the North Pole.

The twist  each year Santa had to be convinced to return to Los Angeles and open up the holiday season. Updates on the Santa Expeditions were reported daily in The Times for about a week before Thanksgiving. Both years, Santa was persuaded to come to Los Angeles.

On Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 23, 1938, the Los Angeles Times reported:

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ABOARD A SOUTHBOUND UNITED AIR LINES MAINLINER, Nov. 22. (Exclusive) (By short-wave radio)  Santa Claus is going to be in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving and Fridays opening of the Christmas season!

At this very minute St. Nick himself is here in the plane with us, chuckling as he looks out over the frozen route he usually traverses in his reindeer-drawn sleigh. 

But persuading him to accompany us was not an easy task, Ill tell you! (Even though I do think he wanted to make the trip from the very first.) ...

Santas 1938 arrival was documented with the above photo and a story published in the Nov. 25 Times.

This photo appeared in the Nov. 20, 1938, Los Angeles Times announcing the flight to the North Pole to meet Santa. On the left are unidentified Times reporter and photographer. On stairway from United Airlines are navigator Bill Sievert, co-pilot Dusty Trembly and pilot Capt. John Roberts.

But there were just a few witnesses from the media to Santas 1938 arrival in Los Angeles.

Not so the next year.

During the 1939 Santa Claus Expedition, the Los Angels Times announced Santas Thanksgiving Day arrival time at Union Air Terminal  now Hollywood Burbank Airport. Everyone was invited.

Nov. 23, 1939: A crowd of about 4,000 greets Santa and Mrs. Claus upon their arrival at Union Air Terminal at what is now Hollywood Burbank Airport. This panoramic image, assembled from a series of three photos, appeared in the Nov. 24, 1939, Los Angeles Times. (Paul Calvert / Los Angeles Times )

The Times reported in the Friday, Nov. 24, 1939, edition:

Santa Claus Welcomed

Children at Air Terminal Cheer St. Nick and Wife as Yule Season Opens

From frozen Igloo-Foo on the Fjord to the sunny Southland came Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus yesterday to open the Christmas season officially here.

A cheer from nearly 4,000 children and parents greeted the jolly pair as they swept into Union Air Terminal on the Times Special United Air Lines Mainliner.

It was Mrs. Claus first appearance south of the famed Igloo-Foo on the Fjord, southernmost outpost of Santas Arctic domain.

(Mr. and Mrs. Claus traveled by streamlined sleigh from their Crystal Ice Palace at the North Pole to meet the plane at Igloo-Foo, where Mrs. Claus used the candied icicle crop to make North Pole taffy.)

Children who greeted Santa were given samples of the holiday candy.

Principal feature of the arrival was Mrs. Claus surprise at things which seem very ordinary to Southern California residents.

Where are the igloos? was one of her questions.

She also expressed amazement at the scarcity of icebergs at the airport.

This post was originally published on Dec. 21, 2012.

Nov. 23, 1939: Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to the crowd upon arrival at Union Air Terminal after their flight from the North Pole. (Paul Calvert / Los Angeles Times )

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
Sun Di arrived in Beijing with a dream. In May, the 28-year-old moved to Zhouying village, a swath of low-budget apartment blocks on the citys outskirts. He found a menial job at a pharmaceuticals company but aspired to start his own business.

Then came the evictions.

On Nov. 18, a fire tore through a cramped, low-budget Beijing apartment building  one much like Suns  killing 19 people. Authorities responded by launching Beijings biggest eviction drive in at least a decade. Sun has found himself caught in its grip, suddenly displaced along with tens of thousands of other migrant workers from less-developed cities and towns. Officials have given little or no notice, leaving many people homeless in the freezing cold.

This week, as social media sites have overflowed with pictures and videos of the evictions  migrant workers desperately packing up their belongings, sleeping on curbs, dragging suitcases down streets littered with trash  Chinese citizens have reacted with a rare upswell of collective rage.

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Now all of the time and effort Ive spent in Beijing have been in vain, Sun said on Tuesday as he packed his last few belongings, bound for his hometown in nearby Hebei province. The government is too coldblooded, and I feel helpless and hopeless.

A man on a bicycle passes a block of demolished buildings in Beijing on Nov. 27, 2017. (Fred Dufour / AFP/Getty Images )

Beijing is home to millions of migrant workers  construction workers, shop owners, security guards and delivery people who moved to the city for a shot at a better life. Yet China maintains a draconian residence registration system, barring the migrant workers from receiving social services enjoyed by local residents, such as access to healthcare and public schools. Critics say the system has created a permanent lower class  that the workers who built Beijings skyscrapers cannot possibly afford to make the city their home.

On Nov. 20, two days after the fire, authorities announced a 40-day campaign to rid the city of unsafe buildings, precipitating a rush of inspections and tear-downs across the city. They focused on dark, subdivided apartments in suburban and industrial areas  the only ones many migrant workers can afford.

Beijing plans to cap its population at 23 million by 2020, to ameliorate traffic, save resources and promote the development of high-tech industries. According to official estimates, the city had 21.7 million permanent residents at the end of 2016. The precise number of migrants  called a low-end population in official documents  remains unclear.

The online response to the evictions has been swift. More than 100 Beijing intellectuals signed a petition calling the campaign a violation of human rights. Nonprofit organizations and volunteer networkers offered moving assistance, shelter and food. E-commerce and food delivery companies scrambled to find shelter for their now-homeless employees.

Some internet users compared the evictions to two other recent scandals. On Nov. 23, a Peoples Liberation Army general under investigation for corruption committed suicide, and last week several middle-class parents accused a kindergarten of abusing their children with drugs and needles.

Ive heard Beijingers have a new greeting, said one widely shared post on WeChat, the countrys most popular messaging app. When you meet the low-end population, you ask, Have you found a place to live? When you meet the middle-class population, you ask, Is your child OK? When you meet the upper-class population, you ask, Have the party discipline authorities found you yet?

The scandals have come at a sensitive time, about a month after a political conclave that elevated President Xi Jinping  an avowed defender of the poor  as the countrys most powerful leader since Mao Tse-tung.

Authorities have censored discussion of the evictions on social networking sites and restricted media coverage, according to a leaked circular published online by the California-based China Digital Times. Concerning the Beijing city campaign to regulate and purge illegal structures, all web portals immediately shut down related special topic pages, control interactive sections, refrain from reposting related content, and resolutely delete malicious comments, it said.

Several posts offering charity to displaced migrant workers were censored. By Wednesday, links to critical articles on WeChat led to a screen containing the message: This content cannot be seen because it violates regulations. Many WeChat users shared screen shots of the page as a more muted form of protest.

I really sympathize with these migrant workers, Li Yanyan, a 38-year-old high school teacher in Beijing, said in an interview. They come here, they work hard, and all they really want is to make some money to send home to their families.

I cannot imagine my life without them, she said. I buy my breakfast and vegetables from migrant workers. The delivery guys are migrant workers. The convenience store outside my building  the one my whole family uses  is run by migrant workers. The guy who fixes my shoes and my husbands bike is a migrant worker. My hairstylist is a migrant worker. My nanny is a migrant worker. Almost 90% of the services I use on a daily basis come from migrant workers. The quality of our lives depends on them.

Sun Dis village, Zhouying, is now a ghost town. Most storefronts are vacant, empty water bottles and cigarette butts piled on their tile floors. Many of his neighbors have returned to their hometowns outside the city. Some have sought temporary shelter at local farmers homes at exorbitant prices; others have refused to leave.

Residents leave their home on the outskirts of Beijing on Nov. 27, 2017, after receiving eviction notices. (Fred Dufour / AFP/Getty Images )

A block away from Suns apartment, a 49-year-old who gave his name as Li remained in the small restaurant he managed. Theyve been moving people from dangerous houses into even more dangerous houses, said Li, who declined to give his full name for fear of official retaliation. The government has blamed this apartment for being unsafe. But as long as you move out, they dont care where you go.

Li said authorities cut the power to his apartment the day after the fire; and one day after that, a security guard told him he had three days to evacuate. His neighbors panicked. It was like fleeing a conflict zone, he said.

He said he planned to return to his hometown in Jiangsu province, about 450 miles to the south, next month, once his 10-year-old daughter finishes her semester at a Beijing private school. Until then, he and his family have been quietly sneaking into his old apartment to sleep at night, always wary of police and security guards.

Every night, at 11 or 12, security guys come in to check, he said. If they see your stuff and sheets are still there, they throw them out.

Some state news outlets have lightly criticized officials over the evictions. The working methods of some villages were indeed too simplistic and brutal, the Global Times said in an editorial last week. Yet the government is unlikely to change course.

This has been happening again and again to this social group, said Tzu-chi Ou, a doctoral student at Columbia University who has been researching Beijings migrant worker communities since 2008. Id actually argue that its not unprecedented. But this time its the scale, and also the cruelty  the way they did this is really cruel.

The case calls to mind a scandal in 2003, she said, in which a young migrant worker in Chinas south, Sun Zhigang, died in police custody after being physically abused. The incident prompted widespread outrage, which led to legislative change.

But this time its much more pessimistic, she said. People try to argue, or do something, but your message just gets deleted.

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Gaochao Zhang and Nicole Liu in the Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report

jonathan.kaiman@latimes.com

For more news from Asia, follow @JRKaiman on Twitter
The primary focus of China's offshore nuclear platforms - reportedly to be commissioned before 2020 - will be for civil use on islands in waters such as the South China Sea, and as the technology matures, it could be applied to military nuclear vessels, Chinese analysts said.

A shipbuilding firm in Central China's Hubei Province announced on Sunday it is set to start construction on a marine nuclear power platform which is designed to supply power for the country's offshore oil drilling platforms and islands.

According to the firm, a joint venture by the State-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), CSIC 719 Research Institute and the Hubei Hongtai State-owned Capital Investment Operation Group in 2015, the nuclear power platforms will serve as small nuclear power plants. The technical design has been finalized, and the project is moving to the construction phase, local media the Hubei Daily reported.

The platforms have two modes - floating and submersible, and the first will be commissioned before 2020.

The platforms will focus on solving power supply issues in the Xisha Islands and other islands in the South China Sea where infrastructure construction is underway, and urban agglomerations after that, Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert and also a TV commentator told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The floating type will provide more nuclear power, although it will be more affected by sea conditions, such as the scale of the wind and waves, while the submersible one will be more stable but produce less power, Song said.

Zhang Jinlin, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert at the CSIC 719 Research Institute, told the paper that the platform is a typical civilian-military integration project, as its design fully takes civil demands into consideration, as well as tackling issues including safety, radiation protection and waste processing.

The nuclear reactor-related technology, when successfully reduced in size, could be later applied to the country's military vessels, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers or next generation nuclear submarines, Song said.
A court in China sentenced a man from Taiwan to five years in prison Tuesday over his advocacy of democracy, a verdict that could drive the rival governments further apart instead of nudging them toward Beijings eventual goal of unification.

A court in southern city of Yueyang convicted Lee Ming-che, 42, of subverting state power. He had used social media to discuss democracy with users of a popular messaging service in China, his supporters say. Chinese state-run news outlets say the social media group was aimed at overthrowing the government.

The sentence, which can be appealed nor shortened for parole, will deter Taiwanese from going to nearby China for work, travel or business, some on the island say. The case may also chill official relations, which are already poor after decades of distrust and a lack of dialogue over the last 18 months.

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Taiwanese people will worry that todays verdict makes clear the gaps between us, said George Hou, a communications lecturer at I-Shou University in Taiwan. The sentence will lead people to be more careful when going over there, even maybe considering not going.

China and Taiwan have been separately ruled since Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists moved their base of operations to Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war in the 1940s. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and sees formal dialogue as a conduit to eventual unification.

Officials in Beijing resent Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen for rejecting their insistence  which they have set as a condition for dialogue  that both sides belong to one country. Since Tsai took office in May 2016, the government in Taiwan says, China has added pressure by sending an aircraft carrier around the island, cutting back on tourist arrivals and persuading two countries to stop recognizing Taiwans independence. The two sides talked from 2008 to 2015.

Lees verdict will inevitably have a serious negative effect on cross-strait relations, Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.

A woman ties a yellow ribbon for Taiwanese human rights activist Lee Ming-che in Taipei, Taiwan, on Nov. 28, 2017. (David Chang/ EPA/Shutterstock )

The islands ruling Democratic Progressive Party, for which Lee had worked in a branch office 10 years ago, said in a statement that the defendant had been concerned about the development of democracy and freedom in mainland China and shared and exchanged views with friends about Taiwans democratic experience.

In 2012, Lee had become the backbone of a China-Taiwan social media group formed by Chinese national Peng Yuhua, who received a seven-year sentence Tuesday, the official New China News Agency reported. The group, which attracted as many as 2,000 people at a time, eventually formed a political party and aimed to overthrow the current form of government, the agency said.

The sentence is severe because it will exceed three years, said Chiu Yi-ling, secretary-general of the Taipei-based advocacy group Taiwan Assn. for Human Rights. He had faced up to 10 years.

Activists, scholars and media in Taipei speculate that China wants to send a message that Taiwanese should avoid discussing political issues with mainland people, even from home. Taiwan democratized in the late 1980s. The Washington-based advocacy group Freedom House this year gave China a score of 15 out of 100 and Taiwan a 91 in its annual report on the state of political rights and civil liberties worldwide.

What he did is go online here in our land. Then he was sentenced in China, lawyer Kao Jung-chih at the Taipei-based Judicial Reform Foundation said at a news conference in Taipei.

This is something all Taiwanese do, Kao said. Using our computers and keyboards, were sending out our ideas. [The sentence] is something Taiwanese people cant accept. We think this is the most basic freedom of speech.

About 1 million to 3 million Taiwanese live in China long term, often as investors and their relatives. China encourages younger Taiwanese to come as interns or employees of start-ups, a chance to earn money in an $11.2-trillion-plus economy that is growing at nearly 7% annually, faster than Taiwans.

A lot of the pundits, theyre saying China is trying to send a message, and the message is once youre in China, dont do anything against the local laws or regulations, said Raymond Wu, managing director of the Taipei-based political consulting group e-telligence.

Chinese police and state security officers occasionally detain Taiwanese for political reasons or block their entry, said Shane Lee, a political scientist at Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan. A dealer of politically suggestive old stamps was detained once, he said. Two years ago, Chinese authorities detained a Taiwanese practitioner of the banned spiritual group Falun Gong.

Lee Ming-che, who worked most recently as a university program manager, was charged in China after disappearing March 19 in the Chinese territory of Macau.

Some analysts in Taiwan suspect the verdict and other recent events were designed to pressure Tsai back to the bargaining table on Beijings condition. Government opinion surveys since 2015 have found that at least 70% of Taiwanese prefer autonomy from China.

Taiwan may feel more pressure in its international space unless it agrees to the one-China condition, Wu said, referring to Taiwans diplomatic relations and participation in international organizations.

China may have linked Lee to other political activists as well, Amnesty International said in a statement. The London-based advocacy group says China has cracked down since July 2015. It called Lee the latest to suffer under the Chinese authorities relentless attack against human rights and democracy activists.

ALSO

Latest North Korean launch is believed to be an ICBM, the third this year

Taiwans military says a missing pilot didnt defect to China, but speculation blooms anyway

Many in China outraged by shocking sexual abuse allegations at a kindergarten in Beijing

Jennings is a special correspondent.
Seconds after a U.N. judge confirmed his 20-year war crimes sentence on Wednesday, former Bosnian Croat military commander Slobodan Praljak shouted, I am not a war criminal! threw back his head, drank liquid from a small bottle and told the court he had taken poison. A flustered judge halted the hearing and Praljak was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Shocking images of the 72-year-old former philosophy professor and theater director who became a wartime general shouting and drinking what he said was poison were streamed live on the courts website and around the Balkans.

The death cast a pall over the last case at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Judges upheld sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years against Praljak and five other Bosnian Croat wartime political and military leaders for their part in a plan linked to Croatias late former President Franjo Tudjman to violently carve out a Croat-dominated mini-state in Bosnia during the Balkan wars by killing, mistreating and deporting Muslims.

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Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic offered his condolences to Praljaks family and said the former generals actions reflected the deep moral injustice done to him and the five others whose sentences were also upheld by the appeals judges Wednesday.

In their ruling, the judges confirmed that Praljak was guilty of crimes including murder, persecution and inhumane treatment as part of the plot to establish a Croat entity in Bosnia in the early 1990s, as well as the 20-year sentence initially handed to Praljak in May 2013 at the end of the six mens trial.

Ironically, Praljak, who surrendered to the tribunal in April 2004 and had already been jailed for 13 years, could have soon walked free because those who are convicted are generally released after serving two-thirds of their sentences.

After Praljaks outburst, Dutch police immediately were called in to launch an independent investigation. Questions the detectives will attempt to answer include: What was the liquid Praljak drank and how did he manage to get it into the tightly guarded courtroom?

The courtroom where the dramatic scene unfolded was sealed off. Presiding Judge Carmel Agius said it was now a crime scene.

A Serbian lawyer who has frequently defended suspects at the U.N. war crimes court in the Netherlands told the Associated Press it would be easy to slip poison into the court.

Attorney Toma Fila said that security for lawyers and other court staff is just like at an airport, with security staff inspecting metal objects and confiscating cellphones, but pills and small quantities of liquids would not be registered.

Nick Kaufman, an Israeli defense lawyer who used to work as a prosecutor at the tribunal, also said a defendant could find a way to bring in a banned substance.

When deprived of authority over the masses and the attention which formerly fueled their ego and charisma, such defendants can often be extremely resourceful with the little power they retain, he said.

In the past, two Serbs have taken their lives while in the tribunals custody.

In July 1998, Slavko Dokmanovic, a Croatian Serb charged in the deaths of over 200 Croat prisoners of war, was found dead in his prison cell in The Hague. Milan Babic, a wartime Serbian leader who was closely cooperating with prosecutors, took his life in a prison tribunal cell in March 2006.

Wednesdays hearing was the final case at the groundbreaking tribunal before it closes its doors next month. The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The original trial began in April 2006 and provided a reminder of the complex web of ethnic tensions that fueled fighting in Bosnia and still underlies frictions in the country today.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that his countrys leadership during the Bosnian war could in no way be connected with the facts and interpretations of Wednesdays judgment.

UPDATES:

1:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with quotes, details, background.

This article was originally posted at 5:55 a.m.
Protesters from opposing political parties took to the streets Tuesday in Honduras, where election officials still have not declared a winner in Sundays presidential vote amid allegations of fraud.

International monitors called for a speedier and more transparent vote count as several prominent civil society groups accused the government of slowing its release of tallies because it appeared the incumbent president was headed toward a loss.

After more than 24 hours without publicly updating vote tallies, the countrys electoral court reported Tuesday that with 67% of ballots counted, opposition candidate Salvador Nasralla led a field of nine candidates with 964,883 votes, or 44% of the total. President Juan Orlando Hernandez had 901,115 votes, or 41%.

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The new tally represented a major gain for Hernandez, narrowing Nasrallas lead from 93,975 votes to 63,768.

The courts president said that it will take until as late as Thursday to tally the remaining votes and that election officials would not name a winner until every vote had been counted.

Growing uncertainty about who will lead the nation comes as both Nasralla and Hernandez have declared victory and have sought to rally popular support. Nasralla has been celebrating with boisterous public gatherings, and the head of the political party that Hernandez belongs to has urged the presidents supporters to take to the streets to defend the triumph.

The longer election officials wait to name a winner, the more likely there may be conflict, said Adriana Beltran, an expert on Central America at the think tank Washington Office on Latin America.

The silence feeds into ongoing tensions, Beltran said.

There is a growing suspicion among people from across the political spectrum that the vote count has been intentionally delayed so that officials can work out a secret deal that would benefit Hernandez, she said.

The nonpartisan civil society group N-26 said in a statement Tuesday that it believes that the final vote data have been available to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal for days, and it warned that the courts unjustified silence would stoke distrust among voters. Respecting the final vote is the duty of candidates, it said: We reiterate to the political parties their duty to be respectful of the institutions and the final results.

Those who say Nasralla should have already been declared the winner point to a statement by Marcos Ramiro Lobo, a magistrate on the election court, who on Monday told the Reuters news agency that the courts experts believed Nasrallas lead was irreversible.

In a news conference Tuesday, the president of the electoral tribunal denied allegations of fraud.

The will of the people is being respected and will not be changed, tribunal President David Matamoros said.

The election was clouded in controversy long before voters went to the polls.

Eight years ago, Hernandez backed a military coup against former President Manuel Zelaya, in part because Zelaya had proposed running for a second term, which at the time was barred by the constitution.

But after Hernandez was elected president, several Supreme Court judges who were considered to be his allies voted to overturn the constitutional ban on term limits, and Hernandez announced his campaign for reelection.

Hernandez is popular among U.S. officials and many in the business community for his efforts to reduce violence in Honduras, where the homicide rate  once among the highest in the world  has fallen in recent years. But he and his National Party have been dogged by allegations of corruption and ties to criminal groups.

Nasralla, a 64-year-old television personality with no prior political experience, was the candidate of the Alliance Against Dictatorship, a coalition formed with Zelayas leftist party. He ran a populist campaign, pledging to lower taxes and fight corruption.

Hernandez received much more media attention before the vote, benefiting from 65% of election coverage, compared with 15% for Nasralla, according to a team of election observers from the European Union.

Speaking to reporters in Tegucigalpa, the capital, on Tuesday, members of the team said the people of Honduras deserve more transparency from election officials.

Quick communication about vote results is a right of the Honduran people, said Marisa Matias, a Portuguese official who heads the team.

During the 2013 presidential election, the electoral court provided more frequent updates of vote tallies, with five updates released in the day after polls closed, compared with only one this time around, she said.

Martin Fernandez, head of the nonpartisan Broad Movement for Dignity and Justice, said his doubts about election rigging were absolute.

We completely repudiate this process, Fernandez said. The popular vote isnt being respected.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

Cecilia Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.
A file photo of farmers irrigating their crops. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

The Chinese Ministry of Finance says the country will expand a water resource tax pilot program to more areas, in a bid to encourage water conservation.

The ministry says nine provincial regions, including Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Sichuan and Ningxia, will begin the new tax pilot next month.

The move comes after 18 months of trials in Hebei Province.

Wang Jianfan is an official with the Ministry of Finance.

"By expanding the pilot program, we can better enable the tax lever effects and discourage irrational water usage, thereby preserving water resources. The program will help to prefect the design of our water resource taxes and provide conducive conditions to fully implement the tax system," explained Wang Jianfan, an official with the Ministry of Finance.

The water resource tax is collected based on the usage of surface and underground water.

Water use above quotas or in over-exploited areas will be levied with heavier taxes, while that for agricultural purposes will see a reduction or exemption.

The use of water that has come from sewage treatment facilities will also have favorable tax rates.
One of Chinas most notorious child abuse scandals ended with a police statement on Tuesday saying no evidence of sexual abuse was found at a Beijing kindergarten. The alleged child abuse claim had angered much of the country.

file photo

The kindergartens mother company RYB Education Institution, a listed company in the United States, issued an apology Wednesday on its verified Sina Weibo account, saying the scandal has left them feeling sad and humiliated. The company expressed its deep regret about the situation and apologized to parents and children.

According to Beijing police, a 22-year-old teacher from an RYB Kindergarten in Guanzhuang was found to have used needles to make the children go to sleep. The teacher has been detained.

We apologize! We have no right to beg for your forgiveness, but we can take action, said the statement. The company has promised a zero-tolerance policy regarding any child abuse and has vowed to upgrade its 24/7 surveillance system at its kindergartens and engage parents in a more transparent way.

The kindergarten in Guanzhuang had set off wide public outcry when some parents claimed their children had needle puncture marks and were fed unknown pills. But the fiercest criticism came from the group sexual abuse claim that had allegedly happened at the kindergarten in Beijing.

Beijing police found no evidence to support the pills and sexual abuse allegations, saying in their Tuesday statement that those accusations were made up and that the rumor-mongers have been punished and agreed to apologize.
The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has confirmed that it successfully tested a Hwasong 15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday.

A Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) statement, which confirms earlier assessments from the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK), claims the new type of ICBM "is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US."

It was Pyongyang's first test launch since a missile was fired in mid-September, days after its sixth-nuclear test.

The ICBM was launched at 02:48 local time on Wednesday, according to the KCNA statement, and flew to an altitude of 4,475 km and then a distance of 950 km.

It was launched from Sain Ni in the DPRK and flew for 53 minutes before splashing down into the Sea of Japan, said Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning.

The launch has been widely condemned by the international community.

New type of missile

The DPRK said on Wednesday that the successful test of the Hwasong 15 ICBM "realized great historic cause of completing state nuclear force."

US, Japanese and ROK officials all agreed the missile was likely an ICBM. It did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

"It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House.

Trump, Moon warn of 'grave threat'

US President Donald Trump and his ROK counterpart Moon Jae-in warned that Pyongyang's latest missile launch posed a "grave" global threat.

"Both leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea (DPRK)'s latest provocation poses not only to the United States and the Republic of Korea, but to the entire world," the White House said in an account of a crisis call between Trump and Moon.

Japan denounces 'violent act'

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the latest DPRK missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" after the ICBM splashed down in its exclusive economic zone.

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximize our pressure" on Pyongyang, Abe told reporters.

"The government welcomes the fact that China is taking concrete steps such as an embargo on imports of North Korea's coal, marine products, textile products, among others," Abe told a parliamentary committee.

"Frankly speaking, I feel that China is playing its role" over the UN-agreed sanctions, he added.

UN council meeting scheduled

The United States, Japan and the ROK requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to address Pyongyang's missile launch. Reuters reported a meeting was expected later on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the launch and called for Pyongyang to "desist from taking any further destabilizing steps."

'State sponsor of terror'

Wednesday's launch came after Trump announced last week that the US will designate the DPRK as a state sponsor of terror.

The DPRK will join Iran, Sudan and Syria on the US list of state sponsors of terror.

"In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea (DPRK) has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism including assassinations on foreign soil," Trump said during a cabinet meeting.

The US Treasury Department also expanded its list of DPRK sanctions against 34 additional individuals and companies on November 21.
The World Health Organization (WHO) included Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), or game addiction, in the latest International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Chinese newspaper Science and Technology Daily reported on Nov. 28.

It is the first time for WHO to include the addiction in the global information standard. Though the criteria have not been officially published, game addiction is already a social issue that involves an increasing number of adolescents and even adults.

All addictive behaviors can be considered as addiction diseases from a professional perspective, said Huang Yueqin, director of the Institute of Mental Health, Peking University Sixth Hospital. According to her, game addiction is a kind of behavioral addiction.

WHO defines behaviors that cause suffering and damage social functions as mental disorders.

Yuan Yonggui, director of Zhongda Hospitals psychiatry department, said that game addiction is similar to certain mental disorders caused by damage to the area of the brain that is responsible for the reward system.

Compulsive gaming is a key diagnostic criterion, while occasional gaming does not fall into the category of addiction, Huang explained.

A study by a university in the United Kingdom shows that game addiction might not be a chronic condition and it is the escape from reality that attracts addicts.

Most games can be very rewarding, regardless of how they are played, and this is especially important for teenagers. Not only do they get a sense of control, but also a sense of achievement and belonging.

According to He Rihui, director of a psychotherapy center in Chinas southern city of Guangzhou, a close bond between parents and child will help develop a healthy mentality. He suggests parents spend more time with their children and respect their feelings.
A pistol-whipping over owed money left the debtor shot in the head, Bethlehem police said.

John Parrish was suffering from a gunshot wound above his left eye Tuesday morning when he walked into the ER at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township. Police were called a little before 7 a.m. to the hospital.

While he was being treated, the 51-year-old Parrish reportedly told police Christopher Jackson attacked him with a gun, and the gun went off during the attack.

Jackson, of Coopersburg, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated assault. The 53-year-old Jackson was sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Parrish, of West Milton, Pennsylvania, said he left the Sands Casino early Tuesday morning and went to a friend's house at 2039 Dogwood Lane in Bethlehem.

While Parrish was at the house, Jackson and another man arrived; Parrish said he owed Jackson money and Jackson previously threatened him, according to police.

Jackson allegedly cornered Parrish in the basement, and began hitting him in the head with a handgun. Parrish said he remembered a flash of light and then blood coming from his head.

Police said Parrish had an entrance wound above his left eye, and an exit wound near his hairline.

When Parrish tried to leave the house, Jackson threatened to kill him if he went to police, investigators said.

The homeowner told police he saw Parrish bleeding and running from the basement, and he heard Jackson yell that if Parrish called police, "he would f-----g kill you."

Officers found blood in the home's basement, consistent to where Parrish said the assault occurred.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A Palmer Township man surrendered Wednesday to authorities on allegations he drove while texting, leading him to veer off Route 248 and fatally strike 12-year-old Emma Raymondo.

Dylan Timothy Groff, 21, of the 2700 block of Cresmont Avenue, appeared for his preliminary arraignment before District Judge Jacqueline Taschner, joined by his mother and stepfather and his attorney, Phil Lauer.

Taschner wrestled with what bail to set on charges that include homicide by vehicle, before agreeing to release Groff on $50,000 unsecured bail. He faces a preliminary hearing scheduled Dec. 13 before her in her Palmer Township courtroom.

Dylan Timothy Groff, 21, of Palmer Township, center, leaves district court Nov. 29, 2017, in the township after his arraignment on homicide by vehicle and related charges in the Sept. 22, 2017, death of 12-year-old Emma Raymondo. She was walking along Route 248 when he drove out of his lane while texting and struck and killed her, authorities said. With Groff are, from left, his mother, Lori Abel, and stepfather, Edward Abel Jr.

Emma was walking with three younger siblings Sept. 22 from Sheetz on Route 248 to her home nearby on that road, also known as Nazareth Road. The seventh-grade honors student at Easton Area Middle School was struck by Groff's 2001 Chevrolet Malibu, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Township police Detective Jim Alercia used analyses of Groff's phone, the speed of his vehicle determined by airbag-control equipment and distance measurements at the scene to show Groff was communicating on Facebook at the time of the crash, court records say.

The investigation reportedly shows Groff sent a message while at the traffic light at Corriere Road, headed east on Nazareth Road.

"Groff is then actively reading and writing/sending another Facebook message on his cellular phone at 8:09:48 p.m. while traveling east on Nazareth Road," Alercia wrote in court records.

Groff responded with his final message, "Triee2," at 8:10:06 p.m. "in the area of where Emma Raymondo was struck," Alercia said.

"Groff, while distracted with his cellular phone, failed to drive within the lane of travel, crossed over the solid white line, regained visual of his travels, and struck Emma Raymondo while she was walking on the shoulder of the roadway," the investigator wrote.

"True," is what Groff said he meant to type, police said. He'd been communicating with friends about where to eat, authorities said in announcing charges against him on Tuesday.

Groff has worked as a table games dealer for about four months at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, a position in jeopardy following his arrest, Taschner said, citing state laws. Prior to that, he worked as a nurse's aide caring for elderly people for three years, his mother, Lori Abel, told the judge.

"As a mom, OK, this has been by far the most difficult thing as a family we've ever endured," Abel said in court, in asking that her son not be sent to Northampton County Prison to await his next court appearance.

"From the time he was a little boy, he is and has been the most honest and trustworthy human being that you will ever find," Abel continued.

Groff grew up in the Easton and Phillipsburg areas and has lived for about 11 years with Abel and her husband, Edward Abel Jr., on Cresmont Avenue.

Alercia and Arky Colon, from Northampton County Pretrial Services, both said they support unsecured bail, as do Lauer and the county district attorney's office.

"I'm torn. I'm troubled by this case," Taschner said, noting that under other circumstances, homicide can result in imprisonment without the possibility of bail.

She agreed to unsecured bail after being assured Groff has cooperated with authorities since he stopped his car at the crash scene. But she ordered him to remain under the supervision of pretrial services, have no contact with the victim's family, submit to random urine testing and undergo a mental health evaluation; Groff told the judge he takes medication for depression and anxiety.

Taschner also found Groff is not a threat to the community. He has no criminal record, aside from three guilty pleas to traffic citations for driving without valid inspection and registration in May 2016 in Schuylkill County and a speeding violation in November 2014 in Palmer Township.

He relayed he'd tried driving only twice since the crash "but nothing spectacular."

"The keys to the jail at this point are in your hands," Taschner told him.

If convicted of the homicide by vehicle charge, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison plus five years due to the texting-while-driving allegation, in addition to a $15,000 fine.

He is also charged with aggravated assault by vehicle, in voluntary manslaughter, reckless driving, careless driving, disregarding a single traffic lane and four counts of reckless endangerment.

He and his family declined to comment to a reporter outside court.

"It's a tragic situation," Lauer said. "He's a good kid."

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Even an iconic brand such as McDonald's cannot sit still and hope to be embraced by the future.

The Downtown Easton restaurant was recently redesigned to not only give it a sleeker look but several customer-friendly enhancements as well.

"They expect a modern experience," franchise owner Jim McIntyre said Wednesday morning after a grand reopening ceremony, even though the doors reopened in October. "The customer tells you what they want and you have to give it to them."

So while the most visible signs of the work are the gray exterior with a mix of bricks and tile, a new roof line and signage, the change in the customer experience probably means more.

There are kiosks inside the front door at which people used to the WaWa experience can select and pay for their food with a credit or debit card and then have it delivered to their table, if they choose. If they use cash after tapping the kiosk, they pay at the counter but can still get basic table service, he said.

There's also a reworked drive-though menu sign with up-to-date graphics, but you still have to talk into the squawk box.

And there is a mobile app -- available both on the App Store and at mcdonalds.com -- where customers can order from their phones within a mile of the restaurant and pick up when they get there. There is a "geo-fence" that can sense when the app is active within a one-mile radius of the restaurant and record orders, he said.

Depending on how well the app does, McIntyre may forgo buying a second drive-through menu sign. The more customers who order online and then drive through the pickup line, the fewer interactions are necessary onsite.

And for the more traditional, non-millennial customers, the lines at the counter should be shorter, McIntyre figures.

"It reduces clutter," is how the franchise owner described the enhancements leading to fewer customers up front.

Within six months, the Downtown McDonald's should have home delivery through UberEats, McIntyre said.

Ten percent of Wednesday's sales will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Easton, McIntyre said.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and Pennsylvania Rep. Bob Freeman attended a brief ceremony that included a ribbon cutting.

"I congratulate them on their reopening and thank them for their reinvestment in Easton and working with our Historic District Commission on the redesign," Panto said afterwards. "It is another fine project for our city."

McIntyre's McDonald's in Hellertown will be upgraded in November 2018 and the Quakertown restaurant, which already as an exterior rehab, is slated for the customer-enhancements as well, he said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Palmer Township supervisors all spoke out Tuesday night against Sheetz and its track record since opening on Route 248 south of Route 33.

Residents applauded as the board voted unanimously to deny the request by the convenience store and gas station to transfer a liquor license, to allow beer and wine sales there seven days a week, as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 1:45 a.m., with no wine after 11 p.m.

Township approval would have allowed Sheetz to apply for final approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for the intermunicipal license transfer. Instead, the Altoona-based chain has to weigh an appeal to Northampton County Court.

Representatives of Sheetz and corporate counsel Mark Kozar did not speak during the meeting and declined to comment afterward.

"I'm not very surprised," Kozar said outside.

Supervisors heard from residents at an Oct. 24 hearing that Sheetz has been a source of problems in the neighborhood, which is shared by businesses and homes with a 45 mph speed limit on Route 248.

That stretch of road is where 12-year-old Emma Raymondo was struck by a car and killed while walking from Sheetz to her nearby Nazareth Road home, with her younger siblings.

The driver, 21-year-old Dylan Groff, was texting while driving, authorities announced Tuesday. He faces charges of homicide by vehicle and related charges in the death of Emma, an honors student in seventh grade at Easton Area Middle School.

Groff was coming from Walmart, discussing with friends where to eat, police said after reviewing his phone activity. Township police Chief Larry Palmer had announced the then-unidentified driver was not coming from Sheetz during last month's hearing, when he recommended against selling alcohol at a business with 207 police calls since 2014: 58 the first year, 41 in 2015, 51 in 2016 and 57 so far in 2017.

"It's turned into Arnold's Drive-In, is what it is," Palmer said in describing groups gathering in the lot, referring to the "Happy Days" hangout.

Tuesday's resolution turning Sheetz down cited "substantial objective evidence" of problems that "would be worsened" by the liquor license transfer, including "loitering, drag-racing, littering and a lack of cooperation by corporate management since the business opened."

"For me I just can't imagine us adding this to the mix when we really haven't seen any time of improvement and it's an ongoing situation," Supervisor Robert E. Smith said. "I really think that just because of the nature of what's going on up there and maybe they're of legal age to drink, and I understand that selling alcohol is legal but I just can't see adding this to what's already going on up there without having further issues or more problems."

Gov. Tom Wolf in June 2016 signed the law permitting alcohol sales in gas stations with a Restaurant Liquor or R license. The measure was known in Harrisburg as the "Sheetz Amendment" following intense lobbying, state Sen. Lisa Boscola has said.

Intermunicipal liquor license transfers in Pennsylvania date to 2000, when Act 141 eliminated municipality-based quotas in favor of sharing allotments countywide.

Palmer has seen a handful of them, supervisors' Chairman Dave Colver said Tuesday. There were Weis and Redner's and Wingstop just north on Route 248.

"They were different animals because the grocery stores didn't have the people congregating in the parking lot and the hanging out and the loitering and things of that nature," Colver said. "We all know what's happening and we've experienced it and heard about it."

Sheetz at 3501 Nazareth Road (Route 248) in Palmer Township is seen Oct. 24, 2017. Township supervisors on Nov. 28, 2017, unanimously denied the convenience store chain's request to permit sales of beer and wine. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Supervisors echoed township Solicitor Charles Bruno's wording of the resolution, citing booze sales there as a threat to the "health, safety and welfare" of the surrounding neighborhood.

From county court, an appeal could go to the state Commonwealth and Supreme courts before the transfer ever gets before the Liquor Control Board, Bruno said.

Supervisor K. Michael Mitchell said he hasn't seen enough cooperation with township police from Sheetz on better controlling certain patrons.

"They want to give them an hour to loiter and then they've got to leave," Mitchell said.

"In an hour you're drinking two beers," Supervisor Anne-Marie Panella said, demanding later of Sheetz: "I really want to see action, and I don't see any. I want to see response, and I don't see any."

Supervisors said fewer seem to be hanging out at Sheetz now that cold weather has returned. The night of the hearing, Supervisor Jeffrey A. Young said he drove "by right after we met, kids hanging out."

"What's going on up there is not a good situation," he said.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
As Pennsylvania prepares to issue medical marijuana cards by year's end, patients will find firearms out of their reach, state and federal law enforcement authorities say.

At issue is the federal classification of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug -- one with "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," the same as heroin and LSD and other hallucinogens, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"There are no exceptions in federal law for marijuana used for medicinal or recreational purposes," said Special Agent Joshua E. Jackson, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Washington, D.C.

Pennsylvania attorneys specializing in medical marijuana law told lehighvalleylive.com they were surprised firearms ownership is an issue at all with patients. Steve Schain, whose Hoban Law Group is "100 percent devoted to cannabis and hemp law," said the program was created by state law, and there is no mention of firearms.

"I don't think anybody's going to bring it up," said Andrew Sacks, managing partner at Sacks Weston Diamond LLC in Philadelphia.

The trouble is, it's an automatic "no" when a legitimate medical marijuana user applies for a background check to purchase or transfer a firearm or ammunition, or to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm, according to the ATF and Pennsylvania State Police.

The federal background check form was amended in the past year to explicitly point out the no-exceptions federal prohibition, said Major Scott C. Price, state police director of the Bureau of Records and Identification.

"Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug or any other controlled substance?" questions 11e reads on the ATF Form 4473. "Warning: The use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside."

The ATF sent a letter saying as much to firearms sellers in 2011, Price noted. Answer "yes" on the form, and the retailer won't even run the background check, which will look at the database of medical marijuana cardholders, he said.

"So in fact an individual who is issued a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania who is a user of medical marijuana, that individual would be prohibited from purchasing or technically possession of a firearm under federal law," Price said Tuesday.

Handguns are displayed for sale March 31, 2016, at a store in Jersey City. Federal law prohibits firearms sales to users of marijuana, including those with medical prescriptions, authorities say. (NJ Advance Media file photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

This firearms prohibition is gaining recognition in Pennsylvania as the state prepares to issue prescription cards. As of Nov. 16, more than 6,000 patients registered to receive cannabis for the treatment of symptoms of any of 17 approved conditions, according to the state Department of Health.

Holders of the $50 state medical marijuana ID card are expected to be able to purchase cannabis products from approved dispensaries beginning in 2018. The prohibition on purchasing firearms does not apply to medical marijuana caregivers, who can obtain cannabis products for up to five patients.

Beyond Pennsylvania, this is an issue getting national attention, with 29 states plus the District of Columbia creating medical marijuana programs.

In Hawaii, the Honolulu Police Department has taken the prohibition a step further by sending letters to medical marijuana patients ordering the voluntary "surrender" of their guns, leafly.com reports.

Last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the federal ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana cardholders does not violate the Second Amendment, The Associated Press reports.

Setting a precedent only in nine western states, the ruling notes "medical marijuana users are less likely to commit violent crimes, as they often suffer from debilitating illnesses, for which marijuana may be an effective palliative.

"They also may be less likely than other illegal drug users to interact with law enforcement officers or make purchases through illicit channels," it continues. "But those hypotheses are not sufficient to overcome Congress' reasonable conclusion that the use of such drugs raises the risk of irrational or unpredictable behavior with which gun use should not be associated."

This copy of the ATF Form 4473 used in firearms background checks has been enhanced to highlight the question explaining that medical and recreational marijuana approved at the state level is still illegal under federal law. (Courtesy image | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Sacks, the Philadelphia attorney who is chairman of his firm's Medical Marijuana and Hemp Department, said there's a gray area in play here that he expects will take a legal challenge to resolve in states like Pennsylvania not subject to the 9th Circuit ruling.

Medical marijuana is specially formulated based on a patient's needs, and in some cases contains compounds different from the tetrahydrocannabinol that gets users high, he noted.

"There's just too many gun owners in this state and they love hunting," for the prohibition to go unchallenged, Sacks said.

Price, with the state police, said blocking illegal gun sales is the top concern in checking buyers' backgrounds. Secondarily, it's up to the local district attorney to decide whether to prosecute falsifications on the form, a felony under the state Uniform Firearms Act.

Asked whether the ATF is looking to seize firearms lawfully purchased prior to becoming a medical marijuana patient, Jackson, the special agent, said: "ATF is not in a position to speculate on future enforcement actions. Each case is treated independently and evaluated on its own merits.

"Any criminal investigation or prosecution will be based upon a fair and transparent fact-intensive inquiry of individual cases."

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has charged two men in a human-trafficking operation that ran from 2014 to October 2017 in four counties in the Keystone State as well as southern New Jersey, a news release says.

Kenneth Crowell, 34, was arrested over the holiday weekend in Chicago, while Barry "Bear" Schiff, 50, is in custody in York County, authorities said.

The pair coerced six victims into prostitution "with the false promise of easy money," the attorney general's office said.

"When the victims tried to leave, these criminals used violence and threats of violence to keep them working as prostitutes against their will," Attorney General Josh Shaprio said in the news release. "Law enforcement collaboration and the use of a statewide investigating grand jury built this case. We will use every tool at our disposal to prosecute these kinds of human trafficking cases."

Pennsylvania State Police and the attorney general's office were assisted by Northern York County Regional police; Dallas, Texas, police; Millville, New Jersey, police; the North Star Initiative of Lancaster; and the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia Anti-Human Trafficking Program, authorities said.

The ring operated in Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York counties in Pennsylvania as well as South Jersey, authorities said.

On April 4, two undercover troopers answered a prostitution ad on backpage.com and, using the listed number in that advertisement, arranged to meet a woman in a Lancaster hotel, the attorney general's office said.

When they identified themselves, the woman said she didn't feel safe and "wanted to get out," auhtorities said. She said she was recruited by Crowell and Schiff to be an escort while she was working in a York gentlemen's club, authorities said.

Schiff "bragged about selling opioid pills and heroin to the women working for him as a means of control," the attorney general's office said.

When she complained about drugs being sold in the room where she worked, "Schiff threatened her with a knife," authorities said.

Another victim told the grand jury that Schiff sent her several times in an Uber to "buy large amounts of heroin," the attorney general's office said.

Another victim testified Schiff "impersonated a mobster" named Frank Luchese to intimidate her, and when she tried to leave, he threatened to "chop her up in little pieces and thrown her in the river," authorities said.

Another victim said Crowell "tried to strangle her on several occasions," and yet another victim said when she refused Schiff's demand for sex, he "slammed her head into a bucket of dirty water containing shards of broken glass," the attorney general's office said.

"The Pennsylvania State Police are committed to investigating individuals and criminal organizations involved in the trafficking of women for financial gain," Cpl. Gregg J. Kravitsky said in the news release. "The investigation shows that by working cooperatively with law enforcement and other partners we can bring those who commit these heinous acts to justice."

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Pennsylvania's new medical marijuana program is expected to bring relief to thousands of people with medical conditions. They also may be relieved of their Second Amendment rights.

Law enforcement officials say those who sign up to receive medical marijuana will forfeit their rights to buy, possess and use firearms. Just how that will be implemented, however, and whether people will be ordered to surrender their guns, is still uncertain.

Federal law doesn't recognize a legitimate use for marijuana and still categorizes it as a Schedule 1 drug, along with heroin and LSD, even though many states have legalized it for medicinal use and some for recreational use.

If a person with a medical marijuana permit tries to purchase or transfer a firearm, or applies for a concealed-carry license, he or she is obligated to reveal marijuana use on the background check application, and would be denied, according the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Pennsylvania State Police. The law was changed recently to specify that no exemptions are allowed for medical marijuana users. Last year a federal appeals court ruled the federal ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana cardholders does not violate the Second Amendment.

How this will play out is still up in the air, particularly for those who own guns. In Hawaii, the Honolulu Police Department has told medical marijuana users to volunarily surrender their guns.

What do you think? Should people using medical marijuana give up their right to own guns? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to join the conversation in the comments section.
A proposed 110-foot-tall water tower has some in a Warren County neighborhood up in arms.

Residents who live near the Washington Township site picked for the 400,000-gallon tower plan to challenge the plans Wednesday as New Jersey American Water Co. asks the town for permission to build.

The water company wants to put the tower at the end of Birchwood Avenue, east of Route 31 and just south of the township's border with Washington Borough. A public notice says the tank will fulfill a request by the township for "additional fire service storage capacity." The company said the request was made "following a devastating fire several years ago."

"We are committed to working with community members to create a safe, efficient construction process that is respectful of the neighborhood and achieves the goal of the project, which is to provide the community with increased fire protection for their safety, as well as improved water pressure for residents and businesses," company spokeswoman Denise Venuti Free said.

However, a handful of residents have started a Facebook group and Change.org petition in opposition to the project. However, membership for each was in the single digits as of Tuesday afternoon.

"It has not been the easiest to get people notified during a holiday weekend," said Matthew Davis, who moved to the neighborhood in 2006. Davis said he believes there are better places for the water tower to be constructed.

"The mayor and council have to look at the bigger picture for residents; this project will create more vacant homes, because people won't move into a neighborhood with a water tower," Davis wrote in an email.

"Yes, the tower benefits a great deal of Washington (Borough and Township), but with so much space around, it doesn't have to be in a residential neighborhood," he continued. "Our streets can't handle the construction traffic, and our neighborhood can't handle the hit to our property values."

A public hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the township municipal building, 211 Route 31 North.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Much of the 100 million needed to reconfigure hospital services in Dublin and the midlands if Portlaoise is downgraded would be 'catch up' spending to cope with current demands.

The lead author of the plan to regrade the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a Category 2 hospital also says the money need to spend on several of these capital projects has yet to be approved by the Department of Health.

Under the Dublin Midland Hospital Group plan at least 100 million. The Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin requires 20 million just to make its operating theatres safe. The cost of completely relocating the Coombe to St James is not outlined. Laois women will travel to Dublin to have babies under the plan

Tallaght is earmarked for a 15 million investment while at least 40 million has to be spent on Tullamore hospital. Both hospitals will pick up the slack for emergencies diverted from Portlaoise under downgrade. Dr O'Reilly said Tallaght is 'in dire' need of more hospital beds.

Portlaoise is due to get a 20 million investment. Naas would get nearly 2 million.

PORTLAOISE HOSPITAL PROTEST MARCH

In an extensive interview with the Leinster Express, Dr Susan O'Reilly, DMHG CEO, stood over the credibility on the cost of implementing the plan and the time frame involved.

The plan put together by Dr OReilly and others puts a four year time frame on downgrade as part of reconfiguration of hospital services in Dublin, Kildare, Offaly and Laois.

Dr OReilly says the projects earmarked for investment are already a priority. The Leinster Express put it to Dr OReilly that the public do not believe the time frame and ability to get the money is credible.

I can appreciate why they would have that concern. I really appreciate and understand that. Let me be clear. The 100 million capital is already funding we have officially prioritised, she said.

She said approval is awaiting the outcome of the capital review by the Government and any assignment of capital.

That 100 million was not contingent on any reconfiguration of Portlaoise. It is contingent on the fact that we need capacity across the entire group. It is catch up money for critical care, beds and some elective.

There is another component which is the Tullamore hospital extension. It needs to be done anyway but it would be a bigger extension to develop some addition Emergency Department and inpatient bed capacity, she says.

She accepted that the ability to implement the plan is out of the DMHGs control but said it is a priority at high levels.

It was significantly influenced and prioritised in the HSE and the Department of Health. I do feel that I have some clout here in terms of getting capital but there are no guarantees, she said.

NOT A PERSONAL CRUSADE

Dr OReilly insists that no unsafe risks will be taken.

We within the group know from our discussions with the HSE that this is a four year implementation plan and we are committed to not closing any services in a way that is going to create more risk," she said.

The Coombe Hospital in Dublin is managing the Portlaoise hospital maternity unit. Dr O'Reilly acknowledged that the current Coombe theatres have been regarded as 'not fit for purpose' by the health watchdog HIQA.

Dr O'Reilly was confident, however, that the Coombe hospitals upgrade will happen soon but said this was also dependent on capital assignment to be decided by the Department of Health. She said the Minister for Health Simon Harris has to get capital approval for all of this from the Cabinet.

The Coombe is also due to be completely relocated.

The Coombe moving to the St James Hospital site with the National Childrens Hospital will happen but it could take up to 10 years. Any refurbishment of theatres and beds in the Coombe wont go to waste because if the Coombe moves they will be used for elective surgeries of other sorts, she said.

The Leinster Express asked Dr OReilly if she believes there is capacity in Dublin at present in the Coombe in Tallaght hospitals to take anything more from Portlaoise or anywhere else.

There will be as long as we get the resources. Dont forget paediatric beds are moving from Tallaght in 2020. That will free up some space for more beds not enough. We have another capital plan in evolution right now for another building for an additional building for Tallaght. They are in dire need for beds.

We are coming out of a financial crisis and years of decisions, particularly to reduce (hospital) beds, she said.

Dr O'Reilly has earmarked 20 million investment for Portlaoise so that it can provide new services. She believes it will be a busier hospital. However, she said in the initial stages the hospital would have to rely on the existing three theatres for elective non-complex surgery.

Dr O'Reilly said she 'hopes' that resources will flow, in particular capital spending to expand capacity.

The decision on what to do with the hospital rests with the Minister for Health Simon Harris and the rest of the Government.
A Chinese businessman has introduced a new way to plant, produce, process, and export high-quality saffron to people in Afghanistan, a country hoping to replace the production of opium poppy with saffron production, Xinhua reported.

Farmers from parts of western Herat province have already begun replacing poppies with saffron. The practice has been gradually extended to other locations of the country, including Bamiyan and Kabul.

During a business trip to Afghanistan in November 2016, Xiang Weijie, a businessman from Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, met Faiz, a saffron grower, in Herat province through a mutual friend.

The technology used to make saffron blossom indoors will help produce higher yields, but it is new to the Afghan farmers.

Xiang had visited many places in Afghanistan where the saffron industry could benefit from the new Chinese technology, so he decided to stay and teach them how to use it.

Since then, Xiang has been working with local farmers to cultivate and produce high-quality saffron and introduce it to international markets. He added that saffron is a highly-valued plant with a good market in China.

Saffron is a precious traditional Chinese medicine.

The Chinese businessman and local farmers spent a lot of time at a plantation in a suburb of Kabul. The plantation has an indoor area for cultivating flowers and an outdoor area for growing bulbs.

Now the bulbs have entered their flowering period, and this year the plantation is expected to produce six kilograms of filaments.

Indoor flowering has attracted great attention in Afghanistan. Thank you our Chinese friends, Im really delighted by this achievement, said an official with the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock.

Saffron, according to the Afghan ministry, is cultivated in 30 out of 34 provinces on a total area of around 2,800 hectares involving approximately 18,000 farmers.

Weve hired 15 workers, including 12 females. Well employ more people in the future, Faiz said, adding that growing saffron will make local farmers feel safer than planting poppies.

Xiang said he plans to promote the technology to 200 Afghan families to help them get rich.
As I sat outside the GAA club in Clane, I wondered if it was too late to back out. It was a dark and miserable night and all I really wanted to do was go home and not talk to anyone, except maybe the cat, if the mood struck me.

Would they even notice if I just turned around and drove home? I wondered, Sure theyre probably all too busy talking in loud, booming voices to notice whether or not I turn up.

But Id told Maureen I was coming. And more to the point, I had all my recording gear with me, because not only was I after signing myself up with the Clane Toastmasters Club, I was also making a radio documentary about the reason I had signed up with the Clane Toastmasters Club.

That reason? Well, this wont come as a surprise to anyone who knows me, but Im very quiet. I always have been, and I think its about time we all just accepted I always will be.

For years, people have felt almost obliged to give me advice on how they thought I could improve my life.

They reckoned Id be happier if I could just come out of my shell.

Id be more successful if I learned to speak up. Id be on cloud bloody nine if only I could just be louder.

What they didnt seem to realise was that I was already happy. And ok, I may not the President of Ireland but I like my job, and Ive achieved a lot of the work things I set out to achieve.

So whats the problem?

Susan Cains best selling book Quiet - The Power Of Introverts In A World That Cant Stop Talking, describes the problem as the extrovert ideal, the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha and comfortable in the spotlight. This is definitely more of an issue in the US, but as they say, when America sneezes, the rest of the world gets a cold. And there are plenty of examples of the extrovert ideal trickling into Irish culture. Open plan offices are everywhere these days, and its not very often you see companies advertising jobs for people who are thinkers, calm or dont play team sports. In fairness, Ive probably felt this a bit more because Ive been looking for jobs in the media, and everyone knows you cant be quiet if you want to work in the media, right?

Well, thats not strictly true.

You can be as quiet as you like and still work as a journalist, a teacher, in theatre  whatever you fancy.

Because if its what you really want to do, your passion and interest in a subject will propel you to work harder, and youll get there eventually.

The fact of the matter is, it takes all sorts to create a harmonious environment. Introverts, extroverts, and everyone in-between, we all have our place. This is what I set out to remind people of in my Toastmasters speech, and my radio documentary.

Listen in to The Documentary On One: The Little Mouse in the Corner. December 2 at 2pm on RTE Radio 1

Clane Toastmasters meet every second Wednesday in the Clane GAA Club at 7.45pm. Find them on Facebook @clanetoastmasters or contact them on 0894520348.
IFA President Joe Healy said the deepening fodder problems will have to be addressed by the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed. He said the blase response from the Minister in the Dail last week during a debate on the matter was wholly inadequate.



From what we have seen on the ground, including when Minister of State for Agriculture, Andrew Doyle joined us 10 days ago to survey the conditions on farms affected, there is no doubt that there is an urgent need for a scheme. Minister Creed should get on with it and introduce one immediately. Farmers who are under extreme pressure because of the challenges facing them expect a strong response from the Minister and the Government, notes the IFA leader.

IFA President Joe Healy

The IFA is organising a meeting on December 1 in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris starting at 8pm which will hear directly from the farmers affected.



Minister Creed has been invited to attend and speakers will include representatives from Teagasc and Aurivo.

Mr Healy said urgent action is needed to assist farmers in affected areas, mainly in the north-west and west of the country. The difficult weather conditions since August have left many farmers facing a severe fodder crisis during the winter and spring months.



It is clear that many farmers were unable to get a second cut of silage and have had to house their animals earlier using up silage from first cut and other fodder they need for the winter. We have to address this now as the problem has become acute; we cannot wait until the New Year, he said.



IFA has also met with Teagasc and a survey is underway to identify those farmers who are likely to have a problem this winter. Discussions have also taken place with local co-ops and merchants to provide a feed mix for those farmers.

Other issues to be discussed at the meeting on December 1st include ANCs, CAP 2020 and supporting the suckler herd.
GARDAI in association with the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland and Retail Excellence, have launched an S.O.S. (Safe Online Shopping) campaign ahead of the Christmas shopping rush.

13.2 billion was spent online by Irish consumers in 2016, and Sergeant Courtney has said that "shopping online is safe so long as we use our credit/debit cards correctly. We are asking people to take greater precautions when shopping online then they would if purchasing in the shops.

Customers are warned to use reputable retailers and to be wary and research brands or websites not known to them or others.

Sergeant Kelvin Courtney, of the Garda Crime Prevention National Centre of Excellence issued the top tips for avoiding online fraud this Christmas:

- Only buy from trusted sources, shops or brands that you are familiar with

- Use credit cards when purchasing things online

- Make sure the data transfer is appropriately protected. Look for the padlock symbol Think twice before allowing e-merchant stores to store your payment details

- Be aware how to control the recurring charge if paying for a continuous service online

- Always save all documents related to your online purchases.

- If you are not buying a specific product or service, dont submit your card details

- Avoid doing your online shopping at sites that dont use full authentication

- Never send your Card number, PIN or any other card information to anyone by email

- When purchasing something online from another person, do not send money up front

- Never send your card details in an unencrypted email

- Dont send money to anyone you dont know online

- Regularly check statements and transactions for any frauds or suspicious activity

- If you have a suspicion about an online transaction check your account online to ascertain if the payment was made to the genuine retailer.

- Report suspicious transactions to your local Garda station and to your bank or card processor.

Detective Superintendent Michael Gubbins, Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, went on to explain: "An Garda Siochana and its partners in Europol are actively targeting cybercrimes such as online fraud. The public need to be aware that the proceeds from these fraudulent activities go to fund organised criminal gangs.
Leitrim Development Company in conjunction with Leitrim Council County will launch the Ethnic Minority Project under the Peace IV Programme on Thursday, November 30, in The Dock Exhibition Centre at 4pm.



The PEACE IV programme is funded through the European Union, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government with the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)

the managing authority with responsibility for the implementation and delivery of the PEACE IV programme.



One of objectives of the project is to foster a greater understanding and tolerance for all communities living in Leitrim. Also, to support the involvement and integration of ethnic minority groups, particularly new communities into the social and cultural life in Co. Leitrim.



The project will be delivered over the next sixteen months and will include intercultural events and a series of workshops such as community development, peace building, intercultural awareness, cultural understanding and strategic planning, to mention a few.



It will work closely with existing groups including the Leitrim International Community Group and the Leitrim Intercultural Forum.



Join them at The Dock for an exciting and interactive programme with music, poem, song and dance from different countries and enjoy a taste of international cuisine.



There will also be activities for children including face painting and storytelling. Admission is free and open to everyone.

For further information about the event and project, please contact Osazuwa Peter-Olabiyi, Leitrim Development Company, (071) 9631715 (email) osa@ldco.ie or see www.facebook.com/peace.ethnic.minority
An inquest into the death of a couple in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim in March this year returned an open verdict and recorded that death was due to freshwater drowning.

Evidence was heard at a Coroner's Court in Carrick-on-Shannon today into the deaths of Frank Dunne, aged 39, and his wife Alexandra, aged 34, who lived in Munich, Germany. Mr Dunne was originally from Dublin. They were on holidays in Ireland and were visiting relations in the town. They had hired a cruiser for three days.

Elaine McCarthy, a cousin of Mr Dunne, told the inquest she had dinner with the couple in The Oarsman restaurant on Wednesday, March 29, and they parted company at approximately 10pm. At 10.22pm she sent a text to Frank to thank him for dinner but the text was not delivered.

The following day she rang his phone a few times but got no reply. On Friday, Frank's mother Jessie rang her to say that the boat hire company Emerald Star had contacted her to say the couple had not checked out at the appointed time.

Ms McCarthy said she went to the Emerald Star marina and saw the couple's car still in the car park. She checked their boat and saw their belongings were still there. She was concerned and contacted the Gardai and remained at the scene while a search was conducted of the River Shannon.

The search was conducted by the local Gardai with the assistance of Leitrim Civil Defence, the Garda Water Unit, Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club and Midlands Search and Rescue.

Evidence was given by another cousin Eoin Donnellan and Ms McCarthy's husband Stuart of searching the area and finding Mr Dunne's body at 2.30pm on Friday, March 31.

Sean Doyle of Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club gave evidence of finding Alexandra Dunne's body at 5.15pm that day. Both bodies were pronounced dead by Dr. Dara Loftus.

The evidence of local man, Douglas Boyd, was that he was out for a walk that night with a friend when he heard what he thought was someone shouting 'Frank' on the opposite side of the river. The men went over to the Emerald Star jetties but said it was slippy and pitch dark and they could see nothing.

Another man who lives in an apartment on the opposite side of the river, James Hoban, said he was on his balcony having a cigarette when heard a male voice that night shouting about ten times but it was hard to see and he couldn't tell where it was coming from. He thought it was someone messing.

An autopsy was carried out on both bodies at Sligo University Hospital by Dr. Clive Kilgallon who found that death in both cases was due to freshwater drowning.

The toxicology report showed that Mr Dunne had 238 mgs of ethanol in his blood and Mrs Dunne had 341 mgs of ethanol in her blood at the time of death.

Deputy Coroner for Sligo-Leitrim, Fergal Kelly, proposed an open verdict and that the couple passed away as a result of freshwater drowning on Friday, March 31, the day they were found.

The jury found in accordance with the medical evidence and a recommendation was made to the local authority that the area be better lit.

The Coroner described it as a very tragic incident particularly when it involves people so young who are starting out on their married life together.

Sympathy was expressed to the family of the deceased by the Coroner, the jury and on behalf of An Garda Siochana.
The Leitrim Observer is asking all local businesses to dress to impress this Christmas - that's your windows of course!



The Leitrim Observer is running a Christmas Window Display competition and we're are looking for the best and brightest festive displays from businesses across the county.



We are asking any business with a shop front from cafes to bars, shops to barbers and even offices to get involved. The closing date is December 15.



We are also doing a shout out for your Santa pics.

Has you child had their photo taken with Santa this year?



Or maybe you are planning on taking them to get their own photo with the man himself in the coming weeks....well send them in to us at the Leitrim Observer and we'll publish them in our Christmas edition.



Just forward your photos in jpg format to lmckiernan@leitrimobserver.ie



Don't forget to put the words 'Santa Photos' in the subject line and don't forget to include the names and ages of the children in the photo as well.
CONTRACTS have been signed for the installation of more than 40 hi-specification CCTV cameras in 14 towns and villages across County Limerick.

Limerick-based company Roadbridge was awarded the 350,000 contract to install the 44 cameras at 24 locations following a competitive tendering process by Limerick City and County Council.

The state-of-the-art smart cameras will be located in Abbeyfeale, Adare, Askeaton, Caherconlish, Castleconnell, Cappamore, Croom, Foynes, Kilmallock, Murroe, Newcastle West, Pallasgreen, Patrickswell and Rathkeale.

As part of the roll out local NVR (video recording servers) with smart analytics capabilities, networking, communications and power management will be also be installed  allowing for remote access via smartphone to the live feed by authorised users.

The footage from the new cameras will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Moyross Community Enterprise Centre, which is also being upgraded as part of the project.

The Smart CCTV project enables us to work together with the gardai and this is another example of the deep level of co-operation that exists between Limerick City and County Council and An Garda Siochana and illustrates the positive impact our work is having in various communities, said Conn Murray, chief executive if Limerick City and County Council.

The pilot scheme links in with the one of the core objectives of the Joint Policing Committee Strategic Plan, which aims to review coverage, monitoring and maintenance of CCTV for its effectiveness and efficiency; extend and develop CCTV schemes outside of the city as well as combining CCTV with other aspects of surveillance.

We have seen over the past number of years the benefit of having CCTV around the city. It has been very beneficial to us in crime investigation and detection and from that point of view this project is going to transform crime investigation and detection in the county, said the head of the Limerick garda division Chief Superintendent David Sheahan.
THE Court of Appeal has been told a man serving life for the murder of teenager Melanie McCarthy-McNamara is suffering from a psychiatric illness.

During his trial in 2014, Daniel McDonnell, aged 22, of Brookview Lawns Tallaght had pleaded not guilty to murdering the 16-year-old.

The teenager, who had strong family connections in Limerick, died after she was shot as she sat in a car in Tallaght, Dublin, on February 8, 2012.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal was told McDonnell was medically unfit to attend court for his appeal as he is suffering from a psychiatric illness.

Bernard Condon SC, asked the court to allow him some time to get an up-to-date report on the psychiatric circumstances of his client.

He said his side had been ready to proceed with the appealand that the information before the court had come from a registered doctor.

The appeal was adjourned to December 18 next when a new date is expected to be fixed for hearing.

Previously, the Central Criminal Court trial heard that Melanie McNamara was shot in the head as she sat in a car with her boyfriend and his friend in Tallaght on the date in question.

Her boyfriend, Christopher Moran, and his friend, Sean Byrne, rushed her to hospital. However, she died a short time later due to the shot gun wound to her left temple.

The car which was used by the culprits was found abandoned and out of fuel in Citywest shortly after the shooting.

A stolen sawn-off shotgun and two discharged cartridges were recovered nearby. There were no fingerprints on the vehicle, weapon or cartridges.

McDonnell was one of two men arrested on suspicion of murder the following week. He was detained at Tallaght Garda Station and made no comment to questions in more than a dozen interviews.

In a victim impact following the conclusion of the trial, Melanies Godmother, Jennifer Roche, read an emotional victim impact statement on behalf of the teenagers family including her parents Stephen McCarthy and Melissa McNamara

Our Melanie was a girl who loved life and never got a chance to live it, she said. They should have taken us too.

She was her mothers best friend Melissa feels if she died tomorrow, it would not be too soon, she continued. She was every mothers dream daughter. She was Melissas life, her world, her everything.

Melanie's last words to her mother were: Bye Mummy, I'll be in early in the morning. However, Melissa was still waiting, she said.

The statement said there were 15 years between the couples two daughters, and as soon as the second was born, the first was taken from them.

To hear their little girl was shot in the head shattered their world, read the statement.
WE are social creatures, humans, we do better together - a point that has defined the career of Limerick man Pat Carroll.

Forced to reinvent himself when the recession struck, Pat, who had spent years in sales and marketing, joined a start-up in Limerick in 2010 called Rendevous353, an online network for expats that attracted 15,000 Irish people to its platform at its peak.

Suddenly the Corbally man was living and breathing Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and email marketing to get people to join the online network.

Inevitably Rendevous 353 withered in the shadow of the Silicon Valley social media giants, but the path had been lit and Pat followed it

It was a very interesting experience and gave me a real baptism of fire in that whole area of online/offline networking, he told the Limerick Leader.

Though it folded, he found a lot of people were looking for help with their online presence, so he started his own company called Touch Communications, and for five years did consultancy work and digital marketing, helping people with their online presence - a role which meant he really had to put himself out there.

When youre self-employed you need to network, and I was always interested in technology and start-ups, so back then I was actively involved in Open Coffee. It was a weekly meet-up and there was lots of self employed people, entrepreneurs involved in new frontiers programmes starting their own companies, looking for support from one another.

Many of these entrepreneurs were in the tech space, so Open Coffee morphed into Mid-West Start-Ups, says Pat.

Entrepreneurs repeatedly make the point that the moral support received at these gatherings is every bit as important to them as the funding they we receive.

Thats so true, says Pat, the funding is fine but its also talking to like-minded people and finding out what they did and what they did wrong and how to avoid that, what they did right, so maybe to copy that and just give each other support.

It was a very open community, there is a generosity between people, and when you mix that with the Silicon Valley spirit of helping each other you get a nice ecosystem where people arent competing with each other especially some place like Limerick where they want to help each other, so the networking is really important.

Meanwhile, Pat continued to expand his own connections, getting appointed to the national board of the Irish International Business Network, the IIBN, whose London and New York offices are close to consulates, the embassies, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It was at an American chamber event in Dublin that he first came across Workbench, in a Bank of Ireland branch at Grand Canal Square - a funky looking space with bright colours and start-ups working inside it. A strange set-up for a bank, he observed, but didn't think much more about it.

Until he was asked just over two years ago by the banks entrepreneur-in-residence to head up the Limerick Workbench as the innovation community manager. He hasnt looked back.

Its very interesting work, it's great to be able to help deliver a project right in the heart of Limerick city - youve a free facility for everybody and I think its really crucial that you dont have to be a Bank of Ireland customer. In fact, Id love to put a sign up in the window, saying you dont have to be a customer.

You don't have to book a place, you can come in for an hour, a week or a month, so it's classic hotdesking, there are desks there, there is wifi, there is coffee, there is a meeting room which you can use to bring in clients.

So during the day, its for start-ups and SMEs and self-employed, anybody. The magic is if you're working at home yourself on a laptop, it's kind of lonely, youre isolated, you might make a phone call or two, but when you go into somewhere like Workbench, you bump into people, you meet someone you know, you meet someone new.

A hotdesking space during the day, it hosts events in the evening and in its first year it hosted 200 events, with over 4,000 attendees.

One of these events is Start-Up Grind, another network into which Pat has plugged himself.

This comes from Silicon Valley, a guy called Derek Anderson saw there were two kinds of events held in Silicon Valley; big keynote events where someone like Richard Branson was speaking and we were in the audience.

Then there was meet-ups like Open Coffee where 20-30 people would meet for coffee and chat and he thought it would be good to have some kind of a hybrid. You could have your meet-up of people but also have a centrepiece to the event a fireside chat with a successful entrepreneur, investor or whatever.

So I heard about this and applied for it for Ireland, but was told Ireland was too small to have one. These things are in London, New York, Frankfurt, they're in 200 cities, so I persevered and explained the situation and dug deep through all my contacts and said I could get this going.

So they awarded me the Start-Up Grind Limerick chapter director and I think it's a great asset for Limerick, it allows us highlight the great talent we have here.

One example he gives is Austin Ryan of AMCS. If you hadn't heard of them they're a firm in Crecora thats the world leader in the technology that reads and records your bin every time its emptied. They have hundreds of people worldwide, says Pat, but not many people in Limerick had heard of them.

To have Austin Ryan tell the story of how they grew from nothing and how he met someone on a hurling pitch, his partner, through sport, and how they built a global company, its great to be able to tell that story.

In December, for example I have Hugh ODonnell who sold a company for 135m, so to be able to get someone like him talking about their story, it brings people together, brings the city together, it inspires people to think look, if he could do it, I could do it.

Pat says between New Frontiers, Enterprise Ireland, the LEOs, there is plenty early stage support for people who want to start a business and the likes of Workbench, and Start-up Grind and Founder Friday and the Start-up weekend are all different entry levels to the start-up scene and ways to access support.

The Workbench gatherings of the past year have heard so many success stories and Pat believes we could be broadcasting it more.

I think in Limerick we need to stand tall and be proud. Cork and Galway are great at promoting themselves, I think weve been a bit bowed down by our recent history and we need to get over that.

We need to go out in Dublin, London and New York and shout from the rooftops that its happening in Limerick.

- This feature is part of a wider 32-page supplement called Limerick on the up, carried free with the Limerick Leader and in shops now
A huge market has been established in China thanks to square dancing, an exercise routine performed to music in squares, plazas, and parks of the countrys cities by middle-aged and retired women.

It is estimated that 100 million square dancers in the country are creating a 100 billion-RMB ($15 billion) market.

Just go to e-commerce platform Taobao and search for key words like dancing costume, boombox, and portable video player, and hundreds of thousands of items will pop up.

These three items, which are closely related with square dancing, are responsible for 25 million RMB of transactions on Taobao each month. Based on a conservative projection, the sales volume of the offline market is thought to be 10 times of that online.

Portable video player for square dancing sold on taobao.com

Statistics by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba show that in the first nine months of 2017 people aged 50 and over purchased an average of 44 items online, spending nearly 5,000 RMB on average.

An Amazon report also suggested that consumers over 60 years old took up the highest proportion among the buyers who purchased foreign products with a value of over 5,000 RMB.

Though the market is obviously huge, it is not always easy to bring home the bacon. It calls for patience and careful observation to enter the silver hair market, because consumers in this age group have a variety of demands.

Costumes for square dancing on taobao.com

The population of Chinese people above the age of 60 has for the first time exceeded 200 million in 2013. Amid a new round of technological revolution, the silver hair market is also ready to embrace changes.

Smart physical exams, smart wheelchairs, remote health monitoring devices, and other new products are emerging, offering new experiences for Chinas elderly population. Innovative services such as community-based cafeterias, household keeping, and even bath aid have also been created.

To meet the demands of the aging population will become a big task of Chinese economy.
THE Minister for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Kevin Boxer Moran is to visit flood-hit parts of Limerick this Friday.

Mr Moran has taken up an invite from Fine Gael general election candidate Kieran ODonnell to visit the city, and see what needs to be done in terms of flood defences, and other things to provide relief when the Shannon bursts its banks.

I look forward to welcoming Minister Boxer Moran and showing him around the at-risk flood locations here in Limerick city and its environs, Mr ODonnell, currently a Senator, said, The reason I invited Minister Boxer Moran to Limerick is so he can see first-hand the extent of repeated flood exposure here.

On his visit, the Longford-Westmeath TD will meet people who are repeatedly affected by flooding, with Mr ODonnell hoping he will see a need to get flood defence schemes under way.

From his own experience in his home town of Athlone, Minister Moran is very familiar with the devastating impact flooding has on peoples lives, he said.

Mr ODonnell intends taking the minister around Castleconnell, Montpelier, Annacotty and Mountshannon Road, as well as Corbally, St Marys Park and Athlunkard Street.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Mr Moran confirmed Waterways Ireland and the OPW are progressing a project to remove 18 pinchpoints between Meelick and Athlone to improve conveyance capacity on the river.

He said: This is a major step forward for farming, for tourism and for habitats, particularly in relation to the nesting birds and the curlew.

The minister added: In Limerick, the recently completed 2.8 million Foynes Tidal Flood Relief Scheme is protecting 188 properties, and progress is being made on the first phase of the Limerick City Flood Relief Scheme at Kings Island. Advance works have already been completed at Verdant Place, at a cost of over 2 million and when the overall work at Kings Island is complete, protection will be given to 470 properties.
IRISH Water has said it is aware that some of its customers have been the target of an email phishing scam.

The body said it was aware that some customers have received emails purporting to be from Irish Water with the subject line Your Irish Water Account  Action required.

Irish Water will never ask customers to update personal banking information in this way and customers should always delete emails requesting this information, it said.

Irish Water is advising anyone who receives these emails to delete them immediately. Do not reply or click on the link provided. Do not provide personal or financial details, it added.

It said it has investigated this email and has requested that this fraudulent site be shut down.

Irish Water recently issued a notification to customers in Limerick that it had set up an online refunds page.

It said the dedicated refunds website had been launched as the government legislation necessary to enable the refunding of household water charges progresses through the Oireachtas.

Irish Water believes the phishing emails are related and that during the refund process in particular attempts may be made to deceive customers.

We have put additional resources in place in attempt to mitigate against these phishing campaigns, said a spokesperson.

Irish Water wishes to reassure customers that there has been no breach of Irish Water security systems. Customer details on Irish Water's database are secure and have not been compromised.

Advice

If you suspect that you've responded to a phishing email with personal information from this or any email, take the following steps to minimise any potential damage:

- Change the information you've revealed e.g. Change any passwords or PINs on the account or service that you think might have been compromised

- Contact your bank or the service provider directly

- Routinely review your bank and credit card statements for unexplained charges or enquiries that you didn't initiate

- Contact the authorities. The Garda Bureau of Fraud investigation is Ireland's national fraud and internet crime reporting centre

There is more advice on how to identify phishing emails and what to do next on Irish Waters website.
UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick is enduring the worst rate of overcrowding this Wednesday morning, with more than double the patient numbers than any other hospital in the country.

According to figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there were 69 patients being treated on emergency department trolleys and additional trolleys or patients in the wards at UHL.

The is amid a fresh outbreak of the norovirus winter vomiting bug, which has forced UHL to impose visiting bans at two wards in the hospital.

The second worst rate of overcrowding in Ireland is Cork University Hospital, with just 30 patients on trolleys.

Reacting to the figures this Wednesday, Solidarity councillor Cian Prendiville said that he was disgusted, and described the current situation as a crisis and an emergency.

When they opened the new emergency department, it was new walls but the same problem, he told the Leader.

He said that UHL continues to suffer from the centralisation of the A&E crisis as a result of the closure of St Johns, Ennis and Nenagh emergency departments.

This is as a result of decades of underfunding, he said, and he is now calling for the small emergency departments to be reopened.

Following the alert of the norovirus outbreak, a spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group said that UHL has been experiencing a high number of patients attending the ED in recent days. We have admitted a lot of seriously ill patients recently, many of who remain in the ED awaiting a bed.

We are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options and keep ED services for the patients who need them most. For example, many patients with limb injuries can go to an Injury Unit in Ennis, Nenagh or St Johns Hospital. Injury Units are open in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday and 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday at St. John's Hospital.

Others with a less serious illness can be treated by their GP or out of hours GP service where their GP can refer them to an Assessment Unit the following day if required.

She added: However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at risk the ED will assess and treat you as a priority.
HERMITAGE Green will again be kings of the Castle as they return for a huge show at Limericks King Johns next summer, it has been announced.

The Limerick band sold out a show Live at the Castle earlier this summer and bookers Dolans have confirmed to the Leader this Wednesday that Hermitage Green will again play at King Johns Castle on Sunday, June 3, 2018, with tickets to go on sale this Friday.

It was also revealed recently that Bell X1 are play the Castle next year as part of their celebration of 20 years together, with the Irish rockers booked in for Sunday, May 6, the Riverfest weekend.

The gigs are both in association with Shannon Heritage and Hermitage Greens Barry Murphy said the band would never forget the feeling of walking out on that stage and looking up at the castle walls against a backdrop of the river Shannon and Limerick city last year.

King Johns Castle is an incredible venue, easily one of the finest this country has to offer and we are counting the days till next June, he added.

Neil Dolan said Dolans was delighted to welcome Hermitage Green back to the Castle for what was one of the standout shows of 2017.

The feedback from the public was for round two and I am one hundred percent sure the lads can deliver, he added.

Niall OCallaghan, Managing Director of Shannon Heritage said: We are delighted that Limericks finest, Hermitage Green, are back by popular demand to once again perform at part of our Live at King Johns Castle series.

This talented band have a rock solid local and national fan base and we are really looking forward to welcoming them and their fans to King Johns Castle next June for this exciting event.

Hermitage Green recently played winter tour dates in Australia, Singapore, the UK and at home, releasing latest single Lion's Share from new EP Gold and Rust, which is available for download.

Tickets for Hermitage Green go on sale this Friday, December 1 at 9am. Tickets for Bell X1 go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, at 9am. See www.dolans.ie and www.ticketmaster.ie for more.
A LIMERICK man charged in connection with an alleged slash hook attack has been refused bail by the High Court.

Emmett Kiely, 26, of Maple Court, Kennedy Park in Limerick is accused of assaulting Joseph Storan causing him harm on October 3, 2017 at the same address.

Bail was also refused in respect of other charges which allege Mr Kiely assaulted Terry Casey at Maple Court, Kennedy Park in Limerick on July 11, 2017 and was in possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life on the same occasion.

Mr Kiely had sought bail in the High Court this Wednesday. However, the State objected to the application.

At todays bail hearing, Detective Garda Paul Crowley told Mr John Berry BL for the State, that he was objecting to bail because it could result in further offences being committed.

The court also heard evidence from the head of Limerick's garda divsion, Chief Superintendent David Sheahan, who said he was objecting to bail under Section 2A of the Bail Act.

The section allows a Chief Superintendent give evidence that the refusal of bail is necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence.

Mr Justice Paul Butler rejected Mr Kielys bail application under Section 2 of the Bail Act 1997.

Mr Kiely was remanded in custody.
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Chinas new manned submersible Shenhai Yongshi, or deep-sea warrior, will be delivered to clients on Nov. 30, cctv.com reported Wednesday.

The sub, which is one of the most advanced in the world, is set to serve maritime scientific research for the next 30 years.

The advanced, intelligent control system of the sub will be applied in other submersibles currently under construction.

Like driverless vehicles, the deep-sea warrior is able to move in the sea automatically, said Zhu Puqiang, a person in charge of researching the control system.

The advanced system will play an important role in controlling Chinas domestically developed manned deep-sea submersible which is capable of reaching depths of more than 10,000 meters. The submersible is set for deep-sea explorations in 2020 in the Pacific Oceans Mariana Trench in 2020.

The control system is also able to slow the vehicle in front of an obstacle and will shut down the hydraulic system to protect the submersible in case of a water leakage, Zhu explained.

The best design of the submersible is its navigation system, Zhu said. One of the missions for the 22nd sea test was to find an object the submersible had put in the sea during its 19th trip.

It was like looking for a needle in the sea, because we only knew the initial position where we put the object. And the diameter of the item was less than 50 centimeters, adding difficulty to the search, Zhu said.

But the object was successfully retrieved with the help of the smart navigation system.

All of the core components of the deep-sea warrior were domestically made, Zhu said, adding that it took scientists 16 years to upgrade the vehicle from only being able to carry out simple operations to finishing complex tasks, said Zhu.

Weve done a lot of work to fix some problems during the trial stage before we finally assembled the vehicle. The control system now works stably, safely, and reliably, said Zhao Yang, chief designer of the submersible.
Egyptian journalist and unionist Khaled El-Balshy won the Individual Activist award at the Nelson Mandela-Graca Macha Innovation Awards on Monday.

The awards, which were established in 2005 and are organised by Johannesburg-based NGO Civicus, aim to honour those who have demonstrated remarkable courage and commitment in the pursuit of social change.

El-Balshy, the editor-in-chief of El-Badaiah news website, was given the award for establishing the Front to Defend Journalists and Freedom in Egypt.

"[El-Balshy] has actively mentored younger journalists to defend their own rights and the rights of others," Civicus said in a statement, adding that El-Balshy "sought every available platform to shine a light on violations by the government."

In March, El-Balshy, the former head of the freedoms committee in Egypt's Journalists Syndicate, was handed a one-year suspended sentence along with then-syndicate head Yehia Kalash and board member Gamal Abdel-Rahim for harbouring fugitives inside the syndicate's headquarters.

The trio was accused in April 2016 of harbouring at the syndicate headquarters in Cairo journalists Mahmoud El-Sakka and Amr Badr, who were facing charges of spreading false news ahead of planned protests against the Egypts deal with Saudi Arabia to hand over two Red Sea island to the Gulf kingdom.

El-Balshy and his colleagues are currently appealing the ruling.

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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Cairo Wednesday for talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sedki Sobhi and other Egyptian officials, state-run MENA news agency reported.

The officials will discuss boosting military cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

Egypt and Russia have been stepping up military cooperation in recent years.

The latest meeting between the two defence ministers took place in Cairo in August.

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Ahram Online republishes this report from November 2017 on President El-Sisi's response to the terror attack on Al-Rawda Mosque in north Sinai that killed 305 worshippers

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Wednesday ordered the Egyptian army and police forces to restore stability and security in the Sinai Peninsula within three months using "utmost force."

The president's command came during his speech at a public celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birth (Moulid El-Nabi) at Al-Azhar's conference center in Cairo.

The event was attended by tens of Azhar clerics and public officials and including Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayyeb, Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar, and the newly appointed Army Chief of Staff, Mohamed Farid Hegazi.

I hold Lieutenant General Hegazy, along with the ministry of interior, responsible for restoring stability and security in Sinai within three months," El-Sisi said, directly addressing the general, who stood at military attention.

El-Sisi stressed that the army and the police adhere to this directive.

Wednesday's orders are the Egyptian president's second public directive to security forces to use "utmost force" in counterterrorism operations since the deadly terror attack on Al-Rawda Mosque in North Sinai last Friday, which left 310 dead and tens injured.

Last Friday, hours after the massacre, El-Sisi gave a speech saying that the military and police will avenge the martyrs and respond using utmost force against terrorists to ensure stability and security.

The president also declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the attack.

The Egyptian armed forces and air force have launched several strikes against terror hideouts in North Sinai after Al-Rawda massacre.

The Egyptian army and police have been battling an Islamic militant insurgency in North Sinai in the past several years.

Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, which is affiliated to the terror group Daesh, has been carrying out deadly attacks against security forces. However, the army and police have killed many members of the group.

The president noted in his speech today that this year's anniversary of the Prophet's birthday, which is normally a joyous occasion, comes following a devastating attack devoid of any human or moral principles.

What kind of Islam do these terrorists claim to belong to when they kill children and elderly people, depriving them of their right to live?" he said, describing the attack as "cowardly."

Egypt is facing a war that seeks to destroy the state and prevent its stability, and some forces assist terrorists with arms to undermine its role," the Egyptian president added.

El-Sisi highlighted high economic growth rates and development efforts in all sectors despite the financial cost of the state's war against terrorism over the past four years.

On Sunday Mohamed El-Ashmawy, the executive director of the Long Live Egypt Fund, announced that the North Sinai town of Bir Al-Abd, where the mosque attack took place, would receive a total of EGP 400 million towards local services and development projects.

I assure you that we are determined to make Bir El-Abd a city referred to as a model of prosperity and development," El-Sisi pledged.

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San Antonio-based refiner Andeavor was dealt another blow in its quest to build a large crude oil-by-rail facility in Washington when a state regulator recommended denying the projects application Tuesday.

The unanimous vote by the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, or EFSEC, capped a four-year review of the $210 million crude oil terminal project called Vancouver Energy, a joint venture between Andeavor and Utah-based partner Savage Cos. They formed Vancouver Energy to build the terminal, which could receive up to 360,000 barrels of oil a day from North Dakota and other Midwestern states.

The recommendation will now be sent to Washington Governor Jay Inslee, who will make the final decision to approve or deny the project.

The governor appreciates the hard work done by EFSEC, and he takes this important decision very seriously, Inslees spokeswoman Tara Lee said in an email. Once he receives the recommendation he has 60 days to make a decision.

Lee expects the recommendation to be sent to the governor in late-December.

We are extremely disappointed, especially after a review of more than four years in a process that state law says should take one year, Vancouver Energy said in a press release Tuesday.

EFSEC has set an impossible standard for new energy facilities based on the risk of incidents that the Final Environmental Impact Statement characterizes as extremely unlikely, the company said. The FEIS confirmed that construction and normal operation of the facility would have no significant unavoidable impacts that cannot be mitigated. This decision sends a clear anti-development message that will have a chilling effect on business in the state of Washington.

The Final Environmental Impact Study released Nov. 21 noted that risks associated with the proposed oil terminal include the potential impacts of earthquakes, increased wait times for emergency responders at railroad crossings, and a potential increase in the number of crude oil spills.

Roselyn Marcus, EFSECs chair, said the council had received than 250,000 comments related to the project and said the four-year review is probably the longest process in the councils history with issues of great significance that have never been faced by this council before.

The EFSEC decision comes just weeks after a candidate backed by Andeavor, Savage and Vancouver Energy failed to win a commissioners race at the Port of Vancouver, the location of the proposed project. The companies pumped $370,000 into the campaign of Kris Greene, who on Nov. 7 lost by nearly 30 points to his opponent, Don Orange.

In the run up to his election, Orange said he opposed the Vancouver Energy terminal and that he would vote against a land lease the Port of Vancouver maintains with Andeavor and Savage Cos. for the area the terminal would be built.

Rye Druzin is an energy reporter for the San Antonio Express-News. Read more of his stories here. | rdruzin@express-news.net | Twitter: @druz_journo
Former top Texas environmental official Kathleen Hartnett White's nomination to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality cleared the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday.

After the party line vote, White's nomination will now go to the full Senate for a vote.

Sen. John Barrasso, chairman of the committee, told reporters Tuesday he was confident she would pass out of the committee. But on Capitol Hill, not everyone was so sure White has the Republican votes to pass out of the committee, Politico reported:

The wild card (at least for White's nomination) is Iowa's Joni Ernst. White didn't win Ernst's backing immediately after backtracking on her previous sharp criticism of the Renewable Fuel Standard during her confirmation hearing, and her office didn't respond to requests for comment on her current stance.

White, who served as chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under former Texas governor and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, won the endorsement of business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

But she has also long rankled environmentalists with her views on climate change and renewable energy.

During a speech in Austin last year, White, who most recently worked at the conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation, said climate change science was "highly uncertain" and that "renewables are a false hope."

The Environment and Public Works Committee also approved the nomination of Andrew Wheeler, nominee for deputy administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency.
A federal judge delivered another blow Wednesday to Californias bail system, overturning the $330,000 bail for a San Francisco man with a long criminal record who has been held since July on charges of home burglary and auto theft.

The case of James Reem is one of several current challenges to a system that has recently come under fire for basing the amount of bail on the charges and a defendants past criminal record without considering his or her ability to pay.

The bail-bond industry argues that requiring defendants to post bail before release makes them more likely to show up in court, but opponents say the system penalizes the poor while failing to protect the public.

Prosecutors say Reem, 53, has 19 previous criminal convictions and faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted of the current charges. A Superior Court judge set his bail July 28 using San Franciscos bail schedule, and Reem has been unable to come up with the amount or the nonrefundable 10 percent fee he would need to pay for a bail bond.

Lawyers in the office of Attorney General Xavier Becerra  who has called the states bail system unfair to the poor  did not defend the amount of Reems bail when Reem unsuccessfully challenged it in state courts, or in his renewed challenge in federal court. But they did argue that federal courts could not intervene because of a 1971 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that bars federal judges from interfering with ongoing state criminal prosecutions.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco disagreed Wednesday and said Reem was being held unconstitutionally because his bail was so high that it amounted to detention without trial. He delayed enforcement of his order for 48 hours to allow a Superior Court judge to decide whether Reem must be kept in jail to protect the public, or to come up with a release plan with conditions to assure his appearance at trial.

Rejecting excessive bail will have no direct effect on Reems prosecution and thus is not prohibited by the Supreme Court ruling, Breyer said.

Reems lawyers said he has lived in San Francisco since 1979, formerly worked as a painter and has recently struggled with homelessness and unemployment.

The ruling is an indictment of the cash bail system that imprisons thousands of people simply because theyre unable to afford monetary bail, said attorney Katherine Hubbard of the nonprofit Civil Rights Corps who helped to represent Reem.

Reem is being prosecuted by the office of District Attorney George Gascon, who has also questioned the bail system. In response to the ruling, spokesman Maxwell Szabo said Gascon recognizes that financial status is not a proxy for risk, and thats why he was one of the first to advocate for an approach that leans on science to make difficult predictions based on human behavior.

Gascon also firmly believes that some defendants, rich or poor, pose too great a risk to the community to be released from custody pending trial, Szabo said.

Another federal judge, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of Oakland, is scheduled to hear a broader challenge to the constitutionality of the bail system Dec. 12, filed by two Bay Area women who were held in jail because they were unable to afford bail, and who were ultimately released without charges. The bail-bond industry stepped in to defend the system after Becerras office and San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessy declined to do so.

The state Supreme Courts chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, has criticized cash bail and appointed a task force that recommended a pretrial release system based on assessment and monitoring of individual defendants. Legislation along those lines failed to clear either house of the Legislature this year, but supporters hope to revive it next year after negotiations with Gov. Jerry Brown.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
A man was arrested Tuesday evening about 16 hours after police say he shot at an unoccupied elementary school in San Jose.

Nicholas OConnor, 21, of San Jose was booked at the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of possessing a firearm in a school zone, discharging a firearm in a school zone, discharging a firearm at an uninhabited building and vandalism.
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Binh Thai Luc went from room to room inside a San Francisco home and bludgeoned to death five members of a family with a hammer, leaving behind a blood-spattered scene he unsuccessfully tried to cover up with water, chemicals and anything else within his reach, prosecutors said in court Tuesday.

But attorneys for the 41-year-old defendant said that though Luc may have been inside the home on Howth Street where the massacre took place, he had no motive to kill the Lei family, and that police stopped looking for the real killers once they arrested him.

The closing arguments in the 2012 quintuple murder case wrapped up five weeks of testimony, during which attorneys presented hundreds of exhibits and called dozens of witnesses in one of the citys most gruesome crimes.

The reason were here, the reason there are no more happy family members at 16 Howth Street, is because of the defendant, Assistant District Attorney Eric Fleming told a San Francisco Superior Court jury. The defendant is guilty for wiping out that family.

Luc sat silently in Judge Carol Yaggys courtroom, wearing a light-colored lavender collared shirt, black vest and pants while being flanked by his attorneys, Mark Goldrosen and Teresa Caffese. He had two black and swollen eyes, apparently sustained recently in jail.

Luc is accused of killing Hua Shun Lei, 65; Leis wife, Wan Yi Wu, 62; their daughter, Ying Xue Lei, 37; their son, Vincent Lei, 32, and his wife, Chia Huei Chu, 30.

Fleming carefully laid out the case for how and why Luc killed the Lei family, pointing out the defendants gambling losses along with an eviction notice for past due rent owed on his apartment.

Luc and Vincent Lei were acquaintances who played mah-jongg together, prosecutors said, and the two planned to meet at the familys Ingleside home near City College of San Francisco the night of the killings.

Vincent Lei kept a lot of cash in his home, prosecutors said, and Luc had $6,518 on him when he was taken into custody at a hotel in San Mateo shortly after the killings, despite having only $1 in his bank account.

As Fleming sought to explain a motive for the massacre, he also presented several pieces of physical evidence, including showing the defendants blood at numerous places inside the Lei home, Vincent Leis blood on the defendants jeans and in his car, and Lucs fingerprint on an empty bottle of window cleaner inside the Howth Street home.

Fleming showed the jury crime scene photos of the different rooms of the home where the murders occurred. Each victim was showed splayed out, some doused with liquids and powder, frozen in their nightmarish final moments.

The mother was beaten the most, 21 times to the head, he said. The sister swallowed her teeth. Her ear was torn. Her jaw broken. Vincent was strangled.

But rather than fleeing immediately after the killings, prosecutors said, Luc tried to haphazardly cover up the scene by pouring bleach, shampoo and other household products on the bodies and around the crime scenes before detaching the traps to the sinks and soaking the home.

Fleming said Luc knew removing the traps would flood the home because he worked as a plumber. Even so, Fleming said Luc still left us more than enough to prove his guilt.

While conceding that Luc may have been at the crime scene, the defense countered that the physical evidence presented at trial was circumstantial, and prosecutors presented no direct evidence in the form of witness testimony.

Goldrosen argued there was no proof any robbery or burglary took place inside the home, raising questions about the possible motive for the killings.

The only crimes that took place were the murders, he said. The circumstantial evidence is simply not convincing enough. The people who are responsible do not include Mr. Luc.

These are murders that involved some message that was being sent, Goldrosen said. These are gang-style, loan shark-style killings. Theres nothing in the evidence to connect Mr. Luc to these types of killings.

The real killers, he suggested, were never caught because the San Francisco Police Department stopped their investigation after taking Luc into custody.

Closing arguments in the case are set to continue Wednesday morning.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, bhutchinson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
A 47-year-old Menlo Park man was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on Monday on suspicion of possessing thousands of child pornography images, after his wife tipped off authorities to the contents of his computer, officials said.

The suspect, Matthew Coda, has been under investigation since September, when his wife first alerted investigators about images on his computer, said Detective Sal Zuno of the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office.

The suspects wife contacted us and was able to provide us with information that her husband was in possession of child pornography, Zuno said. The investigation continued for several months, and with her help we were able to get evidence and images.

Codas computer was seized, and about 3,000 images of child pornography were found on it, Zuno said. The sheriffs office obtained a warrant for his arrest.

He was going to be flying in on a domestic flight and was going to be landing in San Francisco, so detectives met him at the airport, Zuno said.

He said Coda was arrested at about 7 p.m. without incident.

Zuno said that Coda works in a technical field in Mountain View and that he does not work with children.

Coda was booked into Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City, and was being held on $200,000 bail. He was arraigned Tuesday.

Zuno asked that anyone with information related to the ongoing investigation of Coda contact Detective Gaby Chaghouri at (650) 259-2314.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney
Egypt's education ministry has dismissed the principal of a middle school in Daqahliya governorate after staff reportedly organised a performance where students acted out last week's deadly attack on a mosque in North Sinai during the morning queue, with the ministry describing the performance as violent and political.

The ministry will investigate all school administrators and teachers responsible for the performance at the Yehia El-Adgham Middle School because they did not obtain security and administrative permits before organsing the act, ministry spokesman Ahmed Khairy said on Tuesday.

The education minister issued directives not to involve students in any politically related activities or address such matters.

"It is totally unacceptable to perform such acts that contain scenes of violence" at schools, the spokesman added.

Earlier this week, up to 30 gunmen attacked worshippers during Friday prayers at Al-Rawdah Mosque in the town of Bir Al-Abd in North Sinai, killing 305 people  including 27 children  and injuring 128.

The terrorist attack was the largest in Egypt's modern history.

Egypt's education ministry periodically issues books to schools discussing Egypt's counter-terrorism efforts, with a focus on the renunciation of violence and extremism and the promotion of tolerance and equality between citizens.

The spokesman said the performance, however, was not approved by the ministry.

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Jose Bustamante's first taste of love came in 2009. It was with a pair of "Hare" Jordan 1, a sneaker that remixed Michael Jordan's popular brand with a Bugs Bunny logo.

As is often the case with first loves, Bustamante admits the feelings were a bit naive, but the heart wants what the heart wants. It was his first step toward becoming a serious sneaker head.

During his time at Reagan High School, Bustamante learned from friends what it meant to be obsessed with sneakers. When he got around to buying his first pair of rare kicks, it was from a friend in gym class. He copped a pair of 2006 fire red Air Jordan V that were in miserable shape. Those sneakers cost him only $15, but his experiment with bringing them back to glory put him on this path to becoming a sneaker-community darling known for his YouTube videos detailing how he restores dilapidated kicks.

This Sunday Bustamante will be at the H-Town Sneaker Summit, a biannual convention of local sneaker enthusiasts who commune at the Bayou City Event Center.

More Information H-Town Sneaker Summit When: 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Information: $20-$80 See More Collapse

He films his process of taking apart and reassembling rare sneakers against the backdrop of Houston, cutting between shots of the shoes and the downtown skyline.

"I try to make Houston look larger than life in my videos," Bustamante says.

Today, it's not uncommon for Bustamante to drop $1,500 on a pair of sneakers, using money generated from his RetroSnickers video channel.

In 2015, an instructional video he made for bringing a pair of grape 1990 Jordan 5 back from the brink landed him a write-up on GQ's website. And that wasn't even one of his videos that garnered more than 1 million views. He has a few of those already. His most-watched video - reaching over 4 million views - featured restoration of a different pair of Air Jordans. But ask Bustamante and he likes to let you know he's more than just a sneaker head with a camera.

"My passion, the foundation of it lies in YouTube, just creating videos in general. I just fell in love with editing and taking photos. It's something I did on a regular basis," says Bustamante, 19.

There isn't a magic formula for why many of his sneaker videos go viral. It's a mix of connecting visual cues - from the use of rare sneakers, a colorway that people love, a thumbnail for the video that pops out and is inviting to click. Those are some of the reasons, he says, that his videos get on thousands of screens.

By the time he was just 16, Bustamante had 6 million views on his RetroSnickers channel.

"It takes discipline, bro, to hit those numbers," the Height-area resident says. It's a daily grind of planning, and shooting and getting sneakers to restore. Some of the sneakers come from fans. Others he gets from friends or purchases on eBay.

Bustamante outsources the audio production, but adds a soundtrack powered by his own beat-making and local hip-hop performers.

"When I find great songs I play them. When it comes down to playing rap, I specifically play a lot of Houston rappers. I personally enjoy the music, but it's also music that I won't have an issue playing," he says.

Just focusing on sneakers may be losing its charm, Bustamante says. He'll be 20 soon and has been putting his all into his video channel since he was a teen. He feels an urge to grow up.

"Yeah, I am the shoe dude, but I love the music, I love the editing," he says. "There's a lot of passions that goes into it. I want to stay doing the same thing, but I want to add other things on top of it."
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A Christmas tree emanates light through a big bay window, illuminating an otherwise dark home. It is a picturesque image, an exemplary representation of the winter holiday.

Despite the seemingly conventionalized traditions associated with the Christmas tree - from selecting the perfect evergreen at the tree farm to adorning it with ornaments while surrounded by family and friends - they are not universal for all.

The lack of these experiences and the desire to have them is all too familiar for the young Adelaide "Addie" Mills, the lead character in the 1972 television movie "The House Without a Christmas Tree," starring Jason Robards. Her story resonates with struggling families everywhere, regardless of the determining circumstances.

This holiday season, Houston Grand Opera will share her relatable tale in the world premiere of an opera by the same name, a collaboration between composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Royce Vavrek.

More Information 'The House without a Christmas Tree' When: 7 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Wednesday, through Dec. 17 Where: Resilience Theater, George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenidas de las Americas Information: $25-$102; 713-228-6737; houstongrandopera.org See More Collapse

"The holidays are a time of renewal and hope, whatever one's religious traditions, and this joyous little opera is an important and moving story to share together," said Patrick Summers, the opera's artistic and music director.

Summers grew up in a small town in Indiana, similar to the fictional Clear River, Neb., where Addie lived with her melancholic, widowed father.

The film, which was later novelized into a book by Gail Rock, and its universal message played a major role throughout Summers' childhood, being a holiday tradition in his household.

Small town life, Summers says, was monotonous until the Internet era. Times were quiet and slower paced. People shared stories; gossip spread quick. Everyone was personally acquainted with his or her neighbors.

"We all knew a family like that, one that had to deal with an unspoken pain at holiday time," Summers says. "But in this story, those difficult memories are finally set free and the patterns broken."

A writer living in New York, Addie recollects a special December from her youth, in which she won a fully decorated Christmas tree in a school contest. Emotions ran wild when she brought the tree home, but the holiday spirit ultimately healed her father's broken heart.

The premiere of "The House without a Christmas Tree" is part of an ongoing series of family-friendly, holiday-themed operas funded by the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, the first of which premiered in December of 2014.
The North Sinai health directorate announced on Wednesday the death of a man injured in Friday's North Sinai terrorist attack, raising the number of those killed to 311, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

Abdel-Rahman Moussa, who was one of the 128 injured in the attack, died on Wednesday at El-Arish General Hospital of injuries he sustained in the attack, the health directorate said.

Most of the injured are still undergoing treatment at several hospitals, mainly in Ismailia and Cairo.

On Friday, 25 to 30 gunmen who were reportedly carrying flags of the Daesh terrorist group gunned down hundreds of worshippers during Friday prayers at the Al-Rawda Mosque, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Egypt's recent history.

The gunmen rode up to the mosque in five SUVs and opened fire just as the imam began the Friday sermon, Egypt's Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek said, citing eyewitnesses.

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

Most of the terrorist attacks to take place in North Sinai in the last four years, which have mainly targeted security forces, have been claimed by the Daesh-affiliated North Sinai-based group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.

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Related Russian Defence Minister Shoigu arrives in Cairo for cooperation talks

Russia's defence minister Sergey Shoigu met on Wednesday in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi where they discussed boosting military cooperation between the two countries, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

El-Sisi and Shoigu discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, including cooperation in the war on terrorism to restore stability in the region.

The Russian minister also delivered to El-Sisi a message of condolence from Russian president Vladimir Putin over Friday's terrorist attacks on a mosque in North Sinai, where 311 people were killed.

Shoigu also met with defence minister Sedky Sobhi as part of the fourth meeting in Cairo of the joint Russian-Egyptian commission for military and technical cooperation, according to the Ministry of Defense.

The two ministers discussed boosting military cooperation amid the ongoing developments in the Middle East.

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Averill Park

It was past nine o'clock on a Saturday night in late-October and six courses of The Tasting at The Mill were winding down.

More Information More info On the web: http://www.artslettersandnumbers.com By mail: Arts Letters & Numbers 1543 Burden Lake Road Averill Park, NY 12018 More info On the web: http:/www.artslettersandnumbers.com By mail: Arts Letters & Numbers 1543 Burden Lake Road Averill Park, NY 12018 See More Collapse

Risotto served on a cast-iron square forged in this once-abandoned 19th-century textile mill had been cleared. So had the slabs of hemlock bloodied by rare beef tips and smudged with the remains of mashed potato cairns. The beet salad that arrived on large leaves of red cabbage was removed, too. Food preparers who spoke in Scandinavian accents set each course before us on narrow floating tables made of rough lumber and anchored by cables from the high ceiling of the reclaimed industrial space. Guests, many of us leaders from Capital Region arts organizations, sat shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee. The table swayed like a suspension bridge as you cut your food. Flickering white candles in Mason jars hung from joists and lent the gathering an ethereal glow.

Two young women in black climbed step ladders and began hanging unwashed food vessels and utensils on nails driven into a high, whitewashed wall beside the floating tables. The glare of bare light bulbs cast long shadows as the pair created intriguing geometric patterns and a kind of topographic map of the just-concluded feast. Dinner guests soon began taking their place along the wall to add to this impromptu post-culinary canvas by hanging remnants of The Tasting. One fellow in a ponytail took the dregs of his red wine and splashed it against the wall with a dramatic flourish.

I cannot say for certain what my wife and I were supposed to take away from The Tasting at the Mill, but this much was certain: something utterly unexpected and very cool is transpiring at a sharp bend along Burden Lake Road in Averill Park. The repurposed mill and art installation experimentation has the vibe of MASS MoCA. Its soul-searching immersion workshops bear a hint of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck. At its big, wide-open heart, there are echoes of Andy Warhol's free-wheeling New York City studio The Factory in the '60s mashed up with hipster happenings at artist collectives in Brooklyn warehouses right now.

The dinner was put on by Arts Letters & Numbers, the not-for-profit arts organization formed in 2013 that owns The Mill and is the brainchild of David Gersten. He's a 51-year-old Albany-born, New York City-based architect, artist, philosopher, writer, global citizen and ringleader of high-minded play with a purpose.

"The name comes from an essay I wrote that takes a deep dive into transformation and Darwin's theory of evolution and how our knowledge evolves. It's a nuanced idea and it comes from my belief that craft is a culture," said Gersten, a professor in the School of Architecture at The Cooper Union in New York City, where he lives with his wife and two children. He also is a visiting professor in graduate studies at the Rhode Island School of Design and gets invited to teach around the world. He was a guest lecturer in Kazakhstan last week and heads to China next week to present a project at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.

In a TED Talk he delivered in June at Cooper Union, Gersten spoke about spatial literacy: a complex web of relationships between our surroundings and how they shape our experiences. He's a bearish man with thick shoulders, a scruffy gray beard, high forehead and deep-set dark eyes that narrow as he speaks in a near-whisper with a poet's sensibility.

Gersten's spatial literacy began as a teenager with welding tools on the oil-spattered concrete floor of his family's heavy truck fabrication and brake shop on Broadway in north Albany, J. Becker & Sons. "I started at 10 working alongside a man we called 'Bear.' He was a World War II vet, a master machinist and master mechanic," Gersten recalled. "He was a gentle giant who taught me the craft."

Gersten, who was raised since infancy by his stepfather, Karl Becker, was the fourth generation in a business established on Quail Street in Albany in 1894 by his great-grandfather, Jacob Becker, who emigrated from Germany at age 15. A blacksmith by trade, he established a wagon and sleigh manufacturing business. They transitioned to trolleys and heavy trucks before foreign competition and other forces led the family in 2013 to sell the business, which employed 40 at its peak in the 1960s. Gersten learned much more than a blue-collar trade. He built a Ford Mustang Mach 1 the year before he earned his driver's license and was making detailed mechanical drawings in a vocational class at Albany High School. He studied architecture at Cooper Union beginning in 1984. He was a protege of the late John Hejduk, longtime dean of its School of Architecture. "I learned so much on the shop floor about craft and imagination and engagement. These were tough men building trucks, but we were a community of listeners and we paid close attention to every aspect of our craft," he said.

After living for three decades in the hubbub of Manhattan, he yearned for the peaceful retreat of Burden Lake, where his family has owned a camp for more than a century. In 2001, he bought The Mill, a 12,000-square-foot derelict warehouse where cotton was stored. Sweat equity and work parties that morphed into art happenings completed the renovation. In 2015, he bought the rambling 19th-century Colonial house on the hill, once the residence of the owner of Faith Mills, a manufacturer of thermal underwear from 1829 to 1966 that harnessed the power of the Wynantskill Creek. Gersten invites visiting artists from a dozen countries to stay there while they lead workshops. "We have no benefactor. It's all duct tape and chewing gum financing," he said.

His loosely organized gatherings of imaginative free spirits searching for deeper meaning through artistic expression have been flying under the radar for the past couple years. Gersten likes to bring together dreamers, doers and thinkers from multiple disciplines and across oceans to watch the cerebral and emotional sparks fly. They make films and create art installations and write treatises. Mainly, they unplug and connect on a human scale in a frenzied, digital world.

"We have global connections, so we thought it was time to reach out to the local community," he said. "Sessions" are monthly themed workshops that begin in January. They're geared to local participants.

"It's all about education and approaching each project with creative risk-taking," he said.

I asked him if he's engaged in work and play. The question caught him short. "Aren't they one and the same?" he asked.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
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The sister of two Zetas drug cartel leaders has been arrested in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.

Tamaulipas state authorities said they arrested Ana Isabel Trevino on Monday night in connection with a kidnapping case that allegedly occurred in November 2016.

Authorities arrested her with the assistance of Mexican troops and Mexico's federal police.

"The detainee is related to two leaders of an organized criminal group that, according to intelligence, has been operating mainly in Nuevo Laredo and has had control of various activities related to human trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, extortion and kidnapping, among other illegal acts, as well as forced disappearances and homicides," the Tamaulipas' state attorney general's office said in a statement.

READ MORE: Two suspects arrested in connection with fatal east Laredo shooting

Authorities did not name the criminal group, but Mexican media reported that Trevino is the sister of Miguel "Z-40" Trevino Morales and Omar "Z-42" Trevino Morales.

Both are in custody in Mexican prisons.

Miguel Trevino Morales was captured on July 15, 2013, by Mexican Marines when they intercepted a pickup truck with $2 million in cash on a dirt road in the countryside outside of Nuevo Laredo, which has long served as the Zetas' base of operations.

Omar Trevino Morales was arrested March 4, 2015, in a pre-dawn raid in San Pedro Garza Garcia, a wealthy suburb of the northern city of Monterrey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Two men were arrested Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred last year, Laredo police said.

Esteban Yruegas, 24, and Pedro Vasquez, 31, are accused of shooting and killing Cesar Javier Sarmiento in July 2016. Each was charged with murder.

Authorities said the U.S. Marshals worked in conjunction with their Mexican counterparts to arrest Yruegas and Vasquez in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Police said the suspects fled to Mexico after the shooting.

READ MORE: 2-year-old Laredo boy had cigarette burn marks, broken ribs, brain bleeding, complaint says

Marshals and LPD took custody of the suspects at the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge on Tuesday.

The Webb County District Attorney's Office assisted in the case. Yruegas and Vasquez were taken to the Webb County Jail.

On July 26, 2016, Vasquez and Yruegas allegedly gunned down Sarmiento, 44, in the 3300 block of Guerrero Street, outside a mobile home equipped with a surveillance system, according to LPD. Sarmiento sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his head, chest and abdomen area. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

RELATED: Duo transported nearly 900 pounds of drugs through Laredo, police say

Police said Vasquez was the owner of the mobile home where the shooting occurred.

Officers later executed a search warrant at Yruegas' home in the 3600 block of Galveston Street, but he was not there, according to LPD.

Authorities have not released a motive on the shooting.
Irelands Cartoon Saloon has already given us two striking animated features that use simple and beautiful images to recount compelling stories designed for adults as well as youngsters. The same is true for the studios latest offering, The Breadwinner, about an Afghan girl who disguises herself to help her family survive the harsh strictures of Taliban rule.

The movie is based on an award-winning novel for young people by Deborah Ellis that went through numerous editions and led to several sequels. Its a tale of empowerment about 11-year-old Parvana, who cuts her hair and dresses as a boy so she can work and buy food for her mother and two siblings, an impossibility for a girl under the fundamentalists who control every aspect of life in Kabul in 2001.

Parvana (voice of Saara Chaudry) also has another mission  to find out whats become of her father, a kind and loving man who entertains his family with stories (also forbidden) and who is no friend of the Taliban. Early in the film, he is arrested for spurious reasons and hauled away to prison. Her remaining family  a frail mother, an older sister, with whom Parvana sometimes quibbles, and an infant brother  are on the verge of starvation.

The films director, Nora Twomey, also worked on the earlier Cartoon Saloon features, The Secret of Kells (2009) and Song of the Sea (2014), both nominated for Oscars. The Breadwinners style is somewhat more naturalistic than its predecessors, which use less austere colors. But the new film is also notable in employing a second style, which is digital but designed to resemble traditional cutout animation.

That second style is restricted to the fantastic stories that Parvana tells her little brother, to soothe and distract him. Though early in the movie Parvana expresses skepticism about the value of telling tales, she comes to see their value as she recounts, in several episodes, a fable about a scary Elephant King and the courageous boy who defies him.

What Parvana learns is the amazing level of freedom  and to be sure, its relative freedom  enjoyed by males under extreme patriarchal rule (its no surprise that the movie is executive produced by Angelina Jolie). With no adult males around, an impoverished family is in serious trouble.

And the film is honest enough not to exaggerate the beneficial results of Parvanas courageous act. She does provide for her family, and finally makes it to the prison where her father is incarcerated, but these victories, while real, are small ones in a totalitarian society.

Finally, note the movies PG-13 rating  some scenes of violence make the film unsuitable for younger children.

Walter Addiego is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: waddiego@sfchronicle.com.

The Breadwinner

Animated drama. With voice of Saara Chaudry. Directed by Nora Twomey. (PG-13. 94 minutes.)
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A review has found that the Air Force has failed to report the criminal convictions of its servicemen and women to the FBI dozens of times.

The review was conducted by the Air Force's Inspector General following the Nov. 5 mass shooting in Sutherland Springs that killed 26 people.

The Air Force review analyzed 60,000 cases dating back to 2002 and found that Sutherland gunman Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, was not the only convicted criminal they failed to report, ABC News reported.

"An Air Force official said the review is ongoing, but that so far several dozen records have been 'corrected,'" ABC News added.

READ MORE: Drexel University professor raises issue of 'whiteness' following the Sutherland Springs massacre

Kelley, who once served in logistics for the Air Force, was convicted in 2012 at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, of a felony after he was accused of assaulting his wife and young child.

"He fractured his baby stepson's skull," retired Col. Don Christensen said Nov. 6 concerning the crime of which Kelley was convicted.

Kelley was ultimately discharged from the Air Force.

BIG MONEY: FBI experienced dramatic rise in gun checks on Black Friday this year

The Air Force drew national criticism after it failed to report Kelley's conviction to the FBI, as required by law. The FBI maintains the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) used in performing background checks on gun buyers around the country.

Now Playing: As the community in Sutherland Springs grieves for the 26 people killed by a shooter, one man vows to restore hope to the small town. Video: FoxM9NJ

"If Kelley's conviction had been passed to the FBI's databases, as required by law, the Texas church shooter would not have been able to purchase some of the weapons he used in the deadly attack at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, earlier this month,: ABC News reported.

A family who lost nine loved ones in the Sutherland shooting has filed a negligence claim against the Air Force for failing to report Kelley, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on twitter at @fernalfonso. If you also like surreal GIFs and Polaroids, go here and here.


Before Sam Lewis joined the Marines, he had already learned character and integrity from two tough women in his life - his mom and grandmother.

Life on the streets in Baltimore was not the bastion of opportunity for young males trying just to survive a normal childhood. The temptations for evil lurked everywhere.

The eldest of two brothers, Lewis faced the devil every day.

His father was abusive to his mother, and at age 7, his father left the family. Two years later, his dad died in a house fire.

At age 9, he had no male leadership in the home to guide him, but his mother did her best to guide him through a field of life land mines to get him to his dream - the military.

"I knew I wanted to be in the Marines since I was nine years old and between my junior and senior year it was no longer just thinking about it, but let's bring it to fruition and make this happen," he said.

During that time, 17-year-olds couldn't join the military legally on their own, so Lewis went to his mom.

"She knew it was my passion and signed for me," he said.

His birthday is in January and six days after his birthday, on Jan. 20, he was given the shocking news that his mom had stomach cancer.

Four months later to the day, his mom passed away.

"I had a million different things running through my mind," he said. "Do I stop? Do I quit? Do I give up? I really didn't want to go to school at that point."

None of those were an option for his grandmother, who Lewis now attributes much of his success.

"At 4-foot 11-inches and 115 pounds, she kept me from making some bad choices. She struck the fear in me but also instilled integrity and courage," he remembered.

Lewis still shakes his head at her stature telling him his options for growing up on the streets of Baltimore and it wasn't exactly what would be best for him.

"She let me know that I didn't have to join a gang, do drugs, and she told me I wouldn't rob old folks of their social security checks," he said.

Instead, she told him he would stand tall, with dignity and pride, and make something of his life.

While he felt lost after his mom passed away, his grandmother continued to remind him of the values his mother had taught him when he was young.

The temptation was great amongst his peers who pressured him daily.

"Believe me, there were days when I wanted to cower and give in and just smoke a little to get the guys off my back," he said. "I wouldn't have to fight every day."

He faced cat calls of being a 'sissy.'

But his grandmother, in her own wisdom, told him, "Before you take the route of being a delinquent and a menace to society, I'd rather you fight back," she told the youngster.

When the young Lewis would get off the bus, there was a group of guys who would push him around threatening him to join their gang, wear their colors, telling him to rob old people.

But his grandmother wouldn't have it.

"Between my mother and grandmother, both of whom have passed on now, I love them dearly for their guidance," he said.

Following graduation, in August of 1986, Lewis shipped out to Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Port Royal, South Carolina to begin boot camp.

He was excited to leave behind his so-called acquaintances who only sought to drag him into a lifestyle of stabbing, gang life, robbing and a life of no future.

"I really didn't want that life. I was hanging my hopes on the faith that my mom and grandmom was saying that I could have a better and brighter future," the Marine said.

He was assigned to the Second Battalion and received a culture shock.

"Nothing that I thought I learned on the streets of Baltimore had prepared me for this," he said. "I thought I was a tough guy. It stripped down my self-identity and instilled a 'we' attitude, the team."

It was something he had been looking for all his life, a place to belong and a family of his own.

He graduated Private First Class out of recruit training school.

His first MOS 0311 (Military Occupational Specialty) was infantry. All enlisted and officer Marines are assigned a four-digit code denoting their primary occupational field and specialty.

From there Lewis went to his first PDS, permanent duty station, First Battalion, Eighth Marines. That particular unit suffered casualties on Oct. 23, 1983 in the Beirut bombing when a truck loaded with 12,000 pounds of explosives crashed through the gates of the Battalion Landing Team headquarters at the airport. A total of 241 Marines, sailors and soldiers lost their lives that day.

"Being at the unit, in the Marines, and the mentoring I received helped shape my future," Lewis said.

Lewis would be a part of five different tours of duty, returning home from each one a better man.

Sixty-days from his EAS (end of active service), his career was winding down.

His wife wanted him to come home, but he was on the fence.

He had plans on going back to Baltimore to become a police officer. At his first duty station, he had become a scout sniper for the Marine Corps and thought with those skills he could work on a SWAT team and specialized work with the police department.

But Lewis loved the Marine Corps so much he re-enlisted.

He was ordered to the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va., where they train officers. While there he was doing administrative work in the Operations section and later promoted to the rank of sergeant.

He spent the majority of his career, about 13 years as a Marine EOD tech - one of the most stressful careers in the military in any branch - an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician.

He finally earned Sergeant Major, the highest rank achievable as an enlisted Marine and he did it the old-fashioned way - hard work.

He learned one of the first tenets of a good Marine leader: Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

"No making excuses. Where there were areas of weaknesses, I turned them into strengths," he said.

Following his 27 years of service to the country, Lewis now inspires the young people at Dayton High School in his Marine Corps ROTC program.

"I look at each child and in them I see a little bit of me," he said.

"I see some who are confident, some strong-willed, and others who are humble," the instructor said.

Since he sees a piece of himself in each child, he now caters his leadership style to each one individually to meet them where they are.

Lewis has been at Dayton High School for three years and stresses that just because a student is in ROTC doesn't mean the expectation is to join the military following graduation.

"We do like to help prepare them for the future with leadership, leading by example, discipline, moral and physical character," he said.

Lewis is married with two sons and a daughter and he continues to inspire and improve himself with Master's level classes in education at Texas Southern University.
The latest tests of the tap water provided by Municipal Utility District 60, which has been closely monitored for several months, are still not back from the state yet with the general manager of The Woodlands Joint Power Agency acknowledging he's a "little frustrated" by the delay.

Jim Stinson, general manager of the agency, said on Tuesday that officials with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality still do not have the sample results from a certified lab that has performed the latest tests.

The current samples that Stinson, the water agency and local residents are waiting on were taken in early November, with the reports previously expected to be back by the end of November.

"I'm a little frustrated," Stinson said. "This is longer than usual."

Now, Stinson says he expects another week to go by before the state provides the test results. He expects to be able to finally release those results by Dec. 7. Previously Stinson had told The Woodlands Township Board of Directors that he expected to be able to report to the board that "everything was in compliance" when the tests were in.

The joint power agency manages MUD 60, as well as a number of other MUDs that serve The Woodlands. MUD 60 includes the area south of Woodlands Parkway from Gosling Road west to just past Kuykendahl Road. The MUD 60 territory also extends north a slight distance along the east side of Kuykendahl Road.

MUD 60's water has been under scrutiny since June when earlier tests by the TCEQ showed that some of water samples tested exceeded the maximum level of what's called total trihalomethanes.

The chemicals are a group of chemicals that form when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. The excessive level of the total trihalomethanes prompted the state to send out a letter to local residents warning them that those tests had indicated the water exceeded the maximum contaminant level for trihalomethanes.

The TCEQ and the federal Environmental Protection Agency say some people who drink water with trihalomethanes in excess of the maximum level over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Still, state and federal regulators have said there is no need to find an alternative water source when drinking water is found to have the higher levels. Instead, the TCEQ requires more frequent flushing of water lines, while the WPJA also moved to adjust chlorine levels.
The Air Force acknowledged Tuesday that it failed to report at least dozens of service members charged or convicted of serious assault to a federal gun background-check database, negligence that allowed Texas church gunman Devin Kelley to purchase weapons used in killings inside a Texas church this month.

Kelley should have been barred from purchasing firearms and body armor because of his domestic-violence conviction in 2014 while serving at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. But his crimes were not properly documented in the FBI National Crime Information Center database.

The lapse allowed Kelley to purchase a rifle and another firearm he used to kill more than two dozen churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, Tex., on Nov. 5.

Air Force spokesman Ann Stefanek said Tuesday that the failure to follow Pentagon guidelines to report Kelley's crimes to the FBI was "not an isolated incident and similar reporting lapses occurred at other locations."

It is unclear how many installations beyond Holloman have experienced problems with submitting criminal information to civilian authorities, she said.

The Air Force's disclosure comes the same day Joe and Claryce Holcombe, members of a family ravaged by the shooting, filed a civil damages claim against the service. They've alleged its failure to report Kelley's criminal background led to their loved ones' slayings. Their son Bryan was killed in the church, along with seven other family members that included children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in addition to a future great-grandchild.

The dozens of reporting failures are only a segment of 60,000 potential cases in a review ordered by Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff David Goldfein. A team of 30 investigators is sifting through each case and retroactively submitting incidents of crimes such as domestic violence and sexual assault that preclude offenders from purchasing firearms under a federal law meant to curb violence against spouses.

Kelley spent a year in a military brig for crushing his young stepson's skull and assaulting his wife, resulting in his bad-conduct discharge from the Air Force.

Officials point to "training and compliance" gaps, rather than proper reporting procedures, as the key problem in the submission of criminal information. Several measures were newly established to confirm that reports have been submitted, Stefanek said, such as requiring the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to print out or take a screen shot of a confirmation from the FBI database.

It will take months to complete the review, Stefanek said. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ordered similar reviews across the military to determine whether similar problems exist among other services.

Those problems go back two decades. In 1997, an internal review found the military was "not consistently submitting criminal history data to the FBI criminal history files." The Pentagon's inspector general review found a mostly unused notification system meant to alert federal law enforcement about crimes committed by troops that would lead to prohibition of the purchase of firearms, such as Kelley's domestic-violence convictions.

The Army and Navy failed in more than 80 percent of cases to forward FBI fingerprint-card files to the bureau. The Air Force failed to send them in 38 percent of cases. The probe concluded that the services were plagued by unclear directives from the Defense Department on how and when to submit the forms. A review in 2015 found an improvement of reporting rates, with 30 percent of the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps failing to submit fingerprint cards and final case outcome reports to the FBI. The Army was not evaluated, because of limited data, the report said.

Yet the Air Force had other opportunities to help the FBI keep guns out of the hand of Kelley. Despite the severity of his crimes, Kelley received a discharge one step below a dishonorable discharge. A dishonorable discharge would have also barred him from purchasing firearms, but a decision to try him by a jury, which military law experts say often leads to more-lenient punishments than a judge would deliver, may have contributed to his relatively light sentence.
Israel plans to appoint a new ambassador to Jordan in a bid to calm Amman's anger over the current envoy's handling of a shooting by an embassy guard in July that has strained relations, an Israeli diplomatic source said on Wednesday.

But Israel has shown no sign of meeting Jordan's demand that it launch criminal proceedings against the guard, who killed two Jordanians in what he called self-defence. He was repatriated along with Ambassador Einat Schlein a day after the incident.

Jordanian authorities say they suspect the shooting was unprovoked but could not investigate the guard due to his diplomatic immunity. A televised welcome he and Schlein received from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outraged Amman.

Since Schlein's departure on July 24 the embassy has been shuttered, casting a pall over Israel's ties with Jordan, a U.S.-backed regional security partner and one of only two Arab countries that recognise Israel.

An Israeli diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Schlein would not return.

"The Jordanians don't want her back, and this has been a big obstacle in patching things up," the source said. "We're looking for a replacement."

Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, declined comment on the case.

Israel says the guard opened fire after being attacked and lightly wounded by a workman, killing him and a Jordanian bystander. Israeli officials have said they were looking into the possibility of compensating the family of the second man.

They say it is highly unlikely Israel would prosecute the guard, as demanded by Jordan. His prospects of continued work in Israeli diplomatic security abroad were in doubt, however, after a Jordanian newspaper published his name and photograph.

Israel's consulates in Turkey have been handling Jordanian applications for Israeli visas since the incident.

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Wednesday that he had been"dubious" of a 2016 law that effectively took away the Drug Enforcement Administration's most potent weapons against distributors and manufacturers of prescription opioids and he would support new legislation to expand the agency's arsenal.

At a news conference at the Justice Department, Sessions said that the DEA faced more challenges than it would have "had the law not passed" and that he would support a new law "to make sure we're fully able to carry out effective enforcement policies."

"I was dubious about the law when it passed," said Sessions, who was a senator before being appointed attorney general. "I believe I was maybe the last person that went along with it after the department and DEA agreed to accept it. . . . We do need legislation. We can listen to the concerns that certain people had and draft good legislation, but I would be supportive of new legislation to be able to have a full toolbox in dealing with the problem of improper sale policies."

The remarks came after Sessions and acting DEA administrator Robert Patterson laid out steps they plan to take in an effort to stem the opioid crisis.

Sessions also announced $12 million in grants and a new DEA division overseeing the Appalachian region to help law enforcement officials combat illicit drugs, especially prescription opioids, and said he has directed his U.S. attorneys to designate an opioid coordinator in their offices.

"Today we are facing the deadliest drug crisis in American history," Sessions said. "We've never, ever seen the death rates that we've having today - 64,000 died last year."

The DEA will establish its new division, the Louisville Field Division, on Jan. 1 to unify its drug trafficking investigations, officials said. The division will include Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, will have about 90 special agents and 130 task-force officers, and focus on illicit drug trafficking in the Appalachian Mountains.

Kellyanne Conway, one of President Donald Trump's top advisers, has been tasked with overseeing White House initiatives to combat opioid abuse, Sessions said. She attended the announcement Wednesday, standing off to the side.

"The president has made this a White House priority. He's asked her to coordinate and lead the effort from the White House," Sessions said, calling Conway "exceedingly talented."

Sessions's remarks on the 2016 law came in response to a question from a reporter asking about an investigation by The Washington Post and "60 Minutes" that highlighted how drug distributors worked with a handful of lawmakers at the height of the opioid epidemic to push through legislation that stripped the DEA of an important weapon. The law - which passed without opposition - made it virtually impossible for the DEA to freeze questionable shipments of pain pills from drug companies.

DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney said in a law review article that by changing a few words in the law that governs drug distributors' responsibilities, Congress virtually eliminated the DEA's authority to use immediate suspension orders.

Mulrooney also wrote that the law weakens another powerful DEA enforcement tool, known as orders to show cause, that forces companies accused of failing to report suspicious orders of narcotics to show why they should be allowed to continue to operate in the face of alleged violations. Under the new law, those companies are allowed to submit corrective action plans before the DEA can sanction them.

Mulrooney likened that provision to allowing bank robbers to "round up and return ink-stained money and agree not to rob any more banks."

Sessions's announcement was the latest action taken by the Justice Department to try to stem increasing opioid-related overdose deaths. Earlier this month, the department announced a change in the way fentanyl is classified so that anyone who possesses, imports, distributes or manufactures a fentanyl-related substance can be criminally prosecuted.

In October, federal prosecutors charged two Chinese nationals who sold fentanyl to Americans over the Internet in a large international conspiracy case. The Justice Department alleged that one of the men ran websites selling fentanyl directly to U.S. customers and also operated at least two chemical plants in China that were capable of producing tons of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.

"The truth is clear: Most fentanyl enters the United States from China," Sessions said Wednesday. "There is no doubt about that. I raised it with a recent Chinese delegation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in a recent visit to China, made it an important issue with them, and the recent trip by President Trump to China involved his personal raising of this issue and strongly emphasizing it to our Chinese neighbors. So we're going to need more support from China. Hopefully we will get that."

In a memo to his U.S. attorneys, Sessions said that by Dec. 15, each must designate an opioid coordinator who is responsible for opioid, heroin and fentanyl cases and for developing a strategy to combat the drug epidemic.

"The ongoing opioid epidemic is destroying the lives of countless Americans," Sessions wrote.
WASHINGTON - Three former Drug Enforcement Administration officials urged Democratic lawmakers Tuesday to repeal a 2016 law that effectively took away the agency's most potent weapon against distributors and manufacturers of prescription opioids.

The trio said the authority to instantly freeze shipments of powerful painkillers was the DEA's most effective tool against giant companies that ignored legal requirements to report suspicious orders of the pills by pharmacies, doctors and others who diverted them for illegal use. Those "immediate suspension orders" not only protected the public from the most egregious abuse but deterred other companies as well, they said at a session held by Senate Democrats.

"It's not just about stopping the individual [companies], it's about showing that we're out there doing that," said Jonathan Novak, a former DEA lawyer now in private practice.

In a joint investigation published Oct. 15, The Washington Post and "60 Minutes" described how drug distributors worked with a handful of lawmakers at the height of the opioid epidemic to push through a law that stripped the DEA of its most feared weapon. The reports also said that a drug company lawyer who previously worked for the DEA helped write an early version of the law.

By changing a few words in the law that governs drug distributors' responsibilities, Congress virtually eliminated the DEA's authority to use immediate suspension orders, according to a law review article written by DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II.

"This bill basically tore the heart out of the diversion program," Frank Younker, a former supervisor in the DEA's Cincinnati field office who retired in 2014, told senators Tuesday. Younker and the other two speakers at Tuesday's session were quoted in the Post and "60 Minutes" reports.

The effort to change the law was led by Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Hatch has noted that the law was approved by unanimous consent in both houses of Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, and that the DEA ultimately agreed to compromise language in the bill.

Two days after the reports, Marino withdrew his namefrom consideration to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Democratic lawmakers, 44 state attorneys general and the association that represents drug manufacturers, among others, have since called for the law's repeal.

But prospects for repeal appear bleak. Sen. Claire McCaskill, Mo., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, who convened Tuesday's "roundtable" session, noted that no Republicans have signed on to her repeal bill. No Republican senators attended Tuesday's session. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has promised a hearing on the law, but it has not been scheduled.

McCaskill also said Tuesday that she was "bitterly disappointed" that the DEA refused to allow Mulrooney to appear.

Nearly 200,000 people died from overdoses of prescription opioids between 2000 and 2016. The Post reported last year that 13 drug distributors - including three companies that control 85 percent of all drug commerce in the United States - knew or should have known that hundreds of millions of painkillers were being diverted to the black market.

On Tuesday, Joseph Rannazzisi, who for a decade ran the DEA office that attempted to control illegal diversion, traced the agency's capitulation on the 2016 law to the arrival of a new administrator, Chuck Rosenberg, in 2015. Rosenberg soon replaced Rannazzisi, who retired in October of that year. Rannazzisi said that during his tenure, the DEA strongly opposed the legislation.

"I've listened to members of Congress say DEA had the opportunity to oppose the bill but didn't. This is very misleading," he said.

Rannazzisi noted that while investigators have used immediate suspension orders for nearly five decades, they have been successfully challenged only five times.

All three speakers said morale and effectiveness have plummeted in DEA field offices as investigators have felt the impact of the law and a slowdown in enforcement by DEA lawyers. Younker said field personnel are now trying to handle cases themselves rather than overcome those obstacles.

"Reinstate the immediate suspension orders," Novak said. "I think the DEA needs to get back on its feet and start enforcing."
The Justice Department is extending an Obama-era program that encourages companies to admit to foreign bribery, with a twist: Coming clean could result not only in a reduced penalty but in some cases none at all.

The new guidelines were rolled out Wednesday by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein at a Maryland conference on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The FCPA prohibits payments to foreign officials to obtain or retain business.

In his speech, Rosenstein said that corporate America should view law enforcement as an ally. He said that more voluntary disclosures by corporations could free up Justice Department investigators to look at other financial crimes and violent crimes.

Although self-reporting companies could avoid penalty, their names will be made public and they'll have to give up any profits made from corrupt schemes, according to senior officials.

The policy springs from an Obama administration pilot program that offered reduced penalties for self-reporting. It will now be made permanent, Rosenstein said.

In order to win full protection from prosecution, companies must cooperate with prosecutors, fix the problem and help investigators find those responsible for the misconduct, he said. Companies whose executives are found to be culpable or whose evidence points to rampant corruption won't be eligible for full leniency, the officials said.

Even if the conduct warrants criminal enforcement, those companies could still receive a 50 percent reduction in the financial penalty, they said. They could also avoid the imposition of a corporate monitor. Companies that choose not to report misconduct may still receive some credit if they later cooperate with investigators, the officials said.

The purpose of the policy, Rosenstein said, is to give the business community greater certainty about what to expect from prosecutors when coming across potential foreign bribery within their companies.

"We expect the new policy to reassure corporations that want to do the right thing," Rosenstein said. "It will increase the volume of voluntary disclosures, and enhance our ability to identify and punish culpable individuals."

The new policy, which will be added to the manual that guides federal prosecutors nationwide, comes six months after Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered prosecutors to bring the most serious charges and seek the harshest sentences against violent criminals and drug offenders. Sessions's order also applies to white collar fraud cases, including FCPA violators, according to the officials.

Since the pilot program was implemented, the Justice Department's FCPA unit received 30 voluntary disclosures, they said. During that time, prosecutors declined to bring criminal actions in seven FCPA matters, according to the Justice Department's website.

The U.S. uses the FCPA to police bribe-paying around the world, in what officials have said is an effort to even the playing field globally. The government, which often relies on self-reporting, has won heavy penalties from some companies under the FCPA: Since 2005, it has collected billions in fines from foreign companies and U.S. firms found to be in violation of that law.

The FCPA pilot program was implemented in April 2016 by Leslie Caldwell, who headed the Justice Department's criminal division. While the U.S. has had mixed success with prosecuting individuals for FCPA violations, the department is on target to win more convictions in 2017 than in prior years, according to Sandra Moser, the head of the fraud section.

"More than ever before, we are prosecuting and convicting employees and officials involved in transnational corruption, including in high-risk markets," Moser said during a July 25 speech where she said guilty pleas will "far exceed" totals in past years.

At least 19 people have been convicted this year of charges related to violations of the FCPA, Rosenstein said, including three who were found guilty at trial.

This month, two former executives of oil-services company SBM Offshore, including former CEO Anthony Mace, pleaded guilty to charges related to the Petrobras corruption scandal in Brazil.
BERLIN - When North Korea tested a new kind of intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, Pyongyang boasted that the regime could now strike "anywhere in the mainland United States."

Experts have calculated that the missile could theoretically reach Washington, D.C., which is about 6,700 miles away from North Korea. Less noticed, however, is the fact that North Korea's recent tests have also put a range of European capitals on the map of Pyongyang's possible targets, according to missile experts. Cities like Paris, London or Berlin are all located much closer to North Korea than Washington, D.C., although air distance is not necessarily all equal when it comes to the path of missiles.

A previous missile tested by North Korea may already have been able to reach those cities under certain circumstances, but Wednesday's launch has now almost certainly put all major European targets within Pyongyang's reach.

NATO acknowledged earlier this year that European countries may soon become potential targets and France's Foreign Ministry warned that such a situation would "be explosive."

Yet, Europe still does not appear to view North Korea's missile program as its own problem, even as the scenario officials once feared appears to have become reality.

European leaders may have doubled down on their condemnations after the latest missile test, but these largely echoed previous, more cautious remarks, compared to Trump vowing, somewhat ominously, to "take care of it." The comparative calmness with which Europe is responding may of course be due to the lack of direct threats. So far, North Korea has focused on its arch-enemy, the United States, even though European politicians have acknowledged that an escalation of the conflict could easily draw Europe into the dispute.

But their more cautious responses also reflect the role European leaders believe they have in this conflict. Occupied with other foreign policy and security dilemmas, Europe has so far mainly attempted to prevent a further escalation of the tensions between the United States and North Korea. "Nuclear armed North Korea is clearly a potential threat to Europe, but it's far from a top priority. Europe is dealing with a resurgent Russia, irregular migration and a host of other issues before North Korea comes up," said Marcel Dirsus, a German military expert.

"Even if Europe wanted to influence events on the ground, it couldn't. Europe has no real political, economic or military leverage over Pyongyang. The real players are China, Russia and the United States. When it comes to North Korea, Europe has neither the will nor the capability to effect meaningful change. The North Korean crisis illustrates the limits of European power," said Dirsus.

In their responses on Tuesday and Wednesday, leading European politicians showed they saw North Korea as a global, rather than as a European problem.

In a tweet, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the test "reinforces our determination to increase pressure on Pyongyang and our solidarity with our partners."

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel similarly criticized North Korea over its missile program, saying in a statement that it "again breached international law. North Korea's ruthless behavior poses a huge threat to international security."

"This proves again the seriousness of the threat to world peace posed by North Korea," he added. Germany also summoned the North Korean ambassador on Wednesday.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called on the North Korean regime to "change course," on Wednesday, saying: "This is not the path to security and prosperity for the North Korean people."

Britain has so far offered the strongest acknowledgment that Europe is increasingly under threat of North Korea's refusal to stop its nuclear and missile tests, as well. In September, then-defense secretary Michael Fallon said: "The U.S. is fully entitled to defend its own territory, to defend its bases and to look after its people, but this involves us, London is closer to North Korea and its missiles than Los Angeles," he said.

"The range is getting longer and longer and we have to get this program halted because the dangers now of miscalculation, of some accident triggering a response are extremely great," Fallon added at the time.

Yet, as North Korea continued to make technological advances this past year, Europe's role in pressuring it into halting its program remained mostly unchanged - and largely rhetorical. As well as condemning the missile tests, European top officials have also lashed out at Trump for threatening Pyongyang. Gabriel of Germany criticized Trump in September, saying that "martial rhetoric won't take us one step further," after Trump threatened North Korea with "total destruction."

Europe's reluctance to fully support the U.S. stance toward handling the North Korea dilemma is likely being welcomed by Russia, which similarly condemned the test on Wednesday and indirectly appeared to warn the United States of overreacting.

"Another missile launch is a provocative action that provokes further growth of tension and puts us even further away from the start of settling this crisis situation," the presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

"We condemn this launch and hope that all parties concerned will be able to remain calm, which is so essential in order to avoid the worst-case scenario in the situation on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

The measured response by the Kremlin, which is ironically known in Europe for its often aggressive military operations, and its striking similarity to Western Europe's approach likely has a lot to do with the fact that none of their capitals are currently in the sights of North Korea's missiles. Yet, at the same time, the diplomatic solution they all favor has made little head way so far.

---

The Washington Post's Andrew Roth in Moscow and James McAuley in Paris contributed to this report.
British Prime Minister Theresa May met with her Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad on Wednesday, an Iraqi government spokesman said, her first visit to Iraq since coming to power last year.

The British government said in September that there were around 600 British soldiers on the ground in Iraq.

They are primarily involved in training Iraqi security forces in battle winning infantry, engineering and combat medical techniques, as well as providing courses on countering improvised explosive devices and other skills.

Britain has provided over 1,400 military personnel as part of its three-year involvement in the U.S.-led global coalition against Islamic State (IS) militants.

"Iraqi-British relations have witnessed an improvement, especially in the field of counter terrorism," state television quoted Abadi as saying.

Britain had also helped Iraq on the issue of those who were internally displaced as a result of an IS takeover of various parts of the country and the subsequent campaign by Iraqi forces to dislodge the Sunni militants, he said.

"We will continue to support Iraq in various fields," May was quoted as saying by Iraqi state television. "We look forward to building a continuing relationship between Iraq and Britain."

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MOSCOW - Tania Felgengauer can recall nearly every frantic moment when a listener broke in to the Moscow radio station where she works last month and stabbed her repeatedly in the neck. Then she remembers waking up in a Moscow hospital bed, under heavy anesthesia, with "tubes everywhere" and a stack of panicked notes from colleagues and friends.

At first, doctors wondered whether Felgengauer, an outspoken, popular host for the Echo of Moscow radio station, would ever speak, or breathe on her own, again.

But on a recent Friday, she sat in an Italian cafe sipping tea and calmly ticking off her injuries (damage to her jugular vein and salivary gland, cuts on her neck and hands) in a soft but resolute voice that proved her remarkable recovery from a near-fatal attack.

Already she was plotting her return to drive-time radio, where she co-hosts a talk show that pokes fun at Russian politicians and newsmakers.

"I love journalism, I love my morning show, I love my radio station," said Felgengauer, 32, who has worked for Echo of Moscow, where she serves as deputy editor in chief, since she was a teenager. "The attempt on my life will not change it."

With a slight smile, she added: "I'll probably have to come up with some jokes about my throat."

Her good-natured banter covered up real trauma. Felgengauer said that since the stabbing she has avoided reading about her attacker, a 48-year-old man named Boris Grits, who disabled a security guard and then fell on her with a knife in the radio station's green room. Photographs of the bloodstained floor provoked outrage on social networks among Russians who saw this as yet another in a series of assaults on well-known journalists.

Some elements of the attack on Felgengauer recalled a long campaign of violence against Russian journalists. Others seemed at odds with that history.

In Russia, journalists who rile powerful interests, particularly the local businessmen and politicians who dominate the country's regions, can be met with violence or pressure from the police. This year, a colleague of Felgengauer's, a columnist for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper named Yulia Latynina, fled Russia after her car was set on fire. After the attack on Felgengauer, the editor of Novaya Gazeta said he would arm his newsroom with rubber-bullet pistols.

The murders of some journalists, including Novaya Gazeta correspondent Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 and Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov in 2004, became national scandals. Those who ordered the killings, the "zakazchiki," were never caught.

But far from the gangland assassinations or courtyard beatings that have targeted journalists in the past, the attempt on Felgengauer's life seemed less calculated and more chaotic. When questioned by police, Grits said Felgengauer had harassed him for years using telepathy. He seemed crazy. For days afterward, debate raged among Moscow circles of journalists and liberals as to whether the attack could have been part of a conspiracy to silence a critical voice.

Felgengauer said she was trying not to jump to conclusions. "I love conspiracy theories, but not in this case," she said. In security camera footage of the attack, "he was confident . . . but from there we could say 'it was all planned,' and then someone would take my words out of context. I want to have the results of the investigation."

The attack received worldwide attention. In a speech Nov. 15 at the International Press Freedom Awards, held yearly by the Committee to Protect Journalists, actress Meryl Streep named Felgengauer as one of several journalists who "paid hard for their questions this year." Streep also mentioned Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese investigative reporter killed in a car bombing last month, and Kim Wall, the Swedish freelance journalist who died aboard a small submarine in August (the submarine's owner has been charged in her death).

For Felgengauer, who spends much of her time in the newsroom, the comparisons led to some soul-searching.

"It is a big honor for me," she said. "But I thought, 'Is it appropriate to mention my name among other journalists who suffered because of their work?' "

She sighed, then answered as though thinking out loud.

"I understand that if I had not been a journalist, if I had not had my shows or done interviews, if I had not been myself, someone would not have found a reason to kill me," she said. "So, I am confident that the attempt on my life was connected with my work."

She said she hoped the media attention would address the safety of other journalists across Russia, noting one case last year when several reporters in Ingushetia were beaten savagely and had their van set on fire. The attackers have not been caught.

"As long as the Russian authorities do not want to deal with the problem and solve it, the problem will not disappear, no matter what celebrities or stars say," she said.

At the same time, intervention from prominent figures in the Russian government may have saved Felgengauer's life. The Moscow mayor's office rushed an ambulance to Echo of Moscow and cleared the way for her to be admitted to one of the country's best hospitals. Another "high-ranking official," whom Felgengauer declined to name, "offered his support in terms of medical treatment."

State-run television may also have played a role in the attack. Before Grits broke into Echo of Moscow's downtown studios, Felgengauer featured prominently in a documentary on the Rossiya-24 channel that accused her of taking money from the State Department.

"We laughed when we watched them," said Felgengauer. "I just can't take them seriously. Not as a provocation or anything else - it is awfully unprofessional work."

Far longer than the United States, Russia has been embroiled in a "fake news" crisis. Society is split between those who watch television, where federal channels aggressively back the Kremlin's politics, and those who find other sources of news. And aggression - toward journalists and toward people with opposing points of view - is growing. Just watch the political talk shows, Felgengauer said.

"When people every day see that at a political show you can attack your opponent, beat him, and this will be shown on TV, they think that they can do the same in real life," she said.

She added: "This is a really painful topic for me."
Outside groups on the right are furiously mobilizing against an agreement that Republican leaders made with Bob Corker Tuesday to get the tax bill through the Senate Budget Committee.

The Tennessee Republican negotiated a budget deal in September that the tax cuts cannot increase the national debt by more than $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. Now he's concerned about various gimmicks and overly rosy assumptions in the bill that would almost certainly mean the true impact on the debt is far greater than that. So the retiring senator has been pushing in recent days to include a "trigger" that would automatically increase taxes down the road if the bill fails to generate the level of economic growth that Republicans leaders keep publicly predicting.

It's not clear what exactly GOP leaders promised Corker, who declined to share specifics with reporters. He said the amendment will be included in an updated version of the bill that is likely to be released publicly on Thursday.

But the constellation of groups funded by the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers - including Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners - came out strongly against any trigger Tuesday night. They were joined by Grover Norquist from Americans for Tax Reform, the Wall Street Journal editorial board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

They argue that a trigger, if it occurred, would likely increase taxes during an economic downturn, which they fear would cause stagnation. They also complain that it would inject even more uncertainty into the tax system, which would make it harder for businesses to plan their long-term investments.

Corker asked President Donald Trump about a trigger during a private lunch Tuesday for Senate Republicans. The president replied that he does not like the idea but will accept it if that's the only way a bill can pass, sources said. "There's agreement in principle, very strong agreement, with (Mitch) McConnell, with the Finance Committee - and of course the White House has been in the midst of all this, too - but the agreement was made with McConnell and the Finance Committee leadership," Corker said later in the day.

In addition to Corker, the compromise is being crafted to win over other on-the-fence Republicans like James Lankford, Okla., Jeff Flake, Ariz., and Jerry Moran, Kan. With no Democrats planning to vote for the measure, Republicans can only afford two defections when they bring the bill up later this week for a vote on the floor.

-- This new flashpoint in the delicate negotiations draws fresh attention to the deeper identity crisis for the GOP in the Age of Trump. True fiscal conservatives worry that the party they once dominated has been hijacked by hypocritical spendthrifts.

Trump, who has declared bankruptcy several times, has made clear that he's not a fiscal conservative. "I'm the king of debt," he said on the campaign trail last year. "I'm great with debt. Nobody knows debt better than me. I've made a fortune by using debt, and if things don't work out I renegotiate the debt. I mean, that's a smart thing, not a stupid thing. . . . You go back and you say, 'Hey, guess what? The economy crashed. I'm going to give you back half.'" (This quote really should alarm anyone buying bonds issued by the Treasury Department. . .)

When they last had unified control of the federal government under George W. Bush, congressional Republicans spent like drunken sailors. As vice president, Dick Cheney reportedly declared that Ronald "Reagan proved deficits don't matter."

The tea party movement that emerged after Republicans lost power and the 2008 financial crisis put a heavy emphasis on tackling the debt. Conservatives running for office chastised the establishment GOP for its lack of fiscal restraint, and many current members of Congress got elected promising they wouldn't repeat those same mistakes.

But once they got power over the purse strings again, and then Trump took over their party, the tone of most elected Republicans changed again. Meanwhile, our national debt crossed over $20 trillion for the first time ever this fall.

-- Despite the rift, the sense in the Capitol is that there is real momentum toward getting this done. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, appeared ready to fall in line after a private meeting with Trump Tuesday. In exchange for repealing the individual mandate as part of the tax bill, she's looking for more federal subsidies to help lower-income Americans afford health coverage and allowing Americans to continue deducting up to $10,000 in property taxes from their taxable income, a provision that was in the bill that passed the House.

"House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said Tuesday that he expected a formal conference committee to be appointed to hash out the differences, even as more Republicans speculated that the House would simply pass the Senate bill," The Post's Mike DeBonis, Erica Werner and Damian Paletta report. "No official analysis has been released by the Treasury Department or the nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation to support the GOP claims that growth would make up for revenue losses."

-- The challenge for Senate GOP leaders, who have such a small margin for error, is that two of their holdouts want to make the tax giveaway more generous, but another half dozen or so Republicans are uneasy with how much it already adds to the debt. These contradictory demands complicate negotiations and will force McConnell to decide who he needs to placate most.

It's not clear for example that he'll be able to win over Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who wants to give "pass-through" businesses the same benefits as large corporations. This would increase the cost of the bill by more than $100 billion. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., also wants this change, but he may agree to vote for the bill with a compromise that costs less.

-- Inside the room where it happens: It's hard to overstate how much relationships matter on the Hill. The amazing Erica Werner, who The Post just hired from the Associated Press, has a good story Wednesday about how Johnson is still angry that McConnell-allied groups gave up on his reelection campaign last fall when it looked like he couldn't win his race against Russ Feingold. As a result, Johnson feels liberated to be his own man and not just do as he's told by the party bosses.

"The lingering tension exploded Tuesday when Johnson clashed with Trump during a closed-door Capitol meeting of Senate Republicans," Erica writes. "Johnson stood up to complain that he understood business and figures better than others in the Senate, but that no one listened tohim, according to several GOP officials in the room or briefed on the exchange. Johnson angrily asserted that 'this body' doesn't understand numbers . . . Trump returned fire with fire, telling Johnson, 'You don't get to vote 'no' for a stupid reason like that.' Then Johnson complained that no one would talk to him about the negotiations, to which Trump said he has called him and talked to him. 'You're the only one,' Johnson said in a thinly veiled shot at McConnell."
WASHINGTON - The conviction Tuesday of Libyan militia leader Ahmed Abu Khattala on terrorism charges - but not murder - in the 2012 Benghazi attacks would not weaken efforts to try a second defendant in Washington or the potential prosecution of future suspects, current and former FBI and Justice Department officials said.

Carlos Fernandez, a former senior FBI counterterrorism official whose New York City-based agents investigated the attacks in which four Americans were killed, said the potentially lengthy prison sentence facing Abu Khattala, the only person prosecuted to date in the attacks, marked a victory for investigators and prosecutors.

"Tremendous creative work was done by the FBI and prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office of the District to get these charges, in an environment where no one was willing to take any risk," Fernandez said. "This certainly isn't going to stop any of their efforts."

"I feel confident they will continue pursuing each and every lead for as long as they possibly can," he said, adding that investigators and prosecutors "are limited only by the ability of their leaders in terms of getting the job done."

At least eight of Abu Khattala's militia members were caught on U.S. surveillance video at the two attack scenes - a U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex - according to evidence shown at the trial in Washington. Abu Khattala himself identified three dozen individuals to FBI interrogators, the court heard in testimony. At the time that U.S. commandos captured him in Libya in 2014, U.S. officials said more than a dozen others had been charged in a sealed complaint.

Fernandez's comments came as Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente said after Tuesday's verdict in Washington that the Justice Department "will not rest" in its pursuit of others involved in the attacks that took place overnight Sept. 11 to Sept. 12, 2012. Scores of militants overran and set fire to the U.S. diplomatic mission and fired mortars at the nearby CIA facility, killing U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and fellow Americans Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.

The White House set a tone similar to Boente's when it approved federal prosecution of a second Libyan suspect, Mustafa al-Imam, whose capture President Donald Trump announced Oct. 29 had been carried out "on my orders." The president added: "Our memory is deep and our reach is long, and we will not rest in our efforts to find and bring the perpetrators of the heinous attacks in Benghazi to justice."

Imam has pleaded not guilty.

The Trump administration's high-level endorsement of a second civilian trial and the hunt for suspects comes amid a seeming shift in Congress since the 2010 federal trial of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani. The former Guantanamo Bay detainee was acquitted of all but one count of conspiracy in the deaths of hundreds of people in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Ghailani was imprisoned for life, but senior Republican lawmakers called for the abandonment of civilian trials for foreign terrorism suspects.

By comparison, several past congressional supporters of trial by military commissions declined to comment on the Imam case and the Abu Khattala verdict. That group of lawmakers includes Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, respectively, and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

A District jury deliberated for five days before finding Abu Khattala, 46, guilty of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorism, malicious destruction of the U.S. special diplomatic mission in Benghazi and a firearms violation, but acquitted him of several murder and attempted-murder counts and of attacking the CIA annex.

Abu Khattala, who led an extremist-Islamist brigade, faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison at sentencing early next year before U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper of Washington.

One reason the acquittals in the Abu Khattala case may not have been seized on by critics of civilian prosecution of terrorism suspects is that Abu Khattala will still "almost certainly" face an exceptionally long sentence, and because of the lack of a realistic alternative, said Robert Chesney, a University of Texas law professor who specializes in national security.

Military commissions have a worse track record, he said, noting new problems just this month in a Guantanamo Bay case involving detainee Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who is accused of masterminding the bombing of the USS Cole in a Yemeni harbor in 2000.

It also is "far from clear," Chesney added, that the government can show that Benghazi suspects are eligible for detention at Guantanamo Bay by virtue of being "enemy combatants" or members of groups with which the United States is at war, such as al-Qaeda.

Still, the Abu Khattala verdict did not satisfy some of those most affected by the attacks, including CIA security contractors who defended the U.S. facilities, some of whom have called the trial a political show.

One CIA security operator injured in the attack, Mark Geist, tweeted Tuesday that it was "an honor" to testify at the trial and as what he called a voice for fallen comrades Woods and Doherty.

"As for Abu Khatala he thinks he will be Martyred. He will have to enter a greater court, give an account to a greater judge and no doubt will receive a greater sentence," Geist said in his tweet.

Alice Hunt Friend, who was a Pentagon official working Africa security policy from 2009 to 2014, said it is important to distinguish between the goals of trials and the objectives of ongoing, real-time intelligence and military counterterrorism efforts in Libya and the wider region.

"What these kinds of trials allow the U.S. government to do is hold individuals accountable for illegal acts. . . . That is separate from military operational goals," Friend said. "The focus of the United States in Libya today is more about Islamic State," she said, than about the shifting assortment of Abu Khattala's and other Islamist militant groups in the country five years ago.
Donald Trump always had a soft spot for his fellow outer-borough kid who made it big. He recalls giving Chuck Schumer $500 when the young state legislator from Brooklyn first ran for Congress - the first of several donations. Trump attended a fundraiser for Schumer thrown by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. And Trump entertained Schumer at parties and fundraisers in Trump Tower and at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Trump and Schumer were never pals, but they got along fine, two power players who had never quite been accepted in the inner circle of their chosen fields, two sharp-elbowed guys who led with their mouths and won power by mastering the art of being in the news.

Now, as Trump enters a pivotal passage in his new presidency, champing for a big win ahead of the 2018 congressional campaign, people in both parties thought the relationship between Trump and Schumer, the Senate minority leader, might provide a path out of Washington's political paralysis. But on Tuesday, when Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pulled out of a scheduled meeting at the White House, the limits of that relationship became palpably evident. And the chances for a deal ahead of a Dec. 8 spending deadline grew that much smaller.

Schumer said he's still open to negotiating with Republicans in Congress, but any quick New Yorker-to-New Yorker agreement to avert a government shutdown and resolve the status of the "dreamers," about 600,000 young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, appeared to be stillborn. Schumer and Trump traded snippy remarks late Tuesday. The senator called the president "a destructive force." Trump, sitting between empty chairs set behind Schumer's and Pelosi's nameplates, accused the two of being "weak on military" and "all talk . . . no action."

The connection between Schumer and Trump has already been among the most volatile, promising and surprising of many mercurial relationships in the short history of the Trump administration. On the morning after this month's terrorist attack on Manhattan's West Side, Trump tweeted a shot at Schumer, calling the diversity visa lottery under which the accused terrorist entered the United States "a Chuck Schumer beauty."

Whereupon Schumer opined that "I guess it's not too soon to politicize a tragedy." Following which Trump's spokesman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the president didn't intend to blame Schumer for the attack.

The sniping continued Tuesday, when the president tweeted that " 'Chuck and Nancy' . . .want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I don't see a deal!"

That prompted Schumer and Pelosi to cancel the meeting with Trump and Republican leaders. But congressional Republicans, who grumble privately about Trump's frequent attacks on his own party, believe Trump may yet find occasional alignment with Schumer and the Democrats - on infrastructure, illegal immigration or spending.

"If we're going to get results, it's going to be from those two," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., a Long Islander who says Trump makes deals best when he's at ease with those on the other side. "Trump has no patience for all that polite circumlocution of Washington. He didn't realize how much he really is a New Yorker till he was away from the city for a few months. With Schumer, he can be a wiseguy. They interrupt each other, finish each other's sentences. The president feels comfortable."

Schumer has clearly been on the president's mind. At a meeting with six members of Congress just before his trip to Asia a few weeks ago, Trump kept bringing up Schumer's name, even though the senator was not present. "He raised Schumer's name often, in a very personal, very playful way," said a Senate source familiar with the meeting. "He'd talk about something he was going to do with China, and he'd say, 'Chuck's not going to be happy about that.' "

Schumer boasted to a Senate colleague, in a conversation caught by a C-SPAN microphone earlier this fall, that Trump "likes us. He likes me, anyway. . . . Oh, it's going to work out."

But that same morning, Trump had tweeted that "no deal was made" with Schumer and Pelosi to let the dreamers stay in the country.

Is a jocular, comfortable vibe enough to forge deals across party lines?

"Neither the president's attempts to flatter nor his name-calling have an effect on the relationship," said Matt House, a spokesman for Schumer, who declined to be interviewed for this article. "What drives the relationship and ultimately leads to agreements or conflict is the president's policy proposals," House said.

If Trump proposes ideas that "don't violate Democrats' values and principles," Schumer will work with him, the spokesman said. But "if the president continues to pursue an agenda that takes us backwards, Sen. Schumer will hold the line."

Barbs and blame are routine in the Trump-Schumer relationship, not because they are political enemies - after all, Trump was a Democrat for much of his career as a brash Manhattan developer - but because of where they're from and how they operate.

One of the roughest parts of the president's transition from Trump Tower to the White House has been finding his new posse. A man of deeply ingrained habit, Trump, despite his TV-polished reputation for firing people, kept the same tight circle of advisers for decades. Many of those were fellow New Yorkers.

The president, who often grates against the stilted manners and glacial pace of Washington, visibly loosens in the presence of fellow New Yorkers, especially outer-borough and Long Island guys such as Fox News host Sean Hannity or erstwhile White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, according to people who have watched such encounters.

When Trump met with congressional Republicans in the spring about health care, he told Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., that if he didn't support Trump's plan, "I'm going to come after you."

"A lot of Republicans grumbled about that," King said, "and the president said, 'Hey, I'm kidding around.' Those guys just don't get that kind of language. But that's how we are. When he's talking to Chuck, he doesn't have to worry about that. They both just want to get the g--d---thing done."

Trump knows he can slam Schumer as "head clown" or "Crying Chuck" and the senator will keep talking to him. In a 40-minute meeting Trump held with at least eight officials from New York and New Jersey last month to talk about transportation projects, Schumer and Trump dominated the conversation and Trump kept reaching across economic adviser Gary Cohn to shake Schumer's hand, according to a participant in the meeting.

Schumer and Trump share a classic outer-borough combination of tough talk and sensitivity about not being taken quite as seriously as the fancy guys from Manhattan. Both of them spend many hours on the phone, schmoozing friends and foes alike.

They also share an approach to humor that can land with a thud in Washington. At their dinner in September, the president could joshingly invite Schumer to "have some meatballs - they're kosher," without fear that he'd take offense, according to a guest who witnessed the exchange.

"In the old World War II movies, there was always some numskull from Brooklyn, the straight-talking lug who everybody loved because you always knew where you stood with him," said Jim Kessler, a former Schumer senior staffer who now works at Third Way, a policy nonprofit. "Trump and Schumer talk like that. Trump can feel like he speaks a foreign language to a lot of Americans, but New Yorkers know that language of insults."

But two people can share a sense of which barbs are just jests and still be quite different.

"Trump is red carpet, and Chuck is the Sheepshead Bay co-op annual meeting," Kessler said. "Trump is fine china, and Chuck is Chinese takeout. Trump's dad was a millionaire; Chuck's dad was an exterminator."

Inside the White House, many advisers remain wary of working with Schumer. When Schumer and Pelosi emerged from a Blue Room dinner with Trump in September and announced that they had a deal to permit the dreamers to stay in the country, they went further than what Trump had accepted, a White House official said.

"There was a lot of warmth and feeling in the dinner," the official said, but "Schumer and Pelosi were under such pressure to produce something that they got ahead of themselves."

Both sides in the relationship portray the other as being captive to his base. Schumer's camp argues that the president, left to his own devices, would hew closer to the moderate Democratic leanings he expressed most of his life. Under pressure to cater to the Republicans who put him in office, they say, he reverts to a hard line on immigration and security issues.

Trump aides, however, say it's Schumer who can't be flexible because his base is dead set against cooperating with the president. Even before Trump took office, protesters gathered outside Schumer's Brooklyn home with signs that said, "Make Us Proud or We'll Primary You. Don't Cut Deals With the Devil."

"They have a good rapport, but it's a complicated relationship," said Marc Short, the White House legislative affairs director. "If you look at confirmation of our appointments, Schumer has been as obstructionist as possible. It's absurd. We haven't see a lot of cooperation."

Schumer, 67, and Trump, 71, grew up in the same New York political arena. Trump's developer father took his teenage son with him to neighborhood Democratic clubs in Brooklyn on weekends, visiting local party chieftains whose help he might someday need. Schumer's mother volunteered in her neighborhood and pressed her son to succeed by studying hard.

Schumer's path took him from valedictorian at his public high school to a perfect 1600 on his SAT and on to Harvard and Harvard Law. He joined Sen. Eugene McCarthy's (Minn.) 1968 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and soon made his own run for a state Assembly seat. Trump, never the studious type, was already devoting much of his time to the family business while he was in college.

Once Trump broke off on his own to build hotels and office towers in Manhattan, he needed political cover, just as his father had. Even in his 20s, Trump cultivated politicians, held fundraisers and invited officeholders to his many news conferences.

When Republican Tom Kean was governor of New Jersey in the 1980s, he would run into Schumer at Trump's big parties. "Trump would make sure the rich and powerful were there, as well as the politicians he might need to get permits for his next project," Kean said. "He and Schumer both liked to know everybody."

Trump even put Schumer up as a prize on his TV reality show, "The Apprentice." In 2006, contestants on the show vied for an awards package including a meeting with the senator.

Between 1996 and 2010 - when Schumer's career was blossoming and Trump was variously a Democrat, a Republican and an independent - Trump donated $9,000 to Schumer.

They came head to head on New York issues only rarely. In 2007, they were on opposing sides of a conflict over Starrett City, the country's largest subsidized housing complex, with nearly 6,000 apartments in 46 buildings near Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn.

Schumer sided with tenants who feared that the sale of their homes might mean huge rent hikes or even eviction. Trump, whose father had been a major investor in the complex in the 1970s, still owned about 4 percent of the property and was pleased to cash out.

Schumer called the decision to sell disgraceful and accused the owners of trying to "maximize every nickel they can get at the expense of the tenants."

Trump's retort: "You can't stop free enterprise. This is not Communist China."

But the two men stayed on the fringes of the issue. The complex is now in the process of being sold, a deal that could produce a $14 million payoff to Trump.

In 2014, Trump and Schumer found themselves on the same side of an effort to keep the Buffalo Bills in New York. Schumer was deeply involved for months, calling owners, scouting ways to ensure that the franchise remained in Buffalo, one of the league's smaller, more frigid cities. Trump, who put himself forward as a possible owner of the team, "never seriously pursued it," according to a source close to Schumer.

Trump likes to do business with people who, as he sees it, can take a punch. "That's who he is," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has crossed swords with Trump and occasionally found common cause with him. "He comes from construction workers and builders, that Queens blue-collar, white-ethnic world. He built himself into a New York personality, an environment where Page Six and the tabloids mean something to him."

Sharpton argues that Trump's affinity for fellow outer-borough guys - and they are nearly always men - "comes out of a place with a certain racial dynamic and attitudes that are different from the rest of the country." Trump "learned politics watching [former New York mayors] Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani, whereas he looks at a McConnell or Ryan and he just doesn't get that."

The feeling may be mutual. Soon after Trump took office, McConnell emerged from a White House meeting and allowed that "I enjoyed the president and Sen. Schumer talking about all the people they knew in New York."

Despite their common New York DNA, the president and a leader of the party that defines itself as the resistance to Trump may not be able to bridge the gulf between them.

"Trump's dealt all of his career with the kind of bleeding liberals that Chuck represents, the union bosses he needed to get his buildings built," Sharpton said. "But for them to make any deals, Schumer's got to come out of the room with something to take back to Brooklyn and Donald Trump's got to take something back to the 21 Club. Right now, they're in such different places that it could just end with a series of stalemates."
Shortly after announcing online that she was joining the "conservative media movement," Jaime Phillips checked into an Airbnb apartment for a two-week stay in the basement of the Capitol Hill home of Brad Woodhouse, the former communications director for the Democratic National Committee, Woodhouse said Tuesday.

Woodhouse said he recognized Phillips' name and image in a Washington Post story Monday that described how she falsely told reporters that Roy Moore, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, impregnated her as a teenager. Phillips appears to work with Project Veritas, an organization that uses deceptive tactics and secretly records conversations in an effort to embarrass members of the mainstream media and left-leaning groups.

"I was stunned," Woodhouse said Tuesday night. "It took a little while to sink in and then it was like, 'Really? Are you kidding me?' "

James O'Keefe, the Project Veritas founder, declined to answer questions about whether he dispatched Phillips to rent from Woodhouse. Phillips did not respond to inquiries.

Woodhouse provided The Post with a record of Phillips' Airbnb booking, which included her name and her photo and said she was from Atlanta. In an interview last week, Phillips showed a Post reporter a Georgia driver's license with an Atlanta address.

Woodhouse recalled chatting with Phillips several times during the July stay and recalled that she had a dog, Leo. He recalled no unusually intrusive inquiries.

Woodhouse remained a prominent Democratic consultant after leaving the DNC in 2013. He was appointed in September to be campaign director of Protect Our Care, which advocates for the Affordable Care Act.

Weeks before the 2016 election, Woodhouse was president of Americans United for Change when two people associated with the liberal advocacy group were secretly filmed by O'Keefe's organization.

Scott Foval, a field operative, was recorded talking about disrupting Republican events and about how an organization might cover up voter fraud. Foval was fired. At the time, Foval said the video did not deserve attention from "legitimate news organizations."

Robert Creamer, whose consulting firm Democracy Partners used Foval as a contractor, left his job working for the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign after the video surfaced. In a lawsuit filed in June, Democracy Partners and Creamer accused Project Veritas of violating federal laws on wiretapping in its undercover sting, an allegation O'Keefe has denied.

"That he had one of his operatives stay in properties of mine less than a year after he targeted me in one of his discredited scams seems hardly coincidental," Woodhouse said.

Woodhouse said Phillips also stayed in another Capitol Hill property he owns, for one week in August. She wanted to stay longer, he said, but it was not available.

Woodhouse said he was unaware until Monday's Post story that two months before she stayed in his basement apartment, Phillips had posted a GoFundMe online fundraising appeal that said she was laid off from her job as a mortgage broker and was moving to New York to "combat the lies and deceit of the liberal MSM."

O'Keefe declined to answer questions Monday and Tuesday about whether Phillips worked for him, but he appeared to indirectly confirm the connection in a fundraising appeal after The Post published its story. Post reporters watched as Phillips walked into Project Veritas's office in Mamaroneck, New York, Monday morning, five days after presenting her with the GoFundMe page during an interview about her allegations against Moore.

"Following months of undercover work within The Washington Post, our investigative journalist embedded within the publication had their cover blown," he said in the email. "Please donate so our team can FULLY follow through on our promise to expose the Establishment Media in 2017 and 2018."
Lucian Wintrich, a credentialed White House correspondent for Gateway Pundit, a right-wing website, was arrested Tuesday night after a scuffle broke out as he was trying to deliver a speech titled "It's OK to be White" at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

The speech, sponsored by the campus College Republicans and attended by about 350 people, had been largely drowned out by protesters shouting "Go home Nazis," "Black Lives matter" and "F-k you," according to the Daily Campus, the student newspaper.

Video of the incident showed several young people approaching the podium where Wintrich was standing. According to the Hartford Courant, which covered the event, they began "yelling at Wintrich." A woman then took from the lectern a sheaf of papers, apparently the text of Wintrich's speech, and walked away with them. Wintrich pursued her and grabbed her in an apparent effort to retrieve the papers.

At that point, others intervened and appeared to be trying to pull him off the woman, the video showed, and a brief melee broke out. Police took Wintrich out of the room, the Courant reported.

A UConn spokeswoman, Stephanie Reitz, told the Courant that Wintrich was charged with breach of peace and released on $1,000 bail. As he was being driven away in a police car, students ran after it, the paper said.

A UConn student was later charged with breach of peace and criminal mischief after a window was broken in the building.

The speech had been controversial since it was scheduled. Gateway Pundit has been described by The Washington Post's Philip Bump as a "conspiracy-enthusiastic site" which, among other things, bought into "birther" stories about former president Barack Obama. As the New York Times reported, it attracted attention during the 2016 campaign for "its fervent pro- Trump coverage and its penchant for promoting false rumors about voter fraud and Hillary Clinton's health that rocketed around right-wing websites."

The Trump administration granted White House press credentials to Wintrich, who describes himself as an artist and writer.

In his speech, according to the Courant, Wintrich accused liberals of "wanting black people to dress like they did in Africa 300 years ago." He showed a photo of women in burqas, saying liberals also "want Muslims to dress the way they've always dressed. The left wants them to seem like visual advertisers for their multicultural utopia they're claiming to promote."

"The crowd became more boisterous and hostile at those words," said the Courant, describing the events that led to the altercation.

"I was charged with 'breach of peace' for taking back a speech that I wrote about how disingenuine the MSM is," Wintrich tweeted after his arrest Tuesday in reference to what conservatives call the mainstream media.

"It is really unfortunate that some of the kids" at UConn "felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the left is media is turning Americans against each other," he added. "Tonight proved my point."

Later he posted his mug shot, saying "maybe this made it all worth it. . .."

Gateway Pundit's story about the evening was headlined "FAR LEFT MOB SHUTS DOWN LUCIAN WINTRICH SPEECH AT UCONN-Students riot-Lucian Arrested!"

It was "a very disappointing evening," UConn president Susan Herbst said in a statement afterward, according to the Associated Press.
Leading a group of 16 cyclists for 12 days, young Egyptian adventurer Galal Zekri-Chatila is crossing Egypt from Cairo all the way to Aswan in the south, by bicycle, covering a distance of 1100 kilometres.

We have met before Galal Zekri-Chatila: the 23-year-old Egyptian has been travelling Egypt solo by bike in recent years, promoting positive values and encouraging Egyptians to go outdoors and discover firsthand the beauty of their country.

Demonstrating an exceptionally optimistic and energetic attitude, Galal's motto is, "The challenge is not the road, but rather getting on it." He embarked on his "Egypt on Two Wheels" journey in 2015 after extensive planning, and then covered a distance of distance of 7,000 kilometres in five months, highlighting the unveiled beauty of many places in Egypt and the good-natured spirit of its people.

This time Galal is accompanied by a group of 16 cyclists, including celebrity model Tara Emad and fashion designer Amna El-Shandaweely. The initiative is endorsed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, The Tri Factory, and 3agal Masr.

The group started off on their route 22 November, passing by several waypoints on their journey, including Ras Ghareb, El-Gouna, El-Qusseir, Marsa Alam, El-Sheikh El-Shazly, and before they arrive to Aswan.

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Lucy Harper, 17, a high school junior who lives in College Station, has been picking at her skin for as long as she can remember. When she was in seventh grade, she also started pulling out her hair.

"For a while my skin picking was under the radar, but it was because I was pulling my hair," she says. "If I wanted my skin to clear up, I'd stop picking and start pulling. If I wanted my hair to grow back, I'd stop pulling and start picking."

She lost so much hair that her middle school classmates asked whether she was going bald. "I tried everything to stop picking and pulling," she says. "I bought tons of fidget toys. I tried constraining my arm with a wrist brace. I got permission to wear gloves and a hat to school, and I even once went to piano lessons with Band-Aids on every one of my fingertips."

Harper suffers from trichotillomania (hair pulling) and excoriation (skin picking, also known as dermatillomania), two of several disorders collectively known as body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs. The umbrella term includes a number of repetitive "self-grooming" habits that can cause damage or injury through pulling, picking or scraping, or biting the hair, skin and nails.

Many people engage to some extent in nail biting or skin picking. But when these behaviors become extreme and out of control, they are regarded as serious disorders.

"There is significant psychosocial damage," says Douglas Woods, a professor of psychology at Marquette University who studies these conditions. Among those who can't contain the urge to pick, pull or bite, "depression is relatively common. People become very self-conscious, and self-esteem suffers. They start to avoid social situations in which people could notice the effects of their behavior, and often spend tremendous amounts of time trying to cover the effects."

Historically, BFRBs had been considered impulse-control disorders, along with kleptomania and gambling addiction. However, in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, BFRBs are categorized as obsessive-compulsive disorders, or OCDs. "The truth is, they probably belong in an in-between category," Woods says.

Although now regarded on the same spectrum, the two actually are quite different. Classic OCD occurs when someone experiences uncontrollable, recurring thoughts - such as a disproportionate fear of germs - and behavior she or he feels compelled to repeat over and over, such as excessive hand-washing.

Impulse-control disorders, on the other hand, typically involve an inability to resist a potentially harmful or self-destructive urge.

An estimated 2 percent to 5 percent of Americans suffer from trichotillomania, or hair pulling (which includes eyelash pulling) and 5 percent from skin picking, the two most-common BFRBs, according to the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. Other BFRBs include hair or skin eating, lip and cheek biting, tongue chewing and compulsive hair-cutting, according to the foundation, a nonprofit based in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Before age 12, hair pulling occurs equally in boys and girls, but later it predominantly occurs in girls, according to psychologist Suzanne Mouton-Odum, a clinical assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine. "Why is this? We are not certain, but I suspect that many more females begin to pull around the age of puberty," she says. "Likely there is a hormonal component that affects more females than males. Other hypotheses are that males are more able to cover hair loss, or maybe do not seek treatment as they can hide the results of their pulling."

Researchers believe that these disorders probably have a genetic component, because they tend to run in families. Scientists are studying the genes of affected people, trying to identify markers that can provide clues to their origins. Several studies have shown a familial connection; one, for example, found higher rates of OCD in immediate family members of those with extreme cases of hair pulling than in the general population.

Also, evidence from a twins study suggested a higher occurrence of hair pulling in identical compared with fraternal twins. Research also has shown differences in the brains of people with these disorders compared with the brains of those who don't have them.

"Each person seems to pull or pick for different reasons, or in different situations," Mouton-Odum says. "Some do it in response to emotion - anger, anxiety, happiness - while others in response to needing to feel a certain sensory sensation, while others pull or pick in response to certain environmental triggers, such as activities, places, mirrors."

Woods agrees. "The behaviors seem to be both a problem of a habit gone awry and a way of coping with emotional distress," he says.

Medication such as clomipramine, an antidepressant used to treat OCD, can help, but experts say the most effective therapy is behavioral. There are two frequently used approaches.

The first is habit-reversal training, which teaches patients to be more aware of their pulling and picking, and its cues, and trains them to use a "competing response" when the urge hits, such as clenching the fist with the hair-pulling hand and pressing it to the side of the body.

The second is comprehensive behavioral treatment, or ComB, which "looks at each person as an individual and evaluates (his or her) individual pulling/picking profile," Mouton-Odum says. ComB allows clinicians to design a treatment plan specifically for that person. "Strategies are offered based upon their unique pulling/picking triggers," she adds. "It is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It is quite tailored."

Because people often are unaware of when they pull or pick, some have found that using an app-equipped bracelet called Keen helps control the habit. The bracelets are programmed to detect when the behaviors begin, then send a gentle vibration to alert the individual to stop. The bracelet has not been studied in clinical trials, but anecdotal reports suggest it can be a valuable tool. Its price starts at $129.

Lesley Stevens, 37, an online content creator who lives near Phoenix, is a hair puller, skin picker, nail biter and thumb sucker. She wears one bracelet on each wrist - because she picks and pulls with both hands - and says they have been very useful in keeping her habits under control. "They buzz my wrist and make me aware when I'm doing anything I have trained it for," she says.

For Harper, the Texas teenager, connecting with other BFRB people "who completely understand my struggles" has enabled her to cope, as has attending therapy workshops "that remind me that I am so much more than my BFRBs." She says she still struggles "a little" with skin-picking, "but it doesn't control my life anymore, and being open about it allows me to not be ashamed," she says.
Early voting for runoff elections in Harris County will begin Wednesday, County Clerk Stan Stanart announced.

Eligible voters can cast ballots at nine Houston locations on weekdays through Dec. 5.

There are three elections slated for the Dec. 9 Joint Runoff election, for which Stanart's office said more than 220,000 Harris County residents eligible to vote early and on election day.

There are two candidates -- Pretta Stallworth and Eugene Pack -- vying for a trustee position at Houston Community College. About 90,000 Harris County residents are eligible to cast ballots in that runoff.

The Houston Independent School District, meanwhile, has two trustee elections slated after no candidates in two districts failed to garner more than 50 percent of the vote during the initial Nov. 9 election that featured 19 candidates for six open positions on the 9-person board.

In District 1, voters will decide between teacher Elizabeth Santos and analyst Gretchen Himsl.

In District III, Jesse A. Rodriguez, a customer care manager for United Airlines, and Bellaire High School Assistant Principal Sergio Lira are on the ballot.
The antiquities minister inaugurated a temporary exhibition of 86 artefacts that had never before been put on display

The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square celebrated on Tuesday evening its 115th anniversary with a ceremony attended by high-level government officials and foreign dignitaries.

The event was attended by Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, as well as the ministers of social solidarity, investment and international cooperation, local development, planning, industry and tourism.

Also in attendance were the governor of Giza, members of parliament and foreign ambassadors.

El-Enany told attendees that with the partial opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, which are scheduled to open at the end of 2018, many have been concerned about the fate of "our beloved and iconic" museum in Tahrir Square, which has impressed all its visitors since its opening in 1902.

"I would like to take this opportunity to make it very clear that the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir will never die," he asserted.

El-Enany explained that the museum had been over-flowing with thousands of artefacts, making it difficult to display all the items in the manner they deserve.

The minister added that moving many of its items to other museums will ensure that the displays chosen to remain will shine more.

El-Enany said that the museum has undergone several improvements in the last two years, including an upgrade of the lighting system, a restroom renovation, the hiring of a new cleaning company, the reopening of the gift shop, and the relabeling of displays.

The museum is also now open to the public in the evening on Sundays and Thursdays.

A new mobile application has also been launched to help visitors navigate the museum and enjoy the highlights of the collection.

During the ceremony, El-Enany inaugurated a temporary exhibition of 86 artefacts that had never before been put on display.

The exhibit includes the museums original blueprints, which were designed by French architect Marcel Durvein, as well as photographs showing Abbas Helmi II  who ruled as Khedive of Egypt from 1892 to 1914  placing the buildings foundation stone in the presence of princes and other high-ranking officials.

The exhibit also includes photographs showing the different stages of the buildings construction, the pen used by Abbas Helmi II to write a few words in the museums guest book, and a memorial stamp and coin from the time.

The tools and instruments that were used in laying the museums foundation stone in 1897 and those used in signing the khedival decree to construct the museum are also on display. These include the pickaxe, trowel, hammer and a wooden porringer embellished with silver decorative elements that were used for the opening, as well as the feather pen and inkwell used by the khedive.

A collection of maps, medallions and photographs of the construction of the museum are also among the objects on display, as well as copper clocks that once decorated the desk of French archaeologist Gaston Maspero, the first director of the museum.

A newly discovered Roman mummy with a painted funerary mask in Fayoum was also on display, as well as a collection of newly recovered artefacts from the United Arab Emirates.

Earlier this month, the ruler of Sharjah Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohamed Al-Qasimi returned to Egypt a collection of almost 400 artefacts that were stolen and illegally smuggled into Sharjah.

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Police said an Austin man used his car to pin someone to their vehicle, causing their leg to be amputated.

Rogelio Berrones-Campos, 28, was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, a second-degree felony.

The arrest occurred after Austin police responded to a report of a brawl and car crash outside a club around 2:20 a.m. When they arrived, they found a man on the ground with his right leg partially amputated below the knee.

Witness told police that two groups of women had been fighting, possibly over broken beer bottles under and around the tires of one their vehicles, according to an arrest affidavit of the incident.

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When men who accompanied the women attempted to break up the fight, they also ended up getting into a brawl, police said.

Eventually, the fight ended and both parties went to their vehicles.

Police said Berrones-Campos got inside a car, a white Chevrolet Tahoe, and rammed into the vehicle the other group of brawlers had entered.

After crashing into their front bumper, Berrones-Camposthana also crashed into their back bumper, police said.

As victims began exiting the damaged car, Berrones-Camposthana began "driving circles at a high rate of speed" around their car to strike the occupants, the affidavit detailed.

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Police said that during one of Berrones-Camposthana's passes, a man was struck and pinned to the vehicle he was attempting to exit, almost completely amputating his lower right leg.

The victim was rushed to the hospital and doctors amputated his leg four inches below the knee, according to authorities.

Witnesses told police that Berrones-Camposthana, the only person inside the white Tahoe, was the driver. He was arrested and taken to the Travis County Jail on a $60,000 bond.

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The Air Force failed numerous times to take steps that would have prevented Sutherland Springs shooter Devin Patrick Kelley from purchasing the firearm he used to kill 26 people and wound 20 others, according to a claim filed by the Holcombe family, which lost 9 members in the massacre.

The claim, filed against the U.S. government Tuesday specifically in the death of Bryan Holcombe, could be the first step to an eventual lawsuit if the Air Force denies responsibility.

The family is seeking monetary damages but said they are also hoping to prevent the type of error that allowed Kelley to purchase the tools he needed to carry out the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history.

READ MORE: Air Force admits it failed to send Sutherland Springs gunman's records to feds

Now Playing: Twenty-six people died in the Sunday massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on November 5, 2017. Video: San Antonio Express-News

"Although the shooter undoubtedly 'pulled the trigger' that resulted in the injuries and death of JB Holcombe and others, failures of the US Air Force, and others, allowed the shooter to purchase, own and/or possess the semiautomatic rifle, ammunition and body armor he used, and it is these failures that were a proximate cause, in whole or in part, of the injuries and death of the decedent," reads the claim.

Remembering Nov. 5

Joe Papa Joe Holcombe joined Houston-based attorney Rob Ammons in downtown San Antonio Tuesday afternoon to discuss his claim and tell the story of his nine family members who lost their lives on Nov. 5.

He said he returned home from teaching Sunday School at the First Baptist Church in Floresville to do what he and his wife always did those days  each lunch and watch church services streamed from San Antonio.

The 86-year-old said he noticed his pastor walking up to the house and thought, "What in the world is he doing here?"

It was about an hour after the shooting and the pastor arrived to deliver the terrible news.

"I said, 'How about my family?'" Holcombe recalled. "'Bryan?'"

He's gone, the pastor said.

John?

He was wounded.

Karla?

She's gone.

"How many are gone?" Holcombe finally asked. And then the pastor named them all.

"That's what hit me the hardest," Holcombe said.

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The family's patriarch lost his son Bryan, daughter-in-law Karla, grandson Marc, granddaughter-in-law Crystal, and great-grandchildren Noah, Emily, Gregory, Megan and an unborn child who was to be named Carlin Brite "Billy Bob" Holcombe.

Kelley's history

The Air Force found through an internal investigation that it failed to report Kelley's 2012 conviction for spousal and child abuse to the FBIs National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

If the agency had followed through on its reporting requirement, that conviction would have followed him and prevented him from purchasing firearms. Instead, he bought four in Colorado and Texas between 2014 and 2017, including the rifle used in Sutherland Springs.

Because of his abuse convictions, Kelley received a bad-conduct discharge from the Air Force.

The claim also cites threats Kelley made against his superior officers and his attempts to smuggle guns onto base, which landed him in a mental health facility in New Mexico. He escaped that facility and was later apprehended by law enforcement.

Ammons said Kelley's case and the Air Force's error is not uncommon, citing a February 2015 Air Force which report found 30 percent of servicemen convicted of crimes were not reported to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

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By failing to report, the Air Force is basically shredding gigantic holes in the safety net that is there to protect all of us in society, Ammons said. Its time that this ends and its time that this problem is corrected.

The Air Force admits failures

Coincidentally, the Air Force on Tuesday released the results of a review into Kelley's case it launched immediately after the shooting.

They found similar reporting lapses at other locations.

In a statement the Air Force also said it was implementing a number of corrective measures to ensure reporting compliance.

Air Force officials have not yet responded to Holcombe's claim.

Holcombe, a devout Christian, said he believes his lost loved ones are in a better place. And someday soon, hell get to join them.

Theyre just in a much better place now because its never going to happen to em again, he said.

Staff writers Guillermo Contreras, Sig Christenson and John Tedesco contributed to this report. | Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @Kbrad5
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A grand jury has indicted a Live Oak man in connection with the death of a transgender woman on the River Walk in April.

The indictment, returned Tuesday, charged Mark Daniel Lewis, 20, with manslaughter in the death of Kenneth Kenne McFadden, 26, whose body was found April 9 floating in the San Antonio River near East Commerce and South St. Marys streets.

There was no obvious trauma to her body, but San Antonio police later determined someone caused her death.

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McFadden was a black transgender woman who was in the process of transitioning, according to police and family members. At the time that her death was ruled a homicide in June, authorities did not describe a motive for the killing but did not rule out her gender identity as a contributing factor. Nationwide, transgender women of color are disproportionately the targets of violence, according to advocacy groups.

The indictment alleges Lewis did recklessly cause the death of McFadden by pushing or causing the complainant to enter into a body of water, or by knowing that the complainant was impaired by alcohol, failing to assist the complainant from the body of water, which acts and omissions caused the complainants death, the indictment states.

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The grand jury added a repeat offender enhancement allegation stemming from a prohibited sexual conduct offense from 2013 when Lewis was a juvenile, according to the indictment.

Lewis bond was set at $20,000. He was not in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.

Manslaughter is a second-degree felony. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 20 years in prison, however it is unclear whether the enhancement would change the range of punishment.

The case has been assigned to the 187th state District Court, presided by Judge Joey Contreras.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
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Authorities have identified the man and woman who were found dead in a North Side San Antonio home after a suspected murder-suicide shooting.

William Scott Smith, 54, is believed to have fatally shot his wife, 46-year-old Jennifer Smith, before turning the gun on himself. Their three young children were at school during the killing.

Though William Smith's motive is still unclear, court records indicate that Jennifer had filed for divorce earlier this month.

RELATED: 2 people found dead after SWAT situation concludes on North Side

Now Playing: Dozens of officers, many with rifles at the ready, respond to a home in the 13000 block of Possum Tree on San Antonio's north side on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Video: San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said on Monday that Smith called police before 11 a.m. and stated that he planned on killing his wife and then himself. When responding officers arrived to the Smith home in the 13800 block of Possum Tree, located in a quaint neighborhood on the North Side, they heard one gunshot, followed shortly afterwards by another.

Then, "everything went quiet," said San Antonio Police Sgt. Tobe Whitley.

All the doors to the home were locked, the shades were drawn and security cameras lined the home so police requested help from a SWAT unit.

After about two hours, police shot tear gas into the home and breached the door.

They found the couple dead in a room upstairs, officials said. Police said the man apparently used a handgun.

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Raul Alvarado, a 63-year-old neighbor who's known the couple for years and used to walk dogs with them, said Jennifer was a competitive shooter and William had retired from the military.

"They seemed real good as far as I knew," he said.

Anthony Magnabosco, a close friend of William, said he rushed to his home on Monday after William cancelled their lunch plans and posted a strange message to Facebook.

"It just said 'Goodbye,'" he said.

"I thought that it was unusual," he continued. "He normally just posts funny things: puns, dad jokes. He doesn't usually post cryptic, serious things like that."

Mangabosco said he and Smith were members of Freedom From Religion and that Smith helped people cope with leaving religion.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus used a brief speech in Houston Tuesday to thank business leaders for fighting the bathroom bill and worked in praise for a Republican ally whom Gov. Greg Abbott has targeted for defeat.

Before introducing Harris County Judge Ed Emmett at a speech at the NRG Center, Straus started by lauding the Greater Houston Partnership with a clear reference to the battle over bathroom bill legislation that engulfed the Legislature's agenda earlier this year.

"When the business community in Texas needed to be heard this year, the Greater Houston Partnership took the lead and spoke up and Texas is a better place because of it," said Straus, a San Antonio Republican who announced he will not run again for speaker of the House after his current term ends.

While the Legislature was debating the bathroom bill during a special session in the summer, the Greater Houston Partnership released a letter calling on Abbott and legislative leaders to avoid doing anything to harm the state's economic growth, including passing the bathroom bill.

The proposed bathroom bill legislation, which passed the Senate but died in the House, would have required people to use the bathroom in schools and government buildings of the gender that is listed on their birth certificate. Opponents of the bill said it would have discriminated against people who are transgender.

Straus also used his few minutes on stage to work in praise for State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston. Earlier this month Abbott endorsed Davis' GOP primary opponent Susanna Dokupil. Straus told the crowd on Tuesday that Davis is "another outstanding public servant from Harris County."

Jeremy Wallace writes about state politics and government for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter at @JeremySWallace
AUSTIN -- Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is being challenged in the 2018 Republican primary by Trey Blocker, a lobbyist and Austin attorney who specializes in ethics law  and the race is already looking like it could get ugly.

"We need a commissioner who's going to be an articulate, intelligent voice for our core conservative values. I'm tired of the talk. It's time for action," Blocker said in a video announcing his candidacy Wednesday.

Blocker's candidacy could pose one of the most serious state-wide primary challenges this election cycle. Few other Republicans are facing serious GOP contenders in the March 6 primary, although potential candidates have until Dec. 11 to file to officially run for office.

Miller has been involved in several personal controversies, including taxpayer-funded out of state trips that included a stop to compete at a rodeo and a visit to Oklahoma for a "Jesus shot." He agreed to refund the money from his trips and was not charged with any wrongdoing.

His Twitter account once retweeted a post that referred to Hillary Clinton by a vulgar four-letter term, and his Facebook account regularly shares controversial posts, which this week included sharing a made-up news story.

"Over the past four years, we've witnessed a career politician embroiled in ethical controversies, grow government and raise taxes to a level that would make Bernie Sanders proud," Blocker said in the video.

Miller, who is in his first term as commissioner, fired back with political shots at Blocker.

Miller posted on his Facebook page that the race will focus on agriculture community issues, like handling falling commodity prices, wildfires, hurricanes and federal farming legislation.

He then chided Blocker for working as a lobbyist, including his time lobbying for the chemical giant, Monsanto. He added Blocker "doesn't know the first thing about agriculture."

"It's hard to take him seriously when he claims his ag experiences comes from cleaning out horse stalls as a kid or being a hired-gun lobbyist for Monsanto. Trey Blocker doesn't know jack-diddly about Texas ag," Miller said in a statement.

Andrea Zelinski covers state government, politics, elections and the courts for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.
Armando C. Flores, who throughout his 30-plus-year career with the San Antonio Fire Department encouraged many youngsters to follow in his footsteps, died Nov. 23 at 90.

He believed it was a good life, his daughter Gloria C. Walker said. The money was good  and theyd still have time to further their education on their days off.

During his own career working 24 hours on, 24 hours off, Flores worked other jobs, including refrigeration repair at the now defunct Joskes of Texas department store and driving a school bus for Holy Rosary Elementary School.

He used to flip burgers at the old Paul Maries on Zarzamora Street, a drive-in hamburger joint, Walker said. We didnt see much of him because he was always working.

More Information Armando C. Flores Born: Jan. 26, 1927, Eagle Pass Died: Nov. 23, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Agustin P. and Maria C. Flores; daughter-in-law Anna Marie Flores Survived by: Wife Consuelo T. Flores; daughters Gloria C. Walker and son-in-law Clarence, Norma Ponce and son-in-law Rudy, Sylvia Flores Espinoza and son-in-law George; son Armando T. Flores Jr.; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren Services: Funeral at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Mission Park Funeral Chapels North, followed by burial at Mission Retama Cemetery, 15940 Lookout Road, Selma See More Collapse

Even so, Flores took time out to guide his four children, encouraging them to join activities in and out of school.

I always played sports, Walker said. Hed get out there in the front yard and throw a ball; he encouraged everybody.

Born and raised in Eagle Pass, Flores joined the Army in 1945 and had just finished basic training when World War II ended.

Meeting his future wife in Eagle Pass, Flores married in 1948.

Moving back to Eagle Pass after his discharge, Flores and his wife decided to move to San Antonio.

There wasnt a whole lot in Eagle Pass, his daughter said. He got a job at Kelly  and was going to tech school at night to learn a trade.

Flores then applied the San Antonio Fire Department. After being hired in the mid-1950s, he started his career at Station #10 on Culebra Road.

An engineer for many years, Flores, who served at various stations through the years, was constantly updating his knowledge of the different areas.

On his days off, we would drive around and find out where the hydrants were, the routes to get there faster, Walker recalled.

Flores was working at Station #26 when in 1967 a frantic mother arrived with her young son in her arms.

The little boy was choking  my dad did CPR on him to keep him alive until they got him to Santa Rosa Hospital, where they did a trach (tracheotomy) on him, Walker said.

The boy, who had swallowed a marble, made a complete recovery.

Cited as a SAFD Hero, Flores also received a certificate of merit from the American Red Cross for his actions.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
The explosion burst across the field, spreading a dust cloud toward Justin Bernal and Anthony Cumpian. The two combat veterans toted rifles as they inspected the blast site they had set up for a morning of gunplay at a South Texas shooting range.

After the target shooting and pyrotechnics, conversation turned to war stories, and from there to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bernal and Cumpian, who are Hispanic, said their upbringing affected how they viewed mental health. For Bernal, who said he has struggled with PTSD, the lack of Hispanic psychiatrists is one barrier to getting help. Another barrier, said Cumpian, a Purple Heart recipient, is that he, like other Hispanic vets, learned early on to bottle up their emotions.

A person's background may have a larger effect on minority veterans and their mental health than once thought. Two studies published this year reveal how African-American and Hispanic veterans face unique challenges with mental health.

"Service members from diverse cultures, ethnicities and racial groups may experience or cope with war-related events differently and thus may be at greater risk for PTSD," Brittany Hall-Clark, an assistant professor of psychiatry at UT Health San Antonio, wrote in an article published this year.

Not only do minority veterans tend to have greater PTSD symptoms, they also face those unique mental health challenges. Internal barriers include learned machismo and fear of weakness. External barriers include distrust of institutions, racism and difficulty accessing treatment, Hall-Clark said.

In another study published this year, one's race and ethnicity were found to be among the biggest predictors of whether a combat veteran will be diagnosed with PTSD. The research by the NYU Langone Medical Center followed 699 Vietnam veterans over 25 years.

Minorities are a growing segment of the veteran population, making up 22 percent as of 2014. In 2040, around a third of all vets will be minorities, according to the National Center of Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

In a nation that has been at war since 9/11, taking care of all veterans may mean acknowledging differences in how people view mental health.

"It's essential to think about cultural competence," Hall-Clark said. "We need to be mindful of how people see their world."

Internal barriers

Cumpian, a cavalry scout, was serving in Paktia province in Afghanistan in December 2012 when he was shot. He recalled one day burning some feces and eating half a ration before helping a fellow soldier wall up their base. A gunman waiting in the bushes must have spotted him, Cumpian said.

The shot of an SPG 9 recoil-less rifle, normally used against tanks, burst 60 feet or so away. Cumpian saw one fragment whistle by his head. Another fragment hit his left arm.

He didn't think the wound was a big deal. Then on the operating table, he saw his doctor's eye through the hole in his arm. After getting patched up, he was back on patrol clearing mines two days later. He cried tears of pain, which he hid behind dark glasses as he gritted through the mission. He learned this while growing up: Grin and bear it.

Cumpian said he learned this lesson during a rough childhood: a parent in prison, foster care until his grandparents adopted him. Emotions stayed hidden. He recalled that his grandparents brought him to a funeral in Mexico, and he bit his tongue, holding back tears, because like many other Hispanic men, he was told men don't cry.

The Army taught the same mindset. In fact, it encouraged it. Then, once he was wounded, people all of a sudden began asking him to open up and share his feelings. "You're introducing a new concept to people," said Cumpian, who now works at a mental health clinic.

Avoidance of traumatic thoughts can lead to self-destructive and dangerous behaviors. Blanca Torres, a Hispanic female veteran of the Iraq and Afghan wars, described how the need to be seen as tough and unemotional in the face of PTSD led to problems self-medicating with alcohol. "You didn't want to be a crybaby," Torres said.

Hall-Clark studied active-duty service members at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Hood as part of the STRONG STAR Multidisciplinary PTSD Research Consortium. She found that minority active-duty soldiers had more negative thoughts about themselves, more self-blame and more numbing when compared with their Anglo peers. A multitude of social, economic and other factors can contribute to mental health, and the stigma against asking for help among minorities may actually worsen the symptoms of PTSD.

"Machismo and the importance of being strong and not showing emotions, that can prevent people from accessing their emotions in the process of healing," Hall-Clark said.

Of all the symptoms of PTSD, numbing and avoidance of traumatic thoughts are seen to be the most tied to culture. Researchers believe that the more a given culture teaches avoidance of emotion, the higher the levels of PTSD symptoms. In 2006, researchers at a California Department of Veterans Affairs Center tested this prediction in a study of 668 police officers.

The paper explored why Hispanic police officers tended to have higher rates of PTSD. The researchers found that Hispanic officers had similar levels of trauma in the line of duty to other officers. What was different was that they were more likely to suppress their emotions during the moment of trauma and they were more likely to blame themselves afterward.

Hispanic service members similarly suffered at higher rates than their peers. A National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study found that among male combatants, 28 percent of Hispanic vets had PTSD, compared with 21 percent of African-American vets and 14 percent of Anglo vets.

Cumpian said that when he began referring fellow soldiers to mental health resources, the stigma of asking for mental health applied to everybody, but especially for minority soldiers. Cumpian has not been diagnosed with PTSD and does not think he has it. Still, he said he believes that many combat vets come home damaged in some way.

"You see a lot of people who grew up without a support system, who should be jumping at the chance to get help, (but) don't," Cumpian said.

External barriers

Disparities in health care aren't just in mental health, but across the medical field overall, said Cynthia Macri, who serves on the Japanese American Veterans Association and while in the Navy assisted senior leaders on diversity issues.

"There is now an abundance of research highlighting disparities in treatment  and, indeed, in death/survival rates  among majority and minority patients who present for care in emergency rooms for any disease or condition," Macri said.

The Veterans Health Administration chartered a health care equality work group in 2011. Veterans provide a unique window into differences among races and ethnicities in health. The VA system eliminates many of the financial factors present in the civilian marketplace, yet in its latest report, the work group found greater proportions of minority vets reporting barriers to care.

While there may be a variety of reasons, Marci said one of the biggest barriers is when there is a mismatch in the way patients and providers perceive each other. Cultural barriers, or the fear of them, can prevent minority soldiers from seeking doctors or psychiatrists.

For Bernal, a Marine vet, going to the hospital was not seen as an option when he grew up. Like Cumpian, he had an upbringing that taught him to be strong and stoic in the face of wounds both physical and mental.

Bernal said deploying to Afghanistan as a combat engineer meant weeks of clearing routes and waking up to mortar rounds and mayhem. He recalled how he once saw a good friend blown up, but there was no time to think about feelings then. Only the mission.

When he did want to talk about his experience, Bernal said he found it difficult to connect to his non-Hispanic squad members. They would ask "touchy-feely" questions tangential to what he cared about, and he said he spent a lot of time explaining himself.

His Hispanic friends, however, understood what was important to him. It wasn't just that his friends could speak Spanish, but that they had grown up the same way he did. Because he was around people who had similar childhood experiences, Bernal said, he didn't have to waste time explaining what he meant.

He could say the words, "You know how it is." And they did. His non-Hispanic friends always asked about bullets and bombs, and although those issues mattered somewhat, Bernal said, his Hispanic friends knew that family troubles back home mattered just as much, if not more.

"Family is really important to me. ... Other guys, I'd have to explain it, but Hispanic guys I wouldn't have to explain it, I could go to the next point," Bernal said.

After his deployment, Bernal said he was ushered before an older Anglo doctor for a checkup. Rote questions from someone he didn't relate to led to rote answers. He decided that going at that point to psychiatrists would be pointless, a choice he would uphold even as he struggled with PTSD back home. If there were more Hispanic doctors, he said, he might have reconsidered.

"If I go to a white doctor, he wouldn't understand," Bernal said. "Why would I talk to someone who wouldn't understand?"

Minority vets are more likely to drop out of mental health treatment early, according to a 2017 report on views of VA mental health care. The National Center for PTSD report found that minority vets were more likely to have "lower-quality relationships with their primarily white mental health care providers," with less communication, more emotional distance and shorter appointments.

"People of color are less likely to seek and receive mental health care," said Lindsay Bira, assistant professor of psychiatry at UT Health San Antonio. "Part of that might be cultural, distrust of services, some may be less access to care. ... It can be hard to get someone in the door if they feel the therapist isn't a good match."

The field of psychiatry is predominantly Anglo and male, which leads to difficulties serving minority veterans, psychiatrist Mrudula Rao said. Rao runs a PTSD clinic in San Antonio and has treated veterans for PTSD. She said therapists should tailor treatment to a person's specific cultural values and beliefs, which may mean including a patient's family or faith.

"There's such a stigma to pursue mental health," Rao said. "And then when you come across a clinician who's not aware of your cultural needs, then that's another step back."

Talking about what's going inside one's brain can be a frustrating and sensitive process. Eddie Bell, an African-American veteran, said he served in Vietnam and was assigned to a morgue. Decades later, Bell said, he found himself in front of an Anglo VA doctor, talking about how he was feeling and wondering why he and the doctor seemed to be talking past each other.

For Bell, there seemed to be a disconnect between his doctor and him, but he couldn't deduce a reason. Was it because of differences in race, or in age or experience? The racism he faced growing up in the Jim Crow-era South was blatant. Now, racism is more subtle, Bell said, and he retains the wariness he learned years ago, on whether he can trust another person not to judge him unfairly.

"'Are you really hearing me?' You're trying to figure it out," Bell said.

Hispanic veteran Albert Mireles felt the same way when he first went to therapy  which notably was the first time he stormed out of therapy at the VA. "When you seek help, it's anything that turns you off. If the person doesn't show much concern or much interest," said Mireles, who served as commander of VFW 76 and now directs veterans to seek help.

People may vary in how much they identify with one identity over another as well, researcher Hall-Clark said. Not all studies consistently found that race and ethnicity had significant effects on PTSD.

Kat Cole, an Asian-American vet, is now director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Family Endeavors. Cultural barriers and stigma against mental health are real, Cole said.

What is needed is not special treatment but consideration for veterans of all backgrounds.

"It's very important for practitioners, nurses, doctors to be very culturally competent with their clients, so they can build rapport," Cole said, "so they can identify any kind of resistance or barriers."
1 Taiwan activist: China sentenced a Taiwanese activist to five years in prison Tuesday for holding online political lectures and helping the families of jailed dissidents in a conviction demonstrating how Beijings harshest crackdown on human rights in decades has extended beyond the Chinese mainland. The trial of Lee Ming-che was also Chinas first known criminal prosecution of a nonprofit group worker since Beijing passed a law last year tightening controls over foreign nongovernmental organizations.

2 Bali volcano: The international airport on the Indonesian island of Bali remained closed for a third day due to an erupting volcano. Airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said Wednesday that volcanic ash has not been detected at the airport, but observations showed it has reached an altitude of 25,000 feet and was being blown toward the airport. Tuesdays closing affected more than 440 flights carrying more than 59,500 passengers. Mount Agung has been at the highest alert level since Monday and has spewed clouds of ash for days.
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Counsel in the tech, life sciences and chemistry sectors say they would like more assurance over litigation funding and how it works  many still see it as too much of a gamble
Kozhikode : Kerala JD(U) president M P Veerendra Kumar today announced his decision to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Kumar said he did not want to continue as the Member of Parliament of the party led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Veerendra Kumar, the chairman and managing director of the Malayalam daily newspaper Mathrubhumi, is also a director in PTI.

'I have taken a decision to resign from Rajya Sabha. I do not wish to continue as RS member under Mr Nitish Kumar who joined sangh parivar', he told reporters. Kumar was elected to the Rajya Sabha in March 2016. I have already communicated the decision to Mr Nitish Kumar", he said. Asked when he will put in his papers, Kumar said 'I will let you (media) know'.



On his plans, Kumar said: "First we will discuss about party's future in the state committee and decide further course of action. He said the Bihar Chief Minister told him not to resign and that he considers him as one of the tall socialist leaders in the country. PTI
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MARTINSVILLE  Apparently this will be the only Christmas shopping season in which the former Kmart building on Greensboro Road will be empty.

Rural King, which bills itself as Americas Farm and Home Store, plans to open in the 86,479-square-foot storefront in Southside Plaza next fall, a sign on the front of the building proclaims.

A family-owned retailer, Rural King has more than 100 stores in 12 states. It averages opening about 10 new stores a year. The stores sell more than 60,000 products ranging from farm and agricultural supplies to clothing, housewares and toys. Free popcorn and coffee are available to shoppers, its website shows.

Real estate and marketing employees at Rural Kings headquarters in Illinois did not respond to phone messages for comment on Tuesday.

A map of store locations on the website has a star over the Martinsville area, indicating the company plans to establish a store here.

Kmart operated in the Martinsville area for at least four decades before it closed the Greensboro Road store about a year ago. At the time, a company spokesman said the discount department store chain was closing unprofitable stores.

The shopping center is owned by Southside Plaza LLC, a firm with investors who live in California, according to Donna Morrison, vice president of Lester Properties in Martinsville, which helps the firm market available properties in the strip mall.

Rural King bought the former Kmart building and the section of parking lot immediately in front of it from Southside Plaza LLC, according to Morrison and Norman Moon, first vice president with Cushman & Wakefield, an international commercial real estate services company involved in the transaction.

Reached away from his office, Moon was unable to recall the exact sale price, but he said it was about $1 million.

Moon described Rural King as being similar to Tractor Supply Co., a chain with a store in the Sheffield Square shopping center on Greensboro Road a couple of miles south of Southside Plaza. However, he said that Rural King stores are larger. Therefore, they are able to sell more products.

Tractor Supply stores average around 15,500 square feet, with a similar amount of retail space outside, according to that companys website.

The closest existing Rural King store to Martinsville is in Radford. The chain plans to open a store in Wytheville  in another former Kmart space  in the spring, online information shows.

Rural King has been expanding in this part of the country, and they are taking over a lot of (former) Kmart stores, Moon said. The storefronts are the right size for Rural Kings needs, he said.

Were really excited to get something done to fill the former Martinsville Kmart space, Moon added. There often is not as much demand by retailers for properties in rural localities as there is for properties in metropolitan areas with larger populations, he said, so filling rural retail properties  especially larger ones  can be a challenge.

Those larger buildings can be divided into smaller storefronts, Moon pointed out.

Still, having a single user for a box like that (former Kmart building) is ideal, he said.

Rural King has not yet begun hiring for its Martinsville store, a job listing page on its website indicates.

Lisa Fultz, president of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, referred questions about Rural King to Morrison. The chamber works with the city and county to spur development and growth among small businesses locally. An Alabama firm, Retail Strategies, works with the chamber in trying to convince retail and restaurant chains to come to the community.

Morrison said Cushman & Wakefield mostly was responsible for attracting Rural King to Southside Plaza, which is just south of Martinsville.

Henry County Administrator Tim Hall, who is vice chairman of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp.s board, was unaware of Rural Kings intentions to locate in the community until he was told by the Martinsville Bulletin on Tuesday.

Any retail development is a positive for the community, Hall said. We certainly welcome Rural King.
SPRINGFIELD -- Students who complete training programs for at least two table games at the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute, soon to open in Springfield, will get a guaranteed tryout with MGM Springfield, according to a news release issued Wednesday.

Prospective students interested in training to run table games like blackjack, poker, craps and roulette can start registering Dec. 6 at the new MCCTI Gaming School.

There will be an open registration event at 10:30 a.m. in the MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., in the exhibit hall pre-function space. Computers will be set up so folks can register on the spot.

Prices for the training courses vary, from up to $199 for a four-week course, like for mini-baccarat, to as much as $599 for the 10-week course required for craps. Students will need good math skills.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

MCCTI, along with Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College through their Training and Workforce Options (TWO) collaborative, will host a news conference Dec. 6 to roll out the program.

A website with basic information on the program is already available at mccti.org. The two colleges promise to add details -- like times and dates of open houses, the cost students will pay for each course, and a course schedule -- between now and Dec. 6.

Classes begin Feb. 26, 2018. MCCTI's goal is to run two cohorts of students through a 15- to 20-week program before the $960 million MGM Springfield casino opens for business in September 2018.

"HCC's collaborations with STCC make this a top priority and this partnership with MGM Springfield aligns with our long history of helping people in the community find career pathways, HCC President Christina Royal said in a news release.

"A core value for us as a community college is to help strengthen our regional workforce," said STCC President John B. Cook. "Through our MCCTI collaboration, we are absolutely ready to contribute to this new and important aspect of economic development."

MGM will provide $1.4 million of in-kind funding for the training school. That will come in the form of space, equipment and staff to teach courses, the colleges have said in the past. The classrooms are under construction on the ninth floor of MGM-owned 95 State St.

The first classes will cover the basics of gambling operations, customer service, security, problem gambling and the specifics of Massachusetts casino laws.

That basic class will be followed by courses on specific games of chance and how to run them. Advanced courses include: craps, baccarat, blackjack, poker, pai gow tiles, pai gow poker, roulette, slot machine attendant, slot machine repair and surveillance training.

The schools estimate there will be about 1,000 applicants and the school will enroll 550 in the next year. Of those, 400 will graduate and be the casino gambling floor workers MGM says it needs.

MGM Springfield has promised the state that it is creating 3,000 permanent jobs. A rough breakdown of those jobs calls for MGM Springfield to hire at least 1,000 workers on the casino floor including dealers, pit managers, slot machine technicians and the like. The casino also will need 800 food, beverage and culinary workers and 115 hotel workers.

MGM expects to hire 55 for engineering and maintenance, 500 for general administration and 80 for valet parking, bus greeters and similar jobs.
Although more than a half-century has passed since John F. Kennedy was assassinated on the streets of Dallas, the legacy of JFK lives on.

In celebration of the centennial of his birth, the late president - and his family - will take center stage at the D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield beginning Dec. 8. Working with the Smithsonian Institution, the museum will offer the multimedia exhibit "Jack and Jackie: The Kennedys in the White House" through March 2018.

According to Heather Haskell, Vice President and Director of Art Museums, the upcoming exhibit features historically significant photography with an immersive and educational display celebrates history on a national - and local - scale.

"At the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, we have the exhibition 'Jack and Jackie,' featuring 27 very large scale black and white photographs taken by Richard Avedon, who is one of the most important photographers of the 20th century. These photos were taken about 3 weeks before Kennedy was inaugurated," said Haskell.

Haskell said that while Avedon was the only photographer allowed to take photos of the first family between Kennedy's 1960 election and inauguration day on January 20, 1961, the photos themselves - on loan from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. - offer a rare glimpse into the family's personal lives by way of an unlikely source.

"These photos were commissioned by Harper's Bazaar, the women's fashion magazine. Nobody is quite sure how contact was made with the Kennedy family, but the editor at the bazaar was interested in Jackie Kennedy and her fashion sense," said Haskell. "These photos are striking because Avedon photographed them against a blank, white piece of paper. You don't have any distractions in the background. So they become very powerful black and white images that are pretty masterful in describing the personality of the Kennedy family. You get a very intimate sense of them."

Not unlike other displays at the museum that dive far below the surface, Haskell said the exhibit doesn't stop there, offering up plenty of information for photography enthusiasts.

"I think what makes the show even more interesting is that you have the finished photographs published in Harpers Bazaar, and also the contact sheet, enlarged as part of the show; we talk about how Avedon takes the photographs and manipulates them a bit to create the final version. We talk about the artistic process behind it. We're having a lot of fun pointing those changes out," she said.

Haskell said that the museum will also feature supplementary exhibits ranging from a full-fledged recreation of Kennedy's Oval Office to a companion display in the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, "Collecting Camelot," featuring time capsule-quality items from the Kennedy era.

"Also at the Museum of Fine Arts, we have a replica of the Resolute desk. We're actually working with a film company called Reelz that did a miniseries on the Kennedy's, they've very generously lent us costumes and props which we're showing along with authentic pieces of the Kennedy administration," said Haskell. "The third part of the show is a very extensive timeline of both John and Jackie's celebration and encouragement of the arts. We talk about how they really promoted and supported visual arts, music, and how they brought that into the White House with programs such as the National Endowment of Arts."

In addition, Haskell said the immersive exhibit's companion piece, "Collecting Camelot," will offer visitors to the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History the opportunity to see unconventional ways the Kennedy family's legacy has persevered through history.

"We'll be featuring a selection of vintage items from the Kennedy period as well as modern objects that highlight the continuing legacy of John and Jackie today. I think people will recognize a lot of things when they go into the show," said Haskell. "People will see things that display how the Kennedy's have lived on with different objects. We also feature a lot of campaign memorabilia, such as buttons and coasters."

Similar to other exhibits, Haskell said the Springfield Museums took great care to also recognize and celebrate local history, reaching out to the community to augment the exhibits with a local touch.

"John F. Kennedy had strong ties to Western Massachusetts. There are still a lot of people in the community who worked with the his campaign who have been generous enough to share some of their keepsakes. We really want our exhibitions to resonate with the local community; we try to always make sure our displays have pertinent meaning for our visitors," said Haskell.

Smithsonian Week in Springfield will take place Dec. 7 - 14 to celebrate the centennial of John F. Kennedy's birth. Jack and Jackie: The Kennedys in the White House will be on display from Dec. 8, 2017 - March 25, 2018 at the D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts. For more information, visit https://springfieldmuseums.org/exhibitions/jack-jackie-kennedys-white-house/.
SPRINGFIELD -- A library. A community bulletin board. A farmer's market.

In the eyes of Jessica Poser, professor of Art and Community Engagement at Springfield College, these elements can exist as one not only as a way to engage students, but to help the area community.

By way of the Habitat for Artists collective, Poser and her students recently began work on one such project, located at 235 Eastern Ave. in Springfield.

"This building was bought by Springfield College a year ago to serve as the site of the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement," said Poser, noting that the current center is located temporarily at 385 Eastern Ave. "For now, they want to keep the site active. There's a lot of foot traffic here. There's a daycare. We chose this site for the project because it feels like part of the community, not the college."

Poser, who said she has done similar projects as part of the Habitat for Artists collective in New York City, the Hudson Valley and Washington D.C., said this past Friday was the project's kickoff, with the final product intended to serve as an important part of the neighborhood's culture.

"I'm a faculty member at the college. The students are the ones putting it together. One thing that seems to be lacking is this sense of community engagement. So, there is going to be a bulletin board, a free library, and we've realized this neighborhood is a food island, so we want to provide access to fresh vegetables and a farmer's market," she said, adding that similar projects have been constructed with recycled materials and challenge artists to find new ways to engage in creative work.

Poser said that the building, which will serve as both an art installation for students and community resource, is a work-in-progress designed to be sustained by way of word-of-mouth within the area community and will eventually feature an on-site bike shop courtesy of Springfield College.

"It's walking distance from the college, but a very different demographic. But people share so many of the same interests. It will become much more beautiful as we go. It's going to take some time, and some word-of-mouth, but we just want to get involved. We want to see what interests people," she said.
SPRINGFIELD - A nationwide collection which benefits Catholic religious, particularly those struggling with the health care needs of elderly members, will be taken up locally at Masses on Dec. 9-10.

It is a collection that Sister Joan Ryzewicz, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph, says has assisted area efforts to care for the aging nuns, who taught in diocesan schools without salaries for decades.

"Due to the great generosity of thousands of benefactors, I am happy and grateful to be able to tell you that the community finds itself in a more financially stable position," Ryzewicz said.

"In addition to the overwhelming response to the 'Support the Sisters' campaign, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield received a grant in June in the amount of $319,452 from the National Religious Retirement Office's National Retirement Collection, which of course included a substantial amount collected in parishes throughout the diocese of Springfield. That annual collection is taken up specifically for the care of aging Religious and therefore that is how the money is being used."

Ryzewicz noted that prior to the "Support the Sisters" capital campaign, that launched publicly in 2015 and ended this summer with $8 million raised, her community "struggled financially and for years, worried about how we could best care for our elderly members."

The campaign exceeded its original goal of $5 million needed to erase a projected deficit and, coupled with the grant from the NRRO, Ryzewicz said the income puts the community in a "more financially stable situation than we have been," though she cautioned "stable is relative" and that fund-raising efforts would continue to guard against future uncertainties.

The Sisters of St. Joseph here, headed by a newly elected leadership team under Ryzewicz, has said about 31 percent of its members require nursing home care, assisted living, or services to live independently.

Some 65 percent of the congregation's approximately 190 members are retired, with about 17 percent employed full-time and 14 percent part-time.

In 2013, the congregation, which then numbered about 253 members with a median age of 74, faced a projected funding gap that stood at $40 million, and began a number of cost-cutting measures, under a leadership team then headed by Sister Maxyne Schneider, to reduce its annual $9 million budget.

In a 2013 viewpoint article published in The Republican, Schneider shared the congregation's dire financial status.

Response to that viewpoint and a series in The Republican brought $250,000 in unsolicited funds to the congregation.

In November of 2013, diocesan parishes, which include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, took up a one-time designated special collection for the sisters, garnering more than $625,000.

In 2014, the congregation sold its motherhouse in Holyoke, with it 84-bed skilled care nursing home, for $3 million to New Jersey-based Tryko Partners.

The sale resulted in a number of retired sisters being relocated elsewhere, including to two facilities owned and operated in the Eastern end of the state by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston as well as to the Daughters of Mary Marian Center in Holyoke.

According to the congregation, a total of some 4,082 gifts and pledges were made to the Support the Sisters campaign. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield made a $1 million gift early in the drive that originally sought to address a deficit gap that had been pared from the projected $40 million to $5 million.

Recently, the National Religious Retirement Office distributed $25 million to 390 religious communities across the United States, according to the collection's website, through donations to its Retirement Fund for Religious collection.

According to the site, the annual, parish-based appeal is held in most U.S. Catholic parishes each December and benefits more than 32,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests. Its site notes that "hundreds of religious communities lack financial resources sufficient to meet the retirement and health-care needs of aging members," and projects that by 2027 "retired religious are projected to outnumber wage-earners by more than three to one."

The site says, "Roughly 94 percent of donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious directly aid senior religious and their communities."

In expressing gratitude to the National Religious Retirement Office collection, Ryzewicz noted, "The National Religious Retirement Fund has been instrumental in assisting us in our time of need."

"From experience, we know that the National Religious Retirement Office has made a difference in the lives of religious communities across our nation. We hope people will continue to support the National Retirement Collection so that religious communities of men and women in need will benefit as they bring compassionate care to all their members," said Ryzewicz who also expressed gratitude the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and the Daughters of Mary for their "gifts of hospitality" for housing retired members displaced by the sale of the Mont Marie motherhouse.

The Springfield diocese said diocesan parishes contributed nearly $89,000 to last year's retirement collection.
SPRINGFIELD - As anybody who's waiting -- or has a loved one waiting -- for an organ transplant knows all-too-well, supply and demand are two different things.

That's why when Baystate Medical Center's Transplant Division recently performed a life-saving, nine-way transplant on Michael Dancosse on Nov. 15, hospital officials agreed that technology and communications systems have advanced to a point where it's time to address some of the biggest problems facing transplant recipients: The waiting list.

According to Dr. George Lipkowitz, medical director of the Transplant Division at Baystate it's critical for people seeking transplants, seeking donors - and for the general public - to understand the different types of kidney transplant procedures and Baystate Medical Center's participation in a nationwide exchange program.

Basically, there are four different types of potential donors. Two of which are living, two of which are deceased. For living donors, and there used to be one type. It started with living related donations, such as a first degree relative, because you could match them better. But as immunosupression got better in the 1980s and 1990s, 'matching' no longer took importance in a successful transplant," said Lipkowitz.

In the case of Dancosse, who suffers from an extremely rare and progressive disease called atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, he underwent his fifth kidney transplant, Lipkowitz said. It started with a living donor transplant from Dancosse's brother, Matthew.

However, Lipkowitz was quick to note that his brother's kidney was "incompatible" with Dancosse's body -- making the hospital's participation in the National Kidney Registry crucial.

"In the case of Michael (Dancosse), if I restricted him to one or two donors, he wouldn't have been helped. He was part of a nine-way kidney exchange. Michael received a kidney from a donor in California, while Matthew's kidney was sent to a patient awaiting a transplant in Colorado," said Lipkowitz. "The way it works is this: if we do testing and find that a patient is incompatible with a donor, we register them in the National Kidney Registry and put both the donor and recipient in. The pair gets matched against all other institutions doing the same thing. It matched up with all these people -- if one kidney goes to one recipient, another can go to a different recipient -- like a domino game."

Currently, around 10 percent of all kidney transplants across the United States are done through the National Kidney Registry, with patients avoiding a waiting list that oftentimes eclipses 10 years, Lipkowitz said.

"For people who are hard to match or have donors not compatible with them, we can put them on the registry and they'll get transplanted in less than a year, versus up to five years for deceased donor transplants or ten years for highly sensitized people," said Lipkowitz, noting the oftentimes dire circumstances that patients face.

"There are about 100,000 people waiting for kidney transplants in the United States alone. We do a total of 10-11 thousand deceased donor kidney transplants a year, making it about a ten year wait for most. We do another 6,000 with living donors, who never make it onto the list," he said.

Joyce Fiorentino, Baystate's longtime transplant coordinator, offered nothing but superlatives about the possibilities that the National Kidney Registry has opened up for patients.

"After the (Dancosse) brothers were tested and admitted in the exchange program, I'd say within a day, we had a potential offer. Prior to the offer we took, we had two others and it went through very quickly. It was great. Otherwise, Michael would still be waiting on a waiting list and not transplanted as quickly as he was or received a living donor kidney," she said.

Fiorentino, who said she has dedicated the majority of her career to helping those with kidney issues, said that programs such as the National Kidney Registry have opened up doors for patients and donors alike.

"Years ago, for people who have a willing donor but that donor is incompatible, that would be that. Now, they can not only help their loved one, but eight other people could receive transplants. There are now nine people who had transplants as a result of one donor," she said.

The hospital's work with the registry serves as a call to action to further educate the public in the possibilities - and benefits - that organ transplants encompass, she added.

"We have a lot of work to do in educating people about the living donor transplants and the exchange option. When the opportunity arose to become a part of these programs, Baystate got on board early. We talked to people about it. And I'm proud that Baystate is so committed. People don't have to go to Boston. They can do it right here in Springfield," she said.

Fiorentino also noted that some donors - known as "altruistic donors" - come forward seeking to donate a kidney without a recipient in mind.

"We also have people who are non-directed donors. People who have no particular recipient in mind. They contact our program and want to be a donor. Altruistic, or non-directed donors. And those people can start long chains of transplants as well. We've worked with a couple of those wonderful people. It seems to be becoming less rare. More and more people are considering that option," she said.

To learn more about becoming a living kidney donor, call Baystate Medical Center's Transplant Services at 413-794-2321.

For information about organ and tissue donation, contact LifeChoice Donor Services at 1-800-874-5215.
An armed robbery suspect led police on a wild manhunt overnight on Wednesday, from Everett to Revere to Chelsea.

The East Boston suspect led officers from the Revere Police Department and Massachusetts State Police on an hours-long chase after allegedly committing an armed robbery in Everett.

Shortly after announcing their manhunt, Mass. State Police said the suspect had driven a white van into an in-ground swimming pool on Butler Street in Revere.

Wild chase starts with #Everett armed robbery, allegedly leads to van in pool and eventual arrest in #Revere. Live reports all am on #NBCBoston pic.twitter.com/jN2c6JfiHl  Monica Madeja NBC10 Boston (@MonicaNBCBoston) November 29, 2017

The suspect then escaped the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. State Police say officers made "visual contact" with the man along the railroad tracks and power plant near Railroad Avenue and Route 1A as they moved in on him.

Revere search focusing on Railroad Avenue/Rt 1A area after Troopers and Officers made visual contact with suspect at railroad tracks and power plant. Search ongoing. https://t.co/FkMmU8SpeP  Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) November 29, 2017

The East Boston man reached an area behind Global oil company in Chelsea, near the shoreline where the Mystic and Chelsea Rivers meet, before police took him into custody.

Emergency Medical Services transported the suspect to a local hospital for evaluation.
This is a Public Relations Specialist position for the Montana Office of Tourism and Business Developments (MOTBD) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) team.

This position is an integral part of the Montana SBDC Lead Center team. Lead Center program management reflects on the competency, professionalism, and integrity of the Montana Department of Commerce, the SBDC network, the SBA District Office, the ASBDC national network, other SBA Resource Partners, and other statewide referral sources.

https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobdetail.ftl?job=17142228&tz=GMT-07%3A00

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All State of Montana Career Opportunities: https://mtstatejobs.taleo.net/careersection/200/jobsearch.ftl
It seems obvious now  amid the culture shift fueled by the #MeToo movement  to have a conference focused on womens empowerment.

In fact, the idea came to Katrina Elkins in August.

Elkins is the founder of Awakened Heart in Tacoma, a healing center emphasizing self-care and community.

By Debbie Cockrell

[email protected]

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article186772698.html#storylink=cpy
Rural communities across the United States are already building the Internet infrastructure of the future. Using a 20th century model, rural America is finding a way to tap into high-speed Internet service: electric and telephone cooperatives are bringing next-generation, Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks to their service territories. This policy brief provides an overview of the work that cooperatives have already done, including a map of the cooperatives fiber service territories. We also offer recommendations on ways to help cooperatives continue their important strides.

by htrostle

https://muninetworks.org/content/fiber-future-cooperative-policy-brief
A massive influx of computer science majors in Colorado and across the country is overwhelming college and university classrooms as students opt to gain the skills required to fill nearly 500,000 open jobs in cybersecurity, data science and machine learning.

By Monte Whaley | [email protected] | The Denver Post

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Big Sky Code Academy is an accelerated coding school offering online and onsite immersive training for the next generation of programmers. We help students build the future and life they want, by giving them the technology foundation they need. http://www.bigskycodeacademy.org/

Montana Code Girls connects girls and young women with technology in Montana. https://www.facebook.com/mtcodegirls/

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Montana middle schools can apply for grants to add computer science courses http://www.matr.net/article-80069.html
An examination of the Block Ordinance as a panacea for the ailments of modern cities.

The city block itself, no matter how well defined and sized, is insufficient to generate a circulation system of which itself is a derivative element.

Fanis Grammenos

https://www.planetizen.com/features/96016-block-fallacy-or-how-not-build-circulation-system
Twenty African youth-led enterprises have won grant funding of up to $100,000 each in this years African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT) competition. In addition to the grant, each winner benefits from a 12-month accelerator program to help them grow their businesses, deepen their impact and create decent jobs.

The annual competition and awards program for youth-led enterpriseswhich is 50% women-ledis jointly organized by the Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and Climate Investment Funds (CIF). The program is part of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program YouthADAPT flagship pillar (http://bit.ly/3DZH2Tl).

The program boosts sustainable job creation by supporting entrepreneurship and youth-led innovations in climate change adaptation and resilience across Africa. The competition invites young entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions and business ideas that can drive climate change adaptation and resilience.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said: Africas needs cannot be ignored. The youth must be at the center of everything we are doing about climate change. No young person is too young to engage in climate dialogue. Our young people must be part of the solution. They are creative, dynamic, and engaging. They are futuristic and must be part of the solution for climate adaptation in Africa.

We want the youth to speak for Africa and develop solutions for the continent. For this initiative last year, we supported 10 youth-owned and youth-led businesses in Africa with $1 million. This year, we are supporting 20 businesses with $2 million. So, we can expect that next year, we will double efforts to $4 million dollars. Thats the way its going to go for Africa.

Adesina observed that 80% of the winners businesses were in agriculture. He said: Agriculture is the future of Africa. As you know, that has been my gospel for many decades. The lowest bar is for Africa to feed itself. The high bar is for Africa to feed the world. Agriculture is a business. I encourage our young people to do three things: Create, Adapt and Prosper. CAP for short.

Norways Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim commended the enthusiasm that the competition generated among the youth. She said it is important to tailor climate solutions that could be scaled up for the various communities.

That is where the youth of Africa come in  you see the problem; you see the solutions and you have the energy and the resources to deliver and we want to help you with that, She said. She commended the African Development Bank and the Global Adaptation Center for creating the initiative.

Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation spoke about the impact of the award on one of last years winners, Juveline Ngum Ngwa from Bamenda in Cameroon who was able to scale up her business, Bleglee Waste Management. As a result of last years grant, she was able to open a second waste sorting factory and has developed further software for her drones which identify garbage which is blocking drainage systems.

He remarked: Adaptation is good business. But it needs to be at scale. And that is exactly what the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program  the AAAP  does. The AAAP is mobilizing $25 billion over five years to scale up and accelerate adaptation climate adaptation actions across Africa. And one of its four pillars is the YouthADAPT flagship program.

The winning enterprises of the Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge 2022 come from all parts of the continent. Half are female led. They are scaling innovations in critical social and economic sectors affected by climate change. These include agriculture, waste management, water resources and sanitation, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The 2022 winners of the African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge are:

Flushh, Namibia

Green Impact Technologies, Malawi

AgriTech Analytics, Kenya

Baramoda, Egypt

Cassavita, Cameroon

Ecobarter, Nigeria

Farmer Lifeline Technologies, Kenya

Grocircular Agro Services, Nigeria

IRIBA Water Group Ltd, Rwanda

Mpatsa Engineering Company Limited (formerly Sustainable Water Irrigation and Farming Technologies), Malawi

Viva Organica, Botswana

Voltx for Engineering & Industries, Egypt

West African Feeds, Ghana

Kisumeo Organics Limited, Kenya

Agroexpert farming, Senegal

Eurl Algerienne Des Industries Technologiques, Algeria

Lono, Cote dIvoire

Pazelgreen Technologies, Nigeria

Akatale On Cloud, Uganda

Multi-Tech Sustainable Solutions (MTTS), Cameroon

Program organizers received 3,000 applications for this years competition. The top 50 were shortlisted to pitch their innovations before a jury.

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The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) was recently shortlisted as a finalist for the inaugural Associations Advance Africa Awards in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion (particularly of Women and Youth).

AWIEF is proud and excited to announce that, during the 2021 Africa Association Summit, AWIEF was selected as Winner of the Award!

The prestigious awards, established by African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE), recognise association programs and activities that are advancing society and improving the economy (at all levels). It is the highest recognition an association can receive for any impactful program they conduct together with their members.

It is truly a wonderful achievement and a great honour to be presented with this award. It is an everlasting reward of AWIEFs efforts, commitment, and passion towards providing socio-economic and entrepreneurial support for women and the youth and offering them the platform to sustainably grow their women-led businesses and create a positive lasting impact on the African communities.

According to AWIEF founder and CEO, Irene Ochem, This is an African award for an African organisation, underscoring the centrality of Africa in the work of AWIEF. With this recognition, we will continue our work with even more passion, commitment, and determination.

AWIEF sincerely thanks all its partners and sponsors who have generously supported its work along this interesting and exciting journey over these years.

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Merck Foundation , the philanthropic arm of Merck Germany plans to conduct the New Edition of their UNESCO  Merck Africa Research Summit (MARS) 2020 with the aim to Empower Women & Youth in Research on the 13th of October in Lusaka, Zambia on the side of their annual conference Merck Africa Asia Luminary.

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of UNESCO-MARS explained The summit aims to contribute to building research capacity in the African research community, with special focus on The Role of Scientific Research in responding to Cancer and Vaccines Development  Two emerging challenges in Africa. The end objective is to empower African young researchers & women researchers, advancing their research capacity and promote their contribution to STEM.

UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit  MARS 2020 will have scientific support from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), African Union Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (AU-STRC), Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Graduate School, Tata Memorial Centre, India and Merck Foundation.

We will present the Best Young African Researcher Award and the Best African Woman Researcher Award to recognize the outstanding contribution of African Female Scientists with the aim to promote women in research and advance their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

The summit will be a unique opportunity for the winners of a MARS Research Awards to share their research output and findings. It is also an opportunity for networking and career development. The Summit will provide a platform where they will be able to discuss and enable a conducive environment for better research.

Abstracts are invited from final year African PhD students and young investigators involved in research related to either of the following topics: 1) Cancer (specially in women) & 2) Vaccines Development. The applicants should be primarily based at African Research Institutes and Universities, although collaboration within Africa as well as outside is encouraged.

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Public Survey Underway Audio Article Throughout the month of November, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) is conducting an online survey to identify traffic safety concerns and obtain feedback about interactions with the agency. The 2022 Public Survey is anonymous and takes approximately five minutes to complete. The survey is designed to be used as...

Purple Heart Placed on Memorial Audio Article At the second stop during the Veterans Parade Saturday, Jack Bonsell, a Purple Heart recipient, places a purple heart-shaped wreath at the memorial dedicated to all men and women wounded in all wars. This memorial sits on Main Street in front of the Riecker Building.

Controlling Board Approves Funds for Multiple Projects in 20th Senate District Audio Article State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) announced Monday, Nov. 7, the approval of over $34 million for projects across the 20th Senate District by the states Controlling Board. Ensuring our infrastructure, universities, and parks are updated and well maintained is critical for the health of our area, Schaffer said. Im thankful...

Morgan County Veterans Day Parade slated Nov. 11 Audio Article The Morgan County Veterans Day Parade will be held on Friday, Nov. 11. The parade will form at the Commons, in McConnelsville, at 9:30 a.m. and set out at 10 a.m. The American Legion Post 24 will render honors at the monuments at the Commons, Riecker Building, the Square, at...

A concert with two purposes Audio Article Wednesday, Nov. 30, a concert with dual purposes is being held at the Twin City Opera House in McConnelsville, Ohio. Its a thank-you to healthcare workers, who can attend for free, and its a benefit for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. In September 2021, Rick Shriver contracted COVID-19. He collapsed...

BOE reminder of early voting hours and polling location change Audio Article Remaining early voting hours at the Morgan County Board of Elections are as follows: from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov, 2 through Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5; from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m....
Data Analysis and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Kinshasa, DRC

Company Profile:

MSI is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. We operate in some of the most challenging political and economic climates in the world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Iraq. MSI currently employs 800 development experts in the fields of public sector management, monitoring and evaluation, governance and anti-corruption. For more information on MSI, please visit our website at www.msiworldwide.com. MSI has recently become a Tetra Tech Company.

Project Summary

The ACCELERE! (Access, Reading, Retention, and Accountability) program aims to contribute to the improvement of reading outcomes for girls and boys in public primary schools in the DRC in collaboration with stakeholders at the central, provincial and local levels. Jointly funded by USAID and DFID, ACCELERE! aligns with the Congolese government's priorities by supporting the implementation of the Interim Education Plan (2013/14-2015/16), the Education and Training Sector Strategy (2016-2025) and the Letter of Education Policy (2016-2025). This education program is a manifestation of the shared commitment between the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Government of the DRC on the issue of education and improvements in access to education and learning opportunities for girls.

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Coordination Contract (MECC), also known as ACCELERE! Activity 3, is implemented by IBTCI and MSI and serves as the primary mechanism for ensuring access to high quality and relevant data for decision making, facilitating coordination and learning among the ACCELERE! partners, and building M&E capacity within the education sector.

Position Summary

The Data Analysis and Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist will support technical activities for ACCELERE! Activity 3 under the USAID/DRC Monitoring and Evaluation Coordination Contract. (S)He will provide donors, stakeholders and partners high-level, demand-driven technical, analytical, training and related support services for performance and impact measurement, communication and monitoring and evaluation. (S)He will be relied on for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, data mining and data visualization and for monitoring and evaluation capacity building and training.

The position will be based in Kinshasa for approximately four months, and up to 80 days, with an approximative start date of 02 January 2018. The position may be extended beyond the four-month period to accommodate donor-driven requests.

Essential Duties/Tasks and Responsibilities

Analyze quantitative and qualitative data received from ACCELERE! partners, synthesize findings and write summary reports.

Produce user-friendly analysis and presentations of partner results by producing data visualization (graphs and infographics) that communicate ACCELERE! results and findings effectively to the Ministry of Education, USAID, DFID and partners.

Support events that promote collaboration and learning between USAID, DFID, implementing partners and other stakeholders, or that publicize major findings and/or disseminate final evaluation reports, as part of USAID/DRCs learning agenda.

Coordinate the production and dissemination of the monthly and bi-annual ACCELERE! Activity 3 newsletters.

Support the development of a training plan in monitoring and evaluation for the Ministry of Education; draft training modules on performance monitoring, research and evaluation methodologies, indicator development and tracking, reporting tools, etc.

Support the implementation of the internship program by training and mentoring interns to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to design and implement effective M&E systems.

Help coordinate the research agenda for ACCELERE! by participating in meetings, synthesizing and presenting findings.

Assist the MECC Component 2 Education Specialist/DCOP and the M&E Specialist in the review of ACCELERE! indicators and help operationalize indicators by assisting partners with definitions, data collection, data analysis, and target setting.

Qualifications and Experience

Masters degree in a related field (e.g. economics, statistics, mathematics, education, social sciences)

Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated technical expertise in developing and implementing M&E systems and/or providing training in M&E methods and best practices

Demonstrated experience in the management of program results and indicators

Demonstrated quantitative and qualitative data analysis and visualization skills

M&E training/capacity building experience

Experience facilitating and coordinating training and dissemination workshops is desirable

Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and French required

Strong ability to work with data software packages

Have all necessary computer, database, statistical software, and analytical skills, particularly in issues related to monitoring and evaluation.

Proven experience on USAID-funded and/or DFID-funded projects

Familiarity with measurement strategies for early grade reading and life skills preferred

Significant experience in similar positions in the DRC

Experience in the education sector in the DRC preferred

Prior demonstrated collaboration or support to the Ministry of Education in M&E in the DRC is desirable

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.

To apply: Please visit our website, www.msiworldwide.com
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick is in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, today, representing Greece at the European Union-African Union Summit.

On the margins of the Summit, Mr. Quick will have a number of bilateral meetings with his European counterparts and with representatives of African Union member states.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, Nikos Kotzias made an official visit to Singapore on 29 November 2017. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, met Minister Kotzias and hosted him to an official lunch this afternoon.

Both sides affirmed the warm and growing relations between Greece and Singapore, and discussed opportunities to enhance bilateral economic relations, ASEAN, and regional developments. Minister Balakrishnan welcomed the decision by Greece to establish a full resident Embassy in Singapore, and looked forward to the arrival of Ambassador-designate to Singapore, Ms Constantina Koliou, and the opening of the Embassy in Singapore.
BAD AXE  Huron Medical Center will become part of McLaren Health Care in coming months.

The Huron Medical Center (HMC) Board of Trustees announced Wednesday morning that it will pursue an exclusive letter of intent to become a part of McLaren, one of Michigan's largest integrated health systems, and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of McLaren Health Systems in three to six months.

HMC officials say the plan to join the hospital system is to improve access to primary care doctors, as well as specialists.

"Providing the best possible health care opportunities for our community is critical to our hospital's mission," stated William Mayes, CEO of HMC, in a press release.

"We look forward to offering the best in expanded health care for our citizens through this relationship with McLaren Health Care," Mayes added.

The announcement comes following months of negotiations with several Michigan hospitals, the release states. It is expected that the letter of intent will be completed within the next several weeks.

HMC, a 58-bed, acute care hospital, serves residents of Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.

"McLaren shares a common vision with Huron Medical Center to improve access to high quality clinical services and to maximize retention of patients in communities served by the hospital and its physicians," noted Philip Incarnati, President and CEO of McLaren Health Care, in the press relase.

"As a McLaren subsidiary, Huron Medical Center will be a strong strategic fit as the key provider of services in McLaren's Thumb area alignment and growth network. We look forward to working with the hospital's administration, board and physician leadership in moving this relationship forward and building upon the strong foundation they have already established in this region," Incarnati, said.

HMC has been through significant changes this year. In January, 18 jobs were eliminated. A few days later, William Castle was officially named CEO after being in the position on an interim basis for several months. In May, the hospital announced that Castle was stepping down. Mayes was named interim CEO the next week.

HMC is a not-for-profit provider of integrated healthcare. Founded in 1906, it is a full service acute care hospital. For more information visit huronmedicalcenter.org.

McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency.

The McLaren system includes 12 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 450-member employed primary care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 620,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly-owned medical malpractice insurance company.

McLaren operates Michigan's largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 47 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive centers in the U.S. McLaren has 24,000 employees and more than 52,000 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving the entire Lower Peninsula of the state of Michigan, along with a portion of the Upper Peninsula. Learn more at www.mclaren.org.
File photo

CROMWELL  Authorities are asking the publics help as they search for a man who tried to rob a Berlin Road convenience store Monday night, according to a press release from Police Chief Denise Lamontagne.

Cromwell police were called to the Krauszers food mart on Route 3 about an attempted robbery Monday around 8:15 p.m.
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MIDDLETOWN  The day before Thanksgiving was an emotional roller coaster for the Obi family.

Nneoma Obi, a former University of Connecticut student who just turned 21, finally arrived home from the health care center she called home for two years following an accident that left her in a coma suffering a traumatic brain injury.

On Oct. 24, 2015, she was at the familys Wanda Lane home during a wake for her uncle who had died recently in Nigeria, said her mother Nnoyne Obi, when she choked on a piece of meat. It had lodged in her lung.

Its a Nigerian custom, when someone dies, we invite friends and family to come pray, worship and sing songs, said Nnoyne Obi, a registered nurse.

She put it in her mouth. It was stringy meat. She chewed it one or two times and then swallowed. It was Oli (her 9-year-old brother) who found her. She was taking her last breath, and was on the floor, said Nnoyne Obi, who was in the shower.

Her daughters tongue was protruding and her face was blue, she said.

I flew down the stairs naked. I knew she was choking, her mother said, so she immediately started performing abdominal thrusts. Ive never been on duty and somebody has choked. I couldnt get it out of my daughter.

First responders couldnt determine why she wasnt breathing, her mother said, as they frantically worked on Nneoma Obi. They thought she might have gone into cardiac arrest. In fact, EMS workers asked Nnoyme Obi if there was sudden death syndrome in the family.

She knew exactly what had happened to her daughter, Nnoyme Obi said. It was her mothers intuition.

At Hartford Hospital, medical personnel put Nneoma Obi on life support. After she was on the ventilator for two weeks, the pulmonary doctor told Nnoyme Obi the time could come when the family would have to decide whether to take Nneoma Obi off the assisted breathing machine.

I said, No. That is not an option, her mother said.

Eventually, Nneoma Obi was moved to Waters Edge Center for Health & Rehabilitation on Church Street in Middletown. She became the youngest ever long-term care patient at the facility, said Donna Gecewicz, a massage therapist who owns Body Harmony Therapeutic Massage on Newfield Street.

Her fortuitous meeting with the Obis was meant to be, Gecewicz said  and driven by her late mother. Out of the blue, Nnoyme Obi walked into her massage therapy office in 2015, Gecewicz said. She was startled because she sees clients by appointment only.

In my head, my mother was talking to me. She said, Youd better help this mother and daughter, Gecewicz said.

Soon, she realized she lived four doors away from Waters Edge. It was meant for me to do something.

That evening she met Nneoma Obi and agreed to work on her once a week for free. Those sessions have continued since.

Massage is great for brain stimulation, Gecewicz said. Her muscles are so contracted so I wanted to get her hands released.

Her daughter had aspirations to be a physician, Nneoma Obi said.

She is a hard-working, outgoing, charismatic young woman who always is looking to help others, her mother said.

Knowing two years ago that the only way the family could only bring Nneoma Obi home was if the house was entirely equipped to accommodate her needs, Gecewicz contacted Home Depots regional office to find out if the company could help.

They usually only do this sort of thing for veterans, Gecewicz said.

Turns out, the stars aligned in the Obi familys favor. Home Depot crews entirely renovated the bottom level of their home. What once was an unfinished basement is Nneoma Obis entire suite.

They had to go back several times for more grants, said Gecewicz, who estimated the work at $70,000.

Home Depot paid contractors, a plumber, electrician and others to do the overhaul, she said.

Billy, son of Middletown Police Chief William McKenna and his wife Amanda, is best friends with Oli, Nneoma Obis younger brother. Both attend St. John Paul II School on South Main Street.

The chief said he was supposed to attend the Obi family wake that evening in 2015, starting at 5 p.m. But a few hours before the wake, he heard the 911 call come in and realized who it was. He was astonished  and his family, friends with the Obis for years, was heartbroken, he said.

Two days prior to Thanksgiving this year, the McKennas stopped by to welcome Nneoma home. Amanda McKenna brought over a specialized wheelchair and pushed it up the winding handicapped entrance to the rear of the home.

Inside, as William McKenna talked and joked with Nneoma Obis family, his kids enjoyed pepperoni and cheese pizza while Amanda McKenna stood beside Nneoma and stroked her hair.

Nneoma Obis room is large, well-lit and inviting, with a big-screen television on the wall next to her hospital bed and poster-size welcome home signs hung along the walls.

The neurologist thinks something might click at home. Being at home is the best environment for her. Maybe something will click  a smell, the sound of family surrounding her  because now the relatives are visiting because you have a big space, Gecewicz said. The one thing about the brain is it heals very slowly. Its a slow process, but look at where shes at. She can open her eyes, she can see you. She was in a total coma before.

On the wall behind Nneoma Obis head is a portrait of Gecewicz and her mother, who Nnoyme Obi calls St. Catherine because she feels she was the driving force behind their deepening friendship.

Her brain was deprived of oxygen for an unknown amount of time, her mother said, so Nneoma needs around-the-clock care and many therapies.

When insurance stopped paying for therapy, the family started a Go Fund Me drive to help with mounting expenses. The crowd-funding page has raised $28,364 of its $100,000 goal.

The family needs a handicapped van to transport Nneoma Obi to appointments, rehabilitation and just being able to get out of the house, said her mother.

To try and pay for some of her expenses and make ends meet, Nneoma Obis father works two jobs. Her mother spent the better part of the last two years living at Waters Edge, right beside her daughter, and was unable to work.

Gecewicz said she is eagerly awaiting the day Nneoma Obi wakes up.

I cant wait for that day  and I hope Im massaging her  when she wakes up, she said.

Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day@hearstmediact.com.
EAST HAMPTON  While the fallout from the protracted budget debate continues, the town manager says, at least for now, Were OK.

Michael Maniscalco told leaders this week there is no need for a supplemental tax bill.

Ever since the General Assembly finally adopted a two-year, $40.2 billion budget in late October, a number of residents have expressed concern about the town implementing a supplemental tax. However, both in a conversation prior to Tuesday nights Town Council meeting and then later during the meeting, Maniscalco made it clear there is no need to impose a supplemental tax either now or in the immediate future.

Two weeks ago, the Office of Policy and Management released a report of additional reductions in state aid to the cities and town following the adoption of the state budget compromise.

Basically, they said we were losing another $600,000, Maniscalco said during the conversation that preceded the meeting. That raises the level of state aid that will not be coming to the town to approximately $1.1 million, Maniscalco said.

In tandem with Director of Finance Jeffrey M. Jylkka, Maniscalco said he continues to monitor the financial situation.

Were doing pretty good, Maniscalco said, citing stronger-than-anticipated payments of back taxes, among other positive signs.

Discussing the back-tax payments with the council, Maniscalco said, Were moving along with that pretty steadily, with payments coming in at the rate of $20,000 a week.

In addition, as they built the budget last spring amid the background of continuing uncertainty about when there would be a state budget, the Board of Finance added an additional 0.44 of a mill onto the 2017-18 rate.

That small number had yielded $495,000 in additional revenue to the town, Maniscalco said. On top of that, We have $5 million in general fund fund balance, he told the council.

And a looming tax sale could more than double the income from the collection of back taxes, he said. But beyond that, Legally, we cannot impose a supplemental tax, Maniscalco said.

State law does not permit a municipality to impose such a tax unless the municipality does not have funds to cover its regular operating costs, Maniscalco said.

Because were good stewards of our financial house, we do not need to do anything like a supplemental tax, Maniscalco said.

With the $5 million in fund balance, the anticipated $700,000 from the combination of back taxes and the tax sale, and the $495,000 from the 0.44-mill addition, the town has adequate funding for the immediate future, he said.

Were OK. Were watching, but for right now, were OK, Maniscalco said.

Reporter Jeff Mill covers East Hampton, Portland and Cromwell. Contact him at jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com.
A Russian Su-30 fighter jet buzzed a Navy reconnaissance plane flying in the Black Sea while conducting a routine patrol in international airspace Saturday, an official told Fox News.

The Russian jet crossed 50 feet in front of the Navy P-8 in full afterburner causing "violent turbulence," the official said. The provocation lasted 24 minutes.

It appears to be first known incident of this type since June, when an armed Russian fighter jet buzzed a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The Russian Su-27 jet had air-to-air missiles under its wings and approached the U.S. Air Force RC-135 recon jet "rapidly," coming within 5 feet of the American aircraft, officials said.

Once alongside, the Russian jet was "provocative" in its flight maneuvers and flying "erratically," according to another official.

Earlier this month, U.S. fighter jets intercepted Russian nuclear bombers approaching the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan off the coast of North Korea.

Multiple U.S Navy F/A-18 jets were dispatched to escort two Russian TU-95 bombers away from the ship currently stationed near North Korea and operating in the Sea of Japan, according to Navy officials.

The Russian bombers, capable of executing a nuclear strike, were intercepted merely 80 miles away from the ship, said Navy officials.

Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman described the incident with the Russian air force as "safe and professional."

Saturday's incident, which CNN was first to report, came just weeks after the Russian foreign ministry called the U.S. an "occupying force" in Syria.

There are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Syria, although the Pentagon acknowledges only 500. It's unclear how many will remain following the defeat of ISIS in Raqqa, the terror group's so-called capital.

There are approximately 3,000 ISIS fighters left in Iraq and Syria according to U.S. officials after reaching a height of nearly 40,000 fighters two years ago.
Officials say the device was known as an "unexploded ordnance," or an explosive weapon that did not explode and still posed a...
U.S. Army weapons officials have begun fielding the new Modular Handgun System under a plan to issue the service's new sidearm all the way down to the team-leader level.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky began receiving the new XM17 MHS on Monday and spent time shooting the new pistol today, according to Lt. Col. Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for the 101st Airborne.

The 101st received more than 2,000 MHSs on Nov. 17 and plan to field the new pistols over the next year, O'Donnell said.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, attended the initial MHS fielding to about 25 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, O'Donnell said.

The Army awarded Sig Sauer a contract worth up to $580 million Jan. 19. Sig Sauer beat out Glock Inc., FN America and Beretta USA, maker of the current M9 9mm service pistol, in the competition for the Modular Handgun System, or MHS, program.

The 10-year agreement calls for Sig to supply the Army with full-size XM17 and compact XM18 versions of its 9mm pistol. MHS comes with Tritium sights as well as 17 and 21-round magazines.

One of the challenges of fielding the MHS will be to develop a new training program since the current plan calls for issuing the XM17 to squad leaders and team leaders, a significant change to a policy that excluded junior leaders from carrying M9s.

"The 101st has realized that this weapon is going into a lot more hands than ... what we are authorized to have as equipment," said Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Flynn, the master gunner for the 101st Airborne.

"This weapon is going to go down to the team leader, which is not what we typically have in the 101st or across most light divisions."

The expanded policy will apply to all Army units receiving the MHS, Debra Dawson, spokeswoman for Program Executive Office Soldier told Military.com.

In addition to a standard operator's course, "we are going to do an additional course which is basically teaching that soldier how to transition from that pistol to his M4 and the M4 to his pistol," Flynn said, adding that the 101st is also planning to increase pistol marksmanship training.

"We are putting this weapon into the hands of a lot of younger soldiers who have never fired it," he said.

First Lt. Andrew Borer said "today is a pretty awesome day" after shooting the new MHS.

"The weapon itself is a very simple handgun; it's a very easy handgun to shoot," Borer said. "There is little to no resistance on the trigger. ... It's a very easy weapon to regain our sight picture with and to aim and fire the weapon once we have put a round down range."

Cpl. Jory Herrmann, a team leader in C Company, said it was a great experience being of the first units to fire the MHS.

"It handled really well, very reliable," he said. "We slung a lot of rounds down range today had little to no problems out of them. ... I think it is going to be a great side arm."

Herrmann said he was excited about the plan to issue the MHS to team leaders, like himself.

"In the heat of the fight it will give you an opportunity to maybe change up your tactics," Herrmann said. "It will give us more choices, more options ... which is great for a team leader."

As far as the current M9 pistols, "the Army has decided that in order to maintain that lethality and ensure that everybody has what they need, we are going to maintain the 9mm Berettas until all units have qualified on MHS, Flynn said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
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Bharat Heavy Electricals has successfully commissioned the second unit of 2x30 MW Tuirial Hydro Electric Project in the state of Mizoram.

At 13:16 hrs Bharat Heavy Electricals was quoting at Rs 93.90, down Rs 0.25, or 0.27 percent.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 121.77 and 52-week low Rs 79.74 on 25 April, 2017 and 27 December, 2016, respectively.Currently, it is trading 22.89 percent below its 52-week high and 17.76 percent above its 52-week low.Market capitalisation stands at Rs 34,474.45 crore. Source : BSE

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Air France-KLM and Jet Airways signed a landmark enhanced cooperation agreement for the development of their operations between Europe and India.

At 11:54 hrs Jet Airways was quoting at Rs 667.40, up Rs 10.75, or 1.64 percent.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 727.00 and 52-week low Rs 332.40 on 20 November, 2017 and 27 December, 2016, respectively.Currently, it is trading 8.2 percent below its 52-week high and 100.78 percent above its 52-week low.Market capitalisation stands at Rs 7,581.49 crore. Source : BSE

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Pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, please find enclosed Notice of Twenty Fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company scheduled to be held at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, the December 22, 2017 at Marigold Hotel by Greenpark, Greenlands, Begumpet, Hyderabad-500 016, Telangana, India.The detailed agenda proposed to be taken up along with the other details is provided in the enclosed Notice.Source : BSE

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A Bitcoin (virtual currency) coin is seen in an illustration picture taken at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris, France, June 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration - RTS18C0W

Just a few days after the exchange rate for bitcoin crossed USD 9,000, it scored another milestone early Wednesday soaring past the historic high of USD 10,000.

At the time of reporting, bitcoin was trading at USD 10,052. The market cap for the virtual currency also reached a historic high of USD 168 billion, according to the Coindesk Bitcoin Price Index.

Ethereum or Ether, which has also seen a stellar run this year rising almost 6,000 percent YTD, was trading at USD 486.43, down from its all-time high of USD 489.62 attained on November 27.

Also Read: Explainer: What is bitcoin and how does it work?

The oldest cryptocurrency in the world has seen a massive surge in its valuation in last eleven months riding on surging demand and high trading volume. It has seen a near ten-fold rise in valuation from USD 997.69 on January 1 to now. In the month of November alone, the cryptocurrency has soared by over USD 3,550.

The total market capitalisation of the cryptocurrency market touched USD 300 billion on Monday for the first time ever.

Also Read: Energy consumed by bitcoin miners around the world is more than over 150 countries

Virtual currencies have also seen a gradual increase in acceptance across the world. Japan has already legalised it as a legal tender. Last week, payment gateway Billdesk launched Indias first cryptocurrency exchangeCoinome.

The exchange supports instant deposits using payment gateway and instant withdrawals, thereby allowing transactions even on weekends or business holidays. The exchange plans to support 20 mainstream crypto-currencies by 2018.

The surge in interest also comes on the back of CME's (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) announcement that it will list bitcoin futures in the second week of December. The launch of a derivatives product for the digital currency will mark another step in establishing bitcoin as a legitimate asset class.

Prospects of higher returns have also attracted investors towards the cryptocurrencies, despite various apprehensions expressed by central banks of many countries.
Mitessh Thakkar of miteshthacker.com told CNBC-TV18, "Buy Wipro with a stop loss of Rs 294 for target of Rs 306."

"NHPC is also a buy with a stop loss of Rs 27.40 for target of Rs 29.50," he added.

"Buy Dish TV with a stop loss of Rs 82 for target of Rs 86."

"Sell Vedanta with a stop loss of Rs 302.50 for target of Rs 292," he said.
business Bajaj Auto's quadricycle is just one step away from hitting Indian roads Sources have told CNBC-TV18 that the road transport ministry is likely to release a final notification allowing the production of quadricycles in India by January next year.
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As the telecom sector consolidates, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal has said that his company is open to acquiring debt-ridden Aircel, in an interview with The Economic Times.

Speaking to the newspaper, Mittal said that Airtel was open to acquisition talks with Aircel. He added that Aircel has two options, either to join Vodafone-Idea or go ahead with Airtel.

"Whenever there will be a possibility of a conversation, I have no doubt, we will be a part of that conversation," he said.

Aircel's debt was earlier pegged at around Rs 18,000 crore but was partly adjusted after it sold its 2100 MHz spectrum to Airtel for Rs 3,000 crore.

In October, Reliance Communications (RCom) had called off its merger with the ailing Aircel, following legal and regulatory hurdles.

Last week, Aircel had denied media reports that it was shutting down in 14 circles and said that it was trying to build a profitable business.

Airtel's acquisition spree

In October, the company announced merger of its mobile operations with struggling Tata Teleservices. According to the deal, Airtel would acquire Tata's consumer mobile business in 19 circles.

The Sunil Mittal-led telecom firm had also fully acquired Tikona Digital Network and bought Telenor's ailing Indian subsidiary, Telenor India.
Moneycontrol Research

The Indian banking sector, especially the state-owned entities, have hogged the limelight as the governments announcement of a fiscal neutral capitalisation raised hopes of a revival of not only these entities but also the long-buried capex cycle. The quarterly results, therefore, got somewhat relegated to the background. Now that the dust appears to be settling, it is worth checking on the numbers as well as the grand recapitalisation plans to explore if the fortunes of the sector are really changing or is it another hope rally that is likely to dissipate?

PSU Banks in Q218

The analysis of the 21 listed PSU (public sector) banks suggest an improvement in operating performance with a sequential growth in operating profit. However, the higher provisioning mostly on account of the bad assets that have been referred to NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) dented profitability.

So, the overall profitability of the banking sector was driven by the private sector, which delivered a bottomline of Rs 10,632 crore.

NPL addition falling

What stood out in the quarterly performance of PSU banks was the muted net addition to gross NPL (non-performing loan). For the aggregate, the net addition to the stock of NPL was only Rs 1,959 crore which is a sharp decline from the previous quarter. Individual results from the banks also point to declining slippages quarter-on-quarter. Thanks to the higher provision, the overall provision coverage ratio (the percentage of provision that a bank carries against its bad loans) for the group improved by 280 basis points to 46 percent.

The road ahead

However, the future roadmap is contingent on two parameters  business growth and asset quality -- that deserves greater scrutiny.

Lack of capital, and asset quality concerns of PSU banks have been a boon for many of their private sector counterparts as evident from the incremental market share gains in the first half of the current fiscal.

What has worsened the situation for PSU banks is the well-known asset quality problem and lack of core capital to expand business. A large number of banks have CET1 (common equity tier 1) ratio that is below the required 8 percent minimum that will be applicable from FY19.

The danger signals

If one were to prudently adjust the net non-performing assets from the core capital of the banks, some of the banks of the likes of Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank, Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank have completely eroded their capital. In fact, most of these entities are actually de-growing their asset book and have very little visibility. It is worth noting that the combined balance sheet of these chronically troubled entities is close to Rs 17.8 lakh crore with the size of the asset book of approximately Rs 10.6 lakh crore. It is a question of time before these businesses migrate to stronger PSUs or private sector banks.

Will the Great Indian Capitalisation salvage all?

The answer, although premature, may be unequivocally no. If one looks at the aggregate number, the picture is crystal clear. At the end of September 2017, the stock of NPA that doesnt carry provisions is approximately Rs 4 lakh crore.. If one considers the declared restructured assets of the PSU banks to the tune of Rs 1.7 lakh crore, then on this Rs 5.7 lakh crore if conservatively a provision of 45 percent were to be created in the next two years, the provisioning requirement will be close to Rs 2.6 lakh crore. . In essence, it means the recapitalisation amount (Rs 2.11 lakh crore) will mostly be used up for provisioning on assets that are already turning sour without providing much life to the patient in critical care, leave alone the medicine to make them run. So the weak are unlikely to turn strong because of this exercise alone.

In the coming six to eight quarters, the PSU banks may continue to show elevated provisions that might impact profitability, although incremental slippage may not rise.

Back to survival of the fittest?

The government is likely to distribute this capital wisely to make the well-run banks stronger, perhaps with more autonomy and flexibility on top of capital to enable them to truly compete in the global arena. So investors have got to be discerning in choosing their bets.

We feel that well-capitalised private entities will continue to gain market share at the expense of PSU banks as the provisioning pain will linger on for a while for government banks. Although recapitalisation will gradually start alongside resolution of stressed assets, the big issue of restructuring and right sizing of PSU banks might have to wait beyond the General Election of 2019.

However, we are hopeful of some serious gains coming out of this bank recapitalisation/restructuring exercise in the medium to long term. While we do not wish to speculate on the survivors, we have identified nine banks (the six relatively large ones -- State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Union Bank) and three better-managed smaller entities -- Indian Bank, Syndicate Bank and Vijaya Bank-- that will catch investor fancy as the sector remains at the pinnacle of action.
Vardhman Special Steels is on our radar now. The board is likely to consider some fund raising plans. In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Sachit Jain, VC & MD of the company spoke at length about the same.

We are raising funds to meet capex requirement and repay some debt, said Jain.

He further said that we want to have a stronger balance sheet.

Talking about business, he said we are looking at producing 1.5 lakh tonne of steel versus 1.31 lakh tonne year-on-year (YoY).

Jain further said that the current debt to equity ratio is at 0.8:1. However, if we go through capital raising it should come down to 0.25 till we restart investing.

"If this capital raising goes through, we are unlikely to come back to the capital markets for next three-four years," he said.
Kerala-based South Indian Bank on Wednesday announced raising of funds of Rs 490 crore by way of private placements of Basel III compliant Tier 2 Bonds.

Besides augmenting Tier 2 capital, this exercise would further strengthen bank's Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) to support the targeted business growth, the bank said in a release.

"The infusion of fresh capital would improve the CAR by 108 bps, which will take care of the capital requirement for the coming year at the targeted business growth of 18 per cent," South Indian Bank, MD and CEO, V G Mathew said.

The capital position of SIB as on September 30, 2017 was 11.74 per cent which is well above the minimum required level of 10.25 per cent, the release said.
The Congress headquarters is all set for the big day. By the first week of December, the party is expected to have a new president - Rahul Gandhi.

Inside the party office on Akbar Road in central Delhi are telltale signs of a change in the air. The first sign is the new coat of paint for the old building, signifying the out with the old and in with the new message. A room dedicated to media, which was also used for live uplinking, is being dismantled to make space for Rahuls younger social media team.

Sources said the party wants to clean up the mess. To use Rahuls words, it wants to get rid of what is not needed. This can be seen in the old furniture being replaced.

The AICC office on Akbar Road in central Delhi getting a new coat of paint. (Photo: CNN-News18)

Sources say, unlike Sonia, Rahul will spend more time at the party office like Rajiv and Indira did before her. He will also hold regular interactions with the media.

The huge board outside the main gate has been dominated by Sonia Gandhis face for the past 20 years, but now more space will be made for Rahul. Sonia would still feature prominently, sources said, to send the message that she is very much around .
Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has applauded his daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump for promoting women entrepreneurs during her ongoing visit to India.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries.

This is not the first time Ivanka is visiting India. But yes, this is her first visit to India as a senior presidential advisor.

"Great work Ivanka," Trump said in a late-night tweet as he retweeted State Department which said that Ivanka's comments on US efforts to fuel entrepreneurship so that Americans can turn their dreams into incredible legacies.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also praised 36-year-old Ivanka.

"Thrilled to see" Ivanka Trump "in India promoting female entrepreneurs. At home that means improving workforce development and cutting government red tape," Haley said in a tweet yesterday.

Haley is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration. She is also the first ever Indian American serving in the Cabinet of any presidential administration.

"Globally it means creating an environment where women- across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed," Haley said.

In recent weeks, Haley said that she was planning to visit India this year but could not go because of her other pressing engagement, but hopes to travel soon.

The State Department Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, also praised Ivanka for her accomplishments in Hyderabad.

"We are certainly proud of what she's been able to accomplish, and I can think of no better representative for the US Government to talk about women's entrepreneurship than her," she told reporters at a news conference.

The GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world, she said.

"And we are excited about the focus that this year's GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship," Nauert said.

GES 2017 participants will empower innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, to utilise new skills and resources to achieve success through plenaries, workshops, and a pitch competition, she asserted.

This is the eighth annual GES and the first time the GES has taken place in South Asia, she said, adding that it reflects the region's strong entrepreneurial-ship achievements and future as well as the rapid growth of the US-India Strategic Partnership.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharaf salutes as he arrives to speak on Pakistan's security situation at Chatham House in central London, February 15, 2010. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT MILITARY) - LM1E62F169T01

Pakistans former president, General Pervez Musharraf, accepted that Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the Kashmir valley and said he was always in favour of using the Pakistan-based terror outfit to supress the Indian Army.

In an interview to Pakistani TV channel ARY News, Musharraf, who is currently in exile in Dubai, said he was the biggest supporter of LeT and its founder, 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me and JuD (Jamaat-ud-Dawa) also likes me, Musharraf said. He also answered yes on being asked if he likes Saeed, adding, I have met him

He also accepted that LeT is involved in Kashmir. Yes they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir. In Kashmir, it is between us and India. I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and they (LeT) are the biggest force, he said, railing against the fact that India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the United States.

The US had also branded Saeed a terrorist and put a $10 million bounty on his head after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Musharraf claimed Saeed was not involved in the attack because he himself denied the charges of being the mastermind.
Employees watch as the newly built Indian Naval warship INS Visakhapatnam sails into the Arabian Sea during its launch at Mazagon Docks, a naval vessel ship building yard, in Mumbai April 20, 2015. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade - RTX19I94

India and Singapore are set to sign a key pact today to boost naval cooperation, even as the city-state's defence minister expressed reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia for pursuing common interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporen counterpart Ng Eng Hen will hold wide-ranging talks tomorrow after which both sides are likely to ink an agreement providing for logistic support and live firing exercises to Singapore Navy in the Andamans, officials said.

In an address at a think tank, Ng talked about the pact while referring to growing defence cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.

He called India a "regional power" in the Indo-Pacific region, adding it is a "natural partner" of all countries in Southeast Asia.

Delving into regional security issues, he sounded critical of the proposed quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Japan and Australia, saying it is not useful to cast one bloc against another.

He said "polarising defence and trade" would not be helpful for the region and called for crafting a "stable system" wherein all small and large states have ways and means to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

Widening the security cooperation under the proposed quadrilateral coalition, officials of India, the US, Japan and Australia had held extensive talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila earlier this month, for pursuing common interests in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region where China has been aggressively expanding its military presence.

"We are trying to craft a system under which we can ensure peace and progress for everyone," Ng said.

Singapore is a key member-country of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping with which India has been intensifying its defence and security ties.

In an apparent reference to China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, he said freedom of navigation and over flight must be respected.

The move to set up the quadrilateral comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for India in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.

The Singapore defence minister pitched for an "inclusive regional security architecture" to ensure peace and stability in the region.

At the same time, he said Singapore was open to multilateral exercises in the Indian Ocean region.

Ng also complimented India's Act East policy, saying it is making its impact.

He paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru, saying his country was inspired by the first prime minister of India.
India and Singapore today signed an agreement to deepen cooperation in the maritime security domain and called for ensuring freedom of navigation in critical sea lanes against the backdrop of China's increasing military manoeuvres in the Indo-Pacific region.

The two countries also resolved to boost overall defence cooperation with a particular focus on combating terrorism during wide-ranging talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen.

The pact on naval cooperation provides for increased engagement in the maritime security sphere, joint exercises, temporary deployments from each other's naval facilities and logistics support.

"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackle the transnational security threats," Sitharaman said at a joint media interaction with Ng, noting that both sides agreed to ramp up overall defence cooperation.

The Singaporean defence minister called the talks "overwhelmingly successful and productive" and emphasised the need for concerted regional and global efforts to deal with terrorism and other challenges such as tackling chemical and biological weapons.

Referring to regional security scenario in the maritime domain, both ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international law, a joint statement issued after the talks said.

Appreciating India's leading role in the Indian Ocean Region, Ng agreed to India's proposal for continuous and institutionalised naval engagements in shared maritime space of the two countries, including establishing maritime exercises with like-minded regional and ASEAN partners. However, Ng, speaking at a think-tank yesterday, had expressed Singapore's reservation over the proposed quadrilateral coalition of India, the US, Japan and Australia.

Both sides also signed the revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the longstanding defence relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indian armed forces.

The joint statement said both ministers look forward to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Singapore- India maritime bilateral exercise next year.

They welcomed the renewal of agreement between the air forces of the two countries earlier this year and look forward to the successful renewal of a similar pact between their armies, the statement said.

The two ministers also discussed Singapore's proposal to expand the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea to all ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting)-Plus countries as well as to establish guidelines for air encounters between military aircraft, the statements said.

The two ministers resolved to work closely in joint development of various defence platforms.

They agreed that to facilitate greater collaboration in aerospace, electronics and other areas of mutual interest between the defence industries of both countries. The Singaporean defence minister also expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's acceptance to be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue.
The Delhi High Court said that governments should run awareness programmes on the consequences of defacing public and private properties, similar to the pan-India campaign on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has made a big impact across the nation, the Centre, the Delhi government and the other authorities should do something similar.

The bench pulled up the authorities for miserably failing to take action against the offenders of such defacements.

It said there was public ignorance on the gravity of punishment involved in the act of defacement.

The high court's suggestion came on advocate Prashant Manchanda's plea seeking a complete ban on alleged defacement of public properties by the candidates for the DUSU polls.

The bench termed it a "serious issue" and asked the government, civic bodies and students who won the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls to roll out an action plan to prevent defacing of public buildings during the election campaigns.

DUSU president Rocky Tuseed, who was present in the court and was represented by advocate Aman Panwar, submitted that it was their "moral responsibility".

The student leader's counsel submitted that a meeting was held to discuss how to clean up public and private places which are defaced due to the DUSU polls and at the same time various ways in which, the beautification of Delhi city can be done.

Upon DUSU president taking moral responsibility of defacement done in his name, the court directed all the candidates to carry out a cleaning campaign across Delhi involving various other authorities and also take support from NGOs to beautify the irreparable defacement through art work acceptable to the Delhities.

It asked Dean of Students' Welfare of Delhi University, all the civic bodies, DMRC, people from Delhi School of Art, School of Planning and Architecture and police to convene a meeting of all concerned and chalk out a plan to protect public property.

The bench asked the DU to frame proper guidelines for conducting DUSU elections in future taking on board suggestion placed by the petitioner and all other stake holders with a view to come with a comprehensive solution.

It asked the authorities to launch the awareness campaign across Delhi informing the public about to the punishment involved in the acts of Defacement (10 years punishment in Section 78 read with Section 82 of DMRC Act and other offences including Section 268 and 290 of the IPC) through press release, appeal in the local newspaper and other modes of communication.

The court specifically directed that a campaign on the lines of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is required across Delhi to deal with "serious issue" of defacement.

"Inform people at large through jingles and other mode of communication. You (governments) run campaign on lines of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, chikungunya and dengue," the bench said and asked the counsel for the Centre and the Delhi government, why can't they do it.

"Like health and cleanliness, public including I and you (the counsel) should be aware of our responsibility and also the consequences for the defacement of the public and private properties," the bench observed.

It asked the Delhi government's counsel Sanjoy Ghose to place the action plan before it by December 12.

The court suggested places like India Gate, in and around the Delhi High Court beyond the radius of half a kilometre, etc best suited for such awareness drive.

The bench was also hearing a plea by another advocate Sahil Sharma seeking to refurbish the properties defaced during the polls and for taking action against the candidates responsible.

Advocate Manchanda today during the hearing specifically urged that the urgent steps be taken to put an end to the unabated menace of defacement across all parts of Delhi as it is a Hydra-Headed problem.
Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter, said reducing gender gap in the labour force by half can help boost Indian economy by over USD 150 billion in the next three years and reiterated her father's words that "India has a true friend in the White House".

Speaking at the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit here, she said the conference is symbolic of growing partnership between India and the US.

"Just consider if India closes the labour force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over USD 150 billion dollars in the next three years," she said.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the dais, she congratulated Indians on celebrating 70 years of Independence. "You are celebrating it as the world's largest democracy, and one of the fastest growing economies on the earth," the advisor to the US President added.

She also showered lavish praise on Modi who is "doing to build India as a thriving economy -- a beacon of democracy -- and a symbol of hope to the world. What you are achieving is truly extraordinary".

"What you are achieving is truly extraordinary... from your childhood selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister," Ivanka said.

"Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty -- a remarkable improvement and one I know will continue to grow under the leadership of the Prime Minister," she added.

In a speech that was punctuated by loud cheers from the audience, she lauded Modi for his firm belief that "the progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women".

India, Ivanka noted, has opened new universities, its doctors and scientists are discovering medical cures and life-saving technologies, its engineers and architects have built modern wonders that grace skies and Indian spacecraft have travelled to the Moon and the Mars.

"The people of India inspire us all," she said.

According to Ivanka, India hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit is "a symbol of the strengthened friendship between our two peoples, and the growing economic and security partnership between our two nations. As President Trump said earlier this year India has a true friend in the White House".

The Summit, she said further, is a celebration of what is happening in India and the US as also all over the world: entrepreneurs are revolutionising our economies and improving our societies. "You are rewriting the rules," she emphasised.

India, she said, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has a true friend in the White House.
In a bid to get France and Germany to agree to move negotiations to trade, the United Kingdom has agreed to a move by the European Union that would result in the UK paying 50 billion to the EU, according to a report by The Guardian.

In the course of the seemingly never-ending behind-the-scene negotiations, the UK has agreed to a gross financial settlement of 89 billion on leaving the EU. However, Britain expects the final net bill to be half as much.

According to the other estimates the bill could be between 45 and 55 billion Euros (USD 53-63 billion), with the final figure depending on how the two sides calculate from an agreed methodology.

British Prime Minister Theresa May had last week received approval from key cabinet ministers to increase the amount of money the UK was willing to pay.

However, sources told the newspaper that the Brexit cabinet subcommittee discussion did not include agreeing to a specific figure. The subcommittee instead agreed to sign up to a method by which the bill could be calculated.

The final amount is around 13 percent of the UK's total liabilities committed to as a member state, including the seven-year budget ending in 2020, pension costs and outstanding loans, etc.

Britain's current liabilities to the EU are estimated to be around 660 billion.
The West Bengal government has negotiated with the World Bank to avail subsidy to buy 130 electric buses for plying in Kolkata, Asansol and Durgapur, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari told the Assembly.

The World Bank has agreed to provide a subsidy of Rs seven lakh per bus, Adhikari said during the question hour.

While 100 buses would ply in Kolkata, the remaining 30 have been earmarked for industrial towns of Durgapur and Asansol.

Adhikari said the bus depots in these places were equipped for charging batteries and a single charge would allow a bus to run for 150 km.

Soon, 20 electric buses would be made available for providing transport service in New Town-Rajarhat area near the metropolis, the minister said.

By December this year, he said, 411 diesel buses manufactured by Volvo and others would also reach the state.
Moneycontrol News



3:30 pm Market at Close: Benchmark indices ended the session on a flat note, with the Nifty closing above 10,350-mark.

The Sensex closed down 15.83 points at 33602.76, while the Nifty was down 9.00 points at 10361.30. The market breadth was negative as 1319 shares advanced against a decline of 1382 shares, while 141 shares were unchanged.

Wipro, Sun Pharma, Bosch and Bharti Infratel were the top gainers, while Axis Bank, Asian Paints, and Zee Entertainment lost the most.

3:28 pm Nomura on Glenmark: Nomura has maintained its buy call on Glenmark Pharma with target price of Rs 880 per share despite seven observations received from USFDA by its Baddi unit.

Form 483 observations for Baddi unit is concerning but observations are not indicating invalidation of high frequency of OOS tests that is a silver lining, the research house said.

According to Nomura, financial impact of observations may be limited. "We don't expect escalation into import alert, and number of products impacted is limited," it said.

3:15 pm Claim for contract cancellation: Parsvnath Developers share price was locked at 5 percent upper circuit at Rs 31.55 as the company will receive claim of Rs 1,034.5 crore alongwith interest.

In arbitral proceedings, Parsvnath and its associate company Parsvnath Rail Land Project Private Limited (PRLPPL) had sought an award of Rs 1,034.54 crore.

The Honourable Arbitral Tribunal has upheld this claim of Rs 1,034.54 crore and directed RLDA to make payment alongwith interest at 4 percent per annum from July 15, 2015 till the date of payment.

In February 2016, Parsvnath Developers had informed exchanges that the development agreement of the company and Parsvnath Rail Land Project with RLDA for implementation of its project at Sarai Rohilla-Kishanganj, New Delhi has been terminated.

That disputes arising under the Development Agreement are pending adjudication before Arbitral Tribunals, where the company and PRLPPL have claimed more than Rs 1,500 crore.

The company and PRLPPL are in consultation with its legal counsel for further course of action, it said.

3:07 pm Buzzing: Shares of Power Mech Projects rose nearly 10 percent on order win worth Rs 357 crore.

The company has received this order under Make in India scheme from Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ), an enterprise under the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The order includes construction of ultra modern medical equipment manufacturing and testing facility located at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier in this week on November 21, the company has received letter of award, letter of intent/work orders worth Rs 381 crore.

3:05 pm Merger: IndusInd Bank and Bharat Financial merger may get approval from the Reserve Bank of India by December-end, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting Cogencis.

Anti-trust body may approve the merger by January.

Sources expect IndusInd Bank-Bharat Financial merger to complete by September 2018.

2:58 pm Buzzing: Loyal Equipments was locked at 5 percent upper circuit as it has received purchase order from Linde Engineering India Private Limited of worth Rs 2.7 crore.

The order is for supply of complete skid package for keys CO2 project of Keys, California, USA.

2:53 pm Order Win: The consortium of Larsen & Toubro and Samsung C&T Corporation of South Korea has bagged the contract for setting up Bibiyana South 400 MW combined cycle power plant project from Bangladesh Power Development Board.

L&T's scope includes design, detail engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of complete power plant on a turnkey basis.

This is the fourth order bagged by L&T in Bangladesh. The project will be executed by gas based power projects business unit of L&T.

2:43 pm Buzzing: CHD Developers shares rallied 19 percent intraday following launch of residential project in Karnal city of Haryana.

"....launches new project CHD Green Park Residences, part of 200 acre integrated township  CHD City, Karnal. The project spreads over a land parcel of 40 acres approximately," New Delhi-based real estate developer said in its filing.

The price range of CHD Green Park Residences starts from Rs 13.99 lakh only for first 250 units. Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are also applicable in this project, it added.

CHD Group offers total 726 units in first phase of its launch with 2BHK option of super area 740 square feet.

"Construction of sample floors have already been started which should get ready by December 2017. We are focusing to complete the first phase by 2019," Gaurav Mittal, MD, CHD Developers said.

Kakatiya Cement share price rallied 9 percent as profit in Q2 increased more than four-fold to Rs 8.2 crore against Rs 1.8 crore in year-ago, driven by strong operational performance.

Revenue during the quarter grew by 9.5 percent year-on-year to Rs 62.4 crore.

Operating profit shot up multi-fold to Rs 12 crore from Rs 2.4 crore and margin expanded sharply to 19.3 percent from 4.2 percent YoY.

2:22 pm Results outlook: Global research firm CLSA released a note on midcap IT sector. The firm said that the sector declared strong Q2 results.

10 midcap IT firms are up 25 percent year to date and they now trade at 15 times CY18. It prefers L&T Tech and Persistent among midcaps.

Here are the top headlines at 2 pm from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

2:10 pm Market Update: Equity benchmarks remained lacklustre in afternoon as investors await second quarter GDP data due Thursday. November futures & options contracts expiry due on Thursday also caused volatility in the market.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 18.16 points at 33,636.75 and the 50-share NSE Nifty declined 1.40 points to 10,368.90.

The market breadth remained positive. About 1,364 shares advanced against 1,161 declining shares on the BSE.

2:06 pm Class Action Lawsuit: Drug firm Dr Reddy's Laboratories today said it has been served a securities class action lawsuit in the US for alleged violations of federal securities laws.

The lawsuit filed at the District Court for New Jersey seeks damages to compensate the class of investors for a 'purported decline' in the company's share price allegedly caused by the misstatements or omissions.

"US Securities class action lawsuit has been served on the company in the US by the lead plaintiff," Dr Reddy's Laboratories said in a filing to BSE.

As intimated earlier, the company believes that the asserted claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegation, it added.

1:55 pm Economic Growth: A recovery in private capital spending is likely next year as balance sheet fundamentals of corporates are improving amid strengthening financial system, says a report.

Accordingly, the country's GDP growth will accelerate to 7.5 per cent in 2019 financial year, the report by global financial services major Morgan Stanley said.

The report highlighted that 2018 is expected to be the first year of full-fledged recovery for India as it will be marked by a synchronous recovery in domestic as well as external demand and, a pickup in private capex for the first time in six years.

As per Morgan Stanley's discussions with investors, after six years of continued deterioration in private capital spending, investors are "more skeptical" of a turnaround in private capex, but the global brokerage sees three factors which will help to revive private corporate capex.

1:40 pm Code Sharing: Chairman of Jet Airways Naresh Goyal and Air France-KLM chief JM Janaillac made a formal announcement on the code sharing partnership in India.

Jet has joined hands with KLM to boost its long-haul operations. According to the agreement, the joint venture involves both the airlines sharing passenger traffic revenue on the India-Amsterdam and India-Paris route. But, there will be no sharing of cargo revenue.

During the press conference, Goyal said that this programme between Jet Airways, KLM, Air France and Delta will improve cost structure.

"Deal between Jet Airways, AirFrance, KLM & Delta will lead to better linking of 3 continents," said Janaillac.

Benefitting from this agreement, Jet will pose a challenge to Gulf carriers and it will also help in increasing its market share in Indias international market.

1:30 pm Drug approval: Cadila Healthcare today said group firm Zydus Cadila has received final approval from the US health regulator to market Candesartan Cilexetil and Hydrochlorothiazide tablets formulations used in treating high blood pressure.

The approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is for multiple Candesartan Cilexetil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets of 16 mg/12.5 mg, 32 mg/12.5 mg and 32 mg/25 mg, Cadila Healthcare said in a BSE filing.

The drug is used to treat high blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks and kidney problems, it added. "It will be manufactured at the group's formulations manufacturing facility at Moraiya, Ahmedabad," the filing said.

1:15 pm Acquisitions: State-run power giant NTPC has floated a tender to acquire commissioned stressed coal-based power plants in the country.

At present, out of the 40 GW stressed coal-based power generation capacity, about 12 GW capacity worth around Rs 50,000 crore commissioned after April 1, 2014 and is eligible under this tender.

According to the tender document, the company will shortlist the suitable operational domestic coal-based power assets located in India for possible acquisition after evaluating the offered projects.

1:00 pm Management Speak: Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, HDFC Life said it has been a very pleasant journey for them since the day of listing. He said investors seemed to have liked their story but more so because of the power of HDFC brand that represents quality of business and consistent in performance and they expect that out of HDFC Life. So going forward, they hope to meet the very high expectation, he said.

The growth rate for the insurance industry in October was around 28 percent and the question is this kind of growth rate sustainable. Chaudhry said in fact October growth was less compared to the year to date growth of 36 percent.

However, two things have transpired since demonetisation and with financialisation of savings, the insurance industry like the mutual fund industry has got higher inflows, which gets reflected in sales numbers, he said in an interview to CNBC-TV18.

12:45 pm Buzzing: Siemens shares fell more than 2 percent intraday after Deutsche Bank has retained its sell rating on the stock and slashed target price to Rs 1,030 (from Rs 1,100 per share) as valuations remain elevated at 42x PE for March 2019.

FY17 orders are strong, but outlook is still concerning, the research house said, adding the opportunity size remains stagnant for FY18 over FY17.

Deutsche also cut order inflow assumption by 3/7 percent for FY18/19 and reduced revenue growth estimate by 4.5/3.8 percent for FY18/19.

Brokerage house Edelweiss, too, trimmed FY18/19 EPS 3 percent each factoring in muted Q4, while maintaining hold rating on the stock with reduced target price at Rs 1,400 (from Rs 1,450 earlier).

12:36 pm Rate cut likely?: The Reserve Bank of India is likely to leave interest rates unchanged at its December policy meeting and through the end of next year, despite expectations that inflation will breach its 4 percent target in the next few months, a Reuters poll showed.

The results, from a poll of economists taken over the past week, also found there is a bigger risk the next move is a cut, even though forecasts diverge in three directions starting from the second quarter of next year.

That suggests both that policymakers have little room for manoeuvre and the outlook for rates beyond the next few months is exceptionally fuzzy, with several respondents saying they were unwilling to look much beyond the turn of the year.

"In the RBI's perception, inflation is inching up and the risks of that remaining high remain for a longer duration, say a couple of quarters or so, it may be difficult for the RBI to consider a rate cut around that scenario," said Shubhada Rao, chief economist at Yes Bank in Mumbai.

VIP Industries has been buzzing in trade, up almost 30 percent this month.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Dilip G Piramal, Chairman said if goods and services tax (GST) comes down to 18 percent from 28 percent, prices will automatically get reduced and will be passed on to the consumers, he said.

We will benefit from this, he added.

Speaking on canteen store department (CSD), he said. It is not that the segment has become or anything but CSDs has had a shift in their policy and they want to concentrate on the major day-to-day items like the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) etc.

Whatever sales we have lost in CSDs, we have made it up in the ordinary trade market, said Piramal.

: Shares of infrastructure firm IL&FS Engineering and Construction today surged 5 percent to hit its upper circuit limit on bourses after the company reported robust September quarter results.

The net profit of the company surged to Rs 40.14 crore in the September quarter against a net loss of Rs 81.59 crore in the same quarter of last year.

The company's income from operations however declined to Rs 340.84 crore in the quarter ending September, from Rs 356.87 crore in the September quarter 2016, the company said in a regulatory filing.

12:05 pm Buzzing: ICICIdirect has initiated coverage with a buy rating on Varun Beverages, citing likely huge growth potential on account of low per capita soft drink consumption and increasing penetration through territory acquisition. The stock gained 6.6 percent.

It has set a price target for the stock at Rs 590. Varun is a strong proxy play for soft drink industry in India, it feels.

The research house sees comfort of earnings visibility and improvement in return ratios.

Due to consolidation of newly acquired territories, new product launches and higher growth potential in operating regions, ICICIdirect expects Varun to report revenue CAGR of 12.4 percent in CY16-19 with EBITDA margin of 21.6 percent in CY19.

Here are the top headlines at 12 pm from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

11:50 am Management Interview: The Whirlpool Corporation stock has had a decent 2017 so far with a nearly 70 percent gain. The management recently met analysts where they indicated that they plan to double revenue by 2020 and remain open to acquisitions.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Kapil Agarwal, Vice President-Marketing said, The idea is that we believe that India is an important market and we are under-pitched here in this market.

It is time to expand. We already have our manufacturing and we are planning to invest in manufacturing within our own plants to increase capacity and also innovations, he added.

According to him, next couple of quarters are going to be slightly tougher compared to the last two quarters. We are seeing a commodity increase and that would put pressure on our margins and also on pricing, said Agarwal.

We are looking at a strong double digit for FY18 and we continue to focus on growing double digit quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year basis, he further mentioned.

Real estate stocks like Sobha, Prestige Estates, Brigade etc rallied 5-9 percent as PWC says no new tax on unsold inventory proposed by Income Tax authorities.

11:20 am Rural Growth for Britannia: Global brokerage house Jefferies has initiated coverage with a hold rating on Britannia Industries and expects the stock to hit a target price of Rs 4,850 per share.

The research house likes the food company for its strong execution in biscuits via distribution expansion and cost efficiencies. Strong execution in biscuits bodes well for revenue & margin, it said.

Jefferies expects pick-up in rural growth given the distribution efforts in rural India.

Recently, CEO Varun Berry also told CNBC-TV18 that the company has been seeing double digit growth as far as rural is concerned for a very long time.

Hopefully overall rural demand should come up in the coming six months, he had said.

11:05 am Buzzing: Shares of Cadila Healthcare added 1.3 percent intraday as it has received USFDA approval for Candesartan Cilexetil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets.

Zydus Cadila has received the final approval from the USFDA to market Candesartan Cilexetil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets USP in the strengths of 16mg/12.5 mg, 32mg/12.5mg and 32 mg/ 25 mg.

The drug combines an angiotensin II receptor (type AT1) antagonist and a diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide and is used to treat high blood pressure.

The drug will be manufactured at the groups formulations manufacturing facility at Moraiya, Ahmadabad.

India's largest realty firm DLF has called a board meeting on December 1 to approve its proposals to issue equity shares to institutional investors and warrants or debentures to promoters.

DLF is required to launch QIP (qualified institutional placement) and also issue of warrants or debentures because of proposed infusion of about Rs 10,500 crore by promoters into the company.

Infusion of capital by promoters would lead to increase in promoters stake in DLF to more than 75 percent. So, the company will have to launch a QIP to maintain the minimum public shareholding limit of 25 percent.

10:45 am Buzzing Stock: Shares of Larsen and Toubro (L&T) gained nearly 1 percent intraday Wednesday on the back of outperform rating by Macquarie.

The foreign broking house kept outperform rating on the stock with a target of Rs 1590 per share.

According to the firm the valuations are going to catch up as triggers are in place.

The firm believes that the closure of big ticket orders in Q3/Q4 is a catalyst.

10:30 am Oil prices: Oil prices fell on doubts OPEC and Russia will agree an extended crude production cut that the market has priced in, and after a report of an unexpected rise in U.S. fuel inventories.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at USD 57.69 a barrel, 0.52 percent below their last settlement.

Traders said WTI was pulled down by a report from the American Petroleum Institute (API) late on Tuesday which showed US crude inventories rose by 1.8 million barrels in the week to Nov. 24 to 457.3 million barrels.

10:10 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks continued to consolidate in morning ahead of expiry of November derivative contracts on Thursday.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 10.87 points at 33,629.46 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 0.10 points to 10,370.20.

About 1,276 shares advanced against 793 declining shares on the BSE.

10:04 am Management Interview: NCC expects things to normalise from next quarter and expects earnings to improve due to fastrack orders.

"EBITDA growth is likely to continue in second half of FY18 and we are targetting EBITDA margin over 9 percent for FY18," YD Murthy, Executive VP-Finance, NCC said in an interview to CNBC-TV18.

He expects EBITDA to grow faster than revenue growth. With order execution has been increasing, working capital requirement may go up, he feels.

"We are looking at further reduction of finance cost and for that, we are talking to banks to restructure working capital loan," Murthy said.

Here are the top headlines at 10 am from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

9:50 am Rupee Trade: The rupee is trading flat after seeing depreciation of 10 paise to 64.51 against the US dollar in opening at the interbank foreign exchange due to appreciation of the American currency overseas.

Yesterday, the rupee had gained further ground against the US currency and finished at a new two-month high of 64.41, appreciating by 9 paise after sustained dollar unwinding by exporters and corporates.

9:40 am Alkem Labs in focus: Alkem Laboratories share price rallied as much as 8.5 percent in morning after Motilal Oswal has upgraded its rating to buy from neutral on the stock, citing likely strong domestic business growth.

The research house has hiked its price target on the stock to Rs 2,500 per share (from Rs 1,950) as it expects domestic business to grow at 20 percent over the next three quarters.

"We expect strong growth over the next three quarters, given a low base of second half of FY17 (impacted by demonetisation) and Q1FY18 (impacted by GST) and likely recovery of 8-10 days of sales in Q3FY18 due to channel restocking post GST," Motilal Oswal said.

The domestic business EBITDA margin has historically been more than 21 percent.

9:31 am Buzzing: Share price of Genus Power Infrastructures gained further on the back of order win from EESL.

The company has won an order from EESL for supply of 13.5 lakh smart meters for the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

This tender was opened in October by EESL for the supply of 50 lakh smart meters where company emerged as L2 bidder.

Post this order, the total order book of the company stand at Rs 1226 crore.

The company is expecting the supply to commence from Q1FY19.

9:25 am Order Win: Shares of Technofab Engineering has locked at 20 percent upper circuit on the back of order won worth Rs 281 crore.

The company has received new order in the domestic water sector valued at Rs 281 crore

The project is funded by Asian Development Bank.

This order gives a further impetus to the companys standing in the water sector, soon after securing orders in Bhutan and Uganda, and recently completed projects in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, company said in press release.

9:20 am Stake Sale: Reliance Communications said it will sell its DTH arm Reliance BIG TV to Pantel Technologies and Veecon Media & Television, a move aimed at reducing debt.

The company has entered into a binding share purchase agreement with Pantel Technologies Ltd and Veecon Media & Television Ltd for sale of its subsidiary Reliance BIG TV Limited (RBTV), RCom said in a statement without disclosing the deal amount.

"The transaction will help reduce the liability of unsecured creditors, benefiting all stakeholders, including lenders and shareholders of RCOM. The transaction is in consonance with RCOMs stated objective to focus on B2B businesses of the new RCOM," RCom said.

The buyers will acquire the entire shareholding of RBTV with business on an "as-is, where-is" basis, it added.

9:15 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks were mildly higher in opening trade, shrugging off North Korea's latest missile launch, and tracking positive Wall Street close.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 34.86 points at 33,653.45 and the 50-share NSE Nifty rose 16.90 points to 10,387.20.

About 896 shares advanced against 317 declining shares on the BSE.

Cipla, Coal India, NTPC, ONGC, Hindalco Industries and L&T were early gainers while Axis Bank and Tech Mahindra were under pressure.

Alkem Labs gained 4 percent on US FDA nod for Capecitabine tablets.

Bhansali Engineering, INEOS Styrolution, Shankara Buildcon, ADF Foods, RPP Infra, Balaji Telefilms, SpiceJet, Jet Airways, Godrej Consumer, United Breweries up 1-6 percent. TechnoFab Engineering rallied 20 percent.

Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records on Tuesday after a key Senate committee advanced the Republican tax cut plan, moving the long-awaited measure closer to the finish line.

All three major US indices set new records by the closing bell, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.1 percent to 23,839.26.
It was a dull session for the market on Wednesday as the Nifty ended in the red amid rangebound trade ahead of expiry of November futures & options contracts. Investors are now awaiting second quarter GDP data and the outcome of OPEC meeting, both due on Thursday.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 15.83 points at 33,602.76 and the 50-share NSE Nifty slipped 9 points to 10,361.30 as a missile launch by North Korea weighed on investor sentiment.

"While the underlying sentiments remain positive, some consolidation cannot be ruled out after the recent smart upmove," Jayant Manglik, President of Retail Sales at Religare Securities, said while advising investors to accumulate fundamentally sound stocks on dips.

Being F&O expiry day, volatility will continue to remain high on Thursday, he feels.

He said that RBI Monetary Policy, macro data (Q2FY18 GDP numbers) and global developments will be tracked keenly by market participants.

Broader market indices also performed broadly in line with the benchmark. The Nifty Midcap index lost 0.3 percent. About 844 shares declined against 697 advancing shares on the NSE.

The sectoral indices showed mixed performance with Nifty Auto, FMCG, Pharma and Realty indices being the gainers, whereas Bank, IT and Metal were among the losers.

Meanwhile, the July-September quarter GDP data is the most important event to watch out for as experts want to see the impact of GST implementation (from July 1) on economy during the quarter. It will become base for analysts to make estimates for second half of FY18 and FY19.

Global financial services major Morgan Stanley in its latest report said the country's GDP growth will accelerate to 7.5 percent in the next financial year.

Six ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia will gather in Vienna on Wednesday - one day ahead of a full OPEC meeting - to review recommendations by their delegates. CNBC reports indicated that the current deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers including Russia, which is set to expire in March, is widely expected to be extended until the end of 2018.

Wipro gained 1.3 percent as its buyback worth Rs 11,000 crore opened on Wednesday.

Coal India rose 0.7 percent. Global research house Macquarie upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral and hiked price target to Rs 310 from Rs 280 per share. Supply tightness makes risk-reward favourable, it said.

Siemens fell 1.4 percent. Deutsche Bank retained sell call on the stock and slashed target price to Rs 1,030 from Rs 1,100 per share. FY17 orders are strong, but outlook is still concerning, it feels.

Dr Reddy's Labs was down 0.6 percent as the firm has been served a securities class action lawsuit in the US for alleged violations of federal securities laws.

HDFC, Axis Bank, Vedanta, TCS, SBI and Asian Paints among others were down 1-2 percent whereas HDFC Bank, IOC, Bharti Infratel, ICICI Bank, L&T, Reliance Industries and ITC gained 0.3-1.7 percent.

Kakatiya Cement rallied 8 percent as its second quarter profit jumped over four-fold YoY to Rs 8.2 crore on strong operational performance. Jet Airways gained 1.9 percent as the company and Air France-KLM signed an enhanced cooperation agreement.

Power Mech Projects gained 6 percent on bagging orders worth Rs 357 crore under 'Make In India' scheme. Parsvnath Developers rose 5 percent on winning arbitration claim of Rs 1,034 crore.

On the global front, Asian markets ended mixed as investors shrugged off the latest missile launch by North Korea. European stocks were mixed at the time of writing this article.
An exterior view of Life Insurance Corporation of India's (LIC) headquarters is seen in Mumbai September 18, 2014. LIC Chairman S. K. Roy said he was "very bullish" about the banking, pharmaceutical, metals and IT outsourcing sectors because of expectations for a cyclical recovery and a stabilising rupee currency. Roy added LIC was headed for a "very good year", both in terms of its market investments and its core insurance business. The chairman said he expected growth of 12 percent in insurance premiums this fiscal year, in line with 13.4 percent last year. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui (INDIA - Tags: BUSINESS) - GM1EA9I1C5401

Big returns in small packets! Well, this is true for stocks especially in the small and midcap space which have seen re-rating by the market. Midcaps now trade at a 45 percent premium to the Nifty in terms of P/E.

The small and midcaps have been outperforming benchmark indices throughout this week. The S&P BSE Midcap index rose to a fresh record high of 17,093 while the S&P BSE Smallcap index rallied to a record of 18,273 on Tuesday.

The broader market saw buying interest on a day when both Nifty and Sensex closed in the red. The trend is unlikely to get challenged anytime soon as experts feel that there is a lot of money waiting on sidelines especially for stocks which can deliver growth.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the countrys largest institutional investor, has significant exposure in the small and midcap space.

Out of 108 stocks in its portfolio, top 11 stocks based on return given belong to the mid and smallcap space. These stocks have more than doubled investors wealth so far in the year 2017.

Stocks which saw a gain of 100-280 percent rally in the current calendar year include names like Hexa Tradex, RCF, Bengal & Assam Company, Punjab Alkalies, Jindal Saw, JP Associates, KEC International, ITDC, Dewan Housing Finance, Future Enterprises, and Shalimar Wires.

According to a recent media report, Life Insurance Corp. of India (LIC), booked a trading profit of at least Rs13,500 crore from the sale of equity holdings in the first half of the current financial year, as stocks scaled record highs.

The figure marked a 23.8% increase over the Rs10,900 crore in trading profit that LIC earned in April-September 2016 through investment redemptions, the media report said which was released earlier this week.

As many as 33 stocks got added to LICs portfolio for the quarter ended September when compared with June quarter which include names like Adani Ports, Assam Company, Bank of Baroda, Bharati Defence, Canara Bank, Coal India, JBF Industries, Power Grid, Tata Elxsi, Wockhardt, India Cements etc. among others, according to Capitaline data.

The largest institutional investor pulled out money from as many as 21 companies which include names like Aban Offshore, BSE, Dredging Corp, Gokak Textiles, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Infosys, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Rathi Steel, Tata Motors etc. among others.

What should investors do?

The small and midcaps stocks are known to deliver impressive growth when compared to largecap peers especially in a low growth rate environment.

With high liquidity and investors looking for value outside the large cap space, small & midcap stocks have seen significant appreciation. While the Nifty trade at 26x trailing PE, the small and midcap index is trading at historic highs of over 50x trailing PE, Saurabh S Jain, MD, SSJ Finance & Securities told Moneycontrol.

Obviously the valuations thereby leave significant room for disappointment on the earnings growth and ROE fronts in comparison to what valuations are implying. There is a need for a constant reality check in terms of earnings growth potential in stocks which have given astronomical returns in the short run, he said.

Over the last 12 months, midcaps have delivered 23 percent returns, as against 20 percent by the Nifty. In the last five years, midcaps have outperformed the Nifty by 68 percent, Motilal Oswal said in a report.

We do not recommend booking profits across the board. Strategy differs from stock to stock. Overall there has been a rerating of the small cap and mid cap space and now the valuation gap has disappeared, Devarsh Vakil, Head  Advisory (Private Client Group), HDFC Securities told Moneycontrol.

So, tactically one should reduce exposure to small and midcaps and keep 20% of the money earmarked for these stocks into cash, he said.
November 29, 2017 / 09:39 PM IST

That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights.

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8. Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah freed in $1bn settlement agreement, reports Reuters

The US will impose additional "major sanctions" on North Korea for its latest missile test, President Donald Trump said today as he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to press Pyonyang to halt its

"provocative actions".

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

21:14 Five people arrested with demonetised currency worth Rs 1.08 crore in Thane.

20:57 Walt Disney Co's ESPN unit is laying off about 150 employees, ESPN President John Skipper said in a memo to employees on Wednesday.

"The majority of the jobs eliminated are in studio production, digital content and technology, and they generally reflect decisions to do less in certain instances and re-direct resources," Skipper said.

20:52 Private sector lender Yes Bank on Wednesday said its board has approved proposal to set up MTN programme to raise USD 1 billion (about Rs 6,500 crore) on private placement basis.

20:49

The Medium Term Note (MTN) programme, an instrument to raise money through debt securities that typically matures in 5-10 years, is within the overall borrowing limit of Rs 20,000 crore, the bank said.Pollution levels in Delhi on Wednesday hit a 10-day high, dragging air quality down, with authorities forecasting that the situation will persist for at least a day.

The concentration of suspended particulates PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded nearly three times above the prescribed standards even as air quality remained in the 'very poor' category for the sixth straight day.

After rising through the day, PM 2.5 settled at 160 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) and PM 10 at 277 ug/m3 around 7 pm. The corresponding 24-hour safe averages are 60 and 100.

20:41 Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has spoken to his employees about the need for consolidation within the group and India being the biggest game in town for several group companies.

In an internal interview that has appeared the latest edition of the groups digital magazine Tata Review, Chandrasekaran covers a lot of ground  from coping with his role to the main focus areas for the Tata group.

Answering a question about the Tata Group not being able to achieve its full potential because of its large size, Chandra partially agreed.

20:39 Rahul Gandhi is likely to file his nomination for the post of Congress President on December 4, reports PTI. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ex-Union minister AK Antony are likely to propose his candidature.

The nomination process will begin on Friday and close on December 4. The list of valid candidatures will be declared on December 5 at 3:30 pm.



Economy growing! Excluding hurricane effects, CEA estimates that real GDP growth would have been 3.9% in Q3.

Stock market at a new high, unemployment at a low. We are winning and TAX CUTS will shift our economy into high gear! pic.twitter.com/HrKIF72VqE  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

The US economy grew in the third quarter at 3.3 percent, its quickest pace in three years. Increasing number of business investment in inventories, stabling consumer spending and government spending boosted the growth rate.

20:24 Rahul Gandhi is confident that Congress will win in Gujarat Assembly elections in December.



Congress will win in December. We will waive loans of farmers within 10 days. If govt will function, it will be for farmers, small and medium businesses and you. We will ask what you want and will run the govt accordingly.: Rahul Gandhi in Amreli #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/ClwtMU8wkn  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017



19:56 There are about 36,000 Rohingyas in the country and the Border Security Force (BSF) is targeting their illegal influx into India as their links with terror organisations cannot be ruled out, the BSF chief said on Wednesday.

K K Sharma, the director general (DG) of the 2.5-lakh personnel-strong force, said his troops have apprehended 87 Rohingya Muslims along the Indo-Bangla border since the beginning of this year till October 31, and 76 "have been sent back to Bangladesh".

"As far as my information goes, about 36,000 Rohingyas are there in this country at various places...This is one of those general observations and is based on inputs we received from our sister agencies (like the police and intelligence)," he told reporters during an interaction ahead of the BSF's 52nd Raising Day on December 1.

A note was found at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai warning of an ISIS attack on cargo on January 26, 2018.

A note was found in toilet at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, warning of an attack on cargo on 26th Jan 2018 by ISIS. Cargo evacuated & people being given an entry only after screening. Police and CISF are doing their job.: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport PRO ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

19:41 As the price of the cryptocurrency continues to soar, the Federal Reserve apparently is giving thought to having a product like bitcoin for its own. Dudley at a conference on Wednesday said that the Fed is exploring the idea of its own digital currency, reports CNBC.

19:36 William Dudley has been appointed the president & CEO Of the Federal Reserve Bank Of New York.

19:32 Virtual currency Bitcoin soared to an all-time high of USD 11,000 on Wednesday on major exchanges and digital currency indexes.

Read more: Bitcoin's 10x rise in 2017 has got many investors interested 3 ways to buy

19:26 UK Shipping firm Clarkson Plc on Wednesday said it was the victim of a cyber security hack and warned that the person or persons behind the attack may release some data shortly, reports Reuters.

Clarkson is one of the world's main shipbrokers, sourcing vessels for the world's largest producers and traders of natural resources. It also has a research operation which collects and analyses data on merchant shipping and offshore markets.

19:20 Companies will soon have to disclose whether they have constituted an internal complaints committee (ICC) on sexual harassment as the government is planning to amend its rules to make the move mandatory, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said on Tuesday.

The measure will help the government monitor whether organisations are complying with the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013, which requires any entity with 10 or more employees to compulsorily set up an ICC to look into complaints of sexual misconduct.

18:49 Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen called on Congress to adopt policies that will get U.S. economic growth out of its "disappointingly slow" post-recession pattern.

In what is likely her final address on Capitol Hill as head of the central bank, Yellen gave mostly positive reviews to economic performance. However, she said there are structural factors that need to be addressed, reports CNBC. Among them are an aging population that has translated to slower labor force growth as well as the "unusually sluggish" productivity growth.

18:18 Tata Motors to launch new mid-size SUV next year with an eye on Creta, Captur

After the initial success of the compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) Nexon, Tata Motors is in advanced stages of developing an all-new mid-size SUV that it plans to launch in 2018.

Pitted against Hyundais hugely successful Creta and the newly launched Renault SUV Captur, the five-seater Tata Motors mid-size SUV will be positioned between the Nexon and the Hexa.

While prices of the Nexon starts at Rs 5.85 lakh and that of the Hexa at Rs 11.72 lakh, the starting price of the new SUV is expected at just under Rs 8 lakh, as per market sources.

Read our full story here

18:03 JUST IN| CCI issues order against BCCI for abusing dominant position - for imposing a restriction that denies access to the market and for the organisation of professional domestic cricket league/events, a penalty of Rs 52.54 crore has been imposed on BCCI.

18:00 ANI tweets, " With the consent of VK Sasikala, TTV Dinakaran will be our candidate for upcoming by-elections in RK Nagar(Chennai): Anbalagan, TTV faction"

17:55 Moody's upbeat on steel sector,says Tata Steel to benefit most

Robust domestic demand and protectionist measures by the government will help the domestic steel industry going forward and earnings of major players like Tata Steel will increase significantly due to newly-added capacity, says a report.

"Among the major steel-producing Asian countries, operating conditions will be the most supportive in India, because of the robust domestic demand and protectionist measures. This is despite an increase in raw material prices and new capacity additions," international rating agency Moody's said today in its 'Asia Steel Outlook 2018' report.

The agency said the earnings of Tata Steel will increase significantly due to newly-added capacity, and the same will remain steady for JSW Steel.

Moody's has given a stable outlook with a Ba3 rating for both Tata Steel and JSW Steel.

17:48 Transfer of property title likely on same day through blockchain

As the exchange rate for bitcoin scored another milestone early Wednesday soaring past the historic high of $10,000, another technology blockchain, also conceptualised by Satoshi Nakamoto, is making headlines.

Multiple states in India such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are planning to record their land deals digitally by switching to blockchain technology that has the potential of transferring title of the property on the same day without paying bribes compared to the current process that takes almost one to three months.

Read our full story here

17:40 K Padmarajan, the man who has contested in over 180 elections, will be in action once again

All eyes in Tamil Nadu are set on the upcoming by-elections that are to take place at the RK Nagar constituency - the seat that became vacant after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha. The seat is being considered as a matter of life and death for the rival AIADMK factions while other parties try to make inroads into their bastion.

But amidst all this, K Padmarajan who labelled himself as the All India Election King is preparing to contest in his 184th election at RK Nagar, where he has filed his nomination.

17:28 Films on social issues evoke good response but do they always spell gold on box office?

Not many people know about Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social entrepreneur from Tamil Nadu and his struggles to invent low cost sanitary pads. But Akshay Kumars new release in 2018, Padman, will bring his story to the big screen. A socially relevant film, will Padman strike gold at the box office just like its peers Dangal, Jolly LLB 2 and others?

Read our full story here.

17:17 Watch | Markets@Moneycontrol: Markets subdued ahead of F&O expiry, Q2 GDP data

17:14 Future Supply Chain Solutions, the logistics arm of the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group, today said the promoters and PE investor Griffin will together sell 24.43 per cent to raise up to Rs 650 crore through the initial public offer that hits the market on December 6.

The company has fixed a price band of Rs 655-660 for the issue which will offer up to 9,784,570 equity shares that has a face value of Rs 10 each, and an offer-for-sale of up to 7,827,656 shares or 20 per cent equity by Griffin Partners.

16:56 The government plans to exclude more than half of Air India's debt ahead of its sale, a BloombergQuint report said. The government has proposed to transfer national carrier's short-term loans of up to Rs 300 billion and non-aviation assets to a separate entity.

The sale process for the airline is expected to start before March 31, the report said.

15:51 FinMin

500cr

Exporters have claimed refunds of Rs 6,500 crore in the first four months of GST roll out, the government said, while asking them to file claims in proper form with matching shipping bills to facilitate early settlements, reports PTI. It also said that businesses can upload the final sales return for August in GSTR-1 on GST Network (GSTN) portal from December 4.

In a statement, the finance ministry said: "It is clarified that the quantum of IGST refund claims as filed through shipping bills during the period July to October, is approximately Rs 6,500 crore and the quantum of refund of unutilised credit on inputs or input services, as per the RFD-01A applications filed on GSTN portal, is to the tune of Rs 30 crore."

Drug firm Dr Reddy's Laboratories has been served a securities class action lawsuit in the US for alleged violations of federal securities laws, reports PTI. The lawsuit filed at the District Court for New Jersey seeks damages to compensate the class of investors for a 'purported decline' in the company's share price allegedly caused by the misstatements or omissions.

"US Securities class action lawsuit has been served on the company in the US by the lead plaintiff," Dr Reddy's Laboratories said in a filing to BSE. As intimated earlier, the company believes that the asserted claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against the allegation, it added.

Regarding the lawsuit, earlier in August, Dr Reddy's had said: "On August 25, 2017, a law firm representing a purported investor in the company filed a purported class action lawsuit against the company, its CEO and CFO in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey alleging violation of the US federal securities laws."

Gold prices recovered by Rs 20 to Rs 30,520 per 10 grams at the bullion market today on wedding season demand along with a firm trend overseas, reports PTI. Silver, however, fell further by Rs 200 to Rs 40,000 per kg due to reduced offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders attributed the recovery in gold prices to some marriage season buying at spot markets and a better trend overseas.

Globally, gold rose 0.15% to $1,295.30 an ounce in Singapore as the reaction to North Korea's latest missile test was muted. In the national capital, gold of 99.9% and 99.5% purity edged up by Rs 20 each to Rs 30,520 and Rs 30,370 per 10 grams, respectively. It had dropped by Rs 50 on Tuesday.

Sovereign, however, remained flat at Rs 24,700 per piece of eight grams. On the other hand, silver ready drifted lower by another Rs 200 to Rs 40,000 per kg and weekly-based delivery slumped below Rs 39,000-mark by plunging Rs 445 to Rs 38,695 per kg. Silver coins, however, remained steady at Rs 74,000 for buying and Rs 75,000 for selling of 100 pieces.

15:01 Sebi

algo

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) plans to introduce rules on the participation of retail investors in algorithmic trading, a system widely regarded as giving its sophisticated institutional practitioners an edge, reports The Economic Times. The capital markets regulator is in the process of determining the extent to which individual investors should be allowed to use this automated trading system.

Algo trading uses advanced mathematical models and computer programmes to create nimble trading strategies. Decisions are made and executed in fractions of a second at magnitudes a human being couldnt handle. This advantage over manual methods is a concern for regulators around the world. The thinking in Sebi is that domestic individual investors should also be given an opportunity to take advantage of algo trades.

Just like institutional investors, retail investors should have a fair share of algorithmic trading, said a senior Sebi official. We have asked exchanges to put together a list of dos and donts to ensure risk practices are in place.

14:52 Sachin

Tendulkar

BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to unofficially retire the No 10 jersey for international matches, reports The Indian Express. The No 10, worn by Sachin Tendulkar throughout his career in ODIs and for a solitary international T20, will, henceforth, be associated only with the man himself.

Tendulkar retired in November 2013 bringing a 24-year-long career to an end. He had last worn No 10 in March 2012 when he played his last ODI against Pakistan. Since then, No 10 was unused for nearly five years before Mumbai fast bowler Shardul Thakur decided to don it for his ODI debut at Colombo last August. This prompted trolling of Thakur and BCCI in social media with a flood of comments ridiculing the player for trying to be a Sachin.

Two reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that roughly 10.5% of medicines sold in low- and middle-income countries could be substandard or falsified, reports The Times of India. The size of the dubious drugs market in these countries is at about $30 billion. However, experts slammed the basis for these estimates and said they were grossly exaggerated.

Bali airport reopened on Wednesday, Indonesian authorities said, two days after a volcanic eruption spread ash across the holiday island and forced its airport to close, stranding tourists and spurring evacuation efforts, reports Reuters. Balis international airport started operating normally, air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement, adding that operations resumed at 11:58 am. The reopening followed a downgrade in the authorities aviation warning to orange, one level below the most serious. The decision to resume operations followed an emergency meeting at the airport, weighed up weather conditions, tests and data from AirNav and other groups, AirNav added.

Indias production of wheat and pulses is expected to jump in 2018 as a hike in the governments assured purchase prices and ample rainfall have prompted farmers to plant more of the winter crops, industry officials told Reuters. Higher production will help the south Asian country reduce imports of pulses in the FY19 starting April 1 and could allow it to avoid buying overseas wheat for the first time in three years.

An expected increase in wheat production to a new high and rising stockpiles meant India would not need to import wheat in 2018/19, an official with state-run Food Corporation of India said. Wheat stocks with government agencies stood at 23.9 million tonne as on November 1, up 27% from a year ago following record output in 2017, added the official, who declined to be named.

India has imported wheat for the past two years after local production fell due to successive droughts in 2015 and 2016. The country imported 5.75 million tonne of wheat in 2016-17, the most in a decade. India imports wheat mainly from Ukraine, Australia, Bulgaria and Russia. Indias wheat output in 2017 rose 6.7% from a year earlier to a record high 98.38 million tonne.

14:16 NTPC

State-run power giant NTPC has floated a tender to acquire commissioned stressed coal-based power plants in the country, reports PTI. At present, out of the 40 GW stressed coal-based power generation capacity, about 12 GW capacity worth around Rs 50,000 crore commissioned after April 1, 2014 and is eligible under this tender.

According to the tender document, the company will shortlist the suitable operational domestic coal-based power assets located in India for possible acquisition after evaluating the offered projects. Each plant size should be at least 500 MW, according to the document. Thus it would acquire only subcritical and supercritical power plants.

14:07 DLF

QIP

India's largest realty firm DLF has called a board meeting on December 1 to approve its proposals to issue equity shares to institutional investors and warrants or debentures to promoters. DLF is required to launch QIP (qualified institutional placement) and also issue of warrants or debentures because of proposed infusion of about Rs 10,500 crore by promoters into the company. Infusion of capital by promoters would lead to increase in promoter stake in DLF to more than 75%. So, the company will have to launch a QIP to maintain the minimum public shareholding limit of 25%. It expects to raise another Rs 3,000 crore from the proposed QIP, taking the total likely infusion in the company to Rs 13,500 crore.

13:35 The government has nearly finalised the recapitalisation plan for state-run banks, a Finance Ministry official told NewsRise. It may issue bonds directly to public sector banks and seek Parliamentary nod for funds via supplementary demand for grants.

BoE

Bitcoin is not at a size where it would pose a risk to the global economy, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe told Reuters, as the virtual currency soared to a record high above $10,000 on major exchange. The cryptocurrency has climbed 10-fold so far this year, the largest gain of all asset classes and prompting sceptics to warn it is a classic speculative bubble. I would just say investors kind of need to do their homework, Cunliffe said. He said he did not think British households as a whole were going on a debt-fuelled binge but added that fast rates of consumer credit growth needed to be watched.

China expressed grave concern on Wednesday after North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, reports Reuters. China hopes all parties act cautiously to preserve peace and stability, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

The Hyderabad Metro Rail opened for public today with the passengers describing their first-time travel by it as a "convenient, comfortable and awesome experience", reports PTI.

The metro rail commenced its operations between Miyapur and Nagole, having a total distance of 30 kms and 24 stations, the concessionaire, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad), said in a statement.

The Indian banking sector, especially the state-owned entities, have hogged the limelight as the governments announcement of a fiscal neutral capitalisation raised hopes of a revival of not only these entities but also the long-buried capex cycle.

The quarterly results, therefore, got somewhat relegated to the background. Now that the dust appears to be settling, it is worth checking on the numbers as well as the grand recapitalisation plans to explore if the fortunes of the sector are really changing or is it another hope rally that is likely to dissipate?

Find out here

capex

FY19

A recovery in private capital spending is likely next year as balance sheet fundamentals of corporates are improving amid strengthening financial system, reports PTI. Accordingly, the country's GDP growth will accelerate to 7.5% in FY19, the report by global financial services major Morgan Stanley said.

The report highlighted that 2018 is expected to be the first year of full-fledged recovery for India as it will be marked by a synchronous recovery in domestic as well as external demand and, a pickup in private capex for the first time in six years. As per Morgan Stanley's discussions with investors, after six years of continued deterioration in private capital spending, investors are "more sceptical" of a turnaround in private capex, but the global brokerage sees three factors which will help to revive private corporate capex.

First, corporate return expectations are rising, second corporate balance sheet fundamentals are improving and third, financial system is strengthening, and it will be able to meet investment credit demand, it said. Overall, with productivity growth being supported by a pickup in private capex, Morgan Stanley expects real GDP growth to accelerate from 6.4% this fiscal to 7.5% in FY18 and further to 7.7% in FY19.

A planned meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the North Korean crisis is not scheduled to take place before the Christmas break in late December, a Canadian official told Reuters. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Canada would co-host the meeting with the United States on Canadian soil. At least a dozen foreign ministers will be involved, said the official.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, condemning a North Korean missile test earlier in the day, said the meeting would include South Korea, Japan and other affected nations, to discuss how the global community can counter North Koreas threat to international peace. Freeland had been discussing North Korea with counterparts in recent months, including those from the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia and China, said the Canadian official.

Canada was a good choice to host a meeting because it was less directly involved in the crisis than the United States, Japan, South Korea or China, said the official. There are fewer implications to us convening a constructive conversation, added the official, saying no decisions on a venue or who would be invited had been made.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new missile capable of hitting anywhere in the United States, reports AFP. The ICBM launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability "won't happen".

North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a senior broadcaster who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark. "Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," she said.

"The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK," she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea. Wednesday's missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said.

"The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," the official news agency KCNA said. Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4,475 km and had splashed down 950 km from its launch site.

Jet Airways has announced an agreement with Air France-KLM on India-Europe routes, providing a boost to its long-haul operations. The Chairman of Jet Airways Naresh Goyal and Air France-KLM chief JM Janaillac made a formal announcement on the code sharing partnership in India on Wednesday. According to the agreement, the joint venture involves both airlines sharing passenger traffic revenue on the India-Amsterdam and India-Paris route. But there will be no sharing of cargo revenue. During a press conference announcing the tie-up, Goyal said this programme between Jet Airways, KLM, Air France and Delta will improve cost structure.

11:12 Uber's

QoQ

Uber Technologies quarterly losses widened, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, as the ride-hailing company wades through legal troubles and faces regulatory scrutiny across the globe. The Silicon Valley-based companys net loss increased to $1.46 billion in the third quarter from $1.06 billion in the previous quarter, the source said.

Quarterly net revenue rose 14% to $2 billion and gross bookings increased 11.5% to $9.7 billion, on a sequential basis, the person said. As a private company, Uber is not required to publicly report its financial results, but earlier this year it began offering a glimpse of its performance by disclosing certain numbers.

10:59 Maggi

The district administration of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has slapped a fine on Nestle India and its distributors after its popular noodles brand Maggi allegedly failed to pass the lab test, even as the FMCG major maintained that "it's a case of application of incorrect standards", reports PTI. The district administration had imposed a fine of Rs 45 lakh on Nestle, Rs 15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs 11 lakh on its two sellers.

According to the district authorities, it had collected the samples last year in November and sent them for lab test, which had found ash content above the permissible limits of human consumption. Questioning the lab findings, Nestle India said it has not received the order yet and would file an appeal urgently once it receive the order.

"While we have not received the orders passed by the adjudication officer, we have been informed that the samples are of year 2015 and the issue pertains to 'ash content' in Noodles," said a Nestle India spokesperson. He further said: "This appears to be a case of application of incorrect standards, and we will file an appeal urgently once we receive the order."

A top US regulator, defending an effort to roll back so-called "net neutrality" rules, said that large internet platforms represent the biggest threat to online freedom because they routinely block "content they don't like," reports AFP. Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai delivered remarks days after unveiling a proposal to reverse a hotly contested 2015 rule requiring broadband firms to treat all online traffic equally.

Pai said internet platforms - he singled out Twitter - play a more significant role than broadband operators in determining what internet users see. "Despite all the talk about the fear that broadband providers could decide what internet content consumers can see, recent experience shows that so-called edge providers are in fact deciding what content they see," Pai said. "These providers routinely block or discriminate against content they don't like."

The blunt remarks appeared to confirm a tougher atmosphere in Washington for Silicon Valley firms after years of close ties. Pai, appointed by President Donald Trump, offered an example of Twitter's decision to block a video by a Republican candidate "because it featured a pro-life message," referring to the politician's claim of the "sale of baby body parts." He said Twitter "appears to have a double standard when it comes to suspending or de-verifying conservative users' accounts as opposed to those of liberal users," Pai said.

Australia's upper house senate today passed a bill paving the way for the legalisation of gay marriage, rejecting a conservative push to broaden religious freedom protections, reports AFP. The law is expected to pass through the lower house of parliament comfortably before Christmas after most lawmakers agreed to honour "the will of Australians" who voted in favour of same-sex marriage in a recent nationwide postal vote.

"We are a part of an act of acceptance, an act of inclusion, an act of respect, an act of celebration, a day when this Senate declares our acceptance of our LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex, queer) brothers and our sisters," said Australia's highest-profile gay politician, Labour's Penny Wong. "(The bill) says to so many Australians, this parliament, this country, accepts you for who you are. Your love is not lesser, and nor are you," she added.

Senators voted 43-12 in favour of the bill after rejecting calls to extend protections that allow religious ministers to refuse to conduct gay weddings to other services providers, such as bakers and florists. After more than a decade of divisive debate, Australians have emphatically endorsed same-sex marriage with 62% of the 12.7 million people who participated in the nationwide postal poll voting "yes" this month to gay unions.

10:27 Around 25 trains are arriving late in Delhi, 12 have been rescheduled and one cancelled due to decreased visibility or operational reasons, reports ANI.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile test and urged Pyongyang to "desist taking any further destabilising steps, reports AFP. "This is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions and shows complete disregard for the united view of the international community," Guterres said.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the latest launch and calls from the United States for more sanctions to be imposed on North Korea over its rogue behaviour. Guterres said he was ready to work with all parties to reduce tensions.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemned North Korea's "reckless" missile test, and warned that the situation on the Korean peninsula risked spinning out of control into catastrophic conflict, reports AFP. Addressing a hastily-convened national security meeting, Moon said the North's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which splashed down in waters near Japan, was a "reckless provocation" that would raise already elevated tensions to critical levels.

"The situation could get out of control if the North completes the development of ballistic missiles that can fly to a different continent," Moon said. "We have to prevent such a scenario where the North may miscalculate the situation and threaten us with nuclear weapons, or the US may consider a pre-emptive strike (against the North)," he added.

Japan's prime minister said that the latest North Korean missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting, reports AFP. "We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe said, adding that the missile was thought to be an ICBM. Japan had "completely tracked" the missile, Abe said, adding: "We have made a strong complaint."

US President Donald Trump spoke over the phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and reaffirmed their commitment to combat the North Korean threat after a ballistic missile fired by the reclusive nation apparently landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), reports PTI. "Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Abe of Japan to address North Korea's launch of an ICBM that impacted within Japan's EEZ," the White House said.

"The two leaders agreed that the North Korean regime's provocative actions are undermining its security and further isolating it from the international community," it said in a readout of the call. Trump and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to combat the North Korean threat, the White House said.

Mattis

North Korea fired a ballistic missile today that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoking angry reactions from the US with its Defence Secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach "anywhere in the world", reports PTI. After a lull of two months, Pyongyang has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which "went higher than any previous shot taken," as per Mattis.

Nuclear-armed North Korea said it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put "all of the US continent" within its range, reports AFP. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un declared the test-launch of the Hwasong-15 missile a success, according to an announcement on state television.

09:20 North Korea has claimed successful successful test of the ICBM named 'Hwasong-15', South Korea's Yonhap News Agency has reported.

Brexit

British and EU negotiators have reached a deal over the so-called Brexit bill, opening the door to a potential breakthrough in the talks this December, the Telegraph has learned. Sources on both sides confirmed that an agreement-in-principle has now been reached over the EUs demand for a EUR60bn financial settlement ahead of a crucial lunch meeting next Monday between Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president.

Two sources confirmed that the terms were agreed at a meeting in Brussels late last week after intense back-channel discussions led by Oliver Robbins, the UKs chief Brexit negotiator. The Telegraph understands that the final figure, which is deliberately being left open to interpretation, will be between EUR45bn and EUR55bn, depending on how each side calculates the output from an agreed methodology.

Jerome Powell, President Donald Trumps choice to lead the US Federal Reserve, defended plans to potentially lighten regulation of the financial sector during a controversy-free hearing on his nomination to take over the central bank, reports Reuters.

Tapped to replace current chair Janet Yellen, Powell on Tuesday skirted several efforts by members of the Senate Banking Committee to draw him into the debates preoccupying Capitol Hill, refusing to analyse the impact of proposed tax cuts or, as some of his colleagues at the Fed have done, argue for more immigration to boost the labour force. He said economic growth was likely bound in a range of between 2% and 2.5% annually, short of Trumps 3% goal, without a jump in productivity that many economists regard as unlikely.

In general, the 64-year-old lawyer stuck close to script, reciting the current Fed consensus that interest rates are due to continue rising gradually, that the course of inflation remains a mystery, and that weak wages and low labour force participation indicate the jobs market still has room to improve.

Early in his time as a governor Powell, a lawyer who has spent the bulk of his career in the private sector as an investment banker, shared some conservative concerns about the extent of the Feds crisis response. But he ultimately came to agree that the benefits of current Fed policy, with years of loose money allowing time for displaced workers to trickle back to the job market, outweighed the risks - and that future crisis would require the Fed, as he said in his opening statement, to respond decisively.

The sharpest and most detailed exchanges involved financial regulation, an area Powell has focused on during his years as a Fed governor and where he said it was time to take a pause and evaluate where things stand eight years after the end of a deep 2007 to 2009 recession.

Markle

The wedding of Britains Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle will take place next May in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, a venue with royal associations going back centuries, reports Reuters. The fifth-in-line to the British throne, 33, and the American actress, 36, previously best known for her starring role in the TV legal drama Suits announced their engagement on Monday, sparking a trans-Atlantic media frenzy.

The couple have chosen to marry in Windsor, west of London, because it is a special place for them, Harrys spokesman told reporters. Queen Elizabeth, the princes 91-year-old grandmother, will attend the ceremony. The wedding will be a moment of fun and joy and reflect the characters of the bride and groom, he said. The couples first official engagement together will take place on Friday in the central English city of Nottingham, where they will raise awareness of charities working to prevent HIV/AIDS and youth crime.

1bn

Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. Miteb, who was head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and current and former senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry at least partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The official, who is involved in the anti-corruption campaign, said Miteb was released on Tuesday after reaching an acceptable settlement agreement. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed but it is believed to be more than one billion US dollar equivalent, the official told Reuters. It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases, the official said.

Cyber Monday was on track to become the biggest-ever internet shopping day in the United States as people snapped up bargains on toys and electronics, with many more buying from their phones, reports Reuters. The shopping event is expected to generate $6.6 billion in sales, up from $5.6 billion a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics, which measured 80% of all online transactions from the top 100 US web retailers. As of 08:30 pm on Wednesday, revenue from smartphones was $1.59 billion.

The buying frenzy has gone on for the better part of a week. Amazon.com said it broke sales records this weekend and was on pace to do so on Cyber Monday. Thanksgiving and Black Friday, during which shoppers spent $7.9 billion, according to Adobe, had also generated record online sales. The worlds biggest shopping event was Chinas Singles Day earlier this month, in which Alibaba Group Holding reported sales of $25.4 billion.

British shop prices edged down by an annual 0.1% for the third month in a row during November, according to a survey that chimed with the Bank of Englands thinking that inflation may have peaked around now, reports Reuters. Although prices for non-food goods declined at the slowest rate since May 2013, food price inflation cooled this month, Retail Consortium (BRC) and market research firm Nielsen said. Still, the 0.1% drop in overall shop prices matched the shallowest rate of shop price deflation for the last four years.

Annual Japanese retail sales fell for the first time in a year last month, government data showed on Wednesday, after poor weather including two typhoons kept consumers away from stores and restaurants, reports Reuters. Retail sales declined 0.2% compared with the same month last year, hurt by weak sales of food and beverages, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry said.

Sales at large-scale retailers - department stores and supermarkets - fell 0.7% from a year earlier after adjustment for change in the number of stores. Consumer spending is in the spotlight after private consumption suffered a rare decline in July-September, even as the economy grew for a seventh straight quarter for its longest expansion in 16 years. Wednesdays retail sales report is the first piece of major consumption data for the current quarter, and kicks off a busy slate of October indicators over the coming days.

One bitcoin can now buy a Tiffany engagement ring, reports CNBC. The digital currency hit $10,000 on Tuesday, according to CoinDesk, marking an exponential ascent from 6 cents seven years ago and less than $1,000 at the start of this year. The cryptocurrency had hovered above the $9,800 level for most of the day, but finally broke through the milestone level around 8:30 pm ET, according to CoinDesk. Five minutes later, it had jumped as high as $10,038.83.

Since bitcoin's market capitalisation is less than $200 billion, enthusiasts point out the digital currency could rise dramatically if it draws even a tiny fraction of the world's $200 trillion in traditional financial market assets. More than 120 "cryptofunds" have launched, including some run by Wall Street veterans, according to financial research firm Autonomous Next. In another move towards establishing bitcoin's legitimacy as an asset class, the world's largest futures exchange, CME, is planning to launch bitcoin futures in the second week of December.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday responded to the latest North Korean missile launch, saying, "I will only tell you that we will take care of it," and that the launch was "a situation that we will handle." Trump gave no details on precisely what he meant by this, reports CNBC.

Asian markets shrugged off North Korea's latest missile launch on Wednesday, instead following the lead from Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 225 points higher. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.53% in early trade, shrugging off the North's latest missile launch. Across the Korean Strait, the benchmark Kospi index edged up 0.37%. Down Under, the S&P/ASX 200 was 0.61% higher. Major US indexes closed at record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 1.09%, or 255.93 points, to close at 23,836.71.

Hawaii this week will resume monthly state-wide testing of its Cold War-era nuclear attack warning sirens for the first time in about 30 years, in preparation for a potential missile launch from North Korea, emergency management officials said. Wailing air-raid sirens will be sounded for about 60 seconds from more than 400 locations across the central Pacific islands starting at 11:45 am on Friday, in a test that will be repeated on the first business day of each month thereafter, reports Reuters.

A formal announcement and demonstration of the system was planned for Tuesday by Governor David Ige and other officials at the headquarters of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Monthly tests of the nuclear attack siren are being reintroduced in Hawaii in conjunction with public service announcements urging residents of the islands to get inside, stay inside and stay tuned if they should hear the warning.

Hwasong-14

Yonhap

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said they presume North Korea fired a Hwasong-14 long-range ballistic missile on Wednesday, the Souths Yonhap News Agency reported.

North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, officials said, with some scientists cautioning that Washington, DC could now theoretically be within range of Pyongyangs weapons, reports Reuters. The country fired the missile, its first launch since mid-September, a week after US President Donald Trump put it back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

The South Korean military said the missile, fired on a steep trajectory, reached an altitude of around 4,500 km and flew 960 km before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone. It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said.

The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

Japanese officials said the missile flew for 53 minutes and broke up before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory.

If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km... Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States, the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists said.

However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the non-profit science advocacy group added.

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Koreas military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said.
North Korea fired a ballistic missile today that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoking angry reactions from the US with its Defence Secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach "anywhere in the world".

After a lull of two months, Pyongyang has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which "went higher than any previous shot taken," as per Mattis.

The ICBM was believed to have harmlessly landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the latest missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. US and South Korea also reacted in similar fashion and asked for an emergency UNSC session, which, according to a media release, will be held today around 4:30 pm EST.

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters.

The provocative action comes just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on North Korea and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

US President Donald Trump, who according to the White House, "was briefed, while missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea", exuded confidence that the situation would be handled.

"A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. But let me tell you that we will take care of it. We have General Mattis in the room with us and we will have a long discussion on it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters.

The US Department of Defence detected and tracked a North Korea missile launch today at about 1:17 pm EDT. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon Spokesman Col Rob Manning said in a statement.

"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's EEZ," Manning said.

Trump said he wants the military to be funded now.

"Nothing changed. Nothing changed. We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed. We take it very seriously," he said in response to a question.

Mattis, also briefly spoke with the media.

"A little over 2.5 hours ago North Korea launched an ICBM. It went higher than any previous shot taken," he said.

"Their Research and Development effort... on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...In response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," Mattis said.

"Bottom line is continued effort to build a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly the US," he told reporters.

In New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held today around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.
Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest.

Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well.

This week, Vishal Malkan, Pankaj Jain and Ruchit Jain battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Vishal Malkan of malkansview.com

Buy Motherson Sumi with a stoploss at Rs 355 and target of Rs 380

Buy Exide Industries with a stoploss at Rs 203 and target of Rs 225

Buy Bharat Electronics (BEL) with a stoploss at Rs 182 and target of Rs 198

Buy Century Textiles with a stoploss at Rs 1330 and target of Rs 1410

Pankaj Jain of SW Capital

Buy Intense Technologies with a stoploss at Rs 87 and target of Rs 98

Buy Jayshree Tea and Industries with a stoploss at Rs 130 and target of Rs 146

Buy Titagarh Wagon with a stoploss at Rs 181 and target of Rs 199

Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking

Buy United Spirits with a stoploss at Rs 3285 and target of Rs 3510

Buy Mahindra CIE with a stoploss at Rs 245 and target of Rs 294

Buy Nalco with a stoploss at Rs 77.50 and target of Rs 89

Sell PFC with a stoploss at Rs 128 and target of Rs 119
Sensex_Nifty

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Reliance Industries gained around a percent intraday on Wednesday after research firm CLSA released a positive note on the firm.

The note highlighted that JioPhone is set to drive next leg of growth for Jio after a fabulous first year. Further, it said that the telecom vertical achieved 12 percent subscriber market share one year after its launch.

In fact, it is also very close to becoming the second largest operator in urban areas, the report stated.

Going forward, a ramp-up of its JioPhone will enable it to target untouched feature phone market, it said.

The brokerage also said that start of downstream expansion will drive doubling of EBITDA over FY17-20.

At 12:08 hrs Reliance Industries was quoting at Rs 946.40, up Rs 3.45, or 0.37 percent, on the BSE. It touched an intraday high of Rs 949.80 and an intraday low of Rs 938.00.

Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.
Jet Airways has announced a metal neutral partnership with Air France-KLM and Delta to enhance footprint in North America and Europe. Naresh Goyal sees a one billion dollar revenue potential from this partnership.

CNBC-TV18's Kritika Saxena and Nisha Poddar caught up with the managements of Jet Airways, KLM and Air France to know what would this metal neutrality pact mean for jet airways customers.

Vinay Dube, CEO-Jet Airways said the alliance allows them to increase connectivity and provide convenience to their customers. They are also looking at improved load factor and margins going forward post the alliance kicks in, he said.

According to Dubey, there would be an increase in volumes of Indian customers traveling to Europe.

The alliance is not done with intention of shifting of focus to Europe but with an intention to enhance routes that we already have, said Dubey.

Dubey said the European customers have also been asking for Air France-KLM to increase flights to India.

Pieter Elbers, CEO-KLM said they have moved from a situation of little cooperation three years ago to this alliance and all the efforts in the next few months will to make this alliance work for our customers.

Elbers said, "Our relationship with Jet Airways is still at its early stage."

Franck Terner, CEO-Air France said this alliance would allow Indian customers to seamlessly travel to the US.

When asked if they would look at any equity infusion, Terner said first they have to deliver what they planned today before considering anything else.
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Parsvnath Developers share price was locked at 5 percent upper circuit at Rs 31.55 on Wednesday as the company will receive claim of Rs 1,034.5 crore along with interest.

At 15:00 hours IST, there were pending buy orders of 118,277 shares, with no sellers available.

Parsvnath and its associate company Parsvnath Rail Land Project Private Limited (PRLPPL) had sought an award of Rs 1,034.54 crore in arbitral proceedings.

The Honourable Arbitral Tribunal has upheld this claim of Rs 1,034.54 crore and directed RLDA to make payment alongwith interest at 4 percent per annum from July 15, 2015 till the date of payment.

In February 2016, Parsvnath Developers had informed exchanges the development agreement of the company and Parsvnath Rail Land Project with RLDA for implementation of its project at Sarai Rohilla-Kishanganj, New Delhi has been terminated.

That disputes arising under the Development Agreement are pending adjudication before Arbitral Tribunals, where the company and PRLPPL have claimed more than Rs 1,500 crore.

The company and PRLPPL are in consultation with its legal counsel for further course of action, it said.
General Electric employee Jim Jones assembles a GE90 engine at the GE Aviation Peebles Test Operations Facility in Peebles, Ohio, November 15, 2013. U.S. conglomerate General Electric Co posted a slightly better-than-expected rise in revenue on Friday propelled by its businesses selling oil pumps and jet engines, and said its order backlog again swelled to a record. Picture taken November 15, 2013. REUTERS/Matt Sullivan (UNITED STATES - Tags: SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY TRANSPORT BUSINESS) - RTX17I8M

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Shares of Technofab Engineering has locked at 20 percent upper circuit on Wednesday on the back of order won worth Rs 281 crore.

There were pending buy orders of 17,750 shares, with no sellers available.

The company has received new order in the domestic water sector valued at Rs 281 crore

The project is funded by Asian Development Bank.

This order gives a further impetus to the companys standing in the water sector, soon after securing orders in Bhutan and Uganda, and recently completed projects in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, company said in press release.

With this the order backlog of the company stands at approximately Rs 2000 crore of which the water sector now contributes close to 45 percent.

At 09:17 hrs Technofab Engineering was quoting at Rs 289.20, up Rs 48.20, or 20 percent.

It has touched a 52-week high of Rs 289.20.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
December 01, 2017 / 12:11 PM IST

12:11 Why public money was 'squandered' in buying power at higher rates: Rahul asks PM

Continuing his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice president data-scayt-word="Rahul" data-scayt-lang="en_US">Rahul Gandhi today asked him why public money was "squandered" in purchasing power at higher rates from private companies.

Asking the third question in the series "a question a day", Gandhi asked Modi why the coffers of four private firms were filled between 2002-2016 by buying power of Rs 62,549 crore.

"My third question to the prime minister. Why were the coffers of four private companies filled between 2002-16 by buying power of Rs 62,549 crore. By reducing the capacity of state power units by 62 percent, why was power bought from private companies at upto Rs 24 per unit against Rs 3 per unit? Why was public money squandered," he asked the prime minister on Twitter.

12:02 'It is a loan, not a grant', clarifies Tata Motors post Rahul Gandhi's allegations

Tata Motors on Thursday released a statement that the company has so far received Rs 584.8 crore from the Gujarat government as a loan and not a grant, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The response comes after Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government had given undue favours of Rs 33,000 crore to the automaker for its car manufacturing facility in Sanand.

The statement, which did not directly name Gandhi, said that the loan is from taxes paid by Tata Motors.

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday signed off his two-day tour of poll-bound Gujarat with a promise to waive loans of farmers and provide free education in government-aided colleges if the Congress party comes to power in the state.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader claimed, "Modiji waived loans worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore of his five-ten industrialists friends, but Modiji and (Finance Minister Arun) Jaitleyji say that it is not their policy to waive loans of farmers when they ask for it."

Rahul Gandhi said that if Congress came to power in Gujarat it will waive of farm loans unlike BJP, which has not done so in past 22 years. The Congress vice-president was addressing a public meeting at Amreli in Gujarat.



Congress will win in December. We will waive loans of farmers within 10 days. If govt will function, it will be for farmers, small and medium businesses and you. We will ask what you want and will run the govt accordingly.: Rahul Gandhi in Amreli #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/ClwtMU8wkn

 ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

20:12 Rahul Gandhi's temple run in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly polls.

19:45



#ShameOnYouBJP

Not only Rahul Gandhi is Hindu, he is a *Janeu Dhari Hindu*. Few photos as proof ... Those wanted evidence pic.twitter.com/lMZWPdxqUn  Rahul Gandhi (@office0ffRG) November 29, 2017



They say this is a conspiracy but we say Congress is a conspiracy. The tip of the iceberg of their conspiracy is visible today. There is no conspiracy by anyone. You are a sinner, sin is yours. Rahul Gandhi must say who he actually is.: Sambit Patra pic.twitter.com/q4V7O2aNhF ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

18:58 BJP conspiring out of fear: Congress

"BJP has come down to conspiracy out of fear," said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala claiming Rahul Gandhi's registration as non-Hindu at Somnath Temple of Gujarat was staged by the ruling party in the state as a part of electoral politics.

He also said that BJP has taken help of certain media people to carry out the 'conspiracy'.

The party has stated that Gandhi did not sign the non-Hindu register himself and his name was added later without his knowledge.

18:52 Rahul Gandhi's non-Hindu registration at Somnath is BJP 'conspiracy', says Congress

Congress has rubbished the reports on Rahul Gandhi's name being listed in the non-Hindu register at Somnath temple in Gujarat and called it a BJP 'conspiracy'.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the widely circulated picture of Rahul Gandhi's name on the said register was not written by Gandhi himself as it was not his handwriting and the name read 'Rahul Gandhi Ji', implying a third party writing. He also added that it was not entered by Congress media coordinator Manoj Tyagi as reported by some media outlets.

Surjewala further clarified that Tyagi was made to sign the register without putting either Gandhi or senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's name as he needed to get media personnel inside the temple for Gandhi's visit. He alleged that Gandhi and Patel's names were entered later on by someone working for the BJP after Tyagi had signed it.

He also showed the media pictures of Gandhi signing a different visitor's book and his signage where he did not mention his religion, but his name and address along with a comment.

While addressing an election rally at Gujarat's Navsari PM Modi said: "the Congress version of GST places salt, which a poor person wants, with expensive cigarettes and alcohol. How can I allow this? Our fight is for giving the poor their rights while Congress fights for the interests of the rich."

He also said that during the UPA era LED bulbs were priced at Rs 350 apiece. But NDA government has brought it down to Rs 50-70; he added the question of who was taking home the surplus money. Modi said that during his tenure the sale of the cheaper bulbs went up to three crore.

18:14 "On the issue of Doklam my question to Congress is clear- why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry", asks PM Modi at Navsari in Gujarat.

18:08



Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017



17:58 Swamy says Rahul Gandhi is not Hindu

BJP's Subramanian Swamy told India Today that he believed Rahul Gandhi is not a Hindu and he has not revealed his actual religious identity since it could politically backfire,

"He is all fake. It's a family of fakes," he told the TV channel.

Swamy also alleged that Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were "practicing Catholics".

As the Congress vie-president's name was entered in the non-Hindu register at Somnath temple in Gujarat, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya was quick to dub the gaffe as Rahul Gandhi "coming clean" on his religion.

He reiterated the BJP criticism of Gandhi's temple visits in Gujarat by questioning if the Congress leader was trying to "fool" people.

But contrary to his belief, Gandhi did not sign his name on the non-Hindu register; it was entered by his aide Manoj Tyagi, as per media reports.

Gandhi's name was signed as "Rahul Gandhi Ji", which indicates the entry being made by another person.

Rahul Gandhi's election campaign in Gujarat took an unexpected turn as a party personnel allegedly entered the Congress vice-president's name in the register of non-Hindu visitors at Somnath temple, as per media reports.

Gandhi's name was entered along with Ahmed Patel, a Muslim leader of Congress. The faux pas was done by the party's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi, according to a Times of India report.

Earlier in the day, PM Narendra Modi slammed Congress for visiting the famed Shiva temple saying Sardar Patel built the temple while then Congress Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed it.

16:13 In a veiled attack, PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi, Congress

While concluding his speech at Palitana, prime minister Narendra Modi said, "They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking".

16:09 The prime minister has ended his speech at the Palitana rally in Bhavnagar. He is now scheduled to address another public meeting at Navsari in South Gujarat.

16:07 Modi takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi, calls him 'legacy of royalty'

Taking a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi, PM Narendra Modi said, "We have legacy of Fakir Gandhi - the great Mahatma (Mahatma Gandhi). They have legacy of 'royalty'. They were born with all privileges and are disconnected with the roots".

16:04 PM Modi attacks Congress over the Narmada water issue

The prime minister said, "If Congress was in power, Narmada waters have would never come here and the farmers would have been disadvantaged. Congress has tried everything possible to delay the project".

"When I was the Chief Minister, I would plead to the Congress, even Congress leaders in Gujarat that let us get the Narmada project moving, let us help our farmers. But, the Congress was not interested," he added.

15:55



Citizens of Gir Somnath warmly received Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. #Congress_Aave_Chhe pic.twitter.com/TBTdLHVcg2  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017



15:51 At the Palitana rally, the prime minister said, "Do you remember the water shortage in the region? This is because Congress controlled the tanker business. It suited them to have this shortage. BJP has changed this in the last 22 years. We have made the tanker industry irrelevant".

15:50 Rahul Gandhi has ended his speech at the Visavadar rally.

15:46 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun his address at the Palitana rally.

15:43 Rahul Gandhi has slammed PM Modi and the BJP government over demonetisation, implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and price rise.

15:37 Speaking at the rally in Visavadar, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress government will waive loans of farmer when it comes to power.

15:34 Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi has arrived in Palitana, Bhavnagar to address a rally.

15:28 Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is now addressing a rally at Visavadar. This is his first public meeting of the day. Earlier in the day, Gandhi visited the Somnath temple.

Whatever Gujarat has today is all due to BJP. Result of development brought in by Modi Ji, when he was CM, can be seen today. Bhuj was destroyed in earthquake & is flourishing. Narmada's water is now available everywhere in state. Congress & Rahul must see this: UP CM in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/2YomrVLASZ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 29, 2017

14:50 Rahul Gandhi is set to address a rally in Visavadar.

14:38 Besides PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel is holding rallies in Rajkot (CM Vijay Rupani's constituency), Morbi, Somnath, Junagadh and Himmatnagar today.

14:28

14:20 The prime minister has ended his speech at the rally at Prachi. He scheduled to speak at Palitana in Bhavnagar next.

14:10 PM Modi slams Congress over the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) issue

PM Modi has slammed Congress for not implementing One Rank, One Pension (OROP). The prime minister said, "I want to ask the Congress. What is it that you have against our army? The demand for OROP was pending for forty long years. Why did successive Congress governments do nothing about that?"

"When elections were approaching, they announced a meagre Rs 500 crore for OROP when the real requirement was a lot higher. This was misleading of the highest order," he added.

14:05 At the rally at Prachi, PM Modi has said, "Congress is seeking votes of OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow OBC Commission to get Constitutional Status for all these years. We brought in the move, it was passed by Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority".

"I want to assure you, Congress may try to put roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail," he said.

The prime minister also said that the parliament is meeting soon and that the government will bring that issue on the floor of the House again, adding that, "We want to give our OBC communities their due".

Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/4i4QF0TT8Q ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

13:57 PM Modi attacks Congress: 'Pandit Nehru was not happy with idea of a temple being built in Somnath'

PM Modi says, "If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them - have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first prime minister was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there".

"When Dr. Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath Temple, (then prime minister) Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure on that. Sardar Patel dreamt about the Narmada but your family did not let that dream fulfil," he added.

13:47 Speaking at the rally in Prachi, PM Narendra Modi has said, "This is my 2nd day of campaigning for the Gujarat elections. I have travelled to Saurashtra and South Gujarat. The enthusiasm is remarkable. I can see so many women who have come to bless us".

13:39 PM Modi has begun his speech at Prachi, near Somnath. This is the prime minister's second rally of the day. Congress Vice President is scheduled to visit the Somnath temple, just 23 km away.

13:34 The prime minister has reached the venue in Prachi, near Somnath for his second rally of the day.

13:32 CM Vijay Rupani targets Congress

Speaking at the Morbi rally prior to PM Narendra Modi's address, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said, "On one hand, there is development. On the other hand, there is anarchy (Congress). On our end, you would experience, sabka saath sabka vikaas. But the Congress only believes in caste politics and dividing the people of Gujarat", according to Firstpost.

13:21 Here's a look at BJP and Congress' vote share in Gujarat since 1985

12:58 PM Modi attacks the Congress for criticising the GST

Attacking Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here today that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

Resuming his campaign for the assembly polls in his home state, Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.

Read the full story here.

12:48 Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, BJP on Twitter



22   ,

          : 2012     50    

5    4.72            45   ?  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 29, 2017



12:31 Modi, Rahul Gandhi to campaign around 23 kilometres apart

Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit the Somnath temple for at 1 pm. Media reports had suggested that PM Narendra Modi would also visit the temple today.

However, it was later clarified that the prime minister would not be going to the temple.

12:20 Next up, Congress Vice President is expected to resume his poll campaign in Gujarat.

He is scheduled to visit the Somnath temple around 1 pm, followed by a rally.

12:11 Prime Minister Modi has ended the day's first public address in Morbi.

In Gujarat we initiated a mass movement to conserve every drop of water. This is because we understand the adverse impact of lack of water. Development for us is not about winning polls, it is about serving every citizen: PM Modi in Morbi pic.twitter.com/tAUvYIwvgr ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

12:00 PM Modi: Congress exploited the state over water problems

Talking more on the SAUNI Yojana, the prime minister said, "When we came to power, we focussed on water. Congress asks what is our Gujarat model. We know what is Congress' development agenda  water pump. Our development is SAUNI of Narmada. Often, Congress promised hand pump just for sake of vote".

"We worked to improve the water situation but we did not stop there. BJP Government brought in soil health card which has proven extremely beneficial for the farmers," he added.

11:55 Modi hails SAUNI Yojana

"Through the SAUNI Yojana, we built huge pipelines. Dams in Saurashtra are being filled due to SAUNI Yojana. But, I do not think the Congress can see all this," PM Modi said at the rally.

11:47 Modi invokes Morbi's 'bad days' and the 1979 Machu dam failure

"Back then (referring to the 1979 Machu Dam failure), in Chitralekha magazine there was a photo on the cover page which showed the bad situation. There was one photo in Chitralekha that showed Indira holding kerchief to wade off the bad smell and there was one photo with RSS workers helping people," PM Modi said at a rally in Morbi.

11:42 PM Modi reminds people that BJP, Jan Sangh have 'stood by Morbi'

Speaking at the public gathering in Morbi, the prime minister said, "In good and bad times, the Jan Sangh and the BJP have stood with the people of Morbi. One cannot say the same about the Congress and their leaders".

11:39 Morbi's ceramic tile makers hit by the GST, could impact BJP

The 28 percent GST has severely hit nearly 650 ceramic tile manufacturers in Morbi.

Before GST, ceramic products had 5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) and 12.5 percent excise duty.

Manufacturers have claimed that the high GST has made their products lose competitive edge over Chinese imports, which according to reports have risen over 25% since GST's rolled out.

These factors are likely to work against the ruling party in Morbi.

11:27 The prime minister has started his first public address of the day.

11:20 The prime minister has arrived in Morbi.

Morbi is important for the BJP as well as the Opposition as it has a large Patidar community. While the urban Patels are backing the BJP, the rural Patels remain discontent with the ruling party. Hardik Patel's PAAS has garnered support here.

11:12



Prime Minister has belittled the position of PM by attending an event of #IvankaTrump, Telangana CM was already there.

Why does PM need a certificate from outsiders and dubious foreign rating agencies? He should ask people of Gujarat for the certificate: Anand Sharma,Congress pic.twitter.com/LLPuSRmesO  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017



10:53 PM Modi using 'vulgar, indecent' language: Congress

A day after the prime minister launched began his campaign by attacking Congress in Gujarat, Congress on Tuesday accused the PM Modi of using vulgar, intemperate and indecent language in his public speeches, according to a report by The Indian Express.

His language is questionable. It is so vulgar that it is difficult for the Congress to reply to him in the same language He has no politeness and courtesy, Congress' senior leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma said in Ahmedabad.

10:36 PM Modi's first rally in Morbi was expected to start at 9 am.

10:13 PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi to be back in battlefield Gujarat today

Modi will address rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in south Gujarat on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi will also be in Gujarat on a two-day campaign tour. He will kick off the current trip with a visit to the famous Somnath temple. He has been repeatedly ridiculed by the BJP for visiting a string of temples in the state during the election campaign.

Read the full story here.

Will be addressing public meetings in Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari today. @BJP4Gujarat Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 29, 2017

09:44



Rahul Gandhi returns to the campaign trail in Gujarat. He will begin with seeking blessings at Somnath Mandir, and continue on to the districts of Visavadar, Savar Kundla and Amreli. #Congress_Aave_Chhe pic.twitter.com/EpMTP1wlYK  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

09:28 PM Modi returns to the campaign trail

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold rallies at Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari today.

The prime minister had campaigned in places such as Bhuj and Jasdan on Monday. He had taken a day off from campaigning yesterday to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit along with advisor to the United States President Ivanka Trump and inaugurate the first stretch of the Hyderabad Metro.

09:18 Rahul Gandhi returns to Gujarat for campaign

Congress VP will be holding election rallies, road shows and interactive sessions in areas covering the districts such as Bhavnagar, Gir, Somnath, Junagadh and Botad.

This is Gandhis first campaign visit to Gujarat since Congress struck up alliance arrangements with outfits of Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and JDU rebels.

09:00 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will return to Gujarat for election duties.

The two leaders will hold rallies, public meetings and roadshows through the day. We will keep you updated with their election campaign in poll-bound state of Gujarat.
All eyes in Tamil Nadu are set on the upcoming by-elections that are to take place at the RK Nagar constituency - the seat that became vacant after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha. The seat is being considered as a matter of life and death for the rival AIADMK factions while other parties try to make inroads into their bastion.

But amidst all this, K Padmarajan who labelled himself as the All India Election King is preparing to contest in his 184th election at RK Nagar, where he has filed his nomination.

A native of Salem, Padmarajan runs his own tyre business along with providing homeopathic medicines to Sabarimala pilgrims. He has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records and the Limca Book of Records terms him as the Most Unsuccessful Candidate.

Padmarajan started his career as a serial loser back in 1988 when he contested the Mettur assembly seat. He has since then contested in elections across the country from local elections to the Presidential elections. He has contested against bigwigs like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, P V Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Pratibha Patil, K R Narayanan and A P J Abdul Kalam among others.

While he has never been a threat to any of his rivals, as he never even campaigns for himself, he too faced the darker side of Indias election process. According to a report in The Economic Times, while contesting against Narasimha Rao in 1991 he was attacked, kidnapped and forced to withdraw.

According to Padmarajan, he contests not with any big ambition, but to prove that even a common man can stand in elections that are held in the country.
Representative Image

Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti on Wednesday said Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) gadgets with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) would be used for next month's Assembly polls in Gujarat and in all future elections.

The machines run on battery and cannot easily be tampered with, the CEC said at a press conference here.

The Election Commission would buy new EVMs and VVPATs before the 2019 Lok Sabha election, he said.

The CEC also said EVMs and VVPATs would be used in all the 3170 polling stations in Tripura where Assembly elections are due early next year.

The final list of Tripura voters would be published on January 5 and the date for the state Assembly election would be announced after that, he said.

According to the draft list, 25.05 lakh people, including 12.30 lakh women, are eligible to vote in the state in 2018.

He said names of more than 28,000 ineligible voters including fake, dead and foreign voters were deleted from the list.

Joti said adequate Central security forces would be deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the Tripura elections and the 856-km long border with Bangladesh would be sealed.

A high-level EC delegation led by Joti held meetings with representatives of different political parties, the chief secretary, director general of police and chief electoral officer here today.

The EC delegation had arrived in Gujarat yesterday to oversee preparations for next year's Assembly elections.
Google has detected an app 'Tizi', which has been stealing information from call records and also from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and also take pictures from mobile phones without even displaying them on the screen of the device.

"Tizi is a fully featured backdoor that installs spyware to steal sensitive data from popular social media applications. The Google Play Protect security team discovered this family in September 2017 when device scans found an app with rooting capabilities that exploited old vulnerabilities," a post on Google security blog said.

The company has removed the app from Play Store, notified all known affected devices and suspended the account of the app developer, the post dated November 27 said.

The post said that earlier variant of Tizi did not have rooting capabilities but it developed later on and thereafter started stealing sensitive information from devices.

"The rooting capabilities give an app full control of the device. It can bypass all restriction posted on it by the Android security system. An app with rooting is like a user using the device. Presence of such app on Google Play Store raises concerns about secure apps on the app store," cybersecurity expert Jiten Jain said.

The post said that after gaining rooting capability, Tizi steals sensitive data "from popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, LinkedIn, and Telegram."

The backdoor capability of Tizi was common to commercial spyware, such as recording calls from WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype, sending and receiving SMS messages, and accessing calendar events, call log, contacts, photos, Wi-Fi encryption keys, and a list of all installed apps

"Tizi apps can also record ambient audio and take pictures without displaying the image on the device's screen," the post said.

The post said that in and after April 2016 vulnerabilities in devices which could have been affected by Tizi were fixed with new software codes.

"If a Tizi app is unable to take control of a device because the vulnerabilities it tries to use are all patched, it will still attempt to perform some actions through the high level of permissions it asks the user to grant to it, mainly around reading and sending SMS messages and monitoring, redirecting, and preventing outgoing phone calls," the post said.
Toyota Motor Corp. displays the company's fuel cell bus Sora during media preview of the 45th Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan October 25, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon - RC1407759200

In Japan, many drunk revellers doze off in the train and are 'forced' into lengthy and expensive journey home after missing their stop.

But help is at hand for those who live in Tokyo where Transport system has been kind enough to help party-goers who doze off by chartering buses to take worse for wear passengers who find themselves stranded at the end of a train line back into the city. The buss run coincides with the start of the end-of-the-year parties.

The service runs by operating one extra bus on select nights after the last train departs and reaches the final stop.

The special bus is called the Oversleeping Rescue Bus but the fact that it coincides with year-end drinking parties indicates that it will mostly ferry drunk passengers who mistakably ride past their drop point.

This oversleeping rescue bus is not new to Japan which is known for its innovative and often bizarre inventions. This will be its fourth year in the run and will now connect the Japanese capital with the western suburbs for those who have snoozed on the last train.

The station at the end of the line is Takao which is in the foothills of a mountainous region which is quite cut-off with very few transport links.

A rescue bus has been formed which will pick up sleepy passengers and take them to Hachioji, a more developed neighbourhood with places where workers can pay for a hotel until morning, as per Rocket News.

The bus is set to run in the early hours of December 9, 16 and 23 and costs 880 yen (Rs 507).

The bus had already carried 75 passengers in its three days in operation and even took 32 people back to Hachioji on its busiest night.

But one thing is for sure, that the buses will leave on time, as Japan is renowned for its punctuality.

(Currency figures are in 1 Japanese Yen= Rs 0.58)
A wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces, Slobodan Praljak, is seen during a hearing at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in the Hague, Netherlands, November 29, 2017. ICTV via REUTERS TV ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC18D1437550

The wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces, Slobodan Praljak, died after he drank poison seconds after a United Nations judges turned down his appeal against a 20-year sentence for war crimes against Bosnian Muslims, Croatian state television reported.

The television quoted sources close to Praljak as saying he died in a hospital in The Hague.

The events took place in the final minutes of the court's last verdict. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), established by the United Nations in 1993, shuts its doors next month when its mandate expires.
Pervez Musharraf

Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf has said he backs the terror group's role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a 'grand alliance' of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government only.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharraf's comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan government's decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharif's control anymore".
full oil embargo on the North is unlikely, China will endorse sanctions stronger than those previous adopted by UN's Security Council in September, the observers have said.

The assessment has come after United States President Donald Trump asked his Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop all oil shipments to North Korea in order to help end its neighbours nuclear weapons programme.

15:30 Russia says takes negative view of U.S. call to cut ties with North Korea: Russian agencies

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow took a negative view of a U.S. call for all countries to cut ties with North Korea because of its ballistic missile programme, Russian news agencies reported.

Lavrov, speaking in Belarus, was responding after U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Wednesday that all countries should sever all ties with Pyongyang, including cutting trade links and expelling North Korean workers. (Reuters)

15:00 US makes push for China to cut off oil to North Korea

The United States urged China to cut off crude oil shipments to North Korea and pressed all countries to isolate Kim Jong-Un's regime by cutting off all diplomatic and trade ties.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) "demands that countries further isolate the Kim regime."

Read the full story here.

14:30 Yet another North Korean boat found in distress in Japanese waters

Japan's coast guard on Thursday boarded a North Korean fishing boat near a Japanese island where the crew said they had taken shelter from rough seas, the latest in a series of North Korean vessels in distress drifting into Japanese waters.

The wooden boat was towed nearer the northern island of Hokkaido for inspection, a coast guard spokesman said. Authorities had yet to decide what to do with the vessel and the ten fishermen on board.

"At this point, it is still too early to say what we will do," he said. (Reuters)

14:20 Russia has rejected call from the United States to cut ties with North Korea, according to news agency AFP.

13:51 Analysts: Imagery shows latest North Korean missile larger, more powerful

Imagery released on Thursday of North Korea's latest missile test showed new rocket engines and a larger design that likely puts Kim Jong Un closer to his goal of being able to deliver a nuclear warhead to a target anywhere in the world, though without great accuracy yet, analysts said.

North Korea released dozens of photos and a video after Wednesday's launch of the new Hwasong-15 missile, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared had "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force". (Reuters)

13:03 Apart from compromising his countrys defence, giving up the nukes wont serve Kims self-interest either.

PICTURE STORY | Here's why Kim Jong-un wont ever give up his nuclear weapons

12:39 North Korea meeting seeks 'better ideas' to solve crisis: Canada

An international meeting in Canada on North Korea in January is designed to produce "better ideas" to ease tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests, Canadian officials said on Wednesday.

A Canadian source who declined to be identified said that up to 16 foreign ministers were scheduled to meet in Vancouver, although North Korea itself will not be invited. Canada announced the meeting on Tuesday and said it would be co-hosted by the United States. (Reuters)

11:55 North Korea's missiles have a range of starting from 150 kilometres to upwards of 10,400 kilometres. Its hunger for power is evident and it does have nuclear weapons in its arsenal. But how dangerous is the threat?

Click here to find out.

11:16 US warns North Korean leadership will be 'utterly destroyed' in case of war

The United States warned North Korea's leadership it would be "utterly destroyed" if war were to break out, after Pyongyang test fired its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, putting the US mainland within range, according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said all options were on the table in dealing with North Korea's ballistic and nuclear weapons program, including military ones, but that it still prefers a diplomatic option.

09:41

08:54 North Korea says new missile can re-enter atmosphere

North Korea has said the missile it tested overnight held a warhead capable of re-entering the earth's atmosphere.

However, the claim was not proven and experts have cast doubt on the country's ability to master such technology.

While President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed tougher sanctions against nuclear-armed North Korea, some believe there's a risk that Kim Jong Un's totalitarian regime may feel threatened enough to strike with dangerous action that could have far-reaching consequences.

"We have to be careful on these sanctions," said retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, who served as an advisor to South Korea's military while on active duty and is now a defense expert at Defense Priorities, a Washington think tank. "We don't want to push them too far to where it's like we did with Japan in World War II with the embargo we placed on them."

Donald Trump has threatened to impose major sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyangs latest test of a ballistic missile, that appeared capable of reaching most if not all of the US mainland.

The US presidents remarks were followed by UN ambassador Nikki Haley saying the ballistic missile launch brings us closer to war at an emergency UN security council meeting, which would end the North Korean regime.

08:10 US: North Korea would be 'utterly destroyed' in war



The US has warned the North Korean regime that its country would be "utterly destroyed" if war were to break out.

Hours after the isolated state's latest ballistic missile test, the US ambassador to the UN urged all countries to cut diplomatic and trade ties with Pyongyang.

18:05 North Korea's latest missile test on Wednesday is a "provocative action" that will lead to further tensions, the Kremlin said, appealing for calm on all sides.

"Undoubtedly, another missile launch is a provocative action that provokes a further increase of tensions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We condemn this launch and hope that all relevant sides remain calm, which is necessary to keep the situation on the Korean peninsula from following the worst scenario," he said.

The tense situation surrounding North Korea's nuclear program could evolve into an "apocalyptic" scenario, a top Russian diplomat warned on Monday.

The world "cannot turn

blind eye" to such a situation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said at the opening of the eighth annual Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Cub, which is being held in Seoul, South Korea, CNBC reported.

North Korea's ballistic missile test on Tuesday will lead to armed conflict  and it will be Kim Jong Un's fault for pushing America to the breaking point, Senator Lindsey Graham said hours after the test.

If we have to go to war to stop this, we will, Graham told CNN Sit Room. If theres a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and were headed to a war if things dont change.

GTA

Hyekyung Jo, a North Korean defector living in Toronto with her husband and sons for seven years, had hoped to remain in Canada as a permanent resident.

Instead, she and as many as 50 other North Korean families residing across the GTA recently received letters from the federal Immigration Department informing them that their requests for permanent residency are poised to be revoked. They face deportation to South Korea  a place that Jo said is hostile to North Korean nationals.

Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of Russia's Foreign Affairs Committee, declared that North Korea was resisting temptations to launch a renewed provocation for two months, but ran out of patience with the US.

He said: Its a fact that during the past two months North Korea has been demonstrating restraint and did not provoke the international community by any means. Pyongyang, most likely, expected the same restraint in response on part of the West, both in judgments and actions.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today condemned North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, describing the action as "illegal and dangerous" to global peace and stability.

Choo Mi-ae, the leader of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping for talks during her trip to Beijing this week, her aide said Wednesday.

The meeting is slated to take place on the sidelines of an international conference of political parties in the Chinese capital Friday, amid heightened tensions sparked by North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch on Wednesday.

A delegation of Russian lawmakers currently on a friendly visit to Pyongyang, will deliver Russias condemnation of the latest missile test to the North Korean government, a senior Russian lawmaker said.

The lawmaker described the test as "a yet another irresponsible move by Pyongyang, intended to fuel tensions in the region.

"However, one has to admit that Washington and Seoul have on many occasions provoked the North Korean leadership by their hostile rhetoric and military exercises in vicinity of the North Korean border," he said.

The US is trying to provoke North Korea into starting a war so that it can then strike back, according to a top Russian official.

Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergeisaid on Friday other nations in Asia should be wary of the US' ambitious and motivations in the region.

13:23 China expresses 'grave concern' over North Korean missile test

China expressed grave concern on Wednesday after North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan.

China hopes all parties act cautiously to preserve peace and stability, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has asked for Sri Lanka's support in ending North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations, calling the North's latest missile test staged earlier in the day a grave challenge to global peace, the Korea Herald reported today.

President Moon said he strongly condemn North Korea's reckless provocation that raises tension on the Korean Peninsula and seriously threatens international peace and stability.

11:34 People are not buying Trump's reassurances on North Korea

US President Donald Trump saying "we will take care of it" has attracted a lot of flak from people on Twitter, who said that Trump's words were only scaring them more.

11:24 Gold crawls higher but investors largely unmoved by N Korea test

Gold prices edged higher today amid a slightly weaker dollar, while North Korea's latest missile test had little impact on the safe-haven metal.

Gold traded in a narrow range despite a raft of economic news out of the United States, including progress on tax cuts and Fed chair nominee Jerome Powell's confirmation hearing.

In a statement issued today, Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defence said that there was no immediate threat to Guam or the Marianas from North Korea.

Pyongyang has reiterated that it is not interested in diplomacy with the United States until it has demonstrated its nuclear deterrent capabilities, a North Korean official told CNN today.

The North Korean official told CNNs Will Ripley that two steps are needed to achieve this goal. The first step is the "testing of a long range ICBM capable of reaching the USA, the official said. The second step is an above-ground nuclear detonation or a large scale hydrogen bomb test. The official stated both steps are necessary for the DPRK to send a clear message to the Trump administration that it possesses an effective nuclear deterrent.

The government of Indonesia has issued a statement condemning the first long-range missile test by North Korea in two months today  the rocket landed off Japan's coast  arguing the action threatened peace and security in the region.Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry pointed out in a statement that the missile test violated United Nations (UN) resolutions.

11:03 Meeting on North Korea crisis to be in Canada after Christmas

A planned meeting of foreign ministers to discuss the North Korean crisis is not scheduled to take place before the Christmas break in late December, a Canadian official said yesterday.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Canada would co-host the meeting with the United States on Canadian soil. At least a dozen foreign ministers will be involved, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous given the sensitivity of the situation.

Less than a week before North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the continental US, a North Korean official said the country's nuclear program is only targeting the US.

Ri Jong-hyok, the Deputy of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly delivered the comments during the Asian Parliamentary Assembly in Turkey, according to Yonhap News.

"It's Korean people's resolute decision that (North Korea) should face off the US only with nuclear (weapons) to achieve the balance of power," Ri reportedly said.

Read this opinion piece by Stan Grant of ABC news that talks about how North Korea, from being a weak state, has now reached a position where it can actually threaten world powers. Grant also points out that whatever plan the US has had so far is clearly not working.

Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee has said, "more sanctions, credible military options and a more robust missile defense system (are) needed to address this very significant threat facing our nation".

Sullivan went on to say that while Alaska is more at risk because of the state's location, it's also at an important strategic location to serve the country.

Hillary Clinton pointedly undermined President Donald Trump's approach to North Korea on Monday during a videoconferenced speech to a conference in Beijing.

During her hour-long appearance, the 2016 Democratic nominee for president blasted both the White House and the Chinese government for their increasingly hard-line plan of attack as Pyongyang tries to complete a long-range nuclear missile.

China and Hong Kong shares fell on Wednesday despite gains on Wall Street, with investors risk appetite curbed by North Koreas latest missile test.

North Korea has fortified its border with the South at what appears to be the location where one of its soldiers made a dramatic bid for freedom earlier this month.

A photograph posted on Twitter by the acting US ambassador to South Korea, Marc Knapper, showed a small group of civilian workers, watched by North Korean soldiers, digging a deep trench at the point the defector abandoned his vehicle and ran across the demarcation line separating the two countries on 13 November.

The Philippine government expressed serious concern over the launch of what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by North Korea that landed off the waters of Japan.

We call on Pyongyang to commit to making meaningful progress towards the peaceful resolution of the issues facing the Korean Peninsula, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

The UN Security Council will hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday to discuss North Korea's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the US mission to the United Nations said.

The United States, Japan and South Korea moved quickly to request the meeting to address Pyongyang's launch of the ICBM which the Japanese defence ministry said probably fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Global arms experts say North Koreas latest test of a ballistic missile was an expected but troubling development that further solidifies Kim Jong Uns role as a nuclear-backed strongman.

Experts say its unlikely the missile would be able to deliver a nuclear bomb that far just yet, as it appeared likely that Tuesdays launch carried a lighter mock warhead. But many say such a reality is one step closer, and the test advances North Koreas weapon program despite efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to quash Kims ambitions.

09:58 North Korean defectors returned home despite father's plea

China has sent back a group of North Korean defectors, including a child, despite a desperate plea by one of their relatives, the BBC reported.

The group of 10 was detained in China in early November after secretly crossing the border. One man already himself in exile, whose wife and four-year-old son were among those held, had said they could be killed if made to return.

Read this insightful opinion piece by Gabriel Schoenfeld on how US is losing its ability to understand the world.

A small wooden boat washed ashore in the Akita prefecture of Japan on Monday. Inside the ghost ship were the bodies of eight people, partially skeletonized.

The Japan Coast Guard said it was working to determine the nationalities of the dead, but a Japanese Coast Guard official told The Associated Press that one of the men was holding North Korean currency. The boat washed ashore some 45 miles north of where another boat came ashore last week with eight men who said they were from North Korea



Flight time, distance, and altitude all point to a very successful ICBM test by #NorthKorea. Currently trying to asses vehicle re-entry implications.

 DEFCONWarningSystem (@DEFCONWSALERTS) November 28, 2017

Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, warned against a potential conflict with North Korea "if things don't change."

"If we have to go to war to stop this, we will," Graham told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday. "If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change."

Nuclear-armed North Korea said today it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile that put "all of the US continent" within its range.

The North's leader Kim Jong-Un declared the test-launch of the Hwasong-15 missile a success, according to an announcement on state television.

09:24 Kim Jong-un says North Korea 'is a peace-loving state': North Korean news agency

North Korea's state news agency, the KCNA has quoted Kim Jong-un as saying, "We have finally reapplied the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power".

Kim has also reported said that North Korea is a responsible nuclear power and a peace-loving state.

09:16 According to reports in the media, North Korea, in a special 'announcement' has said that the country has 'begun completion of its nuclear program'.

09:13 According to Reuters, North Korea has said that ICBM Hwasong-15 ICBM was fired at lofted trajectory of 4475 km and it flew 950 km for 53 minutes.

09:10 North Korea has claimed successful successful test of the ICBM named 'Hwasong-15', South Korea's Yonhap News Agency has reported.

09:05 Pyongyang to make "important announcement"

North Korea is expected to make an "important" announcement after it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier today.

In South Korea, TV channels are expected to relay live video from North Korean state-run television.

08:52 North Korea ICBM test may show Washington within range

North Korea launched what officials said was likely an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that flew high into space before landing near Japan on Wednesday, showing Pyongyang may now be able to reach Washington DC with its weapons, according to a Reuters.

The missile test, North Korea's first since mid-September, came a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

08:07 Minutes after North Korean launch, South carried out strike exercise

Within minutes of the launch, the South Korean joint chiefs of staff announced Seoul had carried out an exercise involving the launch of a precision strike missile, signalling that it was primed to respond immediately to any attack from the North, according to a report by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

The South's Army, Navy and Air Force staged a 20-minute combined drill near the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea from 3:23 am (local time), according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The exercise involved the Army's missile unit, the Navy's Aegis ship and the Air Force's KF-16 fighter jet, each firing a missile at a simulated target set in consideration of the distance to the site where the North's shot the ballistic missile, the report said.

07:57 Minutes after North Korean launch, South carried out strike exercise

Within minutes of the launch, the South Korean joint chiefs of staff announced Seoul had carried out an exercise involving the launch of a precision strike missile, signalling that it was primed to respond immediately to any attack from the North, according to a report by The Guardian.

07:52 North's latest ICBM test has come just a day after Japan said that it had detected radio signals hinting at preparations for a fresh missile test

Japan had announced that it had detected radio signals suggesting North Korea may be preparing for another ballistic missile launch, although such signals are not unusual and satellite images did not show fresh activity, a Japanese government source had said on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report.

After firing missiles at a pace of about two or three a month since April, North Korean missile launches paused in September, after Pyongyang fired a rocket that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island.

07:42 Donald Trump says Democrats "shouldn't hold troop funding"



After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military! Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can't now threaten a shutdown to get their demands.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

07:37 Pyongyang conducted the launch at 3 am local time

People watch a television broadcast of a news report on North Korea firing what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, in Seoul, South Korea, November 29, 2017. (Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji)

07:34 Japanese Prime Minister has called the latest missile launch "intolerable", called for emergency UN meet

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has condemned the missile launch as intolerable and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), The Guardian has reported.

Within hours of the test, PM Abe and United States President Donald Trump agreed to strengthen their defence capability and to urge North Koreas main ally China to put more pressure on Kim Jong-un's regime over its weapons programme.

We will never give in to provocative acts (by North Korea), Abe said, adding that the international community would put maximum pressure on North Korea.

He said Japan had lodged a strong protest with the regime, which he accused of ignoring other nations united, strong will for a peaceful solution. He added: The international community needs to work in unison to fully implement sanctions.

07:30 US Defence Secretary and Pentagon has reacted

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said.

The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

07:28 South Korea has reacted to North's latest test

The South Korean military said the missile, fired on a steep trajectory, reached an altitude of around 4,500 km and flew 960 km before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone.

According to media report citing experts, the missile's altitude was 10 times higher than the altitude at which the International Space Station is positioned.

07:24 North Korea tests suspected ICBM, latest ICBM can hit Washington and most of US

North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, officials said, with some scientists cautioning that Washington, DC could now theoretically be within range of Pyongyangs weapons, reports Reuters. The country fired the missile, its first launch since mid-September, a week after US President Donald Trump put it back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

15:02 Despite their disagreements in the recent past over nuclear tests, China is North Korea's go-to friend when it comes to business. North Korea imported 85 percent of its goods worth USD 3.47 billion from China in 2015. In the same year, North Korea exported about 83 percent of goods worth USD 2.83 billion to the manufacturing superpower.

On the global front, India has been a critic of North Korea's nuclear tests and has also criticised its ties with Pakistan and its support for the Kashmir conflict.

The more surprising fact is that India comes right after China as North Korea's second biggest trade partner among all other countries who maintain trade relations with the communist state.

Find out more: India is North Korea's second biggest trade partner after China

14:06 Whether North Korea will launch a nuclear missile attack on the US mainland is best left to its conscience. A potential offensive against the world's most powerful military, however, raises a question: Can the US protect itself from such an occurrence?

Read to find out: Can the US intercept a North Korean missile flying towards it?

13:40 North Korea may announce completion of nuclear programme within a year: South Korea minister

North Korea may announce the completion of its nuclear programme within a year, South Korea's unification minister said on Tuesday, as the isolated country is moving more faster than expected in developing its weapons arsenal, according to Reuters.

"Experts think North Korea will take two to three more years but they are developing their nuclear capabilities faster than expected and we cannot rule out the possibility Pyongyang may declare the completion of their nuclear programme in a year," said Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon at a media event in Seoul.

12:29 North Korea's missiles have a range of starting from 150 kilometres to upwards of 10,400 kilometres. Its hunger for power is evident and it does have nuclear weapons in its arsenal. But how dangerous is the threat?

Click here to find out.

10:45 North Korea's wounded defector 'nice guy', likes CSI: surgeon

North Korea's latest defector, a young soldier known only by his family name Oh, is a quiet, pleasant man who has nightmares about being returned to the North, his surgeon said on Thursday, Reuters has reported.

"He's a pretty nice guy," said lead surgeon John Cook-Jong Lee, who has been operating and caring for the 24-year-old. Oh has become a focus of worldwide attention after he was badly wounded by fellow North Korean soldiers as he scrambled across the border in the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South on November 13.

09:32 Hawaii to resume Cold War-era nuclear siren tests amid North Korea threat

Hawaii this week will resume monthly statewide testing of its Cold War-era nuclear attack warning sirens for the first time in about 30 years, in preparation for a potential missile launch from North Korea, emergency management officials said on Monday, according to Reuters.

Wailing air-raid sirens will be sounded for about 60 seconds from more than 400 locations across the central Pacific islands starting at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, in a test that will be repeated on the first business day of each month thereafter, state officials said.

09:15 Japan detects radio signals hinting at fresh missile test preparations

Japan has detected radio signals suggesting North Korea may be preparing for another ballistic missile launch, although such signals are not unusual and satellite images did not show fresh activity, a Japanese government source said on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report.

After firing missiles at a pace of about two or three a month since April, North Korean missile launches paused in September, after Pyongyang fired a rocket that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island.
The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.
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,
PERKASIE >> Fans of the Perkasie Farmers Market are delighted to know that their favorite locally made foods will be available year-round now that the market moves indoors for a brand-new seasonal Winter Market. The Winter Market opens at the Perkasie Fire Hall on November 26th and will run on the 2nd & 4th Saturday of each month through May...
South Korea aims to develop an electromagnetic pulse bomb that attacks electronic equipment like missile guidance systems by emitting EMP waves by around 2014.

A military source said Tuesday the Agency for Defense Development has developed the technology for an EMP bomb that would incapacitate electronic equipment within a 100 m radius and will seek to develop one that can do it within a 1 km radius by around 2014.

The EMP bomb transmits high-energy electromagnetic waves and will be capable of incapacitating enemy missiles or aircraft, and command, control and communications facilities. The U.S. is developing an EMP bomb that could be effective within a 6.8 km radius by next year.
November 29, 2017

State Department Condemns* Designation Of Media As Foreign Agents (*only applies to Russia)

UPDATED below

---

Today the U.S. State Department hit the ball of hypocrisy out of the park.

It remarked that "legislation that allows .. to label media outlets as 'foreign agents' ... presents yet another threat to free media". It noted that "freedom of expressionincluding speech and media ... is a universal human rights obligation".

The remark came after the U.S. Department of Justice required the Russian outlet RT America to register as a 'foreign agent' under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). RT registered as ordered on November 13.

But the State Department statement was NOT in response to the DOJ requirement against RT. The State Department reacted to a new Russian law that was issued in response to the demand against RT. The new Russian law is a mirror to the U.S. FARA law. It demands that foreign media which are active in Russia register as 'foreign agents'. (The EU poodles followed the State Department nonsense with an equally dumb statement.)

With its criticism of the Russian version of the FARA law while ignoring the U.S. FARA action against RT, the State Department confirmed the allegations of hypocrisy RT and other media have raised against the U.S. government.

The whole issue started with the notable liar James Clapper under the Obama administration. He and other 'intelligence' people found that RT was too truthful in its reporting to be allowed to inform the U.S. public. Publication of criticism of the U.S. government based on verifiable facts is seen as an unfriendly act which must be punished.

Congress and the U.S. Justice Department under the Trump administration followed up on that. FARA is originally NOT directed against foreign media. The Trump Justice Department circumvented the spirit of the law to apply it to RT.

The Russian government had warned several times that the application of FARA against RT would be followed up on with a similar requirement against U.S. media in Russia. The Trump administration ignored those warnings. It now condemns the Russian move.

Here is timeline of the relevant events:

Clapper calls for U.S. Information Agency on steroids to counter Russian propaganda - Washington Times, Jan 5 2017

We could do with having a USIA on steroids to fight this information war [with Russia] a lot more aggressively than were doing right now, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

...

[Russia Today] was very active in promoting a particular point of view, disparaging our system, our alleged hypocrisy about human rights, he said. Whatever crack, fissure they could find in our tapestry, they would exploit it, via the state-owned news network.

Intelligence Report on Russian Hacking - Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Jan 6 2017 - Annex I, originally published on 11 December 2012 by the Open Source Center

RT America TV, a Kremlin-financed channel operated from within the United States, has substantially expanded its repertoire of programming that highlights criticism of alleged US shortcomings in democracy and civil liberties.

...

RT aired a documentary about the Occupy Wall Street movement on 1, 2, and 4 November. RT framed the movement as a fight against "the ruling class" and described the current US political system as corrupt and dominated by corporations.

...

RT's reports often characterize the United States as a "surveillance state" and allege widespread infringements of civil liberties, police brutality, and drone use.

...

RT has also focused on criticism of the US economic system, US currency policy, alleged Wall Street greed, and the US national debt.

...

RT is a leading media voice opposing Western intervention in the Syrian conflict and blaming the West for waging "information wars" against the Syrian Government.

Cicilline Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Close Russia Today Loophole - Congress, June 7 2017

U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), who serves as co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), and U.S. Congressman Matthew Gaetz (R-FL) today introduced legislation to close a loophole in foreign agent registration requirements that Russia Today exploited extensively during last years presidential election.

Justice Dept Asks Russia's RT to Register as Foreign Agent - Newsmax, September 13 2017

RT said late Monday that the company that supplies all the services for its RT America channel was told by the DOJ in a letter that it is obligated to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, an act aimed at lobbyists and lawyers representing foreign political interests.

...

FARA specifically exempts US and foreign news organizations, and the DOJ focus on the company that supplies services for RT might be a way around that stipulation.

Russia to amend law to classify U.S. media 'foreign agents' - Reuters, Nov 10 2017

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russias parliament warned on Friday some U.S. and other foreign media could be declared foreign agents and obliged to regularly declare full details of their funding, finances and staffing.

...

Russian lawmakers said the move was retaliation for a demand by the U.S. Department of Justice that Kremlin-backed TV station RT register in the United States as a foreign agent, something Moscow has said it regards as an unfriendly act.

Russia's RT America registers as 'foreign agent' in U.S. - Reuters, Nov 13 2017

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Kremlin-backed television station RT America registered Monday with the U.S. Department of Justice as a foreign agent in the United States, the outlets editor in chief said and the Department of Justice confirmed later in the day.

Russia warns U.S. media of possible foreign agent status - AP, Nov 16 2017

MOSCOW  Russias Justice Ministry has warned several U.S. government-funded news outlets they could be designated as foreign agents under a new bill that has yet to be fully approved. The bill, endorsed by Russias lower house on Wednesday, comes in response to U.S. demands that Russian state-funded RT TV register as a foreign agent. It needs to be approved by the upper house and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law.

Russian president Putin signs foreign agent media law to match U.S. action - USA Today, Nov 25 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law Saturday a new bill designating international media outlets as foreign agents in retaliation for a similar measure taken by the U.S. Department of Justice against the state-funded RT television.

EU Criticizes Russia's 'Foreign Agents' Media Law - RFLRF, Nov 26 2017

BRUSSELS -- The European Union has criticized legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin that empowers Russias government to designate media outlets receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents" and impose sanctions against them.

...

Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson of the European Commission for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said in a November 26 statement that the "legislation goes against Russia's human rights obligations and commitments."

Russia's Restrictive Media-Focused Legislation - U.S. State Department - Nov 28 2017

New Russian legislation that allows the Ministry of Justice to label media outlets as foreign agents and to monitor or block certain internet activity presents yet another threat to free media in Russia. Freedom of expressionincluding speech and media which a government may find inconvenientis a universal human rights obligation Russia has pledged to uphold.



link

With a few words less the statement by the State Department would have gained universality. It would have made perfect sense. See here for a corrected version:



bigger

Unfortunately the State Department's spokesperson added some verbose lamenting about one specific country. It thereby exposed itself to the very criticism the U.S. government strives to suppress.

---

UPDATE - Nov 30 0:50am



As consequence of the FARA designation of RT's U.S. production company RT is now losing access to the Congressional Gallery. Congress Gallery access is in turn required to get White House press credentials. RT is now likely to lose those too.

Meanwhile a consultative Congress commission is pressing to designate the Chinese news-agency XINHUA as 'foreign agent'. It also wants all staff of XINHUA to register as such. That would make it nearly impossible for freelancer and others who work for multiple media to continue with their XINHUA gigs.

Posted by b on November 29, 2017 at 18:27 UTC | Permalink

Comments
US equities have hit 53 record highs in 2017, the equal highest streak in the 10-years since the financial crisis with some weeks still go to  2014 also had 53 record highs. This boom in asset prices has resulted in a range of sentiments, with some respected pundits including Jeremy Siegel claiming that equities are still a bargain relative to bonds, while others such as Alan Greenspan declaring we are moving into a different phase of the economy - to a stagflation not seen since the 1970s. That is not good for asset prices.

Add to the mix Donald Trump, and it is little surprise the topic of market predictions are getting so many headlines. Yet, if Donald Trumps one-year election anniversary has taught us any lesson, it must be the perils of forecasting. To demonstrate, we only need to reflect on his journey from an unlikely Republican candidate to an unlikely presidential nominee that eventually defeated Hillary Clinton to become president.

So Far, So Good for Trumps Presidency?

With hindsight, the outcome was a declaration of both hope and frustration by the American public, and thus far, has seemingly resulted in improved prosperity, with strong consumer confidence, falling unemployment and growing asset prices. Yet, his election has similarly reinforced the danger of inference between politics and market returns.

The initial fears of a major market decline by respected economists were misjudged, and in some cases, blatantly wrong. Where many predicted that the market would crash by as much as 10%, it has instead increased by approximately 25%.

The relevance of this observation should not be understated. A prime example is the impact of the ongoing hostility between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. South Korean and Japanese equities are often considered to be vulnerable to the threat of war, and this naturally encourages investors to attempt to discount the cost of such an event into asset prices. Yet, we question whether this is this a rational response by investors as their efforts to discount such an extreme event will necessarily dominate their view of the attractiveness of the affected markets.

Moreover, our tendency to confidently infer market movements from such political events mean that behavioural biases get in the way of rational investing. We know that politics spark an emotional response among society, and emotions mean that we dont act rationally all the time. When it comes to investing, this irrationality is further exacerbated by biases known as loss aversion; fearing loss more than appreciating gain, and temporal myopia; too great a focus on the short term, both of which are incredibly important as we think about Donald Trump and the prospects for the US equity market.

What Does it Mean for Equity Investors?

As tempting as it may be, predicting political outcomes and the commensurate market move has no place in the rational investors toolkit. Instead, we need to overcome our behavioural biases by sidestepping the political noise and focusing on investment fundamentals. This doesnt mean ignoring topics as far-reaching as tax reform and sanctions, but it does mean focusing intently on corporate fundamentals and how much is priced into markets.

By using this framework, we need to determine two key variables. First, what the fundamental backdrop is for US equities; and second, how much of this is priced into markets. Regarding the fundamental backdrop, we can see below that both earnings and dividends have excelled in real terms since the financial crisis. This is generally supportive of long-term growth, although one must also be careful to extrapolate this into some sort of prospective trend.

By looking under the hood, a key driver of this expansion has been elevated profit margins, which have hovered around 8.5% to 9.5% for the best part of a decade. Therefore, one should be careful to expect these margins to be sustained, especially given they are meaningfully higher than the longer-term average of around 7.5%.

Furthermore, it has also become clear that the price growth has far exceeded any reasonable estimate of this fundamental growth.

Bringing these two variables together  fundamentals and valuations  we find the valuation-implied return could be closer to 0.1% in real terms the next 10-years and 2.9% over 20-years rather than the 5.7% we have become accustomed to from US equities when valuations are not stretched.

Therefore, we encourage looking through the recent positivity and Trumps rhetoric and instead analyse reward for risk. In doing so, one is likely to find that better opportunities reside outside the US.

A version of this article appeared in Portfolio Adviser magazine
Bangladesh approved a $280 million project Tuesday to develop an isolated and flood-prone island in the Bay of Bengal to temporarily house 100,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in neighboring Myanmar.

The decision came just days after Bangladesh sealed a deal aiming to start returning Rohingya to Myanmar within two months to reduce pressure in refugee camps.

A Bangladeshi government committee headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the plan to develop Bhashan Char island, also known as Thenger Char, despite criticism from humanitarian workers who have said the island is all but uninhabitable.

Planning Minister Mustafa Kamal said it would take time to repatriate the refugees, and in the meantime Bangladesh needed a place to house them. The project to house 100,000 refugees on the island would be complete by 2019, he said.

"Many Rohingya people are living in dire conditions," he said, describing the influx of refugees as "a threat to both security and the environment."
The OECD has urged the Korea to pursue labor reforms and other changes and voiced concerns over the government's decision to raise the minimum wage and corporate taxes.

The OECD on Tuesday warned that the government's strategy of "income-led growth" spurred by boosting public-sector hiring, a minimum wage hike and increased welfare spending, needs to be supported by reforms to raise productivity.

It added that the Korean economy is showing signs of recovery powered by rising exports but continues to suffer from low job growth and snowballing household debt.

The OECD warned that hikes in the minimum wage and corporate taxes "could worsen the competitiveness of Korean businesses."

The International Monetary Fund also said on Nov. 14 that Korea must pursue structural reforms to improve the country's labor productivity.

Meanwhile, the OECD forecast Korea's economy will grow 3.2 percent this year and three percent in 2018. The forecasts are 0.6 percentage point and 0.2 percentage point higher than previous estimates.


On the plane ride home from MBAs Annual Convention & Expo in Denver, CO, I was lucky enough to sit next to a fellow conference attendee. We chatted about all the new vendors that were in attendance and what we believed each one brought to the mortgage table. There were close to 200 vendors exhibiting this year and I am sure another 50 vendors were present, but not exhibiting. With so many new mortgage technology vendors in the space vying for the attention of lending executives, how does one truly vet all these companies and determine which one is the right fit? It is all too easy to become mesmerized by the new shiny object that hits the marketplace. Yeah, it may be shiny, but is it right for you? Sure, a new shiny Mercedes may attract me to the dealership, but do I really need all that horsepower and will I even use those crazy bells and whistles?



Of course, this is where my airplane acquaintance and I put on our sales hats and opined that not all lenders are created equal. So many different factors go into the thought process of buying new technology. There are the lenders immediate needs to consider, but also new wants and future desires. Are they looking to compete with Rocket Mortgage? Open up a new mortgage channel? Or just look to technology to facilitate current processes? No matter the reason, most lenders today are in the market for new and fresh technology. Ive seen several articles that discuss the top reasons and/or questions to ask when buying new technology. These are all great, but most of the time these are written by a vendor that will make their own product stand out.



If youre wondering when really is the best time to re-evaluate your current technology needs, its during a down market. According to the MBA, 2018 should see some slowing down of mortgage originations, so this is the perfect year to start looking for technology that will help align with your business goals. Over the next couple of months, I am going to talk about the best way to look for, compare and purchase mortgage technology. And, since all lenders are not created equal and may be looking for differently purposed products, we will break down the technologies into four categories:



1. Point of Sale (Front-end consumer portals)

2. Loan Originator Tools/CRMs

3. Loan Origination Systems

4. E-Closing platforms



Within these four categories, Ill discuss how to determine if one of these is right for you, how to think about its alignment with your goals, and how to know if it will be affordable and cost effective for your business. Anything can be fixed with enough time and money. Unfortunately, those two things are very difficult to line up together in todays market.


What do you actually do?

Immigration and Auto Accidents- Legal Services

Years in your current job?

6 years

Years living/working in Midland?

1 (since 7/2016)

Education:

JD from Florida State University, College of Law and BBA from University of Miami

Family:

Husband- Daniel Tesfamicael, son- Gabriel Tesfamicael, and another son on the way, due 12/20/17)

What sets you apart from other professionals in your industry/field?

My parents came to the U.S. two months before I was born as refugees of Eritrea, so I take my cases very personally.

What has been your greatest professional challenge and how have you overcome it?

Managing all aspects of my law firm business while serving as the best attorney I can be. I have overcome it by outlining a professional business plan, executing it and constantly tracking progress and areas where I can Improve.

What goals have you set for the next five to 10 years?

To be happy: balancing a healthy family and work life balance. Serving in my community, having a successful law practice, all while being the best mommy and wife I can be.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

My child(ren)

How are you involved in the community? Describe your volunteerism and charitable involvement.

I serve as a board member for the Big Brother Big Sisters of Midland TX. I have provided free legal forums at the Midland County Public Library, Casa de Amigos, Cogdell Learning Center-Midland College and Univsions DACA Forum to educate the community regarding various immigration issues. I will speak to a Paralegal Class in Midland College regarding immigration law and the roles of paralegals in an immigration law firm. I am a member of the Midland Bar Association and Midland Chamber of Commerce. I am also a provisional member of Junior League of Midland. I have been certified as a Woman Owned Business by the Texas Certification Directory and awarded The National Black Lawyers- Top 40 under 40 in Texas.

What are you most passionate about?

My family.

What has been the most influential person in your life?

My mother.

She came to the U.S. at the age of 17 as a refugee, pregnant with me. When she arrived to the U.S. she had not completed high school nor spoke English. Nonetheless, she quickly learned English, raised me as a single mom while obtaining her GED, associate degree in Social Work, then Bachelors Degree in Microbiology all while working full-time and providing me with not only a great education but a loving and nurturing home.

Tell us something unique about yourself.

I love billiards. I learned it while I attended the Boys and Girls Club as a child and have been playing ever since.

Please add any pertinent information weve missed and explain why you feel you deserve to be named one of Midlands 20 Under 40.

My family moved to Midland for my husbands job a little over a year ago, and we havent looked back ever since. With my husbands love and support, I have been able to achieve my goals. He has been the rock I have needed to progress in my legal career. Hes made me a better business woman, wife and mother and Im grateful for who he is and everything he does for our family.






For those who feel like it has been warm for a long time, the National Weather Service says it is more than a feeling.

The NWS reports that 2017 will go down in Midland history as having the longest growing season -- the period between the last freeze of winter/spring and the first freeze of the fall.

In Midland County, that growing season lasted 289 days, which beat the previous record -- 278 days in 2004 -- by more than a week. Even counting the days through Tuesday, that long period between freezing temperatures represents 87 percent of the year to date.

The last freeze in the winter/spring of 2017 was Feb. 3, the earliest last freeze in recorded history at Midland International, according to the National Weather Service. The average last freeze is March 29.

The NWS reported the first freeze on Nov. 19. The average first freeze is Nov. 13. That spread produced a growing season that was 60 days (or nearly two months) longer than normal (229 days). This is nearly two months of temperatures higher than 32 degrees. It continues the string of longer-than-average growing seasons. In 2015, the growing season was 237 days, and in 2016, it was 244 days.

Area farmers are among those impacted by this temperature record. In Glasscock County, farmers took advantage of the later first freeze to add cotton bolls, and therefore pounds, to the annual cotton harvest. Brad Easterling, extension agent in Glasscock County, said the extended season also allowed some farmers who had to replant to take advantage of the extra days.

Easterling said that overall, cotton production was above average, and that ultimately cotton quality will have more to do with rainfall than the growing season. Easterling said despite the above-average rainfall that fell at Midland International and across much of the region, there were some areas that went three to four months without any rains.

Inside the area as a whole, we made a little more cotton this year, so it is a little better, Easterling said.

Farther north, the first frost came a little earlier, according to Tommy Yater, extension agent in Howard County. Yater said that while there were some really good cotton harvests, there also were a bunch that failed because there wasnt a good planting rain or because some were impacted by hail.

We had three hail storms that hurt us, Yater said.

Yater said this will be the second above-average harvest, which is good news after many years that didnt measure up.
North Korea fired a powerful long-range missile in the direction of Japan early Wednesday.

South Korea's chiefs of staff said the missile was launched toward the East Sea from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province north of Pyongyang, at 3:17 a.m. The timing of the launch seems to have been arranged to make prime time news in the U.S.

The rocket flew some 960 km and reached a height of 4,500 km, suggesting it was an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The U.S. Defense Department said it "detected and tracked a single North Korea missile launch... Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile," according to Pentagon spokesman Robert Manning. He added the missile "did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies."

But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Mattis said the launch was a "development effort" to "continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten anywhere in the world."


The U.S. Congress has decided to revive an obscure committee that works out a response to a hypothetical "electromagnetic pulse weapon" attack on the U.S.

The committee is being re-launched with 12 lifetime members under the National Defense Authorization Act, which both the Senate and the House have passed recently, according to Voice of America on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump is to meet senators and congressmen to fine-tune the budget on Tuesday.

The original committee was launched in 2000 and operated largely unnoticed for 17 years until it was disbanded this Sept. 30. But now congressmen seem to feel that the threat from North Korea is real enough to re-launch the committee.

The theory is that a powerful burst of electromagnetic radiation from the detonation of a nuclear weapon in the atmosphere would destroy all kinds of electronic equipment within its radius and blast U.S. society back into agrarian times.

The North Korean regime after its sixth nuclear test in September claimed its "hydrogen bomb" has enormous destructive power and it could also launch a "very powerful" EMP attack on a vast area by detonating it in the atmosphere.

The committee will have six members each from the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and be tasked with assessing EMP attack threats and making reports.

In a 2008 report, the committee warned that a wholesale EMP attack on the U.S. using several nuclear warheads would leave power grids and electronic systems paralyzed and 90 percent of the U.S. population dead from starvation and disease within 18 months.


Hundreds of Koreans are among tourists trapped in Bali, Indonesia amid fears that Mount Agung could erupt any moment.

The volcano has been spewing plumes of smoke and red-hot ashes since last week. There have been four minor eruptions since Saturday, with smoke billowing 2,500 to 3,000 m into the air and dangerous cold lava flowing down the sides of the mountain.

All flights are grounded as the eruption alert is raised to the highest level.

The estimated area of damage has increased from 6 to 10 km. According to the BBC, Indonesian officials have ordered 100,000 residents to evacuate, but only 30,000 had left as of Tuesday.


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The Orlando Firefighters Union held a press conference Wednesday where they spoke about the termination of an Orlando firefighter days before Thanksgiving.

Union rallies behind allegedly wrongfully terminated firefighter

Joshua Granada reportedly fired two days before Thanksgiving

Granada said fire dept. didn't give time to seek treatment for PTSD after Pulse



About two dozen firefighters packed the room to show their support.

The union said he was wrongfully terminated and that he should be reinstated.

The complaint stems from a call he responded to on Aug. 27.

Firefighter Joshua Granada said he pulled out his phone and made a 30 second audio recording of a patient during a distress call. He said he was fired for making the recording.

The woman turned out to be an elected official for the city of Orlando.

The specific details of what happened during the call were not released by his lawyer Wednesday.

Granada was fired two days before Thanksgiving.

He claims he should have received treatment for PTSD from the Pulse nightclub shooting, and the fire department did not give him time off to seek treatment.

His behavior had changed since the pulse shooting.

One of the most important things to note, I did not speak about this to anyone, I did not talk to the public, I did not talk to the news. This is the closest I have gotten to speaking to the media," said Granada.

His lawyer and the union are asking the fire chief to reinstate him in 10 days.

In a statement from the Orlando Fire Department, officials claim that "no firefighter was denied mental health services" or was harassed for seeking treatment. They added that the City of Orlando offers mental health resources for all first responders and city employees.



OFD said that although Granada's actions the night of the Pulse shooting were heroic, they did not warrant "illegal recording of a patient receiving medical care," which is a privacy violation.
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Hulu cut the ribbon Tuesday at its new Viewer Experience Operations headquarters on the near Northwest Side of San Antonio, a victory for city and Bexar County leaders who courted the company heavily to convince them to make the city home for the new office.

The citys six-year 100 percent tax abatement for Hulu is worth about $279,000, and the countys 10-year, 90 percent real and personal property tax abatement for the company is worth an estimated $403,000. The Texas Enterprise Fund also pledged in April to give them a $1.28 million cash grant.

Hulus own capital investment in the new headquarters is expected to exceed $13 million, according to Texas Enterprise Fund records.

READ ALSO: Creepy photos of the old Windsor Park Mall before Rackspace bought it

Now Playing: Hulu opened its headquarters in San Antonio, Nov. 28. Video: San Antonio Express-News

Its more than just about a business, said State Rep. Diana Arevalo Tuesday at a press event at the new Hulu location. Its about jobs. Its about economic opportunity. Its about having people aspire to want to do more in different fields.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in an October interview with the Express-News it is a call center, but pointed out that it provides jobs the city needs.

Will it enhance San Antonios job ecosystem? Is it net positive in terms of the investment that were making? And does it provide for new opportunities to expose a new company to San Antonio and vice versa? If the answer is yes to those questions, then, then its a deal that I think is worthwhile, and in this case, I believe it was, Nirenberg said.

San Antonio Economic Development Foundation CEO and President Jenna Saucedo-Herrera said earlier this year she was impressed by Hulus California campus during a March visit.

Its a wonderful environment, the cafeteria and music playing. The campus here will be the perfect environment that any San Antonian would be interested in. There will be game rooms, the whole nine yards, she said at the time.

The customer service center will provide around-the-clock telephone, email, chat and social media support. It also will reach out to customers and conduct account analysis.

RELATED: Photos: What it's like to work inside the Rackspace 'Castle'

Hulu in August named Linda Cardenas to lead the companys viewer experience team at the new contact center. Around 30 of the companys employees moved from California to San Antonio to work at the new center, Cardenas said Tuesday in an interview.

The companys employees in San Antonio had been working for about five months out of a temporary location, Cardenas said, and moved to the new location in the last week of October.

Its a fun, exciting, really casual environment for our team, Cardenas said of the new space.

The San Antonio office hired its first person 189 days ago, said Ben Smith, senior vice president of Experience at Hulu. The office now has more than 300 people, and they will have 380 by the end of the year, Smith said in an interview.

Well have more than 500 people here by August of next year, Smith said. Right now were mostly limited by the space, so were in the third floor of this building right now. August of next year well open up the second floor.

The company looked all around the city for office space, Smith said, but being away from a high commute area was one of the things that attracted them to the location they chose.

RELATED: 9 tech and cyber companies to know in San Antonio

When working to choose a city for the new headquarters, Smith asked to be introduced to some local companies. Through Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, Smith said he spent a day at Rackspace and toured their facility.

We talked a lot about what they have learned being based here in San Antonio, Smith said. And they have some very similar types of employees and types of jobs, and actually a very similar culture to Hulu. So that relationship actually really helped me understand San Antonio, not just from the economic development point of view or the city, but from a company that has been based here in San Antonio from the beginning.

It helped the company make a very informed choice, Smith said.

Hulu considered 23 cities, and eventually settled on San Antonio, which was always in the top group of cities from the beginning, Smith said.

The one concern that we had about San Antonio was, ironically, is low unemployment rate, because that would make it hard to find and retain people, Smith said.

Within the first 60 days or so the company was put at ease, Smith said.

We saw an amazing number of highly-qualified applicants and as we saw those employees come, get trained and start we felt really really good about it, Smith said. San Antonio is a growing city and it shows.

Staff Writer David Hendricks contributed to this report.

sehlinger@express-news.net | Twitter: @samehlinger
While no final vote was taken regarding proposed increases to rental fees at the Ollie Liner Center and nearby RV park, the Hale County Commissioners Court seemed to agree that changes needed to be made to the current rates, especially in light of recent renovations to the facilities.

The commissioners discussed at length, both Wednesday and during their regularly scheduled meeting Monday morning, making changes to the current rate structure at both the Ollie Liner Center and the RV park. According to County Judge Bill Coleman, the current rental rates at the Ollie Liner Center are $100, with a $50 deposit for the conference room; $150, with a $75 deposit for the kitchen; $200, with a $100 deposit for the pig parlor; $300, with a $150 deposit for the exhibit barn, and $300, with a $150 deposit for the arena.
CHESHIRE  After a host of interviews, town councilors have narrowed a field 58 applicants for town manager to four finalists, and could name a top pick by the end of the week.

Michael Milone, town manager since 2000, plans to retire in June. Councilors said they want to find a replacement before their present terms end this weekend. Nearly all the councilors will return after victories in Novembers election.

Town Council chairman Rob Oris said a council search committee interviewed seven applicants, narrowing the field to four finalists.

Those four finalists have been interviewed by the full council, Oris said.

The search committee consists of Oris, a Republican, councilor Tom Ruocco, a Republican, and Peter Talbot, a council Democrat.

Cheshire hired a search consultant, GovHR USA, for $23,000 to help find a town manager. Oris said the Illinois-based company has expertise and contacts that the town lacks.

He expected the council to pick a town manager by the end of the current term. Oris, Ruocco and Talbot were all re-elected in November.

The new council is sworn in this Sunday and has its first meeting on Monday. Talbot said all the councilors hope to have the next town manager chosen by the weekend.

Were trying to get this done as quickly as possible, he said.

Council leaders hope that the incoming manager would shadow Milone for some time before the transition is made.

Both Oris and Talbot were pleased with the number and quality of people who applied for the job.

We had an impressive pool of applicants right from the start, Talbot said. It was a difficult process to whittle it down.

Talbot agreed with the hiring of a consultant, saying the firm helped bring in applicants the town may not have otherwise attracted.

It was a tremendous help with the entire process, he said. We used an organization that knew where to advertise this position. By advertising it in the right places, and Cheshire being the community that it is, I think that those two factors contributed to us getting such a great pol of candidates.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJ
MERIDEN  The Carabetta Companies are offering to purchase the Mills Memorial Apartments from the city to build senior and market-rate housing, despite the city rebuffing an initial bid just two months ago.

City officials rejected the September offer because the complex is slated for demolition to make way for mixed-income housing developments and the extension of Harbor Brook and the Meriden Green. The company sent a letter Monday urging Mayor Kevin Scarpati to reconsider, arguing the buildings are structurally sound.

The offer also comes as the company has a $375 million lawsuit against the city, claiming the city acted as a monopoly in denying Carabetta the ability to develop property on Cathole Mountain.

Company CEO Joseph F. Carabetta said in a Sept. 19 letter to Scarpati that his company, which owns the Parkside apartments across the street, could rehabilitate and convert the Mills into elderly and market-rate apartments. He said that demolishing the buildings would be a complete waste of the taxpayer funds, and that selling the buildings would produce revenue for the city and Housing Authority.

The city is under contract with Pennrose Properties to develop the land adjacent to the Mills into mixed-income housing and commercial complexes. The projects, known as Meriden Commons I and II, are contingent on the demolition of the Mills Memorial Apartments. Plans also call for the extension of the Meriden Green and Harbor Brook through the Mills property. Demolition was initially slated for this fall, but delays in the Meriden Housing Authoritys relocation of Mills tenants resulted in the demolition being pushed back until early 2018.

City Manager Guy Scaife, acting on behalf of Scarpati, rejected the offer two days later. Scaife wrote in a letter to the company that, despite the offers appeal, the Mills must be demolished in order to comply with the citys flood control plan as the buildings are in a designated flood plain.

I greatly appreciate your interest and desire to propose a creative reuse of the existing structures in such a way that the City, our taxpayers, and you as a developer might benefit, Scaife wrote. Under most circumstances, your proposal would generate significant interest on our part. However, our situation is unique  Allowing those buildings to stay and not converting the land to additional flood migration area would be a clear violation of the approved plan and associated funding.

In renewing the offer Monday, Carabetta reiterated his contention that demolishing the Mills would be a huge injustice, but also offered an alternative flood control plan that would include work at Pratts Pond.

Carabetta then made reference to the companys pending lawsuit against the city, former city planner Dominick Caruso and Tilcon Inc., calling it the biggest lawsuit. The 2016 lawsuit stems from Carabettas failed bid to create a housing development atop Cathole Mountain.

The lawsuit alleges the city engaged in a scheme with Tilcon to prevent the Carabettas development in order to monopolize the trap rock market.

In a phone interview, Carabetta, 90, said he does not involve his grandson, We the People City Councilor Joseph Carabetta III, in business relating to the city as it could be considered a conflict of interest, although the younger Carabetta was aware of the companys desire to purchase the Mills. In a follow-up email, Joseph F. Carabetta took issue with how the city handled his offer to purchase the buildings.

The lawsuit, filed in July 2016, revolves around the Carabetta Companies failed plan to create a housing development atop Cathole Mountain, dubbed Summitwood, which would have consisted of about 3,000 housing units in the form of high-rise apartments, townhouses and duplexes.

While city officials shared opposition to Carabettas offer, it nonetheless highlighted tensions between Scaife and Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski.

In a Nov. 5 email to City Councilors Brian Daniels, David Lowell and Scarpati, Scaife claimed Burdelski exhibited inappropriate behavior after the initial offer, stating she went off on a verbal condemnation of the company and later called Daniels to complain about the situation. Scaifes email was in response to one Burdelski sent to the two councilors just days earlier informing them of her intention to resign after being questioned by the FBI about Scaife.

Burdelski denied meeting with Scaife regarding the offer, and said the totality of the exchange over the properties occurred over email.

There was no verbal condemnation of the Carabetta organization nor a verbal attack, Burdelski wrote Sunday in an email to Scaife, Lowell, Daniels, and city staff. She also said Scaife should retract his comments and apologize.

Scaife and Burdelski declined to comment.

ltauss@record-journal.com

203-317-2231

Twitter: @LeighTaussRJ
SOUTHINGTON  A police officer is facing lawsuits over his failure to pull over a driver who sped by him about 10 minutes before a 2015 crash that killed two children and injured their mother.

The lawsuits filed earlier this month on behalf of Kayla Torres, of Meriden, and the estates of her two deceased children also name the town and Michael Luponio, the other driver in the crash. Luponio, whose blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Notices of intent to sue had been filed in June 2016.

Torres was headed home to Meriden from Bristol in December 2015 after picking up her children Veronica Martinez, 7, and Yvette Martinez, 4, and cousin. Her vehicle was struck by Luponios minivan, injuring her and a passenger, Miguel Melendez. Both children died in the crash.

Melendez filed lawsuits in 2016 against 22 parties, including Southington police officer Matthew Vose, the town and owners of the bars that served Luponio alcohol.

According to the new lawsuits, Vose should have pulled over Luponio, who sped by him about 10 minutes before the fatal accident.

Vose told investigators that a van drove by him at a noticeably faster speed. He turned his cruiser lights on, but did not make them flash or strobe. Vose opted not to pursue the vehicle, however, as the speed violation was minor and he did not want to pursue it outside of his jurisdiction, Luponios arrest warrant said.

Vose was then flagged down by a man who told Bristol investigators he was getting off Interstate 84 at Exit 31 when his vehicle was nearly struck by Luponios minivan. Luponio yelled an expletive at the man and threw a glass bottle at his vehicle, the warrant said. The man said Luponio was driving at a high rate of speed on West Street in Southington and that he stopped to talk to Vose after Luponio blew by the officer.

The two lawsuits were filed by different law firms, but both make the same arguments: Vose should have stopped Luponio, who was speeding and driving recklessly, and should have known letting him go would result in a danger to the public. Vose also should have notified Bristol police after hearing from the witness who was nearly struck by Luponios minivan, according to the two complaints.

Two area attorneys weighed in on Melendez lawsuit against Vose last year. Theyre not part of that suit or the ones recently filed.

John Williams, a New Haven criminal defense lawyer, said it is difficult to prove liability on the part of an officer in these types of situations. Making stops or arrests are at the discretion of officers, he said, and there's rarely liability for failing to take action.

Jeremiah O'Connor, a Meriden attorney, said officers are normally protected from lawsuits by governmental immunity. O'Connor said police officers are forced to make split-second judgments on whether or not to pull over cars and aren't under any obligation to detain every speeder.

The Flood Law Firm of Middletown is representing Veronica Martinezs estate. Trantolo & Trantolo of Waterbury is representing Torres and the estate of Yvette Martinez. The town of Southingtons policy is not to comment on pending lawsuits.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJ
SOUTHINGTON  Emergency crews responded to multiple crashes Tuesday night.

At least two people were evaluated for injuries in a crash that occurred on West Street about 5:45 p.m. One person sustained minor injuries and was transferred to Bristol Hospital, according to police.

Moments later, a separate, three-car crash was reported on I-84 west in the area of exit 31. At least one vehicle was in the median of the highway. There were no reported injuries.

One lane was closed and traffic was delayed on I-84.

About 6 p.m., a car crashed into a pole on Queen Street near Spring Street. All of the vehicles occupants were outside the car when emergency crews arrived.

blipiner@record-journal.com

203-317-2444

Twitter: @BryanLipiner
STORRS, Conn. (AP)  University of Connecticut police say they are taking measures to ensure public safety at a speech titled "It's OK To Be White."

UConn's College Republican student group is sponsoring the appearance Tuesday evening by conservative commentator Lucian Wintrich.

Wintrich is the White House correspondent for the right-wing blog Gateway Pundit, which says the talk will be about "identity politics" in today's cultural and political landscape.

The Republicans say flyers advertising the event have been torn down or defaced across campus.

UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz says free speech is among the school's bedrock principals and it does not bar speakers on the basis of content.

UConn's College Democrats say they are sponsoring a discussion an hour before the speech, where activists from across the campus community can express their views.
WALLINGFORD  Reaching out to those most often targeted, three Quinnipiac University computer information system students gave a crash course in how to avoid and recover from cyber fraud at the Wallingford Senior Center Wednesday afternoon.

Its so nice that these kids come to teach the old how to steer clear of fraud, said Gustavo Trujillo, of Wallingford. Its beautiful that they can do that.

Having received the same kinds of predatory emails the students spoke about, Trujillo said he learned how to take care of things.

The students walked senior citizens through common schemes such as phishing, social engineering and ransomware.

Many of the methods, such as phishing and social engineering, attempt to trick victims into divulging social security numbers and bank information through websites masquerading as legitimate companies. One woman mentioned that she receives calls from people claiming to be IRS agents.

This is something we want to help you guys avoid at all costs, said Quinnipiac student Austin Kuppek.

Using passwords with symbols instead of letters and not including public information, like a name or birth date, can frustrate hackers attempts to guess passwords. Steven Koch, the third student presenting, said he often will check suspicious web links through search engines. Verification services such as Norton Safe Web will also show if a website is legitimate.

Even the best practices cannot prevent the theft of information from companies storing it on their servers. Student Vincent Deriu cited the Equifax breach, which reportedly released the personal information of nearly half the American population, and Targets loss of millions of peoples data, including credit card information.

Even the biggest companies are vulnerable to data breaches, he said.

For those who have already fallen prey to identity theft, Deriu recommended reporting the fraud to the police and the bank or company which issued any compromised cards, as well as filing a fraud victim statement with a credit bureau.

After they have all been alerted, he recommended creating an account with a credit monitoring service and updating antivirus programs.

Ramesh Subramanian, the students professor, said the young and elderly are particularly at risk of cyber fraud. The presentation raised awareness and allowed his students to practice teaching skills to others.
WALLINGFORD  The Town Council on Tuesday approved a $19,640 agreement with the State Historic Preservation Office after the town removed a section of the Center Street Cemetery wall last year.

As mitigation for removing a 15-foot-section of the wall, the town has agreed to pay a local firm, Epic Masonry, to repair other deteriorated parts of the 106-year-old wall, according to a memorandum of understanding between the town and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The town will not have to replace the section of the wall it removed.

The town cut the wall toward the rear of the cemetery last year to allow equipment to move between the cemetery and a new cemetery garage constructed last year at 60 Prince St.

Todd Levine, an architectural historian with SHPO, said the town violated Connecticut's Environmental Policy Act by not notifying SHPO about its plans to cut the wall, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 and is protected by the National Historic Preservation Act.

"Because a state grant was used for (the new garage), the wall's removal should have been reviewed by the SHPO," Corporation Counsel Janis Small wrote in a memo to the mayor and Town Council last week.

The Connecticut Environmental Policy Act requires that state and municipal agencies undergo a review process for state-funded projects that could alter or disrupt historical resources.

I think this one was missed, Small told the council Tuesday about getting the review by SHPO before cutting the wall. Im sure we all contributed to (it).

While SHPO said the wall section removal was an adverse effect to historic resources, it agreed with the town that there are no prudent alternatives to cutting the wall, the agreement stated, therefore SHPO did not require Wallingford replace the removed wall section.

The town received a $275,000 grant for the garage project through a program sponsored by the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The department said earlier this year that it would withhold remaining funds for the grant until the town meets requirements put forth by SHPO. Roughly $133,000 in remaining funds was being withheld, Small said Tuesday.

According to the memorandum of understanding, Epic Masonry, located at 110 N. Plains Industrial Road in town, will have 12 months to complete the work, which will include repairs to structural issues and concrete cracking. The town does not have to pay more than $19,640 for the repairs, the agreement stated.

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said he didnt have any objections to the towns agreement with SHPO, adding that Small did a good job on the agreement.

The repairs will protect the life of the wall for the foreseeable future, Small said.

The Town Council voted 7-1 to approve the agreement with SHPO Tuesday, and also voted 7-1 to approve a bid waiver for the repair project. The council needed to approve the bid waiver for Epic Masonry before approving the agreement because the agreement specifically mentioned Epic Masonry and the $19,640 cost figure.

Epic Masonry has a great deal of experience with historical structures and the SHPO agrees that they are qualified to do the work, Small wrote in the memo.

Resident Jaime Hine urged the council not to approve the bid waiver during a public comment period, saying there is no basis for the bid waiver.

Republican Town Councilor Craig Fishbein, the only councilor who voted against approving the agreement and bid waiver, raised issues about a past bid process for maintenance to the cemetery wall.

Fishbein alleged the town put a project for cleaning and restoration of the cemetery walls out to bid in 2012 and received submissions from three companies, however, another company that didnt submit a bid was ultimately selected for the project. Fishbein criticized the bid process and argued the company chosen did not properly maintain the wall, necessitating the present repairs.

The council also approved a new managerial contract with the Center Street Cemetery Association to manage and maintain the cemetery. Small said the contract was last updated in 1911 and needed to be brought up to modern times. The cemetery was established in 1670.

mzabierek@record-journal.com

203-317-2279

Twitter: @MatthewZabierekv
Spencer Platt/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The man accused of using a rented truck to mow down pedestrians in lower Manhattan pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from the Halloween terror attack.



Sayfullo Saipov, 29, briefly appeared in a New York City courthouse shackled for his arraignment on a 22-count indictment. He is charged with, among other things, murder in the aid of racketeering in the deaths of the eight people on a jogging path along the West Side Highway.



Saipov, who is originally from Uzbekistan but had been living in New Jersey at the time of the attack, told the judge that he understood English but relied on an interpreter during the arraignment. His public defender had no comment at the conclusion of Saipov's court appearance.



Saipov allegedly told authorities he was inspired to carry out the attack by ISIS videos he watched on his phone, according to the indictment.



"He decided to use a truck to inflict maximum damage against civilians," federal prosecutors said.



Saipov, who was shot by police after he crashed into a school bus and fled the truck, requested to hang the ISIS flag in his hospital room and stated that he felt good about his actions, police said. He also stated that he wanted to hang the ISIS flag from the truck, but decided against it because he did not want to draw too much attention, according to the indictment.

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Matthew Coda and his wife were considering adopting a child when, according to prosecutors, the Menlo Park man confessed a dark secret: he had once been convicted in New Jersey on charges related to child pornography.

Coda, 47, told his wife he no longer looked at child pornography, but she wanted to be sure he was telling the truth, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told The Chronicle on Wednesday.

Thats when his wife enlisted the help of a techie friend who searched Codas computer and discovered more than 3,000 images of child pornography.

Wagstaffe said that when the techie friend found the images, Codas wife immediately contacted the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office, kicked her husband out of their house, and filed for divorce. She alerted authorities in September, triggering a months-long investigation that led to Codas arrest Monday night at San Francisco International Airport.

Coda initially came clean to his wife because the conviction seemed likely to surface during the intensive background check required for adoption, Wagstaffe said. He said proescutors did not yet know all the details of Codas prior conviction in New Jersey, but were working to pull up records.

He praised Codas wife for coming forward, calling her an incredibly savvy person.

She didnt just look around herself and leave it at that, Wagstaffe said. She enlisted someone who had real technical skills.

Codas wife did not return phone calls Wednesday seeking comment, and she is not being publicly identified by the sheriffs office or the district attorneys office.

Coda was arraigned Tuesday in San Mateo County Superior Court on one felony count of possession of more than 600 images of child pornography. He is being held at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on $200,000 bail. His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 13.

Detective Sal Zuno of the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office said Coda is employed in a technical field in Mountain View, a job that does not involve working with children. He did, however, volunteer at the Half Moon Bay Library from May to July of 2015, tutoring children as part of a reading club program.

Michelle Durand, a spokeswoman for the San Mateo County Managers Office, said in a statement that the library had received no complaints about Coda during his time as a volunteer. She also pointed to security measures taken for all volunteers.

All library volunteers must submit an application and be fingerprinted prior to starting their volunteer work, Durand said in the statement. Mr. Coda cleared the screening process and volunteered with the Half Moon Bay Librarys reading club program. This program is held in the public area of the library, and volunteers are visually supervised by library staff at all times.

Zuno said no one has contacted police with reports of inappropriate behavior related to Codas work at the library, but that the sheriffs office is looking into his time there as part of its ongoing investigation.

He asked that anyone with information related to the investigation contact Detective Gaby Chaghouri at (650) 259-2314.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney
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A package mailed to the Alameda home of a police officer exploded and injured a woman who opened it, authorities said Tuesday, and U.S. Postal Service investigators are probing whether the incident is linked to a parcel bomb sent to an East Palo Alto residence in October.

The package bomb was delivered Friday to a home on Lilac Street in the Bay Farm Island neighborhood of Alameda and the intended recipient was a police officer, said Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriffs Office.

He said the package detonated around 4:15 p.m. when a woman opened it and suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Kelly said that when bomb squad members arrived, they were told the woman who opened the package was the wife of the intended recipient. Kelly declined to release further details about the victim, whose name was not released.

The incident is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the USPS.

U.S. Postal Inspector Jeff Fitch said the agency is also investigating the explosion of another package in East Palo Alto on Oct. 19. The person who opened that parcel also suffered non-life threatening injuries.

ALSO Search fails to turn up any sign of teen missing in Yosemite

At this point, were not speculating about a connection, Fitch said.

He said evidence collected from the East Palo Alto incident was sent to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service lab in Washington, D.C., to be analyzed, and that remnants from the Alameda parcel bomb will be inspected at the same lab.

Fitch declined to release details on the Bay Area parcel bombings, but noted that there is a task force working full-time to investigate the incidents.

These instances are very, very rare, Fitch said. But one instance is too many.

He urged anyone who receives unexpected packages that appear suspicious to call 911.

If its anything you didnt order, or anything that looks not quite right, set it aside, he said.

He declined to specify what security measures the Postal Service uses to prevent such packages from reaching homes, or how the parcels sent to the Alameda and East Palo Alto victims bypassed them.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney
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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's pick for health secretary is a former pharmaceutical company executive who already has drawn heat from Democrats over his ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

But as Alex Azar faces his first nomination hearing, even some of those critics see signs he could shift the health care debate away from partisan confrontation.

"He's certainly given me the assurances that that's his intention," said former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat who met with Azar recently and has known him for years. "While there may be disagreements on policy, I do think he's willing to hear people out."

"He's the best choice we have, given the current political situation," said Kavita Patel, a health care expert with the Brookings Institution, who worked in President Barack Obama's administration and, before that, for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

All sides agree that Azar is headed for Senate confirmation, which would be his third after earlier appointments to senior positions at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Nevertheless, he faces some tough questioning at his hearing Wednesday, given the Senate's hyper-partisan atmosphere, which has sunk or battered other nominees.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has tweeted her intent to ask Azar if he would be a toady for Trump's "extreme, politically driven & harmful agenda." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she has "concerns" about whether Azar would carry out Trump's promise to deliver "better health care and lower drug prices."

The Senate Finance Committee will hold its own hearing on Azar soon and decide whether to send the nomination to the full Senate.

If confirmed, Azar would be Trump's second HHS secretary, replacing Tom Price, who resigned under pressure after using private charter flights at taxpayer expense.

Azar's career could prove a challenge given Trump's vow to "drain the swamp" of Washington.

Atop the list of questions likely to face Azar, 50, is whether he would work to lower drug prices given his lucrative decadelong stint as an executive with Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.

On Azar's watch, Eli Lilly drew criticism from patient advocacy groups for price increases to one of its biggest products: insulin.

In speeches while at Eli Lilly, Azar questioned whether the government's regulatory machinery has kept up with the pace of scientific change, and he warned that price controls could stifle innovation.

"Will he carry pharma's water? I don't think so, based on my interactions with him," said former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Republican from Tennessee. Like Daschle, he is active in the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank.
It may seem like a modern fairy tale, but the upcoming wedding of Britains Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle will come with some mundane hurdles. Perhaps most inconveniently for the British royals, this transatlantic partnership could end up involving the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday that Markle will become a British citizen after her wedding next year. Though some foreign politicians are required to give up their dual citizenship, there are no similar rules for British royals - and there has already been widespread speculation that the union of Harry and Markle could eventually result in some British royal children wielding American passports.

But theres a big obstacle in the way: American tax laws. U.S. citizens are subject to U.S. tax obligations regardless of their country of residence, wrote Peter Spiro, a Temple University law professor and the author of At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship in an email to The Washington Post. A member of the royal family would be treated just like anyone else.

By contrast, if Harry were to move to the United States to live with Markle, he would not expected to file taxes in Britain. Americas citizenship-based taxation system is unusual: Only Eritrea has a similar system. Its a relic of the Civil War and the Revenue Act of 1862, which called for the taxing of U.S. citizens abroad - in part to punish men who fled the country to avoid joining the military.

For Harry, the issue isnt that he will suddenly end up paying U.S. income tax, but rather that Markles American citizenship could open up the secretive finances of the royal family to outside scrutiny. If she remains a U.S. citizen, Markle will have to file her taxes to the IRS every year. And if she has more than $150,000 in assets at any point during the tax year - a likely scenario given her successful acting career and the family wealth of her husband - she will be expected to annually file a document called Form 8938 that will reveal the detail of these assets, which could include foreign trusts.

This sharing of financial information with the U.S. government would probably be undesirable for the royal family, which has long preferred that its finances remain opaque. David McClure, the author of the book Royal Legacy: How the royal family have made, spent and passed on their wealth, said that British royals finances have long been impenetrable to outsiders. Ive been truffling in the royal coffers for seven or eight years, said McClure, adding that no one really knows how wealthy the royals are. I suspect the queen doesnt know, he said.

At least some of the royal familys money is tied up in trusts and other holdings, McClure added. After the death of his mother, Princess Diana, Prince Harry received half of her 21.5 million ($28.5 million) estate, and he shares a 3.5 million ($4.8 million) annual allowance with his brother and his sister-in-law. It is possible that Prince Harry receives other money from other royal trusts, but the extent to which he does is not publicly known.

Though Markles tax information would not become public once sent to the United States, it would leave the royal family open not only to IRS review but also the risk that the information could leak. The familys labyrinthine fiscal arrangements were already partially exposed by the Paradise Papers leak earlier this month, which revealed that Queen Elizabeths estate has invested money in offshore tax havens.

Royal children would complicated matters even further. Parents cannot elect to have a child lose his or her U.S. citizenship, so the children will be U.S. citizens (and therefore, U.S. taxpayers) unless they decide to give it up when they reach the age of majority, said Kristin Konschnik, an attorney with London-based Butler Snow Law Firm.

Ultimately, there is no real precedent for an American marrying in to the British royal family like this. However, McClure noted that the royal family employs some of the countrys best tax consultants. They wont be short of advice about how to overcome any problems as an American taxpayer becoming part of the family, McClure said.

My guess is that shell be pressured by the Royal family to renounce [her U.S. citizenship], even if shed rather not, Spiro added.

In many ways, that solution may be the simplest. And if Markle does give up her citizenship, she wont be alone. Treasury Department data shows that 5,411 individuals chose to expatriate in 2016 - a 26 percent year-over-year increase and potentially a historic high - and experts expect that number to keep increasing due to increasing tax burdens placed on U.S. citizens living abroad.

But even expatriation would carry risks for Markle. She would have to first wait to become a British citizen, a process that is expected to take years. She would also be subject to a potentially considerable exit tax. Finally, she would struggle to regain her citizenship if she ever wanted it back.

If she did, it would be for keeps, said Spiro. Those who renounce are treated as if they never had citizenship. To get it back, she would have to go through the ordinary naturalization process.
Garrison Keillor, the creator and host of A Prairie Home Companion on Minnesota Public Radio, was fired Wednesday over allegations of his inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him, according to a statement from the radio network.

The network said it was cutting off all business relationships with Keillor, who over four decades had created a financial juggernaut for MPR with A Prairie Home Companion and related books, recordings and other products.

In a statement he provided to The New York Times, Keillor, 75, said, Ive been fired over a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard. Most stories are.

Effective immediately, MPR said, it will no longer distribute and broadcast Keillors remaining programs, The Writers Almanac and The Best of A Prairie Home Companion Hosted by Garrison Keillor.

It will also change the name of American Public Medias current incarnation of A Prairie Home Companion, which Chris Thile, a songwriter and mandolinist, took over in October 2016, after Keillor stepped down.

Jon McTaggart, president of Minnesota Public Radio, said in a statement that all of us in the MPR community are saddened by these circumstances.

He added: While we appreciate the contributions Garrison has made to MPR, and all of public radio, we believe this decision is the right thing to do and is necessary to continue to earn the trust of our audiences, employees and supporters of our public service.

Keillor is but one of the latest public figures to face sudden consequences after allegations of sexual misconduct, and not even the first in Minnesota. This week, he had come to the defense of his friend, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., in an op-ed for The Washington Post published Tuesday evening.

In his statement Wednesday, Keillor said he was deeply grateful for the saga of Lake Wobegon and for all his years doing his radio programs and his tours, as well as the friendships of musicians and actors.

Im 75, he said, and dont have any interest in arguing about this.

I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization Ive worked hard for since 1969, he said.

He also apologized to all the poets whose work I wont be reading on the radio and sorry for the people who will lose work on account of this.

Keillor, who was a host with Minnesota Public Radio, came up with the idea for his own Americana variety program in 1974 after he traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to write about the Grand Ole Opry for The New Yorker.

He parlayed its success into a radio institution, peaking at 4.1 million weekly listeners a decade before he retired. The show grew to include lucrative live performances and national tours, and merchandise included recordings, books and clothes. Keillor sang, performed in skits and ended each show with a monologue about his fictional hometown, Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above average.

Famous artists who appeared on his stage included Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Keb Mo and Wilco.

He also helped to shape the early profile of public radio.

Prairie Home Companion came on the scene just as public radio was trying to figure out what its identity was, Ira Glass, host of This American Life, told The New York Times last year. The fact that here was such a visibly weird, funny, idiosyncratic show opened up the space of other weird, idiosyncratic shows, like Car Talk, and our show.
Austin's Celis Brewery, which helped introduce a generation of U.S. drinkers to craft beer during its 8-year run that began in 1992, is back and will start selling beer in Houston next week.

The resurrected brewery, which opened last summer under the leadership of Christine Celis, daughter of the legendary Pierre Celis, will have four beers on tap at select bars and restaurants across the area.
Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper bring their bromance to Sugar Land, women sing of "Freedom" and Amy Grant joins Michael W. Smith to make some seasonal music in this week's picks of the Must List.
King's Biergarten is partnering with Killen's BBQ for their next Kolache Pop-up on Saturday, Dec. 2. The popular event that has led to lines of customers snaking through the paring lot at King's on Broadway returns with new flavors of the month: Killen's Brisket for $5.50 and Killen's Pulled Pork for $4.

The pop-up is from 9 a.m. till 12 p.m.
In the days leading up to the Republican Alabama Senate primary, former White House strategist Steve Bannon stood with his candidate Roy Moore.

Since Moore's primary, the ex- judge has been accused of preying on teenage girls decades ago. And Bannon hasn't set foot in Alabama since for the candidate he called "one of the finest men in this country."
TOKYO - North Korea's claim to have built a new intercontinental ballistic missile "tipped with super-large heavy warhead" that can hit any part of the United States marks another unwelcome step from Kim Jong Un's nuclear program. But beyond the bluster and the boasting, some analysts see a tiny glimmer of hope.

Counterintuitive as it may seem, could the regime - with its pronouncement that it has now completed its missile development - now be more open to talks with the United States?

"Many have expected that Pyongyang would not be ready to negotiate until it deemed it had achieved a deliverable nuclear deterrent," said Laura Rosenberger, a North Korea expert with the German Marshall Fund in Washington.

Now Kim's regime says it has achieved that deterrent.

North Korea called Wednesday's launch of a new model of intercontinental ballistic missile, called the Hwasong-15, a "great success." This "most powerful ICBM" meets its "goal of the completion of the rocket weaponry system development," according to a state media announcement.

North Korea's claims to have the entire United States in range do appear to be justified, experts said, with the missile tested Wednesday showing the range to reach the easternmost parts of the country.

But Kim's rocket scientists have not proven the ability to attach a warhead to the missile and have it survive reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, let alone deliver it to a target.

"I don't believe their claim that they have achieved nuclear missile capability," said Shin Won-sik, a former deputy commander of the strategic planning department of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. "North Korea has not shown any evidence or data proving they have obtained the reentry technology, so I don't think North Korea has yet completed its nuclear program."

Although this is difficult, the North is expected to achieve it in time, given the energy it is pouring into its weapons program. "North Korea is moving fast with its nuclear weapons technology," Shin said.

Like Shin in Seoul, Yu Koizumi, an expert on missile development at the Institute for Future Engineering in Tokyo, said he did not believe that North Korea has crossed the finish line.

"This is definitely a milestone, but it's not complete yet," Koizumi said. "The Hwasong-15 has been launched only once, so they will need to test it more."

North Korea has proven to be an unreliable negotiating partner over the last two decades, reneging on every deal that it has signed. But despite President Donald Trump's repeated talk of military options for dealing with Pyongyang, most analysts believe that diplomacy remains the only realisitc course.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that "diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now."

The language that North Korea used Wednesday - saying it had achieved a "priceless victory" and completed the missile development process - gave some analysts hope that North Korea was positioning itself to negotiate, albeit on its own terms.

"Once Pyongyang is convinced that we are convinced that it can reach the U.S. mainland with an ICBM," said Ralph Cossa, president of the CSIS Pacific Forum, "it will be willing to discuss a freeze - in testing, not a verifiable freeze of its missile or nuclear programs - in return for what it really wants, which is a lifting of sanctions."

Rosenberger agreed that North Korea could be more open to talks if it felt it had achieved a technological milestone.

"This may mean the North is preparing to shift to a negotiating posture - but one in which it will seek to be treated as a nuclear power, and as a peer to the U.S., greatly complicating the goal of talks aimed at denuclearization," she said.

North Korea has said it is willing to talk to the United States - although not about giving up its nuclear program - once Washington drops its "hostile policy." The U.S. government has privately signaled it is willing to talk without preconditions.

China and Russia have, meanwhile, been calling on both sides to agree to a "freeze for freeze" whereby North Korea would stop testing while the United States and South Korea stopped military exercises - an idea rejected by both sides.

In talks with former American officials, the North Koreans have been insisting on being recognized and treated as a nuclear power - something that is anathema to Washington.

Wendy Sherman, who dealt with both North Korea and Iran while she was a senior official in the State Department, said that North Korea appeared to be "setting the table for negotiation."

Sherman cited Choe Son Hui, director of American affairs in North Korea's Foreign Ministry, who appeared on two panels at a nuclear conference in Moscow that she attended last month.

"What they said was not brand new, in terms of the U.S. having to give up its hostile policies and their taking a very hard line on their nuclear weapons," Sherman said. "But in between the lines, there was a lot of nuance in what they said. Most people came away believing that this was a preparation for some kind of dialogue."

Some analysts think that part of the rationale for North Korea's steady pace of testing this year was to get itself in the strongest possible position before sanctions inflict real pain on Pyongyang.

The latest rounds of sanctions imposed through the United Nations, in August and September, included potentially crippling bans on North Korean exports of coal, iron, seafood and garments. But they are expected to take several months to bite, and only if China fully enforces the resolutions.

But others see no more reason than usual for any optimism.

"I don't think we should have any more confidence than before that this signals a consolidation of their abilities or that they're interested in talks," said Toby Dalton, co-director of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "It would be nice if that were the case."

Still, rather than giving up on diplomacy, the latest developments underscore the need to redouble efforts to talk to Kim's regime, said Melissa Hanham, a North Korea expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California.

"North Korea has been a spoiler and has backed out of many deals before, but to not negotiate with them or engage with them in positive ways, they can build more trucks to use as missile launchers or build more nuclear warheads," she said. "Then we will have even bigger problems."

---

The Washington Post's Yoonjung Seo in Seoul and Yuki Oda in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur's fast-paced pitch show Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch gives each contestant 60 seconds to present their million-dollar idea to a panel of investors. These judges will either grant the entrepreneur access to the boardroom for negotiations or send them back to the lobby empty-handed. Each week, four new innovators have the floor to try to get funding in exchange for a stake in their ventures.

This weeks episode brings in high-flying valuations, with hopeful founders asking for millions from behind the closed Entrepreneur Elevator doors. Which pitches will sway investors to fork over the funds? And in which cases will they defer to others with more domain expertise? Check out this week's episode above to find out, then support your favorite ideas through crowdfunding on Indiegogo.
WASHINGTON - Everything seemed to be going so smoothly just after Labor Day. President Donald Trump tweeted favorably about dealing with "Chuck and Nancy," and the two Democrats returned the favor.

"He likes us. He likes me anyway," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in mid-September. He was caught on a live microphone on the Senate floor explaining to another senator how he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reached a pair of major fiscal deals with Trump.

By Tuesday, every last ounce of goodwill had been drained out of the Donald-Chuck-Nancy partnership. The implosion left the fate of funding for the Pentagon and domestic federal agencies up in the air heading into the holiday season. Perhaps more important, it seemed to poison the well for reauthorizing a children's health program and resolving the fate of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who were brought into the country when they were children.

It also served as the latest lesson in what it is like to negotiate with a president whose dealmaking experience came in the real estate world, where he was known to back away from nearly cinched agreements as a ploy to leverage better deals.

Trump began the day by denouncing the Democrats, on Twitter, for wanting "illegal immigrants" in the country. He predicted that no deal would come together on a year-end package to fund the government and the other key issues.

Schumer and Pelosi then canceled plans to attend an afternoon meeting with Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., fearing Trump no longer saw the huddle as a chance to map out final deals.

"We're not going to sit down just for a photo op. This is too serious," Schumer told reporters later. And Pelosi went to Twitter to express her dissent, intentionally using the president's social-media tone.

"[H]e's more interested in stunts than in addressing the needs of the American people," Pelosi tweeted. "Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!"

It's a long way from where things stood in mid-September, after Trump acquiesced to the two Democratic leaders on a plan for short-term funding of the federal government and allowing the Treasury to increase its borrowing limits to finance the national debt.

The president also told the Democrats that he would support permanent legal status and eventually a path to citizenship for the "Dreamers," the young undocumented immigrants, in exchange for beefed-up funding for border security.

These talks floored Republicans. They wanted to work on a longer timeline on the fiscal disputes and were flummoxed when, after his harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration during his campaign, Trump sided with Democrats whom he had previously denounced as supporting "open borders."

Pelosi wanted clarity from Trump after he gave Congress six months to resolve the fate of the Dreamers or he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era executive order halting deportations for those young undocumented immigrants. So she asked the president to tweet his support for no deportations during that period - and the tweet landed in the middle of a House Democratic caucus meeting.

"For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about," Trump wrote.

Most Democrats encouraged their leaders to continue the talks, but they also expressed great concern about being set up for a double-cross. Particularly concerned were members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. They always feared that a man who began his campaign calling Mexicans "rapists" would not keep his word about signing legislation formalizing the DACA protections.

But Schumer maintained his optimism as bipartisan negotiations took place among congressional negotiators, suggesting this month that he had little fear of a partial federal government shutdown amid a standoff over immigration. "We won't come to that. I think we'll have Republicans joining us to support DACA," he said.

That optimism came crashing down Tuesday. "Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi did not show up for our meeting today," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I'm not really that surprised. We have a lot of differences. They're weak on crime, they're weak on illegal immigration. They want the illegal folks to come pouring into our border."

So, what happened?

"The staffs were making great progress until the president stepped in. We were very close on a number of issues," Schumer told reporters. He said that Trump got in the way of what were "serious, mature negotiations" on a major piece of legislation.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said that other Republicans had told him Trump was stunned by the negative reaction he got from the conservative base after he started wheeling and dealing with the Democratic leaders.

"And since then his whole rhetoric has changed," Durbin said.

Now it's unclear whether Trump wants to try to bring about a shutdown of the federal government - funding runs out Dec. 8 - in a bid force congressional Democrats to back funding of the border wall that he has long supported.

That sort of confrontation, something that most of the public would despise, might be exactly the kind of fight that Trump's base wants. It is unclear whether Ryan and McConnell are prepared to jump into that abyss with the president, knowing that it is their members who are on the ballot in next year's midterm elections.

Schumer always saw this coming. In his hot-mic moment in mid-September, he told his colleague that he had warned Trump about going to the "far right."

"If you have to step just in one direction, you're boxed. He gets that," Schumer said.

In a whisper, Schumer even predicted his new negotiating partner might transform Congress. "Oh, it's going to work out, and he'll make us more productive, too," he said.

That prediction remains very much in doubt.
Washington

A Libyan militant was convicted Tuesday of terrorism charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. But a federal jury found him not guilty of murder, the most serious charge associated with the rampage he was accused of orchestrating.

The attack became political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republicans accusing the Obama administration of intentionally misleading the public and stonewalling congressional investigators, though officials denied any wrongdoing. Some were particularly critical of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's handling of the conflict, which dogged her during her presidential campaign.

But the seven-week trial of Ahmed Abu Khattala was largely free of political intrigue.

Jurors convicted Khattala on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted him on 14 others. Even with the mixed verdict, Khattala, 46, still faces the possibility of life imprisonment for his conviction on a federal firearms charge.

Prosecutors accused Khattala of directing the attack aimed at killing personnel and plundering maps, documents and other property from the U.S. mission in Benghazi. But defense attorneys said their evidence against him was shoddy.

Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the first attack at the U.S. mission, along with Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department information management officer. Nearly eight hours later at a CIA complex nearby, two more Americans, contract security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, died in a mortar attack.
Washington

President Donald Trump's deregulation push got a boost after a federal judge denied an emergency request on behalf of an Obama-era holdover who disputed Trump's decision to appoint a new acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, delivering a legal victory to the White House, which argued that the president had the authority to install a new leader.

The ruling addressed a partisan legal spat at an agency thrown into chaos as two acting directors publicly laid claim to the title of rightful, if temporary, leadership. Both used every tool at their disposal. But the ruling effectively installed Mick Mulvaney, Trump's pick and the current director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, as the acting leader of the bureau.

On Tuesday afternoon, Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court in Washington sided with lawyers for Trump and Mulvaney on the grounds that the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, signed into law in 1998, gives the White House the authority to appoint a replacement.

Legal experts and consumer advocates say the decision will most likely continue a protracted legal battle first initiated by Leandra English, who was elevated Friday to acting deputy director and presumed acting director when Richard Cordray, an appointee of President Barack Obama, resigned a week earlier than expected. The dispute over who would lead the bureau intensified Sunday, when English asked the court to provide an emergency restraining order to block Trump from appointing Mulvaney.

Deepak Gupta, a lawyer for English and a former senior counsel for the consumer bureau, said after the hearing that his legal team would be examining options going forward. One option, he said, would be to seek a preliminary injunction, a move similar in nature to English's earlier restraining order request, but which would take longer to decide.

"Everyone understands this court is not the final stop," Gupta said. "This judge does not have the final word in what happens in this controversy, and I think he understands that."

The legal skirmish had pinned the language in two federal laws against each other. English and her lawyers argued that the Dodd-Frank Act, the 2010 law that established the bureau after a financial crisis, had made a succession plan clear: The deputy director was to serve as acting director in the absence of a permanent leader. Trump is able to appoint his own director, but confirmation could take months and slow Republican efforts to defang the agency. Cordray's effort to appoint English was seen as an effort to extend this process.

In a court filing delivered late Monday, lawyers for Trump and Mulvaney had said that the confusion surrounding the bureau's leadership stems from English's "meritless claims" because the president, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel and the agency's general counsel all agreed that Mulvaney was the acting director.

Kelly, who was nominated by Trump and confirmed in September, said that he had not been convinced by the argument that the language in the Dodd-Frank Act superseded that in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

The judge was also not swayed by the argument that English was at risk for irreparable harm, in this case losing her job as deputy director. But lawyers observing the case said the decision on Tuesday still could keep day-to-day operations  and English's job  at the bureau in limbo.

"This decision still leaves a lot of unanswered questions since Mulvaney will reportedly only spend three days of the week at the CFPB," Dalie Jimenez, an associate professor of law at the University of Connecticut School of Law who spent roughly a year as a member of the founding staff at the bureau, said in an interview. "Does that mean that Leandra English as deputy director would be 'in charge' for the two days he's not around? Mulvaney might move to demote or fire her at this point."
Senators plan to grill President Donald Trump's selection to lead the Department of Health and Human Services about his close ties to the pharmaceutical industry and his plans for running Obamacare.

Nominee Alex Azar was an executive at drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. until January, a role that Democrats say raises concerns about whether he will take on high drug prices. Azar is set to detail his views before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday, one of two committees he'll face as part of the nomination process.

"He is certainly going to need to address our concerns that he comes from big pharma," Sen. Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat who sits on the committee, said in an interview. "This is an industry that has not been cooperative at all, and that's putting it mildly, in terms of drug prices that are of such concern to so many working and middle-class families."

Trump has frequently raised the issue of high drug costs but hasn't taken any direct action to contain them. In public remarks earlier this year, Azar blamed insurers and managers of prescription plans for soaring medicine costs, an argument often made by drug companies.

But Democratic senators seemed to have more questions for Azar than direct lines of attack, noting they don't know a lot about him.

"What we need to see from the new nominee is somebody who's committed to the health-care safety net, whose knowledge of the pharmaceutical issue enables him to find better solutions to pharmaceutical costs," said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat on the health panel.

Kaine said he's also interested to see how Azar plans to manage the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Trump has backed various failed attempts by Republicans in Congress to overturn the health law and his administration has taken steps to weaken it.

"I want to see if this is the guy who's going to be part of the wrecking crew that's hurt people," Kaine said. "Insurance companies are being very plain about why premiums are going up and it's that the administration is trying to sabotage the law. They're entitled to some certainty."

Under Tom Price, who resigned as HHS secretary in September amid a scandal over his use of private jets at taxpayer expense, the department stripped funding for advertising open enrollment for Obamacare plans, and cut off money for workers who had helped consumers choose coverage. Trump has also stopped making payments to insurers meant to help defray health-care costs for low-income Americans.

Republicans have touted Azar's background, including as deputy health secretary under President George W. Bush. Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Tennessee Republican who is chairman of the health committee, said of Azar after the two met earlier this month that he was "impressed with his knowledge and experience."

Azar met on Monday with Senator Orrin Hatch, the Utah Republican who is chairman of the Finance Committee. Hatch's panel, which must vote on Azar before the full Senate considers his nomination, hasn't scheduled a hearing.

Hatch said Azar "demonstrated he has the gravitas to take the reins at the Department of Health and Human Services and lead the agency in tackling the skyrocketing insurance premiums and shrinking health-care options under Obamacare and ensuring Medicare and Medicaid are around for generations to come."
President Donald Trump on Wednesday likely again complicated his administration's effort to defend the controversial travel ban when he shared on Twitter three inflammatory anti-Muslim videos posted by a far-right British activist.

Federal judges have frequently cited Trump's remarks as they have blocked various versions of the ban, and lawyers for those suing over the latest iteration of the directive seized immediately on the president's early morning online posts.

"Thanks! See you in court next week," wrote Neal Katyal, a lawyer on the travel ban case out of Hawaii, as he posted a link to news coverage of the president's tweets.

"It is unprecedented and, until recently, unthinkable that an American president would incite religious hatred on such a powerful social media platform," said Omar Jadwat, an ACLU lawyer representing those suing in Maryland. "But the videos are consistent with Mr. Trump's commitment to white supremacy and his other anti-Muslim statements and policies."

Oral arguments are scheduled for next week in both federal appeals court cases over the travel ban. The latest iteration - the third ban that Trump has ordered - blocks various people from eight countries, six of them with Muslim majorities, from entering the U.S. But federal judges in Maryland and Hawaii have partially blocked its implementation, permitting the administration to keep out only those without any bona fide ties to the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, in particular, wrote that the president's comments on the campaign trail and on Twitter convinced him that the latest directive was akin to an unconstitutional ban on Muslims. Before he was elected, Trump had called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."

"The 'initial' announcement of the Muslim ban, offered repeatedly and explicitly through President Trump's own statements, forcefully and persuasively expressed his purpose in unequivocal terms," Chuang wrote.

Leon Fresco, who worked in the office of immigration litigation in President Barack Obama's Justice Department, said that because of the president's history of comments on Muslims and the ban, his antipathy toward Islam is "baked into the cake of this case." Appeals court judges will have to decide, he said, if that means Trump cannot take any action when it comes to restricting the issuance of visas.

"The fact that essentially we have a president who has decided that these are his feelings, does this mean that even if scores of lawyers have tried to implement a policy that's legal based on actual security concerns, the president's individual biases scar that forever?" Fresco said.

He added: "The problem is you just have this terrible set of facts where who knows what will be decided because he keeps showing this bias that infects all of the good faith of any decision that might be made."

Justice Department lawyers argued in a recent court filing that Trump's statements "primarily reflect an intent to protect the United States from the threat of terrorism by nationals from countries that pose heightened risks, and in any event cannot disable the President from enacting the Proclamation's religion-neutral restrictions in accordance with the national-security and foreign-policy recommendations of Cabinet members whose motives have never been questioned."

A Justice Department spokeswoman referred questions to the White House. After the president's tweets on Wednesday, a White House press secretary was asked whether Trump felt Muslims were a threat to the U.S.

"No, look, the President has addressed these issues with the travel order that he issued earlier this year and the companion proclamation," said principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah. "There are plenty of Muslim-majority nations whose citizens can come to the United States without travel restrictions. But those that pose public safety or terrorism threats through our worldwide security review that was overseen by the Department of Homeland Security is why there were certain travel restrictions put in place."

Shah added later that Trump had "been talking about these security issues for years, from the campaign trail to the White House."

Jadwat, the ACLU lawyer, noted on Twitter that was not out of step with what he and others have been arguing.

"'From the campaign trail to the White House' - did they pull that line from one of our briefs?" he wrote.
WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department on Wednesday named a Colombian indicted on cocaine charges as a designated narcotics trafficker, freezing any assets he may have in the United States.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control said Tito Aldemar Ruano Yandun is a drug kingpin responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States. His drug organization also was sanctioned, as was Onofre Junior Aguino Arboleda, who the Treasury Department said helped coordinate maritime smuggling.
What do the world's top startups all have in common? They've mastered the art of company culture.

Related: 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures

Brands from all over have attempted to mimic "startup culture" -- the collaborative, fun and enriching atmosphere that makes employees want to come to work each day. But fostering a startup culture is not as easy as it sounds, especially as your company grows.

Having a strong culture, however, is the key to success and cannot be neglected. In fact, research from the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick showed that happy employees are 12 percent more productive than the average worker. So it truly pays to have a strong company culture.

But what exactly does a strong culture look like? And more importantly, how can you build one? Follow these five tips from successful startups:

1. Keep employees engaged.

At Airbnb, employees are kept in the loop on major company happenings and big decisions. This gives them a sense of ownership and purpose in the company, which in turn fosters engagement. According to a Gallup survey, 51 percent of the American workforce is not engaged. But having engaged employees is highly beneficial.

As Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter, "A company's culture is the foundation for future innovation. An entrepreneur's job is to build the foundation."

Engaged employees create a more positive work atmosphere. And, with happier employees, as well as increased productivity, your company will have happier customers and boost sales.

2. Focus on the company's purpose.

Employees want to feel that the work that they do matters. That's why Twitter's purpose-driven environment works so well. Its focus is on creating a collaborative, team-oriented space that helps employees come together and see the value of what they do.

In an article on Medium, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wrote, "Startups have a unique ability to create a culture of compassion that helps us improve; and in so doing, we are more likely to make a difference in the lives of others."

In 2014, Twitter's employees were named by Glassdoor as the happiest in the country. Much of that happiness can be attributed to the company's culture, where employees feel that their voices matter.

Related: The 8 Essential Steps to Building a Winning Company Culture

3. Be proactive.

Culture doesn't just happen on its own. It's something that needs to be nurtured and tended. Without culture, your company will have no legs to stand on.

On his blog, Buffer CEO Joel Gascoigne wrote, "There's no right or wrong with culture, it is simply a combination of [the] natural personality of the founding team, in addition to proactive work, to push the culture in a desired direction and to maintain certain values."

Since the beginning, Buffer has made culture a priority. At each stage of its business, it's assessed its company culture and made changes based on the company's growth. As your company grows, you must also scale your culture. And that will almost certainly mean that the culture for a three-person team will look very different from the culture for a 20-person team.

4. Stick to your values.

In essence, your culture is your people. Without great people, you can't have a great culture. That means you need to define what you want your culture to be like from the beginning -- starting with whom you hire.

In an article on Medium, Skillshare CEO Michael Karnjanaprakorn wrote, "Because the best cultures derive from actions people take, it's imperative to define expectations around optimal behaviors, which set a foundation for a value system."

To ensure all new employees fit in with their culture, Skillshare developed specific hiring guidelines based on its core values. This allowed the company to build a team focused on common goals so people would be able to work together successfully.

5. Show appreciation.

Not every employee needs to have fancy benefits like free lunches, yoga classes and snacks -- but perks like those don't hurt, either. Squarespace offers some exciting benefits for its employees, including flexible vacations, catered meals, relaxation spaces and occasional guest lecturers. The company was even named one of the best places to work in New York City in 2013 by Crain's New York Business.

Related: 6 Steps for Creating a Strong Company Culture

Employees appreciate being taken care of, but that'snot the sole reason they want to work for a company. Squarespace also boasts a flat organizational structure, which means there is no hierarchy or levels of management. This creates an open space for employees to collaborate and make their voices heard as well as gain access to the company's leadership.

How do you keep your employees engaged? Share your top tips in the comments below:

Related:

What Would Twitter Do? Lessons on Culture From 5 Top Startups

5 Ways to Catapult Your Company's Success With Gen Z

5 Ways Leaders Can Make Their Teams Happier and Healthier Without Spending Much



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


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A former member of the Texas Mexican Mafia was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison for his role in the racketeering murders of two people, including Balcones Heights Police Officer Julian Pesina, who was under federal investigation.

Jerry Spooks Idrogo, 37, faced a nearly guaranteed sentence of life in prison for killing another member of the gang, Billy Padilla, and for passing down orders to kill Pesina, 29. But because Idrogo cooperated with federal authorities and testified early this month against the shooters in the Pesina slaying, Idrogo was granted a reduction after prosecutors requested leniency.

RELATED: Woman gets 5 years for stealing $260,000 from wounded warriors group

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez gave Idrogo 20 years in prison. Idrogo took a plea deal last year, admitting to racketeering conspiracy that included the murders of Pesina and Padilla, whom Idrogo shot on Aug. 26, 2013, in front of Padillas elementary-age son in order to rise in the gang.

At the trial of Jesse Jay Santibanez, 29, and Alfredo Freddy Low Cardona, 36, it was established that Pesina led a double life. Pesina was on the Balcones Heights police force from 2009 until he was ambushed on May 4, 2014, outside Notorious Ink, the tattoo shop he co-owned. Pesina was killed while under criminal investigation by the FBI and Texas Department of Public Safety.

Now Playing: San Antonio - The stunning killing in May 2014 of a Balcones Heights police officer by armed masked men has the hallmarks of a gang hit, which is partly why investigators are now looking at his suspected affiliations with the Texas Mexican Mafia, sources have told the San Antonio Express-News. (May 14, 2014) Video: John Henry Perera

Testimony established that Pesina dealt drugs and passed himself off as a made member of the Texas Mexican Mafia, while keeping his law enforcement career from members of the gang he associated with.

RELATED: Ex-Mexican Mafia general gets 20 years in prison

Idrogo, who rose to become a gang sergeant, testified at that trial that he learned Pesina was a police officer after taking Pesina along for one of the gangs sources of money  collection of a 10 percent street tax from drug dealers known as the dime. A dealer told Idrogo that Pesina was a cop and, after Idrogo confirmed it and told gang leaders, they told Idrogo to kill Pesina.

Idrogo testified he picked Santibanez and Cardona, two lower-level associates, to help carry out the hit.

Idrogo said he had Santibanez pick him up and the pair met Cardona at his aunts house on the Southeast Side. There, they replaced the license plate on Cardonas white Pontiac Starfire with paper plates from Santibanezs car. They went to Notorious Ink, where Idrogo dropped off Santibanez and Cardona on the side of the building, Idrogo testified.

The pair ambushed Pesina after he handed Idrogo the dime.

Jay shot him with the shotgun first and Freddy Low shot him with the 9 mm afterwards, Idrogo testified.

Cardona and Santibanez face up to life in prison when Rodriguez sentences them early next year.

gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland
Mayor Ron Nirenberg plans to call for bolstered policies with San Antonios nonprofit partners to ensure tax dollars arent stolen or misused during an afternoon Facebook Live video.

His statement comes a day after revelations that an accountant working for Centro San Antonio, a nonprofit organization that manages a Public Improvement District for the city, allegedly stole $175,000 over a two-year period.

Theres no indication that the employee, who was fired earlier this month, took any tax dollars.

Still, Nirenberg said hes frustrated by the events that led to the resignation of Centro CEO Pat DiGiovanni.

In his video, Nirenberg plans to note that the city partners with about 275 local nonprofit organizations that will receive more than $115 million in taxpayer funds this year.

Prior to receiving these funds, each organization must enter into a city funding agreement, which includes provisions that protect against the loss or misuse of taxpayer dollars, his prepared remarks say. The city reserves the right to audit these organizations at any time to ensure that these protections are in place.

Recent events have shaken the foundation of public trust that we have worked hard to build. To help ensure that public confidence in these organizations is justified and that we prevent further erosion of trust, I have requested the City Auditor and City Attorneys Office to undertake the following actions and present their recommendations to the Governance Committee.

Nirenberg is asking those city officials to review the standard contract provisions in the funding agreements to ensure the contracts include all reasonable and adequate protections of the public dollars. Further, hes directing them to prepare contractual requirements that ensure significant contracts and real estate transactions are pursued ethically and under policies that promote transparency and integrity.

The mayor is also calling for policies that pull city-created nonprofits, such as Centro San Antonio, under the purview of the citys Ethics Code and Ethics Review Board. And finally, hes suggesting that the city create an annual training program for nonprofit executives and board members. That program would emphasize proper oversight responsibilities, particularly with respect to city funds and transparency, his remarks show.

Nirenberg also plans to underscore the need to bring further independence to the citys ethics process, including its Ethics Review Board and an ethics review officer. That includes providing official sanction authority to the board as it assesses violations.

Much of this will require revisions to the City Charter, hell say in the late afternoon Facebook Live event. I will work with you to usher these improvements to completion.

jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh
J S Kiran, who was appointed as junior clerk in the District Mercantile Cooperative Society at Thycaud based on a recommendation from CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, is the son of a former Kattakkada area secretary of the party.
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As the sun rose over San Antonio Thanksgiving morning, somebody approached an unassuming white and grey home on the North Side and started shooting.

Bullets pierced the thin-walled home. One of them struck a sleeping 10-year-old, Delilah Hernandez, a student at West Avenue Elementary with gleaming dark eyes.

Paramedics found the young girl in a back room and rushed her to University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about half an hour later. Her brother is believed to have been the target of the shooting.

RELATED: 2 people found dead after SWAT situation concludes on North Side

"There'll be a special place for (the shooter) when he goes to the next life," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. "This is unforgivable. I don't understand how anyone ... can be so selfishly insensitive about who might be on the other end of the bullet."

Hernandez's death was the first in a series of shootings, stabbings and other violent acts around San Antonio over the Thanksgiving weekend that left at least one other person dead and several others wounded.

Between Thanksgiving morning and Monday night, police responded to about three dozen reports of shootings and 14 stabbing reports throughout the city. People were seriously wounded or killed in nine of the shootings and at least one of the stabbings. Two suspects have been arrested in connection to attacks during that period. Several others are still at large.

The attacks represent the latest spike in such incidents in the Alamo City, where violent crime seems to descend in random waves.

While speaking with reporters on Monday morning after the body of a 44-year-old man was found in the yard of an East Side home, Michelle Ramos, a detective-turned-spokesperson for the San Antonio Police Department, described the latest wave of violent crimes as unconnected, adding another layer of inexplicability to the violence.

"We're just having a hard time keeping up," she said, as detectives investigated the crime scene behind her.

Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott asked the Texas Department of Public Safety to send "trooper strike teams" made up of Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, "violent crime squads" made up of DPS special agents, a "felony fugitive team" made up of Texas Rangers and tactical support personnel, an intelligence team of criminal analysts, and communication and surveillance support personnel to San Antonio. Additionally, DPS is providing the department with access to its aircraft for "around-the-clock" air support.

The troopers sent to San Antonio joined the city's Violent Crimes Task Force, which was formed 10 months ago and is a collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies focused on combating violent crime in San Antonio. In addition to the troopers, DPS made available its aircraft for "around-the-clock" air support for the department.

RELATED: Bexar County deputies searching for man suspected of sexually assaulting child in store bathroom

In a press release announcing the additional support, Abbot said the additional resources will focus on gang activity and the "double-digit growth" of violent crime in the city.

Ramos said the Violent Crimes Task Force's numbers speak for themselves. About 4,200 suspected criminals have been swept up by the force since its inception. But homicides and other violent crimes are difficult to predict and prevent, she said.

Citizens on the city's East Side have expressed similar pessimistic dispositions towards violent crime, which has been a staple of life in that sector of the city for years.

"You can't change a person from living their life, no matter what you tell them" said 24-year-old KJ Johnson after his teenage friend, John Burton, was gunned down on an East Side street in September. He said he appreciates the marches against violence that regularly take place on the East Side, but violence, unlike poverty or poor educational options or food deserts, is the result of individual choices, not government policy.

About a week before Johnson's friend was shot and killed, a string of eight shootings on the East Side left 10 people injured from Sept. 17 to Sept. 21. City leaders once again convened for a press conference and condemned the violence and "foolishness," as William Shaw, the city councilman for District 2 on the East Side termed it.

But like Johnson, many believe that there's nothing local government or law enforcement can do about the violence. "That's just the East Side for you," said Joshua Cano, a teenager who spoke with MySA after a different crime wave hit the city this July. That particular spike resulted in the death of D'Earlvion Whitley, who much like little Delilah Hernandez, was sleeping at his home when a bullet meant for his father struck him in the head and killed him.

RELATED: Canyon Lake homicide suspect in custody after eluding authorities

However, a sign of progress came last week, when nine suspected gang members were arrested by federal authorities. Among the group was Earl Whitley, D'Earlvion's father, who is an alleged member of the "Skinny Bloc Crew," which is a rival to another East Side gang, a member of which was Charles Bethany who was allegedly involved in D'Earlvion's killing.

It is unclear how many people have been arrested in connection with the myriad shootings that make up the crime waves in San Antonio, but McManus said in late September that they were "hot on the cases" and that investigators were interviewing several people in the penultimate string of shootings.

"Hopefully we get them solved and get some people in jail before anyone else gets shot," he said.

Here's a list of confirmed violent crimes committed in San Antonio since Thanksgiving:

Delilah Hernandez, 10, was shot and killed around 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving in her home in the 100 block of Harwood.

A teenage boy was shot in the thigh around 1:25 a.m. in the 4600 block of La Marquesa. A man and woman with whom he was speaking at the time of the shooting are suspected in the attack and have not been located.

James Martin Mosco, 31, allegedly stabbed three people--Lauren Mouton, 51; Eliseo Chavez, 71; and Katrice Williams, 32, around 11:30 a.m. Saturday at a home in the 9300 block of Perrin Beitel. He was arrested shortly thereafter.

Jimmy Vasquez, 34, was shot in the leg and Elmer Silva, 44, was shot in the arm around 4:45 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of Gevers Street during an argument with a man driving a black Chrysler 300.

Around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, a man opened fire on his neighbor's home in the 8800 block of Dakota Creek before he returned home and apparently shot himself in the head.

Xavier Flores was shot in the forearm around 9 p.m. on Saturday. He didn't cooperate with police and a suspect was not located.

Michelle Jones and her two children were at their home in the 9400 block of Lands Point around 5 a.m. Sunday when gunshots rang out and the back sliding glass window of her home shattered. No one was injured or arrested in the attack.

Donald Cortez, 45, was shot in the right leg around 10:45 a.m. Sunday near 36th Street and Culebra Road. He was in his truck with another woman when someone walked up and opened fire.

Carlos Benavidez, 33, was shot in the shoulder around 8:30 p.m. at his home in the 100 block of Nelson by three suspects who had come to ask him about some property they said belonged to them.

A 19-year-old man was shot in the leg around 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the 6200 block of Queens Castle while he was standing in front of an apartment complex. A suspect drove up to him in a red vehicle and opened fire.

A 44-year-old man was found shot to death around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning. An unknown number of suspects shot him in his home, causing him to jump through his window and flee across the street, where he eventually collapsed and died.

William Scott Smith, 54, allegedly fatally shot his wife, 46-year-old Jennifer Smith, in the gym room of their home in the 13800 block of Possum Tree around 11 a.m. on Monday. Jennifer had filed for divorce a few weeks prior. Their three children were at school during the killing.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
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A man who climbed through the drive through window to rob a San Antonio McDonald's ended up leaving empty-handed, according to police.

Officers were called to the fast food restaurant in the 100 block of South W.W. White Road around 1 a.m. Wednesday to respond to a robbery call.
San Antonio police announced Wednesday that they have found the suspect wanted in connection with the discovery of a dead man stuffed in a barrel off the side of a highway.

Jesse Ray Castilla, 36, was arrested on a warrant. Police believe he killed Joseph Camarena, 26, in the 300 block of Lovett Avenue, in Southwest San Antonio, on Nov. 17.
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A small memorial with fresh flowers and framed pictures sits in a cubicle at WellMed Medical Management's office in San Antonio.

The cubicle belonged to 46-year-old Jennifer Smith until Monday, when her husband, 54-year-old William Scott Smith, allegedly fatally shot her at their North Side home before turning the gun on himself.

"She was so loving and caring," said Crystal Fox, a co-worker and neighbor of Jennifer's. "And that's not a cliche. She took me to the emergency room once, and she was always taking care of her community and everyone around her."

Now Playing: Dozens of officers, many with rifles at the ready, respond to a home in the 13000 block of Possum Tree on San Antonio's north side on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Video: San Antonio Express-News

RELATED: Couple found dead in suspected murder-suicide after SWAT standoff identified

The couple leaves behind three young daughters, who were at school during the killings. They will be cared for by Jennifer Smith's parents in Arizona, Fox said.

"Everything was always about her little girls. She would have mom's nights so the kids could play and she was always taking the girls to swim classes. She was all about her girls," she said.

Aaron Smith, William Scott Smith's 27-year-old son from a previous relationship, described her as a "wonderful mother" who was always kind and thoughtful.

Little is known about the motives of William Scott Smith, who went by Scott.

Court records show Jennifer filed for divorce a few weeks prior to the killing. Fox said the couple had been attending counseling together prior to their deaths.

"He had told me that Jennifer and him were going to get a divorce, and I could tell that he was really sad about it," said Aaron Smith, Scott's 27-year-old son from a previous relationship. "But there was nothing that indicated any of this would ever happen."

Police said Scott made an emergency call before 11 a.m. from his home in the 13800 block of Possum Tree and stated he was going to kill Jennifer and then turn the gun on himself. When police arrived, they heard two gunshots. After an hours-long SWAT situation, authorities found the bodies of the couple in an upstairs gym room.

"Today my heart breaks for three of the most amazingly insightful, old-souled, beautiful young women I've had the pleasure of knowing," wrote Heather Cole Elizondo, a neighbor and friend, in a Facebook tribute on Jennifer's Facebook page. "My heart breaks for the spirit lost from this world at the hands of evil and sickness."

RELATED: SAPD releases photo of suspect in killing after dead man is found stuffed in barrel

Since the tragedy, a GoFundMe account has been created to raise money for a trust fund for the three daughters to pay for future life expenses like college tuition. As of Wednesday afternoon, the account had raised more than $10,000. Aaron Smith said the girls are okay, but obviously struggling with the loss of their parents.

"They weren't very talkative because of everything that's going on," he said. "It's probably one of those things where they're trying to wrap their head around the situation."

Jennifer Smith spent her time taking survival and self-defense classes, and she was a competitive shooter with A Girl & A Gun Women's Shooting League. Smith. She was a founding member of the organization's San Antonio chapter, according to a Facebook post. A Girl & A Gun plans to start a scholarship in Smith's name for women and girls to obtain training.

"We will honor Jennifer by keeping her legacy as a friend and loving mother so that our sister's last act upon this earth may be used for something good," reads the post.

While he was reclusive in his neighborhood community, Scott Smith was fairly well known as an atheist activist and even hosted a podcast called "Recovering from Religion." Anthony Magnabosco, a close friend of Scott Smith, said he was a compassionate man known for his humor, but after a strange Facebook post on Monday morning, he knew something was wrong.

"It just said 'Goodbye,'" he said.

"I thought that it was unusual," he continued. "He normally just posts funny things: puns, dad jokes. He doesn't usually post cryptic, serious things like that."

Aaron Smith said his father was funny, but that he used humor to cover up his pain and had difficulty talking about his feelings.

Jennifer's parents, who are now tasked with raising her daughters, are in "total disbelief" of Monday's tragedy and are now doing everything they can to make the girl's transition to Arizona as smooth as possible, starting with making sure they can finish out the school semester here in San Antonio, said Crystal Fox.

Jennifer will have a funeral service in San Antonio in the near future, while Scott will likely be buried in Taylorsville, Kentucky, his hometown.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
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A San Antonio death row inmate whose last execution date was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey has again won a reprieve in light of claims that his conviction was based on false testimony.

Juan Castillo was set to die Dec. 14, but a court on Tuesday called off the date for the third time this year, bouncing the case back to a lower court.

The 36-year-old was convicted of killing teenage rapper Tommy Garcia Jr. in a botched robbery on a San Antonio lovers' lane.

Castillo's then-girlfriend lured the targeted man to a secluded spot with the promise of sex and drugs. Castillo was one of four people convicted in the crime, but he was fingered as the trigger man and was the only one hit with a capital sentence.

BACKGROUND: Lawyer files motion to call off execution of San Antonio death row inmate

He was found guilty on what would have been his victim's 21st birthday.

"Mr. Castillo was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death based on false testimony," said defense attorney Tim Gumkowski.

"There was no physical or forensic evidence presented that connected Mr. Castillo to this crime. Nor were there any independent witnesses that implicated Mr. Castillo. The only unbiased, seemingly independent testimony implicating Mr. Castillo was from an individual who we now know lied about Juan's involvement in the murder."

At Castillo's trial, fellow Bexar County jail inmate Gerardo Gutierrez testified that Castillo had described the crime in detail, confessing his role in the slaughter.

RELATED: Grand jury indicts Live Oak man in death of transgender woman on River Walk

But in 2013, Gutierrez signed an affidavit admitted he'd lied.

"I described what Juan Castillo supposedly told me about the capital murder," he wrote, according to court filings. "Juan Castillo never told me this information about this capital murder case. This testimony was untrue about Juan Castillo. I made up this testimony to try to help myself."

Prosecutors argued that appeals based on the 2013 revelation were procedurally barred, could not be considered credible and only reiterated claims corroborated by other witness testimony.

But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals looked to a 2009 decision mandating that - whether or not it's intentional - the use of false testimony violates due process. Because Castillo's only other habeas appeal in the trial court came before the 2009 decision, the appellate court on Tuesday decided to give him another chance.

RELATED: Tay-K 47, who rapped about life on the lam, charged in fatal shooting at San Antonio Chick-fil-A

Previously, Castillo had an execution date set for May, but Bexar County prosecutors asked to have it reset after they failed to give sufficient notice to the defense.

Around the same time, defense lawyers filed motions seeking DNA testing on a knit cap sent to a crime lab back in 2003, just weeks after the slaying.

But it was Hurricane Harvey and not DNA claims that prompted the cancellation of Castillo's September execution date.

The Dec. 14 date would have been the Lone Star State's eighth and last execution for 2017.

The next death date on the calendar is on Jan. 18, when Houston-area serial killer Anthony Shore is scheduled to die by lethal injection.
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WASHINGTON - Republicans held together and shoved their signature tax overhaul a crucial step ahead Tuesday as wavering GOP senators showed a growing openness.

But its fate remained uncertain, and a planned White House summit aimed at averting a government shutdown was derailed when President Donald Trump savaged top Democrats and declared on Twitter, "I don't see a deal!"

"It's time to stop tweeting and start leading," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer retorted after he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi rebuffed the budget meeting with Trump and top Republicans.

Trump lunched with GOP senators at the Capitol and declared it a "love fest," as he had his previous closed-doors visit. But the day underscored the party's yearlong problem of unifying behind key legislation - even a bill slashing corporate taxes and cutting personal taxes that's a paramount party goal.

Democratic leverage

Tuesday's developments also emphasized the leverage Democrats have as Congress faces a deadline a week from Friday for passing legislation to keep federal agencies open while leaders seek a longer-term budget deal. Republicans lack the votes to pass the short-term legislation without Democratic support.

In a party-line 12-11 vote, the Senate Budget Committee managed to advance the tax measure to the full Senate as a pair of wavering Republicans - Wisconsin's Ron Johnson and Tennessee's Bob Corker - fell into line, at least for the moment. Also, moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said it was a "fair assumption" she was likelier to support the bill after saying Trump agreed to make property taxes up to $10,000 deductible instead of eliminating that break.

But the fate of the legislation remained uncertain as it headed toward debate by the full Senate, which Republicans control by a slender 52-48. GOP leaders can afford just two defectors, and a half dozen or more in their party have been uncommitted. They include some wanting bigger tax breaks for many businesses but others cringing over the $1.4 trillion - or more - that the measure is projected to add to budget deficits over the next decade.

"It's a challenging exercise," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

He compared it to "sitting there with a Rubik's Cube and trying to get to 50" votes, a tie Vice President Mike Pence would break.

Corker, who's all but broken with Trump over the president's behavior in office, is among a handful of Republicans uneasy over the mountains of red ink the tax measure is expected to produce. He said he was encouraged by discussions with the White House and party leaders to include a mechanism - details unknown - to automatically trigger tax increases if specified, annual economic growth targets aren't met.

"I think we're getting to a very good place on the deficit issue," Corker said.

But other Republicans are wary of backing legislation that would hold the hammer of potential future tax cuts over voters' heads.

"I am not going to vote to automatically implement tax increases on the American people," Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said. "If I do that, consider me drunk."

Collins said she'd also won agreement that before completing the tax measure, Congress would approve legislation restoring federal payments to health insurers that Trump scuttled last month. That bill has had bipartisan support, but it's unclear if Democrats would back it amid partisan battling over the tax bill.

Blame game tips off

McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., met with Trump at the White House despite the top Democrats' no-shows. Trump highlighted their absence by appearing before reporters flanked by two empty chairs bearing Schumer's and Pelosi's names.

Trump said Democrats would be to blame for any shutdown, despite GOP domination of government.

"If it happens it's going to be over illegals pouring into the country, crime pouring into the country, no border wall, which everyone wants," he said.

"But probably they won't because nothing to them is important other than raising taxes."

Democrats noted that in May, Trump tweeted the country "needs a good 'shutdown' in September to fix mess!"

In a tweet of her own Tuesday, Pelosi said Trump's "verbal abuse will no longer be tolerated," adding in reference to the empty-chairs show, "Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!"
Armando C. Flores, who throughout his 30-plus-year career with the San Antonio Fire Department encouraged many youngsters to follow in his footsteps, died Nov. 23 at 90.

He believed it was a good life, his daughter Gloria C. Walker said. The money was good  and theyd still have time to further their education on their days off.

During his own career working 24 hours on, 24 hours off, Flores worked other jobs, including refrigeration repair at the now defunct Joskes of Texas department store and driving a school bus for Holy Rosary Elementary School.

He used to flip burgers at the old Paul Maries on Zarzamora Street, a drive-in hamburger joint, Walker said. We didnt see much of him because he was always working.

Even so, Flores took time out to guide his four children, encouraging them to join activities in and out of school.

I always played sports, Walker said. Hed get out there in the front yard and throw a ball; he encouraged everybody.

Born and raised in Eagle Pass, Flores joined the Army in 1945 and had just finished basic training when World War II ended.

Meeting his future wife in Eagle Pass, Flores married in 1948.

More Information Armando C. Flores Born: Jan. 26, 1927, Eagle Pass Died: Nov. 23, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Agustin P. and Maria C. Flores; daughter-in-law Anna Marie Flores Survived by: Wife Consuelo T. Flores; daughters Gloria C. Walker and son-in-law Clarence, Norma Ponce and son-in-law Rudy, Sylvia Flores Espinoza and son-in-law George; son Armando T. Flores Jr.; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren Services: Funeral at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Mission Park Funeral Chapels North, followed by burial at Mission Retama Cemetery, 15940 Lookout Road, Selma See More Collapse

Moving back to Eagle Pass after his discharge, Flores and his wife decided to move to San Antonio.

There wasnt a whole lot in Eagle Pass, his daughter said. He got a job at Kelly  and was going to tech school at night to learn a trade.

Flores then applied the San Antonio Fire Department. After being hired in the mid-1950s, he started his career at Station #10 on Culebra Road.

An engineer for many years, Flores, who served at various stations through the years, was constantly updating his knowledge of the different areas.

On his days off, we would drive around and find out where the hydrants were, the routes to get there faster, Walker recalled.

Flores was working at Station #26 when in 1967 a frantic mother arrived with her young son in her arms.

The little boy was choking  my dad did CPR on him to keep him alive until they got him to Santa Rosa Hospital, where they did a trach (tracheotomy) on him, Walker said.

The boy, who had swallowed a marble, made a complete recovery.

Cited as a SAFD Hero, Flores also received a certificate of merit from the American Red Cross for his actions.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
Edward A. Ornelas /San Antonio Express-News

After tragic events occur we think about the victims. The Sutherland Springs shooting, for example, left 46 persons either dead or injured. But the victims of that tragic event easily exceed 200. Why? Because the nightmare extends beyond figuring out how to pay for an unexpected funeral and burial of a loved one.

The friends and family of the deceased are left to navigate a complicated court system at a time when the shock and grief are already overwhelming. Many will not have even a simple will to follow. Others have a loved one in a hospital from which they will never leave the same. Blink  life just changed.
I own a ranch that has been in my family for five generations. My great-great-grandfather James Clayton Stribling Sr. was a rags-to-riches pioneer. He was the son of an immigrant from England, who moved from his birthplace in Tennessee to Texas in the late 1860s.

Arriving with little more than the shirt on his back, he began leasing land to graze cattle. He gradually increased his ranch land by buying small tracts from neighbors. Over the course of his lifetime, he bought several thousand acres. When he died, the land went to his children. His children continued the ranching tradition and passed it on to their five children, including my grandmother.

It is with my grandmother that my family was first faced with the estate tax. When she died in 1997, the Internal Revenue Service handed my father an invoice of 38.5 percent (minus a small deduction) on the appraised value of the land that her grandfather had worked so hard to purchase, protect and work.

For many years, I have worked to educate others on the effects of the estate tax. In spite of countless data supporting the fact that this tax is a detriment to small businesses and our economy, misperceptions about it continue to exist. Many who will be forced to pay this tax will do so at the expense of their business and farms. They will be forced to fire employees, and/or sell off assets that their families have worked incredibly hard to procure. Furthermore, they will have to do this even though they have already paid their share of taxes every year, their entire lives.

Our family has done what we needed to pay off this tax. We have taken on loans, sold off hundreds of acres of land, halted vital maintenance projects, and laid off employees. We have spent tens of thousands of dollars on CPAs and tax planners to better understand what we owe, and figure out how to honor that debt without losing our 150-year-old ranch. We do all this in addition to paying our yearly income taxes, employees and additional financial obligations.

Americas estate tax is the fourth-highest in the world. The idea that only a few of us are impacted, is a myth. According to 2016 IRS data, nearly 700 family farms and more than 2,200 family-owned business paid the estate tax in 2016. Since 1995, more than 103,000 closely held businesses and roughly 36,000 farms have been forced to pay the estate tax simply because someone has died. This is hurting our economy and millions of jobs.

For many years, I have offered my story as a cautionary tale about who this tax impacts the hardest. Recently, progress was made when Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, which simplifies the tax system and reduces the tax burden on small businesses. However, despite promises made by certain elected leaders, the Senate has decided to not include a repeal of the onerous 101-year old estate tax in their bill.

Instead their proposal temporarily doubles the exemption to $11 million while keeping the high 40 percent tax rate before returning to current law in 2026. I ask my elected official, Sen. John Cornyn, to protect these family businesses and end this 101-year old tax once and for all.

We have diligently paid our local, state and federal income taxes. We have contributed to our local, state and national economy. We have built and provided jobs for generations of families. Please allow us to preserve our family heritage for generations to come.

Clayton Leverett and his family operate a ranch near Llano.
It would be much easier to sleep at night if you could believe that were in such a mess of misinformation simply because Russian agents disseminated inflammatory posts that reached 126 million people on Facebook.

As recent congressional hearings showed, the arteries of our democracy were clogged with toxins from a hostile foreign power.

But the problem is not the Russians  its us. Were getting played because too many Americans are ill equipped to perform the basic functions of citizenship. If the point of the Russian campaign, aided domestically by right-wing media, was to get people to think there is no such thing as knowable truth, the bad guys have won.

As we crossed the 300-day mark of Donald Trumps presidency recently, fact-checkers noted that he has made more than 1,600 false or misleading claims. At least five times a day, an average, this president says something that isnt true.

We have a White House of lies because a huge percentage of the population cant tell fact from fiction. But a huge percentage is also clueless about the basic laws of the land. In a democracy, we the people are supposed to understand our role in this power-sharing thing.

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans cannot name a single branch of government. When NPR tweeted out sections of the Declaration of Independence last year, many people were outraged. They mistook Thomas Jeffersons fighting words for anti-Trump propaganda.

Fake news is a real thing produced by active disseminators of falsehoods.

But Trump is a symptom; the breakdown in this democracy goes beyond the liar in chief. For that you have to blame all of us: We have allowed the educational system to become negligent in teaching the owners manual of citizenship.

Lost in the news grind over Roy Moore, the lawbreaking Senate candidate from Alabama, is how often he has tried to violate the Constitution. As a judge, he was removed from the bench  twice  for lawless acts that follow his theocratic view of governance.

Shariah law has been justifiably criticized as a dangerous injection of religion into the public space. Now imagine if a judge insisted on keeping a monument to the Quran in a state judicial building. Or that he said homosexual conduct should be illegal because his sacred book tells him so. That is exactly what Moore has done, though he substitutes the Bible for the Quran.

I dont blame Moore. I blame his followers, and the press, which doesnt seem to know that the First Amendment aims to keep government from siding with one religion.

Suppose we treated citizenship like getting a drivers license. People would have to pass a simple test on American values, history and geography before they were allowed to have a say in the system. We do that for immigrants, and 97 percent of them pass, according to one study.

Yet 1 in 3 Americans fail the immigrant citizenship test. This is not an elitist barrier. The test includes questions like, What major event happened on 9/11? and What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

One reason that public schools were established across the land was to produce an informed citizenry. And up until the 1960s, it was common for students to take three separate courses in civics and government before they got out of high school.

Now only a handful of states require proficiency in civics as a condition of high school graduation. Civics has fallen to the side, in part because of the standardized test mania.

A related concern is historical ignorance. By a 48 percent to 38 percent margin, Americans think states rights, rather than slavery, caused the Civil War. So Trumps chief of staff, John F. Kelly, can say something demonstrably false about the war, because most people are just as clueless as he is.

More than a dozen states now require high school students to pass the immigrant citizenship test. We should also teach kids how to tell fake news from real, as some schools in Europe are doing.

But those initiatives will mean little if people insist on believing what they want to believe, living in digital safe spaces closed off from anything that intrudes on their worldview.

Timothy Egan writes a column for the New York Times.
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IKEA relaunched its recall of 29 million chests and dressers Thursday. The recalled chests and dressers have been linked to eight child deaths and multiple injuries.

About the Defective IKEA Chests and Dressers

According to ABC News, defective IKEA furniture has been linked to eight deaths over the past 28 years. The latest death occurred in May when an IKEA MALM dresser tipped over and fatally crushed a California toddler. The death raised concerns about how effectively the recall was being communicated to consumers as the recall was first initiated in June 2016.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has granted a three-month moratorium within which individuals and corporates that externalised money and assets are expected to bring them back.

The amnesty will stretch from December 1 to February 28, 2018.

During the period, Government will neither ask questions nor prefer charges against those that will be repatriating back the money or assets.

Non-compliant individuals and companies will be arrested and prosecuted in terms of the countrys laws.

In a statement yesterday, President Mnangagwa said activities linked to Operation Restore Legacy had helped uncover cases where huge sums of money and other assets were illegally externalised by certain individuals and corporates.

Needless to say, such malpractices constitute a very serious economic crime against the people of Zimbabwe, which the Government of Zimbabwe will never condone, said President Mnangagwa.

As a first step towards the recovery of the illegally externalised funds and assets, the Government of Zimbabwe is gazetting a three-month moratorium within which those involved in the malpractice can bring back the funds and assets, with no questions being asked or charges preferred against them. The period of this amnesty stretches from 1st December, 2017, to the end of February 2018. Affected persons who wish to comply with this directive should liaise with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for necessary facilitation and accounting.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said it was advisable for those that had externalised funds to comply to avoid the pain and ignominy of being made to account through the legal system.

Upon the expiry of the three-month window, Government will proceed to effect arrest of all those who would not have complied with this directive, and will ensure that they are prosecuted in terms of the countrys laws, said President Mnangagwa.

Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of the three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets, in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the longer arm of the law.

Central bank statistics indicate that an estimated $3 billion was externalised between 2015 and 2017 to countries such as Mauritius, in the Far East and Botswana, although the figure could be far much higher.

It is believed that of the $3 billion, about $1,8 billion was spirited away illegally, while the balance was expatriated through management fees, service fees, technical fees and royalties.

The apex bank also estimates that the country lost on average $150 million monthly in 2015 to illicit financial flows.

The Bank Use and Promotion Act prohibits capital flight and money laundering.

Corporate malfeasance and general indiscipline in the financial services sector, including externalisation, have been some of the factors blamed for cash shortages in the economy.

Local industry is bullish that efforts by the new administration to restore discipline in the market will be able to positively reset the economy.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Mr Sifelani Jabangwe said if all the money that was externalised was repatriated, it would result in a surplus that would naturally restore the value of the bond note.

When you look at the amounts involved ($3 billion) relative to our annual requirements, it means if this money finds its way back on the local market, it will result in a surplus, he said.

Hopefully, now with the new dispensation, which has already seen the black market crashing and a correction of stock market prices, the market will return to normal.

Mr Jabangwe said there was renewed confidence and optimism in the market, and President Mnangagwa had to be given the opportunity to run with his agenda.

Of late, the mining sector has also been caught up in allegations of externalising large amounts of money.

A recent academic study, conducted by Marko Kwaramba, senior lecturer at the University of Free State (SA); Nyasha Mahonye, senior lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand; and Leornard Mandishora, a researcher at the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, indicated that there was rampant misinvoicing, particularly for minerals such as diamonds, gold and nickel.

It concluded that in the 13-year period through 2013, export misinvoicing of diamonds  which experts say is often done for tax evasion and avoidance, money laundering, and quota avoidance  topped US$1,3 billion.

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FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko will soon return to Zimbabwe from Botswana where he has been holed up since the Zimbabwe Defence Forces launched an operation to remove criminal elements around former President Mugabe.

Mr Mphoko, a member of the G40 cabal targeted by the ZDFs Operation Restore Legacy, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the army stepped in.

He did not return to Zimbabwe but instead, flew to Botswana where he has been a guest of the Government there.

Highly placed sources said the Botswana government had given him up to 1 December to leave and return to Zimbabwe but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes.

Mr Mphoko has been living in a State residence in Gaborone but will now return home after reaching out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and getting the necessary assurances that he was free to come back to Zimbabwe.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Mr George Charamba, said Mr Mphoko had spoken to President Mnangagwa by telephone and asked to return homtheir countrye.

Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation. Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon, he said.

Apart from his role in the previous Government, Mr Mphoko was also into business and is a director of Choppies Zimbabwe  a supermarket chain with branches in most cities and towns in the country. The company also has vast interests in Botswana.

Mr Mphoko was among members of the G40 group who were expelled from the ruling Zanu-PF party for engaging in activities meant to destabilise the Government.

The party also recalled him from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary over allegations of being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the Office and decorum of the VP.

He was recalled on the day the party also recalled former President Mugabe from the position of party First Secretary and replaced him with President Mnangagwa whom the ruling party also reinstated as a Central Committee member.

On Monday, former Cabinet Minister, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, said after his appointment in 2015, Mr Mphoko alienated his old war time friends and surrounded himself with dubious characters who misled him into engaging in factional politics.

Rtd Col Dube, the former War Veterans Minister, said Mr Mphoko, once a personal friend of his, ignored all advice and warnings against aligning himself with the wrong people.

Mphoko was my personal friend; we worked together for a long time in the Zipra High Command. However, when he assumed power, I was disappointed because he surrounded himself with the wrong people who gave him bad advice, he said. He got new friends in the form of the likes of George Mlala. This is where he got things wrong because he involved himself with dubious characters with a very bad history. They misled him into playing factional politics with the G40 people.

I think you remember that at one point Mphoko dressed me down at (Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial headquarters) Davies Hall when he said I should work with the Mlala group and the rest of the G40 cabal or my political life would come to an end.

Cde Mnangagwa was sworn in as State President last Friday following the resignation of Cde Mugabe on Tuesday.

The party further recommended that Mr Mphoko, former First Lady, Mrs Grace Mugabe, fellow members of the G40 cabal namely Saviour Kasukuwere, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Ignatius Chombo, Patrick Zhuwao, Letina Undenge, Kudzanai Chipanga, Walter Mzembi, Paul Chimedza, Makhosini Hlongwane, Anastancia Ndlovu, Mandi Chimene, Dr Samuel Undenge, Sarah Mahoka, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Xavier Kazizi, Tongai Kasukuwere, Innocent Hamandishe, Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo and Shadreck Mashayamombe be expelled from the party.

Some members of the cabal are either on the run or in exile.

Others such as Chombo, Chipanga and Hamandishe have been arraigned before the courts on a slew of charges ranging from fraud, corruption, abuse of public office, causing disaffection among the police force or defence forces as defined in Section 30 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, kidnapping and publishing falsehoods.

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THE Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a 2016 High Court decision barring se x workers from holding a street march in Bulawayo to protest against abuse.

The street march, which coincides with the International Day to End Violence Against Se x Workers which takes place annually on December 17, was organised by the Se xual Rights Centre (SRC).

Police had turned down the SRC application on grounds that pr0stitution was illegal in Zimbabwe.

Subsequent applications were also turned down, forcing the SRC to take the then Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri to the High Court, challenging a decision by the police to bar se x workers  commonly referred to as pr0stitutes  from holding a street march.

The High Court turned down their application, forcing the SRC to approach the Supreme Court.

SRC executive director, Humphrey Ndondo welcomed the Supreme Court decision to allow the organisation to go ahead with their march to highlight the discrimination and harassment faced by se x workers.

The SRC welcomes the decision to set aside the High Court ruling. Throughout Zimbabwe, se x workers and other marginalised persons are extremely vulnerable to violence, stigma and abuse. In a democratic society such as Zimbabwe, it is important that we create awareness and dialogue aimed at preventing such abuse and the impunity associated with it, Ndondo said.

The Bulawayo-based Se xual Rights Centre is a national human rights organisation which promotes and encourages openness and tolerance in order to address stigma and discrimination affecting vulnerable and marginalised persons.

The decision comes at an important time and has opened the door for the SRC to hold a peaceful march to commemorate the upcoming International Day on December 17, 2017, Ndondo added.

Tashwill Esterhuizen, a programmes lawyer at the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, added: The right to peaceful demonstration and assembly are important rights in any democratic society. They are beneficial since they increase appreciation in society of diverse ideas and opinions and bolster social cohesion.

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A GROUP of pastors is planning a prayer session with President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he took over from his predecessor Robert Mugabe. The pastors have also lashed out at fellow clergyman Bishop Johannes Ndanga for organising a similar event which was addressed by former First Lady Grace Mugabe.

The Zimbabwe Ministers Fraternal (Zimef) yesterday met and resolved to meet Mnangagwa and lobby for the introduction of a minister responsible for religion in his yet-to-be announced Cabinet.

Zimef chairperson Reverend Nicholas Mavondo, who organised the meeting, said he wanted to thank Mnangagwa for remaining calm when he was subjected to attacks by Grace and her allies in the G40 cabal.

We want to meet the President as pastors and pray with him together so that he receives wisdom when selecting the new Cabinet. We are aware he is one man who has openly called God to bless Zimbabwe, his predecessor (Robert Mugabe) never at any time asked God to bless this nation in his addresses, Mavondo said.

Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe after the military moved in through Operation Restore Legacy, which forced the 93-year-old leader to step down.

We, as pastors, want to thank the President for remaining calm during the time he was being persecuted. We want to also thank our Defence Forces for carrying out Operation Restore Legacy which was well-executed showing the world that Zimbabweans are not a violent people, Mavondo said.

The man-of-the-cloth had no kind words for Ndanga  who is the president of Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe  labelling him a fake prophet and a crook, following his alleged organisation of Graces Super Sunday, which they said precipitated the demise of Mugabe.

Ndanga told Mugabe in his false prophecy that he was going to rule forever, but what happened? Two weeks down the line, Mugabe was gone. We also want him (Ndanga) to explain what happened to the money he collected for pastors stands.

Mavondos deputy, Bishop Milton Chaniwa, said: We as a church are proud of our army and we are even more proud to be associated with it. No country in the world has ever experienced what happened in Zimbabwe where soldiers, who are trained to use guns, carry out an operation without using their weapons.

Ndanga refused to comment on the matter.

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FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko will be remembered for all the firsts, albeit all negative, in his brief but forgettable tenure punctuated by political blunders, useless projects and chaotic conduct.

Mr Mphoko, at his appointment in 2015, was the first from the-PF Zapus Zipra military wing to be appointed Vice President with his predecessors having come from the former party side.

He was the first of the Vice Presidents on the former-PF Zapu side to not only unceremoniously leave office but also while he was alive.

More significantly, Mr Mphoko was the first Vice President from the former-PF Zapu side to avail himself to be used to pursue a narrow factional agenda that not only brought instability within the ruling party but threatened its entire existence.

His predecessors from Dr Joshua Nkomo, Joseph Msika and John Landa Nkomo all died in office from various ailments but all left a great legacy and a good name for themselves.

Apart from signing the historic Unity accord, Dr Nkomo, one of the founding fathers of the countrys liberation, was a larger than life character that it would have been unfair even on Cdes Msika and Landa Nkomo to fill his shoes.

However, on their own personal levels they gave a good account of themselves and died with the respect that Mr Mphoko never got to enjoy in his brief stint in the Government and perhaps for the rest of his life.

To sum it up, the futility of Mr Mphokos tenure as Vice President can be equated to his chicks distribution project, a shortlived yet monumental failure of an initiative that never befitted his status in the first place.

While Msika worked tirelessly for the development of the country and the unity of the people, Mr Mphoko and the collective wisdom of his hangers-on, mostly of dubious if not criminal characters, found it worthwhile to distribute day-old chicks to people who could not even afford to feed themselves.

A whole Vice President distributing chicks that started dying at the distribution point, along the way to the homes of the intended beneficiaries with the surviving ones suffering stunted growth.

There was never a single success story of the chicks project just as Mr Mphokos barren tenure as former President Mugabes deputy.

The chicken project was not even worthy to Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyonis profile.

Minister Nyoni, in a show of broader vision, sought international markets for local producers of road runner chickens to sell their produce and make money.

Having worked in close proximity with Dr Josh, Minister Nyoni showed that she learnt many things from the revolutionary icon while on the other hand Mr Mphoko seemed not to have any memory of Umdala Wethus vision giving credence to claims that he abandoned his comrades during the liberation war for a comfortable life in Mozambique.

While the late Landa John Nkomo supported disadvantaged children with scholarships and built the Landa John Nkomo School with state of the art equipment in the heart of Tsholotsho district, Mr Mphoko involved himself in petty fights within the party reducing himself to an extent of participating in petty squabbles within the Bulawayo provincial structures.

To appreciate the extent to which Mr Mphoko was a political disaster, one needs to compare the context of time in which Dr Nkomo conceptualised his development projects compared to Mr Mphoko who came much later.

Those were days before cell phone penetration, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook among other technological developments but Dr Nkomos vision saw him coming up with projects like the canning of fruits and tomatoes, breeding of pedigree bulls, mining of gold, tea plantations just to mention a few.

Mr Mphoko even had an opportunity to learn from his then colleague and now President of the country Emmerson Mnangagwa who fronted the successful Command Agriculture programme that boosted the countrys food security.

One wonders what went on in the minds of Mr Mphoko and his advisors when Mnangagwa, his colleague at the time embarked on a massive project like Command Agriculture among others while they found comfort in the chicks project that would not qualify to be a component of the Command Agriculture.

Instead of emulating his colleague at the time, Mr Mphoko allowed himself to be used by the G40 cabal to fight Mnangagwa and purge other party cadres, mostly with liberation war backgrounds, out of Zanu-PF.

Those who witnessed the Central Committee elections in Bulawayo ahead of the 6th Zanu-PF National Peoples Congress in 2014 will testify that Mr Mphoko was never in touch with the people and maybe an explanation of his political record.

In the first round of the elections, Mr Mphoko lost to then provincial secretary for finance Charles Chiponda and in panic, his team at the time had to make frantic efforts to convince the electorate to vote him in the second round.

Still, it was not guaranteed that Mr Mphoko would have won had Angeline Masuku not opted out of the race.

From the start, Mr Mphokos rise was plagued with illegitimacy that haunted him to a point of surrounding himself with rogue elements who played political advisors leading him on a road to political suicide.

Interestingly, some of the party officials who had played a part in making sure that Mphoko was voted to Central Committee were later purged and removed from the party.

He even turned on his war time friend retired Colonel Tshinga Dube who told this paper of his attempts to show him the light but without success.

Mr Mphoko was a mistake and a blemish to the legacy of former Zipra cadres, a mistake that must never be repeated.

Expectation was that, having served as a diplomat having been deployed as the countrys Ambassador to Botswana, Russia and South Africa, Mr Mphoko would have learnt diplomacy and decorum associated with high offices but alas.

The only solace out of Mr Mphokos political record is that he has presented his successors a case study on how not to be a Vice President.

Mphoko was a mistake and blemish to the legacy of former Zipra cadres, a mistake that must never be repeated

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Former Higher, Tertiary science and technology minister Jonathan Moyo has applauded the move by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for cleaning up and resuscitating the economy. Mnangagwa issued a three-month moratorium for those who externalised funds and assets to bring them back into the country or face prosecution.

Moyo applauded the move indicating that it is a good start, he, however, encouraged President Mnangagwa and General Constantine Chiwenga to return the missing $15 billion from China.

Moyo said, Good start indeed. So let him & Chiwenga lead by example by returning the $15 billion from China!

Former President Robert Mugabe revealed in 2016 that diamonds worth more than $15 billion were been looted in the eastern mining area of Marange. Speaking in a belated 92nd birthday interview on state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Mugabe said the state treasury received less than $2 billion.

Mines and Mining Development minister Walter Chidhakwa had previously stated that the amount which reached the public purse was $600 million. We have not received much from the diamond industry at all. I dont think we have exceeded $2 billion, yet we think more than $15 billion has been earned, Mugabe said then.

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ONE person was killed and 12 others hospitalised on Tuesday night when the commuter omnibus they were travelling in burst a tyre and overturned along the Nketa Drive in Bulawayo as the nation celebrated the resignation of the then President Robert Mugabe.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed yesterday that one life was lost following the accident which occurred around 8pm.

She said other 12 passengers who were in the Tshova Mubaiwa kombi were taken to hospital as they were seriously injured.

I can confirm the accident that happened yesterday [Tuesday] involving a Tshova Mubaiwa kombi which was carrying 13 people which burst a tyre. One person died on the spot while 12 others were critically injured, Simango said.

Eyewitnesses attributed the tyre burst to speeding.

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GREENVILLE, S.C.  The Spinx Company will celebrate its 45th anniversary Friday, December 1. Company founder Stewart Spinks took a risk to leave his job in 1972 and open a home heating and oil delivery service with one convenience store in Greenville, S.C. Over the past four and a half decades, Stewart and his team have opened more than 79 convenience stores across the state and expanded its staff to more than 1,400 full-time and part-time associates.

Its important for us to take a moment to look at how far we've come and how much we've grown since 1972, and, more importantly, to thank our customers for supporting us over the years," said Spinks, in a press release. We're proud to be born here and raised here, and our deep local roots drive our commitment to provide the friendliest service around and to give back to the communities we are honored to serve.

To commemorate the milestone, Spinx will be offering any size fountain drink or coffee for just 45 cents on December 1. The company will also be rewarding one Spinx Xtras Loyalty Email Club member with 45 days of free gas. To be eligible to win, customers need to pick up a Spinx Xtras card at any neighborhood Spinx and go to MySpinx.com to sign up for the Email Club by Nov. 30. All current members of the Xtras Emal Club are automatically entered. A random drawing from all Spinx Xtras Loyalty Email Club members will take place on December 1.
Tipperary people who are expecting a refund from Irish Water are being warned of a scam that tries to get hold of their bank details.

Irish Water is aware that some customers have received emails purporting to be from Irish Water with the subject line Your Irish Water Account  Action required.

Irish Water will never ask customers to update personal banking information in this way and customers should always delete emails requesting this information. Irish Water is advising anyone who receives these emails to delete them immediately.

Do not reply or click on the link provided. Do not provide personal or financial details.

Irish Water has asked domestic customers who have moved property to contact us by phone on 1850 448 448 to update their details. Changes to customers personal details can only be updated by phone.

Irish Water has investigated this email and has requested that this fraudulent site be shut down. Irish Water is aware that during the refund process in particular attempts may be made to deceive customers with phishing emails. We have put additional resources in place in attempt to mitigate against these phishing campaigns.

If you suspect that you've responded to a phishing email with personal information from this or any email, take the following steps to minimise any potential damage:

 Change the information you've revealed e.g. Change any passwords or PINs on the account or service that you think might have been compromised

 Contact your bank or the service provider directly

 Routinely review your bank and credit card statements for unexplained charges or enquiries that you didn't initiate

 Contact the authorities. The Garda Bureau of Fraud investigation is Ireland's national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.

Irish Water wishes to reassure customers that there has been no breach of Irish Water security systems. Customer details on Irish Water's database are secure and have not been compromised.

There is more advice on how to identify phishing emails and what to do next on Irish Waters website https://www.water.ie/support/fraudulent-email-advice/
Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath has launched a scathing attack on the decision of the Assistant Garda Commissioner to immediately cancel all Garda overtime with the exception of two Dublin based special operations.

Deputy McGrath was speaking after the Assistant Commissioner issued a directive to all Chief-Superintendents in the state not to authorise any further overtime on any basis due to budget restrictions:

This must be one of the most blatantly reckless and absurd directives ever publicly issued by the Garda authorities.

They have essentially extended an open invitation to the marauding thugs to escalate their vile activities in the certain knowledge that there will be no available gardai to cover entire areas or districts.

I cannot comprehend the level of blind disregard this represents for the well-being and safety, not only of the general public, but also for the ordinary rank and file members.

Not only must it be immediately rescinded, but the Minister for Justice must find a way of increasing the budget that will authorise overtime when and where it is required.

Make no mistake about it; this Directive sends the clearest signal possible to thugs and gangsters that they can now prey on ordinary decent people at their leisure. It further informs them that the forces of law and order in this state are being held together by a totally inadequate level of budgetary provision.

The Minister must act to countermand this absurd and dangerous Directive, concluded Deputy McGrath.
A Tipperary auctioneer has been appointed Chairman of national estate agency group Real Estate Alliance.

Eoin Dillon of REA Eoin Dillon in Nenagh was elected to the position during the Alliances AGM in Nenagh last week.

He is joined on the board for the first time by another Tipperary man Seamus Browne of REA Seamus Browne, Roscrea.

REA is Irelands leading property group of Chartered Surveyors with over 55 branches nationwide, comprising many of the countrys longest-established auctioneers and estate agents.

The AGM heard that there are a number of simple steps that the government could take  including electronic conveyancing  which would speed up the sales process.

This, in turn, would decrease the number of vacant properties and increase the housing stock.

It is now only taking five weeks on average to reach sale agreed on a second-hand property, with houses in Dublin taking a week less, the recent Q3 REA Average House Price Survey has found, said Eoin.

There are many instances of sales being agreed within two weeks of coming to the market.

What we should be aiming for is having sales completed within another four weeks.

In other parts of the world, electronic conveyancing is allowing sales to complete within two weeks  in Ireland, this process can take between three and six months.

We need to embrace electronic conveyancing as a starting point, which will then lead to follow-on services also being completed electronically.

We as agents, and our clients the vendors, also have a responsibility to ensure all paperwork is in order prior to bringing the property to market.

A home buyers pack, equivalent to the UK model, would be a step in the right direction.

In the same vein, banks should be able to issue the equivalent of a tax clearance validation number for prospective buyers to prove that they are mortgage approved prior to bidding on a property.

This issue of probate is one where an electronic system could make a huge difference.

Where the homeowner has passed away, it is necessary to take out grant of probate on their estate prior to the house being sold.

And depending on geographic location, it could take six months to get this from the Revenue Commissioners  an area which could be vastly improved with an electronic system.

It is also taking up to three months to get certification from Irish Water that water bills have been paid.

Similarly, Local Property Tax and NPPT/Household tax receipts or Property ID numbers should be available on line instantly.

Where a borrower is selling a house that may be in negative equity, banks should give a vendor who is voluntarily selling the house a form of approval which will last for six months consenting to the sale at an agreed price.

The Central Bank should insist that the same has to be issued within four weeks of a request being submitted by a borrower.

This is not about auctioneers being frustrated with time lapses  it is a fundamental need in a housing market that is experiencing huge shortage of supply.

We have to do everything possible to reduce the period where homes are being left idle while the sale is being processed.

"Everyone involved in the business of housing people, from the State down, needs to embrace the technology that would allow more people to be homed in a timely fashion.
Biden: Deadly missile that hit Poland 'unlikely' to have come from Russia
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Mostly cloudy. High 38F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 22F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
New Delhi: Calling for industry-government collaboration in electric vehicles (EV) space, minister for roads, transport and shipping, Nitin Gadkari said innovations to make technology cost-effective and environment friendly were need of the hour. In an exclusive message to congratulate the nominees of the first News18.com Tech and Auto Awards, Gadkari said the government will promote electric vehicles but not self-driving cars. Edited excerpts:

Electric cars have become popular not only in the West but also in China. Global leader, Tesla, has set up a base in China. How is India planning to promote battery charging stations and other related infrastructure?

We are charging only 12% goods and services tax (GST) on electric vehicles. I feel import-substitute, cost-effective and pollution-free transport is the most important thing for the country. We are facing problems in Delhi because of pollution. We can reduce the ticket rate by 25% if we use these technologies. Ethanol is also available because diversification of power from agriculture is needed. We have to create more jobs in agriculture and rural India. Therefore, making Ethanol from biomass can prove to be a golden opportunity for us. Additionally, coal is also available. We are a coal-surplus nation. From coal we can make methanol and this can be used to make di-methyl ether (DME). DME added to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can be used to reduce its cost by Rs 10 per kg. Therefore, I feel, times are changing, industry bodies need to accept this and we as the government are ready to provide full support to them.

Will the government provide incentives to carmakers to go electric?

GST on electric vehicles is just 12%, compared with 47%-48% in case of petrol and diesel vehicles. In long-run EVs are cost effective for all. The market is open, people are interested and pollution is a big concern. Now it is time for the industry to take advantage of the scenario. Our policies are under consideration, Niti Aayog is going to submit a Cabinet note after which the industry can expect more concessions.

What steps are being taken to create more jobs in auto sector, especially in comparison with China?

The logistics cost is important component. In China, the logistics cost is just 8%. In India, it is 18%. Our idea is to reduce the logistics cost to 12%. Reducing logistics cost by 6% will give a boost to exports, creating millions of direct and indirect jobs.

How do you see self-driven cars in the Indian context?

At present, we have a shortage of about 22 lakh drivers. In our country driving is providing employment to millions of people. I feel it will not be appropriate for India to have such cars in immediate future. However, in long run we might reconsider this policy.

You had set up an ambitious target of building 40-km highways per day. Where do we stand today and what are the plans?

We are now going at 28-km per day highway construction. When I took charge, we were constructing 2-km highway a day. By next year, we will achieve 40-km per day. From 96,000 km national highways earlier, today we have 2 lakh km NHs. We have decided that if the traffic is more than 10,000 vehicles, we will go for 4-lane roads. And if it is more than 20,000 vehicles, we will go for 6-lane roads. We are also planning 13 expressways. The Easterly bypass around NCR will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister before 26 January. The 14-lane Meerut Expressway will be ready by December next year.

But to reduce logistics cost, our first priority is waterways. Railways, obviously, is second one. My suggestion is to go for innovation, especially in public transport.

What are you doing to prevent road accidents in India, which kill more people than malaria and dengue put together?

We have identified over 786 spots on national highways where frequent accidents take place. A special fund of Rs 12,000 crore has been created to create engineering-led solutions. By 2020, we aim to reduce road accidents by 50%. The new Motor Vehicles Act is also expected to be cleared by the Rajya Sabha in the upcoming Winter Session.
New Delhi: Electric vehicles are set to get a major push from Narendra Modi government with Niti Aayog preparing a Cabinet note on ways to incentivise zero-emission transport, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari told News18.

In an exclusive message to congratulate the nominees of the first News18.com Tech and Auto Awards, Gadkari said electric vehicles are need of the hour but India doesnt need self-driving cars at this juncture when millions of Indians earn their livelihood through driving.

Electric vehicle is the future. NITI Aayog will soon submit a Cabinet note on electric vehicles, after which the industry can expect more concessions, Gadkari said.

Congratulating Indian automakers for earning a brand name in global markets, Gadkari said the moment has come when the industry should lead with innovations in electric vehicles space. He said the government will support the industry by enabling an ecosystem of charging stations to easy compliance.

Major carmakers have recently ramped up their EV plans with Mahindra & Mahindra entering a partnership with Uber India to roll out electric cabs and Suzuki partnering with Toyota to have cost-effective EVs on Indian roads by 2020.

On self-driving cars, the minister said, India has a shortage of 22 lakh drivers. Driving provides employment to crores of people. It will not be appropriate for us to have self-driving cars in present scenario.

Gadkari said the auto companies should think big in India with highway construction expanding at historic high of 28-km per day. India plans to construct 40-km highway a day by mid-next year.

On the winter smog and traffic snarls in Delhi, Gadkari said, NCR will become congestion-free within a year. The Easterly bypass around NCR will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi before 26 January 2018. The 14-lane Meerut Expressway will be ready by December next year.

When quizzed about the rising number of road accidents in India, Gadkari said over 800 accident prone areas had been identified and his ministry was working 24x7 to find engineering-led solutions.

The new Motor Vehicles Act, which is being seen as a major reform to promote transparency and efficiency, Gadkari said the government is hopeful of getting the Bill cleared in the Rajya Sabha during the upcoming Winter Session. The new law also talks about collaborations between the Center and the states to reduce road accidents.

Calling for national push towards cleaner, cheaper and indigenous fuels, the minister said India is a coal-surplus country but is still import dependent and has negligible amount of domestic gas. From coal we can make methanol which can be used as Dimethyl Ether (DME). Using DME, the cost of liquefied petroleum gas can be reduced by Rs 10 per kg. Methanol can also be used to run cars.
They have won, yet again. Six teenage girls from Afghanistan has won the biggest robotics festival in Europe-- the Entrepreneur Award at the Robotex festival in Tallinn, Estonia.

Its a historic victory. These are the same girls who were denied entry into the US, twice, when they wanted to participate in the Global Challenge robotics competition.

It took an international outcry and intervention from President Donald Trump and other officials to allow them admission to the US.

Remember the Afghan Girl's robotics team that was initially denied entry to the US? They just won the biggest robotics festival in Europe pic.twitter.com/fKbLRaFHH0  Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) November 27, 2017

They were able to enter the country at the last minute, finishing with a silver medal for their courageous achievement at the competition in Washington, D.C.

However, the US Department of State had declined to comment on why the Afghan team's visa applications were initially denied, saying that "all visa applications are adjudicated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with US law." The Afghan Embassy in London congratulated the girls, who are from Herat, the third-largest city in Afghanistan.

Congratulations to our Afghan Girls Robotics Team for winning the entrepreneur challenge in the biggest Robotics Festival in Europe in Estonia. #ProudAfghans #Robotex17 #AfgDigital pic.twitter.com/nIM6GudIul  AfghanEmbassyLondon (@Afghan_Emb_LON) November 26, 2017

When they were trying to enter the US competition, the girls said all that they wanted was to show the world that Afghans could also construct a hand-made robot. They were disappointed with the rejections.

"When we heard that we were rejected we lost hope," 14-year-old Sumaya Farooqi had told AP.

Farooqi and her five other team members spend six months to prepare the robot. They often worked seven days a week, constructing a robot that sorts balls, has the ability to recognise orange and blue colours, and can move objects to put them in their correct places.

"Afghanistan is a country at war and doesn't have a lot of resources at hand. Other countries should consider this, they shouldn't be so strict with us, another team member Fatima Qadari had told Al Jazeera.
Ever since the maverick trio of Patidar leader Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani began taking on the ruling Bharatiaya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat, Assembly polls have become exciting for national audience. While it remains to be seen if the dramatic campaign will swing votes, the past trends show that BJP has little reasons to worry.

CASTE ANGLE

The BJP and the Congress might be talking about jobs and economy but caste might decide the fate of the election in December. Both parties have been locked in a long fight to attract influential castes, many of whom have been staunch supporters of the BJP. At the core of the renewed dynamics are the Patidars, a traditionally BJP-supporting community that comprises 12% of the states 60 million population and holds influence in at least 60 of the 182 seats. The Patidars are believed to be in large numbers in 52 Assembly constituencies, while the Thakores and Kolis are said to be decisive voters in 68 constituencies.

Clearly, no political party can afford to ignore either of them.

THE REVIVAL OF KHAM

In 1980, the Congress stitched together a rainbow coalition called KHAM for Kshatriya, Harijan (Dalits), Adivasi (Tribals) and Muslims  that brought together about 40% of the states population and brought Madhavsinh Solanki to power with a record 141 seats in a 182-member assembly. Solanki mobilised KHAM communities to challenge Patel dominance in state politics till 1984.

Today, Congress leaders describe the new caste engineering as KHAP, a spinoff from former CM Madhavsinh Solankis KHAM formula.

VOTE SHARE

During the last five state elections, the BJPs vote share didnt increase drastically. From 42.5% of the vote share in 1995, BJP only managed to lift its vote share to 47.9% in 2012 elections. However, that hasnt dented its winning streak in last 20 years. This was evident in the 2012 polls where the victory margin for 12 BJP MLAs was less than five thousand votes.
Hyderabad/Amaravati: When US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka arrived in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu - the man credited with putting the city on global map - was busy receiving fellow Andhraite and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at new capital Amaravati.

The Vice President was there to inaugurate a private technology institute and CM Naidu was hosting him.

The absence of Naidu, who was known as the CEO of AP, at the much hyped Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) did not go unnoticed. Rumours and gossip started flying that Naidu was not even invited to the mega event. Naidu had tried his best to get the event to AP, but lost the battle to his former capital.

Even though Naidus TDP is a part of the PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, he no longer has the clout he used to enjoy during NDA 1 and 2. The bifurcation of AP and the rise of ModiShah combine have diminished his influence at national level.

When News18 contacted his office for a clarification on the invitation, his secretary Prasad said the chief minister was busy with the Assembly session and had no time to leave AP.

He is too busy. Several bills are pending in the Assembly and he is trying to get them passed smoothly. The Vice-President was also here. It is incorrect to say that he declined the invitation or was not invited, he said.

A top leader in the Telangana government run by his friend-turned-foe-turned-friend K Chandrasekhara Rao said that invitation was sent by the NITI Ayog and Telangana government was not in a position to comment on it.

Ivanka or no Ivanka, VP Venkaiah Naidu made a reference to one of Americas most influential modern inventions, Google, at his Amaravati function. He said Unlike the ancient guru-shishya parampara wherein guru was a venerated person, the current age students get information they want at the click of a mouse. Google search may be very informative but it can never be a substitute to your guru.
Bhopal: Five-year-old Md Aftab was not around when the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy rocked his city. But he was born with Down Syndrome decades later and as he grows older, chances of him leading a normal life reduces.

Yet, with the multiple therapies being offered to him over the years by a voluntary organisation working for second and third generation victims of the tragedy, the child has shown remarkable physical and mental improvement. He now attends a school with other children of his age.

Aftab is not the only one here as thousands of children born to victims of the 1984 disaster are still forced to live lives of misery and hardship.

Aftab has been undergoing a number of therapies at Chingari Trust for three years and has shown remarkable improvement, said his mother Shama Bi, who resided in JP Nagar, opposite to the Union Carbide factory. When the poisonous gas started leaking from the factory on the night of December 2-3 1984, she was six-months-old.

With persistent support and care, Aftab is now able to do small household chores on his own and can also study to some extent. He attends KG1 classes in Little Bells School with other children his age, said his father Md Afsar.

Five-year-old Md Aftab was born with Down Syndrome.

Poonam Singh, who lives in Karond, close to the dreaded Union Carbide factory and under potential threat of water contamination, said that with medical care at the Chingari Trust, her son Akshat (5) can now speak, walk and run, which was impossible for him earlier.

Trustees of Chingari  Rasheeda Bi and Champa Devi Shukla, told News18 that with limited resources, they have the capacity to accommodate only 900 such children born with physical and mental deformities, while 193 of them come for regular treatment.

Shukla added that out of these, 153 kids are given special education at the centre and 38 of them attend normal schools while 19 are expected to enroll soon. A total of 57 children have started to read, 39 can take part in different activities and 63 can undertake daily chores.

Speaking on the fundings that they receive to run these programmes, Rasheeda said, We get no government aid and survive on monetary assistance from Bhopal Medical Appeal and volunteer organisations based in London.

The centre ropes in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, special education, nutrition and other support to treat kids with disabilities including autism, hyperactive and behavioural issues, sensory disorders, growth issues and so on.

The Trust was founded in 2006 when Rasheeda Bi and Champa Devi Shukla, both Bhopal tragedy survivors, were recognized for their activism on behalf of the thousands of survivors of the disaster and were presented with the Goldman Environmental Award. They had invested Rs 58 lakh received as prize money into the trust.

The two senior volunteers however laments that they are unable to help more kids with such deformities due to resource crunch.

All hell broke loose on the old city of Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, when 40 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas accidentally leaked from the Union Carbide plant, killing thousands and causing grievous damage to thousands more. Kids born to the survivors still suffer from the toxicity even after decades.
Hyderabad: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Advisor to US President Ivanka Trump were enjoying a cultural performance at Taj Falaknuma Palace, the Telangana police received a hoax call saying "a bomb has been planted at the Falaknuma Palace".

The call was made at 8.43pm when PM Modi was hosting a grand dinner for Ivanka Trump and other Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) delegates at Hyderabads Falaknuma Palace.

Police began investigations to nab the culprit who made the call to 108 emergency service.

The police swung into action and informed the control rooms of all concerned departments.

The entire Falaknuma Palace was meticulously checked to ensure the safety of high profile dignitaries. The palace and its nearby areas were under a constant watch with 150 CCTV cameras installed at different locations.

The palace had a massive police deployment of over 2,000 officers during the event.

However, the police did not take a chance and arrested the accused, who was later found to be mentally-disturbed.

V Satyanarayana, DCP (south zone) said, "The call was traced to one Bontha Yellaiah, aged around 60 years, son of Gandaiah resident of Moula Ali of RachaKonda Commissionerate. When we took him into custody, it was confirmed that he is mentally unstable."

Police say, a case under the Mental Health Act has been registered against the accused at the Malkajgiri police station.

Police said that the man had received treatment at the Erragada Hospital between October 28 and November 24, in Erragadda Hospital. He was discharged on November 25 after a court order.

The police has seized his phone and is now considering to send him back to the hospital, citing his health condition.
New Delhi: Pakistans former president, General Pervez Musharraf, accepted that Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the Kashmir valley and said he was always in favour of using the Pakistan-based terror outfit to supress the Indian Army.

In an interview to Pakistani TV channel ARY News, Musharraf, who is currently in exile in Dubai, said he was the biggest supporter of LeT and its founder, 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me and JuD (Jamaat-ud-Dawa) also likes me, Musharraf said. He also answered yes on being asked if he likes Saeed, adding, I have met him

He also accepted that LeT is involved in Kashmir. Yes they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir. In Kashmir, it is between us and India. I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and they (LeT) are the biggest force, he said, railing against the fact that India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the United States.

The US had also branded Saeed a terrorist and put a $10 million bounty on his head after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Musharraf claimed Saeed was not involved in the attack because he himself denied the charges of being the mastermind.

The LeT was banned by Pakistan in 2002 and it was, in fact, the Musharraf government that banned the outfit. When asked about the ban, Musharraf said he didnt know much about Saeed then, and implied that he shouldn't have acted against LeT.

The former president has earlier too sided with the UN-designated terrorist, who was released from house arrest on November 25 after Islamabad failed to submit any proof against him.

When the Lashkar and JuD chief was just 90 days into his 10-month detainment, Musharraf had asked then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to free him and claimed that his JuD was a very fine NGO that is engaged in relief work.

In my opinion they are against Taliban (in Pakistan), they did not commit any terrorism in Pakistan or anywhere else. So they should be dealt separately, he was quoted telling a television channel. We remain confused on terrorism, like we are confused in respect to JuD and Hafiz Saeed, he was quoted as saying by a news agency.
New Delhi: India is one of 15 countries in the world to have the highest cases and deaths of malaria, the World Health Organisation's 2017 World Malaria Report revealed on Wednesday.

The report put India along with 14 countries from the Sub Saharan African region, with 80 percent of the worlds cases and deaths.

Nigeria bore the highest burden in the world, as it topped these 15 countries with 30 percent of the deaths. India was fourth with 7 percent of deaths, after Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (14 percent) and Burkina Faso (seven percent).

Globally, 2016 saw 216 million cases and 445,000 deaths, as compared to 2015s 211 million cases and 4,46,000 deaths. The four countries account for 58 percent of these deaths.

Though there has been a decline in the rate of incidences from 2010 to 2016, from 76 down to 63 cases per 1000 population at risk, Indias numbers remain a problem due to alarmingly low surveillance. India had 649 million population at risk in 2010 and reported 1018 deaths. Now, it has 698 million population at risk with 331 reported deaths. Far from being good news, this number further indicated that cases were simply not being reported in the country.

The WHO report states that India, along with Nigeria, despite being a high disease burden country, has the lowest rate of malaria cases caught by its surveillance programme only 8 percent. India's lost malaria cases and untrustworthy government data is old news.

A 2010 Reuters report quoted a paper from The Lancet, saying, malaria killed close to 2, 05,000 people annually in India, 13 times even the WHO estimate of 15000. Though the WHO had rejected the paper's reasoning, a January, 2016, investigation by Aljazeera America, threw light on how India's reported deaths (561 in 2015, the year of reporting) could not possibly be true. The investigation showed how data, mostly recorded with pencils, was fudged at the grassroots level and how malaria was often not written down as the cause of death in autopsies.

India is the poorest performer in the South East Asian region (SEAR). The number of cases in it highest endemic state, Odisha, shot up in 2016, doubling the number from 2013. Meanwhile, neighbouring Sri Lanka was declared malaria free in 2016 by the WHO, as was Kyrgyzstan.

India also had the lowest funding average per person at risk, from 2014 to 2016 in the region. While it's on track to reduce malaria cases by 20 to 40 percent by 2020, most other SEAR countries will hit over 40 percent reduction.
Chennai: Two days after the Supreme Court asked her to return to college and complete her studies, Hadiya has said that she was still not free.

"I haven't got what I asked for. I am waiting for the court order to see whether it will be another prison for me. I need the freedom to meet the person I love," said the face at the centre of the Love Jihad controversy.

The Supreme Court on Monday freed Hadiya from the custody of her parents and allowed her to return to her college.

The court also appointed the dean of the Shivraj Homoeopathic Medical College as Hadiya's guardian and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem.

The Court ordered the college administration to treat Hadiya like any other student and as per hostel rules but remained silent on whether Shafin Jehan, Hadiyas husband, or her parents would be allowed to meet her while she completes her studies.

"I won't allow Hadiya's husband to meet her. Her parents admitted her here; only they can meet her," said G Kannan, Principal, Shivraj Homoeopathic Medical College.

The principal said that Hadiya will be going to hostel like any other student. "She can't go anywhere alone and can do nothing without prior permission from me," said the principal.

The principal also said that the completion of her homoeopathy course was his priority.

"Hadiya is still Akhila Ashokan as per records. If there is a change in name, it will be done through due procedure," said Kannan.
Patna: The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has come under attack after the brutal killing of three members of a Dalit family in Bhagalpur with the police still clueless about the perpetrators of the crime.

Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has accused that violence against Dalits have risen in the state ever since Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United) joined hands with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to form NDA government in the state.

Talking to News18, RJD spokesman Ramanauj Prasad said, Initially right wing activists affiliated to BJP assaulted Dalits in several places in the name of cow vigilantism. Then more than 80 houses of Dalits were burnt in Khagaria district. There is a clear pattern of targeted attacks against the marginalised section and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is squarely responsible for this.

The RJD said this NDA government is very different from what Nitish used to head earlier. Gone are the days when BJP used to say that Nitish Kumar is Bihar and Bihar means Nitish. Now the baton is in the hands of deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and the BJP is calling the shots. They never respected Dalits and minorities. Bhagalpur incident is an example of this.

Not only opposition but Nitish Kumars associate Uday Narayan Chaudhary, a known Dalit voice within JD(U), has echoed concern over the heinous murders of three Dalits.

Jan Adhikar Morcha leader and Madhepura MP Pappu Yadav interact with the outraged locals. (Image: News18)

He feared for the life of a girl who survived the attack but is battling for life in a Patna hospital. While on the way to Jhandapur Dalit hamlet in Naugachhia, where the assailants targeted the family, he told News18 that the failure of police to nab the culprits was startling and did not augur well for the perception about the government.

I demand protection for the girl who is under treatment as she might be attacked in a bid to wipe off the evidence. She must be admitted to a private hospital for better treatment amid security, he said.

Chaudhary also referred to various cases of violence against Dalits and said it might prove detrimental for the government. He demanded strict action against the suspects from CM Nitish Kumar.

Meanwhile, Bhalapur Range DIG Vikas Vaibhav has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Naugachhia SP Pankaj Sinha to investigate the case.

On November 25, villagers found Kanki Ram, head of the family, his wife Meena Devi, son Chhotu (12) and daughter Bindi (18) lying in the pool of blood.

Their throats were slit, eyes oozed out and private parts dismembered. Three had died but Bindi was still alive and she was rushed to the PMCH where her condition is said to be critical.
New Delhi: A district in Rajasthan has come together to help the sole witness of the 2008 Mumbai attack, who has been afflicted with tuberculosis and is struggling financially.

Devika Rotwals testimony played a key role in the conviction and subsequent hanging of Mumbai attacks accused, Ajmal Kasab. However, she and her family have been living in the city's slums, with no help in her fight against TB.

After a call was put out by a non-profit organisation, Tapovan Pranyas, residents of Shri Ganganagar banded together to provide Devika and her family with all the assistance they need.

Tapovan Pranyas's president, Mahesh Pariwal, left for Mumbai with a sum of Rs 2 Lakh for Devika and her family.

Devika made headlines after testifying in court against Kasab, while on crutches, as she had been shot during the attack.

Speaking to the media, Pariwal said he would interact with the Rotwal family to understand their needs and provide further assistance. The Mumbai attack was a black day in our history. I salute the bravery of this girl who came to court on crutches to testify against him, he said, before adding that Shri Ganganagar hopes to set an example for the whole country.

Devika has undergone multiple operations but has not been able to recover from TB.

The Managing Director of Shri Ganganagar's Asthana Kidney and General Hospital, Dr Sanjay Chauhan, said that the hospital would help her during recovery.

Should Devika come to Shri Ganganagar, the hospital would provide her with computer education, a job with Rs 10,000 a month salary and a place to stay for as long as she chooses to.
Washington: Russia has often employed "malicious" tactics against the US and Europe to "drive them apart" and undermine their political and economic successes, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's 'America First' foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

Ahead of his week-long visit to Europe, Tillerson described Russia as one of the "major challenges" facing Europe and the US.

Europe and the US seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

"But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War," Tillerson said.

"Playing politics with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation," he said.

Tillerson went on to say that attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.

"We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community," he said.

Tillerson will hold meetings at NATO headquarters and with OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) leaders and also visit several European cities next week.

He said the ball was in Russia's court and it could choose whether to "continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia".

Following President Donald Trump's recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

"We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Iran's malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom," he said.

"Neither the US nor Europe wants another type of North Korea nuclear threat on its hands, nor are any of our nations at ease with Iran's attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organisations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program," he added.

Responding to questions, Tillerson said there are areas of mutual cooperation with respect to Russia.

"We're working hard in Syria to defeat ISIS and we are on the cusp of having ISIS once and for all defeated in Syria...

We are working together with Russia on how to prevent the civil war from re-erupting in Syria...," he said.

"We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan. We've not yet come to what that might be, but we're talking about it," Tillerson said.
Mumbai: The National Investigative Agency (NIA) claims to have foiled a possible terror attack in Varanasi as it caught one of the most terrorists known as Headley II.

Abdul Naeem Shaikh alias Sameer has been absconding since 2014, with authorities declaring a prize money of Rs 20,000 for information about him. The Bombay High Court had also ordered the constitution of Special Investigation Team (SIT) to search for Naeem after his mother alleged that the Maharashtra ATS had possibly killed her son in an extra-judicial encounter.

Naeem hails from Aurangabad in Marathwada region of Maharashtra. In 2014, his mother Qamar Nasreen filed a habeas corpus petition before the Bombay HC. According to reports, Nasreen and her other son held a press conference in Marathwada city, alleging that Maharashtra ATS had shot Naeem.

They had told us that the authorities should either admit to it or find Naeem, a senior reporter told News18.

While talking to the court, authorities claimed that Naeem had escaped from a slow-moving train, when he was being brought from West Bengal to Mumbai. He was to be produced in the Aurangabad Arms haul case. Thereafter, the Bombay High Court ordered the formation of a SIT, which was appointed on September 19, 2016, to be headed by Joint Director of CBI, Chhattisgarh. The SIT consisted of Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra, Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh and Director General of Police, West Bengal.

On January 13, this year, the SIT informed the court that Naeem has crossed the border. It also was awaiting permissions to prosecute six Chhattisgarh police personnel for negligence, leading to the escape.

The petition is filed in the year 2014. The petitioner's son is wanted accused in Criminal Cases in the State of Chhattisgarh, State of Maharashtra, State of Andhra Pradesh and State of West Bengal. He is also accused in Crime No. 8 of 2014 for offence punishable under Section 224 of the Indian Penal Code registered with Raigarh Government Railway Police Station, Chhattisgarh, as well as in MCOCA Case No. 16 of 2016 at Mumbai, a Bombay High Court order had stated then.

The court had disposed the petition on January 25, 2017, stating, The discussion made, hereinabove, would show that the petitioner's son was accused in serious offences and while he was being escorted to be produced before MCOC Court in Mumbai, he escaped and has crossed the border.

Local police personnel told News18 that Naeems father was a state government servant and that his brother is a doctor. According to sources, he had once returned to India from Nepal after his bid to enter Pakistan from there had failed. Eventually, though, he did undergo training in Pakistan.
New Delhi: Come New Year, the first batch of 150 students from Jammu and Kashmir will travel to schools in Delhi and other parts of the country that have been identified as their sister schools.

This student exchange programme or school linkage plan is part of the road map of education designed by the ministry of human resource development in coordination with the J&K government. It was planned by the National Steering Committee, which first met on November 8.

Anil Swarup, secretary, school education, said it was part of an effort to bring students into the mainstream.

There were instances of stone pelting in Kashmir recently in which we saw some children pelting stones. The only way to handle this situation is through education. To bridge the gap between the people of Kashmir and the rest of India, we will see strong school linkages program. This will help in bringing children together and myth-busting.

For every selected government school in Kashmir, there will be a sister school in other parts of the country that will be connected digitally. These students will get to meet physically at the exchange programs that takes place for the first time in 2018, January. Games, quiz and other extra-curricular activities have been planned.

The draft report prpared by the panel also emphasized on emotional connect as much as educational. So, the J&K government is also considering sending emotional counselors with the students. In all, around 2,000 students from 100 schools will be a part of the programme.

Funding for this exchange program for students of class IX and X will be from Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan. The proposal for this program has been made by the state and the management will be done at school level. This program will be facilitated by NGOs. The Central Board for Secondary Education has also been roped in and will share the protocol for student exchange.

In a special report, the Centre has also identified 10 high-priority areas. The report sets goals on revival of 285 priority schools, establishment of new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalayas and building of digital infrastructure. Career counselling for students in Srinagar with the help of NGOs has also been planned.
New Delhi: With more Rohingya refugees entering Bangladesh territory every day, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) are now unhappy with the BSF for pushing Rohingyas back into their country.

According to the BSF, 87 Rohingya refugees, with "nothing objectionable found on them", were stopped from infiltrating India this year.

DG BSF, K K Sharma said that they have pushed back these Rohingyas into Bangladesh, something which has made the Border Guards Bangladesh unhappy.

"We don't arrest them but push them back. If we arrest these people, then they become a liability," Sharma said.

BSF has deployed five additional battalions at the Indo-Bangla border this year to stop Rohingya infiltration.

Addressing the media at, DG BSF said, "We identified the vulnerable border outposts from where Rohingyas could possibly enter and increased deployment there. We also put in thermal imagers at these outposts to stop infiltration. Nearest bus stops and railway stations were also monitored by our intelligence department to intercept Rohingyas who could have escaped us at the border."

The top officer of the BSF conceded that they had found nothing on these Rohingyas, which can be termed 'objectionable.'

The Union government has told the Supreme Court that Rohingyas are a huge national security threat and therefore cannot be allowed to stay in India.

"BGB is not happy when we send back the Rohingyas. We had other incidents when the BGB would send them back through unnamed posts on the Indo-Bangla border but we have managed to send them off again, Sharma said.

He added, Because of the cordial relations between BGB and BSF, we have managed to handle the situation well."

He also underlined that it is difficult for his forces to differentiate between Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. They look very similar. Speak almost the same language. It is difficult for our boys to distinguish between them. So we have told them to not take any chances," he said.

The Union government has said that about 40,000 Rohingyas live in India. BSF has pegged the figure at 36,000 and said that their interrogation of some of those who were stopped from entering the country, made it clear that Jammu and Hyderabad are their preferred destinations in India.

BSF further added that because of the existing Rohingya population in these places, the new immigrants find ready job opportunities and have a better economic security in these places.
China is resuming limited tour group travel to South Korea, a sign of warming relations which were strained by Seoul's installation of a US missile defence system.

Tour group operators in Beijing said Tuesday the city's tourism bureau had told them they could resume booking group visits to South Korea.

China halted group travel to the South in March after the country began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which Seoul and Washington say is intended to combat missile threats from nuclear-armed North Korea.

China sees it as a threat to its own military capabilities and slapped a series of restrictions on South Korea in moves seen as economic retaliation.

In addition to the travel curbs it imposed a series of measures on South Korean firms operating in China.

The undeclared sanctions have taken a toll on South Korea's economy, with its economic growth slowing this summer amid shrinking exports.

"We just received the notice today," said Zhang, an employee at Huanyu Yuntong International Travel Agency, who said the tourism bureau would allow them to resume sending groups to South Korea.

"At present, according to the tourism bureau's rules, we still can't cooperate with websites," she said, noting they would resume selling to over-the-counter travel agents.

The end of the ban appeared restricted to a few areas. Tour operators in other major Chinese cities told AFP they still could not book group visits to South Korea.

Both countries late last month took steps to improve relations, saying they had agreed to address China's concerns over THAAD through future discussions.

Eearlier this month Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in held talks on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit.

China has consistently denied putting in place any sanctions on travel to South Korea. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he had no knowledge of the travel ban when asked about it at a press briefing on Tuesday.

"We hope the two sides will create a enabling environment and conditions for our friendly exchange," Geng said.

South Korea's Moon is expected to visit Beijing in December.
Jaipur: The Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, on Tuesday urged a nationwide ban on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati.

"Six states have already announced that they will not release the film in their states. We welcome it. Till the new release dates are announced, we want at least 20 CMs to do it. Nationwide ban is in the jurisdiction of government of India as per a section in the Cinematography Act. The Centre can ban a film even before or after clearance by the censor board," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Rajput Karni Sena, said at a press conference here.

"We request the Prime Minister to intervene and ban the film," he said.

Kalvi also demanded a high-powered and thorough probe into the death of Chetan Saini, whose body was found hanging on the outer walls of the Nahargarh Fort here on Friday morning, with messages against the film "Padmavati" scribbled on nearby rocks.

"Whether it was a suicide or a murder, I am not interfering into that... But it was very sad. I want to point out two more points... Who wants to disturb communal harmony of Jaipur and second, a direct threat to Karni Sena that "Hum putle nahin jalate... latkate hain" (We don't burn effigies, we hang them)... All this seems to be an attempt to divert attention from the 'Padmavati' issue," he said.

"We want detailed and thorough probe into it... Who wants to disturb communal harmony and who has given threat to Karni Sena," he said, stressing that "the role of the SLB group in Nahargarh Fort issue should be probed," he said.

Bhansali's Padmavati has been mired in controversy since its shooting started. Activists of the Karni Sena, besides other groups have been protesting against the movie, claiming the film "distorts" historical facts.

The release of the movie, earlier scheduled for December 1, has been deferred.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took exception to people holding official positions making "prejudicial comments" about the Hindi film "Padmavati", saying these breached the principle of rule of law.

The court also said people in position of responsibility should not comment on the film as it may prejudice the censor board.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said: "We are governed by the rule of law.

"When the matter is pending before the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for grant of certificate, nobody holding a responsible position should comment as it would amount to violation of the principle of the rule of law."

Taking exception to comments by leaders cutting across the political spectrum, the court said, "When a matter is pending for consideration before CBFC, how can persons in public authority comment on whether CBFC should issue certificate or not? It will prejudice the decision of CBFC."

"They are violating the principle of rule of law", the court said further observing, "We say nothing more, nothing less for the time being."

The court also junked a petition by lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma objecting to the offshore release of the film "Padmavati".

Taking exception to some portions of Sharma's petition, the court said it was "unwarranted and scurrilous".

Senior counsel Harish Salve, who appeared for 'Padmavati' Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, had pointed to the objectionable portion of the petition by Sharma.

On November 20, the court, while rejecting Sharma's plea for the blocking the release of "Padmavati" within the country, had said: "'Padmavati' has not yet received certification from CBFC. In view of this, our interference will tantamount to pre-judging the matter. We don't intend to do so."

"Needless to say that the pleadings are premature", the bench had said that CBFC was a statutory body and the court could not injunct it from doing its duty of certifying the film.

"Padmavati" is mired in controversy over conjectures that it "distorts facts" about Rajput queen Padmavati. Many states have declared that they will not allow its release unless the controversy over it ends.
Undeterred by Supreme Court rap in which the Apex court cautioned politicians against speaking against movie Padmavati, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday stood his ground on the movie.

Speaking to media on completion of his 12 years in office in Bhopal, Chouhan said that a movie based on the lives of historical characters should have taken care of public sentiments and their faith.

Chouhan said this while responding to the media query on SC rap to politicians on Padmavati row.

CM Shivraj on Nov 20 had announced to ban Padmavati in the state over 'tampering of history'. A social worker from Gwalior has already sent a legal notice to CM Chouhan terming the ban 'illegal'.
Bengaluru: The faction-ridden Karnataka BJP has one more thing to worry about. Its oldest partner and the current headache, Shiv Sena, is trying to enter the poll-bound state and has already found an able partner in Sri Rama Sene founder and radical Hindutva leader Pramod Muthalik.

Muthalik, who shot to fame after his followers attacked a pub in Mangaluru in 2009, is miffed with the BJP after his attempts to join the party were repeatedly thwarted as the state leadership felt he would be a huge liability.

With just 5-6 months left for the state elections, Muthalik is once again exploring the possibility of introducing Shiv Sena to Karnataka. In 2004, Muthalik was appointed as Karnataka Sena chief but he had quit the party in just 24 hours over Belgaum issue.

The Shiv Sena, which has threatened to quit the NDA several times, sent its health minister in Maharashtra, Deepak Sawanth, to Bengaluru to discuss a launch in the state. Muthalik is likely to meet Uddhav Thackeray to officially join the Shiv Sena in a day or two

However, like last time, the vexed issue of Belgaum has come in their way. In Wednesdays meeting at a hotel in Bengaluru, Muthalik requested the Maharashtra minister not to raise the Belgaum issue. Sawanth insisted on including Belgaum in Shiv Senas agenda. When Muthalik refused to include it, an angry Sawanth walked out of the meeting in protest.

Speaking to News18, the ultra-Hindutva icon, who is facing over 70 criminal cases, said, Muthalik is Hindutva. Shiv Sena is here to back us. They are not here to do politics. The BJP has failed the Hindus. It is only interested in votes.

According to insiders, former BJP Union minister B R Patil Yatnal from Bijapur (Vijayapura) is also interested in launching Shiv Sena in Karnataka ahead of the Assembly polls. Yatnal was suspended from the BJP for anti-party activities. Even though state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa is keen on getting him back into the party fold, other top leaders have vehemently opposed it.

Muthalik had contested against Congress Nandan Nilekani and BJPs Ananthkumar from Bengaluru South Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and polled a few hundred votes. In 2013, the BJP was forced to sack him just a few hours after he was formally inducted into the party. Finance minister Arun Jaitley had described it as a mistake. After that, an angry Muthalik had famously called the BJP Bharatiya Jesus Party.
New Delhi: Stepping up his offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat elections, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to make the state's ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls.

Gandhi also brought up the BJP's 22-year rule in Gujarat and said people were demanding answers.

22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis.

Giving numbers to buttress his argument, he said, "First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?

The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat on Wednesday to campaign for their parties ahead of the December 9 and 14 assembly poll.

Gandhi will campaign in the state for two days and will start with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will also hold public meetings in at least three districts on Wednesday and Thursday, party leaders said.
Rajkot: Since 2015, Gujarat has seen the emergence of three young turks who are determined to upset the BJP apple cart in the state. Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor have all tried to rally their respective communities  Patidars, Dalits and Other Backward Castes (OBCs)  against the ruling party.

Much of the focus has been on Hardik and his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) whose activists have protested, often violently, against the BJP. From flinging chairs at an Amit Shah event to clashing with BJP workers in Surat, Patidars have been the focus of this election cycle. But their unity as a singular voting bloc is by no means guaranteed. If the Patidars fail to vote as one and dont swing from the BJP to the Congress, the election may well come down to which way the states OBC voters will go.

While it is expected that Hardiks agitation will lead to a dent in the BJPs traditional support base  the Patidars, it is unclear just how big a dent this will be. Several key members of Hardiks inner circle have broken away from the agitation to join the BJP.

The two main sub-castes of the Patidars are the Leuvas and the Kadvas. The Leuva Patels, given their greater number, are more influential electorally, particularly in the Saurashtra region. Hardik belongs to the Kadva Patel community, whose influence is limited to a few seats in northern Gujarat.

OBCs make up 51 percent of Gujarats population. Kolis alone make up around 20%, making them the largest caste group in Gujarat. This Patidars make up less than 15%. In several of Gujarats 182 seats, the split in the Patidar vote would mean OBCs would take center stage.

Take for instance, the constituency of Dhoraji in Rajkot district. The seat has around 70,000 Patidar voters. While Leuva Patels are present across Gujarat in larger numbers than Kadva Patels, in Dhoraji both sub-castes are present in almost equal numbers. The battle in Dhoraji is shaping up to be a Kadva versus Leuva fight.

BJP has fielded Haribhai Patel, a Kadva Patel, against Congress candidate Lalit Vasoya, a Leuva Patel. The hope in the Congress camp is that while Vasoya may be able to pull Leuva Patels towards the Congress, Hardiks agitation will make enough of a dent in the Kadva Patel community for their loyalties to shift to the Congress.

But the largest voting bloc in Dhoraji is not the Patidars. Compared to 70,000 Patidars in the constituency, there are over 82,000 Non-Koli OBCs and 7,000 Kolis.

In other seats, OBCs may not be the largest bloc, but they will end up being kingmakers in the event of a split in the Patidar vote. In the urban seat of Rajkot West, where Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is being challenged by Congress leader Indranil Rajyaguru, there are 28,000 Leuva Patels, 40,000 Kadva Patels and 20,000 OBCs.

In Jetpur, BJP is hoping that Jayeshbhai Radadiya, son of veteran Patidar leader Vitthalbhai Radadiya, may be able to keep the 1 lakh Patidar voters with the BJP. But if the PAAS agitation makes a dent in Radadiyas base, the election will hinge on the 20,000 non-Koli OBCs and 18,000 Kolis. The Gondal seat, too, may see OBC vote may emerge as the decider with 85,000 Patidars and 60,000 OBCs.

Beyond Rajkot district, however, OBCs outnumber Patidars in most places. That is, perhaps, why, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi reached out to the Koli fishing community in Porbandar during his visit last week. In other districts of Saurashtra, too, Kolis are the deciding voters. In Bhavnagar district, Kolis form around 32% of the entire electorate.

While the debate around OBCs may not have been as polarising as that around Patidars, their position as kingmakers will also hinge on their ability to unite in favour of one party. The OBCs are made of several disparate caste groups, including Kolis and Thakors, spread over the entire state. Alpesh Thakors move to join the Congress may seem, at first, a victory for the Grand Old Party but given that the Thakor community has traditionally voted for the Congress means that the equation may not change much.
Bhopal: A Congress lawmaker has alleged that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan avoids visiting Ichhawar block, which falls under his constituency of Sehore, due to superstition.

The widely held superstition is that any sitting CM who visits the block, which is barely 56 kilometre from the state capital, soon loses his seat.

The CMs hometown, Budni, has also not been visited by Chouhan for the last 12 years.

During the Assembly session on Tuesday, Congress MLA Shailendra Patel alleged that CM, during his 12-year stint, had not visited Ichhawar block

Is he held back due to the superstition that he will lose his seat? quizzed Patel. The remark came after the lawmaker posed a question to the state government asking for the distance to from the state capital to Bhopal Budni and Nasrullaganj from Ichhawar.

As Chouhan was not present in the House when the query was raised, Finance minister Jayant Malaiya replied saying, A similar belief existed for Patharia in my hometown Damoh but the CM has visited the block four times.

Malaiya added that Chouhan had visited Ichhawar on Oct 11, 2017, for a government function.

Patel, though, did not buy this argument saying the CM had visited village Alhadakheri and not the Ichhawar headquarters.

To Patels sub-query the state government informed the House that CM Shivraj has not visited Ichhawar in the last five years. Later, talking to News18, Patel claimed that the CM was yet to visit Ichhawar since he assumed office on Nov 29, 2005.

Every time a CM like Kailash Joshi, Virendra Saklecha, Uma Bharti and Digvijay Singh came to Ichhawar, they were thrown out of power soon after, said the Congress legislator about the perception of locals there.

On November 15, 2003, then CM Digvijay Singh had attended a function and announced that he was there to break this myth attached with Ichhawar. Soon, he was dethroned by Uma Bharti, who had a landslide victory.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns to the Gujarat battlefield on Wednesday and will address rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar in Saurashtra region and at Navsari in south Gujarat after a days break during which he inaugurated the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the Hyderabad Metro. Saurashtra, which will go to polls in the first phase along with south Gujarat on December 9, will witness a busy day as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also returns to Gujarat for the eighth leg of the Navsarjan Gujarat Yatra and Hardik Patel, too, will hold a rally.

As it happened:

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Visavadar/Amreli: Starting his two-day Gujarat tour with a visit to the famous Somnath temple, which was followed by a controversy over his 'faith', Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his emotional outbursts, calling him an "excellent actor better than Amitabh Bachchan".

Gandhi also reached out to the Patidar community during his addresses at the three rallies in Visavadar, Savarkundla and Amreli in the Saurashtra region.

The Congress Vice-President attacked PM Modi over his "silence" on Rafale deal and "proximity" to select industrialists, while addressing a rally in the poll-bound state.

"Narnedra Modi is a 'zabardast' (excellent) actor, even better than Amitabh Bachchan. Generally, an actor has to put contact lens when he has to weep...His eyes burns and tears roll down. But Narendra Modiji does not need any contact lens for tears to roll down his eyes," Gandhi told a rally at Savarkundla.

At Visavadar, Gandhi referred to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing and said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal).

First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked, referring to the deal between French firm Dassault Aviation and a company headed by Anil Ambani.

The Congress vice president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi alleged that the prime minister was "avoiding" answering his questions "out to fear" that the "truth" would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Targeting Modi, Gandhi said, "You will see how tears again flow from the eyes of this actor 2-3 days before the elections. He will talk about everything but will not utter a word regarding how much price farmers receive for their produce in Gujarat, loan waiver, or how to convert black money into white".

In an emotional speech post demonetisation, Modi had said that people can hang him if he cannot bring black money back.

In an emotional outreach during canvassing, Modi had recently said that Gujarat is his mother and he her son.

Gandhi said the Gujarat government is run by Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is just the "rubber stamp".

He claimed the NDA government delayed the winter session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue here before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

The Congress vice-president alleged that entire land was given to "5-10 industrialist friends of Modi" in Gujarat but farmers were left high and dry.

He even read out names of the villages during his speech.

"Narendra Modiji will not talk about these things in his speeches. He will only talk about development, but how much farm loan he has waived and how much money he has gifted to 5-10 industrialists...Modiji will not talk about these things," Gandhi said.

He alleged that Modi has reneged on his promise to offer higher MSP to farmers on cotton and groundnut.

"Modi no longer speaks about these things in his speeches," he said.

Gandhi will visit various towns and villages in Amreli, Bhavnagar and Botad districts tomorrow and address a rally on the outskirts of Bhavnagar city in evening.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be back in battlefield Gujarat on Wednesday to power the electoral campaign of their respective parties in the bitterly-fought Assembly polls.

Modi, who launched a campaign blitzkrieg on Monday, addressing four election rallies in different parts of Saurashtra and south Gujarat, will hold four more on Wednesday, after a day's break during which he inaugurated the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the Hyderabad Metro in the Telangana capital.

Modi will address rallies in Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in south Gujarat on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi will also be in Gujarat on a two-day campaign tour. He will kick off the current trip with a visit to the famous Somnath temple. He has been repeatedly ridiculed by the BJP for visiting a string of temples in the state during the election campaign.

The Congress vice president will visit Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts where he will interact with people and hold public meetings, party sources said.

Gujarat goes to polls in two phases on December 9 and 14, while votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is seeking to dislodge the BJP from power in the state, which the saffron party has ruled for over two decades now.
New Delhi: Swaraj Abhiayan founder and ex-AAP member Yogendra Yadav on Tuesday said Rahul Gandhi has done as much to deserve becoming the next president of Congress party as Prince Charles has done to be the next king of Britain.

As a former psephologist and someone who has worked closely with the Congress scion, although briefly, Yadav said that Rahul is no match for Prime Minister Narendra Modi when it comes to the ability to communicate.

Asked if he ever saw Gandhi speak to young, old, middle classes, make a connect and bring them back to the Congress, Yadav said, "The requirement of being the leader of this country are almost impossibly high for any human being... you have to address a Mumbaiker, a Bangalore IT sector person....

Modis worst critics, including people like me , must acknowledge that he is an exceptional communicator. But the proportion of fudge to my mind is more than required and he is caught very soon after that. But having said all that, he is an exceptional communicator.

But it is not only Rahul. Yadav feels most Indian politicians would be no match for Modi. Do remember, one has to communicate with someone from Bangalore IT sector to that woman in Odisha village who does not know whether there are prime ministers in this country. Your ability to communicate must be superhuman, he said, adding there was only one person in the 20th century who did that - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

He had this exceptional ability to speak to a barrister and to that last woman sitting in a village - that is what is required".

Asked to clarify whether he was comparing Gandhijis skills to that of Modis, Yadav hastened to deny. No no no. What I am saying is ofcourse, Gandhi for me is the model of communicaton. Modi is an exceptionally good communicator, but in the process also very deceptive unlike Gandhi".

Without mincing words in a scathing reading of Rahul Gandhi as a politician, Yadav said, Does he have what the country needs today to take on the challenge to the very foundations of this republic? Does he have what it takes to galvanise people of this country to meet the bigger challenge and unfortunately? The answer is no.

Yadav described the current state of the Congress party as some kind of junk today, dead wood, burden of history and synonymous with corruption and said the younger Gandhi has to reinvent the party for it to be taken seriously.

It (Congress) is an obstacle in this country. It is a problem in this country. It is not a solution. So someone has to transform this party or junk it. That is the only option in history and Rahul Gandhi has to make up his mind whether he has to take up the road to transformation, take short term risks, go for the big transformation or go for quick fixes, and somehow let things be as they are.

Asked whether it was not an irony that expectations from Gandhi should be so low, coming as he does from a family of many prime ministers, and especially when other young leaders like Jignesh Mewani, Hardik Patel , Kanhaiya Kumar have demonstrated their ability to communicate as well as tenacity, Yadav said, These are the people who have risen from the ranks... who have gone from the bottom to some visibility. The kind of skills you pick up when u go up are entirely different kind than when you are picked up and parachuted to the top.

They (leaders) are there to give you vision and having made up your mind about vision, ability to convey it to ohers, communicate , get others on board and then to have tenacity and guts to insist. I do not know if Rahul Gandhi has that.

Yadav did say that he found the Congress vice-president more sincere than most top politicians in the country that he has met.
Ahmedabad: Rahul Gandhi's temple run in poll-bound Gujarat hit a landmine on Wednesday after his name was "entered" in a register for non-Hindus at the Somnath Temple, prompting the BJP to question his faith and the Congress to allege mischief.

The Congress Vice-President's name was entered as "Rahul Gandhiji" above that of Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Patel in the book, which all non-Hindu visitors to the revered shrine are supposed to fill up, and this was signed by the partys media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.

As the BJP pounced on the purported gaffe with glee to question the Congress leader's poll-time visits to temples in Gujarat, Tyagi told CNN-News18 that he had only signed the register and left the columns vacant for entering the names of visiting mediapersons and that the names of Patel and Gandhi were entered by "someone else."

According to the rules of the ancient temple, non-Hindus have to sign on a register before entering inside. Tyagi's contention was that he never knew the book he was signing was for that purpose, and that in any case he did not write the names of the two Congress leaders.

An entry in another book for visitors at the temple showed that Gandhi had signed under the comment "a very inspiring place".

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy immediately latched on to it saying Gandhi "is a Christian and that he goes to church every Sunday."

The entry in the Somnath Temple visitor's book. (Image: News18)

Congress leaders then went on an overdrive, with Randeep Surjewala pointing out that Gandhi is "not only a Hindu, a janeu-dhari Hindu". "His sister got married in a Hindu ceremony and Rahul Gandhi conducted the last rites of his father according to the Hindu tradition," Surjewala added.

Other party spokespersons also hit out saying the BJP was resorting to such controversies because it sensed defeat in Gujarat. "Every leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been criticising Rahul Gandhi's visits to temples while on his Navsarjan Yatra. This is politics of the lowest possible kind," Sanjay Jha said.

PK Lakheri, a trustee of the Somnath Temple, clarified: "Apparently, the name of Ahmed Patel had to be written by the person in the register, but he wrote two names. Whether the name of Rahul Gandhi was written inadvertently or whether it was written correctly, is for the media team of the Congress to clarify.

The Congress leader's visit to temples in the election bound state  he has prayed at as many as 12 temples over the last two months  has been mocked by BJP with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising it in his election rally speeches. Gandhi so far has sought to deflect all such talk saying he is a "shiv bhakt.
Lucknow: The third and final phase of UP municipal elections was marred by reports of names missing from the voters list on a large scale and EVM malfunctioning just like the first two-phases.

There was also a video that showed lathicharge by police officials in Ward 26, Peer Batawan, Barabanki. The video purportedly showed policemen lathi-charging without any provocation and then breaking the chairs, tables and even some makeshift shops.

In Barabanki, voters from ward 131 Nehru Nagar and ward 8 Balmiki Nagar complained of their names missing from the list. The voters alleged that in Muslim populated areas and especially names of the female members of their families went missing from the list. The voters said they had exercised their franchise in the earlier polls.

In Jaunpur' Ward 28 Jogiapur and Ward 24 Nakkhas, around 500 people started protesting when they found their names missing from the voters list. Seeing the situation getting out of hand, the police had to resort to lathi charge.

The people alleged that their names have been deliberately struck off the voters list. They have also submitted a written complaint against BLO and other officials.

Not just the common man, but also names of former UP Minister Parasnath Yadav and his entire family went missing from the voters list.

Meanwhile, two fake voters were arrested in Jaunpur. Police said the two youths who came to vote in the name of someone else at booth No. 8 of Shahganj Tahsil Ward were arrested and handed over to the police by the Presiding Officer.

The result of the municipal body polls will be announced on December 1.
Washington: The US will impose additional "major sanctions" on North Korea for its latest missile test, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday as he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to press Pyonyang to halt its "provocative actions".

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

The two leaders discussed North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, it said. The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea yesterday, and travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone.

"Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!" Trump tweeted.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the additional major sanctions on Pyongyang which is already facing severe UN-imposed punitive measure for its frequent missile and nuclear tests.

The White House said that President Trump emphasised the need for China to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation.

Within hours of North Korean missile launch, Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. .. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test. China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry today expressed "grave concern" over North Korea's ICBM test and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time. "Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world," he said.

During his phone calls with Abe and Moon, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan but also to the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

In New York, US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options were on table.

"The Kim regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of this President or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States of America," Pence said in his speech at the Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

"As President Trump said today, we will take care of the situation. All options are on the table, and we will continue to marshal the full resources of the US to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes once and for all," he said.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on North Korea at the request of US Envoy to the UN Nikki Haley along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

Earlier, North Korea's state television said the country had achieved its mission of becoming a nuclear state.

The official Korean Central News Agency added that top leader Kim Jong-Un, who personally signed off on the launch, "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power".
New York: The Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path in October pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, entered his plea before US District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. A court-appointed lawyer representing him, David Patton, declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the Oct. 31 attack in which he ploughed a truck down a bike lane on Manhattan's West Side. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest assault on New York City since Sept. 11, 2001.

Saipov, a legal permanent US resident, was hospitalised after he was shot by a policeman and arrested.

On Nov. 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing material support to Islamic State and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty, though it is not yet clear whether prosecutors will seek it. President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Twitter for Saipov to face the death penalty.

Following the attack, Saipov told investigators he was inspired by watching Islamic State videos and began planning the attack a year earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors the day after the attack.

The complaint said Saipov was particularly motivated by a video where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - the leader of Islamic State - exhorted Muslims in the United States and elsewhere to support the group's cause.

Saipov also said "he felt good about what he had done" and asked for permission to display the flag of the militant group Islamic State in his hospital room, the complaint said.

Saipov's sister, Umida Saipova, told Reuters in a phone interview earlier this month from Tashkent, Uzbekistan that she believed her brother had been "brainwashed."

An Uzbek acquaintance of Saipov living in Ohio, Mirrakhmat Muminov, told Reuters that Saipov became religious after moving to the United States in 2010.

Five of the victims were Argentinians who were part of a group in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation. A Belgian woman, a New Yorker and a New Jersey man were also killed.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for Jan. 23.
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday freed influential Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, a source said, more than three weeks after he was detained in a sweeping anti-corruption purge of the kingdom's elite.

The former National Guard chief was among more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen who were rounded up earlier this month, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tightens his grip on power.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, is the most high-profile royal to be released so far as the government appears to be striking monetary settlements with some of the detainees in exchange for their freedom.

"Yes, Prince Miteb was released this morning," a source close to the government told AFP, without outlining the terms of his release. The prince was not reachable for comment.

Saudi information ministry officials could not confirm the development but posts on social media by members of the royal family suggested he had been freed.

Princess Nouf bint Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud posted an old image of Prince Miteb on a verified Twitter account with the message: "Praise be to Allah. Peace be upon you".

In a similar post with the picture of a smiling prince, Princess Abeer bint Khaled bin Abdullah tweeted: "May god grant you a long life, give you health and keep you safe for us."

Before his arrest the 64-year-old son of the late king Abdullah was sacked as the head of the National Guard, an internal security force that has long been seen as a locus of tribal power.

'Settlements with detainees'

Some analysts saw Prince Miteb's removal as an attempt by Prince Mohammed, who is also Saudi defence minister, to consolidate his control over the security services.

But Saudi authorities insist the purge was meant solely to target endemic corruption as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Prince Mohammed said 95 percent of those detained agree to a "settlement", or handing over ill-gotten assets or cash to the Saudi state treasury.

Saudi Arabia's attorney general estimates at least $100 billion has been misused in embezzlement or corruption over several decades.

"The apparent release of Prince Miteb may be a sign that the Saudi authorities are making progress in agreeing settlements with detainees," said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

"It's an attempt to resolve the situation in a manner that minimises social fallout from the crown prince's recent move and addresses concerns over the political risk of doing business in Saudi Arabia," Ulrichsen told AFP.

The purge has triggered uncertainty among businesses that could lead to capital flight or derail reforms, experts say, at a time when the kingdom is seeking to attract badly needed investments to offset a protracted oil slump.

Other high-profile targets of the crackdown include billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia.

Many of the detainees have been held at Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel, which has been turned into a luxury prison.
Nevada: A suspect died shortly after being taken into police custody in Reno, Nevada late on Tuesday after opening fire from a downtown apartment complex and holding a hostage, local media reported.

Police shot the unidentified suspect who died on the way to the hospital after an hours-long standoff with authorities, local ABC affiliate KOLO 8 reported. No other injuries were reported.

Police responded to downtown Reno on Tuesday evening to reports of shots being fired for about 30 minutes from the Montage apartment complex, the Reno Gazette Journal newspaper said.

The suspect was barricaded inside an apartment and held one person hostage until police breached the unit and detained the suspect, the newspaper reported.

The suspect and the hostage were involved in a relationship, police told KOLO 8.
Bankok: Thai authorities have fined two American tourists for public indecency for posing for a "butt selfie" in front of a famous Buddhist temple, police said on Wednesday.

The two, who police identified as Joseph Dasilva, 38, and Travis Dasilva, 36, were arrested late on Tuesday at an airport in the capital, Bangkok.

They were each fined 5,000 baht ($154) for baring their buttocks for a picture taken last week at Bangkok's Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn.

"The two American citizens have admitted taking the picture," district police chief Jaruphat Thongkomol told Reuters.

While Thailand has a reputation for racy night life, the predominantly Buddhist country is deeply conservative and revealing clothing is frowned upon while public nudity is considered offensive.

The two men had an Instagram account called traveling_butts which showcased similar selfies taken at tourists sites around the world. The account had more than 14,000 followers but on Wednesday it had been deleted.

Jaruphat said the two would also be fined for a similar picture taken at another temple in Bangkok.

They were being held at an immigration detention center while police considered a possible violation of Thailand's Computer Crime Act, as the photograph was uploaded online, Jaruphat said.
Washington: The top US general in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that he had not seen a change in Pakistan's support for militants so far, despite President Donald Trump taking a tougher line against Islamabad.

US officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistans reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks on neighbouring Afghanistan.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants.

He accused Pakistan of harbouring agents of chaos and providing safe havens to militant groups waging an insurgency against a US backed government in Kabul.

US official expressed hope that relations between the two countries could improve after a kidnapped US-Canadian couple and their three children were freed in Pakistan in October. The couple was abducted in neighbouring Afghanistan.

"We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson told reporters.

"We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said.

He said that he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was in Afghanistan.

Nicholson added that he agreed with other senior US officials that Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the Haqqani network militant group.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan says it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists.

The four-star general said he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it.

The United States has sent more than 3,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan as a part of Trump's South Asia strategy. Nicholson said over 1,000 troops would be advising Afghan troops at the battalion level, putting them closer to the fighting and at greater risk.

Nicholson gave an optimistic view of the situation, saying he believed "we are on our way to a win."

US officials have made similar statements during the course of the 16-year-old war, but the situation according to many US officials remains in a "stalemate."

According to a recent report by a US government watchdog, the Taliban had increased the amount of territory it has influence over or controls in Afghanistan in the past six months.

The figures are a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country, even as the United States has committed more troops.
Supermodel Candice Swanepoel poses as she arrives at Victoria's Secret fashion show viewing party at Spring Studios in New York. (Image: AP)
BEDFORD  Bedford County Domestic Violence Services is able to hire a part-time driver again to assist victims, thanks to fundraising by its nonprofit arm and community partner, the Domestic Violence Coalition.

The coalition was created in 2004 specifically to raise funds for and support Bedford County Domestic Violence Services.

Heather Jones, director of Bedford County Domestic Violence Services since August 2015, said the program offers non-judgmental advocacy support and care.

From July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, the agency fielded 2,223 calls to its hotline, including 1,707 calls related to family violence, 14 calls relating to sexual assaults and 510 calls where it referred callers to another agency or provided information, Jones said. Its safety and crisis shelter housed 77 people during that time, including 37 women and 40 children, Jones said.

The program also offered 844 hours of counseling and support services and assisted 138 people who visited the office. Program staff also accompanied 87 people to court proceedings.

Jones said she currently is seeking to hire a driver part time to provide transportation to assist victims with needs such as getting to and from doctors appointments and taking or picking up children from day care.

The Domestic Violence Coalition received a $5,000 grant from the Bedford Community Health Foundation this month, giving Bedford County Domestic Violence Services enough funding to hire a part-time driver and free up county staff, who in the past gave rides to survivors.

The county program hired a part-time driver in 2016 but didnt have funding for a driver this year until the grant.

Domestic violence is a community health issue, the foundations executive director Denny Huff said, explaining why the foundation provided the funding. It impacts not only the victim but their children, co-workers, family and friends.

The coalition supplements what the county department offers and provides survivors assistance with needs such as security deposits for housing or furniture, said Al Brandt, chairman of the coalition who serves on the countys social services board.

Were constantly in touch with [county] staff, Brandt said.

Educating the general public about domestic violence helps survivors know what services are available, Brandt said.

There are people who are victims who dont know theyre victims, Brandt said.

The Bedford County Domestic Violence Services program is under the countys social services department. Andy Crawford, the countys director of social services, said the program is there to support people in their journey.

Jones said Bedford County Domestic Violence Services also has been working to expand prevention, outreach and long-term care for survivors once they leave the shelter.

Its more complicated than a woman running and hiding, Jones said. These people have kids with the abuser, their finances are intertwined and violence is intergenerational.

Bedford County allocates about $369,131 annually to the program, which includes funding to match state grants, Jones said in an email. The grants this year from the Virginia Department of Social Services and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services total $393,978.

The program also receives smaller grants from the coalition, churches, civic organizations and private industries, Jones said in an email.


Mr Mphoko, a member of the G40 cabal targeted by the ZDFs Operation Restore Legacy, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the army stepped in.

He did not return to Zimbabwe but instead, flew to Botswana where he has been a guest of the government there.



Highly placed sources said the Botswana government had given him up to December 1 to leave their country and return to Zimbabwe, but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes.



Mr Mphoko has been living in a State residence in Gaborone, but will now return home after reaching out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and getting the necessary assurances that he was free to come back home.



Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba said Mr Mphoko had spoken to President Mnangagwa by telephone and asked to return.



Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation, he said.



Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon. Apart from his role in the previous Government, Mr Mphoko was also into business and is a director of Choppies Zimbabwe  a supermarket chain with branches in most cities and towns in the country.

The company also has vast interests in Botswana.

Mr Mphoko was among members of the G40 group who were expelled from the ruling zanu-pf party for engaging in activities meant to destabilise the Government.



The party also recalled him from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary over allegations of being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the office and decorum of the Vice President.



He was recalled on the day the party also recalled former President Mugabe from the position of party First Secretary and President and replaced him with President Mnangagwa, whom the ruling party also reinstated as a Central Committee member. On Monday, former Cabinet minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said after his appointment in 2015, Mr Mphoko alienated his old war- time friends and surrounded himself with dubious characters who misled him into engaging in factional politics.



Rtd Col Dube, the former War Veterans Minister, said Mr Mphoko, once a personal friend of his, ignored all advice and warnings against aligning himself with the wrong people.

President Mnangagwa was sworn in as State President last Friday following the resignation of Cde Mugabe on Tuesday. chronicle Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko is free to return to Zimbabwe from Botswana where he has been holed up since the Zimbabwe Defence Forces launched an operation to remove criminal elements around former President Cde Robert Mugabe, an official has said.Mr Mphoko, a member of the G40 cabal targeted by the ZDFs Operation Restore Legacy, left Zimbabwe on an official visit to Japan on November 14, a day before the army stepped in.He did not return to Zimbabwe but instead, flew to Botswana where he has been a guest of the government there.Highly placed sources said the Botswana government had given him up to December 1 to leave their country and return to Zimbabwe, but the former VP had been reluctant to do so fearing arrest for corruption-related crimes.Mr Mphoko has been living in a State residence in Gaborone, but will now return home after reaching out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and getting the necessary assurances that he was free to come back home.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba said Mr Mphoko had spoken to President Mnangagwa by telephone and asked to return.Former Vice President Mphoko spoke to the President and was assured that he is free to return to Zimbabwe and contribute to the rebuilding of the nation, he said.Like any other Zimbabwean, he is free to come home and assist in growing the economy and the country. Hopefully, he will be making his way home soon. Apart from his role in the previous Government, Mr Mphoko was also into business and is a director of Choppies Zimbabwe  a supermarket chain with branches in most cities and towns in the country.The company also has vast interests in Botswana.Mr Mphoko was among members of the G40 group who were expelled from the ruling zanu-pf party for engaging in activities meant to destabilise the Government.The party also recalled him from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary over allegations of being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the office and decorum of the Vice President.He was recalled on the day the party also recalled former President Mugabe from the position of party First Secretary and President and replaced him with President Mnangagwa, whom the ruling party also reinstated as a Central Committee member. On Monday, former Cabinet minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said after his appointment in 2015, Mr Mphoko alienated his old war- time friends and surrounded himself with dubious characters who misled him into engaging in factional politics.Rtd Col Dube, the former War Veterans Minister, said Mr Mphoko, once a personal friend of his, ignored all advice and warnings against aligning himself with the wrong people.President Mnangagwa was sworn in as State President last Friday following the resignation of Cde Mugabe on Tuesday. chronicle
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An unusual fight over a doctor's license to practice medicine is unfolding in New Hampshire. As NHPR explains, Dr. Anna Konopka keeps track of her patients in New London the old-school way, with handwritten files instead of computers. One problem? That puts Konopka in violation of a state law requiring doctors who prescribe opioids to use an online database designed to curb abuse. The computer issue isn't the only one at play: The AP reports that five complaints had been registered against Konopka in recent years over her medical decisions, and she voluntarily surrendered her license in September. But she now claims she did so under duress and is fighting to get the license back. Konopka says her patients are mostly poor, rural residents who can't afford care elsewhere and aren't bothered by the lack of computers.

"Electronic medicine is for the system, not for the patients," the doctor, a native of Poland, tells CNN. "The system is destroying human relations between the doctor and the patient." A judge who ruled against her on Nov. 15 praised Konopka's "sincere desire to continue to help her patients," but said she hadn't shown that she deserved to get her license back. Konopka is now asking the same judge to reconsider, and she has about 30 patients providing testimonials in support. A ruling could come Wednesday. "I'm not upset about anything," says Konopka. "The legal system is a game. You move. They move. It's full of tricks and different movements." (Read more doctor stories.)
Police in Florida may have just caught an enormous break in the hunt for a serial killer in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. A McDonald's employee is currently being questioned, and while cops stressed that no arrests have been made, they also sounded hopeful that they were close to catching the killer who has fatally shot four people over the last two months. Im optimistic about this one," said Tampa police chief Brian Dugan, per WFTV. But, he added, We have to be very careful what we release because this person might be completely innocent. The development began when an unidentified employee of a McDonald's in Ybor City handed a manager a loaded handgun and asked him to hold it while the employee went out to get a payday loan, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

The manager talked the situation over with another employee, then decided to inform a police officer who just happened to be in the restaurant doing paperwork. The officer called for backup, and police were waiting for the employee when he returned. They took him in for questioning, and soon enough, the police chief called a news conference to talk about the possible break in the case. Police blocked off the employee's red Mustang in the restaurant's parking lot, and the Tampa Bay Times reports that two people have been issued tickets in regard to the car: Howell E. Donaldson, 52, and Howell Emanuel Donaldson III, 24. Another McDonald's employee said the person taken in for questioning was in his 20s and had been driving his father's car. One sign of how the killings have shaken the neighborhood: a push to light up the night with Christmas lights, per Fox 13. (Read more Florida stories.)
Yeti sightings have been reported in the Himalayas for centuries, with onlookers describing a man-like creature that some say is similar to a bear. In a sense, they got one thing right. DNA from purported yeti samples collected in Nepal and Tibet reveal the mysterious beasts and bears are likely one and the same. Nine samples of bone, tooth, skin, hair, and feces assembled by British company Icon Films, which shot an Animal Planet special on the topic, were analyzed by scientists. All but one was found to belong to Tibetan brown bears, Himalayan brown bears, and Asian black bears native to the region, report Science and the Guardian. One tooth sample, taken from a stuffed "yeti" with the hair of a bear, belonged to a dog, researchers explain in a release.

"Perhaps slightly disappointing to the film company ... our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the Yeti legend can be found in local bears," study co-author Charlotte Lindqvist of the University of Buffalo says, per the Guardian and CBC. But "the legend and the myth will live on," she adds. "You can never for sure prove that there is nothing out there." Still, Lindqvist's studywhich also determined the Himalayan brown bear and the Tibetan brown bear have distinct DNA, likely the result of a separation caused in part by glaciers some 650,000 years agoisn't the first to link yetis and bears. Daniel Taylor of Future Generations University tells CBC he was able to duplicate purported yeti footprints using the paw of a tranquilized Asiatic black bear. (The research adds to this work.)
A Libyan militant was convicted Tuesday of terrorism charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans. But a federal jury found him not guilty of murder, the most serious charge associated with the rampage he was accused of orchestrating. The attack became instant political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republicans accusing the Obama administration of intentionally misleading the public. But the seven-week trial in Washington of Ahmed Abu Khattala, who was captured in 2014, was largely free of political intrigue, the AP reports. Jurors convicted Khattala on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the US compound, but acquitted him on 14 others.

Even with the mixed verdict, Khattala, 46, still faces the possibility of life imprisonment for his conviction on a federal firearms charge. Prosecutors accused Khattala of directing the attack aimed at killing personnel and plundering documents and other property from the US mission. But defense attorneys said their evidence against him was shoddy. Prosecutors acknowledged they lacked evidence to show Khattala personally fired any gunshots, but argued he orchestrated the violence out of his hatred for US freedoms and his suspicion that Americans were operating a spy base. Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the first attack at the US mission, along with Sean Patrick Smith, a State Department employee. Hours later at a CIA complex nearby, security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty died in a mortar attack.

(Read more Ahmed Abu Khattalah stories.)
Leigh Corfman says she isn't a 14-year-old girl anymoreand she's not going to take any more abuse from Roy Moore. In an open letter released to AL.com, Corfman, who accuses Moore of undressing her and making sexual advances when she was a young teen, blasts Moore for comments he made at a campaign rally Monday. She demands that the Senate candidate, who called the allegations against him from several women "malicious," stop calling her a liar and attacking her character. "As a 14-year old, I did not deserve to have you, a 32-year old, prey on me," she writes. "I sat quietly for too long, out of concern for my family. No more." She says she isn't getting paid for speaking up nor being rewarded by Moore's political opponents.

"What you did to me when I was 14 years old should be revolting to every person of good morals," Corfman writes. "But now you are attacking my honesty and integrity. Where does your immorality end?" She adds: "I am telling the truth, and you should have the decency to admit it and apologize." Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, meanwhile, says he plans to travel to Alabama to campaign with Moore. "I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate and send shockwaves to the political and media elites," Bannon tells CNN. (A conservative group's apparent attempt to discredit the Washington Post and Moore's accusers backfired big-time.)
The girlfriend of a black Minnesota man shot and killed by a police officer last year is set to receive $800,000 in settlements over his death, the New York Daily News reports. Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car with 32-year-old Philando Castile on July 6, 2016, and Reynolds filmed and posted online the aftermath of the traffic stop in which Castile was shot by Officer Jeronimo Yanez. Reynolds and her daughter weren't injured, but Reynolds claims they both suffered emotional distress from witnessing Castile's shooting and from what Reynolds says was her false arrest afterward.

She'll receive $675,000 from the city of St. Anthony, as well as an additional $125,000 from the city of Roseville and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. A St. Anthony press release says some of the funds would be placed in a trust for Reynolds' daughter's education. The New York Times notes the settlements must still be approved by a judge. "While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer, I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward," Reynolds said in a statement. (Castile's mom also received a settlement.)
"Tonight, in the battle between darkness and light, light has won," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said Tuesday night after a man was arrested in connection with suspected serial killings in the city's Seminole Heights neighborhood. Police say 24-year-old McDonald's worker Howell Emanuel Donaldson III will be charged with first-degree murder in the killings of Benjamin Mitchell, 22; Monica Hoffa, 32; Anthony Naiboa, 20; and Ronald Felton, 60, WTSP reports. The victims, apparently chosen at random, were shot to death, with the first killing on Oct. 9 and the most recent on Nov. 14.

Police Chief Brian Dugan announced the arrest at police headquarters Tuesday night, though he didn't say whether Donaldson had confessed, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The chief said that after 51 days of terror, Seminole Heights residents can now get a good night's sleep. The mayor added: "Tonight is the beginning of when justice will be served. And then the process will occur when this individual rots in hell." Donaldson was taken into custody Tuesday after allegedly handing his manager at work a loaded handgun and asking him to hold it while he went for a payday loan. The manager then spoke to a police officer who was already in the restaurant. (Read more Florida stories.)
Croatian state TV has reported that war criminal Slobodan Praljak, who stunned a UN war crimes tribunal Wednesday by drinking what he claimed was poison during proceedings, has died, per the AP. The BBC and Guardian had earlier reported that the 72-year-old Bosnian Croatan ex-military commander convicted four years ago of persecuting and killing Muslims during the Bosnian war in the mid-'90sdisrupted his appeals hearing after he heard his 20-year sentence in prison would be upheld. "I am not a war criminal," he reportedly yelled upon hearing the news, just after he got up from his seat and appeared to drink something from a tiny glass or bottle. His attorney then cried out: "My client says he has taken poison."

The BBC reports a "state of confusion" in the courtroom followed, as the judge immediately halted proceedings and medical help was called for; the AP notes cops, emergency services personnel, and what looked to be firefighters with oxygen tanks were all on the scene. The New York Times cites an anonymous tribunal official who said Praljak's body was taken off court premises after he was pronounced dead; Croatian state TV said he died at a hospital in the Hague, per un-IDed sources said to be close to Praljak. The UN tribunal is the same one that last week sentenced Ratko Mladic to life in prison for his own atrocities during the war. Praljak, one of six former Bosnian politicians or military bigwigs set to hear their appeal verdicts Wednesday, was accused of crimes that included destroying a centuries-old Ottoman bridge in Mostar, per the Independent. (Mladic had vowed to kill himself; here's why he didn't.)
More details have been released surrounding a South Dakota state representative's death in a kayaking accident off the South Pacific island of Rarotonga. Rep. Craig Tieszen, 68, and his brother-in-law, 61-year-old Brent Moline, borrowed hotel kayaks last Wednesday and paddled out around 9am into what is described as having been a tranquil lagoon. But as a Facebook post from Cook Islands Police explains, they became "caught in the current and they were dragged to where the waves were breaking." Police say they were accompanied by a younger male who tried to rescue them and then returned to the hotel to get help. Police were alerted just before 11am. One man "was retrieved from on the reef," the other, "from over the reef."

A Cook Islands Police rep tells the Argus Leader that no life jackets were recovered, but that lagoon kayakers often don't use them because the water is so calm. He said rough waves stripped the men of their clothing. Both were pronounced dead just before 1pm. The Rapid City Journal cites an interview with the president of Cook Islands Water Safety, who said the channel that links the Muri Lagoon to the ocean features signs warning of strong currents. The Black Hills Pioneer reports the men were in the Cook Islands to attend Tieszen's daughter's wedding, which was scheduled for that day. The Journal adds that something similar reportedly happened two years ago, when a 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman died after one fell in and the other attempted a rescue.

(Read more Cook Islands stories.)
The State Department cautions US travelers to understand foreign lawsa warning that a San Diego couple apparently failed to heed before arriving in Thailand, where a "butt selfie" has landed the pair in an immigration detention center. Thai authorities tell the BBC that a photo posted to Instagram and Twitter showed Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, posing at Bangkok's Wat Arun temple with their bums bared, in violation of laws demanding respect of the Buddhist religion. The men were put on a watch list after the photo was spotted by authorities, according to a rep for Thai immigration police. They were then detained Tuesday as they tried to leave the country from Bangkok's Don Mueang airport. The rep says the men will be charged with public nudity, which carries a fine of up to $153 each.

"Thai immigration police will revoke their visas and push for deportation. They will also be blacklisted from coming back to Thailand," the rep says. However, other government and police sources tell the BBC that the men could also face more serious charges. A city commissioner in San Diego says the pair are in contact, adding, "I am talking to US government officials to see what assistance we can give them," per the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. The couple operated Instagram account "traveling_butts," which had 14,000 followers before it was deleted Wednesday, per Reuters. It has since resurfaced. "It was worth the arrest!!!" reads a comment on one of two butt-baring photos from Bangkok. "Always know the place you visit," reads another. "This is totally disrespectful!" (Read more Thailand stories.)
British politicians, including the prime minister, are criticizing President Trump's decision to tweet anti-Muslim videos from the far-right Britain First nationalist group Wednesday, the Telegraph reports. "It is wrong for the president to have done this," a spokesperson for Theresa May says. The spokesperson accuses Britain First of using "hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calls Trump's tweets "abhorrent, dangerous, and a threat to our society." And the New York Times quotes a Labour Party member of Parliament who accuses Trump of "promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group." A number of British politicians are calling on May to cancel Trump's state visit.

The Washington Post looks into the history of the three unverified videos, which purport to show Muslims committing acts of violence against non-Muslims, tweeted by Trump. Two of the videos are at least four years old, none of the subjects have been proven to be Muslim, and the religion of the victims is undetermined. But Sarah Huckabee Sanders says that doesn't necessarily matter. Whether its a real video, the threat is real and that is what the president is talking about," ABC News quotes the White House press secretary as saying. She says Trump's tweets were actually making a point about military spending and national security. (Read more Islamophobia stories.)
Garrison Keillor, the former host of A Prairie Home Companion, says he's been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior. Keillor told the AP of his firing in an email; MPR describes it as "terminating its contracts with Garrison Keillor and his private media companies." In a follow-up statement, Keillor says he was fired over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard." He didn't give details of the allegation. MPR says it last month received a single allegation of "inappropriate behavior" dated to when Keillor was responsible for the production of A Prairie Home Companion; it doesn't know of any other similar allegations and says an outside law firm is conducting an investigation.

Keillor retired last year from his longtime radio show. MPR says it will no longer rebroadcast old episodes and will rename what is currently A Prairie Home Companion hosted by Chris Thile. The news comes a day after Keillor penned a column for the Washington Post on what he saw as the absurdity of the suggestion that Al Franken should resign over the misconduct allegations against him. A key passage: "On the flight home, in a spirit of low comedy, Al ogled Miss Tweeden and pretended to grab her and a picture was taken. Eleven years later, a talk show host in LA, she goes public, and there is talk of resignation. This is pure absurdity, and the atrocity it leads to is a code of public deadliness. No kidding." (Read more Garrison Keillor stories.)
Garrison Keillor is explaining his side of the story after Minnesota Public Radio severed ties with him. In an email to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the former host of A Prairie Home Companion says the incident in question was a case of accidental contact:

"I put my hand on a woman's bare back," he writes. "I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called."

Keillor went on to say that he was "the least physically affectionate person in the building" and suggested that he had himself been the recipient of inappropriate behavior over the years. "If I had a dollar for every woman who asked to take a selfie with me and who slipped an arm around me and let it drift down below the beltline, Id have at least a hundred dollars," he writes, calling the allegations against him "poetic irony of a high order." He added, however, that "I had a good long run and am grateful for it and for everything else. Meanwhile, a 1994 quote from Keillor is making the rounds, as noted by a post at Hot Air: "A world in which there is no sexual harassment at all is a world in which there will not be any flirtation," he said during a speech. (Read more Garrison Keillor stories.)
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Morbi:

Attacking Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

Resuming his campaign for the assembly polls in his home state, Modi also accused the Congress of taking credit and political mileage over minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought major projects like the Narmada project for the benefit of the people.

"Those who have looted the country can only think of dacoits," he said addressing a rally at Morbi in Saurashtra, which votes in the first phase of state Assembly elections on December 9.

Gandhi had earlier dubbed the Goods and Services Tax 'Gabbar Singh Tax', recalling the iconic villain in the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

Attacking the opposition party, Modi said, "The Congress' development model was giving hand-pumps. For BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines."

For Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For BJP, it is SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters: PM Modi in Morbi #GujaratElections2017 pic.twitter.com/jmeqFmTByL  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Also Read| Gujarat elections 2017: BJP, Congress to meet in Delhi to finalise candidates today

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in Gujarat into high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

The elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will be on December 18.
Itanagar:

Students of a girls school in Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly forced to undress by three teachers as a punishment for writing vulgar words against the head teacher.

Eighty-eight students of class VI and VII of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Tani Happa (New Sagalee) in Papum Pare district were subjected to the humiliating treatment on November 23, police said.

The matter, however, came to light on November 27 after the victims approached the All Sagalee Students Union (ASSU), who then filed an FIR with the local police.

According to the complaint, two assistant teachers and a junior teacher forced 88 students to undress before other students following the recovery of a piece of paper containing vulgar words about the head teacher and a girl student.

Papum Pare Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo on Wednesday confirmed the filing of the FIR by ASSU. He said the case has been forwarded to the women police station in Itanagar.

ALSO READ: Maharashtra CM, political parties hail Kopardi gangrape verdict

"The officer in-charge of the (women) police station said the victims and their parents along with the teachers will be interrogated before registering a case," Amo said.

A team of All Papum Pare District Students Union (APPDSU) had met the students and teachers on Tuesday, and found that an unidentified student had used vulgar words in a piece of paper mentioning the name of the head teacher and a girl student, a release by APPDSU said.

The teachers demanded an explanation from all the 88 students of classes VI and VII, who were later made to undress before the other students as punishment, it said.

"The school authorities did not speak to the parents of the students before punishing them," APPDSU president Nabam Tado said.

The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has condemned the incident and said such "heinous act" by the teachers might affect the students.

"Tempering with a childs dignity is against the law as well as the constitution," it said in a statement.

"To discipline a student is an attitude, character, responsibility and commitment of a teacher. Undressing a student is definitely not a corrective measure...Imposing such punishment is total violation of child rights, and more likely it may accelerate the risk of child abuse," the party added.

ALSO READ | Maharashtra: Army jawan rapes minor; school expels her saying aimage will be tarnished'
Mumbai:

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi is on her way to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, where she would be honored at The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The 67-year-old actor took to twitter to express her gratitude.

"Off to Kuala Lumpur for The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where I'm being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored," Azmi tweeted.

Off to Kuala Lumpur 4The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave where Im being felicitated by Prime Minister of Malaysia. Honored Y  Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) November 28, 2017

Also Read| Urdu not the language of any particular section: Shabana Azmi

The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave ends on Thursday.

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New Delhi:

Director Shoojit Sircar on Wednesday wrapped up the shooting of his film 'October', a Delhi-set slice-of-life love story, starring Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu in the lead role.

The film's team finished the last day of the shoot in Manali and Sircar says they will celebrate it with a small party.

"Yes, there is a party. It is really cold in Manali and we have have an early morning flight to catch. We are happy and relieved that we have finished the shoot before time," Sircar was quoted while interacting with PTI over phone.

The director, best known for his films such as 'Vicky Donor', 'Piku' and 'Pink', says 'October' will explore a different side of Delhi.

"I find a lot of character in Delhi. I am familiar with the city and the people. It is always very comforting to return to Delhi. I will explore the romantic side of the city this time."

The director has teamed up with Varun for the first time and is all praise for the actor.

Also Read: Varun Dhawan issues apology after Mumbai Police challans him for taking selfie with fan on street

"I think he is very bright. He is trying to open up to different genres. Actors should keep exploring different genres, stories and directors. At the end of the day, you have to challenge yourself."

He decided to cast Banita after directing her in one of his commercials.

"It just so happened that the ad turned out to be really good and we found the character that we were looking for in her."

Sircar's producing partner Ronnie Lahiri said they would release the film on April 13 next year via their company Rising Sun Films.

"There is not much gap between shooting and the release as we did not want to delay the release as we have a good film in our hands and there is no point in waiting."

Lahiri said they finished the shoot in just 38 days and ahead of schedule.

Also Read: Alia, Varun, Sidharth celebrate five years of SOTY with KJo's little twin Yash and Roohi (see pics)

"We loved collaborating with Varun. It was a great atmosphere on the sets. It was never pack and to my room for

Varun. He would usually hang out with the crew."
New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the latter has belittled his position by attending an event of Ivanka Trump, daughter of US president Donald Trump, despite Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao was present at Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017 in Hyderabad.

While talking to ANI, Sharma said the prime minister should ask people of Gujarat for ratings instead citing certificates from outsiders and dubious foreign rating agencies.

On Tuesday, the prime minister and Ivanka Trump, along with 100 special guests, had attended a special dinner at the Falaknuma Palace, in the Old City.

Prime Minister has belittled the position of PM by attending an event of #IvankaTrump, Telangana CM was already there.

Why does PM need a certificate from outsiders and dubious foreign rating agencies? He should ask people of Gujarat for the certificate: Anand Sharma,Congress pic.twitter.com/LLPuSRmesO a ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

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New Delhi:

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday admitted that he is a abig supportera of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and both the terror outfits like him equally.

He candidly admitted that he is a big admirer of the militants, and said:A aI am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me and JuD also likes me.a

While talking to Pakistan's ARY news channel, the former Pakistan president asserted that he likes Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and met him in the past.

Musharraf said he was always in favour of action in Kashmir and wanted to suppress Indian Army in the Valley. He dubbed LeT as the biggest force in Kashmir, saying although India and US declared it a terrorist outfit.

I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me & JuD also likes me: Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan's ARY News, also said 'yes' on being asked if he likes Hafiz Saeed, added that, 'I have met him (Hafiz Saeed)' pic.twitter.com/txxT58oPoU a ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

aI was always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir and they are the biggest force (LeT),a he said.

Was always in favor of action in Kashmir & of suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir & they are the biggest force (LeT), India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with US. Yes they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir & in Kashmir it is b/w we & India: Musharraf to ARY News pic.twitter.com/b1fOAyreKl a ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

The military ruler said Kashmir is the bone of contention between India and Pakistan. A

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New Delhi:

Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor to the White House, on Wednesday said having equal gender representation is a financial positive to businesses today besides being a social responsibility.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Trump, inaugurated the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES-2017) in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

The Global Entrepreneurship Summit is being hosted by NITI Aayog in partnership with the US government. The second session of GES-2017 aims to boost female participation in the workforce.

Here are the Live updates:

# Biases that exist in society have to be addressed, and men need to be a part of that conversation. Business outcomes are great when you have diverse thinking: Karen Quintos, CCO Dell

# There is no other country in the world other than India where 40% of the banking sector is headed by women: Chanda Kochhar, ICICI Bank MD and CEO

# Women need the 3Cs- Confidence, Capabilities and access to Capital. Also, men must understand that women are their equals: Cherie Blair

# One thing I'd like to throw out there is that these aren't women's issues, we are half the population so we need to start thinking about them as critical issues: Ivanka Trump

# Technology offers tremendous opportunity to women & women entrepreneurs: Ivanka Trump

Also Read: Ivanka Trump praises Modi, says Indian PM epitomises transformational change

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all security personnel engaged in countering internal and external threats to delete at least 40 Apps run by Chinese companies from their mobile phones.

The advisory given to the Indian Armed Force and Central Armed Police Personnel (CAPF) warns of a possible cyber attack through mobile Apps.

This website is in possession of the directive issued by the intelligence agencies.

The MHA issued the official communique on November 24 after the Intelligence Directorate General (DTE GEN) raised concern over the usage of Chinese Apps. The intelligence agencies have alerted MHA usage of Chinese Applications can lead to data breach.

The directive reads, As per reliable inputs a number of Android and IOS Apps developed by Chinese developers or having Chinese links are reportedly either spyware or other malicious ware.

The MHA directive further reads, The use of these Apps by our force personnel can be detrimental to data security having implications on the force and national security.

The official communique further states, All officers and men under your command may be advised not to use these Apps either in office or on on personal mobile phones.

Also read| Jammu and Kashmir: Two militants arrested from Kulgam district



The MHA has also asked the FMNS to uninstall the Apps if being used and format the mobile phones.

Here are the lists of Chinese Apps considered to be a national threat

# WEIBO

# WECHAT

# SHAREIT

# TRUECALLER

# UC NEWS

# UC Browser

# BEAUTYPLUS

# NEWSDOG

# VIVA VIDEO -QU VIDEO INC

# PARALLEL SPACE

# APUS BWROWSER

# PERFECT CORP

# VIRUS CLEANER - HI SECURITY LAB

# CM BROWSER

# MI COMMUNITY

# DU RECORDER

# VAULT HIDE- NQ MOBILE SECURITY

# YOUCAM MAKEUP

# MI STORE

# CACHECLEANER DU APPS STUDIO

# DU BATTERY SAVER

# DU CLEANER

# DU PRIVACY

# 360 SECURITY

# DU BROWSER

# CLEAN MASTER - CHEETAH MOBILE

# BAIDU TRANSLATE

# BAIDU MAP

# WONDER CAMP - BAIDU INC

# ES FILE EXPLORER

# PHOTO WONDER

# QQ INTERNATIONAL

# QQ MUSIC

# QQ MAIL

# QQ PLAYER

# QQ NEWSFEED

# WESYNC

# QQ SECURITY CENTRE

Also read: First desi dog Mudhol to join Indian Army ranks, canine to serve in Jammu and Kashmir



# SELFIE CITY

# MAIL MASTER

# MI VIDEO CALL - XIAOMI

# QQ LAUNCHER

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Ranchi:

A senior Maoist leader and a strategist Enul Khan alias Govindji, who was wanted for killing at least two dozen security personnel in the red zone area of Jharkhand and Bihar, surrendered before the Jharkhand State Police on Wednesday.

Govindji, 52, had joined the banned left wing organisation as a regular cadre in 2005. Considering his strategy making capabilities, senior leaders of the banned left wing outfit rose his ranks to area commander. He was also member of the political wing of the CPI-Maoist.

He was wanted by Jharkhand and Bihar Police for carrying out attacks on joint security forces. He carried Rs 10 lakh award on his head, said Indrajeet Mahatha, superintendent of police (SP) Latehar.

The SP added that Govindji in 2013 led a troop of Maoist cadres which had triggered a landmine blast killing eight security personnel including a sub-inspector rank officer in Bihars Gaya district.

Mahatha further told newsnation.in that he was also part of the Maoist team which ambushed joint security forces in Palamu in 2016. Six CRPF troopers were killed and several others were injured in the attack.

Another senior police officer of Jharkhand Police said, He was directly or indirectly involved in all major attacks in Bihars Gaya and Aurangabad district and Jharkhands Palamau district.

The Jharkhand and Bihar Police officials believe his surrender is a major setback for the banned outfit.

Govindji was a member of the political wing of the banned organisation. He was a good orator, indoctrinator and strategist. He had planned and carried out several attacks against the government and security forces, added Mahatha.

Another senior officer not willing to be quoted said, Govindji in the last 15 years has indoctrinated more than 100 innocent youths into the banned organisation.

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New Delhi :

A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, who was issued a "warning" letter for allegedly taking part in a protest against the university norms, denied the allegation today and claimed that he was out-of-station on the day of the protest.

The chief proctor of the university had issued the "warning" letter to Om Prasad, a student of the School of Social Sciences, on November 15, for taking part in a protest in front of the administration building on March 16.

"This act of Prasad is unbecoming of a student of JNU. Om Prasad is hereby warned and advised to be careful in the future. He must refrain himself from getting involved in such activities," the letter read, adding that strict disciplinary action would be taken if the norms were violated again.

Chief Proctor Kaushal Kumar did not respond to phone calls. However, Prasad showed a copy of a flight ticket and claimed that he had boarded a Hyderabad-bound SpiceJet flight from Delhi at 6 am on March 16.

To back his claim, he also showed two taxi receipts -- one from JNU to the Delhi airport and another in Hyderabad.

"On March 16, I took a SpiceJet flight at 6 am from Delhi to Hyderabad. Even earlier, I was called for an inquiry regarding this matter, but the proctor kept insisting that there was CCTV as well as video footage taken by the guards," he said.

"This is a clear case of falsely accusing students and punishing them in a completely arbitrary manner. I have enough evidence to prove my absence from the campus on that day, but what about those students, who were on the campus but did not take part in the protest?," Prasad asked.

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Bengaluru:

A seven-year-old girl in Karnataka died after she set herself ablaze in an attempt to imitate a fire-dance scene from a popular Kannada teleserial. The incident took place at Harihara in Davanagere district on November 11 and she succumbed to her burn injuries the next day.

The incident came to light on Wednesday after the minors parents lodged a complaint with the Harihara police station. The victim has been identified as Prarthana, a class II student of a private school in Davanagere.

According to the girls mother Chaitra, Prarthana used to watch two tele-serials, including a horror-thriller. In one of the serials, the lead character performed fire dance. She was influenced by the dance and immitated it when on one was at home.

Police said the victim, in an attempt to imitate the scene reportedly burnt a few papers and threw them around without realising that it will engulf her too.

On learning about the incident Kannada teleserial artists have expressed their condolence to the family.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other political leaders today hailed the court verdict in the case of gangrape and killing of a 15-year-old girl in Ahmednagar in which the three accused were awarded death sentence.

A sessions court today awarded death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde (25), Santosh Gorakh Bhawal (30) and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume (23) for brutally raping and killing a 15- year-old girl in Kopardi village in 2016.

The incident had triggered protests across the state.

"Kopardi was an extremely unfortunate incident which resulted in massive reactions across the state," Fadnavis told reporters here.

The chief minister said the investigating agencies conducted a swift inquiry and arrested the accused immediately.

Lauding special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and the police officials involved in the case, he said exceptionally good work was done and the trial was completed in a record time.

He claimed the lawyers of the accused tried everything possible to prolong the case, but it proved futile.

Claiming that the court even fined the lawyers of the accused twice for delaying the trial, he said the perpetrators of the heinous crime were finally awarded capital punishment.

After the judgement, the victim's soul will find peace, the chief minister said, adding that people's faith in the judicial system would increase.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan also welcomed the decision of the fast track court.

He claimed that the case could be fast tracked as the previous Congress-NCP government had made suitable changes in law.

"It is the government's responsibility to ensure that higher courts uphold the death punishment of the accused," he said, adding that the government should fast track other cases of atrocities against women.

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said complete justice would be meted out only when higher courts uphold the judgement and the accused would be hanged.

He said this judgement would serve as a lesson to criminals and instill faith in law and order and judiciary.

Hailing the court's judgement, Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said cases involving crime against women should be handled in a sensitive manner by the police so that victims and their families do not undergo mental harassment.

She demanded that 'gram rakshak dal' be formed in all rural areas to help mitigate instances of such brutalities.

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New Delhi:

The Congress on Wednesday lambasted the BJP for raking up the issue of religious faith to question party vice president Rahul Gandhi's credentials as a caste Hindu.

The Congress party spokesman Randeep Surjewala presented a string of photos of Rahul Gandhi proclaiming he was a not only a practising Hindu but a twice born janeudhari Hindu at a hurriedly convened press conference in New Delhi Wednesday evening.

The Congress defence came close on the heels of high drama at Somnath temple Rahul visited in the morning. BJP claimed the Cong vice president signed the register kept at the sanctum sanctorum meant for non-Hindu visitors.

Congress claimed Rahul never signed on that register. Surjewala claimed it was a conspiracy to malign Rahul Gandhi on grounds of his religious faith. He said party media coordinator Manoj Tyagi who accompanied Rahul to the Somnath temple was made to sign on a blank register on the pretext of allowing party workers into the temple.

Do you think Rahul Gandhi will write his name with a suffix ji himself? It was all made up by the BJP, he said

Watch: In-Charge Communications @rssurjewala debunks the fabricated entry of Rahul Gandhi at the Somnath Temple register. #ShameOnYouBJP pic.twitter.com/mq2exKYwPc  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

ALSO READ | Gujarat Polls: PM Modi lashes out at Rahul Gandhi for visiting Somnath, says Nehru opposed temple's construction

Earlier BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya pitchforked the issue in public domain when he tweeted about the Somnath temple register row.

"If he isn't a Hindu by faith, let alone a practising one, then why has he been fooling people with these temple visits?" he asked.

It is alleged that Congress partys media coordinator Manoj Tyagi made the goof-up. While writing party MP Ahmed Patels name in the separate non-Hindu register, he also wrote down Gandhis name.

ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi launches Twitter tirade against Modi, asks where are 50 lakh houses you promised

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Beijing:

China on Wednesday expressed "grave concern" over North Koreas test of a missile capable of hitting anywhere in the United States and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.

North Korea "successfully" test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of hitting anywhere in the US. The missile, claimed to be the "most powerful" by North Korea, travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan within Japans economic exclusion zone.

"China expresses grave concern and opposition to the relevant launching activities and strongly urges it to observe the relevant resolution of the UNSC and stop action that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing while reacting to the launch of the ICBM by North Korea.

Geng said that North Korean leadership is well aware of Beijings position on Pyongyang continuing its nuclear programme.

"The UN Security Council resolution have clear stipulations on the use of the ballistic missile technology by Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, (DPRK) for launching activities," he added.

ALSO READ: North Korea test fires another ballistic missile, Trump says we will take care of it

Reacting to President Donald Trumps comments, over the missile test by Pyongyang, that the US "will take care of it" Geng said "at the same time we hope relevant parties act cautiously to work together for the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula region."

The figures tallied with estimates released by Japan and South Korea, CNN reported.

Wednesdays test by North Korea is seen as a setback to China, specially to President Xi Jinping, as it came close on the heels of the visit of his special envoy, Song Tao, to Pyongyang.

Though Songs visit was stated to be to brief the North Korean leadership about the decisions of the last months National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), he also reportedly carried a special message from Xi.

The visit by the special envoy came after the high- profile visit of Trump to Beijing, during which he pressed Xi to do more to curtail North Koreas nuclear programme.

But much to the surprise of Beijing, North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Un has not met Song. In an apparent retaliation, China, regarded as a close of ally of Pyongyang, has closed its key bridge which is a lifeline for North Koreas essential supplies.

The bridge is yet to be reopened.

Asked about the bridge, Geng said it was closed by North Korea for repairs and maintenance and not aware of its current status.

Asked whether China would increase sanctions against North Korea, Geng said "China always strictly, fruitfully and earnestly implement the UNSC resolutions on North Korea and we fulfilled our international obligations. We will continue to uphold stability and peace of the Korean Peninsula and work for the settlement of Korean Peninsulas nuclear issue," he said.

About Songs visit, Geng said it was aimed at briefing North Korea about the outcome of the CPCs 19th Congress. "The DPRK is very clear about Chinas position on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," he said.

ALSO READ: Donald Trump designates North Korea state sponsor of terrorism

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Washington:

North Korea fired a ballistic missile today that splashed in the Sea of Japan, evoking angry reactions from the US with its Defence Secretary Jim Mattis expressing apprehension that the hermit state seems to be developing missiles that can reach "anywhere in the world".

After a lull of two months, Pyongyang has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong 15, which "went higher than any previous shot taken," as per Mattis.

The ICBM was believed to have harmlessly landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the latest missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. US and South Korea also reacted in similar fashion and asked for an emergency UNSC session, which, according to a media release, will be held on Wednesday around 4:30 pm EST.

"We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure," on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters.

The provocative action comes just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on North Korea and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

US President Donald Trump, who according to the White House, "was briefed, while missile was still in the air, on the situation in North Korea", exuded confidence that the situation would be handled.

"A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea. But let me tell you that we will take care of it. We have General Mattis in the room with us and we will have a long discussion on it. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters.

The US Department of Defence detected and tracked a North Korea missile launch on Wednesday at about 1:17 pm EDT. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon Spokesman Col Rob Manning said in a statement.

"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's EEZ," Manning said.

Trump said he wants the military to be funded now.

"Nothing changed.Nothing changed.We have a very serious approach, but nothing changed. We take it very seriously," he said in response to a question.

Mattis, also briefly spoke with the media.

"A little over 2.5 hours ago North Korea launched an ICBM. It went higher than any previous shot taken," he said.

"Their Research and Development effort... on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...In response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally," Mattis said.

"Bottom line is continued effort to build a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly the US," he told reporters.

In New York, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held on Wednesday around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Also Read: Donald Trump designates North Korea state sponsor of terrorism

Tillerson said the United States, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

Also Read: North Korea says Donald Trump deserves 'death penalty' for insulting Kim Jong-un

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Bangladesh, though has given refuge to the Rohingyas who have been facing ethnic cleansing at the hands of Myanmars army, have not been able to give hygienic living conditions.

The camps in which Rohingya refugees have been living are at the risk of catching and spreading diseases.

The open drains of Cox Bazars refugee camps are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other water-borne diseases which puts the health of the inhabitants in grave danger.

Most of the huts are surrounded by garbage and dirty water. The bamboo huts, toilets, and hand pumps are shared by all.

The biggest fear is that the children who spend most of their time wandering through the open drains and filthy mud have become the carriers of diseases.

The camps which house almost 600,000 Rohingya Muslims needs to be safeguarded against the outbreak of an epidemic, said aid agencies.

Pope Francis is scheduled for a three-day visit to Bangladesh starting from Thursday, November 30 where he will also meet members of the Rohingya Muslim refugee camps at Dhaka.

The question that arises is, will the Popes visit be enough to end the plight of the Rohingyas? Only time can say.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote to an Ulan Muqir troupe (Red Bud Troupe) that travels around northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.



Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote to an Ulan Muqir troupe (Red Bud Troupe) that travels around northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tuesday, calling on them to promote literary and artistic innovation and continue producing excellent works.

"In the new era, I hope you can carry forward the fine tradition of Ulan Muqir, put down roots, and serve the herdsmen," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said in the letter.

"I am pleased to see your growth and progress, and I understand your love for the cause, and your deep feelings for the Party and the people," Xi said.

There are 75 Ulan Muqir troupes that bring 7,000 performances to the prairies of Inner Mongolia each year.

Sixteen performers of the Sunite Right Banner Ulan Muqir troupe wrote to Xi recently, saying they were committed to the development of socialist literature and art.

Ulan Muqir is the Mongolian name for a traveling troupe that goes from one grazing site to another, performing for the herdsmen in some of China's most remote areas. Since it was formed in 1957, generations of performers have played for the herdsmen, putting down roots in the prairie.
North Korea launched what appears to be an intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday morning, reaching a higher altitude than previous tests and suggesting one of the longest ranges in the country's arsenal.

The missile took flight at around 3:17 a.m. from the vicinity of the city of Pyongsong, north of Pyongyang, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported, citing sources at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It flew for 53 minutes before landing roughly 250km off Japan's coast in the Sea of Japan, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters in Tokyo early Wednesday morning.

A preliminary analysis by the U.S. Department of Defense indicates the missile was likely an ICBM.

President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the U.S. "will take care of" the situation. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued a statement condemning the launch.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo that "the international community must band together and fully implement sanctions" on North Korea to apply "maximum pressure" regardless of any provocation.

The rocket traveled an estimated 960km from its point of origin and reached a maximum altitude of about 4,500km, according to Yonhap -- far higher than past North Korean launches. It appears to have been launched at a lofted trajectory, which sacrifices distance for height. When launched at a more typical angle, the missile could have a range of more than 10,000km, the news service said.

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NHK has learned that Yokozuna Grand Champion Harumafuji is to retire from sumo to take responsibility for assaulting a lower-ranked wrestler.

Sources say Harumafuji will inform the Japan Sumo Association of his decision to retire and hold a news conference on Wednesday.

The yokozuna is being investigated by police after he assaulted Takanoiwa at a lounge bar last month.

The association is also looking into the case and planned to decide on a punishment after its crisis management committee concludes its probe.

But sources say Harumafuji has decided to retire before the association takes action.

He has admitted assaulting Takanoiwa with his hands and a karaoke remote control because he lost his temper over the lower-ranked wrestler's attitude.

He issued an apology on November 14th and withdrew from the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

The Yokozuna Deliberation Council, an advisory body to the association, held a meeting after the tournament ended on Sunday.

Members of the council called for Harumafuji to be severely punished.
The latest edition of the Michelin guide for Tokyo is due out on Friday with 82 new restaurants, including five new two-star establishments and 23 entities garnering single stars, Michelin said on Tuesday.

All of the 12 three-star restaurants in Tokyo have retained their prestigious status, including the world-famous sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten, Azabu Yukimura (Kyoto cuisine) and Joel Robuchon (French fine dining).

Among the new restaurants awarded two stars are Chinese restaurant Sazenka, Hommage (French cuisine), and Den, which Michelin says "offers innovative cuisine."

The Michelin Guide Tokyo 2018 lists 12 restaurants at three stars, 56 at two stars and 166 at one star. The book also highlights 278 establishments in its "Bib Gourmand" section, which the editor says offer "quality food at affordable prices" of around 5,000 or less. This year 59 new entries were added to that list.

According to Michelin's definition, one-star restaurants offer high quality cooking worth a stop during travel; two-star eateries offer excellent cooking worth a detour; and three-star spots provide exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.

In terms of the sheer number of stars awarded (234), Tokyo is the top city among culinary destinations in 30 countries covered by Michelin, followed by Paris.
Rosa and her two young children are living in an emergency residential facility as they rebuild their lives after the trauma of domestic violence. But Rosa is struggling to provide for the family because she lacks resources and has no one to look after her 8-month-old son while she works.

She also lives with the daily challenges of caring for her older son, who has autism. The 6-year-old is active and very sweet, but is nonverbal and suffers from anxiety.

During the holiday season, The News-Times, in partnership with the United Way of Western Connecticut, will present cases like Rosas every Thursday. The six stories highlighted each week will outline how a local resident or family, whose names have been changed to protect their privacy, could be helped by receiving an estimated dollar amount.

For Rosa, a gift of $1,000 could help buy her older son a weighted vest and blanket, used to soothe him when his anxiety is highest, and a tablet with computer programs that have been succesful in opening up his ability to communicate.

More than $458,000 has been donated over the years through The Giving Fund, which is now in its seventh year.

As in previous years, the United Way of Western Connecticut will administer the fund at no charge, so 100 percent of the donations go to the cases. Donations are collected for each case until it is fully funded. Any donations received above the amount needed will benefit underfunded cases. If all are funded, then the money will be used for other United Way programs that assist ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families.

Click here to donate to The Giving Fund or mail a check to The Giving Fund, P.O. Box 722, Danbury, CT 06813.

This weeks six cases:

Julieta and Rafael  Case 206

Julieta and Rafael have been married for 18 years and have two young children. Rafael was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and his cancer treatment was successful, but in 2014 he experienced a recurrence. Julieta was forced to cut back her work hours to care for Rafael, whose medical condition has been deteriorating. Although she continues to work part-time, it is not enough to cover the familys basic living expenses and Rafaels medical expenses. A gift of $1,000 would help alleviate some of the familys financial stress by paying for rent and utilities.

Lisa and George  Case 207

Lisa and George have three young children. They have always worked hard, but the type of work they do has limited their income. George is a carpenter and Lisa is a certified nurses assistant, jobs in which work and pay depend on the demand. They are having difficulty meeting even the basic needs of their children, let alone the ability to give them an environment in which to grow and expand their possibilities. Their two sons, Brian and John, love martial arts. Lisa and George have struggled in order to provide them lessons, but they are no longer able to do that. A gift of $1,800 would pay for one months rent and utilities for the family, which would allow the parents to again provide their boys with a years worth of the Taekwondo lessons that they enjoy so much.

Mary  Case 208

Mary, a mother of two, has recently become divorced after leaving an abusive marriage. She fled her home with the clothing on her back and a few personal items. Mary was employed but lost her job due to the daily demands of caring for her oldest child, Emily, who has health problems and requires regular appointments and specialized medical treatments. While Marys family is supportive, they cannot provide monetary support. Mary would benefit from a gift of $1,800 to cover the cost of travel to meet with specialists for Emily, doctors bills and an enrichment activity for each child.

Sharon  Case 209

Sharon, a mom of three children, has been at the same job for over 10 years and works hard to give her children the best she can. Recently, she had a serious medical problem that required her to be in the hospital and she missed several weeks of work. Sharon also suffers from an autoimmune illness that requires a very expensive medication that is not covered on her current medical insurance. She lives paycheck to paycheck  often having to choose between her medication and food for her family. A gift of $1,200 would help pay for Sharons medication, groceries and winter clothing for the children.

Renee and Peter  Case 210

Renee and Peter are retired grandparents living on a fixed income and raising their 6-year-old grandson. An unfortunate family situation put the grandson in their care. Despite several health problems, including chronic pain for Renee, they try to provide their grandson with everything that he needs. But, their very limited monthly income can only provide for the absolute necessities. A gift of $700 would go a long way to help provide him with warm winter clothing and the family with groceries.

Rosa  Case 211

Rosas story.
HARTFORD  Its not the first time Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim lost in federal court.

While his 2003 conviction for public corruption sent him to federal prison, U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Sheas quick ruling from the bench on Wednesday means Ganims long-shot run to possibly win the 2018 governors race - and the millions of dollars in campaign funds - just got tougher.

Sitting impassively behind his legal team, Ganim listened to Sheas litany of reasons why he should not receive public financing that could total well over $7 million for the candidates who emerge from next years Democratic and Republican conventions, to qualify for the governors race.

Afterwards, Ganim said that he has not decided whether to appeal the judges decision. He expects to ponder the political future and decide in the new year whether to commit his political exploratory committee to the gubernatorial race. Ganim acknowledged that it will be tougher for his campaign to raise money.

Speaking outside the courthouse, on the sidewalk along Main Street, Ganim who lost his law license as part of his corruption conviction, said the case is apparently was one of first impression, which means it could be a national precedent if appealed.

I think the fact that the program has proven so successful, has allowed so many individuals to get in and become at some point if they are able to qualify, credible candidates, is a hurdle that if I am not allowed to be in - by the judges ruling I wont - sets a new standard and will put a different way that people continue to do in fundraising. And well continue to do that, Ganim said. I will tell you this though, my commitment, my inquiries, my exploration about Connecticuts future and who should lead it, both as a citizen who has made a comeback, and as mayor of the largest city, remains. At the end of the day money is a factor, a huge factor, but it wont be one that ends this campaign.

After a 90-minute hearing and a 15-minute recess, Shea, reading from pages that he apparently wrote before listening to both sides re-enforce their written arguments, ruled in favor of the states 2013 prohibition on convicted felons from access to the Citizens Election Program (CEP). Ganim had asked that it be overturned as unconstitutional; and for payment of his legal fees.

I agree with the defendant (the State Elections Enforcement Commission) and I therefore, deny plaintiffs (Gamin) request to a summary judgment, Shea said. The CEP itself imposes limits on participating candidates total expenditures, while non participating candidates, such as Mr. Ganim can spend unlimited amounts. As a non-participating candidate Mr. Ganim has more freedom to obtain contributions.

Lawyers for Ganim - re-elected mayor in 2015 following a federal prison sentence for public corruption - said that since he served his prison time and has again become a voter and public official, he should have full access to the public financing.

But Assistant Attorneys General Michael K. Skold and Maura Murphy Osborne, representing the State Elections Enforcement Commission, said the funding prohibition does not affect Ganims freedom of speech, or his ability to seek higher office.

He forfeited that right when he engaged in public corruption, Skold told the judge. The states can deprive felons of even fundamental rights.

It was that line of reasoning that Shea spent about 50 minutes questioning Ganims lead lawyer, Louis N. George, on the 2013 amendment to the states landmark public-financing law of 2005. The amendment was written following the arrest of Ernest E. Newton II, a former longtime state lawmaker from Bridgeport who served a federal prison sentence for corruption in office, was arrested again on campaign-finance felonies in 2012.

We believe the amendment violates Mr. Ganims rights under first amendment the 14th amendment, George said.

You have to acknowledge that the state could bar convicted felons from running for office, the judge said. Why isnt it true that states can prohibit them from public financing? Why isnt it reasonable, rational, whatever applies, for the legislature to conclude that someone convicted of a felony related to public office, on average, in the public, is viewed as more-likely to commit a crime?

The court hearing was attended by Michael J. Brandi, executive director and general counsel for the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

We are very pleased with Judge Sheas decision, Brandi said in a statement after the verdict. The Attorney Generals Office, working with our staff, did a fantastic job. We look forward to working with Mayor Ganim going forward on his candidacy for higher office.

Ganim was accompanied to the courthouse by City Attorney R. Christopher Meyer, Mayoral Aide Tom Gaudett, outgoing Councilman Anthony Paoletto and the mayors driver, Detective Ramon Garcia.

The Citizens Election Program, funded by unclaimed property in the state treasurers office such as the bank accounts of deceased depositors, was part of the states landmark 2005 campaign reforms that were approved following the 2003 conviction of Ganim and the 2004 guilty plea of John G. Rowland. The program took effect in 2010 for top-of-the-ticket races including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of the state, comptroller and treasurer.

Under the program, gubernatorial candidates raising $250,000 in small contributions of $100 or less, are eligible for up to $6.5 million for the general election, plus $1.25 million for a primary. The $100 maximum will rise to $250 for the 2018 campaigns for General Assembly and top-of-the-ticket races.

Ganim has been adhering to the spirit of the current law, accepting only contributions of $100 or less. The winners of all top-of-the-ticket races in 2010 and 2014, participated in the CEP.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 24, 2017 /CNW/ - As part of Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is organizing a conference on The future of linguistic duality: Our official languages, our identity. The goal of this flagship event, which will be held simultaneously in six cities and bring together some 300 participants across Canada, is to define a vision for the future of linguistic duality and to identify ways to make that vision a reality.

Date: Thursday, November 30, 2017



Time: 9 to 10 a.m. HNE  Registration and opening remarks 10 to 11:30 a.m. HNE  Opening remarks by Interim Commissioner of Official Languages Ghislaine Saikaley and panel discussion on various topics related to the conference's theme (media welcome) 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. HNE  Group discussion on the future of linguistic duality and closing remarks (in camera)



What: Conference  The Future of linguistic duality: Our official languages, our identity



Who: Ghislaine Saikaley, Interim Commissioner of Official Languages



Where: Rooms 206 and 208, Shaw Centre, 55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa

Information

Media representatives are invited to attend the first part of the event. To cover the conference in the other cities, please consult the program below:

Edmonton Winnipeg Montreal Toronto Moncton La Cite Francophone 8627 91 Street NW (rue Marie-Anne-Gaboury) Norwood Hotel 112 Marion Street Marriott Courtyard 380 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West Rooms: Jean Beliveau A, B, and C Ontario Investment and Trade Centre 250 Yonge Street, 35th Floor Rooms: Galleria, Seminar room and Multimedia boardroom Crowne Plaza 1005 Main Street Rooms: Acadian and York Media welcome 7:30 to 8 a.m. Registration and opening remarks 8 to 9 a.m. Registration and opening remarks 9 to 10 a.m. Registration and opening remarks 9 to 10 a.m. Registration and opening remarks 9:30 to 11 a.m. Registration and opening remarks 8 to 9:30 a.m. Opening remarks from the Interim Commissioner of Official Languages and panel discussion (live pan-Canadian webcast) 9 to 10:30 a.m. Opening remarks from the Interim Commissioner of Official Languages and panel discussion (live pan-Canadian webcast) 10 to 11:30 a.m. Opening remarks from the Interim Commissioner of Official Languages and panel discussion (live pan-Canadian webcast) 10 to 11:30 a.m. Opening remarks from the Interim Commissioner of Official Languages and panel discussion (live pan-Canadian webcast) 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Opening remarks from the Interim Commissioner of Official Languages and panel discussion (live pan-Canadian webcast)

Website: www.officiallanguages.gc.ca

Follow us: #OCOLCanada and #officiallanguages

SOURCE Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

For further information: For more information or to schedule an interview with the Interim Commissioner, please contact: Sylvie Lepine, Manager of Public Affairs, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, Cellular: 613-324-0999, E-mail: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca


By Chuck D'Imperio | Contributing writer

Here is a list that will, without a doubt, get your mouth watering. One great restaurant in each of New York's 62 counties. It is as random as possible. You will find good eats here, whether it is a pizza joint, a high-end restaurant with a mountain view, a barbecue place, a farm-to-table hole in the wall that is starting to catch everybody's eye, a rooftop eatery, a lakeside dining spot where boaters come right up to the tables, a bakery, a roadside diner or even a seafood shack. Many are overlooked; some are popular but off the beaten path; some are the best in town; others might just be an acquired taste. But they are all worth a look at. With thousands of restaurants to choose from, here is a list of 62 for your approval. If you could add another restaurant from your county, which one would it be?

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Albany County: Jake Moon Cafe (Clarksville)

A cute little spot with a great big reputation. No "last train to Clarksville" will get you to Jake Moon's, but just keep driving out of Albany on Delaware Avenue until the city fades behind you and you will find it nestled near the towering Helderberg Mountains.

Menu suggestion: Old Jake's Breakfast Skillet. It combines all the trimmings of a country breakfast together served up in a large skillet.

Address: 2082 Delaware Turnpike, Clarksville

 Website

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Allegany County: Sierra Inn (Swain)

Country bar and restaurant popular with the locals for an all-you-can-eat pasta night. Roadhouse atmosphere, jukebox, dart games and friendly staff. Surprisingly tasty Italian dishes out in the middle of nowhere. "Slopeside dining" near the Swain Ski Resort and its 33 trails.

Menu suggestion: Steak salad topped with juicy slices of tender steak cooked just the way you like it.

Address: 2245 County Road 24, Swain

 Website

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Bronx County: Johnny's Reef

A 60-year waterfront tradition "on the Point" in the Bronx. City Island location makes it a great spot in the summer.

Menu suggestion: Fillet of sole dinner with all the trimmings. Fresh and tasty!

Address: 2 City Island Ave., Bronx

 Website

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Broome County: Whole in the Wall (Binghamton)

The Southern Tier's most popular whole foods, organic restaurant.

Menu suggestion: Creamy mushroom soup made with fresh picked mushrooms.

Address: 43 S. Washington St., Binghamton

 Website

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Cattaraugus County: Angees (Olean)

Third generation Fratercangelo making some of the best Italian dishes to be found along the winding Southern Tier Expressway (I-86). Spaghetti sauce is so popular you can order it online to be shopped to you.

Menu suggestion: Angee's famous lasagna. "A plateful of heaven."

Address: 475 N. Union St., Olean

 Website

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Cayuga County: Aurora Inn (Aurora)

Elegant and stately 1833 inn overlooking Cayuga Lake. Nothing but the finest here (including sunset views on the waterfront). The whole village is comprised of only a handful of small, nostalgic buildings and businesses. Located 30 miles north of downtown Ithaca. The dining room fireplace is always roaring in the winter.

Menu suggestion: Pasta Bolognaise. Made with homemade pasta, sirloin, pork, tomatoes, garlic and parmigiana reggiano cheese.

Address: 391 Main St., Aurora

 Website

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Chautauqua County: The White Carrot (Mayville)

Gorgeous views, sophisticated wine list, cozy dining room and a top flight chef pedigree (owner/chef Brian Kiendl graduated first in his class at the French Culinary Institute and honed his craft in France for several years). Food is exquisite, adhering to Chef Brian's motto: "The chef is never better than his ingredients."

Menu suggestion: Pennsylvania Brook Trout served with rutabagas and dill.

Address: 4717 Chautauqua Stedman Rd., Mayville

 Website

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Chicken & Biscuits were on point too! Posted by Sullivan Melly Mel on Saturday, September 12, 2015

Chemung County: Curly's Chicken House (Elmira)

Throwback to the "good old days" right down to the red, barn-like design with the big chickens on the sign.

Menu suggestion: Chicken and biscuits or anything with their famous homemade gravy!

Address: 2100 Lake Rd., Elmira

 Website

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Chenango County: The Stadium (Oxford)

Sports bar and restaurant right off the square in little downtown Oxford. Friendly place with bar, booth and table options. Portions are extra large.

Menu suggestion: Any flavor of their wings is delicious. They are always trying new sauces (Mango Habanera?).

Address: 1 Main St., Oxford

 Website

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Clinton County: Gus' Red Hots (Plattsburgh)

Venerable place for hot dogs, chili dogs, Michigan dogs and more. Don't know what a Michigan is? Stop in at Gus' and try one. Folks have been doing it since 1951!

Menu suggestion: You can't stop without ordering one of their legendary red hots. Don't ask, just order one. You will be glad you did.

Address: 5 Cumberland Head Rd. Plattsburgh

 Website

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Black and Tan burger with fries and onion rings and Mac salad. Posted by Dan's Diner on Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Columbia County: Dan's Diner (Chatham)

Classic 1925 restored railroad car diner hauled all the way from Durham, Conn., to the rolling hills outside of Chatham. As close to a Norman Rockwell-inspired diner as you will find.

Menu suggestion: Try the Black and Tan burger for something unusual. It is a large burger covered with fried onion rings, which have been slathered in a barbecue sauce.

Address: 1005 Route 203, Chatham

 Website

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Cortland County: Frank and Mary's Diner (Cortland)

Opened in 1954. This delicious gem was recently voted the best diner in New York State by an online travel blog. Big honor for such a little place!

Menu suggestion: Mac & Cheese on Fridays. Just do it ... everybody does!

Address: 10 Port Watson St., Cortland

 Website

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Delaware County: Tulip and Rose (Franklin)

What a find! An exquisite cafe serving Turkish and American cuisine in a comfortable-yet-elegant bistro setting. Located in tiny Franklin (population 374).

Menu suggestion: Every Tuesday since Nov. 3, 2015, they have featured a new menu with various regional specialties including Mediterranean, Malay, Indian, French, Thai, Persian, Russian, Vietnamese and many more.

Address: 435 Main St., Franklin

 Website

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Dutchess County: Daddy O's Restaurant and Grill (Hopewell Junction)

Plain, windowless exterior gives way to an attractive dining room with table seating and comfy booths, a friendly tavern area (pouring many local craft beers) and a menu filled with American cuisine on the "comfort side of things." Dessert case is very inviting! Locals love their burgers. Located near the Taconic Parkway about an hour north of New York City.

Menu suggestion: Reuben Burger. A 10-ounce beef patty served with pastrami and Swiss cheese.

Address: 3 Turner St., Hopewell Junction

 Website

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Erie County: Mulberry's Italian Ristorante (Lackawanna)

One of the Buffalo area's best Italian restaurants. Love their slogan: "Looks like the Bronx; Taste's like Manhattan."

Menu suggestion: Pasta Broccoli. A mix of homemade farfalle pasta, brown butter crumbs and ricotta salata.

Address: 64 Jackson Ave., Lackawanna

 Website

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Essex County: Essex Inn (Essex)

What a glorious slice of Upstate New York history all wrapped up in a classy inn and fine dining restaurant overlooking Lake Champlain. One of the oldest inns in the region, first opened in 1810. A fantastic restoration begun in 2010 has brought it back to its original glory. For a fun dining adventure, you can eat in the former horse stables, now restored to its early beauty and stocked with its own wine closet!

Menu suggestion: Red Legs Farm Beets. Served with goat cheese, walnuts and black garlic on a bed of greens.

Address: 2297 Main St., Essex

 Website

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Franklin County: Bokie's Drive-In (Malone)

Great "Happy Days-style" drive-in restaurant. Looks like it came right out of the movie "American Graffiti." Long lines in the warm summer months. A local favorite for over a half-century. Look for the distinctive pink-and-white striped awning.

Menu suggestion: Try the Michigan hot dog. Some say it is the best version of this North Country meal that you can find.

Address: 3960 Route 11, Malone

 Website

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Fulton County: Wine and Roses (Broadalbin)

Fine dining just south of the Great Sacandaga Lake. Beautiful dining room, fresh farm-to-table menu selections and high-end service. They say they make almost everything from scratch ... even their own ketchup!

Menu selection: Buttermilk fried chicken with smashed potatoes and homemade corn fritters.

Address: 101 W. Main St., Broadalbin

 Website

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Genesee County: D&R Depot (LeRoy)

Family restaurant located in an old restored railroad depot. Located two blocks from the always fun Jell-O Museum (LeRoy is the birthplace of Jell-O). Great train memorabilia on the walls here, and during the holiday season, look up! Yes, it is an upside-down, fully decorated Christmas tree hanging from the ceiling!

Menu suggestion: French onion soup. So thick and gooey that they actually serve it with a pair of scissors!

Address: 63 Lake St., LeRoy

 Website

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Greene County: Ruby's Hotel (Freehold)

Old Northern Catskill Hotel. Small, fully restored to its Art Deco trappings, including hand-carved bar, soda fountain, lighting fixtures and tables and chairs. Rustic "Mayberry-type" setting with an A-plus menu. Chef/owner was once running the kitchen at the ritzy Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Menu suggestion: Grilled Cobb Salad. Includes chicken, baby greens, avocado, warm poached egg, tomatoes, bacon and bleu cheese.

Address: 3689 County Route 67, Freehold

 Website

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Hamilton County: Melody Lodge (Speculator)

All Adirondacks here ... inside and out. Stone fireplace with the deer head above the mantle, welcoming front porch dotted with the iconic Adirondack chairs, and endless views of the High Peaks spread out in front of you. A perfect place for a meal after day-tripping through the Adirondack State Park. Interesting past to this historic restaurant: It began in 1912 as a singing school for girls!

Menu suggestion: Chicken Aspen. A 40-year favorite of sauteed breaded cutlets served with a lemon cream sauce.

Address: 111 Old Indian Lake Rd., Speculator

 Website

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Herkimer County: Yetty's (Herkimer)

Italian-American favorites and a memorable pizza pie. Opened in 1952. Booth, table and bar seating. Bar has thick, padded bar stools. Nice!

Menu suggestion: Pusties for dessert and to take home. Little Italian baked pies (Pasticiotti). They sell them by the hundreds!

Address: 109 Mohawk St., Herkimer

 Website

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Jefferson County: Crystal Restaurant (Watertown)

Opened in 1925 on the historic square in downtown Watertown. Great Prohibition-era feeling. Stand-up bar in the front (no stools), and booth and table seating in the back. Pressed tine ceilings, high-back wooden booths with coat racks attached, old-fashioned light sconces. Real history here. Simple menu with great home-cooked meals at "old-time" prices.

Menu suggestion: Come between Thanksgiving and New Year's and sample one of the North Country's great "Tom and Jerry Cocktail" traditions. It has been going on for 80 years.

Address: 87 Public Square, Watertown

 Website

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Kings County (Brooklyn): Buttermilk Channel

Located in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn, not far from Governor's Island. Doug Crowell is the owner and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Great menu, nice selection of wines and beer on tap, attractive dining room with bar and table seating, plus sidewalk seating for great people-watching in the warm weather.

Menu suggestion: Buttermilk fried chicken served with Cheddar Waffles and Savory Cabbage Slaw.

Address: 524 Court St., Brooklyn

 Website

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Lewis County: Lloyd's of Lowville (Lowville)

One of the great diners in the Tug Hill plateau area of Northern New York. Nothing fancy here. Has been serving large plates of comfort food since the 1920s. A classic.

Menu suggestion: Homemade chili.

Address: 7405 Utica Blvd., Lowville

 Website

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Livingston County: Big Sky Restaurant and Saloon (Dansville)

Quirky and comfortable local hangout near the Dansville Airport. Walls are covered with stuffed animals. Kids will love it. Food is good and served home-style, in large portions. Entrees get creative here.

Menu suggestion: Steak Fajita Flat Bread Pizza.

Address: 5570 Hartman Rd., Dansville

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Madison County: The Bistro (Wampsville)

Fine dining surprise located in tiny Wampsville (population 550). One of the best farm-to-table restaurants in Central New York.

Menu suggestion: Cuban sandwich. Made with local raised pork, ham, Swiss, sweet pickles and mustard.

Address: 135 N. Court St., Wampsville

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Monroe County: dogTown (Rochester)

Things get wild and crazy on the menu at this hot dog locale. They use the Zweigle German frankfurters, which are beloved in this area. Buns are locally made with French bread. Nearly two dozen hot dog concoctions rotating around the general menu.

Menu suggestion: Boston Terrier. Hot dog with two strips of bacon, baked beans and the restaurant's own famous dogTown Sauce.

Address: 691 Monroe Ave., Rochester

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Montgomery County: Table at Fort Plain (Fort Plain)

Classy Mohawk Valley farm-to-table restaurant where they write out a new menu each morning.

Menu suggestion: All of their salads are wonderful and are made daily with only local and fresh fruits and vegetables. Try the Strawberry and Arugula Salad (in season). Made with strawberries, arugula, spinach, salty feta cheese and Balsamic dressing.

Address: 70 Canal St., Fort Plain

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Nassau County: Bigelow's Seafood (Rockville Centre)

Clam shack. Been open since 1939. Long list of loyal customers coming here for generations. Some say best New England fried clams on Long Island. Enjoy your meal in the small dining room atop a nostalgic swivel seat bar stool.

Menu suggestion: Seafood Bisque. Made with crab, shrimp and bay scallops.

Address: 79 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre

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New York County: Artichoke Basille's Pizza (Manhattan)

Comfortable and unusual pizza joint under the High Line. Very popular with locals and tourists alike. Hard to get a seat during lunchtime, so plan ahead. Pies are funky and delicious.

Menu suggestion: Go for the original artichoke pizza.

Address: Several locations

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Niagara County: Knead the Dough (Ransomville)

Popular family restaurant fame for their varieties of homemade breads. Busy place at breakfast time.

Menu suggestion: Anything baked that morning. French toast covered with local, fresh peaches (in season).

Address: 3678 Ransomville Rd., Ransomville

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Oneida County: Teddy's (Rome)

The Rome/Utica area is known for their own take on a favorite Italian dish: Chicken Riggies. Nobody makes them better than Teddy's. In fact, they have won the annual Riggiefest so many times the trophy has been retired to their restaurant! Oh, and why Teddy's? Check out all the Teddy Roosevelt memorabilia on the walls.

Menu suggestion: No argument here. Go for their award-winning Chicken Riggies.

Address: 851 Black River Blvd., Rome

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Onondaga County: Lock 24 (Baldwinsville)

Popular place in all seasons. In warm weather, sit outside and enjoy the water activity. On chilly nights, dine in front of a roaring fireplace.

Menu suggestion: Fisherman's Platter. Served with broiled half-pound Snow Crab, Jumbo shrimp, steamed clams and broiled Haddock.

Address: 33 Water St., Baldwinsville

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Ontario County: Rheinblick German (Canandaigua)

The best German restaurant in the Finger Lakes region. Authentic right down to the lederhosen! Heavy German foods, lively atmosphere, large tankards of beer. Bring on the Oompah Band!

Menu suggestion: Rittersteak ("Knight's Steak"). Includes 12-ounce ribeye steak served with either caramelized onions or homemade Krauterbutter (homemade herb butter).

Address: 224 S. Main St., Canandaigua

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Orange County: Mix n Mac (Middletown)

It is all about the almighty macaroni and cheese here. More than two dozen varieties to choose from. Unique spot.

Menu suggestion: Crazy Whitey macaroni and cheese. Made with gorgonzola, Swiss, parmesan, smoked Gouda.

Address: 280 Route 211 East, Middletown

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Orleans County: Mariachi de Oro Mexican Grill (Medina)

Traditional Mexican fare. Many tried-and-true family recipes from the owners, the Rosario family. Great drinks, and you will always leave full. This place is packed during Mexican celebratory days. They frequently feature live mariachi music.

Menu suggestion: Fajitas Don Pablo. Includes a mixture of shrimp, octopus, scallops and tilapia.

Address: 11417 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina

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Oswego County: Tavern on the Lock (Fulton)

Upstate has many restaurants and taverns that take advantage of the many waterways, locks, canals and rivers flowing throughout the region. This restaurant overlooks the Oswego River and Lock 3. Dine inside or out. Families welcome.

Menu suggestion: Locktender's Loaded Fries. Includes seasoned waffle fries topped with melted cheddar cheese and shredded cheddar jack with bacon bits.

Address: 24 S. First St., Fulton

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Otsego County: Blue Mingo Grille (Cooperstown)

Located on the western side of Otsego Lake. Situated right on the water. Watch as boats drift up and the crew jumps out to eat. On a perfect weather day, dining on the deck here can be unforgettable. Closed in the winter and cannot be seen from the road. Ask the locals, everybody loves the Blue Mingo!

Menu suggestion: Crab Cakes. Large crab cake served on a roll with homemade orange-wasabi tartar sauce.

Address: 6098 State Highway 80, Cooperstown

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Putnam County: The Arch (Brewster)

A 40-year favorite in Brewster. Serving up high-end French food and more in a restored residence. Subdued and elegant dining room. Beautiful outdoor seating area in warm weather on a stone garden patio.

Menu suggestion: Roast Atlantic Salmon with apricot butter.

Address: 1292 Route 22, Brewster

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Queens County: Off the Hook (Astoria)

Unassuming seafood restaurant and raw bar. Extensive raw bar items, brought in fresh "off the hook" each day. Beautiful dining room, small but with sun-splashed tall windows overlooking the street.

Menu suggestion: All are great, so pick a day: Oyster Monday, Mussel and Fries Wednesday, Clam Thursday, etc.

Address: 28-08 34th St., Astoria

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Rensselaer County: Westfall Station Cafe (Averill Park)

Spacious dining room with high ceilings, delightful deck for warm weather ambiance. Executive Chef Zachary Oliver was born in India and brings an international touch to his extensive menu offerings.

Menu suggestion: Come for the Sunday brunch and order the Shrimp and Brie Scrambled Eggs.

Address: 13A Averill Ave., Averill Park

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Richmond County: Bayou Restaurant (Staten Island)

Quirky bar/restaurant with a distinct French Quarter flavor to it. Dining room lined with brick walls and Mardi Gras accents.

Menu suggestion: Jambalaya Rice Balls served with Tasso ham and lemon-basil aioli.

Address: 1072 Bay St., Staten Island

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Rockland County: Jacqueline's Wine on Main (Nanuet)

Located in the middle of downtown Nanuet. Great wine selection. Full tapas menu.

Menu suggestion: Brie and Pancetta Crostini. Served drizzled with honey and mint.

Address: 129 Main St., Nanuet

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St. Lawrence County: Eben's Hearth (Potsdam)

Located across near Clarkson University. Extensive menu is popular with locals and students. Difficult to get a table during alumni events.

Menu suggestion: St. Louis Ribs. They slow roast these babies for several hours before serving them up. Delicious!

Address: 115 Maple St., Potsdam

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Saratoga County: Whistling Kettle (Ballston Spa)

Totally charming tea shop just south of Saratoga Springs. Dining room is all brick walls and comfy booths and tables. Over 100 different teas served. Great place for an afternoon tea at an outside table during the summer months.

Menu suggestion: Horseradish Roast Beef Panini.

Address: 24 Front St., Ballston Spa

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Schenectady County: Redwood Diner (Schenectady)

Greek, Italian and American food favorites. Has been open for almost a half-century. Some say their homemade hot dog meat sauce is among the best found in the Capital Region. Expansive outdoor patio for summer dining.

Menu suggestion: Roast dinner with all the trimmings (homemade dressing and cranberry sauce are excellent).

Address: 2688 Hamburg St., Schenectady

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Schoharie County: Hen and the Hound Bistro (Middleburgh)

Atmosphere is "chic country." Cute place in the fertile Schoharie Valley. Top-notch farm-to-table selections.

Menu suggestion: Not-Yo-Mama's Meatloaf. Includes bacon-wrapped, sharp cheddar-stuffed meatloaf with Korean BBQ sauce, smashed potatoes and fresh vegetables.

Address: 104 Wells Ave., Middleburgh

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Schuyler County: Wildflower Cafe and Crooked Rooster Brewpub (Watkins Glen)

Very popular side-by-side restaurant and brewpub. Interiors are warm and inviting with lots of wood and great wall art. You'll know you have arrived when you come upon the bright red Olde English telephone booth on the sidewalk out front. Live entertainment brings a mix of fun-loving patrons.

Menu suggestion: Jambalaya: Includes marinated chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, mussels, onions and peppers tossed with Cajun spices and rice.

Address: 223-301 N. Franklin St., Watkins Glen

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Seneca County: Cosentino's (Geneva)

One of this Finger Lake community's most beautiful Italian restaurants. Top-notch Italian recipes from the "old country." Using some of the same techniques perfected by generations of the owner's family, the Cosentino's. Indoor and outdoor dining.

Menu suggestion: Pasta combination. Comes with lasagna, manicotti, penne pasta, meatballs and homemade sauce.

Address: 1 Railroad Place, Geneva

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Steuben County: Timber Stone Grill (Hammondsport)

Big believer in using as much locally sourced meat and produce as possible. Funky and friendly interior, both bar and dining area (butcher block-style tables). I love that they serve many of their dishes sizzling away in a cast iron skillet.

Menu suggestion: Bone-In Ribeye. Served with crispy Vidalia onion and gorgonzola cream.

Address: 70 Shethar St., Hammondsport

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Suffolk County: Shelter Island Heights Pharmacy

Located on an island on the far eastern shore of Long Island. Yes ... a working pharmacy with an old-fashioned soda counter luncheonette. What a throwback. Standard 1950s menu heavy on burgers, hot dogs, fries, bagels and sandwiches.

Menu suggestion: Ask owner Greg Ofrias to whip up an old-fashioned egg cream to go!

Address: 19 Grand Ave., Shelter Island Heights

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Sullivan County: The Heron (Narrowsburg)

Beautiful farm-to-table restaurant with peaceful views from their deck and an inviting dining area inside when it gets chilly. They rely heavily on local food sources for everything from baked goods to dairy to seafood to local craft beer and cideries.

Menu suggestion: Blackened Catfish. Served with jalapeno-cheddar grits, sauteed green beans and pickled onions

Address: 40 Main St., Narrowsburg

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Tioga County: Cellar on the River (Owego)

Great restaurant along historic River Row in Owego. Enjoy cocktails on the deck overlooking the Susquehanna River.

Menu suggestion: Prosciutto wrapped shrimp with sage butter and crisped gnocchi.

Address: 196 Front St., Owego

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Tompkins County: Pizza and Bones (Dryden)

Familiar place with an All-American menu. Great for Friday night supplies. They have been making some of Dryden's best pizza pies for over two decades.

Menu suggestion: Friday night must-haves: Large sausage pizza, a chicken spiedie, a dozen Honey Gold wings and 6 garlic knots. Perfection!

Address: 22 W. Main St., Dryden

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Ulster County: The Publik House (Ellenville)

Classic tavern on the square in Ellenville. Bar pours wine, liquor and beers (including local craft beer). Small place with lots of local charm.

Menu suggestion: Louisiana Murray's Etouffee served with okra over lemon rice.

Address: 130 Canal St., Ellenville

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Warren County: Marsha's Family Restaurant (North Creek)

Plain, simple and perhaps "the best breakfast in the Adirondacks." Home cooking done just like Mom used to make. A mainstay in this historic ski town.

Menu suggestion: Adirondack Omelet with a stack of blueberry pancakes (drizzled with real Adirondack maple syrup, of course).

Address: 268 Main St., North Creek

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Washington County: The Quarry (Granville)

Place gets its name from Granville being the "Colored Slate Capital of the World." With quarries all over the place, I like their slogan: "Not just another hole in the ground." Selections run the comfort food gamut, from steaks to burgers to salads to wings.

Menu suggestion: Hanger steak, infused with garlic, sealed with olive oil and then broiled to your taste.

Address: 22 Main St., Granville

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Wayne County: Bayfront Port (Wolcott)

Beautiful views of the bay from the dining room. Popular bar and restaurant frequented by locals, boaters and tourists alike. Rare in that it is open all year. Full marina and boating supplies available. Active event schedule including live music nights.

Menu suggestion: Friday fish fry dinners here are epic.

Address: 8106 West Port Bay Rd., Wolcott

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Westchester County: L'inizio's (Ardsley)

Very small, less than a dozen table tops. Long and narrow dining room. Gets a bit tight, but the crowds keep coming back for more. Has even caught the eye of New York City food aficionados. A glowing review by the New York Times caught everybody's attention.

Menu suggestion: Lemon Campanelle. Pasta served with shrimp, oven-roasted tomatoes, caramelized onion, olives and parmigiana.

Address: 698 Saw Mill River Rd., Ardsley

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Wyoming County: Grateful Grill (Silver Springs)

Great menu, full bar, many live events. This popular spot is always trying out modern twists to old favorite menu items. This place gets busy on live music nights. Kid's selections are available.

Menu suggestion: Jack Daniel Bacon Burger. Served with whiskey fried onions and mushrooms, pepper jack cheese and BBQ sauce.

Address: 4260 Rt. 19, Silver Springs

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Yates County: Andy's BBQ Shack (Penn Yan)

No frills, family-run barbecue shack. Sparse dining room and simple accents. Mouthwatering ribs and more. Popular with locals and tourists. Folks line up for their hot, homemade donuts in the morning.

Menu suggestion: Brisket is fantastic.

Address: 2447 State Route 54A, Penn Yan

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Read more: Ultimate Upstate NY food bucket list
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BRIDGEPORT  Bassick High School has its share of problems.

Low graduation rates, a new principal just about every year and frequent fights.

The latest skirmish appears not to be between students.

Principal Byron Williams has called for an election Friday for new Parent Teacher Student Organization leadership, over the objection of the current president, who insists his time isnt yet up.

Williams, through email, said the two-year time period to hold the position of president has ended, and that an election must be held. A notice announcing the election was posted this week to the school website.

Wow, Albert Benejan, the sitting president, said when told of the announcement.

A day later, a link with five candidates running for the office was posted.

One of them is Benejan, a parent fixture in the district who has a full-size classroom as his own office at Bassick and is there all day. Other candidates are parents Ondrea Moore, Rosario Castillo, Michelle McRae and Jennifer Wieland.

Benejan said for a principal to take over the parent election is unprecedented. Usually the election is handled by a committee of parents. He also said he worries about who will oversee the 7 a.m.-7 p.m. balloting outside the school gymnasium and who will count the votes.

This is not the first time the district has stepped in where parent organizations are concerned. Two years ago, the Board of Education voted to disband the district-wide Parent Advisory Council at the urging of interim Schools Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz, over rules that prohibited parents who belong to any other educational advocacy group, including charter schools, from serving as council officers.

Joanne Kennedy, who had children go through Bassick, said there is no comparison between the two situations. Kennedy supports Williams, calling him a consummate professional who follows policy.

She is not alone.

Wieland, one of the candidates for PTSO president, told the school board this week that her children have gone through 13 principals between Curiale, a K-8 school, and Bassick High school. She rattled off each of their names.

Finally, you have a principal who is qualified and wants to stay and has the vision we have as a community school, Wieland said.

Benejan also has supporters, many of them Spanish-speaking parents who rely on him for translation.

I would hate to see him go, parent Rosa Ortiz told the school board through a Spanish interpreter this week.

Jessica Martinez, a parent just elected to the school board, said Albert can be difficult to work with, but his heart is in the right place.

He fights hard for all the children of Bassick, she said in a letter to district officials.

Benejan, meanwhile, described Williams selection as principal this past summer as heartbreaking.

Williams was passed over two years ago as Bassick principal for Tomas Ramirez, who lasted a year. Over the summer, Williams was passed over again for a Norwalk school administrator, Marie Allen. She accepted the job, then backed out when Norwalk convinced her to stay.

During a second round of interviews, parents and Bassicks School Governance Council  Benejan is part of both  each recommended against Williams. Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson went with Williams anyway.
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These are not particularly happy times for Connecticut Democrats in King Donalds Court. The GOPs beloved tax bill could pass the Senate, maybe as early as Thursday. A government shutdown looms Dec. 8 but President Trump is tweeting: I dont see a deal (with Democrats).

And Trumps reassurance after a North Korean ICBM missile test that we will take care of it? Dont get them started.

But they still manage to see one bright spot on the horizon. The Fix NICS Act, bipartisan legislation to beef up the FBIs National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), might actually win congressional approval.

Fix NICS was drafted in the wake of the Sutherland Springs, Texas, mass shooting after reports that the Air Force failed to enter disqualifying information about shooter Devin P. Kelley in the FBI database. It would spawn a series of sticks and carrots (as Sen. Chris Murphy put it Wednesday) to encourage submission of records by states and government agencies.

It passes the smell test of Republicans in charge of Capitol Hill because it accords with their mantra of enforce the laws already on the books.

Murphy, the champion of expanded background checks and other pieces of gun legislation in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass-shooting, noted that both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., have endorsed Fix NICS.

There are not many pieces of big transformative legislation in this place that are supported by both Senate leaders, Murphy said at a rally in the bright sun outside the U.S. Capitol.

After years of inaction by Congress, Murphy and co-sponsor Sen. Richard Blumenthal will take what they can get.

This is insufficient but if this passes, we do believe a lot of lives will be saved, Murphy said.

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Rep. Jim Himes can be forgiven for feeling like hes working two jobs. First, theres the day job: Voting on key legislation, keeping up with pending bills and issues, and perhaps most importantly, ministering to the woes of constituents.

But then there is his membership on the House intelligence committee, which is conducting one of three congressional probes of laffaire Trump-Russia.

Forget the potentially sizzling raw intel he sees that he cant talk about. The job entails hours in the SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) where intelligence reporting can be digested as long as members check their electronics at the door.

Then theres prepping for interviews with witnesses who may not be altogether happy to appear before the committee. Erik Prince, former head of the security contractor Blackwater whose employees killed 17 civilians in Baghdad in 2007, is one.

And, according to CNN, Donald Trump Jr. might be another.

Its a balancing act, Himes said, noting the committee oversees the entire U.S. intelligence community in addition to probing the Trump-Russia connection. Ive got to continue representing my constituents. It is sort of like juggling a few full-time jobs.

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Himes is not the only Connecticut lawmaker in town with a Russia-probe investigation on his hands. Blumenthal too is knee deep in the Senate Judiciary Committees probe, which is closely aligned with its oversight responsibilities of the Department of Justice and the FBI.

Its main calling card in this investigation is likely to be the question of obstruction of justice. Did the White House, President Trump himself, obstruct the FBI by having then-director James Comey dismissed for what the president later termed this Russia thing?

Any obstruction of justice would be within our jurisdiction, said Blumenthal, ever the former prosecutor who chooses his words carefully. Any violation of law involving collusion between the Trump camp and Russians or obstruction of justice would be serious and relevant.

Special counsel Robert Muellers office would be the one to bring criminal charges but the various congressional committees are charged with an equally challenging task: Telling the entire story to the American people.

Blumenthals main concern is the length of time it is taking the GOP-controlled committee to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents. Committee staff has already interviewed Donald Trump Jr., with Blumenthal in the room but not asking questions. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner remains on the to do list.

My preference would be we heighten the pace, Blumenthal said. The pace affects how deeply were able to go. Without issuing subpoenas for documents, we have no assurance that all documents will be provided. The pace affects the depth.

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This just in from the wardrobe malfunction department. If you think youre having a bad morning, think of the poor Senate flak (will remain unnamed) who ripped his pants while shepherding his boss away from the press, POLITICO reporter Seung Min Kim tweeted early Wednesday.

That was followed by a tweet from Igor Bobic of the Huffington Post: Oof! Rough day for Chris Harris, who happens to be communications director for Sen. Chris Murphy.

Harris, who can be a wag when he feels like it, replied: Off the record, no comment.

Turns out that if it was anything, it was a case of mistaken identity. Matt Whitlock, communications director for Sen. Orrin Hatch, acknowledged the unfortunate mishap, complete with a picture of safety pins closing the inseam of his right pants leg. Nothing to see here, he tweeted.

Was Harris relieved to be exonerated from the charge of inappropriate skin exposure in button-down Washington?

I dont want to comment on this, he told me, tersely. I think you have more important things to write about.
Contributed

DERBY  Griffin Hospital and the Naugatuck Valley Health District invite the community to a free discussion on Improving Community Health in the Valley from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.

The discussion will feature an overview of the Valleys 2016-2018 Community Health Improvement Plan, which was developed based on community input on health priorities and data from the Understanding the Valley Region report published last fall.
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BRIDGEPORT  Democratic Chairman Mario Testas alleged personal use of the understaffed police force to collect absentee ballots during a City Council primary has raised eyebrows among political officials in town, at the state Capitol and with a judge.

Ex-state Rep. Bob Keeley, a petition candidate who, with his running-mate, lost the Nov. 14 special primary for two council seats in the 133rd District to a pair of Democratic Party-endorsed opponents, is again seeking to have the results overturned.

Keeley came in third, losing to Councilwoman Jeanette Herron by 18 votes.

Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis on Tuesday said she has serious concerns about the way absentee ballots were handled for the special North End primary that she had ordered after Keeley tied with Herron in September. He then lost to her when one absentee ballot emerged following a recount.

A city police officer testified Monday before Bellis that on Nov. 14 he was instructed by the police chief to help Testa and Herrons running-mate, Michael DeFilippo, who bartends at Testas pizza restaurant, collect absentee ballots from voters unable to head to the polls for the primary do-over.

The police chief directed the officer to act as an agent of Mr. DeFilippo, Bellis said Tuesday from the bench. There was no opportunity for the Town Clerk or anyone to find out if they were legitimate absentee ballots here. There is no evidence in this case there is a legitimacy to it.

Absentee ballots are a way for the sick, the disabled and people who must be out of town on Election Day to vote. They are typically overseen by the Town Clerk, who, under state law, can send police officers to collect completed ballots.

Bellis also noted that Testa and DeFillippo have, according to their attorney, refused to testify unless forced to do so by the court.

The judge said she does not expect to rule until Friday on whether to throw out the Nov. 14 results and possibly order a third primary for the 133rd District.

Suspect procedure

Bellis is not the only one who is skeptical about how the absentee ballots were handled.

This is not the usual way this process works, Gabe Rosenberg, head of communications for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday.

Rosenberg said he spoke with several experienced staff members and no one had really ever heard of it happening this way before.

It doesnt seem like the right procedure at all, said Linda Grace, Bridgeports Republican Registrar of Voters.

Michael Garrett, who runs Bridgeports GOP, told Hearst: I dont think its legal to do that. I really dont.

Candidates can assist voters with applications for ballots, and, through the Town Clerk, keep tabs on which ones have been returned. But observers said it is unusual for a party chairman and a candidate  in this case Testa and DeFilippo  to be the ones requesting and directing the police retrieval of absentee ballots.

I dont think its a town (party) chairmans job to do such a thing, said Garrett.

And yet that, according to a cop who testified in court Monday, is exactly what happened when Testa got involved Nov. 14.

Cop testifies

At stake was the election of two candidates friendly to Testa and Mayor Joe Ganim  Herron and DeFilippo  or Keeley and Zoning Commissioner Anne Pappas Phillips, who pledged to challenge City Hall if seated on the council.

On Monday, Bridgeport Police Officer Paul Nikola testified before Bellis that he was dispatched by his boss, Police Chief Armando A.J. Perez, on Nov. 14 to Testas restaurant, located in Fairfield just over the Bridgeport border.

Nikola testified that Perez told him Testa needed someone to pick up absentee ballots.

I met him (Testa) at his pizza parlor and he introduced me to Mike (DeFilippo), one of his workers who was putting together a list (of the absentee ballots). I gave him my phone number and he (Testa) said he was going to call me with the list, Nikola testified.

Bellis ordered the Nov. 14 primary be held after Herron and Keeley challenged the close results of the initial September contest. DeFilippo won that first primary, Pappas-Phillips came in fourth, and Herron and Keeley tied for second place.

During a recount, one absentee ballot for Herron surfaced. Bellis had enough concerns about that ballots origins to order a primary do-over.

DeFillippo and Herron subsequently emerged victorious after the votes were counted in the special Nov. 14 primary. Then Keeley and Pappas Phillips filed a revised court complaint claiming that second primary was flawed because of irregularities and mishandling of absentee ballots. Bellis began holding hearings for their revised complaint this week.

Nikola, a 30-year veteran of the force, on Monday testified that after leaving Testas restaurant, he drove around the North End in his police cruiser as he was texted addresses from Testa and DeFilippo to pick up absentee ballots.

Rosenberg said it is the responsibility of the voter in possession of a completed absentee ballot to initiate it be picked up by someone else.

The voter starts the process saying they cant return the ballot and decides who returns their ballot for them, said Rosenberg. According to the Secretary of the States website, completed ballots can be picked up by a relative, a caregiver or a cop.

Corrupt empire

Garrett and Grace said typically in Bridgeport voters who require police assistance with absentee ballots are directed to contact the Town Clerk. Ex-Town Clerk Alma Maya, a Democrat, agreed: The way I recall is always requests came through the Town Clerks office. Maya said a police officer would typically be assigned to the Town Clerk on Election Day.

And, in fact, Nikola testified that he was surprised when the police chief dispatched him to aid Testa because another officer was already on absentee ballot duty Nov. 14 for the Town Clerk.

Meanwhile the police department continues to cope with less-than-optimum staffing. Perez has said he would like a complement of 450 officers. The department with three new classes of cadets is expected to have 413 officers come March.

Testas alleged use of Perez and the police department to gather up absentee ballots also raises questions about political favoritism in Democrat-controlled Bridgeport. Garrett noted that even if he wanted to, he probably could not reach out to Perez  a close friend of the mayors  to dispatch officers to collect absentee ballots for Republican candidates.

This is the corrupt empire, Garrett said. Its just a culture that has evolved of a sense of entitlement  that only we (Testa, Ganim and their allies) deserve to rule.
NEW HAVEN  Middletown Mayor Dan Drew headed a field of four gubernatorial hopefuls Tuesday night at Yale University during a debate focused almost exclusively on issues related to whether marijuana should be legalized and the appropriate public policy for dealing with the states opioid epidemic.

Drew was joined at the debate fellow Democrat Jonathan Harris, the former Commissioner of Connecticuts Department of Consumer Protection. The two Democrats were joined on the debate stage by Republican Prasad Srinivasan, a doctor and state representative from Glastonbury, and Micah Welintukonis, an unaffiliated Army veteran who received the Purple Heart for injuries he suffered while serving in Afghanistan

The debate was held in the auditorium of Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall on the Yale campus and was co-sponsored by the group Yale Students for Sensible Drug Policy and Connecticut chapter of National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws.

Drew came to the debate already having publicly declared that he is in favor of the state legalizing marijuana. He told the audience Tuesday that legalizing marijuana, regulating it and taxing it would produce $200 million a year in tax revenue.

The question is, do we have the will to do it?, Drew said.

Harris  who is exploring a gubernatorial run, but has not officially declared  cited his experience as Consumer Protection commissioner and the role he played in bringing the states medical marijuana framework into existence. He said if marijuana is to be fully legalized, the decision should be made based upon whether it is good public policy.

Legalizing it is not a panacea, Harris said. We need to look at the social costs.

Srinivasan said Drews claim that legalizing marijuana and taxing it would yield $200 million in tax revenue is a myth. He declined to predict whether he thought the state would ever legalize marijuana.

We can not do this overnight, he said. We can not do it willy-nilly.

Welintukonis focused many of his responses on the social impacts of marijuana, particularly public safety issues, such as driving while under the influence of it.

You want to grow at home, fine, he said. You want to smoke it a home, go ahead.

At one point during the start of the debate, Welintukonis delivered his remarks by walking up and down the aisles of the auditorium. The unconventional maneuver helped him win a few supporters in the crowd.

This guy is great, one unidentified crowd member was heard to say.

Drew said arguments against legalizing marijuana are predicated on the arguement that nobody is using it now.

These fear-based future scenarios are happening now and we are dealing with them, he said.

luther.turmelle@

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HARTFORD  Unable to pinpoint why they were unable to reach an agreement over reimbursements for the cost of medical care, legislators on the Insurance and Real Estate Committee were left debating whether the state needs to get involved in future negotiations between healthcare providers and insurance carriers.

At a public hearing Tuesday, Hartford Healthcare and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield both apologized for the length of the contract dispute, but they were unable to say exactly why it lasted as long as it did. Both parties said they were still analyzing what went wrong and what they can do in the future to avoid another disruption in service.

The two companies were unable to agree on what Anthem would reimburse Hartford Healthcare for the services provided to their shared consumers. The seven week stalemate, which ended Nov. 18, caused tens of thousands of patients to make some tough decisions about their care, such as rescheduling surgery, or postponed treatment or finding another provider.

Dr. James Cardon, executive vice president of Integrated Care for Hartford Healthcare, said It wasnt like we ran out of time.

It was a fundamental difference in position that we couldnt reconcile with each other, he added.

Deremius Williams, vice president of provider relations for Anthem, said this is the first time theyve had disruption of this magnitude.

She described the length of the contract impasse as rare.

Anthem was unable to reach an agreement three years ago with the Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, but they were able to agree to extend the old contract until they could come up with new terms. That didnt happen this time with Hartford Healthcare.

Hartford Healthcare refused to extend the current contract terms after the contract expired at the end of September. Cardon said it would have been fiscally irresponsible of them to do that since it would have have profound implications on their performance.

Negotiations by their nature dont always go smoothly, but they are necessary to ensure that both parties, providers and payers, can remain financially viable, Cardon said.

He opined that no one but the parties are better situated to understand the business needs of their organizations.

But lawmakers wanted to know if there was something they could do to help avoid similar situations in the future.

The contract for Yale-New Haven Healthcare and Anthem is up next year and Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-Guilford, said he would like to avoid a repeat of what happened with Hartford Healthcare and Anthem.

Read more at CTNewsJunkie.com.
TORRINGTON  A Manchester man was recently arrested and charged after allegedly breaking into a series of Dunkin Donuts restaurants, including a Torrington location, according to court records.

Brett M. Johnson, 32, of 124 Birch St., Manchester, was arraigned Friday in Superior Court in Torrington on charges of third-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, fifth-degree larceny, and second-degree criminal mischief. The same charges are listed in two court files  one stemming from April 29, the other from May 19.

According to an affidavit for the May 19 matter, Torrington police responded to the Dunkin Donuts location at 595 Winsted Road just after 4 a.m. for a reported burglary.

Pry marks were found on the stores door, near the lock, which appeared consistent with the use of a crowbar to pry the door open. The stores safe was reported missing, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance footage showed two suspects, a white man and a white woman, entering the store after midnight. They were wearing dark clothing, including facial coverings, but their skin is visible at various points in the video. The man is shown taking tip money, and two remove the stores safe from the building.

During the burglary, $757 was reportedly taken, according to the affidavit.

A series of Dunkin Donuts locations across Connecticut were burglarized after the April 29 incident by an individual wearing very similar clothes using a similar modus operandi, according to the affidavit.

Torrington police were called back to the Dunkin Donuts location at 595 Winsted Road May 20 for another reported burglary, according to the affidavit. Surveillance video showed a white male taking money from the register and damaging the stores safe, which had been replaced between the two incidents, to the point that he can remove money from it.

During this episode, $824 in cash was reportedly taken from the store, according to the affidavit.

Johnson and Alexandria Kinney, 25, of the same address, became suspects as the incidents were investigated, according to the affidavit. Search and seizure warrants for their cell phone records were obtained by state police.

The two were arrested June 1 by Granby police, as officers responded to an active burglary at the Dunkin Donuts location at 7 Mil Pond Road, according to the affidavit.

Johnson was actively attempting to open the safe with a blue crowbar when arrested by police, while Kinney was arrested in a car outside.

According to the affidavit, Johnson provided a sworn written statement to Granby and state police, saying that he had begun to break into Dunkin Donuts locations a few months before he was arrested, as he had learned they did not have alarm systems. He said Kinney went with him a few times but... claims she did not know what he was doing.

Johnson admitted he broke into at least 20 stores and couldnt remember the exact locations, according to the affidavit. He named Canton, Haddam, Columbia, Higganum, Granby, Suffield, two break-ins in Burlington, New Hartford, Willimantic and Colchester as examples, according to the affidavit.

A Torrington detective also interviewed Johnson, along with a Meriden police detective, according to the affidavit.

Johnson told the Torrington officer that he had been addicted to Oxycodone for about a year, according to the affidavit.

(Johnson) said he was committing the burglaries to support his (Oxycodone) habit, the Torrington detective said in the affidavit. When we asked Johnson about the burglaries, he continuously told us that he could not remember which Dunkin Donuts he burglarized.

The cell phone attributed to Kinney was in the area of Torrington at the approximate time of the two burglaries in Torrington on April 29 and May 19, according to the affidavit. The phone attributed to Johnson could not be located during the time frame on April 29, and was located in Manchester on May 19.

An Alexandria Kinney is currently facing a series of cases in the Enfield Judicial District, according to state records. One of the records indicates that she was arrested by Torrington police in connection with an April 29 incident.

In that matter, she is charged with third-degree burglary and fifth-degree larceny.

Court records for both the April 29 and May 19 cases indicate that Johnsons bail was set Friday at $2,500 cash or surety.

He is next scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 9, according to court records.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
WEST HAVEN  The lame duck administration of Mayor Ed OBrien quietly swore in a new chief for the City of West Haven Fire Department  Allingtown this week, giving the nod to Vincent P. Landisio, a retired New Haven battalion chief and former North Haven fire chief.

Landisio, 56, who will make $105,000 in the job under a three-year contract, most recently worked for the past 22 months as interim deputy chief and deputy fire marshal of the West Shore Fire Department.

He retired from the North Haven post in August 2015 and from the New Haven position in 2003.

For me, its a very intriguing department  and the fire service is all I know, he said, explaining why he was interested in the Allingtown job.

No one in the Allingtown department  not even Deputy Chief Michael Esposito, who has served as acting chief since the retirement of former Chief Peter Massaro last February  was told until after Landisio had been sworn in on Monday, sources close to the department said.

In hiring Landisio just six days before leaving office, OBrien  who has said he will work with Mayor-elect Nancy Rossi to ensure a smooth transition  did something that echoes something he had repeatedly criticized in former Mayor John Picard.

Picard gave then-Chief Massaro  now about to be sworn in as a City Council member  a new contract just days before OBrien came in to take office.

You might think theres some back room deal, but there isnt, said OBrien, responding to a question about the timing of the appointment. I got a call from the commission last week and was told, This is our pick and this is who we want to hire.

If this was my decision, I would have hired the new chief a long time ago, OBrien said, adding that I had nothing to do with it.

I think Vinnie did a great job in West Shore. In New Haven he was a well-respected firefighter, as he was in North Haven, OBrien said. So I think Allingtown is lucky to have him.

He said that Esposito has done a great job filling in as interim chief.

Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman John Panza said, the pool of candidates were all great. I think Mr. Landisio just came out a little on top of the rest of them ... It was a good fit for the Allingtown department. He was just a little bit more well-rounded for the job.

Panza also said the timing was coincidental. I just think it happened to be at that time, he said. This has been going on since probably June. We decided probably about 2 1/2 weeks ago who we wanted to pick, but the contract took time.

Theres no conspiracy theory here and were not hiding anything, Panza said.

Mayor-elect Rossi took aim at OBriens contention that he had nothing to do with the choice of a new chief, saying, Mayor OBrien hand-picked commissioners that would do his bidding.

Ive heard only good things about this gentleman ... He will do a good job, she said. But thats not the question. I think, given that my administration is going to be bound by this contract, that we should have had a chance to see this contract ...

It was done under a cloak of secrecy, which to me, goes against everything that I stand for, she said.

Landisio, who met the firefighters on the shift at the Minor Park Firehouse Monday night, is a graduate of Notre Dame High School who holds a Bachelors of Science degree in P.E. from Southern Connecticut State University and a Masters of Science degree in Fire Science/Administration from University of New Haven.

He said Tuesday on his first full day on the job that Im looking forward to it. Its a great professional challenge for myself.

There will be a ceremonial swearing-in on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Minor Park Firehouse, 318 Fairfax St., he said.

Landisio, who said he is a friend of former Chief Massaro who has known him for over 25 years, said it was not all that unusual to have a private swearing-in to be followed later by a public ceremony.

He said he is a professional who will operate the department professionally regardless of the political situation.

Among the challenges he will face, he said, are a very small staff  only five people on at any given time, compared to 44 when he worked in New Haven, seven in North Haven and eight at West Shore  and the expectation is, you still have the same outcome.

The Allingtown fire district has a large retail area on Route 1, a pretty good size residential area and its right in the middle of University of New Haven, he said.

Landisio said that one thing he wont do is come in and make any immediate wholesale changes.

You come in and observe, he said.

For Landisio, its intriguing to kind of come back to an urban setting, he said. Im going to come here and do my analysis of the department ... and try to expand on what Peter started.
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said Wednesday his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States.The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability wont happen.North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a star presenter who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark.Kim Jong-Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, she said.The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK, she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea.Wednesdays missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said.The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, the Norths official news agency KCNA said.Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometres (2,800 miles) and splashed down 950 kilometres from its launch site.At least one Western expert said the missiles lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 kilometres  enough to hit every major US city.Trump, who recently announced fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and returned it to a US list of state sponsors of terror, was opaque in his immediate response, as the UN Security Council agreed to meet in an emergency session.I will only tell you that we will take care of it, Trump said at the White House. It is a situation that we will handle, he added, without elaborating.China, North Koreas sole major ally and diplomatic protector expressed grave concern and opposition to the launch, and once again pressed its proposal that the North stop missile and nuclear tests in exchange for a freeze of US military exercises.Washington has repeatedly rejected the suggestion.Wednesdays launch was the Norths third successful ICBM test.David Wright, an arms control expert and co-director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters pointed to a missile with more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States.There were scenes of jubilation in tightly controlled Pyongyang, where residents gathered in front of a large screen to watch the news.Jang Kwang Hyok, 32, said the test posed a question for the US president.I just want to ask a question to Trump: Can you still dare to backbite about our country? Can you continue to do it even when Hwasong-15 is fired to the US mainland?, he said.While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earths atmosphere, experts believe it is at least on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability.Wednesdays statement from the North stressed the notion it had become a fully fledged nuclear power and offered language redolent of a no first strike doctrine.Its weapons would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon. This is our solemn declaration, state media said.Melissa Hanham, senior research associate with the East Asia Nonproliferation Program of the Middlebury Institute, said this could indicate a diplomatic off-ramp from the present standoff with the US.Perhaps this is an out, she wrote on Twitter. A way to say theyve achieved what they want, as long as we treat them the way they want to be treated.She urged the global community to seize the opportunity.Diplomacy is worth the risk of failure, because to not engage them just gives them time to scale up.Tensions over the Norths weapons programme peaked after Pyongyang conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September and then fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan.The Trump administration last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, as well a number of Chinese companies doing business with the pariah state.The US leader spoke by phone with both Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-In after Wednesdays test to underline the global threat posed by North Korea.Trump is close to Abe, but relations with his South Korean counterpart  whom he has accused of appeasing Pyongyang  are far cooler, and there are concerns in Seoul that the US president might be considering military action against the North that could trigger a full-scale war.Seoul is home to 10 million people and only about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the border  well within range of Pyongyangs artillery.
APC may pretend that it does not care a hoot about Atiku's earthquake and volcanic decampment from its fold. The truth is that APC is quaking and bellyaching about the loss of such a strategic material. Since I commenced my column, there has been quite some flurry of reactions from members of the public, through some social media interactions, especially on Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, and through SMS. Some of the postings are hilarious, comical and inane. Yet, some others are very critical, dead serious, educative and entertaining. I have, therefore, decided to take time out of my unenviably crowded schedule to share some of these postings.

The earthquake of Atikus decampment from APC

APC may pretend that it does not care a hoot about Atikus earthquake and volcanic decampment from its fold. That surely will be the self-denying attitude of the proverbial ostrich. The truth is that APC is quaking and bellyaching about the loss of such a strategic material. Atiku is not just an ordinary politician. He is a generalissimo, effervescent, incandescent, voluminous and a battle-tested former Vice-President of Nigeria.

Atiku has an incredibly large cult followers across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Very gregarious, he has the colour, panache and limitless financial war chest such that will give APC a bloody nose and a swollen face. Atiku is urbane and cosmopolitan without losing his provincial roots. APC will sooner than later see the ripples generated by Atikus decampment in the weeks ahead. Read the likely reactions of this government and its agents as captured by a brilliant but humourous political analysis:

EFCC discovers N10 billion arms deal in Atikus bedroom

CBN reveals the owner of N25bn in a secret account in one of the commercial banks owned by Atiku

Osborne House, agents confirm that $43m discovered belongs to Atiku

Boko Haram suspect reveals how Atiku gave him $20m to deliver to Shekau

DSS confirms training of Boko Haram terrorists in Atikus school

Atiku fingered in Buharis sickness  Tinubu

Why Atiku spoiled all the roads in South East  Amaechi.

Army discovered how Atiku is funding Niger Delta militants  Lai Mohammad.

Atiku bribed me to poison Buhari  El-Rufai.

Why Atiku provided private jet for IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu  IG

How Atikus action aided RECESSION  Finance minister

N300bn found inside Atikus bedroom  Jersey Sandra

Atiku never paid TAX in the last 18 years  FIRS

Pension fund traced to Atikus foreign account  Maina

How Atiku sabotaged Lagos-Kano rail line  Minister

How Atikus seizure of Shiroro Dam brought hardship to Nigerians  Minister of Power

High cost of living caused by Atikus Abuja mansion  FCT minister

Atikus absence caused Nwoye/APCs failure in Anambra gubernatorial election  INEC scribe

Atiku ordered the reinstatement of APO 6 DCP Ibrahim Danjuma into Nigeria Police  PSC

Atiku fingered in the high cost of foodstuff in the country  Agric minister

The unprecedented level of patience shown to Buhari  the economist

Nigerians have never shown such level of patience and tolerance towards any of their past leaders for his record and strange policies as that shown to their current leader, Muhammadu Buhari  a former military dictator now self-confessed democrat who said he came to fight corruption.

Buhari, 75, is being plagued with failures across every single sector in the economy, the like as has never been seen before. Less than a year into office, the economy plummeted into recession, an economy, which had till then grown at an average rate of 7% in previous years (2011-2014). The nations currency lost 70% of its value, unemployment rose from 6.5% to 26%, commodity prices tripled across many quarters and the state-regulated premium motor spirit prices were hiked by 67% without practically anybody batting an eye.

There have been stern opposition to his policies, however, and to his very personality as well, notably in the South East and South South regions in the country, as they are called, where he both received less than 5% of the votes cast at the last presidential election and where he has always been sternly unpopular for his history of bigotry against the people, perceived incompetence and dictatorial tendencies. But in many other regions across the country the people have rather resolved to suffer patiently, drawing up excuses for him at will, blaming everyone, including his hundreds of political appointees, anything and anybody but never the man himself.

Buharis party, the APC, promised Nigerians unprecedented sweeping changes in government and the eviction of all corrupt individuals.

One possible explanation for this could be his partys hope narrative in the 2015 general election, where citizens were promised an unprecedented crackdown on corruption and the abolition of all government waste by a man whose financial worth they declared to have been less than N30 million ($150,000 then), a historical low for a former top official in the country and most especially a former leader.

In a country plagued by acute corruption problems and with the unremitted crude oil revenue scandal of 2014 still fresh in the peoples minds, many were eager for an abrupt change, the like as never been seen before. He was seen an Army general, already experienced in government, with a great strength of will, tough to take on the nations cabal of hardened criminals. He promised to appoint only technocrats to head the countrys departments and to see out the lingering Boko Haram insurgency from the warfront. For a nation lacking basic amenities such as power supply in spite of its huge energy resources and with the lingering insurgency crises, the choice seemed easy to many  the general with integrity was the man for the country.

Talk was cheap then but now reality has taken its course. His earliest opponents pointed out to his track record and not to his speech, noting that the last time Nigeria fell into dismal failure, currency woes and commodity shortages was when he seized power as a military general in 1983 and stating that the facts of that record contradicted the poems of his image brokers.

Many, however, just wanted change as it was then called and so voted the General and sat to wait for the sung promises. But from the onset of his government, the course was as his critics had predefined: Incompetency, bigotry and dictatorial tendencies plaguing the country.

He ignored the newly-born genocide in the middle belt of the country perpetuated by the Fulani herdsmen of his kindred against the Christian communities in Benue, Plateau and later on Kaduna. He breached the Central Banks 2007 Act of independence, telling it to suspend forex disbursements to steel importers and other manufacturing sectors in a bid to defend the naira, a disastrous action, which kick-started a spiral of recession.

He took three months to appoint his Chief of Staff, six months to appoint a cabinet and now 23 months and yet counting to appoint heads of agencies and board members he was so eager to fire upon his assumption into office and rose import duties on the most basic of commodities in a bid to raise government revenue.

And as for the corruption fight, the facts on ground do not show any one at all. Apart from a few officials harassed or imprisoned without court order, the country is yet to witness the first victim of the said campaign at the court stands.

Government waste is on the rise, officials publicly caught in graft acts were swiftly excused, the 2016 budget year passed without implementation and, most worrisome, the Central Banks foreign reserves were being shared among unknown bureau de change operators at variable rates to the detriment of critical manufacturing, business and banking sectors.

The government continues to praise itself but the people seem to be increasingly tired of the paraded self-righteousness. The Presidents recent illness was greeted with cheers by many. Many are just tired of the government. But the remarkable level of patience shown so far has been unprecedented and many a times the general reactions towards acts of constitutional violations was one of calmness or insensitivity.

If the Change narrative of the 2015 election and the songs of man of integrity are to account for this, then Nigerians may have just certified themselves on the world map as a nation easy to fool with propaganda. An adult should be judged on his track record not on his tongue.

Is this Buharis Nigeria?!!

#North gets 11 judges recommended as Appeal Court Justices, South gets two?

#Recommended 13 Justices for Court of Appeal





#Priority List

1. Hon. Justice P. A. Mahmoud  Benue

2. Hon. Justice F. Ojo  Kwara

3. Hon. Justice I. G. Abundaga -Nasarawa

4. Hon. Justice M. B. Idris  Niger

5. Hon. Justice A. M. Talba  Adamawa

6. Hon. Kadi M. M. Alkali  Adamawa

7. Hon. Justice A. I. Adenyangtso  Taraba

8. Hon. Justice A. S. Umar  Kebbi

9. Hon. Justice O. Z. Senchi  Kebbi

10. Hon. Justice A. M. Lamido  Sokoto

11. Hon. Justice B. B. Aliyu  Zamfara

12. Hon. Justice E. Tobi  Delta

13. Hon. Justice G.O. Kolawole  Osun.

#Reserved List

1. Hon. Justice O. Itodo  Benue

2. Hon. Justice M. A. Abdul Gafar  Kwara

3. Hon. Justice D. D. Adeck  Nasarawa

4. Hon. Justice D. G. Mann  Plateau

5. Hon. Justice D. G. Goji  Adamawa

6. Hon. Kadi U. B. Umar  Adamawa

7. Hon. Justice Y. A. Bashir  Taraba

8. Hon. Justice Z. B. Abubakar  Kebbi

9. Hon. Justice I. M. Sani  Kaduna

10. Hon. Justice F. L. Adamu  Kano

11. Hon. Justice I. B. Ahmed  Katsina:

12. Hon. Justice M. Y u ftshau  Zamfara

13. Hon. Justice P. O. Affen  Bayelsa

14. Hon. Justice O. A. Ipaye  Osun

#Priority list:

North -11

South  2

#Reserve list:

North:12

South: 2.

Breaking news;

Nigerian political party clubs transfer window is open!

*APC United signs Obanikoro for an unknown fee. The former Real Eko striker was central to PDP Rovers runners-up position in Lagos Gubernatorial Cup!

**PDP to sign Atiku on free transfer as APC United refuses to renew his contract based on personal terms.

This mercurial Yola Wolves midfield maestro is known for his skills. A veteran of many Presidential Champions League semi-finals, he is known to have nearly won the Presidential Cup before OBJ edged him out in the penalty shootout.

***Rumour has it that Mama Taraba is on her way to PDP Rovers for a record signing, just as former PDP Rovers National Chairmans wife signed a 4-year deal with APC United with an undisclosed amount. This Mpabbe of Nigerian political parties club has very promising raw talent.

God bless Nigeria.

About the Author:

Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome is a lawyer and human rights activist, holding the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is known for his work as a constitutional lawyer.




Nicole Otubo

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has declared Perebi Nicole Otubo wanted for trafficking young Nigerian girls to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for sexual exploitation.

NAPTIPS MOST WANTED HUMAN TRAFFICKER: PEREBI NICOLE OTUBO

This woman, Perebi Nicole Otubo whose pictures are displayed is wanted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for Human Trafficking.

She hass been linked to an International Human Trafficking ring that specializes in trafficking young girls from Nigeria to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) for sexual exploitation (prostitution).

Perebi Nicole Otubo whose date of birth is 9th December 1984 hails from Bomadi Town in Delta State. She is 1.65 meters tall and slightly fair in complexion.

She was recently jailed in Dubai, UAE, for Human Trafficking.

She was released in July 2017 and is currently at large, hiding somewhere in Nigeria. Her accomplices and recruiters in Nigeria have been arrested by NAPTIP and are currently facing prosecution in court.

Anyone with useful information that could lead to her arrest should please contact NAPTIP on the following platforms: 08002255627847 or 07030000203 (toll free lines) or email: info@naptip.gov.ng.

Josiah Emerole

Deputy Director and Head, Press and Public Relation

For: Director-General

28th November, 2017.
Facts have emerged that United Kingdom Government is planning to return $900 million allegedly looted by late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to the state.

In September 2005, Alamieyeseigha was arrested and tried in the UK for money laundering.

He jumped bail and fled to Nigeria.

However, a source close to the ongoing arrangement informed our correspondent that the UK Government has almost concluded arrangements with the Bayelsa State Government to return $900 million allegedly looted by late Alamieyeseigha to the coffers of the state.

According to him: There is mobilization ongoing in Bayelsa State as I am speaking to you to take delivery of the looted fund by the late governor of the state.
A former Nigerian envoy to Canada, Dare Bejide, has said the defection of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the Peoples Democratic Party was a signal that President Muhammadu Buhari has disappointed Nigerians.Bejide, a PDP governorship aspirant in Ekiti State said losing a politician of Atikus clout was dangerous for the All Progressives Congress as it would help the PDP to regain power at the centre in 2019.He, however, predicted doom for the party if the Southwest is prevented from becoming the National Chairman of the party.A former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, a former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, a former Minister of Education, Prof Tunde Adeniran, and a former PDP Governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, are the aspirants jostling for the partys plum seat.Bejide spoke on Wednesday during a meeting with some party members in Ikere Ekiti local government ahead of the 2018 governorship election.For a politician of Atikus standing to have defected shows President Buharis poor performances in government. It confirms the APC is not the best for Nigeria and his coming is a good development for our party, he said..Bejide said the outcome of the December 10 National Convention of the PDP will determine how 2019 will look like for the party .It is only logical to make someone from the Southwest the National Chairman. Since the formation of the PDP in 1998, nobody from that zone has been elected into that position and this is the right time and opportunity to correct that neglect.Vice President Prof Yemi Osibajo is from the Southwest, the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is from the zone and the party controls five states out of six, so it will be suicidal for the PDP to neglect the region in its political calculations.Let me say this clearly, if the party takes the position to the South South, it means they are saying they dont need the votes of that region and the implications will be dire for the PDP, he warned.
Biafra Nations Youth League, BNYL, has reacted to a comments by leader of Coalition of Arewa Youths Forum, Yerima Shettima, at the six...

Biafra Nations Youth League, BNYL, has reacted to a comments by leader of Coalition of Arewa Youths Forum, Yerima Shettima, at the sixth anniversary of late Dim Chukwuemeka Oduemegwu Ojukwu organised by the members of MASSOB and Biafran Independence Movement (BIM).

BNYL Leader, Princewill Obuka, in a statement also mocked Yerima over the quit notice earlier issued to Igbos residing in the North.





He said: Yerima should hide his face in shame, he is an empty vessel that cannot match words with actions.





Does he feel we were afraid of his quit notice that he is now fanning himself. Is it not stupid of him to attend former Biafra leader memorial after his quit notice to the Igbo?





Obuka stressed that the threat issued by the Northern coalition had the backing of the Nigerian government, adding that he believes that was why Yerima and others have not been arrested.





Why wont he walk freely and insult us in our own land when he has the backing of the Nigerian government.





BNYL further lambasted Ralph Uwazuruike for allowing Yerima witness Ojukwus memorial.

Obuka also wondered why Uwazuruike and his groups (MASSOB, BIM) organised a peace summit.

What kind of peace does Uwazuruike want? Are we fighting with guns? I saw that as his weakness and an act of cowardice.





He made those guys in the North feel we were moved by their threats of which we were not.

Yerima Shettima said his relationship with Uwazuruike has existed for years, which means they were friends before the quit notice. We demand an explanation from Uwazuruike.




President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his support for the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, despite serving as minister in the Goodluck Jonathan administration, further confirmed his remarks at his inauguration on May 29, 2015 that he belongs to everybody and to nobody in particular.Buhari said this while interacting with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, where he is attending the 5th European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Summit.The President was reacting to Adesinas gratitude to his administration for supporting him to get the job, leading to his becoming the first Nigerian to head the continental bank since it was set up in 1964.He said, The President of the African Development Bank forgot to mention that he was serving in the PDP government as minister, but all the same, I recommended him for the AfDB job.I think it emphasised what I said during my swearing-in that Im for everybody, Im for nobody. As long as you are a Nigerian, be prepared to benefit from me.Adesina, in his remarks, noted that the economy picked up soon after Buharis health challenge, adding that so it seems there is a correlation between the Presidents health and the improved economy.On security, Adesina said the bank has released $250m for the construction and rehabilitation of the Northeast, destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.He also revealed that the AfDB has constructed a big building behind the YarAdua centre, as the project started in 2016 and has now been completed.He said it was the first of such building by AfDB outside its Abidjan headquarters which he wants President Buhari to inaugurate.Adesina said, I want to thank you immensely. I want to thank God for your health, because I must say that for all of us, that has been a big concern.But seeing you as fit as a fiddle and seeing you back in action, we thank God for that and may God continue to give you great strength.Mr. President, as you must have noticed, there is a very strong correlation between your health and the economy and when you came back, the economy picked up after that. So, we wish you great health so that the economy can continue to pick.I also want to congratulate you for the economic growth and recovery plan that you have put in place and the incredible plan that you have put in place to bring the economy out of recession and also in terms of the fact that Nigeria has moved up in the World Bank ease of doing business index.It is a credit to your leadership, vision and commitment; and we at the African Development Bank commend you, Mr. President, and assure you of our strong support for you and your government, for the efforts to move Nigeria forward.We are solidly behind you, you can count on that.I also thank you for your leadership on the Boko Haram issue, because, to draw investments into Nigeria, you absolutely have to have security. I think that securing our borders is very very important. Thanks to your leadership for that.I also thank you for all the efforts you have made in the Lake Chad Basin Area. I was with you in Paris where you led the efforts in reviving the Lake Chad Basin.As you know, Mr. President, the Bank is very strongly behind that. We put in $250m to support the northeast of Nigerias rebuilding.I know you were criticised for soliciting its rebuilding, but I dont see anything wrong with that. If things get destroyed, they have to be rebuilt and the African Development Bank has contributed $250m towards that.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said on Tuesday that a former Director of Finance and Account at the Abia State Government House, Umuahia, Jones Udeogu, once claimed that the state engaged the company of a former governor of the state, Orji Kalu, to import Okrika (second-hand clothes) from Cotonou, Benin Republic.According to an investigator with the EFCC, John Egem, Udeogu made the claim when he was confronted with documents showing movement of funds from the coffers of the Abia State Government House into the Inland Bank account of Kalus private company, Slok Nigeria Limited.Egem said when Udeogu was, however, asked to produce documents showing any contractual agreement between the government house and Slok Nigeria Limited, he was unable to do so.Egem appeared on Tuesday as a prosecution witness before the Federal High Court in Lagos where Kalu, Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited are being tried for an alleged fraud of N2.9bn.The EFCC, in the charges, claimed that Kalu and Udeogu conspired to use Slok to divert public funds when the ex-governor held sway in Abia State.But the defendants, who are being tried before Justice Mohammed Idris, pleaded not guilty.At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Egem, who was led in evidence by the EFCC prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), narrated to the court how cheques were allegedly issued in the names of certain identified and fictitious officials of the Abia State Government House to move money out of the governments coffers.The investigator said, In the course of our investigation, we discovered the following: That cheques were raised from the Abia State Government House accounts in the names of serving officials in the government house.They were opened as across-the-counter cheques; the officials would proceed to the bank to cash the cheques. In some cases, the cash payments would be used to purchase bank drafts in the name of Inland Bank, Apapa (Lagos) branch, and the payment ends up in Slok Nigeria Limiteds account in the same Inland Bank, Apapa branch.The witness gave the names of the government house officials in whose names the cheques were allegedly raised as Udeogu, Romanus Madu, Michael Akpan and some other fictitious names.Egem said the EFCC obtained a search warrant and raided the premises of Slok Nigeria Limited, during which the anti-graft agency recovered some vital documents, including an audit report, which disclosed the directors of the company.According to him, the document dated October 20, 2014 revealed that Slok Nigeria Limited was registered on May 6, 1987 and had its registration number as RC94896.He said the document listed Orji Uzor Kalu, Ogbonnaya Kalu, Ifeoma Kalu, Nnana Uzor and others as the directors of the company.He said further search was conducted at the Corporate Affairs Commission.Egem said the EFCCs effort to interrogate the directors of Slok failed as they failed to respond to invitation.He, however, said Kalu and Udeogue honoured EFCCs invitation and made statements to the anti-graft agency.He said when Udeogu was confronted with the petition and other documents leading to the investigation, he claimed that the funds transferred into Sloks account were meant for the importation of okrika (second-hand clothes) from Cotonou, Benin Republic.The witness said, Further investigation also disclosed that the payments were claimed to have been used to purchase okrika materials from Cotonou in Benin Republic. It was Jones Udeogu who told us this.We requested for any contractual record of the Abia State Government House to establish whether there was any existing contract between Abia State Government House and Slok Nigeria Limited, we discovered that there was no such document on record to that effect in the Abia State Government House or Abia State Government in general.The witness said Kalu, Udeogu, Madu and Akpan were all invited and interrogated and they all made statements.The court admitted the statements as exhibits as the defence counsel did not object.Further proceedings were adjourned till Wednesday (today).
Nigeria has resolved that all its citizens that are stranded in Libya and other parts of the world will be brought home and be rehabilit...

Nigeria has resolved that all its citizens that are stranded in Libya and other parts of the world will be brought home and be rehabilitated. President Muhammadu Buhari gave the indications on Tuesday night in Abidjan where he is attending the EU-AU summit.President Buhari who met with Nigerians in the Diaspora in Abidjan vowed to reduce the number of Nigerians heading for Europe illegally through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea by providing basic social amenities such as education, healthcare, and food security at home. The Presidents interaction with the Nigerian citizens in Cote dIvoire was reported on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Mr. Garba Shehu.Buhari said that all necessary steps will be taken to stem the tide of illegal migration by Nigerians. He, however, noted that it was very difficult to know the origin of the people who died, while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, because of lack of documentation.When it was announced that 26 Nigerians died recently in the Mediterranean, before they proved that they were all Nigerians, they buried them. But the evidence I have from the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, (Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa) is that only three of them were identified as Nigerians. But Ill not be surprised if the majority of them were Nigerians. But anybody who died in the desert and Mediterranean without documents; to prove that he is a Nigerian, there is absolutely nothing we can do, he said.Reacting to a recent footage of the sale of Africans in Libya, President Buhari said it was appalling that some Nigerians (in the footage) where being sold like goats for few dollars in Libya. After 43 years of Gadhafi, why are they recruiting so many people from the Sahel including Nigerians? All they learned was how to shoot and kill. They didnt learn to be electricians, plumbers or any other trade, he said. On domestic issues, Buhari said that there was good news from home in the area of security, economy and anti-corruption. We are not doing too badly in trying to secure the country, improve the economy and deal with corruption. We are doing our best at all levels including security.It is absolute madness for people to blow others up in markets, churches, and mosques. No religion advocates violence. Justice is the basic thing all religions demand and you cant go wrong if you do it, he said. On food security, the President said that his vision of repositioning Nigeria as a food-secure nation is on course as the country is on the verge of attaining food security. He attributed the development to positive agricultural reform programmes and bumper harvest occasioned by good weather. According to the President, interventions through the Anchors Borrows Programme of the CBN and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, among others, have been very successful in the agricultural reform initiative.People have gone back to the farm. We got the CBN, agriculture minister and money was provided at very low interest to farmers and the farmers responded and it was very positive. We are lucky that we are in a position to feed ourselves.So we are going to have food security in Nigeria earlier than anybody ever thought, he noted. The President advised Nigerians in Cote D Ivoire to be good ambassadors in their host country, warning that the Embassy will not hesitate to repatriate those who tarnish the image of the country abroad.
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, on Wednesday asserted that most Nigerians sold into slavery in Libya were natives of Igbo, E...

Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, on Wednesday asserted that most Nigerians sold into slavery in Libya were natives of Igbo, Edo and Yoruba.

The two-time former minister asserted that 75% of those sold into slavery have their organs harvested, bodies mutilated and roasted like suya.





He maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari has remained silent over the issue because most of the victims were not from the North.





In a tweet via his social media handle, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain noted that Buharis silence was an indication that the current administration is evil.





He wrote: 75% of those sold into slavery in Libya who have their organs harvested, bodies mutilated and who are roasted like suya are from southern Nigeria.




' A row broke out yesterday over the Presidents directive to governors on workers salaries. Governors said President Muhammadu Bu...

A row broke out yesterday over the Presidents directive to governors on workers salaries.Governors said President Muhammadu Buhari did not say they should pay all arrears of salaries before Christmas.But workers threatened to vote out governors who may fail to pay.After a meeting at the Presidential Villa on Monday, President Buhari directed Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to release the balance of the Paris/London Club refund to states to enable them pay salaries.Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting.Yesterday, the governors denied that the President said they should pay all arrears of workers salaries before Christmas.Besides, a statement by the Nigeria Governors Forum secretariat said given the delay in the past between when the President gave a directive and the actual release of funds, the money might not get to the states before Christmas.This might have set a stage for a battle between the governors and workers.A Labour leader, Comrade Isa Aremu, said last night: Any governor who fails to pay workers before Christmas will be voted out.The statement said: The governors had expressed profound gratitude to the President for his magnanimity in hearkening to the needs of the states and understanding with them towards helping to solve some of the intractable financial problems of governance, top among which is the lingering problem of workers salaries.They pledged, therefore, to rise up to the occasion collectively, as a mark of their respect for President Muhammadu Buhari and empathy for the workers by paying before Christmas, once the Finance, the Budget and Planning Ministries and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disburse the monies owed them, as instructed.The governors recalled that the President had remarked that, I will not be saying much because the responsible ministers are here: Finance, Budget and Planning and the Central Bank of Nigeria. I request you to appoint your own team to come and sit down with them (referring to the governors).This should be done, not only for next years budget but for this Christmas. The Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning and the Central Bank should sit down with you in a sub-committee to see how much can be released before Christmas, the President said.The statement said that no mention of all workers arrears, was ever made, by President Buhari.For Nigerians without sources other than their salary, I am concerned that workers should be able to pay rent, school fees, buy drugs and take care of their families. I am so much concerned that people should have something to eat for Christmas, President Muhammadu Buhari declared.The statement added The governors had appealed to the President to once again authorise the Finance ministry and the other officials to hasten the payment of the remainder of the Paris and London Clubs loan refunds as they had factored the monies into their 2018 budgets.President Muhammadu Buharis instruction that the money be paid before Christmas however, draws its background from the series of delays in the previous disbursements to the states by the Finance Ministry, which by commission or omission had ex acerbated and indeed increased the number of months that workers are owed salaries.For example, the first bailout that President Buhari approved was not paid until October, four months after the President had given approval for the money to be paid. It was the same practice with the first tranche of the Paris-London Club repayment, which was approved in mid-2016 but took until December 2016 to hit the states accounts. It is imperative to add that the ParisLondon funds were legitimate funds of the states and not loans as several sources had thought.Barring any such happenstances, however, governors, who are equally very worried about their workers plight, are ready to wipe away workers tears by paying their emoluments before Christmas.Aremu, General Secretary of Textile Workers Union, said the 2019 election will be determined by how competent a governor has performed in payment of salaries.He said: If they dont pay, what will be the moral authority to say private employers should pay? So, they are not only the employers of labour, but they should enforce the law. They are to make sure that employers that are not paying are sanctioned.Head of Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) Alhaji Mohammed Kiri who is also a member of the Minimum Wage Committee, said labour was determined to isolate any state that fails to utilize the Paris Club refund for salary payment.He praised Buhari for coming this far and also for giving N800 million each to states as budget support.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday night in Abidjan declared that all Nigerians stranded in Libya and other parts of the world will be brought back home and rehabilitated.According to a statement on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President made the promise while addressing Nigerians in the Diaspora.He also promised to reduce the number of Nigerians heading for Europe illegally through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea by providing basic social amenities such as education, health care, and food security at home.In an interactive session with members of the Nigerian Community in Cote D Ivoire, on the margins of the 5th AU-EU Summit, President Buhari said all necessary steps will be taken to stem the tide of illegal migration by Nigerians.He, however, noted that it was very difficult to know the origin of the people who died while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, because of lack of documentation.When it was announced that 26 Nigerians died recently in the Mediterranean, before they proved that they were all Nigerians, they buried them.But the evidence I have from the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs (Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa) is that only three of them were identified as Nigerians. But Ill not be surprised if the majority of them were Nigerians.For people to cross the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean through shanty boats we will try and keep them at home. But anybody who died in the desert and Mediterranean without documents to prove that he is a Nigerian, there is absolutely nothing we can do, he said.Reacting to a recent footage on the sale of Africans in Libya, Buhari said it was appalling that some Nigerians (in the footage) where being sold like goats for few dollars in Libya.After 43 years of Gadhafi, why are they recruiting so many people from the Sahel, including Nigerians? All they learned was how to shoot and kill. They didnt learn to be electricians, plumbers or any other trade, he said.The President advised Nigerians in Cote DIvoire to be good ambassadors in their host country, warning that the Nigerian embassy in Libya will not hesitate to repatriate those who tarnish the image of the country abroad.
President Buhari on Tuesday night in Abidjan declared that all Nigerians stranded in Libya and other parts of the world will be brought hom...

President Buhari on Tuesday night in Abidjan declared that all Nigerians stranded in Libya and other parts of the world will be brought home and rehabilitated.

The President while speaking when he addressed Nigerians residing in Cote D'Ivoire, vowed to reduce the number of Nigerians heading for Europe illegally through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea by providing basic social amenities such as education, healthcare, and food security at home.





In an interactive session with members of the Nigerian Community in Cote D Ivoire, on the margins of the 5th AU-EU Summit, President Buhari said all necessary steps will be taken to stem the tide of illegal migration by Nigerians. He, however, noted that it is very difficult to know the origin of the people who died, while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, because of lack of documentation.





When it was announced that 26 Nigerians died recently in the Mediterranean, before they proved that they were all Nigerians they buried them. But the evidence I have from the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, (Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa) is that only three of them were identified as Nigerians. But Ill not be surprised if the majority of them were Nigerians. For people to cross the Sahara desert and Mediterranean through shanty boats we will try and keep them at home. But anybody who died in the desert and Mediterranean without documents; to prove that he is a Nigerian, there is absolutely nothing we can do, he said.





Reacting to a recent footage on the sale of Africans in Libya, President Buhari said it was appalling that some Nigerians (in the footage) where being sold like goats for few dollars in Libya.





After 43 years of Gadhafi, why are they recruiting so many people from the Sahel including Nigerians? All they learned was how to shoot and kill. They didnt learn to be electricians, plumbers or any other trade, he said.





On domestic issues, President Buhari told Nigerians in the Diaspora that there is good news from home in the area of security, economy and anti-corruption.





We are not doing too badly in trying to secure the country, improve the economy and deal with corruption. We are doing our best at all levels including security. It is absolute madness for people to blow others up in markets, churches, and mosques. No religion advocates violence. Justice is the basic thing all religions demand and you cant go wrong if you do it, he said.





On food security, the President said that his vision of repositioning Nigeria as a food-secure nation is on course as the country is on the verge of attaining food security.





He attributed the development to positive agricultural reform programmes and bumper harvest occasioned by good weather.





According to the President, interventions through the Anchors Borrows Programme of the CBN and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, among others, had been very successful in the agricultural reform initiative.





People have gone back to the farm. We got the CBN, agriculture minister and money was provided at very low interest to farmers and the farmers responded and it was very positive. We are lucky that we are in a position to feed ourselves. So we are going to have food security in Nigeria earlier than anybody ever thought, he noted.




The embattled former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari okayed ...

The embattled former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari okayed his meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

The ex-pension boss said this in continuation of the video he sent to Channels TV, where he had before told Buhari that he has a lot to expose to him.







According to Maina, who is currently wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Malami paid him a visit during which he (Maina ) told him about the N1.3 trillion. According to Maina, who is currently wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Malami paid him a visit during which he (Maina ) told him about the N1.3 trillion.





When this government came in, the President [Buhari Muhammadu] gave the nod that go and sit down with Maina, Ive given you the approval.





They sat down with me after the security agencies had cleared me.





Nobody has ever taken me to court in Nigeria, I want Nigerians to know; I have never been taken to any court of law.





I have sued all the security agencies that they are talking about and I have won, I have four court judgments.





Maina said, As soon as this current government decided to sit with me, after the meeting, I told them that I would not allow them to return to Nigeria without giving them a gift.





I told them I will give them something and the Minister of Justice (Malami ) laughed and he asked what the gift was.





I gave him a document and said go here and here; that there is N1.3 tn which they want to steal because they have been stealing every year.









He was shocked and said it wasnt possible but I told him that sir, with all due respect, could you try what I said?




The Senate Wednesday asked the Federal Government to urgently investigate the number of Nigerians affected in the Libyan slavery auction...

The Senate Wednesday asked the Federal Government to urgently investigate the number of Nigerians affected in the Libyan slavery auctions.The upper chamber also urged the government to immediately commence the process of repatriation and rehabilitation of Nigerians caught up in the despicable treatment and human rights abuses in Libya.The Senate which condemned in totality the current depravity and sheer animalism being exhibited by Libyans selling follow Africans as slaves resolved that the government should take all diplomatic steps to ensure that everyone involved in the inhuman act is held accountable to face the full weight of international law and justice.It prayed President Muhammadu Buhari to leverage on the ongoing EU/AU session in Abidjan to seek special discussion on Illegal migration in Africa.The resolution followed the adoption of a motion on Urgent need to protect Nigerian citizens from the Libyan slavery auctions raised by Senator Baba Kaka Garbai (Borno Central).Garbai in his lead debate noted with dismay the report of slave markets at various locations in Libya, where Africans and mostly Nigerians are auctioned as slaves, priced as merchandise and sold off like animals.The Borno central lawmaker said that he was sickened to observe a video available on You Tube which had brought about a global outrage witnessed the sale of 12 Nigerians for prices as ridiculous as $400 to $800.He noted with concern that the stone-age, inhuman and barbaric act is going on in the 21 century.Garbai acknowledged the on-going global outcry against the crime, several protests in mostly European countries such as Paris and Brussels while we who are the most affected as these are our children, our brothers and sisters, our youths, are indifferent.He recalled the report of a survivor who said that they were kept in unsanitary conditions, made to endure regular beatings, forced into labour in the fields with little or no food and some are killed in the process.He quoted the survivor as saying It was total hell in Libya. For the Arabs (Libyan jailers), black skinned men are nothing but animals-animals are treated better, People who want slaves come to buy us and if you resist, they shoot at you.He lamented that those affected are Nigerians who are just trying to flee poverty and deprivation.The lawmakers observed that just this year, no fewer than 10,000 Nigerians have died while trying to illegally migrate through the Mediterranean Sea and the desert. Just recently we mourned the death of some Nigerians among the 26 young girls who died in the Mediterranean Sea.He noted the report of Libyan officials that detention centers in the country are full and that they have only deported five percent of the 20,000 in the detention centers because of lack of response from the home governments of the migrants.He expressed worry that the government does not have the means nor the commitment to crack down on the perpetrators as their hands are full.The smuggling networks, he said, are killing, torturing, extorting and detaining migrants at will.Garbai said that he is aware that some other African countries such as Ivory Coast, have taken steps to protect their people from the despicable acts by bringing back their people home.The lawmaker who reiterated that the countrys constitution made the welfare and protection of citizens as the reason for government insisted that we will be failing in our duty if we sit idle and watch any Nigerian being put into slavery.For him every Nigerian life matter.All the senators who contributed to the debate agreed that urgent steps should be taken to address the situation in the interest of the image of the country.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has accused the Governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, of antagonising him and setting him up ...

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has accused the Governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, of antagonising him and setting him up for media trial.

According to Falana, his travails in the hands of the governor began after he asked the law enforcement agencies to investigate Fayose and his men for the cold-blooded murder of two indigenes of the Ekiti state..





Falana was reacting to Fayoses comment over a property seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which he allegedly bought.





It could be recalled that Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation, had insinuated during a senate probe that a Lagos lawyer bought one of the properties seized from pension thieves by the anti-graft agency.





Governor Fayose had latched on Malamis insinuations to attack Falana, saying that linking the senior lawyer to illegally-acquired properties seized by the EFCC was bad enough, but the facts provided by Malami make the case against him even worse.





Falana, who had however denied buying any property from the EFCC, said yesterday: I stand by my earlier defence that I never bought the house from the EFCC and I challenge him (Fayose) and the Attorney General to show the evidence. I challenge the garrulous Governor of Ekiti State to prove the monstrous allegation that I bought a house from the EFCC.





Since Mr. Ayo Fayose has not paid attention to the fact and circumstances of the case, I advise him to study my explanation that the house in question is a subject matter of a pending suit before the Federal High Court and that the house has been forfeited to AMCON in the interim.





The EFCC is not a party to the case. So, if Mr. Ayo Fayose wants to join the suit, hes free, he is at liberty to approach the Federal High Court holding at Abuja to prove his allegation. But his is a case of Ajegbodo to nweni kun ra. (The one recklessly eating fresh yam will always want to co-opt others into the deal.) .





As of today, he has already forfeited six houses to the government of Nigeria. So, if he is sure that that this is proceeds of crime, he should apply to have it forfeited. He should contact the Attorney General, Mr. Malami, to apply to have the house forfeited, if they are sure that the house is proceeds of crime.




Zimbabwes new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, on Tuesday announced a three-month ultimatum for the return of funds stolen out of the countr...

Zimbabwes new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, on Tuesday announced a three-month ultimatum for the return of funds stolen out of the country by individuals and corporations.

Mnangagwa in a statement warned that the government will arrest and prosecute those who fail to comply at the end of February 2018.





The statement reads, The government of Zimbabwe is gazetting a three-month moratorium within which those involved in the malpractice can bring back the funds and assets, with no questions being asked or charges preferred against them.





The amnesty period will run from December 1.





Upon expiry of the three-month window, the government will proceed to effect arrest of all those who would not have complied with this directive and will ensure that they are prosecuted in terms of the countrys laws.












A 9X teacher













After graduating from the Hanoi Foreign Trade University, Nguyen Lan Anh, 23, spent a year studying and working in Japan. After that, she left for Australia to attend a 2-year training course for a masters degree in teaching English to foreigners.



Rejecting good job opportunities in Japan and Australia, Anh came back to Vietnam to work for Nguyen Sieu Secondary School in Hanoi.



Teachers not only provide knowledge to students. They can influence students personality and help them grow up, Anh said.



After school hours, Anh teaches English at foreign language centers in the evening and on weekends, which helps improve her knowledge.



She fears that she may lag behind students. Anh said urban students now begin learning English at a very early age.

9X (born in the 90s) teachers, in students eyes, are those who receive western education, have good foreign language skills and treat students like friends.

Some sixth graders at her school plan to study abroad and often ask her for advice on what books they should read. To help the students, Anh said, she has to update information continuously.



Unlike teachers of old times, who struggled to become a civil servant to enjoy lifetime recruitment, todays teachers want to work in a more modern environment at international and private schools.



Diem Hien, 26, a teacher at Marie Curie Primary School, said she has been working for three private schools since she graduated from a pedagogical university.



On weekends, the teacher often attends foreigners talk shows to improve her English and practice soft skills. The young teacher also teaches Vietnamese to foreigners and works as a tour guide.



9X (born in the 90s) teachers, in students eyes, are those who receive western education, have good foreign language skills and treat students like friends.



At 9:45 pm on some week days, Nguyen Thanh Huong, 27, is on livestream correcting mistakes in students works. The videos attract thousands of likes and hundreds of shares.



Huong said she can interact with students, days and night. Being an online teacher, she has had to sacrifice some hobbies, including gymnastics.



Doan Huong Mai, a lecturer at he biology faculty of Hanoi University of Natural Sciences, surprised students when they discovered that she drives a pink Hello Kitty car, the color usually favored by teenagers. But she is an experienced lecturer with an associate professor title.



A female graduate told Mai that she sometimes felt tired because of difficulties in her life, but when seeking the pink car on Facebook, she felt the joy of living.




Green lights shine all the way down Canal Street, and still traffic is at a standstill.(Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
A woman wrote to Goodfellows: Im a single mom of three kids, and I put myself through college and graduated in December. I started my journey as a climatologist in January. Going through college was a struggle not only because I am raising three kids, but also because my grandma on my moms side passed away in January of 2016.

I was buying my house from my grandmother on a land contract. After a long journey of my mother fighting to be named administrator of her estate, it finally happened in December of 2016.

Upon my mother being named administrator of her estate, it was uncovered that my grandma had a loan out on my house that I was unaware of, and the bank was unaware she had sold the house. Long story short, by the time we found out about the loan and that it was behind us, the bank had already started the foreclosure process on my house.

The estate attorney advised my mom it was best to sell the house so the bank could get their money and so there would be some money to put into the estate to pay creditors. My kids and I had to move in June of this year. We are currently living in Grandmas basement on my dads side. I am making progress on saving up money to get us our own place by Christmas, as that is my kids wishes!

I would greatly appreciate any help possible to help my kids have a wonderful Christmas this year. The loss of our house has been hard on all of us.

Last year, Goodfellows provided food and gift certificates to hundreds of southwest Iowa families. The assistance helped thousands of individuals, many of whom are children 16 and under. Despite a slowly improving economy, there are still many among us who need a helping hand.

Though there are a number of larger donations to Goodfellows each year from individuals, organizations and businesses, smaller gifts  those ranging from $1 to $10  continue to provide a majority of the funds used by Goodfellows to accomplish its mission. Through your donations and the matching funds provided by the Iowa West Foundation, Goodfellows is able to give needy families certificates that are redeemable for food or toys at participating stores.

Goodfellows provides assistance to families in need in response to completed applications filed by the Dec. 4 deadline. Applications are screened to avoid duplication of services provided by other agencies.

Donations should be mailed to The Daily Nonpareil, P.O. Box 797, Council Bluffs IA 51502 or dropped off at The Nonpareil office, 535 W. Broadway, Suite 300, Council Bluffs. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
DES MOINES  Alec Baldwin mixed his Emmy-winning impression of President Donald Trump and the advocacy of a serious Democratic activist Monday, headlining a state party banquet in Des Moines.

The actor known lately for his recurring role on Saturday Night Live wowed more than 2,000 party faithful, at times slipping into the Trump spoof but urging them to work harder than they did in 2016, when Trump carried the state.

It was much-needed humor for a party, still licking its wounds from the presidential election, and locked out of the governors mansion and in the legislative minority after controlling both just 10 years ago.

Baldwin donned his contorted faux-Trump scowl and joked about Democrats annual Jefferson-Jackson banquets, named for past Democratic presidents, but which his character confused.

Jefferson Jackson was a great man, Baldwin blurted.

In a nod to Iowas renewable energy scene, Baldwins Trump gave a shout out to corn-based fuel additive producers by noting all the ethanol miners out there.

That was after he took the stage, posing first as a professor at the defunct Trump University, touting course listings such as political science fiction, and featuring members of Trumps cabinet as the faculty.

Jeff Sessions will be teaching a class. He just cant remember which one, Baldwin quipped, in a reference to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who testified this month he had forgotten about a Trump campaign meeting where an aide suggested a Trump meeting in Russia.

But Baldwin, a Democratic activist for years behind the scenes, talked about his experience traveling through Massachusetts with Sen. Ted Kennedy during his 1994 campaign against Republican Mitt Romney.

More recently, Baldwin campaigned this fall for winning Virginia governor candidate Ralph Northam ahead of the Nov. 7 election.

Baldwin impersonated former President Bill Clinton, less for laughs than to remind the audience of the former presidents advice that the investigation into Russian connections with the Trump campaign is less advisable for the party than persuading voters to support Democrats.

Baldwin called on Iowa Democrats, also still smarting over the bitter 2016 presidential caucus fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, to unite after the 2018 gubernatorial primary, now featuring seven candidates.

I want you to take the pledge right now and come together, Baldwin said.

With one last joke, he implored Americans to send Trump to a retirement home in Moscow where he belongs.

And he brought the crowd to its feet with his final request: Lets make America America again.
WASHINGTON  Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., was promoting the Republican tax plan on Capitol Hill on Tuesday by invoking a recent stroll through the heart of Norfolk, Nebraska.

Fischer said the tax bill will benefit the small businesses she visited that day, from a bridal dress shop to a local grocery and said Nebraskans want tax relief.

We need to make some changes in the tax code if theyre going to be able to continue to grow, Fischer said during a press conference that included representatives of small business organizations.

All four GOP senators from Nebraska and Iowa have signaled that theyre likely to support their partys tax overhaul, which picked up momentum Tuesday as it passed a key Senate committee.

Democrats, meanwhile, have continued to denounce the package as too weighted in favor of corporate interests and wealthy individuals even as it adds $1.4 trillion or more to federal budget deficits over 10 years.

About a dozen protesters rallied against the bill outside the Omaha office of Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on Monday.

We want Sen. Sasse to know there are many Nebraskans who oppose this bill, said Gene Williams of Indivisible Nebraskans.

Williams said the bill would amount to an eventual tax hike for many Nebraskans.

With Democrats united in opposition, Republican leaders have been scrambling to satisfy concerns within their own ranks.

A few GOP senators have questioned whether the bill really does enough for small businesses while others have balked at the potential increase in budget deficits.

Providing more tax relief only adds to the deficit hit, of course, so its a tricky needle to thread. But the effort seemed to be picking up steam as the Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 to advance the bill. All 11 Democrats were opposed.

Two committee Republicans who had said they were considering voting against the measure  Bob Corker of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin  backed the legislation.

President Donald Trump personally lobbied Republican senators at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, described the presidents visit as inspirational and said she likes the bills direction.

I am optimistic, she said. I think this is going to do such great things for our economy and for our Iowa families and small businesses. I see it as a great opportunity.

Corker and other deficit hawks want the package to include a trigger that would automatically increase taxes if the legislation fails to generate as much revenue as Republicans say it will.

An estimate by congressional analysts says the Senate tax bill would add $1.4 trillion to the budget deficit over the next decade. GOP leaders dispute the projection, saying tax cuts will spur economic growth, reducing the hit on the deficit.

While Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, reiterated his confidence that the bill would produce economic growth, he objected to including the kind of trigger that Corker is talking about if it would only raise taxes in the event of revenue shortfalls.

But if it also had a trigger that if we had greater growth than what we predicted we got a trigger on further tax cuts, sounds to me like a good idea, Grassley said.

Fischer said shes looking for a balanced approach that will help those in the middle and small businesses.

As for suggestions that the legislation still doesnt do enough for small businesses, Fischer said lawmakers continue to negotiate the details.

Its a work in progress, Fischer said.

World-Herald staff writer Roseann Moring contributed to this report, which contains material from the Associated Press.
Civil rights leader, museum founder, historian, author, student, educator, speaker, promoter, playwright, journalist, administrator, mentor, wife and mother.

Bertha Calloway had a lot of titles during her long life but is perhaps best known as founder of the Great Plains Black History Museum.

Her son, James Calloway Sr., suggests adding one more title to the list: icon.

In the north Omaha community, Calloway was one of the few remaining true icons, her son said after her death Saturday at Immanuel Medical Center. She was 93. She had suffered from pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital 10 days earlier, her son said.

Earlier this year, Bertha Calloways legacy as a civil rights leader was sealed when she was honored with the ceremonial naming of Lake Street, from 22nd to 24th Streets, as Bertha Calloway Street.

She was among a handful of Omahans who began working for racial equality in the 1940s and 50s, long before the 1964 Civil Rights Act. As a Creighton University student, Calloway had joined the Omaha DePorres Club, which worked to end segregation and discrimination.

She continued as a civil rights activist and later, with her late husband, James T. Calloway, protested housing discrimination in Lincoln and attended Omaha City Council meetings to push for open housing policies.

In 1962, Bertha Calloway organized the Negro Historical Society in Omaha, which led to the founding of the Great Plains Black History Museum in 1976 with her husband.

Bertha had amassed a collection of photographs, historical documents and other artifacts on black history that became so large, she had to find a place for it, her son said.

The museum has changed locations over the years, its funding ebbed and flowed, and it even closed to the public for a while. But this fall it opened a new location at 24th and Grant Streets.

Though she never completed a college degree, she received several honorary degrees and spoke at national conferences on African-American history, her son said.

Education was important to her, James Calloway said. She spoke to young people about it in visits to elementary and high schools and colleges.

She also co-authored a book, Visions of Freedom on the Great Plains: An Illustrated History of African-Americans in Nebraska.

I couldnt ask for a better mother, James Calloway said. She was truly one of a kind.
Growing up in tiny Boelus, Nebraska, left Lowen Kruse with a strong sense of the importance of community, and he later built on that foundation as a pastor and a state legislator.

He was quite a force of nature, said daughter Jorika Stockwell of Putney, Vermont. He really felt his experience growing up in Boelus helped him understand that a strong and supportive community was needed to fight injustice.

Kruse, 88, of Omaha, died Friday. Ruth Kruse, his wife of 61 years, said he had cancer.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 30 at First United Methodist Church in Omaha.

Kruse was born on a farm in central Nebraska and graduated from Boelus High School. He went on to receive a bachelors degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a masters degree from Garrett Theological Seminary at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

He served the United Methodist Conference starting in 1956 as a pastor in Muscatine. He later moved on to Shelton, Nebraska, and Custer County and retired as executive pastor of Omahas First United Methodist in 1994.

He started out (taking classes) in science, said his wife, who met Kruse at Wesleyan, but he changed because he thought it was more important to keep smaller churches alive.

In 2000, Kruse was elected to represent the 13th Nebraska Legislative District in northeast Omaha. He was re-elected in 2004 and served as vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

During his tenure in the Nebraska Legislature, Kruse successfully helped to strengthen drunken-driving laws. It was a subject that Kruse felt strongly about partly because his son, Doug, was paralyzed in 1990 when his vehicle was struck by a drunken driver.

He was able to pass laws that allowed for administrative license revocations for drunken driving and increased penalties for serving liquor to minors, his wife said. He also worked on a lot of mental health issues. That was another thing high on his list, she said.

Kruse was passionate about racial justice, immigrant issues, womens rights and LGBTQ equality, his daughter said. He also was involved with Nebraskans for Peace, Omaha Together One Community, the Kiwanis and the Lions Club.

Whenever he felt there was injustice  whether it was racial or womens rights or anything else  his goal was to create connections, Stockwell said. His first response was always to create some sort of teamwork to fight injustice.
High school students from across Northwest Indiana got a chance Tuesday to lay brick with trowels, drill holes in walls, make insulation, operate surveying equipment, haul loads with virtual cranes and honk horns on big trucks.

Fourteen different union trade groups taught about 1,000 kids from an estimated 26 high schools about careers in building and construction at Northwest Indiana Construction & Skilled Trades Day. Students received hands-on demonstrations of what the work is like and learned about apprenticeship programs that could lead to high-paying union jobs.

The Construction Advancement Foundation and Northwest Indiana Workforce Board staged the career fair Tuesday at the Industrial Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point to show high school students from Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Jasper counties how to get work in the trades. They got to take home applications for various apprenticeship programs in what may become an annual event.

"They wanted a way to bring awareness to the trades, and the skills required and the openings that are occurring in each of the trades," said Sandy Alvarez, a senior associate at the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board. "We have parents that brought their kids, that took them out of school so they could be here today. They haven't done anything like this in 10 years."

Students from Crown Point, Portage, Hammond and many other schools got information on career opportunities with the Teamsters, Carpenters and Millwrights, Sheet Metal Workers, Ironworkers, Plumbers, Electricians, Operating Engineers, Bricklayers, Roofers, Insulators, Pipefitters, Laborers, Technical Engineers and Painters and Glazers.

"To be able to get all these trades under one roof, that was no easy task," said Barb Grimsgard, of the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board. "There's a lot of activity at each booth. They're trying to engage the kids as much as possible."

Increasingly, schools are realizing not every child should be pushed into a four-year college, Grimsgard said.

"There are other options for them  good-paying, stable jobs with good benefits," she said. "Parents are slowly coming to the realization there are other options if their children don't want to go to a four-year college."

In Northwest Indiana, there are an estimated 20,290 construction jobs, making it one of the top employing industries in the area and about 13 percent above the national average in job concentration, according to EMSI Inc.

Kids learned Tuesday about what tradespeople do on job sites by using real tools, moving around sand in a crane simulation and climbing iron like Ironworkers.

"You can tell they're enjoying themselves," said Kevin Comerford, the Construction Advancement Foundation's director of professional development. "They're engaged. They're meeting with apprentices, who aren't that far removed from high school and who they can relate to because of the age. There's a lot of good questions being asked by the students."

The unions are concerned with the so-called "silver tsunami"  an aging membership that's expected to result in a wave of retirements in the coming years. They hope for new blood.

"I keep hearing the quality of applicants is not very good," Comerford said. "They'll get a handful of good ones and the rest are mediocre. They get a lot of people who get weeded out by a drug test. A lot of people are competing for these jobs  they're competitive. We try to get the best candidates we can. We're trying to educate high schools that these are viable careers that exist, that they pay very well. The average wage is over $60 an hour, when you include benefits."

The Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council President Dennis Hahney said a lot of work is out there in the Region.

"Drive by a steel mill, a refinery, a hospital, a school," he said. "Those are the industries we service. Turn on the light switch. The energy's produced from a turbine with steam from a pipe from a pipefitter. Everybody has to have a roof. Everybody takes it for granted but a lot of work goes into a roof."
Lovina Eicher, author of Lovina's Amish Kitchen column, as well as various Amish cookbooks, will sign her new cookbook Saturday in Highland and Crown Point.

Eicher's latest book is "The Essential Amish Cookbook." She'll appear from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at Kolas Christian Bookstore, 2635 Highway Ave., Highland. She'll also be at Antiques on Main, 208 S. Main St., Crown Point, from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Cookie Walk planned at Ivy Tech

The Culinary Club at Ivy Tech Community College, East Chicago, will have its annual Cookie Walk on Tuesday. Cookies may be pre-ordered by Friday. Pre-ordered cookie price is $7.50 per pound.

On the day of the sale, cookies will be $8 per pound. All cookies must be picked up at Ivy Tech in East Chicago, 410 Columbus Drive. Hours for Cookie Walk are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Among cookie flavors are Pecan Crescents, Chocolate Chip, Scottish Short Bread, Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry, Ginger Snaps, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Thumbprint Cookies and more.

Wine Pairing Event on tap at Gino's

Gino's in Dyer will present a Wine Pairing Event on Thursday. The event will feature wines from Robert Mondavi. Five wines and five courses will be available from 6 to 8 p.m.

Among dishes featured will be Sauteed Filet Medallions, Spring Mix Salad, Mini Charcuterie Plates, Flourless Chocolate Cake and more. Cost is $65 in advance and $70 the day of event. For more information, call 219-865-3854 or visit GinosSteakhouse.com.
CROWN POINT  A former registered nurse faces drug-related charges on allegations he stole opioid medication from St. Catherine Hospital.

David B. Estrada was charged Monday in Lake Criminal Court with failure to make, keep or furnish records, furnishing false or fraudulent information, obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and misdemeanor theft.

Estrada, 31, of Crown Point, was employed at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago from March 17, 2009, until Oct. 14, 2016, when he was fired for allegedly stealing controlled substances from the hospital, according to court documents.

The hospital reported the alleged thefts to an investigator from the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and launched an internal audit, documents state.

The hospital determined in the audit Estrada stole approximately 25 hydromorphone syringes, which were used to manage patient pain at the hospital, documents state.

Estrada allegedly manipulated the hospital's record-keeping system to hide the thefts, documents state.

The hospital provided investigators Estrada's urine drug screens, the audit reports, witness statements and other supporting documentation.

The hospital did not respond to requests for comment.

The Indiana Nursing Board suspended Estrada's nursing license Nov. 10, 2016, according to state records.

Estrada's bail is $50,000, according to court records.
CROWN POINT  James Lee Taylor pleaded guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Alex Lenore four years ago in East Chicago.

Taylor, 28, of East Chicago, admitted in the plea agreement he knowingly killed Lenore with a deadly weapon in a sudden heat.

A sudden heat is defined by the courts as an intense emotion  rage, resentment or terror  that obscures the reason of an ordinary man, preventing deliberation and premeditation.

Taylor will face an agreed upon sentence of 30 years if the plea bargain is accepted by Lake Criminal Court Judge Clarence Murray. The maximum sentence for the offense is 50 years.

A witness told police the murder of Alex Lenore wasn't about rage, resentment or terror  it was about trust and worthiness, according to court records.

Lenore, 21, was fatally shot the night of April 24, 2013, in an alleyway behind his grandmother's home in the 4900 block of Baring Avenue in East Chicago, records state.

His grandmother, a retired nurse, tried to staunch the gunshot wound to Lenore's head. He died early the next morning at a hospital.

A witness told police Taylor shot Lenore because he felt Lenore betrayed him, records state. Lenore was allegedly sharing information from Taylor with the defendant's rivals.

Another witness said Taylor was upset that Lenore drove him to north East Chicago  Latin Kings territory, records state. Taylor had gang tattoos on his face, and was afraid of getting shot by a rival gang member.

Taylor was charged in September 2013 with murder and felony battery. The prosecution would later file paperwork seeking sentencing enhancements due to Taylor's criminal record and alleged gang affiliation.

A witness against Taylor received death threats in April 2014, records state. In response, Murray granted a motion by prosecutors to move Taylor to isolation in the Lake County Jail.

Another witness at the jail learned in September 2015 he was on a hit list, along with several other witnesses against Taylor, according to court records.

The man who was allegedly supposed to carry out the murders showed the list to the witness while they were together in the jail, not knowing he was one of the men marked for death, records state.

Taylor was charged with conspiracy to commit murder for his alleged role in that plot.

The additional charges caused the trial for Taylor to be repeatedly rescheduled. Ten trials were scheduled and canceled before the plea agreement Wednesday.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
A veteran Gary legislator, who is leaving the Indiana General Assembly next year, said Tuesday he wants to continue his public service in county government.

Indiana Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, confirmed Tuesday that he intends to seek the 3rd District Lake County Council seat currently held by Jamal Washington, D-Merrillville, in 2018.

Brown is opening his campaign with an attack on Washington.

Citizens of the 3rd District havent received the kind of integrity and leadership they deserve in recent years, Brown said. I dont feel the person currently occupying that office has provided it. We cant afford to have that kind of representation on the County Council."

Washington announced last month he intends to vacate his council seat and run next year for the countywide office of clerk of the Lake Circuit and Superior Courts.

Brown said he isnt buying it.

Brown said he couldnt see how Washington would think he could succeed at winning the clerk of court office given his guilty plea late last year to battering his wife.

The two sparred verbally in January when Brown called on Washington to resign from the council. Washington responded that Brown also had trouble with the law in 2002 when a jury convicted him for obstructing traffic when Brown challenged a police officer who had stopped state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, over a traffic matter.

Washington said, "I fully expect to be our next county clerk. I wish Charlie Brown luck in his endeavors."

Washington said his accomplishments as a county councilman in the last three years include encouraging minority businesses to become county government vendors, providing county assistance to the Gary Public Transportation Corp., creating a county government human resources department, putting council meetings on Facebook Live and investigating cost overruns in the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

"My accomplishments in my three years on the council speak for themselves. What has Charlie Brown accomplished?" Washington said.

Brown, 79, who has held his Indiana House seat since 1982, said earlier this week his legislative tenure should be remembered not only for his fight to pass a statewide indoor smoking ban, but also extending health coverage to thousands of low-income Hoosiers and his work to establish the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, which has funneled money into Gary-Chicago International Airport improvements and expansion of commuter rail access to Chicago.
INDIANAPOLIS  The state's schools chief is hopeful that Hoosier lawmakers next year will hit pause on new education reform efforts and instead focus on effectively implementing the major policy shifts they approved in prior legislative sessions.

Jennifer McCormick, the Republican state superintendent of public instruction, told reporters Tuesday that much work remains to be done for lawmakers to fulfill their goals of changing high school graduation requirements, revising student testing, easing teacher licensing and acting on numerous other vital education issues.

"When you talk about diplomas and graduation pathways, those are big items that have a huge impact on millions of students for a long time," McCormick said.

She said classroom teachers regularly tell her they feel whipsawed by the constantly changing expectations, standards and requirements coming out of the Statehouse, and if lawmakers next year primarily want to focus on workforce development that's fine by them.

"I think educators have become a little bit fatigued in the area of legislative mandates," McCormick said. "I'm not a big fan of just mandating everything in education because we've been down that road and sometimes it doesn't go well."

At the same time, McCormick has a policy wish list that she'd like legislators to take up during the 10-week session that convenes Jan. 3.

It includes requiring school attendance beginning at age 5 instead of 7; developing a "rigorous, equitable, manageable and understandable" school accountability system to replace the A-F letter grades currently employed; and providing schools in financial distress more flexibility to move money between funds.

Concerning the cash-strapped Gary Community School Corp., which lawmakers in April directed the state to take over and operate using an emergency manager, McCormick said: "They need as much support as we can give them and we will continue to do so."

McCormick also supports Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb's call to align classroom education with career training, and favors integrating computer science education in all grades.

However, she does not believe passing a computer science course should be a high school graduation requirement as proposed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

"You have to remember that true computer science is academically very rigorous," McCormick said. "Is it appropriate for every student? I would argue probably not."

McCormick said no matter what lawmakers decide to do next year, she hopes their overall goal is to "create a rich, innovative and immersive educational environment that challenges our students to be successful lifelong learners."
Crews plan to ignite controlled brush fires Wednesday in the Hobart and Beverly Shores areas, officials said.

A private contractor will conduct a controlled burn along Liverpool Road at 53rd Avenue, according to a notice from Hobart.

A private contractor, Applied Ecological Group, will conduct the burn in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the city said. Hobart is not be involved.

The fire could cause heavy smoke in other areas of Hobart, the city said.

National Park Service staff also will be conducting a controlled burn on about 10 acres in the Dunewood Campground near Beverly Shores, said Micah Bell, fire information officer for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Park fire crews anticipate more prescribed fires at the 77-acre campground later this fall, Bell said.
CROWN POINT  The state's environmental regulation agency has sent a warning letter to a local developer claiming work is being done without proper permits.

Meanwhile, one project official denies allegations made in the letter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

In question is the Beacon Hill development, located between the northwest corner of 109th Avenue and Delaware Parkway and the southeast corner of Broadway and Summit Street, which is slated for future commercial properties.

DNR issued the letter Nov. 15, alleging that in August a DNR representative observed work being done on property owned by I-65 Partners LLC in which excavated fill was being placed within the floodway of Smith Ditch, located behind Strack & Van Til.

The letter notes DNR did not grant a permit for the project and calls on the developer to cease activities within the floodway until proper permitting is obtained.

"Regulation of construction activities located in floodways is a matter of extreme importance," the letter, obtained by The Times this week, states.

The DNR said the activities are a violation of the Flood Control Act, which requires a permit for most construction activities located in or on a floodway.

According to the DNR, the site must be brought into compliance within 30 days of receipt of the letter.

The letter further states that if I-65 Partners wishes to continue working in the floodway, it must notify DNR and apply for an after-the-fact permit application within 30 days of receipt of the letter.

"There is no guarantee that a permit will be issued for the project," the letter states.

DNR spokesman Marty Benson told The Times on Monday the agency has yet to receive a response from I-65 Partners.

Calls made to I-65 Partners by The Times were not returned.

Jeff Ban, of DVG Inc., project managers for the development, denied any development construction work occurred in the area that the warning from the DNR is addressing.

"Landowners disagree with the DNR's alleging of filling the floodplain," he said. "The mapped floodplain is within the banks of Smith Ditch, and no development work has been done adjacent to the ditch or near the floodplain."

Ban said they are excited to present development plans in that area to the city in the beginning of 2018 that will include medical and professional office space keeping pace with community growth.

Plans for Beacon Hill include extending Summit east of Broadway and extending Delaware Parkway north of 109th Avenue. Eventual plans call for Delaware Parkway to connect to the Community Stroke and Rehabilitation Hospital at 10215 Broadway, a project currently in development that eventually could become a 60-acre medical campus.

The city is hoping to develop a hotel in the area around 109th as well.
The first-grade students at John I. Meister Elementary School, part of the River Forest School Corporation, got a special treat at school as they celebrated a new holiday tradition. Chris Barnes, a title III paraprofessional who works with the schools English Language Learners, thought that she would widen the students knowledge of the Hispanic culture by introducing them to the Hispanic holiday of Dia De Los Muertos that is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2. Principal Gina Wagenblast thought the idea Barnes brought to her was a new way to bring the Hispanic culture into the school and was giving the students a way to compare and contrast the two holidays.

The children started their celebration with a Powerpoint presentation that helped to explain the holiday and traditions at a level that they could easily understand. The students then made their own Dia De Los Muertos skull mask that symbolizes the generations of the family members that have passed on. With the help of a few discounts from area businesses, the children were treated to refried beans, Mexican rice, chicken tamales, pan muertos bread, a sweet bread that is eaten for the Dia De Los Muertos celebration, and tamarino, a sour, spicy candy that is actually made on a spoon for eating. An Ofrenda (altar to honor the dead) was created in the classroom, which the children took part in by bringing pictures of family members that have passed on to add to the altar. The children finished off their celebration with watching the film The Book of Life," which deals with the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos.
GARY  The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana will hold its sixth annual Hope for the Holidays food distributions to provide nutrition assistance to 1,000 local families this December.

The distributions, sponsored by NIPSCO, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Jean Shepherd Community Center in Hammond and 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 9 at Christ Lutheran Church in Valparaiso.

One in six of our neighbors faces hunger on a daily basis, and the holidays often amplify that struggle, said Steve Beekman, executive director of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. These holiday food distributions provide additional, nutritious food assistance to Northwest Indiana residents in need, during a season when many of them need it most.

With nearly 100,000 residents of Northwest Indiana identified as food insecure  meaning they dont have regular, reliable access to nutritious food  food assistance programs are a critical piece of hunger relief in the Region. Items to be distributed at the Hope for the Holidays distributions include proteins, grains, fresh and shelf-stable produce and other nonperishable meal items.

Each distribution will begin at 9 a.m., and individuals will receive assistance on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Residents of Lake and Porter counties should bring proof of residency, and are encouraged to bring their own bags and boxes to carry items. Visit foodbanknwi.org/hope for more information on Hope for the Holidays, including dates, times and exact locations.
A team of six Purdue University Northwest graduate students won the grand prize at the internationally recognized 2017 Smith Travel Research Market Study Competition earlier this month in New York City.

The STR competition gives leading hospitality and tourism schools from around the world an opportunity to analyze actual market research and data and interpret the story of a specific market.

At the beginning of the fall semester, students of the PNW White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management graduate and undergraduate classes began to analyze and research a specific hotel markets data to be submitted as a 30-minute video presentation to qualify for the competition.

Our students worked extremely hard analyzing the Denver hotel market, said Mike Flannery, director of the White Lodging School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Their insightful presentation demonstrated their excellent research and analytical skills in a very competitive industrial environment.

PNW was named as a finalist alongside Kansas State, Michigan State, Texas Tech and University of Missouri. The graduate students presented their findings to a panel of industry experts. The undergraduate student team presented as a non-finalist among 26 competing universities.

The opportunity to work with real data and present before industry professionals has provided a rare and invaluable experience for our students, said Wendy Kasche, interim assistant dean in the college of business.

The graduate student team included David Arredondo (Munster), Yeonju Bae and Richard Chambers (Hammond), Paul Money (Porter), Carolyn Sandrick (Dyer) and Madison Walker (Crown Point).

The first-place recognition includes a commemorative plaque and a cash prize. Additionally, the participating students names will be added into the STR national database for future internship and mentorship opportunities.
PORTAGE  Police here can breathe a sigh of relief  the missing police dog has been found safe and sounds after a several hour search.

Police Chief Troy Williams said a woman from Hobart spotted the 4 1/2-year-old Dutch shepherd this morning and let him into her garage before heading to work.

She had planned to call animal control when she got home from work. After learning of the missing police K9, she left work early and let police into her garage.

Si's disappearance had been posted on several Facebook sites along with The Times website.

Si apparently escaped his kennel sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

About 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Portage Police K9 officer Wendell Hite went into his backyard in the 900 block of Lake George Street in Hobart to retrieve his K9 partner Si from his kennel when he saw the entry gate about halfway open, Williams said.

Realizing the gate should not be open, Hite began calling out to Si, but to no avail. Hite then began checking the area and notified the Hobart Police Department as well as his superiors at the Portage Police Department, Williams said. It's believed the dog ran off from his kennel.

Hite last saw Si in his kennel at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A neighbor in the 1000 block of Lake George Street saw Si on their back porch early Wednesday morning, but did not have the means to keep him there, Williams said.

It is unknown exactly how Si got out. An internal department inquiry will look into that later.
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INDIANAPOLIS  An Indiana Republican's Senate campaign said Wednesday that it has fired an aide affiliated with the white nationalist movement who recently formed a super PAC backing embattled Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.

Caleb C. Shumaker was a contract employee who gathered ballot petition signatures for Mike Braun, his campaign said in a statement. Social media posting made by Shumaker in October and November show him promoting Braun and making appearances on the candidate's behalf at GOP events around the state.

"The Braun campaign briefly contracted with Mr. Shumaker to collect signatures for ballot access. Once we became aware of Mr. Shumaker's past comments and associations, his contract was terminated immediately," Braun adviser Barney Keller said in a statement. "Mike Braun strongly and unequivocally condemns Mr. Shumaker's disgusting beliefs and believes they have no place in American politics."

Reached by phone Wednesday, Shumaker took issue with the campaign's characterization of his departure and said he left for family reasons. He condemned racism and told The Associated Press that he is no longer affiliated with the white nationalist group National Youth Front. The 25-year-old, meanwhile, praised Moore, an evangelical conservative who has been accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with teenagers when more was in his 30s.

He says he recently formed his Indiana First PAC to back candidates, like Moore, who will support President Donald Trump's agenda. The group has yet to file paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, and it's unclear how much  if any  money it has raised.

That didn't stop Moore, whose campaign touted the endorsement of Shumaker's super PAC in a press release.

"I'm a conservative. I believe strongly in conservative principles. I'm a person of faith. I believe strongly in Christian conservatism," said Shumaker, who lives in Evansville, Indiana. "I condemn any form of racism, especially white nationalism. I don't think America has any room for it."

But internet postings from 2014 list Shumaker as the group's chairman, and a YouTube channel listed as belonging to the group bears Shumaker's name.

"There has been a lack of nationalist spirit in our youth, a lack of pride for ourselves and our people. If we are to survive we must embrace its ideals with a zealousness," a December 2014 posting attributed to Shumaker states. "It is imperative to reject socialist and antiwhite agendas. To refute and shame feminist ideologies that cripple the integrity and pride of a man and pit our sexes against each other."

Shumaker said the posting, which bears a picture of him, was falsely attributed to him.

Braun, a self-funded businessman and former Indiana lawmaker, jumped into the GOP Senate primary in August. He's poured more than $800,000 of his own money in the race, establishing himself as a credible candidate in a primary that also includes GOP Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita.

Moore faces Democrat Doug Jones in a special Dec. 12 election that will determine who fills Attorney General Jeff Sessions old Senate seat.
The debate never stops. Pro-sanction people are saying the latest round of U.S. sanctions against North Korea may indeed bring enough pressure on Kim Jong-un to talk about giving up his nukes and missiles. The anti-sanctionists say sanctions never work, and now they say Kim may be tempted to test still more missiles and nukes just to prove what a great and independent leader he is.

Were never going to hear the end of this debate. Nor will we ever get any definitive answers. Who will know for sure if he orders another test of a long-range missile capable of carrying a warhead to the United States that he would or would not have done so with or without the sanctions?

Its all a guessing game in which President Donald Trumps decision to restore North Korea to its rightful place on the State Departments list of sponsors of terror adds colorful quotes to the argument. If nothing else, by bestowing this label on North Korea, Trump scores rhetorical or propaganda points. Proponents of a strong U.S. policy think he has done whats needed to bring Kim to his senses.

After briefly making headlines in the United States, however, these gestures do not appear to have advanced the story a great deal. Certainly a few more Chinese companies may be constrained from doing business with North Korea, and certainly North Korean leaders do not like the terror label now anymore than they did in 2008 when George W. Bush, then the U.S. president, ordered removal of the North from the list.

Bush was persuaded by Condoleezza Rice, then secretary of state, that removal of the North from the list would provide the North with enough face and respect to abide by agreements hammered out by Christopher Hill in six-party talks to give up its nuclear program on a carefully devised timetable.

Hill also got the U.S. Treasury Department to remove constraints that had forced Banco Delta Asia in Macao to freeze a few tens of millions of dollars in North Korean accounts.

Anyone could have seen that Hill, looking for a place in history as the diplomat who had gotten the North to give up its nuclear ambitions, was more or less out of his mind. What made him imagine that Kim Jong-il, the father of Kim Jong-un, would ever abide by such a deal?

Hill these days is saying North Korean negotiators lied to him, broke their promises and were otherwise quite deceptive.

In the meantime, Banco Delta Asia had gone on serving as a conduit for distributing counterfeit North Korean $100 bills while North Koreas Bureau 39 deposited profits from sales of weapons, narcotics, even cigarettes with phony foreign labels on them.

North Korea should have remained in its place of honor on the terror list along with Syria, Iran and Sudan.

Where does Trump go from here? What if Kim Jong-un really does order another test of a long-range missile? Then what?

Its often said Trump is really tough  that hes capable of some wild act, a pre-emptive strike, that might precipitate counter-attacks on South Koreas populated, industrial regions.

Its the fear of such a reaction from the North that inhibits South Korean President Moon Jae-in from going along with U.S. hints of a military option if diplomacy fails.

It probably would be extremely risky to predict the next act in the great Korean drama. We have so often been surprised in the past. Let us hope intensified pressure does have a certain effect.
Shot: Joseph Ayiki

The acting Gulu District Police Commander ASP Joseph Ayiki is fighting for his life after sustaining gunshot wounds in a brawl last night.

Ayiki was shot in the right leg slightly above the knee by an Exposs Security guard. The incident took place at TAKS Centre, a daytime recreation centre in Gulu town.

Details are still scanty on circumstances that led to the 3am shooting incident. This morning, the scene had visible footmarks and a pool of blood outside the main entrance.





David Odwar, the director of TAKS centre says he is unaware of what took place. Odwar says the centre was closed at 10:00pm and he cannot explain what took place beyond that time.



A source within Exposs security group told URN on condition of anonymity that Ayiki was shot during a misunderstanding with the security guard over an office chair he wanted to carry from the centre.



"It is unclear how he entered the centre at 3am with all gates closed, without his official vehicle and escort, the source", said.



Ayiki was rushed to Gulu regional referral hospital for medical attention. Aswa regional police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema says a police doctor and regional police surgeon have also joined them to assess his situation. Medical personnel at Gulu hospital say the DPC has been taken for an X-ray scan.



David Olanya, the security guard who reportedly shot Ayiki has been detained at Gulu Central Police Station. Last year, a security guard attached to the same security firm shot dead a lecturer at Gulu University in a misunderstanding over a parked motorcycle in front of dfcu bank Gulu.



Ayiki has been the acting District Police Commander in October since Martin Okoyo, the then DPC went on study leave.
If alien conspiracy theories are your thing or you simply believe in extraterrestrial life and eagerly await the first contact, youll feel right at home at Akdeniz University in Turkey. This educational establishment, based in the province of Antalya, has made a course called Ufology and Exopolitics part of its latest curriculum. Its aim is to get students ready to give a proper welcome to visitors from space, which tutor Erhan Kolbasi believes to have already touched down multiple times.

Practical preparations and interstellar diplomacy are only part of the course focus. As Kolbasi told the Dogan News Agency, students will also learn about alleged government cover-ups of alien activity on Earth. Kolbasi, who serves as deputy chair of Istanbul-based Sirius UFO Space Sciences Research Center, claims that fiber optic cable, microchips and night vision devices are technologies we have because of information collected at UFO crash sites.

Photo: Per Johansson/Wikimedia Commons

We believe representatives from the world and extraterrestrial civilizations will soon be making official contact with each other. We think they will be in an open and mass contact. [It will be the] biggest change seen in the history of the world, Kolbasi told the Turkish news agency, adding that he expected this contact within 10 or 15 years.

The university tutor blames a specific entity for depriving humanity of knowledge related to alien activity on Earth. He names as the culprit a purportedly secret organization called Majestic 12 (MJ-12), which has been keeping visits from outer space a secret by any means necessary, murder included. This organization was allegedly established by U.S. President Harry Truman for the purpose of protecting national interests.

MJ-12 has become the stuff of legend and invariably sits at the heart of UFO conspiracy theories. Some have tried to debunk the myth and get to the bottom of the whole thing, but the mystery is nowhere near solved and this remains a highly complex matter. The FBI studied the first documents to mention MJ-12 as part of an inquiry involving and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and declared the following on its Vault website:

Photo: Akdeniz University/Facebook

In 1988, two FBI offices received similar versions of a memo titled Operation Majestic-12 claiming to be highly classified government document. The memo appeared to be a briefing for newly-elected President Eisenhower on a secret committee created to exploit a recovery of an extra-terrestrial aircraft and cover up this work from public examination. An Air Force investigation determined the document to be a fake.

So whether youve always wanted to get a degree in alien conspiracies, or just want to take a few lessons in interstellar diplomacy, now you can.
A Vietnamese court recently sentenced 22-year-old blogger and journalist Nguyen Van Hoa to seven years in prison for reporting on the 2016 Formosa spill that devastated the Vietnamese coast. Arrested in April, Hoa had produced video footage, photos, and articles about Taiwan-owned Formosa Plastics Groups April 2016 toxic chemical spill from its steel plant located at the port in Ha Tinh. According to state-run media, he stands accused of propagating against, distorting and defaming the government.

The Peoples Court of Ha Tinh province found Hoa guilty of violating Article 88 of Vietnams Penal Code and also ruled that he be placed under house arrest for three years after his jail term is complete. No attorney was present to represent Hao in the closed trial.

Le Cong Dinh, a rights lawyer, condemned the verdict in an interview with Radio Free Asia, saying, Under Vietnamese law, the defendant has the right to refuse a lawyer. But a trial without a lawyer, like this one, fails to meet an important legal standard that everyone around the world agrees on the need for. 

We all know that most of the evidence is fabricated and falsely interpreted. Therefore, its not surprising to know that there was no lawyer at his trial,  Dinh added.

The spill occurred when Taiwanese steel company Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation, a subsidiary of the giant Formosa Plastics Group, flushed cyanide and other dangerous chemicals through its waste pipeline. What followed was one of Vietnams most significant and devastating environmental disasters. The spill stretched across 120-miles of coastline. It destroyed 115 tons of fish and marine life, crippled the fishing and tourism industries, and caused people to fall ill. Initially, the Vietnamese government withheld all information of the spill, even refusing to name the toxic agents involved to the poisoned victims and their doctors.

Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation was found to be responsible for the spill, and they were fined $500 million (USD) for causing the disaster. Critics, including Hao, accused the government of protecting the corporation, claiming that officials had given the company an exclusive deal when they were acquiring coastal property for their plant.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division, also condemned the verdict via The New York Times:

The sentencing of Nguyen Van Hoa shows how profoundly the governments paranoid desire to maintain political control trumps notions of justice and human rights. How else can one explain that executives of an international firm that poisoned the ocean, ruining the coastal economy in four provinces, are free to go about their business while this idealistic young journalist is heading to prison for helping expose their misdeeds?



Hao joins fellow blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, better known as Me Nam (Mother Mushroom), who, for similar reasons, was given a ten-year jail sentence last June. Theyre both victims of an authoritarian crackdown targeting any form of dissent in the one-party Communist Vietnam. According to Amnesty International, the country currently holds the highest number of prisoners of conscience in Southeast Asia.

In the 2017 RSF World Press Freedom Index Vietnam ranked 175th out of 180 countries.
Imagine waking up one day and finding that your beautiful local beach is no more  gone, its fine white sand swept away by a freak storm. You go about your daily business for 12 long years and then suddenly the beach is back, all its glory restored by another storm. This is what happened on the island of Achill, off the coast of Ireland, where the inhabitants are celebrating the return of the beautiful Ashleam Bay beach that was taken from them in 2005.

That in itself is remarkable enough, but the story gets even better! You see, another beach in Achill did a disappearing act once, but took much longer to return. The beach at Doonagh, located only six miles (10km) away from Ashleam Bay, was restored earlier this year after waves created by spring storms had swept away all the sand in 1984, leaving just rock pools behind.

Photo: Achill Tourism/Facebook

Back to Ashleam Bay and the lovely surprise the islanders got. According to Sean Molloy, of Achill Tourism, past storm had cleared the coast of most of the rocks and boulders, and then this past summer Storm Brian finished the job and replaced all the debris with a thick layer of sand.

Local legend says that the beach at Ashleam Bay returns for a short while every seven years, but this time around it took a bit longer than that. Not that anyones complaining.

There is local folklore that stretches back hundreds of years that says this beach comes back every seven years then disappears again. It was last seen in 2005 and it stayed for a few months at that time before it was washed away again, Molloy said.

Photo: YouTube screengrab

As you can imagine, everyone on the island of Achill is thrilled to have their sandy beach back, and even though no one knows how long its going to be around for, they are making the most of the time theyve got before it disappears again.

Ive been to visit the beach. It was the first time I was ever down on that part of the shore, even though Ive been here all my life, and I couldnt get over how beautiful it was. Its absolutely stunning, its a new favorite spot for me now. I dont know how long it will be there, but I encourage anyone who is around to go and see it while its there, Molloy added.

Some may be quick to attribute the phenomenon to climate change, but thats not the reason these two beaches in Achill keep disappearing. Dr Kevin Lynch, a geographer at NUI Galway, told the Irish Times that these occurrences are the result of hydrodynamics and sediment supply, and lengthy studies have ruled out any climate change impact.



In Dooaghs case, the wind direction changed the hydrodynamics of the bay, and may have washed in an offshore sandbank. This may be similar for Ashleam, and it could be that erosion on one part of the coast has provided a new sediment supply.

Regardless of whats causing them, disappearing and reappearing beaches are just part of what makes nature so fascinating.
Health advocates are asking consumers to take a close look at 4G Wi-Fi transmissions, saying they raise health concerns.

4G, also known as Fourth Generation and LTE, meaning Long Term Evolution, has come into widespread use in the U.S. and many other countries.

Bulletin: click here for trailer for "Generation Zapped," a new film highlighting dangers of EMF.

The 74-minute crowd funded documentary investigates research on health risks associated with wireless technology. It says the public encounters more than 100,000 times the levels of Radio Frequency (RF) exposure from wireless technologies than it did decades ago when the FCC first published its regulations designed to protect the public.

A number of international scientists are featured including Martin Blank, Lennart Hardell, and Magda Havas. The film explores the cause and effect relationships of RF exposure on infertility, learning disabilities, cancer and other diseases.

It asks the audience to use technology safely.

Peter Sullivan is Executive Producer.

4G is tremendously powerful and has faster bandwidth that provides lightning-fast service to mobile internet users, says Priya Viswanathan, a researcher who has studied the health effects of the new technology.

While 4G bestows many more conveniences than 3G ever could, it comes with potentially very dangerous health issues as well, she writes.

Telecoms such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are well aware of the claims of health advocates but are more interested in their own profit margins, she says.

A problem for health advocates, she notes, is that there is no conclusive medical evidence to prove anything at all. We continue to wait and watch as the battle rages on.

High-Powered Towers Being Erected

Additional high-powered towers are being erected in order to make 4G work efficiently.

Smartphones are being equipped with a series of antennae that further intensifies the risks of being exposed to radiation, says Viswanathan.

Health advocates say the dangers of pulsed radiation have been proven and refer doubters to websites including www.bioinitiative.org, www.emfsafetynetwork.com and www.emfanalysis.com

EMFs are especially dangerous to children, seniors and fetuses.

Gov. Brown Vetoed Tower Bill

Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown onOct. 15 vetoed Senate Bill 649 that would have removed local control of cellphone tower creation. It would have created a state mandated system of cell towers every couple of hundred feet apart in California. Brown said local communities should have a say in placement of such towers.

Opposing it were 300 cities, 47 counties and more than 100 community, planning, health, environment and justice organizations.

The bill would have allowed unlimited refrigerator-size cell equipment on utility poles, streetlights, sidewalks, in parks, on schools and public buildings with no safety oversight.

Mary Beth Brangan, co-director of Ecological Options Network, said, Now we need to prepare ourselves for the next state and federal telecom push, where they will try again with bills to overtake local authority and disregard public health.

Verizon and Crown Castle, a wireless service firm, have proposed wireless antennae in Alamo, Piedmont and Hillsborough, three high income towns in California. Residents are opposing the installations which require local government approval.

Mass. Mulls Wi-Fi Bills

Two bills regulating wireless transmissions are the subject of public hearings before the Massachusetts legislature.

Senator Donald Humason's Bill S. 2080 calls for medical community training and insurance for wireless radiation-related illnesses. Hearings started on Nov. 28.

Senator Karen Spilka's Bill S. 1268 creating a commission to address wireless radiation and public health will be heard starting Dec. 11.

The state Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education is examining the biological risks of Wi-Fi in schools. It is reviewing testimony on all seven wireless radiation bills, and is working with the Dept. of Public Health on ways to protect students and staff.

The DPH is preparing fact sheets on electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of radiation emitted by high voltage power lines, cell towers, cell phones and other wireless technology.

Understanding EMFs

Wireless Education
Philando Castiles girlfriend, who was present the day he was fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer, has received a financial settlement from the city of St. Anthony.

READ: Cop Who Killed Philando Castile Cites Marijuana As A Factor

The St. Anthony City Council voted Tuesday night to pay Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter $675,000, according to a report from WCCO-TV. Reynolds will receive another $125,000 from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and the city of Roseville where Reynolds was detained by police.

Following the announcement of the settlement Reynolds released the following statement:

The settlement symbolizes that what happened to my daughter and I on July 6, 2016 was wrong. While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer. I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward.

If we dont approve this and we go ahead with litigation, it would just reopen the whole case again and bring heartache to everyone involved, St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust said of the agreed settlement. It is best to settle, and this will resolve all civil litigation stemming from the incident on July 6, 2016, and it opens the door to continued healing within our community.

A month ago it was announced that a memorial fund made in Castiles honor would eliminate a years worth of student lunch debt in St. Paul. The Philando Feeds The Children Fund raised over $72,000 dollars with more than 2,000 donors contributing to the fund with the initial goal for the fundraiser being $5,000. Prior to his untimely death, Castile served as a nutrition services supervisor at the J.J. Hill Montessori school in St. Paul.

The fund was given to officials at J.J. Hill by Castiles mother, Valerie.

Source: minnesota.cbslocal.com
This article originally appeared in Harvard Business Review, China on October 02, 2017.

The race to cash in on Chinas insurance sector is gathering momentum. In the last six years, Chinas insurance market has doubled in size. Chinese entrepreneurial networks are now looking to capitalize on transformation patterns experienced in more mature markets, such as the USA and Germany. How can this global foresight offer valuable lessons for success in the Chinese market?

As experienced globally, the expectations of Chinese consumers are developing swiftly. Propelled by the strong tailwinds of economic growth, reform of the broader financial services sector and a stable government, an array of new products and services is gathering pace. Players within the sector are scrambling to adjust to rapid social and cultural change. Discerning Chinese customers have become used to the ease and convenience of the Alibaba and Tencent effect within the retail sector. When evaluating insurance products, they are now demanding a similarly seamless and intuitive experience.

Innovation will naturally play a critical role, as providers strive to harness technology for addressing customers evolving needs. Globally a first wave of new InsurTechs has been leading the charge, with many employing e-commerce mechanisms seen in other sectors. Aside from the InsurTech disruptors, incumbents are equally adopting new technologies to drive change. Often Chinese boardrooms have embraced digital transformation with more enthusiasm than their western counterparts. One to watch is Zhong An, which has recently made its IPO with a market cap of just over 10 billion dollars shortly after it went public. This leaves Zhong An as one of the most highly valued InsurTechs worldwide. This tech unicorn is applying fresh thinking to create new business models that capitalize on embedding risk cover into ecosystems like Taobao.com, Tmall.com, Ctrip or China Telecom.
After a woman waived her preliminary hearing Wednesday concerning her alleged involvement in an October homicide, chaos erupted outside the courtroom.

No physical confrontations occurred, only yelling.

Extra police officers were on hand.

That is some (expletive), a man yelled at the womans boyfriend, who attended the hearing. We played in the neighborhood together! We played in the neighborhood together!

Other people coaxed the man who was yelling toward a courthouse elevator.

The woman who waived her hearing, Amari Ware, 27, will stand trial on two counts of being an accessory to a felony. She had posted $10,000 to get out of jail.

Prosecutor Chad Brown said Ware lied to police about her knowledge of what happened on Oct. 21.

Just after 2:30 a.m. that day, officers found Damon Jackson, 35, dead from a gunshot wound near 26th and Sprague Streets. Officers found Jacksons cellphone and the cellphone of another man near the scene.

Ware first told authorities that she reported her Jeep stolen that day because she woke up in the middle of the night and noticed that it was missing.

She also claimed her boyfriend had been with her that night.

However, her story changed, Brown said, and she admitted that her boyfriend had called her about 1:45 a.m. and told her to report the Jeep stolen.

The man whose cellphone was found at the scene had taken her vehicle and shot at Jackson, Brown said.

No charges have been filed against the man or Wares boyfriend, but police officers asked the boyfriend to talk to them after the hearing Wednesday.

This whole time, yall had cellphones and cars, and yall come to me? the boyfriend told officers outside the courtroom.

Come down and talk to us right now, a police detective told the boyfriend.

Talk to you for what, what do I need to talk to you for? the boyfriend said.

We just need a statement from you, another detective said.

A few people yelled expletives at the boyfriend and Ware as they walked from the courthouse, followed by two police officers.
Mayor Jean Stotherts plans for a Native American advisory board received an unscheduled push forward Tuesday.

More than a dozen Native Americans convened at the Douglas County Courthouse outside the grand jury proceeding looking into Omaha police officers dealings with Zachary Bearheels.

The group then took its frustration to the Mayors Office, where it had an unplanned meeting with Marty Bilek, Stotherts chief of staff.

They voiced concern about the status of the Native American board that Stothert promised she would create via executive order following Bearheels death.

Frank LaMere, a Winnebago activist from South Sioux City, and others asked why the board wasnt yet in place.

The mayor needs to quit dragging her heels and do whats right, said John Pappan, chairman of the Big Elk Native American Center. We have had no communication.

The Mayors Office said that it was still working on the board but that it had received few applications from volunteers to serve on it.

The office got names from leaders in the Native American community during a meeting earlier this year and reached out to potential volunteers. They received just five applications.

Stothert has created other boards by executive order. A board focused on veterans has 10 members, while boards for the LGBTQ community and millennials have more.

Bilek said they were concerned about the level of interest in the Native American board, but the group he met with on Tuesday showed theres still interest.

He said they had a very good discussion.

We do have volunteers now for the board, Bilek said. I think we can move forward.

Stothert was not in the office when the group was there. Reached later, she said her office has been trying since July to put the group together.

They have not been responding to us, she said. I really hope there will be more people who want to volunteer.

Grace Johnson was among those who met with Bilek. The mental health therapist and drug and alcohol counselor said she applied in September, then didnt hear anything.

Johnson said shed like to offer historical trauma training, which would help explain what happened to Native Americans in the past and how that contributes to dysfunction today.

Its hard because weve always been kind of brushed to the side, she said. Were like, Hey, we can help you guys here if youre willing to work with us. 

Pappan, from the Big Elk Native American Center, noted that Omaha police are working with the group on a presentation for officers on Native American culture. He credited police for moving forward with that plan.
WILBER, Neb.  The search for a missing 24-year-old woman continued well into the night Wednesday at a pond in this rural community, marking a cold end to a day that had been jarred by a video from two people authorities are hoping to interview.

Volunteer firefighters were working to drain the pond, a couple of blocks north of Wilber-Clatonia High School. At 10:30 p.m., the exposed shoreline was a mucky mess, but there were no apparent clues to the whereabouts of Sydney Loofe, who has been missing for two weeks. With temperatures in the 30s, a firefighter in hip waders trod through the water as lights attached to two firetrucks illuminated the scene.

Earlier in the day, a nine-minute video released by two persons of interest circulated on social media.

Bailey Boswell is wearing sunglasses and a black hoodie in the video. Only half of Aubrey Trails face is visible.

A day after Lincoln police named the pair as persons of interest, they posted the video to the Finding Sydney Loofe Facebook page, offering to tell our side.

It appears that the video was taken inside a vehicle with a sunroof.

Sydney Loofe was last seen Nov. 15 in Wilber, Nebraska, about 40 miles south of Lincoln in Saline County. Her family reported her missing Nov. 16. Police say the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are concerning.

Wednesday, Lincoln police said investigators were searching for Loofe in Saline and Gage Counties. One place being searched was a pond in the Wilber area, which was the last community to record a ping from Loofes cellphone.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies will discuss Loofes disappearance at a press conference in Lincoln this morning.

Authorities have asked for the publics help in locating Trail, 51, and Boswell, 23, both from Wilber.

Trail says in the video that after looking at news reports and listening to police statements, he and Boswell thought it was time to share their side of the story because theyre chasing us around like dogs.

Were not trying to defend anything, he said. Were not trying to make you believe anything. We just feel we should get to say our side since everyone else gets to say theirs.

In the video, Trail says he had been in contact with the Lincoln Police Department to tell them what he knew about the Loofe case, but they eventually told him to stop calling them. He also said he and Boswell have provided statements to police with the help of a Falls City attorney. A phone message left for that attorney was not returned Wednesday.

As far as I know, Im not wanted for anything, Trail said. Im a person of interest, and Im not really running from anything.

Boswell said in the video that she went on two dates with Loofe. On the first, the pair drove around Lincoln and smoked marijuana before Boswell dropped Loofe off.

The next day, Boswell said, she picked up Loofe again. The two again drove around and smoked marijuana, Boswell said, before they went to Boswells house and smoked some more. Boswell said she then dropped Loofe off at a friends house and she hasnt heard from her since.

Both Trail and Boswell said they hoped Loofe is found soon. Trail also said he was sorry Loofe couldnt be with her family on Thanksgiving.

The video later was taken off Facebook, but a copy was posted on YouTube.

Loofes father, George Loofe, who was contacted Wednesday, said he has no comment about the video other than this is the polices job, not mine.

Officer Angela Sands, a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Police Department, said Trail and Boswell still are persons of interest and as of Wednesday afternoon had not turned themselves in to police.

Boswell said in the video that a warrant had been issued for her. Court records show she was ticketed in April 2016 in Lincoln on suspicion of possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, first offense, and use/possession of drug paraphernalia. She failed to appear in court in May 2016, and a warrant was issued. Her address at the time was listed as Trenton, Missouri.

In a Nov. 21 court filing, the Saline County attorney charged Trail in a warrant with possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and being a habitual criminal. Trail previously had been convicted of second-degree forgery and issuing a bad check. The warrant was withdrawn Nov. 22.

Trail is described as 6 feet tall and 284 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Boswell is 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

A friend of Loofes, Terra Gehrig, has said she received a text from Loofe on Nov. 15, saying she had been on a date the night before with a woman she met online. It went well, Loofe told Gehrig, and the pair was planning to go out again that night. But after Loofe didnt show up for work at a Lincoln Menards on Nov. 16, her family contacted authorities.

Loofe has a spinal disorder and a distinctive walk, Gehrig said. She also has distinctive tattoos  the words Everything will be wonderful someday on her arm, a yin yang symbol below her elbow and Believe on her wrist.

Anyone with knowledge of Loofes whereabouts is asked to call Lincoln police at 402-441-6000.

World-Herald staff writer Mara Klecker contributed to this report.
The trial must go on.

A judge in Douglas County on Thursday refused a defense attorneys motion to declare a mistrial after the defendant shot himself in the head Wednesday.

Omaha attorney Michael Bianchi had argued that defendant Thomas M. McLaughlins presence in court was essential to the defenses case because he had planned to testify on his own behalf.

But Douglas County District Judge Leigh Ann Retelsdorf ruled Thursday that McLaughlin, by shooting himself outside his Ashland home, had essentially waived his right to testify or be present in court.

Under previous court rulings, a defendant cannot force a mistrial through his behavior. In one case, a federal appellate court upheld the continuation of a trial after a defendant drank a cocktail of alcohol and meth and had to miss the rest of his trial.

McLaughlin, who turned 70 on Wednesday, had sat in court Tuesday and listened as two girls testified that McLaughlin had sexually assaulted them.

McLaughlin also was served with divorce papers this week.

When he didnt show up for court Wednesday, Saunders County Sheriffs Deputy Jeff Morris went to check on him.

Morris testified Thursday that he pulled into McLaughlins driveway and saw him on the ground outside the home. A revolver was next to him, his eyes were closed and blood pooled near his head. Morris thought he was dead.

As Morris returned to his cruiser, he heard mumbling and movement. He turned to find McLaughlin moving his hands near his chest.

Morris called for a rescue squad to hurry. McLaughlin was able to squeeze a paramedics hand in response to questions, Morris said.

McLaughlin, a retired architect, now is in extremely critical condition at Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy. Bianchi said doctors plan to reduce some of the drugs he has been given to gauge his brain activity.

The trial wrapped up Thursday. Jurors deliberated a little more than an hour before recessing for the evening. Deliberations are expected to resume this morning.

Douglas County prosecutors Molly Keane and Sean Lavery allege that McLaughlin sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl multiple times over several months. He also is awaiting trial on five counts of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Saunders County.
A 22-year-old Omaha man was driving 80 mph Saturday when his car crashed into a parked pickup truck, causing the death of a 17-year-old passenger, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

The crash information was revealed during a bail hearing for Alberto Castro-Sanabria, who has been charged with motor vehicle homicide.

Bail was set at $1 million. Castro-Sanabria must post 10 percent of that to be released. He remained in the Douglas County Jail on Wednesday night.

Killed in the crash was Luis Alberto Castillo-Cabrera of Omaha.

Tests at a hospital determined that Castro-Sanabria had a blood-alcohol level of .123, said Ryan Lindberg, a deputy Douglas County attorney.

Castro-Sanabria faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the charge.

The speed of the car, a 2005 Ford Mustang, was determined through an examination of the cars airbag system, Lindberg said.

The vehicle went from a stop to 80 mph in seconds on a residential street, Lindberg said. It hit the pickup truck at full throttle.

Despite his lack of a criminal record, a high bail was warranted for Castro-Sanabria, Lindberg said, because he is in the U.S. illegally and holds a passport from El Salvador.

Castro-Sanabria has been interviewed by federal immigration officials, Lindberg said.

According to police, Castro-Sanabria was driving the Mustang north on 31st Street at 2:20 a.m. Saturday when it struck the rear of a parked 2017 Ford F-250, pushing it into a parked 2012 Audi. The Mustang then veered to the left and stopped when it hit a light pole.

Castillo-Cabrera suffered a head injury and was declared brain dead at the Nebraska Medical Center. He died Monday.

Several relatives, including Castro-Sanabrias mother, who lives in California, attended the hearing. Castro-Sanabria is very remorseful about the crash, they said.

Were in shock because Albertos a good person, said a cousin, Gabriela Caceres of Omaha. Castillo-Cabrera was his good friend, and he would change places with him if he could.

Castro-Sanabria has been in Omaha for about three years and works for a landscaping company, his cousin said. On weekends, he worked as a mechanic.

He works six days a week, Caceres said. He doesnt usually go anyplace. This was just a terrible accident.

World-Herald staff writer Andrew J. Nelson contributed to this report.
Average gasoline prices in Omaha that fell 3 cents per gallon in the past week may be reversing course soon, an oil analyst said.

Omahas average for a gallon of regular unleaded Tuesday was $2.50, up from $2.36 a month ago and $2.01 a year ago, according to gasprices.aaa.com.

Some retailers in Omaha were selling a gallon for as low as $2.29 and $2.34, GasBuddy.com said.

The national average price Tuesday was $2.50 a gallon, down 3 cents from last week but up 4 cents from last month. A year ago, the national average was $2.13.

Patrick DeHaan, an analyst with GasBuddy.com, said OPECs meeting in Vienna on Thursday could lead to an extension of oil-production cuts. An OPEC agreement with Russia and other oil producers has cut 1.8 million barrels a day. The cuts have reduced global inventories and bumped up prices during high demand in some locations.

He said OPECs decision out of the meeting could be felt at U.S. pumps soon.

Also Tuesday, the Nebraska average per gallon was down 4 cents from a week ago to $2.51, gasprices.aaa.com said. That price is up from $2.45 a month ago and $2.08 a year ago.

Iowas per-gallon average, $2.49, is a 2-cent decrease from last week, according to gasprices.aaa.com. The price is up from $2.43 last month and $2.05 last year.

Meanwhile, AAA said it expects gas prices to fall through the end of the year. However, motorists may still be paying the highest November and December gas prices since 2014.

AAA said it expects a 5 cent to 20 cent decrease over the next few weeks because of a demand dropoff due to forecast cold conditions, the threat of inclement weather and online shopping.

November daily prices averaged $2.17 last year, $2.14 in 2015 and $2.89 in 2014.
Kelly Paulson was among viewers stunned by the firing of Matt Lauer for what NBC said Wednesday was "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a colleague.

The Omaha woman said Lauer seemed like a neighbor and trustworthy as he covered the Olympics, bantered with celebrities or shared the news.

"I was shocked," she said.

Even so, Paulson said he deserves to be punished if the complaint against him is true.

Lauer has long been one of the most-liked figures in the TV news industry, and his fall stunned many of the roughly 4 million viewers who start their day with the NBC News show.

Joseph Weber, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said viewers form particularly strong attachments to hosts of mornings news shows like "Today."

He said the shows are known for trying to create a cozy and approachable family atmosphere as the hosts chat with coffee mugs in front of them.

"They are inviting you into their family," he said.

He said thats why the news about Lauer might be more surprising to the public than allegations of sexual harassment leveled at other celebrities or public figures.

Lisa Kort-Butler, an associate professor of sociology at UNL, said viewers can develop a familiarity and a one-sided relationship with TV personalities like Lauer.

"We spend our mornings with them," she said. "They are part of our lives."

Network news chief Andrew Lack said in a memo to the staff that NBC received a complaint about Lauer's behavior on Monday and determined it violated company standards. NBC said the misconduct started when Lauer and a network employee were at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and continued beyond that assignment.

Lack said it was the first complaint ever lodged against Lauer, but "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Messages to Lauer and his agent were not immediately returned, and the network would not say whether he denied or admitted to any wrongdoing.

This report includes material from The Associated Press.
Coming Sunday: The first of three days of remembering Von Maur shooting victims and responders 10 years later.

* * * * *

Weapon drawn and eyes darting all directions, Omaha Police Sgt. Jeff Baker worked his way into the center of the Von Maur department store and came upon the body of a man killed by gunshots. And something else.

Bakers foot accidentally kicked a shell casing. There were others, too. He recognized them immediately as coming from a high-powered rifle. It confirmed his worst fear about this Dec. 5, 2007, shooting call at the Westroads Mall.

Omaha had just become the latest city to fall victim to a mass shooter intent on indiscriminately killing as many innocent people as possible. This was Omahas own Columbine, its own Virginia Tech. Indeed, police would later find that the gunman had killed eight, seriously wounded three others and turned the rifle on himself before any officer even had a chance to reach the store.

Not everything would go smoothly in the minutes and hours that followed Bakers discovery. But a decade later  Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of Omahas deadliest shooting  Baker and other police officials say the city is far more prepared if something similar ever happened again.

Officers are better trained, and they have adopted new tactics.

They are also better armed, able to match the firepower of almost any mass shooter, and better protected.

And fire officials are now trained to work with police to more quickly enter shooting zones and speed life-saving aid to victims.

Our active shooter training has gotten exponentially better in the 10 years since, said Baker, who now heads the Police Departments firearms training unit. We serve no one well if were ill-equipped, under-trained and dont have the right mindset to deal with these monstrous events when they happen.

Some of the new strategies have been adopted all over the country, as law enforcement tactics continue to evolve in the face of ever more frequent and deadly mass shootings. Baker said tactics are particularly geared toward getting officers to the active shooter as quickly as possible. Studies of mass shootings around the country have shown that, on average, for every minute that police are delayed, four more people are shot.

But some of the changes also relate to lessons learned specifically from Omahas first mass shooting. A subsequent review revealed that the law enforcement response was marked by numerous problems and mistakes.

Errors in the Douglas County 911 center delayed delivery of key information  including descriptions of the gunman and the fact that there were numerous shooting victims on the stores third floor  to responding officers. Those mistakes were exacerbated when a bad tip about a man in camouflage running toward J.C. Penney diverted the first-responding officers from Von Maur. In reality, the gunman never left the stores third floor, even though two victims on lower floors were killed by shots from the third floor.

Paramedics were also delayed in reaching the victims as fire and police officials debated in the moment whether it was safe enough for firefighters to go to the stores third floor.

We were honest, said Officer Dave Staskiewicz, who helped write the comprehensive police after-incident report and recently briefed The World-Herald on it. Some things went good, some went bad, and this is what we can learn from it.

* * * * *

Tragedy spurs change

The official response to the Von Maur shootings began at 1:43 p.m. that December day when the Douglas County 911 center was flooded with calls from the store.

The initial calls indicated only shots fired, with no specific details. By 1:45, a dispatcher assigned two officers and their supervisor, Baker, to respond to a shooting.

At 1:49, six minutes after the initial calls, Sgt. Stephen Worley became the first officer to enter the store. Within a minute, Worley found a victim near a first-floor escalator.

Baker arrived less than a minute later and reported the rifle casings. The officers heard no shooting, unaware at the moment that the gunman on the third floor had already killed himself.

With one victim down by shots from a powerful rifle, no visible suspect and the potential for the shooter to be anywhere in the mall, Baker called for every available officer in the city. In the end, about 250 officers from various agencies would respond, buttressed by off-duty officers who earlier in the day had worked President George W. Bushs visit to the city.

Right around the time Baker arrived, 911 was informed by a Von Maur employee of multiple victims on the stores third floor.

But it would take 8 minutes before police officers were informed of any victims on the third floor, and 15 minutes before they were informed that there were multiple victims there.

Later, 911 officials would say calls were coming in so quickly that some critical information apparently scrolled off the dispatchers screen before she could see it and relay it to officers.

By the time police were informed of a third-floor victim at 1:59, most officers had left Von Maur on a bad tip of a potential suspect running down the mall. Baker and the other initial officers never heard of the victims on the third floor.

A Douglas County deputy made his way up to the third floor by 2:02 but was on the opposite side of the floor from where most of the victims lay.

A minute later, a team of four Omaha police officers entered the stores south doors. They tried to get firefighters to come with them, saying they would escort them in, but gave up and proceeded alone.

Staskiewicz and Sgt. Brian Janucik finally reached the third-floor victims in customer service at 2:12  21 minutes after 911 was first told of them  also finding the gunman dead in front of the customer service counter.

It would take an additional five minutes before paramedics reached the victims. Of the five victims they found in customer service, one was already dead, and two others subsequently died. It remains unclear today whether a smoother response would have saved more lives.

The problems with the response were not revealed publicly until months later when The World-Herald reviewed the 911 communications and discovered the failures. The Police Department did its own confidential, internal study, which found the same errors.

The then-head of Douglas Countys 911 center acknowledged the problems, saying they were rooted in the fact that the center had not previously dealt with such a massive volume of information before.

The challenge that poor dispatcher and the supervisor faced, it was like drinking from a fire hose, said Tim Carmody, a former Omaha police lieutenant who also helped write the departments after-incident report.

Now, in a large event, the main dispatcher would be assisted by another to make sure critical information was not missed, the 911 official said.

In another effort to clear up communications issues revealed by the Von Maur shootings, additional police radio event channels were created, channels that would be used exclusively by those officers responding to such a major event.

The Omaha Police Department has also undergone many changes.

All officers have gone through mandatory active killer training twice since 2007, and theres another drill planned for 2018. Each drill has taught the latest in tactical thinking.

For example, at the time of the Von Maur shootings, police protocol for an active shooter called for first-responding officers to form up into two- and four-man teams before entering the hot zone  where the shooting was taking place. No longer. Now any responding officer heads right to the sound of gunfire.

We know one person can get in there and make a difference and save lives, said Carmody, now the Council Bluffs police chief.

Responding officers are also far more likely to be well-armed. One of the recommendations of the after-incident report was expanding the number of officers equipped with high-powered rifles.

Today there are nearly 400 Omaha police officers certified to carry AR-15 rifles. Thats nearly half the force and up from about 260 in 2007. Baker is working to raise the figure still higher.

If you have a bad guy with a high-powered rifle, the only antidote to that is a good guy with a high-powered rifle, along with superior training, tactics and an unwavering commitment to duty, Baker said.

Police officers are also better protected. Staskiewicz said another post-Von Maur recommendation was that standard-issue police riot helmets be replaced by ballistic helmets. Officers also were authorized to carry SWAT team-style ballistic vests that, unlike standard protective vests, can stop a high-powered bullet. While not for daily use, they can be deployed when an officer is confronted with a well-armed gunman.

In another equipment change, officers were additionally authorized to carry tourniquets. Staskiewicz said hes hoping they will eventually become standard issue to all officers.

Its something that could save my life, my partners life or a civilians life, Staskiewicz said.

One of the most significant changes has been the effort to get paramedics into shooting scenes quicker.

Previous policy forbade firefighters from entering a shooting scene until it had been completely safety-checked by police officers. If they had waited at Von Maur for us to make that scene secure, it would have been six hours, Staskiewicz said.

Paramedics still wont enter a hot zone. But now paramedics under police escort can enter a warm zone, one where gunfire has ceased but the scene is not completely secure.

Police and paramedics train in this rescue task force model to speed aid to shooting victims. Paramedics are equipped with ballistic helmets and vests to better protect them at such scenes.

If a similar mass shooting happened today, Staskiewicz said, he has no doubt that the response would be different.

In terms of training, tactics, equipment and mindset, our agency is a lot better prepared to go into something like that again, Staskiewicz said. Hopefully we never have to.

* * * * *

Second-by-second

Key events in the Von Maur emergency response

1:42:55: First Von Maur call is received at 911.

1:44:55: Pair of police officers and supervising sergeant dispatched to a shooting. Firefighters also dispatched.

1:45:48: 911 told of gunman seen on third floor. Information never broadcast to police.

1:46:15: Police dispatcher radios additional information, including one person hit. Sgt. Jeff Baker requests more officers.

1:48:18: Caller tells 911 of victim on second floor. Information is never broadcast.

1:49:14: Sgt. Stephen Worley announces arrival and enters.

1:50:00: Worley reports finding body by first-floor escalator.

1:50:25: Worley reports suspect is black male, whereabouts unknown. Baker calls for all available officers.

1:51:14: Jodi Longmeyer tells 911 four to five victims are on third floor. Police dispatcher gets information within two minutes but doesnt broadcast for five more.

1:51:46: Baker reports finding large-caliber rifle empties on first floor.

1:52:16: Longmeyer provides detailed description of shooter. Information forwarded to dispatcher but never broadcast.

1:52:52: Victim Jeff Schaffart tells 911 he is in a third-floor womens restroom.

1:53:35: Firefighters are told of possible five parties shot in Von Maur. Police not notified.

1:54:15: Longmeyer tells 911 most third-floor victims are by customer service, with another in a locker room. Neither location is broadcast.

1:55:25: Firefighters are advised of victim in third-floor restroom. Police not yet notified.

1:57:00: Lt. Adam Kyle, police commander on scene, broadcasts second erroneous description of suspect: white male wearing green Army vest, last seen moving toward J.C. Penney. First responding officers in Von Maur move toward Penneys.

1:58:40: Douglas County Sheriffs Sgt. Rob Jones announces he has taken over on first floor of Von Maur, relieving Omaha officer, who joins pursuit of suspect.

1:58:53: Police dispatcher broadcasts some of Longmeyers information, saying there are possibly five victims, including one in third-floor restroom.

1:59:08: Jones responds he will seek to reach victims.

2:01:10: Kyle asks newly arriving officers to stage at Von Maurs south doors.

2:02:30: Jones has reached Schaffart, finding two bodies along the way. He advises he has third-floor victims secured.

2:03:34: A team of four officers stages at Von Maurs front doors and enters. Police and fire commanders discuss whether its safe enough for medics to enter.

2:06:03: Police dispatcher stresses, I have several victims on the third floor.

2:06:17: Police team suggests it come out of store to directly escort medics in. They go to doors but ultimately turn back and proceed upstairs alone.

2:08:07: Police team reports finding victim on second floor.

2:11:14: Officers report seeing victim down on third floor by customer service.

2:12:12: Officers report it is a gunman, down from a self-inflicted wound, and indicate numerous victims down in customer service.

2:16:41: Omaha Fire Capt. Jim Boomsma indicates four viable patients in customer service.

Source: World-Herald study of 911 calls and police and fire radio communications
WASHINGTON (AP)  Prospects are suddenly looking brighter for the Republican tax overhaul. But the chances of avoiding a government shutdown? Not so much.

Republicans on Tuesday held together and shoved their signature tax overhaul a crucial step ahead as wavering GOP senators showed a growing openness. But its fate remained uncertain, and a planned White House summit aimed at averting a government shutdown was derailed when President Donald Trump savaged top Democrats and declared on Twitter, I dont see a deal!

Its time to stop tweeting and start leading, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer retorted after he and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi rebuffed the budget meeting with Trump and top Republicans.

Trump lunched with GOP senators at the Capitol and declared it a love fest, as he had at his previous closed-doors visit. But the day underscored the partys yearlong problem of unifying behind key legislation  even a bill slashing corporate taxes and cutting personal taxes thats a paramount party goal.

Tuesdays developments also emphasized the leverage Democrats have as Congress faces a deadline a week from Friday for passing legislation to keep federal agencies open while leaders seek a longer-term budget deal. Republicans lack the votes to pass the short-term legislation without Democratic support.

In a party-line 12-11 vote, the Senate Budget Committee managed to advance the tax measure to the full Senate as a pair of wavering Republicans  Wisconsins Ron Johnson and Tennessees Bob Corker  fell into line, at least for the moment. In more good news for the GOP, moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said it was a fair assumption that she was likelier to support the bill after saying Trump agreed to make property taxes up to $10,000 deductible instead of eliminating that break entirely.

But the fate of the legislation remained uncertain as it headed toward debate by the full Senate, which Republicans control by a slender 52-48. GOP leaders can afford just two defectors, and a half dozen or more in their party have been uncommitted. They include some wanting bigger tax breaks for many businesses but others cringing over the $1.4 trillion  or more  that the measure is projected to add to budget deficits over the next decade.

Its a challenging exercise, conceded Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. He compared it to sitting there with a Rubiks Cube and trying to get to 50 votes, a tie that Vice President Mike Pence would break.

Corker, whos all but broken with Trump over the presidents behavior in office, is among a handful of Republicans uneasy over the mountains of red ink the tax measure is expected to produce. He said he was encouraged by discussions with the White House and party leaders to include a mechanism  details still unknown  to automatically trigger tax increases if specified, annual economic growth targets arent met.

I think were getting to a very good place on the deficit issue, Corker said.

But other Republicans are wary of backing legislation that would hold the hammer of potential future tax increases over voters heads.

I am not going to vote to automatically implement tax increases on the American people. If I do that, consider me drunk, said Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana.

Collins said shed also won agreement that before completing the tax measure, Congress would approve legislation restoring federal payments to health insurers that Trump scuttled last month. That bill has had bipartisan support, but its unclear if Democrats would back it amid partisan battling over the tax bill.

McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., met with Trump at the White House despite the top Democrats no-shows. Trump highlighted their absence by appearing before reporters flanked by two empty chairs bearing Schumers and Pelosis names.

Trump said Democrats would be to blame for any shutdown, despite GOP domination of government.

If it happens its going to be over illegals pouring into the country, crime pouring into the country, no border wall, which everyone wants, he said. He also said North Koreas launch of a ballistic missile on Wednesday should prompt Democrats to renew negotiations over the spending legislation, which includes Pentagon funding.

But probably they wont because nothing to them is important other than raising taxes, Trump said.

Democrats noted that in May, Trump tweeted the country needs a good shutdown in September to fix mess! In a tweet of her own Tuesday, Pelosi said Trumps verbal abuse will no longer be tolerated, adding in reference to the empty-chairs show, Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!

A temporary spending bill expires Dec. 8 and another is needed to prevent a government shutdown. Hurricane aid to help Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands is also expected to be included in that measure, as well as renewed financing for a childrens health program that serves more than 8 million low-income children.

Democrats are also pressing for legislative protections for immigrants known as Dreamers. Conservative Republicans object to including that issue in the crush of year-end business. But GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida joined Democrats in saying he wont vote for the spending bill unless the immigrant issue is resolved.

Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The description sounded a little mysterious: really dark or black, very large and about 8 feet tall.

Cody Thomas, a spokesman for the Nebraska State Patrol, said the call came in about 10:15 p.m. Saturday about a sighting of a Bigfoot along Interstate 80, roughly 20 miles east of North Platte.

The sighting has caused a bit of a stir on social media, with people making jokes about the hairy guy. But its also raising questions about the motives of those who reported it.

Robin Roberts, of Castle Rock, Colorado, said she is 99 percent sure that she spotted a Bigfoot as she was driving back to Colorado after spending the Thanksgiving weekend in Nebraska.

The self-described Bigfoot investigator said that less than an hour before her sighting, a deer ran across the Interstate in front of her. So as she continued driving she scanned the right shoulder in case any more deer popped out.

Roberts said she is pretty sure she spotted a Bigfoot standing along a fence near the shoulder. She said she was driving 75 mph, so she saw it for only a few seconds in her headlights. She estimated it to be 8 feet tall and said it was dark looking.

They can second-guess me, she said of the naysayers. But I know what I saw.

Roberts had spent part of last week checking out Nebraska locations of reported Bigfoot sightings, including in the Bellevue and Grand Island areas, with Harriett McFeely of Hastings. McFeely is a longtime bigfooter and organizer of an upcoming Bigfoot conference in Hastings, where Roberts is scheduled to speak.

McFeely fielded the call from her friend and then reported the furry fella to the State Patrol.

The pair said the sighting was not a hoax or an attempt to drum up interest in the Bigfoot conference scheduled for February.

I dont want to Hollywood things up, McFeely said. I dont want to report things that dont happen. If somebody is a hoaxer or liar it gives everybody a bad name. I want to be ethical and professional.

Thomas, the spokesman for the patrol, said a trooper was sent Saturday night to the spot where Roberts said she saw the creature.

He emphasized that the trooper wasnt sent to look for a Bigfoot but to make sure Roberts hadnt spotted a stranded motorist or someone else who needed help.

Turned out the trooper didnt see anyone  or anything.

The State Patrol cannot confirm the existence of Bigfoot, Thomas said, because we didnt find him.
Voters of the Omaha metro area, get ready: Youre about to see a lot of political TV ads, receive a lot of mailers and encounter quite a few volunteers at your door or on your phone hoping to influence the outcome of the congressional election in Nebraskas 2nd District.
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Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York for New Managers: When spirits giant Constellation Brands announced that it was taking a ten percent stake in Canopy Growth, Canada's largest marijuana stock by market cap at the end of October, investors took notice. Deal activity in cannabis was already moving at a pretty steady clip, but to see interest from a major corporate brand signaled to many that cannabis is no longer a nascent industry. John Kaden, Manager and CIO of New York-based hedge fund Navy Capital says the deal will be transformational for the cannabis companies and investors. "The transaction shows that Canadian cannabis LPs are the dominant companies in the space," Kaden tells New Managers. "We think these companies are well positioned to be acquisition targets for tobacco, alcohol and/or pharmaceutical companies." For Kaden, the Constellation deal was also proof of concept for Navy Capital's investment strategy. In May, the firm launched its debut fund - the Navy Capital Green Fund - which invests in the cannabis industry worldwide. "Over the next five years, we expect to see a significant number of companies go public in this industry," he says. "We expect to see a broad institutional grade market emerge and some of the risk that have defined the industry to...................... To view our full article Click here
Opalesque Industry Update - Adamas Asset Management (Adamas) announced today the completion of the first closing of the Adamas Ping An Opportunities Fund, a vehicle mainly providing loans to companies in Greater China. This is the third fund from Adamas and the first fund from the joint venture between Adamas, an investment firm focused on funding established enterprises in Greater China and developed markets in Asia and Yun Sheng Capital Company Limited, a subsidiary of Ping An Group. The remaining capital commitments will be raised in subsequent closes, expected to be completed mid next year. Global investors involved in the first close of the Adamas Ping An Opportunities Fund include a US pension fund, a European financial institution, an asset manager from the Nordics, a Middle East sovereign wealth fund and an Asian family office. The majority of enterprises in China have limited access to traditional bank financing and public equity markets have not kept pace with the brisk growth of private enterprises. The fund bridges this funding gap and aims to help companies develop their business while aiming to provide investors with risk-adjusted returns. Paul Heffner, Chief Executive Officer at Adamas, said: "The fund will mainly provide debt to enterprises in China, providing a better platform for growth. Barry Lau, Chief Investment Officer at Adamas, said: "Up to 95% of the more than 50 million small to medium enterprises in Greater China cannot access traditional bank financing, hindering their growth. There is a financing gap for these companies of around US$3.5-5.0 trillion. Marc de Kloe, Chief Operating Officer at Adamas, said: "The combined team's expertise in the Chinese structured finance market and extensive network will make the fund a best in class capital provider to SMEs in China. We will also implement an ESG framework to mitigate risk and improve transparency."
Opalesque Industry Update - Maples Fund Services, a leading independent global fund services provider and division of MaplesFS, has announced the appointment of Brendan Tyne as Head of Business Development for North America. Mr. Tyne brings over 20 years of experience in the asset management industry. He was most recently the Managing Director of the North American business of a global private equity and real estate fund administrator. Prior to that, he held various sales and relationship management positions, focusing on capital raising and managing institutional and high net worth client relationships for hedge fund and fund-of-funds managers. He received a Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs from Lafayette College and holds an MBA from Columbia University. The addition of Mr. Tyne comes on the heels of continued growth of Maples Fund Services globally. The firm's expert teams and award-winning technology provide clients with high-quality service that can be customized to address their specific needs. As a result of this approach, Maples Fund Services now counts more than US$76 billion in assets under administration and continues to build its portfolio of hedge fund, private equity and institutional investor clients. Mr. Tyne will work closely with Tyler Kim, Global Head of Maples Fund Services, to drive the growth of the fund administration business across North America, including its offices in Boston, Montreal, New York, and San Francisco. "Brendan brings a wealth of industry knowledge and practical experience that will immediately enhance our value proposition to clients," said Kim. "Through the design and delivery of innovative solutions, we will further expand our business in North America and continue to evolve our service offering to address emerging needs."
Do you want to speak more languages? Sure, as Sally Struthers used to say so often, we all do. But the requirements of attaining proficiency in any foreign tongue, no doubt unlike those correspondence courses pitched by that All in the Family star turned daytime TV icon, can seem frustratingly demanding and unclear. But thanks to the research efforts of the Foreign Service Institute, the center of foreign-language training for the United States government for the past 70 years, you can get a sense of how much time it takes, as a native or native-level English speaker, to master any of a host of languages spoken all across the world.

The map above visualizes the languages of Europe (at least those deemed diplomatically important enough to be taught at the FSI), coloring them according the average time commitment they require of an English speaker. In pink, we have the English-speaking countries. The red countries speak Category I languages, those most closely related to English and thus learnable in 575 to 600 hours of study: the traditional high-school foreign languages of Spanish and French, for instance, or the less commonly taught but just about as easily learnable Portuguese and Italian. If youd like a little more challenge, why not try your hand at German, whose 750 hours of study puts it in Category II  quite literally, a category of its own?









In total, the FSI ranks languages into six categories of difficulty, including Englishs Category 0. The higher up the scale you go, the less recognizable the languages might look to an English-speaking monoglot. Category III contains no European languages at all (though it does contain Indonesian, widely regarded as one of the objectively easiest languages to learn). Category IV offers a huge variety of languages from Amharic to Czech to Nepali to Tagalog, each demanding 44 weeks (or 1100 hours) of study. Then, at the very summit of the linguistic mountain, we find the switched-up grammar, highly unfamiliar scripts, and potentially mystifying cultural assumptions of Category V, languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers.

To that most formidable group belong Arabic, Chinese both Mandarin and Cantonese, Korean, and  this with an asterisk meaning usually more difficult than other languages in the same category  Japanese. Now if, like me, you consider studying foreign languages one of your main pursuits, you know that possessing a genuine interest in a language  in its mechanics, in its ongoing evolution, in the cultures that created it and the cultures it in turn creates  can do wonders to get you through even the most aggravating difficulties on the long journey to commanding it. Then again, Im also a native English speaker who chose to move to Korea, where I study not just the Category-V Korean but the Category-V* Japanese through Korean; you might want to take with a grain of salt the words, in any language, of so obvious a masochist.

Youll find the full Foreign Service Institute language difficulty ranking list below. No matter which category youd like to take on, you can get a start at our Free Foreign Language Lessons collection, many of whose materials come produced by the FSI itself.

Category I: 23-24 weeks (575-600 hours) Languages closely related to English Afrikaans Danish Dutch French Italian Norwegian Portuguese Romanian Spanish Swedish Category II: 30 weeks (750 hours) Languages similar to English German Category III: 36 weeks (900 hours) Languages with linguistic and/or cultural differences from English Indonesian Malaysian Swahili Category IV: 44 weeks (1100 hours) Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English Albanian Amharic Armenian Azerbaijani Bengali Bosnian Bulgarian Burmese Croatian Czech *Estonian *Finnish *Georgian Greek Hebrew Hindi *Hungarian Icelandic Khmer Lao Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian *Mongolian Nepali Pashto Persian (Dari, Farsi, Tajik) Polish Russian Serbian Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Tagalog *Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Uzbek *Vietnamese Xhosa Zulu Category V: 88 weeks (2200 hours) Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers Arabic Cantonese (Chinese) Mandarin (Chinese) *Japanese Korean * Usually more difficult than other languages in the same category.

via Big Think

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Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. His projects include the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
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Tourists From Finland Are in Love with Thailand

Thailand keeps the leadership as the most popular vacation destination with the Finns. This information has been published by the Association of Finnish Travel Agents AFTA recently. The tropical destination remains the leader this year as well with roughly 48,000 trips to be made during the coming winter season. Travelers from the Nordic country are also interested in other exotic destinations such as Africa in general and North Africa in particular.



Last year, Finnish tourists made as many as 6.1 million overnight leisure trips to foreign counties. That is more than the total population of the country that was almost 5.5 million people in 2016. As members of the Matka Nordic Travel Fair 2018, which will take place in Helsinki on January 17 to 21 2018, mention, there is a definite growth in the popularity of travel in the country. The exhibition is already drawing much attention as people will be able to find more information about the most popular destinations. It is also reported that people become increasingly interested in long-haul destinations, such as Asia, Australia, Africa, and America.



Not only hotels in Thailand benefit from travelers from Finland. Nordic travelers want to learn more information about even more exotic destinations, for example, south of the Sahara. Such destinations as Madagascar, South Africa, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, and Morocco will send their representatives to the Matka Nordic Travel Fair 2018 to promote vacations in their countries. Madagascar will even show a presentation about the breath-taking nature of the country at the Inspiration stage of the fair.



The fair is going to be a really fun place to visit as many countries promise to show something special. For example, Cuba will bring a 12-person band that will perform at the exhibition. India prepares a special presentation that covers the countrys UNESCO world heritage sites  there are currently 36 of them. There will also be representatives from Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the UAE, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, and many more.



Finlands own hospitality industry, in its turn, also keeps struggling to attract more foreigners to the country. Visit Finland has even prepared a new fun DNA generator that offers everyone in the world to discover their inner Finn. All that visitors need to do is to put in birthplaces of their parents and they will be assigned to one of the 311 municipalities of the country. The generator uses the latitude of one parents birthplace and the longitude of the other.

29.11.2017Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com.
A weekly collection of new hires, transitions, promotions and award winners in Oregon and southwest Washington:

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OREGON GOVERNMENT ETHICS COMMISSION

Alison R. Kean has been selected as chair of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. Kean was appointed as an ethics commissioner by Governor Brown in February 2017 for a four-year term. Kean is the general counsel of Metro regional government, and has been practicing law for 30 years.

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FAMILYCARE HEALTH

Raghu Valluri has been named vice president of information technology at FamilyCare Health of Portland. Valluri will oversee the IT department and support the implementation of key technology projects at the Portland-based health insurer. Valluri has more than 25 years of experience, including MBA from the University of Oregon.

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ASPECT CONSULTING

Aspect Consulting, an earth sciences and engineering firm with offices throughout the Pacific Northwest, has hired John Warinner as associate water resources engineer. Warinner is a water resources engineer and certified water rights examiner with more than 30 years of experience in water supply, water rights, and geographic information system projects for irrigators, public agencies, and private industry. He will work out of Bend supporting Aspect's Portland office and clients, as well as clients in central and eastern Oregon.

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BANFIELD PET HOSPITAL

Banfield Pet Hospital welcomes Stephen Reyes as vice president of hospital operations. Reyes will oversee teams within the hospital operations support function, including new hospital openings, real estate site selection, operations effectiveness and construction and facilities for hospitals across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Mexico. Reyes is relocating with his family from Dallas-Fort Worth, to Vancouver.

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SKANSKA

Skanska, a leading provider of construction services in the Northwest for more than 70 years, has added five professionals to its team in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Troy Boardman, superintendent, comes to Skanska with 16 years of experience. His responsibilities include supervising onsite activities, sequencing, coordinating and monitoring all work. Boardman manages the day-to-day efforts of the subcontractor field staff to include all subcontractor meetings and work planning.

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Other Skanska recent hires are:

Wade Huber , (top left) superintendent, has 22 years in the construction industry and is returning to Skanska.

Michael Kingman , (top right) project manager, has worked in construction for more than 11 years and is responsible for technical and managerial leadership.

Nathan Nichols , (bottom left) project manager, comes to Skanska with nine years of design-build experience in the industrial manufacturing, telecommunications, education, research/laboratory and commercial office sectors.

Ante Vulin, (bottom right) green manager, comes to Skanska with eight years in the green building sector, working with owners to translate sustainable goals into real performance, specializing in building energy use.

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HEADLANDS COASTAL LODGE AND SPA

Will Mulligan, most recently area director of food and beverage for Marriott in Tennessee, has joined Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa as the new food and beverage director. Headlands will open late December 2017.

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COLUMBIA CREDIT UNION

Columbia Credit Union announces the addition of three new employees:

Beau Plotner as vice president of home lending

Paula Ford as vice president of treasury services

Samantha Sandford as vice president, commercial loan officer

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Contact Us

Have a new hire, promotion or business award to share? Email us at business@oregonian.com, and put Attention: Business Movers in the subject line.

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A "don't snitch" culture in the maintenance group within Portland's Transportation Bureau has fostered a workplace where disrespectful comments, racially charged political remarks and sexist attitudes are common, a consultant found.

The bureau commissioned the report after Willamette Week reported earlier this year that employees in a small sewer maintenance crew were routinely hazed by a supervisor. New hires, an internal investigation found, were bound with duct tape and peppered with popcorn kernels, candies and other hard objects fired from an air compressor gun.

The consultant found that the hazing was isolated, according to a report released to reporters and shared with bureau employees on Tuesday.

But Brenda Carpenter, a former human resources manager for the city who left earlier this year to form a private consultancy, found that half the employees surveyed were familiar with episodes of "unprofessional behavior," such as using foul language, yelling, shunning coworkers or playing mean-spirited jokes.

Employees said some co-workers would "talk too much about politics and religion," the report said, including vocally supporting political policies that could be detrimental to immigrants or minority groups.

About one-third of participating employees said they had witnessed behavior that was derogatory to a group, culture, gender or sexual orientation. Examples included demeaning comments about women and the frequent use of the word "gay" as an insult. (Racial slurs were not used at work, employees said.)

And half of participating employees said the city failed to address unprofessional behavior.

As a result, two-thirds of employees interviewed said the best way to cope with workplace problems was not to get involved. Intervening or reporting the behavior, they said, could prompt retaliation in the form of shunning or less desirable work assignments.

Transportation Bureau Director Leah Treat said the key finding was that the 2016 hazing appeared to be an isolated incident. But she also acknowledged that it uncovered other concerning conduct.

"This clearly articulates some behavior we don't want to see from our employees," she said. "Yelling at people, calling people names, are not acceptable and not how we want to treat our employees and treat each other."

She said the bureau would form a task force  including representatives of its union, Laborers' Local 483  to address the findings. It also will seek to add staff, including mid-level managers, some of whom oversee 15 to 20 employees. The bureau also has introduced more human resources training.

The report also found that women and people of color who participated in the survey were less likely to report feeling supported in their jobs than their white male colleagues.

Despite those findings, nearly two-thirds of participating employees described the maintenance operations bureau as a "great place to work," Carpenter wrote. That's in part because of the stability of the job compared with seasonal work in the construction industry, though budget cuts in recent years have hurt morale, the workers said.

Carpenter interviewed 44 of the division's 377 employees. Treat said she plans to conduct similar assessments in the bureau's other large divisions.

The hazing that prompted the recent assessment still looms over the bureau.

One probationary employee, a utility worker who was fired in February, filed a complaint with the state Bureau of Labor and Industries alleging his termination was retaliation for participating in the hazing investigation.

The city settled the claim with Russell Wilkinson in June, paying $5,000 and reinstating him. The city did not admit any wrongdoing in the case.

Another employee, Adam Rawlins, has notified the city that he intends to sue. Benjamin Rosenthal, a Portland attorney who represented both Wilkinson and Rawlins, filed a tort claim notice  a precursor to a lawsuit  with the city earlier this year.

In the notice, Rosenthal said Rawlins was harassed for at least six months by his coworker and crew leader, and then retaliated against after cooperating with a bureau investigation.

"No employee should have to endure the harsh treatment that Mr. Rawlins underwent," Rosenthal wrote.

A lawsuit has not yet been filed.

Treat declined to comment on the case, citing the potential litigation.

-- Elliot Njus

503-294-5034

@
The Washington agency tasked with siting new energy facilities voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend rejecting a massive oil-by-rail terminal at the Port of Vancouver.

The final decision on the controversial Vancouver Energy project is Gov. Jay Inslee's to make, and he will likely get an earful from both supporters and opponents. The council will meet Dec. 19 to consider its final recommendation report. The recommendation will be submitted by Dec. 29 to Inslee, who then has 60 days to make a decision.

"The entire region is looking to Governor Inslee, now, to follow EFSEC's lead," Rebecca Ponzio, director of the Stand Up to OIl Campaign, said in an emailed statement. "Our Governor is a champion of addressing climate change and protecting public safety. We trust him to get this right."

The $210 million terminal was originally proposed as a joint venture of the Tesoro and Savage corporations in 2013. Running at capacity, it would be the region's largest oil-train terminal, capable of unloading 15 million gallons of Bakken crude from four trains daily. The oil would be put on barges and shipped to coastal refineries.

But after four years of analysis and public process, the council decided Tesoro Savage had not demonstrated sufficient public need for the facility to overcome potential environmental, public safety and other impacts. Roselyn Marcus, the council chair, called the council's work on the project the longest and most involved process in its history.

Opponents had argued that the project posed unacceptable public safety and environmental risks along the rail lines, at the terminal and to the Columbia River. The backers case wasn't helped by last year's fiery oil train derailment in Mosier, and the agency's staff concluded that some of the project's impacts could not be fully mitigated.

Vancouver Energy issued a statement saying the decision "sends a clear anti-development message that will have a chilling effect on business in the state of Washington."

"We are extremely disappointed, especially after a review of more than four years in a process that state law says should take one year. EFSEC has set an impossible standard for new energy facilities based on the risk of incidents that the Final Environmental Impact Statement characterizes as extremely unlikely."

--Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has hired a retired cop - himself named in a 2012 federal whistleblower lawsuit -- to assist in internal investigations, including a recent off-color photo shoot at the Oregon City courthouse.

The contract with consultant Tim Moore of Gaston notes that the county will pay him $150 an hour for his services, which include "advice, consultation and investigation in matters relating to discipline and employment of Sheriff's Office employees."

Moore served as chief deputy in the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. In 2012, an employee, Brett Elliott, filed a federal lawsuit against the agency alleging he was demoted, denied FBI-related training and placed in a job formerly held by clerical workers after he raised questions in 2009 about Moore's state law-enforcement certification.

An investigation concluded Moore violated certification requirements but not the law.

Moore on Wednesday said he "retired honorably" from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in 2016.

In 2012, Multnomah County agreed to pay Elliott $80,000 to settle the case. As part of the settlement, Elliott agreed to resign from the Sheriff's Office.

This year, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office enlisted Moore to help with the investigation of a former lieutenant, Jeff Davis, whose wife operated a legal porn business. In 2016, the Sheriff's Office put Davis, a longtime drug cop, on administrative leave while it carried out its investigation. Earlier this year he was "medically laid off," the agency said.

Earlier this month, the county asked Moore to help with the internal affairs investigation into an after-hours courthouse photo shoot in honor of a retiring colleague.

Deputy Todd Shaw sent an email to other Sheriff's Office staff assigned to the courthouse, inviting fellow cops, including the civil division's Capt. David O'Shaughnessy, to appear in photographs wearing only their duty belts and green work pants.

O'Shaughnessy, who has worked for the agency since 1993, was placed on paid leave in early October as the investigation began. His annual salary is $144, 813, according to the county.

According to the contract, the county agreed to pay Moore up to $50,000 a year for his services. As of November, Moore was paid $2,400 in March 2017, said county counsel Stephen Madkour.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is likely to see its own whistleblower lawsuit.

Sgt. Matt Swanson this week alerted the county that he plans to sue for retaliation and harassment stemming from his complaint about now-retired Detective Jeff Green. Swanson has called out the agency for ignoring his complaints about a veteran detective who did little follow up on multiple criminal investigations.

Among Swanson's claims: A supervisor, Jeff Smith, pressed him not to pursue a complaint against Green. Swanson said Smith, then a lieutenant, also told an investigator assigned to re-examine the detective's cases not to tell crime victims about Green's misconduct.

Smith has since been promoted to captain. He oversees the agency's patrol functions.

-- Noelle Crombie

ncrombie@oregonian.com

503-276-7184

@noellecrombie
The firing of Portland Public Schools' second-in-command will be followed by the departure of the district's director of financial services, with whom he has a romantic relationship.

Donna Chu  whose relationship with the district's deputy chief executive officer was the subject of a school board investigation  submitted her resignation Nov. 16. That was six days after Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero fired Yousef Awwad, who had been with the district since 2014.

The district's resignation form lists a litany of possible reasons. Chu checked "personal."

"I appreciate the opportunities I have been given at (Portland Public Schools) and the professional guidance and support," Chu wrote. The resignation, effective Dec. 16, means her stint at Oregon's largest school district will last just over a year.

Chu did not respond to a request to comment for this article.

Awwad had been highly-regarded employee trusted enough to twice act as interim superintendent. During the first and failed search for a superintendent, the board gave heavy weight to Awwad's thoughts.

But in August, the school board hired law firm Stoel Rives to investigate Awwad after anonymous allegations he'd abused his power in regard to his relationship with Chu. The board gave the law firm a $10,000 contract.

The board has not released the results of the investigation. Awwad said it cleared him of any wrongdoing. His relationship with Chu, a subordinate, was not inappropriate, he said, because it was not a secret and she didn't report directly to him. The district's only relevant directive on the books places limits on relationships with direct reports.

While serving as interim superintendent this summer, Awwad approved a raise for Chu. But he insists that approval was a formality. Human resources, he said, made the decision and held all the power. The raise from $117,300 to $120,800 was also awarded to other employees at her level in the district, he said.

Awwad has said his firing was "clear retaliation" for his complaints that the investigation into his conduct was illegal because it wasn't voted on publicly.

The only insight from the district about why Guerrero axed Awwad came from spokesman Dave Northfield, who said "The superintendent exercised his right to begin building a new leadership team that complements his leadership style."

The new superintendent has an increasingly blank canvas in central office on which to paint his vision for a new Portland Public Schools.

The district won't say how many senior-level jobs are vacant, but there are a lot. Last October, the district had 55 managerial vacancies. Although the district has made some hires, including superintendent, human resources director and chief financial officer, there have also been exits. Just this month a newer, high-profile hire quit: the district general counsel, who started in June.The district will not say if Harris was asked to resign. Harris did not submit a letter of resignation and does not have another job lined up.

The district is also hiring a new chief academic officer. And Guerrero recently announced he's creating a new position, a deputy superintendent for instruction and school communities.

 Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com
To make room for its highly gifted program, Portland Public Schools plans to break up a program designed to serve its highest-needs special education students, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero announced Tuesday.

His plan is to oust the Pioneer special education program, with about 123 students, so the 350-student Access Academy program for highly gifted students can use its buildings, located on Southeast Division Street at 71st Avenue. Access is a program for students whose extensive educational needs could not be met at their neighborhood school; so is Pioneer.

Guerrero said he plans to send high-need middle grade special education students back to be included at their neighborhood schools. He proposed relocating the program for high-need elementary pupils with disabilities to the former Applegate Elementary campus in North Portland.

Access currently operates at the former Rose City Park Elementary in Northeast Portland, but must move by next school year. The district plans to reassign some students from overcrowded Beverly Cleary School to attend a reopened Rose City Park Elementary.

It's all part of the district's efforts to fix inequities. Many under-enrolled schools have too few students and thus fewer program offerings; other packed schools have more, but need relief from overcrowding. The district's primary solution is to reassign children so the district can all but end its unsuccesful experiment with K-8 schools and open two new middle schools.

It's not an easy task. The district only has so many buildings, the decisions are highly-personal, and pleasing one community often means upsetting another.

In October, district officials proposed dispersing Access students to neighborhood or regional programs to solve its building puzzle. But they met fierce opposition from the school community.

Guerrero, in his third week on the job, apologized and the district walked back the plan.

"I owe the school community an apology and I have to own it because I'm the new superintendent," he told Access families.

"We needed all stakeholders at the table as we imagined that (plan)," Guerrero said. "Even though there were never any final decisions made, we're talking about you and you're not there and that doesn't feel right upon reflection."

Amy Estep, a classroom therapist who has been at Pioneer for 15 years, says the district is now putting Pioneer through the same situation.

The district released few details about the plan. But the broad outlines, according to a note Guerrero sent to the Access families, are that Pioneer will be restructured "next year to align with district goals on special education inclusion. The K-5 students will move as a group to Applegate school, while a small number of middle school and high school students will be integrated into comprehensive middle and high school programs."

Estep said she thinks the notion that the district is doing this to be more inclusive is a ruse to mask a plan that is hasty and doesn't have the children with disabilities' real needs at heart.

"We have created a therapeutic learning environment for these kids and they have come from the schools that didn't meet their needs and now they are being asked to go back there," Estep said. "I just really feel like it's destroying something that's working really well for the sake of a different program"

Estep said spreading the middle grades special education program across different school buildings will dissolve the tight-knit community that makes the program work. She also has safety concerns. She worries about children with severe emotional needs, who are violent and may require multiple people to restrain them, being in buildings with general population students where only a few trained staff may be around to help.

She also fears special educators will quit once they are more isolated in their jobs.

"It's emotional work to work with kids like this," she said. "If you don't have your community to hold you up you're not as good as you need to be."

Estep said Guerrero's announcement blindsided her and other Pioneer employees.

"He said our building wasn't used to its full potential which is completely untrue. He's only been to our building once," Estep said.

Questions were met with, "We hadn't really considered that" and "We're still working on that," she said.

"This is a really big deal to not have thought out," Estep said. "As a human race, it's our duty to take care of the most vulnerable and (Pioneer) students are the most vulnerable. To ruin something we have worked 15 years to make incredible just feels really unjust."

Access parent Nicole Iroz-Elrado said the building appears to meet Access' needs, though she worried about its location being less accessible to those in North Portland. She said she is pleased the district is no longer considering splitting up Access, but worries about the district's plans for children at Pioneer.

"Pioneer students are quite vulnerable - often one step away from inpatient treatment or private care," Iroz-Elardo said. "I don't have a lot of faith in (Portland Public Schools) ability to adequately prepare for or staff the integration of the middle school Pioneer students. We need to hear a lot more detail about those plans."

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com
I was disappointed in your editorial, "Where a home for everyone meets not in my neighborhood," Nov. 26. As a committed liberal, I believe that there is nothing wrong with people protecting their environment - including their neighborhoods. In these times, conservation is a liberal value.

Our objective should not be providing a home for everyone who wants to move here or a place for every business that wants to make Portland home. The goal should be to make the city what the people who live in Portland and Oregon want it to be. There is nothing that requires us to accommodate all comers.

There are many cities and states across this country that have empty and inexpensive homes for sale and ample land for development. This country has countless communities that would welcome back the people who have moved to coastal states. We are under no obligation to change our zoning and pass laws that harm the character of the neighborhoods that people have invested in and created over decades.

That said, development in Portland would be helped by fixing the city permit process which is a scandal of delay and expense as your editorial implies. And we do have an obligation to make reasonable efforts to find shelter and opportunity for the homeless. But there are plenty of ways to do this without harming the character of our own environment.

The world cannot tolerate continued population growth without eventually ruining the planet for everyone. The same is true for Portland.

Charles Williamson, Southeast Portland
Over the past three years as Oregonians witnessed the spectacular fall of former Gov. John Kitzhaber, it was hard at times to identify moments of clarity in a vast sea of gray.

Last week brought one of those moments. After numerous, forceful denials that he'd done anything wrong, Kitzhaber admitted publicly that he broke state ethics laws when he failed to fully report the entities that paid his fiancee around $200,000 for private consulting work over a three-year period while he was governor.

In addressing the four violations of state ethics laws, Kitzhaber blamed most of the mistakes on his former general counsel and agreed to pay a proposed $1,000 fine.

Thankfully, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission took one of its strongest stances to date, voting 7-1 to reject the proposed settlement and its puny, pathetic fine. Members, including the relatively new vice chair, Alison Kean, asked important and pointed questions that led to a rich debate on the proposed settlement. And ultimately, led to the surprising vote.

In doing so, commission members delivered on their job to safeguard the trust that the public has in its leaders.

Oregonians must be able to rely on the government watchdog to detect these abuses, consider them in context and take appropriate measures to be sure they're not repeated. A $1,000 fine - agreed upon by agency staff, Kitzhaber and his attorney -- would have sent the wrong message to both current and future office holders and undermined the government watchdog's credibility and mission.

We must not forget this was Oregon's highest ranking public official who violated four ethics laws, transgressions that could result in a maximum fine of $20,000.

In a Nov. 15 Facebook post, published two days before the commission voted on the settlement, Kitzhaber wrote breaking the ethics law was "unintentional." He didn't perceive a conflict of interest in fiancee Cylvia Hayes' work, he wrote, explaining he thought that she was simply trying to "educate people" rather than "to shape or influence state policy."

But it was his job to know. That's especially true considering Kitzhaber had opened his office to Hayes and named her an adviser, a role covering the very political issues on which her private consulting business focused.

Commission members will return to this issue at their next meeting in January. As they prepare, the commission's nine members should recall how Kitzhaber claimed ignorance over these past problems. He seems to have forgotten that some of his highest-ranking aides voiced concerns at various points about Hayes' involvement in policy work. At one point, his chief of staff pointedly argued that Hayes shouldn't work on state policies addressing issues for which she was paid in her consulting work.

At the time, Kitzhaber simply disagreed.

The commission should also recall that while still serving as governor, Kitzhaber initially attempted to evade their scrutiny. Kitzhaber's emails, which were leaked by a state employee, showed that he and his attorney intended to argue Hayes wasn't a public official and therefore didn't need to follow the rules that forbid her from personally benefiting from her public work. The courts have since established that Hayes was a public official.

Kitzhaber and his attorney also planned to argue that she wasn't a member of his household, meaning he had no obligation to report her income on his ethics forms. Yet Kitzhaber had listed her for years on those very forms as a member of his household.

In the December 2014 email, Kitzhaber wrote about the ethics commission: "We will convey that we are willing to take this all the way and have a strong case for prevailing. But the end game is not actually to have the complaints dismissed but rather to negotiate a stipulated settlement agreement in which we might acknowledge some minor mistakes we may have made and have the matter resolved at the March meeting. Do I have that right?"

Thankfully for Oregonians, the current commission made sure he did not.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Oregonian editorials

Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches and John Maher.

To respond to this editorial, post your comment below, submit an OpEd or a letter to the editor.

If you have questions about the opinion section, email Laura Gunderson, editorial pages editor, or call 503-221-8378.
By TAWNA SANCHEZ and KARIN POWER

Oregonians have a unique, complicated relationship with nuclear weapons, with a decommissioned nuclear production complex situated less than 50 miles from our northern border. The Hanford Site, established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, manufactured the plutonium used in the nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Today, "the most toxic place in America" continues to raise concerns about health risks and the long term effects of pollution on our state's residents. Nuclear weapons, both in their creation and use, have horrifying and dangerous consequences.

That's why we were glad that earlier this month, Sen. Bob Corker, (R-Tennessee), held a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) also sits, to examine the president's unchecked authority to use nuclear weapons.

President Donald Trump has the sole and total authority to order the launch of America's entire nuclear weapons arsenal. From the time a president decides to launch, it would take approximately five minutes until intercontinental ballistic missiles blast out of their silos and about 15 minutes until submarine missiles shoot out of their tubes. Once they are in the air, there is no return button to bring them back.

That means the most horrific decision in history could be executed in less than 15 minutes by one person with no time for second-guessing.

In light of Trump's belligerent actions towards North Korea, along with Kim Jong-Un's frequent missile tests andreciprocation, it's easy to see a terrifying scenario where the president-- who can barely control himself from commenting about any perceived slight-- loses his temper and orders nukes into the air.

As former Minuteman missile launch officer and nuclear expert Bruce Blair noted, "the presidency has evolved into something akin to a nuclear monarchy. With a single phone call, the commander in chief has virtually unlimited power to rain down nuclear weapons on any adversarial regime and country at any time."

The last thing the founders of this country wanted was a monarchy of any kind. They understood that because it is everyday people, like those in Oregon, who bear the brunt of any war and should have input into the decision with open debate.

As local representatives committed to a secure and healthy future, we are proud to stand by Sens. Merkley and Ron Wyden who are co-sponsoring Sen. Ed Markey's (D-Massachusetts) bill restricting the president's authority to launch nuclear weapons without congressional approval. Similarly, we applaud Oregon Reps. Peter DeFazio, Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer, who signed onto the House version of the same bill.

It is up to us Oregonians to continue pressuring our representatives to address the reckless way our government handles its nuclear weapons, and to do what we can to effect lasting change from this conversation.

This administration wakes us all up to the dangers of allowing any unchecked power in our government - and as Oregonians, our eerie proximity to Hanford reminds us that it is imperative to prevent nuclear weapons from flying into the air.

Rep. Tawna Sanchez is a Democrat representing North and Northeast Portland. Rep. Karin Power is a Democrat representing Milwaukie, Oak Grove and Southeast Portland. They are members of the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board.

This post has been updated to correct an error. The Hanford Site only manufactured the plutonium used in the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan; an earlier version of the commentary stated the site also manufactured plutonium used in the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
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Wednesday 29 November 2017 2:13pm



Can you spot the sneaker male? Distinctive territorial males (top left) defend courtship territories visited by groups of females, which may also include cryptic sneaker males. PHOTO: Kevin Bryant.

In the ever-competitive mating scene, new University of Otago research has revealed how males of some species revert to deception and disguise in order to lure females.



Lead author, Dr Erica Todd says there is a constant struggle in nature to improve mating success. One of the most extraordinary ways animals have responded to this challenge is female mimicry, where so called sneaker males disguise themselves as females to avoid aggression from larger males, and steal mating opportunities.



Dr Erica Todd.

Her study, published this week in the prestigious international journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, shows that sneaker males can achieve their extraordinary feat of subterfuge by turning specific genes in their brains and gonads on or off.



Dr Todd says her study species, the bluehead wrasse, has a social organisation that rivals the most outrageous soap opera.



"There are two types of males  large, aggressive blue-headed males that openly court females, and smaller sneaker males that look, and act, like females in order to sneak in matings.



Working with Professor Neil Gemmell and other researchers from the University of Otago and North Carolina State University, Dr Todd used high-throughput RNA-sequencing to uncover which genes are active in sneaker male brains, compared with territorial males and females.



She and her colleagues were surprised to discover that sneaker males had brain gene expression patterns near-identical to females, but very different to territorial males.



The study also revealed how sneaker males make themselves look like females to sneak past other males and avoid confrontation.



Males of many species use bright colours and other ornamentation to attract mates and compete with rivals, which are often regulated by male sex hormones produced in the testes. In sneaker male testes, we found that many of the genes critical for male sex hormone production were turned off  making them look female, says Dr Todd.



While they may look and act like females, these sneaker males are reproductively potent  their testes are 3-4 times larger and produce 60 percent more sperm than territorial males.



Dr Todd discovered that the larger testes of sneaker males had higher expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and sperm quality control.



The study also revealed insights into how the different males cope with their divergent lifestyles.



Sneaker males express genes for neuroplasticity that may help them elude territorial males and steal mating opportunities with females. Territorial males express genes associated with stress and protection against cellular damage, suggesting that life is tough at the top of the social hierarchy.



But thats not all thats going on in the bluehead wrasse: astonishingly, females can change sex, and sneaker males can change roles, to become territorial males when they grow large enough.



Dr Todd and her colleagues are now investigating the genes and environmental signals that trigger sex change in both the bluehead wrasse and the New Zealand spotty. They are funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund, the University of Otago and the National Science Foundation (USA).

Publication details:

Female mimicry by sneaker males has a transcriptomic signature in both the brain and gonad in a sex changing fish.



Erica V Todd, Hui Liu, Melissa S Lamm, Jodi T Thomas, Kim Rutherford, Kelly C Thompson, John R Godwin, Neil J Gemmell.



Molecular Biology and Evolution https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msx293

For more information, please contact:

Dr Erica Todd

Department of Anatomy

University of Otago

Phone: +64 3 470 3402

Email: erica.v.todd@otago.ac.nz
Wednesday 29 November 2017 5:14pm



The interior of the State Insurance Building, now part of the Southern Cross Hotel, Princes Street. Photo: Hocken Library Salmond Anderson collection.

A University of Otago architectural collection spanning 150 years has been recognised for its significance to New Zealand history.

The Salmond Anderson Architecture records at the Hocken Collections, Uare Taoka o Hakena has today been listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand documentary heritage register.

UNESCO recognition draws attention to the significance of documentary heritage and the institutions that care for it.



One of R.A. Lawsons designs for First Church from the 1860s.

Hocken Head Curator, Archives, Anna Blackman says the Salmond Anderson Architecture records document architectural development in southern New Zealand from 1862 to 2008.

"The extensive collection charts the broad development of architectural style and the technology of design and draughting representative of architectural history in New Zealand.

Architects represented include R.A. Lawson, James Louis Salmond, Robert Vanes, Arthur Louis Salmond (son of the founder), Henry Burt, Arthur John Salmond (grandson of the founder), Donald Anderson, and Timothy Heath.

Category 1 historic places include First Church of Otago, Knox Presbyterian Church, Larnach Castle, Bank of New South Wales (Oamaru), Otago Boys High School, Dunedin Municipal Chambers, and the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum (demolished).

Numerous Category 2 places are represented as well as smaller ordinary domestic buildings. Many of the finely drawn architectural drawings are of outstanding aesthetic value.

"For the Hocken, Memory of the World registration is a wonderful and lasting way we can recognise the significance of these records to the history of architecture and the built environment in New Zealand, she says.

The Memory of the World New Zealand Trust Chair Dianne Macaskill says the trust is "delighted to welcome the records onto the register and congratulated the Hocken for their care of the taonga.

The Salmond Anderson Architecture records is a first of its kind for the register. It includes some excellent examples that show the development of architectural trends and practices in New Zealand.

This latest inscription brings the Hocken Librarys total on the register to five. Other collections inscribed are: Charles Brasch Personal Papers (2011), Hocken Church Missionary Society Collection (2013) Pickerill Papers on Plastic Surgery (2015) and Lance Richdale Papers on ornithology (2016).

Other new inscriptions to the Memory of the World New Zealand register are: The Ng New Zealand Chinese Heritage Collection (Presbyterian Research Centre, Dunedin); John A Lees Collection and J. T. Diamond Collection (Auckland Libraries); the World War 1 Official New Zealand photographs (Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington); an iconic TV documentary Kaleidoscope (Nga Taonga Sound & Vision, Wellington); and the Tyree Studio Photographic Collection (Nelson Provincial Museum and Alexander Turnbull Library).

For more information, please contact:



Anna Blackman

Head Curator Archives

Hocken Collections, Uare Taoka o Hakena

Phone: +64 3 479 8867

Email: anna.blackman@otago.ac.nz

UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand



UNESCO launched the Memory of the World Programme in 1992. It sits alongside UNESCOs World Heritage List and Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Memory of the World register is the programmes flagship and promotes heritage stories at three levels, international, regional and national. The New Zealand programme was established in 2010.

Further information about Memory of the World and the inscriptions on the register can be viewed on www.unescomow.org.nz.

Inscription on the register raises awareness of the institutions holdings and ensures they are protected and supported.
WhichCraft Taproom in Midland will host a celebration of local beer and cider on Thursday.

Each month, WhichCraft hosts events focusing on different breweries from Michigan. On Thursday, WhichCraft will shift its focus even closer to home, and will feature breweries and cider mills located in the Great Lakes Bay Region (Tri City Brewing, Midland Brewing, Mountain Town Brewing, Frankenmuth Brewery, Loggers Brewing, Oracle Brewing and Forgotten Ciders).

"Our goal is to showcase the best of the Great Lakes Bay Region," said co-owner Sharon Caldwell. "We want people to come out, sample some beer and cider, meet the brewery representatives, and then go visit them for themselves."

WhichCraft has always served beverages made exclusively in Michigan.

"Keeping our focus here has allowed us to support the local economy," said Richard Caldwell, Sharon's husband. "Plus, they make really good beer!"

WhichCraft Taproom is located at 124 Ashman Street in downtown Midland. More information, www.WhichCraftTaproom.com
A 71-year-old Sanford man is facing a drug-related charge after a trooper found signs of drug activity at a home over the summer.

Douglas Niel Smith is charged with one count of maintaining a drug house, which is a high court misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

He was arraigned in October in the Midland County District Court, and bond is set at $25,000 personal recognizance. A court appointed attorney was granted to the case.

Smith was arrested after a Michigan State Police trooper went to a West Ring Drive home in Jerome Township on July 1 in search of a felony fugitive. The trooper saw the suspect look outside the home, and detained him at that time.

The suspect allowed the trooper to search the home, where several items related to the use and distribution of narcotics was found. The items included a pill grinder and a digital scale, as well as syringes and more.

The case was bound over to the circuit court on Nov. 7, and sentencing is set for Dec. 14.
BLOOMINGTON  The Bloomington City Council will meet in December to discuss the idea of drafting a resolution or an ordinance that declares the city is a welcoming and safe place for immigrants, regardless of their immigration status.

"As I have said before many times, I do strongly support a welcoming city ordinance, as the mayor," said Mayor Tari Renner, drawing cheers and applause from an overflow crowd at the council's Monday night meeting. "Everyone should be welcomed and feel safe."

While the council did not discuss the issue Monday, Renner said the council plans to hold a special meeting in December.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said the town council also will discuss the matter, but did not have a specific time frame.

"We want to be a community that guarantees everyone has access to services and a safe place to live, and is treated equally and fairly," said Koos. "But the legal, social and intergovernmental implications of any welcoming city ordinance has to be considered very carefully, and not be done quickly and have unintended outcomes."

Since January, several community groups have formed the Keep Families Together campaign and its goal is to establish Bloomington and Normal as welcoming cities, said Jenn Carrillo, YWCA McLean County mission impact director.

Along with the YWCA, the campaign membership includes The Immigration Project, Illinois Peoples Action, Illinois American Civil Liberties Union, Not in Our Town, Unitarian Universalists, League of Women Voters, Black Lives Matter and New Convenant Community.

"We've been in communication with several members of the (Bloomington) City Council over the past few months, and we are just here to remind them how important the issue is and how much we need this to happen in Bloomington," Carrillo said Monday night.

A welcoming city ordinance would prohibit local police from cooperating with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said Carrillo.

The council had planned in July to consider a resolution welcoming immigrants, but pulled the item to wait for Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign the Trust Act into law.

In September, Rauner signed the law that prohibits police from searching, arresting or detaining someone solely because of immigration status, or because of so-called federal immigration detainers. But local authorities are able to communicate with immigration agents and hold someone for federal authorities if there's a valid criminal warrant, according to the new law.

"Every day individuals in this community are deciding whether to avoid police or cooperate with them" said Charlotte Alvarez, executive director of the Immigration Project's Twin Cities office, while speaking during the council meeting. "We know individuals are much less likely to report crimes if there is any chance that will put them or their relatives in danger of deportation."
Update, 11/29/17, 4:11PM:

The results of a two-monthVariety investigation into alleged sexual harassment by NBC's Today co-host Matt Lauer include details that he once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present, along with a note about how he wanted to use it on her, which left her "mortified." The host also allegedly called a different female employee to his office and exposed himself, before reprimanding her for declining to do anything. The report also alleges that Lauer sometimes quizzed female producers on their sex lives, and played "fuck, marry or kill" in which he'd reveal which of the female co-hosts he'd like to sleep with.

Variety reports that as part of its investigation, the publication conducted dozens of interviews with both current and former staffers, including three women who said they were victims of sexual harassment by Lauer. Their stories have been corroborated by friends or colleagues. All three have for now asked to remain anonymous for fear of professional repercussions.





The news reportedly came as a shock to those within NBC, not least among them Lauer's co-host Savannah Guthrie who delivered the news on air. Appearing to choke back tears, Guthrie said, "We just learned this moments ago," before assuring viewers that the show would remain professional and cover the story as journalists. She then read an official statement from NBC News Chairman Andy Lack about Lauer that said: "On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards."

Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. pic.twitter.com/1A3UAZpvPb

 TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 29, 2017

Lack's statement also said that he had "reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident." According to CNN's Brian Stelter, both the New York Times andVariety are preparing investigations into the journalist's alleged behavior.



Guthrie, who was not only Lauer's co-host but personal friend, said she was "heartbroken" and "devastated" by the news. "We are grappling with a dilemma so many people have faced these last few weekshow do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?"

The revelations have caused a look back at some of Lauer's past behavior, including the resurfacing of old Today Show sketches show sketches in which Lauer and others joke about sexual harassment. Lauer's well-publicized treatment of former co-host Ann Curry was attributed by media insiders to his creation of an unwelcoming "boys club" atmosphere, for instance, and during a 2012 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen republished by TMZ, former co-host Katie Couric joked(?) that Lauer's most annoying quality was that "he pinches me on the ass a lot." Lauer was also widely criticized for interviews with Anne Hathaway and Corey Feldman in which he victim-blamed them for sexual harassment and assault.

remember when Matt Lauer grilled Anne Hathaway about a paparazzi's exploitative upskirt photo of her, said seen a lot of you lately," then asked if she'd learned her lesson? https://t.co/8vYDG754e9

 Amanda Hess (@amandahess) November 29, 2017

Corey Feldman reminding Matt Lauer not to blame the victim.pic.twitter.com/bEonmmqv9C

 Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) November 29, 2017

Lauer has been part of the mainstream cultural landscape for 20 years, since he first became a Today co-host in 1997 and NBC's ratings took off. He and Katie Couric were live on air during the September 11th attacks, and he recently interviewed then presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton prior to the election. (He was widely criticized by people of all political stripes for his treatment of Clinton during that interview, however).
One of the most complex rumors ever devised, the site Jalopnik tells a tale that reads more like an episode of the X Files about how Apple may be using a site in 'Surprise' Arizona for testing their autonomous vehicles associated with Project Titan.

The rumor basically states that "Apple appears to be leasing a former Fiat Chrysler-owned proving grounds in Arizona to test autonomous vehicles, according to a source familiar with the matter." That's it. From there on the blog gives a long history of the Chrysler site, quotes various stories that were published previously throughout the year about Project Titan.

It's big on story or theory, short on facts. If that interests you, check out the full Jalopnik rumor here. Below is a general overview / map of the Surprise Arizona area in relation to Phoenix.





(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE)





About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in Patna on Tuesday burnt the effigy of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav for making threats to Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Party workers demanding immediate arrest of Tej Pratap, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife and former Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi, saying the former Bihar Health Minister was a threat to the nation and should be dealt with an iron hand.

The BJP also lodged an FIR against Tej Pratap with the Sachivalaya police station saying people in Bihar felt threatened by Lalu's son because of his liking for violence and physical assault.

Earlier, Parvesh Sharma, a BJP legislator in Delhi, also filed an FIR against Tejaswi for threatening the Prime Minister.

"If my father is murdered who will be responsible for it? Do you think my father's life has no value and only the life of the Prime Minister is valuable? I will skin Narendra Modi" he had said.

Tej Pratap had also threatened Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi saying he would disrupt Modi's son's wedding on December 3 and will beat up the BJP leader in full view of his wedding guests.

Concerned about the security of his own, other family members, and guests, Modi changed the venue of his son's wedding from the Shakha Maidan in Rajendra Nagar to more secure premises of the Bihar Veterinary College.
Patna: Trying to stay above the fray in the backdrop of his elder brother's recent questionable behavior, former Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejaswi Yadav on Tuesday tried to change the focus from his brother to the NDA government saying the Nitish administration had become the epitome of scams as not a single day went by when a new scandal did not surface in Bihar.

Talking to the reporters outside Bihar Assembly, the younger son of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi said that Bihar had become a state of scams and everyone from the top of the bureaucracy to the lower rung of the administration was involved in skimming money from various government funds.

"Before we could get to the bottom of Srijan Scam and Toilet Scam, now we are learning that there is a new financial scandal involving construction of new school buildings in the state. This is becoming a regular feature in the Nitish government and the only way to move forward is to order a CBI probe to find out the quantum of irregularities in the Education department," the former Deputy Chief Minister said.

Yadav, who was earlier named the RJD face for the next Chief Minister of Bihar, further said that the BJP was trying to mislead the Assembly by pretending to be living under fear so as not to talk about these scandals in Bihar.

"Three of our legislators have also received death threats but the government has not done anything about it. Even Janata Dal  U spokesperson Sanjay Singh has issued threats to us but no action has been taken against him. We will soon meet with the Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) to discuss these issues," the RJD leader said.
Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, reacting to the now infamous statement of Tej Pratap Yadav that he would skin Prime Minister Narendra Modi for withdrawing his father's Z+ security, in a tweet on Tuesday mocked his 'bade bhai' Lalu Prasad Yadav saying it took a very 'strong man' to threaten the public while being surrounded by hundreds of security guards provided by the state and central governments.

"Despite Z+ security provided by the state government and the State Security Guards (SSG), only a strong man needs more security by the Central government and the National Security Guard (NSG) to bully the public," Kumar tweeted in Hindi.

As reported, Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav has been bragging about his muscle and political clout by first threatening to disrupt the wedding of the son of Bihar Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and beating him up in full public view in presence of all wedding guests, and then threatening the Prime Minister of India by saying 'hum Narendra Modi ka khaal udherva denge' (I'll skin Narendra Modi) for withdrawing Z+ security of his father.

Talking to reporters at Bihar Assembly on Tuesday, Kumar said that he had been the Chief Minister of Bihar for the last 12 years and yet he was not provided the Z+ security by the NSG.

"I have never been given Z+ security cover in spite of being the Chief Minister for the past 12 years and I have never cared about it. The Center decides who gets what level of security and I have nothing to do with it. Lalu ji's sons are talking about who will get the blame if something untoward happened to their father. What is destined to happen will happen. Former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi was gunned down by her own security guards. No one could do anything about it," the Chief Minister said.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
Top Suspect In U.S. Iran Sanctions Case Pleads Guilty, Will Testify

11/29/17

Source: RFE/RL

A wealthy Turkish-Iranian businessman has pleaded guilty to charges that he helped Iran evade U.S. sanctions and will testify in a sanctions case which U.S. prosecutors said implicates high-level officials in both Turkey and Iran.

Turkish businessman Reza Zarrab, accused of violating US sanctions on Iran, pleaded guilty and will testify against his co-defendant. Zarrab's cooperation could affect Mike Flynn, who allegedly conspired to free Zarrab while lobbying for Turkish interests. https://t.co/5mMkrIMULx  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 28, 2017

Reza Zarrab will take the witness stand to detail a conspiracy that was "so large that it was protected by government ministers in Turkey and Iran," Assistant U.S. Attorney David Denton said as the trial of Zarrab's co-defendant, Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, opened on November 28 in New York.



Denton said Zarrab will reveal how he and Atilla laundered Iranian oil and gas revenues through the U.S. banking system in violation of U.S. sanctions while giving bribes and kickbacks to high-level officials to cover up the scheme.



Court documents unsealed on November 28 showed that Zarrab, 34, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, money laundering, and other charges secretly on October 26.



The documents say that in 2012, he met with top officials in Iran and Turkey -- "including the then-governor of the Central Bank of Iran and the then-finance director of the National Iranian Oil Company" -- to discuss transferring Iranian natural gas proceeds to a Turkish bank and bribing a bank executive.



Denton said Zarrab and his co-conspirators also used other schemes to help Iran buy gold, which was then smuggled to Dubai and sold for U.S. dollars or other currencies.



Iran is prohibited from using U.S. dollars or American financial institutions under U.S. sanctions law.



Some transactions prohibited by sanctions were disguised as purchases of food, which fell under a humanitarian exemption to the sanctions regime, Denton said.



Denton said Zarrab has accepted responsibility for "busting sanctions and laundering money," and he now will "tell the inside story and expose the truth behind all those elaborate lies" told to cover up the scheme.



In his opening statement, Attila's defense attorney, Victor Rocco, attacked Zarrab's credibility, portraying him as a sophisticated con man.



Zarrab's cooperation agreement was a "deal of a lifetime" that won him release from a U.S. jail and a "shortcut back to his lavish life," Rocco said.



Rocco said Zarrab has been "squirreled away somewhere with FBI agents in some unknown place," waiting to testify as early as November 29.



Zarrab and many of the eight other named defendants in the case have close ties with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has repeatedly called on the United States to release Zarrab, who was arrested last year.



Turkey's deputy prime minister recently called Zarrab, who was born in Iran but has Turkish citizenship and is married to Turkish pop star Ebru Gundes, a "hostage" who is being forced to testify against Turkey's government.



Meanwhile, on November 28, a Turkish prosecutor issued warrants for the detention of two citizens who reportedly are cooperating with U.S. prosecutors.



U.S. prosecutors said the scheme in the New York sanctions trial was originally uncovered by Turkish police and led to Zarrab's arrest in Turkey in 2013 in an investigation that involved several top Erdogan lieutenants and Halkbank, the state bank.



Turkey later dropped the charges, and Ankara now claims they were "fabricated." But U.S. prosecutor Denton said the charges were dropped because bribes were paid to top Turkish officials and led to a purge of Turkish law enforcement and the jailing of some investigators.



"While bribes got rid of the case, they could not get rid of the evidence," Denton said, noting that Zarrab had wiretapped some conversations. "They did not see the light of the day, until now, until this trial in New York," he said.



Atilla, 47, a former top executive at Halkbank, was the architect of an effort to dupe U.S. banks into letting Iran move money around the world and blow "a billion-dollar hole in U.S. economic sanctions," Denton said.



Rocco countered by saying the real mastermind was Zarrab, who he said made "hundreds of millions of dollars he used to buy jets and yachts and people."



Zarrab is "a liar, a cheat, a corrupter of men...a one-man crime wave," Rocco said.



By contrast, his client Atilla "is not corrupt," he told the jury. "He took no bribes. He is a hard-working person like all of you."



Earlier this year, Zarrab hired former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a failed effort to broker a diplomatic settlement of the case.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
President Rohani Says Saudi Accusations Against Iran Distract From Riyadh's 'Failures'

11/29/17

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has accused Saudi Arabia of trying to distract attention from Riyadh's "failures" at home and abroad by vilifying Iran as the alleged culprit behind conflicts in the Middle East. "Saudi Arabia seeks to solve two problems through enmity with Iran. First, it wants to cover up its failures in the region...and second, its domestic problems," Rohani said in a live interview on state television on November 28.



Iranian President Hassan Rohani

"Saudi Arabia was unsuccessful in Qatar, was unsuccessful in Iraq, in Syria, and recently in Lebanon. In all of these areas, they were unsuccessful," Rohani said. "So they want to cover up their defeats."



Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Persian Gulf region recently have accused predominantly Shi'ite Iran of fomenting terrorism and conflict in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and elsewhere.



The kingdom's crown prince escalated the verbal war last week by calling the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, "the new Hitler of the Middle East," in an interview with The New York Times.



The two regional powers have been engaged for years in proxy wars in Yemen and Syria, where they support opposing sides in bitter conflicts that, according to United Nations estimates, have killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions, and brought Yemen to the verge of famine.



Tensions soared this month when Lebanon's Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced he was resigning on a visit to Riyadh, blaming the growing power of Iran and its ally Hizballah, which is part of Lebanon's ruling coalition.



Harari afterward reconsidered and has since returned home to negotiate with Hizballah and other coalition partners. But this week he threatened again to resign if Hizballah does not withdraw from Syria, where its Shi'ite fighters along with Iran have backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the government's six-year war with Sunni rebels.



Rohani contended in the television interview that Tehran and its allies -- Iraq, Syria, and Russia -- have achieved "big accomplishments" in the region and are helping to bring stability through their military cooperation.



With reporting by AP and Reuters
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.
The Ghana Mission in Malta has debunked claims that Ghanaian nationals in Libya are being sold into slavery.



According to a statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Ghanaian detainees have been rather arrested and kept in camps on illegal immigration charges.



The Mission recorded 168 Ghanaian detainees in Libya.



However, the government has issued the necessary travel documents to the Ghanaian nationals in Libya to "facilitate their repatriation to Ghana on a chartered flight with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it may be put on record".



The government has asked returnees to "take advantage of the opportunities being provided by government to reintegrate properly and contribute to national development".



Read full statement below:



MIGRANTS SITUATION IN LIBYA



Following disturbing reports of Ghanaians being sold off as slaves in Libya, the Ghana Mission in Malta with concurrent accreditation to Libya, paid a consular visit to the three detention centres in Tripoli namely "Tajoora", "Trek Al Sika" and "Trek Matar".



The purpose was to ascertain the veracity of the claims, assess their condition and offer assistance to those detainees identified as Ghanaians among many other illegal migrants held at these centres.



It emerged that the One Hundred and Sixty Eight (168) Ghanaian detainees who were identified were not part of the slave trade as alleged but had rather been arrested on illegal immigration charges and were already being held in detention camps.



In view of the discovery, these undocumented Ghanaians were immediately issued with the necessary travel documents to facilitate their repatriation to Ghana on a chartered flight with support from the International Organization for Migrants (IOM), it may be put on record.



It is hoped that the returnees will take advantage of the opportunities being provided by government to reintegrate properly and contribute to national development.



The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration remains seized with the matter and shall keep the general public informed of any further developments.



Meanwhile, steps are also being taken to open a consulate in Libya following the closure of the Mission during the Libyan crisis.





Information and Public Affairs Bureau (IPAB)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration

Accra





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
A video clip showing a teacher at an Ashaiman Makaranta or Islamic school reciting hate remarks against the Togolese President is making the rounds in some circles both in Ghana and Togo.



The video clip and the recent demonstration against the Togolese government in Ghana leading to the arrest and arraigning of the suspects is ample indication of how some elements from that country want to extend the frontline of the protest to Ghana.



Pupils of the Islamic school, some of them as young as five, are ordered to recite after the teacher who says in Hausa among others We need victory in Togo. Allah grant us luck. Allah destroy Faure Gnasingbe. Allah render him incapable of doing anything. Allah deny him luck.



At the end of the recitation, he orders the children to cap the remarks with a verse from the Holy Quran.



Those who have heard and watched the video clip wonder why kids as young as five would be subjected to such brainwashing.



Leading the charge against the government are members of the Kotokoli ethnic group; the largest in Togo with their capital Sokode in the northern part of the country. A western educated cleric from the ethnic group is said to be the leader of the protests whose action and the engagement of Kotokolis in Ghana suggests the extension of the war against the Gnasingbes to Ghana.



Some soldiers are said to have been killed upon the inciting of the cleric who has vowed to have the status quo changed.



Ghana is home to thousands of Kotokolis; some of them descendants of migrants from Togo and others direct migrants to the country.



The neighbouring country is witnessing a series of demonstrations against what the protesters regard as the unusually long reign of the Kabules  the ethnic grouping of the late Eyadema Gnasingbe whose son is now the President of the country.



A series of meetings are said to be held in various parts of the county by members of the ethnic group with the ultimate goal of replacing the status quo.



Observers think that our security agents should be on the lookout for those who seek to fight their war against the Togolese government from Ghanaian territory in breach of standard international protocol.

Source: Daily Guide









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Featured Video
A Ghanaian renowned Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon based in Germany, Prof. Charles Yankah is scheduled to deliver a lecture on Saturday, 2 December at Cape Town in South Africa, to commemorate the Worlds First Human Heart Transplantation.



It is at the invitation of Petet Zilla, Head and Chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the University of Cape Town Groote Schuur Hospital, where the first heart transplantation in human history was performed by Prof Christiann Barnard on December 3, 1967.



Prof Barnard made a groundbreaking Worlds first heart transplantation by transferring the heart of a person who had just died of head injury, with the full support of the donors family, into the chest of 54 year- old Louis Washkansky who needed a lifeline.



After the heart transplant Washkansky lived for eighteen days but died of pneumonia.



Prof Yankah, the President of the pan-African Society for Cardiothoracic (PASCaTS) based in Germany, who hails from the Central Region of Ghana, is a World renowned Heart Transplant Surgeon having successfully performed a double organ (heart and kidney) transplantation in 1994 at the German Heart Centre in Berlin(GHCB).



He initiated an artificial heart programme, at the Cape Town Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in which he collaborated with Dr Willie Koen,a South African Heart TransplantSurgeon to use the  bridge-to-heart transplant a cardio-technology to save the lives of candidates on waiting list.



End stage heart diseases are best managed by cardiac transplantation, but there are not enough donor organs to address the problem.



Consequently, heart surgeons use the mechanical heart technology known as the Destination Therapy, which allows them to treat more patients with end stage heart disease for different therapeutic goals as a bridge to heart transplantation as a support, as a bridge for recovery of the diseased heart muscle or as a permanent support.



He is a global player in his profession as a consultant, educationist, teacher, and philanthropist. Some of his major works include initiation in 2007 till to date onsite tele-multi -institution cardiovascular education programme to promote north -south and south-south transfer of knowledge in cardiology and cardiac surgery and global network with sub-Saharan Africa Centres in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.



In collaboration with the GHCB and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) supported by Edwards Lifesciences Foundation and PASCaTS, he is doing a research on Rheumatic Heart Disease and developing cardiology programme at the new Ridge Hospital in Accra and the CCTH.



Professor Yankah received two awards for his experiment and clinical work in homograft surgery from Committee for Advancement of Cardiac Bioprostheses in 1988 and the USA National Institute of Heart in 1990.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has asked the agitated nurses of Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital to give him three months to investigate allegations levelled against the medical director at the facility, Dr Eugene Dordoye.



The staff including nurses and casual workers at Ankaful accused Dr Dordoye of gross disrespect exhibited towards workers as well as mismanagement of the hospital's funds.



They want Dr Dordoye removed from post as soon as practicable. This culminated in their sit down strike last week which has affected healthcare delivery at the facility.



However, after a meeting with leadership of the workers for over three hours on Tuesday, 28 November 2017, the minister appealed to them to exercise patience while his office looks into the issues before deciding the fate of Dr Dordoye.



President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Kwaku Asante Krobea addressing the angry nurses after his meeting with the minister asked that the nurses wait patiently for the three months, for their concerns to be addressed.



He said: The minister intentionally and strategically is buying time because if it is about the administration of the place, it is not only the interest of nurses that is at stake because there are other staffs also. So the minister will strategically buy time and meet all of them but Ive told him as for nurses, we are in the greatest number [that is] 65 to 70 per cent of people working in that hospital are nurses so he must listen to us more and he has accepted it. So let us listen to his words, let tensions calm down. Count on me to lead you in this battle to win it. The minister may wish to listen to them [other hospital staff] also. The minister has given a timeline of three months [to settle the matter].



Mr Krobea, to allay the fears of victimisation against the nurses during the three months waiting period said Dr Dordoye cannot intimidate anybody, if he does so within this period, he has worsened his case.



The staff were however not happy with the three months period and said they would decide the way forward after they meet.







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The ranking member on the foreign affairs committee of parliament and Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency has backed President Akufo Addo's comment on legalisation of homosexuality.



Even though most of his colleagues in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have condemned the President, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa feels the latter's answer was 'great'.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was asked a question in relation to the legalisation of homosexuality during an interview with Jane Dutton on Talk to Al Jazeera.



In answer to the question, the President said: this is a social, cultural issue, I dont believe that in Ghana so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say change it, lets now have a new paradigm in Ghana...At the moment, I dont feel, I dont see that in Ghana there is that strong current of opinion that is saying this is something we need to deal with. It is not so far a matter that is on the agenda. I grew up in England at the time that homosexuality was banned there. It was illegal and I lived a period where British politicians thought it was an item not to even think about. But suddenly the activities of individuals and groups, a certain awareness, a certain development grew and grew stronger and it forced a change in law. I believe that those are the same processes that will bring about changes in our situation.



However, the President's critics were of the view that he should have taken a firmer stand on the subject matter.



The opposition NDC felt President Akufo-Addo with his comment has rather opened the gates for gay rights activists to agitate for the decriminalization of the act.



Commenting on this on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen on Tuesday, Hon Ablakwa said the President within the context of international diplomacy, gave an excellent answer".



He said the President was aware of the implications of whatever answer he was about offering and hence I believe he will be pleased with the consequences he is receiving back home



Nana Addo did not want to incur the wrath of gay communitythe President was trying to be in the middlebut the consequence is that back home, the President has not impressed the conservative Ghanaian community, he added.

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Businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome says the Supreme Court cannot 'disobey' the ruling of the African court for Human and People's Right.



The Supreme Court of Ghana on Tuesday ignored an order made by the African Court for Human and People's Rights to halt efforts to retrieve 51.2million cedis wrongfully paid to Alfred Agbesi Woyome.



Lawyers for Woyome on Tuesday presented the order to the Supreme Court asking that all proceedings relating to the repayment of the money be suspended.



But the apex court said the African court does not have jurisdiction over its constitutional mandate.



A statement issued and signed by his aid, Reginald Seth Dogbey, said: "Article 40, article 75, and Article 88 and the various parliamentary ratifications of the African Charter compel the above personalities representing the State of Ghana to obey the orders of the African Court of Human & Peoples Rights. There is no way they can disobey the orders as it will be a violation of the constitution and the laws of Ghana.



In addition, "the Supreme Court of Ghana is an independent institution protected by the constitution of Ghana. This is not the first time the Supreme Court has ruled and international courts have overturned them. The government of Ghana is compelled to comply with the rulings of the international courts according to their international obligations".



In addition, Woyome also expressed worry over what he describes as "misleading reportage by the media on the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday, November 28, 2017.



"we are shocked again by media reportage today that the orders of the African Court of Human & Peoples Rights have been dismissed....the comments they made about the African Courts Interim Measures was that it was not directed at them (Supreme Court), but rather it was directed at the Attorney General and the government of Ghana, and that our lawyers and the African Court must notify them officially.



Below is the full statement



Reactions from the office of Alfred Agbesi Woyome on the misleading reportage by some sections of the media on the supreme court ruling on Tuesday, 28th November, 2017.



We are shocked again by media reportage today that the orders of the African Court of Human & Peoples Rights have been dismissed.



As we stated in our statement yesterday, the matter before the Supreme Court of Ghana was purely on Article 40 and Article 75 and a plea on them to stay all proceedings in the execution of the judgement involving: Martin Alamisi Amidu } Plaintiff vrs 1. Attorney General } 1st Defendant 2. Watervile Holdings (BVI) Limited } 2nd Defendant 3. Alfred Agbesi Woyome } 3rd Defendant The ruling was slated for today, Tuesday, 28th November 2017.



The Interim Measures of the African Court of Human & Peoples Rights was issued yesterday (Monday, 27th November) dated 24th November, 2017 and our lawyers thought it wise to bring it to the notice of the court before the ruling today on the stay of execution.



The Interim Measures of the African Court on Human & Peoples Rights was not before them and couldnt have come before them as a matter of constitutional dictates. The main application before the Supreme Court for stay of execution was dismissed by them today; and the ruling on it is available at the registry of the Supreme Court for anyone to read.



The comments they made about the African Courts Interim Measures was that it was not directed at them (Supreme Court), but rather it was directed at the Attorney General and the government of Ghana, and that our lawyers and the African Court must notify them officially.



It is on record that Ms. Gloria Afua Akuffo, the Attorney General; Mr. Godfred Yeboah Odame, the Deputy Attorney General; and Ms. Dorothy Afriyie-Ansah, Chief State Attorney have been notified directly by the Registry of the African Court.



The African Court has directed Ghana, represented by the above persons to report to the African Court on Human & Peoples Rights within 15 days, steps they have taken in respect of the interim measures.



Article 40, article 75, and Article 88 and the various parliamentary ratifications of the African Charter compel the above personalities representing the State of Ghana to obey the orders of the African Court of Human & Peoples Rights.



There is no way they can disobey the orders as it will be a violation of the constitution and the laws of Ghana.



The Supreme Court of Ghana is an independent institution protected by the constitution of Ghana. This is not the first time the Supreme Court has ruled and international courts have overturned them.



The government of Ghana is compelled to comply with the rulings of the international courts according to their international obligations. The recent example are the Bulkan Energy case, Bankswitch, etc.



The Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Odame and co. would rather have to prepare to go before the African Court on Human & Peoples Rights when a date is given to defend their written submissions before the Court.



Signed



Reginald Seth Dogbey

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The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described as false and malicious reports that he has backed comments made by President Akufo Addo on decriminalization of homosexuality.



Click to read- Akufo-Addos homosexual answer great  Ablakwa



In a rejoinder posted on his facebook wall, Okudzeto Ablakwa said he did not describe the President's comment as 'great' within the context of international diplomacy.



"What I said clearly during the interview was to the effect that the President had a choice to make between pleasing the conservative nation he leads or pleasing the west and that it would appear the president chose the latter for reasons best known to him. I added that he would have known about the implications of his choice which is manifesting in the backlash he has since received at home," he wrote.



Read full rejoinder below



RE: "Akufo-Addo's homosexual answer great - Ablakwa"



My attention has been drawn to a Ghanaweb publication under the heading above. For the record, this reportage including its caption does not represent an accurate reflection of my interview with Asempa FM on the afternoon of Tuesday 28th November, 2017.



The said publication is not only unfair, false, mischievous and unprofessional, it is most malicious.



I refuse to be used as a pawn in promoting any homosexual agenda.



I believe those who have triggered the homosexuality debate are more than capable of achieving whatever ends they seek without requiring the minutest of assistance from me.



What I said clearly during the interview was to the effect that the President had a choice to make between pleasing the conservative nation he leads or pleasing the west and that it would appear the president chose the latter for reasons best known to him. I added that he would have known about the implications of his choice which is manifesting in the backlash he has since received at home.



I must also add that contrary to this malicious report, at no point during the Asempa FM interview did I allude to the diplomatic community praising President Akufo-Addo for his comments - I am not the spokesperson for the diplomatic community in Ghana.



May I appeal to Asempa FM and the Multimedia Group to make the audio of my interview available for the benefit of all.

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American Airlines, because of a computer problem, gave time off to too many pilots during the two weeks surrounding Christmas, leading to the possibility large-scale flight cancellations, Bloomberg is reporting on Wednesday.

American Airlines declined to tell Bloomberg how many flights will be affected. But the union representing pilots calculated that more than 15,000 flights will lack sufficient staff.



An American airlines spokesman told Bloomberg, "We are working through this to make sure we take care of our pilots and get our customers to where they need to go over the holidays."



An airline staffing consultant told Bloomberg, "There's going to be a lot of midnight oil spent on it, but I think they'll get the vast majority of [flights] covered one way or another."



A spokesman for Harrisburg International Airport, where about a dozen American Airline flights originate daily, said HIA hasn't yet been informed of the situation and thus was unable to assess the possible impact.
A police officer had good reason to shoot a drug-crazed man who had just shattered his cruiser's windshield with his bare hands, a federal appeals court panel concluded Wednesday.

The judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reached that decision in refusing to revive an excessive force lawsuit filed by Markim Summers, the man who was shot during that June 2013 incident in Philadelphia.

Judge Thomas M. Hardiman's opinion in the case reads like the script from a cop show.

According to Hardiman, city police Officer Thomas O'Brien was one of several city cops who responded after Summers was seen walking around naked in a drug store parking lot, screaming and tossing newspaper stands.

The officers concluded Summers was under the influence of PCP, a powerful hallucinogen that can give users seemingly superhuman strength.

After leaving the parking lot, Summers plopped down in the street, blocking the route of a SEPTA bus, Hardiman noted. The officers surrounded him with their patrol cars.

"Summers then suddenly turned and approached Officer O'Brien's patrol car and struck the front windshield with his bare hand, damaging the glass," Hardiman wrote.

"He struck again, this time shattering the windshield and showering Officer O'Brien with glass dust," the judge continued. "As Summers readied to strike again, Officer O'Brien, who had seen the effects of PCP on other occasions, moved his hand from the gear shift and shot Summers twice."

"Seemingly unaffected by the gunshots, Summers walked away from the patrol car before he collapsed and was taken to a hospital."

Summers appealed to the circuit court after U.S. Eastern District Judge Joel H. Slomsky dismissed his excessive force complaint. Hardiman's court agreed with Slomsky that O'Brien had good reason to fear for his life when he fired.

Court records show the 35-year-old Summers, who also is known as Mark Johnson, pleaded guilty to charges of simple assault and reckless endangerment in 2014 for the incident that resulted in his being shot in the arm and torso. He was sentenced to 11 1/2 to 23 months in prison, followed by 2 years of probation.
NEWPORT -- A day after the announcement that American Meghan Markle and England's Prince Harry were engaged, news of a Newport connection to the future royal family in England was slowly filtering through the closeknit Perry County community.

It seems that two decades before Markle was born in Los Angeles, her father, Tom, was graduating from Newport High School. It's a "small world" connection from Newport to the royal palace, one that seemed to amuse local residents (in an "isn't that interesting" sort of way) -- even if it is a step removed.

Tom's family wasn't from Newport originally. Bob Flickinger, who owns H.M Flickinger & Sons near the square, recalled that the Markle family came to the area after Tom's father was relocated for work. Flickinger, who is something of an elder statesman around town, knew Tom as one of the kids from the neighborhood who grew up on Sixth Street in the borough, near Walnut Street.

After graduating from high school Tom left Newport, initially working as a lighting man at WITF in the Harrisburg area. He later moved to Chicago, then on to California where he made his career, said former next-door neighbor Maynard Gardner, who bought the house next door in 1970.

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for the media in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Monday Nov. 27, 2017. Markle's father is from central Pennsylvania.

After moving out of the area, Tom would return regularly during the summers to visit his parents and fish nearby. After his father passed away, Tom's mother -- who worked for years at the local five-and-dime on the town's square -- also moved out of the area.

Tom Markle still regularly returned to the area for Newport High School reunions, and would occasionally stop by his former home on Sixth Street. He wasn't there Tuesday, but his former childhood home was visited throughout the day by local media and television trucks -- much to the bemusement of nearby residents.

Gardner said he joked when he heard the news that since Prince Harry likes to visit the outdoors in Canada, maybe he could stop by Newport sometime instead. After all, as his future father-in-law knows from first-hand experience, there's good fishing hereabouts.
Police in Monroeville are investigating after a rapper posted photos of himself standing next to a cop car with guns on Facebook.

TribLive.com reports Brennan Brooks, also known as "TrippyDoo," posted the photos this week.

In an interview with WPXI-TV, Brooks defended the photos.

"It's my God-given right to have a firearm," he said. "Whether it's with the cop car, that is my right, too. Right on the side of the road."

Monroeville police Chief Doug Cole told WPXI his department is investigating, but criminal defense attorney Blaine Jones told the news outlet the photo doesn't amount to criminal activity.

"Although this is shocking, it's not illegal," Jones said. "You can take a picture, quite frankly, in a lot of places, it doesn't say - it's not a restricted area. And also, a lot of people aren't going to want to hear this, but how do we know if the guns are real?"
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson is donating all of the proceeds of his new clothing line to the fund for the School District of Philadelphia.

CBS Philly reports Johnson made the announcement in front of students from the F. Amadee Bregy School in South Philadelphia. His donation was part of donors supporting the district on Giving Tuesday.

"What kids don't know man they are the future are America and they're so important," Johnson told CBS Philly. "I think what I'm trying to do "Follow My Block" all of the proceeds go to the school so we can get the school district in Philadelphia to improve consistently year after year."

Today @Lanejohnson65 announced that he will donate 100% of the sales from his clothing line to @fundPHLschools for #GivingTuesday and Giving Week. The first check will go to @bregyschool where the announcement was made! #PHLed



Go to https://t.co/aS5CLpA79x to help our students pic.twitter.com/xCPzhQet2G  Philadelphia Schools (@PHLschools) November 28, 2017

More information about Johnson's clothing line, "LJ65," can be found here.
A dispute over work and a possible out-of-pocket debt preceded a homicide in Steelton earlier this month, according to a criminal complaint filed by borough police.

Michael Douglas Magaro II, 39, was arrested Tuesday on a criminal homicide charge in connection to the fatal shooting of Israel Marcucci just before midnight Nov. 6. Police arrived at the scene on the 400 block of North Front Street and found Marcucci dead in the dining area of the house, according to charging documents.

Israel Marcucci

Marcucci's live-in girlfriend, Adiris Figueroa, told police Marcucci received a phone call about five minutes before the shooting. Marcucci left the couple's bedroom and went downstairs, telling Figueroa he would be right back.

Moments later, Figueroa heard a knock at the door and two loud bangs. Figueroa ran downstairs and found Marcucci's body before calling 911.

Police said Magaro and Marcucci worked together on various jobs, noting that the men had a recent argument over a job Magaro had recently done. The job was not up to standards and Marcucci may have had to pay for the job out of his own pocket as a result, according to charging documents.

Cellphone records showed that Magaro called Marcucci about five minutes before the shooting and was in the area at the time of the incident. The seven-second call was traced to Magaro's Arizona cellphone number, which is in records with Dauphin County Probation from a prior arrest and conviction.

Magaro pleaded guilty to several misdemeanors related to a traffic stop May 19, 2016, in Swatara Township. Police apprehended Magaro with marijuana wax, a firearm, brass knuckles, a pocket knife, drug paraphernalia, a sword, sandwich baggies and court paperwork for felony drug charges in Arizona where he previously lived.

Court records in Arizona show Magaro had been convicted of drug and weapons crimes multiple times and was wanted for probation violations at the time of the traffic stop. Other criminal offenses included drug possession, shoplifting, and related charges.

Magaro is being held at Dauphin County Prison without bail in connection to Marcucci's death. Steelton police have scheduled a news conference for Wednesday regarding the homicide.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for Marcucci's funeral expenses seeking to raise $5,000. At the time of this post $235 had been raised.
Zhou Xinci, a migrant from Heilongjiang, talks about her fears of being evicted in her rented apartment in the outskirts of Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Authorities in Beijing have been evicting domestic migrant workers from the capital in droves, triggering a public outcry over the harsh treatment of people the city depends on to build their skyscrapers, care for their children and take on other lowly-paid work. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Melissa Todorovic is shown in an undated handout photo. Todorovic, a young woman serving a life sentence for sexually blackmailing her boyfriend into killing a 14-year-old girl nearly a decade ago is asking for permission to leave prison on her own. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
Chief Simon Fobister, of the Grassy Narrows First Nation, leaves a Government Office after a meeting in Toronto on Wednesday November 29, 2017. Leaders from the northern Ontario First Nation met with Government representatives to push for a mercury treatment centre in their community. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A television camera looks out over the courtroom during a break in the Steven Truscott case at the Ontario Court of Appeal in Toronto, Wednesday Jan. 31, 2007. Ontario is announcing a number of initiatives to move Ontario???s courts into the digital age, including Wi-Fi and getting jury summons by email or text. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
While OPEC is said to have reached a consensus on the need to extend oil-supply cuts to the end of 2018 when producers meet in Vienna on Thursday, Russia, its chief ally, is so far dragging its feet.

Almost a year into the historic supply agreement, the deal is working. Oil in New York is trading near a two-year high after the curbs helped drain a global glut that has weighed on prices for three years.

Russia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are said to have crafted the outline of a deal to continue their curbs for nine months beyond the current end-March expiry. But Moscow is concerned that supporting oil prices above $60 a barrel will only abet the resurgent U.S. shale rivals most to blame for the glut.

The market has already factored in a renewal, and anything short of an extension through 2018 would likely be notably bearish , RBC Capital Markets has said.

Following are the latest positions of most OPEC members, plus Russia and Kazakhstan. The respective shares of supply are based on October levels. Estimates for the price each member needs to balance its 2017 budget are from the International Monetary Fund unless stated otherwise. The compliance rate with each nation's pledged production cut is the average through October, as compiled by Bloomberg.

Algeria

Price needed: $63.80

Compliance: 76%

Share of OPEC production: 3.1%

Political instability wrought by the oil-price collapse has been exacerbated by a decline in production to the lowest in more than a decade. The country is still counting on the supply pact to succeed and an extension is desirable and probable, state oil company chief Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour told the Wall Street Journal last month.

Angola

Price needed: $83 (RBC)

Compliance: 133%

Share of OPEC production: 5.3%

Angola has been one of the most dedicated participants, reducing more than it pledged in each month since the curbs took effect. Prior to her ouster this month, Isabel Dos Santos, the chairwoman of the state oil company, said the country would favor an extension if everyone else is on board.

Ecuador

Price needed: $78 (RBC)

Compliance: 63%

Share of OPEC production: 1.6%

OPEC's recalcitrant minnow set a dangerous example in July when it publicly announced it would boost production -- effectively quitting the deal. Later it pleaded for an exemption instead, arguing it needed money to plug a budget deficit. Recently, Ecuador changed its tune, promising to meet its target and support whatever the majority decides at the meeting.

Iran

Price needed: $54.70

Compliance: not required to cut

Share of OPEC production: 11.6%

Since international sanctions were eased in January 2016, production has risen close to the 3.797 million-barrel-a-day cap Iran agreed on with OPEC as part of the accord. U.S. President Donald Trump later threatened to ditch the nuclear agreement that lifted the trade restrictions. Iran said last month that Trump's  chest-beating  won't disrupt its output plans. It supports an extension of the supply deal until the end of next year.

Iraq

Price needed: $54.10

Compliance: 54%

Share of OPEC production: 13.4%

Iraq consistently exceeded its quota until clashes with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region disrupted oil fields in the disputed Kirkuk province last month. Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi has backed a nine-month extension , saying his country is committed to meeting its quota, but the recent production decline may mask the long-term ambition of a country that, from the outset, resisted the imposition of curbs.

Kazakhstan

Price needed: $60.60

Compliance: -99%

The former Soviet republic actually increased production since the agreement with OPEC and will seek an exemption for output at its new Kashagan field if the cuts are extended. Production from the giant project is likely to rise to 250,000 barrels a day by year-end, Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev told Interfax this month, trimming an earlier forecast.

Kuwait

Price needed: $46.50

Compliance: 99%

Share of OPEC production: 8.4%

The fifth-largest OPEC producer and a member of the committee that oversees the accord believes the decision to extend should be made closer to expiry, people familiar with the matter said this month.

Libya

Price needed: $102.00

Compliance: not required to cut

Share of OPEC production: 3%

The OPEC nation with Africa's largest crude reserves has been exempted from the curbs as it struggles to restore output crippled by war. Libya is now pumping almost 1 million barrels a day, but it's very difficult to say when it could increase to 1.25 million barrels, National Oil Corp. Chairman Mustafa Sanalla said last month. That's a target Libya gave to fellow producers at a meeting in July.

Nigeria

Price needed: $127 (RBC)

Compliance: not required to cut

Share of OPEC production: 5.3%

Nigeria was exempted from the cuts as it restores production lost to rebel attacks. Together with Libya, its rising output has undermined other members' efforts. The country promised to join the curbs after six months of calm, a prospect made more remote after Niger Delta militants ended a cease-fire this month. The country supports an extension, Minister of State for Petroleum Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said last month.



Qatar

Price needed: $46.80

Compliance: 130%

Share of OPEC production: 1.8%

So far, a diplomatic rift between Qatar and OPEC members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates doesn't seem to have shaken its support for the production deal. Qatar has the second-highest rate of compliance in the bloc after Saudi Arabia, and has said it will support an extension if other producers agree.

Russia

Price needed: $49.90 (Figure used to calculate country's 2017 budget)

Compliance: 81%

While Russia is said to have worked out the outline of a plan for a nine-month renewal with OPEC, the world's biggest energy exporter is still concerned about the impact of higher prices on U.S. shale production. It previously wavered on the length of any extension to oil cuts and favored deferring any decision until closer to the expiry of the current accord. Still, an agreement is likely, according to Bloomberg oil strategist Julian Lee, since producers risk falling prices if cracks appear in their resolve, while President Vladimir Putin won't want to risk the political gains he's made in the Middle East since joining the pact.

Saudi Arabia

Price needed: $73.10

Compliance: 122%

Share of OPEC production: 30.7%

OPEC's strong compliance has often been attributable to the Saudis cutting more than they promised, making up for laggards like Iraq and the U.A.E. While bearing the heaviest burden, the Kingdom has still gained from the deal. Oil revenue grew 33 percent in the first nine months of the year, allowing the government to soothe potential discontent by reinstating the perks and bonuses to citizens that it controversially withdrew last year. Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih told Bloomberg Television this month the group should announce an extension in Vienna because surplus inventories won't be eliminated by March.

United Arab Emirates

Price needed: $68

Compliance: 67%

Share of OPEC production: 8.9%

The Saudi ally has exceeded its quota in each month of the deal, but it promised in July to lift its game after Saudi Arabia rebuked OPEC members for failing to meet their commitments. Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei has said his country supports an extension, but deeper cuts aren't under consideration.

Venezuela

Price needed: $216 (RBC)

Share of OPEC production: 6%

Compliance: 122%

Venezuela will be represented at the Vienna summit by new Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo, a military leader who was named to the post at the weekend, replacing Eulogio Del Pino. Perhaps more than any other OPEC nation, Venezuela needs the OPEC deal to work. The Latin American country gets almost all its export revenue from oil, and the price collapse left its economy reeling and its industry in decline. Production in the country, which has larger reserves than Saudi Arabia, is set to reach the lowest in almost three decades -- just when it needs petrodollars most to service its debt. Quevedo will also head the national oil company, whose former president, Nelson Martinez, said he supported the proposal to extend cuts for nine more months.
Meade to seek nod for presidential race, Trevino appointed CEO of Pemex, Gonzalez Anaya Mexico's finance minister





Mexico's finance minister Jose Antonio Meade resigns, paving way for election run . Meade, 48-year-old Yale-trained economist touted as PRI's best be - Watch video

By Eric Martin / Adams Williams

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 11 29 17

Mexico's Meade Resigns, Paving Way for Election Run

By Eric Martin

Jose Antonio Meade threw his hat in the ring to become the presidential candidate of Mexico's ruling party in the July 2018 election, hours after resigning his post as finance minister.

Meade's resignation announced earlier Monday by President Enrique Pena Nieto ends months of speculation that he would step down from the cabinet in order to seek the nomination of the president's Institutional Revolutionary Party. The president also said that Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya will step down as CEO of Petroleos Mexicanos become finance minister.

Read more: Pemex's revolving executive door

I do this with deep conviction and emotion, my only wish is to serve my country, Meade said at an event in Mexico City Monday afternoon.

Meade, a 48-year-old economist with a doctorate from Yale University, was in his second turn as finance minister. He served in four cabinet posts for presidents from rival parties, including a year as social development minister, where he was the public face of Pena Nieto's efforts to combat poverty in the nation's poorer south. Meade has not been tainted by corruption scandals that have plagued the upper echelons of Mexico's government. That has led some to tout him as the scandal-plagued PRI's best option for the 2018 presidential race.

"I wish him the best of luck in the project he has decided to undertake," Pena Nieto said, without giving details on Meade's next assignment.

Some think Meade would make a better fit as central bank governor, taking over from Agustin Carstens, who leaves this week to lead the Bank for International Settlements. In a June interview, Meade said the central bank would be able to cut borrowing costs as early as the end of this year.

Meade emerged as an option for the presidential race after some of Pena Nieto's closest allies, and potential successors, were hit by allegations of a conflict of interest, as is the case for Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, or faced criticism for surging violence, such as Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong. A 2015 probe by the country's public comptroller cleared Videgaray of any wrongdoing in his purchase of a home from a government contractor.

Mexico City-based newspaper El Universal first reported on Meade's departure late Sunday and said Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio won't compete for the PRI candidacy.

Mexico's peso was little changed, up 0.1 percent to trade at 18.53 per dollar in early afternoon trading in New York.

Trevino appointed CEO of Pemex, Gonzalez Anaya Mexico's finance minister
In general, men are twice as likely to cheat on a spouse than women are. That frequency increases over the lifespan, peaking among the elderly. Among men 18 to 29 who have ever been married, about 1 in 10 is
With a new push toward franchising, Bryn Davis is expanding his healthful fast-casual restaurant chain, Bryn & Dane's, beyond the Philadelphia region and the goal is 100-plus units around the country. On Jan. 9, he expects to open a company-owned location in Malvern  the fifth in this region  followed by one at the Franklin Residences, on Chestnut Street near Eighth, in Center City. This will have a catering center attached to it, now that former Saladworks executive Paul Steck has come on board.

Also in the mix for 2018 is a Bryn & Dane's in  of all places  Entebbe, Uganda.

It all started last year when Davis, now 33, joined a friend's humanitarian tourism adventure to the central African nation. He quickly realized that power infrastructure and septic systems  the jobs he had signed up for  were not his strong suit.

How did this come about?

A buddy called me and said, 'We're leaving in a couple weeks. I have an extra spot on the plane. Do you want to go?' I was super-stressed-out here and said, 'Absolutely.' I got my shots, got my ticket, and we went. Our jobs were solar panels and septic fields. I have no background in either one of them. And the pastor who was running the whole group, said, 'We're actually thinking about opening up a market. Does anybody have any experience doing something like that?' And that was kind of my ticket out of the septic field.

Was this in your business model?

Since the beginning, I've always wanted to have a giving arm of Bryn & Dane's. I love Blake Mycoskie from TOMS shoes. I love the model of one-for-one. This is the first foray into our giving arm. I want to say that for every location that we open, we're going to open up a 'giving' location. I think we might be able to do better than that, but at the minimum, for every one we open here, we want to open one there. The reason we want to do the one-for-one on the store side is that it tells a good story for us. Meaning: big brother, little brother. One's not better than the other  they're inextricably connected, whether they want to be or not. And the big brother's going to look after the little brother, no matter what. So the first big-brother store is Malvern and the little brother store is Entebbe. With a lot of the goods that people buy, we'll be able to do a tremendous amount of giving on the Entebbe side.

The knee-jerk reaction is 'how cool would it be that every time you sold a product here, you give a product there?' In that culture, a lot of people will stop working and it actually wouldn't be good for that community. Our idea is, we're going to give those people over there access to affordable, if not super-subsidized clean, healthy food so that they can sustain themselves reliably without having a lot of money. That's the end game, no matter what. How we get there, we'll grow and learn about. The only difference is we're not going to have the same financial scrutiny over those stores that we have here.

What's it like opening in Africa?

It reminds me exactly of the way we opened up the first Bryn & Dane's [in a Horsham office park] that was just smoothies and popcorn. We are 1,000 percent shooting from the hip, learning as we go, but I think the biggest thing is the people. I go back and forth. I have  I honestly can say  a larger group of tight friends over there that I talk to every day than I even do here now. I am able to say, 'Hey, what's going on?' and five people will answer all the questions I need answered. There haven't been any challenges that are greater than opening in the U.S.

How will the Entebbe store look?

We bought a raw shipping container that's literally been all over the world, and we had it fixed up. We made it into an authentic bar and we'll have our full kitchen behind it. We're not going to confine them to having the strict menu. They're going to do all of our blended drinks, and iced teas. They're going to have access to these bowls. They're going to have chicken strips. But I'm not going to force them to sell items that we sell here. They're probably not going to do air-popped popcorn or the kale lemonade at first, and that's OK. We'll do locally sourced, low-calorie, healthy and nutritious meals. We're going to let that community dictate what healthy and local means to them, because just like when we open [franchise locations around the country], we'll allow those franchisees to augment what healthy is [there]. We're going to do the same exact thing overseas with the guys in Entebbe.

By the end of 2018, we'll have it done. We already have all the connections. I met with the government. We identified our franchisee. We met with our suppliers. It's just now a matter of getting it done.
Blossom Philadelphia is getting out of residential services for intellectually disabled adults, but so far the nonprofits clients and their family members have been kept in the dark about what the future holds. Read more

Blossom Philadelphia said Tuesday in a letter to families that it will transition its residential services for adults with intellectual disabilities to four providers, with the goal of completing the move by the end of the year. It did not identify the new providers of services for Blossom's 89 residents.

The letter from Blossom's chief executive, Paula Czyzewski, emailed at about 5:30 p.m., said the Chestnut Hill nonprofit would work closely with city and state officials and the new providers to ensure a smooth transition. "We understand that any change can be difficult, but remaining with Blossom Philadelphia for residential services is not an option," the letter said.

Diane Sessions, whose 41-year-old sister has lived in one of the Chestnut Hill nonprofit's community homes since 2001, found out Monday evening in an article on Philly.com about the decision by Blossom, whose license to operate the community homes was revoked on Oct. 24, to transfer responsibility for its residential clients to other providers.

She said she immediately emailed Czyzewski and three other Blossom officials, asking them about bed sores, missed medical appointments, and other problems with her sister's care and what the announcement means for her sister. "Not a one has responded," Sessions said.

A spokesman for Blossom, whose board voted last week to end its residential operations, said Tuesday afternoon that that it had not yet been determined whether Blossom would sell its houses.

Monica Lewis-Wilborn, spokeswoman for Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, said representatives from her office have been on conference calls with officials from Blossom, Pennsylvania's Office of Developmental Programs, and providers who might assume responsibility for Blossom clients.

"The goal is for no one to move out of their current homes," Lewis-Wilborn said Wednesday.

Several veterans of intellectual disability services said they had heard nothing about which providers the state had contacted.

State officials did not provide any information despite repeated requests.

Many of Blossom's residents are in wheelchairs and 18 are from the shuttered Pennhurst state hospital. That makes it difficult to find new housing for them because there is a shortage of wheelchair-accessible housing in Philadelphia, said advocates and others involved in intellectual disability services.

If the residents are moved, Blossom, which this year changed its name from United Cerebral Palsy Association of Philadelphia, would also be left with 32 houses on which it owed $3.3 million on June 30, 2016, and no revenue from residential services to make payments.

"It's unfortunate that things have come to this point, but it appears that state regulators did their job properly and protected vulnerable people," said State Rep. Chris Rabb (D., Phila.), whose district is in Northwest Philadelphia, where some of Blossom's group homes are located. "Now I hope that the transition to new care providers will be as smooth as possible."
His name was Raekwon Jones. He was 15, and he was loved.

There's still so much we don't know about the teenager found early Friday, burned, on top of a SEPTA train.

Just how the teen got on top of the train. Why he was there. Why his electrocuted body wasn't discovered until after the train left Suburban Station and arrived at Jefferson.

Who, if anyone, is culpable in his death.

But this much seems clear. "He was a good kid," said Nadeem Bezar, a lawyer with Kline & Specter.

The rest will come out soon enough, but I had hoped to find out a little about the teen, so I went to the Mill Creek neighborhood Wednesday morning, where his mother, Jeanette, lives, to see if we could talk. She directed me to her lawyer.

The investigation into what happened is just beginning, Bezar said.

But he shared a few things he thought people should know before they filled in their own blanks.

Jones and his older brother were not in foster care because of abuse, he said, but because of housing issues.

His mom had recently secured housing and regained custody of her older son; Raekwon was going to follow soon.

"He was just a good kid who ran," Bezar said, which raises another question: If he was a runner, why wasn't he placed in a more secure environment? In a story written by my colleague Jason Laughlin, a spokeswoman for Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services would not comment on whether Jones had any relationship with that department. The agency provides information about children who die as a result of abuse or neglect, she said.

Jones had already run away from his foster home once, and found his way to his mother. His mother, not wanting to break the rules, reported him, and he was put back into the foster home.

He ran again, and was missing until his body was found on top of a Regional Rail train at Jefferson Station the day after Thanksgiving.

As if this couldn't get any more tragic, there was one more thing about Raekwon:

He loved trains.
Alcohol-based sanitizers are generally regarded as safe. But they are not a foolproof way to stop disease, scientists say. Read more

Cold and flu season is upon us, and people wary of germs are squirting blobs of hand sanitizer on their hands.

Do those alcohol-based gels really kill 99.99 percent of microbes, as some manufacturers claim? And are they the best way to stay healthy?

The American Chemical Society, a nonprofit science organization, breaks down the science in a new video.

Effective sanitizers generally contain one of three types of alcohol: ethanol, isopropanol, or n-propanol. They work by dissolving the "outer coats" of bacteria and viruses, destroying them in the process, the video explains.

But do these germ-killers contribute to the problem of resistant "superbugs"? That is indeed a problem with the overuse of antibiotics, as bacteria tend to evolve new defenses against those drugs over time, rendering them less effective.

Yet this is not thought to be a problem with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which are sort of like the nuclear option in germ warfare. There is no evidence that bacteria and viruses can mount any kind of defense against having their outer coats dissolved, according to the American Chemical Society, which co-produced the video with PBS Digital Studios.

Be sure to use a sanitizer that is alcohol-based, however. Some contain antibiotics, which would contribute to the resistance problem.

So how about that those 99.99 percent claims?

The American Chemical Society, which is chartered by Congress and publishes peer-reviewed journals, says those results are based on laboratory tests.

"Real life is messier," the video's narrator states. "The effectiveness of hand sanitizer varies on how oily or dirty your hands are, how much alcohol is in there, and which germs you're actually talking about."

The bottom line: real-world results are often less than 99.99 percent.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds that sanitizers should contain at least 60 percent alcohol, and even then, they may be less effective when hands are "visibly dirty or greasy."

What to do? Those gels are handy in a pinch. But there is always soap and water.

Even Purell, a leading maker of hand sanitizers, includes this quote on its website from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

"Washing with plain soap and running water remains one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick and to prevent spreading germs to others."
Ari Gordon is the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. He is shown here in Heidelberg, Germany, while attending a conference on Jewish-Christian studies. Read more

In the 1980s, most of the research Bea Hollander-Goldfein was reading about how Holocaust survivors were faring psychologically focused entirely on the damage the Nazis had done.

That didn't ring completely true to Hollander-Goldfein, a psychologist whose parents were both survivors. She saw problems, but also successes. In 1988, she gathered a team of 16  six were children of survivors  to study the existing scientific literature. Dissatisfied, they set out in 1991 to do their own work, talking deeply and in a more nuanced way with survivors and their children about how the Holocaust had affected them.

Twenty-six years later, Hollander-Goldfein, co-project director and social worker Nancy Isserman, and a smaller crew, are still at it. They've now interviewed three generations of survivor families to study how trauma is transmitted across generations, and are considering how their findings can be applied to other traumatized groups, such as military veterans or refugees.

With its 307 interviews of survivors from the Philadelphia area and their descendants, the Transcending Trauma research project is one of the largest of its kind  Holocaust survivor studies based on "qualitative" interviewing rather than more data-driven measures  in the world, Hollander-Goldfein said. The group has amassed 1,200 hours of interviews and is now re-interviewing some of the "3Gs," the grandchildren of survivors. It has not found easy formulas for who will be destroyed by trauma and who will rise above it. But it has found that having a healthy family before terrible events occur improves the odds of resilience afterwards and that families that can talk about what happened  but not too much  can thrive.

"People are not blank slates when they experience trauma," said Isserman, who works with Hollander-Goldfein at Council for Relationships in West Philadelphia. That was a novel idea until fairly recently, she said.

"Generations raised in silence have a much harder time coping than in families where the Holocaust was talked about," Hollander-Goldfein said.

By the third generation, the grandparents' survival may be seen as an inspiration  as proof of human ability to find purpose at the worst of times.

Ari Gordon, a Philadelphia native whose maternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors, is now working toward his doctorate in Islamic studies in New York City. His grandfather was a lawyer in Vienna who was sent to Theresienstadt, a Nazi concentration camp in what is now the Czech Republic. Before the war, his grandmother lived with her first husband in Budapest. He died at Auschwitz. She escaped a train to that notorious camp, hid with relatives in Hungary and Czechoslovakia and, ultimately, procured false papers that allowed her to pass as Christian until the war ended.

"Their entire world crumbled and was destroyed," Gordon said. After the war, they spent a year in Ecuador before they were allowed to come to New Jersey. Gordon's grandfather, who died before Gordon was born, worked in a factory. The couple struggled to raise "the one daughter they could afford to raise," his mother. A generation later, Gordon has degrees from Yeshiva University, Harvard Divinity School and is working on another from the University of Pennsylvania.

"We carried a deep-seated belief  that whatever life throws at you, you can find a way to get above it," he said. "Bad things are going to happen, but you can weather it."

Gordon sees this positive response to trauma as more of a "stance of strength" than a set of specific coping skills.

In the first of two books about the research  Transcending Trauma: Survival, Resilience and Clinical Implications in Survivor Families  Hollander-Goldfein, Isserman and Jennifer Goldenberg, who now teaches at the University of Maine, say early studies of Holocaust survivors involved people who had sought psychiatric treatment or were seeking reparations from Germany. That skewed the results and led to a common narrative of survivors as victims, not heroes. Over time, resilience and the "search for meaning" described in the famous book by Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, got more attention.

The Philadelphia research involves survivors living in the community, not people in treatment. Its goal was to study why some survivors led more successful families than others.

In a written overview of their findings so far, Hollander-Goldfein said the team found "no consistent pattern" of symptoms or family types. Every family was affected by the fact that survivors had suffered, but "when the survivor can put the child's needs first and create a nurturing home environment, the child's development is not impaired by the long reach of the Holocaust," she said.

They found that being "other oriented" was better than being "self oriented." This was associated with not feeling the need to repress or deny emotions and memories. The best family environments included empathy, emotional expression, altruism, validation and closeness. There was no correlation between how terrible the survivor's experiences were and how well they coped.

Open communication was much better than keeping secrets, which left children feeling burdened. "Compulsive retelling," though, was not helpful, Hollander-Goldfein said.

A key point is that one warm parent who's good at communication can make a huge difference, even if the other parent is damaged.

Hollander-Goldfein said this was true in her own family. Her father was silent and depressed. Her mother was open and kind. "She compensated for what he could not give" she said.

Isserman said this is important when therapists are counseling traumatized families. "If one parent has problems," she said, "work with the stronger parent to build up their coping skills."

In several of the families, members of the second generation vowed to do things differently than their parents had. Lucy Raizman, another therapist at Council for Relationships, was among them. The daughter of survivors, she conducted about 100 of the interviews and was surprised by how well some of the survivor families were doing. She had interviewed her own parents and brother, trying to be as objective as possible. "I could not believe how many families were so much different than my own family," she said. Both of her parents survived the war in Poland, but with post-traumatic stress. Her mother didn't talk much. Her father was more expressive, but angry. "As a child, I learned to depend on myself and be pretty responsible," Raizman said. "I felt like I had to translate the world for them."

She talked much more openly with her own children about the family's history, an approach that her daughter, Becky Newman, appreciates. "I think it was better than being in the dark and wondering why my grandparents were the way that they were," she said.

Newman, 35, is a former legal-aid lawyer who works for a foundation that funds nonprofits. She thinks her family history fueled her interest in social justice, in "repairing the world."

Like Ari Gordon, she thinks her family's trauma may have made her a little more sensitive to threat. She has reacted strongly to mass shootings and the increased brazenness of hate groups and feels a "very profound connection to those experiences of trauma and loss."

Gordon said his family history makes him feel both a psychological burden and a burden of history. Newman had a similar response. "In some ways," she said, "I feel like I have to live my life in a way that is living for those that did not get to live."
Joshua Hupperterz (right), 29, was charged with murder in the death of Jenna Burleigh (left), a 22-year-old Temple University student. Read more

In the early-morning hours of Aug. 31, when authorities say Temple student Jenna Burleigh was in Joshua Hupperterz's North Philadelphia apartment, Noelle Sterling heard banging and, later, screaming.

It was about 2:15 a.m., Sterling said, when she awoke to the sound of footsteps and banging in the gravel backyard of her apartment building. She called Temple police, who arrived and spoke with her but soon left. She wasn't sure if they checked the backyard, accessible only through the first-floor rear apartment Hupperterz shared with a roommate and a dog.

Afraid, she called her mom about 15 minutes later, and during that hourlong call heard more banging and the dog barking, said Sterling, who lived in the apartment above Hupperterz's at 1708 N. 16th St.

Then, about 4 a.m., "I don't think I got to sleep before the screaming started," she said. She immediately called Temple police again. There were "no words, just screams," said Sterling, a Temple graduate student. "It sounded terrifying, almost like if you were in a horror movie and a girl screamed, but it was worse."

The screaming continued for three minutes, then suddenly stopped, Sterling said. Temple police came and spoke to her, and again departed.

Sterling was one of 10 witnesses who testified Wednesday, offering chilling new details at Hupperterz's preliminary hearing in the death of Burleigh, 22, a killing that shocked the region. After the 6-hour hearing, Municipal Court Judge David Shuter ordered Hupperterz, 29, held for trial on murder, possession of an instrument of crime, abuse of corpse and related offenses.

Hupperterz, a former Temple student, hobbled into the courtroom on crutches, wearing a gray knit sweater and glasses. He remained expressionless. One of his attorneys, David Nenner, said afterward that Hupperterz was on crutches because of a foot infection.

About 20 of Burleigh's relatives and friends sat in the courtroom gallery. Her mother, Jacqueline, left the courtroom a few times during the emotional testimony. The family declined to speak to reporters afterward.

Burleigh, of Harleysville, Montgomery County, lived at home and commuted to Temple. She had just started her first week of classes when she met Hupperterz at Pub Webb, 1527 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Surveillance video showed Burleigh and Hupperterz sitting at chairs in the middle of the bar, the last customers near closing time Aug. 31. The two then walked to Hupperterz's building around the corner shortly after 2 a.m.

Erik Carlsen, 29, a cousin of Hupperterz's, testified that in the late afternoon of Aug. 31, he drove to Hupperterz's apartment and found him "cleaning up blood" in the living room, his right hand bleeding from what he claimed was a cut that happened while he was drunk. Carlsen said Hupperterz asked him to help him move a large, blue storage bin  which Carlsen called a "tote"  and bring it in Carlsen's car to Hupperterz's mother's house in Jenkintown. The bin felt like it weighed 100 pounds, Carlsen said. Hupperterz told him it contained clothes.

As they drove to Jenkintown, Hupperterz appeared "normal, listening to music, and talking. We were probably both singing," Carlsen testified under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Gwenn Cujdik, but he didn't say what they were singing. When they got to Jenkintown, Carlsen said, he helped Hupperterz bring the bin into a detached garage, then drove Hupperterz back to Philadelphia.

Robert Hagler, 67, who described himself as a friend of Hupperterz's mother, Gina, and who lives with her, testified that on Aug. 31, he had opened the garage door for Hupperterz and Carlsen. On Sept. 1, Hupperterz returned in another vehicle and Hagler said he helped Hupperterz move the bin,  which Hupperterz said contained books  into the vehicle.

Avery Tucker, a Lyft driver, testified that he drove Hupperterz and his small brown-and-white dog to Jenkintown on Sept. 1 and then to the Poconos, where he helped move the storage bin from the car onto the gravel driveway of a residence.

Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, investigators were searching for Burleigh, whose family had reported her missing. Capt. Edward Woltemate of the Temple police said he first spoke to Hupperterz on the night of Aug. 31 and then about 4 p.m. the next day, both times by phone. Hupperterz said he didn't know anything about Burleigh. Hupperterz claimed to be in South Philly, but the FBI traced his cellphone to Hawley, in the Poconos, Woltemate said under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Jude Conroy.

On the night of Sept. 1, Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Benjamin Clark and a fellow trooper went to Hupperterz's grandmother's home in Hawley. Hupperterz said he had no information about Burleigh, but agreed to go to the police barracks for more questioning, Clark said. A few hours later, Philadelphia police arrived and took him back to the city, Clark said.

Then, about 1 p.m. Sept. 2, Clark said, he was contacted by Philadelphia police, who said that a relative of Hupperterz's had found a woman's body in an aluminum shed on his grandmother's wooded, lakeside property. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement authorities opened the shed.

Inside was a blue plastic storage bin with Burleigh's naked body, he said.

Burleigh had more than 140 injuries from her head to her legs, Cujdik said. The Wayne County coroner ruled that she died from blunt trauma and strangulation.

Nenner argued before the judge that it's not clear what had happened in Hupperterz's apartment. He said Burleigh and Hupperterz apparently had "consensual sex," based on DNA samples.

The judge replied: "Wouldn't it be the commonwealth's position that sex was non-consensual, since she was beaten to death?"

The judge held Hupperterz for trial on all charges.
This Nov. 8, 2017 photo released by NBC shows Matt Lauer on the set of the "Today" show in New York. NBC News fired the longtime host for "inappropriate sexual behavior." Read more

Allegations of sexual harassment have been leveled against men from some of the nation's most powerful institutions  Congress, Hollywood, the news media  and with each accusation, the women are getting the benefit of the doubt.

Even before explicit details emerged about the alleged actions of Matt Lauer, who was fired by NBC on Wednesday, social media users had presumed his guilt. Like others before him, he was quickly relegated to the long list of prominent men whose reputations were forever changed.

So, after decades of doubting accusers, have the scales finally tipped in favor of the females?

Experts say no.

Mary Ebeling, director of women's and gender studies at Drexel University, said she believes the firings of powerful men  including Lauer from NBC  are less about the institutions looking out for women and more a result of institutions looking out for themselves.

"One of the things that I have found very frustrating in watching all of this unfold is that it seems it's not about getting justice for the survivors and victims of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace," she said. "This is about scoring political points and institutions protecting themselves.

"If workers in hotels were getting the same kind of swift justice, or farm laborers, then I would say, 'Yeah, OK, accusers are finally being believed.' But I don't see it."

Edith Pearce, a Philadelphia attorney who represents victims of workplace sexual harassment, said she often still hears the same questions: Why did they put up with harassment for so long? Why didn't they come forward sooner?

"To a degree, that is still blaming the victim," she said.

The movement to call out sexual harassment started in October after The New York Times exposed allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, resulting in his firing. The story led to the viral hashtag #metoo and helped convince many women  and some men  to come forward with their own experiences of sexual abuse or harassment.

Among the prominent individuals who have since been accused: actor Kevin Spacey, who was let go from the Netflix series House of Cards; anchor Charlie Rose, who was fired from CBS; U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.), who on Monday apologized amid allegations he had groped women.

On Wednesday, Minnesota Public Radio also announced it had fired Garrison Keillor, former host of A Prairie Home Companion, amid allegations he touched a woman's bare back.

Earlier in the day, news of Lauer's behavior from NBC shocked fans of the Today show in the Philadelphia area.

"Never did I ever think I'd see the headline 'NBC: Lauer Fired For Inappropriate SEXUAL Behavior," one person wrote on Twitter. Another said of Lauer's alleged sexual misconduct: "My mom is crying because she really thought he was different."

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack sent a memo to employees informing them of Lauer's termination, noting the Today show host was fired following a serious review of a "detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace."

The complaint was the first of its kind against Lauer, Lack told employees, but the network had reason to believe it wasn't an "isolated incident."

Variety reported later Wednesday that Lauer had previously flashed a female colleague and given another a sex toy.

Philadelphia attorneys Jared A. Jacobson and Franklin J. Rooks Jr., who handle sexual harassment cases, said efforts to quickly respond and bring attention to allegations are good. But the treatment of victims  and victim-blaming  still remains an obstacle in many cases, they said.

They recalled one case in which they said a hospital worker complained about a coworker inappropriately grabbing her, only for supervisors to normalize the coworker's conduct and insist he was just being himself.

"As long as people are people," Rooks Jr. said, "sexual harassment will be there."
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, takes the stage with former Today show co-anchor Matt Lauer, right, at the NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum in 2016. Read more

I was a 23-year-old intern at a now-defunct newspaper publishing company in the Washington area when an older, more established colleague invited me out to lunch.

I had just started, so I happily accepted. I assumed he had taken an interest in my career and wanted to mentor me. Instead, while we were sitting at a table inside a darkened restaurant, he suddenly lunged across the table to kiss me, knocking the silverware to the floor, and spilling the water glasses. I was stunned.

He went on tell me the usual blah-blah-blah that his wife didn't understand him and he wanted to date me. I let him know that I wasn't interested. We ate, and I assumed it was over. Silly me. After I got back inside his car, my colleague refused to drive me to the office unless I kissed him first. I refused. He persisted, but eventually gave up and drove me to the newsroom.

I buried this incident for many years, even in recent months amid all the sordid sexual abuse allegations against Bill Cosby, President Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. John Conyers, and Alabama's Roy Moore. As much as I felt for the female accusers, those were their stories  not mine.

But as I watch powerful men such as Today's Matt Lauer, CBS This Morning's Charlie Rose, MSNBC's Mark Halperin, and Minnesota Public Radio's Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion fame, get accused of similar abuses of power, it really brings the issue home for me.

Eight women have claimed that Rose made unwanted sexual advances toward them that included lewd phone calls, groping, and  get this  walking around naked in front of them. NBC officials haven't detailed exactly what sexual improprieties Lauer is accused of, but they had to be bad for him to be fired so quickly. According to Variety, they involved allegations from multiple women, including one to whom he reportedly gave a sex toy as a present.

I can relate to why the accusers didn't speak up earlier. They were worried about their careers, as I had been. Then there's the fear of condemnation from people like the actress Angela Lansbury, who had the nerve to tell an interviewer recently that women are responsible to some degree for sexual harassment.

"There are two sides to this coin," Lansbury, 92, told Radio Times. "We have to own up to the fact that women, since time immemorial, have gone out of their way to make themselves attractive. And unfortunately it has backfired on us  and this is where we are today."

Shame on Lansbury for victim-blaming and for raising the old "What were you wearing?" argument. Insulting assumptions like that are why too many of us remain quiet. When we report something as humiliating and possibly professionally harmful as sexual harassment, the last thing we should be told is that we are the problem.

Looking back, I wish I'd had the guts to have cursed out my colleague then and there. But I wasn't that strong or professionally secure. I felt ashamed for having accepted his invitation to lunch, even though it is commonplace for more established journalists to welcome newsroom newbies by taking them out for lunch or drinks.

I unwittingly participated in a culture in which female journalists whisper about which men are to be avoided. It doesn't happen to me here. But at industry conventions, women would warn about certain "recruiters," especially those who invite aspiring female broadcasters to their hotel rooms "to view their tapes." Discussing potential employment over drinks is common, and aspiring journalists knew we paid a price if we refused to play along.

"It was so commonplace," one of my journalism buddies reminded me on Wednesday. "You just knew: 'Here he comes. Run.' "

We laugh about it now. Back then, not so much. We were scared. We were vulnerable. We were silent.

That's why I applaud every female accuser who has had the courage to come forward and stand in her own truth. I wish I had been brave enough to have done that back when my colleague tried to kiss me.
Co-anchors Al Roker (from left), Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb on the set of the of the "Today" show Wednesday in New York, after NBC News fired host Matt Lauer. Read more

Before we lose another moment feeling bad or sad or mad about Matt Lauer, or Charlie Rose, or Bill O'Reilly, or whatever guy next loses a high-paying job over allegations of conduct unbecoming a decent human being, could we talk about the women?

Not just the women who've come forward to accuse these men, but the ones who worked  and maybe bantered  beside them, and who lately have been left to pick up the pieces.

As Callum Borchers points out in the Washington Post blog "The Fix," "this has become a familiar scene on TV: A female host tasked with explaining to the audience why a male colleague is suddenly absent. It is a wrenching assignment, cruelly emblematic of the problem. Even after his dismissal, an accused harasser can put a woman in one more uncomfortable position."

It was hard enough watching Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell go through this  was it really only last week?  but CBS This Morning isn't the Today show, and Lauer, who's long been considered critical to the fortunes of the lucrative NBC morning show, is a household name and face in far more households than Rose has been.

Savannah Guthrie, reaching out to grab the hand of her Today cohost Hoda Kotb, had to summon up a brief, brave smile before announcing Lauer's firing on Wednesday morning. Because smiling, and looking relatable, is as much a part of Guthrie's job as delivering the news, sad or otherwise.

Declaring herself heartbroken, she needed to maintain the impression that these people whom millions wake up with every morning are truly a family while also showing support for the unnamed colleague whose accusation led to the ouster of a member of that family.

Guthrie went to journalism school and got her law degree from Georgetown, but who signs up for this?

And yet TV newswomen have long had to play by a different set of rules, the ones that dictate that women who've pursued advanced training in, say, meteorology must also look good in cocktail attire, that aging is tolerated only to the point that it becomes obvious, and that lack of on-air chemistry with the apparently indispensable male coanchor is a firing offense.

Meanwhile, Lauer and Al Roker got to be bald on TV.

What Lauer doesn't get, though, is the presumption of innocence he'd be granted in a criminal case. I know it must seem to some men, in and out of the public eye, that the rules have been changed midgame. But the rules were always there. They just weren't enforced.

Those rules that govern the appearance and behavior of women  even on morning shows whose audiences are predominantly female  didn't come about only because some of the men calling the shots are sexist pigs.

They're based on a cruel calculation of what viewers will tolerate.

At some point, it was decided that Today's audience likely wouldn't tolerate whatever Lauer is said to have done. Or at least that they might not be able to see Lauer, the brother/dad/annoyingly smug uncle of what NBC once called "America's First Family," in the same way once the story, or stories, NBC reportedly knew to be coming broke.

Getting out ahead of that story was an unusual move for Today, which has a long history of rocky transitions (see Curry, Ann and Pauley, Jane), and there's a lot of money on the line for its Comcast-owned network. According to U.S. News & World Report, Today earned $509 million in ad revenue last year, more than any other morning show, though ABC's Good Morning America attracts more viewers.

Advertisers had to have been part of NBC News' calculations. When Bill O'Reilly was let go from Fox News seven months ago, it was capitalism at work, his ouster coming only after advertisers started fleeing The O'Reilly Factor, eager to avoid controversy in the wake of the sexual-harassment allegations against him.

And not standing between the company and the money? That's the only rule that applies to everyone.
A Penns Grove, N.J., police officer has been charged with aggravated assault for "kicking an individual in the face while handcuffed" after the man's arrest Thanksgiving morning, the Salem County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Xaziel Ramos, 22, of Hopatcong, Sussex County, suffered facial abrasions from the attack and was taken to a hospital to be treated for hypothermia because he was out all night in the cold, authorities said Wednesday.

George Manganaro, 29, a patrolman with the department for seven years, was suspended pending a review, authorities said. He was released after being charged. Calls placed to his home in Penns Grove were not returned.

Ramos had been handcuffed after he was arrested in connection with a 911 call alerting officers to a burglary at a Carneys Point Township residence, according to Prosecutor John T. Lenahan. Ramos had been passing through Penns Grove from North Carolina on his way home for Thanksgiving, the prosecutor said.

After two Carneys Point officers responded to the call, Manganaro arrived on the scene as backup, the prosecutor said.

Manganaro's arrest is the latest problem for the small police department, which has been in turmoil in recent years.

Three years ago, the borough paid $2 million to settle an excessive-use-of-force lawsuit filed by the family of a man who died after Penns Grove police placed him in a choke hold, according to the New Jersey Law Journal. The coroner determined that MoShowon Leach, 31, died from blunt neck trauma after the officers Maced him, wrestled him to the ground, and kicked and punched him, the lawsuit said. A grand jury did not find grounds to indict the officers.

The 15-member police department is also facing a lawsuit filed by a former dispatcher who contends the police chief, the former chief, and two other officers, neither of them Manganaro, sexually harassed her, according to reports confirmed by officials. One of the two officers named in the suit, Anthony Minguez, was later charged with lewdness for allegedly exposing himself to two children in a restaurant restroom last March.

Manganaro also is suing the borough and the school district for damages after he was injured in a tussle with community activist Walter Hudson, chairman of the civil rights group National Awareness Alliance, which is based in Salem County.

Hudson, who had organized a demonstration in front of the police station in 2010 to protest the death of Leach, called a news conference Wednesday at the police station to demand action be taken to prevent further police abuse. The arrest of Manganaro is "nothing new to the residents of Penns Grove," he said. "It is normal practice of rogue behavior towards citizens by the Penns Grove police."

After admitting he assaulted a police officer, Hudson was sentenced to probation in 2015. He had refused the officer's orders to leave a school gymnasium and pushed the officer away, according to police reports.

Hudson alleged that the scuffle came after Manganaro had harrassed him by writing him tickets for speeding, reckless driving, and being on the suspended driving list after he organized the protest for Leach. Hudson said the tickets were dismissed in court.

Hudson said he is suing the police department for harassment.

Mayor John Washington said he could not comment because of litigation. "We don't have all the facts, but we will get to the bottom of it. As mayor of the city I am concerned about everything from both sides, the officer and the person who, as you say, got kicked."

After Ramos was treated for hypothermia at Memorial Hospital of Salem County, he was released to the custody of his parents, said Lenahan. He will face charges of breaking and entering in Municipal Court in January. The hospital visit was "unrelated to the incident with the police officer," Lenahan said. Efforts to reach Ramos were unsuccessful.

Lenahan said he did not know of any previous excessive use of force by Manganaro.

Police Chief John Stranahan Sr. is out on disability and could not be reached. A police representative at the station said no one else was available to comment.
Temple University student, Michael Paytas, 24, of Holmes, Ridley Township from Delaware County died Monday after being found unconscious inside the universitys Paley Library. Read more

A Temple University student from Delaware County died Monday after being found unconscious inside the university's Paley Library, authorities said Wednesday.

Michael Paytas, 24, of Holmes, Ridley Township, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later in the day, university officials said. Foul play was not suspected.

Paytas, a fourth-year marketing major, graduated from Ridley High School in 2011 and transferred to Temple from Delaware County Community College in 2014.

"We are deeply saddened to inform the Temple community of the passing of Michael Paytas," Temple President Richard Englert wrote in an email to students and staff. "We extend our thoughts and prayers to Michael's family, friends, classmates and faculty. We encourage any student needing support to visit Tuttleman Counseling Services."

Paytas is at least the fourth Temple student to die this semester.
Thomas Eakins Shoreline of the Delaware River with Fishing Nets circa 1881-82, oil on tan cardboard, in The Loaded Brush: The Oil Sketch and the Philadelphia School of Painting, at PAFA. Read more

The oil sketch originated in 16th-century Italy as a preparatory study for a painting and gradually acquired its own distinct stature. To contemporary eyes, these sketches are often more appealing than a finished work. Typically deft and fluid, their brushwork doesn't aim for perfection. Thomas Eakins was a master of the form, and a fan.

Introduced to the practice during his four years of study in Europe, he made oil sketches an integral part of his own artistic output, and he used them as a teaching tool in his classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Spontaneous, painterly oil sketching continues to inform the works of PAFA graduates  whether they follow his habit of seizing the moment in a sketch or take a slower approach to a subject.

"The Loaded Brush: The Oil Sketch and the Philadelphia School of Painting," now at PAFA, showcases works by 20 Philadelphia artists who have studied or taught at the school (or both) between the 1800s and today  including several sketches by Eakins. It was organized by Philadelphia painter and PAFA alum Patrick Connors.

Not surprisingly, Eakins' influence is strongest in his students' sketches. Thomas Anshutz's sketch of a female torso (from a plaster cast) and Susan Macdowell Eakins' Sketch of a Woman, both from the 1890s, were clearly rendered on the spot; they're dark in mood but free of any agonizing. (Macdowell didn't merely learn from Eakins. She married him.) Several sketches by Cecilia Beaux also display that directness, including her charmingly odd Study for Harold and Mildred Colton, from 1886. Beaux attended PAFA while Eakins was there and admired his paintings, but she avoided studying with him. "A curious instinct of self-preservation kept me outside the magic circle," she later wrote.

Eakins was forced to resign from PAFA in 1886 after he scandalously removed a loincloth from a male figure model in class as female students looked on. Arthur B. Carles, who studied under Anshutz and Beaux at PAFA between 1900 and 1907, is the only artist in this show represented by a sketch and its "finished" version. Study for Helen Taylor, painted circa 1931, is a colorful but thinly painted outline of Taylor, while Helen Taylor, from the same year, is a completely realized work, except for Taylor's facial features, rendered vague and pale, as though an afterthought. You wonder whether Carles originally intended a more modern painting using color and line in the style of Matisse, as his study suggests. Eakins' direct aesthetic influences are nowhere to be seen.

But they're back in an undated painting by Louis B. Sloan of a leafless tree against a vivid sunset, with its thinly painted and actively worked surface, and in a plein-air painting of a distant Delaware River industrial scene by Stuart Shils. Sloan studied at PAFA in the 1950s and taught there for more than three decades. Shils is a PAFA graduate and current faculty member.

Both Elizabeth Osborne (former PAFA student and teacher) and Bill Scott (PAFA grad and current teacher) paint with an ecstasy and freedom that seems antithetical to Eakins' aesthetic, but the oil sketch's blithe spirit is alive and well in their work.

"The Loaded Brush" also features paintings by Brian Boutwell, Faye Swengel Badura, Stanley Bielen, Patrick Connors, Arthur DeCosta, Vincent Desiderio, Renee Foulks, Ben Kamihira, Peter Lister, Violet Oakley, Seymour Remenick, and Alice Barber Stephens.

Through Feb. 4 at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Hamilton Building, 118-128 N. Broad St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets: $15; $12 seniors and students. Information: 215-972-7600 or pafa.org.

Mindfulness, in color and monochrome

The title of Tim Schwartz's first solo show with Larry Becker Contemporary Art, "Thin Air," is apt for his thinly painted monochromatic paintings.

Schwartz's 18 paintings from 2016 and 2017, shown here in two separate rooms, are effectively three related bodies of work loosely based on Buddhist prayer flags and the practice of meditation.

The oil-on-linen paintings that occupy the front of the gallery investigate densities of blue, green, red, and yellow, with three paintings executed in each color. Each painting's color is more thinly applied, in horizontal strokes, than the painting before it. Blue represents sky and space, green is water, red is fire, and yellow is earth. They make the most articulate expression here of a particular dedication, possibly because there are more of them than paintings from the two other series.

In the back room, three works in graphite on linen  one huge, one medium-size, one tiny  suggest the process of meditation, while three predominantly white paintings seem to be a nod to Robert Ryman. Separating these colorless works from Schwartz's color-forward works in the front room makes good sense, but I suspect most people will respond more strongly to his investigations of color.

Through Dec. 30 at Larry Becker Contemporary Art, 43 N. Second St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and by appointment. Information: 215-925-5389 or artnet.com/galleries/larry-becker-contemporary-art.

Talia Greene at Glen Foerd

Having seen a few artists' installations at Glen Foerd, a wonderfully preserved 19th-century Italianate mansion in Northeast Philadelphia, I'm always interested to see how artists will muse on the historic estate and house in their own work.

Talia Greene has done site-specific installations at the Morris-Jumel Mansion in New York's Washington Heights, among other history-laden places. Here, she addresses the social ambitions of Gilded Age grandees by covering the walls of a small room with a gilded wallpaper pattern that peels off to reveal a texture of mud, alluding to poorer living accommodations of the era.

Green's installation also includes her ironic cut-paper silhouettes of the entitled types who inhabited such mansions. Her transformation of the room is so subtly accomplished you may not notice it. I think that's her point.

Through July 2018 at Glen Foerd on the Delaware, Grant Avenue and Milnor Street; tours at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Admission $5, children under 12 free. Admission to mansion's ground floor, where the installation is housed, is free on Saturdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Information: 215-632-5330 or www.glenfoerd.org.
FILE  In this April 21, 2016, file photo, Matt Lauer, co-host of the NBC "Today" television program, appears on set in Rockefeller Plaza, in New York. NBC News announced Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, that Lauer was fired for "inappropriate sexual behavior." Read more

Matt Lauer has been fired by NBC over an allegation of "inappropriate sexual behavior," the network announced Wednesday morning at the start of the Today show he had hosted for more than two decades.

"We just learned this moments ago, just this morning. As you can imagine we are devastated and still processing all this," Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, holding back tears, said as the show opened.

"I'm sure we will be learning more details in the days and hours that come, and we promise we will share that with you," Guthrie said. "For the moment, all we can say is we are heartbroken. I'm heartbroken for Matt. He's my dear, dear friend and my partner, and he is beloved by many, many people here."

She said she also was "heartbroken" for the "brave colleague" who reported Lauer.

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack sent a memo to employees informing them of Lauer's termination, noting the Today show host was fired following a serious review of a "detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace."

The complaint was the first its kind against Lauer, Lack told employees, but the network had reason to believe it wasn't an "isolated incident."

Ari Wilkenfeld, who told the New York Times he is the lawyer for the unnamed woman accusing Lauer of misconduct, said the pair met with representatives from NBC's human resources and legal departments Monday night.

"Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace," Wilkenfeld said in a statement. "While I am encouraged by NBC's response to date, I am in awe of the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than the company do the right thing."

Both NPR's David Folkenflik and Page Six's Emily Smith reported that Lauer's behavior involved an alleged incident at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he acted as NBC's primary host after Bob Costas developed an eye infection. Folkenflik added that Lauer's accuser faced a "significant power differential" with the Today show host.

Lauer has not yet commented publicly about his firing.

The news comes less than two weeks after CBS fired Charlie Rose, its own morning news anchor, following an extensive Washington Post report that detailed his alleged unwanted sexual advances toward women who worked for him. As Columbia Journalism Review's Pete Vernon pointed out, the dismissals mean "two of the most powerful men in morning television have been removed from their positions due to misconduct."

Al Roker, Lauer's colleague for much of his 24-year tenure on Today, appeared shaken while attempting to give the weather report. "I'm still trying to process the news," Roker said.

President Trump was quick to weigh in on the news, using Lauer's termination to extend his war with news organizations to NBC and its parent company, Philadelphia-based Comcast.

According to CNN's Brian Stelter, reporters from both Variety and New York Times had been investigating Lauer for several weeks. Lauer's firing comes just a month after NBC News fired Mark Halperin over sexual harassment allegations, and just Tuesday NPR ousted David Sweeney, its chief news editor, following allegations of sexual harassment made against him by at least three female journalists. They are just the latest in a series of recent allegations that have forced out noted media figures like Charlie Rose, Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly.

Lauer interviewed O'Reilly in September, pressing the former Fox News host and suggesting the network wouldn't have fired such an important figure if it didn't have information that backed up the allegations made by several of his former co-workers.

"You were probably the last guy in the world that they wanted to fire, because you were the guy that the ratings and the revenues were built on. You carried that network on your shoulders for a lot of years," Lauer said. "So doesn't it seem safe to assume that the people at Fox News were given a piece of information, or given some evidence, that simply made it impossible for you to stay on at Fox News?"

The 59-year-old Lauer had been host of Today since January 1997, when he replaced Bryant Gumbel. Since then he has won numerous awards and amassed millions of fans across the country. He previously worked in Philadelphia as host of an ill-fated program on Channel 10.

Last year, Lauer signed a two-year contract extension with NBC News for $28 million a year, making him one of the highest earning media personalities on television. He was scheduled to host NBC's live coverage Wednesday night of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting.

Here is Lack's full letter:
Meghan Markle is engaged to Prince Harry and will marry in the spring of 2018. Read more

As soon as word came of the engagement of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry, news reports practically bubbled that Markle, who is biracial, would be a "new kind of royal."

Best known for her role in the television drama "Suits," the daughter of an African-American mother and white father was a "surprising addition" to the British monarchy, wrote the Associated Press.

In The Guardian, a blaring headline: "When Meghan weds Harry, Britain's relationship with race will change forever."

But is Markle really the first mixed-race addition to the royal family?

Historians aren't so sure.

There has been much speculation that Queen Charlotte may have African ancestry.

Charlotte, born in 1744, was the wife of England's King George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820 at the time those pesky American colonies decided to break away from England's rule.

The work of Mario de Valdes y Cocom, a historian of the African diaspora and one of the most well-known advocates of the theory that there is a long history of mixed-race spouses in the royal family, is cited in a 2009 Guardian article about Charlotte's African ancestry.

He said the queen, though German, descended from a black branch of the Portuguese royal family  he traces her roots all the way to 13th-century ruler Alfonso III and his lover Madragana, whom Valdes believes was Moor and therefore a black African.

But Ania Loomba, who teaches history of race and colonialism at the University of Pennsylvania, said that it can't be assumed that a person is black if they were once described as Moor, or "blackamoor."

"The word 'blackamoor' in Shakespeare's time meant Muslim. It didn't mean black necessarily," Loomba said. "Moors could be white from North Africa."

Nonetheless, it was once common in England to think of Spain and Portugal as being racially inferior because of the Moors who ruled Spain starting in 711 A.D., said Loomba, who earned her doctorate from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.

In an article written for PBS.org about the Frontline program "The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families," Valdes writes that early portraits of Charlotte show physical features similar to those of Africans.

"The Negroid characteristics of the Queen's portraits certainly had political significance since artists of that period were expected to play down, soften or even obliterate undesirable features in a subject's face," Valdes wrote.

(As people question the past, we might also rethink the present: If Charlotte were in fact black, would that mean Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother and Charlotte's great-great-great-great-granddaughter, would be mixed race, too?)

Others report that Philippa of Hainault, the wife of Edward III, also may have had mixed-race heritage.

Philippa, who died in 1369, was the daughter of the Count of Hainault in an area, now considered Belgium, that was once ruled by Moors.

In a blog post by author Erin Lawless about England's black queens, she writes about a messenger sent to interview the Count's daughters as possible wives for Edward III. His description of Philippa:

"The lady whom we saw has not uncomely hair, betwixt blue-black and brown. Her head is cleaned shaped; her forehead high and broad, and standing somewhat forward. Her face narrows between the eyes, and the lower part of her face is still more narrow and slender than the forehead. Her eyes are dark. Her nose is fairly smooth and even, save that is somewhat broad at the tip and flattened, yet it is no snub nose. Her nostrils are also broad, her mouth fairly wide. Her lips somewhat full and especially the lower lipall her limbs are well set and unmaimed, and nought is amiss so far as a man may see.

"Moreover, she is brown of skin all over, and much like her father, and in all things she is pleasant enough, as it seems to us."
Shortly after hearing his fate, former Bosnian Croat military chief Slobodan Praljak shouted "I am not a war criminal!" and lifted a small vial of liquid to his lips.

He tilted his head back and swallowed.

A short time later, he told the confused court  and the judge who'd affirmed his 20-year sentence  "I just drank poison."

His death was reported by Croatian state TV later on Wednesday. The Hague did not immediately confirm the death or other details.

It was a defiant final act for the 72-year-old accused of murdering Muslims and committing other atrocities two decades ago in a failed attempt to create a Bosnian Croat ministate, according to the Associated Press.

The appeal of Praljak was one of the final matters for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Praljak is accused of using violence and murder to drive out Muslims.

Praljak "facilitated the murder of Muslims who did not belong to any armed force, and the destruction of property in Stupni Do in October 1993," according to the United Nations.

He was indicted in March 2004 and pleaded not guilty a month later. But on May 29, 2013, he was found guilty of all charges.

The appeal was the only thing standing between Praljak and possibly spending the rest of his life in prison. The tribunal is expected to conclude next month.

For now, it is suspended as questions swirl around Praljak's actions, including what he swallowed and how he was able to sneak it into a war tribunal.

A decade's worth of hearings was a reminder of the complex web of ethnic tensions that fueled fighting in Bosnia, the AP reported. Those tensions continue to create friction today.

For Praljak, the calculus was much simpler: The appeal was the last thing standing between him and possibly spending the rest of his life behind bars.

The tribunal turned over some of the convictions related to him. But the heaviest ones remained, along with the 20-year sentence  and the shame of being branded a war criminal.
This image made from video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea's KRT on Nov. 29, 2017, shows an image of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing what is said to be a document on Nov. 28, 2017, authorizing a missile test. Read more

TOKYO  North Korea claimed the entire United States mainland was within reach after "successfully" testing a new kind of intercontinental ballistic missile, which it called the Hwasong-15, and said could carry a "super large heavy warhead."

While Pyongyang is prone to exaggeration, its boast of having all of the United States in range is in line with experts' calculations that the missile launched Wednesday, which flew 10 times higher than the International Space Station, could theoretically reach Washington, District of Columbia.

"With this system, we can load the heaviest warhead and strike anywhere in the mainland United States," North Korea's most famous newsreader, Ri Chun Hee, said in a special live broadcast on state television. "This missile is far more technologically advanced than July's Hwasong-14. This signifies that our rocket development process has been completed."

Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, had personally authorized the launch, Ri said, a photo of Kim at his desk and the handwritten order appearing on the screen.

Wednesday's launch, the first in more than two months, is a clear sign that the North Korean leader is pressing ahead with his nation's stated goal of being able to strike the United States' mainland and is not caving in to the Trump administration's strategy of applying "maximum pressure."

The missile logged a longer flight time than any of its predecessors and went farther into the atmosphere than ever before, reaching a height of 2,800 miles. The International Space Station, by comparison, is 240 miles above the Earth.

President Trump, together with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan and the U.N. secretary general, condemned the latest launch. "We will take care of it," he told reporters at the White House, calling it a "situation we will handle."

He later tweeted that Democrats should join with Republicans to pass a spending measure to avert a government shutdown. "After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military!"

Trump has repeatedly said that military options are on the table for dealing with North Korea and has suggested that time has run out for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem.

A growing chorus of voices in Washington is calling for serious consideration of military action against North Korea, although this is strongly opposed by South Korea, where the Seoul metropolitan region  home to 25 million people  is within the range of North Korean artillery.

And Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that "diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now." He added: "The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea."

The missile was launched just before 3 a.m. Wednesday from South Pyongan province in the western part of North Korea, where Kim had recently visited a catfish farm, according to state media.

It reached a height of about 2,800 miles before landing 54 minutes later some 620 miles from the launch site, in waters inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The splashdown site was about 130 miles off the coast of Aomori prefecture.

This suggested that it had been fired almost straight up  on a "lofted trajectory" similar to North Korea's two previous intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

The Pentagon said that the projectile did indeed appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. The latest missile "went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said. He described the launch as part of an effort to build missiles "that can threaten everywhere in the world."

If the missile had flown on a standard trajectory designed to maximize its reach, it would have a range of more than 8,100 miles, said David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C.," Wright said.

The U.S. capital is 6,850 miles from Pyongyang. The previous intercontinental ballistic missile tested, the Hwasong-14 tested on July 28, was in the air for 47 minutes and could have flown 6,500 miles were it on a normal trajectory. Hwasong means "Mars" in Korean.

The South Korean and Japanese governments both convened emergency national security council meetings after the launch, and both leaders talked to Trump by phone.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military also conducted a "precision strike" launch exercise in response, firing missiles into the sea.

Although it may be cold comfort, it is still unlikely that North Korea is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland  despite Wednesday's claims. That still requires mastering reentry technology and the difficult task of fitting a nuclear warhead into a missile and have it survive the extremes of temperature and vibrations involved with leaving and coming back into the Earth's atmosphere.

But Pyongyang has been making rapid progress toward achieving that goal, saying it needs to be able to protect itself from a "hostile" Washington. It has made observable advances this year, firing two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, the second of which was technically capable of reaching as far as Denver or Chicago.

Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, said that Trump's pressure-centric approach was clearly not stopping North Korea's missile advances.

"Testing a ballistic missile capable of reaching Washington, D.C., is likely as much a psychological victory for North Korea as it is a technical advancement," Davenport said. "Pyongyang can now back up its belligerent threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear warheads."

However, there was a still a question mark over whether North Korea could reliably and accurately deliver a nuclear warhead to a target, she said.

A senior South Korean official said Tuesday that North Korea could announce next year that it has completed its nuclear weapons program.

"North Korea has been developing its nuclear weapons at a faster-than-expected pace. We cannot rule out the possibility that North Korea could announce its completion of a nuclear force within one year," Cho Myoung-gyon, the unification minister, who is in charge of the South's relations with the North, told foreign reporters in Seoul.

But for now, the North Koreans still appear to be in the testing stage, rather than the operational one, said Markus Schiller, a German aerospace engineer who specializes in missiles. "If they are serious about their missile program, they have to launch from time to time, and at different times of the day and in different weather."

North Korea still has a way to go with its missile program, Schiller said. "Perhaps they can hit Washington, D.C., with this, but they can't fight a war with it," he said.

Kim Jong Un opened 2017 with a New Year's address announcing that North Korea had "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile."

Then, in July, his regime launched two ICBMs, the first on U.S. Independence Day. After its most recent missile launch, an intermediate-range missile that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Sept. 15, North Korea said it was seeking military "equilibrium" with the United States as a way to stop American leaders from talking about military options for dealing with Pyongyang.

That was the second launch over Japan in less than three weeks and came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what was widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb.

Those events triggered ire overseas, with Trump denouncing North Korea's regime during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly and mocking Kim as "little Rocket Man."

But despite an increase in tensions over the past two months, including a U.S. Navy three-carrier strike group conducting military exercises in the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, 74 days had passed without any missile launches by the North.

That was the longest pause all year, according to Shea Cotton, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif. The pause had raised hopes that North Korea might be showing interest in returning to talks about its nuclear program.

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations late last month, Joseph Yun, the State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said that if North Korea went 60 days without testing a missile or a nuclear weapon, it could be a sign that Pyongyang was open to dialogue.
Scott Petinga holds a box of Rouse condoms during a Public Relations Council of Greater Atlantic City meeting at Angelo's Fairmount Tavern in Atlantic City, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017. Petinga donated 50,000 condoms from his company to the South Jersey AIDS Alliance. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer Read more

ATLANTIC CITY  Standing amid stacks and stacks of boxes of condoms, Scott Petinga made his pitch Tuesday to about 50 advertising and public relations professionals gathered in a restaurant meeting room.

His message: Men, especially young men, need to take care of their sexual health.

The entrepreneur and philanthropist wasn't trying to sell the boxes of his company's prophylactics brand, Rouse. He gave away 50,000 of the condoms to the South Jersey AIDS Alliance.

Georgett Watson, chief operations officer of the alliance, called Petinga's donation "very generous." That number of condoms, she said, was about a three-month supply for her organization, which distributes them, along with information about AIDS prevention, to communities and college campuses in Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties.

"Instead of buying condoms to distribute, it's money that we can put into other areas," Watson said.

Petinga, 45, is a survivor of testicular cancer, and each box of Rouse condoms and package of his company's Pariah men's underwear comes with a message about early detection and treatment of that cancer. Part of the sales proceeds will go to health initiatives for men.

The American Cancer Society projects that in the United States, 8,850 cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed in 2017. The incidence of this cancer has been increasing worldwide for decades, it says, though experts have not been able to pinpoint reasons for the increase. Testicular cancer is not the most lethal, with about 410 deaths annually in the United States and a 90 percent cure rate, according to the cancer society. But as with breast cancer, early detection may be a key to survival.

Petinga said men should make monthly self-examinations of their testicles  as women are urged to make monthly self-examinations of their breasts.

Men typically don't teach their young sons to do the self-exams, he said. He hopes that the message that is provided with his lines of condoms and underwear will make a difference in motivating men to discuss the issue and do the exams.

In a self-published memoir, No One Ever Drowned in Sweat, Petinga juxtaposes his career as a public relations executive, real estate mogul, and founder of several charities with his battle with testicular cancer: He sent all the members of the Public Relations Council of Greater Atlantic City home with a copy of the book after his hour-long presentation at Angelo's Fairmount Tavern.

Part of the proceeds from the book's sales will go to charity, this time to Petinga's Fairy Foundation, a nonprofit that tries to grant the final wishes of adults with life-threatening medical conditions.

"I guess what it comes down to is that I've come home  and I want to do some good here," said Petinga, a native of Atlantic City who most recently was based in Minneapolis. He had begun his career at a local firm owned by the now-president of the local PR council, William Cradle, who invited him to speak on Tuesday. "Everything in life goes full circle, and now I am back here."

That circle has led Petinga through a series of what he has called life failures  from bad grades in school, not going to college, getting kicked out of the Marines, a divorce, and being diagnosed with cancer  to successes in which he has accomplished impressive and "respectable goals," including working at a major PR firm and then creating his own Minneapolis-based marketing firm.

Among his ventures now: a humanitarian organization called Thinkdifferent, which provides grants and other support designed to spark innovation and problem-solving ideas in housing and health care.
Federal prosecutors are now time-barred from bringing some of the charges they were considering in a probe of payments U.S. Rep. Bob Bradys campaign made to a 2012 primary challenger. Brady is shown here waiting for the start of a Nov. 21 news conference at City Hall in Philadelphia. Read more

The threat of a possible federal indictment has hung over U.S. Rep. Bob Brady for most of the year.

In court filings, prosecutors have accused his campaign of illegally paying a 2012 primary challenger to drop out of the race, while a trickle of indictments  first of that campaign rival, then, last month, of two of Brady's top political aides  appeared to signal that agents were closing in.

But at the stroke of midnight Monday, Brady  one of Pennsylvania's longest serving members of Congress and the powerful chairman of Philadelphia's Democratic party  received a piece of heartening news:

The statute of limitations on many of the charges he might have faced had expired.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, Justice Department lawyers on Sunday let lapse the latest in a series of agreements Brady had signed extending the period of time in which he could be charged.

The contracts  known as tolling agreements  had been designed to give federal agents more time to pursue their investigation beyond the traditional limits and Brady a chance to convince government lawyers he had done nothing wrong.

Prosecutors had asked his lawyers four times this year to agree to month-to-month extensions beyond the five-year time frame imposed by the law, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

Justice Department officials would not say Tuesday whether their decision not to seek another agreement signaled an end to the investigation of the congressman. But Brady welcomed the development as a sign his legal troubles may be fading.

"We've always maintained that the congressman had done nothing wrong," his attorney James Eisenhower said Tuesday evening. "The congressman had cooperated fully with the Justice Department investigation and gave them extra time to consider all the arguments."

Since April, Brady's legal team  Eisenhower and co-counsel Ron Levine  have had multiple meetings with Justice Department officials, all the way up to Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco, chief of the department's criminal division. Their goal: to convince prosecutors there is no viable case against the 10-term congressman.

Still, Eisenhower's comments were tinged with a note of caution. Brady has received no official word indicating that he is fully in the clear.

He might never get one: Justice Department policy typically prevents officials from confirming or denying investigations that do not result in an indictment  even to say that a probe is finished.

And while the clock has run out for them to charge Brady with some of the offenses they filed against his aides Ken Smukler and Donald "D.A." Jones  including making an unlawful campaign contribution  a Nov. 1 FBI affidavit laid out other purported crimes still within the time limits.

That list includes potential charges of lying to the FBI or filing a false campaign report. Brady spoke with agents as recently as April, and the five-year statute of limitations is still open for any alleged crimes related to a January 2013 finance report filed by his campaign.

The affidavit, filed this month as part of an application to search Brady's private email account, laid out authorities' view of the case:

The congressman's primary opponent in 2012  former Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Jimmie Moore  agreed to drop his campaign after a meeting that February with Brady that had been brokered by former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr.

To ease the judge's exit from the race, Brady offered to help Moore retire some of his considerable campaign debt. That aid came in the form of $90,000 from the congressman's campaign war chest, funneled through consulting firms run by Smukler and Jones.

The transaction was later reported on Brady's campaign finance filings, but federal agents contend the sum was an illegal contribution far in excess of the $2,000 limit that one candidate can give to another's campaign.

Brady has maintained that the money was not a contribution but rather a payment to acquire the consulting services of Moore's campaign manager, Carolyn Cavaness, as well as exclusive rights to polling data Moore had commissioned before dropping out of the race.

During his April FBI interview, the congressman denied that he had access to the poll prior to the transaction and said that he never used Jones' firm as a pass-through to route money to Moore's campaign.

In his search warrant affidavit, FBI Special Agent Jonathan Szeliga asserted both statements were untrue.

Emails recovered as part of the investigation showed that a campaign operative had slipped Brady the poll six months before the congressman paid to acquire it from Moore, Szeliga wrote. What's more, his campaign paid $20,000 more for the data than Moore had when he first commissioned it.

Brady's lawyers contend that the premium he paid for data he already had was meant to stop Moore or others from circulating the poll's results. They have attributed the congressman's misstatements during his FBI interview to his own hazy memories of events that occurred more than five years ago.

In their meetings with Justice Department officials over the past eight months, the congressman's lawyers have painted Brady as a hands-off candidate who relied on Smukler, one of his closest aides, to carry out the details of the agreement.

Brady, they said, often did not review or sign his own campaign finance reports, leaving that up to his longtime campaign treasurer Louis Farinella Jr., who died in April.

Brady's claim that he was not engaged in the finer points of the Moore transaction, could explain why prosecutors may now be hesitant to bring a case against him, said L. George Parry, a criminal defense attorney in Philadelphia and former federal prosecutor.

To prove crimes like filing a false campaign report in court, authorities would have to convince a jury that Brady not only knew the specifics of the transaction with Moore but was also aware that what he and his campaign staff were doing was illegal.

But if they have opted not to pursue that gamble in court, Parry said, it's unlikely investigators will publicly share their reasoning.

"If they're true to form, then there would be complete radio silence if they don't bring charges against Brady," Parry said. "You're there to either bring a case or not bring a case. They're really obligated to keep their mouths shut."

Moore and Cavaness have pleaded guilty to charges of filing false campaign reports and are cooperating with investigators. Smukler and Jones have denied the allegations against them and vowed to take their cases to trial.
Ali Charaf Damache, known by the alias Black Flag, told a federal judge Wednesday in Philadelphia that he wishes to represent himself at trial. He is pictured here, after a 2010 court hearing in Ireland. Read more

An Algerian-born terror suspect accused of recruiting Montgomery County's infamous "Jihad Jane" in a 2009 plot to assassinate a Swedish artist abruptly sought to fire his lawyer in court Wednesday and announced his intention to represent himself.

Ali Charaf Damache, 52, made his demand in what was supposed to be an otherwise routine hearing to schedule his trial next year.

Should he persist with the request, Damache would add yet another layer of complication to the final chapter in what was already the Philadelphia region's most notable terrorism case. It also is shaping up to be a bellwether test of how the Trump administration plans to handle similar cases moving forward.

The hearing was Damache's first since authorities extradited him from Spain in July, making him the first accused terrorist brought to the United States to stand trial under the new president's watch. A federal grand jury in Philadelphia indicted him in 2011 on charges of identity theft and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

As the proceedings got underway in federal court, Judge Petrese B. Tucker asked Damache's lawyer, Joseph D. Mancano, whether he could be ready for an October trial.

Suddenly, Damache interrupted, stood up, and asked to be heard by the judge.

"I will need another solicitor due to the gravity of the case," he insisted, citing irreconcilable differences with Mancano. "He promised me a lot in this case, and he didn't keep his promises."

Damache told the judge that he had cooperated with prosecutors under advice from Mancano, who  as Damache told it  said he would receive a "short sentence" for doing so.

But judging from his comments Wednesday, any cooperation he gave to authorities appeared to be at an end.

"I've spent a lot of time in jail in Ireland and in Europe," Damache said. "I know what (Mancano) is telling me is not true."

Tucker initially refused Damache's request to fire Mancano, pointing out that the case was still in its early stages. The defendant insisted that if she would not appoint him a new lawyer, he would seek to represent himself.

The judge scheduled a January hearing to determine whether Damache still wishes to go it alone in court.

He would not be the first terrorism suspect to do so. Many of those tried in U.S. courts have sought to represent themselves  none more notable than 9/11 plotter Zacarias Moussaoui, who acted as his own lawyer for a brief period in 2005 before a federal judge stripped him of that right for filing scurrilous motions and making a mockery of the proceedings.

But that case  and others  only highlighted the challenges posed by granting accused terrorists the leeway to represent themselves.

In Damache's case, as in Moussaoui's, much of the evidence collected by investigators is classified, raising questions as to how much prosecutors can or have to share before trial with a defendant not eligible for the security clearances.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Williams said Wednesday that investigators have amassed more than a dozen hard drives filled with evidence, conducted countless witness interviews, and carried out several search warrants in the more than six years they have been probing Damache's case.

So far, civilian courts have devised plans  including calling on back-up attorneys with proper security clearances  to keep such information safe while sharing enough so accused terrorists can put on a defense of their choice.

But Trump administration officials have pointed to such thorny issues as justification for their argument that terror suspects should be tried by military tribunals, not in U.S. courts.

During his presidential campaign, Trump vowed to revive and expand the use of the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying in February 2016 he intended to "load it up with some bad dudes." And his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, has argued foreign-born suspects like Damache do not deserve the same legal rights as U.S. citizens.

Despite that rhetoric, the case against Damache has so far played out entirely in a civilian courtroom.

Since he arrived from Spain, he has remained in the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. In court Wednesday, Tucker plotted deadlines to put the case before a jury in the city next fall.

Mancano said after the proceedings that he was caught off guard by his client's request to fight the case on his own.

"It's his right as a defendant to defend himself," the lawyer said. "But you're talking about a man who has never been to the United States before now, and is unfamiliar with our legal system."

Prosecutors have accused Damache, a resident of Waterford, Ireland, of using jihadist websites between 2008 and 2011 to recruit several Americans for a cell he hoped to establish for al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in Algeria.

Known by his online nickname "the Black Flag," he allegedly sought out light-skinned women and others who did not fit the traditional terrorist profile.

His targets at the time included Colleen LaRose, a blue-eyed, blond-haired Pennsburg woman who used the moniker "Jihad Jane" to post jihadist screeds to YouTube; Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, a single mother from Colorado; and Mohammad Hassan Khalid, a former high school honors student from Maryland who became, at the time of his guilty plea, the youngest person convicted in the U.S. on terrorism charges.

According to court filings, Damache eventually persuaded LaRose and Paulin-Ramirez to join him in Ireland with promises that they would launch an attack on Lars Vilks, a Swedish artist whose drawings of Muhammad's head on the body of a dog offended some Muslims.

The plot, however, fizzled out, and LaRose, Paulin-Ramirez, and Khalid were arrested.

LaRose, 54, remains in federal prison, serving a 10-year term. Paulin-Ramirez, 38, and Khalid, 23, have been released after serving their sentences. All three could become government witnesses if Damache goes to trial.
Iker Pou making the first ascent at Margalef of La Orden del Puno 8c Photo by archivio Iker Pou

Iker Pou frees difficult climbs at Margalef, Spain

29.11.2017 by by Planetmountain

At the Spanish crag Margalef the Basque climber Iker Pou has freed two difficult sport climbs: La Orden del Puno 8c and Pueblo Pequeno Infierno Grande 8c+.

Its that time of year again. That period when climbers migrate south in search of limestone, sun and friction, heading mainly towards Spain and, in particular, to the crags Siurana, Oliana and Margalef.

At Margalef 40-year-old Basque climber Iker Pou has now sent two short and intense climbs up a series of ferocious one-finger and two-finger pockets that characterise the climbing on the painful conglomerate outcrops. The first route is called La Orden del Puno and is graded 8c while the nearby Pueblo Pequeno Infierno Grande is even shorter and brutal and graded 8c+.

In 2012 Iker Pou freed what even today is considered one of the hardest sport climbs in the area, the 9a+ Nit de bruixes. Pou is recognised as being an absolute expert of this style of climbing, that requires pure power and nerves of steel, and it comes as no surprise that the third ascent of Wolfgang Gullichs legendary Action Directe in the Frankenjura was carried out by Pou, way back in distant 2000.



TOPO: the crag Margalef







Link: FB Hermanos Pou, La Sportiva, Petzl, The North Face
The family of a Hofstra University student killed by police while being used by a home invasion suspect as a human shield in a 2013 off-campus shooting has settled a pair of lawsuits for $4.5 million.

Andrea Rebello, 21, of Tarrytown, New York, was fatally shot by an officer during a botched home invasion that also killed the gunman.

Rebello's family accused the department of negligence and said the officer acted "recklessly and unnecessarily" when he fatally shot Rebello and her hostage-taker. The family also said officers were not properly trained and supervised on how to handle hostage cases.

The Nassau County Legislature on Monday voted to approve the payouts, the Associated Press reports.
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Rachel Maddow showed why she is the Republican Partys worst nightmare as she explained in a minute why Republicans are moving so quickly and trying to jam their tax cut bill through the Senate.

After playing the full video of the Senate Budget Committee vote to move the bill forward, Maddow said, What they are trying to do with this really enormous bill will hurt the American poor and hurt the American middle class quickly and significantly and for a long time, and it will throw 13 million Americans off their health insurance, and so what theyre trying to do is very very unpopular, and thats why theyre trying to go fast. Thats why theyre trying to outrun the resistance to what theyre doing. Theyre also likely to get another non-partisan report on the cost of their bill and who it hurts, so theyve got to outrun that too. Their whole strategy is to get this through now. When I say now, I mean like in the next two days they want to get this done before more of this starts happening and spreading before too many people realize what they are doing and how fast they are doing it.

Time is critical. There is no time for the kind of policy-oriented discussions that some love on the left. What the American people need to know is that this bill is bad, and it will hurt them. Only a few facts are necessary. If you arent rich, your taxes are going to go up, and it is also very possible that you also could be one of the 13 million people who will lose their health insurance or one of the many seniors who will be impacted by the mandatory $25 billion cut in Medicare funding.

Republicans did learn a lesson from their failures to repeal Obamacare. They learned to move fast before the opposition has a chance to get informed and mobilized. This isnt the way the Founding Fathers intended for the Legislative Branch to work, but the GOP tax bill is what happens when the majority of Congress stops representing the people and only caters to the interests of the wealthy and corporations.

Every opponent of this tax bill could learn a lesson from Rachel Maddow. The bill will only be killed if the American people are informed in a brief, concise, and direct manner. There is no time to waste, as Rachel Maddow showed where he megaton truth bomb about what Republicans are doing with their tax cut legislation.
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders used her official capacity as the White House Press Secretary to celebrate CNNs boycott of the White House Christmas party.

In response to the news that CNN wont be attending the White House Christmas party, Huckabee Sanders tweeted:

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is supposed to be working with the press to keep the nation informed about what this president is doing. Instead, she is using her position to publicly feud with a cable news network that has never done anything to the Trump administration but try to report the truth.

Sanders is Trumps Baghdad Bob. She is the lying propagandist who stands in front of the cameras daily to misinform the American people. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has never shown anything but contempt for objective or media that is willing to be critical of this administration.

She is disgracing herself and will be as toxic as Sean Spicer when her time as White House Press Secretary comes to an end. Her job is to answer questions from the press, not openly cheer for the demise of a key component of the free press.

Trumps hatred of CNN extends to his entire administration. Trump has gone so far as to try and force the sale of CNN to Rupert Murdoch.

The Trump administration views truth as the enemy, and fundamental institution of democracy is under assault from the President and his press secretary.
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During the 2016 presidential campaign, Matt Lauer conducted a town hall with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump that was so sexist that it presented an obvious and giant red flag about Lauers attitudes toward and treatment of women.

NBC News boss Andy Lack notified employees of Lauers firing in a Wednesday memo:

On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.

We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization  and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.

The pattern has been that men who sexually harass dont do it one. The vast majority men who choose to abuse their status and power and commit sexual harassment engage in this conduct as a pattern of behavior.

Anyone who saw this infamous town hall with Lauer and Hillary Clinton should not be surprised by his firing:

As I noted at the time, Matt Lauer repeatedly tried to cut off and interrupt Clinton, but the Democratic nominee got rolling and blew past the morning hosts constant interruptions.

It wasnt Lauers questions, which were off topic and a hit job, but that is what Clinton faced during the campaign from most media, as much as his attitude and the level of disrespect that he showed to Hillary Clinton. Lauer did not treat Donald Trump in a similar manner during his segment at the same Commander In Chief forum. Lauer allowed Trump to run wild, ramble on without interruption and didnt challenge the Republican candidate in the same manner that he talked to Clinton.

Lauers behavior was there for anyone to see, but the problem both at NBC and in society, in general, is people turned a blind eye and allowed a powerful man to harass and abuse women. NBCs preemptive action shows that the climate is changing, and no one, not even one of the highest paid figures in the land is immune from the consequences of engaging in sexual harassment.
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Former top Trump adviser Steve Bannon will be ignoring sexual assault allegations against Judge Roy Moore, currently running for senator of Alabama, and campaigning for him at a rally on December 5. Given that he did the same for Donald Trump, its not at all surprising.

I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate and send shockwaves to the political and media elites, Bannon said in an interview with CNN.

Moores deputy campaign manager said their camp was extremely grateful to have Bannons backing.

Moore has been accused of sexual assault and harassment by at least five women, with two claiming they were underage at the time the incidents took place.

Despite growing hesitation to endorse or support Moore among Republicans, Trump himself has refused to condemn the wannabe senator. [Moore] denies it. Trump told reporters last week. Look, he denies it. If you look at all the things that have happened over the last 48 hours. He totally denies it. He says it didnt happen. And look, you have to look at him also.

Though he initially chose not to confirm whether or not hed be joining Moore on the campaign trail, it appears that Trump will not stump for the judge before election day. The President is not planning any trip to Alabama at this time, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said earlier this week. Frankly, his schedule doesnt permit him doing anything between now and Election Day.

The rally in Fairhope, Alabama that Bannon will participate in will take place just one week before election day.
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Trump couldnt resist putting Matt Lauers firing for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace in quotes, and then minimizing Lauers behavior going on a tangent about NBC and fake news.

Trump tweeted:

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lacks past!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Trump supports sexually assaulting Roy Moore for Senate in Alabama. The President also refuses to believe that the Access Hollywood tape of him admitting to sexually assaulting women is real, and claims that it is someone elses voice on the recording.

It makes total sense that Trump would defend Matt Lauer by suggesting doubt about the reason why the former Today show host was fired. Predators of a feather stick together. Donald Trump is incapable of giving an appropriate response to this topic. Trump is part of the problem.

The Presidents tweet is that of a man who is completely out of step with the direction that the country that he is supposed to be running is moving in.

NBC News doesnt report fake news. The network doesnt make up stories about Trump, but the Presidents minimizing of Lauers behavior and suggestive defense of it is part of larger pattern of Trump encouraging and defending sexual predators that is a main reason why he is morally not fit to be president
Another downtown Rochester institution  Mac's Cafe and Restaurant  will soon close its doors for good.

After cooking American-Greek cuisine for more than 60 years, the prominent landmark on the Peace Plaza at 20 First Ave. SW is slated to go dark on Dec. 8.

"I've worked here since I was 10 years old. I'm really proud to have been a part of it. I'm proud of everyone I've gotten to work with," said second-generation owner George Psomas.

Mac's, which opened in 1949, was purchased by George's uncle Stan Kapenis in 1952. In 1969, it opened in the current location. His father, Jimmy Psomas, took over when Kapenis retired. George did the same when his father retired.

The restaurant and its menu have been updated over the years, but it still retains the feel of a 1950s diner with a lunch counter with historic photos and decorative Greek plates on the walls. Macs is known for its hearty breakfasts, homemade soups, hand-cut steaks and, of course, its Greek specialties like spanakopita and sweet baklava.

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"It has always been a special place," Psomas said. "You could have a billionaire sitting next to a Kahler housekeepers at the counter. Mac's has always been everyone."

The closing will leave another hole in the Rochester's downtown, but he doesn't believe it will remain empty for long.

"There will be another chapter for this space. People are already interested. Two large entities from the Twin Cities have already put in offers, said Psomas, who owns the main level and basement of the building.

He says it was a tough call to pull the plug on a restaurant that has been in his family since 1959, but changes in restaurant trends and in Rochester's downtown brought Mac's to a crossroads.

"It came down to a decision of where Mac's goes now? Do we do a $1 million renovation or do we close?" he said. "In the end, we decided to close. It's run its course. We're the old mother hen."

Psomas said customers have migrated to more specialized restaurants, particularly cookie-cutter franchises, in recent years. He said people aren't interested in "fresh produce or homemade soups anymore."

And then there's how the morning crowd has dwindled over the years.

"America has forgotten about breakfast," he said. "People just want to grab a muffin made weeks ago or maybe a waffle at their hotel."

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The business has also seen taking some hits in the recent transformation of downtown Rochester with the closings of businesses like the popular Barnes & Noble bookshop and Michael's restaurant. The expansion of the Mayo Civic Center, which required many months of construction also hurt Mac's, when the stream of convention became a trickle, he added.

"Downtown is a ghost town on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights," Psomas said.

While the day-to-day business is different today, Mac's still has a national and, possibly international, reputation due to being a regular stop for many Mayo Clinic patients.

When then-Vice President Joe Biden made a campaign stop in Rochester in 2012, he told Psomas that, "This is one of the most important places for us to stop."

Biden walked into the restaurant and immediately recognized a customer as a regular squash competitor in Washington, D.C., which reinforced Mac's reputation as the place where everyone eats when in Rochester.

In the late 1980s, a reporter looked skeptical, when he was told the restaurant was world famous. Psomas told him to talk to some customers. In a few minutes, the reporter was convinced.

"He told me, 'That guy over there was looking at his Mayo (Clinic) appointment papers in Central Park (in New York.) A man sitting on a bench told that if he was going to Mayo Clinic, he had to eat at Mac's," Psomas recalled.

The 23 employees who will clock out for a final time on that last Friday are the latest in a long string of workers over the past decades.

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John Mazis, now a professor of European history at Hamline University, spent many hours as a part-time employee cooking at Mac's from 1983 to 1990. He was sad the place worked so long and enjoyed so many Downtowner sandwiches would soon close.

"On one hand, Mac's was nothing out of the ordinary with just good food and kind of kitschy decorations," he said. "But it was more than that. It was the people who ran it, like Jimmy (Psomas) and the other old-timers. They made it a special place."

The young student was able to meet a famous figure from Rochester's past, while working late shifts on winter. An older man, obviously visiting Mayo Clinic, came in several nights in a row. Eventually, Mazis worked up the nerve to talk to him.

"I said, 'Do you know that you look a lot like Judge (Harry) Blackmun? He said that he did. I said, 'You are him, right?' and he nodded," remembered Mazis of meeting the famous Supreme Court judge who lived in Rochester from 1950 to 1970.

While the end is drawing near, Psomas says he wants people to think of their favorite memories of Mac's.

"People should celebrate Mac's. That what I plan to do in these last days. Enjoy the memories and celebrate a special place," he said.
WABASHA  The Wabasha County Board of Commissioners handed out raises to the county's four elected department heads Tuesday morning, and it seems unlikely the county will find itself in appeals court over its decisions.

It took two votes to give County Attorney Karrie Kelly the 5 percent raise she'd requested. Commissioner Don Springer initially made a motion to set Kelly's salary at $100,500, less than the $101,430 she had requested during last week's county board meeting where she outlined her rationale for her raise.

Auditor/Treasurer Denise Anderson had her 2018 salary set at $76,200, a $3,000 or 4 percent raise. Anderson and Kelly both filed appeals against the county last December over their 2017 raises. Anderson lost her appeal to the county while Kelly won hers, and the county eventually authorized raises of 2 percent for Anderson and 5 percent for Kelly.

"I'm not upset at all at her performance," Springer said of Kelly. "But I think it's adequate. How did 5 percent become the number? Why is that adequate? These are arbitrary numbers."

Springer's recommended raise for Kelly amounted to slightly more than 4 percent.

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Most county employees, said Board Chair Cheryl Key, included both a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase and a 2.75 percent step raise, meaning most county employees received a raise of 5.25 percent.

However, after last year's appeals cases, the county board was told by the appeals court that the board's decisions could not be made based on how other county employees were compensated, how other department heads were compensated nor how other elected officials are compensated, Springer said.

At last week's meeting, Kelly outlined her 25 years of experience as a prosecutor, more than 15 of which has been spent in Wabasha County, the last three as county attorney. She also outlined the heavy workload of her office, and showed a comparison of her salary to other county attorneys in Minnesota.

"I feel that request is merited with the duties she performs in our office," Key said.

Springer and Commissioner Rich Hall voted for the $100,500 salary, which lost on a 3-2 vote. A motion was then made for the salary of $101,430, which was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Springer voting no.

Along with Anderson's new salary, she received praise from Commissioner Mike Wobbe, who said, "She's worked with the taxpayers to find different avenues to pay their bills. It's a busy office, and this year she's definitely going to be seeing increase in tax forfeitures."

Anderson said she had no plans to appeal.

County Recorder Jeff Aitken's salaary was set at $72,150, a $1,400 or 2 percent raise.

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Neither Aitken nor Anderson had made any specific requests on what they sought for a salary in 2018, Key said.

Sheriff Rodney Bartsh, who had requested his salary be increased from $95,065 to somewhere near the state median of just over $103,000 for sheriffs, received a salary of $99,818, a 5 percent raise.

The commissioners also set their own salary and per diem rates for 2018. Those amounts  after four votes  remain unchanged from 2017. Commissioner salaries for 2018 will be $17,670 plus $500 for the board chairman and per diems of $50 for meetings lasting less than four hours and $90 for meetings lasting more than four hours.

Earlier in the meeting, Key stepped outside her role as a commissioner to address the county board as a citizen, chastising the board for not being willing to hold a public hearing on a possible tax abatement for a proposed hospice in Lake City.

"You would have had a complete picture to make a decision," she said, adding that numbers on the abatement and citizen input would have given a clearer picture on the proposal. "You denied the rights of my constituents and all the county residents to speak. You got this one wrong."

"Previously, the developers have indicated the proposal would be scuttled if a the tax abatement from the county was not approved in a timely manner."
RENVILLE, Minn.  Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish was re-elected to his position for a two-year term during the Minnesota Farmers Union Convention on Nov. 18.

Wertish said three topics will get close attention in 2018: the upcoming Farm Bill, renewable fuel sources like biofuels, and health-care premiums for farmers.

A major challenge facing farmers, Wertish said, is Price Loss Coverage, a safety net of sorts established in the 2014 Farm Bill.

Price Loss Coverage are payments to farmers if a covered commodity's national average marketing year price is below the reference price. The payments are made based on the farm's base acreage and program yield based on a particular crop, with coverage extending only to the reference price and down to the market loan rate price.

Wertish said references prices need to be higher than the previous four years to better help establish a more reliable, stronger safety net.

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Wertish said the prospect of the United States pulling out of the North American Free Trade Agreement is a big concern for the Minnesota Farmers Union.

"We do agree with (President Trump) that it maybe needs to be renegotiated," Wertish said. "Our concern is if he just pulls out, where does that leave us?"

Wertish said he believes that NAFTA has been beneficial for farmers, but needs to be examined to see if areas can be improved upon.

Besides a new Farm Bill and affordable health-care coverage for farmers, Wertish said the repair of bridges and roads, accessibility of broadband in rural areas continue to be areas of concern for the Minnesota Farmers Union.

Wertish served as Minnesota Farmers Union vice president from 2009-2016. He was first elected president in a special election last January.
As I write this post, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the nominations of David Stras and Kyle Duncan to, respectively, the Eighth Circuit and the Fifth Circuit court of appeals. Sen. Amy Klobuchar just finished a gracious introduction of Judge Stras, notwithstanding their ideological differences. You can watch the proceedings on the Committees website.

Stras and Duncan are the two nominees held up by the refusal of a home state Senator to return a blue slip. The Senators in question were Al Franken in the case of Stras and John Kennedy in the case of Duncan. Judiciary Committee chairman Grassley finally had enough of this obstruction and ordered that the hearing take place.

Frankens obstruction was no surprise, but Kennedys surprised me. After all, Kennedy is a Republican and supposedly a conservative. Duncan is a conservative and well-qualified for the court, a reality Kennedy does not dispute.

Why, then, did Kennedy try to block Duncans nomination? As far as I can tell, it was, in essence, a matter of patronage. Duncan is not tight with Kennedys pals.

According to this report:

Kennedy said hes impressed with the pro-life and pro-religious freedom qualifications of Duncan, a 45-year-old LSU law school graduate who has become a major Washington-based legal warrior on conservative social issues. But Kennedy questioned Duncans ties to the state, saying hes received a lot of calls from Louisiana attorneys and judges with extensive experience and comparable conservative credentials. Appointments to the federal bench are highly prized among lawyers and seats on appellate courts like the Fifth Circuit are lifelong ambitions for many.

In short, Kennedy apparently has bowed to disappointed office seekers.

Kennedys opposition might make sense if Duncan were a carpetbagger. He isnt.

Duncan was born and raised in Baton Rouge and attended public schools in that city all the way through high school. Im told that his entire extended family still lives in Baton Rouge. His wife is from Baton Rouge and, Im told, two of his five children were born there.

Duncan received his undergraduate degree from LSU and his law degree from the LSU Law Center. He clerked for a Louisiana-based judge on the Fifth Circuit (the court to which he has been nominated).

From 2008-12, Duncan served as appellate chief of the Louisiana Department of Justice. As such, he argued numerous appeals on behalf of Louisiana in the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court

Its true that Duncan works in Washington, D.C. But thats because he was recruited by The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty which is based here (a block or so from where I used to work). In that job, he was lead counsel in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. which protected the conscience rights of business owners. He also successfully defended Louisianas marriage laws before the Fifth Circuit in Robicheaux v. Caldwell in the Fifth Circuit.

Louisianas other Senator, Bill Cassidy, backs Kyle Duncan. Opposing this stellar conservative because hes not part of Louisianas in-crowd seems like the act of a political hack.

Sen. Kennedy now appears to be on the warpath when it comes to President Trumps nominees. As I noted earlier today, he was the only Republican to vote against the outstanding Greg Katsas. He deems (or purports to deem) Katsas insufficiently honorable to recuse himself from cases in which he has a conflict of interest.

Kennedy also says hell vote against district court nominee Brett Talley in a heartbeat. Talley reportedly has never tried a case in court, so I can detect a reason for voting against him that doesnt smack of hackery (Kennedy voted for Tally in committee, though, and then turned against him citing Talleys non-disclosure of the fact that his wife, a well-known Washington lawyer who sat behind her husband during the hearing, is chief of staff for the White House counsel). However, I cant help but wonder whether Kennedys opposition to Katsas and Talley is animated by the fact that he didnt get his way on the Fifth Circuit nominee.

President Trump and some conservatives are fond of attacking Mitch McConnell for not getting things done. However, I blame GOP Senators, in particular the ones who are considered conservative.

It seems like theres always something  a perceived slight or bee in the bonnet  that causes one or two of them to jump ship, or at a minimum, raise a stink. It was the same under the leadership of Bill Frist and Trent Lott.

You dont see the same phenomenon on the Democratic side of the aisle. Senate Dems are a bloc. Senate Republicans are, in many cases, free-floaters  too often petty ones.

Fortunately, the two least conservative GOP Senators  Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski  have held firm on judicial nominations. So at least that business is getting done.

Thus, Stras and Duncan very likely will be confirmed despite the efforts of Al Franken and John Kennedy to prevent it.
The firing this morning of Matt Lauer from NBC prompts me to roll back the tape this this post from last month, in which actress Amber Tamblyn said that Honestly, I trace everything back to the election of Donald Trump. I think that without him being elected, if it had been Hillary Clinton, this wouldve never happened to Harvey Weinstein. And if it didnt happen to Weinstein, would it have happened to Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Louis C.K., Kevin Spacey, etc?

Clearly the rules have changed. We now live in a zero tolerance regime for sexual harassment. It is long overdue in many ways, but lets be clearsexual harassment has persisted chiefly because of the hypocrisy of liberal elites who run our media and Hollywood institutions, going back at least to their defense of Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Now they are reaping the whirlwind. It is established fact that Weinsteins own board of directors knew of his bad behavior, but only insisted that future settlements over employee harassment come out of his own pocket. So much for respecting women. And lets not forget that the Academy Awards gave a special Oscar to convicted child rapist Roman Polanski, because, after all, as the appropriately named Whoopi Goldberg told us, it wasnt really rape rape. I wonder how that comment would play today, or whether the Academy Awards will rescind Polanskis Oscar in our new mood?

What changed the rules? Donald Trump. Above all else keep in mind that he is the main target of the new zero tolerance regimethe unfinished business of the Access Hollywood tape. And if a lot of media and Hollywood icons (and a few stay congressmen) have to go down, thats just collateral damage. Though Trump calls it winning.

In any case, feminists should be thanking Donald Trump for being the catalyst behind the rules change they have long demanded.
When President Trump nominated Greg Katsas to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, I called the pick a home run. But before circling the bases, you have to get to first.

Katsas got to first base yesterday when the Senate confirmed him by a 50-48 vote. The tally suggests the usual (these days) straight party line vote. In fact, however, two Senators broke ranks  one from each party.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WVa) voted to confirm Katsas. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La) voted against confirmation.

Katsas is a stellar selection. Indeed, I have suggested that hes second only to Justice Gorsuch among Trumps judicial picks.

A rock solid conservative, Katsas was executive editor of the Harvard Law Review, a Supreme Court clerk for Justice Thomas, and a high ranking attorney at the Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration. Our friend Shannen Coffin discussed Katsas service during the Bush years here.

Katsas has argued Supreme Court cases as a government attorney and in private practice. He has also argued in every U.S. appeals court. In all, he has more argued than 75 appeals.

Under President Trump, Katsas served as deputy counsel to the president in the White House Counsels Office. This service was the basis for Sen. Kennedys no vote, on the theory that Katsas will have a conflict of interest in cases involving the president. However, during his confirmation hearing, Katsas provided a list of the issues he has worked on at the White House and promised to recuse himself from any cases involving his work as a government lawyer. Kennedy pointed to nothing in Katsas record to suggest he wont honor that promise.

Katsas replaces another rock solid conservative, Judge Janice Rogers Brown. Thus, he will not change the ideological balance of the D.C. Circuit. However, at age 53, Katsas will likely be a conservative judicial star for decades on that court or, perhaps, a higher one.
Second day of ATF continues today, November 30, after a strong beginning yesterday with the presence of important members of the local government, and the inaugural speech of Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communication and Information, Chee Hong Tat.

Debbie Evans, president, South East Asia & Australia, Reed Exhibitions confirmed 5,400 participants for this year edition, with some 1,000 buyers from all across the Asian region. There are 24 national pavilions (Australia, Norway, Turkey, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia) and 700 exhibitors on the sellers side.

Big data is a key topic of the industry and Asia is a good representative of this trend. Technology has changed forever our business and new winning formulas are needed to evolve, she commented during the Opening Ceremony.

ATF announced the launching of an online movie pitch for the Chinese market in 2018, after partnering with Perfect World Picture, the Singaporean affiliate of Chinese giant movie producer of the same name. The company is expanding the business towards Asia Pacific starting with Singapore, and will invest USD 22.3 millions to remake the 1984 local classic TV drama The Awakening (60 episodes).

Technology is changing the way producers narrate their stories, and also shaping the audience behavior. In APAC, 62% of connected consumers watch traditional TV daily compared to 70% in Europe and 76% in MENA, according to Kantar TNS. Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia are the Top 3 TV markets watching TV with 86%, 81% and 80% respectively, while China, Malaysia and Singapore are watching more online TV with 54%, 56% and 57%, respectively.

The same source indicates that Cambodia (93%) is the bigger consumer of online TV, followed by Hong Kong (87%), Malaysia (83%) and Taiwan (81%). Jahaliah Hasan, manager acquisition Media Primas TV3 (Malaysia), told Prensario that the TV business in Malaysia has become tough: Online platforms are taking the majority of the ad pie and, so we are betting strongly on ours, Tonton, the leading OTT in our country. We are more and more focused on this business.

China is a good example, as the three leading online titans are here in Singapore not only buying, but also selling. For example, the #1 platform Baidus iQiyi is selling its drama series, movies and animations. We produce over 30 dramas and 5 movies a year. Distribution has become a key element of our business model, explained Bryce Tsao, director of the department.

37% of connected consumers in APAC watch content from an online subscription service such us Netflix. People is snacking on online content. 42% of Internet users in the region watch free TV clips online daily, whilst 45% watch clips on social media, concludes Kantars report.

Yesterday, Hong Tat described: Asian stories are gaining popularity: India and Japan are good examples, as their contents are spreading worldwide. We need to take advantage of this moment, so we are putting strong emphasis on the support of young talents from Singapore to Asia and to the world.

Capability, technology and new markets are, according to the Minister, the three main objectives for 2018. He highlighted three big deals: First, IMDA will renew the talent and production exchange partnership with HBO Asia for another two and half years to develop new drama series. Second, it partners with Singaporean online platform Vidsee to produce five new series (short film anthology, documentary, drama, thriller, and family drama) for the next year targeted for Singaporeans aged 18-34 years old; and the third Discovery Networks Asia Pacific will commission new VR series for its VR app produced by independent local producers, starting with Abandoned (Hiverlab and Burning Bush Films) and Dangerous Jobs (Sora Media and VizioFly) for first half 2018.

Training the young talent is a top objective for the Minister. With Brand New Media, IMDA will conduct 10 content marketing workshops with the support of Singapore Press Holding and Asia Content Marketing Association. Called Creator Collective the first edition of the training program held last year benefited 160 digital content creators.

Another partnership with tertiary institution LASALLE is taking shape with WritersLab, a scripted program under IMDA Story Lab initiative. Three projects have been selected for production and will premier on Mediacorps Toggle from January 2018: The Last Madame of Temple Street (Adeline Foo and Ochre Pictures) Senior Management (Mickey Lin and Sitting in Pictures) and No Catalogue (Oi Shan and Onedash 22).

Fabricio Ferrara, from Singapore
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  Stockton University will celebrate Kwanzaa this Friday with its 42nd annual event featuring music, performances and a traditional feast.

The Unified Black Students Society at Stockton University will present the 42nd annual Kwanzaa Celebration 7 p.m. in the Campus Center event room. The event is free and open to the public. It is believed to be one of the largest and oldest Kwanzaa celebrations in South Jersey.

Our hope, as always, is to make sure the community can come together to rejoice in the Kwanzaa spirit before we end the semester, said Unified Black Students Society, or UBSS, President Mahalia Bazile, a senior and four-year member of the society.

There will be performances by Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Harambee and Recognition of Elders ceremonies and a traditional Karamu feast.

All I want, as president of UBSS, is for new and (former) students to come together to celebrate and hold the memories theyll make at our celebration dear to their hearts for years and years to come, Bazile said.
VENTNOR  Michael Einwechter, president of Amazing Ventnor, a nonprofit organization that promotes community events, was arrested Wednesday, Nov. 29, and charged with stealing funds meant for residents of Puerto Rico devastated by Hurricane Maria.

Einwechter, 38, was charged with theft of money and checks that were the proceeds of a Puerto Rico benefit concert held Sunday, Oct. 15, at Ski Beach, police Chief Douglas Biagi said.

The arrest came after a months-long investigation conducted by Ventnor Detective Sgts. Jason Rzemyk and Ted Bergman. Einwechter was interviewed and charged on Wednesday.

Police seized his four-wheel drive truck, which is painted to look like a Tonka truck.

As of noon Nov. 29, Einwechter was in the custody of police and not available for comment. Biagi would not release the amount of money that was missing, but said it's "more than $500, and could be less than $20,000." Einwechter has no prior criminal history, Biagi said.

After his release from police custody, Einwechter notified his Facebook followers: "Before I disappear on social media. I am facing these charges. Article is out. I'm not going into details until I get to speak to an attorney. After the dust settles and all is clear I will try to find it in my heart to do good for the community again. I am sincerely sorry it has come to this. I am sorry to anyone and everyone involved."

The fundraiser was well attended by local citizens, volunteers, organizations, musicians and merchants, Biagi said in a press release.

The proceeds were to assist hurricane relief for United for Puerto Rico, which aided in shipping supplies to families in Puerto Rico.

On Oct. 16, Einwechter posted on the Amazing Ventnor Facebook page that the event raised $14,524, and that additional donations were being made online.

Unfortunately, there are people out there that seem to think numbers dont add up, he wrote.

Einwechter later wrote that the funds represented the proceeds of the event.

Thats why we didnt advertise 100 percent. Its immoral to state so, we said all proceeds, he wrote on Oct. 25. Most know what it means. Most know events take money. We cant say a certain percentage. But at least people know there are no salaries or wages. 100 percent volunteer.

A later event report posted on the Amazing Ventnor Facebook page showed proceeds of $17,015. Income was stated at $23,859, with $6,844 in expenses.

Biagi said detectives spoke with representatives of United for Puerto Rico. But the numbers didnt add up, he said.

Einwechter is also the owner of Little Ripe Tomato Entertainment, which is listed on Facebook as a production company.
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE  Acting Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Johnson readily admits hes more familiar with putting people in jail than keeping them out.

However, as part of a new statewide program, Johnsons office will be tasked with helping veterans with mental health issues avoid the criminal justice system if they are charged with a nonviolent, low-level offense.

Johnson and Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mazur, who will help run the program in the county, held an information session Wednesday afternoon. The program is set to go into effect Friday.

The Cape May County Prosecutors Office has been planning for some time to get ready for this, Johnson told the crowd at the session.

The Veterans Diversion Program, which was established by a bill approved by Gov. Chris Christie in May, is aimed at connecting eligible veterans with agencies that provide mental health services. Upon completion of the program, which can take up to two years, veterans can have their criminal case dismissed and their arrest record expunged.

Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak, a veteran who was deployed to Iraq, was one of the bills primary sponsors.

What we wanted to make sure was (that) each county has something set up and in place to make sure that our veterans returning home, if they have PTSD, if they have other psychological disorders going on, that they arent just thrown in jail, said Andrzejczak, who attended the information session.

Veterans charged with most violent crimes or first- and second-degree offenses will be ineligible to enroll in the program. Those who were dishonorably discharged also will not qualify.

Johnson said police officers will be required to ask people they arrest about their veteran status. If they are a veteran, law enforcement should inform them of the program and give them access to an application, he said.

Not only are we treating the mental illness that generated the commission of the offense, were also assisting in making sure the record is wiped clean and the veteran is given a second chance, Johnson said.

Mazur, a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, said he also hopes to connect veterans in the program with community-based organizations. He said he wants to set them on the path to success in their lives.

Its an extension of my duties as a soldier, and it serves to help those who have done so much for our country, Mazur said.

Several veterans, including Joe Griffies, a local radio host and veterans advocate, raised questions and concerns about the program.

Griffies asked why the state does not have a veterans court similar to a program in Philadelphia. He said other states are ahead of New Jersey on issues relating to veterans, but he appreciates the new program.

I think it is a good start, Griffies said.
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State Sen. Jeff Van Drew announced Wednesday his intention to run for Congress in New Jerseys 2nd Congressional District in 2018.

Van Drew, who represents all of Cape May County and parts of Atlantic and Cumberland counties in the state Legislature, will look to take over the seat retiring U.S. Rep.Frank LoBiondo will vacate next year.

LoBiondo announced earlier this month he will retire at the end of his term and not seek re-election in 2018. He has been in Congress since 1995, when he succeeded Democrat Bill Hughes.

There are no announced Republican candidates yet.

It will be the honor of a lifetime to represent South Jersey in Congress, especially at a time when our country most needs consensus builders, Van Drew said in a statement. Expect to hear a lot from me during this campaign about finding common ground. It wont be easy or always even possible, but that must never stop us from making the effort.

Speaking in a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Van Drew expressed the need to forcefully represent South Jersey, which he said can be left behind when dealing with the state.

He also said that, if elected, he would seek spots on committees that deal with the fishing industry, farming or casinos.

There is a (part of) New Jersey that has more opportunity, and God bless them, Van Drew said. Were a little bit different (in South Jersey), so we have to show what our needs are.

Van Drew is the third Democrat to announce a candidacy for the seat. In July, Tanzie Youngblood, a retired educator and longtime resident of Woolwich, Gloucester County, announced she would run.

I welcome Jeff Van Drew to the race. We need to find real solutions to the issues impacting the everyday lives of the people of New Jerseys 2nd District, Youngblood said in a statement. I look forward to hearing his views and debating the issues with him in the months to come.

In June, Sean A. Thom, a Cumberland County resident who serves as a school administrator in Camden, announced he would seek the seat.

Thom expressed concern about Van Drews candidacy in a letter to the Democratic National Committee.

Not because it would bring additional competition to the race  competition helps spur innovation and gives the people a real choice  but because Jeff Van Drew has shown time and time again he is not a Democrat; instead, he is a career politician who does not espouse the values of our party, the letter reads.

It is still unclear who Republicans may nominate in the race.

Outgoing Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian has been contacted by the National Republican Congressional Committee and is considering a run, according to his chief of staff, Chris Filiciello.

Hes exploring all of his options, Filiciello said, adding Guardian will make a decision next month. Its another way to help and represent the people of Atlantic City and South Jersey.

Former Assemblyman Vince Polistina has also been contacted and is considering a run, according to reports.

Bob Turkavage, a former FBI agent and current Brigantine resident, said he is thinking about running and has reached out to the NRCC and Atlantic County Republican Chairman Keith Davis.

Chris Brown, who was elected to the state Senate earlier this month, said he will not run for Congress.

A representative from the National Republican Congressional Committee reached out to me shortly after the election, Brown said in a statement. While its an honor to be considered to run, I just worked very hard during the campaign telling the families of Atlantic County I want to serve them as their state senator, and I am blessed our local middle-class families put their faith in me to represent them, which is why I am focused on doing my best as their representative in the State Senate.
The newest nominee for Superior Court judge in Atlantic County is stirring controversy and opening old campaign arguments.

The nominee, Sarah Beth Johnson, is the wife of outgoing state Sen. Colin Bell, who represents most of Atlantic County in Trenton. State senators are given the courtesy of recommending judges in their own districts. The governor then nominates that person to the position. The nominee has to be confirmed by the state Senate.

Johnson, of Margate, will take over for Noah Bronkesh at the Atlantic County Civil Courts Building if she is confirmed. Bronkesh retired earlier this year.

Sen.-elect Brown forms committee to vet Superior Court judges Sen.-elect Chris Brown and the Atlantic County Bar Association have created a bipartisan com

Republicans immediately blasted Johnsons nomination, saying Bell is looking to line his own pockets before leaving the Senate in January.

The Atlantic County Democratic Committee selected Bell to take over the Senate seat that opened when Jim Whelan died in August. Republican Assemblyman Chris Brown defeated Bell in the election for the seat Nov. 7.

The nomination of Senator Colin Bells wife to the Superior Court stinks of nepotism and self-dealing. There is an obvious conflict of interest in Senator Bell  a lawyer bound to attorney ethics rules  signing off on his own wife to be a judge, said Keith Davis, chairman of the Atlantic County Republican Committee. There is no convenient recusal when it comes to the practice of senatorial courtesy. For a guy who ranted against quid pro quo politics throughout the whole campaign, Bell ought to do the right thing and step down now to remove any hint that this nomination is proceeding with such an obvious conflict of interest.

Bell did not respond to a request for comment.

Democrats pushed back on the notion of nepotism, saying Whelan was planning on nominating Johnson as far back as June 2016.

In a letter obtained by The Press of Atlantic City, Johnson was contacted by the director of appointments for the state of New Jersey on June 24, 2016, saying her name was submitted as a potential candidate as a Superior Court judge.

The Democrats said Bell will not take part in any discussions or vote on anything regarding the potential nomination of his wife.

The need for a senator to sign off on the nomination under the policy of senatorial courtesy was waived in this case by the governor.

Republican candidates said throughout the 2017 campaign Johnson was going to get nominated in a quid pro quo if Bell ran against Assemblyman Chris Brown for the state Senate seat in the 2nd Legislative District.

It was also one of the reasons Sen.-elect Brown said he decided to create a bipartisan committee to identify and recommend local candidates to become judges of the New Jersey Superior Court, the Office of Administration of Law and the Division of Workers Compensation in Atlantic County.

The committee, called the Judicial Candidate Review Committee, will change the process of judicial nominations and appointments in Atlantic County, according to Brown.

Anyone entering a courtroom in Atlantic County needs to know they will be treated fairly and justice, not politics, will be served, Brown said in a statement when he formed the committee. The rule of law begins with finding the very best people to preside in our courtrooms.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone") (TSX: CS) today announced that management will attend the following investor conference:

Scotiabank Mining Conference in Toronto, Ontario. Darren Pylot, President and CEO will be speaking on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Capstone's most recent corporate presentation is available at: http://capstonemining.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.

About Capstone Mining Corp.

Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our three producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US, the Cozamin polymetallic mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico and the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada. In addition, Capstone has two development projects; the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation, and the 100% owned Kutcho copper-zinc project in British Columbia, Canada, as well as exploration properties in Chile and US. Capstone's strategy is to focus on the optimization of operations and assets in politically stable, mining-friendly regions, centred in the Americas. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at www.capstonemining.com.

Contact: Cindy Burnett, VP, Investor Relations and Communications, 604-637-8157, cburnett@capstonemining.com

SOURCE Capstone Mining Corp.
International Private Equity Market (IPEM) ( https://www.ipem-market.com ) is one of the world's largest private equity events. It is structured as a marketplace to foster business opportunities between private and institutional investors, investment funds, service providers, and business owners seeking funding for their development. The event, which will take place January 24 through 26, 2018, will host 1,400 participants from 40 countries at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France.

Joining Shahani on the panel will be Etienne Colas, Senior Managing Director, Operating Team, LBO France; Ewa Bielecka Rigby, Director and Head of Value Enhancement, LDC; and Franck Temam, Principal, Portfolio Performance Group, PAI Partners. "I am delighted to moderate the discussion among this excellent group of panelists," said Shahani. "They are all senior operating professionals at successful European PE firms with distinctive approaches to value creation. Each firm individually has billions of euros in assets under management and together they have well over 100 portfolio companies. It will be a lively, interesting and well-informed discussion."

Shahani has more than 25 years' experience of driving value-creating growth. Before joining Blue Ridge Partners as Managing Director, he trained at McKinsey, founded one of the UK's earliest digital marketing consultancies, served as a strategy VP with American Express dealing with all non-US markets and consulted independently on growth to a large number of UK and global clients. He holds an MA in Economics from King's College, Cambridge, England, and an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD, France.

About Blue Ridge Partners

Blue Ridge Partners is a global management consulting firm exclusively focused on helping companies accelerate profitable revenue growth. Our clients include over 100 private equity firms - both during deal evaluation / due diligence and post-acquisition - and we have worked with over 400 companies to enhance their strategic understanding of markets and customers, deepen and expand their customer relationships and enhance marketing and sales performance. For more information, http://www.blueridgepartners.com/.

Contact:

David Schutzman

Blue Ridge Partners

+ 1 203 550 8551

david@davidschutzmanmarketing.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612223/BRP_233_MotiShahani800x800.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612227/Blue_Ridge_Partners_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.blueridgepartners.com



SOURCE Blue Ridge Partners
OXFORD, England, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Circassia Limited ("Circassia" or "the Company"), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on respiratory disease, welcomes the publication of new clinical guidelines by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)*, which recommend the use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing as part of asthma diagnosis.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 235 million people have asthma worldwide. In the UK approximately 5.4 million people (1.1 million children and 4.3 million adults) currently get treatment for asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease, but many diseases present with symptoms similar to those seen in asthma, making diagnosis a challenge for healthcare professionals. In fact, studies of adults diagnosed with asthma suggest that up to 30% do not have clear evidence of asthma* Some may have had asthma in the past, but it is likely that many have been given an incorrect diagnosis. Conversely, other studies suggest that asthma may be underdiagnosed in some cases. Understanding whether airway inflammation is present can help rule out these conditions and support a diagnosis of asthma.

During inflammation, higher-than-normal levels of nitric oxide (NO) are released from epithelial cells of the bronchial wall. The concentration of NO in exhaled breath, or fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), can help identify airway inflammation, and thereby support a diagnosis of asthma when other objective evidence is lacking.

The new NICE guidelines* issued today recommend the use of FeNO testing as part of comprehensive diagnostic algorithms for adults, children and young people. In particular, NICE recommends FeNO testing for adults when a diagnosis of asthma is being considered, and consideration of a FeNO measurement in children and young people if there is diagnostic uncertainty after initial assessment and normal spirometry, or obstructive spirometry with negative bronchodilator reversibility. Additionally, the health economic model included in the guidelines concluded that FeNO testing was part of the most cost-effective diagnostic pathway for adults. Regarding monitoring of asthma control, it was also noted that FeNO should be considered as an option for patients who remain symptomatic on inhaled corticosteroids as a method to support asthma management.

Circassia's NIOX products are novel point-of-care FeNO measurement devices, which are available in many countries across Europe, including the UK, as well as the United States, China, Japan and a range of other territories.

Marc Massanari, Vice President of Medical Affairs said: "We are delighted that NICE has recognised the clinical value of FeNO testing in the diagnosis of asthma and its role in providing an objective measure of airway inflammation. Furthermore, NICE has provided compelling evidence that supports the cost effectiveness of incorporating FeNO into diagnostic algorithms for asthma."

Carol Stonham, Senior Nurse Practitioner Respiratory at Gloucestershire CCG, said: "FeNO testing is a very useful part of the jigsaw when a diagnosis of asthma is not clear. It provides useful additional evidence about eosinophilic airway inflammation which supports diagnosis and engages and educates the patient in the journey of a long-term condition. It also gives confidence to both health care professional and patient when considering a step down in treatment and can be a helpful conversation opener into issues around poor compliance with inhaled corticosteroids. "

About asthma

Asthma is a common, chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that often begins in childhood, but can affect people of any age. The disease is characterised by attacks (exacerbations) of breathlessness and wheezing of varying severity and frequency, which if left untreated can be life-threatening.

About NIOX

Circassia's NIOX products are used to assist asthma management around the world. Circassia markets NIOX directly to healthcare professionals in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and through a network of distributors in a range of other countries.

About Circassia

Circassia is a world-class specialty pharmaceutical business focused on respiratory disease. In addition to its market-leading NIOX products, the Company recently established a collaboration with AstraZeneca in the US in which it promotes the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment Tudorza, and has the US commercial rights to late-stage COPD product Duaklir.

Circassia's development pipeline includes a range of respiratory medicines. The Company's lead asthma treatment targets substitution of GSK's Flixotide pMDI and was approved in the UK. Circassia is also developing a direct substitute for Seretide pMDI, and its pipeline includes a number of inhaled medicines for COPD, including single and combination dose products. For more information on Circassia please visit http://www.circassia.com.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain projections and other forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, businesses and prospects of Circassia. The use of terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "estimate", "intend", "continue", "target" or "believe" and similar expressions (or the negatives thereof) are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any of the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements could prove inaccurate or incorrect and therefore any results contemplated in the forward-looking statements may not actually be achieved. Nothing contained in this press release should be construed as a profit forecast or profit estimate. Investors or other recipients are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained herein. Circassia undertakes no obligation to update or revise (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or other circumstances.

*Asthma: diagnosis and monitoring of asthma in adults, children and young people. National Guideline Centre. Commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. November 2017.

SOURCE Good Relations Ltd
TAMPA, Florida, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nicopure Labs, LLC, the leading manufacturer of American-made e-liquids, announces its partnership with Replace Smoke in the Greek market.

Following a review of business in Greece, Nicopure Labs has made the decision to appoint Replace Smoke a distributor for Greece effective immediately.

"In the last several years, we've focused on building an international presence for our brands Halo and eVo," said Jeff Stamler, CEO and co-founder of Nicopure Labs. "We've seen success in the U.S., France and China, and are delighted to partner with Replace Smoke to further expand our brand presence in the Greek market."

The market for vape products has exploded over the past five years, with estimated sales of over $6 billion in 2016 alone. Nicopure sees this as an opportunity to disrupt the traditional tobacco industry, and potentially save millions of lives in the process. While the U.S. and the U.K. remain the two largest vape markets in the world, sales are growing rapidly in countries with large domestic cigarette consumption, such as Greece.

"We are excited and humbled to represent the Halo and eVo brands in the Greek market," said Elias Ninos, director of Replace Smoke. "We believe these are high quality brands that our retail partners will love."

Replace Smoke started in 2012 and currently serves 350 vape shops around the country, which is about 70 percent of the vape shop market in Greece. For more information about Nicopure Labs, distribution or reseller information, please visit nicopure.com.

About Nicopure Labs

Operating since 2009, Tampa-based Nicopure Labs, LLC is an industry leading e-liquid manufacturer with operations in the U.S. and Europe. Nicopure Labs has recently upgraded its 110,000-sq. ft. manufacturing and distribution operations in Gainesville, Florida to include a 10,000-sq. ft. ISO 7 cleanroom. Distributing to over 90 countries worldwide, Nicopure Labs has also expanded its presence with the recent addition of a European headquarters in the Netherlands and offices in England.

For additional information regarding their premium American-made e-liquids and innovative line of vaporizer devices, please visit halocigs.com.

Media Contact:

Christie Ebanks

880-270-2449 ext. 7516

cebanks@nicopure.com

Related Links

http://www.halocigs.com



SOURCE Nicopure Labs, LLC
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Gandhinagar, Nov 27 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued notice to the Gandhinagar Archbishop Thomas Macwan and asked him to explain the reasons for writing a letter to the Bishops of the country to pray that only such people are elected in Gujarat who would remain faithful to the Indian Constitution and respect every human being without any discrimination.

The ECI has through the District Collector issued notice to the Archbishop, asking him to explain the intention and aim in writing the letter in which he had asked Bishops to organise prayer services in the country for the Gujarat elections.

In his letter to the Bishops, Macwan had written, "The results of the Gujarat elections are significant and will influence the future course of our country. The secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake. Human rights are violated and the constitutional rights are trampled. There is a growing sense of insecurity among the minorities, Other Backward Caste (OBC), Scheduled Caste (SC), poor et al. And nationalist forces are on the verge of taking over the country."

"In his letter he had written that nationalist parties are damaging the country. So we want to ask him how they are damaging the country. We have just called him up to give us an explanation for the writing of such a letter to the community," Collector, Gandhinagar, Satish Patel, told IANS.

Thomas Macwan had earlier told IANS: "By so-called nationalist forces, I just referred to all those people who are narrow minded in their thinking of nationalism. They are narrow minded in terms of language, caste, creed, religion, financial status. And that's why I have written that letter. There is no controversy, whatever I have asked for the bishops is to pray for the betterment of the country that's all."
New Delhi, Nov 27 : The third edition of the Vodafone Premier Badminton League (PBL) opens with a grudge match, with P.V. Sindhus Chennai Smashers taking on Saina Nehwals Awadhe Warriors on December 23.

The first leg will take place in new entrants North Eastern Warriors' hometown, Guwahati, who enter the arena on the very second day to face the might of Carolina Marin's Hyderabad Hunters, according to a release.

The 23-day league has been carefully laid out, with only a tie lined up each day at prime time to give the players and teams enough time to recover for their next encounter.

"This is going to be an exciting edition of the PBL, the world's biggest badminton league," Atul Pandey, Managing Director, Sportzlive, said.

A bevy of top players, including men's No.1 Victor Axelson (Bengaluru Blasters) and women's No.1 Tai Tzu-Ying (Ahmedabad Smash Masters), will be seen in action during the badminton extravaganza.

After four days of intense battles in Guwahati the bandwagon shifts to Delhi.

Delhi will see five ties, with the Delhi Dashers enjoying the benefit of playing two matches at home. They will hope to pick up maximum points against Bengaluru Blasters and Hyderabad Hunters to make it at least to the semi-finals this year.

The next stop will be the 'City of Nawabs', Lucknow. Victor Axelson's Bengaluru Blasters will clash with San Wan-Ho's Mumbai Rockets to ring in the New Year. Four ties have been slotted here, giving North Eastern Warriors and Hyderabad Hunters a solid four-day break.

The PBL will move to the warmer climes of Chennai on January 5 for the penultimate leg. The battles are expected to reach fever pitch by then, with every team scrambling for points and a place in the knockout stage.

After an intense five-day stint, the league will shift to Hyderabad on January 10. Only two ties have been lined up here, with the Dashers meeting the Warriors and the Hunters the Blasters.

The semi-finals will take place on January 12 and 13 followed by the final, which will be held the very next day, on January 14.
Mumbai, Nov 28 : Key Indian equity indices traded in the red during the mid-afternoon session on Tuesday as negative Asian indices as well as profit booking in oil and gas and consumer durables stocks kept investors' sentiments subdued.

Index heavyweights like ONGC, Power Grid, NTPC, Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank traded lower on the BSE market breadth.

At 12.35 p.m., the wider Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) traded lower by 16 points or 0.15 per cent at 10,383.55 points.

The barometer 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 33,726.65 points, traded at 33,652.50 points -- down 71.94 points or 0.21 per cent -- from its Monday's close.

The Sensex has so far touched a high of 33,742.04 points and a low of 33,639.32 during intra-day trade.

However, the BSE market breadth was bullish -- 1,418 advances and 1,089 declines.

"Indian markets opened flat on Tuesday on profit taking. Investor confidence in China was on a decline due to rising bond yields," Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, told IANS.

On Monday, the benchmark indices closed in the green on expectations of further economic reforms, along with short covering, although negative global indices and volatility ahead of derivatives expiry capped gains.

The NSE Nifty50 gained just 9.85 points or 0.09 per cent to close at 10,399.55 points, while the BSE Sensex closed at 33,724.44 points -- up 45.20 points or 0.13 per cent.
New Delhi, Nov 28 : Developing countries will receive $540 million to continue their work in phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals, according to UN Environment.

The funds will be provided by developed countries for three years starting from 2018 through the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, which has disbursed over $3.7 billion since 1991 to support developing countries to phase out chemicals that destroy the ozone layer.

The climate-warming chemicals are hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used widely used in refrigerators, air-conditioners and aerosol sprays.

Montreal Protocol parties made the funding commitment during the joint 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and the 29th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol that concluded on November 24 in Canada, the UN Environment said in a statement on Monday.

The parties also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the ozone-saving treaty during the meeting with high-level participants, including former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney.

Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna said: "The Montreal Protocol is an example of how we can come together, that we can do what naysayers think is impossible, that we can heal our planet."

At the meeting, there was a demand for energy efficiency.

The countries requested the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel of the Montreal Protocol to assess the technology options for enhancing energy efficiency of appliances and equipment in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sectors while phasing down HFCs under the 2016 Kigali Amendment.

They also requested for regular updates on the safety standards relevant to the use of flammable low-global warming potential alternatives to HFCs, in consultation with relevant standardisation organisations.

This is crucial for ensuring the safe market introduction, manufacturing, operation, maintenance and handling of low-global-warming potential refrigerants that are used in many sectors.

The meeting also urged parties that have not yet ratified the Kigali Amendment to consider doing so in order to achieve the goals.

The Amendment, which has so far been ratified by 22 parties, is set to enter into force on January 1, 2019, requiring nearly 200 nations to gradually phase down HFCs by more than 80 per cent over the next 30 years and replace them with more planet-friendly alternatives.

Phasing down HFCs under the Protocol is expected to avoid up to 0.5 degree Celsius of global warming by the end of the century, while continuing to protect the ozone layer.

"It is through the widest ratification of the Kigali Amendment that we will deliver on its promise of protecting our planet for future generations," Ozone Secretariat head Tina Birmpili said.

For ozone monitoring and observation, the countries also agreed on the need for increased support for research and systematic observations of the ozone layer, as it is through the observations that scientists can monitor the recovery of the ozone layer and the interaction between ozone and climate.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was endorsed in October 2016 after seven years of negotiations by 197 countries gathered in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and was named the Kigali Amendment.
Agartala, Nov 28 : The Election Commission held meetings with senior Tripura officials and leaders of various political parties here on Tuesday to review preparations for the February 2018 Tripura assembly elections.

Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti earlier arrived here from Nagaland, where the EC undertook similar exercises.

The five-year terms of the assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura -- with 60 seats each -- will end on March 6, 13, and 14 respectively. Elections in the three states are likely to be held simultaneously in February.

A Tripura Election Department official said the CEC, Election Commissioners Om Prakash Rawat and Sunil Arora, and Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain and other EC officials held a meeting with the state's Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti.

Another meeting was held with leaders of various political parties and senior officials, including Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan.

The EC officials also held another meeting with District Magistrates and Collectors and Superintendents of Police of eight Tripura districts.

Before leaving on Wednesday afternoon, the CEC will hold more meetings.

The EC has directed various departments, including power, education and public works, to inspect the roads leading to 3,170 polling stations to be set up in Tripura as well as uninterrupted electricity supply to them.

"Most political parties, including Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Congress, requested the EC to ensure polls were held in time while the Bharatiya Janata Party urged for foolproof electoral rolls before elections were held," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

The Left Front holds power in Tripura, the Congress in Meghalaya and the Naga People's Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland in Nagaland. The Democratic Alliance is supported by the BJP.

A four-member EC team led by Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain visited Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya earlier this month.

On November 13, the Election Commission held a meeting in New Delhi with Chief Electoral Officers of the three states on poll preparations.

"The EC officials have apprised the three CEOs to ensure use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines at all polling stations in these states," the official said.
New York, Nov 29 : The suspect in the October 31 terror attack in New York, the deadliest in the city since September 11, 2001, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, briefly appeared in a federal court in New York on Tuesday for his arraignment on a 22-count indictment, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Uzbek native who came into the US legally in 2010 is charged in connection with the October 31 terrorist attack, in which he ploughed a truck onto a busy bike lane in Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring 12 others.

The 22-count indictment against Saipov include eight counts of murder and 12 counts of attempted murder, both in aid of racketeering, and one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) group, among others.

According to the indictment, Saipov allegedly told authorities he was inspired to carry out the attack by IS videos he had watched on his phone.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty.

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for January 23.
Los Angeles, Nov 29 : Actor Nicholas Hoult says he cures his hangovers by dunking his head in cold water.

The "X-Men: Apocalypse" actor shot to fame as party boy Tony Stonem in TV drama "Skins" when he was just 16. But Hoult, now 27, can't party like he used to and tries to avoid going on set with a hangover, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"It's not like when I was in 'Skins'. Now I'm older I realise that I'm working and if I'm not on point, I can't do it, my brain isn't up to speed," Hoult told MrPorter.com.

Revealing his icy hangover cure, he added: "Run a sink of cold water, fill it with ice, then stick your head in it."

Hoult prefers a night wearing his comfortable bathrobe and indulging in his favourite hobby of cooking.

"A friend just bought me a bathrobe so now I'm obsessed with putting on my bathrobe. Just mooching around about in it, making a coffee."
Seoul, Nov 29 : North Korea on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile that landed into the Sea of Japan, the media reported citing officials.

The missile, believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Pentagon based on initial assessments, was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea and flew roughly around 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan, Fox News reported.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency which first reported the launch, said the missile launch happened around 3 a.m. local time in North Korea.

South Korea fired pinpoint missiles into nearby waters to make sure North Korea understands it can be "taken under fire" by the South, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said.

US President Donald Trump told reporters the missile launch "is a situation that we will handle," and added the US will "take care of it."

The President was briefed on the launch while it was still in the air, press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted earlier in the day.

Defense Secretary Mattis added North Korea is continuing to build missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world" as it continues to endanger world peace, regional peace and "certainly the United States".

The missile flew east for about 53 minutes before landing off the north of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the New York Times reported.

The missile was fired high into the air, reaching a maximum altitude of over 4,500 km, in an arc similar to the North's two previous intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, which were launched in July.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile performed better than the two fired in July, with a potential range of more than 12,000 km, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental US.

"It's pretty impressive," Wright said of the test flight. "This is building on what they've done before. It's muscle-flexing to show the US that they're going to continue to make progress."

Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said the new launch appeared to be the "most robust" ICBM test yet by the North Korea.

"Early calculations suggest that it could reach the East Coast of the United States," he said.

"However, that doesn't take into account the payload mass, which could limit the range."
Washington, Nov 29 : Democratic congressional leaders have cancelled a meeting with US President Donald Trump after he attacked them on Twitter.

The Republican president said he did not think he could reach a deal with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on funding the government, BBC reported on Tuesday.

The Democrats said they would negotiate with Republican lawmakers instead.

Averting a federal shutdown is just one of this month's big challenges for Republicans, who control Capitol Hill.

The party's lawmakers are also under pressure to pass a far-reaching tax plan that they can send to the president's desk by the end of the year.

The Republican tax bill cleared the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday in a 12-11 vote along party lines, with a full vote by the chamber expected this week.

"I think we're going to get it passed," Trump said of the bill on Tuesday after meeting lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

However, Congress must also agree a year-end spending package to keep the US government running beyond 8 December.

Democrats have suggested negotiations could hinge on saving an Obama-era programme that allowed undocumented immigrants who entered the US as children to stay.

Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning: "Meeting with 'Chuck and Nancy' today about keeping government open and working.

"Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I don't see a deal!"

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, who is her Senate equivalent, later issued a joint statement abruptly calling off the meeting.

Later on Tuesday, the President told reporters of Pelosi and Schumer: "They've been all talk and no action."
Washington, Nov 29 : US President Donald Trump has said "we will take care of it", reacting to the latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test by North Korea, a move that has hiked tensions in the region.

Trump told reporters in brief remarks from the White House on Tuesday after the missile launch that the US "will take care of it.... It is a situation that we will handle", Efe news reported.

The President offered no further details, however he did say that the launch does not change anything about US strategy toward Pyongyang.

Pyongyang's most recent previous launch was on September 15, when a North Korean missile flew over northern Japan before plunging into the Pacific Ocean.

Wednesday's launch is the 20th missile test undertaken by Pyongyang so far this year.

"North Korea has fired its highest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile and poses a worldwide threat," US Secretary of Defence James Mattis said.

Earlier, the Pentagon said the missile had flown for about 1,000 km before falling into the Sea of Japan, BBC reported.

The launch, early on Wednesday, is the latest in a series that have raised international tensions.

North Korea's last ballistic missile launch was in September and came days after its sixth nuclear test.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea and flew roughly around 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan, Fox News reported.

The missile flew east for about 53 minutes before landing off the north of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the New York Times reported.

In a statement, the Pentagon said that the missile, launched from Sain Ni, near the North Korean capital, flew for about 1,000 km before plunging into the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, Efe news reported.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that "diplomatic options" were available to resolve the nuclear controversy with North Korea.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The US remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said, adding however that Pyongyang's "relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed."

The top US diplomat also said: "All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures. In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from North Korea".

In his September address to the United Nations, Trump had threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea if it continued its military escalation, and he mockingly dubbed Kim Jong-un "Rocket Man" in response to his frequent missile tests.

In early November, Trump embarked on a week-and-a-half-long Asia tour during which he visited South Korea and Japan, along with other nations, and reaffirmed the US commitment to its allies in the region.
United Nations, Nov 29 : South Korea, Japan and the US have requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to analyse the latest ballistic missile launch by North Korea.

According to diplomatic sources, the date for the meeting, which usually takes place behind closed doors, is under discussion, Efe news reported.

The meeting could take place on Wednesday, when the Security Council has already scheduled a session to discuss the sanctions regime against Pyongyang.

UN Security Council President Sebastiano Cardi told reporters that this could be an opportunity.

The representative of Japan before the UN, Koro Bessho, has condemned North Korea's missile test, noting that the launch, the first to be conducted by Pyongyang in more than 70 days, is "very worrying".

"We have condemned them publicly. We criticize their behaviour in the strongest terms possible," Bessho said at the UN headquarters.

His British counterpart Matthew Rycroft said that, if confirmed, the test is "another reckless act by a regime that is more intent on building up its ballistic missile and nuclear capability than it is on looking after its own people."

According to Seoul authorities, North Korea launched a ballistic missile on early Wednesday towards the Sea of Japan.

The Japanese government reported that the missile could have flown about 50 minutes and may have fallen into the waters of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) about 210 km off the coast of the Aomori prefecture, in the north of the country.

The head of the Pentagon, James Mattis warned that the missile seemed to have reached a higher altitude than any of the previous ones, which puts global and regional peace in danger.
London, Nov 29 : Facebook and Twitter have agreed to share details with British authorities on Russia's interference in the Brexit referendum by using their platforms.

According to the Guardian on Wednesday, Facebook and Twitter will share those posts with the House of Commons media watchdog.

"Facebook said it would respond with information by early December, while Twitter said it intends to share findings in the coming weeks," the report added.

The information would give the UK a better idea of whether Russia tried to influence the vote on leaving the EU, Damian Collins, Chair of Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee was quoted as saying.

Earlier in November, a group of data scientists found 156,252 Russian accounts on Twitter which mentioned #Brexit and posted nearly 45,000 messages related to the EU referendum in the 48 hours around the vote.

In the US, Facebook, Twitter and Google are already facing intense fake news scrutiny after disclosing the details about the presence of Russian political ads, tweets and posts on their platforms during the presidential election in 2016.

The Kremlin-linked Russian organisations purchased more than $100,000 of ads on social media platforms during the 2016 US presidential election.

Facebook told US Congress in November that 126 million of its users in the US might have seen ads produced and circulated by Russian operatives.

According to Facebook UK Policy Director Simon Miller, it is "considering how we can best respond to the Electoral Commission's request for information and expect to be able to respond to them by the second week of December."

British Prime Minister Theresa May has also accused Russia of meddling in the elections and planting fake stories.

According to data scientists from Swansea University in Wales and the University of California, Berkeley, over 150,000 Russian accounts who were posting about the Ukrainian conflict swiftly started tweeting about Brexit in days leading up to the 2016 vote.

"From posting fewer than 1,000 tweets a day before June 13, the accounts -- many of which are virulently pro-Putin -- posted 39,000 tweets on June 23-24," the report said.

Tho Pham, one of the report authors, confirmed to TechCrunch that the majority of those Brexit tweets were posted on June 24, 2016, the day after the vote.

Political events like the Brexit referendum and the US presidential election have observed the use of social bots in spreading fake news and misinformation, the data scientists observed.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Stating that the Japan-India relationship is at its best ever in history, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu has said that his country is keen to support South Asia in combating terrorism and attaining the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In an interview with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Hiramatsu said that though the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation's operations have been diminishing in Syria and Iraq, foreign terrorist fighters were now splitting and relocating to other parts of the world, including in South Asia.

"As we witnessed last July, a terrorist attack took place in Dhaka where seven Japanese nationals were killed. We are very concerned about the situation," he said.

He was referring to the terror attack on the Artisan Bakery in Bangladesh's capital on July 1, 2016 in which 29 people, including 18 foreigners, lost their lives.

The interview was part of the UNODC Conversations that feature exclusive interactions with eminent personalities and experts on issues related to UNODC's core mandate areas of transnational organised crime, human rights, terrorism and the rule of law.

Stating that Japan was concerned with the situation in South Asia, Hiramatsu said: "To tackle with the issue of violent extremism, we need a more comprehensive approach: not only dealing with terrorism per se, but also in addressing challenges such as the eradication of poverty, build harmonious communities and lessen religious tensions."

He said that Japan has been actively supporting efforts on border control and better law enforcement in South Asia, especially in terms of promoting human resource development and providing technical assistance to those who are dealing with border control and law enforcement issues.

"We have special programmes to support border control and community ruling, and also to establish a centre for intelligence and information sharing in this region," the Ambassador said.

"We are also backing initiative supporting UNODC in capacity building operations, which cater to different pillars of UNODC's agenda. The three pillars of UNODC's work - health, justice and security - are very important for us."

Stating that the global strategic landscape was steadily shifting, he said that these issues have to be dealt with "in a very intelligent manner".

"Of course, the issue of nuclear terrorism has been there for many years," Hiramatsu said.

"We have been having a series of nuclear terrorism summit meetings, and we have been actively participating in this matter. The situation with regard to North Korea is extremely critical and serious. The level of conflict has entered a new stage."

Coming to the issue of SDGs, he said that collective efforts by many countries were needed to attain these, especially in South Asia.

"So based on this very well structured strategy and policy on part of the developing countries, Japan is very keen to support these countries in helping achieve the SDGs," Hiramatsu said.

At the Sustainable Development Summit on September 25, 2015, UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 SDGs to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015.

Coming to Japan's relationship with India, he said that he was "very happy to say that our relationship with India is at the best ever in history".

"Japan is very happy to support India's endeavour to enhance level of living standards, supporting higher education, eradication of poverty, women's empowerment, tackling infectious diseases and providing better sanitation standards," Hiramatsu stated.
San Francisco, Nov 29 : To make it easier for people to give money to their favourite organisations this holiday season, Google Search has added a "Donate" button to its knowledge graph.

The button allows users to contribute to the organisations directly when they search for US-based nonprofits. But for the button to appear, the nonprofits need to enroll with Google.

"Starting today, when you search for a growing list of US-based nonprofits, you'll see a new 'Donate' option.

"Tap or click on Donate, and you'll see an easy donation flow that lets you give to your favourite organisation as easily as you can look up its history, phone number, or website," Google's Product Manager Prem Ramaswami wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.

"We're starting with organisations in the US across causes and locales who have opted in through Google for Nonprofits, and we hope that more opt in moving forward," Ramaswami said.

Earlier in 2017, Google pledged $1 billion in Google.org grants over five years to nonprofits around the world.

According to some estimates, Google said, nearly 30 per cent of all giving happens during the holiday season.

"This spirit shines in our search trends, too, with many people looking for ways to donate and support nonprofits. We hope this feature makes it easier for nonprofits to reach potential supporters, and for you to donate to important causes, this holiday season and beyond," Ramaswami said.

Unlike Facebook's Charitable Givings feature that has gotten popular with users who "donate" their birthdays to fundraising, Google does not charge a fee when donations are made through its button, The Verge reported.
Accra, Nov 29 : As Indian pharma firms look to increase their footprints in Africa, Nigeria seems to be offering opportunities, as its pharmaceutical market is likely to grow to $3.6 billion by 2026, according to a study by international consulting group McKinsey.

"The Nigerian pharma market could rise by as much as nine percent a year over the next 10 years to reach $3.6 billion by 2026, making it as large as the South African market today. Over the same period, Nigeria could contribute between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion to pharma sales growth, 55 per cent of it from prescription drugs," it said in a report.

What makes the Nigerian market very attractive is a report by international accounting firm PwC earlier this year that projected the country's population to grow by 119 per cent from 2015 to 399 million by 2050, making it the third most populous country in the world.

"With more than 60 per cent of the population falling within the working age of 15-64 years, this young workforce will be able to support the growth of Nigeria's services sector, whilst also driving domestic consumption," it added.

"Pushed by rapid urbanisation, household consumption expenditure in Nigeria is projected to grow by eight per cent annually to reach $1.1 trillion by 2030, from $317 billion in 2014," McKinsey said.

Much as there is a growing market, McKinsey described Nigeria as "complex" and suggested that companies that intend to enter must "address short-term economic setbacks and deep-rooted structural challenges before they can take advantage of growth in the longer term".

These include the development of local solutions to some hindrances that prevent access to the market.

Nigeria's "healthcare infrastructure is not fully developed," because the existing infrastructure varies between cities and rural areas as well as between public and private sector, Mckinsey said, adding that this has resulted in the lack of facilities, equipment and capabilities to address the healthcare challenges.

"For example, its ratio of 0.9 hospital beds per 1,000 people is less than half the global average of 2.3, and its 0.07 intensive-care beds per 100,000 people is a fraction of Kenya's 0.3. Because of this lack of infrastructure, an estimated 5,000 patients a month travel abroad for healthcare, with 60 percent needing treatment in cardiology, musculoskeletal, hematology or oncology," the report said.

It is no wonder, therefore, that Nigerians have resorted to health tourism to access healthcare outside the country. India and South Africa have become the recognised destinations. Mckinsey said companies that want to take advantage of the situation must first look at the top five cites which together have 45 per cent of the total consumption.

"Per capita spending in big cities can reach almost twice the national average. Cities are important for another reason too: their superior logistics, infrastructure, and healthcare capabilities make them an engine for structural changes in Nigeria's health system."

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@ians.in)
New Delhi, Nov 29 : An animal welfare activist has asked Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Harsh Vardhan to ban use of captive elephants to force-demolish "illegal" structures.

The demand came after the Assam government had used the captive elephants to demolished illegal settlements by encroachers in Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday.

In his petition submitted to Vardhan on Tuesday, Master Trainer in animal welfare of Animal Welfare Board of India, Azam Siddiqui said that the practice of using captive elephants to demolish structures which include semi-concrete/ concrete and bamboo with roof tops made of corrugated iron sheets is extremely dangerous and can cause serious harm to both the animal and the public.

"Forcing an elephant into this herculean task also does amount to cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Since it is noticed that the animal is forced by the mahout to pull down the structures by being goaded by the ankush," Siddiqui noted.

Pointing out that the Assam Forest Department and the officials have time and again been seen repeating this offence in 2002, in 2011 and now in 2017 despite experts advising them not to do so, the Animal Welfare Activist said, "It is quite likely that the animal may injure itself in the process and perhaps even go berserk, this danger has never ever been calculated by the Assam Forest Department"

Moreover, he said that the resistance provided by the public can cause injury or harm to the animal which in turn could go berserk causing harm to itself and precious human lives.

Seeking the intervention of the Union Minister, Siddiqui said, "As someone who understand elephants and is trained in its management, I seek your valued intervention to put an immediate ban on any further usage of captive elephants from being engaged in such an act. The demolition drive may be allowed by use of human force or machines such as bulldozers."

In case the Forest Department or the Government/Administration still wishes to go ahead with the demolition, Siddiqui suggested that they obtain the necessary permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Project Elephant.
Hyderabad, Nov 29 : US President Donald Trump's daughter and his advisor Ivanka Trump on Wednesday called for closing the gender gap in workforce by providing women better access to capital and ensuring better representation in high-value industries.

She underlined the need for more progressive policies to address the stagnation which set in a decade ago in closing the gender gap. She also noted that women dominate those sectors of the economy which are undervalued financially.

Ivanka Trump was speaking at a session on the second day of Global Entrepreneurship Summit A(GES) on Wednesday.

The session on 'We can do it! Innovations in workforce development ad skills training' had Cherie Blair, Founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank and Karen Quintos, Chief Customer Officer, Dell EMC as other panelists.

Telangana's Minister for Information Technology, Industries and Commerce K.T. Rama Rao was the moderator.

The speakers were unanimous that women need to be empowered through education, skill development and access to capital.

Ivanka Trump spoke about the inadequate representation of women in higher education fields in the US. Only 13 per cent of engineers and 20 per cent computer science professionals are women.

The White House advisor listed out the steps being taken by the Trump administration to help close the gender gap in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Another initiative encourages successful entrepreneurs to mentor young men and women.

Describing technology as a greater driver of entrepreneurship, she said it was reducing barriers to start business and creating flexibility. "Technology offers tremendous opportunities to women entrepreneurs," she said.

Cherie Blair said inadequate access to capital is the biggest problem faced by women entrepreneurs. She also stressed the need for giving options to women and the support required in terms of policies and eco-system.

Chanda Kochhar was of the opinion that women should have confidence in their capabilities. She said women do not need special policies but only required to be given an opportunity to prove themselves.

She explained how ICICI Bank is helping the women workers, especially young mothers and those who need to take care of their elderly parents by allowing them to work from home.

Referring to the strides India is making in women empowerment, she said there is no other country in the world where 40 per cent of banking sector is headed by women.

Quintos said while more women were joining the workforce, the numbers were not changing fast. She believes the environment was still conducive to women.
Bhubaneswar, Nov 29 : Pandemonium prevailed for the second consecutive day inside the Odisha Assembly as both opposition and ruling party members created ruckus over farmers issue on Wednesday.

Unable to run the House smoothly, Speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the House till 3 p.m.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, Congress and BJP members went near the podium of the Speaker shouting slogans on farmers' plight while the ruling BJD members raised slogans standing at their seats demanding hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy.

While the Congress members were seen wearing gowns imprinted with texts of slogans, the Bharatiya Janata Party members protested holding thermocol replicas of pesticides.

After the Speaker adjourned the House, the Biju Janata Dal members took out a rally from the Assembly premises to Raj Bhawan. They submitted a memorandum, addressed to the President Ram Nath Kovind and Governor S.C. Jamir seeking hike in paddy MSP by the Centre.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to hike the MSP on paddy by 1.5 times of the production cost.

"But, the central government increased a meager Rs 80. Besides, the union government has also dishonoured the state assembly, which has unanimously passed a resolution to hike paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal," said Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra blamed both the BJD and the BJP for "shedding crocodile tears" for farmers.

"The ruling members are saying that they are ready for discussion, but are not doing so when motion notice is being moved. They don't have the courage to face protest. Both BJD and BJP are shedding crocodile tears for farmers," said Mishra.

The opposition leader said he has written a letter to the Speaker seeking his intervention to continue the House proceedings smoothly.

BJP MLA Pradip Purohit said the state government is not concerned about the agony of farmers.

"While the farmers are in miserable situation following drought, pest attack and unseasonal rain, the state government did not announce bonus on paddy. The ruling party is creating drama in the House," said the BJP member.
Colombo, Nov 29 : One hundred Chinese couples will visit Sri Lanka next month to take part in a mass wedding in the island country, Sri Lanka's Megapolis and Western Development Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The Ministry said the event, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, was expected to further increase ties between Sri Lanka and China, reports Xinhua news agency.

The mass wedding would be held on December 17 in Colombo under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Some 400 guests will attend.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga told reporters that the event will help promote the island nation as an ideal wedding destination.

The mass wedding will be followed by a Sri Lanka-China food festival at a luxury resort in Colombo. Leading chefs from both China and Sri Lanka will take part in the festival.

The couples will later be taken on a tour of Yala, Sigiriya and Kandy, popular tourist spots in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has become a popular destination for Chinese tourists, with China currently being the second largest market.
Bhubaneswar, Nov 29 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to allow the construction of the Polavaram irrigation project until all pending issues were resolved.

"If the multi-purpose project is allowed to be completed before the resolution of all pending issues, it will cause permanent injury to the interests of Odisha and its people," the Chief Minister said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

The Polavaram project dam is being built on the Godavari river in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh to help divert and utilise the river water to Krishna and other rivers.

Patnaik said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was also requested in October to stop the construction on the project till the contentious issues vis-a-vis Odisha were resolved.

He said Odisha residents will face several problems due to the project, including submergence of tribal land, flooding of fertile agricultural land and mass displacement of villagers.

"The Polavaram project can be reformulated as per the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award without causing large-scale submergence in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, taking into consideration projects operating in the command area of Polavaram, like the Pattiseema project and others," the Chief Minister added.

He said he was deeply concerned over the manner in which the state's interests were being sacrificed without addressing its legitimate concerns.

The Polavaram project, declared a national project in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, does not qualify for the status as it does not satisfy the set standards, he added.

Patnaik said the project was taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government unilaterally much before the Central Water Commission (CWC) clearance, based on plans/design in violation of the GWDT award, and hence not agreed to by Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

The project work was on without even holding a public hearing in Odisha, a mandatory requirement for getting environmental clearance, the Odisha Chief Minister added.

The issue of public hearing is pending in the Supreme Court.
Yangon, Nov 29 : Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Myanmar's ethnic minorities to resist the temptation to exact revenge for hatred and rejection, preaching a message of forgiveness in a historic mass to 150,000 worshippers in the predominantly Buddhist country.

The pontiff's first visit to Myanmar, and the first ever by a sitting Pope, comes amid allegations of ethnic cleansing of the minority Rohingya Muslims in the country's northern Rakhine state.

The Pope referred to the "wounds of violence" from ethnic conflict but urged people to shun revenge, saying it was "not the way of Jesus", the BBC reported.

In his sermon, the Pope said: "I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible... We think that healing can come from anger and revenge. Yet the way of revenge is not the way of Jesus."

He again avoided the term Rohingya, the Muslim community of whom 620,000 people have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown in late August.

The Pope had been warned by his Catholic representatives in the country not to use the term Rohingya for fear of alienating the Buddhist majority and causing difficulties for the nation's 600,000 Catholics.

About 90 per cent of Myanmar's Catholics come from ethnic minority groups and tens of thousands of devotees had travelled long distances to attend the mass at Yangon's Kyaikkasan Ground park.

Crowds of worshippers waved Vatican and national flags while the Pope passed them in his Popemobile, as he made his way to the venue.

"Many of you have come from far and remote mountainous areas, some even on foot," he spoke in Italian to the crowd. "I have come as a fellow pilgrim to listen and to learn from you, as well as to offer you some words of hope and consolation."

The Pope also praised the Myanmar Catholic Church for offering "practical assistance and solidarity to the poor and suffering".

He said that the church in the country had brought "the healing balm of God's mercy to... especially those most in need".

On Tuesday, the Pope met de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and delivered a keynote speech that also staunchly defended ethnic rights. But he was criticised by human rights groups for not mentioning the Rohingya directly.

Phil Robertson, the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, said: "The Pope missed an important opportunity to speak truth to power and publicly refute the unconscionable pressure by Suu Kyi and the Myanmar military to deny the Rohingya their identity."

Later on Wednesday, the third day of his four-day visit, the Pope will meet Buddhist leaders. After Myanmar, he will move on to Bangladesh to meet Rohingya refugees in a symbolic gesture.
Kolkata, Nov 29 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday visited the residences of Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore and freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose here and paid his tributes to the two statesmen.

On the second day of his maiden visit to West Bengal after taking over as President, Kovind, accompanied by Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, went to Tagore's abode in north Kolkata.

"Went to pay respects to Gurudev Rabindranath. Was honoured to visit the birthplace of composer of our National Anthem. He remains one of our country's foremost cultural icons," Kovind tweeted.

The President also visited Netaji Bhawan in south Kolkata to pay tribute to Bose where he was presented a book on the Indian National Army chief by author, social worker, ex-MP and Netaji's niece-in-law Krishna Bose.

Kovind said he was moved by the aura of Netaji's sacrifice and dedication to the country. "...Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country."
New Delhi, Nov 29 : A 24-year-old criminal was arrested here on Wednesday after a gunfight with the police in which he was injured, police said.

The incident occurred around 1 p.m. in Vishwas Nagar in east Delhi when constable Vivek Kumar saw two persons on a bike and recognised them as those involved in a chain snatching case on November 26.

"Kumar tried to intercept the criminals. But they opened fire at him. In retaliatory fire, one criminal got injured and was overpowered by Kumar while the other fled," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nupur Prasad said.

The accused, identified as Monu, has been arrested. He is a resident of Indirapuram in Uttar Pradesh, Prasad said.

The CCTV footage of the chain snatching case was circulated among beat staff including Kumar "who took brave and prompt action", the officer added.
Panaji, Nov 29 : Recital of prayers over loudspeakers at one of the largest Muslim burial grounds here banned by the city municipal corporation, it was revealed on Wednesday. The order drew protests from the Muslim community have demanded that the measure be withdrawn.

Panaji Corporation Commissioner Ajit Roy, in an order issued here earlier this week, has said that the order was passed in order to prevent breach of peace and tranquility in nearby areas.

"It has been brought to the notice from surrounding area at St. Inez, Panaji, that the prayers are carried out through loudspeakers/public address system with very high decibels at the burial ground of Muslim(s) kabrasthan (graveyard) at St. Inez," said the order dated November 24, when city was playing host to the 48th International Film Festival of India, the country's biggest film event.

"The community should ensure that no prayers to be held on Muslim burial ground/kabrastan by loud speakers/public address systems so as to avoid disturbing the public peace and tranquility in the surrounding area," the order further reads.

In a statement issued here, the Jamat ul Muslamin Gausia Sunni trust condemned the order.

"Prayers are carried out at the masjid and not at the burial ground. This is now a tradition going on for the last 20 years... This move has really hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and the Corporation should immediately withdraw the notice or the community will gherao the Commissioner," trust spokesperson Babni Shaikh told reporters here.
Chennai, Nov 29 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami has told the central government that the state is of the view that there is no need for setting up a Permanent Water Disputes Tribunal (PWDT) as each and every inter-state water dispute is unique and complex.

"I have examined the matter in detail and once again reiterate the decision of the Government of Tamil Nadu that there is no need to constitute a Permanent Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate the Inter-State River Water Disputes amongst the states," Palaniswami told Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari in a letter on Tuesday.

The text of the letter was released to the media on Wednesday in connection with the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

Palaniswami said each and every inter-state water dispute is unique and complex and the river basins differ widely in the total availability, utilisation and nature of water use in them.

According to Palaniswami, the current Act of 1956 does not speak about the tenure of appointment of a Chairman and two other members nominated by the Chief Justice of India from among persons who at the time of such nomination are judges of the Supreme Court or of a High Court.

However, under the proviso in clause (4), an upper age limit has been prescribed if the proposed legislation is enacted and comes into force.

"In so far as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is concerned, the Members appointed are hearing the dispute right from the year 1991 and they have already crossed 70 years of age," Palaniswami said.

He said the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted by the central government on the apex court's orders and transfer of pending applications to the Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal under clause (4) of the draft Bill on its enactment, shall not be done without the leave of the Supreme Court.

Palaniswami said the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal will be in a better position in terms of continuity and institutional memory to decide on the issues before it.

He also said the data provided by the state government need not be verified by the central government, as proposed in the amendment.

"Further, the Government of Tamil Nadu conveys its decision that the functioning of the existing Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal should not be hampered on the pretext of transfer of the pending applications to the proposed constitution of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal," Palaniswami added.
Tura (Meghalaya), Nov 29 : Independent legislator Rophul Marak on Wednesday withdrawn support to the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government ahead of the assembly elections next year.

The second Independent legislator to withdraw support to the Mukul Sangma-led government after Robinus Syngkon earlier this month, he said his decision came since "the Chief Minister has failed to fulfill the aspiration of the people of my (Rongra-Siju assembly) constituency".

"I am answerable to the people of my constituency and the district. They are asking questions as to that what we have done in our tenure of five years. The development work in South Garo Hills has been dismal. The main problem is road and communication," he said.

Election to the 60-member state assembly is scheduled to be held in February-March 2018.

However, the withdrawal support to the Congress government will not have any serious impact as the government still has support of 30 legislators - one short of a majority in the 60-member legislature.

The Nationalist Congress Party, which has two members, one member from the North-East Democratic Socialist Party and nine independent legislators are supporting the Congress.

The opposition Meghalaya People's Front is made up of eight United Democratic Party legislators, two from the National People's Party. The Hill State People's Democratic Party, which has four members and two independents, are not part of the opposition grouping.
Gurugram, Nov 29 : A Haryana BJP leader who announced a Rs 10 crore award to behead Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actress Deepika Padukone for their role in "Padmavati" on Wednesday resigned as the party's Chief Media Coordinator in the state.

Kunwar Surajpal Singh Ammu sent his resignation to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Subhash Barala through a WhatsApp message and urged his to accept it immediately.

In his resignation, Ammu said he was upset with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's "attitude towards the Rajput community". The Chief Minister, according to him, was surrounded by "a few unwanted people and keeping himself away from loyalist party workers".

He said he would pray to God so that "good sense" prevails on Khattar and requested that he be relieved of the party post's responsibility.

A delegation of Rajput leaders led by Ammu on Tuesday visited Haryana Bhawan in Delhi to meet Khattar and request him to fulfil their demand of announcing a ban on "Padmavati" in the state but the Chief Minister refused to meet them.

Rajput leaders said they felt insulted by Khattar.

On November 21, Ammu was booked for issuing threats to Bhansali and Deepika over their movie. But he stood by his announcement of Rs 10-crore reward for "beheading" them.

Ammu said he gave the statements as a "Rajput" and not as a BJP leader.

Ammu also threated to break the legs of actor Ranveer Singh, who plays the role of Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji in the movie. The movie centres around the valour of Rajput queen Padmavati.

Asked if he had received any notice from the BJP for his statement, Ammu told IANS: "No notice has been received. I'll answer if I get one. I am ready to do anything for the welfare for my community."

Police officer Sunil Kumar said the accused would be served a notice soon to join the police probe.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Snehlata Shrivastava, a 1982-batch retired IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was on Wednesday appointed the first woman Secretary General of the Lok Sabha.

The appointment was made by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, an official release said. Shrivastava will replace Anoop Mishra, who is retiring on November 30.

Shrivastava, a senior civil servant with 35 years of rich and varied administrative experience, will have the rank and status of Cabinet Secretary with effect from December 1.

She has held several important positions in the Madhya Pradesh government as well as at the Centre.

Shrivastava has served as Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice and also as Special/Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

She has also held several senior positions in the Madhya Pradesh government, including as Principal Secretary in the ministries of Culture and Parliamentary Affairs.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday once again heaped praise on indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, in which he flew on Tuesday, and said he was impressed by the aircraft as well as the pilot.

"It's not very often that Defence Minister of another country can get the privilege of being flown in the light combat aircraft Tejas and as I said yesterday I am utterly impressed with your pilot and the aircraft," Ng said.

Ng was flown in the Tejas aircraft at Kalaikunda airforce station in West Bengal, where two Tejas aircraft had been brought in from Bengaluru.

The Project Director for Flight Testing at the Aeronautical Development Agency, Air Vice Marshal AP Singh was the pilot who flew the visiting Singapore minister on an around half an hour sortie.

Ng had called Tejas a "very good plane" on Tuesday but did not say if Singapore was interested in buying the fighter jet.

Indigenously developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency, and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Tejas, as a fourth generation aircraft, can fly at 1,350 km per hour and is comparable to the world's best fighters, including French Mirage 2000, American F-16 and Swedish Gripen.

The fighter jet was inducted into 45th Squadron of the Indian Air Force in July 2016. The plan is to double its production from the present eight to 16 aircraft each year.
Jammu, Nov 29 : Pakistan Army again violated the easefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Wednesday, triggering a heavy exchange of fire with Indian troops, officials said.

Police said Pakistan army used mortars, automatics and small arms to target Indian positions on the LoC in Poonch.

"Pakistan shelling and firing started at 2.40 p.m. Indian positions retaliated strongly and effectively. Firing exchanges between the two sides continued for over an hour," an officer said.

Pakistan had on Tuesday resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing on Indian positions on the LoC in Rajouri district.
Ahmedabad, Nov 29 : The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of playing dirty politics and hatching a cheap conspiracy by fabricating entries in the register kept at the Somnath temple, that was visited by Rahul Gandhi who the party called a "devout Hindu" and a strong "Shiv bhakt".

Addressing a hurriedly-called press conference hours after the BJP sought to rake up a controversy over Rahul Gandhi's name figuring in the register for non-Hindus, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap politics.

"There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated," said Surjewala, adding "Desperate times call for desperate measures" - referring to the BJP.

"When the visitor's book was given to him by the temple committee, Rahul Gandhi wrote a message on it with his name (Rahul Gandhi) and address (12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi). "A very inspiring place" was the message he wrote in the book," he added.

"The other register was tweeted by mediapersons. Rahul Gandhi has neither written (in the other register) nor was the register given to him."

The other register contained a signature by AICC media coordinator Manoj Tyagi, who was asked by some temple officials to sign so that the mediapersons accompanying Rahul Gandhi could enter the temple.

Surjewala said: "After Rahul left the temple, by misusing some of our media friends, another fabricated entry was made public. Has the BJP become so cowardly that they are scared of coming out and speaking up."

He alleged that the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel were entered surreptitiously on the left side of the register meant for non-Hindus by someone - suggesting manipulation. "This was a fabricated register. Those names were added later," he said.

Showing the pictures of Gandhi wearing sacred thread, Surjewala said that Rahul is a "Janayudhari" (devout) Hindu. "Whether it was during the time of his naming or at the time of his sister's wedding..or at the time of his father's cremation, he was seen with the sacred thread."

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah not to stoop so low for political gains that "130 crore Indians start hating you".

"Truth will not change because of your conspiratorial tactics," he added.

Another Congress spokesperson Deepender Hooda said: "BJP's intentions stand exposed today...Even Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has conceded that their party is in bad shape (for elections). Whenever they are in such a state, they lose their rudder."

The episode, Hooda said, "is a sign of intellectual bankruptcy of the BJP".

The Congress reaction came after BJP raked up the issue and questioned Rahul Gandhi's religion.

BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narsimha Rao said in a tweet: "Rahul Gandhi is a non-Hindu and a 'Shiv Bhakht'? Very impressive. No wonder he said earlier people go to temples and tease women."

Quoting an article written in 1998 in New York Times, which said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics, Rao said: "This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism thereafter? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer."

"Rahulji, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG," he said in another tweet.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : In a brave act, a team of Delhi police personnel and some other persons acted promptly to rescue nearly 50 members, mostly women, of a marriage party from a burning bus on the Haryana-Delhi border early on Wednesday, police said.

The bus was carrying around 45-50 persons returning from the wedding ceremony in Haryana's Faridabad to Delhi's Jaitpur area when it caught fire around 1.30 a.m. near the Surajkund border police picket.

"The front side of the bus caught fire and its automatic doors got locked," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal.

"A police team, led by Pul Prahladpur police station personnel, ground staff of Badarpur border and some people there reacted immediately and rescued all passengers from the bus by breaking its glass windows.

"The action was so prompt that the rescue work was done before the Police Control Room received the call. Two fire tenders later reached the spot and doused the fire but the bus was completely burnt," Biswal said.

All the passengers are residents of Saurabh Vihar in Jaitpur.

The driver, identified as Sonu, jumped off and fled, leaving the passengers crying for help, Sub-Inspector Ajay Pratap Singh told IANS.

"The bus came to a halt after hitting a divider and the alert police staff, including Sub-Inspector Hari Singh at the police post, rescued the passengers," Singh said.

"They also informed the control room and the Fire Department but it took 45 minutes for fire tenders to reach the spot," he added.

"Some passengers sustained minor burn injuries and were discharged after first aid treatment in a hospital, while Umesh, 28, and Gondi Devi, 90, who received major burns are undergoing treatment," he said.

According to the officer, it appears the leakage of CNG caused the fire but an investigation is on.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Despite taking measures such as procurement from local markets, boosting imports and discouraging export of onions, the Central government on Wednesday expressed its helplessness in controlling the rising prices of the essential commodity.

Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the onion yield this year was expected to be lower since the area under onion cultivation had come down to 1.90 lakh hectares in 2017-18 from 2.65 lakh hectares in 2016-17.

"We have taken several measures, like procurement by agencies from areas such as Nashik (Maharashtra) and Alwar (Rajasthan) where the cost is lower, as well as import of onions. But it (bringing down prices) is not in our hands," Paswan told reporters here.

While the Ministry's data showed average prices of onion and tomato in Delhi ranged between Rs 53 and Rs 63 per kg, these were being sold for up to Rs 80 in retail markets.

Once the supply from (late) kharif starts, prices may come down, he added.

Paswan held a meeting with officials from the Ministries of Agriculture and Food as well as the Delhi government on Wednesday on the rising prices of onions and tomatoes.

Prices are low at one corner of the country while they are high at the other, he said.

"We are trying to figure out how onion from areas where prices are lower can be transported to Delhi," he said.

On October 31, Paswan had blamed hoarding for a surge in the prices of onions and tomatoes in retail markets, and promised that the situation will improve once the fresh supply began.

Paswan added the onion output was 189 lakh tonnes in 2014-15, 209 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 and 217 lakh tonnes in 2016-17.

"However, the Agriculture Ministry has not yet provided information about the output this year. It is likely to come in January," he said.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation has been asked to procure onions from Nashik, Alwar where prices are lower, about Rs 28-32 per kg.

It has procured approximately 1,000 tonnes of onions so far, said Avinash Srivastava, Consumer Affairs Secretary.

The Ministry has also asked public sector body Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India to import 2,000 tonnes of onions. However, this can only be used after a month as imported onions come in cold storage and need to be brought to room temperature.

Paswan said an increase in the Minimum Export Price (MEP) had brought down onion exports.

"On November 23, 4,159 tonnes of onion was exported. However, the export reduced to just 137 tonnes on November 23, after the MEP was set at $835 per tonne," he said.
Mumbai, Nov 29 : Jet Airways on Wednesday entered into an agreement with Air France-KLM to enhance cooperation and combine their networks between Europe and India.

According to the airline, the "Enhanced Cooperation Agreement" will lead to an increase in capacity between between Paris, Amsterdam and India and offer a seamless travel experience between the networks of Jet Airways, Air France and KLM.

"This agreement will complement the Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines' transatlantic partnership between Europe and North America, offering access to over 200 destinations in North America, establishing a global cooperation connecting the three continents," the airline said in a statement.

"In addition to the airlines' enhanced cooperation agreement, Air France KLM Cargo and Jet Airways Cargo have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to strengthen their cooperation in the cargo sector."

The airline pointed out that for the 2017-18 winter season, Air France, KLM and Jet Airways operate 64 weekly flights between the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs and four destinations in India - Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

"From Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France and Jet Airways operate 33 weekly frequencies to Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai and Chennai. From Amsterdam-Schiphol, Jet Airways and KLM operate 31 weekly frequencies to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru," the statement said.

In 2016, the three airlines had entered into an extensive code-share agreement for connections between Europe and North America through Jet Airways' hubs at Mumbai and Delhi in India via Air France-KLM' hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.
Seoul, Nov 29 : North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday that can reach the "whole" American mainland, in a bold act of defiance against US President Donald Trump after he put the country back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism. The latest launch drew swift global condemnation with Pyongyang's ally Beijing expressing "grave concern".

The Hwasong-15 missile, described by the state television as the country's "most powerful", was launched around 3 a.m. local time. It landed in Japanese waters but flew higher than any other missile the North had previously tested.

North Korea claimed the entire US mainland was within reach after "successfully" testing the missile that it claimed can carry a "super-large heavy warhead" to unprecedented heights of almost 4,500 kilometres.

State news agency KCNA said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally signed off on the launch of the missile that reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometre and flew 950 kilometre in 53 minutes.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

Trump, together with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan and the UN Secretary General, condemned the launch. "We will take care of it," he told reporters at the White House, calling it a "situation we will handle".

He later tweeted that Democrats should join with Republicans to pass a spending measure to avert a government shutdown. "After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military!"

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson proposed, along with Canada, to convene a meeting of the UN Command, the contingent that controls the Joint Security Area separating the two Koreas.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the move had violated sanctions and shown "complete disregard for the united view of the international community". The UN Security Council was due to convene an emergency session later in the day.

China, a trade and fuel lifeline for North Korea, expressed "grave concern and reiterated it will continue to advocate denuclearization of the peninsula through talks rather than military options.

"China expresses its grave concern and opposition to the launch (...) and strongly urges the DPRK to observe the relevant resolutions of UN Security Council and stop actions that heightens the tensions on the Korean Peninsula," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon questioned the success of the missile launch, saying the projectile lost contact with the control centre mid-flight. Seoul later carried out live-fire drills, launching one of its own ballistic missiles.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch an "intolerable, violent act".

Russia termed it a "provocative act" that would escalate tension on the Korean peninsula, while the Italian Foreign Minister urged the international community for a joint response.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said North Korea's weapons programme was a violation of UN resolutions and undermined the non-proliferation regime and endangered regional and international security.
Ranchi, Nov 29 : Two Maoist guerrillas, including one carrying a Rs 10 lakh reward on his head, surrendered before police in Jharkhand's Palamau district on Wednesday, police said.

Anul Mia, alias Govind, a top commander of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist, had the reward on his head. The second other, Ajay Sahay belongs to the Tritiya Prastuti Committee.

The 52-year-old Anul Mia, who faces 21 criminal cases, and Sahay, 30, who has 24 cases registered against him, surrendered under the state's 'Nai Disha" policy under which Maoists are persuaded to surrender and assured help for rehabilitation.

The state police handed over cheque of reward money of Rs 10 lakh to Anul Mia.

Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of the state.
Ahmedabad, Nov 29 : A major controversy broke out on Wednesday over Rahul Gandhi's visit to Somnath temple with the BJP questioning his faith, while the Congress hit back accusing the BJP of playing dirty politics and maintained he was a "devout Hindu".

The controversy arose over Rahul Gandhi's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi signing the register meant for non-Hindus, which the Congress claimed was manipulated later by adding the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel.

Moments after his visit, the social media was abuzz with pictures of a register showing the signature of Manoj Tyagi, with names of Gandhi and Patel on the left side.

The BJP went to town with the story that Rahul Gandhi has declared himself to be a non-Hindu.

"The Congress has always tried to project Rahul Gandhi as a Hindu. But the fact is that he is not. Rahul has visited over 20 temples of multiple Hindu deities since October. The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not an Hindu," said Raju Dhruv, BJP spokesperson in Saurashtra region.

Manoj Tyagi issued a statement that he had just signed the register in order to take media personnel inside the temple and not entered Rahul Gandhi or Ahmed Patel's names. "These would have been added later," he said in the statement.

Somnath temple, located on the shores of the Arabian sea on the southern most part of Gujarat, is revered by Hindus and enshrines the first of 12 'jyotirlings' of Lord Shiva. Through a notice in June 2015 the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) - the institution managing the temple -- had made it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the Trust before entering the main temple.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel is incumbent chairman of the Trust, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National president Amit Shah and retired Chief Secretary of Gujarat, P.K. Laheri, are its trustees.

The Congress called a press conference at short notice. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap politics.

"There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated," said Surjewala, adding "Desperate times call for desperate measures" - referring to the BJP.

"When the visitor's book was given to him by the temple committee, Rahul Gandhi wrote a message on it with his name (Rahul Gandhi) and address (12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi). "A very inspiring place" was the message he wrote in the book," he added.

"The other register was tweeted by mediapersons. Rahul Gandhi has neither written (in the other register) nor was the register given to him."

The other register contained a signature by AICC media coordinator Manoj Tyagi, who was asked by some temple officials to sign so that the mediapersons accompanying Rahul Gandhi could enter the temple.

Surjewala said: "After Rahul left the temple, by misusing some of our media friends, another fabricated entry was made public. Has the BJP become so cowardly that they are scared of coming out and speaking up."

He alleged that the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel were entered surreptitiously on the left side of the register meant for non-Hindus by someone - suggesting manipulation. "This was a fabricated register. Those names were added later," he said.

Showing the pictures of Gandhi wearing sacred thread, Surjewala said that Rahul is a "Janayudhari" (devout) Hindu. "Whether it was during the time of his naming or at the time of his sister's wedding..or at the time of his father's cremation, he was seen with the sacred thread."

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah not to stoop so low for political gains that "130 crore Indians start hating you".

"Truth will not change because of your conspiratorial tactics," he added.

Another Congress spokesperson Deepender Hooda said: "BJP's intentions stand exposed today...Even Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has conceded that their party is in bad shape (for elections). Whenever they are in such a state, they lose their rudder."

The episode, Hooda said, "is a sign of intellectual bankruptcy of the BJP".

The Congress reaction came after BJP raked up the issue and questioned Rahul Gandhi's religion.

BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said in a tweet: "Rahul Gandhi is a non-Hindu and a 'Shiv Bhakht'? Very impressive. No wonder he said earlier people go to temples and tease women."

Quoting an article written in 1998 in New York Times, which said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics, Rao said: "This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism thereafter? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer."

"Rahulji, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG," he said in another tweet.
Cairo, Nov 29 : Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday gave the country's security forces three months to end militant attacks and restore calm in the Sinai Peninsula after last week's deadly attack in the region killed over 300 people.

During his speech at a ceremony celebrating Prophet Muhammad's birth, Al-Sisi ordered Army Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid Hegazi as well as the Ministry of Interior and the police forces to bring back peace to Sinai, Efe news reported.

"You, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Farid Hegazi, are responsible, within three months, to restore security and stability in Sinai," Al-Sisi said, addressing Hegazi.

"Military and police forces are determined to continue the war against terrorism until it is uprooted and we are confident that we will be, God willing, victorious," Al-Sisi added.

He ordered the Army to use all force necessary to secure Sinai, saying that "the lives of our martyrs will not be lost in vain".

Last week, militants launched an attack against the Al-Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abd -- located 40 kilometres west of the North Sinai capital of Al-Arish -- killing 305 people, including 27 children and injuring another 128 people.

No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Saudi Ambassador to India Saud Mohammed Al-Sati on Wednesday said that the Palestine issue should be resolved through the Arab Peace Initiative espoused by his country.

"The Arab countries have clearly expressed their interest in reaching a peaceful solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on international legitimacy, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative that was proposed by Saudi Arabia more than 15 years ago, and was subsequently adopted by the Arab Summit held in Beirut in 2002 as well as by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation," Al-Sati said in a speech at an event to mark International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) at the Sapru House here.

"This peace plan, as you know, received wide support from the international community," he stated.

The Arab Peace Initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia, calls for normalising relations between the Arab region and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194.

"We believe that the Arab Peace Initiative provides a solid basis for resolving the conflict, and that it has all the elements for a final settlement that can achieve lasting, comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East," Al-Sati said.

"As Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel Al-Jubeir said at UN General Assembly on September 23, 2017, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the most protracted in the region's history and had led to a great deal of human suffering. Nothing could justify the continuation of this conflict, particularly when there was wide-spread agreement over the two-state solution. International determination was needed to make that solution a reality."

The Ambassador called upon Israel to "stop its continuous defiance of the will of the international community by building the apartheid wall and illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in a clear violation of all relevant UN resolutions".

"The Israeli authorities must also halt their attempts to Judaize Al-Quds city (the Arabic name for Jerusalem), obliterate its Arab identity, and change its demographic character and the historical status of Al-Aqsa mosque."

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reiterated India's support for the Palestinian cause.

In 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of November 29 as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday challenged the state governments led by BJP and Congress to compete with his state's education "revolution".

He also challenged the BJP-ruled MCDs for a comparison with the schools of the Delhi government.

"Compete with the work done in education sector by our government. Let's start today and then compare after a year or two. This competition will ultimately benefit the students of the country providing them with good schools," Sisodia, who also holds the Education portfolio, told media here.

His remarks come in the wake of criticism that his government received from the opposition on its performance in the field of education among others.

State BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on November 24 said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to deliver on his poll promises that he would improve education, while Congress' Delhi unit President Ajay Maken also slammed the Delhi government, saying the number of students and its results have gone drastically down in last three years.

Sisodia hit back on Wednesday claiming that government schools are being shut down and private schools are increasing in states led by BJP and Congress.

"I appreciate that the important matter of education is being discussed by the politicians who keep discussing issues of 'shamshan' and 'kabristaan'," he said.

He further said that both BJP and Congress "did nothing in the education sector" and rather played in the hands of the private school lobby.

Referring to the data of the Education Department, he said that the transition loss from Class 10 to Class 12 came down in the two years of AAP's rule in Delhi.

"While the transition loss in 2013-14 was 6,2,158, it has come down 2016-17 to 1,8,405."

He also pointed towards the increase in expenditure on school infrastructure, which, he said, has gone up to Rs 1,229 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 210 crore in 2012-13.

"We changed the way education sector worked in Delhi. The schools which were dilapidated and were not maintained, get whitewashed every year now, and drinking water and sanitation has been taken care of.

"Four-five years back when we started talking on wide-spread corruption, the political discourse shifted from caste, religion to issues like corruption. I am sure education will become a topic in national politics in the coming years," he added.
Washington, Nov 29 : Matt Lauer, one of the most famous TV news anchors in the US, was on Wednesday fired by NBC over an allegation of sexual misconduct.

"On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behaviour in the workplace by Matt Lauer," NBC News president Andrew Lack said in a memo to staff.

He said the allegation against 59-year-old Lauer "represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment", the New York Times reported.

Lauer's co-host, Savannah Guthrie, made the announcement on the "Today" show. "We are devastated," she said. The "Today" show is one of the most popular and most profitable franchises on American television. Lauer was the cornerstone of the programme for two decades.

Guthrie described Lauer as "a dear, dear friend" and said she was "heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story."

Calling Lauer's dismissal part of a national reckoning, Guthrie continued, "How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?"

Lauer's dismissal was seized upon by President Donald Trump, who went on to ask in a tweet when executives at NBC and Comcast, the network's parent company, would "be fired for putting out so much fake news".

Lauer is the latest high-profile man in the media to be brought down by allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Just last week, CBS News fired one of its own morning anchors, Charlie Rose, after a report in The Washington Post chronicled years of alleged sexual misconduct on his part.

The torrent began when The New York Times and The New Yorker reported on allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Since then, actors Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. have been suspended or removed from projects after allegations against them became public.

And other prominent journalists, including Mark Halperin of NBC and Michael Oreskes of NPR, have been fired or suspended from their jobs.

Lauer was named a co-anchor of "Today" in January 1997 after three years as newsreader. He co-anchored NBC's coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and other historic news events.
Kolkata, Nov 29 : Union Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla on Wednesday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) should smoothen out by March 2018 as the government has been addressing the concerns and it would become so simple that people would not have any issues.

"By March, it will be so simple that even children will able to understand... even in a country like Singapore, it took four years for GST to get stabilised. I am proud that our government has responded to the issues so quickly," he said while addressing the 116th annual session of the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Post the Guwahati meet of the GST council, tax rates on many products were reduced to 18 per cent from 28 per cent, which was appreciated by businesses, the minister said.

About the increasing non-performing assets (NPA) problem, he said, the Central government has done its bit in terms of recapitalisation support to banks to ensure their better financial health, but the banks should not make it a "tradition" to depend on the government.

"If we did not do that (provide recapitalisation support) the banks could not have been saved. But banks should not make it a tradition," he said.

Banks, particularly the nationalised ones "should stand on their own", he said.

Elaborating, he said many public sector banks appear to be sinking just because they went ahead and lent huge amounts of money to entities without proper due diligence.

The Central government has already announced Rs 2.11 trillion recapitalisation support to state-run banks to help them to meet capital requirements.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : India and Italy on Wednesday inked an MoU to enhance cooperation in the health sector, including establishing a comprehensive inter-ministerial and inter-institutional cooperation in the field, an official statement said.

The MoU was signed by Health Minister J. P. Nadda and his visiting Italian counterpart Beatrice Lorenzin.

A Health Ministry statement said that the main areas of cooperation will be exchange & training of medical doctors, officials, other health professionals and by assistance in development of human resources and setting up of health care facilities.

"The other areas also include short term training of human resources in health, regulation of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics and exchange of information thereon and promotion of business development opportunities in pharmaceuticals," it said.
Jammu, Nov 29 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the "manhandling" of prisoners hailing from the state in the Tihar Central Jail in Delhi was shameful and unacceptable.

"The recent incident of manhandling of prisoners at the Tihar jail is unacceptable. By such an act, (jail) personnel involved have not only brought disrespect to their state but to their fraternity as well," she said at the passing out parade at a training centre in Kathua district.

The Chief Minister said in a civilised democracy, even convicts have been guaranteed legal protection which ought to be extended to the undertrials.

At least 18 inmates of jail number one were allegedly beaten up by the jail staff on November 21 night.

Lauding the Jammu and Kasmir Police for patience and discipline in dealing with law and order situations, Mufti said good behaviour with the general public and strict discipline are key to excellent policing.

"There are many challenges on the ground while dealing with situations, but the job done with discipline, dedication, and good behaviour with people fetches the desired results with huge public cooperation."

"Protection of life and property of civilians and performing duty with balance are the fundamental duties of an efficient police force. The state police has no parallel in its professional commitment and discipline," she said.

Mufti also said that the root cause of militancy needs to be identified and fixed.

She said she had ordered a review of cases registered against the youth during last year's unrest.

"You need to do parenting of these youth who are barely 12-14 years of age. They need to be counselled, educated, and guided for which you people have to act as their philosophers and guides," she told the police force.

Listing drugs as another challenge, Mufti asked the police to pursue peddlers with full force and free innocent youths from the clutches of drug addiction.

The Chief Minister expressed dismay over rising crime against women and hoped the women's police stations set up by her government would be able to provide justice to the victims.
Washington, Nov 29 : US President Donald Trump on Wednesday retweeted three inflammatory videos from a British far-right group rife with anti-Muslim content.

The videos posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, a far-right and ultra-nationalist political group, depict purported Muslims assaulting people.

One purported to show a group of Muslims pushing a boy off a roof. Another claimed to show a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary and another claimed to show immigrants hitting a Dutch boy on crutches.

The videos were tweeted by Fransen on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning before being picked up by Trump.

Fransen reacted jubilantly online, touting that the videos had been shared with Trump's nearly 44 million followers. "GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP!" she wrote in all caps.

She was found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment in November 2016 after abusing a Muslim woman wearing a hijab while she was with her four children. Fransen was fined by the court and ordered to pay costs.

In a separate development, Fransen was also charged over using "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour" during a speech she made in Belfast in Northern Ireland. She is set to appear at the Belfast Magistrates Court on December 14.

The retweets were immediately met with outrage in Britain. The Muslim Council of Britain slammed Trump, saying the retweets were "the clearest endorsement yet from the US President of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda", CNN reported.

"We cannot give such bigotry a free pass. We hope our Prime Minister and Home Secretary will distance the UK from Trump and his comments and will reiterate the government's abhorrence to all forms of extremism," the group said in a statement.

Brendan Cox, whose wife, British MP Jo Cox, was murdered by a right-wing extremist who shouted "Britain First" before committing the act, condemned the action.

TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan, who has called himself a "friend" of the president, tweeted: "What the hell are you doing?"

"Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets," he said.

The issue was raised in the UK Parliament and opposition Labour MP Yvette Cooper called on the government to condemn the actions of Trump.
Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), Nov 29 : A Special Court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to three men convicted in the rape and brutal murder of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district in 2016.

Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28, were given the death penalty for rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.

Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole had on November 18 found them guilty. On Wednesday, she pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom.

The judge has allowed the convicts to appeal before the Bombay High Court against the death sentence, demanded forcefully by the prosecution last week.

"We shall challenge not only the verdict but the entire proceedings before the High Court, the lapses and other issues on which we have already given our written submission to the Sessions Court," the lawyers for Bhawal, Balasaheb Khopade and Vijayalaxmi Khopade, told IANS.

The crime took place on July 13, 2016 when the 15-year-old was abducted, raped, mutilated and killed, sparking off a casteist and political furore in Maharashtra.

That evening, the Class 9 student had gone out to fetch some spices from her grandmother's home in the same village.

"Justice has finally been done. My daughter will never return. This is the real tribute to my daughter. We are grateful to (Ujjwal) Nikam Saheb," the victim's mother said before breaking down inconsolably outside the courtroom.

Nikam said: "The prime accused Shinde has been convicted and fined for committing the offences of molestation, rape and brutal murder while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, provoked him (Shinde), encouraged, conspired and abetted in the crimes."

Special Judge Keole slapped Shinde with three years jail for outraging the modesty of the victim, a life sentence for conspiracy and rape, and death for the murder. Bhawal and Bhailume were awarded three years for conspiracy in outraging of modesty, life sentence for conspiracy of rape and death sentence for conspiracy to murder.

The three were also fined Rs 20,000 each or three months additional jail for failure to pay up, while Bhawal has been slapped another fine of Rs 18,000 for attempting to delay court proceedings for which his mobile and motorbike would be auctioned and the proceeds deposited in the court, the judge ruled. All jail sentences would run concurrently.

The verdict was hailed across the Maharashtra political spectrum.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the trial was conducted in a record time and it would serve as a warning to all rapists.

Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress) said: "Justice at last."

State Congress President Ashok Chavan said the trial could be conducted so fast because of the changes in the law effected by the UPA government after the heinous 'Nirbhaya' gang rape case of 2012.

Leader of Opposition in Council (NCP) Dhananjay Munde urged that now it will be "the responsibility of the state government" to ensure that the verdict is upheld in the High Court and the convicts are hanged as soon as possible".

AIMIM legislator Imtiaz Jaleel demanded that the convicts should be hanged in public with live telecast -- as in some Arab countries.

A large number of people staged a noisy protest outside the court demanding that the death sentence verdict be implemented as soon as possible to serve as a warning to potential offenders.

Several political leaders demanded that the verdict should be taken up for confirmation hearing by the Bombay High Court on priority and the sentence of the lower court should be upheld.

The trial in the case - with the victim dubbed as Maharashtra's 'Nirbhaya' - started before the fast-track Special Court on December 20, 2016.

In 11 months, the prosecution examined 31 witnesses while defence lawyer Vijayalaxmi Khopade examined one witness.

The prosecution said the prime accused, Shinde, allegedly raped and murdered the victim while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, "conspired and instigated" with Shinde in committing the crime.

Though the police had previously hyped it as a "gang rape", Nikam later submitted 24 pieces of evidence to deduce that Shinde had raped and smothered the girl to death.

On the "conspiracy" of the co-accused, Nikam argued that Bhawal and Bhailume were present when Shinde had teased the girl two days prior to the incident. Shinde had given a missed call to Bhailume when he and Bhawal were in the vicinity of the crime.

"The entire case was based on 'circumstantial evidence' which we have proved to the court. Though the accused may lie, circumstantial evidences can't lie. Besides, other forensic evidences also helped clinch the case," Nikam said.

The prosecution lawyers - Yohan Makasare, Khopades and Prakash Aher - argued that their clients were framed - and plan to challenge the verdict.
Chennai, Nov 29 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday asked the nurses, whose strike entered its third day, to resume work.

In its interim order on a Public Interest Litigation, the court directed them to resume duty on Thursday.

Nurses from different parts of Tamil Nadu have been on strike demanding better wages than the Rs 7,500 per month they get paid now and absorption as permanent staff in government hospitals.

Thousands of nurses, in their white uniform, assembled on the grounds inside the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services complex here, protesting they are employed as contract workers and paid a consolidated sum irrespective of the hours of work they put in.

Earlier in the day, police did not allow the media to enter the complex to speak to the striking nurses, but relented after several hours of protest by the media.

The authorities also tried to thwart the strike by locking up the toilets in the complex but the nurses continued with their protest.

"The nurses are forced to adopt this form of protests thanks to the long-neglected demands of theirs regarding wages, job regularisation and other demands," DMK Working President M.K.Stalin said in a statement.

"Among the occupations within medical domain, nursing is the one which demands highest degree of patience."

Stalin said the state government is so callous forcing the nurses to agitate.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday said he will "encourage" Indian naval ships to visit Changi Naval Base in Singapore, close to the South China Sea, more often, as the two countries vowed to strengthen defence ties and signed an agreement on naval cooperation.

The Changi Naval base is located along the Singapore Strait, which through the Karimata Strait leads to the South China Sea, an area witnessing escalating tension with China claiming almost 80 per cent of the waters as its territory.

Speaking at a joint press conference after holding the second Singapore-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue here, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singapore counterpart stressed on ensuring freedom of navigation, and maintaining international rule of law.

In response to a question on whether Singapore would allow operational turnaround to Indian naval ships at their naval base, Ng said: "I would respond categorically -- I would not just be comfortable, I would encourage the Indian Navy to visit Changi Naval Base more often."

Ng said a bilateral naval agreement signed by the two countries on Wednesday has provision for logistics support.

"The bilateral naval agreement has provision for mutual logistics support. We will exercise and patrol in your waters as you do in ours. We will try to economise and support each other," he said.

The Singapore minister called for more activities in the Andaman Sea and the Strait of Malacca which is one of the most important trade routes and the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

"I think I speak on behalf of both countries...we want to see more participation and activity in both Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea," he said.

Almost half of the world's total annual seaborne trade by volume passes through the Malacca Strait, and earlier this year India deployed a naval ship west to the strait. Around 80 per cent of China's oil imports and 11 per cent of natural gas imports transit through the Strait of Malacca, while almost 40 per cent of India-bound ships also pass through this strait.

A joint statement issued by the two countries said the India-Singapore Bilateral Naval Agreement would lead to increased cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises and temporary deployments.

Sitharaman, in the bilateral meeting, called for institutionalising naval engagements in the shared maritime space, including setting up maritime exercises with like-minded countries and other Asean partners.

Welcoming the proposal, Ng said an institutionalised mechanism would lead to "more bilateral and multilateral maritime exchanges, especially in India's waters as well as Strait of Malacca, Indian Ocean and Andaman sea".

The two sides reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international laws. This comes in the backdrop of China's increased aggression in the South China Sea and the increased presence of Chinese naval ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean.

The two countries also discussed cooperation on terrorism, including information sharing.

"India and Singapore remain strongly committed to tackling trans-national security threats, in particular the menace posed by international terrorism," Sitharaman said.

Ng added that both countries shared concern over the developments in Iraq and Syria, adding that the "theatre of operation" for the terrorists could shift to "our parts of the world".
Kolkata, Nov 29 : Bhutan Airline is set to expand its operation in India with introducing more flights from the city and seasonal scheduled flights to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in 2018, its CEO Phala Dorji said on Wednesday.

"We will be introducing two Paro-Kolkata-Paro (point to point) flights from March 15 to May 15 and September 15 to November 30. During the same period, we will operate two direct flights per week from Paro to Bangkok and operate five flights per week from Paro to Bangkok via Kolkata.

"We will also be operating seasonal schedule flights to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad in 2018 during the said periods," Dorji told reporters here.

Bhutan's first private airline operates with two A319 aircrafts with a seating capacity of 122 passengers each.

It has daily flights from Bangkok to Paro via Kolkata and five flights a week to Delhi via Kathmandu.

"In September this year, we signed a four year aircraft lease with AerCap, a global leader in aircraft leasing and aviation finance for two Airbus 319. These two Airbus 319 - both sister ships and 2010 vintage, are expected to replace our existing fleet by June and July 2018," he said.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : The BSF on Wednesday said the policies of the Pakistan government were behind the continuous infiltration attempts in Jammu and Kashmir and the force has identified the routes of the terrorists whom it was ready to tackle.

BSF Director General told the media that the Pakistani Rangers were ready to maintain peace on the borders but were helpless because of their government's policies.

Sharma's remarks came in the wake of a DG-level dialogue held between the two border guards in the second week of November in Delhi after over a year's gap.

"We have identified the infiltration routes and are ready to tackle future attempts of Pakistan-backed militants. The conferences between the two forces were held in a very peaceful manner. Both sides are eager to make things better, but unfortunately, the situation in Pakistan is such that not much headway is made on the ground. The policies of Pakistan are such that there is no impact of such talks between the two forces," he said.

Sharma added that "the bi-annual dialogue also happened after we caused heavy damage on man and material of Pakistan in retaliation to the killing of one of our troopers due to ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers in August. As a result, Pakistan Rangers DG called us and we both decided to stop this. Peace returned after our effective action.

He said they talked to the Pakistan Rangers in a cordial atmosphere. "But, we know that infiltration attempts will be made. We know the possible routes from where infiltration can take place. We know the vulnerable routes from where tunnelling can take place and we have made necessary arrangements to handle any contingency and eventuality," Sharma said.

"They talked to us and made promises also, but those promises are not kept," he said, adding Jammu and Kashmir has seen around 1,020 incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani forces followed by numerous armed infiltration attempts.

Asked about the India-Pakistan border fencing, Sharma said: "We are running a Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) pilot project in Jammu and Kashmir. We have started the CIBMS project at two stretches of five kilometres each at Jammu border. Things will be installed after integrating it in lab."

"We expect that the pilot project in Jammu will be in place by March 2018. Border fencing projects at other places will also be set up on that basis. Another project is also going on in Dhumri in eastern sector which will be hopefully completed by October 2018."

On the decline in cattle smuggling on the India-Bangladesh border, Sharma said: "I have strengthened our strategy to handle this problem which resulted in the decline in cattle smuggling."

"Bangladeshis call it cattle trade and we call it cattle smuggling. It's a complex issue. We have been making serious attempts to contain it. As a result, it has come down gradually in the last two years. Earlier, the number of smuggling incidents used to be over 20 lakh but now the number is around 5-6 lakh."

The DG said that two BSF personnel had died and over 150 were injured this year in various clashes while dealing with the cattle smugglers.

On the recent incidents of attacks on BSF troopers going on leave, Sharma said: "We have issued an advisory to our people not to share information about their holidays and visits on the social media. We have told them to be more careful while travelling and attending to their social obligations quietly. Besides this, we are taking the help of CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police which are on internal security duty."

"If possible, our troopers will stay in a CRPF or police establishment to attend to his social obligation and return."

The DG also said that the paramilitary force was not going to stop its personnel from using smartphones but cautioned them on its misuse.
Washington, Nov 29 : A 21-year-old Indian man was shot dead in front of his house during a robbery in the US state of Mississippi.

The incident happened days after a 20-year-old Indian student was killed by two armed robbers at a grocery store in California.

In the latest attack, Sandeep Singh was shot in the stomach during the robbery reported around 11 p.m. on Sunday in Jackson city, Mississippi, police said.

He died at the University of Mississippi Medical Centre on Monday, reported WAPT, an ABC-affiliated television station.

Singh and two other men were standing outside their house when a man in a mask and a hoodie walked up to them. The robber took money and cellphones from the men.

As the robber ran away, he fired shots and one of the bullets hit Singh, knocking him unconscious, police said. Singh's death is the city's 58th homicide for the year.

He hailed from Jalandhar and got a job in the US after he migrated to the country four years ago on a tourist visa.

The gunman could be one of a group of armed men believed to be responsible for recent armed robberies of businesses and individuals throughout the northwest Jackson area, the police said.

The shooter was described as wearing a gray hooded shirt and was armed with a 9 mm pistol, police said.

"In an attempt to conceal their identities, they have their faces covered with bandannas and/or masks. The suspects have also been observed wearing hooded sweatshirts and gloves," Commander Tyree Jones said in a news release.

All of the men are African-American, said Jones.

This is the second such incident of the killing of an Indian youth in the US in the past two weeks. On November 13, Indian student Dharampreet Singh was shot dead allegedly by two armed robbers, including one of Indian-origin, in California.
Bengaluru, Nov 29 : Finnish telecom major Nokia on Wednesday said it would develop 5G mobile network technology in India at its expanded Research and Development (R&D) centre here.

"We are increasing staffing at our R&D centre here in 2018 to focus on next-generation technologies spanning 5G mobile network architecture, Voice over LTE (Long-Term Evolution or a a standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile devices and data terminals), cloud and big data analytics," Nokia R&D centre head Rupa Santosh told reporters here.

As the next telecommunication standard, the fifth generation or 5G mobile networks, which are being developed by global telcos, are expected to be rolled out by 2020. Set to replace the current 4G, they will enable voice, data and video traffic at higher speeds through faster bandwidth.

"We are already doing collaborate research in 5G mobile network architecture with 14 industrial and academic partners in the European Union," said Santosh.

The company, however, did not disclose how many it will hire in 2018 to ramp up its headcount from 6,000 engineers working in India, which has one of its four global R&D centres, with two in Europe and one in China.

"We have also set up a dedicated 5G/IoT lab here to work on applications for smart cities and public safety, real-time city surveillance and smart parking," said Santosh.

The company is working with telecom service providers such as Bharti Airtel and the state-run BSNL to help them transform their networks for 5G in the near future.

Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge unveiled the new R&D facility on its innovation day, an annual event, where Nokia showcases its latest technologies and products to its partners, including customers, government, universities and start-ups.

"The Bengaluru research centre will also allow Indian and global service providers to leverage our technology and develop capabilities for next-technologies," added Santosh.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : The NIA on Wednesday said it had arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Naeem Sheikh from Uttar Pradesh, who was sent in 10-day NIA custody by a Delhi court later in the day.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) claimed it had arrested Sheikh alias Nomi, 37, on Tuesday morning from Charbagh bus stand in Lucknow in a joint operation with the state police's Anti-Terrorist Squad.

Top government sources, however, confirmed that Sheikh was arrested two weeks ago in a joint operation by various security agencies in tandem with the Uttar Pradesh police from Varanasi after he was tailed by Intelligence Bureau officials for a few months.

Officials said that Sheikh -- whom the NIA presented in a Patiala House court on Wednesday -- was wanted by security agencies in various cases, including the serial blasts in Mumbai trains in 2006.

Seven blasts had ripped through Mumbai's suburban railway network at peak hours on July 11, 2006, leaving 180 dead and scores of others injured.

Sheikh is also an accused in the Aurangabad arms haul case and was arrested by the West Bengal police in 2007 while entering India from Bangladesh along with two Pakistanis and one Kashmiri.

The anti-terror agency said it had filed an FIR in connection with the case on Tuesday before conducting raids, in which it claimed to have seized some incriminating documents, including mobile phone and bank account details.

An NIA statement said that Sheikh, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, had been brought to Delhi for further questioning.

A number of videos and photographs of vital installations of Army camps and power projects in Jammu and Kashmir have allegedly been seized from Sheikh's possession, which proved that he did reconnaissance of these places, the official said.

Other officials, in the know of the case, claimed that Sheikh had also recced Kasol in Himachal Pradesh as well as some nearby areas which are frequently visited by Israeli nationals and other foreign tourists.

The security agencies have dubbed Sheikh as 'David Coleman Headley' as he had been following in his footprints and did reconnaissance of the same areas.

Pakistani-American Headley is serving a prison sentence of 35 years in the US for his involvement in terror activities and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of 2008.

"Sheikh was arrested after the Mumbai train blasts and was under trial. In August 2014, he escaped while being taken from Dum Dum Central jail (Kolkata) to Mumbai to appear in court. He fled while the train was passing through forested area in Chhattisgarh," an official said.

Thereafter, Sheikh established a new sleeper cell under instructions from his LeT handler Amjad, the official said.

"Sheikh then did a number of reconnaissance operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. He targeted high-profile tourist sites, including the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh."
Hyderabad, Nov 29 : Newly-crowned Miss World Manushi Chhillar believes that change, and not success, is everything.

"I think change is everything, something common in all entrepreneurs.

"We not only love what we do but we want change that is why we do it," she said at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) here on Wednesday.

She feels that everyone can make a difference to the world. "We don't have to be Miss World to do that. Even if you give a smile, it will bring change."

Manushi was in a chat with Ronnie Screwvala, Founder, UpGrad, on the second day of the summit at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).

She said as Miss World and a future doctor her purpose is the same as she wants to do something good for the society. "If I hadn't won, I'd still be doing what I do."

She plans to give back to the society both as a doctor and as an ambassador of India in different parts of the world.

On communication, she said coming from a doctor's family it came naturally to her. She believed communication is key to the profession as a doctor has to communicate with his or her patients.

"It's also become easy to communicate when you say what you believe," the girl from Haryana added.

"Believe strongly in yourself and have purpose. Others will also believe you," was her advice to women entrepreneurs who feel like giving up in the face of odds.

Health and hygiene are the causes she wants to support as Miss World. She said she has been working for menstrual hygiene across India.

Stressing on the need for equal opportunities for women in society, she said they should get this because they are equally capable.

"I shouldn't be treated differently because I am a woman, then only it will be an equal world," she added.

Manushi received a warm welcome at the HICC. Several delegates were seen vying to click pictures with her.

Earlier, she received a grand welcome at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. She was accompanied by Julia Evelyn Morley, the Chairwoman of the Miss World Organisation, which runs the annual Miss World and bi-annual Mister World competitions.

On her arrival, senior GMR officials greeted her with a bouquet and escorted her to the GMR lounge, where she interacted with officials and airport staff.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Stubble burning in Punjab this year was less than last year, according to an official of the state agriculture department, declining by a third.

"Enforcement was good," Manmohan Kalia, Joint Director in Punjab's agriculture department said about the ban on stubble burning. About 5.3 million tonnes of straw was processed and not burnt, he said, adding that this was about a million tonnes more than last year. Punjab produces 18.7 million tonnes of paddy straw annually.

What the official termed as good was not good enough, as the pollution load in Delhi reached alarming levels on some days in November, owing to a combination of vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants, construction dust and soot and smoke from Punjab's burning fields.

To tackle the problem more effectively, an agriculture machinery company has launched a combine harvester that cuts paddy three inches from the ground, and once the grain is separated, spreads the straw across the field after chopping it. Conventional combines leave 12-16 inch tall stubble.

CNH Industrial (India), formerly known as New Holland Fiat (India), launched its harvester in October and the Punjab government has now endorsed the machine.

Once the harvester spreads the straw, a seeder makes slits in the ground through the straw cover, to sow wheat, adding fertilizer. The New Holland harvesters cost Rs 23 lakh each, about Rs 5 lakh more than those being used in the state, but may effectively control the stubble burning problem.

According to Gabriele Lucano, country head and Managing Director of the Italian multinational's Indian firm, Italy too faced the problem of stubble burning about 30 years ago, but succeeded in eradicating it through adoption of mechanical means.

Punjab has 12,000 combine harvesters of which 7,600 are of low horsepower (100 hp or less). Fitting all of them would require Rs 168 crore, though the cost would decline with volumes, according to Kalia. Not all of the existing harvesters can be retro-fitted as quite a few of them are old and under-powered. The cost of seeders is about Rs 1.3 lakh each.

Punjab's agriculture department has estimated that Rs 1,100 cr would be needed as investment to shift paddy farmers to no-burn practices, if equipment is hired out.

CNH does not make make seeders but offers them through tie-ups with other equipment makers. At a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, it made a strong pitch for the harvesting of paddy straw for production of power, gas, paper and particle board. This practice would require three machines -- a slasher to close cut tall stubble, a rake to gather the straw and a baler to pack them into tight square or round bales.

Punjab would need about 10,000 sets of machines if straw were used as an industrial raw material.

Company officials said the use of straw for power production was viable if biomass using plants were located within a radius of 20 km. Kalia said Rs 5,500 a tonne of straw which the National Thermal Power Corporation was offering was a losing proposition for farmers if it was the factory-gate price.

CNH offers a third option: that of shredding the straw and mixing it in the soil. Apart from the harvester, this would require four other pieces of equipment and five operations. Such a practice was appropriate for fields where potatoes were grown after paddy.

But it endorsed sowing wheat without ploughing as the most sustainable practice, since the straw cover would conserve soil moisture, suppress weeds, prevent lodging of wheat plants, enrich the soil with organic matter, which in turn would help beneficial worms and bugs thrive, and of course, save labour and hiring costs.

Though the Borlaug Institute for South Asia has been demonstrating conservation agriculture at its 500-acre station in Ludhiana for the past five years, its scientists have been unable to be heard widely.

The Punjab government and CNH had adopted Kallar Majri village in Patiala district this winter to demonstrate all the three ways of managing paddy stubble and straw without burning. These may get traction as more machinery makers show interest.

(Vivian Fernandes is editor of www.smartindianagriculture.in. He can be reached at vivianfernandesonly@gmail.com)
Kolkata, Nov 29 : Satyajit Ray's popular fictional creation Professor Shonku, an incredible Bengali scientist and inventor, is set to be brought alive on celluloid by Ray's son and noted Bengali film director Sandip Ray towards the end of next year.

The story chosen for the film titled "Professor Shonku O El Dorado" is based on one of the enthralling stories of Ray's Professor Shonku series called "Nakur Babu O El Dorado" and would be partly shot in Brazil starting early in 2018.

Noted Bengali actor Dhritiman Chatterjee, who acted in a number of films by Satyajit Ray, would portray the title role in the film, to be produced by SVF, one of eastern India's most prominent production house.

On making a film on Professor Shonku stories, an immensely popular science fiction among the Bengali bibliophiles, Sandip Ray said the project would be exciting and challenging.

"I had plans to make a film on Shonku for a very long time but earlier we did not have enough technical expertise required for the special effects that the film would need. Now we have that advantage. So I feel this is the perfect time to make a Professor Shonku film," he said.

"I know it would be an extremely challenging project given the amount of diverse and fictional elements in the story. The biggest challenge is to ensure the film stands up to the expectations of the people who love Shonku," he said.

Ray, who has also made a number of films on his father's famous detective character Feluda, said the story chosen for this film, has a terrific plot and is also one of his personal favourites.

"This would be a multilingual film. If this venture is successful, I would love to make the next film out of 'Ek Shringo Abhijan', where Shonku goes to Tibet, to find out about a Unicorn," he added.

Stating that making a film on Shonku was in discussion for a long time, Chatterjee said he is happy that finally various factors have come together to make the film happen.

"The offer did not come to me as a complete surprise as we have been discussing the possibility of the film for a long time. However, nobody was sure it would happen because of the scale and the finances involved. It is wonderful that the film is finally happening," he said.

He said the director has also changed the narrative format of the story that is written in the form of a diary, to make the protagonist a more active participant in the chain of events.

Professor Shonku is a fictional scientist and inventor created by Satyajit Ray in a series of science fiction stories since 1965. The character was inspired by Sherlock Holmes creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger.

The story to be filmed is about an adventure of the scientist and Nokurbabu, who has ability to make others see what he is thinking, to the South American jungles in search of the mythical city of El Dorado.
Bengaluru, Nov 29 : A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his grandparents and stealing money and gold from their home in the city, police said on Wednesday.

"Praveen (21), along with his two friends Hassan Pasha and Pramod, killed his grandparents on Sunday at about 3 p.m, at their home in Ashwath Nagar (a suburb in the eastern part of the city)," Police Inspector Mehbub G. told IANS here.

The deceased, Govindan (65) and Saroja (60), were the maternal grandparents of Praveen.

The bodies were found by the police on Tuesday night after the neighbours called the police as a foul smell emanated from the house, the police officer said.

"The accused have confessed to committing the crime after they were arrested on Wednesday and interrogated by the police," he said.

About Rs 50,000 cash, along with 220 grams of gold, was stolen by the accused from the house, he added.

"The motive of the crime appears to be monetary gain," said Mehbub.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the city government's proposal to use Rs 400 crore out of the Rs 700 crore Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) fund to purchase 500 electric buses.

"Why do you (Delhi government) want to use the just discovered ECC funds for buses? Buses are a part of essential functioning of government. Plan to purchase buses has been pending for a long time," asked a division bench of Justice S. Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva.

"Why divert environment funds for bus purchase?" the bench asked, after the Delhi government told it that government has planned to purchase 500 electronic buses from the enviornment fund as a measure to curb air pollution in the national capital.

The government also told the court that a part of environment fund would also be used for creating charging infrastructure and for procuring 1,000 CNG propelled standard low floor buses by DTC, and another 1,000 such buses would be procured and engaged under cluster scheme.

The court also asked the government to inform it on December 14 the five important steps which the high-level committee, formed by the government, will take to control pollution along with a timeline and how it proposes to implement it.

Earlier, the court had asked the city government, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to apprise it of how it intends to spend money collected as green cess and other similar funds to mitigate air pollution in Delhi.

The court was earlier informed that over Rs 700 crore had been collected as green cess for bringing to Delhi cars of 2000cc or larger engine capacity.

The court was hearing a suo motu case it initiated in 2015 to control air pollution in the national capital.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Farm machinery maker New Holland Agriculture has introduced straw management techniques -- a combine harvester that can be used with other implements -- which will not just eliminate need of crop-burning but preserve nutrients in soil for future plant growth.

Its machinery such as tractors, combine harvesters with chopper, rakes, balers, happy seeders, shredo mulchers and MB ploughs can be effectively used in the fields, enabling farmers to manage the crop residue instead of burning it, the Italy-based company said on Wednesday.

"The techniques enable paddy straw and other crop residues to be collected for use as biomass fuels and alternate uses," it said in a release.

In just one paddy season, each New Holland baler can help produce electricity for around 900 rural homes for one year, it added.

The project was initiated by Punjab's Agriculture Department in Kallar Majri village in Patiala district to encourage the use of these technologies, it said.

Bimal Kumar, Sales and Marketing Director of New Holland Agriculture, said in Punjab and Haryana alone approximately 35 million tonnes of paddy straw and stubble was burned every year.

"Since starting this project, 1,000 tonnes of crop stubble from 400 acres of farm land in Kallar Majri village has been baled and the practice of burning crop-residue and stubble has been fully eliminated," the release quoted him as saying.
Hyderabad, Nov 29 : Ivanka Trump, daughter and advisor of US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday returned after two-day visit to attend Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) here.

US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, India's Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna and other officials saw her off at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on the city outskirts.

Earlier, she reached the airport in a long motorcade from Trident Hotel in Hitec City amid tight security.

Ivanka, who led the US delegation at GES, had arrived in the city in the early hours of Tuesday. The same evening she attended the inaugural session of the three-day event inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The White House advisor also attended a dinner hosted by Modi for her and other GES delegates at Taj Falaknuma, the palace hotel.

She addressed another session at GES on Wednesday and later met some prominent women entrepreneurs.

Ivanka later visited Golconda Fort along with Juster and Sarna.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is likely to file his nomination for the election to the Congerss president's post on December 4, said party sources.

The last date for filing nominations has been set as December 4, and scrutiny will be done on December 5.

The last date for withdrawing nominations is December 11 and the date of poll, "if necessary", would be December 16. Counting of votes will be done on December 19.

According to a party source, he is expected to file the nomination on December 4, the last date for filing nominations.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior leader A. K. Antony may propose his candidature.
Kolkata, Nov 29 : The special Task Force of Kolkata police have arrested another member of Bangladesh-based Islamist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a front of terror outfit Al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent, from the India-Nepal border, police said on Wednesday.

"We have arrested Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan from a hideout in India-Nepal border. It is found that he was planning to to sneak into Nepal to escape our jurisdiction," said a senior officer of STF.

The officer said that the accused had close association with ABT and stayed in a Kolkata hotel for a few days.

The Kolkata police have so far arrested five people with links to the Bangladeshi terror outfit including Aftab this month and seized a quantity of arms and ammunition from them.

The STF arrested the two members of ABT and a local arms dealer on November 21 from a city railway station followed by a Bangladeshi tout last week.
New Delhi, Nov 29 : Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating protocol, the Congress on Wednesday raised objections over his hosting a dinner for US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad.

"The Prime Minister broke all traditions and violated protocol and hosted a dinner for Ivanka Trump in Hyderabad.

"When she is being taken care of more than a head of state, then praise is bound to come," said Congress spokesperson Deepender Singh Hooda.

"If the Prime Minister wanted to host her, he could have done it privately in Delhi. She could have flown in. Eager for praise and impatient for a photo opportunity, Modi reached Hyderabad to host a dinner for her...," he said, adding that India had dignity and self-respect and Trump should have met the Prime Minister here instead of him going to Hyderbad.

"Though India welcomed her, Trump was not a head of state. Therefore, the entire process raises questions," he added.
Lucknow, Nov 30 : The last round of polling in three-phase civic body polls in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday saw the highest turnout as more than 58.72 per cent votes were polled, officials said.

According to the State Election Commission officials, the voting percentage this time in these 26 districts, was seven per cent more than the urban body polls in 2012.

The highest balloting was recorded in Kanpur rural where 73.46 per cent votes were cast. Second highest polling was witnessed in Maharajganj where 72.92 per cent votes were cast.

Barring few incidents of violence, protests and baton charges by police, the polling passed off peacefully and repolling was not ordered at any place.

In the first round of polling on November 22, 52.59 per cent polling was recorded while the second phase on November 26, saw a meagre 49.30 per cent turnout.

On Wednesday, Saharanpur saw 67.28 per cent polling, Baghpat 67.14, Bulandshahr 62.68, Moradabad 48.47, Sambhal 57.18, Bareilly 53.17, Firozabad 55.74 and in the Samajwadi Party (SP) strongholds of Etah, Kannauj and Auraiyya, the turnout was 57.56, 67.38 and 63.4 per cent respectively.

Voting took place for 233 urban bodies spread across 26 districts of the state. Five municipal corporations also went up for vote to elect their new mayors.

Violence was reported from Moradabad where angered by reports of bogus voting people created ruckus at Thakurdwara polling booth. Three women, clad in burqas were detained by the police and were found to be involved in bogus voting. They were arrested later.

At many polling booths in Saharanpur, people raised slogans and targeted the officials after their names were found missing from the voters list.

Police had to use mild force to disperse the unruly mob there, an official told IANS.

Bogus voting was also been reported from some places in Baghpat, Saharanpur, Bulandshahr districts of western Uttar Pradesh. Polling elsewhere has been peaceful, said State Election Commission officials informed.

A large number of young men and women turned up to vote for the urban body polls in the third phase of the crucial elections, which are being seen as a referendum of Yogi Adityanath government's performance the last seven months. It is also a litmus test for Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress.

While victory in some municipal corporations for Congress could act as a morale booster ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls, wins at some places could also signal a comeback for the SP which was humbled by the BJP with a massive win in the state assembly polls earlier this year.

The BSP, which has been at the sidelines of politics in the state ever since it lost power to SP in 2012 and lost two successive elections - 2014 general elections and the 2017 state assembly elections, is contesting the urban body polls for the first time on party symbol. This is being seen as a desperate bid by the BSP supremo Mayawati to be relevant in the state, which she ruled four times.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also making its maiden appearance in the urban polls and is expecting some inroads. It has pitched majorly in Lucknow and Kanpur. Vaibhav Maheshwari, state spokesman of the party told IANS on Wednesday that the results would be good for the AAP.

More than 94 lakh voters voted in the final phase and 28,135 candidates were in the fray. Voting took place for five municipal corporations, 76 Nagar Palika Parishads and 152 Nagar Panchayats. For smooth voting, an official told IANS that 3,599 polling booths and 10,817 polling centres have been made.

The five municipal corporations where polling is taking place include Moradabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Jhansi and Firozabad. There are 74 candidates for mayoral post in these five places, and 3,175 candidates for 350 corporation seats. Maximum number of candidates for a mayoral seat were 22 in Bareilly.
Mumbai, Nov 30 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday cautioned some co-operative societies against the use of word "Bank" in their names.

"It has come to the notice of RBI that some Co-operative Societies are using the word - Bank - in their names. This is a violation of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (As Applicable to Co-operative Societies)," the central bank said in a statement.

It also said that it has come to the notice some co-operative societies are accepting deposits from non-members or nominal members or associate members which tantamount to conducting banking business in violation of the provisions of the 1949 law, stressing such societies have neither been issued any licence under the act nor are they authorised by the RBI to undertake banking business.

The RBI also advised the public to "exercise caution and carry out due diligence of such co-operative societies before dealing with them".
Geneva, Nov 30 : United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Wednesday termed as "very useful, constructive and professional" his first meeting with a Syrian government delegation.

"I just had a long, but very useful in my opinion, meeting with the delegation of the government of Syria," de Mistura said after meeting the delegation head Bashaar al-Jaafari in a hotel here.

The Syrian government delegation arrived in Geneva on Wednesday for the latest round of peace talks taking place there this week - a day later than expected.

The delegation delayed its departure for the talks, which began on Tuesday, due to the newly-unified Syrian opposition's insistence that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down.

De Mistura described the atmosphere of his meeting with Jaafari as "constructive and professional".

"We decided that we should continue having this meeting in the UN Headquarters in Geneva, this will be the first official meeting that we will be holding with the delegation of the Syrian government, and then we will continue tomorrow as well," he said.

The UN official also told reporters that he is intending to have both sides stay on in Geneva to continue the meetings next week, after a possible weekend off.

"What is important is that we have an ongoing process of discussions," he stressed.

The proposal to hold direct discussions between both delegations for the first time are still under discussion, de Mistura said.

Meanwhile, the current round of UN-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva between the Syrian government and the opposition have been extended to December 15, satellite news channel al-Arabiya tweeted on Wednesday, quoting unnamed sources.

The peace talks began on Tuesday.
New Delhi, Nov 30 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi a question every day in the run-up to the Gujarat assembly elections, the party said.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday said Gandhi would ask a question to the Prime Minister every day.

"Rahul Gandhi is asking a question every day, why did mis-governance of 22 years create such a situation," he tweeted.

Gandhi wrote on Twitter on Wednesday "22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab. (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP)".

He said he would demand answers for 22 years of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rule in the state and the promises made to the people.

"First question to the Prime Minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat -- In 2012, promises were made to provide 50 lakh new houses but built 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the Prime Minister tell, whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?" Gandhi posted on Twitter.

Congress spokesperson Deepender Singh Hooda said he hoped Modi and the BJP would answer Gandhi's queries on "22 years of mis-governance" in Gujarat.

"We expect that the Prime Minister and the BJP to find time and answer the questions asked to them by Rahul Gandhi," he said.

"The BJP is working for the super rich and middlemen. The party's (BJP) economic policy was at the cost of the poor," he added.
New Delhi, Nov 30 : Over half-a-dozen temporary shops were fully gutted in a fire that broke out here in a market around midnight on Thursday, police and fire officials said.

The kiosks, comprising of pan shops and small eateries, were situated in the middle of Malviya Nagar market in south Delhi. There was, however, no casualty as most of the kiosks were shut for the night.

Police were informed about the fire by the local residents and 4-5 fire tenders reached the spot and doused the blaze after a half-an-hour battle.

A fire brigade official said the blaze was contained before it could spread beyond the row of kiosks.

The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.
Weve heard some Miami residents tell us they didnt want to upgrade their patio doors and windows until after hurricane season

Express Glass & Board Up, the top-rated sliding glass door repair service for Miami and surrounding Florida cities, is proud to announce a new informative post geared to the needs of post-hurricane Miami residents. City residents may have waited to upgrade old patio doors and windows until after the dangerous hurricane season has passed. Sliding glass door repair and replacement, however, could be part of a hurricane recovery checklist.

Weve heard some Miami residents tell us they didnt want to upgrade their patio doors and windows until after hurricane season, commented Yaniet Santos, General Manager of Express Glass & Board Up. We understand why people waited, but now they can think ahead and get smart upgrades to prepare for future disasters. For this reason, we are posting this informative piece to our website.

To review the new informational post for sliding glass door repairs and upgrades post-Irma, please visit: http://www.expressglassfl.com/blog/window-repair-2/post-hurricane-miami-glass-replacement-todos-repair-old-miami-windows/. Glass door and window upgrades can include the installation of high impact glass for future hurricane-force winds or other disasters. Details for 24/7 emergency glass repair and sliding glass door replacement can also be found. Miami Locals Choose the Right Sliding Glass Door Repair Solution for Future Threats.

BACKGROUND ON THE RELEASE

Here is background information on the news. Florida residents may be winding down from post-hurricane clean up and looking ahead. If a Miami local has decided the time is right to consider sliding glass door repair or replacement, the next choice could be to review various glass types. Each situation can require a different answer. A Miami condo sporting beach-front views and direct sunlight may require special UV blocking window glass to protect a home. Insulated glass could help keep energy bills from reaching budget-busting prices. If Florida resident have decided to invest in Miamis best sliding glass door repair and replacement service it might be helpful to know support can be located easily.

For this reason, Express Glass & Board up has announced a new post-hurricane article. Florida residents searching for an upgrade to a glass door or windows can learn how to take the next steps. A season for dangerous storms may have passed, but other glass emergencies could be around the corner. Choosing the right glass for a specific property may be key to a successful sliding glass door replacement project. An oceanfront restaurant in Miami may require hurricane resistant glass to survive future storms. A store owner may consider high impact glass to help secure a property from vandalism. Post-hurricane clean up can include looking at the future security of a home or business. Tips from a top sliding glass door repair service might offer smart solutions.

ABOUT EXPRESS GLASS REPAIR AND BOARD UP

Express Glass and Board Up Service Inc. is a family owned and operated glass repair business with more than 20 years of experience. Professional technicians and the large variety of inventory make Express Glass the top glass repair service. If customers are looking for West Palm Beach window glass repair as well as glass repair in Delray Beach or Miami glass repair, please reach out to the company for a free estimate. If customers need a 24/7 Sliding Glass Door repair service in West Palm Beach or Boca Raton or Miramar, technicians are standing by. The company specializes in sliding glass door repair and window glass repair; technicians will handle any glass replacement situation efficiently. Home or business glass repair is the company's main priority.

Express Glass Repair and Board up

http://www.expressglassfl.com/
Travel Security App - FoneTrac We're very excited about the expansion of FoneTrac to the wider community of travelers.

IMG GlobalSecur, a leading international corporate security consulting firm at http://www.theimg.com/, is proud to announce the expansion of their FoneTrac travel safety app to individual users and families. The app has heretofore been widely used by business people, nonprofit organizations, and study abroad programs to keep track of and work with members during international travel.

"We're very excited about the expansion of FoneTrac to the wider community of travelers," explained Chris Hagon, CEO of IMG GlobalSecur. "The app can be downloaded from the Apple app store as well as Google play. Those who have corporate or institutional applications can reach out for a demo at the website."

To learn more about the FoneTrac travel safety app, visit https://www.fonetrac-go.com/. Persons interested in trying the app can now download it at Apple's App store and/or Google Play. The app supports both iPhone and Android. The app helps travel security in the following ways. First, like most travel safety apps it has the "panic alert" feature wherein the person can send a trouble alert. Unlike other apps, FoneTrac works with GlobalSecur (See: http://www.globalsecur.com/), which is a network of real people with real intelligence and real capabilities. So the "panic alert" is sent to a live center, and real help can be secured. Second, the app has a "check in" feature that allows the user to "check in" and thereby post to his or her contacts their last known whereabouts. This feature does not violate user privacy, since FoneTrac does not monitor a users whereabouts continuously and has commonly been used by corporations to secure "check in" compliance from employees during travel abroad. Third, the app has "push alerts" wherein GlobalSecur can send out an alert on a travel security issue such as a severe weather forecast, a potential terrorist problem, or even the threat of political instability.

The best way to experience FoneTrac is to download it to one's phones. Persons - including bloggers or journalists - with more complex needs are urged to reach out to the company for videos and a demo.

ABOUT THE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT GROUP (IMG)

Incident Management Group is a leading international security consulting firm. Corporate or business organizations concerned about their need for robust travel security solutions can reach out to the IMG Group for assistance. The companys experts provide services such as executive, employee, VIP, and expatriate travel security, workplace safety, duty of care management, risk and threat assessments, workplace violence prevention, crisis management planning, and more.

Web. http://www.theimg.com

Tel. (877) 887-9914
We look forward to bringing our local expertise and passion for providing exceptional community management services to the Warm Springs Ranch community.

FirstService Residential, Nevadas leading community management company, was selected to provide full-service residential management for Warm Springs Ranch Homeowners Association in Henderson, Nevada.

We look forward to bringing our local expertise and passion for providing exceptional community management services to the Warm Springs Ranch community, said Chris Wood, regional vice president of business development for FirstService Residential. As with all of our communities, our goal is to enhance the lifestyle of every resident we serve and add value to their properties by providing them with outstanding service they can count on.

Warm Springs Ranch is a 424-unit single-family home community featuring 11 different one-story and two-story floor plans with three to four bedrooms and two- and three-car garages. The units range in size from 1,735 square feet to 2,630 square feet. Built by D.R. Horton, the community offers residents exclusive amenities, including a community pool, spa, park and tot lot. It is centrally located off Warm Springs Road and Giggling Springs street, close to shopping and dining at the Galleria and with easy access to I-215 and US-95.

About FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is recognized as Nevadas leading and most experienced full-service community association management firm. For over 25 years, FirstService Residential has continued to provide the best-in-class community management solutions and genuinely helpful service to its over 370 properties and communities throughout Nevada.

FirstService Residential is North Americas largest manager of residential communities and the preferred partner of HOAs, community associations and strata corporations in the U.S. and Canada. FirstService Residentials managed communities include low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives; single-family homes; master-planned, lifestyle and active adult communities; and rental and commercial properties.

With an unmatched combination of deep industry experience, local market expertise and personalized attention, FirstService Residential delivers proven solutions and exceptional service that add value, enhance lifestyles and make a difference, every day, for every resident and community it manages. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, a North American leader in the property services sector. For more information, visit http://www.fsresidential.com
Nearby Now, a mobile-enabled cloud platform helping local businesses improve local rankings everywhere they service, today announced a new integration with FieldEdge, the leading provider of field service management software.

Field service businesses share the challenge of building local rankings, and a local online reputation, across service areas that can encompass many more cities than they have business locations. Nearby Now's unique solution enables local businesses to easily create checkins describing their great work, and to secure more reviews at an industry-leading 40% rate. This great content will be local to where the customers were served and integrated right into a client's own website, and the search engines give each client direct reputation and ranking benefit.

The FieldEdge and Nearby Now integration will make this even easier for local businesses. Field technicians will be able to create those valuable checkins and request customer reviews right from the FieldEdge mobile or web apps they are already using to manage their jobs. The integration will give clients the ability to build reputation and local rankings without any changes to their daily workflow.

"Service-area businesses want to rank in local search everywhere they work, and everywhere they would like to work, not just where they park their trucks at night," said Billy Coover, CEO and co-founder of Nearby Now. "This integration makes it simple for them to rank better locally and build local reputation based on all they places they work every day, not just where they have offices."

"FieldEdge helps contractors improve customer service, efficiency, and profitability every day," said Rameez Ansari, CEO at FieldEdge. "Integrating with Nearby Now will help them use the great work they are already doing to bring in more leads and build a stronger reputation at the local level."

The integration is now available to any client using both Nearby Now and FieldEdge. To learn more, contact Nearby Now (info[at]nearbynow.co) or FieldEdge (800-226-7529 or http://fieldedge.com/nearby-now/).

About Nearby Now

Nearby Now's unique solution enables local business to boost rankings across their entire service areas powered by an industry-leading 40% review response rate. Nearby Now is all about delivering value directly to the client -- better rankings for their own site, more reviews for their business, lasting organic ranking value, a better online reputation, and ultimately more leads and more business. Founded in 2011, Nearby Now is a privately held company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Our team is distributed across the US, and our current clients hail from the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. For more information, visit https://www.nearbynow.co.

About FieldEdge

FieldEdge is the leading developer of innovative service management software for the service industry. With offices in Atlanta, GA, and Fort Myers, FL, FieldEdge serves more than 30 service verticals, both nationally and internationally. FieldEdges flagship products, FieldEdge and Electronic Service Control (ESC), are comprehensive service management solutions that enable home service contractor companies to easily manage customers, work, and finances. FieldEdge and ESC provide the tools and features growing and profitable service companies need for success. For more information, visit http://www.fieldedge.com or contact us at 800-226-7529.
Top Reputation Management Companies

10 Best SEOan online publication that ranks digital marketing agencies that provide search engine optimization (SEO) servicesrecently released a list of the best companies in its "Best Reputation Management Agency" category. The top three businesses recognized for November 2017 are InternetReputation.com, SEO Image, and Ignite Visibility.

Online reputation management (ORM) refers to the influencing, controlling, or repairing of a companys or individuals reputation on the Internet. By employing SEO tools, some digital marketing agencies can help professionals or businesses boost their respective reputationsand, by consequence, revenue and salesby ensuring that people like who they are and what they represent.

According to 10 Best SEO, the best ORM company is InternetReputation.com. What makes this Greenwood Village, Colorado-based agency stands out from most other agencies is the availability of a free reputation analysis, which is initiated by filling out a form on its website. Also, InternetReputation.com has built a reputation as being one of the best online removal service companies in the industry; it offers mugshot, arrest record, revenge site removal services, among others. InternetReputation.com is listed on the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country.

At number 2 on the list of best reputation management agencies is SEO Image, which is based in New York City and has been around since 2002. The agency works with companies to ensure that they are seen in a positive light. SEO Image develops campaigns targeting social media channels and search engines to strengthen corporate brands, keep companies in sync with their shareholders, and help boost brilliant thought leadership. SEO Image is also notable for providing a wide range of free digital marketing tools, such as sitemap generator, keyword density checker, and search engine spider simulation tool.

At number 3 is Ignite Visibility, which has been perennially ranked by industry experts as one of the top digital marketing agencies in the country. Based in San Diego, Calif., Ignite Visibility is a leading ORM company that assesses the companys online reputation to customize the right plan to implement. The agency deals with sticky posts, including negative reviews, and helps amplify the positive things about the client, such as a new product, a testimonial, a press release, or a case study. Ignite Visibility also encourages the creation of reviews to offset sticky negative content that cannot be erased.

For more details about the November award winners, visit http://www.10bestseo.com.
Between November 2017 and February 2018, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau will host its exclusive #TaiwanNowBoarding event across five North American cities: Los Angeles (3 November, 2017), Seattle (9 November, 2017), Chicago (17 November, 2017), Toronto (24 November, 2017) and New York (1 February, 2018). The first four events gathered more than 600 attendees who learned about the cultural traditions and culinary practices within the vibrant heart of Asia. Immediately following the events, the lucky winners were chauffeured to the airport to board their nonstop flights to Taiwan for a fun-filled five-day adventure.

As guests discovered at each of the #TaiwanNowBoarding events, there are more than 100 nonstop flights each week between North America and Taiwan, making this treasured destination more accessible than ever. Attendees were treated to signature bubble milk tea, traditional night market games, and many more uniquely Taiwanese activities. Participants also celebrated Kaohsiung, Taiwans recent honor of being named among the top 10 cities to visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet. Taiwan has also been named the best expat destination in the world, thanks to its breathtaking natural beauty, welcoming atmosphere, and affordable cost of living, according to a 2017 InterNations survey.

The highlight of the night was the contest in which guests have a chance to win a free, instant flight to Taiwan with EVA Airways and China Airlines. Immediately following the event, the winners were chauffeured to board a direct flight to Taipei and spent five days and four nights exploring the best of Taiwan. The trip includes a four-night stay in a boutique hotel and a half-day tour of Taipei. To follow the winners journeys in Taiwan, visit http://www.facebook.com/TourTaiwan/

For more information about this exciting event, as well as the beautiful destination of Taiwan please visit: http://www.go2taiwan.net.

Registration is required for each event, so please RSVP and bring a friend to experience the festivities. Event dates are as follows:

Los Angeles: November 3 at 6:30pm

Seattle: November 9 at 6:30pm

Chicago: November 17 at 6:30pm

Toronto: November 24 at 6:30pm

New York: February 1 at 6:30pm

ABOUT TAIWAN TOURISM BUREAU

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau is the official government agency responsible for domestic and international tourism policy development and execution. There are three North American Tourism Offices located in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

For information about Taiwan, please visit: http://www.go2taiwan.net

Press Contact:

Erin Yang

eyang(at)myriadmarketing(dot)com / +1 424 309 0831
Zenitup, a contemporary, creative mindfulness meditation agency specializing in providing powerful tools and insights for corporations, organizations and individuals seeking greater focus, peace, intuition and compassion announced that they will be hosting an Introduction to Meditation and Mindfulness class on November 30 at Shoppe561. The event, hosted by Tracy Stern Tea & Co., supports Hope House Florida and represents Zenitups Community Outreach mission to build pathways through the obstacles standing between ourselves and the various mindful practices which can help significantly ease anxiety, suffering and bring about greater self-awareness.

Regarding this event, the Founder of Zenitup, Joe Pregadio said, From a Western perspective, meditation might seem like a new health fad. It appears to have all the qualities of one and questioning what meditation is, or why you should do it, could easily be overlooked from the angle of just doing it, or trying it, because its popular. My goal, expressed in this event, is to break through common meditation misconceptions, demonstrate how easy it is to learn, and explain some of the benefits that happen when you make meditation a daily practice.

Zenitup's Community Outreach mission represents a commitment to expanding the short and long-term benefits of a meditation practice. Through these philanthropic efforts they are able to deliver power tools which support mindful solutions to create a better future for us all.
Attorney Peter Higgins After a two-week trial, we settled with the machine manufacturer on the day before closing arguments, then received a verdict against the railroad. Past News Releases RSS Lipkin & Higgins Wins Case...

Lipkin & Higgins personal injury attorneys recently won a combined $2,000,000 verdict and settlement for a client (plaintiff) in a case (Case No. 14 L 00421 filed in the Circuit Court of Will County) stemming from a workplace accident in which the plaintiff, a railroad track laborer, was struck in the hip by a metal grinding disk that flew off a railroad tie grinding machine.

According to court documents, the plaintiff was working on a track gang replacing rail for his employer, which entailed walking approximately 160 feet behind a tie grinding machine and moving tie plates into position over the railroad ties that the machine had just gone over. Court documents further state that as the plaintiff was walking, a disk came loose from the machine and flew toward him, hitting him in the hip, and he sustained injuries to his hip, knee and back and was unable to return to work at the railroad.

Lipkin & Higgins sued the railroad (defendant) under the Federal Employers Liability Act, which was specifically designed to protect injured railroad workers. However, according to court documents, the defendant then sued the manufacturer of the machine, claiming that it was unreasonably dangerous. The case went to trial because the parties were too far apart in settlement negotiations.

After a two-week trial, we settled with the machine manufacturer on the day before closing arguments, then received a verdict against the railroad, said Chicago personal injury attorney Peter Higgins, co-founder of Lipkin & Higgins.

About Peter Higgins, Lipkin & Higgins

Mr. Higgins practice emphasizes plaintiffs personal injury, railroad/FELA, and medical negligence cases. He has obtained multiple million dollar-plus verdicts and settlements for his clients. He has received the highest possible peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected to Illinois Super Lawyers. In 2013, he was part of a team of plaintiffs lawyers that received a $22 million jury verdict in a product liability fire case against a space heater manufacturer that the American Lawyer Magazine recognized as one of the top 100 verdicts in the country. For more information, please call (312) 857- 1710 or visit http://www.lipkinhiggins.com. The law office is located at 222 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601.

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. The information and content in this article are not in conjunction with the views of the NALA. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
East Coast It is not safe for the equipment or the data center staff to be removing, transporting, and installing heavy and expensive servers without the help of a motorized server lift.

Data center solution provider Bruns-Pak has created the first East Coast showroom to demonstrate the ServerLIFT line of lifting solutions for data center equipment. Located in Bruns-Paks Edison, NJ facility, the showroom currently features the ServerLIFT SL-500X Powered Lift, designed to lift, move, and install servers and other heavy IT equipment within the narrow confines of server room aisles.

Premier IT equipment and server handling solutions provider, ServerLIFT, and mission-critical data center designer and builder, Bruns-Pak, have been working together since June 2017 on industry thought-leadership initiatives. Their collaboration has resulted in part with the new showroom where guests can visit with Bruns-Pak staff and learn about ServerLIFT solutions, operation, and safety, as well as data center (DC) safety. Visitors can access helpful resources highlighting assisted lifting devices (ALDs) and all of ServerLIFTs data-center solutions.

Mark Evanko, Principal at Bruns-Pak, explained that the showroom would benefit the customers of both companies by demonstrating their equipment and services, while helping them expand their own professional network and gain access to industry-critical information. We have customers right here, in New Jersey, who would benefit from seeing these popular server lifts in action, says Evanko. It is not safe for the equipment or the data center staff to be removing, transporting, and installing heavy and expensive servers without the help of a motorized server lift such as the SL-500X. Getting hands-on experience with the lifts is going to help them see why these units are a must-have for the more progressive data centers.

A lot of data center managers are not even aware that there are server lifts created specifically for the data center environment. Evanko stated that by providing ServerLIFT devices in their showroom, Bruns-Pak experts can work with customers in-house. And, with access to ServerLIFT, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it can help deal with the constant changes of equipment servers, and racks. Evanko urges data center industry leaders to experience the difference between lifting heavy equipment by hand vs. using a data center- designed lifting device.

Interested company staff and individuals may schedule a showroom visitation and demonstration to test a ServerLIFT for themselves by setting up an appointment with Steve Bashkin, the Sales Director at ServerLIFT Corporation, or Mark S. Evanko at Bruns-Pak. Both company representatives can provide quotes and other information about ServerLIFTs data center solutions.

The new demo room is located at 999 New Durham Road, Edison, NJ 08817.

Bruns-Pak specializes in developing corporate, higher education, healthcare, and public sector technology centers. Since 1980 the company has participated in over 6,000 data center projects that encompass consulting, design/engineering, construction management, general construction, and commissioning services. Additional services delivered based on demand in todays marketplace include data center hybrid, IT, network, cybersecurity, migration, SaaS, colocation, cloud, container, relocation, and financing services typically associated with these projects. Bruns-Pak can be reached at 888-704-1400 or http://www.bruns-pak.com.

ServerLIFT Corporation was founded in response to a growing demand for a safer and efficient way to handle servers and other IT equipment in the data center. They have forever changed the way IT equipment is handled, creating a competitive advantage for data center managers. ServerLIFT Corporation is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and is used in 60 countries worldwide. ServerLIFT can be contacted at 602-254-1557 or at serverlift.com
Pacific Companies, a physician search firm focusing on both permanent and locum tenens (temporary medical staffing) nationwide, was named to the 2017 Modern Healthcare Best Places to Work list. Having recently revamped their internal interview process and hired someone who is solely responsible for internal talent acquisition, Pacific Companies has been able to choose new hires based on the firms core values including teamwork, accountability, and a positive attitude. The result from this new effort has shown to be effective in that the companys culture has become more values-focused even as the firm continues to scale. The executive team has been focused on bringing in like-minded people on the team and the team members like the emphasis on creating a good corporate culture.

Through these new efforts, Pacific Companies has been able to bring high quality administrative professionals, physician recruiters and business development professionals from all walks of life who are whole-heartedly dedicated to improving the medical care in communities throughout the United States. The team members at Pacific Companies emphasize customer service and a team mentality when dealing with both clients and candidates on a day to day basis.

It is a great honor for Pacific Companies to be on the 2017 list by Modern Healthcare as one of the best places to work in healthcare. Our team has created the best work environment in healthcare staffing. Our culture of accountability, a can-do attitude, no drama, teamwork and a drive to win, has not only attracted clients and physicians nationwide, but also the best internal talent in staffing, said President/CEO, Gary Cook. It is fun to come into the office every day and be around a team of likeminded people who are enjoying what they do while helping people at the same time.

The new interview process that the firm has created is both systematic and dedicated to bringing A Players onto the internal team at Pacific Companies. This allows the company to hire around the core values that are emphasized by the firm on a day to day basis.

Our interview process takes into account a candidates background, personality, cognitive abilities and previous achievements. In essence, we look at the whole package, which is why we have been able to bring aboard such quality individuals and make this an amazing place to work, stated Matthew Forest, who is in charge of Talent Acquisition at Pacific Companies.
Hunting enthusiasts consider a hunting trip to be successful if their shots are accurate and effective.

An inventor from Hamilton, Ohio, has invented HYBRID-DD, a newly designed shotgun for hunting enthusiasts. "I wanted to invent a way to make it easier to get the second shot off," said the inventor. "I was inspired from muzzle loaders." HYBRID-DD offers the power of a muzzleloader weapon but with improved accuracy even at a considerable distance. It allows the powder within the weapons shells to burn fully until the shell reached the end the barrel, increasing velocity and accuracy. Loading is quicker. The fluted barrel is great for deer and bigger game animals.

Because this invention offers more power and precision than would a conventional break-action shotgun, it enables a sportsman to make clean, ethical kills. With this shotgun, a huntsman can expect a more productive and enjoyable hunting trip.

The original design was submitted to the Cincinnati office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 16-CCT-3099, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com - https://www.youtube.com/user/inventhelp
InfoTrust joins a select group of Google partners in offering DoubleClick Data and Measurement services under Googles new DoubleClick Marketing Partner certification. DoubleClick, which provides ad serving and management solutions that enable marketers and agencies worldwide to more effectively execute and manage their digital strategy, is comprised of a wide-range of tools. The DoubleClick Certified Marketing Partner program, developed by Google, is intended to help organizations find partners that are certified in services that closely align with their business needs.

Under the Data and Measurement certification, InfoTrust continues to build on their promise of exceptional data quality and services that provide deep business insights. Beginning with implementation and integrations between the Google suite of products and/or external databases, the gap between marketing and the bottom line is then closed with attribution and data visualization tools.

The result? A continuous loop of information and optimization that keeps a business healthy and growing.

InfoTrusts DoubleClick service offering directly aligns with their expertise in data and measurement:



Measurement Strategy and Planning for Doubleclick-Powered Campaigns

Data Auditing + Best Practice Consulting

DoubleClick System Integrations (Google Analytics 360, AdWords, CRM and More)

Tag Auditing + Troubleshooting

Audience Creation + Deployment

Attribution + Media Mix Modeling for Online and Offline

Data Visualization

Bigquery Data Projects + Data Science

Coaching and Training around Data-Driven Programmatic Solutions

Ready to see what DoubleClick can do for you? Learn more at infotrustllc.com.

About InfoTrust: InfoTrust is a digital analytics consulting and technology company that helps businesses analyze and improve their marketing efforts. Theyre a Google Certified Partner in Analytics, Optimize 360, Data Studio, Google Tag Manager, Google AdWords and DoubleClick. InfoTrust primarily serves the eCommerce, News and Media and CPG industries and and has offices located in the USA, the UAE and Spain. Learn more at infotrustllc.com.
Incognito Software Systems, a global provider of IP service management solutions for communication service providers, today announced that Chongqing Cable TV, a municipal provider with the greatest high speed data penetration in the Chongqing market, has selected Broadband Command Center from Incognito to configure, manage, and provision the high-speed data devices across their network. This agreement was formalized in a signing ceremony between Incognito and Chongqing Cable in the presence of the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne.

Incognito will deliver a comprehensive service provisioning and device management solution that enables:



Service stability through a high-availability, full redundancy, and distributed DHCP deployment that supports millions of subscriber devices

Streamlined processes and ease of administration through a user-friendly interface, batch reboot and administration, and device classification based on attributes

Dynamic file generation that ensures device configurations match activated subscriber services and eliminates manual processes

Greater flexibility through truly open APIs and Vendor neutrality so that Chongqing could choose the devices that work best for their network

To fulfill our promise of high quality of experience to our subscribers, we needed a partner that delivers high-caliber solutions and responsive support in the unlikely scenario of service disruptions, said Mr. Zhang Yong, the vice CTO of Chongqing Cable TV. After an extensive review, we chose Incognito based on its local support, high performance software, and flexibility. We will be deploying this solution in phases to our HSD subscriber base of 1.5 million.

We are proud that Chongqing Cable TV, a communications leader in the Chinese market offering both DTV and HSD services, have chosen to deploy our Device Management and Provisioning solution, said Stephane Bourque, CEO of Incognito Software, Incognito is committed to helping Chongqing Cable TV increase efficiencies and service stability in a manner that maximizes efficiency.

About Chongqing Cable TV Network Co., Ltd.

Chongqing Cable is a government-owned television network based in the city of Chongqing in southwestern China. Established in 2001, Chongqing Cable has been the leading broadcasting network in Chongqing and its affiliated counties and districts. Chongqing Radio and Television Media Group Co., Ltd., CITIC Network Co., Ltd. and 29 districts and counties Radio and Television Bureau (or district radio and television) jointly funded the formation.

About Incognito Software Systems

Incognito Software Systems Inc. provides software and services to help service providers manage and monetize broadband services. Over 300 customers worldwide, including Cox, Claro, Globe, Foxtel, and SingTel, leverage Incognito solutions to fast-track the introduction of innovative broadband services over fiber, LTE, and cable technologies, while delivering a great customer experience. The company is a division of the Volaris Group, an operating group of Toronto-based Constellation Software Inc. Visit http://www.incognito.com or follow us on Twitter at @incognito_sfwr.
A.H. Fox "FE" Grade Shotgun with Special Gold Inlays, Sold For $166,750.

Every fall, two separate firearms auction companies, James D. Julia, Inc. & Poulin Auctions, conduct firearms auctions back-to-back in Fairfield, Maine. Each time these auctions occur, the results generate the largest offering and largest sales gross for firearms auctions anywhere in the world. This year the Julia fall auction generated more than $15.1 million in sales, and combined with approximately $3.2 million produced at the Poulin auction pushed the entire gross to more than $18.3 million. For years Julias has sold at auction more rare and high end firearms for over $10,000 each than any other auction house in the world. This was proven again with no fewer than 9 World Records achieved and approximately 390 lots realizing $10,000 or more, 136 lots hitting $25,000 or more, nearly 40 lots coming in over $50,000 or more, and 9 lots topped out over $100,000.

For nearly two decades now, Julias has been the worlds leading auction house for rare and valuable sporting arms. This auction featured over 500 lots of sporting arms which generated nearly $5 million, again confirming Julias leadership as the place to buy and to sell truly great sporting guns. Sporting guns showed great strength, regardless of gauge, as collectors seek out high quality arms. Stars of the sale included several of the A.H. Fox shotguns from the Dana J. Tauber Estate Collection, undoubtedly the finest collection of A.H. Fox shotguns to ever come to auction. The piece de resistance from this collection was the exceptionally rare (1 of 3), extremely fine 20 bore Fox FE with special gold inlays. This highly coveted gun was estimated at $150,000-225,000 and realized $166,750, making it the top shotgun of the sale. Parkers and Winchesters did well and an outstanding Parker A-1 Special from the Bouwkamp Collection brought an astounding $142,600 against an estimate of $75,000-125,000, an exceptional price for an exceptional 12 gauge A-1 Special. Numerous fine Winchester Model 21s were included in the auction, the most important of which was a custom 20 gauge finished with 5 inlaid gold stars for the first chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff and one of just nine 5-star generals in the history of the US armed forces, Omar Bradley. Estimated at $100,000-200,000, it generated $115,000.

Not to be outdone by their American counterparts, fine sporting guns from England and Europe also performed quite well in this auction. A stunning masterpiece by Holland & Holland known as the Swan Gun, a Royal Hammerless Ejector gun with extraordinary sculptured decorations with multi-gold inlays was estimated at $70,000-110,000 and sold for $120,750. A pair of truly superb original condition, lightweight, 16 gauge Golden Age Boss Sidelock Ejector guns came on the block with an estimate of $35,000-55,000 but flew far, far above the high estimate to an incredible $155,250. A stunning James Purdey and Sons Hammer Underlever 8 bore rifle was estimated at $60,000-80,000 and brought $69,000. Golden Age H&H Royal Hammerless Double Rifle .30 caliber Super was estimated at $35,000- 60,000 and realized $50,600. A superb Purdey Hammer Pigeon shotgun with exquisite relief engraving was of Royal descent, which at one time belonged to King Alphonso of Spain, sold for $57,500. An unusual cased pair of high condition John Dickson Sidelock Ejector Game Shotguns in 12 gauge were estimated at $45,000-55,000 and when the bidding stopped, the final price realized was $51,750.

Julias also regularly sells more high end, rare and valuable Confederate and Civil War arms than any other auction house extant today and this auction featured three well-known collections. The most competed for gun was an extremely rare Confederate Scoped Second Quality Whitworth Sharp Shooters rifle from the outstanding estate collection of Confederate and historical arms of Morris Racker. Estimated at $40,000- 60,000, it flew to almost 3 times the high estimate at $161,000 setting a new auction world record for this model. One of the true rarities and among the most coveted revolvers in Confederate collecting is the brass framed percussion revolver made in Portsmouth, Virginia by Thomas W. Cofer. This auction included Cofer revolver serial number 11, which is by far the finest example known. Estimated at $100,000-150,000, it sold for $103,500. Also from the Racker Collection was an extremely rare inscribed and cased early 1st model LeMat Grapeshot revolver that belonged to Confederate surgeon Thomas B. Memminger, son of Confederate Secretary of Treasure Christopher G. Memminger that sold for $57,500 against an estimate of $25,000-35,000. A very rare Colt Walker percussion revolver from the Robert Roughton Collection brought $71,875. The Fred Donaldson Estate featured a fine 1st model Griswold revolver that belonged to Confederate Captain John Morton that brought $23,000. A fine Civil War Cyrus Alger 1853-dated bronze 12 pounder Mountain Howitzer was estimated at $45,000-60,000 and sold above estimate at $69,000. After all was said and done, more than 170 rare Civil War arms and related items were sold in this auction, generating a total of nearly $2 million.

This auction also featured the largest offering of Virginia Manufactory firearms to come to auction in many years, a total of 15 arms. The top performer was a rare 1809 dated 1st model pistol from the 3rd Virginia Regiment from the collection of Robert Roughton. It is very difficult to find examples of this gun in original flint, especially with the very desirable Virginia Regiment markings such as this one. After some intense bidding, this nearly all-original gun sold for $46,000, nearly four times the high end of its $8,000-12,000 estimate.

Since 2008, James D. Julia, Inc. has sold more Class 3 firearms than all other North American auction houses combined, both in the number of units and in dollar value. This auction continued that tradition, generating extremely strong results with 102 lots sold bringing in excess of $2.3 million and six new auction world records. Leading the way for the Class 3 results was a Chinese Type 56 (AK-47) which came with a signed and notarized history from the U.S. Airforce pilot who acquired this gun during his combat tour in Viet Nam, and subsequently registered it during the Amnesty of 1968. A stellar specimen for its kind, it was estimated at $70,000-100,000 and when the hammer fell it had sold for $86,250. An exceedingly rare and highly desirable Cadillac Gage Stoner Model 63 LMG brought an auction world record price of $74,750 against an estimate of $50,000-80,000. Another world record came from an iconic and original German WWII MG-42 with tripod, which shattered its estimate of $35,000-40,000 and sold for $74,750. Another rare Class 3 record breaker was an exceedingly rare Model 1919 Colt Monitor Automatic Machine Rifle estimated at $50,000-75,000 and sold for $71,785. A historic Savage US Model 1917 Lewis machine gun that featured a US Navy anchor proof on the receiver and bolt soared past its estimate of $15,000-25,000 to bring an auction world record price of $57,500. A Japanese Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun on Tripod with numerous accessories was highly competitive and sold for an auction world record $40,250 against an estimate of $18,000-28,000. Rounding out the Class 3 offerings were a number iconic Thompson sub machine guns, aka Tommy Guns, which were all highly sought after and brought strong prices. The best of these was an early Colt Model 1921 Thompson, serial number 935, originally purchased by the Santa Maria, California Police Department with just one private owner since. When Thompsons with serial numbers under 1000 surface for sale it is noteworthy. To find one in this kind of original condition with such provenance is truly extraordinary. Estimated at $45,000-60,000, this fantastic high condition example brought $51,750.

In addition to being the undisputed leader for Class 3 firearms, Julias also specializes in other military arms and related items. This auction showcased a number of hard-to-find military weapons, including a Mauser C96 with exquisite factory engraving, special grips and matching burl stock. This gem of a gun was estimated at $35,000-65,000 and achieved a final price of $51,750. An extremely rare 20-shot Astra Model 900 semi-auto pistol with holster stock and original Astra box in excellent condition brought $37,375 against a $30,000-40,000 estimate. Gas Trap Garand rifles are a Holy Grail for many military collectors and are rarely offered at any price. This auction included an early production Springfield Armory M1 Gas Trap Garand rifle that was assembled in January 1938 with provenance attributable to well-known author and Springfield rifle collector, William S. Brophy. It carried an estimate of $17,500-22,500 and after some very competitive bidding was sold for $20,700. Several military vehicles were also sold in this auction, including a rare and desirable Soviet T-34/85 tank. The T-34 was arguably the best tank of the Second World War, and this particular example sold for $46,000.

As is usually the case for James D. Julia, this auction included numerous important and in some cases, iconic collections. The Warren Buxton Collection is a great example of an old iconic collection. Warren was a wonderful man, passionate collector, great scholar and amassed what is most certainly the finest, most comprehensive collection of Walther arms remaining in private hands today. He was also the author of what is considered to be the three Bibles on Walther pistols. This auction represented the second session for this collection, and among the notable items that are representative of discretion that Warren applied to his collection was an experimental Walther PP with a unique mechanism and semi-shrouded/solid hammer, distinctly different from production versions of this gun. It sold for $31,625 against an estimate of $20,000-30,000. Another fantastic example from the Buxton collection was a Walther Armee-Pistole in original condition with two matching magazines that is one of just 50 such firearms made for testing prior to the militarys acceptance of the P38. The late production, all matching specimen was estimated at $27,500-35,000 and sold for $28,750.

There were a great many other exciting results for various other rare firearms and related items, drawing interest of collectors from around the world. The iconic and historic silver mounted Hawken Rifle of George W. Atchison of St. Louis, Missouri, 1836 is no doubt the finest and most elaborate of all Hawken rifles. Until now this gun had never left the family descents of E.R. Butterworth, who obtained the gun during his travels west in the 1870s, and was displayed in the Cody Firearms Museum for two decades. It sold for $109,250, exceeding its estimate of $80,000-100,000. The Winchester "1 of 1000" rifle is legendary, and a very rare and well documented Winchester Model 1873 1 of 1,000 estimated at $75,000-125,000 brought a price of $103,500. A superb condition cased pair of double barreled flintlock carriage pistols with spring loaded bayonets by Isaac Blissett landed an auction world record price for any pair of bayonetted carriage pistols at $63,250 against an estimate of $27,500-35,000. An engraved and nickel plated Colt Medium Frame Lightning Rifle, which was Colts first attempt at a pump action rifle, that belonged to seven-term Mexican President Porfirio Diaz exceeded its estimate of $25,000-45,000 and sold for $51,750.

Dozens of edged weapons were sold in this auction, including an extremely rare inscribed Scagel utility knife with ultra-rare ivory scales and original sheath from the Douglass H. Sandrock Collection. The blade on this extraordinary Scagel knife is marked on the right side in period script and sold for $23,000 against an estimate of $20,000-30,000. Also from the Sandrock Collection was a mint condition Scagel camp knife that was also estimated at $20,000-30,000 and sold for $20,700. A quite rare War of 1812 US regulation naval boarding ax sailed through its $7,000-9,000 estimate and sold for $20,125.

The majority of the high value items in this auction were sold in Julias first session known as the Extraordinary Session. The last two days of the auction featured what Julias refers to as the Sporting & Collector Session which consists of quality, moderately priced collectible firearms. There was particularly strong participation on both of those days with an unprecedented number of bids for a Julia firearms auction, and moderately valued guns did extremely well, achieving prices that were on average 28% over low estimate of the lots sold.

Julias actively pursues rare and collectible firearms from all over the world and they are now preparing for their Spring 2018 auction. Their advertised special 0% commission rate to consignors selling high value guns is unique in the industry and is one of the many reasons Julias continually sells so many high end guns. As the #1 auction house in the world for rare and expensive firearms, James D. Julia doesnt want to compete with their consignors by purchasing firearms but rather focuses on consigning them for auction and then working hard to achieve the best return on behalf of their consignors.

ABOUT JAMES D. JULIA, INC.

James D. Julia, Inc. is one of the top 10 antique auction houses in North America as measured by annual sales. It is headquartered in Fairfield, Maine. The company also has an office just outside Boston, Massachusetts in Woburn and has been in business for nearly 50 years. The company conducts high end, antique collectables and fine art auctions throughout the year. Julias has routinely established new world auction records through its auction events. The company consists of three key divisions. The rare Firearms Division in which they are the leader today for high end, rare and valuable guns. Julias next Firearms Auction is scheduled for Spring of 2018 and will again include a fabulous collection of spectacular arms. Their next Fine Art, Asian & Antiques Division auction will take place in February 2018. Also, the Rare Lamp, Glass & Fine Jewelry Division, again a leader in this genre, will hold their next auction on December 1, 2017. Each division is regarded for its excellence and is staffed with world class specialists to ensure fair and professional authentication, identification and evaluation services. For more information on James D. Julia, Inc. please visit http://www.jamesdjulia.com.
The city of Miami and local disability advocate Eddie Sierra have entered into a federal Consent Decree that guarantees the deaf and hard of hearing have equal access to video content on citys website. According to court documents, the Consent Decree resolves Eddie Sierra v. City of Miami, Case Number 17-CV-20823, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Previously, video content was inaccessible to those with hearing disabilities because there were no closed captions. Court documents show that under the consent decree, the city agreed to adopt the video success criteria of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, an international standard for website accessibility. The city also agreed to adhere to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, according to court documents.

The city of Miami will provide real-time closed captioning for its City Commission and Planning and Zoning Appeals Board meetings. Within six months of the settlement it will close caption archived City Commission, and Planning and Zoning Appeals Board meetings that have occurred since January 2016. This includes all videos created during that time and posted on social media as well. Within eighteen months of the settlement, the city will close caption all video content created since January 2015. The city will also adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 standard for all third-party websites and applications using video, according to court documents.

Neither Mr. Sierra nor others who are hard of hearing, could access video recordings of the citys government doing its business, said J. Courtney Cunningham, Esq., who represented Mr. Sierra. After getting past the early motions in the case, we worked with the city of Miami in a cooperative and collegial fashion. This litigation resolved some complex issues regarding website accessibility under federal civil rights laws. We are pleased the city resolved this matter quickly.

Sierra is deaf and a resident of the city of Miami. He is interested in public policy and is an advocate for persons with disabilities. He wanted to be able to view and understand the video content on the city of Miami website. He also wanted to watch live streamed city commission meetings on his computer or go back and watch them later. Since he could not hear the audio portion of the video, he could not use them.

Im happy we were able to settle this litigation on positive terms for me and people with hearing disabilities, said Sierra. The law guarantees that we have an equal opportunity to participate in all government programs, services and activities. People dont understand how tough it is for deaf people. Im proud to help bring about this positive change. This puts my community on equal footing with people who hear perfectly. This is a great outcome for people with hearing disabilities who dont use sign language. My attorney and I appreciate working with the city to reach a conclusion that improves accessibility and inclusiveness.

ABOUT J. COURTNEY CUNNINGHAM, PLLC

Mr. Cunningham is a civil rights discrimination litigator. His practice focuses exclusively on representing victims of digital discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. He has successfully settled digital discrimination cases for his clients without resorting to litigation. He has also represented clients in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where he has litigated cases to force defendants to end discriminatory practices. Mr. Cunningham graduated from the University of Florida, College of Law in 1986. He has been a member of the Florida Bar for 30 years.

He served in the administration of President George H. W. Bush in the United States Department of Labor. Mr. Cunningham handled day-to-day legislative and regulatory affairs for three agencies within the Department including the Wage and Hour Administration and the Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The OFCCP ensures that companies doing business with the federal government comply with federal anti-discrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Wage and Hour Administration enforces federal minimum wage and overtime regulations. Mr. Cunningham was a member of the team at the Department of Labor that worked with the Congress in drafting the ADA.
"Lewi is one of the best lyricists I've heard and his style reminds me of the angst of early Eminem. He's got what it takes to make it." Says Damion "Damizza" Young

Im literally the sickest rapper youve ever heard, says Lewi with his mischievous grin.

The 23-year-old Wisconsin native has Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that affects about 70,000 people worldwide. I want to spread awareness about CF. But, I have CF it doesn't have me - so I see it as an opportunity through adversity. I'll just use it to OUR benefit (those affected by CF) to open doors to awareness, and use my music to bring all people together," Lewi said from a studio in Santa Barbara, California.

Nevertheless, Lewi is a young businessman with a hustler's mentality. For his first deal, Lewi joined forced with distribution and promotion legend Damion "Damizza" Young. Lewi's new single "FWU" will drop December 14, via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and ALL digital platforms including on his website: http://www.itslewi.com. Damizza adds, "We wanted to call out the big guns and give Lewi the best shot as a label possible, so we tapped super-producer, Paul Cabbin (Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and Ty $), who was a perfect fit to produce his new single."

Lewi is part of Damizzas new joint-venture label, Langley West along with partner Ramon "Lil' Bams" Cardanes. "Lewi is with us, put simply, because he's great at what he does -- hes a star. Cystic Fibrosis was only the gateway. If I didn't see his Instagram feed, and him recording in a hospital (with portable recording studio), this wouldn't normally catch my attention so fast, but...how creative is that? He was hooked up to an IV drip of antibiotics in a hospital while making songs and even an entire music video! It showed dedication to his craft -- he takes it to a new level," Damizza said.

Damizza has been in the music business for over 30 years, and has worked with Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Eminem and EA Sports. His music was featured in the Fast N' Furious movie franchise. Damizza has produced, promoted, or been featured on over a billion records with the likes of Mariah Carey, Migos, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Korn.

Damizza admits, "It has been a humbling experience, and I'm thankful I can at least use the past to help future talent; or at least help foster its growth in these young artists and young people. We have a shortage of mentors, lack of programs at critical ages, and in this day and time, apprenticeship is a lost art. I have been very lucky to be a part of a lot of music history," Damizza says, "I hope to see more made, and am confident that Lewi's talent will take care of that."

"Damion has had his hand in Trillions (that's right, with a 'T'') of combined radio spins, social media impressions, sales and has worked or knows and or met literally everyone; and I'm so honored my first release is on their new label, Langley West with him & Bams," Lewi says.

But, with his medical costs (Lewi spends 2 weeks every other month in the hospital) this year alone, he's hopeful to sell some records. "And heck, if I get rich, we WILL find a cure," says Lewi, "I'd like to get out of debt, and make it a great Christmas for other CF patients."

Damizza & Bams didn't charge to be featured on the single, and will donate 100% of their proceeds to the cause from their personal sales. "It's a hard time for healthcare, and that was nice of them to do. I hope it doesn't get to the point where I or ANY CF patient simply can't afford treatment anymore - THAT is a scary thought in this current political climate," adds Lewi.

The single release date of December 14 has a special significance to Lewi. It was the date his Mother passed from complications of cancer in 2014. "Lewi has had a tough life. But, how he carries himself you would never know it. Always a smile & the most positive attitude," said Bams.

"FWU" will drop December 14 via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon & all digital platforms including on his website: http://www.itslewi.com

Contact Press Agent Jessica Lino for all interview requests for Lewi, Bams & Damizza.
Revival of a Classic BENRUS certainly has strong customer awareness, but our marketing strategy provides room for growth, which will be a key focus in growing the brand, Says Sara Fernstrom, Chief Executive Officer, Lyft Brands.

BENRUS, the iconic American watch and lifestyle brand, will get a fresh start under new ownership and management. BENRUS Holdings, LLC an affiliate of New England Partners Opportunities Fund, today announced the acquisition of the brand and its partnership with LBG, which will operate the business going forward. Together, they will restructure BENRUS to the US and global markets by offering signature pieces and an updated look to the historic brand.

Infused in rich American history, BENRUS was founded in 1921 by three brothers from New York whose affordably priced watches were proudly worn by U.S. military during WWII. The military connection is woven into the spirit of the brand and will continue to serve as inspiration for the future collections. The historical timepieces continue to be widely popular amongst avid worldwide watch collectors.

BENRUS quickly grew to become the 3rd largest watch company in the United States, behind Bulova and Elgin. Multiple generations of luminaries, such as John F. Kennedy, Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson have worn iconic BENRUS timepieces throughout history.

By combining a love of detail and a passion for adventure, BENRUS aims to create quality goods worthy of everyday wear. The notion of heritage is evident when describing BENRUS, the ninety-seven-year old classic American brand, which is poised for a comeback after several years of complacency.

Through its global network of international partners, the BENRUS brand will continue to expand within mono-branded boutiques, shop-in-shops, department stores and a growing ecommerce marketplace. The brand will have core categories developed and managed through licensed partnerships.

BENRUS has a real story that speaks to the American dream. The customers connect with it and this will play a valuable part in how we position the brand going forward. We will stay true to the heritage though our high-quality military inspired detail. BENRUS certainly has strong customer awareness, but our marketing strategy provides room for growth, which will be a key focus in growing the brand, says Sara Fernstrom, Chief Executive Officer, Lyft Brands.

BENRUS has a very distinct customer base that has been somewhat neglected by the market. BENRUS has much more potential than its current business. We plan on refocusing on our distinctive DNA in all aspects - aesthetic, price point, and channels of distribution; to ensure that the right customer is being approached with the right product. The goal of the company is to return to be a leader in the global watch industry.

ABOUT BENRUS:

Originally a watch company founded by three brothers in 1921, BENRUS was recognized for decades for legendary timepieces proudly worn by the U.S. Military. The military-inspired lifestyle brand, has since expanded beyond its signature watch collection and includes bags, sunglasses and apparel. For more information, please visit http://www.BENRUS.com.

NEW ENGLAND PARTNERS OPPORTUNITY FUNDS GROUP:

NEPOF is a private sponsor investment group with current investments in packaging, consumer products, business services, software, real estate and various tum around opportunities.

ABOUT LYFT BRANDS GROUP:

Lyft Brands Group LLC is a brand management company that licenses world renowned brands across multiple categories, industries and territories through strategic planning, impactful marketing and long-term partnerships with industry leading licensees and operators. LBG targets quality brands with established recognition and strong long-term growth potential. Our partners share the companys vision and approach towards expanding brand presence and driving revenue. The company website: http://www.lyftbrandsgroup.com
Charles Fine Wine We greatly enjoyed working with the owner to sell his well-regarded and unique business, said Irina Comer, founder of Comer Business Brokers. She added: This sale exemplifies our core mission  to help business owners Sell Well.

Charles Fine Wine, a Glastonbury, CT purveyor of hard-to-find and sought-after wines, today announced that Tony Rousseau and Cheryl Carboneau have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its founder, Charles Bissell and other owners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1988, Charles Fine Wine specializes in discovering wines that are not commonly known or advertised but which offer exceptional quality for their price. Its wines are difficult to find in other locations. The store offers wines from around the world.

"As a wine lovers wine store, Charles Fine Wine has been committed for almost 30 years to exciting the palates of its customers," said Charles Bissell, founder and one of the owners of Charles Fine Wine. "We pride ourselves on our curated selection of exceptionally valued wines and our responsiveness to our customers tastes, and we are pleased to be selling to equally dedicated people in Tony and Cheryl."

Mr. Bissell added: "It was a great experience working with Irina at Comer Business Brokers. She ensured an efficient and professional experience all around, and took much of the stress out of selling my business."

Charles Fine Wine is a trusted name for oenophiles in Glastonbury. Charles has built an excellent business by combining exceptional wine sourcing with outstanding customer service, said Tony Rousseau, a package store professional for two decades. Cheryl and I are looking forward to building off of Charles strong base to continue to grow and expand the business under its new moniker, the Best Wine Shop in Town.

Mr. Rousseau added: We really appreciated Irinas contribution to the sale process. She has a strong knowledge of the market and a ready command of the intricacies of the business sale process.

Charles built a highly respected establishment in Glastonbury, and I have absolute confidence in Tonys and Cheryls ability to really take it to the next level. It is greatly rewarding to be able to connect aspiring entrepreneurs like Tony and Cheryl with successful businesses like Charles, said Irina Comer, founder of Comer Business Brokers, which brokered the transaction for Mr. Bissell.

About Comer Business Brokers, LLC

Comer Business Brokers, LLC, is a full-service business brokerage firm located in Fairfield County and service the entire state of Connecticut and Westchester County, NY. Owner and founder Irina Comer has more than a decade of experience of mergers and acquisitions of all types and sizes. Prior to starting her career in business brokerage industry, she spent 10 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers advising local, national, and international companies on transactional issues, including valuation, diligence, structuring and positioning. After obtaining her MBA from New York Universitys Stern School of Business, Irina worked with mergers and acquisitions division of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. For the full list of services and listings please refer to http://www.comerbb.com
Home Care Assist Our entry into South Florida is a significant milestone as we work to provide unique advantages for both home health aides and those seeking care.

Home Care Assist, the nations first online compatibility matching network for in-home care, is expanding its offerings to South Florida as a result of the companys success in North Carolina and Georgia. Residents of South Florida previously restricted to traditional in-home care search methods, like expensive placement agencies or do it yourself word-of-mouth searches, now have a new option for affordable, trustworthy in-home care.

Our entry into South Florida is a significant milestone as we work to provide unique advantages for both home health aides and those seeking care, said Brian VanHook, co-founder and CEO of Home Care Assist. We are proud of our steady growth because it indicates that Home Care Assist is serving the community in a valuable way, and we look forward to facilitating compatible private-duty care relationships in the Florida market.

Home Care Assist was developed to connect people seeking in-home care with private-duty caregivers based on personal interests in addition to conventional criteria such as location, experience and skill sets. The integration of compatibility in the matching process is an industry first and is revolutionizing the way people connect within the home care industry.

For careseekers, Home Care Assist is a personalized option that generates a curated list of screened, compatible caregivers, allowing careseekers to retain control of in-home care while being connected to safe, qualified caregivers with common interests. The personalized connection fosters meaningful relationships between caregivers and careseekers and can be used as a valuable supplement to existing care in instances where family caregivers need respite.

For private-duty caregivers, the Home Care Assist online platform works for them to fill schedules with rewarding relationships and meaningful work. Instead of constant job hunts and mismatched clients, Home Care Assist gives private-duty caregivers freedom to enjoy their career with well-matched clients that seek them. The direct connection between those giving and receiving care encourages caregivers to earn approximately 25 to 40 percent more while also reducing careseeker cost when compared to traditional agency fees. All schedule and payment negotiations take place directly between caregivers and careseekers.

Home Care Assist is actively engaging both caregivers and home health aides in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. To establish connections through Home Care Assist, visit HomeCareAssist.com and click on Im a caregiver or I need care. Caregivers are prompted to create a free profile and complete registration, which requires a $9 background screening. Careseekers can trial the service with a free 15-day pass. Other options for careseekers include a 15-day pass for $39, or a 30-day subscription for $59. Careseekers are also required to complete a profile to determine a likely match. In addition to standard questions to capture careseeker needs and caregiver skills, both parties can anticipate questions like, Do you like to read?, Are you interested in history? and Do you enjoy playing board games? All caregivers must pass a background screening to be connected to careseekers.

Editors Note: Home Care Assist CEO Brian VanHook is available for interviews. Please contact Stephanie Llorente at sllorente(at)prepcomm(dot)com or 919-271-6491 for information.

About Home Care Assist

Home Care Assist is improving the way people connect within the home care industry. As a trusted, affordable compatibility matching program for in-home care, HCAs user-friendly online platform connects careseekers and private-duty caregivers to offer a personalized alternative to traditional home care agencies. Home Care Assist's network of qualified caregivers provide care for a variety of in-home needs such as elder care, rehab assistance and new parent support. It is the first online service for in-home care to connect caregivers and careseekers based on personality and skill sets for mutual compatibility. Home Care Assist is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and operates throughout state as well as Georgia and Florida.

Friend and follow Home Care Assist on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Visit HomeCareAssist.com for additional information.
David Meek, CEO of Education Technology Associates, Inc. (EdTech) has joined Orbund, LLC as Chairman of the Board. As part of the agreement, EdTech will market and distribute Orbund products focusing on the higher education community.

David founded and served as the original CEO of Campus Management Corp. in order to provide high quality education management solutions for colleges and universities. After building the company into one of the premier providers of Student Information Systems, he sold Campus Management in 2008 to its current owners. He commented, I see in Orbund the same characteristics of desire, passion and focus that we had when I first started Campus Management. The Orbund SIS solution is an excellent choice for managing institutions of any size. I am excited to be part of this new team and partnership.

Orbund is privileged to have EdTech market our solution and to have David become our Chairman. His experience, knowledge and reputation in the industry speaks for itself. This is another indication that Orbund is on the right track with the right focus, said Arif Joarder, CEO of Orbund, LLC.

Orbund, LLC is based in Overland Park, Kansas and focuses on education management solutions. The core principles of our SIS solution are flexibility and enablement at an affordable price which has attracted over 250 educational institutions globally to use the Orbund SIS to run their schools. Our solutions are designed to be easily configurable to your business processes and enable your employees to perform their respective functions efficiently and effectively. For more information please visit http://www.orbund.com .

Education Technology Associates, Inc. is a Florida company whose mission is to transform student engagement in higher education, resulting in measurable improvements to student retention and institutional results. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.edtechassociates.com .

Contact:

Alex Arthur

Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Orbund LLC

Phone: 877-536-3266 x103

Email: alex.arthur(at)orbund(dot)com

Website: http://www.orbund.com

Connie Cole

Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Education Technology Associates Inc.

Phone: (561) 504-3719

Email: connie.cole(at)edtechassociates(dot)com

Website: http://www.edtechassociates.com
Lucas Group The longevity of our employees tenure is a complement to our culture, support, and career path guidance.

Lucas Group, the leader in North American executive search, celebrated the anniversary milestones of 18 Associates at the companys Annual Sales Meeting in Dallas.

The Associates represent five of the companys practice groups  Accounting & Finance, Legal, Manufacturing, Military Transition and Sales & Marketing  as well as Lucas Groups Corporate Team. Lucas Group celebrated 10 year, 15 year, 20 year, 25 year and 30-year anniversaries.

The longevity of our employees tenure is a complement to our culture, support, and career path guidance, says Lucas Group CEO Andi Jennings. In todays dynamic business climate, it is not unusual for professionals to switch jobs every few years. Were proud that Lucas Group stands out as a company that talented professionals choose to make a long-term professional home and build fulfilling, meaningful careers.

Lucas Groups company culture is grounded in camaraderie, trust, teamwork and respect.

We strive to create a collegial atmosphere where Associates benefit from a balance of autonomy and support, says Jennings. They have the freedom to take professional risks and the support they need to develop into industry leaders.

Lucas Group prides itself on creating clear career trajectories together with the industrys most sophisticated onboarding and ongoing educational programming. This includes providing innovative tools that track recruiting metrics, access to industry experts as mentors, and continuous training and development.

During the Annual Sales Meeting, the following Associates were recognized for their long-standing tenure.

30 years with Lucas Group:



Eric Stagliano  Military Transition, Atlanta

25 years with Lucas Group:



Lisa Decker  Accounting & Finance, Denver

Nathaniel Hope  Military Transition, Atlanta

Clint Lasater Accounting & Finance, Dallas

20 years with Lucas Group:



Charles Schutt  Accounting & Finance, Chicago

Richard Vidoli  Military Transition, Atlanta

Peter Yund  Corporate, Atlanta

15 years with Lucas Group:



Laurie Block  Legal, New York

Bruce Enger  Manufacturing, Atlanta

Jamie Bergstrom  Accounting & Finance, Chicago

Myra Simon  Accounting & Finance, Houston

10 years with Lucas Group:



Erica Dawley  Accounting & Finance, Chicago

Eric Duggan  Military Transition, Dallas

John Heffner  Manufacturing, Atlanta

Steven Lynch  Legal, Atlanta

John Quinn  Military Transition, Irvine

Julie Stratton  Sales & Marketing, Houston

Robin Wexler  Legal, Baltimore

We commend these associates for their dedication to the Lucas Group team and we look forward to celebrating more milestones with them in the future, says Jennings.

Lucas Group specializes in Accounting & Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, Manufacturing, Military Transition and Sales & Marketing recruitment.

About Lucas Group

Lucas Group is North Americas premier executive search firm. Since 1970, our culture and methodologies have driven superior results. We assist clients ranging in size from small to medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies find transcendent, executive talent; candidates fully realize their ambitions; and associates find professional success. To learn more, please visit Lucas Group at http://www.lucasgroup.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
Total Technologies Logo Together, Total Tec and BroadSoft can help local business do more collaboration in the cloud.

Total Technologies, LLC, a leading Texas-based enterprise communications provider, today announced its recognition as the 2017 outstanding enterprise value added services partner by BroadSoft, a leader in unified communications, at the recent BroadSoft Connections 2017 conference. The recognition comes as Total Technologies (Total Tec) has successfully provided local businesses with direct access to the BroadSoft Business application portfolio, an all-in-one integrated suite comprised of cloud PBX, unified communications, team collaboration and Contact Center. Specializing in value added services, Total Tec provides customers with white glove network design, implementation and support to ensure a seamless transition, integration and adoption to the cloud.

With decades of experience helping businesses grow through innovation, Total Tec has exceptional capabilities in enterprise solution design, service delivery, and customer care. This collaboration began as a response to the growing demand for integrated cloud communication solutions that Total Tec experienced from its enterprise customers. To meet the stringent requirements of mission-critical business operations, Total Tec replaced its ShoreTel services with BroadSoft. With the new BroadSoft Business application suite running on the BroadCloud platform, Total Tec is able to deliver a complete set of business cloud communication services including cloud PBX, unified communications, collaboration and contact centers.

BroadSoft is pleased to be the backbone of the Total Technologies cloud unified communication and collaboration offering, said John Proctor, AVP, enterprise & strategic initiatives, BroadSoft. Total Tec has served the needs of more than 200 large enterprises and businesses worldwide, most recently completing a successful cloud migration on behalf of one of the largest dairy companies in the US and South America. Together, Total Tec and BroadSoft can help local business do more collaboration in the cloud.

With its most recent deployment, Total Tec developed a detailed design and implementation plan, and then managed the migration process step by step over a six week period. The result was a great customer experience, and a successful transition from the customers legacy premise-based service to BroadSoft Business application suite and UC-One. With an increase in workplace mobility and subsequent cloud adoption, Total Tecs business continues to improve. Businesses are historically challenged by on-premise systems that required a fixed connection to their communication provider. The BroadSoft Business portfolio enables business mobility, allowing employees to communicate from one consistent identity, from any device, anywhere and anytime.

Following the recent hurricane disaster in Texas, Total Tec worked with many local businesses to restore their communications, said Amy Murphy, President, Total Technologies. Our customers that were already on the BroadSoft Business cloud were able to maintain communications throughout the storm. It was another reminder how important communications are to our lives and the power of the BroadSoft cloud.

We are pleased that Total Technologies transitioned our business to the cloud and specifically BroadSoft Business with UC-One, said Jon Neiss, Veritas Petroleum Services. The transition was integral in keeping our communication working during Hurricane Harvey while many of our neighboring businesses were unable to continue operations during the event.

Total Tec uses the BroadSoft Business suite to power three of its cloud communications, including:

 Cloud PBX enables enterprises to consolidate and manage their communications across multiple sites, from one centralized portal. With BroadSoft UC-One cloud PBX, they can access the most secure and reliable carrier-grade voice and video, coupled with instant access to the latest features and functionality without timely upgrades and costly maintenance.

 Unified Communication and Collaboration provides business call services from one seamless interface, find contacts quickly, send a chat message, start a video session, jump into a virtual meeting room, share your screen, swap files and more  all from any device, internet connection or and business phone number.

 Contact Center provides fully managed cloud service for business to improve customer service operations, increase productivity, visibility and control over multiple contact center sites.

BroadSoft is a global leader in cloud unified communications and collaboration. We are proud to provide our customers with a communications solution that is proven to enhance business productivity and reliability, while delivering a pathway to future innovation, concluded Amy Murphy, President, Total Technologies.

In addition to their recent recognition by BroadSoft, Total Tec is also recognized as an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau, holds a HUB certification for State of Texas, and was selected as an awarded contract vendor by Choice Partners, among other accolades.

For more about Total Tec and BroadSoft, visit: https://total-tec.com/

About Total Technologies

Total Technologies, as a Broadsoft business partner, provides direct access to BroadSofts customized cloud communications solutions and services to meet complex enterprise needs. Specifically, this includes capturing customer requirements, planning migration strategy, qualifying site readiness, and providing order management services.

Through Total Technologies, customers benefit by being directly supported by Broadsoft, from the award winning customer help desk, provisioning, implementation services, and technical support.

About BroadSoft

BroadSoft is the technology innovator in cloud PBX, unified communications, team collaboration, and contact center solutions for businesses and service providers across 80 countries. We are the market share leader for cloud unified communications with an open, mobile and secure platform trusted by 25 of the worlds top 30 service providers by revenue. Our BroadSoft Business application suite empowers users and teams to share ideas and work simply to achieve breakthrough performance. For additional information, visit http://www.BroadSoft.com/enterprise.
Debbie Lesperance has been named Director of Admission and Recruitment for the Fordham University School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Our academic offerings attract students of all stages of life and we look forward to utilizing her deep expertise and innovative thinking to usher in the future of PCS.

Fordham Universitys School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS) is pleased to announce that Debbie Lesperance has been named Director of Admission and Recruitment. In this role, Ms. Lesperance is responsible for all admission and recruitment efforts for the undergraduate, certificates and Master of Science degree programs housed within PCS. She will manage the application process from pool development to decision, head all recruitment efforts including information sessions and events, develop strategic communication plans and ensure a smooth transition from admission to enrollment. She will report directly to Andrea Marais, Associate Dean of Strategic Marketing and Enrollment for PCS.

Ms. Lesperance has significant background in the admissions arena and will be integral to the continued success of our programs, said Marais. Our academic offerings attract students of all stages of life and we look forward to utilizing her deep expertise and innovative thinking to usher in the future of PCS.

After completing her studies at SUNY New Paltz, Ms. Lesperance spent two years at Edwin Gould Academy in Rockland County as a counselor for at-risk youth. She transitioned to higher education administration as an admission counselor at St. Thomas Aquinas College, working primarily with undergraduate students from New York City. She then moved to graduate enrollment in 2000, at Teachers College, Columbia University as an assistant director of admissions and held the role as interim director for six months, quickly being promoted to associate director in 2003. In February 2007, she took the post of director of admissions at Columbia School of Social Work, a role she held for 10 years before joining Fordham.

She was an active member of the Associate for Graduate Enrollment Management (formerly The National Associate of Graduate Admissions Professionals) and resides in Rockland County, N.Y.

I am thrilled to join Fordham University and its esteemed PCS program, said Lesperance. I look forward to working with the administration to reach and recruit quality students that will flourish in our programs and build a strong foundation for their continued success.

For more information about Fordham PCS, visit http://fordham.edu/pcs.

ABOUT THE FORDHAM UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING STUDIES

The Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS) offers students a quality education in a small, personalized atmosphere that promotes individual growth and exploration. With three convenient campus locations  Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Rose Hill in the Bronx and West Harrison in Westchester, PCS is poised to meet students academic needs. Classes are offered evenings, weekends and online in areas including Business, Organizational Leadership, Economics, Legal and Policy Studies, Social Work. Certificates in Digital and Social Media Marketing and Human Resource Management are also available, as well as Post-Baccalaureate / Pre-Medical / Pre-Health. Fordhams Real Estate Institute also makes its home at PCSs Westchester and Lincoln Center campuses, offering a Masters Degree and multiple Certificate Programs in Real Estate. Visit http://fordham.edu/pcs for more information.

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We came to the conclusion that CHSI offered more software functionality for the price and more value for the money. --Michael Allen, VADA GSIA

CHSI Technologies, Inc., a provider of enterprise-class insurance software, is pleased to announce that the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA) Group Self-Insurance Association (GSIA) is implementing CHSIs Connections cloud-based suite of configurable core systems software.

As the second-largest self-insured group (SIG) in Virginia, VADA GSIA provides its members with effective workers compensation coverage and currently represents more than three-quarters of Virginias franchised dealers. Instituted in 1981, the organizations plan has grown to include more than $15 million in manual premium.

GSIAs implementation of Connections policy administration, CRM, Claims Management, billing and receivables modules is part of a larger plan to take all six of VADAs operations to the cloud, notes Michael Allen, General Manager of VADA GSIA and CIO of GSIA. Like a lot of SIGs, weve had a policy administration server in place for more than 25 years, and CHSIs offering of their configurable core systems modules via Microsofts Azure cloud platform will help us realize our larger plan.

Allen notes that, although workers compensation benefits are defined by law, SIGs are unique in their requirements to help manage the health and wellbeing of their members. The [workers compensation] formula is the formula, so our goal is to become as efficient as possible in order to offer competitive pricing and cutting-edge claims and loss control services. To do that we need to get off the server and move to modern systems that run in the cloud.

VADAs GSIA is also leveraging CHSI Technologies expertise in developing a customer portal as well as integrating claims management with the organizations third-party administrator. After reviewing several products, we came to the conclusion that CHSI offered more software functionality for the price and more value for the money, says Allen.

We see initial value with our active risk prevention team, adds Allen. The efficiencies made possible with Connections will allow them to replace paper reports, so when they sit with clients during a risk audit they can help visualize our benchmarking (today vs. three years ago) in real time.

We are pleased to be able to provide cloud-based Connections configurable software and additional services to help GSIA build on the quality of their highly rated services, and to serve as a platform for their growth, says Jim Leftwich, Founder and CEO of CHSI Technologies.

Once implementation is complete, GSIA is looking forward to providing their clients with added value via real-time access to information: their ability to look at their own claims experience through the portal, pull their own certificates of insurance, and more, says Allen.

About CHSI Technologies Inc.

CHSI Technologies is an award-winning global provider of affordable, core enterprise-class software that is tailor-made to fit the unique needs of small property and casualty and commercial Workers Comp carriers, municipal risk pools, captives and self-insured groups. Leveraging a flexible, hosted platform, CHSI Connections Management System solution enables efficient functioning across a variety of business units and combines policy and underwriting administration, CRM, billing and receivables, workflow, claims integration, broker and policyholder portals into a single cloud-based insurance practice management system. For more info: http://www.chsiconnections.com

About VADA Group Self-Insurance Association

Formed in 1981 by Virginias franchised new car & truck dealers, VADA GSIA is the second largest groups self-insured associations for workers compensation in Virginia, and one of the 25 largest providers of workers compensation coverage in the Commonwealth. VADA Insurers nearly 80% of Virginias franchised dealers and more than $1.2 Billion in payroll. VADA GSIA is administered by the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association. For more info: https://vada.com/dealership-resources/vada-group-self-insurance-association/

About the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association

Formed in 1943 by Virginias franchised new car & truck dealers, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association represents Virginias franchised new-car and -truck dealers, with approximately 500 franchised new-car and -truck dealerships. Member dealers hold domestic and import franchises, historically selling approximately one million new & used vehicles annually, and accounting for more than 20% of the Commonwealths retail sales.

In addition to representing Virginia dealers in their interaction with automobile manufacturers, VADA represents dealers before the Virginia General Assembly, works with regulatory agencies, manages an educational partnership with the Virginia Department of Education, oversees an Educational Foundation, and operates training & service programs to improve dealership business operations, sales, and service practices. For more info: https://vada.com/
Tally joins North American Title Insurance Co. as title operations manager Heathers tremendous experience will move NATIC into the next phase of its growth in Florida title production.

Heather Tally has joined North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC) in the newly created role as title operations manager. In this position, she will oversee the work of the companys title examiners in Florida and will work with NATICs operations and underwriting teams to expand agent support in title examination and ensure its superior quality. Tally has more than 18 years experience in title examination and production in Florida.

Heathers tremendous experience will move NATIC into the next phase of its growth in Florida title production, said Valerie Jahn-Grandin, NATIC executive vice president and chief underwriting counsel. She will help us expand our talented examination team, develop training and advancement plans, and make certain we are on the cutting edge of search and production tools."

Across my career, Heather is one of the best examiners I have ever worked with, added Jahn-Grandin. She epitomizes customer service in the title production realm. NATIC agents will enjoy working with Heather and her expanding team.

Tally most recently worked with Westcor as its Florida assistant state production manager, where she managed a team of over 40 title examiners. Previously, she worked for Attorneys Title Fund Services as a senior title examiner, and had experience as a title examiner for many years prior to that. Tally holds an associate degree in business administration from Pensacola Junior College.

Beginning my career in an entry-level position and working in several areas throughout my tenure in the title industry has given me a unique perspective on improving efficiency, quality and the overall experience within a title plant, said Tally. I am pleased to join a company that is already well established, secure and respected, and where I can be part of its development and growth as well.

Tally is located at the NATIC headquarters, 760 NW 107th Ave., Suite 401, Miami, FL 33172. She may be reached at (305) 559-5656.

About North American Title Insurance Co.

North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC) is a seasoned title insurance underwriter, helping title agents achieve the goal of true business success for over 50 years. The company operates in 39 states and the District of Columbia. NATIC earned the reputation as the underwriter next door because its decision makers and associates are easy to reach and their processes are quick and straightforward, including a one-hour underwriting response guarantee that is unparalleled in the industry. The NATIC agency application process is fast and transparent for qualified agents.

NATIC is in Peer Group 1, which groups companies with total assets of greater than $100 million as determined by Kroll Bond Rating Agency Inc., and is ranked 6th by The Performance of the Title Insurance Underwriters in terms of cash or cash equivalents. NATIC generated more than $230 million in agency premiums in 2016 and maintains a policyholder surplus of approximately $74 million as of Dec. 31, 2016.

NATIC earned a rating of: A' (A Prime) Unsurpassed from Demotech, Inc., A- from Kroll and B++ (Good) from A.M Best. NATIC is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.natic.com.
Elizabeth has an infectious passion to help others in their caregiving journey and we are thrilled she is bringing the important message of prioritizing personal health and wellbeing to family caregivers who too often put their own needs last.

In conjunction with Novembers National Family Caregiver Month theme of Caregiving around the Clock, Elizabeth Miller, CEO and founder of Happy Healthy Caregiver, launched the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast as part of the Whole Care Network.

When I started assuming responsibilities to help care for my chronically ill parents, I was overwhelmed and felt really isolated. I knew my own health would suffer if I didnt figure out how to care for others while still caring for myself, said Elizabeth Miller, host of the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast. I wanted this podcast to provide an opportunity for real family caregivers to share how to be happy and healthy while caring for others.

Miller is a wife, mother, full-time employee, family caregiver and Certified Caregiving Consultant. She launched the Happy Healthy Caregiver online blog, resources, and community in 2015, and has presented at the 2016 and 2017 National Caregiving Conference. Her story has also been featured in Womans Day and the Marietta Daily Journal. Miller also facilitates an Atlanta support group for family caregivers called the Atlanta Daughterhood Circle.

According to the Caregiver Action Network, over 90 million Americans are family caregivers for their loved ones. The crazy thing is, most of these millions of Americans dont even realize they are a family caregiver, so they struggle to find the help and support they need, Miller said.

After being a featured guest on another Whole Care Network podcast, Healing Ties, Miller was offered her own show by Whole Care Network founder Chris MacLellan. She quickly realized her message to encourage family caregivers to prioritize their own health and happiness would be bolder and reach more people who need to know they arent alone by uniting with other caregiver advocates.

The Whole Care Network is a multi-media platform for caregivers to locate and share trusted resources, take comfort and refuge through real-life stories, while being personally validated in your caregiving journey by those who understand.

When we create a collective impact on a social issue, we take ownership of the issuewhich makes our families, our communities, and our businesses stronger for ourselves and for future generations, said Whole Care Network founder Chris MacLellan. Elizabeth has an infectious passion to help others in their caregiving journey and we are thrilled she is bringing the important message of prioritizing personal health and wellbeing to family caregivers who too often put their own needs last.

The Whole Care Network is currently comprised of over a dozen podcasts that are available on TheWholeCareNetwork.com, as well as popular podcast platforms including iTunes, Spreaker, and iHeartRadio.

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About Happy Healthy Caregiver

Happy Healthy Caregiver was founded by family caregiver and Certified Caregiving Consultant Elizabeth Miller in February 2015. The resources and community of Happy Healthy Caregiver help family caregivers integrate caregiving with their lives. All of the content on Happy Healthy Caregiver focuses on helping caregivers make small healthy changes, reclaim their time, ask others for help, express their emotions and needs, and better understand care resources and options for elderly parents. Learn more about Happy Healthy Caregiver at http://www.happyhealthycaregiver.com.

About The Whole Care Network

The Whole Care Network is a multi-channel, multi-media platform for caregivers to locate and share trusted resources, take comfort and refuge through real-life stories, while being personally validated in their caregiving journey by those who understand. Our team believes that the best information and referrals comes from the powerful and personal stories we share with each other. One of the many unique features of The Whole Care Network is that most of the show hosts are new to broadcasting because they have a personal story to share and a willingness to impact issues surrounding Caregiving. For more information, visit http://www.thewholecarenetwork.com.
Tax-Free Wealth Author Tom Wheelwright Make no mistake about the Trump Tax Plan  this is a plan to benefit large corporations and professional investors. ~ Tom Wheelwright, CPA, CEO and Tax-Free Wealth Author

Tax-Free Wealth Author, CPA and CEO Tom Wheelwright calls attention to 5 Trump Tax Plan changes to watch closely, and compares the pending Senate Bill to the House Bill that recently passed. With a Senate vote and Presidential approval anticipated by year-end, Wheelwright explains what is mostly like to pass, along with the Biggest Winners and Losers.

During the last major tax reform in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, Wheelwright worked for the National Tax Office at Ernst and Whinney (now Ernst and Young) in Washington D.C., and provides insights on what it will take to pass the Trump Tax Plan.

5 Things to Watch in Proposed 2017 Trump Tax Plan

1. Similar House and Senate Bill Changes Most Likely To Pass  Wheelwright explains that if both houses of Congress agree on items, those changes are most likely to pass. For example, both bills include a 20% corporate tax rate, a pardon for bringing income back to the U.S. by multi-national corporations (rate still pending), a reduction in income tax brackets for individuals and small businesses, deductions for newly purchased equipment, an increase in the estate tax exemption, and elimination of the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax).

2. Lowest Cost Options Most Likely to Pass - Among the common changes in the House and Senate Bills, the lowest cost options are most likely to pass because[ the Senate cannot add more than $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years. Wheelwright emphasizes, Watch how long the tax reductions are in place or when they begin. For example, the Senate may delay lowering the corporate tax rate for another year to make the numbers work. Wheelwright adds, Look for the Senates version of the estate tax to pass, tax rates that have less impact on the budget and the reinstatement of the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) at the end of the 6-year budget period.

3. Retroactive Tax Changes: In the House Bill, many of the changes that increase revenue are retroactive to November 2, 2017, which is the day the House first announced its bill. For the Senate Bill, some changes will be retroactive to September 17, 2017, even though most changes will be effective January 1, 2018. Wheelwright adds, Paying close attention to the effective dates of each provision could result in massive tax savings for those who carefully plan out their tax consequences.

4. Specific Senator Benefits To Get 50 Votes To Pass - As a result of 50 votes needed to pass the Senate Bill, many benefits in the Senate version benefit specific senators to get the votes. Wheelwright emphasizes; The good news is that while they target specific state constituents, everyone gets to take advantage of these benefits. For example, watch for provisions that impact industries such as real estate, agriculture and alcoholic beverages.

5. Biggest Winners and Losers - The biggest winners by far are Big Business, and the Biggest Losers are high-income employees. The tax law has been a series of incentives, primarily benefiting business owners and investors for a long time. Wheelwright emphasizes, Make no mistake about the Trump Tax Plan  this is a plan to benefit large corporations and professional investors. Many personal tax benefits may disappear in order to pay for the investor and business tax benefits such as equipment write-offs and real estate depreciation deductions.

For a timely interview with Tom Wheelwright, please contact

Liz Kelly, Goody PR, 310-987-7207

Bio

Tom Wheelwright is a CPA, CEO of ProVision (CPA firm in Tempe, Arizona) and Best-Selling Author of Tax-Free Wealth. Wheelwright is a leading wealth and tax expert, global speaker, and Entrepreneur Magazine Contributor. Tom is best known for making taxes fun, easy and understandable, and specializes in helping entrepreneurs and investors build wealth through practical and strategic ways that permanently reduce taxes. As a Rich Dad Advisor to Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad), Tom frequently speaks at conferences worldwide to entrepreneurs on these topics. His work has been featured in Forbes, Accounting Today, Investors Business Daily, Consumer Reports, USA TODAY, FOX & Friends, CBS 5 News Phoenix, ABC News Radio, NPR, and many more media. http://taxfreewealthadvisor.com
Spinal Elements, Inc. today announced plans to move its global headquarters to its Carlsbad, California location. Concurrent with this move, Jason Blain, co-founder of Spinal Elements and currently its President and COO, will assume the role of President and CEO. This change is effective immediately.

I am excited by the opportunity to lead our talented team of employees and partners and create an even more vibrant and dynamic Spinal Elements in the years to come, said Jason Blain, Spinal Elements new President and CEO. I thank Chris Fair and the other members of our board of directors for their confidence. Going forward, Spinal Elements will continue to be focused on innovation and execution, driven by differentiated technologies and premium customer service, and we will move quickly to scale new ideas and opportunities into this dynamic marketplace.

The companys headquarters move will have minimal impact on Spinal Elements Marietta, Georgia-based operations and employees. Added Blain, The company remains committed to its Marietta campus and our employees based there.

Mr. Blains ascension to CEO will build on the strong foundation and momentum achieved by the Spinal Elements team under Chris Fairs leadership. Jason has inspired many of Spinal Elements most exciting technologies  past, present and future  while also fostering a team-oriented culture in each position he has held during his career," said Mr. Fair. I look forward to supporting Jason and the company across all future endeavors. Mr. Fair, who resides with his family in the Atlanta metro area, will continue as a member of Spinal Elements Board of Directors.

Prior to co-founding Spinal Elements in 2003, Mr. Blain had roles of increasing responsibility in product development, manufacturing, regulatory affairs and quality assurance with Smith & Nephew, Alphatec, and NuVasive.

About Spinal Elements

Spinal Elements is an outcomes-driven spinal surgical solutions company with locations in Carlsbad, CA and Marietta, GA. A leading designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative medical devices used in spinal surgical procedures, our mission is to combine leading medical device technologies, biologics and instrumentation to create positive surgical outcomes that exceed surgeon and patient expectations. For more information, please visit http://www.spinalelements.com.
Eminent SEO continues to evolve, as far as our staff and the types of services we can offer to clients, so our website needs to continually evolve as well.

Mesa, Arizona-based digital design and marketing agency Eminent SEO debuted a new website this month at eminentseo.com. The website refresh comes just one month after the agency celebrated its eighth anniversary in business.

The revamped website features a more modern design, a reimagined navigational menu, updated content to highlight new methods, expanded marketing and SEO resources, an online art gallery to feature local artists, a selection of the brand products Max Swag, and much more.

Eminent SEO continues to evolve, as far as our staff and the types of services we can offer to clients, so our website needs to continually evolve as well, said Jenny Stradling, CEO of Eminent SEO. Im so proud of the work the team did behind the scenes. The website is beautiful and fun at the same time. Its more than just a sales tool; its a resource for designers, artists and other marketers.

This new site is strategically positioned to help users arrive to the areas of the site that are most applicable and of greatest interest to them, no matter who they are. Weve also added a design portfolio to highlight our abilities as graphic artists. We now feel confident that when you come across our website, you can tell that youre looking at one of the premier players in the digital marketing and design spaces.

Established in 2009, Eminent SEO now offers a full range of digital design and marketing services, from logo creation and website development to social media management, video production and email marketing. The agencys objectives are to increase the online visibility of its clients and generate more leads and conversions.

A team of more than 15 experienced designers and marketers, Eminent SEO currently works with clients locally and all over the country that come from the following industries: small businesses, addiction treatment centers, healthcare and medical providers, eCommerce product sites, home services, car dealerships and more.

Also worth noting is the fact were now going by the model of flexible monthly retainers, Stradling added. Rather than locking somebody into the same number of blog posts and written service pages per month, for example, our team determines how to best use the given budget each month to get the desired results for each client.

This could take the form of a more aggressive PPC or social ad campaign that month, or fixing technical errors on the site, an extra email blast, etc. Clients can trust that well make the best use of their budget to increase their online presence and deliver optimal results each month. Why? The proof is in the data. We get results.

For this specific time of the year, Eminent SEO is currently encouraging every business to run a targeted holiday season sales campaign. Those who are having trouble building such a campaign are encouraged to talk to CEO Jenny Stradling for expert consultation or to see if Eminent SEO can step in and help just for the holiday season  and possibly beyond.

Visit https://www.eminentseo.com to get in touch with Eminent SEO and to see the new website today.
Giving back through Maintenance Connection not only separates us from any other company but it also makes us closer as a working team going through these amazing experiences together.

Maintenance Connection just completed its 2017 year of giving back, fulfilling its promise to donate 1 percent of profits and 1% of employee time to charitable organizations. Since 2011, employees of Maintenance Connection have participated in a variety of volunteer initiatives through the MC Gives Back program, a way to positively impact the world by donating time, manpower and resources to those in need.

Over the last several years, MC employees have served national communities like Philadelphia and the Pacific Northwest as well as internationally in Cambodia, Costa Rica and Estonia. This years groups focused on communities in the U.S. and a city in Ghana, Africa.

2017 was a banner year for MC Gives Back, with staff-led projects that served communities stateside and abroad. Im proud of how our staff really came together on every one of these trips, said Marketing VP Greg Squires.

From May 7-May 10, Maintenance Connection employees volunteered at Camp Nan-A-Bo-Sho in Wisconsin. Camp Na Na Bo Sho serves kids ages 5-17 years old. The kids spend their time at the summer camp engaging a variety of activities such as hiking, canoeing, arts & crafts, and other team-building exercises. While at the camp, the Gives Back Team focused on 2 projects: Constructing a low-ropes course, and building a gaga pit. Check out this awesome recap video to hear stories and interviews from the team!

In July, Maintenance Connection traveled to Sacramento, CA to help Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanitys mission is to build affordable homes in partnership with families in need, supported by a host of volunteers, faith based organizations, donors and corporations for the betterment of communities. The team spent their time in Sacramento preparing the land for a new housing development by clearing out old underbrush and putting up a new fence.

In August, Maintenance Connection spent time at Echo Ranch in Portland, OR. Echo Ranch is an organization dedicated to offering an environment of support and encouragement, which restores the heart, soul, and mind, and strengthens individuals and their families. Guests at the ranch connect with a horse and ride, groom, or just pet a specially selected equine partner. The team chose to build a patio that would give Echo Ranch an outdoor space for meals together, meetings, and other events.

Lastly, from October 13-23, Maintenance Connection employees traveled overseas to Ghana, Africa. MC Gives Back culminated its last of four trips in 2017 with a transAtlantic flight that united the team with common goals to band together, sweat and work hard, and provide children in rural West Africa with improved education facilities at their community school. The group spent a weeks time in Ghana, Africa to contribute to a schools most evident needs, a new computer lab and washroom.

The team began planning this trip nearly a year ago, and worked closely with IVHQ Ghana, the agency who provided local coordination and support for the work to be done at the school. IVHQ staff did an incredible job of setting up the team for success, with basic language training, cultural orientation, transport, housing, construction foremen, and continuous guidance for a safe, productive, and spectacularly memorable experience for the MC staff that took part in the trip.

Giving back through Maintenance Connection not only separates us from any other company but it also makes us closer as a working team going through these amazing experiences together, said Andrew Stolz, an Implementation Consultant and the leader of the Ghana, Africa trip.

Greg added, We will no doubt continue this giving program, with the goal to gather even more of our growing team into collaborative service projects together next year.

Maintenance Connection giving program is known as 1-1-1. This ratio includes: donating 1 percent of company profits to nonprofit organizations; offering 1 percent of product via free or discounted CMMS software to charitable organizations; and enabling employees to contribute 1 percent of their paid time to local nonprofits of their choice.

To learn more about Maintenance Connections giveback initiatives, visit http://www.mcgivesback.com, or view videos of the teams experiences here. The Super Service Challenge is an organization which allows people to nominate organizations to receive funds to aid in their humanitarian efforts. Please visit the Super Service Challenge page video library to vote for Maintenance Connections 2017 projects and encourage others to do the same. For more information on Maintenance Connections CMMS software, visit http://www.maintenanceconnection.com/website.
AOTMP We are excited to partner with AOTMP to acquire Efficiency First certification as a strategic next step in excellence.

AOTMP is pleased to announce the participation of SeeClear Consulting in its Efficiency First Vendor Solution Certification Program.

As part of the Program process, SeeClear will align its global telecom expense management solution capabilities with the Efficiency First Framework, a standard for driving technical, financial and operational efficiency across enterprise fixed and mobile telecommunications environments.

SeeClears participation in the Efficiency First Vendor Solution Certification Program serves as an outward symbol of its commitment to excellence and desire to provide unparalleled solutions to its customers and the telecom and IT marketplace. Certification will be awarded upon meeting or exceeding top tier performance requirements.

SeeClear supports the telecom portfolios of a variety of global companies; from small businesses to multinationals with mobile, fixed and ICT management requirements, stated Timothy C. Colwell, AOTMP SVP of Efficiency First Adoption. SeeClears leadership sees the value in solution certification by AOTMP; and we look forward to supporting SeeClear as it works toward demonstrating and proving its TEM Solutions meet the standard for measuring performance in fixed telecom, mobile services and data networks.

We are excited to partner with AOTMP to acquire Efficiency First certification as a strategic next step in excellence," states Laura Coetzee, CEO. "Becoming AOTMP Efficiency First certified will truly set us apart in the South African marketplace, aligning client experience with methodologies that will affirm our agnostic approach to Technology Expense Management, achieving true ROI and results for our clients.

ABOUT AOTMP

AOTMP is an information services company that helps organizations take their fixed and mobile environment to a greater level of performance and helps telecom vendors achieve excellence in creating value for their clients. Using information and analytics to drive efficiencies, performance and productivity, business solutions are based on their patented Efficiency First Framework. For more information, visit aotmp.com.

ABOUT SEECLEAR CONSULTING

SeeClear Consulting (Pty) Ltd. is a woman-owned company. SeeClear aims to establish itself as the preferred technology expense management consultancy in South Africa, strategically positioning its methodologies to service any environment including small and mid-sized businesses as well as global enterprises. With its unique modular approach, SeeClear can manage and report on all IoT, mobile, fixed line and related ICT services, customised to align with each organisations specific requirements.

The SeeClear Intelligible platform provides a vendor-agnostic repository with transparency across the Telecom and IT landscape. Reporting on all IT and Telecom usage, devices, products, services, technologies and commercials for all providers has never been easier  one dashboard rules them all. For more information, visit seeclear.co.za.
Both come from Swift Transportation, the nations largest full truckload trucking company, where they each have worked for over 20 years. Wiebusch and Morin also worked under Randy Savoy, who joined Cold Carriers in October as its COO, while at Swift.

Wiebusch will have operational responsibility over the companys Gantt Trucking (Lexington, SC) and Sunco Trucking (Lakeland, FL) operating companies, as well any future carriers acquired in the eastern US. Wiebusch previously was Director of Grocery Dedicated-West Region for Swift, where he oversaw operations for Swifts dedicated refrigerated fleet of 1000 tractors and $150 Million of revenue.

Morin will be responsible for the entire Cold Carriers fleet of over 450 tractors and 700 temperature-controlled trailers. Morin most recently served as Director of Shop Operations-Grocery Dedicated for Swift, where he managed the maintenance program for its fleet of 2300 Tractors and 4000 reefers.

Dave and Rick are both seasoned executives in the trucking industry whom I have worked with for over a decade, said Savoy. Time and time again they have proven their ability to manage large operations and bring innovative solutions to improving customer service and optimizing our assets. I am excited to have them join me as we continue to grow Cold Carriers.

We are excited that Dave and Rick will be joining us as we continue to strengthen our management team, said Kenneth Meister, chairman and CEO. We anticipate making further acquisitions in 2018 and Dave and Rick, in addition to Randy, will allow us to continue to integrate those operations seamlessly as we offer nationwide services to our shippers and producers throughout the continental U.S.

About Cold Carriers:

Cold Carriers was formed in 2015 when KJM Capital acquired Charles Gantt Trucking Inc. (Lexington, SC), a leading provider of temperature-controlled truckload freight in the eastern U.S. Since then, Cold Carriers has acquired Interide Transport LLC (Salt Lake City, UT), Sunco Carriers d/b/a Watkins Refrigerated (Lakeland, FL) and Blue Sky Logistics (Smithfield, UT) and now operates a fleet of 450 tractors and 700 refrigerated trailers nationwide under the Gantt Trucking, Interide Transport and Sunco Trucking names. According to Meister, several additional acquisitions are planned for 2018 to continue to build a family of truckload temperature-controlled carriers integrated on a common transportation management software platform to offer seamless services to its customers.

About KJM Capital:

KJM Capital, LLC, an Orlando, Florida-based private equity firm, was founded by Kenneth Meister and his partners to acquire leading lower to middle market companies that serve business customers. The firm seeks to acquire leading companies with the objective of providing operational, financial and IT support, thereby allowing management to implement growth initiatives and improve the customer experience.
The ROY Luxury Apartments Opening Spring 2018 The REMM Groups commitment to service, depth of experience and boutique approach to property management is a good fit for The ROY, Walter Cale, Roy's Overland Home, LLC

The ROY is the latest trendsetting property to choose The REMM Group as its property management company. Located on Overland Avenue in Los Angeles, the contemporary building will feature luxury apartments with sweeping city views upstairs and offer space for coffee shops, restaurants and shops at street level.

The REMM Group is one of Orange Countys fastest growing small companies for the second year in a row according to The Orange County Business Journal. The locally owned company specializes in managing Southern California properties. We provide residents and tenants with the attentive service that building owners want for their upscale properties, said Sara Delia.

The ROY will offer millennials a contemporary outdoor rooftop deck and sky bridge community room to gather. Apartments and common areas will have stunning views of Downtown LA, Culver City, Century City, the Hollywood sign and Venice. The 92 apartments will have upgraded details throughout including quartz countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, in-unit washers and dryers and large walk-in closets.

Residents of the studio, one and two bedroom apartments will enjoy private balconies with views, Subterranean-gated parking, parcel pending storage lockers, ample bicycle parking and laundry service. The convenience of street level shops in the building is an additional draw.

Walter Cale of Roy's Overland Home, developers of the project, said, The ROY, is an exciting property that will provide the amenities, atmosphere and conveniences young professionals want close to work; surrounded by all the city has to offer. We chose The REMM Group as our management company because we want our residents and tenants to receive the attention to detail and exceptional service that they are known for.

The ROY is scheduled to open in May 2018 at 3644 Overland Ave, Los Angeles , CA 90034. Leasing will begin at the first of the year. Those interested in leasing can get more information at http://www.theroyla.com.

The REMM Group is an IREM Accredited Real Estate Management Organization (AMO) identified by OCBJ as one of the fastest growing small businesses in Orange County. Awarded AMO of the Year for 2017 in Orange County, they provide property management for industrial, office, retail, mixed-use and multifamily properties. The REMM Groups corporate office is located at 15991 Red Hill Ave. Ste. 200 Tustin, CA 92780.

For additional information on the news that is subject of this release, contact Sara DElia at (714) 974-1010 x213, sdelia(at)remmgroup(dot)com, or visit http://www.remmgroup.com.
SmartGuard protects data at the source with centrally managed policies that filter and mask content according to business, security and compliance objectives for SQL-on-Hadoop engines Impala, Hive and HAWQ.

Axiomatics, the leader in fine-grained dynamic authorization, today announced the availability of SmartGuard for Big Data 1.2, the only authorization solution that fully supports Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) for Big Data. Key enhancements include support for the SQL-on-Hadoop engine Apache Impala, as well as a new user graphical user interface (GUI) and an improved Configuration API.

SmartGuard protects data at the source with centrally managed policies that filter and mask content according to business, security and compliance objectives for SQL-on-Hadoop engines Impala, Hive and HAWQ, said Roger Astrom, vice president of product management at Axiomatics. The use of dynamic authorization to protect Big Data stores provides efficiency, visibility and control of user access, and ensures a streamlined approach to securing Big Data, while also sharing it with authorized users.

In addition to Impala capabilities, Axiomatics has enhanced the user experience with a redesigned user GUI, and added a new Configuration REST API, that features fine-grained access control for API users. This usability upgrade provides an easy-to-use configuration set-up, with separate tabs for authors and administrators, and organizations now can define these user views with policies.

SmartGuard for Big Data provides our clients an improved user experience, said Pablo Giambiagi, vice president of strategic research at Axiomatics. Users now have much more flexibility when it comes to protecting Big Data systems against unauthorized access and exfiltration of data.

SmartGuard for Big Data protects Big Data at the data layer, by enforcing user access based on multiple categories of attributes, and the relationship between them. Attributes could include data classification, the purpose of use, time of day, user location, the device in use, and the users role or group. Complex privacy requirements, such as protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or helping to comply with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation are supported with SmartGuard for Big Data. Dynamic authorization ensures not just the protection of critical assets and sensitive data, but it allows sharing the right data with authorized users. SmartGuard features the graphical policy editor from the flagship Axiomatics Policy Server, as well as the ability to dynamically mask, filter and redact sensitive data within policy settings. Axiomatics was named as a Sample Vendor in the dynamic data masking category in the Gartner "Hype Cycle for Application Security, 2017 report[1].

Axiomatics fine-grained approach controls exactly who should gain access to what, where, when, why and how to protect sensitive information. Read more: https://www.axiomatics.com/news/sc-media-feature-writing-authorization-policies-secure-big-data/

For more information about Axiomatics SmartGuard for Big Data, please visit https://www.axiomatics.com/product/smartguard-big-data/.

[1] Gartner, Hype Cycle for Application Security, 2017 by Ayal Tirosh, 28 July 2017.

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 Axiomatics

Axiomatics is the leading provider of fine-grained authorization. Axiomatics' solutions are utilized by government agencies and Global Fortune 1000 companies around the world to enable digital transformation: share and safeguard sensitive information, meet compliance requirements, and minimize data fraud. Axiomatics provides Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) for applications, databases, Big Data, APIs and microservices. To learn more, please visit http://www.axiomatics.com or @axiomatics.
The Chertoff Group, a premier global advisory firm that provides security risk management, business strategy and merchant banking advisory services

WHAT:

Enterprises face increasingly dynamic risks to their business - including changing threat actor objectives and increasingly varied physical and cyber tactics, techniques and procedures. Numerous organizations that have invested in compliance programs are nonetheless experiencing major incidents, with significant operational, legal and reputational impacts. In this environment, organizations are increasingly asking: How do I know whether I have an effective security program in place?

To answer this question, Adam Isles, principal at The Chertoff Group (TCG) - a premier global advisory firm that provides security risk management, business strategy and merchant banking advisory services, will present a live webinar titled, Leveraging the SAFETY Act  Building an Effective Security Program. Hosted by the American Bar Association, Isles will discuss the changing nature of enterprise security risk, SAFETY Act implications, and how TCGs risk management approach can help enterprises build and maintain effective security risk management programs.

Recently, TCGs security risk management consulting methodology was granted SAFETY Act designation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate. To obtain SAFETY Act designation, TCG had to prove that its methodology demonstrated substantial utility and effectiveness, as well as availability for immediate deployment, among other factors. TCG is one of the only professional services companies in the world to have achieved SAFETY Act designation across all industries for its proven cyber-physical security risk management consulting methodology.

WHERE & WHEN:

Webinar: Leveraging the SAFETY Act  Building an Effective Security Program

Date: Wednesday, December 6; 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST

More information and to register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8659253688442385155

WHO:

Adam Isles, principal, The Chertoff Group

Adam Isles is a principal at TCG, where he helps clients build security programs. A security expert with more than 20 years of experience, Isles has managed security services engagements for clients in a number of industries, including financial services, utility, transportation, retail and technology sectors. Projects have included security risk assessments, market entry security assessments, M&A cyber due diligence reviews, security strategy development, organizational reviews, insider threat program development, exercises, senior management training, penetration test risk overlays and security audits.

Prior to joining TCG, Isles worked at Raytheon Company where he was the director of strategy and policy consulting for homeland security. Previously, Isles served as the deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where he worked daily with the DHS secretary to coordinate department-wide operations. Before joining DHS, Isles served at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he started his legal career as a trial attorney in the criminal division in 1997. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Yale University.

About The Chertoff Group:

The Chertoff Group is a premier global advisory firm that provides security risk management, business strategy and merchant banking advisory services. We apply our insights into technology, threat and policy to help our clients improve their resiliency, build competitive advantage and accelerate growth.

With a particular focus around security and technology, The Chertoff Group provides a broad array of professional services to help our clients at every stage of the business lifecycle. We leverage our deep subject matter knowledge around important policy matters and security operations to build and execute effective strategies that enable companies to capture new opportunities and create lasting competitive advantage. For those organizations that require tactical security support, we work hand-in-hand with clients to better understand todays threats and assess, mitigate and monitor potential dangers and evolving risks in order to create more secure environments for their business operations.

Headquartered in Washington D.C., The Chertoff Group maintains offices in Menlo Park and New York City. For more information about The Chertoff Group, visit http://www.chertoffgroup.com.
Ive been working in the minority markets my entire career, Slayton said. Over the last eight years, Ive helped Alterra build a platform thats designed to serve the underserved borrowers and increase their access to homeownership. Alterra was built for this.

Alterra Home Loans, a national lender and one of the largest minority-owned mortgage companies in the U.S., announced today that it will launch a new division named Legacy focused on increasing the homeownership rate of African-Americans in the U.S. The division will be led by Ben Slayton and Keith Webster, 53-year and 20-year industry veterans respectively. Webster, the previous founder of Apex Mortgage Group, brings experience both as a successful leader and as a business owner to the effort, as well as conceiving the idea to start the Legacy Division. Hes one of Alterras most successful Sr. Vice Presidents and oversees branch offices in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.

Ben Slayton, a 53-year veteran of the mortgage industry who has built several mortgage and mortgage-related companies, was asked to lead the Legacy Division as President to help pioneer it at a national level. Slayton is the first Black Realtor in the U.S., the first Black owner/broker of a CENTURY 21 franchise, the first Freddie Mac Multifamily Program Plus Seller/Servicer in the U.S., and hes also a member of the Alterra Group, LLC Board of Directors.

The Legacy Divisions key focus is to close the disparate homeownership gap that currently exist in the African-American markets. Currently, the African-American homeownership rate is 41%, the lowest of all the minority groups, grossly under the national average of 68%. Unfortunately, over the last few years the homeownership rate for black families has steeply declined, Webster said. The opportunity to create wealth is now.

According to an MBA report, in the next few years African-Americans between the ages of 30 and 59 will grow an approximate 1 million new households. The Legacy Division will be at the forefront of that growth, strategically targeting to serve these families. Ive been working in the minority markets my entire career, Slayton said. Over the last eight years, Ive helped Alterra build a platform thats designed to serve the underserved borrowers and increase their access to homeownership. Alterra was built for this.

This couldnt be a better fit for Alterra, Alterras President and CEO Jason Madiedo said. Ive worked with Keith for over three years and Ben for more than 20 years, and I know their passion, energy and skill is a strategic and purpose-driven winning combination.

About Alterra Home Loans

Alterra Home Loans is a minority-owned, top U.S. mortgage bank and one of the largest Hispanic-owned mortgage companies in the country. With loan coverage in 29 U.S. states, Alterra strives to represent the underserved in the mortgage industry, specifically serving the diverse markets to help build wealth through homeownership.
New patients with periodontal pockets and bleeding gums in Eden Prairie, MN, are invited to visit Dr. Andres Sanchez, skilled periodontist, and take advantage of the promotion he is currently offering for LANAP laser gum disease treatment. New patients can now pay $99 for an exam that will go towards their LANAP treatment.

Gum (periodontal) disease affects millions of Americans each year, but it is commonly left undiagnosed. In many cases, those who have the disease are unaware that they are affected. Unfortunately, gum disease can cause a variety of oral health problems if left untreated, including oral pain, gum recession and eventual tooth loss. Untreated gum disease has even been linked in recent studies to other systemic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Dr. Sanchez is an experienced periodontist who is familiar with the many negative health effects gum disease can have. For this reason, he encourages patients showing common signs of gum disease, such as deep pockets in their gums, chronic bad breath and swollen or bleeding gums in Eden Prairie, MN, to seek immediate treatment.

To help make gentle laser-based treatment more available to patients with gum disease, Dr. Sanchez offers a promotion to new patients. They can now schedule an examination that costs just $99. If laser gum disease treatment is needed, the examination fee will go towards their LANAP treatments. The LANAP protocol is a gentle, minimally invasive method for treating gum disease. It targets bacteria without any incisions and does not require sutures once treatment is complete. Patients who receive treatment with the leading laser gum disease technology typically have very quick recovery periods, since the laser causes minimal trauma to the gum tissue and cauterizes the tissue to prevent post-operative bleeding. The laser is extremely precise and does not harm healthy oral tissue. It is also shown to assist in tissue regeneration and encourages reattachment of the gum tissue to the tooth.

Patients experiencing gum disease symptoms, including swollen gums, gum pockets or bleeding gums in Eden Prairie, MN, are urged to schedule an appointment with a skilled periodontist right away. Appointments with Dr. Sanchez can be scheduled by calling PerioWest at 952-479-4705 or visiting the website at http://www.periowestmn.com.

About the Doctor

PerioWest is a periodontal practice offering personalized dental care for patients in Eden Prairie, MN and the Twin Cities areas. Dr. Andres R. Sanchez received his Certificate & Masters Degree in Periodontics from the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in 2004. He is a Board-Certified periodontist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. In addition, Dr. Sanchez has been involved as a primary author in more than ten scientific papers published in major periodontal and implant dentistry journals. To learn more about Dr. Sanchez and the services he provides, please visit his website at http://www.periowestmn.com or call 952-479-4705.
BCS Community Credit Union of Wheat Ridge, CO, is a full-service non-profit financial institution offering auto loans, home equity, loans personal loans, lines of credit, savings & checking accounts. Were always excited when Santa Claus decides to stop in to meet the families that make up the membership of BCS Community Credit Union, said Mark Hachtel, CEO of BCS Community Credit Union.

BCS Community Credit Union will be filled with extra holiday cheer on Saturday, December 9, 2017, as Santa Claus pays a visit to credit union families, staff, and kids of all ages. This special event is open from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM to all in the community and will be held at the BCS Community Credit Union at 4203 Wadsworth Blvd, Wheat Ridge, CO.

Families are invited to attend this free holiday event for photos with Santa Claus, light refreshments, and a chance to share with Santa what community members are hoping to receive most this holiday season. The community is encouraged to bring their cameras for holiday photos with Santa Claus.

Were always excited when Santa Claus decides to stop in to meet the families that make up the membership of BCS Community Credit Union, said Mark Hachtel, CEO of BCS Community Credit Union. And we are delighted to share this special holiday tradition with the communities we serve.

In addition to bringing good cheer to the communities of Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Lakewood, Golden, and the Denver, CO metro area, Santa Claus is also delivering a unique refinancing opportunity. Anyone who brings in their non-BCS Community Credit Union auto loan for refinancing will receive a refinancing offer of 1% off their current rate and no payment for 90 days.

BCS Community Credit Union car loan refinancing reduces the existing auto loan rate from another lender by 1% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and delays the start of repayment for up to 90 days. The process is made easy with online applications and electronic signatures for loan documents.

We offer our members unique deals and extra savings in a range of different ways, said Hachtel. This special auto loan refinancing holiday offer is our way of giving back to the Wheat Ridge community.

BCS Community Credit Union is a local, non-profit, member-owned financial cooperative for residents and people working in the city of Wheat Ridge, CO. Chartered in 1938, BCS Community Credit Union is located at 4203 Wadsworth Blvd, Wheat Ridge, CO and open Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.
GeBBS is pleased to partner with Kettering Health Network to help them with their revenue cycle improvement and auditing needs, commented Gabe Stein, Executive Vice President, Payer Solutions.

GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, Inc., a leading technology-enabled provider of revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions, announced today that Kettering Health Network, Southwest Ohios leading health network, has selected their iCode Assurance SaaS solution for HIM Auditing solutions to help them enhance their revenue stream, improve productivity, and assess and enhance their coding activities.

GeBBS Healthcare Solutions brings a deep understanding of the revenue cycle to provide Health Information Management (HIM) solutions that cut through the complexity with expertise, operational excellence, and a sophisticated approach. As a leading provider of outsourced Medical Coding and Coding Validation Audits, GeBBS provides a unique insight into their clients challenges when it comes to data quality and accuracy, productivity, and reliability.

We were looking for a company that had both expertise in HIM consulting and compliance auditing; GeBBS Healthcare Solutions filled both of those requirements. Our team is excited to begin using the iCode Assurance tool to improve our coding quality program through improved workflow and data analytics, said JoAnn Yohn, Vice President, Revenue Cycle, Kettering Health Network.

GeBBS is pleased to partner with Kettering Health Network to help them with their revenue cycle improvement and auditing needs. Our team of professional consultants and auditors, using our iCode Assurance program, will work closely with Ketterings staff to provide the consulting and auditing services they require, commented Gabe Stein, Executive Vice President at GeBBS.

About GeBBS

GeBBS Healthcare Solutions is a leading technology-enabled provider of revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions. GeBBS innovative technology, combined with its over 4,000-strong global workforce, helps clients improve financial performance, compliance, and patient satisfaction. GeBBS solutions include Health Information Management (HIM), eligibility and verification, accounts receivable management, and patient access. Headquartered in the Los Angeles, CA area, GeBBS has won numerous accolades for its medical coding outsourcing and medical billing outsourcing, including being ranked in Modern Healthcares Top 15 Largest RCM Firms, Black Book Market Researchs Top 20 RCM Outsourcing Services, and Inc. 5000s fastest growing private companies in the U.S. For more information, please visit http://www.gebbs.com.

For more information, press only: Contact Tyler Cowart, GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, Phone, 310-953-4444 ext. 214 Email: tyler.cowart(at)gebbs.com
Caleb J. Holmes and David G. Mandelbaum, of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will participate in the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) CLE titled, The Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment: Implications for All Attorneys. The CLE will take place Dec. 5, Dec. 12, and Dec. 19 in Mechanicsburg, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, respectively.

The course will explore new issues raised by the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts June decision in Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation v. Wolf. Topics include the courts new view of the Environmental Rights Amendment, who has environmental rights, practical steps to help a municipal or non-environmental agency, and the trust obligation in practice. The presentation is critically important for those working in the real estate, business, and municipal sectors.

Holmes focuses his practice on environmental and commercial litigation. He has a wide range of experience in environmental transaction and regulatory counseling matters. Holmes represents businesses in state and federal courts in environmental and commercial litigation matters. He advises and represents industrial and state clients on environmental issues arising in permitting and compliance activities, as well as business and real estate transactions generally. He represents natural gas exploration and production companies and midstream providers in connection with the development of the Marcellus Shale and other natural gas resources. He attended Vermont Law School and served as law clerk to Hon. Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Mandelbaum is co-chair of the firms Environmental Practice. His practice generally tends toward environmental litigation as well as handling permit appeals involving assertions of constitutional violations. He has written and spoken on the Environmental Rights Amendment repeatedly. He served as Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Statewide Water Resources Committee and as a member of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Mandelbaum teaches Superfund Litigation and Oil and Gas Law in rotation at Temple Law School. He was educated at Harvard University and served as law clerk to Hon. Louis H. Pollak, then-United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

About Greenberg Traurigs Environmental Practice

Greenberg Traurigs Environmental Practice assists clients with issues under the environmental and natural resource laws that affect their businesses. The firms environmental attorneys assist with securing permits and approvals; negotiate and close transactions; defend clients in enforcement actions; handle a broad range of environmental and toxic tort litigation; ensure the understanding and satisfaction of regulatory requirements; prepare for and respond to emergencies; craft approaches for legacy cleanup issues; and develop solutions for product regulation, market access, and environmental policy challenges. The practice was named Law Firm of the Year, Environmental, Best Law Firms, U.S. News and Best Lawyers, 2016.

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 largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
Fonolo's new white paper explores important trends in the call center industry for the coming year. Companies are realizing that the customer experience has a direct effect on brand loyalty. If youre not meeting expectations, they will go elsewhere. Its critical for leaders to stay up-to-date with important trends that keep customers engaged, and ultimately optimize for the future.

Fonolo, the leader in cloud-based call-back solutions for the contact center, has published a new white paper titled, 9 Critical Contact Center Trends for 2018. The report examines top trends in the call center space, and their impact on the industry.

According to the Customer Experience Executive Report by CCW Digital, customers place a premium on great experiences, and 63% of them would pay more for a better experience. Companies are realizing that the customer experience has a direct effect on brand loyalty, said Daniela Puzzo, Marketing Director, Fonolo. If youre not meeting expectations, they will go elsewhere. Its critical for leaders to stay up-to-date with important trends that keep customers engaged, and ultimately optimize for the future.

The following key themes are among those mentioned in the white paper:



A Focus on Customer Experience Strategies

The End of On-Premise

The Importance of the Voice Channel

How Customers Feel About Customer Feedback

The white paper is a must read for anyone looking to improve the customer contact experience in the coming year.

To download a free copy, visit 9 Critical Contact Center Trends for 2018.

About Fonolo

Fonolo, the leader in cloud-based call-back solutions, has revolutionized the way contact centers interact with customers through web, mobile, and voice. The companys patented call-back technology empowers customers with an innovative alternative to waiting on hold. Fonolos award-winning solutions are trusted by a growing list of call centers who aim to enhance the customer experience. From Fortune 500 companies to SMBs, Fonolo is valued by customers for its scalability, expertise, and proven ROI.

Visit fonolo.com to learn how your call center can reduce abandonment rates, smooth out call volume spikes, and lower costs.
PALMco Energy and Boys and Girls Clubs of Hudson County Every student should have the resources necessary for a proper education and we hope that with this holiday gift campaign, we will rally the PALMco Energy community to provide the students of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County with equipment and supplies to help them in the New Year and beyond

PALMco Energy (PALMco), a privately-owned retail energy supply company, today announced a matching holiday donation drive for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County (BGCHC) in Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey to support afterschool programming. PALMco will match donations to the BGCHC dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $5,000 throughout the run of the campaign. The drive will last until December 18, at 5PM. The total contribution, including matching funds, will be presented at the Hoboken Boys & Girls Clubs Holiday Party, on December 20.

Every student should have the resources necessary for a proper education and we hope that with this holiday gift campaign, we will rally the PALMco Energy community to provide the students of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County with equipment and supplies to help them in the New Year and beyond, said Robert Palmese, Chief Executive Officer of PALMco Energy. At PALMco we understand the importance of investing in our communities and ensuring that we put extra care into supporting young people so that they can be successful in life. We couldnt be happier to work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County and we look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come.

"The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County is excited to partner with PALMco Energy during this holiday season to serve the children in Jersey City and Hoboken who are most in need," said Gary Greenberg, Executive Director of Boys and Girls Clubs of Hudson County.

For over 124 years the BGCHC has provided children throughout Hoboken and Jersey City with a safe afterschool venue, positive adult mentors and role models, healthy lifestyle activities, and character and leadership programs that give them the greatest chances of success in life.

In September 2016, PALMco donated over $5,000 of school supplies to the BGCHC. Over one dozen PALMco team members visited the afterschool program to assemble 144 individual, fully stocked backpacks to support students throughout the 2016-2017 school year.

About PALMco Energy

PALMco is a privately-owned retail energy supply company (ESCO) that supplies electricity and natural gas in Delaware, Washington DC, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Sister company Columbia Utilities supplies electricity and natural gas in New York. Our family has been in the energy business since 1938, and we dedicate ourselves to providing quality service, customer satisfaction, and dependable energy.

About Boys and Girls Clubs of Hudson County

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County (BGCHC) was founded in 1893 to create a positive place for the youth of Jersey City, NJ. In the 124 years since, the Club has expanded its scope exponentially by offering a mix of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) nationally developed programs and activities unique to our Club.
Rigaku NEX DE EDXRF Elemental Analyzer

Applied Rigaku Technologies, Inc. (ART) will be presenting its line of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) instrumentation at the Petroleum, Refining, and Environmental Monitoring Technologies Conference (PEFTEC 2017) on November 29 - 30, 2017 at the Antwerp Expo in Antwerp, Belgium. PEFTEC is a focused international conference and exhibition for analytical chemists, scientists, process operators, laboratory personnel and environmental managers who work in and around the petroleum, refining, chemical and petrochemical industries.

EDXRF is employed for rapid non-destructive elemental analysis of crude, oils, gasoline, fuels, lubricants and waste materials. ART will be exhibiting its lines of EDXRF instrumentation and its NEX XT sulfur in crude/bunker fuel process analyzer at Stand # 66.

On display will be the Rigaku NEX DE high-performance direct excitation EDXRF elemental analyzer. The NEX DE analyzer was conceived for heavy industrial applications and engineered to heighten flexibility and ease of use. It is equipped with a 60 kV, 12 W X-ray tube and advanced Peltier cooled silicon drift detector (SDD) for significant gains in elemental peak resolution and counting statistics, to deliver superior calibrations and precision for the most challenging measurements.

The system operates on the latest Rigaku QuantEZ analytical software, specifically designed for the Rigaku family of benchtop EDXRF analyzers. Running under the Microsoft Windows operating system, on a laptop or benchtop personal computer (PC), the software offers all the functions required for calibration and routine operation.

The newest addition to the NEX DE series is the Rigaku NEX DE VS direct excitation variable spot EDXRF elemental analyzer. The NEX DE VS analyzer is uniquely suited for small spot analysis applications. It features a high-resolution camera combined with automated collimators, allowing for precise positioning of a sample for the analysis of 1 mm, 3 mm, and 10 mm spot sizes.

Other EDXRF solutions from ART include the Rigaku NEX QC+ spectrometer, a compact elemental analyzer specifically designed for routine quality control applications. It features an intuitive icon-driven touch screen interface and built-in printer for easy operation and convenience. The 50 kV X-ray tube and Peltier cooled silicon drift detector (SDD) deliver outstanding repeatability and long-term reproducibility with excellent element peak resolution.

Along with its line of benchtop EDXRF analyzers, the ART division also offers the Rigaku NEX XT XRT process analyzer for monitoring the sulfur content of heavy hydrocarbons such as crudes and bunker fuels. Use of the X-ray transmission technique eliminates issues such as window coating and plugging commonly seen on other XRF techniques.

In addition to the NEX XT, ART offers the Rigaku NEX OL EDXRF process analyzer for on-line, multi-element analysis of process liquids including sulfur in fuels. The 50 kV X-ray tube and Peltier cooled silicon drift detector X-ray optics are also effective for coating thickness and elemental composition in web and coil applications. Featuring third generation EDXRF technology, the advanced NEX OL analyzer represents the next evolution of elemental analysis for liquid stream and fixed position web or coil applications.

About Rigaku

Since its inception in Japan in 1951, Rigaku has been at the forefront of analytical and industrial instrumentation technology. Rigaku and its subsidiaries form a global group focused on general-purpose analytical instrumentation and the life sciences. With hundreds of major innovations to their credit, Rigaku companies are world leaders in X-ray spectrometry, diffraction, and optics, as well as small molecule and protein crystallography and semiconductor metrology. Today, Rigaku employs over 1,400 people in the manufacturing and support of its analytical equipment, which is used in more than 90 countries around the world supporting research, development, and quality assurance activities. Throughout the world, Rigaku continuously promotes partnerships, dialog, and innovation within the global scientific and industrial communities.

For further information, contact:

Robert Bartek, President

Applied Rigaku Technologies, Inc.

tel: +1. 512-225-1796

info(at)RigakuEDXRF(dot)com
Paris Independent Film Festival It is an extremely sensitive theme says Poels. The film has a lot of resistance and assistance at the same time. There is division, not only in the social but also in the scientific debate. We will pay enormous costs for CO2 reduction Past News Releases RSS

The Uncertainty Has Settled by independent Dutch filmmaker, Marijn Poels, has picked up its third award, this time for Best Feature Documentary at the Paris Independent Film Festival, says Friends of Science, reported in English on their blog, and in the foreign press. The film was deemed a must-see by HERO after its win at the 2017 Berlin Film Fest. The film was also honored at the LA Mindfield Fest.

The lyrical film, beautifully shot, features Poels odyssey upon returning from working in developing nations where food security is an issue, only to find Europe dotted with wind farms and farmers producing energy instead of potatoes.

The jury chose The Uncertainty Has Settled as a powerful crowbar for opening the often-contentious debate on climate change and energy.

In the film, Poels mainly is visiting farmers in the German state of Saxony Anhalt who suffer from European regulations. Due to a failing agricultural policy and the billions of subsidies for the production of green energy, many farmers have become energy suppliersinstead of food producers.

Poels has been touring Europe with his film, facing heated discussions in the cinemas.It is an extremely sensitive theme, says Poels. The film has a lot of resistance and assistance at the same time. There is division, not only in the social but also in the scientific debate. We will pay enormous costs for CO2 reduction.

More info about film LINK: theuncertaintyhassettled.de

WindAware Ireland just released a report addressing the topic of cost. Ireland is facing serious economic challenges due to their renewables program. A key point made in this Nov. 2017 report from Wind Aware is that there was a lack of cost-benefit analysis prior to embarking on their renewables campaign, and CO2 reductions are nominal vis a vis the costs. Please read the full report to appreciate their perspective.

About

Friends of Science Society is an independent group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, engineers, and citizens, celebrating its 15th year of offering climate science insights. After a thorough review of a broad spectrum of literature on climate change, Friends of Science Society has concluded that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).

Friends of Science Society

P.O. Box 23167, Mission P.O.

Calgary, Alberta

Canada T2S 3B1

Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597

Web: friendsofscience.org

E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience( dot)org

Web: climatechange101.ca
The two-day event will witness the launch of the Haiti Digital Services platform, a unique one-of-its-kind platform that brings all the key elements of BPO operations under a single online platform.

The Center for Facilitation of Investments in Haiti (CFI), in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Avasant, will be hosting the Haiti Digital Services Platform Launch/BPO Job Fair and Investor Forum on November 29-30, 2017 at the Karibe and Marriot Hotels respectively, in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. The two-day event will witness the launch of the Haiti Digital Services platform, a unique one-of-its-kind platform that brings all the key elements of BPO operations including human resources, physical infrastructure, sector incentives and industry information under a single online platform. The omni-channel platform, conceptualized and developed by Avasant, allows prospective job seekers to register themselves to seek employment. It also delivers a series of online assessments to assess suitability of registrants for various BPO sector roles making it easier for CC/BPO service providers to address skill availability and training issues in turn making investment decision making much easier. The platform will be launched by Dr. Jovenel Moise, President of Haiti.

According to Anupam Govil, Partner, Avasant, The Haiti Digital Services Platform is a unique platform that bridges the gap between various elements within the BPO ecosystem thereby ensuring that operational bottlenecks are addressed effectively. Such a solution not only allows locations like Haiti to open up significant opportunities to the local population but also provides seamless services to investors and BPO service providers.

The event is also aimed at educating the global and domestic audience about the potential of the Haitian CC/BPO sector by bringing together senior government representatives, global BPO experts, service providers, investors, job seekers and BPO professionals. Haiti, with its globally unique multilingual skills, nearshore proximity and cost-effective labor pool is establishing itself as the next generation nearshore BPO destination.

The Job Fair event to be held on November 29, 2017 has received over one thousand registrations from aspiring youths who will be invited to learn more about the opportunities in the BPO sector.

The Haiti BPO Investor Forum to be held on November 30, 2017 will focus on sharing with prospective investors business opportunities within the Haitian CC/BPO sector while highlighting the initiatives undertaken for the development of the sector. The forum will also facilitate discussions between prospective BPO investors and representatives from the Government and the Private Sector, and will serve as a platform to address needs and concerns of the investors and explore potential investment/partnership opportunities in the short-medium term in Haitis BPO sector.

The Haiti Digital Services program is part of a yearlong project aimed at developing the Haitian BPO ecosystem funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and executed by Avasant.

About Avasant

Avasant is a leading management consulting firm focused on translating the power of technology into realizable business strategies for the worlds largest corporations. Specializing in digital and IT transformation, sourcing advisory, global strategy, and governance services, Avasant prides itself on delivering high-value engagements through industry-focused innovation and flexible client-based solutions.

Our seasoned professionals have an average of 20 years of industry-honed expertise, having conducted 1000+ engagements in over 50 countries. Avasants next generation consulting and advisory methods have made it the top-ranked firm in its class, with recognition from numerous organizations, including: Vault, NOA, IAOP, and Wall Street Journal.

Avasants engagement in the global market has inspired a strong commitment to community and purpose. Avasant Foundation supports technology and skill development programs to create employment opportunities for youth across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America.

For more information, visit https://www.avasant.com.

Follow news, photos and video on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/avasant, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/avasantllc, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/avasant.
Lajollacooks4u is pleased to announce it is collaborating with the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank as part of a five-week cooking series with a local elementary school.

For 90 minutes each week, Callie Brust, the Food Banks Nutrition and Wellness Educator, and Chef Jodi Abel, Founder of Lajollacooks4u, guide a group of 4th and 5th grade students through a variety of lessons, such as cooking safety, food preparation, knife skills and nutritious meal selection. Then, Abel assists the children in preparing some of her companys signature dishes, such as black bean and vegetable whole wheat quesadillas, cauliflower fried rice and quinoa with black bean and corn.

Callie Brust said, Chef Jodi is a natural and such a gifted chef. It is our greatest pleasure to be collaborating with her on this very special project! We hope to take our program to additional schools in the New Year.

Abel first became involved with the Food Bank through its Food 4 Kids Backpack program, which provides chronically hungry elementary school students with backpacks full of food each Friday to help them through the weekend. Now on the Board for their upcoming 2018 Gala next April, she jumped at the chance to become even more involved.

Ive always been passionate about feeding people, so when it came to my attention so many in our community struggle with hunger, it really hit home for me," Abel said. "Im so grateful for this opportunity to help more in need and increase awareness of this worthy cause.

About the Food Bank:

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the Food Bank distributed 26 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 370,000 people per month in San Diego County. The Food Bank works to acquire, store, organize and distribute food through a network of 400 nonprofit partner organizations that include food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and residential shelters, youth programs, senior centers and low-income daycare centers in communities throughout San Diego County. The Food Bank also distributes food directly to those in need at 180 distribution sites throughout the county.

For more information on the Food Bank and its many programs, please visit http://www.sandiegofoodbank.org.

About Lajollacooks4u:

Lajollacooks4u is San Diegos premiere team-building and cooking events company. Founded in 2008, it has hosted companies from all over the globe, providing guests with a collaborative and one-of-a-kind culinary experience. With skilled facilitators, farm-to-table cuisine and a stunning view overlooking La Jolla, Lajollacooks4u has consistently been ranked one of the areas top attractions by Trip Advisor, having been awarded its Certificate of Excellence three years in a row.

For more information about the companys hands-on team building events and gourmet cooking classes, please visit http://www.lajollacooks4u.com.
Stephanie Scarborough, founder of Scarborough Law, L.L.C. The EB-5 Practice Group at Scarborough Law consolidates the highly specialized resources required to advise and represent global investors. Past News Releases RSS Scarborough Law Recognized as One...

Scarborough Law Expands with New...

The EB-5 immigrant investor program, administered by the USCIS, is designed for foreign entrepreneurs who invest either $500,000 in a targeted employment area or $1 million in an enterprise that creates at least ten full-time jobs for U.S. workers. If they meet either of these requirements, entrepreneurs and their spouses and unmarried children under 21 are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence).

As the EB-5 program directly supports the growth of U.S. jobs, Scarborough Law is pleased to offer a dedicated EB-5 Practice Group to our clients, said Stephanie Scarborough, founder of Scarborough Law, L.L.C., which provides investor visa representation to clients throughout the globe. The EB-5 Practice Group at Scarborough Law consolidates the highly specialized resources required to advise and represent global investors.

Individuals desiring to invest in the United States may qualify for nonimmigrant visas like the E-1, E-2, or L-1 Intracompany Transfers or for the EB-5 Investor green card program. EB-5 applications have seen a surge in the past two years with international investors seeking to migrate to the United States through the program. Currently, clients in India who are faced with a decade-long backlog through traditional employment-based green card programs are increasingly seeking to avail themselves of the EB-5 Investor green card.

The EB-5 can result in a green card in just over two years, which is a tremendous benefit for Indian clients facing the current backlog, concluded Scarborough. It becomes very attractive for investors in India hoping for faster immigrant visa processing. The EB-5 improved timeline could also mean the difference for children of the investor who may age out at 21 years old and find themselves without a green card.

About Stephanie Scarborough, Scarborough Law, L.L.C.

Stephanie Scarborough is an Attorney and Business Counselor to small businesses and multinational corporations. Scarborough manages Scarborough Laws offices in Jacksonville, Florida, and Alpharetta, Georgia, and is admitted to practice law in New York and Georgia. Scarborough Law has three offices: 6622 Southpoint Drive South, Suite 330, Jacksonville, FL, 32216, (904) 389-0055; 4080 McGinnis Ferry Road, Suite 204, Alpharetta, GA, 30005, (678) 257-1808 or toll free at (844) 329-6469; and Scarborough Immigration Services Pvt. Ltd., Trivandrum, India, +91 98955 98755. For more information, please visit http://www.scarboroughlaw.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. The information and content in this article are not in conjunction with the views of the NALA. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
3xLOGIC and Sonitrol of Evansville Deploy Video Verification to Secure 13 John Deere Dealerships Another huge advantage of 3xLOGICs video verification and Sonitrols live monitoring is to cut down on false alarms. This is critical to freeing up law enforcement to focus on the real bad guys. Jim Gilliam, Safety and Compliance Manager, Hutson Inc.

3xLOGIC, Inc., a leading provider of integrated, intelligent security solutions, and a three-time Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winner, today announced 3xLOGIC and Sonitrol of Evansville are working to provide highly effective security protection for all of Hutson Incs John Deere dealerships located in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Hutson Inc. is a John Deere dealership with 13 locations. The initial site Hutson focused on in Paducah, KY, has a display lot of over 88,000 square feet and a building with more than 14,000 square feetthere was a lot of territory to protect.

At the Paducah location, Hutson decision-makers wanted to protect their building inside and out, during business hours and after hours. Also, covering a large outdoor area can be especially challenging from a security standpoint. Hutsons management understood that some customers want to be able to walk the lot and view the tractors and other equipment after hours without being approached by a salesperson, but they needed to ensure their assets would be protected.

Sonitrol of Evansville was able to secure the buildings with impact-activated audio on a network-based panel and a video surveillance system from 3xLOGIC. Sonitrol Security Consultant, Andrew Beitler, designed a system with outdoor protection; a burglar and intrusion alarm system; and a verified 3xLOGIC CCTV solution that would work by arming just one keypad, which in turn arms the three combined systems.

3xLOGIC cameras are installed at all 13 locations, inside and outdoors, for a total of more than 100 cameras spread throughout all the dealerships. The video verification alarm function is triggered in two ways: yard cord looped throughout display equipment or motion detection located at fence perimeters. The yard cord system is like extension cords looped through the equipment. When a connection is broken along the cord an alarm is triggered signaling the Sonitrol monitoring station, explained Jim Gilliam, Safety and Compliance Manager for Hutson.

Hutson has methodically been installing and improving security at their 13 locations for the last number of years. Weve had some incidents over the years and the system works great, said Gilliam. We can look at the systems activity log and using the 3xLOGIC Smart Search feature tell exactly where the potential perpetrator came from and the path they took through the yard. When equipment goes missing, we almost always get it back. Our cameras provide us with pictures of the perpetrators as well as images of their vehicles, and of course, when video verification is tripped, we have live monitoring of what is going on. We give that information to the police, which leads to arrestsIm very happy with the system.

Indoor cameras are focused on cash drawers. Weve had incidents with stolen credit cards and we can pick up their faces. Our cameras are synced, so we see them at the cash register, then we can follow them outside to identify their car, said Gilliam. Another huge advantage of 3xLOGICs video verification and Sonitrols live monitoring is to cut down on false alarms. This is critical to freeing up law enforcement to focus on real bad guys, instead of wasting time chasing alarms caused by the wind, animals, or any other false trigger.

As a Sonitrol franchise, we embrace verified alarm solutions, said Chris Dingman, Sonitrol of Evansville Operations Manager. Whether it be the impact-activated audio verification or Sonavision verified video, we believe in the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Responses initiative.

Gilliam and Hutson continue to upgrade their security; they have installed one 3xLOGIC thermal camera as a beta, and theyre looking to install more. Were always looking at more functionality and upgrades. Our display lots and our needs change, but so far, so goodwere achieving our security objectives with Sonitrol and 3xLOGIC.

About 3xLOGIC

3xLOGIC Inc. has been a leading innovator in server and cloud-based security technology for 15+ years. The company is recognized for providing easy-to-use surveillance and business intelligence solutions that seamlessly integrate video, access control, and disparate data such as ATM, Point-of-Sale, analytics, and more.

3xLOGICs video surveillance solutions are engineered for ease of installation, scalability and affordability combined with a managed services portfolio that enables integrators to effectively evolve from dealers to high-value strategic partners. Follow 3xLOGIC on Facebook, Linked-in, or our Twitter account, and read our latest news at http://www.3xlogic.com

For 3xLOGIC Media Queries:

Bruce J. Doneff

Public Relations

843.476.3022

doneff(at)verizon(dot)net

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This has been such a rewarding experience to work alongside these great artists and I look forward to sharing this body of work with Miami- Brittney Palmer Past News Releases RSS

Art Basel is hosted every year in Miami, Florida, and it brings about the most sought after artists around the country to showcase their newest collections. 2017 Art Basel is set to defy all previous years as far as working within the same lines and pushing extraordinary creative boundaries. At the head of this movement and much-anticipated show is Brittney Palmers No Agency exhibition, an Art Show + Shop in the heartbeat of Art Basel. Palmer will present five other thriving artists alongside her in the gallery. Those artists include Tonia Calderon, Lee Taylor Jones, Tanya Ragir, and Dan Alva. Each have their own unique gifts as artists but yet all fill the same mood and will be delivered at the showing of No Agency on December 7-10th, 2017. Graffiti wine will be on site pouring their delicious red, whites and bubbly with their monochromatic unique art inspired bottles and tray pass aperitifs for all the VIP art lovers to enjoy.

About Brittney Palmer: Brittney Palmer is an American contemporary artist known for her vibrant portraits and abstract pop icons. She studied classic portraiture at UCLA and attended Brentwood Art Center. Her use of bold color and gestural emotion commands the attention of many prominent collections today. Her paintings have been exhibited worldwide in X Contemporary and Conception Art Basel Miami, 2016. I Remember Faces, 2016 AC Gallery, L.A., AMFAR in Milan and she is the resident artist of the W Hollywood. Brittneys work has appeared in Complex, L.A. Confidential, Esquire, Playboy, and FHM to name a few. Most recently Brittney has been commissioned by Reebok to design clothing for UFCs International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

About Tonia Calderon: (Born July 12, 1987) A Mexican-Dutch-Indonesian painter and designer. She began her art with lyrics written through hand-painted images in 2006. Her work is featured at the Tupac Afeni Shakur Museum in Atlanta, Georgia and was a featured artist at The National Museum of Contemporary Art in San Francisco, California. Her work is also on display in some of the top recording studios/ record labels in the country. Celebrity collectors include Alicia Keys, Sean DIDDY Combs, Shaquille ONeal, Eva Longoria, Rita Ora, Rob Kardashian, Swizz Beats and the list goes on.

About Tanya Ragir: Tanya was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. By age fifteen she

was honing her skills in drawing and sculpting the human figure. Her studies in anatomy even included sketching cadavers at the USC medical center. Ragir also studied many forms of dance: modern, jazz and ballet. She was performing in a ballet company before attending college. This extensive dance background continues to inform Ragirs sculpture practice. After graduating, from UC Santa Cruz in 1976 with a B.A. in Art and Dance, Ragir began working in the commercial mannequin industry as a figure sculptor and eventually founded her own mannequin business, she simultaneously maintained a fine art practice. Ragirs sculptural work is now internationally collected and resides in permanent museum collections as well as private collections.

About Lee Taylor Jones: A contemporary artist and graphic designer known for his unique geometric

paintings and graffiti art. Drawing on experience as a trained apparel designer and street artist,

Lee Taylor Jones work is also heavily influenced by a background in graphics and fashion, with

a penchant for clean lines and structure. As a Los Angeles Native, Lee Taylor Jones was inspired early by the LA street art movement, as well as Picassos famed Cubism era. Today, Jones resides in Hollywood and creates in his Geraldine Collective studio in Los Angeles Arts District.

About Dan Alva: Born in 1984, American artist Dan Alva comes from a Spanish background of fine artists. Based in Miami, Alvas works are a hybrid of mixed media and pop culture influences, often with subversive undertones. Alva has been working as a creative in Advertising for over 10 years, and many of his pieces are inspired by his experiences in the industry.

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NAEF logo Yum-o!  has three parts to its organization: Cook, feed and fund, Rachel Ray explained while announcing the contest.

Calling all Georgia ProStart Students: Rachael Ray and her Yum-o! organization, longtime supporters of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), through her show are offering scholarships to 4 high school juniors and seniors who are passionate about pursuing their dreams in culinary arts and restaurant management with her new contest, Cook Your Way to Culinary School.

The grand prize winner will receive up to $25,000 for tuition and other qualified expenses, as well as an assortment of Rachael Ray cookware. Three runners-up will receive a $5,000 scholarship and Rachael Ray merchandise.

Yum-o!  has three parts to its organization: Cook, feed and fund, Ray explained while announcing the contest. We fund education with the help of our wonderful partners of over a decade, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. They help us give scholarships to deserving kids.

The distribution and administration of the scholarship prizes provided by Rachaels Yum-o!  Organization will be coordinated with assistance from the NRAEF. The Foundation is dedicated to training and advancing the next generation of culinary leaders. One of the NRAEFs largest programs is ProStart , a nationwide high school career and technical education program uniting the classroom and restaurant industry. 140,000 students are currently enrolled in the program, which is offered in more than 1,800 high schools in all 50 states. The Georgia ProStart program is currently in 23 schools with more than 2500 students.

HEFG is proud to administer the Georgia ProStart Program in partnership with the Georgia Restaurant Association, says Nesha Mason, Executive Director of the Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia. The Cook Your Way to Culinary School contest is a perfect example of the resources and opportunities we support to encourage the next generation of industry leaders.

To enter, students must submit a video of themselves preparing an original recipe and an explanation of why they think they should win. The contest closes on Monday, December 4, 2017.

For a chance to win and an overview of the contest rules, visit http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/scholarshipcontest. To learn more about Georgia ProStart visit hefg.org/prostart.

ABOUT HEFG: To ensure the future is in good hands, students need access to a full range of opportunities and experiences. When teenagers are inspired, those memories affect them forever. Grades rise. Graduation rates improve. Passions are ignited. Dreams come alive. The Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia connects passion with obtainable careers and the inspiring professionals who motivate students to perform at their best. As part of our mission to inspire the next generation, HEFG in partnership with the Georgia Restaurant Association administers the ProStart program for the State of Georgia. ProStart is the premier culinary program for high school students. From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStarts industry-driven curriculum provides real-life experience opportunities and builds a foundation of practical skills that will last a lifetime.

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundations mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industrys training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance todays and tomorrows restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart  a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready  partnering with community based organizations to provide opportunity youth with skills training and job opportunities; Military  helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships  financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project  a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.

CONTACT:

678-887-8009

Jasmine Jones, NRAEF

202-315-4101
Kate Despinoy

Kate Despinoy, P.E., has joined Stanley Consultants as a Client Service Manager in the firms Water Market. In this position, she will focus on developing and maintaining business with water and wastewater clients in the Chicagoland area. Stanley Consultants provides engineering, environmental and construction services worldwide.

Despinoy has 10 years of domestic and international experience as a project engineer and project manager, working with municipal, industrial and Federal clients. She is experienced in the design, bid, award and construction of large scale multidiscipline projects.

Her work experience rests on a foundation provided by a bachelors degree in civil engineering from Vanderbilt University and masters degree in engineering management from Northwestern University. She is a licensed professional engineer and a member of the American Water Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Society of American Military Engineers and Society of Women Engineers.

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About Stanley Consultants: Founded in 1913, Stanley Consultants is a global consulting engineering firm that provides program management, planning, engineering, environmental and construction services worldwide. Recognized for its commitment to client service and a passion to make a difference, Stanley Consultants brings global knowledge, experience and capabilities to serve clients in the energy, water, transportation and Federal markets. Since 1913, Stanley Consultants has successfully completed more than 25,000 engagements in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and in 118 countries. For more information on Stanley Consultants, please visit http://www.stanleyconsultants.com.
Margaret Reilly McDonnell, Director of the United Nations Foundations Nothing But Nets campaign, provided the following statement on the World Health Organizations World Malaria Report 2017 released today:

In 2000, the world committed to protect millions of people from deadly, yet preventable and treatable diseases like malaria. Inspired by the bold vision of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the Roll Back Malaria partnership, the global community banded together to create The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) and the United States created the Presidents Malaria Initiative (PMI), unlocking billions in funding to scale up the delivery of life-saving tools like bed nets.

Since then, thanks to this significant investment, strong political leadership, and the development and distribution of effective tools, weve seen a staggering decline in malaria cases and deaths, saving close to seven million lives from this deadly disease. Globally, we have reduced deaths by an estimated 62%, and an estimated 69% among children under age five in sub-Saharan Africa. Whats more, bed nets accounted for 68% of the malaria cases prevented since 2001.

Todays report, however, suggests our hard-earned success is fragile and uneven, putting our tremendous progress at risk. Were seeing a plateau in funding; an increase in insecticide and drug resistance; and a breakdown in health systems in crisis-ridden countries like Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela.

But we at Nothing But Nets and the United Nations Foundation will not be deterred; in fact, we remain committed to working toward a future where no one dies from a mosquito bite. Every woman, every child, and every refugee deserves a chance to lead a healthy life, which is why we cannot give up.

I am encouraged by the incredible work of PMI, the Global Fund, the UN, and other partners working around the clock to deliver life-saving tools and treatment. I am in awe of our Nothing But Nets champions, donors, and private sector partners who have stepped up to protect vulnerable families living in the worlds most dangerous and hard-to-reach communities including those in Nigeria, South Sudan, and Venezuela where the burden of malaria is highest. And we can find hope in stories coming from the Americas, where many countries are close to reaching elimination.

In April next year, the global malaria community will come together at two crucial events  a high-level event on malaria at the Commonwealth Summit in London and the 7th MIM Pan African Malaria Conference in Dakar  to redouble our efforts to end malaria. We must call on leaders across government, business, science, civil society, and beyond to realize commitments and innovation to accelerate progress once again.

A child dies from malaria every two minutes. It is tragic. It is unacceptable. We must do better and end this disease once and for all.
The failure of all attempts to date to restrain North Koreas nuclear weapons program suggests it is time for a new approach. That is the premise of a year-long research project, just completed, that explores the possible role of Russia as a broker of negotiations over North Koreas nuclear and missile programs.

Conducted by the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, in cooperation with scholars from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, and the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, the project has resulted in the publication of two reports  posted today on FPRIs website  in advance of a conference tomorrow, Nov. 30, hosted and cosponsored by the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, where the project findings will be the subject of discussion.

The first report, Nuclear Weapons and Russian-North Korean Relations, includes five essays on the history of Soviet and Russian relations with North Korea, economic relations between the two countries, Russias assessment of North Koreas military capabilities, Moscows strategy for the Korean Peninsula, and the possible role Russia can play in resolving the Korean crisis. The second report, Russia and Crisis Management on the Korean Peninsula, makes the case that a more prominent role for Russia in the international communitys negotiating position vis-a-vis North Korea is long overdue.

In the Foreword to the report, Yale professor Paul Bracken explains that The report reframes how we think about North Korea and the long-term impacts of its nuclear weapons. Bracken is a noted expert on nuclear force management.

The project has been managed jointly by Rensselaer Lee, a senior fellow of FPRI, and Artyom Lukin, Deputy Director for Research at the School of Regional and International Studies of Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.

About the Foreign Policy Research Institute

Founded in 1955, the Foreign Policy Research Institute is dedicated to bringing the insights of scholarship to bear on the foreign policy and national security challenges facing the United States. It seeks to educate the public, teach teachers, train students, and offer ideas to advance U.S. national interests based on a nonpartisan, geopolitical perspective that illuminates contemporary international affairs through the lens of history, geography, and culture.
QuisLex We hope that supporting FTs recognition of innovative lawyers will lead to more lawyers seeking to transform the industry.

QuisLex, a leading legal services provider, will be presenting the award for Innovation in Legal Expertise: Managing Complexity and Scale at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards North America 2017. Now in its eighth year of publication, the FT Innovative Lawyers Report has become one of the top legal rankings in the world. The event will take place on December 11 at The New York Public Library in Midtown Manhattan.

QuisLex supports Financial Times as a global partner for FTs Innovative Lawyers program. FT Innovative Lawyers assesses attorneys on their levels of innovation, both for their clients and in their own businesses. The program consists of rankings and awards, and is based on independent research from RSG Consulting and journalism from the Financial Times. Innovative Lawyers currently covers three regions  Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The results are announced at awards events, and the rankings are published in both print and online as an FT special report.

We understand how important innovation is in the legal industry and what a difference it can make in terms of delivering value to clients, said Ram Vasudevan, CEO at QuisLex. We hope that supporting FTs recognition of innovative lawyers will lead to more lawyers seeking to transform the industry.

For more information about the FT Innovative Lawyers Report or to register for FTs live events, please visit https: http://www.ft.com/reports/innovative-lawyers-2012. To learn more about the North America Innovative Lawyers Awards please visit: http://www.live.ft.com/Events/2017/FT-Innovative-Lawyers-Awards-North-America-2017.

About FT Innovative Lawyers:

The FT Innovative Lawyers program was established in Europe in 2006, launched in the US and North America in 2010, and in Asia-Pacific in 2014. Over the past 11 years it has covered legal industry innovation in 50 different countries from over 400 law firms and over 450 company in-house legal departments.

About QuisLex:

QuisLex is an award-winning legal services provider that specializes in managed document review, contract management, compliance services, legal spend management, and legal operations consulting. We employ operational excellence, Six Sigma based quality processes and ISO certified data security to support complex legal projects for companies and law firms. Our full-time highly trained attorneys, process experts, statisticians and linguists work closely with our clients to help reduce cost, mitigate risk and maximize efficiency. QuisLex is regularly acknowledged as a leader in the legal services industry, and is proud to be recognized by Chambers and Partners as a Band 1 Legal Process Outsourcing Provider, New York Law Journal as a Top Managed Document Review Services Provider, and the IACCM as its Outstanding Service Provider for contract management solutions. To learn more, visit http://www.quislex.com.
The fourth annual FoodCon conference will be held at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School on Dec. 8.

FoodCon is a one-day conference focused on the business of sustainable food. It is hosted by the Center for Sustainable Enterprise and the Net Impact Club at UNC Kenan-Flagler in collaboration with NC State University Net Impact and Duke Universitys Fuqua Food and Agriculture Club.

Keynote speakers will include Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farm, and Soulfull Projects cofounder Megan Shea and head of marketing Chip Heim.

Panels, workshops and roundtable discussions will address:



B Corporations

Food technology trends

Food deserts and ways to improve access to food

Co-packers role in food systems

Making local food go big

Diverse and sustainable business models

Financing food

The impact of policy changes in food safety and agricultural practices

Soda tax policy

FoodCon is sponsored by Food for All, Sassool, Hungry Harvest, the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Net Impact, No Kid Hungry, Hungry Harvest and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Center for Sustainable Enterprise.

Click here for information about the event, including tickets and parking.

About the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School

Consistently ranked one of the world's best business schools, UNC Kenan-Flagler is known for its collaborative culture that stems from its core values: excellence, leadership, integrity, community and teamwork. Professors excel at both teaching and research, and demonstrate unparalleled dedication to students. Graduates are effective, principled leaders who have the technical and managerial skills to deliver results in the global business environment. UNC Kenan-Flagler offers a rich portfolio of programs and extraordinary, real-life learning experiences: Undergraduate Business, full-time MBA, Executive MBA Programs (Evening, Weekend and global OneMBA), online MBA@UNC, UNC-Tsinghua Dual-Degree EMBA, Master of Accounting, PhD, Executive Development, and UNC Business Essentials programs. It is home to the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise.
Major, Lindsey & Africa, the worlds largest legal search firm, today released the results of their In-House Compensation Report, revealing that general counsel saw a 9.6% increase in total compensation between 2015 and 2016. While base salaries for GCs increased by only 1.3%, bonuses grew 38% in that same period. The study examined compensation data of 2,207 in-house counsel, both GCs and non-GCs, at companies across a range of industries and sizes between 2015 and 2016.

These increases in compensation point directly to the GCs growing sphere of influence, reaching beyond legal functions into other matters of business, said Mike Sachs, Partner in Major, Lindsey & Africas In-House Practice Group. Rather than simply overseeing the legal department, GCs have become an integral partner to the C-Suite. As a result, their compensation is reflecting their new roles as strategic decision makers and trusted advisors to the CEO.

In-house counsel at other levels saw their compensation decrease slightly, with average base salaries dropping from $210,000 in 2015 to $208,000 in 2016. Similarly, the average bonus for non-general counsel decreased from $71,000 in 2015 to $68,000 in 2016.

The report also explored differences in compensation between genders. In 2016, total compensation for male in-house counsel outpaced female in-house counsel at all levels. While base salaries for male GCs was 6.3% higher than female GCs, male GCs bonuses were 31% higher than those of female GCs. The maximum bonus reported for a male GC was $3 million, while the highest female GC bonus was only $675,000. However, its important to note that the disparity in bonuses may be in part due to the disproportionate sample size: there were 42 female GC bonuses reported vs. 126 male GC bonuses reported. Female GC bonuses represented 25% of the bonus data pool. In the Fortune 500, 26.8% of GCs are female, a similar female to male ratio as that represented in the report data. At the non-GC level, female in-house counsel made 8.2% less overall than their male counterparts in 2016.

In some cases, female GCs may assess themselves more critically than their male counterparts assess themselves, and thus rank their performance lower on various metrics that determine their bonus, said Andrea Bricca, Partner in Major, Lindsey & Africas In-House Practice Group. In other cases, we find that male GCs are more willing to work for companies with higher risks and higher rewards, such as technology startups. These factors could account for a few reasons why were seeing a large disparity in bonus amounts between the genders.

The study also revealed that in-house counsel for Northeast-based companies had the highest levels of compensation in 2016. At the GC level, average total compensation in the Northeast was $520,000, followed by GCs in the Midwest at $445,000 and GCs in the West at $403,000. The Northeast also held the position for highest-paid non-GC in-house counsel, with total compensation averaging $267,000, followed by the West at $258,000 and the South at $247,000. While it may seem as though Western in-house counsel would be the highest-paid due to the areas high concentration of tech giants, salaries are lowered by the regions many small startup companies, which typically offer smaller compensation packages.

Additional key findings of the report include:



Female GCs saw slight decreases in total compensation between 2015 and 2016. Female GCs saw their compensation decrease 5% from 2015 to 2016, while total compensation for other female in-house lawyers remained nearly flat.

The more highly regulated or specialized the industry, the higher the GCs compensation. GCs working for companies in the public utilities and transportation industries (29%) and the finance/real estate/insurance industries (32%) showed some of the highest increases in total compensation between 2015 and 2016.

Greater company revenue generally means higher compensation for in-house counsel. Both in-house counsel and GCs at companies with a revenue greater than $3 billion made significantly more than those at the lower end of the revenue spectrum.

The full text of Major, Lindsey & Africas study, 2017 In-House Compensation Report is available here.

About Major, Lindsey & Africa

Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is the largest and most experienced legal search firm in the world. With more than 25 offices worldwide, Major, Lindsey & Africa has earned recognition for its track record of successful general counsel, corporate counsel, partner, associate and law firm management placements. The firm also provides law firms and companies with highly specialized legal professionals on project, interim and temporary-to-permanent hire basis. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, Major, Lindsey & Africa recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting client and candidate needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. The firm considers every search a diversity search and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. Major, Lindsey & Africa is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions.

To learn more about Major, Lindsey & Africa, visit http://www.mlaglobal.com.
News

World news

Chinese companies will build wastewater treatment plant and heating pipeline from TPP Nikola Tesla

The projects are valued at a total of 450 mln euro

AUTHOR: publics.bg



 Elektroprivreda Srbije



Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali signed contracts with two Chinese companies to build a heating pipeline from Obrenovac to Novi Beograd and a wastewater processing plant, Balkan Green Energy News reported. The contracts with the CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and Power Construction Corporation of China were signed during the 16+1 (China and 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe) 2017 summit of heads of government in Budapest.

CMEC company representative for Central and Eastern Europe Lee Siuchang signed the contract to build a facility for the processing and containment of waste water from central parts of the city while Yang Fen of the Power Construction Corporation of China signed the contract to build a hot water pipeline running from the Nikola Tesla thermal power plant (TENT) in Obrenovac to New Belgrade. That second contract was co-signed by the CEO of the JKP Beogradske elektrane (the Belgrade city central heating company) Goran Aleksic.

Mayor Mali said after the contracts were signed that the city authorities planned those two projects decades ago but never got to the point of implementing them. Waste water is now drained into the Sava and Danube rivers which is completely unacceptable and we are virtually the only city which does not have a plant to process waste water. Thanks to this contract, the construction of that facility will begin in the second half of next year. The total value of the project stands at 260 million euro, the Belgrade Mayor said.

Mali said that the construction of the heating pipeline from the Nikola Tesla power plant will mean huge savings for the Beogradske elektrane company because the hot water produced by the TENT will no longer go to waste but will be used for heating. That will mean savings of EUR 40 million a year and the project will pay for itself within five year. We also expect work on this project to start in the second half of 2018. This project is valued at 190 million euro, he said.

The signing of the two contracts with the Chinese companies was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Minister of Construction, Traffic and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic and Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic, Balkan Green Energy News added.
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But almost a year after the elections, Nana Addo has given us some reasons to miss our former leader who celebrates his birthday today.

Dressing

The president has received some criticisms for his dressing style. During the early days of his presidency, he was almost always spotted in a three-piece suit even when he was representing the country in foreign countries. Recently, he was spotted in a high profile meeting which had Arab delegates clad in their gowns and turbans. Ex President Mahama would definitely have slayed in his fugu to showcase his Ghanaian identity.

Youthfulness

Ghanaians are definitely missing the fresh blood posture of former President Mahama who exhumed some youthful exuberance. At a point in time during his presidency, he rode on motor all my himself and posed for pictures with some pedestrians. We surely wont see Nana Addo do that, will we?

Commander-in-Chief

This is just the first year but it does not look like we will ever see President Akufo-Addo in military uniform like we saw Rawlings and Mahama do.

Sense of Humour

Its eleven months into the Akufo-Addo administration and we have not heard the President throw any killer punches yet. We will always remember Mahama for those I cant think far and dabbing moments not forgetting the no abaaba se shoulder movement, which was spiced by the whistle. We understand the Presidency is a no-joke area but a little humour will not increase our debt stock.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has requested new documents related to Russia's election interference from several of the Trump campaign's foreign-policy advisers.

She asked them in separate letters for documentation of any contact they had with Russia-linked entities during the 2016 US election. Several of the advisers had not been known to be of interest to the committee.

One of them is Paul Erickson, a longtime Republican activist who told associates that he was an adviser to President Donald Trump's transition team. Erickson reportedly started a limited liability company called Bridges LLC with the Russian gun-rights advocate Maria Butina, and he traveled to Moscow in August 2014 to meet with Butina's organization.

Butina and her associate Aleksander Torshin, a Russian politician and banker close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, are also of interest to the committee. Torshin asked the campaign through an intermediary whether Trump would meet with him on the sidelines of the National Rifle Association's convention last year, according to emails forwarded to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and top adviser.

Feinstein, whose committee is investigating whether any Trump associates colluded with Russia to undermine Democrat Hillary Clinton's candidacy, asked Sam Clovis, the campaign's national co-chair, and J.D. Gordon, its national security adviser, for their communications with or concerning "the NRA, Paul Erickson, Alexander Torshin, Maria Butina," and others associated with Torshin's outreach.

"I'm always glad to clear up popular misconceptions, myths, and blatant falsehoods surrounding all things Trump-Russia, like I've already done with other congressional committees," Gordon told Business Insider. "I look forward to a valuable exchange of information with the Senate Judiciary Committee as well."

A new request to Carter Page

In her letter to Carter Page, an early foreign-policy adviser to the Trump campaign, Feinstein asked for "all communications to, from, or copied to you with or concerning" Sergey Karaganov, a Russian political scientist and foreign-policy adviser to Putin; Randi Levinas, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the US-Russia Business Council; and Bernie Sucher, a former managing director and head of global markets for Russia at the wealth management firm Merrill Lynch.

Page's trip to Moscow in July 2016 just before the Republican National Convention has come under heightened scrutiny amid revelations that he met with a top Russian government official and at least one employee of Russia's state-owned oil company, Rosneft.

Levinas told Business Insider on Wednesday that the US-Russia Business Council reached out to the Trump and Clinton campaigns before the election to figure out each's "Russia person" who was "dealing with economic and business issues."

"Page's name had been mentioned in the press," Levinas said. "So I reached out to Bernie Sucher to try to get in touch with him."

Sucher and Page evidently overlapped at Merrill Lynch  Page worked there from 2000 to 2008, and Sucher joined in 2007. Sucher had previously been the chairman of Alfa Capital, a limited liability company that is a member of Alfa Group.

Feinstein also asked Page for his communications with or concerning Alfa Group, which came under scrutiny by federal and congressional investigators after a computer server for the Russia-based Alfa Bank "repeatedly looked up the contact information for a computer server being used by the Trump Organization  far more than other companies did, representing 80% of all lookups to the Trump server," CNN reported in March.

The US-Russia Business Council "wanted to have a discussion about business with respect to Russia," Levinas said. "So I tried to set up a meeting with Page and got a small dinner together that didn't materialize until later."

Levinas said she did not attend that dinner and did not know what was discussed.

Happy to help

Page told Business Insider on Wednesday that he would be "happy to help" the committee with its "latest tranche of irrelevant witch hunt information." He characterized it as an "extremely intrusive request, requiring many hours of work and delving into extensive amounts of their personal information which has nothing to do with anything as an innocent, wrongly accused person."

"I guess dirty swamp politicians play the same tactics, whether from Minnesota or California," Page added, alluding to Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, who has been accused of sexual harassment.

Page said he was not in touch with Karaganov during the campaign, adding that he hadn't spoken to him in "about 10 years or so."

"I'm pretty sure that was the last time we talked," he said.

Karaganov, who is now the dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, supported Russia's incursion into Ukraine in 2014 and has advocated Moscow's presenting itself as a moral defender of ethnic Russians to gain political influence in the regions they inhabit.

"We want the status of being a great power," Karaganov told Germany's Der Spiegel last year. "We unfortunately cannot relinquish that. In the last 300 years, this status has become a part of our genetic makeup."
In Tamale, the students, who were in their school uniforms with red arm bands around their heads, wrists and necks started the march from their school premises which is situated at the outskirts of the Tamale metropolis through the Tamale-Bolgatanga highway to the central business district (CBD) area to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) where they presented their petition copied to the President to the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed.

READ MORE: Nurses line up to thank Nana Addo for restoring trainee allowances

Some of the placards displayed by the students during the protest read: "Competent President, we want our allowance," "Prevention is better than cure so pay attention to hygiene students," "No Allowance No Hygiene" among others.

The students alleged that they havent been able to access their allowances which they needed to take care of their educational needs as well as other important issues since most of them did not have enough money to pay for their school fees.

According to the students, President Akufo-Addo during the 2016 election campaign promised to restore the allowances to trainees of all health training institutions including hygiene schools.
Dumelo had tweeted I woke up at the dead sea, had lunch in Turkey and now landing in London. What a day.

Jon Benjamin said In London? If I see I freshly repainted V8 with its own private siren heading down The Embankment, Ill give you a wave. Enjoy our city.

Later the actor said that will be him because he is picking the Queen of England up for tea.

yep..thats me. Im picking the Queen for tea.

In March this year it would be recalled that a vehicle belonging to the state was retrieved from a spraying shop at Abelemkpe, Accra

It was alleged that the actor had taken to the shop to be re-sprayed but members of the task force insisted it was not his but for the state and subsequently seized it.
He said after his girlfriend Tracy gave birth to their first child, he was asked not to have sex with her at least one month and that was hell for him.

So my daughter came and the first two weeks or one month, Im not supposed to touch Tracy. You are not supposed to do anything and that was the hardest time. You can hold her but you dont have to let it lead to the main thing sex so you need to take a break which is like very very hard.

He said he decided to take his mind off it and try to do other activities that will shift his attention elsewhere.
The hashtags #StopSlavery, #StropSlaveStrade, #StopSlaveStradeInLibya, among others flooded Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with most celebrities behind the top post.

Among the top celebrities adding their voices to the campaign include Stephen Appiah, Berla Mundi, Nana Ama McBrown, Adjetey Anang, Afia Schwarzenegger, Captain Planet, Shatta Wale, AJ Nelson, Becca, Obrafour, Naa Ashorkor, Lydia Forson, Fuse ODG, Nana Akua Addo, among others.

Here is what they had to say;

Obrafour wrote...

Shatta Wale tweeted...

Lydia Forson wrote...

AJ Nelson wrote...

Kwaw Kese wrote...

Guru wrote...

Becca wrote...

Afia Schwarzenegger wrote...

"African leaders must learn how to help the youth of their country...

LISTEN gathering wealth for your children is great,but if ur money can't impact someone's life and I mean some one who can't pay u back.....then dude u are broke.

Dear Mr Rich man,please this young man wouldn't die like this if someone had invested a lil In him...

Stop showering ur pastors with money(it is very good to bless the man of God but are u blessing a child of God who desperately need it),being the pastors favourite is not a visa to heaven...

This is inhumane n awfully disgusting..but who are u to blame poverty...

My brothers n sisters in Africa,most Arabians are very wicked people so stay away from their country..

Good Afternoon"
During an interview with Nkosuo TV, Sarkodie stated that hes swamped with loads of work and cannot recall every work or collaborative joint hes done.

Sarkodie admitted that hes not received any complaints from Yemi Alade or her camp, although he has seen reports regarding the situation.

Sarkodie, who has collaborated with a slew of both local and international artists stated that he may not remember any work hes done with Yemi Alade.

He revealed that he was now focused on his tour and when he is complete then he would consider the matter at hand.

Sarkodie embarked on the successful UK nationwide Highest tour in November, with some special guests including Big Narstie, Jayso, Moelogo, Bobii Lewis and Suli Breaks plus Sarkcess Music signees, Akwaboah and Strongman.

The tour which was presented by Sarkcess Music and Dice Recordings, in conjunction with Live Nation, GoldenVoice and Echo Location  followed the successful release of his fifth studio album Highest which dominated iTunes album charts around the world

The tour saw the legendary Ghanaian rap star headline the O2 Institute in Birmingham before heading to London to headline the O2 Forum Kentish Town on November 24, and rounded up the tour in Manchester, headlining Academy 2 over the weekend.
Mr. Mnangagwa who was sworn in barely a week ago, after former president, Robert Mugabe resigned at age 93, has vowed to deal with corruption in the country and change the face of the Zimbabwean economy.

The president has hinted of first going after all corrupt officials and he is seemingly giving credence to his words.

According to africafeeds.com, the government of Mr. Mnangagwa said in a statement on Tuesday that illegally keeping state funds amount to serious malpractices that constitute a very serious economic crime against the people of Zimbabwe.

The statement further revealed that Huge sums of money and other assets have been illegally externalised by certain individuals and corporates.

President Mnangagwa emphasised his waring in the statement that Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of the three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the long arm of the law.
According to the mirror.co.uk, police have revealed that Pedro Heriberto Galeanoreportedly beat Adolfina Camelli Ortigoza for every single Facebook like she got for her photos posted, claiming she was In relationships with the friends.

Lawyer for the woman said the 32-year-old husband always became hostile with the wife after every Facebook like and punched her leading to disfiguring of her face beyond recognition.

In order not to miss any like to the wifes posts the man took charge of the social media networks posting her photos on her behalf.

Lawyer Arnaldo Martinez said his clients mouth was all broken, she was very damaged, her skin was hanging off because of the blows.

"He controlled the victim's social networking sites, he controlled the messages and photos, and for every 'like' she received from her friends, the woman received a beating because he accused her of having a relationship with them."

Mr Martinez added that Pedro Heriberto Galeano "would put a cloth in her mouth so that she would not scream during the brutal beatings that she suffered daily."

Galeano was arrested and by the police and charged with attempted femicide, deprivation of liberty and coercion.

He was arrested after his own father lodged a complaint with the police for fear of seeing her daughter in-law die.
The little boy is reportedly good at repairing motorbikes and does it skillfully. He is a pupil of Von Felly Primary School, Makurdi, Benue state capital in Nigeria.

READ MORE: Newly wedded couple uses tipper truck for their parade

A Facebook user, Ichenwo Goodluck shared photos of the genius doing what he does best, with the inscription:

*We wont stop talking*

This 5-Year-old Highly intelligent and skillful boy, A Primary 1 Student of Von Felly Primary School, Makurdi, and is already an expert in repairing Motorcycles. I heard he regularly takes off some days from school to assist his Poor father who is a mechanicso as to help him raise the N10,000 for his school fee.

"Hell sure make it big in the neatest future.

"#LetsContinue
It's a big problem, since most men don't have any symptoms that can even alert them that they have itthough in some cases, it can cause issues like pain peeing or discharge from your urethra.

Not only are more and more guys becoming infected, but the infection might be growing more difficult to treat, too. A new reportpublished in Emerging Infectious Diseases shows that the threat of severe, antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea is looming closer. In Canada, a woman was diagnosed with gonorrhea resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, one of the last remaining drugs used to treat the disease.

This comes on the heels of a warning from the World Health Organization in July, referencing data from 77 countries suggesting that the STD is developing resistance to the antibiotics used to treat it.

This Canada case is not the first time a ceftriaxone-resistant strain was diagnosed, but its the first time doctors have seen it in North America. Before this case, it was confirmed only five other times, in countries like Japan, France, Spain, and Australia.

When the scientists examined the molecular makeup of the bug, they noticed some key similarities to the strain seen in Japan in 2015, which suggests a possible international spread of the ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhea, the researchers write in the report.

Currently, the recommended treatment for gonorrhea is a combination of two antibiotics: an oral dose of azithromycin, and an injection of ceftriaxone. Scientists have been monitoring the STI's developing resistance to azithromycin for years: In fact, according to a report the CDC released in 2016, cases of gonorrhea resistant to azithromycin increased by more than 300 percent from 2013 to 2014.

Plus, gonorrhea had previously become resistant to a long list of antibiotics, including penicillin, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones.

It is unclear how long the combination therapy of azithromycin and ceftriaxone will be effective if the increases in resistance persist, said Gail Bolan, M.D, director of CDCs Division of STD Prevention in a statement regarding that 2016 report. We need to push forward on multiple fronts to ensure we can continue offering successful treatment to those who need it.
President Nana Akufo-Addo told Aljazeera that legalisation of homosexuality is bound to happen in Ghana if public opinion for its legalisation grows stronger.

I dont believe that in Ghana, so far, a sufficiently strong coalition has emerged which is having that impact on public opinion that will say: Change it [the law], lets then have a new paradigm in Ghana."

I think it is something that is bound to happen like elsewhere in the world, they are activities of individuals of groups, he said.

Nana Akufo-Addos comments have, however, not gone down well with many Ghanaians, including some pressure groups and religious organisations, who feel that his comments suggest an endorsement of homosexuality.

But speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM, Mr Ablakwa explained that Nana Akufo-Addo at the point had to make a choice between making comments that would please the international community and statements that would offend his conservative society back home.

The North Tongu MP said the president chose to please the international community; a choice which he [Ablakwa] believes was ideal at the time.

The President was aware of the implications of whatever answer he was about offering and hence I believe he will be pleased with the consequences he is receiving back home, he said.

Nana Addo did not want to incur the wrath of gay communitythe President was trying to be in the middlebut the consequence is that back home, the President has not impressed the conservative Ghanaian community, Ablakwa added.

Meanwhile, the government has said that it does not intend legalizing homosexuality in Ghana.
According to Accra-based Citi FM, the residents in the area suspect Akorli has been abducted.

Reports have it that Akorli could not be found shortly after eyewitnesses allegedly saw him walk about drunk.

The relatives called his phone after their search for him proved futile. When they called an unknown fellow picked up, claiming he had George in his custody; indicating he had him slain with his corpse in his possession.

The person who answered the call allegedly said his name was Lucifer.

This is causing panic among residents of the town. Meanwhile, women have demanded the whereabouts of Akorli.

Although similar incidents have occurred in the past, mostly as a result of the decades-old land dispute between the Alavanyo traditional area and that of Nkonya, expectations are that such cases are treated as crimes committed by individuals.

The Kpando Police Command said it is conducting investigations into the matter.
It has no long-term effect, it wont get anywhere, he said, adding he will lose and lose so badly, he said.

The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) in Tanzania, on November 24, ordered Ghana to suspend all efforts to retrieve the GH51.2 million judgement debt paid to businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, until the court determines an appeal filed by the businessman, who argues that his human rights are being abused by Ghanas Supreme Court.

The businessman Alfred Agbesie proceeded to the African Human Rights Court when the government began a valuation of his properties in an attempt to retrieve Ghc51 million wrongfully paid to him in a judgement debt.

But Ghanas Supreme Court on Tuesday ignored the African Court ruling and asked the government to proceed with its attempt to retrieve the sum.

Speaking on Accra-based Peace FM, Mr Baako said Woyomes decision to go to the Tanzanian based Human Rights court was a waste of time.

But Whether he likes it or not hell cough the money. The Supreme Court has already determined the case that he didnt have a valid contract before the money was paid.

That one is settled, it is no longer in dispute. So heads or tail, hell pay the money, he said.

READ ALSO: Woyome files suit to stop valuation of his assets

Kweku Baakos worry, however, is why the officials involved in the payment of the GHS51.2 million judgement debt were yet to be apprehended.

Those political functionaries, the ministers, deputy ministers and party top shots who facilitated that payment, we havent yet looked at them.
Scores of African migrants are being sold in open slave markets in Libya.

READ ALSO: 168 Ghanaian detainees to return home from Libya

In a footage released by CNN from Libya, young men from sub-Saharan Africa are seen being auctioned as farm workers.

Many are concerned that some Ghanaians may have been caught up in the matter.

Ghanas Foreign Ministry has since announced that it is facilitating the return of about 168 Ghanaians who have been detained in Libya.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, the Foreign Minister said that the three persons who reported being victims of the act are part of the 168 identified at the detention camp.
The former couples are known to be expressing love to each other on social media when the need be.

About Mahama

Former President John Mahama was born 29 November 1958.

He was the Vice President from 2009 to 2012, and he took office as President on 24 July 2012 following the death of his predecessor.

John Mahama who incidentally is also the fourth "John," to ascend the high office of the President.

Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings ascribed as the first "John," ruled as a democratically-elected President from January 7, 1993 to January 6, 2001; Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor endorsed as the second "John," from January 7, 2001 to January 6, 2009; and the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the third "John," from January 7, 2009 to July 24, 2012.

He was born at Damongo, in the Northern Region of Ghana.

He is a communications expert, historian, writer, former Member of Parliament and Minister of State, and immediate former Vice-President of Ghana.

After completing his education, Mahama went on to pursue an additional postgraduate diploma in social psychology at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow, and returned to Ghana from 1991 to 1996. He worked as Information, Culture and Research Officer at the Embassy of Japan in Accra.

He moved on to work with PLAN International, Ghana, as International Relations, Sponsorship Communications and Grants Manager.

An eloquent champion of the underprivileged, Mahama was first elected to the Parliament of Ghana in 1996 to represent the Bole/Bamboi Constituency for a four-year term.

In April 1997, President Mahama was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications. He rose to become the substantive Minister of Communications by November 1998; it was a position he held until January 2001 when the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which was then the ruling party, handed over power to the newly elected New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration when the NDC lost the December 2000 elections.

In 2000, Mahama was re-elected for another four-year term as the MP for the Bole/Bamboi Constituency. He was again re-elected in 2004 for a third term.

From 2001 to 2004, Mahama served as the Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Communications and in 2002 he was appointed the Director of Communications for the NDC.

That same year, he served as a member of the team of international observers selected to monitor Zimbabwes Parliamentary Elections.

During his tenure as Minister of Communications, Mahama also served as the Chairman of the National Communications Authority, in which capacity he played a key role in stabilizing Ghanas telecommunications sector after it was deregulated in 1997.

Mahama also served as a member of the National Economic Management Team, a founding member of the Ghana AIDS Commission, a member of the implementation committee of the 2000 National Population Census, and a deputy chairman of the Publicity Committee for the re-introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

Continuing to expand his interest and involvement in international affairs, in 2003 he became a member of the Pan-African Parliament, serving as the Chairperson of the West African Caucus.

In 2005 he was, additionally, appointed the Minority Spokesman for Foreign Affairs. He served in these capacities until 2008, when he was handpicked to become the running-mate to the then NDC presidential candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

Mahama has seven children. He is married to Mrs. Lordina Mahama.

He is a Christian, who believes in the importance of respect for and tolerance of, other faiths and forms of worship in a nation as diverse and peaceful as Ghana.

He has a keen interest in environmental affairs, particularly the problem of plastic pollution in Africa, which he has committed himself to addressing during his tenure as Vice President.

Mahama loves to read. He is also an avid writer and has had numerous articles published nationally and internationally.

His first book, "My First Coup dEtat and Other True Stories From the Lost Decades of Africa", was published by Bloomsbury on July 3, 2012.

He contested on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in election 2012 and was declared winner of presidential poll by the Electoral Commission.
They were arrested after a combined team of security forces and the Metropolitan Assembly in collaboration with the Metropolitan Security Council (METSEC) undertook a special exercise.

The latest action comes after Chief Executive of the metropolis declared war on prostitution in the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly to close down all drug and prostitution joints in the area.

The suspects are currently in police custody being screened for investigations.

The activities of the sex workers have become a talk in Tamale.

Apart from the police barracks the prostitutes operate, they also work in areas including the Bank of Ghana road, Victory Cinema area around Aboabo, Nyohini, Tohajie, and the enclave near Alhassan Hotel.

According to reports, some of the young girls engaged in the business are believed to be between 10 and 12 years.

READ MORE: 32 Nigerian prostitutes arrested at Abeka Lapaz
According to him, the incident is undermining the cohesion campaign being canvassed by leaders in Africa.

Many are concerned that some Ghanaians may have been caught up in the matter.

President Akufo-Addo in a Twitter post said the situation mocks the very bond that binds African countries together.

He said "The current slave auctions of Africans in Libya are not only gross and scandalous abuses of human rights, but are also mockeries of the alleged solidarity of African nations grouped in the African Union (AU), of which Libya is a member."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said no Ghanaian has been sold off as a slave in Libya.

READ MORE: 168 Ghanaian detainees to return home from Libya

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the 168, who were thought to be victims of a slave trade activity in Libya, were rather illegal migrants arrested by the Libyan government.
Meghan Markle has more in common with Princess Diana than immediately meets the eye.

On Monday, news broke that Prince Harry was engaged to marry American actress Meghan Markle. The prince designed Markle's engagement ring himself, using two diamonds from the jewelry collection of his late mother, Princess Diana.

When asked what his mother would have thought of Markle, Prince Harry told the BBC that he thought she would have been "best friends with Meghan."

"Oh, they'd be thick as thieves, without question," Harry said. "I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, you know so excited for me."

Markle and the late Princess Diana come from very different backgrounds. However, taking a closer look at the pair, it's clear why the prince believes they would be best friends.

Diana's and Markle's lives started very differently.

Diana was born in 1961, into the Spencer family, a British aristocratic family with royal ancestry. She grew up on the grounds of Queen Elizabeth's private estate, Sandringham, in Norfolk.

Markle, meanwhile, was born in Los Angeles in 1981.

Markle comes from a more modest background. Her mother, Doria Ragland, is a yoga instructor and clinical therapist, while her father, Thomas W. Markle is a lighting director, the Telegraph reported. Ragland is African-American, and Markle is Caucasian.

Both Markle and Diana's parents split when their daughters were young. Diana's parents separated in a high-profile case when she was six years old, and Markle's separated when she was just two.

Markle's and Diana's paths to a royal engagement couldn't be more different.

Diana was just 16 when she met Prince Charles. According to The Daily Times, Charles  who was 28 at the time  was visiting the Spencer "ancestral home" and actually dating Diana's elder sister at the time.

The pair didn't grow close until a few years later. In her late teens, Lady Diana was working low-paying jobs and living relatively simply, despite her aristocratic heritage. Before Charles proposed in 1981, Diana was working as an assistant kindergarten teacher and living in a London apartment with three other women.

Markle, meanwhile, is an established actress who has been married previously.

Markle is best known for her role in the legal drama "Suits," but she has also acted in a long list of shows like "CSI: NY" and "Castle," as well as films including "Get Him To The Greek."

She also founded the now-shuttered lifestyle website The Tig and has worked as a women's rights activist, as a part of the UN's Women's Political Participation and Leadership program.

Markle and Prince Harry met in 2016, reportedly being set up at Harry's request when the prince was in Toronto to help plan the Invictus Games. The duo kept their relationship secret for roughly six months before going public.

Once their relationships went public, both Diana and Markle were thrust into the spotlight.

"Today, she is known to millions as 'Lady Di'. Her photograph graces countless tea towels, calendars and coffee mugs, and her brow-sweeping hairstyle is a national fad," The Daily Times reported in July 1981.

Markle's profile similarly exploded as rumors of her relationship with Prince Harry grew in 2016.

She became the most-Googled actress of 2016, as rumors of the romance exploded and were eventually confirmed late in the year.

The burgundy dress that Markle wore to the Invictus Games in September, her first public appearance with Prince Harry, sold out in hours. The Telegraph called her influence " target="_blank"The Meghan Effect," as items that she wore or endorsed have skyrocketed in popularity.

However, from the beginning, fame came with dark undertones.

When Diana wore a strapless dress to her first official public appearance post-engagement, it was front-page news  and that was just the start. Lady Diana was stalked by reporters, including one who slipped through a bathroom window in her kindergarten class to get a photo, according to The Daily Times.

The media was especially obsessed with Diana's sexual history, reports Vanity Fair. The fixation was so great that her uncle, Lord Fermoy, was forced to read a statement publicly, declaring her a "bona fide" virgin.

While at the time The Daily Times reported that Diana seemed unfazed by the attention, Vanity Fair reported that the lady was severely bulimic prior to the wedding, linking the eating disorder to the intense pressure.

Markle's treatment shares some sickening similarities  though, this time, the palace has done more to defend the prince's fiancee.

As Markle's relationship with Prince Harry became more obvious, some people began slamming Markle due to her race and status as a divorcee.

In November 2016, Kensington Palace issued a statement on Harry's behalf criticizing the "outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments" that Markle was facing.

Since she began dating Prince Harry, it seems that Markle has been taking cues from the late Princess Diana on how she presents herself.

Like most actresses, Markle spent many years building up her public profile. However, once her relationship with Prince Harry became public knowledge, the actress has mostly remained out of the limelight  presumably, in part, because of the difficult role the media played in Diana's and Harry's own life.

The only major interview the actress gave about the relationship, prior to the announcement of the couple's engagement, was to Vanity Fair. The magazine published a glowing profile of the actress as its cover story this September.

"Whatever the future of their relationship, one suspects that, had she lived long enough to meet Meghan, Diana  beloved for her philanthropy as well as her shy beauty  would have approved," the piece concludes.

While Vanity Fair wasn't wrong in its comparison, the cover story reveals how Markle also shared Diana's ability to use press and public appearances to win over people's hearts.

Princess Diana has been on People magazine's cover 57 times  more than any other person in the publication's history.

While the princess was known for her commitment to social justice and her deeply held beliefs, Diana didn't often have the opportunity to actually speak out on these issues.

"It is very surprising how little footage there exists of the Princess actually speaking," Eleri Lynn, who curated an exhibit on Diana's fashion, told Vanity Fair. "We all have a sense of what we think she was like, and yet so much of it comes from still photographs, and a large part of that [idea] is communicated through the different clothes that she wore."

As a result, fashion was a key tool of communication for Diana  a lesson Markle seems to have learned.

Diana was one of the most influential people in fashion in the 20th century. If she wore a designer, she could immediately put them on the map. She was careful in her public appearance, working with designers to craft a public image, and shaped many of the most important trends of the time.

"She was always very thoughtful about how her clothes would be interpreted, it was something that really mattered to her," Anna Harvey, Vogue's former deputy editor who helped the princess to craft her image, told the Telegraph.

Markle, meanwhile, created her own fashion line.

The "accessible" clothing range, "Meghan Markle Collection," was launched with Canadian retailer Reitmans, and every item is under $100.

"I've been involved in every facet of [the design process], so it's really personal, she told Best Health in 2015.

Since she began dating the prince, Markle has used her style choices to highlight lesser-known Canadian designers.

After the engagement was announced, Prince Harry and Markle posed for photos at Kensington Palace in London. Markle wore a coat by the Canadian fashion brand Line  a brand beloved by Canadians, but one that is pretty obscure outside the country.

Soon after news broke that Markle wore a coat from Line on Monday, the brand's website was slow or crashed for many people.

At the opening of the Invictus Games, her first public outing with Prince Harry, Markle highlighted two other Canadian brands: Mackage and Aritzia.

It's a play straight out of Diana's handbook.

The palace encouraged Princess Diana to promote British fashion designers, using her ability to give the entire industry a boost thanks to fans who would immediately try to copy her looks. Designers such as Catherine Walker (now a favorite of Kate Middleton) became go-tos for collaborations.

Diana also used fashion as a way to promote charities and social causes.

With the cameras following Diana wherever she went, she lived up to her nickname as "Princess of the People" with her extensive charity work.

"Although she found the media's intrusion into her personal life 'intolerable,' Diana found a way to use this to bring attention to the people and the causes that needed it most," Harpers Bazaar reported.

Fashion played a key part in her mission. In 1987, Princess Diana made headlines when she removed her gloves to shake hands with HIV-positive patients, during one of her many public visits to people suffering from HIV and AIDS.

Markle has done the same, saying that famous people have the opportunity and responsibility to create change.

"With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility  to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings," Markle wrote in an essay published in Elle in November 2016.

Markle has participated in a number of humanitarian efforts, including involvement with Canada's World Vision Clean Water campaign, One Young World Summit, and UN Women.

However, not everyone is always impressed by Markle's fashion choices.

Twitter trolls slammed Markle for wearing casual jeans during her first-ever public appearance with Prince Harry, at the 2017 Invictus Games.

Diana actually faced similar criticism.

"She did clearly have fun with fashion," Lynn told Vogue, "and she took risks ... and experimented with her style. She was the first member of the royal family to be photographed wearing trousers to evening events."

Sometimes the press would slam Diana for some of her more adventurous choices  but that only further helped her style herself as a fashion icon in the long term.

One final fashion similarity between Markle and Diana can be found in the American's engagement ring.

Prince Harry designed the ring, which features two diamonds from Princess Diana's collection.

Princess Diana was a fashion icon who used her fame to draw attention to crucial issues in the world.

Diana died in a car crash when she was 36, and Harry was just 12 years old.

However, her legacy is still remembered today  in fashion, in humanitarian work, and in modernizing the monarchy. In many ways, Princess Diana's willingness to act as "The People's Princess" helped make it possible for Prince William to marry a commoner and Prince Harry to marry an American.

With the palace's willingness to defend Markle, one hopes that the prince's fiancee can avoid the intense pressure and unfair scrutiny that Princess Diana dealt with.

Markle has yet to have Diana's degree of influence  but it's clear that she's both learned lessons from and wants to pay tribute to Princess Diana.
The management of the Uzuakoli Leprosy Centre is hoping that the 40th anniversary of Whyte's death on the 25 and 26 November will rekindle peoples interest in his work and enable gain them more support on the education of leprosy.

The disease is now completely curable, detecting symptoms early prevents deformity, and there is no longer any need to stigmatise or isolate sufferers unlike during the time of Whyte.

Who is Ikoli Harcourt Whyte?

Ikoli Harcourt Whyte was an Igbo hymn composer. He was born in Rivers State in 1905 and later diagnosed with leprosy in 1919.

He was sent to be an inmate at the Uzuakoli Leprosy Colony in South-Eastern Nigeria from 1932 where he remained even after being cured in 1945.

At the Leprosy Colony, he set up a choir made up of lepers with whom he travelled with around Nigeria to perform. Whyte also performed for British dignitaries visiting colonial Nigeria.

He wrote music with the stubs of his thumb and index finger which was slow and tedious. It would take at least an entire day to write just one page of music.

He died in a car accident in 1977 leaving behind a legacy of over 200 hymns.

Activism against stigmatization

Whyte's activism was against stimatization of people with leprosy and helped lead the Methodist missionaries to establish the Uzuakoli Leprosy Centre in 1932 where he was amongst some of the first inmates.

This was after he had been receiving treatment at a Port Harcourt hospital in Rivers State which at the time had a leprosy ward until local authorities tried to forcefully evacuate them.

Whyte had insisted that an alternative location should be provided for them to move to after being evacuated.

Also, even after being cured of leprosy he refused to leave the leper colony to prove a point that leprosy was not to be stigmatized.

Beginning of a lifetime dedicated to composing music

Whyte met a British missionary and medical doctor, Thomas Frank Davey, in Uzuakoli who cultivated Whyte's interest in music.

According to Achinivu, a friend and protege to Whyte, "Dr Davey taught him everything he knew about music, that he acquired by studying the Methodist hymn book."

As Dr Davey travelled to villages to treat leprosy patients he recorded the traditional music of the people and encouraged Whyte to compose songs that sounded more like that rather than like ones in the Methodist hymn book.

Soon after Whyte formed a choir at the center and made books of hymns that were being sold in different churches across the region, and choirs from around Nigeria were visiting the leprosy centre to listen to and learn from him.

Tales soon spread about his music and abound of the reach and impact of his music, most of which was written in his local Igbo language and focused on hope despite the trials and tribulations he had faced.

Whyte's 85-year-old son Godwin Harcourt, said that, "He didn't want instruments with his music so that they wouldn't overshadow the message."

Some say that the Queen of England also became aware of his music, and once requested his hymns to be played by the BBC on Christmas Day.

And, during the Nigerian civil war when leaders of the Igbo ethnic group attempted to secede and form a different country called Biafra, Whyte's songs were popular as a source of courage and hope.

Rejection even after death

After Whyte had passed away, 4 years later Ola Rotimi was commissioned to produce a play for Nigeria's 21st Independence Day anniversary on 1 October, 1981.

Rotimi decided to use Whytes life as an inspiration and approached Achinivu who was once a protege and friend to the composer but is now a professor of music.

Achinivu was asked by Rotimi to provide the music for the production he had titled Hopes of the Living Dead. The professor assembled a choir that worked hard to learn dozens of Whyte's songs in preparation for the performance.

When the choir arrived in the then capital city of Lagos for rehearsals ahead of the independence day, a director at the Nigerian ministry of culture did not like Rotimi's plans.
36,000 people are "attending" and 102,000 people are "interested" in attending Prince Harry's stag do  or at least the one being organised by university students on Facebook.

Nine university Facebook groups  including IC Dogspotting, which posts pictures of dogs seen at Imperial College, and university-related meme account Memes College London  teamed up to start the Facebook event titled "Prince Harry's Stag Do," set to be held on May 10 to 12 2018 at Buckingham Palace (unofficially, of course), the same month he is set to wed Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.

The description reads: "Bunga Bunga Prince is getting married! Let's celebrate with him!"

The event goes on to say that date, time, location, and attendees are TBC.

One of the creators added: "No getting the corgis drunk please, thank you."

Facebook users interested in the event seem keen to make it happen.

One posted: "I'll be traveling to Buckingham Palace for the stag do from Scarborough North Yorkshire... anyone know the train times and prices please?" while another wrote "Its been cancelled. Shes just found out hes not Ed Sheeran."

It also invites interested people to "Come to Meghan's party the week before!" having already created an event for "Meghan Markle's Bachelorette Party."

The organisers joked to the BBC that due to the interest, they might "need a bigger venue."

20-year-old University College London student Chris Hammond, one of the creators of the event, said he was "shocked" by the response, adding that the event started as "a bit of a joke."

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Imperial College London student Paul Balaji, who has been running the page, said he created it because "if you're getting married, you need to have a stag do." he added that he hoped it would go ahead  although he confirmed it would not actually be at Buckingham Palace.

"I think there's enough time to organise something," he said. "Since there are so many people interested, it would be a shame for it go to waste."
The world went giddy with excitement over Monday's announcement that after months of speculation 33-year-old Prince Harry and 36-year-old American actress Meghan Markle are finally engaged.

The couple will marry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018  a month after Kate Middleton is due to have her third child.

There are a number of factors related to Markle's background  aside from the fact she's a well-known celebrity  that make this engagement refreshingly different to anything ever seen before.

Here are all the ways in which Markle defies British royal tradition.

Shes not white

Born to an African-American mother Doria, whose ancestors were slaves, and a white father Thomas, Markle's race has been the subject of media fascination.

So intrusive was some of the initial media coverage and trolling of his then girlfriend that last November Harry publicly addressed the press in a Kensington Palace statement saying he felt "a line had been crossed."

Markle is now expected to become "the first mixed race person to marry into a family that for generations has been almost entirely white European," according to The Mirrors royal correspondent  a fact that people are celebrating on social media.

Prince Harry's future mothe... @ S.

When asked about the scrutiny of her ethnicity in the couple's Monday interview with the BBC Markle said: Of course its disheartening."

"Im really just proud of who I am and where I come from and we have never put any focus on that, we have just focused on who we are as a couple," she added.

Shes from humble beginnings

While some have claimed to find an ancestral link between the couple, Markle's LA upbringing was far humbler than Harry's. Her mother is a yoga teacher and social worker, and her father a lighting director.

Always proud of this beauti... @ meghanmarkle

Although Markle did attend private school from a young age, it's still a far cry from Harry's Etonian education. This is nothing new to the younger royals, however  Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, was also considered a "commoner" before she married Prince William.

Shes divorced

Markle used to be married to Trevor Engelson. While this won't be the first time a divorcee has married into the senior royal family  Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005, both of whom were previously married  it could mean that the Queen, who is the head of the Church of England, could decide not to attend or witness Markle's second marriage. She skipped Charles' ceremony, only attending the reception afterwards.

However, the Queen has expressed her "delight" at the engagement, and as Harry is unlikely to become king, it surely won't cause the same stir it did in 2005.

Shes American

Markle is expected to become the first American in over 80 years to marry into the royal family. Wallis Simpson was a twice-divorced American woman who wed King Edward VIII, though only once he had abdicated and become the Duke of Windsor in order to marry her.

American citizens, including former US president Barack Obama, have been congratulating the couple from afar.

Michelle and I are delighte... @ Barack Obama
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National Public Radio's chief news editor, David Sweeney, has departed the organization following several sexual harassment allegations, the network reported Tuesday. Edith Chapin, the current senior manager, is replacing him.

"David Sweeney is no longer on staff," Chris Turpin, acting senior vice president of news, said in a staff email, according to NPR reporters Merrit Kennedy and David Folkenflik.

Three women  two current NPR journalists and one former  filed complaints against Sweeney in recent weeks. One producer told NPR reporters that Sweeney suddenly kissed her once in 2002 when the two were driving in Washington, DC, while they were on assignment. Another said Sweeney attempted to kiss her in 2007 while they were drinking at a restaurant after she had approached him for advice.

NPR editor Lauren Hodges also told reporters at the network that Sweeney repeatedly asked her questions about her personal life back in 2013, gave her unsolicited gifts, and made jokes about taking her on vacation with him.

After she stopped responding to Sweeney's messages, Hodges said, she was removed from NPR's news desk. She added that the incident caused her to question whether she had been passed over for career opportunities because of her reluctance to engage socially with her superiors.

The three women's complaints came just weeks after NPR's chief newsroom executive, Michael Oreskes, was forced to resign after facing multiple accusations of sexual harassment that had allegedly occurred over the previous 20 years.
Senate Republicans appeared Tuesday to be moving closer to passing their massive tax code overhaul after a party meeting and a slew of proposed changes to the legislation.

Many of the eight GOP senators withholding support came out of the meeting with fellow lawmakers and President Donald Trump more confident that they would support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) after leaders promised an array of policy changes in the bill.

At the same time, political and procedural stumbling blocks remain as Republicans try to clear their bill through the full Senate.

Holdouts softening

The most concrete sign that Republicans were making progress came in the Senate Budget Committee, where the bill passed on a party-line vote of 12 to 11.

Two GOP senators on the committee, Ron Johnson and Bob Corker, both voted for the bill after saying Monday that they would vote against the measure. Both Corker and Johnson said they came around after discussing possible changes with party leadership.

Corker said he came to an agreement with Trump and leadership on a "fiscal trigger" that would be included in the legislation. Such a mechanism would raise revenues, likely in the form of a tax increase, if the TCJA did not deliver promised economic growth and ballooned the federal deficit in the coming years.

"

The "trigger" fix, however, could endanger other Republican votes. According to Bloomberg, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana was vehemently against the idea.

Chris Kreuger, an analyst at Cowen Washington Research Group, said passage in the Budget Committee is a sign of serious momentum.

"Momentum is moving the Senate GOP bill forward with successful Budget vote this afternoon," Kreuger wrote in a note to clients after the vote. " The GOP is still shy of 50 Senate votes, though in a better place on taxes than this morning."

Republicans can only lose two votes from their caucus for it to pass.

Procedural hurdle

Senate rules could still throw a wrinkle in the proceedings over the coming days.

Any updated bill must receive a ruling from the Senate parliamentarian, who works as a kind of umpire for Senate rules. The parliamentarian must say the bill qualifies to be considered under the budget reconciliation process, which Republicans are using to move the legislation.
Every once in awhile, this is not common but every once in awhile, a country will have a specific thing in there, it says, This fare is only available for South African Nationals. And the price is like, legally has to be different for foreigners there.
Express reports that The Church of Swedens priests have been banned from referring to the divine being with masculine words like he or the Lord.

Instead, they have been encouraged to use God or other gender-neutral options in the name of God and the Holy Trinity during services.

Speaking with The Telegraph, Church of Sweden spokesperson Sofija Pedersen Videke said: We talk about Jesus Christ, but in a few places we have changed it to say God instead of he. A wide majority of people decided on the book.

The head of the church, Archbishop Antje Jackelen, defended this decision saying: Theologically, for instance, we know that God is beyond our gender determinations, God is not human.

The Evangelical Lutheran church made this decision during an eight-day meeting on ways to modernise its 31-year-old guidelines for services.

Let's bring it home

We asked Nigerian Christians to weigh in on this gender-neutral issue.

Here is what they said.

God is God. Why would anyone even think of giving this almighty being a gender?  Bayo 23

I think He is a man. Isnt that we use He and Him when we refer to Him?  Segun 30

God is genderless  Alex 27

ALSO READ: 12 interesting things Nigerian Christians would love to ask their pastor

God is just a supreme being  Chimamanda 35

The Bible says He created man in His own image so He is a man.  Paul 20

 God is a spirit  Bola 21

You can not limit God to a sex  Adebisi 27
The usual sentiment was that places of worship were getting rich off their congregation while the poor among and around them remained the same.

Now, Christians can proudly say that this story is finally changing thanks to churches like The Tribe, for instance.

The Tribe

The Tribe Lagos could be described as a non-denominational church. It is a place of worship with a difference. This difference is that they care about helping out just as much as they care about the preaching the word.

In the words of The Tribes Pastor Ferdy Adimefe, At the core of the gospel is good news, a good news of hope, healing and salvation for all. It is essentially about a message of love, not just in words but also in deeds.

God wants to love the world through us and the world needs to experience Gods love through us. Love is our propelling force, love is our heartbeat, it powers every move, every action and inaction. Love is the express reflection of Gods heart.

How The Tribe helps

According to him, this is exactly why the church started a Charity initiative called Sozo Life Foundation. The sole purpose of this is to show Gods love by helping the less fortunate.

So far, the church has adopted a community in Itedo, an urban slum in Lekki, Lagos. This particular community was chosen because of the poor families living in terrible conditions right in the middle of this high brew area.

The church was there on Saturday, November 25, 2017, to share some supplies to the children and adults. Over 45 women were also offered free breast cancer awareness and screenings.

Now, the church is currently on #A Thousand Smiles Campaign in order to ensure that everyone ends the year on a good note.

The goal is to distribute 1000 special Christmas gifts to at least a thousand underprivileged children around Lagos.

The Tribe is not alone in its concern for others

Like The Tribe, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Apapa Family, also has an initiative called Excel Charity Foundation.

Just like Sozo, RCCGs foundation offers a dynamic environment in our communities across the regions by embarking on several social impact projects through our initiatives in health, education, drug rehabilitation and well-being.

The foundation also hopes to ensure social reform in Nigeria, Africa and around the world.

Why is to so important for Churches to be charitable?

Pastor Adimefe explains it best saying, Lagos is intriguing for me in many ways, a paradox of poverty and plenty. Next to an edifice lies a slum.

I think we are privileged to have those in need right at our doorsteps, they could easily be neglected, because everyone thinks someone else will get it done. Lets not forget these urban slums are the breeding ground for many ills."

The many urban slums are meant to be the first beneficiaries of our gospel that brings unprecedented renewal to our city. The social realities of many of these people are far from ideal. We can shape better social realities and help the world experience the love of our father.

Charity is not just for churches

Christianity is more than claiming to be saved or going around preaching the word. It is also about revealing the true nature of God in how we relate to others, particularly the less fortunate.

Hence, it is important that we do not just wait for religious bodies but that we also help out in any way that we can.
Sometimes when this happens, students complain about the lecturer getting angry and and storming out of the lecture room. You all know our Nigerian lecturers don't take nonsense.

Lecturers are human, they can get angry about certain things when they see one. Some students attitudes in the lecture room could make a lecturer have a bad day and this could spell failure for the students if the lecturer is an unforgiving type.

So, as students, you need to know what a certain lecturer accepts in his lecture room but generally, Nigerian lecturers in Universities and Polytechnics don't like students to do these five things in their class.

Asking question to outshine the lecturer:

Lecturers encourage students to ask questions as many as possible. This surely helps the lecturer to bond with the students and get to know the brilliant ones.

However, when a student begins to ask endless questions that have little or nothing to do with the topic just to show he knows some things, the Nigerian in the lecturer might be evoked and the student would find himself in soup not because the student is curious but because his questions appear to disgrace the lecturer.

Deceiving the lecturer you grasp all he says:

When a lecturer stands in front of the classroom teaching, he at the same time looks out for feedback cues. He looks for students who nod their heads to show they understand all he's been saying.

The lecturer may, however, get mad at head nodders if he asks a question about the topic he has been discussing for an hour and they can't provide an answer.

Yawning to tell the lecturer you are tired

Yawning to tell a lecturer you are tired of his lecture is one of the academic sins lecturers don't take lightly. It literally means the yawning student says the lecturer is boring and his time is up.

Lecturers hate to have this kind of feedback from students because it makes them feel their presence in the lecture room is useless.

ALSO READ: 5 courses Nigerian parents were crazy about in the 80s

Receiving calls in the lecture room

This is considered the height of disrespect in Nigerian higher institutions. This is why some lectures usually forewarn students to switch off their phones before the lecture starts to avoid distractions in the lecture room.

Packing your things before the class ends

Students are always in a hurry to leave the lecture room when the lecturer is rounding off his lecture. This usually pisses off some lecturers who consider the habit of leaving the classroom an act of disrespect.
It is a menace that keeps threatening innocent and naive students on campus, inviting them to come and join secret societies to protect themselves from lecturers and campus might.

To curb this problem, the Governor of Ekiti State recently signed a bill seeking death penalty for cultists into law recently. Many Nigerians believe laws like this would check the spate of cultism in our higher institutions.

However, many innocent students fall victim of cult members harassment because they are too naive to recognise the cult members on their campus.

These seven signs will guide you to recognise cult members in your hostel and classrooms.

Dress code:

Every cult group has a dress code with which they are identified. When your campus friend enjoys wearing a particular colour always, he is likely to be a member of the cult group that flaunt the colour.

The common colours among campus cult groups are black, blue, red and yellow.

Apart from the colour code, cult group member may have handkerchiefs and hat as part of their fashion acessories.

Handshake or Clawing:

Chinua Achebe said "when a hand shake goes beyond the elbow, then we know it has turned to another thing".

This is very true about cult members greetings patterns. Cult group have different handshake signals and rituals that involves grabbing of the wrist and twisting the fingers. When your friend mistakenly greets you this way, you should know he belongs to one cult group.

ALSO READ: Students react to Fayose's death sentence penalty for cultists

Scars:

Initiations of new members into secret associations on campus comes with beating and severe punishment. This could land a permanent cut on the new members face or body.

These scars are meant to give a new member (mostly new students) an identity and a sense of belonging and confidence in the group.

Spontaneous decision:

The nature of secret group activities propels them to act impulsively and take spontaneous decisions. They can disappear from school for a day or two without informing their innocent roommates.

Nicknames:

Frat members don't usually go by their real names. They have nicknames reserved for their cult groups and these names are said to have bearing on the on the types of cults they are affiliated with. Their nicknames can be as random as any student's but the problem with theirs is that nobody is permitted to make fun of those names, even if the name sounds funny.

Lingo:

Students have slangs which they use to communicate amongst themselves same way cultists have their language of communication.

Each cult group has its strange words only members understand. So if your campus friend communicates with another student in a language that is not popular on campus, you should be wary of such a fellow.

Clique:

Frat members are friends bound by blood and oath covenant. No innocent student can know their secrets, no naive student can understand their way even if they are his roommates. They are like birds of a feather, they flock together.

So when you see these form of association that seems to transcend normal campus friendship among some set of students, you've got to open your eyes to see the secret cult members you have around you.
Among those who have come out to speak against it are Davido, Wizkid, Banky W, Phyno, DJ Cuppy and Georginia Onuoha. These celebrities have through their social media pages spoke against the slave trade in Libya and want those in charge to help rescue and end the brisk business.

ALSO READ: 242 Nigerians deported from Libya

In one of the messages, Banky W said he would like to work with any non governmental organisation or agency that assist in helping those immigrants who have found themselves as victims in this slave trade.

"I'd like to be able to do more than just post on social media, and I'm sure many others would too. The issue is finding a verifiable charity cause that specifically addresses this issue, so we can donate money to help out. Please, if anyone knows a credible charity focused on this, can you put it in the comments section? I will update this post once we find a good one, so that we can all chip in to helping bring this insanity to an end. This should not still be happening in 2017 Africa. We are better than this. Or at least we should be. ," he wrote.

eLDee has also commented about the slave trade crisis in Libya but he took it from another angle. In a series of tweets, he spoke about Nigerians who have house-helps.

eLDee thinks most Nigerians are as guilty as Libya slave traders

According to him, these Nigerians are the same as slave masters in Libya.
In the indices, Nigeria ranks low. The country does not break into the top 100 in any of the categories.

Here is a quick breakdown of the ranking;

Roads quality: 127th

Airport quality: 125th

Electricity supply: 136th

Education system: 120th

Math and science: 118th

Innovation: 82nd

Life expectancy: 133rd

Security: 127th

Trust in politicians: 130th

This is a damning report card. Nigeria gets a resounding F. It paints a grim picture of the country. Are things really this bad in Nigeria?

ALSO READ: Nigeria is 35th in terms of governance in Africa

Despite many promises from the government, the power supply is still epileptic. The education system is far from what it was in the 60s and 70s. The poor state of education reflects in the country's ranking in math and science, a lowly placed 118.

In 2015, life expectancy was 53 years old. There are still security challenges in a country where a murderous group is still at large, people can get kidnapped in churches and Boko Haram in the North-East.

The political class has no doubt failed the nation. 57 years after independence and Nigerians cannot boast about the basic things of life. It's 18 years since democracy returned to the most populous black nation on earth but that's just a mere statistic.

Nigeria's civilian leaders have proven that they either lack the knowledge on how to move the country forward or that they don't have what it takes to deal with the corrupt political class.

ALSO READ: Nigerian police ranked worst in the world

In 2015, Nigerians voted for change, an unprecedented move in this part of the world where the incumbent is kicked out of office. The new government has had many challenges some of them self-inflicted.

Irrespective of the camp that you are in, you are most likely to agree that the new administration hasn't improved the trust issues Nigerians have for politicians.

Men lie, women lie, politicians lie but numbers don't. With figures, we can see that Nigeria can do a whole lot better. Nigerians don't know the bad shape the country is because we don't know better. This country is all we have known.
They represent TOTI Prima, a dynamic premium lottery brand that believe the dreams of every Nigerian is valid.

TOTI Prima

The exclusive launch event took place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos and had in attendance prominent guests including representatives of National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and Lagos State Lotteries Board with celebrities such as SimiDrey, EmmaOhMyGod, Wofaifada and supporters of the brand in attendance.

A major highlight of the event was the first TOTI Prima live draw that saw a lucky attendee, Mr Alabi Idowu walk out of the venue an instant millionaire, it seemed rather surreal for the recipient as he was being handed the N1 Million cheque.

Media personality and former Big Brother Africa winner; Uti Nwachwuku was formally announced as the Brand Ambassador for TOTI Prima.

It was indeed a night of glitz and glam as the Primazoids took the center stage while the Jazz band serenaded attendees.
With a strong clientele base that boasts of Alicia Keys, Tiwa Savage and more, the fashion and accessories brand is one to reckon with.

The Ghanaian designer who showcased her new collection at the 2017 LFDW sat with Schick Magazine to dish on her 9-year old brand, her celebrity muse, family and more.

Excerpts:

About Aisha Obuobi, the designer?

I'm a mother of two adorable boys. I'm married to the most supportive man who pushes me to be awesome. I believe I am my mother's best friend, my father's kryptonite, my brother's sweetheart and my girlfriends are my sisters. I pray about everything and I don't take myself too seriously. In a nutshell, I value family and relationships. I am deeply spiritual and dangerously light-hearted.

ALSO READ:Christie Brown dares mix prints on the most chic pieces for one of her best presentations

On starting the Christie Brown brand?

Launched the brand in march of 2008 while I was still in University studying Psychology. It all started as a passion to see the modern African woman, in all her sophistication and exposure, embrace her heritage and to do that in the most audacious and stylish way possible.

Two years into my "fairytale", I realised how viable a business this was and even more so that I could not do this by myself; that was when I partnered with Vanessa Bannerman, our COO (Merchandising & Operations), who brought her finance and fashion buying background into the business to help make Christie Brown what it is today.

What to expect from the F(Men)ist collection

The collection is menswear-inspired, so we took elements from traditional men's tailoring and suiting fabrics and disrupted how they would ideally be used. The silhouettes are classic Christie Brown; feminine and playful.

On a perfect ambassador for her Christie Brown brand
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! 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!
The governor while presenting the bill christened Budget of Sustainable Development on the floor of the house in Lafia, assured the citizens of the state of his administrations commitment toward completing all ongoing projects.

He said that the proposal had an increase of N31.3 billion over the 2017 figure representing 34.2 per cent.

Al-Makura said that N45.2 billion, representing 36. 8 per cent of the budget was for recurrent expenditure, while N71.06 billion representing 57.8 percent was for capital expenditure.

He said the budget had anticipated a revenue receipt of N95.68 billion.

The governor said that the deficit in the budget would be financed by a N10 billion loan facility from some development partners as a well as the 2018 opening balance of N8.4 billion.

Al-Makura said the budget would help in creating conducive environment for participation of the informal sector in income generation and sustainable productivity as well as provide employment opportunity for the youth.

He also said that the government would not relent in its determination to strengthen internal control mechanism in its management of the states finances.

The governor said this would afford his administration to effectively monitor activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in line with its fiscal expenditure framework.

This will further sustain our resolve for transparency and accountability in view of our lean resources."

The adoption of Treasury Single Account (TSA) will also promote the fiscal discipline and block all financial leakages in our various operations, Al- Makura said.

Also speaking, Mr Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, the Speaker of the house assured the governor of a speedy passage of the budget.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ministry of Works, Housing and Development got the highest allocation of N37.30 billion.
The show which kicked off its fourth season this year with its premiere night at the Oriental Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos, unveiled to the public the top 16 contestants who made it to the show. Contestants from the different regions of the country were selected to battle for the grand prize of 5 million naira and a brand new Ford Ranger courtesy Ford Motors and Coscharis Motors.

The show which is proudly sponsored by Heritage Bank plc, in association with Sifax group has now unveiled its top 8 contestants who are remaining in the show. So far, we have watched the other 8 evicted contestants take their bow from the show leaving behind their fellow future entrepreneurs.

Who will become The Next Titan Nigeria from amongst the Top 8 remaining contestants in the show? Only one way to find out is to follow the conversation with #TheNextTitan4, weekly episodes are also available for online streaming on www.youtube.com/c/TheNextTitanTV and for more info visit www.TheNextTitan.com.

You can also catch the show weekly on Silverbird TV (DSTV Channel 252) Saturdays 4-5pm & TVC (DSTV Channel 418) Sundays 6-7pm.
Ogbizi gave the advice on Tuesday during a meeting of the Farmers/Herdsmen Peace Committee, which took place at the Police Officers Mess in Umuahia.

He urged the traditional rulers and representatives of the herdsmen, who were members of the committee, to restrain their people from taking the law into their hands.

No matter the level of provocation, you should desist from taking the law into your hands.

Even if your crops are destroyed in your farmlands or your animals are killed, report to the police or other security agencies close to you, Ogbizi said.

Herdsmen should also restrain themselves from taking the laws into their hands when their cattle are attacked or killed by angry natives, he said.

The police boss advised the farmers and herdsmen to report any acts of provocation from any quarters to the security agency in their area for appropriate action.

He said that Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia had assured the committee that government would pay compensation for damages to farmlands and livestock suffered as a result of open grazing in any part of the state.

Ogbizi therefore urged farmers to ensure that damages to their farm crops or animals were not only reported but properly documented.

After reporting to the police about any destruction of crops in your farmland or animals make sure that the damages are properly documented.

The essence is to make sure that government has a record of the damages so that you will get compensated, he said.

He further said that the committee would send a team to the affected farmlands to assess the extent of damage vis-a-vis the claims and make recommendations to the governor for the payment of the compensation.

The police commissioner, who is the chairman of the committee, expressed joy over the support from the governor to ensure the success of the group in averting any farmers/herdsmen clashes in the state.

He said that the governor had promised to purchase two operational vehicles for the committee to ease its job.

He appealed to the local government chairmen, traditional rulers, town union leaderships and community heads to collaborate with the committee to ensure peaceful coexistence between Abia communities and herdsmen.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the representatives of the farmers and herdsmen expressed delight over the efforts by the government to enthrone lasting peace in the state.

ALSO READ: Fulani herdsmen and their license to kill

Alhaji Yaro Danladi, who represented the Hausa/Fulani herdsmen, promised to ensure that herdsmen did not overstep the designated routes for grazing in order not to provoke the host communities.

Chief Dunlop Okoro, who is the chairman of Abia chapter of the All Farmers Association, underscored the need for proper documentation and compensation for any damages suffered as a result of herdsmen invasion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by the Chairman, Abia Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Eberechi Dick, local government chairmen and Divisional Police Officers.
The government, in a statement signed by Adelani Baderinwa, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said that they are not owing workers.

Baderinwa also said For the purpose of emphasis, explanation and clarification, workers in the state of Osun are paid based on modulated salary structure agreed upon by the government and the labour unions in the state.

We have been saying it loud and clear and we will not be tired of saying it until the mischief makers succumb to fact and reality; it is only a section of workers on grade level 13 and above that receives painfully 50 per cent of their salaries based on agreement between the government and the labour unions.

Outside that category of workers on grade level 13 and above, no other receives half of his or her salaries and the workers in this category are just about 20 per cent of the states workforce.

Workers on levels 8-12 receive 75 percent of their salaries while officers on levels 7 and below receive their full pay.

All workers in the state have received their salaries up to October this year. As we pay active workers, so we pay pensioners.

The only outstanding payment to pensioners is the gratuity and this is due to workers who choose not to participate in the Contributory Pension Scheme and therefore left service in 2011/2012.

We recall that workers on levels 8 and above received the July and August arrears when the government paid in July this after receiving the second tranche of the Paris Club Loan Refund.

The commissioner also blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the economic hardship in the state.

He said We wish to state that the modulated salary was arrived upon as the best option the government could take in the interest of the workers due to the PDP induced economic recession that crippled the state finances.

ALSO READ:Osun pensioners protest as retired headmaster commits suicide over unpaid gratuity

We consider at as a deliberate attempt to malign the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola for a national newspaper which has the clear fact about the salary structure of the state at hand to accuse the state government of Osun of paying half salary.

Christmas package

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari directed state governmentsto ensure payment of outstanding workers' salaries in their various states, to enable workers celebrate Christmas.
While speaking to the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, the president said that the violent removal of former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011 led to the return of many Nigerians who were recruited by Boko Haram due to the nature of the work in Libya.

The president said his administration, in its bid to properly secure the country, is doing its best to rehabilitate Nigerians who are coming back from Libya and making sure they're not indoctrinated.

The president spoke on the topic while he was responding to the outrage against the discovery of slave markets in the north African country where Africans, including Nigerians, are being "sold like goats for a few dollars."

The president said, "In the interview some of you saw, some of the Nigerians said they were being sold like goats for few dollars for years in Libya.

"Now after 43 years of Gaddafi where he recruited so many people from the Sahel including Nigeria and so on, all they learnt was how to shoot and kill.

"They didn't learn to become electricians, plumbers or any other trade. So, when the Libyans stood against their leader those who are not their people, they chased them out.

"A lot of them came back home with their workers, some of them participated in Boko Haram and become part of Boko Haram.

"So, I'm telling you that our major problem as we have identified is still the security of the country. We have done much better everybody is saying it.

"We are doing our best and the leadership at all levels are doing their best and the problem we are having with those who are being indoctrinated and are hurting our people, blowing up people in mosques, churches, marketplaces, motor parks, this is absolute madness.

"No religion advocates violence, all religion advocate justice from your home, town, household to whatever you become, Justice is the basic thing all religion demand it as you can't go wrong if you do it.

"Whenever Nigerians are identified especially in Libya and so on, we hope to evacuate them back home and then rehabilitate them because the indoctrination is what is happening with the Boko Haram where girls will strap themselves mostly from the ages of 15 downwards and go to the market blow themselves up and anybody around in motor parks, mosques, churches and so on."

On Tuesday evening, 242 deportees returned to Nigeria from Libya after a CNN investigation uncovered a dehumanising slave trade where Africans sell for as much as N145,000 ($400).

Global outrage

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, described the slave auction footage as "the most egregious abuses of human rights and may amount to crimes against humanity."

It has also been condemned by Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Metig, Guinean President and African Union (AU) Chairman, Alpha Conde, Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, and the Senegalese government.

Burkina Faso also recalled its ambassador to Libya with President Roch Marc Christian Kabore demanding information from the Libyan government about the fate of some 30 Burkinabe migrants detained in the camps.

President Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa condemned the slave auction in a press statement on Monday, November 20.

She described it as "totally unacceptable, despicable, and inhumane and should be condemned by anyone who is human and has blood running through their veins."

How the modern slave trade works in Libya

Libya has been a hotbed for illegal migrants for years now as it serves as the transit hub to the Mediterranean which connects to Europe. Every year, migrants embark on the perilous journey across the sea to escape the economic and/or political uncertainties in their countries of origin.

According to Missing Migrants, an organization that tracks deaths along migratory routes, at least 2,985 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa or the Middle East in 2017 alone.

However, this has not stopped people from trying to make the journey into Europe to seek greener pastures.

A government crackdown on trafficking has resulted in a drastic reduction in boat journeys which means many are trapped in Libya for a long time waiting for their turn to travel. The migrants are mostly held in connecting houses or detention centres that the smugglers control.

This creates a situation where smugglers are able to exploit the migrants, especially as soon as they run out of money to pay which means they're viewed as properties.

Since most smuggling rings are run by local organised gangs, militias and corrupt security officials in Libya, many victims are trapped in unfamiliar surroundings with captors who are not shy to resort to violent means.

Smugglers are known to blackmail migrants into doing free labour or outrightly selling them to other militias involved in human trafficking. Other times, they hold migrants for ransom and call their families to pay while issuing threats to kill them.
Maina, who is wanted for alleged corruption, disclosed this in a video aired by Channels TV on Monday, November 27, 2017.

It had been revealed in October that Maina was secretly reinstated into the civil service after he was sacked two years ago for allegedly misappropriating about N1 billion pension fund.

The revelation outraged many Nigerians, who called into question the ongoing anti-corruption war of the Buhari government.

Amid the scandal, the President ordered Maina's immediate disengagement from service and directed that his recall is investigated.

Some of the government officials who were accused of playing major roles in Maina's recall, including the Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, quickly denied involvement in the matter.

In the video, Maina suggested that Buhari knew about his recall all long, stressing that the President ordered it.

He said, "The letter of dismissal, I didnt even receive a letter. It was when I heard about it (that) my lawyers went to court. They took the Senate to court and the court quashed whatever was the report of the Senate. The court also removed all the warrant of arrest. The court upheld that I should return to work. That was in April 2013. But the last administration refused to take me back to my job. They refused to obey the court order. The Head of Service was asked not to return me to the office. The Federal Civil Service Commission chairperson at that time did not want me to return to office.

"Now I did not return to office but when this government came in, the president gave his note that go and sit down with Maina, Ive given you the approval. They sat down with me after the security agencies cleared me of any wrong doing."

He said he has never been sued in any court of law for any allegation.

"Nobody has ever taken me to court in Nigeria. I want Nigerians to know. I have never been taken to any court of law. Nobody has ever sued me for anything. Ive never been taken to any court of law.

"I have sued all the security agencies that we are talking about and I have won. I have full court judgements. They place my name on INTERPOL, I went to court and removed it. They did this, I did this I removed it. There is nothing they have not done. Even the one they could not do, they went to immigration, put my name on no fly list. I went to the airport. I was in Nigeria, that was in 2015. I went to the court, the court granted me N2 million damages for not flying that day," he said.

Maina explained how he helped the government recover N1.3 trillion through the AGF.

He added that the process of his reinstatement started after the Attorney General visited him.

He added, "As soon as this present government decided to sit with me, and after sitting with, me, I told them I will not leave you to go back to Nigeria without something in your pocket. Im going to give you something in your pocket and the Minister laughed. The Minister of Justice said what are you going to give us as gift? I gave him a document, I say go here, here, here, there's N1.3 trillion they are going to steal it because theyve been stealing every year. He was shocked, he said not possible. I said sir, with all due respect, could you please try it, this is a gift Im giving you. I havent gotten to Nigeria, Im just giving you a gift. I say try it for you to understand where Im coming from.

"Im not a saint but I try as much as I can to help the system. The minister thought that wont be possible, when he got back, he realised I gave him a correct information. Now, after giving him this information, he asked me, when are you coming back, I said I will soon be back. I said I have a court order. So, I asked my lawyer to write a petition. He now wrote a petition to government and the Minister set up a committee to look at the petition. They looked at the petition and recommended that this is a court order that theres no question of going back on it, nobody has appealed it since 2013 so government must obey it.

"So, he sent a letter to the Federal Civil Service Commission to say this is the petition I got in my office, Im attaching the court order which you must respect. Im hearing people are saying hes directing people to reinstate me. No, he said you must respect the court order, this is the court order because he is the chief officer of the country. Now, the document was taken to the Federal Civil Service Commission. I went to the Federal Civil Service Commission, they told me they have just received the documents, they are going to see me later and we have a meeting. After that meeting, they wrote office of the head of service. They say we want you to sit down with your Senior Staff Committee and after that you send it to the Ministry of Interior; that was used at that time because they were coerced which I later found out. The Senior Staff Committee was coerced by the then Head of Service, Mr. Isa Bello Sanni to make sure they send me out and packing because I had stopped the inflow of 5.2 billion monthly to the office of the Head of Service."

ALSO READ: What the Head of Service should have done differently to avoid Maina scandal

Presidential aide, Femi Adesina was said to have declined comment when he was asked about the allegation that Buhari ordered Maina's reinstatement.

He was quoted as saying that "Anything on that issue, get in touch with the AGF."
During an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community in Abidjan, on the sidelines of the 5th AU-EU Summit in Cote D'Ivoire, on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, the president said the bodies of the dead were hurriedly buried before their nationalities could be confirmed.

According to a statement signed by the president's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, he said, "When it was announced that 26 Nigerians died recently in the Mediterranean, before they proved that they were all Nigerians they buried them.

"But the evidence I have from the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, (Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa) is that only three of them were identified as Nigerians. But Ill not be surprised if the majority of them were Nigerians."

While discussing the government's efforts to stop future tragedies, the president said his administration will do its best to make sure Nigerians are comfortable enough to not embark on dangerous journeys to Europe.

"For people to cross the Sahara desert and Mediterranean through shanty boats we will try and keep them at home. But anybody who died in the desert and Mediterranean without documents; to prove that he is a Nigerian, there is absolutely nothing we can do," he said.

Burial controversy

The victims were buried in Salerno, south of Naples, in Italy on November 17, an act which angered Nigerian authorities.

The Federal Government sent a protest letter to the Italian government over what it described as the hasty burial and break in agreement.

There was public outcry against the absence of any Nigerian official at the burial of the victims, and the Federal Government explained that it was not properly informed.

While addressing the press on Monday, November 20, President Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said the Italian Embassy had earlier informed the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) that the burial would take place on November 26.

She said, "It was shocking to watch the burial of these migrants on television, I think on November 17, because the information from the Italian Embassy to NAPTIP was the fact that these girls would be buried on November 26.

"We are asking the Italian authorities, and we have communicated a letter through the Italian Embassy here in Nigeria, why these girls were buried earlier.

"Secondly, where are the results of the pathological tests that were done? Who conducted the DNA tests? And how do we now identify that all 26 girls were Nigerians?

"From available information from Italy, about three girls can be identified to be Nigerians. Did Italy get the permission to go ahead with the burial of these girls, no matter their nationalities?

"We appeal to the Italian authorities, we are going to take this up at the highest diplomatic level and we are going to get answers."

While she claims that a post-mortem had not been carried out, Italian authorities had released results of the autopsies conducted on the victims a day prior to the public burial.

The autopsy revealed that 25 of the victims died of asphyxiation in the water, when the inflatable dinghy they were travelling on sank while the remaining one suffered a wound to her liver.

Most of the dead victims are teenagers aged 14 to 18 and two of them were pregnant.

Spanish warship, Cantabria, docked at the southern port of Salernoon Sunday, November 5, carrying 375 survivors and the dead women kept in a refrigerated section of the warship.

The bodies of the victims were recovered from two separate shipwrecks, 23 from one and three from the other, after rescue operations by Cantabria which works as part of the European Union's Sophia anti-trafficking operation.

Italian security authorities have already arrested two men in connection with the deaths.
Maina, who was the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, in an interview with Channels TV, said those around Buhari are not telling him the truth.

The embattled pension reforms boss also asked the President to give him a chance to prove he is innocent.

Speaking on Mainas interview, Fayose said that he is sure Buhari will not take action, citing the allegation of fraud that was levelled against Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru.

The Governor also said The Maina challenge is another opportunity for President Buhari to prove that he is actually fighting corruption. But I am sure that since it again bothers on his closest men, he wont do anything.

There is no need waiting for the President to conduct public inquiry on the pension scam, Maina should just go ahead and tell Nigerians who the thieves among Buharis men are, he added.

Maina challenges EFCC to open debate

Meanwhile, Abdurasheed Maina has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to an open debate.

Maina, who maintains that he is innocent, called on the Federal Government to set up an independent investigation panel.
While speaking during his visit to Leadership Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2017, the minister revealed that the complication to paying the statutory 5% has been due to the issue of multiple claimants.

He said, "It is a bit complicated because more than one person is claiming the money and we do not want to disclose the identity of the Whistle blower.

"We have a very unique situation in our hand at the moment; it is so complex and complicated. One said we should not pay the other and the other one has gone to court.

"Now we have the authentic whistle blower and fake whistle blower, we hope to find out the real person.

"Ordinarily, a whistle blower should be anonymous. However, we are working very closely to ensure that such thing never happens again."

During the visit, he also clarified the compensation modality as contained in the whistleblower policy, saying any whistle-blower whose information leads to recovery of up to N1 billion will receive 5% of the amount.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he said the reward for any amount between N1 billion and N5 billion is 5% for the first N1 billion and 4% of the remaining N4 billion. The minister added that any amount above N5 billion will attract a 2.5% reward.

Payment controversy

While speaking at the 7th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in Austria, on Thursday, November 9, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, said the whistleblower is already a millionaire by virtue of the percentage he was officially entitled to.

The unnamed whistleblower behind the discovery of $43.5 million, 27,800 and N23.2 million from an Ikoyi apartment at No. 16 Osborne Road, in Lagos responded by publicly condemning the EFCC for failing to pay him his 5% commission as stipulated in the Whistleblower Policy.

Through his lawyer, Yakubu Galadima, the whistleblower said the agency had failed to pay him and instead had subjected him to unfair treatment.

He also dismissed reports that he would receive N350 million reward, saying that the actual figure was N850 million.

In response to the public condemnation that trailed the development, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, clarified the government's position, explaining that the whistleblower in question is part of the batch that would be paid in November.

She explained that failure to pay the whistleblower was a procedural one and that more than 20 people have already been paid under the provision of the policy.

Since the public spat started, another person has laid claim to being the real whistleblower and has dragged the EFCC to court, with the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), also joined as respondents in the suit.

History of Ikoyi loot

The loot was recovered by officials of the EFCC in Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos during a raid on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.

A lot of controversy trailed the discovery of the loot, with public outcry, especially on social media, demanding that the culprits be brought to book.

The loot was initially claimed to belong to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) when its director Ayodele Oke said that the amount in the apartment was marked for covert operations. After President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Oke and set up a three-man panel headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to properly investigate the matter, he was sacked on October 30.

The issue became even more controversial when Senator George Sekibo, a lawmaker who represented Rivers East senatorial district at the time, appeared at plenary with a whistle, claiming that the loot belongs to the Rivers state government.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, further claimed ownership of the funds which he alleged were misappropriated from the state by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.

Former aviation minister, Fani Kayode,and spokesperson of Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Lere Olayinka also insisted that the apartment where the loot was found belonged to Amaechi. The current Minister of Transportation strongly denied the claims.

The loot has also been linked to former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Mu'azu; senator representing Lagos west, Solomon Adeola; and an ex-managing director of Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Esther Nnamdi-Obue.
Obaseki, represented by his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, stated this on Tuesday when he hosted the executives of the African Youth Commission at Government House, Benin.

He said the way youths travel out of the country to be used as slaves in their host countries is unacceptable.

Obaseki, who described human trafficking as modern day slavery, noted that one of the goals of his administration was to build the capacity of youths to enable them to compete favourably with their counterparts across the world.

For us as a government, we believe we should reduce unemployment and also help to reduce illegal migration.

For us, human trafficking is not acceptable, that is why we are trying to gather not only national, but international support to check this menace, he said.

Obaseki said the government was investing massively in technical vocation and skills acquisition to ensure that the younger generation are adequately empowered to provide for themselves.

Earlier, the Secretary of the African Youth Commission, Dr Carl Oshodin, said the aim of the commission was to fight against illegal migration.
He also urged them to synergize with all relevant stakeholders to raise Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to meet their statutory responsibilities.

The governor expressed concern over the plight of local government workers, pensioners, basic education workers and other workers experiencing salary and pension delays.

I feel your pain. I feel your pain in the messages I receive from some of you, in the pleas of your leadership, the challenges faced by your families and the distress expressed in the public about your distress, the governor said.

Work with the legislature to enact enabling laws where non-exist, to back effective revenue drive and with Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) to exploit existing revenue lines.

Every local government, especially those in the cosmopolitan and populated areas, has latent revenue opportunities that must be identified and exploited without imposing additional burden on thepeople.

That is the only way your administrations can survive and meet the peoples expectations, Ahmed said.

He advised them to prioritize due process and prudence in the administration of their various councils.

The governor warned them to shun unnecessary appointments, ostentatious living and other conducts that could call their integrity to question and hamper capacity to uplift the people in these challenging times.

He urged them to give security prompt attention and design effective strategies to identify security challenges for prompt action.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Haruna Tambiri said the swearing-in was in line with the provisions of the fourth schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Local Government Law of Kwara State K33 Section 20.

Tambiri recalled that the tenure of the last elected chairmen in the state ended on Nov. 10 2016 but paucity of fund led to the appointment of caretaker committees.
This was sequel to a motion on "Urgent need to Protect Nigerian Citizens from the Libya Slavery Auctions", sponsored by Sen. Baba Garbai (APC-Borno) during plenary.

He called for repatriation and rehabilitation of Nigerian citizens caught up in the despicable treatment and human right abuses.

These are our people who are just trying to flee from poverty and deprivation," he said.

Garbai said the slave trade was not just a humiliation of Nigerians and Africans, but also to human civilisation and the fundamental principles of human rights under the United Nations Charter.

Not long ago, about 4,000 Nigerians were intercepted when they were about to enter the Mediterranean Sea and deported from Libya.

The Libyan immigration authority informed the CNN that of an estimated 25,000, 4000 are from Nigeria and are being held at various detention centres in the country,Garbai added.

He expressed worry that the Libyan Government did not seem to have the means or commitment to crack down on the perpetrators of slave auction.

He noted that the smuggling networks were killing, torturing, extorting and detaining migrants at will.

ALSO READ: A Nigerian migrant sells for N145,000 in slave market

The Senator also expressed concern that Nigeria will be failing in its duty if it sits idle and watch any of its citizens being put into slavery.

Contributing to the debate, Sen. Ali Wakili (APC-Bauchi), said the root causes of illegal migration among Nigerians, such as poverty, and unemployment must be addressed.

Similarly, Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi), condemned the continuous dehumanisation of Nigerians in Libya.

"Nigeria must take the life of every Nigerian not only seriously but also to defend Nigerians anywhere in the world," he said.

Also, Chairperson, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu said, "We are working with the executive on the case. It is ongoing; we believe that within one to two weeks, we will make our findings."

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki described the situation as "deplorable."
She gave the advice at a lecture organised by HID Awolowo Foundation in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The lecture had as its theme: Ethical Politics, Development and Security in Nigeria: The Critical importance of Womens Leadership.

According to her, research has shown that when women are represented in leadership, there is better performance in measurable numbers.

Research shows that in Africa, only five per cent of women are CEOs, 22 per cent are cabinet members, 25 per cent are parliamentarians, 29 per cent are managers, 36 per cent are promoted, and some 44 per cent of senior women hold line roles.

With Nigeria in the lead, this tells that women have been marginalised and this is evident in the poor governance that the continent has produced.

So, men must take full responsibility for the state of affairs of Nigeria and the continent.

What this is saying to us is that we need to improve on the participation of women in our political system.

We need to have many more women in the local government, state government and centre of authority as well as in the judiciary, Ezekwesili said.

She said that a wise society will know that empowering its women is smart economy.

Ezekwesili stressed that no one is doing a favour to the Nigerian or African woman by involving her in the process of governance on the basis of evidence that data has shown.

She described barriers militating against women coming into the political space as being cultural, religious, economic, social as well as self-imposed.

The ex-minister urged women to rise up and disrupt the existing paradigm that says that women must be held down.

According to her, women are incredible human resources that must not be put on hold.

Lady Maiden Ibru, one of the discussants and chairperson of the occasion, urged women to stand up and get out of their comfort zone, for them to be heard.

Women have always fought for equality; time has come for women to come to the forefront and say enough is enough.

What makes a woman is character, accountability, honesty and these we must bring to governance."

A former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, said the best way to empower a community is to empower the woman.

He said: In a family, if a woman is empowered, you will see the difference in the house, you will see the difference in the children, even the man will see the difference from the dining table.

But the other way round, if a man is empowered, his pocket suddenly increases.

The empowerment of a woman is very important for the nation to move forward.

I have no doubt about that, although it is not always automatic that a woman is necessarily not more corrupt than a man.
The decision of the Senate was sequel to a motion by Senator Baba Kaka Gabari (Borno south) on the urgent need to protect Nigerians citizens from the Libya Slavery Auctions.

Gabari noted with dismay the latest report being aired on of slave markets at various locations across Libya where Africans and mostly Nigerians are auctioned as slaves, priced as merchandise and sold off like animals,

According to report by CNN, Africans were sold for as little $400.

His words: The Senate notes the report of a survivor that they are being kept in unsanitary conditions, made to endure regular beatings, forced into labour in the fields with little or no food and some are killed in the process,

It was total hell in Libya. For the Arabs (Libyan jailers), black-skinned men are nothing but animals and animals were not treated better. People who want slaves come to buy us and if you resist, they shoot at you a survivour said in the video.

The lawmaker expressed displeasure over the humiliation not just to Nigeria and Africa as a whole but also to human civilization and the fundamental principles of human rights under the United Nations Charter.

About 4,000 Nigerians were intercepted when they were about to enter the Mediterranean Sea and deported from Libya. The Libyan immigration authority informed the CNN that of an estimated 25,500 migrants, 4,000 are from Nigeria, and are being held at various detention centres in the country.

There is an art-going global outcry against this sickening crime against humanity, several protests in mostly European countries such as Paris and Brussels whilst we who are the most affected as these are our children, our brothers and sisters, our youths, are indifferent, Gabari added.

The lawmaker further expressed worry over the failure of the Libyan government to contain the matter.

The report by Libyan officials that its detention centres are full and they have only deported five percent of the 20,000 in the detention centres because of lack of response from the home governments of the migrants;

It is worrisome that the Libyan government does not have the means nor the commitment to crack down on the perpetrators as their hands are full. Hence these smuggling networks are killing, torturing, extorting and detaining migrants at will

Other African Countries such as Ivory Coast have taken active steps to protect their people from these despicable acts and bring them back to their home countries, he said.

In his remarks, Senate President Bukola Saraki described the slow response of the Nigerian government to the matter as a slap on the faces of all Nigerians.

"As a country it is a slap in the face if Nigerians can be treated in this manner," Saraki said.

"Other countries are taking necessary actions to bring back their citizens from that troubled country. We need to be doing similar things. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must immediately summon the Libyan Ambassador here in Nigeria to explain what is happening, so that we can bring an end to this situation, he added.

The Senate urged the federal government to urgently investigate how many Nigerians have been affected.

The upper legislative chamber also called on the federal government to urgently commence the process of repatriation and rehabilitation of Nigerian citizens caught up in this despicable treatment and human rights abuses;
While speaking at the Strategic Retreat on Tracking the Progress of Anti-corruption Bills in the National Assembly on Tuesday, the Senate President said the act is unfortunate as it has become a barrier to retrieving more stolen loot from foreign countries.

He said, "The National Assembly has been strident about the opacity shrouding the management of recovered funds, which in many cases get re-looted by the agencies that investigated and recovered them.

"Nigeria is finding it difficult to convince other nations to return funds looted from our treasury. This is because of the other nations' exasperation over the management of returned assets. Only recently, Mr. President inaugurated a committee to audit all assets recovered by various government agencies."

The Senate President urged all relevant agencies to work faithfully to erase the global impression of Nigeria as a terribly corrupt country.

Buhari inaugurates audit committee

To provide more accountability, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a three-member committee to audit all assets recovered by government agencies on November 22.

The president swore in Olufemi Lijadu, Chinyere Bibiogha and Mohammad Nami in the presence of cabinet ministers and directed them to audit all remittances up till April 2017.

He said the committee will audit all accounts in which the recovered assets were lodged to ensure reports submitted to him were accurate.

The president said the committee had become necessary because "it has become obvious that fundamental gaps still exist in ensuring that the recovered assets are accounted for, and managed in an accurate, transparent and logical manner."
The minister, popularly called Mama Taraba, had been in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for the inauguration of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism which the president launched.

Usually, a meeting between a president and his cabinet minister would not attract any interest out of the ordinary, but events from only two months ago mean this meeting must have been a little uncomfortable for Mama Taraba.

A trip down memory lane

Back in September, as part of a delegation paying a courtesy visit to Atiku, Mama Taraba declared her support for the former Vice President to become Nigeria's president in 2019.

The former Taraba state gubernatorial candidate said, "Your excellency, our father the next president come 2019, God willing. In your presence are your people, your supporters who will continue supporting you till forever."

She didn't stop there.

In a BBC Hausa interview that followed shortly after her endorsement of Atiku, Mama Taraba made a very bold promise.

The serving cabinet minister said she was ready to put her money where her mouth is and quit Buhari's government if he makes her choose between him and Atiku.

She said, "Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that 'Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather' if Atiku said he is going to contest."

She further explained why she won't get behind a possible Buhari reelection bid.

"In 2015 prior to the election, when Buhari decided to contest following intense pressure, he declared that he was going to serve one tenure, that is four years. And to date, no one can claim Buhari has expressed any desire to stand for re-election in 2019."

The minister even went one step further to dare a dismissal from the president for her comments, saying he is not naive enough to sack her.

"Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack," she boasted.

Public condemnation

It's an understatement to say that Mama Taraba's very public endorsement of a potential rival to Buhari in the 2019 election was not favourably received by the leadership of the APC.

While many called for her resignation or dismissal, she was involved in separate high profile meetings with APC chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and President Buhari's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to explain her comments.

After her meeting with Oyegun, the party's spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said she had apologised for the insensitivity of the comments and that she had been forgiven.

He said, "As a senior member of this party, her statements represent an act of indiscretion because with the kind of position she occupies even within the party, she is a party leader in her own right, what she said was not what she was supposed to say at the time that she said it; that she ought to have exercised greater judgement than she did and she acknowledged that yes, maybe she ought not to havemaybe the timing was wrong and she apologised that if she had put the party in any difficult position, she apologised."

Enemy within the ranks

Before that public forgiveness was granted, unofficial spokesman of President Buhari and Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, made telling comments about Alhassan's status in the Buhari administration.

According to him, Mama Taraba had never been a supporter of what the president stands for, and was appointed against the advice of senior party members.

He told State Correspondents on September 8, "Her comments are not surprising, she has never been a supporter, she has never believed in Buhari's ideology. So, I am not surprised. As a Nigerian, as an individual, she has every right to express her views and support whoever she wants.

"What I am saying is Nigerians should not be surprised or shocked. This has always been her position because from time. She has never supported Buharism or what Buhari stands for.

"Being part of Buhari government is a different thing because the government sets policies and if you are a minister you execute the policies. You can execute those policies while pursuing a different brand of politics.

"In the APC, she was never in the Buhari camp, she did not support our candidates during the National Convention, she didn't vote for Buhari during the primaries."

ALSO READ: 6 reasons Atiku dumped APC

Atiku's resignation

In what was a widely-expected move, Atiku finally resigned as a member of the APC on Friday, November 24, after months of growing discontent.

In his signed resignation letter, the 71-year-old accused President Buhariof neglecting him and condemned the APC for "instituting a regime of a draconian clampdown on all forms of democracy".

In a reaction to his exit from the ruling party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) urged him to return to the party where he served as the deputy to former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, and lost the primary election to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.

Even though Atiku failed to mention which party he'll be joining, or whether he'll even contest for the presidency in 2019, he's expected to pitch his tent with the PDP after a series of private meetings with the party's leadership.

While speaking to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on the same day as Atiku's resignation, Governor El-Rufaiwarned him that no Nigerian can currently match President Buhari in popularity and contest against him in an election.

Clear and present danger

With every day that passes now since Atiku's resignation, Mama Taraba's position as a cabinet minister becomes untenable, a messy situation that she naively created by and for herself.

When the party forgave her back in September, her endorsement of Atiku had been played down because "after all she is not saying she supports a member of another party".

With Atiku's resignation and expected recruitment into the opposition PDP, that position is about to change in a laughable way.

By endorsing Atiku for the 2019 presidential race at a time when her current principal hadn't ruled himself out of a reelection bid, she created a situation that pits her against the administration that's been generous towards her.

While her personal loyalty to Atiku, despite her political obligation, is refreshing and, perhaps, even commendable, publicly airing it and making an ironclad declaration appear as foolish now as it was back in September.

With Buhari very likely to declare his intention to seek reelection in the coming months, it's time to really consider where Mama Taraba figures into all of this now.

She dodged questions from journalists who asked her to address the issue on Monday after the meeting with Buhari, but it'll have to be addressed eventually.

Will she resign from her cabinet position and resign from the APC in tandem with her godfather?

Will she bite her tongue, renege on her words and continue as minister with egg on her face?

Or, with a cabinet shakeup looming, will President Buhari stamp his authority and fire her before it all becomes one big mess all over again.
With the help of Russian military support, the Syrian regime has made major advances against its opponents, seizing back large chunks of the country.

But the United Nations announced that government representatives would arrive on Wednesday reportedly after securing key concessions, including keeping the Assad issue off the table.

The talks have achieved little through seven previous rounds but there are hopes the latest may make some progress in ending what has been a devastating conflict.

Opposition representatives, united in one delegation for the first time, met UN mediator Staffan de Mistura on Tuesday.

A day earlier rebel delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri had told reporters that his camp was still insisting on Assad's removal as part of any peace deal, defying calls for moderation.

But keeping the Assad issue off the table may also suit de Mistura, who has said he wants this round to focus on a new constitution for Syria and UN-supervised elections.

De Mistura had voiced hope the coming round would mark the first "real negotiation" on a possible deal to end the six-year war which has claimed more than 340,000 lives and left Syria in ruin.

He has also warned the opposition that intransigence on the Assad issue might no longer be tenable.

In September, he said the opposition needed to be "realistic" and accept that "they didn't win the war", a statement supported by facts on the ground.

'Pragmatic and flexible'

With the help of Moscow, Assad's government has regained control of 55 percent of the country, including major cities Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama.

The rest is carved up between rebel factions, jihadists and Kurdish forces.

Hours before the talks officially started, government-ally Russia informed de Mistura that Syrian forces had agreed to a ceasefire in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, following days of heavy bombardment.

Eastern Ghouta, under siege by government forces since 2013, is one of the last remaining rebel strongholds in Syria and violence there has increased significantly in recent days.

The decision last week by Syrian opposition groups to send a single delegation to Geneva raised hopes of a possible breakthrough.

The new rebel negotiating team includes members of the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which insists on Assad's departure, as well as representatives of groups based in Moscow and Cairo that have a more moderate stance on the president.

Despite Hariri's firm public position on the Assad stalemate, a European diplomat said the situation was fluid.

"We expect (the opposition) will be pragmatic and flexible", the diplomat said, requesting anonymity.

A flexible opposition will likely help the UN's peace push, which has been overshadowed by negotiations spearheaded by Moscow.

Russia and its fellow ally Iran, along with rebel-backer Turkey, have hosted negotiations in the Kazakh capital of Astana that led to the creation of four "de-escalation zones" which produced a drop in violence, though deadly air strikes and battles continue in some areas.

Western powers are concerned that Russia is seeking to take a leading role in the peace process and will carve out a settlement that will largely favour Assad.
"The refusal is inexplicable," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva was quoted by Bulgarian media as saying from Riyadh, adding that the Iranian ambassador in Sofia had been summoned for an explanation.

But Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP it was "a simple technical problem".

"The Bulgarian embassy provided the coordinates of the flight and we gave authorisation, but the coordinates transmitted by the pilot to the control tower did not correspond with those which had been provided, so they refused the overflight," said Ghasemi.

"There was no political intention. We have even given permission for the return flight," he added.

The plane was carrying Borisov, Zaharieva, former Bulgarian king Simeon Saxe Coburg and four other ministers.

It was the first visit by a Bulgarian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since the former communist country, now a member of the European Union, established relations with the kingdom 20 years ago.
Welcoming three aging "code talkers," Native Americans who helped keep allied operations secret during World War II, Trump threw etiquette out the window on Monday to attack Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.

"You were here long before any of us were here," Trump said to one of the group of veterans in the Oval Office Monday.

"Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas," he continued, resurrecting his favored nickname for the outspoken senator whose Native American ancestry has been called into question by US conservatives.

Further fuelling controversy, Trump and the veterans stood during the ceremony beneath a portrait of controversial president Andrew Jackson -- who ordered the forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral land, causing thousands to die.

The White House denied after the meeting that Trump's comment constituted a racial slur -- instead accusing Warren of "lying" about her heritage, and describing that as "very offensive."

But several Native American groups issued strongly-worded protests in the wake of the incident.

The Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes (ACET) said it considered Trump's remark to be a slur.

"American Indian names, whether they be historic or contemporary, are not meant to be used as insults. To do so is to reduce them to racial slurs," it said in a statement.

Likewise, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) regretted in a statement that "the president's use of the name Pocahontas as a slur to insult a political adversary is overshadowing the true purpose of (Monday's) White House ceremony."

NCAI president Jefferson Keel emphasized that the real-life Pocahontas, the daughter of a 17th-century Native American chief whose story has been retold countless times including in a hit Disney movie, was "a hero to her people, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in Virginia."

"Once again, we call upon the president to refrain from using her name in a way that denigrates her legacy," he said.

'Deep-seated ignorance'

The NCAI had reacted once before, in April, to Trump calling Warren "Pocahontas" -- saying it hoped the incident was "but a momentary slip-up."

Amber Kanazbah Crotty, a Navajo Nation Council Delegate, argued meanwhile that Trump's "careless" comment represented "systemic, deep-seated ignorance of Native Americans and our intrinsic right to exist and practice our ways of life."

Pocahontas' story entered the cultural mainstream thanks to the 1995 Disney animation, which painted a romanticized image of her meeting with Englishman John Smith, chief of the first colony established in Jamestown in 1607.

Later taken captive by the English, she converted to Christianity, took the name Rebecca and would eventually marry another Englishman, John Rolfe, with whom she travelled to England. She died soon thereafter, supposedly aged just 21.

Trump has repeatedly used the sobriquet "Pocahontas" to deride Warren, who asserts that her mother's ancestors were members of the Cherokee and Delaware tribes, based on "family lore."

Warren, a former Harvard Law School Professor, came under fire during her 2012 Senate race when conservatives accused her of exaggerating her heritage in order to advance her career -- pinpointing the fact she had listed herself in a legal directory as Native American rather than white.
In February 2016, the country voted by a slim margin against proposed changes to the constitution to allow Morales -- already Bolivia's longest-serving leader since independence from Spain in 1825 -- to again stand for the presidency.

But since then, his Movement to Socialism (MAS) party, a grouping of unions and social movements, had sought "alternative legal solutions" to overturn the popular vote.

In its ruling on Tuesday, the court said the right to run for office superseded the limits imposed in the constitution.

Morales already had the constitution changed once, three years after taking power in 2006.

Under that revised constitution, he was elected president in 2009, then won what was meant to be a one-off renewal in 2014.

Morales, 58, said last year that the "no" camp won the referendum because of "lies" told by a former girlfriend about their supposed love child -- a child she eventually admitted had died shortly after birth.
"I was surprised that I was banned from leaving the brotherly nation of the United Arab Emirates, for reasons I do not understand," Shafiq said in a video message sent to AFP.

"I was intending to carry out a tour among the Egyptian diaspora before returning to my country in the next few days," said the former prime minister.

In response, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on his official Twitter account that "the UAE affirms there is no obstacle" to Shafiq's departure from the country.

Gargash said Shafiq's claims were disappointing especially after "we facilitated (his move) and offered him kind hospitality" after Shafiq "took refuge in the Emirates upon fleeing Egypt" in 2012.

Shafiq's candidacy could see him stand against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has yet to officially declare his candidacy but looks all but certain to run in and dominate the election next year.

While thanking the UAE for hosting him, Shafiq said "I reject this interference in the internal affairs of my country".

But he promised Egyptians he would not back down from his pledge to take part in the presidential election.

Earlier in the day, two aides told AFP that Shafiq decided to run in the 2018 presidential elections.

In a video sent later by an aide, Shafiq said his decision to run in the election comes as "the country is currently facing many problems in all aspects of life".

These problems "have led to a deterioration in quality of all services provided to citizens," he said, mentioning rising public debt which would affect "the coming generations".

'New blood'

Shafiq said that "new blood" might be needed to lead the country so it can move forward.

Shafiq, who was placed on trial in absentia on corruption charges after narrowly losing the 2012 election to former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, has emerged as a critic and possible contender to Sisi in the past two years.

The former prime minister was acquitted, and his lawyer had said he would be free to return, but it is thought that he fears another case might be brought against him.

Sisi, a former army chief elected as president in 2014 less than a year after overthrowing Morsi, lauded his experience in the military and as an aviation minister under former president Hosni Mubarak.

Shafiq could represent one of the few candidates who can come close to challenging Sisi.

His announcement comes after Leftist rights lawyer and former presidential candidate and Sisi critic Khaled Ali announced this month his campaign to stand in the 2018 elections.

Former leader Mubarak hastily appointed Shafiq as prime minister in the last days of his rule in 2011 before he was ousted from the presidency by a democratic uprising.

A former aviation minister and airforce general, Shafiq did not last long in his role after Mubarak lost power.
"2018 will be the final battle of Car Wash, because the 2018 elections will determine the future of the fight against corruption in our country," said Deltan Dallagnol, a central prosecutor in the probe, during a conference Monday in Rio de Janeiro.

Car Wash was launched in early 2014, uncovering a vast web of embezzlement and bribery through the Brazilian government, legislature and corporate world, especially the state oil company Petrobras.

Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been convicted of bribe-taking and current President Michel Temer is charged with racketeering and bribe-taking. Dozens of lawmakers also face charges or probes.

Although the anti-corruption campaign has been popular with Brazilian voters, lawmakers led by Temer have repeatedly pushed back against prosecutors, arguing that they are on a politicized crusade and have exceeded their authority.

In a joint statement, prosecutors from Rio, Sao Paulo and Curitiba states warned at the conference that "attempts to guarantee impunity for powerful politicians are intensifying."

"It's essential in 2018 that every voter acts carefully (voting for) deputies and senators with a clean sheet and committed to democratic and republican values, and who support the anticorruption agenda," the statement said.

The next batch of congressional deputies and senators "will determine whether there is a retreat in the fight against corruption or if there will be reforms and advances that create a fairer country," Dallagnol said.

The Car Wash team said that it has so far opened 416 criminal cases and secured sentences against 144 people, totalling 2,130 years prison.

Another prosecutor, Eduardo El Hage, warned that there would be new operations next year.
Dut Achuek, a state minister, said eight people died in an attack Monday in Jonglei State, while a follow-up raid on Tuesday left "23 women killed and... 19 men killed."

Most of the victims were civilians whose homes were burned and livestock stolen, Achuek said.

Both attacks, by armed men from the Murle ethnic group, targeted Dinkas living in villages about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Bor, the state capital.

Kudumoc Nyakurono, information minister for the neighbouring Boma State, confirmed the involvement of Murle militia members from the area.

"We know that these youth went there from Boma State," he said, adding that investigations were underway to work out the exact circumstances of the attacks.

David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), condemned the killings "and the abduction of some 60 women and children which accompanied these attacks."

"I urge the leaders of both communities to rein in the youth, show restraint and to put an end to the cycle of revenge killings," he said.

Rival pastoralist communities in South Sudan have a long and bloody history of tit-for-tat raids in which cattle are rustled and property looted. Women are commonly raped and children abducted, adding fuel to revenge attacks.
It said the Sudanese police had informed it that the suspect was arrested on Sunday.

Both the accused and the alleged victim of the incident in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, are Sudanese nationals, it said.

"The mission condemns, in the strongest possible terms, any instance of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse committed by UN personnel in the Darfur region," mission chief Jeremiah Mamabolo said in a statement.

"We are guided by a zero tolerant policy on such abhorrent incidents and will not tolerate or condone the perpetration of such acts."

Being a civilian employee and a Sudanese national, the suspect does not have the full immunity enjoyed by expatriates working for the UN mission.

Sudanese officials claim that the conflict in Darfur has ended, but UN rights experts have regularly highlighted cases of rights abuses including rapes in camps for people displaced by the conflict.

War erupted in Darfur in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels mounted an insurgency against the Arab-dominated government of President Omar al-Bashir, which they accused of economic and political discrimination.

The UN says the conflict has killed 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.5 million.

The joint African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, also called UNAMID, was deployed in Darfur in 2007 to rein in the conflict.

It is currently undergoing a major downsizing of its peacekeeping force.
Ankara-based gay rights group Kaos GL and Pink Life LGBT Solidarity Association said they were filing a complaint calling for the "illegal" ban to be lifted.

Pink Life lawyer Emrah Sahin said the ban, which affects films, theatre shows, screenings, exhibitions and other such events, was "political".

"It is necessary as soon as possible to put an end to this clear infringement of rights and to cancel this decision," he said, expressing hope that the move was the result of "individual error" rather than government policy.

Kerem Dikmen, legal counsel for Kaos GL, said it was "indisputably an attack on the freedom of LGBTI individuals to organise and express themselves", saying it effectively banned gay rights groups and removed their right to association as recognised by the constitution.

On Friday, authorities in Istanbul's Beyoglu district banned a day-long film festival showcasing short films on gay issues.

And in mid November, the Ankara governorate banned a festival of German-language gay films on the grounds it could incite hatred and risked provoking a terror attack.

The bans have raised concerns about freedom of expression for LGBTI individuals under the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this month, Erdogan took aim at a quota for gay representatives on a neighbourhood committee, criticising it as being at odds with the nation's values in a rare comment on such issues.

Homosexuality is legal in Turkey, but LGBTI individuals often complain of abuse and harassment.

The annual gay pride rally in Istanbul -- once the most important LGBTI gathering in a Muslim country in the region -- has been blocked by the authorities for three years, citing security grounds.
The missile flew east from South Pyongan Province, the military Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The US Pentagon said it had detected a "probable missile launch" from North Korea.

South Korea's military staged a "precision strike" missile exercise in response, Yonhap news agency said, also quoting the JCS.

Seoul's unification minister had on Tuesday said signs of unusual activity had been detected in North Korea, hinting at a possible missile test.

The US last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, raising pressure on Pyongyang to abandon it's atomic weapons programme.

Pyongyang condemned the move as a "serious provocation" and warned that sanctions would never succeed.
The test triggered global outrage with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying it marked a significant step toward North Korea building missiles that can "threaten everywhere in the world, basically."

It was the first missile test of any kind since September 15, and squashed speculation that the North may have held back in order to open the door to a negotiated solution to a nuclear standoff.

"The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US," KCNA said.

It said the development of the weapon would defend the North against the "US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat".

While Pyongyang has yet to prove its mastery of the re-entry technology required to bring a warhead back through the Earth's atmosphere, experts believe it is on the threshold of developing a working intercontinental nuclear strike capability.

Wednesday's test caused deep consternation among the North's neighbours.
How high?

Defense officials did not elaborate on Mattis's remark about the missile's elevation, but on July 4, in a test that Kim Jong-Un called a gift for the "American bastards," a North Korean rocket soared to an altitude of 2,802 kilometers (1,741 miles) and flew 933 kilometers.

According to David Wright, a co-director and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, news reports the missile reached more than 4,500 kilometers in altitude would give it a massive range.

"If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles)," Wright wrote on his organization's blog.

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States."

After the July 4 launch, experts had said Alaska was in range, so the latest test marks a dramatic and rapid increase in North Korea's potential reach.

Missile defenses

The United States has spent decades and billions of dollars developing technologies to stop an incoming ballistic missile, and the US military still has faith these systems can protect against a North Korean missile attack.

"The (South Korea)-US alliance remains confident that we can still defend against any North Korean threat," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said shortly after Tuesday's launch.

America and its allies have several technologies at their disposal, none of which is infallible.

To take out an ICBM, America has the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system at its disposal.

Installed at Fort Greely, about 100 miles outside Fairbanks in Alaska, and California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, the GMD can hit an incoming missile in space.

It was put to the test in May, when the military successfully launched a GMD interceptor from the California base.

The missile blasted outside Earth's atmosphere and smashed into a dummy ICBM target, destroying it in a direct collision.

But the GMD system has had a checkered record in previous tests -- failing in earlier launches against slower-moving targets -- and it could be overwhelmed by a barrage of incoming missiles.

What other defenses?

Aside from the GMD, the United States and its allies also have at their disposal what is known as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (AEGIS).

The ship-based system's highly sensitive radars and sensors feed ICBM-tracking data to the GMD facilities in California and Alaska, and AEGIS is itself capable of intercepting shorter-range missiles.

Some experts say the AEGIS system may also one day have a limited ability to intercept ICBMs.

In the meantime, the US military this year began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea, capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles in their final phase of flight.

That move infuriated China, which has argued the deployment would further destabilize the situation on the Korean peninsula.

The US and its allies South Korea and Japan also have Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor batteries.

But these are designed to protect against a regional threat and would have limited effect against an ICBM.
Around 100 nationalist demonstrators, including masked men, stormed the assembly in Skopje on April 27, attacking MPs in protest over the vote for a new parliamentary speaker.

Several MPs were beaten in the rioting, including the leader of Social Democrats, Zoran Zaev, who has since become prime minister.

The public prosecutor's office for organised crime and corruption said in a statement it had ordered an investigation into 36 people suspected of "terrorist endangerment of the constitutional order and security".

Police said around 30 people were arrested including former interior minister Mitko Cavkov and two MPs from the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party.

A few hundred VMRO-DPMNE supporters, joined by party leader Nikola Gruevski, protested against the detentions outside the Skopje court where the suspects were being brought before a judge.

The protesters chanted "Macedonia, Macedonia" and some waved small Macedonian flags.

"We demand an urgent release of all people targeted by this classic political persecution," Gruevski told reporters.

He said political rivals were aiming to "eliminate everyone thinking differently".

The April violence followed months of protests by nationalists opposed to a coalition deal between Zaev's Social Democrats and minority ethnic Albanian parties, which they alleged was a threat to national unity.

Ethnic Albanians make up around a quarter of Macedonia's two million people.

The storming of parliament, which met with international condemnation, erupted over the election of Talat Xhaferi, who is ethnic Albanian, as speaker.

The protesters alleged the vote was illegal.

The Social Democrats accused the VMRO-DPMNE -- in power for a decade until last year, and supported by the nationalists -- of fanning ethnic tensions in a bid to stay in power.

Last month, nationalist Pance Angelov was sentenced to four years in prison for violently pulling the hair of a woman MP during the attack.
Stephen Maturen/Stringer/Getty Images(ST. ANTHONY, Minn.) -- The girlfriend of Philando Castile, Diamond Reynolds, will receive $800,000 under a settlement announced on Tuesday, more than one year after a Minnesota police officer shot and killed Castile in front of her and their 4-year-old daughter, according to city officials.



Reynolds, who live-streamed the gruesome aftermath of the shooting in July 2016, would receive $675,000 from the city of St. Anthony, Minnesota, along with an additional $125,000 from the city of Roseville and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust as a part of the agreement, officials said Tuesday.



The agreement, if approved by the court, would settle Reynolds claims of emotional distress and false arrest.



Castile, 32, was fatally shot by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop on July 6, 2016.



Neither Reynolds nor her daughter was physically injured in the shooting, but they were both held for questioning afterward by Roseville police officers.



"While no amount of money can change what happened, bring Philando back, or erase the pain that my daughter and I continue to suffer, I do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward," Reynolds said in the statement Tuesday.



A portion of the settlement funds will be placed into trust for Reynolds daughter and her future educational needs, according to city officials. St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust said the settlement "resolves all civil litigation stemming from the incidents on July 6, 2016, and opens the door to continued healing within our community.



The announcement comes just months after the city of St. Anthony agreed to pay Castilles mother, Valerie Castile, $2,995 million to settle a wrongful death claim.



The officer shot Castile several times after Castile informed him that he had a firearm, according to The Associated Press.



Yanez was arrested with prosecutors saying the officer did not see the gun and acted unreasonably. The defense argued that Yanez saw Castile's hand on the gun, which he had a permit to carry, the AP said.



Yanez, who has since been fired from the force, was found not guilty of second-degree manslaughter in June.



The killing sent shockwaves through the African-American community as some alleged that the shooting was racially motivated. Prosecutors argued that Yanez, who is Mexican-American, had racially profiled Castile, a black man, when he stopped him for a broken brake light.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Hollstein said that without two shop employees who rushed to help him, he would "probably not be here today".

With a large bandage on his neck and a wavering voice, Hollstein told reporters that the attacker, a 56-year-old German, had asked him if he was the mayor before pulling the knife and then said: "You let me die of thirst and take in 200 refugees in Altena."

Merkel, who has faced a strong backlash over her welcoming stance toward refugees, was "horrified" by the attack on Hollstein and "very relieved that he was already able to return to his family," her spokesman Steffen Seibert tweeted. "Thanks also to those who helped him."

Hollstein, a member of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), said he believed that "a coarsening of the public debate about refugees" had led to the assault.

"I even received emails today approving of the attack -- that says something about the state of our country," he said, adding that he and his family had received repeated threats in recent years.

Hollstein said the attacker had been drinking but was by no means incapacitated, noting it had taken three men to overpower him.

The suspect, identified only as Werner S., was arrested at the scene while Hollstein was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released hours later, police said in a statement, referring to an "apparent xenophobic motive".

Prosecutors said the alleged assailant had a history of "psychological problems" but no known ties to far-right groups, a spokesman told reporters.

He is facing a charge of attempted murder.

'Like a good mayor should'

The kebab shop owner, Demir Abdullah, who came to Hollstein's aid along with his son, who was also injured in the attack, confirmed that Hollstein was targeted specifically.

"He asked 'Are you the mayor?'... then he reached for his knife and stabbed him in the neck," Abdullah told German television.

The town of about 17,000 people was well known for taking in a larger share of asylum seekers than legally required amid the mass influx that has brought more than one million migrants and refugees to Germany since 2015.

Hollstein, who accepted a national award from Merkel in May for the town's work with refugees, said that Altena had welcomed about 450 people and that he had no plans to reverse his stance.

"I'm going to continue to work for refugees, for those who are already here and for those who are still arriving, for the weak and the strong in our society, like a good mayor should," he said.

Justice Minister Heiko Maas posted on Twitter that "we must never accept that people are attacked because they help others," adding that there was no space "for hate and violence" in Germany.

The assault revived memories of a knife attack on Cologne's mayor Henriette Reker in October 2015 by a rightwing extremist angered by her liberal position on refugees.

The attempt on her life came on the eve of a local election and at the height of the influx to Germany, where sentiment is still deeply divided on the country's humanitarian responsibilities and its ability to integrate newcomers.

While most mainstream parties back the principle of Germany taking in people fleeing war zones such as Syria, the backlash led the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to win its first seats in parliament in September's general election.

Although Merkel won a fourth term in the poll, the AfD's presence has severely complicated her efforts to cobble together a ruling coalition.
Salman, who has been behind bars since 2014 serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred, had refused to appear in court for a first planned hearing in the new trial on Monday.

"Sheikh Ali denied the charges levelled against him," a judicial source told AFP.

The court set the next hearing for December 28.

Salman and two members of his banned Al-Wefaq movement, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad -- neither of them in custody -- are charged with "communicating with a foreign state to commit acts hostile to the state of Bahrain".

In August, Bahraini authorities accused Salman of having collaborated with Qatar in 2011 to encourage protesters to take to the streets.

The accusations came after Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut ties with Qatar in June over alleged support for Islamist extremism and ties with Shiite-dominated Iran. Doha denies the allegations.

Ruled for more than 200 years by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain is home to a Shiite majority that for years has complained of political marginalisation.

The archipelago, which is located between regional arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, has been rocked by protests demanding an elected government since 2011.

Al-Wefaq was the largest party in parliament before the demonstrations erupted but its members all resigned in protest at their bloody suppression.
BETTENDORF  Nearly $110,000 in grants have been awarded this year by the Grant W. Brissman and Virginia M. Brissman Foundation. The Community Foundation of the Great River Bend provides administrative and grant-making services to the Brissman Foundation.

The Brissman Foundation improves the quality of life in Milan by funding work to enhance youth development, foster community development, support cultural activities, and invest in ways to relieve the suffering of underprivileged people.

Grant and Virginia Brissman cared very much about the Village of Milan, where they lived and worked for much of their life, said Kelly Thompson, vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives. We are honored to carry on their legacy through the grants awarded to 13 nonprofits and two higher education institutions this year.

Grants were awarded in 2017 to the following organizations:

 Alternatives for the Older Adultadult protective services program: $3,000

 Augustana Collegespeech and hearing clinic fee reductions: $2,500

 Bethany for Children & Familiesfree dental care for uninsured children: $2,500

 Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Citiestherapy treatment for children with disabilities: $10,000

 First Presbyterian Churchmentoring program for at-risk youth: $780

 Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western IllinoisGirls Scouts leadership program for K-12 students: $1,500

 Habitat for Humanity Quad Citiesconstruction of a new home: $5,000

 Marriage and Family Counseling Servicefamily counseling program: $2,500

 Milan Christian Food Pantryfree nutritional assistance to families in need: $6,600

 Rock Island / Milan First Day Fundschool supplies for children in need: $2,000

 SAL Family and Community Servicesemergency assistance services for children: $5,000

 Spring Forward Learning Centerout-of-school programming: $5,000

 Supplemental Emergency Assistance Programemergency assistance services for households: $2,500

This years grant awards also included a total of $60,000 added to the endowments of Black Hawk College and Western Illinois University to provide scholarships for Milan students:

 Black Hawk Collegeendowment for scholarships for Milan residents: $30,000

 Western Illinois Universityendowment for scholarships for Milan residents: $30,000

Grant Brissman was a graduate of Rock Island High School and the former Brown's Business College. He was a pioneer Milan business owner, starting Brissman's Auto Supply in 1948. The business served Milan and the surrounding communities for almost 30 years before he retired in 1978. He was also a founding director and shareholder of Blackhawk State Bank in Milan, where he served on the board of directors for many years.

Virginia Brissman worked for Illinois Bell Telephone Company for 40 years before retiring in 1977. They had been married for 60 years when Grant died at age 88 in 2004. Virginia died at the age of 94. The foundation was established through their estates and the Community Foundation provides administrative and grant-making services for the Brissman Foundation.
SHERRARD -- The Sherrard Academic Foundation hosted its 10th annual Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Quad City Botanical Center. This annual event acknowledges and highlights the success stories of distinguished alumni from both the Sherrard School District and the former Winola School District.

Those honored this year are: Michael Hutchins, Sherrard High School Class of 1961; Dr. Larry Samuels, Winola High School Class of 1951; Diane Allen Baines, Winola High School Class of 1977; Larry Roberts, Winola High School Class of 1985; Dr. Michael Bell, Sherrard High School Class of 2000.

This evening also included a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the programs sponsored by the foundation. Each year, the Sherrard Academic Foundation provides scholarships and classroom grants to students and teachers in the Sherrard Unit No. 200 School District.

The foundation announced at this event that it has awarded 31 classroom grants, totaling $10,600, for the current school year. These grants will impact numerous classrooms and hundreds of students.

Some of the items that are being provided to enhance learning include desk globes, U. S. and world wall maps, a digital incubator, ukuleles, various math and science related activities, and many books, according to a press release.
Strive For Unity So We Can Thrive

Once the dust settles (in our minds at least) after the Midterm Election, with some new people in office, a few being members of different...

Letters To The Editor

Lessons From Ukraine To The Editor: After occupying the Crimea in 2014 without any pushback by world powers, Russian President Putin decided to invade Ukraine...
The new franchise will bring the operation of train services and the infrastructure closer together in a bid to improve performance. South Eastern will, for the first time, be run by a joint team from the operator and Network Rail (NR) under a single director responsible for day-to-day performance and accountable to passengers, says rail minister Mr Paul Maynard.

The new operator will be required to:

 provide longer trains and upgrade or replace older trains, creating space for at least an extra 40,000 passengers

 remove first-class accommodation on all services within 18 months of taking over the franchise to increase space for all commuters

 introduce fast Wi-Fi on all services

 introduce an improved compensation system which will provide a refund after 15 minutes

 introduce new smart ticketing systems, including a pilot for pay-as-you-go

 improve customer service, and

 deliver significantly enhanced cooperation between NR and operator through a new structure designed to increase the reliability of the railway and put the passenger first in all decision making.

South Eastern has been operated by Govia, a joint venture of Go-Ahead (65%) and Keolis (35%), since 2006. South Eastern services carry 640,000 passenger journeys a day.

Closing date for bids is March 14 2018. The DfT expects to award the contract in November 2018 and the new franchise will commence on April 1 2019 and end in March 2027, or March 2028 if the DfT decides to exercise its extension option.

Steer Davies Gleave, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Roland Berger, and DLA Pipe are assisting the DfT with the award of the new franchise.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has awarded WSP USA a contract to oversee Phase II of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension into Santa Clara County. As program manager, WSP is tasked with conceptual design, engineering management, contracting strategies, project controls, utilities coordination, constructability reviews, value engineering and development of procurement documents.

The Silicon Valley Extension will expand BART service into Santa Clara County from its former terminus at the Fremont station in Alameda County. The extension has seven stations in three phases. The $790 million first phase was the Warm Springs/South Fremont station, which opened in March 2017. It broke ground in 2009; completion had originally been expected in 2014.

The $2.3 billion second phase includes the Milpitas and Berryessa stations, both expected to open in June 2018. The second phase broke ground in 2012, and completion had been expected in 2016. A partnership between BART and VTA is building this phase, while BART will operate and maintain the entire extension.

The $4.7 billion third phase remains unfunded. Targeted for completion in 2026, it would add three new subway stations west of Berryessa: Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, Diridon/Arena, and a new surface station in Santa Clara.

Originally, the entire Silicon Valley Extension was proposed as one megaproject, but lower than expected federal funding and sales tax revenue reduced the scope of the project. It was divided into phases. After funding was secured for the first phase in early 2012, VTA began looking for $2.4 billion to close the remaining funding gap for the projected $4.7 billion cost of the third phaseto downtown San Jose and Santa Clara.

During preliminary design in 2017, VTA and BART could not agree on a single- or dual-bore design for the extensions tunnel. The former would stack one track above the other in a 45-foot-wide single bore, while the latter, currently used in other underground portions of the BART system, would have separate, horizontally spaced tunnels for each track, each 20 feet wide. The single-bore option is preferred by VTA for its limited disruption to above-ground businesses, due to the shorter time span needed for construction and lack of cut and cover construction in the middle of Santa Clara Street required for station boxes.

BART prefers the two-bore option on the grounds that it is less expensive and more conducive to safe evacuation. The two transit agencies agreed to a peer review by a group of other transit agencies that operate similar systems. They recommended the dual-tunnel option on the basis that the single-tunnel option needs additional design work to ensure safe evacuation in emergencies, which would be difficult to address given funding deadlines, although it did assess the single-tunnel option as feasible. In January 2018, the VTA Board of Directors is expected to issue a final decision on the tunneling option to meet a federal funding deadline.

WSP USA (formerly Parsons Brinckerhoff) has worked on many previous projects for the BART system, dating back to 1953 when the firm helped study the Bay Areas need for rapid transit. The firm recently completed work as BARTs owner-representative for its Warm Springs extension, which connected BART to Fremont in Alameda County.
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Ruling in defamation dispute between Russian fund and Navalny upheld

MOSCOW, November 29 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court has upheld a lower courts ruling granting a defamation lawsuit filed by the Foundation for support of socially relevant government projects (Sotzgosproject) against opposition politician Alexey Navalny, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom on Wednesday.

The Lyublinsky District Court of Moscow issued the ruling on September 19. Today it came into force.

A representative of Navalny said that information contested as defamatory is true beyond reasonable doubt.

The Lyublinsky District Court held in September that Navalny and the Anti-Corruption Foundation must retract information stating that businessman Alisher Usmanov gave a bribe to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev by gifting the latters charity foundation. In addition, the defendants were also ordered to retract claims stating that the plaintiff was involved in a criminal scheme and that it is not conducting actual charity.

Also, the defendants are to delete fragments of published materials containing false and defamatory information.

The lawsuit was lodged in relation to a movie published on Navalnys Youtube channel. According to the plaintiff, information distributed by the defendants is false and defames the plaintiffs reputation. In particular, Sotzgosproject contests several assertions including one stating that oligarch Usmanov gave a bribe to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev by gifting the latters charity foundation 5 billion rubles (about $87.5 million).
Member of Tablighi Jamaat extremist organization sentenced to two years

MOSCOW, November 29 (RAPSI)  A member of the extremist organization Tablighi Jamaat prohibited in Russia Kubanytchbek Sadyrov has been sentenced to two years in a penal colony, the press-service of Moscows Babushkinsky District Court told RAPSI on Wednesday.

Sadyrov was found guilty of participating in activities of a prohibited organization. The case was reviewed under special procedure without examination of evidence.

There are eight other defendants in the case, who are citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. They deny wrongdoing and their criminal cases will be reviewed in separate proceedings.

According to media reports, the defendants recruited new members into the organization, studied banned literature and planned to create a so-called khalifate in Russia.

On May 7, 2009, Tablighi Jamaat movement was declared extremist by the Supreme Court and its activities were prohibited in Russia.
Russian MPs propose $86,000 fines for violating 'foreign agents' media law

MOSCOW, November 29 (RAPSI)  A bill on fines of up to 5 million rubles (about $86,000) for violating legislation, which allows Russian authorities to designate foreign media receiving financing from abroad as foreign agents, was submitted to the State Duma on Wednesday.

The document was published on the database of draft laws and regulations.

Under the bill drafted by parliament members Pavel Krasheninnikov and Andrey Klishas, the first violation of the 'foreign agents' media law would be punishable by 10,000 rubles ($170) for individuals, 50,000 rubles ($860) for officials, and 500,000 rubles ($8,600) for companies. In cases of repeated violations, individuals would face fines of up to 50,000 rubles, officials would be fined of up to 100,000 rubles ($1,700), and fines of up to 1 million ($17,000) would be imposed on companies.

Gross violations of the rules of 'foreign agents' media outlets operation would result in a 100,000-ruble fine and detention for 15 days for individuals, a 200,000-ruble fine ($3,400) for officials, and a 5-million-ruble fine ($86,000) for companies.

The bill classifies gross violations as repeated (two and more times throughout a year) breaches of the mass media law provisions concerning the operation of foreign media designated as foreign agent.

Amendments are proposed to the Code of Administrative Offences.

On November 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the bill on foreign agent label for foreign media into law.

Decisions regarding registration of media as foreign agents are to be made by the Ministry of Justice. The document is also to establish regulations such as what markers are going to be used for this kind of media or whether there is a need for a special registry in this case.

In November, the U.S. Ministry of Justice ordered Russia Today TV channel to register as a foreign agent. The channel implemented the requirement on November 10. Head of RT Margarita Simonyan said that it was a forced choice between registration and a criminal case. The President called this situation an attack on freedom of speech and members of the State Duma initiated preparation of symmetrical response measures.

The Russian law adopted in November 2012 requires that all NGOs engaged in political activity and receiving foreign funding register as foreign agents.

Under the amendments to the law, which were adopted this year, political activity is linked to such fields as state-building, securing Russias sovereignty and territorial integrity, enforcement of law, order and security, national defense, foreign policy, political system integrity, social and economic and national development of the country, regulation of rights and freedoms of man and citizen.

NGOs which are engaged in organization and holding of public events, including meetings, manifestations, demonstrations, discussions and performances would be deemed to be involved in political activity.

Moreover, those NGOs which are involved in work aimed at achieving certain results during elections or referendum, vote monitoring practices, establishment of election commissions or support of political parties would also be put on the list of those organizations which are engaged in political activity.
Russian parliaments upper house backs blacklists of air passengers

Context State Duma adopts bill on blacklists of air passengers

MOSCOW, November 29 (RAPSI)  The Federation Council during its meeting on Wednesday approved a bill on creating blacklists of passengers exhibiting aggressive behavior during the flights.

Under the bill, an airline or its representative may deny sale of tickets to a blacklisted person. The document reads that an aircraft pilot must write down a report containing information on incidents of disturbing behavior on board of a plane and present it to an airlines head. An additional copy of the report is to be given to a passenger.

An airline must include an aggressive passenger into the blacklist within 30 days after this person is found guilty of violating administrative or criminal laws by a court. Inclusion in the list may be appealed. Blacklisted passengers must be removed from the list a year after a courts ruling.

It is noted that there are exceptional rules for certain situations. An airline must transfer blacklisted passengers to Russia from a place reachable only by a plane or if he is being deported from Russia to such place. These passengers must also receive a right to buy tickets from an airline if they are travelling to a place of healthcare, if they are accompanying disabled persons to the places of healthcare, or if they are travelling to a funeral. These reasons must be confirmed by presenting appropriate documents.

The bill was adopted by the State Duma on November 17.
About This Site

This website is an exploration into the rationalist approach to Judaism that was most famously presented by Maimonides. It also explores contemporary rationalist approaches, as well as being a forum for various other notes. Well-written comments in the spirit of this enterprise will be posted; please include a name (even a pseudonym).
Catalonia. Brexit. Kurdistan. Tibet. Scotland. Luhansk and Donetsk. Quebec. These places have significant minorities that want to leave the country they are currently in and set up their own. They want to secede.

The reasons for secession are varied, as are the methods of seceding. There are arguments for and against secession, and you can find secessionist sentiments in all of the major and minor political ideologies out there.

Here are 10 of the most successful secessions of the past 250 years or so:

1. The 13 American colonies leaving the United Kingdom: Was the American Revolution an act of secession or an act of patriots defeating a foreign imperial power? Contemporary thinkers and policymakers at the time (1775-1783) very much viewed the American Revolution as an act of secession rather than a country fighting its way out of foreign bondage. Everybody from Adam Smith to Edmund Burke to King George III to the rebels in British North America believed that the war between the two sides was a civil war between two different factions of the same polity: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

2. The former Soviet republics leaving the Russian Federation: By 1990, the largest experiment with socialism to date was rapidly failing for all the world to see. In 1991, a last-gasp military coup was attempted, to no avail, and 14 independent polities moved quickly to leave what was left of the Soviet Union before Russia could settle into the USSRs old place as a world power unafraid to use to blunt violence to enforce mores and laws. The ramifications of this vast, multi-actor secession stretching from Central Europe to the Pacific Ocean are still being felt.

3. Algeria leaving France: Much like war between the UK and 13 of its North American colonies, the French viewed their war with Algeria (1954-1962) as one being fought between French factions. Before Algeria succeeded in seceding from France, it was viewed as a region like any other in the republic, say Brittany or Cote d'Azur, at least by the vast majority of French people in France and Algeria. The French government  although proclaiming liberty, equality and brotherhood  instituted and maintained an old system of segregation between French citizens and Muslim locals, a pattern that Algerian secession officially abolished but, informally, continues to plague French efforts to be a more global player.

4. East Timor leaving Indonesia: The secession of East Timor from Indonesia, made official in 2002, lasted decades (beginning in 1975) and is responsible for the violent deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Timor was a tiny Portuguese colony surrounded by the massive Dutch East Indies colony. When the Dutch left town, the local Timorese politicians thought it would be a good idea to declare East Timors independence. Portugal shrugged, but the country that replaced the Dutch East Indies  Indonesia  had other plans for East Timor and invaded it. East Timor is in bad shape today, but because of this there has been a marked increase in cooperation between Australia and Indonesia  two regional powers that have rarely seen eye-to-eye.

5. Eritrea leaving Ethiopia: All of the wars that Africa has seen since decolonization have at least some inkling of secession-minded action to them. Ethiopia, which in 1974 was governed by an old monarchy, descended into a civil war between monarchists and Marxists. Eritrea, which had once federated with Ethiopia voluntarily before being annexed years later, declared its independence during the chaos. The Marxists in Ethiopia won, and Addis Ababa appealed to the Soviet Union for help defeating Eritrean separatists. In 1991, once the Soviet Union collapsed, Eritrea  led somewhat ironically by Marxists  proclaimed independence and soundly defeated Ethiopias suddenly underfunded military. Today, it is a one-party state in a region (the Horn of Africa) wracked by conflict.

6. Bangladesh leaving Pakistan: We all know why India and Pakistan were split up, but why did Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) secede from Pakistan? While the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh share a common religion (Islam), the cultural, political, linguistic, and economic differences between the two countries are cavernous. London left most of the political power in the hands of Pakistans elite, which led to resentment in Bangladesh as well as very real economic disparities. In 1971, Bangladesh declared its independence from Pakistan and the two sides fought a brief but vicious nine-month war before Pakistan was forced to recognize the Bangladeshi secession as legitimate.

7. Uruguay leaving Brazil: In 1815, the South American continent was a mess. Buenos Aires was trying to assert itself as a regional power, and Portugal was trying to maintain power over its New World possessions. In 1825, the region of Cisplatina in the Brazilian south declared its independence from the Brazil (which had just a few years earlier declared its independence from Portugal) and sought protection by aligning itself with a country that was not yet called Argentina: United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata. A stalemate ensued, but the hostilities resulting from the inability of one side to land a knockout blow began to affect trade in the region. France and the UK then sat down with the factions involved and created the Republic of Uruguay as a buffer state between the two budding rivals.

8. Greece and Serbia leaving the Ottoman Empire: Like the North American and Algerian secessions, the violent exit of Greece and Serbia from the Ottoman Empire (in the early 1800s) was viewed as a civil war rather than as a patriotic struggle to overthrow a foreign oppressor. Greece and Serbia had been part of the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years before seceding from Istanbul. Because history is written by the victors, these secessions are painted in a different light by most people today, but make no mistake: the independence of Greece and Serbia from the Ottoman Empire was not supported by everybody, and the narrative of the patriot expelling the foreign oppressor was shared by few people at the time, including a (albeit slight) majority of the regions Greek- and Serbian-speaking Christians.

9. South Sudan leaving Sudan: These two are in the same neighborhood as Ethiopia and Eritrea, though their story is a bit different. Unlike Ethiopia, which managed to maintain its independence during Europes colonial venture in Africa, Sudan was just a large chunk of territory created specifically to keep other European powers out of British-ruled Africa. When the Brits left town, this vast territory became one of the worlds largest countries (by area) overnight. Things got ugly quickly, and South Sudan ended up fighting a 22-year war with Khartoum before officially seceding in 2011. The new country descended rapidly into civil war, leaving open the options for further secessions on the one hand, or an opportunity for yet another regional strongman to step into the void caused by war on the other.

10. Panama leaving Colombia: The year was 1903 and the United States of America wanted to build its canal through what is now Panama. At the time, though, Panama was a part of Colombia, which itself was just coming out of a four-year civil war. The Panamanian factions that supported secession did so because they really wanted the canal to be completed and the Colombian government had been dragging its feet for far too long. So, they invited the U.S. government to help maintain the neutrality of the railroad in Panama, and this led eventually to the 1903 secession of Panama from Colombia. The Panama Canal was completed in 1914.

Further thoughts

Secession happens. The press here in the States does a better job of covering it than it used to. There is a still a bias to this coverage, but the principle of secession is finally being better understood. (Coming soon: 10 Unsuccessful Secessions You Should Know More About.)

Thats worth celebrating, because it signals to me that were able to learn from history, even if it takes us a while to get the hang of it.
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Kim Kardashian posted a photo Monday of North West attending her recent baby shower.

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The 37-year-old "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star dressed her 4-year-old daughter in pink to celebrate the impending birth of her third child with husband Kanye West

Kardashian shared a picture on Instagram of North outside the floral-filled fete earlier this month. The 4-year-old strikes a pose as she stands underneath the cherry blossom trees Kardashian had brought in for the event.

"My little cherry blossom baby," the television personality captioned the snapshot.

Kardashian shares North and 23-month-old son Saint with West, and is expecting another daughter via surrogate.

She said in an interview with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" this month that "My daughter thinks she's really tricky," the star told host Ellen DeGeneres

"We had a baby shower over the weekend ... so people brought toys and gifts. She was opening them the next day and she said, 'Mom, since baby sister's not here, I think I need all her toys in my room."

"She's really excited about that," she added of North's enthusiasm for a little sister.

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Kardashian and her family celebrated Thanksgiving with her sister Kylie Jenner , who is reportedly expecting her first child with Travis Scott

The 20-year-old said on her app prior to the holiday that she has "SO many things to be grateful for this year."
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"Teen Mom 2" stars Kailyn Lowry and Chelsea Houska are laughing off Jenelle Evans' cease-and-desist letter.

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Lowry, 25, and Houska, 26, reacted Monday on Twitter after Evans, their longtime co-star, accused them of "defamation of character, libel and slander," according to documents obtained by Radar Online.

"How does one get a cease & desist from someone they don't care to talk about... & if i did, it's my opinion," Lowry wrote, adding a crying tears of laughter emoji. "#hijenelle #byejenelle."

"I just got a cease and desist from Jenelle and David," Houska added, referencing Evans and her husband, David Eason. "So there's that lolll. #idonteventalkaboutyou."

Evans claimed in the letter that Lowry and Houska have disparaged her and Eason on social media. She married Eason at their home in North Carolina in September after getting engaged in February.

"You are hereby warned and notified to cease and desist making false and defamatory statements regarding Mr. and Mrs. Eason and their family affairs," the letter reads.

"It has come to our attention that false and defamatory statements disparaging Mr. and Mrs. Eason's character have been made by you via numerous social media postings."

Evans said she will pursue legal action if Lowry and Houska fail to cease their alleged behavior.

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The trio of stars, who came to fame on the MTV series "16 & Pregnant," have clashed off and on during their time on "Teen Mom 2."
The home of home of Mindy Shannon and Ken Esteves is part of the Zonta Christmas Home Tour and Artisan Boutique on Saturday, Dec. 2. The former home of Howard Smith was lavishly renovated to reflect the artistic style of Mindy and Ken.
In 2009, ArcelorMittal had picked up a stake in Uttam Galva Steels. But the new Section 29A of the IBC prohibits promoters of companies with NPAs of more than a year from bidding for these companies.

Amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) have not only practically debarred promoters from reacquiring their own assets but have also put the worlds largest steelmaker ArcelorMittals prospective bid for stressed steel assets -- Bhushan Steel, Bhushan Power & Steel, and Essar Steel -- in trouble.

According to the new Section 29A of the IBC, a person shall not be eligible to submit a resolution plan if such person, or any other person acting jointly with such person, or any person who is a promoter or in the management control of such person, is an undischarged insolvent.

This prohibits promoters or sister concerns of companies with non-performing assets (NPAs) of more than a year from bidding for these companies.

In 2009, ArcelorMittal had picked up a stake in Uttam Galva Steels.

The move, after some abortive attempts to set up mega greenfield plants, had paved the global steel companys entry into India.

The glitch is that last September, Uttam Galva Steels was classified as an NPA, which means that its been more than a year since the account became an NPA.

That may raise questions on ArcelorMittals eligibility to submit a resolution proposal for the stressed steel assets. ArcelorMittal didnt respond to an email sent by Business Standard.

According to the shareholding pattern filed with the BSE, ArcelorMittal Netherlands BV, which is classified as a promoter group company of Uttam Galva Steels, holds a 29.05 per cent stake in it.

However, ArcelorMittal doesnt have any board or management representation in the company and is a passive shareholder, said sources.

Sources close to the development said Uttam Galva Steels was in the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBIs) second list of NPAs.

A restructuring proposal was in the works, and rating agencies ICRA and Crisil had been appointed to vet the proposal.

If a resolution is not worked out for Uttam Galva Steels by December 13, then it would head to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

However, sources indicated that if it was restructured by December 13, then there was a possibility that ArcelorMittal might be able to submit a resolution proposal for the steel assets.

A company becomes a standard asset if interest due is paid, some experts said. Other experts said that since ArcelorMittal was an AAA rated company, one could interpret the code in a different manner.

Just because the company is associated with an NPA, their creditworthiness does not get affected, they said.

The global steel major was in the process of conducting due diligence for Bhushan Steel, Essar Steel, and Bhushan Power & Steel.

ArcelorMittal was a late entrant to the list of bidders for Bhushan Power & Steel, as it had submitted the expression of interest (EOI) late.

So was Liberty House. However, the credit committee decided to accept both the companies. Mahender Kumar Khandelwal, insolvency professional for Bhushan Power, and leader and partner of business restructuring at BDO India LLP, declined to comment.

Industry sources said it would be unfortunate if ArcelorMittal was not allowed to bid, especially since SBI Capital Markets -- an advisor to lenders on restructuring packages for some of the companies -- first made a visit to London in July to make a pitch for stressed steel assets.

Also, ArcelorMittal has been trying to gain a major foothold in India through greenfield projects since 2005.

In 2005, it came to India with grand plans of setting up a mega steel plant. It signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jharkhand government for setting up a 12-mt plant in the state.

A year later, the company signed another MoU with the Odisha government for a similar-sized plant.

It had even signed an MoU with the Karnataka government for a 6-mt plant. But none of the projects had made any headway.

Image: Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters.
The promoter family of KRBL reaps gains from high demand for the rice variety in India and overseas.



The promoters of KRBL, which makes the popular India Gate basmati rice, raised Rs 15 crores through an initial public offering in 1995.

Twenty-two years later, the countrys most profitable basmati rice company has a market capitalisation of nearly Rs 15,000 crores.



The KRBL stock has made handsome gains since last November, rising 194 per cent from a 52-week-low of Rs 228.90 to hit a new high of Rs 672.90 early this month. It closed at Rs 624.35 on the BSE on Tuesday.



The rally has turned the promoter family, Anil Mittal and brothers, into the countrys first basmati billionaire. With their 59 per cent stake in the company, the familys wealth is now estimated at Rs 8,700 crores ($1 billion is equal to Rs 6,517 crores at the current exchange rate).





IMAGE: Anil Mittal (in a blue vest), chairman and managing director, KRBL, that produces and markets India Gate rice, receiving the Agriculture Leadership Award 2017 at the 10th Global Agriculture Leadership Awards Committee 2017 for dominant position in agro exports. Courtesy: India Gate Rice MENA/Facebook.

KRBL, named after Mittals forefathers Khushi Ram and Behari Lal, the two brothers who founded this company in Pakistans Lyallpur in 1989 and the family shifted to India in 1947, earned a record profit of Rs 400 crores on revenues of Rs 3,148 crore last year.



During the first half of FY18, its profit surged 35 per cent to Rs 242 crores.



Two of KRBLs listed peers -- LT Foods and Kohinoor Foods -- were nowhere close to its profitability. LT Foods, which clocked revenues similar to KRBL, made a profit of Rs 71 crores in the first half of 2017-2018, while Kohinoors profit was just Rs 5 crores.





We feel proud about this growth in valuations. The main driver is our brand and its demand in India and overseas. Our rice commands a premium in the domestic market and export realisation is higher than industry average, said Mittal, chairman and managing director, KRBL.



Export brings little over one-third of the revenues, and the company claims a 33 per cent share in the domestic branded basmati market.





Being a diabetic, Mittal avoids rice, but he enjoys the aroma of his success. He counts the names of top domestic and global food companies that struggled to carve success in the basmati rice market. Multinationals like Cargill, Olam, Unilever, and PepsiCo tried their hands years ago and decided to quit.





Mittal recalls how a meeting was set between him and Cargills management in Gurgaon to discuss business. They wanted the same quality of rice like India Gate. They wanted me to create my own competition. I was told that there is a queue of people waiting to sell to Cargill. But I told them that I am not desperate. I told them that they have touched a wrong business. They went out of basmati in two years.



But Mittal has had his learning from these MNCs. You get to learn excellent systems and transparency from these big multinationals.



Domestic FMCG major ITC also falls in the list of companies that experimented with basmati. Patanjali is among the new entrants. Patanjali is doing fantastic in many products but I am yet to see their success in rice, said Mittal, whose company is nearly debt free, except a loan of Rs 95 crores in the wind power business.



We are born in rice. We have worked day and night. Rice is not a business where you stop working after 6 pm. You have to be into it, says the 66-year-old businessman, who started his career with rice trading in early 1970s and went on to set up the companys first rice plant in 1990 by investing Rs 25 lakhs. From a milling capacity of six tonnes an hour and a single plant, KRBL today has four plants with a total capacity of 195 tonnes an hour.





Mittal says the Indian market is very difficult. Outside, if you need paddy for rice production, you just need to call a broker and you will get clean, dry paddy to your specifications. Here, you have to buy 25 to 30 bags from every mandi (wholesale market). When paddy is harvested, we end up procuring from 300 to 400 mandis in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, he says.



From the stage of procurement till the paddy enters a plant, he says, there are several challenges, such as gaps in weighing and loss in transportation. There is connivance at various levels of this chain. You have to keep your eyes open. So many rice varieties look like basmati, and if you dont have the expertise, you could land in trouble. We have a system that enables us to sustain competition and maintain quality.



Another thing that can kill you is high interest burden, explains Mittal. If the interest outgo is under control and you are able to command a good price in the market, you can taste success. He says losing money is not advisable in any business even if you have deep pockets.



KRBL, backed by its financial strengths, builds large quantities of rice stocks in years when the paddy price is low. The company had a stock of 300,000 tonnes of rice as of September 30. This stock alone is worth over Rs 1,500 crores. The cost of this rice is just Rs 36 a kg against the current paddy price of Rs 32 (which translates into a rice cost of Rs 50 to Rs 55 a kg).

IMAGE: India Gate basmati rice brings the family together is the message of an advertisement from the company. Courtesy: India Gate.

I am sitting in a very comfortable position. My export realisation is Rs 80 a kg, and in domestic, it is around Rs 50-60 a kg, he says.



Of the 100 million tonnes rice annually produced in India, Mittal says only 6 per cent is basmati. But, of this 6 million, only two million tonnes is domestic consumption, and the rest is exported. This two million can more than double in the next few years. We are ready. We have to take this company from Rs 15,000 crores to Rs 30,000 crores, he says.



Mittal is certain that the family will never trade in companys shares. Our position will remain unchanged even if the share goes up to Rs 900 tomorrow or comes down for any reason. Our business is to make money from rice, he says.
The assets mentioned in the Sebi order are already in possession of the ED for violation of an anti-money laundering law by Mallya and PMLA overrides all other laws, providing ED first right over the assets.

The Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (Sebis) plan to recover pending dues from the Vijay Mallya-owned United Breweries Holdings (UBHL) by liquidating its securities market investments may not go as planned.

The assets that the capital market regulator is eyeing are already under possession of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), another government agency.

Earlier this month, Sebi had issued an order to attach all the bank accounts, shares and mutual fund units held by UBHL to recover Rs 18.5 lakh that the liquor company had defaulted on the payment of a penalty imposed by the regulator in 2015.

The assets mentioned in the Sebi order are already in possession of the ED for violation of an anti-money laundering law by Mallya, sources said.

What further complicates matters for Sebi is provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) override any other law, providing ED first right over the assets.

Citing the provision of PMLA, an ED official said, The law has the provision under section 71, which says once action is taken under PMLA then no other Act will have effect on the said property.

According to him, these shares cannot be sold by any other authority, including Sebi.

The shares attached by the ED were being held by Mallya in UBHL, UB and various other group companies controlled directly or indirectly.

At the time of attachment in December 2016, total value of these shares was pegged at Rs 1,680 crore.

Legal experts are divided over the issue of first right on the assets seized.

R S Loona, partner at Dhaval Vussonji Alliance, says in cases where multiple agencies seek to attach the same property courts are vested with the power to decide which agency will have the right on the property to recover dues.

PMLA deals with criminal offences, while Sebis action is to protect investors and market integrity.

Moral aspects can be considered while deciding on granting the first right, say experts.

The current PMLA law only allows the enforcement agencies to punish the culprits.

"However, there is no mechanism to refund the money to the victims.

"Whereas, Sebi disgorges the recovery proceedings into an investor protection fund, Loona said.

Another lawyer argues that ownership of the properties can be transferred to the government if the enforcement agency proves to the court that the money was laundered by Mallya and his related entities.

This is not the first time when two agencies have claimed first right on the properties attached in this matter.

During the auction of Kingfisher House in Mumbai, both the income tax department (I-T) and banks had staked claim on the proceeds.

The I-T department claimed that since the property was already attached by the department under the I-T Act, its dues took precedence over debts owed to banks.

The matter had gone to the Karnataka high court.

So far, the ED has attached assets and properties worth Rs 9,700 crore held by Mallya and his companies in connection with an alleged IDBI Bank loan fraud case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Mallya held a 7.91 per cent stake in UBHL in his personal capacity as of December 2016, while total promoter holdings in the company stood at 52 per cent.

Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
Kharola leads from the front. As a team player, he also uses technology to improve processes whether it is training or assessing metrics, a key trait that would help to improve service quality of the national carrier.

The new Air India boss has a distinction - turning around a public transport undertaking to become profitable.

Just as Bengaluru exploded as the country's top outsourcing destination, Pradeep Singh Kharola, bottom, left, revived Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the city bus service from a loss making entity to be profitable in 2000, the first in the country.

It enabled the city transport undertaking to deploy air conditioned buses on its roads that now is common across Indian cities. Since then, BMTC has been profitable almost every year.

However, Kharola's biggest role has been implementing the Bengaluru Metro for the tech hub, a task that was compounded by the rocky terrain of the city, which makes it expensive and time consuming to go underground.

The first phase of 42 km took a decade to complete and that is half his term as the Metro boss.

The soft-spoken Kharola, who has a PhD in Public Transport systems from IIT- Delhi, has set an ambitious target for the second phase of 72 km, which will connect the tech hubs of Electronics city and Whitefield, to be completed by 2020.

This is expected to triple the ridership to over 1.5 million a day. He also led an unique public private initiative of getting corporates to build stations, helping reduce costs.

Before the Metro, the Karnataka cadre IAS officer, who is a workaholic led Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), which was involved in raising funds from international institutions to build infrastructure across cities.

This and the Metro experience in raising funds to expand will come in handy for Kharola, when he takes over as the chairman and managing director of Air India.

He is also new to the corridors in Delhi -- as joint secretary, he was part of the Administrative Reforms Commission, to look at governance reforms in public administration and director in the ministry of tourism.

In Karnataka, Kharola was the principal secretary for Jagadish Shettar, the BJP Chief Minister who had a short term in 2012-13.

A senior ministry official termed the appointment as a procedural step.

His primary job will be to run the airline on going concern till it gets a buyer and to minimise losses, he said.

Air India has appointed SBI Caps to prepare 3-5 year business plans for subsidiary companies to be divested, help obtain approvals from the consortium of banks for the transfer of real estate properties and other security.

The expertise he brings in management, raising funds from global institutions and focus on public-private partnership in large projects, would come in handy as the government looks at divestment of Air India.

Kharola leads from the front. As a team player, he also uses technology to improve processes at the Metro, whether it is training or assessing metrics, a key trait that would help to improve service quality of the national carrier.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
Dealers of Tata Motors in most parts of the country have stopped placing orders for this small car in the last three-four months and the showrooms are displaying contemporary models such as Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and Nexon.

Tata Motors Nano, the cheapest car launched in recent times, is now also among models clocking lowest monthly production and sales volume (in double digits to be precise).

The average daily production of just two Nano cars at the companys Sanand plant is indication enough that this vehicle is now as good as obsolete.

Dealers of Tata Motors in most parts of the country have stopped placing orders for this small car in the last three-four months and the showrooms are displaying contemporary models such as Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and Nexon.

Here are the numbers: Tata Motors dispatched 180 Nanos to its 630 sales outlets this August (against 711 in August 2016).

The number came down to 124 units in September and further dipped to just 57 units in October.

September and October were festive months with high demand for car.

It was also reported last week that production of electric Nano is underway for a launch soon through a joint venture with Tata Motors and Coimbatore-based Jayem Automotives.

It was reported that this new car will be called Neo, dealing a death blow to Nano.

Business Standard spoke to five dealers of the company and they said they were sitting on a handful of Nanos but no fresh demand had been placed with the company.

A dealer in Himachal Pradesh had some buyers and I made an internal dealer transfer of a few cars to him, made possible by GST.

"I sold a few units at discounts ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000. I am left with four-five units, said a dealer from Punjab.

Nano is sold at a price band of Rs 225,000 to Rs 320,000 (ex showroom, Delhi).

Another dealer in Uttar Pradesh said the company was no longer promoting the car and there was no activity for many months.

We are liquidating old stocks. There is hardly any customer query, he said.

The car did not live up to the expectations in spite of several makeovers post its launch in 2009 when Ratan Tata was the company chairman.

It was his dream project to make available a car priced at Rs 100,000 to the public. However, its cheap tag and positioning kept many buyers away.

"The Nano demand is mainly from the taxi segment. We have not stopped production of the car altogether.

"However, since the focus is on making the higher volume models like Tiago (more than 6,200 units a month) and Tigor (around 2,300 units a month), we do not make Nanos every day.

"The plant makes Nanos as per production targets given to us," said a source.

During the first seven months of FY18, the company made 1,299 units of Nano, less than one-fourth of previous years corresponding number of 5,380 vehicles.

Exports of the car too have not been promising either - only 111 units exported during April to October.

The vendors supplying parts for Nano are in a fix.

They are also supplying components for Tiago and the Tigor.

Vendors have not yet been officially asked to stop production.

"Production for Nano is not viable. But we also supply parts for Tiago and to the nearby plants of Ford and Maruti.

"Our plant at Sanand is thus running. We have not stopped making parts for Nano yet, but from how things look, production could stop soon," said a vendor who makes crankshafts and connecting rods for Nano.

According to another engine parts supplier, the component inventory at the plant varies with the type of part.

"We are no longer blocking our production capacity for Nano.

"We continue to supply if there is a need which is stated in advance," he said.

Moreover, vendors, have not been asked to develop Nano components compliant to BS VI emission norms so far, indicating that the company does not wish to continue production when BSVI norms kick in from 2020.

We already have a well-defined passenger vehicle strategy in place that will look at not only the best way of addressing the segments requirements but an overall perspective of the portfolio. We continue to produce Nano catering to customer demand in key markets, a Tata Motors spokesperson said in response to queries.

Photograph: Kind courtesy, Tata Motors.
A fundraising boom in the domestic market and tightening of the regulatory framework for overseas issues are responsible for this trend.

This year may go down as one of the rare instances when India Inc did not make a single equity issuance in the overseas market.

A fundraising boom in the domestic market and tightening of the regulatory framework for overseas issues are responsible for this trend.

While domestic fundraising has always been the preferred choice for India Inc, it was usual for listed companies to issue equities overseas by American or global depository receipts, known as ADRs and GDRs.

Also, to avail attractive valuations, some domestic companies such as MakeMyTrip and Videocon d2h, have listed overseas by creating foreign holding structures.

Investment bankers said the incentive for overseas fundraising had diminished drastically in the last three years as buoyancy in the Indian capital markets helped companies raise capital from within the country.

Issuing ADRs or GDRs increases the compliance burden on companies as they also become answerable to foreign regulators.

"On the other hand, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has simplified the process of institutional placement by increasing the cap on the number of investors that can participate and it has also simplified compliance requirements.

"Hence, companies now prefer qualified institutional placement (QIP) over GDRs, said Sudhir Bassi, partner, Khaitan & Co.

Earlier, GDRs used to be a preferred route for many companies but experts said overseas investors had turned averse following irregularities by some small- and mid-sized Indian companies. Sebi, too, has raised its vigil on equity issues after complaints of money laundering.

The market regulator did not have jurisdiction over GDRs till a Supreme Court judgment in 2015 brought all overseas depository receipts under Sebis ambit.

Since then, Sebi has cracked down on GDR issuances by several companies for suspicious trading. This had scared companies, experts said.

More importantly, the primary market boom in India this year has done away with the need for companies to look overseas.

According to Prime Database, equity fundraising this year has climbed to a lifetime high of Rs 1.5 lakh crore, three times that of last year.

Of this, close to Rs 50,000 crore has been raised through initial public offerings (IPOs).

In the past, Indian companies, particularly in the technology sector, used to tap the overseas market in order to fetch better valuations.

Not just liquidity but domestic valuations, too, have become very attractive. The private equity (PE) market has been vibrant as well.

Right now capital requirements are being taken care of by the buoyancy in the primary market.

"Liquidity is also not an issue for big start-ups as there is enough appetite from PE investors, said Harish HV, partner, Grant Thornton.

Experts said the change in the regulatory framework had killed the overseas IPO market for Indian companies.

While no Indian entity can list overseas without first listing in India, companies have found a way around this limitation by using overseas holding structures and listing the holding company.

Rediff, Makemytrip, Videocon d2h and Yatra were seen doing that to launch their IPOs in the American markets.

However, with regulations such as the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) and taxation of indirect transfers coming into effect, these structures could be perceived to be meant for tax evasion.

The regulatory framework used to be much easier if a firm wanted to shift its structure overseas.

"However, with the advent of rules like GAAR it is impossible to create such structures without tax leakages, said Amit Singhania, partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas.

Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
The benchmark M-30 variety of sugar has declined by over 3 per cent in November to trade now at Rs 3,694 per quintal

The government is considering removing stock limits on sugar to arrest falling prices after a bumper harvest.

Industry representatives met food ministry officials late last week to urge the government to remove the stock limits.

The rules now allow a dealer or trader in north and north-east India to store up to 1,000 tonnes of sugar and 500 tonnes elsewhere in the country.

The industry representative also sought removal of the 20 per cent export duty on sugar.

The officials assured us they would take all measures to support the industry and avoid the accumulation of cane arrears.

"We expect the government to remove stock limits on sugar early next month, said a person who attended the meeting.

Private mills in Uttar Pradesh are selling sugar in distress to clear their cane arrears to farmers.

Crushing units in Maharashtra have sold their new seasons output at low prices to meet their daily expenses.

The benchmark M-30 variety of sugar has declined by over 3 per cent in November to trade now at Rs 3,694 per quintal in the Vashi Agricultural Produce Market Committee wholesale market.

This price of sugar was last seen in June 2016.

A number of sugar mills in Maharashtra, especially in Solapur district, have quoted a price of Rs 3,275 a quintal.

Mills in western Maharashtra have committed to pay cane farmers Rs 200 above the fair and remunerative price of Rs 255 a quintal and their cost of producing sugar works out to Rs 3,500 a quintal.

The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) estimates the average cost of producing sugar in the 2017-18 season at Rs 3,300-3,350 a quintal.

Sugar mills in western Maharashtra are incurring losses of up to Rs 75 a quintal.

In Uttar Pradesh, sugar prices in the spot market are Rs 3,700-3,800 a quintal and ex-mill prices are around Rs 3,400 a quintal, slightly above the average cost of production.

At this price, sugar mills in parts of Maharashtra will find it difficult to make money because of their commitment to pay farmers more than the FRP announced by the Centre, said Narendra Murkumbi, managing director, Shree Renuka Sugars.

Falling sugar prices are normal at the beginning of the crushing season but the situation this year is worrisome because of 4 million tonnes of carryover stocks from the last season and a bountiful 25.1 million tonne output in the current season.

Total sugar availability in India is expected to be 25 per cent surplus at 29.5 million tonnes against an annual projected consumption of 23.5 million tonnes.

Vijay Banka, wholetime director and chief financial officer of Dwarikesh Sugar Industries, said, Sugar prices will receive some support with the removal of stock limits.

At present, sugar demand matches supply. There is no reason for its price to fall. Prices will stabilise at Rs 3,200 a quintal.

"Once bulk consumers start purchasing with the removal of stock limits, sugar prices will turn around, probably towards the end of January, said Sanjiv Babar, managing director, Maharashtra State Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters
'We needed Smriti Irani to champion democratic values, but she's chosen to be a coward.'

'In fact, she has shrunk India's democracy.'

'Why blame her or the BJP? I can't hear the voices of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.'

'They lack the guts to stand up in support of Padmavati, Sexy Durga and Nude.'

'When it comes to defending freedom they are no different,' says Karan Thapar.

The sad story of three films reveals how our claim to be democratic is often hollow.

No doubt we hold frequent elections and change governments, but we cannot tolerate what we disagree with or do not approve of.

Yet free speech lies at the heart of democracy while voting and competitive politics is only its outer form.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati is a director's interpretation of a story derived from a 16th century poem.

He has the right to tell it as he wants.

If he chooses to convey emotions rather than alleged 'fact' or give precedence to personalities above cultural myth, that is his right.

Yet this is precisely what the Karni Sena, several Rajasthan ministers and the Uttar Pradesh government are objecting to.

The only version of the Padmavati-Alauddin Khilji story they will permit is one that rigidly adheres to their narrow understanding.

In contrast, when Shekhar Kapur made Elizabeth in 1998 he had no qualms about transgressing traditional interpretations or, even, actual historical fact.

No one in Britain complained. 'Film is drama,' he said, 'I had to make a choice -- whether I wanted the details of history or the emotions or essence of history to prevail... we took the icon and went behind the icon.'

Bhansali's film, which is yet to be released, is possibly an attempt to convey what it was like to be Alauddin Khilji and Padmavati.

And think about it, that's what any film would seek to do!

The quest to go behind history and tell an everlasting story is every director's aim. And so it was with Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth.

'What would it have been like to have been Elizabeth?' he explained two decades ago. 'There is no logic to it, but there's an emotionality to it.'

This freedom to imaginatively interpret is what we cannot accept.

This is also where our claim to be democratic falls woefully short.

In contrast, the reception of films like Lincoln, Nixon, JFK or, even The Last Temptation of Christ in the United States or the United Kingdom shows how mature democracies handle discomforting or provocative historical interpretations.

These films may have faced criticism, but no one tried to stop them. No one even tried to change them.

Actually, what's happened to Sexy Durga and Nude is worse. In fact, it's downright deplorable.

Although accepted by the Goa Film Festival's jury, the ministry of information and broadcasting intervened and ruled they cannot be part of the festival.

This is despite the fact Sexy Durga has won awards or acclaim at film festivals in Rotterdam, Valencia, Pesaro, Tarkovsky and Guanajuato while the director of Nude is a national awardee.

It seems these films have been dropped because of their name and what that suggests of their content.

'The title is vulgar and storyline is objectionable,' The Hindu was told.

That's a decision taken by a ministry headed by a woman who achieved recognition and, indeed, celebrity, as an actress. But this is not merely an example of rank hypocrisy; it's also an ignorant decision.

In its defence the ministry presumably claims these films will cause offence. But so what if they do?

What is freedom of speech if it doesn't include the right to offend?

And it's the government's duty to protect such speech against the villainy or violence of those who make a habit of taking offence. Instead, Ms Irani has caved in.

On this occasion we needed her to champion democratic values but she's chosen to be a coward. In the process she's made us feel smaller. In fact, she has shrunk India's democracy.

However, why blame her alone or, even, the Bharatiya Janata Party? I can't hear the voices of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi or any of their cohort of Congressmen.

They don't hesitate to attack demonetisation and the good and services tax, but they lack the guts to stand up and be counted in support of Padmavati, Sexy Durga and Nude.

Yet they want us to believe they are more liberal. Even better. But they are not.

When it comes to defending freedom they are no different.

Only public protests, voiced loudly and frequently, can protect our liberties. That means it's up to you and me.

We can't rely on our miserable politicians.
'This is fake. Tyagi was made to sign on a blank paper of the register for media entry and later the names of Rahul Gandhi and others were added in the register,' Congress said.

IMAGE: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple on Wednesday got mired in a controversy after his name was found written on the entry register meant for non-Hindus, with the Congress calling it 'fake' and the Bharatiya Janata Party insisting that the leader declare his religious faith before people.

Gandhi, on campaign trail in Gujarat for the assembly polls, began his two-day visit to the state after offering prayers at the famous temple.

Non-Hindus are allowed to visit the temple but have to first get themselves registered at the shrine's office.

A purported photocopy of the page of the register for non-Hindus with names of Gandhi and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel written on it went viral on social media soon after their visit.

IMAGE: Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that 'not only Rahul Gandhi is a Hindu, he is a 'janeu-dhari' (one who wears sacred thread) Hindu'. Photograph: Courtesy @INCIndia/Twitter

The temple administration said Gandhi's name was written in the shrine's register for non-Hindus by his media coordinator and maintained none of its staff was involved in the entire episode.

The signature against their names was that of the Congress party's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.

"This is fake. Tyagi was made to sign on a blank paper of the register for media entry and later the names of Rahul Gandhi and others were added in the register," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Accusing the BJP of hatching a conspiracy against Gandhi, Surjewala insisted that the party vice president has declared himself as a 'Shiv Bhakt' (Lord Shiva devotee) and is a 'janeu dhari' (sacred thread-wearing) Hindu.

"This is a conspiracy of the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a trustee of the temple trust," he said.

Surjewala said Gandhi signed the visitors' register where he wrote that the place was 'inspiring'.

You may want to know which religion Rahul Gandhi follows? I would like to tell you that he is a janeu dhari Hindu," said Surjewala.

The Congress also issued clarification on Twitter.

'Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures?' tweeted the Congress, with a picture showing name, address and signature of Gandhi on a 'visitor's book', which the party claimed to be the only one given to the leader on his visit.

IMAGE: Congress shared this photo on Twitter, claiming it to be the 'only visitor's book' provided to Rahul on his temple visit. Photograph: Courtesy @INCIndia/Twitter

The Congress spokesperson said Gandhi, during his recent trips to Gujarat, had said he was a devotee of Lord Shiva.

The BJP, however, demanded that Gandhi declare his religious faith before people.

It also dismissed the conspiracy charge as baseless, saying Gandhi's aide who signed the register belongs to the Congress.

"He should make his faith clear to the people of this country after the controversy?" BJP spokesperson Raju Dhruv said.

BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra rejected as baseless the Congress' conspiracy charge, saying Tyagi was a Congressman.

Rahul, in his affidavit to the Election Commission, has shown different things and in the Somnath temple he is showing different things. He should come clean, Patra said.

"Rahul may belong to any religion, we do not have any problem. We respect him. But the people of the country will get confused with this controversy," Patra said.

As the controversy raged, the temple management came out with a clarification.

"As per our rules, names of non-Hindus have to be registered. His (Gandhi's) name was registered by his media coordinator in our non-Hindu register.

"I would like to say that no staff member of our trust was involved in what the media coordinator did," managing trustee of Somnath Temple Trust P K Lehri said.

Lehri also said in the visitor's book, Gandhi wrote that the Somnath temple is an inspiring place.

The temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, is located around 400 km from Ahmedabad.

The Congress leader has visited more than 15 temples during his multiple visits to poll-bound Gujarat in the last two months.

IMAGE: Rahul being presented model of a plough by his supporters during a public meeting in Amreli, Gujarat on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

On Wednesday, Gandhi began his two-day visit of poll-bound Gujarat with a visit to Somnath temple, as he reached out to the Patidar community and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Gandhi addressed an election rally at Visavadar in Junagadh district after offering prayers at the shrine of Lord Shiva in the afternoon in Gir Somnath district.

Referring to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing, Gandhi said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked.

The Congress vice president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi alleged that the prime minister was 'avoiding' answering his questions 'out to fear' that the 'truth' would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Describing Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as the 'rubber stamp', he said the government is run by Amit Shah.

He claimed the National Democratic Alliance government delayed the winter session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

*****

Nehru was against Somnath temple renovation: BJP on Rahul's visit

The BJP, meanwhile, claimed that his great grandfather and the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had 'opposed' renovation of the famous Somnath shrine.

"Rahul's (great) grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed renovation of the Somnath temple which had been plundered by Mahmud Ghazni. What is the motive behind Rahul's visit to the temple?" BJP Kisan Morcha president Virendra Singh asked while talking to reporters in Vadodara.

He also accused the Congress vice president of 'misleading' farmers of Gujarat as he 'lacks basic understanding' of agriculture.

"Rahul Gandhi is misleading farmers as well as the common people of Gujarat as he doesn't have the basic knowledge of agriculture," Singh said.

In a first, the Modi government has allocated for the agriculture sector 42 per cent of the total budget contrary to 10 to 12 per cent allocation which used to be the norm in the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance rule, he claimed.

"Rahul is politically naive and is an inexperienced leader. In fact, the entire Nehru-Gandhi family is ignorant about the basics of agriculture," Singh alleged.

He said the Congress cannot run Gujarat where 60 per cent of the total population lives in villages as the party will not be able to understand the problems of farmers and the common people.
Britains Prince Harry will marry his American actress girlfriend Meghan Markle at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle in May next year, Kensington Palace announced.

The Royal Family will pay for the wedding, including the service, music, flowers and the reception.

The 36-year-old Markle, a protestant Christian, will be baptised and confirmed into the Anglican faith before the wedding, the palace said.

The Suits actress also intends to become a British citizen and will work towards it in the coming years.

Prince Harrys communications secretary Jason Knauf described Windsor as a very special place for the couple, saying they had spent time there together since meeting in July 2016.

The announcement has confirmed the speculation that the couple was due to get married in May next year after Prince William and Kate Middletons third child is born in April.

The 33-year-old Harry, fifth in line to Britains throne, in his first interview to the BBC after announcing his engagement on Monday said that he proposed to Markle over a standard dinner of at their Nottingham Cottage home in Kensington Palace in London.

The couple said that they had met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend in London last July and got to know each other while camping in Botswana, South Africa.

He went down on one knee. It was just an amazing surprise, Markle said, adding that the experience was so sweet and natural and very romantic.

The fact that I fell in love with Markle so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect, Harry said.

Markle is already involved with humanitarian work and is a womens advocate with the United Nations.

Earlier, Clarence House, the office of Harrys father Prince Charles, had announced that the pair had sought and received the blessings of Queen Elizabeth II.

Harry revealed that during their meeting, his grandmothers corgi dogs had instantly taken to his bride-to-be.

Image: Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle's May wedding will take place after the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's third child in April. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Calling himself the biggest supporter of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistans former dictator Parvez Musharraf has said he backs the terror groups role in suppressing the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is in self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed is involved in Kashmir and he supports their involvement.

Musharraf, who recently announced a grand alliance of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of action in Jammu and Kashmir and suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir.

They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India, he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the terrorist group and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government only.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under different circumstances without elaborating further.

Musharrafs comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan governments decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection

of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under Nawaz Sharifs control anymore.
Hadiya, a Kerala woman at the centre of an alleged love-jihad case after converting to Islam, arrived on Tuesday evening to continue studies at a homeopathy medical college as directed by the Supreme Court.

She was brought to the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College amid tight security by Kerala police from Coimbatore.

College Principal G Kannan said she would continue her course under her Hindu name Akhila Ashokan. The 25-year old will be undergoing a 11-month internship at the institution as directed by the apex court on Monday.

The court, after the proceedings, had freed Hadiya from her parents custody and asked her to pursue her studies.

It did not accede to her plea to be allowed to go with her husband.

Hadiya was brought to Coimbatore by a flight and then by road.

Wearing a yellow scarf, she was whisked away to the managing directors office soon after arrival at the college campus in Salem, a town in Western Tamil Nadu.

Later, emerging from the office after about half-an-hour later, Hadiya said she has sought permission to meet her husband.

I think they will allow, she told reporters.

Replying to a question, she said security was not necessary for her. But at least for two days security will be there, she added.

Principal Kannan said her admission process has commenced and she will be attending classes from Wednesday.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had given the direction on Monday after interacting with Hadiya.

Kannan said no special treatment will be accorded to Hadiya at the hostel.

The apex court has appointed the dean of the college as Hadiyas guardian and granted him liberty to approach it in case of any problem. She was earlier staying at her parental home in Kochi for several weeks.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, had directed the college and the university to re-admit Hadiya and grant her hostel facilities.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police Subbbulakshmi, who held a meeting with college authorities, told reporters that adequate protection will be given to her.

The Kerala high court had on May 29 annulled the marriage of Hadiya with Shafin Jahan, terming it as an instance of love jihad, following which the man approached the apex court.

Jahan has also sought recall of the Supreme Courts order directing the NIA to investigate the case under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

It was alleged that Hadiya was recruited by the Islamic States mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

She was in the custody of her parents for almost six months after the high court annulled her nikah with Jahan.

Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, has alleged that there was a well-oiled systematic mechanism for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.

Ashokan also said he was sad that his daughter had to undergo such unpleasant experiences because of which her studies were interrupted. But now I am happy as the court has allowed her to study further, he told reporters in Delhi.

Image: Hadiya will continue her homeopathy studies at the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College. Photograph: PTI Photo
Beginning his two-day tour of poll-bound Gujarat, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his emotional exhortations, calling him an 'excellent actor better than Amitabh Bachchan'.

Addressing three rallies at Visavadar, Savarkundla and Amreli in the Saurashtra region, Gandhi also reached out to Patidars and attacked Modi over his 'silence' on Rafale deal and 'proximity' to select industrialists.

Before setting out on the campaign trail, Gandhi offered prayers at the famous shrine of Lord Shiva at Somnath.

"Narnedra Modi is a 'zabardast' (excellent) actor, even better than Amitabh Bachchan. Generally, an actor has to put contact lens when he has to weep...His eyes burns and tears roll down. But Narendra Modiji does not need any contact lens for tears to roll down his eyes," Gandhi told a rally at Savarkundla.

At Visavadar, Gandhi referred to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing and said if anyone raises his voice he either gets beaten up or has to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal). First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked, referring to the deal between French firm Dassault Aviation and a company headed by Anil Ambani.

The Congress vice president also sought to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi alleged that the prime minister was 'avoiding' answering his questions 'out to fear' that the 'truth' would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Targeting Modi, Gandhi said, "You will see how tears again flow from the eyes of this actor 2-3 days before the elections. He will talk about everything but will not utter a word regarding how much price farmers receive for their produce in Gujarat, loan waiver, or how to convert black money into white".

In an emotional speech post demonetisation, Modi had said that people can hang him if he cannot bring black money back.

In an emotional outreach during canvassing, Modi had recently said that Gujarat is his mother and he her son.

Gandhi said the Gujarat government is run by Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is just the 'rubber stamp'.

He claimed the NDA government delayed the winter session of Parliament as Modi was not ready to discuss the Rafale deal and Jay Shah issue here before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

The Congress vice-president alleged that entire land was given to '5-10 industrialist friends of Modi' in Gujarat but farmers were left high and dry.

He even read out names of the villages during his speech.

"Narendra Modiji will not talk about these things in his speeches. He will only talk about development, but how much farm loan he has waived and how much money he has gifted to 5-10 industrialists...Modiji will not talk about these things," Gandhi said.

He alleged that Modi has reneged on his promise to offer higher minimum support price to farmers on cotton and groundnut.

"Modi no longer speaks about these things in his speeches," he said.

Gandhi will visit various towns and villages in Amreli, Bhavnagar and Botad districts on Thursday and address a rally on the outskirts of Bhavnagar city in evening.

IMAGE: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting at Amreli, Gujarat on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo
Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax' and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the goods and services tax, Modi said a recently emerged economist was propagating a grand stupid thought by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

Making a fresh bid for power in his home state, where the Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled for over two decades, Modi also listed various development works by the government on water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.

Addressing a huge rally in Morbi town in the region, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 9, he accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought in major works like the Narmada project.

Making a strong appeal to the people to vote for the BJP in this Patidar community stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.

"Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people, he declared in his speech in Gujarati.

"Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits, Modi said in a reply to Gandhi's 'Gabbar Singh Tax' jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.

He said Gandhi was propagating a 'grand stupid thought' in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 per cent.

This means 18 per cent tax on salt and 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, he noted.

"What kind of smartness is this... how has such an economist emerged here. You want to make goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper, he said, ripping into the anti-poor Congress over its criticism of the tax reform.

The prime minister went on to say that making cigarettes cheaper means bringing cancer in every home and asked which rich businessmen the opposition leader sought to benefit by making liquor cheaper.

He also brought up Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi.

Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi,the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Jan Sangh worker.

"I remember Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies, he said.

Those who have helped us in times of difficulties should be remembered, he added.

Modi then went on to list how his government had worked to bring waters from the Narmada to the parched regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.

"The Congress' development model was giving hand-pumps. For the BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines.

The culture of this parched land, Modi said, was to give respect to those who have tried to do something to provide water.

"The BJP has done many things and it should not be thrown out of power in the state for the next 100 years, Modi said.

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJP's campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The votes will be counted on December 18.

'Those born with gold spoon mocking poor man's sweat'

Addressing another rally in Palitana in Bhavnagar district, Modi hit back at Rahul over his 'sweat on forehead' tweet targeting him, saying those born with a 'gold spoon' are now mocking the sweat of poor.

Modi was apparently responding to Gandhi's tweet in Hindi posted on Monday that, when loosely translated, would read: 'Wrinkle on the face, sweat on the forehead, Saheb (sir) appears to be scared. Don't know why his lips get sealed on the questions regarding Shah-zada (son of (Amit) Shah) and Rafale.'

Modi is often referred to as 'Saheb' by his supporters and subordinates.

"You will never understand the value of a poor person's sweat, because you were born with a gold spoon. Since you don't understand what kind of pain poor go through, you are mocking their sweat," Modi said.

"You always had a grudge against Gujarat. People know how you treated Sardar Patel and Morarji Desai. Now, Modi is your target. Due to this hatred, you are feeling uneasy about the sweat on a Gujarati's forehead. Those born in a royal family with a gold spoon, will never understand the true value of our sweat," the prime minister added.

He said on one side there are Gujaratis who are walking the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, a fakir (an ascetic), and on the other, 'there are descendants of another Gandhi, who belong to a royal family. It is up to us whether to walk the path shown by the fakir or the path of those who were born with a gold spoon'.

"Though they have not seen poverty or the pain attached to it, they are now teaching us," he said without taking any names.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures while addressing an election campaign rally in Morbi on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo
United States President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump took some time off from the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and visited the historic Golconda Fort in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

"She was taken around the 16th century monument where she spent about 45 minutes," Telangana Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anjani Kumar said. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/ PTI Photo

Ivanka evinced a keen interest in the history of the fort, that lies around 10 km from the city on its western outskirts, as she was briefed about the structure. Photograph: Kind courtesy @USAmbIndia/Twitter

She was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to US Navtej Sarna, right, and his American counterpart Kenneth Juster, left, among others. "It is very nice to see such a big and old fort. It is a wonderful place. It shows the rich culture of Hyderabad," she said. Photograph: Kind courtesy @USAmbIndia/Twitter

Ivanka also said the summit was very enlightening and inspiring. "It is amazing at Golconda Fort. It was a fantastic two days in Hyderabad and the summit was phenomenal," she said. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/ PTI Photo

Ivanka speaks at a panel discussion at Global Entrepreneurship summit 2017 in Hyderabad. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/ PTI Photo

On Tuesday, Ivanka, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended a gala dinner at the Falaknuma Palace. Famous for its Nizam-era table around which 101 guests can sit at a time, the palace-turned-plush hotel is one the landmarks of Hyderabad.

A team of culinary experts from the hotel, led by executive chef Sajesh Nair, presented a five-course menu inspired by Hyderabad's Telangana and Nizami cuisines.

Famed local delicacies such as Dahi ke kebab, Goshtshikampuri kebab, Kubanikemalai kofta, Murgpista ka salan and Sitaphal kulfi were presented over the various courses-- Aghaz (soup), Mezban (appetizers), Waqfa (sorbet), Mashgool Dastarkhwan (main course) and Zauq-e-shahi (dessert). Photograph: PTI Photo/GES 2017

The signature menu also gave the distinguished guests a taste of rare Indian ingredients such as sandalwood, saffron and figs.

The table decor was inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Deccan region.

Rare artefacts and silver decorative pieces were brought in from the Nizam's private collection at Chowmahalla Palace; while all upholstery used during the dinner was made with locally sourced fabrics such as 'Ikkat', 'Teliya' and velvet. Photograph: PTI Photo/GES 2017
Do your Christmas decorations come with dancing ballerinas?

If your answer is no, then look no further because the White House has totally put everyone else holiday efforts to shame.

United States First Lady Melania Trump unveiled this years White House Christmas decorations, choosing the theme Time-honoured traditions -- a nod to 200 years of traditions at the executive mansion -- for her design aesthetic.

The decorations include 53 Christmas trees, 71 Christmas wreaths, more than 12,000 ornaments and a 160 kg gingerbread reproduction of the White House.

The exterior of the White House is all done up in wreaths topped with red bows. The White House looks resplendent with its Christmas decorations which were shown to the media ahead of the holidays.

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

US First Lady Melania Trump walks down the East Colonnade lined with white, frosted branches. We cant help but say those trees look a bit creepy, dont they?

Photograph: Johnathan Ernst/Reuters

Ballerinas leaping helped launch Christmas at the White House. The dancers echoed the first themed Christmas at the White House, Jacqueline Kennedys Nutcracker Suite in 1961.

Photograph: Johnathan Ernst/Reuters

The official White House Christmas tree is seen from the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington. The Blue Rooms Christmas tree stands at 18 feet, 6 inches tall.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The official White House Christmas tree looks magnificent! The Wisconsin-grown pine is adorned with ornaments representing all the states and territories, along with blue and gold bows.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The Grand Foyer and Cross Hall are decorated with multiple Christmas trees covered in crystal ornaments and artificial snow inspired by the Nutcracker Suite theme of the 1961 White House holiday decorations. The Grinch would have his work seriously cut out in this house.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The Red Room has the colour-scheme of your dreams. The room contains a smaller Christmas tree and decorations made of holiday treats and candies.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

What we would do to get our hands on those yummy Christmas candy on display in the Red Room!

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

US First Lady Melania Trump has paid close detail to every part of the decoration. In fact, she chose every detail of the decor and did a final check after returning from the familys Thanksgiving at their estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The first familys official Christmas ornament. The ornament is a gold-toned bauble featuring the presidential coat of arms surrounded by a wreath of holly.

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

A vignette representing former first families celebrating Christmas adorns the Green Room of the White House.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

More than 150 volunteers from 29 states spent 1,600 hours over the holiday weekend decking the White House halls.

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The library at the White House with a tree made of books. The Trumps put out an 1866 edition of Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol, protected by glass. Former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had read the story at the White House each year he was in office, the White House noted.

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Former US President Ronald Reagans china adorns the dining table at the White House. Thats a nice nod to being Republicans!

Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The gingerbread White House stands in the East Dining Room. The delectable sweet weighs around 160 kilogram and offers a view of the White House from the South Lawn, with wreaths on every window and a US flag flying from its sugary rooftop.

Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
North Korea has fired a ballistic missile powerful enough to hit America, Europe or Australia into Japanese waters.

IMAGE: A woman walks past a television broadcast of a news report on North Korea firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed close to Japan, in Seoul, South Korea. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

The Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile was launched eastward from Pyongsong in North Koreas South Pyongan Province around 3.30 am local time.

It is the latest in a series of weapons tests that has raised tensions. Pyongyang last launched a ballistic missile in September.

It also conducted its sixth nuclear test that month. North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear and missile programme despite global condemnation and sanctions.

United States Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the missile launch went higher, frankly, than any previous shots they have taken.

Hours after the launch US President Donald Trump promised we will take care of it and it is a situation we will handle.

IMAGE: A man walks past a street monitor showing North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un after the launch of the missile that was powerful enough to hit America, Europe or Australia. Photograph: Toru Hanai/Reuters

Speaking in a broadcast from the White House Trump said: A missile was launched a little while ago from North Korea.

Let me tell you that we will take care of it. We have had a long discussion on it. It is a situation we will handle.

Mattis has accused North Korea of endangering world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States.

Shortly afterwards the US, Japan and South Korea requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

It comes just days after US President Trump added North Korea to Americas list of state sponsors of terror and announced further sanctions targeting the countrys shipping.

Pyongyang branded the move a serious provocation and violent infringement.
The United States will impose additional 'major sanctions' on North Korea for its latest missile test, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday as he spoke to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to press Pyonyang to halt its 'provocative actions'.

During the phone call, Trump underscored the determination of the US to defend itself and its allies from the growing threat posed by the North Korean regime, the White House said.

The two leaders discussed North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, it said.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea on Tuesday, and travelled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan's Economic Exclusion Zone.

'Just spoke to President Xi Jinping of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!' Trump tweeted.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the additional major sanctions on Pyongyang which is already facing severe United Nations-imposed punitive measure for its frequent missile and nuclear tests.

The White House said that President Trump emphasised the need for China to use 'all available levers' to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of de-nuclearisation.

Within hours of North Korean missile launch, Trump spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

"We will take care of it. .. It is a situation we will handle," Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Korea's ballistic missile test.

China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry today expressed 'grave concern' over North Korea's ICBM test and asked its ally to stop actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing also asked North Korea to strictly abide by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the use of the ballistic missile technology.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time.

"Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world," he said.

During his phone calls with Abe and Moon, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan but also to the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

In New York, US Vice President Mike Pence said that all options were on table.

"The Kim regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of this President or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States of America," Pence said in his speech at the Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

"As President Trump said today, we will take care of the situation. All options are on the table, and we will continue to marshal the full resources of the US to bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes once and for all," he said.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on North Korea at the request of US Envoy to the UN Nikki Haley along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

"Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the DPRK must abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures," he said.

"In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the DPRK," he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include the Republic of Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," he said.

Earlier, North Korea's state television said the country had achieved its mission of becoming a nuclear state. The official Korean Central News Agency added that top leader Kim Jong-un, who personally signed off on the launch, 'declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power'.

Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters
Ivanka spoke for a good 15 minutes, gracefully, looking straight at her audience, her face wreathed often in winning smiles.

She is an articulate, striking, woman who charmed her audience.

Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports from the Global Enterpreneurs Summmit in Hyderabad.

IMAGE: Mitra, the robot, with Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Ivanka Trump, head of the US delegation, at the Global Entrepreneur Summit 2017 in Hyderabad, November 28. Photograph: Press Information Bureau of India

Hyderabad has likely not seen a human spectacle like this before -- a juggernaut of international high flyers.

Or so many shades of the world's humanity, as it did on Tuesday, November 28.

Liquid accents and tongues warring with each other: Polish. Montenegrin. Japanese. Spanish. Macedonian. Telugu. Azeri. American. Scottish. Swedish. Afrikaans. Kannada.

Skin tones ranged from rich chocolate to translucent white.

Hair colour varied from blue and red to white blond.

Styles ran the gamut: Tight frizzy spiky braids, even on men, to sober bobs and plaits.

Nationalities?

A good 150 of them under one patch of its bright blue sky at Cyberabad, about 16 km from the city centre, as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 kicked off post noon Tuesday, bringing together educators, government officials, businessmen, actors, sportsmen and politicians.

The American delegation of 350 entrepreneurs was led by US President Donald J Trump's elder daughter Ivanka Trump, and she played up this year's theme: Women First, Prosperity for All.

In a room full of 1,500 registered global entrepreneurs, having 53 percent of them refreshingly women is considerably more exciting.

Entrepreneurs, with their inventive, adventurous flare are already a unique tribe. Folks with a certain dash and panache to them.

Daring modern-day explorers.

Women entrepreneurs go one step further. They have, like their male counterparts, whatever it takes to become that swashbuckling entrepreneur.

Add to that: Oodles of chic and oomph, that made the landscape at the swish Hi-Tech City, where the summit was being hosted, most intriguing.

In addition to the commonplace shirt-suit-tie garb, evident were: Kimonos. Frocks. Cheongsams. Kebayas. Lehengas. Ghagras. Short skirts. Sarongs. Saris. Abayas. Flared bottoms. M'boubous. Tunics. Kurtis. Palazzos.

Stilettos. Platforms. Boots. Head scarves. Literally clothing and accessories in every cut and hue under the rainbow.

IMAGE: Delegates pose for a photo at the venue of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 in Hyderabad. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

Women entrepreneurs stepped out in style, turning the Accor Hotels-managed glossy Hyderabad International Convention Centre, that was built in 2005 and has the capacity to seat 6,000 people, into an international runaway of sorts.

Equally interesting were the snatches of conversation one picked up on the Novotel lawns where the pre-event high tea -- chicken sandwiches, chicken pakoda, spring rolls, mini samosas, pound cake, kala jamuns -- was served:

Proudly, cutely: "We Indians invent everything, except copyright."

Two women whispering to each other: "We are the oldest entrepreneur pair here."

Cocky young tycoon: "I sell funny ties for funny people. Now I have a health start up."

"My mom's half Indian and half Japanese. My father's from Scotland."

A haughty local: Excuse me is ko saaf kar deejiye (clean this)", imperiously summoning a taken aback hotel staffer. And then ordering over a summit organiser to check the time of lunch, just as the tea drew to a close.

A rundown of America's few festivals by an American to an Indian: "Thanksgiving was for the British pilgrims... And we have Valentine's Day that is mainly celebrated by kids and college students."

A conversation about luggage misplaced at the city's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport that finally got delivered to the hotel.

One entrepreneur to the other: "Rs 45 crores... No, I heard it cost Rs 100 crores. A lot of money. It is nice, but not that nice. That's a billion dollars. Like the Olympics!"

IMAGE: Modi with to his right Telangana Governor E S L Narasimhan and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao at the inauguration of the Hyderabad Metro, November 28. Photograph: PIB_India/Twitter

Whatever the price tag of this 8th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, that was jointly hosted by India and the US, Hyderabad rolled out a fantastic show.

The city was in tip-top shape. The Metro was just up and running, its shiny cars chugging along tracks that connected central Begumpet with 24 other stations.

Its roads were newly paved in many segments. The white or yellow paint had barely dried on streets, curbs and sidewalks approaching Hi-Tech City. Flowers, hedges, grass were freshly planted.

From umpteen giant billboards, all across the city, for miles, the faces of Narendra D Modi, Ivanka and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao beamed out at the public.

Like a Christmas carnival, the bushes, trees and shrubbery on the approach road to Hi-Tech City were lit up with multicoloured lights.

Giant sculpted tribal heads, made by Kriya Art House, dotted the path, and delighted the locals, who were taking selfies with each of them.

Signs, with jaunty slogans, also dotted the place like: The emerging emerge here.

There was a half an hour delay before Modi and Ivanka took the stage at the convention centre a little after 4 pm on Tuesday.

During the wait time specially curated videos for the GES, Make in India and Incredible India played on a loop, showing breathtaking images of India's best landscapes, temples, monuments (nothing, it seemed, of the Taj Mahal incidentally) architecture with the voice over reminding the audience, "As Mark Twain said, India is one country of 100 nationalities"...

IMAGE: Ivanka and Modi at GES 2017. Photograph: @MEAPhotogallery/Flickr

So enormously large was the venue that when the statuesque Ivanka and Modi, who looked rather avuncular, entered, they were just small specks on the horizon.

Modi's arrival was greeted with whoops of joy as the crowd of entrepreneurs got to their feet to welcome him with runaway enthusiasm.

Ivanka did the other fashionably dressed women in the room proud, turning out in a swirling elegant floral dress with an interesting neckline, that looked, fittingly, like a Rajasthani angarkha from afar.

NITI Aayog, who had a huge hand in organising events at the venue, kicked off the evening with a series of audiovisuals and dance performances that had the audience's jaws dropping.

Glitter, colour, complex dance steps, pirouettes, acrobatics, twirls, ghoomar moves, the pageant put up was reminiscent of the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Commentary, in a booming, plummy British accent, punctuated the performances.

Ivanka and Modi came onto the stage to declare the summit open by pressing the America and India Button on a robot named Mitra created by Bengaluru entrepreneurs Balaji Vishwanathan, Mahalakshmi Radhakrushnan, Bharath Kumar of Invento Robotics.

The robot acknowledged Modi in a staccato tone that amused the gathering no end.

Chief Minister KCR offered a brief, appropriate, preface to the event in his opening remarks.

IMAGE: In her keynote address, Ivanka said fuelling the growth of women-led businesses isn't good only for society, but also for the economy. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

Ivanka spoke for a good 15 minutes, gracefully, looking straight at her audience, her face wreathed often in winning smiles. She is an articulate, striking, woman who charmed her audience.

She referred many times to the achievements of her father's government and thanked the US state department for its efforts in organising the "incredible gathering" at the summit (the media has been alive with stories about the state department's reluctance to participate).

Noteworthy excerpts from her speech: "Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for joining us here today --- and for all that you are doing to build India as a thriving economy --- a beacon of democracy --- and a symbol of hope to the world."

"What you are achieving is truly extraordinary. From your childhood selling tea to your election as India's prime minister, you've proven that transformational change is possible."

"Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship, and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty. All of you are helping India's middle class reach its goal of nearly 500 million people by 2030. The people of India inspire us all."

The highpoint of her speech: "It's wonderful to be in this ancient city brimming with transformative technology -- now, your tech centers may, may, may even outshine your world-famous biryani.

"CEOs like Microsoft's Satya Nadella went to school right here in Hyderabad. Just a few kilometres away, T-hub's brand new facility is set to open next year -- and will become the largest incubator in Asia."

"In this City of Pearls the greatest treasure is YOU -- the dreamers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who never give up - never abandon your aspirations -- and always strive for a better tomorrow."

Key message from Ivanka on women entrepreneurs, that gives credence to the fact that women entrepreneurs are even sturdier and more motivating than men entrepreneurs: "I have seen firsthand that all too often, women must do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves at work, while also disproportionately caring for their families at home."

Ivanka then, by example, recognised just three women entrepreneurs in the room, one was Reyhan Camalova, a 15-year-old girl from Azerbaijan, who started a company that harvests energy from rainwater.

IMAGE: In her speech, Ivanka termed Modi's achievement as 'truly extraordinary'. Photograph: @MEAPhotogallery/Flickr

By contrast, Modi's address was one of his usual rousing, feel-good, perpetually-in-election-mode speeches, that talked of his government's endless achievements and patted himself and India on the back over and over again and often harked back to India's ancient achievements.

These speeches evidently work magic because the crowd stamped their feet in approval. Without doubt the prime minister was the hero of the room, even if the snowman-looking Mitra came a close second.

Excerpts: "The theme Women First, Prosperity for All makes this edition of GES stand out. In Indian mythology, woman is an incarnation of Shakti, the goddess of power. We believe women empowerment is vital to our development."

"Three out of four oldest high courts in India are now headed by women judges. Our sportswomen have done the country proud. This very city of Hyderabad is home to Saina Nehwal, P V Sindhu and Sania Mirza who have brought laurels to India."

"The number of smartphone users in India is projected to grow to over 500 million by 2018. This offers immense potential for the growth of any venture, in terms of outreach and job creation."

"Our Start-Up India programme is a comprehensive action plan to foster entrepreneurship and promote innovation. It aims to minimise the regulatory burden and provide support to startups. Over 1,200 redundant laws have been scrapped, 87 rules for FDI have been eased in 21 sectors, and several government processes have been taken online."

IMAGE: National Disaster Rescue Force personnel at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

After Modi left, the crowd adrenaline dropped many notches.

Ivanka came back on stage and was part of the first discussion on women entrepreneurship moderated by Cisco Chairman emeritus with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of the Scandinavian bank Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken and Sibongile Sambo, managing director, SRS Aviation & SRS Petroleum.

The five participants were in total contrast to each other. Glitzy Ivanka seated next to a sedate Sitharaman. South African Sambo, one of the first women to run an airline in the world, provided the exotic.

Chambers and Wallenberg, in their suits, anchored it to the more conventional world of business. Not surprisingly, their views totally converged.

Madurai-born, JNU-educated Sitharaman was the surprise package, speaking, with vision and eloquence, about what India needs to do for its women achievers.

India, she said, has a plan under Modi, to have its banks give a start-up loan to one woman in every one of its 707 districts (at last count in 2016) across the country.

"Indian women always had that natural instinct to excel and succeed," India's first full-time woman defence minister declared.

The discussion broadly centered on Ivanka's remarks of just half an hour before: That despite the soaring rate of female entrepreneurs, they face steep obstacles while trying to start and grow their businesses.

Crucially women entrepreneurs need access to capital, access to networks and mentors and access to equitable laws.

Said Ivanka, "Entrepreneurs have to just do it. If you have an idea or solution, if you are passionate about it and think can change and better world, just do it! No time like the present."

Sambo spoke about how she was unable to raise capital for her airline because of the risks involved and those risks were considered unacceptable for a woman to be allowed to take in business.

But she patched together a series of loans from a network of friends and family to start her airline that is successful today earning several million dollars annually as per her statement to Forbes a few years ago.

The takeaway message to the all entrepreneurs in the room was: Each successful entrepreneur should reach out and mentor one more.

IMAGE: The cultural programme at the Falaknuma Palace. 'Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for hosting such a spectacular dinner reception at the magnificent Taj Falaknuma Palace. Amazing display of Indian culture. Special evening with the Prime Minister and @IvankaTrump. #GES2017 is off to a great start!' US Ambassador to India Ken Juster tweeted. Photograph: Kind courtesy @@USAmbIndia/Twitter

The evening wound up with Ivanka departing with Modi for a special dinner being hosted at the dreamy 60-room-22-hall Falaknuma Palace, once the nizam of Hyderabad's home, that was built in 1893, near the Charminar for the American president's daughter and only 100 chosen delegates.

Nearly 40 buses, emblazoned with Uber and Telangana Tourism, lined up outside the convention centre to take delegates either to the dinner or back to their hotels.

Traffic in and out of Hi-Tech City was at a patient standstill while the police bandobast awaited the exit of Modi, Ivanka, KCR, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other high-level dignitaries.

Crowds lined the roads outside the perimeter of Hi-Tech City, hoping to catch a glimpse of Modi and the "American Ma'am."

When Modi whizzed by, in a shiny black SUV, its interior lights on, illuminating him like a modern god, crowds applauded and children shouted with glee.
Peter's lawyer paints Indrani as a master manipulator, looking to waste the court's time.'

'She is "trying to exonerate herself," the lawyer argues, and accuses Indrani of "trying to lay a trap" for Peter "and attempting to malign his reputation"...'

Savera R Someshwar reports from the Sheena Bora murder trial.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

At 2.30 pm on November 27, the long corridor leading to Courtroom 51 on the third floor of the five-storied civil and sessions court in south Mumbai was deserted.

The afternoon sun had crept in, its rays finding dusty corners, but there was no clang of the lift's gate, no stomp of policemen's boots, no buzz of their conversation as they guarded the three prisoners whose case, The State vs Indrani Mukerjea/Pari/Indrani Bora/Indrani Das/Indrani Khanna and others as well as vs Pratim Mukerjea/Peter Mukerjea, was due to due be heard before Judge Jayendra Chandrasen Jagdale.

There was no Indrani Mukerjea, her sharp eyes darting around, flashing an occasional smile, seemingly missing nothing as she either whispered to her ex-husband and co-accused Sanjeev Khanna, shuffled through some documents on her lap or spoke animatedly to Gunjan Mangla, a young lawyer working with Sudeep Pasbola, who is spearheading her defence and doing a mostly patient job of cross-examining Accused Number 3, now turned Approver, and formerly the Mukherjeas's driver, Shyamvar Pinturam Rai.

There was no bespectacled Sanjeev Khanna, whose daughter Vidhie has been adopted by his ex-wife's present husband Peter Mukerjea, clutching a cloth bag, either sitting quietly next to Indrani or chatting with his minders or his Bengaluru-based brother, who tag-teams with his Mumbai-based cousin, to lend moral support, bring in a change of clothes or some food for his imprisoned brother.

And there certainly was no Peter Mukerjea, once a big shot in the world of Indian television, dressed in his by now trademark khakhi trousers and white shirt, tucking into a warm box of food or carefully diced fruit, almost usually brought for him by his Bengaluru-based sister, Shangon Das Gupta.

But seated on a bench, waiting patiently, was Peter's lawyer Srikanth Shivade who had arrived from Pune -- a journey that could take you about four hours by road if one is not constrained by traffic -- and faced the shut door of Courtroom 51.

There was confusion if the hearing for the day would take place in Courtroom 51 and whether the hearing -- where the judge would listen to the response from Peter's lawyer, the counter-response from Indrani's lawyer and, finally, the response from CBI Prosecutor Bharat Badami -- was actually listed in the docket for the day.

"We won't go in if the matter is not going to be heard," Shivade tells his assistant, who quickly, if with some effort, pushes open the groaning door of Courtroom 51.

A few minutes later, there is a flurry of activity and Shivade is standing before Judge Jagdale who wants him to proceed on the matter of placing his reply to Indrani's dramatic application, presented before the court on November 15, immediately.

Shivade is reluctant to do so until Pasbola arrives.

As Judge Jagdale, with his calm, gentle, smile, urges Shivade to begin, Pasbola whirls in, "deeply apologetic" for having lost track of the date of the hearing.

He requests the judge to postpone the hearing by a day to give him time to prepare.

"But he is prepared," the judge says firmly, nodding at Shivade.

The lawyer for Accused No 1, Indrani Mukerjea, however, does get 24 additional hours to frame his reply as Shivade proceeds.

He begins his reply to Indrani's appeal, where she has requested for Peter's call data records for the periods of the year Sheena Bora was allegedly murdered -- January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012; according to the CBI chargesheet, Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2014 (How and Why Sheena was killed, according to the CBI) -- and from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, the year the Mukerjeas were arrested.

Indrani was arrested on August 25, 2015. Peter was arrested on November 19 the same year.

Shivade quickly paints Indrani as a master manipulator, looking to waste the court's time and use the media to manipulate public perception about his client. "They want this relief, but they don't have any reason," he says.

By this time, CBI Prosecutors Kavita Patil and Badami -- who has 31 years of experience as public prosecutor and been prosecuting cases for the CBI since 1991 -- are in their chairs.

"She is trying to exonerate herself," Shivade argues, and accuses her of "trying to lay a trap" for Peter "and attempting to malign his reputation... She wants a backdoor entry so that she can file her next appeal in the matter."

He terms "her attempt to influence the media and create a prejudice against any one accused as nothing short of criminal contempt of the court."

Indrani, Shivade states, earlier attempted to malign Peter's younger son Rahul as well. He questions why her appeal was not filed by Indrani's lawyers, but by the accused herself. "... Shows that her lawyers are not agreeing. It is her personal strategy."

"We do not want to indulge in any mudslinging which will only be enjoyed by the media," Shivade says. "We have nothing to hide."

As long as the "legal procedures are followed and the legal grounds are there, calling for the CDRs are fine by me," he adds. But the reasons for calling for the CDRs, he points out, "have not been connected."

Charging Indrani with trying to "delay and distort" the court proceedings, he states that her allegations against his client "are not admissible."

He also points out that her personal, handwritten, letter to Peter a few weeks earlier could not be considered "a privileged communication between a husband and wife" since it was all over the media and that it was yet another attempt do destroy Peter's image in the public perception.

If she continued to attempt to manipulate the media to create a negative perception about his client, Shivade warns, "We will have to request an in-camera trial."

With the next hearing scheduled for November 28, for which Shivade has excused himself, stating that his assistant will make any replies that are needed, Peter's lawyer leaves the courtroom.

Outside the courtroom's moisture-swollen door that gets stubbornly stuck before moving open gratingly, Shivade and Pasbola's assistant are engaged in a quick discussion about the day's proceedings.

"She must withdraw and file in the proper format on proper grounds," Shivade says.

"We cannot withdraw," Pasbola's assistant replies, "she has to..."

Inside the courtroom, Judge Jagdale wants to know from Badami who his next witness is. Badami evades an answer.

The judge is persistent. "Is there going to be any other witness as detailed as this one (Shyamvar Rai, the Mukerjeas' former driver)?"

Badami smiles and shrugs, "We shall see as we go along."

"I don't want to reveal my hand," the CBI prosecutor says later. "Besides, depending on how the case proceeds, I may even decide to change the order of the witnesses."

If Indrani was presented as a manipulator on November 27, the next day she was "a mother who wanted justice for her daughter" and "emotionally distressed because of the amount of time she had spent in prison."

Sudeep Pasbola, her lawyer, may have been more than half an hour late, but quickly gets to the point. "There is no malice or ulterior motive in my client's application," he tells the court.

Nothing untoward, he insists, should be read into the fact that this latest application was filed by the accused in person instead of it being filed through her lawyers.

"It is not that my advice or opinion is final. She may have instructed us, but we didn't... This does not mean it (her application) cannot be heard by the court. It should be seen if it will help the cause of justice."

He also clarifies that "it is a not a fishing enquiry or that we are trying to find information against a particular accused. Since there is a charge of criminal conspiracy, we are asking for the CDR."

He also points out that since the CDRs of Accused 1 (Indrani) and Accused 3 (Rai) are were filed along with the chargesheet, and additional CDRs of Accused 2 (Khanna) are being obtained, there was no reason to object to the CDRs of Accused 4 (Peter).

The dock that normally houses the three accused is empty -- Peter is not straining to hear the proceeding; Indrani is not seated there, her mobile face reacting to the proceedings; Sanjeev is not there seated, as he nowadays is, between the warring husband and wife.

The front rows in the courtroom are masked in black and white as lawyers file in to hear the arguments.

Countering the CBI's contention that this is an attempt to negatively affect the concentration of the accused-turned-approver (Shyamvar Rai) whose cross-examination by Pasbola is in progress, the lawyer asks, "How will the concentration of Rai get affected? Unless he has not told the truth and this new information may help" to reveal that.

Pasbola repeatedly underlines that Indrani is not making any accusations against Peter. "Any error (in the wording of her application) may be condoned because she is not a lawyer. I emphasise that today we are not accusing Accused 4."

And since Peter has repeatedly said he has nothing to hide, why should there be any objection on his part to making his CDRs part of the record, asks Pasbola.

Judge Jagdale points out that the application, Exhibit 189, has "other wording".

Indrani, in her application, has stated that she has 'strong reasons to believe that Accused No 4, Pratim Mukerjea, with the assistant of other persons, including Accused No 3, Shyamwar Pinturam Rai, may have conspired and abducted my daughter, Sheena Bora, in 2012 and made her untraceable and subsequently destroyed evidence.'

She has also stated that she believes 'Accused 4 along with other persons may have manipulated circumstances to frame me and influenced witnesses, situation and information to lead to my arrest for a heinous crime they may have committed, aided and abetted.'

'I am convinced that if we are able to obtain the CDR of Accused 4's mobile number, we will be in a better position to ascertain if Accused 4 and other persons were involved in the disappearance of my daughter Sheena, and there will be more clarity if Accused 4 and other persons have a role in framing me.'

She had ended the letter with 'sincere gratitude to your Honour... to provide justice to my daughter Sheena who may have lost her life on account of greed, betrayal, jealousy, hurt and ill-will of persons whom she dearly love and trusted.'

Even as Pasbola continues to insist that Indrani is not accusing anyone, Judge Jadale points out, "The contents of the application are speaking another language."

"You are saying that there are no accusations being made against Accused 4, but this is a criminal trial and the court has to decide the criminal liability."

Pasbola counters that "today, there is no question of criminal liability" and that the court should decide this matter on the basis of "relevance and not admissibility."

He appeals to the court not to go by "hypertechnical objections" and reiterates that "today, I am not making any accusations."

If the CDRs of the other accused are part of the evidence, Pasbola argues there is no reason why Peter's CDRs should not be included as well.

"There is material in existence," he says. "I'm saying that material should be brought before the court... Please go by the essence and spirit of the application... Let this be judged in connection with relevancy and not admissibility."

"Every relevant fact is not admissible, but once relevancy is shown, the opposition has to show why it is not admissible..."

"This is a trial court where fact finding is important. There should not be a question of this material could have been included, so why was it not?"

Indrani, he insists again, is not pointing a finger as her husband.

"Emotions cannot be left out. It was an emotional outburst as she wants justice for her daughter. The accused has been in court for such a long time, she is under emotional distress."

"She is not a publicity seeker nor is she trying to divert the attention of the court."

It is the prosecution's turn and CBI Prosecutor Badami has no objection to Peter's CDRs being introduced since the CDRs of the other accused are included as well.

"No one can take away the right of an accused to submit an application," Badami tells the court.

The prosecution, he says, is "watching who is joining hands with whom... an application should be judged on its merit... the honourable court has to decide the best course for justice."

Judge Jagdale asks Pasbola "If one accused wants to know if one accused can use the help of the court to bring evidence against another accused who clarifies that the CDR cannot be Accused 4's statement. CDRs only show the connection between two numbers, the duration of the calls..."

Amit Ghag, Peter's lawyer, has an objection. "What is the ground for seeking the CDR if the allegations in the application are withdrawn? The application has to be rejected."

"I am going over and above those allegations," Pasbola counters. "I am not subscribing to those "

On which note the day's session ends.

Indrani, in her application, has not directly accused Peter of murdering Sheena, a daughter she introduced as her sister for many years. But she has made other allegations which her lawyer now says were probably made "under emotional distress".

Is Indrani, as contended by Peter's lawyer, cleverly manipulating the media to influence potential witnesses and darken Peter's image in the public perception?

Is the application for Peter's CDRs a red herring or will it shed new light on the case?

Indrani, a mother who may have cold-bloodedly murdered her daughter and attempted to get rid of her remains, may not have been in court on November 27 and 28, but Accused No 1 continues to dominate the proceedings.
Singapore: Drop Case Against Peaceful Protester

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 29 November 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Singapore: Drop Case Against Peaceful Protester, 29 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e64fe4.html [accessed 17 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.

Singapore authorities should drop the case against activist Jolovan Wham for holding three public gatherings in the city-state, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities are expected to charge Wham on November 29, 2017 with three counts of organizing a public assembly without a police permit and one count of vandalism.

"Prosecuting Jolovan Wham for holding peaceful gatherings demonstrates the absurdity of Singapore's laws on public assemblies and the government's willingness to penalize those who speak out," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. "The Singapore government should start listening to criticism, stop treating peaceful assemblies as crimes, and cease prosecuting their organizers."

Singapore's draconian Public Order Act requires a police permit for any "cause-related" assembly that is held in a public place, or to which the public is invited. Organizing or participating in a protest without a permit is a criminal offense, even if the protest was peaceful and did not disrupt public order. The law covers not just outdoor gatherings, but also those held indoors if they are in a place open to the public, or if the public is invited.

The only exceptions are events held wholly inside a building or other enclosed premise where the organizers and all the speakers are citizens of Singapore and the event does not deal "with any matter which relates (directly or indirectly) to any religious belief or religion, or any matter which may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will, or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore," or events held at Speakers' Corner, a designated section of Hong Lim Park.

Anyone found guilty of organizing a public assembly without a police permit can be fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,715), while repeat offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,430) and jailed for up to six months.

The expected charges against Wham, 37, stem from three peaceful gatherings. The first, at an indoor venue on November 26, 2016, was a forum to discuss civil disobedience and social movements. Because Joshua Wong, who is not a citizen of Singapore, called into the forum from Hong Kong via Skype, Wham faces charges for violating the Public Order Act's requirement to apply for and receive a police permit for an event featuring a foreign speaker.

Wham also faces charges for organizing a "silent protest" on June 3, 2017, without obtaining a police permit. The event, held to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the arrest and detention of 22 social activists and volunteers under the Internal Security Act in 1987, featured nine people who stood silently on board a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train, each blindfolded and holding up a book, "1987: Singapore's Marxist Conspiracy 30 Years On." The nine protesters then sat in empty seats in the train car and proceeded to read the book together. Authorities leveled the vandalism charge, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, against Wham because he temporarily pasted two sheets of paper calling for justice for the 1987 ISA detainees and opposing detention without trial to the inside of the train.

The final gathering was a candlelight vigil outside Changi Prison on July 13 to support the family of a Malaysian national, S. Prabagaran, who was slated to be executed for drug trafficking. Singapore authorities refused numerous entreaties from the family, lawyers, nongovernmental organizations, diplomatic missions, and the United Nations to stop the execution and commute the sentence to life in prison. Prabagaran was executed the following morning. Wham also faces charges for refusing to sign his statements to the police.

Under international law, freedom of assembly is a right and not a privilege and should not be subject to prior authorization by the authorities. It is widely accepted that no one should be subject to criminal penalties simply for organizing or participating in a peaceful assembly.

The Singapore Police Force, in a November 28 news release announcing that Wham would be charged, highlighted the fact that Singapore citizens can organize public assemblies without a permit "in accordance with the rules" at Speakers' Corner. International standards provide that the government has an obligation to facilitate peaceful assemblies "within sight and sound" of their intended target. Restricting protests to a venue far from the target of the protests cannot be justified as a reasonable restriction on freedom of assembly, and the creation of Speakers' Corner in no way justifies or balances the excessive restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly in the rest of the city-state.

"By charging Jolovan Wham with criminal offenses for these peaceful gatherings, the Singapore government is signaling its complete intolerance for even the mildest forms of public dissent," Robertson said. "The case against him should be dropped, and urgent action taken to amend the Public Order Act to fully respect the right of all persons in Singapore to peacefully assemble."

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Bangladesh: Mass Death Sentences Confirmed

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 November 2017 Related Document(s) "The Fear Never Leaves Me" : Custodial Deaths, Torture, and Unfair Trials after the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles Mutiny Cite as Human Rights Watch, Bangladesh: Mass Death Sentences Confirmed, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e65234.html [accessed 17 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 Bangladesh government should agree to new trials meeting international standards for members of the former Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) accused of mutiny and murder, including 139 whose death sentences were upheld on November 27, 2017, by the High Court, Human Rights Watch said today. The court also upheld life sentences for another 146 people.

On February 25 and 26, 2009, members of the BDR mutinied against their commanding officers at the central Dhaka headquarters, killing 74 people, including 57 army officers. A number of women relatives of the officers were sexually assaulted. Human Rights Watch research has found that many of the accused were tortured in custody and most were denied access to proper representation.

"We have long said that the atrocities that took place during the mutiny need to be investigated and prosecuted, but this should not be done through unfair mass trials after the use of torture," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Particularly when the death penalty is involved, expediency cannot take priority over justice."

The BDR mutiny took place soon after the new Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina won elections in December 2008. Under great pressure from the army and amid fears of a coup, the government responded to the mutiny by rounding up nearly 6,000 members of the BDR. Many were tried in mass trials before closed military courts. A separate civilian prosecution team chose to try nearly 850 members of the BDR in a single mass trial in one courtroom.

In July 2012, Human Rights Watch released a report, "'The Fear Never Leaves Me': Torture, Custodial Deaths, and Unfair Trials after the 2009 Mutiny of the Bangladesh Rifles," which provided a detailed account of the mutiny and the authorities' response. Human Rights Watch documented serious abuses by the authorities in the aftermath, including at least 47 custodial deaths and widespread torture of BDR members by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other security forces. The government has claimed that all deaths in custody were due to natural causes.

Human Rights Watch documented how the mass trials of hundreds of the accused left most without adequate counsel, adequate time to prepare a defense, or notice of the charges or evidence against them. Crucially, many made confessions under torture. The chief prosecutor claimed that no confession obtained under duress would be used in court, but legal teams eventually assigned to some of the cases showed Human Rights Watch documentation demonstrating that coerced confessions had been used as evidence.

"Families of those killed and injured in the mutiny need justice and closure, but the answer is not through flawed trials," Adams said. "True justice comes only through sound procedures that comply with the rule of law, and the families of the victims deserve better answers than this mass roundup."

The Bangladeshi authorities should establish an independent investigative and prosecutorial task force with sufficient expertise, authority, and resources to rigorously investigate allegations of human rights abuses after the mutiny. All those subject to unfair trials should be given a new trial.

The November 27 judgment was in response to an appeal of the trial judgment. As with those sentenced to death, the trials against the mutineers sentenced to life in prison were rife with due process concerns, including coerced confessions. Similarly, few of the accused sentenced to life in prison had access to lawyers or information about the case against them.

"The death penalty is a cruel and irreversible punishment that should never be used," Adams said. "Bangladesh should join the international movement to abolish it, particularly in cases like these in which suspects were tortured, nearly 50 died in custody, and due process failed."

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Bangladesh: Rohingya refugees must not be relocated to uninhabitable island

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Bangladesh: Rohingya refugees must not be relocated to uninhabitable island, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e68244.html [accessed 17 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 Bangladesh government must abandon all plans to relocate more than 100,000 Rohingya refugees on to an uninhabitable island, Amnesty International said today.

On Tuesday, the Bangladesh government approved a $280 million plan to develop the isolated, flood-prone and uninhabitable Thenger Char to temporarily house Rohingya refugees until they are repatriated to Myanmar.

"It would be a terrible mistake to relocate the Rohingya refugees to an uninhabitable island that is far from other refugee settlements and vulnerable to flooding," said Biraj Patnaik, Amnesty International's South Asia Director.

"Having opened its doors to more than 600,000 Rohingya over the past three months, the Bangladesh government now risks undermining the protection of the Rohingya and squandering the international goodwill it has earned. In its desperation to see the Rohingya leave the camps and ultimately return to Myanmar, it is putting their safety and well-being at risk."

The Thenger Char, also known as Bhashan Char island, only emerged into view 11 years ago. During monsoon season, it is highly vulnerable to flooding.

The humanitarian community has warned of the dangers to the Rohingya refugees if they are relocated to what is widely considered an uninhabitable island - located two hours away from the nearest settlement, making it harder for humanitarian assistance to reach the refugees.

Repatriation Agreement

Last week, the Bangladesh government signed a deal with the Myanmar government to repatriate the more than 700,000 refugees who fled unlawful killings, rape and the burning down of entire villages in northern Rakhine State during military attacks in October 2016 and August 2017.

Amnesty International recently published a detailed analysis into the root causes of the plight of the Rohingya, establishing that they have been trapped in a vicious system of state-sponsored, institutionalized discrimination that amounts to apartheid.

"Bangladesh should postpone any repatriation agreement until conditions are in place for refugees to return voluntarily and in safety and dignity," said Biraj Patnaik.

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Egypt: Release journalist who has spent two years behind bars without charge or trial

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 29 November 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Egypt: Release journalist who has spent two years behind bars without charge or trial, 29 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e68cd4.html [accessed 17 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 Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release a journalist and prisoner of conscience who, as of today, has spent two full years in pre-trial detention for his reporting, said Amnesty International.

Ismail al-Iskandrani is one of the few Egyptian journalists who continued to report critically on military operations in North Sinai despite authorities attempting to impose a blackout in the region. Under Egyptian law, two years is the maximum anyone can be held in pre-trial detention, which in itself raises serious human rights concerns.

"Ismail al-Iskandarani has been detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression and should never have been arrested in the first place. The judges reviewing his pre-trial detention would be flouting Egyptian and international law if they extend his unjust detention any further," said Najia Bounaim, North Africa Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

"The detention of Ismail al-Iskandrani is an illustration of the repressive media blackout imposed in North Sinai, where journalists and researchers face threats and intimidation for daring to uncover the reality of what is happening on the ground. Egyptian authorities have done their utmost to conceal violations by security forces from scrutiny by the press and rights groups."

On 29 November 2015, the National Security Agency of the Ministry of Interior arrested Ismail al-Iskandrani at Hurghada airport upon his return from Berlin. Police officers interrogated him about his trips to different countries and searched his laptop.

The Supreme State Security Prosecution interrogated him on 1 December 2015 about his views on the political situation in Egypt, particularly developments in North Sinai, and searched his social media accounts, emails and laptop. Prosecutors ordered his detention on charges of "belonging to a banned group", the Muslim Brotherhood, and "publishing false information and news".

Lawyer Mohamed Eissa from the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights, who attended all interrogation sessions with al-Iskandrani, told Amnesty International that prosecutors have failed to present any evidence that could justify his detention, other than his political views and journalistic work.

Attack on independent journalism

Al-Iskandrani's investigative journalism - for online newspapers such as Mada Masr and Assafir Al Arabi - frequently focused on the ongoing armed confrontations between security forces and armed groups in North Sinai, and the impact of political violence on residents and members of security forces.

Amnesty International believes his journalistic work covering developments in Sinai is the only reason for his detention.

The military has tightly controlled all reporting on its operations against the insurgency in North Sinai by denying access to independent journalists.

Background

At least 25 journalists are currently imprisoned in Egypt for doing their legitimate work. Between January and May 2017, courts sentenced at least 16 journalists to between three months and five years in prison on charges related solely to their writing, including defamation or publication of "false information".

Egypt's Code of Criminal Procedure states that no one, under any circumstances, should remain in pre-trial detention without conviction beyond two years. According to international standards, pre-trial detention should be a last resort and it should not exceed a reasonable duration -.

The Egyptian authorities routinely use prolonged pre-trial detention, often exceeding the two-year legal limit, as a means of punishing dissidents.

In October, a judge renewed the pre-trial detention of human rights defender Hisham Gaafar, even though he had been detained for more than two years.

Photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan, had spent more than two years in pre-trial detention when his trial on a range of spurious charges started in 2016. Since then, he has remained detained for the additional two years of his trial, alongside 738 defendants, without conviction.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
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Security lapses at aid agency leave beneficiary data at risk

Publisher IRIN Author Ben Parker Publication Date 27 November 2017 Cite as IRIN, Security lapses at aid agency leave beneficiary data at risk, 27 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e70464.html [accessed 17 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.

Aid agencies have put some projects on hold while reviewing the security of a popular online system for handling aid distributions, IRIN has learnt. Sensitive personal and financial data on tens of thousands of people in humanitarian aid projects is at risk from hackers, according to a damning security analysis by a financial technology startup.

In a report, Mautinoa Technologies said it identified several security problems in a software platform used by aid agencies to store the data of vulnerable people, exposing them to "very significant risks". The company behind the platform, Red Rose, denies the claims.

Mautinoa, a new provider of payment systems and technologies, was able to enter a cloud-based server of the NGO, Catholic Relief Services, and access names, photographs, family details, PIN numbers and map coordinates for more than 8,000 families receiving assistance from the NGO in West Africa.

In response, Oxfam, one of several customers of the platform, told IRIN it has "temporarily suspended uploading new data," to its Red Rose systems, as a precautionary measure. A spokesperson told IRIN the NGO, depending on its assessment, may review plans to implement the system in Bangladesh, where it is currently training staff. In recent days, a Red Rose server used for a CARE project in West Africa until May was taken offline. IOM told IRIN it is making plans to reduce its use of external "vendor support."

The incident is a real-world reminder of the possibility of personal details of aid beneficiaries falling into the wrong hands and the potential for fraud, as aid agencies increasingly turn to voucher systems and digital cash transfers as more efficient forms of assistance.

The risks are significant: gaps in legal and ethical frameworks for humanitarian operations and a lack of professional skills in digital data amount to "a disaster waiting to happen," according to a recent paper from the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.

Humanitarian security analyst Rakesh Bharania, now of Tarian Innovation LLC, and former co-chair of the security and privacy working group of humanitarian-corporate alliance NetHope, told IRIN "the risks to vulnerable people are extremely serious" and there's an "under-appreciated obligation" on aid groups and donors to tackle the issue.

To manage its cash and voucher transfers, CRS - like at least 10 other aid groups - uses the web-based system run by Red Rose, a young company based in Turkey and the UK that has rapidly emerged in recent years as a leading vendor of online data management platforms and apps for humanitarian responders.

By following instructions and clues in a public training video, Mautinoa got access to CRS's administrative dashboard, giving it full control to view and edit financial and personal details, and to download data. The system, although not connected to the banking system, contains financial records totalling about $4 million, provided by donors including USAID and the European Commission.

CRS, an NGO which manages $900 million of annual income and works in over 100 countries, confirmed the incident to IRIN, blaming an error in "password management", but Mautinoa said it had found deeper flaws in the software. These claims Red Rose vigorously denies.

The revelations could cause a "shockwave" in the aid sector, according to one analyst. Another said the implications of a bigger security breach could be "terrifying" for the safety of vulnerable refugees and other people in crisis situations.

Isolated incident?

In a statement provided to IRIN, Red Rose said "this is an isolated incident which we believe does not pose a risk of harm to our clients or beneficiaries." The company argued that "the unauthorized access is not a system-related issue, but a username and password management issue." It would however commission an independent "full penetration test of its system to review and test its security infrastructure."

Red Rose said Mautinoa's actions were motivated by "corporate gain". Mautinoa's access to the system was "reckless", the statement said, and likely the result of "unlawful activity".

Emerson Tan, the CEO of Mautinoa Technologies, freely acknowledges his company is working on a rival product. Tan has 20 years of experience in cyber-security in government and the private sector and has also worked in humanitarian response for more than a decade. He told IRIN his team were checking on the competition and decided to "kick the tyres" of the Red Rose system. (Analysts point out that technology companies routinely search for bugs in others' products, one example being Google's Project Zero.) Tan said he had rapidly become alarmed at his findings and decided to alert aid agencies using the platform.

Tan claims many of the problems found are "fundamental" security flaws and could ultimately expose vulnerable people's identities and locations. His report suggests weaknesses in encryption in the system and that smart cards issued to families on the basis of their aid entitlements could theoretically be faked or manipulated. Red Rose said its smart cards could not be cloned and its security systems are "robust" and "in line with industry standards".

Dominic Chell of UK security consultancy MDSec pointed out the report relied largely on the access possible from a single weak password on only one deployment of the system. He said the report did appear to reveal "very poor cyber-hygiene practices going on," but they did not seem very unusual nor absolutely critical: "we see this stuff all the time".

CRS told IRIN that it would be tightening up its security practice and had already established more stringent requirements for IT vendors. Paul Eagle, vice president of marketing and communications for CRS, told IRIN the organisation was awaiting the outcome of Red Rose's tests: "We will wait to pass judgement until we review those results."

Other NGOs using the software defended it.

"ZOA is confident in the security of the Red Rose platform," said one, while the Norwegian Refugee Council said: "We believe that our current implementation of the Red Rose platform is safe."

Mautinoa's easy access to the CRS system was in large part due to human error, as well as system design, but that doesn't make it any less serious, according to security specialists. Bharania, of Tarian Innovation, told IRIN "security vulnerabilities don't have to be fancy or exotic to be problematic."

Several humanitarian professionals contacted by IRIN agreed that this episode, regardless of the details of the software engineering, vividly highlights risks and responsibilities in data management that demand greater attention.

"We don't understand the full implications of the data we hold and share, the same way we didn't when we were doing in-kind distributions via Excel," an NGO manager said. "I think we are too trusting of companies that say they have data protection under control."

The risks of data

Increasing volumes of personal data are collected from refugees and other aid recipients and stored digitally in the aid industry. These may include names, photos, fingerprints, physical addresses, ID numbers or iris scans, and are stored in a variety of databases and systems managed by aid agencies, banks and private companies. The UN World Food Programme's SCOPE system alone has details on 20 million people. These systems allows aid agencies to combat fraud, control expenditure, and offer convenient benefits, such as cash and vouchers. On the flip side, that data, in the wrong hands, could facilitate surveillance, discrimination or persecution.

Senior humanitarian specialist Zehra Rizvi, told IRIN she didn't expect much impact due to structural issues in the sector: "There will be some head-shaking and calls for investigations and better rules and regulations..." However, part of the problem, she argued, is too many aid agencies "ramping up on using technology... and trying to one-up each other" in "a rush to be seen as innovative."

"It's truly inefficient", she added, suggesting a collaborative research and development effort would be ideal.

Another analyst told IRIN that aid agencies should simply "get out of the business" of trying to deploy such advanced enterprise-quality software and outsource it to experts in financial services.

Red Rose customers react

Red Rose systems are used by at least nine aid agencies, according to IRIN's search of public sources. Current customers may include: Action contre La Faim, Danish Church Aid, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Organisation for Migration, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Premiere Urgence Internationale, UNICEF and ZOA.

An ICRC spokesperson said the organisation was testing out the system in three countries, including Ukraine, with an initial caseload of 9,000 people. Juliette Ebele said no data had been compromised, but that the ICRC took data protection very seriously. She said the organisation, like others, was looking into the platform and Mautinoa's report, and would suspend the pilot project "should alleged flaws be confirmed".

Most of the agencies that responded to IRIN's questions, said they would be checking their procedures and were tightening up processes. IOM, which uses the platform for 25,000 Syrians in Turkey, said its data was safe and carefully handled. However in a statement, IOM said it "is making plans to reduce its dependence" on external IT vendors, including Red Rose. Some referred to Red Rose's denials and others took aim at the source of the allegations being a competitor. Four had not replied by publication time.

Red Rose, one of few such providers in the non-profit sector, has been used in conflict zones in Syria and Ukraine. Bharania said in locations like these, humanitarian responders find themselves in a theatre of conflict with "some of the most sophisticated threat actors on the planet", often government-sponsored.

He says there is no reason to expect cyber warfare to "spare the organizations that are involved in the humanitarian response (or the people they're trying to help)." In a response to the 2015 Nepal earthquake he reported evidence of a state-sponsored attempt to hack into relief workers' communications.

Bharania believes there is a long way to go to bring up standards in humanitarian data management, and donors need to invest. As well as financing data security, he said finding qualified staff will be challenging, and a system of responsible disclosure alerts and warnings is needed. The new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets stringent rules on personal data and privacy and will be a further wake-up call, he added.
UN chief reiterates support for two-state solution in Middle East; vows to denounce anti-Semitism

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief reiterates support for two-state solution in Middle East; vows to denounce anti-Semitism, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e81784.html [accessed 17 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.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today reiterated that he would continue to work to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a two-state solution, and vowed to denounce hate speech aimed at Israelis.

"I will continue to speak out against anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, hate speech and the use of anti-Semitic appeals by violent extremist groups to recruit new followers," Mr. Guterres said in remarks delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, at the Queens Museum in New York.

The event marked the 70th anniversary of General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for the division of the former British mandate for Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Adopted on 29 November 1947, the resolution led to the birth of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948.

"Resolution 181 was subsequently cited in the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel, marking the beginning of a relationship between Israel and the United Nations that has endured and deepened, even during challenging times," Mr. Guterres said.

He noted that since becoming a UN Member State in 1949, the cooperation between the UN and Israel has grown in peacekeeping, sustainable development and disaster relief, among others.

Having visited Israel three months ago, Mr. Guterres said he saw "remarkable examples of innovation and solutions" that can help all countries fight climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
South Sudan: Senior UN official urges Security Council to support peace process revitalization

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan: Senior UN official urges Security Council to support peace process revitalization, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e81ca4.html [accessed 17 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 arrival of the dry season in South Sudan could lead to more fighting that would undermine the political process and cause additional civilian casualties and displacement, a senior United Nations official cautioned the Security Council on Tuesday.

Briefing the Council on the security situation in the world's newest country, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Bintou Keita also raised concerns about the growing number of incidents targeting humanitarian actors and restrictions on movement of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) personnel.

"The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to be dire, compounded by widespread armed conflict, inter-communal violence, large displacements of the civilian population and access restrictions which prevents the delivery of humanitarian assistance," Ms. Keita said.

Some four million South Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes in the conflict that erupted nearly four years ago following a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his Vice-President, Riek Machar. Despite an August 2015 peace agreement, violence has continued.

According to UN figures, nearly half of the country's 12 million people are hungry, including about 1.7 million on the brink of famine.

The situation is likely to get worse with onset of the dry season, Ms. Keita said, and "the Government's push to assert military dominance across the country, notably when faced with continued resistance by armed opposition groups."

She stressed that the conflict in South Sudan can only have a political solution and urged the international community to provide "unified and unconditional" support for the peace process.

Ms. Keita encouraged the 15-member council to "unanimously express its support to the urgent revitalization of the peace process so that the suffering of all South Sudanese civilians can come to an end."

Those efforts are being led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with support from neighbouring countries, such as Uganda, to revitalize the implementation of the peace agreement and to bring stakeholders together.

An IGAD task force is now meeting informally in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire - where the fifth African Union and European Union summit will begin tomorrow - and will formally discuss the situation in South Sudan in mid-December.
UN working to address slavery, abuses against African migrants and refugees, Security Council told

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN working to address slavery, abuses against African migrants and refugees, Security Council told, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e821d4.html [accessed 17 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 United Nations is stepping up its work to stop the grave abuses perpetrated against refugees and migrants along the Central Mediterranean routes, including alleged slave trade in Libya, two UN agency chiefs told the Security Council Tuesday.

The meeting was held at UN Headquarters in New York in response to growing international concerns about risks facing migrants and refugees, which were illustrated by recent news reports and videos showing African migrants in Libya allegedly being sold as slaves.

"This is an enormous human tragedy and we can stop it," said William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), via video link from Geneva, underscoring the need to break the smugglers' business model.

In such efforts, IOM has helped 13,000 people get out of detention centres in Libya and 8,000 in Niger, he said, noting that there are about 15,000 still in such facilities.

IOM is working with partners, including the Government of Libya, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the African Union, the European Union, and countries of origin, to forge an agreement to implement a programme to empty those detention centres, Mr. Swing said.

Also briefing was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who told the Council: "The grave abuses perpetrated against migrants and refugees along the Central Mediterranean routes can no longer be ignored."

"Compelled to flee, but without legal pathways to safety, refugees are exposed to appalling harm, together with migrants, including torture, rape, sexual exploitation, slavery and other forms of forced labour," Mr. Grandi said, also via video link from Geneva, adding that these abuses proliferate where governance is weak and transnational criminal networks take root.

"This requires a comprehensive approach encompassing countries of origin, transit, and destination," he stressed, highlighting the need to strengthen refugee protection and offer solutions along the routes.

UNHCR is stepping up its work - but faces "dramatic" funding gaps, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, he added.

UNHCR is helping the authorities address the needs of displaced Libyans and others affected by conflict. Reception and protection mechanisms are being incrementally strengthened. Plans for a transit centre in Tripoli are progressing positively.

"Too often, measures pursued in relation to the Mediterranean routes have centred on how to control, deter and exclude. This can have a dehumanizing effect - and more importantly, alone, it does not help refugees and migrants avoid exploitative, deeply harmful situations," Mr. Grandi said, calling for a comprehensive set of political, security, humanitarian, human rights and development investments.

"Your attention is welcome, because your leadership is critical to ensuring that this happens," he told the Council members.
Violence drives more Rohingyas to Bangladesh; in Myanmar, Pope appeals for tolerance  UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Violence drives more Rohingyas to Bangladesh; in Myanmar, Pope appeals for tolerance  UN, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e82c04.html [accessed 17 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.

While their numbers have dropped in recent weeks, hundreds of Rohingya refugees are still crossing the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar every day, the United Nations migration agency said Tuesday.

People are still arriving in the settlements with horrifying accounts of physical and sexual abuse, harassment and murder. All of them fear for family members left behind in Myanmar, said Andrew Lind, the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Emergency Coordinator in Cox's Bazar.

Over the past three months, more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed into Cox's Bazar, fleeing violence and oppression in Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state. The most recent influx of some 1,800 in the past week, brings the total population of Rohingya seeking safety in the district to more than 836,000.

One 30-year-old woman who arrived in the Balukhali settlement on Monday with her five children told IOM that she fled seven days ago when her village was burned to ground, saying that while one group of attackers kidnapped people another set houses on fire.

The family hid for two days in a nearby village before making their way to the border. She explained that with no access to healthcare in Rakhine state, her husband died several months ago.

Like the other refugees, the family arrived with almost nothing to the congested settlement, where the humanitarian response tries to catch up with the vast needs of a desperate population.

Concerns raised over water safety, security and fear-mongering on the ground

Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) found that over 60 per cent of water sources tested in the settlements were contaminated with E.coli. Shallow wells located less than 30 feet away from latrines are culpable, with full latrines and a lack of space to drain them contributing to the potentially life-threatening problem.

To date, IOM has drilled a total of 374 deep tube wells and installed 4,973 permanent and emergency latrines in the Cox's Bazar settlements and host communities.

Security concerns are also growing as the settlements have become a target for human traffickers. IOM is seeking funding to help better protect the refugees and offer support to survivors of exploitation and human trafficking.

In other news, Pope Francis, who is currently in Myanmar, has condemned politicians who propagate alarm over immigration, arguing that fear-mongering engenders violence and racism.

In a message about migrants and refugees that the Vatican sent to heads of State and Government before the Pontiff's trip, he said: Those who, for what may be political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which are matters of great worry for all those concerned about the safety of every human being.

After Myanmar, Pope Francis will travel to Bangladesh, where he is expected to meet a small group of Rohingya refugees.
Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose 'enormous challenge with no easy solution,' Security Council told

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 November 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose 'enormous challenge with no easy solution,' Security Council told, 28 November 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a1e83360.html [accessed 17 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.

With violent extremists having suffered defeats in Syria and Iraq, the international community must step up cooperation to address the complex problem of foreign terrorist fighters returning home or travelling to other regions, the head of the United Nations Office against Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Mr. Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General of the recently-created UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, told the Council that at one time, more than 40,000 combatants from over 110 countries had joined terrorist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq.

"The threat stemming from foreign terrorist fighters affects all Member States, even those far away from the conflict zones," he said, laying out the scale of the problem in a briefing to the Council.

Noting that while travel measures implemented by countries and military victories against the so-called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Daesh) have "significantly decreased" flows to the region, combatants have since tried to relocate to Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan - fuelling existing conflicts in these countries.

Meanwhile, some 5,600 fighters from 33 nations have returned home, many equipped to carry attacks out on their native soil, or drum up new recruits.

"Returning foreign terrorist fighters pose an enormous challenge with no easy solution," Mr. Voronkov continued.

"A tempting response, and certainly the easiest one, would to be throw all returnees into prison [] But full compliance with international law is vital to combat the threat of foreign terrorist fighters," he stressed.

Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office, addresses the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts and foreign terrorst fighters. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Lone terrorists, an alarming trend

Speaking on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Executive Director Michyle Coninsx strongly condemned the recent "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" in Egypt, and expressed her deepest condolences to the families of all victims of terror attacks.

"All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation," she told the Council.

Despite recent successes, Ms. Coninsx acknowledged the significant challenges posed by the global terrorist threat. She noted the accelerated rate with which foreign terrorist fighters are returning to their original or a third State, along with an increase in the percentage of terrorist plots resulting in fatalities.

"Of particular concern is the increasing trend towards attacks carried out by lone terrorists, who are often guided by handlers located in other parts of the world," she underscored.

"Many recent attacks that appear to have been inspired by ISIL, conducted in its name, or claimed by ISIL, were initially reported as 'lone actor' attacks. Subsequent investigations have shown however, that those individuals received support or resources from elsewhere, often via the Internet or social media," Ms. Coninsx added, pointing out that terrorists are also increasingly using new technologies to transfer funds to those individuals. new technologies to transfer funds to those individuals.

She cited a number of challenges in combatting foreign terrorist fighters, saying "International cooperation continues to be undermined by practical and political challenges, as well as by inconsistent compliance with human rights obligations."

The Executive Director espoused the importance of strengthening partnerships between and among Member States, UN agencies and partner organizations, asserting: "It takes networks to beat networks."

ISIL suffering defeats, but adapting, with 'entrenched' Internet presence

Kairat Umarov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, also briefed the Council in his capacity as Chair of the Sanctions Committee on Al-Qaida and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and associated groups.

Noting that the threat from ISIL/Da'esh, Al-Qaida and affiliates has evolved since his last relevant briefing in May - including by delegating decision-making to local commanders and switching to encrypted communication - he said ISIL also continues to use external attacks by its members and sympathizers as part of its response.

"Increasingly, ISIL is transforming from a territorially grounded organization into a terror network of cells around the globe," he said, adding that it sent funds to its affiliates worldwide.

While ISIL/Da'esh is being physically weakened, its presence in the virtual world is entrenched, posing a serious threat to international peace and security. It uses Internet propaganda both for radicalization and the recruitment of fighters, employing sophisticated manipulation and brainwashing techniques.

Noting that the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into Iraq and Syria had slowed due to military pressure and improved border control, he said those fighters returning home or relocating present another threat to global security, as they had the potential to re-energize existing terrorist networks or spur the growth of new ones.

As Chair of the Committee, he said he is working to address those challenges by visiting countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Russia and Uzbekistan, where he attended a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on fighting terrorism across borders. The Committee is working to ensure that its sanctions list is updated and as accurate as possible, he said, noting that it currently included 256 individuals and 80 entities.
WETHERSFIELD  Each year, using armloads of greenery and native plants, authentic decorations from days of yore, and some pretty clever food-styling tricks, the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museums Three Centuries of Christmas tours show in fascinating detail how the American holiday season evolved over the past 300 years.

The 2017 season will begin with the lively WDS Holiday Preview Party on Friday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. Guests will delight in a candlelight preview of the dazzling holiday decorations throughout the museum, stroll from house to house enjoying delicious food, wines and live holiday music, and chat with Mr. and Mrs. Silas Deane, Mrs. Claus, and guides in period dress. Admission is $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Advance tickets: http://webb-deane-stevens.org/celebrate-three-centuries-of-christmas/.

Candlelight Tours, with guides in period dress, will be on Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16, 5 to 8 p.m. Daytime Holiday Tours run from Dec. 9  Jan. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. except Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Admission for tours is $12.

The Three Centuries of Christmas enchanting, historic view of holidays past begins in the Silas Deane House, circa 1770, where New Years Day was the main holiday, rather than Christmas, due to the Puritanical customs that lingered in New England. The house reflects the preparations for the Deanes New Years Day Calling, when prominent gentlemen in the community would call on the lady of the household. It was also the day when individuals who owed the family money would meet privately with the master of the house to settle their debts or make a New Years resolution to provide goods or services to settle their accounts in the coming year.

The Isaac Stevens House is decorated to depict the holiday celebrations of a middle-class household during the early to mid-1800s, when many of the Christmas traditions known today were adopted in New England. The best parlor features a charming table-top tree decorated with candles, gilded eggshells and edible treats, in keeping with the era. The Stevens House also includes a special exhibit with enlarged color illustrations by Thomas Nast from the museums rare 1888 copy of Clement Moores An Account of a Visit of St Nicholas. The colorful images tell the tale of how the secular Christmas known today was created in the early 19th century, which coincides with the museums interpretation of Christmas at the Stevens House.

At the Joseph Webb House visitors are dazzled by decorations typical of the early 20th century, a period of stunning decoration and celebration. The home is prepared for a Christmas open house that was typical of the times, including a sumptuous dessert buffet set up in the dining parlor. The culmination of several weeks work, the lavishness of the dessert and decorations could make or break the hostess reputation. Decorations include three Christmas trees, evergreen roping, fresh greens, fruit, and a collection of period ornaments.

Also featured are a fine collection of antique iron toys from the late 19th and early 20th century and a charming Victorian doll house. New in the Webb House this year will be a special exhibit of more than 200 Christmas post cards from the late 19th and early 20th century from the collection of Scott and Shea Jezek.

Located in the heart of Connecticuts largest historic district, the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum provides the quintessential New England experience - from the American Revolution to the early 20th century. Tours include the 1752 Joseph Webb House, where General George Washington met with French General Rochambeau and planned the military campaign leading to the end of the Revolutionary War, the 1770 Silas Deane House, built for Americas first diplomat to France, and the 1788 Isaac Stevens House, which depicts Connecticut life in the 18th and 19th centuries. For more information visit: www.webb-deane-stevens.org or call (860) 529-0612. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WDSMUSEUM.

Story contributed by the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum
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Had Democrats chosen differently at the start of the decade, he would have been the partys nominee for governor. Now, after seven years of biding his time as a pundit and professor, Democrat Ned Lamont is gauging interest in a comeback bid for the states top office.

The wealthy Greenwich cable entrepreneur, who was upset by Malloy in the 2010 gubernatorial primary, confirmed his interest in the race in an interview Tuesday with Hearst Connecticut Media.

Im thinking about it, Lamont said. Ive got a lot vested in this state for a long time. Its a great state and we just dont have a great government.

The Democratic insurgent, who toppled Joe Lieberman in a Senate primary more than a decade ago but was ultimately thwarted by the incumbent in the general election, is expected to hire a pollster to determine his gubernatorial prospects, Hearst has learned.

Given the number of candidates, if you walk into the race with a following even at the 15 percent level, you immediately become a significant contender, said Ronald Schurin, an associate professor of political science at the University of Connecticut. Hes got now what he didnt have in 2006 in the Democratic Party, which is broad name recognition.

Year-end decision

In the 2006 clash, Lieberman resorted to running as an independent petition candidate to save his seat in the Senate and further infuriated the political left with his cameo at John McCains nominating convention against Barack Obama in 2008. Lieberman did not seek re-election in 2012.

There will be people eternally grateful to Ned Lamont for eventually pushing Joe Lieberman out of the Senate after that one term when he won as an independent, Schurin said.

Lamont, 63, said he plans to make a decision on whether to enter the wide open race by years end. Malloy, who was rated the least popular Democratic governor in an October poll by Morning Consult, is not seeking a third term.

I just care about whether I think I can make a difference and get this state back and track, Lamont said. Weve got so many amazing assets. Were just not making the best out of our potential.

A record number of Republicans and Democrats are vying to take over for Malloy, whose job approval ratings have cratered as a result of budget deficits, tax increases and the loss of corporate headquarters such as General Electric and Aetna.

None of the Democrats  a group that includes Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, former Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris and John Rowland prosecutor Chris Mattei  have run for statewide office. Each is participating in the states public campaign financing program, which Lamont opted out of in 2010 against Malloy.

The lone exception is Joe Ganim, who was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor during his first stint as Bridgeport mayor. Ganim, who overcame a corruption scandal that sent him to prison for seven years, is expected to transition from testing the waters to a candidacy for governor in January.

Big spender

Lamont spent $26 million of his cable television fortune on his run for the Senate and for governor. He is the great-grandson of Thomas W. Lamont, the chairman of J.P. Morgan & Co. Publicly funded candidates can get up to $8 million for the primary and general election in Connecticut.

It was in 2006 that Lamont, a former Greenwich selectman, vaulted to national prominence with his primary challenge of Lieberman. The incumbents support of the war in Iraq and closeness to President George W. Bush, who kissed Lieberman on the cheek after his 2005 State of the Union address, became a rallying point for the liberal wing of the party. The beneficiary of that angst was Lamont, who campaigned with the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

The manager of Lamonts campaign was Tom Swan, who is the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, a good-government organization. Swan said Tuesday that hes heard the rumblings about a Lamont comeback.

I think hes shown a commitment to public service, Swan said. Id be open to hearing more. I think if he gets in, hell be taken seriously by a bunch of people.

Lamont, who is a faculty member at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain and has frequently organized Lincoln-Douglas-style debates on pressing issues facing the state, seems to be warming up to a run. Less than a month ago, he played down the possibility in an interview with Hearst.

Not hell no, but no, Lamont said then.

http://twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436
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Nightclubs have been the scenes of devastating tragedies time and time again. Whenever large numbers of people pack into confined spaces, the opportunity for catastrophe snowballs.

On the 75th anniversary of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in Boston, we look back at how common such disasters are.

Related: Worst US nightclub fire influences safety codes, burn care

Since April 1928, when an explosion and fire killed 40 people packed into a dance hall in West Plains, Mo., there have been nine major nightclub fires in the United States, including Cocoanut Grove, The Station in Rhode Island in 2003, and most recently, the fire at the Ghost Ship warehouse in Oakland, Calif.

Cocoanut Grove remains the worst nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 492 people and injuring 166 others in the shadow of WWII.

Now Playing: An estimated 1,000 people were in the building at the time and 492 people perished in the blaze. Video: WCVB

In 1974, 24 people were killed in a fire at Gulliver's, a night club in Port Chester, N.Y., just over the Greenwich border. The fire began in an adjacent bowling alley. The blaze was later determined to be arson, set intentionally to cover up a burglary at the bowling alley.

A pyrotechnics display got out of hand at The Station Nightclub in Warwick, R.I. in the winter of 2003. One hundred people died and over 200 were injured.

Unsafe building conditions played a role in the deadly blaze that broke out during an electronic dance music party at the Ghost Ship warehouse in December 2016 in Oakland. Thirty-six people were killed.

Related: AP Was There  Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire kills 492

Fires that can quickly grow out of control are not the only hazards when it comes to packed nightclubs. Twenty-one people were killed at E2 Nightclub in Chicago in 2003 when police used pepper spray to break up a fight, causing panic and a stampede toward the exits.

Two gunmen denied entrance to a nightclub in Fresno, Calif. in May 1993 returned just after closing and opened fire, killing seven people.

The Bataclan, a concert venue in Paris, was the site of a terrorist attack in November 2015. Months later, a man gunned down 49 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. in one of the worst terror attacks on American soil since 9/11.

Browse the gallery above for perspective on the dangers at nightclubs.

Note: This article was updated on Dec. 7, 2017 to include details about the fire at Gulliver's night club in Port Chester, N.Y.
The top two Democratic leaders in Congress pulled out of a meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday after he said that differences over immigration and tax policy make it unlikely they'd reach a deal to prevent a government shutdown.

"Given that the President doesn't see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

They said they'd skip a "show meeting" at the White House and instead ask for a meeting with their Republican counterparts, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Trump sparked the dispute with a tweet preceding a scheduled meeting with congressional leadership Tuesday afternoon.

"Meeting with 'Chuck and Nancy' today about keeping government open and working," Trump said on Twitter. "Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I don't see a deal!"

White House aides didn't immediately respond to requests to elaborate on Trump's declaration.

Some Democrats have called for any year-end spending deal to include legislation that would codify an Obama administration policy providing protection against deportation for young undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Trump, who announced in September he was ending the program, has said any deal protecting the so-called "Dreamers" should be paired with funding for a border wall and legislation that would reduce legal immigration.

If Democrats and Republicans do not reach a deal on spending by Dec. 8, the federal government could face a partial shutdown.

The Dec. 8 deadline was set in a deal Schumer and Pelosi struck with Trump -- against the wishes of Ryan and McConnell -- to avoid a government shutdown and debt default in September. They agreed to fund the government at current levels and suspend the debt limit for three months.

Since that deal was struck, Congress has focused mostly on a tax overhaul and has made little progress reaching a spending deal to keep the government open. Other issues have also piled up, including the fate of cost-sharing subsidies that help defray deductibles and coinsurance payments for low-income patients with Obamacare insurance policies. Trump stopped paying the subsidies.

The negotiations also include efforts to lift legislative caps on military spending, raise the debt limit, provide more funding for disaster assistance, and extend a children's health insurance program and an intelligence surveillance program.

Several of those issues face year-end deadlines and may end up in a huge spending plan that requires votes from both Republicans and Democrats.

The Trump administration does not want to include immigration as part of the year-end spending deal to keep the government open, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Monday.

"We hope that the Democrats aren't going to put our service members abroad at risk by trying to hold the government hostage over partisan politics, and attaching that," Sanders told reporters on Monday.
Cambodias government on Wednesday launched a probe into a leading human rights organization, days after Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened to shut it down, prompting an outcry from groups who called the move further evidence of the countrys slide into dictatorship ahead of elections next year.



Deputy director-general of the Ministry of Interiors General Directorate of Administration Chhim Kan told government-aligned Fresh News that his ministry had initiated a study and investigation into the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)a rights group cofounded by opposition leader Kem Sokha, who is currently in pretrial detention facing charges of treason.



The ministry has yet to decide CCHRs fate, Chhim Kan said, adding that expert officials are awaiting the outcome of the investigation to determine how to proceed.



Over the weekend, Hun Sen said that the group will have to be shut down because Kem Sokha followed foreigners to create the center in Cambodia, noting that this is the same guy who incited people to topple the government.



In response to Hun Sens comments, CCHR issued a statement affirming its non-partisanship and independence from all political parties, and said any independent and impartial investigation into its activities would find no wrongdoing whatsoever.



Kem Sokha was arrested on Sept. 3 for allegedly collaborating with the U.S. to overthrow the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP)charges the U.S. embassy has rejected. Cambodias Supreme Court on Nov. 16 ruled that his opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) be dissolved for its part in the plot, essentially eliminating Hun Sens competition ahead of a general election scheduled for July 2018.



Hun Sens government has faced widespread condemnation in recent months over its actions targeting the CNRP, as well as for orchestrating the closure of independent media outlets and cracking down on nongovernmental organizations.



International response



Local and international organizations suggested that the investigation into CCHR could lead to a wider shut down of NGOs in Cambodia, and decried it as arbitrary and lacking legal basis.



Toronto-based IFEX, a global network of groups promoting free expression that counts CCHR as a member, strongly and unequivocally condemned Hun Sens call for an investigation into the organization following the politically motivated dissolution of the CNRP and arrest of Kem Sokha.



The closure of such a principled and dedicated group as CCHR would be devastating for the safeguarding of Cambodians' rights at a time when they are under increasing threat, and would irrevocably add to the climate of censorship that has taken hold, said IFEX executive director Annie Game.



Considered alongside other important voices that have been silenced, such a brazen action would signal to the world that Cambodia's stated support for free expression and association is an empty platitude.



IFEX urged the government to drop its baseless investigation into CCHR, in accordance with protections for freedom of expression and association enshrined in Cambodias constitution, and called on the international community, including donors and trade partners, to pressure Cambodia over the case.



IFEXs statement echoed earlier concerns over Hun Sens comments from the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), which said in a post on its Facebook page over the weekend that his attacks on the CCHR constituted further evidence of Cambodias continued slide deeper into dictatorship.



In the post, APHR chairperson Charles Santiago, a member of the Malaysian Parliament, said the push to shut down the group is the ruthless action of a dictator, and it will perpetuate widespread fear among civil society.



He called on authorities to immediately reverse course and allow CCHR to continue its important work free from threats and intimidation, adding that international partners should worry about the implications for productive engagement and sustainable development in Cambodia, given the countrys shrinking civic space.



Local reaction



Soeung Sen Karona, spokesperson for local rights group ADHOC, told RFA Wednesday that if authorities are going to conduct an investigation into the CCHR, it must be done transparently, instead of simply as a response to Hun Sens comments.



He added that the Ministry of the Interior must look into the benefits that CCHR has provided to society, calling the group an unequivocal partner for strengthening respect of human rights and social justice in Cambodia.



We hope that what Hun Sen has said are simply his remarks and that those who conduct the [investigation] will do so in a professional manner, he said.



Should they fail to find any [evidence] backing up [Hun Sens] claim, such a crucial institution should be maintained so that it can further contribute to helping society and the nation in accordance with the governments goal of respecting human rights and democracy.



Since late August, the government has also expelled U.S.-funded NGO the National Democratic Institute (NDI), suspended some 20 radio stations that aired content by U.S. broadcasters Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, and forced the closure of the English-language Cambodia Daily with a hefty tax bill.



Since Kem Sokhas arrest, some 20 CNRP lawmakers, along with deputy presidents Mu Sochua and Eng Chhay Eang and a number of party activists, have fled Cambodia fearing retaliation by the CPP following important electoral gains by the opposition in Junes commune ballot, which are seen as pointing to a strong showing in next years vote.



Last month, a group of 55 nongovernmental organizations said a severe deterioration in the state of human rights and democracy in Cambodia required a reconvening of the Paris Peace Conference, which ended conflict in the nation in 1991 and led to the U.N.s administration of its government during its transition to a system of democratic elections.



Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party has moved to damp down a public outcry surrounding the alleged abuse of children and toddlers at a Beijing kindergarten, warning the country's tightly controlled media not to criticize a recent statement by police denying that any sexual abuse took place.



"Resolutely prevent any malicious hyping of the Chaoyang police's social media account announcement on the RYB New World kindergarten," a leaked directive from the party's powerful propaganda department ordered editors.



"Please immediately delete or shut down any social media content or accounts that seek to exaggerate the situation," a copy of the directive posted online by the U.S.-based China Digital Times news website said.



New York-listed RYB Education has removed the principal of its New World kindergarten in Beijings Chaoyang district, and also fired a 22-year-old teacher surnamed Liu, who police said had been found to have "pricked" children in her care with needles.



The Chaoyang district police department said Liu is now under criminal detention, after admitting pricking children with needles who "didn't want to take a nap," as a form of "discipline."



While the statement admitted that some of the surveillance footage from cameras inside the kindergarten was missing, it blamed a member of staff for switching off the power for the gaps in coverage, and denied allegations by parents of sexual abuse at the kindergarten.



"So far in the investigation, we have managed to recover 113 hours of surveillance footage, and at no point was anyone seen harming or abusing a child," the statement said.



It said that of the 78 staff members employed at the facility, only eight were male, and that police had "found no incidents in which they were alone with the children."



State-run Xinhua news agency had earlier reported that police were investigating allegations that children were "reportedly sexually molested, pierced by needles and given unidentified pills."



But police handed an administrative jail sentence to a parent surnamed Liu for "rumor-mongering" about the scandal, while a second parent surnamed Li had been released on caution after receiving "criticism and education" from police, and making a public apology for the allegations on social media, it said.



Repeated calls to the Chaoyang district government education bureau rang unanswered during office hours on Wednesday.



Cover-up suspected



Many suspect the government, in admitting the physical abuse with needles, is seeking to cover up a far greater scandal.



"Of course nobody believes the version of events offered by RYB kindergarten," a parent surnamed Li told RFA. "After doing these evil things, day in, day out, they are now trying to make themselves out to be good people."



"This is utterly shameful, and I think everyone understands very well what is going on here."



An anonymous teacher at a different Beijing kindergarten agreed.



"For such things to be going on at kindergartens really shows you just how dark our society has gotten," the teacher said. "We can no longer see the light."



A kindergarten principal in the central province of Hubei said it was highly suspicious that a section of surveillance footage had "gone missing."



"If they had a proper surveillance system in the first place, then it couldn't have gone missing," the principal said. "I think the school is keeping something back."



And an academic who asked to be identified only by his surname Li said the police statements left far too many questions unanswered.



"It's very unsurprising for this to be the outcome in China," Li said. "Firstly, ordinary people have no way to take on officials, and secondly, there's a prohibition on 'smearing' the central government since the 19th party congress [last month]."



"They basically want to cover up anything negative, because they see it as smearing them."



Keyword searches of top Chinese social media sites showed that many tweets referencing the RYB scandal had been deleted by Wednesday.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Koreas test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) believed capable of striking the continental U.S. drew strong condemnation from Washington Wednesday, with the White House vowing to increase sanctions on the Kim Jong Un regime for its first launch in more than two months.



But observers told RFAs Korean Service that the test may have been carefully intended to prod the U.S. to enter into dialogue, rather than provoke a military response.



On Tuesday, North Korea said it had successfully tested a new ICBM called the Hwasong-15, which it claimed could target all of the U.S. with a super large heavy warhead and signified that our rocket development process has been completed.



North Koreas first launch since Sept. 15 lobbed a missile 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) into the atmosphere and kept it aloft for nearly an hoursending it farther than any of its previous tests and more than 10 times higher than the International Space Station.



Analysts say that when accounting for a standard trajectory, the missile would have a range of more than 8,100 miles (13,000 kilometers)more than capable of hitting the U.S. capital, which lies 6,850 miles (11,000 kilometers) from Pyongyang.



The launch quickly drew condemnation from U.S. President Donald Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.



On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that Pyongyangs provocations will be handled and that additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today, following a call with President Xi Jinping of China, North Koreas most significant supporter.



In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the White House has a long list of additional potential sanctions, some of which involve  financial institutions, adding that the U.S. Treasury Department would announce them when they are ready to roll out.



In a statement, the White House said that Trump had emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization in his call with Xi Jinping.



A spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed grave concern and opposition to North Koreas test In a press briefing on Wednesday, saying Beijing is committed to implementing existing United Nations Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang and working towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.



But Beijing said it opposed any unilateral sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction outside the U.N. framework that the U.S. might be considering.



Implications of test



Tuesdays test flies in the face of earlier threats by Trump of the possibility of military action against the North in response to its illicit weapons development, though analysts have suggested the trajectory of the missiles flight may have been calculated by Pyongyang to avoid confrontation with the U.S.



And while North Korea claimed that the test signaled the completion of its missile program, observers said it was unclear whether Pyongyang had met all of the necessary technological requirements necessary to make the North a true nuclear power.



Dae-sung Song, the former president of the Sejong Institute in South Korea, said that North Korea had not yet demonstrated that it has a reliable weapons program in place that would give it leverage in negotiations with the West.



The U.S. wont be concerned about North Korea unless its ICBMs are completely developed, he said.



When a completely developed nuclear weapon is deliverable, that would be a true threat to the U.S. and would create a chance [for North Korea] to make deals with Washington.



Sangsoo Lee, senior research fellow and project manager of the Korean Peninsula Project at the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Sweden, said Tuesdays launch was intended not to provoke conflict, but rather to leave room for dialogue.



North Koreas plan was to complete its nuclear program within this year and although it says the program was completed with the latest launch, there is still a month before the end of 2017, he said.



Its not clear whether this test will bring the U.S. to the negotiating table or not. North Korea is testing the possibility of negotiations with the U.S., but it certainly has prepared something else to show. I think North Korea is preparing to adopt a different strategy for next year.



Han Bum Cho, a senior researcher at South Koreas Korea Institute of National Unification, said the North is trying to leave room for negotiations with the U.S. and that its latest test was an attempt to prod Washington without overstepping boundaries.



Kim Jong Uns plans did not lead him to the point where he wanted to be, so he needed additional provocation, he said.



But In Duk Kang, South Koreas former Minister of Unification, said the international community is losing its patience with North Korea, and expects a stronger response to the test.



There is now a stronger possibility that [the U.S.] takes the military option, he said.



And while China is imposing sanctions by restricting enterprises in [cities near its border with North Korea], it isnt doing enough, so I foresee that they might consider cutting off their supply of oil.



Tip of the iceberg



Harry Kazianis, director of Defense Studies at the Washington-based Center for the National Interest, told RFA that the North will need to continue to demonstrate that it is making progress in developing its weapons capabilities in order to achieve its goal of forcing the U.S. into negotiations.



As we get closer to the Winter Olympics in February in South Korea  that might be a time where the North Koreans feel even more emboldened to do something even biggerwhether its an even more expansive ICBM test or potentially even detonating an underground nuclear device to basically show the world that they are a bona fide nuclear power, he said.



So what happened yesterday might just be a tip of the iceberg.



Kazianis said that while North Korea is unlikely to have completed its weapons program, they are probably close, and analysis of the test in coming days may indicate how far they have progressed.



We know the North Koreans have the range to hit the United States, but what we dont know is when that missile goes up into the air can the warhead that comes off it actually land on a target, he said.



Kazianis noted that a North Korean official had recently told CNN that North Koreas nuclear development program would not be considered completed until Pyongyang had both successfully launched a long-range ICBM and conducted an atmospheric test of a nuclear weapon.



If theyre considering doing an atmospheric test, theyre not going to want to do it around the time of the Olympics, he said, adding that the North would be more likely to conduct one within the next few weeks.



[But] that would be highly provocative and  would unite the whole planet against North Korea.



Reported by Yongjae Mok for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
A Tibetan monk set himself ablaze and died on Sunday in western Chinas Sichuan province in a challenge to Chinese rule in Tibetan areas, Tibetan sources said.



The protest brings to 151 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans living in China since the wave of burnings began in 2009.



Tenga, aged 63 and a monk at a monastery in Sichuans Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) county, set himself alight on Sunday, Nov. 26, and died of his burns, a Tibetan living in exile in South India told RFAs Tibetan Service, citing sources in Kardze.



While burning, Tenga called out for freedom for Tibet, a second source said, speaking on condition of anonymity from inside Tibet.



Security officers and armed police quickly arrived at the scene and took his body away, the source said.



Afterward, there was a heavy security clampdown in the area, with family members in Dando village placed under watch by Chinese police.



With police now stationed around his house, and phone calls not getting through, it is difficult to assess the current situation, he said.



Police have not returned [Tengas] body to his family yet, a third source said, also speaking on condition he not be named.



Communications clampdown



News of Tengas fiery protest on Sunday was briefly delayed in reaching outside media contacts due to communications clampdowns imposed by Chinese authorities in the Kardze area.



Telephone and online social media connections are now blocked in the area where the incident occurred, RFAs source in South India said, adding that a phone call he had made to Kardze seeking information ended abruptly when the phone line was cut.



But what we know for sure is that he burned himself for the Tibetan cause, and that he demanded freedom for Tibet, he said.



The second of four siblings in his family, Tenga had worked as a volunteer teacher before joining the Kardze monastery, another local source said.



He was very popular in several villages in his hometown, where he was respectfully called Teacher by the villagers, the source said.



A total of 151 people have now set themselves ablaze in Tibet and Tibetan-populated counties in western China. Their protests have featured demands for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959.



Reported by Lhuboom, Pema Ngodup, Dawa Dolma, and Lobsang Choephel for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday released five Vietnamese fishermen who were detained for suspected poaching two months ago, as he assured Hanoi that bilateral ties were very strong despite frequent territorial disputes in the South China Sea.



The fishermen were arrested in September off Cape Bolinao in the northern Philippines.



Duterte apologized while bidding the fishermen farewell during a ceremonial send-off, as they left the Philippines to return to Vietnam.



Id like to address our Vietnamese friends that we are one, we are Asians. Im sorry for the incident. I hope it would never happen again, Duterte said as he turned the five fishermen over to Vietnamese envoy Ly Quoc Tuan in the northern port of Sual.



But these incidents will not destroy our bond of relationship. Its very strong, Duterte said in a speech broadcast live on nationwide television.



According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the foreign fishermen were arrested on Sept. 22 after a Philippine Navy patrol vessel chased six Vietnamese boats fishing within the countrys exclusive economic zone about 34 nautical miles (63 km) off Cape Bolinao in the northern province of Pangasinan.



During the chase, one of the fishing boats initiated very dangerous maneuvers and slammed into the Navy patrol vessel, forcing its personnel to fire warning shots, the department said.



It said Philippine officers found two Vietnamese fishermen dead when they boarded the fishing vessel, adding that five others were taken into custody. Officials did not provide more details.



Duterte told ambassador Tuan that he could reach out personally to him in case a similar incident happened again, so that both sides could quickly move to de-escalate tensions.



And we commit to the ambassador that the next time, kindly give me a call personally and I will do the same to your president, Duterte said.



But while incidents like this will happen and happen again, Duterte said his government would shorten the period of detention for illegal fishermen caught at sea.



It was the second time for Duterte to appear in a send-off ceremony for Vietnamese fishermen.



Eduardo Gongona, chief of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said the impoverished fishermen had appealed for leniency and were released based on humanitarian considerations.



The Philippines and Vietnam are among six nations that have territorial claims in the South China Sea. The others are Brunei, China, Malaysia and Taiwan.



Fishermen from claimant nations have often been arrested for straying too close to each others shores, fueling tensions and complicating the territorial conflict.



In November last year, Duterte also freed 17 Vietnamese fishermen who had spent two months in detention after Coast Guard officials detained them on charges of poaching in Philippine waters.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Reveille United Methodist Church celebrated its $48,000 gift to the Friends of Barnabas Foundation with a consecration ceremony and reception on Nov. 5. The donation will support the organizations Extended Care program in Honduras for children whose medical needs go beyond the care provided by Community Health clinics.

Extended Care offers families case management services, including educational workshops for caregivers of children with special health needs, home visits, transportation to appointments, medications, treatments and surgeries.

***

The McShin Foundation announced that The PATH Foundation has awarded a grant of $17,900 for the Warrenton Recovery Community Center.

The Warrenton center provides the community space to hold public forums, film screenings, educational events, substance abuse recovery meetings, support groups and recovery events.

The PATH Foundation is a grant-making organization that enhances health and vitality in the counties of Fauquier, Rappahannock and Culpeper.

***

Columbia Gas of Virginia and the NiSource Charitable Foundation announced a total of $60,000 in grants to local food banks and a shelter to help fight hunger in Virginia.

The Columbia Gas contribution was made possible with the support of social media users who shared or retweeted #ShareToCare posts by the company.

Columbia Gas pledged to donate $5 for each shared post (up to a total of $30,000) spread equally among six local food banks and shelters in the companys service territory. The companys goal was to match $30,000 in donations being made to those same agencies by the NiSource Charitable Foundation, for a total of $60,000 in funding to fight hunger across the state.

Columbia Gas is proud to support local agencies that are making a difference in the lives of hungry individuals and families in the communities we serve, Columbia Gas of Virginia President Brent Archer said. Hunger impacts 12 out of every 100 Virginians, so thats nearly a million people struggling for a basic aspect of daily life. This campaign helped raise awareness of the importance of these local programs, while providing meaningful support to those most in need.

The food banks each receiving a total of $10,000 in grants are Chesterfield Food Bank, Chester; Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, Fredericksburg; Oasis Commission on Social Ministry, Portsmouth; Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Lynchburg; Culpeper Winter Heat Shelter, Culpeper; and Hope Distributed Community Development, Harrisonburg.

***

More than 30,000 people attended the 10th annual Broad Appetit event on June 4. The event raised $7,500 for FeedMore, the umbrella organization for the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.

Also contributing to this donation was OFF Broad, held the previous day at Pasture. Chefs Justin Brunson, Stephen Gerike, Rob Newton, Adam Sappington and Jason Alley donated their time and dishes to the fundraising event for FeedMore.

Richmond is a tremendously generous and caring community. This compassion enables FeedMore to help our nearly 200,000 neighbors who struggle with hunger, said Tim McDermott, chief development officer at FeedMore.

We are very grateful for the continued support we receive from the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Richmond community at large, he added. With the funds raised at Broad Appetit this year, we will provide more than 30,000 healthy meals to our neighbors in their times of need.

Next years Broad Appetit is scheduled for June 3 and will once again benefit FeedMore.
A Richmond man was formally sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Naquan R. Bentley.

Tracey S. Hughes, 54, of the 3300 block of Lawson Street, was found guilty by a jury in August. The jury recommended a life sentence for Bentleys shooting death, which occurred in front of Hughes Swansboro West home on Oct. 22, 2016, plus another mandatory three years for a gun charge.

Richmond Circuit Judge Beverly W. Snukals rubber-stamped the jurys recommended sentence on Wednesday.

Hughes refused to participate in a report that could have outlined some mitigating and aggravating factors that would have affected the sentencing guidelines  a range of sentence lengths that a judge can use, or disregard, when fashioning a sentence  though it is rare that a judge departs from a recommendation by a jury. Hughes guidelines were between 43 and 70 years.

Bentley, 35, was shot eight times, including three to the back of his head.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is calling on Gov. Terry McAuliffe to propose more funding for Richmond Public Schools in his last budget as governor.

Stoney wrote McAuliffe on Tuesday saying the division needs the help to satisfy a performance agreement with the state and support incoming schools chief Jason Kamras. Richmond School Board and City Council members received copies of the letter Wednesday.

If supported with the resources needed for implementation, Richmond will have the capacity to make effective changes, Stoney wrote.

Stoney did not say exactly how much those changes would cost, or what he would be prepared to do if the state does not increase its share of K-12 funding, which is down about 10 percent overall since the recession. His spokesman did not say whether a local tax increase to boost school funding is on the table.

Dawn Page, the School Boards chairwoman, said Wednesday night that the board welcomes any additional state funding.

State funding has not increased in accordance to rate of inflation, she said. We look forward to stakeholders assisting the School Board to make the case to increase state funding.

Page did not directly answer when asked whether a tax increase should be considered as a backup plan if state funding is not increased.

RPS is one of three school districts in Virginia to have a division-level Memorandum of Understanding with the state Board of Education. The agreement seeks to improve student achievement after a state audit requested by school administrators yielded low marks in how the division is governed, how students are taught and how employees are treated.

Stoney said increased funding would help with recruitment and development of school employees, both parts of the plan to fix the division.

Dedicated funding for leadership and student needs will help our school division make the systemic changes needed to sustain progress over the long-term, preventing the need for additional state interventions in the future.

City and school leaders hope those changes are made on Kamras watch.

The former National Teacher of the Year starts as the divisions chief in February and will be faced with enhancing academics, modernizing school facilities and improving a school culture where teachers leave at rates higher than the national average. Only 18 of the divisions 44 schools meet the states full standards for accreditation.

We have a unique opportunity with the appointment of Superintendent Jason Kamras to attract, train and retain more teachers and leaders  and to strengthen the impact of both on school improvement and student achievement, wrote Stoney, who greeted Kamras last week after the school board approved his appointment.

Stoney, who served as secretary of the commonwealth under McAuliffe, also cited his signature education initiative among reasons to boost funding.

The mayors Education Compact, a joint City Council and School Board venture, will be fully launched by Jan. 1, according to a Stoney plan released Monday. The City Council and the School Board approved the compact in August. The compact has not met in the three months since its approval, but a stakeholder team has met, said Jim Nolan, the mayors spokesman.

The School Board plans to appoint its six members to the compact at its meeting on Monday.

The city has picked up an increasing share in school funding since the Great Recession.

During the 2008-09 school year, Virginia funded 45 percent of Richmond public education, according to an analysis by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a research organization based in Richmond that focuses on economics and policy. In 2015-16, that share had decreased to 39 percent, the analysis showed.

State funding for K-12 education is down about 10 percent overall since before the Great Recession, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington-based progressive think tank, released Wednesday. Virginias funding is on an upward trajectory from a low point in 2012, but it is still down from pre-recession levels.

McAuliffe is scheduled to reveal his draft budget Dec. 18.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  Allegations of sexual harassment against prominent University of Virginia professor John Casey have caused another former U.Va. student to step forward.

Sharon Harrigan, who took a class with Casey in spring 2010, filed a Title IX complaint of sexual harassment and gender bias on Tuesday, adding to two filed earlier this month at U.Va.

The way he treated the young women was manipulative and predatory, Harrigan wrote in her complaint. He openly flirted with them in class, commenting on their clothes and asking if they chose their outfits just for him. He often silenced the female students in favor of letting the men speak. He made inappropriate comments about his personal and romantic life.

Additionally, Harrigan said, she felt Casey treated her and classmate Jody Hesler differently because they were in their 40s when they took the class.

During office hours, he asked his secretary to give him all the ages of the female applicants (and in my memory he asked for photos, though I may be misremembering), implying that he was going to choose students for the Master of Fine Arts program based on their youth and attractiveness  which seemed to be designed to humiliate me, since he knew that my application was in the pile and that I was not young.

Hesler agreed with Harrigans account and said that when she tried to ask questions about reading selections in the class, she felt that Casey disapproved of her dissent and that, after that conversation, she had fallen out of favor.

That experience, Hesler said, discouraged her from applying to U.Va.s master of fine arts program.

Harrigan and Hesler both teach creative writing at WriterHouse, a nonprofit writers space in Charlottesville. Harrigans essays, reviews and short stories have appeared in numerous publications. In all of those environments, including the Master of Fine Arts program at Pacific University, she said she has never witnessed similar behavior.

The cumulative effect of the behavior she experienced and witnessed in Caseys class, Harrigan said, created a hostile environment.

Under Title IX, sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. If that harassment disrupts a persons ability to fully participate in educational programs, it is considered harassment that creates a hostile environment.

In addition to the filed complaints against Casey at U.Va., other students at the university had complained to administrators and described unwelcome behavior as far back as 1999. Former students at Sewanee Writers Conference, where Casey taught during summers, have said they reported unwelcome behavior.

Casey won the National Book Award in 1989 for his novel Spartina.

On Tuesday, U.Va. said that Caseys employment status remained unchanged.
All thats missing are the mournful violins.

House Republicans, who, for nearly two decades, happily were aggressors, suddenly are casting themselves as victims.

With their backs against the wall, they have few options.

A majority once considered invincible has been nearly eliminated by an anti-Trump backlash. The Republicans lopsided advantage of 32 seats is down to a very shaky two.

And call it poetic justice: The Stafford County-anchored seat of the retiring speaker  the occasionally snarky, often iron-fisted Bill Howell  is among those that could tip the House of Delegates to the Democrats for the first time since 1998.

That year  and only about a half-dozen members of the House GOP Caucus were around then, including Howells would-be successor, Kirk Cox of Colonial Heights  Republicans were content to attempt what they allege Democrats are doing now: Trying to stick it to the opposition by using partisan control of what is supposed to be a nonpartisan process; that is, ensuring the integrity of the electoral system.

Cox, in among his few public utterances since the election that swept away many of his supporters for speaker, has accused Democrats  from the McAuliffe administration to the partys fattened House caucus, to its plotting lawyers  of essentially colluding with the State Board of Elections to delay approval of the slender, albeit disputed, Republican victory for the Howell seat.

It all comes down to the boards 2-1 Democratic majority. Under state law, the party that controls the governorship holds two of the boards three seats.

The idea, Republicans contend, was to give Democrats more time to upend the results in contested House districts  or figure out a way to do so. On Monday, the board certified the result in the Howell district. But that doesnt settle the outcome  not at all. A recount is likely. And thats complicated by a big problem: Whether some voters were given incorrect ballots.

If Democrats were, indeed, scheming to snatch a seat or two, its a reminder that imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Nearly 20 years ago, House Republicans, in league with a governor of their own, Jim Gilmore, aggressively pressed the Board of Elections, which then had a 2-1 GOP majority, and its Republican-appointed secretary to bless on an accelerated basis the outcome of three special elections won by Republicans.

The Republicans wanted the newbies seated right away to knot the House at 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats, requiring power-sharing. The electoral bureaucracy balked, saying that it was prohibited by state law from acting as quickly as House Republican leaders and Gilmore demanded.

The upshot: Democrats had a temporary majority, which they used to ram through the re-election of Speaker Tom Moss of Norfolk, giving the party control of committee assignments and the ebb and flow of House business. The House that day had all the charm of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, as Republicans  in protest  rhythmically slammed the lids of their desks and shouted, Shame!

The former Republican floor leader, Andy Guest of Warren County, stood at his desk with his back to the speakers dais, as Moss was sworn in by the chief justice, Harry Carrico. Guest and Moss, who, until that point, had always been chummy, never spoke again.

The uproar over the Democrats arrogant maneuver ultimately forced power-sharing, though Democrats  because they retained the speakership  had an important ministerial advantage until Republicans won the House outright in 1999, completing their takeover of the General Assembly and installing as speaker Vance Wilkins, the Amherst County contractor who, over years, painstakingly built what would become the first modern GOP House majority.

Before a sex scandal cost him the speakership, Wilkins used hyperpartisan gerrymandering in 2001 to lock in a Republican majority that would be perpetuated a decade later by Howell, swelling to 66 seats  one short of the 67-seat super-majority required to overturn a gubernatorial veto.

After this Novembers election, in which many Republicans in Democrat-trending suburbs were defeated, the House GOP Caucus  by its own hand  finds itself penned in largely rural, Trump-friendly districts and isolated from the metropolitan areas where younger voters are ascendant. In other words: Republicans are cut off from the future.

These Republican-drawn boundaries extend disproportionate power to narrow bands of conservative voters who, presumably, will expect their Republican representatives to be as tough with Ralph Northam as they were with the departing fellow Democrat he succeeds as governor, Terry McAuliffe.

That will mean voting against issues that could be decided by the legislatures few centrist Republicans: a Medicaid-financed expansion of Obamacare and anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ Virginians  a temporary approximation of which was put in place under executive orders by McAuliffe, and two other Democratic governors, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.

More significant is what wont happen because of the Republicans reduced circumstances.

Deregulation of hospitals  an article of faith among conservatives  is likely dead. That means the cumbersome system of checks and balances that gives the state a huge say in what services health care providers can offer patients will likely endure. It comes down to so-called certificates of public need that, in effect, carve out markets for hospitals, clinics and physician groups.

Bill Howells dream of a makeover of the public employee pension fund will remain just that. Howell, in what has become a cause celebre for the Republican right, had hoped the Virginia Retirement System could be reinvented as a 401(k)-type plan in which workers largely would be responsible for financing for their dotage.

It was a hard sell to begin with. Its harder without Howell  and in a House in which Republicans could be in the minority sooner than later.

Or if Republicans  because of recounts or a court-ordered do-over election  find themselves in an evenly divided House. That could dash Coxs long-expected elevation to speaker. But in a 50-50 House, all bets are off. Plus, the law could augur the unforeseen: a speaker who isnt even a member of the House.

The Houses rules make clear that it shall choose its own speaker from among the members of the House.

However, the Virginia Constitution  presumably the first and last word on the three branches of government  is silent on the qualifications for speaker and makes no reference to the bodys all-powerful presiding officer having to emerge from the ranks. All the constitution says is, The House of Delegates shall choose its own speaker.

If  in an evenly split House  Cox is unacceptable to Democrats and David Toscano of Charlottesville, the House Democratic leader, is unacceptable to Republicans, maybe someone loyal first to the body and who embodies its institutional memory could emerge as a speaker who could serve as a common-sense administrator rather than a cunning political enforcer.

Maybe someone like the current clerk, Paul Nardo?
A New York City-based film distributor has acquired the U.S. rights to a German documentary on the 1985 murders of Nancy and Derek Haysom and the conviction of former University of Virginia honors student and German national Jens Soering.

IFC Films, a subsidiary of AMC Networks, plans to distribute the film, Killing for Love. The documentary was produced by German company Filmperspektive and has been broadcast on TV in Scandinavia and in Europe.

Soering is serving two life sentences for the murders. His then-girlfriend, Elizabeth Haysom, also a UVa honors student at the time, is serving 90 years as an accessory to the murder of her parents.

The documentary presents what it says is new evidence that has been developed over the years that supports Soerings claims of innocence. Soering has a pardon request pending before Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
Ive never in my adult life, observes David French, a writer for National Review, seen so many people so angry about things they cannot control. The current hour is one of defining people by their mistakes, he says, and hating our ideological enemies.

This is not new information. Many others across the ideological spectrum have uttered the same lament. But the laments have not diminished the volume of rage.

To some degree the rage is understandable. People have plenty to be angry about. But much of the animosity seems out of all proportion. It is one thing to despise and vilify a foreign tyrant who tortures innocent children. It is something else again to despise and vilify someone who didnt vote for the same political candidate you did. You have to take politics extremely seriously for that.

But as serious as politics might seem today, it cannot be more serious than it was in Britain in 1940  when the wrong political choices could threaten the nations very existence.

Two years before, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had signed the Munich Agreement, which ceded the Sudetenland to Hitlers Germany. Chamberlain returned to England boasting that he had achieved peace for our time.

A year later Hitler invaded Poland, and Chamberlains name became synonymous with appeasement  which ever since has carried the stench of timorous naivete. Munich itself has become both an argument by way of analogy and a cliche: Running a Google search about the Obama administrations Iran deal and Munich, for instance, returns thousands upon thousands of results.

This version of history is hard on Chamberlain and omits certain complexities. As Alex Massie reminded readers in The Spectator a few years ago, after the Polish invasion Chamberlain actually declared war on Germany, rather than vice versa. Massie also cites the views of Winston Churchill on Munich:

Those who are prone by temperament and character to seek sharp and clear-cut solutions of difficult and obscure problems, Churchill wrote later, who are ready to fight whenever some challenge comes from a foreign power, have not always been right.

On the other hand, those whose inclination is to bow their heads, to seek patiently and faithfully for peaceful compromise, are not always wrong. On the contrary, in the majority of instances, they may be right.

***

Nobody had more reason to gloat I told you so over Chamberlains miscalculation at Munich than Churchill, who had been warning about the German menace far longer than most people had cared to listen. And yet when Chamberlain died in 1940, Churchill delivered a eulogy at once clear-eyed and generous:

In paying a tribute of respect and of regard to an eminent man who has been taken from us, no one is obliged to alter the opinions which he has formed or expressed upon issues which have become a part of history, Churchill began.  ... In one phase men seem to have been right, in another they seem to have been wrong. Then again, a few years later, when the perspective of time has lengthened, all stands in a different setting. There is a new proportion. There is another scale of values. ...

It fell to Neville Chamberlain in one of the supreme crises of the world to be contradicted by events, to be disappointed in his hopes, and to be deceived and cheated by a wicked man. But what were these hopes in which he was disappointed? What were these wishes in which he was frustrated? What was that faith that was abused? They were surely among the most noble and benevolent instincts of the human heart  the love of peace, the toil for peace, the strife for peace, the pursuit of peace, even at great peril, and certainly to the utter disdain of popularity or clamour. Whatever else history may or may not say about these terrible, tremendous years, we can be sure that Neville Chamberlain acted with perfect sincerity according to his lights and strove to the utmost of his capacity and authority, which were powerful, to save the world from the awful, devastating struggle in which we are now engaged. This alone will stand him in good stead as far as what is called the verdict of history is concerned.

To be sure, Churchill had not gone easy on Chamberlain after Munich. You were given the choice between war and dishonor, he said. You chose dishonor, and you will have war. But the speech he delivered on Chamberlains death  brought to renewed attention by a reader the other day  shows that even in the most difficult straits, it is possible to concede the other mans humanity and idealism without also conceding the political argument.
In a recent meeting with the Editorial Board, Sen. Tim Kaine voiced concern about the current state of confusion regarding cyberwar. America, he said, lacks a doctrine that spells out what constitutes an act of war in cyberspace, and what kind of deterrence measures the U.S. has to forestall such an act.

This is troubling enough all by itself. It is doubly troubling in the wake of Russian meddling in the U.S. election, and the leaking of Democratic Party emails to Wikileaks  to say nothing of prior cyber-intrusions, such as the Chinese hacking of the Office of Personnel Management that disclosed the personal information of 20 million Americans.

To make matters even worse, Kaine has not discovered a new vulnerability. Last year Congress passed a resolution  sponsored in part by Virginia Rep. Scott Taylor  calling on the federal government to develop a comprehensive cybersecurity policy that defines cyberwar. Last December, Barack Obama signed defense legislation giving the executive branch a year to identify those types of cyberattack that would qualify for military response. The deadline for such a policy is nearly up. Where is the policy?

While the resolution is welcome, it bears noting that Congress is a not-insignificant part of the federal government, and its job consists primarily of formulating policies and doctrines. Congress does not need to sit on the sidelines and wait for the Pentagon to develop a cybersecurity policy. It can do that itself. Indeed, given the constitutional stipulation that only Congress has the power to declare war, Congress ought to take a leading role in defining the meaning of war in cyberspace.
Christmas miracles really can happen.

And Peter Johnson has the dog to prove it.

On Monday night, the former Fremonter drove all night from his home in Denver for a reunion with his beloved dog Sammy  who disappeared more than two years ago.

Im absolutely happy. Its the best early Christmas present ever, Johnson told the Tribune via phone Tuesday morning.

Johnson, who lived in Fremont from 2013-2016, first got Sammy as a puppy four years ago. He already had a dog, Gunner, but another dog, Sasha, had died. Thats when buddy brought Johnson a puppy from Lincoln.

The female puppy, who was a mix of blue heeler, black Labrador retriever and Rottweiler, had a spunky attitude and big ears.

It was obviously love at first sight, Johnson said.

Johnson, Gunner and Sammy went everywhere together. Sammy went along on hunts for shed deer antlers, and she went boating.

Then one morning in October 2015, Sammy and Gunner went outside while another dog, Sadie, stayed in the house.

Gunner came back inside, but Sammy didnt.

Johnson, then living on an acreage north of U.S. Highway 30, looked outside and called for Sammy. He put up fliers and made Facebook posts. He searched cornfields and ditches, worried she may have been hit by a car. He and friends looked for the missing dog.

We searched about a 6-mile-square radius, he said. To me, it was like the dog just vanished. You would think somebody would have some sort of idea where she was.

He started getting reports of possible sightings in the Norfolk area via Facebook. He or a friend would go to a shelter at Norfolk only to discover the dog in question wasnt Sammy.

Time and again, Johnson would get his hopes up only to see them dashed.

After about six months, the posts trailed off. Every once in a while, someone would send him a picture, but none of the dogs were Sammy.

On Monday night, Johnson came home from work and fell asleep watching television. He woke up to several messages on his phone saying, I think this is your dog.

He opened a picture.

It looked like Sammy.

So he called Norfolk area resident Suzanne Davis  the woman believed to have found Sammy. Johnson told Davis about specific markings on Sammys chest, neck and toes. Davis photographed Sammy and sent a picture.

It was an exact match, Johnson said.

At about 9:30 p.m., Johnson called his boss and asked to take a personal day. His boss agreed.

An hour later, Johnson jumped in his truck with Gunner and Sadie and headed from Denver for Nebraska, driving all night.

Davis, whos a grandmother, said she noticed Sammy last weekend.

I was in my kitchen when I saw this dog running from one side of my house to the other, playing with my dogs who are in a fence, she said.

Davis wondered about the dog and coaxed it to come to her. She noticed Sammy had a collar, but no dog tags.

You could tell she was living rough. She was so skinny, Davis said. She was scared to death of me. I coaxed her into the garage and I almost had to carry her.

Davis said she knew Sammy had to belong to someone.

She wanted to come to me, but she was scared of me. Not like a wild dog, Davis said.

Davis photographed Sammy and put the photo on her Facebook page. She eventually posted it on the Madison County Exchange, a Facebook group with more than 44,000 members.

A friend called Davis about Johnsons dog. And after Johnson and Davis talked, he asked if he could come to Norfolk and said hed leave right away.

This man must love this dog, Davis thought.

Johnson picked up a friend from Columbus to look at the dog and reached Davis house by about 8 a.m. Tuesday. They went to Davis backyard.

At first, I didnt even think it was my dog. Shed lost so much weight, but the markings were the same, he said.

Johnson noticed the animals skittishness.

He came in and was very gentle, Davis said of Johnson. She (the dog) came up and laid down next to him.

Then Sammy rolled over for a belly rub.

It did take her a little bit to warm up all the way to him. I think she was just not sure. When they (dogs) have been living rough and been in and out of peoples yards and been yelled at, it takes a little while, Davis said.

Johnson whistled and the dog would come to him like shed done before. He put Sammy in the truck with Gunner and Sadie.

When he saw the interaction between the three pups, whod grown up together, Johnson said he knew the dog was Sammy.

She cuddled up right in between them and before we got to the vet, she (Sammy) wouldnt leave Sadies side, he said.

Johnson said Sammy knows who he is and hes glad to have her again.

Shes opening up minute by minute. Nothing some food, fluid and love cant take care of, said Johnson, who called the reunion a miracle in a Facebook post.

Davis is happy Johnson and Sammy have been reunited.

It was just precious, Davis said. Im glad shes found her person again and her other dogs  and as he (Johnson) said, Were a family of four again.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
HARASSMENT

Allegations mount against Rep. Conyers

WASHINGTON  A former staffer to John Conyers says the Michigan congressman made unwanted sexual advances that included partially undressing in front of her in a hotel room and inappropriate touching, the latest sexual misconduct allegations against the longest-serving member of the House.

Deanna Maher, 77, who ran a Michigan office for Conyers from 1997 to 2005, said Tuesday that the first incident occurred in 1997 during a three-day Congressional Black Caucus event in Washington, which she said she felt honored to attend.

The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations against Conyers, who has denied the accusations and refused to resign.

Some of the Detroit Democrats House colleagues are calling for him to end his more than 50 years as a lawmaker. Democrat Kathleen Rice of New York was joined Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal from Washington state in calling for Conyers to step down.

APPEALS COURT

Senate confirms another Trump judge

WASHINGTON  The Senate on Tuesday confirmed one of President Donald Trumps legal advisers to serve on what is often described as Americas second highest court.

The vote to confirm Gregory Katsas, 53, of Virginia, was 50-48.

Katsas has worked on some of the presidents most contentious decisions, including his executive orders restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries and his decision to end a program protecting some young immigrants from deportation.

CYBERSECURITY

Firm finds Army, NSA intel online

WASHINGTON  A cybersecurity company said Tuesday that it found top secret files related to classified Army communications systems sitting unprotected online for anyone to see.

The data belonged to the U.S. Armys Intelligence and Security Command, a division of both the Army and the National Security Agency. The data contained 47 files and folders that could be viewed, including three that could be downloaded. Some of the data could not be accessed without being linked to Pentagon systems, OSullivan said. Many files were marked top secret or NOFORN, a classification that prohibits disclosure to foreign governments.

NSA referred questions to the intelligence command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FAA STUDY

Drones hurt planes more than birds do

Drones that collide with planes cause more damage than birds of the same size because of their solid motors, batteries and other parts, a study released by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday found.

The studys researchers say aircraft-manufacturing standards designed for bird strikes arent appropriate for ensuring planes can withstand collisions with drones. The FAA said it will depend on drone makers to help develop technology to detect and avoid planes.

Reports of close calls between drones and airliners have surged. The FAA gets more than 250 sightings a month of drones posing potential risks to planes, such as operating too close to airports.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting with children from 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday at Fremont Izaak Walton Park, 2560 W. Military Ave.

Families donating food for local food pantries will receive one photo per family with Santa and/or Mrs. Claus. Santa will be giving out a gift bag this year to each child attending, while supplies last.

CJ Wilson, owner of Sonlight Photography, will be taking the photos. Wilson will have photo packages available for an extra charge.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, warned against a potential conflict with North Korea "if things don't change."

"If we have to go to war to stop this, we will," Graham told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday. "If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change."

Graham's comments on CNN's "The Situation Room" come amid rising tension between the US and North Korea, and on Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed that North Korea had launched what the US military believes to be an intercontinental ballistic missile.

President Donald Trump responded by telling reporters that, "we will take care of it."

Graham clarified that he doesn't think war would be the best outcome but said the US won't let Kim Jong Un have the ability to strike America's mainland.

"I don't want a war. He doesn't want a war," Graham said, referring to Trump. "But we're not going to let this crazy man in North Korea have the capability to hit the homeland."

Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Tuesday that the North Korean missile test went "higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken."

Mattis added that North Korea has the ability to hit "everywhere in the world basically."

Graham added that Trump is prepared to take whatever actions are needed to protect the US homeland.

"He is ready, if necessary, to destroy this regime to protect America, and I hope the regime understands that if President Trump has to pick between destroying the North Korean regime and the American homeland, he's going to destroy the regime. I hope China understands that also," Graham said.

CNN's Zachary Cohen, Taehoon Lee and Ryan Browne contributed to this report
By Carol Rowan

Rowan is a retired clinical psychologist living in Roanoke County.

To the victor go the spoils. Really? Is this what we want?

Someone used this term with me the other day to justify his or his partys actions. It bothered me at the time, but as I spun out the real meaning behind it, it bothered me even more.

I was working at the polls Nov. 7 for OneVirginia2021, a non-profit organization that believes voting districts belong to Virginians and not to any politician or political party. My goal was to attempt to get signatures on a petition to encourage our state legislators in Richmond to consider an amendment to our Virginia constitution. This amendment would take the mapping of legislative districts out of the control of either political party and put it in the hands of an impartial group, using the courts as a back-up when the impartial group cant agree.

Actually I did very well in my endeavor. Very few people I talked to didnt want to sign the petition. I showed them the map of their House of Delegates district and they could see immediately that something was askew. Its a map that runs all over the place, and mostly encircles the city of Roanoke. It has a spur running up Botetourt County, it goes over into the western part of north Roanoke County, it covers part of the city of Roanoke, it goes down into south Roanoke County almost to Boones Mill, with many twists and turns in between. (Makes the map of West Virginia with various fingers sticking out look like a round ball.) Mostly they signed the petition, I think, because the principle of fairness and understanding right from wrong appeals to most people.

During my hours at the polls I had a few breaks, so I went over to talk to the others in the area who were handing out sample ballots for the two political parties. Shortly before I was about to leave, I met one of the candidates, the incumbent, running for re-election to the House of Delegates.

The first thing he said was that what was being proposed by OneVirginia2021 would never get passed. He proceeded to tell me that his district had not been gerrymandered but that the map was drawn that way because they had to change it to accommodate some eastern Virginia districts which had been redrawn based on a court ruling, and that his district followed the laws and geographical and natural boundaries. He went on to tell me that his party had done it correctly, but that the other party had gerrymandered districts. And he told me that the whole push to get redistricting out of the hands of politicians was a political ploy to weaken the party in power. And at the end he pointed out that to the victor go the spoils.

I wish I had been quick-thinking and pointed out that the district certainly didnt meet the compactness requirement for districts, but I missed that. I wish I had been quick-thinking and pointed out that neither party had clean hands on this, which is exactly the point being made by OneVirginia2021. I wish I had noted that the logical extension of his thinking about victors and spoils, is that might makes right, and those in power can do whatever they please, including doing what will keep them in power rather than what is most beneficial for their constituents.

And thats why I stand with OneVirginia2021. Our political system is ever more divided, with each side taking positions to bolster their power, with no thought of right or wrong or fairness. Ive had enough of that. Youve had enough of that. Do we want our legislators to pick and choose where their district lines are drawn so that, in effect, they are choosing their voters? Or do we, the voters, want to change just this little part of our system so that we can choose our legislators in a fair way?
ENTREPRENEURS are being urged to bring forward their big business ideas  and scoop 25,000 to help get them off the ground.

But there is not long left to enter the UK Steel Enterprise Y-Accelerator programme as applications have to be in by Thursday (November 30).

Entrepreneurs from across the Sheffield City Region are eligible for the programme, which will provide ten successful candidates with free business advice and development assistance, as well as the opportunity to pitch for a 25,000 equity investment from UKSE to kickstart their concept.

The Y-Accelerator partnership is a collaboration between private and public sector organisations  including UKSE, the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Growth Hub, the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO) and Gripple Ltd  and forms part of the SCR Economic Plan, working to develop a strong start-up eco-system across the region.

Mihaela Gruia, founder of Research Retold  last years Y-Accelerator winner  said: I found the Y-Accelerator to be an extremely useful experience because it gave me focus and dedicated space and time to work on developing the business.

The Y-Accelerator team were particularly helpful for brainstorming, critique, encouragement and developing my growth strategy.

Keith Williams of UKSE commented: The Y Accelerator is a great programme and we encourage anyone with an innovative idea and the aspiration to build a high-growth business to get involved.

Offering tailored sessions to meet the needs of every candidate, the advice from our business mentors gives entrepreneurs the chance to take their business idea to the next level.

For more information on Y Accelerator and details of how to enter, call RiDO on 01709 331133, email info@ridobusinesscentres.co.uk or visit https://www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/y-accelerator/.
THE public are being warned to be alert to a growing scam in which criminals pose as police and ask victims to take part in a fake undercover operation.

UK Finance said fraudsters were contacting people, usually by phone, purporting to be from the police or, in some cases, the fraud team within their bank.

A spokesman for UK Finance said: The criminal claims they are investigating a fraud at a local bank branch where staff are suspected of being complicit, including issuing fake bank notes, and asks their target to help in the operation.

As part of the scam, the individual is requested to visit the branch and withdraw a substantial sum, often thousands of pounds, of the supposedly counterfeit cash to hand over to the police for analysis.

The victim is assured that the money will be deposited back into their account after the operation is complete.

However, once the money is passed over the fraudster disappears with the cash.

In another version of the scam, the criminal convinces the victim to transfer money to a safe account to protect their funds from the corrupt bank staff, he added, but the account is in fact controlled by the criminal.

Katy Worobec, head of fraud and financial crime prevention, cyber and data sharing at UK Finance, said: This is a particularly nasty scam as it plays on peoples public-spirited nature to assist the police.

We are receiving a growing number of reports of it occurring, with people often losing large amounts of money, so its vital that everyone is aware.

Remember, the police will never ask you to withdraw money and hand it over to them for safe-keeping.

Advice to consumers on how to avoid this scam:

 The police will never ask you to become part of an undercover investigation or for you to withdraw cash and hand it to them for safe-keeping.

 Be wary of any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from the police asking for your personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money.

 If you are approached, or feel something is suspicious, hang up the phone and dont reply. Then report it to Action Fraud and your bank on their advertised number.

Visit takefive-stopfraud.org.uk for more advice on how to stay safe from scams.
On November 29, ALROSA is holding a silent auction for the sale of the unique polished diamond collection The Dynasty. More than 130 participants have already registered for the auction, including both the firms and private clients.The auction will be held at ALROSAs online trading platform. Polished diamonds are put up for auction individually. There will be a one-step bidding  the highest bid wins. Names of the participants are not disclosed. The reserve prices will be announced to the registered participantsThe international roadshow of The Dynasty for the potential clients lasted for three months. The collection has visited Hong Kong, Ramat Gan (Israel) and New York during this time.Yury Okoyomov, ALROSA Vice President, said: The Dynasty is the first branded polished diamond collection for ALROSA, which was widely known only as a mining company before. The collection gives a start to a new stage in the development of ALROSAs cutting division, DIAMONDS ALROSA. We finalized the international previews of The Dynasty, and now we are ready for the auction. Hundreds of industry and private clients have reviewed The Dynasty collection during the roadshow. Their positive feedback and high level of interest confirm that we succeeded in manufacturing a unique and highest quality collection of polished diamonds.The Dynasty collection consists of five diamonds and was produced from a 179-carat unique rough diamond named The Romanovs, which was mined from Nyurbinskaya kimberlite pipe in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 2015. It took a year and a half to create the collection.There was a good reason to choose the name for the collection, which is connected with ALROSAs intention to revive the traditions and memory of renowned Russian jewelers famous for their craftsmanship and filigree since the Russias first cutting and polishing factory founded by Peter I early in the 18th century.The Dynasty, the main 51.38-carat diamond, is a 57-facet traditional round brilliant-cut diamond, Triple Excellent (the best quality cut), D, VVS1. Such characteristics occur in less than 1% of diamonds worldwide. It is the most clear large diamond ever manufactured throughout the Russian jewelry history, and it is expected to be the most valuable stone as well.
Google plans to de-rank articles from Russian state-owned media sites, Russia Today and Sputnik, following allegations about Kremlin meddling in U.S. electoral processes.

Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, said Google would begin to reduce the presence of TV and online news organisation Russia Today or RT, and Sputnik, an online media network. The move is said to be to deal with the spread of misinformation.

Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, Schmidt said, "We're well aware of this one, and we're working on detecting this kind of scenario you're describing and deranking those kinds of sites." His comments came at a Q & A session when asked about RT's use of Google's AdSense service.

Schmidt continued, "It's basically RT and Sputnik... We're well aware and we're trying to engineer the systems to prevent it."

US intelligence agencies reportedly describe RT as "Russia's state-run propaganda machine". Meanwhile, Google's own investigation reportedly had found no manipulation of its platform or policy violations by RT.

Schmidt said, "I am strongly not in favour of censorship. I am very strongly in favour of ranking. It's what we do. It's a very legitimate question as to how we rank, A or B, right? And we do the best we can in millions and millions of rankings every day."

Responding to Schmidt's comments, the publications, which have always defended themselves as legitimate news organisations, called the move as arbitrary and a form of censorship.

RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan said in a statement published on RT, "Good to have Google on record as defying all logic and reason: facts aren't allowed if they come from RT, 'because Russia' - even if we have Google on Congressional record saying they've found no manipulation of their platform or policy violations by RT."

US intelligence services accuse Russia of trying to favor Donald Trump by spreading fake news and hacking the Democratic National Committee networks. But, Russia has repeatedly denied claims that it interfered in the 2016 presidential elections.

Recently, RT was forced to register with the U.S. government under the Foreign Agents Registration Act or FARA. The broadcaster is fighting the order in court.

In October, Twitter announced that it would no longer allow advertisements from RT and Sputnik.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Daejan Holdings plc (DJAN.L), a real estate developer, reported that its profit attributable to equity holders of the parent for the half year ended 30 September 2017 declined to 45.42 million pounds or 2.79 pence per share from 61.28 million pounds or 3.76 pence per share last year.

The profit before tax for the period was 56.6 million pounds down from 65.1 million pounds in the prior year.

Total rental & related income from investment property grew to 71.27 million pounds from 70.21 million pounds last year.

The company noted that an interim dividend of 35 pence per share will be paid on 9 March 2018 to shareholders on the register on 9 February 2018.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The former Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Taisi Efi, kicked off the Pacific Arts Association Conference at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) with a sharp reminder about why art is important.

In delivering his keynote address, he reminded that art is about making the invisible visible, which was fitting of the theme for the five-day conference.

The man widely considered as the Patron of Arts in Samoa, he focused on people and values, offering his own interpretations of the 2017 conference motto.

First, arts can help us to say, without actually saying it, the unsayable, he said.

To say out loud something pointed about those too-hard-to-talk about topics (such as abuse and corruption). These topics often get put to the side for fear of offending or traumatizing ourselves or others. These topics make us uncomfortable.

Sometimes we simply dont know or have never been taught to know how to talk about them peacefully so we give up.

Art gives us an easy out. Art, especially good art, allows us space to talk without talking about hard to talk about things. It gives us time to reflect on both meaning and our humanity.

It gives us an open invitation to find out our own meaning, indeed to find multiple meanings, in what we see. Here is both critical conscience and therapy.

His Highness Tui Atua emphasized the importance of nurturing artistic talent in our people and mature leadership was required where there was balance between human desires for advancement and peaceful community belonging.

Art makes visible, at least in a felt way, the divinity and sublime mystery of creation. Talent is God-given. The origins of talent, the kind that takes our breath away, the kind that leaves us mesmerized and in awe, is beyond full explanation.

In order for such talent to fully shine, however, it must be nurtured, it must be allowed to breathe and grow, to be respected and cherished and as well as challenged and critique.

In attendance were many young Pacific academics and artists from abroad who had been looking forward to hearing his Highness Tui Atua speak.

Mitiana Arbon of Australia National University was one of them.

As an academic I loved his writings, he has such a beautiful way of molding academic writing with the poetry of Samoan oratory, Mr. Arbon said.

It just flows and his ideas seem quite seamless. He himself makes the invisible visible.

He wrote a really beautiful collection of essays called in search of Fragrance and its all about identity and how its like a fragrance, one can see things but its another thing to internalize it as a fragrance.

Visual art student of N.U.S. Carolynn Krieg told the Samoa Observer that she was looking forward to the workshops by artists and hearing from academics that they had only heard about in class.

For me, the art programme here has expanded my knowledge in visual arts, said Ms. Krieg.

This is my first time and Im looking forward to a lot of artists talking about their art and its important for me to know their point of views in order to expand on my knowledge especially when it comes to teaching. To me everything is art, without art, the world would be black and white  there would be nothing.

His Highness Tui Atua dedicated his paper to two of his favourite indigenous souls  the late Seiuli Tuilagi Allan Alo Alapati Vaai and the late Father Paul Ojibway.

Yesterday was focused on the art of performance with various papers presented as well as a workshop co-ordinated by Eterei Salele.

Performance day concluded with a theatre performance AloFA tu at the N.U.S. Fale and is written/directed by local performing artist Fiona Collins.

Read His Highness Tui Atuas paper in full on the Sunday Samoan.
The Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama, has put his weight behind the Samoa Professional Standards for Nursing Practice launched last week as one of the events to commemorate the Samoa Nurses Associations first 100 years of service to the country.

In launching the document, Tuitama said the document would provide the benchmark for ethical, competent, quality and safe nursing practice in Samoa.

This document is to protect the health and safety of the public by setting out the standards for nursing and ensuring that nurses are competent to practice and practice in an ethical manner, said the Minister.

He noted that the nurses standards clearly set out the expected ethics or values or principles that govern the way nurses interact with the public health clients and patients, a patients family, each other and other healthcare professionals.

This document also establishes the competencies or knowledge-based and experience-honed skills needed by all nursing professionals in the performance of their nursing services, Tuitama said.

He encourages all nurses to always ensure and follow the new standards and warned that any breaches may well result in disciplinary processes as set out in the Healthcare Professions Registrations and Standards Act 2007.

As minister of Health I urge you all to uphold these National Standards: to always put your clients and patients at the centre of all your nursing work, concluded the Health Minister.

The following is what the Minister said:

I am very happy to be here with you today to officially launch the Samoa Professional Standards for Nursing Practice.

I congratulate the Ministry of Health and the Samoa Nursing and Midwifery Council for this work which is vital to provide the benchmark for ethical, competent, quality and safe nursing practice in Samoa.

This document is to protect the health and safety of the public by setting out the standards for nursing and ensuring that nurses are competent to practice and practice in an ethical manner.

These nurses Standards clearly set out the expected ethics or values or principles that govern the way nurses interact with the public health clients and patients, a patients family, each other and other healthcare professionals.

This document also establishes the competencies or knowledge-based and experience-honed skills needed by all nursing professionals in the performance of their nursing services.

Nursing as you will all be aware is a profession within the health care sector which is focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.

It plays a vital role in assuring health and well-being in all settings.

These standards have been reviewed and amended to reflect the ever-changing health care environment that nurses practice in. The last review was in 2007.

I encourage all nurses in Samoa to always ensure you follow these Standards.

You need to become very familiar with them as they govern the manner in which you approach and deliver your nursing services.

Breach of these may well result in disciplinary processes as set out in the Healthcare Professions Registrations and Standards Act 2007.

As minister of Health I urge you all to uphold these National Standards: to always put your clients and patients at the centre of all your nursing work.
You know life is hard when you sleep with a heavy heart, not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Thats how Sauileone Faataumaoe of Toamua-uta describes the hardships he faces in raising his family every day.

The 51-year-old father has five children and the eldest is six years old.

To be honest, our family is struggling every day and we hardly have food for my children, Sauileone said.

Luckily, we have those who have always helped us some days in terms of food, but thats the reality we are living from day to day.

Sauileone was spotted by the Village Voice team while on his way home from work yesterday morning.

I work as security at one of the companies at Nuu Fou, Sauileone said.

With only $20 he earns fortnight after loan deductions, I cant stretch it to another day, he said.

Its so hard to live with only $20 to survive every week, I mean the $20 I earn from my salary after loan deductions never makes it to the next day.

He said he had loan money from the bank to pay for their electricity and water bills.

When we first moved here not long ago, I told my wife that we needed electricity and water and thats why I made a loan to pay it all before connections, and it costs me a lot of money, thinking if theres no tea for a day, at least we have water to drink.

The thoughts that run wild in his head all the time is, where am I going to get food for my children.

Even with a job he is always in dismay.

The truth is that I dont want to see my children and family go a day without food and thats why I keep on trying even though I cant make it most of the time.

We all know that no head of any family would want to see his family go without food and often or not, it is these very people who carry the biggest burden in their own hearts.

He says his family has had it with the expensive cost of living in Samoa.

Trying to meet daily expenses is too much for our family but I know this is the only way I can at least try to get through in this life, he said.

We never meet our familys basic needs because money is always tight, as Ive mentioned earlier, the only time I see money is when I get paid, then the next hour its all gone.

Sauileone claims the biggest challenge in trying to earn a decent living and giving his family a good life is the cost of living being so high.

Thats the problem now and I know many of the family are struggling as well and for our family, we really need help with food.

Despite his many attempts to look happy and normal, his children are always aware that he is tired of their family situation.

They ask, but I try to ignore them and act as if everything is okay, but in my heart theres so much I want to do in order for them to become better adults in the future.

Sauileones says his children and his belief that God is alive motivate him to continue working.
The scriptures say train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

This is what a father of three from the village of Faleula-Uta said while referring to the changes in behavioral issues among youths in Samoa today.

Venu Venu, 43, told the Village Voice team that youths these days do not understand the hardship most families in Samoa face.

I have seen so many youths just riding the bus and dont even go to school or work and they would rather waste their time, Mr. Venu said while on his way to collect firewood yesterday.

I guess they dont know how hard finding money nowadays is and how difficult it is to cope with the cost of living we have today.

Mr. Venu said the root cause of the problem existed within the family because parents had stopped playing their roles.

I think the connection between parents and their children have been disrupted by the high cost of living that parents are trying to cope with.

Some parents are just too careless; they are even scared of their children and never even bother talking to them giving them the right teachings.

Mr. Venu says his children are all employed and are now helping their family.

My kids have started working and they are not perfect, they sometimes disrespect me but I never stop talking to them.

I believe in the Bible saying that we have to teach our children while they are young when they grow up, they will not turn away from it.

Mr. Venu also added that parents needed to be aware of their childrens whereabouts.

We as parents have to be alert and we have to make sure that our children dont stir up problems in villages or public areas.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year. We love visiting with family and friends, sharing a meal and catching up with relativessome whom we may not have seen since last year. After the plates have been washed and the turkey put away for this weekends leftovers, many Americans do one more thing: go shopping.

For weeks, advertisers have publicized deals for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. These shopping holidays help consumers check off Christmas gift lists and save money at the same time. Its fun to wake up early and go bargain hunting. While the hustle and bustle of looking for deals picks up, we should also remember the small-business owners and their employees who are working hard during this holiday season.

Thats why I helped to introduce a resolution designating Saturday, November 25, 2017, as Small Business Saturday. This resolution recognizes the 29 million small businesses throughout the country, celebrating the value of locally-owned businesses. We encouraged Americans to shop locally because these small firms drive our economy. They have generated over 60 percent of the new jobs created over the last two decades and have made up nearly 98 percent of our exports.

These businesses are the face of America to the world and represent the strength of our country. I recently had the chance to visit some of our states great local businesses in Norfolk, Nebraska, and see how these small businesses help grow our local economy. Family-owned businesses like Tienda Leon, Norfolk Natural Market, Roxis Bridal, and Midwest Music make our communities more successful and lead us toward a prosperous future.

Small businesses dont have the professional resources to deal with a tax code that comes in at over 74,000 pages. Simply doing taxes, let alone paying them, has become a burden on locally-owned companies. Our current tax code is not built to foster their growth. If we want to thrive, we must have an economic climate where small businesses and startups can succeed.

Owners of small businesses often file their taxes as individuals and some pay the highest rate of 39.6 percent. They cant take advantage of all the corporate deductions or little-known loopholes like big companies can. This is not fair. It hurts our competitiveness globally, stifles strong economic growth, and favors big corporations, which have offices full of lawyers and accountants.

We should be nurturing small businesses because when they earn money, they invest it back into their businesses and help their local communities prosper. The government shouldnt make it harder or more complicated for these businesses to succeed. Reform can lower tax burdens on regular Americans and make it simpler for local companies to make more investments, hire more workers, and offer higher wages.

Over the next few weeks, as Congress debates tax reform, I will continue to fight for the people of Nebraska. I will remind my colleagues that the companies we recognize on Small Business Saturday should be those we have in mind as we fix our broken tax code.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and that our local shops and stores had a successful Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The FBI deviated from its own policy to notify victims of computer hacking when it left U.S. officials and other Americans in the dark about Kremlin-aligned attempts to break into their personal Gmail accounts, The Associated Press has learned.

FBI policy calls for notifying victims, whether individuals or groups, to help thwart both ongoing and future hacking attempts. The policy , which was released in a lawsuit filed earlier this year against the FBI by the nonprofit Electronic Privacy Information Center, says that notification should be considered "even when it may interfere with another investigation or (intelligence) operation."

That robust notification doesn't appear to have happened in the case of the Russian government-aligned hacking group known as Fancy Bear, which tried to break into the Gmail accounts of more than 500 U.S.-based targets between 2015 and 2016, according to data obtained by AP. The news agency interviewed nearly 80 of them, including senior policymakers, and found only two who said they learned of the efforts to hack into their Gmail accounts from the FBI.

"It's just remarkable to me that the Bureau did not do what it was supposed to do," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

"I was stunned because these are people that, if they were compromised, could result in harm to national security, and that fact that they weren't notified seems totally unacceptable," added Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, in an interview late Tuesday.

His office released a letter he wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray complaining of the agency's response. He also called for a hearing before his committee.

The FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this story. Late last week, the agency declined to discuss its investigation into the spying campaign and said in a statement: "The FBI routinely notifies individuals and organizations of potential threat information." The agency also said it collaborates with partners in all levels of government to keep the public informed, adding, "The FBI takes all potential threats to public and private sector systems very seriously."

However, three people familiar with the matter  including a current and a former government official  said the FBI has known about the Gmail spying operation for more than a year.

A senior FBI official, who would only speak on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said the Bureau was overwhelmed by the sheer number of attempted hacks. "It's a matter of triaging to the best of our ability the volume of the targets who are out there," he said.

In the face of a tidal wave of malicious phishing attempts, the FBI sometimes passes on information about the attacks to service providers and companies, who can then relay information to clients or employees, he added.

The AP, which acquired a list of about 4,700 targeted email accounts, has reported in recent weeks on the global reach of the hacking operation and the strategy used to steal the emails of the Democratic Party and presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. Tens of thousands of those emails were leaked online in advance of the November election. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Fancy Bear works for the Russian government and meant to push the election in favor of Donald Trump. The Russian government has denied interfering.

Many of those who were told they were in the Kremlin's cross-hairs were long-retired, but some were still in government or held security clearances at the time they were targeted. It's not clear how many may have given up their email passwords or what the hackers may have acquired in stolen email.

However, some accounts held emails dating back years, when even many of the retired officials still occupied sensitive posts. And intelligence experts say Russian spies can use personal correspondence as a springboard for further hacking, recruitment or even blackmail.

"The onus is on the FBI right now to explain why they didn't follow their policies, as we are reading them," said Elizabeth Hempowicz, director of public policy at the Project on Government Oversight.

Other government watchdogs said that the government agents who respond to such foreign hacking operations need more oversight as they respond to this ballooning problem  and public accountability.

"There should be a public report about how widespread this activity is, so that every American will know about it  and that didn't happen here," said Louis Clark, CEO of the Government Accountability Project.

___

Donn reported from Plymouth, Massachusetts. Raphael Satter reported from London.

___

Read the FBI policy: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4311379-FBIPolicyGuide.html

Read Lieu's letter: https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/11-28-17%20Rep.%20Lieu%20to%20Director%20Christopher%20Wray.pdf

___

Donn, Butler and Satter can be reached at:

https://twitter.com/jadonn7 , https://twitter.com/desmondbutler and http://raphaelsatter.com
Dear Editor

Re: Talking is okay but wed prefer to see some results

Like you said, there are many answers. Everyone has an opinion on how to fix poverty and hardship.

The I.L.O. report says that Samoan people struggle with hardship and poverty as they fail to meet their basic food needs.

So why are we failing to meet our basic food needs?

To answer that question we need to first of all, ascertain what the causes are. Over the years, people have been blaming everything else but themselves.

The government, the church, the lack of job opportunities, the high cost of living, the faalavelaves, and many other factors were responsible for their sufferings and pain.

They are partially correct but not entirely.

This may raise some eyebrows but I think part of our misfortune is self inflicted. We are subconsciously contributing to our slow decay without realising we ourselves are the culprits.

And we maybe unaware of this because weve changed our habits so much over the last fifty years. Not only that were doing things differently but there are also many things that weve stopped doing all together. For example,...

We dont farm like we used to anymore.

People used to work their coconut and cocoa plantations like crazy. Visions of villagers drying copra and cocoa in their yards in readiness for export are long gone.

Today, take a drive around the islands and see the thousands of acres of overgrown and unfarmed land. The song goes, Our Samoa, the greatest place of all.

She is green but that green is mostly weeds and vines twirling their way as high as our tallest palm trees. I see hundreds of our youth playing volleyball or rugby for the last two hours before sunset each day.

Imagine the difference and benefit if we have the mentality to convince each of them to grow one banana plant per day.

We dont properly manage our land usage.

We spend so much money on petrol for our lawn-mowers and trimmers. We love our huge lawns so much that wed rather keep their manicured looks even if we hardly have space left to plant anything edible or useful.

But heres another option. If we know we dont have secondary land for planting crops, or if we know we only have a small quarter acre to ourselves, then forget about the grassy sprawling lawn.

Start planting taro and bananas over your beautiful malae or muafale. Believe me, in eight months time youll be much closer to meeting you basic food needs.

Were so proficient at wasting electricity. Heres how we do it.

Every paramount chief must have a maota. If non exists then one gets built. Today, they can be very costly depending on what the paramount chief sees fit as his legacy. OK.

Now it is built , it remains vacant with no one living in it. You can probably count with one hand how many times the maota gets used in a year. But this is what I dont understand.every night, we leave the lights on for most of the evening (sometimes until dawn). I see it every time I drive through the villages at night.

Theres maota after maota with lights turned on like theyre shrines. The power company is making a fortune out of this practice. You could have fed the family with a decent meal from that money. There goes your basic food needs.

We dont fish like we used to anymore.

Every family who dwells along the coastline used to have a paopao (dugout canoe) or two for fishing. In most villages, Saturdays used to look like a social gathering at sea with dozens of men spear fishing in the lagoons while women gather other varieties of edibles like tugane (cockles), alualu (jellyfish), limu (sea weed), gau (sea slug), and so on.

Today, weve become allergic to this pastime. Our new flavour is found in processed food.

On Saturday nights, fishermen go out to sea with their Coleman benzene lanterns glowing along the horizon like fairy lights.

That used to be their routine as they fish through the night (lama) for our Sunday toanai. Today, you only see a speck of light here and a speck of light there. Its become more convenient to just go to the fish markets.

The entire Papauta Girls College used to walk all the way from Papauta to Mulinuu Peninsula on a Saturday morning in full uniform.

They would forage the sea floor for anything that resembles a meal, with the most common find being crustacean and sea slugs.

At the end of their hunt for food they would march, in a four line formation, all the way back to the hills of Papauta. Tired and exhausted but come evening time, they would feast on their catch with great content that it cost them nothing.

But there are also people who live by the sea who never gone fishing in the lagoons. Yes, Ive met them.

While other poor economies turn to the sea for sustenance, here in Samoa, you find some of us who have their basic food needs within reach but dont use it.

If you sit idle while theres food for the picking just a short paddle away, that would be a shameful waste. Are there also people living inland who dont plant crops? I dont know. I havent come across any yet.

Our spiritual connection is somewhat fading.

Todays faifeaus (priests) dont cover the kind of mileage like they used to do on foot in years gone by. Gone are the days where on Saturday mornings , the faifeau dons his best suit with umbrella in hand, walks the length of the village to personally visit every family in his congregation.

That was a great way to touch base with his spiritual family. Today, the church seems to be the only place where the faifeau gets to meet with his flock except for funerals, weddings, birthdays, and other demands.

While the faifeau may not have any direct links with poverty and hardship, I thought its worth mentioning because whenever the going gets tough, we always seem to find that extra gear when our leaders pay us a heartfelt visit.

Its like someone pulling you up after a fall, or feeling that pat on the back with the soft whisper of faamalosi.

So, while we struggle with hardship and poverty because of this guy and that guy, his fault and her fault, I think its fair to say that we are where we are today because weve allowed ourselves to be reliant on others.

Im pretty sure we can all do our little part to make sure the next I.L.O. report reads more favourable.

Now, to find my next basic food needs, Ill need that paopao. Does anyone know how to row this thing?

Haych
The Associate Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, has accused the United Nations of secretly promoting same sex marriage in Samoa.

While the United Nations strongly reject the claim, Lealailepule is adamant that leaders of the government, churches and villages must stay alert.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, he said the United Nations has a hidden agenda, masked through programmes delivered by U.N. Women to promote equality.

They are keen on promoting gender equality yet they are also secretly promoting something that Samoa will never be a part of which is same sex marriage, he said.

Lealailepule wanted to make it clear he welcomes the United Nations help and the work being done by U.N. Women to fight domestic violence, empower women and promote the general good.

However I am not happy with how the gender equality issue is being used as a secret window to pry open the door for same-sex marriage in Samoa, he said. We have to be awake and be alert.

Contacted for a comment, Deputy Representative U.N. Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, Nicolas Burniat, said they are not secretly promoting same-sex marriage.

As part of the U.N. family, U.N. Women supports the priorities of governments and civil society across the region, a statement said.

In Samoa, over the past few years, U.N. Women has been working in partnership with the government and partners to promote womens political participation, end violence against women and promote womens economic empowerment.

This includes supporting the recent historic National Inquiry into Family Violence led by the governments Office of the Ombudsman and the National Human Rights Institution, and Samoas current campaign for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, from 25th November to 10th December.

She explains the 16 Days campaign is a key time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls (V.A.W.G.) as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international level.

Violence against women and girls is a grave violation of human rights deeply entrenched in gender inequality and gender-based discrimination.

Lealailepule accepts and applauds their work in that regard.

But he wants to warn Samoa to be alert about the deception being masked under the name of equality.

We have to be careful with how these projects are being implemented in the villages, he said.

We are all for equal rights for our women, but gender equality is not just about women, it is about men, faafafine and lesbians.

I have nothing personal against my brothers and sisters; however I am not happy with how the gender equality issue is being used as a secret window to pry open the door for same-sex marriage.

Im sure some of the Samoan faafafine do not wish to break these boundaries because they know what a Christian country represents.

When it comes to the U.N., they have no culture, no religion, they are just an organization promoting gender rights. But we are a country with a foundation and a proper culture. We strong religious beliefs we must maintain.

I am somewhat comforted by the recent move by our country to be declared as a Christian State because this type of activity will never be allowed in Samoa.

He added the U.N. Women puts up this fight for human rights violation and same sex marriage is wrapped in there somewhere, a hidden agenda and that is something that Samoa should be aware of.

Overseas like New Zealand and Australia, they will of course allow that because they are a secular state.

Not Samoa, we have Christian values that we cannot steer away from.

The Associate Minister is adamant gender inequality is not an issue in Samoa.

Look at the facts, the women dominate most of the top level offices in our country. Look at education system, 70 percent are women.

There are no barriers when it comes to women taking over the top level positions, he said.

Even in Parliament, the women are encouraged to put their hat into the general elections.

In the villages, women are also seen speaking and making decisions in village councils.

He also mentioned the nofotane project that is supported by U.N. Women and is overseen by the Samoa Victims Support Group (S.V.S.G.).

I mean even the name nofotane is very demeaning. How can you try and promote womens rights using the degrading term nofotane, all women whom are married into families never want to be labelled as nofotane, said Lealailepule.

Ms. Burniat told the Samoa Observer that during the 16 Days campaign, the U.N. Women proudly supported a range of activities including the weekends fun run which was led by the Samoas Ministry of Women, Community and Social, Development and supported by partners including Samoas Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (S.A.S.N.O.C.) and the Australian Government; as well as the Samoa Rugby Sevens Tournament, organised by Samoa Rugby Union with support from Bluesky, Oceania Rugby and U.N. Women.

The 16 Days ends on 10th December, which is the international Human Rights Day. Discrimination based on sex is prohibited under almost every human rights treaty, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (C.E.D.A.W.) is specifically dedicated to the realization of women's human rights.

In its preamble, the Convention explicitly acknowledges that extensive discrimination against women continues to exist, and emphasizes that such discrimination violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity.

As the U.N. organization mandated to advance gender equality U.N. Women firmly stands by these principles.

We condemn discrimination of all kinds, including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Ms. Burniat said.

In the past, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, made his position quite clear on same sex marriage and abortion.

Government will never ever accept legalising abortion for any purposes regardless, Tuilaepa said. It is murder and similar to giving our women the license to kill.

And that is absolutely against our religious Christian values, and beliefs. Its also totally against our culture and our way of life.

The same goes for same sex marriage. It will never be accepted by government because it undermines our tradition and our culture.
Two men found guilty of possession of methamphetamine, also known as ice, have been jailed by the Supreme Court.

The sentence for drug defendants, Scott Barlow and Fatu Vagana, was delivered by Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala Warren.

Vagana was sentenced to four years and six months.

Barlow was sentenced to four years and for additional charges on paraphernalia, he was sentenced to 12 months which he will serve concurrently.

Prosecuting the case was Ofisa Tagaloa and Luaipou Ann Matalasi of the Attorney Generals Office.

Barlow was represented by Aumua Ming Leung Wai while Leiataua Jerry Brunt represented Vagana.

Earlier this month, the defendants were found guilty of having in their possession three small plastic bags of methamphetamine.

In addition, Barlow was convicted of possession of drugs paraphernalia.

Justice Tafaoimalo stated that according to the evidence, the defendants went in a taxi to Fagalii airport.

Barlow uplifted an envelope addressed to a Penina Setu arriving on a Talofa Airways flight from American Samoa. Vagana waited in the taxi and as it turns out, a bag arrived and upon searched by a Customs officer, drugs were found.

The taxi was searched by Police and a glass pipe was found in the taxi.

This glass pipe had been brought out of Scotts (Barlow) car at home and put into the taxi by the taxi driver on Scotts instruction.

Both Scott and Fatu knew about the arrival of the drugs and went to pick up the drugs. Fatu knew the names of the sender and receiver and told Scott these names.

The methamphetamine was confirmed through testing at the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa. The quantity of methamphetamine in the 3 packets was 5.9 grams in total, said Justice Tafaoimalo.

She pointed out the Barlow has previous convictions in 2014, two for possession of narcotics, two for possession of utensils and in 2017 for possession of firearm, presenting firearm and breach of sentence conditions.

Regarding the aggravating features of the offense, Justice Tafaoimalo noted that attempting to bring illegal drugs into the country shows a high level of brashness in the commission of this offence.

Fatu organised the importation of the drugs and Scott went inside the airport to clear the drugs through Customs and quarantine.

I find Fatus culpability to be higher than Scotts who went to uplift the narcotics.

There is a high level of premeditation on the part of Fatu who organised the importation of the narcotics.

There is also, I find, premeditation to a lesser extent on the part of Scott found in his active participation in going to the airport with Fatu in a taxi which he organised, going inside the airport and attempting to clear the bag from Customs and quarantine.

The offending had a commercial intent behind it given the evidence.

Fatu says he does not consume narcotics.

I found that Fatu wanted help to sell the narcotics and Scott had agreed, while also hoping to smoke some himself.

This commercial intent further aggravates this offending, stated the Supreme Court Justice.

On mitigating factors, for Barlow, Justice Tafaoimalo took into account the character testimonials in his favour; particularly striking is the letter from his daughter.

I take into account his personal circumstances, in particular his young children, who are being victimised at school through no fault of their own.

They are the unfortunate victims of this offending.

As for Vagana, Justice Tafaoimalo considered his personal circumstances, being separated from his family and his health concerns.

Submissions by prosecution, seeks a starting point of nine years imprisonment for Barlow and eight years and six months imprisonment for Vagana.

Aumua indicated that imprisonment for his client was not appropriate and that the accused will be better served by attending rehabilitation programs like those offered by the Alcohol and Drugs Court.

Leiataua on the other hand, asked the court for a community-based sentence of supervision is more appropriate.

It is evident from these cases is that custodial sentences are a certainty when dealing with class A narcotics, regardless of the quantity, given its penalty of life imprisonment.

Methamphetamine is a particularly destructive drug for users; it is highly addictive with profound mental and physical side effects.

It induces aggressive and irrational behaviour, and is regularly responsible for other offending involving extreme violence, a phenomenon not commonly associated with other drugs.

It has created a thriving industry, in which organised crime is heavily involved.

Sentiments have been expressed by my fellow judges about the undesirability of these hard drugs in Samoa.

As indicated, in cases where small quantities of methamphetamine have been imported for personal consumption, it is open to sentencing Judges to treat band one as not applicable.

We emphasise that these bands are otherwise applicable to all who import methamphetamine, including those whose roles are as mules.

Obviously the more significant the role of the offender in any importation, the closer the appropriate sentence will be to the top end of the relevant sentencing band.

Aumuas request for Barlow to undergo rehabilitation was denied by Justice Tafaoimalo.
New Zealand government Minister, Carmel Sepuloni, braved the wind and rain yesterday afternoon around the Apia Harbour.

She was determined board the Gaualofa.

Together with the New Zealand High Commissioner, David Nicholson and Sepulonis partner, Fijian artist Daren Kamali, the New Zealand delegation was welcomed on board by the President of the Samoa Voyaging Society, Schannel Van Dijken after a short motor boat ride to where the Gaualofa was anchored.

Even though Ms. Sepuloni is in Samoa on an unofficial visit - as the Associate Minister of Pacific Peoples and the Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, she was delighted to be given a tour of Samoas traditionally inspired 22-metre double hulled vaa and also have the chance to meet the crew and hear about their work.

I am extremely honoured and privileged to be on board the Gaualofa today. Thank you for welcoming us on board, youre doing a great job and we look forward to seeing you all in New Zealand for the festival, she said.

Its really exciting to see the work that you are doing and what it means for the kids and the young people in the community.

The New Zealand High Commissioner was pleased to accompany the Minister on a tour on board the Gaualofa, which will take place in the New Zealand Festival A Waka Odyssey which is celebrating the voyaging history and ancestry of the Pacific.

Recently the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa made a financial commitment of $10,000 to support the Samoa Voyaging Societys (S.V.S.) participation in the New Zealand festival line up.

Mr. Nicholson said the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa was delighted to support Samoas role in showcasing the navigation and voyaging traditions of the Pacific at next years New Zealand festival.

While in New Zealand, S.V.S. and Gaualofa will also participate in other community engagement events, including the Auckland Anniversary and Waitangi celebrations, and various school and community outreach programmes.

Ms. Sepuloni is here on an unofficial visit to support her partner, Daren, who is participating in the Pacific Arts Association Conference, held at N.U.S.

Ms. Sepuloni aims to attend some of the sessions being presented by Pacific artists and academics having already attended the showing of Fiona Collins aloFA tu theatre performance on Tuesday evening.
Youth unemployment is a global issue. Samoa is not immune from it.

For Samoa alone, as of 2012, the rate of unemployed youths between the ages of 18 and 35 is 16.4 percent and it is increasing by 8.4 percent annually.

The unemployed male population makes up 14 percent of youths in Samoa and 20.2 percent are unemployed females.

These statistics were revealed by Assistant C.E.O. of the Ministry of Women and Social Development, Nanai Sovala Agaiava. He was presenting during the Empowering the Family Unit to Stop Violence workshop at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel.

To help address this issue, the Ministry is focusing on three key strategies: Strengthening entrepreneurship, supporting pathways into employment and promoting poverty alleviation mechanisms.

Through economic empowerment, Nanai said the Ministry hoped to: Promote an enabling environment/platform to support strengthened entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities in communities.

Capacity building for women, youth, street vendors, and P.W.D. to establish and maintain micro/small businesses, and to respond to employment demand.

Support employment and entrepreneurship for women, youth and P.W.D. through improving access to resources and services.

Nanai also spoke about child vendors who seem to flood the streets of Samoa day and night.

He said 2013 data revealed that there were 106 street vendors in Samoa. He said a 2014 survey carried out by the International Labour Organisation (I.L.O.) on more than 100 Samoan children showed that children were selling or scavenging the streets sometimes from early morning until midnight.

Child vendors as young as six years old are selling goods on the streets of Samoa sometimes from the early hours of the morning until late at night.

Samoa's Compulsory Education Act regulates the employment of school aged children and prohibits them from engaging in street trading or any other kind of work during school hours.

Yet that does not solve the problem because these children are still seen on the streets during school hours.

He highlighted a pilot assessment carried out on 10 families showed why families preferred their children selling goods on streets.

One reason is to earn income for family survival because the parents are no longer employed.

Another reason is for income in order to send their siblings to schools.

Nanai said six families were part of a business training to help them establish small businesses and financially support their families.

Five are still trying to develop a business but one family has achieved what the Ministry was hoping, that is to have a business to help them.

Justice Vui Clarence Nelson said: In the next five years, there will be an increase in street crimes and street gangs and child vendors will be a critical problem.

He said there was a need to address the child street vendors issue before it was too late.
Chinas Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng was accompanied by his good lady, Tong Xin, when they visited the Samoa Voyaging Society on Tuesday afternoon.

The cool evening breeze of Mulinuu was just in time boarding a motorboat from the Apia Yatch Club shores to the Gaualofa ship where they were welcomed.

The Samoa Voyaging Society has been invited by to a Waka Festival in New Zealand Festival next year. On Tuesday, they received a much-needed financial injection thanks to the Chinese government.

Mr. Xuefeng presented a $40,000 to the Samoa Voyaging Society to help with their preparation for their trip.

The assistance was welcomed by the Samoa Voyaging Society President, Schannel Van Dijken.

We have been invited by the New Zealand Festival to partake in their gathering of Vaka or Vaa in Wellington Harbor, he said.

In order to get to New Zealand the Society had been fundraising and trying to get as much partners as possible and the Chinese Embassy is one of the partners have come on board to hold our hand and support us to get to New Zealand.

Mr. Van Dijken said the Samoa Voyaging Society has a full schedule while in New Zealand.

We will be having outreach programmes, we will be partaking in the Auckland Anniversary, Vaka regatta they will be having on Auckland Anniversary as well as the Waitangi Day celebration.

Its a full schedule for us from January to March, and our crew and all the logistics involved obviously needs some financial assistance and Chinese Embassy has come on board for that.

For Mr. Xuefeng, he said he enjoyed the experience of boarding the Gaualofa.

It was a very happy experience boarding the traditional Samoan Gaualofa ship to experience the great culture and tradition, he said.

With Samoas long history of navigation we are happy and honoured to provide the assistance to Samoa Voyaging Society. We are happy to be part of it.
Apple upped the ante in its legal feud with Qualcomm over patent royalties on Wednesday by accusing the San Diego company of infringing on eight Apple patents related to extending battery life in smartphones.

The iPhone maker made the claims in an amended filing in U.S. District Court in San Diego. Apple contends that Qualcomms Snapdragon 800 and Snapdragon 820 chips infringe on Apple patents related to supplying power only where it is needed, supplying power only to the level needed and enabling quick powering up and down.

In the filing Wednesday, Apple says its work on power management technology pre-dates the iPhone and includes innovations borne out on general purpose computers.

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The Snapdragon 800 and Snapdragon 820 smartphone processors are previous generation chips used to power mostly Android smartphones made by companies such as LG, Sony and Samsung. The current generation of Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 processors are not named in Apples amended complaint.

Apple designs its own applications processor for iPhones. It uses cellular modems  chips that link the phones to the wider cellular network  from Qualcomm and Intel.

Apple has been battling Qualcomm in court over the patent royalties it charges for its portfolio of cellular patents. It sued Qualcomm in January in San Diego federal court.

This summer, Qualcomm asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to ban the import of certain iPhone models on the grounds that they infringe on Qualcomms patents related to power management and extended battery life.

At the same time, it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in San Diego federal court.

Apple countered that Qualcomms patents were invalid and that it didnt infringe on them  a common move in patent infringement cases. Now Apple has added allegations that Qualcomm is infringing on Apple patents, which is also common in such cases.

In the amended filing on Wednesday, Apple wrote that Qualcomm asserts weak patents that nibble at the edges of the smartphone platform and cover concepts that Apple simply does not use.

Don Rosenberg, Qualcomms general counsel, said Apple ignores 30 years of innovation in core mobile technologies by Qualcomm and a few other companies that are fundamental to making the iPhone function.

They say things that are objectively untrue, said Rosenberg. I suspect we are going to find out a lot of things about these patents that are gong to make them less significant than Apple wants to claim they are.

Qualcomm has faced a barrage of headwinds this year. In addition to its dispute with Apple, the company also has been hit with lawsuits and fines by antitrust regulators in Korea, Taiwan and the U.S.

In addition, chip maker Broadcom is pursuing a takeover of the company that could become hostile. Qualcomms board rejected a $70 per share offer earlier this month. The deadline for Broadcom to submit an alternative slate of candidates to Qualcomms board of directors is Dec. 8.

Business

mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

760-529-4973
A lawsuit was filed Tuesday challenging the Escondido City Councils decision to outsource the public librarys staffing and services to a private company  a change that is scheduled to go into effect early next year.

Filed on behalf of longtime city residents Roy and Mary Garrett, the lawsuit contends state law dictates that public libraries shall be managed by a board of library trustees and therefore the councils decision should be rescinded.

The local trustees in August unanimously recommended to the council that it not enter into an agreement with Maryland-based Library Systems & Services LLC, (LS&S) a private company that manages a number of libraries around the country, including the Riverside County system.

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About 50 people marched from the Escondido Public Library to City Hall Tuesday morning to deliver a copy of a lawsuit that challenges a decision to outsource the librarys management and staff. (J. Harry Jones /U-T )

But on Oct. 18, the council voted 4-1 to enter into a 10-year contract with the company, saying the move will save the city at least $400,000 annually, cut down on the citys pension liability by eliminating about 30 jobs, and improve the way the library is run.

The City of Escondido has failed the community, said attorney Alan Geraci during a news conference in front of the library Tuesday morning. It has failed the workers of the library, and it has failed to follow the law.

Geraci, who is running for state Assembly in the 75th District, filed the lawsuit in Vista Superior Court on behalf of the Garretts. Following the news conference, about 50 people marched the few blocks to City Hall where a copy of the lawsuit was presented to the city clerk.

The lawsuit does not come as a surprise. Garrett had brought up the possibility during loud and passionate debates at public meetings leading up to the vote.

On Tuesday afternoon, City Manager Jeff Epp reiterated what City Attorney Michael McGuinness had told the council earlier: the threatened lawsuit was nothing to worry about.

Weve looked at the issue very carefully and very cautiously and have concluded it doesnt carry any weight, Epp said. Its a silly issue.

Added McGuinness: No one else has taken up this position and there are no cases out there that support this, he said. The contract terms themselves clearly do not support this argument. Im quite confident we will succeed in this case.

Garrett has been a frequent critic of the council over the years and was the face of a federal lawsuit in 2007 that forced the city to abandon implementation of an ordinance that would have penalized landlords for renting to undocumented immigrants. The ordinance thrust Escondido into the national immigration debate for a time, and the city has been working ever since to mend its reputation.

A senior research librarian, John Donel, who recently resigned his position because of the outsourcing plans, said during the news conference the desires of the citizenry, as evidenced by an outpouring of opposition, has been ignored by the city.

Hopefully in court, the voice of the people will finally be listened to, he said.

(A public library) is not something that should be run for profit and owned by a private business, Donel continued. This is a government responsibility, a responsibility that should not be shirked as the City Council has shirked their responsibility to the people.

Geraci said he expects a judge will hear his petition for a writ of mandate within the next couple of months. The contract with LS&S is supposed to go into effect in mid-January. Geraci said he may have to ask a judge for an injunction to delay the contracts implementation.

The company has been working with the city to make the transition go smoothly and lay-off notices have been given to city library employees. Some of the library workers have decided to take similar positions with the same pay working for LS&S, but without the pension and some of the other benefits that accompany local government jobs.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Them too?

That was the zeitgeist response as we all woke up this morning to the news that Today show host Matt Lauer and veteran radio host Garrison Keillor have been fired by their respective media companies over alleged inappropriate behavior and worse.

Matt Lauer? Garrison Keillor? Really?

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Yes, really.

Minnesota Public Radio released a statement saying that MPR was ending its relationship with Keillors media companies, effective immediately. Keillor told the Associated Press that he was being fired over allegations of improper behavior.

Meanwhile, NBC News president Andrew Lack said in a staff memo that the network received a detailed complaint about Lauer from a colleague on Monday night. The network was also presented with reason to believe it was not an isolated incident.

By Wednesday morning, Lauer was out. The New York Posts Page Six site has since reported that Lauer allegedly sexually harassed a female NBC staff member during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Later in the day, Variety published the results of a two-month investigation in which multiple women accused Lauer of sexually harassing them.

And there it is, an important reminder that we should not greet these latest sexual-harassment related firing of high-profile men with an Enough already eye-roll or a panicked sounding of the witch-hunt alarm bell.

The news that Lauer  a powerful, likable guy with a family, female co-workers who adore him and a contract reportedly worth $25 million a year  acted in a seriously inappropriate way with at least one colleague and probably more, is not just another anything.

Like the men who fell before them and the men who have yet to fall, Lauer and Keillor are big, flashing warning lights alerting us to a state of emergency that is not close to being over.

In these days of around-the-clock news and tweets and Google alerts, we are in the habit of watching our collective concern and outrage get washed away by the current-events churn. So many horrors so easily forgotten.

But this is not that.

It has been less than two months since the New York Times broke the story of movie producer Harvey Weinsteins decades of predatory behavior toward women.

Less that two months. Wrap your mind around that.

Then consider the fact that pretty much every single woman on the planet has been harassed or assaulted by a man at some point in her life.

If you are a woman, this means you and all of your female friends and relatives have been hurt, threatened, scared or humiliated by a man. It also means that you are really angry right now.

If you are a man, this means your Mom, your wife, your sisters and your co-workers have been hurt, threatened, scared or humiliated by a man. It also means you should be really angry right now.

Whether this harm came to you or someone you care about, there is a very good chance that the man who did the damage went on to do it to someone else.

It is equally likely that the woman cried about it, screamed about it or buried it before going on with her life. But dont think for a minute that she forgot.

Matt Lauer. Garrison Keillor. Whoever tomorrows guy might be. These stories keep coming out because bad things have happened to women at the hands of men since the beginning of time, and they finally feel safe enough to tell them. Most importantly, they also feel a little more confident that justice might be served.

This post-Weinstein upheaval is the beginning of a large-scale reckoning that has been a very long time in coming and will be a very long, tricky time in resolving.

So buckle your seat belts, everybody. Its going to be a long, stomach-churning journey. Every terrible story is an important step toward where we need to go, but we are not there yet.

Not even close.

Twitter: @karla_peterson

karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 12 p.m.
For people who ventured onto the internet in the past week, odds are high that they were greeted with an urgent message to protect net neutrality thats under attack.

The colorful graphics and dire language underscored an important message: The idea of a free and open internet that treats all traffic the same  without providers blocking, slowing or charging for particular content  would be wounded or eliminated under a plan released last week by the Federal Communications Commission.

The internet has become the great connecter for communicating, regardless of geography, and the great equalizer for businesses of all sizes. Widespread, affordable internet access has grown from a luxury into a necessity, one that must be preserved and protected.

The plan, as introduced by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a former counsel for Verizon, would end provisions that bar internet service providers from prioritizing or slowing particular websites and reassign regulatory authority to the Federal Trade Commission. The measure is expected to pass.

Telecom giant Comcast, which had previously expressed support for rescinding net neutrality regulations, recently launched an ad campaign that promised the company would not block, throttle or discriminate against lawful content. The desire of major internet service providers to have this ability, though, undermines their argument.

Under the proposed structure without the net neutrality safeguards, internet service providers would have the ability to levy additional fees beyond subscription costs to access online content. A Forbes columnist likened the structure to bundling charges to use certain websites to that of cable channels.

A country where internet subscribers would have to pay extra to access Facebook and Twitter, where the quality of streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu were determined by how much extra one paid, where small businesses faced additional financial hurdles to maintain a digital presence  all of that would be permitted under weaker or nonexistent net neutrality laws.

Many of the tech companies whose services are now ubiquitous to the point of being a verb  including Google, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, Airbnb, Spotify and Reddit  have expressed staunch opposition to the FCCs plan since day one. Thats why companies of all shapes and sizes correctly pointed out their ability to start and conduct business online would face serious disadvantages in a pay-to-play internet.

This isnt a matter of partisan politics; its one of fundamental fairness to American consumers and businesses.

In a world where so much communication and commerce are conducted online, the freedom to continue operating in a free, open and content-neutral internet is a must. As such, the existing net neutrality measures must be allowed to remain in place.

Journal Star, Nov. 28, 2017
Someone mustve hit the snooze alarm with extreme enthusiasm in Sleepy Hollow, because the characters from Washington Irvings classic 1790-set story are about to wake up in 2017.

The occasion is the musical Tarrytown, whose world-premiere production begins this week at San Diegos Backyard Renaissance Theatre.

The show, the first musical by the writer-composer Adam Wachter, takes its name from the modern-day community of Tarrytown, whose environs were the setting for Irvings 1820 tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

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Tarrytown also takes elements of its story and characters from the Irving original, although Backyard Renaissance executive director Jessica John says that plenty about the saga has been reconceived and (obviously) modernized.

You might recall that Sleepy Hollow tells the story of Ichabod Crane, the newly arrived schoolmaster who competes with the mischievous local Brom Bones Van Brunt for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, daughter of a wealthy family.

The superstitious Ichabod, though, winds up being spooked out of his wits by the mysterious specter of the Headless Horseman.

In Wachters modern-day version, Brom and Katrina are a young married couple. But when Ichabod, a gay schoolteacher, moves into town, Katrina absolutely falls in love with him, says John.

Not romantically, but in a way that women fall in love with gay men.

For John, that aspect of the story carries welcome echoes of her own longtime bond with friend and confidant Tom Zohar  the actor who happens to be playing Ichabod in the show. (He stars alongside Bryan Banville as Brom and Kay McNellen as Katrina; Fran Gercke and Anthony Methvin co-direct).

Wachter, a busy New York artist, has worked in San Diego before; he was music director for Diversionary Theatres Harmony, Kansas as well as the Old Globes Dog and Pony.

While here, he did a showcase for an early version of Tarrytown, and John says she left the event with the music in my head  things that are so funny in it, things where I thought Id burst out crying. I just thought it was beautiful.

Even though Ichabod is odd, he is so well-versed in music and poetry that all the women start enjoying his company. He winds up bullied by Brom and the others, because they want him out. He has something they dont.

I think people are going to be surprised and moved by it.

Tarrytown

When: Previews begin Thursday. Opens Dec. 2. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; plus 7 p.m. Dec. 11 (Industry Night). Through Dec. 17.

Where: Backyard Renaissance Theatre at Diversionarys Black Box, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights.

Tickets: $20-$40 (discounts available)

Phone: (619) 977-0999

Online: backyardrenaissance.com

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
Women have served in every major war in U.S. history. After proving their utility in combat, opportunities for female troops usually expanded following each conflict.

1775: During the American Revolution, women serve as matrons at Army hospitals, as cooks, laundresses, ammunition carriers and water bearers. Some take up arms, like Deborah Sampson. She disguised herself as a man, fought for three years, was wounded twice and earned a military pension.

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1861-65: During the Civil War, women serve as battlefield nurses, civilian spies, and uniformed fighters disguised as men. Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon volunteer with the Union Army, survived several major battles and was held for months as a prisoner of war. She is the only woman in history to have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest for valor in combat.

1901: Army establishes its Nurse Corps, making women an official part of the U.S. armed forces.

1917-18: During World War I, more than 30,000 women enlist in the military. Most are nurses or clerks, but some brave enemy fire in France as telephone operators. Some 400 women died in service, mostly from war-related disease. The rest were discharged from duty after the war.

1941-45: About 400,000 women volunteer to free a man to fight during World War II. They serve at home and overseas, starting as nurses and clerks and moving into virtually every non-combat occupation. Some carry weapons in self-defense. Nearly 500 died.

1948: Congress makes women permanent members of the peacetime military, with restrictions capping them to 2 percent of personnel, barring them from the rank of colonel or higher, and keeping them out of combat.

1950-53: During the Korean War, female reservists are involuntarily recalled to active duty for first time. More than 120,000 women serve, many as battlefield nurses. At least 16 die, mostly in plane crashes.

1965-1975: During the Vietnam War more than 265,000 women volunteered for active duty and some 10,000 served in Vietnam, mostly as nurses. Eight died.

1967: During the civil rights movement, Congress passes the Womens Armed Services Integration Act lifting the 2 percent cap on women personnel and restrictions on rank.

1973: The draft ends and the military tries to recruit more women.

1974: Under threat of lawsuits, Pentagon decides to stop mandatory separation from service of pregnant women.

1975: The United States Coast Guard Academy becomes first to admit women.

1976: Congress opens other military academies to women.

1977: U.S. Coast guard opens all its jobs to women.

1978: Women allowed to serve on Navy hospital and transport ships, after restrictions deemed unconstitutional.

1981: U.S. Supreme Court upholds exclusion of women from Selective Service registration and military drafts.

1983: Women deploy for Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada as military police officers manning checkpoints, interrogators, and helicopter pilots.

1988: Pentagon task force establishes a Risk Rule to determine where women could serve.

1989: Women engulfed in combat during Panama invasion, including female pilots heavily fired on and military police officers engaged in an infantry-style firefight.

1990-1992: More than 40,000 women serve in Persian Gulf war zone in support units, missile crews and aboard Navy tenders, constituting 7 percent of combat force. Long-range weaponry blurs boundary between front lines and the rear. 13 women killed and two taken prisoner.

1991: Female troops groped by drunken pilots at Tailhook Convention. Backlash coupled with Gulf War service provokes Clinton administration to expand opportunities for military women. Navy puts women in command of a naval station, an aviation squadron and a ship. Congress lifts ban on women serving in combat aviation.

1994: Pentagon rescinds its risk rule and permits women to serve on most warships. Women begin graduating from training as fighter pilots and other combat aviation jobs. New ground combat exclusion policy keeps women out of infantry, tanks, artillery and special operations, as well as combat units of battalion size and smaller.

1994: Lt. Kara Hultgreen, 29, the Navys first female aircraft carrier pilot, dies in fatal carrier crash in San Diego after an engine malfunction. She was among Tailhook Convention victims of sexual harassment.

1998: Female aviators fly combat missions for first time, over Iraq no-fly zone.

2000: Two female sailors among 17 Americans killed in bombing of destroyer USS Cole in Yemen.

2002: A female Marine killed in Pakistan plane crash is first military woman to die in Afghanistan war.

2005: Army places women in support units on Iraq front lines, citing manpower shortages. Debate about repealing or strengthening ground combat restrictions ensues.

2008: Army Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody becomes nations first four-star female officer.

2011: Congressional commission recommends ending gender restrictions for all military career fields and combat exclusion policies that bar women from some 200,000 positions. Pentagon begins women in service review.

2012: Two separate federal lawsuits by military women seek to overturn Pentagon restrictions on women in combat, calling them unconstitutional, detrimental to the military and outdated given contributions by women during 11 years at war.

2012: Defense Department scraps its co-location prohibition on women serving with men in combat zones and announces that 14,000 positions will be opened to women on an experimental basis, including battalion-level support jobs in artillery, tank and combat engineer units. Services directed to develop gender-neutral standards for physically demanding job related tasks.

2012: Marine Corps conducts research into women in ground combat by accepting women volunteers into its Infantry Officer Course. As of 2015, none had passed.

2013: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta rescinds ground combat exclusion policy and orders services to open all assignments to women, including infantry, tanks and special operations forces, by Jan. 1, 2016 or justify why an exception should be granted.

2014: Marine Corps creates experimental ground combat task force including women assigned to infantry, armor, tanks, artillery. Army selects 31 women who pass Ranger prep course to serve as observers/advisors at Army Ranger school.

2015: In January, Army decides to allow women to attend Ranger school in the spring.

September 2015: deadline for services to develop and validate gender-neutral standards for all jobs. Decision on whether to ask for exception to bar women from infantry and other direct ground combat jobs expected.

Jan 1, 2016: deadline for full integration of women into all military jobs, other than any granted exceptions.
About this series

This four-part series, focused on a boy born in San Diego accused at age 14 of heinous crimes for a drug cartel, illustrates the expanse of a drug trade that ensnares adults and children on both sides of the border.

Union-Tribune reporters Morgan Lee and Janine Zuniga have written the stories based on public records and interviews in Mexico and the United States.

Series

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part one

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The top of the boys head barely reaches the shoulders of the men at his side as they exit a military pickup shortly before dawn.

He is 14 and small for his age  a thin figure draped in a sweatshirt with a concert tour logo. He has a fat lip, a swollen eye and abrasions on his neck.

Mexican soldiers in bulletproof vests and black masks stand the youth against a brick wall on a dark side street outside the federal prosecutors office in central Mexico. Cameras flash as someone holds a cellphone to the teens face.

His chest heaves and for a moment he looks as if he will cry.

What is your name? a voice asks.

Edgar Jimenez Lugo.

Where did they capture you?

At the airport.

Where were you going?

San Diego.

At what age did you start killing?

Mexican authorities say this is the boy who last year helped a drug cartel behead and mutilate the bodies of a student, a cook at a university, a gas station attendant and a small-business owner.

He goes on trial Monday.

On our side of the border, we read about the mayhem inflicted by drug cartels. We watch disturbing footage of what has happened to parts of Mexico, near and far. But it often feels as though those problems have little to do with us. How could a middle-school-aged boy, born in San Diego, be mixed up in that world?

In some ways, Edgars story is what you might expect. He is a drug user and a dropout. His parents have criminal records. He was born with cocaine in his system  touched in a sense by drug traffickers before he left the womb.

Look even harder and his life becomes more difficult to comprehend.

[Mailbag: Have a question for the reporter of this series?]

Four decades ago, Edgars grandparents led a proud, working-class family and built homes for their children on the fast-growing outskirts of Cuernavaca, a scenic state capital and vacation getaway in central Mexico.

Their journey  from upright and otherwise unremarkable beginnings, through the grips of addiction and onto the front lines of a war against drug cartels  takes us from the central neighborhoods of San Diego to a once-bucolic Mexican town now upended by violence.

Their fates unveil, within a single family, so many of the factors that fuel the drug war  the social toll of addiction, the effects of spiraling demand in the United States, the breakdown of law and order in Mexico, and the lure of power and money wielded by the cartels.

 An examination of the cross-border drug war through the life of a 15-year-old boy and his family.

[Ver el video en espanol]

Family background

Edgars paternal grandfather left the urban edges of Mexico City in the mid-1960s to take a job as a supervisor on a Nissan assembly line. David Jimenez Cuellars workplace was part of a new industrial park carved out of farmland southeast of Cuernavaca.

His wife, Carmen Solis Gil, stayed home to raise four boys and two girls and later worked for the familys businesses.

Carmen had a household motto: Leather sandals for all. For her, it meant providing enough for everyone  including four abandoned children the family took in over the years.

In the 1970s, when Nissan laid off workers, David used his savings and severance pay to buy a cantina in Tejalpa, a fast-growing village near the popular weekend destination of Cuernavaca.

Everyone, including the older children, pitched in  cleaning, preparing snacks, running the cash register.

My mom used to say, Why pay for waiters when there are all these kids? said daughter Teresa Jimenez Solis. All that taught us to be good, hard-working children.

The cantina proved to be a shrewd investment and was followed by the launch of a string of small family shops.

David and Carmen bought land in Tejalpa, built a home and tacked on additions as their six children married and began having their own children.

By the late 1970s, one of their sons left the family business and set out for the United States. Jesus Jimenez Solis longed to escape small town life and see if he could prosper on his own. He also wanted to get away from the routine government and police corruption that his parents put up with to stay in business  like having to pay off cops with free drinks at their cantina.

Jesus crossed the border illegally and found work as an auto mechanic and later a construction foreman.

Several years later, the familys youngest son, David Antonio Jimenez Solis, followed his brothers example and moved to California.

In coming to America, Davids wanderlust collided with something unfamiliar to his traditional upbringing: a ready supply of cheap, illegal drugs.

Immigration surge

David was part of a tide of undocumented migrants in the 1980s streaming through a patchwork of fences and open backcountry at the border with San Diego.

Hundreds of immigrants surged northward at nightfall from Tijuana, overwhelming U.S. Border Patrol agents. They turned up in residents backyards and living rooms, asking for food and a ride.

[Border crossings then and now]

David arrived in San Bernardino County, thanks to his brother Jesus, who paid off his $800 fee to a smuggler.

Jesus set David up with a car and job after job  only to watch him get fired for not showing up or doing personal errands on company time.

You have no idea how much I helped my brother, the things that I gave him, the things he took that I didnt give him, Jesus said.

The lives of the two brothers eventually diverged.

Jesus went on to raise a family and buy a two-story home in Fontana. He became a U.S. citizen.

David sent for his hometown sweetheart, Yolanda Lugo Jimenez, and their two daughters, and moved them to a mobile home park in Ontario. In spring 1990, another daughter was born.

The promise of a landscaping job drew the family south to San Diego, where they had two more children.

David worked sporadically. For years, he drank a six-pack of beer a day. He beat Yolanda, his common-law wife, and twice went to jail for abusing her.

Shoes and clothing for the family were in short supply, although David and Yolanda received public assistance for their children.

My parents did not have enough for us to eat, said 21-year-old Olivia Jimenez Lugo, the familys third child, who lives near Cuernavaca. We would rent a house and at the end of the month we would leave for another.

The familys case history with county welfare officials suggests years of parental neglect: a 3-year-olds broken leg, lice infestations and excessive absences from school.

In interviews this year, David called the descriptions very exaggerated, though he acknowledged that he and Yolanda were both to blame for how the familys lives turned out.

I think it was all because we lost our heads, he said. We were immature.

Jesus said they were a bad combination.

You put TNT and you put a match together, he said.

Cocaine pipeline

During the 1980s, Mexico steadily became the principal thoroughfare for illicit drugs coming into the United States.

Pioneering Mexican smugglers became international kingpins as U.S. cocaine use soared. A successful crackdown on Caribbean supply routes pushed smuggling west  firmly into Mexican territory and along its coasts.

[Domestic cocaine use then and now]

Then in 1985, U.S. cooperation with Mexican authorities suffered a major setback with the torture and killing of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena by traffickers. Enraged American officials blamed the death on corruption in Mexico.

At the time, Mexicos own appetite for illegal drugs was negligible, held in check by social taboos and the reality of limited disposable income under an economy hit by crisis after crisis.

A dozen miles north of the border, David and Yolanda moved into San Diego neighborhoods where crack cocaine was readily available for as little as $10 a hit.

Longtime residents, community activists and police officers remember the streets lost to drug dealers and violence. Crack was seemingly everywhere  from San Ysidro, at the worlds busiest land border crossing, to La Jolla, an enclave of beachfront mansions and trendy restaurants.

The thing that was so unique about crack cocaine was it didnt discriminate, said Larry Malone, 55, a recovering cocaine addict and a drug counselor in central San Diego. Grandparents were getting addicted.

Mothers bought drugs with food stamps, Malone said. Dealers openly worked street corners, alerting drivers with a confident wave. Users lost their jobs and homes  and kept on using, some in plain view.

Over time, David and Yolanda became crack cocaine users at the Southern California end of a multibillion-dollar smuggling pipeline that stretched from South America.

Jesus said he didnt realize his brother and Yolanda were using drugs until the truth became obvious during a late-night visit to their home.

Ive never done drugs, but I could tell they were on something, Jesus said. They were just tweaking.

In January 1995, the couple surrendered a baby girl to adoption when she tested positive for cocaine.

Home in crisis

Their next child  Edgar  was born May 6, 1996, in an orange Volkswagen Rabbit during a dash for the hospital.

The following day at Paradise Valley Hospital in National City, a social worker broke the news to Edgars mother through a Spanish interpreter: The boy wouldnt be going home. He, too, tested positive for cocaine and would be placed in foster care.

Yolanda showed little emotion.

But she says she understands. She says she will tell her husband but that she doesnt know how he will react, according to the social workers psychological assessment.

When David and Yolanda came home, they had to explain to their other five children, ages 2 to 10, what had happened to the baby.

They told us that there were so many of us already that they had given up Edgar, said the familys oldest child, Myrna Jimenez Lugo, now 25. I remember my mother was crying and crying.

Edgar never saw his mother again.

By June, authorities intervened to protect Edgars brother and four sisters.

Social workers appeared at Sherman Elementary School to escort 10-year-old Myrna home, where they gathered her siblings and drove them away.

Their mother broke down, but neither parent resisted.

Once under the protection of social workers, three of the children tested positive for trace amounts of cocaine, suggesting they had been in close contact with drug users.

Edgars parents squandered chances to regain custody of their children. They abandoned drug treatment and parenting programs  and were jailed, one after the other, on charges of possessing crack cocaine.

Neglect and exposure to drugs before birth may have set Edgar back as a child. He showed difficulties speaking clearly and displayed impulsive and disruptive behavior.

The long arm of the drug trade had reached out to Edgar as an infant.

A dozen years later it again found Edgar, by then an elementary school dropout in a land besieged by feuding cartels.

[Graphic: Edgars family]
A Compton woman who was struck by a car on the 5 Freeway last year during a political protest that spilled onto the freeway is suing UC San Diego, among others, alleging failure to contain the demonstration and prevent a dangerous situation.

Maria Ana Carrola Flores, 19, filed the lawsuit this month in San Diego County Superior Court against defendants, including the university, the driver of the car that struck her, the state and the city of San Diego. The lawsuits allegations include negligence and a dangerous condition on public property.

A university spokeswoman declined to comment because litigation was ongoing. The city of San Diego did not respond to requests for comment.

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Flores, then 18, was part of a protest that started on the UCSD campus in La Jolla after Donald Trump gave his presidential victory speech in New York in the early morning hours of Nov. 9, 2016, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported at the time. The protest eventually moved onto the southbound 5 Freeway north of Nobel Drive, where a car struck Flores about 1:40 a.m.

California Highway Patrol officers told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the driver stopped after the car struck Flores, and he was not suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Flores attorney, Jerold Gene Sullivan of Manhattan Beach, said by telephone Tuesday that his client suffered multiple broken bones and has permanent disabilities.

He said Flores accepts some responsibility for her injuries  but not all of it.

We think its a case of shared responsibility of the school, Maria and the driver, and were not saying that anybody is without fault or fault-free, Sullivan said. We think other people bear some responsibility as well.

Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that UCSD or the UC Board of Regents bears some responsibility for the protest. The lawsuit says the school and other defendants did not contain the protest and allowed it to spill onto the freeway, where security was inadequate to keep protesters safe.

An emergency vehicle was driving back and forth across lanes to block traffic so authorities could shut down the freeway, the lawsuit said. The car that struck Flores had been able to get around the emergency vehicle.

The lawsuit seeks attorneys fees, court costs and unspecified damages, according to proof at trial.

morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com

Cook writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
A Compton woman who was struck by a car on Interstate 5 last year during a political protest that spilled onto the freeway is suing University of California San Diego, among others, alleging failure to contain the demonstration and prevent a dangerous situation.

Maria Ana Carrola Flores, 19, filed the lawsuit this month in San Diego County Superior Court against defendants including the university, the driver of the car that struck her, the state and the City of San Diego. The lawsuits allegations include negligence and a dangerous condition on public property.

A university spokeswoman declined to comment because litigation was ongoing. The City of San Diego did not respond to requests for comment.

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Flores, then 18, was part of a protest that started on UCSD campus in La Jolla after President Donald Trump gave his victory speech in New York in the early morning hours of Nov. 9, 2016, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported at the time. The protest eventually moved onto the southbound I-5 freeway north of Nobel Drive, where a car struck Flores about 1:40 a.m.

California Highway Patrol officers told the Union-Tribune that the driver stopped after the car struck Flores, and he was not suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Flores attorney, Jerold Gene Sullivan in Manhattan Beach, said by telephone on Tuesday that his client suffered multiple broken bones and has permanent disabilities.

He said Flores accepts some responsibility for her injuries  but not all of it.

We think its a case of shared responsibility of the school, Maria and the driver, and were not saying that anybody is without fault or fault-free, Sullivan said. We think other people bear some responsibility as well.

Specifically, the lawsuit alleges UCSD or the UC Board of Regents bear some responsibility for the protest. The lawsuit says the school and other defendants did not contain the protest and allowed it to spill onto the freeway, where security was inadequate to keep protesters safe.

An emergency vehicle was driving back and forth across lanes to block traffic so authorities could shut down the freeway, the lawsuit said. The car that struck Flores had been able to get around the emergency vehicle.

The lawsuit seeks attorneys fees, court costs, and unspecified damages according to proof at trial.

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morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com
A group of San Diego residents seeking to block a connector road between Interstate 805 and Friars Road sued the city on Monday, claiming more analysis of the projects potential impacts is needed.

The residents want the connector roads use restricted to emergency vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians in order to keep their nearby neighborhoods safe and free of the heavy traffic that city officials expect the road to carry.

City officials and many Mission Valley residents living farther away say the road is a crucial piece of overdue infrastructure that would ease traffic congestion on Friars, I-805, Interstate 15 and Mission Center Road.

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The road, which the City Council approved 8-1 in late October, would also allow developers to build more commercial projects and dense housing in Mission Valley, helping to alleviate the citys affordable housing crisis.

The residents who filed the lawsuit singled out Sudberry Properties, developer of the Civita Project, as a villain in the battle over the connector road by naming their organization Save Civita Because Sudberry Wont.

Members of the group primarily live in the two communities the connector road would join together: Civita in northern Mission Valley and Abbots Hill in Serra Mesa.

A Sudberry official said Tuesday he empathizes with the residents about traffic in their neighborhoods, but that Sudberry isnt inclined to oppose a project the city wants and that has significant regional benefits.

The lawsuit contends the citys environmental review of the connector road failed in several ways to meet the requirements of the states rigorous environmental law, known as the California Environmental Quality Act.

Filed by local environmental attorney Cory Briggs, the suit claims the city failed to adequately analyze the adverse impacts of the road, alternative options the city has and the mitigation measures included with the connector road.

The responsible decision-makers were not fully informed, says the lawsuit, which seeks an injunction until further analysis is conducted.

Sudberry must cover the roughly $10 million cost of the project and the required mitigation measures.

The project includes building a new four-lane road to connect Phyllis Place in Serra Mesa with Via Alta and Franklin Ridge Road in Mission Valley, and widening several nearby streets.

The mitigation measures include widening onramps to the 805, upgrading the Friars Road/Qualcomm Way interchange and widening Murray Ridge Road.

The group Save Civita Because Sudberry Wont says Sudberry deceptively promoted Civita by describing the connector road as possible instead of something that was nearly inevitable.

The Sudberry official, senior vice president Marco Sessa, disputed that by phone on Tuesday. He said the connector road has been discussed for more than a decade at dozens of public meetings.

I think its disingenuous of folks who are saying they didnt know anything about it, Sessa said, adding that the lawsuit means the road is still not a certainty. I sit here today not knowing whether its going to happen or not.

Sessa also noted that the two affected streets in Civita were constructed to preserve quality of life as much as possible. Sudberry divided the traffic into two streets instead of one, narrowed the streets to discourage speeding and included curves.

When you look at a granular level at whether volumes will increase on the streets in Civita, you can understand why the folks living there would prefer the streets stay very quiet, Sessa said. When you are looking at doing planning from a regional standpoint, the project makes sense.

Sessa also said support from the city means a lot.

We have been strong advocates for infrastructure in Mission Valley, so we cant take a position to not move forward with something that the city feels is an important infrastructure element for all of Mission Valley, he said. I would lose all of the trust and respect Ive developed over my career with the folks downtown.

The connector is needed, city officials say, primarily because no interchange with Friars Road was built when the 805 freeway was constructed in the 1970s.

City Attorney Mara Elliott did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
Joseph and Travis Dasilva have exposed their bums in photographs at some of the worlds most well-known landmarks for their popular social media accounts.

On Tuesday, a racy picture at an iconic Buddhist temple landed them behind bars in Bangkok, where they face charges that could keep them in jail for years.

Immigration authorities in Thailand arrested the San Diego couple at Don Mueang International Airport while they were trying to depart the country, the Bangkok Post reported.

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They were initially accused of indecent exposure, a criminal offense that carries a fine of up to 5,000 baht, or about $150, according to the English-language newspaper. Police officials said Wednesday, however, that the 38-year-old men will likely face two additional charges that could result in jail time.

The allegations have inflamed the Thai and Buddhist communities in San Diego and beyond.

Its disrespectful on so many levels  to the religion, the culture, the people and the country, said Jennifer Ing-aram, vice president of the Thai Association of Southern California. The Thai community is very unhappy that these two fellows chose to expose themselves for fun.

Leaders in the gay community have also expressed dismay at the couples actions. San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez, a longtime LGBTQ activist, is close friends with Travis Dasilva. He said while he is concerned for the couple, their behavior was inexcusable.

Its deeply embarrassing for any American, because it gives credence to that ugly stereotype of Americans who think they can do whatever they want, Murray-Ramirez said. I find their actions to be indefensible and unacceptable.

The Dasilvas regularly pose for photographs with their shorts or pants pulled down, their bare bottoms exposed, at places the world over. The pictures were shared on the couples Instagram account, called traveling_butts, which had more than 14,000 followers before it was taken down Tuesday.

Thats how they express themselves artistically, said M.G. Perez, a San Diego friend of the married couple.

Their most recent pictures were apparently taken at Wat Arun, also called Temple of Dawn, in Bangkok. The temple, with a main spire thats more than 200 feet tall, is among Thailands most famous landmarks.

In addition to indecent exposure, the couple will likely face two additional charges: posting pornographic pictures online, a violation of the countrys Computer Crime Act, and insulting or defaming a religion, a criminal offense.

The charge related to pornographic pictures can result in a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht, which is about $3,070. The charge of insulting a religion carries a possible jail term of one to seven years and/or a fine of 20,000 to 40,000 baht, or about $615 to $1,230, according to the Bangkok Post.

Police officials told the paper that investigators have also uncovered evidence the couple may have taken similar photographs at Bangkoks Wat Traimit temple, famous for the enormous golden Buddha it houses.

Perez said he and other friends are concerned about the couples safety.

He said his worries began Tuesday morning after Travis Dasilva made a vague inquiry on Facebook: Anybody know any diplomats in Bangkok. Or know any lawyers in Bangkok.

Or anyone from the U.S. who can help, Dasilva later commented on his post.

He then added: Call a senator or something. I dunno (how much) longer Ill have my phone.

Perez said Tuesday night that he had texted and messaged the couple via Facebook and was anxiously waiting for a reply.

Both Perez and Murray-Ramirez said the men have a long track record of community involvement and social justice action in the LGBTQ community.

Joseph and Travis are such incredible people, with hearts of gold, Perez said.

He added later, We are all humans, and we all make choices, and there are consequences to our choices. Travis and Joseph are men of integrity who will face those consequences.

It is not about judgment. It is about their safety and figuring out how to get them back home, he said.

Friends of the couple have reached out to Sen. Dianne Feinstein to ask for help.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez

UPDATES:

6:50 p.m. Nov. 29: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 11:15 p.m. Nov. 30.
A 22-year-old man who authorities said smashed a car into a tree and left a passenger to die in the wreckage near Escondido is behind bars, accused of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Ambruno Emilio Francisco Domingo of Escondido was treated at a hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash early Friday and later booked into jail on charges including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, a California Highway Patrol officer said Tuesday.

Domingo was driving south on North Broadway near Paso Del Norte when he veered right, off the road, and slammed into a tree about 2:30 a.m. Friday, CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said.

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A resident in the rural area heard the collision and drove to the crash site, arriving as Domingo was getting out the crumpled car. The good Samaritan took Domingo to a hospital at his request, unaware there was a second person in the sedan. Latulippe said Domingo didnt mention his passenger.

Juan Andres Ramirez, 33, of Escondido, died in the wrecked 2007 Mazda 3.

Domingo is being held on $1 million bail, according to jail records.

Breaking News

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
A San Diego police officer shot the driver of a stolen car in the arm early Wednesday when the man backed his vehicle toward police and then drove off, authorities said.

The 20-year-old man and a passenger were drinking alcohol in a stolen Acura parked near the Kearny Mesa Recreation Center shortly after midnight when they were approached by two police officers, said San Diego police Lt. Mike Holden.

As officers tried to arrest the driver, the man backed his vehicle in the direction of one of the officers, who believed he was going to be hit, Holden said.

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The officer fired one round from his handgun, striking the man in the arm. The driver drove off, heading into Clairemont, where he crashed into a parked car on Marlesta Drive about a mile away.

The driver ran from the vehicle but police found him quickly. A loaded handgun was discovered in the mans pocket, Holden said.

Jason Santana was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, possession of a stolen vehicle, felony failure to yield and being a felon in possession of a loaded gun. He also was wanted on three no-bail probation warrants.

The 25-year-old passenger remained in the vehicle and was arrested without incident. He will be booked into jail on suspicion of violating parole, Holden said.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
Three men pleaded not guilty Tuesday to attempted murder after authorities say they fired an assault rifle  shooting more than 30 rounds  at sheriffs deputies during a car chase on residential streets in Vista last week.

Ixcauatzin Morales, Jesus Alejandro Garcia and Elmer Escatel each face up to 37 years to life in prison if convicted of those and other charges. Superior Court Judge David Danielsen set their bail at $2 million each during their brief arraignment in his Vista courtroom.

The early morning chase, shortly after midnight on Nov. 22, followed reports that someone shot at two homes in North Vista about a half-hour earlier.

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During the arraignment, Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe said that, in one of the incidents, the bullets hit a Mercedes parked at the home, and also struck plants and a fence to the point where it looked like Swiss cheese.

He said patrol deputies were investigating when they heard shots in alley on East California Avenue. They soon spotted the truck in the alley and gave chase.

The ensuing pursuit lasted more than a mile and a half. More than 30 shots were fired from the truck toward the two deputies, who took evasive moves to avoid the gunfire, Watanabe said.

The deputies did not fire back, authorities said.

Deputies soon located the red pickup parked at an apartment complex on Meadowlake Drive, not far off East Vista Way. A witness saw the trio run into an apartment, the prosecutor said.

After an hours-long standoff, the three came out and were arrested. A search of a storage area associated with the apartment turned up an AR-15 assault rifle and two shotguns, Watanabe said.

Watanabe had asked the judge to set bail at $5 million. In arguing for lower bail, defense attorney Philip Walden told the judge there is a lot of conjecture here.

Defense attorney Philip Walden, who is representing 29-year-old Garcia, said later that the evidence will reveal that there was quite a bit of alcohol consumed before this happened.

Walden also stood in for 24-year-old Escatels defense lawyer.

Attorney Daniel Callaway, who is representing 21-year-old Morales, told the judge that the defendants were three young men who made a horrific mistake.

After the hearing, the prosecutor called the shootings and pursuit an egregious crime that endangered the entire community and the two deputies.

It takes a lot of gall to fire over 30 rounds from an AR-15 rifle at deputy sheriffs who are pursuing, Watanabe said.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Two years ago Sara Jacobs, a Democrat who is now running for Congress, was turned down for a job working for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign  that is, until a political fundraiser intervened on her behalf.

The granddaughter of Qualcomm co-founder, billionaire philanthropist and major campaign donor Irwin Jacobs, Sara Jacobs wanted an unpaid position on Clintons policy team.

Months passed without receiving a promising word from Clintons people, let alone getting a job. Then Mary Pat Bonner, one of the most prolific Democratic fundraisers in the history of elections, began lobbying top officials in the Clinton campaign to get Jacobs a job.

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I know I will be seeing you soon. Can I grab a couple minutes to talk about Sara Jacobs? Bonner wrote in an April 14, 2015, email to John Podesta, the chairman of Clintons campaign. Jacobs later began working for the campaign as a foreign policy adviser  a post for which Podesta says she was well qualified.

Bonners efforts on behalf of Jacobs are contained in a series of emails published by Wikileaks as a result of Russian hacking in last years election. The San Diego Union-Tribune found the emails in a routine check of Wikileaks for backgrounding of political candidates.

Jacobs, 28, earlier this month entered the race against Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista. Three other Democrats  Doug Applegate, Mike Levin and Paul Kerr  were already campaigning to represent a coastal district that runs from La Jolla to Dana Point.

Its unclear how Bonner knew Jacobs, or was in a position to vouch for her abilities. Bonner did not return a request for comment.

Federal Election Commission records show that Bonner raised money for political committees that received large contributions from Jacobs grandparents, Irwin and Joan Jacobs. They gave a combined $400,000 to American Bridge 21st Century, plus another $50,000 to Ready for Hillary while Bonner raised money for those groups.

In 2012 Irwin Jacobs also gave $2 million to Priorities USA Action, which includes Bonners associate David Brock on its board. Priorities USA initially supported President Barack Obamas re-election campaign, and later backed Clinton.

On April 15, one day after Bonner wrote to Podesta, Jacobs wrote to Clintons chairman herself.

I just spoke to Mary Pat Bonner, who let me know that I should send you my resume, which is attached. As I believe she told you, Im very interested in working in the policy office of the campaign. Thank you so much for helping me with this, I really appreciate it, Jacobs wrote.

Jacobs campaign provided a statement from Podesta attacking Wikileaks as an instrument of Russia.

Before coming to our campaign, Sara Jacobs had already done excellent policy work at the United Nations and at the State Department, and she is well qualified and would make an excellent member of Congress, Podesta said in the statement.

In addition to three internships, Jacobs had approximately 28 months of professional experience at the time, including a position with United Nations, UNICEF, and as a contractor working in the State Department. While a contractor, she provided support for policy shaping and strategy support, her resume says.

Jacobs also earned a masters degree in international affairs from Columbia University and interned on Barack Obamas re-election campaign finance team.

Bonners April 2015 email about Jacobs was not her last. In a June 16 email with Sara Jacobs as the subject line, Bonner asked Anne OLeary, Clintons health and education adviser, if they could talk.

Two weeks later, Bonner wrote to OLeary, Hi there  just checking back in on this. Sara said she hasnt heard from anyone yet. She is happy to start out in an unpaid position if you all are not making staff hires yet. Please let me know if there is anything we can do on our end, Bonner wrote.

OLeary replied, I did try hard to run this through the process, but there is a hard line that we are not accept (sic) unpaid positions and we dont have any paid positions available on the policy team. I will certainly let you know if something changes.

After receiving the rejection from OLeary, Bonner once again reached out to Podesta.

I just wanted to follow-up again on Sara Jacobs. I have attached her resume here and I am also attaching an email from Ann OLeary who was working on this as well, but as we discussed, I dont think this will get done without your help. Thanks so much for all you are doing to help on this, Bonner said in a July 30 email.

Wikileaks does not include any additional correspondence between Bonner and members of Clintons campaign about Jacobs after July 30.

Jake Sullivan, a senior policy adviser, told the Union-Tribune that he was the one to hire Jacobs. He said he had discretion about who he brought onto the team and was not pressured to hire Jacobs.

The only way in which finances are even remotely involved with this, for me, Podesta mentioned to me, Sullivan said by telephone. He said that Sara was interested and asked me about it, but he didnt tell me to do anything.

Sullivan added, I think he said, at some point, he just mentioned, as he did with many other people, that people had been in touch with him about her. But I actually went back to look at my records to look to see if he reached back (to discuss Jacobs), and I didnt find anything. But I dont remember. He didnt make a special request for me to interview her that I recall.

Jacobs was qualified and received several strong endorsements from her professional colleagues, Sullivan said.

Jacobs began working for the campaign in November 2015 as a foreign policy adviser. FEC records do not show that she was on the campaigns payroll.

The Jacobs campaign got the Union-Tribune in touch with Cindy Huang, Jacobs supervisor at the State Department, who said she provided the Clinton campaign a strong reference based on Jacobs work developing internal policies for assessing conflicts abroad.

Sometimes you meet a lot of people who are entitled, Huang said by telephone. And I just want to say after interviewing Sara and in providing a reference for her in the campaign position, I was really impressed with the fact that she did not have that attitude. She was willing to do the hard work and stay up late and focus on the substance.

OLeary said she was impressed with Jacobs once she was brought on board, particularly work developing policies to prevent the spread of the Zika virus to Puerto Rico.

I didnt know Sara Jacobs at at all, or her family connections. I just knew she was a qualified person who was assigned to work for me, OLeary said.

In California, there is no traditional party primary election for Congress. Instead, the top two vote-getters in the June election advance to the general election in November. Still, Podestas statement portrayed the Issa race as a primary and seemed to suggest other Democrats unearthed the emails.

In the era of Trump, very little surprises me but the fact that emails stolen by the Russians to help Donald Trump get elected have surfaced in a Democratic primary is shocking, Podesta said. Were better than that.

If other Democrats in the race unearthed the emails, they did not share them with the Union-Tribune, which did its own research for this story.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841

UPDATES:

1 p.m. Nov. 29: This story was updated to include comments from Jake Sullivan, a senior policy adviser responsible for hiring of Sara Jacobs for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.
The Childrens Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, was enacted in 1997 to provide federal matching funds to states to cover the cost of health insurance for children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid who cannot afford health coverage. Twenty years later, the program helps 370,000 pregnant women and nearly 9 million children  including 1.3 million in California.

Yet despite its success and bipartisan support, Congress missed a Sept. 30 deadline for extending federal funding. As a result, Kaiser Family Foundation says 11 states  including California  will exhaust their CHIP funds by the end of the year, followed before long by the remaining 39 states. At that point, states will have to decide whether to fund the expensive program on their own or drop it.

Honest question: Why cant Congress get its act together? Partly because its under pressure from the White House to cut CHIP spending. But mostly because House Republicans backed legislation with strings attached  forcing changes in the Affordable Care Act and Medicare  that the Senate wanted no part of, leaving Americans in limbo.

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Such dysfunction is never pretty to witness. But when it leaves 9 million children and their families hanging, its appalling. Hey Congress, time to act.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
The University of Chicago faced a backlash after it told incoming freshmen that its commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called trigger warnings, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial and we do not condone the creation of intellectual safe spaces where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.

Critics took to social media to declare the university to be hostile to women and minorities. A Vox essay by Grand View University (Iowa) history professor Kevin Gannon called the letter a power play by an endangered elite that exaggerated what was actually happening on campus. Academic freedom is the sine qua non of higher education, he wrote. Students ought to be challenged, even made uncomfortable, in order to learn in deep and meaningful ways. And, of course, collegiate education is where students must encounter perspectives different from their own. No one who genuinely believes in higher education is going to dispute any of that.

Really? Then why did a feminist film professors essay about campus hypersensitivity lead to Northwestern graduate students trying to get the university punished by the federal government? Why are University of California faculty told that an observation such as I believe the most qualified person should get the job is a potentially traumatic microaggression? Why are students on college campuses across America complaining about having to read novels with themes that trigger student discomfort  such as the violence and misogyny described in F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby? Why are Harvard law students urging professors not to teach about laws relating to sexual violence and to not even use the word violate?

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All college students should be treated with dignity and respect. But the examples above reflect college students desire to be coddled and protected, to use the words of the former University of Chicago law professor who now resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. In repeatedly denouncing universities which disinvite speakers with disfavored perspectives and whose policies effectively protect students from different points of views, President Obama has said, Thats not the way we learn.

The president is absolutely right. Colleges which protect students from hearing other views arent just rejecting free speech and common sense. Theyre doing a horrible job preparing their students for life in the world away from campus.

Yet theres a twist to this story. What arguably most boosted the rise of speech regulation on campus? As part of the Obama administrations welcome effort to force universities to treat sexual harassment and violence with the seriousness the subjects deserve, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice expanded the definition of what constitutes offensive speech on campus to this extreme: allowing for the punishment of individuals for any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including comments which might not seem objectionable to an objectively reasonable person of the same gender in the same situation. It is these policies that led to the Title IX complaint against the Northwestern professor.

This open-ended definition of impermissible speech is impossible to square with the presidents remarks about the value of spirited debate. Before he leaves office, Obama should rewrite that rule.
We all should have Concerns with proposal for short-term rentals (Nov. 28). How many people would want a short-term vacation rental next door? I wouldnt, and I believe the majority of San Diego residents agree.

One of the major differences between hotels and short term rentals is an on-site manager. Hotels have on-site managers 24/7, while most short-term rentals do not have an on-site manager. Also note that that the vetting of tenants is not as extensive for short-term rentals.

Is a small increase in the San Diegos economy worth a decline in our living conditions? With this in mind, San Diego politicians should not be making this decision. The residents of San Diego should be able to vote on it.

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Ronald Harris

Scripps Ranch

San Diego is experiencing a housing shortage crisis. Short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) in residential zones are currently illegal. It is ludicrous that several San Diego council members are suggesting changing the law to allow commercial retail to be converted to residential use while at the same time allowing residential to be converted to commercial hospitality use. These same council members, presumably with the backing of big-time Airbnb money, are determined to see to it that the citys residential-zoned neighborhoods become free-for-all commercial hospitality districts.

The Chris Ward, Scott Sherman, David Alvarez, Mark Kersey STVR proposal, if successful, would bring an end to traditional residential neighborhoods as we know them. Perhaps residents should construct and reside in granny flats while managing and running hotel operations out of their single-family homes.

Brian J. Curry

Pacific Beach

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KANAWHA | A Kanawha man has been accused of dealing drugs near two Hancock County schools and child endangerment.

Brian Douglas Kronemann, 46, was arrested and charged with six felonies after Kanawha police executed a search warrant at his home in October.

During the search at a residence in the 200 block of East Fifth Street, law enforcement said they found 1.15 grams of meth, marijuana, Xanax pills without a prescription and hydrocodone pills without prescription, court documents say.

Law enforcement also found small, clear baggies and scales known to weigh drugs, according to court documents.

Bags of meth were located in the living room where it is accessible to a child at the residence, according to the criminal complaint. Another bag was located in Kronemann's bedroom.

The residence is within 1,000 feet of West Hancock Middle School and Kanawha Christian School. No drug activity occurred on school property, West Hancock Superintendent Wayne Kronemann told the Globe Gazette via email.

Kronemann was charged with distributing near a school, two counts of controlled substance violations and two counts of unlawful possession of prescription drugs.

The search warrant was the result of an ongoing narcotics investigation by Kanawha Chief of Police Anthony Rasmussen.

The Hancock County Sheriff's Department and Britt Police assisted with the warrant for numbers sake, Rasmussen said.

Im a one-man department, Rasmussen said. I needed the help.

Rasmussen said the investigation is ongoing and it is unclear if there will be additional charges or arrests.

Kronemann is being held at the Cerro Gordo County Jail on a $25,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is Friday in Hancock County District Court.
The American public cant get enough of royalty, and Meghan Markle is looking like the new Grace Kelly.

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Americans love a good fairy tale, especially if the princess is one of our own. With the news of Prince Harrys engagement to American actress Meghan Markle, the U.S. is looking forward to playing a starring role in the royal wedding.

Markle has drawn comparisons to Grace Kelly, the American actress who married Prince Rainier III to become Princess of Monaco in 1956. Kelly was garnering acclaim in her own right as a model and film actress before joining the royal family of the 500-acre city-state. Pete Martin interviewed the rising star in 1954 for the Posts article, The Luckiest Girl in Hollywood. At the time, Kelly was taking off in the film industry. She had struck a chord with Alfred Hitchcock after starring in Dial M for Murder and Rear Window, and months later she would earn an Academy Award for her role in Country Girl.

The next time Martin interviewed Kelly, in 1959, she was Princess Grace of Monaco, and no longer an actress. Kellys last role before her transformation into Monegasque royalty was in High Society with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Although she was no longer adorning the silver screen, the public celebrated Princess Grace for her perfectly apt role in nobility.

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Like Grace Kelly, Meghan Markle will also be making the transition from actress to royal, and many Americans are excited to have one of their very own as a (possible) Duchess across the pond. If any group experiences the scrutinizing limelight more harshly than movie and television stars, it might be the British royal family. As much as Americans adore the prospects of charming weddings and cute Corgis, royal drama is just as relished. For the time-being, the only foreseeable controversy is Markles inevitable retirement from acting, which will inspire distress in her newfound fans.
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/28/2017 -- Global 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence Market 2017 Survival Strategies explore Economic Impact in International Industries Manufactures, Growth, Size, Share, Trends, Development Challenges and Opportunities till 2022



Global 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence Market 2017-2022 research report by QY Research provides an essential information and statistically evaluated data about the 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence . The MRS Research Group report provides a detailed study of the 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence market, enlightening the major areas such as future market scenario, market growth factors, market growth restraints, and others. The advanced technological trends and various new opportunities are also provided in this research report.



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The research report provides the 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence market's classification in detail. The 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence market is bifurcated into a number of segments on the basis of materials,types,applications,and end-users. The geographical analysis of the global 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence market is also coveredin the report. The vital information mentioned in the research report helps in significantly predicting the future scope of the global market.



The Major Players in global market, including :



Stratasys, 3D Systems, Arcam Group, Renishaw, ExOne, Optomec, SLM Solutions, EnvisionTEC, VoxelJet, Sciaky, EOS



The various segmentation of the global market is based on the overall product profit, costing, global market growth, and manufacturing processes. The report covers a region-wise analysis which provides the customer with different market studies that give a detailed analysis of the product and its impact on the global market. The 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace & Defence report also highlights the growth statistics depending on the supply and demand in the different regions.



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New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/29/2017 -- 'Non-Life Insurance in Slovakia Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Slovak non-life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Slovak insurance industry with its regional counterparts.



It provides values for 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 (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Slovak economy and demographics, explains the various types of natural hazard and their impact on the Slovak insurance industry, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together 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.



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Summary



'Non-Life Insurance in Slovakia Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Slovak non-life insurance segment, including:

- The Slovak non-life segment's detailed outlook by product category

- A comprehensive overview of the Slovak economy and demographics

- A comparison of the Slovak non-life insurance segment with its regional counterparts

- The various distribution channels in the Slovak non-life insurance segment

- Detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Slovak insurance industry

- Details of the competitive landscape in the non-life insurance segment in Slovakia

- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Slovak insurance industry



Scope



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-life insurance segment in Slovakia:



- It provides historical values for the Slovak non-life insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.

- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Slovak non-life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.

- It provides a comparison of the Slovak non-life insurance segment with its regional counterparts

- It analyzes the various distribution channels for non-life insurance products in Slovakia.

- It analyzes various natural and man-made hazards and their impact on the Slovak insurance industry

- It profiles the top non-life insurance companies in Slovakia, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Key points to buy



- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Slovak non-life insurance segment, and each category within it.

- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Slovak non-life insurance segment.

- Assess the competitive dynamics in the non-life insurance segment.

- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.

- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Slovak insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights



- The non-life segment accounted for 44.6% of the industry's gross written premium in 2015.

- Slovak non-life insurance penetration decreased from 1.2% in 2011 to 1.1% in 2015.

- The increase in fraudulent claims has limited insurers' profitability during the review period, and also increased the premium prices for other customers.

- The increasing consumer awareness and the prevalence of a soft phase with stable premium rate supported the liability insurance to grow at a review-period CAGR of 3.6%.

- The decrease in import and export values is expected to have a negative impact on the demand of marine, aviation and transit insurance over the forecast period.

- Mandatory motor third-party insurance, stable economic growth, rising motor vehicle sales and growth in the automobile sector is expected to support the growth of the non-life segment over the forecast period.



Table of Contents



1 Key Facts and Highlights

2 Executive Summary

3 Economy and Demographics

4 Segment Outlook

5 Outlook by Category

6 Distribution Channel Outlook

7 Natural Hazards

8 Competitive Landscape

9 Governance, Risk and Compliance

10 Databook

11 Definitions and Methodology



..CONTINUED



About Wise Guy Reports

Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.



Contact Us



Email Us at: sales@wiseguyreports.com

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Making dreams come true

Nursing alumna endows scholarship

A nursing degree from the University of South Carolina helped make Patricia Edens Eddys dreams come true. Now, she wants to help make that experience available for others.

Eddy and her husband, Nelson, have established the Patricia Edens Eddy Nursing Endowed Scholarship Fund to award scholarships to College of Nursing students.

Patricia and Nelson Eddy have established an endowed scholarship fund for College of Nursing students..

The university gave us such an opportunity to pursue an education and make our dreams come true, Patricia Eddy says. I didnt want a young man or young lady to be held back by not being able to afford school. Its important to have great nurses, and Carolina is a wonderful nursing program  one of the best.

After her graduation in 1987, Eddy began her nursing career in Columbia, where she worked as an RN on a medical-surgical floor at Baptist Hospital (now Palmetto Health Baptist) and later moved to the operating room at Baptist.

I didnt like the operating room as much because the patients are asleep, she says. I liked the contact with the patients.

She met her husband, a Carolina graduate, in Columbia while she was working as a nurse and he was a dentist. The couple later moved to Boston, where she worked as a nurse on an oncology floor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, while her husband completed his residency as a periodontist. They moved home to Rock Hill, S.C., in 1992, and Eddy was an obstetrics nurse for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control until the couples first child was born.

They have four children: Joseph, a sophomore in dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina; Sarah, a junior studying exercise science at University of South Carolina; Libby, a senior at Northwestern High School who plans to attend Carolina; and Maggie, a high school sophomore.

Since she was a young child, Patricia Eddy knew she wanted to serve others through a career in nursing. Now, as her children are older, she plans to once again get involved in health care.

In September, she began her term on the College of Nursing Partnership Board, and she says shes interested in looking at areas such as gaps in geriatric coverage and advocating for the elderly.

Her gift to USC will help future students as they prepare for careers in nursing.

With benefactors like Nelson and Patricia Eddy, the College of Nursing is able to recruit and support high-achieving, diverse students who choose nursing as a career path, says Jeannette Andrews, dean of the College of Nursing. The Eddys endowment for student scholarships is not only critical to the college in our journey to educate our future nursing workforce, but equally important to each individual student who receives financial support during their education here at Carolina.

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[MANILA] The 23rd UN Conference of the Parties on climate change (COP23) that took place in Bonn this month (November 617) took a step forward on emphasising the role of women in the global fight against climate change by adopting a gender action plan (GAP).

Building on existing frameworks, the plan will create new processes to enable women to become agents of change for climate action. The GAP's main goal is to support and enhance the implementation of gender-related decisions and mandates so far adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through specific initiatives over the next two years.

The GAP moves beyond gender parity in policy negotiations. It integrates gender equality in all aspects of climate policy and action. That means strengthening women's roles in all activities related to climate adaptation and mitigation as well as implementing processes, including technology development and transfer.

The question for me is whether these types of gender-sensitive projects can initiate change in attitudes, Lisa Schipper

Priority areas in the plan include capacity-building, knowledge sharing and communication; and gender balance, participation and women's leadership.

According to the New York-based Women's Environment and Development Organisation, women comprised 42 per cent of UNFCCC national delegations in the Bonn, Germany sessions this past May, about the same number as the same conference in 2016.

Climate change specialists based in Asia-Pacific say that the region is uniquely primed to adopt the GAP.

"Obviously there are some very traditional beliefs throughout the region, but this parallel process of change and people adapting to these new things happening, like in the realm of technology, gives me optimism that it provides the right place for changes around gender to also happen," Lisa Schipper, a Vietnam-based research fellow at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute, tells SciDev.Net.

But Schipper warns that gender sensitivity in climate change is a relatively new area. She says there isn't enough evidence to determine whether gender-sensitive projects really work in reducing people's sensitivity to climate change over the long term.

"The question for me is whether these types of gender-sensitive projects can initiate change in attitudes about gender or just postpone a clash between men and women," says Schnipper. "As resources start dwindling and the pressure is on everybody, will initiatives to make things gender-equal without actually making a cultural change just cover up underlying problems that will then emerge later as things get more difficult?"

But Esther Nabuti, a 29-year-old from Kiribati who attended COP23, tells SciDev.Net that she is optimistic about what the new GAP will mean for the future of young Pacific women like her.

"Women are a vulnerable group, we are often harder to see, harder to hear and not at the decision-making table," said the Red Cross volunteer. "We need to be part of decision-making and action, to ensure it reflects our experiences and realities."

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk.
The student loan debt plan is on hold, again, and no one knows when (or if) it's coming. What could this mean for you?

Host Teri Barr is talking with Cecilia Clark, a Student Loans Expert with Nerd Wallet, to learn why this newest hold on the program, could take awhile, the 3 things you need to know about and prepare for right now, including making your loan payments again in the New Year.

The latest from Cecilia at NerdWallet:

More episodes on debt:

Support the show: https://omny.fm/shows/pennywise

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
GARNER | In front of a crowded boardroom filled with family, friends and future colleagues, Blake Norman officially became the Hancock County Attorney Wednesday in Garner.

Blake Norman, whose legal name is Robert Blake Norman, was sworn in as county attorney by Judge Karen Kaufman Salic after the Hancock County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed him to fill the vacancy left by former county attorney David Solheim.

Im very proud of him, said Normans mother, Tammy, who has been an Iowa State Association of Counties employee since 1996.

Normans parents, Tammy and Henry, who live in Indianola, and his younger sister, Nicole, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa student teaching in the Des Moines area this fall, drove more than two hours to witness his oath of office as well as tour where he will be living and working.

We wouldnt miss it, Henry said.

Nicole, who was standing by Normans girlfriend, Melissa Gudmundson, said she was really excited to have the day off from student teaching, so she could witness this important step in her brothers career.

Hancock County names four candidates for attorney vacancy GARNER | The Hancock County Board of Supervisors is one step closer to hiring the countys n

Friends from Normans time as Cerro Gordo County assistant attorney from October 2012 to May 2016 also drove to Garner for the event.

I have a lot of people looking in making sure I do this right, Norman said with a smile after being asked about the number of people who attended his oath of office.

Norman, who was the assistant attorney in Scott County before accepting his new position, was greeted with Congratulations, as he shook hands with Hancock County supervisors and employees.

In October, supervisors  and several members of county staff  selected Norman as the countys top choice for county attorney after interviewing four finalists for the position.

The other finalists were Todd Chelf, Burlington; Scott Miller, Cape Coral, Florida; Jonathan Miller, Belmond and Norman, Davenport.

Former Cerro Gordo County assistant attorney returning to North Iowa GARNER | A former Cerro Gordo County assistant attorney is returning to North Iowa.

At the time, Norman said he has big shoes to fill with the departure of Solheim, whose last day was Nov. 1. He and his wife returned to Nebraska to be closer to family, according to his resignation letter.

Solheim was appointed as Hancock County attorney in 2013 after working as deputy county attorney in Washington County, Nebraska.

In September, the supervisors unanimously voted to appoint the countys next attorney instead of holding a special election. The next general election is November 2018. Norman's salary is $98,127.
FLORENCE, S.C.  The Ruiz 4 Kids Mini Grants for Teachers have been awarded, and teacher Robin Tanner from Johnsonville Middle School recently was granted $931 for her project CSI-Crime Scene Investigations.

Excitement will fill the air as students engage in a simulated crime scene investigation, Tanner said. Students will work at hands-on activity stations and use critical thinking skills to identify the true criminal from a suspect lineup. These realistic experiences will encourage technology application, better writing skills and offer a true purpose for reading.

Ruiz 4 Kids ambassador Krista Meekins said Tanner has brought to her classroom a fun and creative way for students to experience forensic science while continuing to address other important life skills such as team building.

We are thrilled to support her CSI project and are excited to see how her students thrive, Tanner said.

Ruiz 4 Kids is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991 when employees of Ruiz Food Products Inc. asked company co-founder Fred Ruiz to help them explore ways to assist families with children in need.

Today, Ruiz 4 Kids works to fund two youth/education programs: scholarships for high school seniors and college students and the Mini Grants for Teachers program.

Ruiz Foods is a privately owned corporation with corporate offices in Dinuba, California, and plants in California, Texas and Florence.
TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Software Inc. (Constellation) (TSX:CSU), today announced its wholly-owned division Vela Operating Group (Vela) and its subsidiary Aquila Software (Aquila) has acquired Financial Aid Management for Education, Inc. (FAME), a business providing Financial Aid Solutions (FAS) and Student Information Systems (SIS) to Higher Education clients. FAME, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, provides solutions to help Higher Education clients provide outstanding service to their students.



Mike Byrne, Chief Executive Officer of Aquila Software, commented, The acquisition of FAME provides our first step into Higher Education, a market that provides tremendous value throughout North America. We are excited to start to work with the staff at FAME to enhance their already great service levels.

About Constellation Software Inc.

Constellation Software acquires, manages and builds vertical market software businesses that provide mission-critical software solutions.

About Vela Operating Group

The Vela Operating Group is a global provider of software solutions to a number of vertical industries. As an Operating Group of Constellation, Vela acquires, manages, and builds specific software businesses which provide specialized, mission-critical software solutions. Vela companies invest in becoming leaders in their industries to better serve their customers. We help companies improve their operations, grow through organic initiatives, and seek acquisitions that can strengthen their market position.

About Aquila Software

Aquila has focused on providing great solutions to Housing & Real Estate, Finance & Banking, and Travel throughout North America and Europe. Aquilas businesses focus on long term relationships where our solutions evolve with our clients business needs. Further information about Aquila may be obtained from its website at www.aquilasw.com. For further information, contact:

Constellation Software Inc.

Jamal Baksh, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: (416) 861-2279

jbaksh@csisoftware.com

www.csisoftware.com

Aquila Software

Steve Richards, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: (305) 599-2531

srichards@aquilasw.com

www.aquilasw.com
TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Castle Resources Inc. (CSE:CRI) ("Castle" or the "Company") announced today that its board of directors has unanimously approved a going private transaction to be completed by consolidating the Companys outstanding common shares on the basis of one common share for each 7,721,166 existing issued common shares, with the result that following the consolidation, only the controlling shareholder of the Corporation, Drake Private Investments LLC (Drake), will hold any shares of the Company (the "Consolidation"). The Consolidation is subject to the required shareholder approvals at the Companys upcoming special meeting of shareholders scheduled to be held on January 4, 2018 (the "Meeting"), and to regulatory approval.



As fractional shares will not be issued in the Consolidation, each holder of common shares of the Company, other than Drake, are to receive $0.20 (the "Consolidation Price") in cash for each common share held immediately prior to the Consolidation becoming effective (with no amount payable to any shareholder who would be entitled to receive, net of withholding taxes, less than $10).

There are currently 8,248,974 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding. After completion of the Consolidation, Drake will be the only shareholder of the Company. Drake owns a total of 7,721,166 common shares of the Company, representing a total of 93.6% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company.

The Consolidation is subject to approval by 2/3rds of the common shares voted at the Meeting and by the approval of a majority of the votes cast by minority shareholders at the Meeting. Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) requires that the Consolidation be approved by a majority of votes properly cast at the Meeting by holders of common shares voting in person or by proxy, other than votes attaching to common shares beneficially owned or over which control or direction is exercised by an interested party (as defined in MI 61-101) or a related party of an interested party, which includes Drake. As Drake owns more than 90% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, the Company will be relying upon certain exemptions in MI 61-101 and there will be no majority of minority approval by the shareholders. Shareholders who wish to dissent have been granted an appraisal remedy.

The board of directors of the Company established an independent committee composed of Robert Bruggeman and Kenneth Barrett to review the proposed Consolidation. The committee engaged Peterson McVicar LLP as its independent legal counsel and Ross Glanville & Associates Ltd. and Bruce McKnight Minerals Advisor Services to provide a valuation opinion in relation to the transaction (the Valuation Opinion). On the basis of its review, including the Valuation Opinion, the independent committee has unanimously recommended to the Companys board of directors that it recommend to holders of the common shares to vote in favour of the Consolidation. The Valuation Opinion is attached to the Companys management information circular for the Meeting which will be available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com.

If approved at the Meeting, the Company expects the Consolidation to be effective on or about January 8, 2018.

Subject to the approval of the Consolidation at the Meeting and regulatory approval, the Company intends to file articles of amendment to effect the Consolidation. Once the Consolidation is completed, the Company intends to apply to have its common shares delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange and intends to apply to cease to be a reporting issuer with the applicable securities regulatory authorities.

About Castle Resources

Castle is a Toronto-based junior mineral development company focusing on high-quality, advanced projects. The Company is the 100% owner of the past producing Granduc Copper Mine in Stewart, British Columbia. For more information please visit the Castle Resources' website at www.castleresources.com.

For further information please contact:

Daniel Crandall, CA, CPA

Chief Financial Officer, Castle Resources Inc.

Telephone: (416) 848-9407

Disclaimer

No stock or securities regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect Castles current expectations. When used in this news release, the words estimate, project, belief, anticipate, intend, expect, plan, predict, may or should and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release includes information relating to completion of the proposed Consolidation and going private transaction. The forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions, which could change materially in the future. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Castle with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. 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. Such factors include, among others, the risk that the necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals are not obtained, the conditions to completing the transaction may not be met, or the transaction may be terminated or re-negotiated on different terms. Other risks include market prices, operating successes and failures, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. When relying on Castles forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Castle has assumed a certain progression of events, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to above will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. 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.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF CASTLE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION. CASTLE DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.
The discussions are covering permissible categories of travel under current US regulations, infrastructure and operational needs, according to a CLIA spokeswoman who added: 'We are pleased to have this opportunity to support social, cultural and educational exchange between the American and Cuban people.'

Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corp. & plc, is participating on behalf of his company and as CLIA chairman. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s delegation is led by president and COO Adam Goldstein, who also serves as FCCA chairman, and includes 10 other RCL senior executives across a range of areas including government relations, tour operations, itinerary planning, marine operations, safety, security and stragic sourcing.

In Havana, Frank Del Rio, president and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, told WPLG Local10.com, the ABC affiliate in Miami, that the cruise industry continues to be supportive of keeping Cuba open as a destination.

'We're hopeful that the governments can work out their differences,' he told the station, adding that the US does business with China and Russia, 'mortal enemies of the United States. Cuba deserves better than that.'

As earlier reported here, the recently instituted Trump administration's Cuba travel restrictions don't change the authorized group travel the cruise lines provide, where passengers take part in organized, educational excursions of the type sanctioned by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

According to the New York-based US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, the Big Three US-based cruise companies are marketing sailings that would carry about 455,000 passengers to Cuba on 286 departures from now until 2019. The Council estimates this would bring $623m in gross revenues to the companies, while passengers would spend $64m in Cuba and the lines would pay $19m in port fees.

The Council estimates that transporting, housing and feeding those potential passengers could mean an additional $125m to US airlines and $55m to hotels and restaurants in South Florida, where the cruise ships turn around.

Earlier this month Del Rio said that despite the US policy change and a travel warning for Cuba, the destination 'remains the star of the show' for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, adding that the new rules are going to be beneficial since 'going on a cruise will be the easiest and most hassle-free way to visit the island.'

Del Rio said demand for Cuba is 'substantial' and NCLH is doubling the number of its sailings there in 2018, to account for 4% of the company's overall capacity.
Princess ships will visit 130 destinations in 35 countries, with 211 departures of 85 itinerariesall more than offered in 2018's five-ship season. Thirty port calls will provide longer time ashore, including overnights at five ports.

A new benefit of the Captains Circle loyalty program allows members who've reached Elite status to book a day earlier than the general public. General sales open Dec. 14 and a 10% reduced deposit is available for bookings made by Aug. 31, 2018.

A new 'Greenland & Iceland' 18-day voyage on Pacific Princess gives the opportunity to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The cruise operates round-trip Dover.

'Search for the Northern Lights,' a 12-day voyage on Sapphire Princess, sails round-trip Southampton with an overnight in Alta and a late-night stay in Troms, to enhance the chance of seeing one of Mother Natures greatest wonders.

Also new are 'Scandinavia & Russia' 11-day sailings from Helsinki, in addition to Copenhagen and Warnemunde. And British Isles 12-day cruises will depart from Dublin, in addition to Southampton and Le Havre.

'Grand Mediterranean' and 'Grand Western Mediterranean' 11-day cruises on Emerald Princess can be combined for a 22-day 'Grand Mediterranean Collection' voyage.

The new 'Spanish Passage & Panama Canal' 29-day adventure sails from Barcelona to Los Angeles on Emerald Princess.

Fourteen-day 'Ireland, Scottish Highlands & Wales' cruises aboard Pacific Princess feature maiden calls at Portland (for Stonehenge), Portree (Isle of Skye) and Aberdeen.

Emerald Princess will offer 58 sailings in the Mediterranean, ranging from seven to 22 days and departing from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Piraeus. Weeklong cruises featuring the Aegean provide a late-night stay in Chania (Crete) and Mykonos, while seven-day Mediterranean cruises stay late in Barcelona and Genoa.

There will be an opportunity to visit one of the newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Sites of 2017, the 'Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra  Western Stato da Mar,' which include the Fort of St. Nikola in Sibenik and the Fortified City of Kotor.

In addition, four cruise-tours will be available in 2019, including the new 'Highlights of Spain,' offered with the seven-day Mediterranean or 11-day 'Grand Western Mediterranean' voyages and visiting Madrid, Valencia and Toledo.
Who knew avocados could cause so much trouble? Did you also know that one shipment of avocados from Mombasa to Rotterdam can involve 30 parties, 100 people and 200 information exchanges? That was what Maersk Line found when it tracked and analysed such a shipment.

Product manager Henrik Hvid Jensen told delegates at the IPCSA annual conference in Brussels: Of those 200 information exchanges, some were electronic, others on paper, some were hand-written delivery notes and some were almost post-it notes.

Border-related trade costs could be more than double the physical transport costs of a shipment, he said. So we ship goods halfway around the world  but then we have all the processes at the border.

Jensen was talking at the International Port Community Systems Associations Globally Connected Logistics conference, which focused on digitalisation, trade facilitation and effective border management.

The agenda was a balanced blend of frustration over the bureaucratic paperchase that can surround trade, and optimism about the way new regulations and new technology could make a massive difference in terms of trade costs and efficiency.

The World Trade Organizations Trade Facilitation Agreement, ratified earlier this year, is a real milestone, said the WTOs Alejandro Gamboa-Alder. It is expected to make international business cheaper, faster and easier and could help cut trade costs globally by an average 14.3%. The impact will be greater than the elimination of all tariffs existing in the world today, he said. This is a major opportunity for shippers and the cargo community in general.

The TFA sets out a path towards harmonisation, standardisation and improved information gathering, and its impact will be to reduce the time to import goods by 47% and the time to export goods by as much as 91%, said Gamboa-Alder.

Much of the discussion in subsequent sessions was around data pipeline concepts, blockchains, the interoperability of IT systems and Single Windows and, of course, the Internet of Things.

Speakers spoke about gathering, sharing, streamlining and analysing data  but it wasnt all quantity over quality. It isnt news that the quality of data in the logistics sector has always been a problem, said Ziv Baida, government, trade & emerging tech leader at Dun & Bradstreet. Data quality is the Achilles heel of the international supply chain. It can be incorrect or incomplete or provided inconsistently. Lets assume we can sort out the problems around data standardisation  but if the actual content is bad, then its garbage in, garbage out, as we say.

Blockchain will be a key technology that really changes the industry, he said: By its nature it is meant to facilitate solutions that require trust among parties that dont trust each other. And blockchain provides immutability of data, meaning I cant falsify data.

But then again  Gadi Ben-Moshe, CIO at Israel Ports Company, said: You can ask two persons what a blockchain is, and you receive eight answers. There is a lack of specialists in this area.

There will be a lot of blockchains and they will need to talk to each other, he said. The challenge is, you need to know when to use blockchain. We like to play with new technologies but we have to bring actual solutions and not implement them just because it is a beautiful word that can mean excellent PR. It is too easy to find blockchain being used where there are no advantages and it could even have been done easier and quicker without blockchain.

Which brings us back to communication. Maersks Jensen pointed out: The problem we see all around the world is the way we communicate in the industry is one-to-one. No one has an overview, but is just talking to the next in line. That means there are blind spots and it is complex and cumbersome.

One example of systems actually talking to each other is the Network of Trusted Networks (NoTN) developed by IPCSA  a collaborative system within which Port Community Systems can connect and share information via a specially created common shared global standard. It is, said Javier Gallardo, IPCSA vice-chairman, very visible, easy and simple to use.

Trade facilitation often centres around one version of the truth and David Roff, IT director at the Warrant Group, neatly summed up why that one version is so valuable.

We had a customer with 12 containers on the same vessel, he said. They received 12 different ETAs from their providers.
VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunniva Inc. ("Sunniva" or "the Company"), a North American provider of medical cannabis products and services, today released its unaudited third quarter financial results and managements discussion and analysis for the nine months ending September 30, 2017. All figures are reported in Canadian dollars ($), unless otherwise indicated. Sunniva's financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.



During the quarter we accelerated our cultivation business activities in Canada and California while advancing our business through the delivery of quality medical cannabis services and high-quality devices, said Anthony Holler, Chairman and CEO of Sunniva. We reported strong revenue growth, strengthened our balance sheet and began building a solid foundation for execution of our strategy.

Holler said the Companys focus for the third quarter was to materially complete the financing of its Cathedral City, California, cultivation facility through a sale and lease back; commence the build-out of Sunnivas oils and extracts manufacturing facility; launch the expansion of its medical clinic business into eastern Canada; and to advance its Canadian cultivation license application.

Financial and operational highlights for Q3 and the nine months ending September 30, 2017

The Company reported revenue of $10.2 million for the nine months ending September 30, 2017 compared to $nil for the same period in 2016.

Revenue grew 39% quarter-over-quarter increasing to $4.6 million in Q3 from $3.3 million the prior period.

The adjusted net loss for the nine months ending September 30, 2017 was $4.1 million and $0.16 per share compared to $5.5 million and $0.31 per share for the same period in 2016. Net loss was adjusted for non-cash expenses resulting from the fair value increase in promissory notes and warrants, share-based compensation, and non-operations related amortization expense resulting from the Companys acquisitions.

The Company reduced its debt obligations with the repayment of $2.25 million in promissory notes.

The Company closed its offering of special warrants for net proceeds of $6.2 million, subsequently qualified by its receipted prospectus, and a concurrent private placement for $1.2 million.

Wholly owned subsidiary, CP Logistics, LLC, received unanimous approval by Cathedral Citys Planning Commission for its conditional use permit triggering the commencement of construction for its California cultivation facility.

Wholly owned subsidiary, Natural Health Services Ltd., surpassed more than 100,000 medical documents and 75,000 active patients and expanded into Ontario and Manitoba.

Sunniva acquired 100% of the membership interests in A1 Perez, LLC, for total consideration of $1.3 million resulting in an additional oils and extracts manufacturing license and a manufacturing facility contiguous to the Companys existing facility on Perez Road, Cathedral City, CA.

Sunniva reported adjusted working capital of $7 million as at September 30, 2017 after the elimination of non-cash warrant liability and the conversion of its outstanding convertible notes.

Subsequently, Sunniva sold its land at Ramon Road, Cathedral City, CA to Sunniva Production Campus, LLC, and issued 8% convertible debentures for combined proceeds of $15.6 million. The Company used proceeds to repay $5.1 million in secured convertible notes further reducing its debt obligations.

In other news, the Company continues to progress its public listing process on the Canada Securities Exchange (the CSE), including determining the best timing for implementing its listing. Given recent industry developments and strategic initiatives currently under negotiation, the Companys current expectation is that its listing will occur in the new year.

About Sunniva Inc.

Headquartered in Western Canada, Sunniva Inc. (formerly Sunniva Holdings Corp.) is a vertically integrated medical cannabis company committed to improving the quality of human life through its planned delivery of low cost, high-quality medical cannabis and better access to physician-led therapies and delivery methods. Sunniva brings legitimacy to the nascent medical cannabis market through state-of-the-art technology, strict regulatory compliance, safety and education. Sunniva operates in Canada and California and plans to cultivate, produce and distribute a broad range of solutions focused on patients needs. Sunniva operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries - CP Logistics, Sunniva Medical, Natural Health Services and Full-Scale Distributors.

Copies of our unaudited third quarter financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis of financial results are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For more information please visit: www.sunniva.com

CP Logistics, LLC (CPL) - Through CPL, Sunniva is developing the Sunniva Campus, a state-of-the-art, purpose-built greenhouse facility in Cathedral City, California. Sunniva Campus is planned in two phases and has been designed to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Phase one is designed to be a 324,000 sq. ft. facility. The total campus is expected to produce approximately 120,000 kg of premium medical cannabis a year after Phases 1 and 2 are complete. At this facility, products will be produced free from the pesticides commonly used within todays industry.

Sunniva Medical Inc. (SMI) - SMI is a late stage applicant under Canadas Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) and is in the review stage. SMI is designing the Canadian Sunniva Campus, purpose-built cGMP greenhouse facilities to be located in Oliver, British Columbia, and constructed in two phases. Phase one is designed as a 400,000-sq. ft. facility and is expected to produce 70,000 kg of premium medical cannabis per year. Sunniva anticipates breaking ground in Q1 2018.

Natural Health Services Ltd. (NHS) - NHS owns and operates a network of medical clinics in Canada specializing in medical cannabis under ACMPR. NHS connects patients with safe and effective medical cannabis products through licensed producers. In-house medical professionals specializing in the endocannabinoid system provide expert consultation, education, and recommendations for targeted phytoceutical remedies and wellness plans to improve the quality of life for all patients. NHS proprietary technology infrastructure assists physicians, patients, and licensed producers to comply with the rules of Health Canada.

Full-Scale Distributors, LLC (FSD) - FSD, through its brand, Vapor Connoisseur, is a provider of custom, private-label vaporizers. FSD currently serves the needs of over 80 brands in the North American marketplace. Vapor Connoisseur is recognized for its high quality and innovative vaporization devices. Products are tailored to client needs, ensuring both safety and reliability.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, statements regarding Sunnivas plan to cultivate, produce and distribute a broad range of solutions focused on patients needs and Sunnivas plans, timing and estimates of production for its facilities and Sunnivas plan and expectation for timing to complete its listing on the CSE, are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Sunnivas final prospectus dated November 16, 2017 (the Prospectus), including without limitation, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing state, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to complete construction of its proposed facilities in a timely manner; engaging in activities which currently are illegal under US federal law and the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, particularly in California, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; Sunnivas limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with customers and suppliers. Readers are encouraged to the review the section titled Risk Factors in the Prospectus and other disclosure documents on www.sedar.com. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although Sunniva has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 forward-looking statements. Sunniva assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

Contact Information

Dr. Anthony Holler

Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

587-430-0680

ir@sunniva.com
New York, NY, Nov. 28, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As blockchain and cryptocurrency companies continue to raise millions of dollars in funding, theres an urgent need in the market for companies and investors to be able to better manage its cryptocurrency assets with hedging products and tools. Olympus Labs believes that by offering financial tools and protocol, crypto- based companies and investors will be able to have more control by protecting their downside risk in an otherwise extremely volatile market.

Olympus Labs is an integrator of cryptocurrency-based financial products (e.g., indices, ETFs, options, futures, etc.). Olympus, third-party financial product developers, and Fintech applications build the products which include but are not limited to exchanges, market analytics tools, payment services, etc. (e.g., Kyber, Shapeshift, Sentiment), explains Kai Chen, CEO of Olympus Labs.

On November 27, 2017 due to the high demand from outside investors Olympus Labs opened its doors for its Pre-ICO token sale.

The Olympus product is viable and has huge long-term potential. As for competition, it fills an evidently empty space in the cryptocurrency market, practically guaranteeing that Olympus offerings will be usedand that this usage will generate profits. Olympuss mission is to define the protocol for crypto-based derivatives, and it seems clear that these products will help mature the market beyond the current spot market.

The first of Olympuss products will allow one to borrow and lend bitcoin. Cryptocurrency index funds will be the second Olympus product to hit the market. These index funds will allow investors to buy into multiple cryptocurrencies at once, with profits moving with the market as a whole instead of with individual spot cryptocurrencies. Through customizable fintech-focused smart contracts, exchanges will be able to quickly and easily make their own indices which track the overall trend of cryptocurrencies traded on that exchange.

To Participate in the Pre-ICO

The Olympus Labs Token Sale started at 8 pm (GMT+8/UTC 12pm), 27 November 2017, and ends at 8pm (GMT+8/UTC 12 pm), 3 December 2017.Olympus Presale terms: Investors contributing more than 100 ETH, will get 10% bonus (1 ETH = 677 Olympus tokens). This will take place after ICO, and those who passed the KYC process, will be issued MOT, the rest who failed in KYC, will be refunded with ETH. For additional information and terms of the sale please visit the Olympus Labs website.

During the registration period (27 November 2017 to 3 December 2017), please visit https://kyc.olympuslabs.io/.

Note: Information regarding the token sale will ONLY be disseminated on our official communication channels: our official website and our official telegram group.

About OLYMPUS LABS

Olympus is led by a cohesive team with extensive expertise in both the traditional financial markets and blockchain technology. Olympus Founder and CEO Kai Chen started his career on Wall Street with Morgan Stanley, and he later went on to work for McKinsey and PIMCO. Our development team includes Googles former development community lead for China. On the business side, we have Danielle Sabrina, a highly sought-after marketing expert and veteran of several successful ICOs, and has helped her clients achieve prestigious awards such as Inc 500, Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startup, Entrepreneur 360 among other top level recognition. Danielles work has also been featured in Huffington Post and Entrepreneur. Olympus also has a strong advising board made up of former executives at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey.

OLYMPUS LABS Social Media

For more information about Olympus Labs and the launch of the pre-ICO, please visit https://olympuslabs.io/web; on Twitter @olympuslabsbc and Telegram at https://t.me/olympuslabs.

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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a88937da-05db-437e-92f0-07cc02b4dd8f
Press Release

November 28, 2017 GORDON STRESSES URGENT NEED FOR MILITARY MODERNIZATION With possible external and internal assaults threatening the Philippines, Senator Richard J. Gordon on Monday underscored the urgency for setting aside funds for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. During the deliberation on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) in the Senate last Monday, Gordon pointed out that despite the Bases Conversion and Development Act (BCDA), which was passed 25 years ago, there still appear to be no urgency in modernizing the military. "This is something that we in Congress must pay attention to, every year, so we could really have some form of measure of protection for our country. In spite of the BCDA Law, after 25 years there is no improvement in the military. There doesn't seem to be any urgency on this matter. We have arguments with big nations around us," he said. Gordon pointed out that the government should really set aside funds for the military's modernization program because the Philippines could not keep on relying on the protection of other countries or on foreign donations of munitions. "We cannot rely on other nations to protect us. This is something that we in Congress must pay attention to every year so we could really have some measure of protection for our country. We cannot just rely on the donations of other countries (such as M-16 from China, AK47 from Russia) Kailangan ipakita natin na tayo ay titindig at maglalagay tayo ng pera," he said. The senator said a portion of the collection from TRAIN should be allocated annually for military modernization, which should be over and above the P25-billion annually that is allocated from the General Appropriations Act until 2019. "We should really put in honest to goodness revenue-raising for the military. Every country that I know of - from America to Japan to every country in Europe, they have always put together something for their military," he stressed. Gordon has initially proposed a 15 percent allocation, but the Senate body approved 13 percent. The Department of Finance hopes the tax reform bill will be passed and signed into law by December to allow the government to implement the tax package measure by January next year.
Press Release

November 28, 2017 FREEDOM SPEECH OF SENATOR FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN

28 NOVEMBER 2017 Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Allow me first to congratulate the Freedom Flame awardees tonight and thank you to the FNF for this tradition. During Marcos's martial rule, and even before the dictator and his family fled in February of 1986, as a student activist, I already knew the taste, the feel, and the smell of freedom. I tasted freedom in the heated and intense debates with my family, friends, and comrades in the student movement, and in mass demonstrations against the dictatorship. I felt the value of freedom in the crackdowns that followed these instances of resistance. I experienced freedom precisely in the struggle for it, together with fellow, if I may borrow the term, berserkers and fellow disruptors. And every struggle, from the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt that toppled the dictator to all the succeeding peaceful protest actions against abuse and corruption and for good governance, freedom has been both the price we pay and the prize we win. History has taught us of the cumulative effects of change, its ripples and its echoes, towards democracy, prosperity and freedom. But the journey, while focused on moving forward, is fraught with pauses, stops, and yes even reversals. Some would describe our time as a reversal. The Liberal Party of the Philippines has been witness and participant to history. Witness to the suppression of freedoms, the plunder of the country, and even the killings of its members under the dictatorship. The Liberal Party in its commitment to democracy paid dearly during the years of one-man rule. Liberal Party stalwarts such as Senator Ninoy Aquino, Governor Jose Lingad of Pampanga, Mayor Cesar Climaco of Zamboanga City, and Governor Evelio Javier of Antique were all felled by gun-toting assassins of the brutal dictatorship without them seeing the dawn. After the restoration of democracy in 1986, the party, through a number of its member-senators, led by then Senate President Jovito Salonga, cast the historic vote in 1991 that rejected the Philippines-United States Bases Treaty. In 2000, the Liberal Party made a valiant display against corruption by supporting the impeach and oust moves against the incumbent president, and in 2005, the party withdrew support from the sitting president following the controversies of her election into office. Whether in quiet struggle or exuberant protest, Liberal Party's every journey to freedom is invaluable. It reaffirmed that we, together as a people, shape our own destiny. But, there are no shortcuts to freedom, and as a European philosopher said, "freedom is a conquest, always partial, always precarious, always challenged." Today, we ask these questions: Are we free? Does freedom have any value in a society tainted with the blood of thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings and impunity? Is freedom meaningful without security in the home and in the streets? How do we reconcile freedom amid the feelings of despair, fear, and hopelessness among those overwhelmed by the enormity of our nation's problems: grinding poverty; widespread hunger; massive unemployment; pervasive graft and corruption; horrible traffic especially in urban centers; neglect and waste of people and their potential? Are we free to talk and express our views without getting demonized, branded, or trolled? Can we express our dissent without the backlash of political persecution, trumped-up allegations, or unjust imprisonment? Can we engage in healthy, intelligent debate without insults or vulgar, cuss words hurled towards us? There are always challenges to freedom, to dignity and human rights, to our common aspirations to live decently. Shall we, in the political opposition, throw up our hands in resignation and defeat, and pass the whole burden to society? Shall we simply sit idly by and wait for this partisan, violent tsunami to pass? These questions bring me to the story of baby elephants. I am not exactly a fan of circuses -- whether political or the actual acrobatic kind -- but this anecdote can teach us a lesson or two. At the circus, baby elephants are separated from their mothers early on. They are tied by a strong rope to poles. Instinctively, they would try to break free, twisting, turning, and pulling hard. But the rope keeps them in place. They would eventually give up and stop resisting and stay where they are. They learned to be docile. This is why, full-grown circus elephants stand submissively with a rope around their neck even if this rope is not tied to anything. They have become accustomed to being held back by a rope. If these giant creatures only knew how big and powerful they have become, that not even a rope tied to a pole could keep them or hold them, they would break free -- but at that point, they need to know how powerful they are and they have to try. We are aware of the threats and challenges that lie before us. The anger, negativity, and pessimism can be infectious; the trolling on social media can be too vexing to ignore. The machinery of the entire state being used against us can crush us. But, let us not be accustomed to being beaten down that, like the aforementioned full-grown circus elephants, we do not see the liberation that is within our power, that we are strong, that we only need to unite together and resist. The times call for us not to be too cozy in our offices or in our positions, heedless of the danger our people face, needing protection and inspiration. We must remind ourselves that in the end, we must learn to trust in the collective capacity of our people to choose freedom over tyranny, compassion and understanding over anger and hate, to seek the truth over lies and falsehoods. And in trusting our people, we must act to mobilize and organize them into purposeful action. Last September, during the budget deliberations in the House, the strength of the people was felt when the Commission on Human Rights budget was slashed into P1000. Social media went on overdrive. Citizens started to write their senators and their congressmen. Organizations took position papers out and made it known to Congress that they would not take things sitting down. Individuals actually called members of Congress demanding that they explain why they slashed the CHR budget to P1000. And government backtracked. This template of a strong pushback is necessary if we are to ensure that our freedoms are upheld and defended. The Liberal Party is now in the process of redefining, leaning on its basic values of freedom, social justice, and solidarity. Freedom, social justice and solidarity -- kalayaan, katarungan, bayanihan. Ours is an institution that serves the highest end of a free society, that is, to help our fellow men and women, empowered and acting together, find their fullest potential in a milieu that respects our rights and dignity. It is because the woes of our world are so demanding that it becomes our critical, necessary task to stand up, to speak out, to defy, and to do something using our skills, assets, and time. Ours therefore is a work of great relevance. Freedom will not emerge with a magic wand. Like any other value, freedom does not exist in a vacuum. It must be fought for and exercised. Ironic that when we were marching in the streets against the dictatorship, I remember the line: "Rights are not rights unless they are fought for." 30 plus years later, our rights will not be rights if we do not fight for these rights. Building democratic institutions, responsive governments, and robust civil societies is the work of generations, and it is up to us to keep the work going to chart the future we seek. We have to reverse the reversals, and continue the march forward -- towards freedom, democracy, and prosperity. They say the taste of freedom is sweet. But the comfortable and the protected, those who do not fight for freedom, they will never know how much sweeter freedom is, when fought for and won. Like the elephant, we, the people, are big and strong. We need to realize that the shackles are only in the mind. In the coming months, the plan for the Liberal Party is to become a party of the people, bigger in number and stronger in unity, to the cause of freedom -- to live a life of freedom, of dignity and respect for all. In ending, the future of our rights and our freedoms as a people lies in our hands and our collective ability to forge ahead despite the difficulties. Amidst the violence, the killings, the attacks in our institutions, and the threats of authoritarianism in our midst, I believe we will overcome. And yes to borrow and paraphrase the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that day will surely come wherein we will as a people, united and defiant, be able to say the words, "Free at last, free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last!" Magandang gabi po sa kanilang lahat.
Press Release

November 29, 2017 GORDON WANTS P464-M ADDITIONAL BUDGET FOR AFP BARRACKS In line with providing the Armed Forces of the Philippines adequate wherewithal to achieve the goal of having a credible military, Senator Richard J. Gordon on Tuesday proposed to allocate an additional P464-million for the construction of barracks for military personnel. He made the proposal during the period for individual amendments on the proposed General Appropriations Act of 2018. Gordon has earlier pointed to the need for additional barracks or housing for the military, citing the shortage of quarters in the country's military camps that has constrained some military personnel to sleep in the offices. "You will recall that the military tasked us that there were no barracks for the military. In most of the camps in the country, they have no barracks, in Camp Aguinaldo they have no barracks. I was surprised, I lived with the US Navy all my life and these people had BOQs, bachelor enlisted men's quarters, they have Navy housing, and yet we are so niggardly providing for our military," he said. The P464-million additional allocation will be used for the construction of the following: enlisted personnel male barracks, amounting to P99-million; enlisted personnel female barracks, which would cost P49.5-million; four-story female officers' barracks, P50.5-Million, four-story male officers' barracks, P101-million; two 16-door married officers' condominium, P114.9-million; and a 16-door NCO condominium. Gordon said the proposed allocation, which is supported by Senator Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, could be sourced from the P32-billion lump sum appropriation in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). "Their (military) morale will certainly go up if they have homes for their enlisted men and women, for their officers, which they don't have in any camp, practically. Nakita naman natin sa Marawi, ilan ang namatay na sundalo. This should be a good reward for our soldiers and I think this would be well taken by the military. I hope it would be admitted," he said. Hearing no objections, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III approved the inclusion of the amendments in the 2018 budget bill.
Press Release

November 29, 2017 HONTIVEROS REMINDS PDEA OF ETHICS IN DEALING WITH HIV-AIDS ISSUE Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday asked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law-enforcement agencies to train themselves on the ethics and protocols in the proper handling of persons living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The Senator made this call in light of the recent incident involving 11 men in an alleged buy-bust operation in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig over the weekend. It was reported that one of the men tested positive for HIV and was unecessarily disclosed by the PDEA during its press conference. According to the Senator, disclosure of a person's HIV status without his or her consent is against Republic Act No. 8504 or the Philippine AIDS and Prevention Control Act of 1998. PDEA Director Derrick Carreon has since apologized saying that "there was no intention to shame, much less single out one person." "I welcome PDEA's apology but we cannot ignore the mental and emotional damage already inflicted on the said person. Living with HIV is not a crime. Whatever legal and criminal charges he is facing, testing positive for HIV has nothing to do with them," Hontiveros said. Hontiveros said that PDEA and other law enforcement agencies must ensure that the said incident does not happen again. "I call on our authorities to apprise themselves of all the current laws, protocols and systems of dealing with people living with HIV. Our law enforcers can't afford to be ignorant of these things. Lack of understanding promotes stigma and biases," Hontiveros said. Hontiveros lamented that this incident happened a few days before the country observes World AIDS Day on December 1. "Nakakalungkot na nangyari ito habang nalalapit ang paggunita natin ng World AIDS Day. Our authorities should help in telling the public that the HIV-AIDS epidemic can be effectively addressed and that persons living with HIV should have their rights protected. Our authorities should not aid the further stigmatization of those living with the disease," she said. Aside from law enforcement agencies, Hontiveros also urged the public to practice sensitivity in social media and in discussions surrounding the HIV status of a person. "I personally know some people living with HIV and I'd like to tell the public that they are human beings just like us," the Senator shared. "A person's HIV-status does not define him or her," the Senator furthered. Hontiveros is author and champion of the Philippine HIV-AIDS Policy Bill or Senate Bill No. 376. The bill seeks to address the gaps in the current law that governs the government's response towards HIV-AIDS. "The bill pushes for an evidence-based, human rights-based and ecological response to the issue of HIV-AIDS. Our current law is highly ineffective, as evidenced by the rise of HIV-AIDS incidence in the country," concluded Hontiveros.
Press Release

November 29, 2017 A YES VOTE TO A "TOKHANG-FREE" 2018 BUDGET

*Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros' explanation of vote on the proposed 2018 National Government Budget From the beginning of these budget deliberations, my bottomlines were clear: firstly, that taxpayers' money should be used to promote human development, with a bias for the poor, vulnerable and the marginalized; secondly, that the budgeting process is transparent and participatory, adhering to democratic principles rather than being used as a tool for the political survival of the administration; and thirdly, that it is imbued with human rights values and is built on the rule of law and the Constitution. I thank the Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance for committing to look into restoring allocations for cancer medicine, which were in the 2017 budget but initially missing from the proposed 2018 budget. This includes the return of more than 90 million pesos in breast cancer medication - of critical concern, considering that our country ranks the highest in a list of 197 countries with the most number of cases of breast cancer. In the same spirit, I thank this body for adopting my provision to earmark 5% of retained hospital income for preventive and promotive health services, including reproductive health services. Our recent victory in the FDA where 51 contraceptives were declared to be non-abortifacient should be matched with budgetary support. And I laud the Committee chair for recognizing this. Secondly, on my call for a transparent and democratic budget, I wholeheartedly thank this body for retaining the general provision on debt audit, which ensures that debts entered into by our government will be subjected to sufficient checks, and we avoid the mistakes of history. It is my hope that the principles that underlie the debt audit provisions of the budget guide government as it contracts loans from China for its various big-ticket infrastructure projects under the so-called Dutertenomics strategy. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I thank this body for ensuring that the budget does not support the bloodthirsty impulses of the strategists of the War on Drugs. I am heartened that my call during the budget hearing of the DILG to remove the "Tokhang" barangay drop boxes was heard. Beyond this, I am grateful that this body heeded my motion and the motion of some of my colleagues to realign the budget allocations for Oplan Double Barrel and Masa Masid. This sends a clear signal to the Executive that human rights violations and constitutionally-infirm state policies will not be financed. This monster will not be fed. This will, thankfully, be a Tokhang-Free Budget. And yet, as I vote yes to the budget, I vote with measured hope and cautious optimism. The Philippine Development Plan 2017 to 2022 states that "overall poverty rate will decline from 21.6% to 14% in 2022, lifting 6m Filipinos out of poverty." Unfortunately, we have yet to hear a convincing discussion on how the Dutertenomics strategy, supported by the 2018 budget, will contribute to achieving development that will clearly lift our poor from poverty. Large budget cuts in food security programs and agriculture, low increments in various social programs and large budget cuts in housing for the poor are contradictions to the above mentioned goal. It is unfortunate that in these terms, the 2018 budget has still fallen short.
Press Release

Nuage Networks to support the Fujitsu Cloud Service K5's global expansion

Fujitsu, Nokia's Nuage Networks launch the world's first OpenStack Ironic-managed* IaaS platform for bare metal cloud services for Enterprise.

Deal will give Fujitsu's customers greater agility with 'on-demand' service delivery, more robust security

Fujitsu will deploy the Nuage Networks VSP as part of its upgrade and expansion to its second-generation architecture starting in Q1 of fiscal 2018 with its data center in Japan

29 November 2017

Espoo, Finland - Nokia's software-defined network (SDN) venture, Nuage Networks, has been chosen by Fujitsu to expand its Cloud Service Fujitsu Enterprise Cloud Service K5. The world's largest OpenStack cloud service, K5 provides Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) using both virtual machine (VM) and bare metal services, with the latter managed by OpenStack Ironic, in a global commercial first. The powerful combination of OpenStack and the Nuage Networks Virtualized Services Platform (VSP) provides Fujitsu and its enterprise customers with massively scalable and highly available virtual networks.

The Nuage Networks next-generation overlay SDN solution will help Fujitsu expand its deployment of its K5 cloud-based services beyond its current data centers in Japan, Europe and North America, to new centers in Singapore and Australia. Starting with the data center in Japan, Cloud Service K5 will enable Fujitsu's enterprise customers to accelerate their digital transformation by moving their existing server infrastructure into K5 data centers. This allows them to quickly migrate to a cloud-native architecture running on OpenStack Ironic and the Nuage Networks VSP. In addition to 'on-demand' delivery of services, it will assure them greater security, manageability and availability of the cloud, as well as full support for non-cloud-native applications running on fully integrated bare metal services.

The Nuage Networks VSP supports clouds of all sizes and architectures. Along with OpenStack, the Nuage Networks VSP supports all cloud management systems, hypervisors and workload types. Providing greater automation and efficiency across hybrid cloud and heterogeneous datacenter environments, the Nuage Networks VSP provides multi-tenant policy-based software-defined networking for Layer 2, 3 and 4 services from branch to the DC, with enhanced security, microsegmentation and real-time flow visibility with dynamic threat detection and response, including service chaining.

Masahiro Ohta, Head of the Digital Business Platform Unit, Fujitsu Limited, said: "The Nuage Networks VSP is ideal for its ability to integrate directly with OpenStack and provide our customers with a highly customizable and flexible IaaS platform for supporting a wide variety of cloud management systems and applications."

Sunil Khandekar, CEO, Nuage Networks, said: "The Fujitsu K5 IaaS service is unique for its early support of the emerging OpenStack Ironic project, which provides support for bare metal services. Our Nuage Networks team worked closely with Fujitsu to develop this first-of-its-kind implementation into production, showcasing Fujitsu's leadership in the Japanese and worldwide market. This is in keeping with our commitment to enable the seamless consumption of resources and services hosted within public clouds."

*What is OpenStack-Ironic?

Ironic is an OpenStack software program which provisions bare metal, as opposed to virtual, machines. This means a customer can use hardware directly, deploying the workload (image) onto a real physical machine instead of a virtualized instance on a hypervisor. This is intended for when a virtualized environment is not ideal, and a physical, bare metal server is preferred.

About Nuage Networks from Nokia

Nu-ahj: From French, meaning 'cloud'. Nuage Networks from Nokia brings a combination of technologies and networking expertise to the enterprise and telecommunications industries. The Silicon Valley-based business has applied new thinking to the problem of delivering massively scalable and highly programmable SDN solutions within and across the data center and out to the wide area network with the security and availability required by business-critical environments. Nuage Networks, backed by the rapidly growing IP/Optical Networks business of Nokia has the pedigree to serve the needs of the world's biggest clouds. The cloud has made promises - the mission of Nuage Networks is to help you realize them.

For more information, visit Nuage Networks on: www.nuagenetworks.net , read the latest posts on the Nuage Networks blog http://www.nuagenetworks.net/blog/ and follow the company on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nuagenetworks .

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Award-winning Scottish whisky producer creates direct connections with consumers

via Thinfilm's NFC SpeedTap tags and CNECT cloud platform



OSLO, Norway, November 29, 2017 - Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") (OSE: THIN; OTCQX: TFECY), a global leader in NFC (near field communication) mobile marketing and smart packaging solutions, today announced Kilchoman Distillery Co. ("Kilchoman"), as a new customer in the wine and spirits market. An award-winning producer of single-malt whisky and the first distillery to be established on the Scottish island of Islay in more than 124 years, Kilchoman will use Thinfilm's NFC solutions to engage with and educate consumers, communicate its distinct brand story, and accelerate business growth.

Founded in 2005, Kilchoman has used its 'from barley to bottle' message and unique business model to build the authenticity of its brand and grow a loyal base of whisky enthusiasts. Its popular 'Kilchoman Club' offers information, education, product discounts, merchandise, and exclusive access to new releases of Kilchoman whisky.

The company is now looking to enhance engagement with its consumers using Thinfilm's NFC solutions. 'Smart' hangtags featuring NFC SpeedTap(TM) technology will be integrated with bottles of its two flagship whiskies - Machir Bay (IWSC 2016 Best Islay Single-Malt) and Sanaig (IWSC 2016 Best Single-Malt Scotch Whisky - Non-Age Statement). Initially deployed in the distilleries larger European markets, SpeedTap tags will allow Kilchoman to initiate one-to-one consumer engagement experiences on-premise, in-store, and at-home - all through the simple tap of a smartphone. Kilchoman will also use Thinfilm's CNECT(TM) platform to manage the delivery of digital content and enhance its overall effectiveness. The cloud-based software system fully integrates with the NFC tags, enabling Kilchoman to monitor real-time tapping activity, analyze campaign effectiveness, and dynamically adjust consumer experiences via a customized CNECT portal.

"We fully recognize the importance of connecting directly with our customers and providing experiences that are informative, educational and interesting," said Anthony Wills, Founder and Managing Director of Kilchoman Distillery. "Thinfilm's NFC solution is an ideal way to deliver this content in a seamless and simple format. We believe it will help Kilchoman strengthen existing relationships and establish many new ones."

"Kilchoman's unique approach is an integral component of the company's brand and has generated a significant following among whisky enthusiasts around the globe," said Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm. "We are excited they chose our NFC solution to enhance those connections with customers and fuel additional business growth."

About Thin Film Electronics ASA

Thinfilm is a global leader in NFC mobile marketing and smart-packaging solutions using printed electronics technology. The Company creates printed tags, labels, and systems that include memory, sensors, displays, and wireless communication - all at a cost-per-function unmatched by conventional electronic technologies.

Thinfilm offers end-to-end mobile marketing solutions that feature hardware, label/packaging integration services, and comprehensive cloud-based management, reporting and analytics. Collectively, these components deliver a powerful 1-to-1 digital marketing platform through which brands of all sizes can connect directly with consumers, all with the simple tap of a smartphone. The resulting disintermediation of search engines, online marketplaces, and social platforms empowers brands to control messaging, enhance consumer dialogue, build loyalty, increase engagement, and drive sales.

Thinfilm's roadmap integrates technology from a strong and growing ecosystem of partners to bring intelligence to everyday, disposable items. Its mission is to effectively extend the traditional boundaries of the Internet of Things to fuel the Internet of Everything.

Thin Film Electronics ASA is a publicly listed company in Norway with global headquarters in Oslo, Norway; US headquarters in San Jose, California; and offices in Linkoping, Sweden; San Francisco; London; and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.thinfilm.no.



About Kilchoman Distillery Co.

Established in 2005, Kilchoman (pronounced Kil-ho-man) is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland. Based on a farm on the rugged west coast of Islay, Kilchoman was the first distillery to be built on the island for over 124 years. Kilchoman displays all that is great about the grass-roots traditions of Scotch whisky distilling and truly is Islay's farm distillery - from barley to bottle.

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single-malt from barley that is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.



This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to 5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act).

For more information on Thinfilm please contact:

Bill Cummings

SVP Corporate Communications

Thin Film Electronics ASA

+1 408-503-7312

bill.cummings@thinfilm.no

For more information on Kilchoman Distillery Co. please contact:

Anthony Wills

Founder and Managing Director

Kilchoman Distillery Co.

+44 1496 850 011

anthony.wills@kilchomandistillery.com
Sarah Ravani

An argument involving five men in the Mission District of San Francisco led to two of them being hospitalized with stab wounds, one of whom was in life-threatening condition, police said Tuesday.

The bloodshed occurred about 6:20 p.m. in front of San Francisco General Hospital on the 1000 block of Potrero Street. Initially, two men who were roughly 19 or 20 years old approached two other men, ages 25 and 34, and a verbal altercation broke out, said Officer Giselle Linanne, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Police Department.
The Peralta Community College District, which owns the land in Oakland where the As want to build their new ballpark, is facing some tough financial times.

The districts financial reserves have shrunk by more than $12.7 million since 2015, leaving it with only $7.7 million in savings. That amounts to 5 percent of Peraltas operating budget, the bare minimum of whats considered prudent by the state for community colleges.

Peralta Chancellor Jowel Laguerre blamed the situation on rising pension and medical insurance costs and $5 million in uncollected student fees.

The Peralta Federation of Teachers, however, said it was deeply skeptical of that explanation. The union lays part of the blame on administrative overspending and feckless budgeting. It points to district records showing that central office spending for the four-college district jumped $8.8 million after Laguerre became chancellor in July 2015, to $57.5 million.

Privately, teachers have told us they they fear that the schools need for money could propel the Peralta Board of Trustees into a lease deal with the As, who want to build their ballpark next to Laney College. The team is promising to help the district generate revenue for repairs at Laney and other campus improvements.

Both the union and Associated Students of Laney College recently voted against the district entering into a deal with the As.

Last month, Laguerre approved a $25,000 contract for union heavyweight and former Oakland Deputy Mayor Sharon Cornu to help the district weigh the pluses and minuses of a stadium deal.

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.

Laguerre and Peralta board President Julina Bonilla were attending a retreat Tuesday on the budget and other issues, and could not be reached for comment.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
Convinced that City Hall is making empty promises to arm San Francisco police with Tasers, the Police Officers Association is pushing a ballot measure that would express support for equipping officers with electronic stun guns.

The unions move to put the Safer Police Initiative before voters in June follows the Police Commissions 4-3 vote on Nov. 3 that supported the concept of arming officers with stun guns, but included no guidelines or timetable for doing so.

They kicked the can down the road. said Martin Halloran, the police union president.

After the commissions vote, union leaders set a 30-day deadline for the panel to come up with a specific policy.

And from the looks of things, they are not going to have a policy ready anytime soon, Halloran said.

So the union has hired a signature-gathering company to hit the streets in the first week of December, with the goal of collecting 9,485 valid signatures of registered voters over the next two months that are needed to qualify the measure for the June ballot.

It will send a message that this is what the voters want, Halloran said.

When they approved the concept of giving stun guns to officers, Police Commission members said the SFPD could not begin using the weapons until December 2018, after a new use-of-force policy has been in place for two years. The policy  which doesnt address the Taser issue  emphasized de-escalation tactics and using force as a last resort.

The commission approved that policy after the 2015 police killing of Mario Woods, a stabbing suspect who was armed with a knife but did not appear to be threatening people with it. Police officials argued that had officers been equipped with stun guns, they might not have felt compelled to shoot Woods as he disobeyed orders to drop the knife.

That was only the latest episode in the citys decade-plus debate over whether to give police stun guns, which opponents say can cause injuries or death. The Police Commission rejected or tabled several proposals before its Nov. 3 vote.

Commissioner Joe Marshall, who voted in favor of giving stun guns to officers, said he didnt understand why the union was going to the ballot so quickly.

I dont get it  we voted yes, and we will be developing a policy, Marshall said. But thats their right.

The unions proposal calls for all of the departments patrol, SWAT and transit officers to be trained both in de-escalating potentially violent situations and in the use of stun guns.

Plus, every black-and-white squad car would be equipped with an external defibrillator in case of a medical emergency, Halloran said.

San Francisco is one of the last major police forces in the country without stun guns, largely the result of opposition from community groups concerned about the potential for injury and abuses. They argue that the new use-of-force policy should be given a chance to work before the city turns to Tasers.

The Police Officers Association, however, thinks the public is on its side. A union-commissioned poll in March 2016 showed that 68 percent of respondents backed arming police with stun guns. A second poll in February, taken by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, found 78 percent support.

Peralta problems: The Peralta Community College District, which owns the land in Oakland where the As want to build their new ballpark, is facing some tough financial times.

The districts financial reserves have shrunk by more than $12.7 million since 2015, leaving it with only $7.7 million in savings. That amounts to 5 percent of Peraltas operating budget, the bare minimum of what the state considers prudent for community colleges.

Peralta Chancellor Jowel Laguerre blamed the situation on rising pension and medical insurance costs and $5 million in uncollected student fees.

The Peralta Federation of Teachers, however, said it was deeply skeptical of that explanation. The union lays part of the blame on administrative overspending and feckless budgeting. It points to district records showing that central office spending for the four-college district jumped $8.8 million after Laguerre became chancellor in July 2015, to $57.5 million.

Privately, teachers have told us they they fear that the schools need for money could propel the Peralta Board of Trustees into a lease deal with the As, who want to build their ballpark next to Laney College. The team is promising to help the district generate revenue for repairs at Laney and other campus improvements.

Both the union and Associated Students of Laney College recently voted against the district entering into a deal with the As.

Last month, Laguerre approved a $25,000 contract for union heavyweight and former Oakland Deputy Mayor Sharon Cornu to help the district weigh the pluses and minuses of a stadium deal.

Laguerre and Peralta board President Julina Bonilla were attending a retreat Tuesday on the budget and other issues, and could not be reached for comment.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
Entrepreneur Andy Rubin, creator of the Android operating system, has taken a leave of absence from his Palo Alto startup. A news report this week said he had been investigated at Google, his previous workplace, for potential misconduct.

After leaving Google in 2014, Rubin co-founded incubator Playground Global, where he developed Essential Products, which makes technology devices, including a smartphone released this year. He received board approval this month to step away from Essential after he requested time off to deal with personal matters, the company said. A spokeswoman declined to comment on what those matters are.

The Information, a technology news site, reported that Rubin had been the subject of an investigation at Google that concluded in 2014, before he left the company. Rubin, who oversaw the Google robotics team, was investigated over a relationship with an employee characterized in the Information report as a subordinate. The company found that he used bad judgment and recommended disciplinary action, the Information reported, citing unnamed sources. The woman who filed the complaint worked for Googles Android division when Rubin was in charge of that unit, the site said.

Rubins spokesman said that any relationship that Rubin had at Google was consensual and did not involve anyone who reported to him.

Rubin was never told by Google that he engaged in any misconduct while at Google and he did not, either while at Google or since, the spokesman said in an email. He did not immediately answer a question about whether Rubin will take a leave of absence from Playground Global, which also invested in Essential.

Google did not return a request for comment.

The Informations report came out after Rubin told Essential that he would take a leave of absence.

Rubin joined Google as part of the companys acquisition of Android in 2005. Since then, Android has become the worlds most used smartphone operating system. When Rubin left in 2014, he told the Wall Street Journal he wanted to do something else.

In August, Essential sold its first Android smartphone for $699. The company touted its simplicity: it comes with few apps installed, and a separate 360-degree camera can be attached to the phone, whose price has since dropped to $499.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Essential said its president, Niccolo de Masi, will continue to run operations at the company.

Its unclear what impact if any Rubins leave of absence will have on Essentials sales. Smartphone customers are generally looking for devices that will meet their needs, and its very rare when the choice of one item or another is based on the designer, said Ramon Llamas, a research manager with IDC, a market research firm.

A lot of people out there may just not care, he said.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
California regulators on Thursday may finally decide whether an electric utility sued over wildfire damage can pass those costs on to its customers.

But the long-running and closely watched case  which took on new relevance after Octobers deadly Wine Country fires  may not set much of a precedent.

The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on a request from San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to make its customers pay some of the costs of settling lawsuits tied to several 2007 wildfires sparked by the companys equipment.

SDG&E has paid $2.4 billion to settle the suits and wants its customers to shoulder $379 million of those costs, potentially adding $1.67 to a typical customers monthly bill. The commissions staff has recommended denying the request.

Lawsuits arising from wildfires have turned into a persistent, expensive problem for the states utility companies, and both Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Southern California Edison support SDG&Es request.

PG&E already faces more than $1.1 billion in lawsuit costs from the 2015 Butte Fire in Amador and Calaveras counties, and state investigators are now exploring whether the companys equipment sparked the recent North Bay fires. Under a legal doctrine known as inverse condemnation, utilities whose equipment starts a fire can be held liable for economic damages even if the company followed all relevant safety regulations.

The utility companies argue that in cases of inverse condemnation, they should be able to pass along to their customers wildfire-lawsuit costs not covered by insurance, spreading those costs around.

But a proposed decision posted Tuesday on the commissions website rejects that argument, at least in the case of SDG&E and the 2007 fires.

Inverse condemnation is irrelevant, it says, because SDG&Es own missteps in managing its system helped lead to the fires. And even if a court were to find that inverse condemnation applied in the 2007 fires, no case law would force the commission to let utilities make their customers pay those costs.

In other words, inverse condemnation is not going to save your bacon, said Thomas Long, legal director of The Utility Reform Network consumer group, which opposes the utilities position. This is an appropriate and stinging rebuke of the utilities arguments, if it gets voted out.

Although SDG&E does not dispute that its equipment played a role in starting each of the fires covered in the case, the company maintains that the blazes were the result of circumstances beyond its control. The fires erupted during a powerful Santa Ana wind storm that lasted several days, raking Southern California with hot, dry gusts.

A spokeswoman with San Diego Gas & Electric said the company strongly disagreed with the proposed decision.

We remain hopeful that the commissioners are conducting a thorough examination of all the facts before making their decision, said spokeswoman Colleen Windsor.

The utilities commission has scheduled a vote on the issue several times this year, only to postpone it. The same could happen again at the commission meeting Thursday. However, a list posted Monday afternoon of meeting agenda items that would be delayed until future hearings did not include SDG&Es request, suggesting the commission plans to go ahead with a vote.

Even though investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have not determined the causes of the Wine Country fires  and may not do so for months  some area residents have already sued PG&E. In a regulatory filing Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company cited 32 lawsuits that have been filed in Napa, San Francisco and Sonoma counties related to the fires, which destroyed 8,900 structures and killed 44 people. The plaintiffs include former San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan and his wife, who lost a home in Santa Rosa.

PG&E has argued that the most destructive of the fires  the Tubbs Fire  may have been caused by electrical lines installed and owned by someone else.

Should PG&E be found liable for some or all of the fires, the companys liability could be substantially more than $3 billion, Mondays filing warns. PG&E has about $800 million in liability insurance.

Three state lawmakers say they plan to introduce legislation in January that would prevent utilities from making their customers pay lawsuit costs from fires caused by the companies negligence.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
A federal appeals court has upheld Hewlett-Packards settlement of a lawsuit over its $11.1 billion acquisition in 2011 of British software maker Autonomy, a settlement that rewrote the Palo Alto information technology giants internal review procedures in hopes of avoiding another such financial fiasco.

The purchase, promoted as a buildup of HPs software business, instead forced the company to take a whopping $8.8 billion write-down, a loss it blamed on misrepresentations by Autonomy. The British firm denied the accusation, but last year its former U.S. chief executive officer, Christopher Egan, was penalized more than $923,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission for actions related to the sale.

In a second case, Autonomys former chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, faces criminal fraud charges in San Francisco federal court for allegedly inflating his companys value. Hussain has pleaded not guilty.

Hewlett-Packard fired its chief executive, Leo Apotheker, a month after the sale and replaced him with Meg Whitman, who is leaving in February. Under her tenure, HP split into two companies  the enterprise technology and services firm Hewlett Packard Enterprise, headed by Whitman, and the personal systems and printing business HP Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise merged its software business last year with another British company, Micro Focus, in a deal valued at $8.8 billion.

Hewlett-Packard shareholders filed multiple lawsuits over the Autonomy deal. One, a class action against the company, was settled in June 2015 for $100 million, payable to those who bought company stock over a 14-month period in 2011 and 2012 and suffered investment losses. Another, filed in the name of the company against directors and officers, was the subject of the latest ruling.

In a 3-0 decision Tuesday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved a plan negotiated by Hewlett-Packard and lawyers for the plaintiff shareholders to create structures at both of the new companies to oversee future transactions.

They include a risk-management committee of senior corporate executives, new rules for review of mergers and acquisitions, conflict-of-interest policies for outside advisers, and more education and training for personnel involved in financial acquisitions.

The new rules will help create a corporate environment where the issues complained of (in the lawsuit) are less likely to recur, lawyers for shareholders supporting the settlement said in a court filing.

The settlement included nearly $9 million for the lawyers, but no additional compensation for shareholders. Dissident shareholders also protested the settlements release of HP officers and directors from any liability to the company.

The purported corporate governance reforms ... were under way in any event and did not require an agreement to shield top company officials, lawyers for one objecting shareholder said in court papers. They called for the appointment of an independent special master to decide whether the suit should proceed.

But the appeals court, upholding a 2015 ruling by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco, found the settlement reasonable.

The court said Hewlett-Packard settled the case after an exhaustive investigation by a newly formed committee that lasted 14 months. The committee concluded that HPs officers had not been grossly negligent and that the company should either settle the suit that had been filed in its name or move to dismiss it, the court said.

The panel said the companys governing board at the time of the sale was composed almost entirely of outside directors and that no directors benefited personally from the transaction. The court cited Breyers conclusion that the new corporate procedures, which shareholders could enforce by filing their own suits, had the potential to actually change governance in the operation of Hewlett-Packard.

Lawyers for the opposing sides could not be reached for comment.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
English French

Press Release

Paris (France), Athens (Greece) & Liege (Belgium) - 29 November 2017, 8:30 am

Ymagis Group and Village Cinemas Successfully Launch First Sphera Premium Cinema in Athens

Ymagis Group (FR0011471291, MAGIS, PEA-PME, TECH 40), the European specialist in digital technologies for the film industry and Greek exhibitor Village Cinemas are pleased to announce the successful launch of the first Sphera auditorium, CinemaNext's new premium format cinema concept, at Village Cinemas at The Mall of Athens.

"Since the recent grand opening, the response from moviegoers, national press and social media has been overwhelming," explains George Christodoulou, CEO of Village Cinemas. "With Sphera, we keep our company on the cutting-edge of innovation while maximizing our revenues, with a 50% increase in average ticket price over a 7-week span. Sphera is a highly-appealing concept described in Greece by leading print and online media as 'an unprecedented viewing experience' and 'the best existing cinema auditorium in Athens with a sense of luxury, first-class approach and a sophistication in terms of design'."

"We are thrilled with the initial results obtained with Sphera, our turnkey solution designed for small, medium and large-size cinema complexes that helps exhibitors dramatically enhance the audience experience with impressive cinematic visuals, immersive audio and a state-of-the-art contemporary design," explains Till Cussmann, Senior Vice President, CinemaNext. "Our interactive and proprietary ambient light system has proven particularly efficient in enhancing the movie experience alongside the powerful Dolby Atmos(TM) sound and high-contrast projection systems. Based on this success, we expect to announce further Sphera cinemas in the coming months."

The Sphera auditorium at Village Cinemas at The Mall of Athens boasts an impressive 25-meter wide wall-to-wall screen and 669 custom luxury cinema seats. It also includes a high contrast 4K cinema projector, an unrivalled sound system powered by Dolby Atmos(TM) with an innovative transducer subwoofer as well as a completely new acoustic wall structure. Additionally, it features innovative interactive ambient lighting that is fully automated and compatible with all readily available projectors and servers. Easy to use as there is no specific DCP or programming required, it can apply to all alternative contents, pre-shows, youth-oriented features or even advertising programs.

Sphera also brings programming flexibility: film, arts, gaming, events and concerts are all delivered with the sharpest picture, the deepest sound and in perfect comfort. The components combine to produce a truly immersive effect, opening new worlds for audiences with rich and varied content.

Sphera a is registered trademark of Ymagis Group.
A 22-year-old man was arrested for beating a month-old kitten to death in Fairfield, police said Tuesday.

Keith Herbert was booked into Solano County Jail Monday on suspicion of animal cruelty. Sgt. Matt Bloesch, a spokesman for the Fairfield Police Department, said Herbert is a local transient with at least one previous arrest in an animal cruelty case.

A good Samaritan found the gravely-injured kitten Monday and took it to a local animal hospital, where it died, Bloesch said. The incident was reported to police around 11:30 a.m. Monday, Bloesch said.

He said a patrol officer familiar with Herbert was able to connect him to the kitten killing.

Police tracked down Herbert near a business in the 200 block of East Tabor Avenue and arrested him without incident.

Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15
Bill Murray is pretty sure audiences will forget that hes a world-famous movie star and comedic institution by the time theyre halfway through his ensemble music and literature show, Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends: New Worlds.

By the time they remember that they should dislike what Im trying to do  shooting above my level  its already too late, Murray said during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Portland. Weve already won them over.

New Worlds began as a fluke, one of those magical serendipitous moments that seem to follow Bill Murray around like a shadow. The notoriously quirky Saturday Night Live alum and Oscar-nominated actor/comedian met famous German cellist Jan Vogler in the security line at an airport. Vogler was struggling to get his cello through security and Murray couldnt resist getting involved. As luck, or perhaps fate, would have it, the two wound up on the same flight, sitting across the aisle from one another. A friendship quickly blossomed and after a stroll atop a Brooklyn Bridge poetry festival together, the idea for a Murray-Vogler album and live show was born.

Through song, Murray, Vogler, pianist Vanessa Perez and violinist Mira Wang take their audiences on a journey through American literature and music, with selections from the likes of Walt Whitman, Ernest Hemingway, George Gershwin and Mark Twain. Murray serves as the groups affable frontman, reciting poetry and belting classics like I Feel Pretty from West Side Story.

Though the quartet workshopped the live show in New York, the official debut of New Worlds was this summer at Festival Napa Valley.

We played a tiny show in the Yacht Club in New York and there happened to be a gentleman there from the Napa festival, explained Murray. And he said, I would like you to play in Napa. Hes the first person who asked us, and thats why we went there.

Now the close-knit quartet returns to the Bay Area for a show at Oshman Family Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto on Saturday, Dec. 2, and a performance at the Masonic in San Francisco on Dec. 8.

Were having a grand time working together, said Murray, and already, even though we love the show, it sort of suggests we could do something more ambitious.

One of those ambitions may include performing New Worlds for an extended run. A guy from New York planned to attend the Portland performance in the hopes of producing the show back East.

If he likes us, well get to work again, Murray quipped  who, in full Bill Murray fashion, began the phone interview announcing he already had a subscription to the San Francisco Chronicle and didnt need to be sold one.

For now, having released the album in September, taking New Worlds around with country is sheer bliss for Murray and Vogler. The group has performed in major venues like New Yorks Carnegie Hall to the 1,100-seat Arkey Center for the Performing Arts in Arcata (Humboldt County).

Theres a sort of a Motel 6-booker kind of a person, Murray said of the shows tour schedule, which often includes stops in college towns.

We like to include people rather than exclude people, added Vogler. We want to explore all different audiences, and bring the show to all kinds of different people.

Connecting audiences with classical music and American literature has united the quartet in a tangibly tight artistic bond. But the process of weaving together music and literature has not only brought reimagined works to new audiences, it has also connected the artists among themselves.

We all enjoy being onstage with this great work  and also with each other, said Vogler.

With Murray in the background, audibly trying to remember the name of the guy from New York, Vogler continued, delighted and undistracted. We are a team. In the end, its a great joy.

Beth Spotswood is a Bay Area writer and columnist for The Chronicle. Her column appears Thursdays in Datebook.

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends: New Worlds: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. $150-$250. Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. (650) 223-8649. www.paloaltojcc.org; 8 p.m. Dec. 8. $49.50-$125. The Masonic, 1111 California St., S.F. (415) 776-7457. http://sfmasonic.com
Mark DeSaulnier had to see it for himself.

The congressman from Concord walked through the West County Detention Facility in Richmond after female detainees told The Chronicle that they were being locked in their rooms for 23 hours a day with red biodegradable bags substituting for a toilet.

On Tuesday, the day after his tour, he had more questions than answers  so many questions that hes asking U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate the Contra Costa County jail, which houses federal immigration detainees under a $6 million-a-year contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

I dont have high hopes, but it is a federal contract so I assume that theres some liability there for Homeland Security, DeSaulnier said.

I first learned about the allegations by the women in a phone call from one detainee, Dianny Patricia Menendez, a native of Honduras who had been jailed at the detention facility since May. She begged an immigration judge in October to be deported rather than endure the jail conditions, and weeks later she was deported.

Menendez told me about detainees being forced to urinate and defecate in red biodegradable bags that jail staff give them  because theyre locked into their toilet-less cells for hours on end. When I toured the jail on the day she was deported last month, I met more female inmates who shared similar stories.

But officials with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, which operates the jail, have repeatedly denied that inmates are locked up for such long periods with no access to the bathrooms. Theyve begun an internal investigation.

DeSaulnier, who was troubled by the womens accounts in The Chronicle, requested the tour and was escorted through the facilitys classrooms and dormitories on Monday by Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston, Undersheriff Michael Casten and Assistant Sheriff Matthew Schuler.

Thats one of the nicer ones physically, DeSaulnier said of the jail.

I had the same thought. But, like DeSaulnier, I realize you cant tell whats really happening inside by observing inmates mopping floors, serving meals and sitting at computers in a classroom.

An independent investigation is what the public needs  and its what the congressman is calling for, both from Sessions and from state Attorney General Xavier Becerra. State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, has also called on Becerra to investigate the jail.

So far, no word from Becerra on whether hes going to take action.

DeSaulnier also plans to call on John Roth, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, to probe the jail. ICE is a division of Homeland Security.

I think its fine that theyre doing an internal audit, but I just think its the nature of things, you cant expect a department to do a fully objective investigation of themselves, DeSaulnier told me during an afternoon interview at his office in Richmond. Its not the sheriffs department any more than it is Caltrans or Richmond or us. You have to have a third party.

When I inquired about the status of the internal investigation, Livingston said officials are conducting interviews with detainees and staff, as well as reviewing hundreds of hours of video surveillance.

Congressman DeSaulnier toured our facility and was invited to view any area he wished to visit and speak to any detainee he liked, Livingston said in the statement. He can now publicly call for any additional investigation he wants.

However, as the political rhetoric from some around this issue continues to boil, we remain undeterred in providing professional and diligent custody services for our county inmates and federal detainees. We are responsible for over 1,600 inmates every day, day in and day out, and the allegations of the few ICE female detainees are a fraction of this number. Their complaints are and will be fully investigated.

DeSaulnier told me he didnt speak to any female detainees.

But he did meet with six public and community interest groups at his office, including Prison Law Office, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity and Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement.

After meeting with both sides, I think we need to make sure that theres an independent investigation that finds out whether any of these accusations have merit, DeSaulnier said. The gist of today was I heard both sides, and I think I still have a lot of questions and were going to try and find out what the answers are.

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I asked DeSaulnier if Livingston addressed the gulf between what detainees and jail monitors have described and what the jailers have said of the conditions inside the jail.

He thinks it was an isolated incident, and (Menendez) had perjured herself before and she had issues, DeSaulnier said of Livingston.

And thats whats been bugging me: Its not just one detainee speaking up, a fact thats diminished by suggesting Menendezs complaint is an isolated incident. Two people inside the jail told me theyve had to use a bag. Another woman said her roommate defecated on herself. Several women, their attorneys and jail monitors have said there isnt adequate access to health care.

Whats more, a letter signed by 27 female detainees detailing their conditions was sent to Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement, or CIVIC, a San Francisco group that monitors jails where immigrants are detained. The letter told of detainees being kept locked up for hours and told to use bags in their cells when they need to go to the bathroom.

We have documentation and testimonies from many of the people there demonstrating that this isnt an isolated incident  that it is a systemic issue, that everyone there is experiencing and suffering, said Rebecca Merton, CIVICs national visitation coordinator, who attended the meeting with DeSaulnier.

Merton praised DeSaulniers interest in the conditions inside the facility.

He recognizes that its not going to be enough to just identify problems and promise to fix them, she said. We need to ensure that steps are actually taken to end the isolation and suffering of people inside the facility.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump Wednesday shared three inflammatory anti-Muslim videos on Twitter posted by a far-right British activist.

The videos - whose authenticity could not be independently verified - were first shared by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, which bills itself as a political party but has been widely condemned as an extremist group that targets mosques and Muslims.

Britain First has previously posted a number of misleading videos, and the three Trump shared were proactively titled, "Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!", "Muslim destroys a statue of Virgin Mary!", and "Islamist mob pushes teenage boy off roof and beats him to death!"

Fransen, 31, who lives in a London suburb, was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment in November 2016 after abusing a woman wearing a hijab.

Fransen was arrested again earlier this month following comments she made during a speech in Belfast.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment as to why the president retweeted Fransen's provocative and unverified videos. It was not immediately clear how the videos came to Trump's attention, but conservative columnist Ann Coulter retweeted one of them on Tuesday.

But the president has a history of retweeting other controversial supporters, including white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and during his campaign proposed a ban on all Muslims from entering the country.

Following Trump's retweets, Fransen took to Twitter to tout the U.S. president's promotion of her videos.

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"Donald Trump himself has retweeted these videos and has around 44 million followers!" she wrote. "God Bless You Trump! God Bless America!"

Piers Morgan, a British journalist and television host who was also a winner on Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice," was quick to rebuke the president.

"Good morning, Mr President @realDonaldTrump - what the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists? Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets," he wrote.
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Even as Uber seeks additional billions of dollars from new investors to cement its lead in the global ride-hailing business, a federal judge in San Francisco asked questions Wednesday about how it is spending some of the money it has already raised.

A top Uber lawyer said in court that allegations that the company used spy tactics to impede investigations were fantastical accusations from an extortionist. But she struggled to explain why Uber hired back the person making the allegations as a consultant and paid him $1 million a year, on top of $3.5 million it gave to him and $3 million more it paid his lawyers.

Angela Padilla, Ubers vice president and associate general counsel, took the stand at a hearing in the Waymo vs. Uber trade secrets lawsuit. Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Alphabet, has accused Uber of stealing its proprietary technology for helping robot cars see the world around them.

You said it was a fantastic, no-merit, B.S. letter, yet you paid $4.5 million, U.S. District Judge William Alsup told Padilla. People dont pay that kind of money for B.S. And they certainly dont hire (someone as a consultant) if you think everything theyve got to contribute was B.S.

The explosive letter in question, sent to Padilla in May from an attorney for former Uber security analyst Ric Jacobs, said Uber tried to impede, obstruct or influence investigations with tactics such as self-destructing messages, encrypted communication, false use of attorney-client privilege, and servers that could not be traced to the company.

The U.S. attorneys office for the Northern District of California provided the letter to Alsup, who is presiding over the Waymo vs. Uber case and had previously referred the matter to the federal office for possible criminal investigation.

Alsup, who berated Ubers lawyers for having withheld evidence by not producing the letter, postponed a jury trial that had been scheduled to start Dec. 4, instead holding evidentiary hearings and encouraging more discovery to delve into the letters allegations of nefarious behavior at Uber. The trial is now slated for Feb. 5.

Both Alsup and Waymo attorney Charles Verhoeven asked why Padilla and Uber failed to give the 37-page Jacobs letter to Waymo lawyers as part of the lawsuits discovery process.

Her explanation: Ubers plan was to hire an outside law firm staffed by former federal prosecutors to investigate the letters claims. She said she was instructed to keep the letter confidential so as not to impede that probe.

Padilla said Uber receives hundreds of letters from disgruntled employees, ex-employees and drivers making all sorts of wild, crazy allegations that were never substantiated, many of which are just for nuisance and to harass the company.

However, she also testified that the Jacobs letter was shown to two committees of the board of directors, naming Bill Gurley, Garrett Camp, Ryan Graves, Arianna Huffington and David Bonderman as board members who would have seen the letter. In addition, then-CEO Travis Kalanick was shown the letter by then-general counsel Salle Yoo, she said.

If the letters claims were so ridiculous, why was it shared with the board and top executive, Waymos lawyer asked. Padillas answer: Because the letter mentioned so many risk opportunities that were concerns of the company.

And did Uber regularly hire extortionists, as Padilla called Jacobs, as consultants?

I think Rics case would be the most extreme, she said.

Padilla said a court battle with Jacobs could have cost Uber millions of dollars in legal fees plus other costs in distraction, lost productivity and reputation damage from his salacious allegations.

Padilla said Uber turned the letter over to U.S. attorneys in three jurisdictions, showing it wasnt engaged in a cover-up.

But Alsup said she likely thought the attorneys offices would not share the letter with the court overseeing the civil litigation, as thats a highly unusual step.

On the surface it looks like you covered this up, refused to turn it over to the lawyers who were most involved with the Waymo case for reasons to me that are inexplicable, that it would somehow taint the special investigations, Alsup said to Padilla. To me it does not add up.

Alsup later said its possible that Jacobs, who, according to his LinkedIn profile, left the company in April, is just a disgruntled employee.

In retrospect, Padilla said, she felt the letter should have been shared with Waymos lawyers: I take full responsibility for that.

New Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi addressed some of the claims Jacobs made about Uber employees sending secret messages through services like Wickr and Telegram, tweeting that the apps were often used when he took over this summer but that hed banned their use in September. Wickr and Telegram messages are heavily encrypted and can be set to self-destruct after a predetermined period. Khosrowshahis tweets were cited in court.

Alsup wants the parties to use the extra time until trial to get to the bottom of the story of the use of Wickr at Uber, he said.

The judge theorized that Anthony Levandowski, a former star Waymo engineer who the company claims brought its trade secrets to Uber, could have used Wickr to communicate about Waymo trade secrets with other ex-Waymo employees whod joined Uber with him.

The evidence is gone now because it was an intentionally set-up system to not leave a paper trail, Alsup said.

Uber attorney Arturo Gonzalez made the point that Google, Waymos sibling company, itself makes several applications that enable secure messaging, including Google Chat, Google Hangouts and Google Allo.

Two Uber security experts, Mat Henley, head of global threat operations, and Nick Gicinto, senior manager of its Strategic Services Group, testified that they had no knowledge of Uber using the clandestine tactics alleged in the Jacobs letter. Both denied Jacobs account that they instructed Ubers self-driving team on using covert measures to shield communications from future investigations.

Gicinto said Uber did not record private conversations  except for one time when it secretly recorded a meeting in a public space between representatives of Didi Chuxing and Grab, ride-hailing services in China and Southeast Asia, respectively.

Gicinto said he was appalled that Uber paid Jacobs $4.5 million. Theres very little truth in that document, Gicinto said of the Jacobs letter. He perverted and twisted information to serve his own devices.

As Uber continues its defense ahead of the trial  another hearing is scheduled for Monday  its also seeking to facilitate a share sale to a consortium led by Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank, which could give the new investors a stake worth between $7 billion and $10 billion. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that two investors, General Atlantic and Russias DST, dropped out of the consortium. Uber faces at least five federal investigations, a potential ban in London, and a security breach that leaked details of 57 million accounts, amid other woes confronting Khosrowshahi.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
The Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) usually flies under the radar, but this year its about to blow a massive hole in Californias budget.

CHIP provides Medi-Cal coverage for children whose parents dont have health insurance through their jobs but make too much money to qualify for the states low-income health insurance program.

CHIP is a joint federal-state responsibility, and normally Congress passes its funding portion in a low-key and bipartisan manner. (California relies on Congress for two-thirds of its CHIP funding.) This year, Congress blew its Oct. 1 deadline to renew CHIP funding, mostly because it was focused on a lamentable effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Since then, Congress has moved on to a wretched tax bill  and forgotten the millions of children nationwide who depend on CHIP.

That leaves California on the hook for the nearly 2 million children who benefited from CHIP funds last year. (Pregnant women, who make up less than 2 percent of people in the program, will lose their coverage without new federal funds.)

The state has enough program funds to cover costs through the end of this year, but it could face some tough choices if federal funding isnt restored by January. Since the state is legally obligated to maintain coverage for CHIP kids, it cant shirk its responsibilities, either.

The worst-case scenario is a state legislature scrambling for the $2.7 billion it needs to backfill the federal support.

Frighteningly, Sacramento hasnt even started planning for this worst-case scenario.

State leaders and health advocates have been lobbying Congress to focus on renewing CHIP funding. Thats important and crucial work.

But the state legislature doesnt have a backup plan for January. It needs to create one immediately.

A budget gap of $2.7 billion would force the state Legislature to slash other important programs and services. Which ones?

Even if states across the country successfully pressure Congress into passing a CHIP funding bill, the Republican-dominated Congress is unlikely to fund CHIP at previous years levels.

Some GOP proposals have suggested funding a CHIP renewal through cuts to Medicaid. The Trump administration has proposed a variety of program rollbacks, including reduced benefits and reductions in funding for families who are near the top of the programs income scale.

California cant afford to hold its breath and hope for the best. Its time for the state Legislature to get serious and start planning for the health of Californias children.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Community health centers bring affordable, quality care to our neighborhoods. For many  especially the most vulnerable Americans  these clinics are the only opportunity to see a doctor.

But dysfunction from congressional Republicans has put these lifesaving centers on the chopping block.

In September, House Speaker Paul Ryan let the Community Health Center Fund lapse. Now, unless Congress acts to renew this funding, our health centers are bracing for a 70 percent budget cut.

Losing this funding would have major consequences in our community, including loss of services for patients, longer wait times, reduction in operation hours and staff layoffs.

Organizations such as La Clinica de la Raza, LifeLong Medical Care, Asian Health Services, Native American Health Center, and West Oakland Health Council will be forced to cut back services. Families who turn to these clinics for preventive care, primary care, counseling, dentistry and optometry services will be left without care.

As a mother and a grandmother, I never want any parent to have to choose between taking their child to the doctor or putting food on the table. If our community health centers shutter, more of our neighbors and loved ones will be left with these impossible choices.

During the drafting of the Affordable Care Act, I fought to expand funding for local clinics and their dedicated staff. I knew that these doctors, nurses and health-care workers were on the front lines, helping to close gaps in coverage for the most vulnerable Americans and addressing racial health disparities.

In the end, community health centers gained billions of dollars in federal revenue in the Affordable Care Act with the mandated Community Health Centers Fund. This funding provides more than $3.6 billion to community centers across our country and more than $400 million in California annually.

Today, California health centers employ more than 33,000 people, contribute $3.9 billion in spending, and treat more than 6.2 million patients. One in 7 Californians get treatment from a local clinic. In the East Bay, community health centers are the cornerstone of healthy living and health-care access, serving more than 350,000 patients annually.

Ive visited these health centers, met with patients and health care staff, and have seen the power of quality health care to transform lives. One of my priorities throughout my tenure in Congress has been to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic and ensure people living with the virus have care. This would not be possible without the dedicated work of health care providers at these centers that serve our communitys most vulnerable populations.

Im working to protect our community clinics from the dysfunction that plagues Congress. But maddeningly, Republicans are holding funding hostage in an attempt to sabotage the Affordable Care Act.

We cant let them prevail. Because this isnt about politics or ideology  its about peoples lives. And in our community, no one should be priced out of seeing the doctor or filling a prescription. Congress should be creating opportunities for these clinics to increase patient capacity and expand their services, not cutting funding and thwarting access to quality, affordable care. As a member of the health funding subcommittee, I am taking on this fight in Washington.

Our community health centers save lives. We need to save these clinics.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, represents the East Bay in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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SACRAMENTO  Lawmakers in the state Assembly shield rapists in the Capitol through a sexual harassment policy that protects the guilty and allows records of investigations to be discarded well before accused lawmakers leave office, an Assembly committee was told Tuesday.

Those shortcomings were highlighted at the first public hearing in the Assembly in which lawmakers discussed their policies and heard from women who in recent weeks have spoken up about sexual misconduct by lawmakers and men who work in and around the Capitol. Women who have experienced sexual harassment and assault testified at the committee, describing the helplessness they felt at the hands of powerful men who abused their authority.

What everybody here knows is that we have rapists in this building, said Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Womens Caucus and a board member of We Said Enough, a newly formed nonprofit that launched a campaign to raise awareness about harassment and abuse in the state Capitol.

Now Playing: A committee tasked with revising the California Assembly's sexual harassment policies offered a sharply critical assessment Tuesday of the existing process for investigating misconduct. The six-member committee pushed Assembly human resources staff and Assemblyman Ken Cooley, chair of the rules committee, for more than two hours to detail how harassment complaints against members are handled. They pressed for answers on how many complaints have been filed against lawmakers, who decides if complaints are sent to an outside investigator and whether the process is set up to favor lawmakers over victims. Video: KCRA

We have molesters among us, Pelosi, the daughter of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, told the committee. We find out through the whisper network. People do tell. People do talk. They just dont come forward.

And they dont come forward because they dont trust the Legislatures system for handing complaints, which largely relies on the body to police itself, the committee was told. Lawmakers asked a panel of victims, Capitol insiders and victims rights attorneys for their ideas on how to craft a more responsive policy, from whistle-blower protections for legislative employees, confidential hotlines to report abuses and an end to nondisclosure agreements that bar employees from going public with their allegations.

The Assembly will conduct additional hearings into sexual harassment in January. The Senate has not scheduled a hearing to review its own policies. Both houses have rules committees led by lawmakers who oversee the Senate and Assemblys human resources departments.

The Assembly Rules Committee chair, Assemblyman Ken Cooley, D-Rancho Cordova (Sacramento County), said the Assemblys existing sexual harassment policy, adopted in 1993, is dense and difficult to read, but that it exceeds state and federal requirements. Cooley said the policy covers not just staff and lawmakers, but also interns, volunteers, lobbyists and anyone in the building who we are having contact with.

The issue is how this works in practice, Cooley said.

More for you L.A. legislator to step down after sex harassment complaints

Assembly Chief Administrative Officer Debra Gravert said the Assembly has had eight investigations over the past six years, but she said she did not know if any of those were against lawmakers. Gravert said the Assembly doesnt track the overall number or types of complaints it receives. Gravert initially testified that she has not received any sexual harassment complaints against a lawmaker in her 3 years at the helm. After lawmakers questioned her further, however, she later said she has received a handful of complaints in the past one to two weeks against current lawmakers.

Gravert apologized at the end of the five-hour hearing, saying she misspoke. Gravert also apologized for initially testifying that the Assembly does not retain records beyond six years. She clarified later that we keep records beyond that time even though the policy allows for discarding after six years.

These inconsistencies are not surprising, Samantha Corbin, a lobbyist who testified on behalf of the We Said Enough campaign. They are demonstrative of the need for transparency, clear processes, data collection and retention, and public accountability. Victims can have no confidence  and no justice  in a system that does not even do their trauma the respect of basic reporting and accountability.

The hearing came a day after Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, D-San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County), who served as majority whip until last week, announced his immediate resignation following several allegations of sexual misconduct. Also on Monday, a Senate committee voted to strip Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia (Los Angeles County), of his chairmanship on the Insurance, Banking and Financial Institutions Committee until an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him is completed.

One of Mendozas accusers spoke at the hearing. Jennifer Kwart, the district director for Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, said interns are particularly vulnerable in and around the Capitol. As a 19-year-old intern in 2008 in Mendozas district office, Kwart said she was asked to attend a Democratic Party convention only to find herself alone with the senator in his hotel suite, where she said he made her so uncomfortable that she made an excuse to fly home.

Kwart said she did not report Mendozas behavior at the time in fear that it would hurt her future job prospects. Her voice quivered at times as she testified Tuesday.

Even if she wanted to report it, Kwart said, I would have had no idea who to tell. ... I felt very alone.

Kwart is among three women who have publicly accused Mendoza of sexual misconduct. She said she has not been contacted by the Senate regarding its investigation.

Ive heard from an outpouring of women who say thank you and that they have similar stories that they want to share, said Pamela Lopez, a partner at a lobbying firm who spoke out last month about an incident. Lopez said a lawmaker, whom she has not named, forced himself into a bathroom with her last year and masturbated in front of her. She said it wasnt the only time she has faced harassment and assault in politics.

I had anxiety and panic attacks for years because of the harassment and assault that I experienced in my early and mid-20s, she said.

Before the hearing, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, said in a statement that he will push lawmakers to end taxpayer-funded payouts in sexual harassment cases and instead look for ways to have the proven violators pick up the tab.

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for sexual harassment payouts, while wrongdoers walk away with no financial accountability? McCarty said.

Last month, Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino (San Bernardino County), said she plans to introduce legislation next year to ban confidential settlements stemming from sexual harassment, including those in the Legislature.

The good news is there is hope, said Genie Harrison, an employment and victims rights attorney who spoke at the hearing. Other governmental agencies have changed.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Total Beverage Solution (TBS) is honored to announce a new partnership as the exclusive U.S. importer for the Day of the Dead beer, a unique Mexican craft beer from Tecate, Mexico.

We are excited to partner with a brand that has an excellent portfolio of high-quality beers, fitting a clear and growing niche in the U.S. market, explained Dave Pardus, CEO of Total Beverage Solution.

Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday honoring deceased loved ones and celebrating life. Day of the Dead beer was created by its founders to celebrate life and honor the traditions of this great holiday.

We are excited to work with Total Beverage Solution, says Mario Garcia, Export Director for the brewery, Artesanas de Malta y Cebada, S. de R.L. de C.V., brewers of the Day of the Dead brand, among others. We see how hard they work for their portfolio partners and the growth potential their dedicated team and distribution network provides.

The beer brand offers six styles: Blonde Ale, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and Porter. Each style showcases its own unique Day of the Dead character on the label which was hand painted by renowned Retablo artist, Sean Wells.

Day of the Dead joins other outstanding beers in TBS portfolio, including the worlds oldest brewery Weihenstephan, Saison Dupont, Old Speckled Hen, and others. Day of the Dead beers will soon be available nationwide through Total Beverage Solutions distributing partners. For samples or more information contact Jhaggerty@tbsbrands.com

About Total Beverage Solution

Founded in 2002, Total Beverage Solution, a seven-time Beverage Industry Top 100 company, has earned a reputation for the companys market expertise and proven sales results by creating value and demand for exceptional brands. Total Beverage Solution provides full-service front and back of house support dedicated to helping both foreign and domestic alcohol brands enter and navigate the US beverage market. For more visit: www.totalbeveragesolution.com

About Day of the Dead Beers

For 3000 Years the Aztecs honored the unique character of deceased individuals in annual celebrations. Now Day of the Dead Craft beer is produced to celebrate those traditions with extreme care given to its individual flavors and packaging. Day of the Dead artwork has gained a large following so artists well known in this arena hand painted the original works of art used for the labels and packaging of the brand. The liquid was developed and fine-tuned by the head brewmaster at Artesanas de Malta y Cebada, S. de R.L. de C.V., the brewery that owns and produces this quality beer.

###

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec1828e4-af9e-4482-be98-dd78a820184a

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4c1da34-22f1-4d5c-b1f1-c06bf54b73d7

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ed6d72f-1d09-46af-9219-a4db5d306bfa
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In his Between Meals column, Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer writes about the restaurants he visits each week as he searches for the next Top 100 Restaurants. His main dining reviews, written after three visits, appear in the Sunday Food + Wine section.

Ive written about how the cultures of bars and restaurants are merging, but the difference and/or similarity of the two is aptly illustrated at two recently opened businesses: Foxsister in the Mission and The Salzburg in North Beach.

Both offer a more casual vibe than youll find at a traditional restaurant, but the menus go far beyond typical bar food. Its the type of atmosphere that speaks to the current generation of young diners.

Foxsister is downright fun. Its psychedelic exterior walls are striped with hot pink, blue, gold, aqua, purple and orange (now Im aging myself); inside, strings of clear and jalapeno lights crisscross the ceiling above bright red banquettes. The menu offers a playful approach to both Korean food and cocktails.

Diners can order kimchi nachos cheese dip ($12), pork and beef dumplings ($12), and fried oysters and crispy mung bean pancake with spicy ground beef ($12). All these seemed designed to go with the signature soju slushies ($12), an adult version of what youll find in the machines at 7-Eleven. The slushies come in three flavors: pina colada; peach daiquiri; and watermelon, ginger and lime (the best).

Theres also more substantial fare such as Dungeness crab noodles with bok choy ($19); slow-cooked ribs ($14/$26); and fried chicken ($19 for half) with a choice of three sauces: a dry seasoning of seaweed salt; gooey sweet from red chile paste and honey; or garlic and soy.

The hot pink menu and bold graphics telescope the whimsical aspect of the restaurant; clearly this isnt serious food, but its seriously fun.

Michael Bauer/The Chronicle

The Salzburg: The look and feel of the Salzburg, designed to be a wine bar, is a little more understated. The long, narrow restaurant is saved from seeming claustrophobic by high-peaked ceilings, white walls and inlaid wood floors. Theres also a patio in back with seating around a fire pit.

The food looks to Austria, and the wine list offers about 50 wines by the glass.

Most people will no doubt order the big puffy pretzel with a beer-cheese spread ($11), and theres also a flammkuchen ($13), a flatbread with smoked bacon, caramelized onions and creme fraiche. Meatballs made of Wagyu beef are paired with spatzle ($16), which they call a stroganoff, and theres a schnitzel sandwich ($14) made with breaded fried pork and topped with fennel slaw.

However, the stars are the sausages ($14), including some of the juiciest bratwurst Ive encountered.

Salzburg may be a wine bar, but going for the food cant be far behind the desire for a glass or two of wine.

Foxsister, the Salzburg and other spirit-centric establishments such as the Saratoga now offer more extensive food than youd find in a bar a few years ago. But the success of these places is also influencing restaurants where service has become more casual and the menus more eclectic, moving away from the traditional appetizer, main course and dessert offerings. With each new restaurant or bar opening, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell the two apart.

Foxsister, 3161 24th St., San Francisco; (415) 829-7814 or www.foxsistersf.com . Dinner daily. Reservations accepted.

The Salzburg, 663 Union St., San Francisco; (415) 673-1234. Dinner Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic and editor at large. Email: mbauer@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaelbauer1 Instagram: @michaelbauer1
Johansson Projects

Michelle Blade carries around in her head a color-filled world where spirits assemble, then dematerialize, amid fantastic settings. She shares a view into that world in an exhibition called Partnerlook at Johansson Projects, 2300 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland, through Jan. 6.

Blades best-known work is done in acrylic paint, used like watercolor on paper. That is a boring description for a technique that, in her hand, crackles with barely contained energy. Small in format but grand in their imaginative scope, the works can be as awe-inspiring and mysterious as scenes from the best Hollywood science fiction.
Jesse James' comrades once hid there. A Folger's Coffee heir, too. Then came Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters and, long before that, threatened frogs and snakes. Soon, a historic nature preserve in rural San Mateo will be open to the public.

The bandits have long fled, though the natural delights of La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve are ripe for enjoyment when the first section of the 6,142-acre preserve opens on Friday, and with it, six miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding.
Oaklands elected leaders said Tuesday the citys police should provide no assistance to federal immigration agents - even if the agents are working on a case that centers on violent crime.

They said so much as allowing officers to block off a street creates the perception that Oakland is anything but a sanctuary city. The new red line came after a controversial operation by officers with Homeland Security Investigations  the criminal division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement  at which Oakland police provided traffic enforcement.

At the request of the agency, Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick agreed to send a sergeant, two police officers and two marked police cars on Aug. 16 to be stationed outside while federal agents conducted what they said was a human trafficking investigation at the West Oakland home of a Guatemalan family.

Federal agents detained two adult brothers. Records indicate that deportation proceedings began against one, Santos Alberto, but no criminal charges have been filed.

Community members, City Council members, immigrants and their advocates condemned Kirkpatricks acquiescence to ICE. The chairman of the Oakland Privacy Commission, Brian Hofer, filed a complaint against the chief for allegedly making false claims about the operation. On Tuesday, Kirkpatrick was called before the City Council to explain her actions. Members of the public hissed as she defended her decisions, and Councilwoman Desley Brooks asked whether the chief should be fired.

But Kirkpatrick said her primary concern was public safety and that she wanted to reduce the risk of friendly fire  in which confused city police officers might shoot at armed plainclothes federal agents, or vice versa. She reiterated that she ordered the officers not to participate in the operation itself.

Also Tuesday, an ICE spokesman again said the operation was for the execution of a search warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. But he said so-called collateral arrests  the detention of people whose only violation is an immigration infraction  are always possible during such cases.

During a criminal investigation, ICE spokesman James Schwab said, those found to be in violation of immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

Santa Cruz officials rebuked the federal agency following a raid of suspected gang members in February, when immigrants who hadnt committed any crimes were arrested.

Mayor Libby Schaaf said officers providing traffic enforcement during the August operation did not violate any of Oaklands sanctuary-city laws. But the ordinances should be changed, she said, so that something similar cant happen again.

Here we are months later and not a single criminal charge has been brought as a result of that operation, said Schaaf, who initially defended Kirkpatrick and the citys involvement in the operation.

Under the Trump administration, she added, public trust and my trust in federal law enforcement has been compromised.

A resolution put forth by City Council members Brooks, Rebecca Kaplan and Noel Gallo  and supported by Schaaf  would prohibit the city police from assisting any criminal investigation by ICE, including with traffic support, unless it is a public safety emergency.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
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A Santa Rosa man who was trapped outside his home and severely burned by the Tubbs Fire in October has died of his injuries after seven weeks of hospitalization, becoming the 44th fatality from the Wine Country firestorm.

Michel Azarian, 41, died Sunday at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

It is with a very heavy heart that we are coming to grips with the untimely loss of our good friend Michel, said a statement from the Armenian Church of Austin in Texas, where Azarian was a member before moving to Santa Rosa two years ago.

Azarian was an engineer with Keysight Technologies, a Santa Rosa company that makes precision electronic measurement devices.

A native of Lebanon, Azarian came to the U.S. in 2002 to study at the University of Texas and to work for National Instruments in Austin, designing radio circuitry.

A longtime friend, San Jose lawyer Khachik Papanyan, remembered Azarian as a smart guy, a fun-loving (and) extremely gifted when it came to problem solving. Puzzles it would take me a day to solve, he could solve them in the blink of an eye.

Azarian was also a world traveler, a devoted hiker and a skilled photographer. His social media pages are filled with his images of mountains, seascapes, ladybugs and lavender plants.

Papanyan said Azarian was found badly burned in a small clearing near his home on Mark West Springs Road in north Santa Rosa on Oct. 9, the day after the Tubbs Fire broke out. A text he sent the night of the fire indicated he was unaware of the impending danger, Papanyan said. By the time Azarian realized what was happening, it was too late.

Azarian is survived by his mother, Berjouhy Toukhtarian, of Lebanon, and by longtime friend Annie Dinh of Dallas.

A memorial service will be held Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. at St. Andrew Armenian Church, 11370 S. Stelling Road, Cupertino.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
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Every Wednesday morning, SFGATE finds the biggest headlines in local (and sometimes national) beer. Check back here weekly for news, events, and information about special releases from your favorite local breweries.

SFGATE has launched a beer newsletter! Called the Taploid, it will contain some key stories from this column, as well as other, more nationally-spanning industry news. To sign up, head here, enter your email at the top, and check the box marked "Taploid."

After months of keeping their Hunter's Point taproom shuttered, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is set to open the doors again on December 15. SFGATE spoke with the company's new-ish director of brewing operations, Clay Jordan, about the company's move towards embracing more experimental, taproom-only brews. Read the whole article here.

Happy Firkin Thanksgiving! Special Christmas Mulled Spice Firkin for the tap room opening. We finally have a solid date!!! Tap Room opens on December 15! A post shared by Speakeasy Ales & Lagers (@speakeasybeer) on Nov 22, 2017 at 1:49pm PST

Drake's is holding a hazy IPA fest called Hazy Daze of Winter at their main San Leandro brewery Saturday, December 2, featuring a stupid stacked lineup of participating California breweries. IPA powerhouses present include Alvarado Street, Beachwood, Cellarmaker, Green Cheek, and Moonraker, among others. They'll also be pouring a few "high adjunct and non-traditional beers" as well, including HenHouse's popular Winning Team rice lager, Casa Agria's Frambuesa de la Casa Saison aged on raspberries, and more. If that's not enough to get you there, the music on deck is promised to be "old-school hip hop and R&B." Tickets are available here for $50 (or $5 for designated drivers).

The Mikkeller taproom in downtown San Francisco is opening at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 2, for rare breakfast-time flight pours of Founders' Canadian Breakfast Stout, Kentucky Breakfast Stout, the Breakfast Stout on nitro and a "full mug of Breakfast Stout." The whole deal will cost you $40 (you can decide to take part once you get there), but it includes the mug your stout comes in, too. Tickets here.

The San Francisco Business Times has profiled the brewers behind San Francisco's Sufferfest, and their success with gluten-free beer. Give it a read here.

21st Amendment is releasing cans of the recipe that won their Kettle home brew competition. The beer is called Tales from the Kettle, and it's a Scotch Ale with black tea at 9 percent ABV.

And lastly, here's your friendly reminder that tickets for the Beer Week Opening Gala in San Francisco go on sale Thursday, November 30, at 10:30 a.m.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


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For the past two years, RADAR Productions, a San Francisco queer literary nonprofit, has been hosting Drag Queen Story Hour. The event is exactly what it sounds like: drag queens in schools, libraries and bookstores reading to children. The idea is to get kids introduced to glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. Its been such a hit that it now happens in Los Angeles and New York City.

Now RADAR is looking to raise money to continue the story hour series  which is free to the public  with We Are All Queens, a drag ball for children on Sunday, Dec. 3 at Verdi Club.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V:JUGR.V) (the Company or Juggernaut) is pleased to report initial channel and chip samples containing polymetallic mineralization on its new Max Min and existing Metalworks, Metallica and Olympus discoveries, located on the Empire property, 40 km northeast of Terrace British Columbia.



A highlight of the 2017 program was the discovery of the Max Min zone. The best channel sample from the Max Min contained 11.15 grams per tonne gold equivalent over 4.6 meters (including 4.8 grams per tonne gold, 0.26 % copper, 3.73 % zinc, and 4.85 % lead). The channel started and finished in mineralization due to snow cover and mineralization remains open. Gold, copper, lead and zinc mineralized samples in outcrop define a zone 170 by 100 metres in size which open in all directions and to depth.

The gold and polymetallic mineralization confirmed at the Max Min, Metalworks, Metallic, Rockstar and Olympus targets, coupled with the widespread porphyry dykes and extensive potassic and propylitic alteration (link to images) within the 5.5 km Inca Trend are consistent with porphyry-style mineralization on the Empire Property.





The extension of the Inca Trend to 5.5 kilometres during the 2017 program resulted from multiple new polymetallic discoveries in just over a month of field work.



Based on the positive 2017 results, the company has expanded the claims block from 9852 hectares to 14,552 hectares.

2017 Highlights Include:

Max Min

Channel sample containing 11.15 grams per tonne gold equivalent including 4.8 grams per tonne gold, 0.26 % copper, 3.73 % zinc, and 4.85 % lead over 4.6 metres. The channel cut started and ended in mineralization due to snow cover and the zone remains open-ended.

Chip sample containing 59.02 grams per tonne gold equivalent including 47.20 grams per tonne gold, 0.02 % copper, 5.39 % zinc, and 12.3 % lead over 2.0 metres.

Gold and polymetallic mineralized samples with potassic alteration over a zone measuring 170 by 100 m and open in all directions.

The Max Min zone is a drill ready target.

Metalworks

Chip samples containing 16.8 grams per tonne gold equivalent including 2.64 gram per tonne gold, 277 gram per tonne silver, 0.04 % copper, 3.88 % zinc, and 11.95 % lead over 5 m. True thickness of this zone is not known.

The zone is characterized by extensive hydrothermal breccia, potassic alteration and propylitic alteration.

Exploration in 2017 has more than doubled the size of the zone with gold mineralized samples from 95 by 85 metres in 2016 to 300 by 130 metres. The zone is open in all directions.

The Metalworks zone is a drill ready target.

Olympus

Chip sample containing 11.2 grams per tonne gold equivalent (0.42 gram per tonne gold, 625 gram per tonne silver, 1.37 % copper, 0.22 % zinc, and 0.08 % lead).

Outcrop grab samples containing up to 1.01 gram per tonne gold, 1185 gram per tonne silver, and 3.74 % copper from different samples.



Max Min Zone

The Max Min zone was discovered in late August 2017 due to ongoing snowpack and glacier recession, exposing new mineralized bedrock. Max Min is located 300 metres northwest of Metallica, 400 metres west of Metalworks, and is part of the much larger, newly extended, 5.5 by 1.5 kilometre Inca Trend (link to map).

The high-grade polymetallic, gold mineralization, and potassic alteration at Max Min suggest the presence of feeder zone for the hydrothermal system at depth. The planned 2018 drill program will be designed to test the source of the hydrothermal gold mineralization in this key target area. In addition to drilling, ground IP, channel sampling, prospecting and geological mapping is recommended to outline the full geometry of the Max Min bedrock discovery. The rapid ongoing snowpack and glacial recession has provided newly exposed outcrop every year, all with strong discovery potential along the entire 5.5 km under explored Inca Trend.

A total of 35.1 metres of channel cuts were made that ranged from 0.5 to 6.7 metres in length. Highlights include a channel sample containing 11.15 grams per tonne gold equivalent (4.8 grams per tonne gold, 0.26 % copper, 3.73 % zinc, and 4.85 % lead) over 4.6 metres. This sample ended-in mineralization due to snow-cover at the time of sampling. Six channel samples of a metre or less ranged from 11.65 to 58.72 grams per tonne gold equivalent (See Table 1).

Table 1: Max Min Zone Assay Highlights

Sample Type Length

(metres)1 Gold Eq

(gpt)2 Gold

(gpt) Copper

% Zinc

% Lead

% W489803-8 Channel 4.6 11.15 4.80 0.26 3.73 4.85 W503171 Chip 3.4 9.80 7.43 0.22 0.72 2.35 W493000 Chip 2.0 59.02 47.20 0.02 5.39 12.3 W501110 Chip 2.0 28.72 13.30 0.63 11.4 8.74 W501111 Chip 2.0 24.19 12.95 0.77 5.90 8.64 W503310 Chip 2.0 21.88 13.55 0.20 5.78 5.59 W501207 Channel 0.5 58.72 56.4 0.08 0.72 2.65 W501203 Channel 0.5 50.06 38.1 0.02 7.66 9.60 W501204 Channel 0.5 31.17 30.4 0.01 0.51 0.57 W501206 Channel 0.6 38.38 36.9 0.02 0.12 2.21 W501210 Channel 1.0 22.90 10.3 1.25 7.66 7.27 W501211 Channel 1.0 11.67 3.85 0.29 4.62 6.02 W490533 Chip 0.5 9.48 8.82 0.00 0.22 0.79 W492999 Chip 0.2 18.80 18.70 0.06 0.00 0.00 W501178 Outcrop Grab 19.18 13.55 0.02 3.07 5.18 W502670 Outcrop Grab 27.93 12.55 9.13 0.00 0.14 W387652 Outcrop Grab 14.91 7.69 0.08 4.70 5.50 1True thickness of mineralized zone not known.

2AuEq based on Metal Prices on Nov 14, 2017: Au $1273.4 oz; Cu $3.1115 lb; Pb $ 1.1347 lb; Zn $1.4701 lb

Twenty-four total chip samples were taken that range from below detection limit to 59.02 grams per tonne gold equivalent (47.2 grams per tonne gold, 0.02 % copper, 5.39 % zinc, and 12.3 % lead). Twenty-four grab samples (Table 1) were taken that ranged from below detection limit to 27.93 grams per tonne gold equivalent (12.55 grams per tonne gold, 9.13 % copper, and 0.14 % lead), with six samples ranging from 1.53 to 27.93 grams per tonne gold equivalent (1.23 gram per tonne gold, 0.18 % copper and 12.55 gram per tonne gold, 9.13 % copper, and 0.14 % lead, respectively).

The Max Min zone is currently limited in its northward extent by rapidly receding glacial ice and snowpack; however where there are islands of newly exposed outcrop, limited samples taken have returned very promising results. Approximately three-hundred metres northwest of Max Min, a 2 metre chip sample assaying 0.9 grams per tonne gold was taken from an outcrop in the middle of the glacier. On the unexplored northern flank of the glacier 0.3 and 0.5 metre chip samples assayed 6 and 1.2 grams per tonne gold, respectively. These extensions provide excellent potential to expand the Max Min zone and further confirm the discovery potential of the evolving Inca Trend.

The Inca Trend is hosted in volcanic, magmatic arc rocks of the Stikine Terrane, which is a favorable geological setting for porphyry systems in British Columbia. The thick sequence of volcanic rocks that underlies the Inca Trend is intruded by numerous felsic and intermediate porphyry dykes that strike broadly east-west. This east-west trend is further emphasized by an extensive fracture set that has provided structural controls on quartz-carbonate veining and mineralization. The gold-silver-polymetallic mineralization coupled with the extensive propylitic and potassic alteration along the Inca Trend are consistent with the presence of a porphyry system at depth.

Metalworks Zone

The assay results from Metalworks have more the doubled the size of zone with mineralized samples from 95 by 85 in 2016 metres to 300 by 130 metres (link to map) in 2017 due to newly exposed bedrock along the fringes of the rapidly receding glacial ice and snowpack. Metalworks remains open in all directions.

Table 2: Metalworks Assay Highlights

Sample Type Zone Length1

(metres) Gold2 Eq

(gpt) Gold

(gpt) Silver

(gpt) Copper

% Zinc

% Lead

% W501090 Chip Metalworks 5.00 16.8 2.64 277.0 0.04 3.88 11.95 W501041 Chip Metalworks 2.00 12.8 0.02 517.0 3.51 0.02 0.00 W501083 Chip Metalworks 2.00 8.53 0.12 30.40 0.05 7.48 3.27 W501043 Chip Metalworks 1.00 9.17 0.04 484.0 0.67 0.71 1.65 W502559 Chip Metalworks 1.00 4.21 0.04 248.0 0.52 0.00 0.00 W502925 Channel Metalworks 1.00 6.05 3.53 6.90 0.03 1.41 2.07 W502514 Chip Metalworks 0.50 2.48 1.51 9.90 0.09 0.10 0.99 W502510 Chip Metalworks 0.50 6.32 0.20 126.0 0.44 2.90 2.31 W502778 Channel Metalworks 0.30 16.6 4.43 68.8 0.90 6.95 7.00 W502792 Channel Metalworks 0.30 4.26 2.79 18.4 0.15 0.43 1.03 W502776 Channel Metalworks 0.30 8.25 2.43 25.3 0.41 3.19 3.72 W502789 Channel Metalworks 0.30 2.39 1.10 9.00 0.22 0.43 0.76 1True thickness of mineralized zone not known.

2AuEq based on Metal Prices on Nov 14, 2017: Au $1273.4 oz; Cu $3.1115 lb; Pb $ 1.1347 lb; Zn $1.4701 lb



Chip highlights (Table 2) include a 5 metre chip sample that contained 16.76 grams per tonne equivalent gold (2.64 grams per tonne gold, 277 grams per tonne silver, 3.88 % zinc, 11.95 % lead). The true width of this zone is not known. A total of 27 total chip samples (Table 2) were taken that ranged from below detection limit to 16.8 grams per tonne gold equivalent (2.64 grams per tonne gold, 277 grams per tonne silver, 0.04 % copper, 3.88 % zinc, and 11.95 % lead). Seven chip samples returned assays ranging from 2.48 to 16.8 grams per tonne gold equivalent (1.51 grams per tonne gold, 9.9 grams per tonne silver, 0.09 % copper, 0.1 % zinc, 0.99 % lead and 2.64 grams per tonne gold, 277 grams per tonne silver, 0.04 % copper, 3.88 % zinc, and 11.95 % lead, respectively).



Initial channel samples at Metalworks (Table 2) returned highlights of 1 metre of 6.05 grams per tonne gold equivalent (3.53 grams per tonne gold, 6.9 grams per tonne silver, 1.41 % zinc, 2.07 % lead).

Continued rapid snowpack and glacier recession should provide for excellent new opportunities for discovery in 2018. With the expansion of Metalworks in 2017 by ~200 metres, its boundary is now only ~750 metres south of Olympus, ~250 metres west of Metallica, and 400 metres to Max Min, separated by rapidly receding glacial ice and snowpack. These zones share a similar style of mineralization which is predominantly hosted structurally above extensive hydrothermal breccias. Other similarities include the same stratigraphic package of rocks, potassic and propylitic alteration, and late porphyry dykes all of which suggest shared porphyry feeder source of mineralization at depth. Ground IP, mapping, prospecting and drilling is recommended to outline the full geometry, along strike and to depth of the Metalworks Zone.

Metallica Zone

The Metallica zone is located approximately 250 south of Metalworks (link to map). Mineralization is hosted within a propylitically altered feldspar porphyry unit and is comprised of two distinct types of mineralization: (1) gently dipping, 2030 cm wide quartz + Fe-carbonate  covellite  sphalerite veins, and (2) a silver-rich polymetallic massive sulfide lens. Initial channel cuts from a massive sulphide lens returned values of 22694 grams per tonne silver (729.6 oz per tonne), 26.4 % copper, 2.8 % zinc and a gold equivalent value of 348 grams per tonne over 0.2 metres.

A quartz vein channel cut returned values of 6.15 grams per tonne gold equivalent (3.74 grams per tonne gold, 83.4 grams per tonne silver, and 0.74% copper) over 0.4 metres. Chip and channel samples were collected in the gently-dipping (type 1) veins were cut in the dip-slope of the veins and thus do not represent true thickness.

Twenty six total chip samples (Table 3) were taken that returned assays ranging from below the detection limit up to 9.45 grams per tonne gold equivalent (1.25 gram per tonne gold, 490 grams per tonne silver, 0.9 % copper, 0.2 % zinc, and 0.02 % lead). Twenty grab samples were taken that ranged in values from below detection limit up to 94.1 grams per tonne gold equivalent (0.32 gram per tonne gold, 6390 gram per tonne silver, 5 % copper, 0.47 % zinc), with five samples ranging from 3.96 to 94.1 grams per tonne equivalent gold (0.09 grams per tonne gold, 200 grams per tonne silver, 0.72 % copper and 0.32 grams per tonne gold, grams per tonne silver, 5 % copper, 0.47 % zinc, respectively). This zone is also believed to be connected to a common feeder system at depth.

Table 3: Metallica Assay Highlights

Sample Type Zone Length1

(metres) Gold Eq

(gpt)2 Gold

(gpt) Silver

(gpt) Copper

% Zinc

% Lead

% W502571 Chip Metallica 1.50 4.11 0.86 10 0.36 0.38 3.62 W503027 Channel Metallica 1.30 3.91 1.18 104 0.75 0.12 0.00 W503044 Channel Metallica 1.00 1.69 1.66 0.70 0.00 0.02 0.00 W503072 Channel Metallica 0.80 24.0 0.37 1520 1.93 0.27 0.00 W503070 Channel Metallica 0.60 5.75 1.39 267 0.44 0.09 0.00 W502569 Chip Metallica 0.50 9.45 1.25 490 0.90 0.20 0.02 W503054 Channel Metallica 0.50 4.17 1.58 105 0.65 0.13 0.00 W503041 Channel Metallica 0.40 6.15 3.74 83.40 0.74 0.08 0.00 W503059 Channel Metallica 0.20 348 0.01 22694 26.40 2.80 0.00 W501007 Grab Metallica 94.1 0.32 6390 5.00 0.47 0.00 W501006 Grab Metallica 35.0 0.20 1420 9.45 0.08 0.00 W501056 Grab Metallica 12.7 0.07 271 5.40 0.00 0.00 W499517 Grab Metallica 4.68 2.83 125 0.02 0.04 0.20 W494310 Grab Metallica 3.96 0.09 200 0.72 0.00 0.00 1chip and channel samples cut in-plane of a low angle vein and thus do not represent true thickness.

2AuEq based on Metal Prices on Nov 14, 2017: Au $1273.4 oz; Cu $3.1115 lb; Pb $ 1.1347 lb; Zn $1.4701 lb; Ag $16.935 oz

Olympus Zone

Mineralization at the Olympus zone is hosted in the same stratigraphic unit as Metalworks and shares a similar geochemical signature. Eight total chip samples (Table 4) were taken that range from below detection limit up to 11.2 grams per tonne gold equivalent (0.42 grams per tonne gold, 625 grams per tonne silver, 1.37 % copper, 0.22 % zinc, and 0.08 % lead), three samples ranged from 1.67 to 11.2 gram per tonne gold equivalent (0.84 grams per tonne gold, 45.1 grams per tonne silver, 0.12 % copper, 0.02 % zinc, 0.01 % lead and 0.42 grams per tonne gold, 625 grams per tonne silver 1.37 % copper, 0.22 % zinc, and 0.08 % lead, respectively).

Table 4: Olympus Assay Highlights

Sample Type Zone Length1

(metres) Gold Eq

(gpt)2 Gold

(gpt) Silver

(gpt) Copper

% Zinc

% Lead

% W495213 Chip Olympus 2 11.2 0.42 625 1.37 0.22 0.08 W503312 Chip Olympus 1 1.99 1.88 3.90 0.02 0.03 0.00 W503305 Chip Olympus 1 1.67 0.84 45.1 0.12 0.02 0.01 W503307 Grab Olympus 22.0 0.71 1185 3.22 0.06 0.11 W501031 Grab Olympus 20.7 0.35 1050 3.74 0.10 0.03 W501104 Grab Olympus 12.0 1.01 718 0.83 0.04 0.05 1True thickness of mineralized zone not known.

2AuEq based on Metal Prices on Nov 14, 2017: Au $1273.4 oz; Cu $3.1115 lb; Pb $ 1.1347 lb; Zn $1.4701 lb



Empire Property

In addition to porphyry style gold-silver-polymetallic mineralization with potassic alteration, recent work and research in the area by the BC geological survey identified gold-silver-copper-lead-zinc mineralization in the region to be consistent with transitional vein systems like the Snip mine. As part of this same study the BC geological survey mapped a sequence of marine Hazelton volcanic rocks (Quock formation pillow lavas and marine fossils) on the northern portion of the Empire property and determined are contemporaneous with the development of the Eskay rift to the west. Therefore, the region also may have potential for epithermal mineralization and Eskay Creek style mineralization.

Statements

Mr. Dan Stuart, Director, President & CEO of Juggernaut states: The Empire property has tremendous untapped potential, initial results indicate it has the key markers to host a world class mineral discovery. We look forward to reporting additional results from both Empire and Midas in the near future and to the 2018 drill campaign with much anticipation. The Empire project is a very rare opportunity with world class potential as demonstrated by both the support and interest from institutions and miners alike, confirming the significance of this and evolving new discoveries. We look forward to reporting the results in the immediate future from the newly discovered Rock Star zone on Inca Trend and the Material Metal and Babylon zones, also located on the Empire Property. The company also looks forward to reporting results from its Midas property and from the DSM project generator syndicate when they become available.

Dr. Stefan Kruse, Chief Consulting Geologist stated: Results to date have far exceeded our expectations and we look forward to unlocking the full potential of these exciting new discoveries contained within a world class geological setting I strongly recommended a comprehensive exploration and drill campaign for 2018.

For further information, new maps and photos of the Empire property please go to www.juggernautexploration.com

Other

Stefan Kruse, Ph.D., P. Geo., Chief Geologist, is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43- 101, for Juggernaut Exploration projects, and supervised the preparation of, and has reviewed and approved, the technical information in this release. Further information regarding Juggernauts Midas and Empire properties can be sourced on-line at www.juggernautexploration.com, or by contacting Dan Stuart at 778-233-0293.

All rock, channel and talus fine samples were crushed and pulverized at ALS Canada Ltd.s lab in Terrace, BC or in Reno Nevada. ALS is either Certified to ISO 9001:2008 or Accredited to ISO 17025:2005 in all of its locations. The resulting sample pulps were analyzed for gold by fire assay in Reno, Nevada or in Vancouver, BC. The pulps were also assayed using multi-element aqua regia digestion at ALS Canada Ltd.s lab in Vancouver, BC. The silt samples were sieved and assayed at ALS Canada Ltd.s lab in Vancouver, BC. The coarse reject portions of the rock, channel and talus fine samples, as well as the pulps, were shipped to J2 Syndicates storage facility in Terrace, BC. The silt samples were disposed of after analysis. All samples were analyzed using ALS Canada Ltd.s assay procedure ME-ICP41, a 1:1:1 aqua regia digestion with inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) or inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) finish for 35 elements as well as the Au-AA24 lead-collection fire assay fusion procedure with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Any results greater than 100 ppm for silver or 10,000 ppm copper, lead and zinc were additionally assayed using ALSs OG46 method particular to each element. This method used an HNO 3 -HCl digestion followed by ICP-AES (or titrimetric and gravimetric analysis). Gold values of greater than 10 ppm Au were assayed by the Au-GRA22 method which includes a fire-assay fusion procedure with a gravimetric finish. Blanks QA/QC samples were inserted into channels sample laboratory batches. Additionally, a 10% sub-sample of pulp and reject material was sent to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster Ontario, for check-analysis.

The reader is cautioned that grab samples are spot samples which are typically, but not exclusively, constrained to mineralization. Grab samples are selective in nature and collected to determine the presence or absence of mineralization and are not intended to be representative of the material sampled.

Gold equivalent assays are based on metal prices (USD) on Nov 14, 2017: Au $1273.4 oz; Cu $3.1115 lb; Pb $1.1347 lb; Zn $1.4701 lb; Ag $16.935 oz and are based on an assumption of 100% recovery.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,





Dan Stuart

Dan Stuart Director, President, and CEO

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. Certain disclosure in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to Juggernauts operations that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including its ability to complete the contemplated private placement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR AN INVITATION TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED IN IT.
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Police arrested two men Monday wanted in connection with a burglary operation carried out over the past six months.

The two Rio Nido men, 51-year-old Robert Hansen and his roommate, 35-year-old Adam Hager, were booked on three charges of burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy, identity theft and enhancements.

The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said that more charges were likely after stolen property found at the suspects home was connected with 20 burglary reports dating back to at least May.

The investigation began Nov. 1, when a victim living in the 600 block of Piezzi Road in Santa Rosa reported a robbery while she was out. A surveillance system in the victims home captured footage of a robber, who appeared to be holding a handgun while searching the house. The victim reported that over $2,000 worth of items were taken from her house.

A second victim reported that her black Jeep was broken into at the Willowside Flood Control Channel, a popular hiking spot. The thief took the victims purse and later used her credit cards at the Chevron and 7-Elecen at Guerneville Road and Marlow Road in Santa Rosa.

Surveillance footage from the gas station showed two men using the second victims credit cards, one of whom matched the surveillance video from the Nov. 1 burglary. Detectives identified the pair based on the footage.

Police said that the number of burglary reports began to pick up as they were investigating, prompting them to place the men under surveillance.

On Monday, police said the men were seen acting suspiciously near Spring Lake Park. The men were wearing earpieces and appeared to be secretly communicating with each other, with Hansen acting as a lookout on a trail while Hager smashed a car window for a robbery.

Police followed the men to a Valero gas station on Highway 12, where Hager tried to use the victims credit card. Both men were then arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail.

A subsequent search of their home in the 14000 block of Canyon 1 Road in Rio Nido turned up more stolen items, as well as replica firearms and costumes that looked like law enforcement uniforms, police said.

Hansen is being held on $425,000 bail due to pending theft and drug warrants. Hager is being held on $190,000 bail.

Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15
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Jurors wrapped up a second full day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict in the trial of the man accused of killing Kate Steinle on a San Francisco pier.

The panel must decide whether Jose Ines Garcia Zarate intentionally fired a gun toward Steinle on Pier 14, as prosecutors allege, or whether Steinles death on July 1, 2015, was an accident, as defense attorneys contend.

Steinle was killed as she strolled with her father toward the end of the pier by a bullet that ricocheted off the concrete ground and flew 78 feet into her back.

Garcia Zarate, 45, a homeless Mexican citizen with a history of nonviolent drug offenses and deportations, was charged with murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and assault with a semiautomatic weapon in connection with the shooting.

Now Playing: The man who killed Kate Steinle carried a concealed gun to San Francisco's Pier 14 and sat watching tourists go by for more than 20 minutes before he deliberately fired in her direction, prosecutor Diana Garcia said this morning in the trial's closin Video: KTVU

Garcia Zarate has admitted to handling the weapon, a .40-caliber Sig Sauer handgun that had been stolen four days earlier from the nearby parked car of an off-duty federal ranger. But the government and the defense disagree on his intent.

The case went to the jury last Tuesday afternoon after a monthlong trial in which Assistant District Attorney Diana Garcia presented evidence that she said showed Garcia Zarate brought the gun with him to the pier and deliberately pulled the trigger.

But defense attorney Matt Gonzalez, of the public defenders office, called experts who testified that the shot that killed Steinle was most likely an unintentional discharge. Gonzalez said his client set off the gun shortly after he found it wrapped in a cloth under his seat at the pier.

The jury is considering three potential charges against Garcia Zarate: first-degree or premeditated murder, second-degree murder, and involuntary manslaughter.

The prosecution spent much of the trial laying out a case for second-degree murder, in which the jury would have to find that Garcia Zarate either intended to kill or intentionally committed a dangerous act with conscious disregard for human life.

But in her closing argument, Garcia also presented a scenario in which the defendant sized up targets on the pier in his own secret version of Russian roulette, an act of premeditation.

For the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, jurors would have to find that Garcia Zarates actions dont rise to the level of murder but that Steinles death was caused by his negligence.

Deliberations were to resume Wednesday.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
Judging by her by now voluminous work with arthouse treasure Hong Sang-soo and her outrageous turn in last years The Handmaiden, Kim Min-hee might be the best actress working in South Korea.

Certainly, she is getting the better parts. In Hongs latest leisurely character study, On the Beach at Night Alone, she is Young-hee, a noted actress who is trying to pick up the pieces after the end of an affair with a film director.

The film opens Friday, Dec. 1, exclusively at the 4-Star in San Francisco.

Young-hee escapes to Hamburg for a spell, leaving a trail of emotional wreckage, then returns to the South Korean beach town of Gangneung to try to reconnect with friends.

In Hongs world, friendships are tested and reaffirmed, and problems hashed out across the tables of coffeehouses, restaurants and the dinner tables at home, with soju the path to drunken confessions and bitter truths.

Hong fans will lap it up, and those who are new to the director of such art-house classics as Virgin Stripped Bare By Her Bachelors (2000), Woman on the Beach (2006) and Right Now, Wrong Then (2015, also with Kim) should prepare themselves for the kind of rich, improvisational dialogue that is rarely attempted in cinema, and rarely accomplished with such natural ease (a comparison might be Richard Linklaters Before trilogy).

Adding spice is that Hong and Kim admitted to having an affair during the filming of Right Now, Wrong Then, which eventually led to the breakup of Hongs marriage, so it appears that On the Beach at Night Alone is a way for both to work out the emotional aftermath of their transgressions.

I guess I am hard to deal with, Young-hee says to a friend. I am too direct. Men have a problem with that.

Im a monster. I need to cast off my regrets, says the director, who appears late in the film. Do you think I want this?

Films that are personal can resonate, whether its Tommy Wiseaus The Room or Steven Spielbergs childhood fantasy films. Hongs work can frustrate, but his observant cinema can also be revelatory, a reason he has such a strong international following.

But On the Beach at Night Alone is really Kims film. Her performance won her the best actress award at this years Berlin Film Festival, and she is in every scene, warts and all.

G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BRfilmsAllen

On the Beach

at Night Alone

Drama. Starring Kim Min-hee, Seo Young-hwa. Directed by Hong Sang-soo. In Korean with subtitles. (Not rated. 101 minutes.)
Thelma is Norways entry in the Oscar sweepstakes  for best foreign film  and it represents not just a return to form for its director, Joachim Trier, but an advance.

Trier made a strong impression with his 2012 release, Oslo, August 31st, a compressed, highly internal movie about the 24 hours leading up to a mans suicide. He followed this with the inevitable English-language film, the lackluster family drama, Louder Than Bombs. But Thelma shows him to be a talent whos growing and expanding.

The new film has the internal intensity of Oslo, August 31st combined with a sense of a metaphysical mystery, of the strange, nameless currents running through life. Its a supernatural thriller that demonstrates both the directors command of genre and his freedom and flexibility within it. He makes the supernatural work for him.

Trier takes something familiar and uses the supernatural elements to intensify and universalize it. Thelma (Eili Harboe) is an 18-year-old girl who leaves her home and her family to go away to college. As it sometimes happens, she discovers things about herself in rapid order and falls in love early in her first semester.

The family background is a complicating factor. Thelma has lived a sheltered life, and her parents belong to a strict Christian sect. In an early scene, Thelma starts gossiping in a fairly innocent way about people she has met, and her father cuts her off, reminding her that she must never mock anyone, and that she is no better than anyone else. It seems unduly harsh, but Trier plays the parental situation close to the vest, and until deep into the film, we dont know what to make of the parents and whether theyre a force for good or ill.

In any case, things start happening. Under the pressure of school and of new emotions and passions, Thelma starts having seizures, and there are strange, natural occurrences in the environments surrounding her, such as birds flying headlong into a buildings glass walls. Trier shows us hallucinations and memories of the past and creates an atmosphere of eeriness, of impassive, impersonal forces at the foundation of human life.

Its a cliche to say that the earth moved when referring to lovemaking. But its not a cliche to show the earth actually moving. And though it would be inaccurate to reduce Thelma to an extended metaphor, its fair to say that Trier uses the supernatural element to illustrate, in a forceful way, the power of lust, the selfishness of love and the world-obliterating intensity of a first romance.

There are things in life that are unforgettable and demanding of ongoing artistic investigation, but that are also so common in human experience that the field is pretty much picked over. We need to talk about sex and love and romance, because these things are important to us, and yet were impatient when these things are talked about in the same way.

Trier has found a new way to depict and talk about these emotions and experiences that most human beings know and can never really get over. His way is cold, deadpan, extreme, and very Scandinavian, and its effective.

Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle

Thelma

Starring Eili Harboe and Kaya Wilkins. Directed by Joachim Trier. In Norwegian with English subtitles. (Unrated. 116 minutes.)
Entered into $7.5 million term loan facility with Silicon Valley Bank



Closed $8.1 million second tranche of convertible notes announced in January 2017

Funds will be used to advance clinical development of PB1046 in pulmonary arterial hypertension and PB2452, a reversal agent for ticagrelor

MALVERN, Pa., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for the treatment of orphan diseases, today announced that the Company has secured $15.6 million in funds to support the clinical advancement of its expanded pipeline.

PhaseBio entered into a $7.5 million term loan facility with Silicon Valley Bank, subject to funding in up to three tranches. PhaseBio received the initial tranche of $3.5 million upon execution of the loan agreement. The remaining funding under the term loan may be drawn, at PhaseBios option, in $2 million increments subject to certain milestones.

In addition, PhaseBio has drawn down the remaining $8.1 million second tranche of an existing convertible note financing agreement entered into in January 2017. Investors participating in the second tranche of the financing include New Enterprise Associates, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson Innovation  JJDC, Hatteras Venture Partners, Fletcher Spaght Ventures and Syno Capital.

In addition to the commitment from our current investors, this new loan facility strengthens our financial position in support of recently reported milestones, including the dosing of our lead therapy PB1046 in an exploratory study for pulmonary arterial hypertension and the diversification of our pipeline with the in-licensing of PB2452, a reversal agent for ticagrelor, said John Sharp, Chief Financial Officer of PhaseBio. We are pleased to expand our relationship with Silicon Valley Bank and anticipate that this extended runway will enable us to further deliver on our goals, by supporting the initiation of a Phase 2 study for PB1046 and a Phase 1 study for PB2452, both planned for 2018.

PhaseBio is developing compelling therapies that have the potential to provide new and improved treatments for patients suffering from orphan disorders, said Scott McCarty, Director at Silicon Valley Bank. We are excited to partner with PhaseBio and look forward to working with the company to advance its corporate strategy.

About PhaseBio

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for the treatment of orphan diseases. PhaseBio is leveraging its proprietary elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) biopolymer technology platform to develop therapies with the potential for less-frequent dosing and better patient compliance. PhaseBios lead development candidate, PB1046, is a first-in-class weekly vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor agonist for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PhaseBio is privately owned, with headquarters and research laboratories in Malvern, PA. For more information, please visit www.phasebio.com.

About Silicon Valley Bank

For more than 30 years, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has helped innovative companies and their investors move bold ideas forward, fast. SVB provides targeted financial services and expertise through its offices in innovation centers around the world. With commercial, international and private banking services, SVB helps address the unique needs of innovators. Learn more at www.svb.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Bagby, 6 Degrees

(312) 448-8098

lbagby@6degreespr.com
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NEW YORK  The wave of sexual harassment allegations roiling American society broke over a familiar figure, Today show host Matt Lauer, who was fired by NBC News on Wednesday for what its chairman termed inappropriate sexual behavior.

Lauer, 59, may be the best-known, and perhaps best-liked, of the men whose high-flying careers have crashed in the wake of accusations besetting media, government and the entertainment industry over the past two months. Over more than 20 years as a national figure, Lauer greeted millions of viewers each weekday morning as the co-host of the popular Today program, commanding a $25 million-a-year salary in the process.

In a staff memo, NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the network received a detailed complaint about Lauer on Monday night.

It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment.

Lack provided few details about Lauers accuser or the nature of her allegation. But he said, While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years hes been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

Indeed, several hours after Lauer was dismissed, the show-business publication Variety published a detailed account of allegations against him, based on interviews with three women who said they were victimized by him.

Variety said Lauer, who is married, once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present and included an explicit note about how he wanted to use it on her. He also allegedly invited another female employee to his office and then dropped his pants, showing her his penis. He then reprimanded her for not engaging in a sexual act.

Variety said Lauers harassment was abetted by a special button at his desk that activated a locking mechanism on his office door, enabling him to lock the door without getting up. This ensured that he could initiate inappropriate contact with female employees without worrying that anyone would walk in on him, Variety said.

The women said they told NBC executives about Lauer, but their complaints were ignored to protect a star of the networks most profitable news franchise.

NBC received two more complaints about Lauer after his dismissal on Wednesday, according to the New York Times, including one from a former employee who said Lauer invited her to his office in 2001 and had sex with her. She told the newspaper that she didnt report the encounter because she didnt want to lose her job and felt ashamed.

NBC News did not respond to a request for comment.

Lauer joined Today in 1994 as its news anchor. He became co-host of the morning program with Katie Couric in 1997 after Bryant Gumbel stepped down.

His current co-host, Savannah Guthrie, read Lacks statement on the air on Wednesdays program, her voice and manner betraying sadness and discomfort with the news.

NBC also owns Access Hollywood, the entertainment-news program that captured then-candidate Donald Trump on video in 2005 bragging that he molests women. NBC News was aware of the recording, but delayed reporting on it last year during the presidential campaign. The recording was leaked to The Post last year.

Paul Farhi is a Washington Post writer.
WASHINGTON  Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer pulled out of a meeting Tuesday to discuss spending levels with President Trump after he tweeted that a deal with them was unlikely.

The action signaled that Pelosi, the House minority leader from San Francisco, and Schumer, her counterpart in the Senate from New York, are prepared to use their leverage for issues that are important to Democratic lawmakers as they head into tense budget negotiations with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown by the end of next week.

Among their top priorities is a path to legalization for Dreamers, the roughly 700,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children without authorization. The Obama administration gave this group temporary protected status through its Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals policy, known as DACA. Trump reversed that policy Sept. 5 and gave Congress six months to resolve the issue. If Congress fails to act by March 5, Dreamers could face deportation.

Republicans will probably need the votes of congressional Democrats to raise the debt ceiling and keep government running before the current funding expires Dec. 8.

Pelosi and Schumer were set to meet with Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., when Trump tweeted that Chuck and Nancy want illegal immigrants flooding into our country unchecked and that Democrats are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I dont see a deal!

In a joint statement afterward, the two Democratic leaders said there was no point in the meeting following Trumps tweet.

Given that the president doesnt see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead, they said.

Republicans will need help from Democrats to get a deal done. Republicans have only a 52-48 majority in the Senate but will need 60 votes to pass a government funding bill. In the House, party conservatives have routinely refused to vote for spending bills, leaving the GOP leadership shorthanded on critical fiscal measures and handing leverage to Pelosi, who has had to deliver the necessary votes in the past.

About a quarter of the Dreamers reside in California, with thousands in nearly every congressional district in the state. California universities, business groups and immigrant rights groups are putting intense pressure on members in both parties to give legal status to young immigrants who grew up as Americans but were prevented from obtaining passports and drivers licenses, legally holding jobs and enrolling in college as U.S. residents. About 4,000 Dreamers are enrolled in the University of California alone.

Pelosi warned this month that House Democrats would not help Republicans keep the government open without a deal on DACA. California Sen. Kamala Harris became the first Senate Democrat to threaten to withhold support for any year-end spending bill unless the Dreamers win a path to citizenship.

Although expanded immigration is generally toxic within the GOP, some Republicans, particularly California House members such as David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County) and Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County), who represent heavily Latino districts, want legal status for young immigrants, providing the potential for bipartisan legislation.

Republicans are arguing that action on the Dreamers isnt necessary before March 5, when tens of thousands of DACA recipients will begin to see their status expire, and could be deported. But by then, Democrats wont have nearly the leverage they have now with a government shutdown looming.

Schumer said Democrats have a bunch of other priorities they want addressed in negotiations with Republicans as well.

These include keeping domestic spending on pace with the GOPs demand for higher military spending, disaster aid for recovery from three recent hurricanes and the Wine Country fires, and reauthorizing the giant Childrens Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which Congress allowed to lapse Sept. 30.

The health program provides routine care for 9 million children and pregnant women, including 1.3 million living in California, which has the nations largest program and is set to run out of money by the end the year. The state receives $2.7 billion a year in federal funding through the program.

In September, Pelosi and Schumer said Trump cut a verbal deal with them on raising the debt ceiling, appearing to leave Republicans in Congress out in the cold and giving Democrats the upper hand. Next weeks Dec. 8 deadline was set by that deal. At a dinner over Chinese food a week later, Pelosi and Schumer said Trump had agreed to try to reach accommodation for the Dreamers, without insisting on building a wall on the border with Mexico. Trump later denied that he had agreed to any such thing.

McConnell and Ryan indicated Tuesday that they would lay the blame on Pelosi and Schumer for endangering soldiers on the battlefield if the government shuts down. McConnell said he had never refused a meeting with former President Barack Obama.

We have important work to do, Ryan told reporters after the White House meeting, where two chairs for Pelosi and Schumer were left conspicuously empty.

Carolyn Lochhead is the San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon told CNN this week that he is going to campaign for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore at a rally in the state next week, making a strong show of support for the embattled Republican a week before the special election.

The announcement came hours after Bannon, who had not campaigned for Moore since days before the Sept. 26 Republican runoff, said he had no plans to campaign for Moore.

Two Bannon associates had told reporters that Bannon was not planning to return to Alabama before the Dec. 12 election. The associates spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

But Bannon told CNN later, I look forward to standing with Judge Moore and all of the Alabama deplorables in the fight to elect him to the United States Senate and send shock waves to the political and media elites.

Bannon uses deplorables as a term of endearment for supporters of President Trump. During the 2016 campaign, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton once described some of Trumps supporters as a basket of deplorables.

A person close to Bannon confirmed the former Trump strategists plan to campaign for Moore. That person insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Moores campaign is the opening battle in what Bannon has described as his war on the Republican establishment.

Bannon has been absent from Alabama since the primary, though he had dispatched a team of reporters with the conservative news network he runs, Breitbart News.

Bannons decision to visit comes on the heels of the White House announcement Monday that Trump does not plan to campaign for Moore, a former state Supreme Court judge who appeared headed to easy victory until decades-old allegations he preyed on teenage girls while in his 30s emerged.

Bannon said shortly after the first allegations came to light came to light two weeks ago, Until I see additional evidence on Judge Moore, Im standing with him.

That was before a chorus of calls from Republicans in Congress and around the country  most notably Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  calling on Moore to step down.

Meanwhile, Moore is seeking to steer the race to hot-button social issues highlighted by his opposition to abortion.

Newly back on the campaign trail, Moore has hammered Democratic rival Doug Jones by juxtaposing Moores desire to one day outlaw abortion altogether against Jones support of abortion rights. Moores campaign even suggested on social media that Jones, if elected, would seek to put another pro-abortion justice on the Supreme Court.

Democrats often face long odds in this conservative Southern state where opposition to abortion cuts across socioeconomic, gender and racial lines.

Thomas Beaumont is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  A key Senate committee advanced a sweeping tax package to the full Senate on Tuesday, handing Republican leaders a victory as they try to pass the nations first tax overhaul in 31 years.

The Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 to advance the bill as two committee Republicans who had said they were considering voting against the measure  Bob Corker of Tennessee and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin  backed the legislation.

President Trump personally lobbied Republican senators at the Capitol on Tuesday and the bill passed with little fanfare other than a few protesters who tried to disrupt the vote. All 11 Democrats were opposed.

The White House celebrated the vote.

Trump predicted the bills passage while accusing Democratic leaders of being all talk and no action. He told reporters that Republicans are in a very good position after the committee vote. He was joined at the White House by top Republican leaders from Congress. Democrats backed out of a planned meeting after Trump attacked them on Twitter.

As a sweetener for some Republicans, the budget committee added a provision to the tax bill that would allow oil drilling in Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Drilling in the refuge has long been a contentious issue, pitting environmentalists against those who want to increase domestic oil production.

The bill still faces hurdles in the Senate with at least six senators raising sometimes contradicting concerns.

It got a boost Tuesday when Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, won support to amend the bill to allow homeowners to deduct at least a portion of their local property taxes on their federal tax returns.

The current Senate bill repeals the entire state and local tax deduction, which helps more than 43 million families reduce their federal tax bills. Collins said Trump and Senate GOP leaders agreed to amend the bill to allow homeowners to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes, which is similar to a provision in the House-passed bill.

When asked if she is now more likely to support the bill, Collins said that is a fair assumption.

Johnson has complained that the package doesnt cut taxes enough for business owners who report business profits on their individual tax returns. Corker said he is concerned that the package will add to the federal governments $20 trillion debt.

After Trumps meeting with Senate Republicans, Corker said, I think were getting to a very good place on the deficit issue.

Corker and other deficit hawks want the package to include a trigger that would automatically increase taxes if the legislation fails to generate as much revenue as they expect.

An estimate by congressional analysts says the Senate tax bill would add $1.4 trillion to the budget deficit over the next decade. GOP leaders dispute the projection, saying tax cuts will spur economic growth, reducing the hit on the deficit.

Many economists disagree with such optimistic projections. The trigger would be a way for senators to test their economic assumptions, with real consequences if they are wrong.

The provision, however, is drawing opposition from some Republicans.

I am not going to vote to automatically implement tax increases on the American people, said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. If I do that, consider me drunk.

Republicans, who control the Senate 52-48, can afford to lose only two of their members if they hope to pass the bill on party lines in the upper chamber.

Stephen Ohlemacher and Marcy Gordon are Associated Press writers.
Chicago, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Guaranteed Rate, one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the nation, today announced the promotion and broadened scope of responsibilities for Senior Vice Presidents and Divisional Managers James Elliott and Chris Knapp who, in addition to their current roles, will lead the companys nationwide sales and recruiting program. Knapp, whose new title is Executive Vice President of National Retail Production  East, will manage production in the Eastern half of the country while Elliott, as Executive Vice President of National Retail Production  West, will focus on the Western half.

James and Chris are industry veterans with an incredible depth of knowledge, says Chief Executive Officer and Founder Victor Ciardelli. They are also both amazing mentors to the loan officers who serve in their regions and true leaders at Guaranteed Rate. Their dedication to attracting the best of the best to Guaranteed Rate is unmatched and were thrilled they are taking on these additional challenges.

Knapp, who has been with the company for nearly a decade, oversees sales, management and recruiting within Guaranteed Rates Central, East and Southeast markets. His entrepreneurial background as a mortgage business owner and problem-solving style have been tremendous assets to the company during his tenure. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Miami University. Divisional Managers John Palmiotto, Denis St. Marie and Jeff Nelson will report directly to Knapp.

There is simply no better place to work in this industry than Guaranteed Rate; just as we make our customers lives easier, we also focus on making our loan officers lives easier, says Knapp. The company is uniquely positioned to offer originators the best technology, impeccable operational support and an amazing work-life balance. As an originator who tripled my business and became a top 1% producer after joining Guaranteed Rate, Im excited to share our value proposition with an even wider range of candidates who want to reach their potential in this industry.

After 12 years serving as CEO of a highly successful regional mortgage company, Elliott joined Guaranteed Rate in 2013. He oversees all facets of retail production for the company in the West, Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Mountain and Plains states markets. Instilling in his elite teams the practices and core values that drive the companys success, he is focused on organic growth, recruiting the best talent and creating new ways to improve the borrower experience. He is a University of Wisconsin  Madison alum with a BBA in Marketing and Management. Divisional Managers Julia Borst and Pat Bolan will report directly to Elliott.

Guaranteed Rates platform and value proposition are second to none, says Elliott. From origination to closing, all aspects of the loan process are easier here than at any other company. Apart from that, the atmosphere at Guaranteed Rate promotes a healthy work-life balance. We encourage people to work hard, but we also want them to spend time with their families. Much of what I do is making Guaranteed Rate a place where people want to be. Im very proud of the team Ive assembled and look forward to continuing our exponential growth across the Western half of the U.S. as we head into the new year.

Candidates interested in career opportunities with Guaranteed Rate can visit JoinGRNow.com for more information. To learn more about Guaranteed Rates leadership, visit Rate.com/about-us/leadership.

About Guaranteed Rate

Guaranteed Rate is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has approximately 195 offices across the U.S. and Washington, D.C., and is licensed in all 50 states. Since its founding in 2000, Guaranteed Rate has helped hundreds of thousands of homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances and funded nearly $23 billion in loans in 2016 alone. The company has become the Home Purchase Experts by introducing the world's first Digital Mortgage technology and offering low rate, low fee mortgages through an easy-to-understand process and unparalleled customer service. Guaranteed Rate won an American Business Award for its Digital Mortgage technology in 2016, ranked No. 1 in Scotsman Guide's Top Mortgage Lenders 2016, was chosen as Top Lender 2016 and 2017 by Chicago Agent magazine and made the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list seven of the past eight years. Visit Rate.com for more information.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d95fca39-8d00-4ba6-9e02-f9e4c7c5b0bf

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/687d135e-f66f-46ec-87f1-9054bb7988d2

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42352168-9e9d-40ab-8e54-ebd18e8b3858
Things went horribly wrong for a Michigan man who tried to pay for a parking ticket in pennies.

Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse than that.

It all started when Anthony Sevy got a $10 parking ticket in Royal Oak, Mich., near Detroit, reports WJBK. He went to pay the ticket with his credit card and was told there would be an added $1.75 service fee.

Sevy wasn't happy with that, his attorney told WJBK, so he left and later came back with rolls of pennies.

"The clerk wasn't too happy about that, they refused to allow him to pay with penny rolls," attorney Jonathan Marco said.

ALSO: High-tech thieves caught on video unlocking, stealing Mercedes without a key

Surveillance video from inside the district court shows what happened next.

Sevy and a court officer appear to get in an argument before Sevy was reportedly asked to leave. On Sevy's way out of the building, a court officer grabs him from behind and chokes him until he passes out.

That's when Sevy defecated himself, his attorney told WJBK. Now, the Michigan man is suing the court officers.

IN OTHER NEWS: Did Irish school's surveillance cam capture a ghost? Snopes weighs in

"I don't think anyone paying in penny rolls, whether it's a preferred thing to do for a court clerk, warrants this type of this assaultive behavior and violation of constitutional rights," Marco said.

Watch WJBK's full report, including the wild surveillance video, in the player at the top of this story.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.
CARLSBAD, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB:ISCO) (www.internationalstemcell.com) (ISCO or the Company), a California-based clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel stem cell-based therapies and biomedical products reported today that a third patient of the second cohort with Parkinson's disease was successfully transplanted with ISCO's proprietary ISC-hpNSC cells. The operation was successfully performed by the team of the Royal Melbourne Hospitals neurosurgeons without complications.



"We are very encouraged by how the clinical trial is progressing," commented Russell Kern, PhD, ISCO's Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. "We anticipated positive results from the beginning and this trial continues to meet our high expectations. We foresee only promising results in the months to come he continued.

About the Clinical Study

The Phase I clinical study is a dose-escalation safety and preliminary efficacy study of ISC-hpNSC, intracranially transplanted into 12 patients who have moderate-to-severe Parkinson's disease. The open-label, single center, uncontrolled clinical trial will evaluate three different dose regimens of 30 million to 70 million neural cells. Following transplantation, the patients will be monitored for 12 months at specified intervals to evaluate the safety and biologic activity of ISC-hpNSC. PET scan will be performed at baseline as part of the screening assessment, and at six and 12 months after surgical intervention. Clinical responses compared to baseline after the administration of ISC-hpNSC will be evaluated using various neurological assessments, such as the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Hoehn and Yahr, among others. Patients will be followed for 5 additional years to monitor safety and progression in neurological assessments.

About Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, mainly affecting the motor system. The motor symptoms of PD result from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement-related. These symptoms include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty walking. Later, thinking and behavioral problems may arise, with dementia commonly occurring in the advanced stages of the disease, with depression being the most common psychiatric symptom. PD most commonly occurs with people over the age of 50.

Currently, medications typically used in the treatment of PD, L-DOPA and dopamine agonists, improve only early symptoms of the disease. As the disease progresses and dopaminergic neurons continue to diminish, drugs eventually become ineffective while at the same time, frequently producing a complication marked by involuntary fidgeting movements. In 2013, PD resulted in about 103,000 deaths globally, up from 44,000 deaths in 1990.

About ISC-hpNSC

ISCO's proprietary ISC-hpNSC consists of a highly pure population of neural stem cells derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells. ISC-hpNSC is a suspension of clinical grade cells manufactured under cGMP conditions that have undergone stringent quality control measures and are clear of any microbial and viral contaminants. Preclinical studies in rodents and non-human primates have shown improvement in Parkinson's disease symptoms and increase in brain dopamine levels, following the intracranial administration of ISC-hpNSC. ISC-hpNSC provides neurotrophic support and cell replacement to the dying dopaminergic neurons of the recipient PD brain. Additionally, ISC-hpNSC is safe, well-tolerated, and does not cause adverse events such as dyskinesia, systemic toxicity, or tumors in preclinical models. ISCO believes that ISC-hpNSC may have broad therapeutic applications for many neurological diseases affecting the brain, the spinal cord, and the eye.

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages, and racial backgrounds with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com.

To subscribe to receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0

To like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for company updates and industry related news, visit: www.facebook.com/InternationalStemCellCorporation and www.twitter.com/intlstemcell

Safe harbor statement

Statements pertaining to anticipated developments, expected results of clinical studies, potential applications of ISC-hpNSC to other diseases, progress of research and development initiatives, and other opportunities for the company and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," foresee, "anticipates," "expects," "estimates,") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products (including clinical trial results that differ from expectations based on earlier studies), regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the company's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.

International Stem Cell Corporation

Dr. Russell Kern

EVP, Chief Scientific Officer

(760) 940-6383

ir@intlstemcell.com




WILDWOOD, Fla., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eFUEL EFN Corp. (OTC:EFLN) issues the following press release to update our current shareholders and those interested in our company. We have many opportunities to look forward to in the near future. We have updated OTC markets site with our Attorney letter. We are now current with OTC market filings. The company has been working tirelessly to remove the caveat emptor status from the EFLN filings on the OTC markets website.

eFUEL EFN CORP has been working on ideas to gain potential sales, and the purchasing of new assets. The company is seeking international market presence of our products and in taking advantage of a depressing world economy, EFLN will expand its position in domestic and international markets. The company has long-term objectives to expand, create more wealth and generate new revenue streams.

The company has accepted an agreement to assist in the exporting of 100,000 barrels of light crude oil from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Europe. The cost and profit from this will be discussed soon in another filing to OTC markets. We will also be generating profits with our new bitcoin account. We would like to maximize our profits with this technology. More details to come on it in future press releases.

Currently, our company has no large debt. The corporation is existing as an asset holding entity, with goals of purchasing, expanding and acquiring businesses.

In the third quarter, in 2017, EFLN negotiated to purchase and sales additional assets, with the value of $1,250,000 and net income of $250,000. These assets will be added to the first quarter in 2018. In addition to these assets, our portfolio consists of land, minerals and gold worth approximately $500 million. These assets will be on the 2017 IRS Tax balance sheet. Our sales projection is to increase sales by $25 million by the year 2020.

Management, is currently in the process, of upgrading our company readings, so we can trade electronically in international markets. This will create additional opportunities for EFLN.

The press release has information contains certain forward looking statement with the meaning of Section 27 A of securities Act 1933 as a amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act 1954 which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created in connection with that investor are cautioned that all Forwarding Statements involve risks and uncertainties including eFUEL EFN CORP.

Thank you,

Ljubica Stefanovic, President

EFUEL EFN CORPORATION

Ph. 352504-1300 or 352-254-0237
Albany, New York, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With increasing use of specialty tapes in various industries, manufacturers are introducing new products with advanced features to meet the specific demand. These tapes have unique features other than general features available in adhesive tapes. For instance, these tapes are resistant to various factors such as water, fire, dust, etc. Specialty tapes are also being made stronger to hold heavy-weight objects protecting from any damage. Different types of adhesives are being used and made to offer additional features, for example, acrylic and rubber-based adhesives are being used to make a soundproof tape. Moreover, manufacturers are conducting research on new types of adhesives to develop new products.

Companies are also working towards reducing emission during the production process, by integrating new technologies and using modern equipment.

Some of the key market players in the global specialty tape market are Henkel Corporation, 3M, Nitto Denko Corporation, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, Tesa SE, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Intertape Polymer Group, Avery Dennison Corporation, LINTEC Corporation, ECHOtape, Scapa Group plc, Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Xinapse Systems Ltd, and Siemens Healthineers.

Request a PDF Sample at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=35009

Global Specialty Tape Market to Witness Steady Growth during the Forecast Period 2017-2026

According to the latest report compiled by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global specialty tape market is expected to witness steady growth. The market is projected to increase to 5.7% CAGR during the forecast period 2017-2026. By the end of 2026, the global specialty tape market is projected to reach US$ 9,907.1 million revenue.

The global specialty tape market is segmented on the basis of the end user, product type, and region. On the basis of end-user, electronics & electricals segment is expected to witness significant growth in the global specialty tape market during the forecast period 2017-2026. On the basis of product type, woven/non-woven specialty tapes are expected to emerge as one of the highly preferred product in the global specialty tape market during the forecast period 2017-2026.

Region-wise, the global specialty tape market is segmented on the basis of North America, Latin America, Japan, Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Among these, APEJ is expected to remain dominant in the global specialty tape market throughout the forecast period 2017-2026.

Browse Press Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/specialty-tape-market.htm

High-Performance Tapes and Adhesive Developments to Drive Specialty Tape Market

Manufacturers are focusing on offering a new range of specialty tapes with better features offering resistance. New specialty tapes are being developed to offer functionality to be used in the area where it has not been used before. Moreover, new adhesive solutions are also being developed to make specialty tapes perform in extreme condition, offering protection. Such tapes, performing at high and low temperature with high resistance are expected to present new opportunities for market players. Specialty tapes are being manufactured by coating various solutions on a substrate of film or paper. Hence, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) form the major source of pollution. However, various regulations have been implemented to minimize the pollution. Meanwhile, in order to stay competitive in the global specialty tape market, manufacturers are focusing on modernizing and upgrading their mixing and coating equipment. Moreover, electronic equipment are emerging as the largest users of specialty tapes, hence, manufacturers are producing tapes with a special focus on heat resistance and weather resistance properties. Research is also being conducted to provide highly specialized adhesive technology for tapes used in electronics segment.

About Us

Transparency 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.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ForgeRock, the leading platform provider of digital identity management solutions, is making it possible for organizations and governments to provide secure, highly engaging omnichannel user experiences through its newly released fine-grained authentication technology. This gives organizations granular control in continuously assessing and improving omnichannel experiences with dynamic login choices based on a wide range of contextual, behavioral, and risk-based factors  devices, biometrics, geolocation, time of day, etc. For customer-centric organizations such as banks, retailers, and communication services providers, these capabilities provide more flexibility, administrative control, and increased security, with the authentication journey broken down into digital signals  rather than through intrusive login and password approaches  resulting in more transparent login experiences for end users through increased choice and less friction.



The ForgeRock Identity Platform now also supports push authorization, enabling consumers to more securely and conveniently approve transactions and events, via mobile phone notifications. This approval mechanism, is event based, increases security and reduces the threat window for malicious activity. Taken together, the new functionality built into the ForgeRock Identity Platform 5.5 is enabling organizations to extend CIAM to encompass trusted and dynamic interactions across people, services, and things.

More and more business models are trending into the mobile-first realm, with customer interactions increasingly happening on smartphones and tablets, and over a range of channels, explained Mike Ellis, CEO of ForgeRock. Conventional authentication methodologies based on login and password intrude on the omnichannel experience, introducing friction and disrupting transactions. With more flexible and modular authentication processing, companies can eliminate disruption from the omnichannel user experience. ForgeRock customers implementing fine-grained authentication deliver improved end user experiences, while improving security via an increased number of authentication signals. These new features significantly raise the bar for what organizations should look for in a customer identity and access management (CIAM) solution.

Across the full range of consumer-oriented industries we see end users wanting smooth, seamless omnichannel experiences, said John Tolbert, Lead Analyst at KuppingerCole. Retail might be the most oft cited, but think of media: end users expect to start, stop, and restart video broadcasts from one device to another. In financial services customers expect to be able to access and manage accounts in app, via browser, or voice in certain cases. Administrators want to modify login and authorization flows depending on source devices, and/or include non-identity related data during such login processing which increasingly becomes essential. ForgeRock provides these kinds of adaptive authentication capabilities.

Improved fine-grained authentication is a key new capability introduced in the recently announced 5.5 release of the ForgeRock Identity Platform. Additional features in the new platform include the Profile and Privacy Management Dashboard, through which consumers can manage all of their profile and privacy settings in one place. Enterprises deploying the dashboard can give customers complete control over their personal info, devices, apps, privacy and consent options, their sharing preferences, what activity has taken place and account controls. This ability supports key GDPR requirements including: right to be informed, the right of access, the right of rectification, the right of erasure or the right to be forgotten, the right to restrict processing, the right of data portability, and the right to object  all from within a convenient and centralized dashboard.

To see ForgeRocks fine-grained authentication technology in action, check out the new demo video.

About ForgeRock

ForgeRock is the Digital Identity Management company transforming the way organizations interact securely with customers, employees, devices, and things. Organizations adopt the ForgeRock Identity Platform as their digital identity system of record to monetize customer relationships, address stringent regulations for privacy and consent (GDPR, HIPAA, FCC privacy, etc.), and leverage the internet of things. ForgeRock serves hundreds of brands, including Morningstar, Vodafone, GEICO, TomTom, and Pearson, as well as governments such as Norway, New Zealand, and Belgium, among many others. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, ForgeRock has offices in Austin, London, Bristol, Grenoble, Munich, Paris, Oslo, Singapore, Sydney and Vancouver, Washington. ForgeRock is privately held, backed by leading global venture capital firms Accel Partners, Foundation Capital, Meritech Capital and KKR. For more information and free downloads, visit www.forgerock.com or follow ForgeRock on social media:

Facebook ForgeRock |Twitter @ForgeRock |LinkedIn ForgeRock |

Contact:

Dave De Jear

dave.dejear@forgerock.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A potentially large silver project in Bolivia has caught the attention of Pan American Silver.

Included in this article is: New Pacific Metals Corp. (TSX-V:NUAG)

New Pacific Metals Corp. (TSX-V:NUAG) announced that it closed a private placement with Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) of 16 million units and Silvercorp Metals for 3 million units. According to the company, each unit was priced at $1.42, for gross proceeds of approximately $27 million. "The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to further the Company's exploration and/or development program on its Silver Sand Project located in the Potosi Department of Bolivia and for general working capital purposes," New Pacific Metals stated in the release.

New Pacific acquired rights to the Silver Sand project in Potosi, Bolivia in July 2017. According to the company, the property "is one of the earliest silver discoveries in the district, having been made prior to the discovery of Cerro Rico in the mid-1500s. Small-scale, historic mining is evident from scattered shafts, pits, adits, declines and dumps. The property was explored previously by intermittent surface mapping and sampling, underground sampling and surface core drilling between 2012 and 2015."

Continue reading this article: Pan American Silver Buys 16% of Silver Explorer

About Streetwise Reports

Streetwise Reports shares investment ideas in many sectors. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

DISCLOSURE:

The following company mentioned in this article a sponsor of Streetwise Reports: New Pacific Metals Corp. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services.

The full disclosure is provided at the end of the published article: Pan American Silver Buys 16% of Silver Explorer
MIAMI, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grand Havana, Inc. (Grand Havana or the Company) (OTC:GHAV) today announced that Richard Silverman has been appointed to serve as the Companys Chief Financial Officer, effective November 20, 2017. Rich joins Grand Havanas executive leadership team, and will be responsible for leading financial operations across the Company, as well as providing overall strategic direction along with the Companys CEO, Robert Rico and Tanya Bredemeier.

Rich brings to Grand Havana more than 30 years of corporate finance and operations experience, including strategy development and execution, accounting, tax, treasury and investor relations, plus business Development. Prior to joining Grand Havana, Mr. Silverman served as Chief Financial Officer at Fresh Meal Plan, having joined in June 2014 as Chief Financial Officer. Earlier in his career, Mr. Silverman served as Chief Financial Officer at Delivery Lean. Mr. Silverman works with Plan for Growth, LLC where he has written 200+ business plans leading to $34+ million in investor funding. Rich brings a clear track record, in both Food and Beverage and accounting, having delivered successfully with significant positive impact on business results.



"We are proud to announce today that the company intends to file its 2015 & 2016 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the three quarters of 2017 shortly, to bring the Company up-to-date with its filing requirements. said Richard Silverman. " We are excited to welcome Rich to the Grand Havana leadership team as CFO. His breadth of experience, together with his innovative and results-oriented mindset make him the right person to help lead and champion Grand Havanas incredible growth ahead. We have set ourselves on a path to be current in all our filings fully reporting company. We intend up list to the OTCQB tier on OTC Markets as well. With the assistance of our PCAOB auditors we are proud to file our financials and look forward to very soon obtaining our goals", stated Robert Rico CEO of Grand Havana.



About Grand Havana Coffee Company

Grand HAVANA Coffee is a Miami-based specialty coffee retailer and wholesaler. GH specializes in the small-batch roasting of Cuban style espresso coffee beans, masterfully blended by legendary roaster, Luis Bustelo, the original master blender of the Cuban espresso. The company focuses on taking the product mainstream following the massive popular demand for our specialized roasting blend, with over 3.5 million cups of espresso served.



Grand Havana Coffee is the consumers brand of choice for delving into the essence, allure and nostalgia of old HAVANA, with all its coffee products roasted and packaged in Miami, Florida USA.



Safe Harbor Statement:

The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, and various other factors beyond the Company's control.



Contact Info:

Robert Rico, CEO

Robert@grandhavanacoffee.com

305-283-9237
Ryan Borque

Lets get technical as well as physical. The fourth annual DanceHack Festival kicks off Saturday, Dec. 2, for a weekend at CounterPulse that combines the ideas of developers and dancers as they create new experiences.

The two-day festival  hosted by CounterPulse and Kinetech Arts, a collective of artists and scientists  offers experiments, workshops and technological tools that will go to creating a live performance on Sunday, Dec. 3. Also, the festival is not restricted to the Bay Area, as there will be simultaneous live events in London, Amsterdam and Chicago.
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Wendy Whelan, a world-renowned ballerina, fell in love with the art as a young child, charmed by the intricate network of collaborations comprised in a production. She then went on to pursue a lengthy career with the New York City Ballet characterized by partnerships with contemporary artists and musicians. Years later, that passion for cooperative work has not faded.

This season, Whelan joins forces with dancer-choreographer Brian Brooks in Some of a Thousand Words for two nights, concluding Thursday, Nov. 30, at Herbst Theatre. The program, which premiered in June at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, features a reprise of Whelan and Brooks duet First Fall, and live music played by the Brooklyn Rider string quartet. The quartet will perform tunes by John Luther Adams, Tyondai Braxton and Philip Glass, as well as a new work from Brooklyn Riders Colin Jacobsen.
SACRAMENTO  Lawmakers in the state Assembly shield rapists in the Capitol through a sexual harassment policy that protects the guilty and allows records of investigations to be discarded well before accused lawmakers leave office, an Assembly committee was told Tuesday.

Those shortcomings were highlighted at the first public hearing in the Assembly in which lawmakers discussed their policies and heard from women who in recent weeks have spoken up about sexual misconduct by lawmakers and men who work in and around the Capitol. Women who have experienced sexual harassment and assault testified at the committee, describing the helplessness they felt at the hands of powerful men who abused their authority.

What everybody here knows is that we have rapists in this building, said Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Womens Caucus and a board member of We Said Enough, a newly formed nonprofit that launched a campaign to raise awareness about harassment and abuse in the state Capitol.

Now Playing: A committee tasked with revising the California Assembly's sexual harassment policies offered a sharply critical assessment Tuesday of the existing process for investigating misconduct. The six-member committee pushed Assembly human resources staff and Assemblyman Ken Cooley, chair of the rules committee, for more than two hours to detail how harassment complaints against members are handled. They pressed for answers on how many complaints have been filed against lawmakers, who decides if complaints are sent to an outside investigator and whether the process is set up to favor lawmakers over victims. Video: KCRA

We have molesters among us, Pelosi, the daughter of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, told the committee. We find out through the whisper network. People do tell. People do talk. They just dont come forward.

And they dont come forward because they dont trust the Legislatures system for handing complaints, which largely relies on the body to police itself, the committee was told. Lawmakers asked a panel of victims, Capitol insiders and victims rights attorneys for their ideas on how to craft a more responsive policy, from whistle-blower protections for legislative employees, confidential hotlines to report abuses and an end to nondisclosure agreements that bar employees from going public with their allegations.

The Assembly will conduct additional hearings into sexual harassment in January. The Senate has not scheduled a hearing to review its own policies. Both houses have rules committees led by lawmakers who oversee the Senate and Assemblys human resources departments.

The Assembly Rules Committee chair, Assemblyman Ken Cooley, D-Rancho Cordova (Sacramento County), said the Assemblys existing sexual harassment policy, adopted in 1993, is dense and difficult to read, but that it exceeds state and federal requirements. Cooley said the policy covers not just staff and lawmakers, but also interns, volunteers, lobbyists and anyone in the building who we are having contact with.

The issue is how this works in practice, Cooley said.

More for you L.A. legislator to step down after sex harassment complaints

Assembly Chief Administrative Officer Debra Gravert said the Assembly has had eight investigations over the past six years, but she said she did not know if any of those were against lawmakers. Gravert said the Assembly doesnt track the overall number or types of complaints it receives. Gravert initially testified that she has not received any sexual harassment complaints against a lawmaker in her 3 years at the helm. After lawmakers questioned her further, however, she later said she has received a handful of complaints in the past one to two weeks against current lawmakers.

Gravert apologized at the end of the five-hour hearing, saying she misspoke. Gravert also apologized for initially testifying that the Assembly does not retain records beyond six years. She clarified later that we keep records beyond that time even though the policy allows for discarding after six years.

These inconsistencies are not surprising, Samantha Corbin, a lobbyist who testified on behalf of the We Said Enough campaign. They are demonstrative of the need for transparency, clear processes, data collection and retention, and public accountability. Victims can have no confidence  and no justice  in a system that does not even do their trauma the respect of basic reporting and accountability.

The hearing came a day after Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, D-San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County), who served as majority whip until last week, announced his immediate resignation following several allegations of sexual misconduct. Also on Monday, a Senate committee voted to strip Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia (Los Angeles County), of his chairmanship on the Insurance, Banking and Financial Institutions Committee until an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him is completed.

One of Mendozas accusers spoke at the hearing. Jennifer Kwart, the district director for Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, said interns are particularly vulnerable in and around the Capitol. As a 19-year-old intern in 2008 in Mendozas district office, Kwart said she was asked to attend a Democratic Party convention only to find herself alone with the senator in his hotel suite, where she said he made her so uncomfortable that she made an excuse to fly home.

Kwart said she did not report Mendozas behavior at the time in fear that it would hurt her future job prospects. Her voice quivered at times as she testified Tuesday.

Even if she wanted to report it, Kwart said, I would have had no idea who to tell. ... I felt very alone.

Kwart is among three women who have publicly accused Mendoza of sexual misconduct. She said she has not been contacted by the Senate regarding its investigation.

Ive heard from an outpouring of women who say thank you and that they have similar stories that they want to share, said Pamela Lopez, a partner at a lobbying firm who spoke out last month about an incident. Lopez said a lawmaker, whom she has not named, forced himself into a bathroom with her last year and masturbated in front of her. She said it wasnt the only time she has faced harassment and assault in politics.

I had anxiety and panic attacks for years because of the harassment and assault that I experienced in my early and mid-20s, she said.

Before the hearing, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, said in a statement that he will push lawmakers to end taxpayer-funded payouts in sexual harassment cases and instead look for ways to have the proven violators pick up the tab.

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for sexual harassment payouts, while wrongdoers walk away with no financial accountability? McCarty said.

Last month, Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino (San Bernardino County), said she plans to introduce legislation next year to ban confidential settlements stemming from sexual harassment, including those in the Legislature.

The good news is there is hope, said Genie Harrison, an employment and victims rights attorney who spoke at the hearing. Other governmental agencies have changed.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AWS Re:Invent -- AlgoSec, the leading provider of business-driven security policy management solutions, today announced the integration of AlgoSecs Security Management Solution with Check Points vSEC for Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enhance security, business agility and compliance across public and hybrid cloud environments.



This integration gives customers advanced threat prevention capabilities of Check Points vSEC coupled with AlgoSecs holistic visibility, automated security policy management and reporting across AWS and on-premise workloads. Key benefits include:

Identify and troubleshoot application connectivity issues in seconds, with complete visibility of both AWS Security Groups and Check Point vSEC security policies

Proactively ensure correct routing across the entire enterprise infrastructure, including AWS Security Groups, Check Point vSEC instances and other firewalls, through advanced network simulation capabilities

Single pane of glass for end-to-end network security policy management across cloud, SDN and on-premise networks

Comprehensive risk analysis and audit-ready compliance reporting for the entire network

Managing cloud security is challenging: the environment is dynamic by nature, which makes it difficult for network and security teams to get clear visibility of their security posture, said Itai Greenberg, Head of Cloud Security at Check Point. The integration with AlgoSec, a longstanding Check Point partner, enables truly holistic security policy management, troubleshooting and reporting across on-premises and cloud workloads. This makes it easy for our joint customers to ensure that their AWS environments are configured correctly to ensure business continuity while protecting against sophisticated attacks.

Its critical that enterprises have complete visibility across their on-premise and cloud environments, and the ability to consistently manage policies to ensure successful application delivery, business continuity, and robust security, said Anner Kushnir, VP Technology at AlgoSec. Through this integration with Check Point we are making these processes easy - combining vSECs advanced protections with AlgoSecs end-to-end visibility, management and automation capabilities. This enables customers to take full advantage of AWS elasticity, while ensuring that their applications remain fully secure and compliant.

The AlgoSec Security Management solution intelligently automates and orchestrates network security policy management, to make enterprises more agile, more secure and more compliant. Through a single pane of glass, users can auto-discover application connectivity requirements, troubleshoot problems, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, and rapidly plan and execute network security changes  all with zero-touch and seamlessly orchestrated across on-premise, SDN and public cloud environments.

Check Point vSEC for AWS extends advanced threat prevention to protect customers data and services in Amazons cloud, while enabling secure connectivity across cloud and on-premises environments. vSEC complements cloud security controls to seamlessly secure assets in the cloud with elastic scalability, integrating with AWS infrastructure services.

AlgoSec and Check Point will be demonstrating the integrated solution at the AWS re:invent conference in Las Vegas, at AlgoSecs booth #1539, and at Check Points booth #125.

About AlgoSec

The leading provider of business-driven security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the worlds largest organizations align security with their business processes. With AlgoSec users can discover, map and migrate business application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate network security changes with zero touch  across their cloud, SDN and on premise networks. Over 1,500 enterprises, including 20 of the Fortune 50, utilize AlgoSecs solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant  all the time. Since its inception, AlgoSec has offered the industrys only money-back guarantee.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

Media Contacts:

Joanne Godfrey

AlgoSec

Joanne.godfrey@algosec.com

Craig Coward

Context Public Relations

Craig.coward@contextpr.co.uk

+44 (0)1625 511 966

Matt Scorer

Context Public Relations

Matthew.scorer@contextpr.co.uk

+44 (0)1625 511 966




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A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate Tuesday by Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., along with Senators Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., would make disseminating "revenge porn" images and videos a federal crime.

"Perpetrators of exploitation who seek to humiliate and shame their victims must be held accountable," said Harris.

The bill, the Ending Nonconsensual Online User Graphic Harassment (ENOUGH) Act of 2017, also addresses "sextortion," extortion or blackmail through the use of explicit images or videos of a victim.

"New technologies can make our lives better, but they also open a new platform for abuse and exploitation," Burr said in a statement.

Now Playing: Scandalous accusations were made against members of Congress during a House hearing for sexual harassment on Capitol Hill on Tuesday after a Congresswoman testified that some members have exposed themselves to staffers and sexually assaulted some vic Video: FoxM9NJ

It's not the first effort by a California lawmaker to criminalize revenge porn at the national level. The bill is a version of Rep. Jackie Speier's Intimate Privacy Protection Act of 2016, which would have imposed fines and prison sentences up to five years on people who share intimate images non consensually but didn't make it out of committee.

"For victims of nonconsensual pornography, technology today makes it possible to destroy a person's life with the click of a button or a tap on a cell phone," Speier said in a statement, calling the lack of national legislation on revenge porn a "gaping hole" in the legal system.

For someone to be prosecuted under the ENOUGH Act, prosecutors would have to show the person who spread or shared an image was aware of a substantial chance the subject of the image expected it to remain private and that sharing it would cause the victim harm, according to the bill's sponsors. Spreading images that "touch on a matter of public concern" would not be prosecuted under the bill.

The revenge porn issue is particularly topical in Congress as of late. Last week, a nude photo of Rep. Joe Barton of Texas  apparently a still from an explicit video sent to a lover  was leaked online, and Barton suggested he was a victim of revenge porn.

Revenge porn is currently prohibited by an inconsistent patchwork of laws across 38 states and the District of Columbia; It has been a crime under the California penal code since 2013.

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter
Cannabis dispensaries in San Francisco will be allowed to operate closer to schools under rules the Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday.

The new regulations, passed on a 10-1 vote with Ahsha Safai in dissent, will reduce the school buffer zone from 1,000 to 600 feet, the amount recommended by the state. That revision signaled a remarkable shift in city lawmakers thinking on cannabis from the beginning of the month, when several supervisors were trying to push the industry out of their districts.

Supervisor Katy Tang, whose district has no dispensaries, wanted to keep the 1,000-foot school buffer and also apply it to day care facilities. She proposed several restrictions that all went down to defeat.

Israel Nieves-Rivera of the Department of Public Health said that such rules would cluster cannabis on the east side of San Francisco, which already has the highest concentration of dispensaries, and place it in black and brown neighborhoods.

And Supervisor Mark Farrell said he has no fears that his 5-year-old child is at risk of taking a time out from kindergarten and walking down the street into a cannabis store.

Additionally, the board voted 10-1 to approve Safais amendment requiring half the citys dispensaries to qualify for an equity program that benefits low-income residents, people displaced from their homes and people with marijuana convictions. Oakland approved a similar rule in March, despite criticism from marijuana entrepreneurs who said it would choke off the market.

This is (intended) to meet the spirit of what this body has discussed over the last three months, Safai said, referring to his colleagues insistence that racial and class equity be the linchpin of San Franciscos cannabis laws.

Supervisor Malia Cohen made several amendments to the equity program Tuesday, keeping it open to people with past marijuana convictions anywhere in the country, but not to people with other nonviolent felonies. She also changed the workforce requirements for businesses that would serve as incubators for equity applicants. Under the revised rules, 30 percent of the workers at those businesses would have to qualify for the equity program.

The board kept a mandatory 600-foot radius between dispensaries, despite objections from Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who said it would limit the amount of new shops that could open and the blue collar jobs they would create.

Ronen also persuaded her colleagues to strike Safais three-dispensary cap in the Outer Excelsior  a change that Safai deemed disrespectful. He asked for the cap several months ago following a long feud between two cannabis stores on Mission Street and their neighbors.

Supervisor Norman Yee failed to get approval for his requests to restrict the number of dispensaries on Ocean Avenue and ban them from West Portal Avenue in his west side neighborhood.

The board unanimously passed Supervisor Aaron Peskins amendment to allow existing medical dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana beginning Jan. 5.

The supervisors started discussing recreational cannabis legislation  sponsored by Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Jeff Sheehy  when the mayor proposed a new Office of Cannabis in June.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
YANGON, Myanmar  The Vatican on Wednesday defended Pope Francis after human rights groups expressed disappointment that he didnt publicly acknowledge the plight of Rohingya Muslims, who have been subject to what the United Nations has termed a campaign of textbook ethnic cleansing by Myanmars military.

Spokesman Greg Burke said Francis took seriously the advice given to him by the local Catholic Church, which urged him to toe a cautious line and not even refer to the Rohingya by name during his trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, since the majority of people in Myanmar reject the term because the ethnic group is not a recognized minority in the country.

You can criticize whats said, whats not said, but the pope is not going to lose moral authority on this question here, Burke said Wednesday.

Burke spoke as Francis neared the midpoint of his weeklong trip, which was in the works well before the Myanmar military launched what it called clearance operations in Rakhine state in response to attacks by a group of Rohingya militants against security positions in August. The campaign, denounced by the United Nations and the U.S. as ethnic cleansing, has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh in the worst Asian refugee crisis in decades. Rohingya in the camps have reported entire villages in Myanmar being burned and looted and women and girls raped.

In the past, Francis has strongly condemned the persecution of our Rohingya brothers, denounced their suffering because of their faith and called for them to receive full rights. And he has defined his papacy by his outspoken defense of refugees and advocacy for societys most marginal and disenfranchised. Though he called in his first major speech on Tuesday for all of Myanmars ethnic groups to have their human rights respected, his failure to specify the Rohingya crisis on Myanmar soil drew criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Rohingya themselves.

Burke and senior members of Myanmars Catholic Church spoke to reporters after Francis had a busy day stressing a message of forgiveness, unity and healing of old wounds during an open-air Mass, an audience with Myanmars senior Buddhist monks and during an encounter with his own Catholic bishops.

Local authorities estimated that about 150,000 people turned out for the Mass, but the crowd seemed far larger and included faithful bearing flags from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, among other places.

Nicole Winfield is an Associated Press writer.
Now Playing: Croatian state TV reported Wednesday that a convicted Croat war criminal has died after swallowing what he said was poison seconds after a United Nations judge confirmed his 20-year sentence Video: Time

THE HAGUE, Netherlands  Croatian state TV reported Wednesday that a convicted Croat war criminal died after swallowing what he said was poison seconds after a U.N. judge confirmed his 20-year sentence for involvement in crimes during the Bosnian war of the 1990s.

In a stunning end to the final case at the U.N.s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Slobodan Praljak yelled, I am not a war criminal! and appeared to drink from a small bottle.
"North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, at dawn today," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. https://t.co/Bv9KkGVCPC  Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) November 28, 2017 MORE: North Korea missile may have landed in Japan exclusive economic zone: NHK, citing defense ministry pic.twitter.com/FERsiTuOOP  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 28, 2017 Defense Sec. Mattis: North Korea ICBM launch "went higher than any previous shot they've taken," part of effort to build missiles "that can threaten everywhere in the world." https://t.co/Q2YoGiLkrX pic.twitter.com/4v6C4TZuP5  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 28, 2017 David Wright @UCSUSA: On normal trajectory North Korea missile could have flown 8100 miles; more than enough range to reach Washington, DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States  Mary Walsh (@CBSWalsh) November 28, 2017 BREAKING: Trump says 'we will take care of it' following North Korea's latest missile launch, offers no details.  The Associated Press (@AP) November 28, 2017

Earlier today, North Korea launched another missile, continuing their provocation of their neighbors and the global community.Yeah. That all sounds about right.I wish I had something insightful to say about this latest missile launch. I don't. It's simultaneously frightening andAnd I desperately wish we had another president. Now and every other moment.
New Zealand shares gained, with Fletcher Building rising as investors were lured back after its recent weakness, while Orion Health Group hit a record low.

The S&P/NZX 50 Index rose 0.01 percent, or 0.47 points, to 8,141.96. Within the index, 23 stocks rose, 22 fell and five were unchanged. Turnover was $202 million.

Fletcher Building gained 1.8 percent to $6.85.

"There has been a rebound in Fletcher Building, that's just normal trading volume," said Grant Williamson, director at Hamilton Hindin Greene. "It has shown a bit of weakness just recently and has lost ground since last Thursday. There has been a bit of bargain hunting after the share price drifted off."

Precinct Properties led the index, up 1.9 percent to $1.32, while Freightways rose 1.8 percent to $7.99.

"It's a pretty mixed bag today, it's difficult to really get a gauge on a theme today, to be honest," Williamson said. "Once we hit December, a lot of investors think that's the end of the year and time to call it Christmas holidays."

Synlait Milk was the worst performer, dropping 2.9 percent to $7.50, while Xero fell 2.3 percent to $31.61.

Spark New Zealand fell 0.5 percent to $3.59 while Sky Network Television dipped 0.4 percent to $2.47. Sky, which is New Zealand's biggest pay-TV operator, will ask the courts to force internet providers Spark, Vodafone, Vocus and Two Degrees to prevent consumers accessing free streaming sites such as The Pirate Bay and Putlocker.

Sky plans to ask the High Court for an injunction on the four providers, who collectively hold about 90 percent of New Zealand's internet market. Vocus, which runs Orcon, Slingshot and Flip, said the move was "gross censorship and a breach of net neutrality", and a spokesperson for Spark said the company doesn't think it should be the role of ISPs to become the police of the internet on behalf of other parties.

Outside the benchmark index, Orion Health Group fell 6.4 percent to 88 cents, an all-time low. Yesterday, the health software developer, whose shares have lost almost half their value this year, said it had widened its first-half loss and lowered its outlook for the full year.

The loss was $25.9 million in the six months ended Sept. 30 from a loss of $18 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Sales fell to $80.9 million from $104.2 million which the company attributed to a significant software licence deal being recognised in the year-earlier period, which also impacted margins due to its low cost of sales. The company posted an operating loss of $25 million, at the top end of its $20 million-to-$25 million forecast.

"It's an unloved stock on the market, and it's continuing its decline following the financial report from a few days ago," Williamson said. "It's chewing through the capital raise money they got in the bank not that long ago. The market doesn't have too much confidence in them at the moment."

Pushpay Holdings dropped 3.4 percent to $3.46. It has gained 156 percent this year. On Nov. 16, the mobile payments app company widened its net loss in the first half despite lifting revenue but reiterated its guidance for the year ahead.

"It has been a bit of a market darling in recent times, it lifted very nicely after that announcement but has seen a bit of profit taking today," Williamson said.

Steel & Tube Holdings was flat at $1.99. It confirmed today that it pleaded guilty to 24 charges laid against it by the Commerce Commission for making false and misleading representations about its steel mesh products. The company entered the guilty plea more than three months ago, three days before it reported a 22 percent drop in annual profit.

Pacific Edge fell 5.3 percent to 36 cents. The cancer diagnostics company narrowed its first-half loss after clamping down on costs by ditching a staff share scheme and lifting revenue.

IkeGPS was unchanged at 29 cents. The laser measurement toolmaker upgraded its sales expectations but maintained its breakeven guidance for the full year after revenue lifted and its loss narrowed in the first half.

Seadragon fell 17 percent to 0.5 of a cent after the fish oil refiner said it would draw down the remaining $1 million of its convertible loan facility from shareholder Comvita to boost working capital. It posted a first-half loss of $2.7 million, down from a loss of $3.5 million a year earlier.

(BusinessDesk)

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Foreign buyers of rural land will face tougher requirements to provide additional benefits to the New Zealand economy under new government directives to the Overseas Investment Office which also slash the size of farms covered by OIO applications to any land purchase over five hectares, other than forestry.

The announcements today by Associate Finance Minister David Parker and Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage follow the decision to ban the sale of existing residential homes to foreign buyers, with the ministers indicating decisions on new rules covering the purchase of other asset classes by foreign buyers are yet to come.

The government would be introducing legislation to ban foreign buyers of New Zealands existing houses before Christmas "and other work to strengthen the Overseas Investment Act is underway.

Today's announcements will apply from Dec. 15 and will catch any land sale applications already before the OIO that have not been approved by that date. They do not change the rules regarding acquisitions of significant business assets, Parker said in a statement.

Buyers claiming they intend to move to New Zealand will need to do so within 12 months of purchase rather than the current five years and buyers' donations to local causes to ease their applications will be treated as a less significant factor than in the past. Criteria for consent do not change although today's statement notes that can be achieved "by amending the (Overseas Investment) Act".

Forestry Minister Shane Jones would shortly make announcements to strengthen the requirement of foreign investors in forestry assets to "support New Zealand wood processing and manufacturing, which will also support regional communities".

Parker said the existing directive to the OIO was "too loose", applying only to "very large farms more than 10 times the average farm size".

In practice this meant restrictions in sales generally applied to sheep and beef farms over 7,146 hectares or a dairy farm more than 1,987ha. This new directive tightens how we assess overseas investment in New Zealand to ensure authorised purchases provide genuine benefits.

Too often we see investors buy a New Zealand farm, and then use existing systems, technology and management practices which dont substantially add anything new, or create additional value to our economy.

We want to make it clear that it is a privilege to own or control New Zealands sensitive assets, and this privilege must be earned. We campaigned on these changes and they wont come as a surprise to potential investors, said Parker.

All applications which are being assessed by the OIO at, and from, Dec. 15 will be subject to the new directive letter, with all applications not determined by that date being given a "fair opportunity to make additional submissions under the new approach".

The Overseas Investment Office continues to accept and process applications, and both Ministers and the OIO are making decisions on applications, they said, although the statement did not formally advise that the two ministers have been given the formal authority to approve OIO recommendations, where required.

At time of publication, the OIO website had not been updated from the most recent directive letter, issued by the previous government in 2010.

(BusinessDesk)

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MISSION, Kan., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) The time to sign up for 2018 health coverage is here, and unlike previous years, there is only one deadline. The Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment period starts on Nov. 1 and runs until Dec.15. During Open Enrollment, you can enroll for health insurance or, if you already have coverage, you can re-enroll for 2018 coverage.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4399150-34f2-4943-b66d-87ace6a0ed8b

If you currently have a plan from CuidadoDeSalud.gov, the Open Enrollment period is the time for you to compare plans to make sure you have the best plan for you. This is the only time you can change your health insurance plan. Visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov today to shop and compare plans and find out if you qualify for assistance.

Marketplace plans cover a range of services, including preventive care, doctors visits, prescriptions and hospitalizations. Even if you were enrolled last year, you should still visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov to shop and compare plans. You might find a plan that better fits your needs. CuidadoDeSalud.gov has tools to help you figure out which plan will work best for you for the upcoming year, and you can see if you qualify for assistance.

Remember, if you want health coverage in 2018 enroll by Dec. 15. While online at CuidadoDeSalud.gov is the easiest way to apply, select the right plan, and enroll all in one sitting, you can also call 1-800-318-2596 for help.

Dont wait until it is too late to be covered. Visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to shop for the best plan for you. Enroll by Dec. 15.

Michael French

mfrench@familyfeatures.com

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.
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Community Corporation (NCC), one of the largest, most comprehensive community development corporations in the U.S., and Greystone Affordable Development, a leading services provider for affordable housing recapitalization, rehabilitation and development transactions, have joined together to help ensure the preservation of critical urban affordable housing in the Newark, NJ community in a $160 million transaction.



Working closely with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the City of Newark Greystone Affordable Development facilitated the acquisition and rehabilitation financing transaction which will help ensure the long-term preservation of 842 units of Section 8 rental housing together with valued on-site services. Hudson Housing Capital provided $48 million in low income housing tax credit equity, alongside the $80 million in tax-exempt and taxable debt provided by Freddie Mac and Greystones Affordable lending arm. As part of the preservation activities, units across the four properties managed by NCC will receive approximately $60,000 each in extensive renovations including substantial upgrades to both the interior and exterior of the buildings provided by Claremont Construction Group.

The revitalization process at NCC serves as a model for how we can ensure the legacy of our city, and others like it, said Ras. J. Baraka, Mayor of Newark. Newark is making clear and measurable efforts to increase the amount of available affordable housing, and NCCs contributions to serving the at-risk community is a critical component to the Citys future success.

NCC has been at the vanguard of providing safe, decent, and affordable housing for low-income residents for 50 years. Their vast array of services are provided under one roof and reach every stage of life for their residents. NCC offers a one-stop resource center, early childhood development, youth services, workforce training, adult continuing education, family transitional housing, food pantry, mental health services, extended care for seniors, a community newspaper and arts and cultural events.

Our residents will now be able to enjoy a renewed environment and have the assurance that their home will be preserved for many years to come, all while maintaining the services and facilities on which they rely heavily for everyday life, said Richard Rohrman, CEO, New Community Corporation. Our residents well-being is primary in achieving our mission, and we are thrilled with the outcome of this public-private partnership.

One elected official said to me when we started New Community that our homes were too good for poor people. The housing should look poor. No, it shouldnt look poor. It should look how much we love. Its a sign of our love, not their condition, added Monsignor William J. Linder, Founder, New Community Corporation.

Teaming with an organization such as New Community Corporation is truly meaningful to Greystone, as we are able to positively impact the lives of thousands by preserving the environment they call home. Our expertise is in complex financial transactions, but our true mission is to better the lives of those affected by the work we do. That said, we are both excited and humbled to have been able to work with New Community Corporation and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency on such a critical process, said Tanya Eastwood, President, Greystone Affordable Development.

We are honored to provide financing for this critical project, which will deliver millions of dollars to renovate and preserve 842 affordable housing units in Newark, New Jersey, said David D. Leopold, Vice President, Targeted Affordable Sales & Investments at Freddie Mac Multifamily. This financing is the result of a strong partnership, and we thank Greystone Affordable Development, New Community Corporation and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency for their commitment to preserving affordable housing in an area facing a significant shortage.

Newark Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins further added, My father Joe Chaneyfield was one of the original founders and also vice president of the board for New Community Corporation. He worked step by step with his close friend Monsignor Linder to achieve the dream of resurrecting Newark out of the ashes. We have come this far by faith and work. Monsignor and the founders of NCC built a legacy on a strong foundation of faith, courage, determination and giving an opportunity to everyone. It gives me great joy to see his legacy continued in a way that has such a positive impact on the quality of life for Newark residents.

About Greystone Affordable Development

Greystone Affordable Development, an affiliate of Greystone & Co., Inc., is a development and transaction management group that is focused on meeting the challenges associated with the recapitalization, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable housing throughout the U.S. To date, the group has coordinated the rehabilitation and preservation of over 10,000 apartment units with thousands more in various stages of completion in ten states. The groups mission is to create meaningful and significant impacts on communities by helping to provide low-income households with decent, safe affordable housing.

About Greystone

Greystone & Co., Inc., together with its affiliates, is a real estate lending, investment and advisory company headquartered in New York. Our range of services includes commercial lending across a variety of platforms such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS, FHA, USDA, bridge and proprietary loan products; Mortgage servicing; Real estate investment and development; Acquisitions / management of multifamily properties and healthcare facilities; Affordable housing preservation; Public transportation real estate management; and Real Estate sales advisory. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc., Greystone Funding Corporation and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greyco.com.

About New Community Corporation

New Community Corporation (www.newcommunity.org) was founded in 1968 in Newark, New Jersey, by Monsignor William J. Linder and a small group of community residents during a time of civil unrest that was spreading throughout urban communities across the United States. It has grown to become one of the largest and most comprehensive community development organizations in the country, providing services ranging from housing and healthcare to education and banking services. New Community Corporations mission is to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement. Included in the network is more than 2,000 units of housing for families and seniors, a Workforce Development Center, a 180-bed nursing home called the Extended Care Center; a One-Stop Family Resources Success Center; a transitional housing facility for the homeless called Harmony House, Adult Learning Center, a federally-insured Federal Credit Union, two early learning centers, and after school, recreational and summer camp programs for youth.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP advises crowdfund investors in Tezos (XTZ) that a securities class action on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise attempted to acquire Tezzies or XTZ tokens during the Tezos Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The Lead Plaintiff deadline is January 25, 2018. If you submitted bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) or other consideration in the July 2017 Tezos offering or crowdsale in order to purchase or otherwise acquire Tezzies or XTZ tokens contact Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. For more information visit:



https://www/hbsslaw.com/cases/XTZ

or contact Reed Kathrein, who is leading the firms investigation, by calling 510-725-3000 or emailing

XTZ@hbsslaw.com.

The complaint alleges that Dynamic Ledger Solutions, Inc., Tezos Stiftung (also known as the Tezos Foundation), Kathleen Breitman, and Arthur Breitman engaged in an unregistered offering and sale of securities in violation of Sections 5, 12(a)(1) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, 15 U.S.C.  77e, 77l(a)(1) and 77o, and that the Tezos ICO was an offering and sale of "securities" to United States investors. Defendants conducted the Tezos ICO without filing a Registration Statement or seeking an exemption from registration. The lawsuit is seeking to recover the bitcoin and Ethereum contributed to the Tezos ICO, along with any corresponding appreciation in value of those invested assets, or the equivalent in monetary damages or restitution.

We are focused on recovering the consideration paid by Tezos crowdfund investors, and to preserve these assets which have been shuttled away to Zug Switzerland, said Hagens Berman partner Reed Kathrein.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding the Tezos ICO should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 510-725-3000 or email XTZ@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national investor-rights law firm headquartered in Seattle, Washington with 70+ attorneys in 11 offices across the country. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw.
MISSION, Kan., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) College is a significant investment and millions of families each year face the question of how to pay for it. One way students can position themselves for success is by seeking out various forms of financial assistance.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0435f582-5597-4b85-89fb-fe06f5271ed8

Earning scholarships can be one way to offset the financial burden, but winning a scholarship can sometimes be as competitive as gaining admission to the college of your choice. While most scholarships dont entirely cover college tuition, they can be useful tools to help cover educational expenses such as room and board, tuition and books.

Some scholarships can be earned by meeting or exceeding certain standards, such as academic performance, while other scholarships are based on financial need or personal interests of the applicant. Theres also a wealth of opportunities that support students in specific areas, whether it be from companies, professional organizations or foundations. For example, the Americas Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program offers industry-specific scholarships each year for those looking to study agriculture-related fields.

While your academic performance, character and extracurricular resume all play a part, knowing where to look for scholarships can make all the difference when it comes time to pay for your education. These tips can help you identify and apply for scholarships that match your interests and credentials.

Complete the FAFSA

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be required to apply for a number of scholarships, particularly scholarships offered by most colleges and universities based on need. It is also required for other forms of financial aid, such as subsidized or unsubsidized loans. While you can begin filling out the FAFSA on Oct. 1 of the year prior to needing aid, many need-based scholarships give priority to students who complete the FAFSA by their states application deadline. It is important to note that some colleges and universities have earlier deadlines.

Talk to Your Counselor

Colleges or universities and scholarship providers often supply information about their award offerings and applications to high school counselors. Many institutions also offer specific awards by major for both new and returning students that can be applied for through the schools financial aid office. These resources, as well as newsletters and bulletin boards outside of these offices, can help you identify scholarships for which you may be eligible to apply.

Apply for Scholarships in Your Field of Interest

Many job sectors have scholarship opportunities available through related clubs, organizations, small businesses and other benefactors. For example, the Americas Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund in conjunction with the FFA, provides $1,500 scholarships to students endorsed by local farmers for continuing their education at two- or four-year universities and trade schools in agriculture-related fields of study. This year, the program will award more than $500,000 in scholarships to students in fields such as mathematics, computer science, business, communications, engineering, farming, agronomy, education and more. Students can learn more about the program by visiting GrowAgLeaders.com.

Dont Overlook Smaller Award Amounts

When it comes to paying for your education, every scholarship you receive  even those that come with smaller, one-time award amounts  can help defray the costs beyond tuition for books, supplies and living expenses. Many times, scholarships with smaller award amounts have fewer additional requirements that must be satisfied outside of materials traditionally required for submission such as transcripts, letters of reference and an application.

Look for Essay Applications

Students are often more likely to forgo applying to scholarships that require essays, videos or additional assets that promote their accomplishments outside of submitting an application and a copy of their transcripts. This typically leads to a smaller candidate pool. Due to the added requirements, these scholarships can oftentimes come with larger monetary values, as well.

Use a Scholarship Search Engine

While a simple search for college scholarships on any search engine is likely to elicit plenty of options, there are sites available that are dedicated to helping students identify college scholarship opportunities. While paid options exist, there are also several free sites, such as Scholarships.com, Fastweb and Scholarship America, that can provide local, regional and national options based on the information you provide. Other, more industry-specific websites, such as FFA.org, can provide scholarship opportunities that pertain to a certain field of interest.

Increasing Your Scholarship Odds

While there is no way to guarantee a scholarship to help offset the costs of higher education, there are things you can do to increase your odds of getting noticed by admissions departments and those who award scholarships. Before sending in your application, consider these tips:

Get Involved

Students who are involved in extracurricular activities, such as volunteer causes, sports, clubs or student government, often give themselves a leg up on the competition when achievements in the classroom are similar. Getting involved outside of the traditional school day is also a way to network, which can be helpful when it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation.

Apply Early

A good rule of thumb is to not wait until the due date to submit your application and other materials as issues out of your control can arise, such as a website malfunction or a not-yet-submitted recommendation letter. In fact, some scholarships close once they receive a certain amount of applicants, and those reviewing applications can put a premium on those received earlier.

Look Professional

Ensure your online presence matches the persona your application depicts. As more college admissions departments, employers and scholarship committees are researching candidates online prior to awarding admission, interviews or scholarship money, be sure to clear your social media accounts of any inappropriate or unprofessional material, look yourself up on search engines to be aware of any information available about you and use a simple email address that includes your name in some fashion.

Proofread

Read back through your scholarship application as well as your essay a few times once youre finished to ensure everything looks and sounds as you intended. Pay particularly close attention to spelling and grammar, and if time permits, ask someone you trust  such as a parent, teacher or counselor  to double-check your work prior to submitting your application.

Michael French

mfrench@familyfeatures.com

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.
HONG KONG, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A spectacular new version of the internationally acclaimed nightly multi-media light show A Symphony of Lights will light up the sky over Hong Kongs iconic Victoria Harbour from 1st December 2017. Featuring dynamic lighting effects with a stunning new musical score, the world-class light show will dazzle and delight millions of visitors.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/332ad190-eddb-4509-9185-5657e874576f

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will provide live streaming for online and social media, and satellite signal to broadcasters at the premiere showing on 1st December. Media organisations are welcome to broadcast the event live from the free platforms. HKTB will also stream the premiere showing on DiscoverHongKongs Facebook and YouTube page.

The new version of A Symphony of Lights will be performed from 8pm every evening from 1st December 2017. The 10-minute multi-media light show above Victoria Harbour incorporates a variety of exciting lighting effects including coloured searchlights, laser and beam lights sent out in rhythm from more than 40 buildings and sites on both sides of the harbour.

The performance will also for the first time feature LED panels on a number of harbourside buildings displaying interactive images and messages to encourage audience participation. The light show will be complemented by music from Asias leading classical orchestra the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, providing visitors with a thrilling and unforgettable sound-and-light experience.

Details of A Symphony of Light premiere showing

Date 1st December 2017 (Friday) Time 20:00-20:10 (GMT+8)/ 07:00-7:10 (EST) Media Broadcast Free live streaming and satellite signals are available to media. Please refer to details below. Vantage Points Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai

Harbour cruise on Victoria Harbour Event website http://www.discoverhongkong.com/ca/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/winter-fest.jsp?page=2



Remarks Starting from 1st December, visitors are encouraged to download the following A Symphony of Lights mobile app to listen to the music during the show, explore the information of the show and upload photos on social media.

http://www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony/english/details/details.html



Press materials :

Press release, photos and video preview of A Symphony of Lights: ftp://2017HKWF:112233@ftpsvr01.hktb.com



ftp://2017HKWF:112233@ftpsvr01.hktb.com Satellite Feed for broadcasters:

Signal testing time 1 Dec 2017, 18:00-18:15 Hong Kong Time (GMT10:00-10:15) Premiere showing time 1 Dec 2017, 20:00-20:10 Hong Kong Time (GMT12:00-12:10) For signal enquiry

on 1 Dec 2017 Ms. Emily Luk / Ms. Carol Lam

Tel: (852) 9369 2379 / (852) 6683 0371

Via IS-21 at 58.0 degree West, 19C Slot B 9MHz C BAND (Covering The Americas, North America & South America )



Programme name: The new version of A Symphony of Lights multi-media show

On-air date & time: 1/12/2017 (GMT 1200-1210)

Download link: 4075.4MHz

Symbol rate: 7.2MS/s

FEC:3/4

Polarization: Vertical

System: HD NTSC (1080i 59.94Hz)

DVB-S2 8PSK

Format: Mpeg 4 16:9 4:2:0 A1:A2 Stereo PGM

Pilot: ON

Roll Off: 20%

Encryption System: Free to air signal

For media enquiries, please contact Karisa Lui, Tel: (800) 563-4582/(416) 366-2389 ext 204, Karisa.lui@hktb.com.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- There's a warm memory of Geetha Howie that her son-in-law has held close in the days following her death.

It occurred shortly after the birth of Howie's granddaughter, which had been nine years in the making -- longer than anyone had expected.

"I remember Geetha cradling our sleeping, newborn miracle baby in her arms, looking at her lovingly and whispering softly to her, 'Most grandparents have to wait nine months to meet their grandchild, but we waited nine years for you! What took you so long to get here?!'" wrote Howie's son-in-law, Daniel Fazzina.

Howie, 63, was stabbed to death just after 2 p.m. Monday on a quiet block in West Brighton, at the hands of an emotionally disturbed man whom she didn't know, according to police.

The written tribute posted online by Fazzina days after Howie's death is part of a GoFundMe page created by family to help pay for funeral expenses.

According to family, Howie was a lab technician who in her spare time was skilled with a sewing needle, and known for her cooking. She immigrated to Staten Island from Sri Lanka 30 years ago with her husband, David. They purchased a house on Bement Avenue where they "worked tirelessly" to provide a comfortable life for two children, Shain and Sahani.

Police said Howie was just blocks from her home when she was approached by Dantey Moore, 27, of West Brighton. It apparently was the first, and last time they'd ever cross paths.

As Moore allegedly stabbed Howie in the face and torso, a neighbor yelled out to gain his attention.

Moore slashed the bystander in the arm, then dropped the knife and cradled Howie, according to witnesses.

He was arraigned Tuesday in Criminal Court on charges of second-degree murder, several counts of assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

The shock and despair of Howie's death replaced a sense of excitement among her family for an upcoming wedding in Sri Lanka, where Howie had planned to reunite with family she hadn't seen in years.

"We were all anticipating a joyous celebration and family reunion," wrote Fazzina. "Instead, we find ourselves in the midst of an unspeakable tragedy, navigating the new territory of planning the funeral of our beloved Geetha, while dealing with shock and grief."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A new study by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that a high-speed collision between a drone and a large manned aircraft would cause more structural damage than a bird strike.

The research was conducted with two different types of drones on two types of aircrafts through computer modeling and physical validation testing. They examined impacts to the wing leading edge, the windshield, and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

Unlike the soft mass and tissue of birds, according to the study, drones are made of more rigid materials, that could cause significant damage to a plane's engine or tail area. The motor, battery and payload components of a drone were found to cause the most damage, researchers found.

Drones are not allowed to be flown within five miles of an airport or above 400 feet. This year, the FAA has received an average of 250 reports of drones near airports every month, up from 159 for most of last year, according to CBS News.

This has been an ongoing concern for Staten Islanders, after a drone hit an Army helicopter over Staten Island, damaging the rotor blades and the windshield in September. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Linden Airport in New Jersey.

The FAA released safety guidelines for flying drones include:

Fly at or below 400 feet

Be aware of

Stay away from surrounding obstacles

Keep your unmanned aircraft system (UAS) within sight

Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports

Never fly over groups of people

Never fly over stadiums or sports events

Never fly near emergency response efforts such as fires

Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol

FLYING UNDER THE SPECIAL RULE FOR MODEL AIRCRAFT

The Special Rule for Model Aircraft (P.L. 112-95, Section 336) (PDF) provides the definition and operating rules for flying a model aircraft.

Note: Model aircraft operators that comply with all of these operational requirements during flight do not have to register their

UAS

with the

FAA

.

Model aircraft operators must comply with the following to fly under this rule:

the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use

the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization

the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization

the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft

when flown within five miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent location within five miles of an airport should establish a mutually-agreed upon operating procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower [when an air traffic facility is located at the airport])

A model aircraft is defined as an unmanned aircraft that is:

capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere

flown within visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft

flown for hobby or recreational purposes.

UAS REGISTRATION

If you do not operate exclusively under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, you must:

Read and understand all safety guidelines

Registration costs $5 and is valid for three years.

In order to register, you must be:

13 years of age or older (if the owner is less than 13 years of age, a person 13 years of age or older must register the small unmanned aircraft)

A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident*

* Visiting foreign nationals must register their

UAS

upon arrival in the United States (online registration serves as a certificate of ownership).

In order to register, you'll need:
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On4 Communications, Inc. (OTC:ONCI) today announced it has signed a major new contract with Texas dealer Group with brands including Dodge, Hyundai, Chevy, Ford, Toyota, GMC Lexus and Nissan.



CEO Steve Berman states, This contract is for 8 dealerships in Texas, The 8 dealerships will take a total of 600 units per month at $200 per unit which is $120,000 per month and $1,440 million per year. The units will be delivered in Feb 2018.

We are also pleased to announce a distribution agreement with Scully Lemoine Marketing Associates which sells to Dealer groups and Auto Parts Stores in all 6 States in New England including Mass, CT, VT, NH, ME and RI.

Through this Distribution Partnership we will be able to create additional revenue in the auto parts retail operations of both large and small auto parts stores throughout New England. Scully distributes such brands as Carleson Bruske, Evans Cooling, CEMB, Ideal and many others and specializes only in The New England area. They are a major name there and have been in business for 30 years. We expect this partnership to bring in well over 2 million dollars per year.

I am in late stage talks with 3 major corporations including 1 state sponsored entity from the Dubai Auto Show.

Financials will be filed on time. Updates and other revenue contracts and major significant new developments are awaiting signatures, CEO Steve Berman concludes.

About On4 Communications

On4 is a holdings company with an aggressive focus of acquiring proven and profitable businesses. Our first project is focusing on businesses operating in the $1.7 trillion U.S. healthcare industry. Our newest targeted businesses are operating in the trillion-dollar mobile App space. Our first acquisition in the mobile App space is FMS Marketing a global creator and distributor of mobile Apps for Android and iPhones. We are also targeting businesses to acquire and joint venture with in the medical marijuana and emerging MJ ancillary products space.

Forward-Looking Statement

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," \"believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements, as described in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission which are available for review at www.sec.gov, to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

On4 Communications, Inc.

On4Company@gmail.com

(323) 487-0389
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Brianne "Brie" Coger first joined the U.S. Navy after graduating college because she was looking for a challenge.

Ten years later, the 34-year-old from West Brighton is now one of just 12 women enlisted as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician.

After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in theater in 2005, Coger looked for jobs as an actress and stuntwoman.

That was until she received an email about joining the Army reserve. She knew if she was going to do anything in the military, it was going to be in the Navy because of her experience in the water.

Coger spent most of her high school and college career on swim teams. She was a three-time Advance All Star during her swimming career at Curtis High School.

"The job looked like it would be an adventure, and that's what I was ready for," she recalled.

WHAT IS AN EOD TECH?



An EOD technician is responsible for protecting personnel and property from explosives. The Navy EOD is an elite combat force for countering Improvised Explosive Devices, Weapons of Mass Destruction and other types of weaponry.

Technicians are on call to respond to any type of ordnance, and investigating and demolishing natural and man-made underwater obstructions.

"The Navy's EOD techs are the only ones who take care of all explosives found in the water," Coger said. "We are the only ones who are able to dive and clear the way for ships, and protect infrastructure that happen to be near explosive devices."

Coger said she is trained to deal with chemical, biological, homemade and nuclear devices. What she likes most about her position is that she knows she isn't serving in the Navy to hurt anyone, but to protect United States forces.

BECOMING AN EOD TECH

To become an EOD technician in the elite Naval Special Warfare/Naval Special Operations community, you must go through what is considered to be one of the most physically and mentally demanding military programs in existence.

"My community is very small and male-dominated," Coger said.

After serving in Spain and the United States, she went back to school to become a Navy instructor to work at the EOD Training and Evaluation Unit 1 in San Diego, Calif. She teaches explosive ordnance neutralization techniques to military members and civilians from around the world.

"Once I had served that time, learned my job better, became a subject matter expert in the fields in five different mission areas, it was time to pay back in the community and teach others how to do their job when deployed," she said.

Coger is living in Rhode Island for the next three months as she goes through boot camp to learn how to lead as an EOD officer.

'NORMAL' DAY

Every day is an adventure as an EOD technician. Coger's days can range from working in an office, going out on a boat blowing things out of the water or jumping out of an airplane during an investigation.

"The whole job is amazing, I think that's why these 10 years have flown by so quickly," she said. "I'm always traveling and doing something different. The main thing that stands out is the life the navy gave me and what it has provided me. I couldn't have asked for anything better."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- The man accused of brutally knifing a 63-year-old grandmother Monday afternoon was seemingly unprovoked prior to the fatal attack, authorities said.

Dantey Moore, 27, stabbed the victim, Geetha Howie, several times in the body while she walking down the street near Bement Court and Bement Avenue, prosecutors allege.

Moore then allegedly injured a Good Samaritan when he tried to intervene. The man, Mark Long, suffered a laceration on the arm, according to the criminal complaint.

"This was an unprovoked attack on the female walking down the block," prosecutors said. "When somone tried to intervene, he attacked that person as well."

The defendant, who has 34 arrests and 15 convictions, was held without bail during his arraignment in Criminal Court Tuesday afternoon.

Moore, who is charged with second-degree murder, several counts of assault and criminal possession of a weapon, is due back in court Dec. 8.

The knife was recovered at the scene, officials said.

His attorney, Maria Guastella, declined comment after the proceeding.

The suspect, who is on probation, has mental issues and was a stranger to the victim, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Moore stabbed Howie, more than 15 times shortly after 2 p.m., just blocks from her home on Bement Avenue, police allege.

The victim was returning home from the bank, where she was getting money for an upcoming family wedding she planned to attend in Sri Lanka, according to media reports.

"He heard the cries and he wasn't sure, he thought it was kids that were hanging out," said Sandra Graydon-Long, Long's wife. "When he came out, he saw two people on the ground. And then, as he got closer, he saw that a man was stabbing a woman."

Long questioned the assailant and "put himself in harm's way," his wife said. Moore "lunged at him," according to his wife.

Her husband began talking to Moore again and the man eventually dropped the knife, Graydon-Long said.

The suspect was saying, "that she cheated, that she cheated with everyone."

Her husband didn't know what those words meant, said Graydon-Long.

Long was treated at the scene for a cut to his right arm.

Howie was taken to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton with stab wounds to the face and torso, according to police.

She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The victim, who worked as a lab technician, was "an amazing woman" who was particularly close to her 3-year-old granddaughter, her son-in-law, Daniel Fazzina, told the New York Daily News.

"They were just inseparable and it's just a senseless tragedy," he said.
Page Content

The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor (VSA) launched the Voucher program for Basic Necessities on October 2, 2017. Under the auspices of the Department of Labor Affairs & Social Services, a total in excess of 1800 applications have been taken in and are continuously being processed through established eligibility criteria in accordance with a policy framework and guidelines. The execution of the program is being carried out in phases. Phase one (1) of the program will end on Friday, December 1, 2017, and the Ministry will move to Phase two (2) which is a more community-based approach. Phase 2 focuses on increasing and solidifying the reach within the Community, with the help of credible community leaders, volunteer organizations, religious entities, and non-profit, non-governmental organizations, through the collaborative efforts of Community Development , Family and Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA). As such, no more applications will be distributed via the Government Administration Building. Most of the number to apply at the Government Administration Building has been handed out so there is no need to rush to the building over the next few days. Persons within the communities will be contacted via identified organizations, which will be published in the near future, and persons will be able to submit an application for a voucher through this means.

"Huge thank you to the staff of the Department of Social Services and Labor Affairs, who have been working extremely hard since the passing of Irma to ensure persons reaching out for assistance can register for such. Many of the staff members are also faced with challenging personal situations, but still come to work every day to help others. At times the clients are also facing difficult times and may be agitated, some stressed making it a very difficult working environment under very stressful circumstances, and I think they have been doing a tremendous job," stated Minister Lee at Wednesday's press briefing.




Page Content

The seven public schools, namely Marie Genevieve de Weever School, Oranje School, Prins Willem Alexander School, Martin Luther King Jr. School, Leonald Conner School, Ruby Labega School and St. Maarten Vocational Training School, which fall directly under the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, through the Division Public Education (DPE), have been received their school supplies, which are a part of the emergency aid sent from the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW) in the Netherlands. The schools, after much assessments, provided, like other subsidized schools, a list of emergency school items, for both the classroom and office. The public schools received the items on Tuesday, November 28th. The schools received similar items as the subsidized schools received such as laptops, filing cabinets, pens, paper, trollies to assist with moving boxes, tables, chairs, and many more items that will aid in the teachers and staff bouncing back better and ensure our students are provided a positive and conducive learning environment post Hurricane Irma.
FALLS CHURCH, Va., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is pleased that the shareholders of Orbital ATK (NYSE:OA) have approved the companys proposed acquisition of Orbital ATK.



We are delighted to see that Orbital ATKs shareholders have approved the proposed acquisition, said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. Bringing together these two great companies will benefit our customers, shareholders and employees. The combination will provide increased competition, greater innovation and a broader set of capabilities, to help our customers solve their toughest challenges.

Northrop Grumman continues to expect the acquisition to close in the first half of 2018, after receiving regulatory approvals.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

Note: Statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as will, anticipate, expect, intend, plan, believe, estimate, and similar expressions generally identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the benefits and implications of the proposed Orbital ATK acquisition and the timing and circumstances of the proposed acquisition. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this press release except as required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and inherently involve a wide range of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. A discussion of these risks and uncertainties is contained in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Tim Paynter

703-280-2720

timothy.paynter@ngc.com

Steve Movius (Investors)

703-280-4575

steve.movius@ngc.com
TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liberty Silver Corp. (the Company) (CSE:LSL) is pleased to announce that effective November 28, 2017 the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) has approved the name of the Companys name change to Bunker Hill Mining Corp. and effective November 29, 2017 the Companys common shares will commence trading on the CSE under the new trading Symbol BNKR.



President and CEO, Bruce Reid, stated: The Bunker Hill mine is one of the most storied and important mines in American History. The name change to Bunker Hill Mining Corp. reflects our focus on revival of the Bunker Hill Mine as our primary corporate mission.

The CUSIP number assigned to the Company's common shares under its new name will be 120613104. No further action is required by existing shareholders with respect to the name change. Share certificates representing common shares of the Company will not be affected by the name and symbol change and will not need to be exchanged. Shareholders may contact their broker or agent with any questions in this regard.

About Bunker Hill Mining Corp.

Bunker Hill Mining Corp. has an option to acquire 100% of the Bunker Hill Mine. Information about the Company is available on its website, www.bunkerhillmining.com, or in the SEDAR and EDGAR databases.

For additional information contact: Bruce Reid, Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Konkin, Marketing & Communications (647) 500-4495 (416) 567-9087 br@bunkerhillmining.com nk@bunkerhillmining.com

Cautionary Statements



Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102  Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The forward looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations or assumptions with respect to, among other things, the ability of the Company to successfully complete the acquisition of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the initial payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time, the Companys present and future financial condition, the Companys ability to secure financing, and the state of financial markets. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan, and may include statements regarding, among other things, the terms of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex acquisition and funding of the acquisition. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, and the Companys financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: the inability of the Company to successfully acquire the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time; the inability of the Company to budget and manage its liquidity in light of the failure to obtain additional financing; the inability of the Company to develop or sustain an active public market for its securities; development of changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for precious metals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements. These and other factors made in public disclosures and filings by the Company should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (TSXV:PTU) (the Company) announced a non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of up to 8,500,000 flow-through units (the Flow-Through Units) at a price of $0.10 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds up to $850,000. Each Flow-Through Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company to be issued on a flow through basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles its holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.15 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

With the financial support of our Hook Lake joint venture partners and a healthy balance sheet, the Company is well positioned for a successful 2018, said Chris Frostad, President and CEO at Purepoint.

Today, the Company is announcing the first tranche closing of the Private Placement for gross proceeds of $500,000. In connection with the first tranche closing, the Company issued 5,000,000 Flow-Through Units at a price of $0.10 per unit. The closing is subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange of the Private Placement.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to advance the Companys Hook Lake exploration program in Saskatchewan. All securities issued in connection with the first tranche closing of the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to the applicable securities laws with an expiry date of March 30, 2018.

About Purepoint Uranium Group Inc.

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. is focused on the precision exploration of its seven projects in the Canadian Athabasca Basin. Purepoint proudly maintains project ventures in the Basin with two of the largest uranium producers in the world, Cameco Corporation and AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Established in the Athabasca Basin well before the initial resurgence in uranium earlier last decade, Purepoint is actively advancing a large portfolio of multiple drill targets in the world's richest uranium region.

Disclosure regarding forward-looking statements

This press release contains projections and forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results and the Companys plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice.

For more information, please contact:

Chris Frostad, President & CEO

Phone: (416) 603-8368

Email: cfrostad@purepoint.ca

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Press release.
SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- bioAffinity Technologies, a privately held cancer diagnostics and therapeutics company, today announced the appointments of Stephen Squinto, Ph.D., and Gary Rubin, CPA, to its Board of Directors.



Dr. Squinto is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed Healthcare Fund Management. He previously co-founded Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of breakthrough therapies for patients with rare and ultra-rare diseases. As Executive Vice President and Chief Global Operations Officer, Dr. Squinto helped build Alexion into a company currently valued at $25 billion. Prior to 2013, he served as head of Alexions Global Research and Development.

Dr. Squinto is both a scientist and a business leader whose expertise and strategic leadership will be invaluable as we continue to advance our diagnostic tests and therapeutics for the early detection and successful treatment of multiple cancers, said Steve Girgenti, Chairman of the bioAffinity Board of Directors. As our scientific team continues to push our innovative CyPath Lung diagnostic toward commercialization, bioAffinity will benefit from Dr. Squintos 25-plus years of experience in the biotechnology industry.

Prior to his work at Alexion, Dr. Squinto held various positions at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and served in a joint academic position at the Tulane University and Louisiana State University Schools of Medicine. He is a recipient of numerous honors and awards from academic and professional organizations for his scientific work. Dr. Squinto earned his B.A. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Loyola University of Chicago.

Gary Rubin, a Certified Public Accountant, has been involved for more than 20 years in the investment management industry, including hedge funds, private equity and investment banking. He currently serves as a Managing Member of Masters Research Partners, LLC, a fund of hedge funds that he co-founded in October 2000. He began his career with Deloitte & Touche and later served as Managing Partner at Schissel, Rubin & Lehman, a New York-based Certified Public Accounting firm.

Gary Rubins skill, experience and knowledge of financial transactions and investment opportunities are valuable additions to our Board as we commercialize our technologies and look to build strategic alliances with partners in the diagnostic and therapeutic fields, Mr. Girgenti said. His accounting expertise also provides an important perspective on day-to-day operations, strengthening our Company as we enter the biotech market.

In addition to his position with Masters Research Partners, Mr. Rubin is active in his familys foundation and numerous charities. He presently serves on the Board of Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and the Finance Committee of the Levitz Jewish Community Center. Mr. Rubin earned a B.S. cum laude from the State University of New York, Buffalo.

About bioAffinity Technologies, Inc.

bioAffinity Technologies, Inc. (www.bioaffinitytech.com) is a privately held development-stage company that develops proprietary in-vitro diagnostic tests and targeted cancer therapeutics using breakthrough technology that preferentially targets cancer cells. The Companys initial product is CyPath Lung, a diagnostic assay for the detection of early-stage lung cancer.
Conservative Liberal Zed Seselja has defended his absence from a historic vote on same-sex marriage, despite pledging to back the national survey result in Parliament.

The Assistant Minister abstained in Wednesday's Senate vote on a bill put forward by Liberal Dean Smith, joining Liberal frontbenchers Michaelia Cash and James McGrath, and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, outside the chamber.

Senators Eric Abetz and Zed Seselja in discussion in the Senate. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Senator Seselja said before the 2016 federal election he would likely abstain in any vote after the government's proposed plebiscite, but has since repeatedly pledged to respect and honour the national result.

In August he told a constituent he would vote to support the bill if a national yes vote was returned.
One hundred years ago yesterday, an egg sent hurtling towards the head of Prime Minister Billy Hughes triggered the creation of Australia's first federal police force.

Mr Hughes was in rural Queensland giving a speech on conscription - an issue that was dividing the nation - when an anti-conscription protester threw the egg which dislodged Mr Hughes' hat.

A 1974 pursuit vehicle, Ford Falcon XB 351. The last official driver of the car former Station Sergeant John Hillier and former Senior Sergeant Bill Mackey get behind the wheel for old times sake. Credit:Karleen Minney

The local police sergeant refused Mr Hughes' demands to arrest the egg thrower.

So an incensed prime minister went back to Canberra and created a new Commonwealth Police Force.
The board of Brindabella Christian College has suddenly sacked the school's principal and warned parents "the devil has his sights on Christian education" as the federal government prepares to legislate for same-sex marriage.

Ousted principal Bruce Handley has taken the school's board to the Fair Work Commission after being booted early this month.

Former Brindabella Christian College principal Bruce Handley. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

His firing came after a four-page statement was sent to Brindabella parents in September urging a "no" vote in the same-sex marriage survey.

Although Mr Handley's name appeared at the end of the letter, his wife later distanced the family from the document, writing on social media it did not represent her or her husband's views as "we believe Christians can vote 'yes'".
A Canberra father has pleaded guilty to negligent driving over a horror crash that killed his seven-year-old daughter more than two years ago.

Christopher James Ward, 74, was charged following the two-car collision at a Florey intersection which claimed the life of his daughter Acacia Ward, in July 2015.

Christopher Ward and Acacia Ward in April 2015. Credit:Melissa Adams

Police said at the time the Nissan Pulsar, driven by Ward, had collided with a Nissan Navara at the intersection about 7pm on July 22.

Ward had been travelling west on Southern Cross Drive and the Pulsar had been turning right into Chewings Street when the two cars crashed.
The banks have consistently argued that further inquiries into the sector, including a royal commission, were "unwarranted" as they were costly and unnecessary distractions at a time when the sector faced significant challenges. The CEOs of the Commonwealth, Westpac, National Australia and ANZ banks made the request in an email sent on Thursday to Treasurer Scott Morrison. Credit:Paul Jeffers But in the email to Mr Morrison, they said in light of recent speculation, it was now "imperative" for the government to act decisively to deliver certainty to the sector, bank customers and the community. "It is now in the national interest for the political uncertainty to end," the email says. "It is hurting confidence in our financial services system, including in offshore markets, and has diminished trust and respect for our sector and people. It also risks undermining the critical perception that our banks are unquestionably strong.

"We now ask you and your government to act to ensure a properly constituted inquiry into the financial services sector is established to put an end to the uncertainty and restore trust, respect and confidence." Bank shares dive It is now in the national interest for the political uncertainty to end. Big four banks Shares in the major banks dived when the sharemarket opened, with CBA shares down 2.6 per cent, Westpac 2.06 per cent, ANZ 1.6 per cent and NAB 1.7 per cent mid-morning. Mr Morrison said the decision to launch a royal commission was "regrettable but necessary action to take control" and overcome the "damage" to the financial sector that had been done by repeated calls for an inquiry.

"We must continue to get on with it and I call on the parliament to get on with it and support these measures," Mr Morrison said. Mr Turnbull had repeatedly denied any need for a royal commission but Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan believed he had the numbers to go ahead without cabinet approval in a move that could have destabilised the government. The Greens threw their weight behind a commission of inquiry on Wednesday after securing last-minute amendments from Senator O'Sullivan. 'On the side of the banks' "A government's policy remains the same until it is changed," Mr Turnbull said when asked if this was a backflip for the government.

"The political environment has created a sense of inevitability about an inquiry ... We have to act in the national interest, protecting Australia's economic future." Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Turnbull had spent 601 days fighting Labor's call for a royal commission into the banking and financial sector. "It says everything about Turnbull's values and priorities that he only agreed to Labor's royal commission when the banks told him he had to," he said in a statement. "He ignored the pleas of families and small businesses, he rejected the words of whistle-blowers. But when the big banks wrote him a letter, he folded the same day." "Turnbull has always been - and always will be - on the side of the banks."

The commission will cost $75 million - about $25 million less than the same-sex marriage postal survey, but $20 million more than the commission proposed by Labor. The terms of reference are much broader and less specific than those proposed by the O'Sullivan bill and backed by the Greens. The royal commission will now examine all cases of "misconduct", including breaches of professional standards and not just "illegal and unethical" practices, across the insurance, banking and superannuation industries. It will focus on "any conduct, practices, behaviour or business activity that falls below community standards" and "the use of superannuation that is otherwise not in the best interest of members".

The government's terms of reference do not specify an investigation into the pay packets of banking executives or protections for whistleblowers of financial misconduct, but they are sufficiently broad to include these if they wish. Union bosses could also be forced to take the stand, with industry super funds run by union executives under the spotlight over how they spend their members superannuation funds. The commission does not have the power to provide victims of misconduct an avenue for compensation, putting at least a year-long delay on reparations for affected businesses or consumers. "I want to make this very clear, a royal commission will not be able to recommend comprehension for individual cases, but it will be able to make recommendations the government consider in the interests of making our financial system the most competitive, transparent and accountable in the world," Mr Turnbull said. 'It will not put capitalism on trial'

The terms of reference limit the inquiry to a year and give it the power to ignore anything that it wants to that would otherwise be within its scope. The government urged the commission to give priority to matters that have a greater potential for harm "if not addressed expeditiously". "This will not be an open-ended commission, it will not put capitalism on trial, as some people in the parliament prefer, and we'll give it a reporting date of 12 months," Mr Turnbull said. But the Prime Minister immediately backtracked from that timetable on Thursday morning. "It will be set up on the basis it reports within a year, but as you know, and again, being realistic about this, royal commissions take longer than originally planned," he said.
Shell has announced improved cash flow guidance as it plans to cut carbon and lift renewables investment.

Shell plans to slash its carbon emissions in half by 2050, setting an early goal of a 20 per cent reduction by 2035, aligning itself with the Paris international climate accord agreement benchmarks.

Shell plans to slash its carbon emissions in half by 2050. Credit:Michael Nagle

"Tackling climate change is a cross-generational, global and multifaceted effort," Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said. "This is a challenge for the whole planet," he said.

"It will mean meeting increasing energy demand with an ever-lower carbon footprint. And it is critical that our ambition covers the full energy life cycle from production to consumption. We are committed to play our part."
The InterContinental hotel chain's growth strategy has gathered momentum with a second new hotel signing in a week, being a Holiday Inn at Werribee, in Melbourne's west.

On November 20, IHG unveiled plans for a $200 million Holiday Inn & Suites in Geelong, as the group gets a foothold into the fast-growing tourism sector in regional areas.

InterContinental has signed to develop Holiday Inn Melbourne Werribee, in partnership with partner Pelligra Group and Citinova.

It will partner with Pelligra Group and Citinova, to develop a 150-room property, on the corner of Synnot Street and Duncans Road, Werribee. It is scheduled to open in three years.

The hotel will be part of a mixed-use development project, valued at about $50 million, which will include offices and retail space.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX:NWC): The North West Company Inc. (North West) will host a conference call for its third quarter results on December 12, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. (Central Time). To access the call, please dial 416-406-0743 or 800-898-3989 with a pass code of 6039304. The conference call will be archived and can be accessed on or before January 12, 2018 by dialing 905-694-9451 or 800-408-3053 with a pass code of 7590731.



Corporate Profile

The North West Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading retailer of food and everyday products and services to rural communities and urban neighbourhoods in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific and the Caribbean. North West operates 236 stores under the trading names Northern, NorthMart, Giant Tiger, Alaska Commercial Company, Cost-U-Less and RiteWay Food Markets and has annualized sales of approximately CAD$1.8 billion.

For further information, please contact: Amanda E. Sutton, Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary of The North West Company Inc. at (204) 934-1756, email asutton@northwest.ca.

or visit on-line at www.northwest.ca
The country's largest KFC franchisee plans to have at least three Taco Bell stores operating in Australia by the end of next year.

Collins Foods hope it will be a case of third-time lucky for the Tex-Mex chain, after it opened its first Taco Bell in Annerley, Queensland, at the start of November.

Collins Foods' first Taco Bell restaurant, in Annerley, Brisbane. The company wants to have three stores open by the end of next year. Credit:Dylan Evans

Collins Foods chief executive officer Graham Maxwell on Wednesday said that trading at its first store had been "above expectations".

"We are pleased with the customer acceptance of the Taco Bell brand and look forward to the rollout of additional stores in 2018," Mr Maxwell said.
The sad reality of our major road infrastructure projects is that most of them run wildly over budget, wasting billions of dollars through poor planning and funding decisions. A sadder reality is that governments appear unable to learn from past mistakes.

Tucked away in the Productivity Commission's five-yearly review last month were the sorts of figures that would have heads rolling in a rational world  a wild disconnect between what politicians rush to announce and what we end up paying.

As previously reported, the PC reckons there's $20 billion a year to be picked up by using our road transport system more efficiently. And there are billions of dollars to be saved by not repeating East West Link/WestConnex/West Gate Tunnel mistakes.

My colleague Ross Gittins reckons the first of the commission's five-yearly reports will go down as one for the ages, a major step in our economic thinking, a shift from bald economic rationalism to economics that are focussed on the benefit of people.
John Perry of Enmore likes to follow things to the letter: "I have realised why the Labor leader doesn't highlight Malcolm Turnbull's initials as em tee. Bill Shorten would be opening himself up to rather more amusing jibes."

"The cicadas where I live start their chorus at precisely 8.07pm each evening," writes Adrienne Gorme of Beecroft. "Not complaining, I love their heralding of summer, but can a cicada expert please explain?"

Coral Button of North Epping writes: "Harry Bell's delightful anecdote featuring the Metropole Hotel (C8) brought back memories of the many fine watering holes in Sydney where one could have a quiet drink in elegant surroundings and with muted musical input or just friendly silence. As well, there was Aarons, where they quietly shut the doors in 6 o'clock closing days, and just went on serving until 10 o'clock. Also the Carlton, Ushers, Adams, and several whose names I have forgotten. Can anyone help?" We're sure the readership can, but we'd like to point out it wasn't all beer and skittles in the days of the six o'clock swill. In 1953, the licensee of Aarons, Leonard Arthur Wooldridge, was fined a whopping 3 "for having supplied liquor after hours". Twelve men present at the time of the bust were each fined a quid.

John Nickel of Noosa Heads is feeling a little too star spangled: "Firstly we had 'I need to use the bathroom'. Now it's Black Friday and Cyber Monday (the first Friday and first Monday after Thanksgiving). Do we really have to adopt these Americanisms?" We're not at liberty to say.

The savings are in the Central Tablelands, according to Peter Riley of Penrith: "House prices in streets with wacky names are on average 20 per cent lower than houses in nearby streets, according to a study by a class of high school students. There's less demand because people don't want to be embarrassed by their address. There must be some real bargains in the previously mentioned Curly Dick Road near Lithgow."
When the New Zealand Parliament voted in favour of same sex marriage in 2013 a notoriously conservative National Party minister, Maurice Williamson, stole the moment with his speech explaining why he would back the change.

"In the Pakarunga electorate this morning, it was pouring with rain," he famously told his colleagues. "We have the most enormous big gay rainbow across my electorate. It has to be a sign."

Australians hoping our marriage equality bill might have been handled with a similar degree of style, panache and, dare we say it, a sense of history, must be disillusioned and disappointed by the antics of the Senate on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There was no unity and certainly no sense that if there was ever a time to rise above the usual name calling, back biting and petty politicking this was it.
Britain's monarchy is a hard, historical agent concealed within a soap opera. Both elements preserve its mystique and ensure it endures. Outsiders see the hardness only rarely  in the occasional succession dramas like the abdication of Edward VIII, or the mini-crisis which followed the death of Princess Diana  when the institution's reality emerges with sudden, shocking certitude. In Australia there is rarely even a glimpse, although the events of November 1975 hinted at layers of subterranean monarchical granite which extend even to this distant country. Mostly we see the froth and bubble from the soap opera in which the hardness is carefully masked  suds thrown up by the interplay of titled personalities in a fairytale world which is at once remote and familiar. And so it is with the engagement of Prince Harry, fifth in line to be Australia's king, to the actor Meghan Markle.

Any marriage is a happy event, and Australians will congratulate the couple on becoming engaged. There is innovation here. The institution can be seen steadily updating itself in the public's eyes by introducing new characters into its cast. With Kate Middleton, a daughter of the upper middle class, now Duchess of Cambridge and mother of an heir to the throne, the monarchy took one step out of its familiar, aristocratic territory. With Ms Markle, not only a commoner, but also American, a divorcee, with an African-American mother, it is taking several steps further out. For most families accepting a daughter-in-law as accomplished as Ms Markle would hardly be daring; for the house of Windsor, laced up tight inside its conventions, it undoubtedly is.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Kensington Palace. Credit:AP

No doubt the process is easier because Prince Harry is unlikely ever to be head of the family; if things go wrong, the monarchy's hardness will see failure kept at a distance from what matters. The attractive new cast member brings new plot twists. There is the business of becoming a British citizen, and a member of the Church of England, to go through before Ms Markle  fitted out in a beautiful dress and a title, too  performs in the set piece which concludes series one: the wedding. The audience appreciates the performance all the more because  unlike the stock cast members  relative outsiders like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are not so very different from themselves. Being free of the exclusivity, privilege and awareness of entitlement which can sap the character of those at the top of a class system like England's, both women appear quite normal.

Britain needs normality just now. As the country ploughs doggedly on into the unfamiliar territory it chose for itself in the Brexit referendum, the future looks less and less reassuring. It must negotiate the terms of its departure with the European Union from a position of weakness. Doubt, puzzlement, confusion and anger pervade not just its politics, but also its people, its economy, and its spirit.
Australian charities are already (appropriately) limited in what they can do during elections. They are not allowed to promote or oppose a political party or candidate, but they are allowed to advance public debate, including "promoting or opposing a change in the law". They can put out scorecards, helping us work out how to vote, which is what some in the Coalition don't like.

One minister is said to have been incensed at a mobile billboard that paraded around his electorate comparing his record of voting on the environment to the stance of the candidates that opposed him.

Pew Charitable Trusts is an international philanthropic organisation, but in Australia is a registered charity that promotes Australia's Indigenous Ranger program. The government program creates jobs for locals to protect natural and cultural values of their lands. It's backed by both the government and the opposition. But if Pew was to go public during the next campaign about which side backed it most, it could fall foul of the proposed law.

Or not. David Crosbie whose Community Council for Australia is running the Hands Off Our Charities campaign, says the proposed law's real power would lie in what it made uncertain.

"Our concern isn't so much that it would mean Pew wouldn't be able to do its work, although it would be bizarre to stop people advocating for Aboriginal rangers," he says. "It's that every charity would be asked those questions about what it did, and would be inclined to pull back. That's the chilling impact. If we don't want to be audited and don't want to be asked those questions, during the next 12 months or so we are going to have to shut up about housing or animal welfare or whatever it is we exist for. It would have an impact on all of us."
I remember the night I sat on the edge of my bed at college, hands numbly furling and unfurling a print-out photo of myself and my friend in our fresher jerseys. At the start of the year, she had taken the time to cut out pictures of me, of us, of our friends, and stuckthem to my dorm-room door. But over the past few weeks, I had come home every few nights to find one of them gone, the Blu Tack wiped off clean. I had taken the final photo down myself. Clothes of mine  a favourite orange blouse, my aunt's hand-me-down top, a tan knit  had also gone missing from the laundry. I picked at a salad leaf on the dinner plate perched atop my desk; I had gotten good at smuggling meals out of the dining hall.

Up until then, I could confidently say I had had a positive experience at college.

That changed after I penned a piece for the student paper Honi Soit in 2016 revealing instances of sexual assault and discrimination at the University of Sydney's sandstone residences. One girl endured three years of hazing and discrimination. Another heard broadcast over the St Andrew's College PA system that she had spent the night with someone. Such broadcasts were a "college ritual". It turns out she was sexually assaulted. A third was heckled and slut-shamed throughout first year by boys from St Paul's over an unwanted sexual experience. Every former resident who talked to me for the article recounted college rituals based around exposing and shaming sexual activity.

I expected a backlash from residents at the neighbouring colleges criticised in the piece. What I didn't expect was for some people at my college  those I had come to think of as friends, family  to cut me out as well.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has ordered Labor senator Sam Dastyari to resign from his parliamentary responsibilities following another day of damaging reports about his dealings with businessman and political donor Huang Xiangmo.

Senator Dastyari has quit his positions as deputy opposition whip in the Senate, and as chairman of a committee, but will remain in Parliament.

His demotion follows Fairfax Media's revelation that the New South Wales senator warned the Chinese Communist Party-linked political donor last year that his phone was most likely tapped by government agencies, including the US government.

Before the two spoke, Senator Dastyari gave Mr Huang counter-surveillance advice, saying they should leave their phones inside and go outside to speak.
Sam Dastyari has acted irresponsibly regardless of whether he knew for certain Huang Xiangmo's phone was being tapped or merely thought it based on "journalists' gossip" as he suggests.

If he passed on classified information about an Australian intelligence operation, he likely broke the law or at the very least the most basic trust we expect from our politicians.

If he counselled Mr Huang based on his own supposition, he helped a Chinese Communist Party-linked businessman about whom there are widely reported security concerns against what he believed were the efforts of security agencies.

Senator Dastyari swears he has never received protected security information much less passed it on. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten maintains he has never passed any information from the regular briefings he receives by security agencies to anyone else, including Senator Dastyari.
The Coalition wagon is puttering precariously towards the end of the year. The fuel light has been on for the last 20 kilometres and it's not clear where the next servo is.

So you'd think this would be a time of collective breath-holding within the Liberal and National parties. Of absolute heads-down discipline. And yet Nationals MPs are blasting the airconditioner, doing wheelies and taking as many detours as possible.

The Turnbull government is clinging to its majority in the House of Representatives, with just 74 members (or 73, if you discount Speaker Tony Smith). And is nervously awaiting the citizenship declarations from lower house MPs, due to land by 8pm next Tuesday. It's almost a given that by the end of next week, there will be more High Court referrals.

Labor MPs are also in the frame on citizenship, but obviously, it is the Coalition with the most to lose here. If enough MPs have to resign due to dual citizenship, it's not outside the realms of possibility the country will be forced to an an early election next year. Amid all this, the leadership chatter around Malcolm Turnbull continues. This is not just bored journalists filling time. Some ministers have gone so far as to sound out backbenchers over their preferred alternative.
English French

SOITEC REPORTS FIRST HALF '18 RESULTS

Solid growth in revenues: up 26% at constant exchange rates to  143m

Current operating income up 139% to  22.5m

Electronics EBITDA margin up to 24.4% of sales from 16.5% in H1'17

Net result reached  23.2m versus  3.1m in H1'17 and  8.4m in FY'17

Equity further strengthened to  217m, strong cash and cash equivalents maintained at  99m and net cash position 3 of  31.5m

FY'18 outlook: around 25% revenue growth at constant exchange rates and Electronics EBITDA1 margin2 around 25%

Bernin (Grenoble), France, November 29th, 2017 - Soitec (Euronext Paris), a world leader in designing and manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials, today announced its half-year results for the fiscal year 2018 (period ended on September 30th, 2017). The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors during its today's meeting.

Paul Boudre, Soitec's CEO, commented: "We delivered strong revenue growth during the first half of the fiscal year. As expected, this good momentum mainly came from sustained demand in radio-frequency products as well as from an increased demand for our new 300mm products, which resulted in a higher utilization rate of our industrial capacity. In turn, this led to a strong improvement in our Electronics EBITDA margin. In the meantime, the early conversion of 99% of our outstanding OCEANE bonds has further improved our balance sheet position as we ended the first half of the year with significantly higher shareholder's equity and a sound net cash position3. Soitec is now in an ideal position to undertake the growth investments that we decided to support the expected adoption of our FD-SOI technology.

Looking ahead, we confirm our prospects for the fiscal year as we continue to expect around 25% revenue growth at constant exchange rates and an Electronics EBITDA margin at around 25%. Longer term, our innovative products will bring value to electronics systems embedded in everyday life applications as diverse as smartphones, automotive, Internet of Things and cloud infrastructure. In the first half of the year, the launch of Imager-SOI in high volume manufacturing and continuous growth of Photonics-SOI wafers, on top of an increase in FD-SOI wafer sales, is a perfect illustration of our ability to address new and growing market segments," added Paul Boudre.

Solid revenue growth and significant improvement in operating profitability

As previously reported, Soitec's refocus on Electronics operations decided in January 2015 was virtually completed on March 31, 2016. Consequently, the H1'18 residual income and expenses related to Solar and Other activities are reported under 'Net result from discontinued operations', below the 'Operating income' line, meaning that down to the line 'Net result after tax from continuing operations', the Group consolidated income fully and exclusively reflects the Electronics activity as well as the Group's corporate functions expenses. This was already the case in H1'17 financial statements.

The company uses financial hedging instruments in order to hedge foreign exchange risk. End of March 2017, Soitec decided to apply the hedge accounting under IFRS for the hedging campaign the Company implemented for its flows related to FY'18 and FY'19 sales. The amounts recognized over the first half of FY'18 result, after deferred taxes, in an increase of 8 million euros in Other items of comprehensive income, and an increase of 3.5 million in Sales.

Group consolidated income statement (part 1)

(Euros millions) H1'18 H1'17 % change Sales 143.0 112.1 +28% Gross profit 46.3 32.0 +45% As a % of sales 32.4% 28.6% Research and development expenses (9.5) (9.7) -1% Selling, general and administrative expenses (14.2) (12.9) +10% Current operating income 22.5 9.4 +139% As a % of sales 15.8% 8.4% EBITDA1 (continuing operations) 34.9 18.5 +89% As a % of sales 24.4% 16.5%

Consolidated revenues for the first half of FY'18 came to 143.0 million Euros, a 28% increase (+26% at constant exchange rates), compared with the previous fiscal year.

Sales of 200mm wafers (66% of sales) recorded steady growth (up 6% at constant exchange rates) supported by the sustained demand for radio frequency and power electronics applications in the mobile and automotive markets.

Sales of 300mm wafers (31% of sales) were the main driver of total revenue growth as they nearly doubled (up 102% at constant exchange rates) thanks to Imager-SOI now produced in significant volume and a sharp increase recorded in FD-SOI as well as in RF 300mm. Photonics-SOI keep on increasing quarter after quarter. The decrease in PD-SOI is no longer significant as it is far more than offset by the growth in other 300mm products.

Revenues from royalties and IP (3% of sales) went up by 52% at constant exchange rates compared to last fiscal year.

Gross profit reached 46.3 million Euros (or 32.4% of revenues) in the first half of FY'18, up from 32.0 million Euros (or 28.6% of revenues) in the first half of the previous fiscal year. This is essentially due to higher sales which led to a better absorption of fixed production costs. Indeed, Bernin I plant (200mm wafers) has continued running at full capacity and benefited from greater productivity whilst the level of capacity utilization at the Bernin II facility (300mm wafers) has significantly increased, from around 18% in the first half of FY'17 to above 30% in the first half of FY'18.

The overall manufacturing margin has improved for the 7th semester in a row, reaching 36% of wafer sales in the first half of FY'18 compared to 31% in the first half of FY'17.

Net R&D expenses remained virtually stable at 9.5 million Euros representing 6.7% of revenues compared to 8.6% in the first half of FY'17.

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) raised by 10% to 14.2 million Euros in the first half of FY'18, essentially reflecting an increase in total payroll. However, as a percentage of Soitec's revenues, SG&A expenses went down to 10.0% in the first half of FY'18 from 11.5% in the previous fiscal year.

Current operating income increased by 139% to 22.5 million Euros i.e. 15.8% of revenues compared to 8.4% of revenues in the first half of FY'17.

In the first half of FY'18, the EBITDA1 of the continuing operations (Electronics) stands at 34.9 million Euros, or 24.4% of sales. This compares with an EBITDA1 of 18.5 million Euros, or 16.5% of sales in the first half of FY'17.

Net profit came higher than current operating income

Group consolidated income statement (part 2)

(Euros millions) H1'18 H1'17 Current operating income 22.5 9.4 Other operating income and expenses (0.1) (1.2) Operating income 22.5 8.2 Net financial result 4.5 (5.9) Income tax (2.6) (0.2) Net profit from continuing operations 24.4 2.1 Net profit / (loss) from discontinued operations (1.2) 1.1 Net profit 23.2 3.1

The company recorded virtually no other operating expenses in the first half of FY'18 while a net amount of 1.2 million Euros was recognized in the first half of H1'17, mainly consisting of legal fees arising from an industrial property litigation with Silicon Genesis Corporation (SiGen) in the United States.

As a result, the operating income totaled 22.5 million Euros, compared with 8.2 million Euros in the first half of the previous fiscal year.

Net financial result came to a profit of 4.5 million Euros compared to a net expense of 5.9 million Euros in the first half of FY'17. This is mainly explained by:

The early amortization of 2018 OCEANE bonds which took place in August 2017, reducing Soitec's debts by 41.8 million Euros and leading the interest expense on OCEANE bonds to be limited to 0.4 million Euros, compared with 4.6 million Euros in the previous fiscal year;

A 4.6 million financial income resulting from the early repayment of a guarantee cash deposit related to Touwsrivier solar power plant bonds in the course of the first half of FY'18;

The lower interest expense on finance leases which went down from 0.7 million Euros in the first half of FY'17 to 0.4 million Euros in the first half of FY'18.

Income tax increased to 2.6 million Euros compared to 0.2 million Euros in the first half of FY'17.

Net profit after tax from continuing operations therefore stood at 24.4 million Euros in the first half of FY'18 compared with 2.1 million Euros in the first half of FY'17.

Following the withdrawal from the Solar activities as well as from the Lighting and Equipment activities, the residual income and expenses related to these businesses are recorded under discontinued operations. The 1.2 million Euros net loss from these discontinued operations is essentially the result of a foreign exchange impact. It compares with a net profit of 1.1 million Euros in the first half of FY'17.

As a result, Soitec recorded a net profit of 23.2 million Euros in the first half of FY'18, compared with a net profit of 3.1 million Euros in the previous fiscal year.

Strong EBITDA of continuing operations translates into positive net cash generation from operating activities

H1'18 cash-flow statement

(Euros millions) Continuing operations Discontinued operations Total Net profit 24.4 (1.2) 23.2 Depreciation and amortization 9.3 - 9.3 Other non-cash items 1.2 (0.9) 0.3 EBITDA1 34.9 (2.1) 32.8 Change in working capital (29.0) - (29.0) Net cash generated by / (used in) operating activities 5.9 (2.2) 3.8 Net cash generated by / (used in) investing activities (2.3) 0.4 (1.9) Debt cost and repayment (including finance leases) (9.6) - (9.6) Net financial (charges) / income (0.7) 1.2 0.5 Net cash generated by / (used in) financing activities (10.3) 1.2 (9.1) Impact of exchange rate fluctuations (3.0) - (3.0) Change in net cash (9.6) (0.6) (10.2)

Non-cash items related to the continuing operations amounted to 10.5 million Euros, including 9.3 million Euros of depreciation and amortization. The EBITDA1 of the continuing operations (Electronics) stood at 34.9 million Euros (up 89% compared to the first half of FY'17). The change in working capital of the continuing operations was negative by 29.0 million Euros, including a 7.3 million Euros of non-recurring disbursement of social security expenses. This is partly explained by an increase in inventories and trade receivables in line with sales growth and by the decrease in debts.

As a result, net cash generated in the first half of FY'18 by continuing operating activities reached 5.9 million Euros. A net amount of cash of 2.3 million Euros was used in investing activities related to the continuing operations. Net cash used by financing activities related to the continuing operations amounted to 10.3 million Euros, reflecting primarily repayments of credit lines and of leases for 6.5 million Euros and 2.7 million Euros, respectively. Taking into account a negative foreign exchange impact of 3.0 million Euros, the use in net cash related to continuing operations amounted to 9.6 million Euros.

Net cash used in the first half of FY'18 by discontinued operating activities reached 2.2 million Euros. In the meantime, the sale of Newberry solar power plant generated 0.4 million Euros whilst the net cash generated by financing activities related to the discontinued operations amounted to 1.2 million Euros. In total, the net cash used by the discontinued operations reached 0.6 million Euros.

Overall, Soitec's net cash position has decreased by 10.2 million Euros during the first half of FY'18.

Further strengthening of Soitec's financial position

Soitec's shareholders' equity raised by 67.7 million Euros over the first half of the year FY'18. This is mainly explained by the 40.9 million Euros capital increase which resulted from the early conversion of 99% of the 2018 OCEANE bonds last August, as well as by the 23.2 million Euros increase in retained earnings thanks to the net profit generated during the period.

Financial debt was reduced by 53.3 million Euros during the period (from 120.9 to 67.6 million Euros) essentially thanks to the conversion of the 2018 OCEANE bonds mentioned above, but also to a decrease in other debts, notably the leasing debt and the credit lines as well as to lower debt related to derivative financial instruments.

Cash and cash equivalents stood at 99.1 million Euros on September 30th, 2017 compared to 109.3 million Euros on March 31st, 2017.

The net cash position3 consequently stood at 31.5 million Euros on September 30th, 2017 compared to a net debt3 of 11.6 million Euros on March 31st, 2017.

Capex plan

Regarding its capex plan, Soitec has started to go ahead with the 40 million Euros investment at Bernin II aimed at progressively increasing FD-SOI production capacity. This capex is being spread between FY'18 and FY'19.

In order to address long-term demand for FD-SOI wafers, Soitec also decided last September to invest in an FD-SOI qualification line worth 40 million US Dollars in its Singapore fab. This amount is going to be invested over a period of 24 months. This is the first step towards the reopening of its Singapore plant for which, if confirmed, an additional contemplated investment of approximately 230 million US Dollars would be required to bring Singapore's production capacity up to 800,000 wafers per year (300mm).

Post-closing event

In October 2017, Soitec acquired 100% of frec|n|sys, a French start-up specialized in designing and building acoustic wave based filters and sensors for harsh environment. On top of growing frec|n|sys current activities, Soitec expects to accelerate the development and test of engineered substrates adapted for acoustic wave filter devices in the front-end module as well as play a bigger role in developing materials for sensors.

FY'18 outlook

FY'18 sales are expected to grow by around 25% at constant exchange rates. Sustained demand is expected in RF-SOI (200mm) and Power-SOI (200mm) leading Bernin I production site to continue operating at full capacity in the second half of FY'18, whilst Soitec will continue to marginally benefit from Simgui capacity. In the meantime, Soitec's 300mm business is expected to grow further in the second half of FY'18 thanks to further increase in FD-SOI and Photonics-SOI sales, sustained demand in Imager-SOI and RF-SOI growth in 300mm. Consequently, Soitec continues to expect its Bernin II production site to reach a capacity utilization rate of 50% towards the end of the current fiscal year or the beginning of next fiscal year.

FY'18 Electronics EBITDA1 margin2 is expected to reach around 25%. Operating profitability will continue to benefit from the high manufacturing margin of Bernin I production site. As this was the case in the first half of FY'18, the higher utilization rate foreseen at Bernin II production site will translate into a higher operating leverage.

Changes in the Company's governance

During its meeting today, further to Victoire de Margerie's resignation as Chairman of the Board and Director of the Company, the Board of Directors has unanimously elected Thierry Sommelet as the new Chairman of the Board for a transition period expiring at the Shareholders' General Meeting that will be convened in 2018 to rule on the accounts of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2018.

Thierry Sommelet is Director and Head of Technology, Media, Telecom in the Mid & Large Cap Executive Committee of Bpifrance.

He has been Bpifrance's permanent representative within Soitec's Board of Directors since 2015.

Moreover, the Board of Directors has decided to elect Douglas Dunn as senior independent Director.

Douglas Dunn has around 50-years' professional experience in the electronics industry, 43 of which were spent in the semiconductor sector.

He has been a Director of the Company for more than 13 years.

Lastly, the Board of Directors has acknowledged Xi Wang's resignation as Director and has unanimously co-opted Mr. Nabeel Gareeb as his successor.

Nabeel Gareeb is ex-CEO and ex-COO of NYSE listed public companies such as MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. and International Rectifier.

Last July, he joined the CEO office of National Silicon Industry Group (NSIG), one of the Company's strategic investors, in order to establish a materials eco-system to support the growth of the semiconductor industry in China.

Disclaimer

This document was prepared by Soitec (the "Company") on November 29, 2017 in connection with the announcement of the first half of FY'18 results.

This document is provided for information purposes only. It is public information only.

The Company's business operations and financial position is described in the Company's registration document 2016-2017 registered by the Autorite des marches financiers (the "AMF") on July 4, 2017 under visa D.17-0720 (the "Document de Reference") and in the Company's FY'18 half-year report. Copies of the Document de Reference are available in French and English languages through the Company and may as well be consulted on the AMF's website (www.amf-france.org). The Document de Reference and of the FY'18 half-year report can also be downloaded on the Company's website (www.soitec.com).

Your attention is drawn to the risk factors described in Chapter 4 of the Document de Reference. A review of these risks factors has been conducted after closing of FY'18 first half and no new risk was found.This document contains summary information and should be read in conjunction with the Document de Reference and the FY'18 half-year report. In the event of a discrepancy between this document and the Document de Reference or the FY'18 half-year report, the Document de Reference or, as the case may be, the FY'18 half-year report, shall prevail.

The information contained in this document has not been independently verified. No representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made as to, and you may not rely on, the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information and opinions contained in this document. The information contained in this document is provided only as of the date hereof. Neither the Company, nor its shareholders or any of their respective subsidiaries, advisors or representatives, accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any loss arising from the use of this document or its contents or in connection whatsoever with this document.

This document contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to the Company's future prospects, developments and strategy and are based on analyses of earnings forecasts and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties as they relate to future events and are dependent on circumstances that may or may not materialize in the future. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of the Company's future performance. The Company's actual financial position, results and cash flows, as well as the trends in the sector in which the Company operates may differ materially from those contained in this document. Furthermore, even if the Company's financial position, results, cash-flows and the developments in the sector in which the Company operates were to conform to the forward-looking statements contained in this document, such elements cannot be construed as a reliable indication of the Company's future results or developments. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or make any correction to any forward-looking statement in order to reflect an event or circumstance that may occur after the date of this document. In addition, the occurrence of any of the risks described in Chapter 4 of the Document de Reference may have an impact on these forward-looking statements.

This document does not constitute or form part of an offer or a solicitation to purchase or subscribe for the Company's securities in any country whatsoever. This document, or any part thereof, shall not form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract, commitment or investment decision.

Notably, this document does not constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Company's shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act. Neither the Company nor any other person intends to conduct a public offering of the Company's securities in the United States.

Agenda

Soitec will host a Capital Market Day on December 4th, 2017.

Q3'18 sales is due to be published on January 17th, 2018 after market close.

About Soitec

Soitec (Euronext, Paris) is a world leader in designing and manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials. The company uses its unique technologies and semiconductor expertise to serve the electronics markets. With more than 3,000 patents worldwide, Soitec's strategy is based on disruptive innovation to answer its customers' needs for high performance, energy efficiency and cost competitiveness. Soitec has manufacturing facilities, R&D centers and offices in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.

For more information, please visit www.soitec.com and follow us on Twitter: @Soitec_EN

Soitec and Smart Cut are registered trademarks of Soitec.

Investor Relations:



Steve Babureck

+33 (0)6 16 38 56 27

+1 858 519 6230

steve.babureck@soitec.com Media Contact:







Camille Dufour

+33 (0)6 79 49 51 43

camille.dufour@soitec.com







Isabelle Laurent

+33 (0)1 53 32 61 51 isabelle.laurent@ddbfinancial.fr







Fabrice Baron

+33(0)1 53 32 61 27

fabrice.baron@ddbfinancial.fr

# # #

Soitec is a French joint-stock corporation with a Board of Directors (Societe Anonyme a Conseil d'administration) with a share capital of  62,758,749.70, having its registered office located at Parc Technologique des Fontaines - Chemin des Franques - 38190 Bernin (France), and registered with the Grenoble Trade and Companies Register under number 384 711 909.

Consolidated financial statements for H1'18

Consolidated income statement

H1'18 H1'17 (Euro Millions) (ended

September 30, 2017) (ended

September 30, 2016) Sales 143.0 112.1 Cost of sales (96.7) (80.1) Gross profit 46.3 32.0 Sales and marketing expenses (3.5) (3.4) Research and development expenses (9.5) (9.7) General and administrative expenses (10.7) (9.5) Current operating income 22.5 9.4 Other operating income - - Other operating expenses (0.1) (1.2) Operating income 22.5 8.2 Financial income 6.0 1.0 Financial expenses (1.5) (6.9) Financial income / (expense) 4.5 (5.9) Profit before tax 27.0 2.3 Income tax (2.6) (0.2) Net profit from continuing operations 24.4 2.1 Net profit / (loss) from discontinued operations (1.2) 1.1 Consolidated net profit 23.2 3.1 Non-controlling interests - - Net profit, Group share 23.2 3.1

Balance sheet at September 30, 2017

Assets Sept. 30, 2017 March 31, 2017 (Euro Millions) Non-current assets: Goodwill and other intangible assets 2.7 2.5 Capitalized development projects 1.3 1.5 Total intangible assets 4.1 4.0 Property, plant and equipment 112.3 113.5 Non-current financial assets 12.7 12.2 Other non-current assets 36.9 31.3 Total non-current assets 165.9 161.0 Current assets: Inventories 34.4 33.6 Trade receivables 39.9 40.0 Other current assets 11.2 14.8 Current financial assets 10.6 1.8 Cash and cash equivalents 99.1 109.3 Total current assets 195.1 199.5 Assets held for sale and related to discontinued operations 24.8 29.1 Total assets 385.9 389.6

Equity and liabilities Sept. 30, 2017 March 31, 2017 (Euro Millions) Equity: Share capital 62.8 60.6 Share premium 926.3 887.5 Treasury shares (0.4) (0.5) Retained earnings (accumulated losses) (781.9) (806.0) Other reserves 10.0 7.5 Equity, Group Share 216.8 149.1 Total consolidated equity 216.8 149.1 Non-current liabilities: Long-term financial debt 60.8 104.7 Deferred tax liabilities 2.1 - Provisions and other non-current liabilities 14.9 15.2 Total non-current liabilities 77.9 119.8 Current liabilities: Short-term financial debt 6.7 16.2 Trade payables 31.4 44.4 Provisions and other current liabilities 42.6 46.3 Total current liabilities 80.7 106.9 Liabilities related to discontinued operations 10.5 13.7 Total equity and liabilities 385.9 389.6

Consolidated statement of cash-flows

H1'18 H1'17 (Euros millions) (ended

September 30, 2017) (ended

September 30, 2016) Net profit / (loss) from continuing operations 24.4 2.1 Net profit / (loss) from discontinued operations (1.2) 1.1 Consolidated net profit / (loss) 23.2 3.1 Elimination of non-cash items: Depreciation and amortization expenses 9.3 11.1 Impairment of non-current assets and accelerated depreciation / amortization - (0.4) Provisions, net 0.9 (1.2) Provisions for retirement benefit obligations 0.4 0.3 Income on assets disposals 0.0 (0.3) Change in taxes 2.6 0.2 Financial income / (expenses) (4.5) 5.9 Share-based payments 1.8 0.9 Non-cash items related to discontinued operations (0.9) (5.9) Total non-cash items 9.6 10.5 of which continuing operations 10.6 16.4 EBITDA1 32.8 13.6 of which continuing operations 34.9 18.5 Increase / (decrease) in cash relating to: Inventories (0.7) (3.1) Trade receivables (1.0) 6.9 Other receivables (2.3) (1.1) Trade payables (13.2) (14.2) Other liabilities (11.8) (4.8) Change in working capital requirement on discontinued operations 0.0 0.3 Change in working capital (29.0) (15.9) of which continuing operations (29.0) (16.3) Net cash generated by / (used in) operating activities 3.8 (2.3) of which continuing operations 5.9 2.2

H1'18 H1'17 (Euro Millions) (ended

September 30, 2017) (ended

September 30, 2016) Net cash generated by / (used in) operating activities 3.8 (2.3) of which continuing operations 5.9 2.2 Purchases of intangible assets (0.8) (0.6) Purchases of property, plant and equipment (9.5) (3.5) Proceeds from sales of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment 0.0 0.3 (Acquisitions) and disposals of financial assets 8.0 0.8 Flows from (investing) / divestment activities on discontinued operations 0.4 0.8 Net cash generated by / (used in) investing activities (1.9) (2.2) of which continuing operations (2.3) (3.0) Proceeds from shareholders: capital increases and exercise of stock options 0.0 145.3 Drawing of credit lines - 9.2 Repayment of borrowings (including finance leases) (9.6) (110.7) Interest received 0.5 0.1 Interest paid (1.3) (5.4) Financing flows related to discontinued operations 1.2 (0.0) Net cash generated by / (used in) financing activities (9.1) 38.5 of which continuing operations (10.3) 38.5 Effects of exchange rate fluctuations (3.0) 0.1 Change in net cash (10.2) 34.1 of which continuing operations (9.6) 37.8 Cash at beginning of the period 109.3 49.1 Cash at end of the period 99.1 83.1
It's time for me to call is a day. What happened?

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called on Labor senator Sam Dastyari to quit politics;

Mr Turnbull says Senator Dastyari is "not on Australia's side;

Senator Dastyari has resigned from his parliamentary positions but is staying in the Labor Party and the Senate;

Mr Turnbull also announced a banking royal commission ;

the commission will run for a year and report back in February 2019.

My thanks to Alex Ellinghausen for his excellent work today and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Alex and I will be back on Monday for what promises to be a blockbuster end to the parliamentary year. Until then, go well.
Taking a bad spill on the runway may be a model's worst nightmare - and it's only amplified when it might be broadcast to millions on TV.

Chinese model Ming Xi found herself in that scenario last week when she slipped and fell during the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which taped in Shanghai. On Tuesday night in America, CBS aired the telecast, and some thought the network might edit out Xi's spill.

Ming Xi loses her balance on the catwalk for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Credit:AP Photos/ Aurore Marechal

"Don't expect to see this moment in the final cut of the fashion show when it airs on CBS," People magazine cautioned last week. "Victoria's Secret traditionally tapes two run-throughs of the show for this very reason, so the tumble will likely be removed from the final show."

As it turns out - not so much! Why would they? For producers, a model falling down is TV gold. Although the annual lingerie show has edited out embarrassing moments before (such as Ariana Grande getting hit in the face by angel wings), CBS doubled down on the incident.
We have had enduring powers of attorney drawn up by a lawyer and had insisted he add the conflict of interest clause as we had read your advice in your column some time ago. We are both mature and live in a house that would be difficult to maintain if one of us had to go into care, if mentally incapacitated. We are on an age pension so not very financial and were concerned that the one left in the home wouldn't be able to afford to downsize. Is there anything detrimental by our having added this clause? We trust each other to do the right thing by the other. The standard enduring power of attorney document (EPA) does not allow the attorney to do anything that may create a conflict of interest between the attorney and the donor, nor does it allow the attorney to profit or benefit by use of the power of attorney, unless authorised at law or if allowed in the power. These can cause problems when the holder of the EPA is the logical person to transfer assets to. The way out of these dilemmas is to anticipate them, and insert an "authorised conflict" clause in the document, provided there is total trust between the donor and the attorney. This negates the no conflict clause in the standard EPA. In a long and first marriage, there's much more upside than downside to a 'conflict of interest clause' in enduring powers of attorney. Illustration: Simon Letch A solicitor who specialises in elder law says in a long and a first marriage, there is little downside and much more upside, in having the conflict clause, especially where you combine it with having the financial power to start immediately, as opposed to taking effect only on the incapacity of either of them. It just makes later life easier, especially in a time of increasing complexity. Earlier this year my father-in-law had his pension cancelled and with it his health care card. He is 99 next month and has worked and paid tax all his life. In the July 26 issue of Money, you wrote that a departmental spokesman said that the PCC would be reinstated to about 92,000 former recipients from October 9. It would be automatically reissued. My father-in-law has not received a PCC or any information about it. Could you please find out what is happening?

As announced in the 2017-18 federal budget, the Australian government restored the Pensioner Concession Card to people who stopped being eligible for a pension payment on January 1, 2017, due to the rebalancing of the assets test change. This change means people may be able to regain access to certain discounts and concessions offered by states, territories, and private providers that were not available on the other assigned concession cards. The reinstatement does not apply to those who lost eligibility for the card after January 1, 2017, unless the cancellation date was retrospectively applied to January 1. From October 9, 2017, the Department of Human Services reinstated the Pensioner Concession Card to about 92,300 former social security and Department of Veterans' Affairs recipients. The department wrote to eligible cardholders in September 2017 to notify that they would soon receive the reinstated card in the mail from October 9, allowing up to 14 days to arrive. People did not have to do anything to receive the Pensioner Concession Card, this was automatically mailed to eligible recipients, and all cards have now been issued. Anyone concerned they may not have yet received their card can use their Centrelink online account through myGov to view their concession or health care cards, or call the Older Australians line on 132 300. People can also use the Digital Wallet feature on their Express Plus Centrelink mobile app to check which concession cards they've been issued. I am 71 and single with an untouched super account of only $23,000. I get a fortnightly pension of $425, and have a rental property worth $350,000, which returns $350 a week. I own my home worth $350,000 and other personal assets of $50,000. Do Centrelink expect me to make withdrawals from my super to live on or are they already allowing for that in my payment from them? Also, can I withdraw total super and re-invest without penalty? Based on the information you appear to be asset tested so I suggest your first task would be to look at those personal assets of $50,000 and see if their value could be reduced. Remember, the valuation for Centrelink purposes is secondhand value as if sold in a garage sale. Even a reduction of $10,000 in those assets could see an increase in your pension of $30 a fortnight. The value of your superannuation is being taken into account now, and while there is no requirement to withdraw it, there would be no adverse effects on your pension if you did. In fact, you should save the fees that go with all superannuation funds We would like to give one of our investment properties to my adult son and his wife. It will be their first home and they will pay the leftover mortgage of $310,000. We bought the house 13 years ago for $450,000 and it is now worth $900,000. My wife and I are both working full-time and are aged 62 and 60. Even though it will be a gift how much tax we will have to pay and/or how much tax will they have to pay? Loading
A woman has faced court for the first time since being charged over a crash at a Sydney school which killed two young children and injured many others.

Maha Al-Shennag was surrounded by a small group of supporters and shielded herself with an umbrella as she left her brief appearance at Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday.

The 52-year-old has another mention scheduled at Burwood on February 21 over the smash at Banksia Road Public School in Greenacre.

It's alleged Jihad Darwiche, 8, and a nine-year-old classmate were killed when a Toyota Kluger driven by Ms Al-Shennag ploughed into their classroom on November 7.
Nine men have been arrested in a series of raids across Sydney's south-west by a police strike force set up following the execution of underworld figure Wally Ahmad.

Mr Ahmad was shot dead at Bankstown Centro shopping centre in April 2016.

Heavily-armed police conducted the dawn raids on four homes in Bass Hill, Belmore, Greenacre and Punchbowl on Thursday.

The searches came after strike force officers discovered the supply of cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis.
Sometimes they posed as doctors to trick pathology companies in releasing personal information on patients.

Other times they bamboozled banks and power companies with the right questions to confirm birth dates and other sensitive details on clients.

Or they simply used cash to bribe a Department of Human Services employee to look up the valuable details herself.

Detectives believe a "highly sophisticated" criminal network allegedly used a range of successful tactics to fleece millions of dollars out of thousands of unsuspecting people by taking over their identities to either steal directly from their accounts or rack up credit card debt in their names.
As one Brisbane newsroom wag put it, southern journalists come up every three years to write how the latest Queensland poll has been as "a tale of two states" - pitting the south-east against the rest.

The reality, of course, is a lot more complicated than that.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's Labor Party received strong support in the capital. Credit:Glenn Hunt/AAP

Queensland is, and always has been, a very diverse and regionalised state.

Part of that comes down to size - Queensland is nearly eight times the size of Victoria, after all, while Brisbane is closer to Melbourne than Cairns.
A woman who died as part of an alleged suicide pact had not been thinking of taking her own life, according to her psychiatrist.

Ozlem Karakoc, 34, was allegedly drowned in a bath in July and police later arrested her partner, Murat Davsanoglu, and charged him with murder.

Dandenong mother Ozlem Karakoc was found dead inside a house in Lalor.

Mr Davsanoglu, 42, appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, when the court heard Ms Karakoc's psychiatrist had told police the woman was not suicidal.

This was in direct contrast to what Mr Davsanoglu told police, defence counsel Steve Parker told the court.
Victoria Police confirmed that the Box Hill sexual offences and child abuse team had charged a 74-year-old man from the eastern suburbs.

It follows claims that Mr Spurritt molested a 12-year-old student on a school camp and in a classroom during the 1970s.

David, not his real name, alleges that he was molested while a student at Camberwell Grammar School in the 1970s. Credit:Daniel Pockett

Trevor Spurritt, who worked at Camberwell Grammar School, has been charged with indecent assault.

Police have charged a former teacher at a well-known Melbourne independent school over historical sex abuse allegations.

The allegations date back more than 40 years at Camberwell Grammar. Credit:Michael Clayton Jones

The Age revealed last year that police had interviewed Mr Spurritt and at the time he was still a registered teacher.

He is no longer listed as a registered teacher on the Victorian Institute of Teaching website.

Former student David, not his real name, said the alleged abuse had a devastating impact on his life. He suffers chronic depression, is an alcoholic and has trouble sleeping.

"It turns your life upside down," he said. "Alcohol, drugs, everything. I need some completion. I want to move on."
"It is unbelievable to think this kind of thing could have happened in South Australia." "I'm extremely grateful of the response of the local police and there is no doubt we prevented a catastrophe." He said police became aware of the planned massacre after the teenagers began to tell others what they intended to do. "They told some other people about what they were intended to do, and then they told other people," he said. "I am not aware of us having an incident like this in recent times.

"Soon it became known to quite a number of people. It is believed there were no specific individuals targeted but the faculty and students." "We believe most likely the attack would have occurred, if not stopped, before the end of the current school term." He said an extensive investigation led to the arrest of the two teenagers earlier this month. "Since their arrest police have conducted an extensive investigation of this matter which has included searches of several properties, the seizing of weapons, and interviews with dozens of people," he said. "Police will allege that they intended to cause harm to a large number of people, however this plan was thwarted.

"There is no evidence to show that any other person was linked with this matter, nor did the two individuals have possession of firearms." Detective Superintendent Bray said police first became aware of the planned attack on November 3 and both teenagers were arrested on November 10. In letter to parents, the principal of the school in question said the duo had posed "real threat" to the school community. The principal said they had worked alongside police on the "complex and intensive investigation" with more serious charges expected to be laid against the two teenagers. However, the principal assured parents the school was no longer in danger.

"I wish to reinforce that [the] high school community is safe and remains safe. "Also I can state that all action was taken as soon as possible once concerns were raised. I thank every one of you for your ongoing support of our school community and the very positive way in which we have dealt with this difficult situation." The town's mayor said news of the alleged planned massacre had "devastated" the tight-knit community. "It's obviously incredibly devastating for the community as well as the school community involved," he said. "We consider this to be a one-off situation and are pleased the community and police have been able to come together to stop this crime from occurring." He urged anyone who had further information on the alleged attack to contact police.
Louisville, KY, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Appriss Inc. announced today that they will move their Louisville-based employees to a new location at 9901 Linn Station Road, in Eastern Jefferson County in mid 2018. A move that will combine two existing office locations and bring all employees together into a single work place.

We believe our employees are some of the most talented in the area stated company CEO Michael Davis. They are focused on our work that keeps victims safe, helps law enforcement catch the bad guys, and supports our health providers as they fight the opioid crisis.

Appriss is a leading employer in Kentucky whose innovative technology serves the law enforcement, justice, security and healthcare communities, Gov. Bevin said. Its expansion and relocation will provide greater growth opportunities in the years ahead. We look forward to watching the new Appriss building go from conception to completion. We are grateful to have Appriss thriving in Kentucky and thank its leaders for their continued commitment to Jefferson County and for their latest creation of excellent new jobs.

Its an exciting day when a local business announces it is growing its high-wage jobs and expanding its services here in Louisville, said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. Appriss expansion allows us to apply innovative healthcare and public safety-focused solutions at a local level. I applaud its founders and its employees, and I look forward to seeing its continued growth.

The announcement of the Appriss retention/expansion project in Jeffersontown could not come at a more perfect and thankful time of year. Through our local Jeffersontown Occupation Business Saving (JOBS) Program inducement we were able to add an extra incentive towards the corporate consolidation for jobs currently in the Commonwealth, but not yet in Jeffersontown, in addition to the organic growth the company expects, stated Mayor Dieruf of Jeffersontown. We appreciate all involved in this initiative, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville Metro that were able to also partner with Appriss and enable the City of Jeffersontown to add our JOBS Program to the incentive mix. City Council and I welcome all the new Appriss corporate employees to what will be the Appriss Building at 9901 Linn Station Road and thank those that have been with us since the company began.

Appriss engaged CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG), a Fortune 500 commercial real estate and investment firm to assist in this transaction. CBREs David Hardy represented Appriss, while CBREs Marc Barlow represented the landlord, Gearing Capital Partners.

This building buildout includes renovations on building entrances, the lobby and signs, including exterior signage for Appriss. Building ownership will also be adding new spaces for Appriss that include a new fitness area, conference center and an outdoor lounge. Appriss has been working with Swope Design Group over the course of several months in preparing for this new space.

We are excited to designing and building out 105,000 square feet of space that will be transformational in how more than 400 of our local team members work. We are making a significant investment in technology, state of the art design, office furniture, and meeting and collaboration areas to align with how our teams work locally and with our other offices stated Jeff Byal, Chief Financial Officer for Appriss. The Appriss name on the top of the building will be visible from both I-64 and Hurstbourne Lane.

About Appriss

Appriss provides proprietary data and analytics solutions to effectively and efficiently address safety, fraud, risk and compliance issues for government and commercial enterprises worldwide. Their customers are leading commercial enterprises, information service providers and government agencies with focus in retail, healthcare and public safety.

Appriss employs 670 team members and while headquartered in Louisville, KY has major offices in southern California, London (UK), and Warsaw (PL).



For more information visit Appriss.com.

Attachments:

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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b2f295c2-d733-4523-8d2f-04cc79b27244

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1e77aeff-f3ba-4581-947d-5b92d081229b
Embattled WA Labor MP Barry Urban has resigned from his party as it continues to investigate claims he falsified parts of his military and educational history.

The member for Darling Range, who has been absent from Parliament for two weeks since media reports surfaced he wore a fake war medal on ANZAC Day, released a statement on Wednesday announcing he had resigned from WA Labor, but intended to remain in Parliament as an independent.

Barry Urban was elected to parliament in March 2017. Pictured with Premier Mark McGowan. Credit:Facebook / Barry Urban

"I intend to make a full statement on this matter in great detail tomorrow in Parliament," he said.

"I look forward to continuing to represent the members of the Darling Range community in Parliament."
The Perth Children's Hospital will open in May and "hopefully" be ready to accept Princess Margaret Hospital patients by June, Health Minister Roger Cook confirmed on Wednesday.

The new opening schedule means the hospital will open two-and-a-half years later than originally scheduled by the former Barnett government.

The Perth Children's Hospital has been plagued with issues since its construction began. Credit:Radio 6PR

Mr Cook said the state government was confident the lead contamination in the water issues would be resolved before the opening.

Recent water sampling and analysis results have been described by the state government as "promising" after 32 out of 33 areas which had previously returned high lead levels passed testing.
A West Australian fly-in fly-out worker has been found guilty, for a second time, of murdering a man who had a threesome with his girlfriend while he was away.

Ryan Christopher Hawke, 36, has been on trial in the WA Supreme Court for the past fortnight, accused of repeatedly stabbing Mark Colin Koller, 50, at the Crystal Brook Caravan Park in Orange Grove in April 2014.

A FIFO worker has been found guilty of murder. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The court heard Hawke found out his girlfriend had engaged in a threesome with Mr Koller and his partner, and stabbed the victim six times with a knife during a confrontation outside Mr Koller's caravan.

"He was very annoyed someone had done this with his woman," Prosecutor Sean O'Sullivan said during his opening address.
Environmental groups are celebrating after the last remnant of a fracking joint venture in Western Australia's Canning Basin was torn up.

Joint venture partners Buru Energy and Mitsubishi mutually decided to dissolve their 2013 state agreement, and the McGowan government has now introduced legislation to parliament to cancel it.

The Canning Basin in Australia's west had the third-highest rate of depletion in the world. But the Great Artesian Basin in the east was among the healthiest. Credit:Adam Kerezsy

State agreements are a legal contract between the state government and the proponent of a major project, and the parties share responsibility for developing infrastructure needed for the project.

Buru and Mitsubishi restructured their exploration permits earlier this year so they can separately proceed with projects in the region.
A large volcanic eruption in Bali appears imminent with the Bureau of Meteorology warning the threat of Mount Agung erupting is "high".

Flights out of Denpasar and Lombok airports were grounded for three days as a tropical cyclone pushed large ash plumes into the direct path of Australian flights.

Indonesian experts are still warning of an "imminent" eruption, which could occur anywhere from a matter of hours to the coming days.

Despite this, Denpasar airport announced it would reopen on Wednesday afternoon, Bali time.
Washington: President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump jnr, will meet with the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee next week, CNN reports.

Representatives for Representative Mike Conaway, the Republican leading the panel's investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion by Trump's campaign, and Representative Adam Schiff, the panel's top Democrat, said they could not comment on whether Trump's eldest son was going to appear before the committee.

Donald Trump jnr Credit:AP

Schiff told reporters that he could not comment on when or if Trump jnr might appear, but described him as a key witness. The younger Trump played a central role in his father's campaign.

"Obviously, when Donald Trump jnr comes before the committee there are innumerable areas that we're going to be interested in. It's hard to find a more central figure in this," Schiff told reporters at the US Capitol.
Authorities in Florida said that they have arrested the man responsible for a string of mysterious killings that left four people dead and shook frightened Tampa residents to their core.

The suspect, identified by Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan as Howell Emanuel Donaldson III, was picked up for questioning Tuesday after someone reported that he had been at a McDonald's with a gun. Donaldson, 24, is believed to have worked as an employee at the fast food restaurant.

Police and federal agents with rifles checked car trunks, banged on doors and gathered forensic evidence as they hunted for the killer. Credit:AP

Dugan said Donaldson would be charged with four counts of first-degree murder for the four fatal shootings, which began in early October in the Seminole Heights neighbourhood and had stymied investigators - and terrified residents - for 51 days.

The first three people were killed in an 11-day period, all within a two-kilometre radius.
A policeman stands next to supporters of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta lying unconscious after being beaten by police when they tried to storm his inauguration. Credit:AP The memorial event was the target of a police crackdown, the opposition said, with authorities reportedly firing tear gas and live bullets. An eye-witness said she had seen a young boy shot, but police said they knew nothing about it. Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition said in a statement that the roads out of several Nairobi slums where they have a large support base had been blocked by water cannon and armoured vehicles. Opposition leader Raila Odinga addresses his supporters in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday. Credit:AP Odinga's convoy was itself teargassed on Tuesday and his supporters charged.

At the inauguration Kenyatta did his best to paint a picture of a country moving beyond that divide. A woman struggles with a policeman as police try to stop the opposition from holding demonstrations in Nairobi on Tuesday. Credit:AP "The elections are now firmly behind us ... I will devote my time and energy to build bridges," he told a rapturous crowd of around 60,000 supporters as he was sworn in for a second, five-year term. But, he warned, Kenyans needed to "free ourselves from the baggage of past grievances, and ... keep to the rule of law". Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Army Chief of Staff, General Samson Mwathethe, right, watch as armed forces of the Republic of Kenya march, during Kenyatta's inauguration . Credit:AP

Such words may ring hollow to citizens accustomed to the government ignoring reports on corruption from the country's auditor-general and documentation of hundreds of extrajudicial police killings every year from human rights groups. Last year, Kenyatta angered many Kenyans by saying he wanted to tackle corruption but his "hands are tied". His government has also promised to improve police accountability, but an independent watchdog has managed to convict only two officers of murder despite thousands of brutality complaints. Supporters cheer in the stands as Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is sworn in. Credit:AP On Tuesday, at least one Odinga supporter was killed and three others were injured. Some witnesses said the man had been shot by the police. A statement from Odinga said five people were shot, including his daughter's driver.

Supporters of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta engage in rock-throwing clashes with police during his presidential inauguration. Credit:AP Television stations KTN and NTV reported that a 7-year-old boy was hit by a stray bullet while playing on the balcony of a house near the site of a planned opposition prayer meeting. "When I came home, I did not know it was my child who had been killed. Police were passing by shooting," Peter Mutuku, the boy's father, was quoted saying on NTV. Police could not immediately be reached for comment. Less than an hour after Kenyatta spoke, Kenyan national television carried pictures of riot police swinging clubs at civilians with their hands up.

"I didn't hear him say a single word on corruption and how he's going to fight it. I didn't hear anything on justice," said prominent anti-corruption campaigner Boniface Mwangi. "When he says that there's the rule of law, his actions and the actions of his government show there's no rule of law." Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on October 26 that was boycotted by Odinga, who said it would not be free and fair. The Supreme Court nullified the first presidential election, in August, over irregularities. Supporters of Kenyatta - who won the October poll with 98 per cent of the vote after Odinga's boycott - want the opposition to engage in talks and move on. "I'm sure Uhuru will be able to bring people together and unite them so we can all work for the country," said Eunice Jerobon, a trader who travelled overnight from the Rift Valley town of Kapsabet for the inauguration. But Odinga's supporters see such talk of unity as tantamount to surrender. Many of them are drawn from poorer parts of the country, and feel angered because they say they are locked out of power and the patronage it brings.

Political arguments often have ethnic undercurrents, with Odinga's supporters pointing out that three of the country's four presidents have come from one ethnic group, the Kikuyu, although the country has 44 recognised groups. Odinga accuses the ruling party of stealing the election, overseeing rampant corruption, directing abuse by the security forces and neglecting vast swathes of the country, including Odinga's heartland in the west. "This election of October 26 is fake. We do not recognise it," Odinga told supporters from the rooftop of a car. "On December 12, we will have an assembly that will swear me in." More than 70 people have been killed in political violence this election season, mostly by the police. Riot police sealed off the scene of the rally in the morning, and fired teargas at residents, trying to prevent a crowd from gathering, as a helicopter hovered overhead. Roads were blocked by burning tyres, rocks and uprooted billboards.
Naypyitaw, Myanmar: Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has constantly used his pulpit to champion the downtrodden and draw attention to the misery of the powerless and the persecuted.

He risked the fury of Turkey by describing the mass killings of Armenians in World War I as a genocide. He apologised for the silence of church leaders in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. And three months ago, he decried "the persecution of our Rohingya brothers," referring to the Muslim minority that has suffered a systematic campaign of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar's military.

Pope Francis, standing at right on pope-mobile, greets Christians upon his arrival for a holy Mass in Yangon, Myanmar, on Wednesday. Credit:AP

On Tuesday, Francis had a singular opportunity to advocate for the Rohingya as he stood next to Myanmar's de facto leader and in front of a hall full of military officials, prelates and diplomats in this capital.

But in a much anticipated speech, Francis studiously avoided using the name of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority or directly addressing their situation, after church leaders advised him that doing so would only aggravate the situation and put the country's tiny Catholic population at risk.
The Hague: A wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces died on Wednesday when he drank poison seconds after United Nations appeals judges upheld his 20-year sentence for war crimes against Bosnian Muslims.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, tilted back his head and took a swing from a glass bottle as a judge read out a verdict in his case for crimes committed in the city of Mostar during the Bosnian war in 1992-95.

"Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal, I am rejecting the court ruling," he said as he put the flask to his lips.

"Stop please, sit down please," the judge said.
Goldendale, WA, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uptick Newswire welcomes back John Sprovieri, CEO of Auscrete Corp ( OTCPink: ASCK , the Company) onto Stock Day for an update on the Company. Starting off the interview, Mr. Sprovieri discusses the significance of their green building products manufactured by themselves and used in the construction of their affordable housing and commercial structures. He explained that the company has already acquired some of the machinery needed for their new production facility with the balance, such as the imported specialized mixing and handling machinery due to be here around late January. This will enable manufacturing operations to commence at the new factory to be built on the Industrial estate in Washington within a couple of months from now. The Company expects first year revenues to be around $15 million.



Auscrete Corp. will grow significantly during 2018. stated Mr. Sprovieri as he elaborates on the market opportunities that have emerged recently. It was noted that the market for Affordable Housing is one of the largest consumer markets in the world. However, recent natural disasters also add to the constantly developing need for housing, particularly with Auscretes houses that will not burn and are extremely solid in hurricanes and tornados.

Furthermore, he discusses the up and down movement of the Company stock recently, the value and structures of the shares and the long-term value of the investment. Because we are letting people know what is going on with press releases coming out, and we actually have things happening, there has been considerable interest by investment groups in our stock. said Mr. Sprovieri.

There were high volumes of the companys shares through the market recently and the stock price had increased up to 600% at one point. The market has leveled somewhat since then but Mr. Sprovieri believes that the Companys stock price is extremely undervalued presently and it is a great time for investors to buy, perhaps 6-12 months so that the operations and revenues will be reflected in the market cap.

Said Mr. Sprovieri, The Company has virtually no debt and has notes that were taken out last year in 2016 for operations that are well into conversion stage with only about $160K to finish. This should not take long as we had dollar volume on the market one day last week of over $300K. he added.

In an off air interview, Company Business Development and IR Director, Lee Odom added that there are around 280 million shares out but the float was only 68 million, which is very conservative for an OTC Pink company. Once our production begins in the next 2 or 3 months, the market will begin to reflect a more intrinsic value of an OTC Company with assets which are producing revenues, especially with ASCK having little monthly monetary debts, this all should coincide with all the note conversions finished and behind us.

Though our production remains a couple of months away, he added, ASCK still looks to have significant news announcements between now and the end of the year.

There had also been talk of ASCK utilizing a $2 Million line of credit with Kodiak, while it is true, ASCK was approved last December for this line of credit with Kodiak, however, ASCK did not use it and decided against this and to go a different way, one which we feel will create less selling pressure on the stock, thus enhancing shareholder values the safest & quickest ways available. Mr. Odom added While doing so, ASCK chose to push back some projected deadlines, however ASCK feels by doing so it is in the best interest of all involved. Simply put yes, it took us longer to get here, but by doing so, the rewards will be greater and sooner he said.

As we have been told over and over again by people in the investment world, the year 2018 looks to be very exciting and rewarding to all those involved with ASCK.

To listen to the full interview please click here or the following link: https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview-ceo-john-sprovieri-of-auscrete-corporation-otcpink-asck-3/

About Auscrete Corporation

Auscrete Corporation (OTCMKTS:ASCK) is a building materials manufacturing company and constructor of "GREEN" energy efficient housing and commercial structures built from Auscrete developed lightweight hybrid concrete/insulation wall and roof panels. Structures built of this medium have very low maintenance needs and, being concrete, are highly resistant to insects and mold. They have considerable mass and are highly resistant to hurricane forces and earth tremors. They will not catch fire and burn. Auscrete is currently establishing their Flagship Facility in Goldendale, WA.

Safe Harbor Statement

Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the sales of the company's identity protection software products into various channels and market sectors, the issuance of the company's pending patent application, and the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company.

Source: Uptick Newswire
Invenias Continues to Pioneer Innovation with New GDPR Module

Latest release of Platform expands to enable customer compliance with the GDPR

29 November 2017, London  Invenias, the leading cloud-based platform for executive and strategic hiring, has today announced the Invenias GDPR Module, which is the latest update to its flagship product Invenias 9. The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018 will materially impact the way in which data is captured, stored, shared and moved. As a result, the working practices of the executive search profession will be required to be fully aligned with the requirements of the new legislation.

The Invenias GDPR Module, part of the Invenias Global Data Privacy Framework, allows Invenias customers to manage data privacy with minimum disruption to their business. The Module comprises of options to globally manage data privacy preferences, manage the requirements to inform, manage consent (if and where required) and to manage the requirement for the right to be forgotten and data subject access requests.

Commenting on the new release, Richard Watson, IT Director at Sheffield Haworth says: The dedicated functionality will ensure we record the purpose and lawful basis for processing data with minimal disruption to workflow. The solution offered is very much in line with the way we want to work. We are confident Invenias will support us in meeting the requirements of the GDPR.

David Grundy, CEO, Invenias says: Invenias is committed to full compliance with the GDPR. The clock is ticking, and we know and understand that we need to support compliance well in advance of the May 2018 enforcement deadline. Our customers can have confidence that they are on the right platform and are fully supported in their compliance journey. Privacy has always been at the heart of our business and is an essential part of what we do. Our customers rely on us to take care of their sensitive and confidential data, and that of their candidates and clients, as carefully as we would our own.

Lucy Kendall, Director at ComplyGDPR comments: The relationship between a candidate and a search provider is one of trust. The GDPR demands data protection and privacy are embedded in a search business. Privacy and trust are inextricably linked. Invenias is enabling its clients to meet its data protection obligations by providing intuitive tools and applications to achieve these privacy standards so trusted relationships are nurtured and maintained.

Vicky Maxwell Davies, Managing Partner at Savannah adds: It is reassuring to know that Invenias has invested so much time in understanding and responding to the compliance requirements of the GDPR.

The Invenias GDPR Module is available globally now. To accompany the new release Invenias are running a series of free webinars, focusing on The General Data Protection Regulations for Executive Search  Click here http://invenias.com/events-webinars/ for more details.
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Colorado, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innosphere Fund I, an early-stage venture capital fund made available to client companies of Innosphere, Colorados high-tech incubator, has announced the fund has raised $5 million. With $2 million left before the final fund close, the Innosphere Fund is expected to be fully subscribed at $7 million during the first quarter of 2018.

The Innosphere Fund is an early-stage venture capital fund made available to Innosphere client companies that meet certain qualifications. Innosphere is a non-profit technology incubator supporting high-growth companies in the industries of bioscience, life science, enterprise software, hardware, water, energy, transportation, and advanced materials. The Innosphere Fund operates outside of Innospheres non-profit organization.

Innosphere Funds first investment was made to Denver-based Incident Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT) in October 2017. IRT provides software, primarily to Police and Fire Departments, and is utilizing the seed round funds to scale the revenue of their business, through further investment in product features and marketing and sales staff.

Innospheres incubation program accepts two cohorts of client companies each year. The formation of the fund has improved access to capital for startup and scaleup companies in Colorado. This has resulted in an increase in the number and quality of companies applying to the program, said PJ Williams, Innosphere Fund Senior Associate. Companies accepted into the incubation program are now more mature, which means theyre closer to being investor ready. Innospheres Fall 2017 cohort includes seven startup and three scaleup companies across the life science and enterprise software industries.



For more information on Innosphere Fund I, contact General Partner, Mike Freeman at Mike.Freeman@innosphere.fund or (970) 818-7736, or Senior Associate, PJ Williams, at pj@innosphere.org or (970) 818-7738.

About Innosphere Fund I:

The Innosphere Fund is an early-stage venture capital fund made available to Innosphere client companies that meet certain qualifications. The fund operates outside of Innospheres non-profit organization.



About Innosphere:

Innosphere is a non-profit technology incubator accelerating the success of high-impact science, engineering, and technology startups. Innosphere has physical locations in Fort Collins, Denver, and Boulder, Colorado to support entrepreneurs building potential high-growth companies in the industries of bioscience, life science, enterprise software, hardware, water, energy, transportation, and advanced materials. Innospheres incubation program focuses on ensuring companies are investor ready, connecting them with experienced advisors, making introductions to corporate partners, and solidifying customer acquisition strategies. Once accepted into the program, companies receive customized development plans and ongoing support to ensure theyre getting the know-how to raise the right kind of capital and all the resources to grow. www.innosphere.org



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His term also will be concurrent to a two-year term in youth prison to which he was sentenced in August by Judge Diane Druzinski in Macomb County Circuit Court for the assaults. He pleaded guilty to two counts in June...
TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Statistics Canada released the latest data today on the Canadian labour market from the 2016 Census, and the numbers are troubling for Canadas youth.

According to the report, the nations youth face a long-term negative employment trend. The employment rate for youths aged 15 to 24 fell from 57.2 per cent in 2006 to 51.9 per cent in 2016. The employment rate among young men fell 6.1 percentage points to 50.7 per cent over this period, while it fell 4.4 percentage points to 53.1 per cent among young women.

Mandated minimum wage hikes in Ontario and Alberta will make Canadas youth employment worse. If the minimum wage forces some people out of the workforce, young people are likely to be disproportionately hit. Sixty per cent of minimum wage earners in Canada are under 24 years of age. Fifty-seven per cent of minimum wage earners live with family.

Todays report on declining youth employment in Canada should be a wake-up call. The job numbers for young Canadians are troubling and are about to get worse, said Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals. The research is clear. The unintended consequence of minimum wage hikes is less youth employment. It creates a barrier for young people entering the workforce.

Minimum wage earners tend to be younger, part-time workers who are obtaining useful job experience. The province of Ontario is raising its minimum wage from $11.60 per hour to $14 on Jan. 1, 2018, and $15 in January 2019. Alberta just increased its minimum wage from $12.20 to $13.60 per hour as part of an overall plan to increase the minimum wage to $15.

Canadians deserve a raise and their youth deserve a first-time job. The best way to do it is by growing the economy, not trying to control it, Funk added.

For More Information Please See:

The Problem with a $15 Minimum Wage in Canada - An Express Employment Professionals White Paper

https://www.expresspros.com/CA/Newsroom/Canada-Employed/Problem-with-15-Dollar-Minimum-Wage-in-Canada.aspx?&referrer=http://www.expresspros.com/CA/Newsroom/Canada-Employed-News-List.aspx?PageNumber=5

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Kellie Major at (613) 222-7488 or email kellie@mapleleafstrategies.com.

About Robert A. Funk

Robert A. Bob Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 770 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve and was also the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

About Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.05 billion in sales and employed a record 510,000 people in 2016. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

Media Contacts:

Kellie Major 613.222.7488 | kellie@mapleleafstrategies.com

Sheena Karami 405.717.5966 | sheena.karami@expresspros.com
Redwood City, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Announcing No-Cost Trial of Informatica Enterprise Data Catalog via newly deployed AWS Quick Start

Launching Informatica PowerCenter Pay-As-You-Go listing on AWS Marketplace

Informatica, the enterprise cloud data management leader, today announced an expanded set of artificial intelligence-driven data management solutions for Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers. These solutions are designed to enable rapid and secure data management implementations and power agile, self-service and advanced analytics on AWS.

Informatica is demonstrating its solutions for AWS customers at Booth #109 at AWS re:Invent 2017, Nov. 27  Dec. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Informatica is a Silver Sponsor.

Informatica cloud data management solutions are available on AWS Marketplace. The industry leading Informatica data management solutions are also part of the Informatica Intelligent Data Platform, powered by the CLAIRE engine, the metadata-driven artificial intelligence to power data-driven disruption.

Highlights/Key Facts

No-Cost Trial of Informatica Enterprise Data Catalog on AWS Informatica is now offering a no-cost trial of Informatica Enterprise Data Catalog on AWS. Informatica Enterprise Data Catalog uses machine learning-based algorithms to organize and catalog all data assets across the enterprise that can then be certified by data stewards. The data catalog is available via a simple, intelligent search bar, without having to ask or wait for IT to publish it. AI-driven data cataloging is a key component of building data lakes, data warehouse modernization, and migrating assets on AWS. Using a newly deployed AWS QuickStart, customers can easily set up a proof of concept (POC) for Informatica Enterprise Data Catalog in a single-click deployment running on AWS.



Informatica PowerCenter Pay-As-You-Go Now Available on AWS Marketplace Informaticas market-leading enterprise ETL data integration solution, Informatica PowerCenter, is now available on a Pay-As-You-Go basis on AWS Marketplace providing customers with the ultimate in flexibility.



Supporting Quote

Todays enterprises have a mandate to accelerate innovation, while reducing IT expenditures, said Ronen Schwartz, senior vice president and general manager, Big Data, Cloud and Data Integration, Informatica. Leveraging AWS and Informatica, organizations can increase IT agility and speed, pay-per-usage resources when they need them, benefit from cloud economies and scale, and free up IT resources for strategic business initiatives. Informatica powers data management initiatives for a successful journey to AWS by delivering connected, trusted and meaningful data.

Tweet this: News: @Informatica launches new cloud data management solutions for @awscloud customer at #reInvent booth 109 http://infa.media/pr171129a

About Informatica

Informatica is the only Enterprise Cloud Data Management leader that accelerates data-driven digital transformation. Informatica enables companies to unleash the power of data to fuel innovation, become more agile and realize new growth opportunities, resulting in intelligent market disruptions. With over 7,000 customers worldwide, Informatica is the trusted leader in Enterprise Cloud Data Management. For more information, call +1 650-385-5000 (1-800-653-3871 in the U.S.), or visit www.informatica.com. Connect with Informatica on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

###

Note: Informatica, Intelligent Data Platform, CLAIRE and PowerCenter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Informatica in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other company and product names may be trade names or trademarks of their respective owners.

The information provided herein is subject to change without notice. In addition, the development, release and timing of any product or functionality described today remain at the sole discretion of Informatica and should not be relied upon in making a purchasing decision, nor as a representation, warranty or commitment to deliver specific products or functionality in the future.
CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vogogo Inc. (Vogogo or the Company) (TSX VENTURE:VGO) confirms today that it is not aware of any material undisclosed information relating to the Company that may be contributing to the recent increase in market price and level of trading activity of its shares.



About Vogogo Inc.

Vogogo has in the past provided payment processing and related transaction risk services. Vogogo has discontinued its payment processing services, however continues to own certain rights and software with respect to transaction risk services and is seeking opportunities to utilize such rights and software.

For information or interview please contact:

Gino DeMichele

Interim Chief Executive Officer and President

403-648-9292

READER ADVISORY

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 press release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. All information, other than information regarding historic fact that addresses activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company assessing alternative business opportunities and the ability to source business opportunities that will enhance shareholder value. The words will, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, intent, may, project, should, and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by Vogogo. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such 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 Vogogo. Vogogo does not have any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws.




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Air Lease Corporation (NYSE:AL) (ALC) announced the delivery of its first Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, on lease to Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB). This aircraft is the first of six new A350-900s leased to the airline, with the additional five aircraft delivering through the third quarter of 2018 from ALCs order book with Airbus.



ALC could not be more pleased to announce this milestone delivery of our first A350 XWB. We are honored to have Malaysia Airlines Berhad as our first customer, and look forward to further building out the marketplace with this game-changing aircraft, said John L. Plueger, Air Lease Corporations Chief Executive Officer and President.

We have worked closely with Malaysia Airlines Berhad on this six aircraft transaction as they roll out a major widebody fleet upgrade. We are confident that these six A350 XWB aircraft leased to MAB will benefit their global business operations, said Jie Chen, Air Lease Corporations Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Asia.

Malaysia Airlines CEO Izham Ismail said, We are very pleased to work with Air Lease Corporation on this strategic transaction. The A350 XWB is the most technologically advanced aircraft and we are confident that it will deliver exceptional passenger comfort and improve the overall efficiency of our fleet.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL)

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. For more information, visit ALC's website at www.airleasecorp.com.

About Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines (malaysiaairlines.com) is the national carrier of Malaysia and one of Asia's largest, serving 40,000 guests on 330 flights to more than 50 destinations daily. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and offers great connectivity across the globe; including oneworld hubs. Malaysia Airlines is a part of oneworld, which brings together 15 of the worlds biggest and best names in the airline industry and 30 affiliate airlines serving more than 10,000 daily departures. Through this global alliance Malaysia Airlines offers the best connectivity with seamless journeys to almost 900 destinations across 150 countries and access to over 550 airport lounges worldwide.

Contact

Investors:

Mary Liz DePalma

Director of Investor Relations

Email: mdepalma@airleasecorp.com



Media:

Laura Woeste

Manager, Media and Investor Relations

Email: lwoeste@airleasecorp.com




BURLINGTON, Ontario, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evertz Technologies Limited (TSX:ET) will release its second quarter fiscal year 2018 financial results on December 14, 2017 at approximately 4:00 p.m. (EST).



The Company will hold a conference call with financial analysts to discuss the results on December 14, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Media and other interested parties are invited to join the conference call in listenonly mode. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 647-793-2625 or Toll Free (North America) 1888-297-0356.

For those unable to listen to the live call, a rebroadcast will also be available until January 13, 2018. The rebroadcast can be accessed at 647-436-0148 or TollFree at 888-203-1112.

The pass code for the conference call and rebroadcast is 7935684.

For further information please contact:

Anthony Gridley

Chief Financial Officer

(905) 3357580

ir@evertz.com




Algiers, Nov 28, 2017 (SPS) - The Sahrawi minister of Information Hamada Salma Daf said Monday, in Algiers, that the Sahrawi State is today a national, regional and international reality, calling on the Moroccan party to stop its obstinacy and act positively with the United Nations and its special envoy to Western Sahara, Horst Kohler.

The Sahrawi state is today a national, regional and international reality and the Moroccan propaganda failed to hide its truth to the world, said Hamada Salma Daf who visited the headquarters of the Algeria Press Service Agency in the afternoon.

In this regard, the Sahrawi minister stressed the obstinacy of the Moroccan party, which continues to go against the grain by attempting to exclude the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) from participating in the AU-EU Summit scheduled in Abidjan (Cote dIvoire) on 29 and 40 November.

Recalling that the SADR is a founding member of the African Union (1984), Hamada Salma said that Morocco, which joined the organization following the signing of its charter that bans colonialism in the continent, must respect the principles and values on which the AU is founded.

The Sahrawi minister hailed, during his visit, the role of media in making the Sahrawi cause known at the international level, exposing the violations of Sahrawi peoples rights, and denouncing the arrogance of the occupation authorities of Western Sahara.

Accompanied by the Sahrawi ambassador to Algiers, Bechraya Hamoudi Bayounen the Sahrawi minister of Information also visited the headquarters of the Algerian Radio.SPS

125/090/700
Paris (France), Nov 29, 2017 (SPS) - The representative of the Frente POLISARIO in France, Ubbi Buchraya, said today, through a press release, that Morocco failed to prevent the participation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) at the Fifth EU-AU Summit, which is taking place today and tomorrow in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan.

The Saharawi diplomat stressed that "the decision of the Executive Council of the African Union not only means the respect of the decisions of the pan-African organization on the matter, but also, an indefectible support to the SADR as a founding member of the Organization. "

Oubbi Bouchraya, highlights that the Summit is celebrated at a special moment for the Saharawi cause. On the one hand, the crisis of Guergarat and the last speech of the King of Morocco, as an expression of the will to return to hostilities and, on the other hand, the way inspired by the efforts of the new UN envoy, the decision of the Court European Court of Justice and the endless resolutions of the African Union that advocate the recognition of the Saharawi people.

European leaders, who are called to contribute to peace, "will have the opportunity to meet the two leaders at the Summit and listen to the points of view in order to seek a new dynamic capable of decolonizing the territories of Western Sahara on the basis of self-determination and independence, "says Bouchraya. SPS

125/090/TRA
Algiers, Nov 29, 2017 (SPS) - Deputy speaker of the People's National Assembly (lower house of Parliament), Djamel Bouras, renewed, at the Saharawi refugee camps on Tuesday, "Algeria's unconditional support" to Western Sahara people's struggle to restore their freedom and achieve their self-termination.

Bouras, leading an MP delegation attending the festivities commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the creation of the Saharawi National Council, renewed Algeria's "principled and consistent" position in favor of Western Sahara people's cause.

The Algerian MP explained that Algeria's position stems from the values and principles of the Glorious Algerian Revolution (1954-1962).

Algeria "will continue to support the just cause of Western Sahara in the various international parliamentarian fora until victory.

"Algeria considers Western Sahara conflict as a decolonization issue requiring from the international community to support the settlement of the just cause according to the charters and resolutions of the international legality and to intervene to put an end to the exploitation of Saharawi people's resources."

Bouras hailed Western Sahara people's struggle and their determination to recover their rights, adding that they will triumph over the evil schemes of some colonial countries.

Bouras called on the international community to pay tribute to the last colony in Africa, Western Sahara, stressing the need to provide a humanitarian aid relief to the Saharawi people, who are subjected to an organized genocide.SPS

125/090/700
Brussels, Nov 29, 2017 (SPS) - The human rights violations perpetrated by Morocco in Western Sahara are numerous and daily, said Tuesday, in Brussels, the participants in a meeting on the situation of human rights in the occupied territories, denouncing the various attacks on the Sahrawis, notably the torture, population transfer and unfair trials.

During this meeting, organized at the European Parliament, Euro deputy Paloma Lopez lamented the continuation of human rights violations in occupied Western Sahara and the excessive use of violence against the Sahrawi political prisoners.

French lawyer of one of the prisoners of Gdeim Izik group Ingrid Metton, who attended the meeting, affirmed that these prisoners suffered serious violations since they were arrested, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, tortures and ill-treatments, violations of the right to a fair trial by the military justice and notably their condemnation on the basis of confessions obtained under torture.

Member of the Western Sahara Foundation Isabel Lourenco attended the trial which started on 26 December 2016 and ended in July 2017 at the Court of Appeal of Rabat-Sale. She was an international observer of 2013s military trial.

The activist Isabel Lourenco said that the political trial which culminated in the condemnation of Sahrawi prisoners didnt prove that these prisoners committed any crime or violence act. SPS

125/090/700
A fully-booked conference heard from keynote speakers including Therese Coffey MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, Defra), Sir James Bevan (Chief Executive, Environment Agency), Councillor Derek Antrobus (Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development, Salford City Council) and Lord Deben (Chair, Committee on Climate Change), as they addressed the key issues facing those who work to manage rivers and flood risk across the United Kingdom.

During this special anniversary year, it was also a poignant day, as Henry Cator DL OBE stepped down as chair of ADA after ten years of incredible service. He officially handed the chairmanship to Robert Caudwell following his formal approval during the AGM, immediately following the conference.

Welcoming the full-house, Mr Cator warned of three main threats to effective water level and flood risk management. He spoke of over-regulation representing the biggest danger, with environmental management potentially being strangled by bureaucracy.

Mr Cator was also concerned in a lack of investment, particularly as some 60 per cent of grade one agricultural land falls within districts managed by internal drainage boards. He also commented that there appeared no long-term strategy in place for future planning of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), stating this was not acceptable.

He finished by stressing the need to work together with Government and create strong partnerships to plan for the future.

Mr Caudwell, also a farmer of some 350ha of arable and horticultural land north of Boston in Lincolnshire, echoed Mr Cators view, stating, I passionately believe in partnerships, and the message to all is we will work with you, if you work with us.

But we must work as equal partners, and that means ADA, IDBs, local authorities, Government, the Environment Agency and national agencies working on an equal footing. Partnerships take a lot of work and trust, but you can deliver more.

He concluded, Every solution requires a partnership approach at all levels. It must be the norm. There will be difficulties, but we must work as partners.

Therese Coffey MP then took to the stage, returning for a second successive year to address some of the points raised during the previous year and also to announce the publication of new statutory guidance on the designation of main river. This guidance sets out the basis on which the Environment Agency should decide whether or not a river or watercourse is treated as a main river. These are usually larger rivers and streams, designated as such for the Environment Agency to manage. The guidance was published as part of the progression of de-maining pilots that were launched earlier this year.
This is not a sudden or new occurrence, said Sam MacDonald, Chair of the North Uist branch of SCF, crofters warning of the escalating geese numbers and the effect it has on crofting, and therefore on the machair habitat. SCF has been fighting for movement on this for years and have raised a petition in the Scottish Parliament. But Scottish Government have responded by systematically reducing any help. Well, it has got to the point now that if something isn't done as a matter of urgency crofting will cease and the machair will suffer irreparable damage. What else can you call that but neglect?

Crofters are angry about this Mr MacDonald continued. The machair is an internationally acclaimed habitat that has European designations such as Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA), largely due to the crofting methods we use. Yet Scottish Government has chosen to flout its obligations and to let the crofting that maintains that habitat be driven off by the damage caused by a plague of wild geese. It is ironic that Scottish Government are currently consulting on the future of crofting. The situation in Uist says quite clearly what Scottish Government think of crofters and their environment.

To rub salt into the wound, David Muir, Secretary of SCF Uists & Barra, added, there is a sizable budget of 1.3 million per year for control of wild geese in Scotland, but a million a year is spent on control of geese on the farms of Islay. Uist crofters need a small fraction of that but this year nothing has been spent in the Uists. We had a very effective scheme funded by Scottish Natural Heritage but it stopped and so now the goose population is rapidly increasing again. Why does the budget get used up on Islay?

Mr Muir added, The UK government are saying that post-Brexit rural support will be environment focussed. Is the Scottish Government of this opinion too or does it intend to continue to funnel support to farmers at the expense of crofting and the environment?
STAMFORD  The superintendent of the citys schools says hes exploring other funding options to reinstate media paraeducators as he continues to wait for allocations from the state.

Its been almost a month since the (state) budget was resolved, Superintendent of Schools Earl Kim said Wednesday. I dont know what the holdup is, and we really dont know what our allocations will be, especially in the critical area of grants, which is over half of our funding.

Kim said he will consider a supplemental appropriation from the Board of Finance for funding that could lead to reinstating media paraeducators in the schools.

The Board of Education made the request at its meeting Tuesday when several media specialists called for the return of paras to the school media centers.

Paraeducator positions were defunded in August to save money while the state was still without a budget. The district planned to reinstate the paras once it received the proper funding.

Overworked media specialists, affected students and parents have pressured the Board of Education to resolve the issue.

It is negatively impacting education for kids and staff members, board member Jackie Heftman said at Tuesdays meeting. If you really believe that this could go on for months, then we need to get in front of the Board of Finance now.

The board plans to officially vote next week on the resolution for Kim to request the funding from the Board of Finance.

However, Kim said there are challenges to making the request.

You have to really demonstrate to [the Board of Finance] that youve run out of cash, which we havent, Kim said. We just dont know how much we are going to get. Its not a typical situation.

In the meantime, school principals have been asked to gather lists of backlogged work from media specialists.

If the district does not receive the funding, the lists will be used to prioritize the need for paraeducators in each school.

The district has also contacted former paras to determine how many want to return to their positions if they are restored.

Were waiting to get final numbers, Kim said. We dont know if the funding will be what we were projecting in the spring. Thats why I have not put forward a recommendation at this time to restore the position, because we dont know what our revenue stream will be.

tclark@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2265; @TravClark2
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCP Applied Technologies (NYSE:GCP), a leading global provider of construction products technologies, has donated roofing and flooring products to Habitat for Humanity to support the repair, rebuilding and new construction of homes for families impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.



The hurricanes of 2017 have caused unprecedented devastation, forcing thousands of people out of their damaged homes, said Craig Merrill, GCPs Vice President, Global Marketing. We are pleased to assist Habitat for Humanity in its long-term hurricane recovery initiative, providing needed roofing underlayments and flooring tools to repair and rebuild homes in Florida and Texas. Our eyes are on Puerto Rico as Habitat continues to assess the situation there and determine construction plans.

Habitat has set an initial goal to help more than 6,000 families across regions impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria with home repairs and new construction. In Florida, Hurricane Irmas high winds caused extensive roof damage, especially in South Florida and the Florida Keys. To assist, GCP has donated its premium product, GRACE ICE & WATER SHIELD self-adhered roofing underlayment, and its TRI-FLEX XT synthetic roofing underlayment to rebuild and help protect from future damage.

In Texas, where Hurricane Harvey caused record flooding, GCP has donated flooring tools to Houston area Habitat chapters to replace flood damaged floors. GCPs Orcon carpet installation tool sets make installation quicker and easier.

GCP Applied Technologies also raised over $60,000, through a combination of employee and company donations, to assist employees living in the hurricane impacted regions with hurricane relief efforts.

We are fortunate that all our employees in the affected areas are safe and we are committed to support them during this difficult time, said Kevin Holland, GCPs Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Recovering from these disasters is going to take a long time and we will continue to help where we can.

About GCP Applied Technologies

GCP is a leading global provider of construction products technologies that include additives for cement and concrete, the Verifi in-transit concrete management system, high-performance waterproofing products, and specialty systems. GCP products have been used to build some of the worlds most renowned structures. More information is available at www.gcpat.com.

Media Relations

Paul Keeffe

+1 617.498.4461

mediainfo@gcpat.com

Investor Relations

Joe DeCristofaro

+1 617.498.2616

investors@gcpat.com
TULSA, Okla., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SemGroup Corporation (NYSE:SEMG) will attend the 2017 Wells Fargo Pipeline, MLP and Utility Symposium in New York City on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7.



SemGroup President and Chief Executive Officer Carlin Conner and Chief Financial Officer Bob Fitzgerald along with Houston Fuel Oil Terminal Company Chief Executive Officer Shaun Revere will conduct a series of one-on-one meetings with members of the investment community. The presentation materials will be accessible the day of the event in the investor relations section of SemGroups website at www.semgroupcorp.com.

About SemGroup

Based in Tulsa, Okla., SemGroup Corporation (NYSE:SEMG) is a publicly traded midstream service company providing the energy industry the means to move products from the wellhead to the wholesale marketplace. SemGroup provides diversified services for end-users and consumers of crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products, residual fuel oil and asphalt. Services include purchasing, selling, processing, transporting, terminalling and storing energy.

SemGroup uses its Investor Relations website and social media outlets as channels of distribution of material company information. Such information is routinely posted and accessible on our Investor Relations website at www.semgroupcorp.com, our Twitter account and LinkedIn account.

Investor Relations:

Alisa Perkins

918-524-8081

investor.relations@semgroupcorp.com

Media:

Tom Droege

918-524-8560

tdroege@semgroupcorp.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veritas Pharma Inc. (CSE:VRT) (OTC:VRTHF) (Frankfurt:2VP), (Veritas or the Company) announces the appointment of Mr. Robert Rob Dawson to its advisory board. Mr. Dawson is a highly-regarded expert in marketing and innovation with a wealth of experience in business leadership, go-to-market strategy, branding and technology.



Mr. Dawson is a performance-driven and innovative executive with over 20 years of global experience in business leadership, strategic marketing, consulting, technology, crowdsourcing, innovation and communications. He is currently President and CEO of Tectonic Strategy Inc., a boutique innovation and business model advisory firm for technology companies.

As a C-Level executive in growing software technology and innovation companies, Rob has developed and delivered compelling business strategies for both Fortune 500 and growing enterprises. His experience crosses several categories including: technology, financial services, blockchain, consumer goods, food, retail, and environmental sustainability with well-known brands such as Intel, Dell, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Expedia, HSBC, LEGO, VELCRO and others. He has extensive experience in the ideation and creation of new technology-based business models based on emerging market dynamics.

Rob has held positions as Chief Client Officer at Better Ventures and Chief Marketing Officer at Chaordix, a crowdsourcing SaaS company. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queens University. A frequent speaker at global marketing and innovation events, Rob was President of AIM, the Association of Integrated Marketers, a member of the Digital Strategy Conference Advisory Board and in 2006 he was recognized as one of BC's "Top 40 Under 40".

Veritas CEO, Dr. Lui Franciosi remarks, As we draw closer to commercialization of our patented cannabis strains, it is important that we develop compelling go-to-market strategies. Mr. Dawsons expertise in this area will be highly valuable to Veritas. We will be soon competing in the multibillion-dollar Canadian market as well as in other countries where medical cannabis is legal. We want to make ensure that we got his expertise to help us differentiate our products and develop compelling value propositions for the target markets.

From the Canadian perspective, the current total market for cannabis is estimated at $5 billion CAD of which some 20% is medical (CIBC World Markets, 2016*). Legalization of cannabis in Canada is projected to increase the market size and open new opportunities for cannabis products.

*CIBC World Markets. (2016, January 28). Growing Their Own Revenue: The Fiscal Impacts of Cannabis Legalization. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from Economic Insights.

About Veritas Pharma Inc.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is an emerging-stage pharmaceutical and IP development company, who, through its 80% owned Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd. ("CTL"), is advancing the science behind medical cannabis. It is the Company aim, through its investment in CTL, to develop the most effective cannabis strains (cultivars) specific to pain, nausea, epilepsy and PTSD, solving the critical need for clinical data to support medical marijuana claims. CTLs unique value proposition uses a low-cost research and development model to help drive shareholder value, and speed-to-market. Veritas investment in CTL is led by strong management team, bringing together veteran academic pharmacologists, anesthetists & chemists. The company's commercial mission is to patent protect CTLs IP (cultivars & strains) and sell or license to cancer clinics, insurance industry and pharma, targeting multi-billion dollar global markets.

Veritas Pharma Inc. is a publicly traded company which trades in three countries including Canada, on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the ticker VRT; in the United States, on the OTC under the ticker VRTHF; and in Germany, on the Frankfurt exchange under the ticker 2VP.

For more information, please visit our website: veritaspharmainc.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

" Dr. Lui Franciosi"

Dr. Lui Franciosi

President and Chief Executive Officer

Further information about the Company is available on our website at www.veritaspharmainc.com or under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the CSE website at www.thecse.com.

Investor and Public Relations Contact

Veritas Pharma Inc.

Sam Eskandari

Telephone: +1.416.918.6785

Email: ir@veritaspharmainc.com

Website: www.veritaspharmainc.com

The CSE has not reviewed, nor approved or disapproved the content of this press release.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Managed Services Provider, VirtualArmour International Inc. (the Company) (CSE:VAI) (3V3:F) (OTCQB:VTLR), today announced its financial results for the three and nine-month period ended September 30, 2017.



Christopher Blisard, Co-Founder and Chairman of VirtualArmour said;

These are positive results for VirtualArmour which has increased its period over period (Q316 to Q317) revenues from Managed and Professional Services by 24% across industry sectors. The sustained growth in revenue continues to be driven by increased scope and contract values with several existing clients as well as the addition of several new clients which have engaged as a result of accelerated lead generation and referral programs.

Headlines on damaging security breaches are occurring daily and with this, an increasing number of organizations are sourcing trusted specialists like VirtualArmour, which are capable of securing their business networks and sensitive data. These directives are now coming directly from the Boardroom and driving significant growth for Managed Security Services.

Due to the growing threat of targeted breaches across all industries and business sizes, the outlook for the remaining quarter of 2017 remains positive as increasing budgets are allocated to cyber protection and preparing for 2018

Financial Highlights

During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded revenues of $8,627,601 (2016 - $6,849,871), a 26.0% period over period increase.

Hardware and software sales and product support services revenues during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 were $6,755,861 (2016 - $5,298,861), a 27.5% period over period increase.

Managed and professional services revenues during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 were $1,871,740 (2016 - $1,551,010), a 20.7% period over period increase.

Gross profit as a percentage of revenue was 20.1% during the nine months ended September 30, 2017, as compared to 17.0% during the six months ended June 30, 2017. This increase in gross profit margin was driven by a higher volume of managed and professional services contracts being implemented.

The table below details certain non-cash and other transactions that for the purposes of this discussion have been adjusted out of the reported loss to produce an adjusted loss that forms a better basis for comparing the period over period operating results of the Company.

2017

$

2016

$

Loss for the period as reported (1,243,069 ) (1,762,245 ) Add (deduct): Gain on debt settlement, net of legal fees - (167,375 ) Change in fair value of warrant derivative liabilities (27,173 ) 1,351,613 G&A expense  share-based payments 84,042 132,354 Adjusted loss for the period (1) (1,186,200 ) (445,653 )

(1)Adjusted loss for the period is not a term recognized under IFRS. Non-IFRS measures do not have standardized meaning. Accordingly, non-IFRS measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Operational Highlights:

During the 3rd quarter, the Company:



-- Gained clearance from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the ticker symbol VTLR.

-- Announced the launch of a new, upgraded version of its CloudCastr Client portal. This proprietary portal delivers rich, real-time information about the environment and services managed by VirtualArmour.

-- Initiated a Personal Identity Protection Analysis for the executive leadership of its entire client base as part of its Managed Security Service.

-- Maintained 100% retention of its current client base and onboarded three new clients.

-- Integrated two new technology partners to enhance the current portfolio of manageable services.

About VirtualArmour

VirtualArmour is a global cybersecurity and Managed Services provider that delivers customized solutions to help businesses build, monitor, maintain and secure their networks.



The Company maintains 24/7 client monitoring and service management with specialist teams located in its US and UK-based security operation centers (SOC). Through partnerships with best-in-class technology providers, VirtualArmour delivers only leading hardware and software solutions for customers that are both sophisticated and scalable, and backed by industry-leading customer service and experience. VirtualArmours proprietary CloudCastr client portal and prevention platform provides clients with unparalleled access to real-time reporting on threat levels, breach prevention and overall network security.



VirtualArmour services a wide range of clients - which include those listed on the Fortune 500 - within several industry sectors, in over 30 countries, across five continents. Further information about the Company is available under its profile on the SEDAR website, www.sedar.com, on the CSE website, www.thecse.com, and on its website www.virtualarmour.com

Company Contact:

Nick Dinsmoor

Vice President Strategy and Marketing

Office: 720-644-0913

nick.dinsmoor@virtualarmour.com

Media Contact

Josh Stanbury

Office: 416-628-7441

josh@sjspr.co.uk

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. The forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of VirtualArmour. Although VirtualArmour believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information as VirtualArmour cannot provide any assurance that it will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and VirtualArmour disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
NORCROSS, Ga., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WestRock Company (NYSE:WRK), a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, announced today that it will webcast presentations from its Investor Day beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET on December 8, 2017.

The event will include presentations by members of WestRocks executive team, who will provide updates on the companys markets, operations, and growth strategies.

The webcast will be accessible in the Investor Relations section of WestRocks website at www.westrock.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the live event is completed.

About WestRock

WestRock (NYSE:WRK) partners with our customers to provide differentiated paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRocks 45,000 team members support customers around the world from more than 300 operating and business locations spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Learn more at www.westrock.com.

WestRock

Investors:

Matt Tractenberg, 470-328-6327

Vice President  Head of Investor Relations

matt.tractenberg@westrock.com

John Stakel, 678-291-7901

Senior Vice President  Treasurer

john.stakel@westrock.com

Media:

John Pensec, 470-328-6397

Director, Corporate Communications

mediainquiries@westrock.com
CHADRON  If youre looking for a temporary adventure that could lead to a promising future, Scott Bovey may be looking for you.

Bovey is the new fire management officer for the U.S. Forest Service office in Chadron. Beginning in December, hell be looking to fill hundreds of firefighting jobs.

The Forest Service hopes to hire more than 900 temporary workers across Forest Service lands in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, not all of them in firefighting.

Bovey is in charge of the first of two application phases, which will run Dec. 15-21 and will focus on wildland firefighting jobs. Applicants must be at least 18 and have a drivers license, a high school or GED diploma and be U.S. citizens. The jobs are temporary, but they pay well, Bovey said.

Its not just the hourly rate, he said. There are some unique benefits: overtime, travel, you get to see the country. In my tenure, Ive fought fires across the United States.

During fire season, workers will go where theyre needed. On a big fire they might work 16-hour days for 14 days at a time, with their expenses paid. With overtime, a firefighter could make $30,000 to $35,000 in a season, he said.

Bovey grew up in north central Idaho in a logging and agricultural community and paid his way through college as a Forest Service firefighter.

I worked on the farm, and I used to think, 'Its better than dad pays, he said. Its great for kids going to college.

Boveys been fighting fires for nearly three decades. He spent a couple of seasons as supervisor of a Hotshot crew, the most elite, highly trained teams of inter-agency wildland firefighters, who might rappel from helicopters or even parachute into a fire site.

At some point in my life it became a career, said You become a family and a crew. One of the reasons I do fire management is because of the people you work with.

Bovey came to Chadron from Pueblo, Colorado. During his career hes also been stationed in Utah, California, Minnesota and Georgia. He traveled to Scottsbluff this week to spread the word about jobs that combine elements of adventure, travel, the outdoors and doorways to future employment.

One of our weaknesses is outreach, he said. We really want a strong, diverse applicant pool. I want people with new ideas about how to do things. Theyre going to shape the future of fire management in the United States and shape incident management.

Successful applicants might do on-the-ground firefighting, but theyre also needed for engine crews, aviation support and dispatching. When theyre not actively fighting fires, they might work on trails, recreation or forestry projects. Trainees will go through a fire camp at Crawford next spring to earn their Red Card, a certification required to fight fires on federal lands.

Well have instructors from all over the region, he said. Well put them through the training they need to go through, and pay them.

A busy fire season could take wildland fighters to many places over a few months.

You get to travel. You get to be outside, he said. You can make quite a bit of money in a short amount of time.

Beyond that, many Forest Service employees began their careers as temporary firefighters. A seasoned firefighter also could get a head start on a career as a municipal firefighter or dispatcher.

Its a good springboard to start off any career, he said.

Bovey plans to set up a meeting in the area in the next few weeks to help interested local applicants navigate the usajobs.gov website, which is the only way they can apply for the jobs.

The application period is only open for a week, and it can be a cumbersome process, he said.

Additional jobs will be filled during a second hiring phase Jan. 26-Feb. 1 involving non-firefighting jobs, in forestry, wildlife management, fisheries, recreation, archaeology, engineering and administrative support. Those jobs will generally require more experience, he said.

In his new posting, Bovey will serve as fire management officer for a five-state region including Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. He is also involved with an international Forest Service program and will be traveling to India for the second year in a row to help teach fire mitigation.

Through the United States Agency for International Development, the federal agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid, Bovey helped natural resources managers in India learn fire science and ecology.

This year hell be teaching students how to manage fire risks as well as operational and leadership-based incident-management procedures.

Its a training-the-trainer class, he said.

India is considered a keystone environment, he said. The Himalayan Mountains, the highest range in the world, capture monsoonal precipitation in the form of snowfall that forms glaciers, nurtures rain forests and feeds river systems across India.

Fire can affect the glaciers in the Himalayas and potentially affect world climate, he said. Not all fire is bad. It can be good for the ecosystems, and we help them understand that.
A former Scottsbluff man has been sentenced after being convicted of sexually-assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

According to Story County, Iowa, court records, Sean Brandt, 32, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, pleaded in October to two counts of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse. Brandt was sentenced on Nov. 20 to five years probation, ordered to submit his DNA state registry and to register as a sex offender for life.

An investigation of Brandt began in July 2016. Brandt had been living in Ames, Iowa, where police received a report from a girl alleging Brandt had assaulted her. The girl alleged Brandt had touched her inappropriately. He was charged in November 2016.

Brandt is a 2003 graduate of Scottsbluff and formerly pastored in the area.
TORRINGTON, Wyo.  Its the day before Thanksgiving, and the doctor is in  along with most of his family.

A fresh batch of dough is ready to bake, and it wont wait. At the Bread Doctor bakery on Torringtons Main Street, Dr. Ezdan Fluckiger and most of his crew are out back, rolling up dinner rolls and slathering them with melted butter before popping them into the big commercial ovens. Closer to the street, a steady stream of customers flows past the heavy steel door of the former Goshen County Abstract Company, enjoying the rich aroma of fresh-baked goods and picking up breads, pies and pastries from among the shops tasty offerings.

Fluckiger is a real doctor. He arrived in Torrington in 1999 to work in the local hospital as a family physician. These days, hes also a part-time baker, sharing the labor in the shop with his wife, Lisa, and three of their four children, Grace, Eleanor and William. Grace, home for the Thanksgiving break, will be going back to college soon. Eleanor graduated from high school last year and attends Eastern Wyoming College. William is a senior at Torrington High School.

The bakery started with one additional employee when it opened in 2015, but now employs up to seven to keep up with a booming local business that includes a lot of walk-in customers. The shop has become a bit of a local tourism attraction.

Its exceeded my expectations, Fluckiger said. We have a large following of people who support the bakery.

The idea for the business took shape slowly. A bakery across the street had closed its doors long before the family had arrived. The closest regular bakery was miles away. Fluckiger had a vision for what he hoped to create: European-style artisan products made entirely from scratch.

Our products are different. Theyre less sweet. We use a lot of sourdough and long-fermentation breads. Theres more emphasis on flavor and not just sweetness.

Torrington's bread doctor says business is booming at family bakery Marda Stoliar, the Bread Doctor's baking instructor from Oregon, coaches William Fluckiger at the bakery's commercial ovens.

He and Lisa had always had an outsized interest in baking, but to fully learn the craft, he spent 10 weeks studying at the International School of Baking with Marda Stoliar in Bend, Oregon. The concentrated private instruction jammed a years worth of education into a couple of months. Stoliar, who stops by occasionally, was in the shop last week.

I come here several times a year to train new people. Im constantly teaching them new things and trying to keep things perfect, she said.

Shes always bringing new ideas, Fluckiger added. We just made peppermint bark.

The initial phase began at home, where the Fluckigers mostly filled online orders. But a year before opening the bakery, they looked for a place downtown, remodeling the historic abstract company building. Theres seating inside and outside, along with display windows where large loaves of fresh bread, cakes and pies tempt passing customers.

At the heart of the labor of love is Eleanor, who was born with Down syndrome. In the bakery, she can work alongside other family members.

I could see that I didnt want to spend the rest of my life doing only medicine, Fluckiger said. It wasnt going to give me a creative outlet. I wanted to be part of whatever her future was. We filled a niche in the community, and it was something our family could do together.

Fluckiger is also known as a song-and-dance man. Before the bakery opened, he and other family members often took part in performances at the Goshen County Theater.

I dont have time to go to rehearsals anymore, he said. Im the baker, not just the owner. Bakers work at night.

Torrington's bread doctor says business is booming at family bakery The remodeled former Goshen County Abstract Company building on Main Street is home to the Bread Doctor bakery.

During the dark hours before sunrise hell prepare dozens of loaves of bread, as well as croissants, sweet rolls, pastries, pies, cakes, cookies and meal savories such as meat pot pies, quiches and empanadas.

The bakery is usually open Thursdays through Saturdays, but it was open last Wednesday to fill a flood of Thanksgiving orders.

Thanksgiving is a food holiday, so we fit right in, he said. We made more than 100 pies. Weve done 175 dozen rolls in the past few weeks in various flavors. Were hoping to make this our biggest Thanksgiving ever.

He does his medical work in the emergency room these days. After a predictable but long, continuous shift of up to 48 hours, hes free to devote the rest of his week to the bakery. Its fulfilled the familys vision of a place where they can work together and his longing to have another outlet for his talents.

I love it, he said. I want people to be excited to come here for something new. We dispense bread love.
OMAHA  Hunger is as real in farming communities as it is in urban food deserts. Across the Heartland, thousands of children, families and seniors struggle with regularly obtaining the food they need to be healthy. Food Bank for the Heartland is committed to helping those in need in rural communities.

Food Bank for the Heartland is hosting a mobile food pantry in Harrisburg on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5-7 p.m. The mobile pantry will take place at Good Shepard of the Plains Episcopal Church, 125 Maryland Ave., Harrisburg.

The mobile pantry is for people living in Banner County and surrounding communities. Approximately 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of food will be distributed for free. Those in need of the mobile pantry are invited to bring boxes or bags to assist in carrying the food they receive. No identification is required to receive food.

Food Bank for the Heartlands mobile pantry program delivers food directly to communities that have a high need but limited food resources. The one-day distribution is free, and in Banner County will include spaghetti, tomato sauce, soup, cereal, pancake mix and other shelf-stable products along with perishable items, including a variety of fresh produce and bakery items.

Imagine the anxiety of not having the resources to feed your children or yourself, said Susan Ogborn, president and CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland. Our mobile pantry program helps alleviate this stress for food insecure families. This is the food banks second mobile pantry in Banner County.
Gering Police Department

Nov. 3

Officers investigated a report of property damage in the 700 block of M Street.

Nov. 4

Officers investigated a disturbance in the 00 block of L Street. No arrests were noted in the media report.

Nov. 5

Ruben Guerrero, 36, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of stolen property, fictitious plates, no registration and no proof of insurance. Jade Wondercheck, 37, was arrested on a Scotts Bluff County warrant and on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

Dajadela Thorpe was arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance in the 1000 block of 10th Street.

Officers investigated a report of a disturbance involving two students at Gering High School.

Nov. 10

Officers investigated a matter involving a juvenile at Gering High School. No further details were available in the media report.

Officers responded to Dollar General, 1645 10th Street, in reference to a juvenile male, alleged to have shoplifted.

In the 1800 block of 10th Street, Tristen Hinze, 20, was cited on a charge of careless driving.

Nov. 16

Police investigated a report of a vehicle that had been vandalized at Platte Valley Livestock, 815 Morrison Road.

Police investigated a report of a disturbance in the 2000 block of Sixth Street. No further details, including arrests, were noted in the media report.

A female juvenile reported the theft of a phone in the 2000 block of Sixth Street.

Nov. 21

Police investigated a theft complaint. It was determined to be a civil matter.

Police investigated a report of an internet scam. The victim reported losing $1,650.

Nov. 22

In the 700 block of M Street, police investigated a report of an assault. A 56-year-old man reported having been assaulted by another man in the 2300 block of Five Rocks Road. No further information, including an arrest, were noted in the media report.

Nov. 23

In the 1700 block of Sixth Street, Jesse Venturino, 33, was cited on a charge of disturbing the peace.

Nov. 25

A juvenile runaway with a warrant from Lancaster county was arrested in the 2700 block of Seventh Street after a traffic stop. Steven DeLos Santos, 18, was cited after a traffic stop.

Scotts Bluff County Court

Nov. 1

Katherine L. Murphy, 24, was fined $740 and sentenced to 12 months probation on a charge of possession of marijuana and attempt of a Class IV felony.

Avery Wheeler, 21, was fined $302 on a charge of driving under suspension.

Cody Mason, 18, was fined $449 on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kelsi Lamb, 30, was sentenced to 90 days jail and fined $50 on a charge of attempted possession of a controlled substance.

Joan L. Kicken, 57, was fined $150 on a charge of driving under suspension.

Brnt M. Abell, 31, was sentenced to seven days jail, one year license revocation and fined $52 on a charge of driving under suspension.

A charge of larceny against Brandy Nutter, 41, was dismissed.

Ramiro Garza, 31, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and fined $335.18 on charges of attempt of a Class IV felony, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree criminal trespassing.

Dakota Bower, 23, was fined $550 on a charge of disturbing the peace.

Nov. 2

Brandon E. Benavides, 30, was sentenced to 270 days in jail and fined $69.56 on a charge of obstructing a police officer.

Mary A. Saucedo, 30, was fined $150 on a charge of driving under suspension.

A charge of theft by shoplifting against Shelly Parker, 55, was dismissed.

Nov. 3

Timothy R. Stakehouse, 48, was fined $175 on a charge of no valid registration and no proof of insurance.

Ruben A. Guerrero, 36, was fined $174 on a charge of no valid registration and no proof of insurance.

Michael R. Cardona, 47, was fined $150 on a charge of no proof of insurance.

Taze Peterson, 16, was fined $350 and sentenced to one month license revocation on a charge of minor in possession.

Oscar Chavira Cano, 21, was fined $149 on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Oscar Chavira-Cano, 21, was fined $449 on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rhiannon Hislop, 30, was fined $575 on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, no valid registration and failure to appear.

Nov. 7

A charge of third-degree domestic assault against Matthew Fyke, 41, was dismissed.

Siera Ballinger, 22, was fined $350 on a charge of criminal mischief.

John M. Roche, 29, was sentenced to 90 days in jail, one year license revocation and fined $650 on a charge of driving during revocation, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A charge of possession of a controlled substance against Kristine J. Callahan, 19, was dismissed.

Kaden R. Munroe, 23, was fined $1,650 on charges of attempted possession of a controlled substance, no operators license and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Nov. 9

Jose C. Galindo, 43, was acquitted on a charge of assault and criminal mischief.
Chicago, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Stephen I. Hudis, DDS, FACP, was sworn in as Vice President of the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) during the 47th Annual Session of the ACP held in San Francisco, Nov. 1-4, 2017.

As a prosthodontist, my passion has always been about patient care. Science and technology have given us amazing tools to provide the best treatment outcomes for our patients, said Dr. Hudis. These are challenging times for health care delivery in this country, and especially for our specialty. I am very excited for the opportunity to support and defend our specialty and promote its continued growth.

In addition to being sworn in for this one-year term, Dr. Hudis received the Private Practice Prosthodontist Award for Region 1 (Northeast), recognizing his outstanding contributions to the specialty of prosthodontics and his role in advancing the quality of life for his patients.

Dr. Hudis has been a member of the American College of Prosthodontists since 1980, when he joined as a student. Since then, he has been heavily involved with the College including fundraising, increasing awareness, and serving on several task forces. Dr. Hudis was previously the Treasurer for the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation (ACPEF). Over his seven years in the role, the ACPEFs endowment grew from $800,000 to more than $4 million.

Currently, Dr. Hudis maintains a private practice in Princeton, New Jersey and is an associate clinical professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He is proud to be involved with Dental Volunteers for Israel where he has made several trips to help treat underprivileged children in Jerusalem. Dr. Hudis is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics.

Before attending New York University College of Dentistry where he received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS), Dr. Hudis studied music and was a professional musician. He completed his general practice residency at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, and went on to earn his certificate in prosthodontics from NYU College of Dentistry.

About Prosthodontists

A prosthodontist is a specialized dentist who focuses on the restoration and replacement of missing teeth and correcting other oral or facial issues. With their advanced training, prosthodontists are able to help patients with implants, dentures and veneers, all the way to a full mouth and jaw reconstruction.

About the ACP

The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) is the only ADA recognized organization for the specialty of prosthodontics, and is the only prosthodontic organization whose membership is based solely on education credentials. Founded in 1970, ACP is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patient care, advancing the art and science of prosthodontics, promoting the specialty of prosthodontics to the public and other dentists and healthcare professionals, ensuring the quality of prosthodontic education, and providing professional services to its membership. For more information, consumers can visit GoToAPro.org and dental professionals can visit Prosthodontics.org.

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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77c00eeb-f1c1-4c5d-b09e-9266357359e4
Connie Sue (nee Edwards) Akeson departed this life on November 24, 2017. She is now one of Heavens newest residents and will spend eternity there with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A celebration of her life will be held on Wednesday November 29th at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Chappell, NE with Pastor Neil Carlson of the Zion Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow at 3:30 P.M. in the Benkelman Cemetery, Benkelman, NE. There will be no visitation. You may view Connies Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at www.gehrigstittchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Connies name to the Concordia University Scholarship Fund, 800 N. Columbia Avenue, Seward, NE 68434

Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Connies care and funeral arrangements.

Connie was born to Tom and Geraldine (nee Reiman) Edwards on November 18, 1961. She was the eldest of three children. Connie attended Max Public Grade School during her kindergarten and first grade years and then transferred to Benkelman Grade School. She graduated from Benkelman High School in 1980. She attended WNCC in Scottsbluff where she met her future husband of 36 years, Terry Akeson.

The two were married on August 1, 1981 in the Benkelman Friends Church and to this union two daughters were born. Megan Kay (nee Akeson) Suh and McKenzie Lee Akeson. Connie had two passions in life, her family and her faith. She worked tirelessly at both endeavors. She was never too tired to proofread a school paper or bake cookies for a fundraiser. She would take every opportunity to make each day special for her family. She was very content playing a supporting role and took great joy in the successes of others. Connie was employed as a rural mail carrier for twenty years before retiring and taking a position at Security First bank in Sidney as their Security Gold Director.

Connie truly loved her job at Security First and dearly loved each and every member of her Gold Club. She would pour her whole heart into the planning and hosting of the Clubs various social events. She was a member of the County Canvassing Board, Treasurer of the Deuel County Fairbaord and a member of the PEO Sisterhood for many years.

Connies faith was the centerpiece of her life. As a young girl she committed her life to Christ and never deviated from her walk of faith. She truly loved her Lord and Savior and never passed up an opportunity to tell others about his love for them. She ministered to others by her works and deeds and never missed an opportunity to pray for Gods blessings and healings on others. She led others to Christ by her example and was truly a kind and compassionate disciple.

Connie is survived by her husband Terry of Chappell. Two daughters Megan (Kyungwon) Suh of North Platte, NE. and Mc Kenzie Akeson of Lincoln, NE, mother Geraldine Edwards of Benkelman NE, one brother Michael (Janice) Edwards of Benkelman, NE and one sister Kathy (Chris) Harrison of North Platte, NE. She was Nana to one granddaughter Adelynn Grace Suh and one soon- to-arrive granddaughter Oliveah Noelle Suh.

She was preceded in death by her father Tom Edwards, Grandparents Al Dick and Lena (nee Woods) Reiman and Alvin and Doris (nee Wilson) Edwards
Theres a lot to be thankful for this year. Ive been fortunate to enjoy a Thanksgiving break with family but am ready to go back to work with the Legislature. I hope everyone has enjoyed their Thanksgiving break as much as I have!

I am currently working on my priorities for the 2018 session. My priorities remain in funding our property tax relief, commitment to K-12 education, ensuring adequate funding for the Department of Corrections, fighting for our rural health care providers, and workforce development. I am determined to pass legislation that allows the use of tax increment financing (TIF) for workforce housing in rural Nebraska. The bill is LB 496.

TIF is used to incentivize construction of development projects. It works by assessing the current property valuation of an area, which can be a neighborhood, commercial district, or other boundary defined by a municipality. Then, using that valuation as a baseline, future increases in property tax revenues are used toward some of the construction costs. This does not affect current revenues and is always limited to a certain number of years defined by law.

In rural Nebraska, many of these projects simply will not happen without TIF.

One of the biggest problems we face in rural Nebraska is twofold: outmigration and difficulty attracting talent to live and work in our communities. In a survey conducted by the Nebraska Chamber, workforce availability remains a top concern for businesses for 5 years in a row. Affordable workforce housing is an essential piece of that equation. In a recent study commissioned by the Western Nebraska Economic Development group, Scottsbluff being a member, it was concluded that the Panhandle significantly lacks supply of affordable housing.

LB 496 will help solve that problem. I am committed to informing the public on the benefits of using TIF for workforce housing and seeing that LB 496 passes in the Legislature.

I will also be revisiting a bill that would take an inventory of federal funds coming into Nebraska  LB 611. With a federal deficit that continues to grow and changes happening in Washington, D.C., our state needs to prepare, just as any household must plan for their financial future.

Many of us are aware that the spending habits in D.C. are simply not sustainable. In Nebraska, federal funds make up 30 percent of our budget. Currently, the Appropriations Committee lacks a summarized view of all federal funds, making it difficult to prepare for changes at the federal level. Our policy decisions are often dictated by federal mandates, instead of what is best for Nebraskans.

The federal funds inventory will allow the Appropriations Committee and Legislature as a whole to conduct cost-benefit analyses that measures the impact of federal funds on our state and sets the framework for contingency planning.

Throughout the course of the last couple months, I have been continuing to meet with various stakeholders in the district including our health care providers. There are many issues impacting the quality of healthcare in the Panhandle such as funding issues, substance abuse prevention, mental health and various regulatory issues.

Ive also had the opportunity to meet with many constituents in the district. In October, I spoke at an event for retired teachers discussing issues like education legislation and public pensions. I had a wonderful time at the Regional West Foundations annual gala, where Dr. Lou Kleager and his wife, Carmen, were honored. I also stay up-to-date with Scotts Bluff County by meeting with the county commissioners.

I have also had to travel to Lincoln for the various committees on which I sit. In October, I attended a joint hearing with the Revenue Committee, where we reviewed tax incentives. The forecasting board met, revising Nebraskas projections for tax revenues. As of the current forecast, there is another $173 million budget shortfall to address. In addition, I have spent time with the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee assessing public school systems pension issues so that the Legislature can take any action needed to ensure our public school retirement pensions are sustainable.

I am getting ready for what will likely be a very hectic session, but look forward to the opportunity to represent District 48 and Nebraskas interests.

As always, I remain open to your feedback on how I may address the issues that mean most to you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions you may have. Thank you to those who have taken the time to express their views on various issues. My contact information is: Sen. John P. Stinner, District 48 State Capitol, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68209-4604; telephone: 402-471-2802; email: jstinner@leg.ne.gov.
Mooresville native Dale Earnhardt Jr., arguably the most popular driver in NASCAR history, will be the featured speaker at the 2018 Celebrate Business luncheon of the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce.

Earnhardt, who retired as a driver earlier this month, will address an expected crowd of 700-plus chamber members and guests on Jan. 23 at The Cove Church on Langtree Road. His appearance was announced Tuesday night during a chamber reception at Epic Chophouse in downtown Mooresville.

With 26 victories on all levels of NASCAR, Earnhardt has been voted by fans for 14 straight years as NASCARs most popular driver. Earnhardt also owns the JR Motorsports team.

Chamber officials didnt mask their excitement Tuesday at landing Earnhardt Jr. as their banquet speaker.

As impressive as his racing record is, over 250 times hes made a difference for children with the Make A Wish Foundation, said Jim Marshall, the chamber board chairman and CEO of blueharbor bank.

Theres no telling how many other things (Earnhardt Jr.) has done that will never be noticed or mentioned in public. Hes always done the right thing, and were so fortunate to have him.

Earnhardt is the latest in an impressive lineup of speakers at the annual chamber banquet. Last years event featured Mooresville native John Mack, a longtime Wall Street banking executive and former chairman of Morgan Stanley, while the 2015 speaker was Ford Motor Company executive Edsel Ford.

Earnhardt Jr. is the son of legendary driver Dale Earnhardt, who died during the 2001 Daytona 500, and the grandson of Ralph Earnhardt, a seven-time champion on NASCARs top circuit.

Earnhardt Jr. and his sister, Kelley, own Mooresvilles JR Motorsports. In 2007, he launched the Dale Jr. Foundation, which benefits underprivileged residents.

He and his wife, Amy, live in Mooresville.

Information about purchasing tickets to the Jan. 23 chamber event will be announced later, the chamber said.
The Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with several local partner organizations, will host a job fair from 1-4:30 p.m. Thursday at the at the Unity Center, 1145 Salisbury Road, Statesville.
KELOWNA, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A crowd gathered at Stuart Park today to support a fair first contract for CUPE 388 members who work as jail guards at the Kelowna RCMP detachment.



After more than six months of negotiations the 17 jail guards are still without a contract.

CUPE BC President Paul Faoro spoke at the rally and sent a strong message to Commissionaires BC and the City of Kelowna.

We wont stop until these 17 CUPE members have a fair collective agreement. CUPE BC is the largest union in this province and you have 87,000 members standing behind you.

Commissionaires BC has told CUPE they arent a public sector employer, so their employees shouldnt expect the same compensation as other municipal jail guards. But, perhaps they shouldnt be in the business of providing a public service, said Faoro. Maybe it is time the City seriously considers bringing this service and these dedicated employees back in house.

CUPE 338 President Lee Mossman says there is one final outstanding issue and that is wages. CUPE 338 has asked for a wage increase of $2 per hour, $1 of which would be retroactive to when bargaining started and the other $1 increase would be retroactive to October 19, 2017.

Commissionaires BC would prefer to spread that increase throughout the term of the agreement, and our message to them is that it has been long enough. At their current rate of pay, if working full time jail guards are barely living above the poverty line, says Mossman. Commissionaires BC makes a profit from providing this service, and yet they choose to pay their employees less than a living wage. We dont see how this fulfills their commitment to providing meaningful employment.

Mossman says that while the union has taken a strike vote they are committed to resolving negotiations at the table if at all possible. While no further bargaining dates have been scheduled, the union is prepared to return to the table to have meaningful discussions with Commissionaires BC.

CUPE 338 represents 1,000 members who provide vital community services to Kelowna area residents and businesses.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capilano University President Paul Dangerfield was unavailable to accept a joint student-worker delegation Wednesday attempting to deliver a petition and open letter that calls on the university management to implement a formal Living Wage and Benefits policy for all direct and contracted workers on campus.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2e32997b-1491-4b6d-a15c-2aa49b2a12f8

The President was conveniently out of the province, said Daniel Pringle, who is a founding member of the Student Worker Alliance Group (SWAG) and one of the rally organizers. It appears that this campaign is having a real impact on the campus administration. As a university and public institution, we need to be fair and set higher standards that extend to everyone who works here, added Pringle.

The joint delegation, backed by dozens of supporters, marched to the Presidents office and were told he was out of the province but they refused to leave until an assistant scheduled a Monday morning meeting.

Cleaners at Capilano University should not have to be working two and three jobs; people should be able to make enough to support themselves with one job," said Shaunti Bains who is a student and founding member of the Student Worker Alliance Group (SWAG). "Paying low-waged workers more helps the entire community.

Under the initiative Justice for all Campus Workers, over 50 students, faculty and supporters gathered in solidarity with low-wage workers in front of the Presidents office, including the Capilano University Faculty Association, MoveUp, the Hospital Employees Union, CUPW, the BCIT Faculty & Staff Association, Migrante, and the BC Federation of Labour.

The delegation wanted to give an open letter signed by over 50 stakeholders at Capilano University as well as a petition signed by over 1,200 students to the President directly, which they plan to do at Mondays meeting.

The campaign was launched in September and coincided with the commencement of bargaining for the contracted cleaners at Capilano University.

Best Service Pros keeps saying they are restricted because of their contract with the University, said Delia Tenza who is a cleaner at Capilano University and member of the Bargaining Committee. We are getting tired and we need the University to help us and stand up for good jobs.

Earlier this year, the cleaners employed by Best Service Pros won their right to join a union with SEIU Local 2 after an anti-union boss fight and long legal battle at the BC Labour Board. Their ongoing struggle to negotiate a first contract has exposed the fundamental problem of how the tendering process is creating a race to the bottom at public post-secondary institutions.

In the name of profits, university contracting-out policies have been instrumental in deteriorating working conditions for the most precarious workers on campus. As part of the university community, we call upon Capilano University to 'make your mark' and adopt a Living Wage Policy that will make the University a special place for working and learning, said Luis LM Aguiar, Professor of Sociology at UBC Okanagan and research specialist on global unions, cleaners, and neo-liberal universities.

The cleaners fight to improve their working conditions has inspired a group of students to come together and form the Student Workers Alliance Group (SWAG), that is pushing forward a policy of a Living Wage on campus and other social justice issues affecting workers and students.

In October, the Capilano Student Union also produced their own statement on making Capilano University a Living Wage Campus stating that, post-secondary institutions should be social leaders and work toward ensuring that workers on campus (whether employed directly or contracted-out) are paid a living wage, and that living wage and benefits policies should guide these institutions decisions for both their tender and non-tender contracts.

SEIU Local 2 has been urging the university to be pro-active in working with service providers to move toward a Living Wage policy, but, to date, nothing concrete has been forthcoming.

SEIU Local 2 is also engaged with organizing Best Service Pros workers across the province.

SEIUs Justice for Janitors is a movement of workers that has successfully organized to improve wages, benefits, and job security for over 7,000 janitors across Canada. SEIUs goal is to organize all janitors in BC, so together workers can raise industry standards and reverse the race to the bottom.

For more information, please visit www.justiceforjanitors.ca

The Service Employees International Union is the largest and fastest growing union in North America, with 100,000 workers in Canada and two million workers across Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico.

Contact Information

Christine Bro  778-996-4008, cbro@seiulocal2.ca
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.
SAN FRANCISCO  After Tesla's Model S sedans and Model X SUVs roll off the company's Fremont, Calif., assembly line, the electric vehicles usually make another stop  for repairs, nine current and former employees have told Reuters.

The luxury cars regularly require fixes before they can leave the factory, according to the workers. Quality checks have routinely revealed defects in more than 90 percent of Model S and Model X vehicles inspected after assembly, these individuals said, citing figures from Tesla's internal tracking system as recently as October. Some of these people told Reuters of seeing problems as far back as 2012.

Tesla Inc. said its quality control process is unusually rigorous, designed to flag and correct the tiniest imperfections. It declined to provide post-assembly defect rates to Reuters or comment on those cited by employees.

The world's most efficient automakers, such as Toyota, average post-manufacturing fixes on fewer than 10 percent of their cars, according to industry experts. Getting quality right during initial assembly is crucial, they said, because repairs waste time and money.

At Tesla "so much goes into rework after the car is done ... that's where their money is being spent," a former Tesla supervisor said.

The Silicon Valley automaker said the majority of its post-assembly defects are minor and resolved in a matter of minutes.

Tesla has enthralled consumers with sleek designs, clean technology and legendary acceleration on its pricey cars. A Consumer Reports survey found 91 percent of Tesla owners would buy again.

Still, the magazine and market researcher J.D. Power have dinged the company on quality, citing troubles such as faulty door handles and body panel gaps. Bernstein analyst A.M. (Toni) Sacconaghi Jr. test-drove one of the company's new Model 3 sedans earlier this month, writing that the fit and finish were "relatively poor." Tesla owners have complained on web forums of annoying rattles, buggy software and poor seals that allow rainwater to seep into the interior or trunk.

Auto industry experts say the company's survival now depends on its ability to crank out high-quality cars in volume as it begins to build its first mass-market car, the Model 3, which starts at $35,000.

Tesla has never turned an annual profit and is burning through $1 billion a quarter. That is unsustainable without fresh cash or a big increase in sales to mainstream customers who may prove less forgiving of potential defects.

"We've never doubted Tesla's ability to make exciting products with top specifications, but there's a difference between unveiling something and then actually making it perfectly in large volume. Tesla has not perfected the latter yet," Morningstar analyst David Whiston wrote earlier this month.

Tesla founder Elon Musk has vowed the company would become "the best manufacturer on Earth," helped by a new, highly automated assembly line and a simpler design for the Model 3. However, production woes have slowed deliveries of the much-anticipated sedan.

Snags are normal with any new launch. But chronic defects with Tesla's established Models S and X show a company still struggling to master basic manufacturing, workers said.

Known as "kickbacks" within Tesla, these vehicles have glitches as minor as dents and scratches to more complex troubles such as malfunctioning seats. Easy fixes are made swiftly on the factory floor, workers said.

Trickier cases head to one of Tesla's outdoor parking lots to await repair. The backlog in one of those two lots, dubbed the "yard," has exceeded 2,000 vehicles at times, workers told Reuters.

Tesla denied to Reuters that such "repair lots" exist.

Reuters interviewed nine current and former Tesla employees, including a former senior manager, with experience in assembly, quality control and repairs on Model S and Model X. All requested anonymity because the company required them to sign non-disclosure agreements. Four of the people were fired for cause, including two last month as part of a mass dismissal of hundreds of workers for what Tesla said was poor performance. Sacked workers who spoke with Reuters denied they were poor performers.

People with knowledge of Tesla's internal quality data shared those figures with Reuters. The news agency was unable to confirm the information independently.

Defects included "doors not closing, material trim, missing parts, all kinds of stuff. Loose objects, water leaks, you name it," another former supervisor said. "We've been building a Model S since 2012. How do we still have water leaks?"

Build fast, fix later

Tesla disputed workers' portrayal of the automaker as struggling to produce defect-free vehicles. A spokesperson described a rigorous process that requires all cars to pass more than 500 inspections and tests. Any reworking of cars after assembly reflects the company's commitment to quality, the spokesperson said.

"Our goal is to produce perfect cars for every customer," Tesla said in a statement. "Therefore, we review every vehicle for even the smallest refinement. Most customers would never notice the work that is done post production, but we care about even a fraction of a millimeter body gap difference or a slight paint gloss texture. We then feed these improvements back to production in a pursuit of perfection."

Employees who worked on Model S and Model X described pressure to keep the assembly line moving, even when problems emerged. Some told of batches of cars being sent through with parts missing  windshields in one case, bumpers in another  because there were none on hand. The understanding, they said, was that these and other flaws would be fixed later.

Quality inspectors would sometimes find more defects than those reported by workers in the internal tracking system when a car came off the line. "We'd see two issues, that's pretty good. But then we'd dig in and there would be like 15 or 20," one person said.

One persistently tricky area was alignment, where body parts had to be "muscled," in the words of the senior manager, to a certain degree of flushness. Not every team follows the same rule book, workers said, resulting in gaps of different size.

Tesla denied that its quality control is inconsistent and said its "extensive" process for locating and fixing errors was "very successful."

Some workers traced the challenges to Musk's determination to launch vehicles faster than the industry norm by shortening the design process, skipping some pre-production testing, then making improvements on the fly. Such improvisation leads to high repair rates, employees said.

For a March report called "Beyond the Hype," J.D. Power found creaks, scratches and poor door alignment on new Model S and Model X vehicles, issues it blamed on the company's lack of manufacturing experience. The overall quality of Tesla vehicles, it concluded, was "not competitive" within the luxury segment, lacking "precision and attention to detail."

Such sloppiness is a rarity in luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, said Kathleen Rizk, director of global automotive consulting at J.D. Power.

"Those companies have been manufacturing forever," she said. "They have stopgaps."

Tesla said its high customer satisfaction proves it is building the "safest and best-performing cars available today."
A contractor for the Missouri Department of Transportation was electrocuted Wednesday morning while working in a boom truck along Interstate 44.

The Missouri Highway Patrol is investigating the death.

The worker, Stephen J. Tepatti, 39, of Florissant, was killed about 9:45 a.m. along eastbound Interstate 44 west of Interstate 270, according to Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Dallas Thompson. Thompson said Tepatti was operating a boom truck underneath a power line when the equipment hit a power line.

"He raised the boom up and it touched the powerline that goes across the highway. Electricity went from the power line through the boom truck where he was standing," Thompson said.

Tepatti was pronounced dead on the scene, Thompson said.

The accident caused a power outage in the area that has been restored. One lane of the ramp on Rudder Road into eastbound Interstate 44 was blocked, Thompson said. All lanes are now open.
Updated at 5:50 p.m. Tuesday with new details from police.

RICHMOND HEIGHTS  Police arrested a woman early Tuesday in the shooting death of a man at a Richmond Heights apartment building.

Police said the man killed was 31 and that the woman in custody was his 29-year-old girlfriend. "She admitted to shooting him during a domestic violence incident," the department said in a Facebook post on the incident.

The case has been handed over to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office for potential charges, police said.

The shooting happened at 12:43 a.m. Tuesday in the 7200 block of West Park Avenue.

West Park is near Highway 40 (Interstate 64) and Bellevue Avenue, in a neighborhood next to St. Mary's Hospital.
A Francis Howell High School teacher was shot Wednesday afternoon on a trail in the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area near the school, police and school officials said.

The teacher, 36, was treated at a hospital and released Wednesday night, district spokesman Matt Deichmann said.

The teacher was running about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday on a trail he knows well when he crossed paths with an unknown man, police said. Immediately after they passed one another, the other man fired multiple rounds from a handgun at the teacher.

The teacher was hit once in the back, St. Charles County Police spokeswoman Val Joyner said Wednesday evening.

A third person police described as a good Samaritan brought the teacher to the high school, and an ambulance took him to a hospital from there.

The gunman fled the trail on foot. He was described as a white man in his 30s or 40s in a black coat and tan pants, armed with a handgun.

The high school had already dismissed early for the day when the shooting happened, so only students participating in after-school activities were still at the school, Deichmann said. The school was put on lockdown after the shooting, and students were released to their families under police supervision.

The district also put nearby schools on lockdown as a precaution, including the Meadows Parkway Early Childhood Center, Independence Elementary, John Weldon Elementary and Daniel Boone Elementary. St. Charles County police supervised dismissal at those schools too, Deichmann said.

Police were in the area and a helicopter was overhead, but it wasnt clear whether they believe the shooter is still near the scene.

Deichmann said Wednesday night that all district schools would be open on Thursday but with an extra police presence. In addition, counselors would be available.

Meanwhile, the search for the gunman continued. Authorities ask anyone with information about the shooting to call St. Charles County police at 636-949-3000 or their tip line at 636-949-3002.
Updated at 3:30 p.m. to include comments from Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.

WASHINGTON  Most of the Missouri congressional delegation was expected to be in St. Charles Wednesday with President Donald Trump, but Rep. William Lacy Clay was on the House floor delivering a welcome of his own.

Clay, D-St. Louis, called the tax-cut plans that Trump would push in the St. Louis suburbs a indefensible Republican tax scam that will ensure that the haves will have more and everyone else will pay for it.

Clay echoed Democratic opposition that the Republican plan to lower individual tax rates and reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent would disproportionately accrue to the wealthy, and that corporate rate reductions are permanent in the bill, while those to individuals would expire in 2025. He also criticized GOP plans to remove student-loan debt deductions.

Republicans say reduced rates will have a broad benefit for the middle class, and that under congressional budgetary rules they cant make the individual tax cuts permanent without help from Democrats, who, so far, are unanimously opposed to the GOP plans in both houses of Congress.

Democrats are also opposed to GOP plans to repeal the individual mandate requiring Americans to have health insurance, or face fines, that was an underpinning of the Affordable Care Act.

That would strip healthcare coverage away from 13 million Americans, Clay said. Republicans argue that low-income Americans could still buy subsidized insurance through Obamacare, but that they would not be required to do so if their tax plan passes.

Clay also seized on the GOP plan's red-ink impact, saying that the tax cuts would explode the debt by charging an additional $1.4 trillion on the national credit card. Some Republicans share this concern, but many argue that reduced rates will spur economic growth and that additional revenues to the government would be enough to cover that hole in the budget.

Democrats, including Clay, have also pointed to studies showing that taxes for some middle-income Americans could go up if they lose deductions like those for state and local taxes, or mortgages on homes in high-home-cost areas.

Clay also referred to worries by Missouri Republican legislative leaders who worry that the GOP plan could reduce state revenues by $1 billion because the Missouri tax code is tied to the federal one.

I would like President Trump to Show Me how he intends to ever look middle-class families in the face again when he promised to lower taxes for every American, Clay said.

Trump invited Republicans from the Missouri delegation to accompany him to St. Charles, but not Clay or Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., did not go with Trump on Air Force One because he wanted to stay in Washington to work on getting a tax-cut package passed in the Senate, his communications director, Katie Boyd, said.

After the speech, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, whose district includes the location where Trump spoke, issued a statement praising the president.

"The president's choice to come to St. Charles and speak directly with us about how tax reform will help families in our state keep more of their own money shows just how important our region is to the economic success of our country," said Luetkemeyer.


In Perus Deserts, Melting Glaciers Are a Godsend (Until Theyre Gone)



Accelerating glacial melt in the Andes caused by climate change has set off a gold rush downstream, letting the desert bloom. But as the ice vanishes, the vast farms below may do the same.



By NICHOLAS CASEY





VIRU, Peru  The desert blooms now. Blueberries grow to the size of Ping-Pong balls in nothing but sand. Asparagus fields cross dunes, disappearing over the horizon.



The desert produce is packed and shipped to places like Denmark and Delaware. Electricity and water have come to villages that long had neither. Farmers have moved here from the mountains, seeking new futures on all the irrigated land.



It might sound like a perfect development plan, except for one catch: The reason so much water flows through this desert is that an icecap high up in the mountains is melting away.



And the bonanza may not last much longer.



If the water disappears, wed have to go back to how it was before, said Miguel Beltran, a 62-year-old farmer who worries what will happen when water levels fall. The land was empty and people went hungry.



In this part of Peru, climate change has been a blessing  but it may become a curse. In recent decades, accelerating glacial melt in the Andes has enabled a gold rush downstream, contributing to the irrigation and cultivation of more than 100,000 acres of land since the 1980s.



Yet the boon is temporary. The flow of water is already declining as the glacier vanishes, and scientists estimate that by 2050 much of the icecap will be gone.





A 30-year-old photograph taken from a nearby location was placed on the path to the Pastoruri glacier in Ancash, Peru, showing how far the ice has retreated. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





A family harvesting flowers in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





An irrigation running through the desert south of Trujillo, Peru. Accelerating glacial melt in the Andes has allowed more than 100,000 acres of land to be brought into cultivation since the 1980s. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





Throughout the 20th century, enormous government development projects, from Australia to Africa, have diverted water to arid land. Much of Southern California was dry scrubland until canals brought water, inciting a storm of land speculation and growth  a time known as the Water Wars depicted in the 1974 film Chinatown.



Yet climate change now threatens some of these ambitious undertakings, reducing lakes, diminishing aquifers and shrinking glaciers that feed crops. Here in Peru, the government irrigated the desert and turned it into farmland through an $825 million project that, in a few decades, could be under serious threat.



Were talking about the disappearance of frozen water towers that have supported vast populations, said Jeffrey Bury, a professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz who has spent years studying the effects of glacier melt on Peruvian agriculture. That is the big picture question related to climate change right now.



A changing climate has long haunted Peru. One past civilization, the Moche people, built cities in the same deserts, only to collapse more than a millennium ago after the Pacific Ocean warmed, killing fish and causing flash floods, many archaeologists contend.



Now dwindling water is the threat. While more than half of Peru sits in the wet Amazon basin, few of its people ever settled there. Most inhabit the dry northern coast, cut off from most rain by the Andes range. While the region includes the capital, Lima, and 60 percent of Peruvians, it holds only 2 percent of the countrys water supply.



The glaciers are the source of water for much of the coast during Perus dry season, which extends from May to September. But the icecap of the Cordillera Blanca, long a supply of water for the Chavimochic irrigation project, has shrunk by 40 percent since 1970 and is retreating at an ever-faster rate. It is currently receding by about 30 feet a year, scientists say.



Farmers along the 100-mile watershed that winds its way from the snowcapped peaks to the desert dunes say they are already feeling the effects of the change.



The retreat of the icecap has exposed tracts of heavy metals, like lead and cadmium, that were locked under the glaciers for thousands of years, scientists say. They are now leaking into the ground water supply, turning entire streams red, killing livestock and crops, and making the water undrinkable.





Workers harvesting asparagus in the sand south of Trujillo, Peru. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





Temperatures in this area have risen sharply, leading to strange changes in crop cycles, farmers say. Over the past decade, corn  which since precolonial times was grown only once a year in the mountains  can now be harvested in two cycles, sometimes three.



That would be a windfall, said farmers like Francisco Castillo, if it were not for all the pests that now thrive in the warmer air.



For Mr. Castillo, who plants corn and rice near the Santa River in Chimbote, it was a worm that became the scourge for him and neighboring farmers. It suddenly started devouring their crops in the early 2000s.



Then, last year, came the rats.



This wasnt a place you had rats before, Mr. Castillo said.



For Justiniano Daga, a 72-year-old farmer, the breaking point for his cotton crops came when red ants ate away the buds. This year, he has decided to plant sugar cane instead and move some of his production to higher altitudes where it is colder.



But the pests will arrive there, too, as temperatures keep rising, Mr. Daga said.



The Chavimochic project, which lies just north of where the Santa River meets the Pacific Ocean, is a crown jewel of Peruvian agriculture and civil engineering.



The government aimed to create industrial-scale agriculture in Perus northern deserts through a sprawling system of locks and canals. The ideas supporters promised profits through exports to markets in North America, Asia and Europe, where the fruit seasons were reversed.



The first phase of the project started in 1985 with a 50-mile canal that irrigated a valley and brought a large hydroelectric plant, providing electricity to residents. In the early 1990s, Peru began a second phase, which irrigated two more valleys and created a water treatment plant that served 70 percent of the surrounding population.





The ruins of the Temple of the Sun, built by the Moche people, whose civilization collapsed more than a millennium ago after the Pacific Ocean warmed, killing fish and causing flash floods. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





Blueberries in the region grow to five times their normal size. They are shipped to China, where they are prized. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





A team of glacier researchers walking in Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The temperature at the site of the glaciers rose between 0.5 and 0.8 degrees Celsius between the 1970s and early 2000s. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





All told, more than 100,000 acres of desert were brought into cultivation.



Years ago, if I gave you a plot of land here, youd have said, What do I do with this?  said Osvaldo Talavera, a spokesman for the water district. Now youd say, Do you have another plot for me? 



Among the investors was Rafael Quevedo, a wealthy Peruvian landowner who began snapping up arid tracts after studying desert hydroponic techniques in Israel. His proposition was simple: With enough water and fertilizer, asparagus could be grown directly in the sand  and at yields per acre far higher than in the United States because Peru has no cold season and more days of sun.



Weve started a new chapter in the history of cultivation, said Mr. Quevedo, who runs a farming company called Talsa.



Blueberries on a sandy hillside here grow to be five times as big as a normal-size blueberry before being sent to China, where they are prized for their size. A form of white asparagus, favored by Europeans, is grown by burying the stalks in sand. A reservoir was created out of a dune. More than 8,000 tons of produce grows here every year.



Yet at the headwaters of the Santa River, in the mountain city of Huaraz, Cesar Portocarrero, a Peruvian climatologist, sees problems afoot for those downstream.



The temperature at the site of the glaciers rose 0.5 to 0.8 degrees Celsius from the 1970s to the early 2000s, causing the glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca to double the pace of their retreat in that period, Mr. Portocarrero said. Several times a year, he and other scientists would make brutal hikes into the glacial valleys, where they found entire sections of the icecap gone. One part of an exposed glacier revealed fossils of dinosaur footprints.





Sand dunes near agricultural lands in Viru Valley, Peru. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





A 2012 study by scientists from the United States and Canada showed that water flow in the Santa River was falling, and that at current rates, the river could lose 30 percent of its water during Perus dry season.



Each year there is less water; each day there is less water, Mr. Portocarrero said.



When Odar Gomez headed to Chavimochic to look for work in 1997, he was only the third person to do so from his impoverished mountain town, where many eked out a living with the subsistence farming of corn.



It was the start of a wave of migration from the mountainside to the coast set off by the arrival of the water.



One coastal town, Viru, went from a population of 9,000 in the 1990s to 80,000 today. Another, Valle de Dios, was an empty desert canyon until it was invaded by squatters in the early 2000s. The new arrivals were mainly agricultural workers and transformed it into a full-fledged town with a pharmacy, a grocery store and a mechanics garage.



Mr. Gomez began to work at Talsa, and he headed to the mountains on weekends to recruit others to join him.



Now in my village you have empty homes where whole families have left, he said. People are coming from the Amazon. Chavimochic was our salvation.







The town of Valle de Dios, which was an empty desert canyon until it was invaded by squatters in the early 2000s. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times







Support staff members for a research team rested at the base of a glacier after hiking from their base camp. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times







A shepherd with his flock in the Cordillera Blanca, some 14,000 feet above sea level. Credit Tomas Munita for The New York Times





The water has also transformed life on the coast.



About a decade ago, a Danish-Peruvian operation installed running water and electricity in the town of Huancaquito Alto, where the business was employing many residents in its packing plant. The town of 2,500 now has a municipal cleaning system that employs trash collectors.



This was all grassland, said Edgar Garcia, a member of the town council, pointing at a new public plaza that was opened last year.



Mercedes Beltran grew up in San Bartolome, which was barely a village, with only three families. Her grandfather fished from a traditional reed raft. There was no market, we bartered between ourselves, she said.



Now her family plants asparagus for the American market, benefiting from competition between buyers that keeps prices high, she said.



Even the slightest reduction in the flow of the Santa River causes alarm here. The hydroelectric plant now provides power to 50,000 people; treated river water supplies 700,000 people.



In years to come, we will be fighting over water, said Mr. Gomez.



The government has struggled to offer solutions. One proposal would try to capture rain runoff from the Andes during the wet season in a large dam. But construction on the dam was led by Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company that admitted to paying $800 million in bribes throughout Latin America.



The dam is now completely paralyzed, with few signs that it will be starting again soon, said Miguel Chavez Castro, the director of the project.



Meanwhile, planners here continue to push for more irrigation. They are now eyeing desert tracts farther to the south for a new 80-mile canal that would, at least for now, supply another 50,000 acres of desert with water.



But Mr. Garcia, the council member in Huancaquito Alto, is not taking any chances. He has refurbished an old well used by his father to hold water in the days before this area was irrigated, and he is building a new one near his asparagus fields.



Because of this water, our children have been able to go to university, he said. But if there is no water from the Santa River, that all changes.



He added: We have to get our wells ready. Sure, its like going back in time, but what can we do?





Luis Puell and Andrea Zarate contributed reporting.
ST. CHARLES  President Donald Trump traveled to Missouri on Wednesday to whip up support for the Republican tax plan working its way through Congress  and in the process put himself squarely into the states heated 2018 U.S. Senate race.

In a speech that appeared to be a mix of prepared remarks and ad libs, Trump several times expressed his support for Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley in the states Republican Senate primary next year.

At least three other Republicans are seeking the nomination, including one who calls himself the MAGA candidate, referring to Trumps Make America Great Again slogan.

Nonetheless, Trump, in introducing local GOP officials on the hand for the event, called Hawley our next senator. Later in the speech, he vowed: Josh, when youre ready, you have my word, Im going to come here and campaign for you.

In a speech to about 1,000 invited supporters at the St. Charles Convention Center, Trump hammered at the message that the Republican tax plan is the best way to offer relief to the American people.

He hearkened back to St. Charles past as a frontier city, saying America could rediscover the pioneer spirit, and he praised the citys Main Street corridor. Just as its always been, Main Street is the heart of our economy, he said, asserting that tax cuts would stimulate the nations economy.

Trumps comments on Missouris U.S. Senate race are likely to further cement Hawleys status as front-runner for the Republican nomination. The eventual nominee will challenge incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., as she seek her third term next November.

One of Hawleys Republican challengers for the Senate nomination, former Libertarian presidential candidate Austin Petersen, declared Trumps comments not the end of the world.

Trump endorsed Luther Strange in Alabama over Roy Moore in that states Republican Senate primary this year, and we saw how that worked out, Petersen said. Moore won.

Fellow GOP candidate Courtland Sykes, an enthusiastic Trump supporter who calls himself the MAGA candidate, issued a statement saying: I remain 100 percent behind the president  . The president is being badly advised. Retired Air Force pilot Tony Monetti also has said hes running.

McCaskill is widely considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate next year. Trump told the audience that she has done you an incredible disservice by opposing the Republican tax measure so far.

McCaskill has said she favors tax reform but doesnt agree with the Republican plans approach. She reiterated that stance Wednesday in a statement: This tax plan doesnt live up to the commitment I got from President Trump, when he told me he wouldnt support tax reform that benefited the very rich at the expense of the little guy.

Trump repeatedly maintained on Wednesday that the tax plan was mainly a benefit for the working class and that it would hurt the rich.

Our focus is on helping folks who work in the mail rooms and the machine shops of America, the plumbers, the carpenters, the cops, the teachers, the truck drivers, Trump told the enthusiastic crowd.

At another point, Trump, Americas first billionaire president, predicted: This is going to cost me a fortune.

Thats disputed by most experts, including those who analyze fiscal issues for Congress. The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that the plan as currently envisioned would ultimately translate into a tax increase for most families earning under $75,000 annually, while adding some $1.4 trillion to the federal deficit.

The tax plan, which still consists of separate House and Senate plans that would need to be reconciled, includes major reductions in the corporate tax rate and individual tax rates, and dramatically increases the standard deduction that many taxpayers use instead of itemizing individual deductions.

Republicans said that in addition to those benefits, it would improve the economy by loosening up business capital for reinvestment and job creation.

These massive tax cuts will be rocket fuel ... for the American economy, Trump said.

Critics point out that the plan gives permanent tax benefits to businesses and wealthy taxpayers, while the tax cuts for middle and lower incomes will expire within a few years. The plan also has drawn fire for proposing to take away current tax exemptions on student loan interest, graduate student tuition benefits, family major medical expenses, state and local income tax bills and other areas that would hit middle- and lower-class taxpayers.

One big advantage for the wealthiest taxpayers, including Trump, would be a loosening of the estate tax, which would allow millions of dollars to pass down through generations within those families with lower taxes. Trump derided the estate tax as a death tax and pressed the need to get rid of it.

I see people right here, theyre obviously very rich and they love their children, said Trump, motioning toward the audience. They love their children, theyre very rich, they want to pass on what they have.

When he arrived Wednesday at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Trump was greeted by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and Hawley. The president walked with Greitens toward a small crowd of well-wishers. For several minutes, Trump spoke with members of the crowd, surrounded by Secret Service agents and aides. He waved, pumped his fist, clapped and got in a waiting limousine for the trip to St. Charles.

Greitens and Hawley were among about 100 people on the tarmac to welcome the president, as was St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith  who received a presidential shout-out at the beginning of Trumps address.

I have a lot of faith in Faith  Sally Faith, Trump said.

More than 100 protesters began gathering outside the center hours before the scheduled speech, but police had blocked off the streets close to the building. Police officers, some in riot gear, were patrolling.

Some protesters were chanting Kill that bill! referring to the tax overhaul measure; others held signs calling Trump a liar.

A somewhat smaller group of pro-Trump demonstrators, some holding signs saying Make America Great, Fix the Rate, stood across the street from protesters.

Trump traveled with several administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Linda McMahon, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., was invited but elected to stay in Washington to work on the tax cut legislation. All six of Missouris Republican House members were aboard Air Force One to attend the speech.

Doug Moore and Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
DGAP-Ad-hoc: Holmes Investment Properties PLC / Key word(s): Miscellaneous/Joint Venture

Holmes Investment Properties Plc in advanced talks with prospective joint venture partner to co-fund Activity Centres



29-Nov-2017 / 15:45 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Holmes Investment Properties Plc in advanced talks

with prospective joint venture partner to co-fund Activity Centres

Holmes Investment Properties PLC (HIP) is in advanced talks with a leading property company to jointly fund the first venues for Mr David Lloyd's venture, "Adrenaline World." HIP's published plan is to finance and develop the first twelve of Mr Lloyd's Activity Centres over 5 years.

The agreement under discussion would greatly strengthen HIP. In addition to sourcing and acquiring sites, the potential partners will bring a wealth of experience in developing sites that will bring further potential gains to the joint businesses of HIP and Mr David Lloyd.

The partner specialises in land acquisition and development in the hotel, leisure, and retail sectors. In particular their skills will be invaluable to achieve the maximum profitability of sites, which could be split delivering mixed use schemes of leisure for HIP and Mr Lloyd and housing for their own business. In return, this will give Holmes Investment Properties access to larger, more suitable plots, which may lead to better profitability.

Holmes Investment Properties has an exclusive arrangement with Mr David Lloyd's Company, DLAP Limited. CEO of HIP, Martin Helme said: "We are delighted that negotiations are progressing well. These potential partners have available land, a deep well of property development skills and a well-connected finance network. They dovetail neatly with the venue builder and architect we have signed up, too. HIP and Mr David Lloyd are ready to go. In the coming weeks, we are collectively focussing on getting the Option to Purchase agreements signed with landowners. This paperwork does take time, as any land deal must be absolutely watertight. We are grateful to our shareholders for their continued support and believe HIP has all the ingredients for a very successful venture."

Contact:

Martin Helme, Chief Executive Officer

+44 (0)7779 601541 or +44 (0)203 709 7120

Martin@hip-prop.co.uk

Murray Harkin, The Lyndon Agency

+44 (0)77852 54639

Murray@thelyndonagency.com
More details about a first-of-its-kind hunt in south-central Montana to determine the spread of chronic wasting disease have been revealed.

One thousand special mule deer B licenses are being requested by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to issue to hunters in an attempt to kill more than 300 deer in the region.

The request is one of many items on the agenda for the Fish and Wildlife Commission, which will meet on Dec. 7 in Helena. The commission must approve the special hunt because FWP is still in the process of creating its chronic wasting disease plan. Until then, the agency is following the guidelines of the draft plan and communicating with commissioners.

"We commend FWP for jumping on this early," said Nick Gevock of the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Questions

A number of unknowns surround the process, such as: Will hunters respond in appropriate numbers?

The success of this effort is obviously going to hang on hunters, said Greg Lemon, FWP information officer.

If hunters dont buy and use the licenses, FWP will have to consider other options.

Weve lined out the plan to provide us with a variety of options, Lemon said. Before we got to some type of agency removal or sampling of the deer we would be doing everything we can to use hunters by using partners  to try and help us out.

I think its important we have a quick response to this and thats what were doing, Lemon added, but he said that if enough samples aren't collected that won't be an immediate problem. I dont think were feeling that pressure to get 368 samples come hell or high water.

Licensing

FWP is requesting that the special licenses go on sale by Dec. 11. The first special hunt would begin on Dec. 15 and run through Jan. 14 in whats being called the Bridger Special CWD Hunt, because of its proximity to the town of Bridger, located 50 miles south of Billings. The second hunt period would be from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. Five hundred licenses would be sold for each hunt period at a price of $10 each for Montana residents, $20 for nonresidents. The licenses would be specific to each hunt period.

When we reach sampling objective well stop the hunt, Lemon said.

Unlike a damage hunt, which focuses on the removal of female animals to reduce populations, licenses for the CWD hunt would be issued for does and bucks, with the proportion mirroring the buck-to-doe ratio in the areas mule deer population. The breakdown for the license sales will be 400 antlerless and 100 either-sex per period. Each hunter could purchase one either-sex license and up to six antlerless tags. Hunters who had purchased B tags for the regular season would have those count toward their total number of possible B tags.

The only legal licenses for the hunt will be the special licenses, hunters cannot use leftover tags from the general season.

The special mule deer B licenses would only be valid in the designated hunt area, which will be defined in maps given to those who buy the licenses.

The area

The general region for the hunt would range from Red Lodge to Fromberg, east of Highway 310 to the border of the Crow Indian Reservation and the western edge of Hunting District 510. It would also include the towns of Belfry and Bearcreek, and east of Bridger and southeast of Fromberg.

We arent handing out copies of the map at this point, Lemon said. Were trying to be as open about what were planning as we can be  to prepare landowners and hunters. But were worried about having to redraw the map and have a bad draft circulating around.

All animals shot during the hunt would be tested for CWD to determine the diseases spread. A check station may be set up at the rest area just north of Bridger. Successful hunters would be asked to pinpoint on a map or with GPS coordinates where the deer was killed.

We want to make it as convenient as we can for folks, Lemon said.

FWP is also calling on landowners in the special hunt area to cooperate with the agency and hunters as mule deer at this time of the year tend to concentrate on agricultural fields where food is more readily available, Lemon said.

Testing

FWP has not decided whether to reimburse those hunters whose animals test positive for CWD for their license expense, as was the case during the general season. To qualify the hunter had to return the deer meat, carcass and antlers to FWP. The agency will not reimburse hunters for the cost of having their meat processed, should it turn out to be CWD positive. FWP has been getting its lab results in about 10 to 11 days, but hunters are typically advised to let their animals carcass age no more than a week. That puts hunters in the awkward position of having to pay to have their meat processed, or doing the work themselves, knowing they may be advised to not consume the venison.

Any hunters traveling to the area to hunt will not be allowed to take carcasses out of Carbon or Yellowstone counties without the animals being deboned and the antlers free of tissue. This is meant to reduce the chance that an infected animal's carcass may be left somewhere that could infect animals outside of the current CWD detection zone.

Our real concern is transporting carcasses from CWD-infected animals to other parts of the state, Lemon said. But the biggest threat to transmission is a live animal walking around.

The hunt would also reduce the number of mule deer, somewhat lessening the chance for CWD to spread. The disease is known to transfer more easily when animals are crowded together, like on winter range habitat.

Two mule deer bucks shot this fall in Hunting District 510, located south of Bridger, have tested positive for CWD. One was killed 10 miles southeast of Bridger and the other 3 miles south of Belfry. The designated CWD hunting area, known as the Initial Response Area, is roughly a 10 mile radius around where each deer was killed.

Contingency

FWP is also requesting that it be allowed to issue another 1,000 licenses for the special hunt, if necessary, based on test results from samples taken from deer harvested during the regular season. Those results arent due back until after the Dec. 7 commission meeting. More positive results could prompt FWP to expand the hunt area.

Other CWD positives may be found through ongoing surveillance between this writing and the end of the general season that would expand the IRA, FWP writes in its agenda item. In that case we would redefine the IRA and sampling needs and need to issue more licenses before initiating the hunt and selling licenses.

Chronic wasting disease is a contagious, fatal illness that can also infect elk, whitetail deer and moose. So far it has been detected in 21 states, including Wyoming, where the disease is believed to have migrated into Montana from, and two Canadian provinces. The disease is not known to spread to cattle or humans, but hunters who kill an animal that tests positive for CWD are advised not to eat the meat.

Compared to a regular-season hunt, we realize there are a lot of steps were asking people to go through, Lemon said. Were hopeful people see the importance of this, not just for the meat, but to determine the best way to manage the disease going forward.
Organisers say they are already seeing entries streaming through from artists working across a wide range of three-dimensional art fields, and the flow is expected to increase in the lead up to the entry deadline this Friday.

The Molly Morpeth Canaday Award - 3D looks to recognise the quality and diversity of three-dimensional work in New Zealand and generate discussion around practices.

Entrants may submit up to three separate works to the Molly Morpeth Canaday website and are required to upload digital images of each work, with a supporting artist statement, if they wish.

The 2018 Award boasts a prize pool of $20,000, thanks to the generous support of local and national sponsors, and presents a fantastic opportunity for artists nationwide.

Entries can be made until the end of Friday, December 1.

The beauty of invisible grief, designed by Jasmine Te Hira. Supplied photo.

Vegetable sheep paper construction, created by Madeline Child. Supplied photo.

2018 Awards $10,000 Major Award  Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust $4,000 Runner up  Akel Schulte Award $2,500  Craigs Investment Partners Youth 3D Award $1,000  Arts Whakatane Award $500  Gordon Harris Ltd - Merit Award $500  4Artsake Gallery Merit Award $500  Law Creative Group Peoples Choice Award

$500  Whakatane Society of Arts and Crafts Inc. and Hon. Anne Tolley MP Merit Award

The 2018 Molly Morpeth Canady Award  3D is presented by Arts Whakatane and Whakatane Museum and Arts.

The award has been made possible by the generous support of the Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust, established by the late Frank Canaday in memory of his wife, Molly Morpeth Canaday.

The trust has been a major supporter of the arts in Whakatane for more than 25 years.
Home beach advantage will be a huge help to New Zealands top crop of surf lifesavers as they prepare to do battle in Mount Maunganui, starting today.

The 12-strong Black Fins team will compete against the best surf athletes from Australia, Japan, Great Britain, South Africa, the United States and Canada in the three-test International Surf Challenge, while a Junior Black Fins team will compete in the youth division.

There are only a handful of survivors from the last time New Zealand hosted an international event, with current Black Fins Nick Malcolm, Cory Taylor, Max Beattie and Natalie Peat all racing for the New Zealand Youth team at the International challenge at the Mount in 2011.

It will even be a novelty for Olympic kayakers Kayla Imrie and Marty McDowell, who have represented New Zealand for a number of years but usually in Europe.

Surf lifesavings where it all started for me and its how I got to the Olympics so its cool to get back amongst the sport in this environment, says Imrie.

A lot of family members are coming up from Wellington to support me - normally overseas, Im lucky to have a couple of them at any event - so I love having them here after having them support me from afar for so many years.

McDowell raced the last International Challenge in Australia two years ago but has been able to focus on surf ski following his return from Rio, where hes set kayaking aside for now and started work for an engineering company.

Working for a living is definitely a change and its perhaps made training a bit harder but its good to finally earn some money and not be on the bones of my arse, says McDowell.

Its been nearly six years since Ive solely focused on ski paddling and Im loving being back into it and being back in this New Zealand team.

New Zealand go into this week as three-time world champions, although Australia are the defending International Surf Challenge champions after winning in Maroochydore in 2015.

Olympic kayakers Kayla Imrie and Marty McDowell are code-swapping this week, representing New Zealand in a three-test surf lifesaving series in Mount Maunganui. Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

Beattie, Taylor, Danielle McKenzie and Devon Halligan all have plenty of experience on the Australian professional surf series, while sprinters Kodi Harman and Olivia Eaton both have had success on the world stage.

The first test starts at 8.20am today, with the second and third tests on Saturday and Sunday.

Earlier this week, the Black Fins were spotted training on Mount Main Beach.

In the lead up to todays competition, the team has been doing a number of training and team building sessions as well as getting out into the local community, visiting local surf clubs and schools.

Black Fins team manager Mark Weatherall says they are really excited and looking forward to getting to Mount Maunganui.

Mark says spending the days leading up to the event in Mount Maunganui is a great opportunity to promote the Black Fins brand across the community and catch up with so many of the people that have supported them over the years.

"Its wonderful to have the opportunity to compete in front of them on a home beach when so often we are racing overseas and in a different time zone," he says.

Junior Black Fins team manager Shane Smith says the team is enjoying training together as a group and continuing to build on their strong team culture.

The athletes are really excited about the upcoming competition and measuring themselves against what we expect to be some very tough competition.

Also, it is not often that these athletes get the opportunity to represent their country at home in front of a home crowd, family and friends which will just add to the occasion."

Black Fins: Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay), Devon Halligan (Omanu), Olivia Eaton (Mount Maunganui), Natalie Peat (Papamoa), Carina Doyle (St Clair), Kayla Imrie (Paekakariki), Cory Taylor (Midway), Max Beattie (Omanu), Lewis Clareburt (Lyall Bay), Nick Malcolm (Mairangi Bay), Kodi Harman (Papamoa), Marty McDowell (Titahi Bay).
ACC and the NZ Transport Agency have launched a virtual reality (VR) experience to prepare young drivers for practical tests

The VR experience is an interactive drive through real New Zealand streets to help users spot hazards, check blind spots, and use mirrors  all from a virtual drivers seat.

The free app is available on iOS and Android.



This is truly a world-first in driver education, says ACC Road Injury Prevention Manager, Simon Gianotti.



The most difficult group of drivers to reach are males aged 18 and 19, and theyre also some of the most at risk of serious injury.



We spoke to hundreds of young Kiwis and we know that many of them feel daunted by practical driving tests. We also know drivers who are better at spotting hazards are safer drivers.



Nothing replaces real life practice but the VR experience helps young people practice their observation skills from the comfort of their own home. This gives them more confidence behind the wheel



The Drive team worked with Strategy Creative, Mixt and videographers Flying Saucer Films on the project.



For a more immersive experience, the Drive programme is giving away Google Cardboard VR headsets to drivers who sign up at drive.govt.nz .



The Drive VR app is available on iOS and Android from today.
The Helena Police Department has issued a missing/endangered person advisory for a 16-year-old Native American boy.

Cody Lane James is a 5 feet seven inches tall and 145 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

James was last seen on Nov. 27 at 11 p.m. in Helena wearing a black shirt, pants and shoes.

He might be driving a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix with Montana license plate 5-16688B that has three black rims and one chrome rim. He may be with two other male juveniles.

He may be headed to the Seattle area.

Police have reason to be concerned for his safety, as James has been sending goodbye text messages to his friends.

If you have any information about James whereabouts, call the Helena police at 406-442-3233.
To combat thefts from its after-hours drop box, the Bland County Ministry Center has moved its donation box to a well-lit area near the new clothes closet. In addition, employees at ABB are building a more secure box for the organization.

Dee Hoosier, center executive director, said people have been stealing from the box for more than a year.

They leave a mess, she said. People drop the clothes off in plastic bags. They rip the bags open and either leave them strewn over the parking lot or dump them in the drop box. And if it rains, it gets wet. They leave a horrible mess. Not to mention stealing things people have donated.

In response, the center has installed a security camera near the box.

We have some really good pictures captured from over the weekend, Hoosier said. These were two local people. We really dont want to press charges, but at the same time, its not fair, its not right.

Hoosier said the center is in contact with the sheriffs office about the situation.

The box is now located off of the road and under lights, which Hoosier hopes will keep people from stealing items. The new metal box will be located in the same location.

Hoosier said the center is gearing up for the busy holiday season and is preparing boxes of food for 600 people. Smithfield Foods has donated 600 hams to the organization, which will save the center about $9,000.

That is going to save us a lot of money this year, she said. Volunteers are going to the North Carolina plant to pick them up this week.

However, the center still needs food to go with the ham, in particular Stovetop Stuffing, any canned food, Jiffy Mix cornbread mix and 2-liter drinks.

And wed like to put a bag of Christmas hard candy in there, Hoosier said.

Donations for the food bags are due by Friday so that the center can plan and purchase whatever food it lacks. The center will hand out the bags Dec. 12 and 13.

To reach reporter Millie Rothrock, call 228-6611, ext. 35, or email mrothrock@wythenews.com.
If funding for the federal Children's Health Insurance Program is not renewed soon, by mid-December the state health department will send out letters to families of the 24,000 Montana kids covered under the program, letting them know it will run out of funding at the end of January.

In Montana, CHIP operates under the Healthy Montana Kids program. CHIP covers families with incomes of up to 261 percent of the federal poverty level, or $64,206 for two parents with two children. CHIP-funded Medicaid expansion covers families that earn up to 143 percent of the federal poverty level, or $35,178 for two parents and two children.

"At this time, 24,000 Montana children are at risk of losing their health care coverage through CHIP," Jon Ebelt, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health and Human Services said in an email earlier this week. "Some states have already run out of funds. DPHHS is making plans to send letters to Montana families in mid-December that their childrens health coverage will end unless Congress reauthorizes the funding."

A week and a half ago, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester held an event in Helena with fellow Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock to raise awareness about the funding.

A spokesman for Tester said there have been discussions about including CHIP re-authorization in the year-end government funding bill. The deadline for that is Dec. 8.

Tester on Tuesday again advocated for support of the program.

CHIP not only provides Montana families with peace of mind, it provides life-saving health care for kids. No parent should have to choose between putting a roof over their kids head and providing an inhaler for their kids asthma," Tester said. "Ill hold accountable any Washington politician who wants to play political games that punish kids.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines has also supported the program. Montana's Rep. Greg Gianforte has also voted in the House to extend CHIP funding for another five years, but the bill was not acted on in the Senate.
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Its official. Montana has joined 23 other states and provinces with wild cervid populations infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD).

Ironically, the two infected mule deer were killed by hunters south of Billings, near Wyoming, within days of Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks release of its draft CWD management plan. MFWP has proactively moved to limit the emerging threat, and rightfully so.

An infectious, neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal proteins, called prions, CWD affects white-tailed and mule deer, elk, moose, and caribou.

Its virtually always fatal. CWD first emerged in northeast Colorado and southeast Wyoming about 1980.

It percolated along without much fanfare until the late 1990s when it began popping up elsewhere both in game farms and wild herds. At most new locations, its geographic distribution in the wild has expanded; and disease prevalence has trended upward.

This is a disease to be taken dead seriously. Its unlike periodic outbreaks of botulism or blue tongue that quickly kill ducks or deer and then burn out. CWD persists; its relentless. Contributing to its persistence is the indestructibility of prions in the environment.

Prions shed in saliva, urine, feces, and infected animal carcasses bind to soil and may be taken up by plants. There, prions remain infectious to cervids for years, perhaps decades.

Infected animals survive for months or even years, all the while shedding prions. As more sick animals shed the pathogen, the cycle perpetuates.

In some Colorado and Wyoming deer herds infected longest, CWD infects 2050 percent of the animals. Wyoming officials whove played down CWDs threat to game herds, have recorded annual declines of 10% and 21% in whitetail and mule deer herds, respectively. Some modelling efforts suggest that herd extinctions may occur in time.

Theres no way to treat the disease and no vaccine prevents it.

Instead, proactive intervention is the best bet to stem CWDs impacts. Like other density-dependent diseases, CWD proliferates where animals congregate. Montana can reduce the disease risk by implementing strategies that limit cervid numbers to state population objectives.

CWD has now spread across neighboring Wyoming to all but Uinta and Teton Counties, the latter home to the National Elk Refuge where I worked the final 22 years of a career that spanned CWDs march across Wyoming. CWD is knocking at the door of 8,000 elk that winter on the refuge and 16,000 more at 22 state-operated elk feedgrounds. A looming nightmare.

Dan Vermillion, chairman of the MFWP Commission, recently noted, To me, the arrival of CWD is terrifying and its heartbreaking the more I learn about the science and the potential it has to harm our game herds which have contributed to the states reputation ... Common sense, in the face of a disease event, points to getting rid of the (Wyoming elk) feedgrounds 

In a resolution unanimously passed earlier this year, Montanas Senate called upon Wyoming to do just that. But Im not hopeful.

For 20 years I and other scientists and conservationists have warned that feeding elk is a worst-case scenario for CWD. Feedgrounds increasingly accumulating prions from infected elk could become veritable biological Superfund sites leading to migrating elk spreading CWD from these 23 feedground hubs to Idaho, Yellowstone National Park, and beyond.

What should Montana do to protect its treasured wildlife?

Disease surveillance followed by inaction, as in Wyoming, is not an option.

Montana has two choices. The window for both wont stay open long: 1) try to rid the disease along our border, or 2) contain and limit CWD prevalence, as the Montana CWD plan prescribes.

Both options require controversial management actions, public cooperation, a sustained commitment and funding. Neither option is guaranteed success. Both deserve debate. But accepting some level of cervid infection means that the longer CWD is here, the more animals will become infected and likely spread this deadly disease across the landscape.

Thats CWDs lesson from the past 40 years.

CWDs worst impacts will develop over years. But decisions made now will affect our ecosystems, economy, and Montanans way of life far into the future. Talk to others who are knowledgeable. Read up on the issue. Comments on our states CWD plan are due by December 8.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and the LG G7 are scheduled to launch in January, as the iPhone X continues its surge in popularity.

The next flagship smartphones from two of Apple's biggest rivals in the smartphone industry are apparently being announced sooner than expected in a bid to challenge the iPhone X.

Samsung Galaxy S9, LG G7 Release Date

The iPhone X has been dominating its current competition, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the LG G6. This is probably why Samsung and LG are hastening their plans to release their next flagship device, as the companies look to provide a better challenge against Apple's premium smartphone.

According to Business Korea, the Samsung Galaxy S9 will be unveiled in January at CES 2018, confirming a previous report from reliable leaker Evan Blass of VentureBeat. Samsung, however, will still be holding an official Galaxy S9 announcement event in March, according to Blass.

The Business Korea report, however, claimed that a second flagship smartphone, the LG G7, will also be launched in January 2018. The company's previous flagship devices, the LG G5 and LG G6, were unveiled in late February at the Mobile World Congress, so a January launch would also be much earlier than expected for the LG G7.

According to analysts, the LG G6 arrived to the market earlier than its competitors and, as a result, saw a significant level of success. This likely played a role in LG's decision to launch its next flagship smartphone even earlier.

Samsung Galaxy S9, LG G7 Rumors

The Galaxy S9 was described as an "iterative update" to the Galaxy S8, with one of its significant upgrades being the inclusion of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845.

However, Business Korea, citing, Tech Advisor, claimed that the LG G7 will also be packing the Snapdragon 845. This will eliminate one advantage that the Samsung Galaxy S8 had over the LG G6, as the former then had exclusivity to the Snapdragon 835.

Other Galaxy S9 rumors involve the smartphone's fingerprint reader. According to an Android Headlines report, Samsung has tapped a new fingerprint scanner supplier for the upcoming device, which is expected to relocate the fingerprint sensor below the rear camera to avoid users smudging the camera lens with their finger. A new patent, however, suggests that Samsung is working to finally embed the fingerprint sensor under the display, though it is unclear if the technology will be ready for the Galaxy S9.

There are also rumors that Samsung is working on a third model in addition to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The new model will reportedly be named the Galaxy S9 Mini due to its smaller size.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One of the latest attractions of the Microsoft Store is none other than the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

From the look of things, this is how the company intends to move forward with its ailing mobile business: Use the Android platform to push its apps or, in other words, hitch a ride with an OS that's going somewhere.

Microsoft Goes With Android

Now the Galaxy Note 8 is joining Android phones the likes of the Razer Phone and even its siblings the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, as well as four Windows mobile devices including the HP Elite x3 at the Microsoft Store.

The question is, why is Microsoft selling Android now? It's pretty much common knowledge that Windows phones are dead or, at the very least, dying. Even the much-rumored Surface Phone is no longer in the cards, and it was considered by many as the company's last glimmer of hope to revive its mobile segment.

That said, these Android phones are Microsoft's way to get users in on the Microsoft Launcher, an app that can replace the Android home screen with a Windows-flavored version. This is evidenced by the landing pages of the Galaxy S8, Galaxy Note 8, and Razer Phone that have sections dedicated to the Microsoft Launcher to "unlock true mobility."

Interestingly, the home-screen replacement app even comes packaged with Word, Cortana, and Outlook, to name a few, indicating Microsoft wants Android users to have an ecosystem of its apps. That's not surprising since the company can earn some cash from all this, as signing up for a subscription to unlock every feature of Office on Android comes at a cost for users, for instance.

In short, what's the next best thing for Microsoft if Windows 10 mobile phones won't sell? Get users to switch their Android home screen to a launcher integrated with Windows 10 mobile elements and apps.

What You're Getting

Just to be clear, if you do buy, say, a Galaxy Note 8 from the Microsoft Store, then you're getting an ordinary unlocked version of the Samsung phablet. And in case you're wondering, it's nothing like the Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition.

Put differently, it doesn't really matter whether or not you buy the Android phones from the Microsoft Store since you won't be getting anything special out of the whole deal. It'll be the same thing if you bought a Galaxy phone from Samsung, for example.

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Can a person honor his family and pursue his dreams? That is the question at the heart of Coco, a whimsical and high-spirited romp through the underworld from Pixar Animation Studios. The storys 12-year-old protagonist, Miguel Rivera, is an aspiring guitarist with a song in his heart and stardom on his mind. But to realize his destiny he must defy the wishes of his close-knit Mexican family, which, for reasons stemming from a long-ago ancestral scandal, has forbidden him from enjoying or pursuing music.

No such ban will be placed on the audience for Coco, which bounces along to the beat of a Michael Giacchino score, several traditional Mexican songs and a few original tunes that never run the risk of burrowing into your mind. (The most significant one, ironically, is titled Remember Me.) But while the movie revels in its music and duly rebukes the Riveras for trying to stifle young Miguels destiny, it also comes down firmly on the side of family, taking pains to acknowledge the importance of staying true to ones roots.

It does this, in part, by upholding its own formidable creative and corporate lineage. Directed by Lee Unkrich with some of the warmth and imagination he brought to Toy Story 3 (and co-directed by Adrian Molina, who wrote the script with Matthew Aldrich), Coco is the first of Pixars 19 features to feature a nonwhite human protagonist, diversifying a company slate that has already proved a model of inclusivity with regard to talking fish, sentient toys and anthropomorphic cars.

But beyond the novelty of having animated characters eat tamales and drop the occasional word of Spanish, the movie betrays an instinctive kinship with the Disney brand that is by turns pleasing and thoroughly unsurprising. It is an alternately smooth and strenuous Pixarian weave of bright colors, spirited chatter and inventive action, prepared and tested in accordance with the highest factory standards.

After an inspired prologue designed entirely in the intricate papel picado style of tissue-paper art, the story begins on Dia de los Muertos, the holiday when Mexican families display their late ancestors photographs alongside food offerings on a commemorative altar. But while young Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) loves his family  especially his adorably wizened great-grandmother, Mama Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia)  he is less excited by the upcoming festivities than by the prospect of performing in a local talent show.

That doesnt sit well with the music-loathing Riveras, especially Miguels domineering grandmother (Renee Victor), an overly broad caricature who does her part to set the plot in motion by smashing the boys guitar like a pinata. In a more satisfying version of Coco, the Riveras fiesta might have quickly gone the way of Carries prom. But Miguel, a good boy at heart, simply finds a new guitar in the nearby tomb of his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), a legendary musician and movie star in the Pedro Infante mold.

Robbing a crypt on this day of all days, alas, is a serious no-no, and with one strum of Ernestos guitar, Miguel finds himself transported to the Land of the Dead, where the deceased  walking, talking skeletons with a sheen of orange ectoplasm  are preparing to visit their families on the other side. And so Coco begins its extended journey across a gorgeous pink-and-purple-daubed vision of Hades, with Miguel basically playing Orpheus in a red hoodie. (He even has a canine sidekick named Dante.)

If that sounds pretty dark for a movie with a PG rating (awarded for that horror of horrors, thematic elements), the scripts ghoulish touches and mordant flashes of wit turn out to be its most disarming qualities. Kids may squirm in delight when Miguel realizes hes turning into a skeleton, one phalange at a time, and will soon be dead himself unless he finds his way back to the land of the living by morning. To do this, he must secure a blessing from his ancestors  a tricky proposition, as none of them is willing to let him return home unless he agrees to their music moratorium.

In perhaps the storys most poignant conceit, death turns out to be simply another circle of life where the deceased can remain and thrive so long as they are remembered by a living, breathing loved one. That raises the stakes a bit when Miguel meets a street-smart skeleton named Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) who is desperate to ensure that his mortal legacy is not erased. Their partnership complicates a busy plot already thick with chases, coincidences, ancient secrets, mistaken identities and Frida Kahlo sightings, and it plows through each twist like a roller coaster navigating a new loop.

Which is only fitting, since the movies underworld suggests nothing so much as a giant theme park, complete with turnstiles, bustling streets and gaudy attractions (none more brilliant than the alebrijes, fantastical winged animals come to life). Theres nothing inherently wrong with that. The best theme parks, Disneys included, are worth getting lost in. But try as you might to lose yourself in Coco, or at least pause long enough to ponder its metaphysics, too often you might find yourself hindered by the movies breathless velocity.

And also by the increasing monotony of its character design. The visuals have the telltale Pixar richness; you sense a hundred different creative choices went into the animation of a simple confetti shower. But like earlier movies, including Corpse Bride and the similarly Dia de los Muertos-themed The Book of Life, Coco offers a reminder that skeletons, for all their googly eyes and gorgeous bone structure, are not the most emotionally expressive creatures. With the exception of his great-great-grandmother Mama Imelda (a spirited Alanna Ubach), Miguels dead relatives are a pretty indistinguishable and  sorry  lifeless bunch.

The action beats arrive right on cue, followed in due course by a show-stopping musical climax and an ending all but guaranteed to tickle your tear ducts. The question proposed at the outset  can a person honor his family and pursue his dreams?  is answered with the kind of skill and ingenuity that leaves you strongly suspecting it was bogus to begin with.

None of which makes Coco a bad movie, only one whose flights of imaginative frenzy are too constrained by formula, in the end, for it to count as a great one. In the best Pixar movies, Wall-E, Inside Out and Toy Story 3 among them, you get the sense of filmmakers boldly and brilliantly conquering new terrain. Coco, by contrast, feels governed by more timid, responsible spirits. Its goal is to reassure, to provoke no offense and to give an underserved culture the sentimental, uplifting Hollywood cash cow it deserves. Progress could certainly look worse.





COCO

Rated: PG, for thematic elements

Running time: 1 hour, 49 minutes

Playing: In general release



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TOWER HILL  Former Tower Hill Village Treasurer Nancy Finley made her first Shelby County Court appearance Wednesday after being charged with stealing funds from the village and requested time to hire an attorney.

She was arrested earlier this month and charged with theft of government property more than $100,000, a Class X felony with a maximum prison sentence of six to 30 years and up to $25,000 in fines.

Finley has not entered a plea, and her next court appearance will be Jan. 5, when prosecutors are expected to outline their case. She appeared before Associate Judge Christopher Matoush.

Shelby County States Attorney Gina Vonderheide said an investigation by the Illinois State Police revealed the theft of funds. She said the investigation is ongoing, and other charges or arrests are possible.

Prosecutors allege Finley, who left her job in May, controlled village funds from May 2010 to the end of 2016 when she moved from Tower Hill to the Lake Pana area, and took the money for her own use. Vonderheide said Finley had control of check writing and cash for the Shelby County village with a population of 609 about 38 miles south of Decatur.

Finley declined to speak to reporters after the court appearance. She is free on $50,000 bond.
WASHINGTON  Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards touted the state's progress toward cutting its prison population at a Capitol Hill event Tuesday, highlighting reduced costs and the anticipated shedding of the state's most-incarcerated title.

Edwards also struck back at critics of the criminal justice overhaul, which passed the state Legislature with bipartisan support last spring.

The governor said those attacking the reforms  citing media coverage of new crimes committed by a handful of inmates released early under the changes  were "fear-mongering" and misrepresenting the package.

Louisiana releasing more than 1,900 inmates early; here's why Starting at midnight and going throughout Wednesday morning, more than 1,900 convicted inmates are walking out of prisons across the state bef

Less than an hour later, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy sent out a video blasting the criminal justice overhaul, saying he had "zero confidence in the ability of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections to administer it in a way that protects the people of Louisiana from violent criminals."

Kennedy, who did not attend the panel discussion with Edwards, highlighted "numerous scandals" at the Department of Corrections  including allegations of nepotism and fraud in the prison system  as he called the agency "unfit to administer" the changes.

The senator said the law "let criminals free early to save money" and pointed to media reports of mismanagement by corrections officials as well as arrests of those recently released from jail.

Kenner cops arrest armed robbery suspect 5 days after he was released early from prison A convicted car burglar released early from prison last week as a result of criminal-justice reform laws passed this year by the Legislature r

Kennedy also pointed to critical reports by the Legislative Auditor that raised questions about the Department of Corrections' ability to keep track of inmates and accurately calculate release dates.

"And yet they're going to be in charge of deciding which prisoners to release into our communities to save money?" Kennedy said.

Edwards, speaking with The Advocate just after the panel discussion and before Kennedy's video was released, noted that inmates released early under the law changes already had release dates and were all serving prison time for non-violent crimes, mostly for drugs or property offenses.

"The average release was two months early," Edwards said. "A big percentage of the people who were released early would've been released by today regardless."

The Governor's Office also fired back at Kennedy  whose name often comes up as a potential Republican challenger to Edwards in 2019  in a lengthy and scathing statement.

"Is anyone really surprised anymore that Sen. Kennedy would create an opportunity to score cheap political points by spouting wildly inaccurate and unrelated nonsense at the expense of the most promising bipartisan efforts to improve Louisianas criminal justice system and improve public safety in a decade all in the hopes that it would benefit him personally?" Tucker Barry, Edwards' press secretary, wrote.

"Sen. Kennedy is too caught up in his own political ambitions to see reality, and the reality is that the criminal justice reforms passed during the last legislative session were advanced by a bipartisan task force," Barry added.

The panel discussion Edwards attended was organized by the Pew Charitable Trusts, a nonprofit research group that provided staffing and support to the state task force that crafted the criminal justice overhauls.

Edwards held out Louisiana as a potential model for other states  or federal officials  contemplating an overhaul to their own court and prison systems.

"Change is possible, bipartisan wins are possible and the stakes couldn't be higher," Edwards said.

The governor headed to the White House after the Pew event to talk about criminal justice issues with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser. Kushner has shown an interest in criminal justice reform and reached out to Edwards to arrange the meeting.

At the Pew event, Edwards said the state had been seeing a "poor return on investment" under its criminal laws.

The sprawling state prison system  which locks up a higher proportion of residents than any other state in the country  eats up taxpayer money but hadn't made Louisiana significantly safer, Edwards said. The governor called the wide-ranging changes a "smarter" approach to crime.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre, state Rep. Tanner Magee and Natalie Laborde of the Department of Corrections also spoke.

Magee, a Houma Republican, said data on the state's prison system had been eye-opening  especially when it showed Louisiana out of step even with other conservative states in the Deep South, locking up more people for drugs and other nonviolent crimes.

We take a real pride in Louisiana of being 49th to Mississippis 50th," Magee said sarcastically, "but we werent even beating Mississippi in this category.

Both Magee and Webre, a former president of the National Association of Sheriffs, said reforms making it easier for former inmates to build law-abiding lives outside of prison were particularly important.

Magee highlighted changes making it easier for those leaving prison to get valid identification cards and driver's licenses  both steps essential to finding and holding down a job  and discouraging judges from sending those on probation back to jail for unpaid fines.

But Webre said additional investment in the criminal justice system is needed. The sheriff said more funding for mental health and drug treatment services would help address underlying issues for those locked up.

And Edwards, Magee, Webre and Laborde all said more probation officers are needed to properly supervise and help a growing number of Louisianans serving time on probation or parole. In addition to speeding the release of some nonviolent inmates, the criminal justice changes also encourage judges to sentence more people to probation instead of prison.
Eight months after she was first assigned the case, state District Court Judge Janice Clark has recused herself from a legal matter related to her daughter's ongoing conflict with a family who accused Tasha Clark-Amar of abusing her position as head of the Council on Aging.

The judge's recusal comes as fallout continues to reverberate from the family who said in March that Clark-Amar coerced their grandmother through the Council on Aging into writing a questionable will. This is the second case Clark received related to the matter and the second recusal she has issued on it.

About a month before Clark issued her Nov. 20 recusal, fellow state District Judge Donald Johnson threatened to file a judicial complaint against Clark for her eight-month-long inaction on the case. Clark was assigned to oversee a petition for tutorship related to the estate and succession of Helen Plummer, who died at age 95 in March.

Plummer was a Council on Aging client and wrote a will that placed Clark-Amar in charge of her estate, for which Clark-Amar was to earn $120,000 over 20 years. Clark-Amar relinquished the role of administering the will after a cloud of media attention, with Plummer's family saying the Council on Aging executive director had coerced their grandmother into leaving her money in the will.

Clark-Amar has denied any coercion and filed a defamation lawsuit against the family. That case was also originally assigned to Clark, who recused herself more than a month after it was assigned to her.

+2 Judge Janice Clark recuses herself from daughter's Council on Aging-related defamation suit More than a month after being assigned her daughter's defamation lawsuit, state District Judge Janice Clark has removed herself from the proce

In the separate tutorship case, Plummer left money in her will to her great-granddaughter, who is a minor. Plummer's granddaughter Tracie Davis petitioned the court to sign a settlement agreement for the minor's portion of Plummer's estate until her underage child becomes an adult.

Petitions for tutorship are handled as separate cases from succession hearings. While Clark was to oversee the tutorship, Johnson has been presiding over the succession.

Though Davis filed the petition for tutorship March 27, Clark did not issue a recusal until Nov. 20, according to court documents. There are no indications in the court record that Clark took any action related to the tutorship. Davis said in previous interviews that she routinely checked in with Clark's office to find out why the petition remained unsigned but did not receive an answer.

Key document needed to settle Helen Plummer succession still unsigned by Judge Janice Clark An unsigned court petition is delaying a settlement agreement in the long-running estate case of Helen Plummer which enveloped the East Baton 

"I have declined to preside over all matters involving these parties," Clark wrote in her recusal letter.

The judge's office did not respond to a message Tuesday asking about the reasoning behind the recusal and the timing of it.

All the while, Clark-Amar's leadership at the Council on Aging has been the subject of multiple probes. The state's Office of Inspector General is investigating Clark-Amar and Council on Aging board member Dorothy Jackson's roles in drafting Plummer's will and has issued at least five subpoenas in their investigation.

The Council on Aging has also been under scrutiny since the nonprofit, quasi-governmental organization's bid for a dedicated property tax last year. After voters approved the tax, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor completed an investigation this May that says the Council on Aging may have broken both state and federal laws amid the campaign.

+3 Louisiana Inspector General investigating BR Council on Aging director, board member The state Inspector General's office has issued at least five subpoenas in an investigation into the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging's execu

Johnson is also the only judge in the 19th Judicial District who did not recuse himself from Clark-Amar's defamation lawsuit against the Plummer family. He expressed his frustration at a separate hearing Oct. 31 about the lack of progress in settling Plummer's estate.

After attorneys told Johnson the hold up in settling Plummer's estate was the unsigned tutorship, Johnson requested they file a complaint with the judicial administrator about Clark's inaction. He said he would file one himself if the attorneys did not do so.

Johnson said Tuesday the state's "juridical ethical rules" prevented him from answering whether he filed a judicial complaint against Clark. He said he had been made aware of Clark's recusal.

The Louisiana Supreme Court's public information office said they could not confirm or deny any complaints made to the Judiciary Commission about Clark's inaction on the tutorship.
A jailed Baton Rouge contractor accused of defrauding scores of victims of the unprecedented 2016 flooding in south Louisiana will be examined by a two-doctor sanity commission to determine whether he is competent to represent himself, a judge decided Tuesday.

State District Judge Tony Marabella made that decision after Matthew Morris rejected help from three East Baton Rouge Parish public defenders and said he wants to act as his own attorney.

Morris, 40, said he would rather represent himself because those public defenders have never handled a case involving alleged white-collar crime.

"I don't feel I have a choice," he told the judge.

+2 'My voice hasn't been heard': BR contractor accused of flood-related fraud emotional in court A jailed Baton Rouge contractor accused in East Baton Rouge and several other parishes of defrauding victims of last summer's catastrophic flo

Marabella disagreed and said Morris was turning down very competent representation.

"I certainly and sincerely advise against that," the judge stressed.

Morris said he realizes representing himself is a "bad decision."

"I think there's a problem there," Marabella noted. "I think it's a horrible decision."

"It's my life," Morris replied.

At that point, the judge again questioned Morris' decision and appointed two doctors to examine him to see if he is competent to represent himself.

Morris, who is demanding a speedy trial, objected and said he would ask the state 1st Circuit Court of Appeal to review the judge's decision.

Marabella scheduled the sanity hearing for Feb. 23. The judge said he will allow Morris to represent himself if the doctors find he is competent to do so.

Morris is charged in East Baton Rouge Parish with four counts of residential contractor fraud and one count of filing or maintaining false public records.

He also is charged in Livingston Parish with 51 counts of contractor and insurance fraud. In Ascension Parish, he faces 84 counts of contractor and insurance fraud, theft and other charges.

+2 Contractor accused of flood-related fraud in 3 parishes pleads not guilty in EBR A Baton Rouge contractor accused of defrauding victims of the August flooding in three parishes pleaded not guilty Monday in East Baton Rouge 

Morris also faces charges in St. John the Baptist and Terrebonne parishes.

Morris, according to authorities, charged clients for work he did not perform for homeowners whose houses flooded in August 2016, taking most of their insurance proceeds and presenting them with a large final bill to finish the job on their gutted homes.

When clients questioned the big bills and terminated their contracts, Morris would file liens against their homes for fees and charges the victims had challenged; Morris claimed the fees and charges were legitimate or called for in the contract, law enforcement agencies have said.

The liens hindered homeowners' ability to finish restoring their houses. Morris has said he ultimately agreed to lift the property liens he placed against his customers.

Two of Morris' previous attorneys have withdrawn from representing him. One of them, Sara Johnson, of New Orleans, cited "irreconcilable differences" in a court filing. The other, Ascension Parish Councilman Travis Turner, recently told Marabella that their attorney-client relationship had soured.

Morris, owner of Complete Construction Contractors, maintains his innocence to all the charges filed against him.
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A panel that is looking into how the state could curb fraud in the Medicaid health care program for the poor is winding down its work at the State Capitol, with a series of recommendations expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The Medicaid fraud detection and prevention task force on Tuesday set out to identify improvements that can be made through state legislation, policy changes or through seeking waivers from the federal government.

"We're talking about taxpayer money that we are entrusted with to spend properly," said Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Gonzalez. "I think that's what the public should expect of us."

The task force, created by the state Legislature, has spent the past four months taking deep dives into the state's Medicaid offerings, the Department of Health, current Medicaid fraud detection efforts through the state Department of Justice and other existing programs meant to root out wasteful spending on the health care program.

Spending on the Louisiana Department of Health, which oversees Medicaid, is about $13.5 billion each year or nearly half of the state's $28 billion budget. More than 80 percent of LDH's funding comes down through the federal government, which covers most of Medicaid costs, but relies on the states to oversee their own programs, within certain parameters.

Louisiana has repeatedly been lauded at one of the top states for investigating and recovering money that has been fraudulently spent on the program by zeroing in on providers who seek reimbursement for services that were not performed.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, a division of the state Department of Justice under the Attorney General, handles most of the investigations in Louisiana.

But legislators have increasingly pushed on the department to look for ways to rein in costs, including attempts to address fraud.

One of the issues that likely will be addressed is the state's restrictions on tracking eligibility.

Under the expansion, Medicaid is now available to households that have incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. That's about $33,950 for a family of four or $16,640 for a single adult.

"Lets dig in deeper and try to see to what degree are we allowing people to sign up who are not eligible," Bacala said during the task force's most recent meeting.

One of the hurdles is on restrictions of access to records between health services and the state Department of Revenue and LDH, and LDH's ability to staff more stringent follow-up reviews.

"It's a staffing issue," said state Medicaid director Jen Steele. "It really all boils down to resources for us."

She said she thinks that a cost-benefit analysis review should be part of the larger recommendation package.

Louisiana expanded its Medicaid program, under the federal Affordable Care Act, in July 2016. Since then, more than 453,000 people, mostly the working poor, have been added to the rolls under the expanded program, bring its total covered to some 1.6 million people, most of them children.

The state has been tracking various health care outcomes for the newly insured. For example: 26,200 women have been screened for breast cancer. Of them, 264 learned that they had cancer and are now getting treatment. Nearly 12,000 adults have been diagnosed with and are now being treated for hypertension. Additionally: 6,625 adults have received outpatient substance abuse treatment, and another 7,216 have received residential care.
At least two reviews are underway to examine whether Louisiana state government needs to improve its sexual harassment policies, as Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration investigates misconduct claims against a former top aide.

State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, has asked the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to look into hiring policies and policies in place to discourage harassment. Hewitt, in a letter sent to the legislative oversight agency this week, cited the recent resignation of Johnny Anderson, Edwards' former deputy chief of staff who is facing sexual harassment allegations.

Separately, the Louisiana Legislature's Women's Caucus, set out earlier this month on its own review of how the state Legislature handles accusations of misconducts and the policies that are in place. Louisiana Women's Policy & Research Commission is also reviewing state government policies regarding harassment outside of the legislative branch.

"There's been some work that's been happening on this already," said Rep. Helena Moreno, Women's Caucus chair and a New Orleans Democrat. "The more hands on deck we have toward making these policies a model for the rest of the country -- I'm all for it."

The reviews come during what has become a national deluge of high-profile men facing accusations of sexual harassment or misconduct.

Anderson, who previously faced harassment allegations during a previous administration in 2007, has denied the accusations against him. He is the highest-profile such case to hit state government here since a wave of similar allegations has rocked the country this fall.

"Sexual harassment has become an issue nationally and with the recent news of Mr. Anderson, who was part of the governor's executive staff, it seemed like there were a lot of unanswered questions," Hewitt said of her decision to bring in the Legislative Auditor to review. She has specifically asked for information on background research procedures undertaken on prospective employees, statistics from sexual harassment claims made in the past five years, a review of sexual harassment training and policies compared to other states and recommendations for improving how the state handles harassment. "The news of Mr. Anderson, I think really pushed me to want to take action. I found it shocking that the governor's office would hire someone with this history."

The governor's office has defended it's response to the latest allegation against Anderson. Deputy chief of staff Richard Carbo said that an investigation, which is still ongoing despite his resignation, was launched "an hour" after it was first brought to the administration's attention.

"Given how quickly the governor acted -- as soon as we found out about these claims -- shows that he has zero tolerance for this and will do what it takes to eliminate through his administration," Carbo said.

Chief of staff Mark Cooper, in a statement that was released in response to Hewitt's request for a review, said that Democrat Edwards' administration supports the effort and hopes that it extends to all parts of state government, and not just the executive branch.

State Rep. Pat Smith, a Baton Rouge Democrat who has been in the Legislature for nearly a decade, said she hopes any review will be comprehensive -- from appointees to full-time workers to part-time staff.

"It's risen to the top in just the past few months. It's become a hot button for a lot of states to review their policies," she said. "I think we are definitely going to be looking at our policies and be able to put the right ones in place to protect individuals whether they are male or female."

The initial dive into legislative policies was particularly concerning, Moreno said. Because the state policy only applies to full time workers, it doesn't cover state legislators, who are considered part-time. It also doesn't address the dozens of lobbyists, reporters and others who come to the Capitol for work every day.

The Senate has a short policy saying that members shouldn't harass other members, but it doesn't explicitly outline ramifications. The House doesn't address the issue, Moreno said.

"Obviously there is a lot of room for improvement," she said.

Sen. Dale Erdy, R-Livingston, sponsored a resolution in 2012 to require that agencies provide sexual harassment education to all public officials and their employees.

"I think it was something that was way overdue with state government," Erdy said. "Large corporations and even smaller corporations had official sexual harassment prevention courses for their employees -- I just thought we should bring the state up to the same level of those corporations."

He said he would back efforts to further make workplace safer for state employees.

"I think it was worthy of discussion back in 2012 and obviously it's worthy of discussion today with all of the harassment alleged incidences that we see in today's times," he said.

Recent weeks have seen the downfall of several public figures who have faced highly-documented sexual harassment or misconduct allegations including Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, actor Kevin Spacey, comedian Louis C.K. and news anchors Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose, among many others.

Congressman John Conyers, D-Michigan, and Sen. Al Franken, a D-Minnesota, have faced calls to resign, though so far remain in their positions in Washington. And Roy Moore, the Republican candidate for Alabama's open U.S. Senate seat, has been called upon to leave the race.

That has sparked a broader movement that has made it easier for more people who have been subjected to harassment to come forward, Moreno said.

"My takeaway is that whether it's a bank or a law firm or a Legislature, for many years women have just ignored bad behavior because they didn't think they really had any recourse or if they didn't like what was going on they would go to another room," she said.

Moreno and other lawmakers interviewed for this story said that they had not witnessed obvious incidences of sexual harassment nor felt that they had personally been victims of mistreatment.

But the Legislature hasn't been immune from what some have deemed bawdy behavior.

Just last year, Louisiana made national headlines after a state House member, during a discussion about anti-human trafficking legislation, proposed on the chamber's floor that the bill be amended to set restrictions on the age and weight of strippers. That was followed by the appearance of a bikini-themed birthday cake, that was then smashed by a female state senator.

"If anything has happened, no one has told any of us that it's gone forward," Smith said, but she added that oftentimes such matters are treated as protected personnel issues.

Smith said she supports such cases going through human resources privately.

Hewitt, a former engineering executive who has drawn speculation that she may mount a bid for governor, said she hopes to be able to shed some light on the issue and protect victims and those who may be accused of inappropriate behavior.

"It has not affected me, but I do know that it exists in the workplace everywhere," she said. "I want to make sure that we have protections for people who feel like they want to report it and that the accused have due process."

"Everyone has the right to go to work in a safe place that is free from sexual harassment, and I think it's part of my job as a legislator to make sure that we have that kind of environment in state government," she added.

More research should be done into the appointment of people to high-level government positions and boards and commissions, Hewitt said.

"If the governor really has a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment why would he put the women there at risk by hiring someone with past allegations?" she said.

Have information about possible sexual harassment or misconduct in Louisiana state government? I want to hear and tell your story. Contact Elizabeth by phone at 225.388.0236 or by email at ecrisp@theadvocate.com. Information will be kept off the record until you agree otherwise.

To share tips anonymously and securely:

Mail to:

Elizabeth Crisp, Advocate Capitol Bureau

PO Box 44485

Baton Rouge, LA 70804

Or send encrypted instant messages via the Signal app to: 225.388.0236.
By the end of the week, we could know whether former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson will stand trial a second time on federal corruption charges.

The likely answer is no. And it should be.

Earlier this year, the judge who presided over Jefferson's 2009 trial tossed out seven of the 10 surviving counts on which he was convicted after the U.S. Supreme Court sharply curtailed the definition of a politician's "official acts" in a separate case involving former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis of Virginia also ordered Jefferson released from prison after having served just over five years of his original 13-year sentence, a good indication that he would likely be resentenced on the remaining charges to time served. That is, assuming the feds don't seek to retry him.

The Advocate reported this week that attorneys for Jefferson and the federal government are close to agreeing to make that likelihood official, and there's really no good reason not to come to such an agreement.

Jefferson, whose rise from abject poverty was as dramatic as his fall from grace, is 70. His time has passed. It's passed in New Orleans, where his once-mighty political organization is defunct and his surviving relatives off the public stage. It's passed in Washington, where his much younger successor, Cedric Richmond, has already achieved a goal he never attained, becoming chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

He'll never again work in politics, and he'll never again be in a position to try to use his position for personal gain. He's already paid a steep price for his misdeeds, and even with the reduced sentence, his story should still serve as a cautionary tale for other greedy pols.

The ultimate outcome of the case is a disappointment to those who think elected officials exercise, and can potentially abuse, influence even when they're not actually legislating. That strikes me as an awfully naive view of the nature of power.

But the Supreme Court has declared it the operable standard. Putting Jefferson on trial again isn't going to change that.

It's time to put the matter to rest.
DECATUR  City officials are encouraged by a new proposal in the General Assembly that would roll back one of several new fees that hurt local governments, including Decatur's.

Democratic Rep. Anthony DeLuca of Chicago Heights, whose bill would cut in half the state's new "administrative fee" charged to some cities for collecting and paying out local sales taxes, says there wasn't enough time during the July budget negotiations to fully examine the effect the fees would have on municipal budgets across the state.

The bill would do little to close Decatur's projected budget gap of $3.2 million for 2018. It would amount to keeping an additional $100,000 next year in local sales tax revenue. But the proposal was still a welcome gesture for city leaders who are hoping more legislative changes could follow.

"Rather than jump to a reduction in services or an increase in taxes to cover the (city's) deficit, I want to know if (higher state fees on tax revenue) is going to be a permanent issue ... I know that there's enough discussion in Springfield that it might not be," said City Manager Tim Gleason.

The fee targeted by DeLuca applied a 2 percent collection fee to sales taxes imposed on municipalities for collecting taxes above 6.25 percent. The fee generates about $60 million annually for the state.

DeLuca's bill would cut the state fee in half. He says the hurried nature of the budget agreement approved this summer didn't leave enough time to examine the effects of the fee.

"I've heard from (communities) that it does have a very big impact on them," DeLuca said. "Where they have a lot of retail in their community, they have a mall, it's been a very big impact on them."

Decatur's general sales tax stands at 9.25 percent. While the city receives 2.5 percent, the state receives 5 percent of all qualified purchases.

Gleason recommended the city council wait until early spring to make a final decision on what cuts to make in the hope that lawmakers can pass measures that deal with the sales tax collection matter, and the much larger 10 percent decrease of local governments' share of the state income tax.

Council members said earlier this month they did not favor new tax increases for residents to make up for the gap, and agreed with city staff that it was worth waiting a few months to see if state lawmakers would reduce or eliminate the fees that have added $1.5 million to the city's deficit.

"A lot (of other cities in Illinois) are just making up that deficit" with cuts and revenue increases, Gleason said. "We did not want to make a knee-jerk reaction to something we don't know is going to be permanent. So hopefully residents appreciate that approach to our city budget."

The other major component of the city deficit is an estimate in back-pay to Decatur police officers, who have been negotiating with city officials for more than two years on a contract. Gleason did not want to comment on talks with the police department while they were still active. Union representatives from the Decatur Police Department have not returned multiple previous requests for comment on the contract negotiations.

In his two years at the city, Gleason oversaw the building of a larger surplus fund, which has increased from $500,000 in 2015 to $5 million currently. After factoring in new payments to police, City Treasurer Gregg Zientara told council members last week that the city's savings would only be able cover the its expenses for a year.

Springfield is also among the cities affected by the fee with an 8.5 percent sales tax rate. City budget director Bill McCarty said the fee is costing Springfield $840,000 in sales tax revenue that would normally go into city coffers.

"We're working hard advocating to get this reduced," McCarty said. "The bottom line is I think we can all agree that there's no way that it takes $60 million for the Department of Revenue to collect city sales tax. Not when they're already collecting state sales tax anyway. It's a surtax on communities to help the state balance its books."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Brindabella Christian College's plan to build a two-storey sports pavilion and car park on Lyneham Oval has been blocked. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Happy Thursday! I've got some good news for you, leave that umbrella at home because we're in for a mostly sunny day with a top of 30 degrees - yes, you heard me, 30 degrees!

The board of Brindabella Christian College has suddenly sacked the school's principal and warned parents "the devil has his sights on Christian education" as the federal government prepares to legislate for same-sex marriage.

Ousted principal Bruce Handley has taken the school's board to the Fair Work Commission after being booted early this month.

His firing came after a four-page statement was sent to Brindabella parents in September urging a "no" vote in the same-sex marriage survey.

Emily Baker has the story.

Border Force staff forced to pay for work social events
ACT Labor and the Greens have rejected the opposition's push for anti-consorting laws to help battle criminal organisations including outlaw bikie gangs coming across the border.

The government and its minor party on Wednesday voted down the Canberra Liberals' bill despite the opposition taking on extensive feedback on the proposed measures from the ACT Human Rights Commission.

ACT shadow attorney-general Jeremy Hanson was disappointed the government voted down his anti-consorting bill. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

The bill sought to create a new control order regime to limit activities between members of criminal organisations in the ACT, among other measures, after a series of outlaw motorcycle gang-related shootings across the city.

Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay rejected the bill partly because the government believed it was likely to be challenged in the courts on the grounds it restricted the freedoms of people who had not necessarily been convicted of a crime.
A man who had four children with a woman he is accused of sexually abusing denied he knew she was underage at first and said he didn't have a sexual interest in her when they met, a court heard.

The man, now 58, gave evidence in the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday he believed she was 17 after they met while living at the same Canberra unit block nearly two decades ago.

"I can tell you when I met [the girl] in 1999 she told me she was 17," he said, through an interpreter.

"Listen to me and listen to me well. When I had a sexual relationship with [the girl] ... I didn't know that she was 15.

"How can I explain to you that I didn't know she was underage?"
Australia's financial regulator says the transition to a low-carbon economy "is in motion" and local companies can opt to "float with the transitional current" or fight "against the rising tide".

Geoff Summerhayes, an executive board member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, told a seminar on Wednesday the transition would be motivated in part by the investments needed to achieve the Paris climate goals.

The market for so-called green bonds soared from $US11 billion in 2013 to more than $US65 billion so far this year. Credit:AP

The World Bank estimates that sum to be worth $US22 trillion ($29 trillion) to hit the 2030 targets. Meanwhile, the market for so-called green bonds  earmarked for environmental or climate projects  had soared from $US11 billion in 2013 to more than $US65 billion so far this year.

"The weight of money, pushed by commercial imperatives such as investment, innovation and reputational factors, is increasingly driving that shift, rather than scientists or policymakers," Mr Summerhayes told the Centre for Policy Development [CPD] in Sydney.
Tesla is carrying out its final tests before the world's largest battery installation goes live on Friday, hitting Tesla chief Elon Musk's 100-day construction target.

The date was an important one for Mr Musk, who bet Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes via Twitter that Tesla could build and install the unit power in 100 days, or the $US50 million ($64million) system would be free.

The system began energising on Saturday, swiftly reaching a third of its potential 100-megawatt charge and meeting both the Australian Energy Market Operator and South Australian government requirements for operation.

During this week's ongoing testing phase, the battery has provided energy grid security support to South Australia.
Delays for millions of future NBN customers expecting to connect through their existing pay television or internet cables could cost taxpayers up to $790 million, a statement from Labor claims.

The delay of new customers being added to the hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network for six to nine months, could cost from $423 million to $790 million, according to a joint announcement from shadow minister for communications Michelle Rowland and shadow minister for finance Jim Chalmers.

Labor claims the delay of the NBN's roll out of HFC connected homes could cost up to $790 million. Credit:Glenn Hunt

They pointed to the 2016 NBN Corporate Plan, which included a sensitivity analysis for a situation where delays occurred - and a revenue per home of $47 a month.

But the government has questioned the accuracy of the figures - saying the NBN was still working through the financial forecasts, and the estimates in the Plan were made before the HFC network was being rolled out.
The federal government has announced new offshore oil rules to increase industry transparency.

These changes will impact approvals processes, and provide more information for public scrutiny as well as stakeholder engagement.

New rules: The changes will increase scrutiny on offshore oil projects. Credit:Mikhael Holter

They include greater public consultation for new offshore exploration; creating a "register of interests" for stakeholders open to being consulted on operations in their area; the publishing of environmental plans for public consideration before exploration or activities are carried out and holding community information sessions in areas where petroleum activities may be held.

Australia was previously one of the few countries in the OECD that did not have a public consultation period for offshore oil and gas.
Shares in the lithium company Galaxy Resources jumped 8.6 per cent (31) on Wednesday, making it the best performed stock in the ASX 200 after investors welcomed news that it had signed a series of long-term off-take agreements with customers in Asia.

The binding agreements cover five-year terms and are for a minimum of 200,000 tonnes per annum of lithium concentrate. They mean that lithium concentrate produced at Galaxy's Mt Cattlin mine in Western Australia as far ahead as 2022 already has a guaranteed buyer.

Charging cables connect to a row of electric taxis in Shenzhen, China. Credit:Bloomberg

Galaxy Resources, which is headquartered in Perth and also has projects in Canada and Argentina, did not name the customers in its ASX statement but said they were "all key suppliers of lithium products and materials throughout Asia".

Galaxy also said it would be paid a higher "headline" price for its product in 2018 than 2017.
Shadow system Alsup said that he takes Jacobs's allegations seriously because prosecutors found the ex-employee to be credible in his account of Uber relying on non-traceable devices and automatically-deleting messaging systems. "It turns out the server is only for the dummies. The stuff that does matter goes on this shadow system," Alsup said. "You should've come clean on this a long time ago." On the other hand, the judge forced Jacobs to reveal that he reached a $US4.5 million settlement with Uber that Alsup said could mean he's been "bought off." Jacobs said he'd raised his concerns with executives at Uber before working out an agreement over his departure. He testified that he's still earning much of the settlement money as a paid consultant to Uber, and is required as part of the agreement to not publicly disparage the company.

Under intense questioning from both Waymo and the judge, Jacobs softened and recanted some of the most sensational criticism of Uber contained in a 37-page letter his lawyer wrote to prosecutors. The letter is sealed but the judge said he intends to make it public after hearing any objections. Over the course of the hearing it became unclear whether the seemingly bombshell revelations about Uber's corporate surveillance tactics will be of much help to Waymo's case. Overseas rivals Jacobs testified that Uber's Strategic Services Group, which since has been renamed, was focused mostly on gaining an edge on overseas rivals. While he said stealing trade secrets was part of that mission, he told the judge he wasn't aware of efforts to extract proprietary information from US firms -- including Waymo. He said the team sought to gather information on drivers, metrics and incentives at competing foreign platforms. "I did not believe it was patently illegal," Jacobs said. "I had questions about the ethics of it. I suppose because of my personal ethics it felt overly aggressive and invasive."

Jacobs testified that some Uber employees, including those working in its autonomous driving project, were instructed to use ephemeral self-deleting messaging on Wickr networks. The surveillance team used "anonymous servers" separate from the "main part of Uber" and "non-attributable devices" purchased for the company by outside vendors, he said. A lawyer for Waymo asked Jacobs about an Uber staff attorney who allegedly guided efforts to "impede, obstruct, or influence" lawsuits against the company. "There was legal training around the use of attorney-client privilege markings on written materials and the implementation of encrypted and ephemeral communications intended to destroy communications that might be considered sensitive," Jacobs said. Uber said none of Tuesday's testimony "changes the merits" of Waymo's lawsuit. The ride-hailing company has denied wrongdoing. "Jacobs himself said on the stand today that he was not aware of any Waymo trade secrets being stolen," Uber said in an emailed statement.

'Seeking money' Arturo Gonzalez, a lawyer for Uber, sought to put Jacobs's assertions about the company's practices in context, saying his attorney conveyed them while "seeking money" from Uber. "There's no there there," Gonzalez said. He convinced Alsup that Waymo needs to reveal whether it, too, relies on self-deleting technology. Waymo said the postponement of the trial will give it a chance to investigate the issues raised by Jacobs. "The evidence brought to light over the weekend by the US Attorney's office and revealed, in part, today in court is significant and troubling," the company said in an emailed statement.

The Waymo trial already has been delayed once, from October 10, when the judge agreed to give Waymo more time to evaluate a 2016 report commissioned by Uber to vet its hire of the engineer at the centre of the dispute, Anthony Levandowski. Alsup referred the lawsuit to the US Attorney's office in May. Prosecutors opened an investigation of Uber for trade-secret theft, according to people familiar with the matter. The Strategic Services Group was led by Joe Sullivan, who had been Uber's chief security officer. He was ousted as the company announced last week that it had concealed a data breach that compromised information on 57 million riders and drivers. Sullivan and his team had been at the center of an internal inquiry led by the company's board of directors. The team acted as a corporate intelligence agency, conducting its own background checks and monitoring employees and competitors. Much of its work has been cloaked in secrecy even within the company. Alsup said there's a 50-50 chance the information revealed by Jacobs will prove damaging to Uber or a "dry hole."
What is it about volcanoes that fascinates and attracts humans? Mount Agung is spewing ash and debris over eastern Bali, requiring the evacuation of over 100,000 people, but around the world 750 million people live within 60 miles of these primal threats, and their capacity to spew fire from the belly of the Earth. Some have little option, while others depend on the rewards that the volcanoes can provide.

Of course, some people live on a volcano because they do not realise that it is active - this was the case for many islanders on Montserrat prior to the devastating 1995 eruptions. Others live near volcanoes because they are trapped by poverty, dependence on volcanic land, and poor governance - development is at the root of many disasters globally and reducing inequality is essential to taking people out of harm's way.

Yet many perceive the benefits of living on volcanoes as outweighing the risks. After all, most erupt very rarely - some only every few thousand years or so. In the context of a human lifetime, this is a relatively fleeting threat. On political timescales, it is even more so.

Fertile land, mining resources, geothermal energy and a thriving tourist industry - the benefits of living on active volcanoes can be many. Furthermore, volcanoes are often striking landscapes - and so can be unrivalled symbols of place.
Huang Xiangmo and Sam Dastyari at a press conference for the Chinese community in Sydney on June 17, 2016. The revelations come after Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday morning that Senator Dastyari had, in October 2016, met Mr Huang in person at his house and warned him his phones were tapped, and that he should not speak near his phone or inside his home. Senator Dastyari did not deny the story on Wednesday, but said he was acting on "gossip" from journalists in respect of his dealings with Mr Huang at his family home. This claim was made despite Senator Dastyari delivering the counter-surveillance advice after multiple media reports that ASIO was interested in Chinese Communist Party aligned donors and after ASIO had briefed senior Labor officials about Mr Huang's CCP links. After details of the tapped phone warning emerged, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the senator should consider resigning and questioned if he had betrayed Australia. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said on Wednesday that he'd given Senator Dastyari a final warning.

"I have made it clear to Senator Dastyari that that this is not the first time his judgement has been called into question, but I certainly expect it to be the last," Mr Shorten said. Speaking to Fairfax Media on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Dastyari said his last contact with Mr Huang was 14 months ago and "I haven't spoken to him since'. "In September last year, I resigned from the ALP frontbench, over comments I made at a ... press conference which were wrong and not consistent with ALP policy. I have acknowledged this a number of times previously. I paid a price for this error. "I expect Turnbull and the Liberals to smear me, but for he and his colleagues to suggest that I am not a true or loyal Australian is incredibly hurtful  and hurtful to all overseas-born Australians. "I might've been born overseas, but I'm as Australian as he is."

Senator Dastyari's South China Sea comments came the day after Labor's defence spokesman, Stephen Conroy, had publicly lambasted Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea as destabilising and "absurd". That statement during the 2016 election campaign prompted Mr Huang to tell the ALP he was withdrawing a promised $400,000 donation. Earlier this year, Senator Dastyari told the ABC's Australian Story that he did not recall ever speaking to Mr Huang about foreign policy, and that he made comments attributed to him only after he had "questions thrown at me from the Chinese media". "It was later reported that, in a very garbled answer, I said something along the lines of 'that's a matter for China'," Senator Dastyari said. "I gave the wrong answer to a complicated foreign policy question that I was naive enough and perhaps silly enough to take. What I should have done is taken it on notice or got them a proper answer," he told the ABC program.

"What I tried to do was give an answer at a press conference. That was the wrong thing to do. I'm not the first, I certainly won't be the last Member of Parliament to take a question and give the wrong answer." Senator Dastyari went on to say of the answer that he had "mumbled it and answered it incorrectly". However, on the tape recording, Senator Dastyari states clearly that "the Chinese integrity of its borders is a matter for China". He then refers to China's historical defence of its land claims, referring to how Australia and Labor policy should approach the issue. "And the role Australia should be playing as a friend is to know that with the several thousand years of history, thousands of years of history, where it is and isn't our place to be involved.

"And as a supporter of China and a friend of China the Australian Labor Party needs to play an important role in maintaining that relationship and the best way of maintaining that relationship is knowing when it is and isn't our place to be involved." Beijing's claims to disputed territories such as the South China Sea are partly based on evidence it says shows ancient historical rights. Chinese President Xi Jinping has insisted for several years that South China Sea islands "have been China's territory since ancient times". Mr Huang, who stood alongside Senator Dastyari at a podium engraved with the Australian coat of arms, has publicly stated his commitment to "unswervingly support the Chinese government's position to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity". Before the tape recording emerged, the only evidence that Senator Dastyari had made pro-Beijing comments was a single quote in a Chinese-language newspaper report.
Australians are less tolerant, less open and more nervous about the world than 10 years ago - but not as much as our politics might suggest. That's the take-home message from the Scanlon Foundation's long-running social cohesion study, which for the past decade has tracked our feelings about immigration, multiculturalism and Australian society.

Over the years, our sense of belonging, worth and social justice have all taken a hit. From a benchmark of 100 points in 2007, the social cohesion index now sits at 88 - an equal record low since the survey began. But on many measures, Australia's commitment to multiculturalism and immigration remains upbeat against the odds.

Postivity towards Muslims was highest in Melbourne. Credit:Eddie Jim

"The simple message would be yes, we're much worse than 2007," says Andrew Markus, the report's lead author and a professor at Monash University. "I think it's the contrary message  considering what's happened over the 10 years and so on, we're actually surprisingly resilient in terms of our attitudes. Downward trend, but not by a huge margin."

The decline in social cohesion was spurred largely by a growing rejection of difference and sense of pessimism about the future. In 2007, just 11 per cent of Australians felt their life would get worse over the coming few years - in 2017, that figure was 19 per cent. The number of people who strongly disagree with the idea that immigration makes Australia stronger increased from 8 per cent to 13 per cent.
Revelations that Labor's Sam Dastyari told a Chinese benefactor his phone was most likely being tapped by intelligence agencies makes his position in the Senate "untenable", the Turnbull government says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has accused Senator Dastyari of acting against Australia's national security interests and Attorney-General George Brandis said the revelations raised serious questions about his loyalties.

Senator Brandis said the revelations were also a test for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who brought Senator Dastyari in from the cold by giving him the leadership role of deputy Senate whip earlier this year.

Mr Shorten said while he receives regular confidential briefings from security agencies in his role as a major party leader, he denied sharing any of that information.
Bill Shorten has put Sam Dastyari on notice following revelations the Labor senator told a Chinese benefactor his phone was likely being tapped by intelligence agencies, but the Turnbull government says he has undermined national security and his position is "untenable".

The Opposition Leader has also been forced to deny he shared any confidential security information with Senator Dastyari as the latest twist in the Huang Xiangmo affair put the spotlight back on the threat of foreign interference in Australia's political system.

Under fire: Senator Sam Dastyari's links to a Chinese donor are back in the spotlight. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull questioned Senator Dastyari's loyalty to Australia after Fairfax Media broke the story on Wednesday, calling on Mr Shorten to dump him from his role in Labor's Senate leadership team and consider removing him from parliament altogether.

But Labor sought to turn the tables on the government by highlighting recent reporting that Mr Turnbull dined with a Chinese businessman in Queensland just days after one of the executive's companies declared a $40,000 donation to the Liberal National Party ahead of the state election.



Senator Dastyari issued his surveillance warning to Mr Huang, a wealthy Chinese Communist Party-linked political donor, during a meeting in October last year.
Lawrence said that the situation only worsened when she was out with her friend, comedian Amy Schumer.

"Once I enter a public place, I become incredibly rude. I turn into a huge ahole," Lawrence told Adam Sandler in a promotional interview for Variety Magazine , (below). "That's my only way of defending myself."

Jennifer Lawrence has confessed aloud in front of another famous human being that she turns into "a huge a-hole" in order to preserve her sanity around fans.

"I take my dog to the park all the time, to Central Park," Lawrence said. "As soon as I meet her in the park, we're fed."

Lawrence is also not afraid of a quick quip in order to stop a fan taking a Selfie with her, often offering the excuse that it's her "day off".

On the surface, this might appear a little ungracious. Nobody thrust J.Law into the spotlight, it is her own choice. But Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar-winner, movie star, imaginary best friend to everyone under the age of 30, is still a woman. And women everywhere can relate to what she's saying, which is that when a female asserts her right to not please everyone all the time; when she puts up boundaries, or says no, it's interpreted as a-hole behaviour. Who among us has not been told to "smile" because it can't be that bad? The inference being that women should be cheerful because it can't be that serious.

But a man frowning? He's probably got a lot on his mind!

Lawrence is no idiot, she understands that if she doesn't make light of her boundary-setting, someone is going to accuse her of being a b---h. She also knows that, as a young woman, if she's not firm from the outset, interactions with fans can quickly go from annoying to dangerous.
Sixteen years ago, following three months of birth education, Nadine Richardson and her partner found themselves 36 hours into labour and only two centimetres dilated.

"I knew that my fear was really holding me back and I didn't know how to break through that," Richardson recalls. "I thought that the midwife was going to help with that but she didn't, she was looking after heart rates and blood pressure [instead of providing emotional support]."

The doula provides emotional support while the midwife deals with the medical aspects of delivery. Credit:Stocksy

With medical assistance Richardson eventually gave birth to her son, Leroy.

"It was an extraordinary moment but I did, a few weeks later, have a moment of going 'What the hell was that?' I don't feel like any of those education classes I went to prepared me for that experience and neither did my partner  No one was talking about pain, and going 'Why was it more painful for this woman than that woman?' There was so much not being spoken about or explored."
Bank employees have called for a royal commission to restore the public's confidence in the sector.

The Finance Sector Union, which represents hundreds of thousands of bank workers, said recent scandals in the banking and finance sector had rocked consumer confidence.

The Finance Sector Union of Australia wants a royal commission into banks to restore fairness to bank workers and customers. Credit:Paul Jeffers

"We want that confidence restored," FSU National Secretary Julia Angrisano said.

"Let's have the Royal Commission, let's put in place the measures to restore trust, and let's work together to develop the world's most stable, ethical and prosperous banking sector.
Fairfax Media's journalism has dominated this year's Walkley Awards, picking up prizes for stories about armed conflict, crime, health and corporate malfeasance.

The stories told by survivors of Islamic State's brutal reign in Iraq picked up three prestigious journalism prizes at the Walkley Awards held in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Kate Geraghty, Adele Ferguson, Michael Bachelard and Cathy Wilcox. Credit:Fairfax Media

Surviving IS: Stories from Mosul by Fairfax Media journalists Michael Bachelard and Kate Geraghty won the Gold Walkley, along with prizes for feature writing (under 4000 words), while the Fairfax Media multimedia team also took out the Walkley for production on the same project.

Geraghty was also awarded the Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year.
One Nation won up to one-third of the primary vote but has failed to win more than one seat in the Queensland Parliament so far, a result experts blame on unfavourable preference flows and spreading too thin.

So far, One Nation's Stephen Andrew, a weapons dealer and feral pig shooter, looks set to claim the seat of Mirani from incumbent Jim Pearce.

One Nation candidate Stephen Andrew will win the seat of Mirani from Labor's Jim Pearce.

Mr Pearce came first in the primary vote in Mirani at 37 per cent, followed by One Nation at 31.6 per cent and the LNP at 27.1 per cent.

Mr Pearce put his loss down to preference flows from the LNP to One Nation.
The forensic pathologist who examined the body of Maureen Boyce cannot completely rule out the possibility the arthritic socialite stabbed herself with her wrong hand so hard the blade went through her back.

But Professor Beng Beng Ong told Brisbane Supreme Court he favoured the probability that the wounds to the 68-year-old former model were caused by a "second person".

Forensic pathologist Dr Beng Beng Ong arrives at the Brisbane Supreme Court to give evidence. Credit:AAP/David Clark

New Zealand-based doctor Thomas Christopher Lang is on trial after pleading not guilty to murdering Ms Boyce at her Kangaroo Point apartment in October 2015.

On Wednesday, the jury was shown photos of the 32-centimetre knife embedded so deeply in Ms Boyce's abdomen that part of the handle was inside her body.
A Canadian man accused by the United States of helping Russian intelligence agents break into email accounts as part of a massive 2014 breach of Yahoo accounts has pleaded guilty.

Karim Baratov was answering charges returned by a grand jury in the Northern District of California for hacking email accounts and selling the passwords to an agent of Russia's intelligence agency, the US Justice Department said in a statement.

Baratov, a 22-year-old Canadian citizen born in Kazakhstan, was arrested in Canada in March at the request of US prosecutors. He later waived his right to fight a request for his extradition to the United States.

The Justice Department announced charges in March against Baratov and three other men, including two officers in Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, for their roles in the 2014 theft of 500 million Yahoo accounts.
Terminally-ill Victorians will be able to legally end their own lives after State Parliament passed the government's voluntary assisted dying bill on Wednesday morning.

After more than 100 hours of sometimes rancorous debate, the bill had a low-key final passage through the lower house just before midday.

But the government has acknowledged that people with painful terminal illnesses will be disappointed that the laws will not come into force until 2019.

The legislation calls for an 18-month "implementation period" to finalise outstanding details and the exact nature of the lethal drugs that will be used.
CHICAGO  Television travel guide Rick Steves made a stop in Chicago on Tuesday to advocate for legalizing marijuana in Illinois.

Steves is the host of the program "Rick Steves' Europe" and a proponent of legalizing recreational pot. He spoke Tuesday at a hearing called by Illinois legislators to consider the issue.

Steves says "Marijuana is here to stay." He said states can either build more prisons to lock up drug users or "figure out a better solution."

Democratic state Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy are the lead sponsors of a measure to tax and regulate adult-use cannabis. They say doing so could generate hundreds of millions in new revenue.

Not everyone was sold on the idea. Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie said legalization could lead to other problems.
The scent of burning eucalyptus leaves and of Green political triumph mingled in the air outside Parliament House on Wednesday, where hundreds of supporters of Victoria's first Aboriginal woman MP gathered for a ritual smoking ceremony.

In a hand-sewn possum-skin cloak and black high heels, Greens MP Lidia Thorpe was cheered as she strode up the steps of Parliament and through the front door to deliver her first speech.

Lidia Thorpe enters Parliament for the first time as an MP. Credit:Eddie Jim

Ms Thorpe, who replaced Labor's Fiona Richardson as member for Northcote following the late minister's death from cancer in August, began her speech with a statement of defiance on behalf of Victoria's Aboriginal people, noting that they "have never ceded sovereignty".

"Being Aboriginal is not all I am, but it's the centre of who I am," Ms Thorpe said.
A large grassfirenorth of Werribee has been deemed under control after the CFA earlier issued a 'watch and act' alert for surrounding areas including Tarneit and Truganina.

About 36 CFA and MFB trucks battled the 80 hectare blaze at Shannahans, Dukelows and Dohertys Roads in Mount Cottrell, about 34 kilometres west of Melbourne's CBD.

A large grassfire is burning out of control north of Werribee, with the CFA issuing a 'watch and act' alert for surrounding areas including Tarneit and Truganina. Credit:Craig Abraham

Firefighters were called to the scene about 5.30pm on Wednesday following reports of an out of control large grassfire.

By 9pm the fire was declared under control.
Police have raided four Melbourne houses as part of ongoing investigations into a man's alleged Melbourne New Year's Eve terror plot.

Ali Khalif Shire Ali, 20, was arrested on a Werribee shopping strip on Monday and charged a day later for allegedly plotting to carry out an attack at Federation Square.

Terror accused Ali Khalif Shire Ali, 20, is taken into the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Credit:Joe Armao

Police on Wednesday raided homes at Tarneit, Coolaroo, Glenroy and Berwick.

They say their main inquiries are complete and no further arrests are expected.
Emergency services are at public pool in Melbourne's east where it is believed a man has drowned.

A 65-year-old Bayswater man was pulled from the water at the Knox Leisureworks centre just after 3.30pm on Wednesday, Victoria Police spokeswoman Melissa Search said.

"CPR was conducted on the man but he died at the scene," Ms Search said. "The death is not being treated as suspicious."

She said police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Paramedics were called to the leisure centre on Tormore Road about 3.30pm following reports of a possible drowning, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman confirmed.
The WA Coroner's Court has delivered an open finding in the case of a Broome woman who vanished in the Kimberley town 18 years ago.

Deputy State Coroner Evelyn Vicker said she was satisfied Petronella Albert had been the victim of 'foul play' and met an 'untimely death' in 1999.

Petronella Albert went missing in 1999. Credit:Crime Stoppers Australia

But she made an open finding into the manner and cause of how she died.

Ms Albert, 22, went missing after going to the Nippon Inn Bar in Broome in around April or May, 1999.
A search of a near-frozen lake and surrounding park in Canada where missing woman Alison Raspa's mobile phone was discovered has failed to reveal any clues about where the 25-year-old could be.

The Perth woman, who moved to the ski resort town of Whistler in May, disappeared on November 22 after leaving her workplace, Three Below Bar, just before midnight.

Alison Raspa moved to Canada in May. Credit:Facebook

She was reported missing by co-workers the next day.

Her phone was later discovered five kilometres away at Alpha Lake Park seven hours after she finished her bar shift.
An "oversupply of recruit applicants" has prompted WA Police to close recruit applications from Thursday and not re-open them again until July next year.

It essentially means West Australians wanting to become a cop will have to get their applications in before 4pm Thursday, or wait eight months.

Applications will re-open in July next year.

WA Police have told WAtoday they are in the "fortunate position of having an oversupply of recruit applicants" coupled with "all-time low" officer attrition rates.

"There are sufficient applicants in the current selection pool to fill the projected recruit schools for 2018," a WA Police Force spokesperson said.
Paris: Daggers are drawn in France over a century-old law obliging the country's bakers to shut shop once a week after bakery chains called for the rule to be scrapped in the name of free enterprise.

Traditional boulangers have warned that dropping the law could sound the death knell for local bakers who are the pride of France.

Daggers are drawn in France over a century-old law. Credit:Natalie Boog

The French federation of baking companies (FEB) - the big bakers - last month officially requested the 1919 law enforcing a day of rest be dropped. The chains reportedly sought to strike after the election of President Emmanuel Macron, who led a drive to extend commercial opening hours. The FEB cited a survey suggesting that 87 per cent of French wanted to be able to buy bread every day and 56 per cent were for scrapping the law.

"We're not obliging anyone to open all hours, we are asking for free enterprise not to be bridled," said Matthieu Labbe, president of FEB.
A man watches a TV screen showing a local news program reporting North Korea's missile launch at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul on Wednesday. Credit:AP North Korea said it would make an "important" announcement later in the day following the launch, the state-run radio station said on Wednesday afternoon. The missile's trajectory and its landing off the coast of Japan suggests it was fired almost straight up - on a lofted trajectory similar to North Korea's two previous intercontinental ballistic missile tests. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, centre, presides over a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the latest missile launch on Wednesday. Credit:AP The Pentagon said that the projectile did indeed appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. The latest missile "went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said. He described the launch as part of an effort to build missiles "that can threaten everywhere in the world."

If it had flown on a standard trajectory designed to maximise its reach, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000km, said David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. US Defence Secretary James Mattis at the White House after the latest North Korean missile launch. Credit:AP "This is significantly longer than North Korea's previous long-range tests, which flew on lofted trajectories for 37 minutes and 47 minutes," Wright said. "Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, DC." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters on Wednesday. The missile landed in waters off Japan. Credit:AP

The US capital is 11,024km from Pyongyang. The previous long-range test, in July, could have flown 10,460km were it not on a lofted trajectory, experts said. Although it may be cold comfort, it is still unlikely that North Korea is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland. Scientists do not know the weight of the payload the missile carried, but given the increase in range, it seems likely that it carried a very light mock warhead, Wright said. "If true, that means it would not be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to this long distance, since such a warhead would be much heavier," he said in a blog post. But the North Koreans still appear to be in the testing stage, rather than the operational one, said Markus Schiller, a German aerospace engineer who specialises in missiles. "If they are serious about their missile program, they have to launch from time to time, and at different times of the day and in different weather," he said.

Schiller said that North Korea still has a way to go with its missile program. "Perhaps they can hit Washington, DC, with this, but they can't fight a war with it," he said. The missile was launched just before 3am on Wednesday from the western part of North Korea. Japan's Defence Ministry said that it landed in waters inside Japan's exclusive economic zone, off the coast of Aomori Prefecture. The coast guard told ships to watch for falling debris, and the Japanese government condemned the launch. South Korea's military conducted a "precision strike" missile launch exercise in response, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The South Korean and Japanese governments both convened emergency national security council meetings, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said such launches "cannot be tolerated." Although it was the first North Korean missile launch in more than two months, there had been signs that the North was making preparations. The Japanese government had detected radio signals suggesting that North Korea might be preparing for a ballistic missile launch, Kyodo News reported Monday, citing government sources. Pyongyang has been working to fit a nuclear warhead to a missile capable of reaching the US mainland, a weapon it says it needs to protect itself from a "hostile" Washington. It has made rapid progress this year, firing two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, the second of which was technically capable of reaching as far as Denver or Chicago, or possibly even New York. A senior South Korean official said North Korea could announce next year that it has completed its nuclear weapons program. "North Korea has been developing its nuclear weapons at a faster-than-expected pace. We cannot rule out the possibility that North Korea could announce its completion of a nuclear force within one year," Cho Myoung-gyon, the unification minister, who is in charge of the South's relations with the North, told foreign reporters in Seoul.

Kim opened 2017 with a New Year's address announcing that North Korea had "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile." After its most recent missile launch, an intermediate-range missile that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on September 15, North Korea said it was seeking military "equilibrium" with the United States as a way to stop American leaders from talking about military options for dealing with Pyongyang. That was the second launch over Japan in less than three weeks and came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what was widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb. But despite an increase in tensions over the past two months, including a US Navy three-carrier strike group conducting military exercises in the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, 74 days had passed without any missile launches by the North. That was the longest pause all year, according to Shea Cotton, a research associate at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California. The pause had raised hopes that North Korea might be showing interest in returning to talks about its nuclear program.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 44F. Winds light and variable.
21-year-old Albert Dallakyan has struggled to rebound from a devastating gunshot wound to the head last year in June while serving at a military base in Artsakh. His road to recovery isnt over.

It was during his eleventh month of service when he was accidentally shot in the head by his lieutenant, who was fooling around with another soldiers gun.

The young soldiers family is desperately trying to raise money so that they can send Albert overseas for much needed surgery.

The family moved from Vanadzor (Armenia) to Rostov-on-Don (Russia) in 2007. He was a second-year student at Rostov State Universitys Dept. of Business Administration when he decided to take a leave of absence and return to Armenia to serve in the army. Albert was dispatched to Artsakh.

At that time, his parents were in Armenia to solve some issues with documents. His mother, Armineh, recalls that he called and said that if he didnt go to army, who else would defend the country. She says she was against Albert's decision, but her husband encouraged their son.

After receiving first aid on the spot, Albert was taken to the hospital in Martouni. Armineh says the doctors were amazed that he survived the gunshot.

"The bullet entered one part of the head and exited the other. Smashing the left hemisphere, it passed through the small brain, damaging the main vessel, Armineh says.

In January this year, Armenias Investigative Committee released a statement saying that as a result of violating the rules of weapons handling, Lieutenant A. Nahapetyan accidentally pressed the trigger after loading the rifle, causing the bullet to hit Dallakyans head, and threatening his life.

Nahapetyan has been charged under Article 373 (2) of the RA Criminal Code (Breach of rules for handling weapons, ammunition and radioactive materials, explosives and other items and devices dangerous for the environment, which negligently caused minor or medium-gravity damage to human health, is punished with disciplinary battalion for the term of 1 to 3 years, or with imprisonment for up to 4 years).

Taking one of the medical folders, and opening the X-ray papers, Armineh describes the current situation of her son. His memory has been restored and his sight has partially improved over the past few months.

"Albert's eyes see a narrow spectrum. One eye sees only the front area, and the other - only laterally. I talked to the doctors about this. They said its not possible to restore it. There are scars on his corneas and his sight cannot be completely restored, " says his mother.

Armineh says her son has started to experience paralysis. "Albert gets paralyzed for half an hour, and loses consciousness for one hour. He says, Mother, I'm paralyzed, I'm paralyzed. I hug his lifeless body and see his black face," says the 39-year-old mother. The last time it happened was around three months ago.

"We were going to have plastic surgery. They had to bring titanium from Germany, but during one of the studies, it turned out that the vessel in Albert's head had been cut off, and the vessel and an artery had stuck together, making something like a cyst. Now I'm very afraid. If the pressure rises and it explodes, it's irreversible. Once we went to the doctor, and the doctor said, Its like walking with a bomb in the head: it can explode any second, even due to sneezing. Now this vessel surgery must be performed, "Armineh says.

Two months ago, Armineh applied to the Ministry of Defense for the surgery. The ministry replied that there were doctors in Armenia who could perform such surgeries. Armineh met with these doctors. She says one of the doctors said that he doesnt perform such an operation unless theres a hemorrhage. Another said they had no equipment for such case.

Armineh says such surgeries are performed only at the Heratsi No. 1 Hospital in Armenia, but they only started in 2010.

"They offer to close those parts of the vessel, but they have neither the experience nor equipment. They offer a risky option and say they cannot guarantee anything. I realize that nobody can give a 100-percent guarantee even in the case of routine operations. Weve gone through so much. The boy has undergone three severe surgeries, but now I cannot approve a measure for which we have no guarantees, says Armineh.

She says they are receiving greater guarantees from medical centers in Moscow and Germany, but they need a large amount of money for the surgery. Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany responded that neurosurgeons estimated the total cost of the surgery at $35,200.

Armineh says the Defense Ministry told her it cannot pay for surgeries abroad. The mother doesnt know what to do: she feels powerless and angry.

"Well, the soldier was injured and is now in such a state. Is that it? They dont need him anymore? Have they closed the page on my son? Albert receives a state disability pension of 91,000 drams. Its the only support from the state. The medicine alone we buy for him costs 120,000 drams a month, " Armineh says.

The family has rented a house in Yerevans Erebouni District. There are many expenses. Arminehs husband works in Rostov-on-Don, but its not that he earns much there.

With help from the Satar NGO for the Disabled, Albert enrolled at Yerevan State University this year as a correspondence student in management.

Because his memory was damaged due to the head injury, Albert attends speech therapy classes. Hes relearned the letters, and reads and writes.

"Can you imagine a student having to learn the alphabet over again? Do you think I am happy about it? I dont know what to say," says the mother, looking at her sons notebook.

Armineh says Albert dreams of graduating from university and working. She says he doesnt know that a complicated surgery soon awaits him.

"I look at him, and he seems content, but my heart trembles when I think of awaits him," says the despondent mother.

She then pulls out a piece of paper with the Unibank accounts she has opened for donations for her sons surgery, preferably abroad.

This situation Im in, begging, irritates me. Whos to blame? I dont know. My son took a leave of absence to serve in the army. Whos answerable for what happened?

P.S. These are the Unibank accounts that Armineh Ghazaryan has opened in her name:

24100365620400 - AMD

24100365620401 - USD

24100365620402 - EURO
Police are still unsure why a 45-year-old College Station woman veered off Texas 6 and crashed into a pillar Monday morning, but they believe a medical issue may be to blame.

Lori Hailey Marberry was killed in the one-car collision.

According to College Station spokesman Lt. Craig Anderson, a medical issue may have led to the accident, but that had not yet been confirmed. Anderson said no autopsy has been ordered.

The accident, which occurred around 7:30 a.m. Monday, snarled traffic for about three hours while emergency crews cleared the scene. College Station police said Marberry's sedan struck a concrete pillar at the Rock Prairie Road overpass. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to officials, Marberry's car entered the northbound lanes of the freeway near Rock Prairie Road before veering left, striking a concrete median, then crossing the road and hitting the pillar under the overpass.

Marberry's Facebook profile says she attended A&M Consolidated High School and Sam Houston State University.

Services are pending with Hillier Funeral, Cremation, Bereavement Specialists of College Station.

Anyone with information on the accident can call College Station police at 764-3600.
When Hearne students sit down to take the STAAR test this school year, their answers will play a role in whether a board of managers appointed by the Texas Education Agency replaces the school board.

The TEA finalized the accountability ratings of school districts this month, giving a glimpse at what accreditation ratings will be announced in spring. For the third consecutive year, Hearne has been given an "improvement required" accountability rating.

According to the TEA, districts with three consecutive years of substandard accountability ratings are given a "probation" accreditation status, a rank below the "warned" accreditation status the district was given last year after two consecutive years of substandard accountability ratings.

Both the warned and probation statuses come with TEA monitors and the obligation to develop turnaround plans. Four consecutive school years of a substandard academic accountability rating results in the state revoking a school district's accreditation status. Districts that have their accreditation revoked will have their school board replaced by a board of TEA-appointed managers.

The STAAR scores students earn this school year will heavily weigh into the district's next accountability rating, but officials say they are not worried.

Superintendent Adrain Johnson said the district is focused. While the district as a whole earned an improvement required rating, the high school met the state standard. And while the elementary school and junior high school scored "just short" of the state standard, Johnson said Hearne schools did make gains.

Namely, the district improved on student progress, one of the factors that goes into calculating the accountability score. Going forward, the focus is on math and reading, Johnson said.

Teachers such as Janene Day are confident students will do well, but Day says she resents the idea that teachers in Hearne are only focused on standardized testing.

"We're not just concerned about the STAAR test," said the high school English teacher. "I want my kids to learn something every day."

All the same, algebra teacher Selena Kaminsk says the district has taken a more targeted approach to the STAAR test. Unlike in previous years, when most of the STAAR review was done in the two weeks leading up to the test, she said she and other teachers began giving more individualized, data-driven guidance on the test since day one.

With students who have not passed previously, teachers are analyzing what they got wrong on previous tests and focusing on the problem areas, she says.

"This year, we've been able to pinpoint their weaknesses," she said.

U.S. history teacher Amanda Montgomery-Puryear said this year she's trying out a few new teaching methods. Namely, she's assigning groups and having each group teach a class under her guidance and generally trying to present students with interesting entry points into the topic.

"History is not really enjoyable when it's all names and dates," she says, adding that in Tuesday's class on the Great Depression, she walked students through all the buildings in town that came out of the New Deal.

Montgomery-Puryear says she still gets negative reactions when she tells someone new that she works in Hearne schools. But she said she sees change in the district.

Day says she's impressed with this year's freshman class and is starting to see a sort of eagerness among students that was not there when she started with the district six years ago.

"There is a competitiveness between kids that you don't usually see," Day said.

Kaminsk said she feels confident that students will do well this testing season, and she's thinks students are self-assured as well.

Somerville school district was in the same place as Hearne last school year. After earning an accountability rating of improvement required for three years in a row, the district was put on accreditation probation. "It puts you in a magnifying glass, not only locally but on the state level," said Somerville Superintendent Charles Camarillo. "The pressure was very real. It was a make or break year for us...I don't recommend it to anybody.""

Stephanie Longoria, Somerville Elementary School principal, says heading into testing that year, teachers were confident they were able to give students the tools they needed, but also a little apprehensive.

This month, the district earned the coveted "meets standard" score, which Camarillo says means the district will shake off the accreditation probationary status. The news was a relief, but now there is pressure to not get too comfortable.

"One of the keys of getting out of the situation we are in right now is to maintain that level of urgency and not sliding back down," Camarillo said. "They say the year after is harder than the year you are in [probation]."

Hearne school board member Sheridan Ely is skeptical the district will have the same outcome as Somerville. The board has not had a meeting since the accountability ratings were finalized, although the scores have been available to the district previously and administrators say they opted not to contest the accountability rating.

Ely said she's waiting to hear more about what the administration has to say about the scores, but she's disheartened. She said she worries that administrators and specialists in the district are too focused on showcasing marginal gains than talking about the extent of improvement the district still needs.

"I don't want to say I'm pessimistic, but I think it's a long shot," she said.

For now, district administrators say they are less focused on the district's ranking and more focused on improving the classroom experience.

"No one is extremely happy right now," said Travis Weatherspoon, assistant superintendent. "But we're doing what's best for the children."
The Yerevan Municipal Council today rejected Yelk Alliance proposals to rename four streets in the Armenian capital.

Proposals were made to change Arsen Amiryan Street to King Vramshapouh; Mikhail Frunze Street to Heroes of April; Sargis Kasyan Street to Catholicos Vazgen I; and Anastas Mikoyan Street to Kirk Kerkorian.

The council has a majority of ruling Republican Party of Armenia members.

The Yerkir Tsirani faction, led by Zarouhie Postanjyan, boycotted the vote, arguing that all the streets to be renamed must be in downtown Yerevan.

The Yelk Alliance (YA) said that the names of these and other street need to be changed to reflect post-Soviet reality, and that other post-Soviet nations have reassessed their past, redefining who were heroes and who werent.

The YA claimed that Sargis Kasyan was at the center of destroying the first republic, and that Mikhail Frunze led a delegation coordinating Soviet-Turkish relations, and had cordial relations with Mustapha Kemal Ataturk.

His statute was even placed in Istanbuls Taksim Square next to Ataturks, YA member Tigran Avinyan stated. [Frunzes statute was indeed incorporated into the Republic Monument ordered by Ataturk]

Avinyan said that it had received a petition from residents of Yerevans Shengavit District to change the name of Frunze Street, and described Anastas Mikoyan as committing crimes against humanity.

As for Arsen Amiryan, the YA claimed his only claim to fame is that he was a member of the Baku Commune.

We are not opposed to having a street in Yerevan names after Catholicos Vazgen, replied Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan. But have you asked the opinion of Etchmiadzin?

Avinyan said that the YA had spoken to the spokesperson of the current catholicos and that Etchmiadzin isnt opposed to the renaming, but that theyd prefer to have a larger street renamed in honor of Catholicos Vazgen I.

Mayor Margaryan said he needed more than the verbal consent of the church, adding that the Republican Party of Armenia was in favor of renaming a major a thoroughfare in Yerevan after Caholicos Vazgen I.

Nevertheless, the councils cultural committee said it was generally opposed to the renaming of streets.
Graffiti has been popping up around College Station, and police are asking for the public's help.

According to a press release from CSPD, several buildings and other public structures such as bridges have been defaced with graffiti. Most of the graffiti is near Hobby Lobby, along Wolf Pen Creek on George Bush Drive, and in the neighborhood surrounding the intersection of Holleman Drive and Welsh Avenue. This crime, considered criminal mischief, ranges in severity based on the total cost of damage to property owners.
The human remains discovered earlier this month in a grassy lot near the intersection of Wellborn Road and Navarro Drive in College Station have been identified as a man missing since September.

According to College Station police spokesman Lt. Craig Anderson, the remains belong to 30-year-old Steven Roman.

According to Roman's Facebook profile, he originally was from Lake Jackson and was a 2011 graduate of Texas A&M. An article in the Houston Chronicle states Roman had lived in College Station for about 10 years.

Anderson said Roman was not known to go missing for extended periods of time, and before this incident, a missing persons report had never been filed for him with College Station police. Roman's family checks in on him occasionally but does not correspond with him on a frequent basis, police said. The last known sighting of Roman was Sept. 12.

According to the Chronicle, Roman's sister went to his town house on Nov. 5 to check on him. His car and keys were at the home, but he, his cellphone and debit card were gone. A missing persons report was filed Nov. 7.

For 11 days, police were unable to get a successful lead on Roman's whereabouts, but on Nov. 18, someone called authorities to report seeing trash and some clothing in the field off Wellborn Road. Search dogs were called in to investigate, which led to the discovery of Roman's body amongst the brush. Police said it was significantly decomposed.

Roman was positively identified this week.

It will take more time to determine how Roman died, Anderson said. Until then, the case remains a mystery. The timeline for finding a cause of death is unclear, as it hinges on the autopsy schedule of the out-of-county medical examiner, he said.

Anyone who thinks they might have information on Roman's death are asked to contact College Station police at 979-764-3600.
Armenian Minister of Nature Protection Artzvik Minasyan reaffirmed to this reporter that those responsible for the killing of endangered griffon vultures in Armenia would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

However, the minister noted that any such prosecution was dependent on the law and that the law specified the statute of limitations for a particular offense.

In October, a photo appeared on Facebook showing Shenavan Mayor Artur Mkrtchyan holding two dead griffon vultures. Mkrtchyan responded that the photo was taken in 2007 and that he found the birds dead, on the side of the road.

Minister Minasyan said that hed push for stricter hunting laws calling for criminal charges in some cases.

When I asked Minasyan about a recent statement he made thanking the business tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan for supporting a government plan to create special nature reserves, pointing out that Tsarukyan is know for keeping wild animals as pets, the minister replied that Tsarukyan is only assisting the government and that the businessman made the offer.

The minister said he frowned on people keeping wild animals as pets, noting that the current law is deficient when it comes to safeguarding the health of such animals.

In the first place, our laws allow people to keep wild animals in certain cases. But the law only specifies the physical requirements; for example, that the cage must be at least 25 square meters. It says nothing about the quality of the cage, Minasyan said

The minister said he was in contact with the World Wildlife Fund regarding reintroducing bears, now held in private hands, into the wild.

Regarding the complaints by several communities regarding roaming bears and the threat they pose, the minister said that electric fences have been installed in some communities to ward off the animals.

Its an electric chain. If the bear gets a shock, if touched. The bear wanders off and doesnt enter the community. Weve installed several experimental in the so-called Electric Shephard program. If we get the required funding, we can complete the program.
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This summer alone, Connecticut residents pocketed $12.5 million by renting their homes, apartments, cottages and couches to guests through online marketplace Airbnb.

Between Bridgeport, Danbury, Greenwich, Norwalk and Stamford, 290 Airbnb hosts tallied more than 6,900 guest stays, earning nearly $2 million between November 2016 and the end of last month.

During that time period, New Haven ranked as the top Connecticut destination for Airbnb guests with 13,700 stays, followed by Stonington with 4,300 and Groton, totaling 4,000. Stamford and Greenwich both slotted in the top ten with 2,500 and 1,600 stays, respectively.

Airbnb, which launched on the West Coast in 2008, has prompted controversies across the country and around the world in recent years, leading to a variety of regulatory strategies. Connecticut, especially in comparison to nearby New York City, has taken a lenient approach, according to Airbnb public policy associate Andrew Kalloch.

Its notable that Connecticut has a much more friendly regulatory environment for short-term rentals than other nearby locations, Kalloch told Hearst Connecticut Media in an interview. Connecticut has a great statewide model: it makes sure (occupancy) taxes are collected and remitted, but takes a light regulatory approach. Its not a top-down regulation from Hartford.

In July 2016, Airbnb began collecting the states 15 percent lodging tax on behalf of its Connecticut hosts and submitting the funds to the state Department of Revenue Services. That required an agreement between the two entities, a model Airbnb has pushed many states to adopt. Previously, people using the online marketplace to rent their homes were required to comply with state statutes independently.

Some Airbnb hosts failure to pay occupancy taxes, among other things, has drawn ire from trade organizations representing hotels and bed and breakfasts. From Airbnbs perspective, some critics have simultaneously worked to prevent the company from reaching agreements to remit taxes on hosts behalf. The tax argument is one that the hotel industry has used for some time, Kalloch said. Weve always wanted to pay our fair share.

In the last year and a half, Airbnb has collected more than $3 million in lodging taxes that have gone to Connecticut coffers. We have collected over $500 million (in taxes) around the world, Kalloch added.

Since 2015, all New England states except Massachusetts have struck deals with Airbnb over collecting taxes. New Jersey and New York are also holdouts, though individual communities have independently made agreements with Airbnb, according to an online list of places where the company collects and remits occupancy taxes.

The home-sharing companys relationship with the lodging industry has been improving in some Connecticut communities, Kalloch said. We have seen many bed and breakfasts in the area come onto our platform to market their rooms, he said.

Greenwichs Stanton House owners Doreen and Tog Pearson have at times listed their bed and breakfast on Airbnb, Tog Pearson said in an interview earlier this year. If you cant beat them, join them, he said, adding that he has not generated much business from the strategy at the time.

Though Connecticut represents a smaller market than the rest of the tristate area, Kalloch said, growth is just as robust. To the extent which Connecticut maintains a friendly regulatory environment that fosters responsible home sharing, well continue to see growth that has a benefit for Connecticut families and businesses, he said.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_
The Belridge oil field near Bakersfield, California, is one of the largest in the country. It has been producing oil for more than a century and last year produced around 76,000 barrels a day, according to operator Aera Energy.

Now the oil field is about to become even more remarkable. Its future production will be powered partly by a massive solar-energy project to make the extraction process more environmentally friendly, according to Aera and GlassPoint Solar, the firm that will create the solar project.

The Belridge field was discovered in 1911. Oil from the field flowed out of the ground because of natural pressure in the geologic reservoirs. Later, as the pressure declined, many companies said the field was exhausted. The field gained new life in the 1960s through a process known as enhanced oil recovery. But squeezing more crude oil from the Belridge requires large amounts of steam to loosen the heavy crude, which in turn requires energy.

Traditionally, Aera used natural gas to heat water to create steam. Now Aera and GlassPoint will use a large, 850-megawatt solar thermal array to evaporate the water that's pumped into the ground to liberate more oil. The companies say this will offset 4.87 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year and avoid the emission of 376,000 tons of carbon. The water used emerges from the process of oil extraction itself and will be recycled and pumped back into the ground.

The project was made possible by the recent extension of California's cap-and-trade system for carbon-dioxide emissions to 2030, said Christina Sistrunk, chief executive of Aera Energy, a company jointly controlled by Shell and ExxonMobil.

"We need some level of what I would call regulatory and legislative stability to be able to fund projects that really need a couple of decades worth of certainty to be economic," Sistrunk said. "The extension of that program really underpinned our ability to make this long-term commitment."

The solar thermal array will capture the sun's energy using curving mirrors that are enclosed in a greenhouse, then use that energy to heat water. A smaller, 26.5-megawatt solar photovoltaic installation will help power oil-field operations. The project should start operations by 2020, the participating companies said.

This is the second such megascale solar-oil project for GlassPoint, which is building the massive, 1-gigawatt Miraah project in Oman, on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. (A gigawatt refers to the capacity to instantaneously generate 1 billion watts of electricity; a megawatt refers to the capacity to generate 1 million watts.) The Belridge project will be California's largest solar project, the company said.

"From the day we start operating, Aera will see an enormous reduction in the amount of gas they consume in a given day," said Ben Bierman, chief operating officer and acting CEO of GlassPoint Solar.

The combination of massive solar and massive oil is not what comes to mind when it comes to the global expansion of renewables, which generally has been led by wind and solar installations. But joint projects of various types between major oil producers and renewable energy players are growing, too. The Norwegian oil giant Statoil has announced plans to build solar arrays in Brazil with a clean-energy industry partner and made a major push into offshore wind energy; Shell is exploring a large solar project in Australia.

What's different about the Belridge project is the use of renewables, which don't emit greenhouse gases, to produce more fuel that will emit those gases. That could leave environmentalists feeling rather ambiguous. But this, too, has parallels -- a recent major carbon-capture and storage project in Texas will capture most of the carbon dioxide emitted by a major coal facility, then pipe the gas in a liquid form to an oil field where it will, once again, be used in enhanced oil recovery.

What these examples show perhaps most of all is that as renewable energy becomes more and more a part of our lives, it will also become increasingly integrated into more traditional energy systems.

From an environmental perspective, Aera-GlassPoint project is a "good step," said Simon Mui, director of California vehicles and fuels for the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy nonprofit. But Mui, who said his group had not yet fully evaluated that project, noted a distinction between reducing emissions from "fossil fuel infrastructure," which the current project would do, and a more long-term project of reducing the emissions from transportation as a whole by substituting battery-powered vehicles or other technologies for cars that run on oil.

"I think it's a false solution to think you can only do one or the other," Mui said. "And I think the state policies are looking to do two things: one is accelerate the transition to electric-drive technologies and other alternative sources, as well as to clean up the existing fossil-fuel infrastructure. You kind of have to do both to meet both state and global air-quality and greenhouse-gas targets."
It's no surprise that a place nicknamed "Sin City" would land at number one on a list of the most sinful cities in the U.S. What's less obvious are the Connecticut cities that also got a spot on the list.

Financial site WalletHub analyzed 182 cities to determine the most sinful cities in the country and New Haven and Bridgeport made the cutalbeit not too high in the rankings. New Haven came in at 101 out of 182 and Bridgeport at 157.
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STORRS  The aim was civil discourse.

What the University of Connecticut got instead was the Its OK to be white speaker shouted down and then arrested during a chaotic address on Tuesday.

As UConn President Susan Herbst put it in an campuswide statement, This was a very disappointing evening.

The incident  which quickly went viral  was the latest in a string of contentious campus speaking engagements that have college officials across the state and the country weighing free speech against cost, safety and student sensibilities.

Its a universitys job to provide opportunities for students to hear from people from all walks of life, said Edina Oestreicher, dean of students at the University of Bridgeport.

That said, anyone who wants to appear at UB has to go through a vetting process, be it a band, a magician or a controversial speaker, according to Oestreicher.

Same goes for Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University, officials there said.

At UConn, conservative commentator Lucian Wintrich was charged with breach of peace Tuesday night. He was released on a $1,000 bond, as was Sean Miller, a UConn student from Glastonbury, who is charged with breaking a window as people left the event. UConn officials are reviewing videos of the event to determine if any additional arrests are warranted.

A national debate

This year at the University of California, Berkeley, conservative commentator Ann Coulters planned appearance on campus was canceled because of safety concerns. At Middlebury College in Vermont, students turned their backs on Charles Murray, a writer many accuse of espousing racist ideas. At Auburn University in Alabama, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer spoke after a federal judge ruled the university could not stop him. The list goes on.

We live in a tense and angry time of deep political division, Herbst said in her take on what happened at UConn. Our hope as educators is that creative leadership and intellectual energy can be an antidote to that sickness, especially on university campuses.

Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokeswoman, said the policy at the states flagship university is to let any student group reserve on-campus space for a speaker or program as long as university rules are followed.

Free speech, like academic freedom, is one of the universitys bedrock principles, Reitz said.

Wintrich, a White House correspondent for the right-wing Gateway Pundit website, was hosted by UConn College Republicans, a student organization. Representatives of the group did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

Reitz said the UConn event did not involve tuition money, and she did not have figures on what security cost.

Dimitrius Raphael, a senior biology major at UConn who went to hear Wintrich at the Andre Schenker Lecture Hall on campus, said officials definitely seemed to up the security, with officers at each door in a lecture hall filled to capacity.

Wintrich was to give a speech and then answer questions. Instead, he was booed from the get-go and peppered with chants of Go home, Nazi.

At one point, when a woman ran up and grabbed papers from his lectern, Wintrich chased her up into the audience, and according to police reports grabbed her, pulling her back in a violent manner.

Wintrich was taken into UConn police custody shortly before 9 p.m. No injuries were reported.

He later tweeted: Its really unfortunate that some of the kids at @UConn felt the need to be violent and disruptive during a speech that focused on how the leftist media is turning Americans against each other. Tonight proved my point.

Raphael said it seemed unreal, just to witness an incident of this sort with my own eyes.

Learning experience

Anthony DAndrea, a UConn freshman from Norwalk, wasnt there, but said he doesnt think UConn should stop welcoming controversial speakers.

I think its worth hearing everyones opinion, said DAndrea. Whoever the university invites, I am willing to hear them out.

Herbst said the night was a learning experience.

Something similar will arise here again at some point in the near future, she said. We will need to learn from this experience and rise to that occasion. Thoughtful civil discourse should be a hallmark of democratic societies and American universities, and this evening fell well short of that.

On other campuses in the area, the tightrope between free speech and safety is also traversed when it comes to controversial speakers.

At Yale University, the campus is open to any speaker whom students or members of the faculty have invited and for whom official arrangements to speak have been made with the university, spokesman Tom Conroy said, referencing the Ivy League universitys website.

Yale has rules against disrupting speech, lectures or public events.

At Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, the student handbook allows student groups to invite speakers as long as there is an equal opportunity for opposing views.

The reality of that policy is that we take our role as guardians of academic freedom very seriously, Deborah Noack, a Sacred Heart spokeswoman, said. Our goal is to present different opinions and to expose our students to the world around us, even if these windows sometimes open on individuals who are contro versial.

At Fairfield University, Jenn Anderson, vice president of marketing and communications, said the campus is committed to the Jesuit culture that celebrates diversity, open dialogue, the free exchange of ideas and the pursuit of truth.

The university sponsors many different lectures and events, which include controversial speakers, she said. Speakers who would incite violence, she added, would not be welcome on campus.
TOKYO - North Korea claimed the entire United States mainland was within reach after "successfully" testing a new kind of intercontinental ballistic missile, which it called the Hwasong-15, and said could carry a "super large heavy warhead."

While Pyongyang is prone to exaggeration, its boast of having all of the United States in range is in line with experts' calculations that the missile launched Wednesday, which flew 10 times higher than the International Space Station, could theoretically reach Washington, District of Columbia.

"With this system, we can load the heaviest warhead and strike anywhere in the mainland United States," North Korea's most famous newsreader, Ri Chun Hee, said in a special live broadcast on state television. "This missile is far more technologically advanced than July's Hwasong-14. This signifies that our rocket development process has been completed."

Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, had personally authorized the launch, Ri said, a photo of Kim at his desk and the handwritten order appearing on the screen.

Wednesday's launch, the first in more than two months, is a clear sign that the North Korean leader is pressing ahead with his nation's stated goal of being able to strike the United States' mainland and is not caving in to the Trump administration's strategy of applying "maximum pressure."

The missile logged a longer flight time than any of its predecessors and went farther into the atmosphere than ever before, reaching a height of 2,800 miles. The International Space Station, by comparison, is 240 miles above the Earth.

President Donald Trump, together with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan and the U.N. secretary general, condemned the latest launch. "We will take care of it," he told reporters at the White House, calling it a "situation we will handle."

He later tweeted that Democrats should join with Republicans to pass a spending measure to avert a government shutdown. "After North Korea missile launch, it's more important than ever to fund our gov't & military!"

Trump has repeatedly said that military options are on the table for dealing with North Korea and has suggested that time has run out for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem.

A growing chorus of voices in Washington is calling for serious consideration of military action against North Korea, although this is strongly opposed by South Korea, where the Seoul metropolitan region - home to 25 million people - is within the range of North Korean artillery.

And Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that "diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now." He added: "The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea."

The missile was launched just before 3 a.m. Wednesday from South Pyongan province in the western part of North Korea, where Kim had recently visited a catfish farm, according to state media.

It reached a height of about 2,800 miles before landing 54 minutes later some 620 miles from the launch site, in waters inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The splashdown site was about 130 miles off the coast of Aomori prefecture.

This suggested that it had been fired almost straight up - on a "lofted trajectory" similar to North Korea's two previous intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

The Pentagon said that the projectile did indeed appear to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. The latest missile "went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said. He described the launch as part of an effort to build missiles "that can threaten everywhere in the world."

If the missile had flown on a standard trajectory designed to maximize its reach, it would have a range of more than 8,100 miles, said David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C.," Wright said.

The U.S. capital is 6,850 miles from Pyongyang. The previous intercontinental ballistic missile tested, the Hwasong-14 tested on July 28, was in the air for 47 minutes and could have flown 6,500 miles were it on a normal trajectory. Hwasong means "Mars" in Korean.

The South Korean and Japanese governments both convened emergency national security council meetings after the launch, and both leaders talked to Trump by phone.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military also conducted a "precision strike" launch exercise in response, firing missiles into the sea.

Although it may be cold comfort, it is still unlikely that North Korea is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland - despite Wednesday's claims. That still requires mastering reentry technology and the difficult task of fitting a nuclear warhead into a missile and have it survive the extremes of temperature and vibrations involved with leaving and coming back into the Earth's atmosphere.

But Pyongyang has been making rapid progress toward achieving that goal, saying it needs to be able to protect itself from a "hostile" Washington. It has made observable advances this year, firing two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, the second of which was technically capable of reaching as far as Denver or Chicago.

Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, said that Trump's pressure-centric approach was clearly not stopping North Korea's missile advances.

"Testing a ballistic missile capable of reaching Washington, D.C., is likely as much a psychological victory for North Korea as it is a technical advancement," Davenport said. "Pyongyang can now back up its belligerent threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear warheads."

However, there was a still a question mark over whether North Korea could reliably and accurately deliver a nuclear warhead to a target, she said.

A senior South Korean official said Tuesday that North Korea could announce next year that it has completed its nuclear weapons program.

"North Korea has been developing its nuclear weapons at a faster-than-expected pace. We cannot rule out the possibility that North Korea could announce its completion of a nuclear force within one year," Cho Myoung-gyon, the unification minister, who is in charge of the South's relations with the North, told foreign reporters in Seoul.

But for now, the North Koreans still appear to be in the testing stage, rather than the operational one, said Markus Schiller, a German aerospace engineer who specializes in missiles. "If they are serious about their missile program, they have to launch from time to time, and at different times of the day and in different weather."

North Korea still has a way to go with its missile program, Schiller said. "Perhaps they can hit Washington, D.C., with this, but they can't fight a war with it," he said.

Kim Jong Un opened 2017 with a New Year's address announcing that North Korea had "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile."

Then, in July, his regime launched two ICBMs, the first on U.S. Independence Day. After its most recent missile launch, an intermediate-range missile that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Sept. 15, North Korea said it was seeking military "equilibrium" with the United States as a way to stop American leaders from talking about military options for dealing with Pyongyang.

That was the second launch over Japan in less than three weeks and came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what was widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb.

Those events triggered ire overseas, with Trump denouncing North Korea's regime during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly and mocking Kim as "little Rocket Man."

But despite an increase in tensions over the past two months, including a U.S. Navy three-carrier strike group conducting military exercises in the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, 74 days had passed without any missile launches by the North.

That was the longest pause all year, according to Shea Cotton, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif. The pause had raised hopes that North Korea might be showing interest in returning to talks about its nuclear program.

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations late last month, Joseph Yun, the State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said that if North Korea went 60 days without testing a missile or a nuclear weapon, it could be a sign that Pyongyang was open to dialogue.
The maturation of the cannabis industry is easily illustrated by the growth of its most popular conference. Just over 400 people attended the initial iteration of the Marijuana Business Conference (MJBizCon) when it debuted in Denver back in 2012

Back then, merely 16 states had legal medical marijuana, and no states were selling recreational cannabis. Fast forward to this year where 18,121 attendees filled the Las Vegas Convention Center, yielding a massive 67 percent increase from 2016. It's an international audience, too. Nearly 11 percent of all conference attendees of the show were foreign residents, a large portion of our neighboring Canada where recreational cannabis is set to be legalized in 2018.

Six-hundred and eighteen companies exhibited at the event -- a 111 percent increase from the 2016 show. One curious statistician determined to speak to each of them for five-minutes would have taken just under 57 hours, and walking the floor end-to-end would constitute an over two-mile jaunt.

Related: 9 Business Ideas for People Looking to Cash in on the Marijuana Boom

Companies exhibiting at the world's largest cannabis convention aren't necessarily whom you might imagine, either. Sure there's a broad selection of consumer products like glass blowers whose art lines some of today's most elegant dispensaries, but MJBizCon exhibited far more. The modern cannabis industry spans all sectors of the industry, from banking, security, packaging and marketing firms to consultants, cultivation equipment manufacturers and infused product companies.

Precisely.

Each of these disparate sectors is integral to this quickly maturing industry. As cannabis legalization spreads, regulations tighten. An exclusively black market clandestine industry is quickly evolving into one government will only support if it can keep track of it. All this requires a focus on precision.

Need to navigate California's ever-changing licensing, hiring, zoning, and tax requirements? There are no corners to cut any longer; it's play by the rules or stay on the sidelines. Entrepreneurs need experts to do that, and MJBizCon brought hundreds of lawyers, consultants, accountants, and experts in one place, all available for hire to do so.

Related: Why Your Cannabis Business Is Failing, and How You Can Fix It

Cannabis product manufacturing requires precision, as well. Pot brownies and other baked edibles are notorious for leaving novice consumers feeling overindulged. Each bite of an edible or toke of a joint can contain a different amount of cannabinoids causing the "please make it stop" experience.

New consumer preferences have given rise to precise microdosing to avoid this. A hot topic at this year's convention, microdosing ensures cannabis products are manufactured and/or delivered so consumers can know exactly how much THC they are getting in each dose.

"To achieve an accurate medical cannabis dose one must know not just how much, but what they are taking into their body from a chemical compound standpoint to achieve a consistent and repeatable experience," Peter Calfee, CEO of multipatent-pending medical microdosing vaporizer, GoFire.

This type of thing is critical for the cannabis industry to shed its nonchalant reputation, and vendors are stepping up to the challenge. Pharmaceutical-grade instruments, innovative vaporizers and delivery devices, and precision measurement tools designed to meet these new consumer preferences were confidently displayed by dozens of MJBizCon exhibitors.

One for all.

Look just outside the world of cannabis and some industries see only division. "The marijuana industry and the gaming industries are two different industries and the two will not meet," Nevada Gaming Commission chairman Tony Alamo said recently. He warns of backward movement for casinos looking to embrace the nation's fastest-growing market, citing marijuana's federal Schedule one classification as being risky for already established industries to mingle with.

Look inward, and the sentiment is the opposite. An essential "us against them" sense of camaraderie has been a fundamental value in the cannabis industry and part of what's enabled it to survive to this point. So it's no accident the cannabis industry offers that same sense of inclusion.

Related: Some Universities Offer Classes On Marijuana. LSU Plans to Grow It.

That's what's driving this swarm of 18,000 people. If you've got the right motivation, the rules are still being made and there's an opportunity for you to participate. From the powerful women in cannabis movement, to minority representation, to perfectly timed transgender weddings, to men in pleated khakis, MJBizCon provided a welcoming environment unlike any other.

#mjbizcon #press @entrepreneur A post shared by Andre Bourque (@socialmktgfella) on Nov 16, 2017 at 8:07pm PST

"This is an industry that has come up from the basement where a lot of bad behavior was allowed to flourish. Getting that behavior out of the industry and being welcoming to women and minorities who can slot right in (to these new jobs) is key," said MJBiz Daily CEO Cassandra Farrington in her opening remarks to attendees of the pre-conference Marijuana Business Crash Course.

The industry is welcoming traditional trades and communities through things like extreme and experiential marketing, as well. Bringing would-be consumers and non-consumers together, Sensi Media, a leading pro-cannabis publication with regional chapters and editions, hosted a conference afterparty promoting their approach to community integration. The organization is expanding to 60 markets in 2018 with the intention of bringing refined cannabis culture directly to communities.

"We feel that we are more than a magazine for the cannabis industry," Cynthia Drey, publisher of the Southwest region told me. "Rather, we believe we are a voice and a catalyst to the cannabis and hemp industries." Communities are seeing transformative results from the media giant's events, education, and publications. "Our objective is to change the conversation about cannabis and hemp to embracing it as the new normal," Drey concluded.

Related: What Is Schedule I and Why Is Marijuana on the List, Anyway?

Last day of #MJBizCon. Good meetings. Great people. Huge industry. pic.twitter.com/9ZbynjHR0l  LiveWire Ergogenics (@livewireLVVV) November 17, 2017

All this, with the underlying commonality of "elevated living" -- living to its naturally highest -- both in personality and performance. Said one exhibitor, "The teamwork among fellow exhibitors while taking a moment to celebrate the attendance with applause, then packing away the Las Vegas C.C as a team, well into the night, helping each other out, represents the true nature and dedication of the people involved. Saw nothing but patience and smiles...the Industry is in good hands for our times ahead."

Good hands indeed.

Related:

The Cannabis Industry's Largest Conference Showcases a Maturing Industry

Burgeoning Marijuana Industry Has a Growing Need for Scientists

The Evidence Says Legal Marijuana Reduces Opioid Deaths But Chris Christie Won't Believe It



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


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So much about successful entrepreneurship is about building rapport, whether its with investors or prospective employees. A new study from Hokkaido University and Yamagata University in Japan has found that something as simple as nodding can actually boost your likability in a significant way.

The researchers showed 49 Japanese men and women a series of short video clips of computer-generated women nodding, shaking their heads or staying still. The study participants were then asked to rate the computer-generated figures on attractiveness, likeability and approachability from a scale of 0 to 100.
NORWALK  In a sunny converted sail factory on Wilson Avenue, artists conferred about the final touches for an upcoming open studios  what shade of paper was best for the painting labels and how to fix a flickering bulb.

Its like having a holiday celebration  people are coming and you have to get the house in shape, artist Juliette Jansen said with a laugh Tuesday morning. She stood in her studio, hung with graphic prints that played with the natural and technological  the panes of a skyscraper digitally rearranged so that the reflections in the glass formed a butterfly and concentric circles that resembled either a human body or a target. And you have to get yourself in shape.

The members of Wilson Avenue Loft Artists (WALA) were working to get their work fit to present for the groups 10th annual open studios  three days when the public is invited to come view what the 15 artists there have been working. The event is so important to the organization that Jansen said its included in the lease.

The theme of this year is Big Anniversary, Small Works (all pieces will be under 20 inches wide and will cost under $1,000). Food and drink will be provided during the opening reception from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec.1, and people are invited to watch as artists work from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2-3 at 225 Wilson Ave. A portion of all sales will go toward the Grace Ross Shanley High School Fellowship Program at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking.

The main hall that opens into the 15 individual studios was lined with paintings of everything from multicolored cows to abstract shapes, many of which were created explicitly for this show because the size restrictions. One of our artists, Jay Brodsky, said, The smallest thing I have is this, said WALA co-founder Lori Glavin, spreading her arms wide. She said the size restriction was used this year so that every artist would be able to show more than one piece in the gallery.

WALA opened in 2007 after the Loft Artists Association in Stamford lost its building to a developer. When David Genovese, who owned 225 Wilson Ave., heard what had happened and was inspired to create artist studios similar to those Stamford had lost. Glavin said building was not zoned to be used as artist studios at the time, so they had to go to City Hall to get the use approved.

It was an investment on his part  of time, of money, of legal fees, said Nancy McTague-Stock, another artist with a studio in the space. She believed the stability of the resulting studios, for which WALA has recently entered a third five-year lease, was important for the community there. Most of the other spaces artists are working in are improvisational spaces  sometimes month-to-month.

Vicki French Smith, who was switching out old paintings with new work in preparation for the open studios, said that before WALA, she was working out of her home. Now, she not only works out of the space, but she teaches there as well. For French Smith, working near other artists has provided both camaraderie and inspiration.

Its fun, the open house, because everyone is here for three days, so we all talk, she said. During last years event, she stopped by Erin Dolans studio, where they discussed Dolans work, which involves mixed media such as button and strings.

It motivated me, she said, comparing the shapes of the string to the shape of the waves she loves to paint. The following year, she took the idea of incorporating different materials into her paintings. Her new work uses ceramic tile and molding paste to mimic the texture of frothing water. Dibond aluminium, used instead of traditional canvas, shines through the paint to reflect light like water catching the sun.

Looking back on the past 10 years, Glavin reflected on what had motivated the studios in the first place. Really, our goal was to provide space that you know will be there in the future, she said. With another five years lined up with WALAs new lease, that goal seems to have been achieved, at least for now.

rschuetz@hearstmediact.com; @raschuetz
Saudi prince Miteb bin Abdullah, former contender for the throne, paid more than US$ 1 billion to buy his way out of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh where he was being held as a corruption suspect, the BBC said Wednesday.

Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah and former chief of the National Guard, reached a settlement for his release, which included the payment and a confession, a Saudi official told Reuters. According to the official, three other people suspected of graft recently made similar deals with the government.

The prince was among 19 detainees held at luxury hotels across Saudi Arabia following a massive anti-corruption crackdown earlier this month. An anti-corruption body newly created by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed the operation that originally detained 201 suspects and froze around 1,700 bank accounts. The crackdown resulted in the strengthening of Prince Mohammeds power, as its targets were members of the royal family and elite businesses.

Many observers thought Prince Miteb was the primary target of the power grab, according to The Guardian. Prince Miteb was once the greatest obstacle in Prince Mohammeds race to the throne. He was the preferred son of King Abdullah, and one of the least remaining members at the top of the royal hierarchy.

The allegations against Miteb included embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms, including a deal for walkie talkies and bulletproof military gear, according to the anonymous official that confided to Reuters.

The settlement appears to be part of a prior offer from the state for detainees to give a large portion of their wealth in exchange for their freedom. Authorities believed they could eventually recover over US$100 billion of illicit funds from such settlements. The Wall Street Journal estimated the graft probe could result in a greater profit of $US 800 billion.

Prince Miteb bin Abdullah meeting with U.S. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. (Photo: D. Myles Cullen, CC BY 2.0)

occrp.org
WILTON  Now that Thanksgiving is over, many families across the state will begin visiting their local tree farms to buy a Christmas tree in time for the holidays. Kevin Meehan, program coordinator of Ambler Farm, expects at least 200 trees to be sold at the opening of the annual Greens Sale this weekend.

Trees, wreaths and roping will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 and 9, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3 and 10. Hot cocoa, cider and treats will also be available, and Santa will be visiting on Dec. 2 and 3.

Meehan will be at the sale both weekends to help with set-up and behind-the-scenes work. Being a part of the sale also helps him get into the holiday spirit, he said.

Ive learned over the years that if the husband and the wife are disagreeing on a tree, I agree with the wife, Meehan joked.

Although the sales Christmas trees are not grown in Wilton, Meehan said purchasing them is as local as it gets. The sale is one of Ambler Farms biggest fundraisers that help support programs and properties throughout the year. In the last couple of years, the sale has sold out, Meehan said, and he doesnt expect this year to be any different. (Any leftover trees or greens will be dropped off at Comstock Community Center  in addition to the 35 trees already gifted to households served by Wilton Social Services.)

Our goal is to be self-sustaining and to maintain this farm as a treasure for everyone to use, Meehan said. If you buy a tree here, youre putting your money back into the town, back into your farm. Not to mention that its just an extraordinary experience to come here and get a tree.

With 18 acres and less than an acre in cultivation, Meehan said Ambler Farm has neither the means nor the space to grow its own Christmas trees. Plus, the farm is set aside for mixed use as open space for farming and educational programs.

More Information Prices at Ambler Farm's annual Greens Sale Fraser Trees: $70-$325 (5'-14') Balsam Trees: $50-$145 (5'-11') Double-roped Wreaths: $25-$55 (22"-36") Roping: $50 (75') Ambler Farm is at 257 Hurlbutt Street. For more information, visit amblerfarm.org or call 203-834-1143. See More Collapse

However, almost 4,000 acres of farmland in Connecticut are planted with Christmas trees  the 13th-largest acreage in the country, according to the state Department of Agriculture. The states Christmas tree industry has grown in recent years, contributing about $10 million each year to the economy.

Connecticuts Christmas tree growers work hard all year to prepare for this season, and they are looking forward to another great year, Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky said in a statement.

Several local farmers said they are grateful growing conditions improved in 2017 over last year, when many lost trees because of a summer drought. Some farms are prepared to sell as many as 6,000 trees.

Lloyd Albin, owner of Campers Choice Trees in Kent, said this years crop was strong.

This year we had a lot of rain, so we didnt complain about drought this year, he said.

Tom Lappala, owner of Lappala Tree Farm in New Milford, also said adequate rainfall this year kept his trees strong, with good growth and color on trees. But he did lose some trees this year, although not as many as in 2016, he said. He attributes those deaths to the lingering effects of last years drought, which permanently damaged the roots of many trees.

A licensed arborist, Lappala said trees shed their roots as part of the growing cycle, but in poor conditions they cannot regrow them, and damage remains, even if they eventually get more water.

Trees, in general, dont react quickly, like people or animals, Lappala said. Damage to a tree can last five years down the road. Its very different than an injury to a person.

When picking out a tree, experts recommend watering the tree immediately when it is brought home and dedicating one person to the water the tree. Depending on the size, a tree drinks a half-gallon to a gallon of water each day.

Robert Paradise, at Paradise Tree Farm in Redding, recommends using a five-gallon pale filled with crushed stone instead of stands sold at stores. This will hold water for four to five days.

skim@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2568; @stephaniehnkim
If scientists were to look inward with the same seriousness with which they look outward, they would be forced to reflect upon the interior life, upon the creature who seeks truth, desires to know everything, delights in beauty, experiences joy when the truth is encountered, and wonders about why nature can be known at all.

In the Western World, religion is in decline. Early in his pontificate, Benedict XVI lamented the weakening of churches in Europe, Australia, and the United States. He told a meeting of clergy in the Italian Alps, where he vacations, that the so-called traditional churches look like they are dying.[1] For many people, spirituality has replaced religion. I often hear my former physicist colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory say, I do not believe in God, but I am very spiritual. I do not think this is an anomaly of living in Northern New Mexico, where everyone I know feels the alluredare I say the spiritual attractionof the high-desert landscape. Senor Rudolfo Quintana, an old healer, un curandero viejo, once told me that the magical beauty of northern New Mexico opened a spiritual corridor and that the prayers of the Pueblo Indians and the Spanish settlers kept the world in balance for years. Right after Senor Quintana told me this, he looked me straight in the eye, and said, Mi hijo, you scientists at Los Alamos, by making instruments of mass death, defiled this sacred space. Despite that I never worked on nuclear weapons, I did not protest. For all I knew at that time maybe science had cut off the corridor to the spiritual.

Elaine Howard Ecklund, a social scientist at Rice University, surveyed religion and spirituality among scientists at elite universities. She reported that nearly sixty-five percent of the scientists in her survey were either atheists or agnostics. (In a survey of members of the National Academy of Sciences, Edward J. Larsen and Larry Witham found a near universal rejection of the transcendent, with the belief in a personal God and in human immortality a mere seven percent.[2]) Yet, Dr. Ecklund concluded from her data that scientists are surprisingly interested in spirituality, since about seventy percent described themselves as spiritual.[3]

Probably not too much should be made of this latter result. To ask a person Do you believe in God? is a sharply defined question, but to ask To what extent do you consider yourself a spiritual person? is vague, for in contemporary life the meaning of the word spiritual seems to vary from person to person. For instance, Richard Dawkins, the evangelical atheist, said in a recent interview that he has experienced wonder at the beauty of the universe, the complexity of life, the magnitude of space, the magnitude of geological time [something] which you could call spirituality.[4]

But to wonder about nature and technology is part of human life. Most adults have wondered how birds fly, why the trees turn color in the fall, and how bees find their way back to the hive. My son, Nikolai, when young, barraged me with questions:

How can electricity come through a wire that doesnt have any holes in it? Why can you see your breath in the winter but not in the summer? Do the telephone wires ever end? Why does a scratch relieve an itch? How do they grow seedless orange trees with no seeds to start from? Why does the moon seem to follow us when we drive along at night? Why doesnt a spider get caught in its own web?

Children are experts at wondering, for they see the world with new eyes. If wonder is the essence of spirituality, then a five-year-old boy or girl would be more spiritual than any Zen Master.

Science, however, does lead to a rigorous, universal understanding of spirituality, not by following the path of quantum physics first proposed over forty years ago by Fritjof Capra in his book The Tao of Physics but by taking clues from ethology, the science of animal behavior. Surprisingly, the study of the perceptual life of frogs, jackdaws, and chimpanzees reveals the spiritual nature of Homo sapiens.

In a classic study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lettvin, Maturana, McCulloch, and Pitts inserted tiny electrodes into a living frogs optic nerve so that they could measure the electrical impulses traveling to the frogs brain.[5] Using this technique, the researchers formed a good picture of what the frog sees. They found that when a small object is brought into the frogs field of vision and left immobile, the frogs eye sends electrical impulses to the brain for a few minutes, but then ceases to do so. After a short time, then, the object is no longer there as far as the frog is concerned. (See Figure 1.[6])

The reason for this disappearance is that the frogs retina is designed to detect small moving objects. If a small object ceases to move in the frogs field of vision, the retina cancels it out of the frogs world. The researchers concluded that a frog cannot see a fly as such; it sees only small moving objects.

Ethologist Jacob von Uexkull, among the first to document the remarkable specificity of animal perception, discovered that a jackdaw is unable to see a grasshopper that is not moving: A jackdaw simply does not know the shape of a motionless grasshopper and is so constituted that it can only apprehend the moving form.[7] This explains why so many insects feign death. The motionless form of an insect does not exist in the field of vision of frogs, birds, and snakes, so by shamming death insects drop out of their preys world and cannot be found even if searched for.

Ethologist Konrad Lorenz reports that on one occasion when returning home from a swim he was suddenly attacked by the normally friendly flock of jackdaws that nested on the roof of his home. The birds screeched their sharp, metallic mobbing call and hailed agonizing pecks on Lorenzs hand. The black bathing suit that he had just withdrawn from his pocket was sufficient to trigger the jackdaws mobbing instinct. Lorenz explains, Of all the reactions which, in the jackdaw, concern the recognition of an enemy, only one is innate: any living being that carries a black thing, dangling, or fluttering, becomes the object of a furious onslaught.[8]

When Lorenz held in his hands a featherless nestling jackdaw, none of the other birds attacked or paid any particular attention. When the nestlings feathers developed so that the bird became black, Lorenzs hand was furiously attacked by the parents, if he tried to pick up the young bird. Jackdaws perceive black, they perceive fluttering, but amazingly they cannot perceive bathing suit or featherless jackdaw.

Primates, considered the most intelligent of animals, also do not perceive what things are. Primatologist Wolfgang Kohler reports on the narrow perception of chimpanzees.[9] He tested them with primitive stuffed toys on wooden frames padded with straw sewn inside cloth covers with black buttons for eyes. Kohler discovered that he could not get his normally docile chimpanzees near these small toys, which bore little resemblance to any kind of animal. The chimpanzees went into paroxysms of terror and threatened recklessly to bite his fingers when he tried to draw them towards the toys. The apes perceived the shape, size, color, and design of the stuffed toys but could not see what they wereharmless cloth and wood. Psychologist Francine Patterson discovered the same thing while training her female gorilla Koko: Although Koko has never seen a real alligator, she is petrified of toothy stuffed or rubber facsimiles. I have exploited Kokos irrational fear of this reptile by placing toy alligators in parts of the trailer I dont want her to touch.[10]

Because animals do not grasp what things are, their innate responses are keyed to a few external stimuli. A deaf turkey hen pecks all her own chicks to death as soon as they are hatched. The poults distressed cheeping is the only stimulus that inhibits the hens natural aggression in defense of her nest. Without the cheeping, a recently-hatched turkey is judged by its mothers instinct to be an enemy and is attacked. A hen with normal hearing will attack a realistic stuffed chick if it emits no sound and is pulled toward the nest by a string. Conversely, she will respond maternally to a stuffed weasel (the turkeys natural enemy) if it has a built-in speaker that produces the cheeping of a turkey poult.[11]

To picture the impoverished perceptual life of an animal is extraordinarily difficult. We perceive the what and the why of things, substances and causes, not just black and fluttering, but swimming suit and returning swimmer. Only extreme and rare pathology can cause the perceptual life of a human being to approximate that of an animal. Neurologist Oliver Sacks reports that a patient of his, suffering from a degenerative process of the visual parts of his brain, picked out key features of a scene, a striking brightness, a color, a shape but in no case did he get the scene-as-a-whole. He had no sense of a landscape.[12]

From the scientific study of animal perception, Uexkull concludes that an animals world is not the world we see at all, but more closely resembles a small, poorly furnished room.[13]

Of all the natural creatures, only human beings can grasp a whole. A frog cannot see the iridescent, filigreed wing of a fly, nor can the fly see the glistening head and jet black eyes of the frog. A ten-year-old boy seated on the bank of the pond can take in the frog and the fly, can see the puffy white clouds racing across the blue sky, and can feel the warm spring breeze. Without the presence of a human being, the scene does not exist.

In addition to establishing the limited perceptual world of animals, ethologists have also shown that animals perceive only what is useful or harmful to them. The bloodhounds sense of smell is acute enough to detect a persons unique scent from a five-week-old fingerprint, but the hound uses its expert nose to track animals, never to delight in the fragrance of flowers. A barn owl can distinguish objects in light one hundred times dimmer than the light human beings need to see anything, but the owl uses its keen night vision to sight rodents, never to study the stars. An animal perceives things only under the aspect of what is useful or harmful to itself and hence ignores virtually all of nature.

Trapped within the narrow world of utilitarian desire, animals are unaware of their own beauty. Animals, of course, can experience pleasure in the activities they perform. An otter enjoys swimming, and a foxhound takes great pleasure in the chase. Yet, neither the otter nor the foxhound knows how wonderful it is; only a human being knows that.

We know from experience that human sensory perception is not limited to rigid categories of utility. Entomologist Edward Wilson studies ants because he finds them fascinating, not because he wants to find better ways to exterminate them. Dr. Wilson says that his own personal experience has taught him that science begins by loving a subject. Birds, probability theory, explosives, stars, differential equations, storm fronts, sign language, swallowtail butterflies  the odds are that the obsession will have begun in childhood.[14]

We fall in love with whatever is beautiful and want to know more about it. The scientist does not study nature because it is useful to do so, mathematician and theoretical physicist Henri Poincare says. He studies it because he takes pleasure in it; and he takes pleasure in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing and life would not be worth living.[15]

What characterizes human life in contrast to animal life is that a human being can get outside himself or herself through wonder and love. If you want to experience the human way of life, go outside at night and observe the stars, or in summer pick up a dandelion and behold it, or gaze into the eyes of the next person you see. Only a person can fall in love with the other; only a person is open to all existence. Who are we? We are lovers. Each person is, as it were, the eyes and ears of nature. Instead of inhabiting a small, poorly furnished room, every human being through love can be connected to all that is.

Without human beings, the universe would be a drama played before an empty theater and thus would be pointless. Nature, without human beings, would be like a superb book with no reader to appreciate its subtleties, or like a magnificent symphony played by deaf musicians with no audience to savor its grandeur and pathos. Nature is a pageant that yearns to be known, and no animals perception fulfills nature as Homo sapiens perception does.

In the prevailing materialistic outlook of science, founded on Newtonian physics, the human being, an insignificant creature, an accidental product of chance and necessity, occupies a planet of no distinction, and life, human or otherwise, is pointless. Human existence, however, renders the universe meaningful. Remove humankind from nature and you erase the perception of all its wonder, its beauty, and its mysterythe world becomes meaningless.

Today, most of us suffer from culturally-induced amnesia and believe that a persons spiritual natureif it existsis confined to church, synagogue, or mosque and has nothing to do with everyday life. The study of animal perception re-discovered the spiritual nature of Homo sapiensthe capacity to be connected to all that is. In the Western, the Eastern, and the Native American traditions, the spiritual element of the human being means precisely the capacity to embrace the totality of being. Each culture, of course, expresses the spiritual nature of the human being in its own way:

Ancient Greek: The human soul is, fundamentally, everything that is.[16] Hindu: Thou are that.[17] Christian: Every other being takes only a limited part of being whereas the spiritual soul is capable of grasping the whole of being.[18] Jewish: At opposite poles, both man and God encompass within their being the entire cosmos. What exists seminally in God unfolds and develops in man.[19] Islamic: Who knows his soul knows his Lord.[20] Chinese: He who cultivates the Tao is one with the Tao.[21] Native American: To walk the path of beauty, you must connect to all things, take them seriously, with reverence.[22]

At the center of every scientists life lies the fundamental principle of spiritualitythe capacity to be connected to all that is. The Hubble telescope, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, and the Human Genome Project, all proclaim that Homo sapiens is a spiritual being. Scientists seek to know all that exists. The cosmologist studies the universe as a whole; the archaeologist and the paleontologist examine the ancient past on Earth; the particle physicist plumbs the smallest things. Scientists attempt to encompass everything and ultimately desire to know the source of all that is. If Homo sapiens could not embrace the totality of being, the pursuit of science would be doomed to failure, and in the end would be meaningless.

Yet, we must not forget that science is only one of the many ways we are connected to thingsa wonderful way at thatbut it does not embrace the totality of being, and thus doing science is only part of the spiritual life. Love and hate, hope and despair, freedom and enslavement cannot be measured on a meter; existence is vastly greater than the results of measuring apparatus, and measurements, themselves, ultimately depend upon a human observer. If scientists were to look inward with the same seriousness with which they look outward, they would be forced to reflect upon the interior life, upon the creature who seeks truth, desires to know everything, delights in beauty, experiences joy when the truth is encountered, and wonders about why nature can be known at all. Doing science does reveal much about the interior life. But the experimental method renders science, itself, mute about meaning, purpose, and value. For a fuller account of the purpose of human life, we must turn to the interior experience of musicians, poets, and, yes, mystics, but most especially to the three great teachers of humankindthe Buddha, Socrates, and Jesus.

This essay was first published here in July 2016.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

Notes:

[1] Benedict XVI, reported by LOsservatore Romano (July 2005).

[2] Edward J. Larson and Larry Witham, Leading scientists still reject God. Nature 394 (23 July 1998): 313.

[3] Elaine Howard Ecklund, Religion and Spirituality among University Scientists, Social Science Research Council, (7 Feb. 2007).

[4] Richard Dawkins, Al Jazeeras Riz Khan Interviews Biologist Richard Dawkins, (9 Jan. 2010).

[5] J.Y. Lettvin, H.R. Maturana, W.S. McCulloch, and W.H. Pitts, What the Frogs Eye Tells the Frogs Brain, Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers 47 (November 1959): 1940.

[6] Figure 26.1 is a composite of Shutterstock images: Michiel de Wit, Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens); Africa Studio, Fish hook with worm isolated on white background; Irin-k, Bee isolated on white; Anneka, Mealworm or worm on a fishing hook as bait; and Vnlit, Dragonfly macro isolated on white background.

[7] Jacob von Uexkull, quoted by Josef Pieper, Leisure: The Basis of Culture, trans. Alexander Dru (New York: Mentor, 1963), p. 86.

[8] Konrad Lorenz, King Solomons Ring, trans. Marjorie Kerr Wilson (New York: Meridan), pp. 155, 157.

[9] Wolfgang Kohler, The Mentality of Apes, trans. Ella Winter (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1931), pp. 320-321.

[10] Francine G. Patterson, Conversations with a Gorilla, National Geographic 154 (October 1978): 456, 459.

[11] Konrad Lorenz, On Aggression (New York: Harcourt, 1963), pp. 117-118.

[12] Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (New York: Summit, 1985), p. 9.

[13] Uexkull, quoted by Josef Pieper, Leisure: The Basis Culture, p. 85.

[14] Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984), p. 65.

[15] Henri Poincare, The Value of Science (New York: Dover, 1958), p. 8.

[16] Aristotle, De Anima, Bk. III, Ch. 8, (431b).

[17] Chandogya Upanishad, 6.12-14.

[18] See Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, Bk. Three, Part II, Ch. 112.

[19] Gershom Scholem, Kabbalah (Jerusalem: Keter, 1974), p. 152.

[20] Jalaluddin Rumi, Signs of the Unseen: The Discourses of Jalaluddin Rumi, trans. W.M. Thackston, Jr. (Putney, Vermont: Threshold Books, 1994), p. 59.

[21] Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, no. 16.

[22] Billy Yellow, interview by David Maybury-Lewis, Millennium, aired on PBS, 1992.

The featured image is a detail of The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus (1771) by Joseph Wright of Derby (17341797) and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. It has been brightened for clarity.
Hall County Board of Supervisors members were able to hear about state issues affecting Hall County and were able to ask state senators questions during their meeting Tuesday.

Sens. Steve Halloran and Dan Quick, who each represent portions of Hall County, came before the board to give a legislative update and to hear concerns from supervisors.

Supervisor Gary Quandt, who placed the item on the agenda, said he invited the three state senators who represent portions of Hall County  Curt Friesen, Halloran and Quick  to the county board meeting to give the board an update on legislative issues and hear supervisors concerns.

One issue raised by supervisors is the issue of unfunded probation services in Hall County. Board Chairwoman Pam Lancaster told The Independent Monday that she checked with Hall County Board Assistant Stacey Ruzicka, who gave her some numbers on how much Hall County has spent on probation. She added she also received numbers from the state probation office on full-time equivalents to see how much this has increased over the years.

Lancaster said Tuesday that she had 15 hard copies of the numbers given by Ruzicka, which she provided to each supervisor.

The numbers I put together here are for probation, which is an indication of legislation that has (affected Hall County), Lancaster said. My issue is simply the cost. You can see from here the number of people the state has for salaries. It is still the states. We have to purchase the office space. We purchased the building a few years ago, and by the time we did the renovations, it was right at $1 million.

She added that there are ongoing costs such as computers and maintaining the heating and cleaning of the building.

From my perspective, when this came up, probation was kind of the trigger because we had heard that we would have more employees that were going to be added, Lancaster said. We were also hearing that more space would be necessary. How can we prepare for this and how can we help the Legislature understand this isnt working so well for county government into the future?

Supervisor Scott Arnold said he, too, was concerned about the issue of unfunded probation services in Hall County.

Probation is a big concern because we dont know where it is going to end up and what our responsibilities are, Arnold said. As it grows and grows, we do not know where that is going to end. That is a big concern for us.

Supervisor Karen Bredthauer said she wondered why so many people are on probation and this is such a big problem. Halloran said much of this centers around the overpopulation of Nebraska prisons and the desire of members of the Judiciary Committee to combat this issue.

We are forcing that onto the counties, Halloran said. We have more people on probation and they are put back into society. That is all fine, but the programming is not going to help them. So they end up out in society again.

He added his preference is to re-establish regional mental hospitals. He called the decision to close the regional centers a social experiment, which failed miserably.

We took these people out of mental hospitals and put them into community-based centers, Halloran said. They lack the supervision and, consequently, some of those folks ended up back on the streets and in prison with the rest of the criminal population.

Arnold told the senators another concern he has is with the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) designation, which he said has created a tremendous debt for Hall County.

It costs us more money to fund that, he said. We are to the point where our property taxes are going to be eaten up by salaries unless we cut employees. In my opinion, you pay the people a proper wage and you do not balance your budget on the backs of the people. You are going to have to ask them to do more.

Arnold added he also has concerns with being compared to other communities hundreds of miles away and having people wonder why county employees are being paid more for a job when the local market is not demanding higher wages.

Halloran said he agrees with that concern.

The comparability concept is a complicated concept, he said. You find yourself being compared with urban areas that have different economics and dynamics. I dont think you should expect to have to pay equivalent salaries.

Quick called the MSA situation a double-edged sword for Hall County. He added that when he served as a union leader negotiating contracts, he would often say not to look at comparability.

He said he could often sit down with the city and come up with a reasonable wage increase.

Supervisor Doug Lanfear raised concerns about Hall Countys costs to deliver legal papers. He said the reimbursement is set by the state and does not cover all the costs to deliver these papers.

If it ever comes around, please give us some more money for this, Lanfear told Halloran and Quick. It is costly and going up every year.

Hall County Sheriff Jerry Watson said Hall County served more than 9,000 legal papers in 2015, at an average cost to the county of $17.33 per paper. In 2016, he said, the cost went up and it cost Hall County about $24.28 per paper.

That comes up to a shortfall of about $188,000, Watson said. I can hire three full-time police officers from what we are subsidizing. The issue is it is set by state statute. It has been around since 1965, it is not working and this is a perfect example of the gap just getting wider.

Quick said going into the next legislative session, the Legislature faces a shortfall of $173 million and there will be some discussion on how to address this.

I know there is a revenue bill coming which provides property tax relief, he said. I dont know what that all entails. Then we have our own bills and priority bills. We have a short session this next year, so we will be pretty busy, I think, trying to get everything squeezed in.

For the record

In other action, the county board:

 Voted 7-0 to continue discussion on whether to combine the Hall County surveyor and highway superintendent positions or have them be separate positions. The decision comes after current Hall County Surveyor/Highway Superintendent Casey Sherlock submitted his resignation, effective Dec. 29.

 Voted 7-0 to place the countys Nebraska Historic Tax Credits for renovation of the courthouse out for bids.
The Public Services Committee approved two supplemental resolutions for improvement by municipality under the Illinois Highway Code at Tuesdays meeting.

Both resolutions appropriate Motor Fuel Tax Funds that were utilized for two roadway resurfacing projects in the city  one for West Union Street and one for Springer Avenue/Sheridan Avenue.

Assistant City Engineer Ryan Zwijack said both resolutions are just housekeeping items for the Illinois Department of Transportation that need to move forward.

Both of these items are really housekeeping items by IDOT. Theyre for past projects  West Union Street resurfacing and Springer/Sheridan resurfacing. These are both for the construction engineering agreements that were with those, Zwijack said.

The West Union Street resurfacing project, from St. Louis Street to North Main Street, had a cost of approximately $87,126.97. The resurfacing project on Springer Avenue/Sheridan Avenue, from Jefferson Road to Route 143, had a cost of approximately $55,000.

Both roadways were milled and resurfaced, had sidewalk/ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) improvements, signing, and striping.

We previously passed resolutions appropriated these funds. According to IDOTthe resolutions that we previously passed are saying that we would make the funds available at the time, whereas we need a resolution to state we are actually setting aside the funds, Zwijack said.

As discussion came to a close, aldermen Janet Stack, Jack Burns and Craig Louer were in favor of moving the resolutions forward. Both received unanimous approval and will be reviewed again at Tuesdays City Council meeting.

In other business, the committee also reviewed a proposal of adding new streetlights to the Club Centre East Commercial Development.

If approved, the developers/owners will pay the initial cots to install four 14-ht fiberglass poles with mast arms and luminaires on Excel Drive and Great Place Drive. In addition, one mast arm and luminaire will also be installed on an existing wood pole.

This is for the new streetlights in the Club Center East Development where McAlisters is currently going in, Zwijack said.

The city received a request to add the poles and streetlights, which will provide illumination of the commercial development and improve public safety.

One pole will be placed at the entrance, and include a few others that will be spread out approximately 300 feet apart from each other.

Zwijack said following the installation of the poles, the city will also have to contribute to the costs.

Once the poles are installed by the developer, the city will take over the cost of lighting and some of the other poles, he said.

Discussion came to a close and all committee members were in favor. The motion was approved unanimously and will be reviewed again at Tuesdays Council meeting for final approval.

The next Public Services Committee meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 12 at City Hall. All meetings are free and open to the public.
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Linkedin Tanoto Foundation (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Thu, November 30, 2017

You will be impressed when you talk to university students who are recipients of the Tanoto Foundation scholarship program. Most of them are very articulate in communicating their thoughts and self-confident in interacting with people from all walks of life. At such a young age they already have a clear vision on their goals and the steps to take to realize their passions and dreams.

Take Agata Ayu Gita. She is a 21-year-old industrial engineering student from the University of Indonesia (UI), Depok, West Java. She aims at integrating her passions in two different yet related areas, namely industrial engineering and the arts.

Gita, who joined the Putri Batik Nusantara (Batik ambassador of Indonesia) pageant in 2016, said she had always been interested in the local expressions of art, especially the Javanese wayang orang (human shadow puppet) and Javanese folk songs. She is especially passionate about promoting batik both to people who live in Indonesia and abroad.

After I joined the Tanoto Scholars Association, Tanoto Foundation supported me financially to implement a community development project. I decided to organize a batik day at UI, she explained, adding that she was hoping to one day be the head of the creative economy agency (BEKRAF) to further promote Indonesian arts to a wider audience.

Furthermore, Fathian Hafiz Aulia, an electrical engineering student at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, said his field would thrive alongside the digital revolution and create many opportunities.

I want to set up my own business and manufacture high quality local products that Indonesians would be proud to use, he said, adding that he planned to enter the corporate world in order to learn business while forging his own network and developing his social capital to pursue his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

These students are two out of more than 250 members of the Tanoto Scholars Association, who have received not just a scholarship but also leadership training from the foundation. The students recently took part in the foundations annual Tanoto Scholars Gathering in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, from Nov. 22 to 25.

The gathering sought to serve as a networking forum among the scholarships recipients, who study in 35 public universities across Indonesia. The gathering featured a number of activities, including soft skills training, outbound games and an inspirational talk by Indonesian ex-Formula 1 driver Rio Haryanto.

The scholarship program is one of the main activities of the Tanoto Foundation, a non-profit organization that is the brainchild of Indonesian businessman Sukanto Tanoto and his wife Tinah Bingei Tanoto. They believe that education is vital to alleviating poverty and this principle is the main driver of all of the foundations programs.

To qualify for the scholarship, prospective recipients who study in the foundations partner universities have to demonstrate strong academic achievement. The foundation also instills a number of important skills required to succeed, such as communication, leadership and interpersonal relationship building.

As well as tracking their academic achievement, we also provide them with training in public speaking and presentation, skills that you dont necessarily get at school. We also require them to engage in community development projects, in which they have to collaborate with other students to devise, execute and manage by themselves, Tanoto Foundation board of trustees member Anderson Tanoto said recently in Riau on the sidelines of the gathering.

The students ages range from 18 to 22, and we know that often their academic performance is not only affected by their studying habits, but also personal problems related to family and friends, he explained, adding that the counseling sessions also sought to help the students manage their emotions.

We commit ourselves to developing Indonesian youth so they can be lifelong learners, future leaders as well as people who care for the well being of community, he added.

Fathian said the workshop and training had given him practical skills that he could use in everyday life.

For instance, we learn how to identify societal problems. We also learn how to persuade people that our projects are useful to the public, like we did when we organized training for elementary school students, he said.

These skills will be useful when we become entrepreneurs. The workshop also taught us about the skills that leaders should possess.

Being a leader means you have to be able to set an example and motivate people by doing the right thing so that they can mirror your behavior, he said.

Meanwhile, Gita said a good leader is able to inspire others and develop warm and respectful relationships with other people.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 11:48 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4b08b 4 Science & Tech iPhone,Apple,#Apple,autocorrect,software,iOS-11 Free

Autocorrect can be pretty annoying if it doesnt work well. Luckily, over the years, software development has become much more advanced, now actually helping users type sentences rather than annoy users. However, in recent months, iPhone users have been pretty annoyed by a bug that has found its way onto their smartphones.

iPhone users are complaining about a new autocorrect bug that changes the word it to I.T., I.S., and other variations. This has become increasingly annoying, especially because of the universal usage of the word it.

This situation follows Apples previous autocorrect bug that replaced I with A[?].

Read also: Apple quietly axes highest-capacity iPhone 7

iPhone users reported the flaw in their devices autocorrect function after they updated to the new iOS 11.

According to mashable.com (http://mashable.com/2017/11/27/ios-11-autocorrect-i-t-bug/?utm_cid=hp-r-2#aIYtgKy3BsqW), the bug is not affecting all iPhone users, however users who have the bug in their phones are frustrated. Many of them have taken to Twitter to express their annoyance.

While many are waiting for Apple to provide a software update that fixes the bug, there is a way to fix it yourself: Settings>General>Keyboard>Text Replacement. Then add it as a shortcut for it. (ezr/asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 19:54 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b617cc 1 City 212Rally,anies-baswedan,Monas Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has given permission for an Islamic rally, which has been dubbed a 212 reunion rally, to be held on Dec. 2 at the National Monument (Monas) Park, Central Jakarta, an official has said.

A number of Muslim communities have expressed their desire to hold a rally to commemorate the 212 Rally, which was staged on Dec. 2 last year to demand the prosecution of then Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, contributing to Anies' victory in the gubernatorial election in April.

"The organizer [of the rally] sent a letter [seeking a permit] to us last week, said Monas technical management unit head, Munjirin, as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

He added that the management unit then forwarded the letter to the Jakarta Tourism Agency.

"From the agency, the letter was sent to the governor and the governor gave his approval today [Wednesday], he added.

He said the management would coordinate with the organizer on the technical execution of the rally.

"If possible, we want to persuade them to hold the reunion at Istiqlal Mosque [Central Jakarta] only, so that the event will be safe and controlled, he said, adding that the Jakarta Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) were ready to provide security.

Previously, when asked about a prospective 212 reunion rally, Anies was tight-lipped on whether he would grant permission, saying that is none of my business. (agn)
Indonesian National Board of Arbitration (BANI) chairman M. Husseyn Umar (left), Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly (second left), Supreme Court chief justice Hatta Ali (second right) and Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Roslan P. Roeslani attend a seminar titled Indonesia and the Development of International Arbitrationin Jakarta on Tuesday. The seminar, hosted by BANI, was focused on arbitration policies that could help resolve trade and commerce issues facing global companies.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)(BANI) chairman M. Husseyn Umar (left), Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly (second left), Supreme Court chief justice Hatta Ali (second right) and Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Roslan P. Roeslani attend a seminar titled Indonesia and the Development of International Arbitrationin Jakarta on Tuesday. The seminar, hosted by BANI, was focused on arbitration policies that could help resolve trade and commerce issues facing global companies.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 17:39 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5c1fb 1 National bali,Mount-Agung,NgurahRaiAirport,Ngurah-Rai-International-Airport,tourism,eruption,Volcano Free

After being closed for three days, Ngurah Rai International Airport resumed activities on Wednesday afternoon to serve flights to and from Bali despite the ongoing volcanic activity of Mount Agung.

Flights reportedly resumed at 3 p.m. local time, with passengers packing check-in counters at the airport, which was closed on Monday morning following the eruption of Mt. Agung on Saturday.

The decision was made following a meeting at Ngurah Rai Airports Emergency Operation Center (EOC) room, which had in attendance related institutions and stakeholders. They included the airports authority, state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I), the Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the Tourism Ministry.

They decided to reopen the airport after the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) was decreased from red-green to orange-green, indicating that Bali airspace was safe for flights.

(Read also: Flights canceled for third day following Mount Agung eruption)

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said he hoped that Bali, as Indonesia's most popular tourist destination, would soon return to normal because the peak of the year-end holiday season was approaching.

Forty percent of our tourists go to Bali. Bali is our main tourism destination, Arief said on Wednesday.

The Indonesian Tourism Industry Board (GIPI) Bali has provided free accommodation for stranded tourists at Ngurah Rai Airport.

Arief also mentioned that on the second day of the airport's closure, hotels gave special rates for tourists, such as a 50 percent discount. This is a long-term investment, building customers' loyalty so they can love Bali even more, he said. (ebf)
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 11:42 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4a49d 4 Business Airport,parking,cashless-transaction,soekarno-hatta-airport Free

You will no longer need cash to park your car at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport starting next year.

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport spokesman Dewandono Prasetyo Nugroho said a new parking payment system would be implemented at all of the airports terminals.

A trial of the new system is to be held throughout December to introduce it to users. From early 2018 on, the e-payment system will be fully implemented, said Dewandono in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Drivers will be able to use cards issued by both private and state-owned banks, like the E-Money card issued by Bank Mandiri, Brizzi issued by Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Tap Cash issued by Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) and Flash issued by Bank Central Asia (BCA).

During the trial period, parking lot operator PT Angkasa Pura Solusi, a subsidiary of PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II), will evaluate the system, including possible long queues at entrance gates that could cause congestion on airport roads.

Motorists can buy cards at the parking gates or top up cards they hold. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 15:43 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b57299 1 City fire,Depok,apartment,investigation Free

Investigation into a fire at Cinere Bellevue Mall, which is integrated with a 20-story apartment building, in Depok, West Java, has been halted as the Depok Police have declared it a force majeure.

The police informed the mall's developer, PT Mega Pasanggrahan Indah (MPI), of the decision through a letter.

"The termination of the investigation has emphasized that this incident was purely an [uncontrollable] accident, a force majeure," said PT MPI managing director Ronald Wihardja as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

Depok Police had previously stated that the cause of the fire was a short circuit in the buildings basement.

With the decision, Ronald added, the developer had a basis to proceed with building repairs and renovation. Hence, apartment occupants could soon move back into their apartments, he added.

The mall, which is located under the apartment building, caught fire in early October. The blaze was extinguished the next day.

Although the fire did not reach higher levels, apartment residents were trapped in the emergency exit areas due to thick smoke.

They were eventually rescued by firefighters, who used vehicles borrowed from Jakarta's Fire and Rescue Agency. (agn)

Topics : fire Depok apartment investigation
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 21:49 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b6438f 1 City Banten,weather Free

Heavy rains and strong winds in Greater Jakarta have taken their toll on Banten with a power outage affecting several areas after an electricity pole collapsed.

An electricity pole in Bojong belonging to state-owned electricity company PLN with a capacity of 150 kilovolts fell on Tuesday as a result of heavy rains and strong winds, severely disrupting the power supply to Pratu and Gayah.

"There is a blackout in the areas, said Muharman, distribution head of the Banten chapter of the PLN, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com on Wednesday.

The extreme weather had also disrupted an electricity conductor in Labuan and Malingping, he added.

Because of the issue, Ciladeun, Cigeulis, Purus, Sukareme and Banjarsari experienced disruptions to their power as well.

He further said the Banten chapter of the PLN has been trying to resolve the issue.

"We must conduct rolling blackouts in impacted areas. We apologize for any inconvenience, he added. (agn)

Topics : Banten weather
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 17:37 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5bd7d 1 Business tax-office,candidates,evaluation Free

Representatives of several government institutions held a meeting on Wednesday to carry out final evaluations for the candidates of several high-ranking positions in the Finance Ministry, including for the people nominated for the position of director general of taxation.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Asman Abnur said the ministry had three vacant positions  the director general of taxation, head of an agency and an expert of staff.

The ministry nominates three candidates for each position, Asman said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta before attending the meeting.

The director general of taxation is the highest profile position among the three.

A source at the Presidential Palace said President Joko Jokowi Widodo had agreed to nominate the ministry's financing and risk management director genera, Robert Pakpahan, to fill the position, which was currently held by Ken Dwijugiasteadi, who would soon retire from being a civil servant.

However, the President had not yet officially confirmed the nomination.

Two other candidates for the tax boss position are the Directorate General of Taxations expert of staff for taxation regulation and law enforcement, Awan Nurmawan Nuh, and the ministrys expert of staff for tax compliance, Suryo Utomo.

Asman said if none of the candidates were selected, the Finance Ministry would have to appoint an acting director general of taxation. "The new official will be [in office] soon after the final evaluation but if no one is appointed, the ministry must appoint an acting official," he said. (bbn)
There are moments of nasty violence that make us look away, and theres also a scene where a character reads a letter that is some of the most beautiful writing youll hear in a movie this year.
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 18:59 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5e9f4 1 Business tax-office,nominations,Pramono-Anung,Asman-Abnur,Sri-Mulyani-Indrawati Free

The government has declined to reveal the name of the new director general of taxation after representatives of several government institutions held a meeting to carry out their final evaluation on Wednesday.

"Youd be better to wait for the official announcement, I will not leak the name," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta after the meeting.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Asman Abnur said before the meeting that the Finance Ministry had three vacant positions  the director general of taxation, head of an agency and an expert staffer.

The ministry has nominated three candidates for each position, Asman said at the palace before attending the meeting.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati also refused to answer a question about the newly appointed tax chief. "I will answer it later when the decision has been announced," she said.

Previously, a source at the Presidential Palace said President Joko Jokowi Widodo had agreed to nominate the ministry's financing and risk management director general, Robert Pakpahan, to fill the position, which is currently held by Ken Dwijugiasteadi, who is due to retire soon.

However, the President has not yet officially confirmed the nomination. (bbn)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29 2017

Kebon Jeruk Police are investigating a sexual abuse case in which a father has been accused of molesting his two daughters in Kedoya, West Jakarta.

Police said the daughters, age 14 and 16, reported the alleged sexual abuse to their mother on Sunday night.

The older daughter said she had been abused by her father since she was in junior high school, while her younger sister claimed the abuse began this year.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29 2017

A member of the National Polices Mobile Brigade (Brimob) was allegedly assaulted and had his firearm stolen by unidentified men in Cibubur, Ciracas district, East Jakarta.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at Cibubur Junction Mall when the police officer, identified as Brig. Lalu Agus Salim, reportedly met with a person identified as Mulyadi, a friend of a man who accused the alleged victim of being involved in a counterfeit money scam.

After meeting at a coffee shop, the alleged victim was reportedly asked to follow Mulyadi to the parking lot in the basement of the mall, where five men allegedly attacked the victim, Ciracas Police chief Comr. Agus Widar said on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang  Wed, November 29 2017

Actress and model Luna Maya is involved in several business ventures, from food to fashion to cosmetics.

The 34-year-old Luna said throughout her business ventures, she had always received full support from her boyfriend, Reino Barack.

During Lunas latest launching of a bakery business at AEON Mall in Tangerang, for example, Reino came to accompany her.

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Linkedin Sri Wahyuni (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 20:24 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b61ec2 1 National BKKBN,family-planning,population,contraceptives Free

Indonesia is committed to regaining its status as a center of reference in the fields of family development and family planning, National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) principal secretary Nofrijal has said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a two-day international ministerial conference on population and development in Yogyakarta held from Tuesday to Wednesday, Nofrijal said that establishing centers of excellence was a key way to realize the pledge.

I plan to make Yogyakarta a location for centers of excellence, as well as Jakarta, Nofrijal told The Jakarta Post, Wednesday.

(Read also: Indonesia poised to expand global role in family planning: UNFPA executive)

Nofrijal said Yogyakarta had been chosen because the province had everything required to host centers of excellence. Among the province's key programs are a contraceptive program and pre-service training. It is also home to the prestigious Gadjah Mada University.

We just need to provide the buildings and the infrastructure, Nofrijal said.

Jakarta, on the other hand, was chosen because it already possesses the necessary infrastructure. Decisions just need to be made on the centers' leaders, facilitators and services offered.

Nofrijal said BKKBN had prepared buildings in Jakarta to be used for the centers of excellence. Our office in Halim, for example, will have hotel facilities to host international training programs, he said.

Nofrijal also said that the establishment of centers of excellence for population and family planning was an implementation of the Yogyakarta Calls for Action adopted during the two-day ministerial conference. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 17:39 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5d1a1 4 Business Indonesia,opposition,subsidy,fishing-corporation Free

Indonesia has proposed that the World Trade Organization (WTO) regulate a subsidy from states to large corporations that run fishing businesses.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry product competitiveness director general Nilanto Perbowo said giving subsidies to large companies was not a fair practice for small, individual fishermen, who could only operate near coastal areas.

Nilanto explained that fish migrate from the high seas to waters near the coast and vice versa. Giving subsidies to large corporations helps them catch fish on the high seas, making independent fishermen catch only a small amount of fish, Nilanto said in Jakarta as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.

Among the countries that give subsidies to large fishing companies include China, Spain and Japan, while countries that oppose the practice include Indonesia, Norway and some in Africa, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean.

Nilanto also said such subsidy schemes caused overfishing in international waters, which are beyond countries' jurisdiction.

He said only small, independent fishermen deserved such subsidies.

Meanwhile, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti also called on the United Nations to draft a regulation on the maritime right to prevent overexploitation of international waters. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 20:21 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b61b68 1 City city-budget,spending,public-scrutiny Free

Public concern about Jakarta's 2018 draft budget influenced the outcome of deliberations, says a member of the City Councils budget committee (Banggar).

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) politician Bestari Barus said public scrutiny toward the proposed budget, uploaded at apbd.jakarta.go.id, informed him of the proposed budgets for other council commissions.

"In the three years that Ive been a councillor, this is the most unique budget deliberation, because I didnt get [a copy of other commissions budget deliberations]. We don't understand how the deliberation goes in other commissions," he said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

Following mounting criticism from the public over the significant increase of Jakartas 2018 budget plan, the city administration and the City Council are planning to scrap billions of rupiah for programs considered unnecessary.

Previously, the City Council was set to receive Rp 107.7 billion (US$7.97 million) for working trips next year, which is four times higher than the allocated funds in 2017.

During the budgetary meeting at the City Council on Tuesday, the council said it would slash the working trip costs by Rp 43 billion.

The council has also scrapped the budget to renovate a fountain at the councils office, which had been set at Rp 620 million. (fac)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 13:31 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4f18a 1 City ERP,Singapore,Jakarta-administration Free

The Jakarta administration is set to send more civil servants to Singapore to learn about electronic road pricing (ERP).

Several civil servants were already sent to Singapore from Nov. 7  11 to learn about the technology, which the city state implemented a couple of years ago.

During a workshop on the ERP at City Hall on Tuesday, Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno expressed his hope that the civil servants could be prepared for the implementation of ERP technology in Jakarta in 2019.

We will send more people to study the implementation of ERP in Singapore and learn how to apply it in Jakarta, Sandiaga said.

Sandiaga added he expected the procurement for the ERP system to finish in 2018.

We will choose the most advanced technology, which can be sustained over the next 10 or 20 years, he said.

Based on Jakarta Regulation No. 5/2014 on transportation, ERP will be used on several thoroughfares, including Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said earlier that he was considering revising the regulation on ERP so that it would apply not only to four-wheel vehicles but also to motorcycles.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 13:18 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4dfc9 1 Business airport-train,signaling,PT-Len-Railway-Systems Free

PT Len Railway Systems, a subsidiary of state-owned PT Len Industri, had said it had completed the signaling system for the airport trains that will connect Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, to downtown Jakarta.

Len Industri president director Zakky Gamal Yasin said the subsidiary was responsible for preparing, manufacturing and installing the railway signaling system from Soekarno-Hatta Station to Batu Ceper, Tangerang.

We won the contract for the project in February 2016, Zakky said in a statement on Wednesday.

Zakky explained to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno during Tuesday's trial run of the airport train that the firm had completed several stages of the signaling system, including its design, systems integration, installation and systems tests.

He also said Len Industri currently held contracts for developing the operating systems of several urban transportation projects, including the Palembang light rail transit (LRT), the Greater Jakarta LRT, the Jakarta LRT and the Soekarno-Hatta Automated People Mover System, or skytrain.

The airport trains are scheduled to commence operations on Dec. 1, starting with 10 trains that have a combined carrying capacity of 33,000 passengers per day. The eastbound train has six cars and can transport 272 passengers. The train departs every 30 minutes from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a single trip taking 40 to 50 minutes. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 15:40 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b56a00 1 Business LRT,Jabodetabek,joint-venture,Rini-Soemarno Free

The government has not found an answer to who is responsible for the Greater Jakarta light rail transit (LRT) project after State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Rini Soemarno expressed her wish to review the role of state-owned railway operator PT KAI as an investor.

Rini proposed to establish a joint venture company on Tuesday, consisting of PT KAI, state-owned construction company PT Adhi Karya and state-owned financing firm PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur.

KAI should be an investor. It should be a joint venture firm, said Sri Mulyani in Jakarta on Tuesday, as reported by kompas.com.

In her letter to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Rini expressed her concern about KAI's financial health if the company had to be responsible for financing the LRT project.

Currently, KAI acts as the main investor in the project, where costs have increased to Rp 31 trillion (US$2.29 billion) from the initial cost of Rp 26.7 trillion, after an agreement at a meeting led by Maritime Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan on Nov. 10.

She said the establishment of a joint venture was being coordinated with other relevant ministers, including Budi and Luhut.

The establishment [of the joint venture] is still in the process. Insya Allah [God willing], we will hold a meeting with the coordinating minister to make a decision next week so that the [joint venture] can be established next month, she said, adding that a separate company could be more flexible. (bbn)
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Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara  Wed, November 29, 2017 19:12 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5efad 1 National Mount-Agung,Lombok,eruption,NTB,bali Free

Worried about the impact of the eruption of Mount Agung on Bali, residents of several affected areas in the province are fleeing to Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), via Padangbai Port in Karangasem regency.

We will be staying with our family in Mataram as things are becoming worse here. Ash from the eruption has blanketed our village, said Ni Nengah Sari, 38, a resident of Bebandem village in Karangasem, Bali, who arrived at Lembar Port in West Lombok.

Personnel at the Mount Agung evacuee post at Lembar Port confirmed that 16 other evacuees had registered their arrival at the post in Lombok on Wednesday.

Amran, the head of the emergency response unit Forum Tagana at the NTB Social Affairs Agency, said the post had been built by the Social Affairs Ministry and the agency to provide assistance to evacuees in Lombok.

Amran said the post provided fleeing residents with food, drinks and transportation.

It also hands out masks for ferry passengers at Port Lembar who are heading to Bali.

The Social Affairs Ministry said it had allocated 500,000 masks, 400,000 of which would be distributed on Bali and the remaining 100,000 were for NTB.

We are distributing the masks among evacuees and citizens who are affected [by the eruption]. The distribution [of the masks] will be conducted through social affairs agencies, said Margowiyono, the director of social protection at the Social Affairs Ministry, at a press conference on Wednesday. (cks/ebf)

Seeking a safe place: Officers at the Mount Agung evacuation post in Lembar Port, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, register Bali residents who arrived in the province on Nov.29. (JP/Panca Nugraha)
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Linkedin Sri Wahyuni (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 20:38 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b62a7e 1 National UNFPA,BKKBN,family-planning,population,contraceptives,sexual-and-reproductive-health-care-services Free

Yogyakarta Calls for Action has been adopted to strengthen cooperation and exchange of information and experiences between Partners in Population and Development (PPD) member countries in the field of population and family planning.

Adopted on Wednesday at the end of a two-day international ministerial conference on population and development in Yogyakarta, the declaration also highlighted issues beyond population, family planning and family development, such as pledges to reduce cases of gender-based violence and committing to providing greater access for adolescents to sexual and reproductive health.

The conference also agreed that PPD member countries had to benefit from their respective demographic bonus by exchanging more of their experiences in training children, youths and adolescents in the field of life skills.

In this case we choose to [share] our successful experience in the field of population and family planning already acknowledged by the international world, National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) principal secretary Nofrijal said.

(Read also: Indonesia to revive centers of excellence for population and family planning)

Some 250 delegates from 26 PPD member countries joined the conference that was themed Sustainable Cities, Human Mobility and International Migration  A South-South Perspective and Intervention Needs.

Nofrijal said the declaration would be taken to a conference on population and development to be held in New York next year.

Previously in the opening ceremony of the conference, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) executive director Natalia Kanem praised Indonesia for its active role in sharing its experiences in family planning programs among developing countries through international training programs. (ebf)
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Linkedin Karl Lester M. Yap and Myungshin Cho (Bloomberg) Manila  Wed, November 29, 2017 08:45 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b3c738 2 SE Asia Philippines,Rodrigo-Duterte Free

Capital investment in the Philippines is surging past the rest of Southeast Asia as the government and firms ramp up spending.

In the first nine months of this year, net physical assets in the Philippines grew 10.4 percent from a year earlier. That compared with a 6.9 percent increase in Malaysia and 5.8 percent gain in Indonesia, according to data from statistics offices.

Theres reason to remain bullish on the outlook. Philippine government spending jumped 28 percent in October, the largest rise in almost a year, with another record budget planned for 2018. Companies are also joining in: Metro Pacific Investments Corp. plans to invest as much as $16 billion through 2022 on road, water, and power projects, while Ayala Land Inc. is boosting capital spending to a record $2 billion next year.

President Rodrigo Duterte is building a network of railroads and highways across the archipelago in an ambitious $180 billion infrastructure program. Investment firing up adds another engine to the economy, headed for a sixth year of growth exceeding 6 percent and among the worlds best performers.

The government is very committed to keep spending strong and that has maintained the robust momentum of the investment cycle, said Eugenia Victorino, an economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Singapore. With growth firing on all cylinders, the Philippines is really standing out in a region where the outlook has turned more positive.

Catching Up

After lagging its neighbors for decades, the Philippines is catching up. Growth in net physical assets -- or gross fixed capital formation -- averaged 14.4 percent in the five years through 2016, the fastest in Southeast Asia and almost twice as fast as Malaysia, according to the World Bank.

Duterte wants to transform the Philippines into an upper-middle income country by the end of his term in 2022, and the cornerstone of his vision is a plan referred to as Build, Build, Build. It includes the capitals first subway and a 653-kilometer railway to the south.

Capital formation goes hand in hand with the focus on infrastructure, said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc. The private sector has always been investing, but now public spending is catching up.
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 15:34 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b56094 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Angkasa-Pura-I,Ngurah-Rai-International-Airport,Mount-Agung,#MtAgungVolcano Free

The closure of Ngurah Rai International Airport due to Mount Agung Eruption has resulted in plenty of delayed flights.

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia president director Pahala Mansury said extra flights have been added for flights from Surabaya and Lombok and bigger planes are used to carry more passengers.

Additionally, an extra flight will be added from Banyuwangi on Nov. 29.

There are five Garuda airplanes that are currently stuck in Denpasar, he said.

During this closure, state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I in Bali decided to use this time to conduct maintenance on the airport.

Other than regular maintenance, we use this time to do additional maintenance such as improving the apron that is now 90 percent done and the sewer covers, told PT Angkasa Pura I corporate secretary Israwadi.

Other works include painting of the runway, taxiway and apron, mowing, rubber deposit cleanup and doing the 09-27 runway overlay project that is currently 23 percent done.

The airport has already facilitated 510 affected passengers. Up to 406 of them traveled to Mengwi Terminal by bus whilst the rest went to Surabaya. Since Nov. 27, Angkasa Pura I has facilitated up to 1,297 passengers.

On Nov. 28, there were 443 flights that got cancelled, of which 242 were domestic flights and 201 were international flights.

Throughout Nov. 27-28, 31 flights cancelled their trips to and from Lombok, consisted of 20 Garuda Indonesia (10 arrivals and 10 departures) flights, two Lion Air flights (one arrival and one departure), seven Wings Air flights (three arrivals and four departures) and two Citilink flights (one arrival and one departure).

Lombok International Airport has optimized the available parking stands. These parking stands are available from 12 a.m. until 3 p.m. and can accommodate three B737 900 and two ATR airplanes, said Angkasa Pura I Lombok corporate secretary Israwadi.

For the latest information on I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, the hotline is 0361 9351011 (ext 6300). As for media center, the hotline is 0361 9351011 (ext 5055). Meanwhile, for latest information on Lombok International Airport, the hotline is 0370 6157000 (ext. 888).

Customers can also contact the call center for PT Angkasa Pura I at 172. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 08:35 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b3ba0b 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Bali-tourism,Mount-Agung,#MtAgungVolcano Free

Amid the Mount Agung eruption, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has issued a letter for tourism industry players in Bali.

In the letter, the administration laid out three things, first he asked for the industry players to provide the latest information about the development of the situation and status of Ngurah Rai International Airport. The information should come from the authority.

Next he asked for hotels and other lodgings to give a one-night free stay during the airport closure.

The airport is currently still closed. The closure has caused the cancellation of 443 flights and affecting 59,539 passengers.

The last point he made was for hotels and lodgings to also offer the lowest rates for tourists who want to extend their stay.

In an effort to keep the tourism image of Bali, which is our duties and obligations, we need the cooperation from all parties to assure tourists that they feel comfortable while theyre in Bali, Pastika said in the letter.

He also wished that the industry players, including associations and communities in Bali, will follow up with his requests.

A similar statement has been previously released by Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

Moreover, Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) Bali together with Badung Regional Administration has been proactive in serving the tourists by providing free accommodation until the airport reopens.

We want to give the best service for foreign tourists who have come to Bali. This is for the future of Bali and we are keeping its image as the worlds best destination, told GIPI Bali head Gus Agung.

Neighboring provinces such as West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) also lends their hand by welcoming stranded tourists from Bali.

Weve conducted a meeting on Nov. 27. Hotels in Lombok are ready with the ministers request of providing a one-night free stay for those whose flights got cancelled, and a 50 percent discount for the next day, told NTB Tourism Agency head Lalu Faozal.

Lombok also provides free transportation from hotels, airports and ports. Moreover, Lombok Tourism Agency also takes tourists to explore several attractions in Lombok while they are waiting for their flights.

Latest updates on Bali and Mount Agung can be found on the Tourism Ministrys website indonesia.travel. (kes)
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Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 17:52 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b5daa3 1 News Garuda-Indonesia,Mount-Agung,Ngurah-Rai-International-Airport,bali Free

Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is scheduled to operate flights from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday night, following the announcement of the airports reopening at 2:28 p.m. local time.

The airline has listed some flight numbers that are scheduled to depart from the airport, most of them catering to the Denpasar-Cengkareng (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) route, such as GA 421, GA 413, GA 415 and GA 423. There is also GA 484, which serves the Denpasar-Labuan Bajo route and GA 349, which serves the Denpasar-Surabaya route. So far there is only one flight to Denpasar from Labuan Bajo, flight GA 7027.

Read also: Angkasa Pura I conducts maintenance during Ngurah Rai International Airport closure

Garuda Indonesia announced that they will operate Bali round-trip flights on Thursday as well.

Garuda Indonesias flights from Denpasar, Bali, from tonight are our way to minimalize accumulation of passengers, said Hengki Heriandono, vice president corporate secretary of Garuda Indonesia, in a press release. Therefore, we encourage our passengers to check their schedules.

Those who decide to cancel their flights with Garuda Indonesia will be given several options, such as rescheduling their flight, prolonging their ticket validity for six months, rerouting, changing their name or getting a full refund of their ticket. They can contact the airlines call center at +6221-2351 9999 and +62804 1 807 807. (asw)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 13:24 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4eb6b 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Mount-Agung,#MtAgungVolcano,coordinating-maritime-affairs-minister,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan Free

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan led an emergency Coordination Meeting on Mount Agung eruption on Nov. 28.

The minister was accompanied by Tourism Minister Arief Yahya and they had a video conference with several figures such as Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, the head of National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), representatives of Directorate General of Immigration and TNI Chief of General Staff.

From the EOC room of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali there were Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, AP1 Bali  Lombok and The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), among others.

Bali Governor Mangku said the volcanic ash from Mount Agung has reached 4,000 meters and headed to the southwest. The governor added that the news about Mount Agung spewing out rocks were untrue and 40,000 residents of the villages of Kubu and Rendang have been evacuated.

National Armed Forces and National Police have set up medical posts for evacuatees. They have also received rice and instant noodles; however for distribution, one ton of fuel is needed every day, said Mangku.

Currently there are 70,000 evacuatees who need 25 tons of rice and Rp 700 million (US$51,800) every day. Other supplies that are needed include water facilities, sembako (staple foods), blankets, beds, medicines and daily needs include bathing/washing/toilet centers (MCK).

Sixty units of buses are also needed for a week to carry people who want to go to Surabaya and Jakarta. He also needs boats at the ready in Benoa Port.

Twenty-three buses have left Bali for Surabaya on Nov. 28. Karangasem Regional Military Command (Dandim) will serve as the commander for emergency response. Meanwhile, the airport will be evaluated every six hours.

I hope companies that are handling the refugees dont exploit this situation and ask for additional charges, told Luhut.

I also ask the media to stop spreading fake news; Ill leave this matter to Kapolda Bali, Luhut added.

Moreover, Luhut asked the Directorate General of Immigration to provide visa and passport extension for tourists who are affected by this disaster.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued an early warning of tropical cyclone that affected the wind direction and the direction of the volcanic ash. For the next three days, the rainfall is expected to increase.

Meanwhile, Basarnas operational director said they will send more people from Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung and Mataram. Basarnas has so far evacuated 53 people who refused to leave their homes.

Tourism Minister Arief has asked airlines to exempt passengers from cancellation fee.

He appreciated hotels and resorts that gave free stays for the first day and 50 percent off on the next day. Arief asked the immigration office to take care of visa extension for foreign tourists.

For transportation, Arief has asked the Transportation Ministry to be in charge of tourists by providing more buses and other forms of transportation. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 13:34 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4f985 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Sabang,Weh-Island Free

Sabang is holding Weh Island Night Carnival on Nov. 29. For this event, the town is painted in bright colors and the trees are decorated with lamps.

The main event will be located in the towns plaza and will present 30 shows such as modeling competition, fashion show, art car parade, marching band, barongsai, live music, Saman Breakdance and Sabilillah War Dance.

The main goal of this event is to bring together cultures, history and Acehnese modernity in the form of an art and culture show.

Several cultural arts curators are also involved in Weh Island Night Carnival.

Our target is to make this event an annual event thus the Tourism Ministry can also see the result of our effort in supporting the event. This event will also help improving the tourism industry and economy of the locals, told the ministry's head of cultural promotion Wawan Gunawan.

Moreover, Sabang is currently hosting Sail Sabang 2017 that runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5.

Sabang is located geographically close to Malaysia and Thailand. It's the main entrance of Strait of Malacca and has the best port similar to the Port of Tanjung Priok. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 11:28 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b4a35f 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Sail-Sabang Free

The highly-anticipated Sail Sabang 2017 event is going to present aerobatic shows by Jupiter Aerobatic Team (JAT).

Today, we are departing from Yogyakarta to Jakarta, Palembang, Medan, Aceh and Sabang, said JAT leader Lieutenant Colonel pnb Kisha on Nov. 28.

From Medan to Sabang, JAT team will be flying low when we are above the Banda Aceh city as a show of respect for the people of Aceh, Kisha added.

A total of six airplanes are currently flying to Sabang and scheduled to arrive on Nov. 29.

The shows will be held on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 above the CT3 Teluk Sabang port and will feature 12 maneuvers.

"As the only aerobatics team in Southeast Asia we will showcase only the best. [Therell be] up roll maneuver, cross over break without loop, twin half Cuban with wheel, drawing of heart in the sky, calypso and many more. Dont forget to post it on social media, told Kisha.

After the aerobatics performance, Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) is going to hold an exhibition of primary weaponry defense system (Alutsista) owned by TNI AU.

Danlanud Maimud Saleh, Sabang, Letkol Penerbang A.P.U Tarigan is ready to take part in Sail Sabang. This is proof that all parties have one vision in developing tourism, told Tourism Ministrys archipelago tourism marketing development deputy, Esthy Reko Astuti. (kes)
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.
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 16:28 1813 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b58f6c 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Tanjung-Pandan,Singapore Free

Tanjung Pandan in Bangka Belitung is set to welcome more tourists coming from Singapore following plans by Sriwijaya Air Group to launch a new charter flight route between Singapore and Tanjung Pandan in the near future.

We want to create Belitung as a favorite destination among foreign tourists. Belitung is included in the [ministrys] to 10 Priority Destinations list, explained Tourism Ministry's special staff for infrastructure, Judi Rifajantoro.

Plenty of Singaporeans have relatives from Belitung, he added.

This new route comes after the opening of Silangit  Singapore route.

The new service is said to serve three flights per week from Dec. 15 to Jan. 5.

Sriwijaya Air Groups NAM Air commercial director Franky Gan said that for flights between Dec. 15-22 the return ticket is sold at S$125 (US$91.58) and $101 for a one-way trip.

From Dec. 24 to Jan. 5, the return ticket is priced at $150 and $111 for a one-way trip, told Franky.

Belitung Regent Sahani said that Belitung is ready to welcome tourists from Singapore and it has invested Rp 1.1 billion from provincial administration-owned enterprises (BUMD) to the charter flight program. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, November 29, 2017 08:12 1814 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2b3a96c 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Tourism-Ministry,marine-tourism Free

The Tourism Ministry promoted Wonderful Indonesia tourism brand at All Points Rally Festival Opus event that was held on Nov. 15-25 in New Zealand.

At the event that was joined by 160 yachts from all over the world, the ministry promoted Indonesia as a world-class destination for marine tourism.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago state and a strategic location for yachters in the Asia Pacific region.

The ministry's deputy minister for overseas promotion I Gde Pitana said that supporting international events is one of the ways to build network with special interest groups such as yachting or sailing communities.

One of the yachting events that attract so many yachters are All Points Rally Festival, said Pitana.

Some of the communites that attended the event came from countries such as Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Among the things that the ministry presented at the event were sailing route, length of stay and locations that yachters can visit while traveling in Indonesia.

Apart from a 30-day free visa, tourists can enjoy faster immigration clearance process at the port, Pitana told.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya added that yachting activities can increase the number of foreign tourists in Indonesia.

Australia and New Zealand are close to the eastern part of Indonesia. Its one of the reasons why many Australian yachts travel to Indonesia. The countrys large sea gives us a huge opportunity to become the leading destination in the Asia Pacific region for marine tourism, said Arief. (kes)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building up to a showdown with the Mad Titan Thanos since his first appearance in the post-credits scene of The Avengers five years ago. Next summer will see the culmination of what Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige called a "22 movie story arc" - Avengers: Infinity War. The first footage from the movie was shown earlier this year at San Diego Comic Con, but this is the first official trailer released for everyone to see. Infinity War will see the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe come together and the trailer is full of awesome pairings like Iron Man and Hulk meeting up with Doctor Strange or Thor crossing paths with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Some characters are sporting new looks, from Captain America's grizzled beard to Black Widow's blonde hair. The trailer feels appopriately epic, showcasing the large scale and the huge roster of characters.
A student rugby club organised a 'disgraceful' miners' strike-themed event which mocked working-class people.

Members of the Trevelyan College rugby team at Durham University were asked to attend the Backs vs Forwards social event dressed as miners or members of Margaret Thatcher's government.

Describing the miners theme, the Facebook invitation said: think pickaxes, think headlamps, think 12% unemployment in 1984.

The student organisers were forced to cancel the event after widespread criticism.

Hi @durham_uni just wondering if you condone this kind of insensitive behaviour - your uni sits at the heart of a former coal field.... pic.twitter.com/EgsdpAgt6n  Craig Dawson (@dawsoncraig) 25 November 2017

This is a really good example of how removed from the local community Durham Uni is.

Majority of students there are imported from the rest of the country, stay in Uni bubble for 3 years then leave again.

Most (not all) never engage with the wider area. https://t.co/6eaO7mpNsd  Antonio I promise Im not a Russian bot Bonanza (@AntonioBonanza) 26 November 2017

Pro-vice chancellor Owen Adams said:

"Durham University and Trevelyan College utterly deplore this event.

"We are speaking to those students and we are considering what further action to take in due course.

The event has upset local people, the area around the university has a long history of coalmining and during the miners strike of 1984 to 1985 there were frequent clashes between miners and police.

We were appalled to learn of a social event advertised by Trevelyan College rugby club which referred to miners in incredibly derogatory terms and sought to trivialise the police violence at Orgreave, Durham Miners Association said.

They added: Unfortunately, this episode has caused a great deal of hurt and anger for many in the local community who are rightly very proud of their mining heritage.

Durham University posted a statement on their website last night explaining how they will seek to educate students about the history of the local area.

"Durham Miners and the city's University will work together to educate students in understanding the heritage and culture of the county in which they study. "Miners leaders met with University Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge today (Tuesday 28 November) to plan an education programme which helps incoming students understand the history and tradition of the Durham coalfield. "The Durham Miners' Association (DMA) will help the University to structure a student induction programme which includes an understanding and appreciation of the county and its people."DMA Secretary Alan Cummings said: "We accept that the rugby club was acting in ignorance and they genuinely regret for what they have done. We should all learn lessons from this episode."
Norton Finn Robinson was walking home from work at 3am on Sunday morning when three men attacked him near Portland Road, before stealing his phone and money.

Credit: Norton Finn Robinson

Speaking to The National Student, the Fine Arts student, who deferred his university studies last year and is currently working as a bartender, said: I was walking home and they approached me. I work as a barman so there had been a lot of Christmas parties that night and it had gotten late, they came over very friendly I guess presuming I was walking home drunk. The muggers viciously punched and kicked him before taking his phone and tips.

Credit: Norton Finn Robinson

Robinson posted pictures of his injuries and clothes online, his shirt was covered in blood and dirt from the attack.

Credit: Norton Finn Robinson

Robinson has been forced to take time off work for the foreseeable future due to the nature of the attack. Fortunately, a witness saw the group of men running away from the scene and noticed Robinson looking for worse for wear, came to his aid and called the police. Describing his violent attackers, Robinson said: One was wearing a Santa hat quite slim faced and short, one was about 6ft and the other was tall and average build."As he is not eligible for free NHS dental care he is crowd fundraising to cover the costs of fixing, or replacing his broken tooth. He has set up a Go Fund Me Page where he hopes to raise 500. On the page he states all proceeds will go towards a new tooth, any additional funding will allow me to get it in like silver, (or) gold.Robinson told us he has officially reported the incident to the police who gave him a ride home. He says the police helped me as much as they could on the night, but so far the trio have not been caught. Donate here
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The search continues for William Ellis, a 25-year-old man who walked away from a Wyandotte medical facility on Nov. 21.

Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton said the missing mans father reported him missing the following day.

Our detectives have been diligently working the case and our patrol officers have been exhaustively searching the city for Mr. Ellis, Hamilton said. We entered Mr. Ellis in the Law Enforcement Information Network database as an endangered missing.

Additionally, a report has been submitted to the Detroit Metropolitan Intelligence Group, which will notify all police departments in southeast Michigan.

Angela Ellis Weedon, who identified herself as the missing mans sister, posted in the Crime Stoppers of Michigan Facebook page that her family is distraught over her brothers disappearance.

He was being treated for hypothermia, and he left the hospital without clothes or money or ID, she stated in her post. He is very unwell and we fear the worst.

Weedon stated that he could be in a shelter or on the streets. She said he has not been back to his apartment and none of his friends or acquaintances have seen him.

She described her brother as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing less than 115 pounds. He has sandy brown hair and brown eyes. His sister said he is a vegan and could be near health food stores or restaurants in the area.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Wyandotte police at 734-324-4405.
It is beyond the pale that Wisconsin's legislative leaders refuse to release information on behavioral complaints involving legislators and staff in the wake of disclosures that members of Congress have settled such complaints with secret payoffs using taxpayer money.
The Dane County Board will lose one of its most veteran conservative voices come election time in April.

Supervisor Dennis OLoughlin, 20th District, has decided not to run for an 11th term after representing the northeast part of the county for the past 20 years.

Twenty years is a long time, OLoughlin said. Give someone else a shot.

OLoughlin, 77, is one of the last of the old guard of conservatives on the board, in the mold of Lyman Anderson, Don Heiliger and Bill Hitzemann, and brothers Mike and David Blaska.

Hes one of the last who was here years ago, said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Parisi was county clerk in the early years of OLoughlins time on the board, and found it refreshing that OLoughlin didnt show his hand when voting on county issues.

When I called the roll (during a vote) I could usually hover my pen over the yes or no for each supervisor, but I couldnt do that with Dennis, Parisi said. He always brought a fresh perspective and an open mind.

He first won election to the board in 1998, beating the incumbent, then won a contested race in 2000. Hes been running unopposed ever since.

The board went through redistricting in 2010, moving the 20th District east from the DeForest/Windsor area to the northeast corner of the county, including the towns of Marshall, Medina, York and Sun Prairie.

Its more rural and had a lot more distance to cover, factors that played a role in OLoughlins decision.

It wears you down, he said.

His age and health (cancer survivor) also played their parts, and his wife, Sara, is retiring as well, so the conditions were right to call it a career on the board.

On three boards, actually.

OLoughlin serves on the National Association of Counties board and the Wisconsin Counties Association board. He is the only Wisconsinite on the NACo board.

Hes been on the WCA board for 10 years and is a former president of the board.

Hes one of the great guys, said WCA Executive Director Mark OConnell. Rock solid, caring and a tremendous asset to county government.

OConnell called him a rock star in county government circles.

NACo and WCA think very highly of Dennis, he said. He always shows up, is always prepared and makes intelligent decisions.

I look at him as an example of how to conduct yourself as a public servant, OConnell said.

All that will change in April.

Ill miss some of the people on the Dane County Board and all of the people in the WCA and NACo, he said. Ill miss being in the middle of whats going on.

OLoughlin doesnt look kindly on the way the Dane County Board has gone in recent times, leaning heavily toward the liberal/progressive side with little room for input from conservatives.

Its unbalanced, he said. Theres too much power in the hands of the liberals and progressives. You dont need cooperation anymore because of the way they have it set up right now.

Cooperation and consensus building was a key to getting things done years ago, OLoughlin said.

You need to do what you feel is right, and dont get caught up in the politics, he said.

And the feeling of conviviality is gone.

Lyman Anderson used to say, We dont agree on everything, but when we leave these chambers, we stay friends, OLoughlin said.

Parisi said OLoughlin stood out by not taking it personally if things werent going as desired.

He enjoys engaging in debate, which is how our democratic process is set up, Parisi said. Disagreeing doesnt have to be a bad thing.

OLoughlin said Parisi is doing a good job and has pushed for improvements in the right areas, including the criminal justice system, health and human services, and county road maintenance.

OLoughlin took heat from other conservatives for voting for a $28 annual registration fee for private vehicles in Dane County, but he said money to fix roads needs to come from somewhere.

Another big ticket item not all were happy with was the addition to the Dane County Jail, adding floors to the Public Safety Building for about $76 million. OLoughlin favored that project.

You have to rank your priorities, he said. What if something bad happened in the old jail? That money (being spent on the new jail) would go out the window very quickly.

Is Dane County in good shape? Its in very good shape, OLoughlin said.

Dane County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan, of the 26th District in Middleton, said she appreciated his dedication and good humor in what can be contentious work.

While Dennis and I havent always agreed on issues, we have always been able to work together toward solutions that improve the quality of life for residents of Dane County, Corrigan said. Ill miss hearing his perspective.

After 20 years, OLoughlin said he has no regrets.

Ill walk away with my head held high, he said. But Ill finally be able to not worry about missing a meeting.

Unlike leaders in county government, who will miss OLoughlin.

He really is a great guy and will be missed, Parisi said.

Hes always been one to not live in the present when it comes to decision making, OConnell said. He felt what will my decision today mean to those who follow.

OConnell added that OLoughlin wont be totally stepping away from the WCA, remaining on an in-house board that deals with for-profit services.

And travel for WCA and NACo will be replaced with more family travel, but it will be different.

I will miss it, OLoughlin said. There will be a void.

Ill be able to walk away with my head held high. But Ill finally be able to not worry about missing a meeting. Dane County Supervisor Dennis OLoughlin, 20th district
MANITOWOC  A Wisconsin man convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in a case featured on the Netflix series "Making A Murderer" has once again been denied a new trial.

Steven Avery's request was rejected Tuesday by Sheboygan County Circuit Judge Angela Sutkiewicz. Avery had asked the judge to reconsider her Oct. 3 decision rejecting his request for a new trial.

Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey were sentenced to life in prison for the 2005 slaying of 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. Avery insists police framed him.

Avery's attorney says she had new testimony and evidence to present that warranted a new trial. But the judge said Tuesday that she finds no basis to reverse her earlier decision.
The Madhya Pradesh government has started a one-year course on astrology and vaastu, studies which impact even climate change, state Education Minister Vijay Shah said here on Tuesday.

The course will also include study to becoming a priest (purohit vidya) also.

Astrology, vaastu, and purohit vidya, are an important part of Indians ancient culture. State government will take necessary steps for their conservation and promotion. The school education department will start a one-year course to study these subjects from this very year, Shah said while addressing a two-day long National Astrology Workshop here.

Our countrys ancient culture is getting affected by modernity. Astrology impacts human lives, the courses of events and climate change. We need to study astrology to understand these changes, he added.

He also announced that workshops will be held at every district headquarters on the topics of science of astrology and its relevance in todays world.
The District Education Officer (DEO) in Tiruvallur district near here has completed his inquiry into the alleged incident of girl students of a government school being asked to wash toilets, said an official on Tuesday.

We have completed the inquiry into the incident and the report has been sent to the Director  Education. Now it is for the Director to decide on the report, an official of the Education Department in Tiruvallur told IANS over phone.

According to him, some girl students were asked to clean the school toilets, failing which, they were threatened they would be sent out of the school.

The official said as per the inquiry report, the alleged incident had been proved to have happened.

He said the school teachers said on the day when the alleged incident happened, the regular scavengers were on leave and hence the students were asked to clean the toilets.

It is not known when the school teachers asked the students to wash the toilets.

An official in the Tiruvallur District Collectorate told IANS that the District Collector had ordered strict action against the school officials who had ordered the girls to clean the toilets.
Independent legislator Rophul Marak on Wednesday withdrawn support to the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government ahead of the assembly elections next year.

The second Independent legislator to withdraw support to the Mukul Sangma-led government after Robinus Syngkon earlier this month, he said his decision came since the Chief Minister has failed to fulfill the aspiration of the people of my (Rongra-Siju assembly) constituency.

I am answerable to the people of my constituency and the district. They are asking questions as to that what we have done in our tenure of five years. The development work in South Garo Hills has been dismal. The main problem is road and communication, he said.

Election to the 60-member state assembly is scheduled to be held in February-March 2018.

However, the withdrawal support to the Congress government will not have any serious impact as the government still has support of 30 legislators  one short of a majority in the 60-member legislature.

The Nationalist Congress Party, which has two members, one member from the North-East Democratic Socialist Party and nine independent legislators are supporting the Congress.

The opposition Meghalaya Peoples Front is made up of eight United Democratic Party legislators, two from the National Peoples Party. The Hill State Peoples Democratic Party, which has four members and two independents, are not part of the opposition grouping.
Punjab Assemblys move to pass a resolution to condemn the release of an audio clip related to a drug case against AamAadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira created a much hue and cry among AAP legislators on Wednesday. The uproar began soon after the Parliamentary Affairs Minister BrahmMohindra moved the resolution against the LokInsaaf Party (LIP) legislators and brothers, Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains, while requesting the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice to take a suomotocognisance of it. The Bains brothers had released an audio recording claiming it to be a conversation about payment of Rs 35 lakh to a high court judge for action against AAP leader Sukhpal Khaira in a drug smuggling case.

Reacting to the move, Khaira said he was already assured for justice by the High Court Chief Justice on Tuesday. Are you trying to obstruct justice in my case, he said in the open House, adding that the House should have supported him. Khaira even said, Hang me if I am found guilty, but do not obstruct justice in my case. Khaira also reiterated that he himself was demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the case.

Khaira alleged the House was saving those who had paid Rs 35 lakh to implicate him in the case. Meanwhile, Mohindra defended the move while saying, We are not after you and are just pleading your case by asking the Chief Justice to take cognisance of it. On the other hand, the AAP legislator KanwarSandhu said instead of holding a discussion, a resolution was being moved against those exposing the case. With the House accepted the proposal, AAP and LokInsaaf Party legislators staged a walkout.

Later, taking to the media persons, AAP and LIP legislators said it was a political conspiracy. I could not imagine the CM stooping so low. They have misused the Assembly and unleashed political vendetta against me, he said. Khaira went harsh on CM while questioning former Pakistani journalist AroosaAlams role in the CMs official residence. How a CM of state can allow her to live in his house.

Nations security is breeched by this practice, he said. Khaira said by passing this resolution Amrinder Singh is trying to save RanaGurjeet or the other persons involved in it. I doubt who has done this 35 Lakh bribery scandal but today by passing this resolution ,this clear evident that this bribery scandal is done by RanaGurjeet, Khaira alleged.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to take adequate steps to ensure smooth supply of safe and healthy drinking water to every citizen of the state.

The court asked him to file a personal affidavit indicating the steps taken or are proposed to be taken to provide safe and healthy drinking water to the residents.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma gave these orders, while disposing a matter pertaining to scarcity of water, brought to the notice of High Court through a letter sent by some residents of Seri village in Rohroo Tehsil of Shimla district.

The court had treated it as a Public Interest Litigation.

The villagers had complained in the letter that drinking water being provided by the Irrigation and Public Health Department of State to village Seri (Batara) is not safe for drinking, as a result of which a number of people residing in the village have fallen ill.

The letter said at present water is being brought to the village through pipes from a source Jalakhar and is being directly supplied to residents through pipes without any filters. The authorities have neither constructed tank nor fitted filters at the main source.

Superintending Engineer, (IPH Circle, Rohru) in his affidavit of September 13, 2017 had stated that the Department had provided water supply to village Seri in the year 1999. The water supply scheme to left out hamlets of census village Seri has been proposed from Ban

Bhave spring source near village Seri and intake chamber was constructed.

However, due to heavy rain, the same got damaged and as a result, loose soil and debris entered the intake chamber. He further stated that since water supply scheme is tapped from a spring source, there is no need of filtration tank being underground source and filter bed is provided only in surface source like nallah and khad.

The bench observed that it appears that in pursuance of cognizance taken by this Court in the instant letter petition, chambers, allegedly got damaged due to heavy rain, has been repaired/constructed, as is evident from Annexure.

It is pertinent to mention that safe drinking water has been an issue in HP as more than 20 people had died in Shimla in the wake of jaundice outbreak in 2015-16, which occurred due to sewage mixed water supply to parts of Shimla from Ashwanikhad water supply scheme.
The Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to take suomotucognisance of the audio clip release in a drug case involving AamAadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira.

Talking to media persons after a resolution moved by the government on the issue, the CM said any attempt to cast aspersions on the judiciary would be rejected by the people. The defence services and the judiciary were the two institutions in which the people had complete faith and any effort to denigrate them was intolerable, he added.

The CM said it had AAP been serious about raising its concerns, or had there been even an iota of authenticity in the said tape, they would have gone to the Chief Justice before releasing the same. The manner in which the tape was released and then the matter sought to be raised with the Chief Justice shows that the allegations levied against the judge are totally bereft of any truth, he added.

The people have full faith in the judiciary and will not be diverted by such gimmicks, said Amarinder, adding that such acts were unacceptable and the judiciary should take serious note of the issue and act on it.

Asked about the offensive language used, and personal attack launched against him by Khaira in the House, the CM said it exposed the petty and spiteful mindset of the leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly.

Earlier, the House passed the resolution deprecating the irresponsible and malevolent release, by LokInsaaf Party (LIP) legislators Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinderjit Singh Bains, of the audio recording purported to be a conversation about payment of Rs 35 lakh to a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in relation to a revision petition filed by Khaira.

The resolution read that The House strongly condemns the wrongful involvement and scandalous allegations being made against the Honble Judge which is clearly for political purpose and vested motives. The judiciary in India and its Honble Judges are an irreplaceable pillar of democracy and merit our highest respect and deference.

The House urges the Honble Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to take suo-moto notice or cognisance of this incident and further action as required as the scandalous allegations amounts to nothing short of impairing the majesty of law, obstructing the administration of justice and lowering the image and dignity of the Court and its Honble Judges in the eyes of public at large, the resolution further said.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday (November 28) presented IFFIs Indian Film Personality of the Year award to megastar Amitabh Bachchan, and said it was only logical and befitting, that decades after Bachchan as a struggler was rejected by All India Radio during an audition for radio announcer, that the ministry was bestowing an award on the superstar.

There was one incident in his lifetime at AIR, when he went for auditioning and he was rejected. Therefore it is logical today and it is our good fortune, that the same Ministry, from this dais, on behalf of the government of India, on behalf of every India, on behalf of every film fan, you are being awarded, Irani said at the closing ceremony of the 48th International Film Festival of India at Panaji.

Amitabh was presented the Indian Film Personality of the Year award, which includes a silver peacock, a certificate and scroll and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

READ ALSO: Goa Cabinet approves new convention centre for IFFI
Earlier this month, a Pakistani daily reported that a woman in Jaranwala committed suicide after poisoning her two minor daughters. Under Section 325 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), both suicide and attempted suicide are currently considered criminal offences, with the latter punishable either by a jail term of up to a year, or a fine, or both. All reported cases of suicide or any such attempts are thereby mechanically linked to law enforcement. In practice, it is rare for such FIRs to be registered with the police, but harassing and extorting money from victims of attempted suicide is not uncommon. The criminalisation of suicidal behaviour is one of the main reasons that people do not seek help for the psychological problem that may have precipitated the act.

The World Health Organisation reported over 13,000 suicides from Pakistan in 2012; extrapolating from this data, a conservative estimate would put the number of suicide attempts at 150,000 to 300,000. Other research has shown that most Pakistanis who attempt suicide are young (under the age of 30), with women outnumbering men by a ratio of at least 3:1 or 4:1. Most people who attempt suicide suffer from a mental disorder, such as depressive disorder, and the attempt is commonly precipitated as a result of interpersonal difficulties or some other stressful factor. Most mental disorders, including depression, are treatable. And most people who end up taking their own life have a history of previous self-harm. Therefore, all suicide attempts need to be brought to medical attention. If only the woman, whose case has been mentioned in this article, had been offered timely help, three lives could have been saved.

In 2001, a Mental Health Ordinance was promulgated in Pakistan to replace the Lunacy Act, 1912. Since the passage of the 18th Amendment, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have enacted mental health legislation (2013, 2014 and 2017 respectively). All these acts refer to Section 49 of the MHO, 2001, which states, A person who attempts suicide shall be assessed by an approved psychiatrist and if found to be suffering from a mental disorder shall be treated appropriately under the provisions of this ordinance. As a result, a bill to decriminalise suicide attempt was presented in the Senate recently, which was deferred on the grounds that attempted suicide is a crime and forbidden in Islam.

Although all the worlds major religions condemn suicide to varying degrees, Islam is seen as having among the strongest sanctions against suicide  declaring it a major sin. The basis of this opposition to suicide is rooted in the strong emphasis that Islam places on the sanctity of human life and every Muslims sacred duty to respect this right. This condemnation of suicide is also one of the reasons that, overall, the incidence of suicide in Muslim countries is less compared to Western countries.

However, many people point out that there are difficulties in applying religious injunctions against suicide to cases of attempted suicide, especially in those countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Kuwait that have incorporated the Sharia into their legal systems. In fact, they say that attempted suicide should not be equated with suicide itself as there are no strong religious principles against such a practice. In attempted suicide the issue of intent is paramount; a person can only be prosecuted once the intent is clearly established. This is not always easily determined, and Islam has strong views against assuming other peoples intentions. In attempted suicide cases, the rule of insanity is also applicable in Islam, wherein a mentally disturbed person is not held to be responsible for his acts. For both these reasons, the prosecution of attempted suicide cases in Muslim-majority countries remains debatable. Even the scope of PPC 325 reinforces that only a confirmed attempt, not any preparation for the commission of suicide, is punishable.

Beyond the religious argument, there are sociological and psychological factors. French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) highlighted social factors that influenced social integration and regulation in contemporary societies, putting these within a general theoretical framework that suicide varies inversely with the degree of social integration of the group of which the individual belongs.

From the historical perspective, attitudes towards suicide gradually became less restrictive and closely paralleled the development in societys attitudes towards individual and personal rights. The act of suicide, initially considered a criminal and sinful activity, gradually began to be seen as a highly complex and multifaceted problem influenced by socio-cultural and religious factors; a problem that requires a multidisciplinary approach for its prevention. This is the view of suicide that is currently held in most developed countries.

Suicide was recently decriminalised in India, where more than 250,000 people killed themselves in 2012, through the passage of the Mental Healthcare Act. It states, [A]ny person who attempts to commit suicide shall be presumed, unless proved otherwise, to have severe stress and shall not be tried and punished. As per the act, it will be the governments duty to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to a person, having severe stress and who attempted to commit suicide, to reduce the risk of recurrence of any attempt.

Despite being a criminal offence, some legal scholars even in Pakistan have argued that the court has wide leeway in meting out punishment and can take into account extenuating circumstances  such as a mental condition  that compelled an individual to attempt suicide in the first place, that it is not necessary to inflict a sentence of imprisonment upon a person who on account of family discord, destitution, loss of a relation or other causes decides to take his life.

There is an urgent need for Pakistan to decriminalise attempted suicide, like most Muslim countries have already done. This would allow a compassionate and scientific approach to help those caught up in a predicament where they see suicide as the only option, and where medical intervention can actually prevent the possibility of suicide.

(The writers are, respectively, a consultant pyschiatrist and a professor of pyschiatry.)
The stupendous Indian space programme has been dynamically advancing since its inception on governmental support. To further enhance space capacity and capability, India is positively seeking active private sector participation. It is expected that by 2020 the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) popularly known as the workhorse of ISRO will be privatised. Privatisation of PSLV is just a beginning and in days to come private players will play a much more significant role.

A positive step in this direction was kick-start of the drafting exercise initiated in January 2015 for regulating space activities. In less than three years the draft Space Activities Bill has been released on 21 November 2017 for public comment that reflects governmental commitment towards streng thening public-private relationship.

The draft bill is largely to comply with international obligations. Requirement of the Outer Space Treaty to authorise and continuingly supervise activities of non-governmental entities in outer space have popularly been considered as the fundamental basis for national space legislation for any country that intends to engage non-governmental entities in space. In response, some 22 countries have enacted national space legislation.

Authorisation and supervision of activities of non-governmental entities in outer space can be achieved by other means but a rule of law is a better choice. If a space object causes damage, it is the launching state that bears liability to pay for compensation. International space law defines launching state as a state that launches or procures the launch of an object into outer space, or from whose territory or facility an object is launched. There is no way by which a state can shy away from this liability; rather the OST imposes international responsibility upon states for their national activities whether such activities are carried out by governmental or non-nongovernmental entities. This means that even if the activities are carried out by a private enterprise, the liability is always of Government. Governmental liability for private activities is a sound reason to legislate and the draft Space Activities Bill 2017 is necessity of the times.

The draft bill is spread in thirty-three sections in six chapters providing basic legal framework for space activities; addressing licensing and monitoring mechanism, powers of Central Government, registration of space objects, liability for damage and intellectual property rights protection in space. Sanctions  both imprisonment and fine  have been levied for non-compliance.

It must not be misconstrued that by enacting a law the Government can escape from its international liability. Law can only help to reduce the risk of damage through diligent authorisation and supervision. Despite due diligence should the Government have to pay for any damage, the law can help to seek recourse. The draft bill follows the same principle. The Government has reserved its right to seek indemnification for any claim brought against the Government in respect of damage or loss arising out of a commercial activity. Whether the Government shares the liability with the private enterprise or whether it bears absolute liability for damages can be inferred only from the rules, which are yet to be formulated.

A limited liability is very much desirable for active involvement of private enterprise in the highly risky space business because unlimited liability would either destroy such enterprises or dissuade them from entering. For this reason countries like USA, Australia and UK had to gradually amend their space legislation and put a cap on the liability of private enterprise. Last year Japan enacted a new law to share responsibility for compensating damage on behalf of private enterprise.

Liability for space activities are future-oriented and unlimited in time, amount and territory. In the remote possibility of damage, space lawyers have explained that the Government may have to bank on the Consolidated Fund of India. Article 266 (3) of the Constitution of India states that No moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of a State shall be appropriated except in accordance with law and for the purposes and in the manner provided in this Constitution.

The draft bill does not have a provision to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund and in the absence of such an provision should actual damage occur, an ordinance might be required to avert this Constitutional crisis. Apart from addressing international obligations, the draft bill must accommodate the constitutionally prescribed mechanism for withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Fund.

The draft bill has safeguarded financial interests of the Government by reserving an indemnification clause, but the draft bill is silent on whether a citizen of India can claim compensation if his/her property or/and person suffers damage because of space activities. International space treaties do not give any right to an individual to bring a claim for damage caused by a space object. It is states that can bring a claim against other states. In absence of an express provision for a citizen to claim for damage caused by a space object recourse will have to be found in general laws. In the interest of Indian citizens, it would be desirable that a justiciable right in their favour for claim of compensation for damage caused by space activities is included in the draft bill.

Legislation must not only prescribe rights and duties of the interested parties but also provide for symbiotic growth and self-reliance of private enterprise. A limited liability clause or prescribing conditions of indemnification or reduced third party insurance provision in the legislation or concession for non-commercial space activities could be a possible way. In France the Government will not make a claim for indemnification if a space object authorised for governmental interest causes damage. Similarly, in Austria if a space activity serves science, education and research in public interest the insurance amount may be lowered to the extent of complete waiver. India too might have planned for such schemes, but a guarantee through legislation emboldens confidence of the investors.

As stated in the explanatory note to the draft bill, the Department of Space (DOS), is the nodal agency for all space activities in India. By implication, DOS shall have an indispensable integral role in authorisation and supervision of space activities that demand highest level of precision and this mammoth responsibility must not be bestowed through conventional practice and rules but rather in express wordings, to be included in the draft bill.

Space treaties impose international responsibility upon states for activities in outer space. But none of the treaties define Outer Space. The demarcation of boundary between airspace and outer space is needed because outer space commences where air space ends and the two are governed by distinct legal regimes. Contrary to air space, there is no sovereignty in outer space; air law recognizes contractual liability of the carrier, whereas in space law liability is upon the states. With increasing commercial space transportation, delimitation of outer space will be inevitable for reasons of finality to liability issues.

Reusable launch vehicles that India is also trying to develop travel partially in airspace like an aircraft and later like a space vehicle. Liability regime applicable to airspace vehicles cannot be precisely answered without addressing the delimitation issues.

Delimitation issue has been on the agenda of United Nations Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) since its earliest days but till date no solution has been reached. Treaty making at UNCOPUOS is by consensus, which is quite cumbersome because a single dissent can defeat the entire process.

Australia (2002) was first in the world to demarcate the boundary at 100 Km above sea level, although it did put a caveat that the demarcation is only for their internal purpose and they do not intend to set the international boundary. Followed by Australia, Kazakhstan (2012) and Denmark (2016) expressly stated in their respective national space legislation that outer space begins at 100Km and beyond. International law experts have stated that national space legislation cannot have a direct influence on international law. But it may be regarded as an expression of opino juris and if many states follow, it may lead to customary law. There is an opportunity for India to contribute towards development of international customary law on the delimitation issue and India must grab this opportunity.

Space activities are inherently dangerous and when private enterprises are involved in this highly risky business greater caution is required. Details of various provisions of the draft bill are to be prescribed under the rules to be formulated later. Rules give flexibility to add further requirements as per need but avoiding the basic essentials leads to opacity; and addressing them within the draft bill will better institutionalise things.

While some of the sections of the draft bill require improvement, a delay in enacting the rules could lead to uncertainty in procedural aspects. Nonetheless, space entrepreneurs can hope for dawn of a new era in exploration and use of outer space is likely. Absence of law has been a major hurdle for their access to space. The gateway to the cosmos is under construction. This writer hopes the suggestions put forth will enable the architects to give it a splendid finish.

(The writer is Assistant Professor at National Law School of India University, Bangalore where he offers a course on space law. He is also pursuing his doctoral studies on this topic from the Institute of Air and Space Law, University of Cologne, Germany. The views expressed are those of the writer and must not be endorsed to the institutions with which he is associated. The writer may be reached at [email protected])
The victim of a homicide in Stoughton Monday night suffered multiple stab wounds, according to Stoughton Police Chief Gregory Leck.

Stoughton police identified the victim as 46-year-old Kim M. Gaida.

Ted Joseph Bruno, 49, is tentatively charged with first-degree intentional homicide, police said. He is being held in the Dane County Jail.

The two men apparently were rooming together.

Little information has been released about the homicide, which took place at 1432 Felland St. Police were called to the residence at about 6:10 p.m.

Bruno was found outside the residence, also suffering from a stab wound, police said. He was taken to UW Hospital, then taken into custody.

Court records indicated that Gaida and his wife had recently separated, and that the mortgage on the home on Felland Street had been foreclosed, and was currently in a six-month redemption period that began in August.

An autopsy was being performed Tuesday by the Dane County Medical Examiners Office.

State Journal reporters Ed Treleven and Logan Wroge contributed to this report.
The life of Mother Teresa (1910-97), the Macedonian nun who devoted herself to serving the destitute mainly in India, continues inspiring people across the globe to play a healing role regardless of religion or ethnicity. That is the message conveyed in the photo exhibition on her life that kicked off Tuesday at Sophia University in Tokyo.

Mother Teresa had a vision of a society for tolerance, understanding, mutual respect and solidarity without distinguishing social, ethnic, cultural and religious affiliations, Macedonian Ambassador to Japan Andrijana Cvetkovik said at the opening ceremony at the university on Tuesday evening. I cannot agree more with this message.

Coorganized by the Macedonian Embassy in Tokyo, the exhibition, titled Mother Teresa  Saint from Skopje, Saint of the World, presents about 50 historic photos mainly from the Memorial House of Mother Teresa in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. The landmark museum was opened in 2009 on the site of the old Catholic church where she was baptized.

She was born to the family of an ethnic Albanian businessman in Skopje in the then Ottoman Empire, and was christened as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.

Photos at the exhibition show her energetic school and church life in her early years, including a portrait of the 18-year-old Agnes Gonxha displaying a strong sense of determination, photographed a day before she left Skopje to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland.

Also exhibited are, among others, her activities in India to help child refugees and poor people where they lived; her holding, with a smile, the Nobel Peace Prize certificate in 1979; and her meetings with a variety of international figures ranging from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

She visited Japan several times in the 1980s. In addition to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, she visited the hard-luck districts of Sanya in Tokyo and Airin in Osaka, as well as Sophia University, a Jesuit university. I hope we [the university] can revisit her message through these photos, Yoshiaki Terumichi, the president of the university, said at the opening ceremony.

Being a well-respected academic of Japanese cinema and culture, Ambassador Cvetkovik attributes the popularity of the Catholic nun among the predominantly non-Christian Japanese to their love of motherly figures.

Japan has a lot of [popular] enka songs on okasan [mother], and a parallel to Mother Teresa [in Japan] is Kannon-sama the Buddhist goddess of mercy, the ambassador told The Japan News.

The exhibition is the first full-fledged public event led by the Macedonian Embassy in Tokyo, which was opened in 2013. Japan established its embassy in the former Yugoslav republic this year.

The exhibition at Building 2 of the university runs through Dec. 8, except on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3. Admission is free.

(Japan News/ANN)
BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday dared Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to make public the quota formula that the opposition party has sealed with the Patidar Andolan Anamat Samiti (PAAS) to give reservations to the Patidar community.

If possible they (Congress) should public it. He (Rahul) is coming here tomorrow. Let him make the formula public, Shah said at the India TV conclave here.

They should come with a draft and let there be a debate among constitutional experts like Harish Salve and Soli Sorabjee and not between (Congress) Kapil Sibal or (BJPs) Ravi Shankar Prasad. If they dont make it public, the people of Gujarat will feel cheated, he added.

Shah said that his Bharatiya Janata Party will never resort to false promises. We do not make false promises to win elections, he said.

The BJP chief said that the firing on Patidar protesters resulting in deaths was sad and unfortunate and a judicial probe headed by a retired High Court judge has been ordered.

Those responsible will be punished. No one will be spared, he said.

Hitting out at Congress, Shah said that the party surrendered before three young leaders shows it bankruptcy and also lack of its leadership.

They were bound to outsource leaders. In business ,you can benefit by outsourcing but you cannot get benefit in politics by outsourcing leaders. This is the status of their bankruptcy. They dont have even a chief ministerial face. The people of Gujarat wants to know about the Chief Minister who can take the state forward., he said.

Claiming that BJP will get 150-plus seats in Gujarat assembly polls, Shah came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi for his charge that because of the Nano car project, there was a loss of Rs 33,000 crore to the state exchequer.

He should know that Nano is only a brand, and the company belongs to Tatas. They can manufacture other vehicles in the factory. I dont know who advised Rahul to raise this issue, he said.

Shah ridiculed Gandhis charge that BJP government in the state was favouring five or six industrialists.

In 2007 elections too, they alleged we were helping five industrialists and five crore people of Gujarat replied. In 2012 election, they again alleged five industrialists were being favoured and 5.5 crore people replied through ballot. This time they have again said five industrialists are being favoured and 6.5 crore people of Gujarat will reply.

He also rejected allegations that bad loans of industrialists have been written off.

Narendra Modi government has not written off a single rupee of bad loan for any industrialist, he said.

The BJP president said that Prime Minister Modi was personally looking into all problems being faced by traders on the GST issue.

In three to four months, GST will emerge as a model consumer law replacing 18 different laws, and inspector raj will end, he added.
March 23

Social activist Anna Hazare will launch an agitation over Jan Lokpal and farmers issues in New Delhi onnext year.

Hazare, who has been the face of the Lokpal movement, said they have chosen March 23 to launch the agitation as it happens to be the Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs Day).

This will be a satyagrah for Jan Lokpal, farmers issues and poll reforms, Hazare said, addressing a meeting of his supporters at Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtras Ahmednagar district last evening.

The veteran Gandhian said he has been writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on these issues but hasnt received a response.

At least 12 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last 22 years. I want to know the number of industrialists committing suicide during this period, he said.

Hazare has been demanding the formation of Jan Lokpal to keep a check on corruption.

He went on a 12-day hunger strike in 2011 after which the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government accepted the demand in principle.

Hazare later launched a fast, which enjoyed a huge popular support across the country. The UPA government later passed the Lokpal bill.

An aide of Hazare today said the Modi government has not appointed a lokpal. The reason given from the governments side is technical, he said.

He said according to the Lokpal Act, a committee comprising the prime minister, the Lok Sabha speaker, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the chief justice of India or a Supreme Court judge nominated by him, should be formed and select the Lokpal.

However, as there is no leader of opposition in Lok Sabha at present, the committee could not be formed and the lokpal could not be appointed, the aide said.

The central government cited the same reason in an affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court when replying to a public interest litigation, he added.
The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of playing dirty politics and hatching a cheap conspiracy by fabricating entries in the register kept at the Somnath temple, that was visited by Rahul Gandhi who the party called a devout Hindu and a strong Shiv bhakt.

Addressing a hurriedly-called press conference hours after the BJP sought to rake up a controversy over Rahul Gandhis name figuring in the register for non-Hindus, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap politics.

There is only one visitors book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated, said Surjewala, adding Desperate times call for desperate measures  referring to the BJP.

When the visitors book was given to him by the temple committee, Rahul Gandhi wrote a message on it with his name (Rahul Gandhi) and address (12, Tughlak Lane, New Delhi). A very inspiring place was the message he wrote in the book, he added.

The other register was tweeted by mediapersons. Rahul Gandhi has neither written (in the other register) nor was the register given to him.

The other register contained a signature by AICC media coordinator Manoj Tyagi, who was asked by some temple officials to sign so that the mediapersons accompanying Rahul Gandhi could enter the temple.

Surjewala said: After Rahul left the temple, by misusing some of our media friends, another fabricated entry was made public. Has the BJP become so cowardly that they are scared of coming out and speaking up.

He alleged that the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel were entered surreptitiously on the left side of the register meant for non-Hindus by someone  suggesting manipulation. This was a fabricated register. Those names were added later, he said.

Showing the pictures of Gandhi wearing sacred thread, Surjewala said that Rahul is a Janayudhari (devout) Hindu. Whether it was during the time of his naming or at the time of his sisters wedding..or at the time of his fathers cremation, he was seen with the sacred thread.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah not to stoop so low for political gains that 130 crore Indians start hating you.

Truth will not change because of your conspiratorial tactics, he added.

Another Congress spokesperson Deepender Hooda said: BJPs intentions stand exposed todayEven Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has conceded that their party is in bad shape (for elections). Whenever they are in such a state, they lose their rudder.

The episode, Hooda said, is a sign of intellectual bankruptcy of the BJP.

The Congress reaction came after BJP raked up the issue and questioned Rahul Gandhis religion.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said in a tweet: Rahul Gandhi is a non-Hindu and a Shiv Bhakht? Very impressive. No wonder he said earlier people go to temples and tease women.

Quoting an article written in 1998 in New York Times, which said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics, Rao said: This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism thereafter? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. Its not a personal issue any longer.

Rahulji, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and familys religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG, he said in another tweet.
Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday said he would encourage Indian Naval ships to visit Changi Naval Base in Singapore, close to the South China Sea, more often.

He also said that Singapore wants more activities in both the Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea.

Ng was speaking at a joint press conference with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after holding the second Singapore-India Defence Ministers Dialogue here, where the two nations concluded a bilateral agreement for naval cooperation.

Asked if Singapore would allow operational turnaround to Indian Naval ships at their naval base, Ng said: I would respond categorically  I would not just be comfortable, I would encourage the Indian Navy to visit Changi Naval Base more often.

Ng said the bilateral naval agreement signed by the two countries on Wednesday had provision for logistics support.

The bilateral naval agreement has provision for mutual logistics support. We will exercise and patrol in your waters as do in ours. We try to economise and support each other, he said.

Calling the Strait of Malacca and Indian Ocean key lines of communication, the Minister said it makes sense for countries to cooperate not only to establish maritime security but to maintain freedom of navigation. Because we know it is the lifeline for economies.

I think I speak on behalf of both countries, we want to see more participation and activity in both Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea, he said.

A joint statement issued by the two countries said the India-Singapore Bilateral Naval Agreement will lead to increased cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises, temporary deployments.

The two sides reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and trade consistent with international laws. This comes in the backdrop of Chinas increased aggression in South China Sea and the increased presence of Chinese Naval ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean.
India will raise the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan against its neighbours at the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process conference to be held in Azerbaijan on 30 November-1 December to consider measures to restore peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Official sources here said Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar, who is expected to lead the Indian delegation, would also highlight how Pakistan continued to provide safe havens to terrorists against the backdrop of the recent release from house arrest of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who will lead his delegation at the meeting, is also expected to speak about the role of Pakistani agencies in subversive activities in his war-torn nation, resulting in further deterioration in the security situation there.

India is also likely to talk about the Chabahar port in Iran through which it has already started sending wheat for the people of Afghanistan as part of its humanitarian assistance.

Sources pointed out that it was now fully recognised by the international community that of all the countries in the region, India has been most constructively engaged in the reconstruction and rebuilding process in Afghanistan. The key areas of Indias engagement have been infrastructure development, socio-economic growth and capacity-building.

Apart from India, representatives from Azerbaijan, Russia, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates and United Nations organisations would participate in the conference.

The Heart of Asia is an important regional platform for political dialogue and close cooperation aimed at promoting stability, peace and prosperity in the region and for enhancing Afghanistans connectivity with its neighbours.

The conference in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku coincides with the Council of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Heads of Government meeting at Sochi in Russia at which India would be represented by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The SCO meeting is also expected to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

The Heart of Asia conferences are held annually at the level of Foreign Ministers. The first conference of the member countries was held in Istanbul in Turkey in November 2011. The last meet under the process was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Amritsar in December last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his happiness over the unmatched determination of the crew of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, currently on a mission to circumnavigate the globe.

Delighted to know. The team of #INSVTarini continues their mission with unmatched determination, Modi tweeted.

Delighted to know. The team of #INSVTarini continues their mission with unmatched determination. https://t.co/DrJisoN0eu  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 29, 2017

The prime minister had in October conveyed Diwali greetings to the crew through video call and also wished them success in their mission.

Modi had earlier met the crew of INSV Tarini on August 16 this year before they embarked on the 22,100 nautical mile circumnavigation journey.

On Wednesday morning, Tarini entered Lyttelton, New Zealand and was received High Commissioner of India in New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli.

The around eight-month-long journey is being covered in five legs with stop-overs at four ports  Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).

The all-women crew is being led by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi, along with Lt. Commanders Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.

The crew has sailed approximately 20,000 Nm onboard INSV Mhadei and Tarini as part of training, which includes two expeditions to Mauritius (in 2016 and 2017) and a voyage from Goa to Cape Town in December 16.

INSV Tarini, a 55 foot sailing vessel has been built by M/s Aquarius Shipyard Pvt Ltd, Goa and was was inducted into the Indian Navy earlier this year.
Advisor to the US President, Ivanka Trump and wife of former British Prime Minister Cherie Blair on Wednesday urged delegates at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit to adopt technology to boost women entrepreneurship.

At a plenary session on innovation in workforce development and skill training, both highlighted the gender gap in work force. India has one of the lowest rates of female labour participation in world. This is a huge potential gap, Mrs Blair said.

Both women spoke strongly about this issue and also about creating and nurturing an ecosystem to provide equal opportunities for women to work on their entrepreneurial skills. The central theme of this edition of the GES is women entrepreneurship.

Technology is a great driver in entrepreneurship because it emboldens women to start their own businesses. This also helps in reducing barriers to embark on their own businesses and creates flexibility in the modern day working family, Ms Trump said to an audience who heard her in rapt attention. She stressed, Having diversity is better business. It is therefore the fiscal responsibility of businesses to their shareholders to balance the gender gap in the labour force.

Mrs Blair, who heads the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, explained how she used to balance her job as an attorney and the responsibilities that come being the wife of the Prime Minister. She attributed it to technology.

She said that women would prove that they are superior to men if they get access to technology. We have to find solutions to enable women do better at what they do without giving up on their enterprises. The three things that women entrepreneurs need to flourish are capacity, confidence and capital. It is all about choice and diversity, she said. ICICI Bank managing director and CEO Ms Chanda Kochar said that women were making it to the top of the corporate world but lamented that less than a quarter of the women graduates make it to the workforce in India.

When you educate a man, you educate an individual. When you educate a woman, you educate a generation. In India, 40 per cent of the banking sector is headed by women. In our bank, out of the 1 lakh trained under the skill training initiative, 55 per cent are women, she said.
US President Donald Trumps daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump and other delegates of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on Tuesday attended a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Taj Falaknuma here.

Modi, Telangana Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and some top politicians and industrialists dined with Ivanka on 101-seater dining table at the palace hotel. The guests were treated with a variety of delicacies including the famous Hyderabadi biryani.

For other GES delegates, the dinner was arranged in the hotel lounges.

Ivanka received a royal treatment as horse-drawn carriage of the Nizam era ferried her from the main gate to the palace atop the hill. She and other guests were greeted with a rose petal shower on entering the palace.

The White House advisor also went around the palace, which was once the residence of the Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile princely State of Hyderabad.

They all reached the palace after the inauguration of GES at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). Elaborate security arrangements were made as the palace is located in the old city of Hyderabad and is surrounded by densely populated neighbourhoods.

The Nizams suite, which used to be the private suite of the ruler of Hyderabad State and costs a whopping Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a night was booked for Ivanka in case she stays at the palace.

However, she returned to Trident Hotel, where she is staying. Modi reached to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to fly back to New Delhi.

Ivanka was the first high-profile foreign dignitary visiting the palace after it was converted into a star hotel a decade ago.

It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizams Prime Minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan bought it for himself and stayed there till 1911.

Built over 32 acres, the scorpion-shaped and all-marble palace palace stands tall in its splendour and majesty atop a hill, at 2,000 ft above sea level and overlooks the old city of Hyderabad.
A Special Court here on Wednesday awarded the death sentence to all three accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in Maharashtras Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The convicts are: Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28  who have been sentenced to death under various charges including rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.

Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole, who had found the three guilty on November 18, pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom under tight security.

On July 13, 2016, the three men had brutally raped and murdered the girl in Kopardi village in Karjat taluka of Ahmednagar district.
A UW-Madison political science professor has been named the winner of a prestigious prize for his work researching genocide, particularly in Africa.

Scott Straus won the 2018 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, for his 2015 book Making and Unmaking Nations: War, Leadership and Genocide in Modern Africa.

The annual $100,000 award is presented by the University of Louisville and draws entries from around the world.

Straus specializes in the study of genocide, political violence, human rights and African politics.

In his book, Straus explains how ideas and political messages can become tipping points for genocide, with his research looking at patterns and circumstances resulting in genocide, and contrasting those with similar situations where genocide could have happened but didnt.

Straus was a journalist in the mid-1990s, covering the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I am very pleased the award committee chose a book about genocide for its selection on improving world order, Straus said. There are many pressing global challenges. To me, understanding and preventing genocide remains a global priority, but I worry that such a view is not widely shared. The award, I hope, will bring renewed attention to the topic.

The Grawemeyer Awards are given for outstanding works in five categories, including world order, music composition, psychology, education and religion. The religion prize is given jointly with the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

The winners will be in Louisville in April to accept their prizes.

One of the previous winners of the World Order prize was Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, for his 1988 address to the United Nations calling for international cooperation among nations.
Stressing that Bengal was a slow starter in IT and ITES sectors, President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said it has another chance to make a mark thanks to the explosion of digital technologies.

Addressing the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of Bose Institute, a premier research institute established by Acharya Jagadis in Kolkata, Kovind said Bengali technologists turn entrepreneurs can be very successful.

Bengal was a slow starter in IT (Information Technology) and ITES (Information Technology enabled Services). Now it has another chance. We are in midst of explosion of digital technologies, Kovind said.

Precision manufacture and bioinformatics are changing how we work. And robotics how we live. All this throws up opportunities for Bengal, he added.

Citing successful Bengali entrepreneurs like Rajendra Nath Mookerjee, Amar Bose PC Ray and JC Bose, Kovind said when Bengali scientists and technologists turn entrepreneurs, they can be very, very successful.

We need to bring back the magic of that synthesis Engineer father-son Rajendra Nath Mookerjee and Biren Mookerjee established the Indian Iron and Steel Company in Burnpur. Founder of Bose Corporation in the US was Amar Bose, a technologist and academic of Bengali descent, he said.

Acharya PC Ray established Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd as the first Indian-owned pharmaceutical company, he added.

In particular, Kovind heaped praises on JC Bose, who is acknowledged as the father of modern scientific research in India.

JC Bose was an innovator and scientist of world-class distinction. He laid the foundation for revolutionary technologies like modern wireless communication, he said.

He demonstrated wireless transmission of microwaves as far back as 1895 Bose Institute occupies a unique and exalted position in the landscape of Indian science.

On his four-day maiden visit to West Bengal, Mizoram and Nagaland after assuming office, Kovind had earlier in the day paid tributes to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and nationalist leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata.
As the fight for Gujarat intensifies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will descend on the poll-bound state on Wednesday, with both stepping up their campaign ahead of the first phase elections on December 9.

While Prime Minister Modi, campaigning for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be once again visiting the Saurashtra region and south Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi will first visit Diu and later Visavadar in Junagadh district and Amreli.

Modi will hold four public meetings. He will arrive in the morning at Morbi, and address a large public gathering at Parshuram Pottery on Bhadiyad road at around 9 a.m. He will be accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Later he will visit Saurastra regions Prachi area and address a public meeting at Prachi Timdi in Sutrapada Taluka road. Here Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will greet him and accompany him.

In the afternoon, Modi will visit Palitana, a famed pilgrimage centre of the Jain community in Bhavnagar. The Prime Minister will address a public gathering near Palitana Circuit House. Palitana is believed to be the most sacred pilgrimage of the Jain community, the most prosperous community in the state comprising five per cent of the population and from which the Chief Minister hails.

Modis last public address will be at Navsari in south Gujarat in the evening opposite Tighravadi. He will be welcomed by BJP national Vice President Parshottam Rupala. After the address, he will fly back to Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi is paying a two-day visit to Gujarat and will visit Gir-Somnath, Junagarh and Amreli on the first day of his two-day trip.

This will be his sixth visit after the state assembly elections were declared and could be his last before the first phase of the elections.

The Congress Vice President will arrive on Wednesday afternoon at Diu. Just like his prior visits to the state, he will begin his day and tour by visiting a Hindu temple, this time the famous Somnath temple and have darshan there.

Later, he will be welcomed by local Congress members at the district headquarters.

Gandhi then will fly off to Visavadar in Junagadh district by chopper and hold a corner meeting there.

From Visavadar, taking a chopper, the Congress leader will go to Amreli district and hold a corner meeting at Savarkundla. From Savarkundla, the Gandhi scion will travel to Amreli city by bus. He will address a public meeting in Amreli at around 7 p.m and stay overnight at Amreli Circuit House.
Lauding scientists as true nation builders, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said they have a major responsibility for the realisation of New India  an India that will achieve certain developmental milestones by 2022.

Appreciating the commitment of scientists to the nation, Kovind said it was important to harness the scientific talent pool in Bengal, for the good of the state as also the country.

New India cannot be achieved without New Bengal. And neither New India nor New Bengal can be achieved without the scientific community here contributing in strong measure, Kovind said at Vigyan Chintan-Scientific Ecosystem in Kolkata, organised at the Raj Bhavan, where he interacted with scientists from various reputed science and technology institutes of the city.

He said Bengal has produced a galaxy of scientists and made a major contribution in promoting the scientific temper in the country.

To this day, young students from Bengal, young science graduates and scientists, young engineers and technologists, contribute so much to the furthering of science and of knowledge. They do so all over the country and all over the world.

Kolkata contributed many illustrious names to our galaxy of scientists and technologists. J.C. Bose and S.N. Bose and Meghnad Saha are household names across India. C.V. Raman worked here and won the Nobel Prize, he said.

The President laid stress on converting Kolkata yet again into the tech hub of India, that it was a century ago, or even 50 years ago.

Averring that there was truly something special about Bengala, he pointed out that IISc, Bengaluru, was started after Swami Vivekananda requested Jamsetji Tata to set up a world-class science research institution in the country.

On this soil, even a Swami devoted to spiritualism can have a sensitive appreciation for  and a fascination for  modern science, he said.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday paid tributes to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and nationalist leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata, officials said.

Kovind, who arrived in the city on Tuesday visited Jorasanko, birthplace of Tagore and said that the great poet and and philosopher remains our countrys foremost cultural icons.

Went to Jorasanko in Kolkata to pay respects to Gurudev Rabindranath. Was honoured to visit the birthplace of composer of our National Anthem. He remains one of our countrys foremost cultural icons, Kovind tweeted.

Went to Jorasanko in Kolkata to pay respects to Gurudev Rabindranath. Was honoured to visit the birthplace of composer of our National Anthem. He remains one of our country's foremost cultural icons #PresidentKovind pic.twitter.com/rPMKYHncai  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 29, 2017

Kovind then visited Netaji Bhavan, the residence of Bose where he was moved by the aura of sacrifice and dedication to India.

Went to Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata to pay tributes to Netaji Subhas. Was moved by the aura of sacrifice and dedication to India. Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country, he tweeted.

Went to Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata to pay tributes to Netaji Subhas. Was moved by the aura of sacrifice and dedication to India. Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country #PresidentKovind pic.twitter.com/oYOVrgntSe  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 29, 2017

On his four-day maiden visit to West Bengal, Mizoram and Nagaland after assuming office, Kovind would also attend the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of Bose Institute, a premier research institute established by Acharya Jagadis.

The president would then visit the global headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and Math at Belur Math before leaving for Mizorams capital city Aizawl.

Speaking at a civic reception accorded to him in Kolkata on Tuesday, Kovind had said that three sons of Bengal  Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chanra Chattorpadhyay and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose  were instrumental for defining nationalism.

Our freedom came faster because of the energy they gave our people, he said.

The President described Kolkata as the city with a heart and Bengalis as people with a heart.

He also mentioned that nation building owed a lot to Bengal and the sacrifices and historical achievements of the people of the state.
President Ram Nath Kovind will on Wednesday visit the birthplace of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and the residence of nationalist leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Kolkata, officials said.

Kovind, who arrived in the city on Tuesday will first visit Jorasanko, birthplace of the great poet and philosopher Tagore and will then head to Netaji Bhavan, the residence of Bose.

On his four-day maiden visit to West Bengal, Mizoram and Nagaland after assuming office, Kovind would also attend the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of Bose Institute, a premier research institute established by Acharya Jagadis.

The president would then visit the global headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and Math at Belur Math before leaving for Mizorams capital city Aizawl.

Speaking at a civic reception accorded to him in Kolkata on Tuesday, Kovind had said that three sons of Bengal  Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chanra Chattorpadhyay and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose  were instrumental for defining nationalism.

Our freedom came faster because of the energy they gave our people, he said.

The President described Kolkata as the city with a heart and Bengalis as people with a heart.

He also mentioned that nation building owed a lot to Bengal and the sacrifices and historical achievements of the people of the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued with his Gujarat election tour from Morbi on Wednesday by tearing into the opposition camp. Modi picked ex-Prime Minister Indra Gandhi by raising her behaviour during one of her visits to Morbi. Addressing a gathering, the Prime Minister said, When Indira ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smell. But for Jansangh-RSS, the streets of Morbi are fragrant. Its the fragrance of humanity.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Modi said the name Gabbar Singh Tax coined by Rahul Gandi shows that his mentality is that of a dacoit and the Gandhi family has looted the nation for years and said that Rahuls understanding of GST was a Grand Stupid Thought.

Modi drew a comparison between BJP and Congresss agenda of development saying that for Congress it was just distribution of hand pumps to remove water problems in the region, whereas the BJP has brought Narmada waters to the region to solve the problem permanently.

The Prime Minister talked about the inclusion of all in the development process, which, he said, was BJPs development model which has been successful in Morbi for all to see.

In Prachi, Modi stepped up his attack on the Congress and asked Rahul Gandhi why the Congress opposed the Indian Army fighting against the enemy at the border. Modi questioned Congress on its stand on OROP and why did the party not take a decision which has been pending for more than 40 years of Congress central rule. He also broached the topic of Rahul Gandhi meeting and hugging Chinese people amid Doklam standoff.

PM Modi also cornered the Congress on its new-found affinity with the OBCs and asked why Congress was not allowing the OBC Commission to get Constitutional Status and why did it stall it in the Rajya Sabha when the BJP got it cleared in the Lok Sabha. He further reiterated his commitment to giving OBCs their rightful dues.

Modi also targeted Rahul Gandhi on his visits to various temples and told the gathering that, had it not been for Sardar Patel, the dream of rebuilding Somnath temple would have never taken place.

He targeted Nehru for not taking the initiative of rebuilding the temple and being unhappy when President Rajendra Prasad agreed to inaugurate the temple. He told the public that Rahul visiting temples was an eyewash and that it was only an election stunt.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies at Gir Somnath, Visavadar, Savar Kundla, Amreli, and Bhavnagar. At one of his rallies, Rahul questioned Modi on the time frame for fulfilling the promises he had made to the people of Gujarat in 2012, where he had said that he shall provide 50-lakh new houses but only 4.72 lakh units were built in five years.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel is also holding a rally in Rajkot (West), CM Vijay Rupanis constituency and then he will move to Morbi, Somnath, Junagadh, and Himmatnagar.

Hardik, during his interaction with people at Bela village, said, I need to get fool printed on my forehead and you too should get it done for choosing the same leaders for 25 long years. He talked about the poor condition of roads in villages and the need for changing the leaders.

Hardik called Modi and Amit Shah as cowards and that their power is to use the police against innocent people and asked people to fight them with their vote. Hardik also said that as a sign of panic and desperation, the BJP has brought in hordes of leaders to the state because they can foresee their defeat.

With more rallies lined up, the issues and attacks are bound to get sharper and it would be interesting to see who catches peoples eye and opinion and vote the best candidate.
The sentence for the brutal and barbaric mutiny in the Bangladesh Rifles in 2009 has been as severe as it could be. The fact that this paramilitary force was in the immediate aftermath renamed as Bangladesh Border Guards may not be wholly unrelated to the horrendous revolt against the induction of military personnel into a force that was raised primarily to guard the border in the manner of Indias BSF.

Working conditions turned out to be yet another factor that ignited the spark. Mondays verdict of the Bangladesh High Court comes eight years after the massacre of 74 uniformed personnel, including 57 senior army officers, and ahead of the general elections. The timing, therefore, is significant.

Thus has the Awami League regime of Begum Hasina kept itself in the clear over a gut-churning confrontation in course of which the brass was at the receving end as disgruntled troops bared their angst; quite the most incredible incident was the storming of the BDR chiefs residence and the slaughter that followed. The most senior officer, on deputation from the army, was done to death along with his wife, his guests and staff before the building was razed.

It beggars belief that the cover of a roadside manhole was lifted and the bodies dumped inside. Just as it strains credulity to imagine that the militarys Intelligence network had little or no inkling of the disaffection that was brewing within a strategically stationed force over the domination of the army, not to forget the welter of other issues, notably an increase in pay and humane treatment.

It thus comes about that 139 soldiers-turned mutineers will have to walk to the gallows; another 146 will have to be in jail for the rest of their lives for the massacre in which the victims were shot, hacked to death and burned alive by disgruntled troops. It is difficult to find a parallel in the subcontinent to the mutiny that roiled Bangladesh eight years ago.

Nowhere in the world did anything happen like the way those 57 top army officers were killed, was the high-minded lament of Bangladeshs Attorney-General, Mahbubey Alam. Justice Md Abu Zafor Siddique hit the bulls eye when he pronounced the judgment on Monday ~ This is an unprecedented atrocity in Bangladeshs relatively short history.

It was the most heinous, brutal and barbaric carnage of our history. In point of fact, it has been the countrys biggest-ever criminal case, the astonishing paradox being that the 285 sentenced ~ death/life imprisonment ~ were actually gun-toting watchdogs in uniform. In retrospect, it is pretty obvious that the killings were perpetrated systematically, chiefly to ensure that no military officer could serve in BDR. It is obvious too that the canker of injustice had permeated the system, and as grievance piled on grievance it needed only a spark to ignite the pent-up rage and in some cases literally so.
One is convinced that as a citizen, like millions of our countrymen, we have virtually reached a stage of now or never so far as indigenous production of fighter aircraft is concerned. It is ones firm belief that the first, foremost, primary objective towards Mission Indigenisation revolves around the capability and capacity or the power of the fighter engine and the interface with the fuselage (body) of the flying machine.

However, this is easier said than done. The fighter is not produced overnight. Years of dedicated, motivated, relentless team work and mega state investment in research and development are the prelude to success as occasional failures (at times catastrophic) will also have to be taken in stride.

Before moving forward, two things must remembered. No air chief (or for that matter the political leadership and citizens) would like to see pilots flying a machine that does not match the quality or performance of the opponents aircraft. The 1965 Indo-Pakistani scenario of US-made and supplied superior F-86 Sabre jets and state-of-art Lockheed F-104 Star-fighters (known as flying coffins and widow makers in Germany) which constituted the Pakistan Air Force inventory, versus the basic/rudimentary Gnat fighters of India operated by the grit and determination of pilots exists no longer. One cannot bask in the past glory of our brave fliers. No country would like to see disproportionate numbers of body-bags of its warriors in its backyard. It is the duty of the state to give its soldiers a fair chance to fight in equal height, if not from a position of advantage. This is the bottomline.

In terms of fighter aircraft in the post-Cold War era, it is gradually becoming a market of diminishing producers. The number of Western producers has declined dramatically and Asia, led by China, has surged. There was a time when Israel Aircraft Industries produced Kfir and Lavi, but no longer. The British once produced the English Electric Canberra photo reconnaissance and bombers and classic single-engine Hawker Hunter (both of which were used by IAF in the1965 and 1971 wars). The British, in collaboration with the French, also supplied India the twin-engine Anglo-French Sepecat Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft. The craft still flies in India, and is no longer produced in the country of its origin.

Indeed, France and Sweden are the two exceptions. Both countries still produce the Rafale and Gripen fighter aircraft. Not a single country from the rest of Europe has the capability to produce any high-tech fighter. Europes sole product today is the four nation-consortium fighter; the twin-engine Euro-fighter which too is fast approaching its sell-by date. That leaves the fighter production market confined to Russia, USA, China, South Korea, Japan, and India.

As regards South Korea and Japan, the products are yet to mature and develop to a desired level of expectation and acceptance of/by foreign customers. India too still lags behind owing to its inability to bloom into a full-fledged fighter plane manufacturer. That leaves the world fighter arena open to the big three ~ China, Russia, USA.

Indias dilemma in reaching the desired evel of combat-quality calls for urgent action. A few questions survive ~ How to go forward? Import? Indigenisation? Going it alone? Joint venture? Technology transfer? In my opinion, there still are forward routes for a positive result. First, the Indian Air Force must play a bigger role; a strong, visible, proactive role in research, design, development, test and flight of each and every fighter prototype. It must be involved from the drawing board to flying missions/test flight. Second, IAF has to abjure its benign good boy role, operating from the sidelines with only a qualitative requirement (QR) and sit as a helpless consumer, depending on the monopoly manufacturer/producer of high-tech and high-stake war-fighting assets by HAL. This seller (HAL) and buyer (IAF) or the producer-consumer mentality has to go. IAF has to be both producer and consumer so far as fighter aircraft is concerned.

Henceforth, IAF must have a dedicated Directorate at Delhis Air Headquarters or in Bangalore as a fighter division. It must be headed by a serving (and proven ace pilot) Air Vice Marshal or Air Marshal. He must, in coordination with the human resources and perspective planning branch, chalk out a detailed actionable deployment plan of IAF personnel to be with HAL or any other designated fighter manufacturing enterprise for at least five to seven years compulsorily, before being considered for career progression. Pilots, navigators, engineers, technicians, maintenance personnel, all will have to contribute and work shoulder-to-shoulder with HAL and DRDO. It cannot be left to a single department or branch of the Government to bear the responsibility for the success or failure of indigenous fighter development programme.

There is no harm learning from a sister department like the Indian Navy which was fortunate to have some visionary Admirals, during its formative phase. They understood the need of an indigenous fighting ship design, development and building programme. Little wonder the Navy has done well in surface ship-building, especially pertaining to fast attack craft, landing and supply ship, corvette, frigate, destroyer. However, submarine and aircraft carriers are still some way away, sincere attempts and robust political backing notwithstanding.

It, therefore, becomes axiomatic that HAL ought to be headed by either a serving three star Air Marshal fighter pilot or a serving (at least one star) aeronautical engineer par excellence. All the naval war ship building facilities in Mumbai (Mazagon Dock); Kolkata (GRSE); Vishakhapatnam (Hindustan Shipyard); Cochin are headed by naval officers (although retired). They are normally given a five-year tenure, even after retirement. That gives a semblance of continuity and steadfastness. In the past, HAL was headed by serving three-star officers like Air Marshal P.C. Lal (the victorious chief of 1971 Indo-Pak war); Air Marshal L.M. Katre both of whom were not only ace fighter pilots, but went on to become four-star Chief of Air Staff. Then there was another HAL chief, an ace pilot, Air Marshal M.S.D. Woollen.

Hence, it is time to restructure and effect redeployment for development. The time is short and the road long. Imports cannot stop overnight just as indigenous production cannot happen readily with a magic wand. Nevertheless, imports will harm indigenisation in the long run. In any given situation, one contract/deal, from out of four foreign bidders, is bound to create havoc as no rejected foreign bidder will take things lying down. One would love to be enlightened as to which foreigner would like to see India self sufficient in food, fire power, factory production, fuel and finance? Are we living in make-believe, or real, world?
Y e Prataap ka watan pala hai azadi ke naaron pe/ Kood padi theen yahan hazaaron Padminiyan angaaron pe/ Bol rahi hai kan kan se qurbani Rajasthan ki/ Is mitti se tilak karo ye dharti hai balidaan ki. Vande Matram. We were raised on the staple of this and similar film songs and we were studiously unperturbed by their communal appeal or the avowedly pseudo-nationalist historiography. Nehru was the prime minister, not Modi.

The lyrics were by Pradeep who also sang the racy patriotic song for the 1954 movie called Jagriti  The Awakening. The story, the songs and even the main child actor were bodily lifted by Pakistani filmmakers who turned it into their patriotic version called Bedaari, their awakening. Jagriti itself was based on an earlier Bengali movie with the same theme. In a nutshell, the song harks to Rajput valour against Muslim rulers. Theres a reference to Rana Prataap of Mewaar who fought valiantly against Mughal emperor Akbar. Some Hindutva versions of this history proclaim him the winner.

Today, an army of secular storytellers is trying to rationally explain the mythological narrative of Princess Padmavati as falsified history on celluloid. The Jagriti song spoke of thousands of Padminis, not just one, jumping into the sacred fire to save their honour from the supposedly lecherous Muslim rulers. The hero with the Hindu name of Ratan Kumar turned out to be Syed Nazir Ali Rizvi who migrated to Pakistan and featured in a carbon copy role. The Urdu song changed the refrain of Vande Mataram into Pakistan Zindabad.

Another popular song in the movie described Gandhis victory over British rule without any recourse to arms. In the Pakistani version, Jinnah is the non-violent deliverer of freedom. Both sides have conveniently undermined Bhagat Singh and countless others who gave their lives in different stages of armed insurrection against colonialism.

The moral of the story is that there was a time when communalism was better camouflaged than it is today. Or should we say that it was not disturbing for us to see bogus historiography with an insidious agenda for what it was.

But one thing is clear. Indian cinema is wrongly lauded for shoring up a tryst with the countrys secular legacy. Let me posit that our movies have also spawned communal and obscurantist ideas in a way that escaped detection. Every film industry has taken recourse to religion and mythology as their themes. However, where else but in Indian movies do they begin with a prayer or a citation from the scriptures? B.R. Chopra was a great filmmaker. His banner had a clip with recitation from the Bhagvad Gita. Raj Kapoor, the most cited example of secular cinema, showed his father Prithviraj Kapoor offering a prayer to Lord Shiva before his movie started. There are dozens of examples of prayers kicking off a movie. Mehboob Khan was most intriguing. He invoked God before the titles but with a communist hammer and sickle banner.

We scarcely discussed an eerie sociology that was mutating below the elitist radar of a massive audio-visual phenomenon. As students at JNU, we learnt to appreciate music and films and theatre. Fellini, Bunuel, Kurosawa, Eisenstein, Ray, Benegal, Saeed Mirza were woven into the academic fabric as it were.

They continue to be part of the discourse in the media, in seminar halls and so forth. Yet, there always was a chasm between the discussions that took place in these intellectual hothouses and what captured the popular imagination. In the 1960s, I remember well, a prohibition officer with a fondness for the evening tipple would hold screenings of less-discussed movies in our Lucknow neighbourhood: Saakshi Gopal, Kan Kan Mein Bhagwan etc., films resplendent with divine miracles and a perceptibly missionary Hindu slant. That was the governments way of discouraging people from consuming alcohol.

During his time as information minister in the 1970s, Lal Kishan Advani slipped in a 1950s movie on Doordarshan, which spewed venom against Indias Christians. That was when the left supported his government, when much of the intelligentsia were riveted to the return of democracy. The black-and-white film was Swayamsiddha.

The story in a nutshell was this: a Hindu woman whose husband is deaf and dumb is urged by the village purohit to evict a group of Christian missionaries from the village in the belief that it would cure the husband. The Hindu wife gets the villagers to attack and expel the Christians and the husband is healed. Communal poison is spread in such innocuous yet lasting ways.

There are subtle methods to seed prejudice and here the effect can be achieved by manipulating a language. Prithviraj Kapoor spoke fluent Urdu in his roles as emperors Alexander and Akbar, an uncontested suggestion that mediaeval Muslims and ancient Greeks spoke Urdu. When he played King Porus in a subsequent movie, the Hindu ruler who fought Alexander the Great, Kapoor spoke in distilled Hindi, which he again did as the Hindu guru in Anandmath, a wild interpretation of Indian history.

Similarly, how many complex and difficult situations, including the dilemma of an atheist protagonist, are resolved at the end of a movie in a temple? The liberal, open-minded moviegoers may delight in the fact that a particular bhajan was composed by a Muslim, written by a Muslim, sung by a Muslim and enacted by a Muslim. But in the end it was a bhajan, and, rightly or wrongly, thats what mattered.

Dawn/ANN.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday said his country will maximise pressure on North Korea in coordination with the international community following Pyongyangs latest missile launch.

N. Korea fired a missile around 3.18 a.m. on Wednesday and the missile flew for about 53 minutes. It may have fallen into the exclusive economic zone of Japan, said the Japanese government.

It reached a record-high altitude of over 4,000 km on a steep angle and appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Japanese Defence Ministry.

Abe told reporters at his office following the missile launch that such violence was intolerable. Japan has lodged a strong protest against North Korea, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that Japan has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and Tokyo will maximise pressure on Pyongyang in coordination with others.

Abe and US President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch.
Gov. Scott Walker announced Wednesday he is seeking $6.8 million from the Legislature this session for a campaign to market Wisconsin to young workers and veterans in other states.

The proposal was part of what Walker described to business leaders at a Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce event in Madison as a three-pronged strategy for addressing the states workforce needs: increasing worker training, removing barriers to work, and attracting and retaining new talent.

Walker said excitement has been building in Wisconsin about the decision by companies such as Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn and German candymaker Haribo to locate in the state, but instead of just taking more employers in, weve got to harness that excitement to bring in more employees.

The proposal comes as Wisconsin is facing a worker shortage, a growing challenge the Wisconsin State Journal highlighted in September, and also as Foxconn begins to construct a $10 billion facility in Racine County with a record $3 billion investment in state tax credits with the potential to create up to 13,000 high-tech manufacturing jobs.

The funding Walker is proposing would be a boost for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.s Think, Make, Happen campaign, which has been planning to launch a $1 million three-month advertising campaign in Chicago starting in January with existing agency funds.

However it would be far less than what other states have spent to market their states to businesses, workers and tourists. The Pure Michigan branding campaign, with an annual $34 million budget, estimates it drew 4 million visitors to the state with an economic impact of $1.2 billion in 2013.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he supports Walkers proposal and looks forward to hearing more about it when the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Our reforms have improved our business climate to the point where we have more jobs to be filled than workers to fill them, Fitzgerald said. We should welcome an influx of new taxpayers and homebuyers that will add fuel to our economic engine.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he is interested in the proposal and that Rep. Mike Rohrkaste, R-Neenah, has been working on something similar since last summer.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said in a statement that Walker should consider how his own policies have affected where young people choose to live.

Millennials are increasingly choosing to live in states that invest in public transit, promote workplace flexibility and support student loan debt relief, Shilling said.

Rep. Dana Wachs, an Eau Claire Democrat vying to take on Walker in next years gubernatorial race, said Walkers proposal would spend millions of taxpayer dollars to recruit workers to the state to work for Foxconn, which has already received a $3 billion state tax credit incentive to locate here.

Gov. Walker sold a bill of goods to the Wisconsin public by saying it would create new jobs for Wisconsinites, Wachs said. Apparently, what he really means was that the jobs would go to workers from Chicago.

WEDC has been planning to launch in January a marketing campaign focused on young workers in the Midwest, alumni from the University of Wisconsin and other Wisconsin colleges. The campaign plans to highlight the states lower cost of living and shorter commute times than in big cities such as Chicago.

WEDC chief operating officer Tricia Braun said the campaign will include ads placed on the side of one Chicago commuter train and on train platform screens with messages such as In Wisconsin youd be home by now.

Braun said of the $6.8 million Walker is requesting, $3 million would expand the Chicago marketing campaign and extend it to other cities such as Minneapolis and Detroit. The other $3.8 million would fund a mobile jobs center and job fair booth that would travel to veteran recruiting events around the country.

Walker said Wisconsin provides more benefits to veterans than any other state, saying we havent done enough to tell veterans elsewhere about whats available in the state.

His office pointed to data from the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs showing Wisconsin provides 23 different benefits, more than any other state. Thats a measurement of how many different programs are available, though not the average dollar amount of benefits veterans receive in each state, which is unclear.
Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah has been released after being detained for three weeks as part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive in the country, officials said.

Prince Miteb, once seen as a contender to the throne, was freed on Tuesday after agreeing to an acceptable settlement with authorities of more than $1 billion, the BBC reported.

He was one of more than 200 princes, ministers and businessmen detained in an anti-corruption drive on November 4.

At least three others had also agreed to settlements, according to officials.

The prince has so far not commented and it was not clear whether he was now able to move freely or whether he was under some form of house arrest.

The 65-year-old son of the late King Abdullah was the most politically influential royal detained under the orders of a newly-formed anti-corruption committee headed by his 32-year-old cousin, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince Miteb was minister of the National Guard, an elite security force with 100,000 personnel that is tasked with protecting royal leaders, but was sacked hours before his detention.

He was reportedly held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh along with his brother Prince Turki bin Abdullah, a former Governor of Riyadh province, the BBC reported.

Also in detention were billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, MBC TV network owner Alwalid al-Ibrahim, former head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority Amr al-Dabbagh and former chief of the Royal Court Khalid al-Tuwaijri.
Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive them apart and undermine their political and economic successes, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trumps America First foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

Ahead of his week-long visit to Europe, Tillerson described Russia as one of the major challenges facing Europe and the US.

Europe and the US seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assads continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War, Tillerson said.

Playing politics with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation, he said.

Tillerson went on to say that attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russias standing in the world.

We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community, he said.

Tillerson will hold meetings at NATO headquarters and with OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) leaders and also visit several European cities next week.

He said the ball was in Russias court and it could choose whether to continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home, or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia.

Following President Donald Trumps recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Irans malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom, he said.

Neither the US nor Europe wants another type of North Korea nuclear threat on its hands, nor are any of our nations at ease with Irans attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organisations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program, he added.

Responding to questions, Tillerson said there are areas of mutual cooperation with respect to Russia.

Were working hard in Syria to defeat ISIS and we are on the cusp of having ISIS once and for all defeated in Syria

We are working together with Russia on how to prevent the civil war from re-erupting in Syria, he said.

We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan. Weve not yet come to what that might be, but were talking about it, Tillerson said.


Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 31F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low around 20F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Update: The man has been identified and his family notified.

A man found wandering along Highway 14 near Cross Plains Wednesday morning, clad only in hospital scrub styled pants, one slipper and a T-shirt, was taken by police to a local hospital until it can be determined who he is.

The man, who is disabled and wasn't speaking, was found at about 10:50 a.m. near 8254 Highway 14.

The man is about 6 feet, 1 inch tall, 200 pounds and is in his 20s.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to call 911.

The Dane County Sheriff's Office, Middleton Police are looking for information about the man, and his description also was sent out on a statewide alert.
Organization: United Nations

World Food Programme (WFP)

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Position Grade: P3

Reports to: Head of Supply

Chain

About US:

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline

agency against world hunger. It is the largest and longest serving humanitarian

agency in Uganda. Currently WFP focuses on three priority areas: Saving lives

in Emergencies; Building Resilience through Predictable Safety Nets; Improving

Nutrition & Mother-and Child Health; and Supporting Small Holder Farmers to

Access Markets. WFP has operations in various parts of the Country.

Job Summary: The Logistics

Officer (Service Provision) will play a key role in contributing to WFP

Ugandas integrated supply chain management and will work with the Head of

Supply Chain and the entire team to continue to ensure cost-efficient supply

chain operations for WFP Uganda, WFP countries in the region and bilateral

partners.



Key Duties and Responsibilities:



Actively participate in the development of

procedures for logistics field operations ensuring that objectives are achieved

in compliance with regional and functional strategies, policies and plans.



Plan and lead on implementation of innovative

logistics operations, initiatives and programs to ensure timely, efficient and

cost effective operations.



The jobholder will collect and analyse relevant

technical data from diverse sources to forecast operational needs under various

scenarios and make evidence-based proposals.



Lead preparation of transport arrangements and

contracting of all associated services in accordance with established

guidelines.



Implement operational warehouse procedures and

normative guidance in order to manage WFPs warehouse, handle inventory

effectively through corporate systems, and ensure loss mitigation.



Conduct regular financial analysis and budget

reviews, drawing out insights and recommending actions to senior staff to

optimise use of available funds.



Plan, organise, and supervise the work of more

junior staff to ensure that tasks are accomplished in a manner consistent with

organizational requirements.



Gather market intelligence through research and

networking, thus improving the knowledge basis available to the Country Office,

Region and the Programme, and process and analyse proposals in line with WFP

standard rules and regulations in order to deliver efficiently.



Build relationships and collaborate with

counterparts in the key supply chain functions to ensure an integrated supply

chain approach to food assistance and service provision.



Prepare accurate and timely accounting, data

collection and reporting, to inform supply planning and contribute to a WFP

wide view of logistics activities, enabling informed decision making and

consistency of information presented to stakeholders. Liaise with internal and external

stakeholders and consolidate preliminary data analysis, prepare accurate and

timely reports to support a WFP-wide view of logistics activities that enables

informed decision making.



Offer technical advice and guidance to WFP

staff, partners and governments, building capacity to connect markets, manage

and deliver humanitarian assistance.



Identify and build productive relationships and

partnerships with counterparts in UN agencies, NGOs, governments and the

private sector to share knowledge and resources and ensure a coordinated

response.



Activity Manager for activity 10 under WFP

UGCOs Strategic Plan results framework.



Act in an assigned emergency response capacity

as required to meet emergency food assistance needs.



Act as Officer in Charge of the Supply Chain

Unit in the absence of the Head of Supply Chain.



Other activities as required.











Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:



The ideal candidate for the United Nations UN

World Food Programme (WFP) Logistics Officer (Service Provision) job

opportunity should hold an advanced University degree in Transport Economics,

Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Management or other related

field, or First University degree with additional years of related work

experience and/or training/courses.



A minimum of two years work experience in large

scale emergencies, funds management and customer service.



Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.



Ability to work under pressure and

multiple/tight deadlines.



Ability to communicate clearly both orally and

in writing.

How to Apply:

All candidates who desire to join the United Nations World Food

Programme (WFP) are encouraged to submit their applications online at the link

below.
Jet Airways has to its credits a number of firsts in the aviation circles and today is yet another first for Jet Airways, said Vinay Dubey, CEO, Jet Airways, on the occasion of signing an extended cooperation agreement during the 25th year of Jet Airways and the 70th year of Air France in India. Today, in Mumbai, Air France-KLM and Jet Airways signed an Enhanced Cooperation Agreement for improving their operations between Europe and India.

The agreement will see Jet Airways, India' second largest airline by revenue, and Air France-KLM working together to develop their commercial and product offerings.

Customers will now be able to make the most of the services offered by these three partner networks in 44 cities in India and 106 destinations across Europe. This agreement will further complement the Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines transatlantic partnership between Europe and North America, offering guests access to over 200 destinations in North America, through a global cooperation while connecting the three continents together.

Dubey said that no other carrier in the history of Indian aviation had signed an extended cooperation agreement of this kind which offers metal neutralitygo by one airline and return by anotherand seamless service in India, Europe and North America. We are very, very proud of what we have accomplished today, he said while reminding that the first metal neutral partnership was signed in the 1990s between KLM and North West. Were very proud to have engineers of those partnerships with us here today, said Dubey. He emphasised the fact that there were some real benefits in store for the Indian, European and North American consumers. I can assure you that these benefits are very very real, they create a level of comfort, connectivity and convenience. This is something that consumers in India will enjoy for decades, he said.

After Jet Airways partnership with Etihad, to cater better connectivity for passengers flying to the Gulf countries, this is the next stage in our journey, by offering (our) valued guests greater choice, connectivity and comfort across our combined global networks, said Naresh Goyal, Chairman Jet Airways.

Besides speaking about improving engineering and maintenance, Goyal said that two things would happen with this partnership. It would improve their cost structure and get value for their customers. Goyal was all praises for the Indian government and thanked them for opening the policy which allowed Jet Airways to fly overseas in 2005.

Pieter Elbers, President and CEO, KLM, said It is our ambition to be the partnership of choice if you want to travel out of India to Europe, US or South Americabasically if you travel from India to the West. He also said that he didnt think that there was any other alliance or any other partnership in the world where you could fly from any city in India to any city in the US or any city in Europe with the very same group.

Besides the airlines enhanced cooperation agreement, Air France-KLM Cargo and Jet Airways Cargo have also signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will strengthen their cooperation in the cargo sector.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy launched a scathing attack at the Hindi film industry and said that "Bombay" movies are being financed by Dubai.

"This film (Padmavati) mis-portrays a great woman, who sacrificed her life for her honor and inspired many others to do it and they are showing her as a dancing girl. Similarly this Khalji (Alauddin Khalji) was a butcher of the first order, a savage animal and they are trying to make out that he was different and a gentleman. Such things are obviously at the inspiration of some forces and Dubai has been financing our Bombay films," Swamy said.

On the Supreme Court's observations on the film Swamy further said, "They (SC) have made observations but those are not binding."

He added that one of the Central Board of Film Certification members has asked for an enquiry on the basis of Swamy's complaint.

"So I think we must get to the bottom of it and Bombay films should be made by Indians and for Indians," he said.

BJP leader and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) member Arjun Gupta wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the allegations made by Subramanian Swamy that the film was financed by Dubai.

He also questioned as to how the film was shown to British censor board without a CBFC certificate.

BJP leader Swamy had earlier said, "Many big budget movies are made these days, we should see if there is conspiracy in it. People from Dubai want Muslim kings to be portrayed as hero; they want to show as if Hindu women wanted relationships (with them)."

Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court rejected the petition filed against the release of Padmavati, saying the CBFC has not yet issued a certificate to the movie.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Padmavati starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for allegedly tampering historical facts.

The Karni Sena, which demolished the sets of the movie in Jaipur and thrashed Bhansali, had warned the director of dire consequences on showing distorted historical facts.
The Delhi High Court has ordered Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration to take out the records of sexual harassment complaints lying in the office of the university.

The order that came on Tuesday said the records of complaints that are lying in the office of the university's disbanded sexual harassment panel to enable the newly formed Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) to proceed with its inquiries.

The court's direction came after a plea was filed by few teachers and students of JNU.

The students and teachers were opposing the retracting of the office order supplanting the Gender Sensitisation against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) by the ICC.
Two days after she was freed from the custody of her parents by the Supreme Court, Hadiya started her first day at the homeopathy medical college in Salem where she was a student before her controversial marriage to Shafin Jahan.

According to sources, she will initiate the procedures to rejoin the course on Wednesday.

Just before heading for the college, the 25-year-old woman from Kerala, embroiled in the religious conversion row, reiterated that she wanted to meet Jahan, whom she had married after converting to Islam. On whether she wanted to meet her parents, Hadiya

alias Akhila said: I had been living with my parents for the past six months. Now, I want to meet my husband. I tried calling him over the phone yesterday, but could not reach him. I will call him again.

She was brought to the Sivaraj Homeopathy Medical College Tuesday night amid tight security by the Kerala police. She will be undergoing an 11-month internship at the institution as directed by the apex court on Monday. The Kerala High Court had on May 29 annulled her marriage with Jahan, following which he moved the SC. Hadiya's father, Ashokan K.M., had Jahan had said on Tuesday that he would meet Hadiya as court had not barred him from doing so. However, TV reports said Hadiya can only meet those people in the college register

as her relatives. As of now, Jahan's name does not figure on the list.

College principal G. Kannan had on Tuesday said she would continue her course under her birth name Akhila Ashokan.
If you keep tabs on President Donald Trumps schoolyard scuffles, you noticed the recent Twitter punches he threw at CNN and Time magazine. He taunted them, and they responded. Trumps attack on CNN was a familiar version of his mocking fake news chant, though he also went hard after CNN International, tweeting that they represent our Nation to the World very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!

His Time tweet, about its Person of the Year honor, was bizarre. He won the distinction last year but seemed worried he may not repeat in 2017. So he tried to remove himself from the running by claiming  falsely  that the magazine told him hed probably win the title again if he agreed to an interview and photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass.

A few days later, Trump made a culturally insensitive remark about Sen. Elizabeth Warren. More about that below.

How to deal with this presidents absurd outbursts?

We shake our heads in dismay at Trumps petty rants and bombast, then take a deep breath because were determined to keep perspective: Most of the shocking stuff he spews has no lasting impact. It dissipates with the news cycle, to be followed soon enough by another distracting comment. Almost a year into his term, we are accustomed to Trumps aberrant behavior. It is unfitting, irresponsible and unproductive. But Trump is aware of his actions. The president is strategically dyspeptic and wont change.

Trump often sounds unhinged, especially on Twitter. Yet he doesnt insult or tilt randomly at the heavens. He targets people and institutions who defy him. In this way, he may not be so different in spirit than previous thin-skinned presidents. Lyndon Johnson could be a bully. Richard Nixon kept an enemies list.

Whats unique about Trump is he has access to social media, and no emotional filter. Nixon kept his list of opponents private. Trump lets them have it via Twitter or snide comments. He wreaks havoc to keep rivals off-balance. Hes a serial chain-jerker who has a knack for the punchy prose of tweets. He probably could have been a great tabloid newspaper editor.

Trump targets the news media because theyre popular whipping posts among his supporters. He hates CNN because its reporting and commentary antagonize him. He went after Time because, well, we cant read his mind, but he seems resentful of the magazines power to bestow Person of the Year honors. Perhaps in his own mind hes Person of the Year in perpetuity. But since hes afraid Time wont agree, he wanted to avoid embarrassment by removing himself from the competition.

CNN journalists replied forcefully to Trumps attack. His assault against a free press, a free press that stands up to him, will not stop us or any other legitimate news organization, Anderson Cooper said. No doubt true. A Time official called out Trump, saying there is not a speck of truth to the presidents claims about how Person of the Year is awarded. Were not surprised....

There is an insidiousness to some of Trumps attacks that does real damage. On Monday, he belittled Sen. Warren by referring to her as Pocahontas during a White House event for three Native American veterans who served as World War II Code Talkers. To take a shot at a Democratic rival, he made a culturally hurtful remark. It is disturbing to witness a president so mean-spirited, just as its an affront to hear a president disrespect the role of the news media in ways that undermine appreciation for the First Amendment. Slamming CNN International invites tyrants abroad to devalue a free press.

This is a lecture Trump wont heed. So be it. Lets recognize his motives and not obsess over his cynical behavior as if hes devaluing the office of the presidency. He isnt. He is devaluing himself. Weve said before Trump as president is no role model. He was disrespectful as a candidate too.

We will continue to call out his behavior, while focusing on whether he does the job he was elected to do: to help grow Americas economy, to promote peace, to strengthen national security, to fix health care and so on. Most of Trumps outbursts are expressions of his shortcomings that occur on the margins of his responsibilities as leader. As long as thats where they stay, the country will be OK.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress party's 'feudal mindset' yet again, by bringing up a decades-old visit of former prime minister Indira Gandhi to Gujarat's Morbi.

"When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the streets of Morbi are fragrant; its the fragrance of humanity," Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing a rally here.

The prime minister's latest salvo adds to a string of accusations against Congress's dynastic politics and elitism, a point that the BJP has continually attacked and pitted against PM Modi's beginnings as a tea vendor.

The prime minister further alleged that the work of Congress while in power was mere pretentiousness.

"For Congress, 'development' was giving hand pumps. For the BJP, it is the SAUNI Yojana and large pipelines that carry Narmada waters," he said.

Addressing a rally in Rajkot recently, Prime Minister Modi had taken a similar dig at Congress for making a reference to his beginning as a tea vendor in a picture tweeted by their "volunteer" group last week.

At the rally, he praised his party's work, and said the developmental works by the BJP government in Gujarat were taken up with the motive to serve citizens and not to win polls.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days ahead of the assembly polls to be held on December 9 and 14.

Gujarat has a total number of 182 assembly seats and the polling will be held in two phases. Voting in 89 constituencies of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will be held in the first phase while the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase. The votes will be counted on December 18.

The Congress is eyeing to dethrone the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.
India's Hindutva politics has come full circle from the days when the two Congress titansJawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patelsquabbled openly over Somnath. Today, both Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, representing two ends of India's communally polarised politics, were electioneering in and around Somnath. Both were invoking the Somnath motif in their politicking overtly or covertly, virtually or actually, physically (by visiting the shrine) or spiritually. If Rahul visited the shrine, Modi, who is a trustee of the temple, referred to it in his speech several times.

Somnath has been like the phoenix. Every time the shrine was pulled down, it was rebuilt. Somnath's political story began a millennium ago when the Afghan invader Mahmud of Ghazni raided the temple, massacred its defendants, looted its treasury and broke the jyotirlinga, which had been revered as one of the 12 jyotirlingaslingas on which Siva is believed to have appeared as a column of fire. Mahmud is said to have also set fire to the temple, then built of wood.

Within half a decade of the Ghaznavid invasion, the shrine was rebuilt, now in stone. Next, Alauddin Khalji's (of 'Padmavati' notoriety) general Ulugh Khan raided it in 1299, Zafar Khan in 1395, Mahmud Begada in 1451, the Portuguese in 1546 and Aurangzeb in 1665.

The shrine had been remaining dilapidated since Aurangzeb's time, and also lying embedded in the political memory of many. Avenging Somnath thus became a sentiment in the psyche of several rulers and political leaders, if not in the psyche of the masses.

In the 18th century, the Marathas, who had conquered most of north India and had pretensions of forming a Hindu empire in India after nearly six centuries of Islamic rule, invoked the Somnath sentiment. Thus, Mahadaji Shinde, who defeated Mahmud Shah Abdati in 1782, brought back what he thought was the silver gates of Somnath from Lahore.

But the shrine priests rejected the gates as not of Somnath. The gates were finally placed in two temples at Ujjain.

By now, the Maratha power, already crippled after their defeat at the hands of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1761, had been waning. Their imperial ambitions were finally ended by Lord Lake who crushed them in the battle of Delhi in 1803.

The British played their communal card with Somnath in the 19th century. To save face after a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Afghans in the first Anglo-Afghan war, Governor-General Lord Ellenborough asked his retreating commanders to bring back the sandalwood gates of Ghazni town, which were believed to have been originally Somnath's. He even made a proclamation that India was now avenging an 800-year-old insult.

But upon arrival in 1842, the gates were found to be not of Somnath's and also made of cheaper wood. They were consigned to a lumber room in the Agra fort where they can still be seen. And Ellenborough, mockingly called the Elephant, was even ridiculed in the British Parliament for having had pretensions of a Hindu emperor. (Interestingly, one of Ellenborough's bitterest critics was Lord Wellington, who, as Arthur Wellesley had partnered with Lord Lake in defeating the Marathas.)

In the 20th century, rightist elements in the national movement began politicking over Somnath, located in Junagarh then ruled by a Muslim prince.

The nawab got the principality acceded to Pakistan in 1947, but Patel got it annulled by sending in the army. The nawab fled to Pakistan with his diwan, who was none other than Shahnawaz Bhutto, the father of future Pakistan prime minister Zulfiqar Ali who is said to have had a visceral hatred for India.

Patel, himself a Gujarati, now made it an article of faith to have the shrine rebuilt. Jawaharlal Nehru was completely opposed to it, as a matter of secular principle. Finally Mahatma Gandhi suggested a compromisebuild the temple, but don't use state funds; build it with money raised from the public. Patel agreed. After Patel's death, the construction was supervised by K.M. Munshi, then food and civil supplies minister in his personal capacity.

The next controversy arose when Munshi invited president Rajendra Prasad to the installation ceremony. Nehru said it was inappropriate for the president to be associated with a religious ceremony, but Prasad attended the ceremony, leaving Nehru seething in anger.

Somnath came to be invoked again politically during the Ayodhya movement in the late 1980s. The Hindu right now wanted the Ayodhya temple, said to have been pulled down by Babar's generals in 1526-27, to be rebuilt just as Patel had got Somnath rebuilt. Thus in 1990, BJP leader L.K. Advani selected Somnath as the starting point of his Rath Yatra to Ayodhya. His right-hand man was none other than Narendra Modi.

Today, the wheel has come full circle, when Nehru's great grandson prayed at Somnath, and Modi mocked at him.
These days, we are inundated with news and views on the capability of our military, mostly expressing concern on dwindling assets and the slow pace of modernisation and casting doubts on indigenous capabilities. Specific to the Indian Air Force, a recent article highlighted reduction in squadron strength and how the LCA program is failing. The situation, in my view, is not as grim as is being painted. Such criticism has prevailed for decades now and sometimes is wrongly motivated. But certainly, there is scope to enhance our capability and improve the ways that we function.

Combat Potential of IAF

Our current fleet inventory of the SU-30MKI and the soon-to-be-inducted Rafale together would have the ability to deliver far greater weapon loads, with greater accuracy, than what 40 combat squadrons had two decades ago. The BrahMos missile, which can currently only be carried by the SU-30MKI, has given us a strategic jump in the ability to strike precisely from the air over a range of couple of hundred kilometres with a speed close to three times that of sound. The Rafale, which is the first ever swing-role' fighter to enter the IAF's inventory, can carry more advanced armament and missiles than a SU-30MKI along with being able to perform multiple missions on a single flight.

S. Krishnaswamy

In addition to these, advanced sensors, avionics and electronics offer improved effectiveness and survivability. But, the absolute numbers of combat aircraft in the inventory are also an important parameter. This is where we lack. A large fleet of Mirage-2000 and Jaguar aircraft would start retiring about 10 years from now and would need replacement. The Indian Air Force is authorised for 42 combat squadrons to deploy widely across the breadth of the country and ocean regions. The strength may dwindle to half the number if we do not replace ageing equipment.

All these come with a caveat. Maintenance and logistics support for these advanced machines is complex and expensive. The Rafale contract, we understand, assures support and a guarantee to maintain operational serviceability of 75%. The induction would include a large spread of sensors, stores and armament. The maintenance package and guarantee come at a cost, as also does the variety of stores and armament.

Air Force Program for Make in India

We have very rightly realised that the Make-in-India program is vital for the sustenance of our Air Force. The LCA spearheads the Make-in-India program for the Air Force. The indigenous route so far has not been easy. We must take a fresh look at the program as it exists today and find ways to achieve our next goal. Few LCA Mk-1s have entered squadron service and the pilots are happy with it.

This aircraft is a replacement for the MiG-21 but cannot match the Mirage-2000 or Jaguar in terms of weapon load and range. When these legacy aircraft start retiring, there would be a serious gap in our inventory unless replaced by a suitable aircraft. The LCA Mk-2 should fit this bill quite well. Currently, HAL has an order for 123 LCA Mk-1 and Mk-1A combined. The last of the 123 jets would be delivered not before 2026 or so. The LCA Mk-2 order would be larger than the Mk-1A. That would call for newer technologies and more advanced production methods like 'concurrent engineering.' We would need the support of multiple OEMs to develop and produce such an aircraft. We need to strategise on the best ways to go about building the newer version of the LCA.

We are hoping for the Kaveri engine to possibly power the LCA Mk-2 or the SU-30MKI's replacement, the AMCA, which is still on the drawing board. Developing and producing this new engine indigenously is an even a greater challenge than building the airframe and systems. We possibly would need the support of a world-class engine design and manufacturing group to speed up our Kaveri venture.

The task ahead is stupendous! Our existing organisation and infrastructure cannot cope with these demands and require to be augmented or restructured. A fresh organisation in the form of SPV would probably be a better suit that would permit integration of OEMs, DRDO, HAL and the private sector with the required independence. The BrahMos SPV proved very well and could be a good example to follow.

We need to think and plan out of the box. How do the Chinese design a new aircraft practically every year despite starting as late as 1958 and in a modest way? We need infrastructure and a strong organisation. We then need a management structure like the Program Office in the US or its equivalent in France and the UK (and not a committee system). All these are feasible if the government has the will. The usual incremental mode will not take us far, and import dependence cannot be simply wished away without working hard at it. The Make-in-India program must not fail. We need to move mountains!

Retired air chief marshal S. Krishnaswamy served as the chief of the Indian Air Force from 2001 to 2004.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publication.
Facebook and Twitter have agreed to share details with British authorities on Russia's interference in the Brexit referendum by using their platforms.



According to the media on November 29, Facebook and Twitter will share those posts with the House of Commons media watchdog.



"Facebook said it would respond with information by early December, while Twitter said it intends to share findings in the coming weeks," the report added.



The information would give the UK a better idea of whether Russia tried to influence the vote on leaving the EU, Damian Collins, Chair of Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee was quoted as saying.



Earlier in November, a group of data scientists found 156,252 Russian accounts on Twitter which mentioned #Brexit and posted nearly 45,000 messages related to the EU referendum in the 48 hours around the vote.



In the US, Facebook, Twitter and Google are already facing intense fake news scrutiny after disclosing the details about the presence of Russian political ads, tweets and posts on their platforms during the presidential election in 2016.



The Kremlin-linked Russian organisations purchased more than $100,000 of ads on social media platforms during the 2016 US presidential election.



Facebook told US Congress in November that 126 million of its users in the US might have seen ads produced and circulated by Russian operatives.



According to Facebook UK Policy Director Simon Miller, it is "considering how we can best respond to the Electoral Commission's request for information and expect to be able to respond to them by the second week of December."



British Prime Minister Theresa May has also accused Russia of meddling in the elections and planting fake stories.



According to data scientists from Swansea University in Wales and the University of California, Berkeley, over 150,000 Russian accounts who were posting about the Ukrainian conflict swiftly started tweeting about Brexit in days leading up to the 2016 vote.



"From posting fewer than 1,000 tweets a day before June 13, the accounts  many of which are virulently pro-Putin  posted 39,000 tweets on June 23-24," the report said.



Tho Pham, one of the report authors, confirmed to TechCrunch that the majority of those Brexit tweets were posted on June 24, 2016, the day after the vote.



Political events like the Brexit referendum and the US presidential election have observed the use of social bots in spreading fake news and misinformation, the data scientists observed.
Pakistan's former military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, accepted that Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the Kashmir valley.

In a recent interview to the media, he also openly stated to an interview to the media that he is the biggest supporter of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed and that he was always in favour of using LeT to supress the Indian Army

Saeed who is the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks was released from 10-month house arrest on November 24 and has ever since been rallying for a free Kashmir. Musharraf also answered yes on being asked if he likes Saeed. He also added that he has met the JuD leader.



Currently living in self-exile in Dubai since leaving Pakistan after being charged with treason, he accepted that LeT is involved in Kashmir. He went on to say that he is always in  favour of action in Kashmir and he is railing against the fact that India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the United States. Musharraf however denies LeT's involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.



Read more: Pak still reluctant to bring 26/11 perpetrators to justice

Musharraf feels that All Pakistan Muslim League forging alliances with Islamist groups by saying is need of the day. The former president had however banned LeT. He said that he didn't know much about Saeed back then and feels he should not have acted against the terror outfit.



When Saeed was under house arrest, Musharraf had asked the then Pakistan Prime Ministerto free him as JuD was a very fine NGO engaged in relief work.



US had warned Pakistan of repercussions if Saeed was not immediately arrested again. To which Musharraf says, This is very offensive language and an insult to Pakistans sovereignty.



The White House in a statement, said, "The United States strongly condemns the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution."

"A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeed's culpability-he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," it read.

Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump's White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.
Like all Rajputs, Im very proud to be one. I didnt change my surname after my marriage partly because feminism, but mostly because I just love the way it sounds. Ive diligently researched all my royal connections (few, tenuous, almost no bragging rights). I possess T-shirts that read Rajput war strategyA headlong dash with no plan B and Your Palace or Mine? and Ive worn them both to bits. When I was a child, I soaked up all the mandatory Rajput talesPrithviraj Chauhan, Rana Pratap, Rani Padmini, you name it. In fact, I have several cousins named Prithvi, two uncles named Pratap and a sister named Padmini. All the older men in my family (and several of the women) have massive, white, handlebar moustaches.

Early this year, my sister Padmini, who has lived in Australia for the last 30 years, came to India with her family and we did a tour of Rajasthan together. Her teenagers, an amiable, intelligent, Aussie bunch, their blood thinned by her union with their UK-bred, academically inclined, Kayasth father, were pretty shaken by the stories narrated at the sound and light show at Chittor Fort, especially by the tale of Panna Bai (surely every working mothers childs worst nightmare? Way to pick your career over your family!) and Rani Padminis jauhar [self-immolation by women to avoid capture when facing certain defeat in war]. At the bonfire camp that night, they gazed into the flames and wondered what it might be like to burn alive.

Then they started discussing if it might not have made more sense for the queen to have stayed alive and cunningly drugged/strangled/stabbed Alauddin Khilji when he came to have his wicked way with her in her chambers. Like Judith and Holofernes, they suggested, showing the debilitating influence of Christian schooling. At least she wouldve died fighting! What is this lame jauhar business, giving up without a fight?

My sister, who had been channelling her namesake all day, burst out, agitated.

But Khilji was a monster! He wouldve done terrible, unspeakable things to her!

A little old pink and white lady, a fellow traveller on our tour, spoke up dryly: My dear, weve seen the plight of women in Rajasthan. Could Khilji have been worse?

Confused and angry: Padmavati has received flak for allegedly distorting history | AP

But Ratansen loved her! My sister protested.

Better raped than dead, opined one of my nephews, clearly corrupted by too many seasons of Game of Thrones. No offence, mom.

But she was queen! A symbol! If Khilji had defiled her, it wouldve broken the spirit of all Rajputana! She made a sacrifice to boost the morale of her people!

They looked unconvinced, but seeing that she was really upset, piped down. So did I.

But its the kind of thing you cant stop thinking about.

History tells us that Khilji invaded Chittorgarh. This much is true and undisputed. History also records that he murdered his uncle/father-in-law, cruelly subjugated his people, extorted huge taxes and was ruthless in his quest to extend his empire. All in all, a pretty unsavoury character.

But history is silent on Rani Padmini.

The first mention of her comes up 200 years after Khiljis sack of Chittorgarh, in Padmavat, a fictional ballad written by a Sufi (or, in todays narrow terminology, Muslim) poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. He describes her as a Singhala (Sri Lankan) princess, the news of whose beauty reached the King of Mewar, who then sets off on a quest to win her. They wed, and many flowery Awadhi stanzas later, Alauddin Khilji professes to be enamoured by her and launches an attack on Chittorgarh to win her from Ratansen.

Lots of female objectification and trophy-wifery all round, but hey, Jayasi is a Sufi poet and he states that the ballad is allegorical, with Ratansen standing for the human soul, Padmini representing intelligence (firasat, the supreme virtue of a monarch in Islamic philosophy), Alauddin Khilji, illusion (maya) and Chittor, the human body, so lets not judge him too harshly, okay?

Padmavat ends with Rani Padminis sati btw, along with Ratansens first wife Nagmati, after he dies in a duel with another one of Padminis suitorsDevpal. Khiljis attack on Chittorgarh comes subsequently, and the rest of the ladies of the kingdom commit jauhar en masse, so that while Khilji does win Chittor, Chittor continues to elude him. The ballad ends with a final couplet where Jayasi clearly states, I have made up the story and related it.

But millions of Rajputs swear that she was real. And even though all subsequent retellings, including the popular Gora-Badal-Padmani-Chaupai, say she was from Singhala they swear she was a Rajput. (Tsk-tsk, do not raise an eyebrow at this, are you saying Sonia Gandhi is not Indian?) Rani Padmani is real, and as Rajput as laal maas [a meat curry from Rajasthan] and that is that.

And now Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone are messing with laal maas. Naturally, the Sri Rajput Karni Sena and a ragtag bunch of Hindu Taliban, including the chief ministers of several states, want to make a meal of em.

Well cut off her nose! Theyve been roaring. Well behead her! (Which sounds alarmingly Khilji-ish, to be honest. And not at all Ratansen. But then all extortionists sound the same.)

Why they arent gunning for Mukesh Ambanithe man behind Viacom 18, the studio which has produced the filmis no mystery. Ambani is way more powerful than poor Bhansali and though cute in a roly-poly, Gujju sort of way, not as sexy as Padukone. And so 010 crore is being offered as a reward for anybody who beheads Padukone. I wouldnt take that offer too seriously if I were a youngster with my fortune to make, though. The Karni Sena credit isnt too good.

Meanwhile, two other lady-oriented films have been denied a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification too, S Durga and Nude, for no other reason than that they are lady-oriented films. Our moral police basically just do not want to see films where women think and act for themselves. Censorship of free female narratives is alive and kicking hard in Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao India.

Safety first: Police protection at the apartment complex in Bengaluru where the Padukone family stays | Bhanu Prakash Chandra

The trailer of Padmavati, I must add, looks very sumptuous and paralysingly boring. The kind of film where you could fall asleep in your seat, with a half-eaten momo in your mouth. I also resent the fact that, because of the many delays the film has had, my favourite stud-muffin Ranveer Singh has been walking around with his gorgeous face obscured by large amounts of facial hair for over two years.

But I will go and see it. We all should.

Honestly though, Ive never been much of a Padmini fan, because unlike say, Laxmibai of Jhansi, Rani Padmini was famous basically for being beautiful and killing herself, which is, at the end of the day, pretty lame. And I really dont see how we can talk about shame-shifting and changing the term rape victim to rape survivor and in the same breath hold up a regressive, death before dishonour tale as a shining example for contemporary Indian women to look up to.

Poor Sanjay Leela Bhansali! He mustve thought hes playing it so safe, making such a sanskaari film! About a virtuous Hindu queen who basically says, I know you want it but youre never gonna get it, tere haath kabhi na aani to an evil salivating Muslim invader, whose victory ends up being so pyrrhic. But I guess, in a toxically patriarchal Hindu nation full of jobless youth (truly unemployment is our #1 problem!) where history books are being rewritten to say that Maharana Pratap won the Battle of Haldighati, there is no place for any Muslim victories, even hollow ones.
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. To do so, first type the original number into the text box. Then click on the "Scientific Notation" option located at the top of the floating window. Finally, click on the "Standard" button found beneath the text box to display your result. This program is useful for scientists and engineers working with decimal-based numbers. It provides easy access to those who need to convert those numbers into more compact forms without having to do heavy math calculations first.

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Every time energy firms hike prices they blame punitive green taxes imposed by the Government.

Just last week British Gas said the levies will add 200 to your bill by next year.

Here, we use official data from energy watchdog Ofgem to show exactly where every penny of the average 1,135 annual dual fuel bill goes

We used official data from energy watchdog Ofgem to show exactly where every penny of the average 1,135 annual dual fuel bill goes

Buying fuel: 431

The majority of your bill, some 38 per cent, is made up of wholesale costs. This is how much it costs suppliers to buy energy, which they then sell on to you.

The price suppliers pay fluctuates widely depending on issues such as demand, supply, politics and global events.

But this is not always perfectly reflected in household bills because big companies tend to buy a lot of the energy they need well in advance.

So if you are on a standard tariff, for example, the fuel running into your home now might have been bought at any point up to about three years ago.

This is why when wholesale prices plummet, we do not always see an immediate reduction in our bills.

Some 38 per cent of your bill is made up of wholesale costs. This is how much it costs suppliers to buy energy, which they then sell on to you

Many smaller suppliers don't have the ready funds to buy energy so far in advance and so tend to pass on changes to wholesale prices to customers more quickly.

Until 2011, just over half of your bill went towards covering the cost of the fuel.

But as other costs faced by suppliers have risen, the proportion of the bill spent on actual fuel you use has now fallen to 38 per cent.

NETWORK COSTS: 295

Energy companies are responsible for maintaining the vast network of wires and pipes that carry energy around the country and into our homes.

This is expensive, taking up roughly 26 per cent of your bill, with new pipes, cables and electricity pylons regularly installed. So firms pass on these costs to customers.

To keep customer bills down, energy regulator Ofgem limits how much the transmission and distribution companies, which run the network, can charge energy firms for this maintenance.

It does this partly by restricting how much profit they can make. However, the regulator came under fire in September for allowing companies including National Grid to pocket a 39 per cent profit margin.

grid: Maintaining the vast network of wires and pipes that carry energy around the country and into our homes takes up roughly 26% of your bill

Mark Todd, of energy switching company Energy Helpline, says: 'Network costs have been on the rise for years and have gone under the radar. They will soon make up as much of your bill as paying for the raw materials.

'Suppliers are making a lot of money by charging for something that is already built and simply needs to be maintained.'

GREEN AND SOCIAL TAXES: 90

Energy companies are under huge pressure from the Government to use more power from cleaner, greener sources to combat climate change.

Firms say the costs associated with this, about 8 per cent of your bill, are a major reason for rising household expenditure. Generating energy from renewable sources, such as wind turbines or solar panels, is up to three times more expensive than if they used coal-fired power stations.

Mr Todd says: 'For example, it costs 40 to keep 1,000 light bulbs lit for an hour using fossil fuels.

To achieve the same result with an onshore wind turbine is 80; a nuclear power plant is 92.50 and an offshore wind turbine is 120.'

Firms have social obligations and are required to help vulnerable customers with energy saving measures such as free or cheap loft insulation, double-glazing and new boilers. And they provide some low income households with discounts on bills.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), set up by the Government to offer independent advice, estimates that these schemes would add 140 to an annual household bill, rising to 174 by 2020 and 205 by 2030.

Generating energy from renewable sources, such as wind turbines or solar panels, is up to three times more expensive than if they used coal-fired power stations

But last week Iain Conn, the boss of British Gas parent company, Centrica, claimed so-called green taxes will add 200 to each household bill by next year.

The Government's business and energy department says it does not recognise this 200 figure. It points to research by the regulator, Ofgem, which puts the cost at 90 a year.

And the Treasury said in last week's Budget that no new green levies will be added to household bills until at least 2025.

RUNNING COSTS AND METERS: 193

This section of your bill, up to 17 per cent, covers the costs suppliers incur in running their own business  marketing, sales, staffing, billing and metering costs, for example.

The cost of the smart meter roll-out is also included in this part of your bill. Under instruction from the Government, every UK household must be offered a smart meter by 2020.

The meters automatically send readings to your energy supplier and let you monitor power use.

It's hoped they will put an end to estimated bills and encourage households to cut consumption. But it is expected to cost the industry more than 11 billion and push up bills initially.

PROFIT MARGIN: 57

The profit margin, 5 per cent, is how much your energy company makes before interest, tax and debt repayments are deducted.

Many suppliers make profits in other areas too. For instance, British Gas's parent company Centrica owns Morecambe Bay gas fields. It extracts gas from the ground, and effectively sells this to itself and to other providers. The profit made is not included in the company's pre-tax margin.

VAT: 57

Just like with most bills, you have to pay tax on the total cost. On your annual household energy bill, VAT comes to about 4.76 per cent.

OTHER COSTS: 12

A small portion of your bill, 1 per cent, covers a range of behind-the-scenes work involved in buying and selling energy on the wholesale markets and transmitting data between smart meters and providers.

The commission that price comparison websites charge suppliers to advertise their deals online are also passed onto customers.

s.smyth@dailymail.co.uk
Public interventions by the governor of the Bank of England into the affairs of City firms are extraordinarily rare.

So it is a symbol of how embarrassing the governance row at the top of the London Stock Exchange has become that Mark Carney felt it incumbent to say something. We should not be surprised.

The LSE offshoot LCH Clearnet is critical to London's role as a financial centre, and the vast volumes of transactions it clears are both a huge source of income to the City and a potential for systemic risk.

Indeed, among the reasons that London is likely to remain dominant in clearing post-Brexit is that diluting the City's role would raise the cost of transactions. Nor is it obvious that Continental rivals to London desire to take on complex supervisory functions.

Intervention: It is a symbol of how embarrassing the governance row at the top of the London Stock Exchange has become that Mark Carney felt it incumbent to wade in

The complaints by dissident investor Sir Chris Hohn of the Children's Investment Fund about the secretive way the LSE has handled the proposed departure of Xavier Rolet next year is still valid.

As far as investors are concerned, there is no reason to question that Rolet is a fit and proper person or that his performance is wanting.

The whispered suggestion by people close to chairman Donald Brydon that Rolet's autocratic style has contributed to his departure does no one credit.

It will be fascinating to see the language the LSE will choose when it distributes its circular ahead of next month's extraordinary general meeting.

Carney has left no room for Rolet to hang on, given he backs the chief executive's departure in the agreed period.

The bigger issue is what happens to Brydon. A chairman with better judgment would never have allowed the LSE to be dragged into a failed 'merger of equals' with Deutsche Boerse, nor would he have permitted the uncertainty about Rolet's departure to drag on.

He has failed miserably, and those who have spent time with him in the past couple of days speak of a proud man now desperately seeking to salvage his own reputation as a safe pair of hands.

It is far too late and Brydon should resign quickly before the panjandrums in grey suits give him the heave-ho.

Casino tech

Tim Steiner has travelled the globe, with very limited success, seeking to extol the virtues of Ocado's disruptive grocery model.

His persistence finally appears to have paid off with the French grocery chain Groupe Casino ready to try it out in its Paris Monoprix stores.

Ocado's success in reaching beyond its start-up client Waitrose, and Morrisons, is encouraging. It is a plus for Britain's innovative sector since Ocado uses original software and warehouse robotics in its fresh-food delivery service.

This gives it considerable advantage over UK competitors which largely fill customers baskets by hand in supermarkets and dark stores. That was fine when labour was plentiful, and before the living wage, but a technology-driven approach will drive productivity going forward.

The initial deal with Casino is limited but the two companies are proposing a warehouse larger than Ocado's 240,000 square feet facility in Andover, offering 50,000 products.

The decision to launch in Paris reflects the success that Ocado has had in making precise, on-time deliveries in urban areas, which are particularly important for families with two working people.

Nor should anyone discount the significance of the first partner being in France: not much Brexit dissonance there.

Steiner lost credibility with investors because his promises of an overseas buyer for Ocado's technology have never, until now, been realised.

Finally the basket is filling up, and the shares jumped strongly in latest trading.

Grocers seeking an edge, as Amazon strides into fresh food via Whole Foods, could do worse than invest in Ocado systems.

Banking shocks

Economic history tells us that almost every decade brings its own banking crisis.

Johnson Matthey Bank collapsed in the 1980s, BCCI and Barings in the 1990s, Northern Rock and the great financial crisis hit in the 2000s. On that basis we should be in for another horror story soon.

The Bank of England says that even our less well capitalised banks RBS and Barclays could withstand a range or risks, including a 'disorderly' Brexit.

That should come as a relief. But however good the policing you never quite know where the next time bomb is ticking away.
A battle to keep the London Stock Exchange boss in his job looks doomed after an intervention by Mark Carney was branded the chief executive's 'death warrant'.

The Bank of England governor said he could not see Xavier Rolet staying on, dealing a blow to a campaign waged by billionaire investor Sir Chris Hohn to prevent the Frenchman's departure.

Hohn, who owns 5 per cent of the LSE, believes chairman Donald Brydon has pressured 58-year-old Rolet to announce that he is leaving after nine years in the post.

Bank of England boss Mark Carney said he could not see London Stock Exchange boss Xavier Rolet staying on

The hedge-fund manager has demanded a shareholder vote that could see Rolet reinstated and Brydon sacked.

Yesterday Carney said: 'Xavier Rolet has made an extraordinary contribution as head of the LSE over the last nine years. But everything comes to an end.

ROLET'S REIGN 800m Value of the London Stock Exchange when Xavier Rolet took over

13.1bn Value of LSE today

38.4m Rolet's pay during his nine years in charge

16.3m Value of his shares in the business

655 Trades every minute on LSE markets

1.1trillion Trades

'We can't envisage a situation where a chief executive stays beyond the agreed period.'

It is disappointing for Hohn because days ago he was urging the Bank to side with him.

David Buik of stockbroker Panmure Gordon said: 'It strikes me that Mark Carney has signed Rolet's death warrant. If the governor says there's no circumstances in which someone can be reinstated, then that's the end of the matter.'

Laith Khalaf of Hargreaves Lansdown said that although Carney used diplomatic language, his intervention was almost unprecedented.

In October, Rolet announced his plans to quit next year but refused to be drawn on his future and has since kept a low profile.

Rumours have emerged of a rift between him and Brydon, and Rolet is thought to have been gagged by the board to prevent him discussing his departure.

Rolet has presided over a surge in the value of the LSE from 800million when he joined in 2009 to 13.1billion today, but is seen by some as imperious and unwilling to tolerate differences of opinion.

Hohn has forced the LSE to hold an extraordinary shareholder meeting before the end of the year.

Investors will vote on whether Rolet should keep his job and Brydon should be made to leave.

Hohn's business, The Children's Investment Fund, is thought to be considering its next move and declined to comment, as did the LSE.




By Adam Andrzejewski -

Many pundits describe the Ivy League as a hedge fund with classes.

They are right, and Congress seems to agree. House and Senate Republicans are proposing a new 1.4 percent tax on endowment income for Americas richest private colleges - including the eight Ivy League schools.

Harvard President Drew Faust fiercely opposed the tax, claiming the schools endowment is at work in the world not locked away in some chest. But Faust isnt complaining about the largesse the Ivies receive from the federal government even though the Ivies have amassed an enormous endowment.

During the spring, we released our OpenTheBooks Oversight Report: Ivy League, Inc. that showed how $42 billion in U.S. taxpayer subsidies, special tax-breaks, and Federal payments (contracts and grants) went into the eight Ivy League colleges during the past six years. In our comparison of federal contracting and grant payments, the Ivy League outranked sixteen state governments as a recipient of funds  despite amassing a $120 billion endowment.

More HERE
MANZINI  A rare sight of a huge bird with large tags and electric wire around its body was enough to send fears of witchcraft to many residents of Debedebe.



This area is situated near Hlatikulu in the Shiselweni Region. The uncommon bird was seen last Friday and it seemed to have been flying when it suddenly dropped on the ground though ordinarily, birds of this size can hardly fly long distances. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the bird was dead.

The residents were of the view that the bird may have been struck by lightning which would explain its sudden fall, also because it had part of its feathers badly charred and one of its legs injured. Speculation among the residents was to the effect that the bird was being used for witchcraft purposes when considering its size and the wires wrapped around it.

Most residents feared going near the bird, though some seized the opportunity to take pictures of the rare sight.

The bird is estimated to be the size of a baby ostrich.



Most of us believed the bird belonged to a witch from the area or it was being used for witchcraft purposes. Some were heard demanding that the bird reveal its human name and turn itself back into a human, although they could see that it was dead, a resident, who preferred not to be named, said. The police were eventually called and upon arrival, they found pupils playing with the bird after they had removed the wires around its body.

Police suspect the wires were from an electric pole which the bird could have come into contact with before eventually falling ont the ground. The bird was later taken to the Debedebe Police Post where it was kept after recording a few statements from members of the public. Big Game Parks Jubela Reilly confirmed that the bird, known as Mcalandlovu (Marrow Bow Stork), belonged to them and they were aware of the incident.

He further explained that such large birds flew to a countries as far as Namibia and Botswana. The bird belongs to Big Game Parks and it had been kept at Hlane for research purposes. This is reason why it had been marked with the yellow tags. Those are called identification markings and they assist when it comes to tracing the bird. It was marked in October last year for the research. Fortunately, the police immediately informed us about it and we are currently working on means to get it back to us so it could be disposed accordingly in our forests, Reilly said.
The bakery, which makes hamburger buns for McDonald's and other vending machine companies, says the recovery is taking a long time. They are being forced to increase wages in order to get the staff back up to the 2500 plus level.

CHICAGO - A Chicago area bakery lost one-third of its workforce during immigration raids in June and July this year that has cost them over $21 million, ARYZTA Bakery's 2017 report shows.

Its proceeding very, very slowly because its like having a brand new factory and a brand new workforce, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Toland said on the call, according to Bloomberg News. Thats presenting a lot of challenges, as you can imagine.

The company says those hired that were rounded up in the immigration raid came through a third party recruiter, and ARYZTA had no way of knowing whether the employment candidates were legally in the country.

The Trump Administration's focus on detention and deportation of those in the U.S. illegally are being blamed for the loss by liberal news source's like Think Progress, which wrote Tuesday:

Earlier this year, the president signed executive orders on immigration to ramp up the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants. Those orders expanded the type of crimes punishable by deportation and helped to embolden federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to pursue undocumented immigrants without criminal records.

Job after job available at ARYZTA is listed on JobsGalore.com:




MBABANE  While her countrymen are celebrating the dawn of a new era, a Zimbabwean lawyer is embroiled in a court battle over her admission with the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS).



The LSS contends that Pretty Mupfurutsa should go back to her home country to be admitted there as Swaziland already had a large number of lawyers and she did not meet all the requirements since she was a foreigner.

Mupfurutsa filed an application to be admitted and enrolled as an attorney of the High Court of Swaziland but the LSS is opposing the application.



In his opposing affidavit, LSS Secretary General Bongani Mdluli averred that the petitioner (Mupfurutsa) was not a Swazi citizen nor was she an ordinary resident within the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Mdluli pointed out that Section 6 of the Legal Practitioners Act provides that a person to be admitted as a legal practitioner must be a citizen of Swaziland or ordinary resident in Swaziland.



He said the permit which Mupfurutsa alleged to have did not entitle her to work and/or be admitted as an attorney of Swaziland.

Your petitioner (Mupfurutsa) holds a temporary permit Dependent Pass issued under the Immigration Act of 1982 and is not entitled to engage in any employment, occupation or profession, whether or not for remuneration or profit without the written approval of the Immigration Act 1982.



Mdluli argued that in terms of the Immigration Act of 1982, a Dependent Pass was an entry permit into the Kingdom of Swaziland falling under Class B.



The secretary general mentioned that Mupfurutsa wanted to practise as an attorney, notary public and as a conveyancer, something which was allegedly not permitted.



Mdluli told the court that Mupfurutsa was not a Swazi citizen or ordinary resident in Swaziland for purposes of admission in terms of the Legal Practitioners Act. He highlighted that Mupfurutsa was in Swaziland upon dependency and not as an ordinary resident in Swaziland as required.
ALBANY  The Democratic candidate for Troy's 2nd City Council District has a two-vote lead over a veteran Republican councilman with the final election results hanging on whether three unopened absentee ballots cast by Republican voters will be counted.

Democrat Cindy Barclay sued in state Supreme Court claiming the ballots filed at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections were invalid due to the three GOP voters not living in Troy. Councilman Mark McGrath, an enrolled Conservative who ran as the Republican candidate, argues that the three voters and their ballots are legitimate.

Barclay leads McGrath 457 to 455. The outcome of the election will affect the size of the Democratic council majority. A Barclay win will make it 5-2, while a McGratth re-election makes it 4-3.

As often happens in Troy's political battles, the case has its own twists and turns involving the three Republican voters.

Republican Elections Commissioner Larry Bugbee wanted to count the three votes, while Democratic Elections Commissioner Edward McDonough said they had to wait due to the lawsuit. They're waiting for Acting State Supreme Court Justice Gerald W. Connolly to rule in the case which he is hearing at the Albany County Court House.

Alyssa A. Schlutow and her husband U.S. Navy Petty Officer Tyler Schlutow live in Virginia where he is assigned to the USS George Washington, an aircraft carrier. They are the daughter and son-in-law of Councilwoman Kim Ashe-McPherson and vote from her home at 355 Sixth Ave.

And Caleb Harris works in Pennsylvania on a one-year contract, but votes from the two-bedroom apartment at 2804 Fifth Ave., where his wife, Madeline Harris, and her roommate Olivia Beltran live while attending school.

Barclay's attorney James Long argued that Tyler Schlutow never lived in Troy and that Alyssa Schlutow is a Virginia resident. He also questioned the way the Schlutow's ballots were cast, pointing out that they were signed by the individuals on Oct. 26 and cast the same day at the county Board of Elections. Jessica Charette, the clerk of the Rensselaer County Legislature testified that she dropped off the ballots at Ashe-McPherson's home and picked them up to bring to the county board.

McGrath's attorney, Peter Kehoe, said it was an issue of casting a military ballot, although Long said a military ballot was never applied for, just the regular absentee ballot.

When it came to Harris' ballot, Long argued that he was not on the lease, which was affirmed by Dr. Brian McCandless, who owns the Fifth Avenue property, and Barclay, who works for McCandless as his rental agent. Both testified to that. Also testifying were Alyssa Harris, who said her husband lived there and would return in the spring after completing his one-year contract job in Pennsylvania. Beltran also testified.

Connolly adjourned the case until Monday, Dec. 4, to allow Kehoe enough time to determine if he would call the three voters to testify.
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California native Jackie Greene was playing at an open mic night when the owner of Dig Records, an independent label spotted him, so says AllMusic. This led to Greene signing with the label and making an album ("Gone Wanderin'") that established him as an up-and-coming talent. Greene played most of the instruments on that record, which AllMusic describes as "a soulful bit of roots music." Since then, Greene has made a string of solo albums that have drawn critical acclaim  his website notes that he has been "hailed as 'the Prince of Americana' by The New York Times"; also, that "NPR's World Cafe raved that his 'sound seems at once achingly intimate, surprisingly energetic and unburdened by adherence to genre.'" He has also collaborated with such talents as Phil Lesh, the Black Crowes, Levon Helm and Joan Osborne, with whom he co-founded a supergroup called Trigger Hippy. In making his most-recent release, this year's "The Modern Lives  Vol 1," Greene, who now resides in Brooklyn, teamed up with a nonmusical collaborator, the acclaimed animator Bill Plympton, to make some videos  see "Good Advice" and "Modern Lives," a jaunty expression of displeasure with the state of the nation ("Well I called up the President/And asked him where the money went/He told me that it all got spent/Long before I ever learned to drive/How's that kid, you satisfied?/Oh now do us all a favor and go/Buzz along your modern life.") Other than the visual aid, the EP is very much a solo project  in addition to writing and performing all the lyrics and music, Greene self-engineered the record. Note the "Vol 1"  perhaps those who share his view of things as they now are can hope he will have reason to feel better by the time the next volume arrives.

 Joseph Stalvey
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At roughly 10,000 square feet and a cost of $2.2 million, the Adeline Graham Theatrical Training and Innovation Center at Proctors is a big space with a colossal name and sizable ambitions.

After around six months of construction on the third floor, the Addy marked its official debut on Wednesday with a media event showcasing its spread of educational and arts spaces  including a media lab, a dance studio, multi-use classrooms, an orchestral rehearsal room and a 100-seat theater to accommodate movies and live shows.

Weve made a commitment to education in a big way, said Proctors CEO Philip Morris in a press conference held in the new theater.

The announcement marked a christening of sorts for the Addy and the theater, which will host its first public event on Friday with the opening of a Classic Theater Guild production of Miracle on 34th Street. Starting on Dec. 15, Morris said, Proctors will offer a weeks worth of free films in the theater while finalizing movie concessions and other nuts and bolts in the space.

This is the very first time we have a roomful of people in the Addy. . . You should know that as of 5 oclock last night, there were still lights and speakers being hung, he said. So when we say this is the first use  he paused, taking a sniff  you might even smell the dust burning off of the L.E.D.s.

Starting in January, the School of the Performing Arts at Proctors plans to offer weekly classes to more than 200 students participating in its middle-school acting program and high-school theatrical tech program.

The large orchestral rehearsal room, utilized by the Empire State Youth Orchestras afterschool CHIME program and the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, also includes sectional practice rooms and a kitchen. Morris said ESYO is considering moving its own evening rehearsals into the space, which means thousands of people a year -- kids, parents, adults, heading into downtown Schenectady and upstairs to the facility.

Construction on the expansion began in April, financed with $500,000 from Graham, a former Proctors director; $330,000 from the Empire State Development program; $300,000 from the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority; and money from other sources.

According to Morris, Addy construction included replacement of the floor itself, which was removed during asbestos-abatement work after Proctors acquired the building  the former Carl Company department store -- in 2004. A subsequent expansion and renovation included the 434-seat GE Theatre, completed in 2007.

Heather Ward, head of the Wright Family Foundation and niece of Adeline Graham, said the Addy will offer opportunities for education, artistic expression and civic engagement and represents the latest chapter in a 20-year partnership with Proctors involving more than $900,000 in donations.

Added Arnold Will, deputy regional director for ESD: This is an important project, and why wouldnt it be?

If any time youre going to affect youth, you have an opportunity to change the world, he said. And in this case here, its really what were doing.
ALBANY  While Gov. Andrew Cuomo has rebuffed the suggestion that hes seeking the 2020 presidential nomination, news that the state Senate's breakaway Independent Democratic Conference has provisionally agreed to reunite with the chambers mainline Democrats has renewed speculation about a White House run.

Cuomos top aides in the state Democratic Party earlier this week upped the pressure on the eight-member IDC to unite with the Democrats rather than continue to align with Senate Republicans. The push appeared to work, with IDC leader Jeff Klein saying they were ready to work together.

Whether the reunification holds is an open question, as there are a number of potential stumbling blocks  most notably, the need for Democrats to win two special elections for Senate seats that will become vacant in January. The party's blueprint suggested those elections would be called after the 2018 budget negotiation, which is supposed to be completed by the end of March.

In a sign of the tenuous nature of the deal, Cuomo on Wednesday told reporters he could forgo calling special elections, which would push off the replacement of departing Democratic Sens. Ruben Diaz Sr. and George Latimer until next November.

More for you After bumpy start, Democrats agree to Senate unity

Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi clarified those remarks, saying the governor was merely explaining the process of filling vacancies in the Legislature.

To be clear, we will be calling special elections for these soon-to-be open Senate and Assembly seats, the timing of which will be determined in January when the seats become vacant, Azzopardi said.

Still, unifying the Senate has long been described as a prerequisite accomplishment if Cuomo is to have credibility as a national Democratic leader  a demonstration that he can keep his own blue-state house in order before he takes the larger stage.

But is that really important to voters in other states come primary season?

Not really, say Democratic officials in several early primary and caucus states.

We have our own set of state political issues, said Wyatt Ronon, spokesman for the state Democratic Party in New Hampshire, which famously holds the nations first primary and is a national proving ground for presidential candidates.

Few voters in the Granite State even know about the New York Senates Democratic split, Ronon said.

The same holds for Iowa: There are a lot of dynamics. I dont think for the average caucus-goer this would be the one thing that makes or breaks their decisions, said Kevin Geiken, executive director for the Iowa Democratic Party. (He conceded that the subject is "just nerdy or wonky enough among some caucus-goers.")

Democrats in South Carolina also have other questions on their minds, said a party official speaking on background. Do (the candidates) share my values? Are they going to work for me? Do I trust them? he said.

Thats not to say that efforts to unify the Senate conferences are totally irrelevant. Geiken said competitors could use it against Cuomo if the unification doesnt go through or hold up.

But if it works, Cuomo could point to Democratic control after several year of GOP dominance as an example of his own success at coalition-building.

He could use that to say how he could bring the party together, Geiken said.

But ultimately, voters in Iowa and other early primary states will expect a good dose of face-to-face campaigning from their presidential candidates.

The 2020 campaign is going to be a retail opportunity, Geiken said. Its going to be a pretty wide-open field here.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
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ALBANY  Gov. Andrew Cuomos recently purchased Sikorsky helicopter is billed as serving multiple purposes, including search and rescue work, medical evacuations and law enforcement functions. But dont expect it to be used for missions like last Decembers dramatic retrieval of a couple stranded atop Algonquin Peak in the Adirondacks.

Thats because the Sikorsky isnt equipped with a hoist that can pull up sick or injured people while hovering overhead.

The slightly used $12.5 million Sikorsky S-76D, which the State Police acquired in June, is described in the sale contract as having a "Deluxe VIP Interior" with custom upholstery featuring French stitching and multiple cup holders.

It is also appears to be the first machine the state has purchased in recent memory outfitted as a true executive transport helicopter, as opposed to the more utilitarian aircraft that Cuomo used since he took office in 2011.

Capable of cruising at 160 mph with a range of more than 300 miles, this model is primarily a people-mover, according to helicopter experts.

State Police were initially supposed to obtain the helicopter in late 2016, but Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office asked for more detail on the expenditure before he could approve the purchase. After more information was provided, DiNapoli signed off.

State officials at the time noted that it technically belongs to the State Police, and that is available for police and emergency use.

This helicopter is critically important for emergency response missions including search and rescue, medevac, and local law enforcement support," State Police spokesman Beau Duffy said when the Sikorsky was acquired.

But without a hoist, the crafts usefulness in search and rescue operations is limited.

Youre not going to be able to pull anything up, said Brendon Brooks, an executive with Priority1 Air Rescue, a firm that runs helicopter rescue training with offices in Arizona, Canada and Europe.

The only thing you can do is land on the surface, Brooks said. If there is nowhere to land, they cant pick up the person.

The helicopter could be used for medical evacuation, but that would likely require a reconfiguration of the seats, he added.

You could search. You could look. You could land. But that would not be the primary reason" for buying such a helicopter, said Kevin Nelson, a former Coast Guard rescue pilot who operates Nelson AaeroDynamiX, a helicopter-management firm based in Michigan.

He described the S-76D as a very capable executive aircraft.

Helicopters can have specific purposes based on design, Nelson said: A good medevac helicopter has a roomy interior to accommodate a gurney and medical equipment. But it should have a small airframe to allow for landings in tight spaces.

Its an executive transport vehicle, added John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, a reform group that has been critical of Cuomo. The idea that you could repurpose it for other activities is not credible.

Even so, Kaenhy said it was hard to fault the governor for buying the helicopter. New York is a really big state and people expect the governor to be able to get around, he said.

Duffy noted that one of the helicopters the governor had been using previously had to make an emergency landing in January. Cuomo was embarked on his multi-stop State of the State tour when a burning odor from what turned out to be failed electrical component forced a landing in Newburgh. The helicopter has since been repaired.

Duffy added the Sikorsky is the first helicopter the State Police has purchased since 2002. It brings the agencys fleet of choppers to 14. Two others also lack hoists, he said. The agency also has six fixed-wing planes.

The state saved an estimated $4 million by purchasing a used model, Duffy said. It had been outfitted for another buyer, but the sale fell through and Sikorsky used it as a demo. It was sold as-is, he said.

The helicopter was equipped with a two-way radio system that allows communications with law enforcement, police and fire as well as other emergency responders across the state.

President Donald J. Trump also has a Sikorsky, albeit an older S-76B model that is privately owned and not government issue.

And while Trumps helicopter famously has gold-plated fittings, the State Police craft has what Duffy described as simulated wood paneling.

rkarlin@times 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
The mission of A & M is to ensure that every teenager in the country has the opportunity to hear a clearly reasoned, positive presentation on the benefits of abstinence until marriage and also instruction on preparing for a healthy future marriage.

Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership (A & M) held its Annual Banquet, Friday, November 16, 2017, at The Cotillion Banquets in Palatine. The theme was "Lifting Up the Truth." 500 were in attendance.

Joe Walsh, Founder, Walsh Freedom and a WLS AM syndicated talk radio host in 84 markets all over this nation, introduced author and speaker Michele Bachmann, a former state senator, a congresswoman, a presidential candidate, a successful business woman, and a federal tax litigation attorney. Bachmann has a distinguished resume in the proclamation of biblical truth in the pubic square, but first and foremost she is a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and a dedicated wife and mother of five grown children. Over the years Michelle has opened up her home to 23 foster children.

Joe Walsh spoke of his former House colleague as one he would like to see in the White House, for it was Michelle who helped Joe "learn the ropes" when he was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2010. Joe further praised Bachman for fighting for life, marriage and God given rights while a U.S. Congress member. Joe admitted, without apology, that he does scream and yell a lot on his radio show. The reason being, "This is a divided country and there is so much to scream about." Further adding, "We finally have a guy in the White House who isn't afraid of fighting back." Joe described the current fight as one against the "other side", which includes the media, those in academia, popular culture, big business, all the Democrats, and many Republicans. Joe Walsh went on to describe Michelle Bachman as one of the original fighters in Congress. She exhibited Trump-like qualities on a national level before Trump entered the scene with his 2016 election.

Bachmann speaks

Former Congresswoman Bachmann, in her initial comments, turned the table on Joe by stating that everything Joe had said about her likewise applied to him. Although Joe only served one term in Congress, he fought for those issues he had campaigned Accordingly, Joe more than redeemed his time in Congress in contrast to those who use their time to profit themselves.

Ms. Bachmann spoke glowingly about Scott Phelps, Executive Director or Abstinence & Marriage Education. Partnership. As Bachmann remarked, "having advanced its message for 20 years, Phelps decided to light a candle rather than curse the darkness." On a budget of $260,000, A & M has reached 2 million kids to inform about the beauty of not having sex before marriage.

As to what Bachmann has been up to lately. On June 7, 2016 Ms. Bachmann spoke at the United Nations for the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem. On August of 2016, Bachmann was appointed pastor to disciple the United Nations, where she will take the gospel and the Bible to the U.N.

Michele then went on to express her gratitude for the large gathering of individuals who, like her, believed in the beauty of the innocence of children. As proclaimed by Michele, "There is nothing more despicable than human trafficking when children are violated against their will."

Profound ideas, taken for granted in past years, now need to be taught to children

According to Michele, things that were taken for granted in years past now need to be taught to children, because gate keepers that used to protect the innocence of children have failed. Michele then proceeded to list the gatekeepers. 1. Parents were cited as the first gatekeeper to secure the innocence of children. A reference was made to Dr. Ben Carson and how Ben's mother wanted better for her children. She understood what her job was by setting a good example, which gave Ben what he needed to achieve great things, as when he became the Director of John Hopkins Medical Center. Ben's mother pretended she could read, but Carson later observed that his mother was holding books upside down. 2. The church has traditionally been the gatekeeper, a place where marriage and the worth and importance of children in a family unit was highly valued. 3. While schools are not meant to usurp parents, they were meant to continue the work of parents. 4. Business and the advertising of Madison Avenue were said to have more of a negative influence on kids than the media. 5. Government has informed us that morality should not be an issue, which accounts for why over $500 million of our tax money goes to Planned Parenthood as funded through Health and Human Services. As Michele stated: "The purpose of Planned Parenthood is more about helping men. It is women that pay the price." Bachmann cited Hugh Hefner as having considerable negative influence on childhood innocence. Hugh decided early on that sex outside of marriage was just fine for his own gratification, around which he built an empire exploiting this message. It was not lost on millions of American men who bought and read "Playboy." When Hugh died, according to a report in "Fortune Magazine, he died a broken man and dirt poor. Link What happens when gatekeepers fail? In 1960, out-of-wedlock births represented 5% of births in this nation. Of this 5% figure, the Black community accounted for 25% of all out-of-wedlock births or 3 out of 4 of African American births. The most recent report published in August 2012, is based on data from 2010. The out-of-wedlock birthrate for Non-Hispanic Blacks (73%); Hispanics (53%), and Non-Hispanic whites (29%). Link The lack of a father in Black and Hispanic communities serves as an express train to prison, Bachmann said. As Michele related, children born without a father in the home have a strike against them from the moment they are born, for very often these children will be relegated to a life of poverty, lacking both education and job skills. Cell phones were cited as devices that take away the innocence of children. Children, without a gatekeeper present, are able to search the Internet and remain one click away from viewing porn. A decisive round of applause followed a statement that children shouldn't have cellphones until 18. Clarence Thomas was touted by Bachmann as having grown up in the South dirt poor, but because his parents cared, young Clarence was taught the right values. Today Clarence Thomas sits on the Supreme Court. Unlike other Supreme Court justices who are fond of vacationing in Europe, Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife visit national parks in their RV. Justice Thomas loves to be with real Americans. It is what he thinks about when he writes his Supreme Court decisions. Teaching beauty of marriage Ms. Bachmann questioned why kids get involved in sexual activity outside of marriage. For girls, they seek love and acceptance. Girls who don't have fathers in their lives are more likely to seek love and acceptance elsewhere. For boys, it is often for self-gratification. They want to have what they want when they want it. In speaking about the A & M Partnership, Ms. Bachmann enthusiastically endorsed the programs offered by A & M to help children understand the many benefits of waiting for sex before marriage, understanding that kids kept away from sex before marriage do better. Although such a message in today's society is considered controversial, rather than being the alternative message, it should be the priority message across this nation. The beauty of marriage must be taught, for marriage is good, babies are good, and sex is good.
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BETHLEHEM  The Elsmere Fire Department in Delmar is planning to build a second, unstaffed fire station in Glenmont at the corner of Feura Bush and Wemple roads.

Voters will decide the fate of the plan, which comes with an estimated cost of $1.4 million, next month.

The new 4,608 square-foot building would house two trucks and help serve the expanding residential and commercial development in the area, which is part of the Elsmere Fire District.

Voters who live in the Elsmere Fire District are being asked to approve a $1.3 million bond to pay for the cost of the project during the fire district's annual election on Dec. 12.

An informational meeting on the new station project is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the firehouse.

The Elsmere Fire District is roughly bounded by the Normanskill to the north and Beacon Road to the south. The western boundary is Elsmere Avenue, and the eastern border is Route 9W.

The Delmar Fire Department, which roughly splits fire service in the hamlet of Delmar with the Elsmere department, has a second station of its own about two miles to the west of the proposed site on Feura Bush Road.

The fire district is supported by its own tax, which is rolled into local property tax bills. This year, a typical homeowner with a $200,000 home paid $188 for the fire district.

The new station would not be staffed on a daily basis but would instead be used by fire fighters when responding to emergencies.

The fire department, which has an annual budget of about $950,000, has owned the 1.4-acre site where it plans to build its new "south station" since 1982. The intersection has a traffic light and crosswalks already in place.

The project will be reviewed by the town's zoning board next month.

"Elsmere is seeking to go forward with the project at this time to address the exponential increase in residences and commercial establishments south of Route 32 and along Route 9W," fire department officials wrote in their application to the zoning board.

The vote on a $1.3 million bond is being held Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Elsmere fire house at 15 West Poplar Drive off Elsmere Avenue next to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

The Elsmere Fire Department, created in 1922, published a long-range planning study earlier this month that brings up the need for the new fire station.

"The determination of how Elsmere will provide that equity of quality level and response time service in the southern area of the district needs to be addressed soon," the report states.
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SAUGERTIES  Former U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey's funeral was held Wednesday morning.

Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul and former U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, joined other mourners for the service at St. John the Evangelist Church.

Hinchey, a Democrat who represented parts of the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Southern Tier, died on Nov. 22. He was 79.

"I served with Maurice in the state Assembly and knew him to be an articulate and dedicated proponent of the causes he believed in and the people he served," U.S. Rep. John Faso, a Republican who represents some of the communities that were once part of Hinchey's district, said after Hinchey died.

Faso called Hinchey "a fierce defender of the environment" who "left an important mark on New York State from his years as Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Conservation."

Hinchey had been suffering from a rare brain disorder that was taking away his ability to speak and caused Parkinson's-like symptoms, his family said earlier this year.
BALLSTON SPA - The fight for Saratoga Springs city charter will go to court on Dec. 20.

Supreme Court Judge Thomas Nolan Jr. will hear arguments from the now defunct Charter Review Commission, which is seeking a full recount of all votes.
State Police arrested and charged a woman in connection with a 2016 forged check case in Amsterdam.

Kimberly A. Maine, 46, was charged with identity theft, forgery, grand larceny and two counts of criminal possession of stolen property.

State Police said Maine cashed a forged $2,495 check she stole from a vehicle at the YMCA in Bethlehem.

Police believe Maine has cashed other stolen or forged checks at other area banks in the Capital Region. She was arrested at the Rensselaer County Jail where she was being held on similar charges. She was arraigned and is due back in Amsterdam city court at a future date.
CHICAGO - Conservative philanthropist Dick Uihlein donated $100k to support Alabama Republican Roy Moore's special election bid for U.S. Senate, and Illinois Dems and liberal media are up in arms.

Moore, who faces liberal pro-abortion Democrat Doug Jones in a December 12 election, has been accused by several women of aggressive sexual advances when the women were minors. Moore denies the allegations.

Uihlein gave over $2 M to elect Illinois GOP Governor Bruce Rauner in 2016 and is now heavily funding Dan Proft's Liberty Principles PAC with $2.5 M thus far in 2017 to elect conservatives next year to the Illinois General Assembly.
Nenagh auctioneer Eoin Dillon has been appointed chairman of national estate agency group Real Estate Alliance.

Eoin, of REA Eoin Dillon, was elected to the position during the Alliances agm in Nenagh.

And Roscrea's Seamus Browne, of REA Seamus Browne, has been elected to the group's board.

REA is Irelands leading property group of chartered surveyors with over 55 branches nationwide, comprising many of the countrys longest-established auctioneers and estate agents.

The agm heard that there are a number of simple steps that the Government could take  including electronic conveyancing  which would speed up the sales process.

This, in turn, would decrease the number of vacant properties and increase the housing stock.

It is now only taking five weeks on average to reach sale agreed on a secondhand property, with houses in Dublin taking a week less, the recent Q3 REA Average House Price Survey has found, said Eoin.

There are many instances of sales being agreed within two weeks of coming to the market, he said.

What we should be aiming for is having sales completed within another four weeks, said Mr Dillon.

In other parts of the world, electronic conveyancing is allowing sales to complete within two weeks. In Ireland, this process can take between three and six months, he said.

Mr Dillon sad that we needed to embrace electronic conveyancing as a starting point, which will then lead to follow-on services also being completed electronically.

We as agents, and our clients the vendors, also have a responsibility to ensure all paperwork is in order prior to bringing the property to market, he said.

The Nenagh auctioneer said that a home buyers pack, equivalent to the UK model, would be a step in the right direction.

In the same vein, banks should be able to issue the equivalent of a tax clearance validation number for prospective buyers to prove that they are mortgage approved prior to bidding on a property, siad Mr Dillon.

The new chairman said that the issue of probate was one where an electronic system could make a huge difference.

Where the homeowner has passed away, it is necessary to take out grant of probate on their estate prior to the house being sold.

And depending on geographic location, it could take six months to get this from the Revenue Commissioners  an area which could be vastly improved with an electronic system.

It is also taking up to three months to get certification from Irish Water that water bills have been paid.

Similarly, Local Property Tax and NPPT / Household tax receipts or Property ID numbers should be available on line instantly, he said.

Where a borrower is selling a house that may be in negative equity, banks should give a vendor who is voluntarily selling the house a form of approval which will last for six months consenting to the sale at an agreed price.

The Central Bank should insist that the same has to be issued within four weeks of a request being submitted by a borrower.

This is not about auctioneers being frustrated with time lapses  it is a fundamental need in a housing market that is experiencing huge shortage of supply.

We have to do everything possible to reduce the period where homes are being left idle while the sale is being processed.

"Everyone involved in the business of housing people, from the State down, needs to embrace the technology that would allow more people to be homed in a timely fashion, said Mr Dillon.
Hundreds of mourners gathered in the Church of St Joseph the Worker outside Moyglass yesterday to hear champion Irish horse trainer Edward O'Grady pay a moving tribute to his wife, Maria, who was killed in a fall while out hunting with Tipperary Foxhounds last Saturday.

Mr. O'Grady fought back tears as he paid tribute to his "feisty, courageous, generous, fiercely loyal and brilliant" wife, a mother of two and a former Irish TV producer.

Mourners were told by Fr Jimmy O'Donnell that the Ballymackey native "died doing what she loved on Saturday - in the sport she lived for."

Mr O'Grady (68), in an emotional eulogy to his wife, said the 18 happy years he had spent with her wasn't so much a successful marriage as one long, uninterrupted honeymoon.

"I would like to thank you (Maria) for the past 18 glorious years - the happiest of my life. "Goodbye, my darling, thank you for everything - the honeymoon is over."

The trainer had also asked for the funeral to hear the first song that he and Maria had ever danced to after their wedding.

Mr O'Grady, quoting a tribute from his wife's dear friend, the award-winning actress Dillie Keane, said her brilliance and love of life had enchanted everyone she ever met.

"I always thought you were a star, Maria, a true supernova but I think I might have gotten it wrong - we are going to remember you as a comet- a great, brilliant comet that lit up the sky," he said.

Family friend, David Williams, told mourners that Maria had met Edward when she got her hunting hat snagged in a low tree branch while she was out riding. "Edward dismounted and retrieved her hat - that was the first time they met," he said.

"Edward and Maria had an 18 year honeymoon - every morning, a kiss started the day and every night a kiss ended the day, without exception."

The Offertory Gifts reflected Mrs O'Grady's life interests including her hunting hat, a family picture and flowers.

The mourners included leading equestrian and sporting figures such as Mouse Morris, Niall Quinn, Henry de Bromhead, Barry Geraghty, Charlie Swan, Charles O'Brien, Andrew McNamara, Christy Grassick, Arthur Moore and Fozzy Stack.

Mrs O'Grady was a member of the Tipperary Hunt and was thrown from her horse during a hunt with Tipperary Foxhounds in Grantstown on Saturday. She suffered severe head and neck injuries in the fall.

She was pronounced dead before she could be rushed by air ambulance to hospital.

Special guards of honour were provided by Tipperary Hunt, Tipperary Foxhounds, Tipperary Pony Club and Moyglass National School.

The Ursuline Convent Choir from Thurles sang at the Requiem Mass.

Nee Anderton, Ms O'Grady was originally from Ballymackey outside Nenagh but had lived with her husband at Ballynonty.

The mourners were led by her husband, Edward, her daughters Mimi and Rosie Mae, her extended family Jonathan, Amber and Lucy, her sister Katherine and brother-in-law Konrad.

Mr O'Grady ranks as one of Ireland's most highly respected trainers. With a total of 19 winners at the famous Cheltenham National Hunt festival, he ranks as Ireland's third most successful trainer at the Cotswolds track. He celebrated his first Cheltenham winner in 1974 with Mr Midland.
Tipperary TD, Jackie Cahill has taken the new Chairperson Designate of Bord na Mona, Geoffrey Meagher to task for the unacceptable and unsatisfactory wind down of the Littleton Plant.

Deputy Cahill raised his deep unease and concerns at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment this week in Leinster House.

I challenged the new Chairperson Designate on three core issues: 1) the need for a fair redundancy package that reflects the loyalty and commitment of the workers over many decades, 2) the lack of planning for future employment at the site, and 3) the proposed 60 million US investment to produce wood chip for import back in to Ireland.

"The workers at Littleton have given generations of service to Bord na Mona and under no circumstances should their redundancy package be short changed particularly when the company is in such a robust financial position.

We have an amazing site at Littleton yet the company has shown little foresight in preparing the 1100 acre site to offer future employment in the area.

I believe that at least least 30 jobs could be developed if Bord na Mona used the site as a horticulture centre.

I just cannot understand how Bord na Mona can stand over their proposed 60 million investment in the US where they plan to produce wood chip for importation back to Ireland.

Not only is this economically not justified but it is also environmentally reckless. This is the equivalent of rearing cows in Mexico and shipping them back to Ireland for slaughter.

This move still requires Governmental approval, and I will lobby the Minister to use his veto to stop such a retrograde move. The Littleton plant needs to move up the list of priorities for Bord na Mona and the Government. Its local economic importance cannot be underestimated, concluded Cahill.
Irish Water is aware that some customers have received emails purporting to be from Irish Water with the subject line Your Irish Water Account  Action required.

Irish Water will never ask customers to update personal banking information in this way and customers should always delete emails requesting this information. Irish Water is advising anyone who receives these emails to delete them immediately. Do not reply or click on the link provided. Do not provide personal or financial details.

Irish Water has asked domestic customers who have moved property to contact us by phone on 1850 448 448 to update their details. Changes to customers personal details can only be updated by phone.

Irish Water has investigated this email and has requested that this fraudulent site be shut down.

Irish Water is aware that during the refund process in particular attempts may be made to deceive customers with phishing emails.

We have put additional resources in place in attempt to mitigate against these phishing campaigns, they said.

If you suspect that you've responded to a phishing email with personal information from this or any email, take the following steps to minimise any potential damage:

Change the information you've revealed e.g. change any passwords or PINs on the account or service that you think might have been compromised

Contact your bank or the service provider directly

Routinely review your bank and credit card statements for unexplained charges or enquiries that you didn't initiate

Contact the authorities. The Garda Bureau of Fraud investigation is Ireland's national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.

The company reassured customers that there had been no breach of its security systems.
[November 28, 2017] Innovix Distribution Named Exclusive Managed Security Services Distributor In Singapore By SK infosec

SINGAPORE, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovix Distribution (Innovix), one of the leading distributors of technology in Asia, has been named as the exclusive distributor of Managed Security Services (MSS) in Singapore by leading Korean cybersecurity company SK infosec. The partnership will allow Innovix's channel partners to meet increasing customer demand for enhanced IT security by reselling MSS. Outsourced solutions such as those provided by Innovix allow companies to provide secure platforms for their end users with significantly less investment than would be required to bring aboard the expertise required themselves. Korea's number one information security service provider, SK infosec provides MSS to more than 1,800 organizations from the government, finance and enterprise sectors. According to an independent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Singapore's cybersecurity industry is set to grow by almost 10 percent between 2015 and 2020, with the increasing frequencyand sophistication of cyber threats as the main driver of demand across the segment.



''The demand for cybersecurity products and services around the globe is more significant than ever," said Mr. Mark Tan, Managing Director Innovix Distribution. "We are confident that our partnership with SK infosec will bring new business value and, very importantly, state-of-the-art cybersecurity technology and services to our channel partners and their customers." Mr. Kang Yong Seok, SK infosec Business Development Division Director, added, "In order to be a successful global business, it is vital to work with reliable partners who have a good knowledge of the local market. Innovix has been successfully distributing security solutions across Southeast Asia for years and we look forward to assisting both them and their partners in stepping up their security safeguards."

As an operator within one of Asia's busiest hubs for the transferal of online data, and in light of the possible introduction of new security legislation, Innovix will continue to leverage its experience and relationships with key partners such as SK infosec to further safeguard cybersecurity both in Singapore and throughout the region. About SK infosec SK infosec is a leading cybersecurity company in Korea that provides managed security services for more than 1,800 organizations in the government, finance and enterprise sectors. SK infosec provides a solution that incorporates threat intelligence services and a big data security analytics platform called Secudium to protect IT infrastructure against advanced cyber attacks. In addition, SK infosec provides security consulting services to meet information security compliance along with penetration testing and forensics. For more information about SK infosec, please visit http://www.skinfosec.com/en/. About Innovix Distribution Innovix Distribution (Innovix) is one of Asia's leading technology distributors. Headquartered in Singapore, Innovix has operations in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia with 47 locations in Asia, which facilitates the development of our partners. In addition, Innovix has a portfolio of more than 80 leading ICT and Enterprise brands, with more than 5,500 channel partners in Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.innovix.com/. Contact: Hon Wee Leong

[email protected]

+65-6361-0160 Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20171128/2002038-1 SOURCE Innovix Distribution

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[November 28, 2017] Announcing Light Rhapsody, The All-New Alexa Controlled Holiday Lights

DALLAS, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The next generation of holiday lighting is here. Light Rhapsody, the all-new Alexa controlled light string. When paired with a supported Amazon Echo device, Light Rhapsody lets customers control a range of lighting options from color to themes and effects using only their voice. Light Rhapsody is available exclusively on Amazon  just in time for the 2017 holiday decor season. Light Rhapsody is available in two LED styles. Choose from a set of 24 classic C-9 lightbulbs (standard) or a set of 24 mini lights. Each light string includes 25 different color options with 130 lighting effects, including a pre-programed Christmas Lightshow. When paired with a supported Amazon Echo device via Bluetooth, customers can control color and lighting options simply by asking Alexa.



"We are excited to add voice support to the Light Rhapsody experience for our customers," said Vice President of Product Development at Gemmy Industries, Steven Harris. "You can instantly change colors and effects just by asking Alexa. It is the ultimate convenience." Here are some of the things you can ask Alexa when paired with a Light Rhapsody light string:

"Alexa, ask Light Rhapsody to turn on/off"

"Alexa, ask Light Rhapsody to go to the next color"

"Alexa, ask Light Rhapsody to start/stop blinking lights"

"Alexa, ask Light Rhapsody to set a new theme" Coming soon, Light Rhapsody will also illuminate when Amazon Music is playing on a connected Echo device for a more festive experience. Light Rhapsody light strings are energy-efficient, Christmas tree-safe, and recommended for indoor use only. Mini and standard size light strings can also can be used for all occasions like Valentines, St. Patrick's, Mardi Gras, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Light Rhapsody light strings are available to purchase on Amazon. For more information visit the Light Rhapsody website. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/announcing-light-rhapsody-the-all-new-alexa-controlled-holiday-lights-300563239.html SOURCE Gemmy Industries

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[November 28, 2017] SMIC Announces Placing of New Shares Under General Mandate, Proposed Issue of US$65 million Perpetual Subordinated Convertible Securities, and Pre-emptive Right of Datang, China IC Fund and Country Hill

SHANGHAI, Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) ("SMIC," the "Company," or "our"), one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world, announces (1) PLACING OF NEW SHARES UNDER GENERAL MANDATE (2) PROPOSED ISSUE OF US$65 MILLION PERPETUAL SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES (3) PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF DATANG (4 PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF CHINA IC FUND AND (5) PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF COUNTRY HILL PLACING OF NEW SHARES UNDER GENERAL MANDATE The Board is pleased to announce that on 29 November 2017, the Company entered into the Placing Agreement with the Joint Placing Agents whereby the Company conditionally agreed to place, through the Placing Agents, 241,418,625 Placing Shares to not less than six independent Placees at a price of HK$10.65 per Placing Share. The Placing Shares will be allotted and issued pursuant to the General Mandate and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Shares. The issue of the Placing Shares is not subject to the approval of the Shareholders. Assuming 241,418,625 Placing Shares are successfully placed, the Placing Shares represent (i) approximately 5.17% of the existing issued share capital of the Company as at the date of this announcement; and (ii) approximately 4.92% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the issue of the Placing Shares (assuming that there will be no change in the issued share capital of the Company between the date of this announcement and completion of the Placing save for the issue of such Placing Shares). The Placing Price represents (i) a discount of approximately 4.91% to the Closing Price of HK$11.20 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange on 28 November 2017, being the last full Trading Day immediately before the execution of the Placing Agreement; (ii) a discount of approximately 9.59% to the average Closing Prices of approximately HK$11.78 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last five consecutive Trading Days up to and including 28 November 2017; and (iii) a discount of approximately 8.74% to the average Closing Prices of approximately HK$11.67 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange for the last ten consecutive Trading Days up to and including 28 November 2017. The gross proceeds of the Placing will be approximately HK$2.57 billion and the net proceeds of the Placing (after deduction of fees, commissions and expenses) will amount to approximately HK$2.55 billion. The net proceeds raised upon completion of the Placing will be approximately HK$10.56 per Placing Share. The aggregate nominal value of the Placing Shares will be HK$7,535,544. An application will be made to the Stock Exchange for the listing of, and permission to deal in, the Placing Shares. Completion of the Placing is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent in the Placing Agreement. Please refer to the section headed ''The Placing Agreement'' below for further information. PROPOSED ISSUE OF US$65 MILLION PERPETUAL SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES On 29 November 2017, the Company and the Joint Managers entered into the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which each of the Joint Managers has agreed to subscribe and pay for, or to procure subscribers to subscribe and pay for the Placed PSCS to be issued by the Company in an aggregate principal amount of US$65 million. Based on the initial Conversion Price of HK$12.78 and assuming full conversion of the Placed PSCS at the initial Conversion Price, the Placed PSCS will be convertible into approximately 39,688,654 Placed Conversion Shares, representing (i) approximately 0.85% of the issued share capital of the Company on the Last Trading Day (ii) approximately 0.81% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the Placing Shares (assuming that there is no change in the issued share capital of the Company, save for the issue of the Placing Shares); and (iii) approximately 0.80% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the Placing Shares and assuming the full conversion of the Placed PSCS at the initial Conversion Price (assuming that there is no change in the issued share capital of the Company, save for the issue of the Placing Shares and Placed Conversion Shares). The Placed Conversion Shares will be allotted and issued pursuant to the General Mandate and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Shares then in issue on the relevant conversion date. The issue of the Placed PSCS is not subject to the approval of the Shareholders. An application will be made to the Stock Exchange for the listing of, and permission to deal in, the Placed Conversion Shares. An application will be made to the Singapore Exchange for the listing and quotation of the Placed PSCS. Completion of the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent in the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement. In addition, the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement may be terminated in certain circumstances. Please refer to the section headed ''The Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement'' below for further information. PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF DATANG Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 10 November 2008 in relation to the Datang Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, Datang has a pre-emptive right to subscribe for (i) a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by Datang immediately prior to the issue of such securities; or (ii) should such issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares result in a single investor or investor group acting in concert beneficially owning more Shares than Datang and its wholly-owned subsidiary, one Share more than the number of Shares proposed to be beneficially owned by such prospective largest shareholder of the Company. Datang's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement and the Listing Rules, completion of any such issue of the Datang Subscription Securities to, and subscription of the Datang Subscription Securities by, Datang upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the approval of the independent Shareholders. Any exercise by Datang of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the Datang Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the Datang Pre-emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS). The Company has notified Datang in accordance with the terms of the Datang Purchase Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the Datang Purchase Agreement, Datang is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by Datang in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of te Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription, up to the amount it is entitled to under the Datang Purchase Agreement based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the Placing and the issue of the Placed PSCS. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.



Datang has also indicated to the Company that it intends to subscribe for the Datang Further PSCS, in addition to the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placed PSCS, for a principal amount (for the Datang Further PSCS only) of approximately US$100 million (subject to adjustment). The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto.

PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF CHINA IC FUND Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 12 February 2015 in relation to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, China IC Fund has a pre-emptive right to subscribe for a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by China IC Fund immediately prior to the issue of such securities. China IC Fund's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement and the Listing Rules, completion of any such issue of the China IC Fund Subscription Securities to, and subscription of the China IC Fund Subscription Securities by, China IC Fund upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals and the approval of the independent Shareholders. Any exercise by China IC Fund of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the China IC Fund Pre- emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS). The Company has notified China IC Fund in accordance with the terms of the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription. Pursuant to the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement, China IC Fund is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by China IC Fund in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription and any Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription, up to the amount it is entitled to under the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the Placing and the issue of the Placed PSCS. China IC Fund has also indicated to the Company that it intends to subscribe for the China IC Fund Further PSCS, in addition to the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placed PSCS, for an aggregate principal amount (for the China IC Fund Further PSCS and China IC Fund Pre- emptive PSCS) amounting up to an aggregate of approximately US$300 million. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto. PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHT OF COUNTRY HILL Reference is made to the Company's announcement dated 18 April 2011 in relation to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement. Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, in case of any issue of new Shares or securities convertible into Shares, subject to certain exceptions, Country Hill has a preemptive right to subscribe for a pro rata portion of such new securities being issued equivalent to the percentage of the issued share capital of the Company then owned by Country Hill immediately prior to the issue of such securities. Country Hill's pre-emptive right is applicable to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre- emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, completion of any such issue of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities to, and subscription of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities by, Country Hill upon exercise of its pre-emptive right will be further subject to the receipt of any required regulatory approvals. Any exercise by Country Hill of its pre-emptive right to subscribe for the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities in connection with the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription will be at a price equivalent to the Placing Price (in the case of the Country Hill Pre-emptive Shares) and/or the issue price of the Placed PSCS (in the case of the Country Hill Pre- emptive PSCS). The Company has notified Country Hill in accordance with the terms of the Country Hill Subscription Agreement in respect of the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. Pursuant to the Country Hill Subscription Agreement, Country Hill is deemed to have elected not to exercise its pre-emptive right with respect to the Country Hill Pre-emptive Securities if it does not respond to the notice within ten (10) business days following the date of the notice. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has not been notified by Country Hill whether it intends to exercise its pre-emptive right in relation to the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription and the China IC Fund Further Subscription. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary under the Listing Rules in relation thereto. SHAREHOLDER LOCK-UP UNDERTAKINGS BY DATANG HK AND XINXIN HK Reference is made to the information of the Shareholder lock-up undertakings by Datang HK and Xinxin HK as set out in the Company's announcement dated 28 November 2017 in relation to, among other things, the potential exercise of pre-emptive rights by Datang and China IC Fund. Each of Datang HK and Xinxin HK has given a lock-up undertaking in relation to the Shares held by it directly (or through nominees) for a period of 90 days to facilitate an orderly marketing, distribution and trading of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS. Each of Datang HK and Xinxin HK has also given a lock-up undertaking in relation to the Shares to be issued to it (or its nominees) upon exercise of pre-emptive right by each of Datang (in the case of Datang HK) and China IC Fund (in the case of Xinxin HK) in connection with the Placing for a period of 90 days in order to further facilitate an orderly marketing, distribution and trading of the Placing Shares. USE OF PROCEEDS The gross proceeds from the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS will be approximately US$394 million. The net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares and the Placed PSCS will be approximately US$391 million. It is estimated that, assuming Datang and China IC Fund each exercise their respective preemptive right, in accordance with their respective letters of intent, the net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares, the Placed PSCS, the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities would be approximately US$969 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds (net of fees, commissions and expenses) from the issue of the Placing Shares, the Placed PSCS, the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities for the Company's capital expenditure for capacity expansion and other general corporate purposes. LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS As each of Datang and China IC Fund is a substantial shareholder of the Company and thus a connected person of the Company, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription or the China IC Fund Further Subscription (including any issue of Shares on conversion of the Datang Pre-emptive PSCS, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive PSCS, the Datang Further PSCS and the China IC Fund Further PSCS) will constitute a connected transaction of the Company and will be subject to independent Shareholders' approval under the Listing Rules. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has been informed by each of Datang and China IC Fund in a non-legally binding letter of intent that it intends to fully exercise its pre-emptive right it is entitled to under the Datang Purchase Agreement (in the case of Datang) or the China IC Fund Purchase Agreement (in the case of China IC Fund) and to subscribe for the Datang Subscription Securities and the China IC Fund Subscription Securities respectively, based on terms and conditions that are substantially the same as the issue of the Placing Shares and/or the Placed PSCS. The Company will make such further announcement as is necessary if any agreement(s) is/are entered into by the Company with Datang or China IC Fund regarding the above matters. Shareholders and potential investors should note that the completion of the Placing and the completion of the issue of the Placed PSCS are subject to the fulfilment of the conditions under the Placing Agreement and the Placed PSCS Subscription Agreement, respectively. As the Placing, the issue of the Placed PSCS, the Datang Pre-emptive Subscription, the China IC Fund Pre-emptive Subscription, the Datang Further Subscription, the China IC Fund Further Subscription and the Country Hill Pre-emptive Subscription may or may not proceed, Shareholders and potential investors are reminded to exercise caution when dealing in the Shares. For the rest of this announcement please see the full announcement: http://www.smics.com/eng/investors/ir_filings.php About SMIC Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"; NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and the largest and most advanced foundry in mainland China. SMIC provides integrated circuit (IC) foundry and technology services on process nodes from 0.35 micron to 28 nanometer. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SMIC has an international manufacturing and service base. In China, SMIC has a 300mm wafer fabrication facility (fab) and a 200mm fab in Shanghai; a 300mm fab and a majority-owned 300mm fab for advanced nodes in Beijing; 200mm fabs in Tianjin and Shenzhen; and a majority-owned joint-venture 300mm bumping facility in Jiangyin; additionally, in Italy SMIC has a majority-owned 200mm fab. SMIC also has marketing and customer service offices in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Taiwan, and a representative office in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.smics.com. Safe Harbor Statements (Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) This document contains, in addition to historical information, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on SMIC's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. SMIC uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "target," and similar expressions to identify forward looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of SMIC's senior management and involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SMIC's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements including, among others, risks associated with cyclicality and market conditions in the semiconductor industry, intense competition in the semiconductor industry, SMIC's reliance on a small number of customers, timely wafer acceptance by SMIC's customers, timely introduction of new technologies, SMIC's ability to ramp new products into volume, supply and demand for semiconductor foundry services, industry overcapacity, shortages in equipment, components and raw materials, availability of manufacturing capacity, financial stability in end markets, orders or judgments from pending litigation, intensive intellectual property litigation in semiconductor industry, general economic conditions and fluctuations in currency exchange rates. In addition to the information contained in this document, you should also consider the information contained in our other filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 27, 2017, especially in the "Risk Factors" section and such other documents that we may file with the SEC or The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited ("SEHK") from time to time, including current reports on Form 6-K. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this document may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated or, if no date is stated, as of the date of this document. Except as may be required by law, SMIC undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. CONTACT:

Investor Relations

+86-21-2081-2804

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smic-announces-placing-of-new-shares-under-general-mandate-proposed-issue-of-us65-million-perpetual-subordinated-convertible-securities-and-pre-emptive-right-of-datang-china-ic-fund-and-country-hill-300563297.html SOURCE Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation

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[November 28, 2017] Robert Walters: Digitalisation and Innovation to Fuel Recruitment Across Multiple Industries in 2018

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Walters, a global specialist professional recruitment consultancy released the annual Salary Survey for 19 consecutive years, which offers detailed analysis and forecasts on the job market. In 2018, digitalisation and innovation are expected to continue to fuel growth across multiple industries, while salaries will remain broadly on the 2017 level with salary increments for job movers seen on average 10-15%. Fuelled by a myriad of factors, Taiwan's job market began 2017 with a positive business environment and hiring levels. Some of these factors included the increase in global demand for Taiwan exports to a three-year high, the government's 'Asian Silicon Valley' strategy that is driving foreign investment in the region, and the rapid adoption of digital innovation and e-commerce. The continued internationalisation of Taiwanese companies has also led to heightened competition for bilingual professionals and those with international-company experience. Technological innovation in Taiwan is set to gather further pace and encourage the hiring of IT talent across multiple industries in 2018 as companies look to maintain their competitiveness and cost efficiency. Technology professionals with niche and emerging skills sets, including AI, Internet of Things, virtual reality, and robotics will be highly sought after. Also, the ongoing digitalisation and automation of operational processes will generate strong demand for specialists that show a willingness to up-skill in order to drive digital-transformation projects. Salary increments in the IT sector are expected to vary greatly according to the particular skills, with average salary increments of 15-20% when changing jobs. On the accounting and finance side, there's an ongoing shortage of bilingual and qualified rofessionals. With the growing adoption of technology and e-commerce, companies are increasingly relying on data in their decision making. Thus, many finance leaders will seek to boost their teams with talent that can improve analytical problem-solving, along with those who have high-performance communication skills to support business decision-making and collaboration with a variety of internal stakeholders. In-demand job movers are expected to command salary increases of 10-15%.



In the sales and marketing industry, the life science and technology industries are the key drivers for steady recruitment activity. Experts in digital marketing, e-commerce, website/application development, social media management and data-driven marketing analysis will be among the most sought after. Salary increments will vary depending on sector, with retail offering 10% increases and in-demand sectors, such as technology, offering 15% on average. Steady growth in the supply chain, logistics and procurement sector is anticipated in 2018. Apart from innovation development, the new national government has also stepped up efforts to develop Taiwan into the global hub of the machinery industry in the 'Industry 4.0' era. Professionals with experience in machinery supply chains are expected to be sought in 2018 to drive smart-automation programmes. Recruitment will also be buoyant in the healthcare sector, with candidates possessing bilingual abilities and strong communication skills being ideal hires.

John Winter, General Manager, Robert Walters Taiwan, said: "We expect 2018 will present most employers in Taiwan with a stable business environment. However, in a market with demand outstripping supply, attracting professionals of high calibre will require flexible hiring criteria and a sharper focus on an individual's potential and cultural fit. "Employers should also be aware that salary alone will not attract high-calibre candidates as they are increasingly motivated by work-life balance, company culture, structured career progression and flexible working. At the same time, job seekers should gain new skills and be open-minded about upgrading their professional abilities especially in the face of constant technological changes in Taiwan." You can obtain a copy of the Robert Walters Salary Survey 2018 here. www.robertwalters.com.tw Notes to editors: Established in 1985, Robert Walters is one of the world's leading specialist professional recruitment consultancies spanning 28 countries and regions. The Taiwan office specialises in placing in the following specialities: accounting & finance, information technology, sales & marketing and supply chain, logistics & procurement. About the Salary Survey -- Now in its 19th edition, the Robert Walters annual Salary Survey is the most comprehensive review of professional salaries and recruitment trends around the world. The Greater China & South East Asia book consists of 9 countries/regions , is free, and covers mainland China , Hong Kong , Indonesia , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , Taiwan , Thailand and Vietnam . Our Salary Survey is based on the analysis of permanent, interim and contract placements made across each of our geographies and recruitment disciplines during 2017. Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20171128/2002042-1LOGO SOURCE Robert Walters

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[November 29, 2017] Investments in Digital Engineering to Drive Growth Within ER&D Market: Says Zinnov

BENGALURU, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- - Global ER&D spending stands in excess of USD 1 trillion, of which the G500 R&D spend alone is at USD 640-650 billion

- Automotive and Internet & Software companies account for 30-35% of the G500 R&D spend

- United States contributes 45% of the global R&D spend, followed by Europe and other geographies

- Investments in Digital Engineering is expected to grow at 15-20%, and will drive future Global ER&D spend Zinnov, a global management and strategy consulting firm, today released its study on the global rankings of Service Providers in the ER&D segment for 2017, titled, 'Zinnov Zones 2017 - Product Engineering Services', an analysis of the Global Engineering R&D landscape, evolving customer preferences, and assessment of Service Providers in this space. According to the study, the total corporate Engineering and R&D spend is pegged in excess of USD 1 trillion, and further growth is expected to be driven by investments in digital engineering. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130213/594614 )

From a geographical perspective, the report revealed that enterprises headquartered in the United States contribute to ~45% of the global R&D spend led by companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Intel, and MERCK & Co. European headquartered enterprises in comparison were a distant second, accounting for ~29% of the global R&D spend. Another perspective distilled was that R&D spending continues to stay highly consolidated, with top 100 R&D spenders accounting for two-thirds of the total R&D spend, with the dominant industry verticals being Automotive, Software/Internet, and Telecom. Interestingly, the top 100 R&D spenders saw nie new entrants, primarily from Software & Internet and Automotive verticals.



Speaking about the findings, Pari Natarajan, CEO, Zinnov, said, "Enterprises seek to drive agile product development, improve operational efficiencies, and enhance overall product ownership experience for end customers. As a consequence, they are investing in new-age technologies such as AI, Robotic Automation, Blockchain, Big Data, AR/VR, and 3D Printing. This in turn will drive growth in digital engineering spend, which is expected to grow annually by 15-20%. The reality is Service Providers who focus on embedding digital technologies with digital outcomes and build deep capabilities to drive change across enterprise-level architecture will succeed." The report also provided a perspective on how end customers' expectations are increasing significantly as they seek more differentiated capabilities across multiple areas. Aspects like competency across next-generation engineering technologies, differentiated business models, and ecosystem engagements are the most sought-after. This change is largely being driven by the Automotive, Industrial, Telecom, Software, and Medical verticals. To provide a more comprehensive study, in addition to the landscape overview, Zinnov also conducted an overall ranking of global services players in the Product Engineering space.

About Zinnov Zones for Product Engineering Services 2017: 'Zinnov Zones 2017 - Product Engineering Services' rates 40+ global Service Providers on their product engineering prowess. Service Providers were assessed based on multiple dimensions such as spread and maturity of delivery and services capabilities, scalability, growth rate, financials, innovation & IP, ecosystem linkages, and feedback from enterprise buyers. The ratings were done extensively across segments: Mechanical Engineering, Embedded Systems, and Software (Enterprise and Consumer) as well as verticals such as Aerospace, Automotive, Computer Peripherals and Storage, Construction and Heavy Machinery, Consumer Electronics, Energy & Utilities, Industrial Automation, Medical Devices, Semiconductor, Telecommunication and Transport to analyze a service provider's overall position. About Zinnov: Zinnov was founded in 2002, and is headquartered in Bangalore, with presence in Gurgaon, Silicon Valley, and Houston. Since its inception, Zinnov has built in-depth expertise in Product Engineering and Digital Transformation. They assist their clients by: - Research and strategy consulting for software service providers in the areas of Product Engineering and Digital Transformation;

- Enabling companies to develop and optimize a global engineering partner strategy to achieve higher throughput, innovation, productivity, and cost savings;

- Growing revenue for company's products and services in India and other emerging markets;

- Helping MNC GICs to consolidate their geographic footprint. With their team of experienced professionals and research teams, Zinnov serves clients across software, semiconductor, consumer electronics, automotive, storage, telecom & networking, healthcare, banking, financial services, and retail verticals in US, Europe, Japan, and India. For more information, visit http://zinnov.com Media Contact :

Nitika Goel

[email protected]

[email protected]

+91-9845016255

Director - Marketing, Zinnov



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[November 29, 2017] India's First Award for Design-led Entrepreneurship by TiE and QGLUE

NEW DELHI, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TiE Delhi - NCR and QGLUE (the design venture of QAI) announce awards that recognize entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ventures driven by Design, the first of its kind in the country.



Entrepreneurial ventures that are driven and led by design, with a special attention to the 'human-centred' approach to shaping business are the need of the hour, in this experience economy.

With so many great ideas, what makes a venture succeed is the undertaking of a journey that has empathy at the core of all its processes, balances business imperatives with technological feasibility, along with human needs and desires, ultimately impacting people. 21% of the global 'unicorn' start-ups across all sectors have co-founders who have embraced design or come from a design, arts or human-centred background including architecture, design, music visualization, fine arts, media arts. To acknowledge, appreciate and reward start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures that are led by design, QGLUE and TiE Delhi - NCR announce the 'Design-led Entrepreneurship Awards'.



The Jury, comprising eminent thought leaders and practitioners drawn from academia, industry and the design fraternity, will judge allentries based on the following:



How human-centred design played a role in the entrepreneurial roadmap

How empathy mode is exemplary in the development of activities

How the company proposes a transformation which favours the human situation The selected candidates will then pitch their ideas at TiEcon Delhi 2017 event, in December, and the winners will be recognised at the conference and their work will be highlighted and rewarded at the event. Further, design mentoring from acclaimed mentors would be given post the event to the winners. Applications can be registered here: http://excellenceawards.tiecon-delhi.org/design/





About QGLUE:

QGLUE is a design and innovation venture that uses design to help businesses build services that people love and impact the world around us. Using human-centred approach with robust methodology, QGLUE equips people to solve wicked problems by helping them reach a solution that is not just right, but also desirable with design at the heart of it all. QGLUE aims to evangelize design and innovation that makes the world better designed and people happier.

For more information, visit http://www.q-glue.com About TiE:

TiE is a non-profit, global community that welcomes entrepreneurs from all over the world. TiE believes in the power of ideas to change the face of entrepreneurship and growing business through the five pillars; mentoring, networking, education, incubating and funding. TiE was founded in 1992 by a group of successful entrepreneurs and is currently the world's largest entrepreneurial organization out there. With programs like TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) and Mentor Match, TiE is looking to reach out and foster the next generation of entrepreneurs.

For more information, visit http://www.tiecon-delhi.org/ (TiE - Delhi - NCR).

Media Contact:

Upasana Sharma

[email protected]

Phone: +91-9810078395

Director, TiE



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[November 29, 2017] ACAMS Translates CAMS into German and Announces Training Partnership with Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

The Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) is pleased to announce two strategic initiatives to support anti-financial crime professionals in Germany. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171128005211/en/ As part of its continued European expansion and ongoing commitment to developing ACAMS' member services throughout the region, ACAMS' globally recognized certified anti-money laundering specialist (CAMS) accreditation program has been translated into German and will be launched at Frankfurt School Verlag's Risiko Geldwasche 2017 conference on November 29, 2017. CAMS is widely regarded as a leader in the area of anti-money laundering certifications and recognized internationally by financial institutions, governments and regulators. ACAMS and Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (Frankfurt School) are also pleased to announce the formation of a strategic training partnership to support AML professionals in Germany preparing for the CAMS qualification. Frankfurt School's inaugural CAMS in German preparation training course will be held on March 21, 2018 with the first course graduates expected to take the examination at official testing centers across Germany in April. "We are delighted to enter into partnership with such a prestigious business school as Frankfurt School Verlag and to include them in ACAMS' network of international training partners," said Angela Salter, ACAMS' head of Europe. "We look forward to working closely with Frankfurt School to strengthen professionals' international anti-money laundering expertise through CAMS in German." "AML and financial crimes are global issues, and providing a globally recognized qualification, alongside local regulatory education, is very important to ACAMS," added Salter. "We continue to invest in growing services for ACAMS members throughout Europe and know that organizations want their AML/CTF/CDD and sanctions professionals to have a guaranteed level of competence evidenced by a robust global qualification. The German-speaking, anti-financial crime community is a very important market for ACAMS and this widens the global appeal of CAMS. ACAMS is proud to offer CAMS in a total of 11 languages." "As on of Europe's leading international business schools specializing in finance and compliance, we're delighted that the Frankfurt School will now offer training for the globally recognized CAMS certification in German and English," said Ms. Tina Vangelista, head of competence center governance and audit, professional and executive education, Frankfurt School. "This will sit alongside our established compliance and AML programming and confirms Frankfurt School's commitment to delivering innovative and high-quality training that complements our well-established certification 'Certified Compliance Professional' (CCP)."



About Adtalem Global Education The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Carrington College, Chamberlain University, DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit adtalem.com.

About the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) ACAMS is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. The organization's purpose is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. ACAMS is the largest international membership organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and skills of anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crime professionals from a wide range of industries, with extensive resources designed to develop and sharpen the skills required for superior job performance and career advancement. Its CAMS certification is the most widely recognized AML certification among compliance professionals worldwide. Visit acams.org for more information. In addition to English, ACAMS also offers CAMS in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. About the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is a research-led business school accredited by EQUIS and AACSB International. Frankfurt School offers educational program covering financial, economic and management subjects, including Bachelor and Master degrees, various MBAs and a doctoral program, executive education, certified courses of study, open seminars and training courses for professionals, as well as seminars and workshops for those in vocational training. In their research, the members of Frankfurt School's faculty explore topical aspects of business, management, banking and finance. Frankfurt School experts also manage advisory and training projects on financial matters in emerging markets and developing countries, especially on topics related to microfinance and renewable energy finance. Frankfurt School's Master of Finance program is the only German-language Master degree in finance to appear in the current Financial Times (News - Alert) ranking (at number 28 in June 2017). In the latest ranking of German-language higher-education program by German weekly business magazine Wirtschaftswoche, Frankfurt School ranked seventh in the Business Studies category. In addition to its campus in Frankfurt, Frankfurt School has study centers in Hamburg and Munich, as well as international offices in Ankara (Turkey), Beijing (China), Mumbai (India) and Nairobi (Kenya). It is a globally connected business school with over 125 partner universities. For more details see www.frankfurt-school.de. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171128005211/en/

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[November 29, 2017] Edge Computing: All Connected, All Intelligent - Edge Computing Industry Summit 2017 Successfully Held in Beijing

BEIJING, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Edge Computing Industry Summit 2017, hosted by the Edge Computing Consortium (ECC), was held in Beijing today. The summit is the world's most influential edge computing industry event. This year, the summit was themed on "Edge Computing: All Connected, All Intelligent" and attracted more than 600 top industry experts, enterprise leaders, industry analysts, and customers from Europe, the United States, and China. By facilitating the comprehensive discussion and demonstration of cutting-edge, innovative technologies and applications of edge computing, this summit promoted the construction of the edge computing industry ecosystem and rapid development of the edge computing industry. Discussing Industry Development and Seizing New Opportunities for Edge Computing As the Internet and IoT develop rapidly, the era of connectivity of everything has opened the curtain. By centering on intelligent connectivity of everything, edge computing meets the critical needs of industry digitalization in connectivity, timeliness, intelligence, data optimization, security, and privacy protection. At present, edge computing has become an indispensable element in the digital transformation of industries, and industrial development has entered a period of important opportunities. Edge Computing Industry Summit 2017 includes a main forum and two industry forums: "Edge Intelligence: Momentous Industrial Development" and "Edge Intelligence: Making New Businesses Agile". International experts from the International Data Corporation (IDC), Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), and Fraunhofer FOKUS, as well as ECC members including Huawei, Shenyang Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Intel made 12 keynote speeches and 16 technical sharing speeches at this summit. From the perspectives of business, technology, and ecosystem, the speakers discussed how to grasp the trends and development opportunities of the edge computing industry, promote industrial digital transformation, and achieve rapid growth in the age of connectivity of everything. Devoting to Business Implementation and Demonstrating Inovative Edge Computing Applications



On November 30, 2016, the ECC was officially founded at the first Edge Computing Industry Summit. After only one year, 154 members have joined the ECC. Members include leading enterprises from smart manufacturing, smart city, energy & power, and information and communications technology (ICT) industries, as well as research institutes and universities in related fields. The ECC is operated through horizontal working groups and vertical industry committees. By co-building joint test beds, the ECC develops innovative edge computing solutions, explores industry values, and promotes application implementation, thereby helping ECC members to achieve business success. To date, the ECC has completed 21 test bed solutions. At this summit, the exhibition hall spanned more than 600 square meters for demonstrating and experiencing innovative edge computing applications. It showcased 14 test beds and innovative solutions jointly constructed by Huawei, Shenyang Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Intel, iSoftStone, Honeywell, SIASUN, National Instruments (NI), Works Systems, HollySys, ICE Tech, Wapwag, Sansitech, 360 Enterprise Security Group, 15th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), and Vrgvtech, covering industries such as smart factory, smart machine tool, intelligent robot for manufacturing, smart security, smart water, smart pole system, smart grid, smart industrial park, cyber security, and public security. Through visualized demonstration and on-site interaction, the exhibition presented visitors with the latest application practices and business values of edge computing for various industries.

Leading EC-IoT Development and Releasing Edge Computing Reference Architecture 2.0 (ECRA 2.0) Since its establishment, the ECC has regarded system architecture development and technical route selection as important driving forces for the development of the edge computing industry. Using ECRA 2.0 to provide cross-industry designs, the ECC is oriented towards customers' requirements, best industry practices, and business success. In addition, by streamlining resources of the government, enterprises, academies, research institutes and customers, the ECC promotes open cooperation and collaboration of technical architectures, standards, solutions, and applications. As an important achievement for driving innovations, ECC Edge Computing Reference Architecture 2.0 was officially released at this summit. This document focuses on the concept, characteristics, and benefits of edge computing, and presents the Edge Computing Reference Architecture from the concept view, function design view, and deployment view. Additionally, the document proposes to develop a model-driven, intelligent, distributed open architecture to achieve a simplified architecture, automated and visualized OT & ICT (OICT) facilities, and intelligent collaboration between resource services and industry business requirements. Such hierarchical, open architecture helps promote cross-industry eco-collaboration and quickly incubate products to provide guidance for R&D, application innovation, and industry development of edge computing technologies. Carrying out Strategic Cooperation and Building an Open Industry Ecosystem To promote the collaboration of industry resources and lead the development of the edge computing industry, the ECC is committed to building an open ecosystem and actively communicating and cooperating with third-party standards organizations and international industry organizations. Currently, the ECC has established formal cooperation relationships with the IIC, SDN/NFV Industry Alliance, Chinese Association of Automation (CAA), and Avnu Alliance, and offers all-round cooperation in terms of standards formulation, joint innovation, and commercial promotion. At this summit, the ECC and Alliance of Industrial Internet (AII) formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which announced that both parties would cooperate in research reports/white papers, test platforms/test beds, technical standards, and market promotion in the future. The ECC also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with International Solid State Lighting Alliance (ISA) and Telematics Industry Application Alliance (TIAA) to promote application innovation, standards formulation, and commercial implementation of edge computing in smart lighting and intelligent vehicle-mount fields. In addition, the ECC announced that it would jointly hold Symposium on Edge Computing (SEC) China 2018 with Xidian University and Edge Computing Professional Committee of CAA to provide communication and cooperation with the industry, academia, and other related fields. The SEC-China 2018 will become a platform for publishing cutting-edge scientific research achievements in the field, thus vigorously promoting the development of the edge computing technology and industry in China. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612244/ECC.jpg

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[November 29, 2017] Crozdesk Releases SaaS and Cloud Startup Report 2018

LONDON, November 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Software comparison site Crozdesk publishes 2018 roundup report on the SaaS and cloud ecosystems

Crozdesk, the business software discovery platform, released its SaaS and Cloud Startup Report 2018 focussed on funding statistics, rankings, key trends for 2018, etc. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/612053/Crozdesk_SaaS_Report_2018.jpg )

The report takes an in-depth look at the SaaS and cloud economy, analyzing over 19k companies and more than 20k funding rounds globally. It features an overview of market value projections and funding patterns within the SaaS and cloud industries and includes a ranking of the top 25 cloud startup ecosystems incl. relative size, and growth speed metrics. It also details the key trends, considerations and cloud adoption level predictions for 2018. The geographical analysis of the world's biggest startup ecosystems, is the corefocus of the 34 page report.



Some interesting findings: -- 8 of the 10 largest SaaS and Cloud Startup ecosystems are in the United States.

-- London and Tel Aviv are the only 2 areas in the Top 10 outside of the US. -- Nearly 89% of the world's SaaS and cloud financing went to US companies. -- The Bay Area is a real powerhouse of the cloud economy with nearly 1/6 of global company headquarters and well over 1/3 of sector funding. -- Companies based in California, received about 45% of global sector funding (9 times the European total).

While the majority of investment deals in the US happen in the investors' states of residence, even out-of-state investments tend to neglect the midwest and general heartland in favour of the western and north-eastern coasts of the country. The funding and relative growth speed mismatch across ecosystems illustrates the location importance for new businesses. "The disparity of growth speeds across the world's cloud ecosystems is staggering. We were surprised to see the degree to which investor location loyalty and access to talent can drive success in the SaaS and cloud space." Nicholas Hopper, Crozdesk CEO For free access to the full SaaS and Cloud Startup Report 2018, please visit: https://crozdesk.com/software-research/saas-and-cloud-startup-report-2018 About Crozdesk.com Crozdesk.com is a business software discovery portal. Through its search & comparison service it is quick and easy to find software applications for virtually any purpose. With over 200 categories of software, Crozdesk offers one of the most comprehensive software comparison resources on the web.

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[November 29, 2017] Mobivity CEO, Dennis Becker to Present at LD Micro Investor Conference on December 6th at 1:00 pm PT

PHOENIX, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mobivity Holdings Corp. (OTCQB:MFON), creators of the award-winning platform for intelligent and personalized marketing in the real world, announced today that its CEO and Chairman, Dennis Becker, will present at the LD MICRO Main Event investor conference being held at the Luxe Sunset, Los Angeles, on December 5-7, 2017.

Mr. Becker will present on Wednesday, December 6th at 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET. The presentation will be webcast live and available for replay at wsw.com/webcast/ldmicro13/mfon. The replay will be available for 90 days following the live broadcast at ir.mobivity.com. In addition, Mr. Becker will be having one-on-one meetings with institutional investors throughout the event. If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting, please contact either LD Micro or Robert Prag, President of The Del Mar Consulting Group, Inc. at (858) 794-9500 or [email protected]/a>.



About Mobivity Mobivity provides a platform for intelligent and personalized marketing in the real world. Real world customer activity in national restaurants, retailers, and personal care brands is difficult to track and connect to digital actions. Mobivity leverages detailed purchase data and communications platforms to improve business results by understanding, predicting, and influencing consumer behavior. We drive better actions and inform decisions by connecting point of sale outcomes to the events and influences that caused them. For more information about Mobivity, visit mobivity.com, or call (877) 282-7660.

About LD Micro LD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. We are investors, first and foremost. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential conferences annually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event). In 2015, LD Micro launched ldmicro.com as a portal to provide exclusive intraday information on the entire sector, including the first pure microcap index (LDMi) which covers stocks in North America with market capitalizations between $50-$300m. For more information, please visit www.ldmicro.com. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Mobivity Holdings Corp. within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those forward-looking statements include statements regarding the benefits of recent additions to the Companys management team; the Companys expectations for the growth of the Company's operations and revenue; and the advantages and growth prospects of the mobile marketing industry. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual circumstances, events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include, but are not limited to, our ability to successfully integrate our recent additions to management; our ability to develop the sales force required to achieve our development and revenue goals; our ability to raise additional working capital as and when needed; changes in the laws and regulations affecting the mobile marketing industry and those other risks set forth in Mobivity Holdings Corp.'s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2017 and subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Mobivity Holdings Corp. cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Mobivity Holdings Corp. does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur. MEDIA CONTACTS: Mobivity Investor Relations: Robert B. Prag, President, The Del Mar Consulting Group, Inc.  (858) 794-9500

Scott Wilfong, President, Alex Partners, LLC  (425) 242-0891 Mobivity Contact: Dennis Becker, Chairman and CEO, Mobivity  (877) 282-7660

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[November 29, 2017] Cubic Awarded $61 Million Contract to Continue Support of US Army's Joint Readiness Training Center

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB) today announced that its Cubic Global Defense (CGD) business division was awarded a contract worth more than $61 million from the U.S. Army Contracting Command to support rotational and pre-deployment training exercises at the U.S. Army's Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). The awarded amount is for the combined one-year phase-in and base period with four additional option years. Cubic will perform work in Fort Polk, Louisiana with an estimated completion date of November 24, 2022. Cubic will continue to assist the JRTC with integrating U.S. and allied forces into rotational training exercises through scenarios focused on Decisive Action and theater-specific operational environments. These types of exercises are conducted for units targeted for deployment in support of ongoing military operations overseas and include situational training, live fire, force-on-force and integrated live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training. Cubic also provides expanded Role Play, technical supprt for combat training instrumentation, battlefield effects, video and cultural role players for added realism.



"We are very pleased with the opportunity to continue our support for the JRTC," said Bill David, vice president and program manager of JRTC, Cubic Global Defense. "Effective training is imperative to ensure the mission readiness of our Army's combat teams and we are very proud of the Army's continued confidence in our longstanding partnership." "Cubic has assisted the Army with training for its combat teams and soldiers since 2001," said Dave Buss, president of Cubic Global Defense. "We look forward to providing our world-class services to further enhance the training experiences of U.S. and allied forces."

The JRTC is the U.S. Army's premier Combat Training Center, providing advanced collective training for a wide variety of units, including Brigade Combat Teams and Special Forces Operational Detachments. These units include conventional airborne, air assault, light infantry, mechanized infantry and armored units, as well as Special Operations Forces from all service components. Units training at JRTC include active-duty, reserve, and National Guard. Forces from other nations also participate in JRTC rotational training exercises. About Cubic Corporation Cubic is a market-leading, technology provider of integrated solutions that increase situational understanding for transportation, defense C4ISR and training customers worldwide to decrease urban congestion and improve the militaries' effectiveness and operational readiness. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services to create intelligent travel solutions for transportation authorities and operators. Cubic Mission Solutions provides networked Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities for defense, intelligence, security and commercial missions. Cubic Global Defense is a leading provider of live, virtual, constructive and game-based training solutions, special operations and intelligence for the U.S. and allied forces. For more information about Cubic, please visit the company's website at www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cubic-awarded-61-million-contract-to-continue-support-of-us-armys-joint-readiness-training-center-300563391.html SOURCE Cubic Corporation

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[November 29, 2017] VIDEO: Communities First Financial Corporation, CEO & President, Steve Miller, Featured in OTCQX Video Series

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Communities First Financial Corporation (OTCQX: CFST) CEO & President Steve Miller was interviewed by OTC Markets Group (OTCQX: OTCM) in its prominent OTCQX Video Series. The series features one-on-one interviews with senior executives of OTCQX companies as they showcase their businesses and investment profiles. In the interview, Steve Miller discusses: The bank's unique approach of using technology to provide the best possible service to its customers, while controlling its costs

The company's role as an active member of the local community along with its ability to better understand the market, including the hybrid equity crowd funding model which allows CFST to provide financing to startups sooner

How trading on OTCQX Banks has correlated to increased trading volume in the company's shares, along with enhanced visibility To watch the complete interview, visit OTC Markets Group's YouTube page at https://youtu.be/6tb8t471tIs. About Communities First Financial

Communities First Financial Corporation("Communities First") is the parent holding company of Fresno First Bank, a community bank incorporated on July 14, 2005 and dedicated to meeting the banking needs of businesses, professionals, and successful individuals in Central California.



About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed The information contained in this press release and in the video to which it refers is provided "as is" for educational and informational purposes only, and should not serve as the basis for any trading or investing decisions. OTC Markets Group makes no representations and disclaims all express, implied and statutory warranties of any kind to any viewer or third party. Neither OTC Markets Group nor any of its affiliates makes any endorsement of any particular company, security, product or financial strategy, and nothing contained in this video should be construed as investment advice. Investors should undertake their own diligence and carefully evaluate companies before investing. Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/video-communities-first-financial-corporation-ceo--president-steve-miller-featured-in-otcqx-video-series-300563351.html SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

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[November 29, 2017] Protalix BioTherapeutics Completes Enrollment in Phase II Clinical Trial of OPRX-106 in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

CARMIEL, Israel, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American:PLX) (TASE:PLX), announced today the completion of enrollment in the Companys phase II clinical trial evaluating OPRX-106, the Companys oral antiTNF product candidate, in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). OPRX-106 is the Companys proprietary plant cell-expressed recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor II fused to an IgG1 Fc domain (TNFRII-Fc). When administered orally and while passing through the digestive tract, the plant cells function as a natural delivery capsule, having the unique attribute of a cellulose cell wall, which makes them resistant to degradation compared to proteins produced via mammalian cell expression systems. The Company expects to report top-line results from this study in the first quarter of 2018.

Despite a number of approved treatments for ulcerative colitis, there remains a large unmet medical need in this patient population, said Mr. Moshe Manor, Protalixs President and Chief Executive Officer. We look forward to reporting initial results from our phase II study, which may provide proof of concept data not only for OPRX-106 in the treatment of UC, but also for our oral-delivery protein technology. If successful, OPRX-106 will be the first ever oral protein treatment, as currently there are no other oral recombinant protein treatments available. The phase II clinical trial is a randomized, open label, 2-arm study of OPRX-106 in 19 patients with active mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. Patients have been randomized to receive 2 mg or 8 mg of OPRX-106 protein administered orally, once daily, for 8 weeks. Key efficacy endpoints of the study, in addition to safety, include relevant disease parameters of the drug, including Mayo score and rectal bleeding. About Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. Protalix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of recombinant therapeutic proteins expressed through its proprietary plant cell-based expression system, ProCellEx. Protalixs unique expression system presents a proprietary method for developing recombinant proteins in a cost-effective, industrial-scale manner. Protalixs first product manufactured by ProCellEx, taliglucerase alfa, was approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2012 and, subsequenty, by the regulatory authorities of other countries. Protalix has licensed to Pfizer Inc. the worldwide development and commercialization rights for taliglucerase alfa, excluding Brazil, where Protalix retains full rights. Protalixs development pipeline includes the following product candidates: pegunigalsidase alfa, a modified version of the recombinant human alpha-GAL-A protein for the treatment of Fabry disease; OPRX-106, an orally-delivered anti-inflammatory treatment; alidornase alfa for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis; and others. Protalix has entered into an ex-United States partnership with Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. for the development and commercialization of pegunigalsidase alfa. Protalix maintains full rights to pegunigalsidase alfa in the United States.



Forward-Looking Statements To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, all such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The terms expect, anticipate, believe, estimate, project, plan, should and intend and other words or phrases of similar import are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future experience and results to differ materially from the statements made. These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations as to such future outcomes. Drug discovery and development involve a high degree of risk. Factors that might cause material differences include, among others: risks related to the ultimate purchase by Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz of alfataliglicerase pursuant to the stated purchase intentions of the Brazilian Ministry of Health of the stated amounts, if at all; risks related to the successful conclusion of our negotiations with the Brazilian Ministry of Health regarding the purchase of alfataliglicerase generally; risks related to our commercialization efforts for alfataliglicerase in Brazil; risks relating to the compliance by Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz with its purchase obligations and related milestones under our supply and technology transfer agreement; risks related to our ability to maintain and manage our relationship with Chiesi Farmaceutici and any other collaborator, distributor or partner; risks related to the amount and sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents; risks related to the amount of our future revenues, operations and expenditures; failure or delay in the commencement or completion of our preclinical and clinical trials which may be caused by several factors, including: slower than expected rates of patient recruitment; unforeseen safety issues; determination of dosing issues; lack of effectiveness during clinical trials; inability to monitor patients adequately during or after treatment; inability or unwillingness of medical investigators and institutional review boards to follow our clinical protocols; and lack of sufficient funding to finance clinical trials; the risk that the results of the clinical trials of our product candidates will not support our claims of superiority, safety or efficacy, that our product candidates will not have the desired effects or will be associated with undesirable side effects or other unexpected characteristics; risks relating to our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on or to refinance our outstanding notes or any other indebtedness; our dependence on performance by third party providers of services and supplies, including without limitation, clinical trial services; delays in our preparation and filing of applications for regulatory approval; delays in the approval or potential rejection of any applications we file with the FDA or other health regulatory authorities, and other risks relating to the review process; our ability to identify suitable product candidates and to complete preclinical studies of such product candidates; the inherent risks and uncertainties in developing drug platforms and products of the type we are developing; the impact of development of competing therapies and/or technologies by other companies and institutions; potential product liability risks, and risks of securing adequate levels of product liability and other necessary insurance coverage; and other factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The statements in this press release are valid only as of the date hereof and we disclaim any obligation to update this information, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact Marcy Nanus

The Trout Group, LLC

646-378-2927

[email protected]

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[November 29, 2017] 12 ReTech Corporation Launches its Retail Omni-Channel Technology Solution in a Pilot Project with Switzerland's Largest Department Store Chain Manor A.G.

12 Europe A.G. Recruits Manor A.G. and Demonstrates the Potential that Europe Represents for 12 ReTechs Omni-Channel Retail Technology

Carson City, NV & Hong Kong, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 12 ReTech Corporation (OTC: RETC) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary 12 Europe A.G. has signed the giant Swiss department store retailer Manor, A.G. as a pilot customer for the Company's proprietary and licensed Omni-Channel 12 Technology Suite. The agreement with Manor A.G. begins with a pilot project to install the 12 Technology Suite at one of its flagship department stores in German-speaking Switzerland. When the Company's products demonstrate a sales lift as well as expense and cost improvements to Manor A.G., the Company will look to install the 12 Technology Suite throughout their stores. Manor A.G. is the largest department store chain in Switzerland. They have over 60 locations and employ more than 10,000 personnel. It is estimated that they hold a larger than 60% market share for department store retail sales in Switzerland. Angelo Ponzetta, 12 ReTech's CEO, commented, Manor is interested in deploying several pieces of our 12 Technology Suite. First is the 12 Display that would be used inside of the Manor property to advertise products and offers that Manor wants to put in front of their customers. Second is the 12 Window, which would be used to entice shoppers into the Manor department stores. Third is the 12 Mirror with the associated 12 Mobile-App, which shoppers would use to get information about products that they are interested in and share their experience with their social media networks. Stefan Guggisberg, 12 Europe A.G.'s CEO, stated, "Generating incremental in-store traffic and winning additional sales is of paramount importance to all retailers around the globe, and Manor A.G. is no exception. We are proud of the fact they have recognized that 12 ReTech has the technology and expertise to assist them to reach these important goals. Mr. Ponzetta added, The financial details of the arrangement regarding the adoption of the 12 Technology Suite by Manor A.G. has not been disclosed for competitive reasons, although I can disclose that we are being paid for our equipment, licensing and integration efforts. We look forward to our future relationship with Manor A.G. and will work towards our expansion into aditional stores.



About Manor A.G. Manor enlivens the cities of Switzerland - in Basel on the Greifengasse, in Zurich on the Bahnhofstrasse, in Geneva on the Rue Cornavin, in Baden on the Schlossbergplatz and in Locarno on the Piazza Grande. As the largest and most successful department store group in Switzerland, they welcome customers and employees to the most attractive locations in the country. Headquartered in Basel, Manor AG is the Swiss market leader in department stores with a market share of around 60 percent. The company, which is represented in all parts of the country, employs around 10,200 people and currently trains 420 apprentices. The Manor Group includes 63 department stores, 32 Manor Food Markets, and 45 restaurants. Manor AG's sales are distributed across the non-food (69%), food (27%) and restaurant (4%) segments. In total, Manor stocks over one million items from around 6,000 suppliers worldwide. Of these, around 690 are local producers who deliver seasonal and local produce to the Manor Food markets.

About 12 ReTech Corporation 12 ReTech Corporation (OTC: RETC) Leading the Profitable Convergence of Traditional and Online Retail C ommerce Through Technology - The Omni-Channel Solution. We are a publicly listed holding company whose operating subsidiaries develop, improve, acquire and/or license technologies designed to bridge the convergence between real world "Brick and Mortar" stores with effective Online retailing, creating a new, fun and exciting way of transacting C ommerce. For Retailers, our products bring more Consumers into physical and/or online stores, encouraging them to purchase more by improving their overall shopping experiences while lowering both the Retailer's costs of customer acquisition and the costs of employee training. This is Empowered Shopping. We enhance shareholder value by acquiring Micro-Brands that can greatly increase revenue and earnings by applying and using our proprietary technologies. These Micro-Brands give us access to sell our technologies to Major Retailers around the globe. We are the Omni-Channel Solution : throughout history 12 is a symbolic number" and ReTech stands for "Retail Technology". Our subsidiaries 12 Japan Limited and 12 Europe, A.G. operate under the guidance of our main technology subsidiary 12 Hong Kong Limited. Our Micro-Brands operate under the leadership of our U.S. based subsidiary 12 Retail Corporation. For more information about our products, technologies and/or Micro-Brands visit our website at: www.12ReTech.com 12 ReTech Corporation is publicly listed in the United States on the OTC Markets under the symbol: RETC. Safe Harbor: This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its turnaround strategy, changes in costs of raw materials, labor, and employee benefits, as well as general market conditions, competition and pricing. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this letter will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. In assessing forward-looking statements included herein, readers are urged to carefully read those statements. When used in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, the words "estimate," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions are intended to be forward-looking statements. Tom Nelson Ten Associates, LLC [email protected] 1-480-326-8577 (USA) Investor Relations [email protected]

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[November 29, 2017] Majority of Small Businesses Don't Necessarily Follow Mandatory Cloud Storage Security Regulations

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 60% of small businesses that store customer credit card and banking information in cloud storage say they do not follow industry regulations to secure their cloud storage, according to a new survey from Clutch, a B2B research, ratings, and reviews firm. Among small businesses that store medical data, 54% say they don't follow cloud storage industry regulations. The finding suggests that small businesses may be putting sensitive consumer data at risk. Two industry regulations  the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)  are required for businesses that store banking information or medical data. Businesses found to be non-compliant with these two regulations can be fined millions of dollars. Despite the risks, 90% of small businesses are either "very" or "somewhat" confident in their cloud storage's security, a 3% increase from 2016. Small businesses can improve their cloud storage security by adding additional security measures. Over half of small businesses surveyed use encryption (60%), employee training (58%), or two-factor authentication (53%) to protect their cloud storage. Experts point out that nearly all small businesses should be using additional security measures though. Ghazanfar Ghori, CTO of 10Pearls, a software and mobile app development agency, said some small businesses' security measures aren't used effectively. For example, a company passwrd policy, requiring complex passwords with regular updates, can be compromised by negligent employees.



"People will write [the new password] down on a sticky note instead and stick it on their locker for everyone to see," said Ghori. Ghori recommends that companies strive for seamlessly integrated security plans to minimize employee error. Security measures such as two-factor authentication and encryption cannot be compromised easily by employee error.

Patrick R., Head of Strategy at Intuz, a mobile app development and cloud solutions company, discussed the strength of encryption. "Encryption provides security to data at all times. Encryption works during data transport or at rest, making it an ideal solution no matter where data is stored or how it is used." Despite the potential risks, cloud storage offers numerous benefits for small businesses, said experts. When used properly, cloud storage can even provide more effective security for small businesses than an on-premise solution. Cloud storage simplifies security for small businesses with limited resources, says Istvan Lam, CEO of Tresorit, an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage provider for businesses. "The integrated features and security features that come with cloud storage [are valuable], like two-factor authentication being offered out-of-the-box," said Lam. "How would a small business set that up for their employees with their on-premise system?" The Clutch survey included 300 IT decision makers at U.S. small businesses that currently use cloud storage. Review the complete report and source the survey data https://clutch.co/cloud/storage/resources/cloud-storage-providers-security-survey-2017. For the raw data, a comment on the findings, or an introduction to the industry experts featured in the report, contact Riley Panko at [email protected]. About Clutch

A B2B research, ratings, and reviews firm in the heart of Washington, DC, Clutch connects small and medium businesses with the best-fit agencies, software, or consultants they need to tackle business challenges together and with confidence. Clutch's methodology compares business service providers and software in a specific market based on verified client reviews, services offered, work quality, and market presence. Contact

Riley Panko

(202) 899-2779

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majority-of-small-businesses-dont-necessarily-follow-mandatory-cloud-storage-security-regulations-300563439.html SOURCE Clutch

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[November 29, 2017] PillPack Welcomes Jim Messina to Board of Directors

SOMERVILLE, Mass., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PillPack, the largest e-commerce pharmacy in the United States, announced today that Jim Messina, President and CEO of The Messina Group and former Deputy Chief of Staff and 2012 Campaign Manager to President Obama, has been appointed to its Board of Directors. Simultaneously, PillPack is appointing Dr. Lawrence H. Summers, the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University and the 71st Secretary of the Treasury for President Clinton, as a strategic advisor to the Company. Mr. Messina is widely credited as the mastermind behind President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and is well known for merging technology and politics in a way that was both unpredictable and unprecedented. PillPack partnered with Mr. Messina and his firm beginning in 2015 to navigate systemic industry challenges, such as securing access to insurance networks and working productively with pharmacy benefit managers. TJ Parker, co-founder and CEO of PillPack, stated, "PillPack has always advocated for a more open, competitive pharmacy market. This will spur new business models, drive down prices, and be better for customers. Jim has been an ally from the beginning. He helped PillPack become, today, the only independent pharmacy with nationwide home-delivery. Adding Jim to the Board gives us a strategic advantage in a rapidly shifting industry." Read more from Dr. Parker on Medium. Mr. Messina commented, "Defending access to healthcare has been a defining part of my career to date. Working with PillPack, I've seen that pharmacy is an underpowered lever to help lower costs and improve health outcomes. PillPack has a clear vision to change this model. As a Director, I'll help them create an operating environment that benefits not only PillPack, but all consumers of healthcare." Former Treasury Secretary Dr. Lawrence H. Summers is one of America's leading economists. Dr. Summers served as Director of the White House National Economic Council in the Obama Administration, as President of Harvard University, and as the Chief Economist of the World Bank. He currently serves as Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard and on the board of two cutting edge financial services startupsSquare and Lending Cluband also serves on the board of Premise.



Yvonne Hao, Chief Financial and Operating Officer of PillPack, commented, "Dr. Summers is one of the world's most thoughtful academics on public health, health incentives, and economic models of care delivery. His expertise and insight will help PillPack move from a convenient solution to a transformational actor." Dr. Summers commented, "PillPack has a compelling vision, rooted in a belief that financial incentives should be oriented around the best outcome for the customer. I look forward to working with the team as they catalyze changes in this industry over the coming months and years."

Mr. Messina joins as an independent director and is filling a previously vacant seat. Dr. Summers joins the Company's growing strategic advisory group. About Jim Messina: As the mastermind behind President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign, Jim Messina seized the reins on what Bloomberg Businessweek dubbed "the highest-wattage crash course in executive management ever undertaken"and succeeded, earning the President another term in the White House. With the guidance of technology's foremost leaders, Jim abandoned every step of a traditional presidential campaign and merged technology and politics in a way that was both unpredictable and unprecedented. Jim's strategies established the modern presidential campaignGoogle's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt called it "the best-run campaign ever." The American Association of Political Consultants later crowned him the Campaign Strategist of the Year. Jim has since gone on to advise international Presidents and Prime Ministers including David Cameron, Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto, Argentina's Mauricio Macri, Italy's Matteo Renzi and in 2016 helped Spain's President Mariano Rajoy win a surprising re-election margin. In 2013, Messina also launched The Messina Group. In this role, Messina provides strategic consulting to businesses around the world. The firm has been involved in winning public policy campaigns on six continents. Clients include Uber, Airbnb, Hutchison Whampoa, and over 70 others. About Lawrence H. Summers: Dr. Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus of Harvard University. During the past two decades, he has served in a series of senior policy positions in Washington, D.C., including the 71st Secretary of the Treasury for President Clinton, Director of the National Economic Council for President Obama and Vice President of Development Economics and Chief Economist of the World Bank. He received a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1975 and was awarded a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1982. In 1983, he became one of the youngest individuals in recent history to be named as a tenured member of the Harvard University faculty. In 1987, Mr. Summers became the first social scientist ever to receive the annual Alan T. Waterman Award of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and in 1993 he was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, given every two years to the outstanding American economist under the age of 40. He is currently the Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard University and the Weil Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at Harvard's Kennedy School. He and his wife Elisa New, a professor of English at Harvard, reside in Brookline and have six children. About PillPack: PillPack is the largest e-commerce pharmacy in the US. The company delivers a better, simpler experience through convenient packaging, modern technology, and personalized service. PillPack uses PharmacyOS, a software platform created entirely in-house, to help manage each customer's medications, coordinate refills and renewals, and make sure each shipment is sent on time. Learn more at pillpack.com/press. Contact:

Jacquelyn Miller

[email protected]

(617) 545-5122 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pillpack-welcomes-jim-messina-to-board-of-directors-300563562.html SOURCE PillPack

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[November 29, 2017] Now is the Time to Sign Up for Health Insurance

MISSION, Kan., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) The time to sign up for 2018 health coverage is here, and unlike previous years, there is only one deadline. The Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment period starts on Nov. 1 and runs until Dec.15. During Open Enrollment, you can enroll for health insurance or, if you already have coverage, you can re-enroll for 2018 coverage.

Photo Courtesy of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4399150-34f2-4943-b66d-87ace6a0ed8b



If you currently have a plan from CuidadoDeSalud.gov, the Open Enrollment period is the time for you to compare plans to make sure you have the best plan for you. This is the only time you can change your health insurance plan. Visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov today to shop and compare plans and find out if you qualify for assistance. Marketplace plans cover a range of services, including preventive care, doctors visits, prescriptions and hospitalizations. Even if you were enrolled last year, you should still visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov to shop and compare plans. You might find a plan that better fits your needs. CuidadoDeSalud.gov has tools to help you figure out which plan will work best for you for the upcoming year, and you can see if you qualify for assistance.

Remember, if you want health coverage in 2018 enroll by Dec. 15. While online at CuidadoDeSalud.gov is the easiest way to apply, select the right plan, and enroll all in one sitting, you can also call 1-800-318-2596 for help. Dont wait until it is too late to be covered. Visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 to shop for the best plan for you. Enroll by Dec. 15. 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.

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[November 29, 2017] ProxToMe Announces Technology Partnership with ForgeRock

ProxToMe, a company that provides proximity-based authentication for the Internet of Things, today announced the technology partnership with ForgeRock, the leading platform provider of digital identity management solutions. ProxToMe becomes part of the ForgeRock Trust Network, the program that ForgeRock has created to respond in collaboration with partners to the increasing market demand for next-generation identity management technology and solutions. "ProxToMe extends our ecosystem and adds exciting capability to our Identity Platform with their unique technology to connect people with things and authentication," says Ben Goodman, Vice President, Global Strategy and Innovation at ForgeRock. "Our customers will benefit from enabling high assurance proximity based security interactions between mobile users and IoT devices." ProxToMe's goal is to secure in-person user-to-machine interactions from man-in-the-middle attacks. An issue that is arising as smartphones replace keys, badges, payment cards, and become the authenticator to most of the surrounding touch points. "We're very excited to partner with ForgeRock to create seamless authentication experiences for its customers across different IoT verticals," says Carlo Capello, CEO at ProxToMe. "Our technology is at the forefront of providing new proximity-based identity assurance solutions, and ForgeRock is strategic for us to best address industry stakeholders from FinTech, Automotive, Enterprise, and other IoT verticals."



ForgeRock announced Trust Network, and ProxToMe as launch partner, today during the Gartner (News - Alert) Identity & Access Management Summit 2017, Las Vegas. About ProxToMe

ProxToMe is committed to making mobile interaction with smart things simple, safe, and scalable through its patented, proximity-based, identity assurance technology. ProxToMe's goal is to secure user-to-machine interactions from man-in-the-middle attacks while delivering frictionless, cross-platform user experience. ProxToMe can be leveraged to authenticate users to mission-critical IoT devices including ATMs, payment terminals, gaming machines, connected vehicles, door locks, parcel delivery lockers, and many others. Currently part of the Wells Fargo Startup Accelerator in San Francisco, ProxToMe has recently won the Accenture (News - Alert) ConsumerTech Awards - Millennial Driver category - in Singapore. Learn more about ProxToMe at http://proxtome.com/. About ForgeRock ForgeRock, the leader in digital identity management, transforms how organizations build trusted relationships with people, services, and things. Monetise customer relationships, address stringent regulations for privacy and consent (GDPR, PSD2, Open Banking, etc), and leverage the internet of things with ForgeRock. We serve hundreds of brands, including Morningstar, Vodafone, Toyota, TomTom (News - Alert), and Pearson, as well as governments like Norway, Canada, and Belgium. www.forgerock.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005710/en/

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[November 29, 2017] NSS Labs Adds Dina Bruzek as Senior Vice President of Products

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NSS Labs, Inc., a global leader and trusted source for independent, fact-based cybersecurity guidance, today announced that Dina Bruzek has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Products. In this role, Dina will execute the product strategy across the companys engineering and product management groups delivering on the CAWS Continuous Security Validation Platform. Dina Bruzek has joined NSS Labs as Senior Vice President of Products. In this role, Dina will execute the product strategy across the companys engineering and product management groups delivering on the CAWS Continuous Security Validation Platform.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a12d83a3-9edc-4167-be82-237dcab8119c Dina brings a wealth of experience driving the development of market-leading cybersecurity products, said Vikram Phaak, CEO of NSS Labs. Her expertise as a global product leader for enterprise-class security products will help to accelerate the delivery of NSS Labs Continuous Security Validation platform, enabling enterprises to gain peace of mind and know that their security controls are working.



Dina has more than 20 years of experience in technical, product development, and strategic leadership roles in the cybersecurity industry. Most recently, she led Ciscos Network Threat Defense (NTD) group, where she oversaw a $1.5 billion product portfolio and led the companys strategy to deliver the first threat-centric next generation firewall. She assumed this role following Ciscos 2013 acquisition of Sourcefire for $2.7 billion. Prior to the acquisition, Dina was the Vice President of Product Development at Sourcefire, where she was responsible for software and hardware development for Sourcefires network security products. NSS Labs has a unique opportunity to build on its strong foundation of security product testing and CAWS Continuous Security Validation Platform, said Dina Bruzek, Senior Vice President of Products at NSS Labs. I look forward to working with the NSS Labs team and our enterprise customers as we continue to evolve our products and services to address changing market requirements and challenging security problems.

Additional Resources: Learn more about NSS Labs Security Product Testing

Learn more about NSS Labs Test Policies

Learn more about NSS Labs CAWS Continuous Security Validation Platform Follow NSS Labs on Twitter Follow NSS Labs on LinkedIn Read the NSS Labs blog Browse the NSS Labs Research Library

About NSS Labs, Inc.

NSS Labs, Inc. is recognized globally as the most trusted source for independent, fact-based cybersecurity guidance. Our mission is to advance transparency and accountability within the cybersecurity industry. We empower enterprises by providing them with timely, relevant information on which to base their decisions. Our unmatched foundation in security testing, along with our extensive research and global threat analysis capabilities, provide the basis for our CAWS Continuous Security Validation Platform. CAWS measures the ongoing effectiveness of security controls, providing a real-time score card to help business leaders substantiate their security investments. Businesses can also leverage the threat data delivered by CAWS to strengthen their cyber risk posture and mitigate threats to their operating systems and applications. CISOs, Chief Security Architects, SOC and Threat Analysts, and information security professionals from many of the world's largest and most demanding enterprises rely on trusted insights from NSS Labs. For more information, visit www.nsslabs.com. Contact:

Tom Resau

W2 Communications

Phone: +1 703-877-8103

[email protected]

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[November 29, 2017] ViiMed taps industry veterans to expand its healthcare platform and its hospital footprint

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ViiMed, a digital health company with a healthcare platform designed to improve patient experience as it drives cost out of the care continuum, welcomes two industry veterans to its executive team. Rick Holbrook was named CEO in February of this year and tapped Dan Mulligan as the new Chief Growth Officer early third quarter. With their combined 60+ years in the industry and the channel they have been building, ViiMed believes they can create meaningful market growth for its cutting-edge data driven healthcare platform. Most recently, Rick was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Skylight Healthcare where he developed several firsts in the areas of patient engagement and experience, population health and risk stratification. He was responsible for industry leading functionality including multi-modal communication messaging, video conferencing/telehealth, discharge planning, risk stratification, health education and operational services in the inpatient environment, as well as, the first ever real-time risk stratification and notification system to dramatically reduce readmissions at a major health system. Before Skylight, Rick spent over 18 years with Cerner and was part of the team that created one of the first EMRs. In 2007, Rick and Dan teamed up to create the first ever web-based population health product deployed to manage patients in orthopedic surgery which evolved to include other disease states and service lines throughout the continuum of care for patients and providers. ViiMed's product rollout will follow a similar plan as it adds diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular offerings to the Platform in the near future. "Given what is going on in 2018 and beyond with CJR and MACRA, combined with the platform we built with our partner Hopital for Specialty Surgery, Dan and I look forward to building a solid, hospital-based footprint in the orthopedic space," said Rick Holbrook, CEO of ViiMed. "Moreover, Dan and I have worked together successfully in the past to turn user defined needs into cost saving technology. I look forward to porting what we built at HSS to other specialties that need data analysis to drive out costs and improve outcomes."



Dan started in healthcare 30 years ago where he directed sales and business development at international surgical powerhouses Berchtold Corporation and Stryker Endoscopy. Post Stryker, he joined forces with Rick at Skylight Healthcare where they took the installed hospital base from six hospitals to fifty-eight in two short years by changing the conversation in the interactive patient space. For the past 12 years, Dan has been brought in to build out sales and marketing teams and strategies for companies ranging in size from early-stage startup to a turnaround for a mature publicly traded company. His custom-built offenses and playbooks are known for their ability to increase market share and drive exponential revenue growth. "We are very excited to have both of these industry vets join our executive team," said Phil Newman, founder and Chief Product Officer at ViiMed. "They bring many different talents to the team, but its great they both have experience at early stage and large corporationsthey combine the processes of big business with the roll up your sleeves and get dirty of a startup."

"Care Pathways that are currently in development with leading healthcare organizations will benefit from the footprint that is being created by Dan and his team," added Newman. On joining ViiMed, Dan commented, "In addition to leading sales and marketing teams, I've spent many years evaluating potential acquisition targets for various surgical companies. Of the dozens of companies my teams completed due diligence on, ViiMed's technology is, hands down, the most unique I've seen in twenty years. More important, the Platform offers significant, game changing information to surgeons and hospital C teams." About ViiMed:

ViiMed, a rapidly growing Washington D.C.-based healthcare technology company, provides a true platform that hospitals need to help coordinate care for all patients, improve workflows, reduce costs and risk for big parts of their business and help make care teams efficient and effective by touching more patients. They bring digital health solutions to life by taking leading healthcare organizations proven programs and practices for disease management and bundled procedure coordination to market on a single user-friendly platform. Hospitals, surgery centers, provider practices, employers and payors deploy these solutions when looking for meaningful and personalized ways to engage their patients, while empowering their care teams with tools to manage, monitor, and engage the right patients at the right time. ViiMed currently provides diabetes and orthopedic solutions and are in the process of developing several other disease and condition pathways. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/viimed-taps-industry-veterans-to-expand-its-healthcare-platform-and-its-hospital-footprint-300563386.html SOURCE ViiMed

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[November 29, 2017] M3AAWG Recommends Adding New Email Header to Mitigate List Bomb Attacks from Subscription Sign-Up Forms

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Noticing an increase in list bomb activity, the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group is recommending all blogs and websites with a newsletter or sign-up form add a new header to their verification emails that will help identify and disrupt these attacks. The assault tactic is often used to hide security alerts of illicit activities or to prevent someone, such as a journalist, from receiving vital information. In the assaults, also called a web-form sign-up attack, criminals use bots to subscribe their targeted victims to thousands of newsletters or other services that automatically send verification emails. The resulting surge of confirmation emails, in effect, creates a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack against the users inboxes. Very often, buried within the unmanageable mountain of verification messages is a notice from a credit card company or other financial institution outlining a forged transaction or an account password reset alert that the victim will never see. A few years ago, a torrent of useless verification messages bombarding a users inbox was an isolated event and was probably the result of a grudge against someone. But today criminals have started using these attacks to subvert the security notifications that many banks, services and e-tailers are now sending. Their aim is to submerge the specific alert email with details of their fraudulent activities under a sea of meaningless messages or to deny a journalist or activist access to their email altogether, said Severin Walker, M3AAWG Chairman of the Board. Industry Collaboration Leads to IETF Internet Draft Header Specification The new message header specification has been submitted to the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) at https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-levine-mailbomb-header/ and is explained in a short paper, M3AAWG Recommendation on Web Form Signup Attacks (www.m3aawg.org/WebFormAttacks), available in the Best Practices section of the M3AAWG website. The new header specifically identifies messages that originate as verification emails from a web-form, such as a subscription confirmation email, so that ISPs and email providers can take action to protect a users inbox when an extraordinarily high volume of these messages come across their networks.



M3AAWG also recommends that all public subscription and web forms install one of the various types of CAPTCHA image or text challenges used to tell humans from automated sign-ups that are readily available. This will help protect against bots misusing the sites verification emails in an attack. The header concept came out of discussions at the M3AAWG meeting in June among members who noted a significant increase in these attacks. An ad hoc technical session at the meeting with members from different segments of the messaging industry resulted in M3AAWG Senior Technical Advisor John Levine drafting the specification. At the following meeting in October, the first members to implement the new specification shared their experiences and reported the process was sustainable.

Levine said, Criminals routinely use bots to crawl the global web looking for the millions of blogs and newsletter sign-up forms that dont have CAPTCHA then use these sites, with their weaker security, to sign-up victims as part of an attack. The new header is another level of protection that can have a significant impact on preventing list bombing and we are encouraging email service providers to implement it as soon as possible. Web form attacks will continue to be monitored at the next M3AAWG meeting to be held February 19-22, 2018 in San Francisco. The multiple-track event is expected to attract more than 500 participants with sessions addressing diverse topics such as bot mitigation practices, social networking abuse, mobile abuse and pending legislation worldwide. About the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG) The Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG) is where the industry comes together to work against bots, malware, spam, viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other online exploitation. M3AAWG (www.m3aawg.org) members represent more than one billion mailboxes from some of the largest network operators worldwide. It leverages the depth and experience of its global membership to tackle abuse on existing networks and new emerging services through technology, collaboration and public policy. It also works to educate global policy makers on the technical and operational issues related to online abuse and messaging. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., M3AAWG is driven by market needs and supported by major network operators and messaging providers. Media Contact: Linda Marcus, APR, +1-714-974-6356 (U.S. Pacific), [email protected], Astra Communications M3AAWG Board of Directors: AT&T; Cloudmark, Inc.; Comcast; dotmailer; Endurance International Group; Facebook; Google; LinkedIn; Mailchimp; Microsoft Corp.; Oath (Yahoo and AOL); Orange; Rackspace; Return Path; SendGrid, Inc.; Vade Secure. M3AAWG Full Members: 1&1 Internet AG; Adobe Systems Inc.; Agora, Inc.; AOL; Campaign Monitor Pty.; Cisco Systems, Inc.; CloudFlare; Exact Target, Inc.; IBM; iContact; Inteliquent; Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ); Liberty Global; Listrak; Litmus; McAfee; Mimecast; Nominum, Inc.; Oracle Marketing Cloud; OVH; PayPal; Proofpoint; Spamhaus; Sparkpost; Splio; Sprint; Symantec; and USAA. A complete member list is available at http://www.m3aawg.org/about/roster.

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[November 29, 2017] NEC Provides Wave Broadband with iPASOLINK EX-Advanced Wireless Radio System to Support Network Growth

NEC (News - Alert) Corporation of America (NEC) today announced it has been selected by Wave Broadband, a Kirkland, WA-based gigabit fiber and broadband services company, to deploy the iPASOLINK EX-Advanced ultra-compact radio communication system as part of its service expansion on the West Coast. The iPASOLINK EX-Advanced wireless system gives broadband service providers a transmission capacity equivalent to that of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) optical fiber in locations where traditional fiber construction is either cost- or timeline-prohibitive. Introduced to the U.S. market in July 2016, the iPASOLINK EX-Advanced is among the most field-proven 80GHz 10Gbps outdoor wireless transmission products in the U.S. market. The compact and lightweight system offers a quick deployment and broadband transmission using multiple optical 10Gbps Ethernet interfaces via licensed 80GHz frequencies. "NEC's iPASOLINK EX-Advanced system fully meets Wave's 10Gbps transport capacity, data capabilities, and reliability requirements," said John Cruz, Vice President, Network Deployment, Wave Broadband. "By utilizing this platform, specifically where optical fiber is difficult to install, we will be able to continue expanding Wave's service areas and add subscribers along the West Coast." "We are delighted that Wave Broadband has selected NEC's iPASOLINK EX-Advancedsystem to bolster the growth of its business in Washington, Oregon, and California," said Matt Engelmann, Vice President, NEC Corporation of America. "NEC will continue supporting Wave and its commitment to deliver excellent service and value to the West Coast."



NEC has an accomplished history of providing highly reliable wireless transmission radio systems. NEC's PASOLINK series features a wide variety of advanced wireless technologies cultivated under challenging environmental conditions. About NEC Corporation of America

NEC Corporation of America (NEC) is a leading technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work and communicate. NEC delivers integrated Solutions for Society that are aligned with our customers' priorities to create new value for people, businesses and society, with a special focus on safety, security and efficiency. We deliver one of the industry's strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions that unleash customers' productivity potential. Through these solutions, NEC combines its best-in-class solutions and technology, and leverages a robust partner ecosystem to solve today's most complex business problems. NEC Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 160 countries and $25 billion in revenues. For more information, please visit www.necam.com. 2017 NEC Corporation of America. NEC and iPASOLINK are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. About Wave Broadband Wave is a leading provider of fiber and broadband services on the West Coast. Wave delivers a range of solutions for businesses, including custom fiber networks, high-capacity Internet access, Enterprise Hosting services, data transport, phone services, and dark fiber to meet the specific bandwidth needs of our customers in Washington, Oregon and California. Wave is the fastest growing internet company in the U.S. and is in the process of merging with 2 other companies to become the 6th largest ISP - in the country. For more information, visit http://wavebusiness.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005407/en/

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[November 29, 2017] Stoneridge, Inc. to Present at the Raymond James 2017 Technology Investors Conference

NOVI, Mich., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) today announced that Bob Krakowiak, Chief Financial Officer, and Matt Horvath, Director of Investor Relations and M&A, will participate in the Raymond James 2017 Technology Investors Conference with a fireside chat at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Monday, December 4, 2017 in New York. Details on how to join the fireside chat via webcast will be posted to the Company's website the morning of Monday, December 4, 2017 in the "Investors/Webcasts & Prsentations" section of the Company's website (www.stoneridge.com).



About Stoneridge, Inc.

Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is an independent designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic components, modules and systems principally for the automotive, commercial vehicle, motorcycle, agricultural and off-highway vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at Stoneridge.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stoneridge-inc-to-present-at-the-raymond-james-2017-technology-investors-conference-300563657.html

SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.

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[November 29, 2017] 5G Technology Has Capability to Transform Key Industries

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 5G Americas, the industry trade association and voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas, today announced the publication of 5G Services and Use Cases, an insightful industry report on 5G technology addressing new trends in a broad range of use case categories and business models with disparate technical requirements and mapping them to 5G capabilities.

Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas noted, To make 5G industry transformation a reality, there is a need for close collaboration between use case developers, vertical industries and 5G system designers to maximize the impact and ensure mutually beneficial outcomes. As an initial step towards making those connections and initiating the needed cooperation, the report by 5G Americas identifies new trends in different use case categories, outlines their technical requirements and maps them to 5G capabilities. While 5G technology will provide some tools to meet the growing demand for cellular services, it is also expected that 5G technology will generate even more demand by expanding connectivity capabilities and improving mobile access, commented Chris Pearson. It is envisioned that 5G technology can provide a platform for innovation that will help to transform vertical industries, improve efficiency and functionality, expand economic productivity, and impact nearly all aspects of society. Mobile network operators will have new opportunities; however, they also face deployment challenges to support new wireless services in a cost-efficient way. For example, mobile broadband requires a significant increase in capacity over a macro-scale coverage area. At the same time, sites along highways in closeproximity are needed to support connected vehicles as the smart car becomes even smarter as part of the evolution towards fully autonomous vehicles. Drones will also require communication coverage at different heights that will support a new level of mobility. IoT devices and sensors need deeper coverage to extend reach and improve battery life. It is critical to understand how to build the mobile network of the future that will support these and a multitude of other use cases.



This 5G Americas white paper probes into the opportunities and challenges of deploying 5G networks and the impact of regulatory and policy decisions at various levels of government. 5G Americas notes that it is vital for the cellular industry to secure adequate licensed spectrum to enable the use cases envisioned for 5G technology and ensure that there are regulatory frameworks that facilitate infrastructure development and deployment to meet the growth in demand for cellular services. 5G Americas white paper 5G Services and Use Cases captures the different aspects of 5G technology and the role that it will play across multiple sectors. Here is a breakdown of the topics that are covered:

Market drivers, economics, timelines and trends

Vertical industries transformation by 5G technology

5G use cases and services

Technology enablers and 5G architecture

3GPP 5G core network architecture

Network topology for core and RAN deployment

5G service and operational key performance indicators 5G Services and Use Cases was written by project co-leaders Rao Yallapragada of Intel and Brian Daly of AT&T and other 5G Americas member companies. The whitepaper is available for free download on the 5G Americas website. About 5G Americas: The Voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas 5G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for and foster the advancement and full capabilities of LTE wireless technology and its evolution beyond to 5G, throughout the ecosystem's networks, services, applications and wirelessly connected devices in the Americas. 5G Americas is invested in developing a connected wireless community while leading 5G development for all the Americas. 5G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. More information is available at www.5gamericas.org. Follow our news on Twitter at @5GAmericas and Facebook at www.facebook.com/5gamericas. 5G Americas' Board of Governors members include: America Movil, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Cisco, CommScope, Entel, Ericsson, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Intel, Kathrein, Mavenir, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile US, Inc. and Telefonica. Contact:

5G Americas

Vicki Livingston

[email protected]

+1 414 688 9000

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[November 29, 2017] Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP Is Investigating Derivative Claims on Behalf of Shareholders of Banc of California, Inc.

Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP ("Scott+Scott"), a national shareholder and consumer rights litigation firm, reminds shareholders of its investigation into whether certain officers and directors of Banc of California, Inc. ("Banc of California" or the "Company") (NYSE:BANC) breached fiduciary duties owed to the Company and its shareholders. If you are a Banc of California shareholder, you are encouraged to contact a Scott+Scott attorney at (844) 818-6982 for additional information. Banc of California provides commercial banking and home lending services in California. On October 18, 2016, a blog post on SeekingAlpha alleged improper relationships between Jason Galanis a Los Angeles financier and twice-convicted securities fraudster, and the Company's senior managers, including Steven Sugarman, then Banc of California's Chief Executive Officer, and Chad Brownstein, then Banc of California's Lead Independent Director.



In January 2017, a class action was brought in California federal court on behalf of investors, related to the Company's nondisclosure of these alleged improper ties. On September 6, 2017, that court denied defendants' motion to dismiss, allowing the case to move forward, particularly regarding Sugarman's alleged ties to Galanis. Scott+Scott is investigating the activities of the Company's Board of Directors in examining the alleged related party transactions and self-dealing, including an "independent investigation" supposedly undertaken by the Company.

What You Can Do If you are a Banc of California shareholder, you may have legal claims against Banc of California's officers and directors. If you wish to discuss this investigation, or have questions about this notice or your legal rights, please contact attorney Joe Pettigrew at (844) 818-6982, or at [email protected]. About Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust, and employee retirement plan actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals, and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, London, Connecticut, California, and Ohio. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005989/en/

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The Klein Law Firm Notifies Investors of an Investigation Concerning Possible Violations of Federal Securities Laws by Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (OHI)

The Klein Law Firm announces the commencement of an investigation of Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE: OHI) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.

On October 31, 2017, the Company held a conference call to discuss its third quarter results. On the call, Daniel J. Booth, the Company's COO, stated that Omega Healthcare was experiencing "operator performance issues," including issues with Signature Healthcare, one of the Company's top ten operators. On the same call, Robert Stephenson, the Company's CFO, stated that operating revenue for the quarter was approximately $220 million, compared to $225 million for the third quarter of 2016, nd that "[t]he decrease was primarily a result of placing Orianna on a cash basis" which caused the Company to record no Orianna revenue for the quarter.







If you suffered a loss in Omega Healthcare and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Joseph Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or visit http://www.kkclasslaw.com/OHI-Info-Request-Form-224.

Joseph Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129006039/en/
[November 29, 2017] New Spanish-Language Website From American Kidney Fund Provides Vital Information About Kidney Health And Kidney Disease To Population At Increased Risk

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Spanish speakers looking for information about kidney health and kidney disease now have a comprehensive, one-stop resource: the American Kidney Fund's (AKF) new Spanish-language website, www.KidneyFund.org/en-espanol. KidneyFund.org/en-espanol contains all the same health information that is found on AKF's award-winning KidneyFund.org sitewithin the main navigation headings of kidney disease, kidney transplant, financial assistance, education and research, prevention, and get involved (enfermedad de los rinones, trasplantes de rinon, asistencia financiera, educacion e investigacion, defensa, involucrese). Hispanic individuals are at increased risk for kidney disease and are 34 percent more likely to have kidney failure than non-Hispanic whites. The prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressurethe two leading causes of kidney failurein the Hispanic population makes kidney disease education among this population an urgent priority. The culturally-appropriate translation and design of KidneyFund.org/en-espanol was made possible in part by an educational grant from Amgen. "Our new Spanish-language website addresses the limited availability of high-quality information about kidney health and kidney disease at an appropriatelevel of health literacy for a broad and diverse population of Spanish speakers," said LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund. "This complements the resources we have long offered to Spanish speakers, including health education materials and our toll-free HelpLine, and more recently, webinars for patients."



AKF began adding limited Spanish-language content to KidneyFund.org in 2009, focusing on core topics about kidney disease. Traffic to those pages has grown dramatically, with a 140 percent increase since 2013. KidneyFund.org/en-espanol also features recent health education campaigns from the American Kidney Fund, including ACT on Anemia and Be Hep C Smart. Both campaigns provide useful information to patients about causes, symptoms and treatment of these two conditions which are related to kidney disease.

About the American Kidney Fund As the nation's leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 30 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nation's charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its "top 10" list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar, and GuideStar, which has awarded AKF its Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-spanish-language-website-from-american-kidney-fund-provides-vital-information-about-kidney-health-and-kidney-disease-to-population-at-increased-risk-300563931.html SOURCE American Kidney Fund

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- At a Wednesday meeting, Kansas City council members plan to discuss the feasibility of outsourcing the responsibilities of the city's animal control division to the KC Pet Project. This summer, an internal audit highlighted a lack of oversight and organization within the Animal Health and Public Safety division.
"The Kansas City IWW is looking for information about an incident of police brutality. In this video, a woman is assaulted by officers who have no respect for human dignity."

IS THIS KANSAS CITY POLICE BRUTALITY OR AN SIMPLY UNFILTERED LOOK AT REAL LIFE ON LOCAL STREETS???

Online activists document Kansas City Police making an arrest and launch a new watchdog effort.Here's the word . . .More importantly . . .There's very little context for this video and no word on the threat the officers were confronting . . . Still, a sanitized view of life in Kansas City's urban core from MSM leaves many locals unprepared for the reality of what seems to others like routine police work.TKC isn't taking sides on this clip but instead simply posts the video to offer a more realistic representation of local life amid an increasingly divisive Kansas City discourse.You decide . . .
Finally, Kansas City has a new deal for its first new convention hotel since 1985. The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, an agency that grants tax breaks, approved a slew of new agreements with KC Hotel Property Owner LLC, the new owner of the 800-room project.
Tensions between the two countries , Greece and Turkey, have been going on for years but their cooperation has also been extensive enabling tourism to benefit significantly and reach very high levels lately

Turkeys leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has often left political foes and allies alike guessing. With an upcoming official visit to Greece looking more certain  the first by a Turkish leader in over six decades  another mystery is brewing: will Turkeys mercurial head of state visit the countrys Thrace region; home of thousands of Turkish-speaking Muslims?

Erdogans visit is embroiled in more high-profile transnational issues  among them Cyprus, Turkeys stalled EU ambitions, as well as the return of ex-Turkish soldiers wanted by Ankara after fleeing last years coup attempt.

Nevertheless, it is the prospect of a barnstorming address by President Erdogan to the regions estimated 120,000 Muslims; many with a strong Turkish identity, which is fueling speculation in the Greek media.

So far, the ground has already been prepared for such a visit. Komotini-born Deputy Prime Minister Hakan Cavusoglu visited the area on Nov. 3, telling local people they had to be good citizens as you are Greek citizens.

Minority rights

However, such visits serve to bring the minoritys legal rights and status into the headlines, often leading to friction between the two neighbours.

Thraces minority is a legacy of the painful 1923 population exchanges between Greece and the former Ottoman territories during which around two million people were forcibly removed from their homes and denaturalized.

Even though Greece recognizes the community as a religious minority; alongside smaller Armenian and Jewish populations, Turkish ministers are often quick to criticize perceived injustices or legal deficiencies.

On November 16 Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag hit out at the conviction of two Muslim clerics, accused of interrupting a funeral being carried out by the state-appointed mufti of Xanthi.

On Oct 15 Ibrahim Serif; head of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board, hit out in Turkish media at the fact there was still no purpose-built mosque in Athens, Europes only capital city without a Muslim place of worship.

These emotive themes tap into a wider set of grievances about religious freedoms in the area. Local Muslims say Greece does not respect their right, under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, to elect their own religious leaders.

Greece has additionally faced criticism for not recognizing a number of community organizations in the region.

On November 5, the Greek Helsinki Monitor made reference to the Greek governments adamant refusal to recognize the existence of ethnic minorities in its territory.

Northward bound?

The prospect of an intervention by President Erdogan into such a sensitive arena has filled acres of column inches in the Greek media. The Turkish leader has often demonstrated an inclination to be seen as champion of besieged Muslim minorities, whether they are Crimean Tatars, Palestinians or the persecuted Rohingya people of Myanmar.

Some fear an over-zealous address to the Thraces Muslim minority could even upset sensitive community relations.

Yet, details of Erdogans visit still remain a closely guarded secret, and may not be revealed until much closer to his December 7-8 trip. Even Turkish media insiders, speaking off the record, claim they still have not been told if the president will travel north.

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

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Lfdder License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter.com
Greece offers world-renowned destinations, unexplored nature, vivid cities, activities, unique landscapes and routes through time. All these elements evolve in unique visitor experiences, related to the element of inspiration. In Western Greece the combination of different experiences inspires you by connecting a visit to the area with your personal quest.

Western Greece is a collection of experiences.

A collection of Inspirations.

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

Source: marketinggreece.com
Battleship HS George Averof won the Ship of the Year Award 2017 at the 14th Annual Lloyds List Greek Shipping Award Ceremony and Gala Dinner.

The event, which is held annually by Lloyds List since 2004, is the biggest event in the Greek shipping community. The award ceremony aims at recognizing and highlighting high achievements and commendable activities in the field of Greek shipping, as well as in the promotion of Greece as a shipping center.

The HS George Averof, the Victory Battleship, is the only remaining cruiser that has actively fought in the two World Wars, without being defeated and playing a leading role in modern Greek history, while contributing decisively to the gaining of more territories for Greece.

After restoration works, Lloyds List decided to give HS George Averof the Ship of the Year 2017 award, for its achievements and contribution to the Hellenic Nation.

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

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Pmoshs License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter.com
The Middle East Paper Co (Mepco), a leading vertically-integrated paper manufacturer in the region, has revealed that its chief executive officer Eng Sami Safran was recognised as one of the Top 100 CEOs in the Arab World at the Arab Best Awards, hosted in Marrakesh, Morocco.



The honour was announced at an award ceremony held on November 27, and was attended by sheikhs, princes, ministers, and prominent business figures from across the GCC, said a statement.



The awards recognise excellence by identifying distinguished Arab leaders and Arab institutions that have achieved prominence across a variety of sectors, it said.



Mepcos accolade was awarded on the basis of a grading system that considered key criteria including management/organisation, CSR/societal services and innovation and Learning, amongst other metrics, it added.



Safran said: I am pleased to have been recognised on behalf of Mepco, particularly in the company of such a distinguished group of award winners and nominees.



This award marks a significant milestone for our company, and crystallises the collective efforts that our organisation has made together, he said.



Our company has become the regions leading vertically integrated paper manufacturer, and our commitment to environmentally and socially sustainable production practices has been an essential part of that journey, he added.



Saudi Arabia-based Mepco is among the worlds foremost manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality paper products, having realised approximately 700 per cent sales growth in 15 years.



The company exports to more than 40 countries internationally, in addition to occupying a dominant share of the Saudi and wider GCC markets, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Masdar, Abu Dhabi future energy company, has signed a project development agreement (PDA) for the worlds largest floating 200-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant with Indonesian power company PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali.



Masdar, Abu Dhabi future energy company, has signed a project development agreement (PDA) for the worlds largest floating 200MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant with Indonesian power company PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali (PT PJB), a subsidiary of the state electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN).



The plant will cover an area of 225 hectares atop the Cirata Reservoir in the West Java province of Indonesia. The 6,000-hectare Cirata Reservoir already powers a 1GW hydroelectric power station.



The agreement was signed in Jakarta by Iwan Agung Firstantara, president director of PLN, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, chief executive officer of Masdar. Also present at the signing were Arcandra Tahar, Deputy Minister of Indonesias Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ghafli, Ambassador of the UAE to the Republic of Indonesia and representatives from the Indonesian investment agency Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM).



PJB is excited and looking forward to working with Masdar, said Firstantara. We believe this project development agreement is a milestone in the development of other floating PV solar power plants; this 200MW project will be the largest project of its kind in Indonesia and PJB-Masdar will be a pioneer of floating PV technology. Inshallah, developing this project will be a great success and a proud achievement for Indonesia.



Todays signing marks the entry of Masdar into South East Asia and our first project in floating solar power, said Al Ramahi. The agreement with PT PJB for the worlds largest floating solar power plant demonstrates Masdars ambition as a global renewable energy leader and the strength of our industry partnerships.



One of the advantages of floating solar power in tropical countries like Indonesia is that it enables renewable energy development in forested regions generally unsuitable for conventional solar power. The successful deployment of the Cirata project paves the way for the installation of floating solar power on another 60 reservoirs across Indonesia.



The planned 200MW floating PV project will be mounted on 700,000 floats moored to the bed of the Cirata reservoir and connected by electrical cables to an onshore high-voltage substation. Besides producing clean power, the facility will provide shading against the sun, reducing evaporation from the reservoir and limiting the growth of algae.



The PDA signing follows the agreement of an MoU between PT PJB and Masdar in July this year to collaborate on finding sustainable solutions to Indonesias rapidly growing energy demand, with a focus on projects in the Java-Bali and Sumatra regions.



With a population of more than 250 million, Indonesia is the largest country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Indonesia has set a renewable energy target of 31% by 2050. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the country has the potential to produce more than 700 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, including 532.6 gigawatts of solar power.



Since 2006, Masdar has invested in renewable energy projects with a combined value of US$8.5 billion; the companys share of this investment is US$2.7 billion. Masdar commercialises advanced technologies by deploying them at scale. Examples include Hywind Scotland, the worlds first utility-scale offshore wind farm; Gemasolar in Spain, the first solar thermal power plant producing electricity 24 hours a day; and London Array, currently the worlds largest offshore wind farm in operation.



Last year, a Masdar-led consortium was appointed to build the 800MW third phase of the Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, quoting a record low price for solar power generation. Masdar will be showcasing its global renewable energy project portfolio at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, taking place from January 13-20.  TradeArabia News Service
FOR SUSTAINABLE RESILIENT FUTURE

WEF launching new toolbox for urban decarbonisation

World Economic Forum (WEF) along with its partners, is launching a first-of-its-kind platform for urban decarbonization - Toolbox of Solutions - at COP27 in Egypt. The focus is on cities as they have a critical role to play in the race to net zero world.
Spanish transport engineering specialist Ineco has been awarded a major contract by Dammam Airports Company (Daco) to develop the masterplan for the King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia.



The plan includes the expansion of all airport facilities to cater to growing passenger demand, as well as the study of the connection of the airports cargo area with the countrys main rail freight line.



In addition, a new airport city will be developed, along with the recently initiated cargo village, said the statement from Ineco.



Dammam Airport is the third largest airport in Saudi Arabia in terms of passenger movements. Since 2009, passenger throughput at the airport has grown at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 10.7 per cent to reach 9.68 million passenger per annum in 2016.



With a 2047 horizon, this project aims to turn the airport into a regional hub, making it an important intermodal node for the movement of passengers and cargo, said the statement.



Daco CEO Turki Abdullah Aljawini and Roy Toh, the director for traffic development, were recently at the Ineco headquarters to see the progress of the project.



With this contract, Ineco is consolidating its position in the Middle East, where, in addition to participating in the development of high-speed rail between Makkah and Madinah, we have also developed the masterplan for Kuwait airport, the expansion of Fujairah airport and the ORAT (operational readiness and airport transfer) at Abu Dhabi airport.-TradeArabia News Service
On the 2nd December, 2017, we invite you to join the 46th UAE National Day celebrations across hotels managed by HMH  Hospitality Management Holding in the emirates.



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - November 29th, 2017

In the true spirit of the nation, teams at the Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel, the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel, the Coral Beach Resort Sharjah and the Coral Dubai Deira Hotel are all busy preparing for a grand celebration for the national day. The occasion is dually joyous this year as it falls on a weekend giving guests a chance to extend the festivities.

Mr. Ferghal Purcell, COO of HMH, said, The National Day is one of the most celebrated days in the UAE and presents a unique opportunity to tourists and residents alike to discover the rich traditions of the Emirati culture. As part of the festivities this year, our various hotels in the UAE have planned a number of activities to showcase the rich cultural heritage and cuisine of the emirates. To start with, all in-house guests are welcome to join the flag hoisting ceremony at the hotels on the 2nd of December followed by a special celebration symbolizing the anniversary. Furthermore, and on behalf of the HMH and our full team, we would like to wish the UAE Government, the Emiratis, and residents a happy National Day.

Food is an essential part of the country's culture and on the occasion of the National Day our highly skilled chefs will take diners on a fascinating culinary journey revealing secrets from the ancient Emirati kitchen. On the 1st and the 2nd December, diners can enjoy a lavish 'National Day Brunch' at the different all-day-dining restaurants across our hotels featuring an indulgent selection of authentic Emirati flavours.

About HMH

Founded in 2003 in Dubai, HMH  Hospitality Management Holding is a fully integrated hotel management company that prides itself for being one of the pioneers among local groups that are specialized in the dry segment. Being the largest operator in the sector within the region, HMH provides hotel owners and developers a broad spectrum of world-class management solutions with five distinct, yet complementary, hotel brands catering to varied market segments from luxury to budget. These include Bahi Hotels & Resorts, Coral Hotels & Resorts, Corp Hotels, EWA Hotel Apartments and ECOS Hotels.

HMHs strategic expansion in the Middle East and North Africa has been successful in unlocking a world of opportunities while creating value for its stakeholders, associates, staff members and customers. The existing portfolio is located in some of the most desirable destinations across the MENA region, with a pipeline of hotels under development to grow HMHs regional footprint even further.

For more information about HMH please visit http://www.hmhhotelgroup.com

or https://www.hmhhotelgroup.com/subscribenow

For media contact:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: +971 50 697 5146

Email: h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

http://www.mpj-pr.com

###
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

Jet Airways today said it has signed an MoU with Air France-KLM with the objective to shape and further strengthen their existing cargo cooperation.

The signing of the MoU is especially significant, as it complements the positive developments that have been evolving on the passenger side of the business via the ongoing code-share agreements between the partner carriers, Jet Airways said.

Under the scope of the MoU that seeks to deepen the cooperation between the partners, both parties will endeavour to link and leverage their respective route networks in order to enable them to create and offer expanded high-value cargo services, as well as new and innovative products tailored towards the needs of specific industries such as pharmaceuticals, express and e-commerce, aside from individual clients, the carrier said.

Elaborating the strategic nature of the MoU, Pradeep Kumar, Sr. Vice President, Jet Airways Cargo, said, We share the ambition to jointly explore and exploit the vast opportunities in the air cargo market via mutual synergies in the areas comprising our routes and networks, as well as warehousing amongst others. We also intend to work closely to co-create new and industry-leading products and services for our clients.

The enhanced cooperation agreement with Air France-KLM, is also designed to expand the number of flights to Europe and make Paris and Amsterdam hubs for connecting flights to the US. The agreement also includes Delta Air Lines, with which Air France-KLM has an existing partnership.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

The International Institute of Knowledge Management, Sri Lanka, has invited the Department of Economics, Panjab University (PU), to be the hosting partner for the 4th International Conference on Poverty and Sustainable Development (ICPSD) scheduled to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from December 5 to 6.

As a step towards internationalisation activity of the PU, the department has accepted the invitation.

Prof Upinder Sawhney, Chairperson, Department of Economics, will be delivering the keynote address on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals  A Policy Challenge for the Indian Sub-continent in the conference, which will focus on sustainable development goals of the UNDP.
Our Correspondent

Kharar, November 29

The Kharar police have reportedly busted a gang of prostitutes operating under the garb of body massage at a salon at Sunny Enclave here.

Five persons, including three foreigner girls, saloon owner and a customer have been arrested. The accused have been identified as salon owner Bobby, Maqbool (customer). Two girls arrested are from from Russia and one is from Ukraine.

Kharar City SHO Rajesh Hastir said a police party was patrolling when they received a tip-off that the owner of Unique Salon at Sunny Enclave was running a prostitution racket under the garb of body massage.

The police were informed that the owner had hired foreigner girls for the same.

The police raided the salon and caught Maqbool and a foreigner girl in an objectionable condition inside a room of the salon. The SHO said two other foreigner girls were waiting for customers in the salon.

A case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act has been registered against them. The Station House Officer said the foreigner girls were in India on a visitor visa.
Lt-Gen Bhopinder Singh (retd)

Lt-Gen Bhopinder Singh (retd)

THE Chinese have an expansionist agenda that manifests itself in the realm of trade and commerce, infrastructural initiatives, diplomacy and military footprint. Having overtaken the US as the world's largest economy (also the world's largest polluter), the dragon is now securing the neologism of the Chinese Century with aggressive realpolitik, geostrategic investments and crucially, by remaining uninvolved in the global war-on-terror that saps the resources of the West. To fructify the portents of the Chinese Century, Beijing does not shy away from patronising illiberal regimes (eg Sudan, North Korea or having 'all-weather friendship' with Pakistan, with which it has no civilisational, cultural or ideological commonality). The ready generosity of the Dragons coffers are ostensibly without strings attached, as it comes without preachy concerns on issues like human rights, democracy or any other 'niceties'. China has emerged as the alternative power-bloc to the US, and questions on the efficacy, impact and real intent behind the Chinese model of global investments, have ensued.

Chinese colonialism in Africa

To allay the fears of a new form of colonialism (read, Chinese investments in Africa), global consultancy firm McKinsey had presented a paper called the Dance of the Lions and Dragons to suggest that the Chinese investment were indeed, beneficial to the recipient countries. However, credible concerns abound in Africa about the lack of financial transparency involving the Chinese private firms, the extraction and plunder of Africas natural resources, on-site employment opportunities to hordes of Chinese nationals, debilitating paybacks of oil concessions and mining rights in return for Chinese investments and strategic 'land-securing' by the Chinese. Unverified figures of about 15 million acres of African land secured by Chinese conglomerates and the opening of the overseas Chinese Naval base in the ultra-strategic Horn of Africa, Djibouti, costing nearly $600 million have fueled further concerns about the Dragon's ulterior motives. This posits the other infrastructural initiatives of the Chinese juggernaut with potential concerns, eg the brazen Eurasian corridor with the One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) and the $62 billion China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC), connecting the Gwadar port in the restive Baluchistan with Kashgar, in the Chinese mainland.

Pak sees real motives of China in CPEC

Like the wary whispers in Africa, the real Chinese motives in CPEC are slowly raising eyebrows in Pakistan amongst the puzzled policymakers, beyond such flowery expressions as Pakistan-China friendship is higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel, coined by the Chinese. Recently, the Seventh Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was deliberating to finalise the nuts and bolts of the CPEC Long-Term-Plan (LTP), and an oddly disconcerting request by the Chinese to make their currency (Yuan) as the legal tender in the Gwadar port was raised, and expectedly refused by Pakistan.

No soft loans or jobs for Baluch: Already, the veneer of the Chinese concessions and soft loans are riling against the debt-burden of $90 billion that Pakistan will end up paying China over the 30 years' term period. The abundance of Chinese workforce in Gwadar is in stark contrast to the promised employment and prosperity for the local Baluch (even as 19 out of the 39 'early harvest' projects are either completed or in advanced stages). The local Baluch, in any case, nurse a historical animosity against Islamabad for exploiting their natural resources in return for negligible gratification and are saddled with more Pakistani military boots-on-ground to quell their legitimate grouses. Other areas like the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and 'Azad Kashmir' are also alluding to deprivation emanating from CPEC.

Only 9% revenue for Pak: The initial claims of the supposed windfall for Pakistan from the revenue generation from Gwadar port got blunted by the reluctant clarification from the Pakistani authorities that China would get 91 per cent of the Port revenues, and Pakistan only a measly nine per cent for the next 40 years! Expectedly, the unofficial voiceof the Chinese officialdom came through the Chinese publication Global Times that quoted an official clarifying, common international rules regarding build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects do not require the operator to share any revenue generated from the projects during the investment and operation period with the eventual owner. Earlier, the Chairman of Pakistan Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development had warned, Another East India Company is in the offing; national interests are not being protected. Recently, lawmakers in the Pakistani Senate expressed concerns in the apparent bias in favour of the Chinese as details about CPEC became public.

For China, its strategic interest primary: The CPEC for China is primarily about finding a life-sustaining corridor alternative to the compulsive vulnerability felt for its shipping lanes (through the ultra-narrow Malacca Straits) that could get potentially choked by vested powers in the region. That the CPEC also offers the additional opportunity to create new export markets, utilise Chinese spare capacity, develop Western China or facilitate goodwill and economic transformation for its tactical ally, Pakistan, is secondary to its primary strategic interest that seeks to uninterruptedly fuel the wherewithal for the 'Chinese Century'. So, if the Chinese focus limitedly on the dual objective of self-maintaining the Gwadar port and on maintaining the singular axis of the narrow Gwadar-Kashgar corridor (for which the Pakistanis have already committed a Division of 15,000 soldiers), ignoring the other inter-linkages in the periphery, arterial projects and other economic zones as envisaged as part of the CPEC Master Plan, the economic transformation for the Pakistani economy could get severely limited. As the initial veil surrounding the finer details of the CPEC unfurl, facts seem disturbing for the Pakistanis, who were assured that CPEC would alleviate most of their economic concerns. Historically, the Dragon is driven by blatant and tactical self-interests, even if they militate against the norms of fair-play and respect, as evident in its dealing with India, Bhutan, Taiwan, Vietnam etc. The ensnaring abilities of the hidden Dragon will come to fore for Pakistan, as more details pertaining to the CPEC tumble out.
G Parthasarathy

G Parthasarathy

THE past month has seen some hectic diplomatic activity, having a crucial bearing on Indias Act East policies of increasing strategic interaction and involvement across its eastern neighbourhood, extending from the shores of the Bay of Bengal to the South China Sea. An assertive China has violated international laws and conventions by seizing control of a number of islands by use of coercion, from neighbours like Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, in this region. The world also witnessed some clumsy American diplomacy, involving military exercises off the shores of ally South Korea, in a melodramatic, but futile bid, to coerce North Korea to desist from developing its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons capabilities.

In his first prolonged visit abroad, President Trump visited Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. His visits to Hanoi and Manila were primarily for multilateral meetings of APEC and the ASEAN-centric East Asia Summit. Trumps visit to Manila also provided an opportunity for a useful bilateral meeting with PM Modi, who reached out significantly to this ASEAN hosts, by inviting them all for a summit-level get-together in Delhi on Republic Day 2018. Mr Modis initiative was timely as ASEAN itself is undergoing strains and differences on how to deal with a growingly assertive China, which is providing ASEAN members with huge opportunities for investment and trade. This, at a time, when Trump, with his emphasis on America First policies, withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, throwing prospects for meaningful increases in economic cooperation and integration with ASEAN to the winds, while opening the doors for a China-centric order in the region.

The Manila summit coincided with a four-party meeting at the official level among India, Japan, Australia and the US (popularly known as the Quad), to develop a new basis for maritime and regional economic cooperation, across what is now described as the Indo-Pacific Region, extending from the Gulf of Aden, where China has a full-fledged military base in Djibouti, to the South China Sea, which is a crucially important trade route for all members of the Quad. While China has started voicing concern about the Quad, the officials meeting in Manila did not issue any joint statement. It was, however, clear that the four countries shared identical, or similar views, on issues like connectivity, respect for international conventions, maritime security and freedom of navigation and regional connectivity. There was clearly a desire to move ahead collectively in balancing Chinese assertiveness and disregard for international laws and conventions on issues of freedom of navigation, over-flights and maritime boundaries, while avoiding references specifically targeting China. Australia and the US were, however, more direct than India and Japan in pointing fingers at China. But, despite these subtleties, the Chinese will have no doubt that beginnings have been made by the four countries to balance Beijings growing, territorial and geopolitical ambitions and assertiveness.

While proceeding in this direction, one should be clear that the Trump administration behaves in a manner that is often crude and counterproductive, even with close allies like South Korea. Just on the eve of his visit to South Korea, and despite the display of crude military power by the US, South Korea buckled under Chinese pressure and dropped a deal for acquiring more American missile defences. This followed the imposition of tight Chinese economic sanctions, lasting over 16 months, which caused widespread dislocation and losses of billions of dollars for Seouls largest companies and an estimated loss of tourism revenues of over $15 billion, following Beijings ban on Chinese tourists visiting South Korea. Worse still, Trumps war rhetoric, holding out the threat of military conflict, caused virtual panic in South Korea, which would suffer the loss of thousands of lives if tensions with the North led to conflict across the border.

While Trump was fulsome and effusive in his praise for President Xi Jinping, the Chinese have made it abundantly clear that they have no intention of fulfilling his demands for isolating Pyongyang and imposing crippling sanctions on North Korea. Pyongyang, after all, fulfils Chinas ambitions of dominating the Korean peninsula! Moreover, while pleasantries were exchanged with the Philippines President, the blunt Duterte has decided to play the Americans along, while avoiding any action that could provoke China. Within ASEAN, countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are too closely linked economically with China to speak out strongly on Chinas extravagant claims about its maritime boundaries. The Quad will have to work out carefully crafted policies that ensure that countries like Vietnam and Indonesia stand firm on issues affecting their maritime security. New Delhi will face continuing inconsistencies and brash rhetoric in the policies and statements of Trump himself and his administration on issues ranging from China and North Korea to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, as it works in the Quad to balance growing Chinese economic and military power.

Maritime security is set to become a crucial issue affecting our strategic perceptions in coming years. With a full-fledged military base in Djibouti, the virtual control of Gwadar, where Pakistan has abdicated even pretences of having sovereign control, a significant stake in Hambantota and a growing economic presence in the port of Kyaukpyu, which it is developing in Myanmars Rakhine state, China is set to develop what was years ago described as a string of pearls across the Indian Ocean. But, at the same time, there are growing voices of dissent in a number of countries which are discovering that Chinas much-touted OBOR project is really meant to use Chinas surplus construction and infrastructure capacities to promote Beijings geopolitical ambitions by setting terms which force recipients to increasingly hand over crucial sectors of their economy and territory to Chinese control.

Even a supplicant for Chinese assistance like Pakistan is realising that the CPEC will lead to Chinese control over both agriculture and industry, apart from mortgaging the strategic Port of Gwadar to Chinese control, virtually in perpetuity, while even accepting the yuan as a parallel currency in the country. But, with its army now seeking a say in even the financial administration of the country, Pakistan is set to be ruled by a military elite with little sense of national self-respect, as long as it can foster terrorism across its immediate neighbourhood.
Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 29

About 300 buses of the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HPRTC) being plied under the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) are off road due to prolonged model code of conduct in the state that would remain in force till December 20.

Sources here said that the HPRTC has applied for permit to ply these buses on new clusters created by them.

However, the state Transport Department was not issuing the permits as the model code of conduct was still in force. Due to the failure of the Transport Department to issue permits for the said buses commuters in many areas of the state especially in Kangra district were facing problems.

The HPRTC was plying JNURM buses at 25 per cent lesser fare as compared to normal or private buses.

The failure of HPRTC to ply the said buses is proving a boon for private transporters who are charging higher fare from the passengers.

Managing Director of HPRTC Ashok Tiwari admitted that about 300 ordinary buses being plied in the state under JNURM scheme were off road for want of permits from the Transport Department. He said the HPRTC has moved an application before the Transport Department to seek special permission from the Election Commission for issuing route permits. Once the route permits are issued, the buses would be back on road, he said.

Tiwari also admitted that many new super luxury buses of the HPRTC were also not plying for want of permits from the Transport Department due to model code of conduct in the state.

Minister for Transport GS Bali, when contacted, said that since the polling was over, the Election Commission should allow the HPRTC to ply buses. It is state transport company and only the public is going to benefit if 300 JNURM buses that charge on lesser fares are allowed to ply.

The sources here said that the buses plying under JNRUM went off road after a petition was filed against them by the private transporters, who had alleged that JNURM buses were plying out of their defined clusters. The court had stayed the plying of buses operating outside their designated clusters.

The HPRTC had re-modified the routes and applied for permits with the Transport Department.

However, the department has not yet issued permits to the HPRTC. The sources here said that the department may now move to the Election Commission to seek permission for issuing permits to the HPRTC.

Boon for private buses

The HPRTC was plying JNURM buses at 25 per cent lesser fare as compared to normal or private buses. The failure of HPRTC to ply the said buses is proving a boon for private transporters who are charging higher fare from the passengers.Managing Director of HPRTC Ashok Tiwari admitted that about 300 ordinary buses being plied in the state under JNURM scheme were off road for want of permits from the Transport Department.
Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 29

Abdul, head constable in the state police, and his constable son were preparing for dinner during a vacation at their south Kashmir home when a noise outside alerted them.

The noise was a creak from a tin sheet used as a boundary wall in Abduls house in Shopian, a district in south Kashmir where the regions conflict has created a new frontline between militants and policemen, and also involved their families in violent acts of retribution.

For a moment, Abdul thought militants had come to kill him and his son, and the nights isolation left little scope to confirm the source of noise. So they prepared for a face-off: arming themselves with rudimentary weapons  kitchen knife and an axe, and hid themselves inside the attic.

The night went waiting, nothing happened. I have never seen such a difficult phase during my service of 30 years, Abdul, who nears retirement in a few years, told The Tribune.

The fear faced by Abdul has become the new normal in life of many policemen in Kashmirs southern districts. The number of cops killed this year has surpassed the number in the past decade and the interaction between militants and policemen, and protesters and the police has turned more violent and deadly.

Superintendent of Police, Shopian, Ambarkar Shriram, said the police was in the middle of a war. It is a very difficult situation but this police force is one of the finest in the country and it has been able to handle the situation, Shriram said.

Described the attacks on residences of policemen as tactics to create fear psychosis, he said the police was part of society. We cannot be taken out of society, he said.

Sub-Inspector Feroz Ahmad Dar, who was among the 31 policemen killed this year, was shot dead by militant in an ambush in June  an attack that sent shock waves as it was a high casualty assault in which six policemen were killed.

Dars father Abdul Rahim told The Tribune that he never expected it to happen. Human blood was wasted, it is beyond endurance. By doing this they are pitching Kashmiris against Kashmiris, he said.

The situation turned uglier for the policemen when militants began ransacking their houses and damaged their properties across south Kashmir districts, which have emerged as the epicentre of new militant movement driven by local cadres, many of whom are former protesters. The militants claimed that the ransacking of houses of policemen was a retribution for the ransacking of their houses and assaults on their families.

With protesters taking to militancy, it made the attacks against policemen a more personal affair as many protesters had had a violent interaction with policemen.

The face-off between militants and policemen reached a high point when the police issued an advisory to its personnel to avoid visiting their south Kashmir homes. The advisory was issued in April this year and has not been revoked so far even as a major counter-insurgency operation has pushed militants on the back foot.

Shridhar Patil, Superintendent of Police, Kulgam, another volatile south Kashmir district, said the spirit of the advisory was to keep cops alert while visiting home. At present there is a sea change in the situation. The situation has been improving each day but some policemen do have apprehensions that they might be attacked, he said.

A DSP, who lives in Pulwama district, said the level of fear while visiting home has been alarmingly high this year. Anyone who visits home remains cautious as well as conscious, the officer said.

The advisory remains in effect as it has not been officially revoked. We go home but an element of fear is always there when someone visits home in south Kashmir, the officer said.
Srinagar, November 29

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of cases of stone pelting against 4,327 youths.

This follows the recommendation of a high-powered committee headed by Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid , which submitted its report to her on Wednesday, an official spokesman said.

"Today's decision marks the revival of process of withdrawal of cases started by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti last year immediately after taking over," he said.

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Mufti had initiated a process of review of cases against youths from 2008 to 2014 and in the first instance 104 cases involving 634 youths were withdrawn within two months of her assuming power, the official said.

The process got disrupted due to the continued violence and unrest for later part of the last year, he added. Mufti ordered the withdrawal of cases of stone pelting against 4,327 youths in 744 cases, he said.

"With this, the total number of cases withdrawn so far on the directions of the chief minister has gone to 848 and the persons benefiting out of these withdrawals stands at 4,957," the spokesman said.

The chief minister, it may be recalled, had committed the withdrawal of cases against youths found not involved in heinous crimes.

Mufti had recently directed review of cases from 2015 till date and decision on the same would be taken on the receipt of report by the high-powered committee, the spokesman said.

The withdrawal of cases against these youths was a major demand from various quarters in the state.

"The chief minister described today's decision as a ray of hope for these young boys and their families terming it as an opportunity for them to rebuild their lives," he said, adding that she hoped that the decision would help in creating a "positive and conciliatory atmosphere in the state where the youth would be able to build their lives in a more constructive and positive way". PTI
Shyam Sood

Rajouri, November 29

The District Hospital at Rajouri is equipped with medical care facilities but in the absence of a modern mortuary complex, the hospital administration is facing many difficulties in preserving unclaimed and unidentified bodies.

After autopsy, it is mandatory for the hospital authorities to keep the unclaimed body for 72 hours in the mortuary complex and if it remains unclaimed, the hospital is legally authorised to dispose of the body (according to police manual).

In the absence of a mortuary complex at the hospital, hospital staff, including doctors, face many difficulties as there is only a small room in the name of mortuary for conducting the post-mortem as well as for keeping unclaimed bodies, said Dr Mehmood Bajar, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital.

He said foul smell starts emerging from unclaimed bodies, especially in summer, resulting in problems for the staff in shifting it for disposal through the police and NGOs.

Dr Mehmood said, From a practical angle, following the death of a person, a number of procedures are to be carried out under the generic term post-mortem care. The body is washed carefully, the orifices are plugged and protected and pads are applied to certain areas to prevent bruising. The rationale for these actions is generally presented as showing respect for the deceased.

In government hospitals, the bodies of medico-legal cases are handed over to police personnel for the post-mortem, if required. The bodies are never directly handed over to the relatives. It is the duty of the hospital to provide mortuary facilities for the bodies.

The hospital, which caters to more than 7 lakh people from Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts, has also become the nearest hospital for accident victims on the historical Mughal Road passing through the high snow-clad mountains.

The hospital still lacks many major facilities, including construction of quarters for doctors, paramedical staff, drivers quarters, a garage, a sarai for attendants, etc.

The District Hospital may be providing relief to ailing people but it has no facilities for the dead who need to be laid to rest with peace, dignity and respect, said a senior doctor, requesting anonymity.

Dr Mehmood said the process for the construction of a modern mortuary complex was in the pipeline and hoped that it would be completed soon.
Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, November 29

The Centres special representative for Jammu and Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma, who concluded his tour to the state yesterday, has termed his visit positive.

The highlight of Sharmas second tour of the state was his willingness to walk and talk in south Kashmir, which is the epicentre of tumultuous new-age militancy.

Sharma, during his stay, visited the militancy hotbed Pulwama district and the restive Anantnag district, where he met a cross-section of people, including youth booked for stone-throwing and students.

I met a lot of people and I am satisfied with my visit. I am sure I can call the visit a positive one, Sharma told The Tribune over phone from New Delhi.

During discussions with several delegations, Sharma was apprised of the ground realities on a wide range of subjects.

The subjects that came up for discussion included resolution of the Kashmir issue, release of political prisoners, amnesty to youth booked for stone-throwing, human rights violations, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, positive engagement of the youth and the return of power projects.

The people who met the interlocutor had responses ranging from hope to cynicism, and even disappointment in some cases. A noted author from Anantnag district and a member of the South Kashmir Civil Society, Rao Farman Ali, said his response to Sharmas visit can be put somewhere between hopeful and not so optimistic.

We cannot gauge somebodys sincerity. A string of measures has to be taken up before any confidence is instilled in the dialogue process, Ali said.

He, however, said that past experiences with interlocutors should not be a hindrance in reposing faith in the fresh initiative.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir said it was too early to say anything about the process. We have honoured the invitations we have got, otherwise the ruling party would have accused us of sabotaging the process. However, what will be the end result of the process will be too early to comment upon, said Mir.

There were also outright disappointments from some, particularly the youth booked for stone-throwing. Sajad Ahmad, a youth from Padgampora in Awantipora, said he did not foresee a positive outcome. I was shot at during an encounter and am barely alive. What is ironic is I get booked for stone-throwing after getting shot. I conveyed this to the interlocutor but there was no concrete assurance of justice from him, Sajad said.

Another student from Anantnag, Sahil Amin, resignedly said everybody knew the fate of the reports produced by previous interlocutors.

I went to meet Sharma, hoping that something new might be in the offing. But when we talked about AFSPA and pellet guns, the response from him was cold to say the least, Sahil said, adding that he was disappointed. Sharma, meanwhile, will be visiting the Valley again and will be interacting with more people.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 29

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today ordered the withdrawal of stone-throwing cases against 4,327 youth.

The decision came after the recommendation of a high-powered committee headed by the Director General of Police which submitted its report to her today.

Director General of Police SP Vaid has been asked to regularly monitor the progress in the matter and furnish a fortnightly report, reads a communication from the Home Department to the DGP sent late this evening.

Todays decision marks the revival of the process of withdrawal of cases started by Mehbooba last year immediately after taking over as Chief Minister.

Mehbooba had initiated the process of reviewing cases against youth from 2008 to 2014 and in the first instance 104 cases, involving 634 youth, were withdrawn within two months of her assuming power. The process got disrupted due to the continued violence and unrest during the later part of the year.

As Mehbooba today ordered the withdrawal of cases of stone-pelting against 4,327 youth in 744 cases, the total number of cases withdrawn so far on the directions of the Chief Minister has gone to 848 and the persons benefitting from the withdrawals stand at 4,957.

Mehbooba Mufti had recently also ordered the review of cases from 2015 to 2017 (to date). The decision on them would be taken on getting the report of the high-powered committee.

The withdrawal of cases against these youth was a major demand from various sections of society in the state. The Chief Minister described todays decision as a ray of hope for young boys and their families and termed it as an opportunity for them to rebuild their lives.

She hoped the decision would help create a positive and conciliatory atmosphere in the state where the youth would be able to build their lives in a more constructive and positive way.

Root cause of militancy needs to be fixed: CM

Kathua: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the root cause of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir needed to be identified and fixed. For this, the Chief Minister asked policemen to do parenting of youth who are barely of 12-14 years of age and need to be counselled, educated and guided. She, however, did not elaborate as to how the root cause of militancy would be identified and fixed.

Mehbooba said this while addressing the attestation-cum-passing out parade of the 25th batch of the Police Training School, Kathua. The root cause of militancy needs to be identified and fixed. I have ordered the review of cases against the youth during the unrest of last year. You need to do the parenting of these youth who are barely of 12-14 years of age. They need to be counselled, educated and guided for which you people have to act as their guiding philosophers, she told the police force.

An official spokesperson on wednesday said the Chief Minister had approved withdrawal of cases against 4,327 youth involved in 744 cases of law and order. Unfortunately, the hands which should have held books and laptops, were throwing stones. They were mostly minors and in order to stop them from indulging in violence and stone-throwing, there is no other way but to grant them amnesty. They must be handled in a caring way, she said. The Chief Minister said though there were many challenges for policemen, a job done with good behaviour fetches better results.
Mona

We Indians can hardly do without adding a large dollop of romance into any genre of films and Tera Intezaar is no different. A thriller, it also explores a love angle between the lead pair, Arbaaz Khan and Sunny Leone, but there is more to it.

A supernatural angle, reveals Aarya Babbar, who plays an art dealer in the film. In Chandigarh, on Wednesday, accompanied with Bhani Singh, this actor took a quick dig on how post wedding he has taken on extreme roles. So he plays the negative lead, an art curator who would go to any length to get a work done by a painter, played by Arbaaz Khan. And, as story progresses, paranormal steps in. Well, this one releases this Friday.

Challenging the self

Aarya continues his run playing extremities. In his next Hindi film, he plays a psycho. I am in that phase of life when I want to challenge myself and playing an extreme character is one of them.

Talking about his long time friend and now wife, Jasmine Bubble, he says, Shes been my best friend before marriage and post too. And keeping a man like me grounded speaks volumes about her. She brings out the best in me. Well, those wondering what his next Punjabi release is...it is titled Anakh and for the first time, he would be sharing screen space with his dad!

Pleasantly surprised

Bhani Singh debuts in Hindi film industry with Tera Intezaar, but her intezaar wasnt long. This girl from Meerut, she had a stint as a teacher and then an air-hostess before she landed in Mumbai, with her fathers permission she pursued her dream of being in films. And then, she encountered many Harvey Weinsteins! I was so disgusted with it that I stopped going to auditions and made peace with doing DD shows, says the girl who won best actress award at Rajasthani film festival for her film titled Maa.

She candidly admits that when she got a call for Tera Intezaars auditions, she was rather reluctant till she heard that the producer was a woman. I was so shaken by unpleasant offers, so when I heard it was a woman it was a big relief.

Things have changed since her first Hindi film break. Now I see and meet many who are interested in good work only; I feel grateful to have finally connected with the right people.

Bhani plays the negative female lead in Tera Intezaar.

mona@tribunemail.com
Kolkata, November 29

The Kolkata Polices Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man for his alleged association with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the India-Nepal border, taking the total number of people in custody for links with the Bangladeshi terror outfit to five.

Omar Farooq, alias Mohammed Aftab Khan, was arrested by the STF sleuths from the Nepal border area when he was trying to escape to the neighbouring country, a senior official said.

The sleuths had announced a reward for any information on Khan and two othersShopon Biswas alias Tamim and Nayan Gazi, alias Zafor.

With Khans arrest, the total number of people arrested by Kolkata Police for their alleged links with the Bangladeshi terrorist group has risen to five.

Acting on the information obtained after grilling the four other arrested persons, a police team conducted a raid at a hideout near the India-Nepal border and nabbed Aftab.

The accused was attached to the banned terror outfits explosives wing and was an expert in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the official said.

Aftab had entered India with the help of Mohammad Sahadat Hossain, who was arrested from central Kolkata last week, he said.

The accused, along with Tamim, had stayed at a hotel in Howrah for a couple of days, the official said.

The STF had last week arrested two ABT terrorists, Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam, along with an arms supplier, Monotosh Dey, from the Kolkata railway station and seized several fake identity cards and arms from their possession.

The terrorists were suspected to be behind the killing of secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh. PTI
Bhopal, November 29

On a day he completed 12 years in office, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the Bhagvadgeeta and Swami Vivekananda are his sources of inspiration.

Chouhan was felicitated by Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki at a glittering function here to mark the occasion.

During his interaction with college students, Chouhan said he drew inspiration from the Geeta and Swami Vivekanand.

To a query, he said a firm determination bears fruits.

The Madhya Pradesh Government worked hard under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as a result of which Indore city was declared the cleanest place followed by Bhopal in the entire country, the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, Congress chief whip in Lok Sabha Jyotiraditya Scindia took a swipe at the CM over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state as well as the suicides by farmers.

Bhopal gang rape has taken place right under the nose of Chouhan. Crime against women is on a rise. Police instead of helping (the Bhopal gang rape victim) mocked (her), he said in a tweet.

Why womens safety has not been attended in 12 years, he said.

21,000 farmers committed suicide in last 16 years, Scindia said in another tweet.  PTI
Janjua told the court that high-level meetings between authorities will be held soon, where developments regarding the Indian witnesses.

A policeman helps an old man after the open firing that took place in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. (PHOTO: REUTERS)

By Hamza Ameer: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad summoned Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua for a hearing of the ongoing case of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Both Janjua and Dr Faisal appeared before the court on Wednesday.

Janjua told the court that high-level meetings between authorities will be held soon, where developments regarding the Indian witnesses, which are 27 in number, are expected to be discussed.

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A witness from Thatta, Abdul Samad, also appeared to record his statement today, linking one of the suspects, Shahid Jamil Riaz, to Ali Nawaz Shah village in Thatta.

The ATC also issued non-bailable warrants for a witness Nazr-u-Sharif, who currently resides in the United States, for failing to appear in court.

The court questioned the Federal Investigation Agency for information about two witnesses who have passed away.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until December 6.

LISTEN | Mann Ki Baat: PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack martyrs

--- ENDS ---
Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have geared up against the increase in infiltration attempts by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of brutal winter.

Routes used by militants have been identified and the BSF is ready to tackle future attempts, said BSF Director General KK Sharma at his annual press briefing.

Sealing the border with Pakistan is our immediate priority and a smart technology-aided fence will be in place along the Jammu sector by March 2018, he added.

Work has started on a stretch of 5 km on comprehensive integrated border management (CIBM). We will ensure complete sealing of the India-Pakistan border and make it more fortified, he said. Pakistan is continuing with its attempts at infiltration. We will not let their intentions succeed. We know their routes and are ready to handle any situation, he maintained.

The cases of ceasefire violations have also increased from Pakistan side. The BSF personnel have not only repulsed these ceasefire violations effectively, but also foiled a number of infiltration attempts, the DG said.

On the Indo-Bangladesh border front, the BSF DG said, Indias relations with Bangladesh are very good at present. There is a similar plan to make the Indo-Bangladesh border impenetrable. Technology-based solution to seal the existing riverine gap of 48.121-km international border in the Dubri area of Assam has been approved by the MHA and the project is in full swing.

On infiltration of Rohingyas into the Indian territory, the BSF claimed that 36,000 of them infiltrated into India this year up to October 31. The BSF apprehended 87 of them on the India-Bangladesh border. Out of 87, 76 have been sent back to Bangladesh. The DG added most of the Rohingyas go to Jammu because some Rohingyas had already been staying there for the past few years.

Apart from being a natural choice due to its Muslim majority, the Rohingyas say they pick J&K on economic consideration. On the issue of BSF soldiers being killed in the Valley when they go on leave to their homeland, the DG said each soldier couldnt be provided security but they advice them to not publicise their arrival. The DG said in 2014, 46 suicide cases were reported by the BSF and in 2017, 23. We have introduced buddy system to foil such suicide attempts, he added.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

Can a high court review Presidents decision rejecting mercy petition of a person awarded death penalty by the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice on the Centres petition challenging a Delhi High Court verdict commuting death sentence of Sonu Sardar, who was given capital punishment by the top court. The President had dismissed his mercy plea under Article 72 of the Constitution.

Sonu Sardar was convicted of killing five members of a scrap dealers family in Chhattisgarh in November 2004 and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction and the sentence.

However, after a petition challenged the Presidents dismissal of his mercy petition, a Division Bench of Delhi High Court commuted Sardars death sentence to Life Imprisonment last June.

A Bench of Justices GS Sistani and Vinod Goel of the Delhi High Court had allowed Sardars petition seeking quashing of orders passed by the President and Chhattisgarh Governor rejecting his mercy plea, and commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment citing delay and improper exercise of power as grounds.

The question which would arise for consideration is as to whether a High Court would have jurisdiction at all, to entertain a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution to review the decision of the President of India under Article 72 of the Constitution in regard to a matter where the Supreme Court of India had finally confirmed the death sentence, the Centre said in its petition to the Supreme Court.



The Centre wondered if a high court could reverse a decision taken by both the Supreme Court and the President, both of who concluded that the circumstances of the case required death sentence for the convict.
Ahmedabad/New Delhi, Nov 29

Canvassing for election-bound Gujarat took a curious turn today with the Congress having to declare party vice-president Rahul Gandhi a Hindu after the BJP repeatedly raised questions about his faith following his Somnath Temple visit.

Rahul Gandhi is not only a Hindu but a janeyu dhaari Hindu, Congress Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

The storm erupted after reports of names of Gandhi and Congress leader Ahmed Patel being mentioned at Somnath Temple in a register meant for non-Hindus.

The entry was claimed to have been made by Congress media coordinator Manoj Tyagi before the Gandhi scion reached the temple to offer prayers ahead of launching his two-day campaign for his party in the Saurashtra region.

The BJP, which was attacking Rahuls soft Hindutva move by visiting various temples in the state, tried to make an issue of this gaffe, stating that for years it was always projected that Rahul Gandhi was a Hindu, while in fact he was not.

Tyagi issued a statement that he had just entered his name to take media personnel inside the temple and not of Rahul Gandhi or Ahmed Patel. All these entries must have been entered later, he claimed. But the BJP refused to relent. Even before it came to light, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing an election rally at Prachi, barely 40 km from Somnath, attacked Rahul and the first PM Jawaharlal Nehru over reconstruction of the Somnath Temple after Independence.

Claiming that Nehru was dead opposed to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel undertaking the job of reconstructing the famous temple left in ruins by the Muslim invaders, Modi said Nehru had even registered his anger at the then President Rajendra Prasad accepting the Sardars invitation to attend the temples inauguration after the reconstruction.

In Delhi, the Congress went all out to prove Rahul Gandhis Hindu credentials and released pictures of the Gandhi scion performing important Hindu rituals, including his father Rajiv Gandhis last rites and his sisters marriage rituals. Earlier, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked why should there be a secretive air around Rahul Gandhi.  TNS
Morbi (Gujarat), November 29

Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling GST Gabbar Singh Tax and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

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In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhis repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged economist was propagating a grand stupid thought by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

Making a fresh bid for power in his home state, where the BJP has ruled for over two decades, Modi also listed various development works by the government on water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.

Addressing a huge rally in Morbi town in the region, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 9, he accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought in major works like the Narmada project.

Making a strong appeal to the people to vote for the BJP in this Patidar community stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.

Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people, he declared in his speech in Gujarati.

Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits, Modi said in a reply to Gandhis Gabbar Singh Tax jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.

He said Gandhi was propagating a grand stupid thought in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 per cent.

This means 18 per cent tax on salt and 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, he noted.

What kind of smartness is this... how has such an economist emerged here. You want to make goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper, he said, ripping into the anti poor Congress over its criticism of the tax reform.

The Prime Minister went on to say that making cigarettes cheaper means bringing cancer in every home and asked which rich businessmen the opposition leader sought to benefit by making liquor cheaper.

He also brought up Rahul Gandhis grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi.

Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi, Modi said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

I remember then prime minister Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies, he said.

Those who have helped us in times of difficulties should be remembered, he added.

Modi then went on to list how his government had worked to bring waters from the Narmada to the parched regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.

The Congress development model was giving hand-pumps.

For the BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines.

The culture of this parched land, Modi said, was to give respect to those who have tried to do something to provide water.

The BJP has done many things and it should not be thrown out of power in the state for the next 100 years, Modi said.

Rahul Gandhi is also in Gujarat today and tomorrow and is expected to address multiple rallies.

Modi had on Monday pushed the BJPs campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The votes will be counted on December 18.  PTI
Visavadar, November 29

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday began his two-day visit of poll-bound Gujarat with a visit to the famous Somnath temple, reached out to the Patidar community, and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

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Gandhi addressed an election rally at Visavadar in Junagadh district after offering prayers at the shrine of Lord Shiva in the afternoon in Gir Somnath district.

Referring to the 2015 quota stir in which 14 members of the Patidar community were killed in police firing, Gandhi said people who raised their voices were either beaten up or had to face bullets in Gujarat.

"All the communities are raising their voice here against the government. But what do you get if you raise your voice in Gujarat? You are beaten up, you have to face bullets," Gandhi said.

Visavdar is a Patidar-dominated constituency in politically crucial Saurashtra region.

"I asked Modiji three questions (on the Rafale deal).

First, is there a difference in the cost of the planes in the first and the second contract (signed with a French firm), please give the reply in yes or no.

"Why was the contract given to a private industrialist friend instead of Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL)? And did you seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the deal?" Gandhi asked.

The Congress vice-president also wanted to know if due procedure was followed before formalising the deal with France last year for procuring the fighter jets.

Gandhi claimed that the prime minister was "avoiding" answering his questions "out to fear" that the "truth" would come out before the crucial polls in his home state.

"Narendra Modiji is not replying to these questions because he wants that the truth of Rafale and Jay Shah (son of BJP chief Amit Shah) should not come out before the people ahead of the Gujarat elections," he said.

A web portal had claimed that the turnover of Jay Shah's firm had seen exponential growth after the BJP came to power at Centre in 2014.

Gandhi claimed that the Gujarat Government was being run by Amit Shah, with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as just a "rubber stamp".

He also accused the NDA of having deliberately delaying the Winter Session of the Parliament because the prime minister was unwilling to discuss Rafale deal and Jay Shah issues before the Gujarat polls.

"Generally, Parliament's (winter) session is held every year in November and discussions take place in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But, due to two reasons, Parliament is opening after the Gujarat polls this time," Gandhi said.

He also criticised the Modi government on the issues of farmers and unemployment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

The elections to 182-member Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 18. PTI
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

In what could be a key strategic development that could raise the eyebrows in Beijing, India now has an arrangement to have its naval warships refuelled and restocked at Singapore, located at gateway to the contested waters of the South China Sea through which passes some 35 per cent of Indian trade.

India and Singapore on Wednesday signed a Navy-to-Navy agreement. Defence Minister of Singapore Dr Ng Eng Hens at a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman said: We encourage Indian Navy to visit Changi base (Singapore) more often. The bilateral Navy agreement has the mutual logistics support.

He went on to say that both countries would increase more participation and activity in the Malacca Straits and the Andaman Sea. Singapore sits at the eastern edge of this crucial water channel that is the shortest route between Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

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The Navy will have a full-fledged logistics facility that is 2,177 km east from its nearest base at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. This is the first such military logistics agreement with a country east of Malacca indicating a shift eastwards for the Indian Navy.

In the past decade, India has laid down its primary area of interest as the sea between the Gulf of Hormuz (Persian Gulf) and the Straits of Malacca. The waters east of Mallaca have been an area of secondary interest and with this move will buttress Indian engagement with the 10-member Asean bloc.

Indian Navy has started its Mallaca patrol in June this year to protect the sea lanes of communication (SLOCs). The US Department of Defence, in its Military and Security Developments involving the Peoples Republic of China 2017 highlighted why the Malacca Straits were crucial for China.

It said, Malacca Straits are critical to the transport of natural gas and oilChina is particularly reliant on unimpeded sea lane of communications like the South China Sea and Malacca Straits.

In 2016, approximately 80 per cent of Chinas oil imports and 11 per cent of natural gas imports transited the South China Sea and Strait of Malacca. Despite Chinas efforts, the sheer volume of oil and liquefied natural gas that is imported to China from the Middle East and Africa will continue to make strategic sea lane of communications important to China, the report noted.

In 2016, China imported oil to meet approximately 64 per cent of its needs. This figure is projected to grow to approximately 80 per cent by 2035, according to the International Energy Agency.

China continues to look primarily to the Persian Gulf, Africa to satisfy its growing oil and gas demands, making the Malacca Straits even more important.
Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Palestines envoy to India sought a deserved place as a sovereign and equal member among the international community for his country.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Ambassador Adnan Abu Alhaija said, We seek the resolution of Palestinian issue in accordance with the vision of peace with two states existing side by side in peace and security within recognised and secure borders, on the basis of relevant UN resolutions.

He accused Israel of international violations not as an exception but as a rule, and asked the International community to challenge these violations.

Faced with Israels blatant contempt of the law, UN resolutions and the long standing global consensus on the parameters of a just solution based on two-states on the 1967 lines, decisive action is urgently needed, said the ambassador.

He thanked India for its support to the Palestinian cause.

In his message last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hoped for early resumption of dialogue between Palestine and Israel.

We hope for early realisation of a sovereign, independent, united and viable Palestine, co-existing peacefully with Israel, said PM Modi.

An official source suggested that Modi, who in a break from Indias foreign policy past visited Israel on a stand alone basis, would visit Palestine when he travels to Jordan or Egypt in the months to come.

According to the source, by doing so India seeks to de-hyphenate Palestine from Israel and treat it as an independent Arab nation.

On the occasion, Saudi envoy to India Saud Al-Sati called the recent reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas as a significant breakthrough and advocated the right to self-determination and return to home for Palestinians.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has reiterated once again the need for a two-state solution to one of the longest unresolved conflicts.

I remain convinced that the two-state solution recognised by that resolution is the only premise for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians, said the secretary-generals message.
Nagpur, November 29

Pakistan has yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said on Wednesday.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event here, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400 metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Dokalam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide guarantee on the safety aspect."

Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it would allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistan's offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navyman, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said: "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We don't care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection".

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him  either related to terrorism or otherwise  have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a $10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400 metre high wall to hide construction activities in Dokalam on Sikkim- Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country. PTI
Tribune news Service

New Delhi, November 29

On International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Palestines envoy to India sought for his country a deserved place as a sovereign and equal member among the international community.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Ambassador Adnan Abu Alhaija said, We seek the resolution of the Palestinian issue in accordance with the vision of peace with two states existing side by side in peace and security within recognised and secure borders, on the basis of relevant UN resolutions.

Accusing Israel of international violations not as an exception but as a rule, he asked the international community to challenge these violations. Faced with Israels blatant contempt of the law, UN resolutions and the long-standing global consensus on the parameters of a just solution based on two-States on the 1967 lines, decisive action is urgently needed, the Ambassador said, thanking India for its support to the Palestinian cause.

In his message last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hoped for early resumption of dialogue between Palestine and Israel. We hope for early realisation of a sovereign, independent, united and viable Palestine, co-existing peacefully with Israel, the PM had said.

An official source suggested that Modi, who visited Israel on a stand alone basis, would visit Palestine when he visited Jordan or Egypt in months to come. By doing so, India seeks to de-hyphenate Palestine from Israel and treat it as an independent Arab nation, he added.

Saudi envoy to India Saud Al-Sati called the recent reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas a significant breakthrough and advocated the right to self-determination.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated the need for a two-state solution to one of the longest unresolved conflicts.
By PTI: BSF

New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) Around 36,000 Rohingyas are at present there in various parts of the country and the Border Security Force (BSF) has upped its ante against illegal influx into India as their links with terror organisations cannot be ruled out, the force chief said today.

K K Sharma, the director general (DG) of the 2.5-lakh personnel-strong force, said his troops have apprehended 87 Rohingya Muslims along the Indo-Bangla border since the beginning of this year till October 31, and 76 "have been sent back to Bangladesh".

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"As far as my information goes, about 36,000 Rohingyas are there in this country at various places...This is one of those general observations and is based on inputs we received from our sister agencies (like the police and intelligence)," he told reporters during an interaction ahead of the BSFs 52nd Raising Day on December 1.

He said the border guarding force has not come across any specific case where a Rohingya they caught possessed arms, ammunition or had terror connection.

"But, the threat that they have some links with terror organisations is a very serious one and has been given by our sister agencies and I dont doubt them," Sharma said.

He said the force has bolstered its manpower and surveillance equipments at "vulnerable" posts along the Bangladesh border to check the illegal influx of Rohingyas from the neighbouring country into India.

The force sent back the Rohingyas and did not arrest them as they would have then become a "liability", the DG said.

"Rohingya is a very complicated issue. As per the latest estimate, 9-10 lakh of them have migrated to Bangladesh (from Myanmar) and the possibility of a spill over coming to India cannot be ruled out.

"Our mandate is very clear that we do not allow any illegal immigration into India, whether he is a Rohingya or a Bangladeshi," Sharma said.

In the border areas, the BSF chief said his troops were not equipped to make a distinction between a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya.

"So, whosoever tries to cross (the border) we sent them back. We dont arrest them as that becomes a liability. Our policy is not to allow anyone enter India illegally," he said.

An official note provided by the BSF during the conference said "agents allure Rohingyas with good job opportunities in India and motivate that they will work with their own Muslim community in some of the states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal".

It said that most of the Rohingyas go to Jammu because some Rohingyas have already been staying there for the last few years.

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"Apart from being a natural choice due to its Muslim majority, the Rohingyas say that they pick Jammu and Kashmir on economic consideration and most of them follow a similar pattern.

"Once a Rohingya reaches Jammu, he stays there for a few months and then invites other relatives, informing them of job opportunities and better pay," it said.

In rare case, the document said, if some Rohingyas do not get permanent job, they go to another state for earning money or to settle there.

Sharma said the document was compiled based on information provided to them by "sister agencies". PTI NES SC

--- ENDS ---
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

Four months after a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court laid down a set of guidelines to check misuse of anti-dowry law i.e. Section 498A of the IPC, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra is all set to revisit it.

The CJI-led bench, which also included Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud, on Wednesday clarified that it cant frame guidelines on how to investigate dowry harassment cases, saying, such guidelines will amount to going beyond statutory provisions.

It hinted at revisiting the July 27 the judgment by a bench of Justice AK Goel and Justice UU Lalit that put an end to the practice of automatic arrests in cruelty and dowry-related under Section 498A of IPC that has often been misused to harass innocent family members of husbands named in complaints.

It had ordered setting up of committees to scrutinise dowry harassment complaints before the police or court acted on them. These directions will not apply to the offences involving tangible physical injuries or death, it had clarified.

On Wednesday, senior advocates V Shekhar and Indu Malhotra  both amicus curiae, requested the CJIs bench to stay the July 27 verdict.

We may accept or overrule it, the CJI commented.

The CJIs bench  which had on October 13 said we do not agree with the judgment which laid down the guidelines, pointed out that the guidelines on how the police should proceed in dowry harassment cases were not required for the implementation of a statutory provision under 498A of the IPC.

The July 27 order was criticised by womens rights activists who said it made it difficult to fight the social evil of dowry.

On the other hand, some NGOs working for men's rights had welcomed it, saying it would help check misuse of the law that often led to arrest of entire family of the husband.

In its July 27 verdict, the top had court said it would like to see for six months how the arrangement worked and sought a report by March 31, 2018 from the National Legal Services Authority about the need for any change in its directions and listed the matter for in April, 2018.

The court had issued guidelines while dealing with a matrimonial dispute from Uttar Pradesh and after taking into account suggestions made by Additional Solicitor General AS Nadkarni, senior counsel VV Giri as also the 243rd Report of the Law Commission (August, 2012, 140th Report of the Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions (September, 2011) and certain earlier decisions of the Supreme Court.
Ahmedabad, November 29

Rahul Gandhis visit to the Somnath temple on Wednesday got mired in a controversy after his name was found written on the entry register meant for non-Hindus, with the Congress calling it fake and the BJP insisting the leader declare his religious faith before people.

The Congress accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy against its leader and insisted Gandhi has declared himself as a Shiv Bhakt (Lord Shiva devotee) and is a janeu-dhari (sacred thread-wearing) Hindu.

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The BJP, however, dismissed the conspiracy charge as baseless, saying Gandhis aide who signed the register belongs to the Congress.

The temple administration said Gandhis name was written in the shrines register for non-Hindus by his media coordinator and maintained none of its staff was involved in the entire episode.

Non-Hindus are allowed to visit the temple but have to first get themselves registered at the shrines office.

Gandhi, on campaign trail for the December Assembly polls, began his two-day visit to Gujarat after offering prayers at the famous temple in Gir-Somnath district. The temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, is around 400km from here.

A purported photocopy of the page of the register for non-Hindus with names of Gandhi and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel written on it went viral on social media soon after their visit to the shrine this afternoon.

The signature against their names was that of the Congress partys media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.

This is fake. Tyagi was made to sign on a blank paper of the register for media entry and later the names of Rahul Gandhi and others were added in the register, said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

This is a conspiracy of the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a trustee of the temple trust, he said.

Surjewala insisted Gandhi only signed the visitors register where he wrote that the place was inspiring.

The Congress spokesperson said Gandhi, during his recent trips to Gujarat, declared he was a devotee of Lord Shiva.

You may want to know which religion Rahul Gandhi follows? I would like to tell you that he is a janeu-dhari Hindu, said Surjewala.

The BJP, however, demanded that Gandhi declare his religious faith before people.

He should make his faith clear to the people of this country after the controversy? BJP spokesperson Raju Dhruv said.

BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra rejected as baseless the Congress conspiracy charge, saying Manoj Tyagi was a Congressman.

Rahul, in his affidavit to the Election Commission, has shown different things and in the Somnath temple he is showing different things. He should come clean, Patra said.

Rahul may belong to any religion, we do not have any problem. We respect him. But the people of the country will get confused with this controversy, Patra said.

As the controversy raged, the temple management came out with a clarification.

As per our rules, names of non-Hindus have to be registered. His (Gandhis) name was registered by his media coordinator in our non-Hindu register.

I would like to say that no staff member of our trust was involved in what the media coordinator did, managing trustee of Somnath Temple Trust P K Lehri said.

Lehri also said in the visitors book, Gandhi wrote that the Somnath temple is an inspiring place.

The Congress leader has visited more than 15 temples during his multiple visits to poll-bound Gujarat in the last two months.  PTI
Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today left for the Russian city of Sochi to represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO summit will be held on November 30 and December 1.

Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit. She will attend the restricted meeting of the heads of delegations on December 1, which will be followed by the preliminary sessions.

She will also attend the reception hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the same evening. Swaraj will return to India on December 2.

This is the first meeting in the eight-country format since the expansion of the regional bloc this June to include India and Pakistan as full members. India was an observer since 2005, and Russia played an important role in pushing for Indias elevated position in the forum during the Ufa summit in 2015.

The SCO has eight full members  India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan  and six dialogue partners and four observers.

China that holds the rotational presidency of the SCO will be represented by its Premier Li Keqiang. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will also be present. An official Pakistani release said, At the plenary, the Prime Minister will outline Pakistans commitment to SCOs objectives, including fighting terrorism and extremism and its sincere interest in regional peace, stability and development.

Asked if Swaraj will meet the Chinese Premier or the Pakistan PM, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had replied, The schedule of the External Affairs Minister is still being tied up.

Addressing the Astana SCO summit in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping had said, China supports the SCO in speaking with one voice on international and regional issues. However, the question remains if the grouping can be on the same page on the key issue of terrorism, despite its regional anti-terrorist structure.

PaK PM in attendance

Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will attend the summit. An official Pakistani release said, At the plenary, the PM will outline Pakistans commitment to SCOs objectives, including fighting terrorism and extremism and its sincere interest in regional peace, stability and development.
Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 29

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is headed to the black resort town of Sochi in Russia to participate in the 16th meeting of the council of heads of government (prime ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), on 30th November and 1st December.

This is the first meeting in the eight country format since the expansion of the regional bloc this June to include India and Pakistan as full members.

India was an observer since 2005 and Russia played an important role in pushing for Indias elevated position in the forum during the Ufa summit in 2015.

On Thursday, Swaraj will have bilateral meetings and attend a reception hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had informed, On December 1, EAM will attend the restricted meeting of the heads of delegation which will be followed by the preliminary session. On the same evening the EAM will again attend a reception hosted by the Russian Prime Minister for all members of the delegation.

The SCO has eight full members  India, Kazakhastan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan  and six dialogue partners and four observers.

Home to 42 per cent of the worlds population and 20 per cent of its GDP, the SCO seeks to provide special significance in promoting political, economic and people to people interaction in the region.

China that holds the rotational presidency of SCO will be represented by its Premier Li Keqiang.

Asked if Sushma Swaraj will meet the Chinese Premier or her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines, Raveesh Kumar replied, The schedule of the external affairs minister is still being tied up.

Addressing the Astana SCO summit in June, Chinese President Xi Jinping had said, China supports the SCO in speaking with one voice on international and regional issues.

However, questions remain if the grouping can be on the same page on the key issue of terrorism, despite its regional anti-terrorist structure.

The recent release of terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed could cast a shadow in the room with India and Pakistan as its new members.

Also with Indias objections to the One Belt One Road Project as it links to the China Pak Economic Corridor, and China pushing for greater cooperation on BRI (Belt and Roads Initiative) among SCO members, negotiations will be tricky for New Delhi on the subject with most voices favouring Beijing in the room.

This is Sushma Swarajs second visit to Russia. She had participated recently in the third Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok in early September.
Shahjahanpur (UP), November 29

Three children were killed and two others injured when a wall collapsed on them in Sarthauli village this morning, police said.

The incident took place when foundation was being laid for construction of a wall and an adjoining wall collapsed on the children playing nearby, Superintendent of Police, K B Singh said.

Ganesh (12), Sharda (5) and Shivani (10) were buried alive under the debris while two others were rushed to the district hospital, the SP said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.  PTI.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 28

The Aam Aadmi Party today sought to make the alleged audio-tape scandal the focus of the days business in the Punjab Assembly by insisting on a commitment from the government for a CBI inquiry into the matter.

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While the Capt Amarinder Singh government brushed aside the issue saying it was a judicial matter, the AAP and alliance partner Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) later in the day took up the matter with the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, submitting a written complaint during a nearly half-an-hour meeting with Chief Justice SJ Vazifdar, who was accompanied by two senior judges.

Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira and LIP MLA Simarjit Singh Bains represented their parties.

Bains had yesterday released an audio-tape allegedly featuring a conversation between a former Deputy Advocate General, Amit Chaudhary, and an ex-PCS officer, TK Goel, in which Amit claims that Rs 35 lakh was paid to a judge for rejecting a review petition filed by Khaira on quashing his summoning by a Fazilka court over his alleged links with drug smugglers.

The parties first tried to raise the matter during the Question Hour but were not allowed to do so. Later, at the outset of the Zero Hour, Khaira demanded a CBI inquiry. Demanding a discussion, he even named a senior Akali and Congress leader behind the conspiracy against him.

However, Speaker Rana KP Singh said it was a judicial matter. CM Capt Amarinder remained silent on the issue. AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu backed the arguments of Khaira, saying the scandal was an expose and not a judicial issue. The demands by both the MLAs drew an angry response from the Akali Dal MLAs, who raised slogans against AAP MLAs and their suspicious links.

Meanwhile, Sandhu demanded tabling of the report of a Special Investigation Team into the role of links of politicians with drug smugglers.
Toronto, November 29

A former leader of a Sikh temple in Canada has been convicted of killing his wife by a British Columbia court, according to a media report. Baldev Singh Kalsi, a former president of the Brookside Sikh Temple in Surrey, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife, leading to her death, before the provincial Supreme Court in New Westminster on Monday.

Yes, your honour, I am guilty, CBC news, a unit of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, quoted Kalsi as telling the judge. The sentencing is scheduled for February 22. Narinder Kaur was found with severe injuries at the couples south Surrey home on July 13, 2014. She was rushed to a hospital where she died days after she was taken off life support.

Kalsi was arrested and originally charged with aggravated assault, and then attempted murder. The charge was upgraded to second degree murder after his wifes death. Kalsi was ordered to stand trial on the charge following a preliminary inquiry in the Surrey Provincial Court last year. He had pleaded not guilty at the beginning of the proceedings.  PTI
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

The man in the centre of the audio tape scandal today claimed he was the real victim. Talking to The Tribune, former Additional Advocate General Amit Chaudhary denied any knowledge that a judge was paid Rs 35 lakh bribe for dismissing the review petition of Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira against his summoning in an NDPS case by a Fazilka court.

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I never said it. Why would I say such a thing? And even if for a minute it is assumed I said that, how can someone make public claims without checking its veracity? he said. Moreover, how is it possible that a judge would take money from a client, as much as Rs 35 lakh, and give relief by cancelling arrest warrants? he questioned.

Amit was the person talking to former PCS officer TK Goel in the audio tape released by MLA Simarjit Singh Bains to claim a conspiracy against Khaira. Amit is heard claiming that judgements are managed and in this case Rs 35 lakh was paid.

Amit said he had met Goel a number of times and this particular meeting took place on November 17 evening.

Earlier that day, the HC had dismissed the review petition of Khaira.

Amit agreed the recording and some part of the conversation could be true but alleged that the tape was doctored. I did mention some words. Goel wanted me to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court to appeal against an HC order against him. I told Goel the expenses would be Rs 35 lakh.

My family and I are deeply stressed out and I am weighing options, he said.
Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

Minister for Local Government Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday announced a departmental inquiry into the three sub-standard and incomplete sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the constituency of AAP leader Sukhpal Khaira.

The report will be out within a month.

Khaira had levelled allegations of sub-standard work on majority of STPs in the state.

Demanding a vigilance inquiry, Khaira made specific reference to sub-standard and crude sewage treatment plants in Begowal and Bholath nagar panchayats besides wastage of around Rs 10 crore in the Dhilwan Nagar panchayat without any STP.

Chief Minster Capt Amarinder Singh said, Let the departmental inquiry come first.

In reply to a question on shortage of drivers and other staff on fire tenders in a number of places all over the state raised by SAD MLA NK Sharma, the Local Government Minister said, We have spent Rs 45 lakh on buying tenders. I assure you that we will have the full strength of 550 fire tenders in the department in three years.

AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu and Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa raised the question on construction of road till the Sukhvilas resort at Palanpur in New Chandigarh supposedly owned by former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.

Read: Curious land notification day before model code

Besides the money spent by the contractor, was money also spent from government funds, Randhawa wanted to know. Sandhu said the toll plaza was illegal as the road was neither a state nor a national highway. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Brahm Mohindra asked the members to send their questions in writing.

Conceding to the demand for a separate survey for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the state, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Tript Rajinder Bajwa said, We will write to the Centre seeking an amendment in the conditions for defining poverty.

In response to a reaction by Mohali MLA Balbir Sidhu, he said there was a huge difference in the living conditions in states like UP and Punjab; here, the limit and conditions for BPL need to be different.

In reply to a question on release of funds for the Shagun scheme pending since last September, Minister for Welfare of SCs and STs Sadhu Singh Dharamsot said, The entire amount of shagun will be released before the year ends. The benefit has been increased to Rs 21,000 per beneficiary against the existing amount of Rs 15,000.

The question on incentives by the state government to check stubble-burning raised by Congress MLA Gurkirat Singh evoked huge participation cutting across party lines. CM Capt Amarinder Singh said a group from south India had signed up an MoU to take 19 million tonnes out of the 20 million tonnes of paddy stubble this year.
Ruchika M Khanna & Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

The Capt Amarinder Singh government in Punjab pulled a rabbit out of a hat on the last day of the winter session. Taking even his Cabinet colleagues and party MLAs by surprise, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra towards the fag end introduced a resolution against Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains, for their scandalous allegations against an honourable judge and demanded that the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice take action.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

He was referring to the audio-tape released by the Bains brothers to prove a plot to implicate Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira (AAP) in a drug smuggling case. On Monday, hours before the session began, the LIP MLAs had released the tape, purportedly a conversation between a dismissed PCS officer and an advocate regarding a deal the latter had struck with a judge to ensure Khairas revision petition was dismissed.

The SAD and BJP legislators, who remained mute spectators when the resolution was passed, later claimed it was done unanimously.

The House unanimously deprecates the casual and irresponsible manner in which Lok Insaaf Party MLAs released the audio-recording, claiming it was a conversation about payment of Rs 35 lakh to an honourable judge The House would urge and request the honorable Chief Justice to take suo motu cognisance and further action as required as it is nothing short of impairing the majesty of law, obstructing the administration of justice and maligning the image and dignity of the court.., the resolution read, leaving AAP MLAs shell-shocked.

You should have supported me. Are you doing this to favour the two touts who struck the deal? asked a desperate Khaira even as AAP MLAs staged a walkout amid sloganeering. Addressing the media later, Khaira attacked the CM, asking if the latter had not violated propriety by having his lady friend from Pakistan reside in his official residence.

Talking to The Tribune, Capt Amarinder Singh said the tape appeared scripted and defaming the judiciary inside the Vidhan Sabha is not acceptable.

Outside the House, the AAP leaders accused the CM of political vendetta.
The Hindi heartland's biggest summit will be held on 1st and 2nd December in New Delhi.

By India Today Web Desk: Aaj Tak is coming up with the 6th Edition of the award winning annual event 'Agenda Aaj Tak'.

The two-day conclave is scheduled for the 1st and 2nd of December in New Delhi and will feature the most powerful voices debating issues that dominate the Hindi heartland's mindspace.

The distinguished list of speakers includes political personalities such as Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mohammed Salim, Sachin Pilot, and Farooq Abdullah, among others.

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Apart from politics, discussions will also be held on cinema and sports, with guests including Dharmendra, Badshah, Vidya Balan, Anuradha Paudwal, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, V V S Laxman and others set to grace the Agenda Aaj Tak stage.

This year, Agenda Aaj Tak will tap into the most burning questions facing this nation and will dissect complicated issues on the national agenda.

In the light of the excitement around the Gujarat elections, Agenda Aaj Tak will have a stage in Ahmedabad. Prominent political leaders such as BJP chief Amit Shah will go live from Ahmedabad and interact with audiences in New Delhi.

And, for the first time ever readers will be able to set the agenda for this year's event. Readers can call 8550900030 to share their views on India's development and future.

--- ENDS ---
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

Aggressive posturing and heated exchanges between the Opposition and Treasury benches marked the Zero Hour proceedings when Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleged that all Congress MLAs were involved in illegal sand mining like their predecessors Akali-BJP.

Enraged over the allegation, several Congress MLAs raised their pitch and for the first time in the three-day session took on AAP, especially Khaira, in unison. Khaira later withdrew his allegation during discussion on Bills.

The Akali-BJP MLAs also made their presence felt when they accused both Congress and AAP of links with gangsters and smugglers. They staged a walkout when Congress MLA Kushaldeep Dhillon accused SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal of having met UP strongman and MLA Raja Bhaiya.

The Speaker was enraged at the happenings. He remarked that these (allegations and counter-allegations) were never ending.

At the outset in the Zero Hour, Khaira displayed a full page report by The Tribune on illegal sand mining and asked the CM to order an inquiry into the involvement of his party MLAs in the illegal sand mining.

The Congress MLAs who were largely reticent in the House jumped on their toes and took on Khaira aggressively seeking apology for accusing them of the illegal activity.

Even Brahm Mohindra, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, who hardly loses his cool, turned aggressive and sought an apology from Khaira for accusing all Congress MLAs of wrongdoings. Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who sat next to him, also told Khaira to withdraw his allegations.

Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring too pitched in. He said if news report was the basis for Khairas charges, then there were several reports against him also.

Khaira, who was taking on the ruling party single-handedly, was soon joined by his party colleagues, especially Kanwar Sandhu, Aman Arora and Baldev Singh.

Sandhu drew the Speakers attention by raking up the issue of political vendetta. He said the Congress had set up a commission to probe vendetta cases during the Akali-BJP regime, but it is sad that the government itself is indulging in the same. He cited cases against Khaira and Ropar MLA Amarjit Sandoa.

Not all involved, he says later

Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira later said in the House that he wanted to withdraw remarks (made during Zero Hour) that all Congress MLAs were involved in illegal sand mining. Many of them are involved not all of them, he said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra acknowledged his magnanimity, but Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said it was unfair on Khairas part to question their integrity.
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

A Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Punjab to explain the non-construction of houses for the rural poor under a social welfare flagship programme despite the sanctioning of funds.

About six months ago, the court had initiated suo motu proceedings for preventing women from committing suicide. As the hearing resumed, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Reeta Kohli told Justice Ritu Bahris Bench that a company had given a rough estimate for the construction of prefabricated houses measuring 12 ft by 12 ft each for the beneficiaries. But the guidelines under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana  Gramin made it clear that the minimum size of a house was required to be 25 square metres.

Justice Bahri asked Kohli to inform Mohali ADC (Development) Sanjiv Garg the estimated cost of two houses measuring 25 square metres, along with a toilet each. The state counsel was also asked to inform the court when the payment would be released.

The total amount sanctioned for financial year 2017-18 is Rs 387.93 crore. The respondent state will explain why even one model house has not been made till date, Justice Bahri said.

Garg was also directed to monitor the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana in Mohali district, especially Seonk village, before informing the court about 42 families staying there for the past 22 years.

Justice Bahri added that the shamlat land of the gram panchayat could be earmarked for them for constructing prefabricated houses. It is made clear that the land will remain as shamlat for all times to come and ownership thereof will remain the same

The Judge also directed the Punjab State Legal Services Authority to inform all District Legal Services Authority secretaries in Punjab to implement the scheme through its paralegals. Accepting the verbal request made by senior advocate Chetan Mittal, the ministries of Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health & Family Welfare and Education, through its secretaries, were impleaded as parties to the petition.

Mittal was also asked to get information on Central schemes being implemented in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in the rural areas and the amount sanctioned for the purpose.
Beijing, November 29

China on Wednesday said that any attempt to hype up its decision to jail a Taiwanese rights activist for subversion would be futile, after Taiwans ruling political party labelled the result unacceptable.

A Chinese court on Tuesday jailed Li Ming-che, Taiwanese community college lecturer and human rights non-governmental worker, for five years for subverting Chinese state power.

Li was tried alongside a mainland activist, Peng Yuhua, who received a seven year sentence for the same charge. Both were found guilty of attempting to promote political reform in China through discussions of democracy in social media chatrooms.

Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said the result was totally unacceptable and called for Beijing to return Li to Taiwan. It is not a crime for Li to share his opinions about democratic freedoms with friends, they said.

Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Ma Xiaoguang told reporters at a regular news briefing: Any attempts to hype up the case for political ends or to instigate opposition between compatriots across the straits will all be futile. Although Taiwan and Beijing should have mutual respect for each others social systems and development paths, Taiwan cannot impose its political ideas on the mainland or use the cover of democratic freedoms to break Chinese law, Ma said.

Ties between Beijing and the self-ruled island of Taiwan have been frosty since Taiwans Tsai Ing-wen led the independence-leaning DPP to election victory last year.

Beijing claims the island as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control.

Chiu E-Ling, secretary general of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that Lis supporters would call on Tsai and her government go beyond mere words to secure Lis release.

They also expressed concern over the verdicts implication for the rights of Taiwanese citizens, saying that Li had expressed his opinions online while on Taiwan soil.

The Global Times, a state-backed tabloid popular with Chinas nationalists, said in an editorial on Wednesday that the DPPs statement was tantamount to encouraging Taiwanese to come to China and break the law.

We hope that Taiwanese people will not accept the DPPs witchcraft and will not become an assault team or sacrificial victims for them, the paper said.

Ones own safety should be more important than the slogans they utter, it added.  Reuters.
London, November 29

Prime Minister Theresa May faced a backlash on Wednesday from prominent supporters of Brexit after reports that she is ready to pay much of what the European Union is demanding to settle the country's "divorce bill" to leave the bloc.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said the net bill would total 45 billion to 55 billion pounds ($53 billion to $65 billion). A government official cast doubt on those numbers and the European Commission declined to comment, but there is a growing expectation that the sides will clinch a deal on cash.

Veteran Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage told Reuters Britain should walk away from the talks rather than offer such huge sums.

"This is a complete sell-out that is not in our national interest," said Farage, a former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) who played a big role in the 2016 referendum in which 52 per cent of Britons voted to leave the EU.

"The British prime minister needs to say: 'Look, either start to behave reasonably, either start to behave in a grown-up way, or ... we are walking away'," said Farage, who remains a member of the European Parliament.

Many businesses and investors fear such an approach, leading to a "disorderly Brexit", would spook financial markets, sow legal chaos and badly harm the British and EU economies by disrupting trade ties and cross-border supply chains.

Farage and pro-Brexit entrepreneurs such as billionaire Peter Hargreaves say Britain can prosper outside the EU and what they see as its onerous rules and regulations.

Britain, which is due to leave in March 2019, hopes to persuade EU leaders next month that the sides have made enough progress on three key issues  the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, the exit bill and the land border with Ireland  to be able to move on to talks on a post-Brexit trade relationship.

Thank you and goodbye

Brexit supporters in May's ruling Conservative Party also expressed concern about the possible size of any financial settlement during a debate in parliament on Wednesday.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent Conservative lawmaker, said Britain seemed to be "dancing to the tune" of the EU and sought assurances that no payments would be made unless there was a full agreement on trade.

Echoing that comment, Conservative lawmaker Philip Davies said "any spare money" should stay in Britain at a time of austerity, not "given in a bung to the European Union".

In contrast, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, one of the leaders of the 2016 'Leave' campaign, signalled flexibility on the cash issue, saying it was "time to get the ship (of negotiations) off the rocks".

However Hargreaves, the second biggest donor to the Leave campaign, denounced the government's handling of Brexit talks, saying they showed no understanding of the sums involved.

"We ought to say to the EU: 'Thank you very much, we are never going to get a deal, goodbye' and we are gone, lock stock and barrel, and carry on trading as before," Hargreaves said.

Farage dismissed calls by some opponents of Brexit such as former prime minister Tony Blair that British voters might change their mind about leaving the EU.

"The revolution of 2016 is still rolling," he said. "The European Union project is in deep trouble and it's only a matter of time until it ends."

The EU's supporters say it has helped to cement peace and prosperity in a continent historically ravaged by wars.

Farage's foes see him and his party  now riven by divisions and with no lawmakers in the UK parliament  as dangerous populists who misled voters on the true costs of Brexit.

It was fear of losing support to Farage's UKIP that helped persuade May's predecessor as Conservative prime minister, David Cameron, to hold the 2016 referendum. Both Cameron, who resigned immediately after the vote, and May voted to stay in the EU. Reuters
Phnom Penh, November 29

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, under Western donor pressure over a crackdown on his critics ahead of 2018 elections, will seek more aid and investment from China during a visit this week, his aide said.

Hun Sens aide, Sry Thamrong, said the prime minister will attend a special summit on Nov 30-December 3, which will be held by Communist Party of China (CPC) with other political parties under Chinese President Xi Jinpings theme, turning the world for the better and without interference.

Hun Sen will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese investors to talk aid and investment with the aim of creating more jobs in Cambodia, Sry Thamrong said.

Especially, we need more bridges on the Mekong River, we also need many more roads, train, sky train, these are the things that we need in the future, Sry Thamrong told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before the departure.

China is already the biggest donor and its support has bolstered Hun Sen in the face of criticism of what his opponents say amounts to the destruction of democracy.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was banned earlier this month by the Supreme Court at the governments request. That followed the arrest of its leader Kem Sokha for plotting to take power with American help.

The United States has stopped election funding ahead of next years general election and threatened further concrete steps.

The European Union has raised a potential threat to Cambodias duty free access.

China has supported Cambodias crackdown, making no criticism of the government, which is one of Beijings most important allies in Southeast Asia after more than three decades in power.  Reuters.
Denpasar (Indonesia), November 29

The airport on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali reopened on Wednesday as wind blew away ash and smoke spewed out by a volcano, giving airlines a window to get stranded tourists out and authorities more time to urge villagers to move to safety.

Operations at the airport - the second-busiest in Indonesia - have been disrupted since the weekend when Mount Agung, in east Bali, began belching out huge clouds of smoke and ash, and authorities warned of an imminent threat of a major eruption.

Balis international airport started operating normally, air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement, adding that operations resumed at 2:28 p.m. (0628 GMT).

The reopening of the airport, which is about 60 km (37 miles) away from Mount Agung, followed a downgrade in an aviation warning to one level below the most serious, with the arrival of more favourable winds.

A large plume of white and grey ash and smoke hovered over Agung on Wednesday, after night-time rain partially obscured a fiery glow at its peak.

President Joko Widodo begged villagers living in a danger zone around the volcano to move to emergency centres.

The decision to resume flights followed an emergency meeting at the airport, when authorities weighing up weather conditions, tests and data from AirNav and other groups.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 later showed there were flights departing and arriving at the airport although its general manager said if the wind changed direction the airport could be closed again at short notice.

Agung looms over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). Its last major eruption in 1963 killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages.

Ash coated cars, roofs and roads to the southeast of the crater on Wednesday and children wore masks as they walked to school.

Unpredictable

Singapore Airlines Ltd said it would resume flights while Australias Qantas Airways Ltd said it and budget arm Jetstar would run 16 flights to Australia on Thursday to ferry home 3,800 stranded customers.

Singapore Airlines and SilkAir were seeking approval to operate additional flights on Thursday, while budget offshoot Scoot said it would cease offering land and ferry transport to the city of Surabaya, on Java island, as it resumed flights to Bali.

Virgin Australia plans to operate up to four recovery flights to Denpasar on Thursday.

As the volcanic activity remains unpredictable, these flights may be cancelled at short notice, it said on its website.

The head of the weather agency at Bali airport, Bambang Hargiyono, said winds had begun to blow from the north to south, carrying ash toward the neighbouring island of Lombok.

He said the wind was expected to shift toward the southeast for the next three days, which should allow flights to operate.

As many as 430 domestic and international flights had been disrupted on Wednesday.

Authorities are urging villagers living up to 10 km (6 miles) from the volcano to move to emergency centres, but some are reluctant to leave homes and livestock.

Those in the 8- to 10-km radius must truly take refuge for safety, Widodo told reporters.

There must not be any victims. Reuters
Seoul, November 29

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said today his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after what he said was the successful test of a new missile capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability won't happen.

North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a star presenter who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark. Kim Jong-Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, she said.

The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK, she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea.

Wednesday's missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said. The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, the North's official news agency KCNA said.

Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4,475 km and splashed down 950 km from its launch site.

At least one Western expert said the missile's lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 km, enough to hit every major US city.

Trump, who recently announced fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and returned it to a US list of state sponsors of terror, was opaque in his immediate response, as the UN Security Council agreed to meet in an emergency session.

I will only tell you that we will take care of it, Trump said at the White House. It is a situation that we will handle, he added, without elaborating.

It was the North's third successful ICBM test. David Wright, an arms control expert and co-director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the flight parameters pointed to a missile with more than enough range to reach Washington DC, and in fact any part of the continental United States.

There were scenes of jubilation in tightly controlled Pyongyang, where residents gathered in front of a large screen to watch the news.

Today's statement from the North stressed the notion of its now being a fully-fledged nuclear power and offered language redolent of a no first strike doctrine.

Its weapons would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon. This is our solemn declaration, state media said.

US, Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japan's exclusive economic zone, was likely an ICBM. The test did not pose a threat to the US, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.  Agencies
Washington, November 29

Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive them apart and undermine their political and economic successes, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's 'America First' foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

Ahead of his week-long visit to Europe, Tillerson described Russia as one of the major challenges facing Europe and the US. Europe and the US seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

Tillerson went on to say that attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.

We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community, he said.

Tillerson will hold meetings at NATO headquarters and with OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) leaders and also visit several European cities next week.

He said the ball was in Russia's court and it could choose whether to continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home, or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia.

Following President Donald Trump's recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Iran's malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom, he said.  PTI
Washington, November 29

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday held emergency talks with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative North Korean missile test.

North Korea test-fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, posing a major challenge to Trump after he slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

Asserting that he will take care of the situation in the aftermath of the North Korean ballistic missile test, Trump held separate calls with Abe and Moon to discuss their collective response to the latest provocative behaviour by Pyongyang.

We will take care of it. It is a situation we will handle, Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt room of the White House soon after North Koreas ballistic missile test.

In both the phone calls, the leaders underscored the grave threat that North Koreas latest provocation poses not only to the US, South Korea, Japan and the entire world.

They reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Koreas reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Koreas security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation, the White House said.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, told reporters that the missile this time went higher than any previous time.

Their Research and Development effort on their part they seem to be developing missiles that can reach anywhere in the world...in response South Korea has launched pinpoint missiles out into the water to make certain North Korea understands they could be under fire from our ally, he said.

US Vice-President Mike Pence said that all options are on the table.

We will continue to marshall economic and diplomatic pressure until North Korea abandons its nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all, Pence said in his Hudson Institute 2017 Herman Kahn Award Dinner.

The Kim (North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un) regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of President Trump or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States, he said.

In New York, Permanent Representative of the US to the UN, Nikki Haley, along with her counterparts from Japan and South Korea requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting to be held in the open chamber in response to North Koreas latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Security Council session will be held on November 29, around 4:30 pm EST, a media release said.

Strongly condemning the missile launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said North Koreas relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them must be reversed.

Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that it must abandon its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic measures, he said.

In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from North Korea, he added.

Tillerson said the US, in partnership with Canada, will convene a meeting of the United Nations Command Sending States to include South Korea and Japan and other key affected countries to discuss how the global community can counter North Koreas threat to international peace.

Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea, he said. PTI
Washington, November 29

A top US regulator, defending an effort to roll back so-called net neutrality rules, said today that large internet platforms represent the biggest threat to online freedom because they routinely block content they dont like.

Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai delivered remarks days after unveiling a proposal to reverse a hotly contested 2015 rule requiring broadband firms to treat all online traffic equally.

Pai said internet platformshe singled out Twitterplay a more significant role than broadband operators in determining what internet users see.

Despite all the talk about the fear that broadband providers could decide what internet content consumers can see, recent experience shows that so-called edge providers are in fact deciding what content they see, Pai said.

These providers routinely block or discriminate against content they dont like.

The blunt remarks appeared to confirm a tougher atmosphere in Washington for Silicon Valley firms after years of close ties.

Pai, appointed by President Donald Trump, offered an example of Twitters decision to block a video by a Republican candidate because it featured a pro-life message, referring to the politicians claim of the sale of baby body parts.

He said Twitter appears to have a double standard when it comes to suspending or de-verifying conservative users accounts as opposed to those of liberal users, Pai said.

This conduct is many things, but it isnt fighting for an open internet.

Pai said online platforms are secretly editing certain users comments and caving to repressive foreign governments demands to block certain speech which would be considered repugnant in the United States.

In this way, edge providers are a much bigger actual threat to an open internet than broadband providers, especially when it comes to discrimination on the basis of viewpoint, Pai said.

The dispute over net neutrality has been the subject of several court battles, with backers arguing strong rules are needed to guard against powerful broadband firms like Comcast and AT&T acting as gatekeepers that can punish rivals.

Pai said the debate on net neutrality appears driven by Silicon Valley firms business interests.

These companies want to place much tougher regulations on broadband providers than they are willing to have placed upon themselves, he said.

They might cloak their advocacy in the public interest, but the real interest of these Internet giants is in using the regulatory process to cement their dominance in the internet economy.  AFP.
By PTI: STF

Kolkata, Nov 28 (PTI) The Kolkata Polices Special Task Force (STF) today arrested a man for his alleged association with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the India- Nepal border, a senior officer said.

Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan was arrested by the STF sleuths from the Nepal border area when he was trying to escape to the neighbouring country, the officer said.

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With this, the total number of people arrested by the Kolkata Police for their alleged links with the Bangladeshi terrorist group has risen to five.

The sleuths had announced a reward for any information on Aftab and two others -- Shopon Biswas alias Tamim and Nayan Gazi alias Zafor.

Acting on the information obtained after grilling the four other arrested persons, a police team conducted a raid at a hideout near the India-Nepal border and nabbed Aftab.

The accused was attached to the banned terror outfits explosives wing and was an expert in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the officer said.

Aftab had entered India with the help of Mohammad Sahadat Hossain, who was arrested from central Kolkata last week, he added.

The accused, along with Tamim, had stayed at a hotel in Howrah for a couple of days, the officer said.

The STF had last week arrested two ABT terrorists, Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam, along with an arms supplier, Monotosh Dey, from the Kolkata railway station and seized several fake identity cards and arms from their possession.

The terrorists were suspected to be behind the killing of secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh. PTI SCH RC

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THE HAGUE, Nov 29

A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a UN war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital in The Hague after he was seen drinking from a flask or glass as a UN judge read out the ruling against him and five other suspects, state TV reported, citing unnamed sources.

The apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgment at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which closes next month.

I just drank poison," he said. "I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction.

After gulping down the drink, Praljak sat back down and slumped in his chair, a lawyer who was in the courtroom at the time said.

UN court representatives and Dutch hospital officials declined to comment on his condition.

Croatian General Marinko Kresic, speaking earlier on Croatian TV, said he had spoken to the wife of another defendant, Milivoje Petkovic, who was in The Hague. She confirmed that he drank the poison and that he is in a very grave health condition, he said.

The presiding Judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearings and paramedics raced to the courtroom, which was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As forensic investigation got underway, the courtroom was sealed off, and the public was instructed to leave.  Reuters
At the SwiftTech competition, technicians were given simulated problems to troubleshoot and solve within a set time limit. Photos: Steven Martinez

A palpable sense of excitement and anxiety was in the air at Swift Transportations sprawling complex on the outskirts of Phoenix last month, as technicians showed off their skills in the annual SwiftTech technician competition. The competition pits maintenance personnel against each other in timed troubleshooting trials, not unlike the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council SuperTech competition. But Swift is taking it a step further.

Planning for the event starts six months ahead of time, explained Angel Chavez, director of shop training operations and compliance. Chavez has been at Swift for more than a decade, and the SwiftTech competition is, in part, his brainchild.

Each technician is given a truck with a pre-determined problem and tasked with identifying and troubleshooting the problem to the satisfaction of an on-the-spot judge. A bullhorn sounds at the end of each timed event to alert participants that times up. A complicated schedule indicates which technicians should be at which station, at what time.

Chavez, a technician before moving into his role as head of training at Swift, explained that sometimes a really good technician can get lost in the world of test scores. Some employees might have an intuitive ability to understand a maintenance problem but have a harder time explaining it on pen and paper.

So instead of relying solely on test scores, Swift allows the maintenance directors at each terminal to choose who they want to compete in SwiftTech. This allows somebody who isnt the absolute best test taker to have a shot at competing based on the directors knowledge of his or her actual work.

This year the competition was broadened to include not just tractor technicians, but also trailer techs, tire techs, and parts personnel. The technicians came from Swift terminals across the U.S., flown into Phoenix for the two-day event, which also includes training sessions the day after the competition. Competitors are hosted at a nice hotel and get a chance to meet other top Swift technicians from around the country. At the end of the day, scores are tallied and the winners announced at a dinner and ceremony. Like a mini Stanley Cup, the top winner and top region take trophies back to their terminal and display for the year.

A judge at each station then graded the technician on ability to diagnose the issue and adherence to maintenance standards.

This is about celebrating technicians, said Phil Mellor, recruiting supervisor at Swift. They can network with other technicians and get recognized for their special skills.

Mellor participated in the competition earlier in his career when he was a technician. Not competitive by nature, he said he was at first uninterested in winning. However, once he got a chance to see and meet the kind of technicians who win the event, he came back the next year more prepared to make a better showing.

Being in the competition gives technicians good exposure and opens up opportunities for them when they arise, Mellor said.

Its well known that trucking is experiencing an industry-wide shortage of technicians. Technicians may move on from a company for a variety of reasons ranging from professional to personal, Mellor said. And while the SwiftTech competition isnt necessarily viewed as a retention tool, he added, technicians who participate tend to stick around for a long time.
By PTI: STF

(Eds: Recasting overnight story)

Kolkata, Nov 29 (PTI) The Kolkata Polices Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man for his alleged association with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the India- Nepal border, taking the total number of people in custody for links with the Bangladeshi terror outfit to five.

Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan was arrested by the STF sleuths from the Nepal border area when he was trying to escape to the neighbouring country, a senior official said.

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The sleuths had announced a reward for any information on Khan and two others -- Shopon Biswas alias Tamim and Nayan Gazi alias Zafor.

With Khans arrest, the total number of people arrested by the Kolkata Police for their alleged links with the Bangladeshi terrorist group has risen to five.

Acting on the information obtained after grilling the four other arrested persons, a police team conducted a raid at a hideout near the India-Nepal border and nabbed Aftab.

The accused was attached to the banned terror outfits explosives wing and was an expert in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the official said.

Aftab had entered India with the help of Mohammad Sahadat Hossain, who was arrested from central Kolkata last week, he said.

The accused, along with Tamim, had stayed at a hotel in Howrah for a couple of days, the official said.

The STF had last week arrested two ABT terrorists, Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam, along with an arms supplier, Monotosh Dey, from the Kolkata railway station and seized several fake identity cards and arms from their possession.

The terrorists were suspected to be behind the killing of secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh. PTI SCH RC ASK ASK

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In the ongoing trial of four former Pilot Flying J executives for their participation in a fuel rebate scam, recent witness testimony suggests a culture of openness existed within the company about the fraud that appeared to be encouraged by top-level executives, according to numerous published reports.

The alleged fuel rebate fraud involved promising trucking companies certain amounts of money as a rebate for using Pilot Flying J fuel, but reducing the amount without the trucking companies' knowledge.

This week, Brian Mosher, a former sales director at Pilot Flying J, gave testimony in court that described conversations with top executives about withholding the full rebates and his work to train sales staff on how to do that, according to a report in the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Mosher told jurors he was so good at it that he had maxed out his commission as a salesman. At one point he said he spoke to Mark Hazelwood, former Pilot Flying J president and one of the four executives on trial, and threatened to stop defrauding customers because it no longer benefitted him personally. Hazelwood allegedly told him that it wasnt a good idea, and Mosher was later given a promotion to director of national accounts.

Mosher has pleaded guilty for his role in the fraud scam, one of 14 former Pilot Flying J employees who have done so. His testimony directly implicated his former supervisor Hazelwood, who is one of the four employees and the highest-ranking one on trial. The other fomer employees on trial are Scott Wombold, former vice president of national accounts, and two former sales representatives, Karen Mann and Heather Jones.

Mosher also testified specifically about his dealings with Pilot Flying J customer Ryder, saying he created fake spreadsheets to show Ryder personnel, which allowed him to short the company more than $20,000 per month in rebates, according to a report in The Chattanoogan.com. Ryder was allegedly owed $100,000 a month from Pilot Flying J, but Mosher only sent them $78,870.

Former sales executive John Freeman, who has also pleaded guilty to his role in the fraud, allegedly asked Mosher to teach other members of the sales staff the rebate fraud scheme in a mandatory meeting at Pilot Flying J headquarters. That meeting was secretly recorded by Vincent Greco, a company salesman from Texas, who became a mole for the FBIs investigation into the company.

In the meeting, Mosher told sales staff how to target unsophisticated trucking companies, cheat them of rebates, and how to get away with it.

Testimony also brought up Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam. Mosher told jurors that he went over spreadsheets with Hazlewood and Haslam showing how much money the company was saving each month by paying trucking companies back less money than they were promised.

It is unclear to what extent, if any, that Haslam may have been aware of the fraud scam. He has not been charged in the case and has repeatedly denied any knowledge of it.

In a video update, Jamie Satterfield, who is covering the case for the Knoxville News Sentinel, said Haslams voice was also heard in a secret recording during a training session in which the fraud was discussed. Satterfield said it wasnt clear from the recording which training sessions Haslam may have attended, and if he was there when the fraud was discussed. However, the reporter indicated that Haslam may have referenced an instance where Pilot was caught defrauding the trucking company Western Express, saying, Sounds like Sticks old deal with Western, when speaking with Hazelwood. "Stick" was the nickname for Freeman within the company. When Western Express uncovered the differences between its promised and actual fuel rebates, it sued Pilot Flying J but later settled out of court.

In the recording, Haslam then told Hazelwood, according to the Sentinel, Were going to introduce them to a guy named Manuel. According to Satterfield, Manuel was a term used by sales staff for the fuel rebate scam, because many of the trucking company owners targeted by the alleged fraud were Hispanic.
Manhattan Construction out of Tulsa broke ground on the new SEVEN6MAIN project in Owasso Tuesday (see PHOTO gallery).

The company hosted a free, public groundbreaking ceremony at noon and brought in representatives from Selser Schaefer Architects, Coulter & Co., First Bank of Owasso and the City of Owasso.

The building will replace the newly demolished building on 76th St. N. between Main and Birch that once housed Owasso Pawn Shop and Abiding Word Fellowship Church.

Owasso's new three-story, 45,000-square-foot, mixed-use commercial and residential building will be located in the heart of the Redbud District.

Spanning an entire block, the $10 million facility will bring high-end restaurants and retail shops on the first floor, expansive office space on the second floor and upscale residential apartments on the third floor.

We are grateful for the opportunity to work with SEVEN6MAIN and be part of the redevelopment of Owassos Redbud District, Manhattan Project Director Steve Ludwig said in a press release. We are looking forward to celebrating the start of construction with the Owasso community.

The Coulter family  local owners of Owassos Coulter & Co. and SMOKE Woodfire Grill on Cherry Street in Tulsa  has been developing the project since April 2014 and chose Owasso as its target location.

SMOKE has signed on as the main restaurant for the building, which will be located at the northwest corner of the property. It will feature indoor and outdoor dining, its signature smoking lounge and a full-service bar.

Hank Spieker, principal at Selser, designer of the development, said in the release, We share a passion for development and taking downtown environments and turning them into something special  breathing new life into them. Were excited about this project and what its going to bring to the Redbud District.

SEVEN6MAIN will also stir economic growth and cultural diversity, as it embodies what has been envisioned in the Downtown Overlay, Quality of Life Initiative and GrOwasso Land Use Master Plan, said Chelsea Levo, director of Economic Development for Owasso.

Seven6Main is going to add to the culture of sophistication we see breeding in Owassos downtown, she said. Another local family is investing in our community to launch it into a new age. We cant wait to help it succeed along with all our investments in the Redbud District.
OKLAHOMA CITY  Republican Ross Ford of Broken Arrow was sworn in Tuesday to represent House District 76.

He will serve the unexpired term of David Brumbaugh, 56, a Broken Arrow Republican who died in April while the Legislature was in session.

Ford defeated Democrat Chris VanLandingham in a Nov. 14 special election to take the seat.

Ford, 57, said being elected was a big honor.

It was a long road to get here, he said.

His uncle, former lawmaker Charles Ford, and other family members and friends gathered in the House chamber to watch the swearing-in ceremony, which was led by Tulsa County District Judge Bill LaFortune.

I think its wonderful, said Charles Ford, who had a lengthy career in the Senate and House.

Ross Ford thanked his mother, Lydia Ford, for raising me the way she did. He also thanked his wife, Lisa.

The couple have two children and four grandchildren.

Ford is a former Tulsa Police officer and former chief of security for Union Public Schools.

He said he looks forward to serving in the House.

I will do the best I can, he said.
Acid attack survivors sported beautiful Indian ensembles as they strutted down the ramp at a charity fashion show in New Delhi.

By India Today Web Desk: No matter how much we deliberate on issues like gender equality and women's rights, the reality at the ground level hasn't reflected nearly enough change.

Women continue to be victims of abuse even today--through domestic violence, rapes and other forms of sexual harassment.

The only silver lining is that more and more women are now taking upon themselves the responsibility of fighting against all kinds of gender discrimination, to attain the value that they rightfully deserve in the society.

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That's exactly what 10 victims of acid attack tried to prove when they walked the runway at a fashion show in New Delhi.

Picture courtesy: Twitter/iamthatgirl

The charity catwalk was hosted by Make Love Not Scars, an NGO (non-governmental organisation), dedicated to providing medical aid and rehabilitation services for acid-attack survivors, reported Independent.

Also Read:Reshma Qureshi's journey: From an acid attack survivor to a New York Fashion Week model

Leaving behind all their shame and social ridicule, the models reclaimed the idea of beauty by proudly displaying their scarred faces.

"They would say, no one will marry you. They'd say, with a deformed face you're not beautiful. But I'm proud and confident of who I am," acid attack survivor, Reshma Bano Qureshi, was quoted as saying.

Reshma had also walked the ramp at New York Fashion Week in 2016. "I want people to know, the face is not what makes you beautiful; it is your heart,'' she added.

The event turned out to be a huge success, Tania Singh, vice president, Make Love Not Scars, said, "Now they [acid attack survivors] can go back out there, and they can tell the world that they don't have to hide their faces and scars. It is the world that needs to change its thinking.''

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WOODWARD  Her story wasnt so much about the calf that was saved, but the tree that was lost.

After learning some details about a 350-mile power line planned to connect the massive Wind Catcher wind farm in the Panhandle to a substation to be built near Tulsa, rancher Candyce Kline raised the calf story as an example of the unknown challenges facing that line and to air her doubts, and others, about the idea of completing the largest power line Oklahoma has ever seen in a period of less than three years.

When the cattle count came up one short one day at her 1,200-acre Ellendale Springs Ranch, a portion of family property that dates back to 1915, about 30 miles northeast of Woodward, she went looking.

I heard him bawling and found him down in there, she said, pointing to a brush-lined hole in the rolling high prairie Gypsum Hills accentuated by white outcroppings of the porous stone.

The rancher and a friend worked up a system of pulleys and ropes and used a big overhanging tree to lift the calf out of the hole that was like a drain in the bottom, perfectly round and about 15 feet deep.

As she retold the story she had to describe the situation because a few years later the hole now is more than 40 yards across, has steep, unstable sides, and is bottomless.

That big tree?

Its gone.

It keeps expanding, Kline said. The hole swallowed that tree.

She knows of at least 30 other sinkholes on her 1,200 acres. She said she can only imagine how many are just under the surface of the Gypsum Hills region  home to the nearby Alabaster Caverns State Park, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservations Selman Bat Cave, and right next door to the University of Central Oklahomas Selman Living Laboratory, all of which are home to miles of caves and hundreds of thousands of bats.

Concern about the geology is just one reason Kline, two neighbors and the former director of the Selman Living Laboratory met at her ranch this month to explain why they think routing the line through the area is a mistake.

Wind Catcher, a partnership between Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Southwestern Electric Power Co., is a $4.5 billion project aimed at providing clean, affordable wind energy while boosting the states economy, according to a statement from PSO.

It includes a 2,000-megawatt wind farm in development with 800 turbines in Texas and Cimarron counties that is being built by Chicago-based Invenergy. General Electric is providing the turbines. Subject to regulatory approvals, the power companies will acquire the wind farm from Invenergy when it is operational in 2020.

American Electric Power Transmission will build the power line, which will connect to a new substation to be built north of Tulsa.

The final route for the power line is to be announced in early 2018, and the line is expected to go into service in late 2020, according to Tiffini Jackson, PSO director of communications.

The final route will be determined with feedback gathered from landowners at a series of public meetings that wrapped up in October, and through an online open house option, according to Jackson.

The Wind Catcher Connection project, with its 765-kilovolt line, will be larger than any other in Oklahoma, and the Wind Catcher wind farm is the largest of its kind in the U.S.

PSO is one of the largest purchasers of wind power in Oklahoma. Wind energy has helped us provide our customers with clean, reliable energy at stable and affordable prices, Jackson wrote in an email. Our long-term plan is to increase reliance on clean energy resources, like natural gas, wind and solar energy. When it comes on line, Wind Catcher will be the lowest cost energy on our system.

Jackson said AEP pioneered big power lines in the 1960s as an improvement over running several smaller lines.

AEP maintains and operates roughly 2,000 miles of 765 kV line, the first of which was constructed in 1969. All of these lines are east of the Mississippi, she wrote.

Jackson noted that the line would be roughly 350 miles long with towers every 1,000 to 1,500 feet along the route  thats 1,400 to 1,750 towers. Each tower is 140 feet tall with a base that is 40 to 50 feet across. The right-of-way will be 200 feet wide.

By comparison, wind turbine tower structures are 212 feet tall with 116-foot-long blades.

Kline said she drove to her ranch the day after the community meeting in Woodward and checked the proposed route across her property. She almost fell into a sinkhole she had not seen before.

I parked the truck, and when I walked around, I saw this right next to it and, Uh-oh! I moved the truck right away, she said as she stood near a hole not much bigger around than a truck tire but of indiscernible depth.

You couldnt build towers across here, she said. Its not just the towers, but its driving the equipment across here and disturbing all this; you dont know where these sinkholes will appear, she said.

Sue Selman, owner of the nearby Selman Ranch and a longtime prairie chicken advocate, laid out a list of concerns.

There is no way any power transmission line coming out of the Panhandle is going to miss important prairie chicken habitat because the best prairie chicken habitat in Oklahoma is in Beaver County. Theres just no way to miss it, she said. It is an issue, but right now our main concerns are the bats and destroying their (hibernation area), the erosion it could cause and the idea of building a power line across this area with all these sinkholes.

If they would move it to the south 20 miles or so, that would be better, said Bill Caire, a leading authority on Oklahomas bat populations and former director of the Selman Living Laboratory.

The lab was created to protect the Selman Cave System, which has nearly three miles of passageways and several entrances on the laboratory lands and the neighboring ranches. It is home to the largest hibernating population of cave myotis bats in Oklahoma at 70,000 to 100,000, as well as four other species, including the rare Townsends big-eared bat, he said.

The construction process and the resulting structures could have untold impacts and potentially violate the Oklahoma Cave Law, which prohibits activities that can harm or disturb the biota of any cave, Caire said.

In addition to the bats, the caves and the surrounding gypsum outcroppings are home to dozens of species of plants and animals unique to that habitat, he said.

Power lines are known to emit UV light and electromagnetic fields that affect insect behaviors, but its unclear what impact that may have on bats, which feed on insects.

Its an unknown, but its a concern, Caire said.

One of the proposed routes would put the line just south of the Selman Bat Cave, part of a system thats home to 150,000 to 300,000 migrating Mexican free-tailed bats each summer, he said.

That would have the line immediately south in their migration route, Caire said. We dont know if thats a problem, but thats why you research and study before you build. It would be such a shame to damage these cave systems.

Justin Voigt summed up the concerns after looking over his land, which adjoins the Selman Lab property. His property has cave entrances and sinkholes, but the landscape free of power lines is valuable as well, he said.

This is a unique place, a special part of the country, and I dont think they really know what theyre getting into up here, he said. The timeline  theyre doing this too fast. I dont see how theyre going to be able to do any kind of environmental study to know what kinds of problems that kind of construction could cause.

Jackson said the community meetings gave the company a lot about our state that could not be learned looking at maps and noted that PSO is considering the topography and geology of the Gypsum Hills.

At this time were still working to identify a proposed route, she said. Once identified, a siting study will be prepared that documents our process, outreach efforts, data gathering effort, and the environmental, cultural, and land use considerations used in the selection of the proposed route.

This document is not an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement under the federal National Environmental Policy Act, but includes much of the same information and analysis. Any additional analysis or process requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act will only be identified once a Proposed Route is ultimately selected, she wrote.

No more community meetings are scheduled along the route, but Jackson said PSO and Wind Catcher representatives will be meeting with individuals and that the virtual open house on the PSO website includes all of the project details, including maps and technical data, and still provides a link for people to provide comments.
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By India Today Web Desk: Before Shraddha Kapoor was finalised as the lead in Prabhas's Saaho , the makers had practically confirmed that his fellow Baahubali actress Anushka Shetty would take up the role. However, owing to contentious issues regarding her weight, the idea was dropped. But, now according to a report in BollywoodLife, after this, Alia Bhatt was approached to play Prabhas's heroine in Saaho.

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Apparently, the Saaho team was excited about casting Alia. In fact, even her mentor Karan Johar convinced Alia to take up the role. However, considering the heroine has barely any scenes in the film in comparison to Prabhas, Alia rejected the film.

According to a source, "Alia is currently busy setting a league of her own by taking up some really good performance-oriented roles. So at a stage when she's setting such a bright example as far as her film choices are concerned, she doesn't want to break the chain by doing a film where she is more like a supporting cast. Even her family approved of her decision and have no regrets whatsoever. So does it mean, Shraddha got lucky all thanks to Alia? I mean, had Alia not rejected the film, the makers wouldn't have even approached Shraddha, right? Nevertheless, it's quite a win-win situation for Shraddha, though!"

A few months earlier, Alia was asked, who her favourite South Indian actor was. She promptly replied, "Prabhas." Well, even if Alia missed out on this chance with the Baahubali actor, maybe there's something bigger in the future!

ALSO WATCH: Prabhas- Rana talk about the ultimate face-off in Baahubali 2

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Alumna Marsanne Golsby and Brian Trascher to share opposing views

ULM Office of Marketing and Communications

Shes a Democrat, hes a Republican, and she used to be his boss in former Gov. Mike Fosters communications office.

Not only is he a Republican, he was one of Trump for Americas two Louisiana directors. And, he is going to Cuba next week, despite travel restrictions for Americans, to try to create business relationships between Louisiana companies and Cuba.

Marsanne Golsby and Brian Trascher will be sharing their vastly different viewpoints to students in Dr. Joshua Stockleys State and Local Politics Class in the Mock Trial Courtroom at the University of Louisiana Monroe on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m.

Trascher is a governmental relations consultant and the author of the book, "Laws and Sausage, Tips and Tricks on how anyone can influence the political process."

Golsby is a ULM graduate who had a long career as a television, print and radio reporter in Baton Rouge before serving as Gov. Mike Fosters press secretary the eight years he was governor, 1996-2004. Trascher was an intern in her office in 1998.

Brian was one of my best interns. Even back then he had a great feel for politics and he worked hard. But I was so mad at him for trolling Hillary supporters on Facebook after the presidential election last year that I blocked him, Golsby recalls.

But then in March he showed up on my doorstep with a copy of his book and we had a good laugh. His book is exactly what people need so they can understand how to influence the political process, no matter their party affiliation. I have been in the media and politics since I was 19 and this is the most helpful book I have ever read on this topic, Golsby added.

This is not going to be a political debate because people can get that anywhere. We are going to share some practical ways for people to actually have an impact on their own government, so they are empowered to make changes, said Trascher.

Politically, most of us live in a state of ongoing frustration, but if more young people can learn how to influence the political process then hopefully they will be less frustrated, choose to enter government, and maybe government might actually end up being better overall, Stockley said.

Published November 29, 2017
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes the decision by the Libyan authorities to set up a transit and departure facility in Tripoli for people in need of international protection.

This initiative, which is supported by the Italian government, will facilitate the transfer of thousands of vulnerable refugees to third countries. We hope that thousands of the most vulnerable refugees currently in Libya will benefit from this forward-looking initiative, said Roberto Mignone, UNHCR Representative to Libya. He added that the main objective is to speed up the process of securing solutions in third countries, particularly for unaccompanied and separated children and women at risk.

These solutions will include resettlement, family reunification, evacuation to UNHCR-run emergency facilities in other countries, or voluntary return, as appropriate.

At the facility, UNHCR staff and partners will provide registration and live-saving assistance such as accommodation, food, medical care and psychosocial support.

This initiative is one of a range of measures needed to offer viable alternatives to the dangerous journeys undertaken by refugees and migrants along the Central Mediterranean route. In September, UNHCR called for an additional 40,000 resettlement places to be made available for refugees located in 15 countries along this route. So far, only 10,500 pledges have been made.

This initiative is a decisive step forward, and we are grateful for the strong commitment of the Libyan government in making this possible, as well as for the important role played by the Government of Italy. But we now need EU member states and others to step up with offers of resettlement places and other solutions, including family reunification slots, said Mignone. Together, these will be an important platform for securing solutions for these vulnerable people, based on shared responsibility.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Bali airport has been reopened after Mount Agung eruption. According to an expert, the volcanic eruption's worst-case scenario is tantamount to World Trade Center collapsing in New York on 9/11.

By India Today Web Desk: On Wednesday, the airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened after an erupting volcano compelled the authorities to close it down two days ago.

Indonesian president Joko Widodo said that the danger still stands at their door and urged anyone within the mountain's exclusion zone to get out "for the sake of their safety".

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According to reports on web, several Indians were also stuck there and asked the government to fly them out. Also, there were due travel advisory issued which they chose to disregard.

Volcanic ash, which reached 7,600 metres in the air began shifting south and southeast of Mount Agung. This has left clean space above the airport for planes to land and take off, airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said.

The airport in Bali handles more than 400 flights a day but was closed on Monday. This disrupted travel for tens of thousands of people trying to enter or leave the popular travel destination.

AP Photo/Ketut Nataan

The thick particles of volcanic eruptions are hazardous to aircraft and can kill engines.

The airport, which handles more than 400 flights a day, had closed Monday, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people trying to enter or leave the popular vacation destination. Thick ash particles are hazardous to aircraft and can choke engines.

Despite the all-clear from authorities, flights are unlikely to rapidly return to normal levels and a change in the direction of the ash or a new more powerful eruption could force the airport's closure again.

THE BALI DISASTER

Indonesian President Joko Widodo ordered all concerned ministries and agencies, as well as the military and police, to help Bali's government deal with the disaster.

"I hope there will be no victims hit by the eruption," he said.

Authorities have told 1,00,000 people to leave an area extending up to 10 km in places from the volcano as it throws out grey and white plumes.

As many as 40,000 people are now staying in 225 shelters, according to the Disaster Mitigation Agency in Karangasem. But tens of thousands more have remained in their homes because they feel safe or don't want to abandon their land and livestock.

In the village of Tulamben inside the exclusion zone, farmers were plowing their fields with cattle on Wednesday, seemingly unbothered by the smoking mountain behind them swelling with orange lava.

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

In Sukadana village, about 8 kilometers from the crater, a few remaining residents said mud-flows of volcanic debris and water had passed through the area for a couple of days before solidifying.

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TRAVEL STORIES AMID MOUNT AGUNG ERUPTION

Several stranded tourists managed to get off the island before the airport reopened, but they faced an arduous journey involving crowded roads, buses, ferries and sometimes overnight waits in yet another airport in Surabaya on the island of Java.

"This is a very unforgettable experience for us. So much hassle and definitely one for the books," Sheryl David, a tourist from Manila, Philippines, who arrived Saturday in Bali with three friends and was supposed to leave Tuesday said.

She remained stuck in a third airport on Wednesday in the capital, Jakarta, waiting for a flight home that required buying a new ticket, but said the experience didn't dampen her feelings about the island.

"Yes, still a paradise," she texted.

ERUPTION AND ANALOGY

The volcano's last major eruption, in 1963, killed about 1,100 people, but it is unclear how bad the current situation might get or how long it could last. A worst-case scenario would involve an explosive eruption that causes the mountain's cone to collapse.

"An analogy would be the twin towers collapsing in New York on 9/11," said Richard Arculus, a volcano expert at Australian National University.

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"You saw people running away from the debris raining down and columns of dust pursuing people down the street. You will not be able to outrun this thing."

AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati

Indonesian officials first raised the highest alert two months ago when seismic activity increased at the mountain. The activity decreased by late October, and the alert was lowered before being lifted to the highest level again Monday.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes, and for them there, it's always escalating.

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Beijing warns Taipei against hyping up China's jailing of Taiwanese activist

BEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) China on Wednesday said that any attempt to hype up its decision to jail a Taiwanese rights activist for subversion would be futile, after Taiwan's ruling political party labelled the result "unacceptable".

A Chinese court on Tuesday jailed Li Ming-che, Taiwanese community college lecturer and human rights non-governmental worker, for five years for subverting Chinese state power.

Li was tried alongside a mainland activist, Peng Yuhua, who received a seven year sentence for the same charge. Both were found guilty of attempting to promote political reform in China through discussions of democracy in social media chatrooms.
Cambodia PM leaves for China to seek more aid

PHNOM PENH, Nov 29 (Reuters) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, under Western donor pressure over a crackdown on his critics ahead of 2018 elections, will seek more aid and investment from China during a visit this week, his aide said.

Hun Sen's aide, Sry Thamrong, said the prime minister will attend a special summit on Nov 30-Dec 3, which will be held by Communist Party of China (CPC) with other political parties under Chinese President Xi Jinping's theme, turning the world for the better and without interference.

Hun Sen will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese investors to talk aid and investment with the aim of creating more jobs in Cambodia, Sry Thamrong said.
Venezuela systematically abused foes in 2017 protests -rights groups

CARACAS, Nov 29 (Reuters) Venezuela "systematically" abused anti-government protesters this year, two rights groups said on Wednesday, including through beatings, firing tear gas canisters in closed areas and forcing detainees to eat food tainted with excrement.

Unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro faced four months of near-daily protests asking for early elections, humanitarian aid to combat food and medicine shortages, respect for the opposition-led congress, and freedom for jailed activists.

Demonstrators say heavy-handed National Guard soldiers clamped down on their right to protest, while Maduro says his administration faced a U.S.-backed "armed insurgency."
The Peking University, China, ranked 14th in the "Universities with the Best Employment Ability for Graduates" over the University of Oxford.

According to a report by QUARTZ and Chinese media, the British Times Higher Education Magazine recently announced that it was evaluated as "the top school that led to jobs for the graduates".

The Times Higher Education Magazine, one of the most influential institutions in selecting global university rankings, surveyed the global university rankings through a consulting firm in France, The most important thing is that the company is well worth the work and the employment.

Universities ranked the most in the United States, followed by Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland. Overall, European and American universities are mainstream, but Asian universities are also emerging.

Meanwhile, the number of universities in the UK declined slightly this year compared to the university rankings in 2016, reflecting the fact that global conglomerates are concerned about Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
Mufti Mahmud Khan, RAB's legal and media wing director told to media that, three members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been killed in that operation.

12 members of the bomb disposal squad searched the house on Tuesday noon.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raided the militant den of Alatuli Char adjoining India-Bangladesh border in Chapainawabganj district, the Shahgoola border of India, one kilometer away from the Alatuli Char.

Mufti Mahmud Khan, RAB's legal and media wing director told to media that, three members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) have been killed in that operation.

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"A huge quantity of explosives were recovered from the dean. Besides, the house owner Rashikul Islam and three of his relatives were detained for interrogation," Mufti Mahmud Khan said.

Mufti Mahmud said that RAB surrounded the house around 3pm on Monday night after getting information by secret sources. When RAB called for the surrender of the militants, they fired and threw grenades targeting RAB.

"In the meantime, RAB fired counter-attacks. The militants later exploded two-folds. The house was set on fire. Meanwhile, RAB surrounds the house with a safe-distance position."

He also informed that 12 members of the bomb disposal squad searched the house on Tuesday noon.

Later, three bodies were found lying there. At that time, seven detonators, 12 power jails, two pistols, two magazines and three IEDs were recovered from the militant outfit.

RAB-5 captain Lt. Col Mahbub Alam said, the owner of the house Rashikul and his wife Najma Begum, Nazma's father Khorshed Alam and mother Minara Begum were detained for interrogation.

Meanwhile, Chapainawabganj Sadar Police Station OC (Investigation) Atiqul Islam said that the bodies were rescued and sent to the morgue for autopsy. If their relatives want to take the body they will be given.

However, the identity of the deceased is yet to be known. RAB said the body of the militants was scattered. They all are male.

HOUSE OWNERS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS BIRD-LOVERS

Locals said, Rashikul Islam used to live there (Alatuli Char) in the past. A few days ago, when he got sick, he went to his in-laws house at Godagari Thana in Rajshahi District.

But there is no hometown within a few kilometers except Rashikul's house in this char, Alatuli union council Chairman Kamrul Hasan Kamal said.

Director of RAB Media Wing, Mufti Mahmud Khan said that 15 days ago, some people hired Rashikul's house demanding observation and photographs of birds. Before renting house, they show the bird picture to House owner Rashikul.

He might have believed it straightforwardly. Then, the banned militant organization JMB Members bulid militant dean, Mufti Mahmud told to media.

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Meanwhile, RAB Additional Director General Colonel Anwar Latif Khan said that in the face of the continuous operation, these militants were carrying shelter in different chars of Bangladesh. Based on this information, surveillance is being done in those places.

"As part of this, the operation has been done in Char Alatuli. So no name was given for this operation. This is part of regular raid. Every such campaign will continue," he added.

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Berkeley College has been named to the Military Times Best 2018 list. In the Berkeley College Veterans Resource Centers, veteran students get the information they need about programs and issues pertaining to them. Pictured above is Jose Pagan, who served eight years in the U.S. Army, during the Berkeley College 2017 Commencement ceremony.

Berkeley College has been named to the Military Times Best list for the fifth consecutive year. This recognition ranks Berkeley College among institutions that go above and beyond in providing academic and personal support for veterans pursuing a college degree. According to the Military Times, more than 600 colleges took part in this years detailed survey with fewer than half qualifying for this ranking.

Military Times annual Best Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to document a large array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties; and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus. Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database. For the full Military Times Best: Colleges 2018 rankings, click here.

It is an honor for Berkeley College to be recognized once again for our commitment to veterans and military students, said Edward Dennis, Assistant Vice President, Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. Were proud of the fact that we have on-site Veterans Resource Centers  at the New York locations in Midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and at the New Jersey locations in Dover, Newark, Woodbridge and Woodland Park  and an Online Veterans Resource Center  that have enabled us to reach a greater number of veteran students, including those stationed overseas, he added.

The Veterans Resource Centers provide a location for veterans to receive information about their U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. Here veteran students can meet with representatives from the Colleges Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, socialize with other veterans, and obtain information about programs pertaining to military and veteran students.

Berkeley College supports the G.I. Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program, and collaborates on national ventures with the National Guard, the Army and the Air Force, the GoArmyEd distance learning program, and the Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnership.

Some of the unique features and benefits about the Berkeley College Office of Military and Veterans Affairs (OMVA) include:

Skyla is an emotional support dog in training who joined the OMVA staff to assist veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression or panic attacks.

-Berkeley College students and staff participate in the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress. In 2000, the United States Congress established the Veterans History Project in order to collect, preserve and archive personal accounts of American service members so that future generations will be able to hear directly from the veterans and better understand the realities of war.

-The Berkeley College OMVA staff have created the Veterans and Goldstar Reflections projects with student-veterans and families of veterans. These projects create a gallery of photos that contrast their lives before and after their respective service experience in one picture.

-Berkeley College is home to a student-veteran-led Veterans Club affiliated with the Student Veterans of America (SVA).
The advisory comes in the wake of inputs received by the Union Home Ministry from agencies like the R&AW and NTRO.

By Meetu Jain: A country wide advisory has been sent to all field formations of the Army and paramilitary forces warning of a cyber attack through mobile phones.

Officials have been told to ensure that officers and men under their control delete certain apps created by Chinese companies or having Chinese links from their mobile phones, whether official or personal.

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The advisory comes in the wake of inputs received by the Union Home Ministry from agencies like the R&AW and NTRO.

The advisory says, "As per reliable inputs, a number of android/IOS apps developed by Chinese developers or having Chinese links are reportedly either spyware or other malicious ware. Use of these apps by our force personnel can be detrimental to data security having implications on the force and national security."

In fact, all personnel have been advised to immediately uninstall the app and format their cellphones. The apps dubbed as Chinese spyware includes TrueCaller, Weibo, WeChat, UC News, UC Browser and Baidu Maps.

Also Read: Dear Indians, have mercy on others and STOP using Truecaller

It isn't immediately clear as to whether any agency has reported any case of espionage through the cyber route in recent days or even if these malware have compromised systems.

But this isn't the first time that red flags have been raised over defence forces being targeted by Chinese hackers. India faced its biggest cyber attack in 2012 when ITBP was compromised.

The attack was tracked to North Korea. ITBP had been repeatedly warned of an impending cyber attack by NTRO and the matter was even taken up at the level f the PMO.

ITBP's positions, troop movement, bunkers and other critical information was reportedly leaked at that time. This time too, cyber security agencies have warned that ITBP is particularly vulnerable.

A phishing attack, also in 2012, had compromised the SPG. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's travel plans to Bangkok in June had been leaked.

"The advanced security liaison had been compromised and the NTRO had pointed this out to the SPG in writing. The security breach which is considered extremely serious was hushed up because the SPG insisted they have been using stand alone or air gapped computers which are not connected to the internet," say NTRO sources.

The Army Design Bureau had last year red flagged Chinese circuitry in military hardware that could take military networks down. Instructions were sent out last year too advising against the use of Chinese origin smartphones.

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IN 2010, the Union Home Ministry had mulled whether Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE could be banned in India. Amongst the many gadgets supplied by these firms, the Home Ministry had flagged modems as being particularly vulnerable.

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By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss house has hosted extravagant weddings in the past; be it Sara Khan and Ali Merchant or Mona Lisa and Vikrant's gala affair. This season the house is gearing up to get the most controversial jodi Shilpa Shinde and Vikas Gupta married.

BB fans and followers have seen the love-hate relationship of Shilpa and Vikas-- from ugly and unbearable fights to finding a common ground to settle their battle. So much so, that Twitterati even came up with an interesting hashtag #Shikas for them. Some fans had also expressed their desire of seeing the two as married couple.

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Looks like Bigg Boss has taken this proposal literally. The makers of the show are creating a special task where the two of them will be seen tying the knot.

A source close to Vikas revealed to Bollywoodlife.com that the creative team of Bigg Boss 11 has planned a task wherein there will be a mock wedding between Shilpa and Vikas. The other housemates will be divided into two teams and they will play the family members of the two.

The source said, "Now that Vikas and Shilpa are friends, the makers are planning to take full advantage of this, and as a result a task will take place in the month of December where Shilpa and Vikas will exchange the wedding vows, while the housemates will pretend to be the family members of the two."

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Majithia, a former Punjab minister, is accused of being part of a Rs 6,000 crore synthetic drug cartel.

By Manjeet Sehgal: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate allegations levelled against Majithia, who is accused of being part of a Rs 6,000 Crore synthetic drug cartel.

A Punjab and Haryana High Court bench said the ED was independent to investigate the allegations and it should share the relevant findings with the chief of the task force, and that new findings should be brought to the notice of the High Court.

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The court's directions came after Chandigarh based NGO Lawyers For Human Rights International (LFHRI) had moved an application in the court accusing Bikramjit Singh Majithia of having links with the synthetic drug cartel.

The petitioner had also told the court that Punjab Police did not take any action against Majithia as he was a close relative of the then-Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, and union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

"The allegations were made by the three accused in their confessional statements. The Punjab police did not take any action against the then minister. Now when there is a new government in the state, the allegations should be probed," Navkiran Singh of Lawyers For Human Rights International (LFHRI) told India Today.

The NGO had also told the court that Enforcement Directorate officer Niranjan Singh had summoned Bikramjit Singh Majithia for questioning.

Senior Punjab and Haryana high court lawyer Anupam Gupta had also told the court that the Enforcement Directorate's findings point out that Bikramjit Singh Majithia is not innocent and his role should be proved.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has denied allegations that the Congress government has given a clean chit to Bikramjit Singh Majithia. He said a probe was on.

The next hearing of the case will take place on January 31.

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Global hospitality company Hakkasan Group is pleased to announce an unparalleled array of events taking place over New Years Eve Weekend, occurring Friday, Dec. 29 through Sunday, Dec. 31. With performances by chart-topping artists including Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, 2 Chainz, Lil Jon, and much more, partygoers wont want to miss their chance to ring in 2018 at some of the hottest nightlife destinations on the Las Vegas Strip (Pictured: Calvin Harris  Photo credit: Aaron Garcia).

For a full list of events, please see below.

JEWEL Nightclub at ARIA Resort & Casino

The exclusive JEWEL Nightclub will host its second New Years celebration with an exciting open-format lineup, featuring Justin Credible Friday, Dec. 29, Irie Saturday, Dec. 30, and Lil Jon headlining the New Years Eve festivities Sunday, Dec. 31. With the confetti-filled revelry also featuring an open bar from 9-11 p.m., guests will be treated to a non-stop party lead by the Shots rapper. Tourists and locals alike will flock to the luxurious nightlife destination for a jam-packed weekend in honor of the New Year.

Friday, Dec. 29| The Good Life Fridays

Justin Credible

Saturday, Dec. 30

Irie

Sunday, Dec. 31 | Doors open at 9 p.m.

Lil Jon

OMNIA Nightclub at Caesars Palace

OMNIA Nightclub will invite partygoers to ring in 2018 in style beginning with a set by Grammy Award-winning DJ Zedd Friday, Dec. 29. The celebratory weekend will continue with a special live performance by hip-hop sensation Travis Scott, followed by none other than Calvin Harris leading the New Years Eve party Sunday, Dec. 31. With an unrivaled lineup sure to appeal to music lovers worldwide, guests will be invited to dance under the kinetic chandelier while taking in stunning views of the Strips New Years Eve firework display on the outdoor Terrace.

Friday, Dec. 29

Main Club: Zedd

Heart of OMNIA: DJ Stretch

Saturday, Dec. 30

Main Club: Travis Scott

Heart of OMNIA: DJ Shift

Sunday, Dec. 31 | Doors open at 8 p.m.

Main Room: Calvin Harris

Heart of OMNIA: Turbulence

Terrace: Mondo

Hakkasan Nightclub at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

The illustrious nightlife destination Hakkasan Nightclub is set to host another unforgettable New Years Eve Weekend, featuring a star-studded lineup that partygoers wont want to miss. The eventful weekend will begin Friday, Dec. 29 with Party Favor, followed by legendary electronic dance icon Tiesto Saturday, Dec. 30. Then, clubgoers will be welcomed to ring in the New Year with a high-energy set by Steve Aoki Sunday, Dec. 31. With the night also featuring a special appearance by Bruce Buffer to lead the countdown to midnight, as well as an open bar from 8-10 p.m., guests will be given the chance to celebrate another successful year at the premier nightlife destination on the Las Vegas Strip.

Friday, Dec. 29

Main Room: Party Favor

Ling Ling Club: Phoreyz

Saturday, Dec. 30

Main Room: Tiesto

Ling Ling Club: OB-One

Sunday, Dec. 31|Doors open at 8 p.m.

Main Room: Steve Aoki

Ling Ling Club: Melo-D

1 OAK Nightclub at The Mirage Hotel & Casino

After another victorious year filled with star-studded performances, high-profile celebrity appearances, and exclusive industry events, 1 OAK Nightclub will be celebrating the conclusion of 2017 and welcoming the New Year with an exciting weekend of events. Kick off the festivities Friday, Dec. 29 with DJ Karma, followed by DJ Turbulence Saturday, Dec. 30, and a special performance by hip-hop star 2 Chainz Sunday, Dec. 31. The Its a Vibe rapper is sure to provide a one-of-a-kind New Years Eve celebration, which will include an open bar from 9-11 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 29

DJ Karma

Saturday, Dec. 30

DJ Turbulence

Sunday, Dec. 31 | Doors open at 9 p.m.

2 Chainz

The Bank Nightclub at Bellagio Resort & Casino

The Bank Nightclub will bring an incomparable New Years Eve weekend to the city, beginning Friday, Dec. 29 with DJ Que and continuing Saturday, Dec. 30 with DJ Stretch. Then, join the premier venue Sunday, Dec. 31 for its exclusive Glitz & Glamour event, with special guest host Bruno Mars. The Grammy Award-winning artist will lead the countdown to midnight as partygoers revel in the celebratory spirit of the night while enjoying an open bar from 9 p.m.  midnight.

Friday, Dec. 29

DJ Que

Saturday, Dec. 30

DJ Stretch

Sunday, Dec. 31 | Doors open at 9 p.m.

Special Guest Host Bruno Mars

ALIBI Ultra Lounge at ARIA Resort & Casino

Those looking for a unique New Years Eve celebration in a more intimate environment wont want to miss the chance to experience an exciting night out at ALIBI Ultra Lounge. With several premium table packages to choose from and live tunes from DJ G-Squared, the luxurious ultra-lounge serves as a go-to destination for partygoers looking to bring in the New Year in style.



Sunday, Dec. 31

DJ G-Squared

Lily Bar & Lounge at Bellagio Resort & Casino

The upscale Lily Bar & Lounge will be hosting its own festive party, serving as the perfect destination for a premium New Years Eve experience. Guests are invited to enjoy handcrafted cocktails while listening to a lively set by DJ Guy Williams, with table packages also available for purchase.

Sunday, Dec. 31

DJ Guy Williams

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.newyearsevelasvegas.com
According to the 2017 Nation Brands report by Brand Finance, Vietnam is the fifth fastest growing nation brand in 2017 amongst 100 economies, growing by 43 percent since last year. Brand Finance is an independent branded business valuation and strategy consultancy. The nation brand of Vietnam was valued at US$ 203 billion and was ranked 45th amongst 100 economies, a jump of five places from 2016. In the last few years, it has been noted that a strong nation brand leads to an increase in investments, adds value to exports, attracts tourists and skilled workers.

This report measures the strength and value of the nation brands utilizing a method based on royalty relief mechanism, which is frequently used to evaluate global firms. In this, the value of a brand is determined by the level of royalty that a company can charge for the use of their brand. However, in this country report, the key pillars on which the countries are ranked are Goods & Services, Investment, and Society, with further sub-indicators such as Tourism, Market, Governance, and People & Skills. Each metrics contribute towards a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score and a rating ranging from AAA+ to D, similar to a credit rating.

Regional rankings

In South East Asia, Vietnam ranks sixth amongst the top seven ASEAN economies, only ahead of Myanmar. Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei are not amongst the top 100 economies. Indonesia leads the ASEAN rankings, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Singapore respectively.

Three ASEAN countries feature in the top ten fastest growing nation brands. Vietnam, Philippines, and Thailand were ranked 5th, 9th, and 10th respectively, growing by 43 percent, 38 percent, and 37 percent respectively.

Vietnam Nation Brand Value

Two major sectors highlighted in the report were the food and apparel industry. The processed food industry contributed over US$ 17 billion to the countrys exports, while the apparel sector accounted for over US$ 22 billion of its exports. Both sectors have seen considerable growth, due to the continuous policy reforms initiated by the government.

In terms of FDI, the first nine months of 2017 has seen a growth of 13.4 percent with respect to the same period last year, with total FDI reaching US$ 12.5 billion.

Knowing the importance of brand development early on, the Vietnamese government had launched a National Brand Program in 2003 to promote the countrys image through branded domestic products and services.

Top Vietnamese brands

According to the 2016 Brand Finance Top 50 Vietnam Brands report, Vinamilk was the most valuable brand in the country followed by Viettel, PetroVietnam, Mobifone, VinHomes, Sabeco, Masan, FPT, Vinaphone, and VietinBank. The VinGroup has five brands in the 50 most valuable brands in Vietnam. Most of the brands are from the telecommunications, food & beverage, and banking sectors.

Investor opportunities

Foreign investors seeking to enter the Vietnamese market have been increasingly routing their investments through Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activities to expand their businesses and gain a foothold in the domestic market.

M&A deals in Vietnam hit an all-time record of US$ 5.8 billion in 2016. Although it accounted for only five percent of the total M&A deals in South East Asia, it has grown by 11.92 percent compared to 2015. Foreign firms involved in M&A activities are motivated by the growing production capacity and export potential of the country, driven by an increasing number of FTAs. Majority of the investments are in domestic brands belonging to state-owned enterprises and are mostly in the form of share acquisitions, rather than assets.

Major M&As

Siam Cement (SCC), the second largest cement company in Thailand has spent US$ 524 million in buying 65 percent of LafargeHolcim Vietnam.

Singapore based Fraser & Neave Ltd spent US$ 500 million on purchasing nearly 80 million shares of Vinamilk, 5.4 percent of the dairy firms stakes. With this purchase, it increased its holdings to 16.35 percent and became the second largest stakeholder, following Vietnams State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) with 39.33 percent.

British insurance firm Aviva acquired a 50 percent stake in domestic insurance firm Vietinbank Aviva from Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank).

KKR invested US$ 250-million in Masan Group, one the top three largest private sector companies in Vietnam in terms of market capitalization and in its meat platform Masan Nutri-Science.

M&A activities are expected to grow further, driven by divestments in state-owned enterprises (SOE), which is a big opportunity for domestic as well as foreign investors. Equitisation of various SOEs such as Vissan and Vietnam Airlines were the major divestments last year. Other firms in the pipeline with further divestments planned include Vinamilk, Sabeco, Habeco, PV Power, Vinafood, PV Oil, IDICO, and Genco (under the Vietnam Electricity Corporation).

Future M&A deals in Vietnam are expected to be mostly in the consumer goods, financial services, telecommunications, and energy sector, with insurance firms, banks, and consumer finance companies predicted to have the highest growth potential.
On Tuesday, the embassys hotline received 14 calls from Vietnamese stuck in Bali asking for support as Indonesia has raised the warning of Agung volcanos eruption to the maximum level.

According to Nguyen Thanh Giang, an embassy official, four among these 40 people had left Bali for Surabaya by road and sea. The remaining are still waiting for connecting flights.

Until now, the local authority has not yet called for evacuation. Therefore, the embassy is guiding Vietnamese on how to leave the island. Once they reach Surabaya and Lombok, there will be flights to other destinations, Giang said.

He also said the actual number of Vietnamese stranded may be higher as they were almost all self-sufficient travelers.

There were 24 Vietnamese, part of nine travelling groups, reported to be stranded in Bali on Monday.

In addition, two Vietnamese expats live in Bali but not in the dangerous area.

The volcanic eruption, meanwhile, continued with ash, tephra and lava being expelled. The Indonesian authorities have evacuated thousands of people living in the neighbouring areas to more than 200 camps on the island.
Ba Sao drivers demand the company to provide support to keep them on the surface financially

According to drivers, their income has massively decreased. Notably, the average revenue of drivers in a 12-hour work shift is between VND300,000-500,000 ($13.21-22.01) per day, while the figure for drivers in 24-hour work shift is between VND600,000-800,000 ($26.41-35.22). After deducing expenditures for meals, insurance, petroleum, and communication, the remaining income is very low.

Thus, drivers ask the company to decrease communication expenses by VND500,000 ($22.01) per month instead of supporting them with a monthly VND50,000 ($2.2) per person.

Another driver shared that his income decreased by half since Uber and Grab appeared in Vietnam. Almost all drivers used loans from banks to buy cars, thus, their current incomes are not enough to pay loan interests as well as the expenditures for communication.

Vu Quoc Huy, director of Ba Sao, told that a number of drivers started to strike half a month ago and the board of directors invited them to the office to clarify their demands and persuade them to return to work, but failed. According to Huy, these drivers are kind by nature, but they may have been incited by unknown sources to conduct the strike.

Huy added that taxi companies, including Ba Sao, find it difficult to compete with Uber and Grab because traditional taxi brands are banned from numerous streets, especially during peak hours. Besides, the operation expenses of traditional taxis are higher than those of Uber and Grab.

Aiming to deal with these difficulties, Ba Sao issued numerous promotion programmes to lure in customers, including discounts of 5-10 per cent for customers using the Ba Sao payment card, or discounts of VND6,000-8,000 per route for brokers at hotels and restaurants.

Along with Ba Sao, other traditional taxi companies like Mai Linh and Vinasun also complain about Uber and Grab, reporting decreasing revenue and employee numbers.

Notably, Mai Linh Group released bleak business results in the first six months of this year. Accordingly, the number of Mai Linh employees decreased by approximately 6,000 to 24,000, falling 20 per cent on-year.

Besides, the companys net revenue was VND1.72 trillion ($75.4 million), down 5 per cent on-year. Profit from other activities decreased to VND29 billion ($1.29 million), only half of what it was in the first half of last year.

Furthermore, as of the end of June 2017, the company bore an accumulated loss of VND800 billion ($35.1 million), equaling 80 per cent of its charter capital. In the first six months alone, its net loss from business operations was VND47.5 billion ($2.08 million), doubling on-year due to a sharp increase in sales and management expenditures.

Regarding Vinasun, in the second quarter of this year, the companys net revenue reached VND810 billion ($35.7 million) only, a record low since 2014. Besides, quarterly after-tax profit fell by 50 per cent on-year, to VND16 billion ($706,299). The cumulative figure for the first six months was VND1.9 trillion ($706.29 million), signifying a decrease of 15 per cent.

Within the first six months of this year, the number of Vinasun employees decreased by approximately 8,000 to 9,179. According to a Vinasun representative, the companys business results may remain gloomy until the end of this year.
Value of bitcoin in 2017. (Image: AFP/Laurence Chu)

The cryptocurrency surged to a high of US$10,059 in early Asian hours, according to Bloomberg News, though the recent surge in the volatile unit has fuelled fears of a bubble.

Launched in 2009 as a bit of encrypted software written by someone using the Japanese-sounding name Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin has had a roller-coaster ride that has taken it from just a few US cents to its current sky-high valuation.

Traded on specialist platforms, with no legal exchange rate and no central bank backing it, Bitcoin is monitored and regulated by its community of users, and is used to buy everything from pizza to a pint in a London pub.

But it has attracted widespread criticism, from financial industry titans to governments.

JP Morgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon in September slammed the unit as a "fraud" and said he would fire his employees if they were caught trading it, while China has shut down Bitcoin trading platforms and South Korea's prime minister Tuesday voiced fears it could lead the young to get involved in fraudulent crime.

Analysts say the popularity has been driven by growing interest from major investors and a decision last month by exchange giant CME Group to launch a futures marketplace for the currency, which has not been listed on a major bourse before.

But there is growing unease with the rate of growth, which has seen it increase in value from a 2017 low of US$752 in mid-January.

"This is a bubble and there is a lot of froth. This is going to be the biggest bubble of our lifetimes," warned hedge fund manager Mike Novogratz at a cryptocurrency conference Tuesday in New York, according to Bloomberg News.

Commentators also suggest some are buying it as an alternative bet in times of global economic uncertainty.

But critics point to its volatility, an apparent vulnerability to theft and its use in illicit purchases online.

In one of the most high-profile scandals to hit the currency, major Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange MtGox collapsed in 2014 after admitting that 850,000 coins - worth around US$480 million at the time - had disappeared from its vaults.

Bitcoin's use on the underground Silk Road website, where users could use it to buy drugs and guns, was also presented as proof it was a bad thing.

Despite concerns, most observers believe it is unlikely to suffer heavy falls soon.
Grab aims to take on a substantial role in taking Vietnam into the 4.0 era

Supporting Vietnams transport system

Ling told local press last week that Grab is specialised in researching and developing applications in technology-based platforms. Grab is always looking to partner with local governments to develop the most efficient transportation and mobile payments for Vietnamese customers.

With the development of a research and development (R&D) centre in Vietnam, Grabs global R&D community will focus on solutions to optimise the efficiency of the transport sector. As a result, customers can have access to a wide range of vehicles with more convenient rides and affordable services. Meanwhile, Grabs driver partners can utilise different services to serve customer demand and improve their own livelihoods.

Grabs two-year pilot programme will be finished in January 2018. Regarding this matter, Ling expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese government. When the pilot project started two years ago, Vietnam was one of the first countries to adopt ride-hailing technology in such an open and transparent way. Grab is willing to share best practices based on data collected from the programme, which will facilitate innovation and new technology application in Vietnam.

To tackle traffic congestions, Grab plans to launch Grab Shuttle in the country to better utilise vehicle capacity. Grab Shuttle can increase the number of passengers to seven people in a small bus. Grab Shuttle uses algorithms to arrange suitable routes for customers who are travelling at the same direction and at the same time. Following a local debut in Singapore, the government lauded Grab Shuttles effectiveness as well as encouraged the widespread use of the feature.

Meanwhile, JustGrab has been launched in Hanoi and Danang city, which combines both GrabTaxi and GrabCar in a single feature. JustGrab will offer faster e-hailing services for customers, while improve the livelihoods of driver partners.

The co-founder stated that Grab not only provides quick and safe rides to customers but also offers them better access to vehicles. The ride-hailing firm continues its efforts to develop sustainably in Vietnam.

Committing to long-term investment

According to Ling, Grab has been active in Vietnams 4.0 industrial revolution. With its technological solutions, the ride-hailing firm helps cut down customers commuting time by 51 per cent, while boost the hourly income of driver partners by 55 per cent compared to the national average.

In addition to creating thousands of new jobs in Vietnam, Grab has invested in the new R&D centre so that local engineers and high-tech workers will be engaged in Grabs global R&D community, she added. Grab has invested in six R&D centres in Seattle (US), Beijing (China), Bangalore (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City. These R&D centres will explore new digital solutions to support Vietnam in developing its transport infrastructure.

To move Vietnam towards 4.0 in the long-term, Grab will expand investment in the country in the near future. The ride-hailing firm commits to doing the best for Vietnam and its people.

In the first ten months of 2017, Grab has contributed nearly VND140 billion ($6.16 million) to the Vietnamese state budget, according to Ling.

In addition to ride-hailing services, Grab plans to launch its mobile wallet payment system known as Grab Pay in Vietnam next year.

Grab has been working in collaboration with several banks in Vietnam to promote online payment services to local customers. If Grab Pay is green-lighted in early 2018, it is expected to serve essential customer demand as well as contribute to develop Vietnams knowledge-based smart economy, she said.

Grab driving to break into e-payment sector After winning a significant foothold in the Vietnamese ride-hailing market, Grab plans to drive further growth by adding new services and branching out into the online payment sector.

Uber, Grab, Bitcoin and Vietnams digital economy The fierce opposition by traditional taxi firms to Uber and Grab, the uncertainty of state management of bitcoins, and the number of Vietnamese starting up businesses in Singapore all show that it is necessary to amend the legal framework in the context of the digital economy.
The new medical centre aims to improve healthcare conditions and living standards for residents in remote areas

This is the third health centre that Hanwha Life Vietnam has donated to the northern mountainous region, where healthcare is still difficult to access for residents.

Previously, the company presented one medical centre to Bac Phong commune in Hoa Binh province (2015) and another to Kim Truyen commune in the same province (2016).

As an insurer, Hanwha Life values the importance of providing public healthcare and building facilities to meet the needs of people.

Co-operating with Child Fund, the company is committed to improving the living quality and creating lasting values for Bac Kans residents. In the future, Hanwha Life will be involved in many community-based activities in other localities to draw long-term ties tighter with the people and country of Vietnam.

After more than eight years of operations in Vietnam, Hanwha Life Vietnam has sponsored many community projects to carry out its mission of going along with the people of Vietnam to plan their future and make their dreams come true.

From 2014 to 2016, the impoverished people in 14 provinces and cities across the country received more than 27,260 health cards from Hanwha Life Vietnam, helping them reduce the burden of healthcare expenses and providing better treatment conditions.

In 2017, Hanwha Life Vietnam continues to co-operate with the Ho Chi Minh City Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients, donating more than 9,500 health insurance cards worth nearly VND2 billion ($90,900) to Ho Chi Minh City residents and many other localities nationwide.

As education and the development of the future generation are in the mission of Hanwha Life Vietnam, the company financed the construction of a new primary school in Cao Phong district (2013) and Daycare Centre A in Kim Boi district (2014), both in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

In addition, the Korean insurer works with the Korean Cultural Exchange Organisation to realise the dream of owning a decent home for many poor households, with 133 houses in Vietnam-Korea Friendship Village during 2013-2014 and 30 houses of love delivered in diverse locations across the country, including Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ca Mau, Ben Tre, Danang, Thanh Hoa, and Dak Lak during 2015-2016.

The total cost Hanwha Life has shouldered so far is estimated at more than VND22 billion ($1 million).

In recognition of the companys contributions to the community, in December 2015, Hanwha Life Vietnam was honoured with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award by the Korean Consulate, the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry opposed North Korea's latest missile launch in an unusual rebuke of its neighbor and ally.

By India Today Web Desk: After two-and-a-half months of relative peace, North Korea finally launched its most powerful weapon early this Wednesday.

Pyongyang confirmed the launch, saying it had successful fired a new type of ICBM, which it called the Hwasong 15.

However, the North Korea's test-firing of a newly-developed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has left China feeling gravely concerned.

On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry opposed North Korea's latest missile launch in an unusual rebuke of its neighbor and ally.

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"China strongly demands the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) abide by the UN Security Council resolutions and refrain from actions that heighten the tension on the Korean Peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Geng further added that China hopes that the relevant parties will continue to cautiously work together for the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing's reaction came after Pyongyang tested another ICBM early Wednesday as it claimed that it was capable enough of reaching the US mainland.

According to North Korea's state media, the Hwasong-15 missile is said to be the most powerful ICBM which carried a "super-large heavy warhead" to unprecedented heights of almost 4,500 kilometers.

The test, which defied international sanctions imposed over Pyongyang's weapons programme, quickly drew swift international condemnation with the UN Security Council due to convene an emergency session.

While Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch an intolerable and violent act, South Korea carried out live-fire exercises and launched one of its own ballistic missiles in response.

US President Donald Trump responded by saying: "We will take care of it."

VIDEO: Here's what Donald Trump recently told the United Nations about North Korea.

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Actress Kathy Uyen (centre) and director Le Thanh Son (second right) receive the Golden Lotus Prize for the best feature film in the 20th Vietnamese Film Festival in Da Nang yesterday. - VNS Photo Lam Tran

Two films, The House Maid and Father and Son, took two Silver Lotus awards at the ceremony, held at the citys Trung Vuong Theatre.

Kathy Uyen, who acted in the Vietnamese movie Jailbait, was named best actress, while Quy Binh from the film Ill Wait, took the best actor award.

In the documentary category, the film Live and Tell, directed by Nguyen Hoang Lm, won the Golden Lotus prize.

Two Silver Lotus awards went to films Home Coming and Viet Nam Under Subsidy.

A Solution for Coastal Erosion, by director Phung Ngoc Tu, won the Golden prize for the best scientific film division, while the film Growing Sperm for Infertility in Males took Silver prize.

The Mannequin was awarded the Golden Lotus prize for best animated film, while Fugitive took the Silver Lotus.

Actress Ha My was named best supporting actress for her work on The Girl from Yesterday, while Nhan Phuc Vinh took best supporting actor for the film The Way Station.

The organising committee also presented prizes for the best sound and music, the best artist, the best cameraman, the best film script in categories of documentary, science, feature and animation, the jurys award and the best film voted by audiences.

More than 4,000 viewers in the central region enjoyed a week-long film festival screening Vietnams 129 best new and old films spanning genres of feature, documentary, scientific and animated categories.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau will host the 21st Vietnamese Film Festival next year.

ASEAN Awards

The film, A Yellow Bird, from Singapore won the Best Film Award at the first ASEAN Film Awards in Da Nang, while main actor Sivakumar Palakrishnan was named Best Actor at the ceremony yesterday.

The film, directed by K. Rajagopal, features Silva (actor Sivakumar), a Singaporean Indian man released after years in prison for smuggling. Unable to find forgiveness from his mother, he searches for his ex-wife and daughter.

I would like to thanks Vietnam for creating the opportunity in the ASEAN Film Awards, Sivakumar Palakrishnan said at the awards ceremony.

Mary Joy Apostol from the Philippines, who starred in the film Birdshot, bagged the Best Actress prize.

Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo of Indonesia was named Best Director for the film Turah.

The three members of the ASEAN Awards jury were Jonathan Hyong-joon Kim, a director from South Korea; Roger Garcia, director of the International Film Festival Hong Kong; and Polish director Karolina Bielawska.

The first ASEAN Film Awards, an initiative of Vietnam, drew the participation of the films Adrift (Malaysia), Birdshot (the Philippines), Angel of Eden (Myanmar), Descendant (Brunei) and Yellow Bird (Singapore), Benevolence of the Contemporary Mother (Cambodia), Swan Lifts Turtle (Laos), Turah (Indonesia), By the Time It Gets Dark (Thailand) and Da Co Hoai Lang (Hello Vietnam)

The event also marks the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, strengthening friendship and solidarity among different nationalities.
In a bid to improve transparency, a new law will prohibit bank executives from running side businesses Photo: Le Toan

Last week, the National Assembly passed the amended Law on Credit Institutions, which will take effect on January 15, 2018. Under it, people holding senior positions at credit institutions will be prohibited from concurrently running a non-banking firm. Specifically, board members, CEOs, and deputy CEOs of a bank cannot hold top positions in any other businesses.

Analysts expect the new rule to have profound implications for Vietnams financial sector, as several bank owners in the country are also running side businesses, most of them are major diversified corporations. For example, Do Quang Hien is the chairman of both Saigon-Hanoi Bank and T&T Group, Vu Van Tien owns both ABBank and Geleximco, Nguyen Thi Nga holds the top position at SeABank and BRG Group, and Do Minh Phu runs both TPBank and Doji.

The list goes on. Techcombanks chairman Ho Hung Anh is concurrently the deputy chairman at Masan Group. His counterpart at VIB, Dang Khac Vy, also owns Mareven Food Holdings. Vo Quoc Thang, chairman at Kien Long Bank, is also both chairman and CEO of brick maker Dong Tam Group.

Other examples include Vietjet Airs chairwoman Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Vinamilks chairwoman Nguyen Thi Bang Tam, both of whom hold senior positions at HDBank. Most recently, Duong Cong Minh, chairman of Him Lam Group, was appointed Sacombanks chairman at the lenders general meeting.

To comply with the new law, these businesspeople must give up their involvement at either the bank or the side business. This will not be an easy decision, but it is necessary for the banking sector, said Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao, head of the Finance Department at Ho Chi Minh Citys University of Economics. The professor said that the amended bill will improve the overall transparency of Vietnams finance industry.

It is also a matter of ethics. A businessman running both a bank and a side business faces a lot of moral dilemmas, especially when it comes to transparency in lending and capital raising activities. The new bill will make it harder for them to misuse the banks funds for their private gain, Bao said.

The most prominent example of such misuse is banking tycoon Tram Be, who owned Binh Chanh Construction Investment and several banks like Sacombank, ACB, Southern Bank, and Eximbank. Tram Be was arrested this year for serious violations of banking rules and Sacombank divested its entire stake at Binh Chanh Construction afterwards.

Experts believe that to deal with the new rules, some of the affected owners may ask a relative or business partner to hold the banks shares on their behalf. In another high-profile case of embezzlement and fraud, Pham Cong Danh used this tactic when working at Construction Bank. Regulators will need to address this problem when implementing the revised law next year, said analysts.

The new Law on Credit Institutions also forbids senior executives of any bank to sit on the board of another financial firm, unless it is the banks subsidiary or the assignment has been ordered by the State Bank of Vietnam.

The landmark Circular 36/2014/TT-NHNN stated that a commercial bank in Vietnam can only hold stake in two other financial institutions, and can only own less than 5 per cent of each.
Samsung's work safety inspection record was in fact much better than the industry average

Samsungs response

In early November, a report conducted by Sweden-based non-profit organisation IPEN, made baseless allegations that Samsung was skirting labour safety regulation, based on the health records of 45 female workers at two Samsung factories in Vietnam.

Samsung Electronics operates two cell phone factories in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen provinces in northern Vietnam, which produce around half of all the cell phones that Samsung supplies to the global market.

The factories, which have over 100,000 employees, made $36 billion last year, accounting for 68 per cent of all revenue from the country's electronics industry, which is the highest grossing sector in Vietnam.

There may be confusions between the factories in Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, and our semiconductor production line in Korea. In Vietnam, workers only do assembly to make mobile phonesthere are no stages when they come in direct contact with toxic chemicals. Additionally, we do not use any toxic chemical that could damage human health. Detergents like alcohol, which are used to clean equipment, do not damage health, Ryu Kil Sang, the representative of Samsung Electronics Vietnam, was quoted on vnexpress.net

There are over 100,000 employees in the two factories, 4,000 of whom are pregnant. A 45-template survey states that miscarriage rates are high without publishing specifics, so I do not know how many cases there are and how serious the problem could be. The sample size of 45 workers is too small to draw convincing conclusions, he emphasised.

As for allegations that workers have to stand throughout the shifts and have no time to rest, Ryu Kil Sang said that standing or sitting is up to the working stage. Workers have a ten-minute breake every two hours and one hour for lunch or dinner. They are allowed to go to the restroom anytime they want.

MOLISA inspections

In 2017, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) inspected the two Samsung Electronics Vietnam factories in Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh. According to the ministrys findings, all employees signed labour contracts, bought social insurance, unemployment insurance, and health insurance.

The company complies with regulations on resting periods, holidays, and the Tet holiday. Employees salary is not less than the regional minimum wage, and there are annual health checks for normal labourers and two a year for those doing dangerous tasks and the elderly.

MOLISA discovered three violations at Samsung's two factories, far below the common rate of 10-12 in the electronics sector. Samsung's violations had to do with exceeding the overtime limit by 30 hours each month, inappropriate shift allocations, and a lack of hygiene training for over 13,600 workers.

"The violations claimed by the IPEN report are non-existent, based on the ministry's evaluations," Nguyen Tien Tung, chief inspector of MOLISA told vneconomy.vn in an interview, adding that the ministry has no plans to inspect Samsung Vietnam in the wake of IPEN's allegations.

Tung said that exceeding the overtime limit is a common violation among foreign invested companies and the ministry has asked the government to extend the limit to 600 hours for export businesses.

Samsung was Vietnams biggest exporter last year, earning nearly $40 billion in revenue from shipping electronics and contributing 23 per cent to Vietnams total export revenue. It currently runs six factories in Vietnam and exports products to 52 overseas markets, according to vnexpress.net.
The signing ceremony of the strategic partnership agreement between Uber and MoMo on Noverber 29

Consequently, this alliance will likely deliver a never-before-seen transportation service by fusing taxi-hailing with a cashless payment method supported by Vietnams leading mobile e-wallet firm.

Prior to this co-operation with MoMo, Uber Vietnam offered three main payment methods: cash, credit card (including MasterCard and Visa) and debit card, as well as Android Pay exclusively for Android users.

Thanks to the participation of MoMo, from now on, Uber subscribers will be spared the hassle of connecting their existing banking accounts with the payment option in the digital application. MoMos e-wallet would enable synchronised payments and save a substantial amount of time for Ubers customers.

Saad Ahmed, Uber's head of strategic initiatives and business development for the Southeast Asian region, talking about new horizons opening through this partnership

Previously, on November 15, MoMo made a long-term commitment with taxi firm Vinasun to provide a smart and cashless taxi-riding experience.

Also on November 15, VietinBank officially shook hands with MoMo e-wallet to accelerate mobile transactions, especially for members of the domestic credit programme called E-Partner, which is now directly linked with MoMo.

Earlier, in 2015, MoMo partnered with Standard Chartered to launch the Straight2Bank wallet payment in Vietnam, which allows corporations, authorities, and organisations to conduct cashless transactions with either banked or unbanked individuals.

To date, MoMo electronic wallet could receive deposits from accounts at 11 banks and via international cards and can enable topping up at more than 5,000 MoMo transaction points within Vietnams territory.

MoMo is Vietnams top mobile e-wallet and over-the-counter remittance and payment platform. After a successful introduction in Vietnam, MoMo has made its way to overseas markets, such as the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Kenya. MoMo delivers virtual payment services, such as money transfer, bill payments, collection and disbursement, and mobile commerce.

Uber Vietnam keeps quiet on assault charges Uber Vietnam is still silent in the face of the medias barrage of questions about the incident of a Uber Vietnam taxi driver punching a female customer in the face.

Uber in legal crosshairs over hack cover-up SAN FRANCISCO: Two US states said on Wednesday (Nov 22) they are investigating Uber's cover-up of a hack at the ride-sharing giant that compromised the personal information of 57 million users and drivers.
File photo of a UN Security Council meeting. (Photo: AFP/Don Emmert)

The United States, Japan and South Korea moved quickly to request the meeting to address Pyongyang's launch of the ICBM which the Japanese defence ministry said probably fell within Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Council members will meet in open session from 4.30pm (5.30am Thursday Singapore time).

The council was already scheduled to discuss progress in implementing three recently-adopted rounds of sanctions aimed at choking off revenue to Pyongyang's military programmes.

Since November last year, the council has slapped export bans on coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, restricted joint ventures and blacklisted a number of North Korean entities in response to the country's missile and nuclear tests.

It has also banned the hiring of North Korean guest workers and capped oil exports, in particular from China, Pyongyang's main trading partner.

Under UN resolutions, North Korea is barred from developing missiles and a nuclear weapons capability but Pyongyang argues that the arsenal is needed for self-defense against the "hostile" United States.

The launch on Wednesday was the first ballistic missile test in more than two months, ending a lull that some diplomats said had opened a window of opportunity for diplomatic talks.

It was also the North's third successful test of an ICBM which has the range to reach the mainland United States, although experts caution Pyongyang may have not yet mastered the full technological capability.

The Pentagon said its initial assessment showed that the ICBM flew about 1,000 kilometres.

Speaking in Washington, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for "additional measures" to toughen up sanctions, including allowing countries to intercept vessels carrying goods to and from North Korea.
Vietnam now waives entry visas for tourists from 23 countries and territories.

According to the firms, more tourists from Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain have come to Vietnam, reflecting the positive impact of the relaxed visa policy for visitors from these countries.

The Tourism Advisory Board also said that the visa waiver for citizens from five Western European countries has increased the number of tourists from these markets by 10.1 percent.

Bui Viet Thuy Tien, Managing Director of Asian Trails Co., said that international tourists can get an entry visa on arrival in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. For Vietnam, foreign tourists must ask travel agencies to complete all Vietnam visa procedures before arrival so that they can get a visa stamp at the border gate and make a fee payment, a process which is time-consuming.

Tien said last-minute tour bookings are popular now, so with the current visa issuance system, Vietnam may lose a lot of such tourists if applying for a visa remains complicated.

Though the Government permitted the issuance of e-visas since the beginning of this year, a large number of tourists have still requested travel agencies for help since the e-visa system has not worked smoothly, she said.

Echoing Tien, Tu Quy Thanh, Director of Lien Bang Travelink, said many existing problems make Vietnams visa policy less attractive. In particular, international tourists to Phu Quoc Island off mainland Kien Giang Province are not required to apply for an entry visa but if they want to travel to other parts of the country, they will have to apply for a visa.

For international tourists who arrive at other airports than Phu Quoc, they must head to domestic terminals to fly on to the island, which costs airlines more time and human resources.

According to the Tourism Advisory Board, Vietnams visa policy is not as liberal as other regional countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Vietnam now waives entry visas for tourists from 23 countries and territories, but Thailand does that for 58 source markets, Malaysia 164, Singapore 160, Indonesia 169 and the Philippines 160.

Vietnams visa exemptions apply to short visits only, whereas tourists in the other countries can stay for up to 30 days or even 90 days in some cases.

The Tourism Advisory Board has recently proposed to extend a visa-free stay to 30 days from the current 15 days for citizens of another six countries including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium as this move will attract more arrivals and encourage tourists to stay longer and spend more.

The advisory agency cited data of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the General Statistics Office of Vietnam saying that a tourist from visa waiver countries such as France, Denmark and Norway spends more than US$1,000 and their vacations often last more than 15 days.
Congress plans a mega show in Delhi on December 11 amidst its high octane poll campaign in Gujarat, when Rahul Gandhi will be declared as the new President of the party.

By Supriya Bhardwaj: Amid its high octane poll campaign in Gujarat, Congress plans a mega show in Delhi on December 11 when Rahul Gandhi will be declared as the new President of the party.

A mega function is being organised at Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road wherein in the presence party President Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders, Congress election Committee will hand over the certificate to Rahul Gandhi.

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"After CEC will present the certificate, the new President elect Rahul Gandhi will address the party leaders and members," said a senior leader.

According to sources all MPs, MLAs, CWC members, PCC presidents, CLP leaders and other senior leaders will be present at this occasion.

Party is also mulling over the idea of inviting around 3,000 delegates out of 9,000 for the ceremony.

Interestingly, there will be four sets, who will propose Rahul Gandhi's name as the next Congress chief. Each set will consist of 10 senior leaders each and will form one group.

Sources add that there were 82 sets when Congress President Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination.

Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers on December 4th amidst presence of senior leaders and CWC members.

ALSO WATCH | Gujarat model meant to serve the rich, of no help to the poor: Rahul in Bharuch rally

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Famous as the King of Cling, to me the designer remains the greatest couturier who never was



When Naomi Campbell walked on to the catwalk in July to start the first couture show in six years by Azzedine Alaia  the man she calls Papa  no one had any inkling this would be his last presentation. Rather, I was transported back to another era.

It was the Eighties and out of the height of that orgy of opulence strode the very first supermodels: Naomi, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour, Claudia Schiffer and their colleagues were like an army taking on the fashion world.

Alaia collected these independent beauties with a new spirit, encouraging them to wear his clothes with pride.

And what clothes! The body-hugging dresses gave Alaia the nickname, the King of Cling. Knitted dresses transformed lithe bodies into writhing serpents; the black leggings and body suits that were the Alaia signature formed the base for curvy coats or fitted jackets made from crocodile.

For the Autumn/Winter 2017 couture season, Azzedine was back, displaying with verve a new passion for pattern, from Naomis black and white fluffy shearling coat to red outfits embroidered with folklore designs.

New ideas flowed in, from high-rise turbans twisted in plastic to furry coats with rose embellishments, extending to boots. Surfaces were indefinable, with swirling weaves on cloth and the animalistic effect captured by leopard-patterned boots. This was a true winter collection, with knitted dresses tailored to the body in a fit-and-flare effect.

It is a myth to claim that Alaia, born in Tunis and a student of sculpture at its School of Fine Arts, had ever moved off-stage. Or that he lost interest in inventing new shapes and showing his clothes. Or even that he was really a ready-to wear designer whose body-skimming dresses were produced by an Italian factory.

I have been doing couture since the inception of my career  much longer than ready-to-wear, Alaia said as he showed me the workrooms on the third floor of his building in the Marais district of Paris. They were filled with tables bearing scissors, paper patterns and pins. That is where the tiny figure of Alaia, whose embrace in the long arms of Grace Jones is part of fashion folklore, worked on his creations all alone in the middle of the night.

Remembering Azzedine: The famous Grace Jones dress from the 80s displayed in Couture Sculpture at Romes Galleria Borghesi in 2015.



While I enjoyed and still do enjoy doing ready-to-wear, my roots are in couture  all my clothes are first made by myself, all patterns are traced by me and then developed by my couture ateliers, he said, explaining that 30 people are dedicated to the hand craft.

I remember when Azzedine, with his naughty, plump-cheeked smile, took me up to the atelier. A gathering of seamstresses was working on a single bridal dress, whose lace train stretched from end to end of the room.

In July, when we crowded into the baking hot iron-and-glass showroom for the Autumn/Winter presentation (Azzedine produced his collections to his own timetable), I thought of how many times I had sat around Azzedines kitchen table while his partner Christophe von Weyhe kept control of the long-haired dog. The conversation was always in many languages: Carla Sozzani would translate for photographer Arthur Elgort while international stylist Carlyne Cerf, her voice rising from a growl to a screech, would convey the latest gossip to Azzedine. He would be smiling, or just occasionally look thin-lipped and solemn

As Naomi started the show, wearing a turban covered in plastic, the crowd roared with approval. In front of me were the former First Lady of France, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy; documentary producer and former model Farida Khelfa, whose family were originally from North Africa, like Azzedine; and Nicolas Ghesquiere, Creative Director of Louis Vuitton.

If the audience leapt with joy at the bright colours for coats and dresses, we also sighed with delight at the black dresses, woven in lace and knit to play peek-a-boo with the body, or boldly mixing leopard patterns that might be glimpsed through black pleats. Long or short, there was a gleam to the materials, with a V-neck velvet top and glimmering long skirt on Naomi for the finale.

Everything fashion loved was there, including shoes, gaining a powerful place for Alaia in collaboration with Ferragamo, while the company as a whole has been supported by the Richemont luxury group since 2007. This couture show was the 10th anniversary of the collaboration.

After prolonged clapping and cheers, Azzedine, as ever, did not come out, believing that the praise should go to his atelier, not just to himself. Backstage, the designer sat, a small figure in his eternal uniform of black cotton Chinese pyjamas, smiling shyly at this sweet moment of success.

Dear Azzedine, your friends  and the entire fashion world  will miss you so.
The Ministry for Heritage has announced that three new interpretation panels have been placed within our Old Town in order to provide information on our Medieval History, namely our Islamic and Spanish Periods.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Nov 29 (PTI) The multi-billion dollar China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will deepen Chinas already formidable presence in the South Asian nation, and "aggravate" tension between India and Pakistan, a US think-tank said today.

"CPEC will deepen Chinas already formidable presence in the country and clearly aggravate India-Pakistan tensions. In addition, real questions persist about Pakistans ability to finance its share of new energy investment," Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia Program at the Wilson Center said in a report published today.

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According to him, even though the CPEC may enable Pakistan to generate more power, it will not solve the countrys broader energy crisis, which is rooted in factors that go well beyond supply shortages.

"Stability in Pakistans security situation and economic performance is increasingly in critical interest for Beijing because it is a precondition for CPECs success. Given New Delhis strenuous opposition, CPEC will exacerbate India- Pakistan tensions," Kugelman wrote.

Among other things, CPEC cements the already deep presence of Washingtons top strategic competitor in a region where the US has a much lighter footprint, he said.

"The project also generates additional obstacles for the Indian efforts to access markets and natural gas reserves in Central Asia -- a region that India cannot reach directly by land because Pakistan denies its transit rights on Pakistani soil," he said.

According to Kugelman, Beijings messaging is very similar to Islamabads -- it uses only the most positive of rhetoric and with a triumphant and confident tone. Like Pakistan, China has much at stake, he said.

As per the report, CPEC is in some ways a test case of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) because it includes some of the initiatives first projects to become fully operational.

"Privately, however, China worries about the security risks to CPEC, even as terrorist violence has subsided in Pakistan since 2014, when the Pakistani military launched a major counterterrorism offensive," the report said, adding that many of the attacks that have taken place since then have occurred along or on envisioned CPEC routes in Baluchistan.

Separatist rebels have targeted energy infrastructure in the province for a number of years and remain an active threat.

"Furthermore, criminal gangs pose threats to CPEC projects in Punjab Province. One such outfit, known as the Chotu Gang, abducted 12 Chinese engineers working on a highway project in Punjab back in 2005," he wrote.

Kugelman said in private conversations, Pakistani officials and analysts offer a sobering appraisal of the project.

"Privately, Pakistanis also express concern about the countrys ability to pay back loans in the coming years, as well as about the security threats ranging from terrorism and separatist insurgency to organized crime that threaten CPEC construction," he said.

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Referring to Indias reaction to CPEC, Kugelman saidANew Delhis biggest objection to CPEC is that it entails building projects in Gilgit-Baltistan.

"New Delhi does not formally oppose BRI as a whole; rather, its stated concerns are restricted to CPEC, which it has described as a violation of Indian sovereignty, he noted. PTI LKJ CK

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Photo: Stefano DallAsta/Sony Pictures Classics

Spoilers ahead for Call Me by Your Name.

Call Me by Your Name is enjoying the years highest per-screen opening weekend for an independent film. So it was only natural that at last nights 2017 IFP Gotham Awards, where Luca Guadagninos Italian-summer gay romance also won Best Feature, that talk would turn to peaches. As my colleague Alex Jung has laid out in delicious detail, the movies most talked-about  and controversial  scene is when Elio (Timothee Chalamet, also a Gotham winner for Breakthrough Performance) looks at a stone fruit he has in hand, realizes it looks like a butt, and enacts a fantasy about his older lover Oliver (Armie Hammer) on it. Meaning: He plucks out the pit, fingers the fruit, masturbates with it, finishes into it, and then falls asleep. When Oliver happens upon the fruit, he does not eat the whole thing, as he does in the book, but instead licks it with desire. The timidity of J. Alfred Prufrock and his love song seems to linger in the air: Do I dare eat a peach?

Its a scene thats pretty hard to forget, least of all for the people who were in it. I have a visceral feeling every time I see a peach now that flashes me back to Europe, Chalamet told Vulture last night. Heady flashbacks havent stopped Chalamet from using the peach emoji, though. I use it all the time, he says. The fierce inner debate that rages in my head is whether to use the emoji that comes with the phone or whether to download the Kimoji app that has a slightly more graphic rendition of the peach. Im afraid of using it, though. The young fans of this stuff  are there any?  [might need to be shielded from it].

Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays Elios father in the film, can only look at the scene with pride. Ill always have a soft spot in my heart for the peach now, he said.

Related Stories Call Me by Your Name Is a Masterpiece

Kumail Nanjiani was compelled to give it a year-end superlative. Ill say that Best Scene Featuring a Fruit is Call Me by Your Name, he told us. Though he and his wife, Emily V. Gordon (also his co-writer on The Big Sick), thought the scene was believable enough without any peach-eating.

Emily: You leave it by your nightstand, because thats what dudes are gonna do.

Kumail: I think he did what you do with it. I mean, I like peaches, but 

Emily: Kumail was grossed out because he doesnt like sticky things. He was like, Its going all over!

Kumail: I was like, Its on his bedsheets and all of this! Hes just gonna lay down? Hes going to take a nap now? Take a shower, dude! Just because of the juice. The rest of it, onboard for.

Gotham Awards consensus: Peach fornication is just peachy. But dont be gross  clean up after yourself.
Photo: Al Pereira/WireImage

On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that radio personality Garrison Keillor informed them that he had been fired from Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) following allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior that were brought against him.

Shortly afterward, MPR released a statement confirming that they were in fact terminating Keillors contracts after being notified of sexual misconduct that allegedly occurred while he was producing his popular weekly variety show, A Prairie Home Companion. Keillor hosted the show from its inception in 1974 through July 2016; MPR learned of the allegations last month and has been conducting an investigation since.

As of Wednesday, MPR will cease broadcasting Keillors current show, The Writers Almanac, and will no longer rebroadcast episodes of The Best of a Prairie Home Companion. Theyre also changing the name of the show which is now hosted by Chris Thile  entirely.

In a statement to the AP, Keillor said his firing stemmed from a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard. The day prior to his firing, he wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post saying calls for Senator Al Franken to resign due to sexual harassment allegations were absurd.
Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for EcoLuxe

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, actor Bambadjan Bamba came out as an undocumented immigrant. Bamba, who has a recurring role in The Good Place as the best friend of Chidi (William Jackson Harper), came to the United States as a child from Cote dIvoire in the mid 90s. At the time, his family was seeking asylum from the political upheaval in their home country. Bamba told the Times that he did not know about his undocumented immigration status until he was almost an adult. It wasnt until I started applying for college that I realized that I couldnt get financial aid, Bamba said. I had to have a conversation with my parents, and theyre like, Oh yeah  The asylum case didnt work out.

Bamba told the paper that he wanted to come forward with his experience to help defend the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, which President Trump has made efforts to rescind. Despite fears that it could affect his career moving forward, Bamba was more alarmed that the cancelation of DACA could force him out of the country and away from his daughter. He also explained that he wanted people to know that the issue affects undocumented immigrants of many different ethnicities, though most of the public focus is put on Latino immigrants. Black immigrants really dont have that much support, Bamba said. And for people from the Caribbean or Africa, theres a shame culture around being undocumented. No one even wants to come out and talk about it.

Bambas conversation with the Times comes as several Senate Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, are threatening to block a vote for the upcoming year-end budget deal unless it includes legislation to fix DACA.

The actor can also be seen in Greys Anatomy, Parenthood, and in the upcoming Black Panther.
We already knew Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman were best friends from watching their heart-swelling speeches at the Emmys, but just how did this friendship start? Do they really sip cappuccinos and confess everything to one another like their Big Little Lies characters? If Witherspoons speech at the Gotham Awards on Monday night is any indicator, where Witherspoon presented her beautiful, soulful, talented friend, Nicole, with the Tribute Actress Award, it seems so. Its all thanks to some Madeline-like stalking of Kidman on Witherspoons part.

As Witherspoon spilled onstage, she used her executive-producer powers to basically ambush Kidman. [Last year] I got the chance to work with her, finally, said Witherspoon. I managed also to coerce my line producer to make sure I was in the same makeup trailer with her at all times while she was getting ready so I could ask her anything I wanted to. She was captive for two hours and I asked her a lot of questions! I mean like a lot of questions that would range from anything from, Tell me about Stanley Kubrick. Can you just give me, like, a lil tidbit. I just wanna know anything.

While this anecdote is sweet, the whole speech is really a trip, ranging from gushing about Dead Calm, to Witherspoons fantasies of getting Kidman to do a podcast, to her vision of being in a very live Nicole Kidman biography, the A&E version, hosted by myself, to descriptions of the bizarre snacks Kidman eats on set. Watch a clip of Reeses speech here and read the whole thing below.

Hi everybody, how are you? So Im here to talk about one of my favorite people, Nicole Kidman. Hi Nicole! I just have to share something really funny she said to me probably ten minutes ago. As people were coming up and everybody was mentioning her name she goes, I think Ive worked with anyone in this room. So literally, shes worked with all of you. All of you. And she loves all of you too. Shes genuinely so excited to be here. My beautiful, soulful, talented friend Nicole.





A lot of people know her as an actress of over 80 films and I believe last year alone she made about five, so that has to be some sort of record. Shes an international fashion icon. Shes an Oscar winner. A Emmy winner. A so-many-awards-I-cant-even-name-them winner. But I know her as a magician. So let me explain. Ive been one of her biggest fans since I saw one of her very first movies, Dead Calm, has anybody seen Dead Calm? Okay guys, guys she is simultaneously so vulnerable and so badass at the same time. Shes 21 years old and she has this fiery red hair and she has the courage born of rage out of abuse thats happening. She has incredible action sequences with Billy Zane on this boat in the middle of the ocean. I saw this movie when I was a girl and I thought, that is my hero. Thats the kind of woman I wanna be. It is really quite astounding to think about the body of her work, her various characters that span centuries and continents. Her breadth of performances that range from vulnerable and broken to the master of her own universe. From Suzanne Stone in To Die For, one of my favorite performances, to Ada Munroe in Cold Mountain, to Sateen in Moulin Rouge, a beautiful performance. She has simply done it all.





So last year, you guys, I was really lucky. I got the chance to work with her, finally. I managed also to coerce my line producer to make sure I was in the same makeup trailer with her at all times while she was getting ready so I could ask her anything I wanted to. She was captive for two hours and I asked her a lot of questions. I mean like a lot of questions that would range from anything from, Tell me about Stanley Kubrick. Can you just give me like a lil tidbit. I just wanna know anything. To Gus Van Sant, to Sofia Coppola, who I love. Baz Luhrmann. Sydney Pollack. Anthony Minghella. Jane Campion. The list goes on and on and on. And she would tell me these stories guys and you could hear a pin drop in the makeup trailer. I said, I gotta get this on a podcast. I gotta do something with this. Weve gotta monetize this. Its too good.





But she just has this incredible love of directors, and she loves helping them make their visions come to life and make these characters in these wonderful inventive films that stand the test of time. Not to mention all the extraordinary actors shes worked with. I asked about all of those too, just so you know. So everyday she would paint these beautiful pictures for me of this wonderful life that shes lived, literally since she was 18 years old in the movies. And not only did I get the best seat in the house to the very live Nicole Kidman biography, the A&E version, hosted by myself. I also got the privilege of watching her work and thats where the magic comes in.





To sit opposite my friend, who I know as a mother and a wife and an incredible fellow producer who sits through script meetings and adds notes and production meetings. I just watched Nicole melt away. It was extraordinary. She would come onto set in these incredible outfits and she was gone. Nicole was gone. And she disappeared into someone else. She became this other woman with another mind and another history and another voice, and she even had different eyes. And she became this woman, Celeste Wright, who was a mother of two, a wife of a wealthy man who seemingly has it all together but she holds a secret in her heart, a dark secret. And this powerful performance showed the intricacies of what so many women are going through in abusive relationships, and I truly believe this helped open up the conversation that so many people are having now about people who are facing this same struggle with abuse and harassment in their own lives. I truly believe that.





Ive worked in Hollywood for 25 years and Ive never seen anyone transform so completely. I was in awe of the ways that she would go into scenes, shooting some of the most violent and tormented scenes her character experiences and our director would say, Cut! And she was back, talking about schools and kids and holiday plans and eating these weird snacks. She eats really weird snacks when were on set. And drinks this cappuccino and sprinkles hot chocolate on the top and then eats it. Its very bizarre. But I suddenly understood the truth about her. And to talk, what John Cameron [Mitchell] was saying about empathy  her magic is her empathy, because she truly deeply cares, and empathy is magic, and thats the ability that she has to break audiences open. She gives you her whole heart, her whole soul, her whole body. Every side of a character. The light, the dark. Shes unwaveringly passionate. She gives of herself. She stands up for what she believes in and she pushes the envelope with every single role she takes. So there it is, now you know it. Shes a magician. Shes magic and shes one of the greatest actresses Ive ever known, and it is a privilege to watch her work. And I just  I just I love you so much! I think youre so wonderful and if anybody has any follow-up questions about Nicoles career, I will be available after this brief clip of all of her films.




Photo: Peter Kramer/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images

With the news this morning that NBC fired Today co-host Matt Lauer due to inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, its natural to reconsider Lauers long career with the network. Specifically, how Lauers firing colors the story of his infamous rivalry with Ann Curry, who joined Today in June 2011 before being forced out a year later. At the time, many blamed Lauer for the way Curry was treated, and though he may not have been fully responsible, he definitely played a crucial part in her exit. For those who are unfamiliar with or may want a reminder of how the events played out, here is a brief timeline of the Lauer-Curry drama.

5 Times Matt Lauer Was Inappropriate

April 2006: Former co-host Katie Couric leaves the Today show to join CBS Evening News. She is replaced by Meredith Vieira.

May 2011: Vieira leaves Today to spend time with her ailing husband. There are rumors that Couric might return to the show, but NBC balks over the money. Ann Curry, known for her reporting on disasters such as the Darfur crisis, the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, is next in line for the job: Her contract stipulates that if NBC passes her over as co-host, she can jump to another network.

June 2011: Curry officially starts as the co-host of Today.

December 2011: Within the first six months, executive producer Jim Bell decides that things arent working out with Curry. Good Morning America is nipping at Todays heels, Curry and Lauer have no onscreen rapport, and Lauer openly complained to Bell and NBC staffers about her role.

January 2012: Rumors begin to circulate that NBC wants to replace Curry with thenWhite House correspondent Savannah Guthrie. Bell reportedly hatched what was known as Operation Bambi (a term Bell denies using) to force Curry out. Curry, meanwhile, felt that the boys club atmosphere behind the scenes at Today undermined her from the start, and she told friends that her final months were a form of professional torture, according to the New York Times. Bell and other staff members reportedly made fun of Currys outfit choices and on-air awkwardness.

Today continues to slip in the ratings against Good Morning America, threatening the shows winning streak that dates back to 1995. According to New Yorks cover story on the debacle, viewers especially did not like Lauers demeanor next to Curry. (He was looking aloof, a little bit holier-than-thou, and pompous, a former NBC executive said.)

February 2012: With Lauers future at the network unclear, NBC News president Steve Capus reportedly informs him that Curry would be removed from Today whether he renewed his contract or not.

March 2012: Lauer briefly considers an offer from ABC to rejoin Couric on a daytime talk show, but then reneges, renegotiating his contract with NBC for a reported $25 million a year  the largest deal for a morning-news anchor in TV history. After Lauer inks his new contract, Currys fate is pretty much sealed.

April 6, 2012: Lauers new contract is announced.

April 19, 2012: Good Morning America beats Today in the ratings for the first time in 16 years. A week later, Bell tries to sell Curry on a new role as a roving correspondent.

June 20, 2012: New York Times reporter Brian Stelter reports that NBC wants to replace Curry on Today.

June 28, 2012: Curry reveals on live TV that shes leaving Today. In the clip, Curry breaks into tears while Lauer looks increasingly uncomfortable  in other words, for anyone on Currys side, like the villain. Guthrie is announced as the new co-host the next day.

Summer 2012: In the wake of Currys departure from Today, NBC loses more than a fifth of its audience as GMA dominates the ratings. Guthrie begins her new co-host role in early July, just in time for London Olympics, while Lauers reputation plunges. Curry subtweets about the scandal from afar, and Al Roker infamously jokes that our tradition is to throw one of us under the bus!

January 2015: Curry leaves NBC to form her own independent production company.

Now: Over the next five years, NBC keeps retooling Today to be brighter, lighter, and eventually to involve Megyn Kelly. With the news of Matt Lauers firing, perhaps Ann Curry is smiling somewhere  unless shes just furious it didnt come sooner.
Meek Mill. Photo: Brian Stukes/Getty Images

After visiting incarcerated hip-hop star Meek Mill at the Chester State Correctional Institution outside of Philadelphia yesterday, Reverend Al Sharpton told Vulture that the rapper is strong and wise.

During a phone interview less than 24 hours after Sharpton, along with Mills attorney Joe Tacopina, traveled to the prison in a show of support for the Philly-born rap star, Sharpton said, To give him two to four years for a non-crime is unspeakable.

Earlier this month, Mill was called to court for two parole violations  one, an altercation in an airport, and another in which Mill popped wheelies in Washington Heights  both charges were dismissed. In fact, the DAs office in Philly opted not to pursue any additional charges against Mill, whos been on probation for almost ten years stemming from drug and gun possession charges in 2008. It didnt stop Pennsylvania Common Pleas Court judge Genece Brinkley from giving Mill a sentence that shocked many in both the legal and music communities.

Sharpton said that Mills case is an example of the abusive use of probation to unfairly incarcerate people for a long amount of time, far beyond what theyre accused of.

After learning more about the case, and seeing the outcry from many in the hip-hop community, Sharpton said, I felt I wanted to throw support behind him and help deal with this. His case represents a breakdown in the criminal-justice system that weve been talking about for a long time.

Sharptons criticism of the Philly court comes less than an hour after the Pennsylvania Superior Court denied a 147-page emergency motion for bail submitted by Mills legal team, according to Philadelphias KYW radio. His lawyers were hoping that bail would be granted, allowing Mill to exit the prison as soon as today. His lawyers have also repeatedly asked the judge to step down in the case, alleging that she has been inappropriately personal.

Sharpton says the turn of events in this case is representative of how the criminal-justice system treats people of color. It doesnt matter your status, he said. Youre still treated differently.

Over the years, Sharpton has been very vocal about other controversial celebrity cases. He visited both James Brown and Michael Jackson after their own legal woes surfaced. He also met Tupac Shakur at the request of his mother shortly before the rapper was murdered in Las Vegas. I helped negotiate getting him out of solitary, Sharpton said.

Sharpton revealed that Mill told him yesterday that he wanted his own case to bring attention to other young black men who face prison time. He kept emphasizing to me that his case is more than about him, said Sharpton, explaining that the 30-year-olds been listening to other men tell him horror stories about being in the system.

He did his time, said Sharpton. He said that for the court system to put a young man in jail, a man like Mill who employs people in the community, in 2017 is unthinkable. He added, The criminal-justice system is unequal to people of color.
L-R: Niles Fitch as Randall, Milo Ventimiglia as Jack

This Is Us, the NBC drama that has become the nations official safe space for ugly crying, has pleasantly surprised me this season. And when I say pleasantly surprised, I mean that in the episodes leading up to and including Tuesdays midseason finale, the show has delved into outright sadder, more emotionally complex story lines. While it still seeks out silver linings, This Is Us also is more willing to admit that sometimes, life is just heavy clouds with nothing silver inside at all. That slight swerve in approach has turned a solid, occasionally too schmaltzy, network series into one thats inching closer to greatness.

About a year ago, after season ones midseason finale, I wrote a piece criticizing This Is Us for practicing comfortable progressiveness, i.e. diving into difficult, often socially relevant subjects but always with the promise that the audience will eventually land softly in a pool of cotton balls.

This season, This Is Us still fulfills its role as escapist family fare. But its also getting more real about certain subjects, including racism. In this weeks Number Three, the third in a trilogy of episodes devoted to each Pearson offspring  and, lets be honest, designed to give Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley obvious submissions for Emmy consideration  Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) takes young Randall (Niles Fitch) on a college visit to the historically black Howard University. In the flashback to his campus visit, its obvious that Randall lights up at the prospect of being surrounded by African-American peers, while Jack, try as he might, looks a little uncomfortable.

During the drive home, Jack calls out Randall for seeming embarrassed when introducing his father to his new friends. At first Randall deals with the situation by cracking a joke, but then he says, Dad, you know how you felt at Howard, when you thought I hesitated because youre white? How you were mad about it but couldnt say why? I feel like that all the time. Its a follow-up of sorts to the conversations about racism between a younger Randall and his parents in this seasons fourth episode, and, in episode seven, between the Pearsons and the judge who expresses reservations about allowing them, a white couple, to adopt a black baby.

The implication of all these interactions is that, no matter what Jack and Rebecca do, there will always be a divide between them and Randall that simply cannot be bridged. Notably, in Number Three, its Randall  not a judge and not his parents  who explains what racism feels like, with the full knowledge that his dad can never fully see things through his eyes. While that may not seem like a particularly earth-shattering or hard-hitting observation, its certainly a much more blunt assessment of the racial divide in this family than This Is Us gave us in season one.

The relationship between Randall and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) and their foster daughter Deja (Lyric Ross) also comes to a head in this weeks episode in ways that subtly comment on how Randalls worldview may have been sculpted by his upbringing. When Shauna (Joy Brunson), Dejas birth mother, gets out of jail and ill-advisedly shows up at the Pearsons to retrieve her daughter, Randall and Beth immediately shift into defensive mode, casting Shauna as a negligent mother who cant be trusted and vowing to fight for custody of Deja. That has been their attitude toward Shauna this whole season; when shes still in prison, Randall even tells Shauna that shell have to go through him to get to her daughter. He says this in the same episode that contains the flashback to Jack and Rebeccas custody battle with that skeptical judge, and that doesnt seem like an accident.

Eventually, finally, Randall sees the connections between Dejas situation and his own estrangement from William, his birth father who, like Shauna, also got mixed up in drugs. Its remarkable that it takes him so long to see the equivalency there and find some empathy. Then again, perhaps hes so inclined not to see the full picture because he comes from a middle-class family, now lives in an upper-middle-class one, and is a firm believer that people who make a real effort in life are rewarded. (What is it he keeps telling Deja? Working hard is what gets you the big house and the fancy car.)

Jack and Rebecca at least partly instilled those values in him, which are not necessarily white values per se, but certainly a mindset thats far easier to buy into when youve grown up in a decent home and not wanting for a whole lot. In a way, you could say that judge was right; being raised by those particular white parents did affect Randalls perspective, to the point that it takes him a while to see that theres actually some overlap between his own life, that of a black man, and the lives of two black women, Shauna and Deja. At Howard, though, he was able to see the overlap immediately, because those students look like him in ways that extend beyond skin color. Intended or not, this is This Is Us commenting on the way economic and racial identity are so deeply, complexly interwoven.

While the members of the Pearson family have certainly dealt with their share of tragedies, in season one, This Is Us tended to cushion most of the blows. Its been doing a lot less of that in season two, part one, too.

Kevin has not only tumbled deeply into drug and alcohol addiction, hes done so in a way that has sabotaged his career and alienated the people who love him most. In the most recent episode, his arrest for DUI is a real rock bottom  not to mention cliffhanger moment. I swear, when I realized Randalls daughter Tess was in the car, I thought This Is Us might get really real and kill her in a car wreck. But even This Is Us at its roughest isnt going to go that rough, then leave us there just before taking a holiday-season hiatus.

The show did lean into the truly heartbreaking last week, with the episode focused on Kates miscarriage. This is where I feel like I owe This Is Us an apology.

After Kates pregnancy was revealed, I wrote a piece referring to that development as the kind of This Is Us twist that was practically designed in a This Is Us lab to appeal to the core This Is Us constituency. I also overconfidently predicted all the ways the show would explore the ramifications of the pregnancy, and declared that the baby would inevitably be born during a very special season finale that would probably cause facial tissues to go out of stock at every CVS, Duane Reade, and Walgreens in all 50 states.

I was not just snarky about the whole thing. I was also wrong. As explored in wrenching detail in Number Two, Kate (Chrissy Metz) loses the baby that she and Toby (Chris Sutton) had been so eager to welcome into the world only six weeks earlier, in television time. I really, really did not see that coming. I assumed that a show that has become the poster child for comfort-food TV would never go to such a devastating place so quickly. But it did, and showed Kate confronting the loss in ways that rung true  first, she tried to ignore her pain, then go about her business, then escape, and finally turn, reluctantly at first, to her mother for advice.

While the members of the Pearson family have certainly dealt with their share of tragedies, the blow from this particular tragedy, unlike others, wasnt cushioned at all. True, Toby and Kate decided they would try again to get pregnant, an effort that could enable this story line to end on a more uplifting note in the finale that airs next year. But that doesnt change the fact that This Is Us did its worst to one of the shows most well-liked characters, and just let her deal with it. Because thats what generally happens to women who have miscarriages, and to their partners, fiances, and spouses: What was a gift turns into a sudden loss, and theres nothing one can do except figure out how to deal.

With the midseason finale behind us, the big question about the exact circumstances of Jacks death still hasnt been fully answered. (We know he died in a fire, but we dont know how it happened or why he couldnt get out of the house alive.) Given This Is Uss increasing interest in showing us the truth without swaddling its honesty in a warm blanket, I expect that when the show does address all that, its going to be pretty brutal. It has to be.
Now that the Big Three Solo Episode Experiment has concluded, lets weigh in: Kevins episode was clearly the most effective use of the format. Number One added some much-needed depth to his character in an affecting way that would not have worked as well in a standard This Is Us episode. Even that little previously on clip of Kevin doubled over, weeping, rocked me to my core. Kates episode was fine, but the standout moments were the two conversations between the Kates and Rebecca and couldve easily been woven into an episode in which we still get to see Randall and Beth do the damn thing.

Speaking of Randall, we arrive at Number Three. This Randall-centric episode feels less like a pause to focus on a character in an ensemble, and more like a glimpse into a world where This Is Us is a show about a man named Randall Pearson, who we get to see at all stages of his life and sometimes his extended family visits. This is not a bad thing. This is a great thing. This is the show I sometimes pretend to watch when other story lines annoy me. So, lets jump into Randalls world because when Sterling K. Brown brings his single tear along, you know its going to be a ride.

Randalls episode is mainly about saying good-bye to Deja. We all knew this was eventually coming, but that doesnt make it any easier to lose a person who, in just a few episodes, feels like part of the family. Shaunas charges have been dropped and she wants her daughter back. Like, now. She shows up at the Pearsons door unannounced and refuses to leave without Deja. She gets up in Beths face. That beautiful face! Ultimately, Deja talks her mother down  they need to do this the right way and go through social worker Linda.

Linda! Poor Linda, the unsung hero of this season. How many times does Linda have to sit there and listen to Randall tell her how shes doing her job incorrectly? Sweet, sweet Linda. A lesser person would flip a table. Linda does not. Once again, she calmly allows Randall to tell her that Shauna is unfit to raise Deja (according to Linda, and most likely a judge, shes not unfit) and that he and Beth are getting their lawyer involved. Linda strongly advises against it.

Its obvious this is because theyve grown to care deeply about Deja. I mean, look at how excited Randall is to help Deja with her photosynthesis project. Or how he loves when Deja teases him about being corny and referring to himself as Foster Dad. He is proud of Dejas hard work. He loves this kid. So, we get it. But also, cool it, Randall. Let Linda live!

He eventually sees the error of his ways, mostly thanks to William. Thanksgiving is only a few days away, so the events of last years epic holiday are on Randalls mind. You know, that time he found out his mother knew who his birth father was and lied to him his entire life, broke all of our hearts, etcetera, etcetera. In a scene that seemingly takes place after Randalls psychedelic trip in the woods, he has some questions for his father. As it turns out, when Rebecca fled after feeling overwhelmed by Williams enthusiasm during her second visit, William followed Rebecca home and thought about knocking on the door. We see this version of life play out, with William around for Randalls birthdays, Christmas, graduation  all the big stuff. But William stopped himself. He saw three bikes on the Pearson front lawn, each with a nickname license plate, and realized he didnt know which one was Randalls. William knew he couldnt just insert himself into this whole other life Randall had against Rebeccas wishes. Who was he to do so?

After Randall does a drive-by of Shaunas place, he comes to the same conclusion: Deja had this whole world spinning before Randall and Beth came along. He meets Beth at Dejas school for her science presentation and tells her as much. Beth was having the same reservations. Theres also a weird rambling speech about Pac-Man and how time is a flat circle, maybe, and a very cute thing Randall does to show Beth how beautiful she is. (It has to do with rose-colored glasses and you should watch it if you need a good swoon.) Knowing theyll be saying good-bye to their girl, Beth and Randall watch Dejas presentation. And Randalls face when Deja tells the whole class that her foster dad helped her with her project? Forget it. Puddles.

If that moment doesnt get you, Dejas good-byes to Beth and Randall will. Beth tells Deja to take care of her thick, beautiful hair and her big, beautiful heart. And Deja and Randall have a Moment. He knows she doesnt like to be touched by him, so he wont hug her. But she says she doesnt mind it when she knows its coming. You guys, this hug is the best hug. Then the Sterling K. Brown Single Tear makes its entrance and we return to our puddle forms.

Teen Randalls story line doesnt exactly line up with Adult Randalls as well as Kevin and Kates, but it is a good one nonetheless. Randall and Jack head out for the college road trip weve seen them leave for in Number One and Number Two. Randall is applying to Harvard, but he really wants to go to Howard University. Its where Yvettes son (and Randalls BFF) Keith goes. Randall gets on campus and is the happiest weve ever seen him  its the first time he is surrounded by people who look like him. The kid is excited.

On the ride home (so much driving in one day!), Jack and Randall have a heart-to-heart in which Jack asks why Randall hesitated when introducing Jack to his friends, implying it was because Jack is white. Randall jokes that it was because hes old, but then opens up. The way Jack felt in that moment is the way Randall feels all the time. Not exactly angry, but off-balance. Jack understands. He makes a detour to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and explains to Randall that when he came home from Vietnam, he felt off-balance in every place he went. Randall wont always feel that way. He also calls Randall spectacular and YOU GUYS if this is their last heart-to-heart, well, at least its a good one.

The boys make it to the hospital in time for Jack to make us all weep with that passing of the necklace speech to Kevin. Randall is concerned for his brother and Jack explains that hell be okay, just different. He tells Randall that its tough with three kids  theres always a blindspot. Youre watching one kid stand tall and you dont see another is falling down. This time, Kevin was in his blindspot.

Were all well aware that Kevin is in the blindspot in 2017, too. He shows up at Randalls after Deja leaves, and not long after Randall gets a call from Rebecca about Kate. Randall has a lot going on in his head, so he seems taken aback by Kevin chugging a screwdriver in his kitchen, but doesnt do more than tell his brother to get some rest while Randall tries to call Kate. When Tess and Annie bombard their uncle  they are very upset about Deja  Kevin cant handle it. He needs to leave, grabs his keys, and goes. As he is swerving, speeding, and driving like the drunk maniac he is, Tess pops up in the backseat. She wanted to get out of her house. Thankfully, no one gets hurt  an ambiguous car crash feels like it would be a very This Is Us way to end before winter hiatus  and instead, Kevin is arrested for a DUI while his niece watches from the car.

Thanksgiving is a rough holiday for the Pearsons.

This Is the Rest

 Inspired by Kates hopefulness, Randall and Beth want to try fostering again. Maybe itll be a boy, Randall teases, but he doesnt control destiny! Well, what do you know: There is the CUTEST little boy sitting with his social worker, waiting to find a home. THAT FACE. Randall and Beth will fall for that face.

 One of the greatest gifts This Is Us has given us in its short time on this earth is Thanksgiving Dad is a hot dad, so bless them for bringing it back this year.

 Back in the Big Three baby footage, Randall takes his first steps and says his first word at the same time. Number Three has always been an overachiever.

 Jack looking at his family sitting together in the living room while Cat Stevens plays. Really, I should just stay in puddle formation from now on. It would be much more convenient.
By PTI: By K J M Varma

Beijing, Nov 29 (PTI) The death toll has risen to four in the massive explosion at Chinas port city Ningbo last week, according to a report in the state media.

Four people have died while over 30 others were injured in the blast at a demolished factory last Sunday which destroyed adjoining buildings and vehicles in Jiangbei district of Ningbo, authorities said.

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The authorities had earlier put the death toll in the blast at two.

Two previously missing victims were confirmed dead after police carried out a thorough investigation at the site of the blast, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The two victims have been identified as the father and the cousin of the man, surnamed Shan, who is suspected to have owned the explosives.

Disposal of illegally produced explosives caused the blast, the report said.

According to the police, the disposal of the illegally manufactured explosives began at the site on Saturday night and continued till Sunday.

Technicians from the local public security department said they believed errors during disposal operations caused the explosion, while authorities have ruled out the possibility of the explosion being "intentional".

Shan, who was previously wanted by the police on suspicion of illegally manufacturing and selling explosives, was detained from Hubei Province on Monday.

Shan has admitted that he told his family in Ningbo to dismantle and destroy the explosives to avoid being punished.

Residents affected by the blast have been relocated to two sites. Maintenance work has started in nearby residential communities. Affected residents are expected to receive subsidies, the Xinhua report said. PTI KJV KIS

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Liu Yufei. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Dior

In a stroke of bad luck for Emma Stone and Scarlett Johansson, Chinese actress Liu Yifei has been cast in the title role in Disneys live-action Mulan. The films global casting search reportedly saw 1,000 candidates for the role before eventually landing on Yiu, one of Chinas most bankable stars. (Shes been the face of Dior, Garnier, and Pantene.) The actress, who also goes by the Anglicized name Crystal Liu, speaks fluent English, having lived in Queens in in her tween years. The live-action Mulan will be directed by Whale Riders Niki Caro; Disneys Sean Bailey told Vulture the remake will be a little more muscular, stronger, with touch of Ridley Scott. The filmmakers are reportedly still deciding if it will include songs, but fortunately, Liu can sing.
Gather round the campfire, dear friends; its time to talk about the first narrative advertisement for Avengers: Infinity War. We live in an age where hotly anticipated trailer is a bizarrely common phrase, but it certainly applies here: Folks have been clamoring for this thing with a fervidity usually reserved for high-school seniors awaiting responses to their college applications. At long last, it has arrived, and its pretty goddamn metal. I mean, come on, anything that introduces a character literally named Proxima Midnight is gonna shake you down to your core. Lets grab our Infinity Gauntlets and hop in to see what we learned.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

We begin with a planet. It seems to have two light sources surrounding it  could that mean this is an alien world, or is the moon just really bright?* Also, Earth isnt usually orange, but you never know whats gonna happen in one of these movies.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Tony Stark is also orange and looking quite forlorn and we get some voice-over from the various Avengers gravely talking about the purpose of their team; so lets presume that matters have, as they say across the pond, gone pear-shaped.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Mark Ruffalo is topless, which is nice, but at what cost?

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Doctor Strange and his comrade Wong appear to be stunned by Ruffalos chest hair, as well as by the fact that he seems to have fallen through their Greenwich Village roof.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Wanda and Vision  who has built himself a human disguise, it seems  share a tender moment. As for the glowy forehead dressing: In case you forgot, Vision is a virtuous robot who has one of the Infinity Stones, which are going to be terribly important in this movie. Specifically, his is the Mind Stone, which can control, well, minds, and which was held by various bad guys until Tony Stark got his hands on it and it then came into the possession of Vizh, who hasnt used it for bad things. Hes a good boy.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Thor, whom we saw quite recently in Thor: Ragnarok, gazes out the porthole windows of some kind of spaceship. But what spaceship is it? Stick around, kiddies.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Heres Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, smiling incongruously and sporting a new bottle-blonde look. As a redhead, I now consider her a traitor and she is dead to me.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Noo Yawk! Its a hell of a town. Or is it a town  in hell? It certainly seems like the latter is the case, given what we see next. Im screencapping this to point out that Avengers Tower is still standing, but we dont know whats in there anymore, given that the team has moved their headquarters. Perhaps its turned into a WeWork space?

Photo: Marvel/Disney

While a grim voice (well find out whose it is in a moment) talks vaguely about the heroes losing, we return to the Village. Ruffalo has put a shirt on, which sucks. On the other hand, Tony showed up, so he and Strange can now trade goatee tips.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Peter Parker, the spectacular Spider-Man, rides an elevated train in NYC, which is a tradition for Spider-Men. The hairs on his arms stand up, which indicates either that his Spidey Sense is tingling or that its yet another super-dry New York autumn and that damn static electricity is acting up again. Hot tip: Any time youre about to touch a metal surface this time of year, touch it with the back of your hand first so you can absorb a potential shock without going into too much pain. See? Trailer breakdowns arent such a waste of time.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Okay, yeah, its definitely Spidey Sense. Thats a spaceship commanded by  well, just hold tight, were gonna find out in a sec.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

A figure in baggy pants walks over the bodies of what I believe are sorcerers like Doctor Strange. Could also just be rando folks who are into robes and sashes. Who doesnt love a good sash?

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Loki holds aloft another Infinity Stone: the Space Stone, which is usually contained in a blue cube called the Tesseract. You can use it as a weapon or you can use it to transport yourself around like its a cosmically powerful MetroCard. Its popped up a lot in the MCU. Lokis presumably wielding it to beat back our antagonist, who has been chattering away forever in this thing. Hes the Mad Titan, hes shaded in insidious indigo, hes got chin clefts for days, he is 

Photo: Marvel/Disney

 mo-cap Josh Brolin in front of a green screen! Er, I mean, Thanos! Meet your baddie, folks. Weve seen Thanos a tiny number of times in the MCU so far: He was revealed as Lokis benefactor during the invasion of Earth in The Avengers, he directed Ronan the Accuser to track down the Power Stone in Guardians of the Galaxy, and he decided to take matters into his own purple hands during a credits scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron. His whole deal (at least in his comics incarnation; we dont actually know a ton about his movie self) is that hes an alien dictator who wants to control or kill the entire universe in an effort to win the heart of an anthropomorphic manifestation of the concept of death. He hopes to accomplish that goal by gathering all of the Infinity Stones and putting them in a giant metal glove called the Infinity Gauntlet, which will give him big, vague powers. Hes bald, but thats nothing to be ashamed of.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Whoa, whoa, Spidey comin straight out of the box with some killer new threads! Well, not completely new  we saw Tony offer this bleeding-edge tech to him at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, but at that point, he turned it down. Then Tony sent the costume to him anyway, and it appears that he dropped his reluctance to don it, which is probably for the best, what with the whole alien-invasion thing.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

The movie goes full Lewis Hine as Thor attempts to use his sexy strength to pull some levers on a giant contraption that consists of a bunch of concentric metal rings. Hes still down an eye thanks to a fight in Ragnarok, but he can still sexily wink with it if need be, so all is not lost.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

You only see her blurrily for like half a nanosecond, but this appears to be the deliciously named Proxima Midnight. Shes one of Thanoss elite henchpeople, known as the Black Order. Shes fond of spears and throwing them, but 

Photo: Marvel/Disney

 apparently, someones even better at catching them. Who can it be? A hint emerges. Engage all defenses, says TChalla, a.k.a. Black Panther, the leader of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. (We met him in Captain America: Civil War and will be seeing a lot of him in his solo film next February.) And get this man a shield. Of whom do you speak, o king? Classic Archie Comics hero the Shield? Yeah, thats probably it.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Oh wait, no, its another guy! Id say it was Captain America, but that cant be, because Cap didnt have such a wondrous beard when we last saw him running as a fugitive at the end of Civil War. Whats that you say? He grew one out? Oh dear, now I have to revise my Sexiest Marvel Chris ranking.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Iron Man leaps onto a field near what I believe is a Wakandan city. Hes in his so-called Hulkbuster armor, which we saw in Age of Ultron emerging from a sci-fi thingamabob called Veronica, which was an Archie Comics joke. Perhaps this one came in an armored personnel carrier named Kevin?

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Some nasty Thanosian (whoa, my Google Docs spellcheck says thats actually a word!) dropships land in Wakanda, where they spew out 

Photo: Marvel/Disney

 a Thanosian army of beasties. TChalla, suited up in full Black Panther garb, aint afraid of no extraterrestrial.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Someone steals the Mind Stone from poor Vision. Based on the shape and color of the scepter doing the stealing, Im guessing this is one of the other members of the Black Order, the downright mean Corvus Glaive. God, these names are good. Shout-out to comics scribe Jonathan Hickman, who came up with them and also penned one of the best comics volumes of 2016!

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Back to Thanos, whos talking about how fun it is to beat up all our protagonists, and who lifts up the Infinity Gauntlet to reveal that he got his mitts on the Space Stone (the one Loki had) and the Power Stone, which we last saw in the possession of the intergalactic cops known as the Nova Corps. By inference, we can say it doesnt look good for the Novas. RIP Glenn Close?

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Aw hellllllll yeah, its Bucky with a machine gun! We last saw Caps erstwhile sidekick and the once-brainwashed former HYDRA agent in cryogenic freeze while Wakandan scientists worked on fixing his remaining HYDRA mind-control issues. Thank goodness for the defrost setting.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Bucky and Cap stand with a Wakandan army against Thanoss shock troops. I believe thats noted TChalla critic MBaku in the back left, which would imply that he and the king resolve some of their differences by the end of Black Panther. Alien invasions have a way of doing that.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Falcons a part of the battle of Wakanda, too, and his elaborate war tactic appears to be go all pew-pew-pew.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Hey! Its the titular Avengers! Or at least some of them. In addition to Bucky, Natasha, Cap, Hulk, and TChalla, we get Wakandan ultrawarrior Okoye and  whoaaaaa!  War Machine. Or at least someone in the War Machine armor. Hopefully its James Rhodes back in the saddle, as we last saw him all messed up following some friendly fire in Civil War. Whew, that was a dense trailer! Ugh, I guess I have to sit through the credits to see if theres another scene.

Photo: Marvel/Disney

Lo, there is! Thor turns around in what I think is that spaceship from before, and asks for the identities of some folks standing near him. They turn out to be our old pals the Guardians of the Galaxy, who previously hadnt shown up in any of the Avengers flicks. So that ship is the Milano, mayhap? Whatever; the gangs all here, brand synergy has been achieved, and all is right in the world.

*This article has been updated to reflect that we dont know what that planet at the beginning is.
The incident was reported to police around 2 am by Nirmal, a supervisor when he went to check them in the vehicle.

By Ajay Kumar: Six men who worked with a catering service in wedding events, on early Tuesday died of asphyxia, while they were sleeping with a burning urban-oven (tandoor) in a tempo outside a marriage venue in Delhi Cantonment area, police said.

They said the incident was reported to police around 2 am by Nirmal, a supervisor when he went to check them in the vehicle.

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"The deceased, Amit, Pankaj, Anil, Kamal, Awad Lal and Deep Chand - all in the age group of 30-35 years - were the natives of Uttarkhand and lived in rented accommodation at Chandra Vihar in Nangloi.

They were taken to a nearby hospital where doctor declared all of them brought dead," said deputy commissioner of police Sibesh Singh.

"During investigation, it was found that the victims had gone for catering work in a marriage function at a community centre in Delhi Cantt area. After the function got over, they carried all the cooking equipment, including a tandoor at the tempo trunk and went to another venue around 12.30 am on Mall Road," said Singh.

"They were not aware of the fire burning inside the oven and slept in the tempo with its doors shut. They died of asphyxia," the officer added.

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"Chaiwala", much to his rival's chagrin, has become a part of the daily discourse and Modi has repeatedly used it to his advantage to target the Opposition, labelling it anti-poor.

Narendra Modi has hit out at the Congress for mocking his 'chaiwala' background. Photo: Reuters.

By India Today Web Desk: When Ivanka Trump congratulated Narendra Modi for his "extraordinary" journey from "selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister", the cameras at the GES Summit venue in Hyderabad were quick to focus on the man himself, who was smiling.

Just a day before Ivanka's tea-pat for the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at an election rally in Gujarat said that he has sold tea but not the nation.

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Calling himself a "son of the soil", Modi told the gathering in Rajkot that the Congress dislikes him because of his humble origins. "I am a chaiwala, I sell tea but I will never commit the sin of selling the country," the Prime Minister said to thunderous applause from the crowd.

The word "chaiwala", much to his rival's chagrin, has become a part of the daily discourse and Narendra Modi has repeatedly used it to his advantage to target the Opposition, labelling them anti-poor.

HAS CHAIWALA ECLIPSED GABBAR SINGH TAX?

In the first phase of Gujarat Assembly election campaign, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi had consciously stayed from personally attacking Narendra Modi and instead took him on issues such as demonetisation and the hurried roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Rahul Gandhi's definition of GST as Gabbar Singh Tax at an election rally in Gandhinagar was much discussed.

And then came the Youth Congress' meme mocking "chaiwala" Narendra Modi. The meme, posted by Yuva Desh, the official Twitter account of the Youth Congress online magazine, sparked outrage, prompting the Congress to immediately distance itself from the post.

"INC (Indian National Congress) strongly disapproves and rejects such humour through memes. Differences on policy and opinion aside, Congress culture imbibes respect for PM and all political opponents," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

REFUSING TO LEARN FROM THE PAST?

Despite the apology from the Congress, the damage, it seems, has been done. Many would believe that the Congress virtually handed a powerful weapon to Narendra Modi, who has, in turn, effectively used it to target the Opposition.

In a country where a majority of population is poor, taking a jibe at a chaiwala will be seen by many as classist, a tag which the Congress may not want to be associated with.

For the Congress, the chaiwala jibe seems to have taken away the focus from the issues that it perhaps wants to highlight - note ban's impact on farmers and traders followed by the GST, which has hit traders in Gujarat and elsewhere hard.

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In the past, personal attacks on the Prime Minister have always worked to Modi's benefit, Sonia Gandhi's 'maut ka saudagar' barb during the Gujarat election campaign in 2007 being the best example. The BJP won the Assembly election in Gujarat that year and Modi became the chief minister.

Mani Shankar Aiyar's chaiwala remark, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election in 2014, worked for the BJP and against the Congress. The BJP's 'chai-pe-charcha' campaign became a hit with people, ultimately leading to the party winning the Lok Sabha election with a huge majority and Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister.

The chaiwala meme may have once again put the Congress on the back foot, this time in Gujarat.

ALSO WATCH: Gujarat Assembly polls: Ground report from Rajkot

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With both Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat, the state will witness high-profile campaigning for its upcoming Assembly election.

By India Today Web Desk: With voting for the Gujarat Assembly election just days away, campaigning for the polls is in high gear. Today saw a number of high-profile rallies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi both in the state.

The Somnath temple in Gujarat's Saurashtra region was at the centre of attention with Gandhi and PM Modi attending events within 50 kilometers of each other.

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The two, however, did not have a literal face-off - while Rahul attended a darshan at the Somnath temple and PM Modi spoke at a rally in a town around 20 kms away. The PM, however, used Rahul's presence in the vicinity of his rally site to launch a attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Here are the live updates from today's Gujarat election campaigning:

Here are a few glimpses from PM @narendramodi's public meetings at Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari. Tremendous support from all sections of society for the BJP across the state. @BJP4Gujarat pic.twitter.com/458yxlF2Rv- narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) November 29, 2017

PM Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Navsari.

Congress will waive farmers' loans within 10 days, says Rahul Gandhi in Amreli

Congress will win in December. We will waive loans of farmers within 10 days. If govt will function, it will be for farmers, small and medium businesses and you. We will ask what you want and will run the govt accordingly.: Rahul Gandhi in Amreli #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/ClwtMU8wkn- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

#WATCH: A child dressed up as PM Narendra Modi welcomed him at Navsari rally earlier today. #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/UaESV2w5Bk- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Congress leaders said a controversial signature in a Somnath temple register meant for non-Hindu visitors which was thought to be Rahul Gandhi's, wasn't made by him.

On the issue of Doklam my question to Congress is clear, why do you believe the Chinese and not our army and our foreign ministry?: PM Modi.

Modi addressed a rally in Navsari.

Modi says that as Chief Minister, he pleaded with the Congress to get the Narmada project moving, but in vain. "They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking," he said.

If Congress was in power Narmada waters would never come here and the farmers would have been disadvantaged. Congress has tried everything possible to delay the project: PM Modi in Palitana, #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/hIScVAhP6A- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

PM Modi is addressing a rally in Palitana. He blamed a water shortage that used to exist in the region on the Congress, and said the BJP had changed this.

At the rally in Prachi, PM Modi attacked Congress over OBC quotas, saying the party had failed to ensure constitutional status for the OBC Comission when it was in power, and One-Rank-One-Pension. "The demand for OROP was pending for forty long years. Why did successive Congress governments do nothing about that?" PM Modi questioned.

I want to assure you- Congress may try to throw any roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC Communities their due: PM #GujaratGauravModi pic.twitter.com/zAk4JhHBJA- BJP (@BJP4India) November 29, 2017

"If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible," PM Modi continued. "When Dr. Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath Temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure. Sardar Patel dreamt about the Narmada but your family did not let that dream fulfill."

At his second rally in Prachi, a town near the iconic Somnath temple, PM Modi continued his attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, who at the same time was at the temple, PM Modi said, "Today some people (reference to Rahul) are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them - have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first PM (Jawarharlal Nehru; Rahul Gandhi's great-grandafather" was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there."

Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/4i4QF0TT8Q- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Today's rallies and events come just over a week before the first phase of voting in the Gujarat election. The first round of voting will take place on December 9 for 89 assembly seats while the remaining 93 constituencies will vote on December 14.

Meanwhile, Hardik Patel too held a 'jansabha' in Morbi. In a tweet, the firebrand Patidar leader said he addressed farmers in Morbi.

"When Indira Ben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/RSS, the streets of Morbi are fragrant, it is the fragrance of humanity," he said. When Indira Ben came to Morbi,I remember there was a photo of her in Chitralekha Magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh/RSS the streets of Morbi are fragrant,its the fragrance of humanity: PM Modi #GujaratElections2017 pic.twitter.com/YJasuCNfMS- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

During his first rally in Gujarat's Morbi, PM Modi attacked the Gandhi family, and talked about the development work the BJP government in Gujarat has carried out.

Will you take another 45 years to fulfil the promise, Rahul asked in his tweet addressed to PM Modi. Read our complete report here .

22 ?? ? ,??? ??? ? ??? ?? ?????? ? : 2012 ?? ? ? 50 ? ? ? ???? 5 ?? ? 4.72 ? ? ?????? ?? ? ?? ? ? ?? ?? 45 ? ??????- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 29, 2017

Meanwhile, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi once again attacked PM Modi on Twitter. Gandhi took aim at the BJP, claiming the party promised 50 lakh houses for the poor in Gujarat during the last election, but constructed only 4.72 lakh units.

The Prime Minister, however, will not be going to the Somnath temple, with sources saying this was due to Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to the iconic religious site.

PM Narendra Modi will address at least four rallies today, in Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari. It is during his event in Prachi that the Prime Minister will be in the vicinity of Rahul Gandhi and his entourage. Prime Minister @narendramodi to address rallies at Morbi, Prachi, Palitana and Navsari for the upcoming #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/kYb19eE7up- Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) November 29, 2017

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McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna should be disqualified from prosecuting the Twin Peaks cases because he usurped police authority by charging the bikers en masse, he has a financial interest in the outcome and he hopes the notoriety will springboard him into state office, an attorney for one of the bikers argued Tuesday.

In a brief hearing Tuesday, Dallas attorney Clint Broden sought to recuse 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson from presiding over a hearing in which he will seek to disqualify Reyna and his office from handling the case of former biker Burton George Bergman.

Johnson declined to voluntarily step down from hearing the disqualification motion against Reyna, so retired State District Judge Joe Carroll, of Bell County, was appointed to hear the motion to recuse Johnson.

Carroll took the matter under advisement, giving parties on both sides until Friday to file briefs. He said he will rule by Dec. 8.

Bergman, 50, a Dallas truck driver, is a former member of the Desgraciados motorcycle group and is among 154 bikers indicted in the May 17, 2015, shootout in Waco that left nine dead and 20 injured. He has a tentative trial date for Jan. 22.

Broden is not seeking to recuse Johnson from hearing Bergmans case at this time, only from hearing the motion seeking to disqualify Reyna.

Previous testimony

Broden consolidated testimony from a pretrial hearing in Matthew Clendennens case in which Reyna was called as a witness. Reyna and Johnson voluntarily recused themselves in Clendennens case because the judge and Reyna are former law partners and Reyna testified at the hearing in Johnsons court.

Broden also represents Clendennen, a former Scimitars group member from Hewitt.

Prosecutor Brody Burks objected to the record from Clendennens hearing being consolidated with Bergmans, saying the cases are different.

That case is not this case, Burks said. That hearing is not this hearing.

Burks argued that the only way Reyna can be disqualified is if he voluntarily does so. He said if a judge orders it, the ruling is subject to an immediate and automatic appeal known as a writ of mandamus.

Reyna should not be called as a witness, and his actions before the bikers were arrested are not subject to relevant scrutiny because the subsequent indictments against the bikers are tantamount to sufficient probable cause to justify their arrests, Burks said.

Broden argued that Reyna will be a witness in Bergmans case because his decision to arrest 177 bikers over the collective wisdom of every police officer who mattered that day violated bikers due process rights.

He also said Reyna and others are defendants in civil rights lawsuits filed by 100 of the bikers arrested that day and Reyna should be disqualified because he has a financial interest in getting convictions in the cases and not necessarily seeking justice.

Broden also said witnesses, including prosecutor Amanda Dillon, have reported that Reyna has said the Twin Peaks cases could get him elected attorney general or lead to the governors mansion, adding to Brodens claim that Reyna has established a trend of making decisions for political gain.

Reyna and Dillon did not return phone messages left at their offices Tuesday.
Maxie E. Mendoza, 85 years old, born in Waco, Texas, to Eugene and Guadalupe Mendoza, passed away on Friday, November 24, 2017, in Houston, Texas. A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, November 30, 2017, with the Rosary recited at 7:00 p.m., at Joseph J. Earthman Generations, 234 Westcott St., in Houston. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 1, 2017, at St. Joseph  St. Stephen Church, 1505 Kane St., in Houston.
WAHOO  Some statistics about Saunders County youth have emerged from a recent survey that has at least several area officials worried.

The 2016 Nebraska Risk and Protective Factors Student Survey revealed some major issues in Saunders County, said Saunders County Youth Services Coordinator Amber Pelan. That survey assesses adolescent substance abuse, antisocial behavior and risk factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors.

One of the more startling statistics, she said, has to do with alcohol use in 30-day periods.

According to the survey, 40 percent of the 247 youth sampled use alcohol monthly. Thats a stark rise in use from 6 percent in 2014.

The biennial survey is comprised of students in grades eight, 10 and 12. Theoretically, the eighth grade students that reported use in 2014 jumped to 40 percent for the survey two years later.

Pelan noted that the 40 percent rate is double the states 20 percent rate.

Binge drinking for 10th graders surveyed measured at 19 percent, compared to the 6.9 percent of youth that binge drink on the state level.

The top four sources for obtaining alcohol during the past 30 days included getting it at a party (over 50 percent for sophomores and seniors), taking it from home without a parents permission and taking it from a friends house. Of youth surveyed, 12.5 percent reported parents giving it to them or buying it for them.

Nearly 70 percent of sophomores and 55 percent of seniors said they got alcohol at a party.

Pelan said alcohol use by youth appears to be a norm in the county, while outside the county it is not the norm.

The culture is not quite the same across the state and the statistics show that, Pelan added.

Saunders County Public Defender Tom Klein said he has not seen a great deal of case increase in the area of drug related youthful offenders. But, he said that also can mean if the youth has a parent that tolerates it then it would lead to fewer offenses.

According to the survey, only 45 percent of eighth graders, 30 percent of 10th graders and 47.6 percent of 12th graders reported discussing the dangers of alcohol with family.

Marijuana use by Saunders County 10th graders is also a concern, as it is almost double the state level as well.

According to the survey, 15.6 percent of Saunders County 10th graders use marijuana monthly, while only 8.8 percent of 10th graders across the state use the still illegal substance monthly.

Pelan said other areas of concern for youth in Saunders County include electronic vapor use. Thirty percent of Saunders County sophomores and seniors reported using electronic vapor.

This is still high compared to the state average at 12 percent for sophomores and 18.7 percent for seniors.

Pelan said some of her concerns for Saunders County youth are how substance use and abuse correlates with mental health.

Thirty-eight percent of 10th graders reported being depressed within the last month, which is slightly higher than the state average of 33 percent.

Nearly 18 percent of eighth and 10th graders surveyed reported considering attempting suicide. Over 6 percent of 10th and 12th graders reported attempting suicide  almost twice the state average.

One of the more alarming statistics was that of all youth surveyed, 19.4 percent indicated they would not go to anyone if they were depressed or felt suicidal.

Pelan said these statistics should not only show the reality of what is taking place in the county, but that informed conversations need to be happening between parents and youth.

For a full report of survey information visit www.talkaboutalcohol.org/county/saunders.
MALMO  The four individuals arrested for allegedly robbing the Security Home Bank in Malmo the morning of Nov. 22 await a bond hearing this Thursday in Saunders County Court.

All from Omaha, James Fentress-Dismuke, Vincent McGee, Jonathan Franklin and Corita Burnett are currently jailed at the Saunders County Law Enforcement and Judicial Center in Wahoo and are charged with bank robbery, said Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz.

Stukenholtz said one of the four entered the bank, robbing it at gunpoint, but four individuals left the scene in three cars.

Franklin left the scene in a 2015 Chevy Malibu and Burnett left in a 2004 Hyunda. Both were taken in to custody by Saunders County Sheriffs deputies near the intersection of highways 77 and 92 just west of Wahoo shortly after the 8:40 a.m. robbery, Stukenholtz said.

The sheriff said Fentress-Dismuke and McGee left the scene and headed for Omaha in a white 2001 Chevy Lumina. They it made it into Douglas County, with Yutan Police Chief Tim Hannan in pursuit.

Nebraska State Patrol began pursuing the Lumina with no plates near 204th and West Center Road.

The chase went down Pacific Street and then I Street, before ending about 9:40 a.m. at 114th Street and West Center Road in Omaha. Fentress-Dismuke and McGee were arrested there.

Saunders County Chief Sheriffs Deputy Steve Malina, said the Yutan police cruiser wrecked in Douglas County during the pursuit, but Hannan was not injured.

Stukenholtz said the arrests made in Saunders County were aided by citizens in the county paying attention.

Law enforcement works best when the entire commmunity is involved, he said.

When citizens see something unusual or out of place, its helpful to get a license number and good description of what is observed.

Stukenholtz said the investigation is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and an undisclosed amount of money was taken from the bank.

Calls to the FBI were not returned by press time.

Last week, Security Home Bank personnel said there was no comment other than everyone in the bank was safe and ok.

Malina said it is not known at this time whether those arrested had any connection to any other robberies in Saunders County or surrounding counties.
Will or will not senior BJP leader LK Advani campaign in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election?

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: Will or will not senior BJP leader LK Advani campaign in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election?

This is one of the several burning questions which may get answered only after the hurly burly of electioneering in the VVIP state comes to an end.

Gujarat is a VVIP state because Gujarat is the home state of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

ADVANI'S CLAIMS

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Among the BJP's central leaders, Advani has a natural right to campaign in Gujarat just after Modi and Shah, if not before the two.

No wonder, in the list of 40 star campaigners which the BJP has submitted to the Election Commission for Gujarat election, the name of Advani comes on the third number, after that of Modi and Shah.

Secondly, he is a Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat for the past 19 years.

Advani, who turned 90 on November 8, is serving his seventh term as a Lok Sabha member, six of which are from Gandhinagar.

He has been continuously representing Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha since 1991, except between 1996 and 1998 when he had resigned in the wake of the Jain hawala diary case.

The veteran BJP leader has won the subsequent Lok Sabha elections held in 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.

Besides being the Lok Sabha MP from the Gujarat capital, the former deputy prime minister is presently the chairperson of BJP's Parliamentary Party.

Moreover, the veteran BJP leader is also a member of the party's Margdarshak Mandal.

Among the other members of the Margdarshak Mandal, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is indisposed while Kanpur MP Murli Manohar Joshi's name is not in the list of star campaigners.

The other two - Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh - are taking active participation in the Gujarat poll.

Advani, one of the founding members of the BJP, had embarked on the rath yatra from Somnath in Gujarat on September 25, 1990 which catapulted the party to power few years later.

SIDELINED?

However, despite the general expectations, Advani so far is aloof from the Gujarat election. His participation remains uncertain. If he does not campaign, Advani will be the only BJP leader among the 40 star campaigners who will be conspicuous by his absence.

The nonagenarian BJP leader was in Varanasi, PM Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, on the day he turned 90. He may be maintaining a low profile, but he is active in politics.

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It is for the first time that Advani is not campaigning in Gujarat. This also makes the Assembly election in the western state unique.

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EAGLE  The Eagle Board of Trustees recently adopted a resolution that could allow an effort to connect the MoPac trail between Lincoln and Omaha to come to fruition.

The Nebraska Labor and Agriculture Coalition, through a partnership with the Nebraska Trails Foundation, is hoping to add a 7-mile trail segment to connect the states two major metropolitan areas.

Right now the trail, which follows an old railroad corridor, extends from 84th Street in Lincoln through Eagle and Elmwood before ending in Wabash. The NLAC wants to connect that trail to an existing path near Spring-field.

In order to do so, the organization must get the approval of communities that would be affected.

In the past, there have been some attempts to complete this trail that were not effective, said Trenton Shrader, NLAC founder. Were approach-ing in a new way this time.

Rather than trickling support down from Lincoln and Omaha to the smaller communities, the NLAC is taking a more grassroots approach.

Instead of the movement coming from Lincoln to Omaha, we want to have it come from the communities themselves, Shrader said.

This new initiative started about four months ago, Shrader said. The Eagle resolution is the first official action to take place in any of the affected communities.

The document acknowledged the trails economic benefit to the village and expressed the villages support for the project. The resolution also allows the village to designate a representative to advise the NLAC as the project moves forward.

The villages of Elmwood and South Bend both endorsed the development and agreed to vote on resolutions at future board meetings.

One of the biggest arguments for Villages to support the project is the expected increase in economic activity the new trail could bring, Shrader said.

One of the primary ways it can help the economy is its good enticement for people to move into that community, Shrader said.

He cited Beaver Lake, Iowa, as an example of how a trail can boost economic activity in smaller towns.

Those towns have seen an encouragement in spending from outside of those communities, he said.

The new segment could also change up the Market-to-Market Relay, which passes through Eagle every year.

This would be a huge benefit for market-to-market, Shrader said. They would be able to use this segment.

Overall, the logic is that more trail users will result in more opportunity for small communities.

This should offer up the opportunity for more trail bike rides to bring people in through these towns, Shrader said. It gives these towns an opportunity to take advantage of economic opportunities.

Shrader hopes to have all the villages resolutions passed by early next year. Then hell bring it all before the Lower Platte South Natural Resource Districts Board of Directors to get approval to move forward with the project.

Their support for this project hinges on local community support, Shrader said.
By PTI: By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Nov 29 (PTI) Unidentified, motorcycle-borne gunmen tonight opened fire outside a Shia imambargah here, killing two people and injuring three others, in a rare attack in Pakistans capital.

Police said two gunmen were involved in the attack at the Babul Ilam imambargah located in I-8 Sector of the capital.

The gunmen fled after carrying out the attack, they said.

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One person died on the spot while one of the injured succumbed to his wounds, Geo TV reported, citing police.

Emergency services shifted the injured to hospital and police have started an investigation into the incident.

Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, a Shia political organisation, leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri expressed sorrow over the incident and said the Islamabad administration has failed to prevent the crime in the capital.

"It is conspiracy to create rift between Shia and Sunni sects in Pakistan but we will never let it succeed," he said.

He said they have foiled such conspiracies in the past and will continue to do so.

A spokesman for Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-Jafaria, a Shia political party, also denounced the incident, saying there is no sectarian divide in the country.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Sunni extremist groups linked with the Taliban such as Lashker-e-Jhangvi often carry out attacks against minority Shias. PTI MRJ/SH ZH

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Meghan Markle will not be the first glamorous American to make her mark on a monarchy. Though many have drawn comparisons between the actress and Wallis Simpson, the transatlantic divorcee at the heart of the 1936 abdication crisis, her closest predecessor is surely Grace Kelly: the beautiful, well-established screen star who, by the time of her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, had shown the world what an injection of American charm could do for a royal family.

On their wedding day six decades ago, America's big-screen sweetheart arrived in Monte Carlo to take her place beside the European prince who had swept her off her feet. Just in case the union of a stunning Academy Award-winner and the dashing Prince wasn't romantic enough already, Kelly arrived by ocean liner.

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for the media in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London on Monday. Credit:AP

Both Kelly and Markle enjoyed whirlwind romances with their royal counterparts

And Markle, like Kelly, will replace her acting career with philanthropic work. Yet such choices and opportunities were not generally available to a woman of Simpson's era  and certainly not someone of her circumstances. Though like his great-great-uncle Edward VIII, Prince Harry has fallen head over heels for an American divorcee, Simpson's reputation could not be further from Markle's. Eighty-one years ago, revelations that the new king would be giving up the throne and following his heart, rather than his head (or the stern advice of the Establishment) provoked objections ranging from moral to legal. King Edward's mind could not be changed: he was convinced that he would not be able to "discharge my duties as King without the help and support of the woman I love".
Three Sydney universities are among the best in the country for their six-year degree completion rates, but the national graduation rate has fallen to its lowest level recorded.

Overall, the six-year university completion rate has dropped to the lowest levels recorded since the Department of Education began collating the data, with only 66 per cent of students who started their degree in 2010 finishing by 2015.

The national graduation rate has fallen to its lowest level recorded. Credit:Ryan Osland

The overall short and medium-term employment rates for students with undergraduate degrees have also fallen significantly since 2007, with 67.5 per cent of students who graduated in 2014 finding full-time work within four months, compared to 83.6 per cent of students who graduated in 2007.

About 89.3 per cent of students who graduated in 2014 found work within three years, compared to 92.6 per cent of students who graduated in 2007, according to the 2017 Graduate Outcomes Survey, which is funded by the Australian government and conducted by the Social Research Centre.
Answers. All Cathy McDougall and her family want are answers. For 10 years, they've had very little.

It was over a decade ago that Ms McDougall's grand-daughter Leela vanished without a trace, along with her mother Chantelle and two other men.

Pictured are Chantelle McDougall and her daughter Leela (top) and Tony Popic (bottom left) and Simon Kadwell, also known as Gary Felton.

Leela was just five-and-a-half years-old when she and her mother, Tony Popic and Simon Kadwell, disappeared from the picturesque WA town of Nannup in July 2007.

They left behind wallets, credit cards and dirty plates on the table at their Roberts Road property, about 11 kilometres south of the Nannup town-site.
The WA government's second attempt at a gold royalty hike has been officially killed off again in the upper house.

Under the revised scheme, the royalty rate would have increased from 2.5 to 3.75 per cent when the gold price was above $A1400/ounce instead of the previously planned $1200/ounce, which the upper house had rejected.

Nationals leader Mia Davies said the McGowan government's standing in the gold industry had been tarnished by Mr Wyatt's "unrelenting attack on the sector" and lack of consultation. Credit:Shutterstock

When Treasurer Ben Wyatt announced his revamped plan, which aimed to generate $332 million over four years and provide an assistance package for marginal mines, the opposition and crossbenchers immediately said they would not back it.

The upper house officially blocked the proposal late on Tuesday by passing a disallowance motion brought by Pauline Hanson's One Nation MP Robin Scott, who represents the Mining and Pastoral Region.
By Lakshana N Palat: Deadly good looks, a killer smile, and to top it all: exemplary acting skills. That sums up Fawad Khan, once touted to be the most promising star in Bollywood. Till raging politics reared its ugly head, and he was made to leave India.

Before his Bollywood debut in Khoobsurat with Sonam Kapoor, Fawad had made his place in a million hearts with his Pakistani serials, Humsafar with Mahira Khan, Zindagi Gulzar Hain and Ashk, to name a few. His entrance into Bollywood, was met with much excitement and glee, and girls couldn't stop fawning over his dashing good looks.

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KHOOBSOORAT

But for those who were unaware of his acting skills, Khoobsoorat was an eye-opener. While he acted as the perfect foil to Sonam Kapoor's over-the-top chirpy (read: annoying) persona, he was also noticed for his subtle expressions and emoting. He did not try to steal the limelight from Sonam, and yet he was appreciated more than her, for his polished acting skills. And this became his talent. Without ever intending to overshadow more prominent stars, he managed to outshine them all.

KAPOOR AND SONS

Fawad played the good, overachieving son, Rahul, in the family drama Kapoor and Sons. Yet, what made him a master of his performance was his subtle portrayal of homosexuality. It was crucial for Bollywood to understand at this point, that homosexuality was not a flamboyant comedy and parody, (Bol Bachchan, Dostana, etc.), but just something to be treated normally. With his calm portrayal, he even overshadowed Sidharth Malhotra, who was somewhat relegated to the background of the film. With this film, Fawad's stardom in Bollywood was accepted.

THE POLITICS OF AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL

Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Fawad created hype with its powerful cast, and teasers. However, the brewing tensions between India and Pakistan, owing to the Uri conflict, infiltrated the cinematic realm as well.

The MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) declared that no Pakistani actors would be allowed to work in Bollywood, and demanded that Fawad should return to Pakistan. They also argued that all references to the country should be removed from the film. Fawad's role in the film was reduced, and Anushka's hometown in the film, Pakistan's Lahore, was changed to Lucknow.

Karan Johar had to release a video, saying that he would not work with Pakistani actors after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. KJo even said later that he felt as if he had been held at gunpoint and made to make such statements.

In the midst of raging politics and an angry storm, Fawad left Bollywood. It is bizarre that many who had once swooned over the actor, began to condemn him overnight, and held him responsible for something that he didn't have any control over. Several even questioned why he didn't speak out against the violence, not realising his precarious predicament.

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Bollywood lost a powerful actor; a person who had mastered the subtleties and complexities of the profession, and could have made it to sure stardom in the industry. When politics enters arts and turns poisonous, the artist stands to suffer.

Today we see a few snatches of Fawad, who has been keeping himself busy with various projects in Pakistan. There was even speculation on whether he would take up a Hollywood project, but there's nothing concrete in public on that yet.

ALSO WATCH: Pakistani actor Fawad Khan clears his stand on Uri attacks

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Honeypreet in her statement told police that the violence was part of her strategy to whisk away Gurmeet Ram Rahim from police custody.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Gurmeet Ram Rahim's closest aide Honeypreet Insan and other arrested Dera gang members have made startling revelations about the escape plan and anti-national activities.

In their confessional statements given to the police during their interrogation, they made some shocking revelations apart from Honeypreet's dream to settle down with Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a foreign country.

Honeypreet in her statement told police that the violence was part of her strategy to whisk away Gurmeet Ram Rahim from police custody. Honeypreet and others including Dr Aditya Insan wanted to divert police's attention towards the violence so that Gurmeet Ram could be whisked away.

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The blueprint of Panchkula violence was prepared on August 17 meeting which was chaired by Honeypreet Insan. The fugitive Dera spokesperson Dr Aditya Insan was also part of the meeting in which a conspiracy to attack the police, security forces and damaging the public and private property including media was hatched.

Honeypreet had told police that she and Gurmeet Ram Rahim had a plan to settle down in a foreign country. Both first wanted to enter Nepal. Interestingly, Honeypreet was also carrying her and Gurmeet Singh's passport, documents of Dera properties, bank cheque books, credit cards and other valuables with her in a suitcae to the court.

The suitcase was loaded in the same car in which Gurmeet Ram Rahim was brought to Panchkula . However, the plan was foiled and Honeypreet returned with her belongings to Dera Sacha Sauda on August 25 night. She had left Dera on August 27 with same suitcase before handing over her mobile phone and laptop to Vipassana Insan, Dera's Chairperson.

HONEYPREET WANTED TO AVENGE GURMEET RAM RAHIM'S ARREST

Honeypreet had told police that she and Dera spokesman Dr Aditya Insan wanted to avenge Gurmeet Ram Rahim arrest and for that they wanted to wipe out India from the world map. Honeypreet wanted to indulge in anti-national activities after settling down with Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a foreign country.

Honeypreet's statement has sent the security agencies on a tizzy, which are already investigating the espionage angle to Debra's dubious activities after an OB van was recovered from Dera.

Indian Army's internal alert, available with India Today, about Dera's suspicious activities including arms training inside Dera had already alerted the security agencies.

GURMEET RAM RAHIM PLANNED TO TOPPLE HARYANA AND UNION GOVERNMENT

The charge sheet submitted by the Panchkula police to district and sessions court says that Dera goons had invited followers from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and were given wooden sticks, stones, weapons apart from petrol and diesel to make petrol bombs.

The followers and hired goons were asked to target government buildings, media vehicles, police forces to vent their anger.

ILLEGAL MONEY SPENT ON HIRING GOONS

Honeypreet, according to the police charge sheet, had spent illegal money on hiring the goons and inciting the violence in Panchkula on August 25. Investigations have revealed that a sum of Rs 1.25 crores were collected inside Gurmeet Ram Rahim's cave which were handed over by his private secretary Rakesh to Panchkula Dera Sacha Sauda's in-charge Chamkaur Singh.

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Investigations found that out of 1.25 Crore rupees received from Dera, Chamkaur Singh had given Rs 25 lacs to Aditya Insan, Rs 25 lacs to Pawan Insan, Rs 25 lacs to Gobhi Ram, Rs 18 lacs to Ram Singh and Rs 7 lacs to others.

Chamkaur Singh had hidden Rs 25 lacs in the basement of a building located in sector 12 A. The police had recovered Rs 24,80500 lakh from the the same building.

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By PTI: By Fakir Hassen

Johannesburg, Nov 29 (PTI) India today donated 500 metric tonnes of rice to the Kingdom of Lesotho, in Southern Africa, which is facing acute food shortage due to famine.

High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho, Ruchira Kamboj handed over the donation to the government of Lesotho, a tiny landlocked kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa, after she presented her credentials to King Letsie III in the countrys capital, Maseru.

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"(This) gift (of rice) is a manifestation of the concern of the people of India for the people of Lesotho and their desire to help their brothers and sisters mitigate the devastating effects of food shortages caused by famine and other acts of nature," Kamboj said during her address.

India has appointed a single concurrent High Commissioner for South Africa and Lesotho since diplomatic relations with South Africa were resumed in 1994 after a break of more than four decades, during which India led the international fight against the minority white apartheid government.

Kamboj, who previously served in South Africa as Consul General in Cape Town, presented her credentials to President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria in August this year.

During her visit to Maseru, the High Commissioner also called on the Acting Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki and Deputy Foreign Minister Halebonoe Sets?abi.

Kamboj also inaugurated the India-Lesotho Centre for Advanced Information Technology, a project fully-funded by the Government of India, at the Lerotholi Polytechnic in Maseru.

The construction of the new building to house the Centre was completed recently.

"The Centre will be a significant marker of the India- Lesotho friendship, imparting, as it will, much needed critical training skills to youth, leading to more inclusive growth and development," Kamboj said.

Relations between India and Lesotho have been marked by an exchange of visits between the two countries at the political and official levels as well as a growing economic partnership bolstered by people-to-people exchanges through cultural exchange programmes, education and training to provide a firm foundation to the relationship.

The third meeting of the India-Lesotho Joint Bilateral Cooperation Commission will be held in New Delhi on December 1.

The focus will be on to deepen and diversify the relationship by identifying new synergetic areas for cooperation and collaboration. PTI FH SMJ AKJ SMJ

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A very successful regional workshop on Transit for the WCO Members from the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region was conducted from 22 to 24 November 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The regional event was delivered by experts from the WCO, the World Banks Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and was attended by more than 70 participants from over 50 entities  Member Customs Administrations, Regional Economic Communities, Corridor Management Institutions, Industry associations, private sector entities, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

In interactive sessions, the WCO set the scene by presenting the guiding principles for the establishment of efficient and effective transit regimes as outlined in the various sections of the WCO Transit Guidelines and the participants shared and discussed good practices, challenges and measures for further improvement of the various aspects of transit in the region. Highly informative and interesting presentations were delivered by the Secretariats of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), as well as the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, the Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI) and other stakeholders.

The regional workshop for the ESA region is the first in a series of regional workshops to be delivered by the WCO with the objective of promoting the implementation of the recently launched Transit Guidelines launched and the establishment by Members of efficient and effective transit regimes in their territories.
By PTI: Mumbai, Nov 29 (PTI) Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, a product subsidiary of Infosys today announced the global availability of Finacle Trade Connect, a blockchain based trade finance solution for banks.

The solution will help digitise the trade finance business process, including validation of ownership, certifying documents and making payments, while working on a distributed, trusted and shared network, a statement said.

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*************** Manasi Narasimhan joins Mastercard as VP, MarComm *

Mumbai: Mastercard a leading payments and technology company today announced the appointment of Manasi Narasimhan as the Vice-President, Marketing and Communications.

In her new role, Narasimhan will be responsible for driving Mastercards marketing and communications strategy for South Asia region, Mastercard said in a statement.

She will work with key regional and global teams to deliver core business values and brand equity for Mastercard. She will also oversee the development of strategies and campaigns for the companys advertising, sponsorships, promotions, as well as digital and consumer marketing initiatives across South Asia.

****************** Matrix-backed Chumbak raises Rs 85 crore *

Mumbai: Chumbak, a lifestyle brand, announced it has raised Rs 85 crore led by Gaja Capital.

Existing investors Matrix Partners India, Seedfund and Narayan Ramachandran, the ex-country head of Morgan Stanley also participated in the financing round.

Founded in 2012 by Shubhra Chadda and Vivek Prabhakar, Chumbak began its journey with India-inspired designs for souvenirs and accessories.

****************** Centrum Group sets up real estate Mgmt and advisory vertical *

Mumbai: The Centrum Group, a domestic integrated financial services group has set up a professional Real Estate Management and Advisory vertical.

The entity, Centrum REMA will strategically partner with developers and provide comprehensive services such as sales and marketing, financing and channel and client management for on time delivery, Centrum said in a release. PTI DSK DSK SDM

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Just when we were gushing about Ivanka's regal outfit for the grand dinner, she chose to let us down in her latest look.

By India Today Web Desk: Ivanka Trump's visit to India has not only been of national importance, it has also kept people across the country glued to their TV and laptop screens, to watch every single move of the first daughter of America.

Today is only the second day of her visit, but even in such a short span of time, Ivanka has done enough to leave behind grand memories of her tour on the pages India's history--from her speech at GES 2017 (Global Entrepreneurship Summit) to the elaborate, royal dinner with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at Taj Falaknuma Palace. What caught our fancy the most so far, however, were her eye-catching ensembles.

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This time, it was Ivanka's monochrome dress that grabbed our attention.

Ivanka was seen wearing a black and white outfit while visiting one of the most popular attractions of Hyderabad, Golkonda Fort.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/colunadocampelooficial

See Pics: Ivanka Trump's looks during her India visit

So far, Ivanka's sartorial journey in India has been a chronicle ofstellar looks, apart from the weird, green attirethat she wore at the summit last evening.

Ivanka's latest look in her knitted dress wasn't as bad, although it did portray a lack of class.

Picture courtesy: Twitter/@IvankaTrump

While the A-line dress accentuated her figure well, what left us disappointed was the huge, self-embroidered floral pattern on the front and sleeves. It robbed the attire of its elegance, to say the least.

Picture courtesy: Twitter/@USAmbIndia

Such fashion misses are difficult to accept from someone like Ivanka, who is herself the owner of a clothing line. An international visit of this grandeur that has turned heads across the world, definitely demanded a better choice of clothing.

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By PTI: Hyderabad, Nov 29 (PTI) US President Donald Trumps daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump took some time off from the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) and visited the historic Golconda Fort here today.

Trump had arrived here for the GES yesterday, a three-day meet which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"She was taken around the 16th century monument where she spent about 45 minutes," Telangana Additional DGP (Law and Order) Anjani Kumar told PTI.

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Trump evinced a keen interest in the history of the fort, that lies around 10 km from the city on its western outskirts, as she was briefed about the structure.

Elaborate security arrangements were made around the fort in view of her visit.

She was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to US Navtej Sarna and his American counterpart Kenneth Juster among others, Kumar said.

"It is very nice to see such a big and old fort. It is a wonderful place. It shows the rich culture of Hyderabad," Trump said.

"It is amazing at Golconda Fort. It was a fantastic two days in Hyderabad and the summit was phenomenal," she said.

Trump also said the summit was very enlightening and inspiring.

The fort is believed to have derived its name from the Telugu word "Golla Konda meaning shepherds hill. It was originally buit by the Kakatiya (of Warangal) kings as a mud fort.

The Telangana government hosted a dinner for the delegates of the GES inside the fort this evening.

Yesterday, the prime minister, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Trump, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar; NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and Bharti Enterprises founder Sunil Mittal were among others who attended a gala dinner hosted as part of the GES at the Falaknuma Palace.

Famous for its Nizam-era table around which 101 guests can sit at a time, the palace-turned-plush hotel is one the landmarks of the city.

A team of culinary experts from the hotel, led by executive chef Sajesh Nair, presented a five-course menu inspired by Hyderabads Telangana and Nizami cuisines.

Famed local delicacies such as Dahi ke kebab, Goshtshikampuri kebab, Kubanikemalai kofta, Murgpista ka salan and Sitaphal kulfi were presented over the various courses-- Aghaz (soup), Mezban (appetizers), Waqfa (sorbet), MashgoolDastarkhwan (main course) and Zauq-e-shahi (dessert).

The signature menu also gave the distinguished guests a taste of rare Indian ingredients such as sandalwood, saffron and figs.

The table dAcor was inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Deccan region.

Rare artefacts and silver decorative pieces were brought in from the Nizams private collection at Chowmahalla Palace; while all upholstery used during the dinner was made with locally sourced fabrics such as Ikkat, Teliya and velvet. PTI VVK RS RSY AAR

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Christmas comes to the Homeplace 1850s Saturday after Thanksgiving
By Bill Hughes Nov. 28, 2017 | 07:26 PM | PADUCAH, KY





The city of Paducah will be opening bids for phase 1 of the City Hall renovation project on Thursday.At their meeting Tuesday evening, City Engineer and Public Works Director Rick Murphy told City Commissioners the city has been receiving bids since November 21. He said five general contractors had blueprints and information, so he is hoping for most of them to submit a bid before the deadline.City Manager Jeff Pederson said this phase of work includes fixing and stabilizing the roof and overhang, replacing the central heating and air conditioning system for the first time, and replacing windows and frames with double-pane windows.Pederson said, "It's going to address the structural issues, it's going to bring the building quite a bit forward in terms of energy efficiency, between the windows and the source units. There's also money in the budget for some aesthetic repairs in and around the building that's gonna to dress it up. So, keep our fingers crossed that that's going to come in within the amount of resources that have been budgeted."He said if the bids come in higher than the amount budgeted for the project, the commission will revisit the issue and discuss their options.To see the city's summary of the meeting, along with other documents, visit the link below. Typically, the city's website will post a link within 24 hours so citizens can watch a video of the meeting.

On the Net:
By WestKyStar & City of Paducah Staff Nov. 28, 2017 | 08:37 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Christmas cards are $7 for a package of ten. The cards can be purchased, while supplies last, at the Finance Department on the first floor of City Hall, 300 South 5th Street between 8 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. The price of the cards covers the printing charges. The City does not profit from the sale of the Christmas cards.





About a year ago, the Paducah Area Painters Alliance (PAPA) selected the Downtown Farmers Market as the theme and asked artists to submit their entries. Four works of art were submitted to be voted on by the Paducah Board of Commissioners.





Christmas Trees at Farmers Market, a pastel by Dutch Thurman, was selected as this years City of Paducah Christmas card. The painting shows Santa sitting on a bench at the Farmers Market greeting citizens as they shop for Christmas trees. The inside of the card reads Wishing you all the joys of this Christmas season and a prosperous new year.





In 1990, Dutch Thurman began painting and taking classes at the former Paducah Community College. Thurman has won awards in the Woman's Club Art Show and the Mayfield/Graves County Impressions Show. Thurman works with oils and pastels with portraits, still lives, and scenes from around Paducah as her favorite subjects. Thurmans artwork also was selected for the City of Paducah Christmas card in 2014 and in 2015.



The City of Paducah 2017 Christmas cards are available for purchase at City Hall.
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By Bill Hughes

Nov. 29, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By Bill Hughes Nov. 29, 2017 | 03:17 PM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah attorney has been sentenced to almost 10 years in prison for identity theft and wire fraud charges.



The U.S. Attorney's Office for the western district of Kentucky says 43-year-old J. Grant King appeared in federal court in Paducah Wednesday, and received a sentence of 116 months in prison, followed by three years' supervised release.



King must also pay $1,081,338.99 in restitution to 37 victims. Thirty-five of them are individuals and two are companies.



King plead guilty to the charges in August. He admitted that from at least March of 2007 through May of 2017, he settled clients' cases with insurance companies without their consent, and pocketed most or all of the money.



"The relationship between attorneys and clients is based on trust, trust that an attorney will always put the clients interests first," said United States Attorney Russell Coleman. By stealing from his clients, Mr. King dishonored his oath as an officer of the court and hurt those he was duty-bound to protect.



King also took out a $97,500 loan from someone and transferred the title of a boat as collateral. He then got a duplicate title on the boat and sold it without repaying the loan.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 29, 2017 | 10:21 AM | MURRAY, KY

A woman riding a mobility scooter was struck by a car in Murray Tuesday night.

According to the Murray Police Department, the incident happened just after 8:30 pm on Highway 121 at the Paramount Street intersection. Police said 23-year-old Darlene Jackson of Murray was operating the scooter and was crossing Highway 121.

While crossing the northbound lanes Jackson pulled out in front of a northbound vehicle, driven by 27-year-old Rebecca Wright of Murray, who was not able to avoid striking the scooter.

Jackson was transported to Murray-Calloway County Hospital for treatment of her injuries.
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By The Associated Press

Nov. 28, 2017 | FRANKFORT, KY

By The Associated Press Nov. 28, 2017 | 05:00 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul says a man who tackled him in his yard spoke to him afterward about why he was unhappy, but Paul said no explanation would have justified what he called an unprovoked attack.



Paul spoke about the assault for the first time publicly with the Fox News Channel, which aired a portion of the interview on its website Tuesday. The full interview is scheduled to be aired Tuesday night.



Paul said he never saw the attacker because he was facing downhill and wearing ear protection from the noise of his lawn mower. He didn't elaborate on what the man said to him.



Police charged 59-year-old Rene Boucher with misdemeanor assault. Boucher has pleaded not guilty.



His lawyer has said the attack was motivated by a trivial dispute.
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By The Associated Press

Nov. 28, 2017 | LOUISVILLE, KY

By The Associated Press Nov. 28, 2017 | 09:06 PM | LOUISVILLE, KY

As a college student, Holly K. Dunn survived a savage attack by a rail-riding serial killer who left her for dead after her boyfriend was beaten to death. Twenty years later, Dunn is a wife, mother and author of a book retelling her tragedy in hopes it inspires resilience in others.



Dunn's life changed forever in August 1997 when Dunn and Chris Maier were attacked by Angel Maturino Resendiz - the notorious "Railroad Killer," linked to at least 15 murders and executed in Texas in 2006.



Maier was beaten to death and Dunn was raped, stabbed and left for dead.



In her memoir, "Sole Survivor," Dunn recounts how she survived the attack and helped bring Resendiz to justice.



She overcame the attack to graduate from the University of Kentucky in 2000. But instead of joining her family's hotel business, Dunn became an advocate for victims of sexual assault and other violent crimes.


By PTI: protest on campus

New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, who was issued a "warning" letter for allegedly taking part in a protest against the university norms, denied the allegation today and claimed that he was out-of-station on the day of the protest.

The chief proctor of the university had issued the "warning" letter to Om Prasad, a student of the School of Social Sciences, on November 15, for taking part in a protest in front of the administration building on March 16.

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"This act of Prasad is unbecoming of a student of JNU. Om Prasad is hereby warned and advised to be careful in the future. He must refrain himself from getting involved in such activities," the letter read, adding that strict disciplinary action would be taken if the norms were violated again.

Chief Proctor Kaushal Kumar did not respond to phone calls.

However, Prasad showed a copy of a flight ticket and claimed that he had boarded a Hyderabad-bound SpiceJet flight from Delhi at 6 am on March 16.

To back his claim, he also showed two taxi receipts -- one from JNU to the Delhi airport and another in Hyderabad.

"On March 16, I took a SpiceJet flight at 6 am from Delhi to Hyderabad. Even earlier, I was called for an inquiry regarding this matter, but the proctor kept insisting that there was CCTV as well as video footage taken by the guards," he said.

"This is a clear case of falsely accusing students and punishing them in a completely arbitrary manner. I have enough evidence to prove my absence from the campus on that day, but what about those students, who were on the campus but did not take part in the protest?," Prasad asked. PTI CPB RC

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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HENDERSON COUNTY

Community Foundation of Henderson County Scholarships Open Friday, December 1st

Hendersonville, N.C., November 28, 2017  Through the generosity of our donors, Community Foundation of Henderson County (CFHC) is pleased to announce that 85 new and 152 renewal scholarships are available for the 2018-2019 academic year. Scholarship applications open Friday, December 1st and must be submitted by 5 pm, January 31, 2018. Scholarship applications and additional information are available online at www.CFHCforever.org/scholarships.

Scholarships are primarily available for graduating or recently graduated seniors attending public, private or homeschool in Henderson, Transylvania, and Jackson Counties, North Carolina. The range of scholarships available seeks to support a variety of students and their higher education goals. Students applying for need-based scholarships must include a completed FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

2017- 2018 CFHC Scholarship Recipients

Candidates selected for interviews will meet with the CFHC interview committee in April 2018, and recipients will be announced in June. Questions about scholarship opportunities may be directed to Wendy Hamil, Donor Services Manager at (828) 697-6224 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

More than $5.59 million in scholarships have been awarded since 1984 to more than 1,200 students through CFHCs scholarship program.

Since 1982, Community Foundation of Henderson County has been helping people transform their philanthropic dreams into reality. Offering a variety of ways to give, donors are able to make lasting contributions to causes close to their heart. Learn more about Community Foundation of Henderson County at www.CFHCforever.org, on the Community Foundations Facebook page, or by calling (828) 697-6224.

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"We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry," said Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, apologising to the LGBTQ community in Canada.

By India Today Web Desk: While 'sorry' does little to fix broken things, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still made an effort as he apologised to the LGBTQ community for injustices done to them by the Canadian government in the past.

This apology could be "the most comprehensive one ever offered by a national government for past persecution of sexual minorities."

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Trudeau delivered a speech in the House of Commons saying, "This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government - people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives,".

"These aren't distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit," he said.

For past wrongs and the unjust treatment of LGBTQ2 Canadians, we apologize and promise to keep working to fight inequality: https://t.co/ATflgn02bx pic.twitter.com/jyrG6Y1j48- Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 28, 2017

Trudeau expressed regret about how the government kept close tabs on people for any 'behavior' that could be construed as homosexual, keeping an eye on workplaces, bars, parks, and even homes.

Those who admitted to being gay at interrogations were forced to leave their jobs.

"It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry," apologised Trudeau, as a standing ovation greeted him.

"For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry," he added.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a formal apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians in the House of Commons. https://t.co/5toIloNCuU- CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) November 28, 2017

Trudeau had promised a formal apology to the LGBTQ community on November 20.

"On November 28, the Government will offer a formal apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians in the House - for the persecution & injustices they have suffered, and to advance together on the path to equality & inclusion," Trudeau had tweeted.

People listening to him were not too far behind to acknowledge his apology.

It takes a lot for me to be speechless. I am that little gay kid, taunted and teased, now in the House of Commons as an MP listening to my Prime Minister, our Prime Minister acknowledge all the hurt of the LGBTQ+ community and apologising. Incredible.- Rob Oliphant (@Rob_Oliphant) November 28, 2017

Along with taking steps to reduce sexual and gender-based discrimination in the country and having a gender-balanced cabinet, Trudeau has a much-established reputation of being a feminist.

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For those who don't remember, Justin Trudeau has also been one to often pop up at Pride walks, most recently at the Halifax Pride parade in July.

In photos: Tens of thousands attend Halifax Pride parade as Justin Trudeau marches, makes history https://t.co/oQMKxfm9Xv pic.twitter.com/62SzDNhjCP- Metro Halifax (@metrohalifax) July 24, 2017

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By India Today Web Desk: When the country woke up to the news of Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth's wedding last night, it came as a bolt out of the blue. The couple, who met on the sets of their television soap, Rishton Ka Saudagar - Baazigar, were rumoured to be in a relationship for quite some time, although they never admitted to it publicly.

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While actors like Ajay Devgn, Kajol and Bobby Deol made their presence felt at the wedding, Ishita's co-star in the soon-to-be-released Firangi, Kapil Sharma, was conspicuous by his absence.

Kapil told Pinkvilla, "I got to know about their wedding plan just a few days back and I was supposed to attend it but due to work commitments, I couldn't. They kept their wedding a very private affair with just close friends and family attending it. However, my best wishes are with them. I even called Ishita to congratulate her on this."

Kapil and Ishita's Firangi will hit the screens this Friday. The film, which is set in the pre-independence era, marks Kapil Sharma's foray into production.

ALSO WATCH: Is it the end of road for Kapil Sharma?

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By Mail Today Bureau: Even as the Kerala High Court gave a nod to Sanal Sasidharan's S Durga for a screening at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, the film has yet again come under the scanner as the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification on Tuesday wrote to producer Shaji Mathew informing that the certification "will be re-examined" for using a title that was not originally approved.

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"The U/A certificate was granted to you subject to certain excision and modification which included the change of title from Sexy Durga to S Durga and deletion of certain vulgar words... The title of the film as S Durga was verified by the cut verification committee in the final DVD submitted by you on October 10 at CBFC Thiruvananthapuram," the letter reads.

"We have now received complaints from the IFFI jury at Goa that the title of the film on the title card is shown by the filmmaker as S### Durga (where the # means rectangular white boxes) which has totally different implications and are effectively undermining and attempting to defeat the very basis of title registration and changes effected thereby."

The letter further cites that the filmmakers have "prima facie deliberately violated rules".

"The film will be re-examined under the provision of the Cinematograph Act 1952 and Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 1983, with the date and venue being notified to you soon. Till then, you may not exhibit the film. You are requested to make the necessary arrangement in this regards under intimation to this office," the regional officer of CBFC wrote.

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A special court awarded death sentence to all three accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in July 2016.

By Pankaj P. Khelkar: On November 29, a special court in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar awarded death sentence to all three accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in July 2016.

The convicts - Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28 - have been sentenced to death under various charges including rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes.

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After the verdict was announced, the family of the victim said that they are satisfied with the judgement but they want all the 3 convicts to be executed at the earliest, so this acts as deterrent in the minds of people who commit such act or those who have the mentality to hurt others by such heinous crime.

The family also thanked investigation team and the judiciary for giving the judgement.

They have also demanded that a primary and secondary school to be built in Kopardi village so that girls don't have to travel long distance to go to school, the way their daughter used to do.

Talking to India Today, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that while pronouncing the quantum of punishment the court said that all the three accused conspired together to rape and murder the minor.

Court also said that accuse number 2 (Santosh) and 3 (Nitin) had provoked accuse number 1 (Jitendra) to commit the heinous crime of rape.

Besides the death sentence, the court ruled judgement over the three accused under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 376 (Punishment for rape). Court also awarded 3 years of rigorous imprisonment to accuse number 1 for outraging the modesty of the victim.

The court also awarded 20 years of rigorous life sentence to accuse number 2 and 3 for conspiring and outraging the modesty and committing the murder of the victim.

On Number 18, Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole found the three guilty and pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom under tight security.

On July 13, 2016, the three men had brutally raped and murdered the girl in Kopardi village in Karjat taluka of Ahmednagar district. The victim's genitals were badly damaged, her hair was pulled out with her hands dislocated from the shoulders.

According to the 350-page charge-sheet filed by the police, the victim was returning home in the evening from her grandfather's house when the three culprits grabbed her at an isolated location and committed the crime.

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The gang-rape divided two communities in the village of Maharashtra - Marathas and Dalits.

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Cafe Congo at First Congregational Church welcomes back Saint Mary's University's Eric Heukeshoven and his talented band of musicians on Thursday, Nov. 30, beginning at 7 p.m. for a free jazz concert.

They'll be "playing it forward" and raising money through a freewill offering to help the victims of those devastating hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas.

The first set will feature Saint Mary's University's "Jazz Combo 1" playing many jazz favorites, with a few surprises. As a special treat, the second set will feature the newly formed jazz trio "H3O", comprised of the musically talented men of the Heukeshoven family: Eric, Hans and Max.

Food and beverages will be served. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Please use the Johnson Street canopied entrance. For more information call 507-452-5533.
Bob Dylan was right.

The times do change.

Its hard to think of a more hidebound institution than the British monarchy  horses, carriages, tall guys in great big furry hats. Royalty seemed as changeless as the queens hairstyle until it was announced that the House of Windsor will be importing its next princess from the erstwhile colonies.

Thus far the Brits appear to find this a jolly good idea and already have started turning out tea towels tatted up with images of Meghan Markle and her young prince  a fellow only five dead relatives away from becoming Henry the Ninth.

It has to have his great-grand uncle Ed spinning in his grave  and his grand aunt Meg making a few rotations of her own ...

So heres the 30-second history lesson. Uncle Ed is more formally known as Edward VIII, King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, Jan. 20, 1936 until his abdication less than 11 months later  signing off to his subjects with a farewell message: I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as king as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.

That woman was Wallis Simpson, an American, barred by the Church of England from marriage to the king because she was divorced.

Aunt Margaret  Queen Elizabeths sister  found herself in much the same situation, only it was a divorced man to whom she was forbidden to pledge her troth.

Meghan will also be leaving an ex behind when she settles in with Prince Harry, but with the blessing of Old Queen Bess  and the Archbishop of Canterbury to boot.

Oh, and Megs mom is black  you have to wonder how that would have sat with all those Brits who set out to the colonies bound to take up the white mans burden, as their poet laureate so delicately put it.

Yeah, the times do change.

Especially when it comes to men and women.

And what goes on between us.

A divorced woman is longer a threat to the British throne, but an offended woman has become threat to a Senate seat.

Theres some symbolism lurking somewhere in the fact that Hugh Hefner was barely cold in his grave when Harvey Weinsteins reputation was popped like an infected pimple, and what goes on between guys and gals will likely never be the same again.

Over the past couple of months theres been an avalanche of accusations sweeping all sorts of dirty old  and not so old  men into sudden, unanticipated retirement as titillating, tawdry tales took over the headlines and what we used to call frat boy behavior suddenly took on a more felonious cast.

The times change  sometimes overnight.

But the past doesnt change. What was, was. What happened, happened.

In 1936, an American divorcee nearly toppled the British throne. Eighty-one years later, another promises to infuse new life to that aging institution.

On a trip to Australia, Edward described a group of aborigines as the most revolting form of living creatures Ive ever seen! One must wonder what he would think of Meghans family background.

Times change  attitudes with them.

What was accepted, isnt. What was ordinary, isnt.

A nation of ex-smokers will attest to that.

So will the Queen of England.

And Al Franken.
Winona Area Public Schools recently received funding to provide a free preschool experience for up to 15 students in the 2017-18 school year. The district began offering programming in October through a partnership with Winona State University's Children Center located at the Washington-Kosciusko school.

The free program runs Mondays through Fridays from 7:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with breakfast and busing available. To be eligible, students must have turned four by Sept. 1, 2017. Preference will be given to students who meet the age requirement and are eligible for free and reduced meals.
Maharashtra's special court in Ahmednagar awarded death sentence to all three accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in July 2016.

By India Today Web Desk: A special court in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar today awarded death sentence to all three accused in the rape and brutal murder of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in July 2016.

The convicts - Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28 - have been sentenced to death under various charges including rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.

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Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole, who had found the three guilty on November 18, pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom under tight security.

On July 13, 2016, the three men had brutally raped and murdered the girl in Kopardi village in Karjat taluka of Ahmednagar district. The victim's genitals were badly damaged, her hair was pulled out with her hands dislocated from the shoulders.

According to the 350-page charge-sheet filed by the police, the victim was returning home in the evening from her grandfather's house when the three culprits grabbed her at an isolated location and committed the crime.

The gang-rape divided two communities in the village of Maharashtra - Marathas and Dalits. Following the incident in 2016, the Maratha community took to the streets to protest across various districts of Maharashtra such as Akola, Nanded, Beed, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Jalgaon and Jalna districts.

These protests were carried out for over a month. Till now, the Maratha Kranti Morcha has conducted more than 50 silent protests in the state.

ALSO WATCH | Sakshi Maharaj identifies new cause for rape: Public displays of affection

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WASHINGTON  America is currently cursed, not only with tribal politics, but with tribal morality. Some liberals tend to minimize or excuse offenses against a few women in the broader cause of womens rights. What is a politicians wandering hand in comparison to maintaining legal abortion? Some conservatives tend to minimize or excuse offenses against women in the cause of conservative governance. What are a few old accusations compared to cementing a conservative Supreme Court or passing tax reform?

Both sides give personal failings less weight than a compelling public good. It is not always an unserious argument, but in this case, it is a cruel and dangerous one.

This description may sound like a columnists caricature. But, on occasion, a caricature becomes incarnate. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has admitted she has no reason to disbelieve any of Republican senate candidate Roy Moores accusers. Yet Ivey has announced she will vote for Moore anyway. We need to have a Republican in the United States Senate, she explained, to vote on the things like Supreme Court justices.

This is worth a pause. One of the accusers in this case says that in the late 1970s Moore, then a county prosecutor, offered to drive her home. Instead, she alleges, he parked behind the restaurant where she worked, touched her breasts, tried to pull off her shirt, grabbed her neck and pushed her head toward his crotch, leaving nasty bruises and a lifetime of trauma. The victim was 16 years old at the time. If Ivey truly believes this accusation, she is voting for someone who committed sexual assault on a teenage girl, in order to help secure one Senate vote on a prospective Supreme Court nominee.

This has the virtue, at least, of philosophic clarity. It is utilitarianism, unadorned. Ivey believes she is pursuing Jeremy Benthams imperative, achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It is a simple, easily stated moral rule.

There are many varieties of utilitarianism, but they share some weaknesses. While the principle is easy to state, it is not easy to apply. It always involves speculative judgments about the future. What if, as a senator, Moore becomes a rolling scandal of misogyny and intolerance? What if this deepens the image of the GOP as the party of prejudice and male dominance? And what if this costs Republicans control of the House of Representatives and a few other Senate seats? How would this affect Iveys utilitarian calculation?

This scenario is not unlikely. During his recent defeat in the Virginia governors race, Ed Gillespie  a comparatively good GOP candidate  lost women voters by 22 points. Is the three-ring spectacle of Roy Moore in the Senate going to improve Republican electoral performance with women?

But the main problem with utilitarian calculation in politics reaches deeper. By definition, it means that the rights of the few can be sacrificed to the interests of the many. It is a theory that has always been plagued by hypothetical questions: What if punishing a few innocent people would, on balance, have a good social result? What if keeping a few people in slavery clearly benefited the many? What if a politician who is currently abusing teenagers demonstrably served a greater public good? At what point does the but hell vote right on Supreme Court nominees argument end? Three rapes? Four murders? Wouldnt utilitarian calculations still apply?

In the cases before us  if you believe the credible testimony of the accusers  the rights and dignity of women have already been violated. Ignoring or downplaying those violations in the pursuit of other social goals  conservative or liberal  is an additional form of victimization, this time by the broader society. By politicians such as Ivey. By voters willing to downplay the abuses on their own ideological team. All are making the statement that some lives, when weighed in the balance, really dont matter.

None of this is to downplay the difficult task of applying appropriate punishments for differing degrees of guilt. But various traditions of ethics rooted in religion  as well as the Enlightenment theories that informed Americas founding  place a primary emphasis on the rights and dignity of individuals, protected against the shifting interests of the majority.

This is the firm moral ground upon which our debate on sexual harassment should be conducted. Political figures guilty of coercion, exploitation, dehumanization, cruelty and the abuse of power should not be trusted with power. Even on our own side.
Sauk County officials hope a survey of Spring Green residents and businesses will bolster a public utilitys request for grant money to extend high-speed internet service to that area.

Jenny Erickson, who heads the countys University of Wisconsin-Extension office, said the survey should arrive in mailboxes soon, if it hasnt already.

She briefed the Sauk County Boards Economic Development Committee on Monday about the countys plan to assist the Reedsburg Utility Commission in its effort to offer broadband internet to the village and town of Spring Green.

Last year, the Reedsburg utility applied for  but was denied  a broadband expansion grant from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to extend coverage to Spring Green. However, the denial was in part based on maps that some say are not an accurate reflection of internet access in that area.

The survey  which must be returned by Dec. 15  asks residents about the speed of services offered to their homes and businesses, and whether they desire a faster connection. It also asks respondents for permission to use their addresses to develop a more complete coverage map.

Erickson said if the survey shows rural Spring Green truly is underserved, that should help the Reedsburg utilitys bid for grant funding. A new round of grants will be distributed next year, and applications are due Jan. 25.

Were going to be able to say, yeah, theres a real need here, Erickson said.

Erickson said the plan is for Sauk County  along with other public and private agencies  to partner with the Reedsburg utility in its grant application with the PSC. However, she said she was not sure about other entities that might be involved.

Reedsburg Utility Commission General Manager Brett Schuppner could not be reached for comment.

Board Chair Marty Krueger of Reedsburg, who chairs the Economic Development Committee, said the cost to the county of participating in the joint effort has not yet been determined.

The county may assist by allowing the utility to access the internet through its fiber-optic network of communication towers. The grant also would allow the county to bring its highway shop in that area onto the fiber-optic loop.

Supervisor Dennis Polivka of Spring Green said he was concerned that the main coverage area proposed for the expansion already has plenty of service options available. He said it does not focus on truly rural areas that have limited access.

Why would I go for this when its just going to be for a small area that already has access to the internet? he said.

Polivka  who lives in the town of Spring Green  said his home is served by Bug Tussel Wireless, and gets service fast enough to stream online movies while several computers surf the web.

The grant would allow for wired service to the area, whereas the company that serves Polivka uses towers that are hooked into the countys fiber-optic network to provide wireless access.

The Survey Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is implementing the survey on behalf of the county.

The Reedsburg Utility Commission is a former recipient of a broadband access grant. It requested $110,000 from the PSC to extend fiber-optic cable to homes at Buckhorn Lake in 2016.

The PSC awarded $69,300 for that project, and the Reedsburg utility anticipated it would recoup the additional $40,000 that it spent out-of-pocket within the first year.

Also during Mondays meeting, the committee discussed the potential to coordinate with other entities to expand rural broadband throughout the county.

I feel like were maybe missing a comprehensive, overarching plan for how Sauk County wants to address lack of broadband access in rural areas, Erickson said.
Its taken nearly 20 years, but finally someone is getting fired for inappropriate sexual behavior. Unfortunately, it still isnt Bill Clinton. It seems many others in power think they too are entitled to the Clinton hall pass. Theyre learning they were wrong.

The Monica Lewinsky scandal was the most famous of Clintons exploitations and it nearly ruined him when he became only the second president impeached by the House of Representatives in American history. Clinton ultimately was acquitted by the Senate. For historical purposes, the other president was Andrew Johnson, who also was acquitted. Richard Nixon resigned before his inevitable impeachment.

Clintons impeachment wasnt over Lewinsky, it was because of the cover-up of his affairs with her and Gennifer Flowers. Clinton lied under oath and was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. In the months and years leading up to the impeachment hearings, the argument centered on the sexual behavior of the president.

Many sided with him by stating his extra-marital affairs were matters between him and his wife. In the case of Flowers, that was a fair assertion. In the matter of Lewinsky, he never would have survived todays political environment.

Lewinsky was a 22-year-old intern on his staff. The presidents inappropriate sexual contact with a woman 27 years his junior was easy to scoff off for his supporters. After all, she was a consenting adult. She was a college-age student working in his office. If, at that same time the same accusation was landed against Charlie Rose, the CBS news anchor fired for inappropriate sexual conduct, Rose would have never become Charlie Rose.

Clinton had more than just affairs. It also became widely known that he allegedly raped Juanita Broaddrick. He also allegedly exposed himself to Paula Jones. Clintons accusers were called tramps and generally attacked by the Clinton protectors in the left.

Today, if a Republican is accused of similar actions, they are simply supposed to drop out of politics. Ask President Donald Trump and Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore. Lacking any credible evidence, the media, along with many others, have demanded they withdraw from their respective elections. Unfortunately, if these accusations are true, the timing is suspect and simply isnt being accepted by the general public.

Consider the Trump and Moore accusations. Politically withdrawing from the race is good for the party. Both the parties actually benefit. The GOP saves face and the Democrats grab a seat. Its difficult for the accusers to win a 20-year-old claim of impropriety when the allegations could have been made during the primary rather than the general election.

If the accusers against Trump and Moore are being truthful, then the media who failed to report their accusations until it was too late have done an injustice against the accusers and to the American voters who had the right to know before it was too late.

This brings us to today. The Clinton hall pass has led a lot of powerful men to think they, too, would be immune to the allegations of sexual misconduct. So brave in fact are these men, Democratic Rep. John Conyers secretly paid off a congressional staffer to hide his unwanted advances against her two years ago.

Democratic Sen. Al Franken, notoriously famous for railing against Moore and others, was found to have groped the breasts of radio host Leeann Tweeden. The photo speaks for itself but guess what, some in the media are now claiming the picture was faked even after Franken himself expressly apologized for the incident. He said he was embarrassed. And he should be.

Its been long known by insiders that Clinton political contributor Harvey Weinstein was probably one of the worst offenders. This sexual deviant held his authority over hundreds of women as he used his power to make or break actresses in the cutthroat business that has become Hollywood. Only now has he been forced out of power to support the current political needs of the left, rather than attacking any real concerns for justice.

Making false accusations for political purposes is dangerously harmful to the rights of legitimate assault victims. Women who have been legitimately violated historically have had their lives further damaged. On the other hand, innocent men also are being falsely destroyed.

No woman should be allowed to destroy a man with false allegations but, at the same time, no man should be falsely exonerated when he acts inappropriately against his female counterparts. No one has earned the Clinton hall pass.
Congress is wisely reversing President Donald Trumps rash and irresponsible attempt to cut $300 million in annual funding for Great Lakes restoration.

A key Senate committee last week included the money in a spending bill for 2018. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, helped lead the bipartisan effort to restore the funding as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Well done.

The House of Representatives previously voted to bring back all of the money the president tried to eliminate last spring. So now the full Senate, including U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, should finalize the $300 million as part of any spending plan Congress sends to the president.

Trump doesnt have the power to issue line-item vetoes, so the money should be safe if its included in a larger proposal.

The Great Lakes face dire threats that cant be ignored, including a possible invasion by giant Asian carp that threaten to destroy sport fishing in Lake Michigan and, by extension, inland Wisconsin rivers and lakes.

The Great Lakes also need help against toxic pollution, farm and urban runoff, and declining wildlife habitat.

As Baldwin noted last week, its not just the natural environment thats at stake. Its Wisconsins economy, which relies on water, tourism and outdoor recreation for business and jobs.

President Trump, a New Yorker, doesnt seem to understand that importance of the Great Lakes. But here in the heartland, our Great Lakes  and the thousands of Wisconsin waterways that flow into them  are central to who we are. They provide millions of people with fresh water to drink. They help attract millions of visitors. They are a beautiful and invaluable natural resource for the entire Midwest.

So they definitely deserve federal attention to help ensure their health and sustainability.

The recent discovery in the Wisconsin River of five Asian carp  which can grow as large as 100 pounds and crowd out native sport fish  is a stark reminder of how important and fragile our waterways are. The Prairie du Sac hydroelectric dam prevents the invasive species from moving farther up the Wisconsin River, thank goodness.

But fear is growing that the voracious fish will get into Lake Michigan via man-made Chicago canals. And from there it could spread upstream.

In some stretches of rivers south of Wisconsin, Asian carp, which escaped from Southern fish farms decades ago, have virtually eliminated native species such as walleye and bass.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has for years provided some hope for preserving our rich supply of fresh water in and around Wisconsin. The federal dollars leverage far more money from local governments and Canada for lake projects.

This cooperation has helped reduce algae blooms that foul shorelines and deprive fish of oxygen. It also has helped clean up toxic waste from industrial sites, city sewers and farms.

Great Lakes restoration must remain a high priority in Washington, D.C., regardless of who sits in the White House.
On Nov. 28 at 12:59 pm, the Juneau County Sheriff's Office was notified of an incident in which multiple people were reported to be shot. The incident was on 24th Avenue in the town of Armenia.

According to a press release sent out by the Sheriff's Office, four individuals went to a residence on 24th Avenue to sell some items. Two subjects at the residence reportedly took the items but refused to pay. They then came out of the residence and "fired a firearm several times."

Alex Frick, 19, and Jacob Meyer, 18, have been arrested and tentatively charged with recklessly endangering safety. Both individuals are from Nekoosa.

The incident is currently under investigation.
A mobile home fire displaced multiple people in Armenia. According to a news release by the Armenia fire department, the fire started in the area of the wood stove of the 10th street residence.

The Armenia Fire Department, Nekoosa Ambulance, and Necedah Fire Department responded to the call. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced family.

Two adults were transported by ambulance to Marshfield Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Six adults and one child were able to get out of the residence unharmed. Two pets did not make it out.

Armenia Fire Chief Brian Schauer said by the time the fire department had reached the residence, it was fully engulfed in flame.

At that point, it was about trying to save the structures around it. The fire destroyed the residence and a garage, and damaged a nearby building.

Schauer said the displaced family is currently staying with relatives.
Despite almost daily stories of abuse and bad behavior coming out of the Lincoln Hills youth prison, it seems like the Walker administration has done little to address the problems.
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@wiscnews.com or visit portagedailyregister.com. Include name and phone number.

WEDNESDAY

Bingo: 5:30 p.m. Old Chicago, 147 N. Main St., Pardeeville. Bingo will be played every Wednesday, except the first one of the month.

Clinic: 8 a.m. to noon, Columbia County Public Health Walk-In Clinic, Columbia County Division of Health, 2652 Murphy Road, Portage. Use door No. 4. Bring childs immunization record. Visit co.columbia.wi.us for more information.

Endeavor Sharing Supper: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Endeavor Elementary School, Endeavor. Enjoy a free meal with your neighbors and learn about your community. Kid's corner with activities for children. All are welcome. Special focus will be on honoring all veterans that are present. Special music will be provided be students of the Endeavor Elementary School. This month's supper is sponsored by Marquette Adams Telephone Cooperative and the meal will be prepared by Hitching Post, Portage.

Free blood pressure screenings: 1 to 5 p.m. Divine Savior Healthcare, 2817 New Pinery Road, Portage. No appointment necessary. Call 745-6405 for more information. Do not eat, smoke, drink caffeine or exercise for 30 minutes prior.

Portage Public Library "Bookin' It" walking program: 9 to 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Meet at the library front door, where the group will start the walk on the Levee trail. All ages and fitness levels are welcome. The group meets every Wednesday and Friday.

Preschool Story Time: 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Open to children ages 3 to 5. This week we're having fun with "Dot Day" as we learn about circles with fun stories, rhymes, counting and a craft. Only new families need to register; please call 742-4959 ext. 211 for more information.

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 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.

Womens Civic League: Board meeting, 9 a.m. Club house, West Edgewater St., Portage.

Zumba/Zumba Toning/Pound: 5 to 6 p.m. Montello City Park, 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.

THURSDAY

Bingo: 6:30 p.m. Endeavor Lions Club Bingo, Endeavor-Moundville Fire Department, Endeavor.

Griefshare support group: 2 to 4 p.m. Portage United Methodist Church, 1804 New Pinery Road, Portage. Offered to individuals suffering from the loss of loved ones. Meetings are held weekly on Thursdays through Dec. 21. Call Laurie at 608-450-1081 or Misty at 608-742-2107, or visit griefshare.org for more information.

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 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690.

Savers FUNDrive benefiting the Portage Family Skate Park: 4 to 5 p.m. Prime Storage mini-warehouses, 1111 Thompson St., Unit No. 73, Portage. Accepted items include: Clothing, shoes, bedding, towels, hats, mittens, scarves, purses, belts, backpacks, jewelry, electrical items, toys and games, kitchen items, knick-knacks and sporting goods. Bringing items in 13-gallon bags is recommended. All funds raised for the planned addition to the skate park are matched through the Lenz Foundation, up to $37,500.

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.

Pound: 6:15 p.m. Woodridge Primary School, Portage. Yoga mat required. $5 drop-in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

TOPS weight loss group: 1 p.m. Grace Bible Church, county Highway CX, Portage. For information, call Patricia Figueroa at 608-742-4853.

FRIDAY

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 $11.75.

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. Golden Cup, New Pinery Road, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers.

SATURDAY

Cookie Walk: 9 a.m. downtown Portage. Purchase tins at the Chamber office and fill with cookies as you shop.

Holiday FamilyFunEvent: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. The theme is "The Grinch!" with games, activities, crafts, refreshments, and at 11 a.m. the showing of the 1966 television special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The Grinch himself will make a special appearance so bring your camera. Registration is not required; activities are best suited for children up to age 12 but all ages are welcome. For more information, call 742-4959 ext. 211 or check the Children's Department Facebook page.

Miracle Christmas Show: 2 p.m. Crystal Grand, 430 W. Munroe Ave., Wisconsin Dells. Tickets available at crystalgrand.com/event/1555064-miracle-christmas-show-wisconsin-dells. Featuring area musicians Shawndell Marks, Derek Ramnarace and Kaylin Kole. This show benefits Dells Kops for Kids, Columbia County Humane Society, Portage Rotary Club, Pleasant Acres Wisconsin, Schools for Haiti, Former Miss Northern Lights GEMS and Baraboo People Helping People.

Portage Presbyterian Church annual Holiday House Luncheon: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Portage Presbyterian Church, 120 W. Pleasant St., Portage. Luncheon of chicken noodle or beef barley soup, fresh vegetables and dessert for $5. Bake sale with a variety of breads, candy, cookies, rolls, bars and pies. The church is handicap accessible.

St. John's Lutheran Church annual Christmas Choir Concert: 5:30 p.m. St. Johns Lutheran Church, 850 Armstrong St., Portage. Featuring the Adult Choir, Childrens Choir, Handbell Choir and the Praise and Worship Team. All are welcome to attend.

Unique Singles Monthly Breakfast: 9 a.m. Dino's Restaurant, 2900 New Pinery Road, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers.

SUNDAY

Bingo: 3 to 5 p.m. VFW Hall, 215 W. Collins St., Portage. Hard cards are $1 and chips are available. All are welcome. Runs the first and third Sunday of each month.

Ice Age Trail Alliance Lodi Valley Chapter full moon walk: Meet at the Lodi High School, 1100 Sauk St., pool parking area at 7 p.m. For information, call Bill at 608-843-3926. Watch for the yellow "Ice Age Trail Event" signs. We will have hot chocolate and holiday cookies. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather, sturdy shoes and bring a light. This will be a short and child-appropriate walk. Leashed dogs are welcome. Due to possible slick conditions walking sticks are recommended. We will have extra available for you to use.

Zumba: 5:30 p.m. Rusch Elementary School, Portage. $5 drop-in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.

MONDAY

Al-Anon: 10 a.m. Portage United Methodist Church, 1804 New Pinery Road, Portage.

Euchre card party: 6:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Highway 33 East, Portage. Public welcome. Contact: Cloe, 429-2363.

Knights of Columbus meeting: 7 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 918 Silver Lake Drive, Portage.

Cactus Rock Painting Workshop: 5:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. All materials and instruction are included for free. Class size is limited; register by calling 608-742-4959 or email programs@portagelibrary.com.

Monday Movie Day: 10 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. The Library will show newly released movies with free admission and popcorn. For a list of whats playing, visit the library's website at portagelibrary.us.

Poetry Sharing Group: 1 p.m. Readers Realm Gallery of Books, Gifts and Whimsy, 147 E. Montello St., Montello. The group meets on the first Monday of each month. Share, read or just listen. All are welcome.

Zumba/Zumba Toning/Pound: 6 to 7 p.m. Harrisville Park, Harrisville. $5 drop-in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com.
Information is taken from the records of the Portage Police Department and does not represent a comprehensive list of police activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Between 6:26 a.m. Nob. 22 and 2:37 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to 167 calls.

New Pinery Road and School Road: Police on Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. responded to a four-vehicle collision in which one subject was taken to Divine Savior Healthcare and medically cleared and one vehicle was towed. Bryan Labarge, 20, of Portage, was cited for following too closely.

MacFarlane Road and West Emmett Street: Police on Thursday at 12:10 p.m. stopped Zachary Webster Smith, 18, of Westfield, for driving with expired registration. Smith was later cited for operating a vehicle without a license as a second offense.

West Carroll Street: Police on Thursday at 1:28 p.m. responded to a disturbance in which a 23-year-old Portage man was arrested for violation of probation and cited for domestic disorderly conduct.

American Legion Drive: Police on Thursday at 10:42 p.m. stopped Terrance Brandt, 31, of Baraboo, who was cited for driving after revocation of a license as a 12th offense and driving without proof of insurance. The vehicle was towed.

West Conant Street: Police on Friday at 1:57 a.m. responded to a report of suspicious activity in which Zachary Tyler Pence, 19, of Rockton, Illinois, was arrested on suspicion of delivery of marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. A 15-year-old subject from Rockton was also taken into custody and later released.

Wauona Trail: Police on Friday at 6:21 p.m. responded to a report of a domestic incident involving a 32-year-old Portage man who was later located and arrested on suspicion of domestic disorderly conduct.

Rileys Bar: Police on Friday at 11:17 p.m. responded to a reported hit-and-run, in which a 22-year-old woman from LaFayette, Indiana, allegedly backed into another vehicle leaving minor damage. She was later issued a citation for hit-and-run of an unattended vehicle.

Rileys Bar: At 12:48 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to a domestic disturbance in which a 24-year-old Chicago man was arrested on suspicion of battery and domestic disorderly conduct. The aforementioned 22-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of domestic disorderly conduct.

West Wisconsin Street and West Franklin Street: Police on Friday at 11:18 p.m. stopped a truck, whereupon Nicholas Leahy, 29, of Portage, was arrested and cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a first offense, registering a .185 blood-alcohol level on a preliminary breath test.

Pohlks Pub: Police on Saturday at 1:52 a.m. responded to a report that Jason Audiss, 43, had allegedly shoved another man to the sidewalk and was issued a city ordinance citation for disorderly conduct.

Dorn Drive: Police on Saturday at 7:17 a.m. responded to a report of harassment by unwanted telephone calls in which Kevin Sullivan, 42, of Killeen, Texas, was issued a city ordinance citation for telephone harassment.

New Pinery Road: Police on Monday at 12:27 p.m. arrested Samantha Sonnenberg, 25, of Poynette, on a Brown County warrant. Sonnenberg was also accused of cashing a stolen check and is expected to be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, felony bail jumping and uttering a forged check.

East Howard Street: Police on Monday at 10:28 p.m. responded to a domestic incident in which a 40-year-old Portage woman was arrested on suspicion of domestic disorderly conduct.
By Tanseem Haider: A team fromcrime branch has arrested seven members of an organised gang of female thieves and burglars hailing from Bihar who had committed a series of burglaries posing as maidservants or domestic help in Delhi's National Captial Region.

The gang stole gold and diamond jewellery worth crores of rupees. Nine cases of burglary have been worked out so far after seven accused female members of the gang were nabbed.

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The crime branch was tasked to find information and to apprehend the members of the organised gang of burglars who created a havoc in Delhi-NCR by committing a spate of burglaries and house-thefts in Delhi and NCR.

Recently, five of these cases were also transferred to the crime branch for thorough investigation. These cases were being investigated by the Special Team for Active Robbers and Snatchers (STARS) of the crime branch.

The team's efforts yielded result when on November 25, 2017, when a specific information was received. An accused involved in several of these burglaries was to arrive near Ghazipur Bus Depot in Delhi to plan further similar offences.

The team acted swiftly and a raid was conducted to nab the suspects. The team was successful in apprehending five female members of the gang who were found involved in nine cases of burglary and house-thefts in Delhi-NCR. Two other members were arrested earlier making the total number of arrests at 7.

MODUS OPERANDI

It emerged during investigation that the gang's modus operandi was similar. The accused females accessed homes of the victims in the guise of a maidservant or domestic help. They mostly worked in pairs and offered their services to the victims showing their expertise and professionalism. One of them distracted members of the victim family with her gimmicks and the other one, who was usually expert in breaking and opening of the locks of almirahs and drawers, burgled the house thereby looting jewellery and cash from the target house.

After committing the offence, the maidservants escaped from the scene of crime with stolen property neatly tucked under their shawls and sarees. The victims could not imagine the intentions of the accused. With the help of CCTV recordings available at the place of incidents and surrounding areas, it was found that there were common faces in most of these incidents. Also the turnout of the female accused was similar. Almost all of them wore shawls and sarees. After interrogation it was found that the accused belong to Bhagalpur, Bihar and adjoining areas.

The accused had also gained expertise, at par with professional jewellers, in identifying gold and diamonds. That's how they stole real jewellery articles of high value only, leaving behind the artificial jewellery.

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The gang stayed in Delhi-NCR for short periods and left for Bihar after amassing huge quantity of gold and diamond jewellery. The gang disposed off the loot with the help of jewellers situated in Bihar only as they had feared that they might be exposed while dealing with Delhi based jewelers.

--- ENDS ---
You never know what youre going to find tucked away in someones closet.

Author and historian Rick Durbin recently experienced this truism via his friendship with fellow historian Bud Gussel, and the result is the preservation of a unique historical record of the earliest attempts to build a city near where Wisconsin Dells stands today.

The closet in this case was the attic of an old farm building near the Dells, according to Durbin. While there, Gussels brother-in-law Clark Wynn stumbled across a journal more than 150 years old, containing an early record of efforts to build a dam on the Wisconsin River and establish Dells predecessor city Kilbourn City nearby.

The aging journals original leather-bound cover was crumbling by the time Wynn discovered it and turned it over to Gussel, a long-time supporter of historic preservation efforts in the city he calls home.

But the journals hand-written contents remained almost perfectly preserved and revealed the little-known story of Byron Kilbourns mid-19th-Century efforts to harness the river and establish the city bearing his name.

Durbin, the author of the 1997 book The Wisconsin River: An Odyssey Through Time and Space, discovered the journals existence while researching his current project, a book about the history of the dam. Gussel lent him the aging volume, and Durbin instantly knew hed encountered an important historical artifact.

The journal contains the hydraulic companys minutes, recorded by various hands of people who witnessed the proceedings by which the hydraulic company worked with the La Crosse and Milwaukee Rail Road, the latter for whom Byron Kilbourn served as president, between 1855 and 1862 in the new city and dam building effort.

I have never run across anything else which described what really happened both within the company and what that companys relationship was with the people in Newport, Durbin said by telephone recently. The majority of book is the record of the meetings held when the city that became Wisconsin Dells was being formed.

Famed local Civil War hero Joseph Bailey served as the dams construction superintendent, according to Durbins and Gussels readings of the journal, but Baileys dam-building skills were no match for a fall flood in 1858 that caused major damage and a rebuilding effort.

Although the companys attempts to build the dam ultimately failed, Kilbourn City remained and eventually saw the rivers successful harnessing with a dam of the same name.

In the process of studying the journal, Durbin also realized its binding and covers would soon disintegrate.

It had begun to degrade  time and continual use were beginning to take their toll, he said. The spine was nearly broken and the steer-hide cover was slowly turning to dust. But the paper and ink were still in excellent condition.

Recognizing its importance to Wisconsin Dells creation story, Durbin and Gussel decided a proper restoration was in order. Ultimately they turned the journal over to La Crosse-based book restorer James Tomey for a full restoration to the binding, covers and all, Durbin said.

Tomey and his wife also constructed a preservation box for safe keeping and a digitized the books written contents.

A copy of those digitized contents now resides in the possession of Kilbourn Public Library Director Cathy Borck. The original document, meanwhile, sits safely within the confines of Bank of Wisconsin Dells, where the banks senior vice president, Kevin Bernander, hopes it someday soon will be displayed for everyone to behold.

Bud wants the bank to hold it in safe storage for the purpose of making sure it finds the right home, Bernander said recently from behind his desk at the bank as Gussel sat and nodded nearby with the restored journal in hand. Were probably going to look at a place in the bank to have it for people to view.

Durbin, who continues to publicize the historic finding by distributing digital copies of the journals contents to libraries and universities across the state and to the Wisconsin Historical Society, believes the Dells-base bank is the perfect place for the valuable original.

On display at the bank in a very nice presentation, thats a nice thing to do, he said.
Here are a few excerpts from Manushi Chhillar's interview before she steps on to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit stage.

By India Today Web Desk: The world has its eyes glued on the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017, being held in Hyderabad as we speak. Apart from Ivanka Trump's presence, which has created a lot of buzz all over the country, some other prominent celebs are also attending the event. After Chef Vikas Khanna and actress Aditi Rao Hydari, Miss World Manushi Chhillar has made an appearance at the event, and will be seen taking over the dais.

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At the event, Manushi went Live on Facebook, and said, "I am very excited to speak on such a platform, it will be the first time I will be speaking in front of such dignitaries and entrepreneurs. It is very relevant in today's world that we keep women involved, because prosperity of women is prosperity of the society. I strongly feel about women's rights because I have been working for menstrual hygiene across India."

During an interview before her appearance at the summit, Manushi said, "Change is everything, it is common with all entrepreneurs. We love what we do, that's why we change it."

Talking about her profession, she said, "As a doctor and Miss World, my purpose is the same. You want to do something good. If I hadn't won, I'd still be doing what I do."

"Communication is everything, especially as a doctor, you need to communicate with your patients.", she added, while talking about the key to ace the medical profession. Talking further about barriers of communication, she said, "One should say what he/she feels. It makes it easy."

Picure courtesy: Twitter/GES2017

Talking about taking up acting or being a doctor, she chuckled and said, "My father always says that a doctor is a half actor, because a doctor has to talk to his patients in a different way."

Manushi also talked about being confident, and said, "Once you are confident, and comfortable with who you are; once you are unapologetic about yourself, things fall into place."

"The relationship between a mother and a child is not just about give and take. I think it's magical. Once everyone realises that, the world will be a different place," she said, when asked about her answer during the finale of the Miss World pageant.

--- ENDS ---
Lauer, 59, has hosted "Today" for two decades. He joins a lengthening list of media figures felled by sexual misconduct charges this year.

By AP: NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday for "inappropriate sexual behavior," making him the second morning television show personality to lose his job because of sexual misconduct charges in a week.

Lauer's co-host Savannah Guthrie made the announcement at the top of Wednesday's "Today" show. Last week, CBS News fired Charlie Rose after complaints from several women who worked for him.

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NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the network had received a complaint from a colleague on Monday night, and a review determined it was a clear violation of company standards. While it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer, Lack said in a memo to staff that "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Lauer, 59, has hosted "Today" for two decades. When paired with Katie Couric, "Today" was the longtime ratings leader and was highly lucrative for NBC. It now runs second in the ratings to ABC's "Good Morning America."

Many "Today" show viewers took out their anger for the unsightly 2012 firing of co-host Ann Curry on Lauer, sending the show plunging in the ratings. But NBC stuck with Lauer and the show had steadied with his pairing with Guthrie. The show runs for four hours, with Lauer and Guthrie hosting the first two.

He joins a lengthening list of media figures felled by sexual misconduct charges this year. Besides Rose, they include Lauer's former NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, former Fox News prime-time host Bill O'Reilly and National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes. The New York Times suspended White House correspondent Glenn Thrush last week.

Messages to Lauer and his agent were not immediately returned.

Lack, in his memo, said that "we are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization - and do it in as transparent a manner as we can." There were reports that, before the firing, some media organizations were looking into Lauer's behavior. The morning host is married with three children.

Guthrie co-hosted Wednesday's show with Hoda Kotb, who said both of them were awakened with the news Wednesday morning. Guthrie appeared to fight back tears as she called Lauer her friend who is beloved by many at NBC, and said she was "heartbroken for my colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell.

"We are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these past few weeks," she said. "How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? I don't know the answer to that. But I do know that this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it's long overdue and it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected."

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On Twitter Wednesday, President Donald Trump said "Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.' But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News."

ALSO WATCH | Harvey Weinstein to Kevin Spacey, Hollywood's dirty secret is exposed

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: resignation

Hyderabad, Nov 28 (PTI) Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan today dismissed social media posts that claimed he has resigned over an alleged violation of protocol pertaining to the Metro Rail inauguration and lodged a police complaint.

The Mayor has dismissed the social media posts on his resignation and lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police seeking to identify and to initiate serious action against those who have posted misguiding information regarding his resignation, a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) release said.

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Rammohan said some persons have posted false news claiming that he is upset over his name missing from the Hyderabad Metro Rail inauguration plaque since he belongs to a backward community.

"But there is no truth in such social media posts," he said.

Police said they are verifying the complaint.

The first phase of the 72-km elevated Hyderabad Metro Rail project was inaugurated at the Miyapur station here today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI VVK NSK

--- ENDS ---
Atomenergomash, General Electric JV signs Akkuyu contract

29 November 2017

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GE Steam Power Systems has announced the signing of a contract to deliver the main equipment of the conventional island for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Buyukeceli, Turkey. The contract has been awarded to AAEM Turbine technology LLC, the Saint Petersburg, Russia-headquartered joint venture between Atomenergomash JSC (AEM) and General Electric (GE).

GE Steam Power Systems will supply the four nuclear turbine generator sets including the Arabelle half-speed steam turbine, Gigatop 4-poles generator and condenser vacuum equipment.

Andreas Lusch, CEO of GE's Steam Power Systems said: "We are excited to work on this historic project in Turkey with our partner AEM. This new power plant will secure CO2 free energy for the country, benefiting from our tested and proven Arabelle nuclear steam turbine technology."

Andrey Nikipilov, CEO of AEM said: "Thanks to successful cooperation with GE, the very first nuclear power plant in Turkey will be provided with modern, efficient equipment meeting the highest requirements for reliability and safety."

GE steam turbine technology operates in half of the world's nuclear power plants with the ability to deliver more than 200 GWe in total, according to the company statement. Arabelle technology has been the largest turbine in operation for the past ten years, produces 2% more power output than a "traditional configuration" and has a measured 99.96% reliability rate, it added.

The first Akkuyu unit is scheduled to be commissioned in 2023, while each of the remaining units are expected to become operational every year by the end of 2026. The plant will be owned and operated by Akkuyu Nuclear AS, a joint venture led by Rusatom Energy International.

AEM and GE set up the joint venture in 2007 for the conventional islands of VVER nuclear plants.

Lusch told World Nuclear News by email that the Arabelle was the basis of its partnership with AAEM and together they are "delivering complete solutions" for conventional nuclear islands.

"The Arabelle provides the best performance in the market today and has an incredible track record of reliability. This provides real value to our customers," he said.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Jordan to consider deployment of X-energy SMR

29 November 2017

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The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with X-energy to assess the US company's small modular reactor (SMR). They will look at the potential deployment of X-energy's Xe-100 high temperature gas-cooled pebble bed modular reactor in Jordan.

The Xe-100 is a 200 MWt (75 MWe) reactor, which X-energy envisages being built as a standard "four-pack" plant generating about 300 MWe. The plant will use 'pebbles' of fuel containing Triso fuel particles. Each Triso particle has a kernel of uranium oxycarbide (also known as UCO) enriched to 15.5% uranium-235, encased in carbon and ceramic layers which prevent the release of radioactivity. The layers provide each particle with its own independent containment system, while the graphite surrounding the particles moderates the nuclear reaction. Such fuel cannot melt down.

A cutaway of the Xe-100 reactor design

(Image: X-energy)

JAEC chairman Khaled Toukan said, "The HTR's potential, once implemented, provides Jordan with opportunities that include both electric generation and non-electric utilisation such as water desalination and industrial applications and is the nexus between 3rd and 4th generation technologies."

X-energy CEO Kam Ghaffarian said, "Delivery of our Xe-100 for electricity, water desalination and other thermal applications in Jordan represents a breakthrough for the advanced nuclear reactor industry."

He added, "As we work to bring our Xe-100 to markets worldwide, we will continue to create alliances with other potential customers that share the Kingdom of Jordan's goal for clean air, fresh water and energy security. This MoU is a demonstration of our commitment to provide distributed and clean energy solutions to countries like Jordan."

US research into high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) began in the 1940s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and X-energy's reactor design builds on earlier US Department of Energy (DoE) studies. Demonstration HTGR plants of various designs have operated in Germany, the UK and the USA, and two are currently operable - Japan's HTTR, and China's HTR-10.

In January, X-energy was awarded cost-shared funding of $53 million over five years from the DoE to support the development of the Xe-100, working in partnership with BWX Technology, Oregon State University, Teledyne-Brown Engineering, SGL Group, Idaho National Laboratory and ORNL.

In September, Greenbelt, Maryland-based X-energy signed an MoU with uranium enrichment company Centrus. Under the MoU, the two parties will work towards the development of a fabrication facility to provide Triso fuel for the Xe-100 reactor. The companies will jointly prepare a deployment plan for the fuel technology; design a cost-effective, highly automated manufacturing process line; and seek funding for a future commercial fuel production facility.

Jordan, which relies on imports to meet some 90% of its energy needs, plans to build a nuclear power plant, comprising two 1000 MWe units, in the Amra region, about 70 kilometres east of Amman. It is aiming to have the first unit in operation by 2021 and a second one by 2025. Jordan has already selected Russia as the preferred bidder for the plant. Russia will also make a significant investment in the plant.

Small reactors are also on Jordan's agenda. In November 2013, JAEC said it would build several small reactors of about 180 MWe capacity. In March this year, an agreement between JAEC and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy was signed for a feasibility study on construction of two SMRs in Jordan. Earlier this month, JAEC signed an MoU with Rolls-Royce to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of an SMR.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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By PTI: Tinsukia, Nov 29 (PTI) Suspected NSCN-IM militants opened fire in a coal mining companys workshop and set ablaze vehicles in upper Assams Tinsukia district along Arunachal Pradesh, police said today.

A group of about 25 armed men entered the mining workshop premises in Ledo area under Margherita police station around 9 pm yesterday night and fired on the four dumper trucks and a water tanker vehicle parked in the compound as recorded in the CCTV cameras, police said.

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Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mukdhajyot Mahanta has confirmed the incident to PTI.

On receiving information about the incident Assam Police along with paramilitary forces rushed to the site and investigations are on, Mahanta said.

A search operation has been launched to nab the attackers who fled away towards the Patkai hills behind the workshop, police said.

There have been reports of both NSCN-IM and NSCN-K factions demanding extortion money in Patkai range of Margherita area, police added. PTI COR ESB RG

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Australian SMR feasible by 2030

29 November 2017

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A small modular reactor (SMR) could be in operation in Australia by 2030, according to Sydney-based SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd (SMR-NT). The country would be imprudent not to factor SMRs into its energy security plan, the company has told the body established by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to implement energy security reforms.



SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd (SMR-NT), an independent specialist consulting company, was established in 2012 to advise on and facilitate the siting, development and operation of nuclear power generation technologies, principally SMRs. Its submission to the Australian Energy Security Board describes SMRs as a "game-changer" in power system planning. SMRs with unit outputs of 50-300 MWe would be particularly suitable for the Australian grid, it says.



The construction and operation of a nuclear power plant in Australia is presently prohibited by two Commonwealth Acts: the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999; and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act of 1998. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia also have legislation prohibiting nuclear power.



"These prohibitions were put in place at a time when there was no real appreciation of the contribution that modern, safe nuclear power plants could make to energy security, affordability and emissions reduction in Australia," SNR-NT said in its submission. "In our view, subject to legislative facilitation, it will be feasible to develop an initial 300 MW SMR nuclear generator by 2030 and around 3000 MW by 2040," it said.



The present legislative prohibitions do not preclude consideration of the "obvious merits" of nuclear power generation in system planning in Australia, SMR-NT said in its submission to the Board. "SMR vendors will however be unlikely to treat Australia as a potential market whilst the prohibitions remain in place," it said.



SMR-NT has set a timeline for development which would require a site to be identified within three years, and is looking for volunteer communities to host it, The Australian reported yesterday. Building nuclear power stations in Australia would require changes to state and federal laws and overcoming deep community objections, and SMR-NT director Robert Pritchard said the company had adopted an "aggressive" approach to SMR-based nuclear development in Australia.



"We now realise that politicians will follow the community view," Pritchard said. "We have to get out and spend a year getting the community on side."



The Energy Security Board was established in August by the COAG Energy Council to coordinate implementation of the reform blueprint for Australia's electricity market produced by Chief Scientist Alan Finkel earlier this year. The board also provides whole-of-system oversight for Australian energy security and reliability.

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by World Nuclear News

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Chernobyl confinement structure nears completion

29 November 2017

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Installation of critical systems is progressing within the New Safe Confinement (NSC) covering the damaged unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The enormous arched structure was put in place one year ago and is expected to be commissioned in the first half of 2018.

The Chernobyl NSC (Image: EBRD)

The NSC is the largest moveable land-based structure ever built, with a span of 257m, a length of 162m, a height of 108m and a total weight of 36,000 tonnes equipped. It will make the accident site safe and with a lifetime of 100 years will allow for the eventual dismantling of the ageing makeshift shelter from 1986 and the management of the radioactive waste. The NSC is designed to withstand temperatures ranging from -43C to +45C, a class-three tornado, and an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale.

The process of sliding the arched structure from its assembly point into position over unit 4 was completed on 29 November 2016.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is managing funds for the project, said today: "Installation of critical cranage, ventilation and control systems is nearing completion and the final stages of sealing the confinement of the old structure is under way. Extensive testing is already under way before the structure will be commissioned and handed over to the management of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP)."

Vince Novak, EBRD's nuclear safety director, said: "Strong progress has been made in difficult circumstances. The work on the end wall took place in an environment of heightened radiation and we are very proud that it was finished without any accidents or negative impact on the workforce. Meanwhile, the installation of the ventilation system and the high-tech crane create the preconditions for future decommissioning operations."

The end walls serve as a partition between the contaminated areas around unit and the remaining turbine hall. The walls - construction of which was completed by Ukrainian company PJSC Ukrenergomontazh in October 2016 - strengthen the existing facilities and seal the NSC from the environment, preventing the spread of radioactive materials to clean areas.

The NSC's ventilation system will ensure a relative humidity of no more than 40% to keep the metal structure free of corrosion. Pressure differentials will prevent the release of radioactive dust and other particles.

The technology building will serve as the command centre of the NSC from which day-to-day operations of the structure, as well as future decommissioning work, will be guided. A crucial role in this will fall to the fully-automated crane system, which has been installed within the arched structure. With a lifting capacity of up to 50 tonnes, the crane will allow for future dismantling of unit 4's reactor in a hermetically sealed environment.

The EBRD said testing and handovers of components and systems are in progress. The final handover to the ChNPP management is expected in the first half of 2018.

The NSC is being funded by the international community through donations to the EBRD. It is expected to cost EUR2.1 billion ($2.5 billion) and is funded by contributions from more than 40 countries and organisations. The EBRD said that to date it has provided EUR715 million of its own resources to support Chernobyl projects, including the NSC.

Novak noted, "While we are pleased with what has been achieved, more remains to be done and we are fully committed to finishing the job safely, to cost and on schedule."

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by World Nuclear News

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Haiti is a Caribbean nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. The Spanish were the first Europeans to settle on Hispaniola, led by Christopher Columbus in December 1492. The Spanish settled on the eastern side of the island, which is currently the Dominican Republic. French explorers arrived shortly thereafter, and settled on the western part of the island that is now Haiti.

The capital city of Haiti is Port-au-Prince. The capital is located on the Gonave Gulf in Quest, one of Haitis ten departments. The French incorporated the town in 1749 during their rule, and Port-au-Prince later replaced Cap-Francais as capital of the colony in 1770. Saint-Andre, a French captain, named the town Port-au-Prince after sailing to the island on his ship called Le-Prince. The name Port-au-Prince means the "harbor of the Le-Prince."

History of the Capital of Haiti

Before the Spanish colonization, the island was inhabited by the Taino people who arrived in approximately 2000 BC in their large hollow canoes. In fact, when Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 AD, Taino Chief Bohechio ruled the island. Bohechio was forced to allow the island to fall under the protection of the Spaniards. Bohechio was childless and was later succeeded by his sister Anacaona upon his death. In 1503, the Spanish decided to rule directly, and Governor Nicolas Ovando hanged Anacaona publicly. The governor established a Spanish settlement near the coast named Maria-de-la-Paz-Verdadera, which they left years later for Santa Maria del Puerto. The Spanish abandoned the island after attacks by the French in 1535 and the British in 1592.

French pirates arrived on the island in 1650 and developed a hospital near the coast. The presence of French pirates on the island forced the Spanish crown to send troops, who were defeated in 1697. The French administration was not comfortable with the pirates controlling the hospital, so they tried to capture the hospital, but the pirates closed it down instead. In 1770, the Port-au-Prince was selected to replace Cap-Francais as the capital of Saint Domingue. Port-au-Prince was later burned down in a war between black revolutionists and plantation owners. The English captured the capital on June 4, 1794.

Economy of the Capital of Haiti

The capital is the economic and financial centre of Haiti. Currently, the primary capital exports are sugar and coffee. Port-au-Prince has numerous food processing factories, as well as cement, textile, and soap factories. Despite the number of industries in the city, the unemployment rate is high. Therefore, the majority of the population live in the slums and depend on informal employment. The city depends on the construction and tourism industries to drive the local economy.

Geography of the Capital of Haiti

The metropolitan area of the capital is divided into numerous districts. The most prosperous suburban district, which is located in the southeastern part of the capital, is Petion-Ville. Delmas is situated directly north of the city-centre and south of the local airport. Carrefour is the most impoverished district in the city, and is situated in the southwestern part of the city.

Demographics of the Capital of Haiti

The city had a population of 987,310 in 2015, and greater metropolitan area had an estimated population of 2,618,894. The majority of Port-au-Prince's population are African, especially descendants of former slaves. A minority are of the Arab ancestry, particularly Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian. A small and relatively wealthy biracial population owns the majority of businesses in Port-au-Prince.
The Three Seas Initiative is a geopolitical joint project by Poland and Croatia. It acts as a forum between twelve European countries to strengthen trade, energy, infrastructure and political cooperation. It is also known as the BABS Initiative as the member countries border with three European Seas - Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea.

Member Countries

The Three Seas or BABS Initiative comprises of twelve Eastern and Central European countries. This includes Poland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Austria, Latvia, and Slovenia. Other than Austria, all the member countries were formerly Soviet-influenced communist countries and part of the former socialist group known as Eastern Bloc.

Six of these member countries, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia, are Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC) countries. The CEDC was formed in 2010 with the objective of developing and strengthening defense cooperation between the member countries. Except Austria, all CEDC member countries are also part of NATO. Apart from that, four of its member countries, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia, are into a cultural and political alliance known as the Visegrad Group or Visegrad Four since 1991.

Interestingly, seven member countries of this project, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, were part of the Intermarium plan of Jozef Pilsudski of Poland, who proposed a federation of Baltic States after the end of World War I.

Summits

The first summit of the Three Seas Initiative was held on the 25th and 26th of August, 2016 in Dubrovnik (Croatia). It was headed by the Croatian President, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. The member countries agreed on economic cooperation to strengthen economic activates, especially in the energy and infrastructure sector.

The Three Seas Business Forum was formed during the second summit of the initiative that was held on 6th and 7th July 2017 in Warsaw under the leadership of the Polish President, Andrzej Duda. This event was highly debated and highlighted internationally as it was attended by the American President Donald Trump.

Key Projects

The initiative provided a base for strategically important infrastructural projects, two of which stand prominently so far are the North-South Highway and the LNG Projects.

The North-South Highway project is part of the Three Seas Initiative. It will connect Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. The proposed route will connect Klaipeda, which is an important seaport of Lithuania, located on the coast of Baltic Sea, to Thessaloniki, one of the most important trade hubs in Southeastern Europe. It will also help boost trades with Poland by providing Eastern Poland with a north-south route to connect with Central Europe.

Poland and Croatia took the initiative of building Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in the Baltic Sea to fulfill gas requirements of the member countries. Poland has completed its LNG terminal already, while Croatia is expected to complete its terminal by 2019. The construction of a pipeline for LNG is also part of the project.

Controversies

Eastern and Central Europe mainly rely on Russia to fulfill their oil and gas requirements. Donald Trumps visit to Poland for the second Three Seas Initiative opened doors for American oil and gas exports to Eastern and Central Europe. However, fingers were raised on Trumps presence in the summit as some analysts regarded it as US interests in an internal European initiative. On the other hand, some analysts mistakenly related it with the 1920s idea of the Inter Seas Utopia that was proposed to counter German and Russian political aggression in the region.
by Arkadiy Kamnev



Twenty years ago, the founders of ASCON Group made the decision to create their own 3D modeling software, KOMPAS-3D. To power the MCAD system, the company in 1996 established a team to develop a 3D geometric kernel precise enough to compete against other 3D SDKs. This is when the history of the Kolomna geometric kernel began.

During the years that followed, the kernel was continuously developed and improved. New modeling methods were invented, more efficient algorithms were developed, and modules were added like a parametric solver, a data converter, and a visualization module. Behind all these changes, there were people developing the geometric kernel now known as C3D Modeler.

Yuri Kozulin, Ph.D., Head of C3D Modeler Department at C3D Labs



Yuri, I would like to begin with some traditional questions. Where were you born? Where did you study? And where did you grow up?

I was born in Daugavpils in the south of Latvia. My father was a military engineer and my mother was a doctor. I went to schools in Latvia, Lithuania, and Germany, in what was then East Germany (GDR). When the Russian military began withdrawing from the GDR, we moved to Ryazan in Russia.

Was it hard for you to switch schools so often?

I felt quite comfortable in the Baltics and Germany, but I found it difficult to settle in the Russian school in Ryazan. Sometimes I had problems with my classmates, because when they skipped geography lessons, I usually remained in the classroom to learn more. This continued until the 8th grade, when students who, like me, wanted to study joined a special physics mathematical class.

The physics and mathematics class must have had a major influence on you being admitted to the technical institute.

I owe my love of the exact sciences to my mathematics teacher, Ms. Greta Ryazantseva. She encouraged me to enter the Physics and Mathematics School of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) by correspondence school. I loved physics, because there I could apply my knowledge of mathematics. I participated in several regional Olympiads in physics, where I took 2nd and 3rd places.

At the same time, I was interested in radio engineering and so studied in a group project for several years. That is why I wanted to enter the Department of Radio Engineering and Cybernetics at MIPT, but I didn't have the required grades, and so in 1995 I entered the Department of Aerophysics and Space Research. In six years, I received my bachelor and master degrees, and then entered graduate school.

What did you study in graduate school?

While I studied, I participated in the Russian-American Observation Satellite International Project (RAMOS), where I investigated the possibility of using the stereo reconstruction of cyclones to forecast their development. My specialty was mathematical modeling, numerical methods, and program complexes. After completing my postgraduate studies, I defended my thesis for the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences.

Did you ever visit the USA?

I never managed to get there as a student. Our partners invited me to the USA, but then relations between the two countries became more tense, and so I lost the chance. Collaboration was gradually phased out between the countries. However, I managed to get there later.

What else did you do when you were a student?

I don't remember exactly when, but sometime during the summer of 1997 or 1998 I has the opportunity to visit the town of Beloyarsky near the Arctic Circle. I was there to inspect the state of anti-corrosive protection of gas pipelines in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (Western Siberia, Russia).

How did you end up there?

The theme of my bachelor degree work was related to adjusting ferroprobes used for diagnosing and inspecting gas pipelines. My supervisor told me, "You've developed your own methodology. Great job, but now it's time to test it in the field." So, off I went. In the summer, you get there only by air or by boat on the Kazym and Ob rivers. In the cold season, winter roads are laid right on top of frozen swamps. The following year, I instead inspected gas pipelines in Tver Region of Russia.

Did you enjoy your Siberian trip?

Siberia made a good impression on me, if you ignore all the tiny flying insects. I'll never forget the bloody rings on my wrists, where the small midges got through the gaps between my gloves and sleeves! And this is where I first tasted fresh-frozen fish. I even remember its name  muksun. It's a delicacy for many northerners in Russia. Very tasty!

Town of Beloyarsky, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia



What was your first job after graduate school?

After graduation, I searched for a programming job with a mathematics or physics orientation. I got married after I defended my thesis, and so I had no desire to leave my native city. Although there were interesting employment opportunities in Moscow and Novosibirsk, ASCON's office was the closest to my home.

Upon joining ASCON, did you get to immediately join the team of mathematicians?

I misunderstood the published description of the job vacancy! It seemed to me that it was a systems group, and the group that I really thought was mathematical was actually engaged in 3D modeling. Then they explained the difference to me, and I immediately joined the team led by Dr. Nikolay Golovanov. We have been working together for 12 years.

t is worth noting that Andrey Penkin and Alexander Maksimenko came to this team even earlier than me. They are our veterans. Eduard Maksimenko, the developer of the visualization module, is another veteran who has also been working at ASCON for a long time, although he is not engaged in mathematics.

What were your first projects after joining ASCON?

In the first six months I worked on bug fixes, and then management began to assign me to developing new functions and improving existing features. Sometimes a new function creates a new stream of bugs, especially when you try to integrate new features into existing functions.

Which functionality do you work with?

To be honest, I can hardly distinguish one software part from another anymore! I work in almost all areas related to geometric kernel development, and I even worked a little on optimization the conversion module. However, I never dealt with parametrization. All these components are now parts of C3D Toolkit.

Tell us about some of the most memorable moments in your work.

Well, I can't say that I've taken part in developing any breakthrough projects! I made many improvements and fixes to existing functions, such as for Boolean operation on bodies. I significantly improved the thin-walled shelling and the split line operation, and I created a shell-cutting operation from scratch. I've added a lot of special cases for surface and curve intersections.

Just what made these tasks interesting from the mathematics point of view? What were some of the challenges did you faced?

We don't invent anything from the point of view of mathematics; we put into practice what is described in theory. In this regard, we are ordinary programmers, but with a clear mathematical bias. Our work often requires more logical tweaks than mathematical ones. Often, we have to improve iterative processes. This helps improve stability and obtain more accurate solutions.

Operation for constructing a thin-walled shell improved by Yuri Kozulin



Last year, you were involved in improving the speed of operations in the C3D Modeler. Tell us a bit more about this.

I was indeed involved in performance improvement, but I could not devote 100% of my time to the task. There were many urgent bugs that I needed to fix. This is the main difficulty when you are trying to increase performance, because the task of fixing bugs in the kernel always has a higher priority.

This leads to a slowdown in some operations, and so we say that there is some kind of conditional "struggle" between performance and functionality: the more you focus on improving quality, the harder it is to increase performance. Today, I'm involved in increasing the performance of algorithmic improvements. I try to avoid solving problems connected with parallelization, except for cases when the use of several threads leads to errors in the calculations.

With who do you most collaborate in C3D Labs?

It's easier for me to name those with whom I least collaborate! These are my colleagues who deal with the C3D Solver parametric kernel. For that matter, C3D Converter, for example, is much more closely integrated with the C3D Modeler than C3D Solver.

The interviewer's explanation: The earliest versions of C3D geometric kernel focused on creating 2D/3D geometry, calculating mass properties, solving logical and dimensional constraints, and converting data between the most common formats.

Over time, however, our customers began to request specific functions as modules that would be licensed separately. We decided on a new licensing model for our 3D SDK that turned the geometric, parametric, and conversion parts of our kernel into standalone products. All these modules  C3D Modeler, C3D Solver, and C3D Converter  are parts of a single SDK. At the marketing level, they are different products, but at the software level they are not. Recently, we added C3D Vision to help developers optimize visualization in their applications, and then we began marketing C3D Toolkit as the complete solution for 3D software developers.

Is it possible to separate geometry, parametrization, and conversion from each other unambiguously?

Converters use the geometric basis (curves and surfaces), so they are inseparable from the geometric kernel. C3D Toolkit gives us tight access to C3D Converter functions, and we do so as part of our licensing model. But the converters themselves do not disappear after this operation.

As for C3D Solver, it could potentially be separated from C3D Toolkit, because it doesnt share that many objects with C3D Modeler. I can give an example: when I was involved in solving performance problems, I exported all NURBS surface calculation algorithms to a separate file and passed it to my colleagues, who were able to ensure isolated use of these algorithms in shaders. To work properly, these algorithms only need two objects from the geometric kernel: a vector and a point.

You devote a lot of time to fixing bugs, tell us how you are involved with the ServiceDESK.

I am the coordinator of the ServiceDESK at C3D Labs. As the work related to improving the kernel performance is becoming more intense, I am increasingly delegating bug fixing to others. To date, C3D Modeler bugs are fixed by me, Nikolay Golovanov, and Sergey Biryukov in roughly equal proportions. C3D Converter bugs are fixed by Alexander Spivakov.

There is also a separate area that is led by Alexander Alakhverdyants from the C3D Solver team. This area is related to problems that arise for operating systems other than Windows: Mac OS, Linux, and Android. By the way, recently we noticed that the growth in the number of ServiceDESK requests is gradually declining. However, the number of tickets remaining open has increased, because there are very complex bugs and bugs that require a long implementation in the system.

How do ServiceDESK requests differ? Do you encounter difficulties in dealing with customers?

Issues vary from request to request: there are simple problems and complex ones. A very few are absolutely amateurish, while others are really simple to solve. I believe that this is due to shortcomings in the documentation for C3D Toolkit. We have to make our documentation more detailed.

As for dealing with customers, any emotion, positive or negative, is absolutely inappropriate here. Even if such emotions arise in our staff, we put them aside. When we respond to a customer's request, we should be strictly professional. After all, our customers help us improve our products and participate in the development of the roadmaps. We are very appreciate of this.

Who at C3D Labs oversees relations with global customers?

As a rule, I answer questions from our global customers in English. Most of these requests are sent in by potential customers; few requests from current users are received by ServiceDESK. Anna Ladilova answers questions regarding the geometric kernel's C# wrapper to partners in Sweden and India.

C3D Labs sent you on overseas business trips, such as South Korea.

Yes, but we encountered some difficulties during the visit, which we had to resolve quickly. For example, to communicate verbally with a potential customer we used a tablet with an online translation service. I did not expect to see Visual Studio with a Korean interface installed on the workstation, and so it was really hard for me to find the required commands! After this initial meeting, we now always take along a laptop with the software in English. Following this trip to South Korea, SolarTech bought a license to use the C3D Toolkit to develop QuickCADCAM software.

What do you remember most from your visits to South Korea and the USA?

During my entire time in South Korea, I always felt secure. Seoul is a very calm city, even though it is a metropolis. The USA impressed me with its good roads, and their non-aggressive, very responsible drivers. When I returned to Russia, it was difficult for me to not notice the gloominess of my fellow citizens. It turned out that foreigners are friendlier and more positive. This applies to both countries that I visited.

Yuri Kozulin advises a customer during the business trip to South Korea



At COFES 2017 in Arizona, there was a lot of talk about the optimization of 3D models. If customers were to ask you to implement this function in the C3D Toolkit, could you?

C3D Labs doesn't make physics calculations; our field of activity is completely different. However, we do work with geometric bodies. If one of our partners gives us an optimized 3D model and asks us to process it, we will, of course, decide how to proceed with it. And this need not necessarily be a solid body, it could be a polygonal model.

So when we come to a new field we need to teach our solutions to work with polygonal models directly. And this concerns not only section planes, but also Boolean operations, as well as any other functions required by users.

To end our interview, tell us about your hobby. What interests you outside of your work?

In the last few years, I haven't had enough free time for a serious hobby. However, I like to make rope crafts, like bracelets and flowerpots, and I used to be fond of making pencil sketches. I also liked analog photography at the time that film cameras were still in widespread use. I processed the film and printed the photos myself.

The lack of regular practice means that my drawing skills have decreased, but my wife and son are still delighted by them. I also like reading science fiction. But lately, it's getting harder to find good books. Authors tend to write formulaic books to earn big money while they can, so modern science fiction gradually ceases to be interesting. Because of this, I began to re-read old books. During rare trips to bookstores, I usually buy collections of short stories, as they sometimes contain good ones.



Read more about C3D Toolkit for 3D software developers at http://c3dlabs.com/en/products/c3d-kernel/
H B Fuller's expands R&D capabilities in Mannheim, Germany.

ST PAUL, US: H B Fuller (FUL) has opened its new automotive competency centre in Mannheim, Germany. This facility includes an applications laboratory, expanded sales, customer and technical service office space, representing the companys commitment to invest in its capabilities in the automotive industry.

The automotive competency centre expands H B Fullers capability to develop and manufacture hot melt, water based, solvent based, reactive and film adhesive technologies for various automotive trim, structural, lighting, electronics, and electric vehicle and battery applications. New application machinery, testing equipment, laboratory capabilities and space facilitate expanded customer engagement in innovation from concept to prototyping to final design.

From this facility, adhesive experts with decades of experience and deep, diverse knowledge of the automotive industry will work closely with OEM and tier 1 customers to meet their design and production challenges.

This outstanding facility exemplifies our strong commitment to customers in the automotive and automotive electronics industries. The automotive competency centre will provide enhanced collaboration capabilities due, in part, to its close proximity to European automotive customers. It also expands our engineering adhesives R&D and technical capabilities, and it strengthens our ability to develop new adhesive technologies and applications to support innovation in the broader transportation sector, said Matt McGreevy, business director, H B Fuller global automotive.

The new facility dramatically enhances our ability  not only regionally, but globally  to support diverse customer applications and to find the optimal materials and methods to meet performance and production requirements. Driven by trends, such as lightweight, performance and cost, manufacturers in this fast-changing market need their suppliers to provide rapid innovation and complete, sustainable assembly solutions. The Center enables us to be an even stronger partner, added Howard Biery, business manager, H B Fuller automotive, EIMEA.

 Worldofchemicals News
Miss World Manushi Chhillar recently said that she wished she'd have reacted to her victory in a more 'lady-like' fashion. Here's a glimpse of all the 'lady-like' reactions of Indian pageant winners of the past.

By India Today Web Desk: None of us can forget the big moment when Manushi Chhillar from India was announced the winner of Miss World 2017.

Manushi herself can never get over the feeling of pride and overwhelming joy on being crowned the Miss World. While we just sat in our homes and saw the pretty girl accomplish the feat, only she knows the months of hard work and dedication that went into bringing back the crown.

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What made Manushi's win even more historic was that she had brought back the prestigious crown to the country after a gap of 17 long years, after actress Priyanka Chopra, who was crowned back in 2000.

But if you look back at the precious moment when she was crowned, you would notice that her reaction to the announcement was quite unlike the reaction we have been seeing among pageant winners over the past decades.

Let us take you through some of the crowning moments of Indian beauty queens at Miss World and Miss Universe pageants in the past, and it won't be difficult for you to trace a signature reaction in each of the winners.

Take a look at Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's reaction, when she was crowned Miss World in 1994.

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The same year, Sushmita Sen won the coveted title of Miss Universe and her reaction to the victory was no different.

via GIPHY

This is how Priyanka Chopra responded to being declared Miss World in 2000.

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And here's how Lara Dutta reacted on winning the title of Miss Universe during the same year.

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A glimpse of Diana Hayden when she was announced as the winner of Miss World 1997.

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To pretend that we have never stereotyped such priceless reactions would be unfair and we almost expected something similar this time from Manushi, when she became Miss World 2017. Instead, her reaction seemed to be a little more composed, as if she was already confident of winning the crown.

Also Read:It's not just a beautiful face that wins the competition: Miss World Manushi Chhillar

Take a look:

A post shared by Manushi Chhillar (@manushi_chhillar) on Nov 18, 2017 at 12:54pm PST

In fact, the diva herself said that her reaction wasn't ''lady-like'' enough, while speaking at one of her recent interviews.

"I won't deny that I've seen the video several times. It still gives me goosebumps. (But) I do wish I had given more lady-like reactions,'' she was quoted as saying by PTI.

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To be honest, we are not sure what kind of enthusiastic reactions would qualify as ''lady-like'', although Manushi's reaction was a significant shift from those of the other winners.

Whether her moment of victory can be blindly categorised with others of the past can be debated, but the happy expression on her face was no less ecstatic.

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Dont look down! Work painting former Peoples Market / Ty Pawb tower begins

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Nov 29th, 2017

Theres a big change taking place at the front of Wrexhams new multi-million pound arts and market facility this week.

With just over four months until Ty Pawb opens, paintwork has started on the main tower of the building  certainly not a job for people who dont have a head for heights!

The black paintwork on the tower is one of the main changes being made to the exterior of the former Peoples Market, with the colour scheme and design featuring as part of a mock up released in 2015.

Of course the name has since changed from the OW Peoples Market, with a public vote held earlier this year seeing Ty Pawb crowned the winner

Whilst the works are ongoing there will be scaffolding around the tower which will mean pedestrians using the corner will be re-directed through the fire exit and into the North Arcade of the former Peoples Market. Wrexham Council say disruption to pedestrians will be minimal.

Motorists will also not be able to turn onto the pedestrianised part of Chester Street whilst the works are taking place between 11am and 6pm Monday 27 November to Friday 1 December.

An alternative route for motorists affected by the works is via Chester Street, Yorke Street, Mount Street, Salop Road, Eagles Meadlow Link Road, Smithfield Road, St Georges Crescent, Market Street and Holt Street. Signposts will be in place.

Earlier this month Wrexham.com reported that paintwork had begun at the rear of the property  the first of the major exterior changes made to the site.

A combined total of 4.5 million  2.3 million from Arts Council Wales, 1.5 million from Wrexham Council and 700,000 funding has been made available from the Welsh Governments Vibrant and Viable Places Programme  has been spent redeveloping the former Peoples Market, with the project set to be complete by April 2017.

There are just over four months left until the grand opening of the facility, with an official launch event for the grand opening scheduled for April 2nd 2018.
Empty Henblas Street shops and office space temporarily reopened for arts display

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Nov 29th, 2017

Long-term empty shops in Wrexham town centre have been temporarily reopened  although it might not be for the reason you think.

The properties have been opened as part of an art exhibition hosted by Preservation and Promotion of the Arts (PAPOA)  a charitable organisation which aims to promote the arts.

This is the second time the organisation have visited Wrexham, having played host to a similar exhibition in October.

As part of the display the empty properties on Henblas Street have been opened and used to display images and books  with each of the shops hosting a different set of pictures.

Interestingly there is also a display in the former office space of Henblas Street, which is also located above the shops. Wrexham.com along with chairman of the Town Centre Forum Alex Jones and Town Centre Steering Group Sam Regan, were kindly shown around the exhibition earlier today, which along with seeing the art on display, gave a rare opportunity to see the former council offices on Henblas Street.

Like the shops below, the former council offices on Henblas Street have been empty for a while, however there is hope that this will change in the near future.

In July 2017 Wrexham.com reported that Manchester based MCR Property Group had acquired the ownership of the empty shops and office space on Henblas Street.

The company describes itself on its website as a real estate investment and development company focused on the strategic acquisition and repositioning of commercial, residential and industrial and retail assets across the UK.

Speaking over the summer the company said they were confident they could provide a mixed-use offering for the vacant site.

The art exhibition ends tomorrow.
If you want to ride a bicycle alongside the sea shore of Mumbai then you're in for a treat.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: If you want to ride a bicycle alongside the sea shore of Mumbai then you're in for a treat. From this Sunday, there will be a dedicated two lanes for cyclist from NCPA theatre (Nariman Point) to Worli Sea link.

Mumbaikars can enjoy the 11km parallel track every Sunday from 6am to 10am.

To reduce air pollution and spread the importance of health, BMC to start such cycle tracks in other parts of city too. BMC will be providing the basic infrastructure like barricading the dedicated two lanes.

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BMC had invited few companies & NGOs to manage & maintain this project. Handle bar & Smart commute foundation these two companies have been given contract for three months of this project.

There is another good news for Mumbaikars. If you don't have cycle but still wish to ride it on Sunday bicycles and helmets will available on the rent.

There will be 4 points on this 11km track where you can take bicycle & helmet on the rent. A temporary structure will get made at NCPA theatre, Girgaon Choupatty, Haji Ali & Worli sea face.

(Image Source: Reuters) (Image Source: Reuters)

BMC has obtained all necessary permissions including the permission of heritage committee as Marine drive area all under heritage category where no permanent structure can be made.

BMC have also got permission from transport department & high-level committee of High court.

Yuva Sena Chief Aditya Thackeray tweeted and thanks BMC for coming up this project. In his tweet Aditya Said,"Starting soon the BMC will allow a temporary track for bicycles from NCPA Marine Drive to Worli. I thank the BMC for accepting this humble suggestion and allowing thousands of bicycle & fitness enthusiasts to in Mumbai."

Starting soon the BMC will allow a temporary track for bicycles from NCPA Marine Drive to Worli. I thank the BMC for accepting this humble suggestion and allowing thousands of bicycle & fitness enthusiasts to ?? in mumbai.- Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) November 28, 2017

"Yuva Sena Chief Aditya Thackeray had come up with idea of cycle track in Mumbai. He requested BMC to see if we could work out & come up with the concrete plan on this. So from past few months our team was working on this & finally from this 3rd December we will be starting the first Sunday Cycle track from Nariman Point to Worli seal link." said assistant municipal commissioner Kiran Dighwakar.

--- ENDS ---
Spanish media have confirmed that Abdelbaki es-Satty, the mastermind of the August 17 Islamic State (IS) terror attacks in Barcelona, was a police informant.

A convicted drug dealer directly linked to the Al Qaeda operatives who carried out the March 11, 2004 Madrid train bombings, Satty was reportedly providing information and receiving payment from Spanish intelligence until shortly before the attack. He was reportedly the political or religious leader of the youth who carried out the Barcelona attacks, in which 16 people died and 152 were injured. Satty himself died shortly before the attacks, when large home-made bombs they were preparing at a house in Alcanar accidentally exploded.

This remarkable revelation underscores the utterly deceitful character of the European bourgeoisies insistence that deep attacks on democratic rights are needed to wage a war on terror. In Barcelona, as in the Charlie Hebdo and November 13 attacks in Paris in 2015, the Berlin Christmas attack, and the May 22 Manchester terror attack, the terrorists were known to law enforcement. They served as tools for the intelligence services and instruments of European imperialist wars in Syria and Iraq, and operated under official protection.

The exposure of Satty as a Spanish intelligence asset is particularly significant given the explosive situation in Catalonia, where Madrid suspended the regional elected government and imposed direct police rule after the October 1 Catalan independence referendum. These revelations raise questions of whether forces in Madrid or Barcelona allowed the attack to proceed in order to win political advantage in the bitter battle that escalated in the run-up to the referendum.

On November 16, the right-wing populist site OkDiario first reported that Satty, who served as an imam in the town of Ripoll, was an informant for Spains National Intelligence Center (CNI). At the same time as he provided information to the secret services and received special funding for this work, the imam was setting up the terror cell that perpetrated the second-bloodiest attack in the history of terrorism in Catalonia, OkDiario wrote, citing documents held by investigating magistrates in the Spanish judiciary.

OkDiario said Spanish officials were desperate to cover up this report. The obsession for weeks has been that the status of the imam as an agent should not get out and become known to public opinion, it wrote.

OkDiario also alleged that the Mossos dEsquadra, the Catalan regional police headquartered in Barcelona, were in close contact with Satty. It reported that an agent of the Mossos spoke for four minutes from his office in Barcelona with the perpetrator of the Barcelona massacre only two hours before the attack.

On November 17, El Pais, Spains main pro-social-democratic paper, published a terse article in which intelligence officials confirmed several of OkDiario s revelations. Sources in the CNI told El Pais the CNI maintained contact with Satty while he was in Castellon prison for drug dealing, from 2010 to 2014. This relationship, they added, was in line with the usual established protocols for handling convicts.

It appears Satty was in contact with the security services well before and well after the 2010-2014 period, however. El Pais continues, New evidence emerging from the investigation of the attacks, which the National Court is keeping secret, shows that Es Satty was almost an old acquaintance of the security forces from when he arrived in Spain in 2002. His name already appeared in the contact list of telephones of some of those detained for the March 11 attacks, according to sources in the anti-terrorism agencies.

In 2006, Satty was detained as a member of a terrorist cell based in Vilanova. It appears his status as an old acquaintance of the intelligence services served him well, however; he was released and his case was shelved. Later, however, he was arrested for trying to bring 121 kilograms of hashish into Spain in his car from Morocco and jailed for four years in 2010.

After leaving prison in 2014, he traveled to the Brussels area, where many of the individuals involved in the 2015 attacks in Paris were based. He was rejected for an imam position there due to his criminal record, however, and returned to take a job as an imam in Ripoll, in Catalonia. El Pais did not confirm OkDiario s report of contacts between Satty and the Mossos. However, it wrote that it was unusual that he served as an imam in Ripoll, as he had a criminal record, which in principle makes him ineligible for such a position.

These reports show how decades-long, criminal foreign policy operations of NATO continue to claim lives and facilitate attacks on democratic rights in Europe itself. Since the eruption of the 2011 war in Syria, networks like Al Qaeda, which emerged from the 1979-1989 CIA war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, and IS, whose origins lie in the US-led imperialist wars in Iraq and Syria since 1991, send thousands of fighters to carry out attacks in the Middle East.

After the March 22, 2016 Brussels bombing, the WSWS wrote, [It] is clear that the individuals who carried out the March 22 bombings and the November 13 and Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris are part of a broader group of people who have been allowed to freely travel to and from the Middle East. The only conclusion that can be drawn from the ease with which these forces permeate national borders and conduct operations is that there are protocols in place to ease their passage and lower any red flags. They operate under a veil of official protection.

The latest revelations about Satty vindicate yet again this analysis of the rotten foundations of the war on terror in Europe. The imperialist interventions, the promotion of anti-Muslim hatreds, and the drive to police-state rule and states of emergency across Europe are based on political lies. The Islamists are not intransigent and undetectable opponents of imperialism, but its somewhat wayward tools.

When they carry out attacks in Europe, instead of against targets chosen by the NATO powers in the Middle East, imperialist governments simply use this as a pretext for more police-state measures. These are aimed not so much at the Islamists, which have deep ties to the state apparatus, but at opposition to austerity and war in the working class.

Many unanswered questions remain based on the revelations about Satty so far. Firstly, if Satty was indeed a police informant who was deceiving the CNI, as the Spanish edition of Vanity Fair writes, what did he tell the police he was doing? As his cell amassed a vast collection of bomb-making chemicals that ultimately exploded accidentally and took Sattys own life, who did the CNI think Satty was going to blow up?

Secondly, did the conflict between Madrid and Barcelona over the October 1 Catalan independence referendum, which had been announced on June 29, play a role in the CNIs shielding of Satty?

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys government responded to the August 17 attack by discussing the imposition of martial law, although Rajoy ultimately decided against it. After Rajoy launched the savage police crackdown on the peaceful vote on October 1, however, he suspended Catalonias elected government, placing it directly under police rule, amid mass protests in Barcelona and across Catalonia.

Might sections of the security apparatus, seeking a different pretext for the move toward police-state rule that was being prepared and discussed inside the state machine, have been willing to sanction some type of attack in order to justify the imposition of martial law?
It is almost six weeks since the tragic death of Jacoby Hennings, a 21-year-old part-time temporary worker at Fords Woodhaven Stamping plant, just outside of Detroit. According to police and United Auto Workers (UAW) officials, the young man took his life as heavily armed police confronted him in the plant on the morning of October 20, shortly after union officials said he waved a gun at them inside the UAW office in the factory.

The circumstances of the confrontation and the shooting remain unclear. Initial reports indicated a supervisor told the young man to go to the UAW office after he was disciplined or terminated for coming in late. The UAW has not released any details of the discussion, which reportedly lasted over an hour, between Hennings and Local UAW 387 officials Arnold Miller, Christopher Pfaff and Bill Jablonski. The Woodhaven police have rejected a request by the WSWS to see the witness statements of the three, along with Ford Human Resource Manager Martin Hernandez.

The Wayne County Medical Examiners office, which immediately declared that the young man died of a self-inflicted wound, has still not released an autopsy report and ballistics information.

What is known is that Jacoby, like thousands of other temporary part-time employees (TPTs) in the auto industry, was under intense pressure at work. TPTs have no job security and although they pay union dues the UAW tells them when they hire in that it will do nothing to protect them against dismissal for the slightest infraction. Four occurrences, including late arrival, absence, or even showing up for work on a day you are not assigned, results in immediate firing.

Jacoby, whose parents and many uncles and aunts are long-time Chrysler workers, did not hold down just one TPT job, but two. He also worked at Fiat Chryslers Warren Truck Assembly Plant, 37 miles away. Coworkers there said he was hard-working, yet looked exhausted and was worried he might lose his job when FCA moves production of the Ram pickup truck to another plant next year.

Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter spoke with Woodhaven Ford workers about the tragic death of the young worker, and the conditions at the factory.

He was a good worker, a Woodhaven Ford worker with 20 years, who worked with Jacoby, told reporters outside the factory. He was very quiet and I heard that he came from a good family.

They treat contract workers like crap in there so I can only imagine how they treat TPTs, an electrician working for a contractor hired by Ford told the WSWS. Electricians are required to have degrees, licenses and certifications to work and they still mistreat us.

On the day of the shooting, the electrician said, They kept us in the parking lot for eight hours. We couldnt even get to our lunch boxes until after the weekend. There were guys who needed their eye glasses to drive home, or medications; and they wouldnt help. They treat us like cattle.

The rumor was that [Jacoby] looked like he was exhausted and they accused him of being on drugs. He said, Im not, but the company fired him anyway.

They dont tell us anything. It was all hush-hush. But the truth is the truth, and it needs to come out. The SWAT teams they brought were young guys, all gung ho, with shaved heads and all kinds of weapons. They had dogs, helicopters and everything. We dont know what really happened. This much I know for surethis man did not deserve this.

The worker continued, They wont tell us anything. The UAW witnesses statements should be part of the public record. Instead they cover it up and act like it never happened.

Hennings death, he said, shook a lot of our guys mentally. They said it was suicide. But they said it was suicide when our union brother fell at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit last June. He worked with low voltage wiring and had a wife and daughter. That upset a lot of people. Then it came out that it wasnt suicide.

Shortly after WSWS reporters began speaking to workers Ford security guards arrived and ordered them to stop handing out newsletters and talking to workers as they stopped at a traffic light outside the plant. Security guards threatened to call the Woodhaven cops if the WSWS team did not leave immediately.

Conditions for the approximately 500 workers at the 53-year-old stamping plant, now known as Woodhaven Hot Metal Forming, are particularly brutal because of the terms of the 2015 UAW-Ford agreement. Under a competitive wage rate structure agreed to by the UAW to supposedly keep the factory from closing, workers can make as little as $9 an hour, just 10 cents more than the states minimum wage, and top out at $12 an hour after years of service.

The company has installed new, faster equipment to stamp out door panels, floor pans, hoods, quarter panels, roofs, tailgates and truck body sides. Under the UAW agreement, however, higher-paid legacy workers (earning around $29 an hour) or even second tier workers, who earn between $15 and $19 per hour, are prevented from taking jobs on the new lines, which are filled exclusively by new third-tier workers making the near poverty level wages.

While the news media has swept the October 20 tragedy under the rug, presenting it as just another inexplicable workplace shooting by a disgruntled employee, this event has touched deep chord among rank-and-file workers who are demanding answers. Workers in contact with the Autoworker Newsletter have also spoken about a wave of suicides by workers, including five in the last three years at FCAs Toledo, Ohio Jeep plant, including three TPTs, and four others at Fords Chicago Assembly Plant this year alone.

Speaking on the oppressive conditions facing autoworkers and the collusion of the UAW, a veteran worker from the nearby Dearborn Assembly Plant told the WSWS, Its management by intimidation. Thats all they want to do is scare you to do the job, even if it is unsafe. They run that line as fast as they want. We all know they are running the line faster and our bodies know they are running it faster. There is supposed be a limit to the number of cars we can produce in 10.7 hours but if they want to run more, they are going to do it, and the union is not going to say anything. They are going along with the program.

If we dont stand together it is going to be business as usual. Under the UAW contract, you have to wait eight years to get top pay. At the end of this contract in 2019, everybody who has four years or more should automatically be at top pay. You shouldnt have to wait four more years because you might not be around that long. The TPTs and STS [Short-Term Supplementals] should all flipped and made full-time with all their benefits. Ford is making billions of dollars in profits. There is enough to go around and then some.

We dont need to be split up in three tiers. You should come in, prove yourself and get your pay. Everybody has to stick together to fight. We cant let them keep taking away from us.

We voted no on the last contract, but it was flipped because of the union. If we were sitting there when the ballots were counted, we would know the truth. But they dont want you to know the truth. They want to treat you like a mushroomkeep you in the dark and feed you a bunch of mess. Well be mushrooms, until we can come to the light.

We have to build rank-and-file committees now to fight for our rights. In the meantime, dont forget Jacoby, and the other nine workers in Toledo and Chicago who committed suicide. Enough is enough.
Greek authorities are still surveying the extent of damage caused by flash floods in the Thriasian plain of West Attica. On Monday, the death toll rose to 23 as two more fatalities were announced. One body was found buried in mud near a bus station in the small town of Mandra, west of Athens, and an injured woman died in hospital.

The plain is located approximately 25 km west of Athens and is bounded by Mount Egaleo to the east, Mount Parnitha the north, Mount Pateras to the west, and the Bay of Elefsina to the south.

The towns affected are Mandra, Magoula and Nea Peramos, which are built on the floodplains of a number of different streams. Western Atticas population is overwhelmingly working class and the region is home to the port of Elefsina as well as many industrial plants including the Skaramangas shipyards, oil refineries, quarries, logistic plants and steel mills.

The floods were caused by six hours of rainfall over the slopes of Mount Pateras during the early hours of November 15. According to reports, the recorded rainfall was over 200 millimetres, more than half the annual average and over 3 times the average for the month of November. The rain led to streams in the area bursting their banks.

Twelve people remain hospitalised, while according to the latest tally drawn up by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure the number of buildings that have sustained damage that warrants compensation stands at around 1,500; over 70 percent are residential.

According to some reports the number of victims could be a lot higher since although there is currently only one person listed as missing, there are unofficial reports of people who are unaccounted for in neighbourhoods inhabited by immigrant workers, mainly from Pakistan.

The town of Mandra, which is built on the floodplains of the streams Soures and Agia Ekaterini, sustained the most damage and the overwhelming majority of those reported killed.

Speaking to Kathimerini, 21-year-old Mandra resident Thomas Bono described how he was woken by the sound of the water flowing down from Pateras: I looked out of the window and saw the torrent washing the cars one after the other. He went on to describe how he and his father tried in vain to stop the water from breaking down the wooden door of their kitchen: Everytime I close my eyes I see the image of the water throwing us [across the room to the opposite wall].

Syriza Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attributed the disaster to climate change blandly stating that We all have a responsibility to tackle this global phenomenon.

While climate change is indeed making extreme weather events more frequent, flooding has been a chronic problem in Western Attica for many decades. The last floods in the area occurred just two years ago and claimed the lives of three people.

The latest floods have therefore again exposed the absence of any coordinated town planning and inadequate anti-flood infrastructure in the area.

Speaking to Proto Thema, Emeritus Professor of Geology at Athens University Dimitris Papanikolaou stated that the town of Mandra has long served as a case study for his students as a characteristic case where human intervention, ignorance, indifference or at any rate a lack of knowledge and a material engagement with the issue was of a criminal character.

In a separate interview with the Guardian, Papanikolaou recounted how in 1996 we had two victims in the same area [of Mandra] precisely because the flow of water had been blocked Nature had already warned that such intervention was disastrous, that not maintaining the natural flow of water was disastrous.

While many reports have tried to shift the blame on poor residents who built their homes without planning permission, much of the town of Mandra has in fact been constructed legally. According to Kathimerini the Agia Ekaterini stream that caused most of the damage is not [officially] deemed to be within the bounds of the town, given that the 1989 General Urban Plan allowed construction on its riverbed (therefore the houses that were built there are legal).

Kathimerini also highlighted how legislation was further relaxed in 2014 by giving the private sector the ability to participate in the setting of floodplain boundaries by carrying out its own studies.

This must be seen in the wider context of the attacks on what little urban planning there was by legislation that provided conditions for the successive bailout packages imposed on Greece by the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund since 2009.

Following the demands of the IMF for a smaller state the Public Corporation of Urban Planning and Housing (DEPOS) was abolished, which apart from urban planning was also responsible for the resettlement of people whose houses had been built without planning permission.

In 2011 the legislation that established the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, whose main function was to sell off state assets to the private sector, also stipulated that existing urban planning regulations could be nullified to allow for the establishment of frameworks that form part of specific investment initiatives. In 2014 there was a further attack on urban planning with the abolishment of the Organisations for Regulatory Planning and Environmental Protection in the cities of Athens, Thessaloniki and Ioannina.

Commenting on this in the aftermath of the flood, economist Gerasimos Potamianos wrote, With the weakening of urban planning in the depth of the crisis and under the pressure of economic (revenue) needs could see the promotion of private plans and opportunist solutions that serve momentary interests using economic development as a pretext.

The floods in Western Attica are a further indictment of the Syriza-led government, which was swept into power in January 2015 on an anti-austerity ticket only to betray its mandate months later by signing a third bailout package with the EU and the IMF shortly after the overwhelming rejection of austerity in a July 2015 referendum.

In October 2014, when it was in opposition in the aftermath of the floods that devastated much of Attica, Syriza released a statement that attributed the devastation to the consequence of the total and chronic abandonment for many decades by successive ND [New Democracy] and PASOK governments.

Syriza now presides over a similar situation, with residents and volunteers left to clean up after the disaster, abandoned by the government. Attica Prefect and Syriza member Rena Dourou has come under attack for failing to make good her promises to construct anti-flood defences in the city of Mandra, for which a blueprint had existed since 2015 with an estimated cost of 11 million.
Two days after Sundays presidential elections in Honduras, the electoral board has announced less than 60 percent of the votes. Following its first installment on Monday, which showed the candidate of the Opposition Alliance against Corruption, Salvador Nasralla, five points ahead of the current president and National Party candidate, Juan Orlando Hernandez, the announcements virtually stopped, and the country has been left in suspense.

While the international corporate press has described the opposition coalition as left-right, there is little doubt that the Alliance would continue to head a staunchly militarist, pro-business and pro-imperialist government. Such characterizations, like the description of Hernandez as authoritarian by media sources like the New York Times, also express the willingness by sectors of the US establishment to back a Nasralla victory, amid fears that a reelection of Hernandez--proscribed by the countrys Constitution--would undermine the image of the Honduran state and feed domestic social opposition.

The Alliances de facto leader, Manuel Zelaya, was the president of a right-wing administration at the head of the oligarchic Liberal Party, but was deposed in a 2009 US-backed military coup because he was becoming too close to the Chavista government in Venezuela for the liking of Washington and the dominant sectors of the Honduran ruling elite.

On Sunday, all voting booths closed sharply at 4 p.m., amid complaints that the electoral board had promised to extend voting one more hour. The announcement of the results, with an 85 percent installment scheduled for 8 p.m that day, has not been so timely. Aside from the president, 298 mayors, 128 deputies to the unicameral National Congress and 20 to the Central American Parliament were also elected.

Late Sunday night, the polling company Ingenieria Gerencial announced that exit polls showed Hernandez ahead by 9 percentage points (with a 2 percent margin of error), leading Hernandez to declare victory.

A few moments later, Nasralla, a TV host and former CEO of Pepsi Honduras, declared himself the winner, indicating that he had the official results for one-third of the voting centers, giving him a clear victory. At 10 p.m. the chief magistrate of the electoral board, David Matamoros, explained that there were delays in the results because the board had to check with technicians to guarantee that the data is truly representatives of the voter register of the country. By Tuesday, his excuse had changed, indicating that the problem was that the ballots had simply not arrived in the capital.

The electoral board has now established that it will not declare a winner before the last vote is processed, possibly not until Thursday.

Tuesday morning, Eduardo Facusse, the last president of the main business chamber COHEP, suggested on the TV channel Televicentro that electoral officials are virtually saying, One moment; we have to consult the president because the situation is getting delicate. With clear desperation and representing a growing layer of the ruling elite, he reminded the host that polls had shown almost 70 percent of Hondurans opposing an unconstitutional reelection. The people are mad, he warned.

On Monday, the third-placed candidate, Luis Zelaya of the Liberal Party, called on President Hernandez to acknowledge his defeat in order to prevent violence. One of the four electoral magistrates, Marcos Ramiro Lobo, commented to the media that technical experts believed it was an irreversible result.

Referring to the post-electoral turmoil, the historian of the Catholic think-tank ERIC, Marvin Barahona, said that Hernandezs run has a high dose of illegality, which turns the results into a catalyst for confrontations. Suffering a sudden collapse in their optimist outlook, based on the support of Wall Street and the polls that showed the National Party comfortably in the lead, the Hernandez-led ruling clique now fears a loss of their hold on power in the midst of numerous investigations and leaks regarding corruption.

In March, a former leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras, Denis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, testified in a New York City court that the post-2009 regime, including the ex-President Porfirio Lobo, his son, and countless police and military officers were providing the cartels protection in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks. Maradiaga gave US authorities recordings of bribes that allegedly included Hernandez himself, with his chief of staff denying the charges, but warning last month that if the truth comes out about politicians bought by organized crime, hold on to your seats, because were talking about all colors here.

The National Party governments since 2009 have pursued an agenda of antidemocratic and repressive measures seeking to consolidate a grip on power by the military and dictatorial rule. The coup regime, for instance, approved a Special Law of the National Defense and Security Council, granting the executive power centralized control over all branches of government. Hernandez also formed the Military Police for Public Order.

In the last electoral campaign, he infamously said, I will become the new Carias, referring to the National Party dictator who governed for 16 years starting in 1933, defending fiercely the interests of the US fruit companies and brutally suppressing all social opposition.

Given the countrys history, perhaps the most telling images of the elections were of the 35,000 heavily-armed soldiers who were in charge of transporting and guarding the ballots. The countrys military is notorious for its history of bloody dictatorships, coups and the well-documented participation in fascistic death squads that work closely with gangs and corporations to terrorize any social opposition.

Determined to maintain firm control over the Honduran state while maintaining a democratic facade, Washington has sought to pressure the ruling elite to clean up its act. Its main method has been tying military and other aid to the compliance with a US-sponsored anti-impunity agency, MACCIH.

On top of pursuing selective investigations to keep pressure on the government, it promoted the 2016 Clean Politics Act, making these the first elections with a limit on campaign financing, established at about $20 million per presidential candidate. At the same time, presumably aimed at blocking campaign contributions from criminal organizations, candidates had to present financial statements listing all transactions.

The 2009 coup and decades of austerity have fatally discredited all factions of the ruling elite. The Hernandez administration imposed deep austerity as part of a three-year IMF plan initiated in 2014, making Honduran dollar bonds the most profitable in the world, according to Bloomberg, with returns of 78 percent since October 2013.

But, during the two previous decades, it was the Liberal Party that headed the imposition of the IMF adjustment programs. The Carlos Flores Facusse administration even continued the austerity packages after Hurricane Mitch ravaged the country in 1998, killing 6,000 and leaving 8,000 disappeared.

Such reactionary measures and the 2009 coup, which also included key Liberal protagonists, have produced a deep crisis of bourgeois rule. In response, the US State Department and regional elites, with the collaboration of Honduran rights groups and the pseudo-left organized behind the Popular Resistance National Front (FNRP), put into motion policies designed to demobilize growing opposition and prevent the emergence of an independent movement of the working class.

In May 2011, the OAS, the Honduran regime, Hugo Chavez from Venezuela and the Santos administration in Colombia signed the Cartagena Accord, which called for canceling the judicial processes against the ex-President Jose Manuel Zelaya, and assuring that the FNRP participates democratically in the electoral processes. With the increasing likelihood of a government headed by the Opposition Alliance, which incorporates the FNRPs political arm, LIBRE, this plan seems to have ripened.

While the Morenoite group LIT-CI remained part of the grassroots of the FNRP, the so-called Revolutionary Left, which consists of Socialism or Barbarism, the Central American Socialist Party (PSOCA) and other organizations, have worked around its periphery. The latter have sought to use nationalist calls for greater independence from imperialism and a worker-peasant and popular democracy to channel social opposition behind the FNRP and, ultimately, the Opposition Alliance.

Nonetheless, the current global economic crisis, the US-led militarization of the region and the attacks against immigrants in the United States, including the threat by the Trump administration to deport the 85,000 Honduran Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, have continued destabilizing the country socially and politically.

Nasralla sought to exploit these circumstances, especially the broad opposition to Hernandezs unconstitutional bid for reelection, insisting that he would only stay in power for a maximum of four years. He also promised to pursue corruption cases against politicians and business figures and to close down some of the countrys new maximum-security prisons. Economically, he promised to raise corporate taxes, cut the regressive added-value tax, and invest in health and educationthe latter as a response to a tumultuous year of strikes and demonstrations by university students and public health workers.

In reality, no change should be expected with the coming to power of an Alliance government.

The five familiesAtala, Rosenthal, Faraj, Facusse-Nasser, and Larchwho control about 40 percent of GDP and constitute the top administrators of foreign financial capital in the country, will continue to exercise control. Meanwhile, some of the most powerful business-people have come to back the opposition. For instance, Adolfo Facusse, former president of the main business chambers COHEP and ANDI, and one of the top supporters of the 2009 coup and the military regime that followed, promoted the business plan of the Opposition Alliance this year.
An 11-year-old was murdered by his uncle when the boy refused to have unnatural sex with him.

By Saurabh Vaktania: An 11-year-old was murdered by his uncle after the little boy refused to have unnatural sex.

Mumbai Crime Branch has solved the murder case where the 11-year-old was found dead a week ago. The police have arrested the boy's uncle. The uncle of the boy told the police that he wanted to have sex with him but when he refused to do so, he strangulated the little one to death.

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The cops have arrested Ravi Waghela - uncle of the deceased boy Rishi Waghela.

Rishi's dead body was found near the Versova creeks by the fishermen on November 26. In the initial investigations, the cops suspected that the boy may have drowned to death but later after the post-mortem they found that the boy was strangulated to death.

Rishi went missing on November 22. The family registered a complaint at Juhu Police Station.

The family even put up posters of missing Rishi at various places. On November 26, fishermen found Rishi's body near the creeks in the bushes. The cops initially suspected a natural death where Rishi may have slipped to death. However, after post-mortem, the cops were shocked to find out that the boy was strangulated.

When Rishi's body was taken to a hospital, Ravi Waghela was incessant with his crocodile tears so that no one could suspect his involvement in the murder.

Ravi Waghela was also missing for the last few days and he stayed alone.

Ravi Waghela - uncle of the deceased boy Rishi Waghela (Photo Courtesy: Saurabh Vaktania)

Senior Police Inspector Mahesh Desai said, "Through technical assistance and ground network, we formed a team and laid trap for Ravi. We picked him up and we thoroughly questioned him. He confessed to the crime and he even showed us the spot where he murdered Rishi."

According to the police officials, Ravi was desperate to have unnatural sex with anyone and he found Rishi an easy target, and therefore took him to the creek area near the bushes. When Rishi screamed for help, Ravi murdered him.

Ravi will be handed over to Juhu Police for further investigation.

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North Korea test fired a long-range missile today that appears to have the range to potentially hit most parts of continental United States, including its capital Washington DC. The test took place amid high tensions on the Korean Peninsula stoked by the Trump administrations threats to use military force to destroy North Koreas nuclear and missile facilities.

North Korea fired the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at about 3 am local time from around Pyongsong, a town northeast of the capital Pyongyang. It flew on a lofted trajectory for about 53 minutes, reaching an altitude of around 4,500 kilometres and landing 960 kilometres away to the north of Honshu, Japans largest island.

If the ICBM had been fired at an angle designed for maximum distance, the range is estimated at more than 12,500 kilometres, placing the US east coast and Washington DC potentially within its reach. Whether the missile can carry a heavy payload, such as a nuclear warhead, over that distance is unknown.

Two similar North Korean ICBMs tested in July remained aloft for 37 minutes and 47 minutes respectively. A US intelligence official told Reuters the initial indications were that the missile engine was not significantly more powerful than the previous Hwasong-14 tests.

David Wright from the Union of Concerned Scientists suggested in a blog that North Korea simply lightened the missiles payload. If true, that means it would not be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to this long distance, since such a warhead would be much heavier, he wrote.

Doubts also remain as to whether North Korea has developed a re-entry vehicle capable of shielding a nuclear payload from the intense heat and pressures generated when it re-enters the earths atmosphere from outer space. According to Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera, the missile broke up before landing in Japans exclusive economic zone.

US President Donald Trump made a relatively muted response at a press conference with Defence Secretary James Mattis. We will take care of it, Trump told reporters. It is a situation that we will handle.

Mattis declared that the missile went higher, frankly, than any previous shots. He continued: The bottom line is its a continued effort to build a  ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States.

However, the chief responsibility for inflaming tensions in North East Asia lies with US imperialism. Trumps administration, following on from President Obamas, has tightened the noose of crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions around North Korea and made clear that only Pyongyangs complete capitulation to US demands will prevent a war.

Following North Koreas nuclear test in early September, Trump threatened at the United Nations to totally destroy the country. The remark highlights the vast disparity between the US, which has the worlds most powerful military and thousands of nuclear warheads, and North Korea, which has a very limited nuclear arsenal and delivery systems.

The US has provocatively staged a series of large-scale military drills with South Korea, Japan and other allies throughout 2017. Earlier this month, the US navy held an exercise involving three American aircraft carriers, along with their accompanying strike groups of destroyers and cruises, and various South Korean vessels.

The latest war games, due to commence on Saturday, involve a massive display of air power. Known as Vigilant Ace, the air drill will involve 230 aircraft, including six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, and 12,000 US military personnel. Its purpose, according to the US military, is to enhance interoperability between US and South Korean forces and increase the combat effectiveness of both nations. In other words, the intent is to prepare for war with North Korea.

Following todays ICBM test by North Korea, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared: Diplomatic solutions remain viable and open for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearisation and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea. He announced that the US and Canada would convene an international meeting next year to discuss how to counter North Korea.

However, the Trump administration has repeatedly rejected calls by China and Russia to pave the way for negotiations through a so-called freeze-for-freezesuspending US and South Korean joint war games in return for North Korea halting its nuclear and missile tests.

Moreover, Trump last week reinstated North Korea to the US State Departments list of state sponsors of terrorism in a move calculated to undermine any attempt to start negotiations. The Bush administration removed Pyongyang from the list in 2008 as part of US commitments contained in a denuclearisation deal signed in 2007. Just months later, President Bush sabotaged the deal by demanding more intrusive inspection procedures.

North Korea reacted angrily to Trumps announcement, declaring that the decision to relist it as a sponsor of terrorism was a serious provocation and violent infringement of its sovereignty. Todays missile testthe first of any type since Septemberis another indication that Pyongyang judges that the US cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith.

The latest missile launch can only heighten tensions in North East Asia. South Korea responded six minutes later with its own show of forcethe simultaneous test firing of a precision barrage of missiles from its army, navy and air force. All the missiles were calibrated to the distance to the North Korean test site, but fired into waters between South Korea and Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has backed Washingtons aggressive stance toward North Korea to the hilt, spoke to Trump by phone. In comments to reporters, he called for a meeting of the UN Security Council, which is due to hold an emergency session on the launch Wednesday (US time).

The Trump administrations policy of maximum pressure is not aimed just against North Korea, but also China, which is being pressured by the US and its allies to enforce what amounts to a complete economic blockade. The result is a highly dangerous situation in which any incident or accident could precipitate a catastrophic war.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall in the United States in late August of this year, killing at least 90 people and devastating much of the region around Houston, Texas. Three months later, tens of thousands of people are homeless, home construction has hardly begun and the long-term health consequences of the disaster have yet to be tallied.

By some measures, Harvey is the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States, with estimated costs of nearly $200 billion, including flood damage to more than 300,000 homes. It was followed in September by Hurricane Irma, which struck the Caribbean and Florida, and Hurricane Maria, which destroyed much of the infrastructure and housing stock on the US island territory of Puerto Rico.

Each of these storms, fueled by higher temperatures caused by global warming, has exposed the criminal negligence of the American ruling class. Inadequate or nonexistent evacuation procedures and emergency shelters led to the deaths of some 250 people, according to official figures (the number of deaths in Puerto Rico is far higher than reported). Many more have had their lives upended, forcing them to fend for themselves after their homes were destroyed.

The American media and its talking heads have quickly moved on from any examination of the impact of Harvey, in keeping with the medias response to every disaster that hits the United States. In one of the few recent articles documenting the ongoing catastrophe, the Houston Chronicle reported that three months after landfall, more than 47,000 flood victims are living in hotels and motels across Southeast Texas and beyond, a testament to the glacial pace of housing recovery.

These, the Chronicle states, are the lucky ones. The newspaper continues: Tens of thousands more have cobbled together their own temporary arrangements, living with relatives, in tents or on mattresses in barely habitable homes.

The meager government assistance made available to the tens of thousands without flood insurance in Texas is largely in the form of temporary subsidies for accommodation in motels through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Those impacted must undergo a tortuous application process for aid. According to the Chronicle, only about 9,500 families have qualified for additional housing assistance through FEMA beyond the temporary subsidies. Of these, just one had been able to move back into a home repaired through FEMAs program, and 223 were living in a trailer or mobile home. The article adds that no one has moved into a trailer, secured an apartment or seen repair work begin through the states interim housing programs.

An investigation carried out by local TV station KHOU found that 22,208 students in the Houston area are considered homeless, with some districts reporting a homeless rate as high as 10 percent. It quoted child advocate Dr. Bob Sanborn: This is something that could indeed affect this whole generation, the Harvey generation.

Other consequences are harder to calculate. One report by National Public Radio noted that there are 25,000 people in the Houston area living with HIV and AIDS, and many had to go weeks without medication. The hurricane closed pharmacies and clinics for a weekor longer. Floodwaters ruined drugs. People who fled to other states couldnt get their prescriptions filled for HIV medicine.

Then there is the environmental impact. The flooded waters were filled with E. coli, lead, arsenic and other toxins, impacting those living and working in the region.

Much of the construction in the Houston area is being performed by day laborers, mainly undocumented immigrants who live in constant fear of deportation, intensified by the policies of the Trump administration. They work without any legal protection, often in hazardous conditions.

The Associated Press reports that the National Day Laborer Organizing Network recently interviewed day workers in Houston and found that most are routinely exposed to mold and contamination About a quarter of the more than 350 workers surveyed said they had been denied wages promised for cleanup work after Harvey, sometimes by employers who abandoned them at work sites after they had completed a job.

Similar conditions prevail in the other regions devastated by hurricanes this season. More than 40,000 people have applied for emergency food stamps in Florida, many waiting in long lines for the most meager assistance. The entire housing stock on the Caribbean island of Barbuda was wiped out, with investors and speculators swooping in to seize land.

Half of Puerto Rico remains without power more than two months after Hurricane Maria. Hundreds of thousands are still without clean water. The island has experienced what can only be described as a mass refugee crisis, with tens of thousands fleeing to the United States for housing and employment. The government is using the disaster as an opportunity to shut down or privatize schools and lay off teachers, as happened after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.

Natural disasters expose the reality of social life. The United States is characterized by levels of social inequality that are without precedent. Three billionaires own as much wealth as the bottom half of the population. Last week, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, increased his wealth to over $100 billionthree times the amount of aid approved by the US Congress for hurricane relief last month.

For the past four decades, the ruling elite, under Democrats and Republicans alike, has engaged in a single-minded policy of wealth redistribution, channeling resources from social programs and infrastructure to the balance sheets of corporations and the bank accounts of the rich. The consequences are innumerable, from the opioid crisis ravaging much of the country, to declining life expectancy, poverty-level wages and soaring debt for the majority of the population.

The main domestic priority of the ruling class is to pass a massive tax cut for the corporations and the wealthy, currently being fast-tracked through Congress. While the Republicans are spearheading this looting operation, they do so with the complicity of the entire political establishment.

The conditions in Houston exemplify the social reality that the Democrats and the media are attempting to bury by polluting public consciousness with the campaign over allegations of sexual harassment and the neo-McCarthyite hysteria over claims that Russia is sowing divisions within the United States. They hope to suppress opposition through a regime of Internet censorship.

Facts, however, are stubborn things. The devastation wrought by Harvey will have its impact in other ways, feeding into a growing mood of anger and opposition that has revolutionary implications.
While the exact results of last Saturdays election in the state of Queensland remain unclear, the collapse of support for both the traditional ruling partiesLabor and the Liberal National Party (LNP)has underscored the disintegration of the post-World War II political order. At this stage with a number of seats still undecided, neither party is in a position to form a majority government.

Widespread disgust and hostility toward the entire parliamentary establishment produced the lowest combined vote for the two parties in a Queensland state election since 1906. Almost a third of the electorate voted for other parties or independents who claimed, however falsely, to represent an alternative to what are now widely derided as the twin parties of big business.

This marks a further fragmentation of support for the two-party setup that held together Australias official political framework for decades. It is a far cry from the 1950s to early 1980s when the two major parties could garner some 90 percent of the vote. The Queensland result indicates that the breakup is accelerating. According to one media calculation, the combined vote for the two parties has dropped by almost 8 percentage points since the 2016 federal election to just 69.5 percent.

More than 30 years of attacks on the jobs, conditions and basic services of the working class, implemented by one government after another, Labor and Liberal-National alike, have produced seething disaffection that has yet to find conscious expression in the building of a mass socialist party. This parallels similar experiences internationally, where years of deteriorating economic and social conditions, enforced by the parties and trade unions that workers once supported, have generated intense political discontent.

At this stage, the main beneficiaries in Australia are right-wing populist outfits like Senator Pauline Hansons One Nation and Bob Katters Australian Party. They are cynically exploiting social misery to try to divert the anger in nationalist and xenophobic directions. With a handful of seats, they may determine who holds office in Queensland, possibly together with several local independents who are seeking to channel the discontent on a parochial basis. But these formations have no answer for the economic and social deterioration because they are all wedded to the market-driven capitalist profit system, which is the source of the crisis.

The reverberations of the Queensland result are already being felt nationally, accelerating the unravelling of the federal Liberal-National government, because the LNP vote crashed by about 8 percentage points to around 33 percent. But the implications go far further. Labors vote also fellby up to 9 points in some working-class areasto around 35 percent. This points to a deeper disconnect between the political elite and the increasingly difficult lives of millions of people and their growing concerns about the danger of war.

This instability is part of a wider fragility of the political system. No federal government has lasted more than three years since the landslide defeat of the Howard Liberal-National Coalition government in 2007.

Public recriminations have erupted from inside the Coalition against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who ousted his predecessor Tony Abbott in 2015; and he confronts splits and revolts on a number of fronts.

Last week Turnbull abruptly cancelled this weeks scheduled session of the House of Representatives, fearing a defeat on the floor that could effectively bring down his government. It has staggered on with growing difficulty since being reduced to a bare one-seat majority at last years election. The Queensland result has heightened the governments turmoil.

Key figures in the rural-based National Party, particularly from regional areas of Queensland where the LNP vote fell to as low as 25 percent, are threatening to cross the floor and join Labor and the Greens in voting for an inquiry into the rapacious activities of the major banks and insurance companies. This is a ploy to appease ruined farmers and business operators who have suffered at the hands of these corporate giants, but it is vehemently opposed by Turnbull and his supporters, who directly represent the interests of the financial elite.

Overlapping with the push for a banking inquiry are moves by the most socially conservative elements within the Coalition to block or amend government-backed legislation introduced in the name of giving effect to the 61 percent vote in favour of the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the governments recent postal survey. These elements, including Abbott and Treasurer Scott Morrison, are seeking to mobilise a right-wing constituency.

The proposed bill already entrenches ongoing discrimination against same-sex couples, fraudulently using the banner of freedom of religion to insist that churches and religious bigots must be able to denounce gay people and refuse to service their weddings. Six government ministers and most Liberal-National senators voted yesterday against the government and in favour of even more sweeping measures to stigmatise same-sex couples.

Next week, the government is likely to be further destabilised when the lower house finally reconvenes from a five-week recess. Desperate to hold onto office until the new year, Turnbull delayed until Tuesday a deadline for all members of parliament to table documents proving they do not hold, and are not entitled to hold, dual citizenship by birth or descent. An unknown number of MPspossibly more than 20may face disqualification, on top of the nine already removed since June. This could end the governments majority.

The disqualification furore, upheld by a unanimous High Court ruling in October, involves the use of a section of the 1901 Constitution to bar any citizen from standing for parliament if they lack what the judges called undivided loyalty to the Australian nation. This amounts to a nationalist witch-hunt. About half the countrys citizens cannot run for election now unless they formally renounce their foreign rights.

As the Socialist Equality Party has explained, this is a part of a calculated attempt to create a war-time political atmosphere, with all loyal citizens expected to demonstrate their devotion to the nation. This is under conditions of escalating world tensions, particularly between the US and China, in which both the Turnbull government and the Labor Party have pledged full support to any US-led war.

The stoking of patriotism by the ruling elite is an anxious bid to cultivate a right-wing constituency to divert the inevitable eruption of struggle by the working class against the danger of war and social inequality. The perplexity and frustration in ruling circles was voiced today by Dennis Shanahan, political editor of Murdochs Australian, who wrote of an air of despair and a fatal paralysis dominating the government.

Unless the working class intervenes, advancing the socialist and internationalist alternative to capitalism and national divisions, the parliamentary crisis will become a vehicle for refashioning official politics along nationalist and authoritarian lines to suppress the mounting popular unrest.
By PTI: Karachi/Dubai, Nov 29 (PTI) Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistans former dictator Parvez Musharraf has said he backs the terror groups role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who is on self-exile in Dubai, said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.

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Musharraf, who recently announced a grand alliance of 23 political parties, also said he is always in favour of "action" in Jammu and Kashmir and "suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir".

"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News.

Calling himself the biggest supporter of LeT and Saeed, Musharraf said he knows that he is also liked by the militant group and the Jammat-ud-Dawa, the group headed by Saeed in Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan and the decision to ban the terror outfit in Pakistan was taken by the Musharraf government only.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he banned the terror group under "different circumstances" without elaborating further.

Musharrafs comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan governments decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Saeed has now filed the petition to delist him from the UN list of designated terrorists.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost.

Musharraf, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharifs control anymore". PTI UZM AKJ UZM

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By PTI: (Eds: Updating with more details)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad/Dubai, Nov 29 (PTI) Calling himself the "biggest supporter" of the LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistans former dictator Parvez Musharraf, who was the brain behind the 1999 Kargil conflict, has said he backs the terror groups role in "suppressing" the Indian Army in Kashmir.

"The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) are fond of me," said Musharraf, the 74-year-old retired general who plotted the Kargil conflict, then toppled prime minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled over Pakistan for nine years.

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Musharraf, who is on self-exile in Dubai, said the Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports his involvement.

When asked if he "liked" JuD chief Saeed too, Musharraf said, "Yes and I have met with him."

"Because I have always been in favour of an action in Kashmir and I have always been favouring for pressuring the Indian Army in Kashmir. This (LeT) is the biggest force and they have been declared terrorists by India along with the US," Musharraf stressed while explaining his stance.

"India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir it is between us and India," he told the ARY News during an interview related to his 23-party grand alliance.

The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 that left 166 people dead.

Musharraf categorically denied that LeT was involved in the Mumbai terror attack for which India blamed Pakistan.

The LeT was banned in Pakistan months after the 9/11 attacks on the US and the decision to ban the terror outfit was taken by the Musharraf government only.

When asked about it, Musharraf said he had banned the LeT under "different circumstances". He did not elaborate.

Musharrafs comments came days after Saeed walked free following Pakistan governments decision against detaining him further. He was under house arrest since January this year.

India had expressed outrage over the decision of the judicial board to release Saeed, calling it an attempt by Pakistan to mainstream proscribed terrorists and a reflection of its continuing support to non-state actors.

Saeed, who is accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai attack, was placed on the terrorism black list by the United Nations in December 2008.

The US too has designated him as a global terrorist and has announced a reward of USD 10 million for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

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When asked about the official US statement on Saeed, he said the statement was written in a highly offensive language and termed it an "insult to Pakistan?s sovereignty."

Last Friday, the White House said there would be repercussions for US-Pakistan relations unless Islamabad took action to detain and charge the JuD chief for masterminding the Mumbai attacks.

The US had asked Pakistan to rearrest Saeed, who has been designated a terrorist by the US Justice Department.

"This language is offensive and insults Pakistan?s sovereignty? I would never accept this," Musharraf said.

"I would have told them," he continued, "Please do not dictate to us. We are in-charge here. We will decide on who is the head of [and] whether he has to be tried or punished."

When asked about his alliance with religious parties such as Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, Sunni Ittehad Council, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek among others, Musharraf responded that such an alliance "is the requirement of the day".

"You are describing me as a liberal. Yes, I am. These are my thoughts. This does not mean I am against all religious parties," the former president told the anchor.

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He overruled the possibility of any martial law in Pakistan, saying democracy in the country is not under threat.

Musharraf, who is facing a slew of court cases, claimed that he was ready to face all charges as the courts are not under "Nawaz Sharifs control anymore". PTI SH/UZM ZH AKJ ZH

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PENSACOLA, Fla. (WTXL) - A man has been sentenced to over three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to mailing threatening letters to a Florida Sheriff on behalf of ISIS.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Regis L. Walker was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison Monday. He plead guilty to mailing threatening communications in January.

In June 2016, Walker mailed a threatening letter on notebook paper to the Escambia County Sheriffs Office, addressed to the sheriff David Morgan.

In the letter, Walker claimed several people who had joined ISIS would simultaneously attack military bases, beaches, and schools at a random time and could not be stopped by law enforcement officers because they "cannot be everywhere at once."

According to officials, Walker made specific reference to the Orlando Pulse Night Club attack that killed approximately 50 people.

He also wrote that the attackers planned on not giving up, and that they plan on dying. He signed the note as ISIS ALLAH.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was able to find Walker's fingerprints on the letter and he was arrested in connection to the crime.

Walker is a registered sex offender. He was previously convicted for lewd or lascivious conduct on a victim under 16 years old.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - FSU's Relay for Life is doing a big fundraising push on this Giving Tuesday.

They are trying to raise $25,000 in 24 hours! This is the first time they are doing this.

It's part of the American Cancer Society's' campaign to raise $1 million Tuesday.

"Because it's Giving Tuesday and the national day of giving, the American Cancer Society is having an entire campaign about raising $1 million," said Gabriela Paris, the executive director of FSU Relay for Life. "So as Relay for Life of FSU, we wanted to contribute to that by raising $25,000."

The campaign began at 9 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning.
GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Gadsden County deputies have arrested a man accused of attempted rape, aggravated assault and robbery at a Quincy church.

The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office says that on Nov. 15, they responded to the House of Worship on Atlanta Street in Quincy about the crime.

A victim said at around 4 p.m., she was finishing up cleaning the church and began locking all the doors. One of those doors had two locks, one to lock the inside and one to lock the outside.

At the time, the victim said that she didn't have the outside key, so she only locked the inside. While doing so, the victim noticed a man began walking towards her with a shovel.

The woman tried to close the door, but the man came inside and pushed her before closing the door. Once the door was closed, the man pushed her into a wall and asked her for her wallet.

The victim said the man told her that if she didn't give him money, he would rape her. Deputies say that the woman managed to fight the man off but he was able to reach around and take her money and cellphone.

Through an investigation, deputies were able to find the suspect, Brandon Moore. Moore was interviewed and admitted the crimes, leading to his arrest.

He was charged with strong-armed robbery, robbery, aggravated battery, attempted sexual battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was booked at the Gadsden County Jail.

Our Criminal Investigations Division got another good arrest and we refuse to have the citizens of Gadsden County subjected to this type criminal behavior," said Sheriff Morris Young. "Im just glad we got him off the streets!
MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) - Some Midway residents are speaking out with concerns about their mayor.

They believe Mayor Wanda Range might be illegally living in an R.V. within the city. WTXL started looking into this because of viewer tips from Midway residents. This isn't the first time citizens have voiced concerns about the way Midway is being run.

Midway residents have filed complaints with the city accusing Mayor Wanda Range of residing in a R.V. on Palmer Road, complete with a mailbox and electricity.

"From my understanding, that's where she lives and the city car is parked there on a regular basis," said neighbor Eric Williams.

According to the Gadsden County code of ordinances, recreational vehicles are not allowed to serve as a residence unless they're parked in an R.V. park. Even then, the length of stay cannot exceed six months.

However, Mayor Range's sister tells WTXL the mayor does not live in an R.V. She says Range lives with her in the mobile home next to the R.V. She did not want to appear on camera, but says the R.V. is used to house friends and family when they're in town visiting.

However, Range's sister did confirm there's electricity running to the R.V.

The Electrical Permit Application for their address was filed with the City of Midway, signed by Mayor Wanda Range on January 6, 2017. Right underneath her signature, it says, "Please note: Electric for RV (residential) use is not permitted."

WTXL tried to confirm the mayor's official address at city hall. City Manager Leslie Steele said she could not provide us with that information.

On the Gadsden County Supervisor of Elections' website, Range's address is listed as 86 Shuler Road. We went to the home to see if she was there, but the current renters said she did not.

WTXL reached out to the woman who owns the home, Janice Stanley, to get documentation of when Range lived there. It turns out Range was evicted in May of 2016 for not paying rent.

The most recent information from the Florida Voter List states, as of August 2017, Range's registered address is 111 Shuler Road. But Range's sister insists, they live together on Palmer Road.

Another issue: Williams says their mobile home is sitting on his family's property.

"Her property is across the street and her trailer is on my mom's property," said Williams, "There [are] some legal issues we're going through to try to get them off of our property."

WTXL tried contacting Wanda Range for this story, but, despite the fact she's a public official, neither her phone number nor her email is listed on the City of Midway's website.

However, she did issue a statement to WTXL saying:

"Two years ago I ran for office to represent the citizens of District 3 on the Midway City Council and since that time I have continued to be a resident of the District I was elected to serve.

In regards to the Recreation Vehicle in question that sits on Palmer Road both myself and Mayor Pro Tem Sam Stevens are both heirs of the property and like other members of our family are welcomed to use it at any time.

It is my hope that our citizens join city leadership in moving this city forward and have a prosperous and safe holiday season."
By India Today Web Desk: The grapevine has been abuzz with stories of Nargis Fakhri and Uday Chopra's affair. From Uday's Valentine's Day message for Nargis to their romantic getaways, the rumours only gained momentum.

Last year, there were reports of trouble in paradise, and it was being said that Uday broke up with Nargis over a text message, after which she, nursing a broken heart, left the country. Nargis, however, maintained that she left for New York to attend to her health issues and any other stories doing the rounds are nothing but baseless speculation.

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Earlier this year, Nargis reportedly unfollowed Uday on Instagram, which seemed to confirm reports of their split. But if a report in SpotboyE is to be believed, they have put their fights behind them.

Apparently, Nargis has moved in with Uday Chopra and his mother Pamela Chopra, and they are all putting up at the Chopras' Juhu bungalow. A source told the publication that Nargis "has a new address in Mumbai", and frequently travels to the US from there.

Now that Uday's mother Pamela Chopra has approved of their relationship, will there be wedding bells soon? Only the couple can answer that.

On the work front, Nargis Fakhri was last seen on the big screen in Banjo, while Uday Chopra has retired from acting. He was last seen in his production, Dhoom 3.

ALSO WATCH: End of romance for Uday Chopra and Nargis Fakhri

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The man accused of killing eight and injuring many more in a truck attack in Manhattan, New York, on Halloween last month has pleaded not guilty in court.

By India Today Web Desk: The New York truck attack suspect, who was seen mowing down people with a speeding rental truck down a bike lane in Manhattan's West Side on Halloween last month, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other criminal charges in court today.

Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Florida-based man originally from Uzbekistan, entered his plea before US District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. Saipov's court-appointed lawyer, David Patton, has declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

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WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 31?

On October 31, while New York was decking up for Halloween, Saipov's rented pick-up truck ran into the bike lane and hit multiple people, killing eight and leaving many others injured.

Five of the victims were Argentinians, who were part of a group in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation. The other victims were a Belgian woman, a New Yorker and a New Jersey man.

Saipov was shot at by a police officer at the site before being arrested immediately after the attack, which has been dubbed as the deadliest assault on New York City since 9/11.

Soon after the attack, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for it.

A criminal complaint filed by prosecutors states that Saipov told investigators he was inspired by watching Islamic State videos, and began planning the attack a year earlier.

Saipov also said that "he felt good about what he had done," and asked for permission to display the flag of the militant group Islamic State in his hospital room.

WHAT ARE THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM?

On November 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing material support to Islamic State and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Twitter for Saipov to face the death penalty. Though the most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty, it is not yet clear whether prosecutors will seek it.

Would love to send the NYC terrorist to Guantanamo but statistically that process takes much longer than going through the Federal system...- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017

...There is also something appropriate about keeping him in the home of the horrible crime he committed. Should move fast. DEATH PENALTY!- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017

The next hearing in Saipov's case is set for January 23.

With inputs from Reuters

--- ENDS ---
YORK  A trial date had been set for December in a case where convicted killer Erica Jenkins is accused of severely beating another inmate at the Nebraska Center for Women.

But the trial has now been postponed to next April, due to her non-cooperation and the need for attorneys to take depositions.

Jenkins was supposed to participate in a telephonic hearing on Tuesday morning, but reportedly refused to go to the telephone at the Iowa prison where she is now being held.

The hearing was supposed to start at 9 a.m., in York County District Court. An hour later, Judge James Stecker called her attorney, Kevin Schlender, and special prosecutor from the Nebraska Attorney Generals office, George Welch, to the bench.

Shortly afterward, they went on the record to discuss the matter.

Its now 10 oclock, what is the status? Judge Stecker asked.

She is in Iowa, as the court is aware, Schlender said. I spoke with her yesterday and explained that we would be having this hearing via the telephone. I understand now that she wont go to the phone to cooperate.

Judge Stecker said her non-cooperation would not be reflected upon speedy trial requirements for the state, as she has chosen not to participate.

We are asking for a continuance. No depositions have yet been taken, Schlender said. Ive spoken with the prosecution and we are talking about perhaps March or April (for the trial to be held).

Judge Stecker said that he would allow the continuance, on the defense motion, to April 24 at 9 a.m.

Jenkins, 27, is serving life in prison for the 2013 slaying of Curtis Bradford of Omaha. She is the sister of death-row inmate Nikko Jenkins, who participated in Bradfords killing and was responsible for three other murders.

Jenkins was recently transferred from the prison in York to the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville, Iowa. The reason for the transfer has not been disclosed by prison authorities.

Meanwhile, the case in York County is ongoing. She is accused of beating a fellow inmate  her cousin  who had testified against her, helping prosecutors obtain robbery convictions. A prison investigator testified at a preliminary hearing earlier this year that Jenkins demanded that her cousin recant the testimony and the assault allegedly took place after her cousins refusal.

The victim  Christine Bordeaux  suffered a concussion, broken arm and fractured nasal bone when she was allegedly beaten with a combination lock by Jenkins.

While court hearings can be held telephonically, such as was scheduled this week, Jenkins would have to be present for trial. Prison officials have said that transportation costs for bringing Jenkins back to York County  which is 260 miles from her new residence in Iowa  will be covered by the state and not York County.

This is not the first time Jenkins has refused to participate in court hearings here. She has refused numerous times to be transported to the York County Courthouse; however, she did appear for her preliminary hearing in York County Court and her arraignment in York County District Court.
It was not immediately clear if Trump was referring to additional US sanctions or another around of penalties at the United Nations.

By AP: President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions on North Korea Wednesday after its most powerful missile test yet and urged China's leader "to use all available levers" to convince its wayward ally to "return to the path of denuclearization."

It was not immediately clear if Trump was referring to additional US sanctions or another around of penalties at the United Nations. Agreement between the US and China, both veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council, is key to such action. The council is due to hold an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon.

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Trump tweeted that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!"

After a 2.5 month pause in its rapid tempo of nuclear and missile tests, North Korea said it launched a "significantly more" powerful, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile. Outside governments and analysts concurred the North had made a jump in missile capability.

Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

Some observers believe the Hwasong-15 missile that was tested on a high trajectory and splashed down in the Sea of Japan in the early hours of Wednesday in Asia could potentially reach Washington and the entire eastern U.S. seaboard.

That suggests progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that could strike the U.S. mainland. Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having that capability - using military force if necessary.

US 'DETERMINED' TO DEFEND SELF, ALLIES

A White House statement about the phone conversation between the US and Chinese leaders said Trump made clear "the determination of the United States to defend ourselves and our allies." Trump also "emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization."

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, maintaining international nuclear-nonproliferation regime, and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia are China's unswerving goal.

Xi said China would like to keep up communications with the United States and all other related parties, and "jointly push the nuclear issue toward the direction of peaceful settlement via dialogues and negotiations," according to Xinhua.

U.S. sanctions against North Korea were bolstered last week after the Trump administration declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism. Those sanctions targeted North Korean shipping and Chinese companies that deal with the North.

WATCH | Trump urges UN member states to isolate Kim govt until it ceases its hostile behavior

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This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

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As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More
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- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday welcomed, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Bucharest, Jose Antonio Hernandez Perez-Solorzano, who presented his letters of credence, with the two high officials reconfirming on the same occasion both parties' commitment

- President Klaus Iohannis and Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Petteri Taalas met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Climate Implementation Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi

- President Klaus Iohannis has convened the meeting of the Supreme Council for the Country's Defense (CSAT), which will take place on Tuesday, starting at 14:00, at the Cotroceni Palace, a release by the Presidential Administration from 11 October reads, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele

- President Klaus Iohannis on Monday signed decrees on appointment of two new members to the National Statistical Council, informs the Presidential Administration, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help

- We need zero tolerance for plagiarism, and the new education laws must include explicit provisions on preventing and punishing this toxic phenomenon of the educational environment, said President Klaus Iohannis on Monday morning, at the opening of the university year at the Ion Mincu University of

- President Klaus Iohannis will lead the Romanian delegation that will participate in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in New York, the Presidential Administration informs. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- President Klaus Iohannis signed, on Tuesday, the Condolence Book opened in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Romania, the Presidential Administration announced. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday will sign the condolence book opened in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania, the Presidential Administration announced. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, after the third launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), launch of declared the country a 'full nuclear force' with the potential to strike the United States of America.

By India Today Web Desk: Hours after conducting yet another missile test, North Korea announced that it has achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state and that it is now capable of striking the "whole mainland" of the United States of America.

BREAKING: Kim Jong Un says the country has 'finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force'- The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) November 29, 2017

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Following the missile launch, an AFP report quoted North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un as saying "we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", citing a satement from Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency.

Earlier, North Korea raised global tensions by launching what it said was its most powerful weapon yet -- a nuclear-capable intercontinetal ballistic missle -- Pyongyang called the Hwasong-15. The Associated Press reported that some observers believe the new missile could put Washington DC and the entire eastern US seaboard in range, backing the country's claim that it could now hit the entire of the US.

The Associated Press also reported that the post-launch North Korean statement called the Hwasong-15, the missile, the "greatest ICBM". The missile could be a "super-large heavy nuclear warhead" and strike the "whole mainland" of the United States, the statement reportedly said.

#UPDATE North Korea claims it has achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state after successfully testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile that puts the 'whole mainland of the US' within its range https://t.co/hf2jiLTPPo pic.twitter.com/q9sUIfI5on- AFP news agency (@AFP) November 29, 2017

"The development and advancement of the strategic weapon of the DPRK are to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from the US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat, and to ensure the peaceful life of the people, and therefore, they would not pose any threat to any country and region as long as the interests of the DPRK are not infringed upon," AP quoted from the statement.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

Hwasong 15 launch

North Korea launched the its most powerful Intercontinental Ballistic Missile yet -- Hwasong 15 -- early Wednesday, a weapon the country claims, could put Washington and the entire eastern US seaboard within range.

Pyongyang confirmed the launch, saying it had successful fired a new type of ICBM.

Resuming its torrid testing pace in pursuit of its goal of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can hit the US mainland had been widely expected, but the apparent power and suddenness of the new test still jolted the Korean Peninsula and Washington.

The launch at 3:17 a.m. local time and midday in the US capital indicated an effort to perfect the element of surprise and to obtain maximum attention in the United States.

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Soon after the missile launch, US President Donald Trump spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to discuss the countries' response to North Korea's latest missile launch.

The White House says both leaders "underscored the grave threat that North Korea's latest provocation poses" not only to US and South Korea, "but to the entire world."

The two presidents also "reaffirmed their strong condemnation of North Korea's reckless campaign to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, noting that these weapons only serve to undermine North Korea's security and deepen its diplomatic and economic isolation."

US Vice President Mike Pence too reacted to the launch, warning North Korea not to test President Trump's resolve.

Pence said Pyongyang would do well "not to test the resolve of this president or the capabilities of the armed forces of the United States of America." He adds that "all options" remain on the table.

The Kim regime in North Korea would do well not to test the resolve of this @POTUS or the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the United States. pic.twitter.com/62KvheZUpc- Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) November 29, 2017

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- The exhibition called "The Convention regarding the world, cultural and natural heritage - 50 years" opened on Wednesday, in the lobby of the plenary hall of the Deputies' Chamber. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro 

- The Constitutional Court of Romania rejected, on Wednesday, the referrals submitted by the Save Romania Union (USR), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and the Ombudsman regarding the three Justice laws adopted in the Parliament, CCR officials stated for AGERPRES. Fii la curent

- The plenary meeting of Parliament is set to gather on 14 November in order to commemorate the victims of the Anti-Communist Rebellion in Brasov of 15 November 1987, the Joint Standing Bureaus of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies decided on Wednesday, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele

- Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies' Culture Committee, Save Romania Union (USR) MP Iulian Bulai, invites National Library director Adrian Cioroianu to Parliament to discuss the "current obstruction" to accessing the doctoral theses kept at the library and identify legal and administrative solutions

- The Permanent Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies decided that the simple motion initiated by Save Romania Union (USR) and Forta Dreptei against the Minister of Education, Sorin Cimpeanu, should be debated and voted on next Tuesday in plenary sitting. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- Collaboration between Parliament and the Court of Accounts needs to be strengthened, said Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader, on Thursday, adding that there are many positive examples regarding the Court's activity, such as the report from the

- The Minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, on Tuesday told the plenum of the Chamber of Deputies that the simple motion of the USR (Save Romania Union) is prepared as "a Romanian hotchpotch," seasoned with "lies," "exaggerations" and an "unmistakable panic flavour." Fii la curent cu cele mai

- Parliament will be illuminated, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the colors of the Ukrainian flag - blue and yellow, to mark the National Flag Day and the Independence Day celebrated by the neighboring country, the Chamber of Deputies informed. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste
Zodiile ghinioniste in 2023. Cine va avea mari probleme din ianuarie, mare atentie!

Zodiile ghinioniste in 2023. S-ar putea ca noul an sa fie unul norocos pentru tine. La fel de bine exista si posibilitatea ca norocul sa nu-ti surada neaparat de la inceputul lui 2023. Toate semnele zodiacale din horoscop au propriile [citeste mai departe]
Juba: Fifty people were killed in raids by a tribal militia in eastern South Sudan, a local official said Wednesday, the latest in a series of attacks between rival communities.

Dut Achuek, a state minister, said eight people died in an attack on Monday in Jonglei state, while a follow-up raid on Tuesday left "23 women killed and... 19 men killed."
WASHINGTON: Now a private citizen, former President Barack Obama has re-emerged on the global stage as he opened a three-country tour that includes meetings with the leaders of China and India, just as President Donald Trump courts those same world powers.

During a five-day trip, Obama will mix paid speeches with foreign leader meetings and even a town hall event for young people, the signature event that Obama became known for around the world during his eight years in office. He'll finish the trip in France, where he'll give one of several speeches planned during the trip.

The tour continues a longstanding tradition of former US presidents traveling overseas after leaving office, especially as they work to attract donations and other support for their foundations, libraries and presidential centers.

But Obama's trip may garner particular attention, given that many foreign countries are still uncertain about Trump's foreign policy and may look to his predecessor to help explain America's current direction.

"Barack Obama is the great explainer to the rest of the world of what the heck is going on in America," said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. "He's a calming influence in a world that's teetering on frenzy right now. Obama arrives and it reminds them of old-style diplomacy and the dignity of statesmanship."

Obama arrived yesterday in Shanghai, where he was to speak at a business conference before traveling to Beijing to speak at an education event.

He also planned to meet there with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who hosted Trump for a high-profile visit only a few weeks earlier. Obama's office said they planned to discuss the global economy, climate change and other issues.

Then the former president is off to India, where he'll meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, give another speech and hold a town hall meeting hosted by Obama's foundation. Throughout his presidency, Obama often used the popular events in foreign countries to take questions about everything from politics and policy to his personal story and pop culture. Obama's office said roughly 280 young leaders planned to attend.

Obama will give a final speech Saturday in Paris before returning to the United States. Aides didn't rule out the possibility that he could also see President Emmanuel Macron, whose presidential campaign Obama endorsed, while in France.

Aides to the former president declined to say who was paying for the trip, but he'll be compensated for the speeches.

The trip comes as Trump is aggressively pushing China's leaders to cut off North Korea economically over its nuclear weapons program.

Obama will also be in India just days after Trump's daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump. The first daughter gave a speech yesterday at a business conference that was widely disseminated on Indian television.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has applauded his daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump's "great work" in promoting women entrepreneurs during her visit to India.

Ivanka is currently in India leading a high-profile US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad being co-hosted by the two countries.

This is not the first time Ivanka is visiting India. But yes, this is her first visit to India as a senior presidential advisor.

"Great work Ivanka," Trump said in a late-night tweet as he retweeted State Department which said that Ivanka's comments on US efforts to fuel entrepreneurship so that Americans can turn their dreams into incredible legacies.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also praised 36-year-old Ivanka.???????

"Thrilled to see" Ivanka Trump "in India promoting female entrepreneurs. At home that means improving workforce development and cutting government red tape," Haley said in a tweet yesterday.

Haley is the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration. She is also the first ever Indian American serving in the Cabinet of any presidential administration.

"Globally it means creating an environment where women- across the world-have access to the capital & mentorship they need to succeed," Haley said.

In recent weeks, Haley said that she was planning to visit India this year but could not go because of her other pressing engagement, but hopes to travel soon.

The State Department Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, also praised Ivanka for her accomplishments in Hyderabad.

"We are certainly proud of what she's been able to accomplish, and I can think of no better representative for the US Government to talk about women's entrepreneurship than her," she told reporters at a news conference.

The GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world, she said.

"And we are excited about the focus that this year's GES puts on the US-India bilateral relationship," Nauert said.

GES 2017 participants will empower innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women, to utilise new skills and resources to achieve success through plenaries, workshops, and a pitch competition, she asserted.

This is the eighth annual GES and the first time the GES has taken place in South Asia, she said, adding that it reflects the region's strong entrepreneurial-ship achievements and future as well as the rapid growth of the US-India Strategic Partnership.
New Delhi: Google has detected an app 'Tizi', which has been stealing information from call records and also from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and also take pictures from mobile phones without even displaying them on screen of the device.

"Tizi is a fully featured backdoor that installs spyware to steal sensitive data from popular social media applications. The Google Play Protect security team discovered this family in September 2017 when device scans found an app with rooting capabilities that exploited old vulnerabilities," a post on Google security blog said.

The company has removed the app from Play Store, notified all known affected devices and suspended account of the app developer, the post dated November 27 said.

The post said that earlier variant of Tizi did not had rooting capabilities but it developed later on and thereafter started stealing sensitive information from devices.

"The rooting capabilities give an app full control of the device. It can bypass all restriction posed on it by Android security system. An app with rooting is like a user using the device. Presence of such app on Google Play Store raises concerns around secure apps on the app store," cyber security expert Jiten Jain said.

The post said that after gaining rooting capability, Tizi steals sensitive data "from popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, LinkedIn, and Telegram."

The backdoor capability of Tizi were common to commercial spyware, such as recording calls from WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype, sending and receiving SMS messages, and accessing calendar events, call log, contacts, photos, Wi-Fi encryption keys, and a list of all installed apps

"Tizi apps can also record ambient audio and take pictures without displaying the image on the device's screen," the post said.

The post said that in and after April 2016 vulnerabilities in devices which could have been affected by Tizi were fixed with new software codes.

"If a Tizi app is unable to take control of a device because the vulnerabilities it tries to use are are all patched, it will still attempt to perform some actions through the high level of permissions it asks the user to grant to it, mainly around reading and sending SMS messages and monitoring, redirecting, and preventing outgoing phone calls," the post said.
China might be conducting some heavy construction work in the Siang river, a major constituent of the Brahmaputra. Authorities have found that the water of Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh has mysteriously turned black.

A Congress MP, Ninong Ering, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard and has sought immediate attention and action.

The MP has written that the river has become muddy and slushy, black and contaminated, pointing that aquatic life has disappeared.

A caution in this regard was raised by East Siang district authorities

According to an official, thick cement-like material has made the water unusable for all purposes.

Ering has written that there is no other reason that the mighty Siang should be dirty and black in the month of November, but has occurred due to heavy excavation on the Chinese side, which has to be verified by an international team.

I am sure China is doing something to the river which is a common property of three nations, including India and Bangladesh, he said.

This comes less than a month after reports that Chinese engineers are testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000-km long tunnel to divert water from Brahmaputra river in Tibet to Xinjiang region.

The proposed tunnel, which would drop down from the world's highest plateau in multiple sections connected by waterfalls, would provide water in China's largest administrative division, comprising vast swathes of deserts and dry grasslands.

The water would be diverted from the Yarlung Tsangpo river in southern Tibet, which turns into the river Brahmaputra once it enters India, to the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang, PTI had reported.

India has already flagged its concerns to Beijing about various dams being built by it on Brahmaputra river, which is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in China.

Beijing has been assuring India and Bangladesh, which is also a recipient of the waters from the river, that its dams were of the run of river projects and not designed to storing water.

(With agency inputs)
Hadiya today said she is still "not free" since she cannot meet her husband, and that the college will be "another prison" for her.

By India Today Web Desk: A day after the Supreme Court ordered her to rejoin her college in Tamil Nadu's Salem, Hadiya today said she is still "not free" since she cannot meet her husband, and that the college will be "another prison" for her.

"I asked for freedom from court. I wanted to meet my husband, but till now the fact is that I am not free and that's the truth. Till now, I have not got my freedom" Hadiya, 24, told reporters in Salem, where she was pursuing a homeopathy course.

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"I don't know what's happening, don't know if college will be another prison," she said, responding to the Supreme Court's decision to send her back to her college hostel to finish her studies.

"The college doesn't have clarity court order and procedures," she alleged. "I have to wait for 2-3 days for the college to understand the procedures."

Hadiya said "every passing second" is a "big deal for me". "I want to meet people who I love and like. And I haven't got a chance for that. I demanded freedom from the court. For six months, I was put up with people I hate and they are the people who tried to reconvert me," she said.

"I spoke to my dad and wasn't able to contact my husband. I am demanding basic rights that any Indian citizen has. It is nothing to do with politics or caste. All I want is I want to talk to ones I like," she said.

Last night, Hadiya reached Salem in a police vehicle from Coimbatore amid tight security, to pursue her studies at a homeopathy college, as directed by the Supreme Court, which refused to allow her plea to go with her husband, Shafin Jahan.

Born into a Hindu family and named Akhila Ashokan, she converted to Islam and later married Shafin Jahan, a Muslim. Her father opposed the marriage and moved the court. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said it could be a case of 'love jihad' in Kerala.

On Monday, Hadiya told the Supreme Court that she wants to meet her husband and does not need any local guardian. She also told the court that she wants to continue her education in Salem's Sivaraj Homoeopathic Medical Colleges and Research Institute.

WATCH VIDEO | Kerala love jihad 'victim' Hadiya first time on camera: Forced conversion or choice?

--- ENDS ---
I had almost made it through the day without a Padmavati story when this post surfaced.

Just as it seemed the controversy over Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmavati was waning, it seems to have twirled itself back to centerstage courtesy a video of Mulayam Singh Yadavs choti bahu dancing to the song Ghoomar from the film.

Aparna Yadav, the wife of the Samajwadi party chiefs younger son, Prateek was dancing at a gathering to mark her brothers engagement- an otherwise accepted practice of Sangeet prevalent in most of north India - when she was filmed and the video has since gone viral on social platforms.

Aparnas brother Aman Bisht got engaged at a five-star hotel in Lucknow on Sunday, November 26.

What otherwise would have passed off as an innocuous performance seems to have caught the imagination of social media, and given a fresh handle to Rajput fringe groups like Shree Karni Sena to continue with their protests.

Why the video went viral can be explained in part by one of two things  Mulayam Singh Yadavs rather conservative image which raises curiosity about this performance by his daughter-in-law and makes it unusual; and the choice of the song - perhaps eminently danceable but still from a film which has been mired in controversy in recent times and was perhaps best avoided.

Among other things that are awry about Sanjay Leela Bhansalis film, Rajput outfits find the depiction of Padmavati (portrayed by Deepika Padukone) dancing as despicable and have made quite a song and dance about it. The Karni Sena has been leading protests against what they say is a depiction of Padmavati - a Rajput princess - in poor light. Padmavati stars Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh and was slated for release on December 1. The release has been indefinitely postponed owing to protests across the country.

In this melee, the Supreme Courts decision to dismiss a plea that sought to ban the release of the film outside India has come not just as a welcome relief for the filmmakers and those associated with it, but also as a clarion call to voices of reason. The Supreme Court has also said those in public offices should not comment on the film censor boards workings after public comments against the film by top politicians in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

But there seems to be no reasoning with the Karni Sena who now want the Prime Minister to intervene. A nationwide ban is in the jurisdiction of the government of India as per a section in the Cinematography Act. The Centre can ban a film even before or after clearance by the censor board," Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Rajput Karni Sena, said at a press conference in Jaipur yesterday.

Im busy trying to get through a day where we may discuss issues of greater national relevance or importance and, as a digital journalist, grapple with how stories on Padmavati are the most read day after day - stories that have started quoting people of little or no value making little or no sense - a mass exercise in floccinaucinihilipilification.

Bottomline: We need to be more pragmatic about a film in 21st century India based on a 16th century fable of a 14th century Rajput princess and the Muslim ruler of Delhi. This isnt about history at all  whether she existed or not isnt the question  certain creative liberties were available to Malik Muhammad Jayasi when his wrote is epic poem Padmavat and we should certainly extend the same liberties to Sanjay Leela Bhasali. Its a Bollywood film with songs, dance and superstars  let it be that and nothing more.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)
Chennai: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Wednesday predicted 'heavy to very heavy' rainfall in parts of southern Tamil Nadu over the next 48 hours.

According to ANI, the NDMA said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in parts of south Tamil Nadu during next 48 hours.

Heavy rains recently lashed Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu, forcing the authorities to order the closure of schools in these districts.

The three cities had witnessed a heavy rainfall earlier too.

Schools in Chennai and a few other coastal districts of Tamil Nadu were earlier this month closed for a week due to incessant rains.

The situation forced the Chennai Municipal Corporation to set up a control room to monitor situation and help people throughout the north-east monsoon period.

Residents were requested to call on 044-2536 7823, 2538 4965, 2538 3694 for any rain-related assistance from the civic body.

It's helpline 1913 received several complaints.
New Delhi: Nestle India on Wednesday said that its instant noodles brand Maggi is 100 percent safe for consumption after the Uttar Pradesh district administration imposed a fine of Rs 62 lakh for alleged ash content in the instant snack.



The district administration of Shahjahanpur, UP, has slapped a fine on Nestle India and its distributors after its popular noodles brand Maggi allegedly failed to pass the lab test. The district administration has also imposed a fine of Rs 45 lakh on Nestle, Rs 15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs 11 lakh on its two sellers.

According to the district authorities, it had collected the samples last year in November and sent them for lab test, which had found ash content above the permissible limits of human consumption.

Maggi noodles are 100% safe for consumption. We strongly reiterate that at no stage of the manufacturing process, ash is added to Maggi noodles, a spokesperson representing Nestle India said in an email statement on Wednesday.

"It is a case of applying standards basis an old advisory issued in 2015. Now, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has laid standards for instant noodles, pasta and seasoning. Maggi noodles are fully compliant with this. While we have not yet received the order passed by the adjudication officer, we understand from the information available that the relevant samples are of the year 2015 and the issue pertains to ash content," the statement said.

"In the spirit of complete transparency and basis information available, we are sharing with this statement a summary comparison of the analysis reports (which appeared to have been used by the adjudication officer). As you will notice, Maggi noodles is fully compliant with the standards set by FSSAI. Maggi noodles have always been safe for consumption and will continue to be," it added.

In 2015, Nestle India and other companies had represented to the relevant authorities, via industry associations, to set standards specific to instant noodles to avoid confusion amongst enforcement officers and consumers.

Maggi was banned by FSSAI in June 2015 for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market. Even in 2015, the Maggi trouble for Nestle had begun in UP.

Following legal battles, the popular noodles brand was back in the market in November 2015.
MUMBAI: Social activist Anna Hazare will launch an agitation over Jan Lokpal and farmers' issues in New Delhi on March 23 next year.

Hazare, who has been the face of the Lokpal movement, said they have chosen March 23 to launch the agitation as it happens to be the 'Shaheed Diwas' (Martyr's Day).

"This will be a satyagraha for Jan Lokpal, farmers' issues and poll reforms," Hazare said, addressing a meeting of his supporters at Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district last evening.

The veteran Gandhian said he has been writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on these issues but hasn't received a response.

"At least 12 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last 22 years. I want to know the number of industrialists committing suicide during this period," he said.

Hazare has been demanding the formation of Jan Lokpal to keep a check on corruption.

He went on a 12-day hunger strike in 2011 after which the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government accepted the demand in principle.

Hazare later launched a fast, which enjoyed a huge popular support across the country. The UPA government later passed the Lokpal bill.

An aide of Hazare today said the Modi government has not appointed a lokpal. "The reason given from the government's side is technical," he said.

He said according to the Lokpal Act, a committee comprising the prime minister, the Lok Sabha speaker, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the chief justice of India or a Supreme Court judge nominated by him, should be formed and select the Lokpal.

"However, as there is no leader of opposition in Lok Sabha at present, the committee could not be formed and the lokpal could not be appointed," the aide said.

The central government cited the same reason in an affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court when replying to a public interest litigation, he added.
NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Director General of Tihar jail in the wake of media reports that a scuffle involving Kashmiri prisoners took place at the prison, leading to injuries.

However, official sources said, as per the preliminary information, Syed Shahid Yusuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who is also lodged in Tihar jail in connection with terror funding cases, was not assaulted.

The ministry has asked the Director General of the Tihar jail to submit a report as early as possible detailing the incident and the action taken so far.

The home ministry has also requested Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to direct the appropriate authority to review the security arrangements in the high-security prison and taken necessary measures wherever needed, the sources said.

They said, as per the preliminary information, three prisoners were found to be having unauthorised materials and when the jail officials tried to remove them, the inmates resisted and had to be overpowered.

Details about the prisoners involved in the incident were awaited, the sources said.

Asked whether Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had telephoned Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba enquiring about the Tihar incident, a home ministry official stated that the home secretary's interaction with constitutional authorities are in the nature of privileged communication and hence the ministry can neither confirm or deny any such interaction.

Earlier, reports from Srinagar said Mehbooba spoke with Gauba about social media reports on the alleged assault of Kashmiri prisoners in Tihar jail and urged him to ensure their safety.

Mufti spoke to Gauba after photographs of injured Kashmiri undertrials surfaced on social media sites here, state government officials said.

"A prison is considered to be the safest place but the alleged incidents that have come to light put a question mark on it," she said in a statement.
New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday challenged all BJP and Congress-led state governments to compete with the AAP government in the education sector.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, also challenged the BJP-ruled municipal corporations to draw a comparison between Delhi government schools and those run by the MCDs.

Talking to reporters here, he said he was happy that "education" was being discussed by politicians who keep talking about "shamshan and kabristan".

The challenge comes a day after Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta demanded that the AAP government present a "white paper" on the status of school education in the city.

Also, the Congress had last week challenged the Delhi government's claims of achievement in the education sector, saying it was a "myth".

The deputy chief minister said his challenge would ultimately benefit the city students.

"I challenge the MCDs and governments in other states to compete with the work done in the education sector by our government in Delhi. Let's start today and then compare after a year or two," he said.

The Delhi deputy CM alleged the only agenda of the Congress and the BJP was to "decide how many crores in bribe was to be taken for giving recognition to private schools and colleges or to lobby for land for private schools or how to pocket heavy commissions during admissions and funds meant for schemes like mid-day meal".

Government schools in BJP and Congress-ruled states were being shut down and private schools are mushrooming and their fee was increasing by the day, he alleged.

"All over the country, parents are frustrated over arbitrary fee hikes in private schools. There is no transparency in admissions under the economically weaker section category in private schools in any of the states," he claimed.
New Delhi: In a brave act, a team of Delhi police personnel and some other persons acted promptly to rescue nearly 50 members, mostly women, of a marriage party from a burning bus on the Haryana-Delhi border early on Wednesday, police said.



The bus was carrying around 45-50 persons returning from the wedding ceremony in Haryana`s Faridabad to Delhi`s Jaitpur area when it caught fire around 1.30 am near the Surajkund border police picket.



"The front side of the bus caught fire and its automatic doors got locked," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal.



"A police team, led by Pul Prahladpur police station personnel, ground staff of Badarpur border and some people there reacted immediately and rescued all passengers from the bus by breaking its glass windows.



"The action was so prompt that the rescue work was done before the Police Control Room received the call. Two fire tenders later reached the spot and doused the fire but the bus was completely burnt," Biswal said.



All the passengers are residents of Saurabh Vihar in Jaitpur.



The driver, identified as Sonu, jumped off and fled, leaving the passengers crying for help, Sub-Inspector Ajay Pratap Singh told IANS.



"The bus came to a halt after hitting a divider and the alert police staff, including Sub-Inspector Hari Singh at the police post, rescued the passengers," Singh said.



"They also informed the control room and the Fire Department but it took 45 minutes for fire tenders to reach the spot," he added.



"Some passengers sustained minor burn injuries and were discharged after first aid treatment in a hospital, while Umesh, 28, and Gondi Devi, 90, who received major burns are undergoing treatment," he said.



According to the officer, it appears the leakage of CNG caused the fire but an investigation is on.
Hyderabad: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said that development should be inclusive in nature and not an "elite" and urban-centric activity.

"Development should not be an elite and urban areas-centred activity," a release from Dr MCR HRD Institute, Telangana government, quoted him as saying while addressing the All India Services officers attending a Foundation Course on 'New India@ 2022'.

Kumar also called upon all the stake-holders to ensure that development turns out to be inclusive in nature and becomes a vibrant mass movement.

The government has launched a number of innovative measures to provide a greater momentum to achieve "New India by 2022" when the country would be free from poverty, corruption and terrorism, he said.

The country would be celebrating 75 years of Independence in 2022.

"He underlined the importance of more allocation for R & D, greater use of science and technology in agriculture, broad-based involvement of community in developmental initiatives, and availability of public services to poorer sections of society for meeting the aspirations of people, especially the youth," the release said.
London: Scientists have found that the feathered species of dinosaurs that are believed to have roamed the surface of the earth approximately over 125 million years ago, were fluffier than previously thought.



Modern birds are the direct descendants of a group of feathered, carnivorous dinosaurs that, along with true birds, are referred to as paravians -- which also include Anchiornis, a crow-sized dinosaur species.



In the study, the research team from University of Bristol examined, an exceptionally-preserved fossil of Anchiornis and compared its fossilised feathers to those of other dinosaurs and extinct birds.



They found that the feathers around the body of Anchiornis, known as contour feathers, revealed a newly-described, extinct, primitive feather form consisting of a short quill with long, independent, flexible barbs erupting from the quill at low angles to form two vanes and a forked feather shape.



Such feathers would have given Anchiornis a fluffy appearance relative to the streamlined bodies of modern flying birds, whose feathers have tightly-zipped vanes forming continuous surfaces.



Anchiornis's unzipped feathers might have also affected the animal's ability to control its temperature and repel water, the researchers said.



In addition, compared to modern flight feathers, the feathers on the wing of Anchiornis lack the aerodynamic, asymmetrical vanes, but these paravians were packed with multiple rows of long feathers into the wing.



"Overall, our study provides some new insight into the appearance of dinosaurs, their behaviour and physiology, and the evolution of feathers, birds, and powered flight," said Evan Saitta from the varsity.



For the new study, appearing in the journal Paleontology, the team also created what is potentially the most accurate depiction of any dinosaur species to date and which represents a radical shift in dinosaur depictions.



"The novel aspects of the wing and contour feathers, as well as fully-feathered hands and feet, are added to the depiction. This contrasts much previous art that places paravians perched on top of branches like modern birds," Saitta noted.
The note said ISIS could attack the airport anytime.

By Nagarjun Dwarakanath: A note was found in a toilet in Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji airport warning of an attack on cargo on January 26 next year.

The letter said ISIS could attack the area or the airport anytime.

CISF sources later said it looked like someone had "played mischief."

A note was found in toilet at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, warning of an attack on cargo on 26th Jan 2018 by ISIS. Cargo evacuated & people being given an entry only after screening. Police and CISF are doing their job.: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport PRO- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

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CISF personnel swung into action after learning of the letter: They cleared the cargo area. All staff at the cargo bay were evacuated and a bomb disposal squad was called in immediately.

Airport sources said people would thoroughly screened before being allowed in.

CISF sources said the letter was very crude and crumpled, and was found at 5 pm. Local police were informed, they said.

CISF converted the situation into a full-blown mock-drill by evacuating the staff, they said.

--- ENDS ---
GHAZIABAD: Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has shown the door to 11 of its employees.

The GDA handed over pink slips to its employees after they were found to be involved in corrupt practices.

'The Times of India' quoted Ritu Maheshwari, vice-chairperson, GDA saying, "After the proper screening, we found that the work record of 11 of our employees was not satisfactory. They have been asked to take retirement."

Out of the eleven fired GDA employees, nine were working as clerks, one an assistant programmer and one a supervisor.
Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who began his party's campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in his home state of Gujarat from November 27, is slated to address several rallies in the Saurashtra region on Wednesday.

Today, the PM is expected to address poll rallies in Saurashtra at Morbi and Prachi villages near Somnath, Palitana in Bhavnagar and at Navsari in south Gujarat.

PM Modi had on Monday began his party's Gujarat election campaign with a rally in Bhuj. He is expected to hold several public meetings and interactions with supporters and party workers all over the Saurashtra and South Gujarat today.

Starting November 27, the PM is expected to address as many as eight rallies across Saurashtra and south Gujarat, where polling for the first phase of assembly elections will be held on December 9.

Prior to his visit, a horde of Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states had toured and campaigned across all the 89 constituencies for the first phase.

Prior to Modi`s campaigning, top BJP leaders had addressed rallies in different parts of the state between November 26 and 27.

They had aligned their election campaign by merging the "Chai pe Charcha" with workers across 50,000 booths in all the 89 constituencies with tuning in and listen to Prime Minister`s "Mann ki Baat".

The BJP has named this programme as `Mann Ki Baat - Chai Ke Saath`.

Party workers have been directed to interact with people assembled at the polling booth region and project the party`s themes and the development works carried out by the BJP over the years.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, and Uma Bharti, and Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Vasundhara Raje (Rajastha), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh) and Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) are among those named as party's star campaigners for Gujarat assembly elections.

Along with them, BJP national President Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state BJP president Jitu Vaghani, former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and national Vice President Purshottam Rupala will also address gatherings.

Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases  December 9 and 14  and the results will be declared on December 18.

While 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat region will go to polls in the first phase, the election in the remaining 93 constituencies in central and northern regions will be held in the second phase.
PRACHI: Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday had some history lessons for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on the famous Somnath temple.

Taking an opportunity to hit out at the Gandhi scion over his temple visit, PM Modi, without taking any name said, "If Sardar Patel was not there, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them - have they forgotten their history? Our first PM was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there."

He said that when Dr Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure.

"Sardar Patel dreamt about the Narmada but your family did not let that dream fulfil," he said.

A row erupted over Rahul`s visit to Somnath temple in Gujarat wherein his name was allegedly listed as a non-Hindu visitor in the visitor-book.

As the major controversy broke out, the BJP questioned Rahul's faith, while the Congress hit back accusing the BJP of playing dirty politics and maintained he was a "devout Hindu".

The controversy arose over Rahul Gandhi's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi signing the register meant for non-Hindus, which the Congress claimed was manipulated later by adding the names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel.

Reports had said that the entry in the register was supposed to be made by non-Hindus visiting the temple in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat.

Congress issued a clarification on the register entry in question. Sharing an image of a register entry, made by the Gandhi scion himself, on Twitter, the Congress claimed that the one being circulated widely is fabricated.

A tweet by the Congress party said, Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures?

Addressing a hurriedly-called press conference hours after the BJP sought to rake up a controversy over Rahul Gandhi`s name figuring in the register for non-Hindus, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP was scared of the outcome of the Gujarat Assembly elections and was thus resorting to cheap politics.

"There is only one visitor`s book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated," said Surjewala, adding "Desperate times call for desperate measures" - referring to the BJP.

Meanwhile, the BJP took no time to hit out at the Congress.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said in a tweet: "Rahul Gandhi is a non-Hindu and a 'Shiv Bhakht'? Very impressive. No wonder he said earlier people go to temples and tease women."

Quoting an article written in 1998 in New York Times, which said by certainty that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka were raised as Roman Catholics, Rao said: "This was never denied. Did Rahul Gandhi convert to Hinduism thereafter? @OfficeOfRG please clarify. It's not a personal issue any longer."

"Rahulji, Why is there so much secrecy and deceit about your and family's religion, foreign travels, educational qualifications, passports/citizenship? Questions are never answered. Even British monarchy is more transparent. Is RTI only for govts & not for politicians? @OfficeOfRG," he said in another tweet.

Congress releases 3 pics to show Rahul Gandhi is Hindu

The grand old party released three pictures which showed Rahul Gandhi performing 'puja' with his parents Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

In the second picture, the Gandhi scion is seen attending his elder sister Priyanka Gandhi's wedding ceremony, which was performed according to Hindu rituals.

The third picture released by the Congress shows Rahul Gandhi performing last rites as per Hindu customs.
AHMEDABAD: With the Gujarat polls less than two weeks away, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be back on the campaign trail in the poll-bound state on Wednesday.

Rahul will kick off a two-day campaign tour in the state with a visit to the Somnath temple. He will also visit Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts where he will interact with people and hold public meetings.

Here's the travel plan of the Congress vice-president on Wednesday:

12:30: Arrive at Diu airport and will leave for Somnath via chopper

1:00 pm: Darshan at Somnath Temple, District Gir Somnath

1:30 pm: Swagat at Somnath Temple Exit Gate, District Gir Somnath

3:00 pm: Corner Meeting at New College Ground, Bhesan, Assembly: Visavadar, District Junagadh

4:30 pm: Corner Meeting at Vaayam Mandir Aakhada Ground, Assembly: Savarkundla, District Amreli

7:00 pm: Public Meeting at Forward School Circle, Amreli, District Amreli

This will be his sixth visit to the state since the Assembly elections dates were announced on 24 October.

On the second day of campaigning, Rahul will begin his rallies with a public meeting in Lathi.

He is also likely to visit the cities of Dhasa, Gadhada, Barvala and Vallabhipur.

Rahul will have another public meeting Botad and he will complete his campaign with a sabha in Nari Chokdi in Bhavnagar.

The two-phase Gujarat elections will take place on 9 and 14 December, while counting of votes is scheduled for 18 December.

Eighty-nine seats of Saurashtra and south Gujarat region are going to polls in the first phase, while the remaining 93 seats in the central and northern region would vote in the second phase.

The Congress is seeking to dislodge the BJP from power in the state, which the that party has ruled for over two decades now.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday courted another controversy as he visited the Somnath temple in the Saurashtra area of poll-bound Gujarat.

As per the norm of the temple, every non-Hindu person visiting the Somnath temple needs to make a register entry before entering the premises.

When Rahul Gandhi visited the temple on Wednesday, a register entry was made in his name as he went inside the temple. This development has sparked speculations over the Gandhi scion being a non-Hindu.

Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat pic.twitter.com/4i4QF0TT8Q  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

The entry in the register was reportedly made by Rahul Gandhis media coordinator Manoj Tyagi. He had also mentioned the name of veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who went to the temple along with the Gandhi scion.

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday kicked off a two-day campaign tour in Gujarat with a visit to the Somnath temple. He is also slated to visit Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts where he will interact with people and hold public meetings.

This is his sixth visit to the state since the Assembly elections dates were announced on October 24.

On the second day of campaigning, Rahul is slated to start his day with a poll rally in Lathi. He is also likely to visit the cities of Dhasa, Gadhada, Barvala and Vallabhipur.

The two-phase Gujarat elections will take place on 9 and 14 December, while counting of votes is scheduled for 18 December.

During his last visit to the state earlier in November, the Congress leader had offered prayers at the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar. He had also visited Ambaji temple during the visit.

A video of Rahul praying at the Akshardham temple was also shared on social media.

Rahulji at Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS), Gandhinagar pic.twitter.com/bXcrL6iBUr  Shaktisinh Gohil (@shaktisinhgohil) November 11, 2017

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had targeted the Congress leader over his visit to temples, saying he was doing so just to target Hindu votes.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel had said, "Why is Rahul Gandhi visiting temples only ahead of elections? People know their intention that they want to get votes through such gimmicks. They have no inclination for devotion as during Rahul Gandhi's earlier trips, he never visited any temple."

"We wish that Congress sheds its pseudo-secularism and respects mainstream Hindutva. But their gimmicks to get votes will not work in Gujarat," Patel added.

The Congress had also hit back at the BJP, saying people would teach the ruling party a lesson as it was opposing a visit to temple.

"Does anybody have a patent on devotion? They are opposing a visit to the temple. People of Gujarat will teach them a lesson," Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said.

"Rahul Gandhiji has visited a Jain temple and gurudwaras apart from Hindu temples. We believe in secularism," he had said.

Gandhi had started his campaign in Gujarat with a visit to the renowned Dwarkadheesh temple in September.
Amid a new controversy over Congress vice president Rahul Gandhis visit to Somnath temple in poll-bound Gujarat, his party on Wednesday issued a clarification on the register entry in question. Sharing an image of a register entry, made by the Gandhi scion himself, on Twitter, the Congress claimed that the one being circulated widely is fabricated.

A tweet by the Congress party said, Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures?

Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated.



Desperate times call for desperate measures? pic.twitter.com/KOokFOH83z  Congress (@INCIndia) November 29, 2017

The controversy over Rahuls visit to Somnath temple erupted over a register entry reportedly made by his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi. When Rahul Gandhi visited the temple on Wednesday, the register entry was made in his name as he went inside the temple. The name of veteran Congress Ahmed Patel was also mentioned in the register.

Reports had said that the entry in the register was supposed to be made by non-Hindus visiting the temple in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat.

Reacting to the issue, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that "the BJP has problems with Rahul Gandhi visiting temples". "We request them to not misuse god's name for dirty politics," he added.

This comes on a day the Gandhi scion began his sixth visit to the state since the announcement of Assembly elections on October 24.

On Thursday, the second day of his Gujarat visit, Rahul is slated to start his day with a poll rally in Lathi. He is also likely to visit the cities of Dhasa, Gadhada, Barvala and Vallabhipur.

During his last visit to the state earlier in November, the Congress leader had offered prayers at the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar. He had also visited Ambaji temple during the visit.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had targeted the Congress leader over his visit to temples, saying he was doing so just to target Hindu votes.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel had said, "Why is Rahul Gandhi visiting temples only ahead of elections? People know their intention that they want to get votes through such gimmicks. They have no inclination for devotion as during Rahul Gandhi's earlier trips, he never visited any temple."

"We wish that Congress sheds its pseudo-secularism and respects mainstream Hindutva. But their gimmicks to get votes will not work in Gujarat," Patel added.

The Congress had also hit back at the BJP, saying people would teach the ruling party a lesson as it was opposing a visit to temple.

"Does anybody have a patent on devotion? They are opposing a visit to the temple. People of Gujarat will teach them a lesson," Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said.

"Rahul Gandhiji has visited a Jain temple and gurudwaras apart from Hindu temples. We believe in secularism," he had said.

Gandhi had started his campaign in Gujarat with a visit to the renowned Dwarkadheesh temple in September.

The two-phase Gujarat elections will take place on 9 and 14 December, while counting of votes is scheduled for 18 December.
AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met with a little boy dressed like him at an election rally in Navsari in Gujarat's Surat district. Their onstage 'bonhomie' caught the attention of the media persons present at the venue.

A video clip shows PM Modi holding the boy in his arms and speaking to him.

#WATCH: A child dressed up as PM Narendra Modi welcomed him at Navsari rally earlier today. #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/UaESV2w5Bk November 29, 2017

While addressing the rally, later on, he hit out at the Congress saying, "We have the legacy of Fakir Gandhi - the great Mahatma. They have the legacy of 'royalty'". "They were born with all privileges and are disconnected with the roots," he said.

"They (Congress) hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi and now they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard, Modi said.

He said, "When I was Chief Minister I would plead to the Congress, even Congress leaders in Gujarat that let us get the Narmada project moving, let us help our farmers. But, the Congress was not interested."

"If the Congress was in power the Narmada waters would never come here and the farmers would have been disadvantaged. Congress has tried everything possible to delay the project," Modi added.
Hyderabad: US President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump and other delegates of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) attended a gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the iconic Taj Falaknuma Palace here on Tuesday.

Modi, Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and some top politicians and industrialists dined with Ivanka on the 101-seater dining table at the palace hotel. The guests were treated to a variety of delicacies including the famous Hyderabadi biryani.

According to reports, Ivanka and the US officials accompanying her were given a 'taste of India' at the extravagant dinner and were treated to famous Hyderabadi specialities like dahi ke kebab, gosht shikampuri kebab, kubani ke malai kofta, murg pista ka salan and sitaphal kulfi.

The five-course meal centred around the cuisine of Hyderabad and was reportedly designed by the Taj Falaknumas Executive Chef Sajesh Nair.

For other GES 2017 delegates, the dinner was arranged in the hotel lounges.

Ivanka was given a royal treatment and was ferried from the main gate to the palace atop the hill in a horse-drawn carriage of the Nizam era. She and other guests were greeted with a rose petal shower on entering the palace.

The White House advisor also went around the palace, which was once the residence of the Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile princely State of Hyderabad.

They all reached the palace after the inauguration of GES at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).

Elaborate security arrangements were put in place as the palace is located in the old city of Hyderabad and is surrounded by densely populated neighbourhoods.

The Nizam's suite, which used to be the private suite of the ruler of Hyderabad State and costs a whopping Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a night, was booked for Ivanka in case she stays at the palace.

However, she returned to Trident Hotel, where she is staying. PM Modi reached the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to fly back to New Delhi.

Ivanka was the first high-profile foreign dignitary visiting the palace after it was converted into a star hotel a decade ago.

It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizam's Prime Minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan bought it for himself and stayed there till 1911.

Built over 32 acres, the scorpion-shaped and all-marble palace stands tall in its splendour and majesty atop a hill, at 2,000 ft above sea level and overlooks the old city of Hyderabad.

(With Agency inputs)
"Pyaaz ki qeemat kam karna mere haath mein nahi (I am helpless in controlling the price of onion)," Paswan told India Today after holding a meeting of top officials on the rising onion prices.

By India Today Web Desk: Even as onion soars to Rs 80 a kg in New Delhi and other markets, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan today said he is "helpless" in controlling its price.

"Pyaaz ki qeemat kam karna mere haath mein nahi (I am helpless in controlling the price of onion)," Paswan told India Today after holding a meeting of top officials on the rising onion prices.

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Paswan said the production this year was expected to be lower since the area under onion cultivation had reduced to 1.90 lakh hectares in 2017-18 from 2.65 lakh hectares in 2016-17.

"We have taken several measures, such as procurement by agencies from areas such as Nashik (Maharashtra) and Alwar (Rajasthan) where the cost is lower, as well as import of onions. But it (bringing down prices) is not in our hands," Paswan told reporters.

Paswan said the state governments and the Centre have to combat the problem together. "The Centre is working towards this with full force. We hope prices will go down. I don't have an answer if you ask me when and how will it go down," he said.

"I have asked the Delhi government to sell onion under PDS. I have also asked Maharashtra and other state governments to sell after purchasing at lower prices. If you have a suggestion, feel free to give it to us, we'll think about it," Paswan said.

Paswan said the main onion-producing states like Karnataka and Maharashtra have witnessed a slump in production. "We have reduced export of onion. Export incentives on export have been stopped," he added.

"In Nasik, onion is still being sold at Rs 32 per kg. If you add the transport cost, then too it should not be more than Rs 40 per kg. In Rajasthan's Alwar its still being sold at Rs 28 to Rs 30 a kg," he claimed.

On Thursday, Paswan's ministry had notified the Minimum Export Price (MEP) of onion at $850 per tonne to discourage export against the backdrop of rising prices locally. A day before that, he said the public sector body MMTC would import 2,000 tonnes of onion.

According to a report on Tuesday, the price of onion at New Delhi's Azadpur mandi, which is Asia's largest vegetable market, was between Rs 50-60 a kg. The same onion was being retailed at Rs 80 per kg.

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Hyderabad: Ivanka, daughter of President Donald Trump who led the US delegation at the Global Entrepreneur Summit here on Wednesday, visited the city's famed Golconda Fort.

An ANI video shows Ivanka, advisor to the US president, was joined by Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna and another US official of her entourage for a photo op at the famous landmark.

With the PM on the dais, she congratulated Indians on celebrating 70 years of Independence. "You are celebrating it as the world's largest democracy and one of the fastest growing economies on the earth," the advisor to the US President said.

She also showered lavish praise on PM Modi who is "doing to build India as a thriving economy - a beacon of democracy - and a symbol of hope to the world."

"What you are achieving is truly extraordinary... From your childhood selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister," Ivanka said.

"Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty - a remarkable improvement, and one I know will continue to grow under the leadership of the Prime Minister," she added.
New Delhi: Gujarat has been a dry state for decades. Yet, several candidates and political leaders are reportedly promising to make it rain booze ahead of elections next month - all in return for valuable electoral support.

According to sources, demand for booze in the state has shot up in the run-up to the elections and alcohol mafia is attempting to cash in courtesy certain political figures demanding alcohol for party workers and vote bank. In a state where alcohol is strictly prohibited, a code word has been assigned to each variety of commonly-consumed liquor.

Kaala Khatta - Whiskey

Nimbu Paani - Vodka

Tonic - Gin

Syrup/Davaa - Rum

Gaathiya - Beer

Kishmish - Wine

Alcohol is being smuggled into Gujarat from adjoining states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It has also been learnt that three districts in Maharashtra - Nashik, Dhule and Nandurbar - are particularly being eyed by alcohol mafia to smuggle in their consignments.

To outwit authorities, the alcohol mafia has also reportedly ditched the much-used route through Palghar district which has been under Excise Department's watch. Instead, new entry points have been chosen and another set of codewords - these for logistical purposes - have been developed.



Kaka - Police

Mehmaan - Public

Shaadi - Delivery location

1 kilo - 1 crate



Fafra - Full bottle

Distributing alcohol to gain electoral favour is strictly banned by the Election Commission of India. Therefore, smuggling alcohol into Gujarat then becomes a crime on two levels.
NEW DELHI: With a major controversy erupting over Rahul Gandhi's Somnath temple visit, Congress on Wednesday went into a huddle and released three images of the party vice president to prove his Hindu credentials.

The grand old party released three pictures which showed Rahul Gandhi performing 'puja' with his parents Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

In the second picture, the Gandhi scion is seen attending his elder sister Priyanka Gandhi's wedding ceremony, which was performed according to Hindu rituals.

The third picture released by the Congress shows Rahul Gandhi performing last rites as per Hindu customs.

The controversy over Rahuls visit to Somnath temple erupted over a register entry reportedly made by his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi. When Rahul Gandhi visited the temple on Wednesday, the register entry was made in his name as he went inside the temple. The name of veteran Congress Ahmed Patel was also mentioned in the register.

Reports had said that the entry in the register was supposed to be made by non-Hindus visiting the temple in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat.

Congress issued a clarification on the register entry in question. Sharing an image of a register entry, made by the Gandhi scion himself, on Twitter, the Congress claimed that the one being circulated widely is fabricated.

A tweet by the Congress party said, Clarification: There is only one visitor's book at Somnath Temple that was signed by Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. Any other image being circulated is fabricated. Desperate times call for desperate measures?

The BJP stated, "The Congress has always tried to project Rahul Gandhi as a Hindu. But the fact is that he is not. Rahul has visited over 20 temples of multiple Hindu deities since October. The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not an Hindu," said Raju Dhruv, BJP spokesperson in Saurashtra region.

Somnath temple, located on the shores of the Arabian sea on the southern most part of Gujarat, is revered by Hindus and enshrines the first of 12 'jyotirlings' of Lord Shiva. Through a notice in June 2015 the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) - the institution managing the temple -- had made it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the Trust before entering the main temple.
NEW DELHI: Barack Obama is set for a reunion of sorts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Former US President will meet PM Modi when he visits Delhi, where he is to hold a town hall meeting on December 1.

Obama will meet Modi on Thursday. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Obama left the White House in January.

Modi and Obama met eight times between September 2014 and September 2016. That's quite a high number for meetings between any two world leaders. It is an exceptionally high number of meetings with a US President for an Indian Prime Minister, considering India does not participate in as many common international forums as other traditional US allies such as France and the UK.

Obama's last visit to India was in January 2015. He became the first US President to be take part as the chief guest in the Republic Day celebrations. Barack and Michelle Obama had also been scheduled for a visit to the Taj Mahal, which was eventually called off.

Obama was the first US President to visit India twice during his time in office. He had earlier visited in 2010, when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister.

Obama had also jointly addressed PM Modi's signature monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio address, and fielded questions on the programme. Obama had himself had done regular fireside chats in his first term as US President.

On his first India visit in his new avatar, Obama will also take part in a leadership summit orgnaised by a media house. He is then set to hold a town hall meeting with around 300 people on Friday. The meet, being held by the Obama Foundation, will see Obama interacting with youth leaders from across India.

Announcing the town hall meeting, the Obama Foundation had posted this video message from the former US President.

Obama's India visit is part of a three-nation tour that includes China and France. He is also scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping while in China.
NEW DELHI: In a fresh advisory issued to the troops posted at the international border, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has warned that China could be collecting vital information about the Indian security installations through its popular mobile phone apps and devices.

According to reports, the advisory issued by the DIG (Intelligence) has directed the troops posted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to either delete a number of mobile applications from their smartphones or reformat the devices altogether to guard against online espionage attempts from across the border.

The IB advisory contains a list of about 42 popular Chinese apps, including WeChat, Truecaller, Weibo, UC Browser and UC News, which pose a grave threat to India's security.

There is a possibility of these apps transmitting sensitive personal data to the Chinese authorities, which could be a major security disaster, the advisory states.

The fresh advisory comes at a time when the troops from both sides continue to maintain high alertness levels along the LAC after the resolution of a bitter border stand-off over Doklam.

Based on inputs received from the intelligence agencies, the armed forces regularly warn its officers and other ranks to avoid using Chinese apps in a bid to thwart the possible leak of vital info to the hostile neighbouring country via China-made mobile devices.

The Army, as well as the central armed police forces like the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, are deployed along the 4,057km LAC, which stretches from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

The IAF, for instance, had earlier asked all its officers and airmen as well as their families to avoid using Chinese Xiaomi smartphones and notebooks on the ground that they could transfer user data to remote servers located in China.

The note comes at a time when several Indian cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about the possible espionage attempts by the Chinese hackers and various military intelligence agencies of China.

The warning from IB pertains to Android as well as IoS apps.
NEW DELHI: Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's son-in-law Khalid Waleed on Tuesday dared India to prove allegations or stop crying.

Waleed, who's reportedly being groomed by Saeed to take over Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) and anti-India operations, told New Delhi to stop crying on America's shoulders.

India is always crying internationally. Why dont you provide evidence instead of just using television clips of the Mumbai attacks? America has asked for Hafiz Saeeds re-arrest only because of pressure from India, Waleed told Hindustan Times.

His statements come amid several Pakistani leaders defending JuD chief Hafiz Saeed's release and openly supporting the Kashmir cause.

Pakistans former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, in a television interview, also backed Saeed's release and his outfit's role in waging 'Jihad' in Kashmir.

''I like Hafeez Saeed a lot and support his outfit JuD,'' Pervez Musharraf said, adding, ''I am a big Lashkar-e-Toiba's supporter also.'

Acknowledging the role of terror outfits like JuD and LeT are waging a 'jihad' for the liberation of Kashmir from India, the former Pakistan president said, ''Yes, they are involved in Kashmir and I support them.''

Saeed, the co-founder of LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, was freed by a Pakistan court after 297 days of house arrest.

His release was met with global outcry, with the United States warning Pakistan of repercussions if he's not immediately re-arrested.

Saeed, who carries a bounty of $10 million on his head for terror activities, filed a petition in the United Nations asking his name to be struck off from the list of global list of designated terrorists.

Supporting India, US Congress member Tulsi Gabbard tweeted on Tuesday, Ridiculous-Not only did Pakistan give refuge to Bin Laden, responsible for attacks against US on 9/11, Pakistan set free a terrorist who has a $10 million American bounty on his head. Saeed was the mastermind behind the Mumbai attack that killed hundreds, including 6 Americans.
New Delhi: Sources in the intelligence agency have revealed that Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist - identified as Abdul Naeem Sheikh - arrested from Lucknow may have had two senior BJP leaders as his targets ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections next month.

While security has been tightened in the state, sources reveal intelligence agencies had 'specific information' about Naeem Sheikh being in touch with handlers in Lahore and having two senior BJP politicians on his hitlist. He reportedly even visited Kashmir where he had carried out a recce mission involving some vital installations, including Army camps and power projects.

It is also suspected that the help of a sleeper cell in Lucknow may have been taken to target Gujarat in a bid to create panic either before or during polling. The terrorist, alongwith his aides, were receiving constant instructions from LeT handlers back in Pakistan.

Naeem Sheikh - hailing from Maharashtra's Aurangabad - is an accused in the 2006 Aurangabad Arms Haul case. He had previously escaped from Chattisgarh in 2014 and may have been in hiding in Bangladesh.

Last month, it was also reported that Pakistan's notorious spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) may target Gujarat ahead of elections here. Unique identification devices and documents seized by the Pakistani Coastguard officials from four Indian fishermen early October, it is feared, may be misused as ISI attempts to support terror outfits from its soil to carry out 26/11-like attacks.



On October 25, the Gujarat ATS had even arrested two suspected ISIS terrorists from Surat.

Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14, and PM Narendra Modi is currently holding rallies across the state.
NEW DELHI: An Indian researcher has developed an App that plays Hindu devotional songs, chant Allahu Akbar and even recites speeches by political leaders like Nelson Mandela when an adult tries to access adult videos online, a media report said on Wednesday.

Neurology professor at Banaras Hindu University Vijay Nath Mishra has reportedly developed the app in response to behaviour problems he was seeing in his patients the Guardian reported.

Mishra said he wants to widen its popularity as much as possible.

Within a month it will contain songs and prayers suited to the Muslim community so that it could be comfortably used by members of all religions, the report quoted him as saying.

The App also plays inspirational speeches from leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and the Bengali poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Addiction to pornography cannot be treated but this is a humble attempt at changing ones behaviour, Mishra was quoted as saying.

The app has been named Har Har Mahadev, a Hindu chant exhorting Lord Shiva to destroy all evil.

According to 2014 data published by the Pornhub website, Indians make up its third largest user base behind Americans and Britons. And the users are most likely to be female than the global average, it said.

The Indian government had ban 857 porn websites in 2015 but was forced to back down after a massive backlash over its censorship rights.
By PTI: Patna, Nov 29 (PTI) Opposition MLAs today created ruckus in the Assembly trooping into the well of the House and shouting slogans over law and order in the state, before staging a walkout.

Trouble began after Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected the notice of an adjournment motion by Lalit Yadav of RJD and Ramdeo Rai and Vijay Shanker Dubey of Congress, saying the House had important business to transact.

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Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav requested the Speaker to admit the motion since it concerned "a very important issue".

When the Speaker did not relent, some opposition members trooped into the well of the House and created a ruckus.

Later, the RJD and Congress members staged a walkout.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, Lalit Yadav sought the governments response to a report on illegal withdrawal of money in a district under the Mukhyamantri Nishchay Yojana.

Panchayati Raj minister Kapil Dev Kamat said, "An inquiry committee has been constituted to look into the issue. Cases have been lodged against mukhiyas against whom complaints have been received."

The district magistrates across the state were asked to go into any such irregularity, he said. Dissatisfied with the ministers reply, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Corruption is widespread in the state. Officers have been trying to whitewash such irregularities. The chief minister should come to the House and clarify the position". Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi assured the members that the government "will not spare anyone involved in any scam, whether it was fodder scam, bitumen scam or Srijan scam".

The guilty and the corrupt would be hounded out, no matter where they are hiding, he added.

Tejashwi Yadav said the government should tell the House the number of senior officials and ministers against whom action has so far been taken. The opposition leader also had a heated exchange of words with Water Resources Minister Lalan Singh when, while mentioning various scams, he referred to the incident of a dam collapsing a day prior to its scheduled inauguration by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. PTI NAC NN SNP

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: The BSF on Wednesday said that the polity and the situation in Pakistan are such that not much headway takes place when it comes to dialogue and the recent DG-level talks with Pakistan Rangers saw a "limited" takeaway.

"My feeling is that these conferences are held in very friendly atmosphere and both the sides are eager to make things better. Unfortunately, the polity and the situation in Pakistan is such that not much headway takes place when it comes to things on the actual ground, I am sorry to say.

"The limited takeaway was that a dialogue has started after a long gap," BSF DG K K Sharma told reporters on the talks that were held in Delhi recently.

A delegation of Pak Rangers, led by their DG, had visited the Border Security Force headquarters here for the bi-annual talks early this month.

"We had a meeting after about 15 months," the BSF DG said, adding that itself is a "big achievement".

"Our relations have been sour and hence we were not able to talk even. The biggest thing is that dialogue has started again and at all levels in times to come," Sharma said.

According to him, the force that guards the India- Pakistan International Border (IB) said it faced "numerous unprovoked" firing incidents from the other side during last year.

"It has been effectively and suitably retaliated in the same vein," he said.

The force said the IB, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, "witnessed 1,020 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces followed by numerous armed infiltration attempts" in the last one year.

Asked about erection of a similar smart fence along the Indo-Pak border, the DG said a pilot project is currently on at two 5-km stretches in the Jammu area and the system will be in place by March, 2018.

To a question about the security of his troops who hail from Jammu and Kashmir and go home on leave, the DG said appropriate advisories have been issued to its officers and troops.

"When people go on leave to their homes (in J&K), we sensitise them that they should not publicise their visit. It is also not possible to provide security to each and every person going on leave to Kashmir as we do not render law and order duties in the state.

"We have requested the local police and other agencies there to take care in this regard and hopefully things will improve," he said.

Sharma, while taking a question on the recent deployment of uniformed troops during a marriage event in the family of a senior officer in Punjab, said it was not a "misuse of the manpower and was a normal administrative duty".

"In paramilitary forces, such arrangements are made when the DG is visiting. So, if something has gone wrong I am guilty. And you see this is nothing new by the way.

"Such traditions are there in the army and in all the forces. It may have been blown out of proportion. This is not a misuse of manpower," he said.

The place where the event took place is an administrative base (outskirts of Chandigarh).

"Had it been a border where people have been withdrawn from the border and deployed this could have been a misuse. This is normal administrative duty," he said.
Lucknow: In fresh trouble for Nestle India, its popular noodle brand Maggi, which faced a ban across several states, has failed the lab test again.

According to reports, the district administration of Shahjahanpur, UP, has slapped a fine on Nestle India and its distributors after its popular noodles brand Maggi allegedly failed to pass the lab test.

Reacting to the development, the FMCG major maintained that its a case of application of incorrect standards.

The district administration had imposed a fine of Rs 45 lakh on Nestle, Rs 15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs 11 lakh on its two sellers.

According to the district authorities, it had collected the samples last year in November and sent them for a lab test, which had found ash content above the permissible limits of human consumption.

Questioning the lab findings, Nestle India said it has not received the order yet and would file an appeal urgently once it receives the order.

While we have not received the orders passed by the adjudication officer, we have been informed that the samples are of the year 2015 and the issue pertains to ash content in Noodles, said a Nestle India spokesperson.

He further said: This appears to be a case of application of incorrect standards, and we will file an appeal urgently once we receive the order.

In 2015, Nestle India and other companies had represented to the relevant authorities, via industry associations, to set standards specific to instant noodles to avoid confusion amongst enforcement officers and consumers.

The standards have since been introduced and the product complies with these standards. We regret the confusion it may cause to consumers, he said, adding that We strongly reiterate that Maggi Noodles are 100 percent safe for consumption.

Maggi was banned by FSSAI in June 2015 for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market. Even in 2015, the Maggi trouble for Nestle had begun in UP.

Following legal battles, the popular noodles brand was back in the market in November 2015.

With PTI inputs
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today pulled up the Assam government for making a "sweeping statement" that 15 per cent of the state population were tribals who have not participated in modernisation and were away from the mainstream.

The top court said it was a "dangerous statement" on the state's behalf and was neither good for the health of the people, nor the government as 15 per cent population was a huge chunk.

"You are making a sweeping statement. You are the state. How can you say so? You are making dangerous statement that 15 per cent population is tribal and they are not in the mainstream," a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R F Nariman said.

The court's observation came after Assam's counsel referred to this issue and said the government was trying to make them come forward in the ongoing process of updation and publication of draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

"This is not the way to do it. From where you are making these statements. These kind of sweeping statements are not good for the health of the people and health of the state. 15 per cent is a huge chunk. If you say 15 per cent population is not in the mainstream, we will ask what have you done in this regard as a state," the bench said.

The NRC of 1951 is being updated for Assam in accordance with the tripartite agreement between the state and central governments and the All Assam Students Union (AASU), which was arrived at in 2005 to implement the 1985 Assam Accord.

The apex court was earlier told that as on November 22, a total of 3.29 crore claims have been made for inclusion in the NRC, which is being prepared to identify illegal migrants.

During the hearing, when Assam's counsel told the court they would file an affidavit on the issue of tribals, the bench shot back, "When? We are finishing the matter".

Meanwhile, the apex court reserved its order on the pleas, including those which have sought some clarifications on the issue of who the original inhabitants of state were.

According to the provisions of a clause of Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, "the names of persons who are originally inhabitants of the state of Assam and their children and descendants, who are citizens of India, shall be included in the consolidated list if the citizenship of such persons is ascertained beyond reasonable doubt and to the satisfaction of the registering authority".

During the day's hearing, Attorney General K K Venugopal, representing the Centre, said the entire exercise of updation and publication of draft NRC in Assam was being carried out to identify the illegal migrants.

He said the tribals were not a "highly educated class" but were entitled to be registered in the Assam NRC.

Venugopal said that the term 'originally inhabitants' was required, otherwise all citizens of India would be eligible for NRC registration in Assam.

When some of the petitioners raised the issue of original or originally inhabitants of the state, the bench said it was monitoring an exercise which could have far-reaching consequences on a large number of people.

The court observed that once a person was included in NRC list, it would not reflect in the record as to whether he or she was originally inhabitant or not.

The bench also asked NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela about what was going on the ground in the entire process.

The Attorney General had yesterday told another bench of the apex court, which was hearing a case relating to fixing of accountability for damage to life and property during protests, that the process of publication of NRC could cause unrest in Assam as lakhs of people may lose their citizenship in the exercise.

The apex court had earlier said that a certificate of residency issued by the gram panchayat was not a document of citizenship and was "meaningless" unless supported by some other valid record to make a claim for inclusion in NRC.

It had said it would pass orders on whether the Gauhati High Court was right in invalidating the document for making a claim in the NRC or whether further opportunity needs to be given to the people to establish their claims of citizenship.

A batch of pleas were filed in the top court challenging the Gauhati high court's order holding that a certificate of residency issued by Gram Panchayat (village council) secretary was not a legal and valid document for claim to citizenship.

The draft NRC is required to be published on or before December 31.
New Delhi: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film "Padmavati" was an "insult" to Indian women and an "attempt to assassinate" their character by showing them in a poor light, an RSS affiliate said on Wednesday.

"These days, filmmakers want to make money at any cost, even by distorting historical facts and tinkering with the national pride," national general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY) Balmukund Pandey said.

He was speaking at a conference on "Rani Padmavati" here, which was organised by the ABISY, which works in the fields related to India's ancient history and culture.

"Rani Padmavati is a very respected figure in Indian history. This film is not only an insult to her, but also to the Indian women and is an attempt to assassinate their character," he said.

Taking on Bhansali, Pandey said the issue would not be resolved by showing the film to a select few people and that it was a matter of national pride.

The makers of the film, which features Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles, have deferred its release from December 1 till further notice.

Many Rajput groups have been up in arms against the film, alleging that it distorts history by featuring a romantic dream sequence between Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji, a claim repeatedly denied by Bhansali.

A number of organisations, especially the Karni Sena, have been opposing the release of the period drama, claiming that it portrays the Rajput queen in a bad light.

BJP-ruled states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have expressed reservations about releasing the film.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has said his government will not allow "Padmavati" to be screened in the state as it hurts the sentiments of the Rajput community.
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s son-in-law Robert Vadra on Wednesday accused the central government of "creating new problems" for the common man and questioned why it was in a "hurry" to link bank accounts with Aadhaar numbers.



"India... let`s be prepared for a situation where we are not able to swipe our card; unable to get our salary transferred to bank accounts; or cannot operate the ATM... Why? Because we didn`t meet our deadline of December 31 to link Aadhaar Cards (numbers) to our bank accounts," Vadra said in a Facebook post.



"What will be the outcome? This will lead to de-activation of our bank accounts! The important question is -- how much time will a bank take to reactivate the account after deactivating it? This question till date has not been answered!" he said.



Vadra accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s government of creating new problems for the common man.



"Have all problems in our country been resolved, that new ones are being created everyday for the common man? Do we have proper laws and enforcement to deal with the privacy of the Aadhaar Card? There are numerous such questions in the mind of every citizen," he said.



"Sarkar (government) can`t make the citizens guinea pigs, to experiment till the basic infrastructure is in order to implement the change. Each time simply stating that the `intention of the government wasn`t wrong` will not work or be accepted."



Vadra questioned why the government was in a hurry if they were "well prepared".



"Or after implementing, it will be reversed and create more uncertainty and confusions... please think for the citizens of the country and of their struggles," he added.
Lucknow: Three persons, including a couple, were killed on Wednesday when a speeding tractor ran over them as they were basking in the sun by the roadside in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district.



In a separate incident in Sonebhadra district, four people were injured when a tractor hit them while they were sitting beside a bonfire to ward off cold.



The former incident took place in Sosa village of Sitapur.



Over six people were injured of whom two are in serious condition. The deceased were identified as Mamta, 10, Lallu Ram, 60, and Rukana, 55. The tractor driver fled the scene, police said.



In a similar incident in Barwakhad area of Sonebhadra district, a speeding tractor ran over a group of men who were sitting around a bonfire. Four people were injured. They were rushed to the Kona community health centre where the condition of two was stated to be critical.
LUCKNOW: A video of Aparna Yadav, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's sister-in-law, dancing to Ghoomar song from Padmavati movie has gone viral on social media.

#WATCH Aparna Yadav,daughter in law of Mulayam Singh Yadav performs on the 'Ghoomar' song of #Padmavati at a function in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/3BkCcprJsm  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 29, 2017

Aparna is married to Prateek Yadav - Mulayam's son from the second marriage.

In the video, Aparna is seen taking the centre stage and dancing on stage with a group of women to the song.

According to reports, Aparna was attending the engagement function of her brother in Lucknow.

Yogi Adityanath-led UP government has decided not to release the move in the state. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat have also banned the film's release.

Padmavati, which was earlier scheduled to be released on December 1, also awaits a clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification.

The Chief Ministers of five states where the movie has been banned had said that they will not allow Bhansali's movie to release until 'objectionable scenes' are removed. The film makers have denied the existence of any such scene.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed fresh petition seeking to stall the release of movie Padmavati outside India. The top court further directed officials in holding responsible positions to avoid commenting on the films, since it tantamounts to pre-judging it.
Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said today.

By PTI: Pakistan is yet to give a sovereign guarantee about the safety and security of Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife if she visits that country to meet her husband, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said today.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of an event here, Singh rubbished as "rumour" reports that China has erected a 400 metre high wall to camouflage the construction going on in Dokalam, the scene of a prolonged stand-off between Indian and Chinese armies.

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The minister also said India "does not care" about 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed approaching the United Nations to get his name struck off the list of designated terrorists.

"Talks are still in progress. They (Pakistan) are yet to provide guarantee on the safety aspect."

Pakistan's foreign office had earlier this month said it will allow Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife.

Responding to Pakistan's offer of arranging a meeting between the former naval officer and his wife, India also requested that his mother be allowed to meet him too.

A military court in Pakistan had in April this year sentenced Jadhav, a former navyman, to death on the charge of his alleged involvement in espionage and terror attacks. India strongly denied the allegation.

The International Court of Justice has stayed Jadhav's execution.

Talking about Saeed, Singh said, "The government has been saying this from the beginning...Those who are terrorists are terrorists. We have no doubt about it. We dont care where a terrorist goes and approaches whom to seek protection."

Saeed has petitioned the UN seeking removal of his name from the list of designated terrorists on the ground that none of the allegations against him -- either related to terrorism or otherwise -- have been proved in the Pakistani courts.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

"Do not believe in such rumours," he said when asked to comment on reports about China having built a 400 metre high wall to hide construction activities in Dokalam on Sikkim- Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

Singh said India wanted its citizens going abroad to believe that their government will help them in the event of any trouble.

He said India was working on maintaining healthy relations with every country.

--- ENDS ---

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PUNE: A sessions court in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar will pronounce the quantum sentence for the three convicts in the Kopardi rape and murder case.

The sentencing was earlier expected on November 21 but later delayed.

A 15-year-old girl was brutally gang-raped and murdered by three men on July 13, 2016, at the Kopardi village in the Ahmednagar district. The victim had injuries all the body.

Later, three Dalit youth  Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume were arrested by cops. The trio were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and certain sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The incident sparked off massive demonstrations of the Maratha community at the time, flaring up tensions between Marathas and Dalits.

The Kopardi incident proved to be the trigger for the silent marches (mook morchas) taken out by the Marathas across the state as the victim belonged to the community, while the culprits were Dalits.

The charge sheet was filed by the prosecution on October 7, 2016 and charges were framed on October 17.

The government had granted a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the victim's family.
New Delhi: In less than a fortnight of conducting the first experiment, a team of Vietnamese researchers claims to have again fooled Apple`s Face ID authentication system in the super-premium iPhone X, using a composite 3D-printed mask.

In the new experiment, the team at Vietnamese security firm Bkav used a 3D mask costing $200. The mask is made of stone powder, with glued 2D images of the eyes.

This new mask has been named "the artificial twin", since the research has shown that the way an iPhone X unlocked by the mask is similar to by twins.

Bkav experts found out that stone powder can replace paper tape to trick Face ID' AI at higher scores. The eyes are printed infrared images  the same technology that Face ID itself uses to detect facial image.

The experiment contradicts Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller's claim that Face ID can distinguish real human face from masks, thanks to its artificial intelligence (AI).

The Bkav security experts who also posted a video on how they did this said Face ID can be fooled by mask, which means it is not an effective security measure.

In 2008, Bkav was the first company in the world to show that face recognition was not an effective security measure for laptops when Toshiba, Lenovo and Asus used this technology for their products.

Face ID projects more than 30,000 invisible IR dots and claims to only unlocks iPhone X when customers look at it and is designed to prevent spoofing by photos or masks.

Apple`s Face ID technology uses a TrueDepth camera system made up of a dot projector, infrared camera and flood illuminator, and is powered by A11 Bionic to accurately map and recognise a face.

According to the firm, Collecting a fingerprint is much harder than taking photos from a distance.
Mumbai: Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who is also known as 'Tragedy King', has been diagnosed with a "mild" pneumonia and advised to take proper rest by the doctors attending him.

"Saab was diagnosed with mild pneumonia. He's been advised to rest at home. Allah is kind that all other parameters are showing normal - Saab is doing better now. Pls remember him in your prayers and duas (sic)," a tweet from his official Twitter handle said.

Saab was diagnosed with mild pneumonia. Hes been advised to rest at home. Allah is kind that all other parameters are showing normal - Saab is doing better now. Pls remember him in your prayers and duas. -FF November 28, 2017

The 94-year-old actor's family friend, Faisal Farooqui, used the Twitter handle to post about the development.

Farooqui, founder and CEO of MouthShut.com, has been posting on the actor's health on Twitter.

Dilip Kumar, who will turn 95 in December, was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital on August 2 due to dehydration and urinary tract infection. High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that he may have to be put on dialysis. Doctors decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He is known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Karma".
MUMBAI: A special CBI court in Mumbai is all set to begin the trial in alleged fake encounter cases of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsi Prajapati.

Charges have been framed against 22 accused of murder, abduction and destruction of evidence. Nearly 20 witnesses, including Sohrabuddin's brother Nayimuddin, are expected to join the trial.

"The court has issued summons to Sohrabuddin's brother Nayamuddin and some others, and the recording of evidence will start from November 29," said special CBI prosecutor B P Raju told new agency PTI.

In November 2005, gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi were abducted by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) while enroute to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad and killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar, says the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI.

His wife too disappeared.

Prajapati, an aide of Sheikh's and eyewitness to the encounter, was also allegedly killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006.

In 2013, the CBI had charge-sheeted BJP chief Amit Shah and 18 others, including several police officers.

A CBI court later gave Shah a clean chit in the case.

The fake encounter case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI which said it was necessary to ensure a fair trial.

In 2013, the Supreme Court clubbed the Sheikh and Prajapati encounter cases.

Earlier this year, CBI court also released former Gujarat Indian Police Service (IPS) officers D G Vanzara and Dinesh MN.

With PTI inputs
Agartala: Eight Rohingyas belonging to two families, who had entered India illegally, were apprehended in western Tripura on Wednesday, a police official said.



The eight, including two women and four children, were arrested at Khayerpur, 12 km north of Agartala, he added.



They were later taken to Bodhjungnagar police station for questioning.



"We are yet to get exact details on their presence in Tripura. Their questioning by senior police and intelligence officials is on," the official said, adding they would be produced in a local court on Thursday.



Rohingyas have illegally entered Tripura and a few other northeastern states via Bangladesh in the past in search of jobs.



Subsequently, they were pushed back into Bangladesh following legal and security formalities.



Border Security Force (BSF) Tripura Frontier Inspector General SR Ojha told the media that since 2015, many Rohingyas entered Tripura and other northeastern states via Bangladesh.



Tripura Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla said: "Though India does not have a shared border with Myanmar in Tripura, we have asked the BSF to strengthen security along the Bangladesh borders."



India shares a 856-km border with Bangladesh in Tripura. Except for some 20 km, most of it is fenced.
Patna: Opposition MLAs on Wednesday created ruckus in the Assembly trooping into the well of the House and shouting slogans over law and order in the state, before staging a walkout.

Trouble began after Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected the notice of an adjournment motion by Lalit Yadav of RJD and Ramdeo Rai and Vijay Shanker Dubey of Congress, saying the House had important business to transact.

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav requested the Speaker to admit the motion since it concerned "a very important issue".

When the Speaker did not relent, some opposition members trooped into the well of the House and created a ruckus.

Later, the RJD and Congress members staged a walkout.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, Lalit Yadav sought the government's response to a report on illegal withdrawal of money in a district under the Mukhyamantri Nishchay Yojana.

Panchayati Raj minister Kapil Dev Kamat said, "An inquiry committee has been constituted to look into the issue. Cases have been lodged against mukhiyas against whom complaints have been received."

The district magistrates across the state were asked to go into any such irregularity, he said.

Dissatisfied with the minister's reply, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Corruption is widespread in the state. Officers have been trying to whitewash such irregularities. The chief minister should come to the House and clarify the position".

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi assured the members that the government "will not spare anyone involved in any scam, whether it was fodder scam, bitumen scam or Srijan scam".

The guilty and the corrupt would be hounded out, no matter where they are hiding, he added.

Tejashwi Yadav said the government should tell the House the number of senior officials and ministers against whom action has so far been taken.

The opposition leader also had a heated exchange of words with Water Resources Minister Lalan Singh when, while mentioning various scams, he referred to the incident of a dam collapsing a day prior to its scheduled inauguration by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
PATNA: Lalu Yadav's son and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday lashed out at the Nitish Kumar-led ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar.

If the CM himself is facing murder charges, naturally the law and order situation in Bihar will be bad, said he former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

Kumar was was accused of killing a local Congress leader Sitaram Singh and injuring four others ahead of the Lok Sabha by-election from Bihars Barh constituency in 1991.

Earlier today, Yadav tweeted that not a single a day passes when people in Bihar do not open newspapers or switch on TV expecting news of a new scam.

                          ." pic.twitter.com/OXsWIcf3FQ  Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) November 29, 2017

On Tuesday, state Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Yadav argued inside the Bihar Legislative Assembly over the issues of corruption under the present regime and benami property allegedly amassed by the latter on Tuesday.

As soon as Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary rejected a notice for adjournment motion on various scams served by opposition members, Yadav stood up and said, "This is a very important matter. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was earlier known for good governance, is now regarded as 'Bhishm Pitamah' of corruption".

Reacting to this, Modi claimed Yadav "should tell the house about benami property worth about Rs 1,000 crore amassed by him into which CBI was inquiring. At the age of 28, he has become owner of so many properties".
New Delhi: Ace comedian on the silver screens, Kapil Sharma is all geared up for the big screen release of his next film 'Firangi'. The venture is a period film which is set at the backdrop of British rule in the country but delves on the lighter side of it.

Amid his heavy-duty promotional spree for 'Firangi', the actor-comedian is several times asked about the infamous mid-air brawl with Sunil Grover. He has spoken on the issue several times earlier but the controversy and its side-effects refuse to die.

Pinkvilla.com quoted Kapil again talking about the ugly episode during his Delhi promotions of the film. He said, Ask whatever you want to  negative, positive, happy or sad.

When prodded further on whether controversies would hamper his film's business, he said, Tell me even one actor who hasnt faced controversies? Maine kaunsa crime kiya hai jo log nafrat karenge? (What crime have I committed for people to hate me?) See, when people love someone and something like this (controversies) happens, the criticism is also of the same level.

He even touched upon the phase of depression in his life due to one incident. I took the entire thing seriously and was stressing if people must have started hating me but then I also feel proud that the audience feels I am a part of them. While to other actors they (people) ask permission for a picture, with me they drag me close and take a picture.

'Firangi' is directed by Rajiev Dhingra and stars Kapil, Ishita Dutta and Monica Gill in lead roles. The film is releasing on December 1, 2017.
New Delhi: One of the most controversial celebrities we have ever come across in the virtual world happens to be Kamal Rashid Khan (KRK). The 'Deshdrohi' actor recently shot back to news after he got his second chance on Twitter.

However, as soon as he got his second account active on the micro-blogging site, the actor started off by tweeting against the Khan trinity of Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir. He levelled allegations on them claiming that the three of them forced Twitter to suspend his account.

Then, he went on to claim that SRK told a filmmaker that he will finish all the critics. Now, after creating a lot of drama online with what was seen as his comeback, Twitter has again suspended his account.

Yes! One more time it is. KRK's new account too has been suspended by the micro-blogging site and obviously, we tried clicking on the link. And this is what we got. Boom!

The celebrity has oft been accused of courting controversies by talking bizarre stuff about stars.

Earlier too he had accused Aamir Khan of pushing Twitter to suspend his account. Reportedly he even issued a statement naming Aamir's involvement in the suspension of his Twitter account.

He has been embroiled in several controversies involving various Bollywood celebrities. From Karan Johar, Kangana Ranaut's sister Rangoli to Shreyas Talpade and many moreall have been in a war of words with the self-proclaimed film critic.

The first time his account was put off, he threatened to commit suicide, wonder what he will come up with now?
Jaipur: Rajasthan's Higher Education Department has directed government colleges to organise essay and extempore speech competitions on the flagship schemes of the state government to celebrate its four-year term.

The Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government will complete four years in the state on December 13.

In an order issued to the principals of government colleges last week, the department also directed them to widely publicise the competitions and submit a one-page report along with photographs and videos of the events.

It asked the principals to organise the competitions at district level and award the winners.

The order also set up 33 colleges as nodal centres and their principals were asked to ensure that both the competitions were organised by December 20.

Topics for the essay competition are 'Bhamashah Yojana' and 'Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Yojana'. For the extempore speech competition the topics are 'Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana', 'Annapurna Rasoi Yojana' and 'Rajasthan Sampark Yojana' and other schemes lauched by the BJP government.

In the extempore competition, other flagship schemes run by the government could also be included, the order said.

The higher education department said the participation of each government college should be ensured.

Reacting to the order, Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot alleged that it was an act of "sheer desperation" by the chief minister and it forced young students to write and appreciate government's flagship programmes.

Her alleged that the four years of BJP government in the state was full of corruption, inefficiency, atrocities against women.

"I'm against it and condemn the order. The order must be withdrawn immediately," he added.
The couple fled from their homes when their families disapproved of their choice to marry each other. They rented a house in Karachi.

By India Today Web Desk: Murdering people in the name of 'honour' has been one of the most deep-rooted crimes prevailing in the South Asian society.

Honour killing usually takes place when a section or an individual believes someone to have brought shame upon one's clan or community by marrying against their will or asserting individual choices.

A recent incident in Pakistan's Karachi might give you goosebumps. A newly wed couple was brutally murdered for bringing shame to their families.

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The case that was reported at the Mominabad police station witnessed a double homicide. Abdul Hadi, 24, and Hasina Bibi, 19, were killed by their family members and close relatives when they married against their will.

Jigra, the traditional council might be held responsible for executing the murder.

The newlywed couple fled from their homes when their families disapproved of their choice to marry each other. They rented a house in Karachi.

It was the owner of the house who entered the property after the couple went missing for three days. The owner however, was shocked to discover blood stains around the house.

Qasim Hameed, who was the Officer in charge at the Mominabad police station has reportedly got ten people arrested who are suspected to be involved in the gruesome murder of the newly weds. The girl's father remains absconding.

Hadi's father and nine other relatives were arrested after the couple's bodies were found in a local graveyard. The police reported the bodies to have been sacked and buried in separate graves.

When inquired, it came to light that the family members including close relatives were involved in the murder. The accused confessed to have murdered the couple.

The autopsy report said the couple might have been strangled to death. However, the police is yet to confirm it.

Approximately 1,000 women are said to be killed in the name of honour each year in Pakistan.

The government has passed strict laws of life imprisonment if a person is found guilty of committing a heinous crime of murdering someone in the name of honour.

--- ENDS ---
Mumbai: Soon after SS Rajamoulis first half of the two-part magnum opus Baahubali released in 2015, Telugu superstar Prabhas became a household name across the country. And after the second-half hit the silverscreen in 2017, he became a national icon of sorts.

In Baahubali: The Conclusion, Prabhas essayed Amarendra Baahubali, a character, every woman had adored. His character exhibited traits that every woman wishes for in her husband. Thus, as Amarendra Baahubali, Prabhas made women go weak in the knees.

His Saaho co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh is equally in awe of him.

Recently, during an interview with Hindustan Times, Neil, while expressing his admiration for the Baahubali superstar said, Prabhas is one of the nicest and sweetest people Ive ever met. Hes so simple and down to earth. The excitement of meeting him just multiplies by many manifolds because he has no attitude.

The way he meets common people is so heart-warming. You will not hear him ever raise his voice at anybody. Theres no tantrum. Hes a great human being and that reflects in his fan following, too, Neil added.

Despite being so immensely popular, Prabhas throws no starry tantrums or exhibits starlike attitude.

The saying, Once the tree start bearing fruits, it bows down to earth, describes him aptly, Neil said.

No wonder why Prabhas has such a mammoth fan following.

Neil is on board Sujeeth Reddys futuristic actioner which also stars Shraddha Kapoor. The film is being shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi and is expected to be released in Tamil too.

Saaho also stars Mandira Bedi, Chunky Panday and Jackie Shroff.
New Delhi: With 2020 just 2 years away, the space circuit is buzzing in anticipation of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.

Earlier this month, NASA revealed that the Mars 2020 rover will have 23 technologically advanced cameras to create sweeping panoramas, reveal obstacles, study the atmosphere, and assist science instruments.

Now, in another announcement, the US space agency has unveiled that the unmanned rover vehicle will search for signs of ancient microbial life in areas of the uninhabitable Red Planet.

While the Mars 2020 rover holds a resemblance to its predecessor  the Curiosity rover  there's no doubt it's a souped-up science machine: It has seven new instruments, redesigned wheels and more autonomy.

A drill will capture rock cores, while a caching system with a miniature robotic arm will seal up these samples. Then, they'll be deposited on the Martian surface for possible pickup by a future mission. The new rover will be launched in July or August 2020.

What we learn from the samples collected during this mission has the potential to address whether were alone in the universe, said Ken Farley, a JPL scientist with the Mars 2020 project.

JPL is also developing a new landing technology that will allow the rover to visit sites deemed too risky for Curiosity and shave miles off its journey. The 2020 Mars mission will involve the use of a sky-crane, to conserve energy usage in the landing process.

Another addition to its landing phase will be worked out through the use of terrain-relative navigation. Through this system, the rover will essentially be able to compare surface maps in its database and incoming terrain, in order to select a favourable landing spot.

NASA has successfully landed spacecraft on Mars seven times and is using the International Space Station to prepare for human missions to the moon and Mars. Most of the hardware from the Curiosity rover, which landed in 2012, will be retained on this mission.

According to Mars Exploration Program Director Jim Watzin, the presence of technology to explore the Red Planet reduces the risks with this launch. Through this mission, NASA will attempt to study the currently Martian terrain, and create a soil map of the planet.

(With inputs from Reuters)
New Delhi: Google's video-hosting platform YouTube has released the stable version of YouTube Go app in India.

With YouTube Go, users can share videos with friends and family nearby without using any data.

The beta version of the app was released on Play Store in India this April.

The app provides a fresh and relevant video recommendation tailored to ones preferences. It is designed to be offline first and improve the experience of watching videos on a slower network.

"It gives you more control over data usage, by providing choice and transparency into the amount of data spent on streaming or saving videos, and it's social, allowing you to share videos quickly and easily with friends nearby," a YouTube blog post had said.

YouTube Go home screen features trending and popular videos in an area, so that a user can find and discover videos that his/her community cares about.

On YouTube Go, a user can see a preview of the video when he/she taps on a thumbnail, giving a better sense of what the video is about.

A user can also choose to save a video for offline viewing later.

With a tagline of "Mazze Udao, Data Nahi", YouTube Go now allows a user to preview and choose the size of the video.
MUZAFFARNAGAR: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested the father, brother and two uncles of a 17-year-old girl in Dhandheda village of Muzaffarnagar on charges for allegedly gang-raping her for eloping with a man.

The police has arrested all the four accused following the minor girl filed a complaint against them.

The girl had reportedly eloped with a 32-year-old man, who is a father of three children, of the same village.

They had previously eloped twice, in July and later in October. Her family had twice filed an abduction complaint with the police.

For the first time, the man was let off by the police after the girl said she left with him by choice.

After the family filed a second case against the man, the girl approached the Allahabad high court on November 2 alleging she was gang-raped by her family members at a nursing home.

The girl also claimed that she was forced to miscarry by her family members.

The police booked all the four accused under IPC Sections 376D (gang rape) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent), among others.

Meanwhile, the girl's mother and sister-in-law have refused the allegation dubbing it baseless.
Kolkata: The Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man for his alleged association with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the India-Nepal border, taking the total number of people in custody for links with the Bangladeshi terror outfit to five.

Omar Farooq alias Mohammed Aftab Khan was arrested by the STF sleuths from the Nepal border area when he was trying to escape to the neighbouring country, a senior official said.

The sleuths had announced a reward for any information on Khan and two others -- Shopon Biswas alias Tamim and Nayan Gazi alias Zafor.

With Khan's arrest, the total number of people arrested by the Kolkata Police for their alleged links with the Bangladeshi terrorist group has risen to five.

Acting on the information obtained after grilling the four other arrested persons, a police team conducted a raid at a hideout near the India-Nepal border and nabbed Aftab.

The accused was attached to the banned terror outfit's explosives wing and was an expert in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the official said.

Aftab had entered India with the help of Mohammad Sahadat Hossain, who was arrested from central Kolkata last week, he said.

The accused, along with Tamim, had stayed at a hotel in Howrah for a couple of days, the official said.

The STF had last week arrested two ABT terrorists, Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam, along with an arms supplier, Monotosh Dey, from the Kolkata railway station and seized several fake identity cards and arms from their possession.

The terrorists were suspected to be behind the killing of secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh.
Manila: The Philippine military says 14 communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops south of the capital days after President Rodrigo Duterte officially terminated peace talks with insurgents and warned of a violent crackdown.

Capt Melchor Durante, an army spokesman, said today two other rebels wounded in the clash in Nasugbu town, around 70 km south of Manila, were evacuated to a hospital.

The rebels' death toll in last night's encounter is the biggest in recent months. Five soldiers suffered minor injuries.

The communist rebellion in the Philippines has raged for 48 years, making it one of Asia's longest. Peace negotiations between the insurgents and Duterte's administration were earlier suspended due to sporadic clashes, and formally terminated by the government on November 23.
Dubai: Bahrain`s jailed Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to new charges of working with the kingdom`s Gulf rival Qatar to overthrow the Sunni minority government.

The trial comes amid a bitter diplomatic spat now approaching its seventh month pitting Bahrain and its allies against Qatar, which is accused of being too close to Iran.

Salman, who has been behind bars since 2014 serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred, had refused to appear in court for a first planned hearing in the new trial on Monday.

"Sheikh Ali denied the charges levelled against him," a judicial source told AFP.

The court set the next hearing for December 28.

Salman and two members of his banned Al-Wefaq movement, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad -- neither of them in custody -- are charged with "communicating with a foreign state to commit acts hostile to the state of Bahrain".

In August, Bahraini authorities accused Salman of having collaborated with Qatar in 2011 to encourage protesters to take to the streets.

The accusations came after Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut ties with Qatar in June over alleged support for Islamist extremism and ties with Shiite-dominated Iran. Doha denies the allegations.

Ruled for more than 200 years by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain is home to a Shiite majority that for years has complained of political marginalisation.

The archipelago, which is located between regional arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, has been rocked by protests demanding an elected government since 2011.

Al-Wefaq was the largest party in parliament before the demonstrations erupted but its members all resigned in protest at their bloody suppression.

Over the past six years, Bahraini authorities have tightened their grip on all dissent, jailing dozens of high-profile activists and disbanding both religious and secular opposition groups.
RIYADH: British Prime Minister Theresa May is to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on Wednesday with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow humanitarian aid through Yemen's port of Hodeida, which is held by the Shiite rebels being targeted in the Saudi-led war.

A UN-chartered aid vessel docked at Hodeida yesterday.

"We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida," May said yesterday. "Obviously that is an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia closed off Yemen's seaports and airports over a November 4 rebel ballistic-missile launch that targeted the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The kingdom said it intercepted the missile, the deepest yet to penetrate the country.

Under intense international pressure, Saudi Arabia later promised it would reopen the ports for humanitarian aid.

The Saudi-led coalition began its war in Yemen in March 2015 on behalf of Yemen's internationally recognised government against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies.

The conflict has pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. The war has killed over 10,000 civilians, displaced 3 million people and left much of the infrastructure in ruins.

May has faced increasingly calls to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid the conflict, which has seen kingdom-led airstrikes kill hundreds of civilians. Britain has licensed USD 4.4 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia since the war began.

May's visit seeking out Crown Prince Mohammed comes as the 32-year-old son of King Salman now appears to hold the levers of power in Saudi Arabia.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to the kingdom earlier this month as well, to see the young royal.

In recent weeks, the crown prince led what the kingdom described as an anti-corruption campaign, arresting prominent princes, business leaders, military officials and others. He also was the architect of the kingdom's war in Yemen, which has been at a stalemate for months.

May also will visit Jordan and meet with King Abdullah II on her trip.
Two American tourists have been held for "inappropriate behaviour" after sharing photos of them baring their buttocks at a famous Bangkok temple, Thai police said Wednesday, as the ruling junta cracks down on insults to Buddhism.

The pair, Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures on November 24 of their bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram.

It was not immediately clear if the men were related.

But their asinine antics could land them in more serious trouble after police sought to charge them under a draconian computer crime law -- an offence that can carry jail time.

The riverside temple, whose ancient `prang` - tower - is one of Bangkok`s best-known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The men were detained at a Bangkok airport late Tuesday and fined $150 each.

"They were detained as they were about to leave Thailand," Colonel Cherngron Rimpadee, an Immigration Police spokesman said, adding they were on a `watch list` after their social media posts caught authorities` attention.

Colonel Jarupat Thongkomol, from the police station near the temple which is managing the case, said the men now faced more serious charges.

"We are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures," he said.

The act carries up to five years jail per charge and is routinely slapped on political dissidents or people deemed to have insulted Thailand`s monarchy.

Junta-run Thailand takes a hardline on disrespectful gestures towards Buddhism, the dominant religion in Thailand.

Tourists are told not buy and sell Buddha sculptures or get sacred tattoos or of images of the Buddha for fashion purposes.

People visiting temples are also expected to dress modestly, covering their shoulders and legs -- with advice signs common at Bangkok`s religious landmarks.

In 2015 neighbouring Malaysia deported four western tourists after charging them with obscenity for taking nude photos on a mountain on Borneo island.
"I know they like me and JuD also likes me", said Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in an interview to a Pakistani news agency.

By India Today Web Desk: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said in an interview that he is the biggest supporter of Laishkar-e-Taiba (LeT). "I know they like me and JuD also likes me", Musharraf told Pakistani news agency.

When asked if he likes Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed , he responded with a 'yes' and added that he has met him.

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Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist , was freed from house arrest last week on an order from the Lahore High Court after Pakistani authorities failed to file any formal charges against him since his house arrest in January this year.

The former dictator admitted that LeT is involved in Kashmir and said that the group is the "biggest force" who was "always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing Indian Army in Kashmir.

Musharraf went on to accuse India of partnering with the United States to declare LeT a terrorist organisation.

The 74-year-old former president has been declared a fugitive by Pakistan but that has not stopped him from forming a "grand alliance of 23 parties".

Musharraf recently addressed the media through video conferencing from Dubai and declared the coalition. However, the very next day, two major partners of the alliance, Pakistan Awami Tehrik and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, denied being a part of the alliance.

--- ENDS ---
BEIJING: China on Wednesday defended a five-year prison sentence handed down to a Taiwanese pro-democracy activist who held online political lectures and helped the families of jailed Chinese dissidents, saying the punishment was arrived at partly due to the "degree of harm to society."

The trial of Lee Ming-che was seen as a demonstration of how Beijing's harshest crackdown on human rights in decades has extended beyond the Chinese mainland, and sent a chill through Taiwanese society.

Lee and a mainland Chinese colleague pleaded guilty and were convicted on the vaguely defined charge of "subversion of state power."

The Chinese man, Peng Yuhua, was given a seven-year sentence. Both said they would not appeal -- a possible sign they had reached a deal with the court in exchange for a degree of leniency.

Spokesman for the Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office Ma Xiaoguang told reporters today that Lee's sentence was based on "the facts, the nature and circumstances of the crime and the degree of harm to the society."

Ma offered no specific details on the degree of harm, but said, "Whether Lee Ming-che's actions endanger the security and security of the mainland should be judged by mainland laws," rather than by

outsiders.

Taiwan's government and human rights groups have condemned the trial and sentencing as unacceptable and a legal farce.

It was also criticised by Lee's wife, Lee Ching-yu, who was in China for the sentencing and planned to issue a statement on her return to Taiwan this afternoon.

The case has drawn widespread attention on the island, possibly hardening attitudes among supporters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party who have resisted making political concessions to China.

Ma appeared to dismiss such sentiments, without addressing them directly.

"Attempts by anyone to use this case to carry out political speculation and provoke confrontational sentiment between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will be in vain," Ma said.

Along with demonstrating Chinese President Xi Jinping's hard line on civil and political rights, the case against Lee was seen as part of a pressure campaign against the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Since Tsai's election last year, relations between Taiwan and China have sunk to near an all-time low over her refusal to endorse Beijing's claim to the island as Chinese territorial.

China cut off contacts with Taiwan's government in June of last year, and has cut back on visits to the island by Chinese tourists.

It has lured away two of Taipei's dwindling numbers of diplomatic allies and moved to bar Taiwan's representatives from attending international gatherings to which they had previously had access.

At the same time, it has reinforced its threat to use military force to bring the island under its control, most recently sending military jets to circle the island.

Ma said questions about such matters should be referred to the defence ministry, but added that "the best way to ensure stability in the Taiwan Strait is to oppose Taiwan independence ... And pursue the path of peaceful development of relations between the two sides."
BEIJING: The death toll from a huge explosion in eastern China rose to four Wednesday as police said two people who were initially reported missing had died when they mishandled illegal explosives.

Authorities have said that a man who manufactured and sold explosives had asked relatives to dispose of the material in the port city of Ningbo.

DNA tests on human tissue found at the site of Sunday's blast confirmed that they were the remains of the father and cousin of the suspect, police said in a statement.

The blast took place on Sunday in a vacant lot of a crumbling light-industrial area, reducing small buildings to rubble and shattering windows of nearby apartments.

Authorities previously said two people were killed and 19 others injured.

A 33-year-old suspect surnamed Shan, who had been wanted by police in the northeastern province of Liaoning since late October, was arrested on Monday night.

Explosives containing aluminium powder and barium nitrate were shipped from Liaoning to his relatives in Ningbo.

His relatives took the material to the vacant lot on Saturday and began to take it apart. They resumed on Sunday, when it blew up.

Police did not indicate why the suspect had been making explosives.
Cairo: Former Egyptian premier Ahmed Shafiq, who narrowly lost a 2012 election to a since ousted Islamist president, will challenge leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at a poll next year, two aides told AFP Wednesday.

"I can confirm he will run," one of them said of the Hosni Mubarak-era prime minister who left the country in 2012 for the United Arab Emirates.

Shafiq, who was placed on trial in absentia on corruption charges after losing the 2012 election to Mohamed Morsi, had emerged as a critic and possible contender to Sisi over the past two years.

The former premier has been acquitted and his lawyer had said he would be free to return, but it is thought that he fears another case might be brought against him.

It is not clear if, or when, Shafiq intends to come back to Egypt to run in the spring election.

Sisi, a former army chief elected as president in 2014 less than a year after overthrowing his Islamist predecessor Morsi, has not officially declared his candidacy, but looks all but certain to run in and dominate the election next year.

Shafiq could represent one of the few candidates who can come close to challenging Sisi.

Former leader Mubarak hastily appointed Shafiq as prime minister in the last days of his rule in 2011 before he was ousted from the presidency by a democratic uprising.

A former aviation minister and airforce general, Shafiq did not last long in his role after Mubarak lost power.

Yet a year later, and despite widespread opposition to Mubarak-era figures at the time, he still only lost out narrowly to Morsi at the national election.
Islamabad: Pakistans former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has once again expressed his fondness for Jamaat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief and Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed and backed his outfit's role in waging 'Jihad' in Kashmir.

''I like Hafiz Saeed a lot and support his outfit JuD,'' Pervez Musharraf said.

''I am a big Lashkar-e-Toiba's supporter also,'' he added.

While acknowledging that terror outfits like JuD and LeT are waging a 'jihad' for the liberation of Kashmir from India, the former Pakistan president said, ''Yes, they are involved in Kashmir and I support them.''

General Pervez Musharraf made these remarks while speaking to Pakistan's ARY News during which he also confirmed that he had met the JuD chief several times in past.

I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me & JuD also likes me: Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan's ARY News, also said 'yes' on being asked if he likes Hafiz Saeed, added that, 'I have met him (Hafiz Saeed)' pic.twitter.com/txxT58oPoU  ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

Referring to the situation in Kashmir, former Pakistan President said, ''I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing Indian Army there. They (LeT) are the biggest force, India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with US.''

On previous occasions too, General Musharraf had denied that Hafiz Saeed's JuD or LeT was involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 168 people dead.

I dont think Saeed was behind the 26/11 attacks. In Pakistan, we dont call him a terrorist, 73-year-old Musharraf had said.

Referring to Saeeds house arrest in Pakistan, Musharraf said, Let me surprise you. The Hafiz Saeed issue is an issue in India, not in the United States.

In January this year, 68-year-old Saeed was recently released after nearly ten-month-long house arrest in Pakistan following a court order.

Saeed carries a reward of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. His organisation JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (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. Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by a court in 2009.

Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile, faces several cases in Pakistan and there is little chance that he will come back to participate in elections.

Last time he returned from abroad in 2013 to contest elections but had to face a tough time due to several cases. Those cases are still pending
A plot is underway in Pakistan to replace Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi with a caretaker PM, some Pakistani newspapers are reporting today. The reports suggest that a retired officer, presumably military, has instructed former judge Wajihuddin Ahmed to be prepared for the post.

The reports claim the retired officer, characterised as someone "important", approached Ahmed with the request that he should not refuse if asked to become caretaker PM. The reports added that Ahmed refused to make any commitment in response to this.

The alleged search for an interim PM does not include the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition, who are the constitutionally empowered to make such a recommendation to the President of Pakistan.

Pakistani newspapers The News International and Pakistan Today were among the media outlets that were reporting that efforts are underway to put in place a caretaker PM by June 2018, with elections scheduled for August.

" these developments synchronize with the demand of those seeking early elections or predicting that before the March 2018 Senate elections, the present government has to leave. Otherwise, if the present government completes its term, the caretaker set-up will be in place in early June next year to hold the general elections in August 2018," read the report on the website of The News International.

The reports come against the backdrop of speculation in Pakistan that the Army is increasingly meddling in politics. Such speculation had risen after the merger of the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in the first week of November.

Military intervention in politics had once again been discussed after the negotiated truce that brought an end to the Faizabad protests by hardline Islamic parties outside Islamabad.

Wednesday's reports said the hypothetical caretaker government under Wajihuddin Ahmed would be given a 'national' character.

Wajihuddin Ahmed was a judge of the Pakistan Supreme Court whose stand against then President Pervez Musharraf shot him to prominence. He had lost the election to become Pakistan's President to Mamnoon Hussain.
TOKYO: Japan on Wednesday condemned the North Korea's missile launch and termed it to be as 'absolutely intolerable'.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe termed it to be ''absolutely intolerable'' as it "tramples on the international community's unified determination to find a peaceful solution for the former's issue", a local media reported.

On the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch by North Korea, which squahed into the Sea of Japan, Prime Minister Abe told media that the government will take "every possible measure for crisis management".

The Japanese Prime Minister assured full protection of its people.

The National Security Council held an emergency meeting, which was attended by Cabinet ministers, including Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera.

"We would urge UN Security Council for an emergency meeting over North Korea missile fire," local media quoted Japanese PM Abe as saying.

He has requested the international community to unite in this fight and to "implement sanctions against Pyongyang".

Japan's Prime Minister's Office had earlier said that the missile has the possibility of "arriving in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our country."

The missile fire comes a day after United States President Donald Trump in a summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe extended support to japan and said, "the United States of America is behind Japan, our great ally, 100 percent."

On September 15, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Hokkaido Island in Japan before and swashed into the Pacific Ocean.

"South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of achieving full nuclear capability with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could carry a nuclear warhead," Fox news quoted the local media.
NEW DELHI: Stating that the Japan-India relationship is at its best ever in history, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu has said that his country is keen to support South Asia in combating terrorism and attaining the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In an interview with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Hiramatsu said that though the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation's operations have been diminishing in Syria and Iraq, foreign terrorist fighters were now splitting and relocating to other parts of the world, including in South Asia.

"As we witnessed last July, a terrorist attack took place in Dhaka where seven Japanese nationals were killed. We are very concerned about the situation," he said.

He was referring to the terror attack on the Artisan Bakery in Bangladesh`s capital on July 1, 2016 in which 29 people, including 18 foreigners, lost their lives.

The interview was part of the UNODC Conversations that feature exclusive interactions with eminent personalities and experts on issues related to UNODC`s core mandate areas of transnational organised crime, human rights, terrorism and the rule of law.

Stating that Japan was concerned with the situation in South Asia, Hiramatsu said: "To tackle with the issue of violent extremism, we need a more comprehensive approach: not only dealing with terrorism per se, but also in addressing challenges such as the eradication of poverty, build harmonious communities and lessen religious tensions."

He said that Japan has been actively supporting efforts on border control and better law enforcement in South Asia, especially in terms of promoting human resource development and providing technical assistance to those who are dealing with border control and law enforcement issues.

"We have special programmes to support border control and community ruling, and also to establish a centre for intelligence and information sharing in this region," the Ambassador said.

"We are also backing initiative supporting UNODC in capacity building operations, which cater to different pillars of UNODC`s agenda. The three pillars of UNODC`s work - health, justice and security - are very important for us."

Stating that the global strategic landscape was steadily shifting, he said that these issues have to be dealt with "in a very intelligent manner".

"Of course, the issue of nuclear terrorism has been there for many years," Hiramatsu said.

"We have been having a series of nuclear terrorism summit meetings, and we have been actively participating in this matter. The situation with regard to North Korea is extremely critical and serious. The level of conflict has entered a new stage."

Coming to the issue of SDGs, he said that collective efforts by many countries were needed to attain these, especially in South Asia.

"So based on this very well structured strategy and policy on part of the developing countries, Japan is very keen to support these countries in helping achieve the SDGs," Hiramatsu said.

At the Sustainable Development Summit on September 25, 2015, UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 SDGs to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015.

Coming to Japan`s relationship with India, he said that he was "very happy to say that our relationship with India is at the best ever in history".

"Japan is very happy to support India`s endeavour to enhance level of living standards, supporting higher education, eradication of poverty, women`s empowerment, tackling infectious diseases and providing better sanitation standards," Hiramatsu stated.
Seoul/Washington: North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, with some scientists cautioning that Washington, DC could now theoretically be within the range of Pyongyang`s weapons.

North Korea fired the missile, its first launch since mid-September, a week after US President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a US list of countries it says support terrorism.

The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of UN sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

The South Korean military said the missile, fired on a steep trajectory, reached an altitude of around 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and flew 960 km (600 miles) before landing in Japan`s exclusive economic zone.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House.

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke by phone and agreed to boost deterrence capability against North Korea, Yasutoshi Nishimura, deputy chief cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo.

"It is a situation that we will handle," Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking about the latest test.

Trump, who was briefed on the missile while it was in flight, said it did not change his administration`s approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea.

All Options

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

"The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea."

Other than carrying out existing U.N. sanctions, "the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic" travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement.

The UN Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss North Korea`s latest missile launch. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons programs and re-enter diplomatic talks.

The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km (620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

US East Coast In Range?

Japanese officials said the missile flew for 53 minutes and broke up before landing in Japan`s exclusive economic zone. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory.

"If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) ... Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States," the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists said.

However, it was unclear how heavy a payload the missile was carrying, and it was uncertain if it could carry a large nuclear warhead that far, the nonprofit science advocacy group added.

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Korea`s military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the launch had been anticipated and that the government had been preparing for it. Moon said there was no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure and sanctions against North Korea.

"The situation could get out of control if North Korea perfects its ICBM technology," Moon said, according to the Blue House after a national security council meeting.

"North Korea shouldn`t miscalculate the situation and threaten South Korea with a nuclear weapon, which could elicit a possible pre-emptive strike by the United States."

US stocks briefly pared gains on the news but the S&P 500 index was up almost 1 percent at the close.



A US intelligence official said the initial indication was that the engine was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong-14 - a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July.

After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in September, following a missile it fired that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15 and far out into the Pacific Ocean.

North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defence against US plans to invade.

The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

Last week, North Korea denounced Trump`s decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a "serious provocation and violent infringement."

A US government source familiar with official reporting and analyses said the U.S. assessment was the launch was the latest in a well-calculated and serious series of tests to develop and perfect North Korea missile systems rather than any response to Trump.

Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to "totally destroy" North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.
YANGON: Pope Francis called on the people of Myanmar on Wednesday to embrace peace and reconciliation as their country emerges from nearly five decades of military rule still riven by ethnic conflicts and communal strife.

The pope made his appeal at an open-air mass in Yangon on the third day of a visit fraught with diplomatic risk over a military crackdown that has triggered the flight of about 625,000 Muslim Rohingya from the predominantly Buddhist country.

In a speech on Tuesday, he did not use the highly charged term `Rohingya`, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar`s military and government against minority Christians.

However, his call for justice, human rights and respect for all were widely seen as applicable to the Rohingya, who are not recognised as citizens or as members of a distinct ethnic group.

The mass exodus from Rakhine state to the southern tip of Bangladesh began at the end of August when the military launched a counter-offensive in response to Rohingya militant attacks on an army base and police security posts.

Scores of Rohingya villages were burnt to the ground, and refugees told of killings and rapes. The United States said last week that the military`s campaign included "horrendous atrocities" aimed at "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar`s military has denied all accusations of murder, rape and forced displacement.

"WOUNDS OF VIOLENCE"

Only about 700,000 of Myanmar`s 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them travelled from far and wide to Yangon to see the pope, and many attended Wednesday`s mass on the grounds of what had been racecourse during British colonial times.

Among the tens of thousands there were priests, nuns, diplomats, leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi`s ruling National League for Democracy, and members of ethnic groups in traditional garb who sang songs and waved Myanmar and Vatican flags as they waited for the pope.

"We may never get such a chance again. The pope lives in Rome and we can`t afford to go there," said Bo Khin, 45, a teacher who travelled on a truck to Yangon with a group of 15 relatives from the city of Mandalay. "We feel very happy, joyful that he visited us in Myanmar."

Bells chimed as Francis arrived. Standing in the back of a white truck, he smiled, waved at the crowd and looked relaxed as he headed to a pagoda-style canopy to celebrate mass.

In his homily, he called on the country`s people to "anoint every hurt and every painful memory" and promote "the reconciliation and peace that God wants to reign in every human heart and in every community".

"I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible," he said, urging them to shun temptation to seek healing from anger and revenge.

MYRIAD ETHNIC CONFLICTS

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: "For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord."

When she came to power in 2016, Nobel peace laureate and longtime champion of democracy Suu Kyi said her number one priority was ending multiple ethnic conflicts that have kept Myanmar in a state of near-perpetual civil war since independence in 1948.

That goal remains elusive and, although Suu Kyi remains popular at home, she has faced a barrage of international criticism in recent weeks for expressing doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.

Although Suu Kyi formed Myanmars first civilian government in half a century, her defenders say she is hamstrung by a constitution written by the military that left the army in control of security and much of the apparatus of the state.

Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the pope`s trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Suu Kyi.

Francis leaves on Thursday for Bangladesh, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.
ABCNews.com(NEW YORK) -- Nearly two weeks after Argentinas navy lost contact with a submarine in the Atlantic Ocean, relatives of the 44 crew members on board are expressing their frustration with the investigation into their disappearance.



The brother of the chief machinist on the missing vessel, Hernan Rodriguez, told Argentine news website Infobaehe was angry with Argentinas naval authorities and government.



"They still haven't found the bodies, Claudio Rodriguez told the Infobae last week. When they do, and when they bring them home -- that is, if they can -- I, as family, will expect that some of the top brass pay for this.



Itati Leguizamon, a lawyer whose husband, German Suarez, was aboard the submarine, told "La Noche de Mirtha", a national television talk show, on Saturday that the Argentine government had sent contradictory signals.



She told the show it had frozen the crew members assets, which she claimed was typically done when people are believed to be dead.



"At the same time, the navy is telling us they are not dead, that they still hold out hope that they survived," Leguizamon told "La Noche de Mirtha."



Last week, Leguizamon told ABC News that authorities said they believed there had been an explosion on board.



Leguizamon also said that her husband had expressed his doubts to her about the safety of the submarine, the ARA San Juan.



"He had the sensation every time he boarded [the submarine] that it was like a Russian roulette, she said.



Marta Vallejos, whose brother, Cesar Vallejos, was on board, began a fast on Sunday and told reporters outside the base the next day that she would continue "until all the crew members return home."



Vallejos asked Argentina to unite behind the missing submariners "so that a miracle can happen." She said she supported the Argentine navy and had faith the crew members -- who she called "very professional, well-trained and prepared for situations like this" -- would all come home safely.



The navy said Tuesday that some more specialized equipment had arrived at the search area off Argentinas coast, where the submarine went missing during a trip from the countrys southern tip to Mar del Plata, a city farther north on Argentinas coast. The search, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said, was now concentrating on about 1,544 square miles of water and involved 28 ships, nine airplanes, and over 4,000 people from 18 countries.



The navy has said that the vessels last communication took place on Nov. 15 and that its commander had complained of battery and electrical issues before the vessel disappeared.



Last week, officials said a sound had been detected near the vessels last known location that suggested an explosion had occurred soon after the submarine went missing. On Monday, they said that water had entered the submarines snorkel and short circuited the battery.



Argentinas President Mauricio Macri has barely addressed the topic of the submarine in public. Last week, he held a contentious meeting with family members in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where relatives have congregated at a naval base. On Friday, he gave a three-minute statement at navy headquarters without taking any questions. Argentinas Defense Minister Oscar Aguad has also made few statements in public.



"Obviously the families are suffering terribly and tensions are very high, the navys liaison between top officials and the families in Mar de Plata told ABC News on Monday, requesting that his name not be used so he could talk about the ongoing investigation.



The liaison said he has regularly briefed the relatives before updates on the search have been shared with reporters.



Leguizamon, whose husband was on board, told reporters outside the base on Monday that she had been blocked from entering the base in Mar del Plata because of her public statements, although she did not say who was preventing her access.



But the navy liaison denied the military had stopped her.



We don't deny any family members entry to the base, he said. But there are divisions and hard feelings, especially when aired in public."

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
By PTI: Jammu, Nov 29 (PTI) Pakistani troops violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day today by targeting Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district.

The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, a defence spokesperson said.

"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatics and mortarsA from 1430 hours in the PoonchAsector along the Line of Control," he said.

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The exchange of fire continued till 1545 hours, he said.

Pakistan forces had yesterday breached the truce in the Sunderbani police station area.

On November 27, Pakistani troops opened fire in the Jhangar forward area in Rajouri.

Pakistan had violated the ceasefire for three consecutive days from November 15 to 17 in Jammu and Poonch. PTI AB GVS

--- ENDS ---
ISTANBUL: Turkish prosecutors have issued detention warrants for 360 people in an operation targeting supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen within the army, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday.

It said 333 of those facing arrest in the Istanbul-based operation were soldiers, 216 of them serving personnel. Ankara accuses Gulen and his network of orchestrating an attempted coup last year. Gulen denies the charge.

Istanbul police officers were continuing operations to capture the suspects, it said. The private Dogan news agency said seven of those facing arrest were pilots.

More than 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial over links to Gulen, while 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors since the July 15 failed putsch, in which 250 people were killed.

Sixteen months on, operations targeting supporters of the U.S.-based preacher are continuing on a daily basis. Last week, nearly 700 people were detained in related investigations.

While Turkey`s Western allies and rights groups have voiced concern that Ankara is using the investigations to crack down on dissent, Turkey says only such a purge could neutralise the threat represented by Gulen`s network, which it says infiltrated institutions such as the military, judiciary and schools.
WASHINTON: A United States District Court judge on Tuesday sided with President Donald Trump in a legal battle over who should be in charge of the US consumer finance watchdog, allowing White House budget director Mick Mulvaney to serve as acting head.

Judge Timothy Kelly ruled against Leandra English, deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) who claimed to be its rightful interim director. He denied her request for a temporary restraining order to block Mulvaney`s appointment.

She had argued in a lawsuit suit filed on Sunday that the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law that created the CFPB stipulates that the agency's deputy director is to take over in the short term.

In its defence filed on Monday night, the Trump administration said the 1998 Federal Vacancies Act gives the White House the ultimate power to say who is in charge and granting the restraining order would be an extraordinary intrusion into the executive branch.

Kelly sided with the White House`s interpretation of the law following a hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

"Undeniably, the CFPB was intended to be independent, but it is part of the executive branch, Kelly, a Trump appointee, said.

The decision was a blow for Democrats and consumer advocacy groups who had rallied to English`s cause, fearing the agency will be weakened by Mulvaney, one of its fiercest critics.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray, a Democrat appointed by the Obama administration, resigned on Friday and named English to lead the agency until a new director was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, a process that could take months.

Hours later, Trump said Mulvaney would lead the agency on an interim basis, sparking an unprecedented showdown.

The CFPB was created to crack down on predatory financial practices after the 2007-2009 financial crisis, but it is reviled by Republicans who say it is too powerful.

Speaking to reporters outside the court in Washington, English`s lawyer, Deepak Gupta, said he would ultimately seek to take the case to a higher court.

"I think whatever happens here there is going to be an appeal," he said.

The White House applauded the ruling. "Its time for the Democrats to stop enabling this brazen political stunt by a rogue employee and allow Acting Director Mulvaney to continue the bureau`s smooth transition into an agency that truly serves to help consumers, Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah said.

Trump has long sought to weaken or abolish the 1,600-employee agency, saying too many regulations are suffocating lending. Mulvaney sought to dismantle the CFPB when he served as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democrats say the agency needs to oversee consumer financial products such as mortgages and have power over large non-bank financial companies to protect borrowers.

To fight the ruling, English`s next step would be to seek a preliminary injunction against the administration. If that is dismissed, English can appeal the ruling in Circuit Court, legal experts said.

"The ball is now back in English`s court," said Alan Kaplinsky, head of the consumer financial services group for law firm Ballard Spahr.
WASHINGTON: Ahead of his European trip, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday criticised Russia for often employing "malicious tactics" to not only weaken their confidence but also to undermine political and economic successes.

In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's "America First" foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.

In his speech, Tillerson described Russia as one of the "major challenges" facing Europe and the US.

Europe and the United States seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.

However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.

Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.

"But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War," Tillerson said.

"Playing politics with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation," he said.

Tillerson went further: Attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.

"We want Russia to be a constructive neighbour of Europe and of the larger transatlantic community."

He said the ball was in Russia's court and it could choose whether to "continue to isolate and impoverish itself by sowing disorder abroad and impeding liberty at home, or become a force that will advance the freedom of Russians and the stability of Eurasia."

Following President Donald Trump's recent decision regarding US policy toward Iran, there is actually much more that binds the United States and Europe together than drives them apart, the Secretary of State said.

"We ask our European partners to join us in standing up to all of Iran's malign behaviour. The Iranian regime is antithetical to Western principles in its totalitarian suppression of individual, political, and religious freedom," he said.

"Neither the US nor Europe wants another type of North Korea nuclear threat on its hands, nor are any of our nations at ease with Iran's attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organisations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program," he added.

Responding to questions, Tillerson said there are areas of mutual cooperation with respect to Russia.

"We're working hard in Syria to defeat ISIS and we are on the cusp of having ISIS once and for all defeated in Syria... We are working together with Russia on how to prevent the civil war from re-erupting in Syria...," he said.

"We think there are areas of greater cooperation on counterterrorism with Russia. There may be opportunities for cooperation in Afghanistan. We've not yet come to what that might be, but we're talking about it," Tillerson said.
Sri Lanka's Megapolis and Western Development Ministry recently announced that the country will host 100 Chinese couples for a mass wedding ceremony on December 17 in Colombo.

The first-of-its-kind ceremony, according to the ministry, would not only promote Sri Lanka as a wedding and honeymoon destination for foreigners but also bolster relations with China. Tourism Minister John Amaratunga also said that the ceremony would the island nation showcase its beaches and other similar attractions.

According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, the mass wedding would be followed by a Sri Lanka-China food festival at a luxury resort in Colombo, following which the newlywed couples would be taken on a tour of popular tourist destinations like Yala, Sigiriya and Kandy.

Chinese citizens form a large chunk of international tourists visiting Sri Lanka each year. The spotlight on the mass wedding, local authorities feel, would further increase the inflow of tourists.
By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) The Palestinian cause holds "top priority" for his county, Saudi Arabias envoy to India today said, amid a buzz of covert talks between the Gulf Kingdom and Israel over Iran.

Saud Mohammed Alsati, the envoy, said the international community needs to deal firmly with Israel to compel it to stop occupying Palestinian territories in violation of international laws.

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He was speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in the presence of Palestinian envoy to India Adnan Abu Alhaijaa.

"I would like to point out that the Palestinian issue has been a top priority for my country. Saudi Arabia strongly supports Palestines right to self determination, right to own state on own land and right to return," Alsati said.

Alhaija said it was the United Nations responsibility to the resolve the question of Palestine and called for concrete coordinated action among countries in hammering out a lasting solution.

"For decades, India have supported Palestine by all means," Alhaija said.

Alsati also lauded Indias "traditional support" to the Palestinian cause and hoped it would continue.

The Saudi envoy said the occasion was a reminder of the inability of the international community to find a solution to this long-standing conflict and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their "inalienable right to self- determination, national independence and sovereignty".

According to international media reports, Israel has had secret contacts with Saudi Arabia amid mutual concerns over Iran, which both the countries view as a common foe in the Middle East. PTI SBRi RT

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November 28, 2017

The Donald Trump administration plans to ask Kurdish fighters in Syria to return US weapons loaned for the fight against the Islamic State (IS), but the administration is not ending all support despite growing pressure from NATO ally Turkey.

The message from White House and Pentagon officials on Monday appeared to walk back assertions from Turkeys top diplomat that Trump had promised to cease support to Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey considers the groups Kurdish faction, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), to be a terrorist group.

Once we started winning the campaign against [IS], the plan and part of the process is to always wind down support for certain groups, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a briefing on Monday. Now that we're continuing to crush the physical caliphate  we're in a position to stop providing military equipment to certain groups. But that doesn't mean stopping all support of those individual groups.

One US official told Al-Monitor that the Pentagon never sought to provide permanent arms to YPG factions of the SDF, but rather loaned them out for the duration of the conflict against IS in Syria. Throughout the operation, the Pentagon declined to put timelines on the monthslong battles to take back control of Raqqa and other Syrian towns, which proceeded more quickly than anticipated.

US Department of Defense officials said that support to the Syrian Kurds would continue for the time being, subject to a review thats been ongoing ever since Trump authorized enhanced military support to US-backed forces earlier this year. Recently, the US government provided communications equipment to the Raqqa Internal Security Force, a Kurdish and Arab police unit charged with stabilizing the area after the fall of IS, and coalition officials say they have received no orders to stop giving out Pentagon equipment in Syria.

We are taking a hard look at the adjustments that need to be made to support our Kurdish partners, said Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman.

Over the summer, the US-led coalition to defeat IS said it had set up a monitoring database complete with serial numbers in an effort to keep weapons delivered to the YPG out of the wrong hands. So far, there have been no changes to the levels or types of support that we are providing to the SDF, a coalition official told Al-Monitor.

The Defense Department said it had shared lists of major military equipment provided to the YPG  such as heavy machine guns and Humvees  with Turkey to ensure their safe return, and it intends to take back large vehicles and heavy or crew-served weapons once IS has been defeated.

The effort is not unprecedented. Many of the Pentagons efforts to recoup weapons are classified, but other attempts to track supplies to armed groups have suffered from poor record-keeping.

In May, Amnesty International obtained a US government audit that faulted the Army for failing to properly track more than $1 billion in equipment destined for the Iraqi army, Shiite militias and Kurdish peshmerga forces. The report follows a 2015 research report by Action on Armed Violence, a UK-based arms monitor, that found the Pentagon lacked records for more than half of the 1.45 million weapons handed out in Iraq and Afghanistan. And in the early 1990s, the CIA spent millions of dollars in Afghanistan to recover Stinger anti-aircraft missiles given to jihadi groups during the conflict against the Soviet Union, with limited success.

More recently, the Pentagon said it had been able to recuperate some heavy weapons from Shuhada al-Qaryatayn in Syria after the United States cut ties with the group because it decided to take on pro-Bashar al-Assad forces rather than focus on IS. US officials, however, said they were unable to recover trucks and other material handed out to the group.

With those problems in mind, getting weapons returned to the United States from the YPG  and keeping them away from militant groups such as IS  will be easier said than done, experts say.

Theres only so much you can do from afar to make sure the weapons stay with the intended recipient, especially on the battlefield, said Matt Schroeder, a senior researcher with Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based project that tracks weapons and munitions around the world. Its extremely difficult with nonstate actors because oftentimes they dont have depots built for this purpose.

The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress key defense policy bill, allocates another $500 million to the fight against IS in Syria until next September, equipping an additional 5,000 rebel troops with AK-47s, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles and more than $21 million in stipends. That figure includes arms for Syrian Kurds and the creation of temporary facilities that could be used to stage forward operations and hold stocks of arms and ammunition supplied from US facilities in Kuwait and Jordan, creating a possible buffer against battlefield proliferation.

But with IS nearly defeated on the battlefield, Pentagon officials say they are not sure how much of that money they will ask Congress to appropriate. Only about 3,000 IS fighters are believed to remain in eastern Syria and western Iraq, down from nearly 45,000 militants at the height of the self-declared caliphate in 2015.

The effort to recoup arms from the YPG could also be made more difficult as Russia pushes for a political settlement in Syria that would empower President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian leader has sought to reassert control throughout the war-torn country, including in Kurdish-dominated areas in the north that are eyeing more autonomy from Damascus.

These people fighting for their perceived freedoms, are they going to hand back their guns? asked Iain Overton, the executive director of Action on Armed Violence and the leader of the 2015 survey of US arms delivered in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The effort to recoup the weapons could shed light on the Pentagons classified accounting procedures, said Overton, giving Congress and independent watchdogs a better sense of US arms policy. He said that prior Pentagon policy has focused on arming nation-states that can track and monitor equipment, as opposed to nonstate actors.

The question is, where are these loans recorded? Overton told Al-Monitor. It opens up a whole new Pandoras box of how the United States is arming groups around the world.
The Icelandic ocean carrier will up the frequency of its Green Line service by adding a third vessel between Reykjavik, Halifax and Portland, Maine.



Icelandic ocean carrier Eimskip will increase the frequency of its container service between Iceland and the ports of Halifax and Portland, Maine on Nov. 30 by deploying a third vessel on its Green Line loop, the company said in a statement.

The new Green Line service, previously sailing on a 12-day frequency, will become a weekly loop with three vessels of an average capacity of 711 TEUs. Eimskip said the loop will offer excellent network connections with Southern Europe, Russia and the Baltics, FCL and LCL service, project cargo, break bulk and storage services.

This new weekly offering will better serve our existing customer base and will create an avenue for future growth, said Jeff Simms, managing director of Eimskip Canada. We are seeing increased volumes through operations at Portland, Maine, as well as Halifax and Newfoundland. The combined increase is making the change to weekly calls a reality.

Kim Holtermand, CEO and managing director of Halifaxs Halterm International Container Terminal, which will be called by the Green Line loop, said, We are delighted to be working with Eimskip, a long-term customer, on the development of its intra-regional and trans-Atlantic services. Earlier this year Halterm welcomed the first 10,000-TEU capacity container vessels to arrive in Halifax and the terminal is capable to handle the largest 14,000-TEU ships now regularly calling North Americas east coast  these vessels need a strong feeder and intermodal network and Halterm is proud to partner Eimskip in making one such opportunity available to and from the New England states.

The complete port rotation for the new Green Line service is Reykjavik, Argentia Newfoundland, Halifax, Portland, Argentia Newfoundland and back to Reykjavik.

We value all of the ocean carriers calling on Halifax. Eimskip has carved out a strong business in the refrigerated cargo sector, specifically focusing on the frozen seafood market between North Europe, Atlantic Canada, and the New England states, said Karen Oldfield, president and CEO of Halifax Port Authority. The addition of a third vessel to Eimskips Green Line will certainly be welcome news for Eimskips existing customers and will create new global supply chain opportunities.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. From the proclamation of Armenias independence up to today the relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran have recorded a dynamic growth, and as two neighbors there is no obstacle for the development of relations between the two countries, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at the opening ceremony of the Armenian-Iranian business forum in Yerevan, reports Armenpress.

I am very happy to have this opportunity to meet with the business representatives of Armenia and Iran. I want to state that the relations between Armenia and Iran have a centuries-old history, and we are happy that Armenians have also selected Iran as their country and today they are our very warm and good citizens. We didnt spare any efforts in the defense field and even during the Iran-Iraqi war people were killed. Armenians are also leading citizens in the economic field, the FM said.

According to him, the governments of the two countries should create favorable conditions for the development of relations between the two peoples, scientists and businessmen. We have worked on creating political and legal infrastructures for the cooperation, and the documents, which should have been signed between the two states aimed at facilitating investments, trade turnover, are already signed, the Iranian minister said, adding that the key goal is the development of economic relations, and the private sector plays vital role here.

I am happy that the two countries have potential for the cooperation. Iran recorded a key progress in science and innovative technologies: it is among the worlds leading countries in this field, he said, adding that the two countries can really have a mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy field. He also emphasized the fields of agriculture and livestock.

The Iranian FM also touched upon the creation of joint factories, assuring that the Iranian side can provide the raw material, and the final stage of the process, meaning, the production part can be provided by Armenia, and then the products can be exported to other countries. In order to implement this project we should be able to use the opportunities of the free economic zone, he said, adding that Iran is holding talks with the EAEU.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Tali Ploskov, Vice Speaker of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), head of the Israel-Armenia parliamentary friendship group gave an interview to ARMENPRESS talking about the current level of the Armenian-Israeli relations, the cooperation in different spheres, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Israel and other issues.

-Mrs. Ploskov, Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian visited Israel in early November. How would you assess his visit to Israel? What can you say about the current level of the Armenian-Israeli ties?

-I am sure that the visit of the minister was very important since it shows the interest to further develop the relations between the two countries. Moreover, this interest is two-sided. Such visits enable not only to establish ties between political figures, but also the peoples of the two countries, especially when Armenians in Israel are not small in number. For them its very important to remember their country, history, traditions and culture. We jointly search for ways to support and help each other in various spheres. We had a discussion on expanding the inter-parliamentary activities since the main goal of these works is to find ways for assistance in the international platform, to mutually strengthen our countries positions, settle the ties in economic, high technologies, agriculture, tourism and culture spheres, as well as to further expand the links between the peoples of our two countries.

-What changes will you identify which contributed to the development of bilateral relations in the recent period?

-Over the past two years we have conducted a truly thorough work, new impetus was given to the bilateral ties, direct flights between the two countries have launched which also contributes to expanding the cooperation. As a reminder, Armenia airline operated the first permanent Yerevan-Tel Aviv-Yerevan flight on May 17. I want to state that during this period the Mayors of Petah Tikva and Gyumri signed a document on certain plans. The two cities will soon become sister-cities.

-On October 26 a reception at the Presidential level was held in Israel during which renowned French-Armenian signer Charles Aznavour has been awarded for his humanitarian activity during the Holocaust. Aznavour at that period talked about the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Israel. What can you say on this matter?

-Lets, in any case, agree that Israels position on this issue, if we compare with the position three years ago, has changed to positive for Armenia. The evidence of this is that the issue has been raised at the Knesset plenary session, the discussions continued in the education committee where it was practically announced on recognizing the tragedy of the Armenian people. I know the tragedy of the Armenian people: we are with Armenia, and I am confident that Israel will eventually express its stance for the benefit of Armenia.

-The issue regarding the embassies is still unresolved in the relations of the two countries. What prospects do you see for opening them and transferring the diplomatic ties to a new stage?

-I fully support this idea since this issue has been voiced relatively recently, and the works on this path have just started.

-Mrs. Ploskov, the issue of liberalization of visa regime is also important. Is it possible to expect a visible result on this path?

-The visa liberalization is one of the most important issues between the two countries. This was also discussed during the meeting with the minister. As currently the agreement on visa-free regime between Armenia and Israel works only for people having diplomatic passports, I have no doubt that we will manage to achieve the agreements on expanding the agreement for ordinary citizens in near future.

Interview by Syuzi Muradyan
By Indrajit Kundu: President Ram Nath Kovind wrapped up his maiden trip to West Bengal with tributes to icons like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore.

During his whirlwind trip, the President first went to the Tagore residence at Jorasanko and paid floral tributes to Gurudev on Wednesday morning.

Later, sharing his experience on social media, the President wrote on Facebook, "Was honoured to visit the birthplace of composer of our National Anthem. He remains one of our country's foremost cultural icons."

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The President visited the Tagore's personal room and took a tour of the Rabindra Bharati museum at the campus, accompanied by Bengal Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi.

His second pit stop was at the ancestral house of Subhash Chandra Bose at Elgin Road in south Kolkata.

President Kovind visited the Netaji museum at the iconic building run by the of Netaji Research Bureau accompanied by Krishna Bose, former MP and wife of Dr Sisir Kumar Bose who had founded the bureau in 1957.

"Went to Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata to pay tributes to Netaji Subhas. Was moved by the aura of sacrifice and dedication to India. Netaji is cherished, remembered and missed to this day all over the country," the President wrote on Facebook after his visit.

President Kovind then addressed the closing ceremony of centenary celebrations of the Bose Institute in Kolkata, named after the legendary scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose.

Speaking at the occasion, the President recalled the legacy of Bose in developing a scientific temper in post independence India.

"In his lifetime Acharya J.C. Bose was not given enough credit. His scientific career was one of struggle. He had little institutional and financial support. The colonial government put roadblocks in his path. Over the years, he felt the need to establish an institute devoted to scientific research and to helping young Indian scientists. This is how the idea of the Bose Institute was born," he said.

Before leaving Kolkata, President Kovind also paid his tributes to Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna at the Belur Math.

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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. After the signing of the Armenia-European Union Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, 28 member states of the EU must ratify the deal, as well as the Armenian Parliament.

Chairperson of the Armenian Parliaments European Integration Affairs committee Naira Zohrabyan told ARMENPRESS that certain provisions of the agreement, including several financial mechanisms, have already been initiated, but the deal should be ratified by EU countries.

Then the combination procedure of legislation will begin in our parliament. This is a lengthy process, she said.

The MP said she considers the agreement to be a key of success for Armenia.

Time will show as to what extent Armenia will be able to really benefit from this success key and implement reforms, she said.

Zohrabyan says this agreement is the best opportunity for Armenia to implement reforms.

Armenia and the European Union signed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement on November 24 in Brussels.

The agreement was signed in presence of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and President of the European Council Donald Tusk, by Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, ARMENPRESS correspondent reports from Brussels.

The signing ceremony took place in the EU capitals great and symbolic Europe building, on the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership summit.

Under the agreement, the sides express determination to strengthen comprehensive political and economic partnership and cooperation  based on common values and close ties, including by raising Armenias participation in the European Unions policy, programs and works of agencies.

The agreement seeks to boost, preserve and strengthen peace and stability in both regional and international levels, including combining efforts for eliminating sources of tension, through enhancing border security, as well as cross-border cooperation and friendly relations. Mobility and contacts between peoples of various countries will also be expanded.

The agreement stresses the significance of Armenias commitment for the peaceful and lasting settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the necessity of reaching this settlement as soon as possible within the frameworks of the negotiations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs: by also accepting the necessity of reaching this settlement based on goals and principles stipulated in the UN Charter and the OSCE Helsinki Final Act , namely the goals and principles which concern avoiding the use of force or the threat of use of force, territorial integrity of states and equality and self-determination right of peoples and are reflected in all statements of within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship since the 2008 OSCE 16th ministerial council meeting: mentioning also the European Unions commitment in assisting the process of the settlement.

As common values, the agreement mentions respect for democratic principles, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely stipulated in the UN Charter, the OSCE Helsinki Final Act and the 1990 New Europe Paris Charter, as well as in other relevant human rights documents, for example the UN Human Rights Universal Declaration and the European Convention of Human Rights, comprises the domestic and foreign policy basis of the sides and important element of the agreement.

The sides reaffirm their commitments for liberal market economy principles, sustainable development, regional cooperation and effective versatility.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenias delegation led by minister of economic development and investments Suren Karayan visited the Meghri Free Economic Zone, press service of the ministry told Armenpress.

Accompanied by chief advisor to the prime minister Gagik Martirosyan, architects and businessmen, the minister toured the FEZ construction site. He got acquainted with the process of the constructive works of the first stage, the existing problems and gave respective solutions.

The construction works are at the final stage. The opening of the first stage of the Meghri FEZ is expected to be held on December 15.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. 6866 people applied for Armenian citizenship during the 9 months of 2017, while in the entire 2016 the number was 7229.

Colonel Mnatsakan Bichakhchyan, director of the visa and passport department of the Police, told ARMENPRESS 356 applications have been denied in 2017, and 840 have been denied in 2016.

Although official statistics arent carried out, Return To Armenia Foundation says Armenians from Syria, Lebanon, Georgia are mostly applying for double-citizenship.

The double citizenship institution was created to link the Diaspora with Armenia. In an indirect way this also concerns development of repatriation, Vardan Marashlyan, head of the foundation says.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The CSTO Collective Security Council will convene a sitting on November 30 in Minsk.

The council consists of the leaders of CSTO member states  Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The council is chaired by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in 2016-2017.

CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov will participate in the sitting.

The heads of state will discuss international developments and actions for the strengthening of the CSTO Collective Security.

It is expected that a declaration on the 25th anniversary of the Collective Security Treaty and the 15th anniversary of the CSTO will be adopted.

The presidents will also discuss the 2025 strategy program of the organization.

Because in 2017-2018 the chairmanship will be shifted to Kazakhstan, President Nazarbayev will present the priorities of his countrys chairmanship.

Several political statements of CSTO member states leaders over international security issues is in the agenda.

CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov will deliver his annual report.

Documents relating to cooperation in information security and countering illegal migration will be signed.

Prior to the sitting, the joint session of the foreign ministers, the defense ministers and national security council secretaries will be held.

CSTO Joint Chief of Staff General Anatoly Sidorov will also participate in the sitting.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Switzerland is interested in deepening the relations with Armenia in economic field, Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia Lukas Gasser said during the Armenian-Swiss Business Day-2017 conference, reports Armenpress.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of establishment of Armenia-Switzerland diplomatic relations. During these years not only the diplomatic, but also the economic relations have developed. This year the trade turnover volume between the two countries comprised 170 million Swiss francs, the Ambassador said.

According to him, Armenia is among the small countries in the Caucasus, but is the most active in the region. Switzerland has quite good results with Armenia in cooperation platform. The Ambassador noted that Switzerland is in the list of top ten countries that made investments in Armenia. He expressed hope that the current results will further improve in the future.

The Swiss embassy is trying to create a platform that will enable to develop the business. The fact is especially important that Switzerland offers GSP system to Armenia. Within the frames of this, the exporters, following some rules, can export products to Switzerland with facilitated tax terms, he said.

According to him, Armenia also has a very good geographical position, it connects the Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet states.

The goal of todays event is to gather the business representatives, concerned sides of Armenia and Switzerland under one roof. Here there are representatives of business, Armenian government, Armenia-Switzerland chamber of commerce. We hope the exchange of experience will be effective, the Swiss Ambassador said.

The Swiss investors are interested in financial, pharmaceutical, winemaking, information technologies fields. The Ambassador said the Swiss investors face no problems in Armenia.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is a reliable partner for Iran.

Expert on Iranian studies Vardan Voskanyan told a press conference that the steps for boosting bilateral cooperation arent a coincidence.

I reassure you that Iranians will choose Armenia as a linking circle for working with large countries, because they have trust for our country. Armenia can be a guarantee country in the Iran-EU, Iran-EEU relations. That linking circle role would be beneficial for us, he said.

Speaking about the recent visit of the Iranian foreign minister to Armenia, Voskanyan mentioned a few important emphases. First, Iranians are interested in getting information from the initial source about the latest developments in the Armenia-EU relations.

The second important part is that Iran is interested in Armenias membership to the EEU. Iran is seeking to ensure its presence in the EEU by using Armenias opportunities, he said.

An active cooperation also exists in the tourism field, and Iranians are also interested in Armenias banking system.

Voskanyan says the other important emphasis of the Iranian FMs visit concerns the Karabakh issue.

Iran is interested in the Artsakh conflict. Iran is one of the unique countries which borders all parties of the conflict. The Iranian FMs political statement that Armenia is making efforts to solve the issue peacefully in the region is noteworthy. The Azerbaijani side is assessing a similar statement as an indirect hint that the destabilizer of the situation is Azerbaijan. I think there is some truth in that, he said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement is one of the most important documents during independence years, political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan told a press conference on November 29.

According to him, under the agreement Armenia and the EU stipulate mutual commitments, stances, which get legal force.

In his words, the agreement is important with its significance for the security of Armenia and Artsakh.

Under this agreement, the single stance of 28 EU member states regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is getting a legal force. This means that Azerbaijans provocative and aggressive policy has been blocked by European diplomacy. If hypothetically Azerbaijan were to want to wage a new war, then the political price of it will significantly be greater: it will appear in international isolation after such a step, he said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Vahan Martirosyan, Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of Armenia, participated in the Tbilisi Belt and Road Forum on November 28-29.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, during the two days forum a high-level discussion was held dedicated to the theme of Belt and Road.

The sides also touched upon the perspectives of development of information and communication technologies, e-commerce, involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises in it, development of digital infrastructure and digital economy, and development of the Internet.

There were also separate discussions on the development of transport infrastructure, facilitation of international transportations and their volumes, and the development of logistic schemes in cargo transportation.

Gagik Grigoryan, First Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of Armenia, made a statement during the forum.

Minister Vahan Martirosyan had meetings with high-level officials in the fields of transport, Communication and information technologies of different countries and organizations.

Infrastructure programs envisaged and implemented in Armenia were discussed during the meetings.

Tbilisi Belt and Road Forum brought together more than 1000 officials, politicians, businessmen and experts representing different fields (transport, information and communication technologies, energy), as well as representatives of international organizations.

The Forum is one of the traditional events of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum. It is a continuous platform aimed at developing and facilitating a number of topics and issues.
YEREVAN, 29 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 November, USD exchange rate is up by 0.12 drams to 484.33 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 1.06 drams to 574.71 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.01 drams to 8.31 drams. GBP exchange rate is up by 4.67 drams to 648.81 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is down by 42.50 drams to 20116.13 drams. Silver price is down by 0.40 drams to 265.81 drams. Platinum price is up by 112.66 drams to 14870.85 drams.
The names of Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel were found in the register maintained for non-Hindus at the Somnath temple.

By India Today Web Desk: The Gujarat Election this time remained focused on burning issues like GST, demonetisation, Patidar quota, anti-dalit incidents and the like, but religious chasm between Hindus and Muslims remains a ghost lurking just around the corner.

So when Rahul Gandhi signed up as a non-Hindu at the Somnath temple register, it became an issue. In what was apparently a goof-up, Congress president-in-waiting and pat's chief campaigner in Gujarat was listed as a non-Hindu at the temple he visited on Wednesday morning. All non-Hindus have to declare their identity at the temple.

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Is Rahul Gandhi not a Hindu? Does that matter?

There is an image that is going viral on Twitter that shows Rahul Gandhi's name in a register. Below it is Ahmed Patel's name. This image -

These two names -- that of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel -- were found in the register maintained for non-Hindus visiting the Somnath temple.

BJP's Amit Malviya was quick to cash in on this as he tweeted: "Finally Rahul Gandhi comes clean on his religion, signs visitor register in Somnath (as per rule) meant for non-Hindus," and asked, "If he isn't a Hindu by faith, let alone a practicing one, then why has he been fooling people with these temple visits?"

Hindu Twitter is upset. They, parroting BJP IT Cell Chief Malviya, are saying, "Rahul Gandhi has declared himself a non-Hindu," and if that's the truth, they ask, "Why is he visiting temples in case he is ashamed of calling himself a Hindu?"

Sample these -

Somnath temple has been a target of terrorist forces forever now so as per the temple committee rules if you are a non-Hindu devotee, you have to make a declaration of the same. This is when Rahul Gandhi's bluff got called. https://t.co/PKQXghgRHO- Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) November 29, 2017

Translation: Before going for darshan at Somnath temple, Rahul Gandhi, along with Ahmed Patel, makes an entry in the register for non-Hindu visitors. https://t.co/Qoe6rRy6do- Kansara (@gbkansara) November 29, 2017

Twitter erupts with reports of Rahul Gandhi declaring himself non-Hindu at Somnath templehttps://t.co/YwohHt4H69- OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) November 29, 2017

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

Senior journalist Brajesh K Singh's tweet about the issue sheds light into what exactly happened at the Somnath Temple. In his tweet, Singh said, "his [Rahul Gandhi's] media coordinator Manoj Tyagi mentioned Rahul Gandhi(Gandhi's) name along with Ahmed Patel(Patel's) into the spl (sic) register maintained for Non-Hindus who are visiting the temple. Major goof up in the election season(sic)."

Jai Somnath! During @INCIndia Vice President @OfficeOfRG visit to Somnath Temple, his media coordinator Manoj Tyagi mentioned Rahul Gandhi name along with @ahmedpatel into the spl register maintained for Non-Hindus who are visiting the temple. Major goof up in the election season pic.twitter.com/yYvBmIm2s3- Brajesh K Singh (@brajeshksingh) November 29, 2017

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Is that what happened? Did Manoj Tyagi write Rahul Gandhi's name in the register along with Ahmed Patel's?

The name entered in the register reads "Rahul Gandhi Ji". It's quite obvious that Rahul Gandhi would not address himself as "Rahul Gandhi Ji". It is also clear from the image that the same person has written down both Rahul's and Patel's names.

MANOJ TYAGI ISSUES STATEMENT

Sensing the importance of the matter, Congress' media coordinator Manoj Tyagi has issued a statement. In the statement, Tyagi said, "I entered just my name in the register to take media personnel inside the Somanth Temple. Neither Rahul Gandhi's nor Ahmed Patel's names were there in the register then. These would have been added later."

Dhruv Joshi, Public Relation Officer of the Somnath Trust, however, said that both Rahul's and Patel's names were entered in the register by Manoj Tyagi. Joshi said, "Ahmed Patel, Rahul Gandhi's names were entered in non-Hindu register by Rahul's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi.As per rule,it's compulsory to make such entry at security point close to entry gate for all the non-Hindu entrants."

CONGRESS RESPONDS

Congress leader Deependra Hooda defended Rahul Gandhi while addressing the media. He said, "BJP, seeing Rahul Gandhi leading a successful campaign in Gujarat, is looking for issues to divert attention and polarise the polls," and said Rahul Gandhi is a Shiv bhakt.

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"Rahul Ji is an ardent Shiv bhakt. He believes in truth and we know that truth will prevail," he said.

RAHUL GANDHI'S RELIGION

Congress party released these photos as evidence of Rahul Gandhi's religion

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raked up the question on Rahul Gandhi's religion regularly. For instance, BJP National General Secretary Bhupender Yadav, on November 12, said, "Star campaigner of Congress Rahul Gandhi is visiting temples and offering prayers which is good as it is a part of Indian culture. However, this must come naturally to a person and not only during elections."

Star campaigner of Congress Rahul Gandhi is visiting temples & offering prayers which is good as it is a part of Indian culture. However, this must come naturally to a person & not only during elections: Bhupender Yadav, BJP National Gen Secy pic.twitter.com/pHuYuCOScn- ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on November 20, said, "Uss bechare ko yeh tak nahi maloom hai ki mandir mein kaise baitha jata hai," that translates to "That poor fellow (Rahul Gandhi) doesn't even know how to sit properly in a temple" and went on to say, "When he visited the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, he sat like he was performing namaz. The priest had to tell him that this is a temple, not a mosque."

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John Fisher Burns, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting, in a 1998 piece he wrote for the New York Times titled "Sonia Gandhi, the 'Foreigner,' Startles the Political Pundits", wrote, "Few doubted that this was code for Mrs. Gandhi's Roman Catholicism, a faith in which her son, Rahul, 27, and her daughter, Priyanka, 26, were also raised."

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy mocked Rahul Gandhi multiple times over his temple visits in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly election in the state. Saying Rahul Gandhi has been a practicing Christian for so many years, Swamy said, "Let Rahul Gandhi declare that 'I am not a Christian, but a Hindu'. Why has he got a church in 10 Janpath and he goes there to pray? So unless he declares that he is a Hindu like his father Rajiv Gandhi, we won't believe him."

Rahul Gandhi told media that he is a 'Shiv bhakt' and that he believes in honesty.

Main Shiv ka bhakt hoon, sachaai mein believe karta hoon. BJP jo bhi bole main apni sachaai mein believe karta hu: Rahul Gandhi in #Gujarat's Patan pic.twitter.com/gxVzuaYNNM- ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017

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Wholesaler Palmer & Harvey has entered administration with the loss of 2,500 jobs.

More than two-thirds of the 3,400-strong workforce were made redundant yesterday at the firms Brighton head office and across the companys 14 regional distribution centres, which supply up to 12,000 product lines.

Described as the UKs largest delivered wholesaler to the UK convenience market, the business has 90,000 customers ranging from small c-stores to national supermarket chains.

Administrator PwC said the group had been by hit by challenging trading conditions in recent months and that efforts to restructure the business had been unsuccessful.

PwC added that this resulted in cash flow pressures, and that it had not been possible to secure additional funding to support the business. Earlier this year, P&H axed its direct-to-store baked goods sales service Bakedirect.

The companys remaining employees will assist the administrators in managing the closure of the business. Currently, 450 employees have been retained within the wholesale operation.

The P&H Group has faced a challenging trading environment, and the need for significant restructuring has been recognised for some while, said joint administrator Matthew Callaghan.

The company has insufficient cash resources to continue to trade beyond the short term and the directors have concluded that there is no longer any reasonable prospect of a sale. Therefore, the directors have had no choice but to appoint administrators.

He added that the Palmer & Harvey name has been a trusted partner for retailers and suppliers for nearly 100 years.

The administration team will focus on working with employees, clients and suppliers to facilitate a smooth and effective wind-down or transfer of operations over the next few weeks.

PwC is continuing to explore options for the sale of P&H subsidiaries - P&H Direct Van Sales Limited, P&H Sweetdirect Limited and P&H Snacksdirect Limited.

WS Retail Limited has not been placed into administration and continues to trade as normal.
Home renovations can improve our lives. But most of us would see a problem if we woke up one morning and noticed that our homes had 12 bedrooms and one bathroom, with a kitchen in the back yard and a toilet in the living room.A national school finance expert uses that analogy to explain the way some states have approached piecemeal tweaks to their public education funding systems. "Each one of those may have made sense, but now you have a structure that does not make sense overall," said Michael Griffith of the Education Commission of the States, during a Nov. 15 presentation for state lawmakers.Griffith didn't aim his comment directly at North Carolina, but he could have.Lawmakers heard his remarks two weeks after learning that this state uses 37 different allotment formulas to split tax funds among local school districts. The funding formula is so complex that many local school finance officers don't understand it, according to a recent report from the General Assembly's Program Evaluation Division.Fewer than 1 percent of local school finance staffers learned how to navigate the state funding formula within a year of starting their jobs. Twenty-three percent needed four or more years to understand the system. That's a problem for a state in which 23 percent of local school systems have a top business officer with less than four years of experience.North Carolina's predicament is not uncommon, Griffith told the Joint Legislative Task Force on Education Finance Reform.he said.In a position allocation system, school districts get funding based on the number of teaching jobs the state expects each district to need to educate its students. There are benefits to this approach, Griffith said. Districts get a predictable level of funding. Policymakers see what their education dollars are buying. The state controls decisions about education spending.That last point also leads to negative consequences. State control means local school districts have a hard time moving dollars around to meet district or student needs, Griffith explained. Plus the state needs to make constant adjustments for nonteaching-related education costs.Position allocation systems made sense when most students spent all day in traditional brick-and-mortar district schools, Griffith said. Today these systems don't account well for charter schools, competency-based education, dual or concurrent enrollment programs with community colleges or universities, nontraditional career and technical programs, open enrollment, or student movements during the school year.Most states have jettisoned this type of system, Griffith said. He lists North Carolina among just seven states - including neighboring Tennessee - that still rely on some type of resource allocation system. Thirty-five states, including the rest of our neighbors, now use an alternative called a foundation formula.That system relies on a foundation, or base, amount of funding for each student. The formula sets "weights" to add funding for particular students' needs. Then the student count is multiplied by the foundation amount. Additional funding for items such as capital projects or transportation can be added at the end.Griffith said.he added.The John Locke Foundation's top education expert, Terry Stoops, has focused much of his attention on North Carolina's complicated education funding system . Stoops supports moving toward a more flexible, adaptable system based on individual students' needs.Greater flexibility and adaptability make sense, Griffith said. But he warned lawmakers that the process of developing both the "foundation" spending total and the weights for different education needs could be tough.School districts and others affected by the current formula are likely to fear that any new system will lead to funding cuts, Griffith added. Lawmakers would be wise to consider a "hold-harmless" provision that would protect districts from a major loss of dollars.Griffith also cautioned against spending a lot of time developing a new system that would make little difference in school districts' bottom line.he said.he said.The creation of a special education funding task force this year suggests that lawmakers consider the time ripe to make a change. We'll see in the months ahead whether they pursue a plan that meets Griffith's goals of increased flexibility and adaptability.
Contact: Attila Nemecz

Attila Nemecz Attila.Nemecz@beaufortccc.edu

WASHINGTON, N.C. Students who attend Beaufort County Community College will have an opportunity to meet representatives from 17 public and private colleges from around the state on November 29 from 12:00-1:45 p.m. in the library, located in Building 5. The Transfer Fair will provide students the opportunity to their show their current transcripts to college representatives and talk with them about prerequisite courses and possible majors.Institutions such as Barton College, Chowan University, Shaw University, East Carolina University, NC A&T State University, NC Wesleyan, UNC Wilmington and Western Carolina University will be on hand. Faculty are working with students ahead of time to help them ask appropriate questions during the fair.Many students are still making up their minds about what kind of program they would like to pursue. BCCC offers an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree that provides students a less expensive choice to complete pre-major courses and to stay close to home. Students who have not considered a four-year degree may find a program that is both affordable and appropriate.According to the Pew Research Center, millennials with college degrees under 32 years old are, on average, earning $17,500 more than their peers with only a high school degree. In fact, the average wages of workers with only a high school degree have fallen in recent years, and the earnings of college graduates have risen.As the cost of four-year institutions continues to rise, BCCC offers students a start to a four-year degree. BCCC's small class sizes and personal attention help students who would otherwise have a hard time transitioning from high school to college to develop independent study skills and work habits.In the last few years, the average age of a BCCC student has trended downward as more students use the community college as an affordable way to start to a four-year degree. In response to this trend, the college has increased its articulation agreements with universities and colleges. These agreements assure that coursework at the college will meet the requirements of specific programs at the institutions where students will continue their education. One such program, PackTrac, allows students to start any of 13 agriculture and life science programs at NC State at BCCC.
Fast-growing life sciences company expands in North Carolina

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

HENDERSON, N.C.: Mako Medical Laboratories, LLC, a fast-growing developer and provider of diagnostic lab tests, will create 153 jobs over five years in Vance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $15.395 million to build a new testing facility with warehousing space in Henderson.said Gov. Cooper.Mako Medical Laboratories, headquartered in Raleigh, serves medical and health care facilities across the United States. The company has won awards for innovation and as a best place to work, and recently set a record as the only company ever to be ranked #1 two years in a row by the Triangle Business Journal as the region's fastest-growing company. The new facility in Henderson will serve as the company's main distribution point for all consumables and supplies needed in 10 other states.Mako Medical Laboratories currently employs 169 people in North Carolina and hundreds more around the country. The company is known for hiring military veterans for many of its positions. It's also known for its community service and support of charitable work locally and around the world.said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the state's support for the company's expansion.Mako Medical Laboratories will add a variety of job functions with this expansion, including scientists, chemists, lab technicians and logistics personnel. Although salaries will vary by position, the average wage across all positions will be $51,987, higher than the current Vance County average wage of $32,768.said Josh Arant, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Mako Medical Laboratories.Mako Medical's expansion in Vance County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project will add an estimated $226 million to the state's economy.Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $3.16 million, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant's reimbursement payments to a given company.said Representative Terry Garrison.said Senator Angela Bryant.said Chad Price, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mako Medical Laboratories.Partnering with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the City of Henderson, Vance County, the Salvation Army of Henderson, and the Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission.
A state Division of Motor Vehicles inspector violated agency policy by improperly collecting pay for a 3 1/2-hour daily commute, costing the state $85,000. He attributed his misdeeds to working for "a paramilitary organization," according to an investigative report released Tuesday by State Auditor Beth Wood.Auditors called on the Department of Transportation's Inspector General to perform a review of all assigned state vehicles to identify other potential commuting violations.Responding to the audit, the state Department of Administration said its motor fleet management staff is installing GPS tracking systems in state-owned vehicles to increase monitoring. The computerized telecommunications devices should be in all vehicles by the end of the fiscal year.The tracking devices are expected to eliminate unauthorized vehicle use, track fuel and miles driven, improve driver safety and liability concerns, decrease maintenance costs, help prevent vehicle theft, and increase accountability.The Office of State Controller amended its policies in response to that situation, and the case of another DMV employee who received $5,616 in improper personal benefits from private use of a state car. The policy revision is to ensure management and supervisors know what daily activities an employee performs before approving their work time.According to the audit, Tim McLawhorn of Washington, a DMV inspector in the License and Theft Bureau, was assigned to a duty station in Greenville.But he drove to Raleigh daily, totaling 91,000 miles from January 2014 through December 2016, to work on special projects for the former DOT commissioner and deputy commissioner, neither of whom was named in the report. Kelly Thomas was commissioner during that time. Randy Dishong was deputy commissioner.That commute violated a policy requiring employees assigned a state vehicle to live within 50 miles of the county line of their work station. McLawhorn was paid for commute time from Beaufort County to Raleigh. Combined with wear and tear on the vehicle, costs totaled $85,000, the audit said.McLawhorn told auditors when asked about the infraction.When his supervisor was asked why he approved the improper work time, he told auditors "you don't really ask too many questions" when an employee is assigned to the commissioner's office.In the other case, Stacy Wooten of Winston-Salem, a DMV Central Regional Zone chief, used a state vehicle to commute from her home to the Winston-Salem office from January 2014 through January 2017. That violated state policy requiring employees to reimburse the state for personal use mileage through payroll deduction. Auditors called for Wooten to repay those costs.In response, DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup saidbut the money either would be repaid or the employee's W-2 statement amended to reflect the additional taxable income.DMV issued a statement Tuesday acknowledging the
The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day?

Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount.

Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists.
Statement from the Press Secretary on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Passing the Senate Budget Committee

Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France

Statement from President Donald J. Trump on #GivingTuesday

White House Statement on Director Mulvaney's Status as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Readout of the Vice President's Meeting with his Majesty King Abdullah II

The following are statements from the White House for November 27-28, 2017.President Donald J. Trump applauds the Senate Budget Committee on taking an important step toward passing historic tax relief and reform and clearing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act this afternoon. The momentum driving our shared priorities of job growth, economic competiveness, and fiscal responsibility through tax reform is undeniable, and this Administration is encouraged by the progress the Senate has made toward achieving these priorities. The President looks forward to providing tax cuts for hardworking Americans by the end of the year.President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Emmanuel Macron of France. The presidents agreed on the importance of the United Nations-based Geneva Process as the only legitimate forum for achieving a political solution in Syria. The leaders also stressed the need to confront and reverse Iran's destabilizing activities in Syria. Finally, President Trump and President Macron agreed on the need for all nations to impose and maintain maximum pressure on the North Korean regime to denuclearize.On #GivingTuesday, the citizens of our great Nation, and people around the globe, take part in the charitable spirit of the holiday season. We commit our time, money, and resources to acts of giving and kindness, as we help those less fortunate and those most in need.Earlier this year, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria devastated communities across the southern United States and in the Caribbean, and vast wildfires ravaged California. We saw millions of our fellow Americans lose everything, from homes to businesses, and far too many people also suffered the unbearable loss of loved ones. I have seen first-hand the heartbreaking pain it has caused.Americans, however, are a resilient people, particularly when they support each other through acts of charity, kindness, and generosity. That spirit has been on full display as we have worked together to rebuild America. As the process of recovery and the need for assistance continues, I encourage all Americans to unite in selflessness, compassion, and giving. When we are united, Americans can overcome even the greatest challenges.This #GivingTuesday, I thank those who have contributed to charitable organizations, including our houses of worship, and ask that we continue to come together to give and help others in need, especially to communities devastated by the recent natural disasters. Together, we can ensure that the blessings of this holiday season are shared around the world.said Sarah Sanders, White House Press Secretary, on November 26.Questions have been raised whether the President has the authority under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act (FVRA) to designate Mick Mulvaney, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, as the Acting Director of CFPB following the resignation of Richard Cordray as of midnight, Friday, November 24, 2017, even if the Deputy Director otherwise could act under 12 U.S.C.  5491 (b)(5) [The Dodd-Frank Act]. This confirms my oral advice to the Senior Leadership Team that the answer is "yes." I advise all Bureau personnel to act consistently with the understanding that Director Mulvaney is the Acting Director of the CFPB. I outline my reasoning below briefly.You have asked whether the President may designate an Acting Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection ("CFPB") upon the resignation of the Director. This opinion confirms the oral advice that we gave you before the Director's resignation took effect at the end of November 24, 2017. See Letter for the President, from Richard Cordray, Director, CFPB (Nov. 24, 2017) (communicating resignation) . . . .For the reasons set forth above, we conclude that the President may designate an Acting Director of the CFPB under 5 U.S.C.  3345 (a)(2) or (3), because both the [Federal] Vacancies Reform Act and the office-specific statute are available to fill a vacancy in that office on an acting basis.Read the full memo here The Obama Administration took the same position as this White House in the case of a similar vacancy on the National Labor Relations Board.the case of Hooks v. Kitsap, the Obama Administration argued that a presidential designation under the FVRA supersedes the succession statute of an independent agency (in that case the National Labor Relations Act with respect to the National Labor Relations Board). The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed with this reading of the law. particular, the Court noted that:The Vice President had a productive meeting with his Majesty King Abdullah II this morning. The meeting provided the Vice President the opportunity to thank the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for its steadfast leadership in the region, and its efforts in defeating ISIS and countering Iranian influence. Other important topics the two leaders discussed included the strengthening of the bi-lateral relationship and how to best move forward to ensure a stable and safe Middle East.White House 
As vulture capitalists and profiteers circle the devastation in America's hurricane-struck island colonies, the Trump administration has nothing for them but more loans to pile onto their existing, crippling debt (even as affected mainland cities where more white people live get direct government aid).

But the left wing of the Democratic Party has articulated a different vision for the future of the American citizens who live in these places: a "messaging bill" proposing $146 billion in aid to the islands, accompanied by debt forgiveness, in a package they call "A Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico."

Elizabeth Warren is especially strong on the question of Puerto Rico's debt, stating, "The vulture funds that snapped up Puerto Rican debt should not get one cent from the island, not one cent."



Sanders also pointed out that unlike Texas and Florida, which suffered natural disasters recently, "the people of Puerto Rico and the people of Virgin Islands, while being full American citizens, they have no United States senators here to represent them," and "they do not have full voting members in the U.S. House." And the Boricua voice in Congress will soon suffer a further loss as Puerto Rican member and outspoken advocate, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., announced on Tuesday he won't seek re-election but has plans to help rebuild the hurricane-ravaged island. For decades in Congress, when Sanders introduced a bill, he tended to do so alone. And when he launched his presidential bid, it was more of a solo protest effort rather than as the leader of a movement. But Sanders has become much more of an organizer, and, as he did with his Medicare for All bill, unveiled his Puerto Rico effort with an influential group of lawmakers, including three  Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; and Warren  routinely floated as 2020 presidential candidates.

BERNIE SANDERS, ELIZABETH WARREN PROPOSE $146 BILLION "MARSHALL PLAN" FOR PUERTO RICO

[Aida Chavez/The Intercept]
During Roy Moore's judicial bouts  punctuated by frequent removals from the bench for gross misconduct  he was part of the mass incarceration wave in America, which has resulted in millions of black people being thrown in prison on flimsy pretenses for long sentences, while whites in similar situations have gone free.

In many states, these convictions result in permanent disenfranchisement, which has deprived African-Americans of the right to vote for leaders, meaning that it got progressively easier for leaders who didn't want black people to vote to get elected (lather, rinse, repeat).

But last summer, the Alabama Republican legislature followed other southern states like Virginia in partially rolling back the disenfranchisements of people convicted of some crimes, restoring the right to vote to tens of thousands of black people who now get to vote against the racist, homophobic child molester Roy Moore.





The Virginia voting reforms are partially responsible for the stunning Democratic victories in the November elections. Alabama's voting officials are doing everything they can to prevent black people from learning that they can vote again, so spread the word and get those votes registered!

Unlike Virginia, however, Alabama has done little to spread the word among former felons that they may be able to vote. But in Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Maine, voters have mounted what has been dubbed a "red state revolt" in 2017 that might even take down a Republican in one of the reddest states in America. If Doug Jones is elected, Democrats could imperil Trump's tax bill as well as the rest of the GOP's legislative agenda. That will surely put any bipartisan effort at federal criminal justice reform under increased scrutiny by conservatives who could point to its deleterious electoral effect on the Republican Party. "We have the chance [in Alabama] to do the same thing they did in Virginia," Kenneth Glasgow, founder of the Ordinary People Society, a nonprofit advocacy group that won a 2008 lawsuit to register people inside prisons  many of whom remained ineligible until this year  told ThinkProgress. "We can turn it blue. Well not blue, but we can add some color. Make it pink or purple."

Roy Moore's poetic justice: Could Alabama's criminal justice reform haunt GOP?

[Sophia Tesfaye/Salon]





(Image: Kheel Center, CC-BY)
In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

By PTI, Press Trust of India: Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling GST Gabbar Singh Tax and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.

In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi's repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged "economist" was propagating a "grand stupid thought" by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 per cent.

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Making a fresh bid for power in his home state, where the BJP has ruled for over two decades, Modi also listed various development works by the government on water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.

Addressing a huge rally in Morbi town in the region, which goes to polls in the first phase on December 9, he accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought in major works like the Narmada project.

Making a strong appeal to the people to vote for the BJP in this Patidar community stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.

"Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people," he declared in his speech in Gujarati.

"Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits," Modi said in a reply to Gandhi's Gabbar Singh Tax jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster "Sholay".

He said Gandhi was propagating a grand stupid thought in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 per cent.

This means 18 per cent tax on salt and 18 per cent tax on luxury cars costing Rs 5 crore, he noted.

"What kind of smartness is this... how has such an economist emerged here. You want to make goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper," he said, ripping into the "anti poor" Congress over its criticism of the tax reform.

The prime minister went on to say that making cigarettes cheaper means bringing cancer in every home and asked which rich businessmen the opposition leader sought to benefit by making liquor cheaper.

ON INDIRA GANDHI

He also brought up Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi.

Recalling the Macchu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi, the prime minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker.

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"I remember then prime minister Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies," he said.

"Those who have helped us in times of difficulties should be remembered," he added.

Modi then went on to list how his government had worked to bring waters from the Narmada to the parched regions of Saurashtra and Kutch.

"The Congress development model was giving hand-pumps. For the BJP it is the SAUNI scheme (the Narmada water project for Saurashtra region), where we will fill dams of Saurashtra through huge pipelines."

The culture of this parched land, Modi said, was to give respect to those who have tried to do something to provide water.

"The BJP has done many things and it should not be thrown out of power in the state for the next 100 years," Modi said.

Rahul Gandhi is also in Gujarat today and tomorrow and is expected to address multiple rallies.

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Modi had on Monday pushed the BJPs campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The votes will be counted on December 18.

WATCH | Gabbar Singh: The flavour of Gujarat Assembly elections this time around

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As the owner of Halifax craft beer bar Stillwell, Chris Reynolds knows a lot about the region's suds, but co-writing a book that profiles Atlantic Canada's microbreweries gave him a deeper appreciation of the craft.

"It's like walking through an art gallery and knowing a thing or two about the artist or the art  you just love it that much more when you know more about it," he said.

Reynolds and Whitney Moran are the authors behind East Coast Crafted, a craft beer lover's bible released Wednesday that profiles the scene that has exploded in recent years and the characters at the centre of it.

Prior to running his own business  which also now includes a brewery  Reynolds worked as a journalist, while Moran works as a managing editor for Nimbus Publishing, the publisher of the book. At one point in time, she worked for Halifax's Garrison Brewing.

The pair's unlikely set of skills allows them to take a deep dive into the brewing scene and results in an almost 400-page book that details the rise of local breweries, their histories, brewing styles and signature beers.

"I found myself continuously enamoured with the rural breweries, the community breweries and people going back to that age-old concept of the brewery as the social space for the community," said Moran.

She points to Meander River Farm and Brewery in Ashdale, N.S. One of the co-owners planned to build the brewery himself, but when neighbours got wind of the plan, they showed up with tool belts to help out  an endeavour which came to be known as the Habitat for Brewmanity.

Moran said the local community centre was torn down before the brewery was built, but Meander River has replaced it as a gathering space.

There are around 90 microbreweries in Atlantic Canada, with the majority in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. One of those breweries is Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault in Edmundston, N.B. With co-founder Mychele Poitras's work as the communications director for the city, she pondered how to increase tourism in the community.

Story continues

"She said, 'How do we make people stop in Edmundston for more than just a bite or a hotel on their way to or from Upper Canada?' and she said a brewery. So she got 82 of her friends to invest and they just opened a brewery together, which I think is hilarious and awesome," said Reynolds.

The brewery operates out of a former police station and names its beers after people from Edmundston's past.

Craft beer is a popular tourism driver. In Nova Scotia last year, 12 per cent of tourists visiting the province included a stop at a craft brewery as part of their itinerary.

"Beer tourism is this big thing now and people plan their trips around which breweries they are going to visit  so we wanted to be able to tell people what the experience is going to be like to go to this place," said Moran.

The book doesn't just profile breweries, but also looks at local beer clubs as well as DME Group, a Charlottetown-based company that supplies brewing equipment to companies both locally and abroad.

While available for sale in bookstores, rather fittingly, it's also available at some of the breweries profiled in the book.
Canada will co-host a meeting about the ongoing crisis in North Korea as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

Foreign ministers from more than a dozen countries will be invited to Canada to discuss diplomatic solutions to challenges posed by the rogue regime.

A source tells CBC News the government has recognized that the rhetoric around North Korea is turning toward a military solution, and that it wants to strongly advocate for a diplomatic solution instead.

The source also says Canada understands that the western part of this country is within missile range, and that North Korea remains a significant threat.

The announcement of the planned meeting, which will likely happen in the new year, comes the same day that North Korea launched yet another ballistic missile.

"Canada condemns in the strongest terms North Korea's continued ballistic missile launches, in direct violation of many United Nations Security Council resolutions," Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement.

"This latest launch is a reckless and dangerous act that threatens regional and global security."

Talks are expected to go beyond sanctions and other traditional methods of applying pressure, the source added.

Pacific solidarity

While the gathering will be held in Canada, it will be co-hosted with officials from the United States.

A second source says Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and her U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson first started discussing the possibility of a meeting back in September.

Representatives from all 16 of the "sending nations" that provided troops during the Korean War will be invited, including Australia, France, South Africa and the U.K.

Foreign ministers from countries with interests in the region are also expected to be invited, including Japan, South Korea and China.

The second source says Canada hosting the event makes sense, geographically, and that some invitees may have been unwilling to travel to the U.S.

"Canada believes that a diplomatic solution to the North Korea crisis is essential and possible," Freeland said in a statement.
A coalition of health advocates recently held a news conference on Parliament Hill to release more than 800 documents showing how Health Canada officials worked behind the scenes to change Canada's voluntary blood plasma donation system.

Kat Lanteigne of BloodWatch said the documents reveal that government officials knew back in 2010 that they were helping to privatize part of the Canadian plasma sector. The officials knew they were opening up the Canadian plasma market to a large multinational company, Biotech AG, which was in partnership with a smaller company, Canadian Plasma Resources.

"They were actually trying to create a secondary plasma collector in this country and create an American-style model," Lanteigne said. "That's what was so shocking."

BloodWatch, a group advocating to preserve a completely voluntary blood donor system in Canada, obtained the documents under access to information laws.

The documents, including internal government emails and minutes of meetings, show Health Canada bureaucrats assisting in the launch of the new business  a chain of clinics that would harvest plasma from Canadians who would be paid.

The public first learned about the plans in 2013 when CBC News reported that the first two clinics were preparing to open for business.

[The federal government] should have said, 'no thank you we have a public blood system here, we're not going to support a secondary operator,'" Lanteigne said.

When the Ontario government learned that three paid plasma clinics were poised to open in Toronto and Hamilton, the province passed a law banning them.

But internal Health Canada emails reveal bureaucrats continued to work with the plasma company even while the Ontario debate unfolded.

At one point during the Ontario controversy, Jim Pimblett, the lobbyist for the plasma company, emailed a Health Canada bureaucrat to say that media reports were favourable to the company. In another document, Health Canada and the private plasma company agreed on the need to co-ordinate their responses to media questions.

Story continues

Company plans 10 paid plasma centres

"I have no comment on the correspondence released under the access to information request," said Canadian Plasma Resources CEO Barzin Bahardoust.

He told CBC News in an email that he still plans to open 10 paid plasma centres across Canada along with a plasma processing facility. Right now the company has paid clinics in Saskatoon and Moncton, N.B.

According to the Canadian Plasma Resources website, people can be paid up to $50 per donation.

A previous access to information request by BloodWatch turned up documents showing that Canada's national blood agency warned Health Canada that the private clinics might draw donors away from the voluntary system. The agency says it has noticed a drop in voluntary blood donations in Saskatoon, where people can be paid for their plasma.

BloodWatch, along with the Canadian Health Coalition and the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, released the documents in the foyer of the House of Commons on November 20 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Krever Commission, as a reminder about Canada's troubled history of managing the blood supply.

The Krever Commission investigated Canada's tained blood scandal, after hundreds of Canadians were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through blood transfusions in the 1980s.

One of the key recommendations by Judge Horace Krever at the time was to "ensure that blood products used in Canada are made from the blood and plasma collected from unpaid donors."

The World Health Organization also recommends that donors not be paid.

Health Canada said in an email that it has appointed a panel of experts to study the sustainability of Canada's plasma supply. Most of the plasma used in Canada is manufactured into pharmaceutical products including albumin, clotting factors, and immune globulins (IGIV). Those products are processed using plasma collected from donors in the U.S., who are paid.

As they read through the documents, the BloodWatch group said, they were surprised at the access the private clinic had to Health Canada officials.

"We have asked for years for meetings with Health Canada and meetings with the health minister and we have been denied every single time," Lanteigne said.
The search of a home in downtown Edmonton has led police to more than five kilograms of illegal drugs, mostly methamphetamine, with a street value of $266,000.

The house near 100th Street and Jasper Avenue first came to the attention of police in July, and was searched on Nov. 9, a news release said Tuesday.

A short time after the search, a woman carrying drugs was arrested near the home.

Police also tried pulling over a vehicle with two male suspects inside. The vehicle took off but ended up hitting another vehicle.

Police arrested the two men and seized more drugs.

In total, police seized $266,000 worth of drugs:

- 4.7 kilograms of methamphetamine

- 209 grams of crack cocaine

- 171 grams of cocaine hydrochloride

- 11 grams of heroin

- 53 grams of fentanyl powder

A handgun was also found in the home.

A 35-year-old woman has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon and breach of recognizance.

A 34-year-old man has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, flight from a peace officer, dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, several firearm charges, obstructing a peace officer, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

A 32-year-old man has been charged with obstructing a peace officer.

Additional charges are pending as the investigation continues, police said.
By Stephanie van den Berg and Bart H. Meijer

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A former Bosnian Croat military commander swallowed what he said was poison in a U.N. war crimes courtroom on Wednesday and died shortly after losing an appeal against his 20-year prison term.

Slobodan Praljak's apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgement at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which closes next month after 24 years.

The white-bearded Praljak, 72, was taken to hospital after drinking from a flask or glass as an ICTY judge read out appeals rulings against him and five other convicted Bosnian Croat war criminals, tribunal spokesman Nenad Golcevski said.

"I just drank poison," the ex-general told the stunned court. "I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction." After gulping down the drink, he sat back down and slumped in his chair, said a lawyer who was in the courtroom at the time.

"Praljak drank a liquid in court and quickly fell ill," Golcevski said. He was treated by tribunal medical staff, but "passed away today at the HMC hospital in The Hague", he said.

Presiding Judge Carmel Agius hastily suspended the hearings and the courtroom was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As a forensic investigation got under way, the chamber was sealed off and the public told to leave.

"Don't take away the glass!" Agius said, instructing the guards to lower blinds and block a glass-partition separating the court from the public.

In the chaotic moments that followed, guards and paramedics raced in and out of the courtroom, and ambulances sped away.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, whose country was the patron of separatist Croat forces in Bosnia's 1992-95 war, said he regretted Praljak's death and offered condolences to his family. "His act tells the most about deep ethical injustice towards the six Bosnian Croats and the Croatian people."

Story continues

The ICTY upheld on appeal Praljak's conviction on charges of crimes against humanity over persecution, murders and expulsions of Bosnian Muslims from territory captured by nationalist Bosnian Croats and the brutal imprisonment of 1,000 Muslims.

A reading of the judgement, which was also ruling on appeals against convictions and sentences against five other Bosnian Croat convicts, resumed more than two hours after Praljak drank the apparent poison.

"DIVIDED COUNTRY"

The incident upstaged the appeals rulings, which were important for Croatia - it suspended a session of parliament so lawmakers could follow the hearing.

In the southern Bosnian town of Mostar, where Bosnian Croats and Muslims fought each other in the war and now co-exist in an uneasy peace, cafes closed to avoid incidents.

Praljak was acquitted of some charges of wanton destruction related to the Bosnian Croat militia's shelling of Mostar's iconic, Ottoman-era Old Bridge because the judges ruled that it had been a legitimate military target.

About a thousand Bosnian Croats gathered in a Mostar square late on Wednesday to light candles in support of Praljak. A mass in his honour was held in a packed Catholic cathedral, where churchgoers draped themselves in Croatian flags.

I came here to support our generals and pay respect to General Praljak who could not bear injustice and made his final verdict. He is our pride and hero, said Darko Drmac, a Bosnian Croat war veteran.

Fikret Kurtic, a Mostar Muslim who was detained in a Croat-run detention centre during the war, said the verdict could not change the past but "may serve as an example for others in this divided country that crimes cannot go unpunished.

Kasim Brkovic, an unemployed Bosnian Muslim war veteran and former prisoner, said: "The same people are in power today and we still live in a camp, its just they dont beat us anymore.

"NOT A WAR CRIMINAL"

The ICTY also upheld the convictions of Jadranko Prlic, former political leader of the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet during the war, along with military and police figures Bruno Stojic, Milivoj Petrovic, Valentin Coric and Berislav Pusic.

Judges ruled there had been a criminal conspiracy, with the involvement of Croatia's government under then-President Franjo Tudjman - who died in 1999 - aimed at the "ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population" of parts of Bosnia to cement Croat domination there.

The defendants on Wednesday received sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years. The decision cannot be appealed.

The chairman of post-war Bosnias shaky, Muslim-Serb-Croat presidency, Dragan Covic, a Croat, said: (Praljak) showed before the whole world what kind of sacrifice he is ready to make to prove that he is not a war criminal.

Previously, two defendants awaiting their ICTY trial, both Serbs, committed suicide by hanging themselves in their U.N. cells, according to court documents. Slavko Dogmanovic died in 1998 and Milan Babic was found dead in his locked cell in 2006.

The ICTY indicted 161 suspects in all from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo in connection with atrocities in the ethnic wars there during the 1990s. Of the 83 convicted, more than 60 of them were ethnic Serbs.

The court's lead suspect, former Yugoslav and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, died of a heart attack in March 2006 months before a ruling in his genocide trial.

Last week, former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic was convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for mass killings and expulsions of Muslims and the siege of Sarajevo, and sentenced to life in prison.

Mladic's lawyers tried to delay the verdict mid-reading by saying he was too ill to continue, and Mladic was then removed from the courtroom after shouting that judges were "liars".

(Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo, Maja Zuvela in Mostar and Igor Ilic in Zagreb; writing by Anthony Deutsch; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The existence of Mizrahim or Arab Jews, and their position in unequal relations of power with Ashkenazi or European Jews, mean that the Palestinian other is required to maintain the illusory homogeneity and unity of the Israeli state. As Wolfes penetrative insight explains,



Israel cannot survive without its Palestinians. Without the Palestinians  which is to say, when everyone is Jewish  the Mizrahim once again become ArabsWhen everything is Jewish, difference itself becomes Jewish  a return to the precise condition that Zionism sought to suppress in order to build a nation out of groups of people whose differences from one another were greater than their commonalities.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Israel Diaries..29 November '17..Without them, our whole settler-colonial society would collapse from within, according to a world renowned scholar.Patrick Wolfe (1949-2016) was an Australian anthropologist; he seems to be one of the founders of colonialism studies. It is him we have to thank for having popularized the preposterous idea that Israel is a European settler-colonial project, one that has evidently captured the imaginations of historians and other scholars who hate Jews. His work fulfills their need for something seemingly academic upon which to heap their vile and to elegantly express their wish to see the demise of Jewish sovereignty over our indigenous homeland.In a forum dedicated just to him, we find the following amazing concept:Now if I thought that Wolfe was a Moslem, I might say that he was projecting here.
Media Literacy

Israeli University Course Takes on Fake News

An Israeli university claims to be the first institution in the world to offer "Fake News," a course that is intended to prepare students with the critical thinking skills for sorting fact from fiction. During the course, offered at the University of Haifa, students will undertake activities such as studying Nazi propaganda and watching excerpts from the movie "1984," which is based on George Orwell's novel. The class is being taught by Yaniv Levyatan, an expert in psychological warfare, cyber warfare, digital marketing and propaganda.

"Fake news has created a situation in which we can no longer believe anyone or anything, since we have no way of evaluating the credibility of the flood of information we encounter," said Levyatan in an article on the university's website. "People fail to appreciate that 50 percent of online traffic are 'bots' performing various actions in the web, including the production of fake news. This does not happen for no reason and, of course, there are those who benefit from this situation and want to see it continue. This creates a serious challenge for the future of democracies."

According to Levyatan, the course will cover the "erosion of traditional journalism in recent years" along with historical methods of information-manipulators, including Nazi propagandists, to acquire the skills for identifying the authenticity of today's media.

Students will also view those excerpts from 1984, a place Orwell "could never have imagined," suggested Levyatan. "In '1984,'the authorities control us mainly through the 'telescreen,' which can see what we are doing," he said. "Today's technological devices, which we use of our own free will  such as the smartphone and social networks  allow the elite to penetrate our minds."

His hope is that the students who complete his course "will be more critical about the information they absorb, have a firmer understanding of the information industry and be better equipped to analyze and understand reality."
At the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show, Altadis U.S.A. showcased a limited edition extension under its H. Upmann The Banker Ingot line as H. Upmann The Banker Ingot Rose. Back in 2014, Altadis U.S.A. launched a regular production line known as H. Upmann The Banker. The Banker is a line that pays homage to brand founder Herman Upmann. Upmann was a German banker who in 1844 went to Havana Cuba and invested in a cigar factory  which became the H. Upmann brand. Last year, a limited edition offshoot known as H. Upmann The Banker Ingot Private Holding was unveiled. The Ingot (which is a gold brick) kept to the roots of banking as the cigars were packaged in gold brick packaging and had gold banding. The new Ingot Rose pays homage to rose gold and features rose-colored brick packaging and banding. The H.Upmann Banker Ingot Rose gold arrived at retailers several weeks after the trade show. Today we take a closer look at this new installment in the Ingot line.

In previous assessments of Altadis U.S.A.s H. Upmann line, we provided some background on the H. Upmann brand:

The name H. Upmann is one of the classic names in the cigar industry. This cigar has its origins back in Cuba where founder Herman Upmann opened his first cigar factory in 1844 (thus the name of the cigar here). The company went bankrupt in 1922 and the name (and production) was eventually acquired by Menendez y Garcia Co.  the company that made Montecristo. The Cuban Revolution led to the nationalization of Cuban cigar companies  including H. Upmann. As a result of this, Menendez and Garcia would move the brand to the Canary Islands, then to the Dominican Republic. The brand would eventually come under the ownership of Altadis. This is why there is a Cuban H. Upmann and a Dominican H. Upmann.

Without further ado, lets take a closer look at the H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

The H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose features a five-country multi-national blend highlighted by the use of a Cameroon wrapper.

Wrapper: Cameroon

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera Garcia)

Vitolas Available

The H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose is available in a Churchill size. It is packaged in 12-count boxes.

Churchill: 6 3/4 x 48

Appearance

The H. Upmann Banker Ingot Roses Cameroon wrapper was definitely on the dark brown side. There was some mottling visible on the surface of the wrapper. The wrapper also contained a light coating of oil on it. There were also some thin visible veins and thin visible wrapper seams.

The banding is similar in design to the original H. Upmann Ingot. The main band is a rose color with some gold embossing on it  including a gold colored H. Upmann sun-wheel logo. On the center of the band is the text THE BANKER in gold font. Just below that text is the text H. UPMANN in a smaller black font. On the left and right side of the band is the text INGOT ROSE in black font.

The cigar itself has a rose-colored foil sleeve on it with the gold text INGOT ROSE embossed on it. Resting at the top of the foil sleeve is an identical band to the main one that is on the cigar itself. On the lower end of the foil sleeve is a rose footer band with the text H.UPMANN embossed on it.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

I commenced the cigar experience by removing the sleeve of the H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose, I then proceeded to make a straight cut into the cigar to remove the cap. It was then moved on to the pre-light draw. The cold draw delivered a mix of natural tobacco, wood, cream, and a subtle fruit sweetness. Overall I considered the pre-light draw of this cigar to be excellent At this point I was ready to light up the Ingot Rose and move into the smoking phase.

Flavor Profile

The start to the H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose delivered a mix of natural tobacco, mixed pepper, wood, and cream. Early on the wood notes moved to the forefront with the other flavors receding into the background. On the retro-hale, there was an additional layer of black pepper present.

As the Ingot Rose moved through the first third, a fruit sweetness with a slight herbal component emerged. By the end of the first third, this sweetness joined the wood notes in the forefront, while the cream, mixed pepper, and natural tobacco notes remained in the background.

By the midway point, the natural tobacco displaced the wood notes and joined the fruit sweetness. While the sweetness had reached its apex here, it never got overpowering and the mixed pepper and wood notes provided some balance. It was this point where the cream notes diminished. Toward the latter stages of the second third, the pepper notes increased. Was the pepper increased, it morphed into more of a black pepper as opposed to a mixed pepper.

The last third of the Ingot Rose saw a mix of the fruit sweetness, natural tobacco, and black pepper. While there was still a touch of woody notes in the background, the cream notes had dissipated. This is the way the flavor profile came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

From a burn standpoint, the Ingot Rose performed excellently. It maintained a straight burn line and had no trouble keeping a straight burn path from start to finish. The resulting ash had a light gray color. This wasnt the firmest of ashes, but it wasnt loose nor flaky. The burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal.

The draw to the Ingot Rose was also excellent. It had the right amount of resistance for my liking. It also produced a nice amount of smoke.

Strength and Body

When looking at strength and body as a whole for the Ingot Rose, I found it to be bolder than the original Ingot Private Holding (Gold Box). The strength pretty much was on the upper end of medium to full while the body had enough depth to be considered medium to full.

In terms of strength versus body, I found the body had the edge throughout the whole smoking experience of the Ingot Rose.

Final Thoughts

Dont judge the Ingot Rose by comparing the score and the assessment and value rating to the Ingot Private Holding. Weve implemented a totally new system for both, which are skewed lower. The Ingot Rose is a worthy successor to its gold brick predecessor. The Cameroon wrapper combined with the Peruvian tobacco in the filler will deliver an interesting, but not overpowering sweetness. This is a cigar I would recommend to an experienced cigar enthusiast, but it is certainly one I would not discourage a novice from trying. As for myself, this cigar is one I would smoke again  and warrants box worthy consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Wood, Natural Tobacco, Fruit, Pepper, Cream

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium Plus

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium to Full

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Box Worthy Consideration

Score: 90

References

News: H. Upmann Banker Ingot Rose Unveiled at 2017 IPCPR

Price: $12.00

Source: Purchased

Brand Reference: H. Upmann

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Patients used to see doctors as kindly-but-firm professionals -- experts who knew what they were talking about and whose advice should be heeded, even if it wasn't necessarily welcome.

But these days, people have become demanding health care consumers, and they don't respond well when a doctor disagrees with them, a new study shows.

The researchers found that two-thirds of patients arrive at their doctor's office with a specific medical request already in mind -- seeking a drug or a test or a referral. When their doctor turns down that request, they're more likely to be offended and to trash the doctor on a patient satisfaction survey.

Satisfaction scores plummet when doctors deny patients' requests for nearly anything, but especially when patients have asked for a drug prescription or a referral, the study found.

The problem for doctors is that their pay has become increasingly tied to their patient satisfaction scores, said the study's lead researcher, Dr. Anthony Jerant. He's a professor of family and community medicine with the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.

"A lot of physicians are tempted to just acquiesce and give them the pain medication or give them the test, even though they know it's really not that likely to be helpful," Jerant said. "We really need to rethink reimbursing physicians partly on their satisfaction scores."

For this study, Jerant and his colleagues reviewed 1,319 visits to 56 family physicians at the UC Davis Family Medicine Clinic. The visits were made by 1,141 adult patients. The patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire after their visit.

Patients came into their doctor's office with a specific request 68 percent of the time, the researchers found. They most often asked for a lab test (34 percent), a referral (21 percent), pain medication (20 percent) or some other new medication (20 percent).

About 85 percent of the time, the doctors fulfilled their patients' requests, the findings showed.

"In general, doctors will listen to patients and, if they think the request is reasonable, will say sure," Jerant said. "But some of those requests maybe should not have been fulfilled."

Today, people in doctors' waiting rooms are much more likely to have learned about a new drug from a TV ad or to have searched "Dr. Google" about their symptoms, said Dr. Cynthia Smith, vice president of clinical programs for the American College of Physicians.

"Chances are, people have already tried to troubleshoot their problem by searching the internet," Smith said.

For example, a person with a headache may have a cousin with brain cancer and learned from a quick internet search that an imaging scan might detect a brain tumor, she explained.

According to Dr. Joseph Ross, an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, "Patients may have multiple reasons for requesting a service or referral. They may have seen an advertisement for the service on TV or have a friend or family member who'd received it in the past who experienced a good outcome. Or perhaps they are already unsatisfied or concerned with how their care is being managed and want a referral to a specialist."

When doctors turn down patients' requests, the patients react poorly, the investigators found.

Satisfaction scores plummeted an average of 20 points when doctors denied a request for a referral or new medication, and 10 points when they said no to a painkiller prescription, according to the report.

Doctors also got worse evaluations when they turned down requests for lab tests and imaging screenings.

Only one type of unfulfilled request did not leave patients fuming, the study authors pointed out.

A rejected request for antibiotics actually led to a slight increase in patient satisfaction scores.

"We think it's because the message has finally gotten out about antibiotics," Jerant said, referring to the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs.

"Not only were there fewer requests for antibiotics, [but] it wasn't associated with a hit on satisfaction. That's actually kind of hopeful because it suggests, as the backlash against opiates gains momentum, we may eventually see the same thing for pain medication requests," he said. "Patients would be a little more likely to say the doc's right -- these things could be harmful."

Jerant and Smith agreed that doctors need training to better communicate with patients about these requests.

"It's just patients legitimately looking for help and reassurance, and we don't want to squelch that," Jerant said. "We don't want to put patients in a position of second-guessing whether they should come in and ask for something. It's really how the physician responds."

Smith suggested that doctors need to probe a bit deeper and figure out the medical concern behind a patient's request for a certain drug or test.

"We found it doesn't really take a lot of extra time, and when it's done well, it can really deepen the relationship because you know something about your patient you didn't know before," she said. "You have to individualize the care to the patient who is in front of you."

Alternatively, Jerant said, a "watchful waiting" approach has been shown to help.

In this approach, the doctor acknowledges the patient's concern but indicates that, in the doctor's honest opinion, the requested test or drug is not likely to help. The doctor would add something like, "How about we monitor the situation for X amount of time and, if you're not feeling any better or you're feeling worse, we'll regroup," he explained.

"It's not immediately caving in, but it's also not saying out of hand, 'No, I don't want to do that,' " Jerant said. "It gives the patient a middle ground."

This approach has shown enough promise that Jerant wants to test it in a clinical trial.

"We think there's reason to suspect if you use that approach instead of just saying no, patients may be inclined to react less negatively," he said.

The study was published online Nov. 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on the doctor/patient relationship.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Nov 29 (PTI) Influential Democratic lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard today termed as "ridiculous" the release of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed from house arrest.

The banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head walked free on Friday after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. He was under house arrest since January this year.

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"Ridiculous...," Gabbard, who is also the co-chair of the House Congressional caucus on India and Indian Americans said in a lengthy tweet.

"Not only did Pakistan give refuge to Bin Laden, responsible for attacks against US on 9/11, Pakistan set free a terrorist who has a USD 10 million American bounty on his head," she said.

"Saeed was the mastermind behind the Mumbai attack that killed hundreds, including six Americans," said Gabbard the three-term lawmaker from Hawaii.

In another tweet, she slammed Saudi Arabia for the spread of extremism across the world.

"But no more absurd than President Trumps tripling down on US support for Saudi Arabia, which continues to spread extreme Wahhabi Salafist ideology around the world, fuelling terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, all while paying lip service to defeating terrorism," Gabbard said.

Richard Haas, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank, called for tougher measure against Pakistan.

"Pakistan has harboured terrorists for years and provides sanctuary to the Taliban. It is a mystery why they are designated and treated as a Major Non-NATO Ally when the reality is Pakistan is anything but," Haas said. PTI LKJ CK

--- ENDS ---
Mexico City, November 29, 201An icebox containing two unidentified severed heads and a threatening message was discovered yesterday evening outside the offices of the news broadcaster Televisa in Guadalajara, Mexico, according to Reuters report.

Mexican media reported that the message was directed at a local judge and signed with CJNG, the Spanish initials of the organized crime group Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Another icebox containing a similar threatening note, also signed CJNG and directed at the same judge, was found elsewhere in the city. The judges identity has not been released, according to the media reports.

Organized crime groups in Mexico often attempt to use the media to convey threatening and violent messages, placing journalists and media workers in the crossfire, said Alexandra Ellerbeck, CPJs program coordinator for North America, from Washington D.C. Jalisco authorities should undertake every effort to guarantee the safety of journalists in their state and undertake an exhaustive investigation into this gruesome incident.
China hosts Inter-Governmental Meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities

Published: November 29, 2017

The High Level Inter-Governmental Mid-Point review meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 was held in Beijing, China.

A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region had participated in it. Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot.

Key Highlights of meeting

The meeting was organised by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in cooperation with China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF).

Its main objective was to review progress made by member States during Decade at mid-point in 2017 with regard to Incheon Strategy to make right real for persons with disabilities in Asia and Pacific. It also discussed future policy action for building disabilities-inclusive societies in region, bearing in mind synergies between 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Incheon Strategy. It also finalised declaration to address gaps and challenges in empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Incheon strategy

The Incheon Strategy provides Asian and Pacific region and world with first set of regionally agreed disability-inclusive development goals. It has been developed over more than two years of consultations with governments and civil society stakeholders.

The Incheon Strategy builds on UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Biwako Millennium Framework for Action (BMF) and Biwako Plus Five towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and Pacific. It comprises 10 goals, 27 targets and 62 indicators.

The Incheon Strategy enables Asian and Pacific region to track progress towards improving quality of life, and fulfilment of rights of regions 650 million persons with disabilities, most of whom live in poverty. The UNESCAP secretariat is mandated to report progress in implementation of Incheon Strategy every three years until end of Decade in 2022.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2017

Topics: Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities  China  Divyangs  Incheon strategy  International  UNESCAP

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Ogden, Utah  A state lawmaker wants Utah to study the costs of capital punishment and determine whether its cheaper to keep an inmate in prison for life.





The proposal came as advocates prepare to make another push next year to eliminate the death penalty in the state.





State Rep. Stephen Handy, a Republican from Layton, plans a bill seeking a detailed price tag on capital punishment.





Handy told the Standard-Examiner that hes not sure what purpose executions serve, except for payback or from a vengeance standpoint, and questions whether theyre worth the money.





Legislative analysts in 2012 estimated that a death sentence and decades of appeals costs $1.6 million more than a lifetime prison sentence, but Handy says that estimate wasnt thorough enough.





Handy wants to study defense and prosecution costs, including costs to jails, prisons and courts.





An effort to eliminate the death penalty in Utah failed in 2016.





The criminal justice reform group Utah Justice Coalition said it is working to line up lawmakers to sponsor a proposal abolishing the death penalty when lawmakers meet in January.





Handy said a study will help lawmakers make a data-driven decision.





I look at it also as trying to adhere to mainstream conservatism, Handy said. This may not be the best use of hard-earned taxpayer dollars, with the costs of education and social services growing exponentially.





Weber County Sheriff Terry Thompson said he thinks capital punishment is a deterrent and the costs of following through with it dont matter.





Nobody says, Gosh, I love the death penalty, Thompson said. But it is important for the most egregious offenses, when lives are taken, changed forever, and people have to live without their loved ones.





The last death sentence carried out in Utah was in 2010. Nine men are currently on death row.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

The Associated Press, November 29, 2017
Malaria infected around 216 million people in 91 countries in 2016, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year.

Progress in the global fight against malaria has stalled amid signs of flatlining funding and complacency that the mosquito-borne disease is less of a threat, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

Malaria infected around 216 million people in 91 countries in 2016, an increase of 5 million cases over the previous year, the WHO said in its annual World Malaria Report. It killed 445,000 people, about the same number as in 2015.

The vast majority of deaths were in children under the age of five in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

"Globally ... after an unprecedented period of success, we are no longer making progress," said Abdisalan Noor, a WHO expert on malaria and lead author of the report. "I am concerned that we have become complacent."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added that "in some countries and regions, we are beginning to see reversals in the gains achieved".

Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO's global malaria programme, said that partly due to funding, and partly due to governments shifting focus away from malaria, the progress seen in the past decade is no longer being sustained.

"We want (this to be) a wake-up call to the malaria community," he told reporters on a teleconference. "We are not on track, and we need to get back on track."

Overall funding for malaria has levelled off since 2010. In 2016, an estimated $2.7 billion was invested in malaria control and elimination efforts globally. In 2015, funding totalled $2.9 billion - almost the same as in 2010.

The WHO says a minimum annual investment of $6.5 billion is needed by 2020 to meet targets on controlling malaria by 2030.

The WHO report found that when analysed on a country-by-country per capita basis, funding in countries where there is a high threat of malaria has fallen to an average of less than $2 per year per person at risk.

Noor said that alongside stagnating funding, the report found "equally concerning" gaps in access to and use of vital malaria prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools such as bed nets, indoor spraying and primary healthcare.

Fewer than half of households in countries in sub-Saharan Africa have enough bed nets to protect against mosquito bites, and only about a third of children in Africa with a fever have access to free public health sector medical care.

Tedros, who spent many years as a government minister fighting malaria in Ethiopia before coming to the WHO, said it would take robust financial resources and political leadership to swing the pendulum back towards a malaria-free world

"We are up against a tough adversary. But I am also convinced that this is a winnable battle," he said. (Editing by Alison Williams and William Maclean)
"Jammu and Kashmir is a natural choice for Rohingya due to its Muslim majority; they pick J&K on economic consideration," said KK Sharma, director general, BSF.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: The issue of Rohingya immigrants refuses to die down. According to the Border Security force (BSF), 36,000 Rohingya Muslims have entered India through various routes over a period of time. And the favoured destination, according to the BSF, is Jammu and Kashmir.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a natural choice for Rohingya due to its Muslim majority; they pick J&K on economic consideration," said KK Sharma, director general, BSF.

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More than 600,000 Rohingya-most of them Muslims-have fled Myanmar since August this year, according to CNN. Many human-rights groups have accused Myanmar of ethnic cleansing. Rohingya have often been called the most persecuted minority in the world.

"Once a Rohingya reaches Jammu, he stays there for a few months and then invites other relatives, informing them of job opportunities and better pay. In rare cases, if some of the Rohingya do not get permanent jobs, they move to another state," said Sharma.

Many see Rohingya as a security threat to India, a catchment area for Islamists.

"Some of the Rohingya Muslim have been staying in refugee camp at Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh where there are no basic amenities. So, they do not want to settle there. Agents lure these Rohingya with job opportunities in India, promising them that they'd work alongside their Muslim brethren in states such as J&K, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal," Sharma said.

According to the BSF, the force has caught 87 Rohingya trying to infiltrate into India from Bangladesh.Of them 76 have been pushed back to Bangladesh

"Our policy is to push them back and not arrest them. If we arrest anyone trying to infiltrate into India, then they become a liability," said Sharma

The BSF is waiting the home ministry's nod to raise five more battalions to secure the border besides smart border fencing.

--- ENDS ---
The Department of Energy (DOE) has seen its fair share of boondoggles over the years, from failed renewable ventures to paternalistic microwave regulations. But no program has enjoyed quite as much celebrity and staying power as the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), designed to fund basic research projects supposedly too farsighted for private investors.

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundations (ITIF) study defending the program, released last week, is but the latest in a line of reports that fail to show concrete benefits. Authors David M. Hart and Michael Kearney rely heavily on a study conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine earlier this year that provides patent and investment statistics, as well as case studies, on ARPA-E funded endeavors.

However, as the Taxpayers Protection Alliance has previously shown, the study suffers from large limitations and leaps in logic. Indeed, taxpayers are being forced to foot the bill for a program with little empirical justification.

Noting that outcomes are difficult to measure, the academics and consultants behind the earlier DOE study examined the number of publications, patents, and firm formation that come from projects receiving ARPA-E funding. But what constitutes an acceptable amount of publications, patents, and start-up activity?

To the authors, ARPA-E can be vindicated by comparing outcomes to that of the DOEs other grant and loan programs (Offices of Science and Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)). Their analysis finds, for instance, that recipients of 44 percent of ARPA-E awards published at least once, compared with the Office of Science and EERE at 27 percent and 18 percent of awards, respectively. According to this bizarre logic, the inability of most ARPA-E recipients to publish their research should be viewed as a success, only because publication rates in other DOE programs are even more abysmal.

The researchers also state that ARPA-E projects result in a patent for $8.2 million awarded, compared to $18.1 million and $28.4 million respectively for the Office of Science and EERE. They make this comparison despite warning earlier of the dangers in using patent filings as a proxy for successful innovation. Patents are, of course, a necessary ingredient in continued innovation, but many are filed to no avail.

Maybe, then, we should focus more exclusively on bottom-line economic results such as private sector viability. On this metric, the results are murky and point to disappointing outcomes for ARPA-E. Nearly three-quarters of projects designated as completed have no market engagement whatsoeverno private funding or company formed around the research. And even that figure is probably high, since the academics shadily include recipients who founded firms prior to ARPA-E funding in their definition of company formation.

The ITIF scholars add to the NASs dubious data dump with statistical games of their own. Hart and Kearney map the number of deals and dollars invested in both early stage and overall private equity clean tech deals from 2005 to 2017. The data reads like a Rorschach test, but the authors take the large decline in overall volume from 2010 to 2011 onward as evidence that venture capital is simply insufficient to forge a path forward for clean tech investments.

This much is clearthere was a zenith of these investments, and in particular early-stage, hardware-intensive technologies around the 2007 to 2011 period. But many factors contributed to an investment bubble, including a series of mandates and subsidies for renewable projects during the Bush and Obama Administrations and ever-rising gasoline prices.

Given this abundance of data, its hard to conclude that ARPA-E is a smashing success. But program defenders will readily respond to these lackluster statistics by shouting market failure from the rooftops. Basic research may have distant commercial applications, and will not be funded by venture capitalists in the absence of immediate results. And, even if high failure rates are inevitable in very early research, the few that do succeed can be transformational, proponents say.

This is not always the case. Take, for example, ARPA-Es cherished case study of a project to develop a non-repellant lubricant for industrial purposes. ARPA-E consultants claim that funding would not have happened, since commercial application wouldnt be practical for a generation. But polytetrafluoroethylene, the original no-stick compound found on the bottom of no-stick pans and pipe-liners, was invented nearly a decade before commercialization, with the lavish financial support of DuPont Company, not taxpayers.

In the past basic, far-flung research has attracted private funding and could continue to do so. America saw innovation at a breathtaking pace in the century following the Civil War, an era with nonexistent government funding of research. Lawmakers considering the funding of programs like ARPA-E should ponder this, and question whether private funding has been displaced by a smorgasbord of government programs. Incubators such as ARPA-E that displace private funds and carry no evidence of success do not deserve taxpayer funds. Further studies by program backers will only further confirm ARPAs status as a failed program.

Ross Marchand is a policy analyst at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance

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Discussion of capitalism often focuses on contributions to economic growth or productivity, but this emphasis places an artificial limit on the potential benefits of free markets. In a new article in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Professor Canice Prendergast of the Booth School of Business analyses how a nonprofit food bank has harnessed the power of markets to help reduce costs. Even in areas removed from revenue or profit considerations, free markets can provide value. Other nonprofits and components of civil society could potentially make similar progress.

Feeding America is a nonprofit that receives food donations from manufacturers and distributors around the country. Its mission is to distribute food to a network of 210 food banks throughout the country. Until 2005, the organization allocated food in the same way as many nonprofits, through a wait your turn system, in which food was assigned based on a food banks position in the queue. A food bank high in the queue would receive a notification from Feeding America that it had been assigned food, and if it accepted the offer it would be responsible for collecting the food from the donor. The system did not distinguish between different types of food, which contributed to one of the major problems of the centralized system.

Food banks receive donations from manufacturers, grocery stores, and individuals. Feeding America accounts for about a quarter of donations received at those regional food banks, and the system had no way of incorporating information about donations from other sources into its allocation. Sometimes a donation would be allocated to one food bank when other would have valued it more. For example, the Idaho Food Bank might already have had an adequate supply of potatoes and would have valued additional donations of potatoes less than other locations.

Feeding America was also severely constrained in how quickly it could allocate food. It could only offer donations to one food bank at a time. The logistical limitations contributed to delays and situations where food spoiled in donor warehouses.

Hoping for a more efficient way to allocate donations, Feeding America instituted a new method called the Choice System in 2005. In the Choice System, food banks were given a form of specialized currency by Feeding America based on their calculation of need. Food banks could then use these shares to bid on truckloads of food in auctions, while also gaining the ability to borrow and save, or put their own stores up for auction. The system incorporated negative pricing, so the food bank received additional shares for accepting undesirable foods. Previously, food banks were penalized for refusing food they could not use.

The Choice System improved the allocation of food donations by allowing food banks to reveal their valuations of different types of donations. Produce, which introduces concerns about spoiling, sold for less than 8 percent of the price of the average good. At the other end of the spectrum, more durable staples such as cereal and pasta went for 3 times the price of the average good (but still below supermarket prices). The previous system was unable to distinguish between different donation types, leading to large losses in efficiency.

Now food banks with less access to donors and manufacturers are able to increase the amount of total food they acquire by focusing their acquisition on lower-price staples for which other food banks might already have an excess of supply.

Allowing food banks to offer their own food stores for auction increased the supply of food in the network by about 12 million pounds annually, with food banks using the shares they received for this supply to acquire other products their beneficiaries valued more. In total, the supply of food available increased by more than 50 million pounds in the first year of the Choice System.

The same problems with centralized planning that afflict efforts in the public policy sphere can arise in other areas as well, as was the case with Feeding America when it tried to allocate limited resources. Nonprofit organizations should consider the potential benefits of utilizing the information transmitted by markets and prices as they work towards their varied objectives. On Giving Tuesday, we should be thankful that these mechanisms can allow nonprofits and other organizations in civil society to help people more effectively.

Charles Hughes is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on Twitter @CharlesHHughes.

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Robert Mugabe resigned the presidency of Zimbabwe last week after Parliament initiated impeachment proceedings against him, ending his oppressive 37-year rule and opening the country to what U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called an extraordinary opportunity to set itself on a new path.

Mugabe was elected as Zimbabwes first prime minister in 1980 and became president in 1987 after changes to the constitution created an executive presidency. He had remained in power ever since. During his rule, the United States condemned his government's increasing assault on human rights and the rule of law, and joined much of the world community in calling for the Government of Zimbabwe to embrace a peaceful democratic evolution. In his place, former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in, promising the beginning of a new unfolding democracy.

With the resignation of Robert Mugabe, today marks an historic moment for Zimbabwe, said Secretary Tillerson in a statement. We congratulate all Zimbabweans who raised their voices and stated peacefully and clearly that the time for change was overdue.

The United States looks forward to and hopes for free and fair elections, said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

The people of Zimbabwe have firmly voiced their desire for a new era to bring an end to Zimbabwes isolation and allow the country to rejoin the international community. The future of Zimbabwe though has to be determined by the people of that country.

Secretary Tillerson also said, We urge Zimbabwes leaders to implement much-needed political and economic reforms for a more stable and promising future for the Zimbabwean people. We will continue to support the people of Zimbabwe as these reforms move forward.

U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Harry Thomas noted future U.S. engagement with Zimbabwe, and President Mnangagwa will depend on those actions."This is a new day, this is an opportunity for him and his Cabinet to live up to the wonderful 2013 Zimbabwean constitution. And that is what we will tell them. It is your constitution, it is democratic, it is something you endorsed when you were Minister of Justice and later as Vice President. This is for your people. So live up to it and the United States will find a way to partner."

The United States is the largest provider of development and humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe providing $253 million last year.

The United States, said Secretary Tillerson, strongly supports a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Zimbabwe.
The United States is deeply concerned over the release from house arrest in Pakistan of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba leader Hafiz Saeed. Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, or LeT, is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens. His release came after a panel of judges dismissed a government request to continue his house arrest.

Saeeds release, said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, "sends a deeply troubling message about Pakistans commitment to combating international terrorism and belies Pakistani claims that it will not provide sanctuary for terrorists on its soil." She warned that "If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistans global reputation."

Saeed himself is a notorious terrorist who stands accused of having masterminded the November 2008 Mumbai, [India,] attacks that killed 166 people, including six American citizens, said Ms. Sanders.

A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeeds culpability  he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice, said press secretary Sanders.

LeT and several of its front organizations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions.

President Trump noted in his Afghanistan policy speech that the United States has been paying Pakistan billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that the U.S. is fighting. "That will have to change," he said. "No partnership can survive a countrys harboring of militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace."
A police van brings three of the defendants to court. R. G. (EFE)

The fate of the five men accused of a gang rape at the Running of the Bulls fiestas in Pamplona in 2016 is now in the hands of the three magistrates  one woman and two men  who make up the Second Section of the Navarre High Court. After 11 sessions of testimony, the case known as La Manada  or The Pack, named after the WhatsApp group used by the defendants to chat  is set for a ruling.

The defense lawyers have argued throughout the case that the woman who has accused the five  who are all from Seville, and include a Civil Guard and a member of the military  was not the victim of a sexual assault, but rather consented to having sexual relations with all of the men.

Public prosecuter Elena Sarasate is calling for prison terms of 22 years and 10 months for each of the men

According to her version of events, she was taken by the hand by two of the men into the entrance hall of a residential building and forced into having relations with all five defendants, who recorded the sex acts on their cellphones. One of the men then stole her own phone  something to which he has admitted in court.

The axiom of the accusations is that a woman cannot meet five men and have consensual group relations with them, argued Jesus Perez, the defense attorney for one of the five defendants, all of whom were aged between 25 and 27 years old at the time of the alleged sexual assault. In their conclusions, the three defense lawyers tried to pull apart the narrative offered the day before by the public prosecutor in charge of the case, Elena Sarasate, who is calling for prison terms of 22 years and 10 months for each of the men.

Agustin Martinez Becerra, who represents three of the defendants, paid particular attention to the attitude of the victim. He alluded to her appearance in court, with a jovial rictus, affability, lack of distress and a peculiar way of sitting, according to the lawyer. He went on to point out that she had admitted that she had shut her eyes during the sexual relations, as could be seen in the videos recorded by the defendants, which could, he argued, be interpreted as much as that she was submissive as not.

There is no sign of disgust, nor pain, nor suffering

Defense attorney Agustin Martinez Becerra

Fellatio cannot be performed with open eyes, he continued, in an attempt to contradict the report filed by the police about the videos, which reflected the silence of the victim in the recordings, her closed eyes and her neutral and non-active role.

There is no sign of disgust, nor pain, nor suffering, he argued, in a bid to prove her alleged consent, which has been the basis of his defense strategy. According to the attorney, the police report is full of subjective interpretations.

The defense lawyer for the alleged rapists also analyzed the attitude of the victim after the events, and stated that it was peculiar that the young woman would share a photo on Instagram a month before the trial that made reference to a phrase associated with a television program. Think what you like about me, but [sharing the photo] far exceeds normal life and even more so for someone who has suffered an alleged assault, he told the court. The phrase in question, the attorney explained, is from a character famous for threesomes of all kinds, lesbianism and ardor.

The axiom of the accusations is that a woman cannot meet five men and have consensual group relations with them Defense lawyer Jesus Perez

Both Jesus Perez and Juan Canales, lawyers for the civil guard and member of the military (both have been suspended), suggested that the alleged victim had taken the case to court due to the influence of third parties, according to Perez. The lawyer went on to cite the campaigns against sexist assaults at San Fermin as one of those factors, something that could, he argued, have prompted the couple that found the young woman crying after the alleged assault to encourage her to call the police on the basis of a possible sexual assault. According to their account she only stated initially it was them in reference to the theft of her cellphone.

Perez went on to suggest that the municipal police had an excessive interest in denouncing a sexual assault, and drew attention to the express order for the victim not to leave Pamplona from the police after she made her initial statement.

After one of the municipal police officers testified last week that the young woman said that she knew that the men had recorded her, but then failed to mention that fact in her police statement, the lawyers argued that finding out about the recording of the incident was the only reason for the rape claim, Canales argued, adding that the young woman went into a panic because she thought that the images would end up on social networks hours after the incident. The only way to justify those images was to make up a story, Canales concluded.

English version by Simon Hunter.
The demonstration by taxi drivers in Madrid today. GABRIEL BOUYS (AFP)

A taxi strike across Spain today has left many of the big cities without cabs. From the early hours of the morning the absence of these vehicles was noticeable in places such as Madrid and Barcelona. The strike was called to protest the new issuance of private hire licenses for use by drivers working for companies such as Uber and Cabify.

The Spanish Federation of Taxis (FEDETAXI), which represents 70% of taxis with licenses, said today that 100% of drivers were observing the stoppage in major cities. There are no taxis operating in Madrid and Barcelona, explained Miguel Angel Leal, the president of FEDETAXI on Wednesday. And in other cities the same thing started to happen from 11am, which is when the demonstration started.

Police clash with protestors in Madrid today. Jaime Villanueva

On the streets of Madrid there were plenty of cabs to be seen, but without passengers and beeping their horns as a sign of protest. The demonstration in the Spanish capital left from Atocha train station at 11am, headed for the Congress of Deputies, Spains lower house of parliament. Passengers arriving today at the airport, and train and bus stations were finding that they were without the option of a cab.

Barcelona saw a similar situation, with a lack of taxis at stops outside the main train station and the airport.

For its part, the UNAUTO association, which represents the private hire sector, has today reported the vandalism of dozens of vehicles of this type in Madrid and Barcelona, as well as violent incidents and intimidation of drivers. The president of UNAUTO, Eduardo Martin, stated that since the early hours of the morning private hire vehicles have been subject to considerable damage due to violent acts in the streets, as well as a driver having to be taken to hospital in Barcelona, after being assaulted and left with a bleeding head wound.

Protestors on the streets of Madrid today . AFP

UNAUTO also reported its drivers finding nails on the floor of their garages, as well as paint on their vehicles, broken windows and burst tires.

For its part, global transport tech company Uber released a statement in which it said that the liberalization of the private-hire sector would facilitate a more sustainable transport model by drastically bringing down prices with the arrival of shared-car services, as is already happening in many other European companies.

It also criticized the prejudices of the monopoly of the taxi, which costs 603 million a year and which means that all Spaniards pay an average of 5 more for our journeys.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has accused Saudi Arabia of trying to distract attention from Riyadh's "failures" at home and abroad by villifying Iran as the alleged culprit behind conflicts in the Middle East.

"Saudi Arabia seeks to solve two problems through enmity with Iran; first it wants to cover-up its failures in the region...and second, its domestic problems," Rouhani said in a live interview on state television on November 28.

"Saudi Arabia was unsuccessful in Qatar, was unsuccessful in Iraq, in Syria, and recently in Lebanon. In all of these areas, they were unsuccessful," Rouhani said. "So they want to cover up their defeats."

Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Persian Gulf region recently have accused predominantly Shi'ite Iran of fomenting terrorism and conflict in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and elsewhere.

The kingdom's Crown Prince escalated the verbal war last week by calling the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, "the new Hitler of the Middle East," in an interview with the New York Times.

The two regional powers have been engaged for years in proxy wars in Yemen and Syria, where they support opposing sides in bitter conflicts that, according to United Nations estimates, have killed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced millions, and brought Yemen to the verge of famine.

Tensions soared this month when Lebanons Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced he was resigning on a visit to Riyadh, blaming the growing power of Iran and its ally Hezbollah, which is part of Lebanon's ruling coalition.

Hariri afterwards reconsidered and has since returned home to negotiate with Hezbollah and other coalition partners. But this week he threatened again to resign if Hezbollah does not withdraw from Syria, where its Shi'ite fighters along with Iran have backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the government's six-year war with Sunni rebels.

Rouhani contended in the television interview that Tehran and its allies -- Iraq, Syria, and Russia -- have achieved "big accomplishments" in the region and are helping to bring stability through their military cooperation.

The Iranian president was speaking on the occasion of the first hundred days in his second term, after being sworn in in August.

On domestic issues, Rouhani insisted that he has not forgotten his pre-election promises to the people.

One important promise he made was to end the house arrests of two former presidential candidates, who ran against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. In the interview, Rouhani did not name them, but made indirect references to the case.

After more than three months in office, Rouhani is seen as weak on delivering the social and political openness he promised during his campaign in May.

Courts and security-intelligence forces under the control of Supreme Leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei continue to take harsh steps against critics and take actions that interfere with the executive branch headed by Rouhani.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
The White House reported in a brief statement that President Donald Trump and President Emmanuel Macron of France spoke on telephone on November 26, discussing the Syrian peace process and also Iran and North Korea.

The statement says, The leadersstressed the need to confront and reverse Irans destabilizing activities in Syria.

Macron has been vocal lately on Irans ballistic missile program, as well as its interventionist policies in the region.

On November 9, Macron accused Iran of supplying the missile that was fired at Saudi Arabia earlier in the month.

"There are extremely strong concerns about Iran. There are negotiations we need to start on Iran's ballistic missiles" Macron had said. Later, he threatened Iran with possible sanctions if Tehran did not agree to discuss its missile program.

Macrons foray into the subject is seen as a gesture toward President Donald Trump, who has refused to re-certify Irans compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, as U.S. law demands the president to do every three months.

While refusing to re-certify, Trump has singled out Irans missile program and its conduct in the region as reason why he believes Tehran has not respected the spirit of the nuclear deal.
Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who earlier headed the country's National Guard, has been released three weeks after his detention. He has agreed to a settlement deal of more than $1 billion with the authorities.

By India Today Web Desk: Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who was arrested on allegations of corruption, has been released after he agreed to a settlement deal of more than $1 billion with the authorities.

Prince Miteb, son of late King Abdullah was one of the 200 political and business figures detained in anti-corruption raids earlier this November.

He was seen as contender to the throne and headed Saudi Arabia's National Guard. Three other people have finalised settlement deals with the government.

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This so-called "cleaning mode" kicked off after a new anti-corruption committee was formed and is headed by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The kingdom's top council of clerics also issued a statement saying it is an Islamic duty to fight corruption- essentially giving religious backing to the high-level arrests being reported.

Prince Miteb, who is the cousin of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was sacked shortly before his detention. More than 200 businessmen, members of the royal family, and senior officials were detained in an extraordinary anti-corruption crackdown led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Many Saudi citizens see it as a move to tackle rampant corruption in the country.

--- ENDS ---
Syrian government negotiators arrived in Geneva on November 29 for UN-backed talks aimed at ending the civil war.

Damascus had initially refused to confirm it would attend the talks, which began November 28, because the opposition was maintaining its demand that President Bashar al-Assad be removed.

But the United Nations announced that government negotiators would arrive on November 29 -- reportedly after securing key concessions, including keeping the Assad issue off the table.

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, on November 28 received a message saying that the government delegation was "planning to arrive tomorrow," UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told a news briefing in Geneva on November 28.

The negotiations have achieved little in the seven previous rounds but there are hopes the latest may make some progress in ending the more-than-six-year conflict.

Opposition representatives, united in one delegation for the first time, met de Mistura on November 28.

A day earlier rebel delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri had told reporters that his camp was still insisting on Assad's removal as part of any peace deal, defying calls for moderation.

But keeping the Assad issue off the table may also suit de Mistura, who says he wants this round to focus on a new constitution for Syria and UN-supervised elections.

De Mistura had voiced hope the coming round would mark the first "real negotiation" on a possible deal to end the more-than-six-year war which has claimed more than 340,000 lives and left Syria in ruin.

He has also warned the opposition that intransigence on the Assad issue might no longer be tenable.

In September, he said the opposition needed to be "realistic" and accept that "they didn't win the war."

With the help of Russian military support, the Syrian regime has made major advances against its opponents, seizing back large chunks of the country.



Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

Elmikhan Nabiyev, board chairman at the closed Atrabank, has been arrested, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office told Trend Nov. 29.

Nabiyev is charged under Article 308.2 (abuse of official powers entailing grave consequences).

As part of consistent measures for combating corruption offenses, the Anti-Corruption General Directorate under the Prosecutor Generals Office reviewed the files sent by the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund in connection with the illegal actions of former employees of Atrabank OJSC, which is being liquidated.

At present, the necessary investigative measures are underway.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religion of the Republic of Costa Rica Manuel Gonzalez Sanz.

Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Gonzalez Sanz said relations between the two countries are built on mutual trust. Touching upon the opening of Costa Rica's embassy in Azerbaijan, Manuel Gonzalez Sanz described this as his country's strategic decision. He noted that Costa Rica considers Azerbaijan as a key partner in the region and is determined to establish its regional cooperation through Azerbaijan.

Expressing his gratitude to the Costa Rican foreign minister for the warm words, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Costa Rica enjoy sincere and friendly relations. The head of state emphasized the importance of opening of the Costa Rican embassy in Azerbaijan and expressed his confidence that the activities of the diplomatic mission will contribute both to expanding bilateral relations and developing regional cooperation.

During the meeting, the sides pointed out opportunities for mutual investment and cooperation in the fields of trade and agriculture, and exchanged views over the expansion of relations in this regard.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

Commander of the Air Force of Turkey, Army General Hasan Kucukakyuz has arrived on an official visit in Azerbaijan, the countrys Defense Ministry told Trend Nov. 29.

Kucukakyuz is planned to have a number of meetings in Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

The current state and prospects of cooperation between the air forces of the two countries, as well as other issues of mutual interest will be discussed during the meetings.

The visit will last until December 1.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

An Iranian MP has accused Armenia of polluting Araz River.

Addressing a session of the Iranian parliament today, MP Shakur Pourhossein said that Armenia is polluting the Araz River.

He noted that this fact has led to an increase in expansion of cancer disease in the Mugan region of the Ardabil Province.

The MP called this sad state the cancer tsunami.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has today met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religion of the Republic of Costa Rica Manuel Gonzalez Sanz in Baku, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message Nov. 29.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Costa Rica, the ministers expressed their satisfaction with the positive development of political dialogue and mutual understanding over two decades.



Minister Mammadyarov noted that the decision of Costa Rica to establish an embassy in Baku is highly appreciated. The ministers recognized that exchange of diplomatic missions in both countries brings an additional boost to mutual cooperation.



Minister Mammadyarov gladly recalled his visit to Costa Rica in June and expressed hope that productive meetings and political consultations held there would further advance the relations in various spheres.



The ministers also noted an effective role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing bilateral cooperation and to this end agreed to initiate exchange of parliamentary delegations.



Manuel Gonzalez Sanz shared his positive impressions on his visit to Azerbaijan and highly appreciated the development of political dialogue and friendly ties between two countries.



The ministers reiterated their mutual respect and support to each others territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of internationally recognized borders. They also emphasized inadmissibility of attempts to change the internationally recognized borders of states by use of force.



The two ministers emphasized the wide range of opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic, trade, tourism, energy, logistics, ports and maritime, investment and humanitarian spheres and noted the importance of promotion of direct contacts among the business communities.



The sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving the "Agreement on Cooperation in Copyright and Related Rights between the Azerbaijani Government and the Turkmen Government" Nov. 29.

Azerbaijans Copyright Agency has been instructed to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the agreement after it enters into force.

President Aliyev also signed a decree approving the "Agreement on Cooperation in Culture between the Azerbaijani Government and the Turkmen Government".

Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been instructed to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the agreement.

The mentioned agreements were signed in Baku on August 8, 2017.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

The future development of Azerbaijan is linked with the development of agriculture and industry.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made the remark at a meeting with representatives of the public of Sabirabad and the hospital staff after acquaintance with the district central hospital.

The head of state noted that in connection with this, the project of the Sabirabad industrial district was submitted to him. The President also urged the people of Sabirabad to put forward proposals on this matter.

"All works in the industrial district, including construction, production sites, communications, infrastructure, electricity, gas, roads, the creation of enterprises will be provided at the expense of the state. As for entrepreneurs, let them put forward their proposals, buy equipment. The state will support them in this matter, preferential loans, documents on investment promotion will be granted and soon the activity of a large industrial district will be ensured here," he said.
The rector of UNEC, professor Adalat Muradov stated that the head of the country had put forward the issue of the development of the human capital in the State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azebaijan as the main goal of the education sytem.

The rector, saying that one of the most important elements in the development of human capital is the acquisition of practical skills, and stressed that UNEC was ready to make suggestions that would meet the requirements of the employers and spoke about the problems arised in this direction. A. Muradov pointing out to the fact that every seven years 50 percent of the existing specialists lost the value and importance and set before the auditorium consisted of businessmen, the question on carrying out the personnel training that met the requirements of local or the international labour market.

The minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population Selim Muslumov pointed out that the most topical problems encountered by the labour market were touched upon in the conference and noted that local labour market was overwhelmingly crowded. Drawing to the attention the fact that 71 percent of the population of the country is of employable age, the minister said that the economy had difficulty in absorbing this number of workers. The minister pointed out that the requirements for the economists in the world market was the same, and emphasized the importance of teaching tax and the taxation, accounting and the analysis, economical law, the information technologies subjects. The minister, emphasizing the importance of the Virtual Enterprise at UNEC in raising the practical knowledge of the students, noted that the state-owned enterprises should also enable the students to engage in active business activities.

S. Muslumov also announced that the major program for the employment of youth would be launched by the ministry naxt year. The minister noting that he was keeping the close whatch on the recent achievements of UNEC with dignity and he emphasized that he would support the university, he had graduated, on all issues related to the labor market.

The Member of the Parliament Fazil Mustafa underscored the importance of establishing the dialogue between employers and the higher educational institutions and stressed the necessity of developing this idea. The president of the National Confederation of Enterpreneurs (Employers) Organization of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mammad Musayev said that the country was rapidly developing and the requirements of the labour market kept up with this speed. M.Musayev noting that in the current situation there was the need to create the new specialities, and he underlined that there was a serious lack of risk management personnel in the labor market.

The Executive Director of the Center for the Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication,Vusal Gasimli stresses the importance of the strategic vision in the local labour market.The Member of the Parliament Vusal Huseynov shared his observations he had made within the period of his pedagogical activity at UNEC, and noted that the students of those teachers who were mostly from the business world could enter to the labour market more easily. He expressed that the Career Center provoding its activity at UNEC played the special role in the preparation of the students for the business world.

In the conference the videos of enquiry provided among the UNEC students and businessmen were presented. After the discussions the online survey was held among the participants. 70 percent of the respondents to the question Is it possible to cooperate with the employers in the preparation of personnel meeting the requirements of the labour market? answered yes. The next question had put to the vote was The personnel training should meet the local or international labour market requirements. 91 percent of the auditoruim which was consisted of mainly the business people believed that it was appropriate to train the personnel in accordance with the requirements of the international labour market.

In the event, the presentation of the UNEC2B platform was held. The Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, Inam Karimov said that the UNEC2B platform implemented by the UNEC in the business world for the first time in Azerbaijan and in the regions would be beneficial for both parties. He drew to the attention that the platform would play the important role in solving the existing problems and would operate in a great competitive environment.

At the end of the conference the cooperation agreement was signed with the Natinal Confederation of Enterpreneurs (Employers) Organization of Azerbaijan, the Chamber of Auditors of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Bank Training Center.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

Trend:

Six years ago, on November 29, 2011, a new higher educational institution, which dramatically differed from others, was set up upon a decree of President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev. It was Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) set up within SOCAR with a mission to turn oil capital of Azerbaijan into human capital.

This year BHOS hold it first graduation ceremony, thus proving that the mission has been carried out successfully.

In 2012, BHOS signed Memorandum of Understanding with Heriot-Watt University (HWU) in Edinburgh, Scotland. On 10 April 2012, Elmar Gasimov was appointed a rector of BHOS by a decree of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic. In May 2012, Rector Elmar Gasimov and the Principal of HWU, professor Steve Chapman signed Cooperation Agreement on joint preparation of engineering specialists.

The year of 2017 will always remain as a remarkable year of the BHOS history. On May 1, BHOS new campus, the largest in the Caucasian region, was opened by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev. Having highly appreciated the Higher School activities in his speech at the opening ceremony, the President, in particular, said, It is a very significant day in the life of our country today. We are celebrating the opening of a campus of Baku Higher Oil School. It meets the highest standards. Baku Higher Oil School has been operating for six years. It has been very successful. Over these years, the school has earned itself a worthy place in the sphere of education in Azerbaijan. The school moves to a new campus, a new building today. All the conditions are available here to study and master knowledge. The most modern technologies have been applied. All the buildings are beautiful and built with taste. There are sophisticated laboratories here, and I have been familiarized with them. The level of education here will meet the highest standards.

The new campus is equipped with modern and technologically advanced teaching laboratories set by BHOS partners including Schneider Electric, ABB, Avandsis Group, Emerson and other transnational companies.

On February 9, 2012, BHOS was registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Azerbaijan Republic. Since 2012, the Higher School has conducted admission of students for Oil&Gas Engineering and Chemical Engineering specialties. The following year, the Higher School also started admitting students to Process Automation Engineering specialty. In 2017, BHOS announced first admission to Master program in Oil&Gas Engineering and Chemical Engineering specialties. Next year, BHOS plans to start Bachelor program in Information Security and announce MBA program.

Duration of the study at BHOS is five years. First year starts with intensive courses of English language and information communication technologies, and the other years, all education programs are taught in English.

First graduation ceremony was held at BHOS on July 14, 2017. The Higher School bid farewell to 102 graduates with Bachelor degree in Oil&Gas Engineering and Chemical Engineering who received dual diploma from BHOS and Heriot-Watt University. Currently, BHOS graduates work at BP, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Maire Tecnimont (Kinetics Technology S.p.A), ALCO Lubricants Group, Turkey Star, Petkim, Azneft JV, SOCAR Polymer, BNEZ, SOCAR Umid LLC, Azrikimya and SOCAR Head Office.

BHOS is awarded with four international certificates, namely ISO 9001  Quality Management System, ISO 14001  Environmental Management System), OHSAS 18001  Occupational Health and Safety Management System, and ISO 10002:2014  Quality management  Customer satisfaction.

Statistical data of six years show that the average admission point to BHOS is 663 points, and this score is the highest in the country. During this period of time, 101 students have awarded President Scholarships. In 2017, 25 students admitted to the national higher educational institutions in the first group of specialties became Presidential Scholars, and 24 of them selected to study at BHOS. And all seven prospective students earning 700 points at the entrance exams in this group of specialties decided to study at the Higher School.

Although BHOS has a relatively short history, it has attained many impressive achievements, and its success story continues. We extend our congratulations to the administration, professors, teachers, students and graduates of BHOS on the sixth anniversary and wish them every success.
Sheikh Abdul Nayeem was a runaway terrorist wanted in connection with the activities of the dreaded LeT in various parts of India. He was arrested in Lucknow on Wednesday morning.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Sheikh Abdul Nayeem - alias Nomi - recieved funds from Pakistan and the UAE, sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told India Today.

Nayeem has been associated with LeT Commander Amzad - or Rehan, who is based in Pakistan - and received funds from LeT operatives based in UAE for setting up bases in different parts of India.

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He also reportedly did extensive reconnaissance of different tourist destinations in Delhi, UP and Himachal Pradesh with a mission to carry out terror attacks. Referred to as Headley 2, he recorded videos of Army Camps, power plants and Israeli tourists in India.

Along with the Uttar Pradesh ATS, the NIA recovered incriminating documents, mobile phone and bank account details from Nayeem. He is an accused in the Aurangabad Arms haul case. He had been earlier arrested by the West Bengal police in the year 2007 while he was infiltrating into India from Bangladesh along with two Pakistanis and one Kashmiri. He had escaped from judicial custody in Chhattisgarh area while he was being taken by train to Mumbai to be produced in the MCOCA Court in the year 2014.

The 37-year-old, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, was a runaway terrorist wanted in connection with the activities of the dreaded LeT in various parts of India. Nayeem was arrested at Charbagh Bus Stand in Lucknow on Wednesday morning.

Produced before the Special NIA Court in Patiala House, he has been remanded to 10-day NIA custody.

WATCH | Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed now free

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Nigar Guliyeva  Trend:

The draft decree of the President of Uzbekistan "On measures to further stimulate development and increase the export potential of leather, shoe, fur and wool industries" is being discussed on a single portal of interactive public services.

The document notes that Uzbekistan lacks well-established mechanism for provision and storing of leather of cattle, the process of provision of raw materials is not regulated. Consequently, a significant proportion of leather of cattle, and virtually the entire volume of fur and woolen raw materials are not used for the intended purpose, which hampers the growth of the export potential of the industry.
Tehran, Iran, November 26

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Turkish Minister Economy of Nihat Zeybekci on November 26 met with Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari as follow-up to previous agreements to boost economic ties.

Speaking at a meeting, Shariatmadari pointed to good political and economic relations between the two neighboring countries and called for expediting implementation of initiatives for further expansion of bilateral cooperation.

He also referred to provisions of the draft agreement resulted from meeting of the Tehran-Ankara Joint Economic Commission explaining "the Commission needs to move from planning stage to an operational phase in a bid to alleviate all existing barriers in the shortest possible time.

Trade between the two economic powers stood at $8.15 billion during nine months since the beginning of 2017. The figure indicates a 14.24 percent rise compared to same period of the preceding year.

Iran's exports during the nine months amounted to around $5.84 billion, 75.7 percent more year over year. In return, Turkey exported $2.31 billion worth of goods, compared to $3.81 billion in the corresponding period of last year, indicating about 65 percent decline.

Iran and Turkey have 265 categories of goods under their PTA, of which Iran accounts for 140 and Turkey for 125 categories in the list.

Trade between Iran and Turkey was further facilitated after the governors of the two countries central banks signed an agreement in October to use their national currencies to do business with each other.

The boost in trade ties is reinforced by the two countries shared experience of political achievement over the Syrian crisis, an end to which they celebrated along with Russia last week.

On November 26, Iran and Turkey also reached a trilateral trade agreement with Qatar in a bid to grasp an Arab boycott on Qatar and boost their exports.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Kazakh Kazatomprom JSC and Chinese CGNPC company jointly build a plant for the production of fuel assemblies.

The plant will be commissioned in 2019 and start production output in 2020, said the Energy Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev in an interview to 'Kazakhstanskaya Pravda' newspaper.

The plant will supply 200 tons of nuclear fuel per year to China, with further creation of a domestic enterprise for the conversion of uranium.

The construction of a fuel assembly plant is one of the projects implemented under the Ulba Metallurgical Plant within Kazatomprom's strategy. The strategy includes creation of an integrated company, manufacturing fuel for nuclear power plants, said Bozumbayev.

Kazatomprom JSC will also be involved in construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, according to the minister. The details of the construction will be considered by the Kazakh government in 2018.

The reserves of low-enriched uranium in Kazakhstan amount to 90 tons. All the reserves of uranium hexafluoride belong to the International Atomic Energy Agency, and are being stored in standard cylinders of 30B type.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

An export mission of Azerbaijani entrepreneurs will visit Dubai Dec. 3-7, the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry said in a message Nov. 29.

The mission will include representatives of 20 Azerbaijani companies operating in the fields of fruit juice, mineral water, fruit and vegetable production, manufacture of dried fruits, canned foods, meat and meat products, honey, tea, milk and dairy products, according to the message.

Fruit and vegetable products manufacturers that are part of the export mission will also participate in the International Perishables Expo Middle East (WOP Dubai), the biggest specialized exhibition in the countries of the Middle East to be held Dec. 5-7. A seminar and bilateral meetings will be also held within the framework of the exhibition.

Azerbaijans trade turnover with the UAE for 10 months of 2017 amounted to $29.28 million, which is 2.1 times less than in the same period last year, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the export of Azerbaijani products to the UAE grew 58.5 percent as compared to late October last year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey is introducing restrictions on money transfers, as well as on withdrawing cash from ATMs, the Turkish Banking Supervision Body (BDDK) told Trend on Nov.29.

The BDDK noted that the bank accounts of individuals who daily withdraw the maximum allowable amount in ATMs will also be under special supervision.

The tightening of control over money transfers is carried out as part of the fight against financial fraud, as well as against illegal gambling.

"In Turkey, about five million people are involved in illegal gambling, for participation in which money is withdrawn through ATMs," the BDDK said.

Earlier in June this year it was reported that Turkey is strengthening the fight against the illegal organization of gambling.

In the country, a special commission has been set up under the Prosecutor General's Office, which will monitor online gambling sites. Founders and users of gambling sites will be prosecuted.

Gambling in Turkey was officially banned in 1984.

In June 2017, Turkish police conducted mass raids in all provinces of Turkey with the aim of suppressing illegal gambling. Over 10,000 police officers participated in the raids.

During the raids, searches were carried out in more than 6,000 restaurants and cafes.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev will leave for Istanbul on November 30 to participate in the 7th meeting of the ministers of economy of the member-states of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (Turkic Council), the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy said in a message Nov. 29.

According to the message, during the visit the Azerbaijani delegation will hold a number of bilateral meetings.

The Council of Cooperation of Turkic-Speaking States was established in 2010 in Istanbul. The council includes Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The first meeting of the council was held in 2011, while the recent one - in December 2016 in Baku.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Construction of a urea (carbamide) plant of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR has been completed by 98.4 percent, Khayal Jafarov, the plants director, said at the fourth international conference in Baku titled Oil refining and petrochemistry of the Caspian Sea and Central Asia Nov. 29.

The engineering work and equipment procurement are completed by 100 percent, construction work  by 94.7 percent, civil work  by 99.8 percent, while the equipment installation is completed by 91.7 percent, he noted.

All the work for the plants construction is planned to be completed in December and to start the commissioning work early next year, Jafarov said. Production at the plant will begin in the first half of 2018.

The plant will produce 1,200 tons of ammonia and, subsequently, 2,000 tons of urea per day. It is planned to supply a quarter of production, that is, 150,000-200,000 tons of urea, to the Azerbaijani domestic market. The remaining part will be exported to Turkey, Georgia and the markets of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea countries.

South Koreas Samsung Engineering won the tender for the construction of the urea plant. Samsung Engineering acts as a general contractor of the plants construction, but it has no license for production of urea and ammonia, which will be by-product in the urea production process. Therefore, the relevant licensing agreements were signed with Haldor Topsoe company (Denmark) for production of ammonia and Stamicarbon B.V. company (the Netherlands) for production of urea.

Production at the plant will be environmentally friendly, that is, no pollutant emissions into the atmosphere are expected.

The plant will have an autonomous electricity system. The plant will consume 25-26 MW of electricity per hour.

At first, financing of construction work was carried out from the Azerbaijani state budget and about 210 million manats were allocated from there before the beginning of 2015, but later it was decided to switch to project finance and negotiations with banks were started.

As a result, the ExportImport Bank of South Korea (EximBank) opened a line of credit worth 500 million euros under Azerbaijans state guarantee to complete the construction of the plant. EximBank will directly provide 251 million euros, while 249 million euros will be allocated by three commercial banks (Italys UniCredit S.p.A., Frances Societe Generale S.A. and Germanys Deutsche Bank AG) with the support of EximBank.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistan suggests setting up a special body - the UN Energy Council and the UN expert group on energy security issues, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister Maksat Babayev said in Ashgabat Nov. 29 at the 28th session of the Energy Charter Conference.

The current situation in the energy sector of the world economy makes it necessary to develop and adopt the UN Convention on energy security, he said.

For Turkmenistan, diversification of transport infrastructure that can ensure the delivery of energy resources to international markets through the creation of an extensive network of a multivariate pipeline system is the strategic priority of ensuring energy security, he noted.

The implementation of this strategic direction envisages comprehensive development of energy cooperation not only among energy supplying, transit and consumer countries, but also among interested parties and international organizations, in particular the UN and the Energy Charter, Babayev said.

Turkmenistan is one of key players in the gas market of the Caspian region and Central Asia. Currently, the country exports natural gas to China and Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

SOCAR Methanol LLC plans to double the supply of methanol to the domestic market within the next two to three years, said the companys Director General Elnur Mustafayev.

He made the remarks at the fourth international conference in Baku titled Oil refining and petrochemistry of the Caspian Sea and Central Asia Nov. 29.

Mustafayev noted that currently, five percent of the plants products are supplied to the domestic market.

Ninety-five percent of the products are exported to the world market. This year we produced 265,000 tons of methanol that is six percent more than the annual plan. This allowed us to raise $35 million, which helped the company to rank fifth in non-oil exports in Azerbaijan, Mustafayev said.

He noted that the strategic goal of the enterprise is to double the volume of supplies to the domestic market and completely meet the demand for methanol, methyl alcohol in Azerbaijan.

The domestic market is one of the key areas of our development for the next two to three years. At the same time, export deliveries will continue to play a key role in the work of our plant. The Kulevi terminal is actively used in the transshipment of our products for export, said the director general.

The terminal is capable to transship 60,000 tons of methanol per month, he added.

However, we, along with other things, are focused on such issues as labor protection, labor safety, quality management, diversification of activities and human resources in our development strategy. These five areas of activities management form our strategy, said Mustafayev.

One of the strategic tasks is the transition to the operational period of 350 operating days per year, in other words, to conduct overhaul not once a year, but once in two years and prolong the period, he added.

It is also important to increase the capacity utilization up to 90 percent, to ensure EBITDA margin of at least 20 percent, he said. We believe that there is potential thanks to reconstruction and modernization in order to achieve a coefficient of 1.09, in other words, a 1,000 cubic meters to obtain not 900 tons, but 920 tons of methanol, increasing the output of methanol from a fixed volume of gas.

Production at Azerbaijans methanol plant, the only plant of this kind in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, started in January 2014.

The plants annual capacity is 650,000-700,000 tons. SOCAR acquired the plant from the Aqrarkredit non-bank credit organization. The plants cost was estimated at $520 million.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Georgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, speaking at the 28th meeting of the Energy Charter Conference in Ashgabat, supported the efforts of Europe to diversify energy sources, noting the role of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Romania in ensuring energy supplies in the region.

Turkey, Azerbaijan and Romania play an important role in ensuring energy supplies in the region, and Georgia is ready to fulfill its obligations to meet the energy needs of Europe, said Janelidze.

In the context of energy transfers from the region to Europe, he emphasized the particular importance of such projects as the South Caucasus Pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline.
Attacked and slashed multiple times with sharp weapons, unconscious Vijay fell down on the ground and was then killed mercilessly.

A gang of men stalked Vijay and jumped on him from behind in broad daylight.

By Pramod Madhav: A 28-year man who was to appear at the court for a hearing, was stabbed to death by a gang of men today in Chennai in broad daylight.

Vijay Kumar, (28), alias Viji, had 8 pending cases including attempt to murder on his name at Kasimedu port Police station. Viji appeared at Georgetown Court on Wednesday for warrant recall on a 2013 crime case. As he was informed that the case would be heard only in the afternoon, he went to a mess at Pavalakarwn street to have his lunch.

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While returning back to the court, a gang of men stalked him and jumped on him from behind in broad daylight. Attacked and slashed multiple times mercilessly with sharp weapons, an unconscious Vijay fell down on the ground and died.

Bystanders alerted Muthialpet Police who reached the spot and took Viji to Stanley Hospital but unfortunately couldn't save Viji. The entire attack on Viji was captured by a CCTV camera which is now helping the police to nab the culprits.

A murder next to the court in broad daylight has raised deep concerns about the law and order situation in the city.

VIDEO | Chennai: Gangster brutally hacked to death on way to court

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Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 29

By Diana Aliyeva  Trend:

A delegation of Uzbekistan headed by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov will take part in the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), to be held on November 30-December 1 in Sochi, Russia.

The heads of the governments of India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will exchange views on the current situation in the region and in the world, discuss a wide range of issues of further economic and humanitarian cooperation, the implementation of the Action Plan on Multilateral Trade Program, economic cooperation of the SCO member states, and other issues on the agenda.

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a message Nov. 29 that representatives of observer countries  Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia - as well as heads of the Secretariat, the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), the Business Council, and the Interbank Association of the SCO, and a number of international and regional organizations will also participate in the meeting.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko discussed a wide range of economic and diplomatic issues during official visit of Kazakh president to Minsk.

Nazarbayev thanked Lukashenko for invitation, noting that his visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the press service of the Kazakh president said in a message.

"Presently, there are 260 Belarus enterprises in Kazakhstan. Belarus agriculture products are also present in our markets. There are shops with Belarus furniture almost in all cities of Kazakhstan," Nazarbayev said.

Kazakh president added that entrepreneurs of the two countries will sign contracts on supply of BelAZ trucks and new equipment to Kazakhstan.

The countries will sign a contract on localization of Belarus products in Kazakh market as well as the construction of joint assembly plants, according to Nazarbayev.

The presidents also touched upon the trade turnover between the countries.

"There were difficult times, crisis, trade turnover between our countries decreased, but for 10 months of the current year it grew by 60 percent," added Nazarbayev.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, in turn, stressed that the visit of the president of Kazakhstan will contribute to development of trade relations between the countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend:

President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov will visit Moscow on Nov. 29 and hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the press service of the Kyrgyz leader reported.

The presidents will discuss the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation, as well as the issues of interaction within the framework of integration processes in the Eurasian space.

Jeenbekov will also meet in Moscow with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

This will be Jeenbekov 's first foreign visit. After visiting Moscow, the leader of Kyrgyzstan will leave for Minsk to participate in the jubilee session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The 28th session of the Energy Charter Conference kicked off in Ashgabat on Nov. 29, a source familiar with the events organization told Trend.

The agenda includes issues of diversifying energy supply routes to global markets and mobilizing investments in this area.

The Energy Charter is a declaration of political intention at strengthening energy cooperation between East and West.

The Energy Charter Treaty was signed in December 1994 and entered into force in April 1998.

The main objective of the treaty is to strengthen the legal norms in energy issues by creating a single field of rules that all participating governments must comply with, thus minimizing the risks associated with investment and trade in the field power engineering.

Turkmenistan is one of the rich countries for its natural gas resources. According to BP, the countrys recoverable reserves are estimated at 17.5 trillion cubic meters of gas or nine percent of total global reserves, which puts Turkmenistan on the fourth position in this field after Iran, Russia and Qatar.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistan and Germany exchanged ratification instruments on the approval of the intergovernmental agreement on the elimination of double taxation with regard to taxes on income and property, the Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary state news agency reported.

As of 2016, 167 investment projects and contracts involving German capital were registered in Turkmenistan, totaling $540 million and about 555 million euros.

German companies make a significant contribution to the implementation of long-term projects in Turkmenistan. Such companies as Siemens, Daimler, Claas, Rohde & Schwarz, Dresser-Rand are among them.

The agreement with Germany to avoid double taxation with respect to taxes on income and property was signed during the two-day (August 29-30, 2016) visit of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Germany.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29



By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:



During an official visit to the Mary region of Turkmenistan, the country's president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov paid attention to the shortcomings in the agricultural sector, says the message of the Turkmen government.



"Up until now, in three regions, the plan on raw cotton harvesting has not been completed," said the message.



Harvesting the remaining crops in cotton fields is not on the proper level, head of state underlined.



Meanwhile, the Supreme Control Chamber of Turkmenistan presented its report on the issue.



Due to the favorable weather conditions in this region, there is still enough harvest on the cotton fields. Good climate conditions stipulate the opening of cotton capsules, which need the increase collecting of remaining crops in the fields, said the report.



During the revisions it was established, that there are all possibilities to collect extra harvest by using manual harvesting and cotton harvesters.



It was noted that similar situation is observed in other regions of the country, and there is all possibility to collect harvest without any loss.



The Turkmen president drew attention to the importance of rational use of water resources, taking into consideration specific soil and climate conditions of the region.



Cotton makes up weighty part of Turkmen exports and is a demanded raw material for dozens of modern enterprises dynamically developing in the countrys textile industry.



Overall area of cultivated land is more than 500,000 hectares.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The Turkmen Parliament has hosted a meeting with Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Thomas Greminger, the Turkmen government said in a message.

Energy security, the state of which influences stability of the geopolitical situation on the continent, macroeconomic processes and their nature is the most important topic on the agenda of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the OSCE, the message said.

In this regard, it was stressed that it is necessary to intensify the energy dialogue by using the mechanisms of multilateral consultations on political, financial-economic, technological, environmental aspects of energy security, stimulate the creation of multifaceted infrastructure of international energy supplies on the basis of fair, equitable and transparent partnership.

The OSCE delegation met with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said.

The sides noted the role of interaction in the energy, transport and logistics spheres in ensuring sustainable development in the region.

The parties emphasized importance of ensuring reliability and safety of international energy flows, as well as strengthening of the legal protection of supply routes by developing a new international and legal mechanism, which guarantees the implementation of generally accepted rules of conduct on the global energy market.

Turkmenistan joined the OSCE on January 30, 1992.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend

Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze stressed the dynamic development of cooperation between the countries during the meeting in Ashgabat, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Nov. 29.

According to the message, the sides expressed commitment to the further development of cooperation between the two countries and exchanged the views on the cooperation issues.

"Stressing the prospects for the expansion of international transport cooperation, Meredov and Janelidze outlined the further plans to develop modern mechanisms that meet the real goals and requirements of the partnership," the message said.

Speaking about Turkmenistans energy policy, the sides expressed interest in the consolidation of efforts in the development of international energy cooperation.

The interlocutors also stressed the need to intensify the existing mechanism of cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Ashgabat and Tbilisi are reviewing the projects on the creation of the transport and transit infrastructure between the regions of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea.

Moreover, Georgia is an important link in the South Caucasus Transportation and Energy Corridor and it is ready to ensure reliable and safe transit of energy resources from the Caspian basin and Central Asia through its territory.

Turkmenistan ranks fourth in the world in terms of natural gas reserves.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 29

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend

Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Manabu Horii stressed the dynamic cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of spheres during a meeting in Ashgabat, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Nov. 29.

According to the message, Meredov and Horii stressed the role of high-level visits during the meeting held on the sidelines of the 28th meeting of the Energy Charter Conference.

The sides discussed the possibilities for further consolidation of joint actions in energy sector.

They also discussed the possibility of intensifying trade and economic relations, stressing the significant potential in those spheres.

Japanese companies are involved in various projects on diversification of the Turkmen economy.

During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to Turkmenistan in October 2015, memorandums were signed, as well as agreements on a number of projects, worth a total of $18 billion, were concluded.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 29

By Diana Aliyeva  Trend:

The concept of safe tourism in the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Shahrisabz has been approved by a decree of Uzbekistans Cabinet of Ministers.

The concept includes four main directions, according to the norma.uz portal.

Firstly, this is improving the structure and methods of organizing the activities of the internal affairs bodies to ensure safe tourism.

Special centers will operate at the Department of Internal Affairs of Bukhara, Samarkand, Khwarezm and Qashqadaryo regions.

Their tasks are the monitoring of the state of safe tourism, informing tourists about potential threats in real time, and also helping to protect their rights and legitimate interests.

The second direction is to ensure the safety of tourists in the period of arrival, use of transport and movement.

Thirdly, the security of the places of residence, accommodation and tourism services will be ensured.

And the fourth direction will be the ensuring safety of tourists, official foreign delegations when visiting tourist attractions and organizing evening leisure.

The decree also approved the Program of organizational measures for implementing the concept of safe tourism in the Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva and Shahrisabz cities for 2017-2020.
Journalists opposed the application stating that information was right of every citizen and media tells everyone what is going in the trial.

By Vidya : Amidst the ongoing controversy concerning the Sohrabuddin Sheikh's fake encounter case, the Mumbai Additional sessions judge S J Sharma presiding over the Sohrabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi and accomplice Tulsiprajapati fake encounter trial, ordered media to not report about the trial.

Today, the date had been set for the trial to begin. However, the investigating agency CBI could not bring the witness who had been summoned. In the meantime, the defense lawyer Abdul Wahab Khan filed an application for banning of media in the court. Lawyer of another accused Rajesh Bindra also supported the application. The media personnel present in court asked the court if they could be heared and the court heard many of them patiently.

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The journalists present in court opposed the application stating that information was right of every citizen and media tells everyone what is going in the trial. Defense lawyers alleged that it was because of media that many people were being killed including advocate Shahid Azmi. The media personnels present asked if there was any proof that journalist turned lawyer Azmi, who was shot dead in 2010 in Mumbai, was killed due to media reportage. They stated that in fact there were many journalists being killed in line of duty.

Speaking about the latest reportage on the death of Judge B H Loya, the defense lawyers argued that "natural death" is being portrayed as "a killing". Judge Sharma took into account all these arguments put forth in the court and said, "considering the sensitivity in the matter, likelyhood of happening of any untoward incident and likelihood of effect on the trial of this matter, in case of day to day publication of evidence, I am of the view not to allow media until further order."

Gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife were allegedly killed in a fake encounter jointly undertaken by Gujarat and Rajasthan police officers. Tulsiprajapati, an accomplice of Sohrabuddin, who had witnessed the encounters was allegedly killed too by the teams later. The Supreme Court monitored case was transferred out of Gujarat after there were allegations of the government influencing the witnesses.

Of the 38 people accused in the case, 15 have been discharged by the court including BJP leader Amit Shah. Sohrabuddin's brother Rubabuddin had earlier challenged the discharge of BJP leader Amit Shah from the case but had decided to suddenly withdraw his plea in 2016. This year he came knocking on the doors of Bombay High Court again, appealing against the discharge of some of the key accused in the case like police officer D G Vanzara.

VIDEO | SC rejects plea challenging exoneration of Amit Shah

--- ENDS ---
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 29

By Diana Aliyeva  Trend:

The Kam Air plane, which implemented the first flight from the Afghan capital of Kabul, has landed this morning in Tashkent.

Uzbekistans national airline Uzbekistan Airways said that this first flight is the result of fulfillment of the order by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The first flight also has a symbolic meaning, being carried out, on the eve of the official visit of Afghanistans President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Uzbekistan scheduled for early December.

In this regard, a delegation consisting of members of the Afghan government arrived in Tashkent on Boeing 737, owned by Kam Air.

It is planned that the Kabul-Tashkent-Kabul flights will be carried out starting from early December twice a week  on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian government has lured about $23 billion from foreign countries such as China and Denmark over the past three months.

The Iranian minister of economic affairs and finance, Masoud Karbasian, told reporters on Wednesday that the administration of President Hassan Rouhani has managed to draw $23 billion to finance projects inside the county from foreign markets over the past 100 days.

The countrys ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade earlier announced that the administration had authorized $1.831 billion in foreign direct investment during the first half of the current fiscal year (started March 20).

The figure for the first half of the year grew by 58 percent, compared to $1.156 billion worth of projects approved by the administration in the same period of the preceding year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran has exported another crude oil shipment from the oil layer of South Pars, bringing the overall volume of the exports to 4.73 million barrels since the country started tapping the layer in March.

The tenth oil cargo of the South Pars gas fields oil layer (SPOL) is scheduled to be loaded in December 2017, Director for planning of Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) Mohammad Hossein Daneshfar said, the Iranian oil ministrys official website said in a statement Nov. 29.

The Islamic Republic has recently started production of 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil from SPOL and started talks with foreign investors, including Maersk, for the second phase of the layer development project, in order to increase the output level to 54,000 b/d.

The first phase of the project was developed by Iranians, and Tehran needs to offer the second phase of the layer development project to foreigners, because domestic companies lack the necessary technology for development of the next phases.

Development of SPOL needs use of modern technologies, including the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods.

Previously, Fardin Asadi, operator of SPOL's development project said, that oil export from the layer is carried out each 20-25 days, when the extracted oil reaches the ceiling of 550,000 barrels.

Based on long-term plan, Iran targets to extract 200,000 barrels of crude oil from the South Pars oil layer in the next 20 years. At least 300 wells will be drilled in this regard.

The SPOL is estimated to contain over 6 billion barrels of crude oil with an API of 21 and recovery rate of 10 percent, which can be increased to 35 percent by adopting EOR and IOR techniques for oil recovery.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian armys navy has unveiled its latest achievements during a ceremony in Tehran this morning.

The deputy commander of the army, Brigadier General Mohammad Hussein Dadras, attended the ceremony held in the premises of the navys strategic research organization, IRNA news agency reported.

Digital autopilot for torpedos, home-made fuel for torpedo engines, unmanned boat, missile testers and a tactical vehicle were among the unveiled achievements.

The Iranian sources suggest that the country has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years.

Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats and submarines.
Tehran, Iran, Nov. 29

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

The Iranian defense minister, Brigadier-General Amir Hatami, has said that a new frigate will join the navys northern fleet in the Caspian Sea.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Wednesday, he added that the frigate belongs to Peykan family and it is expected to come into service within the next week.

Earlier on the same day, the navy unveiled its latest achievements during a ceremony in Tehran.

A digital autopilot for torpedoes, home-made fuel for torpedo engines, an unmanned boat, missile testers and a tactical vehicle were among the unveiled achievements.

The Iranian sources suggest that the country has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years.

Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats and submarines.
A fierce car bomb rocked Yemens Aden-based Ministry of Finance early on Wednesday, residents confirmed, The NEW Arab reports.

The explosion, which was heard across the coastal city, caused considerable damage to the building in the Khormaksar district of the temporary capital.

Surrounding residential buildings caught fire during the attack, local reports said.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack and casualties remain unknown.

Earlier this month, twin Islamic State group attacks brought an abrupt end to a period of relative calm in Aden, where the Saudi-backed Hadi government has been based since being driven out of the capital Sanaa by Houthi rebels in 2014.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile that it said was capable of striking anywhere in the United States, The Telegraph reports.

The announcement of the new "Hwasong-15" missile, made in a special broadcast at noon local time on Wednesday, came hours after a long-range missile was fired into waters off Japan in what was believed to be its longest-range test yet.

Kim Jong-uns rogue regime launched the missile, its first for more than two months, in the middle of the night and it flew for around 590 miles, reaching an altitude of 2,781 miles - more than 10 times the height of the international space station - and splashing down 53 minutes later in the Sea of Japan.

It said the development of the weapon would defend the North against the "US imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat".

"Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power," state media KCNA reported.

In response to the test, Donald Trump, the US president, said: It is a situation that we will handle. We will take care of it. He offered no further details.

The missile reached a greater altitude than any North Korea has previously tested, James Mattis, the US defence secretary, said.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically," he told reporters at the White House.

Many nuclear experts say the North has yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles including the ability deliver a nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but likely soon will.

"We don't have to like it, but we're going to have to learn to live with North Korea's ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons," said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Programme at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to the Middle East this week to lend her support to economic reforms in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, her spokesman said, Reuters reports.

Her trip comes as Britain is looking for new relationships around the world, to replace those it will lose after it quits the European Union in a little more than a year.

She will meet Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where she will also discuss the crisis in Yemen and the dispute in Qatar. In Jordan, she will meet King Abdullah and Prime Minister Hanu Mulki.

The London Stock Exchange is competing now to host part of Saudi Aramcos [IPO-ARMO.SE] initial public offering. Britain said this month it would provide $2 billion in credit guarantees to the energy company so it can buy British goods more easily.

On Tuesday, British foreign minister Boris Johnson hosted officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and the United States to discuss humanitarian aid in Yemen, where aid agencies have complained about a port blockade.

Aid agencies say it has worsened the crisis in Yemen where war has left an estimated 7 million people facing famine and killed more than 10,000 people.
EU governments will study a new proposal aimed at overcoming the deep splits over sharing responsibility for asylum-seekers that has soured relations in the bloc since the migrant crisis of 2015, diplomats said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Estonia, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, put forward the compromise plan at a meeting of national envoys, hoping to reconcile countries like Italy, which bear the brunt of arrivals from across the Mediterranean, and eastern states fiercely opposed to being obliged to take in immigrants.

Previous proposals have failed to make headway; governments which complain about unfair burdens stemming from an EU rule that asylum claims must be handled in the country where people enter the EU want others to be obliged to take in a share.

Ex-communist countries in the east, with little recent history of immigration, especially from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, have resisted attempts by the EU executive to force them to take quotas, leading to stalemate and division that, at the height of the crisis, threatened the Unions cohesion.

Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered in a September election for her decision to allow over a million people to enter during the crisis, has been pressing other countries to demonstrate solidarity on the migrant issue.

Under the Estonian plan, the executive European Commission would determine fair shares of asylum-seekers that countries would be expected to take in at their own borders -- largely based on their population and wealth. But it would trigger an early warning if arrivals looked about to test such levels.

In such circumstances, other member states would be asked to offer assistance in a range of ways, not simply taking in people but also offering material aid, personnel, funding and so on - something countries like Poland and Hungary have suggested they might offer as an alternative to accommodating migrants.

If crisis conditions persisted, such that a country was sheltering 150 percent or more of its fair share -- a number that would also take into account its previous record of taking in refugees -- then a more formal procedure could oblige other states by majority vote to make good on offers of solidarity.

EU leaders agreed in October to avoid a repeat of clashes in 2015 when relocation quotas were forced through by majority vote, prompting legal challenges from some eastern states.. They have set a target of agreeing a consensual system by June.
The European Union (EU) on Tuesday lashed out at the latest test launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying the move is "a further unacceptable violation" of its international obligations, Xinhua reported.

"This launch represents a further grave provocation, and a serious threat to international security," a spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, said in a statement.

The spokesperson urged the DPRK to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue, aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions."

The 28-nation bloc on Oct. 16 adopted a total ban on EU investment in the DPRK in a bid to ratchet up economic pressure on the Northeast Asian country over its ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The DPRK fired a ballistic missile into its east waters early Wednesday, South Korea's military said.

"An unidentified ballistic missile" was launched from a site near Pyongsong in South Pyongan Province, at around 3:17 a.m. local time on Wednesday (1817 GMT on Tuesday), the Yonhap News Agency cited South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying.

The DPRK successfully tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles and a hydrogen bomb this year, triggering two new rounds of economic sanctions by the UN Security Council.
If the last two election seasons are any indication, it is unlikely that Sonia will canvass for the Congress candidates in poll-bound Gujarat.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: The first phase of polling for Gujarat Assembly election, to be held on December 9, is just 10 days away. However, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is yet to visit the state for campaigning even for a single day.

If the last two election seasons are any indication, it is unlikely that Sonia will canvass for the Congress candidates in poll-bound Gujarat.

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Though Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi had launched the Gujarat campaign as early as on September 25 - BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary - Sonia, who reportedly has not been keeping good health, is yet to visit the state even once in these couple of months.

Rahul had sounded the poll bugle in Gujarat with the launch of Navsarjan Yatra from the temple town of Dwarka. He had a darshan at Dwarkadhish Temple.

To protest denial for undertaking an open jeep roadshow, Rahul even took a bullock cart ride.

He has visited Gujarat on several occasions since then and launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, both of whom belong to the state.

SONIA MISSING IN ACTION

Sonia is nowhere in the picture so far. It is perhaps for the first time that she is not campaigning in Gujarat as Congress president, the post she has been holding for the last 19 years.

Sonia has a window of barely five days to campaign in Gujarat as Congress president.

On December 5, four days ahead of the first phase of the election, Rahul is likely to be declared as the president, taking over the post from his mother.

As per the final schedule of Congress' presidential election, the date of notification is December 1 and last date of filing nominations is December 4.

The nominations will be scrutinised on December 5 and on the same day the list of valid nomination would be published.

Until and unless there is another candidate in the fray besides Rahul, the result of the Congress' presidential election would be out for all practical purposes on December 5.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Sonia Gandhi had given a miss to Himachal Pradesh too.

Voting had taken place in the hill state on November 9. The result would be announced along with that Gujarat on December 18.

The Congress president did visit Himachal Pradesh prior to voting day but not for campaigning.

She was on a holiday in Shimla where she developed medical complications on October 27, about 12 days before the elections in the state.

She was rushed back to Delhi and admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital the same evening. She was found to be suffering from upset stomach.

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Rahul informed his mother's condition on the social media. He tweeted, "Ma was in Shimla & caught a stomach bug so we got her back. Nothing to worry, she's much better. Thanks for the tremendous love and concern."

Ma was in Shimla & caught a stomach bug so we got her back. Nothing to worry, she's much better. Thanks for the tremendous love and concern.- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 27, 2017

Subsequently, Sonia never returned to Himachal Pradesh.

UTTAR PRADESH

For that matter, Sonia practically did not campaign also in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur Assembly elections which were held in February and March this year.

On August 2, 2016, she had launched campaign for UP Assembly from the temple town of Varanasi, which also is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha.

However, the Congress president fell sick in the midst of her campaigning. She left her roadshow midway and was hospitalised in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with a fever and injured shoulder.

She never returned to UP despite the high voltage campaign in the most populous state of the country which eventually went to the BJP's kitty.

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Sonia skipped not just UP but also the other poll-bound states of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

So far there has been no buzz about Sonia campaigning in Gujarat. If she does not visit the state in the next five days, Varanasi on August 2 last year will go down in history as her last campaigning as Congress president.

WATCH | Gujarat Assembly polls: Ground report from Rajkot

--- ENDS ---
North Korea has revealed the type of the recently tested ballistic missile, noting that it is capable of reaching all parts or the United States, Sputnik reported.

North Korea announced that the recently tested rocket that had fallen off Japanese coast was the new type of intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-15, according to the statement broadcasted by North Korean state television.

Pyongyang has declared the recent test successful, adding that it did not have any negative impact on the security of neighbouring countries.

Early on Wednesday, North Korea conducted a missile launch, with the initial assessment indicating that this was an intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile travelled about 620 miles east before falling into the Sea of Japan.

The test has triggered negative reaction from the international community. The United States, Japan and South Korea have immediately called for an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council to discuss the issue. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has also condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile test, stressing that Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs are threat to international peace and security.

North Korea continues conducting its missile and nuclear tests in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, saying that it will continue to build up its nuclear arsenal "As long as the US and its puppets engage in hostile acts and invasive attempts against us," according to the official statement of the the Workers' Party of Korea. The previous Pyongyang's missile test took place on September 15, with the missile flying over Japan before falling into the northern Pacific.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

NATO did not provide the necessary support to Turkey in the military sphere, the Turkish media quoted the countrys Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying Nov. 29.

Despite the fact that Turkey has repeatedly been subjected to rocket fire from Syria, NATO has not taken any steps to protect the country, and because of this Turkey has acquired Russian S-400 missile systems to protect its territories, said Yildirim.

The prime minister noted that Turkey has the right to take all the necessary measures to protect its territories.

Earlier, Turkish National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said that the control system of Russian S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile systems, to be acquired by Turkey from Russia, will be under the control of the Turkish side.

Turkey will receive the first Russian S-400 missile systems in 2019.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Russia and Turkey are negotiating terms of a loan for the purchase of S-400 Triumph. Reportedly, Turkey will buy several S-400 Triumph systems for $2.5 billion, and has already transferred the first batch of payment.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

As part of operations against the supporters of Fethullah Gulen, 360 people were detained in Turkeys Istanbul, including 343 servicemen, the Turkish media reported Nov. 29.

Reportedly, 27 of the detainees are key figures in the Hizmet movement, which is led by Fethullah Gulen.

The names and positions of the detainees have not been disclosed.

On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country as a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed.

More than 250 people were killed during the attempted coup.

Turkish authorities are accusing Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States, of supporting the attempted coup.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Over 10 months of 2017, 2,868 Azerbaijani citizens lived in Turkeys south-western Antalya city, the migration service under the Turkish Interior Ministry said in a report.

According to the report, Antalya ranks first among the Turkish provinces on the number of foreigners living there.

During the reporting period, in total, 60,534 foreign citizens lived in Antalya.

According to the report, 9,000 Russian citizens, 8,653 German citizens, 5,628 Kazakh citizens and 2,413 Iranians lived in Antalya.

The data of the Turkish Interior Ministry shows that in total, 816,410 foreigners lived in Turkey in 2016.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
KYODO NEWS - Nov 29, 2017 - 02:42 | All, Feature, World

Japan is proposing to take part for the first time in multilateral tabletop space war games led by the U.S. military, an outline of a revised road map of Tokyo's basic space policy showed Tuesday.

Japan also wants to send astronauts to the lunar surface in cooperation with Washington, according to the draft revision of the road map obtained by Kyodo News.

The Japanese government plans to present the draft on Friday to a meeting of space policy experts and approve it within the year, a government source said.

(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

Japan's Self-Defense Forces aim to join the Schriever Wargame to be conducted by U.S. Air Force Space Command in the autumn of next year, according to the draft.

The multilateral project, which has been running since 2001, will involve tabletop exercises to simulate responses to electronic jamming and attacks on participating countries' satellites that those involved believe could be realistic threats in around 10 years' time.

In 2016, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Germany joined the Schriever Wargame, according to Japan's Defense Ministry.

Tokyo is aiming to strengthen its alliance with Washington through participating in the exercise, following an agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump to expand cooperation in space during a meeting in Tokyo earlier this month.

The revised road map also incorporates a plan to participate in a space station project. The proposal, in which the United States aspires to put a spacecraft in the moon's orbit in the 2020s, will allow Japan to pursue its goal of landing astronauts on the moon.

Under the updated space policy, the Japanese government plans to make available data it owns, such as satellite images, to private enterprises free of charge so they can use it to create new businesses.

The government endorsed its initial Basic Plan on Space Policy in 2009 before revising it in 2016. Its road map has been reviewed every year under the Strategic Headquarters for National Space Policy chaired by the prime minister.
The resolution was boom by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singapore counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen at a joint press briefing after the wrapping up of the second Defense Ministers' talks between India and Singapore.

India and Singapore continually committed to deal with transnational threats, in particular, the danger posed by international terrorism, Sitharaman asserted.

The Singapore Defense Minister told the provincial stability and the worldwide rule of law was indispensable for trade and commerce to thrive.

He said, "India and Singapore have decided on the approach to issues such as terrorism and maritime security, which included the capabilities in responding to chemical, biological and radiological threats as well as the need for information sharing against the threat of terrorism."

Throughout the bilateral, both the sides expected to sign an agreement for giving that logistics hold up and reside firing exercises to Singapore in the Andamans, Defense officials affirmed.

In a deal, Ng Eng Hen stated about the pact as referring to rising defense cooperation between the armed forces of the two nations.

Ng Eng tagged India a "regional power" in the Indo-Pacific region, further saying it is a "natural partner" of all nations in Southeast Asia.

Probe into regional security concerns, Ng Eng sounded serious of the proposed quadrilateral association among India, the USA, Japan, and Australia, stating it is not of use to cast one coalition in opposition to another.

Ng Eng stated "polarizing defense and trade" would not be useful for the region and asked for skill a "stable system" wherein all small and large states have ways and means to determine clashes through peaceful sources.
Washington DC (USA) November 29 (NT) An unidentified ballistic missile was blazed by North Korea in the way of the Sea of Japan.

The missile "flew eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang" in the direction of the Sea of Japan, military officials of South Kore told.

The missile was fired in the wee hours of the night (local time) on Wednesday, a US official confirmed to Fox News that appeared for landing surrounded by the exclusive economic zone of Japan.

Prime Minister's Official of Japan stated: "North Korea fired a missile that has the chance of incoming in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of our nation."

This missile is North Korea's first missile hit since September 15 when it fired an intermediate-range missile that took to the air over Hokkaido Island in Japan ahead of and into the Pacific Ocean.

unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon of South Korea stated foreign correspondents in Seoul on Tuesday that North Korea is on the verge of attaining full nuclear potential with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could clutch a nuclear warhead," Fox news informed a neighboring news agency.
A 12-year-old girl is dead after an assailant attacked her and raped her two young sisters in their home in the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Juarez.

The prosecutors office in Chihuahua state says the girl died of strangulation. The office did not give the younger girls ages, but local news media said they were 10 and 11.

The office said Friday the assailant is being sought but did not say if he had been identified. The attack occurred Wednesday in a low-income neighborhood on the citys west side, near a desert area where the bodies of numerous young women were found dumped in the 1990s.

Human rights officials in Mexico say the number of women and girls killed in the country since then has almost doubled. Luis Raul Gonzalez Perez, president of Mexicos National Human Rights Commission, said Friday that the number of women killed per year in Mexico has risen from 1,519 in 1990 to 2,813 in 2016.

Human rights officials in Mexico say the number of women and girls killed in the country since then has almost doubled. Luis Raul Gonzalez Perez, president of Mexico's National Human Rights Commission, said Friday that the number of women killed per year in Mexico has risen from 1,519 in 1990 to 2,813 in 2016.

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Expansion of sugarcane cultivation for biofuel in areas not under environmental protection or reserved for food production could also reduce global emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 5.6%, according to a study by researchers in Brazil, the US and Europe

Expansion of sugarcane cultivation in Brazil for ethanol production in areas not under environmental protection or reserved for food production could potentially replace up to 13.7% of world crude oil consumption and reduce global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by as much as 5.6% by 2045.

These estimates come from an international study with Brazilian participation, whose results were published on October 2017 in the journal Nature Climate Change.

The study set out to investigate how the expansion of sugarcane ethanol could help limit the rise in average global temperatures to less than 2 C by reducing CO2 emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels, as agreed by the 196 countries that signed the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015.

The study was conducted as part of a project supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP and by the National Institute of Science and Technology for Bioethanol - INCT Bioethanol. The participating researchers are affiliated with the University of Campinas's Agricultural Engineering School (FEAGRI-UNICAMP) and the University of Sao Paulo's Bioscience Institute (IB-USP) and Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP). They collaborated with colleagues at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Iowa State University and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications in the United States, the University of Copenhagen and Danish Energy Association in Denmark, and Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.

The researchers used software developed at UIUC to simulate the growth of plants such as sugarcane hour by hour based on soil composition, temperature, rainfall, and drought, among other parameters.

They used three different environmental policy scenarios to simulate sugarcane expansion in the context of climate change projected for 2040 and 2050 by the five main general circulation models.

Under Scenario 1, sugarcane expansion was limited to existing pasturelands that could be replaced with the crop according to the Sugarcane Agroecological Zoning Plan (ZAE Cana) established in 2009 by EMBRAPA, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

Under Scenario 2, sugarcane production was expanded not only to areas available for the crop identified by ZAE Cana but also to areas that will not be needed to grow food crops and animal feed, even assuming a rise in demand for food in the coming decades due to population growth.

Scenario 3 was the same except that it included natural and semi-natural vegetation that can be legally converted to cropland.

All three scenarios excluded environmentally sensitive areas such as the Amazon and Pantanal, which cannot be used for agricultural or industrial activities.

The analysis showed that sugarcane cultivation for ethanol production could expand to between 37.5 million and 116 million hectares under the three scenarios and that sugarcane ethanol could supply the equivalent of between 3.63 million and 12.77 million barrels of oil per day in 2045 given the projected climate change, while at the same time ensuring conservation of forests and areas reserved for food production.

As a result, it would be possible to reduce oil consumption by 3.8%-13.7% and net global emissions of CO2 by 1.5%-5.6% by 2045 compared with data for 2014.

"Our findings show it's possible to reconcile the two key goals to which Brazil committed as part of the Paris accord: conservation of natural environments, especially the Amazon, and increasing use of renewable energy," said Marcos Buckeridge, a professor at IB-USP and one of the authors of the article.

"The study highlights Brazil's courage in inventing sugarcane ethanol as a biofuel and implementing it as a nationwide solution," Buckeridge told Agencia FAPESP. "This potential expansion of sugarcane wouldn't work without integration between the agricultural and industrial segments, and this, in turn, underscores the importance of concentrating strongly on the science and technology of sugarcane in the coming years. We must complete the job we began, which means second-generation ethanol."

Scalable solution

The authors of the study note that sugarcane ethanol is a near-term scalable solution to the problem of reducing CO2 emissions in the global transportation sector.

Production of fuel ethanol from sugarcane in Brazil is far more efficient than corn ethanol production, they argue. Its CO2 emissions correspond to only 14% of oil's. Moreover, emissions resulting from land-use change to sugarcane cultivation can be offset in just two to eight years.

"Rapid scalability is fundamental: this is what's needed to accelerate society's responses to climate change," Buckeridge said. "All the evidence suggests the average global temperature rise will exceed 1.5 C in 2030. That's not far off. Brazilian ethanol can be a great help to the planet."

###

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en.
By PTI: Chandigarh, Nov 29 (PTI) The issue of crop residue burning today echoed in the Punjab Assembly today with members of treasury benches and the AAP sparring over it.

While Chief Minister Amarinder Singh told the House the government was working on an action plan to curb the menace of stubble burning, the AAP accused the state administration of not providing machinery and farm implements to farmers to manage paddy residue.

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On the last day of the winter session of the Punjab Assembly today, Congress MLA from Khanna Gurkirat Singh raised concern over air pollution due to smog, saying it was even leading to road accidents.

He sought to know what incentives were being given for setting up stubble-based industries in the state.

The chief minister said the state government had recently signed an MoU with a Chennai-based company to address the problem and work on alternate ways of disposing of crop residue.

Under the MoU, NEWAY company will set up 400 processing plants for converting paddy straw into bio energy in the state, the CM informed the House.

Amarinder said the state generates 20 million tonnes of paddy straw in a season, of which 19 million tonnes would be used by NEWAY in these units, thus curbing the environmental hazard triggered by stubble burning.

"From the next season, they will procure stubble and then the problem will be solved," said CM.

Leader of opposition and AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira accused the state government of not providing equipment to farmers as mandated by the National Green Tribunal to manage crop residue.

"What option then farmers have except burning the crop residue... It costs Rs 5,000 per acre to manage crop residue," Khaira said.

"The Centre even gave Rs 97 crore to the Punjab government for the management of crop residue which was diverted," he claimed and asked the state government to give Rs 5,000 per acre to farmers. PTI CHS GVS

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A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine provides real-world evidence that implementing a combination of proven HIV prevention measures across communities can substantially reduce new HIV infections in a population.

Investigators found that HIV incidence dropped by 42 percent among nearly 18,000 people in Rakai District, Uganda, during a seven-year period in which the rates of HIV treatment and voluntary medical male circumcision increased significantly.

The HIV prevention strategy whose impact was observed in the study is based on earlier findings by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others demonstrating the protective effect of voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV-uninfected men and of HIV-suppressing antiretroviral therapy (ART) for halting sexual transmission of the virus to uninfected partners. The strategy is also based on studies showing that changes in sexual behavior, such as having only one sexual partner, can help prevent HIV infection.

"Before this study, we knew that these HIV prevention measures worked at an individual level, yet it was not clear that they would substantially reduce HIV incidence in a population--or even if it would be possible to get large numbers of people to adopt them," said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH. "This new analysis demonstrates that scaling up combination HIV prevention is possible and can turn the tide of the epidemic."

NIAID co-funded the research, and NIAID investigators oversaw all laboratory operations. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded the provision of combination HIV prevention, including ART and circumcision services, during the period observed in the study.

The newly reported research involved nearly 34,000 people ages 15 to 49 years residing in 30 communities that participate in the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS) conducted by the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Uganda. With funding from NIH and others, this program promoted HIV testing, ART and voluntary medical male circumcision to study participants. Every one or two years from April 1999 until September 2016, participants were tested for HIV and surveyed about their sexual behavior, use of HIV treatment, and male circumcision status. The authors of the new paper analyzed these survey data under the leadership of M. Kate Grabowski, Ph.D., an assistant professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and an epidemiologist with the Rakai Health Sciences Program.

The investigators found that the proportion of study participants living with HIV who reported taking ART climbed from zero in 2003 to 69 percent in 2016. The proportion of male study participants who were voluntarily circumcised grew from 15 percent in 1999 to 59 percent in 2016. While levels of condom use with casual partners and the proportion of people reporting multiple sexual partners remained largely unchanged, the proportion of adolescents ages 15 to 19 who reported never having sex rose from 30 percent in 1999 to 55 percent in 2016.

As an apparent consequence of these increases, particularly in ART use and voluntary male circumcision, the annual number of new HIV infections in the cohort fell from 1.17 per 100 person-years in 2009 to 0.66 per 100 person-years in 2016, a 42 percent decrease. Person-years are the sum of the number of years that each cohort member participated in the study. The researchers calculated the annual number of new HIV infections using data from nearly 18,000 of the almost 34,000 total participants.

In addition, the proportion of cohort members living with HIV whose treatment suppressed the virus increased from 42 percent in 2009 to 75 percent in 2016, showing the feasibility of meeting the goal of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative to achieve 73 percent viral suppression.

"These findings are extremely encouraging and suggest that with sustained commitment to increase the number of people who use combination HIV prevention, it may be possible to achieve epidemic control and eventual elimination of HIV," said David Serwadda, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med., M.P.H., co-founder of the Rakai Health Science Program and Professor at Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala, Uganda.

HIV incidence dropped the most--by 57 percent--among circumcised men, likely because both their own circumcision and ART taken by their female sexual partners living with HIV protected these men from the virus. HIV incidence declined by 54 percent among all men but by only 32 percent among all women. According to the investigators, this difference probably occurred because a greater percentage of women living with HIV than men living with HIV took ART, and because nearly two-thirds of men chose the extra preventive benefit of circumcision. The researchers suggest addressing this gender imbalance by influencing more men living with HIV to take ART and by giving HIV-uninfected women HIV prevention tools that they can control unilaterally, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The scientists anticipate that the RCCS will add PrEP to its combination HIV prevention package as the study continues.

"We expect that this multifaceted approach to HIV prevention will work as well in other populations as it has in rural Uganda," said Dr. Grabowski. "Our results make a strong case for further expanding ART and male circumcision for HIV prevention in Rakai District and beyond. Additional proven HIV prevention interventions, such as PrEP, should be added to the mix to reduce HIV infections in women and other high-risk groups."

###

The Rakai Health Sciences Program is an independent research organization whose collaborators include the Uganda Virus Research Institute of the Ministry of Health in Kampala; the NIAID Division of Intramural Research-supported International Center for Excellence in Research in Rakai; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnership with Uganda (CDC-Uganda); Makerere University and Johns Hopkins University.

The RCCS and the new analysis were funded by NIAID, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), all part of NIH; as well as by the World Bank, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research and PEPFAR.

Reference: MK Grabowski, et al. Combination HIV prevention and HIV incidence in Uganda. NEJM DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1702150 (2017).

NIAID conducts and supports research--at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide--to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
Suraj Pal Amu, the man who put a bounty on the heads of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone, and who threatened to torch at theatre that screened Padmavati, resigned from his post as the Haryana BJP's chief media coordinator.

Suraj Pal Amu, who put a Rs 10 crore bounty on Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone, and threatened to torch any threatre that screened Padmavati (ANI)

By India Today Web Desk: Suraj Pal Amu, the man who threatened to burn down any movie theatre that screened Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati, has resigned as the Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party's chief media coordinator of the party.

Apart from threatening to torch movie theatres, Amu had also sensationally offered a Rs 10 crore reward to anyone who would behead Bhansali, the director of Padmavati, or Deepika Padukone, who plays the role of Rani Padmani.

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Amu's Rs 10 crore bounty was in response to an individual from Meerut himself announcing a Rs 5 crore bounty on the heads of Bhansali and Deepika. The BJP media chief's comments had ignited controversy and had also led him to getting booked by police in Gurgaon.

Speaking to India Today soon after resigning, Amu said Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had 'insulted' Rajput by not agreeing to ban Padmavati in the state.

Later, speaking to news agency ANI, Amu confirmed he had resigned, saying he had done so with a "heavy heart". Attacking the Khattar government in Haryana, Amu went on to say, "I am pained at the behaviour of Haryana CM (Khattar). I have never seen a BJP CM so arrogant who doesn't respect party workers and community representatives."

The now-former Haryana BJP media chief also revealed what's next on his mind: "Now my dream is to slap (former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister) Farooq Abdullah on Lal Chowk, I challenge him to meet me there."

Now my dream is to slap Farooq Abdullah on Lal Chowk, I challenge him to meet me there: Suraj Pal Amu pic.twitter.com/o9DSwVmPeY- ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2017

The movie Padmavati has raised the hackles of several Rajput organisations over rumours that it contains a dream sequence depicting a romantic scene between Rani Padmini (played by Deepika) and Alauddin Khilji (played by Ranveer Singh).

Several Chief Ministers across India have put effective bans on the release of Padmavati even though the film has yet to be seen and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. The Chief Ministers, in their orders, have said they will not allow Bhansali's movie to release until 'objectionable scenes' are removed.

ALSO WATCH | Padmavati row: Yogi Adityanath justifies threats against Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Deepika Padukone

--- ENDS ---
BlackRock BLK has entered into an agreement with Citibanamex, a subsidiary of Citigroup C, to acquire its asset management business. The companies do not expect the transaction to have any financial impact on earnings.

The deal involves acquiring nearly $31 billion in assets under management of Citibanamex across local fixed income, equity and multi-asset products. It is expected to close in the second half of 2018, subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

Shares of both the companies have gained more than 2% in the last trading session, reflecting investors optimism toward the deal.

The acquisition of Citibanamexs asset management capabilities combined with our global investment platform and technology create a stronger franchise that can deliver a more compelling set of investment solutions across client segments in Mexico. said Armando Senra, head of Latin America and Iberia regions for BlackRock.

Also, upon completion, BlackRock will offer asset management products to Citibanamex clients in Mexico. The transaction is in line with BlackRocks aim to become a full solutions provider in key global markets.

Per Ernesto Torres Cantu, CEO of Citibanamex, Citigroup remains committed to provide best client experience in Mexico by bringing to them the best of the world. He also said that Citigroups association with BlackRock matches the commitment.

The deal has brought together two major companies enabling them to better cater to the client needs through wider range of products and services.

Shares of BlackRock have gained 29.6% year to date, outperforming 26.8% growth of the industry it belongs to.

Currently, the stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Some other banking stocks worth considering are First Internet Bancorp INBK, First Commonwealth Financial Corporation FCF and Eagle Bancorp EGBN. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank of 2.

Story continues

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California State Capitol[/caption] One day after her colleague resigned amid sexual harassment allegations, a key state lawmaker on Tuesday proposed moving misconduct investigations out of the Assembly and into the hands of an independent authority.Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, who led the first in an expected series of hearings on the Assembly's harassment policies, said the process of handling complaints in-housewith occasional help from outside counselleads to mistrust and conflicts."I keep coming back to thinking that when you have a built-in incentive to protect your caucus  that it's very easy to believe that person you know over someone you don't know," Friedman said."If you're a first-year legislator and you think to yourself, well maybe this person is in a position of power and I'll never get a bill through, or a powerful lobbyist will walk in the door and say if you ever want to get money in this town again or you want to get a bill through because I can control other voteseveryone has their pressure point," Friedman said.State legislators are reeling amid a storm of harassment accusations made by legislative staffers, lobbyists and private consultants who say a culture of misconduct pervades the Capitol. Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, D-Arleta, resigned Monday after multiple women accused him of groping and harassing them. Bocanegra said in a Facebook post that while he is "not guilty of any such crimes, I am admittedly not perfect."Also on Monday, the Senate Rules Committee stripped Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, of his banking committee chairmanship while sexual harassment allegations made against him by three women are investigated.Cassandra Ferrannini, a partner in Downey Brand's Sacramento office, issued a statement Tuesday night saying that Mendoza "is looking forward to the opportunity to vindicate himself through a fair, independent and expeditious process.Senate leader Kevin de Leon recently announced his house will retain a private law firm to handle all current complaints, allegations and open investigations. The Senate and Assembly have historically handled all sexual harassment complaints in-house with the work overseen by legislative members of each body's rules committee.The complaint process can be convoluted and statistics about abuses difficult to find. The Assembly's chief administrative officer, Debra Gravert, testified Tuesday that her office does not track sexual harassment complaints, only investigations and that by policy the Assembly only retains records for six years.Gravert also said that in her three-and-a-half years as chief administrator, no one had filed a complaint against an assemblymember. She later acknowledged "we have received complaints" against elected officials.The Assembly has declined to release details about any financial settlements reached in sexual misconduct cases. Gravert said the Assembly does not require nondisclosure agreements in such settlements, although a lawmaker later pointed out that non-disparagement clauses have been used.A group of professional women working in and around the Capitol said the complaint process has to change. The women, who have formed the nonprofit We Said Enough, want misconduct investigations moved outside the Legislature. They are also seeking whistleblower protections for staffers and a hotline to field complaints."You know who the hotline is [now]? It's me," said Christine Pelosi, a state Democratic party official and former prosecutor who is now working with the We Said Enough campaign. Pelosi, the daughter of congressional minority leader Nancy Pelosi, said she's fielded dozens of calls from staffers and lobbyists with accounts of harassment.

'We Make an Effort to Scare People'

The Assembly contracts with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe to provide mandated training to employees and lawmakers on sexual harassment laws and policies. Orrick partner Lauri Damrell told the Assembly committee that the training focuses on educating workers and legislators about basics, such as what constitutes a hostile workplace environment and a quid-pro-quo scenario. The lawyers also warn attendees that they can be held liable for harassing behavior. "We make an effort to scare people," Damrell said. Tosha Cherry, the Assembly's human resources director, said her office also has Nossaman on retainer for counsel on harassment cases. Friedman said she wants to hear from "the experts" in future hearings on what form a new independent investigatory body could takeprivate law firm, ombudsman or inspector general. "How do we create a totally independent body to look at these [complaints] and to maybe report publicly so  people can be protected and people can't hit those pressure points of their colleagues?" Friedman said. Read more: How Companies Can Avoid Pitfalls of a Bad Sexual Harassment Policy California Senate Will Hire Law Firm to Conduct Harassment Investigations Gordon Rees Partner Leaves Management After 'Hannity' Appearance Bay Area Lawyer Is Hired to Investigate Sexual Harassment Claims at Capitol From Hollywood to HR: What lessons can be Learned from the Weinstein Scandal?
China's Foreign Ministry has expressed what it called "grave concern and opposition" to North Korea's latest missile launch in an unusual rebuke of its neighbor and ally.Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the country hoped "all parties would act cautiously to preserve peace and stability," Reuters reported on Wednesday morning.The ministry's spokesman added that China would continue to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and would work for "settlement on the North Korea nuclear issue." The public comments come after the isolated Communist state of North Korea launched yet another intercontinental ballistic missile , which it claimed was capable of reaching the U.S. mainland . The missile, the Hwasong-15, was ordered by leader Kim Jong Un and is the country's the most powerful missile so far, according to a state televised broadcast. There are widespread fears that North Korea is in the latter stages of developing nuclear warheads that could be attached to its ballistic missiles and aimed at the U.S. and its allies . Although North Korea claims to have already developed and successfully tested such weapons, it's hard to independently verify what stage of the process the regime has reached as the regime is so closed and secretive.The comments from China's Foreign Ministry are surprising as China has traditionally been one of North Korea's few allies and is the country's largest trading partner. It has shown signs of late that it is growing weary of North Korea's provocations.China has not previously revealed how it would react if the U.S. did attack North Korea but a Chinese state-owned newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial in August that "if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral."The paper, which is seen as a mouthpiece for the state, added that if the U.S. and South Korea tried "to overthrow the North Korean regime ... China will prevent them from doing so," Reuters reported.Alison Evans, deputy head of Asia-Pacific country risk at IHS Markit, said Wednesday that the reaction probably meant that China was likely to continue to press for diplomacy over economic sanctions, which the United Nations, U.S. and Europe and a variety of other nations have already placed on North Korea."China will probably continue to press for diplomatic talks, arguing for the suspension of North Korean nuclear device and missile tests in exchange for the suspension of U.S.-South Korean military exercises," Evans said in a note Wednesday.She said that in a press conference on November 6, Chinese Foreign Minister Hua Chunying had appeared to urge South Korea not to join any regional anti-missile system or to accede to a tripartite agreement with Japan and the United States."This was probably to put pressure on South Korea to inch away from the United States and towards China, in return gaining relief from economic retaliatory measures against South Korean firms in China," she said."Although it has acted swiftly on the latest UN sanctions, China is unlikely to go so far as to fully implement new sanctions that, in its judgment, would risk substantially undermining the economic well-being or social stability not just of North Korea, but also of the Chinese population near the North Korean border, which relies heavily on such trade," she said. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook . China's Foreign Ministry has expressed what it called "grave concern and opposition" to North Korea's latest missile launch in an unusual rebuke of its neighbor and ally. Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the country hoped "all parties would act cautiously to preserve peace and stability," Reuters reported on Wednesday morning. The ministry's spokesman added that China would continue to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and would work for "settlement on the North Korea nuclear issue." The public comments come after the isolated Communist state of North Korea launched yet another intercontinental ballistic missile , which it claimed was capable of reaching the U.S. mainland . The missile, the Hwasong-15, was ordered by leader Kim Jong Un and is the country's the most powerful missile so far, according to a state televised broadcast. There are widespread fears that North Korea is in the latter stages of developing nuclear warheads that could be attached to its ballistic missiles and aimed at the U.S. and its allies . Although North Korea claims to have already developed and successfully tested such weapons, it's hard to independently verify what stage of the process the regime has reached as the regime is so closed and secretive. The comments from China's Foreign Ministry are surprising as China has traditionally been one of North Korea's few allies and is the country's largest trading partner. It has shown signs of late that it is growing weary of North Korea's provocations. China has not previously revealed how it would react if the U.S. did attack North Korea but a Chinese state-owned newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial in August that "if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral." The paper, which is seen as a mouthpiece for the state, added that if the U.S. and South Korea tried "to overthrow the North Korean regime ... China will prevent them from doing so," Reuters reported. Alison Evans, deputy head of Asia-Pacific country risk at IHS Markit, said Wednesday that the reaction probably meant that China was likely to continue to press for diplomacy over economic sanctions, which the United Nations, U.S. and Europe and a variety of other nations have already placed on North Korea. "China will probably continue to press for diplomatic talks, arguing for the suspension of North Korean nuclear device and missile tests in exchange for the suspension of U.S.-South Korean military exercises," Evans said in a note Wednesday. She said that in a press conference on November 6, Chinese Foreign Minister Hua Chunying had appeared to urge South Korea not to join any regional anti-missile system or to accede to a tripartite agreement with Japan and the United States. "This was probably to put pressure on South Korea to inch away from the United States and towards China, in return gaining relief from economic retaliatory measures against South Korean firms in China," she said. "Although it has acted swiftly on the latest UN sanctions, China is unlikely to go so far as to fully implement new sanctions that, in its judgment, would risk substantially undermining the economic well-being or social stability not just of North Korea, but also of the Chinese population near the North Korean border, which relies heavily on such trade," she said. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook .



More From CNBC


By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh details)

Sochi, Nov 29 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today arrived in the Russian city of Sochi to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

The summit will be held on November 30 and December 1 and is likely to discuss issues relating to the regional security scenario, including situations in the Gulf and Afghanistan

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In June, India and Pakistan had become full-fledged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-dominated security grouping increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO.

"EAM @SushmaSwaraj arrives in the picturesque town of #Sochi to attend the SCO Council Heads of Government Meeting on 30 November & 1 December. #EAMatSCO," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In the summit, India is likely to press for concerted regional and global efforts to contain terrorism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the SCO summit in June in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

Last week, Kumar had said Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Asked whether she will have bilateral meetings with the Pakistan Foreign Minister or call on Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Kumar had said her schedule was still being finalised.

"At this stage we cannot say anything," he had said.

Swaraj will return on December 2.

As an SCO member, India is expected to have a bigger say in pressing for concerted action in dealing with terrorism as well as on issues relating to security and defence in the region.

Indias membership was strongly pushed by Russia while Pakistans entry into the grouping was backed by China.

India had been an observer at the SCO since 2005. It has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015. PTI MPB RT MRJ

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This year's White House holiday party will be missing a few familiar faces.

While the event is typically a low-key opportunity for members of the media to mingle with the president and first lady and pose for photos with them, some have not been invited, while others are choosing simply not to attend. CNN falls into the second category, announcing Tuesday that the network will be boycotting this year's holiday party that will be held on Friday.

A CNN spokesperson told Politico that CNN will not be attending this years White House Christmas party: In light of the Presidents continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests. We will send a White House reporting team to the event and report on it if news warrants."

Read: More Than 1 Million FCC Comments Opposing Net Neutrality Were Probably Fake

Trump's relationship with the media and CNN in particular has been fraught since before the start of his presidency. However, the president reportedly struck a nerve in a tweet last Sunday, in which he accused CNN International of being a "major source of fake news" and of giving the world a poor representation of the U.S.

.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2017

CNN hit back, with anchor Wolf Blitzer explaining that CNN's journalists will never stop risking their lives to share the truth with its audience "because the relentless pursuit of the truth and the outright rejection of any attack against it is something we still hold sacred and always will. So no matter how many insults or blatant assaults on the press and its freedom, this pursuit is something for which we will never bend nor break. And even the loudest critics can't silence the facts."

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For nearly four decades, @CNN has been a constant here in the United States and around the world. Our journalists, in front of and behind the camera, risk their lives in the most dangerous of places, every day, so you know the truth. #FactsFirst https://t.co/tFIGl34ZzI  CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 27, 2017

Trump continued his offensive against the network on Monday, tweeting "We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!"

We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

But his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, seemed quite pleased by the news that CNN would not be in attendance at Friday's party. She tweeted: "Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from @CNN."

See original article on Fortune.com

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Crude oil prices pulled back on Monday after breaking out to a 28-month high on Friday. OPEC will meet on November 30, and it appears that the markets have priced in a premium, that is based on the notion that OPEC will extend its cuts. If the market is disappointed, prices will likely tumble. Currently the market is pricing in 30% implied volatility for short term option on crude oil. While Saudi Arabia has reduce exports to the United States, most of the gap has been made up by U.S. producers. Venezuelan oil production has been inconsistent, and cost cuts could further reduce production.

Technicals

Crude oil prices pulled back on Monday, closing down nearly 1.3% but well off the lows of the session. Support is seen near former resistance at 57.92, and then the 10-day moving average at 56.76. Momentum is positive as the MACD (moving average convergence divergence) index generated a crossover buy signal. This occurs as the MACD line (the 12-day moving average minus the 26-day moving average) crosses above the MACD signal line (the 9-day moving average of the MACD line).

The weekly chart of crude oil show that prices breaking out of a bottom that has formed over the course of 2-years. Prices could now target resistance near 62.58, and a break of that level, would likely see a test of a breakdown that occurred in late 2014, that would put target resistance near the 75 handle.

cl-112717d

Venezuela Crude Oil Output is Eroding

Political issues in Venezuela are likely to continue to erode output, as the state oil company looks to cuts costs to save money. Reports say that PDVSA told employees that they needed to carry out an austerity campaign, looking for ways to cut costs by 50%. The internal memo said that savings needed to be found amid the national economic emergency while avoiding any hit to the companys oil production. This can only be accomplished with double the effort which is unlikely to be the case.

Slashing spending will spill over into reduce production of oil, PDVSA is demanding financing plans from its joint venture partners, and that any projects will be halted if they do not receive financing. Venezuelas oil production has been sliding for years, but the descent accelerated in 2015 amid low oil prices and a deteriorating cash position for PDVSA and the government. Production dipped below 1.9 million barrels in recent weeks, the lowest level in more than three decades.

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The problems will only grow worse, especially because they tend to snowball. Without cash, PDVSA will struggle to import diluent to blend with its heavy oil the result could be steeper production losses. Many refineries have a coking process that allows them to use heavy oil to generate gasoline. PDVSA as well as Mexico are the largest contributors to U.S. heavy oil. In summary, the woes in Venezuelas oil industry contributed to the crisis, but the dire economic situation will accelerate the decline of oil production, and eventually cripple the country.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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If retail is dead, nobody told Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS). In the recently reported third quarter, shares of the clothing retailer outperformed analyst expectations on the top and bottom lines by reporting adjusted earnings per share of $0.58 and revenue of $3.84 billion.

In the heavily watched same-store sales metric, Gap posted 3% growth versus 1% expectations. This makes the fourth straight quarter of same-store sales increases. Gap stock has enjoyed a strong run on the back of this turnaround -- year to date, shares have advanced by 32%, nearly double the S&P 500.

Should this high-yielding, cheaply valued retailer be on your shopping list?

Woman thinking of money, as visualized by a thought bubble.

Image source: Getty Images.

Consumers want value over luxury

It's always a good idea for investors to follow Gap's results to get a feel on consumer behavior and income-segmentation effects. And that's because Gap is the embodiment of the "good, better, best" sales model with distinct brands for each price point: Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic, respectively.

While the company grew same-store sales 3%, sales growth was uneven throughout the brand lines. Old Navy, the value-oriented brand, increased same-store sales 4% on the back of higher traffic and conversion. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Banana Republic, the company's luxury line, experienced negative comps of 1%; the eponymous middle line, Gap, posted 1% growth. The results show that the retail consumer continues to emphasize value over luxury, even as the economy continues to improve.

However, Gap should get credit for improving its metrics on the Gap and Banana Republic lines. As a comparison, last year, same-store sales fell 4% and 6% for those segments, respectively. Old Navy matched last-year's growth rate of 4%. Continued improvement in the higher-cost lines should eventually show up on the company's income statement, as will growth in the company's Athleta line that CEO Arthur Peck, in the quarterly conference call, said was "on fire."

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Value and yield investors should put Gap on their watch lists

Because investor perception of the death of retail is keeping share prices depressed, many retailers are now high-yield value plays. Gap is no different: Even with recent stock run, shares are more than 30% cheaper than the S&P 500 on a forward price-to-earnings basis. Currently, shares of Gap have a dividend yield of 3.2% versus the 2% S&P 500 yield.

Gap has no problem servicing the dividend. Over the last 12 months the company has produced $915 million in free cash flow (operating income minus capital expenditure) while paying out $364 million in dividends, a reasonable payout rate of 40%. The company also continued to buy back shares, another form of cash return to shareholders, at a rate of $100 million per quarter.

Of course, being cheap and having a high dividend yield isn't a substitute for a strong-performing company. That said, it appears Gap's run is being partially supported by the financials. On the last conference call, Peck once again raised the company's 2017 full-year guidance, the second time in the past two quarters. Now Gap expects adjusted EPS to come in $2.10 at the midpoint, a 5% increase from the guidance issued at the beginning of the year. A high yield, cheap valuation, and improving business warrant a closer look from income-oriented value investors.

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Jamal Carnette, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

By Aditi Shah

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump kicked off a global business summit in southern India on Tuesday calling for better opportunities for women entrepreneurs battling heavy odds around the world.

Ivanka, also an informal adviser to her father, received a warm welcome in India's high-tech hub of Hyderabad with all the trappings of a state guest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined her in the opening of the U.S.-backed Global Entrepreneurship Summit which New Delhi is hoping will further boost political and economic ties with the United States under the Trump administration.

Ivanka, wearing a bright green floral dress, said fuelling the growth of women-led businesses and closing the gender entrepreneurship gap could help expand global GDP by 2 percent.

"Women still face steep obstacles to starting, owning and growing their businesses. We must ensure women entrepreneurs have access to capital, access to networks and mentors," Ivanka said to loud cheers from a packed audience in a heavily-guarded conference centre.

In developing countries, 70 percent of women-owned smaller businesses were being denied access to capital, she said, leading to a near $300 billion annual credit deficit for them.

GES is an event conceived by former U.S. President Barack Obama. It has previously been held in countries such as the United States and Turkey, but this year's edition is the first under the Trump administration.

The theme of the conference this year is "Women First, Prosperity for All". More than half the participants at the summit are women, and all-female delegations are representing countries such as Afghanistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Ivanka, who ran an eponymous clothing and jewellery business before becoming an adviser in the White House, has made women's issues one of her main policy areas.

She cited a Harvard Business Review report that found that in the United States investors ask men questions about their potential for gains, whereas they ask women questions about their potential for loss.

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BILLBOARDS

Billboards with pictures of Ivanka dotted many parts of Hyderabad which is also home to major U.S. firms such as Microsoft. In recent days, authorities took beggars off city streets in a clean-up drive before the meeting, media said.

More than 10,000 police officials were deployed in the city and sniffer dogs as well as "spotters", or men trained to detect any suspicious activity or people, were on stand by, a police officer said.

On the sidelines, Ivanka held talks with Modi, as well as Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. Later she toured the conference centre with Modi and met a few entrepreneurs, before watching traditional Indian dance performances in the inaugural session.

"This event not only connects the Silicon Valley with Hyderabad but also show-cases the close ties between the United States of America and India. It underlines our shared commitment towards encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation," Modi said.

India has become a major market for the United States, with two-way trade of about $115 billion last year. They aim to raise that to $500 billion by 2022. Military and strategic ties are also improving as China's influence rises in Asia and beyond.

"The Trump administration sees India as a strategic partner and wants to engage with India more. When you look at sending of Ivanka Trump, it is sending a very strong signal," said Mukesh Aghi, president of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

(Writing by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani, Clarence Fernandez, William Maclean)
Republican lawmakers are pushing hard this week to pass tax reform. The Senate Finance Committee chairman, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, said theres a strong desire to get a bill, which would be the GOP-controlled Senates first legislative win, passed by Friday.

President Donald Trump will visit Capitol Hill Tuesday to meet with Senate Republicans over lunch in order to address the tax bill and other issues. Trump has said on Twitter that the GOP tax plan is coming along very well and has great support.

The Tax Cut Bill is coming along very well, great support. With just a few changes, some mathematical, the middle class and job producers can get even more in actual dollars and savings and the pass through provision becomes simpler and really works well!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

What the CBO said about the GOP tax plan

A report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Sunday showed that over the next ten years, the plan would raise taxes for workers making less than six figures and add over one trillion dollars to the national deficit.

A new provision repealing the Obamacare mandate, which taxes Americans who did not have health insurance, would also have a negative impact for low-income families, according to the CBO projections.

By 2027, people earning less than $75,000 a year would be worse off under the proposed GOP tax plan. Meanwhile, millionaires and those earning between $100,000 and $500,000 would see the biggest benefits.

Some Republican senators have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with the the GOP tax plan.

Sens. Steve Daines of Montana and Ron Johnson of Wisconin have said they want to see the individual income tax deduction for small business owners and other pass-through entities increased from the 17.4% rate currently in the Senate bill. Seventy percent of pass-through income winds up going to the top 1% of American earners according to research by Owen Zidar, an economist at the University of Chicagos Booth School of Business.

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My statement on the current Senate tax plan: https://t.co/FItbAWUQM3 pic.twitter.com/8axNBJ1GPZ  Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) November 27, 2017

Pass-throughs account for 96% of all U.S. businesses, including many leading job creators in Wisconsin. They deserve a fair shake. #TaxReform pic.twitter.com/9y7gmplMtC  Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) November 16, 2017

When is the next GOP tax plan vote?

If the GOP wants to move the bill out of the Senate Budget Committee, it needs to convince Sens. Johnson and Daines lawmakers to get on board by 2:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday (C-SPAN will be airing the hearing online). Sen. Johnson sits on the committee, where Republicans have only a single-vote majority, and has said he will vote against the tax plan if additional tax cuts for businesses are not included.

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, another Republican who sits on the Senate Budget Committee, said Monday that he would not vote for the plan if it did not address his concerns about raising the deficit.

How the GOP tax plan could impact the deficit

The CBO report found that the bill would add $1.4 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. This estimate takes into account growth in consumer spending that Republicans say will be the result of their tax plan lowering corporate tax rates from 35% to 20%.

Even if those senators concerned about this addition to the deficit vote for the bill, the cost will trigger sequestration. This process would require $136 billion in mandatory spending cuts in 2018 if the GOP cant find a way to reduce this deficit figure.

What the GOP tax plan means for students

Graduate students could see their taxes increase by nearly 300% with the elimination and consolidation of several tax credits meant to offset the costs of higher education.

While some have argued that the simplification of the tax code and cuts for small businesses would help millennials pursue entrepreneurship, the elimination of the student loan interest deduction would be harmful to millennials with student debt thats keeping them from buying homes and investing.
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Matt Lauer in New York. (Wiki Commons file: May 2009)[/caption] Ari Wilkenfeld, a longtime civil rights and employment lawyer in Washington, is representing the woman who brought sexual misconduct claims this week against NBC "Today" show host Matt Lauer, fired just days after the allegations were made.Wilkenfeld confirmed to The National Law Journal on Wednesday that he brought the woman's claims to NBC's human resources and legal department. He declined to discuss the claims against Lauer, name the victim or otherwise say how his firmWilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinsonfirst got involved. He co-founded the firm in 2013.

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Wilkenfeld's meeting with NBC marked the latest advocacy in a decades-long career fighting for victims of alleged harassment and retaliation. Wilkenfeld, for nearly two decades, has been a plaintiff-side attorney specializing in employment discrimination, employment contracts and noncompete issues. He earlier worked on management-side cases.Wilkenfeld Herendeen is involved in a host of cases in Washington courts, including a case where the firm represents a woman who prevailed in a discriminatory hostile work case against the French Embassy. Court documents filed last year in that case showed his billing rate at $460 an hour. The firm also represents a U.S. Interior Department whistleblower, Joel Clement, who is suing Trump administration leadership for records about the reassignment of personnel at the agency. [caption id="attachment_5126" align="alignnone" width="750"]

Ari Wilkenfeld (courtesy)[/caption] In the Lauer matter, the woman who made allegations against the NBC host detailed egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct by Mr. Lauer, Wilkenfeld said in a statement. In fewer than than 35 hours, NBC investigated and removed Mr. Lauer, Wilkenfeld said in the statement. Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly and responsibly, as all companies should when confronted with credible allegations about sexual misconduct in the workplace.Wilkenfeld's statement continued, While I am impressed by NBCs response to date, I am awed by the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than asking the company do the right thing. This is how the system should work. Lauer could not be reached for comment. The Wall Street Journal reported that a spokesman for Lauer declined to comment. An NBC executive said in a statement Wednesday: "Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender."During Wilkenfelds career in Washington he has representedas he puts it in his biography on his firm's websiteprofessionals such as high-level executives, investment bankers, hair salon stylists, fencing and dance instructors, commission-based sales professionals, human resources professionals, university professors, and a wide range of federal employees, including everything from Custom Border Protection officers to food and safety inspectors.In another case in 2011, Wilkenfeld sued Gallaudet University in an alleged sexual harassment case, which settled. He was also on the team that represented Susan Lerner, the psychologist who examined John Hinckley Jr., the man who shot then-President Ronald Reagan.In 2006, Wilkenfeld received a presidential citation from the American Psychological Association for his work fighting unjust discrimination, sexual harassment and psychological intimidation."Before co-founding his firm, Wilkenfeld served as senior counsel to the Law Office of Gary M. Gilbert & Associates and was a founding partner of Katz, Marshall & Banks.

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This year, the firm has seen of an uptick in reports of harassment allegations, said Katherine Atkinson, partner at Wilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinson.

Weve done this work for a very long time, Atkinson said Wednesday. These stories were not in any way surprising to us. These are the calls we get on a near daily basis.

Rosalind Herendeen, also a partner, said receptiveness from the outside has been the biggest change in recent months, although she and Atkinson acknowledged that battles still persist with companies themselves.

Wed love to see coverage of sexual harassment that occurs beyond famous people, Atkinson said.

Read more: A Day Earlier, Al Franken Was Talking About Sexual Harassment. Here's What He Said How Companies Can Avoid Pitfalls of a Bad Sexual Harassment Policy 'A Wake Up Call' for Companies in Weinstein, Spacey Scandals Veteran DC Whistleblower Lawyer Says She Reps 'Good Guy' in Weinstein Scandal After Weinstein, NDAs Won't Go Away, but Companies Can Rethink Them
Microsoft is doubling down on office parks.

Theres something particularly soul-crushing about spending your working days in a suburban office park. The hushed lobbies and hallways, the lonely sea of parking lots, the hermetically sealed environment, where windows are impossible to open and fresh air is a cruel tease, just inches away.

Apparently Microsoft cant get enough of it.

The tech giant is planning a major renovation of its 500-acre campus in Redmond, Washington, according to the New York Times. The project will add 2.5 million square feetthe rough equivalent of 10 Walmart Supercentersto its existing 15 million square feet, by replacing 12 buildings with 18 new ones. Traditional offices at the suburban Seattle campus will be replaced with open floor plans.

The Times contrasts Microsofts decision to expand in Northwest Washington to Amazons high-profile search for a second headquarters officeWhen it comes to headquarters, one is enough, we feel, Microsoft president Brad Smith saidand the decision kind of makes sense for a company thats transformed incremental progress into a business model. Consider it Redmond 2.0.

But it also flies in the face of just about everything employees seem to want in a workplace, particularly the young tech talent Microsoft and its competitors are desperate to recruit.

Employees of Microsoft and its Silicon Valley counterparts like Facebook, Apple, and Google are increasingly choosing to live in cities, and endure punishing reverse commutes on company-sponsored buses to reach their suburban offices. Almost 9,000 workers take those buses out of San Francisco each day to work in Silicon Valley, according to Wired, and 4,000 ride Microsofts 94 Seattle-area buses.

The investment in Redmond also assumes workers will be be using offices in the future, when its clear many wont. When given the choice of working remotely, many workers opt to stay home (or find a nearby coffeeshop), to the extent that Automattic, maker of WordPress, shut down its San Francisco office because no one was using it.

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The ability to work remotely is now a priority for a large number of job seekers: 44% of millennials (ages 20-34) and 45% of Gen-X employees (35-49) calling the ability to work remotely a must-have when considering a job, according to a recent survey of 1,004 office workers in the the US and Canada, sponsored by Staples.

If the grinding Seattle-area traffic isnt enough to keep Microsoft employees home, its new office plan might. While open offices are intended to promote collaborationand reduce the amount of real estate a company needs to pay forthat Staples survey finds that nearly 40% of both millennials and Gen-Xers think the design of their office makes it difficult to focus.

Microsoft may be committed to the suburbs, but its not like it doesnt have some experience with great urban offices. In 2013, Microsofts Skype unit opened a stunning space in the heart of London, at Two Waterhouse Square, part of a magnificent red brick Victorian complex, close to major train and underground stations, surrounded by pubs, shops, and other corporate offices. It was everything a contemporary tech office should be.

But nothing good seems to last. Perhaps not surprisingly, last year Microsoft closed the office as it transferred its Skype operations to, yes, Redmond.

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Seoul (AFP) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile early Wednesday, South Korean military officials said, the first such launch in two months and just a week after the US slapped fresh sanctions on the hermit state and declared it a state sponsor of terrorism.

The North has stoked international alarm over its banned nuclear missile programme but before Wednesday had not staged a missile test since September 15, raising hopes that ramped-up sanctions were having an impact.

The missile flew east from South Pyongan Province, the military Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The US Pentagon said it had detected a "probable missile launch" from North Korea.

South Korea's military staged a "precision strike" missile exercise in response, Yonhap news agency said, also quoting the JCS.

Seoul's unification minister had on Tuesday said signs of unusual activity had been detected in North Korea, hinting at a possible missile test.

The US last week unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping, raising pressure on Pyongyang to abandon it's atomic weapons programme.

Pyongyang condemned the move as a "serious provocation" and warned that sanctions would never succeed.

In September the North conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test and staged an intermediate-range missile launch over Japan.
By PTI: Chandigarh, Nov 29 (PTI) Acrimonious scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Assembly on the last day of the Winter Session today as AAP MLAs and treasury benches sparred over the issue of illegal mining in the state.

During the Zero Hour, AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira questioned the state government over the steps taken by it against illegal mining, prompting a sharp reaction from the treasury benches.

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He even criticised the government for not making public a report of the Justice Narang Commission on mining.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra and Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu engaged in a heated exchange with Khaira after the AAP MLA accused Congress MLAs of being involved in illegal mining.

Sidhu said Khaira should be asked to tender an apology for casting aspersions on Congress MLAs.

Then, SAD MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu targeted the government on the law and order issue. He displayed a picture of Congress MLA Khushaldeep Dhillon purportedly with UP strongman Raja Bhaiyya and demanded a probe into the "serious" matter.

Replying to the charge, Dhillon claimed that Raja Bhaiyya had first gone to SAD chief Sukhbir Badals house and then later to Akali leader Bikram Majithias house.

Then Akali MLAs trooped to the Well of the House and started sloganeering following which they staged a walkout.

When the bills were being presented, Khaira withdrew his remarks against Congress MLAs on the issue of illegal mining but stuck to his demand for an inquiry into the matter.

When the legislative business was being taken up, Ludhiana MLA Simarjit Singh Bains raised the issue of seeking a royalty from other states for sharing water with them while referring to the resolution passed by the House in this regard last year.

Finance Minister Manpreet Badal said the discussion on the matter could only be held in a meeting of the inter-state council.

"The chief minister attended the recent meeting of the council in which Punjab demanded that water be treated like its minerals (are treated). We will continue to pursue the case," he said.

He said the state had also recorded its objection in the meeting of the council, formed to resolve any dispute between states.

Dissatisfied with the state governments response, MLAs of the AAP and the Lok Insaf Party (LIP) staged a walkout.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu had sought that toll tax at the plaza in Kurali be collected from the Sukhvilas Resort nearby rather than from the villagers.

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Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa questioned whether the government or concessionaire of toll plaza constructed the road near the resort. Another party MLA Balbir Sidhu asked whether the road was constructed for villagers or the resort.

Replying to the query, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra said he would get the proposal examined. PTI CHS AAR

--- ENDS ---
Kim Jong Un claimed on Wednesday that North Korea had successfully test-launched its most advanced missile yet; an intercontinental ballistic missile it claims can reach the whole U.S. mainland.

North Koreas two-month weapons-testing lull was broken by the dramatic launch of the Hwasong-15 missile, which is the most powerful [intercontinental ballistic missile], carrying a super-large heavy warhead to unprecedented heights of nearly 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers), according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Read: North Korea Says U.S.s Terrorism Label Is Tantamount to a Declaration of War

U.S. President Donald Trump opted for more calculated response to the latest missile launch. (In the past, he threatened to unleash fire and fury on the rogue nation.) On Tuesday, he told reporters: We will take care of that situation, according to Bloomberg. The United Nations Security Council, responsible for imposing strict sanctions on North Korea earlier this year, plans to discuss the latest test in New York on Wednesday.

The missile was launched early Wednesday morning local time and reached an altitude of 2,781 milesmore than 10 times the height of the International Space Stationbefore finally splashing down 53 minutes later in the Sea of Japan, within Japans Exclusive Economic Zone.

Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in by phone, reports Bloomberg. South Koreas military reportedly staged its own missile exercise minutes after North Koreas launch, which U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said made certain that North Korea understands they could be taken under fire by our ally.

Mattis also said that the missile flew higher than any previous North Korean launch, underscoring the act as a continued effort to build a threata ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States.
By Christine Kim and Phil Stewart

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea said on Wednesday it had successfully tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach all of the U.S. mainland.

The missile test, North Korea's first since mid-September, came a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S. list of countries it says support terrorism, allowing it to impose more sanctions.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of international sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

In a broadcast on state TV, North Korea said the new powerful missile reached an altitude of around 4,475 km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the international space station - and flew 950 km (600 miles) during its 53 minute flight.

After watching the successful launch of the new type ICBM Hwasong-15, Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power, according to a statement read by a television presenter.

In the statement North Korea described itself as a "responsible nuclear power", but warned its strategic weapons were developed to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from "the U.S. imperialists' nuclear blackmail policy and nuclear threat".

U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials all agreed the missile, which landed within Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan, was likely an ICBM but it did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

It went higher frankly than any previous shot theyve taken, a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world, basically," U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the White House.

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Graphic: Nuclear North Korea http://tmsnrt.rs/2lE5yjF

(Reporting by Christine Kim and Soyoung Kim in Seoul, Linda Sieg, William Mallard, Timothy Kelly in Tokyo, Mark Hosenball, John Walcott, Steve Holland and Tim Ahmann in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Yara Bayoumy, David Brunnstrom and Lincoln Feast; Editing by Grant McCool, Michael Perry & Simon Cameron-Moore)

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US President Donald Trump has said "we will take care of" an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that North Korea fired off the coast of Japan.

The President was briefed about the launch while the missile was in the air.

"It is a situation that we will handle," Mr Trump told reporters.

Mr Trump was in a meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill to discuss the upcoming tax reform bill.

This is the first test the hermit kingdom has conducted in two months, its 20th overall, and its seventh actual launch of a weapon. On 15 September North Korean leader Kim Jong-un launched an intermediate ballistic missile over the coast of Hokkaido island in northern Japan which landed in the Pacific Ocean.

South Korea's military says the missile was fired from an area north of Pyongyang early on Wednesday morning local time.

The Pentagon tracked the trajectory of the weapon and spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said the missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and travelled about 620 miles (1,000 km) before landing in the Sea of Japan.

It also reportedly went approximately 2,800 miles (4,000 km) up into the atmosphere, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities. US Defence Secretary James Mattis said the latest missile did fly higher than previous ones.

He warned that North Korea continues to strengthen its nuclear weapons programme with weapons that "threaten everywhere in the world."

Japan's chief Cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga has said the missile may have landed in his country's exclusive economic zone, or the area of the sea which Japan has control over. No damage has been reported as yet.

The country's United Nations Ambassador Koro Bessho said it has sent a message to North Korea "that we criticize their behaviour in the strongest terms possible."

South Korea's presidential office said it was holding a National Security Council meeting early Wednesday morning local time to discuss possible action.

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Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had conducted a "precision strike" drill but did not offer any more detail.

The US State Department has officially condemned the missile launch and urged countries to continue strict economic sanctions against Pyongyang. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced the US and Canada will convene a meeting of UN member countries to discuss next steps.

The launch comes just one week after the US declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.

The move was mostly related to economic sanctions but also meant as a message to North Korea and its supporters.

Mr Tillerson called the designation as "very symbolic...practical effects may be limited but hopefully clos[es] off loopholes" in existing sanctions for "dual use" product exports that can be used by civilian and military end-users within North Korea.

Those products require separate licenses to sell under US export regulations.

North Korea was last on the state-sponsored terror list in 2008, under the George W Bush administration. It was removed that year in a bid to salvage a deal halting its nuclear development.

Mr Tillerson said that attempt at negotiations "obviously failed."

He noted that North Korea's fuel supply "is already quite constrained" as shown by "anecdotal evidence" and US intelligence sources which show cars lined up at petrol stations or certain stations closing that would normally have fuel.

The issue there is that the country only has one refinery that operates internally so they are heavily reliant on finished fuel imports.

The latest missile launch also adds to mounting tensions between Mr Trump and Mr Kim.

The pair have publicly traded insults throughout the year. The US President gave Mr Kim the nickname "Rocket Man" and referred to him as such during the president's speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr Kims state news agency then issued a statement in which they referred to Mr Trump as a dotard."

Mr Trump had recently tweeted that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with Mr Kim through State Department diplomatic backchannels.

He tweeted that "only one thing will work" to deter North Korea's development of its nuclear arsenal, in yet another indication the president thinks military action is the only option left.

In September, a US intelligence official said they had no reason to doubt Mr Kim and his military had developed a hydrogen bomb and in July, officials said they believed North Korea had been able to make a nuclear warhead capable of fitting on an intercontinental ballistic missile  claiming missiles will have the range to reach the US.

South Korea and Japan have been preparing for a possible nuclear attack by running drills for residents, including the approximately 67,000 Americans stationed on military bases in both countries.

Hawaii is also preparing an air siren warning system and informing the public to shelter in place and have food and medical supplies on hand at all times.
The OPEC meeting in Vienna Thursday looks set to be a crucial test of relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia.The two countries have been warming to each other of late and King Salman's visit to Moscow in October this year marked the first ever state visit to Russia by a reigning Saudi monarch.But this week the pair must resolve differences over petroleum output, with Saudi Arabia pushing to keep prices high as it readies an initial public offering of its state oil company, Aramco.Ann-Louise Hittle, senior vice president of macro oils at Wood Mackenzie, said Wednesday that the OPEC meeting agenda could seriously affect how Moscow and Riyadh get along." There's a little bit of disagreement right now, there are some issues that have to be ironed out," she told CNBC Wednesday in Vienna. "How do we end the agreement? How do we deal with increasing production and bring it into the market without collapsing prices?"Hittle added that it appeared that Saudi Arabia was attempting to avoid any head-to-head confrontation with Moscow, despite misgivings over Russia's opposing stance on Syria or its alliance with Iran.Russia and Saudi Arabia reportedly signed more than $4 billion in arms and energy deals in October, symbolizing the improved relations between the two, as well as the growth of Russian influence in the Middle East.This week, oil traders expect OPEC to announce a nine-month extension to supply caps that are currently due to finish at the end of March 2018.Helima Croft, the global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said Tuesday it was Russian President Vladimir Putin that led the market to believe in a full-year extension.But she said a number of chief executives within Russia are privately unhappy with the supply cap freeze and there is some chance Russia could decide to break up its oil pact with Saudi Arabia and other countries."Before he (Putin) said that no one was thinking about a full-year extension and then OPEC went to work on a full-year extension so now that is the market expectation. So we're set for a disappointment if Russia doesn't show up for the 'bromance' (with Saudi Arabia) anymore," she said. The OPEC meeting in Vienna Thursday looks set to be a crucial test of relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The two countries have been warming to each other of late and King Salman's visit to Moscow in October this year marked the first ever state visit to Russia by a reigning Saudi monarch. But this week the pair must resolve differences over petroleum output, with Saudi Arabia pushing to keep prices high as it readies an initial public offering of its state oil company, Aramco. Ann-Louise Hittle, senior vice president of macro oils at Wood Mackenzie, said Wednesday that the OPEC meeting agenda could seriously affect how Moscow and Riyadh get along. " There's a little bit of disagreement right now, there are some issues that have to be ironed out," she told CNBC Wednesday in Vienna. "How do we end the agreement? How do we deal with increasing production and bring it into the market without collapsing prices?" Hittle added that it appeared that Saudi Arabia was attempting to avoid any head-to-head confrontation with Moscow, despite misgivings over Russia's opposing stance on Syria or its alliance with Iran. Russia and Saudi Arabia reportedly signed more than $4 billion in arms and energy deals in October, symbolizing the improved relations between the two, as well as the growth of Russian influence in the Middle East. This week, oil traders expect OPEC to announce a nine-month extension to supply caps that are currently due to finish at the end of March 2018. Helima Croft, the global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said Tuesday it was Russian President Vladimir Putin that led the market to believe in a full-year extension. But she said a number of chief executives within Russia are privately unhappy with the supply cap freeze and there is some chance Russia could decide to break up its oil pact with Saudi Arabia and other countries. "Before he (Putin) said that no one was thinking about a full-year extension and then OPEC went to work on a full-year extension so now that is the market expectation. So we're set for a disappointment if Russia doesn't show up for the 'bromance' (with Saudi Arabia) anymore," she said.



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OPEC is expected to extend its agreement with Russia and other non-OPEC countries to curb production, even as U.S. shale production and exports continue to grow, according to a CNBC oil survey. About 80 percent of the oil analysts and traders surveyed by CNBC also agree the market, which had been heavily oversupplied, is showing signs of rebalancing.Forty-four percent say the rebalancing can continue if U.S. production, blamed for the glut, does not rise much more. Thirteen percent say if the U.S. output continues to grow, the rebalancing will end, as it will lead to oversupply.The OPEC agreement, struck with Russia a year ago, is seen as a factor helping drive a turnaround in oil prices. Ninety-four percent of the 16 survey participants expect the price for West Texas Intermediate crude to end the year at about where it is now  $50 to $60 per barrel. But more than half, 56 percent, said there's a chance crude could fall back into the $40s in 2018.OPEC meets in Vienna on Thursday, and the market has been expecting its deal with Russia and other producers to hold back 1.8 million barrels a day to be extended to the end of the year. Reuters reported Tuesday that sources said the technical committee of OPEC and the non-OPEC members recommended extending the agreement through the end of the year with a review in June. Michael Cohen, head of commodities research at Barclays, said he had expected a six- or nine-month extension of the agreement, which is due to end in March, but he adds that the extension length is less important than the quota. He said the technical committee and Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee can recommend changes at any time. "Even if the deal ends, we would not expect an onslaught of new production from participants," Cohen wrote in his answer to the survey. Russia has been a bit of a wild card. Russian companies had complained that U.S. shale was biting into market share , while they held to an agreement to keep their own production off the world market. Eighty-one percent of the survey participants expect Russia to be part of OPEC's deal Thursday. The deal has been important to Saudi Arabia, as it needs a high oil price for its Vision 2030 program to transform the country's economy. In the survey, 81 percent said Saudi Arabia was "jawboning" the price of oil higher, ahead of its IPO of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company.The survey also focused on other factors that could impact oil prices. Forty-four percent said they expect the Trump administration's decertification of the Iran nuclear deal will result in reimposition of sanctions on Iran, but 31 percent do not believe it will, while 25 percent are unsure.Sixty-nine percent expect to see Venezuelan oil supply to take a further hit next year.A full 100 percent expect U.S. oil production to continue to rise and impact market dynamics."Increased U.S. production has taken away a significant portion of OPEC's power. As long as crude hovers near $60, I think that domestic production will continue to ramp," wrote Jim Iurio of TJM institutional Services. OPEC is expected to extend its agreement with Russia and other non-OPEC countries to curb production, even as U.S. shale production and exports continue to grow, according to a CNBC oil survey. About 80 percent of the oil analysts and traders surveyed by CNBC also agree the market, which had been heavily oversupplied, is showing signs of rebalancing. Forty-four percent say the rebalancing can continue if U.S. production, blamed for the glut, does not rise much more. Thirteen percent say if the U.S. output continues to grow, the rebalancing will end, as it will lead to oversupply. The OPEC agreement, struck with Russia a year ago, is seen as a factor helping drive a turnaround in oil prices. Ninety-four percent of the 16 survey participants expect the price for West Texas Intermediate crude to end the year at about where it is now  $50 to $60 per barrel. But more than half, 56 percent, said there's a chance crude could fall back into the $40s in 2018. OPEC meets in Vienna on Thursday, and the market has been expecting its deal with Russia and other producers to hold back 1.8 million barrels a day to be extended to the end of the year. Reuters reported Tuesday that sources said the technical committee of OPEC and the non-OPEC members recommended extending the agreement through the end of the year with a review in June. Michael Cohen, head of commodities research at Barclays, said he had expected a six- or nine-month extension of the agreement, which is due to end in March, but he adds that the extension length is less important than the quota. He said the technical committee and Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee can recommend changes at any time. "Even if the deal ends, we would not expect an onslaught of new production from participants," Cohen wrote in his answer to the survey. Russia has been a bit of a wild card. Russian companies had complained that U.S. shale was biting into market share , while they held to an agreement to keep their own production off the world market. Eighty-one percent of the survey participants expect Russia to be part of OPEC's deal Thursday. The deal has been important to Saudi Arabia, as it needs a high oil price for its Vision 2030 program to transform the country's economy. In the survey, 81 percent said Saudi Arabia was "jawboning" the price of oil higher, ahead of its IPO of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company. The survey also focused on other factors that could impact oil prices. Forty-four percent said they expect the Trump administration's decertification of the Iran nuclear deal will result in reimposition of sanctions on Iran, but 31 percent do not believe it will, while 25 percent are unsure. Sixty-nine percent expect to see Venezuelan oil supply to take a further hit next year. A full 100 percent expect U.S. oil production to continue to rise and impact market dynamics. "Increased U.S. production has taken away a significant portion of OPEC's power. As long as crude hovers near $60, I think that domestic production will continue to ramp," wrote Jim Iurio of TJM institutional Services.



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The OPEC logo is pictured at its headquarters in Vienna The logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is pictured at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/Files

By Ernest Scheyder, Ahmad Ghaddar and Vladimir Soldatkin

VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC and Russia look set to prolong oil supply cuts until the end of 2018 this week while signalling that they may review the deal when they meet again in June if the market overheats.

With oil prices (LCOc1) rallying above $60 per barrel, Russia has questioned the wisdom of extending existing cuts of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of next year as such a move could prompt a spike in U.S. production.

Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC's leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude.

Six ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia met in Vienna on Wednesday - one day ahead of a full OPEC gathering - and recommended extending the cuts to the end of 2018. At present, the cuts expire in March.

"That's one of the recommendations," Kuwait's Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq told reporters when asked whether the committee had agreed on a nine-month extension, among other matters.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak was, however, less certain about the duration.

"The market has not been fully balanced yet. Joint efforts are needed after April 1. Everybody has recommended that the agreement could be extended and tomorrow such concrete details will be discussed," Novak said.

Several sources familiar with the talks have said Russia had suggested an option of reviewing the deal at the next OPEC meeting in June in case the oil market overheats.

"In reality it would be only a three-month true extension with the review in June," said Olivier Jakob from Petromatrix consultancy.

Benchmark Brent and U.S. crude prices fell for a third consecutive session on Wednesday but Brent still traded above $63 per barrel. [O/R]

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told the monitoring meeting on Wednesday that cuts needed to be extended as the rebalancing of oil markets was not yet complete.

Story continues

Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh, who fought Falih on many previous occasions, said he would agree with extending cuts by either six or nine months to help the market rebalance.

DEBATE ON NIGERIA, LIBYA

Novak told reporters after meeting Falih: "We understand that we need to take further steps to rebalance the market ... We have a common understanding (with Falih)."

Amrita Sen from consultancy Energy Aspects said she believed the debate between Saudi Arabia and Russia was about timings rather than substance.

"Saudi Arabia believes it is too early to discuss an exit strategy as the market rebalancing job hasn't been done yet. Russia would like to do it sooner ... OPEC has surprised on the upside during its past three meetings and delivered more than the market had expected," she said.

Two sources familiar with OPEC talks said the group may debate capping Nigerian and Libyan output at 1.8 million bpd and 1 million bpd respectively, having exempted the two countries so far due to unrest and lower-than-normal production volumes.

The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC.

Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies.

"It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018," Novak told the monitoring committee.

Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said there had been little discussion so far on any exit strategy.

Some Russian producers including Rosneft, run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, Igor Sechin, have questioned the rationale of prolonging the cuts, saying it will lead to a loss of market share to U.S. firms, which are not reducing output.

OPEC, which comprises 14 countries, has traditionally been much less worried about exit strategies as its members have been known for reducing compliance and cheating on their quotas towards the expiry of such deals.

"Russia seems to be pushing OPEC to have a concrete plan to phase out the cuts when appropriate ... compared to the typical undisciplined OPEC strategy," U.S. bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, which is active in the shale industry, said.

(Additional reporting by Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Shadia Nasralla; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
The logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is pictured at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

By Ernest Scheyder, Ahmad Ghaddar and Vladimir Soldatkin

VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC and Russia look set to prolong oil supply cuts until the end of 2018 this week while signalling that they may review the deal when they meet again in June if the market overheats.

With oil prices (LCOc1) rallying above $60 (44.70 pounds) per barrel, Russia has questioned the wisdom of extending existing cuts of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of next year as such a move could prompt a spike in U.S. production.

Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC's leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude.

Six ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia met in Vienna on Wednesday - one day ahead of a full OPEC gathering - and recommended extending the cuts to the end of 2018. At present, the cuts expire in March.

"That's one of the recommendations," Kuwait's Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq told reporters when asked whether the committee had agreed on a nine-month extension, among other matters.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak was, however, less certain about the duration.

"The market has not been fully balanced yet. Joint efforts are needed after April 1. Everybody has recommended that the agreement could be extended and tomorrow such concrete details will be discussed," Novak said.

Several sources familiar with the talks have said Russia had suggested an option of reviewing the deal at the next OPEC meeting in June in case the oil market overheats.

"In reality it would be only a three-month true extension with the review in June," said Olivier Jakob from Petromatrix consultancy.

Benchmark Brent and U.S. crude prices fell for a third consecutive session on Wednesday but Brent still traded above $63 per barrel. [O/R]

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told the monitoring meeting on Wednesday that cuts needed to be extended as the rebalancing of oil markets was not yet complete.

Story continues

Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh, who fought Falih on many previous occasions, said he would agree with extending cuts by either six or nine months to help the market rebalance.

DEBATE ON NIGERIA, LIBYA

Novak told reporters after meeting Falih: "We understand that we need to take further steps to rebalance the market ... We have a common understanding (with Falih)."

Amrita Sen from consultancy Energy Aspects said she believed the debate between Saudi Arabia and Russia was about timings rather than substance.

"Saudi Arabia believes it is too early to discuss an exit strategy as the market rebalancing job hasn't been done yet. Russia would like to do it sooner ... OPEC has surprised on the upside during its past three meetings and delivered more than the market had expected," she said.

Two sources familiar with OPEC talks said the group may debate capping Nigerian and Libyan output at 1.8 million bpd and 1 million bpd respectively, having exempted the two countries so far due to unrest and lower-than-normal production volumes.

The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC.

Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies.

"It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018," Novak told the monitoring committee.

Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said there had been little discussion so far on any exit strategy.

Some Russian producers including Rosneft, run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, Igor Sechin, have questioned the rationale of prolonging the cuts, saying it will lead to a loss of market share to U.S. firms, which are not reducing output.

OPEC, which comprises 14 countries, has traditionally been much less worried about exit strategies as its members have been known for reducing compliance and cheating on their quotas towards the expiry of such deals.

"Russia seems to be pushing OPEC to have a concrete plan to phase out the cuts when appropriate ... compared to the typical undisciplined OPEC strategy," U.S. bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, which is active in the shale industry, said.

(Additional reporting by Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Shadia Nasralla; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
By Ernest Scheyder, Ahmad Ghaddar and Vladimir Soldatkin VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC and Russia look set to prolong oil supply cuts until the end of 2018 this week while signaling that they may review the deal when they meet again in June if the market overheats. With oil prices rallying above $60 per barrel, Russia has questioned the wisdom of extending existing cuts of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of next year as such a move could prompt a spike in U.S. production. Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC's leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude. Six ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia met in Vienna on Wednesday - one day ahead of a full OPEC gathering - and recommended extending the cuts to the end of 2018. At present, the cuts expire in March. "That's one of the recommendations," Kuwait's Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq told reporters when asked whether the committee had agreed on a nine-month extension, among other matters. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak was, however, less certain about the duration. "The market has not been fully balanced yet. Joint efforts are needed after April 1. Everybody has recommended that the agreement could be extended and tomorrow such concrete details will be discussed," Novak said. Several sources familiar with the talks have said Russia had suggested an option of reviewing the deal at the next OPEC meeting in June in case the oil market overheats. "In reality it would be only a three-month true extension with the review in June," said Olivier Jakob from Petromatrix consultancy. Benchmark Brent and U.S. crude prices fell for a third consecutive session on Wednesday but Brent still traded above $63 per barrel. [O/R] Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told the monitoring meeting on Wednesday that cuts needed to be extended as the rebalancing of oil markets was not yet complete. Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh, who fought Falih on many previous occasions, said he would agree with extending cuts by either six or nine months to help the market rebalance. DEBATE ON NIGERIA, LIBYA Novak told reporters after meeting Falih: "We understand that we need to take further steps to rebalance the market ... We have a common understanding (with Falih)." Amrita Sen from consultancy Energy Aspects said she believed the debate between Saudi Arabia and Russia was about timings rather than substance. "Saudi Arabia believes it is too early to discuss an exit strategy as the market rebalancing job hasn't been done yet. Russia would like to do it sooner ... OPEC has surprised on the upside during its past three meetings and delivered more than the market had expected," she said. Two sources familiar with OPEC talks said the group may debate capping Nigerian and Libyan output at 1.8 million bpd and 1 million bpd respectively, having exempted the two countries so far due to unrest and lower-than-normal production volumes. The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC. Russia has signaled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies. "It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018," Novak told the monitoring committee. Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said there had been little discussion so far on any exit strategy. Some Russian producers including Rosneft, run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, Igor Sechin, have questioned the rationale of prolonging the cuts, saying it will lead to a loss of market share to U.S. firms, which are not reducing output. OPEC, which comprises 14 countries, has traditionally been much less worried about exit strategies as its members have been known for reducing compliance and cheating on their quotas toward the expiry of such deals. "Russia seems to be pushing OPEC to have a concrete plan to phase out the cuts when appropriate ... compared to the typical undisciplined OPEC strategy," U.S. bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, which is active in the shale industry, said. (Additional reporting by Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Shadia Nasralla; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
Reiterating faith in the soldiers of the BSF, Sharma said any infiltration attempt by terrorist will be given a befitting response.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: With Lashkar E Taiba Chief Hafiz Sayeed on the loose, the BSF Director General K.K. Sharma on Wednesday said that the launch pads in Pakistan are brimming with terrorist wanting to infiltrate.

Reiterating faith in the soldiers of the BSF, Sharma said any infiltration attempt by terrorist will be given a befitting response.

He further added that routes used by militants have been identified and the BSF is ready to tackle future attempts.

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In an unexpected attack, a reticent Sharma blamed Pakistan's polity for making situation worse at the Indo-Pak International border.

Hitting out at Pakistan, the DG said, "Despite dialogue which took place with Pakistan Rangers after a year, Pakistan has not stopped its infiltration bids into Jammu and Kashmir."

He further stated, "There is no headway possible because of Pakistan polity."

Sharma's response comes after former President of Pakistan, Parvez Mushraff said he is the biggest supporter of terror group Lashkar E Taiba and knew of JuD's involvement in Kashmir.

"We will deal with threat with manpower and with technology," Sharma said.

While India has been at the receiving end of ceasefire violations, the issue raised by BSF at the DG level, talks with Pakistan Rangers.

"We have done more damage to them," Sharma said. 7 Pakistani infiltrators and 11 Pakistani civilian were killed, while 35 were injured.

"We have raised the issue of infiltration and ceasefire violations but they continue to take place," Sharma told India Today.

Though another officer said that an annual BSF Pak Ranger was low key, the Pakistani showed an eagerness to make peace. But surprisingly, the eagerness remains only till the time the Rangers are on Indian soil.

The Pak Rangers were on a two-day tour earlier this month. Usually accompanied by lady wives, the officers' also indulged in sight seeing. But considering the low point between India and Pak forces, the tour was no frill attached. Though source says that the "fragile" peace has been maintained at the borders more or less since then.

--- ENDS ---
By Mica Rosenberg and Reade Levinson

BENSALEM, Pennsylvania, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Dozens of police departments in the United States have been granted new powers, or are seeking them, to check the immigration status of people they arrest, aiding President Donald Trump's broad crackdown on people living in the country illegally.

Since Trump took office in January, 29 departments have joined a special program under which they are deputized to perform some tasks of immigration agents, doubling its size in 10 months, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. And the administration hopes that is just the beginning.

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the administration has also had contact with scores of additional jurisdictions about the program, and 38 of those told Reuters in interviews they have submitted applications for the program or are potentially interested in joining. [Graphic: http://tmsnrt.rs/2A115Sm ]

The program, known as 287(g), deputizes local officers trained by ICE to use federal records to vet arrestees they suspect of being in the country illegally and then turn them over to federal agents if they are.

The Department of Homeland Security has said in the past that police forces taking part in the program have flagged tens of thousands of people for deportation.

The broad expansion of the program comes as Trump seeks to accelerate arrests and deportations of people living in the United States illegally. The large number of departments expressing interest in the program has not been previously reported.

Most of the police departments that have joined, or are seeking to join, the program have relatively small populations, typically fewer than 100,000 residents, with small immigrant populations. In contrast, the roughly three dozen so-called "sanctuary cities" that have limited their cooperation on immigration enforcement have a median population of half a million people and larger foreign-born populations, according to a Reuters analysis.

Story continues

Under President Barack Obama, the 287(g) program was downsized and its funding reduced amid concerns that some participating police departments were over-zealous in their targeting of Latinos. Critics also said it eroded trust of police in immigrant communities. By the end of fiscal year 2016 only 32 agreements were left in place, down from a peak in 2010 when some 70 jurisdictions were participating. Today, 60 departments in 18 states participate.

Three-quarters of the agencies that have already signed 287(g) agreements or are interested in doing so are in counties that voted for Trump in 2016, according to a Reuters analysis of electoral data.

ICE would not confirm which jurisdictions had shown interest until they had signed agreements. An ICE official, who asked not to be named, said interest increased after Trump took office and signed an executive order that included expanding support for the program.

TOWN VS CITY

The township of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, just half an hour up the road from Philadelphia, is one of those hoping to join the 287(g) program.

Fred Harran, director of public safety in the city of 60,000, says that any immigrant in the country illegally who commits a crime, even a misdemeanor like shoplifting or possession of a small amount of drugs, should be considered for deportation, and he welcomes help from ICE.

If deporting you out of this country when you commit a crime is a tool at my disposal, you are darn right I am going to use it, Harran said.

In neighboring Philadelphia, police commissioner Richard Ross Jr. favors a different approach. Like many police chiefs in large cities with significant immigrant populations, he wants immigrant residents to feel comfortable cooperating with authorities to solve crimes.

While Philadelphia and other big cities say they will turn over serious criminals to ICE, they do not believe local police should be doing the work of federal immigration agents.

"There's no way in the world that you would want to come forward as a source of information if you believe you are in jeopardy of being deported," Ross testified at a court hearing in October. Philadelphia is suing the Trump administration over its threats to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities.

In Bensalem, Harran says he first reached out to ICE about joining 287(g) during Obama's presidency. But in 2012, Obama ended the part of the program he had hoped to join. It had allowed local officers out on patrol to question and arrest people suspected of violating immigration laws. Obama left in place the part of the program Trump has now expanded.

In a February memo, then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said ICE would consider bringing back the discontinued part of the program. An ICE official familiar with the program said he was "unaware of any plans right now" to revive it.

MONEY-MAKING OPPORTUNITY?

Once a jurisdiction is approved for the 287(g) program, it designates local personnel to be trained at a federal facility. Local jurisdictions pay for travel, housing, and expenses for officers during training. ICE pays to install its databases and other technology in local offices for certified officers to use.

Cities not participating in the program can still approach ICE if they have suspicions about arrestees, but the process can be time consuming and cumbersome.

Participating jurisdictions also, as part of their agreement with ICE, have the option of signing separate contracts to house immigrant detainees for a fee.

"It's an opportunity to make money for a county that is facing economic hardship," said Chris Kleinberg, the sheriff of Dakota County, Nebraska. He said it has applied to be part of the program.

Of the 98 jurisdictions that have existing agreements or are interested in getting them, at least 27 already house people for ICE, according to ICE data through April 2017.

Some police departments, however, have backed down from their support of 287(g) in the face of political pressure.

Orange County, the only place participating in program in California, will end its agreement on Jan. 1 following the passage of a statewide 'sanctuary bill,' which prevents police from inquiring about people's immigration status throughout California, said Ray Grangoff from the sheriff's department.

CONCERNS ABOUT PROGRAM

ICE says the 287(g) program increases the number of immigrants it is able to deport. A 2010 report from the DHS inspector general said the program accounted for "a significant portion of nationwide ICE removal activity." In fiscal year 2008 for example, 287(g) officers identified 33,831 immigrants for deportation, or 9.5 percent of all removals during that period, the report said.

Detractors question the program's value.

A 2011 study of seven 287(g) jurisdictions by the Washington-based nonpartisan think tank Migration Policy Institute found the program did not target the most serious criminals and led to an increase in immigrants' mistrust of local authorities. The study found that in the first 10 months of fiscal year 2010, half of the immigrants flagged to ICE in the 287(g) jurisdictions had committed misdemeanors, including immigration violations that are often civil not criminal offenses.

"Many of the immigrants that are arrested in traffic stops or for loitering are not the real threats to public safety," said Chris Rickerd from the American Civil Liberties Union.

In November, the ACLU identified 14 jails and counties applying for the program as having had problems in the past, including poor detention conditions or accusations of racial bias.

One such place is Alamance County, North Carolina, which had its 287(g) program terminated in 2012. The Justice Department sued Sheriff Terry Johnson that year over allegations his office discriminated against Latinos at traffic stops and checkpoints. At trial, the department presented evidence that officers used derogatory terms like "wetback" and "taco eater," which the sheriff's office denied.

The judge dismissed the case, but in 2016 the county entered into a settlement with the government to avoid an appeal, committing to "bias free" policing.

Johnson said in a phone interview that he was contacted by ICE about rejoining the 287(g) program earlier this year. He applied, and in March he sent a letter to Tom Homan, the acting director of ICE, saying it was "one of the best law enforcement programs" he had ever been involved with during his 45-year career.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg and Reade Levinson in Pennsylvania; Editing by Sue Horton and Ross Colvin)
About a month has gone by since the last earnings report for T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. TROW. Shares have added about 4.9% in that time frame, outperforming the market.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to the stock's next earnings release, or is it due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

T. Rowe Price's Q3 Earnings Beat, Revenues In Line



T. Rowe Price reported a positive earnings surprise of 8.3% for third-quarter 2017. Earnings per share of $1.56 outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12 cents. Further, the bottom line improved 33.3% from the year-ago figure of $1.17. Results include certain non-recurring items.



Third-quarter results were driven by higher revenues and AUM. However, escalating expenses posed a concern.



Including certain non-recurring items, net income came in at $390.9 million compared with $327.8 million recorded in the prior-year quarter.



Revenues Increase Y/Y, Expenses Up



Net revenues of $1.22 billion came almost in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, it rose 11.8% from the year-ago quarter. The rise primarily stemmed from higher investment advisory fees that increased 13% year over year to $1.10 billion.



Distribution and servicing fees rose 1.9% to $37.4 million. In addition, administrative fees improved 2.2% to $87.6 million on a year-over-year basis.



Investment advisory revenues generated from the T. Rowe Price mutual funds, distributed in the United States, were up 11.4% year over year to $783.9 million. Investment advisory revenues generated from other investment portfolios, managed by the company, rose 17.2% from the prior-year quarter to $312.8 million.



Total adjusted operating expenses were up 8.1% year over year to $665.7 million in the quarter. Including certain one-time items associated with the Dell appraisal rights matter, expenses were $673.2 million, up 9.1%.



As of Sep 30, 2017, T. Rowe Price employed 6,796 associates, 7% higher than last year.



Strong Assets Position



As of Sep 30, 2017, total AUM climbed 16.6% year over year to $947.9 billion. During the quarter, net market appreciation and income came in at $38.4 billion while net cash inflow was $5.9 billion after client transfers.



T. Rowe Price remains debt free with substantial liquidity, including cash and sponsored portfolio investment holdings of about $4.1 billion as of Sep 30, 2017, which enable the company to keep on investing.



Capital Deployment Activity



During the third quarter, T. Rowe Price repurchased 0.1 million shares of its common stock for $9.7 million and invested $129.1 million during the first nine months of 2017 in capitalized technology and facilities using available cash balances.



For 2017, the company projects capital expenditures to be approximately $200 million, comprising two-third for technology development.



Outlook



T. Rowe price expects operating expenses to escalate about 11% in 2017 versus 2016. The company has increased the expectation from the previous guidance of about 10% due to certain expenses, such as variable compensation, which has increased as a result of stronger than anticipated market performance.



Notably, advertising and promotion costs for 2017 are anticipated to rise up to 10% over 2016 on execution of certain strategic initiatives.



The company currently estimates effective tax rate for 2017 to be 35.9%.

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How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

Following the release, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. There has been one revision lower for the current quarter.

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. Price and Consensus

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. Price and Consensus | T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. Quote

VGM Scores

At this time, T. Rowe Price's stock has a subpar Growth Score of D. It lags a bit on the momentum front with an F. The stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Our style scores indicate investors will probably be better served looking elsewhere.

Outlook

While estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, the magnitude of these revisions has been net zero. Notably, the stock has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We are looking for an above average return from the stock in the next few months



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By Nia Williams CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - The Keystone crude oil pipeline will restart at reduced pressure on Tuesday, TransCanada Corp said, nearly two weeks after closing the line after it leaked 5,000 barrels of crude in rural South Dakota. Calgary-based TransCanada shut down the 590,000 barrel-per-day pipeline, one of Canada's main crude export routes linking Alberta's oil fields to U.S. refineries, on Nov. 16. The company is still cleaning up the spill and investigating the cause. TransCanada said on Monday the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) reviewed its repair and restart plans. It said it will start operating the pipeline at reduced pressure, and gradually boost the volume of crude moving through. TransCanada did not specify what the reduced pressure would be or when the pipeline would return to full capacity. PHMSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "We are communicating plans to our customers and will continue working closely with them as we begin to return to normal operating conditions," TransCanada said in a statement. In its most recent update, TransCanada said it has so far cleaned up 1,065 barrels of oil. The cleanup "is going as fast as we would hope, they are working 24 hours a day," said Brian Walsh, environmental scientist manager with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Keystone has leaked substantially more oil, and more often, in the United States than the company indicated to regulators in risk assessments before operations began in 2010, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. The Keystone outage roiled crude oil prices on both sides of the border as market players anticipated a glut of crude building up in Alberta while inventories fell in the U.S. futures trading hub of Cushing, Oklahoma. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prompt spread widened to a session low of negative 10 cents on news of the pipeline returning to service. Traders see the spread as an indicator for supply at Cushing. The discount on Western Canada Select heavy blend crude for December delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, narrowed in thin trade to $17.90 a barrel below U.S. crude, according to Shorcan Energy brokers. On Friday December WCS settled at $21.50 a barrel under the U.S. benchmark. The Keystone spill in South Dakota came days before neighboring Nebraska approved a route for TransCanada's planned Keystone XL pipeline, but the approved route differed from the company's preferred path. TransCanada has asked the state to reconsider, according to a filing posted on the Nebraska Public Service Commission website on Monday. A company spokesman said TransCanada is seeking a "clarification" on the Nov. 20 decision, but did not provide further details. On Saturday, landowners opposed to the pipeline responded to TransCanada's request with their own motion seeking oral arguments on the issue. A PSC spokesperson said the body has 60 days to respond to TransCanadas motion. (Additional reporting by Catherine Ngai in New York, Val Volcovici in Washington and Ethan Lou in Calgary; Editing by David Gregorio)
Copies of tax legislation are seen during a markup on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Capitol Hill in Washington

The employees at Eruptr, a health-care digital marketing agency near Sarasota, Fla., have a lot to look forward to if the Republican Congress passes a big package of tax cuts soon, as expected.

Kevin Minnelli, the firms co-founder, plans to convert nine staffers working remotely in seven states from independent contractors to regular full-time employees with benefits, even though that would cost around $80,000. He also plans to hire three or four new full-timers, pushing total employment to around 15. Because I can see the tax cuts coming, this seems like the right time to do it, Minnelli says. Most likely, Ill be paying a lot less in taxes, so I can take the same net for myself and reinvest in the business. Why not give some back to the employees?

Thats exactly what President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans want businesses to do if they pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  spend more and hire more. Of $1.5 trillion in total tax cuts over a decade, about three-quarters would go to businesses rather than individuals, so its crucial to design cuts that will benefit the broader economy and not just enrich the shareholder class.

Proposed tax cuts are bad for some firms

But other business owners say the tax cuts would harm their firms, impede investment and slow hiring. Stephen Frankel runs a small law office in Mineola, N.Y., with another lawyer and a secretary. His firm, a sole proprietorship, would suffer due to one key provision in both the House and Senate version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: either a sharp reduction or the complete elimination of the state-and-local-tax deduction, known as the SALT provision. Its a carve-out in the legislation meant to hurt small businesses like me, Frankel says. Since his business income is taxed at individual income-tax rates, losing most or all of the SALT deduction would raise his tax bill and lower his after-tax income, leaving him less to reinvest in his firm. Frankel says he needs to hire another lawyer, but this purported tax reform will have the consequence of me not hiring a new full-time employee. Maybe Ill use a per-diem employee.

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Whether the tax cuts will help depends on your business

The impact of tax cuts, it turns out, seems likely to vary greatly based on the type of business and its location, along with arcane details Congress is still working out. So Yahoo Finance went straight to the source, conducting an online survey of more than 1,000 business owners from Nov. 20  22 and asking whether tax cuts would generate more spending and hiring, helping or hurting employees in the longer term.

The results suggest tax cuts wont be the magic economic elixir some Republicans claim, but will still help some middle-class workers in tangible ways. Fifty-one percent of business owners told us tax cuts would make them more likely to invest in the United State, while just 9% said theyd be less likely to invest. Fifty percent of owners said they expected to hire more, while 52% expected tax cuts to help boost pay at their firms. (Check out the full survey results.)

Source: Yahoo Finance survey conducted on SurveyMonkey November 20 -22

Theres also some dispiriting news about the Republicans trickle-down approach to tax cuts: theyd probably benefit the owner class much more than ordinary working people. Forty-six percent of respondents said owners and shareholders would benefit most from the tax cuts Republicans are proposing, with just 12% saying employees would benefit most. Those portions might be flipped if politicians were proposing a large middle-class tax cut but little else, with the benefits of stronger spending trickling up to business owners instead of flowing the other direction. But thats not happening, one likely reason the whole Republican tax-cut plan is unpopular with voters.

Source: Yahoo Finance survey conducted on SurveyMonkey November 20 -22

The benefits of tax cuts will also vary widely because of current discrepancies in the tax code, and Republican efforts to alter  some say exploit  those discrepancies. One of the most controversial elements of the GOP tax plan is the treatment of the SALT provision, which Senate legislation would kill completely and a House bill would limit to $10,000 in property taxes alone. About one-third of all taxpayers claim this tax break, but the portion is much higher among high-income taxpayers including many small- and medium-sized business owners who pay taxes through the individual tax code, the way both Minnelli and Frankel do.

Minnelli of Eruptr would end up better off under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because he lives in Florida, which has no state or local income tax for him to deduct on his federal tax return. Florida does have property taxes, which Minnelli could deduct, but his total itemized deductions in Florida are considerably less than theyd be in a state with income taxes, and especially in one with high income taxes. Combine that with the new tax brackets in the GOP plans  which generally take a smaller bite of income  and the GOP cuts would be a complete win, Minnelli says.

Frankel would end up worse off because the attorney lives in high-tax New York, and he would lose a major tax break if the SALT provision goes away. So large, in fact, that other business-friendly measures in the GOP plans, such as lower rates and the elimination of the alternative minimum tax still wouldnt come close to making up what Frankel would lose from the end of the SALT provision. The IBMs of the world have thousands of employees and theyre getting a big tax cut, he says. But the Steve Frankels of the world dont matter.

The Senate is still fine-tuning its tax plan, but could pass it soon. Congressional Republicans may then speed up the usual drawn-out process of melding differing House and Senate bills into a single piece of legislation for both chambers to vote on. So the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could become law by the end of this year or early next year. Some businesses and their workers will undoubtedly be happy about that. Others, however, may find the new law woefully misnamed.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

Read more:

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman
DUBAI (Reuters) - A meeting of global oil producers in Vienna this week to discuss extending a system of output cuts will not be easy, United Arab Emirates energy minister Suhail bin Mohammed al-Mazroui said on Tuesday.

However, Mazroui added that he was personally optimistic that producers would reach an agreement that served the market. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet in Vienna on Thursday.

"It will not be an easy meeting and we always look at various scenarios, but I am personally optimistic," Mazroui told reporters at an industry event in Dubai.

He said several options for extending the output cuts would be discussed, including a proposal to extend them to the end of 2018. They are currently due to expire in March. He did not describe the other options.

Asked whether Russia was willing to agree on Thursday on an extension of output cuts, Mazroui said: "I cannot comment on any country before I meet with them."

He also said the oil market was in a much better position than it was last year, which was a result of producers complying with the cuts.

"We are hoping for another year of correction and recovery. The OPEC countries are all committed to fix the issue with the five years' overstorage," he said, referring to excess global inventories of oil.

(Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Tom Arnold; Writing by Andrew Torchia)
By Sam Nussey and Tim Kelly

TOKYO (Reuters) - Uber executives are travelling the globe to reassure regulators that the company is changing the way it does business, after a massive data breach revealed last week became the latest controversy to hurt the ride-service firm's reputation.

Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] is also continuing talks with Japan's SoftBank Group Corp <9984.T> for an investment, Brooks Entwistle, Uber's recently appointed chief business officer for Asia Pacific, told Reuters on Monday.

His comments come on the heels of Uber's disclosure last week that it covered up an October 2016 data breach involving 57 million customers and about 600,000 drivers. Uber said it paid two hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen data and keep the matter a secret.

The revelation, made by Uber's new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a blog post, prompted governments in countries including Britain, the United States, Australia and the Philippines to launch probes into the breach and Uber's handling of the matter.

The global backlash will test Uber's new collaborative approach to regulators, a stark change from the rule-breaking culture created by former CEO Travis Kalanick.

"We have changed tacks in so many ways in dealing with regulators, dealing with governments," Entwistle said in an interview in Tokyo, where he is meeting Japanese officials and potential business partners.

Nevertheless, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Kimberly Foxx, the public prosecutor for Cook County, Illinois, said on Monday they filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Uber for its failure to protect the data of its customers and drivers, alleging the company violated local laws by failing to promptly disclose the breach. Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Also on Monday, fresh questions came from U.S. lawmakers demanding an explanation for the company's handling of the breach. Republican senators John Thune, Orrin Hatch, Jerry Moran and Bill Cassidy sent a letter on Monday to Khosrowshahi seeking answers about the data theft and cover-up, which they called "a serious incident that merits further scrutiny." The senators requested a response from Uber by Dec. 11.

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Hatch chairs the Senate Committee on Finance and Thune chairs the Commerce Science and Transportation Committee.

In a separate letter sent Monday, Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat and advocate of the technology industry including the on-demand sector that includes Uber, sent a letter to Khosrowshahi with detailed questions about Uber's security systems and rationale for covering up the breach.

SOFTBANK DEAL

The disclosure of the 2016 data breach at a time when Uber is trying to bring in SoftBank as an investor has spurred speculation about the price of the deal.

SoftBank and Dragoneer Investment Group agreed on Nov. 12 to lead a group that would invest as much as $10 billion in Uber, people familiar with the deal previously told Reuters. The group plans to directly invest $1 billion to $1.25 billion at Ubers current $69 billion valuation, and also buy at a lower valuation shares held by existing investors and employees. The goal is to take a 14 percent to 17 percent stake.

Uber has plans to disclose the pricing of the SoftBank deal in formal tender offers to existing investors early this week, sources told Reuters. It will likely take a few weeks for investors to decide whether to take the offer.

"The transaction is still underway and it's an extraordinary validation that an investor like SoftBank would look at Uber," Entwistle said.

Uber said on Friday it had informed SoftBank about the data breach prior to informing the public. However, "our information at the time was preliminary and incomplete," a spokesman said. "We also made clear that our forensic investigation was ongoing."

A person familiar with the matter said SoftBank had already factored any negative impact from the breach into its negotiations with Uber and did not expect the hack to have a significant impact on price.

However, a separate source familiar with the matter said SoftBank could still use Uber's situation as leverage to secure better terms for the investment. The person said SoftBank has not yet made a final decision on whether to renegotiate.

A SoftBank spokesman declined to comment.

REGIONAL PLANS

SoftBank has become a prolific investor in ride-hailing firms across Asia, including Southeast Asia's Grab, China's DiDi Chuxing and India's Ola, leading to expectations it could drive consolidation in the region.

While Uber sold its business in China to DiDi last year, it remains committed to operating in the broader region for years to come, said Entwistle, who joined the company in August.

The firm has not given up on the Japanese market, which has barred non-professional drivers from offering taxi services, and is working on partnering with traditional taxi firms, he said.

Uber hopes the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could provide a venue to demonstrate the value of ride-sharing firms in a potentially lucrative market, he said.

"We are innovating and in some markets that will take longer and we realize that," Entwistle said.

(Reporting by Sam Nussey and Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Heather Somerville in San Francisco.; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Bill Rigby)
During a rally in Gujarat, PM Narendra Modi said Indira Gandhi had covered her nose when she visited the town of Morbi. Did she? Short answer: Yes.

Indira Gandhi (L) covering her face in Morbi and another photo (R) showing a dead body being carted away (Photos from Chitralekha magazine cover from August 1979)

By Dev Goswami: At a rally in his poll-bound home state of Gujarat today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family, sparing nobody, from the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter Indira Gandhi, also a former Prime Minister.

During one of the several rallies in Gujarat today, PM Modi attempted to further his "son-of-the-soil" persona when he referred to a moment decades ago when Indira Gandhi had visited Morbi, a town in western Gujarat.

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Referring to a photo published by Chitralekha, a Gujarati magazine, PM Modi said he remembered how Indira Gandhi covered her face with her handkerchief when she was in the town.

"When Indiraben came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in the Chitralekha magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells (sic)," PM Modi, who himself was in Morbi today, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The Prime Minister was talking about a time when tragedy struck Morbi and when, by PM Modi's own account, he was in the town to help with relief efforts. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Janasangh workers battled mud and filth to carry out relief work, PM Modi said before he went on to speak about Indira Gandhi and her picture.

Did Indira Gandhi really cover her nose when she visited the Gujarati city? Short answer: Yes.

Heaps of dead bodies were common in the aftermath of the Morbi dam tragedy (Photo: India Today archives) Heaps of dead bodies were common in the aftermath of the Morbi dam tragedy (Photo: India Today archives)

Long answer: Gandhi was in Morbi in the aftermath of a major disaster. On 11 August, 1979, the Machchhu dam, located near Morbi, burst, leading to devastating floods that killed thousands (estimates of how many perished in the flooding vary widely).

It was in the aftermath of this deadly dam burst that Indira Gandhi visited Morbi and other sites, sites that had "bloated animal carcasses and dismembered remains of human bodies" being flung on trucks and that were "engulfed by the stench of putrefying flesh," according to an India Today report from September 1979.

Now, the Chitralekha magazine cover that PM Modi was talking about today was published on August 27, 1979, just days after the deadly dam disaster.

On the cover of the magazine is Indira Gandhi, who visited Morbi on August 16, is seen covering her face with a handkerchief. And then another photo follows: Of dead bodies being carted away.

The Chitralekha magazine cover from 1979 with the Indira Gandhi photo that PM Narendra Modi referred to during his Gujarat rally The Chitralekha magazine cover from 1979 with the Indira Gandhi photo that PM Narendra Modi referred to during his Gujarat rally

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Dead bodies, as the India Today report from 1979 notes, were aplenty in Morbi and its surrounding areas in those days. "Bloated animal carcasses and dismembered remains of human bodies were being flung on to trucks like logs to be stacked in burning pyres beyond the Harijan bustees," the report goes on to say.

"Eight days after the tumultuous flood, on August 11, the city was still, engulfed by the stench of putrefying flesh" the report also said.

MODI VS NEHRU-GANDHI

Prime Minister Modi spent a large part of the day directly attacking the Nehru-Gandhi family. While in Morbi he took a dig at Indira, in Prachi, a town near the iconic Somnath temple, PM Modi attacked Jawaharlal Nehru.

The Prime Minister claimed Nehru was opposed to the construction of the Somnath temple. Incidentally, PM Modi's comments in Prachi coincided with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple just kilometres away.

"Today some people [an apparent to Rahul] are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them - have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first PM (Jawarharlal Nehru) was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there," PM Modi said, as he went on to laud Sardar Vallabhai Patel, a Gujarati, for ensuring the temple was made.

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"If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible," PM Modi said.

The Congress and Rahul Gandhi have not responded to PM Modi's attacks on the Nehru-Gandhi family. They, however, have found themselves caught in a controversy created by Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple, where the Congress vice-president's signature appeared in the register meant for non-Hindus.

ALSO WATCH | Gujarat Opinion Poll: Results of the India Today-Axis My India Opinion 2017 survey

--- ENDS ---
French English

Roissy, 29 November 2017

Air France-KLM and Jet Airways sign an Enhanced Cooperation Agreement

On 29 November 2017, Air France-KLM and Jet Airways signed a landmark 'Enhanced Cooperation Agreement' for the development of their operations between Europe and India.

A first in the history of Indian aviation, this agreement strengthens the partnership built between the three airlines since 2014. This cooperation was expanded in 2016 with an extensive code-share agreement for connections between Europe and North America and Jet Airways' hubs at Mumbai and Delhi in India via Air France-KLM' hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Jean-Marc Janaillac, Chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM stated: "Air France-KLM and Jet Airways are launching the first cooperation agreement of its kind on the India - Europe market, one of the markets at the heart of the group's strategy for the coming years. We are innovating within the airline industry by offering connections between two partnerships for the first time: our enhanced cooperation agreement for India - Europe with Jet Airways and the Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines' Europe - North American joint venture. Jet Airways, Air France, KLM, and, Delta Air Lines will thus connect India to a vast transatlantic network via the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs". He also added: "With over 1,200,000 customers carried between India and Europe by the Group and our Indian partner, half of whom are travelling onward to North America, we are confirming our ambition to offer customers an enhanced network, and a unique, seamless product tailored to their needs with the best products and services".

"The enhanced cooperation agreement between Jet Airways, Air France and KLM being signed during Jet Airways' 25th Year and Air France's 70 Years in India, represents the next stage in our journey of offering our valued guests greater choice, connectivity, and comfort across our combined global networks. I am excited for the future, as we move forward with this historic development and the exciting new value proposition which will drive tremendous benefits to our customers." said Naresh Goyal, Chairman Jet Airways.

The enhanced cooperation agreement will see Jet Airways, Air France, and KLM working together to develop their commercial and product offering. Customers will thus benefit from multiple travel options and seamless service throughout the three partners' networks spanning 44 cities in India and 106 destinations across Europe.

This agreement will strengthen the enhanced offer for customers travelling between India, Europe and North America in the following ways -

Offer an extended network and increased capacity between Paris, Amsterdam and India. The recent launches of Amsterdam-Mumbai by KLM and Bengaluru-Amsterdam and Chennai-Paris by Jet Airways are the first examples of this ambition.

Improve connecting opportunities through adapted flight times via Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam-Schiphol as well as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Offer guests, a seamless travel experience between the networks of Jet Airways, Air France and KLM.

Benefits of the Flying Blue and JetPrivilege loyalty programmes on the three airlines' networks worldwide.

Coordination of sales and services to provide the best possible offer for customers.

This agreement will complement the Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines' transatlantic partnership between Europe and North America, offering access to over 200 destinations in North America, establishing a global cooperation connecting the three continents.

In addition to the airlines' enhanced cooperation agreement, Air France KLM Cargo and Jet Airways Cargo have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to strengthen their cooperation in the cargo sector.

Air France, KLM and Jet Airways combine their networks between Europe and India

For the 2017-18 winter season, Air France, KLM and Jet Airways operate 64 weekly flights between the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs and 4 destinations in India - Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

From Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France and Jet Airways operate 33 weekly frequencies to Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai and Chennai.

From Amsterdam-Schiphol, Jet Airways and KLM operate 31 weekly frequencies to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

About Air France-KLM

A global giant with a strong European base, the Air France-KLM Group's main areas of business are passenger transport, cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance.

Air France-KLM is the leading Group in terms of international traffic on departure from Europe. In 2017, it offers its customers access to a network covering 328 destinations in 118 countries thanks to its five brands Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Joon, Transavia and HOP! Air France. With a fleet of 534 aircraft in operation and 93.4 million passengers carried in 2016, Air France-KLM operates up to 2,300 daily flights, mainly from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Its Flying Blue frequent flyer programme is one of the leaders in Europe with over 27 million members.

Air France-KLM and its partners Delta Air Lines and Alitalia operate the biggest trans-Atlantic joint-venture with over 270 daily flights.

Air France-KLM is also a member of the SkyTeam alliance which has 20 member airlines, offering customers access to a global network of over 16,600 daily flights to more than 1,070 destinations in 177 countries.

airfranceklm.com

@AirFranceKLM

About Jet Airways

Jet Airways is India's premier international airline which operates flights to 64 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways' robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations. Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. The Jet Airways Group currently operates a fleet of 115 aircraft, comprising Boeing 777-300 ERs, Airbus A330-200/300, Next Generation Boeing 737s and ATR 72-500/600s.

Jet Airways, together with Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, and NIKI, participates in Etihad Airways Partners. Etihad Airways is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, which also holds minority investments in each of these airlines.
Tegucigalpa, HONDURAS, Nov. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It is proving to be a record year for the level of domestic and international recognition received by Corporacion Dinant of Honduras. Dinant currently holds over 50 certifications and awards from independent auditors covering such important issues as environmental management systems, occupational health and safety, sustainability, traceability of raw materials, and control of greenhouse gas emissions.

Company Spokesman, Roger Pineda, commented, Dinant has invested significant time and resources in recent years to improve all aspects of our Honduran operations, creating long-term, sustainable strategies to revitalize the natural world, strengthen local communities, and improve individual well-being. A range of prestigious independent international auditors  including ISO, OHSAS, ISCC and the United Nations  now recognize the high standards we have attained across every part of our business, including our factories, warehouses, African Palm plantations and vegetable greenhouses.

Current certifications and awards include:

The United Nations Clean Development Mechanism certification for Dinants high-tech biogas recovery unit at its oil extraction mill in the Aguan, which has generated 50 million m of biogas and reduced the companys use of fossil fuels by 6 million gallons since 2008. (In fact, both of Dinants oil extraction mills in Honduras have net zero operations with respect to energy, water and waste).

All Dinant operating facilities in Honduras have been granted ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 status for their environmental management systems and occupational health & safety.

Dinants African Palm oil extraction mills and plantations have received two International Sustainability and Carbon Certifications - ISCC EU and ISCC Plus  in recognition of the sustainability of raw materials and products, the traceability of supply chains, and the control of greenhouse gas emissions.

Dinant has received 14 SAFE WORK WITH SAFE COMPANY certifications, issued by the Honduran Ministry of Labor and Social Security, in recognition of the companys full compliance with Honduran labor laws.

Mr. Pineda continued, In addition to these accolades, Dinant is fully compliant with the World Banks Performance Standard 4 on community health, safety and security, and we are implementing the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. Thanks to the hard work and talents of thousands of Honduran staff, spearheaded by our dedicated sustainable development and environmental teams, Dinant is now widely recognized as an international benchmark in how to operate a successful business transparently and honestly in one of the most challenging regions in the world.

In order to further its sustainability goals, Dinant is partnering with world class organizations that are undertaking groundbreaking work on sustainability around the globe. Since 2014, Dinant has reduced water consumption by 73%, industrial wastewater generation by 40%, and energy consumption in production processes by 54%. Now, the company is setting itself a range of even tougher targets, including further reducing its carbon and water footprints.

About Corporacion Dinant

Dinant is a family-owned consumer products manufacturer founded in Honduras in 1960. Its products are sold across Central America and the Dominican Republic. The company employs 7,200 people worldwide, supports a further 22,000 livelihoods, and contributes significantly to the Honduran economy. Dinant rigorously benchmarks its operations against stringent international standards regarding economic, environmental and social impacts.

This material is distributed by Tricuro LLC on behalf of Corporacion Dinant. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9b8eb102-074e-4abf-aef1-b4feebd7e12d

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79c5a502-b966-4e67-af53-ae2bbf53a221
vishalsuri wrote:

At the time of the Mexican agrarian revolution, the most radical faction, that of Zapata and his followers, proposed a return to communal ownership of land, to what had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards.





(A) land, to what had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards



(B) land, a form of ownership of the pre-Columbians and respected by the Spaniards



(C) land, respected by the Spaniards and a pre-Columbian form of ownership



(D) land in which a pre-Columbian form of ownership was respected by the Spaniards



(E) land that had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers

A:

Correct.

B:

C:

D:

E:

Hence, A is the best answer choice.

Dear Friends,Here is a detailed explanation to this question-Understanding the intended meaning of this sentence is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the most radical faction proposed a return to communal ownership of land, meaning a return to what had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards. In a noun + comma + phrase construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun; this is one of the most frequently tested concepts on GMAT sentence correction.This answer choice correctly modifies return to communal ownership of land with to what had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards, conveying the intended meaning  that the proposed return is to communal ownership of land, which had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards.This answer choice incorrectly modifies a return to communal ownership of land with a form of ownership of the pre-Columbians and respected by the Spaniards, illogically implying that the proposed return to communal ownership of land was a pre-Columbian form of ownership and respected by the Spaniards; the intended meaning is that the proposed return is to communal ownership of land, and this ownership had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards; please remember, in a noun + comma + phrase construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun.This answer choice incorrectly modifies a return to communal ownership of land with respected by the Spaniards and a pre-Columbian form of ownership, illogically implying that the proposed return to communal ownership of land was a pre-Columbian form of ownership and respected by the Spaniards; the intended meaning is that the proposed return to communal ownership of land was a pre-Columbian form of ownership and respected by the Spaniards; please remember, in a noun + comma + phrase construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Moreover, Option C further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase and a pre-Columbian form of ownership; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that communal ownership of land was respected by a pre-Columbian form of ownership; the intended meaning is that the communal ownership of land had been a pre-Columbian form of ownership.This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase land in which a...by the Spaniards; the construction of this phrase incorrectly suggests that within communal land ownership a pre-Columbian form of ownership was respected by the Spaniards; the intended meaning is that the communal land ownership was a pre-Columbian form of ownership was respected by the Spaniards.This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase that had been a...Spaniards; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that there were multiple types of communal land ownership, of which one was a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards; the intended meaning is that the singular communal land ownership, in question, was a pre-Columbian form of ownership respected by the Spaniards.To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1minute):All the best!Team_________________
Willand wrote:

Hey everyone,



I graduated from Medical School in Ireland (undergraduate program) a few years ago and I want to apply for an MBA at a top business school in the US. I wanted to know how do the top schools assess medical school graduates GPA? I graduated with 2:2 Second class honors degree. I was quite pleased with that result considering all the things I had to do during medical school. I am leaning more towards hospital management career wise and I have been involved in setting up a successful business since graduating. I understand the application process has many elements to it including GMAT(still need to do), etc... I am just concerned about my GPA score but I figure they take into consideration the type of undergraduate you did.



Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Hey there,Good to hear from you!Well overall B-schools LOVE folks from Med school. Why? Cause the pharma/biotech/med industries are always hiring highly skilled and trained people. And hospital management is a tough thing.Of course it depends which medical school, and what you have done since, and what your plan is, and what business/managerial experience you have (if any).Overall a low GPA, esp. in medical school wouldn't tank your application immediately.So just work that GMAT to the bone. Because if you can do amazingly well on your GMAT... well then....Best,
As of now, Taj Mahal opens at sunrise but by the time tourists enter the monument complex, after passing through various security checks, the sun is already high up.

By Siraj Qureshi: Tourists may soon be able to see Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, at sunrise.

Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said his ministry is working on a proposal under which Taj will open before sunrise so that tourists can comfortably enter the complex before the first ray of sun hits the monument.

As of now, Taj Mahal opens at sunrise but by the time tourists enter the monument complex, after passing through various security checks, the sun is already high up.

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The minister told India Today that efforts are also on to create a unified ticketing server for online and offline ticketing at Taj. This, Mahesh Sharma said, will make the process of keeping a count of tourists entering Taj easy, besides keeping a check on the amount of time they spend inside the complex.

TWO HOURS INSIDE TAJ

Mahesh Sharma said the Centre is working closely with the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that incidents like the recent attack on Swiss couple at Fatehpur Sikri are not repeated. The Agra police is also working towards creating a safe environment for tourists.

The minister said that a study on 'Carrying Capacity' of Taj Mahal has been completed and soon there will a cap on the number of tourists who can be inside the monument at a time. The duration will be fixed at a maximum of two hours so that more tourists get to see Taj everyday.

Mahesh Sharma said that it is likely that the southern gate of Taj Mahal, which opens into the Tajganj locality, will be used only for exit.

He said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has indicated that the southern gate is too small for proper security check of tourists and therefore entry from that gate is not advised.

PROMISES NOT FULFILLED

Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber president Prahalad Agarwal welcomed the minister's suggestions and said that if implemented these would go a long way in increasing tourism in Agra.

Agarwal said that Mahesh Sharma promised development of Mehtab Bagh and arrangements for moonlight viewing of Taj from across the river during his first visit to Agra. These promises are yet to be fulfilled, he said.

ALSO WATCH: Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber president Prahalad Agarwal

--- ENDS ---
Dhairya275 wrote:

Three Ivy League schools have pulled out of E-du, an education consortium, offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit after professors and alumni complained that the program would cheapen the prestige of a degree.



A. of E-du, an education consortium, offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit after professors and alumni complained that the program would

B. from E-du, an education consortium, and will offer undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit, after professors and alumni have complained that the program would

C. of E-du, an education consortium offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit, after professors and alumni complained that the program would

D. from E-du, an education consortium offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit after professors and alumni complained that the program will

E. of E-du, an education consortium that offers undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit, after professors and alumni complained that the program will

an education consortium offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take online courses for university credit



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Responding to a pm:I don't see the problem here. There is only one modifier and that is modifying E-du as it should:Three Ivy League schools have pulled out of E-du,, after professors and alumni complained that the program would cheapen the prestige of a degree.The underlined part is an appositive. It renames and describes E-du. Notice that if you remove it, the sentence is still correct.Three Ivy League schools have pulled out of E-du after professors and alumni complained that the program would cheapen the prestige of a degree._________________
For years now, animal rights activists have been actively involved in every animal industry including dairy, hog, and poultry to name a few. For years they have slandered the name of your industry, company, and the name you passed down to your children, with no mercy. For years they have stood in the way of trucks going to market, they have shut down processing plants, and they have tainted our names by spreading false narratives.

More recently in California, an animal rights activist group kept a specific dairy under surveillance for almost a year, trespassed numerous times, stole a calf from its hutch, made a video demonizing the dairy and its co-op, and held protests near the dairy all the while local news outlets covered the story. The best part? They openly admitted to spying on the facility, trespassing numerous times, and thievery because they know they will get away with it.

These groups are running rampant and everyone is scared to put their foot down and say enough is enough! These activist groups are out there actively planning thefts and disruptions to our facilities, trying to find ways to shut down the barn yard industries, and we are supposed to sit back and let them walk all over us? Bull!

I grew up in a household that did not believe in starting fights. If you could walk away from a fight then you did. But if the fight was brought to you, you finished it. Well, Im here to tell you the fight is here and we as an industry have tried talking our way out of it for years. We have been nothing but giving. We have always turned the other cheek. But Im done. If they want a fight, then let the dust fly!

We as an industry, not just dairy but all of agriculture, need to start standing up for each other in unison. The days of watching your neighbor as they got attacked and then muttering to yourself Thank God that is not me are over. We have all done that for too many years. We cannot let these groups slander our names and our businesses any longer.

They need to learn that they are not above the law. They need to learn that there are consequences for disturbing the peace, slander, trespassing, and theft. These people have confused our passiveness and politeness for weakness. It is time they learn the truth.

By no means am I condoning violence. Physical altercations are not the answer. Our power is in numbers and truths. We as the agriculture industry need to start acting like a team. Do you want to play?

Tyler Ribeiro is a fourth-generation dairy farmer born and raised in California. He is currently partners with his father at Rib-Arrow Dairy in Tulare where they proudly ship their milk to Land OLakes. Tyler is actively involved in the dairy industry, holding leadership roles in various organizations locally and across the United States.
Western countries are seeing a rising trend in new tuberculosis cases, particularly of highly drug-resistant forms of the infection. Join the Naked Scientists for a look at new ways to combat one of the oldest and most fearsome infections on the planet.
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New York, Nov 29 (Just Earth News):After unprecedented global success in controlling malaria, progress has stalled, the United Nations health agency reported on Wednesday, citing an estimated five million more cases in 2016 than in 2015, and around 445,000 deaths.

The 2017 World Malaria Report presents a comprehensive state of play in global progress in the fight against malaria.

In recent years, we have made major gains in the fight against malaria, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

We are now at a turning point. Without urgent action, we risk going backwards, and missing the global malaria targets for 2020 and beyond, he added.

The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria calls for reductions of at least 40 per cent in malaria case incidence and mortality rates by the year 2020. Yet, according to the new report, the world is not on track to reach these critical milestones.

A major problem is insufficient funding, resulting in major coverage gaps for insecticide-treated nets, medicines and other life-saving tools.

In 2016, a $2.7 billion investment in malaria control efforts was well below the global $6.5 billion required annually by 2020 to meet the 2030 targets of the WHO global malaria strategy. Providing $800 million, governments of endemic countries represented 31 per cent of the total funding.

Probing the numbers

The report shows that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries  up from 211 million cases in 2015  with a global malaria death tally estimated at 445,000 compared to 446,000 the previous year.

While the rate of new cases of malaria has fallen overall, since 2014 the trend has levelled off and even reversed in some regions. Malaria mortality rates followed a similar pattern.

The African region continues to bear an estimated 90 per cent of all malaria cases and deaths worldwide, with 15 countries  all but one in sub-Saharan Africa  carrying 80 per cent of the global malaria burden.

Clearly, if we are to get the global malaria response back on track, supporting the most heavily affected countries in the African region must be the primary focus, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In most malaria-affected countries, sleeping under an insecticide-treated bednet (ITN) is the most common and effective infection-prevention method. Spraying insecticide inside homes is also effective.

While the African region has seen a major increase in diagnostic testing in the public health sector  with 70 per cent of those treated having received artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), the most effective antimalarial medicines  access to the public health system in many areas remains low. National-level surveys there show that only about 34 per cent of children with a fever see a public health medical provider.

The report also outlines additional challenges in the global malaria response, including the risks posed by conflict and crises in malaria endemic zones. WHO is currently supporting malaria responses in Nigeria, South Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen, where ongoing humanitarian crises pose serious health risks.

We are at a crossroads in the response to malaria, said Dr. Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

We hope this report serves as a wake-up call for the global health community. Meeting the global malaria targets will only be possible through greater investment and expanded coverage of core tools that prevent, diagnose and treat malaria. Robust financing for the research and development of new tools is equally critical, he asserted.

At the same time, Ray Chambers, the UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Health in Agenda 2030 and for Malaria noted that the report sends the clear message that progress does not happen by chance.

The gains we have achieved in the fight against malaria since 2000  nearly seven million lives saved, and hundreds of millions of infections averted  were accomplished through the concerted actions of many champions, he pointed out.

He said that the commitment of community health workers to endemic country governments and their external partners has positioned the global malaria response as one of the greatest public health achievements in the world.

However, he added, the data show that our progress is stalling and we risk reversing the hard-won gains. We must double-down on our commitments, bring new technologies to bear, and increase investments to bring us back on track to end malaria for good.



Photo: WHO S. Hollyman
The feature included images of a pay stub from her former employer, the BBC World Service Trust, and an email in which Zaghari-Ratcliffe referenced that organizations program to train independent journalists from places like Iran and Afghanistan. These materials were highlighted to lend credence to the Iranian regimes claim that the 38-year-old woman had been employed to train journalists in the dissemination of information unfavorable to the regime. Specifically, authorities accused Zaghari-Ratcliffe of being a leading member of an infiltration network whose goal is the soft overthrow of the theocratic government in Tehran.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is reportedly spearheading efforts to expand the charges against Zaghari-Ratcliffe. She has already been sentenced to five years in prison and new charges of spreading propaganda, based on the same case file, could add a further 16 years to her sentence. The recent state media broadcasts give no indication of the presence of new evidence against the defendant. Neither the aforementioned pay stub nor email establish links to British media that had not already been acknowledged by Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her defenders.

The BBC World Service Trust is a separate, charitable arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and it is not directly affiliated with the BBCs Persian Service, which has been banned in the Islamic Republic and made subject to penalties and reprisals by regime authorities. Furthermore, Zaghari-Ratcliffe has long since stopped working for the BBC and was employed instead by the Thomson Reuters Foundation at the time of her arrest, another charitable organization that operates separately from its media affiliate, Reuters News Agency.

Zaghari-Ratcliffes emailed mention of the ZigZag Academy training project does not constitute evidence that she materially contributed to that project, notwithstanding a careless remark by UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson earlier this month which seemed to agree with Tehrans position that she had been training journalists just prior to her arrest. The BBC maintains that its former employee never had direct, professional contact with journalists. And Thomson Reuters has defended her in similar terms, affirming that her role in the organization was a manager of charitable projects and that there was no professional basis for her trip to Iran. Indeed, Thomson Reuters does not undertake projects in the Islamic Republic at all.

Regardless of these depictions of the true nature of her work, the Iranian judiciary has apparently latched onto Johnsons off-hand remarks, which were contradicted by other British officials and were quickly retracted, to justify its continued efforts to intensify punitive measures against the dual national. Radio Free Europe suggested a direct link between Johnsons comments and the new charges in a report last week that indicated a new trial date had been set in the case. Certainly, those comments were utilized in an unscheduled hearing that took place just three days later, in which Zaghari-Ratcliffe was told to sign the new charge sheet without the presence of a lawyer.

According to RFE, Zaghari-Ratcliffe will face a new trial on December 10, pending any further action that might be taken by the British government to secure her release or compel the Iranian government to grant clemency.

Tehran at War with Western Media

Earlier this month, CNN reported upon communications between the UKs Foreign Office and Zaghari-Ratcliffes British husband Richard Ratcliffe. It quoted Boris Johnson as saying that the government would leave no stone unturned in its efforts to resolve her case. However, it also indicated that the Foreign Office had shown reluctance to provide Zaghari-Ratcliffe with diplomatic protection. In a news conference, Mr. Ratcliffe allegedly conveyed the governments position on the matter:

Diplomatic protection is, in essence, when a state like Britain decides that Nazanin was being treated badly because she is British, and she is entitled to be protected as an extension of the British state. It is not unprecedented, but it is a big step. I said I thought it would be important and helpful. The Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Office expressed reservations, and we agreed that there are some questions that we have sent from the lawyers.

But while these matters may remain unresolved within the UK, they appear to be less so in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Although the facts of the case contradict the notion that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was operating as a journalist or other media figure, it is nonetheless clear that Iranian authorities either believe her to have filled this role or are insincerely presenting her as having done so. In either case, this justifies the regimes effort to include her in a broader crackdown on foreign-linked media, and that crackdown entails deliberate mistreatment and apparently arbitrary punishment.

Last month, it was widely reported that Tehran had banned current and former employees and contributors of BBC Persian from conducting any financial transactions in Iran or from leaving the country if they currently reside there. At the time, the action was the latest indication of Irans perception of those contributors as an extension of the British state.

Indeed, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies reported on November 16 that an Iranian media outlet linked to the Revolutionary Guards had proclaimed Iran to be engaged in an ongoing soft war with Britain, adding that British-affiliated journalists should be considered foot soldiers in that war. To the extent that Tehran considers Zaghari-Ratcliffe an agent of British media, it evidently regards her also as a sort of enemy combatant and as subject to treatment along those lines.

The same is apparently true of anyone with links to foreign media, and perhaps also to any foreign nationals, full stop. The Los Angeles Times report on Iranian media broadcasts about Zaghari-Ratcliffe also indicated that similar propaganda had been disseminated regarding an American citizen, Xiyue Wang, who is also serving a prison sentence in Iran on the basis of vague and unsubstantiated national security charges.

Wang was arrested in August of last year on the basis of his having scanned thousands of pages of documents as part of his work toward a doctoral dissertation on the Qajar dynasty, which he had been pursuing at Princeton University. Such document collection is typical of academic work, but Iranian authorities portrayed it as evidence of his gathering information for the US government.

The recent propaganda broadcasts regarding his case included footage of him speaking to the camera in an emotional state and making general statements that vaguely reflect the regimes position on his motives. About Iran in that regard, he said, the more knowledge the United States possesses about Iran, the better for its policy toward Iran. There is no doubt about it. It is quite obvious.

Seeking Ransom

By treating Wang, Zaghari-Ratlcliffe, and others as if they are foreign agents, the Iranian regime may be not only justifying the arrests but also inflating the perceived importance of the prisoners as part of a bid to encourage concessions from the corresponding Western governments. Critics of the Islamic Republic have frequently described such prisoners as hostages and suggested that the Iranians were eager to leverage them for prisoner exchanges, ransom payments, or other such agreements.

These criticisms have seized upon accounts of the release of four Americans from Iran at the start of 2016, when the Obama administration agreed to release or drop charges against 21 Iranians, as well as arranging the delivery of 400 million dollars in cash, allegedly as part of the repayment of a decades-old debt. Now, the British government has opened itself up to accusations that it is pursuing a similar scheme to use outstanding debt as a mask for the payment of ransom.

Although the UK government remains wary of offering diplomatic protection to Zaghari-Ratcliffe, it is considering the payment of approximately 530 million dollars, and many have suggested that Irans recent propaganda broadcasts were aimed at encouraging this move and even sparking discussion of another such move from the US. In addition to Wang, at least three other American citizens and one permanent resident are currently being held in Iranian jails.

These moves will certainly face pressure from Western policymakers who are concerned over what might be financed by a debt repayment-cum-ransom. In recent remarks to the House of Commons, British Member of Parliament Tom Tungendhat called attention to both hostage-taking and other Iranian misbehavior to support the argument that the UK has a failed Iran policy. Buzzfeed quoted him as saying, We have a capital in Tehran that is taking British hostages, developing missiles, threatening its neighbours, destabilising the region  and our policy is what? We have none.

These remarks were largely directed at Boris Johnson, who was in attendance and will certainly continue to face similar pressure from within the UK government. At the same time, though, he will also face pressure from the public to quickly secure Zaghari-Ratcliffes release. Many of her supporters assembled in London for a rally on Saturday where speakers including actress Emma Thomson reiterated the message that the government had not been doing enough on this case.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe herself addressed the crowd via telephone, according to the Associated Press. Im so grateful for everybodys support and love, she said.
However, Trump stood firm against the pressure that he was under from EU leaders (and officials from his own government) and announced that Irans compliance was not being recertified. In his speech justifying his decision, he listed a number of ways in which Irans behaviour and belligerence was endangering peace and security in the region, and further afar. He also spoke about Irans complete lack of respect for human rights with regards to the people of Iran and made his concerns about Irans ballistic missile program known.

The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called on his EU partners to open their eyes and take note of the threat that exists due to Irans belligerence. During a speech at the Wilson Center in Washington, the Secretary of State said that the United States is fully committed to to addressing the totality of the Iranian threat.

Tillerson urged the leaders of the Europe to make sure that no acts of belligerence on Irans part are left unaddressed.

During the previous administration, Tillerson noted that the Iran nuclear deal was the pillar of US policy towards Iran, but that this is no longer the case.

Former President Obamas policy of appeasement did not work. Iran was given concession after concession, but it still continued to sponsor terrorism, fund and fuel wars and conflicts in the region, abuse human rights, execute political prisoners, and so on. Iran became so complacent in its malign acts because it knew that it would be met with silence from the Obama administration.

The United States once had leverage over the Islamic Republic of Iran, but as soon as the nuclear deal was signed it was all lost. To some extent you could say that Iran got the upper hand because it knew that Obama was hellbent on getting the nuclear deal signed during his time in office.

Tillerson said: Europe and the United States dont want another nuclear threat like North Korea, nor are any of our nations at ease with Irans attempts at hegemony in the Middle East through support for terrorist organizations, militias on the ground in Iraq and Syria, and an active ballistic missile development program.

Iran is fuelling the war in Syria and had been heavily involved in it since it started in 2013. If it were not for Irans intervention, the war would have been over by now.

Iran has also been criticised for its interference in Lebanon and was cited by the prime minister of Lebanon as one of the reasons behind his resignation earlier this month.
Survivors of the massacre recounted how the blasts started only two minutes into the sermon. Worshippers fled when they heard the explosions outside and the attackers entered the mosque amid all the panic and started to fire around them.

Authorities say that dozens of terrorists, up to thirty of them, all dressed in camouflaged clothing and brandishing the black Islamic State groups flag, surrounded the mosque and started to shoot at the hundreds of worshipers who had gathered for weekly prayers.

It is thought that the attack was perpetrated by the jihadist Islamic State terrorist group. One potential reason for the North Sinai Rawda mosque being targeted could be the fact that it is associated with followers of the Sufi branch of Sunni Islam which the Islamic State group has slammed.

Awwad al-Awwad, Saudi Arabias Minister of Culture and Information, has sent messages of support to Egypt following this terrible attack. His comments came earlier this week during a meeting at the event held in Cairo for the Executive Office of Arab Ministers.

The Saudi minister said that the country must be resistant when it comes to further attacks that jeopardise the stability and security of Egypt. Al-Awwad also emphasised that the fight against terrorism is an effort that needs to be made together with other nations. He said it is important for it to be a joint effort and pointed out that there should be different methods employed to ensure that it is effective.

He said in his speech: Islams dialect has moved from individuals to countries and leading it is Iran. The Iranian regime is the first supporter, the founder and the spiritual father to terrorism. The Iranian regime has transformed terrorism from an individual act and developed it to become an institutional one supported militarily, financially and has the support of the media.

Al-Awwad pointed out that Iran is acting the way it is in the region because it wants to have political authority across the whole of the Middle East.

He emphasised that it is absolutely necessary for the international community to work together to fight terrorism and the sponsorship of terrorist groups. We must be united to stop the attempts of some media platforms calling for hatred and extremism and support terrorism.

The Iranian regime is meddling in several nations across the region and more and more leaders are calling Iran out for its belligerence. When the prime minister of Lebanon announced his resignation earlier this month, he said that one of the main reasons was Irans interference in his country. Iran was gaining increasing influence in Lebanon, partly thanks to its proxy Hezbollah which also benefits from political sway there.
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Asian nations are ignoring human rights issues to focus on trade and investment, some experts say. They say this is causing problems for Western countries that want to increase trade but also protect human rights.

The fastest-growing economies are in Asia. About 4.5 billion people live on the continent. Asian leaders rarely criticize other Asian governments for situations within their own borders. Such situations include the campaign against illegal drugs in the Philippines and the conflict between Myanmars leaders and ethnic Rohingya.

Recently in Manila, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met with representatives of eight governments, including the United States and China. The delegates did not talk about domestic problems in any of the countries. Human rights groups had urged the delegates for such discussion.

Daniel Chua is the deputy head of graduate studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He says he thinks Asian countries do not mix economic projects with domestic issues or human rights.

Such non-interference permits governments to focus on trade alone. But, citizens of Western countries often pressure their leaders to link human rights, labor problems or environmental issues with trade.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and President Donald Trump met at the ASEAN meeting. A Duterte spokesman says Trump did not talk about reports that Philippine police have killed thousands of people in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Duterte has criticized world leaders who have talked about the campaign, including former President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Jayant Menon is chief economist at the Asian Development Bank. He says Asian countries do not need deep free-trade agreements, or FTAs, that would deal with labor and pollution issues.

He says a World Trade Organization study shows that, in his words, Asian FTAs in general are a bit more shallow than other FTAs...because they (Asian countries) are not as big as Europe or North America. To sustain themselves, they need to look outside their borders for most of their trade and investment.

When Asian leaders make trade deals with one another, such as investment in infrastructure projects, they do not include pro-labor or environmental agreements. Western governments often require such agreements as part of trade deals.

At the ASEAN meetings, a joint statement was released on a planned ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to be signed next year. The trade agreement would involve 16 countries including China and India and half of the worlds population. The statement discusses trade and economic issues but not labor, the environment or human rights.

ASEAN represents 630 million people and four countries whose economies are predicted to grow more than 6 percent this year. It has trade agreements with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

In Manila, ASEAN and the United States said they would increase cooperation.

Im Caty Weaver.

Correspondent Ralph Jennings reported this story from Taipei. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver 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

focus - v. to direct your attention or effort at something

shallow - adj. smaller

sustain - v. to provide what is needed
North Korea launched a missile Tuesday that went down in the Sea of Japan about 370 kilometers from the Japanese coast.

American officials say it was an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. They say it traveled higher, farther and longer than any earlier North Korean test missile.

President Donald Trump spoke about the launch during a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House. He said the United States, in his words, will take care of it. He told reporters, Its a situation that we will handle. He did not offer any details.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis also spoke at the meeting. He said North Korea is continuing to build missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world.

U.S. Defense Department spokesman Rob Manning said the ICBM launched from Sain Ni in North Korea. It traveled about 1,000 kilometers, he said.

South Korean military officials said the missile reached the height of around 4,500 kilometers. South Koreas military answered the launch minutes later with its own missile test.

Japans defense minister estimated that the missile flew for about 50 minutes. The launch is North Koreas first since it fired an intermediate range missile over Japan on September 15.

David Wright is a physicist at the Union for Concerned Scientists. He told the Associated Press that the missile appeared to be North Koreas longest-range test yet. He said the missile could go as far as 13,000 kilometers if it had not flown at a lofted angle.

The ICBM launch came a week after the United States added North Korea back to the list of countries supporting terrorism.

North Korea called that move a serious provocation that gives good reason for its development of nuclear weapons.

Im Caty Weaver.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional AP news reports. Caty Weaver was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

intermediate range - n. ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 to 5,500 kilometers

lofted angle - n. the degree of launch angle to set a missile's path

provocation - n. an action that causes someone to be come angry or to do something


U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened major sanctions against North Korea after it tested a missile capable of reaching much of the United States.

Trump wrote on Twitter that he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about North Koreas latest missile launch. He said that additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States has a long list of additional potential sanctions, some of which involve potential financial institutions.

North Korean state media reported that the intercontinental ballistic missile is capable of striking the whole mainland of the U.S. The missile could be armed with a super-large heavy nuclear warhead.

The missile was launched at 3:17 a.m. on Wednesday from North Korea  or early Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C. It reached a height of 4,475 kilometers and traveled 950 kilometers before landing in the Sea of Japan.

State media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country has achieved its goal of becoming a rocket power.

After the launch, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the missile test went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they have taken. He added North Korea is continuing to build missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world.

American scientist David Wright has been following North Koreas missile and nuclear program. He wrote a blog post about the missile test for the Union for Concerned Scientists. Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States, Wright said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he is concerned that North Koreas missile threat could force the U.S. to attack the North.

Moon said at an emergency meeting in Seoul, We must stop a situation where North Korea miscalculates and threatens us with nuclear weapons or where the United States considers a preemptive strike.

Moon has repeatedly said the U.S. cannot attack the North without Seouls approval. But the U.S. may act without South Korean input.

The North Korean missile test came a week after the U.S. added the country back to a list of countries supporting terrorism.

The White House said Wednesday that in his call with President Xi Jinping, Trump spoke about the need for China to urge North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization.

Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that China remained determined to clear the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and to keep peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on AP news reports. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

impose - v. to force someone to accept

potential - adj. possible

preemptive - adj. done to stop an unwanted act by another group, country, etc., from happening


Turkish and Iranian ministers have signed an agreement with Qatar aimed at increasing the flow of goods to the Gulf state.

Qatar faces trade restrictions from its Middle Eastern neighbors, including Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has said it wants to punish Qatar for its ties with Iran and suspected links to terrorist groups.

Turkey, however, has increased cooperation with Iran on some issues, especially those connected to the conflict in Syria. For example, both Turkey and Iran oppose the formation of an independent Kurdish state.

AFP reports that the agreement signed Sunday is meant to increase commercial ties and the movement of goods between Turkey, Iran and Qatar.

Turkey increasing ties with Iran

Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russian and Iranian leaders increasingly would meet to discuss Syria.

Some experts say that Turkeys growing ties with Iran show there is disagreement with the Saudis. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has strengthened Saudi Arabias efforts to influence its neighbors in the Middle East.

Huseyin Bagci is an international relations professor at the Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara. He said, Prince Salman has more aspiration(s) in the region, even to cooperate with Israel and Egypt. He said that Saudi diplomatic efforts have acted to reduce Turkeys influence.

Some experts say that Saudi Arabias increased foreign relations efforts have been especially hard for President Erdogan.

For more than 15 years, he has sought to build ties with the Saudis in an effort to expand his countrys influence in the Middle East.

But the overthrow of Egypts President Mohamed Morsi in July of 2013 weakened those efforts. Morsi had been a close ally of Erdogan.

Many in Turkey blame the Saudi government for supporting the Egyptian militarys move to seize power. Morsi is currently in jail serving a life sentence for supporting violence against protesters opposed to his presidency.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia now compete in some cases for influence in Middle East issues.

But, Turkey also has strong economic ties to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis are big investors in Turkey and are the top foreign buyer of homes in the country. Saudi economic links also reduce Turkeys dependence on Europe for foreign investment.

Im Mario Ritter.

Dorian Jones reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with materials from AFP. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

commercial adj. related to business activities, activities done for money

aspiration n. something that a person wants to do very much

region n. a separate area of a country or the world

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United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
AirAsia intends to add five or six new routes to Macau every year, fulfilling a pledge made earlier by the founder of the company, Tony Fernandes, who noted that the SAR is its number one priority in North Asia.

The low cost airliners investment in Macau is expected to encourage travelers from Macaus neighboring regions to fly outbound from Macau International Airport.

Following its recent Macau-Jakarta route launch, the airline yesterday launched its new route to Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, the airlines seventh international destination from Macau.

The Macau-Johor Bahru route will operate daily with one flight per day both to and from Macau. Johor Bahru is the Malaysian city which borders Singapore.

The CEO of AirAsia Hong Kong and Macau, Celia Lao, hinted that the airline is expecting more routes to link Macau to other regions but declined to reveal which regions.

We [expect] some of the new routes [to come] for 2018 but [it] is not confirmed yet, Lao told the press.

AirAsia is also set to launch its Macau-Phuket route on January 8, with flight tickets already available for booking.

She implied that travelers from the citys neighboring regions are also one of its target markets.

Travelers from the Pearl River Delta Region, especially Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, can also leverage on this new route to travel to Malaysia, she said.

Johor Bahru is a tourist destination already but a lot of people from Macau and southern China dont know [about it], Lao added, pledging to promote the route to locals.

Last year, the airline has flown more than 230,000 customers between Malaysia and Macau, and thus Lao is confident that it could further promote tourism in both places.

Meanwhile, the director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed that the increase of flights to Macau will help boost the citys tourism arrivals, also adding that Malaysia remains one of the regions most significant markets.

Senna Fernandes believes that the route will allow residents and those living in the neighboring regions to make use of the flight to travel around Malaysia.

Having more flights from Malaysia will definitely open up new avenues because were talking about another area, Johor Bahru. So eventually we hope there will be other places in Malaysia connected to Macau as well. Well do it step by step, hopefully, said Senna Fernandes.

Commenting on the new routes in 2018, she said, I have heard some plans but [am] not sure whether these are very concrete.

Questioned whether the bureau is eyeing new routes for Macau in a bid to further increase tourism arrivals, the MGTO director explained that preferences go to the regional markets.

Although we would definitely want to have a long haul flight to Macau, when it comes to commercial operations, we have to be able to take it step by step, she added.

According to Senna Fernandes, in order to attract airlines and visitors to long haul flights, they also have to try to make Macau more of a hub and a base to fly outward from.

There is still a lot of homework for us to do. We have to be very practical about that.

Meanwhile Senna Fernandes hinted that the bureau will continue to promote the region in Indonesia, adding that it was pleased to see AirAsias Macau-Jakarta route introduced as Indonesia has a large population.

According to her, the market has potential in terms of incentive groups going outward, thus adding that it would be vital for Macau to attract incentive and meeting groups from Indonesia.

MGTO optimistic on December tourist arrivals

With the year almost coming to an end, Fernandes seemed confident on next months tourist arrivals, because the city is set to present several festivals during the festive season. With upcoming events including the Macao Light Festival, the International Film Festival & Awards and the Macao International Parade, the MGTO director says the bureau is also optimistic for Decembers figures. December is looking good for us. Up to October, the numbers that we have are very optimistic [positive]: around 4 percent better than last year, she said.
Zhou Xinci left her hometown in Chinas struggling rust belt four years ago for Beijing with little more than the clothes on her back and a dream to one day save enough money to buy a home.

That dream is now fast unraveling as Zhou, 35, watches as her neighbors  other low-income Chinese migrants like her  are being hurriedly evicted from their homes on the outskirts of the capital by the government.

Authorities in Beijing have launched sweeping evictions of workers who have migrated from elsewhere in the country, triggering a public outcry over the treatment of people the city depends on to build skyscrapers, care for children and take on other lowly paid work.

Zhou, whose husband is a factory worker in Beijing, knows their family will soon be next and wonders how they will stay in the city and keep their 9-year-old son safe and in school.

They are chasing people away from apartments and smashing things. How wouldnt a child be scared? My son is scared and cant sleep at night, of course Im scared too, she said.

Her family now pays 400 yuan (USD60) a month to rent a single room big enough for their bed, a wardrobe, television set and refrigerator. But with soaring rents and rising discrimination against migrant workers, she says it will be impossible to find another room.

They say Beijing people will feel heartache if they lose a dog, Zhou said. We are living people. How could they treat us like this?

Workers interviewed by the AP say whole families have been evicted, often with little notice, leaving them scrambling to transport their belongings in the freezing weather. Many have had to pile their furniture, bags, bedding, clothes and other items into overloaded pickup trucks and vans, discarding kitchenware and other belongings that wouldnt fit.

They called us at 5 a.m. and by 8 a.m. they had arrived with demolition equipment, said Bi Yanao, a 54-year-old migrant worker who has lived in Beijing for 13 years, describing what it was like to have to move out of his apartment in Daxing in just a few hours last week, clutching his belongings.

In just one hour, they flattened a 100-meter-long stretch of land. How scary is that.

After that, Bi went to work with his relative at a shop selling cosmetics, but then they were told this week they had a couple of days to move out. On Monday evening, Bi stood in the store surveying the piles of boxes of merchandise around him, at a loss for what to do. He teared up.

I want to cry, he said. I dont have anything left now.

Last week, the city launched a 40-day campaign to clear out tenants from buildings deemed unsafe after a massive fire killed 19 people at apartments rented mainly by low-income Chinese migrant workers.

The eviction drive has been met with widespread anger and criticism online, with people saying it has laid bare the stark inequality in China that prevents poorer migrants who provide essential services in cities from enjoying the same status as the cities residents. Under Chinas much-criticized household registration, or hukou, system, Chinese migrant workers who cant obtain hukou in the cities they work in are often denied access to subsidized health care, education and social services.

Most tenants living in such homes on the outskirts of the city are factory workers, construction laborers, delivery people, drivers, cleaners, or hairdressers who come from poorer parts of China. Others run their own small wholesale businesses and shops selling cheap goods. Some have lived for years in the city with their children.

Along the same street that Bi was on, the owner of a luggage store described a similar experience, saying officials came and told her family to leave within days before the area was to be sealed off and demolished.

People have feelings, we cannot accept this, to be asked to leave suddenly, said the store owner, who gave only her surname, Yang. Weve lived in Beijing for a long time and its not about how much contribution weve made. In the end, weve ended up with not even a place to live, I feel sad. So deeply sad.

A group of intellectuals signing an open letter to the central government urging the city to stop the evictions and provide temporary housing for the migrants.

One of the signatories, independent political commentator Zhang Lifan, said anger over the evictions showed that rapid economic growth has resulted in a massive accumulation of wealth and also rising inequality and a sense of unfairness.

Zhang said many Chinese were quick to extend a hand to displaced migrants because they too had once been in their shoes, having worked their way up the socio-economic ladder to secure a decent middle-class life.

When they saw that the migrants had been evicted, they realized that similar tragedies could have happened to them, Zhang said.

In the wake of the evictions, individuals and organizations have offered to help displaced migrants with free accommodation.

Wang Qi, an employee of a real- estate company in Langfang, a nearby city in Hebei province, said it would provide apartments as temporary homes for the migrant workers free of charge for up to three months. A posting online describing the offer said priority would be given to the sick, elderly and pregnant.

Our boss himself was once a migrant worker in Beijing, Wang said. But now that he has become wealthier, he wants to help out.

The Beijing Work Safety Administration has denied that the campaign is aimed at driving out low-income migrants, saying it covers unsafe housing across the city.

The Nov. 18 fire in Daxing district that killed 19 people, including eight children, was a very painful lesson for the government, and the cleanup campaign was aimed at not allowing such a tragedy to be repeated, a statement on the administrations website said.

It acknowledged that the evictions have caused temporary difficulties to people who have had to leave at short notice and it pledged to fix such problems.

The Beijing city government said last year it plans to cap the citys population at 23 million by 2020 and cut by 15 percent the number of people in six main districts.

China Labor Bulletin spokesman Geoffrey Crothall says the evictions are part of an ongoing effort by the government to redevelop land and capitalize on rising land prices. With the evictions, the government is effectively driving out the backbone of the citys labor force, Crothall said.

Beijing needs migrant workers to do all the low-cost efficient service jobs that middle-class Beijingers depend upon, said Crothall. But if you push them out of the city altogether, then there is going to be no one to do those jobs. Emily Wang & Yi-Ling Liu, Beijing, AP
Organized by the European Union Academic Program  Macao (EUAP-M) of the University of Macau (UM), the conference 60 Years after the Treaties of Rome: What is the Future for the European Union?, held for the last two days at the Faculty of Law of the UM, was the last big event of the EUAP-M program.

The program that now closes was introduced with the hope of contributing to a better knowledge of the EU in the context of Macau and of China and aiming to be a spring-board for the continuation of studies about the EU, the Associate Professor from the Faculty of Law and one of the main organizers of the event, Paulo Canelas de Castro, told the Times.

These [events] are important as the EU is one of the main actors of the currently globalized world, Castro said, adding, the EU is a leader in some fields, such as climate change [approaches] and in other aspects an important strategic partner of the world that [is] dominated by the global agenda [of countries like] the US, Russia and China.

To address topics on the EU is particularly important in Macau, Castro said, due to the roots of the law and in terms of its values and juridical culture.

In terms of outcomes, Castro noted that the program will work as a tonic for future relations; thats our hope and our goal.
China sentenced a Taiwanese activist to five years in prison yesterday for holding online political lectures and helping the families of jailed dissidents in a conviction demonstrating how Beijings harshest crackdown on human rights in decades has extended beyond the Chinese mainland.

The trial of Lee Ming-che was also Chinas first known criminal prosecution of a nonprofit worker since Beijing passed a law last year tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations.

The Yueyang City Intermediate Peoples Court in central China handed down the sentence against Lee after finding him guilty of subversion of state power. Lee had confessed during his trial in September, which his wife dismissed as a political show.

Lees co-defendant, Peng Yuhua, who is from mainland China, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Peng had also pleaded guilty, saying he had founded an organization called Palm Flower Co. to pressure China to accept a multiparty political system and that Lee was his deputy in charge of education.

Lees wife Lee Ching-yu attended the sentencing. A price must be paid in the pursuit of an ideal, she said in a statement issued through her supporters. Striving for human rights for the underprivileged is a necessary dedication to promoting the progress of human civilization.

Supporters say that since the trial ended Lee Ching-yu has been prevented from leaving her hotel room or meeting with anyone. Calls to her mobile phone rang unanswered.

Lee Ming-che took the risk despite knowing the dangers, she said, adding that she was proud of him.

Subversion of state power is a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics. Both men said they would not appeal.

Taiwan, a self-governing island Beijing regards as part of Chinese territory, swiftly condemned the sentence.

The spread of democratic ideas is innocent! Alex Huang, the spokesman of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, said in a statement. Huang urged Beijing to release Lee as soon as possible and allow him to return to Taiwan.

We cannot accept that Lee Ming-che has been convicted of state subversion for sharing ideas of freedom and democracy out of concern for the development of mainland Chinas civil society and democracy, the statement said.

Taiwans Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement it would not accept the verdict against Lee and said the government would continue working to secure his release from China.

Lee Ming-che, 42, cleared immigration in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau on March 19 and never showed up for a planned meeting later that day with a friend in the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.

He had previously conducted online lectures on Taiwans democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China.

Chinas wide-ranging crackdown on civil society has featured a string of televised confessions  believed to have been coerced  from human rights activists accused of plotting to overthrow the political system.

The new law passed in April 2016 says foreign NGOs must not endanger Chinas national security and ethnic unity, and places nonprofit groups under close police supervision. It is seen as an attempt to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling Communist Partys control.

Relations between Taiwan and China have been near an all-time low since the election of Tsai, whose party has advocated Taiwans formal independence. China cut off contacts with Taiwans government in June of last year, five months after Tsai was elected.

Amnesty International said Lee Ming-che was a victim of a politically motivated prosecution and that the evidence against him was not credible.

He is the latest to suffer under the Chinese authorities relentless attack against human rights and democracy activists, Roseann Rife, the groups East Asia research director, said in a statement. Gillian Wong, Beijing, AP
Pope Francis insisted yesterday that Myanmars future depends on respecting the rights of each ethnic group, an indirect show of support for Rohingya Muslims who have been subject to decades of discrimination and a recent military crackdown described by the U.N. as a textbook campaign of ethnic cleansing.

Francis didnt cite the crackdown or even utter the contested word Rohingya in his speech to Myanmars civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other authorities and diplomats in the capital. But he lamented how Myanmars people have suffered and continue to suffer from civil conflict and hostilities, and insisted that everyone who calls Myanmar home deserves to have their basic human rights and dignity guaranteed.

Rohingya Muslims have faced state-supported discrimination in the predominantly Buddhist country for decades, deprived of citizenship and unable to access basic services such as adequate education and health care. In August, the army began what it called clearance operations in Rakhine state following an attack on police posts by Rohingya insurgents. The violence, looting and burning of villages has forced more than 620,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

In his most anticipated speech of his weeklong trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, Francis expressed support for Suu Kyis efforts to bring about reconciliation among different groups after decades of military dictatorship. And he insisted that religious differences in the majority Buddhist country must never be a cause for division or distrust.

The future of Myanmar must be peace, a peace based on respect for the dignity and rights of each member of society, respect for each ethnic group and its identity, respect for the rule of law, and respect for a democratic order that enables each individual and every group  none excluded  to offer its legitimate contribution to the common good, he said.

Francis avoidance of the term Rohingya and his encouragement for Suu Kyis government disappointed Rohingya activists and human rights groups, who have criticized Suu Kyi for what they consider a weak response to the military crackdown. Suu Kyis supporters  including the Catholic Church  say she is limited in what she can say against the military and needs more time to bring about reconciliation.

The term Rohingya is shunned by many in Myanmar because the ethnic group is not a recognized minority in the country. The question of whether Francis would use the term in a show of solidarity dominated the run-up to his trip.

We thought that the pope was going to mention the suffering of Rohingya people, but now he cannot even use the name Rohingya and its totally unacceptable, said Kyaw Naing, a 53-year-old Rohingya man who lives in a confined camp outside of Sittwe, in Rakhine state. We are very sad that our identity cannot even be revealed.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division, said he hoped the pope would use the term during Mass today.

The pope missed an opportunity to reinforce his previous messages that affirmed the rights of the Rohingya to self-identify and used the name that they had chosen for themselves, he said. The Rohingya have been stripped of so many things, but their name should never be one of them.

Suu Kyi, for her part, referred to the situation in the Rakhine in her speech to Francis in the huge conference center in Naypyitaw, Myanmars new capital. But she used the conflict as an opportunity to thank those who have supported the government as it seeks to address long-standing issues  social, economic and political  that have eroded trust and understanding, harmony and cooperation in Rakhine.

She said the governments aim is to carry forward the peace process and strengthen Myanmars diversity by protecting rights, fostering tolerance, ensuring security for all.

Francis arrived in Naypyitaw after meeting with leaders of Myanmars different religious groups in Yangon at the archbishops residence, and separately with a prominent but controversial Buddhist leader who has criticized the Rohingya.

The pope stressed a message of unity in diversity in his 40-minute meeting with Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders and told them they should work together to rebuild the country, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said.

Francis meeting with Buddhist monk Sitagu Sayadaw was undertaken in an effort to encourage peace and fraternal coexistence as the only way ahead, Burke said.

Sitagu also met with Franciss predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, but has been criticized for using ethnic slurs against Muslims, particularly the Rohingya. He received an award presented by Suu Kyi earlier this year.

Francis dove into the Rohingya refugee crisis hours after arriving on Monday by meeting with the military chief responsible for the crackdown, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, and three members of the bureau of special operations. The generals office said in a statement on Facebook that he is willing to have interfaith peace, unity and justice. The general added that there was no religious or ethnic persecution or discrimination in Myanmar, and that the government allowed freedom of worship.

Rohingya Muslims were stripped of citizenship in 1982, denying them almost all rights and rendering them stateless. They cannot travel freely, practice their religion, or work as teachers or doctors, and have little access to medical care, food or education.

Myanmars Catholic Church has publicly urged Francis to avoid saying Rohingya, and they have urged him to toe a delicate line in condemning the violence, given the potential for blowback against the tiny Catholic community.

Francis previously has prayed for our Rohingya brothers and sisters, lamented their suffering and called for them to enjoy full rights. As a result, much of the debate before his trip focused on whether he would again express solidarity with the Rohingya. Any decision to avoid the term and shy away from the conflict could be viewed as a capitulation to the military and a stain on his legacy of standing up for the most oppressed and marginalized of society, no matter how impolitic. Nicole Winfield, Naypyitaw, AP
Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak stressed yesterday during the Policy Address presentation at the Legislative Assembly (AL) that the public should be aware that CCTV surveillance cameras will not compromise democratic movements.

In yesterdays AL, Wong expressed his admiration for mainland Chinas CCTV surveillance camera system.

Wong has mentioned mainland Chinas advanced skills in installing surveillance cameras multiple times. When Sulu Sou pointed out Wongs specific appreciation for mainland Chinas surveillance system, Wong noted that London also features a well-developed surveillance system.

Is London [undermining] democratic movements? This is wrong [assuming surveillance cameras compromise democratic movements], declared Wong.

Wong said that installing more CCTV surveillance cameras in town is a great tendency. Wong expressed his opinion at the AL, which marked the second time Wong has commented on how to make a city secure.

Lawmaker Ma Chi Seng strongly urged Wong to speed up the installation of more cameras in town.

Wong approved Mas words, saying that many countries are doing these things.

Mainland [China] is very advanced in this aspect. It can annihilate several crimes and security incidents in their beginning, or, at least [it] can reduce the level of [consequences] of security accidents, explained Wong, adding even though it [the surveillance system] does not wipe out or reduce [incidents], it [] can help the police with their investigations. This is a top priority task. So we included it in the first chapter of our policy address for next year.

The secretary proudly revealed that he visited several places across mainland China to gain experience in installing CCTV surveillance cameras in the Macau territory.

We are investing efforts in works of this nature. Mainland [China] is developing rapidly [in this field]. I have already visited Guangdong and Shanghai, and I am preparing to visit Zhejiang. Zhejiang is developing very [quickly] especially concerning anti-terrorism procedures. These advantages are really worth[while] for us to refer to, said Wong.

The secretary noted that [the police] can follow the flow by sensitive people or by terrorists. He then claimed that installing more cameras will have a very important effect on improving public security, traffic flow, the flow of pedestrians, and in decreasing general risk levels within the city.

We can save precious time on investigations. Before, [an investigation] would require several days, but [afterwards] it can be solved in seconds, pointed out Wong.

The Secretary for Security also remarked that the police authority is preparing to refer to [the] mainlands experience and to initiate the drafting of a law regarding security.

Regarding democratic movements, lawmaker Ng Kuok Cheong feels that the police authority abused its power in prosecutions against demonstrators.

In a civilized society, people can express their opinions resorting to peaceful methods. [] Macau people have always been peaceful. Most demonstrations were carried out in calm environments, said Ng, who then asked if Macau had entered a period of political prosecution and suppression?

[Saying that the police force] is abusing [its power to make] prosecutions is an insult to the police. [] The police are enforcing the law according to its rules, clarified Wong.

According to the secretary, from 2014 until now, 46 men and 12 women involved in two protests and two assemblies were prosecuted due to their actions during these events.

During the same period, there was a total of 1,882 assemblies and 147 demonstrations.

Controversial border control policy

LAWMAKER NG Kuok Cheong has some doubts regarding the regions border control policy, which has even banned scholars, social workers, journalists [] and a one-year-old child from entering Macau. I have addressed [the topic of] banning entries. Any country or region has the right and responsibility to protect their local security. It works the same in the whole world. The United States even listed a [whole] country to be subject to travel bans, said Wong, who then questioned why is it not a problem for countries to aim at a whole country, but I cannot do the same when targeting individuals? He said that he hopes the public stands behind him on this issue.

No freedom for all speech, says Wong Sio Chak

Wong Sio Chak has said that there is no guaranteed freedom for all speech when he was questioned by two lawmakers, Sulu Sou and Ng Kuok Cheong, regarding Macaus freedom of speech.

Ng reminded that two senior citizens were prosecuted earlier this year after sharing messages, considered rumors, about Typhoon Hato through a mobile application.

In Ngs opinion, the public, most of the time, has no way to confirm certain information.

Sou pointed out that some residents claimed to have used a VPN to access a few applications during Typhoon Hato, because these residents were worried the government had somehow interfered.

Sou asked if Macaus freedom of communication will step towards mainland Chinas style.

[Regarding] the cyber security law, it did not go through public consultation at all. [] Nobody has seen the contents of the bill, complained Sou.

Sou asked Wong if the police authority would violate residents right of freedom of speech [], now and in the future, in the name of social security.

My doubt is why [you] ask me? Why dont you ask the telecommunication department? If you suspect that there is a crime, you can report it. If the internet is unstable, we are not responsible for it. [] We have always been enforcing laws according to their rules. Not all speech is free, said Wong.

All speech needs to be controlled within the law, [] it is not absolutely free, including speech online. We are supervising according to the law, said Wong.
The need for Macau to continue to relate to and negotiate directly with the outside world is a question of stability and sustainability for the future of the region, according to the president of the Institute of European Studies of Macau. Jose Sales Marques was speaking during a conference titled 60 Years after the Treaties of Rome: What is the Future for the European Union? taking place at the University of Macau. The event broadly addressed the different aspects of relations between China and the European Union (EU).

Speaking at a session titled Macau-EU Relations for a New Era, Sales Marques said, According to Macau history, Macau was always more prosperous when it had one hand into mainland China and another in the outside world, adding, If Macau turns only to mainland China it will lose many opportunities to engage itself in a much wider context and give its people and economy a much [more] sustainable future.

According to the expert on Macau-EU relations, long ago (in 1993) Macau was granted a status that allows the region to establish, by its own initiative, relations with foreign countries and international organizations.

These relations, that he clearly stated to be external relations and not foreigner relations, are clearly written in the Macau Basic Law, he said. They state Macau is allowed to give itself a leading role to represent China in the establishment of relations and communication channels to the Portuguese-speaking countries under Forum Macau.

Sales Marques fears that the current developments and priorities established by the Central Government that attribute several roles to the region might lead people in the wrong path due to policies and measures being extremely focused on mainland China which will have consequent effects between the relations with others, in particular the European Union.

Regarding the relations between Macau and the EU, Sales Marques also mentioned that Macau is probably, the only region of the world that has a dramatically unbalanced commercial trade balance in which the European Union has a significant surplus due to the large quantity of imports from the EU, by the region, namely of luxury goods, a fact that results directly from its economic development.

Regarding the latest developments in these relations, Sales Marques says that currently there are only two areas in which cooperation and exchange between Macau and the EU are happening, specifically in the fields of Economic relations and Trade and the Legal system, taking note of the historical background and roots of Macaus legal system being based on the Portuguese and European models.

Questioned on the current importance of the EU for Macau and possible consequences related to the Brexit, Sales Marques said, Frankly speaking, I dont think Macau will gain too much from Brexit; Hong Kong is too important [on what matters to the relations with UK], this is the first reason, he said. The other reason is regarding the priorities settled for Macau that are very clear and written down on the Greater Bay area, concluding, there are three points [to focus on]: first  one center  means [one] center for tourism and leisure, thats what we have now; one platform  is the platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries; and one base  and thats the base for cultural dialogue between Macau, China and other cultures so [the] EU is not a priority for Macau and I think we need to come to this conclusion very clearly and those who live here would understand what Im saying.

Also addressing topics on the relations of China and the EU were Francis Snyder and Ni Lili, from Peking University and Shenzhen Graduate School, Javier Wrana, from the University Rey Juan Carlos in Spain and Kenneth Chan, from Hong Kong Baptist University.

An index to account degree of Mainlanderization

JAVIER WRANA, a scholar from the University Rey Juan Carlos in Spain, had the idea to create an index that could account for the degree of mainlanderization in Macau. The idea came as a reply to a talk by Kenneth Chan, a speaker from Hong Kong Baptist University. During his talk, Wrana proposed an index to statistically quantify the Evolution of relative weight in global terms of the EU versus China, while Chan addressed the relations of the neighboring region with the EU and the non-conceptual idea of mainlanderization of the SAR that could jeopardize the role of Hong Kong as a Global City. After the presentations, Wrana launched the challenge, saying that he was available to create an index to study precisely the evolution of what can be considered mainlanderization on both the Macau and Hong Kong regions, and subsequently launched such a challenge to both the University of Macau and Hong Kong Baptist University.
The total value of imported merchandise for October 2017 rose by 3.6 percent year-on-year to MOP6.25 billion.

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise trade deficit in October amounted to MOP5.44 billion.

From January to October 2017, the total value of imported merchandise went up by 4.7 percent year-on-year to MOP60.50 billion.

The merchandise trade deficit widened to MOP51.13 billion for the first 10 months of 2017.

Meanwhile, the value of exported merchandise in October amounted to MOP806 million, up by 6.1 percent year-on-year; the value of re-exports (MOP686 million) increased by 11 percent.

Value of domestic exports (MOP120 million) slid by 15.1 percent, with that of glass and glassware falling by 88.4 percent.

From January to October 2017, the total value of exported merchandise increased by 10.3 percent year-on-year to MOP9.37 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP7.9 billion) grew by 15.1 percent, but that of domestic exports (MOP1.46 billion) declined by 10 percent.

Merchandise exported to mainland China increased by 21.1 percent year-on-year to MOP1.78 billion in the first 10 months of 2017, of which exports to the nine provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP1.58 billion) grew by 14.1 percent.

Merchandise imported from mainland China (MOP19.94 billion) and the Portuguese-speaking countries (MOP521 million) decreased by 5.7 percent and 3.9 percent respectively year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2017.

Imports from the European Union (MOP15.54 billion) increased by 12.4 percent.

Analyzed by place of consignment, merchandise imported from mainland China shrank by 2.1 percent to MOP9.74 billion, of which imports from the nine provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP9.27 billion) fell by 1.2 percent. Imports of consumer goods went up by 11.0 percent to MOP39.97 billion.

External merchandise trade totaled MOP69.87 billion in the first 10 months of 2017, up by 5.4 percent compared with MOP66.27 billion a year earlier.
The city of Zhuhai is building a second airport for private aircraft and other aviation users. In doing so, Macaus neighboring city follows a common trend within China, particularly Guangdong, the countrys richest province. A business jet service center is already operating in the Shenzhen Baoan International Airport.

They are serious about opening up new airports and have been giving private jets more over-flight permits to use Chinese airspace, Thomas Flohr, founder and chairman of privately owned VistaJet, an operator of business jet charter flights, told Nikkei news agency.

In China, the private jet sector is undergoing a transition from individual to corporate ownership. Sales of private jets have been slow because mainland authorities took a cautious approach to the sector, especially given Xi Jinpings anti-graft campaign. According to data from Asian Sky Group, the countrys jet fleet grew by a net 13 aircraft last year compared with a gain of 57 in 2013.

However, some industry insiders say that the slow sales of new aircraft is partly justified by a large number of secondhand jets which have also been on the market.

Thomas Flohr and other executives interviewed by Nikkei believe that the private aircraft industry will rebound but as a result of corporations rather than individuals leading the way, similar to what was seen in the United States.

Some other companies are opting for charter services, such as those offered by VistaJet. The cost benefits are very clear, Flohr said. It costs USD25,000 to $30,000 per hour to run a private jet based on 300 hours of flying time per year. We offer the same flying time for $16,000 to $18,000 per hour.

Airport capacity remains a problem for private jet operations in China. The existing infrastructure at commercial airports is sometimes at full capacity and slots for private jets are often in high demand, Nikkei reported.
Nov 29, 2017

Installation of the 22nd UA President, Dr. Robert C. Robbins

Dr. Robert C. Robbins assumed his position as the 22nd president of the University of Arizona on June 1, 2017.

The installation will include a procession (academic regalia required) from Old Main to Centennial Hall at 1:45 p.m., a ceremony at Centennial Hall from 2-2:45 p.m. and a reception on the west lawn of Old Main immediately following. The installation will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

Back to ABOR & UA
A new study led by Michigan State University strongly suggests that firearm restrictions work to reduce intimate partner homicides. Credit: Nicolas Barbier Garreau on Unsplash

State laws that restrict gun ownership among domestic abusers and others with violent histories appear to significantly reduce intimate partner homicides, indicates a groundbreaking national study led by a Michigan State University researcher.

The findings, which come on the heels of the Texas church massacre by a man with a history of domestic violence, suggest state laws with broader gun restrictions are more effective at preventing homicides among romantic partners - even if the laws do not exclusively target domestic abuse.

Currently, 13 states and federal law prohibit gun purchases by individuals convicted of domestic violence; the study finds that states that extend this ban to people convicted of any violent misdemeanor experience 23 percent fewer intimate partner homicides.

Reductions in domestic partner homicides were also more pronounced when gun-restriction laws included dating partners (not just spouses or ex-spouses) and a requirement that abusers surrender their firearms.

April Zeoli, MSU associate professor of criminal justice and primary investigator on the research, said broader gun-restriction laws could potentially save the lives of hundreds of domestic violence victims every year. Of the 1,352 intimate partner homicides in 2015, 55 percent were committed by firearms, according to the FBI.

"The evidence from this study and previous research highly suggests that firearm restrictions work to reduce intimate partner homicides and that laws need to be comprehensive when we think about populations most at risk for committing intimate partner violence," Zeoli said. "Expanding restrictions from those who have been convicted of domestic violence to those who have been convicted of any violent misdemeanor, and including dating partners in domestic violence firearm laws would likely result in even greater reductions."

The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, is co-authored by Alexander McCourt, Shani Buggs, Shannon Frattaroli and Daniel Webster, all from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, and David Lilley from the University of Toledo. The work is funded by The Joyce Foundation.

The researchers studied the effects of firearm restrictions on intimate partner homicides in the 45 states with available data over a 34-year period, 1980 to 2013.

Twenty-nine states had laws restricting firearms in domestic violence cases when a restraining order had been issued. These laws were linked to a 9 percent reduction in intimate partner homicides, reinforcing past research with strikingly similar findings, Zeoli said.

But the MSU-led study went deeper than past research by examining other state laws that restrict gun access. Among the findings:

Restraining orders for dating partners that include firearm restrictions (present in 22 states) were linked to a 10 percent decrease in romantic partner homicides and a 14 percent reduction in partner homicides committed with firearms. Dating partner statutes go beyond traditional domestic violence restraining order laws, which cover spouses, ex-spouses, couples that live together or have lived together and couples that have children together. Zeoli noted that nearly half of intimate partner homicides are committed by dating partners who often aren't covered by these traditional partner categories in firearm-restriction laws.

Gun restrictions that cover emergency restraining orders in domestic violence cases were associated with a 12 percent reduction in intimate partner homicides.

Permit-to-purchase laws were linked to a 11 percent reduction in intimate partner homicides. These laws, active in ten states including Michigan and New York, require a permit from a law enforcement agency - and thus a criminal background check - to purchase a firearm. (While federal law requires a criminal background check to buy a gun from a licensed dealer, most states allow the purchase of firearms from private sellers without a background check. Other states mandate background checks for all gun sales, but don't require a permit or interaction with law enforcement.)

Laws requiring individuals with domestic violence restraining orders to relinquish firearms were associated with a 22 percent reduction in firearm intimate partner homicide.

The man who authorities say fatally shot 26 people at a Texas church had been court-martialed in the Air Force after pleading guilty to domestic abuse. The Air Force is investigating how it failed to report the information that would have blocked the shooter from buying the rifle he used in the attack from a store in San Antonio.

But even if the information had been submitted and the shooter had flunked his background check, he still could have bought guns through unregulated private sale in Texas or most other states.

Zeoli said the mounting scientific research on the issue clearly indicates that broader gun restrictions may be one answer to curbing homicides by intimate partners.

"Our findings are consistent with prior research, supporting the claim that prohibiting domestic violence abusers from having firearms saves lives," she said. "This new evidence suggests that laws that disarm the largest number of people with histories of violence, require permits for handgun purchasers and require relinquishment of firearms for those who are prohibited from having them are effective in reducing domestic homicides."
Credit: UC Davis

A state law that funded upgrades to California's prescription drug monitoring program and mandated physicians, pharmacists and controlled substance prescribers to register by July 2016 significantly increased registration rates, a new survey of 1,904 California physicians and pharmacists conducted by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Program has found.

The online survey, conducted from August 2016 to January 2017 in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, assessed the expanded functions of the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES), the statewide electronic database that tracks all controlled substance prescriptions (such as opioid pain relievers) dispensed by California pharmacies.

The survey also evaluated physicians' and pharmacists' attitudes about prescription drug misuse and abuse, prescribing practices, and expectations about using prescription drug monitoring programs when prescribing or dispensing controlled substances.

"A major goal of the study was to identify ways to make CURES more useful and, by extension, to encourage registration and use," said Stephen Henry, assistant professor of general medicine at UC Davis and lead author of the report.

Increased registration

Ninety-six percent of pharmacists and 82 percent of physicians surveyed had registered for CURES, compared to only about 25 percent of physicians and 50 percent of pharmacists in 2015. Among the unregistered physicians, 71 percent said they were not aware of the new registration requirement but would likely register for CURES during the next three months.

"While California's mandatory registration law successfully increased CURES registration rates, physicians lag slightly behind pharmacists in registration and use, and perceive CURES to be less useful than do pharmacists," Henry said.

Twenty-eight percent of physicians said they check CURES for at least half of the patients for whom they prescribe controlled substances, and 36 percent of pharmacists check CURES for at least half of the prescriptions they dispense.

Preliminary data from the California Department of Justice, which administers the CURES program but was not involved in the survey, suggests that the total number of queries to the CURES system by pharmacists and prescribers more than doubled between January 2015 and January 2017.

CURES use mandated

Experts have recommended that physicians, pharmacists and other prescribers review patients' prescription histories in CURES before prescribing controlled substances, and President Trump's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis have identified prescription drug monitoring programs like CURES as key tools for preventing prescription drug misuse and overdose.

A new law (SB-482) passed in 2016 that is expected to go into effect in 2018 will require physicians and other prescribers to check CURES when they prescribe controlled substances.

Nearly 70 percent of pharmacists and 40 percent of physicians surveyed consider checking CURES to be standard of care when prescribing or dispensing controlled substances. But support for the mandatory use of CURES was somewhat lower, with only 39 percent of pharmacists and 23 percent of physicians agreeing.

Physicians' and pharmacists' beliefs about how often their peers use CURESbut not their sense of professional obligation to use CURESalso predicted their intent to use CURES in the future.

"Education and outreach efforts that emphasize physicians' and pharmacists' use of CURES may be more effective at driving use of the database than moralizing to pharmacists and physicians," Henry said. "Continued improvements to CURES will also make it easier for physicians and pharmacists to comply with the law and share information to prevent and address the abuse of opioids and other controlled substances."

The survey was conducted in part to evaluate updates to the CURES program that were funded in the same bill that required physicians and pharmacists to register for CURES. These updates included streamlined electronic registration, automatic alerts for certain high-risk prescribing practices, ability to send peer-to-peer messages and flag patient-provider agreements, and the ability for user delegates to initiate patient reports on behalf of pharmacists and prescribers.
(HealthDay)Despite recent claims from actor Chuck Norris that a dye commonly used during MRI scans seriously sickened his wife, a new study finds no evidence to support such a link.

The substance in question is gadolinium. It's a metal found in contrast agents that are injected into the body during an MRI scan, to enhance the quality of the images.

Earlier this month, Norris filed a lawsuit alleging that his wife fell ill after being exposed to gadolinium during MRI scans.

The suit says that Gena Norris was left weak, tired and suffering bouts of pain and burning sensations.

Doctors have been using gadolinium-based agents for 30 yearstotaling more than 300 million doses, said Dr. Vikas Gulani, an associate professor of radiology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

But, Gulani explained, researchers have only recently discovered that trace amounts of the metal can be left behind in the brain.

In September, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel called for a warning to be added to the agents' labels. The warning specifies that trace amounts of gadolinium may be retained in various organs, including the skin, bone and brain.

The big question remains, though: What, if any, are the harms?

The new findings, from a study of nearly 4,300 older adults, offer some reassurance. Researchers found no evidence that gadolinium exposure was related to faster mental decline over several years.

"The key issue is, if (this) substance deposits in trace amounts in the brain, are there any harms?" said Gulani, who was not involved in the new study.

He said this study is one of the first to address that question in a "meaningful way."

"This gives us a critical piece of information," Gulani said.

The report was based on 4,261 older adults who were part of a study looking at the natural course of "cognitive impairment"milder problems with memory and thinking skillsand full-blown dementia.

At the outset, the participants had an average age of 72 and had no signs of impairment. About one-quarter had ever received a gadolinium-based agent during an MRItypically within the past two to nine years.

Overall, there was no clear link between gadolinium exposure and older adults' risk of cognitive decline over the next few years.

Nor was there any evidence that gadolinium exposure sped up people's progression from milder impairment to dementia.

Dr. Robert McDonald, of the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., led the study. He was scheduled to present the findings Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, in Chicago. Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

"This study provides useful data that at the reasonable doses 95 percent of the population is likely to receive in their lifetime, there is no evidence at this point that gadolinium retention in the brain is associated with adverse clinical outcomes," McDonald said in a news release from the meeting.

For now, the FDA says that gadolinium agents have only one known health risk: A "small subgroup" of kidney failure patients has developed a rare skin condition that causes a painful thickening of the skin.

"At this point," Gulani said, "we are not aware of any harms from these agents being retained in the brain."

Still, he added, the latest study does not rule out that possibility. There are still open questionsincluding whether gadolinium exposure could be related to other neurological issues, like movement problems.

Gadolinium-based agents help brighten tissues in MRI scans, and are considered an important part of getting accurate diagnosesfor everything from cancer, to heart conditions, to liver disease.

So, Gulani said, any theoretical risks from the agents have to be balanced against their proven benefits.

Still, there are cases where an MRI can be done without a contrast agent, Gulani noted. "It's reasonable for patients to ask their doctor whether it's needed or not," he said.

Gulani helped craft the latest recommendations from the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine on using MRI contrast agents. They say that if a gadolinium-based agent is not necessary, it should be skipped.

"It's just like with any other medication," Gulani said. "If you don't need it, don't use it."

More information: The FDA has more on The FDA has more on gadolinium-based contrast agents

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A research assistant draws blood for HIV testing from a participant in the Rakai Community Cohort Study. Credit: Rakai Health Sciences Program

A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine provides real-world evidence that implementing a combination of proven HIV prevention measures across communities can substantially reduce new HIV infections in a population.

Investigators found that HIV incidence dropped by 42 percent among nearly 18,000 people in Rakai District, Uganda, during a seven-year period in which the rates of HIV treatment and voluntary medical male circumcision increased significantly.

The HIV prevention strategy whose impact was observed in the study is based on earlier findings by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others demonstrating the protective effect of voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV-uninfected men and of HIV-suppressing antiretroviral therapy (ART) for halting sexual transmission of the virus to uninfected partners. The strategy is also based on studies showing that changes in sexual behavior, such as having only one sexual partner, can help prevent HIV infection.

"Before this study, we knew that these HIV prevention measures worked at an individual level, yet it was not clear that they would substantially reduce HIV incidence in a populationor even if it would be possible to get large numbers of people to adopt them," said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH. "This new analysis demonstrates that scaling up combination HIV prevention is possible and can turn the tide of the epidemic."

NIAID co-funded the research, and NIAID investigators oversaw all laboratory operations. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funded the provision of combination HIV prevention, including ART and circumcision services, during the period observed in the study.

The newly reported research involved nearly 34,000 people ages 15 to 49 years residing in 30 communities that participate in the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS) conducted by the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Uganda. With funding from NIH and others, this program promoted HIV testing, ART and voluntary medical male circumcision to study participants. Every one or two years from April 1999 until September 2016, participants were tested for HIV and surveyed about their sexual behavior, use of HIV treatment, and male circumcision status. The authors of the new paper analyzed these survey data under the leadership of M. Kate Grabowski, Ph.D., an assistant professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and an epidemiologist with the Rakai Health Sciences Program.

The investigators found that the proportion of study participants living with HIV who reported taking ART climbed from zero in 2003 to 69 percent in 2016. The proportion of male study participants who were voluntarily circumcised grew from 15 percent in 1999 to 59 percent in 2016. While levels of condom use with casual partners and the proportion of people reporting multiple sexual partners remained largely unchanged, the proportion of adolescents ages 15 to 19 who reported never having sex rose from 30 percent in 1999 to 55 percent in 2016.

As an apparent consequence of these increases, particularly in ART use and voluntary male circumcision, the annual number of new HIV infections in the cohort fell from 1.17 per 100 person-years in 2009 to 0.66 per 100 person-years in 2016, a 42 percent decrease. Person-years are the sum of the number of years that each cohort member participated in the study. The researchers calculated the annual number of new HIV infections using data from nearly 18,000 of the almost 34,000 total participants.

In addition, the proportion of cohort members living with HIV whose treatment suppressed the virus increased from 42 percent in 2009 to 75 percent in 2016, showing the feasibility of meeting the goal of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative to achieve 73 percent viral suppression.

"These findings are extremely encouraging and suggest that with sustained commitment to increase the number of people who use combination HIV prevention, it may be possible to achieve epidemic control and eventual elimination of HIV," said David Serwadda, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med., M.P.H., co-founder of the Rakai Health Science Program and Professor at Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala, Uganda.

HIV incidence dropped the mostby 57 percentamong circumcised men, likely because both their own circumcision and ART taken by their female sexual partners living with HIV protected these men from the virus. HIV incidence declined by 54 percent among all men but by only 32 percent among all women. According to the investigators, this difference probably occurred because a greater percentage of women living with HIV than men living with HIV took ART, and because nearly two-thirds of men chose the extra preventive benefit of circumcision. The researchers suggest addressing this gender imbalance by influencing more men living with HIV to take ART and by giving HIV-uninfected women HIV prevention tools that they can control unilaterally, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The scientists anticipate that the RCCS will add PrEP to its combination HIV prevention package as the study continues.

"We expect that this multifaceted approach to HIV prevention will work as well in other populations as it has in rural Uganda," said Dr. Grabowski. "Our results make a strong case for further expanding ART and male circumcision for HIV prevention in Rakai District and beyond. Additional proven HIV prevention interventions, such as PrEP, should be added to the mix to reduce HIV infections in women and other high-risk groups."

More information: M. Kate Grabowski et al, HIV Prevention Efforts and Incidence of HIV in Uganda, New England Journal of Medicine (2017). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine M. Kate Grabowski et al, HIV Prevention Efforts and Incidence of HIV in Uganda,(2017). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1702150
One in seven Australian adults with a disability reports experiencing discrimination due to their impairment and this discrimination can affect their health. Credit: University of Melbourne

One in seven Australian adults with a disability reports experiencing discrimination due to their impairment and this discrimination can affect their health, a new study has found. Rates were higher for those who were younger, unemployed or in low-status jobs.

The University of Melbourne-led research, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, was Australia's first population-level study of self-reported interpersonal disability-based discrimination and its relationship with health.

Released ahead of International Day of People with Disability on 3 December, the study found almost 14 per cent of Australians aged 15-64 with disability reported that they had experienced discrimination in the past year.

One of the authors, Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health Co-Director Professor Anne Kavanagh, said the rates were likely to be higher because people were reluctant to report discrimination and sometimes they did not recognise behaviour as discriminatory.

"This discrimination can take many forms, such as being overlooked for a promotion due to a disability that does not impair the person's ability to do the job, or not being provided with a service such as a taxi," Professor Kavanagh said.

Estimates were similar for men and women, but much higher among younger people (20.4 per cent at age 15-24) than older people (9.4 per cent at age 55-64). Respondents born in non-English speaking countries reported lower discrimination rates than those born here.

"The highest levels of discrimination were reported among those with a severe or profound restriction (21.6 per cent) and the lowest levels were among those with no specific restriction (4.2 per cent)," the study found. "People with intellectual or psychological disabilities fared the worst; about one in four reported discrimination, whereas 14 per cent of people with physical impairments reported discrimination."

The study found higher-skilled workers, such as managers, reported lower discrimination levels (9 per cent) than those in lower-skilled occupations such as sales (13 per cent). Almost 30 per cent of unemployed respondents reported discrimination, compared to 9 per cent of those employed full-time. Rates were highest among those in the lowest 20 per cent of household income distribution.

Researchers also found discrimination was associated with increased odds of psychological distress and poor self-rated health. "Discrimination has a moderate to strong association with poorer health," the study found. The authors concluded that reducing such discrimination was likely to bring social, economic and health benefits for Australians with disability and reduce welfare and health expenditure.

"Disability-based discrimination is an under-recognised public health problem," they said in the report. "Public health policy, research and practice needs to concentrate efforts on developing policy and programs that reduce discrimination experienced by Australians with disability."

The study analysed data from 6183 participants aged 15-64 from the 2015 the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC), which collected the first Australian population-based data on interpersonal disability-based discrimination.

Participants were defined as having a disability if they had a limitation, impairment or restriction in everyday activities that had lasted, or was likely to last, for a period of six months or more.
People with dementia often have behavioral symptoms. These include problems with memory, language, and decision-making abilities. People with dementia can also experience changes in mood, such as increased irritability, depression, and anxiety. They often need assistance with their daily activities, such as feeding, dressing, using the toilet, and bathing themselves. These symptoms are often troubling for people with dementia, as well as for their caregivers.

These dementia symptoms can reduce quality of life for people as they age. This can make them dependent on other people, which can lead to caregivers feeling distressed. It may also lead to people with dementia being hospitalized or placed in a nursing home, even if it is not what they would prefer for their care.

There are no effective drug treatments for dementia or its symptoms. Therefore, researchers have been exploring treatment options to improve symptoms that don't involve using medication. A team of researchers studied one of those programs, called the Tailored Activity Program (TAP). TAP matches activities to the interests and abilities of people with dementia. Then it teaches caregivers how to use those activities daily.

The researchers initially reported positive results in a small study of 60 people. They then studied TAP in a larger group of veterans living with dementia. They reported their results in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The researchers studied 160 veterans diagnosed with dementia and whose average age was 80. The study also included 160 of the veterans' caregivers, who were mostly women around 72-years-old.

TAP included up to eight in-home sessions led by occupational therapists (health professionals who focus on helping us participate in the activities of everyday life). During the first two sessions, these health professionals evaluated the veterans' risk for falls, their daily routines and habits, and their previous and current interests. They also examined the veterans' home environment, including lighting, seating, clutter, and noise. They looked as well at the interests and abilities of the veterans' caregivers. Based on the assessment, the therapists provided an "assessment report" and offered three "activity prescriptions."

The therapists showed the veterans and caregivers how to set up the activities and use them every day. They also provided written instructions for the caregivers. The instructions covered activity goals for the individual veteran and communication strategies for the caregiver. They also instructed caregivers on ways that they could modify the home environment to help the veteran participate in the activity. The therapists worked with the veterans to show the caregivers how to use activities. They had caregivers practice recommended communication strategies. They also provided on-going education to help caregivers understand dementia and its behavioral symptoms.

During the last two sessions, caregivers learned how to simplify activities as the veterans' abilities declined. They also learned strategies to make care challenges like bathing easier.

A control group of caregivers received eight telephone sessions with a trained research team member who offered caregiver education about home safety and dementia. The researchers did not offer information about activities or behavioral symptoms to this group.

After four months, nearly 70 percent of the veterans in the TAP group either eliminated or reduced the frequency and severity of their dementia-related behaviors. This is compared to 46 percent of the veterans in the control group. Also, caregivers in the TAP group reported that the veterans were less dependent on them as they performed their daily activities. Caregivers in the TAP group reported less distress due to the veterans' behaviors, too.

The researchers concluded that TAP offers immediate benefits to the veterans and their caregivers.

More information: Laura N. Gitlin et al, Targeting Behavioral Symptoms and Functional Decline in Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (2017). Journal information: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Laura N. Gitlin et al, Targeting Behavioral Symptoms and Functional Decline in Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial,(2017). DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15194
Credit: University of Kentucky

A recent study by University of Kentucky BREATHE (Bridging Research Efforts and Advocacy Toward Healthy Environments) researchers shows that fewer new cases of lung cancer were found in communities with strong smoke-free workplace laws.

The study, "Lung Cancer Incidence and the Strength of Municipal Smoke-free Ordinances" was published in Cancer, an American Cancer Society journal dedicated to providing clinicians with information on diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Ellen Hahn, Ph.D., director of BREATHE and professor in the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, and her team studied whether new cases of lung cancer in Kentucky were lower, higher, or stable in communities with smoke-free laws.

"Kentucky has one of the highest adult cigarette smoking rates and the highest rate of new lung cancer cases in the nation," said Hahn. "Only one-third of Kentuckians are protected by strong smoke-free workplace laws."

Strong smoke-free laws are known to improve public health by lowering heart attacks, stroke, asthma and emphysema. This study is the first to show that new cases of lung cancer are lower when communities enact strong smoke-free laws covering all workers and the public.

Kentucky has more cases of lung cancer than any other state, and its mortality rate is 50 percent higher than the national average. Though other environmental factors play a part in the development of lung cancer, smoking and secondhand smoke exposure are the root cause of the disease.

"The mission of the UK Markey Cancer Center is to reduce the overwhelming burden of cancer in our state," said Dr. Mark Evers, Markey director. "This new study shows that having strong smoke-free workplace laws in place to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke is one more way we can help protect our citizens from this devastating disease."

Using data compiled from the Kentucky Cancer Registry, the Cancer Research Informatics Shared Resource Facility, and the UK Markey Cancer Center, researchers looked at 20 years of new lung cancer diagnoses among Kentuckians age 50 and over in communities with strong, moderate and weak smoke-free laws. They found that lung cancer incidence was eight percent lower in communities with strong smoke-free workplace laws in comparison to communities without smoke-free laws. Researchers did not find differences in lung cancer rates between communities with moderate or weak smoke-free laws and those without any smoke-free laws.

These findings could be used to prompt legislation to create more communities with strong smoke-free workplace laws in Kentucky.

"Local government can play a critical role in preventing lung cancer," said Hahn. "Elected officials can ensure that all workers and the public are protected from secondhand smoke by passing strong smoke-free laws with few or no exceptions."

BREATHE is a multi-disciplinary research, outreach, and practice collaborative of the UK College of Nursing. Its mission is to promote lung health and healthy environments to achieve health equity through research, community outreach and empowerment, advocacy and policy development and access to health services.

More information: Ellen J. Hahn et al. Lung cancer incidence and the strength of municipal smoke-free ordinances, Cancer (2017). Journal information: Cancer Ellen J. Hahn et al. Lung cancer incidence and the strength of municipal smoke-free ordinances,(2017). DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31142
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A steep drop in the local incidence of new HIV infections accompanied the rollout of a U.S.-funded anti-HIV program in a large East-African population, according to a study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The study, published Nov. 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine, is the first to track a large group of people before, during and after the start of an HIV prevention program and show that the program is likely working on a large scale. The researchers found that as the program began and matured from the early 2000s until 2016, there was a 42 percent decline in the rate of new HIV infections.

The ongoing HIV prevention programin Uganda's rural Rakai District on the shore of Lake Victoriahas been funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), set up in 2004 by the George W. Bush Administration. The program provides multiple free services, including anti-HIV drugs for infected people, voluntary safe male circumcision, condoms and promotion of risk-reduction sexual practices. These measures are known to reduce HIV transmission and acquisition at an individual level, but their population-wide impact over time in a real-world context has been less clear.

The African region also accounts for almost two-thirds of the global total of new HIV infections, according to the World Health Organization, with 25.6 million people in the region living with HIV in 2016.

"When I started doing research at Rakai in the late 1980s, about a third of people in the trading centers were HIV positive and there was little we could do to prevent a further spread of the virusbut now there's so much more that we can do, and with this study we're finally seeing the beneficial results of these combined interventions," says co-senior author Maria Wawer, MD, professor in the Bloomberg School's departments of Epidemiology and Population, Family and Reproductive Health.

"The results are exciting because they show that the scale-up of these interventions, including adherence to antiretroviral drugs, is possible and can reduce the rate of new HIV infections even in low-resource settings," says lead author Mary Kate Grabowski, PhD, who started the work as an assistant scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School and then as an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The co-senior author of the study was Larry W. Chang, MD, MPH, associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Rakai District was one of the earliest- and worst-hit areas when the HIV/AIDS pandemic emerged in the 1980s. In 1988, Wawer and Ugandan colleagues founded the Rakai Project (re-named the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP) as it expanded) and began conducting surveys and HIV testing among adults (age 15-49) in Rakai communities. This initial work resulted in the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), which is now one of the largest and oldest HIV surveillance studies tracking the epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Scale-up of PEPFAR-funded efforts to reduce HIV mortality and new infections began in the area in 2004.

The current study, based on RCCS data on 34,000 adults enrolled and followed between 1989 and 2016, confirmed the widespread adoption of many of PEPFAR's HIV prevention measures. The use of antiretroviral therapy among infected people rose steadily from 12 percent in the 2006 survey to 69 percent in 2016. The proportion of circumcised men nearly quadrupled from about 15 percent in 1999 to 59 percent in 2016. The proportion of HIV-infected people in whom the amount of virus in their blood (viral load) fell to near zero (at which point transmission is virtually stopped) rose from 42 percent in 2009 to 75 percent in 2016. Evidence of behavioral changes was weakerthe rate of condom use did not rise, for examplebut during the study period younger people in the cohort appeared to become much less likely to initiate sex.

The RCCS also tested participants for new HIV infections. The data showed that as coverage of the PEPFAR services increased following their introduction in 2004, the incidence of new HIV infections in the cohortthe number of conversions from HIV-negative to HIV-positive status, on a per-person, per-year basisbegan to fall. From 1999 to 2006 the average was 1.17 cases per 100 person-years. By 2016 that figure had fallen to 0.66 cases per 100 person-years. With statistical adjustments for the aging of the cohort and other variables, that represents a net decline of 42 percent.

A fall in HIV incidence was seen among both women and men, although the drop was greater among menmore than 50 percent, compared to about 30 percent for women.

"This difference may have been due to the direct risk-lowering effect of circumcision for men, plus the fact that infected women were more likely than men to use antiretroviral therapy and thus were less likely to transmit the virus to male partners," Grabowski says. "Increasing antiretroviral therapy use among men may help close this gap."

On the whole, Wawer says, "these findings strongly suggest that at the population level there really is a dose-response effect, so that the more prevention services are provided, the more the rate of new infections goes down."

She notes that the Rakai prevention program is beginning to expand its services to include pre-exposure prophylaxis: antiretroviral therapy for people who are HIVnegative to protect them from infection if they have sex with people who are HIV positive.

PEPFAR, which has an annual budget of nearly $7 billion, continues to fund new and existing prevention programs in Africa and other heavily HIV-affected areas. It also funds studies of these prevention programs' impacts. "Preliminary data from other sites in Uganda and elsewhere are consistent with our encouraging findings from Rakai," Grabowski says.

More information: "HIV Prevention Efforts and Incidence of HIV" New England Journal of Medicine (2017). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine "HIV Prevention Efforts and Incidence of HIV"(2017).
TauRx Therapeutics Ltd today reported the full results from its second Phase 3 clinical study of LMTX, the first tau aggregation inhibitor in Alzheimer's disease, published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Results from this study (TRx-237-005) are consistent with those from the first Phase 3 study, recently published in The Lancet [(TRx-237-015) Gauthier et al. 20161] in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, in supporting the hypothesis that LMTX might be effective as monotherapy at a dose as low as 4 mg twice daily.

The latest study (TRx-237-005) investigated the efficacy and safety of LMTX in 800 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease at a dose of either 100 mg or 4 mg (intended as the control dose) twice daily over an 18-month treatment period.

The results of the earlier study showed significant differences in favour of two higher doses of LMTX (75 mg and 125 mg twice daily) when taken as monotherapy compared with the intended 4 mg control dose taken as monotherapy or as add-on therapy to currently approved treatments for Alzheimer's disease in prespecified post hoc analyses. In a further analysis, the same difference in favour of monotherapy compared with add-on treatment was found in patients taking the 4 mg twice daily dose.

Therefore, prior to database lock and unblinding, the primary analyses of TRx-237-005 were modified to compare 100 mg LMTX twice daily as monotherapy with the intended control, and 4 mg twice daily as monotherapy compared with the same dose as add-on therapy as non-randomised cohort analyses. The aim was to test whether the findings from the first study could be confirmed as primary outcomes in a second independent study with strong controls against statistical error.

Results of the second study showed the same significant differences in favour of LMTX monotherapy at the required statistical threshold of p < 0.025 in both comparisons on the co-primary clinical efficacy endpoints for the cognitive (ADAS-cog) and functional (ADCS-ADL) outcomes.

In both the LMTX monotherapy and add-on therapy groups, whole brain atrophy (measured via MRI scans) initially progressed as expected for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. However, after 9 months of treatment, the annualised rate of whole brain atrophy in monotherapy patients reduced significantly and became typical of that reported in normal elderly controls without Alzheimer's disease. The comparable rate seen in the add-on therapy group progressed as reported for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Similarly, additional findings from FDG-PET scans in TRx-237-005 indicated that the decline in temporal lobe glucose uptake in those patients receiving LMTX monotherapy was significantly less than that typically reported for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

When the various analyses were corrected for potential differences in severity or diagnosis at baseline between monotherapy and add-on therapy cohorts, the results remained robustly significant.

"While the monotherapy subgroups in the first and second Phase 3 LMTX studies remain small  15% and 20% respectively  the confirmation of the same pattern of results in the second independent study means they are unlikely to be a chance finding," said Prof. Claude Wischik, of Aberdeen University and executive chairman of TauRx Therapeutics Ltd.

"The overall retention rates in the second study were similar in both monotherapy and add-on treatment groups, so differential withdrawal rates cannot be the explanation. Likewise, seeing the same results in the second study conducted only in North America, Western Europe and Australia means that the first study was not atypical in some way through its inclusion of non-western countries. Finding the same pattern of results in the clinical and imaging outcomes also means that they cannot be explained as placebo effects in patients coming into a treatment setting for the first time."

Prof. Wischik went on to comment: "Although these results come from non-randomised cohort analyses, a number of things point to real treatment effects and not just differences between patients taking or not taking the standard treatments. The analysis showing a slow-down in the brain atrophy rate is a before-and-after analysis in which the monotherapy patients were their own controls, and so does not depend on a comparison with add-on therapy patients. We are also starting to understand the pharmacologic basis of the negative interaction between LMTX and the standard treatments since we have now seen the same thing happening in an animal model of tau protein aggregation."

"These highly significant results support further validation of tau-based therapy in Alzheimer's disease," said George Perry, Dean of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The lead author of the study, Gordon Wilcock, Emeritus Professor of Geratology and Honorary Clinical Senior Research Fellow in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford, commented: "These data indicate the need for a further randomised controlled trial to evaluate efficacy of low dose LMTX in patients not taking current treatments."

Further randomised controlled studies of LMTX are set to commence shortly in which the 4 mg twice daily dose will be compared with placebo in patients with Alzheimer's disease who are not receiving other approved treatments for this condition (cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine).

More information: Gordon K. Wilcock et al. Potential of Low Dose Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulphonate) (LMTM) Monotherapy for Treatment of Mild Alzheimer's Disease: Cohort Analysis as Modified Primary Outcome in a Phase III Clinical Trial, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (2017). Journal information: The Lancet , Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Gordon K. Wilcock et al. Potential of Low Dose Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulphonate) (LMTM) Monotherapy for Treatment of Mild Alzheimer's Disease: Cohort Analysis as Modified Primary Outcome in a Phase III Clinical Trial,(2017). DOI: 10.3233/JAD-170560
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Have you ever experienced poor service at a restaurant or hotel? Findings from a new study suggest that for certain people, a rude waiter or clerk can influence how tasty the food seems or how attractive the rooms appear.

Researcher Jaehoon Lee of Southern Illinois University was eager to investigate when poor service influences a consumer's opinion of other aspects of a product or service. He hypothesized that an individual's social class would predict his or her response to poor serviceand a series of experiments supported this theory.

Lee discovered that lower class individuals are more likely to assume that food will be less delicious if the waiter is inattentive or rude, while higher class peoplethose with better jobs, more money and more educationdo not typically make this assumption.

"This is because lower class individuals tend to perceive situations as interconnected and holistic," says Lee, a professor in the marketing department at Southern Illinois University. "People who have less economic resources, for example, may turn to others for help and feel more dependent, so are more attuned to external circumstances."

This holistic view of life creates what is known as a "carryover effect" in which poor service leads to negative judgments about other aspects of the consumer experience. Individuals from higher classes, however, are less likely to experience this effect because they typically focus on their own internal state, ignoring influences in the environment. They prefer an analytical thinking pattern in which people are independent and free to pursue goals and interests because they possess an abundance of social and economic resources. This analytic thinking pattern leads them to believe that poor service is not connected to the quality of the food or other aspects of a consumer experience.

Lee discovered this connection between social class and thinking patterns in a study in which participants read about a scenario related to celebrating a special occasion with a significant other. The participants were told to imagine that they had a dinner reservation at a nice restaurant that was 20 miles away. After placing their orders, the waiter informed them that the restaurant was out of the vegetarian entree they had selected. They picked another item on the menu, but the waiter said that the restaurant was out of all vegetarian entrees.

Then the participants were asked to rate how much they agreed with the statement "The food is likely to be delicious." Lee found that participants from lower classes were more likely to disagree with the statement that the food would be delicious than higher class individuals.

In another experiment, participants read a scenario about celebrating a special occasion with their significant others. They had reserved a nice hotel for the weekend, and the hotel was 400 miles away. When the participants arrived at the hotel, there was a long wait to check in. The clerk answered several phone calls while the participants tried to check in, and then their room was occupied by another guest. After reading about this poor service experience, participants were asked to rate how clean they expected the rooms to be. Lower class individuals predicted that the rooms would not be clean, while higher class participants predicted that the cleanliness of the rooms would be acceptable.

"All of the studies showed that low class individuals were more likely to experience the carryover effect," Lee says. "I was particularly interested in studying this because the number of Americans who identify themselves as working class or lower class has increased significantly in the last 15 years."

According to a Gallup poll in 2015, 48 percent of Americans identified with the working class, compared to only 33 in 2000.

"Marketers and practitioners have focused their attention on upper class consumers, but this means a large proportion of consumers are being neglected," Lee says. "These consumers have different psychological thinking and judgement patterns than analytical high-class consumers, and marketers should keep this in mind."

This study will appear in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in April, 2018.

More information: Can a rude waiter make your food less tasty? Social class differences in thinking style and carryover in consumer judgments, Journal of Consumer Psychology (2017). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10  2/jcpy.1020/abstract Journal information: Journal of Consumer Psychology Can a rude waiter make your food less tasty? Social class differences in thinking style and carryover in consumer judgments,(2017). DOI: 10.1002/jcpy.1020

Provided by Society for Consumer Psychology
Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

Designing new therapeutic DNA aptamers with diverse side chains can improve their ability to interact with targets, and a new study describes characteristics of these side chains that may determine how long the aptamers remain in the bloodstream. Improving the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic aptamers is an important aspect of optimizing their drug-like properties, as discussed in the study published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.

In the article entitled "Pharmacokinetic Properties of DNA Aptamers with Base Modifications," Nebojsa Janjic, SomaLogic (Boulder, CO) and coauthors from SomaLogic and Otsuka Pharmaceutical (Tokushima, Japan), describe what effect the lengths of aptamer sequences have on plasma resident time. The researchers also demonstrate the importance of the hydrophobicity of the side chains on their rate of clearance from the bloodstream. The findings can serve as a guide for designing new aptamers with side chains that enhance their diversity.

"This elegant study demonstrates how nucleotide modifications can mitigate against nuclease degradation of aptamers, as vital a concern as is delivery for successful in vivo therapeutic or diagnostic applications," says Executive Editor Graham C. Parker, PhD, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI.

More information: Shashi Gupta et al, Pharmacokinetic Properties of DNA Aptamers with Base Modifications, Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (2017). Shashi Gupta et al, Pharmacokinetic Properties of DNA Aptamers with Base Modifications,(2017). DOI: 10.1089/nat.2017.0683
New research at the University of Plymouth has led to the creation a new website to help families at a high risk of bowel cancer.

Family Web www.familyweb.org.uk was designed by PhD student Selina Goodman to enable families to share vital information about their genetic diagnosis with other family members and health professionals. Funded by local charity Bowel Cancer West and approved by the NHS, the website could help thousands of people  with 40,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed every year.

The idea formed when genetic counsellor Selina heard of a young mother in her 30s who, having presented clear symptoms of bowel cancer, was told "not to worry" by her doctor. Had she been able to access information demonstrating her family history at the time, she would have been immediately referred for screening which would have shown that she, in fact, had an inherited form of bowel cancer.

Selina said:

"It immediately struck me that there could be a high number of others in a similar position with no way to access this vital information. I knew I had to do something about it and approached Bowel Cancer West for funding."

In demonstrating a clear gap that could revolutionise the way families communicate with themselves and their GP leading to an early diagnosis, Selina was granted 6,000 by the charity and went on to create her website which is free for people to use.

Selina added:

"Family Web allows high-risk patients a secure platform to share information such as letters from the hospital or a family tree [demonstrating a history of bowel related disease] by a sending a link via email to their relatives. Users of the website can show their doctor crucial information about their diagnosis by turning on their smartphone, tablet or laptop and looking at their account on the website.

"In its inherited form, bowel cancer can affect people at a younger age, so this website could help to identify links much more quickly  especially in people who might not think they're susceptible to it. In some families, the risk of developing the disease can be as high as 80 per cent."

Nearly 300 people with a risk of bowel cancer took part in the research to develop Family Web, guiding Selina through the information they wanted to receive. Now the website has information on topics including genetic testing and bowel screening, all in an accessible format to give users the best possible advice. It also advises users on how to talk about a sensitive subject with loved ones and includes information on how living a healthy lifestyle including small changes in what you eat and drink can reduce the chances of getting bowel cancer.

The feedback Selina has had so far has been extremely positive. One user said:

"It would have been fantastic when I was telling all my relatives. If they feel uncomfortable talking to me, they can access the information without having to approach me so they can have their own privacy with it. My son, for example, would much prefer to receive an email with a link on it than a letter in the post."

Another added:

"I am not the best with computers but I found it very easy to use."

Selina is currently writing up her research results but urges more people to make the most of her free website which is now live. NICE guidelines (published this year) recommend testing all new bowel tumours for genetic markers. The website has the potential to support family members and health professionals with vital information that is not currently very accessible.

Bowel Cancer West Chairman and Colorectal Surgeon at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Mark Coleman, said:

"Since Angelina Jolie spoke publicly about her BRCA gene and the surgery she had to reduce her risk of breast cancer, many more people are aware that breast cancer can sometimes be passed down through families. The same problem exists in families with an increased risk of bowel cancer but this is not well known. Some people may be embarrassed talking about symptoms or worried about frightening their loved ones  if so, I urge them to explore Family Web. It's so simple to use and, although I would encourage people to be more open, they don't need to have that uncomfortable conversation with their loved ones if they don't want to. Getting an early diagnosis can significantly increase your chance of survival. Bowel Cancer West has always aspired to help those at risk of developing bowel cancer for genetic reasons. This is exactly the sort of project we wanted to get behind."
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Mental illness associated with early childhood adversity may be passed from generation to generation, according to a study of adults whose parents evacuated Finland as children during World War II. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Uppsala University in Sweden, and Helsinki University in Finland. It appears in JAMA Psychiatry.

The research team found that daughters of female evacuees had the same high risk for mental health disorders as their mothers, even though they did not experience the same adversity. The study could not determine why the higher risk for mental illness persisted across generations. Possible explanations include changes in the evacuees' parenting behavior stemming from their childhood experience or epigenetic changeschemical alterations in gene expression, without any changes to underlying DNA.

"Many studies have shown that traumatic exposures during pregnancy can have negative effects on offspring," said study author Stephen Gilman, Sc.D., of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "Here, we found evidence that a mother's childhood traumatic exposurein this case separation from family members during warmay have long-lasting health consequences for her daughters."

From 1941 to 1945, roughly 49,000 Finish children were evacuated from their homes to protect them from bombings, malnutrition and other hazards during the country's wars with the Soviet Union. The children, many of them only preschoolers, were placed with foster families in Sweden. In addition to separation from their families, the children faced the stresses of adapting to their foster families, and in many cases, learning a new language. Upon their return, many children experienced the additional stress of readjusting to Finnish society.

During the same time, thousands of Finnish families chose not to evacuate all their children and often kept some at home, but little information exists on the rationale for their decisions. The researchers compared the risk of being hospitalized for a psychiatric (mental health) disorder among offspring of the evacuees to the risks of psychiatric hospitalization among the offspring of the siblings who remained with their parents. Studying the two groupscousins to each otherallowed the researchers to compensate for family-based factors that can contribute to mental health problems and to focus instead on the evacuees' wartime experience.

In a previous study, the researchers found that women evacuated as children were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder than their female siblings who remained at home. For the current study, the researchers linked records from this generationmore than 46,000 siblings born between 1933 and 1944to those of their offspring, more than 93,000 individuals born after 1950. Of these, nearly 3,000 were offspring of parents who had been evacuated to Sweden as children, and more than 90,000 were offspring of parents who remained in Finland during the war.

The researchers found that female evacuees and their daughters were at the greatest risk for being hospitalized for mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder. In fact, the evacuees' daughters had more than four times the risk of hospitalization for a mood disorder, compared to the daughters of mothers who stayed homeregardless of whether their mothers were hospitalized for a mood disorder.

The researchers did not find any increase in psychiatric hospitalizations for the sons or daughters of males who had been evacuated as children.

The study could not determine why the daughters of female evacuees had a higher risk of mental illness. One possibility is that the stresses of the evacuees' experience affected their psychological development in ways that influenced their parenting style. Another possibility is that the evacuee experience resulted in epigenetic changes. For example, the researchers cited an earlier finding that Holocaust survivors have higher levels of compounds known as methyl groups bound to the gene FKBP5 and have passed this change on to their children. This higher level of methyl groups appears to alter the production of cortisol, a hormone that regulates the stress response.

"The Finnish evacuation was intended to protect children from the many harms associated with the country's wars with the Soviet Union," said study co-author Torsten Santavirta, Ph.D., of Uppsala University. "Our observation of long-term psychiatric risk that reached into the next generation is concerning and underscores the need to weigh benefits as well as potential risks when designing policies for child protection."

The authors concluded that future studies are needed to understand how the experience of war affects the mental health of parents and their offspring and to develop interventions to help families affected by armed conflict.

More information: Santavirta, T, Santavirta, N, Gilman, SE, Association of the World War II Finnish Evacuation of Children with Psychiatric Hospitalization in the Next Generation. JAMA Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.3511 Journal information: JAMA Psychiatry Santavirta, T, Santavirta, N, Gilman, SE, Association of the World War II Finnish Evacuation of Children with Psychiatric Hospitalization in the Next Generation.
Newspaper: Ruben Vardanyan does not hurry to make changes in composition of Karabakh government

Russia attacks Ukraine with missiles in morning: Explosions heard in Dnieper, air defense works in Kyiv region

U.S. National Security Council: It is clear that the party ultimately responsible for this tragic incident is Russia

Gold prices decline

Trade Representative of Russia: Trade turnover with Armenia sets new record

Copper falls in price

Gas explodes in Fatih district of Istanbul, 10 people injured

Oil prices go down

Meteorite that fell in Britain contains key information about how oceans and life formed on Earth

Gamer drinks 12 energy drinks in ten minutes and ends up in hospital

Sweden to provide Ukraine with new military aid worth $287 million

Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania meet conditions for joining Schengen zone

Oil prices may reach $120 a barrel and stay at this level for 2 years

Zelenskyy receives 'signals' that Putin wants direct talks

Security Service of Ukraine puts Ramzan Kadyrov on wanted list

Unidentified men open fire at market in Izeh city in southwestern Iran

Karen Donfried tries to explain State Department's decision to exempt Azerbaijan from 907th Amendment

Philip Reeker says U.S. administration representatives have no access to Nagorno-Karabakh

Rimac Nevera sets speed record for production electric cars

Reeker: Pace and depth of current talks between Yerevan and Baku demonstrate potential to resolve conflict

FBI director considers TikTok threat to US National Security

Bob Menendez says Ukraine supplies Azerbaijan with phosphorus bombs it used in Karabakh

Delegation headed by Speaker of Armenian Parliament is in Tbilisi

Austin: U.S. intends to continue supplying weapons and aid to Ukraine during winter

Armenian politician charged with abuse of office, money laundering

Karen Donfried says Armenia and Azerbaijan have historic opportunity to establish lasting peace

Bob Menendez: How can the U.S. justify security assistance to the Baku regime?

Azerbaijan fires at residents of Sarushen village of Artsakh

Head of Portugal's Finance Ministry: EU countries must work faster on energy intervention

Kuwait executes 7 prisoners

Czech Republic plans to train up to 4,000 Ukrainian servicemen next year

Ukraine once again asks US for powerful drones

Belarusian border guards shoot down drone intruding into airspace from Ukraine

Armenian Deputy PM: Regional electricity export opportunities significantly increased

Greek authorities temporarily ban export of firewood from country

Azerbaijan protests to France in connection with Senate resolution

Blinken calls on Aliyev to observe ceasefire and limit provocations

Pashinyan: We're advancing rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinyan: Armenia invites Azerbaijan to sign framework agreement on peace

Pashinyan: Most of the arable land of 4 villages in Tavush Province is occupied by Azerbaijanis

Armenian Prime Minister: Let the opposition loudly reject Russia's proposals

Pashinyan: 2023 budget growth in social protection compared to 2018 is 56%

Inflation in UK up to 41-year high of 11.1% in October

Pashinyan: We don't want to provoke war between CSTO and Azerbaijan

Pashinyan's explanation: How should we fight inflation?

Pashinyan: Armenia submitted its proposals for peace treaty to Azerbaijan, we are waiting for a response

Pashinyan: Army budget 2023 more than doubled compared to 2018

CNN: CIA director visits Kyiv

Macron urges Iran to calm down and respect the French

IRGC forces detain Mossad spy in southern Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister expresses dissatisfaction with number of 'unrealistic comments' by Azerbaijani officials

Parliament Vice-Speaker: Armenian military-industrial complex able to establish serial production of military products

Armen Grigoryan receives Major General Daniel Lasica

Poland says Ukrainian missile could be cause of explosion

Ivanka Trump says she will not participate in her father's presidential campaign

KGB of Belarus states about 'threat of intervention' from Baltic States, Ukraine, and Poland

Belarus says AFU blew up bridges in direction of Gomel and Mozyr

22-year-old soldier dies in accident with army truck in Armenia

Indonesian president hands over G20 presidency to India

Azerbaijani Ombudswoman's distorted perception of reality: French Senate Resolution 'will undermine peace in the region'

Nikol Pashinyan holds telephone conversation with Irakli Garibashvili

Four explosions blow up in sky over Belgorod

NATO Secretary General to hold meeting of alliance on incident in Poland

Finnish Foreign Ministry: Many in NATO believe that Turkey has created an awkward situation for the alliance

Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem receives group of wounded participants of 44-day Karabakh war

AP: Drone with explosives attacks oil tanker off the coast of Oman

LPR announces attack by AFU from Popasna to Kharkiv Oblast

Toyota reveals next-generation Toyota Prius hybrid

Central Bank head: State Budget deficit in Armenia to grow to 3.1% of GDP in 2023

Erdogan believes Russia had nothing to do with the missile incident in Poland

Thanasis Bakolas shares concerns that Armenian politician banned from leaving Armenia

Biden and Sunak discuss missile incident in Poland at G20 summit

Russian Defense Ministry: Elements of the Ukrainian S-300 system fell in Poland

Erdogan: Biden administration is determined to sell F-16s to Turkey

Gold price remains stable

Copper falls in price

Microsoft to leave Azerbaijan

G7 and NATO leaders say they are ready to support Poland in investigation of bombings

Joe Biden asks Congress for new funding for Ukraine

Finance Minister: Capital expenses will greatly increase in Armenia in 2023

Azerbaijani MFA accuses French Senate of undermining relations normalization process between Baku and Yerevan

Armen Grigoryan to pay working visit to India

AP: Missile falls in Poland may have been fired by Ukraine to shoot down Russian missile

Erdogan plans to discuss fertilizer transportation and grain deal with Putin

Oil price falls

Blinken calls on Armenian Prime Minister to maintain momentum of peace talks with Azerbaijan

CNN: NATO aircraft tracked the trajectory of the missile that fell in eastern Poland

Armenian FM to visit Tunisia

Yerevan draft budget 2023 revealed

U.S. Embassy: Major General Daniel Lasica arrives in Armenia

Armenian MOD refutes another misinformation of Azerbaijani MOD

Media: Fire in Istanbul is caused by several explosions, not just one

Drone 'allegedly' blows up oil depot in Oryol Oblast

Trump officially announces that he will run for president in 2024

Anwar Gargash: UAE has no interest in choosing sides between great powers

Ukraine suspends oil pumping through Druzhba pipeline towards Hungary

Germany urgently needs gas turbines to stabilize power grids

Polish media report on fall of two missiles on country's territory

Economic downturn worsens in eastern EU due to a spike in inflation

U.S. believes that meeting between Biden and Jinping was strong signal to rest of world
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered a stern message to Russia during a speech on U.S.-European relations, saying the countrys cyberattacks, energy policy and invasion of Ukraine are not the behaviors of a responsible nation.

We want Russia to be a constructive neighbor of Europe and the larger trans-Atlantic community, Tillerson said Tuesday at the Wilson Center in Washington.

The secretary of states speech was intended to reassure European allies about the U.S. commitment to them as Tillerson prepares to travel to the region next week. Some countries remain unnerved by President Donald Trumps attitude toward the continent even though his own stance has evolved since the days of his campaign, when he questioned the value of the NATO alliance and made overtures to Russia.

Tillerson touched on several of the administrations top policy priorities, from its approach to Afghanistan to Trumps desire to rally opposition to Iran and navigate strained relations with Turkey.

We ask Turkey as a NATO ally to prioritize the common defense of its treaty allies, Tillerson said, days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the leaders of Russia and Iran to discuss the conflict in Syria. Turkey surprised its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies earlier this year by agreeing to buy Russian missile-defense batteries incompatible with NATO systems.

Iran and Russia cannot offer the Turkish people the economic benefits that the West can provide, Tillerson added.

The top U.S. diplomat reaffirmed his nations commitment to mutual defense obligations with NATO allies. At the same time, he repeated Trumps demand that European countries pay more for their own defense.

Our message to Europe is nothing has changed in terms of our commitment to you, Tillerson said. The same values that bind us are still there.

Tillerson also pushed back on criticism that his stewardship of the State Department, which includes an elaborate reorganization effort along with moves to slash both personnel and budgets, is undermining the institution.

There is no hollowing out, Tillerson said. The numbers people are throwing out are false, theyre wrong. He said the State Department is functioning very well from my perspective.
YEREVAN. -- The Armenian parliamentary delegation to PA BSCEC issued a statement on an unprecedented incident during a plenary session in the Ukrainian capital.

At the start of the 50th session of the Assembly, when members of the delegations were waiting in the hall for about an hour, it turned out that the heads of all the delegations separated and were discussing some issues at the initiative of PA BSEC Secretary General and the head of the Ukrainian delegation.

Only the head of Armenian delegation was not invited to that discussion. We describe this as an offense not only to the Armenian delegation, but also to all the delegations and the structure in general.

There has never been such a case during a 25-year history of the PA BSEC, and we perceive this as a violation of the tradition and essence of the structure. Such a working style is unacceptable and must be condemned in relation to any Parliamentary Assembly. As a sign of protest, the Armenian delegation left the assembly hall.

Later, it became apparent that, as a result of the above-mentioned discussion, there was a change in the declaration with regards to the regional conflicts which fully contradicts the principle of international law: non-use of force and threat of force, territorial integrity and the right of peoples to self-determination.

The Armenian delegation to the PA BSEC calls on all delegations to refrain from provocations, to stop serving the economic interests of some countries, to abandon this kind of practice and return to a constructive cooperation framework that stems from the essence and traditions of the PA BSEC, the statement reads.
Afghan Taliban Accuses U.S. and Afghan Government of Supporting IS in Nangarhar, Deliberately Displacing Civilians
* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati received the 2022 Adepi Award

* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020.

* PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018.

* IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

* Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013.

* Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011.

2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100.

* Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010.

* Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010.

* Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010.

* Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll.

Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008.
Following this order, Newmat chose to publish the Courts conclusions (verbatim) on its own website for a period of three months, instead of having the case summary published in three specialist newspapers. Normalu took issue with

the publication of the Courts judgment on the Newmat website

and sued Newmat on the ground that Newmat had not acted in accordance with the terms of the court order. Normalu claimed that, in doing so, Newmat had tarnished its business name and reputation by replacing the sanction ordered by the Court with what it argued was a harsher depiction of the case, amounting to an unlaw publicity measure. Normalu stressed that such behaviour went beyond what Article 615-7-1 allows and, as such, rendered Newmark liable

under Article 1382 of the Civil Code (

Article

1240

since the 2016 reform of the Code
La Paz (AFP) - Bolivian President Evo Morales rejoiced Wednesday following a court decision authorizing a tilt at a fourth consecutive term, in what the opposition slammed as a blow to democracy.

Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, first took office in January 2006. He would rule until 2025 if re-elected in 2019, giving him 19 consecutive years in power.

The leftist president told a news conference that a possible fourth term "guarantees a democratic continuity, but also guarantees stability, dignity and work for dignity."

Morales narrowly lost a referendum last year on changing the constitution to allow him to seek a fourth term.

Bolivia's constitutional court however stepped in when his party mounted an appeal, and ruled in his favor on Tuesday.

"The Democratic and Cultural revolution continues. To Victory forever!" the 58-year-old president wrote on Twitter.

In February 2016 Bolivians voted by a slim margin against proposed changes to the constitution to allow Morales, already Bolivia's longest-serving leader since independence from Spain in 1825, to stand again for the presidency.

The constitutional court however ruled that the right to run for office superseded the limits imposed in the constitution.

Morales already had the constitution changed three years after taking office. Under that revised document he was elected president in 2009, and then won what was meant to be a one-off renewal in 2014.

- Blow to democracy -

Demonstrators against Morales' reelection took to the streets in the capital La Paz on Wednesday. In nearby El Alto, students marched under a banner calling on the president to step down.

The ruling "turns Bolivia into a country subject to the discretion of President Morales," said Carlos Mesa, who according to opinion polls would be Morales' strongest opponent if he decides to run for office.

"We will not allow Bolivia to become Venezuela and we will confront Evo Morales in the streets, at the polls, in the city and in the countryside," said former opposition candidate Samuel Doria Medina.

Story continues

"This is one of the largest attacks on the rule of law, the Constitution, democracy," added constitutional lawyer Carlos Alarcon, referring to the constitutional court's ruling that ignored last year's referendum.

Political analyst Jorge Lazarte said the court ruling was "a coup against the constitution and a blow against the popular will."

Former president Jorge Quiroga said, "Being a tyrant is not, nor will be, recognized internationally."

Morales belongs to a generation of Latin American leftist leaders who champion "21st-century socialism."

He has overseen robust economic growth, but opponents accuse him of tolerating corruption and investing in flashy infrastructure projects at the expense of health and education.

Bolivia's mineral- and gas-rich economy has more than tripled in size during his decade in office.

Morales has been re-elected twice with large majorities. Last year's referendum was his only defeat at the polls.

Separately, the secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, questioned the court decision and recalled that re-election had been rejected in a referendum.

The Morales administration is a staunch ally of leftist governments in Cuba and Venezuela and a fierce critic of the United States.
Marrying and impregnating children... jesus christ.



My trash brother in law who is 35 years old cheated on his partner, who is his same age and with him for 14 years, and she packed her bags and left. Now he's dating a 19 year old and they've been together five MONTHS and he moved her into his apartment. Lmao can't wait to watch that crash and burn.



And I recently found out that my (soon to be ex) husband impregnated a 20 year old when he was 30. He's been inviting her here when I'm out of the country visiting my family. Is there no end to the misery that comes from dealing with men.....honestlyyyyyy.



Lemme paraphrase a tweet I saw recently: Being attracted to men is THE WORST thing that has ever happened to me.

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UuuuUUUGGHGHHGHGHG I'm so sorry about your pos husband.

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All men garbage tbh. I know women always say it but its *actually* true and they obv dont take it seriously, because still everyone thinks their bf/husband wont turn out to be shit and its like...aw. I hope the 20yo got an abortion? Fucking disgusting that he couldve ruined her life

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my favorite part of being a woman is i know that no matter where i am i will ALWAYS be able to find a viejita to talk to about how useless men are  mala (@mala_munoz) November 22, 2017





A man: *breathes*

Me: pic.twitter.com/gqBBiE9gN6  snackria (@cakefacedcutie) November 24, 2017





Edited at 2017-11-28 03:13 pm (UTC)

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I haven't been able to watch The Shining since I found out that that madman terrorized poor Shelley.



It's somewhat astounding that people just allow directors and actors to torture the people around them bc ~art~

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Stephen King hates that movie. Said Kubrick ruined her character.



Have you read about Judy Garland? It's fucking terrible.

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It made me lol that he thought it was misogynistic tho, like he's one to talk.

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The first time I saw it I couldn't get it why she looked like she was on the verge of nervous breakdown all the fucking time. Now I know.

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Chaplin was disgusting. I like his movies but dont like him as a person.

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Ooooh did not know that about Chaplin and that kind of hurts. POS

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chaplin was truly a piece of shit, and people are way too forgiving of him because he also happened to be a talented comedian

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I truly believe the way Stanley Kubrick treated Shelley Duvall explains a lot about her mental state and appearance now. Her recollection of him becasically keeping her in a state of terrorrized fear pisses me off to this day.

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Late to this but ITA. I can see how that must've affected her deeply.

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gary oldman really is the fucking worst and i can't believe that he's probably going to win an oscar this year. i always credit my mother for teaching me to hate him from a very young age. i always remember her calling him a crypto-fascist when he first started in the HP movies...



also speaking of creepy old brits i saw justice league and every time i see jeremy irons i just think about that completely BUCKWILD interview he gave way back when about how parental love always has a sexual component and how his son was a golden god when he was 12 or something fucked up like that. obvs there are worse predators in hollywood but that's the one that always skeeves me out the most

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After hearing that story about Jeremy Irons I stopped watching any movies with him. It was so disgusting.

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gary oldman is so gross, i hate him

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WHAT THE FUCK? somehow I've never heard that. So fucked.

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ew yeah jeremy irons is so gross

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iirc Jeremy irons also said something along the lines of how a woman should be able to deal with sexual harassment and not whine about if a man touches a woman on her bottom or something along those lines. He also made a statement in regards to legalizing same sex marriage and basically questioned whether or not it would lead to incest. I don't know whether he backtracked on any of those statements but there is plenty on that man to make one sick, though even the one that you mentioned is good enough.

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about how parental love always has a sexual component and how his son was a golden god when he was 12 or something fucked up like that.



WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

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Gary Oldman looks so much like my dad, who was an abusive pos.

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Whoaa shit did not know about the Charlie Chaplin bullshit- may that fucker burn in hell for eternity

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I knew Chaplin "liked them young" but I didn't know the details... Hope he's rotting in hell

That Jodorowsky quote makes me sick and I forgot how much of a piece of shit Oldman was so thanks OP!

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I knew all of these except Jodorowsky (bc I didn't know him at all) and wow wtf @ him actually raping an actress in his movie?!?! That quote... I really have no words.



And all these other men are truly trash as well, never has that "garbage day" gif been more apt.

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Seriously. I read that quote and I almost vomited. Hes so fucking evil, sounding so proud of the crime he committed.

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Speaking of trash men, I found out the freak sexist professor that my friends and I were uncomfortable around doesn't do oral exams since he's been banned, not because he failed everyone like we thought, but because a couple of years ago he took in a girl onto an oral exam alone (you're supposed to always have a third person as a witness), LOCKED THE DOOR and then mid-exam asked her to palpate his femoral pulse (he's a surgery prof). She said no, demanded he let her leave, told the dean what had happened. The only punishment was that he was banned from being an examiner and to apologize to the girl. He wrote a shitty nonapology letter (she misinterpreted it, her word against mine etc) in which he referenced an event that happened three years prior to that. HE DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING KNOW WHICH GIRL HE WAS "APOLOGIZING" TO. the one he thought he was writing to accused him, but she got written off as a liar. It is common knowledge that he's done this before, but most girls don't dare to accuse him, probably assuming nothing will happen/it'll backfire at them. Vile piece of shit.

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What's even more infuriating to me is, with all these stories coming out, I knew nothing would be done in a small, corrupted country like mine, but I assumed these men would be fired from their positions in a country like the US, but sadly rapists, harrassers and abusers seem to be protected everywhere

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Also stay safe bb, with him being your boss and everything



I hate being left alone in a room with a man in position, no matter how normal he may seem

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Men are scum.



Edit:



Kasdan: I like it if they already had a relationship at one point. Because then you don't have to build it.



Lucas: I was thinking that this old guy could have been his mentor. He could have known this little girl when she was just a kid. Had an affair with her when she was eleven.



Kasdan: And he was forty-two.



Lucas: He hasn't seen her in twelve years. Now she's twenty-two. It's a real strange relationship.



Spielberg: She had better be older than twenty-two.



Lucas: He's thirty-five, and he knew her ten years ago when he was twenty-five and she was only twelve.



Lucas: It would be amusing to make her slightly young at the time.



Spielberg: And promiscuous. She came onto him.



Lucas: Fifteen is right on the edge. I know it's an outrageous idea, but it is interesting. Once she's sixteen or seventeen it's not interesting anymore. But if she was fifteen and he was twenty-five and they actually had an affair the last time they met. And she was madly in love with him and he...



Spielberg: She has pictures of him.









Edited at 2017-11-28 03:43 pm (UTC) The Besson thing about Portman reminds me that George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan originally wanted Marion Ravenwood to be 12 when she hooked up with Indiana Jones. A bit is even preserved in the final script, when she tells Indy, "I was a child!" In the final version she just meant she was young when she met him. But in the original script, SHE WAS LITERALLY A CHILD.Men are scum.Edit: this link quotes some of their discussion with Spielberg:Kasdan: I like it if they already had a relationship at one point. Because then you don't have to build it.Lucas: I was thinking that this old guy could have been his mentor. He could have known this little girl when she was just a kid. Had an affair with her when she was eleven.Kasdan: And he was forty-two.Lucas: He hasn't seen her in twelve years. Now she's twenty-two. It's a real strange relationship.Spielberg: She had better be older than twenty-two.Lucas: He's thirty-five, and he knew her ten years ago when he was twenty-five and she was only twelve.Lucas: It would be amusing to make her slightly young at the time.Spielberg: And promiscuous. She came onto him.Lucas: Fifteen is right on the edge. I know it's an outrageous idea, but it is interesting. Once she's sixteen or seventeen it's not interesting anymore. But if she was fifteen and he was twenty-five and they actually had an affair the last time they met. And she was madly in love with him and he...Spielberg: She has pictures of him.

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what the fuck?

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eeeewwwwwwwwwwww

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Dunno why I expected better of Spielberg but fucking hell what an exchange!



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Jesse Plemons.

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valar morghulis



quality work OP! i support your expose of these trash

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These posts are going to be being made for eternity, aren't they.

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fred armisen was a gross creep to me when i was an intern at SNL.

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i'm sorry you had to experience that. that would be so shitty.

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He really seems like it. Elisabeth Moss' comments about him/their divorce are so chilling.

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What did she say?

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I know this is an anonymous internet post, but I love a good first-hand comment that reaffirms what I thought about someone. He totally seems like scum.

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<3 i'm so sorry

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i'm sure you're not alone. i'd get in touch with a reporter tbh.

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All men must die

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Eliza Dushku claimed on Howard Stern a few years ago that Mickey Rourke hit on her when she was 14

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What the fuck O_O

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The Sondra Locke stuff is even worse than what OP mentioned by the way. He treated her like crap and was abusing her and cheating on her the whole time they were together as well as bullying her into not taking birth control (hence the multiple pregnancies and abortions, but when she made her first movie was when he changed on her and denigrated her even more and tried to sabotage her.



After he changed the locks on their home and kicked her out she sued him because they were common-law partners and as part of the settlement he said he would help to produce her next film with the WB because he had a development deal with them.



Years later she had to sue him AND the WB again because they were sabotaging her career and saying no to every single project she brought to them. They eventually settled with her in 1999 ten years after he threw her out of her home.



He's a total monster.

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i didnt even see any of what you wrote in the first part jfc he's AWFUL

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omfg

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JFC

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He also convinced her to turn down tons of roles when her career was hot. This is my own personal speculation, but I think he did it because he didn't want her to be successful so she would be dependent on him.

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he treated jean seberg like absolute shit, as well

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this is useless to me tbh. Ive been knew all men were trash. what we really need is a list of like the three good men left in Hollywood now. saves more time imo

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i keep thinking about this quote whenever someone calls all the sexual harassment/abuse allegations a "witch hunt"







Edited at 2017-11-29 02:46 am (UTC)

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Exactly.



This movie is a gift. Theres a perfect response for everything.

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damn straight, doc

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Eastwood has also made some suspect comments about racism.



this is putting it lightly lol. also you can just watch gran torino and realize what a huge piece of shit he is... one of the worst movies i've ever seen in my life complete with eastwood's old ass as a retired worker and veteran resenting his new indigenous asian neighbors and gradually learning to barely tolerate/stand up for them in a poor neighborhood (with crime ofc) until he dies as the redeemed white savior. i couldn't even take pleasure in this last moment.







(cut for racism):

[ Spoiler (click to open) ]













keep in mind this was released to theaters in dec. 2008, just a month after obama won the election... that this is putting it lightly lol. also you can just watch gran torino and realize what a huge piece of shit he is... one of the worst movies i've ever seen in my life complete with eastwood's old ass as a retired worker and veteran resenting his new indigenous asian neighbors and gradually learning to barely tolerate/stand up for them in a poor neighborhood (with crime ofc) until he dies as the redeemed white savior. i couldn't even take pleasure in this last moment.(cut for racism):keep in mind this was released to theaters in dec. 2008, just a month after obama won the election... that #MAGA brewing.

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mte. like people praised this movie and his character and thought he was funny and i'm like, where? when he used slurs? rolled his eyes at his non-white neighbors moving in/generally existing next door?



reminds me of when audiences would break out in laughter during tarantino's the hateful eight whenever one of the white characters used the n-word. like is that funny tho?

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i've honestly never seen his films so i had no idea about this

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i absolutely hated hated hated hated gran torino to the point where i got into fights with people in my class about it

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Plus he is a stupid fucking republican who talked to a chair, I hate his ass

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i was SO CONFUSED when ppl loved gran torino. this movie was so fucking disgusting.

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i saw a small bit of the movie randomly on tv one day and was shocked at how overt the racism was...the fact that so many ppl still ~love him/love this film is disgusting.

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Oh man, Id forgotten about Baby Wipes.

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he wanted a hard boiled egg and a soft boiled clitoris



jesus mary and JOSEPH

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Long informative interview with Ridley Scott at the source as well. Few highlights:-- Went to NYC and straight to Chris Plummer to give him the role right after Spacey was removed.-- Is way ahead of schedule with reshoots, sends all scenes shot straight to the editor so they can insert and have an updated copy of the movie on hand, to this day.-- Still set to release the movie on Dec. 22, and definitely in time for awards season.-- Did not reach out to Kevin Spacey about being removed, doesn't seem like he gave enough of a shit to, to be honest. He did like working with Kevin and his performance.-- Did not see any suspicious behavior from Spacey but wasn't really paying attention. He's glad all of the assholes of Hollywood, especially Weinstein, are being called out.Source: https://twitter.com/Breznican/status/935861885425147906
The Mattoon Area Family YMCA is excited to announce an updated swim lesson curriculum for 2018. YUSA has spent five years conducting research from parents, participants, instructors, and recognized swimming professionals in order to create a highly improved and streamlined curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of everyone involved. Group swim lessons were originally developed by the YMCA, and it makes sense that the YMCA would be the ones to make the radical changes to improve the world of swim lessons.

The new swim lesson program will focus greatly on safety by getting young swimmers to be comfortable in the water and to practice basic self-rescue skills. The new outline of the lessons will give a clear and simple way of introducing new skills with each level and then build on those skills with the next level.

If you are familiar with the former swim lesson curriculum, you know that each level was named after a fish causing some confusion as to which level a child would need to register for with their next session. Gone are those fish names as the new titles clearly state the skill to be taught. Levels will now have titles such as Water Discovery, Water Movement, Water Stamina and Stroke Introduction, to name a few.

Water Discovery is the new parent/child lessons for the youngest of swimmers (0-3 years of age), while swim basics are taught in Water Acclimations, Water Movement and Water Stamina, which are for youth ages 3-5. Older youth, ages 5-12, will have the option to register for lessons that will develop strokes and focus on stoke mechanics.

To help with the level selection, YMCA staff will ask several questions prior to registration to find the best fit for your child. Lessons will run in eight week sessions, meeting one time per week. Choose from evenings, Saturdays, or daytime lessons for our Home School Program.

The next set of lessons is set to begin the week of Jan. 8, 2018, with registration currently open for these lessons. Class size is kept small so each child has the needed guidance they deserve with each lesson. Because class sizes are limited, we encourage parents to register early.

Swim lessons are available to both Y members and nonmembers with financial assistance scholarships available to families in need. The fees for the eight week sessions are as follows: $28 for Y members; $56 for non-members. The child attending lessons must be a Mattoon Y member to receive the member rate.

Group lessons are a great option but are not the only way to attend swim lessons at the Y. Private and semi-private lessons are available. These lessons are 30 minutes in length and give participants more one-on-one time with their instructor. To inquire about private swim lessons, please contact Austin Birch at 217-234-9494 or abirch@mattoonymca.org.
ouch

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I loved her on Mike and Molly, and she's great on American Housewife (have seen all of season two but still need to catch up on season one soon). LOL, poor Katy has spent the whole show pregnant so far!



Congratulations to them!

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I love the finale ep where she "pretend" to be pregnant to get out of volunteering but irl she is really pregnant.



I cant imagine them getting another cute actor to play the baby. I need them to continue to spoil annakat.

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i don't want my kids to have depression/anxiety like I do :(

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my dream

I don't have any desire to be a mother and never have. Fuck parenting. I want a hundred dogs and a huge chunk of land for them lmaomy dream

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Yeeep. I have a lot of health issues, and while I love the idea of having kids, there is no conceivable way I could take care of them, and I'm worried like hell they'd end up sick too. Plus I got my DNA tested, and ran it through prometheus, and realized how at risk I am for a lot of stuff. I don't want to pass that on. Not to mention how fucked up the world is right now... ugh.

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That is a nightmare. Lol. Two kids in diapers.



Those stories where women find out they're pregnant 2 months after having their baby. Just because your period isn't back doesn't mean you're not fertile!

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My former best friend got INTENTIONALLY pregnant after dating this guy for 3 months (which is a whole other fucked up story). She had the baby, then right after he was born got an IUD. Apparently though her uterus was a weird shape and it made the IUD useless, so she got pregnant 3 months after giving birth to her son.

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This is my biggest fear. My first IUD had been out of place since it was put in. The doctor refused to believe me because it LOOKED ok. Two appointments and six MONTHS later I said fuck it and went to planned parenthood, where the doctor actually FELT for it, and sure enough, that sucker was out of place. What if I had gotten pregnant!? Now I'm constantly feeling for the strings on the one I have now, and I freak out every time the strings feel a little longer lol



Edited at 2017-11-30 12:53 am (UTC)

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I don't find diapers bad tbh (although ask me again in a year when my kid can do more than just lie there and laugh at me while I'm changing him), but getting them on the same sleep schedule would be a must for a person's sanity.

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aw, i'm happy for her. american housewife is legit hilarious imo. i love it and "normally" this would not be my type of sitcom at all (except it's not what you'd expect if you read the premise).

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i should give it another shot. i only watched the pilot out of boredom and never really picked up the rest. but i like her and need something light to watch.

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Yes, do it! I gave up after the pilot too, caught one episode last season, then watched the premiere this year when I didn't feel like turning off the TV and loved it. Still haven't completely caught up yet, though.

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you should bb! imo a pilot is always a sitcom's weakest episode. they have to establish the characters and the writing/performances haven't found their groove yet. imo this is a perfect lighthearted sitcom but without being sappy, it still has some bite (which i love).

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I like that sometimes the jokes are unexpected. Katy could be ott sometimes but she does calm down afterwards. Her and Greg are sweet too.

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I fucking love it.

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Is it still largely about her weight? I watched maybe 5 episodes of season 1 but was really frustrated that out of those there wasnt even one episode that didnt go over board with fat jokes. I really liked her, though, and her delivery is great!



Edited at 2017-11-30 04:34 pm (UTC)

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Irish twins, eh? At least they'll be in different grades.



My brother and I were a little over a year apart (85/86) and we were always super, super close growing up.

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My older sister and I are a year apart and we were constantly warring lol.

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That's me and my youngest brother. We're three years apart and it was always us fighting and our middle brother being the peacemaker.

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damn give that ute a rest

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GOOOOOOD FOR HER.

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Hmm, never realized she was pregnant irl while watching the show.

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damn that sucks.. this happened to one of my cousins though



and then... her husband finally agreed to get a vasectomy and they didn't wait the time they tell you before you can have sex again and she got pregnant then too

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wow

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Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

Laurel Rose Wilson

The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter/Asa Earl Carter

James Frey

Michelle Remembers

Branch

Pfeiffer

Dockery

Obama

In any medium, there is always a risk for forgeries and hoaxes......but not according to these people!Here are some infamous literary hoaxes and forgeries.(what 15 year old talks like this outside of Dawson's Creek btw?)One of the more infamous literary works, Go Ask Alice was the brainchild of American therapist, Mormon youth counselor (before the age of websites like MormonBoyz), and Grade-A Asshole Beatrice Sparks. Sparks, a certified douchebag, wrote this incredibly ficticious story of the unnamed protagonist, as she battles a drug habit as a teenager and runs away from home, hitting facefirst into a wall of coke, sex with drug dealers, and prostitutes. Touted as a "true story" Sparks the Shitstirrer kept coy about the truth behind the book, until her death, when it was revealed she wrote these so called "real diaries" of troubled teens. And in case you are wondering why I am shaming her, here's some rather depressing trivia for you: In 1973, after GAA was published, a young mother came to Sparks for help, asking her to help edit her deceased son's journal. Sparks agreed to the job, and she took the writings of a depressed son who killed himself at 16 years old and transformed them into elegant and moving passages-just kidding. This bitch wrote Jay's Journal, turning the child's journals into stories about fake shit, such as his involvement with a satanic cult. Sparks then had the gall to claim she got the material from family friends of the mother and son who killed himself. So yes, Sparks deserves every bad name that she has been called. Fucking cunt. But now she's dead, so that's good.Laurel Rose Wilson was a woman living in Washington, who spun false tales about how she endured time as a baby breeder in a satanic ritual abuse cult. She published her book Satan's Underground under the name Lauren Stratford, and she also claimed that she had first-hand knowledge about the various satanic abuse cases occurring in the 70's and 80's. Her claims were dismissed as her just bullshitting. A Christian philosophy husband/wife author team eventually uncovered the truth, Laurel Stratford was actually Laurel Rose Wilson, a woman suffering from a long history of mental illness and making up false allegations of abuse. Her other claims included claiming to have given birth to three children as a result of rape; two were allegedly killed in snuff films, and the third was supposedly sacrificed in her presence at a Satanic ritual. Her books were withdrawn, and she quietly vanished...only to reemerge in 1999 claiming to be a Holocaust survivor named Lauren Grabowski. She befriended a guy who was later revealed to also be faking his claims of being a Holocaust survivor. Wilson died in 2002.Praised by Oprah (be prepared to see her name a lot. she has a thing for Holocaust memoirs and she gets duped a lot by fake books....oh she also supports a homophobic preacher) as being "very spiritual", this story of a Cherokee Indian named Forrest Carter living in the Appalachian Mountains became an overnight success. Until the 1990's when it was revealed that the author was actually Asa Earl Carter, a Caucasian KKK member and segregationist political figure in Alabama. So basically the opposite of Rachel Dolezal...but ten times worse. He's also dead.James Frey...good GOD James Frey. Frey published his instant bestseller A Million Little Pieces in 2003, touting it as a harrowing memoir about his experience with....well just the worst luck in the world. Oprah embraced this novel, because she has to or people won't read it. His success wouldn't last however, as it was revealed he fabricated parts of his memoir and other books as well. The authenticity was called into question, leading to a particularly infamous episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show where she confronted him about his falsities, tearing him a new asshole in the process, because when Oprah puts your book on her Book Club list, you better not be a lying hack. Frey later suffered serious depression. In October of this year, it was announced that predator Sam Taylor-Johnson and her groomed husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson were working on a film adaptation of Frey's book. (BTW ATJ's stepdaughter is only a few years younger than him. Let that sink in.) Frey and Oprah allegedly made up later on btw.The title image at the top of your screen. This book was later debunked as false. Sensing a theme here? Written by a psychologist, Michelle Remembers is the tale of Michelle, a young girl who eventually marries her therapist...I'm sorry, that's what happened irl, she married the author...her shrink; anyway, Michelleendured serious bouts of depression and abuse. Under hypnosis, Michelleclaimed to have been a victim of satanic ritual abuse. Many many many psychologists, authors, and doctors were able to debunk his claims about Michelleand her story.Next time: How Opal Mehta Managed to Make Her Life Incredibly Similar to Other Published Works, Margaret Seltzer and her fake gang life, The Boy Who Made Up His Story About Going To Heaven, and JT LeRoy.
Bali's international airport will be closed for a third day, Indonesian officials said Wednesday, as ash from a rumbling volcano that looms over the island paradise poses a danger to planes. Mount Agung could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday. Massive columns of thick grey smoke and ash that have been belching from the volcano since last week have now begun shooting high into the sky, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded and stranding around 120,000 tourists. Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines. "Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning," airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP. Tens of thousands have already fled their homes around the volcano -- which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people -- but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials have said. Experts said Agung's recent activity matches the build-up to the earlier disaster, which ejected enough debris -- about a billion tonnes -- to lower global average temperatures by around 0.3 degrees Celsius for roughly a year. "Small eruptions have been happening continuously but there's still the possibility of a bigger, explosive eruption," said I Gede Suantika, a senior volcanologist at Indonesia's volcanology agency. "Activity remains high and we are still on the highest alert level." Roadside signs that read "Volcanic danger zone. No entry!" underscored the potential risks of staying behind. There is a 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres away from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta. As of Wednesday around 440 flights had been cancelled with more than 120,000 passengers stranded by the delays. The airport on nearby Lombok island -- also a popular tourist destination -- has opened and closed several times in the past few days. It is currently open. - 'Ring of Fire' - Some 100 buses will haul visitors to several destinations including Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya -- 13 hours' drive and a ferry ride away -- and the capital Jakarta, the airport said, as torrential rain lashed the beach paradise. The majority of Bali's tourists are Chinese, followed by Australians, Indians, British visitors and Japanese, according to the immigration office, which added that nearly 25,000 foreigners live in the small, Hindu-dominated island. Foreigners whose visitor visas are expiring will be given a special permit to stay longer due to the eruption, the agency added. Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes. However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption -- caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater. So-called cold lava flows have also appeared -- similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination. Indonesia, the world's most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities. Last year, seven people were killed after Mt. Sinabung on the western island of Sumatra erupted. A 2014 eruption at Sinabung killed 16.
Japan's prime minister said Wednesday that the latest North Korean missile launch was a "violent act" that "can never be tolerated" after the ICBM splashed down in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). "We will never yield to any provocative act. We will maximise our pressure" on Pyongyang, Shinzo Abe told reporters. The defence minister said earlier the missile was thought to have landed within Japan's EEZ. The Pentagon said it flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. Japan had "completely tracked" the missile, Abe told reporters. "We have made a strong complaint," he added. By launching the missile, North Korea has ignored the international community's "united, strong will toward a peaceful solution," the prime minister said. "The international community needs to perfectly implement sanctions, in unison." Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera later told reporters that the missile had flown for 53 minutes "at an altitude far above 4,000 kilometres." "We have not received any reports of damage to airplanes or vessels operating near the area," said the minister, adding that the missile was fired "at a lofted trajectory." Speaking later in parliament, Abe said he had reaffirmed the importance of China in the crisis during a call with US President Donald Trump and praised Beijing for upholding sanctions on North Korea. "The government welcomes the fact that China is taking concrete steps such as an embargo on imports of North Korea's coal, marine products, textile products, among others," Abe told a parliamentary committee. "Frankly speaking, I feel that China is playing its role" over the UN-agreed sanctions, he said.
Dutch prosecutors are investigating how a Bosnian Croat war criminal managed to dramatically take his own life Wednesday, apparently after drinking poison he had smuggled into a UN court, in scenes that were broadcast live. In shocking footage beamed around the world, Slobodan Praljak drank from a small brown glass bottle and exclaimed he had taken poison moments after UN judges upheld his 20-year jail term for atrocities committed during the 1990s Balkans conflict. The 72-year-old died in hospital after being rushed from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), casting a cloud over what should have been a successful end to the court's tenure. Prosecutors said their investigation would focus on what killed Praljak and whether he had received any outside help in obtaining the suspected poison. "For the time being the inquiry will focus on assisted suicide and violation of the Medicines Act," the Public Prosecution Service said in a statement late Wednesday, adding it would not be commenting further. The unprecedented drama came as judges handed down their very last verdict at the court in the appeal case of six Bosnian Croat political and military leaders. Praljak, a former military commander of a breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, shouted out angrily: "Praljak is not a criminal. I reject your verdict." Standing tall, with a shock of white hair and beard, he then raised a small brown bottle to his lips, and tipped it into his mouth. The hearing was quickly suspended as Praljak's lawyer interjected: "My client says he has taken poison." ICTY spokesman Nenad Golcevski told reporters that Praljak "quickly fell ill" and died in hospital. He could not confirm what was in the bottle. The stunning events caused a shockwave in Croatia and intense embarrassment at a war crimes tribunal that closes next month more than two decades after being set up at the height of the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict. Among the questions to be answered will be how he managed to evade tight security to smuggle the bottle into the tribunal. And if the liquid was indeed poison or noxious, how did he acquire it in the UN detention centre in The Hague where he was being held? - Moral injustice - Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic slammed the "injustice" of the UN tribunal and expressed his condolences. "His act, which we all unfortunately witnessed today, speaks mostly about the deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people," he told reporters. Praljak's act demonstrated "what sacrifice he was ready to make" to show he was "not a war criminal," said Dragan Covic, the Croat member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency. "It is a humiliation of this institution which has existed since 1993." Late Wednesday candles were lit in the former breakaway statelet's capital Mostar by Bosnian Croats and other residents in tribute to the late general. It is not the first time that defendants have taken their own lives at the ICTY. Former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic killed himself in his cell at the UN detention centre in 2006, after another Croatian Serb, Slavko Dokmanovic, in 1998. And former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic was found dead in his cell in 2006 from natural causes before his trial could be completed. - Serious crimes - In the complex ruling, the judges upheld the jail terms against all six defendants, including a 25-year sentence imposed on Jadranko Prlic, the former prime minister of the breakaway Bosnian Croat statelet, known as Herzog-Bosna. Praljak had been specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar's 16th-century bridge in November 1993. In their ruling, the judges allowed part of Praljak's appeal, saying the bridge had been "a military target at the time of the attack." But they refused to reduce his overall sentence. The bloody 1992-1995 war in Bosnia, in which 100,000 people died and 2.2 million were displaced, mainly pitted Bosnian Muslims against Bosnian Serbs, but also saw some brutal fighting between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats after an initial alliance fell apart. The appeal judges said all six men, who had been found guilty of seeking to remove Bosnian Muslims from the territory, "remained convicted of numerous and very serious crimes". In statements sure to anger Zagreb, the judges upheld the original trial finding that the men had been part of a joint criminal enterprise whose "ultimate purpose was shared" by late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, and other leaders. The aim of the scheme was to set up "a Croatian entity that ... facilitated the reunification of the Croatian people." Terms ranging from 10 to 20 years were also upheld against the four other defendants. Wednesday's verdict comes a week after the judges imposed a life sentence on former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic. His judgement had also descended into confusion when he accused the judges of lying and had to be dragged away into a nearby room. The ICTY closes its doors on December 31, having indicted and dealt with 161 people.
A femur bone from the decayed body of a purported Yeti found in a cave in Tibet. Biologist Charlotte Lindqvist tested DNA from the bone for Icon Films' "YETI OR NOT" TV special, which aired on Animal Planet in 2016. Her analysis showed that the bone actually belonged to a Tibetan brown bear. Lindqvist is an associate professor of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Credit: Icon Films Ltd.

The Yeti or Abominable Snowmana mysterious, ape-like creature said to inhabit the high mountains of Asialooms large in the mythology of Nepal and Tibet.

Sightings have been reported for centuries. Footprints have been spotted. Stories have been passed down from generation to generation.

Now, a new DNA study of purported Yeti samples from museums and private collections is providing insight into the origins of this Himalayan legend.

The research, which will be published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analyzed nine "Yeti" specimens, including bone, tooth, skin, hair and fecal samples collected in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Of those, one turned out to be from a dog. The other eight were from Asian black bears, Himalayan brown bears or Tibetan brown bears.

"Our findings strongly suggest that the biological underpinnings of the Yeti legend can be found in local bears, and our study demonstrates that genetics should be able to unravel other, similar mysteries," says lead scientist Charlotte Lindqvist, PhD, an associate professor of biological sciences in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

Lindqvist's team is not the first to research "Yeti" DNA, but past projects ran simpler genetic analyses, which left important questions unresolved, she says.

"This study represents the most rigorous analysis to date of samples suspected to derive from anomalous or mythical 'hominid'-like creatures," Lindqvist and her co-authors write in their new paper. The team included Tianying Lan and Stephanie Gill from UB; Eva Bellemain from SPYGEN in France; Richard Bischof from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences; and Muhammad Ali Nawaz from Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan and the Snow Leopard Trust Pakistan program.

A hair sample from a purported Yeti in Nepal. The hair was said to have come from a Yeti that a Jesuit priest spotted in the mountains in the region in the 1950s, according to producers for Icon Films' 'YETI OR NOT' TV special, which aired on Animal Planet in 2016. Biologist Charlotte Lindqvist sequenced DNA from the hair for the show, and found that the sample was actually from a Tibetan brown bear. Lindqvist is an associate professor of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Credit: Icon Films Ltd.

The science behind folklore

Lindqvist says science can be a useful tool in exploring the roots of myths about large and mysterious creatures.

She notes that in Africa, the longstanding Western legend of an "African unicorn" was explained in the early 20th century by British researchers, who found and described the flesh-and-blood okapi, a giraffe relative that looks like a mix between that animal and a zebra and a horse.

And in Australiawhere people and oversized animals may have coexisted thousands of years agosome scholars have speculated that references to enormous animal-like creatures in Australia's Aboriginal "Dreamtime" mythology may have drawn from ancient encounters with real megafauna or their remains, known today from Australia's fossil record.

But while such connections remain uncertain, Lindqvist's worklike the discovery of the okapiis direct: "Clearly, a big part of the Yeti legend has to do with bears," she says.

She and colleagues investigated samples such as a scrap of skin from the hand or paw of a "Yeti"part of a monastic relicand a fragment of femur bone from a decayed "Yeti" found in a cave on the Tibetan Plateau. The skin sample turned out to be from an Asian black bear, and the bone from a Tibetan brown bear.

The "Yeti" samples that Lindqvist examined were provided to her by British production company Icon Films, which featured her in the 2016 Animal Planet special "YETI OR NOT," which explored the origins of the fabled being.

Himalayan brown bear from Deosai National Park, Pakistan. A new study ties DNA from purported Yetis to Asian bears, including Himalayan brown bears. The research was led by biologist Charlotte Lindqvist, an expert on the evolution of bears. Lindqvist is an associate professor of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo and a visiting associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Credit: Abdullah Khan, Snow Leopard Foundation.

Solving a scientific mystery, too: How enigmatic bears evolved

Besides tracing the origins of the Yeti legend, Lindqvist's work is uncovering information about the evolutionary history of Asian bears.

"Bears in this region are either vulnerable or critically endangered from a conservation perspective, but not much is known about their past history," she says. "The Himalayan brown bears, for example, are highly endangered. Clarifying population structure and genetic diversity can help in estimating population sizes and crafting management strategies."

The scientists sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of 23 Asian bears (including the purported Yetis), and compared this genetic data to that of other bears worldwide.

This analysis showed that while Tibetan brown bears share a close common ancestry with their North American and Eurasian kin, Himalayan brown bears belong to a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged early on from all other brown bears.

The split occurred about 650,000 years ago, during a period of glaciation, according to the scientists. The timing suggests that expanding glaciers and the region's mountainous geography may have caused the Himalayan bears to become separated from others, leading to a prolonged period of isolation and an independent evolutionary path.

"Further genetic research on these rare and elusive animals may help illuminate the environmental history of the region, as well as bear evolutionary history worldwideand additional 'Yeti' samples could contribute to this work," Lindqvist says.

More information: Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau-Himalaya Region and the identity of the Yeti, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, rspb.royalsocietypublishing.or  .1098/rspb.2017.1804 Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B
Customers at Linda Files' Winter Park-based The Spice & Tea Exchange have some options: Golden Monkey Tea, 4 Peppercorn spice blend - and Apple Pay.

The addition of the mobile-payment option allows the company to appeal to shoppers who no longer pay using traditional methods, she said.

"A lot of younger people, that's all they carry," said Files, who also accepts credit cards, debit cards and PayPal at her shop and website. "People don't carry their cards or cash anymore."

As the holiday season kicks off today with Black Friday shopping, consumer options for payments have gone far beyond the traditional cash, check or credit.

The growth of mobile-phone usage and smartwatches gives merchants more ways than ever to accept customers' money.

Mobile applications such as Square's Cash and PayPal's Venmo can be loaded directly through users' bank accounts in an app.

The upstart companies have caused a ripple effect in the venerable banking industry.

Banks have responded by banding together to form Zelle, a platform that allows customers of more than 30 financial institutions to send money to each other.

This holiday shopping season will be the first major test for Zelle, a robust network that landed several major banks this summer. That could help family and friends exchange money as they shop or give direct gifts.

Bank of America recently reported that its apps have contributed $4 billion worth of transactions using peer-to-peer options, including Zelle, which is offered for free. Wells Fargo, meanwhile, said in an earnings call that peer-to-peer payments increased by 46 percent year-over-year, although data specific to Zelle was not broken out.

"Zelle is a way for banks to work as one," said Candice Simmons, a financial wellness expert with Wells Fargo. "We are always looking for new ways to make it easier for our customers to shop and stay on top of their transactions."

In its most-recent quarterly earnings call, Apple reported that it has seen a 15.8 percent growth in the collective usage of several products, including Apple Pay, to $52.6 million.

Major retailers like ACE Hardware, the Nike store and the Disney Store have adopted Apple Pay, which allows instant access to users' bank accounts or credit cards at checkout counters.

Customers using mobile payments can take steps to safeguard their information, such as using a password, PIN code or thumbprint to use their cellphone, payment processor ACI Worldwide said.

In general, shoppers should also heed the following advice: Shop at reputable websites, vary passwords for online accounts with merchants, do not allow boxes to sit on your front porch and monitor your credit- and debit-card posts. Also do not share financial information by email or phone, unless using a secure website that begins with "https" in its address.

Digital currencies such as Bitcoin have been slower to catch on. An online map that tracks merchants who accept Bitcoin shows eight locations in Central Florida, including a meat market and a lawyer's office.

Giovanni Gonzalez said his reason for accepting Bitcoin at his barber shop was similar to Files' thinking about Apple Pay: If customers want to do business, you had better be equipped to take their money.

The owner of Men's Groom Room Barber Lounge in Lake Mary said he made the move about two months ago.

"We just have to be ready for whatever walks in the door," said Gonzalez, who set a sign out on his window that says he accepts Bitcoin and Apple Pay. "I don't want to lose a client because we don't take Bitcoin."

Other local small businesses have not been as quick to adopt Apple Pay or other digital payment methods.

A walk through Winter Park's downtown commercial district near Rollins College found just a few who accept emerging digital payment options.

Those who do, however, stress that it's a matter of being able to accept payments in any form.

Paige Blackwelder has run her trendy clothing and accessory shop Tuni along with her mother in Winter Park since 1986.

When the company first started, she said, cash was king. However, Tuni has had to quickly adapt and adopt new payment options, including Apple Pay.

But the new methods of payment have helped her land sales, she said, because customers who forget wallets or purses in the car can be quickly convinced to pay with their phones.

"The easier you make it for the client, the better it is," Blackwelder said. "And nobody goes anywhere without their phones."

2017 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The cranberry harvest of Atwood Bog, Carver, Massachusetts. Credit: Casey Kennedy

At Thanksgiving, many Americans look forward to eating roast turkey, pumpkin pie, and tangy red cranberries. To feed that appetite, cranberry farming is big business. In Massachusetts, cranberries are the most valuable food crop. The commonwealth's growers provides one-fourth of the U.S. cranberry supply.

Water plays a big role in cranberry farming. At harvest time, cranberry growers flood their fields (cranberry bogs) so the berries will float for easy gathering. The growers may also flood their fields to protect the plants from frost in the winter.

All this water presents a problem to cranberry producers. Phosphorus leaves the cranberry farm when water drains from the flooded fields. Cranberry farms have been identified as a source of excess phosphorus in some Massachusetts lakes. Since cranberry growers depend on continued access to good quality water for their operations, they need to find ways to limit the movement of phosphorus off of their farms.

Phosphorus is an important nutrient that is often added to cranberry fields as a fertilizer. It is also naturally present in watery ecosystems. But too much causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle. These large growths of algae, called algal blooms, can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the water. This leads to illness and death for large numbers of fish.

These concerns led a team of Massachusetts-based researchers to study ways to reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving cranberry farms. The study was conducted by Casey Kennedy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service and colleagues at USDA-ARS and the University of Massachusetts.

Researchers apply aluminum sulfate to a holding pond used for cranberry production. Credit: Casey Kennedy

The researchers added five chemical compounds, or salts, to surface water used for cranberry production. These salts were chosen because they were already known to be good at trapping phosphorus. In addition to applying the salts to water samples in the lab, the researchers also applied salts directly to ponds connected to cranberry bogs using a sand barge. This is a process that cranberry farmers could also use on their ponds.

"One of our goals was to help growers manage phosphorus loss on their own," Kennedy said. "So the study was conducted using methods that could easily be used by growers."

The researchers concluded aluminum sulfate seemed to be the best salt suited to the task. Aluminum sulfate was effective in reducing phosphorus by 78-93% when applied at a concentration that is cost-effective for farmers to use.

When adding a new substance to an ecosystem, however, it is important to be aware of unintended, harmful effects. Kennedy noted, "The cranberry is a wetland plant that is naturally adapted to relatively high concentrations of aluminum in soils. So it may be possible to apply aluminum sulfate directly to bogs without negatively affecting cranberry production. Until then, we have demonstrated that this technique can be used to trap phosphorus in holding ponds, resulting in cleaner water for release downstream."

More research is needed to better understand the way aluminum transfers from soil to water to plants. If all goes well, we can continue to be thankful for a preserved environment??as well as cranberries for our feast??for many years to come.

More information: Casey D. Kennedy et al, Managing Surface Water Inputs to Reduce Phosphorus Loss from Cranberry Farms, Journal of Environment Quality (2017). DOI: 10.2134/jeq2017.04.0134
Richard Agraba hunts lionfish in the British West Indies. Credit: Oregon State University

Lionfish are a prime example of damage caused by an invasive species brought into a new environment. With their venomous spines, aggressive behavior, and few natural enemies, these fish have the potential to harm reef ecosystems in the western Atlantic Ocean.

Natural resource managers need to plan and budget for activities to deal with an invasive animal like the lionfish. But until now there hasn't been a good method for figuring out how much to spend on gathering the information needed to effectively manage lionfish.

A team of economists led by Oregon State University developed a decision method that can be applied to the management of lionfish. Their method, they say, can be applied to other invasive populations, giving managers a tool for calculating the cost of not only eradication or mitigation, but also the monitoring that often needs to be done to keep management on track.

The study is published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

David Kling, an economist in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences and lead author on the study, said the research shows that investing in monitoring an invasive population can pay for itself, chiefly by lowering the costs of management by making informed decisions.

The researchers used mathematical modeling to produce a decision-making framework that natural resource managers can use to properly account for the cost for targeted removal of lionfish from a priority area, such as a marine sanctuary.

"We're in a budget environment where ecological monitoring is often on the chopping block," Kling said. "It's sometimes been difficult for natural resource managers to quantify into dollars the cost of managing invasive species. We wanted to show the economic value of investing in information."

The research team relied on lionfish management documents and conversations with marine experts in developing its method.

The lionfish invasion in the Atlantic is believed to have begun in the 1980s. Lionfish have been reported along the southeastern United States coast from Florida to North Carolina. Juvenile lionfish have been collected in waters off Long Island, New York and Bermuda. The fish, native to the Pacific and Indian oceans and commonly found in home aquariums, have been shown to eat almost anything smaller than they arefish, shrimp, crabs and octopus.

Governments, industry and conservation groups are trying to cull lionfish from their waters, and encourage their use as a food fish. Some removal efforts have concentrated on popular dive sites.

A 2014 study that included OSU showed that controlling lionfish populations in the western Atlantic can pave the way for recovery of native fish.

"The current management prescription is manually removing these fish; right now, there is usually no other way to keep their numbers low in sensitive marine habitats," Kling said. "Resource managers dealing with lionfish have to make hard budgetary tradeoffs, and accurate monitoring of lionfish is costly. We hope our model can ultimately be used as a support tool to help them make those decisions."

More information: David M. Kling et al. Optimal monitoring and control under state uncertainty: Application to lionfish management, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2017.01.001 Stephanie J. Green et al. Linking removal targets to the ecological effects of invaders: a predictive model and field test, Ecological Applications (2013). DOI: 10.1890/13-0979.1 Journal information: Ecological Applications
MATTOON -- A former MHS student made his way to Bulgaria to be one of several to represent the United States in the 2017 World Trampoline and Tumbling Age Group Competitions November 16-19.

Bryce Truhlar, 16, now of Greensboro, N.C., did not make it into the top 10 spots in his division as he hoped for. He placed 29th out of 37 in the age 15-16 Boys Double Mini Trampoline competition. However, when asked, Truhlar saw his time in the international competition as a victory.

"I would not have traded that experience for anything," Truhlar said.

Nine hundred thirty-eight athletes from Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Spain, Finland, France, England, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania , Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan and the host country, Bulgaria competed in the competition.

For Truhlar, the 30-40 seconds he had to impress those judging as he ran full speed onto the trampoline, jumped and did his flips was all he has ever wanted since he was a child starting out in gymnastics.

I have been thinking about this since I was a child, he said. This has been my dream goal for 10 years This has definitely been the biggest competition of my career.

This is where I wanted to be.

Truhlar had been preparing for years to get to this point. He has been in gymnastics for more than a decade and in that time his intensity in the sport only grew. He had made it to nationals twice, one of which got him to the international level. Leading up to the event, Truhlar remembers training roughly two hours a day even on the weekends on top of his job and his school work.

He noted sleeping was not really a part of his schedule leading up to the day of the competition.

Even getting there was a challenge for former Mattoon local. He said he was not even sure he was going to have the chance to make it. Truhlar, who did not consider himself wealthy, had to collect $4,000 within two days to get himself to Bulgaria.

It was kind of a lot, he said. It was a lot of mixed emotions. I didn't think I was going to be selected (to go to the competition). Whenever I did, I was freaking out. Then I came home and told my mom and she was freaking out. And then, I told her the price and we both started freaking out.

But he was determined to go.

I was going to find a way to go, he said. I didn't think people were going to help out so I was honestly going to get a loan and start slowly paying it off, he said.

Family and friends jumped to help, though. Truhlar said donations poured in from friends willing to help out to get him to the competition.

I was freaking out that I was not going to be able to go but then a posted on Facebook and a bunch of people starting commenting we can help out or we will help here, he said. It was honestly a little overwhelming. I didn't know I had that many supporters.

He said about 20-40 from the community pitched in to get him to that competition. He and his family are still working to return the money they received to get him there.

He said it was all well worth it.

Despite his placement, he does not see it as the pinnacle. Truhlar said that will not be his last chance at the international level

These people are really good so the plan is to come back with skills I never even thought about doing and push myself to make sure I get that spot, he said.
3 Lidar model of topography of Thanet showing Ebbsfleet. Credit: University of Leicester

The first evidence for Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain has been discovered by archaeologists from the University of Leicester. The findings will be explored as part of the BBC Four's Digging For Britain on Wednesday 29 November.

Based on new evidence, the team suggests that the first landing of Julius Caesar's fleet in Britain took place in 54BC at Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet, the northeast point of Kent.

This location matches Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC, with three clues about the topography of the landing site being consistent with him having landed in Pegwell Bay: its visibility from the sea, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby.

The project has involved surveys of hillforts that may have been attacked by Caesar, studies in museums of objects that may have been made or buried at the time of the invasions, such as coin hoards, and excavations in Kent.

The University of Leicester project, which is funded by the Leverhulme Trust, was prompted by the discovery of a large defensive ditch in archaeological excavations before a new road was built. The shape of the ditch at Ebbsfleet, a hamlet in Thanet, is very similar to some of the Roman defences at Alesia in France, where the decisive battle in the Gallic War took place in 52 BC.

The site, at Ebbsfleet, on the Isle of Thanet in north-east Kent overlooking Pegwell Bay, is now 900 m inland but at the time of Caesar's invasions it was closer to the coast. The ditch is 4-5 metres wide and 2 metres deep and is dated by pottery and radiocarbon dates to the 1st century BC.

The size, shape, date of the defences at Ebbsfleet and the presence of iron weapons including a Roman pilum (javelin) all suggest that the site at Ebbsfleet was once a Roman base of 1st century BC date.

The archaeological team suggest the site may be up to 20 hectares in size and it is thought that the main purpose of the fort was to protect the ships of Caesar's fleet that had been drawn up on to the nearby beach.

Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, Research Associate from the University of Leicester's School of Archaeology and Ancient History said: "The site at Ebbsfleet lies on a peninsular that projects from the south-eastern tip of the Isle of Thanet. Thanet has never been considered as a possible landing site before because it was separated from the mainland until the Middle Ages.

The Ebbsfleet excavation with Pegwell Bay & Ramsgate. Credit: University of Leicester

"However, it is not known how big the Channel that separated it from the mainland (the Wantsum Channel) was. The Wantsum Channel was clearly not a significant barrier to people of Thanet during the Iron Age and it certainly would not have been a major challenge to the engineering capabilities of the Roman army."

Caesar's own account of his landing in 54 BC is consistent with the landing site identified by the team.

Dr Fitzpatrick explained: "Sailing from somewhere between Boulogne and Calais, Caesar says that at sunrise they saw Britain far away on the left hand side. As they set sail opposite the cliffs of Dover, Caesar can only be describing the white chalk cliffs around Ramsgate which were being illuminated by the rising sun.

"Caesar describes how the ships were left at anchor at an even and open shore and how they were damaged by a great storm. This description is consistent with Pegwell Bay, which today is the largest bay on the east Kent coast and is open and flat. The bay is big enough for the whole Roman army to have landed in the single day that Caesar describes. The 800 ships, even if they landed in waves, would still have needed a landing front 1-2 km wide.

"Caesar also describes how the Britons had assembled to oppose the landing but, taken aback by the size of the fleet, they concealed themselves on the higher ground. This is consistent with the higher ground of the Isle of Thanet around Ramsgate.

"These three clues about the topography of the landing site; the presence of cliffs, the existence of a large open bay, and the presence of higher ground nearby, are consistent with the 54 BC landing having been in Pegwell Bay."

The last full study of Caesar's invasions was published over 100 years ago, in 1907.

It has long been believed that because Caesar returned to France the invasions were failures and that because the Romans did not leave a force of occupation the invasions had little or no lasting effects on the peoples of Briton. It has also been believed that because the campaigns were short they will have left few, if any, archaeological remains.

The team challenge this notion by suggesting that in Rome the invasions were seen as a great triumph. The fact that Caesar had crossed the sea and gone beyond the known world caused a sensation. At this time victory was achieved by defeating the enemy in battle, not by occupying their lands.

The Ebbsfleet 2016 defensive ditch under excavation. Credit: University of Leicester

They also suggest that Caesar's impact in Briton had long-standing effects which were seen almost 100 years later during Claudius's invasion of Briton.

Professor Colin Haselgrove, the principal investigator for the project from the University of Leicester, explained: "It seems likely that the treaties set up by Caesar formed the basis for alliances between Rome and British royal families. This eventually resulted in the leading rulers of south-east England becoming client kings of Rome. Almost 100 years after Caesar, in AD 43 the emperor Claudius invaded Britain. The conquest of south-east England seems to have been rapid, probably because the kings in this region were already allied to Rome.

"This was the beginning of the permanent Roman occupation of Britain, which included Wales and some of Scotland, and lasted for almost 400 years, suggesting that Claudius later exploited Caesar's legacy."

The fieldwork for the project has been carried out by volunteers organised by the Community Archaeologist of Kent County Council who worked in partnership with the University of Leicester. The project was also supported by staff from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS).

Kent County Council cabinet member Matthew Balfour said: "The council is delighted to have been able to work in partnership with the University of Leicester to help build on the incredible findings made during our road development. The archaeology of Thanet is very special and we are particularly pleased that such important findings have been made with the involvement of volunteers from the Kent community. When we built the road we ensured that the community played a big part in the archaeological works and it is satisfying to see the legacy of our original work continuing."

Principal Archaeological Officer for Kent County Council Simon Mason, who oversaw the original road excavations carried out by Oxford Wessex Archaeology, said: "Many people do not realise just how rich the archaeology of the Isle of Thanet is. Being so close to the continent, Thanet was the gateway to new ideas, people, trade and invasion from earliest times. This has resulted in a vast and unique buried archaeological landscape with many important discoveries being regularly made. The peoples of Thanet were once witness to some of the earliest and most important events in the nation's history: the Claudian invasion to start the period of Roman rule, the arrival of St Augustine's mission to bring Christianity and the arrival of the Saxons celebrated through the tradition of Hengist and Horsa. It has been fantastic to be part of a project that is helping to bring another fantastic chapter, that of Caesar, to Thanet's story."

Andrew Mayfield said: "The project has been a fantastic opportunity for us to explore the extraordinary archaeology of Thanet alongside the University of Leicester team. Volunteers, both locally from Thanet and further afield in Kent, enthusiastically give up their time and the success of the dig is very much down to their hard work and commitment. We were also lucky to welcome students from both Canterbury Universities, a local branch of the Young Archaeologists Club as well as the local school. This was very much a team effort."

The findings will be explored further as part of the BBC Four's Digging For Britain. The East episode, in which the Ebbsfleet site appears, will be the second programme in the series, and will be broadcast on Wednesday 29 November 2017.
Portrait mummy of a girl, late 1st century CE, mummified remains of 5-year-old girl wrapped in linen, with a portrait in beeswax and pigments on wood. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois. Credit: Northwestern University

Who is she, this little mummy girl? Northwestern University scientists and students are working to unravel some of her mysteries, including how her body was prepared 1,900 years ago in Egypt, what items she may have been buried with, the quality of her bones and what material is present in her brain cavity.

As part of a comprehensive scientific investigation, the mummy traveled from Evanston to Argonne National Laboratory on Nov. 27 for an all-day X-ray scattering experiment. It was the first study of its kind performed on a human mummy.

"This is a unique experiment, a 3-D puzzle," said Stuart R. Stock, research professor of cell and molecular biology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who led the synchrotron experiment. "We have some preliminary findings about the various materials, but it will take days before we tighten down the precise answers to our questions. We have confirmed that the shards in the brain cavity are likely solidified pitch, not a crystalline material."

The Roman-Egyptian mummywhich resides at the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on Northwestern's Evanston campusis one of only approximately 100 portrait mummies in the world. These mummies have an extremely lifelike painting of the deceased individual incorporated into the mummy wrappings and placed directly over the person's face. The Romans introduced to Egypt these 2-D portraits of the dead after almost 3,000 years of idealized 3-D images. (Think King Tut).

Just over three feet long, the little girl's body is swaddled in a copious amount of linen. The outermost wrappings have been arranged in an ornate geometric pattern of overlapping rhomboids and also serve to frame the portrait. The face, painted with beeswax and pigment, gazes serenely outward, her dark hair gathered at the back. She is wearing a crimson tunic and gold jewelry.

The study of this rare archeological object, owned by Garrett-Evangelical, is part of an interdisciplinary class at Northwestern focused, in part, on filling out the contextual story of where this mummy came from and who she was.

Northwestern University's Stuart Stock and The Art Institute of Chicago's Rachel Sabino discuss the X-ray scattering experiment at Argonne National Laboratory performed Nov. 27 on an 1,900-year-old portrait mummy. Credit: Jim Prisching

Thirteen materials science and humanities students are examining the materials and methods used to create both this intact portrait mummy and a well-preserved collection of Roman-Egyptian mummy portraits for an upcoming exhibition at Northwestern's Block Museum of Art. Earlier in the quarter, the class traveled to California to study the portraits at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, which will loan the portraits to the Block Museum. (Unlike the Garrett mummy, each of these portraits has been separated from its mummy.)

The students already have discovered that the Garrett mummy's portrait was put together in a very different way from the Hearst Museum portraits and likely is from a different workshop. These findings and others yet to come, including results from the synchrotron X-ray study of the Garrett mummy, will culminate in the Block Museum exhibition, "Paint the Eyes Softer: Mummy Portraits from Roman Egypt."

"Intact portrait mummies are exceedingly rare, and to have one here on campus was revelatory for the class and exhibition," said Marc Walton, a research professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering. He is teaching the fall quarter class with Taco Terpstra, assistant professor of classics and history at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

The "Paint the Eyes Softer" exhibition will reunite ancient neighbors: the girl portrait mummy is from the site of Hawara, a site close to Tebtunis, where the Hearst Museum's mummy portraits are originally from. The Hawara, or Garrett, mummy is believed to be from a high-status family and was entombed in an underground chamber with four other mummies.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our undergraduate studentsand for meto work at understanding the whole object that is this girl mummy," Walton said. "Today's powerful analytical tools allow us to nondestructively do the archaeology scientists couldn't do 100 years ago."

The synchrotron experiment at Argonne is a modern-day version of 19th-century England's "mummy unwrapping" parties, Walton said. The Northwestern team collaborated with scientists at Argonne and used the extremely brilliant high-energy synchrotron X-rays produced by Argonne's Advanced Photon Source to probe the materials and objects inside the mummy, while leaving the mummy and her wrappings intact.

Northwestern University scientists performed an X-ray scattering experiment Nov. 27 at Argonne National Laboratory on a 1,900-year-old portrait mummy -- the first study of its kind. Credit: Jim Prisching

"From a medical research perspective, I am interested in what we can learn about her bone tissue," Stock said. "We also are investigating a scarab-shaped object, her teeth and what look like wires near the mummy's head and feet."

Prior to its trip to Argonne, the mummy had a CT scan at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in August, also led by Stock. The scan gave the researchers a 3-D map of the structure of the mummy and enabled them to confirm the girl is 5 years old (give or take nine months).

At the Advanced Photon Source, Stock and his team shined the pencil-shaped X-ray beam (about twice the diameter of a human hair) on areas of high-density in the mummy that were identified by the CT scan. They now will use the X-ray diffraction patterns as "fingerprints" to identify each crystalline material. For example, is the black rounded object seen on the CT scan a gold object or a rock?

The findings from the synchrotron experiment, CT scan and other scientific analyses and studies of history conducted by the students will help researchers and historians better understand the context in which the Garrett mummy was excavated in 1911 as well as Roman-period mummification practices. Also, conservators will use the information to best preserve the mummy.

"We're basically able to go back to an excavation that happened more than 100 years ago and reconstruct it with our contemporary analysis techniques," Walton said. "All the information we find will help us enrich the entire historic context of this young girl mummy and the Roman period in Egypt."
We need to make sure everyone benefits from new technologies so as not to widen inequality, a social innovation conference has heard. Credit: by Ecole polytechnique - J.Barande, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

New technologies like artificial intelligence, self-driving vehicles and the internet of things could be used to reduce the widening economic gulf that is emerging in modern societies.

Experts attending a major conference in Lisbon to discuss innovative ways of solving societal problems have set out an ambitious vision for how the fourth industrial revolution  the crossover between the digital, physical and biological worlds to create new ways of doing things  could help to reshape society.

They warned that while globalisation has helped to tackle poverty in many parts of the world, it has also widened the gap between the rich and poor.

In Europe, the poorest 10 % of people earn just 2-4 % of the total income in their countries while the richest 10 % account for more than a fifth of the income.

But by helping ordinary people to use technology to develop innovative solutions to the problems that can leave them marginalised, some of these inequalities could be overcome.

"Digital revolutions offer extraordinary opportunities to correct these disparities in ways that will impact everyone," said Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, France, who has been a leading proponent of new social projects during her time in office.

She pointed to technologies that manage the way energy is used more efficiently in people's homes and new types of insulation as one example. "They can reduce the energy cost in our cities, but only if these technologies are affordable for everyone."

Hidalgo was speaking at a conference partly organised by the European Union, called 'Opening up to an Era of Social Innovation", which was held in Lisbon on 27-28 November.

It brought together people including entrepreneurs, policymakers, funders, scientists and politicians to discuss the future of European social innovation.

Empower

Hidalgo's comments were echoed by Geoff Mulgan, chief executive of Nesta, a UK-based foundation that supports innovation. He explained that new technologies had the ability to empower communities to overcome the socio-economic difficulties they face.

"We are in an era where internet platforms are allowing radical new ways to improve mobility and experiments in the sharing economy," he said.

"There are many parts of Europe where rural bus services have been cut back due to austerity, but social innovation can re-link villages together by using internet platforms that allow people to share rides in a much more structured way. This can help people to access services they have been cut off from in recent years."

Mulgan believes a major change in the way governments, businesses and the public think about science and technology may be needed in order to make it more socially beneficial.

He warned that unless this happens there is a risk that technologies like artificial intelligence and self-driving vehicles can widen social inequalities further by pushing people out of work.

"There needs to be wider participation in shaping the fourth industrial revolution," he said. "These technologies need to be not just created by big companies, governments and universities, but by ordinary citizens too."

For this to happen, however, people will need the skills and knowledge to help them take part.

One project, called Code For All, is doing just that with boot camps that help to teach people who are unemployed in Portugal how to write computer programming code.

Jobs

With the skills they learn over a 14-week period, the participants - who are aged between 18 and 50 years old - can look for jobs in the IT sector.

Domingos Guimaraes, co-founder of Code For All, said that in little over the two years that the project has been running, they have had 250 people take part and 96 % have found jobs afterwards. Some have even gone on to launch their own companies.

"There are around 500 000 jobs available in Europe at the moment for developers," he said. "The great opportunity of code jobs is that the market is so desperate for people like this, (so) it is much harder to discriminate against people because of their background."

Code For All has now also set up a coding project with the Aga Khan Foundation, an international not-for-profit development agency, in the Pendao area of Lisbon.

"This is one of the most difficult neighbourhoods in all of Portugal," explained Guimaraes. "The kids here have a future either serving fast food, or as drug dealers or hanging around with no jobs.

"We are building a project that will spend two to three months preparing them for a boot camp and then insert them into the job market."

It is an approach that is being replicated in projects around the world, such as the online coding school codecademy, which offers adults the chance to learn new skills for free, and similar initiatives in schools.

With this sort of digital literacy, people should also be able to play a bigger part in building the sort of social technology tools that people like Mulgan believe are needed.

But Mulgan also argues there needs to be new ways of funding projects that are trying to use technology to tackle inequalities in Europe.

Purpose

"We perhaps need a shift in purpose," he said. "Most new technologies are developed first for the military, then business and then social uses come way down the line. A good example is with drones - they were first used by the military, then retailers for deliveries and only belatedly are cities in Europe thinking about what they can do for health care or other social purposes. There is nothing natural about that and I think it can be shifted."

At the conference, Carlos Moedas, the EU's commissioner for research, science and innovation, set out his vision to have 'mission-driven' science at the heart of the EU's next major research funding programme.

"Social innovation has inspired me to change the way we look at science in Europe," he said. "We have to create missions that inspire people and social innovation is a great example of that. Because if you define missions that inspire people then you connect back Europe to people."

Luis de Melo Jeronimo, project manager of the human development programme at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Portugal, which co-organised the conference, said that people on the ground should be involved in social innovation.

"We also need to recover the trust of the people who feel like they have been losing out under globalisation," he said. "We need to make sure they feel they are part of the solution."

He points to another project that has been supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, called the Ubuntu Academy, as a way this might be done.

It is teaching young South Africans leadership skills that they can then use to lead innovative projects and enterprises in their local communities. Currently being run as a pilot project, there are hopes it may be expanded to other locations around the world.

"The globalisation model that most western and developed countries have followed over the last few decades have not worked for many people," Mulgan added. "They have made a minority richer but many others have been left with less. So there has to be a different model which addresses their need for work, prosperity and meaning."
New Norcia at night. Credit: European Space Agency

ESA's ground station in Western Australia routinely communicates with spacecraft at far-away places like Mars. Now, it's using sunlight to generate electricity, significantly reducing energy costs.

Whether orbiting a planet, following a comet or peering deep into our Universe, spacecraft have long used solar cells to generate electricity from sunlight to power their mission.

Now, ESA's deep-space ground station at New Norcia, Western Australia, is also being powered in part by sunlight, thanks to a new solar power 'farm' completed in August.

The farm has 840 photovoltaic panels arranged in five double rows with a rated capacity of 250 kW. This is expected to generate 470 MWh of electricity annually, about 40 percent of the station's annual needs and equal to the electricity needed to power 134 typical households.

"While we've only just completed the first full month of operation, the solar facility has already reduced our cost of purchasing electricity from the local power company by at least 30 percent," says ESA's Marc Roubert.

"In the coming summer months, given some sunny, clear skies, we even expect to be able to deliver electricity back to the local grid."

The installation began in 2015 and is expected to provide a full return on investment within about 15 years.

"The approvals process with the local power authority was lengthy and demanding because of the size of the farm and the remoteness of the station, about 120 km north of Perth," says Udo Kugel, the project manager at ESA's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

"We expect to save 340 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year."

Communicating deep into space

Video recorded during a drone flyover of ESA's 35 m-diameter deep-space antenna at New Norcia, Western Australia, in October 2017. Credit: ESA/D. O'Donnell, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Opened in 2003, New Norcia was the first of ESA's trio of deep-space antennas, which provide full communication coverage for spacecraft voyaging into our solar system.

The other stations are located in Argentina and Spain, and all three support ESA missions as well as missions of partner agencies such as NASA, China and the Japanese space agency.

ESA's antennas feature some of the world's best technology for deep-space communication. Dual 20 kW amplifiers must be cryogenically cooled, and can be pointed with extreme precision despite wind or dust to transmit commands to spacecraft  like Rosetta  750 million km away.

In August 2016, New Norcia station received signals from the international Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn, across more than 1.4 billion km of space  the furthest 'catch' ever made by an ESA station.

More green

In future, ESA will consider upgrading the sites in Spain and Argentina with solar power as well.

"From now on, the power used by our station to command spacecraft will come from the Sun, as will the power used by the spacecraft to downlink the scientific data gathered from orbit," says Marc.

"Exploring our solar system is being done with sunlight at both ends."
Thanks to genes acquired from bacteria, a fungus can degrade an environmentally harmful hydrocarbon - and comes under considerable stress in the process. These remarkable research findings, which were published recently, were obtained by a group from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). The results were made possible thanks to the very latest equipment for genome and transcriptome analysis, the use of which is also open to third parties at the BOKU.

Cladophialophora immunda may be a fungus but it is no mere mushroom! This ascomycete or sac fungus, which belongs to the group of yeast fungi, has one very impressive characteristic: it can easily decompose the environmentally harmful hydrocarbon toluene. This makes C. immunda an excellent tool for the biological remediation of soil and other environments polluted with hydrocarbons. Using the very latest sequencing methods and a specially developed bioinformatic pipeline, Dr. Barbara Blasi and Dr. Hakim Tafer from Prof. Katja Sterflinger's team at the Department of Biotechnology (BOKU, Vienna) examined, for the first time, precisely how the fungus does this. The surprising results of the study, which was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, reveal that C. immunda acquired numerous genes essential for toluene degradation from bacteria and, moreover, that toluene degradation goes hand in hand with enormous stress, to which the fungus responds with numerous reactions.

Fast and reliable sequencing

The astonishing findings were also made possible thanks to the very latest sequencers, which are available at the university's EQ-BOKU core facility and can also be leased to third parties. They include an ion semiconductor sequencer (Proton Ion Sequencer), which enables the extremely rapid sequencing of large volumes of nucleic acids. This made it possible for the BOKU research team to obtain, among other things, valuable information about the activation of genes during toluene degradation. Prof. Sterflinger explains: "In this way, we produced the world's first transcriptome analysis of a fungus that grows on toluene. We were also able to show that C. immunda has almost all of the enzymes that were previously associated  from different organisms  with toluene degradation." The scientists even succeeded in demonstrating that the genes for these enzymes are grouped in five clusters on the DNA. Such gene clusters are not unusual in fungi, but this phenomenon had not previously been described for the genes that play an important role in hydrocarbon degradation. A comparison of the comprehensive sequence data from C. immunda with those of other organisms also demonstrated clearly that eight genes for toluene degradation were transferred from bacteria to the fungus in the past.

Mushrooming stress

When the team examined the activity of other genes whose expression was influenced by the toluene degradation, another surprise awaited them. "Despite its ability to degrade toluene very efficiently, the process creates enormous stress for C. immunda. An entire series of cellular metabolic processes are negatively affected by the contact with toluene," explains Prof. Sterflinger. These processes include basic cell functions like the production and degradation of amino acids and organic substances, cell respiration, and special transport mechanisms. The scientists were also able to demonstrate that toluene degradation triggers the production of antioxidants and activates cell detoxification mechanisms. All of these processes are unmistakable indicators of stress. "This suggests that, even though it can degrade it so effectively, C. immunda is no true friend of toluene," explains Prof. Sterflinger. "On the contrary, the effective destruction of the toluene appears to be a protective mechanism used by the fungus to shield it from its harmful effects."

The results of the study were also made possible by the successful cooperation between Prof. Sterflinger's group at the Department of Biotechnology and the University's EQ-BOKU core facility. This independent subsidiary acquires and operates numerous pieces of large and expensive equipment, such as the latest sequencers and gas chromatographs, and makes them available for use by both the university's own research groups and external parties. This means that the latter can also access the expertise of the BOKU's scientists for complex measurement tasks and entire research projects. EQ-BOKU's cooperation with numerous industrial concerns and international research groups testifies to the success of this concept, which also contributes to many internationally renowned research findings at the university itself.

More information: Barbara Blasi et al. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of the toluene degrading black yeast Cladophialophora immunda, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11807-8 Journal information: Scientific Reports

Provided by University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Mosquito that causes malaria, Anopheles gambiae. Credit: NIAID, CC BY

The largest ever genetic study of mosquitoes reveals the movement of insecticide resistance between different regions of Africa and finds several rapidly evolving insecticide resistance genes. Reported today (29 November) in Nature, this genetic resource will be used to develop new tools for monitoring resistance and managing insecticide use, and for designing novel control methods.

Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes and rising resistance to insecticides is hampering efforts to control the disease. The study by researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators also discovered that wild mosquitoes collected in Africa were genetically far more diverse than had been thought. This helps to explain how mosquitoes evolve insecticide resistance so quickly.

More than 200 million people are infected with the malaria parasite worldwide each year, which is transmitted by blood-sucking Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria caused the deaths of around 429,000 people in 2015 with the majority of cases in sub-Saharan Africa.

Public health measures in Africa such as insecticide-treated bed nets and insecticide-spraying have helped reduce the numbers of malaria cases since 2000, but many mosquitoes have evolved resistance to insecticides. This is now threatening to derail malaria control in Africa.

To understand how mosquitoes are evolving, researchers working with the Anopheles gambiae 1000 genomes project sequenced the DNA of 765 wild Anopheles mosquitoes. These were taken from 15 locations across eight African countries, creating the largest data resource on natural genetic variation for any species of insect. They then examined each of the mosquito genomes.

The researchers revealed that the Anopheles gambie mosquitoes are extremely genetically diverse compared with most other animal species. High genetic diversity enables rapid evolution and the study found 52 million small differences amongst the mosquito genomes.

Dr Mara Lawniczak, a corresponding author on the paper and Faculty at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "The diversity of mosquito genomes was far greater than we expected. Such high levels of genetic variation poise mosquito populations to rapidly evolve in response to our efforts to control them whether that be with insecticides or any other control measure, including gene drive."

New strategies to control mosquitoes are being developed that use 'gene drive'- using the latest Crispr/Cas 9 genetic tools to make mosquitoes infertile or unable to carry the malaria parasite. However, this technology requires an exact match with any targeted gene. The researchers found that gene drive is unlikely to work for most mosquito genes because they are too variable in nature, however they also used the data to highlight less variable targets that are potentially more suitable for gene drive based methods to control mosquitoes.

The mosquito genomes also revealed rapid evolution of several genes that had previously been implicated in insecticide resistance. Unexpectedly, the researchers discovered many previously-unknown genetic variants within those genes that could be causing insecticide resistance. Worryingly, they showed that these genetic variants for insecticide resistance were not only emerging independently in different parts of Africa, but were also being spread across the continent by mosquito migration.

Professor Martin Donnelly, a corresponding author from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Honorary Faculty at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "We know that mosquito populations are rapidly evolving resistance to insecticides, which is a serious threat to the future of malaria control in Africa. We have been able to see that a diverse array of genes linked to insecticide resistance are under very strong selection, confirming that they are playing an important role in the evolution of insecticide resistance in natural mosquito populations. Our study highlights the severe challenges facing public efforts to control mosquitoes and to manage and limit insecticide resistance."

Alistair Miles, lead author from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "The data we have generated are a unique resource for studying how mosquito populations are responding to our current control efforts, and for designing better technologies and strategies for mosquito control in the future. More data will be needed to fill in the geographical gaps and study how mosquito populations change over time and in response to specific control interventions. However, this study demonstrates a clear path towards building a new and much-needed source of intelligence to support the campaign to eradicate malaria in Africa."

More information: Alistair Miles et al, Genetic diversity of the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature24995 Journal information: Nature
Moscow has given the green light to the first production line for liquefied natural gas project Yamal LNG in the Russian Arctic, the group said in a statement Wednesday.

"Yamal LNG was granted State permission to commission the main technological facilities of the LNG plant's first stage, including the first liquefaction train, 58 gas wells and the respective infrastructure," the statement said.

The official launch of the $27-billion project in the Russian arctic will come before the end of the year, the statement said.

Yamal LNG is a liquefied natural gas plant with a planned capacity of 16.5 million tonnes per year.

It is located on the Yamal peninsula, an Arctic region of Siberia that is a key Russian oil and gas producing region, and led by Russian gas producer Novatek with France's Total and China's CNPC and Silk Road Fund.

The project was hit with difficulties after US sanctions against Moscow over Ukraine affected Novatek.

On a Moscow visit in 2016 when he served as France's Economy Minister, current French president Emmanuel Macron said Paris wanted "guarantees" that Washington would not target French banks with sanctions for financing the Yamal project.

 2017 AFP
Motorists crossing a flooded street in a low-lying Norfolk neighborhood called Colonial Place, which floods at every high tide. Credit: Chesapeake Bay Program/Will Parson

A new NASA-led study shows that land in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, metropolitan area is sinking at highly uneven rates, with a few trouble spots subsiding 7 to 10 times faster than the area average. Whereas earlier estimates had suggested the area is subsiding evenly, the new study found that major differences in subsidence rates occur only a few miles apart.

Hampton Roads has one of the highest rates of relative sea level risethe combined effects of sinking land and rising seasalong the U.S. East Coast, about an inch (23 millimeters) every five years. It has experienced a steady and dramatic increase in high-tide flooding over the last 90 years. Accurate, local subsidence maps are necessary for the area to prepare for increasing flood risks in the future. The region comprises seven Virginia cities, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach, as well as Naval Station Norfolk, the country's largest naval base.

The new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that much-higher-than-average subsidence is occurring at Craney Island, a depository for material dredged from shipping channels, and at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where the subsidence was most likely related to local construction during the study period. In other areas with similarly high subsidence rates, the causes of the sinking are not known.

Researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk found the variations in subsidence by analyzing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired between 2007 and 2011 by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's ALOS-1 satellite. Processing the data with state-of-the-art image processing techniques, the researchers were able to document how the land surface had changed from the time of the first ALOS-1 image to 2011. To tie in that relative data set with existing, lower-resolution maps of earlier subsidence, as well as to put the results into a framework already familiar to decision-makers, the researchers developed a new strategy to integrate the processed SAR measurements with Global Positioning System (GPS) observations.

The result was the first high-resolution estimates of vertical land motion in Hampton Roads. The new estimates have a spatial resolution of about 100 feet (30 meters), whereas earlier estimates were based on data from GPS stations located 10 to 15 miles apart (about 20 kilometers).

Part of the new map showing subsidence rates in millimeters per year. Locations A through G are areas of unusually high subsidence. CHR1, LOY1, LOY2 and LSO3 are GPS stations. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The production of the new maps was a pilot project between JPL and ODU to assess the feasibility of using space-borne SAR data to map subsidence in Hampton Roads, according to lead author David Bekaert of JPL. He noted that the techniques developed to make these maps integrating SAR and GPS measurements could be used to map subsidence at other locations.

The ALOS-1 data set used in this study is relatively small, with the satellite acquiring an image of the area only once every 46 days at best. Bekaert and coauthors look forward to using data from the future NASA-Indian Space Research Organizaton Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, scheduled to launch in 2021, and from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 constellation, which currently acquires a new image of the Hampton Roads area every 12 days. NISAR will also acquire an image every 12 days, but because of its longer operating wavelength and higher resolution, it is well placed to extend subsidence mapping into more challenging rural areas and wetlands.

"Continuing, regularly acquired SAR data will allow us to reduce the uncertainty in our subsidence rate estimates, which is important for decision-making," Bekaert said.

Coauthor Ben Hamlington (ODU) noted, "Information regarding subsidence should be incorporated into land use decisions and taken into consideration for future planning." He has presented preliminary findings from this study to several planning and emergency management committees in Hampton Roads.

Hamlington said, "We had a need for high-resolution images of subsidence, but we didn't have the expertise and technology to do the analysis ourselves here at ODU. Collaborating with JPL helped us build capacity for the future, and also get immediate results."

The paper in Scientific Reports is titled "Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Survey of Subsidence in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA)."

More information: D. P. S. Bekaert et al. Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Survey of Subsidence in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA), Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15309-5 Journal information: Scientific Reports
One of the most prominent publications in physics, Physical Review X, accepted an article by Sangwoo Shin, a University of Hawaii at Manoa assistant professor in mechanical engineering. The article is titled Accumulation of Colloidal Particles in Flow Junctions Induced by Fluid Flow and Diffusiophoresis.

Shin examines how underground aquifers, hydraulic fractures, coastal habitats and water filtration systems all deal with the flow of water that contains suspended particles. Typically, these particles are expected to move along with the fluid flow unless the particles are large enough to clog the channel or sticky enough to adhere to boundaries.

However, this is not always the case when there are solutes dissolved in the fluid. Shin and his team show that the particles can get trapped and clog large flow channels rapidly because of the dissolved solutes.

When two flows with different solute concentrations are in contact near a junction, a sharp solute gradient is formed at the interface, allowing the particles to move against the flow direction.

Consequently, the particles accumulate near the pore entrance, rapidly occupying the pore. This behavior has important implications for the clogging of a porous medium, where particles that are orders of magnitude smaller than the pore width can accumulate and block the pores within a short period of time.

Possible practical examples of this particle trapping include developing microbial biofilms and biofilm streamers in certain natural habitats, as well as interrupting oral and gastrointestinal microbial infections in the human body.

The team's research also shows that this effect can be utilized as a useful tool for separating biomolecules such as DNA for biomedical applications.

Shin was among the world's 100 leading scientists at a November global gathering of forward-thinking individuals from more than 75 countries.

More information: Sangwoo Shin et al. Accumulation of Colloidal Particles in Flow Junctions Induced by Fluid Flow and Diffusiophoresis, Physical Review X (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.7.041038 Journal information: Physical Review X
Cognitive psychology examines how people view the world and what drives them to behave a certain way. These everyday decisions are shaped by countless factors. However, research on cognition often leaves out a key considerationthe cultural context.

In a new paper, scientists look at how cognitive research on poverty, ethics and discrimination would be enriched by engaging more with cultural sociology. CIFAR Successful Societies Program Co-Director Michele Lamont is the lead author of the piece published in Nature Human Behaviour this week.

"Inequality and racism do not exist separate from culture. As such, cognitive research on these critical issues and ways to confront them must not either," says Lamont, who is Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies and the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies at Harvard University.

Lamont and her colleagues examine three of the most prominent cognitive research models: studies of poverty focused on scarcity and cognitive bandwidth, studies of dual-process morality, and studies of biases using the implicit association test. Their paper outlines the limitations of these approaches and how to advance research by incorporating cultural references.

The cognitive bandwidth model explains why low-income people make decisions that extend their poverty: When people have very little of something (money, food, time etc.), they focus on that scarce resource and don't have the "bandwidth" to think about long-term concerns. The authors suggest that this model should consider the cultural influences that shape perceptions of scarcity and the prioritization of resources. For example, Lamont's research has shown that people in the United States are more likely to measure value against economic criteria, while in France, civic solidarity and aesthetics are important factors.

Dual-process morality and the implicit association test face similar limitations. Both could benefit from deeper cultural analysis of people's responses through either an explanation for a choice or by understanding the meaning of a delayed response time.

The paper also notes that social problems cannot be resolved through cognitive methods alone.

"Reducing poverty requires that public policies enhance material redistribution and social recognition. Promoting ethical decision-making and resolving moral conflicts will require changes in repertoires about morality, rather than shifting modes of cognition. Finally, we are more likely to address discrimination by gradually changing cultural narratives that stigmatize particular groups than by simply sensitizing individuals to their own subconscious biases," the authors write.

Above all, the paper calls for researchers to bridge their research and engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Cultural sociologists should also seek insights from their colleagues in cognitive psychology, the authors write.

The interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches presented in this paper are emblematic of Lamont's career. In 2002, she founded CIFAR's Successful Societies program alongside Harvard University professor Peter A. Hall. The program has brought together sociologists, political scientists, economists, historians and psychologists over the last 15 years.

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, Lamont was presented with the 2017 Erasmus Prize during a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. The prestigious European prize recognizes an exceptional contribution to the humanities, social sciences or arts.

More information: Michele Lamont et al, Bridging cultural sociology and cognitive psychology in three contemporary research programmes, Nature Human Behaviour (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-017-0242-y Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour
MATTOON -- The Lake Land College Police Department's founding chief, Randy Ervin, is scheduled to retire from this post on Thursday.

Ervin has led the Lake Land Police Department for 20 years. Under his tenure, the college has been recognized nationally for its status as a safe campus several times. In addition to managing the law enforcement team, Ervin has developed the colleges emergency response and safety plans. He regularly leads training sessions and simulated drills for employees and students in emergency response procedures.

In creating the colleges first police department, Chief Ervin led by example in his professionalism and personal interactions with staff and students. In addition to leading the day-to-day operations of maintaining a safe environment for our college community, he took a very pro-active approach to preparing faculty and staff in emergency preparedness. We wish Chief Ervin the best as he begins his retirement, said Lake Land President Josh Bullock in a press release.

Lake Land hired Ervin in fall 1997 to put together what was then known as the college's Department of Public Safety. Ervin said Lake Land previously had relied on Pinkerton security guards to monitor the campus, but did not use this service 24 hours a day. He said the college decided it needed a full-time police force to meet the needs of a growing student body and apartment development adjacent to campus.

The Mattoon resident had served for 11 years with the Coles County Sheriff's Office and was working as a detective there when he took the opportunity to apply for the chief position with Lake Land's new police force.

"It was literally a once in a lifetime opportunity from a career standpoint to come in and not just lead a department, but form it. This was an amazing opportunity," Ervin said. "It was a very exciting time."

Lake Land's administration, led by President Robert Luther at the time, gave Ervin guidance on his budget for equipping and staffing the new department. Ervin said he recruited a former Moultrie County sheriff, Russ Moore, to serve as sergeant and second in command of this department.

Ervin said he was serving, with the Coles County Sheriff's Office, as a founding member of the multi-agency East Central Illinois Task Force when he first met Moore. Ervin said he always admired Moore's integrity and wisdom. Ervin said he was thankful to have him as a sergeant at Lake Land, although it felt odd being a supervisor for this experienced lawman.

"Russ really was a mentor to me. He was a friend to me. He taught me so much," Ervin said.

Several years after its formation, the Department of Public Safety was renamed the Lake Land College Police Department. Ervin said the name change helped clarify the department's status as a police force. He said the department previously often received calls about malfunctioning electrical outlets, trip hazards and other maintenance-related safety issues.

Ervin said having police officers full time on Lake Land's grounds was a new concept at first to the campus community, but officers got to know faculty, staff and students by regularly walking through the campus and visiting with them.

"We strive to be very visible on campus," Ervin said, adding this helps the department's five full time and eight part time officers develop relationships with the campus community. "People get to know you. They have that trust and relationship with you."

In addition, Ervin said the Lake Land Police Department has worked closely over the years with the Mattoon Police Department, Coles County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police and other emergency response agencies. He said Lake Land has assisted with crash scenes on nearby Interstate 57 and provided backup at crime scenes. He said these agencies, in turn, have helped the college's department.

Ervin said he has known the Lake Land Police Department's incoming chief, Jeff Branson, for 30 years. Branson is retiring after more than 28 years of service with the Mattoon Police Department, including serving as chief there for seven years.

"I think (Branson) has a lot to offer and he will be a great fit at Lake Land College," Ervin said.
Credit: NASA

The Nepal earthquake disaster launched a global humanitarian effort in 2015. Even as the dust still settled, space-based information aided the nation's recovery and watched for new hazards.

"All of a sudden it seemed like as if the ground had dropped away and then everything around us started shaking It was impossible to try to stand and escape from there."

Selina Shakya, a native of Kathmandu, was visiting the Nepalese city of Pokhara when the quake struck. "I had experienced a quake before, but not that big where you see buildings falling and whole districts just vanished into dirt."

A massive 7.8-magnitude temblor, the Gorkha earthquake struck just before noon local time on April 25, 2015, along the boundary where the Indian plate underthrusts the Eurasian plate. Lasting less than a minute, the initial earthquake left approximately 9,000 people dead, with additional quakes and aftershocks continuing for months.

After the Shaking Stopped

Immediately after the Gorkha quake, efforts to assess the damage and start the recovery came from across the globe. David Green, Earth Science's Disasters manager, led the NASA response across our Centers. In a coordinated effort, people began gathering satellite information on the destruction from both domestic and international sources to disseminate to partners that needed it most, such as USAID and USGS, as well as in-country partners like the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), located in Kathmandu. (icimod.org)

"In a disaster situation like the one Nepal faced, collecting, managing, processing, and disseminating timely and reliable information becomes critical to relief and recovery operations." David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD

This unprecedented approach tapped many resources including Landsat satellites, the Earth Observing-1 satellite, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite, as well as DigitalGlobe satellites and image mosaics. This crucial optical data helped initially determine what regions were damaged or destroyed by the quake, and where to target relief efforts.

Helping this rapid flow of information was ICIMOD's already-established presence in the region. To aid recovery and speed assistance, ICIMOD gave frequent briefings to Nepali government agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs. They also provided high-resolution printed images of the quake damage. These paper maps were critical pieces of support as the nation had limited Internet service, which at times delayed the immediate information the nation desperately needed.

Debris landslide susceptibility with mapped hazards (white dots). Susceptibility inunits of acceleration divided by g (9.81 m/s2). Credit: NASA

More Threats to Assess

In addition to the initial destruction of the Gorkha earthquake, the region had yet more risks to consideradditional hazards spurred on by the quake and its aftershocks. Those threats included landslides and avalanches, as well as flash flooding caused by blocked rivers and breached glacial lakes.

As a partner in NASA's disaster-relief response, the University of Arizona organized a team of scientistsa volunteer network with people across nine nationsto identify where landslides occurred in earthquake-affected areas of Nepal. In the immediate weeks after the quake, the team used spaceborne and ground observations to collectively map more than 4,300 landslides.

Smaller subgroups of the volunteer network focused on assessing and communicating the disaster, creating damage proxy maps, and producing vulnerability maps that showed potential risks. Jeff Kargel, a glaciologist at the University of Arizona, co-led one subgroup with NASA scientist Dalia Kirschbaum, called the "Induced Hazards" team. This team concentrated on identifying the landslides and other hazards triggered by the quake, as well as guiding relief efforts.

In one instance, a colleague of Kargel's at ICIMOD alerted him in the middle of the night to an urgent situation facing the village of Beni, located at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Myagdi Rivers. That village was one of several downstream from where a landslide dam had built a sizeable lake in the river flow. The colleague asked Kargel to use the data he'd collected to provide calculations of downstream flooding if the landslide dam were to break. Within a matter of hours, Kargel relayed that information and authorities evacuated the villages.

As Kargel feared, the landslide dam did give way. "An outburst flood roughly matching my numbers washed away one village and came lapping up onto Beni," he said. "Nobody was killed, though one small village was destroyed."

A Long Path to Recovery

In the months following the earthquake, the volunteer network knew more hazards were still potentially ahead. Aftershocks still jolted the region, and the monsoon season was coming. With the ground already unstable from the quake, the likelihood of landslides would be much higher when the rains came.

The team shared its mountains of data with ICIMOD, which in turn advised the Nepali Prime Minister and his cabinet of the new hazards they faced. "The briefing was well received," said Kargel, who added that it opened the government's eyes to the "uses of remote sensing in the earthquake response."

As the relief efforts continued, Selina Shakya remained optimistic: "My hope for my country is to rise again and with everybody's great effort we will build our nation even better. I know it might take us a very long time but I haven't seen the people of Nepal losing their hopes. They are tirelessly working to reach out to people in need."

More than 75 people and organizations contributed to NASA's response to the Gorkha earthquake and associated hazards.

Provided by NASA
Federal Communication Commission chairman Ajit Pai argues that internet platforms like Twitter represent a threat to online freedom of speech

A top US regulator, defending an effort to roll back so-called "net neutrality" rules, said Tuesday that large internet platforms represent the biggest threat to online freedom because they routinely block "content they don't like."

Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai delivered remarks days after unveiling a proposal to reverse a hotly contested 2015 rule requiring broadband firms to treat all online traffic equally.

Pai said internet platformshe singled out Twitterplay a more significant role than broadband operators in determining what internet users see.

"Despite all the talk about the fear that broadband providers could decide what internet content consumers can see, recent experience shows that so-called edge providers are in fact deciding what content they see," Pai said.

"These providers routinely block or discriminate against content they don't like."

The blunt remarks appeared to confirm a tougher atmosphere in Washington for Silicon Valley firms after years of close ties.

Pai, appointed by President Donald Trump, offered an example of Twitter's decision to block a video by a Republican candidate "because it featured a pro-life message," referring to the politician's claim of the "sale of baby body parts."

He said Twitter "appears to have a double standard when it comes to suspending or de-verifying conservative users' accounts as opposed to those of liberal users," Pai said.

"This conduct is many things, but it isn't fighting for an open internet."

Pai said online platforms are "secretly editing certain users' comments" and "caving to repressive foreign governments' demands to block certain speech" which would be considered "repugnant" in the United States.

"In this way, edge providers are a much bigger actual threat to an open internet than broadband providers, especially when it comes to discrimination on the basis of viewpoint," Pai said.

The dispute over net neutrality has been the subject of several court battles, with backers arguing strong rules are needed to guard against powerful broadband firms like Comcast and AT&T acting as "gatekeepers" that can punish rivals.

Pai said the debate on "net neutrality" appears driven by Silicon Valley firms' business interests.

"These companies want to place much tougher regulations on broadband providers than they are willing to have placed upon themselves," he said.

"They might cloak their advocacy in the public interest, but the real interest of these Internet giants is in using the regulatory process to cement their dominance in the internet economy."

 2017 AFP
Can you spot the sneaker male? Distinctive territorial males (top left) defend courtship territories visited by groups of females, which may also include cryptic sneaker males. Credit: Kevin Bryant

In the ever-competitive mating scene, new University of Otago research has revealed how males of some species revert to deception and disguise in order to lure females.

Lead author, Dr Erica Todd says there is a constant struggle in nature to improve mating success. One of the most extraordinary ways animals have responded to this challenge is female mimicry, where so called "sneaker males" disguise themselves as females to avoid aggression from larger males, and steal mating opportunities.

Her study, published this week in the prestigious international journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, shows that sneaker males can achieve their extraordinary feat of subterfuge by turning specific genes in their brains and gonads on or off.

Dr Todd says her study species, the bluehead wrasse, has a social organisation that rivals the most outrageous soap opera.

"There are two types of males  large, aggressive blue-headed males that openly court females, and smaller 'sneaker' males that look, and act, like females in order to sneak in matings".

Working with Professor Neil Gemmell and other researchers from the University of Otago and North Carolina State University, Dr Todd used high-throughput RNA-sequencing to uncover which genes are active in sneaker male brains, compared with territorial males and females.

She and her colleagues were surprised to discover that sneaker males had brain gene expression patterns near-identical to females, but very different to territorial males.

The study also revealed how sneaker males make themselves look like females to sneak past other males and avoid confrontation.

"Males of many species use bright colours and other ornamentation to attract mates and compete with rivals, which are often regulated by male sex hormones produced in the testes. In sneaker male testes, we found that many of the genes critical for male sex hormone production were turned off  making them look female," says Dr Todd.

While they may look and act like females, these sneaker males are reproductively potent  their testes are three to four times larger and produce 60 percent more sperm than territorial males.

Dr Todd discovered that the larger testes of sneaker males had higher expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and sperm quality control.

The study also revealed insights into how the different males cope with their divergent lifestyles.

"Sneaker males express genes for neuroplasticity that may help them elude territorial males and steal mating opportunities with females. Territorial males express genes associated with stress and protection against cellular damage, suggesting that life is tough at the top of the social hierarchy."

But that's not all that's going on in the bluehead wrasse: astonishingly, females can change sex, and sneaker males can change roles, to become territorial males when they grow large enough.

Dr Todd and her colleagues are now investigating the genes and environmental signals that trigger sex change in both the bluehead wrasse and the New Zealand spotty.

More information: Erica V Todd et al. Female Mimicry by Sneaker Males Has a Transcriptomic Signature in Both the Brain and the Gonad in a Sex-Changing Fish, Molecular Biology and Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx293 Journal information: Molecular Biology and Evolution
Prior research has established that society appears to accord less forgiveness to African-Americans when they arrive in bankruptcy court: Proceedings take longer, cost more and typically lead to lower levels of debt relief.

And according to new research co-written by an interdisciplinary team of University of Illinois experts in psychology and legal studies, practitioners inside the bankruptcy system have little knowledge of the racial disparities that exist, relying instead on common stereotypes about race, responsibility and debt.

The overrepresentation of blacks filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and the attendant lack of knowledge by consumer bankruptcy attorneys regarding the racial dimensions of the problem should be a major policy concern, said Robert M. Lawless, the Max L. Rowe Professor of Law and a co-author of the research.

"This paper first replicates an earlier study that we did in 2012 and includes a new study that focuses more on the perceptions of lawyers," said Lawless, also a co-director of the Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science at the U. of I. College of Law. "You would think people who work in a system, especially highly trained professionals, would be aware of what's happening in their field. It turns out they're not."

"Stereotypes can be quite powerful and can obscure huge patterns of how things actually are, especially if those patterns don't align with expectations," said co-author and U. of I. psychology graduate student Faith Shin. "Attorneys likely hold common stereotypes about which groups are responsible and trustworthy, and that guides their beliefs about which groups file Chapter 13."

To see how sensitive bankruptcy insiders were to racial disparities, the researchers sent surveys to a random national sample of consumer bankruptcy attorneys.

People filing for bankruptcy can file under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

"There are advantages to each, but generally, Chapter 7 is considered cheaper and much more financially beneficial for someone who wants a fresh start," Lawless said.

Previous research by Lawless, U. of I. psychology professor Dov Cohen and the late legal scholar Jean Braucher showed that African-Americans are twice as likely to file Chapter 13 compared with whites, an occurrence that could not be explained by many other factors outside of race. A second study showed that attorneys were also more likely to recommend Chapter 13 in a bankruptcy case when the hypothetical couple was named "Reggie and Latisha" as opposed to "Todd and Allison."

Although blacks in bankruptcy are twice as likely to file under Chapter 13 as whites, bankruptcy attorneys believed it was the other way around, thinking that it was whites who were twice as likely to file under Chapter 13, Lawless said.

"We found that about 60 percent of consumer bankruptcy attorneys believed that whites were twice as likely to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, when in reality it is actually blacks who are twice as likely to do so," he said.

According to Shin, what's most striking in the paper is not that various actors disagree on the cause of the difference.

"It's that they don't even see the difference," she said. "Their perceptions of racial disparity and the actual racial disparity were completely inverted. And the pattern that emerges is one that hews to the well-worn American stereotypes about which race will own up to their debts and which won't."

Another survey queried respondents who had little or no knowledge of the U.S. bankruptcy system but likely held common American stereotypes about which groups tended to be responsible or irresponsible - and their responses were slightly more accurate than the bankruptcy professionals, Lawless said.

The results have implications for general beliefs about how well insiders know their area of expertise, the researchers said.

"There are implications well beyond the legal system," said Cohen, a co-author of the paper. "For many matters, we have to rely on experts. But experts are sometimes influenced by stereotypes, just like everybody else. A lot of times people - even experts - just see what they expect to see. And part of the problem is that stereotypes are seductive. They can make people feel like they know what's going on, even if they don't."

The research also has implications for reform of the bankruptcy system in that it makes clear that good data - and good measurement of that data - is needed, Lawless said.

"In other papers, we have argued that the Department of Justice or the federal courts should keep track of the race and other demographic characteristics of bankruptcy filers," he said. "We believe this paper also illustrates this point that actual data on who files what, rather than general impressions or subjective judgments, are more likely to tell us what is happening on the ground, and whether improvements are being made toward a more equitable system."

But that's not to say that outsiders must always police a system, especially one as arcane and specialized as the bankruptcy system.

"Insiders may also be able to effectively monitor their own systems," Lawless said. "However, they will need hard data, rather than guesses based on preconceptions."

The paper was published in the American Bankruptcy Law Journal.

More information: Cohen, Dov and Lawless, Robert M. and Shin, Faith, Opposite of Correct: Inverted Insider Perceptions of Race and Bankruptcy (August 22, 2017). American Bankruptcy Law Journal, 2017; Illinois Program in Law, Behavior and Social Science Paper No. 18-8. Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=3041393
Illustration of an ultrashort laser light striking a lanthanum strontium nickel oxide crystal, triggering the melting of atomic-scale stripes. The charges (yellow) quickly become mobile while the crystal distortions react only with delay, exposing the underlying interactions. Credit: Robert Kaindl/Berkeley Lab

Stripes can be found everywhere, from zebras roaming in the wild to the latest fashion statement. In the world of microscopic physics, periodic stripe patterns can be formed by electrons within so-called quantum materials.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have now disentangled the intriguing dynamics of how such atomic-scale stripes melt and form, providing fundamental insights that could be useful in the development of novel energy materials.

In strongly correlated quantum materials, interactions between the electrons reign supreme. The complex coupling of these electrons with each other - and with electron spins and crystal vibrations - results in exotic phases such as charge ordering or high-temperature superconductivity.

"A key goal of condensed matter physics is to understand the forces responsible for complex phases and the transitions between them," said Robert Kaindl, a principal investigator and staff scientist at Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division. "But in the microscopic world, interactions are often extremely fast. If we just slowly heat or cool a material to change its phase, we can miss out on the underlying action."

Kaindl and his colleagues have been using ultrafast laser pulses to tease apart the microscopic dynamics of correlated quantum materials to access the interactions among the electrons and with the crystal's atomic lattice in the time domain.

For this study, the researchers worked with lanthanum nickelate, a quantum material and model stripe compound. In particular, the researchers investigated the electronic charges that form the stripe pattern and how they couple to the crystal lattice.

How charges interact with the crystal is a key ingredient to stripe physics, the researchers said.

Robert Kaindl (left) and Giacomo Coslovich next to the experimental setup that generates ultrashort light pulses in the near-infrared and terahertz spectral range. Credit: Lingkun Zeng/Berkeley Lab

"The crystal lattice strongly distorts around the charge stripes," said Giacomo Coslovich, who did the work while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Berkeley Lab. "This change of the crystal symmetry results in new lattice vibrations, which we can in turn detect with light at terahertz frequencies."

Kaindl and Coslovich are corresponding authors of a paper reporting these results in Science Advances.

In their experiments, the material is optically excited by a near-infrared laser pulse with a duration of 50 femtoseconds, and probed with a terahertz pulse with variable time delay. A femtosecond is one millionth of one billionth of a second.

The researchers found unexpected dynamics when using the laser to disrupt the microscopic order.

"The interesting thing is that while the laser immediately excited the electrons, the vibrational distortions in the crystal initially remained frozen," said Coslovich, who is now associate staff scientist at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. "The stripe-phase vibrations disappeared only after several hundred to a few thousand femtoseconds. We also concluded that the speed depends on the direction of the interactions."

The interpretation of the experiments was supported by simulations of the phonon dispersion by Alexander Kemper of North Carolina State University.

The results provide important insight into the interactions, or "glue," that couple electrons to lattice vibrations in the lanthanum nickelate. However, their broader relevance stems from recent observations of charge order in high-temperature superconductors - materials where electrical currents can flow without resistance at temperatures above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. While the mechanism remains puzzling, recent studies demonstrated the ability to induce superconductivity by suppressing stripes with short light pulses.

"Fluctuating stripes are thought to occur in unconventional superconductors. Our study puts a speed limit on how fast such patterns can change," said Kaindl. "It highlights the importance of considering both the spatial and temporal structure of the glue."

More information: Giacomo Coslovich et al, Ultrafast dynamics of vibrational symmetry breaking in a charge-ordered nickelate, Science Advances (2017). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600735 Journal information: Science Advances
Snapshots of softness fields and particle arrangements for the oligomer pillar simulation and the granular pillar experiment, two of the systems investigated in the paper. Credit: University of Pennsylvania

Dropping a smartphone on its glass screen, which is made of atoms jammed together with no discernible order, could result in it shattering. Unlike metals and other crystalline material, glass and many other disordered solids cannot be deformed significantly before failing and, because of their lack of crystalline order, it is difficult to predict which atoms would change during failure.

"In order to understand how a system chooses its rearrangement scenario," said Douglas Durian, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, "we must make connection with the underlying microscopic structure. For crystals, it's easy; rearrangements are at topological defects such as dislocations. For disordered solids, it's a very hard 40-year-old problem that we're now cracking: What and where are structural defects in something that's disordered?"

To find a link between seemingly disparate disordered materials, an interdisciplinary collaboration between Penn researchers in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science with expertise in various materials studied an unprecedented range of disordered solids with constituent particles ranging from individual atoms to river rocks. Understanding materials failure on a fundamental level could pave the way for designing more shatter-resistant glasses or predicting geological phenomena like landslides.

In a paper published in Science, the Penn researchers revealed commonalities among these disordered systems, defining a counterpart to the "defects" implicated in crystalline materials failure. This so-called "softness" in disordered systems predicts the location of defects, which are the collection of particles most likely to change when the material fails.

The researchers used a technique developed by Durian with Penn Ph.D. graduate Samuel Schoenholz, and Harvard University Ph.D. graduate Ekin Dogus Cubuk, both currently at Google Brain; Andrea Liu, Hepburn Professor of Physics in Penn's School of Arts and Sciences; and Efthimios Kaxiras, John Hasbrouck Van Vleck Professor of Pure and Applied Physics, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Liu and Daniel Gianola, then a professor in Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science's Department of Materials Science and Engineering and now at the University of California, Santa Barbara, led the study. Daniel Strickland and Robert Ivancic, both graduate students at Penn, are first authors, together with Cubuk and Schoenholz.

The paper is the culmination of years of research conducted at Penn's Materials Research Science & Engineering Center (MRSEC) which is hosted by the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter. Liu and Robert Carpick, John Henry Towne Professor and chair in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at Penn were co-leaders of the MRSEC's integrated research group focused on the mechanics of disordered packings.

A dozen of the group's faculty members, along with students and postdoctoral researchers from their labs, contributed to the study, providing data from 15 simulations and experiments on different types of disordered systems. The particles in those systems ranged in size from carbon atoms that make up wear-resistant engine coatings to centimeter-sized plastic spheres in a model riverbed.

Using machine learning, the researchers collected hundreds of quantities that characterize the arrangements of particles in each system, quantities that individually might not be expected to reveal much. Importantly, they found the combination of these quantities that correlates strongly with the dynamics. This produced a microscopic structural property called softness. If softness is known, the behavior of the disordered material and how likely its constituent particles are to rearrange can be predicted.

An image of the 2d granular system featured in the study. Blue shows overpacked regions, green shows under packed regions and red shows a transient shear band of the type the researchers are trying to understand. Credit: University of Pennsylvania

The systems the researchers studied were rearranging due to random thermal fluctuations or to different kinds of applied stress such as squeezing or stretching. In all cases, the technique worked well, and the researchers were able to predict with high accuracy the probability that the systems would rearrange.

The researchers then compared properties across systems. They found that the length scale over which softness was correlated was identical to the size of rearrangements, or the number of particles that move when failure occurs. Remarkably, they found that this number is almost identical in all of these systems regardless of the size of the particles and how they interact.

"People have been talking about what sets the size of localized rearrangements in disordered solids for 40 years," Liu said. "They speculated about localized defects that they called shear transformation zones in disordered systems where rearrangements are likely to occur, but no one had seen this directly. They couldn't predict ahead of time where rearrangements would be likely to occur. With the machine learning, we're saying, 'Let's train the system. Let's look at the rearrangements and the structures and see if we can figure out what's important and then use that.' It's conceptually very straightforward, but it turns out to be very powerful."

The researchers also measured the yield strain, or how much the solid can be deformed before it starts to plastically deform. They also found that the yield strain is approximately the same for all disordered solids over systems spanning 13 orders of magnitude in their mechanical stiffness. By comparison, the yield strains for different crystalline materials can vary by a hundred- or thousand-fold.

Now that the researchers have shown that, up to and around when stress is applied, all these systems look the same, the next step of the effort is co-led by Durian and Paulo Arratia, professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Their goal is to go beyond yield, where all becomes chaos and the systems begin to look extremely different. Some systems fracture, others show shear bands and others, like foams, can smoothly flow forever.

"When a rearrangement happens, the softnesses of the nearby particles all change," Durian said, "but, due to long-range elastic couplings, so can the softnesses of particles even quite far away, as illustrated by this data. Thus, a rearrangement has a nontrivial effect on where the next rearrangements are likely to occur. In particular, will nearby rearrangements be encouraged and hence promote shear banding, or will they be discouraged and hence promote toughness? We believe that understanding and ultimately controlling the complex interplay between rearrangements, stress, and structure - here quantified by softness - is the key to improving toughness."

If the researchers can understand why different systems behave differently beyond yield, they may be able to control softness and how it evolves when it's under stress. This could lead to tougher coatings and materials, such as more durable glass screens for phones.

"Disordered solids have a lot of great properties," Liu said. "You can mold them into any shape you want or create surfaces that are atomically smooth, which you can't really do with crystalline systems. But they tend to shatter easily. If we can understand what controls that and how to prevent it, then the concepts start to have real applications. In an ideal case, we want to develop new, tougher materials that aren't as brittle or don't fall apart as catastrophically."

More information: E. D. Cubuk et al, Structure-property relationships from universal signatures of plasticity in disordered solids, Science (2017). DOI: 10.1126/science.aai8830 Journal information: Science
Map overlapping decreases in the phreatic level, land deformation and clay percentage in the area. Credit: University of Granada

The University of Granada (UGR) and the Geological Survey of Spain have analyzed the variations of ground subsidences and elevations in the Vega de Granada area in southeast Spain and proven that the region sinks up to one centimeter per year during dry periods. The researchers processed radar images obtained since 2003 by three different satellites, thus achieving millimetric precision for their study.

The exploitation of the Vega de Granada aquifer for the last 13 years has also been monitored. This revealed which areas of the the aquifer that have been the most exploited based on the decreases and increases in the phreatic level of the aquifer. Additionally, the study includes a geological examination of the ground by interpreting a series of explorations carried out in the Vega de Granada area since the 1970s.

The results show that during the dry period from 2003 to 2009, the aquifer was exploited with greater intensity near the villages of Armilla, Atarfe, Chauchina and Santa Fe. This caused land subsidence of up to one centimeter per year in areas located north of Chauchina, the urban center of Santa Fe and east of Vegas del Genil, as well as in Atarfe and the south of Maracena. Interestingly, these areas coincide with a greater presence of clays in the subsoil, which are compacted during the decreases of the aquifer groundwater level.

During the rainiest period, between 2011 and 2014, the foci of land subsidence disappeared, although significant subsidences of almost 13 millimeters per year were detected in the vicinity of the airport and in the urban center of Cijuela due to earthmoving works that caused land displacements in both areas. In recent years (2015 to 2016), only small subsiding nuclei have been detected in the northeast of Maracena, although their origin is unknown.

The study has been published in Journal of Hydrology. Jose Miguel Azanon and Rosa Maria Mateos from the Geological Survey of Spain point out that the data obtained "are not alarming, and do not imply any risk at the moment. These data are of enormous interest for an adequate management of the aquifer, especially during periods of drought, such as the one we are currently experiencing."

"In very vulnerable areas with high content of clays, decreases of just a couple of meters in the phreatic level could cause land subsidence. An accumulation of displacements could lead to a subsidence of several centimeters per decade, which would represent a long-term danger for the villages located in the Vega de Granada area," the researchers point out.

Azanon and Mateos highlight the detection of cracks in streets and sidewalks at the municipality of Otura caused by this phenomenon. "The real risk comes from differential deformations, that is, the fact that subsidence occurs in certain streets or zones and not in adjacent areas. However, most of the deformations detected are not very dangerous, since they have occurred jointly."

More information: Rosa Maria Mateos et al, Multiband PSInSAR and long-period monitoring of land subsidence in a strategic detrital aquifer (Vega de Granada, SE Spain): An approach to support management decisions, Journal of Hydrology (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.07.056
Washington state is suing the ride-hailing company Uber, saying it broke state law when it failed to notify more than 10,000 drivers in the state that their personal information was accessed as part of a major data breach.

Uber acknowledged last week that for more than a year it covered up a hacking attack that stole personal information about more than 57 million of the ride-hailing service's customers and drivers.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Tuesday that because the drivers' information that was accessed included names and license numbers, state law required Uber to notify them within 45 days. Nearly 11,000 drivers in Washington were affected.

Ferguson's lawsuit seeks civil penalties in the millions of dollars.

In a statement Tuesday, Uber says it takes the matter seriously and is cooperating with regulators.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Fritz Fuller practices emergency medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, and with Emergency Services of New England in Windsor, Vt. Francisco Norman is director of emergency ultrasound at the Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center in Davenport, Fla. Both are on the board of directors for the Society of Physician Assistants in Clinical Ultrasound.

Acknowledgment: The authors wish to thank Patrick Ockerse, MD, Ultrasound Czar at the University of Utah's Division of Emergency Medicine for his assistance with this article.

Roy A. Borchardt, PA-C, PhD, and Michael D. Overcash, MPAS, PA-C, department editors
Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether 

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After a weeklong vacation from my inpatient general surgery service, I log into the electronic medical record and review the events of the preceding days. Although I know about half the patients already, I see a few I have not previously taken care of. I double-click the chart of the first patient, a Puerto Rican woman in her mid-50s who was admitted for an obstructing mass in her terminal ileum with a spot in her liver that is ominously suggestive of metastatic disease. The plan for the day is for the patient to go to the OR for right hemicolectomy with end ileostomy. If only it were that simple.

As my team enters the patient's room, we encounter a pleasant woman with a nasogastric tube in place. She greets us with a reasonably cheerful good morning. After asking the obligatory questions about her bowel function, we tell the patient the plan for the day, to which she adamantly responds in her thick accent, No, no surgery. My chief resident reminds the patient that she has a tumor that is making her sick and that we need to remove it so she can eat again. The response this time from the patient, No, there is no tumor. I have a virus.

The events of the next 14 days are things that I have not yet experienced in my 7 short years of clinical practice. Frankly, they are events that none of the providers involved in this case have ever encountered. Over the course of the next couple of days, our patient continues to insist that she only has a virus and that she is leaving the hospital after her virus is treated. We continue to redirect her, but her refusal to believe our modern medical findings persists. Psychiatry evaluates her and deems her incompetent on the basis of denial, noting we should speak to her son about obtaining consent for any and all care. By midweek, the pathology report from her liver biopsy arrives and notes metastatic adenocarcinoma, as expected. Along with her nurses, son, and attending surgeon we break the news to the patient, and once more she responds, No, this is just a virus. We spend hours speaking with our patient's sons, showing them laboratory results and CT images that, to them, resemble Rorschach inkblots on the computer screen. After countless hours, her son agrees that his mother needs surgery and verbally consents but refuses to sign the form. After much contemplation and hours of consultation, the legal department advises a court hearing to determine conservatorship. This is ultimately granted to her eldest son, who signs the appropriate documents allowing us to proceed with surgery.

The many events and complex social situation surrounding this case followed me for weeks. I went home thinking about it and woke up quite the same. I posed many questions to my colleagues, and nobody seemed to have any good answers. Does extreme denial truly make a patient incompetent? Did she understand that she had cancer? Or did she actually believe her symptoms of obstruction were caused by a virus? Would we have let our patient leave against medical advice if she had verbalized understanding of her metastatic cancer but still refused treatment? Because our patient was an immigrant with a fourth-grade education, were there cultural and educational components at play? And what about her children? I found her son's verbal consent but unwillingness to sign the paper rather interesting. Signatures are binding. It seems that despite recognizing that surgical intervention was the only way to make his mother comfortable, he was unwilling to assume any risk.

I have consulted with many people about this case and have scoured the Internet. I found no good answer for a situation like this. As providers, our intent for patients undergoing palliative operations, especially, is to prevent pain and suffering. To first do no harm. Although I would like to think we did both for this particular patient (and perhaps this was the end result), getting to this point caused her significant anxiety and fear, which are forms of pain and suffering. Not only did our patient suffer with fear and anxiety, but her family did as well, despite our best intentions. Did we adequately carry out our oath to do no harm?

As a part of doing no harm, we have an obligation to educate patients and families so that they can then make an educated decision. A competent patient has the right to refuse treatment, whether palliative or curative. What, though, distinguishes competent from incompetent in an otherwise healthy adult? By most conventional definitions, incompetence is indicated by the inability to understand the disease process and/or proposed procedure. In this case, our patient did not demonstrate any indication of understanding, so an emergency conservator was appointed. Once this happened, did we project our own biases on to our patient's son? Was his decision to sign the consent form based on what we felt to be what was best for his mother? Or was it based on what he felt was best for her and what she would have wanted? I doubt I will ever know the answer.

Ultimately the patient, still unwilling, had her surgery. After the operation, her trust in her surgical team gradually improved. Each morning on rounds, her demeanor seemed a bit more cheerful. Her body language of distrust eventually changed to that of gratitude. She thanked us for speaking to her in Spanish, and we even got to the point where we joked about how salty the broth is at the hospital. I am not sure what sparked this change. Perhaps she acquiesced to the fact that we truly had her best interest in mind, or maybe it was a case of Stockholm syndrome.

Although the patient's life expectancy is short, I take comfort in knowing she will be able to eat what she wishes as she lives her remaining months. Weeks after these events, I still wonder if we did the right thing. I know medically we did, but did we socially disrespect her wishes? And did we force her son into agreeing with us? This was, by far, the most complex medicolegal situation I have been a part of during my time as a PA. Although many questions are left unanswered, this scenario has taught me several valuable lessons and has influenced me more than I thought was possible. At the end of the day, we must remember that denial is a powerful thing and that medicine is not nearly as black and white as we would like it to be.
Bahrain's jailed Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to new charges of working with the kingdom's Gulf rival Qatar to overthrow the Sunni minority government. The trial comes amid a bitter diplomatic spat now approaching its seventh month pitting Bahrain and its allies against Qatar, which is accused of being too close to Iran. Salman, who has been behind bars since 2014 serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting hatred, had refused to appear in court for a first planned hearing in the new trial on Monday. "Sheikh Ali denied the charges levelled against him," a judicial source told AFP. The court set the next hearing for December 28. Salman and two members of his banned Al-Wefaq movement, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad -- neither of them in custody -- are charged with "communicating with a foreign state to commit acts hostile to the state of Bahrain". In August, Bahraini authorities accused Salman of having collaborated with Qatar in 2011 to encourage protesters to take to the streets. The accusations came after Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, cut ties with Qatar in June over alleged support for Islamist extremism and ties with Shiite-dominated Iran. Doha denies the allegations. Ruled for more than 200 years by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain is home to a Shiite majority that for years has complained of political marginalisation. The archipelago, which is located between regional arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, has been rocked by protests demanding an elected government since 2011. Al-Wefaq was the largest party in parliament before the demonstrations erupted but its members all resigned in protest at their bloody suppression. Over the past six years, Bahraini authorities have tightened their grip on all dissent, jailing dozens of high-profile activists and disbanding both religious and secular opposition groups.
Bolivian President Evo Morales rejoiced Wednesday following a court decision authorizing a tilt at a fourth consecutive term, in what the opposition slammed as a blow to democracy. Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, first took office in January 2006. He would rule until 2025 if re-elected in 2019, giving him 19 consecutive years in power. The leftist president told a news conference that a possible fourth term "guarantees a democratic continuity, but also guarantees stability, dignity and work for dignity." Morales narrowly lost a referendum last year on changing the constitution to allow him to seek a fourth term. Bolivia's constitutional court however stepped in when his party mounted an appeal, and ruled in his favor on Tuesday. "The Democratic and Cultural revolution continues. To Victory forever!" the 58-year-old president wrote on Twitter. In February 2016 Bolivians voted by a slim margin against proposed changes to the constitution to allow Morales, already Bolivia's longest-serving leader since independence from Spain in 1825, to stand again for the presidency. The constitutional court however ruled that the right to run for office superseded the limits imposed in the constitution. Morales already had the constitution changed three years after taking office. Under that revised document he was elected president in 2009, and then won what was meant to be a one-off renewal in 2014. - Blow to democracy - Demonstrators against Morales' reelection took to the streets in the capital La Paz on Wednesday. In nearby El Alto, students marched under a banner calling on the president to step down. The ruling "turns Bolivia into a country subject to the discretion of President Morales," said Carlos Mesa, who according to opinion polls would be Morales' strongest opponent if he decides to run for office. "We will not allow Bolivia to become Venezuela and we will confront Evo Morales in the streets, at the polls, in the city and in the countryside," said former opposition candidate Samuel Doria Medina. "This is one of the largest attacks on the rule of law, the Constitution, democracy," added constitutional lawyer Carlos Alarcon, referring to the constitutional court's ruling that ignored last year's referendum. Political analyst Jorge Lazarte said the court ruling was "a coup against the constitution and a blow against the popular will." Former president Jorge Quiroga said, "Being a tyrant is not, nor will be, recognized internationally." Morales belongs to a generation of Latin American leftist leaders who champion "21st-century socialism." He has overseen robust economic growth, but opponents accuse him of tolerating corruption and investing in flashy infrastructure projects at the expense of health and education. Bolivia's mineral- and gas-rich economy has more than tripled in size during his decade in office. Morales has been re-elected twice with large majorities. Last year's referendum was his only defeat at the polls. Separately, the secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, questioned the court decision and recalled that re-election had been rejected in a referendum. The Morales administration is a staunch ally of leftist governments in Cuba and Venezuela and a fierce critic of the United States.
AFP News

Kenya's former president Uhuru Kenyatta arrived Tuesday in eastern DR Congo's main city of Goma, as fresh clashes with M23 rebels occurred just to the north, sending thousands fleeing. Troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were battling M23 fighters in Kibumba, 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Goma, security officials and local residents said. The M23 has recently seized swathes of territory in North Kivu province, displacing tens of thousands of people in their advance. Kibumba is considered one of the last obstacles to the rebels before Goma, a commercial hub of one million people on the Rwandan border. On Tuesday afternoon, rumours that the M23 was approaching sent a fresh wave of people fleeing to the Kanyaruchinya displacement camp, south of Kibumba. About 40,000 people are currently in the camp, according to its head. A security official who asked for anonymity said that people began to flee after seeing soldiers themselves retreating towards Goma after clashes with M23 rebels. North Kivu's military governor, General Constant Ndima, urged people to remain calm late Tuesday. "I want to reassure you... Loyalist forces are containing the enemy on the heights of Kibumba," he told reporters. The crisis has cratered relations between the DRC and its smaller central African neighbour Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of backing the militia. Uhuru Kenyatta, a mediator for the seven-nation East African Community (EAC), arrived in Goma on Tuesday and visited Kanyaruchinya. He told reporters late Tuesday that the stories he had heard were "heart-breaking". "I cannot ignore what I have seen," Kenyatta said. "I must say to all parties: You cannot negotiate in the face of human catastrophe". - 'De-escalation' - Kenyatta's visit to the DRC is the latest in a round of diplomatic bids to defuse the crisis in the impoverished country's volatile east. The former president landed in the Congolese capital Kinshasa on Sunday for talks, following on the heels of a visit from Angolan President Joao Lourenco. The EAC has also called for a "peace dialogue" in Kenya's capital Nairobi on November 21. In addition, the bloc has agreed to send a peacekeeping mission to eastern DRC. Kenyan troops arrived in Goma over the weekend, as part of that operation. On Monday, Kenyatta urged armed groups to put down their arms and return to the negotiating table. "There is nothing that can be gained through the barrel of a gun," he had told reporters. On Tuesday, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had discussed the situation with Rwanda's Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, on the margins of the G20 meeting in Indonesia. "I underscored the United States deep concern about the continuing violence in eastern DRC, and called on Rwanda to take active steps to facilitate de-escalation," he said in a tweet. - Rebel return - Biruta, for his part, tweeted that Rwanda is committed to regional diplomatic mechanisms to bring peace to eastern DRC, as well as to finding a political solution to the crisis. Over 120 armed groups roam the region, many of which are a legacy of regional wars which flared at the turn of the century. The M23 -- a mostly Congolese Tutsi group -- first leapt to prominence in 2012 when it briefly captured Goma before being driven out. But the rebel group returned in late 2021 after years of dormancy, claiming the DRC had failed to honour a promise to integrate its fighters into the army, among other grievances. It captured the strategic town of Bunagana on the Ugandan border in June. In recent weeks, the rebels have also won a string of victories against the Congolese army, edging closer towards Goma. The DRC expelled Rwanda's ambassador in late October amid the renewed M23 offensive. Despite official denials from Kigali, an unpublished report for the UN seen by AFP in August pointed to Rwandan involvement with the M23. Rwanda accuses the Congolese government of colluding with Hutu militants who fled across the border after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. hbm-at/eml/kjm
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen arrives at Phnom Penh International Airport before flying to China, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, November 29, 2017. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, facing Western donor pressure over a crackdown on critics ahead of 2018 elections, will seek more aid and investment from China during a visit this week, his aide said on Wednesday.

China is already Cambodia's biggest donor and its support has bolstered Hun Sen in the face of criticism of what his opponents say amounts to the destruction of democracy.

The aide, Sry Thamrong, said Hun Sen would attend a special summit from Thursday to Sunday held by the ruling Communist Party on a theme espoused by Chinese President Xi Jinping on turning the world for the better and without interference.

The aim of Hun Sen's meetings to discuss aid and investment with Xi and Chinese investors is to create more jobs in Cambodia, he said.

"Especially, we need more bridges on the Mekong River, we also need many more roads, trains, sky train," Sry Thamrong told reporters at the international airport in Phnom Penh, the capital, before the departure.

"These are the things we need in the future."

China has supported Cambodia's crackdown, making no criticism of the government, which is one of Beijing's most important allies in Southeast Asia after more than three decades in power.

The supreme court this month banned the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) at the government's request. That followed the arrest of its leader Kem Sokha for plotting to take power with American help.

The United States has stopped election funding ahead of next year's general election and threatened further concrete steps. The European Union has raised a potential threat to Cambodias duty free access.

Washington is working on a review of its ties with Cambodia after the dissolution of the CNRP, William Heidt, the U.S. ambassador to Cambodia said.

"That is something we are taking very seriously, having a very serious review of our policies towards Cambodia," he told broadcaster Voice of America in an interview on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) rides a vehicle with Egypt's Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi during a presentation of combat efficiency and equipment of the armed forces in Suez, Egypt, October 29, 2017 in this handout picture courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency. The Egyptian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS (Reuters)

By Ali Abdelaty

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday ordered his military command to use all force necessary to secure the Sinai peninsula within the next three months following a militant attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people.

No group has claimed responsibility for Friday's attack in which authorities say gunmen carrying an Islamic State flag opened fire after setting off an explosive. It was the worst militant attack in Egypt's modern history.

Egyptian forces have battled an Islamic State affiliate for several years in North Sinai, where militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers.

"It is your responsibility to secure and stabilise Sinai within the next three months," Sisi said addressing his new chief of staff in a speech that gave no details on any operations. "You can use all brute force necessary."

Islamic State's Wilayat Sinai branch has claimed some of the most deadly attacks in Egypt. The group was made up in 2014 of former fighters of a local jihadist group and has staged raids on the security forces for more than three years.

Sinai has become one of Islamic State's last holdouts after military defeats in Iraq and Syria.

Clearing militants from North Sinai, a desert area stretching from the Suez Canal eastwards to the Gaza Strip and Israel, has been a difficult task for Egypt's army, which is more used to conventional warfare than counter-insurgency.

The military has carried out air strikes and bulldozed homes to clear an area near the Gaza border to destroy tunnels. Some tribal leaders say the campaign alienates local communities and has in the past fuelled sympathy for militants.

The Arab League plans to hold an emergency meeting on Dec. 5 to discuss the attack, MENA state news agency said on Wednesday.

Tribal leaders in the Sinai, some of whom cooperate with the military to provide intelligence, say militants are as few as 800. Most are local Egyptians but there are also some Palestinians, they say.

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Egypt hopes a recent agreement it helped broker between Palestine rivals factions Hamas and Fatah to allow a unity government to control the Gaza border will help stem arms smuggling by tightening control on the crossing and tunnels into Egyptian territory.

Friday's attack was a shift for Sinai militants who have mostly focussed on targeting police and soldiers on the peninsula. But since December 2016 they have begun hitting Coptic Christian churches and pilgrims on the mainland.

(Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Tourists walk while looking for flights as Ngurah Rai airport is closed due to the eruption of Mount Agung, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia November 28, 2017 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Wira Suryantala/via REUTERS

By Ayu Mandala and Slamet Kurniawan

DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - The airport on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali reopened on Wednesday as wind blew away ash spewed out by a volcano, giving airlines a window to get tourists out while authorities stepped up efforts to get thousands of villagers to move to safety.

Operations at the airport - the second-busiest in Indonesia - have been disrupted since the weekend when Mount Agung, in east Bali, began belching out huge clouds of smoke and ash, and authorities warned of an "imminent threat" of a major eruption.

"Bali's international airport started operating normally," air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement, adding that operations resumed at 2:28 p.m. (0628 GMT).

The reopening of the airport, which is about 60 km (37 miles) away from Mount Agung, followed a downgrade in an aviation warning to one level below the most serious, with the arrival of more favourable winds.

"We really hope that we actually get a flight, maybe today or tomorrow, to get back home," said tourist Nathan James, from the Australian city of Brisbane, waiting at the airport.

A large plume of white and grey ash and smoke hovered over Agung on Wednesday, after night-time rain partially obscured a fiery glow at its peak.

President Joko Widodo begged villagers living in a danger zone around the volcano to move to emergency centres.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho of the disaster mitigation agency said about 43,000 people had heeded advice to take shelter, but an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people were living in the zone.

The decision to resume flights followed an emergency meeting at the airport, when authorities weighing up weather conditions, tests and data from AirNav and other groups.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 later showed there were flights departing and arriving at the airport although its general manager said if the wind changed direction the airport could be closed again at short notice.

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Agung looms over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). Its last major eruption in 1963 killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages.

Ash coated cars, roofs and roads to the southeast of the crater on Wednesday and children wore masks as they walked to school.

'UNPREDICTABLE'

Singapore Airlines Ltd said it would resume flights while Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd said it and budget arm Jetstar would run 16 flights to Australia on Thursday to ferry home 3,800 stranded customers.

Singapore Airlines and SilkAir were seeking approval to operate additional flights on Thursday, while budget offshoot Scoot said it would cease offering land and ferry transport to the city of Surabaya, on Java island, as it resumed flights to Bali.

Virgin Australia plans to operate up to four recovery flights to Denpasar on Thursday.

"As the volcanic activity remains unpredictable, these flights may be cancelled at short notice," it said on its website.

The head of the weather agency at Bali airport, Bambang Hargiyono, said winds had begun to blow from the north to south, carrying ash toward the neighbouring island of Lombok.

He said the wind was expected to shift toward the southeast "for the next three days", which should allow flights to operate.

As many as 430 domestic and international flights had been disrupted on Wednesday.

Authorities are urging villagers living up to 10 km (6 miles) from the volcano to move to emergency centres, but some are reluctant to leave homes and livestock.

"Those in the 8- to 10-km radius must truly take refuge for safety," Widodo told reporters.

"There must not be any victims."

(Additional reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor in KARANGASEM Jamie Freed in SINGAPORE and Agustinus Beo Da Costa in JAKARTA; Writing by Fergus Jensen and Ed Davies; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel)
A Libyan man accused of masterminding the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed a US ambassador and three others was acquitted Tuesday of murder but convicted on lesser terrorism charges. After a seven-week trial in a civilian court in Washington, a jury cleared Ahmed Abu Khattala -- the first person tried over the fiery raid on the US complex in the Libyan coastal city -- of the most serious of the charges he faced. Prosecutors were apparently unable to prove to the jury that Khattala, leader of a militant group who had been photographed watching the attack on September 11, 2012, was directly to blame for the deaths of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, a second state department official, and two CIA contractor guards at the consulate and a CIA annex. He was convicted of only four of 18 charges he faced: supporting terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, carrying a semi-automatic weapon during a violent crime, and damaging US property. That was far weaker than the picture prosecutors had presented of Khattala as the person who plotted and directed the deadly assault. - Test case - His trial was seen as a test case for foreign terror suspects forcibly brought to the United States and placed before civilian courts. "Ahmed Abu Khattala is being held responsible for executing a brazen terrorist attack against the United States," said FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Grant Mendenhall. "This investigation demonstrates the FBI's ability to investigate terrorist attacks against Americans even in the most difficult conditions, determine who perpetrated the acts and bring those actors to justice," he said in a statement. The 2012 attack, undertaken on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was carried out by some 20 men armed with grenades and heavy weapons. Stevens and the second State Department official, Sean Smith, died of smoke inhalation after the consulate caught fire, while the two CIA contractors, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, were killed in the firefight by mortar rounds. US prosecutors said Khattala was at the scene in regular contact with the attackers via cellphone before, during and after the assault. The death of Stevens stunned Americans and became the focus of a politically charged investigation by congressional Republicans of then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was accused of not protecting the diplomats. Khattala was captured in 2014 in a raid by US special forces, who then placed him aboard a navy ship where he was interrogated for a week before being delivered to the United States. The raid and the legal case were based in part on a Libyan informant, an associate of Khattala, who was eventually paid a $7 million reward and granted asylum in the United States. - Possible life sentence - Khattala faces a total of 50 years in prison for the terror and destruction offenses, and up to life in prison for the weapons charge. No date for sentencing was set. There was no immediate reaction from the White House. CIA Director Mike Pompeo released a statement saying: "Today, a small measure of justice was meted out." "We lost two of our own that night -- Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods -- who ran to the sound of the guns and bravely fought to protect Americans and the two US facilities that were attacked." The US continues to pursue other attackers in the case. On November 4 a second Libyan accused of involvement in the Benghazi attack, Mustafa al-Imam, was put on trial in the same Washington court, days after being captured and brought to the United States. Al-Imam was accused of being one of the men who attacked the consulate.
Author Nicole Baart will stop in Lincoln during a tour for her new novel, "Little Broken Things."

She'll sign books at 6 p.m. Thursday at Francie & Finch, 130 S. 13th St.

"Steeped in menace, Baart's latest is a race-to-the-finish family drama, " according to People magazine, which named it as a "Pick of the Week."

The suspenseful novel is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Amy Hatvany about an affluent suburban family whose carefully constructed facade starts to come apart with the unexpected arrival of an endangered young girl.

Baart is the mother of four children from four different countries. The cofounder of a non-profit organization, One Body One Hope, she lives in a small town in Iowa.

She is the author of seven previous novels, including, most recently, "The Beautiful Daughters." Find out more at NicoleBaart.com.
By Christine Kim and Phil Stewart

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan, officials said, Pyongyang's first test launch since mid-September with some scientists cautioning that Washington, D.C., could now technically be within reach.

North Korea fired the missile a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S list of countries that Washington says support terrorism. The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

Of the latest test missile, Trump told reporters at the White House: "It is a situation that we will handle." Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke by phone and agreed to boost deterrence capability against North Korea, Yasutoshi Nishimura, deputy chief cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo.

Trump said the launch did not change his administration's approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea. Washington views the strategy as important to deterring Pyongyang from its ambition to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States.

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs.

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now. The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

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Other than carrying out existing U.N. sanctions, "the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic" travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement.

The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch. North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons programs and re-enter diplomatic talks.

The United States and Japan said the early Wednesday launch appeared to be an ICBM.

The Pentagon said its initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the ICBM went "higher frankly than any previous shot they've taken".

Japan's government estimated that the missile flew for about 50 minutes and landed in the sea in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. A North Korean missile on Aug. 29 was airborne for 14 minutes over Japan.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the missile reached an estimated altitude of 4,000 kilometres (2,485 miles) and broke up before landing in Japan's exclusive economic zone. He said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory.

"If these numbers are correct, then if flown on a standard trajectory rather than this lofted trajectory, this missile would have a range of more than 13,000 km (8,100 miles) ... Such a missile would have more than enough range to reach Washington, D.C., and in fact any part of the continental United States," the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists said.

"We do not know how heavy a payload this missile carried, but given the increase in range it seems likely that it carried a very light mock warhead," the nonprofit science advocacy group said. "If true, that means it would be incapable of carrying a nuclear warhead to this long distance, since such a warhead would be much heavier."

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was fired from Pyongsong, a city in South Pyongan Province, at around 1817 GMT over the sea between South Korea and Japan. The South Korean military said the missile had an altitude of around 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and flew 960 km (600 miles).

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Korea's military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the launch had been anticipated and that the government had been preparing for it. Moon said that there is no choice but for countries to keep applying pressure and sanctions against North Korea.

U.S. stocks briefly pared gains on the news but the S&P 500 index was up almost a percent at the close.

A U.S. intelligence official said the initial indication was that the engine was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong 14 which Pyongyang tested in July.

The Hwasong-14 is a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July. South Korean and U.S. officials and defence experts have said the Hwasong-14 may have a range of about 10,000 km (6,200 miles) and could possibly strike many parts of the United States, but not the East Coast.

After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in September, following a missile it fired that passed over Japans northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15.

North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

Last week, North Korea denounced Trump's decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a "serious provocation and violent infringement."

A U.S. government source familiar with official reporting and analyses said the U.S. assessment was the launch was the latest in a well-calculated and serious series of tests to develop and perfect North Korea missile systems rather than any response to Trump.

Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to "totally destroy" North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.

(Reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul, Linda Sieg, William Mallard, Timothy Kelly in Tokyo, Mark Hosenball, John Walcott, Steve Holland and Tim Ahmann in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Yara Bayoumy and David Brunnstrom; editing by Grant McCool)
A boy holds a chair as he walks on the rubble of damaged buildings after an airstrike on the rebel-held town of Mesraba in the eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta, Syria, November 26, 2017. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (Reuters)

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - A Syrian government delegation will arrive in Geneva on Wednesday, a day later than expected, to attend peace talks being held there this week, Syrian state news agency SANA said.

The delegation had delayed its planned departure for the talks, which begin on Tuesday, because of the opposition's insistence that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has received assurances that the Syrian government delegation will attend the talks, U.N. spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told a Geneva news briefing.

"At least we know that they are coming," she said, declining to give details on who transmitted the message from Damascus.

A delegation from the newly-unified Syrian opposition, which arrived in the Swiss city on Monday, is due to hold a first meeting with de Mistura later on Tuesday, she said.

Earlier, the pro-Damascus Syrian newspaper al-Watan reported that the Syrian government delegation to an eighth round of peace talks in Geneva this week has not yet left Damascus.

It had reported on Monday that the delay was because of the opposition's insistence that Assad step down, which he has refused to do.

Nasr Hariri, head of the opposition delegation, told a Geneva news conference on Monday night that he is aiming for Assad's removal as a result of negotiations.

The government delegation will be headed by Syria's U.N. ambassador and chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari, SANA said.

A breakthrough in the talks is seen as unlikely as Assad and his allies push for total military victory in Syria's civil war, now in its seventh year, and his opponents stick by their demand he leave power.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington in Beirut and Stephanie Nebehay and Tom Miles in Geneva; Editing by Catherine Evans)
A photo from social media of the affected aircraft. (Photo: Facebook/Jeanie Tifinny Tara)

A tow tug caught fire as it was towing a Singapore Airlines (SIA) plane to a departure gate at Changi Airport early Wednesday (29 November) morning.

According to media reports, an SIA spokesperson said there were no passengers on board the affected aircraft. Photos and video posted on social media show the exterior of the aeroplane covered in black soot.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred around 4am, and the fire was extinguished by Airport Emergency Services. One member of the towing crew who was in the aircrafts cockpit at the time of the incident was evacuated via emergency slide, said the spokesperson.

SIA and SIA Engineering Company are investigating the incident, added the spokesperson.

Other Singapore stories:
WASHINGTON  President Trump promised Tuesday that the United States will handle North Korea after the regime of Kim Jong Un carried out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in defiance of escalating international pressure. Trump also vowed to continue his efforts to tighten the global diplomatic and economic vise on Pyongyang.

We will take care of that situation, Trump told reporters as he met with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. It is a situation that we will handle.

The president did not specify what that might mean.

Defense Secretary James Mattis, sitting near the president, said that the ICBM fired Tuesday went higher, frankly, than any previous shot theyve taken and told reporters that the launch showed that North Korea was determined to build missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, basically.

The president and Mattis spoke after the Pentagon confirmed that North Korea had fired an ICBM at about 1:17 p.m. ET, its first test since mid-September. The rocket traveled roughly 1,000 kilometers from launch point to the Sea of Japan, where it splashed down. But because it flew on a lofted trajectory  sacrificing distance for altitude  some independent experts said the missile could conceivably have reached Washington, D.C..

President Trump speaks with reporters after meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan at the White House, Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Still, the Pentagon said, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies.

It was unclear what prompted North Koreas launch, which came a week after Trump announced that his administration was putting the regime in Pyongyang back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. At the time, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had noted the 60-day span since Kim had carried out a provocative act, adding: Were hopeful that he continues this quiet period. Thats our objective, is that he continue to be quiet.

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The Trump administration has notched several recent successes in its campaign to further isolate North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, notably a pair of 15-0 U.N. Security Council votes to tighten sanctions. Countries like Singapore and Sudan have promised to cut some economic ties. Even China, North Koreas de facto patron and its largest export market, has reportedly curbed trade with the secretive Stalinist regime.

Asked whether the launch was making him reconsider his strategy, Trump responded: Nothing changed.  We have a very serious approach.

Right foreground, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Photo: KCNA via Reuters)

Still, top Trump aides have been saying that time is running out to find a diplomatic solution, suggesting that the White House believes that North Korea  unlike the Soviet Union or China  cannot be deterred and must instead be disarmed.

In July, North Korea fired two ICBMs potentially capable of reaching U.S. soil. In early August, news outlets reported that American intelligence confirmed a finding by Japans defense ministry that North Korea had likely developed warheads small enough to fit on its missiles.

But there are still many questions about Pyongyangs capabilities  how reliable are its guidance systems? Has it devised reentry systems to ensure that its warheads would not burn up in the atmosphere?

After the July tests, Trump had made similarly confident comments. Well handle North Korea, Trump told reporters at a Cabinet meeting. Were going to be able to handle them. It will be handled.

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The director of the Department of Correctional Services has denied public-information requests from the Journal Star, other media and a civil liberties group for names of manufacturers, drug compounders or suppliers of lethal injection drugs it has purchased.

The Journal Star sent a Freedom of Information Act request Nov. 9 asking the department for suppliers of the drugs diazepam, fentanyl citrate, cisatracurium besylate and potassium chloride, to be used in the potential execution of death row inmate Jose Sandoval.

A request by the newspaper with more questions sent Nov. 15 was also denied, except that the department supplied a public copy of the execution protocol.

The drugs have never been used in this combination for an execution.

State regulations require the prisons chief to notify condemned inmates 60 days prior to the attorney general requesting an execution warrant. Attorney General Doug Peterson said he is prepared to request the Supreme Court issue Sandoval's execution warrant after at least 60 days have elapsed after the notice.

In denying the media request, Corrections Director Scott Frakes cited a state law that makes the execution team confidential, or any information that could lead to the identity of members.

The records requested include communication between a Corrections staff member and a supplier, Drug Enforcement Administration forms, and photos of packaging, invoices and purchase orders, according to Communications Director Dawn-Renee Smith.

"These documents constitute attorney work product, are subject to the attorney-client privilege, are not public records and/or are confidential and exempt from disclosure under Neb. Rev. Stat. 83-967 (2)," Smith said in her response to the Journal Star request.

The ACLU also asked for documents relating to attempts to obtain lethal injection drugs. While some information was provided, none contained names of manufacturers of the drugs the department plans to use.

ACLU of Nebraska Director Danielle Conrad said the organization believes the Department of Corrections has acted in bad faith with both the timing and substance of its response to the ACLU's open-records request to identify the source and supplier of execution drugs.

"State officials knew they were rushing to an execution and that the clock was ticking," she said. "Nebraskans of goodwill do have differing viewpoints on the death penalty. We fully understand and respect that."

However, this issue is about open government and transparency, she said, which Nebraskans across the political spectrum value to check big-government abuses.

Omaha Sen. Burke Harr, an attorney and former prosecutor, said the purchase of drugs is seldom, if ever, protected by attorney-client privilege nor should it be exempt from disclosure.

"In this case, I don't know why transparency is a bad thing," he said.

Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell introduced a bill (LB268) last session that would allow the state to keep secret the names of lethal injection drug suppliers and manufacturers. The bill got three hours of debate but no vote was taken. It could come back for debate this session if Kuehn could show he has 33 votes to break a filibuster of the bill.
Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab is expected to testify Wednesday for US government prosecutors in a potentially explosive sanctions-busting New York trial that could further inflame ties with Ankara. Proceedings, which put Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, 49, alone in the dock after Zarrab flipped and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, opened in Manhattan on Tuesday with opening statements. "You will hear it from the inside, from Reza Zarrab. He has pleaded guilty to violating US laws and he has decided to cooperate with the government," assistant US attorney David Denton told the jury. Zarrab, 34, the star witness in the government's case against Turkish banker Atilla -- accused of violating sanctions against Iran, bribery and money laundering -- is expected to take the stand Wednesday morning. His testimony is likely to take a couple of days and push into Friday, before the defense will have a chance to cross-examine him. The case has angered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose government has called the trial a "plot" and who has raised the issue repeatedly in official talks, demanding Zarrab and Atilla's release. While Erdogan is not charged with any crime, corruption revelations could prove embarrassing to him and his inner circle, analysts believe. A guilty verdict could also lead to possible sanctions on one or more Turkish banks, spelling bad news for the Turkish economy. Businessman Zarrab, who enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege in Turkey, was arrested in 2016 during a trip to Disney World with his child and Turkish pop-star wife. He was allegedly at the center of a gold-for-oil operation that Washington claims violated US sanctions. Atilla's defense lawyer used his opening statement Tuesday to call Zarrab a "liar" and the "mastermind" of a "worldwide sanction-avoiding scheme," seeking to deflect blame from his client. - 'Storm of lies' - "This trial is really the Reza Zarrab show," lawyer Victor Rocco told jurors. "He is a liar, a cheat." Zarrab "paid fortunes in bribes to businessmen all over the world" -- and continued to do so after his arrest, bribing US prison guards "so he would have special treatment," Rocco said. Atilla, on the other hand, was "a dedicated, hard-working civil servant caught in the middle of a storm of lies and massive corruption... just another one of Zarrab's many victims." The defendant, deputy chief executive of Turkey's state-owned Halkbank, sat wordlessly in court Tuesday dressed in smartly in a jacket and tie. Zarrab was a key figure in a 2013 Turkish corruption scandal in which he allegedly bribed four ministers to facilitate sanctions-busting trade and other deals. He was held for more than two months until prosecutors dropped charges against more than 50 people, citing "lack of evidence," "problems with collecting the evidence" and "lack of proof that they were members of a criminal organization," state-run media said. Denton suggested to jurors that Zarrab's testimony would shed light on that corruption case, which Ankara has sought to smother since 2013. Turkey has denounced both the New York trial and the 2013 scandal as conspiracies by the US-based dissident preacher Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of a 2016 failed coup targeting Erdogan. Denton said he would also call to the stand a Turkish police officer who uncovered the scandal, said evidence was "swept under the rug by the Turkish government" and subsequently fled his country. Turkey on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two men, reportedly on the witness list for the trial, for allegedly handing the United States fabricated reports and stealing documents, local media reported.
By Gabriel Stargardter and Gustavo Palencia

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras grappled with a slow-motion political crisis on Wednesday, with its president, a crime-fighting U.S. ally, edging ahead of his rival, a TV star whose supporters protested as his early lead in the weekend election evaporated.

Three days after polling stations closed in Honduras' presidential election, there was growing international concern and still a fifth of ballots left to count with no clear victor.

With around 82.89 percent of ballots counted, center-right President Juan Orlando Hernandez had 42.2 percent of the vote and challenger Salvador Nasralla was on 42.1 percent, the election tribunal said, with the president 3,000 votes in the lead.

Hernandez's blue-clad supporters celebrated, chanting the president's name at a base of his National Party in capital Tegucigalpa, TV images showed.

The flamboyant Nasralla, 64, who heads a coalition made up of leftist and centrist parties, had initially taken a strong lead against the center-right Hernandez.

But after issuing the first batch of results on Monday, the election tribunal went silent for about 36 hours, which it said was because results had been slow to arrive. It began issuing a fresh count sporadically from Tuesday afternoon.

Immediately, Hernandez began closing the gap, prompting Nasralla to say his victory was being stolen, and urge his supporters to take to the streets in protest.

"We've already won the election," Nasralla said in an angry television interview late on Tuesday. "I'm not going to tolerate this."

However, both candidates committed to respect the final result once every disputed vote had been scrutinized, issuing identical signed statements brokered by the Organization of American States on Wednesday afternoon.

International observers said the delays were damaging the credibility of authorities and threatened to undermine the legitimacy of the next president.

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On Wednesday, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman urged Honduran authorities to review the election results without undue delay.

"It's critical that Honduran election authorities be able to work in a free and transparent manner without interference. We urge all candidates to respect the results," Heather Nauert said.

Pre-election opinion polls indicated that Hernandez had been favourite to win the vote in the poor Central American nation, which struggles with violence, drug gangs and corruption and has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Nasralla's supporters accused the electoral tribunal of only releasing results from regions that support Hernandez.

About 8,000 people heeded Nasralla's call on Wednesday, and marched through the capital, Tegucigalpa.

"I'm here so that justice and the will of the people is carried out, because we elected Salvador Nasralla, and Juan Orlando Hernandez wants to steal his victory," said 22-year-old David Ramirez, a red political flag draped over his shoulder.

Behind closed doors, the parties of Hernandez and Nasralla were discussing immunity from prosecution for current officials and carving up positions in government, two diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday.

As the vote count progressed at a glacial pace, Hernandez's National Party appears set to retain control of Congress.

WASHINGTON CONCERN?

With a booming, game-show host voice and finely coiffed hair, Nasralla is one of the country's best known faces, the host of programs that feature scantily clad women. In one interview, he boasted of his penis size and his sexual performance.

He is backed by leftist former President Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup in 2009 after he proposed a referendum on his re-election. The possible return of Zelaya risks fuelling concern in Washington.

The United States has longstanding military ties to Honduras but few ideological allies among the current crop of Central American presidents.

Hernandez has won U.S. praise for helping tackle a flow of migrants to the north and extraditing drug cartel leaders to the United States. He was credited with lowering the murder rate and boosting the economy, but was also hurt by accusations of ties to illicit, drug-related financing that he denies.

A foreign diplomat in Tegucigalpa, who asked not to be named, said the U.S. would be concerned by a victory for the coalition led by "maverick" Nasralla.

But the diplomat added that a slim victory for Hernandez might be "the worst case scenario", as it would likely trigger protests and demands for a full vote count from an election tribunal with little credibility.

(Additional reporting by Dave Graham and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Rosalba O'Brien)
U.S. Army General John Nicholson, Commander of Resolute Support forces and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, speaks during a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan November 20, 2017. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail (Reuters)

By Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that he had not seen a change in Pakistan's support for militants so far, despite President Donald Trump taking a tougher line against Islamabad.

U.S. officials have long been frustrated by what they see as Pakistans reluctance to act against groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network that they believe exploit safe haven on Pakistani soil to launch attacks on neighbouring Afghanistan.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants.

He accused Pakistan of harbouring agents of chaos and providing safe havens to militant groups waging an insurgency against a U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

U.S. official expressed hope that relations between the two countries could improve after a kidnapped U.S.-Canadian couple and their three children were freed in Pakistan in October. The couple was abducted in neighbouring Afghanistan.

"We have been very direct and very clear with the Pakistanis... we have not seen those changes implemented yet," General John Nicholson told reporters.

"We are hoping to see those changes, we are hoping to work together with the Pakistanis going forward to eliminate terrorists who are crossing" the border, Nicholson said.

He said that he believed that senior Taliban leaders were based in Pakistan, while the lower-level leadership was in Afghanistan.

Nicholson added that he agreed with other senior U.S. officials that Pakistan's main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the Haqqani network militant group.

The United States in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Pakistan says it has done a great deal to help the United States in tracking down terrorists.

The four-star general said he had seen evidence of relations between Iran and the Taliban in western Afghanistan and was closely tracking it.

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The United States has sent more than 3,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan as a part of Trump's South Asia strategy. Nicholson said over 1,000 troops would be advising Afghan troops at the battalion level, putting them closer to the fighting and at greater risk.

Nicholson gave an optimistic view of the situation, saying he believed "we are on our way to a win."

U.S. officials have made similar statements during the course of the 16-year-old war, but the situation according to many U.S. officials remains in a "stalemate."

According to a recent report by a U.S. government watchdog, the Taliban had increased the amount of territory it has influence over or controls in Afghanistan in the past six months.

The figures are a sign of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country, even as the United States has committed more troops.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell and Lisa Shumaker)
The United Nations, which last month launched a fresh mission to promote long-term development in Haiti, has had it with nice words: when it comes to corruption and human rights, "the proof is in the pudding." "They have said they want to fight corruption, so they have to take responsibility," insisted Susan Page, who is heading the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH). "I'm going to take them at their word, but I'm also going to help them if that is really what they want," the American career diplomat said. Elected president after an electoral crisis that paralyzed the country for two years, Jovenel Moise insists he is going to use his time in office to clean up Haitian politics. - 'Crime against development' - "Corruption, in all its forms, eats away and atrophies the economy, it profoundly weakens the political foundations and destabilizes society's social tissue: corruption is a crime against development," the president, who took office earlier this year, told the UN general assembly in New York in September. The concern is that his words are taking their time in being translated into action. In late August, a minister was sacked over corruption allegations, but no legal action has yet been taken. The new UN mission starts just as one of the symbols of financial waste in Haiti resurfaces: on Thursday, the Senate will debate a parliamentary report accusing a dozen former ministers, who held office between 2010 and 2016, of "fraud on a grand scale." "We'll see how they react, not just in regard to the report but in general," said Page, pointing to Haitian institutions in charge of fighting corruption and money laundering. "Will they strengthen the capabilities of agents in these organizations? Really put investigations in place which they will then pursue to the very end? Will they bring people to justice? We will see." Gnawed away by corruption, the country's justice system is notoriously slow-moving. Its prison population, 400 percent above capacity, is one of the highest in the world. - 'There to support, not to do' - Maintaining the rule of law also demands a real commitment to improving conditions in detention centers, but there, too, MINUJUSTH will not take the lead. "It's an age-old problem that the Haitians will have to sort out themselves," said Page. "We are here to support, not to do it for them. They need to have the political will to do it." Restoring the UN's image in Haiti during this new mission will prove almost as big a task as overhauling its justice system. The 13 years of the preceding UN mission, known as MINUSTAH, were blighted by sex crimes perpetrated against Haitian woman and children by UN police and peacekeeping troops, as well as a cholera epidemic sparked by Nepalese peacekeepers that has already claimed 10,000 lives. MINUJUSTH is the UN's sixth peacekeeping mission in Haiti over the past 25 years, a country where there is very little risk of civil war, regional conflict or terrorist attacks. The label "peacekeeping" exasperates many Haitian politicians, who may support the drive against corruption but also want a debate to redefine the UN mandate. Aware of that debate, Page prefers not to take sides: "The UN Security Council considers it necessary to keep a certain level of stability here and to tackle the great challenges which threaten long-term development... that is not a mandate for development -- that is to enable a transition between a peacekeeping mission and a lasting development."
By Stephanie van den Berg and Bart H. Meijer

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A Bosnian Croat wartime commander died after swallowing what he said was poison in a U.N. war crimes courtroom on Wednesday after losing an appeal against a 20-year prison sentence, Croatian state TV said.

Slobodan Praljak, 72, died in hospital in the Hague after he was seen drinking from a flask or glass as a U.N. judge read out the ruling against him and five other suspects, state TV reported, citing unnamed sources.

The apparent courtroom suicide, which was broadcast on a video feed, came in the final minutes of the last judgement at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which closes next month.

"I just drank poison," he said. "I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction."

After gulping down the drink, Praljak sat back down and slumped in his chair, a lawyer who was in the courtroom at the time said.

U.N. court representatives and Dutch hospital officials declined to comment on his condition.

Croatian General Marinko Kresic, speaking earlier on Croatian TV, said he had spoken to the wife of another defendant, Milivoje Petkovic, who was in The Hague. "She confirmed that he drank the poison and that he is in a very grave health condition," he said.

The presiding Judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearings and paramedics raced to the courtroom, which was declared a crime scene by Dutch authorities. As forensic investigation got underway, the courtroom was sealed off, and the public was instructed to leave.

"Don't take away the glass," Agius said, instructing the guards to lower blinds and block a glass-partition separating the court from the public.

In the chaotic moments that followed, guards and paramedics raced in and out of the courtroom. Ambulances were seen leaving the tribunal, but there was no official confirmation of Praljak's condition.

A reading of the judgment, which was also deciding on charges against five other suspects, resumed more than two hours after Praljak said he had poisoned himself.

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"The Dutch authorities have already commenced an investigation into what happened this morning, he said.

The incident upstaged the appeals ruling, which was important for Croatia, where parliament was suspended so lawmakers could follow the reading of the verdict.

"NOT A WAR CRIMINAL"

The court upheld convictions of Praljak and five other Bosnian Croats: Jadranko Prlic, the political leader of the Croatian province of Bosnia, along with military and police figures Bruno Stojic, Milivoj Petrovic, Valentin Coric and Berislav Pusic.

Judges upheld findings that there was a criminal conspiracy that included the regime of neighbouring Croatia under then-President Franjo Tudjman with the goal of "ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population" of parts of Bosnia to ensure Croatian domination.

The defendants on Wednesday received sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years. The decision cannot be appealed.

The chairman of Bosnias inter-ethnic presidency, Dragan Covic, a Croat, said: He showed before the whole world what kind of sacrifice he is ready to make to prove that he is not a war criminal.

The ICTY, established in 1993 by the U.N. Security Council, indicted 161 war crimes suspects from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Of the 83 convicted, more than 60 of them were ethnic Serbs.

The court's lead suspect, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, died of a heart attack in March 2006 months before a ruling in his genocide case.

Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic was found guilty of genocide by the U.N. war crimes tribunal last week and sentenced to life in prison for his role in massacres and ethnic cleansing during Bosnia's war.

Two defendants awaiting trial committed suicide by hanging themselves in their U.N. cells, according to court documents. Slavko Dogmanovic died in 1998 and Milan Babic was found dead in his locked cell in 2006.

(Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo and Maja Zuvela in Mostar; Writing by Anthony Deutsch)
(Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

A woman who attacked two police officers on separate occasions, both while drunk, has been jailed 36 weeks.

Japanese national Eri Tanaka, 33, was sentenced at the State Courts after pleading guilty to two counts of causing hurt to two police officers and one count of using criminal force on a policeman.

The court heard that Tanaka had consumed two glasses of beer along with two to three glasses of gin and tonic on 16 February after work. She was employed as a performing artiste at Club Babylon at the time. At about 4.30am, she took a taxi to Lucida condominium in Novena with the intention of visiting her boyfriend who lived there.

She arrived at the condominium at 5.15am, but could not gain access to its lift as she did not have the access card. A security officer then asked her to leave but she refused and sat on the ground before repeatedly pressing paging her boyfriends unit through the lifts intercom system.

The security officer then called for the police. Tanaka still refused to leave even after police officers arrived. When one of the officers, a policewoman, tried to persuade Tanaka to leave, she started to cry and shouted at the officers.

Police officers then decided to arrest her at about 7.20am. When the policewoman tried to handcuff Tanaka, she bit the officer on her left hand for about two to three seconds. Tanaka continued to struggle with the officers even after being handcuffed.

As the officers tried to place her in the police car, Tanaka also pushed her legs against the car doors to stop them. The officers eventually had to use flex-cuffs to restrain both her legs and carry her into the police car.

While she was out on police bail, Tanaka got drunk again on 7 April 2017 and went to the hotel lobby of St Regis Singapore, where she created a scene by throwing her personal belongings around.

Tanaka also pushed a police officer who responded to the commotion at the hotel three times, before starting to cry. She also kicked the officers left knee.

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Tanaka, who was unrepresented, said in her mitigation that she regretted her actions and was sorry for them. For causing hurt to a police officer, she could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each charge.

More Singapore stories:
Shannon Corbin, 41, of Lexington Park, Md. (Booking photo via CalCoSO)

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme.

(Nov. 29, 2017)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of November 20 through November 26, deputies responded to 1,180 calls for service throughout the community.STOLEN PLATE, OUTSTANDING WARRANT: On November 20, Deputy Beisel was stationary in the area of South Solomons Island Road and Industry Lane when his License Plate Reader alerted to a vehicle with stolen registration plates. After confirming with Emergency Communications that the registration plates were stolen, Deputy Beisel then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. After making contact with the driver, later identified as, Emergency Communications advised she also had an outstanding warrant. Deputy Beisel removed the stolen registration plates from the vehicle, placed Ms. Corbin under arrest and transported her to the Calvert County Detention Center where she was charged with Theft: $100 to under $1,500, Sell/Possession Stolen Manufactured Number, and other traffic citations.BURGLARY 17-61269: On November 22, Deputy Cress responded to 7th Street, North Beach for the report of a burglary. The victim stated that on November 17th an unknown suspect(s) had stolen their 2011 black Chevrolet Camaro. It was later determined that the unknown suspect(s) entered the residence stealing two sets of keys to the Chevrolet Camaro, a set of keys to a 2016 Chevrolet pickup truck, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and multiple games. The value of the stolen property is $630.BURGLARY 17-61481: On November 23, Deputy J. Ward responded to Wilson Road, Prince Frederick for the report of a burglary. The victim stated that sometime between 4:00pm and 8:16pm an unknown suspect(s) entered their residence from the rear basement door and removed several items from inside. The items included a 14 carat necklace with a square ruby stone ornament, a 14 carat chain linked bracelet with diamond studs, 14 carat bracelet with square gold in color clip links, and two hundred dollars. The value of the stolen property is 2,700.THEFT 17-61232: On November 22, Deputy Childress responded to the Calvert County Sheriff's Office for the report of theft from vehicle that occurred at their residence on Gunsmoke Trail, Lusby. The victim stated that sometime between November 21st at 5:00pm and November 22nd at 7:00am an unknown suspect(s) entered their unlocked vehicle and stole their Mossberg 835 shotgun and three boxes of Litefield slugs. The value of the stolen property is $1,015.THEFT 17-61489: On November 23, Deputy Hardesty responded to Evergreen Drive, Lusby for the report of a theft from vehicle. The victim stated sometime between November 21st at 12:00pm and November 22nd at 5:00pm an unknown suspect(s) stole four diamond rings from within the vehicle. The value of the stolen property is $2,500.DAMAGED PROPERTY 17-61124: On November 21, Deputy N. Buckler responded to Gordon Stinnett Avenue, Chesapeake Beach for the report of damaged property. The victim stated sometime between November 20th at 3:45pm and November 21st at 3:34pm an unknown suspect(s) had keyed the back tailgate to their vehicle. The estimated damaged property is $500.
An average household will pay a few cents more.

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The price of electricity for households will go up slightly next year. The Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO) has decided to increase it on average by 2.71 percent.

It is an average increase of maximal possible adjustment which traders can make, said URSO head Lubomir Jahnatek, as quoted by the Sme daily.

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An average household will pay several cents more for electricity per month. In the DD1 category with a low consumption (small flats with a consumption below 1,000 kWH), where about 70 percent of the market resides, the average price will increase by 13 cents a month, while in the DD2 category (standard households with a consumption of about 2,300 kWh) the rise will be slightly higher: 51 cents, or 2.08 percent.

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The final bill will depend on the supplier to the household and the average electricity consumption.

We havent received any price decisions yet, and well comment on them only after a detailed analysis, said spokesperson for Zapadoslovenska Energetika energy distributor, Michaela Dobosova, as quoted by Sme.

The other energy firms provided similar statements.

The regulated companies had been asking for much higher prices, raising them by nearly 14 percent. Finally, the URSO approved a lower increase without explaining why, Sme reported.

More for gas and heat as well

Electricity prices for households were expected to rise to $40 per MWh, corresponding with a rise on the global markets. This is the result of the increase in the price of brown coal and emission permissions, analyst Michal Snobr, who cooperates with J&T Banka, told Sme.

Meanwhile, households will also pay more for natural gas and heat next year, though the rise will be smaller. Gas, for example, will go up by only 0.38 percent on average.

The reason is that only four suppliers, all of them alternative, asked for the increase. The main impact however is on the state-run gas utility SPP that has not requested a price increase yet, Sme wrote.

As for heating, the final average price will go up by 1 percent in 2018. Of this, the variable component will increase by 1 percent and the fixed one by 0.9 percent, Jahnatek said.
Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year, leading to more gatherings in December. While many people have different holiday traditions, the menu often is similar, revolving around such favorites as turkey, ham, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

For this tasting, I made what has become an annual visit to Leons Gourmet Grocer to pick up a number of traditional holiday food items, including its tender, juicy, white-meat turkey, homemade dressing, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, green bean casserole and cranberry/orange relish.

If you prefer not to cook for a holiday meal, Leons gets as close to moms cooking as you can find.

Wine pairing for large holiday feasts is always a challenge. The wide variety of flavors, from the mild turkey and potatoes to very sharp orange/cranberry relish, make finding one wine to pair difficult.

For this tasting, I focused on the Elena Walch winery from Alto Adige, Italy. The winery's namesake/matriarch is an icon in Italian wine making and everything it produces seems to be a prefect representation of the variety. Her wines are precise and her lineup seem ideal to pair with the cuisine from Leons.

I also tried an additional wine with this tasting because I felt a German Riesling possibly might hit the mark as well.

Here are my thoughts on each:

Elena Walch Pinot Bianco, Alto Adige, Italy, 2016, $16 -- The wine is pale yellow and offers scents of apples, pears and honey. It is crisp and light, with nice mineral and acidity and offers crisp citrus and a clean finish. Very tasty. 87 points

Elena Walch Gewurztraminer, Alto Adige, Italy, 2016, $23 -- Straw yellow in the glass, the wine is aromatic, offering opulent sweet spice, jasmine and herbs. It's bold and rich with pleasant viscosity and surrounds the palate with expressive spice and fleshy white fruit. It sounds sweet, but really is not sweet at all. The wine is interesting, complex, unique -- and impressive. 89 points

Elena Walch Schiava, Alto Adige, Italy, 2016, $16 -- Light ruby red in the glass, it almost looks like a rose. The wine is fragrant with scents of rose petals, cherries and strawberry. It's light, fresh and lively, dancing on the palate with delicate acidity and offering vibrant red fruit, tart cherry and strawberry. This wine is a smile in a glass. 88 points

Valckenberg Madonna, Riesling, Kabinett, Worms, Germany, 2016, $14 -- On the nose, the straw yellow wine offers apricots, pears and clover. On the palate, it has a delicate sweetness with mandarin orange, peaches and honey. It is smooth, creamy, pleasant and satisfying. 86 points

The pairing, as I suspected, was tricky. My favorite wine for most of the meal was the Elena Walch Gewurztraminer. I found this to be a wine at the top of its category. Similarly, the Schiava, was superb as a pre-meal wine and with the first part of the meal. Both wines elevated the foods. But when accompanied with the cranberry-orange relish, these wines definitely clashed.

The best wine for the entire meal was the Valckenberg Madonna Riesling. Without question this wine is pleasant, easy to drink and brings out the best in the foods. On its own I would not put this in the same category with any of the Elena Walch wines, but with the full ensemble of dishes, this one was hard to beat.

One more wine that I did not review but has become an annual favorite at our house for the holidays is Santa Giustina Anricus. Ive reviewed this wine before and it is always an exceptional companion for Thanksgiving.

Produced by the talented wine maker Gaia Bucciarelli from Emilia Romagna, Italy, this wine is a blend of ortrugo and sauvignon blanc that tastes as if it were produced specifically to pair with turkey, stuffing and even ham. Ive served this at holiday gatherings for each of the past seven years and always enjoyed the way it marries with the wide spectrum of flavors on the table.
The new political movement claims it offers an alternative for people across the political scene, which lacks a progressive, liberal, pro-European force.

Representatives of Progressive Slovakia present their ideas about how to help secondary-school and college students. (Source: TASR)

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Another player has officially joined the Slovak political scene. The Interior Ministry registered Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia) as a new political movement, the party announced on November 28.

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Progressive Slovakia handed over 13,500 signatures to the ministry and applied for registration, the TASR newswire wrote. The party fulfilled the required conditions and it registered Progressive Slovakia as a new political movement, Martin Dubeci of the party informed the newswire.

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Progressive Slovakia is supposed to offer an alternative for people across the political scene, which lacks a progressive, liberal, pro-European force. Its founders presented in September a comprehensive vision for Slovakia, while in the near future they are planning to present more new faces, TASR reported.

Members will vote for their chair and other leaders at the partys founding congress in Zilina on January 20.

The representatives of Progressive Slovakia include businessman Ivan Stefunko, human rights activist Irena Bihariova, culture expert Zora Jaurova as well as IT expert and CEO Michal Truban.
The draft budget will be decided upon at a parliamentary session on December 5; but already experts and even the EC note that the cabinet is not reducing the deficit as they promised, and they keep lowering targets.

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The parliamentary finance and budgetary committee on November 28 ultimately approved the draft state budget for the next year. Parliament will start discussing it on the afternoon of December 5.

The Finance Ministry is counting on a decline of the debt as well as deficit in the upcoming years, the TASR newswire wrote. A balanced budget is expected by 2020. The responsible finance committee has thus approved targets set by the government in the draft state budget.

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Read also: Budgetary deficit decreasing, but too slowly Read more

The cabinet set a target for the public finance deficit at 0.83 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) next year, while in 2019, a decrease to 0.1 percent of GDP is foreseen and by 2020, the target is a balanced budget. The debt shall be reduced closely under 50 percent of GDP (49.9 percent) in 2018, and by 2020 it should further decrease to a level around 45 percent of GDP.

Slovakia sent a budget to the European Commission that was not realistic. Already when it was sent out it was clear that our income or expense, as well as the deficit, would finally be different, the Sme daily reported. The Finance Ministry led by Peter Kazimir did not include a number of legislative changes in the budget draft.

EC: Slovakia fulfils rules but deviates from medium-term goals

The EC has pointed out that the government is not reducing the deficit as it planned in the budget a year ago. It also noticed that the deficit amounts written in the state budget and in the stability program document, the basis for Kazimir when creating every new budget, are different.

Apart from the warning in the report, Slovakia seems not to be threatened by anything because of the change in the numbers.

This year, the EC pointed out these differences in figures in its evaluation of the state budgets of EU members. The EC included the budgetary plans of Slovakia in a group of countries that generally fulfil the budgetary rules of the EU for 2018, but which could lead to a certain deviation from their medium-term budgetary goal, Sme reported. Along with Slovakia, the budgets of countries like Estonia, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta were evaluated in this manner.

On the contrary, the group of countries that absolutely fulfil the budgetary rules for this year are Germany, Lativa, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Finland and the Netherlands.

NBS: Budgetary targets loosened

The Finance Ministry in its draft public administration budget for 2018-2020 envisages a gradual consolidation of public finances with a plan to achieve a balanced budget in 2020, analysts of the Slovak Central Bank (NBS) stated in a report on the draft budget issued the same day.

NBS added that based on the ministrys draft budget the public finance deficit is expected to reach 0.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018. However, compared to the governmental Stability Programme for 2017-2019, the budget targets were off by 0.3 percent of GDP in 2018 and by 0.1 percent of GDP in 2019, the analysts found, as reported by TASR.

Moreover, the aim to achieve the medium-term budgetary objective of a structural deficit of 0.5 percent of GDP has been postponed from 2018 to 2020, NBS writes in its report.

Meanwhile, the budgetary plan for 2019 and 2020 shows deviations from the budgetary target of 0.2 and 0.3 percent of GDP, respectively, the NBS analysts stress, as quoted by TASR. No specifications on covering these deviations have yet been provided in the draft budget.
There will be a last special ride on a unique electric railway on December 2, concluding a good tourist season in which it transported 11,000 people.

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More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

The interest of people in the unique narrow-gauge railway keeps growing every year, numbers show. This year, almost 11,000 people bought a ticket to ride on the Trencianska Tepla  Trencianske Teplice electric railway. During the summer months, the popular train/tram transported 7,100 passengers at a regular schedule, while five extra-schedule nostalgia rides attracted 3,800 additional people, the SITA newswire wrote on November 29.

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The final event of this tourist season at the unique 108-year-old railway will be on December 2  a St Nicolas Ride for children and families.

In the summer, a total of 192 trains were dispatched, most of them traditionally in July and August with a total of 5,730 people as passengers.

Just like in previous years, about 95 percent of passengers were tourists and clients of the Trencianske Teplice spa, head of the Trencin Electric Railway, Dusan Nosal told SITA. We were happy that some of the spa patients and clients even used it as a connection to a regular train.

This season, the unique railway transported about a thousand more passengers compared to 2016.

The special rides usually include the Epiphany Ride, the Easter and Florian rides, the Childrens Day Ride and a Goulash Competition Ride. A very popular one is the St Nicolas Ride, with a hellish railway station in Trencianske Teplice, impersonations of St Nicolas, angels and devils, as well as packages of sweets for children.
Public Health Authority warned of the increased occurrence of hepatitis in Slovakia and reminded people of the importance of washing hands and general hygiene.

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The Epidemiology Information System (EPIS) recorded 601 incidences of hepatitis type A by November 22, the Public Health Authority wrote, warning of the increased rate. The highest occurrence was noticed in Bratislava Region, where 216 cases were reported by doctors, while the lowest one was in Zilina Region where only seven cases were registered.

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People, especially high-risk groups, should not forget to frequently wash their hands, since hepatitis viruses can be anywhere, on buses, door handles, shopping carts, etc. Yet the most effective protection is vaccination, the TASR newswire wrote, citing hygienists.

Children should especially be taught to wash their hands often, since their immunity is only developing: this year, most hepatitis type A cases could be ascribed to children aged between five and nine.

Hepatitis type A is infectious, and its symptoms are fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, sickness, high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea, dark urine and light faeces. Gradually, the skin and eyes turn yellow. However, the illness can be present without these clear symptoms.

Hepatitis type A usually has a mild course and ends with complete healing, hygienists say. Those who are sick are usually isolated in infection wards. The condition does not continue into a chronic stage.
Social networks in the EU will require parent's approval when registering children from 13 to 16-years-old.

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European Parliament and the Council of the EU issued The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which forces operators of social networks in the EU to require parent's approval when registering children, due to personal data safety. States of European Union can set the minimum age of young people for when they can register on their own between 13 and 16. In Slovakia, the Justice Ministry wants the upper limit. Such enforcement of parental consent does not make sense, according to Janice Richardson, expert on children's rights to the Council of Europe.

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The Slovak Spectator (TSS): Child protection on internet is not just an imaginary issue. Just recently Slovak politician Boris Kollar faced a scandal when the public learned that he explicitly talked about sex with a 15-year-old female drug addict. He claims that she looked older and they were just flirting. Can this EC directive prevent such situations?

Janice Richardson (JR): It is a real problem but it also shows that we need to teach people much more about critical thinking. A 15-year-old girl uses language a politician certainly recognises as the language of a teenager and not a language of a fully-developed 25-year-old woman. I find it hard to believe that the politician cannot see that he is talking to such a young girl. Regarding the GDPR Directive, I dont think that it could prevent such situations from happening again.

TSS: Facebook has not published a statement on the possibility that children below the age of 16 will need parental consent for registering. How will Facebook and other social networks deal with such a rule?

JR: There is no statement because although social network operators meet regularly to discuss those issues, right now they are still searching for responses. There is no specific way on how they will deal with this because they understand that they have to find a common path and GDPR puts in place a number of other requirements and social media platforms are currently focusing on them.

TSS: Is it technically possible to prevent children from lying about their age or are EU states passing laws that are easy to avoid no matter how hard we try?

JR: I think it is the latter. Several years ago I was in the Council of Europe working group, trying to look at all forms of age verification across the world just to see if we could bring up guidelines on age verification. We saw very interesting things. For example, in Japan there were machines scanning the eye of user. To avoid this measure, children were asking their parents to stand in front of the machine so their eye was scanned instead of the childs eye.

Another example is the Netherlands, where young people going to university get standard e-mail address they have to use to contact official services. If the state created such e-mail address for all children, social networks providers would be able to verify their real age. But there are many pros and cons of such an idea and to me it such measures could rapidly lead to a police state.

To be clear, I think that we have to find a way of proving the real age of people using social networks but we have to do this in a way where we will protect ones personal data first.

TSS: Different EU countries will have a different age threshold of age 13 to 16. How will global social networks adapt to that?

JR: There are many of those issues. Let us imagine that a 13-year-old child living in Ireland is allowed to register. Then he or she travels to Germany where maybe this threshold is set at 16 years. In my opinion, it will cause a lot more tracking and exchange of personal data than we have now. Information service providers will try to find out the real age of that child online. There is only one sure way on how to do that and it is gathering personal data from children and cross matching anything that could inform about the childs age. Social media providers will also need to track their location to know which age requirement applies.

TSS: What do you think about these regulations?

JR: We are dodging true responsibility. How can parents who understand the rules much less than their children decide which services their children should use? It is almost like telling a 13-year-old child that you can go to the library but you have to come back and check with me if you are allowed to take the chosen book.
But the rest of the country posts worse numbers.

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The Slovak capital has the highest share of brain business jobs in all of Europe, despite the fact that Slovakia as a nation has a mediocre concentration of such jobs. The whole country ranks 18th amongst the 28 European countries, according to the Geography of Europes Brain Business Jobs study by Nima Sanandaji and Stefan Folster, published by the European Centre for Policy Reform and Entrepreneurship.

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Brain business jobs include, for example, architects, scientists, programmers, managers, marketers, publishers, designers and similar, the Dennik N daily reported. While in the 28 EU member states only 5 percent of people have this kind of job, in Slovakia it is as much as 18 percent, which means every fifth person.

What did the study find?

Slovakia occupies the 18th place in the country ranking of brain business jobs, with 44 such jobs per 1,000 of the working age population. Slovakia as a whole does not invest very much in research and development.

In the ranking, Slovakia is in seventh place in the third group, the medium brain business countries. It does very well in IT and some advanced services.

Yet Slovakia is also the country with the greatest contrast between its peripheral regions and the capital region Bratislava, which is in 1st place in comparison with all other capital regions in Europe, the report reads.

In common with other capitals it has far more brain business jobs, 179.1 brain business jobs per 1,000 working age population, than the rest of the rest of the country.

But Bratislava is also very specialised in IT services, telecoms, computer programming, and to some extent advanced services that often cater to head offices, the report found.

Why choose Bratislava

Bratislava hosts several big IT and service companies like IBM, Dell, AT&T, and also startups. One of the quickest growing startups in the world is Exponea, in which billionaire Ivan Chrenko, the second richest Slovak, has invested 10 million, Dennik N wrote.
The amendment sets new rules that will become effective in January 2018.

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Those interested in purchasing emission quotas will be able to do so only via an electronic system as of next January. The system will also be used to submit reports on greenhouse gas emissions, reports on operation and reports on verification and monitoring plans.

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This stems from an amendment to the law on emission quota trading authored by the Environment Ministry which parliament approved on November 29.

The new rules also define ways to use the income from selling the emission quota permissions, the SITA newswire reported.

Greenhouse gas emissions from transport, agriculture and households in Slovakia keep decreasing. The air emission accounts (AEA) are used to cover the emissions from the sectors outside the main scheme of emission quota trading, and it is possible to move them across years and the member countries.

The European Union gives Slovakia about 25 million tonnes of AEA every year. These are then used to cover the sectors of transport, agriculture and waste, as well as the individual heating of households. Slovakia consumes about 21 million tonnes every year, the TASR newswire reported.

Based on estimates, Slovakia will submit excess AEA quotas until 2020. If Slovakia fails to sell them by this date, the quotas will expire, SITA reported.

The amendment also allows the Environment Ministry, as an administrator of the emission quotas, to use the flexibility of the AEA sales. Moreover, it defines a way to sell them via a direct sale, via a mediator or at an auction.

The Environmental Fund will receive the income from the sale of the AEA quotas, with a specific message on how to use them.
A recent report of the EU statistics office shows that although the life expectancy in Slovakia has been increasing, it still lags behind the EU average.

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The average life expectancy in Slovakia has increased by more than three years since 2000 and in 2015 it was 76.7 years, the Dennik N daily wrote on November 28.

This, however, is still less than the European Union (EU) average which adds another four years, according to the report published recently by the European Commission.

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There is a significant difference between men and women in this respect. Life expectancy at birth in 2015 was 76.7 years, up from 73.3 years in 2000, but still almost four years below the EU average. A large gender gap persists, with Slovak men living on average seven years less than women (73.1 years compared to 80.2 years) bigger than the EU average of 5.4 years.

A big difference can also be found in average life expectancy from the point of socio-economic status: Slovaks with university education live 10 years longer than those who failed to complete their secondary school studies. It is one of the biggest differences in the EU, the daily wrote.

Most of the gains in life expectancy in the country since 2000 have been driven by reductions in mortality rates after 65 (life expectancy of Slovak women at age 65 reached 18.8 in 2015 and that of men 15.0 years). However, not all of these additional years of life are lived in good health. At age 65, Slovak women and men can expect to live about four years of their remaining life-span free of disability, which represents only about 20% of the remaining years of life for women and 30% for men.

Biggest health issues stem from behavioural risks

The Slovak health-care system provides coverage for the entire population, although access to care is more limited in certain regions, and quality and efficiency can be improved in many areas.

In 2014, 23% of adults were daily smokers which is more than the EU average. Smoking among men is nearly two times greater than among women, and smoking among people with low education is almost two-thirds higher compared to those with higher education. Tobacco control policies are less comprehensive than in many other EU countries.

Overall alcohol consumption per adult has decreased slightly since 2000, being close to the EU average, at 10.2 litres per adult in 2015. One in eight Slovak adults report heavy alcohol consumption on a regular basis, which is less than the EU average. However, the proportion of adolescents who report having been drunk more than once in their life is higher than the EU average, with 26% of 15-year-old girls and 29% of 15-year-old boys reporting having been drunk at least twice (compared with an EU average of 24% for girls and 27% for boys).

One in six adults are obese, a rate similar to the EU average, and overweight and obesity problems among adolescents are on the rise. A higher proportion of 15-year-old Slovak boys (16%) and girls (18%) smoke than the EU average (14% for both boys and girls).

Behavioural risk factors are more prevalent among disadvantaged populations, the report stated.

Public health-care expenses in Slovakia and prevailing death causes

Slovakia spends less on health than most other EU countries, both in absolute terms and as a share of GDP. In 2015, 1,538 per capita was spent on health care, compared to the EU average of 2,797. This amounts to 6.9% of GDP compared to 9.9% across the EU as a whole. Some 80% of health spending in Slovakia is publicly funded, which is close to the EU average, the report called State of Health in the EU/Slovak Republic finds.

Cardiovascular diseases are by far the prevalent cause of death for both women and men in the country (heart attack and stroke, respectively), followed by cancer, primarily lung and colo-rectal. Deaths from Alzheimers disease and other dementias almost doubled between 2000 and 2014 due to population ageing, but also to better diagnosis, lack of effective treatments and changes in registration practices.
WILBER  Two people identifying themselves as the "persons of interest" in the case of Sydney Loofe have posted a video denying their involvement in her disappearance.

Lincoln police have said they are looking for Aubrey Trail, 51, and Bailey Boswell, 23, in connection with the search for Loofe, who was reported missing Nov. 16.

"They're chasing us around like dogs," a man who identified himself as Trail says in the video, which was shared on the "Finding Sydney Loofe" Facebook page Wednesday morning.

The video was removed after about two hours but has since been posted on YouTube. It shows the man and woman, who identifies herself as Boswell, wearing dark clothing, her in sunglasses, sitting inside a vehicle. It wasn't immediately clear when or where the video was taken.

A Lincoln police spokeswoman said investigators are "analyzing the video and it's too early for us to provide a statement."

"We are still looking for both of them and they have not turned themselves in," Officer Angela Sands said.

In the video, the man says he and Boswell tried reaching out to police in the days following Loofe's disappearance, but that police didn't return their calls.

"As far as I know, I'm not wanted for anything. I'm a person of interest and I'm not really running from anything," the man says. "This has pretty much cost me my life.

"I pray for Sydney. I hope she's found soon. I wish the family the best. I'm sorry that she wasn't with you on Thanksgiving."

The woman says she went on dates with Loofe in the days before her disappearance but last saw her after dropping her off at a friend's house.

"I haven't heard from her since."

Loofe, 24, missed work Nov. 16 at the Menards in north Lincoln after apparently going on a date the night before with someone she met online, her parents have said. Police confirmed she was last seen in Wilber, 40 miles southwest of Lincoln, on Nov. 15.

Police have called the disappearance "concerning."

Loofe has a yin-yang tattoo on one of her forearms, the word "Believe" with a cross on the inside of her left wrist, and the phrase "Everything will be wonderful someday" on her right bicep.

She is 5-foot-7 and weighs 135 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white Columbia jacket and a cream-colored shirt.

Trail is 6 feet tall and weighs about 284 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, according to the police news release. Boswell is 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Trail's basement apartment in Wilber is just across a chain-link fence from Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools. Superintendent Ray Collins said law enforcement has had a heavy presence in the area since soon after Loofe's disappearance.

Investigators searched the apartment Tuesday, Collins said.

Scott Havel, owner of Frank's Smokehouse in Wilber, said Trail and Boswell don't have many ties in town other than living there.

This is a developing story. Stay with JournalStar.com for updates.
Banco Santander-Chile, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking products and services in Chile. It operates through Retail Banking, Middle-Market, Corporate Investment Banking, and Corporate Activities segments. The company offers debit and credit cards, checking accounts, and savings products; consumer, automobile, commercial, mortgage, and government-guaranteed loans; and Chilean peso and foreign currency denominated loans to finance various commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts, and credit lines, as well as mortgage financing services. It also provides mutual funds, insurance and securities brokerage, foreign exchange, financial leasing, factoring, financial consulting and advisory, investment management, foreign trade, treasury, and transactional services, as well as specialized services to finance projects for the real estate industry. In addition, the company offers short-term financing and fund raising, and brokerage services, as well as derivatives, securitization, and other tailor-made products. It serves individuals, small to middle-sized entities, companies, and large corporations, as well as universities, government entities, and local and regional governments. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 326 branches, which include 220 under the Santander brand name, 14 under the Select brand name, 7 specialized branches for the middle market, and 22 as auxiliary and payment centers, as well as 1,338 ATMs, including depository ATMs. Banco Santander-Chile was incorporated in 1977 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.
A woman was killed after a vehicle she was riding in rolled in the median on Interstate 80.

At 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, Daniel Hafner of Tea, South Dakota, was driving east on I-80, two miles east of Overton. His vehicle entered the median and Hafner overcorrected, colliding with the guardrail and continuing into the median, where the vehicle rolled.
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Google Street View image of a residential neighborhood in San Francisco. Credit: Google Street View

From the understated opulence of a Bentley to the stalwart family minivan to the utilitarian pickup, Americans know that the car you drive is an outward statement of personality. You are what you drive, as the saying goes, and researchers at Stanford have just taken that maxim to a new level.

Using computer algorithms that can see and learn, they have analyzed millions of publicly available images on Google Street View. The researchers say they can use that knowledge to determine the political leanings of a given neighborhood just by looking at the cars on the streets.

"Using easily obtainable visual data, we can learn so much about our communities, on par with some information that takes billions of dollars to obtain via census surveys. More importantly, this research opens up more possibilities of virtually continuous study of our society using sometimes cheaply available visual data," said Fei-Fei Li, an associate professor of computer science at Stanford and director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab and the Stanford Vision Lab, where the work was done.

Li is an expert in computer vision and deep learning, a type of artificial intelligence in which computers teach themselves to recognize three-dimensional objects in two-dimensional images  computers that see, as she describes them.

The algorithms were trained  or more accurately, they trained themselves  to recognize the make, model and year of every car produced since 1990 in each of more than 50 million Google Street View images from 200 American cities.

The data on car types and location were then compared against the most comprehensive demographic database in use today, the American Community Survey, and against presidential election voting data to estimate demographic factors such as race, education, income and voter preferences.

Li and her team found a simple linear relationship exists between cars, demographics and political persuasion. The societal associations were "simple and powerful," as the authors describe in their paper published Nov. 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

For instance, if the number of sedans in a neighborhood is greater than the number of pickups, there is an 88 percent chance that the precinct will vote Democratic. Transpose those numbers to have more pickups than sedans and there is an 82 percent chance a precinct will vote Republican.

Timely and continuous

Beyond the obvious political repercussions, the researchers believe their algorithms could help provide more timely and continuous supplements to current demographic surveys. The American Community Survey is now conducted through expensive and labor-intensive door-to-door canvassing costing the U.S. more than $250 million annually. Even at that cost, what is worse is the lag time between data collection and publication, which stretches two years or more, especially for small cities and rural areas.

By comparison, Li's work piggybacks on a publicly available, regularly updated image database, built and paid for by Google Street View, and it generates analyses in near real time.

"I don't see something like this replacing the American Community Survey, but as a supplement to keep the data up to date," said Timnit Gebru, first author of the paper and formerly a member of Li's lab. Gebru is now a postdoctoral researcher in the Fairness Accountability Transparency and Ethics (FATE) in Artificial Intelligence group at Microsoft Research.

Getting to this point was not easy, Gebru said. The team first had to build by hand an image database of all cars since 1990  year, make, model, trim packages  and then teach a computer to recognize the subtle differences between cars in partially obscured and odd-angle images.

Subtle differences

They began with a database of 15,000 cars from car-sale website Edmunds.com, but that was only the start. Human experts next had to categorize the cars to the subtlest detail, one-by-one. The difference between the 2007 and 2008 Honda Accord, for instance, is an almost-imperceptible change to the rear taillights.

The algorithm worked fast, taking just two weeks to sort the cars in all 50 million images into 2,657 categories by make, model and year. A human working at a relatively high rate of six images a minute would need 15 years to complete the same task.

Some outside the research group were skeptical, Gebru said. They pointed to inconsistencies in the times of day when images were taken that might affect traffic patterns and vehicle makeup. In fact, Gebru adds, many Street View images are taken in the early morning hours specifically to avoid traffic, providing some consistency to the time of day when the images were taken. Regardless of the level of traffic, Gebru said, the images provided valuable data.

"If you walk around a neighborhood looking at cars, the density of traffic sometimes tells you things as valuable as the types of cars you see on the streets," Gebru said. "We can use all this information in our algorithms."

Gebru has high hopes for her new application. She is excited to move beyond demographics and use visual imagery analysis to improve surveys of hard-to-reach areas or for other beneficial uses like monitoring carbon dioxide levels and easing traffic congestion.

Li concurred. "It can help us understand how our society works, the things people need and how we can improve lives," Li said. "There is great potential to use computer vision technology in a constructive and benevolent way."

More information: Timnit Gebru et al. Using deep learning and Google Street View to estimate the demographic makeup of neighborhoods across the United States, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Timnit Gebru et al. Using deep learning and Google Street View to estimate the demographic makeup of neighborhoods across the United States,(2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700035114
The American Association of University Professors said Tuesday the University of Nebraska-Lincoln violated academic due process used by institutions across the country in ending the employment of lecturer Courtney Lawton on Nov. 17.

Hans-Joerg Tied, the national organization's associate secretary, wrote in a letter to UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green that conflicting accounts regarding the end of Lawton's employment indicate the university violated the graduate student's academic freedom.

Lawton has said she was removed from her teaching duties as a safety precaution after she was filmed referring to an undergraduate student recruiting for Turning Point USA as a "neo-fascist" and making an inappropriate gesture toward her at the Nebraska Union plaza in August.

After a November meeting between university administrators and three lawmakers at the Capitol, Lawton was informed her contract with the university would not be renewed at the end of the school year. Green told her she would no longer teach at UNL "because of this inappropriate behavior."

AAUP said "a suspension which is not followed by either reinstatement or the opportunity for a hearing is in effect a summary dismissal in violation of academic due process," a procedure it says is also outlined in NU Board of Regents' policy.

"In addition to the evident procedural issues, we remain concerned that Ms. Lawton was suspended in response to her speech as a citizen, raising questions whether the action infringed upon her academic freedom," the letter states. "These questions remain unresolved in the absence of affordance to Ms. Lawton of any academic due process."

Violating a faculty member's academic freedom could result in the AAUP convening an investigatory committee, the results of which could be published.

The AAUP maintains a "Censure List" of institutions where the "conditions for academic freedom, tenure, and due process have been found to be unsatisfactory."

"Placing the name of an institution on this list does not mean that censure is visited either upon the whole of the institution or upon the faculty, but specifically upon its present administration," the AAUP's website states.

University administrations can be placed on or removed from the list by a vote of the association's membership during an annual meeting.

The AAUP's Nebraska chapter, which published an open letter to the NU community on Monday signed by 127 faculty members citing concerns over external political pressure damaging the university, added a note to the document Tuesday.

"There has been very intense interest in signing this letter from all quarters of the University of Nebraska system," it says, adding that faculty have until Dec. 4 to sign the letter before it is presented to the Board of Regents on Dec. 5.
One count of conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by stealing information from protected computers and causing damage to protected computers.

Eight counts of aggravated identity theft.

"Baratov's role in the charged conspiracy was to hack webmail accounts of individuals of interest to the FSB and send those accounts' passwords to Dokuchaev in exchange for money," his plea agreement reads.

"The illegal hacking of private communications is a global problem that transcends political boundaries. Cybercrime is not only a grave threat to personal privacy and security, but causes great financial harm to individuals who are hacked and costs the world economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year," US Attorney Brian Stretch said.

"These threats are even more insidious when cybercriminals such as Baratov are employed by foreign government agencies acting outside the rule of law."

, a 22-year-old Kazakhstan-born Canadian citizen, has pleaded guilty to hacking charges over his involvement in massive 2014 Yahoo data breach that affected all three billion yahoo accounts In March, the US Justice Department announced charges against two Russian intelligence officers (Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin) from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and two hackers (Alexsey Belan and Karim Baratov) for breaking into yahoo servers in 2014.While Karim Baratov (Kay, a.k.a Karim Taloverov, a.k.a Karim Akehmet Tokbergenov) was arrested in Toronto at his Ancaster home by the Toronto Police Department in March this year, Alexsey Belan and both FSB officers currently reside in Russia, unlikely to be extradited.In the federal district court in San Francisco on Tuesday, Baratov admitted to helping the Russian spies and pleaded guilty to a total of nine counts which includes:Prosecutors believe that FSB officers directed the Yahoo hack and contracted Baratov when their targetswhich included journalists, government officials, and technology company employeesused email accounts outside of Yahoo's system.However, according to Baratov's lawyers, at the time of the crime, Baratov had no idea he was working with Russian FSB agents.Baratov gained unauthorized access to at least 80 non-Yahoo email accounts, including at least 50 Google accounts by obtaining their credentials through "spear phishing" attacks.Baratov's sentencing hearing will be held on 20th February next year in federal district court in San Francisco, where he could face 70 to 87 months in jail for the first charge and 24 months for the identity theft charges.Besides any prison sentence, Baratov has also agreed to pay compensation to the Yahoo victims and a fine up to $2,250,000 (at $250,000 per count).Baratov's arrest is the only one in this investigation. The three other men, including two FSB officers and one criminal hacker, currently reside in Russia, with whom the United States has no extradition treaty.
Industry insiders have warned that using state money to provide subsidies for empty seats on flights to and from unpopular airports, a scheme widely adapted in provinces across Vietnam, is not a viable policy.

The alarm was raised after the administration of Can Tho, the economic hub of the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, proposed setting aside VND8 billion (US$352,423) a year as subsidy to airlines flying to and from the citys international airport.

The move is intended to encourage carriers to open new routes to the Can Tho International Airport, which continues to operate well below capacity seven years after its inauguration.

The airport is expected to serve just over 600,000 passengers by the end of 2017, less than 20 percent of its design capacity of up to five million passengers a year.

Common trend

What worries experts is that many other provinces have been, or in several cases still are, applying similar subsidies to encourage airlines to keep routes to their local airports open.

The north-central province of Quang Binh, home to Dong Hoi Airport, is currently subsidizing services to Cat Bi Airport in the northern city of Hai Phong and Thailands Chiang Mai.

The subsidy to the Dong Hoi-Cat Bi route, operated by Jetstar Pacific, is VND5 billion ($220,264) a year, while the grant for the Chiang Mai service is undisclosed.

In 2016, the administration of the central province of Thua Thien  Hue offered subsidies worth VND10 million ($440) a month to all flights to its Phu Bai Airport, under the condition that the carriers offered at least two flights per month.

In late September last year, the Hai Phong administration also began subsiding new flights, both domestic and international, to its Cat Bi Airport. Recipients of the subsidy have been airlines that have committed to operating at least three flights a week to and from Cat Bi for at least three years.

Domestic services will have 30 percent of the seats on every flight covered by the citys budget, and international ones, 25 percent. The maximum subsidy for any domestic services is VND5 billion a year per new route, and VND10 billion ($440,500) a year for international flights.

The Can Tho International Airport is always less crowded.

Despite the subsidies, airlines remain cautious when planning new services to unpopular airports as the support from local authorities is not enough to cover their expenses.

For instance, few airlines operate flights to Can Tho due to low demand, given that the airport is only 180 kilometers away from the busy Tan Son Nhat International terminal in Ho Chi Minh City.

The administration of Lam Dong Province has recently offered to subsidize a local airline if it agrees to open a new route to connect the provincial capital of Da Lat and Can Tho.

However, the carrier is unsure, as the subsidy may fail to offset potential losses, one of its officials told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday.

Similarly, low-cost carrier Vietjet, which operates two flights daily between Hanoi and Can Tho, and one daily flight from Da Nang to Can Tho, said the subsidies are not enough to make up for the expense of opening and maintaining the two routes.

Subsidy policy must be reconsidered

Commenting on the proposed subsidy plan Associate Professor To Trung Thanh, from the National Economics University, said the policy may work in the short term but it cannot be sustained.

Can Tho does not have any competitive tourism products compared to other locations in the region, and the city is already easily accessed via expressways, he explained.

In addition, a new international airport has been planned for construction in Dong Nai Province, which is only 50km away from Tan Son Nhat. Once this new facility is inaugurated, the number of passengers choosing to fly to Can Tho will decrease significantly, Thanh said.

Aviation expert Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong, said that the flight subsidization policy using state money delivers no socio-economic benefit and goes against the operation of a free market.

An airline will open a new route of its own volition if it finds that the service will be viable, without waiting for a subsidy, he said.

Tong added that the policy may lead to a scenario whereby airlines will stop flying if the financial support stops.

We cannot subsidize airlines forever, he said.

In the long term, the plan will put more pressure on our state budget, which should be used to invest in education or healthcare.
Organized by Vietnams Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), the conference discussed the role of interconnection among different areas of production in the development of Vietnams electronics industry.

Vietnam is currently the worlds 12th largest electronics exporter, and the third largest in Southeast Asia, according to Dr. Nguyen Thi Tue Anh, vice president of CIEM.

The country is poised to export more than US$70 billion worth of electronics in 2017, Anh said, thanks to large investments from electronics giants like Samsung, Intel and Sony.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, there are currently 610 businesses operating in the electronics sector in Vietnam, over 52 percent of which are manufacturers of electronic components.

This is not nearly enough to sustain a healthy electronics manufacturing industry, according to Vu Thi Thanh Huyen, a professor from Hanoi-based Vietnam University of Commerce.

In order to maintain a high local content in electronics production, the number of component suppliers must be much larger than assemblers, Huyen explained.

Most electronics on the [Vietnamese] market are either CBU imports or assembled from imported components, she added.

Domestic companies are only capable of finishing the packaging, printing instruction manuals and making plastic components - which are low in added value.

CBUs, or Complete Build-up Units, are manufactured goods for export in completely built form.

According to Tue Anh, foreign direct investment (FDI) companies accounted for nearly 100 percent out of Vietnams over $34 billion in exports of mobile and electronic components last year, which demonstrates the negligible role of local companies in the booming industry.

Vietnams Center for Supporting Industry Businesses Development estimates that the country currently imports around 77 percent of the value of its electronics products, a strikingly low supplier localization rate considering the scale of the industry.
Vietnam and Poland have agreed to push forward their bilateral trade cooperation.

Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quang held talks with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in Hanoi on Tuesday, as part of the latters state visit to the Southeast Asian country from November 27 to 30.

During the conversation, President Quang said that the visit of President Duda would create an impetus for more effective and stronger friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

He took the opportunity to praise the opening of a representative office of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency in Ho Chi Minh City, saying that Vietnam had always provided favorable conditions for Polish businesses to invest and operate in.

According to the Vietnamese head of state, Hanoi has always had a focus on developing its ties with countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and Poland is a priority partner.

Replying to his host, President Duda expressed his hope that documents signed during his visit would create a foundation to step up collaboration between the two countries across multiple fields.

Two-way trade revenue will reach US$2 million, he said, believing that the figure would increase in the coming years based on the outcomes of his ongoing Vietnam visit as well as the upcoming visit to Poland by President Quang.

The two leaders discussed measures to bolster the two nations economic and trade cooperation.

Poland will soon disburse an official development assistance package worth EUR250 million ($296.3 million) to Vietnam in line with a framework agreement on financial cooperation signed during the visit.

Following the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents in the fields of finance, education, and training among others.

The Polish leader also met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong on Tuesday.

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Check out what is in the news today, November 29

Politics

-- Bilateral ties of Vietnam and Poland will see robust growth in the years to come, visiting Polish President Andrzej Duda asserted after meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi on Tuesday.

-- Chairwoman of the Vietnamese lawmaking National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan

affirmed Vietnams consistent policy of attaching great attention to fostering strategic partnership with Singapore during talks with her Singaporean counterpart Tan Chuan-Jin in the city-state on Tuesday.

Society

-- Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has called on Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to approve the disbursement of VND4.78 trillion (US$208.7 million) to proceed with the citys Metro Line No.1, which connects Ben Thanh Terminal in District 1 with Suoi Tien in District 9.

-- Search was ongoing for four missing crewmen aboard a fishing boat that had sunk on Monday night following the retrieval of two bodies.

-- The criminal police division under the Ministry of Public Security has affirmed they had identified two suspects who kidnapped and killed a neonate on Saturday last week.

Business

-- One hundred-fifty enterprises from across the country will display their products in approximately 300 stalls at a north-central region industry and trade fair, to run from December 1-7, an official revealed at a press conference on Tuesday.

-- Vietnam's electronics industry still imports up to 77 percent of the product value due partly to insufficient supporting policies, according to a survey released at a seminar on Tuesday.

-- A river tour from downtown Ho Chi Minh City to its outlying district of Can Gio will be launched in late December to cater to the burgeoning transport demand around and on the New Year Day, officials told a meeting on Tuesday.

Lifestyle

-- Nearly 10,000 postage stamps of various themes are on view until Thursday at the Youth Cultural House in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Recent disturbing footage of kindergarteners being subject to physical abuse by their caretakers at a daycare center in Ho Chi Minh City has raised the question of whether it is time to tighten the licensing of such household facilities.

Located in the citys District 12, the Mam Xanh childcare facility is run by the owner and two assistants who provide care for 30 to 40 children between two and five years old.

Such household daycares are not uncommon across Vietnam, especially in neighborhoods with a high density of blue-collar workers who cannot afford to send their children to a public kindergarten, either because it is too far away from their workplace or the tuition is not as cheap.

But conditions at such facilities are often questionable, while reports of childrens maltreatment by their caretakers are no longer scarce.

In 2013, nursemaids at a preschool in Ho Chi Minh Citys Thu Duc District were accused of frequently abusing and torturing preschoolers, including holding the children upside down over a barrel of water and threatening to drop them into it.

Earlier this year, authorities ordered the closure of a daycare in Go Vap District where nursemaids had been found to use violent measures to force-feed the kids, including pushing their heads backwards and shoving spoons of food into their crying mouths.

<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnewsaboutvietnam%2Fvideos%2F1696946930364602%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>

This video contains images that may be disturbing to some readers. Viewer discretion is thus strongly advised.

Piece of cake

There are a whole range of strict regulations concerning the establishment of kindergartens, and they are subject to frequent inspections. But the same cannot be said about household daycares, said M., owner of a private kindergarten in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to M., it only costs a little more than VND30 million ($1,300) to open such a facility.

That includes the costs of renovating your house to add spaces for sleeping and dining, buying some toys, and making over the kitchen to conform with standards. M. explained. Thats all it takes to be licensed.

Chung Bich Phuong, a former education official in Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Phu District, acknowledged the fact that some daycares even bypass authorities by hiring certified nursemaids at first, only to replace them with unqualified ones after having been licensed to cut down on monthly costs

This explains the low tuition fee advertised by such facilities compared to more formal kindergartens, which is also their main selling point for low-income families.

Even worse, more than 5,000 preschools in 50 cities and provinces across Vietnam were found unlicensed in a 2014 report by the Ministry of Education and Training.

That number translated into 34 percent of the private preschools that take care of kids under 36 months at the time of the report.

A kindergartener is forced to carry plastic chairs on his head as a punishment at the Mam Xanh daycare center in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Solution needed

According to Nguyen Hong Ha, vice chairman of a socio-cultural committee of Ho Chi Minh Citys Peoples Council, the long-term solution to this issue would be to reduce household daycare while raising the number of larger-scale kindergartens for ease of management.

In the meantime, we should encourage locals to join hands with authorities in keeping these household facilities in check, Ha said.

In addition, requiring the daycares to install surveillance cameras is also hoped to put a stop to this aching problem of child abuse.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities have already set out to implement the measure, after the municipal Peoples Committee convened a meeting with relevant agencies on Monday afternoon to seek solutions to child abuse.

The city had since 2013 put in place state-funded training programs for managers, teachers and nursemaids at private preschool facilities to improve their professional skills as well as moral standards.

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Nine has set-up a phone line for an independent counselling service to report instances of bullying and harassment for staff, and for past staff who wish to address historic behaviour.

Former Nine employees with complaints will receive counselling on a strictly confidential basis and at no cost to them.

In an email to staff CEO Hugh Marks wrote, In light of the appalling allegations this week of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct by Don Burke I wanted to write to all staff to reaffirm Nines commitment to maintaining a culture that is inclusive, supportive and respectful.

But importantly it is fundamental that as a team we all share some simple expectations. And it is in this context that we all accept our role in ensuring we have and maintain a culture that has zero tolerance of inappropriate workplace behaviour. Everyone is entitled to come to work at Nine confident that our workplace is safe and that inappropriate behaviour will be dealt with effectively.

Nine has a number of policies and procedures in place to ensure expectations in relation to behaviour in the workplace are clear. We also have clear guidelines on how we manage grievances, misconduct and support staff if any such concerns arise. Your team leaders and Nines HR team have the resources and tools needed to respond effectively and follow clear guidelines when dealing with misconduct, harassment, discrimination and bullying issues. There are also clear procedures to be followed if someone has a grievance to report.

Nine has offered a confidential line with Converge International to deal with any challenges, concerns or issues that may be affecting staff at work or at home.

Policies and guidelines will apply to everyone associated with Nine, including staff, contractors, sub-contractors, agents, consultants and temporary staff, past employees can also address historic issues.

As much as we might like to, sometimes we unfortunately cannot rewrite history. But we can and will take steps to ensure that former employees, perhaps with old grievances, are supported. So we have set up a unique phone line for them to call 1300 554 818 and will provide an independent counselling service to report instances of past behaviour they would like addressed. Former Nine employees with complaints simply provide their personal contact details and HR will follow up directly on a strictly confidential basis. The counselling will be provided at no cost to them and Nine will support the person to work through any issues that relate to their time at Nine, he continued.

Marks recently said he was sure there were problems in the past that would emerge, but the current climate was a supportive one.

Its my job as CEO, and that of your senior leaders, to ensure that people who have been treated poorly will be heard, and that they will get appropriate support if they need it. Any matters which are raised and require further action will be addressed appropriately either internally or, if required, externally of Nine.

This is an important issue for all Australian workplaces. I believe Nine can take a strong leadership role in our industry to make sure we do the right thing by our people, now, and into the future.
BUENOS AIRES, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Argentina's biodiesel exports fell 30 percent in the third quarter of 2017 from the previous year to 353,034 tonnes, the government's statistics agency said on Wednesday, indicating that new U.S. import tariffs have had a swift impact.

In late August, the U.S. Commerce Department imposed countervailing duties on soy-based biodiesel, prompting the local Argentine industry to say they had been priced out of their top market.

In the first half of the year, companies that produce biodiesel in Argentina, including multinationals like Cargill and Bunge, exported 741,485 tonnes of the biofuel, representing growth of 26 percent from a year earlier.

The U.S. government ratified tariffs of up to 72 percent earlier this month. Argentina had sent 90 percent of its biodiesel exports to the United States and is now hoping a reopened European market can offset the loss. (Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Caroline Stauffer, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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Nancy Hicks Reporter Nancy Hicks reports on Lincoln city government, but shes been following the leaders of local and state government for more than 40 years. Follow Nancy Hicks 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 big, old cottonwood, 6 to 8 feet in diameter, was close to a county bridge project.

If you stood near it, you could hear this weird sound coming from the tree, said Lancaster County Engineer Pam Dingman.

The sound was one clue that several dozen northern long-eared bats, perhaps as many as 60, had made the tree their nesting place.

The bats were declared threatened in 2015 under the Endangered Species Act because of white nose syndrome, a disease that has been spreading eastward, killing off some 95 percent of the northern long-eared bat population in the eastern U.S.

Dingman had two choices. She could delay the bridge construction until fall when the bats would move on and the tree could be removed.

Or she could redesign the project slightly and keep the tree.

She kept the tree.

The city and county have had these bats on their radar screen for several years, but this is the first local project affected by the protected species.

The bats are handled much like migratory birds, whose nesting places are protected during spring and summer.

The city and county generally try to remove trees before the birds' spring nesting season. But the bats don't always pick a tree for nesting.

The bats look for a place that is dark and somewhat protected. It could be cracks between I-beams of bridges, or trees with loose or damaged bark, providing a little space for bats to roost singly or in small groups.

And they are more likely to be found on the edge of town and in the countryside. So the city has not found any northern long-eared bats at city construction projects.

The bats hibernate and migrate from trees and bridges in the fall and winter months to caves that are warm in the winter.

The threatened species status does not affect bats in your house. Removing bats from structures where humans are, such as houses or businesses, is one of the exceptions.

Police escort required for fireworks

Currently, a truck or a car carrying fireworks through Lincoln is supposed to stop and get a police escort.

Not that anyone has ever obeyed that law.

But it won't be around much longer.

As a part of annual cleanup work, the City Council will be asked to remove that language from the law books, said City Attorney Jeff Kirkpatrick.

The police escort rule will still apply to dangerous explosives such as dynamite and gunpowder.

Ice skating rink set to open



You should be able to skate in the West Haymarket Railyard ice rink starting Friday evening.

Though the weather is expected to be mild this week, Railyard staffers think they will be able to open the rink after 5 p.m. Friday, according to Brian Krajewski, Railyard general manager.

If it gets warmer than predicted we will have to re-evaluate, he said.

The Railyard rink is open for skating from 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 5 p.m. to midnight Fridays; noon to midnight Saturdays; and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. On Mondays in January and February, the rink is closed for broomball, Krajewski said.

Privatization debate spans generations

This year there has been debate over who should run a proposed conversion system for turning biogas produced at the sewage treatment plant into compressed gas: the city or a private company.

Thirty-one years ago there was similar debate over who should own and run the city landfill.

At the time when Lincoln was looking for a site for a new landfill, two private companies suggested to city officials they would own and operate a landfill for city waste. One, Waste Management Inc., an Illinois-based firm, even had an agreement with landowners to purchase land for a new city landfill.

The idea of a privately owned landfill met much resistance. Lincoln's private garbage haulers were afraid the private company would take over the hauling business. The two Lincoln newspapers did not support a private company having a monopoly over a required public service. Even the Lincoln Independent Business Association opposed private ownership of the landfill.

LIBA said a privately owned landfill would make the city unnecessarily reliant on one company for an essential service.

"When we're talking about the only game in town, as we are with one landfill, Lincoln can ill afford to become dependent on private ownership of this basic city service," said the LIBA president.

The current biogas-to-fuel conversion project does not deal with a required public service, so the arguments are not the same.

City staff believes the city can make more money managing the project. Some council members, including Roy Christensen, believe the city would have less risk allowing a private company to handle the project.
Theresa May is apparently ready to pay up to 55bn to the EU (Francis Dean/Dean Pictures via Getty Images)

Both sides of the Brexit divide have reacted with fury at reports Theresa May is ready to offer up to 55 billion (48.5bn) to quit the EU.

Prominent Leavers and Remainers have been hurling accusations and brickbats at each other as the full financial impact of walking away from the trading bloc emerges.

Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader and one of the most high profile Leavers, said the offer was a complete and total sellout, insisting the UK owe them nothing.

Downing Street says nothing concrete has been agreed, with one source saying: Negotiations are ongoing. There is, as yet, no settlement.

MORE: Secret Brexit impact papers branded a whitewash

Farage told ITVs Good Morning Britain: Were leaving the EU, but theyre refusing to cut back on their projects and were picking up the tab.

They owe us billions of pounds. I am not convinced at any point that they will offer us a fair free trade deal. At this point I think the best answer is to walk away.

Counting the cost of Brexit (PA)

He said Britain does not need to hammer out a trade deal as all EU countries work with the US and China without one.

Even if the UK was guaranteed tariff-free access to the single market, its not worth 50bn. Christmas has come early for the EU. pic.twitter.com/U6R9Hy1epQ  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) November 29, 2017

The unconfirmed offer is more than double the 20bn figure to emerge a couple of months ago as the prime minister prepared to give her speech in Florence that proposed a transition period after Brexit day in March 2019.

The Financial Times said that several diplomats familiar with the talks had confirmed that the UK will assume EU liabilities worth up to 100 billion (89bn) gross, but that net payments would amount to around half that figure.

Nigel Farage has led the howls of protest at the reported divorce bill offer (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Ukip MEP Mike Hookem described the reported bill as an absolute outrage.

Story continues

This is yet another capitulation by our weak and feeble Prime Minister, and makes the UK nothing more than a EU surrender monkey, said the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire MEP.

The EU has essentially held us to ransom over the divorce bill, and a stronger Prime Minister would have told them to get stuffed.

Its increasingly clear that our only strategy was to tough it out and bluster to this point on a they need us basis until the EU crack or division occurred between members. Now that hasnt happened, reality starts to creep in.  Charles Knight (@Charlesknight) November 29, 2017

But leading Remain campaigner and Conservative former minister Anna Soubry said the developments showed Brexit reality  no money for NHS, a whopping bill we must pay, price of a monumental con trick played by Leave on decent people.

MORE: Construction industry warns of Brexit cliff edge over EU workers

And Labour MP Chuka Umunna said: Boris, Gove and other Leave campaigners never said there would be a big divorce bill to pay  quite the opposite.

This big new fact means the 350 million extra per week for the NHS, without which Leavers say they would have lost the referendum, simply will not happen.

Brexit secretary David Davis and the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier have made little concrete progress (AFP | Emmanuel Dunand)

The EU has insisted no talks on trade deals can begin until the issue of the divorce bill is settled  and the future of the Irish border and citizens rights.

MORE: Brexit vote has cost each UK household 600 a year  and weve not even left yet

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told BBC Radio 4s Today show on Wednesday the figures were merely speculation.

There are no numbers for us to discuss this morning, he said. We havent committed to numbers, what weve simply said is that we will fulfil our obligations built up during our period of membership.

We want to leave as good friends, good neighbours, carry on trading with the European Union. Its right and proper that we meet our obligations and thats what were intending to do.

Michel Barnier, the European Unions chief negotiator, declined to answer questions about the figure when asked about it by the BBC in Berlin: I dont want to talk. Still working. Still working.




By Christopher Spink

LONDON, Nov 28 (IFR) - Two of the worlds biggest fixed income investors, BlackRock and Pimco, have decided to boycott an issue of Tier 2 bonds by Banco Comercial Portugues, which is due to price tomorrow, as a protest against the Portuguese authorities treatment of Novo Banco bondholders.

The two institutions are also joined by four smaller fund managers, Attestor Capital, CQS, River Birch Capital and York Capital. All have individually decided not to invest in the new issue by BCP, which was seeking to raise 300m.

We will not be participating in this issuance. We have each decided that the risks associated with actively investing in Portuguese public or private debt are prohibitive, as the Banco de Portugal still has not addressed the unlawful and discriminatory retransfer of notes from Novo Banco to Banco Espirito Santo in 2015, the six institutions said in a joint statement.

BCP has felt unable to issue senior debt as Portugal has not yet set out legal details of its version of non-preferred senior debt, the new class of loss-absorbing capital that eurozone banks are required to issue.

Instead banks headquartered in the country have generally had to issue more junior classes of debt this year, sometimes at more prohibitive rates. For example state-owned Caixa Geral de Depositos priced a 500m perpetual non-call five Additional Tier 1 at 10.75% in March.

It is unclear if issues such as this were also affected by a lack of demand from the above institutions. However, the dispute over Novo Banco goes back to late December 2015, when five bonds held mainly by international funds were transferred back to Banco Espirito Santo.

BES failed in August 2014 and Portuguese authorities chose to set up Novo Banco to contain assets and certain liabilities of the bank it wished to save only to re-categorise them 16 months later, just before the new rules under the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive came in.

The institutions have strenuously objected to being singled out for this treatment and sought to have their bonds reinstated as Novo Banco instruments. Three-quarters of the instruments have since been sold by Portugal to US private equity investor Lone Star.

Story continues

The six institutions are part of the group, advised by London law firm Clifford Chance, that has challenged the Bank of Portugals decision. There are several other lawsuits also being pursued relating to Novo Banco.

We look forward to resuming our discussions with the Portuguese authorities in order to resolve the situation quickly and re-establish Portugal as a credible destination for foreign investment, their statement said.

Portuguese banks have been active this year, pricing 4.25bn of debt compared with nothing in 2016. BCP itself repaid 700m of state CoCos early in February after completing a 1.33bn rights issue. It has also issued its first euro covered bond since 2009.

Novo Bancos new owner has said the bank plans to issue a 400m Tier 2 note of its own. (Reporting by Christopher Spink)

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(Adds context, share performance)

By Gram Slattery and Tatiana Bautzer

SAO PAULO, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Brazilian telecoms regulator Anatel has forbidden telecoms operator Oi SA from reaching a deal with creditors to implement its most recent restructuring proposal, warning of its "ruinous potential for the company," the company said on Tuesday.

Oi said its board had finalized a new plan to restructure some 65 billion reais ($20.17 billion) of debt in bankruptcy court, but Anatel had blocked the board from officially signing any documents with creditors to enforce the new plan, according to securities filings.

The decision marks an escalation of the regulator's role in Latin America's biggest-ever bankruptcy case, as the threat of full-blown intervention hangs over protracted and so far fruitless talks between creditors and shareholders.

The abrupt resignation of Oi Chief Executive Marco Schroeder on Friday, just two weeks ahead of a crucial creditor vote, heightened tensions and raised questions about Anatel's next steps. In October, the regulator threatened to intervene in the carrier if there was change in management, but backed off after assurances from shareholders.

In recent months Schroeder, replaced by legal officer Eurico Teles Neto, had urged shareholders and creditors to make concessions, while the board stuck to a restructuring proposal rejected by major bondholder groups.

Both the company and creditors are growing pessimistic about a solution being reached before a Dec. 7 creditor meeting, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters this week. Creditors and shareholders are still too far from reaching a consensus, the source said, asking for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Anatel board member Leandro Euler said on Tuesday that the regulator had identified clauses in the company's latest plan that generated uncertainties about whether there would be an injection of fresh capital in the debt-laden carrier. The agency was not setting a deadline for new adjustments, he added.

Story continues

Oi also said in a filing that Brazilian antitrust watchdog Cade would now have the right to attend any Oi board meetings.

Oi's board, which filed for bankruptcy protection 17 months ago, presented a restructuring plan earlier this month that major private creditors publicly rejected. At the time, Anatel said it should have the opportunity to review the plan before it could be officially filed with a bankruptcy court, and the regulator then ordered changes.

Oi common shares were up 1.5 percent at 4.41 reais in Tuesday trading in Sao Paulo and have risen 61 percent this year. ($1 = 3.22 reais) (Additional reporting by Leonardo Goy; Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis)

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(Adds background on case)

OTTAWA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Canada on Tuesday formally opened a case against the United States at the World Trade Organization over a recent Commerce Department decision to impose duties on Canadian lumber exports, the foreign ministry said.

A ministry statement said Canada would forcefully defend the lumber industry against the "unfair, unwarranted and deeply troubling" decision. Earlier this month Canada launched a NAFTA trade challenge against the duties.

The U.S. Commerce Department accuses Canada of unfairly subsidizing and dumping softwood lumber, which is commonly used in the construction of homes. Canada denies it is dumping the lumber.

The disagreement centers on the fees paid by Canadian lumber mills for timber cut largely from government-owned land. They are lower than fees paid on U.S. timber, which comes largely from private land.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Commerce Department set duties that would impose anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties affecting about $5.66 billion worth of imports.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; additional reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia's socialist President Evo Morales on Wednesday hailed a decision by the country's highest court to allow him to run for another re-election as "a great surprise for the people, for the revolutionaries, for the anti-imperialists."

The opposition said it would march against the ruling announced on Tuesday by the Constitutional Court, which paved the way for Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019. The court decision was final and cannot be appealed.

The ruling "guarantees a democratic continuity, but also guarantees stability, dignity and work for the Bolivian people," Morales said during a news conference.

Opposition leaders called for several marches to be held on Wednesday, protesting what they say is "the end of democracy" in the land-locked, natural gas-producing country.

"It means a coup d'etat, it means trampling the constitution and the most worrying is that Bolivia is approaching the road that Venezuela is on," Samuel Doria Medina, leader of the National Unity party, told Reuters.

Bolivia is allied with Venezuela, where leftist President Nicolas Maduro is struggling with a severe economic crisis.

Morales, in power since 2006, had previously accepted the results of a 2016 referendum, when 51 percent of voters rejected his proposal to end existing term limits. He later reversed course, saying that while he was willing to leave office, his supporters were pushing for him to stay.

In September, Morales' Movement to Socialism (MAS) party asked the court to rescind legal limits barring elected authorities from seeking re-election indefinitely.

(Reporting by Daniel Ramos and Monica Machicao, writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Susan Thomas)
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese customs have seized 11.9 tonnes of scales of pangolins, the world's most poached animal and under threat of extinction, in their biggest seizure of its kind, state media said on Wednesday.

The scales, used in traditional remedies for ailments such as asthma, rheumatism and arthritis, are estimated to have come from at least 20,000 pangolins in Africa. They were seized on a ship in Shenzhen, bordering Hong Kong, in July.

Arrest warrants have been issued against two individuals, state news agency Xinhua said. The state-backed China Daily said this was the biggest volume seized by Chinese customs in any single case.

Found only in Asia and Africa, the largely solitary and nocturnal pangolins are in high demand in countries like China and Vietnam for both their meat and their scales.

A ban on global trade of pangolins took effect in January.

(Reporting by Se Young Lee and Lusha Zhang; Editing by Nick Macfie)
The first time Don Wesely climbed the dusty staircase in the old apartment building south of the Capitol, he wasnt ready for the grandeur that would soon surround him.

Id compare it to The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy lands and she opens the black-and-white door to color, the former mayor remembered. Thats what it feels like. Its like, 'Wow.'

That was Weselys first visit to Jack Saltzmans apartment on Goodhue Boulevard  a dizzying showroom of Lincoln's finest furniture, a forest of year-round Christmas trees, a warehouse of high-priced porcelain, china and silver serving settings. Like an antique store with thousands of eclectic items, but none of them with a price tag.

It wouldn't be Wesely's last visit. He became a regular at Saltzmans annual holiday charity galas, returning year after year, drawn as much by the venue as the nonprofit he was helping.

Its a wonderland. Its jaw-dropping amazing. I looked forward to it every year, he said. Other people would come in and you see them with their jaw hanging open, and you say, 'First time?'

Saltzman has spent six decades searching, buying and displaying. He likes anything Christmas. He likes porcelain rabbits, so he bought 400. He likes silver, his first favorite color. He likes furniture from Lincolns old-money families.

And he loves showing off his collection of collections.

So for nearly 35 years, hes hosted fundraising parties, sometimes a half-dozen a year. By his estimate, more than 10,000 guests have climbed three flights of stairs to his apartment, their eyes widening when the door swung open.

I have so many beautiful things, he said. I've had people come to my house for years who wanted to buy some of them. But I've never sold; I've only always bought things.

But thats changing this weekend.

* * *

Saltzman learned to collect as a teenager in Tekamah, following his favorite aunt from antiques stores to estate sales.

It was a very social town and people had parties, and people collected things and used their things at parties, he said. That was the fun thing.

He started buying silver, then Royal Doulton figurines, then furniture. When I came to college, I already had enough stuff to furnish a house.

In Lincoln, he found himself in position to keep collecting. While working for Dionne DeVriendt, he often got the first pick at her invitation-only estate sales for Lincolns wealthiest families. She was selling the best of the best of the best, and he ended up with a chandelier from the family that opened Golds department store, a china cabinet from Bennett Martins home, silver service for 150 from the DuTeaus.

Later, his market broadened when he ran the Bryan Hospital gift shops. When I was the buyer, I could find the best, most interesting things. They sent me on buying trips, and you can buy for yourself. I was buying in Chicago and New York, I was constantly buying things.

Saltzman moved into his third-floor apartment 34 years ago and claimed the attic, filling it with the 100-year-old chandelier from the original Cornhusker Hotel, dozens of porcelain Santas, hundreds of holiday table settings, a sea of silver.

He threw some of his famous chocolate parties up there, raising funds for nonprofits  like Friendship Home, Fresh Start, the Child Advocacy Center  and the arts-related causes he supported.

His parties were guaranteed money makers. My favorite thing to do was to help out a charity that was just starting out. I had a built-in clientele. People were going to come no matter what.

Saltzman continued buying, filling every corner and crook in his apartment, and he never really thought about selling anything until a few years ago.

During a sale in 1976, hed bought an 8-foot mahogany table, eight Chippendale-style chairs, buffet and side tables that were original to a 7,000-square-foot house on South 25th Street. Nearly 40 years later, he went to a fundraiser in the historic home, started talking with the new owners, and returned the dining room set in 2014.

It felt good to him to see the table back where it belonged.

* * *

And that feeling stayed with him.

In September, he decided it was time to plan his first sale. It dawned on me that I have so many things that maybe I should let some go back to the people I bought them from.

He chose hundreds of items in his attic. Silver serving pieces. Christmas quilts. Santas and angels. Side tables and chairs from the Woods family. Sets of holiday dishes. Prices will range from $1, for a small painted Santa, to $2,500, for the Cornhusker chandelier.

He has beautiful stuff, said his friend, Stuart Mitchell, who will help with this weekends sale. He has the kind of traditional stuff they used to make years ago.

And its quality, he said. Brands that will mean something to buyers who know brands: Department 56, Cosmos, Fitz and Floyd, Nikko, Spode.

Mitchell was surprised by Saltzmans decision to sell. Thats been a lifes passion, amassing that collection. He loves his stuff and when you have that kind of collection, its hard to part with it.

But it wasnt hard for Saltzman to get ready. His items were already on display, so he simply circled the room with a Sharpie and masking tape.

My house is perfectly in order. All I had to do was pick out some stuff and put prices on it.
SWNS

<p>Red-faced council chiefs have been forced to send back Britain's saddest Christmas tree after locals were left so shocked they thought it was a joke.</p><p>The partially brown 16ft spruce, which seemed to be missing several branches, was erected in the centre of St. Helens, Merseyside, earlier this week.</p><p>But locals were left fuming at the sub-standard conifer, with one claiming that theyd been given the worst tree in England for two years in a row.</p><p>Residents also joked that it might be a re-potted version of last years festive failure, which was so bare the only light on the tree was the sun shining on it.</p><p>Meanwhile, others branded the fir disgusting and called for more spending on Yuletide celebrations.</p><p>The tree has been branded a 'laughing stock' after it was put up in Church Square earlier this week, with one resident saying he thought it was a prank.</p><p>Embarrassed officials from St Helens Borough Council later accepted that the spruce did not meet our standards and agreed to replace it within 24 hours.</p><p>One wrote: If it hadnt have been so poor last year, Id have agreed it was a mistake this time around. I think the council chanced their arm on a cheap tree again.</p><p>Surely someone saw it and picked it out? And surely it would have some resemblance when unpacked?</p><p>The Norwegians manage to get a decent one all the way to Trafalger Square every year without incident!</p><p>It isnt important per se, but things like this are a visual representation of the town at large. Last years was uninspired, lacking effort and depressing. I think we all deserve better.</p><p>Another angry resident added: Disgusting. Typical St. Helens council trying to line there own pockets as per usual instead of spending money on the town or the towns people. </p><p>Im not surprised the council are a laughing stock and no one trusts them anymore.</p><p>A further local said: The poor tree looks like its been dug up years ago ..might even be last years tree that had tried to be replanted and sadly failed to thrive for this year ...if they fork out on LOADS of lights it will shine I'm sure .....</p><p>While another resident added: Two years in a row we have probably the worst in England.</p><p>This years ill-fated tree follows controversy over St Helens previous Christmas fir, which had no lights after the council decided to forgo illuminations for it all together.</p><p>At the time, Resident Paul Whittaker, who took a picture of the sun peeking through the spruces leaves, joked that it was the only light that would featured on the sad tree.</p><p>But it seems local organisers were quick to take note of the criticism this time around after they hastily released a statement saying the tree would be replaced.</p><p>A spokesperson said: Hello everyone, just to let you know we're not happy with this tree either.</p><p>When the tree is unwrapped it is our first chance to look at it too and this does not meet our standards.</p><p>We can assure everyone that this tree will be replaced with a new one in the next 24 hours!</p><p>Rainford's Christmas Trees, who supplied the local fir, added that large spruces dont always come through the transportation process well and were finding a replacement.</p><p>A spokesperson for the business said: "We installed this tree, when its in the forest trees look great, when you take them from their natural surroundings, cut them down bale them up, transport them then put them up again, big trees dont always come through the process that well. </p><p>We recognised this after it was erected and was allowed to open out and immediately organised a replacement.</p>
FILE PHOTO: Jordanian police stand guard during a demonstration near the Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan July 28, 2017. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/File Photo

By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to appoint a new ambassador to Jordan in a bid to calm Amman's anger over the current envoy's handling of a shooting by an embassy guard in July that has strained relations, an Israeli diplomatic source said on Wednesday.

But Israel has shown no sign of meeting Jordan's demand that it launch criminal proceedings against the guard, who killed two Jordanians in what he called self-defence. He was repatriated along with Ambassador Einat Schlein a day after the incident.

Jordanian authorities say they suspect the shooting was unprovoked but could not investigate the guard due to his diplomatic immunity. A televised welcome he and Schlein received from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outraged Amman.

Since Schlein's departure on July 24 the embassy has been shuttered, casting a pall over Israel's ties with Jordan, a U.S.-backed regional security partner and one of only two Arab countries that recognise Israel.

The 1994 peace deal with Israel is unpopular among many Jordanians, who often identify with the Palestinians.

An Israeli diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Schlein would not return.

"The Jordanians don't want her back, and this has been a big obstacle in patching things up," the source said. "We're looking for a replacement."

Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, said: "We are working on a solution that will bring the relations back on track."

Israel says the guard opened fire after being attacked and lightly wounded by a workman, killing him and a Jordanian bystander. Israeli officials have said they were looking into the possibility of compensating the family of the second man.

They say it is highly unlikely Israel would prosecute the guard, as demanded by Jordan. His prospects of continued work in Israeli diplomatic security abroad were in doubt, however, after a Jordanian newspaper published his name and photograph.

Israel's consulates in Turkey have been handling Jordanian applications for Israeli visas since the incident.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Gareth Jones and Ken Ferris)
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Joining NATO would improve Finland's security but is unlikely to happen any time soon because of a lack of wider support, Finance Minister Petteri Orpo said on Wednesday.

His National Coalition Party, part of a three-party ruling coalition, had a clear position that "NATO membership would strengthen Finland's security, and Finland should be part of all western institutions," Orpo told Reuters.

Finland is one of six members of the European Union that have not also joined the Western military alliance.

It has forged closer ties with NATO in recent years over heightened security concerns in the Baltic Sea region, but has stayed out of the alliance in line with a tradition of avoiding confrontation with Russia, with which it shares an 833-mile (1,340 km) border and a difficult history.

"This government will not seek membership, and we are committed to that... When the next government will be formed, this issue will likely be considered again, taking into account the situation in the country and the security environment."

A poll released by the Defence Ministry on Tuesday showed only 22 percent of Finns support NATO membership while 62 percent opposed it.

"Because a large majority of parliamentary parties, as well as of the citizens, do not support seeking a membership, the issue is not that topical."

Orpo's NCP (National Coalition Party) leads opinion polls with support of around 21 percent. The next general elections will be held in 2019. President Sauli Niinisto said last month that any move to join NATO would need public approval via a referendum.

(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl and Tuomas Forsell; Editing by Peter Graff)
FILE PHOTO: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Bato Dela Rosa, answers questions during a hearing on the killing of 17-year-old high school student Kian Delos Santos during a recent police raid, at the Senate headquarters in Pasay city, metro Manila, Philippines August 24, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (Reuters)

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' national police chief said on Tuesday that Reuters had timed a report on a deadly anti-drug raid to make his officers "look bad" as President Rodrigo Duterte mulls returning them to drug-war operations.

Police killed three men in a poor Manila neighbourhood on Oct. 11 in what they said was self-defence during a legitimate anti-drug operation.

But security camera footage and eyewitness testimony published by Reuters on Monday contradicted the police report and suggested they may have executed the three men.

"They come out with damaging reports about the PNP when we are about to return," said police chief Ronald Dela Rosa, referring to the Philippines National Police.

"That means our enemies really don't want us to return to the war on drugs," he said, speaking to reporters at the Supreme Court in Manila.

In October, Duterte banned the police from leading anti-drug operations, handing the task to the state-run Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Duterte has hinted that he will soon allow police to resume operations, although his spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday "the matter remains pending".

Police say they have shot dead more than 3,900 drug suspects in self-defence during Duterte's 17-month anti-drug campaign that has triggered growing public distrust and criticism.

Police said that one of the men they killed during the Oct. 11 raid was dealing drugs before they arrived, but the footage showed him chatting with friends.

Police said they shot the three men in self-defence after they opened fire on undercover operatives. Residents told Reuters the men were unarmed.

Joel Coronel, the chief of Manila Police District, which carried out the raid, said it was a "high-risk" operation against "three suspected drug traffickers reported to be armed and dangerous".

"So far our reports indicate that we have observed all the rules in police operating procedures," he said.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by John Chalmers)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  An investor scooped up one of the toniest private streets in San Francisco after its wealthy owners didn't pay property taxes for years, a sale that the well-connected homeowners want city leaders to reverse Tuesday.

By taking up the issue, officials have sparked criticism that the city is not as fair and equitable as it claims, but a playground for the rich who don't have to play by the same rules as everyone else. San Francisco has some of the most exorbitant property prices in the country and has become increasingly unaffordable for many people.

But those who live on Presidio Terrace say the city should never have sold their street without properly notifying them. They say the annual tax bills of $14 and auction notice were being sent to an outdated address.

City Treasurer Jose Cisneros says the association representing some three dozen homeowners was responsible for updating its address and should have paid its taxes on time. He backs new owner Tina Lam, a Silicon Valley software manager who bought the street, sidewalks and common areas for $90,000 in 2015.

The oval-shaped street in upscale Presidio Heights is lined with leafy palms, lush landscaping and multimillion-dollar mansions. Previous residents of the gated neighborhood include U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who wrote a letter that accused the city of bureaucratic bungling.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hear the case and decide whether to rescind the sale or leave it alone. The issue is unprecedented in San Francisco, although supervisors in other California counties have reversed sales as allowed under state law.

Homeowners learned about the sale earlier this year and petitioned the board for a hearing.

The issue is giving at least one supervisor voting pains. Aaron Peskin said he would side with the new owner in a "hot second" if he could because of the way the association has behaved. However, he said that the homeowners make a reasonable argument that government should not take property without better notice.

Story continues

Still, he was annoyed by Feinstein's letter.

"That was another damning piece of evidence to vote with the buyer, who bought it fair and square," Peskin said.

It marks the second time the association has defaulted, but it won back the street in 1985 after paying up.

Amanda Fried, a spokeswoman for the treasurer, said the group has not paid taxes since 2000, which is as far back as records go. In 2015, the office posted for auction a lot that owed less than $1,000 in back taxes, penalties and other charges.

Fried said the office sent certified notices to nearly 1,500 addresses that properties were being auctioned off and more than half were returned as undeliverable, including for Presidio Terrace. Homeowners say at that point, the treasurer's office was required to do more to notify them that their property was for sale.

"It's a constitutional issue," said Matt Dorsey, spokesman for the homeowners association. "If the process of that sale was constitutionally impermissible, it settles the question. It should not have been sold."

Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with national consumer-rights organization Public Citizen who won a similar case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006, supported the homeowners. The court held that when a notice of a sale is returned undelivered, the government needs to strive further to alert property owners before selling.

"The government has to do more if there are reasonable alternative efforts available, and here, I think there are," he said.

Shepard Kopp, attorney for the new owner, argued in a scathing court brief that San Francisco should not give politically connected homeowners an out for failing to do what is expected of every other property owner in the city: pay their taxes on time.

He said the Supreme Court case might not apply because it involved a house and not vacant land.

"When people learn that this isn't the first time the homeowners association didn't pay taxes and lost title to the street, there's not a whole lot of sympathy for them after that," Kopp said.

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BELGRADE, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Serbia began work on a China-funded railway line on Tuesday to try to improve the Balkan country's infrastructure, an effort also expected to strengthen Beijing's influence in Europe.

In May Serbia borrowed $297.6 million from China's Exim Bank to modernise a stretch of the railway line between Belgrade and the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

Beijing sees Serbia, an EU membership candidate and Hungary, an EU member, as part of its One Belt, One Road initiative, intended to open new foreign trade links for Chinese firms.

The high-speed rail link between Belgrade and Budapest is expected to cost 3.2 billion euros ($3.80 billion) and is slated to become the main transport route for Chinese goods that arrive by sea at the Greek port of Piraeus to other parts of Europe.

At the construction site in Belgrade's Zemun neighbourhood, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that the 30km-long (18.6 miles) stretch of the railway line from Belgrade to the northern town of Stara Pazova is a key step forward.

"This project ... is the first cross-border project within the 16+1 framework, ... it is the first project between China and EU, involving Serbia," she said.

Earlier on Tuesday, at the 16+1 summit of Central and Eastern European countries and China, Brnabic met her Chinese and Hungarian counterparts Li Keqiang and Viktor Orban and discussed further cooperation.

Serbia has enjoyed good relations with China since the 1990s, when Belgrade was economically isolated for its role in the Yugoslav wars.

On Monday, Hungary also invited a procurement tender for a modernised railway link with Belgrade. The construction of the Hungarian stretch, worth around 550 billion forints ($2.1 billion), is expected to start in 2020, with China's Exim Bank providing 85 percent credit coverage.

($1 = 261.4100 forints)

($1 = 0.8413 euros) (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by William Maclean)

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Vasudev Nanaiah (sitting) stole more than 120 televisions during a four month spell (Picture: Bangalore Police)

A man in India has been arrested after allegedly stealing more than 120 televisions from budget hotels during a four-month crime spree.

According to the BBC, suspect Vasudev Nanaiah would check into hotels carrying a fairly large suitcase which he would use to transport the televisions.

Hotel staff described Nanaiah as decent and well-behaved and never suspected that he was behind the spate of thefts.

He was first caught stealing a TV from a hotel in October and was on bail when caught a second time  with police claiming that he went back to stealing within days of being released from prison.

Deputy police commissioner Chetah Singh Rathor claims that Mr Nanaiah would often assess the size of the TV in the room and acquire a bigger suitcase if necessary.

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He would walk in and out of the hotel on some pretext so many times that the hotel reception would not realise when he had walked out with the TV set never to return.

He was caught a second time after attempting to sell a TV to a man who later reported him to the police.

Bangalore Police have filed 21 cases of theft and are pushing for him to receive a longer jail term.
FILE PHOTO: U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen at his home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 10, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller/File Photo (Reuters)

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish police detained 172 people in the latest operation targeting supporters of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen within the army, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday.

Ankara accuses Gulen and his network of orchestrating an attempted coup last year. Gulen denies the charge.

The Istanbul prosecutor's office issued detention warrants for a total of 360 people, including 333 soldiers, of which 216 were active-duty personnel, Anadolu said. Some ten of the suspects were abroad.

Istanbul police officers were continuing operations to capture the suspects, it said. The private Dogan news agency said seven of those facing arrest were pilots.

More than 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial over alleged links to Gulen, while 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors since the July 15 failed putsch, in which 250 people were killed.

Sixteen months on, operations targeting supporters of the U.S.-based cleric are continuing on a daily basis. Last week, nearly 700 people were detained in related investigations.

While Turkey's Western allies and rights groups have voiced concern that Ankara is using the investigations to crack down on dissent, Turkey says only such a purge could neutralise the threat presented by Gulen's network, which it says infiltrated institutions such as the military, judiciary and schools.

(Writing by Daren Butler and Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Dominic Evans and Ralph Boulton)
By Alexandra Ulmer and Marianna Parraga

CARACAS/HOUSTON (Reuters) - Venezuela has ordered the removal of Rafael Ramirez, once a powerful oil minister and head of state oil company PDVSA, from his post as representative to the United Nations in New York, four sources with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

Though the decision will not affect the OPEC nation's struggling oil industry, it may help President Nicolas Maduro shore up his position in crisis-stricken Venezuela as the country heads toward presidential elections in 2018.

Ramirez, an increasingly vocal critic of Maduro in recent months, was seen by some as angling to be a presidential candidate as Maduro's unpopular government and an economic crisis have fuelled divisions with the ruling Socialist Party.

"He was fired last night," said a source with knowledge of the information, who asked not to be identified. Maduro sent Ramirez to the U.N. in 2014 in a major demotion from his decade-long roles as oil minister and head of PDVSA.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United Nations has not received formal notification of Ramirez's removal, a U.N. spokesman said.

Vice President Tareck El Aissami said on Wednesday that he hoped that Maduro will be re-elected in 2018, the clearest indication yet that the former bus driver will seek another term despite the economic crisis.

A separate source said that Ramirez had been summoned to present himself in Venezuela "in coming days." That source said Ramirez had not been formally removed and that he was working at the United Nations on Wednesday.

However, he was not present when his turn to speak at a meeting on the rights of the Palestinian people came up, according to diplomatic sources at the meeting.

Two sources said Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza travelled to New York this week. Another source said Ramirez tried to fight back and negotiate but was unable to.

Story continues

'THE STORM'

Ramirez has published several online opinion pieces this year criticizing the management of PDVSA for allowing oil production to plummet and admonishing the government for not taking measures to improve Venezuela's tanking economy.

In one piece this month entitled the "The Storm," he described his efforts in 2014 to help stabilize the economy, which Maduro's allies perceived as an attack on the president, according to one source.

The article played up his close relationship with late President Hugo Chavez, who tasked Ramirez with leading oil sector nationalizations that began in 2007.

Chavez's deity-like status in the Socialist Party makes any relationship with him a commodity that officials often use when vying for influence or jockeying for position.

Maduro, who calls himself "the son of Chavez," this week named a military officer to head PDVSA and promised to break up "mafias" that have stolen from the nation's coffers. Some of his comments in a speech on Tuesday appeared aimed at Ramirez' tenure.

"We've witnessed the rise of mafias that controlled important areas of our oil industry," Maduro said in the speech during the swearing in of Major General Manuel Quevedo.

"They didn't just steal from the country ... they believed themselves to be the owners of the oil industry."

Venezuelan authorities last week arrested the acting president of its U.S.-based refiner Citgo and five of the subsidiary's top executives as part of the corruption probe.

Since August the authorities have ordered the arrest of around 50 oil industry managers as part of the anti-corruption sweep.

(Additional reporting by Corina Pons and Diego Ore in Caracas, and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Susan Thomas)
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela "systematically" abused anti-government protesters this year, two rights groups said on Wednesday, including through beatings, firing tear gas canisters in closed areas and forcing detainees to eat food tainted with excrement.

Unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro faced four months of near-daily protests asking for early elections, humanitarian aid to combat food and medicine shortages, respect for the opposition-led congress, and freedom for jailed activists.

Demonstrators say heavy-handed National Guard soldiers clamped down on their right to protest, while Maduro says his administration faced a U.S.-backed "armed insurgency."

More than 120 people died in the unrest, with victims including demonstrators, government supporters, security officials, and bystanders.

In a joint report, New York-based Human Rights Watch and Venezuela-based Penal Forum documented 88 cases between April and September, from excessive use of force during marches to protest against arbitrary detentions. Around 5,400 people were detained, with at least 757 prosecuted in military courts, the report said.

"The widespread vicious abuses against government opponents in Venezuela, including egregious cases of torture, and the absolute impunity for the attackers suggests government responsibility at the highest levels," said Chilean lawyer Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

ELECTRIC SHOCKS, BEATINGS

In one case cited, intelligence agents allegedly hanged a 34-year-old government critic from the ceiling and gave him electric shocks as they interrogated him. The man, whose name was not revealed, was ultimately released and left Venezuela.

In another case, a 32-year-old detained during a protest in Carabobo state was allegedly beaten for hours by National Guard soldiers who also threatened to rape his daughter. He said officials also fired tear gas into his cell.

Story continues

Others interviewed recounted being handcuffed to a metal bench, hit with sticks, and witnessing a man being raped with a broomstick. At least 15 detainees in Carabobo said officials forced them to eat human excrement mixed in with uncooked pasta.

The government failed to acknowledge such violations, the report said, adding that instead officials "often downplayed the abuses or issued implausible, blanket denials."

Maduro's government says Human Rights Watch is in league with a Washington-funded conspiracy to sabotage socialism in Latin America. Rights activists are in league with the opposition and compliant foreign media, officials say, and downplay opposition violence, including setting a man on fire during a demonstration and targeting police with explosives.

The two rights groups said there were cases of protesters hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at security forces, but that abuses by authorities went far beyond attempts to quell unrest.

(Reporting by Leon Wietfeld; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Susan Thomas)
Stocks in London were set to open a little higher on Monday amid firmer oil prices, at the start of what is expected to be a fairly quiet week in the run-up to Christmas.

The FTSE 100 was called to open 17 points higher than Fridays close at 7,028.

CMC Markets Michael Hewson said: As we head into the final full trading week of 2016, having come off a decent December so far for European stocks which have seen a number of significant breakouts, the key question as we head into year-end is whether these gains of the past two weeks are likely to be sustained.

Initial impressions look positive, however the elephant in the room remains the Italian banking sector after last weeks announcement by Italys largest bank UniCredit to draw a line under its recent problems by announcing a significant recapitalisation plan.

There are no major UK data releases due.

In corporate news, Electra Private Equity is due to receive roughly 405m proceeds from the 1.35bn sale of Parkdean Resorts to Canadian investors Onex Corporation.

The deal, which is expected to complete on 1 March 2017, will see an uplift of 25m on Electra's book value in September and equivalent to an increase in its NAV of 50p per share.

BP on Monday said it had signed an agreement to take a 10% stake in Abu Dhabi's ADCO onshore oil concession for an undisclosed sum.

In addition to the interest in the ADCO concession, BP will become a 10% shareholder in ADCO, the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations Limited, which operates the 40 year concession.

Intellectual property-based business developer IP Group announced the creation of Microbiotica on Monday, which it described as a newly formed spin-out company from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute established to commercialise the institute's research into the role of the human microbiome in disease.

The FTSE 250 company said it was co-leading the investment with Cambridge Innovation Capital, a Cambridge-based investor in technology and healthcare companies in which IP Group is a shareholder, with a 4m contribution from each party to provide total initial funding of 8m.

Investment manager Brewin Dolphin is to buy Duncan Lawrie Asset Management for 25.5m along with a payment of 2.5m, to reflect the value of net assets in the business.

The acquisition, which is subsidiary of the private banking arm of London-listed Camellia and has 735m of funds under management, is expected to be completed by the first half of 2017.
John Laing , the infrastructure investor taken private in 2006, has announced its plans for a stock market comeback in the next few months.

Laing and owner Henderson, which snapped up Laing for 887m nine years ago and has since floated parts of the company as John Laing Infrastructure Fund in 2013 and John Laing Environmental Assets in March last year, are said to be hoping for a market value of around 1bn.

The core business, led by French chef executive Olivier Brousse, is a major investor in public-private partnerships (PPP) with the UK government and around the world.

Current projects range from hospitals, to schools, housing projects and roads, including major projects such as the 5.8bn Intercity Express programme of new 'super express' trains for the Great Western and the East Coast railway lines and a pair of multi-billion-dollar highway projects in Florida and Colorado.

The company's owned and managed portfolio was valued at 0.78bn at the end of September, and it also was at that time managing 0.97bn of infrastructure assets on behalf of third parties.

Brousse and his chairman Phil Nolan have strengthened the board in preparation for listing and future international expansion with the appointment of London Olympics chief Jeremy Beeton, ex-Legal & General director David Rough and ex-Capital International director Anne Wade.
Chancellor George Osborne said he had abandoned his target to restore government finances to a surplus by 2020.

In a speech in Manchester, Osborne said the UK must be "realistic" about achieving a surplus. The controversial target had underpinned Osborne's austerity measures in previous budgets, attracting severe criticism for restricting his ability to act in times of financial stress.

We need to reduce uncertainty by moving as quickly as possible to a new relationship with Europe and being super competitive, open for business and free trading. Thats the plan and we must set to it, he said.

The UK economy was showing "clear signs" of shock in the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU he said.

The government must provide fiscal credibility so we will continue to be tough on the deficit but we must be realistic about achieving a surplus by the end of this decade.

His announcement comes after data showed the government borrowed 74.9bn for the year to March 2016, meaning it overshot its annual target of 72.2bn set by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Osborne campaigned for Britain to remain in the European Union. With voters opting to leave in the referendum last week, and Prime Minister David Cameron resigning, his position is seen as under threat when a new leader is elected by the Conservative Party in September.

Home Secretary Theresa May, who is a leading candidate in the race to be the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister, said on Thursday that she would not order an emergency budget in response to the Brexit vote and would not call a snap election ahead of the scheduled date of 2020.

She said she was ready to abandon Osborne's surplus target if it was necessary to avoid tax rises.
Car dealer Inchcape has acquired a distribution business focused on Subaru cars and Hino commercial vehicles in South America for 234m cash.

Covering Chile, Colombia, Peru and Argentina, the deal with Indumotora strengthens the FTSE 250 company's existing operations in the region and with the vehicle manufacturers, and is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first year of ownership by a mid to high single digit percentage.

For the current calendar year, the business generated revenues of 382m and adjusted EBITDA of 27m.

Inchcape, which completed the deal on Thursday morning using existing cash and committed debt facilities, said a number of Indumotora's other distribution relationships were included within the acquisition, including Suzuki in Argentina and commercial vehicle brand DFSK in Chile, Peru and Colombia, while Indumotora will retain its Kia business in Chile.

The London-listed company has been a distributor in South America for over 30 years and said the deal would provide strong complementary brand partners to its existing BMW presence in Chile and Peru, and long-term partnerships with Subaru and Hino in other continents.

"The acquisition of a scale distribution platform in South America is a compelling strategic and financial opportunity for Inchcape, consistent with our Ignite strategy," said chief executive Stefan Bomhard.

"The business is recognised as a high-quality operator, with a culture of customer service excellence, consistent with ours and I am very pleased to welcome Indumotora employees into Inchcape."
After missing its self-imposed deadline of June 30, Lloyds said Friday it was close to making offers of compensation to less than half of the customers who had been impacted by counts of fraud by former bankers.

Lloyds have received significant criticism regarding the amount of time it has taken to offer restitution to the victims of the fraud.

Lyndon Scourfield, 54, a senior director of HBOS in Reading, England was one of two former bankers jailed in February which siphoned money from struggling businesses. The scam, which forced firms to borrow cash through a consultancy firm operated by associate David Mills cost small firms as much as 1bn, according to police sources.

Victims have accused Lloyds of dragging out the compensation process for the crimes committed between 2003 and 2007, as well as grossly underestimating the amount of the final pay-out from its 100m compensation pool.

Of the 67 customers affected, only 5 customers have accepted the final offer and Adrian White, chief operating officer for commercial banking has said that the bank is continuing to make progress in getting offers to victims of the HBOS Reading fraud
The UKs cash machine network has been asked by the head of the Treasury select committee to clarify how many of the countrys 55,000 free-to-use ATMs will close as a result of proposed changes to the way the system operates. The industry lobby group, the ATM Industry Association, has warned the changes put forward by the Link network could lead to parts of the UK becoming ATM deserts with at least 10,000 free-to-use cash machines at risk.  Guardian

The total value of all the houses in the UK has passed the 6tn mark for the first time, according to research by Halifax which also highlights the vast concentration of property wealth in London and the south-east. The value of homes in London is now more than all the houses in Scotland, Wales and the north of England combined. The research also reveals how property values in the south have escalated since the financial crash of 2007-08, despite incomes remaining relatively flat.  Guardian

A lack of vision from the Government about future combat aircraft in the UK contributed to BAE Systems' decision to axe hundreds of British jobs, MPs have been told. The FTSE 100 defence company announced almost 2,000 redundancies last month, with the bulk of them in its aircraft division.  Telegraph

The construction sector has come together to warn the Government of the danger to the industry if there is a "cliff edge" for vital EU workers created by Brexit, as it targets building 300,000 homes a year. Official statistics suggest that 12.6pc of construction workers across the UK are foreign-born, of which 5.7pc are from EU-accession countries, such as Romania. That proportion rises to around 50pc in London and the South East.  Telegraph

The grocery sector was facing a grim start to the Christmas trading season last night after a food and tobacco wholesaler with annual sales of more than 4 billion collapsed into administration with the loss of about 2,500 jobs. Palmer & Harvey, which has been in existence for 92 years and is a key supplier to retailers such as Tesco, called in administrators from PWC after the collapse of talks over a rescue takeover by Carlyle Group, the American private equity firm.  The Times

The governor of the Bank of England has waded into the boardroom row at the London Stock Exchange by signalling that Xavier Rolet, its chief executive, should go quietly. Mark Carney said that Mr Rolet had made an extraordinary contribution as head of the LSE over the last nine years, but he added: I cant envision a circumstance where the CEO stays on beyond the agreed period.  The Times
Randolph H. Wynne, professor of forest remote sensing in Virginia Techs College of Natural Resources and Environment, received a Society of American Foresters award recognizing his research in remote sensing applications that have resulted in significant advances in forestry.

In his nomination of Wynne for the societys annual Award in Forest Science, University Distinguished Professor Harold Burkhart cited Wynnes mastery of remote sensing topics, technically sound research, and eagerness to mentor students and recognize collaborators.

Randy strictly adheres to the highest professional standards when developing and carrying out research projects, most of which are done in collaboration with others or with graduate students. His work has great scientific merit and is of tremendous practical value, Burkhart wrote.

Wynne has been principal or co-principal investigator of research funding exceeding $7.5 million, most of which has come from competitive sources. His research has addressed two main themes: improving accuracy of land-use and land-cover classifications, and applying the remote sensing method LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for forest monitoring and modeling.

Direct results of the research include better ways to identify forests, and the natural and anthropogenic changes that affect them, plus improvements to spatially explicit information that improves silvicultural decision-making.

I guess all I ever had in mind from the start was to help our profession better understand, and thus manage, forests, Wynne said. It is gratifying to feel that I have made a difference.

A prolific writer, Wynne has authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles that have garnered thousands of citations as well as best paper awards. In 2015-16 alone, he published 12 papers. He is the author of three book chapters and the co-author of Introduction to Remote Sensing, a highly regarded and widely adopted textbook.

Relevance-wise, Virginia Tech is known as one of the global leaders in the applications of remote sensing to forestry, and our research and scholarship have helped shape the dialogue, Wynne said. Most important, of course, are the undergraduate and graduate students who have gone on to make a major difference themselves.

Wynne has been the major professor for 23 completed masters and doctoral students, with four additional students currently enrolled. Many have gone on to become highly productive researchers.

Burkhart described Wynne as a sparkplug, adding, He has seen opportunities for development of remote sensing and geographic information systems for the College of Natural Resources and Environment and throughout the university.

Burkhart cited as an example Wynnes leadership in the development of the colleges Center for Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing. The center provides interdisciplinary leadership in remote sensing through formal instruction, outreach, cooperative research, and consulting. The centers associated lab offers a full range of computer workstations for classes and research, including specialized systems for cartography, remote sensing, and geographic information systems.

In addition to his academic and research roles, Wynne actively engages in collaboration among researchers and practitioners around the world. A highly sought speaker on remote sensing, he has presented at numerous scientific conferences, technology transfer workshops, and meetings in the U.S. and abroad.

Wynne co-chaired SilviLaser, an internationally prominent biennial conference, at Virginia Tech for the first time in 2005. SilviLaser 2017, which he also co-chaired, drew 150 research scientists and practitioners from around the world to Virginia Tech in October. They came to hear keynote speakers and attend workshops on the development and application of LIDAR to improve understanding of forest ecosystem and forest assessment and inventory.

This month, Wynne joined a Virginia Tech delegation at the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany. He and other members of his cohort reiterated the importance of remote sensing and modeling for improving transparency of nationally defined contributions toward the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Wynne, who has been a faculty member with the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech since 1996, earned his bachelors degree from the University of North CarolinaChapel Hill and his masters and doctorate from the University of WisconsinMadison.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking segments. The company offers personal deposits, such as checking, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases. It also provides credit cards and payments; real estate secured lending, auto finance, and consumer lending services; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, and advice to retail and institutional clients through direct investing, advice-based, and asset management businesses; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking products and services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to corporations, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,061 branches and 3,381 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Canada, and 1,148 stores and 2,701 ATMs in the United States, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. It has a strategic alliance with Canada Post Corporation. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is an international oil and gas giant founded in 1920 to explore for oil in California. The company made its name in the early 1960safter discovering the Lathrop Gas Field in Lathrop, California. The company expanded into chemicals manufacturing in 1968 and then in 1972 it became a pioneer in the quest to extract oil from shale. In 1993, the company made a historic move by exiting its coal operations, and then it did so again when it embraced a lower carbon future.

The company worked to realign its goals with a carbon-free future in 2021. After extensive review, new carbon emission targets were laid out along with a plan that the Transition Pathway Initiative recognized as being 1 of 3 coming from major oil companies that could realistically result in net-zero emissions by 2050. Since then the company has laid interim goals that include net zero from operations and energy by 2040 and no routine flaring by 2030.

Today, Occidental Petroleum is an integrated energy company with operations in the US, the Middle East, Africa, and Columbia along with some other smaller operations. The company operates a network of best-in-class production, delivery, and storage facilities with operations centered in the US. On a net basis, the companys US operations accounted for more than 75% of the total in 2022 with 19% from Middle East operations and the remainder from Columbia and elsewhere.

The company engages in the oil & gas business as an explorer, producer, and mid-stream infrastructure operator. The company operates through three segments that include Oil and Gas, Chemicals, and Midstream & Marketing.

The oil and gas segment explores for oil, develops new fields, and produces hydrocarbon liquids, gasses, and condensates. The chemicals segment manufactures a range of chemicals including chlorine, potassium chemicals, and vinyl. The midstream segment transports, stores, and markets hydrocarbons. It is the 6th largest oil and gas producer in the US by market cap. The company attained the position after its acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum in 2019, the 4th largest oil and gas acquisition at the time.

Berkshire Hathaway became Occidental Petroleums largest shareholder in mid-2022. The firm had purchased more than 26% of the shares as of 10/14/2022 and had regulatory approval to purchase up to 50% of the company in total.
The tax reform bill currently under consideration would harm many hard-working Nebraskans. Both of our U.S. senators must vote no.

Specifically, taxing tuition waivers for grad students -- money that they never actually receive -- as proposed in House legislation will grind education and dreams to a halt.

Having lived in Indiana, Boston and the Twin Cities, I came to Nebraska for one purpose only: to attend grad school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Thanks to their fully funded graduate teaching assistant programs, I was able to focus on completing my master's degree.

This was not a handout but an opportunity to earn my education through working reasonable hours. Since graduating in 2016, I stayed in Lincoln and now contribute to the larger community.

I started my own business that employs UNL students to get them valuable on-the-job experience. I am active in a church and several professional organizations, and I directly impact many individual students of all ages through my teaching career.

I am self-sufficient and contribute to Lincoln's growth, and I never would have come here without the graduate student resources at UNL. If this bill passes, entrepreneurs like me will not be able to pursue the training and education they need, and Lincolns economy and culture will be directly affected.

I implore Sens. Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer to serve their fellow Nebraskans by not allowing this harmful bill to pass.

Korynne Bolt, Lincoln
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 900 bank branches and 3,300 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
RACINE  Two rooftop solar panels started a fire Tuesday at The Covenant at Murray Mansion, a wedding and event venue at 2219 Washington Ave.

Racine firefighters responded to the call at 12:14 p.m. Business owner Kathy Meyer said afterward that she was told a police officer saw the fire and reported it.

Flames were showing at the ridge line when firefighters arrived at the large event venue  the former site of Our Savior Lutheran Church  at the corner of Washington and Taylor avenues, said Racine Fire Department Battalion Chief Paul Madden.

Photovoltaic panels create electricity and started an electrical fire. The problem in dealing with that type of fire, Madden explained, is that photovoltaic panels are always generating electricity, even on a cloudy day such as Tuesday. Theres no way to shut them off.

Firefighters do attack such a fire with water but must stay back a certain distance, Madden continued. In this case they used an aerial truck to spray the blaze, which also got into the trusses.

The fire was under control within about 45 minutes, Madden said.

The building was vacant when firefighters arrived, and there were no injuries. Damage was later estimated at $6,000.

Contractors, an electrician and the company that installed the solar panels about 12 years ago began arriving shortly after firefighters began rolling up the hoses, Meyer said.

There was some water inside the building, but it didnt reach or damage any walls, she said.

No events are scheduled there until early next week, and Meyer said the fire will not disrupt business.
Apollo Global Management, Inc. is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity and real estate markets. The firm's private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions. The firm provides its services to endowment and sovereign wealth funds, as well as other institutional and individual investors. It manages client focused portfolios. The firm launches and manages hedge funds for its clients. It also manages real estate funds and private equity funds for its clients. The firm invests in the fixed income and alternative investment markets across the globe. Its fixed income investments include income-oriented senior loans, bonds, collateralized loan obligations, structured credit, opportunistic credit, non-performing loans, distressed debt, mezzanine debt, and value oriented fixed income securities. The firm seeks to invest in chemicals, commodities, consumer and retail, oil and gas, metals, mining, agriculture, commodities, distribution and transportation, financial and business services, manufacturing and industrial, media distribution, cable, entertainment and leisure, telecom, technology, natural resources, energy, packaging and materials, and satellite and wireless industries. It seeks to invest in companies based in across Africa, North America with a focus on United States, and Europe. The firm also makes investments outside North America, primarily in Western Europe and Asia. It employs a combination of contrarian, value, and distressed strategies to make its investments. The firm seeks to make investments in the range of $10 million and $1500 million. The firm seeks to invest in companies with Enterprise value between $750 million to $2500 million. The firm conducts an in-house research to create its investment portfolio. It seeks to acquire minority and majority positions in its portfolio companies. Apollo Global Management, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York with additional offices in North America, Asia , India and Europe.
The following companies are subsidiares of Johnson & Johnson: 3Dintegrated ApS, ALZA Corporation, AMO (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd Beijing Branch, AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd Guangzhou Branch, AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd., AMO ASIA LIMITED, AMO Asia Limited (Korea Branch), AMO Asia Limited Taiwan Branch (Hong Kong), AMO Australia Pty Limited, AMO Australia Pty Limited (New Zealand Branch), AMO Canada Company, AMO Denmark ApS, AMO Development LLC, AMO France, AMO Germany GmbH, AMO Groningen B.V., AMO International Holdings Unlimited Company, AMO Ireland, AMO Ireland Ireland Branch, AMO Italy SRL, AMO Japan K.K., AMO Manufacturing USA LLC, AMO Netherlands BV, AMO Nominee Holdings LLC, AMO Norway AS, AMO Puerto Rico Manufacturing Inc., AMO Sales and Service Inc., AMO Singapore Pte. Ltd., AMO Spain Holdings LLC, AMO Switzerland GmbH, AMO U.K. Holdings LLC, AMO United Kingdom Ltd., AMO Uppsala AB, AUB Holdings LLC, Abott Medical Optics, Acclarent Inc., Actelion Ltd, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals US Inc., Actelion Treasury Unlimited Company, Akros Medical Inc., Albany Street LLC, Alios BioPharma, Alza Land Management Inc., Anakuria Therapeutics Inc., Animas Diabetes Care LLC, Animas LLC, Animas Technologies LLC, AorTx Inc., Apsis, Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, Atrionix Inc., Auris Health, Auris Health Inc., Backsvalan 2 Aktiebolag, Backsvalan 6 Handelsbolag, Beijing Dabao Cosmetics Co. Ltd., BeneVir BioPharm Inc., Berna Rhein B.V., BioMedical Enterprises Inc., Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd., Biosense Webster Inc., Branch of Johnson & Johnson LLC (RU) in Kazakhstan, C Consumer Products Denmark ApS, CSATS Inc., Calibra Medical LLC, Campus-Foyer Apotheke GmbH, Carlo Erba OTC S.r.l., Centocor Biologics LLC, Centocor Research & Development Inc., Cerenovus Inc., ChromaGenics B.V., Ci:Labo Customer Marketing Co. Ltd., Ci:Labo USA Inc., Ci:z Holdings, Ci:z. Labo Co. Ltd., Cilag AG, Cilag GmbH International, Cilag Holding AG, Cilag Holding Treasury Unlimited Company, Cilag-Biotech S.L., CoTherix Inc., Coherex Medical Inc., ColBar LifeScience Ltd., Company Store.com Inc., Conor MedSystems, Cordis International Corporation, Cordis de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Corimmun GmbH, DePuy Hellas SA, DePuy International Limited, DePuy Ireland Unlimited Company, DePuy Mexico S.A. de C.V., DePuy Mitek LLC, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., DePuy Products Inc., DePuy Spine LLC, DePuy Synthes Gorgan Limited, DePuy Synthes Inc., DePuy Synthes Institute LLC, DePuy Synthes Leto SARL, DePuy Synthes Products Inc., DePuy Synthes Sales Inc., Debs-Vogue Corporation (Proprietary) Limited, Dutch Holding LLC, ECL7 LLC, EES Holdings de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EES S.A. de C.V., EIT Emerging Implant Technologies GmbH, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (Europe) GmbH, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC, Ethicon Inc., Ethicon LLC, Ethicon PR Holdings Unlimited Company, Ethicon Sarl, Ethicon US LLC, Ethicon Women's Health & Urology Sarl, Ethnor (Proprietary) Limited, Ethnor Farmaceutica S.A., Ethnor del Istmo S.A., FMS Future Medical System SA, Finsbury (Development) Limited, Finsbury (Instruments) Limited, Finsbury Medical Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics International Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics Limited, GH Biotech Holdings Limited, GMED Healthcare BV, GMED Healthcare BV (Branch), Global Investment Participation B.V., Guangzhou Bioseal Biotech Co. Ltd., Hansen Medical Deutschland GmbH, Hansen Medical Inc., Hansen Medical International Inc., Hansen Medical UK Limited, Healthcare Services (Shanghai) Ltd., Hickory Merger Sub Inc., I.D. Acquisition Corp., Innomedic Gesellschaft fur innovative Medizintechnik und Informatik mbH, Innovative Surgical Solutions LLC, J & J Company West Africa Limited, J&J Pension Trustees Limited, J-C Health Care Ltd., J.C. General Services BV, JJ Surgical Vision Spain S.L., JJC Acquisition Company B.V., JJHC LLC, JJSV Belgium BV, JJSV Manufacturing Malaysia SDN. BHD., JJSV Norden AB, JJSV Produtos Oticos Ltda., JNJ Global Business Services s.r.o., JNJ Holding EMEA B.V., JNJ International Investment LLC, JOM Pharmaceutical Services Inc., Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy (Holding) Limited, Janssen BioPharma LLC, Janssen Biologics (Ireland) Limited, Janssen Biologics B.V., Janssen Biotech Inc., Janssen Cilag C.A., Janssen Cilag Farmaceutica S.A., Janssen Cilag S.p.A., Janssen Cilag SPA, Janssen Development Finance Unlimited Company, Janssen Diagnostics LLC, Janssen Egypt LLC, Janssen Farmaceutica Portugal Lda, Janssen Global Services LLC, Janssen Holding GmbH, Janssen Inc., Janssen Irish Finance Unlimited Company, Janssen Korea Ltd., Janssen Oncology Inc., Janssen Ortho LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutica (Proprietary) Limited, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Pharmaceutica S.A., Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Janssen Pharmaceutical Sciences Unlimited Company, Janssen Pharmaceutical Unlimited Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Japan Branch, Janssen Products LP, Janssen R&D Ireland Unlimited Company, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company, Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Janssen Supply Group LLC, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., Janssen Vaccines Branch of Cilag GmbH International, Janssen Vaccines Corp., Janssen-Cilag, Janssen-Cilag (New Zealand) Limited, Janssen-Cilag A/S, Janssen-Cilag AG, Janssen-Cilag AS, Janssen-Cilag Aktiebolag, Janssen-Cilag B.V., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Lda., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Ltda., Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen-Cilag Kft., Janssen-Cilag Kft. Branch Office, Janssen-Cilag Limited, Janssen-Cilag Manufacturing LLC, Janssen-Cilag NV, Janssen-Cilag OY, Janssen-Cilag Pharma GmbH, Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutical S.A.C.I., Janssen-Cilag Polska Sp. z o.o., Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd, Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd (Branch), Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag s.r.o., Janssen-Pharma S.L., Jevco Holding Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Johnson & Johnson (Angola) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Ltd. Beijing Branch, Johnson & Johnson (Egypt) S.A.E., Johnson & Johnson (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Ireland) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Jamaica) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Kenya) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc. (DHCC Branch), Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc. (JAFZA Branch), Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc. Service Center (DAFZA Branch), Johnson & Johnson (Mozambique) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (New Zealand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Thailand) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (Trinidad) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Vietnam) Co. Ltd, Johnson & Johnson - Societa' Per Azioni, Johnson & Johnson AB, Johnson & Johnson AB Eesti filiaal (Branch), Johnson & Johnson AG, Johnson & Johnson AG (Zuchwil Branch), Johnson & Johnson Belgium Finance Company BV, Johnson & Johnson Bulgaria EOOD, Johnson & Johnson China Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Thailand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer B.V., Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health Care Switzerland Branch of Janssen-Cilag AG, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Holdings France, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Dominican Republic Branch), Johnson & Johnson Consumer NV, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Services EAME Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Del Paraguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson Dominicana S.A.S., Johnson & Johnson Enterprise Innovation Inc., Johnson & Johnson European Treasury Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson Finance Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Finance Limited, Johnson & Johnson Financial Services GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Financial Services GmbH (Branch Office), Johnson & Johnson Gateway LLC, Johnson & Johnson Gesellschaft m.b.H., Johnson & Johnson GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Guatemala S.A., Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions Inc., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Commercial and Industrial S.A., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Consumer Products Commercial Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson Hemisferica S.A., Johnson & Johnson Holding GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Inc., Johnson & Johnson Industrial Ltda., Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC Inc., Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation Limited, Johnson & Johnson International, Johnson & Johnson International (Belgian Branch) (European Logistics Center), Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (Branch), Johnson & Johnson International Financial Services Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson K.K., Johnson & Johnson Kft., Johnson & Johnson Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Korea Selling & Distribution LLC, Johnson & Johnson LLC, Johnson & Johnson Lda, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Johnson & Johnson Limited (Sri Lanka Branch), Johnson & Johnson Luxembourg Finance Company Sarl, Johnson & Johnson Management Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical (China) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Proprietary) Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Shanghai) Ltd. Beijing Branch, Johnson & Johnson Medical (Suzhou) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical B.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group - Latin America L.L.C., Johnson & Johnson Medical GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical NV, Johnson & Johnson Medical Products GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Pty Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical S.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.C.S., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.p.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical SAS, Johnson & Johnson Medical Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medikal Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Johnson & Johnson Medikal Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi (Ankara Branch), Johnson & Johnson Medikal Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi (Izmir Branch), Johnson & Johnson Middle East - Scientific Office, Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ - LLC (Lebanese Branch), Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC, Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC (Ghana Branch), Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC (Kenya Branch), Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC Branch (TSO) (Saudi Arabia Branch), Johnson & Johnson Morocco Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson NCB (Belgian Branch), Johnson & Johnson Nordic AB, Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pakistan (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Panama S.A., Johnson & Johnson Personal Care (Chile) S.A., Johnson & Johnson Poland Sp. z o.o., Johnson & Johnson Poland sp. z o.o. oddzial w Warszawie "Consumer", Johnson & Johnson Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd. Korea Branch, Johnson & Johnson Pty. Limited, Johnson & Johnson Romania S.R.L., Johnson & Johnson S.A., Johnson & Johnson S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson S.E. Inc., Johnson & Johnson S.E. d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson SDN. BHD., Johnson & Johnson Sante Beaute France, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision India Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson UK Treasury Company Limited, Johnson & Johnson Ukraine LLC, Johnson & Johnson Urban Renewal Associates, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Ireland Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson de Argentina S.A.C. e. I., Johnson & Johnson de Chile Limitada, Johnson & Johnson de Chile S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Colombia S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson de Uruguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Venezuela S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Ecuador S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Peru S.A., Johnson & Johnson do Brasil Industria E Comercio de Produtos Para Saude Ltda., Johnson & Johnson for Export and Import LLC, Johnson & Johnson s.r.o., Johnson Y Johnson de Costa Rica S.A., Johnson and Johnson (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson and Johnson Sihhi Malzeme Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, LTL Management LLC, La Concha Land Investment Corporation, Latam International Investment Company Unlimited Company, Legal Entity Name, MDS Co. Ltd., McNEIL MMP LLC, McNeil AB, McNeil Consumer Pharmaceuticals Co., McNeil Denmark ApS, McNeil Healthcare (Ireland) Limited, McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited, McNeil Healthcare LLC, McNeil Iberica S.L.U., McNeil LA LLC, McNeil Nutritionals LLC, McNeil Panama LLC, McNeil Products Limited, McNeil Sweden AB, Medical Device Business Services Inc., Medical Devices & Diagnostics Global Services LLC, Medical Devices International LLC, Medos International Sarl, Medos International Sarl succursale de Neuchatel (Branch), Medos Sarl, MegaDyne Medical Products Inc., Menlo Care De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Mentor B.V., Mentor Deutschland GmbH, Mentor Medical Systems B.V., Mentor Partnership Holding Company I LLC, Mentor Texas GP LLC, Mentor Texas L.P., Mentor Worldwide LLC, Micrus Endovascular LLC, Middlesex Assurance Company Limited, Momenta Ireland Limited, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata UG (haftungsbeschrankt), Netherlands Holding Company, NeuWave Medical Inc., Neuravi Limited, Novira Therapeutics, Novira Therapeutics LLC, NuVera Medical Inc., OBTECH Medical Sarl, OGX Beauty Limited, OMJ Holding GmbH, OMJ Ireland Unlimited Company, OMJ Pharmaceuticals Inc., Obtech Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals NV, Ortho Biologics LLC, Ortho Biotech Holding LLC, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC, Orthospin Ltd., Orthotaxy, PT Integrated Healthcare Indonesia, PT. Johnson & Johnson Indonesia, Patriot Pharmaceuticals LLC, Peninsula Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pharmadirect Ltd., Pharmedica Laboratories (Proprietary) Limited, Princeton Laboratories Inc., Productos de Cuidado Personal y de La Salud de Bolivia S.R.L., Proleader S.A., Pulsar Vascular Inc., Regency Urban Renewal Associates, RespiVert Ltd., RoC International, Royalty A&M LLC, Rutan Realty LLC, SYNTHES Medical Immobilien GmbH, Scios LLC, Sedona Singapore International Pte. Ltd., Sedona Thai International Co. Ltd., Serhum S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Elsker For Mother & Baby Co. Ltd, Shanghai Elsker Mother & Baby Co. Ltd Minghang Branch, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Ltd., Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Sightbox LLC, Sodiac ESV, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Company, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Partnership, SterilMed, SterilMed Inc., Surgical Process Institute Deutschland GmbH, Synthes Costa Rica S.C.R. Limitada, Synthes GmbH, Synthes Holding AG, Synthes Holding Limited, Synthes Inc., Synthes Medical Surgical Equipment & Instruments Trading LLC, Synthes Produktions GmbH, Synthes Proprietary Limited, Synthes S.M.P. S. de R.L. de C.V., Synthes Tuttlingen GmbH, Synthes USA LLC, Synthes USA Products LLC, TARIS Biomedical, TARIS Biomedical LLC, TearScience Inc., The Anspach Effort LLC, The Vision Care Institute LLC, Tibotec LLC, Torax Medical Inc., UAB "Johnson & Johnson", UAB Johnson & Johnson Eesti Filiaal (Estonian Branch), Vania Expansion, Verb Surgical, Verb Surgical Inc., Vision Care Finance Unlimited Company, Vogue International, Vogue International LLC, Vogue International Trading Inc., WH4110 Development Company L.L.C., XO1, XO1 Limited, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. Beijing Branch Office, Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. Shanghai Branch Office, Zarbee's Inc., and Zarbee's Naturals.

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Still, its worth seeing a doctor because if there is a physiological cause (such as a severe ear infection, a jaw joint disorder or excessive earwax), its often treatable. And even if there isnt, a doctor can help you find ways to ease your symptoms. Some people experience a reduction in their tinnitus while taking supplements of lipoflavonoids or ginkgo biloba, for instance, though the research on their effectiveness is mixed, Gopen says. Others get relief from medications such as a tricyclic antidepressant (such as amitriptyline) or a benzodiazepine (such as Klonopin).

If you have hearing loss as well as tinnitus, wearing a hearing aid can help restore a more normal input of sounds, says Daniel Jethanamest, M.D., of the department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at New York University Langone Health, who explains that these devices can include features such as "habituation" sounds, which help the brain learn to ignore tinnitus's ringing or buzzing, or "notch therapy," which filters out the pitch of a person's tinnitus, to enhance external sounds and inhibit internal ones.



Hearing aids for tinnitus aren't recommended, however, if you don't already have hearing loss. In that case, you can turn to sound-masking devices or other sound therapies to distract you from the internal noise. A relatively new device called Desyncra uses an iPod to deliver four tones, customized to match the individuals tinnitus. Instead of relying on habituation, the goal is to reset modulation of the neuronal networks that are involved in tinnitus, Jethanamest explains. Doctors also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy to help patients cope with the condition.



Luckily for me, my tinnitus is fairly mild, and, eight years on, it comes and goes  in both ears now and at a lower volume. It flares up mostly at night, particularly when Im under a lot of stress or when I get wax buildup in my ears, so I make an effort to keep my ears clean and to relax before going to bed. If the tones arrive despite these precautions, I practice mindfulness meditation: I acknowledge their presence without reacting to them and focus on the pattern and sensation of my breathing; as I do this, the sounds seem to gradually fade, and I fall asleep. Its not a fluke that this technique helps me. In a recent study, researchers in the United Kingdom found that practicing mindfulness meditation helped improve tinnitus more than relaxation therapy did.

If my tinnitus worsens down the road, Im counting on the possibility that new treatments will be available. Already, more aggressive treatments  such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation, which use either magnetic pulses or electromagnetic energy to stimulate the brain  are being investigated for beneficial effects for those with unrelenting tinnitus that severely compromises their quality of life. One way or another, my hope is that a cure will be found for those who are truly bothered by the noises in their head.
The Senate tax proposal would add $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years. Under PAYGO, if this bill were to become law, the government would have to lop off $150 billion in spending every year for 10 years.



Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps and other social safety net programs are exempt from the PAYGO law, which went into effect in 2010. But Medicare and other programs  such as federal student loans, agricultural subsidies and the operations of the Customs and Border Patrol  are not exempt.



The law caps how much the government can trim from Medicare at 4 percent. Thats $25 billion the first year, according to a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The annual amount could increase in subsequent years depending on the size of the deficit and Medicares budget.



The $25 billion reduction would affect the payments that doctors, hospitals and other health care providers receive for treating Medicare patients. Individual benefits would not change and neither would premiums, deductibles or copays. But with so much less money going to providers, the cuts could have major impacts on patient access to health care  such as fewer physicians accepting Medicare patients.



Were deeply concerned that the tax proposals being made will very directly affect the ability of Medicare to maintain services, and we do not think it is fair that older Americans who have paid into Medicare their entire working lives get stuck with the bill for a tax overhaul, says Cristina Martin Firvida, AARP director of financial security.



The Senate is scheduled to debate the bill this week. The tax bill the House of Representatives passed earlier this month would also add $1.5 trillion to the deficit and lead to automatic spending cuts.



Congress has the authority to waive the PAYGO law and forestall such cuts. But it is not yet clear whether lawmakers would do so. And waiving the rules would simply cause higher deficits in later years.
Events this week include an opera at NSU, Winterfest and Miss Aberdeen

Looking for something to do this week, check out an opera at NSU, Winterfest or the Miss Aberdeen coronation.
Ride-sharing company Uber will begin offering its meal delivery service in Albuquerque, starting today.

UberEats will deliver food from the full menus of more than 50 Albuquerque restaurants, including Blakes Lotaburger, California Pastrami, Cocina Azul, Hello Poke and Vibrance.

Were excited to bring more delivery options to the people of Albuquerque, said UberEats manager Clay Carroll.

The Albuquerque rollout marks the companys 99th UberEats city and its first entry into the New Mexican food delivery market. UberEats will not be available in nearby areas like Rio Rancho, though Carroll said he hopes to expand into other communities soon.

Were always looking for more restaurants to work with, he said.

To use the service, customers need to either download the UberEats app or access the UberEats website. The service is available seven days a week, though the participating hours of each restaurant vary. The charge includes a $5.99 booking fee, plus the cost of food and tax.

For Uber drivers, the announcement means they can now elect to deliver food in addition to  or instead of  picking up riders, by adjusting the settings in their app. According to the company, there are thousands of driver partners across New Mexico and there are tens of thousands of rides a month across the state.

Carroll said Uber doesnt plan to hire additional drivers specifically for the UberEats rollout.

Ubers food delivery program is a bright spot for a company that has been plagued in recent years by accusations of sexism, lawsuits and federal investigations. UberEats has been so successful it actually outperforms its ride-sharing business in some markets, Carroll confirmed, though he said comparisons between markets are difficult.

Analysts say the biggest threat to food delivery operations generally is Amazon, which recently acquired Whole Foods and is experimenting with grocery and meal kit deliveries. Carroll said UberEats expansion has nothing to do with Amazon and noted that the service has been expanding its operations for several years.
Two Albuquerque Public Schools employees say the district hired a private investigator to install hidden surveillance equipment in their work space in order to listen in on their conversations, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

Bobbie Gallegos and Regina Sanchez argue that intercepting their communications is a violation of the Federal Wiretap Act. They say the surveillance went beyond the bounds of common decency, violated their expectation of privacy and caused severe emotional distress.

APS invoices dated July 5, 2016, obtained by the plaintiffs' attorney show the district paid Robert Caswell Investigations Inc. $1,007 for Surveillance Ref: Bobbie Gallegos.

Attorney Antonia Roybal-Mack, who is representing Gallegos and Sanchez, said the women are longtime APS employees who worked in the district's testing center doing data entry.

According to the lawsuit filed Nov. 17 in state District Court, Gallegos found white debris on her desk on Aug. 17, 2016, and noticed a ceiling tile above her was askew.

She grabbed a ladder in order to fix the tile and discovered a recording device. She and Sanchez then found a second device attached to the bottom of a desk.

Both items were installed without their consent and Robert Caswell Investigations provided the intercepted communications to APS, according to the lawsuit.

A spokeswoman for the school district said APS cannot comment on pending lawsuits.

Roybal-Mack said she believes her clients were targeted because one of their supervisors was unhappy that Gallegos, who is a union steward, recently had been moved into the position in the testing center. Soon after the cameras were discovered, Roybal-Mack said, Gallegos was moved to maintenance.

While many institutions use surveillance cameras to monitor their facilities, Roybal-Mack said this situation is concerning because Gallegos and Sanchez were targeted specifically.

You walk into the mall, you know you're on camera. You walk into the courthouse, you know you're on camera. They don't try to hide the surveillance, she said. And in this particular case, it's not like they were surveilling the entire testing department. They were following two specific employees.

Named as defendants are the state of New Mexico, APS, Robert Caswell Investigations Inc., and Eleanor Andrews and Claudine Sanchez, who Roybal-Mack said were the plaintiffs' supervisors. The women are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

It's highly concerning that they used state money to surveil employees, Roybal-Mack said. How is that educating kids? How is that a good use of resources?
Albuquerque police have identified Christopher Lopez, 27, Devon Hopkins, 20, and Marc Brule, 60, Tuesday as the people killed in separate November slayings. Theres no indication that the three cases are connected.

Lopez and Hopkins were both shot to death in northeast Albuquerque. Brule was found dead in his home in southeast Albuquerque. Police have not said how he died.

Officers responding to a sick call found Lopez shot in the 200 block of Utah SE on Nov. 10. He died shortly thereafter.

Hopkins was found shot to death in an apartment on the morning of Nov. 13 after a woman next door reported bullets flying through her apartment in the 200 block of Texas SE.

A family member found Brule dead in his home in the 2000 block of Eaton SE on Nov. 21.
Michelle Donaldson, news director at NBC affiliate KOB-TV, Channel 4, for the last four years, on Tuesday was named station general manager.

She replaces current vice president and general manager Mike Burgess, who is retiring after 25 years helming the station.

The change in management becomes effective Dec. 26.

Her replacement as news director has not yet been named.

This is a great company to work for and one of the last family-owned broadcast operations in America, Donaldson said. In an environment where stations are being bought up by mega-chains, I worry that stations can lose touch with their communities. I dont worry about that here. The Hubbard family, who owns the station, deeply cares about this community.

Minnesota-based Hubbard Broadcasting selected Donaldson after a nationwide search, Burgess said.

Its nice to know the best candidate was one of our own, he said. Michelles knowledge of our business and of the ever-important mission of covering New Mexico news, coupled with a great love of this states communities, make it a win-win decision. I have watched her in the challenging capacity of news director and can retire knowing the station I have loved and led for 25 years is in the best hands possible.

Donaldson previously worked as assistant news director and then news director at Albuquerques CBS affiliate KRQE-TV from 2000 through mid-2008. She then worked for five years at KPHO-TV, the CBS affiliate in Phoenix, Ariz.

Donaldson, a native of Toledo, Ohio, spent her early career in Detroit, Mich., where she worked in both radio and television.

Hubbard Broadcasting Inc. was founded in 1923. The company currently owns 13 television stations, 41 radio stations and the Reelz Channel, a national cable and satellite network that is headquartered in Albuquerque.
SANTA FE  Criminal trespass charges were officially dropped against two more Santa Fe Fiesta Entrada protesters Tuesday.

A Santa Fe Municipal Court employee confirmed that a judge signed dismissal orders for charges against Carmen Stone and Nicole Ullerich, two of eight protesters arrested Sept. 8 while protesting the annual re-enactment of the Spanish resettlement of Santa Fe in 1692, 12 years after the Pueblo Revolt.

Last week, a judge dismissed charges against three other demonstrators because the criminal complaints filed against them by the Santa Fe Police Department were too vague.

Stones attorney, Paul Linnenburger, said Municipal Court Pro Tem Judge Ann Yalmans decision to drop criminal trespass charges against Chad Browneagle, Trenton Wardena and Julian Rodriguez last week influenced the to drop the charges against the two additional protesters on Tuesday.

An agreement was reached with the city prosecutor based on the insufficiency of the complaint itself, Linnenburger said. Based on those rulings and the discussions with the city, we agreed to a dismissal on the same grounds.

Linnenburger said he wasnt sure if the city was going to refile the charges. John Day, Wardens attorney, told the Journal last week that Yalman told a city attorney during a hearing for the other defendants that the city should think long and hard before filing these charges.

Felony battery on a peace officer charges against protester Jennifer Marley were dropped in Santa Fe Magistrate Court last month because prosecutors didnt get police lapel video and officer statement in time for a court hearing, District Attorney Marco Serna said at the time. Charges are still pending against protesters Sierra Logan and Jennifer Haley.

The protest against the Entrada pageant was led by Native American groups. The police maintained they were required to enforce rules for the Entrada established by the Fiesta Council, which had a permit to use the Plaza for the annual event.

Entrada organizers tried to avoid the protests by moving the events start up two hours unannounced, but several protesters still showed up and a total of 150 gathered afterward.

Protesters and police faced off after officers established what was called a free speech zone away from Fiesta celebrants.
LAS CRUCES  Two suspects facing multiple charges for a carjacking and deadly high-speed chase and crash that claimed the life of retired Las Cruces police officer are being held without bond.

New Mexico State Police identified 34-year old Daniel Allen Lowell and 32-year-old Trista Marie Schlaefli, both of Colorado Springs, Colo., as the man and woman allegedly involved in a crime spree Monday that started when the pair ran a Border Patrol highway checkpoint on Interstate 10 near Las Cruces and ended with a crash that killed a 35-year veteran of the Las Cruces police force.

Retired officer J.R. Stewart was riding his motorcycle when the alleged carjackers hit him as they tried to flee from police. He died at the hospital from his injuries.

According to arrest records, Lowell was driving. Hes facing 18 separate charges, including homicide by vehicle, child abuse, armed robbery, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, concealing identity, leaving the scene of a crash, and receiving or transferring a stolen motor vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Lowell also had several separate arrest warrants out of Colorado for numerous charges, including attempted murder, burglary, felony evading and identity theft.

Schlaefli is facing 10 charges, including homicide by vehicle, armed robbery, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, concealing identity, attempt to commit a violent felony and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.

During her initial court appearance Tuesday, Schlaefli slouched in a chair and said, Not guilty. Earlier, Lowell quietly entered a denial of charges and said, No, your honor when Magistrate Judge Jeanne Quintero asked if he had any questions about why he was being denied bond.

The calm demeanor was in sharp contrast to arrest records that detail the couple carjacking a Toyota 4-Runner at gunpoint on I-10 with a family inside. The father remained in the drivers seat with the gun pointed at his head and refused to leave the vehicle until his wife removed their two children  ages 7 and 2  from the back seat. They allegedly tried to carjack a second vehicle later, but the occupants refused to leave.

Lowell told police he and Schlaefli had been smoking methamphetamine and heroin in the stolen vehicle before they rammed into Stewart, according to their arrest warrants.

Stewart, who retired from the Las Cruces Police Department in 2014 and twice ran for Dona Ana County sheriff, had spent most of his career as a motorcycle traffic cop with never a scratch, said Las Cruces Police Chief Jaime Montoya.

Montoya rushed to the hospital Monday when he heard Stewart was critically injured.

His wife told me last night when I was at the hospital that he bled blue, he said.

More than 100 police officers, both active duty and retired, also showed up at the hospital to pay their last respects before he died, Montoya said.

People just loved him, loved everything about him, the chief said.
RACINE COUNTY  Twenty-four hours after approval by Village of Mount Pleasant, the Racine County Board on Tuesday also voted unanimously to approve the development agreement between the village, county and Foxconn Technology Group.

A special signing ceremony with village, county and Foxconn officials is expected to be held on Friday.

The business before you tonight is, arguably, the most important business weve done here in Racine County, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave told the supervisors.

County Board Chairman Russell Clark of Racine thanked the supervisors and county employees who worked on the Foxconn project.

This is truly one remarkable day in Racine County history, where manufacturing is going to be on the upswing and there will be a better community down the road, Clark said.

Foxconn is planning to place $60 million upfront to purchase property in Area I of the development, which will be reimbursed to the company at a much later date. Area I is located east of Interstate 94, north of Highway KR, south of Braun Road and west of Highway H.

Although the county and the village are issuing massive amounts of debt related to the project, Director of PFM Financial Advisors David Anderson, who has been working with the county, said all of the debt will be paid for by Foxconn before the company receives anything from the taxpayers.

The $31 million that Foxconn is going to be paying each year is first going to be used to pay debt, Anderson said. Mount Pleasant is going to be getting its operating expenses paid for police and fire; after thats paid then the development incentive goes to Foxconn;  then there will be three years of buildup of debt service reserves so youll have three years of payments before anything goes out the door. After that happens then, and only then, does Foxconn get their land payments back.

Timing critical

Michael Lanzdorf, corporation counsel for the county, said timing has been an issue for the parties involved and for members of the public who had hoped to see the agreement before it was voted on.

In a perfect world we would have had ample opportunity to unveil this development agreement to the public in very much the same manner that we did the memorandum of understanding, Lanzdorf said. We wouldve liked to have several weeks to travel across the county and discuss the specifics of the agreement and receive that public input. However, with the postponement of the vote on the state agreement on Nov. 19, that left us with less than a month to not only draft but negotiate and finalize the agreement.

The County Board on Tuesday also approved forming a intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Mount Pleasant regarding oversight of the development.
SANTA FE  New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver testified Tuesday that theres still time for Santa Fe to implement ranked-choice voting for the municipal election next March, but whether city government will be ordered to do so wont be known until today.

District Court Judge David Thomson said from the bench that hed promised both sides in the case that hed make a decision on Tuesday, but he changed his mind after hearing about six hours worth of testimony from three witnesses and arguments from attorneys.

At issue is whether the software to implement ranked-choice voting is truly available and whether the method of voting, also known as instant runoff, is constitutional.

I dont think it would benefit anybody to give you my ruling today, without reviewing testimony, looking at cases cited in their arguments and reviewing two state statutes relevant to the case, Thomson said late in the day. He said he will announce a decision at an 8:30 a.m. hearing.

Santa Fe voters in 2008 overwhelmingly approved a city charter amendment to implement ranked-choice voting, but not until it software became available at a reasonable price. Nearly 10 years later, the software was certified for use by the Secretary of State  who oversees elections in New Mexico  in September and the process to install the system in voting machines is due to begin by next week. The citys cost has been estimated at roughly $40,000.

But the certification of the software didnt come until two months after the City Council voted 6-3 to put off implementing the method for another two years, due to concerns over whether the software would actually be ready for the March 6 election and voters could be quickly educated about the change.

In response to the councils decision, a small group of voters, including Maria Perez of FairVote New Mexico, a nonpartisan group that advocates for ranked-choice voting, filed a lawsuit against the city. After denying a motion by the city to dismiss the case last week, Judge Thomson scheduled Tuesdays hearing to hear arguments on other issues.

When called to the stand, Toulouse Oliver testified that Dominion Election Systems, the company that provides the ranked-choice vote-counting software, had submitted the software in a timely manner. Asked how long it would take to configure a voting system to accommodate ranked-choice voting method, she said only about a day. And was there enough time for the city to design a ballot to meet statutory obligations and get the ballot to the printer? They have plenty of time, she said.

On cross examination from Assistant City Attorney Zach Shandler, Toulouse Oliver acknowledged that at one point she told Dominion it needed to hurry up and get on the ball.

Shandlers point was that delays by Dominion factored into the City Councils decision not to implement ranked-choice for 2018. Shandler also cited a September 2015 email from Dominion that stated the software would be ready in early 2016, but the company still hadnt applied to certify the software when the City Council made its decision in July of this year.

Ranked-choice voting is used in other American cities, like San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif. and Minneapolis, but Santa Fe would be the first in New Mexico to use the system.

The voting method asks voters to rank candidates in their order of preference in elections when there are more than three candidates. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and the second choices for those people who voted for that candidate is then applied to the remaining candidates. The process is completed until a winner is determined.

The method would apply to three races in the citys next election on March 6, where five candidates are running for mayor and there are three hopefuls in races for council seats in districts 2 and 4.
For two years, Frank Ourada has been supporting our troops  more literally than most.

He has connected soldiers and veterans with food pantries, temporary housing and legal advice. He haggled with an insurance company when a soldiers home flooded. He helped a suicidal veteran find treatment.

Ourada basically ran triage for military families, connecting them with whatever services they need to survive.

This position, National Guard Family Assistance Center specialist, may be Ouradas most rewarding ever. The only rival was his time as an infantry Marine, which in 2009 left him disabled.

This work is my therapy, Ourada, 30, told me.

And yet, two Fridays ago, he resigned. Because the job he loved so much had left him homeless.

Ourada had his pay slashed in March, from $20.08 hourly to $13.17. He soon fell behind on mortgage payments and lost his Minnesota home. Hes been crashing with friends and family since August; next week, hell move in with a buddy in Utah, where he hopes to find better-paying work.

Ouradas situation is unusually dire, but hes far from alone.

Hundreds of his colleagues around the country also had their pay cut by 25 percent to 50 percent in March. About a third have quit, taking their networks and collective decades of experience, in an exodus that leaves American military families at risk of falling through the cracks.

The root of the problem? A bungled government contract.

In the decades since transitioning to a more professionalized, all-volunteer force, the military has added a host of support services for the growing number of long-term military families. One was the National Guards Family Assistance Centers.

When this programs contract was awarded in 2012, the Guard had advised companies bidding on the contract to pay wages roughly equivalent to GS-7 to GS-9 levels (about $35,000 to $56,000).

When the contract came up for bid last year, however, the Guard gave vendors different  and hazier  guidance. This time, it merely instructed them to abide by the McNamara-OHara Service Contract Act.

This law requires the Labor Department to set minimum wages for hundreds of specific government contract occupations. The goal is to prevent a race to the bottom  to protect workers, but also to prevent contractors from cutting corners.

Unfortunately, Family Assistance Center occupations arent in the Labor Departments existing directory of jobs. And the National Guard never asked for them to be added, as it was supposed to do.

Confusion ensued.

One bidder, Cognitive Professional Services, found a junior job title that sounded vaguely related. It then built its bid around the wage floor for that occupation.

That pay level was not only substantially less than what workers such as Ourada had been making, it was even less than what janitors earn in many states.

The strategy worked. With its rock-bottom bid price, Cognitive won the contract and cut pay. Cognitive did not respond to requests for comment.

Unsurprisingly, workers quit en masse. At least 135 of 399 incumbent personnel left. And given the low pay, Cognitive has struggled to retain replacements. One position has been filled and vacated three times since March, and is now empty again.

Hire and train, hire and train. Its been like that for the last three or four months, says Kevin McDonnell, a Rhode Island-based supervisor whose own pay was cut in half.

This isnt the first time a lowball bid led to draconian wage cuts and mass resignations on a military family support contract. Its at least the fifth case in as many years, according to Good Jobs Nation, a worker advocacy group that filed Labor Department complaints on behalf of employees on two such contracts.

After I wrote about this problem in April, lawmakers grilled the National Guard about whether military families were getting the support they deserved. The Guard told Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) that it was undertaking a contract review.

And then  nothing.

On Tuesday, I called the Guard to ask what happened. Lo and behold, that very day, it decided to modify the contract!

Cognitive sent a cryptic email to workers Wednesday saying changes to job descriptions and salaries were forthcoming. No further details. No mention of any back pay for the past eight months.

A Guard spokesman told me that a different office will handle the next bid process, which begins next month. The Labor Department will be asked to come up with minimum wage rates for these occupations, as should have happened last year.

Which sounds like an improvement. But for military families left stranded in recent months and workers such as Ourada who were shortchanged and have already moved on, its cold comfort.
Leaders of four failing Albuquerque charter schools have decided its easier to go board shopping for their required reauthorization than meet the minimal performance standards imposed by the state Public Education Commission.

Albuquerque Public Schools shouldnt buy it. Because when you look at how and why these schools are failing, you discover their administrators have a litany of excuses for short-changing their students as well as taxpayers  all while some other schools with similar at-risk student populations are delivering positive academic results that better move their students toward being prepared for work and life after high school.

The four schools consist of three of the four charter schools operating under the Leadership High School Network  Architecture Construction and Engineering Leadership High School, Health Leadership High School and Technology Leadership High School  as well as Academy of Trades & Technology. They are currently chartered by the PEC. All four, which have consistently received either D or F grades from the Public Education Department and know theyre likely to be marked for closure by the state, are now trying to get their charters reauthorized under APS. APS already authorizes Siembra Leadership High School, part of the Leadership Network.

According to PED, fewer than 5 percent of the schools students are proficient in reading or math, and they have made little or no progress in addressing academic performance concerns. How they can bill themselves as vo-tech high schools preparing tomorrows nurses, architects, engineers, skilled tradesmen and techies for the workforce when less than 5 percent of their student body can read at grade level  and they have done nothing measurable to change that  should be at the top of APS questions.

Supporters of the schools insist they serve students who have not or cannot function in traditional classrooms  students who would otherwise be on the streets.

But 60 percent of students at Technology Leadership High School are absent on any given day. The Leadership schools lose 30 percent to 40 percent of students during the school year and 60 percent between school years. And they have poor supports for high-needs groups like English language learners and special education students. As Katie Poulos, director of the PEDs charter school division, says, data shows us that these kids arent getting re-engaged. That environment is kind of failing them in the same way as every other school that failed them.

Yes, proficiency and truancy are challenges most New Mexico educators have to tackle daily  but these charters deflection of criticism, acceptance of lower standards and acceptance that so much of their student body doesnt show up does little to help these students. And it tarnishes the strong charter schools in our community that deliver impressive academic results.

APS charter school director Joseph Escobedo says reviews of the four charter schools have not been completed, so no recommendations have been made to the APS Board of Education, which will ultimately decide the schools fate next month. But he emphasizes APS supports high-quality charters and puts all applicants through a rigorous review process, adding I feel strongly that we are improving our authorizing practices to be in line with those national standards, and I really look forward to working with the PED and the Public Education Commission in the future, so we all have similar thoughts.

Based on Escobedos comments, this board shopping should get a no-go.

For those critics of PED and PEC who would cut poor-performing charters more slack, remember that despite the PEDs recommendations that La Promesa Early Learning Center be closed for dismal performance (only three out of 10 students could read at grade level), the PEC extended the schools charter. Now more than $700,000 in questionable transactions is being blamed on the former assistant business manager.

Change is always hard. But these charters 900-plus students deserve the best chance they can get of obtaining academic skills required for financial independence. And these four charters have shown they are incapable of providing it.

If APS is committed to high standards, it will reject these charters and help ensure their students have quality schools to attend, either within its district or the charter community.

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  Democratic legislative leaders say New Mexico could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue if Congress overhauls the U.S. tax code as proposed  enough to wipe out reserves and damage the state budget.

State Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, chairwoman of the influential Legislative Finance Committee, and Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, vice chairman, asked the states congressional delegation Tuesday to relay their concerns on Capitol Hill.

They say passage of federal legislation reshaping the U.S. tax system could trigger automatic cuts in federal spending, endangering about $440 million in revenue New Mexico receives from federal mineral leasing.

The automatic cuts can be avoided if Congress passes separate legislation  under rules that would require bipartisan support in the Senate  lifting the required spending reductions, but thats no sure thing.

In any case, losing that much revenue would have a devastating impact on the states budget and would wipe out the reserves our state has struggled to rebuild, Lundstrom and Smith said in a letter to the congressional delegation.

New Mexico would also face spending cuts in Medicare  of about $180 million a year  as a result of the tax legislation, they added.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican candidate for governor, said he has opposed a sequester, or automatic spending cuts, and will work to make sure the final version of the tax proposal is good for the state.

I support tax reform to spark GDP growth and revive the nations economy, while reducing the tax rate for lower- and middle-income families and small businesses, he said in a written statement. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the final tax reform bill will be beneficial for New Mexico.

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said the GOP proposal could also reduce farm payments and other funding.

The bottom line is that this tax bill is a scam that would not only leave taxpayers with less money in their pockets, he said in a written statement, it would leave the state with fewer resources to meet their needs, and thats a devastating combination.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said that one of the fundamental problems with this bill is that Republicans cannot afford the tax cuts they want, causing drastic reductions that would harm New Mexico and other states.

The automatic spending cuts are possible because of a federal law that requires Congress to offset legislation that adds to the federal deficit. The tax bill passed by the U.S. House would add about $1.5 trillion to the deficit over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The automatic cuts could be avoided if separate legislation is passed, but a proposal like that would require 60 votes of support in the Senate. A bill preventing spending cuts couldnt be considered under the fast-track process that applies to the tax proposal, which needs only a simple majority to pass.

New Mexicos general operating budget totals about $6.1 billion a year. The state is just emerging from a fiscal crisis that damaged its credit rating and nearly depleted its reserves.
NEW YORK  Today show host Matt Lauer was fired for what NBC on Wednesday called inappropriate sexual behavior with a colleague and was promptly confronted with a published report accusing him of crude and habitual misconduct with other women around the office.

With his easygoing charm, Lauer has long been a lucrative and highly visible part of NBC News and one of the highest-paid figures in the industry, and his downfall shook the network and stunned many of the roughly 4 million viewers who start their day with him.

He is easily one of the biggest names brought down in recent weeks by the wave of sexual misconduct allegations that have swept through Hollywood, the media and politics.

Network news chief Andrew Lack said in a memo to the staff that NBC received a complaint about Lauers behavior on Monday and determined he violated company standards. NBC said the misconduct started when Lauer and a network employee were at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and continued beyond that assignment.

Lack said it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer in his 20 years at NBC, but we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

NBC News received two new complaints against Lauer on Wednesday, NBC Nightly News reported. The network didnt respond to a request for comment.

Earlier Wednesday, it was left to Lauers shaken Today colleagues, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, to break the news to viewers at the top of the mornings show.

Word of Lauers abrupt exit came on the day of NBCs Christmas in Rockefeller Center special featuring the annual Manhattan tree-lighting ceremony. Lauer was to have co-hosted the Wednesday night program with Guthrie, Kotb and Al Roker.

Hours after the firing, the trade publication Variety posted what it said was a two-month investigation that included dozens of interviews with current and former staffers who asked to remain anonymous.

Among other things, Variety reported allegations that Lauer once gave a colleague a sex toy with an explicit note about how he wanted to use it on her; that he exposed himself to another female co-worker; that he would question female producers about their sex lives; and that he would talk about which co-hosts he would like to sleep with.

Messages to Lauer and his agent were not immediately returned, and NBC would not say whether he denied or admitted to any wrongdoing. He is married with three children.

Lauer becomes the second morning host in a week to lose his job over sexual misconduct allegations. CBS fired Charlie Rose after several women who worked for him complained about his behavior.

In other developments, former Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor was cut loose by Minnesota Public Radio over an allegation of inappropriate behavior. MPR gave no details, but the 75-year-old Keillor said he inadvertently put his hand on a womans bare back in an attempt to console her.

Lauer, 59, has essentially been the king of television morning news since first being paired with Katie Couric on Today in 1997.

For many years, Today was the unquestioned ratings leader, until it was eclipsed by ABCs Good Morning America following the ugly 2012 firing of Lauers co-host Ann Curry. The show had stabilized in recent years with Lauers pairing with Guthrie.

Lauers Where in the world is Matt Lauer? segments were popular for years, and he regularly played a lead role at the Olympics and other major news events.

He joins a lengthening list of media figures felled by sexual misconduct accusations this year. Besides Rose, they include Lauers NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, Fox News prime-time host Bill OReilly and National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes. The New York Times suspended White House correspondent Glenn Thrush last week.

The flood of allegations was set off in large part by the downfall of Hollywood studio boss Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually assaulting or harassing numerous women.

Ari Wilkenfeld, the attorney for Lauers accuser, praised NBC for acting quickly and responsibly in response to the morning hosts egregious acts of sexual harassment and misconduct. The lawyer did not identify his client.

Lack, in his memo, said, We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization  and do it in as transparent a manner as we can.

An immediate challenge is filling a giant hole on a show that has long been the most lucrative for NBC News. One potential replacement, Willie Geist, on Wednesday called Lauer someone I have always looked up to in the business, and he taught me a lot.

As for Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio said it will end distribution of the radio program The Writers Almanac, Keillors daily reading of a poem and telling of literary events, and end rebroadcasts of old Prairie Home Companion episodes.

I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it, Keillor said in an email to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called.

On Wednesdays show, Guthrie appeared to fight back tears as she called Lauer her friend who is beloved by many at NBC. She said she was heartbroken for my colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell.

How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? I dont know the answer to that, she said. But I do know that this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, its long overdue, and it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected.

Later in the show, NBCs Megyn Kelly, who has written about being sexually harassed by former boss Roger Ailes at Fox News Channel, noted the anguish on the faces of her colleagues but said, What we dont see is the pain on the faces of those who found the courage to come forward, and it is still a terrifying thing to do.

On Twitter, President Donald Trump said, Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News.

Trump also alluded to potential misconduct by three other NBC News figures, while offering no details.

Natalie Morales, a former Today show colleague who left the show for Access Hollywood last year, said she was in shock about the story. She referred to stories that said she and Lauer had an affair, which they both denied.

I have personally dealt with rumors in the past few years that were hurtful to me and to my family, she said. They diminished my hard work. Ive addressed these rumors head-on in the past. Its not the story today.

Another former Today host, Deborah Norville, said she was stunned by the news.

As a journalist, its upsetting to see another from our ranks caught up in these kinds of scandals. But as weve seen, no profession is immune, she said. Sadly, I doubt if anyone will be surprised if there are similar headlines to come.

___

Associated Press writer Patrick Mairs in Philadelphia and Television writers Frazier Moore in New York and Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
FORT WORTH, Texas  Coming to grips with never again being able to work because of a debilitating disease on injury can gnaw at ones self-worth.

But 51-year-old John Tovar of Arlington never expected his spiral into full-on depression would come as a result of waiting  and waiting  and waiting  just for the opportunity to state his case to qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

In Fort Worth, and across the nation, the system is backlogged to the point of near-absurdity. Local applicants can wait up to two years for a hearing before a judge, with many cities facing longer waits. A hearing is scheduled after applicants have already been denied  as most typically initially are  a process in itself that can take up to eight months.

And so as the bureaucratic clock creeps toward a hearing, many applicants are faced, month after month, with slashed household income, dwindling or drained savings accounts and often no option left but to pile car payments, mortgage payments, the electricity bill and prescriptions and groceries on to credit cards.

Filing for disability was a last resort for me, said Tovar, who suffers from diabetes, nerve damage and carpal tunnel syndrome. Thats really one of the main reasons I did this because weve been a two-income family for the longest time, and now my wife is the only one working. It makes me feel pretty worthless. What kind of took me aback was when they finally set up the final hearing, they said it would be anywhere from 12 to 18 months.

Why would it be 12 to 18 months?

The short answer is a lack of appropriate funding of Social Security by Congress.

Its just a lack of staff and its tied directly to a lack of appropriations, said prominent disability attorney Charles Hall, whose law firm is based in Raleigh, N.C. And it may get worse in the course of next year depending on what happens with appropriations in the budget office.

Social Security offices nationwide, including the downtown Fort Worth location, are understaffed and underfunded to handle the carousel of thousands of cases submitted each year. In Fort Worth, 10 administrative law judges are tasked with 5,899 pending disability cases, according to figures compiled by the Social Security Administration.

The average wait in Fort Worth for a hearing is 483 business days, or nearly two years. While it seems excessive, its actually one of the speedier rates in the state and country. San Antonios average wait is 527 days; downtown Dallas is 544; the Rio Grade Valley is a whopping 622 days. Applicants in Miami wait for a hearing on average 759 days, or close to three years.

More than 1 million Americans are awaiting a hearing with an average wait of two years.

In the last couple of years, weve seen applications decline, yet the backlog went from unacceptable to extremely unacceptable, said Mike Stein of Allsup, which represents people attempting to qualify for disability benefits. I say that as an advocate of people simply asking for a yes or no from the government. Citizens should have some money in the bank for a rainy day. But when you get to the hearing level, who has that kind of rainy day fund?

Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee where he serves as the chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee and sits on the Health Subcommittee, said the status quo is unacceptable.

Since becoming chairman, Johnson has held 18 hearings on the disability benefits program, including as recently as Sept. 6. In February, Johnson called on President Donald Trump to nominate a Social Security Commissioner, a position that remains unfilled.

To make matters worse, these long wait times make getting back to work even harder for those who dont qualify for benefits. The status quo is unacceptable, Johnson said in a statement to the Star-Telegram. Thats why I recently held a hearing on this issue, where we discussed with the Social Security Administration what actions its taking to address this issue and what obstacles its facing.

Social Security needs a Senate-confirmed Commissioner who can lead the agency and focus on providing the service Americans expect and deserve.

Tovar and his wife, Mina, have exhausted their rainy day fund, and then some.

Four years after nerve damage in his feet forced Tovar to leave his job at Poly-America in Grand Prairie  where he worked for 20 years, and where his wife, Mina, 47, continues to work  Tovar reluctantly applied for disability benefits in August 2016.

He just thought hed surely eventually be able to return to work or find a job that didnt require him to be on his feet for hours a time. When the nerve damage spread to his hands and arms, Tovar lost all ability to work.

Tovar was denied disability benefits in July and requested a hearing in August. It could be two years before he gets that hearing.

Meanwhile, watching Mina wake up at 4:30 a.m. for work, then return to take care of the household, all on her salary of about $55,000, preys on his soul as much as the diabetes, neuropathy and carpal tunnel diminish his physical capabilities.

Along the way, he cashed in his 401(k) to pay off the remainder of the mortgage and clear credit card debt. But with only Minas salary, rising medical and prescription costs are causing those credit card balances to balloon.

Hes a lucky one, said Hall. All things considered, thats a very bad situation, but many are in worse situations.

Hall referenced a woman he represents who had a hearing Monday. Because of her predicament, she lives in a house with no electricity or functioning plumbing. Hardship cases are typically expedited. Even so, this woman was two years into her claim. She will likely wait another four to five months for a decision, and if she wins, another two to three months to receive her benefits.

Expedited hardship cases mean a longer wait for those like Tovar.

Some wait so long they die before their hearing. Last year, 7,400 people on wait lists were dead, according to a report by Social Securitys inspector general.

Up to Congress

Disability benefits are not meant to replace salary, but rather to lend a helping hand. The average benefit is $1,037 a month. It wont help the Tovars pay down their credit cards again, but it could at least help them from piling on excessive debt.

Ive been thinking about that, too; what am I going to do if I get turned down? Tovar said. My condition is deteriorating. Im just wondering what Im going to do if it doesnt go through. Eighteen months from now, its going to be worse.

Many claims that finally reach the hearing stage are declined. Of the 4,513 claims that went before a judge last fiscal year, 38 percent were denied.

A Fort Worth woman who has had breast cancer, has undergone heart surgery and suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that limits her lung functionality to 54 percent, filed her initial disability claim two years ago. She isnt scheduled for her hearing until early 2018.

She said she is appalled at the process and was too scared to be quoted by name for this story because she feared jeopardizing her chances at winning her claim, or delaying the process further. She said she has has always worked and paid my taxes, but is now in serious financial problems. If not for her ex-husband helping her pay bills, she said she would have lost her house through this process.

Making the system more efficient simply isnt in the cards until Congress chooses to appropriately fund Social Security so it can hire more administrative staff and judges.

The problem is not enough funding from Congress. The local people work hard and work long days, said a Fort Worth disability attorney who asked not to use her name because she represents clients in front of the judges.

The local office is trying to do what they can, but Social Security has always been that third wheel. Congress always finds reasons why they dont want to fund it.



2017 Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Visit the Fort Worth Star-Telegram at www.star-telegram.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BRYAN, Texas  A man living near Austin must serve 50 years in prison for the 2016 fatal shooting of his girlfriend who attended Texas A&M University and was slain at her off-campus apartment.

Victor Manuel Garcia-Loyo of Del Valle (VAL-ee) was sentenced Wednesday in Bryan. Brazos (BRAZ-uhs) County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Escue (ES-kyoo) says the 23-year-old Garcia-Loyo on Monday pleaded guilty to murder in a plea deal.

The case involves the September 2016 death of 21-year-old Maricarmen Quiroz-Octaviano, who was from Austin and a senior at Texas A&M. Authorities believe Garcia-Loyo shot his girlfriend during an argument in College Station.

Police later contacted Garcia-Loyo, tracked his cellphone and caught him in Fort Worth.

Escue says Garcia-Loyo was also held for immigration authorities and could face deportation. The prosecutor had no further details.
Firefighters respond to a garage fire at San Francisco and Louisiana NE Wednesday around noon. (Greg Sorber / Albuquerque Journal) Firefighters respond to a garage fire at San Francisco and Louisiana NE Wednesday around noon. (Greg Sorber / Albuquerque Journal) Firefighters respond to a shed fire at San Francisco and Louisiana NE Wednesday around noon. (Greg Sorber / Albuquerque Journal) Prev 1 of 3 Next

Firefighters extinguished a garage fire in a northeast Albuquerque neighborhood Wednesday shortly before noon.

Melissa Romero, a spokeswoman for the Albuquerque Fire Department, said around 11 a.m. firefighters were called to a fire in a detached garage at a house on the corner of San Francisco and Louisiana NE.

The garage was fully involved when units arrived, Romero wrote in an email.

The smoke was so intense, it could be seen from downtown.

She said firefighters extinguished the blaze within 20 minutes and contained the fire to the garage so it didnt affect the house.

There were no occupants home when units arrived, Romero said. The garage is a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands  Seconds after a U.N. judge confirmed his 20-year war crimes sentence on Wednesday, former Bosnian Croat military commander Slobodan Praljak shouted, I am not a war criminal! threw back his head, drank liquid from a small bottle and told the court he had taken poison. A flustered judge halted the hearing and Praljak was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Shocking images of the 72-year-old former philosophy professor and theater director who became a wartime general shouting and drinking what he said was poison were streamed live on the courts website and around the Balkans.

The death cast a pall over the last case at the groundbreaking International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Judges upheld sentences ranging from 10-25 years against Praljak and five other Bosnian Croat wartime political and military leaders for their part in a plan linked to Croatias late former President Franjo Tudjman to violently carve out a Croat-dominated mini-state in Bosnia during the Balkan wars by killing, mistreating and deporting Muslims.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic offered his condolences to Praljaks family and said the former generals actions reflected the deep moral injustice done to him and the five others whose sentences were also upheld by the appeals judges Wednesday.

In their ruling, the judges confirmed that Praljak was guilty of crimes including murder, persecution and inhumane treatment as part of the plot to establish a Croat entity in Bosnia in the early 1990s, as well as the 20-year sentence initially handed to Praljak in May 2013 at the end of the six mens trial.

Ironically, Praljak, who surrendered to the tribunal in April 2004 and had already been jailed for 13 years, could have soon walked free because those who are convicted are generally released after serving two-thirds of their sentences.

After Praljaks outburst, Dutch police immediately were called in to launch an independent investigation. Questions the detectives will attempt to answer include: What was the liquid Praljak drank and how did he manage to get it into the tightly guarded courtroom?

The courtroom where the dramatic scene unfolded was sealed off. Presiding Judge Carmel Agius said it was now a crime scene.

A Serbian lawyer who has frequently defended suspects at the U.N. war crimes court in the Netherlands told The Associated Press it would be easy to slip poison into the court.

Attorney Toma Fila said that security for lawyers and other court staff is just like at an airport, with security staff inspecting metal objects and confiscating cell phones, but pills and small quantities of liquids would not be registered.

Nick Kaufman, an Israeli defense lawyer who used to work as a prosecutor at the tribunal, also said a defendant could find a way to bring in a banned substance.

When deprived of authority over the masses and the attention which formerly fueled their ego and charisma, such defendants can often be extremely resourceful with the little power they retain, he said.

In the past, two Serbs have taken their lives while in the tribunals custody.

In July 1998, Slavko Dokmanovic, a Croatian Serb charged in the deaths of over 200 Croat prisoners of war, was found dead in his prison cell in The Hague. Milan Babic, a wartime Serbian leader who was closely cooperating with prosecutors, took his life in a prison tribunal cell in March 2006.

Wednesdays hearing was the final case at the groundbreaking tribunal before it closes its doors next month. The tribunal, which last week convicted former Bosnian Serb military chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes, was set up in 1993, while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them.

The original trial began in April 2006 and provided a reminder of the complex web of ethnic tensions that fueled fighting in Bosnia and still underlies frictions in the country today.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that his countrys leadership during the Bosnian war could in no way be connected with the facts and interpretations of Wednesdays judgment.

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Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia; Sabina Niksic and Amer Cohadzic in Sarajevo, Bosnia; Eldar Emric in Mostar, Bosnia, and Darko Bandic in Zagreb, Croatia contributed to this report.
State Attorney General Hector Balderas said Wednesday he has been investigating Wells Fargo Bank for more than a year in connection with the banks fraudulent account scandal and is demanding the company pay restitution to customers in the state.

He said at a news conference that we have completed the first phase of our investigation and verified there has been wrongdoing in New Mexico, and now Im prepared to assess the damages.

A regional Wells Fargo spokesman said last year that up to 18,847 accounts in New Mexico might have been opened without customer approval  or about 1.9 percent of the nearly 1 million accounts in the state that were reviewed by a third-party consultant.

Among those, about 1,000 account-holders were charged a fee to cover the accounts they hadnt signed up for, and those people were refunded a total of $25,825, the bank said.

At Wells Fargo, we remain focused on rebuilding trust and building a better bank, according to a statement from Wells Fargo Wednesday.

With 93 branches, Wells Fargo is the largest and most powerful bank in New Mexico, Balderas said.

The bank last year was involved in a widespread scandal after disclosures that it had created millions of fraudulent accounts across the country using fictitious or unauthorized customer information. It announced this year that it had discovered 1.4 million additional fraudulent accounts, bringing the total number to 3.5 million.

The bank has shelled out more than $300 million in fines as well as settlement costs associated with a class-action suit. In addition, it has ended its relationship with several senior executives, including former CEO John Stumpf.

The statement issued Wednesday said: As a company, we have taken significant steps to make things right for our New Mexico customers, team members and communities. Among those are working with customers through free mediation services and completing an expanded third-party review of retail banking accounts dating back to the beginning of 2009 to determine potentially unauthorized accounts and provide refunds and credits to those that incurred fees and charges.

Balderas said he wants to work with the bank to enforce consumer protection laws in New Mexico but will file litigation, if necessary.

Unfortunately, when individual customers attempted to sue Wells Fargo in the past, the bank previously and successfully compelled those cases to arbitration, allowing the fraud to continue for years, Balderas said. Wells Fargos customer agreements still contain arbitration clauses, which prevent individuals from suing the bank for fraud or wrongdoing. The arbitration clause does not, however, prevent the Attorney General from taking action to protect New Mexico consumers.
RACINE  The application period for Racine Unified School Districts new middle school choice model is kicking off Friday, and district officials want families to consider their options and make a choice before the window closes at the end of the day on Jan. 15.

The application window is the same one families have used to apply for spots in the districts other choice schools.

The difference for middle school-age students, explained Unified spokesperson Stacy Tapp, is that this year the district wants everyone to make a choice.

As part of the process, the district is targeting both the families of fifth-graders as well as families with students in sixth and seventh grades.

The move  dubbed My School, My Choice  represents a shift from a current model in which most students in grades six through eight are educated at three-year middle schools, to one in which most are either attending a K-through-eighth-grade or sixth-through-12th-grade campus that they select.

Under the new model, those students can opt for their designated boundary school  the soon-to-be K-through-eighth campuses of Gifford, Jerstad-Agerholm or Mitchell  or have the chance to lottery into the K-through-eighth Gilmore Fine Arts; the sixth-through-12th-grade REAL School; the sixth-through-12th Walden; or Starbuck, which will become a sixth-through-eighth International Baccalaureate School, because the IB program will be moving from McKinley to Starbuck.

The changes are part of a larger effort to address declining enrollment across the districts middle schools, while also addressing school capacity, facility conditions and poor achievement scores. Half of the six Unified schools rated by the state as failing during the 2016-17 school year were middle schools.

We want everybody to make a choice. If they want to go or (stay within) their boundary school, we want them to make that choice. If they dont want to go their boundary school they have four other options, Tapp said.

Process

As part of its outreach efforts, the district will be holding two informational fairs at which families can learn more about their choices and how to apply. The first fair is slated to take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Gilmore Middle School, 2330 Northwestern Ave. The second from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Starbuck Middle School, 1516 Ohio St.

Once the choice process officially kicks off on Friday, families can hop online and select their top three school choices.

Elementary and middle schools will have public computers set up in their front offices that parents can use to complete the choice process. Secretaries will be available to assist them.

Although students already attending what is now or will be a boundary or choice school will still have a spot at that school next fall, soon-to-be middle school students who dont make a choice will automatically end up attending their new boundary school.

Information on which elementary schools will feed into those new boundary schools can be found at www.rusd.org/district/whats-my-new-boundary-school. Giffords boundary will stay the same.

Once the choice window has ended, a computer program will randomly sift through the school choice applications. The program will run through first choices first, Tapp said, so it is important that families list their preferred school as their No. 1 choice.

If a students first choice school has reached capacity, the program will see if the students second choice school has room and so on through the students third choice.

Tapp said the districts hopes to notify families about their school assignments by March.

Choice schools

The new model will mean new options for many families, but it will also mean some growing pains for existing choice programs at Walden Middle and High School, Bull Fine Arts and the REAL school.

As the only K-through-eighth choice school, Gilmore Fine Arts will essentially be an expanded version of the current programming at Bull Fine Arts elementary school, which will be closing.

Under the changes, kindergartners through fifth-graders currently attending Bull Fine Arts will automatically get a spot at Gilmore, but the district will be opening up another 25 spots per grade at each grade level. The move is expected to result in grades of about 75 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with anywhere from 120 to 140 students in sixth grade.

The district isnt quite sure what the changes will mean for students in seventh and eighth grades, as the district is allowing Gilmores current sixth- and seventh-grade students to stay at the school if they wish, Tapp said.

Walden Middle and High School, 1012 Center St., will also be leaving its building, but students currently enrolled at the school will automatically get to transfer to McKinley, 2340 Mohr Ave., where the program is moving.

As part of the larger student bodies at the choice schools, the district also will expand sibling preference to all schools, limiting it to the entry points of kindergarten and sixth grade for K-through-eighth schools, Tapp said.

Behavior, culture and identity

Although the upcoming changes were developed by district administrators, the process for rolling out those changes has been put in the hands of the larger Unified community. As the district works to implement its programming and campus changes as well as its broader goals to improve school climates, behavior and student achievement, it will be turning to the individual school communities.

As for what will happen with school names, colors, mascots or logos, the district expects those preferences to be settled on organically by each school as the new communities coalesce and form their own identities

What we have said is, get into your building, see who the staff are, see what families choose your program, and then look at those things together,  Tapp said.
TUCUMCARI, N.M.  A former instructor at a New Mexico community college pleaded guilty to charges of child solicitation by electronic communication device and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The Eastern New Mexico News reports former Mesalands Community College fine arts instructor Robert Moreau signed a plea agreement earlier this month, pleading guilty to fourth-degree felony charges.

The two charges involved a then-minor student who says Moreau had sexual encounters with him in exchange for money and alcohol.

Moreau agreed to a three-year suspended sentence and probation. Moreau also will register as a sex offender and be subject to sex offender supervision. Moreau also will make a $100 donation within the first six months of probation to the Quay County Domestic Violence Program.
Gutenberg is out to strengthen its presence in the ASEAN market and has launched its office in Singapore. Singapore will host Gutenbergs ninth office. With the launch of its new office, Gutenberg brings its global branding initiative, Global Storytelling Series, to Singapore.

The global integrated digital marketing communications firm has witnessed strong 30 per cent YoY growth over the last 13 years and is looking at further consolidation and expansion in 2018.

Harjiv Singh, Founder and CEO, Gutenberg, speaks to Adgully about the firms journey so far, changes in the PR and corporate communications landscape today, increasing shift towards digital, fake news, native advertising and much more. Excerpts:

Please take us through the growth journey of Gutenberg.

When we started in New York in 2004, our first client was Wipro. Since 2010, we have been adding a lot of service clients around digital because people these days are more on Facebook, Twitter and social media platforms. The shift to digital has been happening at a great pace. Facebook was born in 2004, and today it reaches 2 billion-plus masses every day. They say that they are a tech company, but most importantly, they are a user generated media company. If we look at the old marketing world, we built brands by showing fantastic and mass oriented ad campaigns without pressing more on segmentation, but today we can directly go on Facebook and do the respective advertising narrowing down on the basis of country, interest area and other sectors. Even marketing is changing with the convergence of old ad campaigns with new format which is shorter and quicker.

For us, we started this journey some six-seven years back and expanded our whole digital footprint. Last year, we did the complete rebrand with PR and storytelling at the core, because for brands I personally believe that they are built by good stories. Take the example of Apple, its an iconic brand and the story revolves around the saga of Steve Jobs, who reinvented the whole brand with Mac and iPad, which a majority of us consume. For Gutenberg, our strategy has always been focused on the markets where there is growth and a large population.

If I do a print or TV ad, I will fit in that for that particular moment only when I will watch it, there will be no repeats, but if we talk about digital, it stays online for a longer period of time. Digital gives you a recall and reach factor which is very important. Facebook and Google dominate the digital world. 80 percent of the advertising goes to these platforms.

What are the changes that you have seen in the PR and Corporate Communications landscape over the past few years?

Its very interesting because when I started the company, PR was going digital, but it was at a very early stage. Facebook and Gutenberg have the same birth year. The thing that we didnt realise at that moment was how fast it (digital) will grow, partly because its driven by mobile. We cant deny the fact that mobile has expanded very fast. Digital is a powerful channel; one has to think from a marketing perspective.

What has been the impact of fake news?

If we you look back at history, there is word within journalism known as Yellow Journalism. Most of the iconic journalism rises through this only. Fake news is really a very scary proposition. Fake news is something that was known as Propaganda some hundred years back. Basically, fake news, disinformation and propaganda are part of the same genre.

Here also the reach comes in, where you can reach out to anybody with a phone and that reach is most important than anything else. If you see Jio, they have hit 100 million subscribers in less than one year, which was next to impossible for any industry. I think for marketers, digital gives us lots of audiences, but it also puts great responsibility on us to see how the marketers doing it and also understanding the consumers, their behaviour, how do they get their attention in this very noisy and crowded market. Its not at all easy, because they are bombarded with so much of information.

Whats your take on the Indigo assault and Padmavati issues? How challenging is it for PR to handle such circumstances?

I think media works on breaking news. There is an old saying that if it bleeds, it is lead, which means that the more sensational the news is, the more it will make headlines, because its business at the end of day. So, I think there has to be noise created, which typically comes from a controversial headline because thats how you excite people to come and give their comments on it.

If I were to handle the PR for some movie, it will be important for me to be sensitive about personal passion. At the same time, I have to think from the creative side you should not take liberties with or infringe on the ethics. Its a very fine line, but it does open up a lot of opportunities for PR. And if the movie is still released despite all the controversies, it will have a great opening. It has happened with a lot of Bollywood movies and its not a new thing. I believe that not every negative thing is bad for you, because it creates awareness.

Talking about the historical aspect, history is always open to questions; even if it is 500 years old, there are still new discoveries happening around, which changes our vision on how we assume things. So, I think they may be right from their perspective.

How do you see the growth of influencer marketing in India?

I think they play an important part. We follow some influencers on Facebook and Instagram. One will find lot many influencers on these platforms. Somebody from my team in New York, who is just 25 years old, used to be a top level influencer when she was in high school. I tell my social digital team to understand what is driving that, because they pick one area specifically and build their brand awareness. Influencers matter because you can segment your passion, hobbies and interest to exactly the person who needs that more. Thus, it becomes all the more important how you channel this for your brand.

We have not seen much use of influencers in India so far, but in the US and Europe there is a big move towards influencers targeting through digital effectively. These are much more mature markets from that perspective. However, in India, brands are now waking up to the growing importance of influencers and the potential is huge.

What are your views on the growth of native advertising?

Till the Internet came around in the mid-90s, the advertising budget was around television, which hogged a lions share, followed by newspaper and then radio. The Internet changed everything. Firstly, it has changed industries and killed a lot of industries and has built several new ones. Data consumption is content that we consume. If one looks back, earlier Google Search used to throw up all kinds of junk and irrelevant information when one entered a keyword. It was all due to the algorithm in Googles backend, as algorithms go on possibilities. But today, it has become very stable.

Native advertising becomes very important because 90 per cent of the traffic goes to the first page of the search engine, and within search engines, Google dominates some 75-80 per cent of the coverage and the rest are some small resources. Native becomes very important in the context of Google, because it gives you the ability to pull up in the searches. In marketing, there are only two things to remember  search and discovery. We are also building a content studio in all our offices in order to build up content in a manner that we can engage more and more audiences. With this, I can say that we are very different from what we started out as.

How has the year 2017 been for Gutenberg?

2017 has been a very good year. We announced our rebrand in November 2016 and we have also done some fantastic projects. Im very proud of my team. Over the last 13 years we have grown an average of around 30 per cent YoY, which is very strong.

What are your expectations from 2018?

The year 2018 will be very exciting. The idea for 2018 is to consolidate and expand. 2018 is going to be all about technology.
Gutenberg, an award-winning global integrated digital marketing communications firm, today announced the launch of its office in Singapore. Singapore will host Gutenbergs ninth office, which will be strategically important for expanding into the ASEAN market.

Commenting on the expansion in Singapore, Harjiv Singh, Founder and CEO, Gutenberg, said, I am excited to launch our Singapore office. Singapore is truly a global digital hub with fantastic infrastructure and opportunities for expansion into ASEAN. We are also delighted to announce a new client Smarten Spaces, a Singapore headquartered company focused on Artificial Intelligence-based smart communities and smart city solutions. Adding his reasons for the expansion, he said, McKinsey, in a recent report, called the 10 member states of ASEAN an economic powerhouse. ASEANs 600 million people comprise one of the largest trading blocks in the world, and the rapid growth of its digital market will be an exciting business opportunity for us.

Speaking on behalf of Gutenbergs new client, Smarten Spaces, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that helps real estate companies and enterprises globally digitise spaces and experiences that enhance performance and productivity, Dinesh Malkani, Founder & CEO, Smarten Spaces, a Singapore headquartered company, expressed his delight at Gutenbergs expansion to the ASEAN market. He said, Smarten Spaces partnered with Gutenberg as we were looking for a global integrated marketing communications firm that brought industry expertise around AI, a strong global footprint and marketing experts who understand how to build our brand.

With 70% of the population under the age of 40, ASEANs GDP is expected to have rapid growth in the coming decade from its current US$2.3 trillion. Economic growth will be accompanied by strong growth in the digital sector. The digital market in ASEAN is estimated to grow to more than US$ 200 billion by 2025.

With the launch of its new office, Gutenberg brings its global branding initiative, Global Storytelling Series to Singapore. There will be a panel discussion with CEOs on Leadership and Storytelling in a Digital World.
BizVibe, a smart B2B networking platform for global B2B buyers and suppliers, announced today the next generation of its B2B networking platform for the footwear industry in China.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129006087/en/

BizVibe Announces New B2B Networking Platform for Footwear Manufacturers in China (Graphic: Business Wire)

With the update, businesses can establish a faster and more efficient path from company discovery to getting better quotes and building long-lasting profitable business partnerships with Chinas leading footwear suppliers.

China is the worlds largest footwear producer and exporter. However, more and more international buyers gravitating towards other Southeast Asian countries as preferred destinations for lower-cost products. Despite this, China is expected to remain the worlds top footwear supplier over the next few years. BizVibes latest update connects businesses with the top footwear companies in China and helps users discover thousands of opportunities daily. Weve innovated the modern networking platform to make the process faster, smarter and more hassle-free. Connect and network with Chinas top footwear manufacturers on BizVibe.

View more about the footwear industry in China: How BizVibe is helping buyers connect with Chinas leading footwear producers, suppliers, and exporters.

Why connect with companies from Chinas footwear industry?

Chinas footwear industry has always been the most prominent and the largest in the world in terms of footwear productions and exports. The total sales from Chinas footwear industry reached RMB 370 billion (US$56.7 billion) in 2016, and it is expected that the market will continue to grow at an average annual rate of 7% through 2020. Meanwhile, also in 2016, China exported $47.2 billion worth of footwear to the global market, representing over 35.5% of the worlds total footwear exports in that year, retaining its dominant position as the worlds largest footwear market.

Looking for more information on this market? Check out BizVibes detailed breakdown of the footwear industry in China.

Not only does BizVibes networking platform introduce businesses to verified footwear companies in China, the intelligent B2B networking platform also connects global trade professionals with over 7 million prospecting and sourcing candidates in over 700+ industries. BizVibe cuts research time, allowing you to go after real opportunities.

Network with the Top Footwear Manufacturers in China

BizVibe connects like-minded buyers and suppliers and helps companies keep up with market demand the smart way. Join for free today to find your next big opportunity in a community of leading footwear manufacturers in China

Chinas Top Footwear Companies on BizVibe

NINGBO QINSHI TRADE CO.,LTD

Foshan MGOO Fashion Apparel Co.,Ltd

Shenzhen Elite Clothing Co. Ltd

BizVibes New Networking Platform Helps You Find:

Top footwear suppliers in China

Valuable product quotes that convert

Relevant business chatter in the footwear industry in China

Increase your companys exposure. Add your company to the BizVibe network and instantly match with the top exporters, suppliers, and buyers around the world.

Browse News Related to the Footwear Industry in China

Is China Losing its Position as Textile and Apparel Industry Leader?

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Nike to Become Amazon Partner

Connecting on BizVibe

BizVibe has been specifically designed to help industry professionals connect with like-minded businesses, providing them with a seamless, efficient, and easy-to-use platform. Using cutting-edge technology and advanced match-making algorithms, BizVibe has launched the smartest networking platform on the planet, something that can truly help companies find the right matches.

With extensive feedback from communities across multiple industries, BizVibe was able to identify the core problems and uncertainties when finding potential trade partners. Using this feedback, BizVibe developed an efficient networking platform dedicated to buyers, sellers, importers, exporters, manufacturers, and suppliers, helping thousands of users to connect, engage, and make business deals daily.

About BizVibe

The single-minded focus of BizVibes platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in London, Bangalore, and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129006087/en/

BizVibe

Sony Gomes

Media & Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.com
LONDON, Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Future of the Angolan Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2022



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/1863152



Summary

Angola's military expenditure, declined at a CAGR of -16.98% during the historic period. In June 2014, oil prices have plummeted nearly 60% which resulted in the decline in the growth rate of defense budget Over the forecast period, the defense budget is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 5.60% to reach US$3.8 Billion in 2022. This is primarily attributed to the country's efforts to upgrade its military arsenal, as well as enhance its border security.



Capital expenditure allocation, which registered a CAGR of -13.57% during the historic period, is projected to increase at a CAGR of 5.27% during 2018-2022, primarily due to the country's procurement of multi-role aircraft and naval vessels. Angola's homeland security (HLS) expenditure valued US$2.9 Billion in 2017. Moreover, HLS expenditure is estimated to record a CAGR of 4.80% during the forecast period.



Aircraft accounted for the largest share of imports during 2012-2016, with Russia being the biggest supplier. The country is also anticipated to procure Principe de Asturias, the recently decommissioned Spanish aircraft carrier, over the forecast period. Other significant import partners include Brazil, Bulgaria, Belarus, South Africa, Canada and Italy.



The report "Future of the Angolan Defense Industry - Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2022" offers detailed analysis of the Angolan defense industry with market size forecasts covering the next five years. This report will also analyze factors that influence demand for the industry, key market trends, and challenges faced by industry participants.



In particular, it provides an in-depth analysis of the following -

- The Angolan defense industry market size and drivers: Detailed analysis of the Angolan defense industry during 2018-2022, including highlights of the demand drivers and growth stimulators for the industry. It also provides a snapshot of the country's expenditure and modernization patterns.

- Budget allocation and key challenges: Insights into procurement schedules formulated within the country and a breakdown of the defense budget with respect to capital expenditure and revenue expenditure. It also details the key challenges faced by defense market participants within the country.

- Porter's Five Force analysis of the Angolan defense industry: Analysis of the market characteristics by determining the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitution, intensity of rivalry, and barriers to entry.

- Import and Export Dynamics: Analysis of prevalent trends in the country's imports and exports over the last five years.

- Market opportunities: Details of the top five defense investment opportunities over the next 10 years.

- Competitive landscape and strategic insights: Analysis of the competitive landscape of the Angolan defense industry. It provides an overview of key players, together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives, and a brief financial analysis.



Companies mentioned in this report: Sukhoi, KBP Instrument Design Bureau and Oboronprom Corporation.



Scope

- The defense budget of Angola for the year 2017 is US$2.9 billion. For the historic period, 2013-2017, the defense budget of the country registered a CAGR of -16.98%. The defense budget is currently being driven by efforts to modernize the army, threats from terrorist organizations, and tensions in the South China Sea.

- During the historic period, the Angola MoD allocated an average of 9.7% of the total defense budget to capital expenditure, while an average of 90.3% was reserved for revenue expenditure. Over the forecast period, allocation towards capital expenditure is expected to increase at an average of 9.8%.

- The MoD is expected to invest in multi-role aircraft and naval vessels.



Reasons to buy

- This report will give the user confidence to make the correct business decisions based on a detailed analysis of the Angola defense industry market trends for the coming five years

- The market opportunity section will inform the user about the various military requirements that are expected to generate revenues during the forecast period. The description includes technical specifications, recent orders, and the expected investment pattern by the country during the forecast period

- Detailed profiles of the top domestic and foreign defense manufacturers with information about their products, alliances, recent contract wins, and financial analysis wherever available. This will provide the user with a total competitive landscape of the sector

- A deep qualitative analysis of the Angola defense industry covering sections including demand drivers, Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Key Trends and Growth Stimulators, and latest industry contracts



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/1863152



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: query@reportbuyer.com

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

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View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/future-of-the-angolan-defense-industry---market-attractiveness-competitive-landscape-and-forecasts-to-2022-300563486.html

SOURCE ReportBuyer
The City's annual Christmas Craft Show will be held at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center on Whiskey Road on Friday and Saturday.
November 29, 2017

Tunisian officials are banking on Congress to boost US support for their fledgling democracy amid lethargic interest from the Donald Trump administration.

Pending appropriations legislation in the Senate calls on the US government to jump-start negotiations on a multi-year, bilateral aid package similar to the ones the United States has with other key allies such as Israel and Jordan. The push for more economic and security assistance is a key plank of Tunisian lobbying efforts, with dignitaries from across the political spectrum urging Washington not to abandon the only country where the Arab Spring protests were a success.

We support any improved collaboration and cooperation between the United States and Tunisia, especially in the field of economic development and security, Abdelkarim Harouni, the chairman of the Shura Council to Tunisias Islamist Ennahda movement and a former minister of transportation, told Al-Monitor during a visit to Washington this week. Ennahda is part of a governing coalition with Nidaa Tunis, Tunisias largest secular party.

The report accompanying the Senate bill directs the secretaries of state and defense to submit a report to Congress assessing the feasibility of establishing a multi-year MOU [memorandum of understanding] with Tunisia within 45 days of the bill becoming law. The report argues that an MOU would provide greater predictability required to consolidate democratic and economic gains, and combat terrorism, in Tunisia.

Harouni is just the latest in a string of Tunisian dignitaries to make the same case. Faycal Gouia, Tunisias ambassador to the United States, told Al-Monitor that Tunis has long lobbied the United States to establish an MOU with Tunisia.

It was a proposal we made to the US administration [for a] long time, but for several reasons, it has not been approved, Gouia said. We hope that this will allow  further support and open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

The Barack Obama administration had previously signed a general MOU with Tunisia, reaffirming the common bonds and shared values of long-standing friendship between the two countries. But it did not specify concrete foreign assistance levels for Tunis, as other MOUs throughout the region have done.

For instance, the United States currently has a three-year MOU with Jordan, which specifies that the United States should provide $1 billion in economic and military aid to Jordan annually through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. (A State Department spokesperson told Al-Monitor that the United States is in ongoing discussions with Jordanian officials regarding Jordans request for a new MOU.) Likewise, the Obama administration signed an MOU with Israel last year guaranteeing $38 billion in military aid for fiscal years 2019 through 2028.

MOUs that set specific funding levels are particularly reassuring for countries struggling to cope with terrorism and lingering poverty in light of the Trump administrations efforts to slash foreign aid. The State Departments current budget proposal, for example, would hit Tunisia particularly hard, allocating only $55 million in bilateral foreign aid  a 61% decrease from the $140.4 million budgeted for fiscal year 2017.

While the Senate push for an MOU with Tunisia would have to survive reconciliation with the House version to make it into law, both chambers have explicitly rejected the Trump administrations proposed aid cuts to Tunisia. Instead, Congress is seeking to allocate at least $165.4 million in economic and military assistance for the current fiscal year. The increase followed intensive lobbying efforts, including by Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed during a July visit to Washington.

Following up on Chaheds outreach to congressional appropriators, Harouni met with members of the House Tunisia Caucus Nov. 28, led by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., and Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. Harouni plans to follow up on his visit to Capitol Hill with meetings at the State Department Nov. 29.

Although Tunisias Interior Ministry attributed a stabbing attack on two police officers earlier this month to a suspected militant Islamist, Harouni confidently asserted that Tunisia has succeeded in  defeating terrorism. Nonetheless, he cautioned that US support is crucial to ensuring the countrys stability.

We always try to remind our American friends that combatting terrorism is not just through military and security means; we also have to provide economic development, employment, social justice, democracy, freedom and hope to young people, as well as a moderate, progressive version of Islam, Harouni told Al-Monitor. We have an economic challenge to respond to the social demands of the people, and that is our main challenge right now.

Tunisias plea for help is also being heard beyond the halls of Congress. In a visit to Tunis earlier this month, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan touted the fact that total US assistance surpassed the $140.4 million that had been budgeted for bilateral aid.

Our investment in Tunisias success has grown this year, said Sullivan. In 2017, the United States increased development and military assistance by more than 30% over 2016 levels to $205.4 million.
November 28, 2017

It was a nightmare scene  the worst in Egypts modern history. Over 300 civilians, including 27 children, died and more than 100 were wounded in a terrorist attack that targeted a mosque in the Bedouin village of al-Rawda, 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of el-Arish, the capital of North Sinai province.

Residents say that most of the villages men were killed in the attack, which they described as a massacre bordering on genocide. The village is home to around 2,000 people, most of them from al-Jarirat tribe, part of al-Sawarka tribe, the peninsulas second biggest.

Witnesses from the village told Al-Monitor that five four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying around 25 gunmen in military clothing, armed with machine guns and black flags similar to that of the Islamic State (IS), arrived at the mosque where most of the village men were gathered for Friday prayers on Nov. 24.

The gunmen separated into groups. One group opened fire on worshippers through the windows of the mosque, while another one set fire to their cars outside to prevent people from fleeing. A third group monitored the surrounding roads, killing village residents headed for the mosque and preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded.

One resident who escaped the massacre said he was saved by divine providence as bodies had piled up on top of him.

Minutes after the Friday sermon, there was a sudden rain of bullets through the windows of the mosque and shouts of Allahu akbar [God is greatest] from outside, the resident said, asking to remain anonymous. I didnt understand what was happening. Worshippers started falling to the ground, and there was blood everywhere. The smell of blood was very strong and made me feel nauseous. The bodies of my relatives, who had been praying, fell on top of me. Children yelled from the pain of the bullets that had gone into their little bodies.

In a voice wracked with pain, he continued, I lost control of my body because the corpses had piled on top of me, but I could see what was happening from [underneath] them. The only obstacle to my vision was the blood coming from the bodies on top of me. Every time I closed and opened my eyes I could see worshippers trying to escape through the windows, but the gunmen shot them in their heads.

A few minutes later, the gunmen came into the mosque and shot the heads of worshippers who were already dead, he said. The goal was to finish us off; it was terrifying. Every time I heard a gunshot I felt that I was dying again.

Residents said the blood covered the entire mosque and outside as far as the street. The attack lasted half an hour, but that had not been enough blood for the gunmen, who went to nearby houses and shot at their residents, shouting Allahu akbar and don't leave anyone alive. Witnesses said the accents of some of the attackers indicated that they were Sinai Bedouins, but the majority were not Egyptians.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the massacre, but the main suspect is Wilayat Sinai, an IS branch, according to a researcher on Sinai and armed groups who asked not to be named. Everything points to Wilayat Sinai being the perpetrator. The way they killed people is similar to the massacre of civilian truck drivers as they were transporting production materials to el-Arish cement factory owned by the army in central Sinai, he told Al-Monitor.

The researcher added that Wilayat Sinai has not announced it was responsible for the truck driver killings, but it did take responsibility for the killing of a senior army officer accompanying them. This suggests that the group may not claim the mosque massacre.

In another indication that Wilayat Sinai was behind the mosque attack, residents found remains of large amounts of ammunition around the mosque bearing the initials of the Egyptian army. Wilayat Sinai is the only group that has been able to capture weapons from Egyptian military bases that it has attacked in Sinai, something it has frequently announced.

To start with, we need to understand the reasons for the massacre, the Sinai researcher said. First is to spread fear among the local population, especially after [Wilayat Sinai] came close to defeat because Sinai residents were cooperating with the army. Second is to make a show of strength to the groups supporters after the defeats IS has suffered in Syria, Iraq and Libya, in the context of its desperate need for fighters after the Egyptian army  in cooperation with Hamas  cut off the flow of new fighters from Gaza.

As for the jihadis hesitation in claiming the attack, the researcher said that for them, it is not important whether they announce responsibility or not. They have already achieved their goals as far as their supporters are concerned. They have gained prominence around the world; they appear more terrifying than ever in an attempt to force the people of Sinai to support them and to dominate them as well as sowing fear among anyone who thinks of challenging them. I also believe that they have left themselves room to deny responsibility if need be.

There have been many theories on why al-Rawda Mosque was targeted. Some residents said the attack was related to threats by Wilayat Sinai members against village residents in recent months that they would be targeted if they continued to inform the army about the groups movements.

Residents say that Wilayat Sinai terrorists have tried from time to time to place bombs and carry out attacks against military convoys that periodically pass near the village on the international road leading from the Egyptian mainland through North Sinai, but these operations failed because village residents informed the security forces.

One survivor of the attack said in a video posted Nov. 24 on a local Facebook page that he heard one of the attackers saying, as he opened fire on worshippers, This is the punishment of whoever humiliates the mujahedeen [holy warriors].

A local journalist who asked not to be identified told Al-Monitor the attack happened because the village [residents] belongs to a Sufi movement that believes in self-purity as a form of worship and decries violence and terrorist ideology. IS sees the villages residents as heretics and enemies of the jihadis.

Sufism is one of the components of Ahl al-Sunnah [Sunni Islam] and not a separate doctrine, but Wilayat Sinai thinks that anyone who is not with it is against it  even those who follow the Salafist-jihadi teachings of al-Qaeda, the journalist said.

In December 2016, IS al-Naba magazine threatened to destroy al-Rawda Mosque as it had embraced the Jaririya Sufi order, the most common form of Sufism in Sinai and the one IS sees as closest to the oppressive regime  the Egyptian government.

According to the magazine, an "emir" of the Wilayat Sinai morality police said the organizations aim was to destroy the mosque. We say to all Sufis, leaders and followers in Sinai and beyond that we will not allow Sufism, particularly in Sinai and across Egypt in general. Know that we see you as heretics and your blood as spillable and sullied.

Sinai residents say that dozens of those who were killed in the mosque do not belong to any sect. They were there for Friday prayers in the villages only mosque. Some 135 of them had fled the clashes between the Egyptian army and IS in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah. Another 30 were children who had no idea about Sufism or any other religious categorization.

This organization is brutal; it does not distinguish between children and adults or between the innocent and the guilty, said Salmi, a resident of Bir al-Abed, 30 kilometers west of al-Rawda. It believes that whoever is not a killer like it is a heretic. It has no hesitation in killing children because it believes that children will grow up to reject its rotten ideology.

After the massacre, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi promised to respond with brutal force and announced that a massive memorial would be built in al-Rawda.

We don't want a monument; we want our children to be treated in humane hospitals, one said. Our wounded are still lying in hospitals in el-Arish and Ismailia without being treated.

But many families of the victims are angry, saying they did not receive the appropriate treatment. We don't want a monument; we want our children to be treated in humane hospitals, one said. Our wounded are still lying in hospitals in el-Arish and Ismailia without being treated. He said some still had bullets in their bodies at the time of writing on Nov. 27.

Another said, The terrorists continued to attack the village for about an hour, and the state did not come to protect us, despite the army having aircraft that would need five minutes to reach us and take out the killers. There is an army base minutes away from us, but they did nothing. Is the state punishing us because we love Egypt, respect the law and reject terrorism? Sinai residents prefer not to give their names for fear of being targeted by terrorists or punished by the Egyptian government, which has imposed a media blackout on Sinai.

Mansur Abu Garir, the brother of one of the victims, wrote on Facebook Nov. 25, No condolences. Have you ever seen an entire tribe in mourning? Mourn the old men who refused to take up arms [to fight IS] because they were scared of a civil war. Mourn the old men and their entourage, the official, the minister, the military governor and the governor.

The al-Qaeda-linked Jund al-Islam group decried the massacre. The group's statement appears to be an attempt to create a popular base for itself among Sinai residents and to win over people bitterly angry at both IS and the Egyptian army, to utilize them to build its own ranks and make a comeback in Sinai.

Researchers and experts believe that Sinai is heading for more violence as Wilayat Sinai carries out increasingly barbaric attacks, al-Qaeda attempts to make a comeback and the Egyptian government continues to marginalize the peninsulas residents.
November 29, 2017

Irans President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran is seeking to solve regional problems through negotiation and not confrontation. In a live interview with Irans state TV on Nov. 28, besides domestic issues, Rouhani addressed the crises in the region and other foreign policy matters.

In a reference to Tehran-Riyadh ties, Rouhani said, We have improved relations with [most] countries of the region  except for a couple of countries. Today, we have better relations with Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Qatar. We may have problems with a couple of countries such as Saudi Arabia, which they have fanned.

He added, Saudi Arabia is looking for tension with Iran to cover up defeats in the region and internal problems. The domestic issues of Saudi Arabia, disagreements and turbulence are serious problems. They want to portray a country as their enemy to hide their internal problems.

Rouhani said, "The problems of the region must be resolved through dialogue instead of confrontation."

Addressing the critics of the nuclear deal in Iran who consider it a failure, Rouhani noted, We achieved big successes [that are not reversible]  and [they] will remain in our history forever. He added, We resolved a big international problem  which was described by [the West] as an international crisis  at the negotiation table.

Rouhani added, We managed to conduct the nuclear talks in a very good situation.  Some thought that we were proceeding [with the talks] hastily, but we did this with a [US] government that was transitioning from Democrats to Republicans.

He continued, In terms of morality, we won in the talks and we proved that we do not lie and that, rather, our enemies were lying, [and that] we didnt seek nuclear weapons and we managed to annul the UN sanctions against us. We may face resolutions in the future; we cant foresee the next 20 years. But we annulled the resolutions [against Iran], and this is a success.

Noting Irans achievements after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the White Houses possible plans to kill the deal, Rouhani said, "The new US administration's attempts to cancel the JCPOA have so far failed, which shows its firmness.  Only one or two countries support the new US administration, but Europe, China, Russia and the rest of the world have taken a different stance."

Mentioning US President Donald Trumps speech and Rouhanis own address at the UN General Assembly meeting in September, he added, These two [speeches] were compared in the world and it was said that Iran spoke logically and politely, and the US president spoke in an illogical way to the Iranian nation.

Rouhani said, "Enemies of the JCPOA in the region were Israel and Saudi Arabia, which failed. But we have anticipated moves for all the possible conditions."

Emphasizing Irans diplomatic and military strength, Rouhani noted, We need the two wings of diplomacy and military power in the face of possible threats, and flying will be impossible if any of these wings [fail].

Our main strength is our people, but we will certainly strengthen our military power and diplomacy, added Rouhani.
November 28, 2017

At the beginning of November, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled all the way to London in order to mark 100 years of the Nov. 2, 1917, Balfour Declaration  the famous letter in which the British foreign secretary committed that his government would support the establishment of a Jewish home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel/Palestine. Indeed, the Balfour Declaration was a significant road mark in the history of the Zionist enterprise. However, the organization that translated the British document from a general declaration of intentions to practical political language three decades later was the United Nations.

On Nov. 29, 1947, the ears of future citizens of Israel and Jews throughout the world were turned to radio transmitters, counting the votes for and against the establishment of a Hebrew state at the UN General Assembly. When the results of the vote were declared, crowds went out to the streets and celebrated with song and dance until dawn. In his book "A Tale of Love and Darkness," Amos Oz recalls how strangers hugged and kissed each other with tears in the streets, shocked British soldiers were dragged to the dance circles and plied with beer and liquor, and ecstatic celebrators climbed British tanks and waved the flags of the state that hadnt yet been established.

Nov. 29 (marked by Israelis by a combination of the Hebrew and Gregorian date) was commemorated by the naming of streets in big Israeli cities. The house in which Netanyahu was raised, on Haportzim Street in Jerusalem, is only a few steps away from 29th of November Street. But in recent years, the status of the term 29th of November has slowly declined. The 70th anniversary of the official decision to establish a state for the Jewish people hasnt received a fraction of the honor and attention the Israeli establishment gave to the Balfour Declaration.

The main reason for the loss of status of the Nov. 29, 1947, UN Resolution 181, is found in the title given to it on the Knessets website: The resolution of the United Nations on the establishment of the Hebrew state. Only at the end in parentheses does it say partition plan. Partition between whom? Does the decision only relate to a Hebrew state? This title does not mention the prominent existence of an Arab state in Resolution 181, and it discloses Israels weak spot: the refusal to divide the land and recognize any kind of Palestinian sovereignty.

As professor Shlomo Avineri wrote in Haaretz on Nov. 23, Resolution 181 is connected by an umbilical cord to the principle of partition, since the willingness to recognize the right of Jewish self-determination was accompanied by the recognition of the right of Arab inhabitants of the land to establish a state in part of the territory of the mandate. This part, we should note, was spread over 45% of the mandates territory, while the part of the State of Israel was supposed to be 55%. The Arab population in the mandate territory at the time was twice that of the Jewish population.

Avineri  who served as the director of the Foreign Ministry in the first Rabin government in 1974-77  argued that the refusal of the Arabs to respect the resolution and put down their weapons left the Palestinian people without a sovereign country and made millions of them refugees. Those lucky ones who didnt flee and were not expelled became a minority in the State of Israel. Others have lived 50 years under military occupation. Avineri argues further that the unwillingness of the Palestinians to recognize the political and moral mistake they made in rejecting the partition is even today a stumbling block on the way to achieve a historic compromise between the two national movements.

This inaccurate assertion, to put it mildly, is often repeated by Israeli politicians and right-wing intellectuals. The cliche attributed to the late Foreign Minister Abba Eban  considered one of Israels most skilled diplomats  The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity is used as a spearhead at the hands of those who oppose a compromise based on the partition of the land. But for three decades now Israel has competed with the Arabs in missing opportunities. In November 1988, the Palestinian National Council, the top body of the PLO, decided to recognize UN resolutions 242 and 338 (the Algiers Declaration). The geopolitical significance of this step was a recognition of Israeli sovereignty in 78% of the territory of the British mandate instead of 55% and Palestinian sovereignty in 22% of the territory instead of 45%. The government of Israel ignored this revolution in the Palestinian arena.

Resolutions 242 and 338 were the foundations of the 1991 Madrid Summit and the 1993 Oslo Accord. The Israeli response was  and is still  an entrenchment of the occupation. At the start of the 2000s, the nations of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic States joined the large international community that erased the UNs partition plan of 1947 in favor of the partition determined by the 1967 Six-Day War. The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative dealt with the issue of the right of return by means of a formula that determines that the solution must be fair and just but also agreed upon by all sides. Thus, Israel was given a veto right to the right of return. The Israeli response was that of recognizing illegal settlement outposts and new laws of land expropriation.

Thus, the tables have turned: The Arab states recognize the right of Israel to exist in peace and security and even have normal relations with them, while the State of Israel refuses to recognize the right of Palestinians to self-determination. The Palestinian national camp is ready to partition the land and give up most of the small territory the UN allocated it 70 years ago. The Jewish-Israeli national camp refuses to partition the land and give Palestinians less than half of that territory.

While the leadership of the Yishuv  the pre-state Jewish community in Palestine  welcomed the partition resolution, the Revisionist camps leadership distributed fliers decrying the shameful commerce in the lands of our homeland. Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, then the chairman of the Jewish Agency, said that in all of its history the Jewish people never received all at once what it now has achieved. The leadership of the Lehi  an extreme right-wing Zionist paramilitary group headed by Abraham (Yair) Stern  declared that the Hebrew people have not and will never recognize the division of its homeland. The successors of that same leadership, headed by Netanyahu, lead toward the elimination of the opportunity opened 70 years ago to divide the land between two people and perpetuate hatred and violence in their common homeland.
November 29, 2017

With the support of 46 lawmakers, the Knesset gave initial approval Nov. 27 to the so-called recommendations law, also dubbed the bill to silence police. Only 83 of the chambers 120 members took part, with 37 voting against the proposed legislation that appears designed to prevent police from making public its recommendations, based on lengthy criminal investigations, on whether to prosecute Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahus associates reject claims that the bill was meant to buy time for the prime minister. The bills sponsor, Knesset member and Netanyahu stalwart David Amsalem, argued that the legislation was motivated by a desire to defend suspects rights, but the energetic advocacy of the bill by Netanyahu's close associates clearly indicates they are acting on his behalf. Amsalem and coalition chair David Bitan booted out Knesset member Benny Begin, the son of the late Likud Prime Minister Menachem Begin, from the Knessets Internal Affairs Committee for opposing the bill when it came up for debate. The Likud also threatened Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, the head of the coalition partner Kulanu, that if he didn't vote for the law the Likud would call early elections. Kahlon, as usual, gave in.

The law, which still awaits final Knesset approval, bans police from sharing its recommendations to the prosecution upon completion of probes. The law also stipulates that police will not present any recommendations in particularly sensitive investigations, such as those of elected officials in which a prosecutor is involved.

The legislation initiative and the aggressive way in which it is being fast-tracked for approval have generated a major public controversy. Opponents of what they call the Netanyahu defense bill have been outspoken. Zionist Camp Chairman Avi Gabbay called it a crime and loss of shame,'' accusing its proponents of robbing Israeli democracy in broad daylight.

Former senior Likud officials have also expressed shock at the partys conduct under Netanyahu and how the lawmakers are willing to do anything to keep their seats and defend the prime minister.

Former Justice Minister Dan Meridor, known as one of the Likuds scions, dubbed the Likuds behavior scandalous." In an interview on Israel Army Radio, he said, They are administering one blow after another to the giant enterprise we built here and to its legal system.  We are going downhill and people will lose faith. Meridor added, A few people have to stand up and say Were part of the coalition, but this has gone too far.'"

However, the controversial legislation is headed for final approval, and not only due to the efforts of its supporters in the coalition. Opposition lawmakers also had a lot to do with it, abusing their office by avoiding the vote. For example, seven of the 24 members of the Zionist Camps Knesset faction were absent, although three appear to have had a good excuse  they were abroad on parliamentary business (in Iceland and Moscow).

The absence of seven of the 13 lawmakers of the Joint List of predominantly Arab parties, the Knessets third-largest faction, was particularly strange. Chair Ayman Odeh had a legitimate excuse  he was in France attending a parliamentary conference. The others claimed personal reasons or other public commitments. Said al-Harumi, for example, was on a tour of disenfranchised Bedouin villages in southern Israel, according to his spokesperson, whereas Taleb Abu Arrar was called to an urgent meeting in the southern city of Beersheba and could not attend the vote, his spokesperson said.

Members of the Joint List, an alliance of four small Arab parties, promised their voters to work for them, to ensure their rights and to act for their integration into Israeli society as equals. Since the Joint List was formed before the March 2015 elections, Odeh has been striving to significantly increase the role of Arab society in Israels social, civic and constitutional discourse.

Recent polls reflect a promising shift, with most of Israels Arab citizens seeing themselves as part of the state and trusting its institutions, despite a sense of disenfranchisement. A survey published Nov. 22 by Israel Hayom, for example, indicates that 60% of Arab-Israelis are proud to be Israelis, 57% describe their attitude toward the police as positive and an even greater percentage, 60%, believe the Israeli court system operates with integrity.

It appears likely that most of the Arab-Israeli community that seeks to integrate as equals into Israeli society are concerned by the trampling of the countrys democracy and the corruption scandals dogging its officials daily. Thus, the Joint List did not fulfill its commitment to its voters. A tour of the unrecognized Bedouin villages and an urgent meeting in Beersheba are certainly important activities for the Arab public, but they could perhaps be put off.

When half the members of the Joint List avoid the vote on such a blatantly anti-democratic law, they are conveying to their constituents that a law designed to cover for a prime minister and defend him from criminal probes does not trouble them. They chose to leave such matters to their Jewish counterparts.

Their presence in the Knesset plenary for the vote could have taken on additional political significance as the chambers third-largest party. Gabbay, the head of the leading opposition party, recently insisted that if he were picked to put together Israels next government, he would not ask the Joint List to join. This weeks vote could have been a show of force by the Joint List and a message to Gabbay that the day will come when he will beg for their support.
November 29, 2017

In the early morning of Nov. 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for a short visit of a few hours to Kenya. He returned to Israel that same night.

There was nothing urgent or important to this visit. The prime minister of Israel was the sole Western leader who attended Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's swearing-in ceremony in Nairobi. But for Netanyahu this trip was another opportunity to distance himself from the travails of the criminal investigations into his dealings, and to show the Israeli public more official photos from visits to distant lands, where he is received with royal honors. Netanyahu aims to create a sense among the public that while in his own country he is persecuted by the police and the left, around the world he is treated with prestige and respect.

But this time, as he walked down the red carpet in Nairobi and inspected the Kenyan honor guard, Netanyahu could also be pleased with some achievements at home: After several stormy political days where his fourth government faced immediate and real danger of collapse, he once again stood on firm and solid ground. In less than a week, his coalition withstood two major crises, each one of which could have escalated to an early election. And all this time he is embroiled in several criminal investigations  in a normal world he would be considered a lame duck.

But in current politics  in Israel and in the rest of the world  there is nothing normal, and the prime minister proved once again that when it comes to political survival and manipulation, he is better than anyone else. Netanyahu has emerged from these crises heading a stable coalition, where he  and only he  will decide if and when the next election will take place.

The crisis concerning train repair work on the Sabbath, which made Netanyahu sweat Nov. 24, was the most serious coalition crisis experienced by this government to date. It took time for the prime ministers office to grasp that the spiritual leader of ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah party, the Hasidic grand rabbi of Gur Yaakov Alter, means to go all the way with his demand to cancel all work on the railways on Saturdays, including instructing Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman to resign from the government. Netanyahu, who was burned in the past by giving in to the ultra-Orthodox on the issue of the Sabbath, understood that conceding on this topic would strengthen his political rival from the opposition  the chairman of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid. According to a poll by Channel 10 published Nov. 26 in the shadow of the ultra-Orthodox crisis, Yesh Atid and the Likud are battling for the same number of Knesset seats: 24.

But anyone who hoped that this conflict over the Sabbath would lead to a political drama was disappointed. Indeed, Litzman resigned from the government Nov. 26, but his party remains in the coalition. Netanyahu is now working to change the Basic Law of the government in a way that would allow Litzman to return to the Ministry of Health with the same responsibilities, but with the title of deputy minister. It goes without saying that Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri, for whom the polls predict a collapse in the next election, remains entrenched in the coalition.

A day later, the second crisis arrived. Spirits in the Knesset were inflamed once again, this time at the Recommendations law that was brought to a first reading in the Knesset. This is a bill brought by Likud Knesset member David Amsalem, which aims to prohibit the police from recommending that government prosecutors indict someone at the end of an investigation, instead of allowing the police to merely share their findings with the prosecution. Although he was severely criticized, even from the Likud, Amsalem invested great effort to make sure the law takes force and involves Netanyahus current investigations as well. Thus, he significantly strengthened the argument that this is a personal law, meant to silence the police and allow Netanyahu to contend in the next election without the public burden of an expected recommended criminal indictment, at least in one of the cases in which he is being investigated.

Throughout this crisis, eyes were watching the chairman of Kulanu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. In recent weeks, Kahlon pledged not to allow personal laws to pass. But at the moment of truth he too helped Netanyahu pass the law, which even a professional expert such as State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan described as silencing. The chairman of Kulanu folded in face of the threat of an early election and unflattering polls, and at once transformed from being the coalitions defender of the rule of law to being a collaborator in the prime ministers fight against law enforcement authorities. If in the not-distant past some in the opposition counted on Kahlon to be the one to dismantle the government, they were proven wrong again.

As with Litzmans crisis, here, too, a ladder was built to help Kahlon climb down from the tree. Amsalems bill was amended such that in investigations that have already begun  like the investigations of the prime minister  the attorney general could ask the police for their recommendation, but in any case it will not be made public. Another win for Netanyahu.

In a rushed press conference he organized Nov. 27 after the passing of the Recommendations law, Kahlon claimed that before he supported the bill he consulted with Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. Along the way the chairman of Kahlon had to quiet discontent in his party, but he did so without great effort once he made clear that opposition to the law would mean going to an election. To Kahlons luck, the media fire was also directed at opposition members  17 of whom did not show up to vote on the law in the Knesset plenum.

A senior Likud source close to the prime minister, who in recent days witnessed the political strategizing around him, told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that there will not be another crisis with the ultra-Orthodox at least until the end of the year. The source said, The government will hold at least until March 2019. The police and state attorney will not finish their work before then. There are many processes before the decision to indict a prime minister. The source also noted that what will stick at the end of the three investigations against the prime minister is Case 1000 (concerning the receipt of gifts from businessmen), and that in the Likud no one will get bent out of shape at charges regarding champagne and cigars. It will only strengthen him.

According to the scenario described by the senior Likud source, Netanyahu will lead the party in the next election even if he is indicted in this case. I dont know anyone in the Likud, including those vying for the crown such as [former Minister] Gideon Saar and [Minister] Yisrael Katz, who would call on Netanyahu to resign, because they would destroy themselves in the process, the source said.
November 28, 2017

The credibility crisis between Hamas and Fatah regarding the reconciliation agreement signed by both parties Oct. 12 can no longer be ignored. Differences of opinion have deepened, and in the last round of talks in Cairo on Nov. 21, the post-signing smiles were replaced by anger and open recriminations. It would seem that the gaps between the sides cannot be bridged.

The first to express his frustration and announce that the reconciliation had reached a dead end was top Hamas official Salah Bardawil, the delegation member representing Hamas in the Cairo talks. In a video clip he disseminated (and then deleted shortly afterward, evidently under Egyptian pressure), Bardawil grumbled that Fatah is trying to sabotage the reconciliation. The Hamas official decisively declared that the talks had already failed, though his movement was determined not to adopt any drastic steps in the meantime.

On the other hand, Hussein al-Sheikh, the Fatah delegation member to the talks, accused Hamas as the party guilty of placing obstacles in their path. Sheikh contended that the Palestinian government was not given responsibility for even 5% of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) civil spheres of responsibility in the Gaza Strip, and that the weapons issue has not been resolved at all. Sheikh argued that Hamas does not really accept the "one weapon, one law" principle, where the PA is the sole governing and security authority.

Israeli observers are keenly following the talks taking place between the sides. As my colleague Ben Caspit wrote in Al-Monitor, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made statements against the reconciliation, Israel has been actually trying to do what it can to make the reconciliation succeed, almost from the moment the plan was conceived. Israel supported the reconciliation due to Egyptian and American pressure. And there was probably also the component of Israel's clear interest in resolving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Members of Israel's security system hold that in spite of Egypts efforts to promote the Palestinian reconciliation and in spite of Egypt's threats to both sides, both Hamas and Fatah are trying to stonewall the talks so as not to be blamed for the failure of the reconciliation. Beyond that, Hamas longs to maintain the breath of fresh air offered by Egypt to Gaza by opening the Rafah crossing on condition of reconciliation. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, desperately needs Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's support for his planned diplomatic actions at the end of his tenure. Therefore, despite the distrust between the sides and the clear understanding that neither side is really and truly ready to forfeit or compromise on its iron principles, Hamas and Fatah continue to go through the motions of discussions and debate.

According to an Israeli security source who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Hamas' actions are especially interesting because it teaches us about its intentions on the ground over time. Research analysis, said the source, shows us that the central pillar of the strategy adopted by the Hamas leadership is that of stalling for time in order to survive until the winds change direction.

Hamas, said the source, is a movement whose DNA requires it to take a break when its situation deteriorates. Thus, for example, every time that Hamas was felled by the Israel Defense Forces and weakened almost existentially, it initiated a "tahidya" (calm) that allowed it to survive, rehabilitate itself and then strengthen itself.

The source said Hamas leaders now seek an internal and regional tahidya that will allow the movement to survive the difficult days in the first stage and then consolidate its vision for the future in the second stage. The source said Hamas' goal is to conquer the central Palestinian government, which would enable the movement to maintain and preserve its important assets, mainly its military wing. In other words, it seems that the Hamas movement has its eyes fixed on conquering the West Bank.

In October, it was publicized that Jordanian King Abdullah II rejected the request of Khaled Meshaal, the former head of Hamas' political bureau, to open a Hamas office in Amman, evidently as part of the plans of the former leader to conquer the PA presidency in the post-Abbas era.

At the onset of the Cairo talks last week, both sides announced that they had come to an agreement on holding PA elections at the end of 2018. It was the Hamas delegation that had pushed to quickly set a date for elections, even before resolving the major issues. From Hamas' point of view, that is enough time for it to take advantage of the tahidya to organize itself and plan for the elections.

According to the security source, Hamas' vision has adapted itself to the dead-end reality in which the movement finds itself, including Abbas' iron-clad demand that Hamas disarm itself as a precondition for reconciliation. As Hamas sees it, its only option is to conquer the PA, just like in 2006 when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip. At that time, Hamas also had its back to the wall and came to the conclusion that its only option left was elections, although Hamas at the time did not imagine it would achieve such a rousing victory.

Toward the end of the second intifada (March-April 2004), Israel began a series of targeted killings of Hamas' diplomatic leadership. Within a month, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his successor Abdel al-Rantisi were eliminated. The movement's leadership, headed by Meshaal, was forced to make a historic strategic agreement: to stop the suicide attacks against Israelis, stop the intifada (Hamas was one the intifada's prime leaders) and transform the movement's center of gravity to politics instead of terror. So to survive, Hamas decided to organize itself toward elections. Today, it may have come to the same conclusion for the very same reasons.

A future victory in the 2018 elections, when the "one weapon, one law" option is on the table, will allow Hamas to retain its assets. Until then, all that remains for it to do is to play reconciliation games.

"In this long time span, anything can happen," the source concluded. Like in the Yiddish tale, "either the nobleman will die or the dog will die." In other words: Either Abbas will resign or something else dramatic will take place that will cause the public to forget all about the dismantling of the military wing, Hamas' pride and joy and bastion of strength.
Mike Kohn says Thank-you Racine! I express to you, the Greater Racine community, my appreciation for the resources you have given since 1993 to my care. We arrived in Racine from San Antonio, Texas, following my dads retirement from the Army. I am in my wheelchair or bed 24/7. Many from Racine have gone the second mile on my behalf. Thank you.

Supervisors from the Racine Community Care staff have provided a caring network of resources. The Wheaton Franciscan Home Health initiated home health aides morning and night seven days a week. Their attention to my personal needs resulted in my exceptional welfare. Thank you Sue, Mary, Kelly, Judy and Courtney.

I attended Careers for more than 24 years. They were professional and responsive to my needs. Thank you Laura and staff. Transit Bus also gave transportation five days a week. Thank you Pam, Harvey and staff. The Lakeview Pharmacy were responsible for my medication needs. Thank you Pete, staff and workers. Dr. Matthews, Shelby and staff, Four Mile Clinic, attended to my medical welfare. As well, Dr. Morse and staff in Milwaukee gave of their expertise. Thank you.

The spiritual and personal care received from Calvary Memorial Church and First Free Evangelical Church remains priceless. Thank you, Pastor James and Pastor John.

I, along with my dad, have just moved to the State of Michigan. I have two sisters there. Racine, you have made resources available providing outstanding care for me. I thank the Lord for you, do continue with the care for your people and community. Thank you, Racine.

Homer Kohn

On behalf of son, Mike Kohn

Allendale, Michigan, formerly of Racine
November 29, 2017

As the war in Syria dies down and the dust starts to settle, the enormity of Israel's strategic mistake during the long years of conflict is becoming all the more apparent. The first person to point this out publicly was Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of Military Intelligence from 2006 to 2010.

Yadlin is now the executive director of Tel Aviv Universitys Institute for National Security Studies, the country's most important research institution. On Nov. 23, he declared resolutely, "Israel made a mistake when it adopted a position of neutrality during the Syrian war. It should have done everything it could to bring down President Bashar al-Assad's regime as early as 2012." According to Yadlin, the weakness shown by the United States and Israel is what led to a situation in which the new Syria is being shaped by "the Czar [Russian President Vladimir Putin], the Sultan [Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] and the Supreme Leader [Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]. At an attempt in Geneva to resolve the crisis several years ago, the United States dictated the list of participants. Now the United States has all but disappeared from the arena, while Israel is being excluded by Putin and Erdogan.

As revealed in an earlier Al-Monitor article, behind closed doors, Israel is bemoaning having missed a historic opportunity to be done with Assad, and with him, the Shiite axis along the Golan Heights and its border with Lebanon, since this axis is only getting stronger. As one very senior Israeli military official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "There was a full year during the civil war in Syria in which anyone who wanted to could have taken down Assad without any effort and without anyone signing off on it, without it being attributed to some operation or other. Car bombs were going off outside his presidential palace during that year, and mortars were landing just a few dozen meters away from the struggling Syrian president. All anyone had to do was give it another little nudge."

Now Israel finds itself faced with dire strategic circumstances. While Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said this week, "Right now there is no Iranian military force on Syrian soil," no one in the Israeli defense establishment plans to relax. No one has stopped worrying that Syria could become a protectorate of Shiite Iran or that Iran could establish itself in Syria and Lebanon, turning them into a military arm of the ayatollahs' regime, under its direct control.

Foreign news sources say that Israel used the last few years to launch a lengthy series of aerial attacks against Syrian targets. Most of these were directed at concentrations and convoys of arms intended for Hezbollah. Now Israel is considering the possibility of reconfiguring and strengthening its unwritten red lines, which have set the ground for its military activity in the region over the past few years. It is even investigating the possibility of launching a far-reaching preventive strike to interfere with future Iranian efforts to establish factories for the manufacture of precision rockets and missiles in Syria or Lebanon, as well as to prevent Iranian military bases from popping up there.

As always, these concerns and the overall alarmism originates with the political leadership and decision-makers, chief among them Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and less from the military brass. "There's no need to exaggerate," one senior military source told Al-Monitor two weeks ago on condition of anonymity. "The Iranians aren't sitting on the border fence. Even if some Shiite militia or other establishes a base in Syrian territory, it would not be a real strategic threat."

It is believed that Iran is planning to keep the Shiite militias, which fought during the civil war in Syria, under Iranian commanders drawn from officers and experts in its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "Even if that does happen, it is not the kind of tiebreaker that would necessitate going to war," the source added.

What disturbs the Israeli officers more is the Iranian "Precision [Missile] Project," intended to provide Assad and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah with the capability to manufacture their own rockets and missiles, which could strike within dozens of meters of strategic targets. As one top Israeli minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "For that, we would need to consider going to war. That should be a red line flashing brightly at us. All the regional decision-makers must then take into consideration that Israel will not blink, and that it will do everything it can to prevent its enemies from obtaining the capacity to harm it, its economy, its air force bases and other sites with precision strikes. Period."

There are those in Israel who compare the current situation on the Syrian front with what the Egyptians did on the eve of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Back then, Egypt repositioned its Soviet anti-aircraft missiles so that they would be in range of the front lines during any future war. This is what enabled the Egyptian army to cross the Suez Canal and establish a bridgehead on its eastern bank, despite Israeli preventive efforts. This resulted in the loss of dozens of Israeli fighter jets.

Today, Israel is stretching its intelligence capacities in an enormous effort to locate factories that are part of the "Precision Project," like the one on the outskirts of Damascus, which was bombed a few months ago (the Syrian SARS project). At the same time, Assad is getting stronger by the day, and his regime is successfully re-establishing itself. Jerusalem is aware that at some point, Syrian restraint will diminish. Assad will no longer be satisfied with sporadic anti-aircraft fire in the general direction of Israeli aircraft. He will strive to exact a steeper price.

Sources in Israel are saying that over the next few months, every decision to launch an aerial attack against Syria, like the relatively frequent decisions over the last year, will have to take into consideration the growing risk of a war breaking out between Israel and the forces on the Syrian front (Hezbollah and Assad, backed by Iran). Both are getting stronger steadily. "What we mustn't forget," said one senior Israeli source on condition of anonymity, "is that the more time passes, the harder such a war will be for us. It is directly proportional to how strong Assad gets. Right now, Israeli military superiority is decisive, while Assad is still fragile and vulnerable. That is why we mustnt wink. We must make it clear to all the relevant parties that there are certain lines that Israel has no intention of abandoning."

As usual, the mood in the IDF is much calmer. "Assad is still intimidated by Israel, as is Nasrallah," a senior Israeli military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. ''We have to keep doing what we've been doing until now in order to stop 'Project Precision' and to keep Iran from constructing an airport or naval port in Syria. What is true," he added, ''is that we must do it quietly, without making a big show of it. Just do it, instead of talking about it."
November 27, 2017

Stranded along Jordans northeastern border with Syria at Rukban for nearly two years, Mohammad Khader al-Mahya lives in misery. Some 50,000 Syrians live in a 3-year-old desert encampment, hundreds of miles from the nearest city and cut off from international aid workers in a closed military zone. The Jordanian government claims the camp has been infiltrated by the Islamic State (IS) and therefore has prohibited food deliveries to Rukban since June, causing prices on the black market to skyrocket.

Approximately 80% of the refugees at Rukban suffer from malnutrition, an Amman-based European ambassador told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. According to the envoy, conditions are so dire that some women are engaging in prostitution to survive. Inadequate health care and poor sanitation have led to the spread of hepatitis and severe respiratory infections, resulting in child deaths. Amid these horrific conditions, the Syrians are mired in place by an international power struggle and unable to receive the assistance they critically need.

The most difficult part is when your children wake up during the night because of the hunger pangs and you cant help them, Khader told Al-Monitor via WhatsApp. Living in a flimsy tent and suffering from the bitter cold, Mahya added, The entire family is sick, and medicine is not available.

The Hashemite kingdom has remained steadfast in denying food assistance to the trapped Syrians during the past four months. In June 2016, IS carried out a strike on Jordanian forces stationed near the area, which international aid workers call the Berm, killing seven border guards and wounding 13. Amman thereafter dramatically reduced the amount of food entering Rukban, permitting deliveries approximately once every three or four months, the most recent being in June of this year.

On Oct. 8, the Petra news agency reported that in a meeting with European Union envoys the day of the June delivery, Jordanian Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi said that humanitarian aid to the camp residents must be delivered through Syrian territory since it is a Syrian issue. The location of the Syrians in the Berm is disputed. Jordan claims they are in Syrian territory, while Human Rights Watch says the Berm is located several hundred meters south of the Syrian-Jordanian border, inside the Hashemite kingdom.

Safadi said that despite ongoing fighting, current conditions allow for the delivery of aid through Syria. Petra reported, Safadi reiterated that Jordan will not accept any solution that would make the Rukban camp a Jordanian problem or depend on the Kingdom as a way to deliver aid.

Amman frequently points to its generous absorption of Syrian refugees  more than 655,000, according to the United Nations, and 1.3 million by the Jordanian governments count  as evidence that the country has fulfilled its duty to assist this vulnerable population. Mohammad Momani, the Jordanian minister of state for media affairs and a government spokesman, declined Al-Monitors repeated requests for comment.

Multiple senior European officials explained that the resumption of food deliveries to the area is part of ongoing negotiations between the United States and Russia to reduce tensions in southern Syria.

In an Oct. 30 statement to the UN Security Council, Mark Lowcock, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, discussed the delivering of aid to Rukban via Syrian-regime territory. Immediate access to enable life-saving assistance for the civilian population is critical, he asserted. Clearly the best approach is to find a solution from within Syria.

According to a Nov. 14 internal UN report obtained by Al-Monitor, some progress has been made in the negotiations between the United States and Russia to secure aid to Rukban through Syrian regime territory. The memo cautioned, however, that it will take additional time to receive final approval from the government of President Bashar al-Assad and then a number of weeks to implement the plan.

Western officials are not encouraging optimism. Weve seen that in many other places in Syria, humanitarian access granted in principle but in practice nothing happens, a separate senior European diplomat told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Thus, even starving Syrians trapped in the Berm are unable to escape the ongoing psychological warfare between Moscow and Washington.

Russian government officials blasted the United States for allegedly obstructing humanitarian deliveries to Rukban. Sergei Kuralenko, head of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria, charged Nov. 24, The Russian reconciliation center continues efforts to organize humanitarian deliveries to the Rukban refugee camp. But, despite the earlier agreements with the US force command at Tanf, the UN has received no consent from the US side, which makes it impossible to begin practical actions to organize humanitarian convoys. The Russian Defense Ministry added in a statement, At the same time, the American side and illegal armed formations impede establishment of a safe passage for humanitarian cargos to be delivered to the people in the camp.

Washington strongly disputed the Russians' accusation. A State Department official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, It is disappointing the Russians continue to make these ridiculous allegations. Not only are these claims inaccurate, they are not based in fact and serve only as a distraction.

Although Western powers continue to negotiate the delivery of emergency food aid to Rukban through Damascus, analysts are skeptical that it will lead to reliable and regular provisioning. The Assad government's record on humanitarian aid issues is consistent: it enables or blocks access according to tactical, political needs, former US Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford told Al-Monitor. It regularly blocks access to populations deemed in favor of the opposition or politically unreliable, and its behavior has drawn repeated, direct criticism from the UN and NGO refugee relief community.

The New York Times reported Nov. 18 that pro-Syrian government forces had launched numerous attacks in the de-escalation zones agreed to by Russia, Iran and Turkey. One episode, a triple airstrike Nov. 13 on a marketplace killed more than 50 people, highlighting the Assad regimes defiance of international agreements. Ford, who currently serves as a fellow at Yale University and at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, added, Whatever Russia's true intent, it has never shown it can compel the Syrian government to unblock access [to Rukban].

An Amman-based international aid official who insisted on anonymity to preserve the possibility of future humanitarian work in Syria discussed another possible risk to food deliveries to the Berm if they are undertaken by the Syrian regime instead of Amman. Given the many urgent humanitarian crises and various negotiations, he asked, Is the Berm actually going to get lost in the sheer list of priorities? The aid worker emphasized that emergency medical referrals are being sent to Jordan as the most effective route. Therefore, he believes, the easiest method to continue delivering food to Rukban would be through Jordan.

Syrians began amassing at the Berm in July 2014, fleeing the Syrian war zone and hoping that close proximity to the Jordanian border would offer additional security from repeated airstrikes. Conditions were always tenuous at the informal desert encampment, yet circumstances dramatically worsened after the IS strike. Amman responded by sealing the border, ending asylum processing for the Syrians and severely restricting food and medical care on the ground that the Syrians are an international problem, not Jordan's responsibility.

Nonetheless, despite the extremely difficult conditions at the Berm, according to the United Nations, the number of shelters in Rukban actually increased in September, suggesting the horror ongoing elsewhere in Syria.

Prior to the IS attack, Western officials had pressured Amman to grant asylum to many of the trapped Syrians in Rukban, but they have since changed tactics and lowered their demands.

We are not asking [for] another massive admission of refugees into Jordan, the senior European diplomat said. Instead, EU officials, along with international human rights organizations, are calling on the Hashemite kingdom to merely facilitate food transfers to Rukban, while respecting Jordans legitimate security needs.

Ford echoed the frustration of many international officials in Amman who have been working on the Berm crisis. The Jordanian government's refusal to facilitate aid to Rukban, as international humanitarian law requires, is deplorable and puts Jordan in the same ugly camp as the Saudi and Emirati governments that are impeding access to parts of Yemen, Ford said.
November 22, 2017

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Popular Conference to Support the Palestinian Reconciliation, End the Division and Restore National Unity convened on Nov. 18 at the Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Hall in Gaza City. At the conclusion of the gathering, mukhtars (village elders) and involved activist groups issued a document in support of Palestinian unity efforts and listing a number of demands. Eleven Palestinian factions also signed the document, with the exception of Hamas and Fatah, to whom the document was addressed.

The group Patriots to End the Split spearheaded the conference. Yussri Darwish, coordinator of the group, told Al-Monitor, We, as Patriots to End the Split, called on Palestinian factions, tribes and civil organizations to participate in the conference. Seventeen people representing political, civil and tribal groups from the West Bank and Gaza were invited to address the conference, which is considered a first-of-its-kind popular movement in Palestine. The aim of the conference was to pressure both sides of the division  the [Palestinian Authority (PA)], represented by Fatah, and Hamas  to end the Palestinian division and achieve unity.

Around 500 young people from Gaza attended the event along with representatives of community institutions and the Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The participating factions conveyed the conferences recommendations to the 13 Palestinian factions  including Fatah, Hamas and the three aforementioned groups  scheduled to meet Nov. 21 in Cairo to further reconciliation.

The conference document contains a number of popular demands, foremost of which is ending the siege against Gaza and lifting the punitive, administrative and financial measures imposed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in response to the administrative committee established by Hamas to oversee Gaza. Conference participants also called for forming a national unity government of all Palestinian factions, merging the security services and various government ministries under the framework of a single governing administration, creating real job opportunities for Gazas youth and improving health and social conditions.

Darwish noted that the popular movement was manifested in two events: the conference in Gaza, held to declare the movement's launch, and a popular march in Ramallah at the same, ending in Yasser Arafat Square. The conference document was signed by participants from both the West Bank and Gaza.

According to Darwish, of the 13 factions meeting in Cairo, nine of them had members who helped found the popular movement, notably the PFLP, the DFLP, Islamic Jihad, al-Ahrar and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine  General Command.

She stated, One of the most important demands is holding comprehensive Palestinian elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, the presidency and the Palestinian National Council (PNC) in no less than six months.

The conference document called for reactivating the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and establishing a national unity council consisting of all the Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which do not belong to the PLO. This would be along the lines of meetings held in January by the PNC in Beirut to establish such a council.

During the conference, we called for a comprehensive national dialogue with the participation of all political and social forces, especially youth, women's, trade union and national figures, to review Palestinian policy since the Oslo Accords and develop a unified strategy for action, Darwish explained.

Amer Balousha  an activist member of the preparatory committee for the conference who had been detained for a day in July by the Hamas police for criticizing the Hamas government  explained to Al-Monitor that the movement symbolized by the popular conference was founded by Palestinian youths, who have been absent from the political scene for 11 years under Hamas rule in Gaza.

We seek to defend the peoples rights that were ignored by the political forces power struggle, Balousha said, referring to the Hamas-Fatah split. We want to tell the parties of the Palestinian division, and the factions gathered in Cairo, that there is a popular movement that brings together all Palestinians under its umbrella to support reconciliation and rejects any attempt at turning back and distorting or impeding the empowerment of the government. In addition, we want to pressure them into completing all the reconciliation understandings, such as merging ministries and security forces, within a specific timeline, as well as including all Palestinian factions in the decision-making process.

Hamza Abu Jarad, a conference participant from the southern Gaza town of Rafah, told Al-Monitor, This is my opportunity as a Palestinian youth to push for achieving Palestinian reconciliation and ending the division, under which the majority of our lives have been wasted. He had taken part in previous events advocating an end to the Palestinian division, including protests on April 29, 2014, in Unknown Soldier Square in Gaza City, that were suppressed by Hamas police.

There are about 200,000 unemployed graduates in Gaza who have not been able to get jobs due to the lack of opportunities, not to mention favoritism in employment during Hamas rule, Abu Jarad said, adding, After Hamas and the PA decided to seriously end the division, we had to have a say in pressuring them to take quick practical measures in this regard and restore Palestinian unity, which we consider the real opportunity for us to solve our problems of unemployment and poverty.
November 28, 2017

Russia would like to sign up the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a customer for its GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) offering, possibly as a prelude to more deals with the UAE. Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov discussed the possibility during his Nov. 26 talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as part of Moscows broader military-technical and economic outreach to the UAE.

In mid-November, a Russian delegation led by Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Rostech State Corp. CEO Sergey Chemezov was one of the largest at the Dubai Airshow, the biggest aviation exhibition in Asia. Moscow aspires to greater military-technical cooperation with Abu Dhabi and is keen to overcome the stagnation in this field observed after the 1990s and 2000s, when Russia was a major supplier of arms and equipment for the UAE military.

During that time, the UAE bought several series of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles that, according to Russian sources, are still the main combat vehicle in the mechanized brigades. The UAE also bought 9K38 Igla shoulder-fired missiles and BM-30 Smerch heavy multiple rocket launchers. In 2000, Russia agreed to create the Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system (SA-22 Greyhound) exclusively for the UAE military. However, that was the UAE's last large-scale military purchase from Russia, as the UAE had mainly finished its upgrades, having also bought tanks and aircraft from France, F-16s and Apache helicopters from the United States, and G6 self-propelled howitzers from South Africa.

At that stage, the UAE started to build a national military industry to produce arms and equipment on its own territory. Russian specialists also took part in this process, helping to build several types of armored fighting vehicles. Later, cooperation between Russia and the UAE military industries became limited, existing mostly as repair and service of the Russian armament already in use. In 2013, Russia agreed to provide the UAE with a new installment of Arkan anti-tank missiles for the BMP vehicles.

At the IDEX-2017 exhibition in Abu Dhabi in February, Moscow and the UAE agreed to develop military-technical cooperation. These agreements should stimulate new projects in bilateral collaboration. However, they should be seen more as declarations of intent, as Russia needs to provide more details that appeal to the emirates. The moves Moscow made at the 2017 Dubai Airshow are a clear step in that direction.

At IDEX-2017, the UAE had discussed only a tentative interest in the Russian Su-35 heavy air superiority fighter. But before the Dubai Airshow, Moscow seemed to shore up some contracts. Particularly, Moscow said the UAE military administration plans to buy 12 aircraft of this type. Rogozin personally showed the Su-35 exhibiting stand to the crown prince, who is also the deputy commander in chief of the UAE Armed Forces. A Russian aerobatic team demonstrated the Su-35 in the sky to double down on the positive impression of the Russian jets. If this agreement is fulfilled, the UAE will become the first Arab nation of the Gulf countries to buy Russian combat aircraft.

Yet the UAEs actual interest in the Su-35 remains dubious. This aircraft is far from being innovative and is, in essence, a heavily modernized variety of the Su-27 from the 1980s. The UAE has a sufficient supply of combat aircraft and has already arranged the contracts needed for their renovation. The UAE may actually be hoping for a package deal including not only Su-35s, but some other Russian-UAE projects.

The emirates expect to receive technology from Russia that they can use as a basis for creating their own fighter aircraft. Such a project already has been started in collaboration with specialists from Serbia, although Serbian concepts were probably evaluated as insufficient for building a full-blown new generation of combat aircraft. On the other hand, agreements signed at IDEX-2017 reflect the UAEs interest in collaborating with Russia to create a draft for a fifth-generation light multifunctional aircraft. In this program, Russia will be represented by the MiG Aircraft Corp., which proposes its MiG-35 model as a base for the projects development.

Moreover, the UAE expects to provide Russia with UAE-built weapons, and this fact may be taken into account during the Su-35 negotiation. For instance, Russia could probably buy the United 40 drone, made by UAE company ADCOM System. Russia has said it's interested in purchasing this drone.

And if the UAE light multifunctional aircraft drafting project gives the emirates access to their partners military technologies, perhaps there could also be an agreement to produce the United 40 in Russia by license  which would become a great opportunity for Russia to learn about the worlds modern drone technologies and get access to the newest concepts in this field.

There is basically no political hindrance for Russia and the UAE to develop their military-technical cooperation, especially since the emirates still seek to diversify their pool of arms and equipment suppliers. On the other hand, growth in Russian supplies will be influenced by its timeline to begin regular production of new-generation arms such as the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, T-14 Armata tank, Kurganets tracked platform, Bumerang APC, 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled gun and others. Nowadays the UAE, having the necessary financial means, is mostly interested in purchasing brand-new types of military equipment. The Emirati arms market is virtually closed to the heavily modernized weaponry of the Cold War period that Russia still promotes.
November 25, 2017

A great controversy and a wave of arrests took place in Egypt earlier this month because of a childrens toy called Clackers, which consists of two plastic spheres suspended on a string that bang against each other when swung.

When children dubbed this retro toy Sisis balls  a reference to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis testicles  the Egyptian government launched an inspection campaign Nov. 8, followed by arrests of toy store owners throughout Egypt to stop them from selling the "offending" toy.

As a result, 1,403 toys were confiscated and 41 toy store owners were arrested and referred to the public prosecutors office for investigation, according to a statement issued by the Security Directorate.

The Interior Ministry also issued a statement explaining that the arrests were based on the ministry's policy of maintaining security, order and public morals.

Clackers is a cheap plastic toy that has been sold for 5 Egyptian pounds ($0.30) since the beginning of the summer. The toy is popular among schoolchildren, especially in the villages, and yielded good profits for toy stores  until it roused the ire of the government. Owners of toy stores that sell Clackers now face arrest and have incurred financial losses due to the confiscation of the toys in stock.

After the first confiscations and arrests, both the toy and the name "Sisi's balls" became a joke on social media, and many criticized the government decision to confiscate the toy and arrest store owners.

A toy store owner in Moski market in Cairo told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that he had no idea the toy was known as Sisis balls. He said, Many children were asking for it and the market has been suffering stagnation for years, so we started selling them for 2.50 Egyptian pounds at first  then we raised the price to 5 pounds in light of the high demand. It took a while before we found out what children were calling it among themselves.

He added, When I heard about the security campaigns I was afraid the security forces would confiscate everything I had in my store, but I never expected people to get arrested for selling this toy. I closed my store for six days and got rid of the Clackers stock I had. I was really shocked to find out that owners of neighboring toy stores were arrested and their toys confiscated.

He noted that Clackers were popular in the 1960s among children but made a comeback a few months ago  and the Egyptian children loved it.

Not only did security forces arrest dozens of store owners for selling Clackers, some pro-regime TV channels also launched a campaign against the toy, accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of being behind naming it "Sisi's balls." Journalist Mohammed al-Ghaiti accused the pro-Brotherhood channels of using the toy to ridicule the president, stressing that this violates morals and religion. He called on the opposition to respect Egyptian citizens and the president in their statements.

An older version of Clackers was first sold in the Gulf states in the early 1930s. In the late 1960s, Clackers became a popular toy in the United States and by the early 1970s millions of Clackers were sold worldwide.

Eventually, wooden and iron Clackers were replaced by plastic ones. Although the toy was originally marketed to teach children hand-eye coordination, it was not safe. When the balls hit each other with too much force, pieces would come off and hurt the children. In 1971, the US Food and Drug Administration set new standards for manufacturing the toy, and it was taken off the market in 1985.

Dr. Ahmet Mustafa, an ophthalmologist, told Al-Monitor that the toy may cause children to suffer eye injuries or even lose an eye.

The parliament has prepared a draft law to penalize those who insult Egyptian historical symbols and figures. Under the law proposed Nov. 1 by parliamentary member Omar Hamroush, who is also the secretary-general of the Religious Affairs Committee, insulting historical figures would both be punishable by a fine and imprisonment of three to five years. Hamroush said during the parliamentary debate that the law considers insulting the country's leadership an insult to the entire nation.

Sisi has been subject to social media mockery several times in the past. During his election campaign in 2014, the hashtag that translates to #voteforthepimp was trending on social media in Egypt. Last April, another social media campaign called on Sisi to step down, with the hashtag that translates to #we_donotwant_Sisi.
November 28, 2017

Images of the Yarmouk camp siege keep coming. They are tragic and familiar. The infant Taqeh Yousef was photographed Nov. 1 on her deathbed after seizures and oxygen deprivation stopped her beating heart. Last week, ageing refugee Fatima Hassan al-Khalili reportedly died in hospital after crucial delays getting medical treatment. Queues of civilians, mostly women in black abayas, stand around gray checkpoints demarcating regime, rebel and jihadi areas of control in the south Damascus suburbs.

The first complete siege was imposed by pro-government forces around Yarmouk in mid-2013. The now concentric sieges-within-sieges  by pro-government forces outside and Islamic State (IS) within encircling what was once Syrias largest prewar Palestinian community still regularly cost civilian lives. Recent checkpoint closures by rebel groups have only made things worse.

Yarmouks remaining civilians  estimated at around 4,500 people, according to the Jafra Foundation  might not be dying of abject starvation anymore, as was the case during the worst of the regimes siege during 2013-14, one of the Syrian conflicts earliest and arguably most brutal sieges. On an almost weekly basis, however, civilians succumb to often-treatable conditions because of a lack of proper medical care due to the siege by the Syrian government and its allies. Many of the victims are children and the elderly.

The siege conditions have been made worse by recent clashes between rebel groups and IS, which controls most of Yarmouk and the neighboring city of Hajar al-Aswad. The clashes followed the Oct. 12 announcement in Cairo of a de-escalation cease-fire between pro-government forces and rebel groups in four rebel-held areas of south Damascus: al-Qadam (to the west of Yarmouk), and Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahem (to its east).

The purported cease-fire was reached with Russian guarantees, not direct Syrian regime involvement. The four rebel suburbs had been, since 2014, under partial siege by pro-government forces pending reconciliation negotiations following a series of partial truce agreements that year. The Cairo cease-fire agreement did not include IS or the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Meanwhile, Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah, have developed visions for the future of south Damascus, and to achieve them, have begun creating various spheres of influence and strategies in the area. Sayyida Zeinab, on the outskirts of south Damascus, has become a key recruiting tool for them, and some observers claim that both groups want to see Sunni civilians evacuated from the area posthaste according to the so-called Four Towns agreement signed in March. Local activists have been calling it Irans southern suburbs project.

In response to clashes, Jaish al-Islam intermittently closes the Oroubeh-Beirut checkpoint, which links Yarmouk with neighboring Yalda, putting civilians inside the camp further at risk by restricting access to food and medical treatment. Some reports suggest that this has been done at the behest of the Syrian government, which appears to have either closed or restricted passage through the only checkpoint linking Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahem with government-controlled areas,in response to Oroubeh being opened.

Valerie Szybala, the executive director of the US-based Syria Institute, told Al-Monitor by telephone, Checkpoint closures definitely lead to a deterioration of conditions, even without these upticks in violence, which happen [in the area] sporadically. Such deterioration puts even more pressure on civilians already living with partial sieges and dwindling medical assistance exacerbated by recent funding cuts to the main health clinic in south Damascus. Szybala said that since earlier this year, local health workers have been reducing medical treatment  and running out of supplies.

Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), told Al-Monitor by email that the humanitarian situation in Yarmouk itself remains dire, with clashes and checkpoint closures either preventing food from entering or driving the cost for bread up to 1,000 SYP [$1.90]. The average cost of government-produced bread is usually around 50 Syrian pounds ($0.10).

Some of those suffering under the siege have been allowed to leave the camp. Al-Monitor learned that following appeals by local Palestinian activists and aid workers, an unnamed seven-month-old was transferred to a Damascus hospital for treatment on Nov. 4. According to Yarmouk63, a Palestinian-Syrian media outlet, a young girl was reportedly transferred out of one rebel-held suburb the same day she was accidentally hit by a motorcycle. At least 26 civilians with pressing medical conditions, mostly elderly women, were also permitted to leave HTS-controlled northern Yarmouk for rebel-held areas adjacent to the camp on Oct. 29, according to UNRWA and local Palestinian aid workers.

Such movements are part of an ad hoc system of humanitarian access that can change from day to day and vary by case. The mission of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Damascus sometimes coordinates with the Syrian government to transfer emergency medical cases out of Yarmouk and the rebel suburbs. On the other hand, refugees in Yarmouk can apply for relatives who die outside the camp to be transferred to it for burial. This arrangement has allowed more than 315 Palestinian refugees to be buried in the camp since January 2016.

Still, uncertainty prevails. Earlier this year, Mahmoud al-Fadel, a Palestinian refugee, was repeatedly denied transfer from Yalda to Damascus for chemotherapy for what was quickly becoming a life-threatening cancer. Despite appeals for help from Palestinian activists in the rebel-held suburbs, Fadel died in Yalda in September. Another Palestinian, Marwan al-Saad, recently died of cancer in the southern suburbs due to difficulties in diagnosing his cancer-type and because the Syrian regime refused to transfer him from south Damascus, relief worker Obayda al-Masri told Al-Monitor on Nov. 20.

Clashes erupt and dissipate. Headlines about negotiations come and go. This has been the status quo in south Damascus for sometime now. Szybala argues that with Iran having interests around south Damascus and regime, rebels and jihadis doing politicking of their own, not much is going to change for now.

I dont think that the [Cairo] agreement itself changed anything  or that there was really an agreement of consequence with the players that matter, Szybala told Al-Monitor. Ultimately I think Irans interest in this area makes it highly unlikely that there will be any real deal.

The siege continues.
November 29, 2017

Abdulwahid Edelgiriev was about to take his niece shopping in an Istanbul suburb in November 2015 when a car blocked his path. A man leapt out of it and took aim at the Chechen separatist fighter and missed. As Edelgiriev fled, his assailants gunned him down, stabbed him in the neck and left him to bleed to death.

Nearly five months later, on April 8, 2016, two Russian agents were arrested in Istanbul and jailed for their alleged role in Edelgirievs murder and in the deaths of seven other Chechen dissidents living in Turkey. The pair carried fake documents identifying them as Alexander Smirnov and Yury Animisov. Moscows Rosbalt news agency reported at the time that Smirnovs real name was Valid Lurakhmaev. He belonged to a Chechen mafia group in Moscow in the 1990s and his specialty was hit jobs.

Today it emerged that both men were extradited to Russia under the terms of an emergency measure adopted in the wake of the July 15 coup attempt that allows for the extradition or swapping of prisoners if it's deemed in the national interest. Less than 24 hours later, Russia freed a pair of Muslim Tatar dissidents and sent them to Turkey. Cumhuriyet named the men as Ilmi Omarov and Ahmet Ciygoz and reported that they were part of a swap. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had called for the Tatars release during a recent trip to Ukraine.

The emergency decree numbered 694 was thought to have been crafted in part to secure the extradition by the United States of Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Sunni imam who is accused of masterminding the botched putsch and also that of Reza Zarrab, the Iranian-Turkish gold trader who is expected to appear in a New York federal court today as a star witness for the prosecution in a massive scam to evade US trade sanctions on Iran.

Instead, they appear to have benefitted Russia, said Erdal Dogan, a prominent human rights lawyer. He told Al-Monitor, Such provisions are in direct conflict with universal principles of justice and human rights. How does extraditing people involved in murdering those who have sought haven in Turkey benefit Turkey or the rule of law?

Turkeys harboring of Chechen and other Russian Muslim dissidents has long been a sore in relations between the two neighbors.

Russia wants extraditions, Turkey resists because they are Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporters. Chechen flags were seen at post-coup rallies, said Dimitar Bechev, an academic and author of Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe. Bulent Arinc, a former deputy prime minister in Erdogans Cabinet, played a critical role in fending off Russian demands. But now hes gone, the Russian Security Service uses proxies [to carry out murders on Turkish soil], Ankara remains silent and Chechens have begun to stay away from Turkey, opting to take refuge in Western Europe instead, Bechev told Al-Monitor.

Turkeys Islamists feel a strong affinity with the Muslim Chechens and hundreds  some claim thousands  of Turks are thought to have joined them in their fight against the Russians at the height of the Chechen insurrection in the 1990s. During the first Chechen war (1994-1996), Turkish authorities played host to exiled Chechen warlords and allowed several Turkish mayors who were members of the Prosperity Party [Refah], an Islamic party, to provide medical aid and general support for the Chechen guerrillas, wrote Marc Brody, an independent journalist who specializes in the Caucasus in a paper for the Jamestown Foundation. Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul on the Refah ticket in 1994.

Many of the Chechen fighters and their Turkish comrades went on to join jihadis in Syria, notably the Islamic State and the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, which now calls itself Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The slain Chechen, Edelgiriev, was allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin and reportedly joined the outfit as well.

Throughout the 1990s, Turkey was a haven for Chechen refugees  and fighters  and used its leverage over them to extract concessions from Russia. As Brody explained, On the one hand, Turkey proves to Russia its good intentions by putting pressure on the Chechen diaspora. On the other, it keeps open opportunities for the Chechen guerrillas. Using this strategy, Turkey retains a powerful tool in its  negotiations with Russia on commercial and economic matters.

This dynamic may help to explain why Turkey has been scene to a slew of assassinations thought to have been carried out on behalf of Russias intelligence services. They include the triple murders in September 2011 of three Chechen militants accused of bombing Moscows Domodedovo airport earlier that year. The men were gunned down in the heart of Istanbul as they were walking home from Friday prayers by a man dressed in black, with a black wig and black gloves, the BBC reported.

Turkey is no safe haven for Russians, either. In December 2016, Russia's ambassador to Turkey was murdered by an off-duty Turkish police officer during a public event. "Don't forget Aleppo!" he shouted before being shot dead by Turkish security officials himself. Jabhat al-Nusra claimed responsibility for the ambassador's murder in a letter posted online.

Until recently, Turkey had offered sanctuary and allegedly loads of weapons to Jabhat al-Nusra in the hopes of toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But it has been gradually distancing itself from the rebels and cooperating with Russia after the downing by Turkish forces of a Russian air force jet over the Syrian border in November 2015. The move sent Turkish-Russian relations in a tailspin, costing Turkey billions of dollars in lost trade. Turkey has since been assiduously courting Moscow to work toward restoring relations. Moscow is now calling  and some Chechens may well argue, firing  most of the shots.

Yet some analysts believe Ankara's decision to hand over the Russians might augur a broader diplomatic play for regional influence. Nate Schenkkan, the project director for Nations in Transit for Freedom House, told Al-Monitor, "It's very interesting in terms of Turkey's efforts to show itself as a regional balancer and force again. Getting the release of the Crimean Tatars was a significant gesture for Ukraine." Schenkkan added, "It would make sense if Turkey gave up something for their release. Russia doesn't normally do things for free."
November 28, 2017

Millions of Americans rushed to stores all across the United States Nov. 24 to take advantage of Black Friday, the day when most retailers offer promotional sales. Back in Turkey, some major department stores in big cities tried to emulate this foreign tradition, declaring major sales for Kara Cuma, as Black Friday translates in Turkish. In return, however, they received an unexpected tsunami of condemnations for insulting Islam. To many Turks, the term sounded like a rude term for Friday, Islams holy day.

The storm began with the hashtag #KaraCuma. Friday is blessed. Black is only the color of those whose hearts are deprived of its sacred light, wrote one angry Twitter user, condemning the heretics who brought the term into use in Turkey. Another declared, The crusader mentality that calls Islams holiest day #BlackFriday is apparently filled with fear. But fear will not save them. Then he quoted the Quran: God will perfect his light even if the unbelievers dislike it.

Thousands of similar messages filled the Turkish social media scene in just a couple of hours. Angry protesters began to share lists of the Turkish companies running Black Friday ad campaigns. These companies were imagined to be involved in an effort to ban their employees from [Friday] prayers.

The anger turned physical. In a shopping mall in the central Anatolian town of Bolu, a small group walked into a department store and demanded workers remove the Black Friday posters, telling them to do so if you are a Muslim. The video of the scene was posted online and went viral.

The pro-government media either remained silent on the frenzy or joined it happily. The daily Yeni Safak announced, Black Friday made Turkey angry, and shared social media messages against the intentional campaign. They especially chose the day that Muslims have declared as sacred, read the story, referring to some undefined enemies of Islam.

Hamza Yerlikaya, an official adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, joined the choir. What is this Black Friday? Why Friday? Friday is light, peace and blessing, he tweeted, asking, What operation is this? What perception is being built on this special day?

The bewildering part is that none of these Turks who condemned Black Friday bothered to learn what the term really means  that it has nothing to do with Islams holy day, let alone insulting it or carrying out an operation on Turkey and its Muslimness.

A few commentators tried to explain. Baris Esen, an economist writing for Bloomberg Turkey, tweeted, Black Friday means companies in the United States moving from loss to profit in their balance sheets. Loss is signified with red and profit is signified with black. Do not forcibly invent other meanings. Yet those already angry at Black Friday seemed uninterested in such facts or simply preferred not to read the the writers who offered them an explanation.

What must one make of all this? Well, on the one hand, the anti-Black Friday frenzy is a tragicomical story rather than a serious one. It has already calmed down, and it will probably be all forgotten soon. The only lasting affect may be that next year Turkish companies will find another way to promote their sales.

On the other hand, however, this incident is just one of the countless manifestations of the anti-Western mood that has dominated Turkey in the past couple of years. So many people are now so sure that Western powers are cooking up conspiracies against Turks and other Muslims that when they hear a term like Black Friday, they can imagine only something sinister.

This anti-Western attitude has deep roots in Turkish society, as various political camps from nationalists to Marxists to Islamists have long believed in covert Western schemes to weaken, destabilize and divide the nation. Still, the Turkish affinity for conspiracies has never been as cultivated and orchestrated as it is now under Erdogan.

Since he ostensibly became convinced of a Western plot to topple him during the Gezi Park protests of June 2013, Erdogan has interpreted every obstacle on his path as part of a coordinated scheme by a mysterious mastermind. This view has been relentlessly promoted by his giant propaganda machine, which now makes up the majority of Turkish media. Worse, the propaganda seems to reflect genuinely held convictions of the new ruling elite.

One reason for this passionate anti-Westernism is the deep-seated resentment among Turkeys religious conservatives toward the West, which they blame for both the fall of Ottoman glory and the subsequent dominance of Westernized Turks. Now is the time of the real Turks they believe have been pushed out of power for a century. It is a revolutionary zeal that growingly resembles the spirit of the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that replaced the Westernized elite of the Shah regime with the formerly disenfranchised social classes. The Erdogan revolution is certainly less radical and less explicit than the Iranian one, but it is no less ambitious.

The second reason for contemporary Turkeys passionate anti-Westernism is that it is a very helpful tool for building and sustaining authoritarian rule. It explains away every failure of the government as a Western plot and labels anyone who stands up against the great leader as a Western puppet.

The third reason lies in the mistakes of certain Western capitals. The latter include European countries that kept the door to the European Union cynically shut to Ankara, even when Erdogan expressed willingness to move into the EU direction. It also includes Washington, which, for example, chose to arm what are being called the Syrian Kurds, a faction obviously aligned with the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been the main terrorist threat to Turkey since the early '80s.

An astute Turkey observer, Steven A. Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations, acknowledged this third factor in a recent piece on Turkish-American relations. Ankara has legitimate grievances against Washington, Cook notes, especially regarding the latters disastrous foreign policy choices in Iraq and Syria. Yet these grievances are not heard, he added, because of the melting of the Turkish mind. The Turkish mind is now so infused with conspiratorial lunacy, in other words, that it cant begin to articulate its valid arguments.

Yet Turkey is too valuable to sacrifice. This turbulent epoch in the nations history is still in the making, and its end point is uncertain. Those who hope for better outcomes, or at least the least damage possible, should try to preserve Turkeys institutional ties with the West, such as NATO and the Council of Europe, which are still crucial anchors for the nation. If they go, the frenzy that saw a plot in Black Friday may drag Turkey into a pitch-black future.
Android co-founder Andy Rubin who helped create the worlds most ubiquitous mobile operating system was accused of misconduct shortly before leaving Google in late 2014, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Googles Human Resources department is said to have received a complaint against Mr. Rubin that alleged its then-Senior Vice President had an inappropriate relationship with one of his subordinates, a notion that his spokesperson Mike Sitrick denied following the emergence of this report. The rebuttal didnt encompass the allegation that Mr. Rubin was involved with a fellow Googler but claimed that any such relationship was not only consensual but didnt involve a direct subordinate, adding that the former Android boss was never informed of any misconduct allegations while working at the Mountain View, California-based tech giant.

Sources with knowledge of the situation tell a different story, saying that the person who filed the original complaint against Mr. Rubin was later told that an internal probe into the matter recommended disciplinary action for the former executive. Its unclear whether any such action was ultimately taken or what the exact contents of the recommendation were. The internal investigation into his alleged misconduct is said to have revealed bad judgment and improper behavior on his part. Googles corporate policy doesnt allow employees to have a relationship with direct subordinates and requires them to report any such involvement, after which one of the two people in question are usually relocated to another division of the firm. While Mr. Rubin moved to oversee Googles robotics division in 2013, the allegations are understood to have surfaced next year, shortly before his departure from the Internet giant that he previously claimed was his own decision, citing an ambition to work in an environment that requires less corporate approvals for basic research and development.

Mr. Rubin is now said to have taken a leave of absence from Essential, his Palo Alto, California-based startup which recently launched its first product in the form of the Essential PH-1 Android smartphone. The latest report also reiterates previous estimates that the bezel-less handset is severely underperforming, as was already implied by a permanent $200 discount which it received shortly after launching in late summer. Mr. Rubins leave of absence from Essential was prompted by personal reasons, according to some employees, but further details on the matter remain unknown.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai accused Twitter of endangering the open Internet, implying the microblogging platform is a significantly bigger threat to it than his controversial proposal of repealing the 2015 net neutrality rules is. During his speech held at R Street Institute-hosted Washington event on Tuesday, Pai said Twitter has a fixed set of beliefs and uses them to discriminate against people and entities on its platform, suggesting that Twitters service policy is part of the problem and possibly even more dangerous than whatever throttling Internet service providers may implement should the net neutrality rules be repealed.

A number critics quickly took online to refute Pais comments, saying that no one is forced to use Twitter if it doesnt agree with its terms of use, yet many Americans dont have a real choice between ISPs, at least if they want a fast and reliable broadband connection. Pais proposal suggests that the free market would regulate itself should ISPs take advantage of the lack of any rules mandating net neutrality, e.g. if a major provider opted to throttle some content users cared about, another would offer a truly neutral Internet experience, thus prompting consumers to switch and forcing the company that originally decided to throttle certain domains to either stop doing so or go out of business. Critics are calling that viewpoint naive at best and malicious at worst since regional ISP monopolies and duopolies are a widely believed to be a prominent issue in the country and the cost of entry into the industry is so high that no third party would realistically be prepared to gamble with setting up its own infrastructure and trying to become a new ISP. Google tried penetrating the market with Fiber years ago and has faced roadblocks at every turn, with its broadband operations still being severely limited in scope and suggesting that a smaller company with less funding  i.e. nearly every U.S. firm  would fare even worse should it try competing with the old Internet giants.

Twitter is just one of many tech companies that have publicly advocated against the repeal of the Title II regulations which prevent ISPs from discriminating against any domains and are forcing them to treat all data equally, i.e. ensure users can access all online content equally quickly. Pais Tuesday remarks were also partially dedicated to mocking celebrities like Alyssa Milano who previously criticized his proposal. The FCC will vote and likely approve the polarizing repeal of 2015 rules on December 14th.
SCOTUS Refuses Two Gun Cases

By Tom Knighton. November. 27th, 2017

The guns rights community had hoped that the Supreme Court would hear Kolbe vs. Hogan, an important case on whether assault weapon bans are constitutional. Activists also hoped the Court would rule on whether Florida's ban on open carry was constitutional.

The hope was that since two lower courts have issued conflicting rules on assault weapon bans, Kolbe would be an ideal case for the Court to settle the matter once and for all. It would have the added benefit of cutting off Dianne Feinstein's nearly annual effort to ban assault rifles at the knees. Unfortunately, the Court decided not to hear the case.

The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from Maryland gun owners who challenged the state's assault weapons ban. The justices left in place a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the Maryland law that does not permit the sale of a range of semiautomatic weapons and large-capacity magazines. The banned guns include those that were used in recent mass shootings in a south Texas church and at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas.

Not that Las Vegas or Texas should have anything to do with the constitutionality of a law, but it's ABC News. What do you expect? .......

It is somewhat surprising that SCOTUS refused to hear either of these cases, which are more than relevant to the Second Amendment. One can only guess at what decisions might have come down affecting our rights and in the meantime various states continue with their various anti-gun restrictions. As is often reminded, the 2A does not 'give' rights - it guarantees rights, but you would hardly know this much of the time.

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An APK teardown of the latest Google app release  version 7.17  has now been conducted, showing off a redesign to Googles Assistant, new Chrome syncing features, more Lens functionality, and even some hints that code will soon begin to be added for the next iteration of Android itself. As is always the case with teardowns, its important to remember that nothing found is destined to find its way into future iterations of the software. The changes are also not necessarily promised to appear on any specific device since the app version does vary from handset to handset.

Starting things off, however, the update appears to bring some changes to the apps settings. First, the lines between menu options appear to have been removed, while other options are now embedded for separation. That shortens the menus up a noticeable amount and provides for a cleaner interface overall. Meanwhile, the navigation bar now bears a lighter look, as compared to its previous dark scheme. Meanwhile, although minimal changes seem to have been brought to the functionality of the setting itself, the Shared devices setting menu has been renamed as Voice Match. New functionality includes the option to retrain voice models and to send invites for others to add their own voice models to shared devices. Beyond that, now that Google Lens is beginning to roll out more widely, the company seems set on adding features more quickly. The teardown reveals some code tied into the translation of text viewed through a given devices camera and a feature dubbed Remember This. The latter of which may or may not be linked to another feature that allows images captured with Lens to be shared more easily between Lens and Google Keep.

Setting those functions aside, the new APK also fills out several other features that are expected to arrive soon, including more functionality for what is rumored to be a new, screen-enabled Google Home device. Starting with the latter, the rumored Quartz device appears to gain some additional recipe-related functions and some code related to pairing the device, with this latest update. Looking past that, as it is probably best not to speculate until some sort of official announcement from Google, the app also adds some strings that seem to suggest the app could allow for syncing between the app and the web version of Google Chrome in the future. Theres also an icon associated with that functionality included in the APK. Meanwhile, the built-in podcast player could soon have offline playback added and the deleting of a given file during playback could soon be disabled. Finally, a reference has been added pointing to platformBuildVersionName=P. That shouldnt be altogether too surprising, with consideration for the fact that Googles next I/O developers event is already just around the corner, taking place in May.
Hsinchu, Taiwan-based MediaTek announced a new system-on-chip earlier this week, having debuted the MT2621 that it describes as an energy-efficient chip designed for Internet of Things devices. The SoC utilizes the ARM7 CPU architecture and comes with a single processor core clocked at a maximum operating frequency of 260MHz, in addition to featuring 160KB of PSRAM and 4MB of internal flash memory. All other hardware integrated into the chip is in line with the average specifications of a contemporary piece of silicon meant to power Internet-enabled gadgets; the MT2621 hence features a power management unit, antenna, and a digital signal processor. GSM and GPRS connectivity is also part of the package, as is support for Narrowband-IoT R14, a relatively new communications standard devised specifically for IoT devices.

MediaTek said its goal while designing the chip was to provide original equipment manufacturers with a component that will allow their devices to offer extended coverage and voice calling services, adding that the MT2621 caters to a wide variety of industries and has countless potential use cases. Apart from being extremely energy-efficient, the chip is also said to be rated for continuous long-term operations and should hence prove to be suitable for use in devices designed to have a long life. By having both an antenna and SIM card support, the chip is ready for most cellular communications tasks manufacturers might be looking to assign to it, MediaTek suggested. Solutions relying on visual and sound processing may also do well with the chip due to its extensive peripheral support, whereas the MT2621 is also compatible with Linux-based apps.

While IoT-only chips are far from a new occurrence in the tech industry, those designed specifically for cellular applications have been gaining additional traction in recent times as 5G research and development has now advanced to the point that various companies can already start planning concrete use cases for solutions relying on high-speed mobile networks. According to recent estimates made by Ericsson, nearly two billion of active IoT devices will communicate with the World Wide Web via a cellular connection by 2023. MediaTek is expected to intensify its focus on IoT chips going forward as the company recently put its premium mobile silicon plans on pause following the disappointing performance of the Helio X30.
Panasonic on Wednesday announced its latest Android smartphone in the form of the Eluga C, a largely bezel-less device that only features a regular-sized bottom bezel, whereas its screen otherwise stretches to the very edges of its front panel, delivering an aesthetic thats somewhat reminiscent of the Xiaomis Mi MIX lineup, Essential PH-1, and Sharps AQUOS S2. The handset was launched in Taiwan and its currently unclear whether the Japanse tech giant has any plans to bring it to other markets. With a price tag of TWD 6,000 ($199) being attached to it, the Panasonic Eluga C appears to be set to compete on the border of the entry-level and lower mid-range segment of the smartphone market, though its specs are somewhat varied and make the handset not the easiest model to place into any single product category.

The display panel of the Panasonic Eluga C is of the 5.5-inch HD variety and features a conventional aspect ratio of 16:9, making this one of the rare few mobile devices that are both bezel-free and dont sport a 18:9 (2:1) screen. The chip powering the device is MediaTeks old MT6750T which was previously used in handsets like the ZTE Blade A2 Plus and OPPO A77, though the Panasonic Eluga C also comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, thus punching above its weight as far as price is concerned. A dual-camera setup with two 13-megapixel sensors situated behind f/2.2. lenses and supported by a conventional LED flash unit is found on the back of the device, whereas its bottom bezel houses a 5-megapixel module. A 3,000mAh non-removable battery is also part of the package, as is dual-SIM and microSD card support, though Panasonic didnt specify whether the handset uses a hybrid SIM setup or has a dedicated microSD tray. Likewise, its still unclear which version of Android is the Eluga C running, though a heavily reskinned 7.0 Nougat build seems to be the most probable scenario. No specific release date has yet been attached to the newly introduced handset, with Panasonic currently only offering pre-orders to Taiwanese consumers. The firm has so far revealed two variants of the device  pink and blue.

The launch of the Eluga C comes shortly after Panasonic announced the Eluga I5, a more conventional-looking Android phone that the company brought to India earlier this month. While far from a major name in the handset industry, Panasonics focus on value-oriented mobile devices is unlikely to wane in the near future and the companys Eluga series is already expected to be refreshed in early 2018.
Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today  the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 takes on the Huawei Mate 10 Pro in the battle of large AMOLED displays, dual-cameras, and features galore. The Note 8 goes after users that demand the best and love their S Pens. The Mate 10 Pro goes after the audio/photography group with stereo speakers and dual Leica camera lenses. Both displays use the 18:9 aspect ratio and both have small top and bottom bezels. These are the top flagships of their respective manufacturers and represent the pinnacle of technology. These two devices have some powerful technology going for them and even a few things in common. We will look at what characteristics they share before we examine each individual device.

The Galaxy Note 8 and the Mate 10 Pro both share an AMOLED display that is 6-inches or better in size, HDR10 Compliant, an 18:9 aspect ratio, and protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Both devices use a top-notch processor and GPU, as well as packing 6GB of DDR4 RAM. They both use a dual camera configuration, although the Mate 10 Pro supplies its secondary camera with a monochrome sensor, but both us an 8-megapixel front-facing camera (FFC). The batteries are both non-removable and each offers a quick charge option. The Note 8 and Mate 10 Pro are relatively close in physical size with the Note 8 weighing in at 17 grams heavier. Both devices have Bluetooth (v5.0 on the Note 8 and v4.2 on the Mate 10 Pro), WiFi, NFC, a USB Type-C port, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Both sport Hi-Res audio and are water resistant (IP68 on the Note 8 and IP67 on the Mate 10 Pro. Both devices are beautiful to look at from their glass front or their glass back  the Mate 10 Pros coating really helps prevent fingerprints.

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Please take a careful look at the detailed specifications comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another. After that, we will look at each device in greater depth and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.

Specifications

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Samsungs Galaxy Note 8 is their most beautiful design to date. The new Infinity Display wraps around both edges and seamlessly melts into the metal frame, followed by the Gorilla Glass 5 back. There are no longer physical home buttons on the Note 8  they are now onscreen buttons. This design move allows the Note 8 to have a very small top and bottom bezel  the small bottom bezel has no function, while the top bezel handles the indicator light, speaker, FFC, and the iris scanner. Samsung moved the flash for the camera in between the camera lens and the fingerprint sensor, making it a little easier to keep your fingerprints off the camera lens  still not the best arrangement. When light is illuminating your face, you can quickly unlock the phone with its facial recognition or the iris scanner (if you do not wear glasses). However, for those darker times, you can always fall back on using a pin for unlocking the Note 8. Samsung continued to make the S Pen and software more productive and easier to use. The Galaxy Note 8 is arguably the best looking and most feature-laden smartphone on the market, however, all of this technology comes at a cost of approximately $960.

The Galaxy Notes display increased from 5.7-inches to 6.3-inches and now uses their Infinity Display. The aspect ratio went from 16:9 to 18.5:9 and kept Samsungs Super AMOLED technology. The display uses a QHD+ display with a pixel resolution of 2960 x 1440 that generates 521 pixels-per-inch (PPI). The Note 8s default is set to an FHD+ (2220 x 1080) resolution to save battery life  just go into the display settings to increase it to the QHD+ resolution. Samsung uses their always-on display that not only saves battery life, but makes it easier and quicker for the user to check their notifications.

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Samsung uses two of the latest processor in the Galaxy Note 8  US/China models use Qualcomms latest processor, the Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor a quad core clocked at 1.9GHz and a quad core clocked at 2.35GHz, paired with an Adreno 540 GPU. For EMEA countries, Samsung uses its excellent Exynos 8895 octa-core clocked at 2.3GHz and the Mali-G71 MP20 GPU for graphics  both processors use the new 10nm technology. The Galaxy Note 8 packs 6GB of DDR4 RAM  the same amount in the Mate 10 Pro  that helps contributes to its fast and smooth operation and ease of multitasking. It has 64GB of expandable memory via a microSD card.

Samsung finally started their use of dual cameras on the Note 8 and will probably include them on every flagship from here on out with hopefully more functionality. The Note 8 comes with dual 12-megapixel cameras with the main camera including a large aperture of f/1.7 for low light conditions, PDAF, a dual-tone LED flash, auto HDR, OIS, and 2X Optical Zoom. You can get as high as 10X by pinching the screen, but that is a digital zoom. Samsung uses the same great specs on the secondary camera with the exception of a smaller, f/2.4 aperture. The primary camera handles most all of your photo shots, while the secondary camera comes into play if the user wants to create photos with a bokeh effect. Samsung uses a nice sized 8-megapixel FFC with a large f/1.7 aperture, auto-HDR, and even provides autofocus. The non-removable 3,300mAh battery should easily make it through the day and when you do need to charge the Note 8, it features Samsungs Adaptive Fast Charging and Quick Wireless Charging for both Qi and PMA formats.

The Note 8 has so many features that many users will never even explore them all. One is the DeX Station (an optional purchase) that will allow you to interface the Galaxy Note 8 with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to give you a near-desktop experience  a little more complicated than Mate 10 Pros one-cable set up. Another option is Samsung Connect that allows you to control Samsungs appliances. Samsung also developed its own personal assistant, Bixby, to combat Apples Siri and Googles Assistant. The Galaxy Note 8 carries Samsungs popular heart rate monitor and oxygen saturation sensor. One of the best things about a Samsung device is that it allows you not only have access to Android Pay but also Samsung Pay, which opens up even more possibilities to make mobile payments. The Galaxy Note 8 series is IP68 certified against dust and water. The one item that sets the Note 8 apart from other smartphones is its S Pen and associated apps. Both the S Pen and the software get better every rendition  the Note 8 makes it easier than ever to use the S Pen. It arrives with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, measures 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm, and weighs in at a hefty 195 grams. It is available in Midnight Black, Orchid Grey, Maple Gold, or Deep Sea Blue depending where you are located. The Galaxy Note 8 will cost about $960 outright and is available for purchase from just about everywhere.

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Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Huawei makes a nice looking and well-built device. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is evidence of their design philosophy and is one of the best-looking smartphones on the market today  in fact, only the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 challenges its look. Huawei surpassed Apple in September to rank second to only Samsung in world smartphone sales, yet it is still almost completely unknown in the U.S. It looks like AT&T will sell the new Mate 10 Pro as Huawei tries to grab a foothold in the worlds largest flagship market. This all-glass beauty with a metal frame should be in AT&T stores this December, according to recent reports. Other than its 1080p display, lack of memory expansion, poor photo software, and no 3.5mm headphone jack, the Mate 10 Pro has a high-end Kirin 970 processor and Mali-G72 MP12 GPU that can easily take on the Snapdragon 835/Adreno 540 combo found in the Note 8. Its Leica-made dual-camera setup ranks only second to the Google Pixel 2 models and its huge 4,000mAh battery will easily last you through the day and then some. Lets see just how the powerhouse that is the Mate 10 Pro holds up to the Galaxy Note 8.

Huawei jumped to the new 18:9 aspect ratio, but still only delivers a 1080p resolution on its display  probably in an effort to save battery life, but I doubt that the 4,000mAh battery size would break a sweat with a QHD display. The AMOLED display is 6-inches with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels giving it a density of 402 PPI, but there is no secondary display for notifications. Cornings Gorilla Glass 5, the usual choice for premium smartphones, provides protection.

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Huawei uses their new Kirin 970 octa-core processor with one quad-core clocked at 1.8GHz and a second quad-core clocked up to 2.4GHz. The new Mali-G72 GPU is used for outstanding graphics. This combination stacks up nicely against the Snapdragon 835 and Adreno 540 used in the Note 8. The Mate 10 Pro packs 6GB of DDR4 RAM, allowing smoother operations and multitasking. It packs a nice 128GB of internal memory but has no means to expand it. A model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space is also offered by Huawei in some markets but presumably will not come to the U.S.

Huaweis dual-camera is one of the highest-rated on a smartphone. Working in tandem with Leica, the Mate 10 Pro has a 12-megapixel main sensor along with a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor  each mounted behind a lens with a large aperture of f/1.6, OIS, 2x optical zoom, PDAF and laser autofocus, and a dual-tone LED flash. With the emergence of black and white photography, you can get some fantastic B&W shots with the Mate 10 Pro. Its FFC is an 8-megapixel unit with an aperture of f/2.0 for selfies and video chatting. A 4,000mAh non-removable battery with fast charging powers the device. The glass back eliminated the chance of a removable battery but opened the door to the IP67 dust and water resistance certification, though Huawei chose not to include wireless charging.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is an excellent smartphone and is packing a very good sound package that comes with stereo speakers, but no 3.5mm headphone jack, though Huawei does provide an adapter to go from the Type-C port to a 3.5mm plug. Otherwise, you will need a good set of Bluetooth headphones. The Mate 10 Pro comes with support for the older Bluetooth 4.2 standard but features an IR blaster and NFC. The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor is as quick as ever to unlock your device. The Mate 10 Pro measures 154.2 x 74.5 x 7.9mm and weighs in at 178 grams. The Mate 10 Pro comes in your choice of Midnight Blue, Titanium Gray, Mocha Brown, and Pink Gold and ships with Android 8.0 Oreo enhanced with Huaweis EMUI 8.0. The Mate 10 Pro will cost you approximately $945 outright, although if purchased through AT&T you will be able to finance the device on a plan.

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And The Winner Is

The Final Word

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While the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is an outstandingly beautiful and capable smartphone, I have to crown the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 as the winner of this comparison. Both devices cost about the same amount and it simply seems like you get more for your money with the Note 8.

The Note 8 has a larger display, Samsungs Super AMOLED QHD display  along with an Always-On notifications display. It has an equal processor/GPU, the same amount of RAM and, more importantly, expandable memory. It has a great camera area and uses auto-HDR for all of its shots. It does not have stereo speakers, but it does retain its 3.5mm headphone jack. The Note 8 has facial recognition, a heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, an iris scanner, newer Bluetooth, wireless charging, Bixby, Samsung Pay, and is available for all US carriers. We have to mention the S Pen and all of the possibilities it brings with the Note 8.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is an outstanding device that packs a great SoC/GPU, a monochrome camera, stereo speakers, an IR Blaster, a larger battery, Knuckle gestures, and Desktop projection. It is missing a 3.5mm headphone jack, but they supply a dongle to adapt from the Type-C port to a 3.5mm jack, the display, while AMOLED is only 1080p, no WiFi calling support, nor support for Daydream VR. The camera technology is great, but it is lacking in the camera software area, and its NPU AI processing chip needs some refinement, but promises a great future.
Qualcomm has announced the license rates that it wants manufacturers of mobile devices to pay to the company if they wish to gain access to its 5G intellectual property. According to the semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company, a royalty rate of 2.275 percent of the selling price will apply to branded single-mode 5G mobile devices while the royalty rate for branded multi-mode (3G/4G/5G) handsets is 3.25 percent. The royalty terms are applicable on a global basis to handsets that use the 5G NR (New Radio) standard up to and including release 15 of the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) specifications.

Keep in mind that these licensing rates are in accordance with the cellular license deals Qualcomm used for 3G and 4G branded handsets sold in China since 2015, and the chipmaker vowed to keep the royalty rates currently effective under those deals the same once the company incorporates later releases of 4G and the pilot release of 5G into future negotiations over the coming years. Currently, Qualcomm is in a legal battle with Apple after the Cupertino, California-based phone maker accused the semiconductor firm of excessively charging original equipment manufacturers for license to its patents. Earlier this year, Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion over allegations of unfair business practices. In addition to Qualcomms licensing program for cellular essential patents, the company said it will continue to license its more than 130,000 patents and pending applications worldwide for 4 percent of selling price for branded single-mode handsets and 5 percent of the selling price for branded multi-mode mobile devices.

Additionally, Fierce Wireless reports that Qualcomm plans to charge original equipment manufacturers a royalty fee of up to $16.25 for every 5G-enabled devices they sell, as the company keeps its cap on the rate for handsets at $500. This is despite the fact that Qualcomm said it expects 5G handsets to be commercially available in 2019 and it remains unclear what patents owned by Qualcomm will be incorporated into the mobile devices in the future. Also, the 5G standards are yet to be finalized by the 3GPP, which kicked off its studies on 5G New Radio in April of this year shortly after the consortium agreed to speed up the timetable for 5G standards development to authorize large-scale testing and deployment of 5G networks by 2019.
Samsung has filed for a patent for a new feature of its mobile payment system, Samsung Pay, designed to let users share their previous purchase and payment transactions using the service to their social media accounts. The patent document, submitted to the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS), calls the new feature Samsung Pay Story and describes it as a way to let other people know about your buying experiences. It was not specified in the document when this feature gets to land on Samsung Pay, but it is supposed to launch on the payment system as part of a future update to the service.

The South Korean tech giant has yet to comment on why it has developed Samsung Pay Story, but industry watchers are speculating that the goal of the feature is to help boost the popularity of Samsung Pay through various social networking sites. As a matter of fact, Samsung is planning on holding a campaign called Pay Story with Celebrities in a bid to attract more people to try out the new feature and incorporate it into their purchasing experience. Its a sort of social media tool focused on payment transactions, though only time will tell what Samsung plans to do with the feature in terms of service expansion in the future should Samsung Pay Story end up materializing soon. High-profile users will have the option to include a snapshot and rating in their purchase before sharing the transaction with other people. Users will also have the ability to select a specific detail of the transaction to be shared on social media so that their privacy remains protected to a certain degree.

It remains unclear at this point of time what Samsung intends to accomplish with the new feature over the long term, but the social nature of Samsung Pay may lend some credence to the idea that it is aimed at helping Samsung launch its own social network to compete with current social media titans including Facebook and Twitter. Already, Samsung Pay is gaining traction on a worldwide basis, especially in India where the payment platform has reached at least 2.5 million users as of November of this year. It now remains to be seen how the Indian market responds to Samsung Pay Story, provided it hits the payment service in the future.
YouTube introduced a Community feature last year that manifested as a tab on a select few creators pages, and a Tweet from Kevin Durant and the response from YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan seem to imply that the feature will be rolled out to more YouTube content creators in the near future. While there was no official confirmation, when Durant sent out a Tweet calling Mohan out and asking about the expansion, the YouTube CPO responded that he couldnt say anything official, but it was heavily implied that the rumors were true. Further banter in the thread reinforced this notion.

Since there is no official announcement as yet, its unknown just how many more creators will be able to get Community tabs on their pages soon, or what they will have to do to qualify them. Likewise, since theres been no official announcement, YouTube could also go in the opposite direction entirely and erase the feature altogether. Mohan made no moves to imply that such a thing would happen or that what Durant had heard was false, and he made his comments on an extremely public channel, which more than likely means that the feature will expand and there will be some sort of official announcement about it soon. The Community tab has been out for a while now and has been garnering great responses, which means that development time is almost certainly not whats causing the holdup. That means that soon is likely to be as soon as YouTube can figure out a vetting process and implement everything on a global scale. It may honestly be as easy as flipping a virtual switch, or it could involve a few more days or weeks of coding.

For those unfamiliar with the Community feature on YouTube, it essentially puts a miniature Google+ page directly on a creators YouTube profile, but only they can make original posts there. They can create posts and polls just as they would on their own Google+ page, but this feature does not require a user to actually go over to Google+ to engage with creators. The way that it cannibalizes a major draw of Google+ is actually ironic; once upon a time, there was an uproar among users because creating a YouTube profile to comment or upload required the creation of a Google+ profile. While Googles social network is not quite dying, it will be interesting to see what kind of effect a wider rollout of the YouTube community feature has on it and how Google reacts.
The former Asia Pacific head of the litigation and dispute resolution practice at Clifford Chance has been promoted to a global role at the firm.Matthew Newick will lead the global, Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Risk Management practice, succeeding Jeremy Sandelson who will remain with the firm and focus on client work and other projects."It is a great honour to be chosen to succeed Jeremy, who is a very hard act to follow. I look forward to working with my colleagues around the world as we help clients to deal with the most complex and critical challenges they face," Newick commented.Newick was based in Hong Kong from 2013 until January 2017 when he returned London. He has been with the firm since 1991 and in his new role he joins the executive leadership group.Ashurst has advising a consortium led by Melbourne City Council on a deal which marks the first of its kind in Australia.A total of 14 buyers are entering into collective corporate power purchase arrangements (PPAs) for electricity and large-scale generation certificates which will partially underwrite the development by Pacific Hydro of the Crowlands Wind Farm in Victoria.Its the first time a group of local governments, cultural institutions, universities and corporations has collectively purchased renewable energy to assist the underwriting of a new, large-scale generating facility.The Ashurst team was led by utilities partner Jeff Lynn, assisted by partner Peter Limbers, counsel Justin Jones and senior associates Cassandra Wee and Caroline Lindsey.A legal profession focused artificial intelligence firm has closed a $10 million Series A funding round that values the business at $50 million.British-based Luminance is actively targeting the lucrative US legal services market and has announced the opening of a new Chicago office. The new investment was led by Talis Capital and includes international law firm Slaughter & May, which already uses the firms AI technology.Slaughter and May has worked closely with the Luminance team since the products inception, commented partner Sally Wokes. The knowledge we have gained through piloting, testing and using the software on live transactions gives us real confidence in what we consider to be a highly differentiated due diligence tool. Our decision to invest in this latest funding round reflects our belief in Luminance and our commitment to harnessing innovation for the benefit of our clients.Luminance already has 50 leading organisations worldwide among its customers, including Australias Gilbert + Tobin, New Zealands Chapman Tripp, and Singapores WongPartnership.Just one year after launch, Luminance has already proven its value with leading law firms globally. Were excited to boost our operations across the Atlantic with the opening of our Chicago office, and to continue to bring legal innovation to new markets around the world, Luminance CEO Emily Foges said.
SUV

AWD

Esse e o Lamborghini Urus quase em sua totalidade. Falta pouco para conhecermos o SUV como um todo, mas nos ja temos 4 slots na linha de producao para configuracao do carro a partir do proximo mes. #Lamborghini #Urus #ToysForBoys A post shared by Toys for Boys Brasil (@toysforboysbrasil) on Nov 28, 2017 at 2:34pm PST

In case the driver wants some reassurance about the Italianness of the Urus, the bottom of the flat-bottom steering wheel features the Italian flag. And truth be told, the Urus is Italian considering the superis assembled at the SantAgata plant where the Huracan and Aventador are also made.The engine, transmission, and MLB Evo platform were all designed in Germany, which begs the question, just how Italian the Urus is? Adding insult to injury, chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani argues that the exhaust sounds aggressive in Corsa mode , though thats wishful thinking at best.All the research & development money Lamborghini has on its hands couldnt deliver an exotic-sounding V8, which sees the light of day in the Porsche engine plant in Zuffenhausen, Germany. Capable of releasing 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet on full song, the Porsche V8 is teamed up with a torque-converter automatic transmission with eight forward gears.The ponies available at the tap of the loud pedal and the gearing allow the Urus to hit 188 miles per hour (303 km/h) despite the fact the sporting utility vehicle weighs a lot and comes as standard with. The Urus also features a 48-volt electrical system, paving the way for mild-hybrid powertrains for future models. The Urus Plug-In Hybrid, which is expected to arrive in late 2018 or early 2019, will up the ante with even more performance than the V8 model thatll be revealed on December 4.For all its good and bad points, the Urus promises to sell by the bucketload considering Lamborghini will price the LM002 successor at under $200,000. Coincidence or not, the Bentley Bentayga retails at $195,000 in the United States. When all is said and done, prospective buyers with that kind of money to spend on a vehicle from this segment have to ask themselves what matters most: performance or comfort.
EV

If we take a look at the Aston Martin lineup, we notice that the Rapide could do with a little brother. Alas, we wouldn't hold our breath for such a four-door coupe making it into production.First of all, the past decade has seen crossovers booming, with these stealing an important part of the sedan clientele ( DBX , anybody?). And it's enough to look at how the Lamborghini Urus grabbed the production slot of the Estoque four-door coupe to understand this from the perspective of a high-tier automaker.Secondly, building a business case for a compact four-door coupe in the higher area of the market is extremely difficult when a carmaker already offers a larger vehicle of the kind. And the example we've chosen to illustrate this comes from Porsche, which has yet to bring the Pajun alongside the Panamera.And since Gaydon has already confirmed the arrival of the RapidE electric sedan for 2019, as a potential Porsche Mission E rival, we can't expect the Vantage Four-Door to kick off the British automaker'soffensive either.If the rendering above, which comes from digital artist X-Tomi , tickles your aficionado bone, we'll remind you that this is the third 2019 Vantage derivative the Internet has come up with since the automaker introduced the Coupe incarnation of the go-fast machine earlier this week.And while we're not expecting the rendered Shooting Brake to make it into production in the near future, the Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake has demonstrated that we could be gifted with such a special to land later on in the vehicle's lifecycle.Meanwhile, we're looking forward to Aston Martin introducing the 2019 Vanquish Volante
AMG

This is exactly what takes place in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page, which sees the two slabs of Germany getting together at a sprinting event.The 600 hp M car and the 415 hp Porscha duked it out on an airfield, with the rear-wheel-drive coupes going for a standing start. Keep in mind that, despite the Zuffenhausen animal being considerably lighter, the Bimmer still dominates its opponent in terms of the power-to-weight ratio, since we're looking at 3.4 vs 3.7 kg/hp.As for the torque department, the story is the same, since the twin-turbo V8 of the M6 Gran Coupe delivers 700 Nm, while the naturally aspirated flat-six of the Neunelfer packs 405 Nm.And while the M6 Competition features a dual-clutch transmission, the 911 GT3 features a six-speed manual. So yes, the BMW driver simply had to engage Launch Control, while the guy behind the wheel of the Porsche had to work the clutch in order to get the car off the line.The Porsche 911 GT3 battle above is the icing on this BMW M6 Competition drag racing cake, at least as far as Porschephilles are concerned. Nevertheless, the grand tourer also battled other go-fast animals.To be more precise, the Bimmer duked it out with a Nissan GT-R , as well as with a Mercedes-C63 Wagon. And, to keep thing spicy, we haven't mentioned the full list of competitors for the said BMW.As with any such battles, the car that crosses the finish line first isn't always the same with the one that grabs the win in the aural department. As such, we're inviting you to hit the "play" button below and be the judge of the aural fights.
EV

Of course, if you ask a bona fide artist about this, they'll disagree. Nobody questions the talent and skill that goes into designing a car, but you can't make art and a commercial object at the same time. Art needs to be created for the sake of it, not for financial profit. Plus, real art is unique, and cars usually tend to be produced in more than just one unit.But what does Chris Bangle have to do with anything? Well, despite its asymmetry and funky angles, the vehicle you're looking at didn't come out of Picasso's hand, but Bangle's. And if you look at its windshield you can even see a trace of the famous "Bangle Butt" that made some people fall out of love with BMW in the early 2000s.It's called "REDS" and let's just get this out of the way: it looks like a clown's car. If somebody wearing a red wig, a big nose, patched overalls, and oversized shoes climbed out of it, you wouldn't flinch one bit. If somebody wearing a smart suit did, on the other hand, you would.In reality, the REDS client is neither of the two. Instead, it is aimed at the young Chinese customer who is in search of a space of his own. Bangle revealed in an interview with "The Verge" that Chinese youngsters don't get the same access to a private space as most westerners do, so he thought about giving a positive spin to the time spent standing still while caught in gridlock.That meant turning the interior of the REDSinto that "fourth space" or "personal space" that the owners can enjoy or even share with others when they feel like it. The REDS has roughly the same footprint as a smart fortwo city car, but its interior is much roomier. It seats four on the move or five when standing still, and the seats can fold or swivel, while the steering wheel can be tucked away when not in use.The central display only sticks up one-third of its size while moving, but when stationary it reveals itself whole, enabling those inside to watch movies or play games. And just in case you were wondering, no, the REDS is not an autonomous vehicle. Well, not yet, at least.The car is developed by a new Chinese company called REDSPACE, with Bangle's new Turin-based studio only signing the design. It should be produced for the Chinese market, but it's hard to tell how much of what you see here will make it into the final product. Will it ever come out China, though? We think the Japanese might take a liking, but that's about it.
EV

But that doesn't mean Disney is sitting at the top of the list of most innovative brands in the United States of America. Nope, that spot has been seized by Tesla Inc., and if themanufacturer can keep up this pace, it's hard to see how it could be pushed over by any of the existing brands.This shouldn't really come as a very big surprise for anyone that's been following the company's progress. Not only has Tesla forced almost all major car manufacturers to launch their own electric vehicle programs, but it's also one of the leaders in the development of autonomous technology, the next big step in the automotive industry.This year, Tesla also managed to climb two positions in the "Top 10 Most Valuable Car Brands" worldwide after just managing to break in one year earlier. The company also features at number six in the BrandZ list of "Top 20 Risers," confirming it's on a very steep upward trajectory.Tesla is a premium electric-only car brand that creates meaningful difference by, quite simply, being meaningful and different," the report explains. "Tesla has not only produced products that fulfill its customers desire for more environmentally conscious vehicles, it has invented an entirely new, direct-to-consumer sales model. It equips its cars with different driving modes and can update their firmware, just as you might upgrade the OS on a mobile phone. All this has built an enthusiastic, nearly rabid fan base that helps the brand grow.If you've watched the latest event organized by Tesla, the Semi and second-gen Roadster preview , then you'll know that fanbase isn't going anywhere. After all, somebody from the public did yell "Elon for president," and we're pretty sure they weren't kidding. Nor were they alone in thinking that.
Virginia Tech President Tim Sands, PhD, named Dr. Cyril R. Clarke to be interim executive vice president and provost, effective Nov. 1.

Dr. Clarke had served as dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech since 2013.

"In Cyril, we have a dedicated and inspirational leaderone with broad knowledge of Virginia Tech. Not only is he deeply committed to our shared vision, but he also has a unique understanding of the environment and culture we must navigate," Dr. Sands said in an Oct. 30 university press release.

Dr. Cyril Clarke

Clarke has led the veterinary college to achieve several recent successes. The college plans to launch its first undergraduate degree programin public healthin 2018. Together with the Master of Public Health program, the undergraduate program will be an integral component of the college's one-health initiative, which recognizes the close linkages among animal health, human health, and the environment. This commitment to one health is reflected also in the veterinary college's engagement with the developing health sciences and technology program in Roanoke, Virginia, in partnership with Carilion Clinic.

The program recently revised its DVM degree curriculum, emphasizing integration of courses, team-based learning, and hands-on experience gained in teaching hospitals in Blacksburg and Leesburg, Virginia.

A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr. Clarke earned his veterinary degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 1981 and a doctorate in veterinary pharmacology from Louisiana State University in 1987. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology, Dr. Clarke was a faculty member at the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences from 1987-2007.

In 2007, Dr. Clarke became dean of the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He also served as a professor of pharmacology in the veterinary college's Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Clarke previously served as a member of the board of directors for the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the AVMA Council on Education as well as president of the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Dr. Gregory B. Daniel was named interim dean of the Virginia-Maryland veterinary college, where he is professor of radiology and head of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. He holds a joint appointment as professor in the Department of Basic Science Education at Virginia Tech's Carilion School of Medicine. He is a diplomate and past president of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and represents the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians in the AVMA House of Delegates.
The Oklahoma State University/A&M Board of Regents on Oct. 20 approved the appointment of Dr. Carlos A. Risco as dean of the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. He is expected to assume his position in March, according to a university press release.

    Dr. Carlos Risco 

Dr. Risco (Florida '80) is currently at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, where he serves as a tenured professor and chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.

"I am excited for the opportunity to serve as dean," Dr. Risco said in the release. "The strong culture of scholarship, outstanding curriculum and the multidisciplinary approach to improve both animal and human health has led to the excellent reputation of the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences."

Dr. Risco is a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists. His main research focus pertains to metabolic disorders and reproductive management of dairy cows.

From 1982-90, he was a partner at Chino Valley Veterinary Associates, a nine-veterinarian dairy practice in Ontario, California. In 1990, he joined the faculty at the University of Florida as an assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Risco will replace interim dean Dr. Chris Ross, who took over from former dean Dr. Jean E. Sander. Dr. Sander left in June 2016 to become senior technical services poultry veterinarian at Zoetis Inc. She served in the position of dean for five years and oversaw the addition of the newly constructed Academic Center to house faculty offices, which opened in 2015.

Related JAVMA Content

Oklahoma States new dean gets to work (Nov. 15, 2011)
Open enrollment this year is only half as long as last year. Photo: AP file

Nearly 2.8 million people have signed up for Affordable Care Act coverage for next year in the first four weeks of open enrollment, according to figures released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today. That includes roughly 718,000 new customers and nearly 2.1 million who were renewing old plans.

Yes, but: Thats a long way from the 12.2 million people who signed up for 2017 coverage. And open enrollment this year only runs through Dec. 15  half as long as last years enrollment season.
Apple is using its ability to automatically update Mac computers to fix a big security vulnerability that allowed hackers easy access to computers running the latest version of MacOS. It's only the second time Apple has made use of the ability to push down an update to all computers.

"Security is a top priority for every Apple product, and regrettably we stumbled with this release of macOS," Apple said in a statement.

Why it matters: The security hole was huge, but Apple moved quite quickly to patch things and forcing an automatic update ensures that machines won't remain vulnerable.

Apple said it began working on an update as soon as it became aware of the issue. The update was made available this morning and later today will be automatically installed on all machines.

"We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users, both for releasing with this vulnerability and for the concern it has caused," Apple said. "Our customers deserve better. We are auditing our development processes to help prevent this from happening again."
Donald Trump Jr. will speak with members of the House Intelligence Committee next Wednesday behind closed doors as part of their ongoing probe into Russia's attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election, according to CNN. His attorney did not confirm or deny to CNN that Don Jr. would attend.

Context: Don Jr. originally failed to disclose his own meeting with a Russian lawyer last year after he was reportedly promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. He spoke with the Senate Judiciary committee in September, and has also been asked to speak in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Trump administration will now allow hunted elephant trophies from Zambia and Zimbabwe to be brought back to the U.S., as long as there is evidence that the hunting benefited conservation of that species, ABC News reports. This reverses an Obama-era ban, and elephants will still be included in the Endangered Species Act.

Why it matters: Over the past few years, there have been several celebrity hunters who have come under fire for posting photos of their trophy hunts  lions, zebras, giraffes, etc. While sport hunting is often viewed negatively, some hunters and conservationists argue that it can help the conservation of certain species when done responsibly.
Margrethe Vestager, Europe's chief competition regulator who brought an antitrust case against Google this year, told Recode's Kara Swisher that the European Commission is continuing its focus on preventing tech giants from squashing competition from startups. She also said on the podcast that she's concerned about the lack of transparency around the algorithms used by these companies.

Across the pond: U.S. lawmakers also questioned the larger societal impact of Big Tech's use of algorithms and big data on Wednesday, and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai questioned whether social media is a net benefit to society.

Key quote: "We have to take our democracy back. We cannot leave it to Facebook or Snapchat or anyone else. We have to take democracy back and renew it. Society is about people and not about technology." She added: "We want a free market, but we know that the paradox of a 'free' market is that sometimes you have to intervene."
The personalized newsfeed revolutionized the way people share and consume content. But let's be honest: this came at a huge cost to facts, our minds and the entire media industry.

This is a challenging problem to solve because the obvious benefits that have driven the growth of social media  more friends! more likes! more free content!  are also the things that will undermine it in the long run.

New alternatives for self-expression , including services like text messaging, WhatsApp, and Snapchat are part of a shift towards using communication applications to express yourself rather than posting on social media, because communication apps are oriented around talking with your close friends, free from judgment.

, including services like text messaging, WhatsApp, and Snapchat are part of a shift towards using communication applications to express yourself rather than posting on social media, because communication apps are oriented around talking with your close friends, free from judgment. Social media fueled "fake news" because content designed to be shared by friends is not necessarily content designed to deliver accurate information. After all, how many times have you shared something you've never bothered to read?

Be smart: The Snapchat solution is to rely on algorithms based on your interests  not on the interests of "friends"  and to make sure media companies also profit off the content they produce for our Discover platform. We think this helps guard against fake news and mindless scrambles for friends or unworthy distractions.

While many people view Snapchat as a social media service, it is primarily used to talk with friends  like visual texting. Snapchat began as an escape from social media, where people could send photos and videos to their friends without the pressure of likes, comments, and permanence. By focusing on the camera, Snapchat lowered the barrier to self-expression and showed a new generation that everyone is creative.

Our theory: Rather than using friends to curate a content feed, Snapchat empowered people to visually communicate with their friends. This was part of a shift towards using apps to express yourself rather than posting on social media. Apps were oriented around talking with your close friends, free from judgment.

But there's a challenge  how can Snapchat better personalize the Stories created by publishers if they aren't curated by friends?

One model is what Netflix does . Netflix uses machine-learning algorithms to recommend content to subscribers based on what they watched in the past. Research shows that your own past behavior is a far better predictor of what you're interested in than anything your friends are doing. This form of machine learning personalization gives you a set of choices that does not rely on free media or friend's recommendations and is less susceptible to outside manipulation.

. Netflix uses machine-learning algorithms to recommend content to subscribers based on what they watched in the past. Research shows that your own past behavior is a far better predictor of what you're interested in than anything your friends are doing. This form of machine learning personalization gives you a set of choices that does not rely on free media or friend's recommendations and is less susceptible to outside manipulation. Ah, but won't this exacerbate fears about algorithms taking over? It's important to remember that human beings write algorithms and can optimize them to account for human behavior. This means that an algorithm can be designed to provide multiple sources of content and different points of view.

The combination of social and media has yielded incredible business results, but has ultimately undermined our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media. We believe that the best path forward is disentangling the two by providing a personalized content feed based on what you want to watch, not what your friends post.

Our thought bubble: It's vitally important that future content feeds are built on top of a human-curated supply of content  rather than just anything that surfaces on the Internet. Curating content in this way will change the social media model and also give us both reliable content and the content we want.

With the upcoming redesign of Snapchat, we are separating the social from the media, and taking an important step forward towards strengthening our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media. This will provide a better way for publishers to distribute and monetize their Stories, and a more personal way for friends to communicate and find the content they want to watch.

See details on the redesign in the Axios stream by clicking here.
In a new study that is optimistic about automation yet stark in its appraisal of the challenge ahead, McKinsey says massive government intervention will be required to hold societies together against the ravages of labor disruption over the next 13 years. Up to 800 million peopleincluding a third of the work force in the U.S. and Germanywill be made jobless by 2030, the study says.

The bottom line: The economy of most countries will eventually replace the lost jobs, the study says, but many of the unemployed will need considerable help to shift to new work, and salaries could continue to flatline. "It's a Marshall Plan size of task," Michael Chui, lead author of the McKinsey report, tells Axios.

In the eight-month study, the McKinsey Global Institute, the firm's think tank, found that almost half of those thrown out of work375 million people, comprising 14% of the global work forcewill have to find entirely new occupations, since their old one will either no longer exist or need far fewer workers. Chinese will have the highest such absolute numbers100 million people changing occupations, or 12% of the country's 2030 work force.

I asked Chui what surprised him the most of the findings. "The degree of transition that needs to happen over time is a real eye opener," he said.

The details:

Up to 30% of the hours worked globally may be automated by 2030.

hours worked globally may be automated by 2030. The transition compares to the U.S. shift from a largely agricultural to an industrial-services economy in the early 1900s forward. But this time, it's not young people leaving farms, but mid-career workers who need new skills. "There are few precedents in which societies have successfully retrained such large numbers of people," the report says, and that is the key question: how do you retrain people in their 30s, 40s and 50s for entirely new professions?

the U.S. shift from a largely agricultural to an industrial-services economy in the early 1900s forward. But this time, it's not young people leaving farms, but mid-career workers who need new skills. "There are few precedents in which societies have successfully retrained such large numbers of people," the report says, and that is the key question: how do you retrain people in their 30s, 40s and 50s for entirely new professions? Just as they are now, wages may still not be sufficient for a middle-class standard of living. But "a healthy consumer class is essential for both economic growth and social stability," the report says. The U.S. should therefore consider income supplement programs, to establish a bottom-line standard of living.

may still not be sufficient for a middle-class standard of living. But "a healthy consumer class is essential for both economic growth and social stability," the report says. The U.S. should therefore consider income supplement programs, to establish a bottom-line standard of living. Whether the transition to a far more automated society goes smoothly rests almost entirely "on the choices we make," Chui said. For example, wages can be exacerbated or improved. Chui recommended "more investment in infrastructure, and that those workers be paid a middle wage."

a far more automated society goes smoothly rests almost entirely "on the choices we make," Chui said. For example, wages can be exacerbated or improved. Chui recommended "more investment in infrastructure, and that those workers be paid a middle wage." Do not attempt to slow the rollout of AI and robotization, the report urged, but instead accelerate it, because a slowdown "would curtail the contributions that these technologies make to business dynamism and economic growth."

Editor's Note: Get more stories like this by signing up for our weekly robotics, AI and labor newsletter, Future of Work.
The scene in Vienna:"OPEC and Russia look set to prolong oil supply cuts until the end of 2018 this week while signalling that they may review the deal when they meet again in June if the market overheats," Reuters reports.

Markets keep watch: Via Bloomberg and other outlets, oil prices fell somewhat Wednesday morning as traders watch the action at the OPEC meeting. More broadly, analysts predict that prices could fall significantly if the deal isn't extended all the way through the end of 2018 at this week's meeting.

Be smart: This CNBC interview with Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects, offers some good context on the dynamics at the OPEC meeting, where the future of the deal between the cartel, Russia and other producers is under discussion.
In a broad conflict between law enforcement and digital privacy, the Supreme Court seems inclined to come down on the side of privacy. But the justices weren't quite sure how to get there, or how far to go  and those details will have an enormous impact on the future of digital privacy.

The bottom line: The court heard arguments this morning over whether police should be able to track the location of a suspect's cell phone without a warrant. A majority of the justices seemed uncomfortable with that practice and concerned that if they don't pump the brakes now, the government would soon have easy access to access almost every detail of our lives. But they also worried about going too far in the other direction.

"This is an open box  we know not where we go," Justice Stephen Breyer said.

The big picture: The court has said in the past that you don't have a "reasonable expectation of privacy" with information you voluntarily turn over to a third party. And the Justice Department argued this morning that those rulings clearly mean police don't need to get a search warrant before using cell-tower data to retrace a suspect's steps.

The ACLU, on the other hand, argued that police should need a warrant for location data, or at least to collect several days' or weeks' worth of data.

The big question: The court's liberal bloc was solidly on the ACLU's side, and some of the conservative justices also seemed to be looking for narrower limits on warrantless location searches. But today's arguments offered few clear indications of what such a decision might look like, or how aggressively the court might move.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wants to revisit the so-called "third party doctrine" altogether. She said today that the American people "want to avoid Big Brother."

Breyer, a Democratic appointee, asked lawyers to lay out a way the court could rule against law enforcement in this case without also cutting off access to the financial records used to investigate white-collar crime. "Where are we going? Is this the right line? How do we write it?" he asked.

"I need to know how much existing precedent you want us to overrule, or declare obsolete," Justice Samuel Alito said to the ACLU lawyer arguing against warrantless tracking. The court almost never overturns its own precedents, and Alito suggested it might need to revisit a slew of old cases in order to side with the ACLU here.

Justice Neil Gorsuch took the proceedings down a specific path that none of his colleagues seemed inclined to follow, but which at the end would have led to a ruling in the ACLU's favor.

Why it matters: Almost everything we do on our smartphones and computers involves transferring data to a third party. And if that alone makes that data available to law enforcement without a warrant, then law enforcement will have a bigger window into the private details of Americans' lives than ever before.

"I don't, but I know most people have the phones in the beds with them  it's an appendage now."  Justice Sotomayor
The future of digital privacy is up for grabs today at the Supreme Court, as the justices hear arguments in a landmark case about whether police can track the location of a cell phone without a warrant.

Why it matters: The tech industry's most powerful companies argue that if police can access this information without a warrant, hardly anything will ever be private again. The justices clearly share some of those concerns  but their personal understanding of modern technology is on a collision course with the court's past rulings.

The big picture: The Supreme Court has ruled in the past that you don't have a "reasonable expectation of privacy" for data you voluntarily turn over to a third party.

In the '70s, it said police could use a pen register  a device that records all numbers called from a particular telephone line  to log the numbers a suspect dialed from his landline phone, because he knew he was routing those calls through the phone company. A similar case allowed warrantless searches of bank records.

But here in 2017, almost everything we do involves transmitting data to a third party. As the ACLU put it in a brief to the high court, every day, millions of Americans disclose "their search queries to Google, their GPS coordinates and location history to Apple, Google, and Waze, their intimate photos to Apple or Flickr, and their medical queries to WebMD."

The details: The ACLU is representing Timothy Carpenter, who was convicted of participating in a string of robberies in 2010 and 2011  a conviction based partly on data from Carpenter's cell phone providers, which showed that his phone pinged cell towers near the sites of the robberies at the times they occurred.

Police obtained nearly 13,000 individual records about the location of his cell phone, spanning four months.

The ACLU says obtaining all those cell-tower records without a warrant violated Carpenter's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

The Justice Department's case is simple: Cell-tower records are just like the bank records and pen registers of the '70s.

Users don't own their cell-tower records; cell-phone companies do.

And everyone who uses a cell phone knows about cell towers.

So, cell-tower location records are a clean example of data turned over to a third party, and therefore aren't entitled to any expectation of privacy.

But the tech industry disagrees. More than a dozen big tech companies  including Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Snap, as well as Verizon  filed a brief that doesn't take a side in the dispute over these particular phone records, but argues that the court's "analog" precedents shouldn't govern modern technology.

The implications the companies lay out are staggering:

"Users may not expect or intend that, by relying on service providers to administer everything from their email content and address book to their health and fitness data, they assume the risk that the government could amass and monitor their data without a warrant," the companies wrote.

"When an Internet user opens a news story, views a photograph, or sends a message to a friend, the user's smartphone often makes a record of that action, and those records are often transmitted to third parties," they say. Similarly, "smart" appliances know when we're home.

All told, there's almost nothing these companies, together, don't know about us.

Several of the justices, both liberal and conservative, seem to share those concerns. The court ruled in 2014 that police need a warrant to physically search a suspect's cell phone, largely because of the sheer amount of information our phones store. And in 2011, the court said police needed a warrant to attach a GPS tracker to a suspect's car.

That's different from retracing their steps through cell-tower locations, but the justices were clearly thinking about some of the same issues they'll grapple with today.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the court should reevaluate its so-called third-party doctrine, because it's "ill suited to the digital age, in which people reveal a great deal of information about themselves to third parties in the course of carrying out mundane tasks."

Long-term GPS tracking required a warrant because "society's expectation has been that law enforcement agents and others would not and  simply could not secretly monitor and catalogue every single movement of an individual's car for a very long period," Justice Samuel Alito said in the same case.

A ruling is expected by June.
A new NBC News/GenForward poll reveals that the majority of Millennials are unhappy with the current political landscape, including President Trump and both national parties. 71% say they want a third major political party, and 63% disapprove of Trump's performance as President (compared to 58% of all voters, per a recent NBC poll).

65% believe the country is on the wrong path.

60% disapprove of Congress' performance.

59% have unfavorable views of the GOP, compared to 42% with unfavorable views of the Democratic party.

Why it matters: A Pew Research report from July shows that Millennial and Gen X voters made up a majority of voters in 2016, and that Millennials will likely be the biggest cohort in the 2020 election.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May condemned Trump for retweeting British First leader. Photos: AP

A spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May condemned President Trump's decision Wednesday to retweet anti-Muslim hate videos from British far-right leader Jayda Fransen, stating that U.K. citizens "overwhelmingly reject" the prejudiced rhetoric of the far-right.

It is wrong for the president to have done this. Office of the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May

More outrage from the U.K.:

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan tweeted: " Britain First is a vile, hate-fuelled organisation whose views should be condemned, not amplified."

Britain First is a vile, hate-fuelled organisation whose views should be condemned, not amplified." Leader of U.K. Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: "I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."

tweeted: "I hope our Government will condemn far-right retweets by Donald Trump. They are abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society." The Muslim Council of Britain said in a statement that the retweets were "the clearest endorsement yet from the U.S. President of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda. We cannot give such bigotry a free pass."

said in a statement that the retweets were "the clearest endorsement yet from the U.S. President of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda. We cannot give such bigotry a free pass." U.S.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement that Trump is "clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims ... Trump's posts amount to incitement to violence against American Muslims."

said in a statement that Trump is "clearly telling members of his base that they should hate Islam and Muslims ... Trump's posts amount to incitement to violence against American Muslims." Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: "The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. @realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in my country and my city."

The other side:
Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, left, walks out of the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse after the jury deliberated for a fifth full day in his trial back in 2016. Photo: Chris Tilley / AP

Former energy executive Don Blankenship, who recently spent a year in California prison for "conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards," will run for West Virginia's U.S. Senate seat as a Republican, per the local ABC affiliate in Charleston, West Virginia.

The intrigue: Blankenship was released from prison just six months ago, and according to USA Today investigative reporter Brad Heath, isn't allowed to leave Nevada without permission from a judge or probate officer until May because he's on federal supervision.

Why it matters: Blankenship's probation conditions, in addition to his controversial past as the Massey Energy chief executive when the Upper Big Branch mine exploded, will make campaigning for Senate even more difficult. He has blamed others for the explosion incident and even wrote a 67-page blog post about it, which he later printed and distributed 250,000 copies, per WCHS.

If he wins the primary, he'll face incumbent Dem. Senator Joe Manchin.
The Armenian parliament committee on foreign relations on Wednesday formally objected to the opposition Yelk alliances calls for Armenias withdrawal from the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

A parliamentary declaration drafted by the pro-Western alliance says that membership in the EEU, effective from January 2015, has hurt the countrys economy and security. The document was rejected by the ruling Republican Party (HHK) and the two other parties represented in the National Assembly when it was first circulated in September.

Nevertheless, Yelk continued to press for a full-fledged parliamentary debate on the issue. The parliament committee, dominated by pro-government lawmakers, discussed and overwhelmingly voted to give a negative assessment of the Yelk motion.

This issue will not be on Armenias political agenda as long the Republican Party (HHK) and its coalition partner [Dashnaktsutyun] are in power. Namely, at least until 2022, Armen Ashotian, the committee chairman, said just before the vote.

Ashotian insisted that membership in the EEU stems from Armenias national interests even if it has not yet lived up to the countrys economic expectations. An exit from the bloc would only harm the country, he said.

For their part, Yelk lawmakers reiterated their arguments against EEU membership. One of them, Edmon Marukian, claimed that the Armenian economy has not only not benefited from it but will also suffer from higher uniform import duties of EEU member states.

Marukian said that Yerevan should not only leave the trade bloc of five ex-Soviet states but also seek an Association Agreement with the European Union. In that regard, another Yelk leader, Nikol Pashinian, downplayed the significance of a less far-reaching accord which Armenia signed with the EU last week.

Armen Rustamian, a Dashnaktsutyun leader, disagreed, saying that Armenia can capitalize on the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). There has emerged a new situation where Armenia can use opportunities and gain new resources for development, he said.

President Sarkisian and members of his government have repeatedly said that Armenias economy has benefited from the EEU membership. In particular, they have cited double-digit increases in Armenian exports to Russia recorded in 2016 and so far this year.

Yelk holds 9 seats in the 105-member National Assembly. Marukian admitted that the parliament committee vote means it will most probably fail to include the issue on the National Assembly agenda next week.
29 November 2017 10:05 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 134 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on November 29.

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.

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29 November 2017 16:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Fuad Aslanov

Last week, about 20 entrepreneurs met with the Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan. During the meeting, the businessmen presented their concerns to the head of the Armenian government.

The sides discussed a number of problems in the spheres of tourism, energy, small and medium business, taxes and customs duties. The entrepreneurs, in particular, noted that in case of reduction of the turnover tax, small business in Armenia will die. They also touched upon the difficulties related to traveling to the neighboring Georgia, as well as other pressing issues.

However, despite the existence of all these problems, Armenias National Statistical Service claims that the average growth of economic activity in the country allegedly amounted to about 6 percent this year.

If that is true, then why tens of thousands of Armenians leave the country every year and this trend does not stop? The same National Statistical Service says that about 14,000 people emigrated from the country in January to September 2017.

Earlier this year, the former Prime Minister of Armenia, current leader of the Freedom Party Hrant Bagratyan stressed in an interview that the main reason for peoples emigration from Armenia is that there is no demand for workers in the economy of the country. He rightly noted that as soon as the economy starts to gain momentum, there demand arises and migration stops.

However, this is alien to Armenia. The poor economy is the main reason why many people are unemployed there. The unemployment rate in the country is highest among the CIS states, making up 19 percent. Armenians periodically hold protests demanding to open new jobs, while others can find no other way but to leave the country. Armenias population has decreased by about 15,200 over the past year, and today it is even less than 3 million, according to the National Statistical Service.

The lack of investment is also among the main reasons for Armenias fading economy and, consequently, for the exodus of people. When taking office last year, Prime Minister Karapetyan promised to bring investment in the country, but he couldnt keep this promise. Few foreign businessmen dare to invest in the corrupt Armenian economy. The 2015 report of the Transparency International Anti-corruption Center showed that Armenia is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

Investment in Armenia has been very small in recent years and has not created sufficient jobs to slow the emigration, Armenian demographer Artak Markosyan told 1in.am.

The double-digit economic growth of several years in the 2000s, when emigration fell and there even was a trend of immigration, was caused mainly by the construction boom as well as by the good economic situation in Russia. Our compatriots traveled abroad and returned home with enough money in these years, he said.

However, today the situation is much worse  Armenians leave abroad, often together with their families, and do not return. This further deteriorates the social and economic situation in Armenia, and the government is still unable to fix the problem.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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29 November 2017 15:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Alois Stoger and Nicolas Schmit

Although the European Union is in the midst of an economic recovery, long-term unemployment  joblessness and job-seeking that lasts at least a year  remains stubbornly high in many of the countries that were hardest hit by the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath. Unfortunately, the European Commissions proposals for addressing the problem are in many cases insufficient.

Europe needs far more innovative labor-market policies to spur job creation and reduce long-term unemployment, which can be particularly destabilizing for society. As we have seen, unemployment has been an important factor in the rise of populist parties that are now threatening social cohesion, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe.

According to Eurostat, the statistical arm of the European Commission, ten million people across the EUs 28 member states were suffering from long-term unemployment in 2016. Of these, around eight million are in the eurozone, and more than a quarter are 50 and over.

For young people, a university education or vocational training can insure against long-term unemployment, at least when sufficient jobs are available. But for people who are 50 or older, the termination of a work contract all too often leads to prolonged joblessness. For example, among unemployed Europeans 50 and over, 60.3% have been unemployed for more than a year; but for all unemployed Europeans of working age, that number falls significantly, to 46.6%.

Behind these statistics are individual stories of personal tragedy, self-doubt, despair, and lost faith in society. Consider the case of a 53-year-old chief IT officer with a doctorate who was laid off from a medium-size Austrian company. While unemployed, he sent out hundreds of job applications. But on the few occasions when he was called in for an interview, employers first told him he was too expensive or overqualified.

Discrimination based on age, though illegal in the EU, is a routine occurrence. The fact is that the labor market does not work properly for prospective workers at the end of their prime years. But that needs to change if we are going to restore trust in our political system. Those who are willing and able to work deserve support so that they do not end up permanently excluded from opportunities to do so.

The governments of Austria, Luxembourg, and Greece are at the forefront of efforts to transform unemployed people who have lost all hope into workers with a renewed sense of dignity. In each country, workers are being given a new chance to contribute productively to society.

In Austria, a new program called Aktion 20,000 aims to halve the number of long-term unemployed by mid-2019, by creating 20,000 additional jobs exclusively for long-term unemployed workers who are 50 or above. The program will subsidize up to 100% of labor costs, and its success will be assessed according to two criteria: newly created jobs must serve a genuine economic purpose, and they must be a net addition to existing jobs, not a replacement.

In the three months since the programs launch, the best-performing pilot region has already managed to reduce the rate of long-term unemployment among older people by an astonishing 43%. That amounts to almost a thousand people who have found jobs through the program so far.

Similarly, Luxembourg launched a program in September 2017 that will backstop newly created permanent employment contracts for long-term unemployed people of any age. Like Austrias initiative, Luxembourgs program is focused primarily on creating new jobs that will reinforce and add to existing social or public-sector activities.

In both programs, savings from lower spending for unemployment insurance and other social benefits will offset a large part of the financing costs. Given that older long-term unemployed workers are unlikely to find another job in the private sector, we believe it is well worth the limited expense to upgrade them from unemployed to active workers.

As the ministers overseeing labor-market policies in Austria and Luxembourg, respectively, we hope that these programs will provide a model for other European countries to follow as they look for ways to address the problem of long-term unemployment. And, at the European level, we believe that an ambitious but not impossible goal should be added to the EUs agenda: To provide every long-term unemployed person who is able, ready, and willing to work with the opportunity to do so.

Under current fiscal rules, achieving this goal will require some flexibility to allow countries with particularly high levels of unemployment to finance innovative labor-market policies and job-creation programs. In the long run, the cost will be well worth it.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Putting Europes Long-Term Unemployed Back to Work

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28 November 2017 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Aygul Salmanova

Baku hosted UNEC2B, the event dedicated to the labor market where a number of issues regarding the current trends in employment were discussed on November 28.

The event was attended by a number of officials including Salim Muslumov, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Azerbaijan, Zakir Nuriyev, the head of Azerbaijan Banks Association (ABA), Vusal Gasimli, the executive director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication of Azerbaijan.

Gasimli, while making remarks during the event, said that about 150,000-200,000 IT specialists are needed for the development of digital economy in Azerbaijan. He noted that at present, there are about 2,000 such specialists in Azerbaijan.

This does not mean that we cannot find a way out of the situation. For example, it is possible to review the migration policy and attract the experts that we need from abroad. At the same time, we can take measures to prevent relocation of personnel to other countries, Gasimli said.

The Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications of Azerbaijan proposes to unite all information on labor market participants in the State Examination Center, said Gasimli.



If we know in which direction our economy is developing and we have sufficient information (on the labor market), we will be able to make correct decisions as to which specialists will be in demand in Azerbaijan in the future, said the director of the analytical center.



Uniting in the single center information about school performance scored at the entrance to the university points and the situation in the labor market is important, since large data (Big Data) will allow more efficient management of labor resources, he noted.

Nuriyev was also among the officials addressing the event. The Association of Banks of Azerbaijan (ABA) is ready to help students to establish contacts with potential employers, he said.

He noted that nowadays it is important to ensure the activities of professional training centers with professional associations. He added that a similar center operates under the association headed by him.

Most often, the Azerbaijan Bank Training Center at the association helps those who want to improve their skills or change the scope of activities, the head of ABA said. At the same time, in the near future the current requirements for training, in particular, on the banking sector will remain the same, he added.

In Azerbaijan, the average salary of top-managers of banks is 8,000-10,000 manats ($4,700-$5,887). Such data are the result of a survey conducted by the ABA in the banking market, Nuriyev noted.

This level of wages is quite competitive from the point of view of the international banking market.

Today, about 16,000 people work in Azerbaijan's banking sector, he said. Despite that the number of employees in this sector has decreased over the last two years, banks has been strengthening their human resources since the second half of the year, he said.

Nuriyev added that banks are still experiencing serious shortage in accountants, IT specialists and representatives of other professions.

Young people in Azerbaijan will receive benefits at job placement as the government will pay half of the social deductions that employers pay for employees, said Muslumov while making remarks at the presentation of the platform.

Only 12 percent of graduates of the Azerbaijan State Economic University (UNEC) got a job, the minister noted.

Muslumov added that out of 16,000 graduates only 1,912 have jobs and are officially registered for it. He said that this is a very small figure, which shows that there is no immediate demand for UNEC graduates in the labor market.

The minister added that in order for future economists to be in demand not only in Azerbaijan, but also in other countries, they must have knowledge on accounting and economic law, freely work with various IT-programs. If these conditions are met, there will always be work for such economists, he said.

Muslumov also recalled successful examples, in particular, graduates with an economic education, who today occupy high positions in international companies and have a monthly salary of 20,000 manats ($11,775).

There are many such people in Azerbaijan who know perfectly well both accounting and economic law and are well versed in other areas. Such economists can get a good job not only in Azerbaijan, but also in other countries.
29 November 2017 10:36 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkey has sent its first train via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway to Azerbaijan, the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) said in a message.

The train consisting of 32 containers and carrying 650 tons of cargo left the Turkish province of Mersin for Azerbaijan.

The train is expected to arrive in Baku in 96 hours.

The first freight train was sent via the new BTK railway from Kazakhstans Kokshetau on October 24. The train consisted of 32 containers loaded with grain.

The BTK railway was constructed on the basis a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement.

The railways peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo per year.

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29 November 2017 12:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The next export mission to promote Made in Azerbaijan, the brand which seeks to get a worthy place in the world market, will be held in Dubai (UAE) on December 3-7.

The fruit and vegetable producers represented in the export mission will also participate in WOP Dubai, the largest fruit and vegetable exhibition in the Middle East, to be held in Dubai on December 5-7.

Within the framework of the exhibition, there will be seminars and bilateral meetings, in which products from Azerbaijan will also be presented.

Since early 2017, Azerbaijan has already sent export missions to Qatar, Kazakhstan, Germany, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Earlier, Vice-President of Azerbaijan Investments and Export Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev said that Azerbaijan will send export missions to four countries by the end of 2017: to China`s Shanghai, Russia`s Saint Petersburg, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Azerbaijan, focusing widely on an export-led growth strategy, aims to expand the list of its foreign trade partners. This year the country plans to organize some five missions to increase awareness about the local production and promote Made in Azerbaijan brand.

Development of the non-oil sector mainly depends on the export of non-oil products and the main goal is to expand access to new markets, besides traditional markets.

For the past nine months of this year, the export turnover of the non-oil sector amounted to $1.07 billion, which is 25 percent more than the figure for the same period last year.

Data of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee show that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to almost $70 million in 2016, $11.6 million of that amount accounted for the export from Azerbaijan.

The trade turnover between the countries amounted to $24.4 million in January-August 2017.

The strategic markets for Azerbaijan are also considered to be EU, the countries of the Persian Gulf, China, the CIS countries, Turkey and Russia.

EU is one of the largest markets in the world. And, ultimately, this market is an important direction for entrepreneurs in terms of both competitive opportunities and sustainable income.

Earlier, Chairman of Centre for Economic and Social Development Vugar Bayramov told Azernews that currently, the Azerbaijani government is working to create an Azerbaijani shelf in supermarkets of the EU.

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29 November 2017 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Aygul Salmanova

An international conference, titled Real Estate, Privatization and Investments was held in Baku on November 29.

Karam Hasanov, chairman of the State Property Issues Committee while making remarks at the conference said that Big work is underway in Azerbaijan to attract foreign investments in real estate sphere.

He noted that conditions are created for foreign investors that allow them to operate on the same level as local investors in the countrys real estate market.

Hasanov emphasized that the conducted reforms allowed Azerbaijan to improve its position in such reports as the Global Competitiveness Rating and Doing Business.

The country has improved the regulatory and legal framework in the field of protecting the rights and property of investors. Moreover, investors were granted various benefits and preferences in order to encourage investments, said the committee head.

Hasanov went on saying that more than 1.1 billion manats (about $647 million) have been transferred to the Azerbaijani state budget until today as a result of privatization of state property.

Entrepreneurs from such countries as the U.S., UK, France, Switzerland, Turkey, Germany, Russia, China, Finland and Israel took part in the privatization of state property, he said.

He noted that the Committee has held 60 auctions since early 2017, during which more than 1,400 state enterprises were privatized, and it is planned to start privatization of big facilities in the future.

We are very interested in attracting foreign investors to the privatization of big state facilities. Today, there are ample opportunities for development of cooperation in the field of privatization of engineering facilities, including oil, metallurgy, light industry, sports, tourism and other sectors, said the committee head. Inviting foreign investors, we are ready to declare that we will provide full support for your activities in the country.

Earlier, Hasanov noted that the State Property Issues Committee intends to transfer more than 100 million manats (about $58 million)(obtained from the privatization of state-owned enterprises) to the state budget.

Ziyad Samadzade, chairman of the parliamentary committee on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship, while addressing the event noted that Azerbaijan is among the countries with the least risk for foreign investors.

He noted that Azerbaijans external debt doesnt exceed 18 percent of the countrys GDP, and this is one of the best indicators among developing countries.

By investing in another country, investors are always interested in volume of its external debt, Samadzade said. In Azerbaijan, this figure is below 18 percent of GDP, and by this indicator we hold the first place among developing countries.

The chairman also noted that Azerbaijan managed to create very favorable environment for investors.

Social stability is ensured in the country, there is the necessary legislation, number of inspections have been reduced, entrepreneurs are supported, Samadzade said. High technology parks have been created in Azerbaijan and their residents are exempt from paying taxes for a period of seven years.

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29 November 2017 17:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Aygul Salmanova

Azerbaijan has applied for the inclusion of a recipe for the preparation of Azerbaijani dolma, one of the most popular dishes in the Azerbaijani cuisine, in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

This issue will be discussed during the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which will take place in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, from Monday 4 to Saturday 9 December 2017.

Over the six days, the twenty-four members of the Committee, elected by the General Assembly of the 2003 Convention, will discuss a number of issues that are important for the safeguarding of living heritage around the world.

The participants of the meeting will consider 34 new applications for inclusion in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO of popular customs and forms of creativity: traditional chants, rituals and holidays.

Dolma is a traditional meal that no Azerbaijani can imagine living without. This stuffed meal is widely prepared in kitchens across the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia. However, in Azerbaijan this dish is iconic, no Azerbaijani table is complete without dolma.

The name of this ancient national dish originates with the pure Azerbaijani verb doldurmag (to stuff) as it means various leaves, vegetables and fruits stuffed with minced meat.

There are many varieties of this dish, including vitamin full vegetables. There are currently more than 25 varieties of dolma. In spring, when many fresh grape leaves appear - the main product for making dolma. Summer brings aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to stuff. In autumn dolma is made out of cabbage leaves, apple and quince. During the cold winters, it is made of preserved grape leaves.

Dolmas are traditionally stuffed with ground lamb and/or beef, rice, onions, and herbs.

Stuffed vine leaves (yarpag dolmasi) are one of the most popular types of dolma. Using vine leaves in spring time is very healthy because they contain 70-80mg per 100g of vitamin C, while at this time of a year potatoes contain only 6-8mg per 100g of the vitamin.

Of note, the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list includes the Novruz holiday, Azerbaijani mugham, art of Azerbaijani Ashiq, craftsmanship and performance art of the Tar, traditional art and symbolism of Kelaghayi, copper craftsmanship of Lahij, Azerbaijani carpet, and flatbread making and sharing culture: lavash, katyrma, jupka, yufka.
28 November 2017 17:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

An international conference entitled Azerbaijans multiculturalism model: ethno-cultural diversity kicked off in Baku on November 28.

Since ancient times, Azerbaijan has been a place where people of many religions and cultures lived together in peace, and today the country already acts as a role model in multiculturalism.

However, the situation is the other way around in the neighboring Armenia. This is a mono-ethnic state, and this stems from the aggressive position of its leaders towards the neighboring countries.

The Armenian government is a threat to Europe, the whole world, American political expert Peter Tase said, addressing the conference in Baku.

He noted that the Azerbaijani people suffered a lot due to Armenias actions, adding that Armenia destroyed Azerbaijans ethnocultural heritage and caused great harm to the countrys environment.

Unfortunately, the EU, the U.S., the world main forces remain silent at the violence against humanity committed by Armenia against the Azerbaijani people, said Tase. I call on the world community to pay attention to the crimes committed against humanity by the Armenian fascist regime.

The genocide in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly in February 1992 takes its place among the most terrible crimes Armenia committed against Azerbaijani people. The town came under intensive fire from the occupied towns of Khankendi and Askeran. Then, the Armenian armed forces occupied Khojaly, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling. Of 3,000 people who were in the town at that time, 613 were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elders. 487 people were severely wounded, including 76 children. 1,275 people were captured and subjected to unprecedented torture.

Arye Gut, head of the Israel branch of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism, also addressed the conference in Baku.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan proved by his deeds that he is the successor of fascist Garegin Nzhdeh, he said.

Today it is obvious that Armenian authorities glorify Nzhdeh, as the government establishes monuments to this fascist, and the countrys president personally participates in their unveiling.

Gut stressed that Armenia occupied Azerbaijans lands, and today there are over one million refugees and IDPs in Azerbaijan.

Artur Agajanov, Armenian historian and a member of the board of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Civil Peace Platform, in turn, noted in his speech that people-to-people diplomacy plays a leading role in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He noted that all options for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement have been put forward, but none of them was useful.

The only positive thing is that large-scale military operations were not launched, he added.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 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 regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Until now, Armenia controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

Touching upon the activity of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Civil Peace Platform, Agajanov said that there are both positive and negative attitudes towards the platforms activity.

However, people are gradually joining us, and this makes us happy, added the historian.

The process of bringing together the people of Azerbaijan and Armenia on boosting the settlement of the conflict started in December 2016, when the Armenia-Azerbaijan Civil Peace Platform was founded in Baku by a group of Azerbaijani and Armenian public figures and peacekeepers. The aim of the Platform is to bring together representatives of civil society of the two countries for creating dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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29 November 2017 11:26 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

On Tuesday Baku hosted an event on the occasion of Great Union Day of Romania which falls on December 1.

The day commemorated the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia, which declared the Union of Transylvania with Romania in 1918.

The grand reception brought together the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan, representatives of Romanian diaspora and public figures of Azerbaijan.

In his welcoming speech Romanian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Dan Iancu said 99 years ago, on December 1, 1918, as peace returned to a war-weary continent, the unity of the Romanian state was finally and completely achieved.

This happened peacefully, driven by a solid popular will, in the spirit of inclusiveness and tolerance. The new Romania born then has made in the following decades great efforts to promote, domestically and externally, to the highest standards of the time, the values of tolerance, fairness, and respect. These values remain today at the core of our policies, he said.

Touching upon the Romania and Azerbaijan relations, the ambassador said that the two countries are today linked by strong bonds of friendship and shared values.

Azerbaijan is the only country in the region which is a Strategic Partner of Romania. Azerbaijan is our biggest economic partner in the South Caucasus, and also our key regional counterpart in strategic areas such as energy and transportation, he said.

Iancu said that the two countries share the same firm attachment to the values of multiculturalism, tolerance and respect for diversity. In Romania, as in Azerbaijan, these are now deeply and solidly rooted in the mainstream of our societies, he said.

The envoy went on saying that this June both countries celebrated establishment of 25 years of diplomatic relations.



The legacy of this quarter of century is rich and inspiring  we enjoy now excellent political dialogue, growing economic cooperation and ever-expanding people-to-people contacts. This provides us with solid grounds and guidance for our future efforts, to further expand our institutional, business, educational and cultural links, to better tap the tremendous potential that exist in our relations, the ambassador noted.

Iancu also noted about the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijan-Romania intergovernmental commission scheduled for January 2018, saying that the meeting will give impetus to further development of relations in economy and will help define new goals of economic cooperation.

Romania and Azerbaijan enjoy traditionally very close and friendly relationships developing since 2009 within the framework of the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

Economic relations between Romania and Azerbaijan are developing at a high pace. Romania expressed a desire to participate in the export of Azerbaijani oil to European markets. Countries cooperate in various regional projects, including within the framework of the TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) program. Azerbaijan and Romania have signed 43 documents in various fields.

Brief information about Great Union Day of Romania

On December 1, 1918 the Peoples Assembly in the city of Alba Iulia (South-West Transylvania) unanimously adopted a Resolution stating the union of the provinces of Transylvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures (until that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), all with Romanian-majority population, with the Kingdom of Romania. Coming in the very aftermath of the World War I, the Great Union of 1918 (as it is called by Romanians) marked the accomplishment of the process of national reawakening started out by the formation of the modern Romanian state in 1859.



This historic event reflects the fulfillment of a long-lasting desire for freedom, unity and national dignity of many generations of Romanians. December 1 is celebrated by Romanians all over the world as a symbol of solidarity, hope and triumph against adverse circumstances. It reflects, to this day, Romanias attachment to the principles of tolerance, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and respect for cultural values of all people.

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29 November 2017 12:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend



President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia, Co-chair of the Azerbaijan-Croatia Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation Martina Dalic.

The head of state hailed the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Croatia.

President Ilham Aliyev recalled Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic's visit to Azerbaijan, describing it as a success. The President hailed reciprocal visits at different levels between the two countries. The head of state underlined the importance of mutual trade, investment and collaboration of companies in terms of expanding cooperation in a variety of fields. President Ilham Aliyev noted the significance of the activities of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in this regard.

Pointing to Azerbaijan-European Union relations, President Ilham Aliyev underlined that the recent Eastern Partnership Summit was a success and yielded good results, and emphasized the importance of the Declaration adopted at the Summit. The head of state said work is underway on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU, and expressed his hope that the agreement will cover all areas of bilateral cooperation  in accordance with best mutual interests  including political, economic, energy and cultural ones.

The President hailed good prospects for long-term energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Croatia, praising Croatia's regular participation in the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Republic of Croatia, Co-chair of the Azerbaijan-Croatia Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation Martina Dalic extended greetings and best wishes of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to President Ilham Aliyev.

Martina Dalic expressed her pleasure with her visit to Baku, saying they feel at home in Azerbaijan. She pointed out high level of bilateral relations between the two countries, noting the importance of the two presidents' joint efforts in terms of expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Martina Dalic underlined ample opportunities for deepening Azerbaijan-Croatia cooperation in investment, trade and other spheres, and hailed the successful activities of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the greetings and best wishes of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and asked the Deputy Prime Minister to extend his greetings and best wishes to the Croatian head of state and premier.

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29 November 2017 14:28 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

World oil prices continue to decline in the course of trading on Wednesday on data on unexpected increase of commodity stocks of fuel in the U.S.

Brent crude futures fell by 0.69 percent to $63.17 per barrel, meanwhile U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped by 0.31 percent to $57.68 per barrel.

The reason for the decline in oil prices was data on the increase in commodity stocks of fuel in the U.S.

The key event of this week will be a meeting of representatives of the largest oil-producing states, on November 30 in Vienna. The meeting will discuss the issue of extending the deal to reduce oil production.

Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar al-Luaibi expects the oil-producing countries participating in the OPEC + agreement will decide to extend it.

The minister stressed that several options are being discussed for the duration, including six months, nine months and one year.

Answering the question whether Iraq itself supports the extension of the Vienna agreement, the minister replied: Yes, of course.

Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Oil Minister Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei said that hes optimistic on extending the cuts.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported on November 28 that the volume of oil reserves in the U.S. increased by 1.8 million barrels, distillates - by 2.7 million barrels. The Institute receives information from operators of refineries, oil storages and pipelines on a voluntary basis.

Prices may fall even further if APIs indicators are confirmed by government data, but until then investors will be paying attention to the meeting of major oil-producing countries on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal analysts said.

Analysts on average forecast a decrease in oil reserves by 3 million barrels, as well as an increase in distillate stocks by only 160,000 barrels.

OPEC members decided to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day. Some non-OPEC countries, such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, and South Sudan promised to cut output by 600,000 barrels per day, beginning from January 1, 2017.

OPEC and non-OPEC countries decided to extend oil output cuts for nine months in Vienna on May 25.

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29 November 2017 16:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The 4th international conference Oil refining and petrochemistry of the Caspian Sea and Central Asia kicked off in Baku on November 28.

Over the past four years, the conference has turned into the largest regional venue and the most significant event in the industry of the Caspian region and Central Asia, each year traditionally bringing together the heads of the biggest oil and gas companies, oil refineries and petrochemical plants of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as foreign partners representing world engineering and technology companies.

Fuad Ahmadov, deputy director general at SOCAR GPC, addressing the conference said that SOCAR GPC, gas processing and petrochemical complex of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR, is planned to be launched in 2022.

Ahmadov noted that one of the goals of the project is to strengthen the monetization of gas processing, extract useful fractions and ensure the production of polymers.

It is planned to build a gas processing plant with capacity of 10 billion cubic meters per year and a polymer plant that will consist of a pyrolysis unit and a polyethylene unit with capacity of 600,000 tons per year, he said.

Ten billion cubic meters of gas to be processed at this plant, will be supplied for the project. About 600,000 tons of polyethylene and 130,000 tons of propylene will be annually produced. A part of the propylene may be transported to SOCAR Polymer in Sumgait city, and the remaining part may be exported.

SOCAR GPC will be commissioned in Garadagh settlement, 15 km south of Baku and the cost of the project is around $4 billion, according to the initial estimations.

Touching upon the SOCAR Polymer project he stressed that about $100 million were saved as part of implementation of the project due to the introduction of tax and other benefits in the Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park.

He went on to say that the polypropylene unit will be ready and commissioned in May next year, and polyethylene - by October next year.

The unit for production of polypropylene is 94.8 percent ready, Ahmadov said. The test work regarding the unit is already underway, start-up and commissioning work is being launched. Engineering work and all supplies are finished, so there are no risks of delaying the project because of logistics. In general, we are in an active stage and we will start production of polypropylene in May 2018.

The unit for production of polyethylene is 81.4 percent ready and will be commissioned at the end of the third quarter of next year, he noted.

Total cost of SOCAR Polymer is $750 million. At the first stage, its production capacity will total 120,000 tons of polyethylene and 180,000 tons of polypropylene. The total capacity may reach 570,000 tons by 2021.

Elnur Mustafayev, director general at SOCAR Methanol LLC, said, in turn, that the global demand for methanol will amount to 83 million tons in late 2017.

Further he mentioned that SOCAR Methanol LLC plans to double the supply of methanol to the domestic market within the next two to three years.

Mustafayev noted that currently, 5 percent of the plants products are supplied to the domestic market.

Ninety-five percent of the products are exported to the world market. This year we produced 265,000 tons of methanol that is six percent more than the annual plan. This allowed us to raise $35 million, which helped the company to rank fifth in non-oil exports in Azerbaijan, he said.

The director general noted that the strategic goal of the enterprise is to double the volume of supplies to the domestic market and completely meet the demand for methanol and methyl alcohol in Azerbaijan.

The domestic market is one of the key areas of our development for the next two to three years. At the same time, export deliveries will continue to play a key role in the work of our plant. The Kulevi terminal is actively used in the transshipment of our products for export, he said, adding that the terminal is capable to transship 60,000 tons of methanol per month.

One of the strategic tasks is the transition to the operational period of 350 operating days per year, in other words, to conduct overhaul not once a year, but once in two years and prolong the period, he added.

It is also important to increase the capacity utilization up to 90 percent, to ensure EBITDA margin of at least 20 percent, he said. We believe that there is potential thanks to reconstruction and modernization in order to achieve a coefficient of 1.09, in other words, a 1,000 cubic meters to obtain not 900 tons, but 920 tons of methanol, increasing the output of methanol from a fixed volume of gas.

Production at Azerbaijans methanol plant, the only plant of this kind in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, started in January 2014.

The plants annual capacity is 650,000-700,000 tons. SOCAR acquired the plant from the Aqrarkredit non-bank credit organization. The plants cost was estimated at $520 million.

Taking his turn, Khayal Jafarov director of the urea (carbamide) plant of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR noted construction of the plant has been completed by 98.4 percent.

The engineering work and equipment procurement are completed by 100 percent, construction work  by 94.7 percent, civil work  by 99.8 percent, while the equipment installation is completed by 91.7 percent, he noted.

All the work for the plants construction is planned to be completed in December and to start the commissioning work early next year, Jafarov said. Production at the plant will begin in the first half of 2018.

The plant will produce 1,200 tons of ammonia and, subsequently, 2,000 tons of urea per day. It is planned to supply a quarter of production, that is, 150,000-200,000 tons of urea, to the Azerbaijani domestic market. The remaining part will be exported to Turkey, Georgia and the markets of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea countries.

South Koreas Samsung Engineering won the tender for the construction of the urea plant. Samsung Engineering acts as a general contractor of the plants construction, but it has no license for production of urea and ammonia, which will be by-product in the urea production process. Therefore, the relevant licensing agreements were signed with Haldor Topsoe company (Denmark) for production of ammonia and Stamicarbon B.V. company (the Netherlands) for production of carbamide.

Production at the plant will be environmentally friendly, that is, no pollutant emissions into the atmosphere are expected.

The plant will have an autonomous electricity system. The plant will consume 25-26 MW of electricity per hour.

At first, financing of construction work was carried out from the Azerbaijani state budget and about 210 million manats were allocated from there before the beginning of 2015, but later it was decided to switch to project finance and negotiations with banks were started.

As a result, the ExportImport Bank of South Korea (EximBank) opened a line of credit worth 500 million euros under Azerbaijans state guarantee to complete the construction of the plant. EximBank will directly provide 251 million euros, while 249 million euros will be allocated by three commercial banks (Italys UniCredit S.p.A., Frances Societe Generale S.A. and Germanys Deutsche Bank AG) with the support of EximBank.

In 2016, the conference took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and in 2017 moved to one of the oldest and largest cities of the East - Baku. The event will last until November 30.

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29 November 2017 11:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The Kazakh Government has submitted a strategic plan for development of Kazakhstan until 2025. The plan describes how the life of citizens of the country is expected to change in the next 7 years. The project was presented by Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov and published by the Ministry of Economy of Kazakhstan.

Under the strategic plan, the GDP per capita should grow to $46,000, life expectancy should increase from 72 to 75 years, and the GRP (Gross Regional Product) gap between the regions will decrease from 3.2 times to 2.7 times.

By 2025, the exports of non-primary goods and services should increase from 44.6 percent to 50 percent, and the share of small and medium businesses in GDP should grow from 26.8 percent to 35 percent.

It is planned to ensure the growth of the national currency loan portfolio from 18 percent to 50 percent of GDP.

It is also expected that government agencies will be more client-oriented, the banking sector more stable, and the judicial sector less corrupted. The state's share in the economy will decrease, the barriers for small and medium businesses will decline and the use of new technologies will increase.

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29 November 2017 12:36 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The Turkmen Foreign Ministry has hosted a meeting with Alfredo Nieves Portuondo, new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Cuba to Turkmenistan (with residence in Baku), the ministry said in a message.

The diplomat presented copies of his credentials. The Turkmen side expressed its readiness to render all kinds of assistance and support to the ambassadors activity in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

The sides noted the intention to build up comprehensive cooperation and readiness for joint work on its further activation, said the message.

During the meeting, the parties noted the importance of expanding the legal framework between the two countries and intensifying contacts between the business structures of the two countries.

The sides also expressed interest in the development of relations in the fields of culture and sports, healthcare sphere.

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29 November 2017 12:08 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The National Bank of Uzbekistan and South Korea's Eximbank signed a loan agreement in the amount of $150 million.

The agreement was signed during the state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Korea and involves providing a revolving credit line for financing small business projects, as well as investment projects that envisage the purchase of equipment, goods and services of South Korean production.

The credit line will finance projects in the fields of agriculture, food industry, medicine, construction materials, automotive industry and others.

The loan agreement is non-guaranteed, that is, it does not provide for a government guarantee.

Uzbek entrepreneurs show great interest in expanding cooperation with South Korean partners, according to the National Bank.

Thus, to date, more than 200 clients of the bank have expressed their readiness to implement projects involving the purchase of high-tech equipment from South Korea, including through its own funds, by creating joint ventures, attracting investments, and taking loans from Korean banks worth about $800 million.

The volume of investments of the Republic of Korea attracted to the Uzbek economy exceeds $7 billion. Some 461 enterprises with the participation of South Korean capital operate in Uzbekistan. These enterprises successfully operate in the oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical, machine-building, electrical and textile industries, information and communication technologies, transport, logistics and tourism.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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29 November 2017 12:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Pyongyang has conducted its first ballistic test launch in two months which renewed tensions in the region.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on November 29, during which it will discuss the recent missile test conducted by North Korea.

The meeting will be held at 4:30 pm New York time, according to the U.S. Permanent Mission to the global organization, TASS reported.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea requested the meeting to be held in response to North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

It was North Koreas 20th launch of a ballistic missile this year, and possibly its third successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile following two launches in July.

The missile was reported to have flown for 50 minutes on a very high trajectory, reaching 4,500 km above the earth before coming down nearly 1,000 km from the launch site off the west coast of Japan, according to the South Korean Chiefs of Staff Committee.

This is the first missile launch carried out by North Korea since September 15. Since then, for 75 days, Pyongyang has refrained from military provocations.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the missile tests and said that they undermine regional and international security.

He again urged the country to refrain from further provocations and abandon nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea should return to a credible and meaningful dialogue with the international community, the NATO Secretary General said in a statement.

The UN secretariat said that they are concerned about the missile tests conducted by North Korea. In turn, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Washington condemns the actions of Pyongyang, and also believes that the crisis around North Korea can still be resolved through diplomacy.

The UN Security Council resolutions prohibit the country from any activities related to the development of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. Pyongyang does not recognize these documents, arguing that the country has every right to strengthen its defenses against the backdrop of Washington's current hostile policy.

The active phase of the crisis on the Korean peninsula began in August 2017, when Pyongyang tested ballistic missiles and announced the successful testing of the hydrogen bomb.

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously imposed a set of sanctions against North Korea on September 11 over the countrys hydrogen bomb test which was conducted on September 3.

The sanctions included limits on import of crude oil and oil products, a ban on textile exports and new visas for North Korean oversees workers.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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29 November 2017 12:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Two key NATO allies -- Turkey and the U.S. -- have recently experienced hardships in mutual understanding due to a number of reasons, including the arrest of American Embassy's employee, Turkey's purchase of S-400 and extradition of Fethullah Gulen.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim believes that there are three main problems which should be resolved in order for Turkey and the U.S. to remain allies, Turkish media outlets reported on November 29.

The first problem in the relations between Turkey and the U.S. is linked to the fact that the States arms the YPG (Peoples Protection Units) and PYD (Democratic Union Party), which are the Syrian wing of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) terrorist group, the minister believes.

The second problem in relations between the two countries is related to the fact that the U.S. doesnt extradite the leader of the Hizmet movement Fethullah Gulen, who is involved in the military coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016, Yildirim added.

The third problem in the relations between Washington and Ankara is that negative attitude towards the U.S. has already formed in Turkey, and the U.S. authorities dont make any attempts to change this attitude, he said.

He noted that Turkeys discontent regarding the U.S. is mainly due to suspension of visa issuance to Turkish citizens. This move was met with similar action from the Turkish side.

The rapprochement between Turkey, Russia and Iran is also a subject of the Wests concerns.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addressing a speech in Washington today stated that the United States understands the need for Turkey's interaction with Iran, given its close geographical location and cultural ties, but this interaction must take place in the interests of all NATO members.

We are aware that Turkey, due to its close cultural and geographical ties, should cooperate with Iran, but at the same time it should not forget that as a member of NATO it must take into account the interests of the alliance, he said.

However, Turkeys membership in NATO has not helped the country when it needed it.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) did not give Turkey the necessary support in the military sphere, according to Yildirim.

Despite the fact that Turkey was repeatedly subjected to rocket fire from Syria, NATO did not take any steps to protect the country.

He noted that precisely because of this, Turkey acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems in order to protect its territories.

Turkey has the right to undertake everything necessary to protect its territories, the minister said.

The deal on S-400 raised eyebrows among Ankaras fellow NATO members, especially the U.S., and caused concerns as they are supposed to only buy compatible weapons systems from other members.

Turkey has the second-largest military force in NATO, after the U.S., but ties among the NATO allies have worsened last July after a failed coup attempt. Relations further deteriorated following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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29 November 2017 13:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Kazakhstans total output of uranium or so called 'yellow cake' for the year will amount to 22,000 tons, Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said.

Kazakhstan, which is the world's first largest producer of uranium and second in its reserves, will reduce production in 2017 to 22,000 tons, compared with 24,000 tons in 2016.

Production of uranium [forecast for the year] will be 22,150 tons, Bozumbayev said at a press conference.

In early 2017, Kazakhstans national company Kazatomprom and its partners in joint ventures decided to reduce uranium production in order to restore world commodity prices, which decreased by almost 47 percent.

The output was planned to be reduced due to weak market conditions triggered mostly by a global oversupply. In 2016 Kazakhstan produced 24,000 tons, or 1.7 percent more compared to 2015.

Previously, Bozumbayev said that Kazakhstan could increase its uranium production without any problems, since the republic possesses one of the most efficient mining technologies.

We, as responsible big producers, should monitor the situation, because it is easy to drop prices and bring damage to ourselves and our partners. So you have to be careful, the minister said.

Kazakhstan has been a world leader in uranium mining since 2009. Over the past 10 years, the country has increased its volume by almost six times, while its closest competitors, Canada and Australia, have stagnated or slightly declined.

Kazakhstan does not presently possess nuclear power generation capacity and export all the produced uranium, primarily under long-term contracts. Output cut did not impact any contractual commitments. China accounts for 56 percent of Kazakhstans total uranium export.

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29 November 2017 15:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The eighth round of talks on Syria is taking place in Geneva on November 29.

Today, the attention is focused on the arrival of representatives of the Syrian Government, headed by the ambassador of this Arab republic to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, TASS reported.

The delegation of the official Damascus postponed its arrival on the day because of disagreement with the document adopted at the opposition conference in Riyadh, which contained the demand for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad at the beginning of the political transition process.

That issue has lingered as a sticking point in years of global attempts to get the government and rebels to agree on a roadmap for Syria's future.

The country's delegation decided to go to negotiations following intensive consultations with the Russian side, according to a source in the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

With the arrival of government emissaries this round makes sense, experts believe.

The talks began on Tuesday with UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura meeting with the opposition delegation. He said afterward the two sides would have a chance for direct negotiations in Geneva.

Earlier, UN representative said that he believes it is possible for the two sides to narrow their differences as they negotiate under a framework approved by the UN Security Council that calls for a new constitution and elections. At the same time, he highlighted that his mediation team will not accept either side entering the talks with preconditions.

Seven previous rounds of United Nations-backed talks have ended with little progress towards finding solution to the crisis.

Syria has been locked in civil war since March 2011. All previous efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution were ruined, with the opposition demanding Assad leave power, the government insisting he stay on, and neither side able to force the issue by achieving a military victory.

According to UN's special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, around 500,000 people have died in the conflict while half the population has been driven from their homes.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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29 November 2017 17:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Kazakhstan and Belarus aim to further improve their trade and business relations as Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is on an official visit to Minsk, held a meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

The meeting was focused on trade relations and development of industrial cooperation.

Kazakh leader expressed gratitude for the invitation to visit Belarus noting that his visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Today, as many as 260 Belarusian enterprises operate in Kazakhstan, there are products of Belarusian agriculture on our counters. Shops with Belarusian furniture can be seen in all cities, he said.

I know that today our business people will sign contracts for the supply of dozens of BelAZ trucks and new machinery to Kazakhstan, and we will conclude a contract on the localization of products, the establishment of assembly plants. Our relations reached a high strategic level, the Kazakh president said noting that there are no obstacles for their development.

Nazarbayev also touched upon the topic of trade turnover.

There were really difficult times, a crisis, turnover fell, but for ten months of this year it rose by 60 percent, he added.

In turn, Lukashenko expressed hope that more powerful trade and economic basis for Belarus-Kazakhstan relations will be created.

At last we are starting to overcome the recession in our trade and economic relations. Your visit will help us increase the trade turnover. We have everything for it. Our specialists, members of the government, who are present here, will give us options. Good proposals are available. If we accept them, it will be a considerable step forward towards creating more powerful trade and economic basis of our relations, he said.

In January-September 2017 the bilateral trade totaled $485.8 million, up 64.8 percent from the same period in 2016. The Belarusian exports made up $425.4 million. Belarus' major exports include milk and dairy products, tractors and tractive units, trucks, meat and meat products, furniture, grain harvesters, sugar, medications, tires, lifts, plastic containers, ceramic tiles and many more.



The bilateral trade in services exceeded $128 million, up 2.1 times. The Belarusian exports reached almost $100 million.

The Belarusian commodity distribution network in Kazakhstan includes 36 entities set up with the Belarusian capital, and also more than 160 facilities of the dealer network. There are eight joint assembly plants. Belarus is home to 36 companies with Kazakhstan's capital including 11 joint ventures and 25 foreign companies.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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Margaret O'Neill's 5-year-old daughter underwent an outpatient procedure at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora two years ago. Several months after the operation, Ms. O'Neill was shocked when she received a bill for $1,877 for "operating room services" related to her daughter's ear piercing, according to ProPublica.

The band of tissue that connected Ms. O'Neill's daughter's tongue to the floor of her mouth was too tight, and Ms. O'Neill brought her to Children's Hospital Colorado to have the tissue snipped. She was surprised during a preoperative visit when the surgeon offered to pierce her daughter's ears while she was under anesthesia for the operation, according to the report.

The surgeon told Ms. O'Neill to bring earrings to the hospital on the day of the operation if she wanted to have her daughter's ears pierced. Ms. O'Neill brought in the earrings, assuming it was a free service.

Months after the operation, Ms. O'Neill received a bill from the hospital that included a $1,877.86 charge for ear piercing-related "operating room services," which her insurer would not cover. After complaining to the hospital multiple times about the bill, Ms. O'Neill said the hospital told her to pay the bill or it would be sent to collections, according to ProPublica.

Surgical ear piercing is an example of unnecessary treatment, and it is an uncommon service for hospitals to offer. The Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit that maintains a database of commercial health insurance claims, could only find about two dozen possible cases of surgical ear piercing a year in its billing data, according to the report.

Children's Hospital Colorado declined to comment to ProPublica about the ear piercing.

Read the full ProPublica article here.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Healthcare bankruptcies more than triple in 2017

Banner Health's net income nearly triples

Ohio hospitals lose appeal in dispute over Medicare reimbursement: 6 things to know
Becker's Hospital Review reported the following hospital and health system CEO moves in the last week.

1. Commonwealth Health's Berwick (Pa.) Hospital Center selected Thomas Neal, RN, to serve as permanent CEO.

2. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services appointed Brett M. Johnson CEO of Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital in Toledo.

3. St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Ga., made interim CEO Dan Jones' appointment permanent, effective immediately.

4. Jeff Patterson, CEO of Nacogdoches (Texas) Medical Center, is stepping down from his role to take on a new position, effective Dec. 29.
Bart Walker JD serves as Partner for McGuireWoods LLP.

On Wednesday April 11th, Bart Walker will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 9th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place April 11-14, 2018 in Chicago.

To learn more about the conference and Bart's session, click here.

Question: What did you notice about your healthcare experience the last time you were at the receiving end as a patient?

Bart Walker: My last trip to the urgent care was eye-opening and highlighted for me that integration of technology is finally happening in healthcare. First, I searched for the nearest urgent care location on my phone. The search results not only showed the location, hours and providers, but also the current wait time. The web interface allowed me to sign in online and the system texted me 15 minutes before they would call me back to be seen by the treating physician. This allowed me to wait at home and arrive at the urgent care just in time. I was running late, and the text-based system allowed me to notify the provider in advance. This kind of process integration with technology is going to become more and more of a differentiator (and a patient expectation) as the market evolves in the future. The industry has progressed so far from the days when I watched my primary physician hunt and peck at a brand new laptop-based EHR system for 15 minutes trying to figure out how to write a prescription....

Q: As a leader, what is the best investment you made in your own professional development in the past five years?

BW: The best investment you can make is in the people around you. The measure of a great leader is not in how high they climb but rather how many other leaders they create around themselves and whether they leave the organization in a better state than they found it. Despite advancements in technology, business (and especially healthcare) will always be a relationship-driven proposition. The best investment I have made is in the people around me and in the clients we serve.
The proposed Republican tax bill not only seeks to overhaul the tax code, but also includes measures that will have a significant effect on healthcare.

GOP leaders in the Senate cannot lose more than two Republican votes to pass the bill if all Democrats vote against it. Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., voiced opposition to the plan but voted Tuesday to pass it through the Senate Budget Committee, according to Politico. Though Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was initially hesitant to approve the proposal, she said new healthcare provisions added to the bill led her to support the legislation, according to Politico.

Here are the three things to know about the healthcare implications of the new tax proposal.

1. The bill includes a repeal of the individual mandate to have health insurance. However, to earn the support of Ms. Collins, lawmakers agreed to adopt cost-sharing subsidy and reinsurance proposals that will hopefully mitigate the mandate repeal's impact on premiums, according to Politico.

Ms. Collins said she and President agreed legislators would consider the additional healthcare bills and sign them into law before the House and Senate finish negotiating the final tax bill, according to Bloomberg.

2. President Donald Trump will support the bipartisan Alexander-Murray market stabilization bill, according to Bloomberg. Though he previously said he could never stand behind the bill because it funds cost-sharing reduction subsidies, he backed the bill during a GOP lunch Tuesday and confirmed his new stance during a later meeting with Ms. Collins. The bill would also give states flexibility regarding certain ACA regulations.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., previously said he would not bring the Alexander-Murray bill to a vote until he had President Trump's approval.

3. In her meeting with President Trump, Ms. Collins also said she was able to secure his support for a reinsurance bill she introduced in September with Sen. Bill Nelson, R-Fla., according to Bloomberg.

The bill would provide between $3 billion and $5 billion annually for states to establish reinsurance funds that would reimburse insurers 80 percent for claims ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 from 2018 to 2020, and 80 percent for claims ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 starting in 2021, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Critics of the mandate repeal have said repealing the individual mandate will turn insurance marketplaces into high-risk pools with skyrocketing premiums, but Ms. Collins hopes the reinsurance funding will cover high-cost patients and help keep premiums down.
Miami-Dade County courts issued restraining orders against University of Miami Miller School of Medicine student Alex Zhang, 25, on behalf of two women last week after Mr. Zhang allegedly posted photos of the two unidentified women and dozens of others on pornography websites, the Miami Herald reports.

Mr. Zhang allegedly uploaded the photos, taken from the women's Facebook pages or other social media accounts, to pornographic fetish websites, and often identified the women by name and included lewd captions, according to the report.

Links to the websites do not appear to have been sent to the women's families, the report states.

According to one student's restraining order, she filed complaints with the university several times since December 2015 regarding Mr. Zhang's "repeated acts of stalking and harassment" and of him taking unauthorized photographs of her at a local bar.

In April 2016, the university reportedly issued a "no contact order" against Mr. Zhang, and the woman filed a stalking and sexual harassment complaint with the university, according to the report. School administration also ordered Mr. Zhang to delete the photos of the woman from his phone. He was allowed to remain a student at the university.

The woman's petition states Mr. Zhang was still a medical student at the University of Miami earlier this month when victims found at least eight websites with "hundreds" of photos of fellow female medical students. Officials linked Mr. Zhang to the case because some of the photos on the websites included the photos Mr. Zhang had been ordered to delete, the report states.

A second student's petition for a restraining order claimed photos of more than 50 female students from the university had been uploaded to various pornographic websites. The petition also claimed Mr. Zhang still retains his university identification card, which grants him access to campus facilities, according to the report.

Mr. Zhang did not respond to the Miami Herald's requests for comment.

A spokesperson for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine told Becker's Hospital Review via email Wednesday, "Federal statutes prevent us from commenting regarding any ongoing student matter. Regardless, creating and maintaining a safe and nurturing environment in which our students can learn is among the Universitys highest priorities. In compliance with Title IX, it is also our commitment to thoroughly investigate and adjudicate any allegations of inappropriate behavior among our students, while at the same time providing a safe atmosphere as an inquiry moves forward."

"The University is always prepared to take appropriate steps as needed to ensure the optimum learning environment for all of our students. In this regard, the University has retained the services of a nationally-recognized firm to assist those members of the University community affected by the unauthorized postings," the spokesperson added.

The university has also issued an internal investigation into Mr. Zhang.

To read the full Miami Herald story, click here.
Stryker subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics, an orthopedics manufacturer, settled a trade secret disagreement with Zimmer Biomet, according to Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review.

Here are five insights:

1. Howmedica sued Zimmer Biomet in March alleging the device company improperly used Stryker's confidential information solicited from former Stryker employees.

2. The claim, which was filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, stated Zimmer Biomet solicited Stryker employees to develop competing foot and ankle products.

3. Under Stryker's employment contract, sales representatives are not to solicit Stryker customers one year following termination of employment. Additionally, the employees agree to not disclose the company's confidential information.

4. Howmedica identified two employees that left the company to join Zimmer Biomet's team to sell foot and ankle products to their previous Stryker customers. Zimmer Biomet responded that the former Stryker employees would abide by the terms of their agreement.

5. On Nov. 28, the district judge signed a conditional order of dismissal, stating all parties must bring settlement documentations to court within 60 days.
Amy Jackson, the British bombshell who has been scorching Kollywood screens, has entered American Television now as well. Her first TV series, Supergirl is in its third season currently and will feature the Brit in an episode tonight, November 21.



Although she does not play the main role, her portions will definitely be exciting for her fans in India. She announced this happy news on her Twitter: "My first episode with @TheCWSupergirl tonight! Im super happy to be a part of the team."

*Tweet reported as it is
Belfast has the ability to become an even greater tourist

Belfast has undergone something of a transformation in the past 20 years with a number of key regeneration and development projects conceived many years ago by true visionaries driving the city forward.

But what will the Belfast of 2035 look like and what are the challenges we need to overcome to continue this positive trajectory?

This was the topic of a panel discussion held at the new Titanic Hotel last Tuesday, hosted by Cleaver Fulton Rankin, with a panel of experts made up of Suzanne Wylie (Belfast City Council), John McGrillen (Tourism NI), Chris Conway (Translink) and Shane Quinn (Belfast Building Trust).

Brexit unsurprisingly features front and centre when assessing the challenges. The business community in particular appears to be almost at one in its collective trepidation. But by 2035, who knows how it will be viewed. Perhaps with the benefit of hindsight, the current foreboding will prove unfounded.

Longer standing issues include the need to tackle social inequalities and deprivation in some neighbouring and surrounding areas of the city, comparatively low levels of inactivity, housing and the physically segregated communities.

The opportunities on the other hand appear boundless.

The trend towards greater autonomy for cities such as Belfast as economic drivers for the wider region is an exciting prospect. The proposed City Deal announced in the recent budget has so much potential, if the right projects can be identified.

Regeneration opportunities abound in places like the north inner city. By 2035, we may also see the revitalisation of the river-side areas in the city.

On the tourism front, Belfast has had some very high-profile endorsements in recent months. However, having started from such a low base, we have a long way to go and Tourism NI are hoping for continued growth in tourist numbers in the coming years.

We clearly have capacity, with hotel developers in particular visibly confident that we will generate demand for the extra beds about to come online.

Will the congestion in the city have improved by 2035?

With greater investment in public transport, Translink certainly thinks so.

For a start, the new Belfast Transportation Hub should be well established. This should provide greater connectivity and reduce congestion, as well as creating an excellent first impression to visitors. Perhaps the city centre will be a low emission zone.

And, of course, permeating all of this will be technological advances, increased digital connectivity and advances we simply cannot yet predict.
One of the proposed new homes

Work on a luxury development of 60 homes will get under way in Co Antrim this week - and it could be the first of hundreds of new dwellings for the area.

The properties at Neptune Group's Ollar Valley project in Ballyclare go on the market this week.

A choice of nine house types will be available, ranging from smaller three-bedroom homes at 140,000, to larger and more spacious four-bedroom detached properties for 225,000.

Neptune Group director Creighton Boyd said: "There is a real demand for premium homes in Northern Ireland and we're delighted to be providing a choice of properties that will appeal to local home buyers, particularly those considering buying their first homes, who demand exceptional quality and superior design without compromise."

David Menary, head of Colliers' new homes division, added: "Ollar Valley is located on the Templepatrick Road in Ballyclare, which is hugely convenient to the town centre and is just under 20 minutes' drive from Belfast city.

"Neptune Group is a well-respected and established company that offer high specification homes finished with fine attention to detail, suitable for a wide range of buyers."

The development could grow considerably in the future. It is understood Neptune has bought a large tranche of property in the area, which could lead to the construction of hundreds of more homes.

Neptune is also behind a grand series of homes in south Belfast. One of these is the pavilion conversion at the heart of the landmark Belvoir Park development, which launched this summer.

It features interiors created by design consultant Claire Hammond and is set within one of the original Edwardian pavilions at Belvoir Park.

Meanwhile, more than 1,300 houses could be built elsewhere in Co Antrim, along with a new motorway road link.

Developers have submitted a pre-application notice for the development of a link road on the M1 motorway at Sprucefield and the Knockmore Road junction outside Lisburn.

The application has been made by developer Neptune Carleton.

You can view the new Ollar Valley home development on propertynews.com.
Ulster Bank's future in Northern Ireland is a "concern" amid Government plans to sell-off its taxpayer-backed owner Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), the boss of one trade union has said.

Larry Broderick, who is stepping down as general secretary of the Financial Services Union (FSU) after 16 years at the helm, said he is also concerned about the bank's recent announcement that it's shutting nine branches.

The Government is dusting off plans to get rid of RBS with the aim of selling 15bn of its shares by 2023.

"We are seriously concerned that the management of Ulster Bank is being dictated by RBS," Mr Broderick said.

"Local management doesn't seem to have much sway and they have gone down the route of further branch closures.

"Customers are talking with their feet. They are saying it's not good enough.

"We would be genuinely concerned, particularly with the recent announcement by RBS that the Government in the UK wants to sell off RBS as an entity.

"Where that would leave Ulster Bank as a small player in Northern Ireland would be a concern."

Speaking about stepping down from the role, Mr Broderick said: "I'm reaching my 60th birthday and made the decision to retire.

"Two years ago we restructured to be the FSU, giving us broader appeal to fintech companies and it's the 100th anniversary next year.

"It's been dramatic. When I took over in 2001 the industry was booming. There was a strong focus on broadening banking and they were very profitable.

"We would have argued at the time we weren't happy with the culture. The big challenge came, and no one was probably listening at the time. Banking was in a very strong position, and then the crash came in 2008.

"That had a big impact on the island of Ireland."

But the FSU general secretary said that banks here "haven't learnt from the mistakes of the past".

"Recent examples of branch closures, cost-cutting, tracker mortgages in the Republic," he said.

"I'm appealing, before I go, that in Northern Ireland, the Republic and the UK, there needs to be a strong view of what banking and the financial service sector is - with better customer relations.

"Without that, we will be going from crisis to crisis."

He said First Trust, which is shutting 15 branches here, has gone through "major restructuring" - including fewer locations and reducing staff - which he says "we don't believe is working".

Meanwhile, staff at Danske Bank are also engaged in a vote over changes to their pensions, which is due to be decided on this week.

Speaking about the sector here, generally, Mr Broderick said: "I think as entities in themselves, Northern Ireland banks are profitable.

"My concern is there is no localised pressure to influence the retention of a banking system for customers and communities. Really, we need a devolved government back in place."
Firms in the construction supply chain are hoping for an economic boost after the 150m first phase of the A5 corridor in Co Tyrone was given the go-head.

A construction boss said the news signalled that Northern Ireland was finally receiving the infrastructure investment which had been needed "for decades".

The Department for Infrastructure said work will start early next year on the A5 Western Transport Corridor between Newbuildings and north of Strabane.

Under the Fresh Start Agreement, the Republic's government will contribute 75m over three years to the road project.

The department's decision follows a Planning Appeals Recommendation (PAC) that the work should begin.

John Armstrong, managing director of the Construction Employers Federation (CEF), said the scheme was of "significant strategic importance" to the economy. "The direct and indirect benefits will equate to hundreds of sustainable jobs as well as many opportunities for the main contractors' extensive supply chain," he said.

He added the A5 go-ahead came alongside work on the A6 from Randalstown to Castledawson and a live tender for the first phase of the A6 between Londonderry and Dungiven.

"We are looking at a period of huge investment in the infrastructure of the north west and west of NI which has been in need for decades," he said.

"Once completed, all of the schemes, with the addition of the York Street Interchange, will significantly enhance NI's strategic transport connectivity."

But Mr Armstrong said a balance still needed to be achieved on spending on flagship projects - of which the A5 is one - and spending on day-to-day projects.

"The Executive's flagship schemes stand on their very clear economic merits," he said.

"We have though consistently said that a balance must be struck in budgetary planning between how much resource is spent on these and other areas, such as roads maintenance, so to avoid a massive cliff edge for the vast majority of firms not engaged on the flagship projects."

As he announced that the scheme was getting the go-ahead, Peter May, the department's permanent secretary, said it would benefit companies in the area.

"The scheme should lead to an increase in demand for local suppliers of construction materials, as well as a boost to commercial trade in the surrounding area," he added.

"There will also be a considerable focus on social sustainability with the construction contract incorporating targeted recruitment and training opportunities for both young and long-term unemployed people."

Further phases will be announced when funding is made available.
Stephen Nolan has revealed that his desire for more "me time" lay behind his decision to stop co-presenting Radio 5 Live's Question Time Extra Time show.

The 44-year-old, who has a seven-day-a-week schedule of broadcasting commitments with the BBC in Belfast and London, says he has spent the past few years desperate to find a better work/life balance.

The Belfast-born presenter, who is once again attempting to tackle his long-standing weight problem, said: "I just can't go on working like this.

"I know that I need to look after myself as well and this will give me a better chance of doing that.

"Something has to give, and I don't want it to be my health."

Details of changes within BBC Radio 5 Live were revealed in an email leaked to the Belfast Telegraph earlier this week.

Nolan is to be replaced by Adrian Chiles for Question Time Extra Time on Thursday nights as the BBC aims for a younger audience.

He will continue to host his 5 Live show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, and the corporation said it was also exploring other projects with the broadcaster.

Nolan's decision to step back from his Question Time Extra Time show should ease some of the burden on his punishing weekly workload. Typically, Nolan will present his Radio Ulster show on Wednesday morning, then Nolan Live in the evening.

He is back on Radio Ulster the next morning, then on to the 5 Live Question Time Extra Time show that night.

Nolan then returns to the local airwaves for his Friday morning Nolan radio show, before broadcasting on 5 Live at the weekend.

Explaining that he had been mulling over the demands of his working life for some time, he added: "I said publicly back in August that I had decisions to make as I want a better work life balance than my current seven-day-a-week schedule is allowing me to have.

"I need a little bit more 'me time' and yet I am in a very flattering position that I have a range of options from broadcasters.

"Up until now I've just kept piling the work on top of more work, but unless I start staying awake overnight, I'm at maximum capacity now." He added: "The Nolan Radio Ulster Show, the 5 Live Nolan Show, The Nolan Live television show and The Top Table are each massive projects in themselves.

"And I'm in talks with the controller of 5 Live about a new politics format for his network on top of all that.

"I guess I just want to live a bit in 2018 as well."

He will be hoping the next 12 months are as successful as the past year. Nolan has been pulling in huge audiences that have surpassed even some of the national broadcaster's flagship shows.

Last Friday he tweeted: "Extraordinary audiences for Nolan Live this series on BBC1 - 45% share last Wed night again - more viewers at 11pm than The Apprentice at peak."

Earlier this month The Stephen Nolan Show was among the winners at the Royal Television Society NI programme awards in Belfast.
I'm sat in the basement of the exclusive KXU gym in one of London's most affluent postcodes with droplets of sweat rolling down my face and dripping on to my thighs. But I'm not lifting weights, sprinting on a treadmill or grimacing in Pigeon Pose like the rest of the hulking gym bunnies in here. I'm trying out the studio's new infrared sauna.

The oh-so-LA spa craze involves holing up in what looks and feels like a bog-standard wooden sauna but the secret holistic trick is hidden in its walls: instead of reaching fiery temperatures with traditional heat, it warms the body from the inside using infrared lights.

Light therapy has been a staple in Asia for years but it's now starting to make its way into boutique spas and luxury fitness studios in the US and the UK as an alternative therapy to combat pain and muscle tension.

It's said to be a favourite of the Kardashians, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Aniston, who specifically uses infrared saunas to wind down after a gruelling workout. Naturally, Gwyneth Paltrow has also written extensively about its benefits.

Globally, infrared is estimated to be a $75m market which is "growing rapidly," according to a report published in the Canadian Family Physician, the official journal of The College of Family physicians of Canada.

Although scientific research is limited, according to KXU the benefits are myriad. "In just 40 minutes of sweating you can burn up to 600 calories," one of the spa professionals tells me as I don a robe and slippers.

Instead of heating the space around you, the idea is infrared light vibrates water molecules in the body to break them down.

The resultant sweating process is said to rid the body of toxins, including heavy metals like mercury and lead, more efficiently than old-school Swedish saunas.

Converts of infrared have also praised the method for improving circulation, purifying skin and relieving muscle pain.

As well as physical, there are a whole range of mental benefits to be extolled too. The sauna is fitted with changeable mood lighting and each colour has a different healing property for the frazzled urbanite: violet can boost creativity, red relaxes, while a pleasant green hue brings a boost of vitality.

So how does it actually feel?

Infrared rays sounds a bit sci-fi, doesn't it? But the treatment isn't anything like I imagine (I had visions of lying on a clinical table with red lights flaring over me like something from an abduction movie). The booth itself has a pleasant Scandinavian vibe with simple strip lights built into the wooden walls so you barely notice them.

KXU's sauna is built with the 'always on' millennial in mind, so you can take your smartphone inside (there's even the option to play your own music through an AUX cable). I managed to resist spending the entire 30 minutes scrolling through Instagram, instead switching my buzzing emails to flight mode.

The pod-like space is fitted with a reclining chair that deliciously heats the spine while you sit back and sweat out the day's stresses, and within five minutes of lying down, I'm on the verge of sleep. I had gone into the gym feeling thwarted by a day of deadlines and a general sense of exhaustion from an accumulation of late nights, and was immediately soothed by the wall of heat.

You'd think spending half an hour sitting in a chair would go painfully slowly but time whizzes by as the temperatures climb to a balmy 43C. After 35 minutes in the sauna, I feel refreshed, rejuvenated and as relaxed as I'd usually feel after a two-week holiday.

By the time I leave I'm practically drooling. Take that, millennial stress.

The infrared sauna at KXU is 35 for 25 minutes or 55 for 45 minutes. Visit www.kxu.co.uk
Construction to dual the most dangerous road on this island will begin early next year when the first sod will be cut on the 53-mile A5 project, which is being backed by the Irish Government and Stormont

News that Stormont has finally given the green light to a major upgrade on "the most dangerous road on this island" has been welcomed.

The Department for Infrastructure confirmed yesterday the first sod for the new 53-mile (85km) A5 dual carriageway would be cut early next year.

The first 15km phase - stretching from Newbuildings to Strabane - will cost 150m, with the Irish Government paying half over three years.

As yet no funding has been agreed for the remaining two phases - Newtownstewart-Omagh and Ballygawley- Aughnacloy.

The department's permanent secretary Peter May said the decision was taken following "clear direction" from the previous Executive.

A recommendation from the Planning Appeals Commission and the department's own environmental impact assessment also influenced the decision.

West Tyrone SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan described the current A5 as a "death trap" and said the new scheme could save lives and revitalise the economy in the north west.

"It's very difficult to measure how frustrating this process has been - it was promised 50 years ago, as well as in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998," he said.

"The A5 has taken so many lives in its current state and has prevented economic development, so this is an historic announcement."

Foyle Sinn Fein MP Elisha McCallion said: "This is a massive boost in terms of addressing the infrastructural deficit in Derry and connecting the north west to Dublin.

"The A5 and A6 roads are essential to the economic development of the north west and with work already under way on the Derry-Belfast route, today's announcement is another huge vote of confidence."

John Armstrong, managing director of the Construction Employers Federation, said the investment had the potential to create hundreds of sustainable jobs.

With major upgrades also in progress for the A6, Mr Armstrong said it was a vital boost for the north west's economy.

"Once completed, all of the schemes, with the addition of the York Street Interchange, will significantly enhance Northern Ireland's strategic transport connectivity," he said.

But he warned that with no Executive currently in place, great care would be needed to balance resources for other areas such as road maintenance "to avoid a massive cliff edge" for the vast majority of firms not engaged in flagship projects like the A5.
Sinn Fein has warned that there could be "civil disobedience" if checkpoints appear after the UK leaves the European Union.

And Gerry Adams has urged the Taoiseach to block Brexit talks in December if the UK fails to guarantee that there will be no hard border.

Speaking at a Westminster Press conference yesterday, Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard warned that a hard border would cause anger and could lead to trouble.

The South Down MP said: "If we see a situation where we are going to have border customs posts or any particular type of hardware, I would think that would be something people won't want.

"And I go even further. An awful lot of the focus has been on maybe dissident republican organisations and threats, but it is wider than that - it goes right down to a feeling of civil disobedience.

"When you talk to normal people in civic society they are very, very angry and frustrated at even the thought of a customs post going up.

"So I think you will see widespread distaste for any notion of a hardened border, and I mean that from civic society. That's the strength of feeling from it."

TUV leader Jim Allister condemned the comments.

"We often hear vague suggestions that Brexit could lead to a return to violence," he said.

"It's always been clear that that threat didn't come from unionists. Now Hazzard has told us explicitly where that threat comes from.

"These comments should result in a renewed determination to ensure that the will of the British people is respected and a full and complete Brexit for the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place.

"We cannot permit the threat of violence to blackmail us."

Ulster Unionist justice spokesman Doug Beattie said he was "absolutely staggered" by Mr Hazzard's "incendiary" remarks.

He added: "Not only have Sinn Fein abdicated their role in setting up a power-sharing Executive in Northern Ireland, we now have a Member of Parliament openly talking about a return to violence and civil disorder.

"There is nothing to be gained from whipping up fears or tensions, amongst either dissident republicans or career terrorists whose violent acts can do nothing to help stabilise the situation during these difficult times."

With a pre-Christmas election now averted, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's focus will be firmly on crucial Brexit negotiations in Brussels on December 14 and 15.

Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected Mr Varadkar's demands for written commitments before trade talks begin to avoid checks on the border, even if it means Northern Ireland continues to apply EU trade rules while Britain diverges.

This has prompted Mr Varadkar to threaten to veto the start of trade talks at the summit.

Yesterday, Mr Adams said that Mr Varadkar must use the veto.

"Brexit in British Tory terms is bad for every single person on this island and bad for the economy. We need to be standing very firm. The North needs to be kept in the European Union," the outgoing Sinn Fein president said. He also described the DUP's position on the issue as "totally irrational and illogical", and accused it of being "disrespectful that the people of the North voted to remain and that should be upheld".

Referring to the collapse of power-sharing, he said even if the Executive was restored the differences between Sinn Fein and the DUP "will prevail".

"If we managed to get the institutions back in place there is a chasm between our position and the DUP position. The DUP ignores the consequences (of Brexit) for people, many of them unionist people," he added.

Meanwhile, the UK's Europe Minister Sir Alan Duncan has acknowledged that relations between the UK and Ireland were going through a "bumpy period".

Sir Alan suggested the current difficulties over the status of the border were partly as a result of Mr Varadkar's domestic political difficulties, which have resulted in the resignation of his deputy.

The Foreign Office minister told MPs he wanted a situation at the Northern Ireland border which would preserve "as much of the status quo" in people's everyday lives as possible.

Giving evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, he said relations with Ireland were generally quite strong.

"There is a closeness of personal contacts which is pretty strong," he told MPs.

"It's a slightly bumpy period, born, I think, partly as well of their own domestic problems which we hope they will overcome."

Sir Alan described the relationship with Ireland as "enormously important" and the "preservation and continuation of the Northern Ireland peace process is absolutely essential".

He said the UK wanted a "frictionless border" so that as much as possible "of the status quo in people's daily life can continue unobstructed".

But Labour's former Europe Minister Chris Bryant said legal advice from the Foreign Office had suggested a hard border was inevitable if a country left the EU.
It's a mural with a difference in the heart of Belfast.

But this unusual painting depicting Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster as friends, laughing side-by-side is to promote a new play based on the two politicians.

Inspired by the Hollywood movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy, it follows the pair as they embark on a trip across Europe.

Written by Rosemary Jenkinson, the play shows how two of Northern Ireland's most powerful women can work together to save Stormont.

The Michelle & Arlene Holiday Special: Planes, Trains & Tractors will open next week at the Accidental Theatre in Shaftesbury Square, where the mural is painted.

"It gets a lot of attention," Rosemary admitted.

The mural was created by the play's director Richard Lavery and painted by Jonny McKerr.

The latest political play comes just months after the release of Rapid Response: Michelle and Arlene, which explored Northern Ireland's fast-moving political landscape.

Rosemary explained: "We did them on a Thelma and Louise road trip and now this is their European road trip.

"I've still been adding to it over the last couple of days including things like Arlene Foster congratulating Prince William instead of Prince Harry on his engagement. It's those small touches that will help make it up-to-date. The story is about Michelle and Arlene deciding to meet in Stormont to make a final agreement on a deal.

"They are only doing this for publicity as they know they can't get one but they tell the public they will be locked in Stormont for as many days as it will take.

"But they sneak out and go to the airport and pick any destination they want to go to just to get out of Northern Ireland for some fun as they have had enough of politics and they can't come to an agreement.

"When they get to a Bulgarian ski resort they discover that their belongings have been stolen but they can't tell anyone because they are meant to be in Stormont so they have to start hitch-hiking and busking for money and then they hitch a lift to Brussels.

"They find a horse box, which is like the nativity scene, and get the boat to Cork and come up over the border which includes some Brexit references.

"They then steal a tractor and come over the border. It's a very broad satirical look at a mad adventure of what happens when they are abroad.

"Everything is referencing what is happening in politics and is part of an overview of what is happening in Europe.

"And when they get back to Stormont they make a deal - but people will have to come to see to find out what it is."
A 14--year-old Carrickfergus girl who was told she would have to wait a year for an NHS operation to correct her twisted spine has returned home after well-wishers raised more than 20,000 to have the procedure performed privately abroad.

Severe scoliosis caused constant pain in Megan Fleming's back and arms, meaning she couldn't breathe or eat properly.

On Monday night Megan, her mum Karen and dad William returned home after the life-changing operation in Turkey to straighten the 100-degree curvature of her spine.

Now recovering from the 14-hour procedure, X-rays show a dramatic improvement, and the schoolgirl was on her feet less than 12 hours after the op.

"Megan is a superstar, she's such a fighter," a proud Karen said.

"Usually the operation lasts between eight and 10 hours, but Megan was in there for 14 hours, as her surgery was so complicated.

"They opened her from her neck to just above her bottom, then stripped everything back to see her spine.

"They put halo traction around her head and weights were put on it to help straighten her spine during surgery.

"She had four rods put in to hold her spine - usually they only need two. When the surgeon examined her they told us that one of her lungs was completely squashed down, as her spine was sitting on it, and there was additional pressure on her heart.

"She was never hungry, because her stomach was being squashed. The surgeon said her case was critical and he was glad she was being seen now.

"Last September we were told that she would have to wait a year for the surgery, then earlier this month we were told that she could be treated on the NHS in March. But she couldn't have waited until next year."

Karen revealed that surgeons had lost the "signal" to Megan's legs four times during the procedure - risking paralysis from the hips down.

Fortunately, doctors were able to rectify the situation and complete the procedure, with astounding results.

"Our surgeon is world-class and he said he has never seen anyone recover as quickly as Megan," Karen said.

"They are actually doing a case study on her as her condition was so complex and she did so well. Less than 12 hours after surgery she was up walking.

"Her pain is being managed with medication and she is going to start intensive physiotherapy.

"She will always be a bit more restricted in her movement, but at least she won't be in pain."

Megan was discharged from the Istanbul hospital on Monday, and flew into Dublin Airport that evening, where she was met by charity Glengormley Ambulance and Rescue Unit.

Arriving at her door, Megan was greeted by bunting and 'Welcome home' banners erected by well-wishers.

Karen added: "This will change Megan's life. She has set up her own charity called Megan's Wish, which she plans to use to help other children with scoliosis. We are looking forward to a brighter future."
A Conservative MEP has sparked debate with the suggestion a referendum should be held on Northern Ireland remaining in the Customs Union.

Speaking before the European Parliament's constitutional affairs committee on Tuesday, Charles Tannock - who campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union - said people in the province should be given a choice.

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He said a referendum would be the only way to "solve this democratically" and he had been "rubbished on Twitter" by the DUP when he initially suggested the Irish border would present an issue.

A report from Queen's University experts was also presented to the committee, and warned Brexit poses deep risks to the Good Friday Agreement.

The report focused on cross-border elements of the agreement, and that "flexibility and compromise" was needed on all sides to ensure its conservation.

Reacting to Mr Tannock, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said there was "no need for another referendum" and the wishes of the Northern Irish public had been expressed in the Brexit vote.

Northern Ireland voted by a margin of 56% to 44% to remain in the EU.

"The SDLP has consistently told the British Prime Minister that Northern Ireland should not leave the Single Market and Customs Union after Brexit," Mr Eastwood said.

"The people of the North spoke very loudly and very clearly during the EU Referendum affirming that we wanted to remain full members of the European Union."

DUP MEP Diane Dodds rejected the suggestion by Mr Tannock there should be a referendum on Northern Ireland's future position in the EU.

"These comments demonstrate a stark disregard for Northern Irelands certain place in an independent United Kingdom after Brexit," she said.

"I have news for Mr Tannock. We had a referendum. The democratic result of that poll was binding on all regions. We will leave the European Union as one nation. That means Northern Ireland will leave the Single Market and Customs Union alongside Great Britain."

We want to know what you think.

Should there be a referendum on Northern Ireland staying in the Customs Union?
Makers of a new crowdfunded documentary has said it will "expose" members of the IRA.

Makers of a new crowdfunded documentary has said it will "expose" members of the IRA.

'The Great Betrayal' is being made by a group of former British soldiers, including ex-SAS members, who say it is a response to probes into state killings in Northern Ireland.

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Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this month Tory MP Richard Benyon, who served in the British Army in Northern Ireland, said he believed investigations were a "form of retributive politics".

He referred to the case of Dennis Hutchings, who is standing trial over the death of John Pat Cunningham in 1974.

27-year-old Mr Cunningham had a mental age of between six and 10, and was shot in the back by the Army on the outskirts of Benburb.

Former serviceman Alan Barry is leading efforts to produce the film, and speaking to the Birmingham Mail said the documentary will go into "graphic detail".

"The terrorists are portraying themselves as heroes, freedom fighters. They are cultivating a Robin Hood image. In fact, they were callous killers. They were no better than ISIS," he said.

It is thought the film may be a reaction to recent documentaries about the Troubles, including Alex Gibney's acclaimed look at the Loughinisland massacre No Stone Unturned.

A crowdfunding effort has been launched with a target of 50,000, which Mr Barry says this money would go towards the cost of production.

The British government is currently considering a statute of limitations on security force members being prosecuted for offences committed during the early days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

A report produced by the Defence Committee in April said in its conclusion: "It is clear from the experience of these legacy investigations that, unless a decision is taken to draw a line under all Troubles-related cases, without exception, they will continue to grind on for many years to come  up to half-a-century after the incidents concerned."

There has been push-back against the proposal, and earlier this week relatives of those shot dead by soldiers and RUC officers during the Troubles staged a protest at Stormont in opposition to the move.

The Defence Committee report was heavily criticised by Amnesty International.

The NGO's Northern Ireland Programme Director Patrick Corrigan said if its recommendations were implemented, it would "in effect be the granting of a blanket amnesty for human rights abuses committed by former members of the security forces in Northern Ireland".

The Irish government has said it will oppose any amnesty for security force members as part of measures to address the legacy of the Troubles.
Just hours after announcing her resignation as Ireland's deputy premier, a defiant Frances Fitzgerald sent a clear message to her opponents that she was not going away for good.

The outgoing Tanaiste smiled broadly as she arrived at a selection convention in Finnstown Castle, Dublin, on Tuesday night to put herself forward as a candidate in the next general election.

She refused to answer questions from the waiting media as she quickly walked into the venue where she was greeted by her supporters from her Dublin Mid-West constituency.

"I'm not too bad considering all that has happened", she told well-wishers.

Several people offered hugs and words of support to the woman at the centre of a political crisis that almost collapsed the Government.

The selection conventions were convened days ago when a pre-Christmas election looked likely.

Although that election was averted earlier in the day by Ms Fitzgerald's resignation the Government has been badly weakened by the controversy.

It is thought an election could be called within a matter of months.

Despite resigning "for the good of the country" Ms Fitzgerald has remained defiant that her political career was not over.

Shortly after announcing she was stepping down as Tanaiste she went on Twitter to announce: "Just to confirm Dublin Mid-West @FineGael Selection Convention is still going ahead this evening in @FinnstownDublin and I will be putting my name forward for Selection. Looking forward to meeting local members."

The 67-year-old's history with Fine Gael dates back more than 25 years.

Ms Fitzgerald has been a TD since 2011, and also served between 1992 and 2002.
'The Unreserved Government Auction will feature a selection of eight high-end Porsche, Mercedez-Benz, BMW and Audi cars and Yamaha motorcycles'

Fancy a bit of bling that doesn't cost the earth this Christmas?

Whether you're after some designer jewellery, a luxury handbag, a racy Rolex, or even a Porsche, you could easily snaffle a festive bargain with your hard-earned cash tomorrow.

That's because 100 Lots of high-value items will be going under the hammer at knock-down prices at Wilsons Auctions in Belfast from 5.30pm for bidders - both in person and online.

The Unreserved Government Auction will feature a selection of eight high-end Porsche, Mercedez-Benz, BMW and Audi cars and Yamaha motorcycles, as well as over 20 designer watches.

Additional goods include a range of designer handbags and purses from Yves Saint Laurent, Celine, Givenchy and Chanel and there are also a couple of large Smart TVs up for grabs.

The Belfast Land and Property Auction will take place directly afterwards, with more than 40 Lots, ranging from residential and commercial properties in the UK and across Europe.

Wilsons Auctions' Group Asset Recovery Manager Aidan Larkin said November's Unreserved Government Auction is a great opportunity for anyone looking for a good deal.

"It offers a fantastic opportunity for customers to bid on the perfect gift and with no reserve it is a great opportunity to purchase high-quality goods for an affordable price," he said.

"In recent years, Wilsons Auctions has been responsible for returning in excess of 85m back into the public purse.

"Items include government repossessed assets, proceeds of crime-related assets as well as corporate liquidation stock, all of which are sold to the highest bidder with no reserve."

Wilsons Auctions is supporting Northern Ireland Hospice by auctioning a fantastic collection of 19 Fender Stratocaster on its behalf during its Unreserved Government Auction.

Donated to the charity by a private donor, a number of the guitars have been signed by famous rock stars including the Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman, Motley Crue's Vince Neil, Guns 'n' Roses axeman Slash, Cream's Jack Bruce and Def Leppard's Belfast-born guitarist Vivian Campbell.

One guitar, a 2002 US Custom Shop-made seafoam green Strat, boasts signatures from Bad Company and Free drummer Simon Kirke, and fellow Bad Company member Mick Ralphs.

Among the most desirable in the collection is a 1977 American-made maple-wood Strat which also carries Jamie Moses' autograph, the respected session guitarist best-known for his work with Queen, Amy Winehouse, Bob Geldof and Mike And The Mechanics.

Full proceeds from the guitar sales will go back to the charity for vital funds to Northern Ireland Hospice's care services.
A 42-year-old man who is responsible for 10 children and who stole a credit card from Australian tourists over five years ago has been spared jail for his "shameful and disgraceful" crime.

During sentencing at Belfast Crown Court yesterday, Judge Patricia Smyth told David James Griffin, of Station Road in Moira, Co Down, that while the custodial threshold had been crossed, she was prepared to suspend his 16-month jail term for three years, given the passage of time and his lack of re-offending since.

She warned Griffin - whose wife recently gave birth to their second child but who also has responsibility for "eight other children in the household" - that regardless of his future circumstances, any re-offending would see him sent to jail.

The court had heard that in May 2012, Griffin had tricked a housekeeper in Belfast's Jury's Inn into opening a room occupied by an Australian couple after hearing them give their room details at the breakfast bar in the hotel. When the couple returned to their room, they found a number of possessions missing, including a credit card.

The court hear Griffin later used this to go on a spending spree in Lisburn - even using it to pay for an overnight room in a Premier Inn.

His defence lawyer Eoghan McKenna said that a sentence handed to Griffin had previously been deferred and importantly, there were no other cases pending to be heard in the courts, and his client was not under any further investigation.

He added: "This is a man who has a lot to lose if returned to court.

"He does appear to have moved on from offending, and it is five years since this all occurred."
A same-sex couple have called on Prime Minister Theresa May to legalise marriage for LGBT couples in Northern Ireland, as the region approaches almost a year without a devolved government at Stormont.

Carrickfergus couple Laura McKee and Jayne Robinson, who have been together for six years, have launched an online petition urging the UK government to pass the legislation in order to enable them to marry in the region.

It amassed more than 5,000 signatures within 24 hours of going live.

Unlike the rest of the UK, same-sex marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland.

The issue is a devolved matter, meaning it is for Stormont to decide on whether to legalise it.

Legislation to change this has been proposed at Stormont on numerous occasions but the Democratic Unionists have used a special veto mechanism called the "petition of concern"' to block the reform.

However, the couple say that since the powersharing executive collapsed at Stormont, when Sinn Fein pulled out of governance with the DUP, the UK government should now intervene in the absence of a functioning devolved government.

Ms Robinson said: "I love Laura and I know she loves me.

"Just like most other couples in a long-term, committed relationship, we want to get married.

"At the moment our politicians are stopping us.

"With devolution suspended and Westminster increasingly taking the decisions, we want Theresa May to act now to bring Northern Ireland's marriage laws into line with those in the rest of the UK."

She added: "The Prime Minister has recently said that she supports equal marriage rights for couples in Northern Ireland.

"Now Laura and I are asking her to prove it.

"We want to get married and we are asking people to sign our petition to demonstrate the huge support we know exists for marriage equality in Northern Ireland."

The petition is available online at allout.org
Brexit poses deep risks to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, an academic report has concluded.

Experts from Queen's University Belfast presented the findings of their study in Brussels yesterday.

The report focused on the cross-border elements of the agreement and its intent to foster enhanced co-operation between the UK and Ireland.

It said much of that was predicated on both countries being members of the EU.

The study was commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs.

Report co-author Professor David Phinnemore said "flexibility and compromise" was needed on all sides of the Brexit debate to mitigate the risks to the historic 1998 accord.

He added: "This substantial report identifies the challenges that Brexit poses for the Good Friday Agreement and hence why the Northern Ireland-Ireland dimension to Brexit has gained such prominence in phase one of the UK's withdrawal negotiations.

"The effects of the UK's withdrawal from the EU extend to so much more than customs and trade arrangements."

The academic warned Brexit potentially meant wide-ranging divergence between the UK and Ireland in law, trade, security, rights, policies and politics - and this put the agreement at risk of "deep fissures".

Co-author Dr Kate Hayward said: "Any 'hardening' of the Irish border is not just a practical impediment to co-operation and economic growth but also an obstruction to the effective implementation of the agreement."

She warned the danger posed by Brexit to the Agreement arose partly from the way the debate about it was being handled.

Dr Hayward added: "The constitutional status of Northern Ireland is not in dispute here, but its economic welfare and security is most certainly in jeopardy if politicians continue to frame the discussion as an either/or choice between Ireland and the UK."
'The Tyrone branch of the AoH claimed on their Facebook page the child had been 'permitted to sport a British poppy in a rural Catholic school in south Tyrone' earlier this month'

An internal row has erupted in the Ancient Order of Hibernians over a primary school pupil wearing a poppy.

The Tyrone branch of the AoH claimed on their Facebook page the child had been "permitted to sport a British poppy in a rural Catholic school in south Tyrone" earlier this month.

The Tyrone Courier reported that in the post, which has since been deleted, the branch said it "deplores this development" and added that the principals and governors of these unidentified schools "need to get their acts together".

It added: "As far as the Tyrone Hibernians are concerned we believe that an Irish Catholic primary school is no place for the promotion of British military symbols."

The next day, a second post said: "(We are) delighted to announce that no British military poppies were on display today at the Tyrone primary school referred to yesterday. Let's keep it that way. Let us only honour those patriots who fought and died for our nation's freedom."

However, the AoH's assistant secretary John Shanahan hit out at the remarks, saying that the reference to a "British" poppy is "entirely incorrect".

Mr Shanahan, who is a US Navy veteran, said the poppy was a mark of respect for the military service and sacrifice of Irish men and women, "regardless of the country" to which they were attached.

In a statement to the Tyrone newspaper, he said: "The complaints announced by the Tyrone AoH in the postings make reference to a 'British poppy' - a reference that is entirely incorrect - and then depart from that flawed reference to draw a false equivalence between the poppy and implied support for unionist sentiment and British rule in Northern Ireland.

"Firstly, the wearing of a poppy as a memorial symbol has its roots in Canada, not Britain.

"In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies growing in battle-scarred fields in Belgium to write a now famous poem called In Flanders Fields.

"It is an unfortunate mark of ignorance and disrespect for anyone to attempt to politicise the poppy or to attribute its wearing to another thing or purpose other than that for which it is intended - a mark of respect for those brave men and women who came forward, answered freedom's call, and laid down their lives so that we may live in peace and freedom today."

The Tyrone AOH did not respond to a request for comment.
Frances Fitzgerald is driven away from the Dail last night after resigning

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has vowed to be a beacon for truth after his deputy resigned to avoid a snap election over her handling of a whistleblower scandal.

Paying tribute to Frances Fitzgerald as a good woman who did not get a full or fair hearing, Mr Varadkar said parliamentary questions on issues related to the affair will be reviewed.

"She always supported whistleblowers and enshrined a code of ethics in An Garda Siochanna to protect them," he said.

"In the past few days a drip-drip of information may have made certain things seem greater than they are.

"There was a feeding frenzy, and it became impossible for her to get a fair hearing based on the full facts. I hope that will change in the period ahead."

The Taoiseach added he had advised the Irish President to accept her resignation and he will personally take over her business brief for a short time.

Mrs Fitzgerald became embroiled in a scandal over the handling of Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe after questions began to be asked over a month ago about who knew what and when about an aggressive strategy being employed by lawyers for the then Garda commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan against the whistleblower.

She initially said she had forgotten an email which notified her of the approach.

Subsequently it emerged she had received at least three emails on the issue in 2015. She was told not to intervene.

Mrs Fitzgerald initially insisted she had done nothing wrong and that she had no hand, act or part in the strategy.

She was also backed to the hilt by the Taoiseach. But she resigned with the scandal threatening to bring down the minority Government as the opposition party Fianna Fail insisted it would not row back on its no confidence motion, breaking a key pledge in the confidence and supply deal that has kept Fine Gael in power for the past 18 months.

Just hours after announcing her resignation, a defiant Mrs Fitzgerald sent a clear message to her opponents that she was not going away for good. The outgoing Tanaiste smiled broadly as she arrived at a selection convention in Finnstown Castle, Dublin, last night to put herself forward as a candidate in the next general election.

She refused to answer questions from the waiting media as she quickly walked into the venue where she was greeted by supporters from her Dublin Mid-West constituency.

"I'm not too bad considering all that has happened", she told well-wishers.

Several people offered hugs and words of support to the woman at the centre of a political crisis that almost collapsed the Government.

Her departure salvaged the government as next month's Brexit negotiations reach make-or-break point on the question of the Irish border. But Mrs Fitzgerald walked away adamant about her handling of the affair.

"It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve in Government but I believe it is necessary to take this decision to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilising general election at this historically critical time," she said in a statement.

"I have always believed in fairness and equality and these principles have guided my work."

Many on the opposition benches believe the affair has done long-term damage to the minority government and an election is now only weeks away.

Mrs Fitzgerald said she was putting the national interest ahead of her personal reputation.

She also praised the Taoiseach and said he had shown the same courage and determination to protect her as he showed in 2014 when he defended Sgt McCabe. What I admire most about the Taoiseach is that he has always believed in doing what was right, not what was popular or politically expedient," she said.

"I will always be grateful for his confidence and support and for giving me the opportunity to serve in a Government that is making a real difference in people's lives at a critical time in our history."

Mrs Fitzgerald said she would be vindicated at the Disclosures Tribunal, which is investigating the treatment of Sgt McCabe and a smear campaign being perpetrated against him in some Garda, media and political circles.

The Taoiseach described Mrs Fitzgerald as an exemplary member of government and colleague and one of the most reforming justice ministers in history.
3 killed in Karnali jeep accident

Three persons were killed when a jeep veered off the road at Manmachaur in Khadachakra-1 of Karnali Highway on Tuesday night.
Boris Johnson said "this is not the path to security and prosperity for the North Korean people" (Chris J Ratcliffe/PA)

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has called on North Korea to change course, after the secretive state launched what the US said was an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The launch of what may be Pyongyangs longest-range missile so far brought an end to a 10-week pause in North Koreas programme of weapons testing, in a move likely to escalate tensions which are already running high.

Responding to the launch, US President Donald Trump said the United States will take care of it, telling reporters: It is a situation that we will handle.

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Mr Johnson said: Another illegal missile launch from DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea).

This is not the path to security and prosperity for the North Korean people. DPRK regime must change course.

In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman said the missile travelled about 620 miles before landing in the sea less than 200 nautical miles from the coast of Japan.

Japan said the flight took some 53 minutes.

South Korea responded with shorter-range missile tests of its own.
The UKs highest paid vice-chancellor is retiring from the University of Bath amid criticism over the institutions handling of senior staff pay.

Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, who reportedly earned 468,000 in salary and benefits last year, is stepping down from her position in August

Her retirement announcement comes following months of criticism over her pay packet, with more than 300 staff calling for her resignation.

Last week, Dame Glynis narrowly survived a no confidence vote, in a secret ballot of the universitys senate, which oversees the institutions academic work.

The universitys student union held a vote of no confidence on Tuesday, while hundreds were due to march in protest at her pay on Thursday.

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Dame Glynis will remain living in her university-provided accommodation in Bath until August 31, when she will take a sabbatical on full-pay.

She will formally retire in February 2019, when a car loan worth 31,500 will be written off, but there will be no payments for loss of employment or office.

The embattled vice-chancellor said that, by the time of her retirement, she would have been in post for 17 years, a third of the universitys lifetime.

During that time, I have served the University to the best of my ability and will continue to do so until the day I leave office, she said.

Since 2001 the University has changed dramatically. It has almost tripled in size and is now among the top universities in the UK. It has had many great achievements in its first 51 years and it will go on to be even greater.

Dame Glynis earned 451,000 in 2015/16 including benefits.

A Freedom of Information request by the Bath Chronicle revealed that she received a pay rise of 3.9% in 2016/17. This translated to an extra 17,589  meaning she earned more than 468,000 in salary and benefits last year.

The motion, of no confidence in Dame Glynis, was defeated by 19 votes to 16 with two abstentions.

Four MPs previously resigned from roles at the university in protest at her salary.

They were: Andrew Murrison, MP for South West Wiltshire, Darren Jones, MP for Bristol North West, Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East and David Drew, MP for Stroud.

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Thomas Sheppard of the universitys governing body said Dame Glynis had given outstanding service to the University of Bath.

She will continue to contribute to that ongoing success during her remaining months and through her academic work during her sabbatical, he added.

Students, staff and critics called for Dame Glynis to depart from the university with immediate effect.

In a joint statement, the University of Bath branches of the University and College Union, UNISON and Unite said the vice-chancellor must go now.

They said Dame Glynis will receive more than 600,000 from the university until her departure  describing the sum as an enormous reward for failure.

Professor Breakwell has lost our trust and our confidence: she must go now, they said.

Professor Breakwell will also have her car loan written off. This loan, of 31,000, has never been repaid. There was never any intention that it would be paid off. We must now have real transparency on the contracts and incentives of senior managers.

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The unions described news of Dame Glyniss retirement as a starting point for thorough reform of the governance of this university.

We have suffered a climate of fear long enough, and we are afraid no longer.

Staff and students are ready to have a say in the running of the university and restore the values of higher education which have suffered so much in recent years, they said.

They called for Dame Glynis to step down from any active roles in the running of the university and its pension scheme.

The statement continued: The Chair of Council and the rest of the Remuneration Committee should tender their resignations with immediate effect.

Those who led us into this debacle cannot lead us out of it.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, called for much more transparency surrounding senior pay and perks.

The vice-chancellor should leave immediately to allow for a clean break and for Bath to start to recover its reputation for academic excellence, she added.

The vice-chancellor hanging around until 2019 and picking up well over half a million pounds makes no sense.

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Writing on Twitter, former schools minister and Labour peer Lord Adonis described the terms of Dame Glyniss retirement as outrageous.

She is staying as a lame duck until next August & will then be on full pay for another six months (sabbatical), ie she will be paid about 700,000 to go.

This is the real story, he tweeted.

He described her salary as the worst example of fat-cat pay but said many others are overpaid.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could visit Northern Ireland as part of a pre-wedding Royal tour.

The newly-engaged couple will travel to various parts of the UK to meet well-wishers before they tie the knot next year.

Former Suits actress Ms Markle, who will wed the Queen's grandson at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May, will join Harry in travelling around different towns and cities ahead of her nuptials, Kensington Palace said.

While a spokesman would not confirm a Northern Ireland visit, he said: "She wants to spend this time learning about the UK.

"This is the country that's going to be her home now."

There is certainly precedent for such a visit.

In 2011, Prince William and the then Kate Middleton visited Northern Ireland ahead of their wedding.

The couple would likely visit Belfast and would be expected to travel to Hillsborough Castle, the royal residence here.

Her introduction to the UK begins with an away day to Nottingham on Friday, her first official royal engagement.

The pair will visit the Nottingham Contemporary which is hosting a Terrence Higgins Trust World Aids Day charity fair, and also visit Nottingham Academy to meet headteachers taking part in the Full Effect programme.

There will also be a walkabout by the bride and groom-to-be - a royal rite of passage for the future royal.

Meghan's commitment to becoming a full-time royal was clear when the Palace confirmed she will become the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry after the wedding.

It is likely to be renamed, depending on which dukedom Harry is given at his wedding by his grandmother the Queen. The foundation is behind programmes such as Heads Together.

The actress was behind the decision to end her current charitable work before she begins with the foundation.
North Koreas ambassador to London has been summoned to the Foreign Office following Pyongyangs latest ballistic missile test.

Foreign Office Minister Mark Field said he had made clear Britains condemnation of the regimes actions.

North Korea claims it wants to bring security and prosperity to its people. But its actions are creating only insecurity and deepening its isolation, Mr Field said.

The UK will continue to work with our partners and allies for a diplomatic solution. I urge the regime to abandon its illegal pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missiles and return to dialogue.

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The summons followed the test-firing of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that some observers believe could put Washington and the entire eastern coast of the US in range.

The launch abruptly ended a 10-week pause in its weapons testing programme by the regime of Kim Jong Un.

North Korean television said it had successfully fired what it called the Hwasong-15, a new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that was significantly more powerful than any it had previously tested.

The announcement prompted a threat of new sanctions from US President Donald Trump.

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Mr Trump also urged China to use all available levers to convince its ally to return to the path of denuclearisation.

In a tweet, he said that he had spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the provocative actions of North Korea.

He added: Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!
Meghan Markle may need to be careful that her move to Britain does not lead to a tax headache, it has been suggested.

The American actress is to become a British citizen, but if she retains her US citizenship as well as acquiring a British passport, she could still have to file her taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the US tax affairs agency.

US laws mean that American citizens are liable to pay some taxes even if they are not resident in the country.

In February, it emerged that New York-born Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had given up his American citizenship.

Mr Johnson was forced to settle an outrageous capital gains tax bill following the sale of a house in London ahead of a US mayoral tour.

Speaking generally about what happens when someone from the US moves to the UK, Rachel de Souza, a tax partner at RSM, told the Press Association that broadly speaking, regardless of where an American citizen is resident, they will still have to file a US tax return.

She said: If they have taxable income in the UK, they also have to file a UK tax return.

So you can find yourself in the position of having to file a tax return here in the UK and file on the same income a tax return in the US.

Then the complexities start to get a little more difficult because the UK has this tax year end of April 5 and the Americans have the calendar year as their tax year.

She continued: When were talking about getting people moving from one country to another generally, you shouldnt be worse off because in most cases if youre going to be say taxed in America on, say X amount of income, you might be taxed in the UK on that same X amount of income.

But, through the operation of what we call tax treaties between those two countries, one country will give relief, will basically take into account the tax paid in the other country, so youre not paying tax twice on the same income.

She added that if an American became a UK citizen this would not mean that they had automatically given up their US citizenship.

She said the US system is more citizen-based, in that it doesnt matter where you are resident, its the fact that you are a citizen which requires you to file a US tax return.

Asked if she had any general tax tips for someone moving from overseas, she said: If you want to ensure that you dont fall into any inadvertent traps, the best thing to do is to take advice.

Prince Harrys father the Prince of Wales will use his Duchy of Cornwall income  the landed estate created in the 14th century for heirs to the throne  to support Harry and Ms Markle in their official duties and private lives.

Charles pays income tax voluntarily on the surplus of the Duchy of Cornwall.

The Duchy is not a company and is not therefore liable to pay corporation tax and Charles is not entitled to receive any capital gains from the Duchy, and therefore does not pay capital gains tax.

Ms Markle and Harrys official travel will be funded through the Sovereign Grant, paid out of taxpayers money.

According to suggestions made in a report in the Washington Post, Ms Markles American citizenship could potentially open up the finances of the royal family to further outside scrutiny and cause tax headaches.

It is understood that Ms Markle will comply with all tax laws in all jurisdictions as she has done for the past seven years when she was living in Canada as an employee of an American company.
Uber has been urged to contact the 2.7 million UK users of its app who have been affected by a mass data breach as soon as possible.

Hackers obtained personal details of 57 million customers and drivers worldwide, but it is the first time the impact on the UK has been disclosed.

The culprits obtained peoples names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers, the taxi-hailing firm said.

The UKs information watchdog warned that this could make other scams, such as bogus emails or calls, appear more credible and called for Uber to alert everyone affected in the UK as soon as possible.

Third-party investigators have found no indication that financial details, journey histories and dates of birth were downloaded, according to Uber.

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It did not initially report the scandal, which happened in late 2016.

News of the hack came in an extraordinary admission by the US firms chief executive on November 21, revealing a server had been infiltrated.

A ransom of 100,000 US dollars (75,500) had been paid to hackers so they would delete the data and keep the security lapse quiet.

The app is used in towns and cities across the UK, with 3.5 million passengers and 40,000 drivers in London.

Sadiq Khan, the capitals mayor, said: This latest shocking development about Uber will alarm millions of Londoners whose personal data could have been stolen by criminals.

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Uber need to urgently confirm which of their customers are affected, what is being done to ensure these customers dont suffer adversely, and what action is being taken to prevent this happening again in the future.

The public will want to know how there could be this catastrophic breach of personal data security.

In October Uber launched an appeal against Transport for Londons (TfL) decision to deny it a new operating licence in the capital on the grounds of public safety and security implications.

Uber said it does not believe that any passengers need to take any action in relation to the data breach.

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The firm said in a statement: We have seen no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident. We are monitoring the affected accounts and have flagged them for additional fraud protection.

It reportedly tracked down the hackers and pressured them to sign non-disclosure agreements so news of the incident did not become public.

Company executives then dressed up the breach as a bug bounty, the practice of paying hackers to test the strength of software security, according to The New York Times.

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Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over in August, said in a blog that the firm took immediate steps to secure the data and shut down further unauthorised access at the time of the incident.

He went on: We subsequently identified the individuals and obtained assurances that the downloaded data had been destroyed.

Mr Khosrowshahi added: None of this should have happened, and I will not make excuses for it.

While I cant erase the past, I can commit on behalf of every Uber employee that we will learn from our mistakes.
A Labour MP who appeared to quote rapper Big Shaq in a speech in the Commons has appeared to acknowledge that was indeed her intention.

Fiona Onasanya appeared to quote lyrics from Mans Not Hot, a top 10 hit by the parody MC created by British comedian Michael Dapaah, as she discussed education funding during the Budget debate.

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The song features the line: Two plus two is four, minus one thats three, quick maths.

During the Budget debate, Onasanya said: Beyond a small announcement on mathematics, there was no extra money for the education system.

It is not as simple as two plus two is four, minus three is one, quick maths.

This means real terms cuts and a potential continuation of the current recruitment and retention crisis when we look at our education system.

From the sound of things, the Peterborough MP knew exactly what she was doing too.

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Onasanyas reference didnt go unnoticed from some watching though.

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And indeed, one thought it was at least better than Chancellor Philip Hammonds joke-filled Budget speech in the Commons last week.
A YouTuber turned charity fundraiser has raised over $1m in a day to help the Rohingya people fleeing persecution in Burma.

Jerome Jarre first found fame with six-second videos on Vine and Snapchat, on which he had over seven million followers. His upbeat, nothing-is-impossible attitude is a big draw to viewers who have grown up watching his antics.

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Lately, Jarre has turned his 1.6m Twitter followers onto a new kind of viral venture: fundraising and humanitarian action.

His latest campaign is to help the Rohingya people, 620,000 of whom have been forced to flee Burma to Bangladesh following violence, looting and burning. The UNs High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, has called the treatment of the Rohingya a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

On a crowdfunding page, called Love Army For Rohingya, set up on Tuesday, Jarre writes: The government of Bangladesh is overwhelmed by the refugee crisis.

The refugees arrive having eaten little if anything in days, and with just the clothes on their backs. Children are especially vulnerable to human trafficking, servitude, and abuse, as many have become separated from their families.

Once they arrive in the tent cities (without any sanitation), the daily struggle continues to access clean water and food.

According to the campaigns GoFundMe page, 100% of donations will go to providing food, clean drinking water and other supplies.

As well as raising money, Jarre and the Love Army team are asking people to tweet using the hashtag #LoveArmyForRohingya and ask their followers and public figures to lend their voices to the plight of the Rohingya.

Earlier this year Jarre set up the Love Army For Somalia campaign to help those affected by drought, and invited his followers to see the fundraising and giving process in its entirety, including the bits that went wrong.

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For example, once the team had bought food and persuaded Turkish Airlines to donate a plane to take it to Somalia, locals suggested that buying the food and water locally would be a boost for the economy.

So Jarre and the Love Army team, including YouTube star Casey Neistat, continually changed tack, learning from being on the ground.

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Speaking about the #LoveArmy model for fundraising at the One Young World Conference in Bogota, Colombia in October, Jarre said it is all about unconditional giving.

We dont want to become a big humanitarian organisation, there is enough of that, he said.

We want unconditional gifts We can give our time, we can give our creativity, we can give our voice, we can give our heart, we can give our talent.
Angela Merkel wants European leaders to support African countries in the drive to tackle illegal migration

The European Union (EU) wants to work more closely with Africa to address illegal migration, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said.

Speaking at a summit of European and African leaders in Ivory Coast, Ms Merkel said: "It's very important that we simply support Africans to put a stop to illegal migration, so people don't have to either suffer in horrible camps in Libya or are even being traded."

Migration is a top issue at the summit after recent footage of migrants at a slave auction in Libya drew international condemnation.

Another issue high on the agenda is security as the threat of extremism grows in west Africa and elsewhere.

Europe is trying to slow the flow of tens of thousands of Africans making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean through development aid and other means, including funds to tighten border controls.

However, many Africans feel pressured to make the journey, risking death and abuse, saying high unemployment and climate change leave them little choice.

About 3,000 die or go missing annually in attempts to cross the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has urged his European counterparts to work more closely with Africa on tackling migration and security challenges.

He told The Associated Press that he and the younger generation of leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who also were at the summit, have an opportunity to put Africa-EU relations on a new footing.

"I come from a generation that sees Africa as a partner," Mr Michel said. "There is no more room in our generation for nostalgia about the past or a sense of guilt."

Niger has been a success story in efforts to slow migration.

However, as the borders tighten there, impoverished neighbour Mali has become an attractive secondary route for those desperate enough to risk their lives crossing the country's Islamic extremist-inhabited deserts to the coast of Algeria or Tunisia.

"We know that Mali and the entire Sahel region is an open door to the European Union," Mr Michel said.

AP
NC Udayapur candidate critically injured in ambush

Nepali Congress (NC) candidate for parliamentary election from Udayapur-2 Narayan Bahadur Karki's vehicle was ambushed in the district on Wednesday.
The Celle state court ruled on Wednesday that Oskar Groening was in good enough health to serve his four years in prison (Tobias Schwarz/pool photo via AP/PA)

A German court has rejected the appeal of a former Auschwitz guard against serving his sentence on 300,000 counts of accessory to murder.

The Celle state court ruled on Wednesday that Oskar Groening was in good enough health to serve his four years in prison.

His lawyer said he would pursue further action to keep the 96-year-old free and the court said it was not clear when he might be jailed.

Groening, an SS sergeant dubbed the "accountant of Auschwitz" for his role overseeing the collection of prisoners' belongings and sending valuables and cash to Berlin, was convicted in 2015.

His conviction was upheld by a federal court last year.

During his trial, Groening said he felt a "moral guilt" for serving at Auschwitz but was not personally involved in mass murder.

AP
The men are said to have exposed themselves beside Wat Arun or Temple of Dawn.

Two Americans who maintained a social media account called "Traveling Butts" have been arrested in Thailand after posting a photo of themselves at a famous Buddhist temple with their rear ends exposed.

A police spokesman said the men were arrested on Tuesday night at a Bangkok airport and face public indecency charges.

The men caused an uproar in Buddhist-majority Thailand last week after their photo taken at Bangkok's Wat Arun was widely shared, prompting a police investigation.

The men, whom police identified only by their first names, maintained a since-deleted Instagram account where they posed for photos at tourist destinations around the world with their buttocks exposed.

The account had more than 14,000 followers.

Visitors to temples in Thailand are expected to dress modestly and at some sites people are not allowed to wear shorts or shirts that do not cover their shoulders.

Police said the men each paid a fine of 5,000 baht (150 US dollars) at a police station near the temple and have been handed over to immigration authorities.

Police are also considering charging the men under Thailand's computer crimes act as the image was posted online, said Wisit Suwan, the deputy chief of the Bangkok Yai district police station.

The controversial law is often used against political activists to stifle free speech online or against those accused of insulting Thailand's monarchy.

It carries punishments of up to five years in prison.
Ann Service is the mother of Brian, who was cruelly murdered in Alliance Avenue in north Belfast in Halloween 1998. He was 35, a young Catholic man without any paramilitary or political connections, simply walking at night-time through an area that could be described as an interface between Catholic and Protestant Ardoyne.

No one was ever brought to justice for his killing, but it is highly probable that he was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries.

There are many questions surrounding his senseless murder.

But they cannot be satisfactorily answered at this moment in time without access to records and sensitive documents which are currently inaccessible pending the setting up of bodies empowered to legally examine them.

Last week his mother Ann, in an open letter to Secretary of State James Brokenshire, demanded that the means by which those questions could be answered should be activated by the UK Government. She is right.

What she asked for was that the UK Government should act to ensure stalled mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the Troubles are finally established. These were part of the Stormont House Agreement of 2014.

The Agreement was to deliver a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral history archive. As a whole, these legacy bodies would go a long way to satisfy the needs of victims' families to achieve truth regarding the death of their loved ones. Certainly, the Victims Commissioner and the Victims Forum support this.

It is a scandal that none of these legacy bodies have been established due to a collective political failure to reach agreement in actioning them.

Not for the first time has politics let down victims and survivors, who were specifically identified in the Good Friday Agreement as being of special concern.

This is not some minor political issue, but an issue of basic humanity that has not received the centrality that it deserves. These are the people who have borne most during the Troubles and who continue to be troubled with the pain and sorrow of that turbulent period. The Troubles may seem to some as history, but to them it is a living, painful present. Their needs therefore command a higher priority than what has been given.

What Ann is rightly saying is that time is running out for people like herself to access the truth about her son's murder. Her opinion is widely shared across the families of victims. Her husband Davy died four years ago, and was unable to avail of any truth recovery process.

Time is of the essence in the establishment of these institutions. The power to establish them lies with Westminster, not our slumber mode Assembly.

Therefore, it rests with the UK Government to implement what was agreed at Stormont House.

Mr Brokenshire has stated that he will go out to consultation on these proposed institutions and then proceed on the basis of that consultation.

All of this means more delay and more frustration for people like Ann, who have been waiting for many years for some form of truth so that they can come to terms with their loved ones' deaths and achieve closure before they themselves die. Surely this is not too much to ask?

But, typically, even this proposal by the UK Government to consult has been muddied by the ridiculous and partisan proposal by the Tory administration to introduce a statute of limitations on crimes committed by the security forces during the course of the Troubles. This is, of course, a one-sided proposal that would be tantamount to an amnesty for British soldiers alone.

The shadow of the powerful and insidious military establishment in Britain is all over this provocative proposal. It hasn't got any chance of being implemented in law, because to do so would be to deprive non-State actors like the IRA of similar relief, and would be struck down as being unconstitutional.

And it may well have been cynically intended to produced such a public outcry that would lead to a similar amnesty being proposed for IRA and UVF members who committed crimes during the Troubles, so as to permit a general amnesty for all in the Troubles.

This is something opposed by practically all victims' groups, and even DUP leader Arlene Forster has expressed her concern.

The time for delay and messing about is gone. Urgent action is required - a timescale of six months should be sufficient to get things up and running legislatively and administratively. We are now into injury time for many survivors and victims' families. And for some, like Davy Service, it is far too late.
While the event happens deep in rural parts of Berkeley County, it is no less important. It started over two decades ago by a woman once paralyzed from a tumor on her spine. She later beat back the disability enough to walk and get back to work and life. Read moreAnnual Kids Day is back on in Berkeley County
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6 injured as NC, UML supporters clash in Nawalparasi

At least six people were injured when supporters of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML clashed at Baruwa of Madhyabindu Municipality-6 in Eastern Nawalparasi district on Tuesday night.
It is important to harness scientific talent pool in Bengal and convert Kolkata into the tech hub of India: President

Ram Nath Kovind, The President of India recently addressed the scientific community of Kolkata at a Vigyan Chintan event organised at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that in its essence, science is about human fascination and curiosity. It is about that endless quest for new frontiers. For thousands of years, from the age of Aryabhatta and Charaka, India has embraced science and its sense of inquiry. Science has been our intellectual trigger as well as our force multiplier. In modern times Kolkata and Bengal have been central to this process. Today the challenge is to widen that culture to other geographies, both within the state and outside. As well as to deepen that culture by incubating a society that understands, encourages and embraces innovation  down from our leading scientific institutions to our schools and our educational system.



There is truly something special about Bengal. Pointing out the fact that IISc, Bengaluru was started after Swami Vivekandndas request to Jamsetji Tata set up a world-class science research institution in our country, he stated that on this soil even a Swami devoted to spiritualism can have a sensitive appreciation for  and a fascination for  modern science.



The President said that to this day, young students from Bengal, young science graduates and scientists, young engineers and technologists, contribute so much to the furthering of science and of knowledge. They do so all over the country and all over the world. It is important to harness that scientific talent pool in Bengal for the good of Bengal itself. And to once more convert Kolkata into the tech hub of India that it was a century ago, or even 50 years ago.



The President appreciated the commitment of scientists to the nation. He said that they are true nation builders and have a major responsibility for the realisation of New India  an India that will achieve certain developmental milestones by 2022. New India cannot be achieved without New Bengal. And neither New India nor New Bengal can be achieved without the scientific community here contributing in strong measure.


First global trial of a checkpoint inhibitor versus an active chemotherapy comparator rather than placebo in this hard-to-treat patient population

Merck and Pfizer Inc. announced that the Phase III JAVELIN Gastric 300 trial did not meet its primary endpoint of superior overall survival (OS) with single-agent avelumab compared with physician's choice of chemotherapy.

The trial investigated avelumab as a third-line treatment for unresectable adenocarcinoma patients whose disease progressed following two prior therapeutic regimens, regardless of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression.

The safety profile of avelumab was consistent with that observed in the overall JAVELIN clinical development program.

"Gastric cancer in the third-line setting is a particularly hard-to-treat and heterogeneous disease, and importantly, this was the first trial conducted with a checkpoint inhibitor compared to an active chemotherapy comparator rather than placebo in a global patient population," said Luciano Rossetti, M.D., E. V. P., Global Head of Research & Development at the Biopharma business of Merck.

"Data from this study will provide valuable information for physicians treating this late stage disease. We remain committed to our ongoing gastric cancer program with avelumab including the JAVELIN Gastric 100 study in the first-line switch maintenance setting." Luciano further commented.

Chris Boshoff (M.D., Sr.V. P.and Head of Immuno-Oncology, Pfizer Global Product Development). said"Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer death globally with clear unmet needs, and the results provide important insights as we continue to investigate the role of avelumab for the treatment of gastric cancer,"

Chris continued "With approvals for two cancers in 2017, our companies have made tremendous progress with avelumab on behalf of patients this year, and we are confident that our broad clinical development program in both monotherapy and combinations across a range of cancers will continue to bring new potential treatment options to patients."

The JAVELIN Gastric 300 data will be further examined in an effort to better understand the results and will also be submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical congress.

The outcome of JAVELIN Gastric 300 does not have any impact on current avelumab approvals.

JAVELIN Gastric 300 is a Phase III, clinical trial investigating avelumab versus physician's choice of protocol-specified chemotherapy plus best supportive care in patients with unresectable adenocarcinoma whose disease has progressed following two prior therapeutic regimens.

The trial enrolled 371 patients from 147 sites in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. The primary endpoint was OS.

The avelumab gastric clinical development program also includes JAVELIN Gastric 100, a multicenter, randomized, open-label Phase III study.

It evaluates avelumab as first-line maintenance therapy following induction chemotherapy in unresectablec gastric cancer. The trial will continue as planned.

Avelumab is under clinical investigation for treatment of gastric/GEJ cancer and has not been demonstrated to be safe and effective for this indication.

There is no guarantee that avelumab will be approved for gastric/GEJ cancer by any health authority worldwide.
Man Stunned Doctors With 263 Coins, Blades & Chains In His Tummy! Life oi-Lekhaka

Like we are familiar with, the internet is a funny and bizarre place with different eye-opening and hilarious stories circulating around each day.

This story is one among those which has managed to trend worldwide, thanks to some coins, chains and, of course, a few shaving blades found in a man's stomach.

Last time, we saw a case of a 48-year-old man where doctors removed 639 nails from the stomach. The man was operated at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital and it was discovered that he is suffering from schizophrenia.

In a similar case from Amritsar, we saw surgeons removing almost 40 knifes from the stomach of a man. He was operated at Amritsar Corporate Hospital and is currently doing well.

Well, one more case that is shocking the internet is that of a man who kept swallowing coins, needles, blades and some pieces of glasses on a daily basis. This case has left the doctors and surgeons totally shocked!

263 Coins Were Removed From The Stomach According to the reports published, it is said that close to 263 coins, shaving blades and needles were surgically removed from the stomach of a 32-year-old man in Madhya Pradesh. Who Is The Patient? Reports suggest that the 32-year-old man who goes by the name Mohammed Maqsood lives in Sohaval in Satna district. He was admitted at the Sanjay Gandhi Medical College and Hospital after complaining of severe stomach pain. He was operated for three long hours. Cause Of The Stomach Pain Mohammed Maqsood was rushed to the hospital on November 18th, after he complained of a terrible stomach ache. The cause of his stomach pain was identified through an X-ray, but the doctors were literally shocked to remove metal coins and other things from his stomach during the operation. How Did The Coins Get There? According to the doctor, he said that it looks like the man secretly kept swallowing these items. He further said that the patient is not in a good frame of mind and hence he might have enjoyed consuming coins, shaving blades, needles and other objects. However, the coins and blades did not damage any internal organ and hence the patient is completely safe. Khan promised the doctors that he would never do this again. Operation Of The Man Almost 6 expert doctors were engaged in removing these objects from Mohammed Maqsood's stomach. The team of doctors removed items weighing close of 5 kg. The items surgically removed from the patients' stomach included 4 big needles, a chain, 263 coins, 10-12 shaving blades and some pieces of glass. The doctor said that this case was shocking and it was the first time when he has seen something like this in his career. One of the doctors said, "The operation was done in the nick of the time as some of the nails lodged had pierced his stomach, caused bleeding and resulting in loss of hemoglobin." The Patient's Condition Mohammad Maqsood is currently fine and is under doctor's observation. Reports suggest that Mohammad was earlier treated for 6 months in Satna before he was brought to Rewa for the treatment. News also suggests that the items recovered from his stomach were almost 6 months old, which means the man has been swallowing these objects for a long period of time. Bizarre Habit Of The Patient When enquired about the eating habit of the patient, Mr. Khan's family said that he'd started eating metal objects before developing depression. The family further said that he never informed about his bizarre eating habit to anyone. Reports further suggest that the patient worked as a driver and would swallow the coins given to him by the customers.

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 29, 2017, 18:40 [IST]
1. Nuwaubianism Nuwaubianism is one among the bizarre religions that originated as a black muslim group in New York in the 1970s. This is a religious group which was founded and led by Dwight York. Dwight York changed his teachings many a times, where he incorporated concepts from Judaism, Christianity and many others beliefs. People belonging to Nuwaubianism promote a bizarre mixture of anti-white racism and aliens.

2. Vampirism Though people have failed to believe that Vampires exist in the world, there are many people who follow this religion. Vampirism is a religion with vampires who basically indulge in feeding on the blood from animals or humans. Vampirism is essentially a religion which teaches in feeding on another person's aura and more than 1000 people follow this religion today.

3. Frisbeetarianism The concept of Frisbeetarianism is described by famous comedian George Carlin who says when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and stays there for eternity. Many schools and churches have said that Frisbeetarianism is the biggest shit they have ever heard! Here is the exact definition of Frisbeetarianism as described by the comedian, "the soul stays stuck up there until someone knocks it down with a long pole and your new life begins".

4. Aghori Aghori religion is a famous Hindu cult which originated back in the 14th century AD. Aghoris generally follow cannibalistic rituals and hence this religion faces hatred and rejection from the Hindu culture. One bizarre rule of this religion is that they carry a cup which is made from a skull. People belonging to this religion can feed on anything from animal faeces to rotten food. The final rites of the person are completed by consuming the decayed flesh of a human.

5. Satanism Satanism is a religion where a person worships Satans and considers it to be their daily deity. Satan is actually a figure which symbolizes faith, free will, and individualism. The practice of Satanism became public after the establishment of the Church of Satan in 1966. Groups which follow Satanism include Luciferians and LaVeyans.

6. Raelism Founded in 1974 by Claude Vorillhon, Raelism is a UFO religion which is also known as Rael. According to this religion, life on earth was actually created by a species of extraterrestrials, which is called Elohim. They also believe that life on earth was scientifically created by extraterrestrials that were mistaken as gods by our ancestors. People following this religion frequently use the symbol of Swastika as a symbol of peace. Later, this symbol was replaced by a variant star and a swirl symbol.

7. Panawave Panawave is a new Japanese religious group where the number of the members following this religion ranges from several tens to 1200. These people have been blaming the electromagnetic wave behind the climatic change and global problems. They also have claimed that the electromagnetic waves were used by a communist to kill their leader.

8. Universe People Universe People is another alien-inspired religion on the list! Founded by Ivo Benda in 1997, people belonging to this religion believe that aliens use a fleet of ships, alliance orbit around the world and watch people on the earth. Based on your karma, they decide to transfer the good and loyal followers from one dimension to another. People belonging to the Universe People religion are growing day by day.

9. Scientology The church of Scientology was created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1952, which holds a higher level of initiation and teachings that may prove to be harmful and dangerous for unprepared listeners and readers. All the teachings of the church are kept secret from other members who have not reached the higher level. This religion revolves around explaining the religion through science, which would be the first of its kind. According to the bizarre Scientology religion, it has treated man as a spiritual being.
Arrested development

Darjeeling probably broke many world records with the length of the strike, which finally came to an end in September after 104 days.
1. Egypt One among the countries which you can visit while on a low budget is Egypt. From couch surfing to posh hotels, Egypt is one among the countries which you can explore while you are running short of money. While planning a visit to Egpyt, you can consider stopping at the Red Sea, Sinia, and Giza. Egpyt is an exciting place to travel and live! With noteworthy monuments and lip-smacking cuisine, Egypt is one among the best places to visit around the world when you want to explore the country in silence.

2. Kenya Another great country which you can visit to while on low budget is Kenya. Kenya is undoubtedly a gorgeous country with stunning wildlife to be witnessed here. From beautiful beaches to the buzzing cities, Kenya is most likely a beautiful country to be visited. Wildlife parks and reserves in Kenya are simply remarkable! It is literally cheap and the accommodation there is as low as Rs. 1000.

3. Bhutan Bhutan is one among those countries, which Indians can visit to when running low on budget as well as without a visa. Bhutan, also known the land of Thunder Dragon, is famous for its scenic beauty. This small country will offer you the most magical experience and marvels of Dzong architecture. It is surely a beautiful landlocked country. The complete history of Bhutan is literally amazing and you need to explore this country at least once in your lifetime.

4. South Korea Another country where nature cuddles the scenic beauty and also gives you the most exciting experience is Korea. From the sites on Jeju Island to Marsh, South Korea delights the travellers with its beautiful destinations. If you are a person who is looking forward to roving a place where you can get lost in the natural beauty, then South Korea will not be less than an ecstasy for you.

5. Thailand If you want to plainly indulge in the beaches, culture, international food, and mountains, then you should definitely plan your trip to Thailand. Apart from the natural beauty of the country, Thailand is known for its street food. Thailands cuisine is surely a treat to your taste buds. With flooring marks, elephant show, ancient Buddha temple, and architecture, Thailand visit can be done on a very less budget.

6. Colombo You will literally enjoy and relax at the soothing beaches at Colombo, Sri Lanka. With innumerous Buddhist temples for spiritual experience to exploring the rich architecture of the country, Colombo should be in your next bucket list. If you like seafood, this place is surely a heaven, as Colombo is known for its lip-smacking Sri Lankan food.

7. Singapore Another good country to visit when you are tight on budget but still want to cross the country borders is Singapore. You can soak in the culture at the Chinatown heritage and literally enjoy swallowing the tasty cookery from Singapore. You can spend your evening at Marina Bay area and literally unwind here.

8. Nepal If you dream to wake up in the lush green mountains with the rainbows, you surely need to visit Nepal. The snow-peaked mountain and the rugged beauty of the place will leave you speechless. There are a lot of places in this beautiful country which can relax your soul and also leave you with reminiscences. Nepal is famously known for its trekking site and also there are many local sights that should be discovered. Apart from the budget, the best part about Nepal is, you can visit this place even without a passport.

9. Myanmar Another foreign country which you can visit at a low budget is Myanmar. Filled with heritage sites, monuments, and pagodas, Myanmar's beauty is simply amazing! Myanmar is one among the unsung places of the world and is certainly the friendliest country.
Coca Cola launches Kinley water in Nepal

Coca Cola Nepal launched its water brand, Kinley in the domestic market on Tuesday. The water was unveiled by Ambuj Singh, country director of Coca Cola Nepal, Puneet Varshney, managing director of Bottlers Nepal and actor, Rajesh Hamal, who is also the brand ambassador of Kinley.
Communist govt will rule for the next 50 years: Yogesh Bhattarai

CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has remarked that the leftist government will continuously rule the country for the next 50 years.
Iconic handbag retailer OrotonGroup is up for sale after becoming the latest casualty in Australia's retail bloodbath and collapsing into voluntary administration.

The 79-year-old company revealed on Thursday that an eight-month strategic review which looked to sell, privatise, recapitalise or refinance the business had failed to find a viable option to secure its future.

About 60 Oroton stores would continue to trade as usual while administrators Deloitte Restructuring Services pursue a sale or a recapitalisation, the company said.

"The board is disappointed that it has had to take this step after running such a comprehensive process," said interim chief executive Ross Lane, whose grandfather Boyd Lane founded Oroton in 1938.
Bitcoin's hyper-frenzy saw exchanges pummelled with trading volumes on Wednesday as Bitcoin surged above $US10,000 for the first time in the technology's history.

The cryptocurrency is up 950 per cent or the year, enjoying a manic 54 per cent lift in the last two weeks alone, which brought its market capitalisation to $US167 billion ($210 billion).

The cryptocurrency was fetching $US10,029 ($13,277) in afternoon trade in Sydney, on CoinDesk's Bitcoin Price Index.

More than $12 million dollars poured into Australian exchange Independent Reserve on Wednesday morning, with the company now signing up as many as 800 new customers a day, up from 200 last month, as mainstream mania takes hold.
An iPhone, set of keys and library books are among the items police are searching for in relation to the death of a woman whose body was found in Brisbanes south-east in October.

The body of Naima Hassan was found by members of the public at the Sovereign Waters foreshore at Birkdale, days after she was last seen by family members.

Detectives investigating her death, which is being treated as non-suspicious, have asked the public for help in finding a set of keys, a rose-gold coloured Apple iPhone 6, two library books titled The Belle of Belfast and 1Q84, and a pair of light blue trousers that had belonged to the 27-year-old.

Ms Hassan was last seen at a BP at Wellington Point on Saturday, October 28, and her car was found at the Wellington Point Reserve the following day.

Her body was found on October 31. Police were preparing a report for the coroner.
Police are investigating a taxi driver in western Queensland after he allegedly manhandled a teenage girl from his cab and kicked her as she lay on the ground.

The alleged incident took place about midnight on Saturday when the 15-year-old girl and another girl, 11, were leaving the Charleville rodeo.

Police said the pair became involved in an argument with the male driver, a local man in his 50s.

It is alleged the driver grabbed the older girl, forced her out of the cab and then kicked her once while she was on the ground.

An unknown man and the girl's family members intervened.
Western Australia's Child and Adolescent Health Service is fighting accusations of negligence after a toddler was brought to Perth's children's hospital for burns treatment and ended up severely disabled.

Sunday Mabior was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital with scald injuries on December 9, 2005 and two days later was in the intensive care unit, where she suffered lung failure and two heart attacks, which caused irreversible brain damage.

Sunday Mabior was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital with scald injuries. Credit:Nic Walker

The family's lawyer Theo Lampropoulos questioned what happened in those 48 hours at a civil trial in the District Court of WA that began on Tuesday.

He told Judge Anthony Derrick the girl suffered Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and hospital staff remained too focused on the possibility of it being caused by fluid overload even through sepsis was by far the most common cause.
Tara Air plane overshoots runway in Simikot; 4 hurt

Three crew members and a Nepal Police inspector were injured when Tara Airs Twin Otter suffered a runway excursion during takeoff at Simikot Airport in Humla on Tuesday morning.
The Greens have thrown their weight behind a commission of inquiry into the banking and financial services sector after securing last minute amendments from Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan.

The inquiry will now also examine the pay packets of senior executives and be broadened beyond its focus on farmers and rural businesses to cover all aggrieved customers of financial institutions.

But it will not examine political donations from financial institutions in detail or the impact of interest-only home loans after the Nationals rejected those Greens amendments.

Independent senator Lucy Gichuhi told Fairfax Media she would also now vote in favour of the legislation, which means it will sail through the Senate by Thursday.
It hasn't opened yet but the new South Melbourne Primary is already sending out rejection letters.

Demand for the inner-city school is intense, with 105 students enrolled in its inaugural prep class.

Christian Martin is excited about starting prep at the new South Melbourne Primary School next year. Credit:Joe Armao

The Ferrars Street school, which will open next year, has space for 525 students.

But if this scramble for places continues, Victoria's first vertical state school will soon be over its capacity by more than 200 students.
Independent candidate Margaret Strelow says it will be "very difficult" for her to win the seat of Rockhampton and she plans to return to her job as the city's mayor.

Ms Strelow said the distribution of LNP preferences would "wipe out her lead" and she expected the seat to go to Labor's candidate, Barry O'Rourke.

"LNP swapped preferences with One Nation and about half of LNP voters followed the card," she wrote on Facebook.

Ms Strelow quit Labor to run as an independent after a factional decision to pre-select Mr O'Rourke as the Labor candidate for Rockhampton.
Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday morning for the first time in more than two months, defying demands from US President Donald Trump to halt its weapons programs and raising the stakes in an increasingly tense stand-off with the United States and its allies.

"North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongsong, South Pyongan province, at dawn today," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Pyongsong, in western North Korea, is about 32 kilometres north-east of Pyongyang, the capital.

The launch was also confirmed by the Japanese Prime Minister's office.

The Pentagon later said its initial assessment was that it was an intercontinental ballistic missile, which travelled about 1000 kilometres before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. It added that the missile did not pose a threat to the United States, its territories or allies.
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84th Precinct

Brooklyn HeightsDUMBOBoerum HillDowntown

Dance off

A sticky fingered jitterbug snatched a cellphone off a straphanger after finishing his dance routine aboard an A train at Jay Street on Nov. 13.

The victim told police he was aboard the train as it pulled into the station near Willoughby Street at around 4 pm, when the crook, who was dancing for cash aboard the Manhattan-bound A, suddenly snatched his cell and waltzed away topside towards parts unknown.

Cash bag

Someone stole a mans bag containing more than $4,000 that he left unguarded inside a Fulton Street department store on Nov. 24.

The victim told police he forgot the bag inside a changing room within the big-box store between Smith and Hoyt streets at 1:44 pm, and rushed back after realizing it was missing about five minutes later to find his satchel, along with the huge sum of cash it contained, had vanished.

Four-wheeled crook

A thief stole two bikes a man left locked on DeKalb Avenue on Nov. 20.

The victim told police he chained his bikes to a rack near Flatbush Avenue Extension at 12:45 pm, and returned later to find the pedal-powered vehicles  together worth nearly $1,700, he said  had been stolen.

Teed off

Cops busted a shoplifter who allegedly fought his way out of an Albee Square West department store with $20 worth of shirts on Nov. 22.

An employee told police he was inside the store near Willoughby Street at 2:22 pm, when he spotted the suspect make his way past the register with a $20 package of undershirts and moved to confront him. But in lieu of handing over the shirts, the suspect grabbed the worker by the throat and attempted to force his way out, although he didnt get far and police booked him on a robbery charge later that day, cops said.

Bad call

A thief beat and robbed a woman of her cellphone on Fourth Avenue on Nov. 25

The victim told police she was smoking a cigarette and looking at her phone near St. Marks Place at 12:58 am, when some goon suddenly punched in the face and ran off with her phone.

Colin Mixson
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68th Precinct

Bay RidgeDyker Heights

Its Audi there!

An opportunistic thief stole a 2018 Audi Q7 valued at $55,670 from the parking lot of its 65th Street dealership at some point between Nov. 10 and Nov. 20, according to police.

An employee left the unlocked car with the keys in the ignition in the lot of the dealership between Sixth and Seventh avenues at noon on Nov. 10. By 3 pm on Nov. 20, he realized the car was gone, he told police.

Electric feel

A crook swindled a Dyker Heights woman out of nearly $2,000 when he called her pretending to be a rep from Con Edison when she was inside a 13th Avenue business on Nov. 22, according to police.

The perp called the woman at the business between 80th and 81st streets around 12:30 pm, and told her she owed $1,925 on her electric bill and that he would cut off her electricity if she did not pay.

Out of office

A punk stole a womans wallet from an 85th Street office on Nov. 17.

The woman realized her wallet  containing her drivers license, two credit cards, a debit card, a gift card, and cash  was missing from the office space between Third and Fourth avenues at around 10:15 am, she told police. She cancelled all of her credit cards after she discovered it was missing, and the credit card company told her that the crook had already tried to use her cards multiple times.

Over-the-counter

A no-goodnik distracted an employee at a Fifth Avenue deli on Nov. 24 before reaching over the register and stealing her pricey iPhone-plus, two credit cards, a MetroCard, and a health insurance card.

The miscreant stole the items from the deli between 81st and 82nd streets between 2:20 and 2:35 pm, the woman told police. She cancelled her credit cards after he made off with them, according to the report. Police are reviewing surveillance cameras in the area.

Snagged her bag

A good-for-nothing stole a womans bag off the floor when she was shopping for clothes at a Third Avenue thrift shop on Nov. 24.

The woman put her bag down when she was browsing the racks at the shop between 68th Street and Bay Ridge Avenue between 12:30 and 1 pm, according to the report. When she returned to the spot where she left it, she realized the bag  along with her drivers license, ID card, three credit cards, set of keys, and $400 in cash  were gone. Police are re

viewing cameras in the area.

 Julianne McShane
Fire guts property worth Rs 10 m in Ilam

Property worth around Rs 10 million was reduced to ashes when a fire broke out at a dairy in Harkate of Suryodaya Municipality-6, Ilam on Wednesday.
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88th Precinct

Fort GreeneClinton Hill

Eatery invader

Cops cuffed a guy for breaking into a DeKalb Avenue restaurant on Nov. 25. Police found the 24-year-old suspect hiding in the meat refrigerator inside the eatery between Adelphi Street and Clermont Avenue at about 5:30 am, and he had burglars tools and receipts from the restaurant in his pants pocket, according to authorities. And earlier in the night, the same suspect broke into a closed restaurant on Lafayette Avenue between Adelphi and Clermont a little after midnight and swiped cash and an iPad, officials said.

Package theft

A trio of nogoodniks broke into a Washington Avenue apartment and swiped several packages on Nov. 25, police said.

The three baddies used a tire iron to break into the apartment between Gates Avenue and Fulton Street at about 5 am and ran off with the packages, according to authorities.

Bling bandit

Some sneak broke into a womans Clifton Place apartment and swiped her jewelry while she was away for the holiday from Nov. 22 through Nov. 26, police said.

The 27-year-old woman told police when she returned after Thanksgiving to her home between Grand and Classon avenues she noticed the rear window was broken and that her two gold rings and three pairs of earrings worth a total of $820 were gone, according to authorities. And the malefactor left blood on a bag in her lingerie drawer, officials said.

Tool-ish move

A goniff stole a bunch of tools from a Fleet Place construction site sometime overnight on Nov. 17, police said.

The victim told police that he left work near Myrtle Avenue at night and when he returned the next morning at about 9 am realized the sneak thief had stolen a circular saw, impact gun, a Dewalt laser, and two batteries worth $1,570 from two locked boxes at the site, officials said.

Subway snatch

A goon grabbed a womans purse as she was heading to the subway on Fulton Street on Nov. 21, police said. The 50-year-old woman told police she was walking down the stairs to board a Euclid Avenue-bound C train near Washington Avenue when the snake came up to her from behind and snatched her purse off her arm at about 1 pm. The villain ran off with her bag with lipstick, her social security card, and some medication inside worth a total of $105, according to authorities.

Steal wheels

Some jerk stole a guys motorcycle parked on Clinton Avenue sometime overnight on Nov. 20, police said. The 28-year-old parked his 1994 Honda two-wheeler between Gates Avenue and Fulton Street at 9 pm and when he went to pick it up the next morning at about 10 am, it was gone, according to authorities.

 Julianne Cuba
The European Union's tax commissioner on Tuesday called on the bloc's governments to be ambitious when they decide on a common blacklist of tax havens next week and said European funding to countries on the list should be frozen.

In the wake of disclosures of offshore tax avoidance schemes by corporations and wealthy individuals, EU states launched a process to list tax havens to try to discourage setting up shell structures abroad which are in many cases legal but could hide illicit activities.

After about one year of talks, EU finance ministers are expected on Dec. 5 to adopt the blacklist, although governments remain divided over which jurisdictions to include on the list and on sanctions.

"I invite member states to urgently adopt before the end of the year the European list of jurisdictions that refuse to reform their tax rules to comply with European standards," Pierre Moscovici told EU lawmakers at a hearing in the European Parliament.

EU states currently have their own national lists of non-cooperative jurisdictions on tax matters - though many of them are empty.

Under public pressure following the Panama Papers and other leaks of financial documents, EU governments agreed to set up a common blacklist.

They have screened 92 jurisdictions worldwide against a set of criteria meant to measure tax transparency, use of harmful tax practices and cooperation on fiscal matters.

Moscovici told lawmakers that "some countries" have changed their tax rules after EU pressure and "half (of the 92) have committed to do so in 2018."

It remains unclear how many countries will end up in the EU blacklist. Those who are not compliant but have committed to change their tax rules are likely to be included in a separate, "grey list," as several EU officials call it, which might not be made public.

Some islands recently hit by hurricanes will also be given more time to comply.

It is also undecided which sanctions could be applied. A withholding levy could for instance be charged on transactions to blacklisted countries, but some EU states could decide not to apply countermeasures - a discretion that could create loopholes.

Some states, such as Luxembourg and Malta, have opposed sanctions saying that the mere listing would amount to an important reputational blow.

Moscovici said the Commission would propose sanctions linked to the use of EU funds.

"The Commission will propose to have strong and dissuasive sanctions," he told lawmakers, adding that funds provided by the EU budget, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank could be frozen for countries on the list.

Anti-poverty and fair tax groups said if EU criteria were applied to EU countries, some of them, such as Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Malta and Ireland, would end up in the list.

The EU listing process did not include the bloc's 28 member states in a bid to avoid dooming the process from its outset, as each EU nation wields a veto power on tax issues.

A Commission spokeswoman said on Tuesday that all EU states "fully comply" with the criteria set to establish the tax havens' blacklist.

But Moscovici said later on Tuesday some EU states still applied "harmful tax practices which lead to aggressive tax planning," and cited cases in Britain, Malta and the Netherlands .

He urged EU states to apply as soon as possible anti-tax avoidance legislation agreed at EU level but due to enter into force only in coming years. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The latest official data on overseas travel from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) yesterday showed an increase of 3.1% in overseas visits to Ireland for the first ten months of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016.



This represents growth of over a quarter of a million additional visitors on the same ten-month period last year, coming on the back of a record performance in 2016. The data shows that for January to October 2017, visits from Mainland Europe grew by 4.4% while North America registered an increase of 16.4%. Visits from the rest of the world, mostly long-haul and developing markets, were up by 14.7%

However, visits from Great Britain decreased by -6.1%. Tourism Ireland has warned that the decline in visitor numbers from Britain continues to be a concern. The fall in the value of sterling has made holidays and short breaks here more expensive for British visitors and has made Britain more affordable for visitors from many of Ireland's top markets. Tourism Ireland says it will continue to place a greater focus on Ireland's culturally curious audience, who are less impacted by currency fluctuations. However, the group warns that competitiveness and the value for money message remain more important than ever in Britain right now.

It is expected that tourism will contribute in the region of 4.9 billion to the economy this year helping to sustain 225,000 jobs in communities across the country.

Speaking yesterday, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin said, "It is very encouraging that visit numbers for the first 10 months of 2017 are up 3.1%, when compared to the same period in 2016. Global developments have presented us with challenges this year and it is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of remaining competitive in a crowded marketplace. The Governments decision to retain the lower 9% VAT rate and the air travel tax at zero in Budget 2018 is evidence of how important we view this issue for the industry."

Source: www.businessworld.ie


It was announced today that two University College Dublin (UCD) researchers have been awarded prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants of 2 million each, over 5-years, to pursue ground breaking research in archaeology and business. The funding will result in the establishment of 10 new research positions (PhD students and post-doc researchers) at the University.



The ERC evaluated over 2,500 research proposals in this latest competition, 13% of which will be funded. The grantees will carry out their projects at universities and research centres in 22 different countries across Europe. The grants will create an estimated 2,000 jobs for postdocs, PhD students and other staff working in the grantees' research teams.



Professor Susi Geiger, UCD College of Business, will receive her funding for a study entitled, Misfires and Market Innovation. The Misfires project refocuses the issues of market failures and market design from economic principles of supply and demand towards collaboration and participation. It will investigate problems and concerns in biomedical markets, such as overpricing, limited access to medicines and data privacy issues. It aims to establish how alternative market instruments could be conceived to solve these problems.

The project will first ask how market failures in biomedical markets can be identified and diagnosed and secondly how government bodies, medical and pharmaceutical industries, patient groups and other actors can work together to solve these market failures.

The overall objective of the project is to guide new academic and policy thinking by establishing what research can do to make markets more inclusive and to open them up to the concerns of those who are let down by them. The project has a collaborative design, and Professor Geiger and her team hope to work closely with all stakeholders in healthcare markets, in particular patient groups and representatives.



Speaking today, Professor Geiger said, "This prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant will enable me to hire 5 new researchers including PhD students and post-docs to open the black box of market design and perform societally relevant research at University College Dublin. We need new conceptual frameworks to understand how to re-organise societally significant markets such as healthcare from the inside to give voice to otherwise disadvantaged groups within these markets, and we urgently need empirical insights into how collaborative action in markets with social and political stakes may translate into market innovation. By investigating how markets can open up to civic values, MISFIRES will have important theoretical and public policy implications."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday takes up a major test of privacy rights in the digital age as it weighs whether police must obtain warrants to get data on the past locations of criminal suspects using cellphone data from wireless providers.

The justices at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT) are due to hear an appeal by a man named Timothy Carpenter convicted in a series of armed robberies in Ohio and Michigan with the help of past cellphone location data that linked him to the crime locations. His American Civil Liberties Union lawyers argue that without a court-issued warrant such data amounts to an unreasonable search and seizure under the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment.

Law enforcement authorities routinely request and receive this information from wireless providers during criminal investigations as they try to link a suspect to a crime.

Police helped establish that Carpenter was near the scene of the robberies of Radio Shack and T-Mobile stores by securing from his cellphone carrier his past "cell site location information" tracking which cellphone towers had relayed his calls.

The legal fight has raised questions about the degree to which companies protect their customers' privacy rights. The big four wireless carriers, Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp, receive tens of thousands of these requests annually from law enforcement.

Verizon was the only one of those four companies to tell the Supreme Court that it favors strong privacy protections for its customers, with the other three sitting on the sidelines.

There is growing scrutiny of the surveillance practices of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies amid concern among lawmakers across the political spectrum about civil liberties and authorities evading warrant requirements.

The Supreme Court twice in recent years has ruled on major cases concerning how criminal law applies to new technology, both times ruling against law enforcement. In 2012, the court held that a warrant is required to place a GPS tracking device on a vehicle. Two years later, the court said police need a warrant to search a cellphone seized during an arrest.

Carpenter's bid to suppress the evidence failed and he was convicted of six robbery counts. On appeal, the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his convictions, finding that no warrant was required for the cellphone data.

The ACLU said in court papers that police need "probable cause," and therefore a warrant, in order to meet Fourth Amendment requirements.

Based on a provision of a 1986 federal law called the Stored Communications Act, the Justice Department said probable cause is not needed to obtain customer records. Instead, it argues, prosecutors must show only that there are "reasonable grounds" for the records to be provided and that they are "relevant and material" to an investigation.

President Donald Trump's administration said in court papers the government has a "compelling interest" in acquiring the data without a warrant because the information is particularly useful at the early stages of a criminal investigation.

Civil liberties groups said the 1986 law did not anticipate the way mobile devices now contain a wealth of data on each user.

A ruling is due by the end of June. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Singapores Fullerton Healthcare Corp. Ltd. is the latest health care company to gear up for an expansion in China, in an effort to tap the countrys aging and yet affluent middle class. Photo: Visual China

Singapores Fullerton Healthcare Corp. Ltd. said it has secured 800 million yuan ($121 million) from an investment arm of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd. to build more clinics in China.

Fullerton, which has no operations in China, said its initial plan is to open at least 100 clinics in the major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the company said in a statement.

Ping An Capital is now Fullertons second largest shareholder after the investment. During Fullertons China expansion, Ping An will contribute health care services and expertise in area such as insurance and its online clinic, Ping An Good Doctor, Liu Dong, principal partner of Ping An Capital, said in the same statement.

Fullerton is the latest health care company gearing up for an expansion in China, tapping the aging and yet affluent middle class. U.S.s Mayo Clinic,

Massachusetts General Hospital and New Jersey-based Childrens Specialized Hospital have each secured local partners for expansions in recent years.

The Chinese government has allowed clinics wholly owned by foreign capital to operate in the country since 2010. However, only a few have set foot in the country so far, mostly citing the bureaucratic approval process.

The countrys first foreign-owned hospital, Landseed International Hospital in Shanghai, opened by Taiwans Landseed International Medical Group in 2012, had to obtain documents with 150 government seals to get approval, Hanson H. Li, an executive director of Huatone China Strategic Investment Solutions Inc., said in an opinion piece in The New York Times in 2013.

Most foreign-owned clinics are also not covered by the state insurance system, in which most patients are enrolled. In 2015, Chinese policyholders paid 241 billion yuan ($35 billion) for private medical insurance, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group and insurer Munich Reinsurance Company.

But, the government-backed medical insurance program collected four times more in premiums, or 1.1 trillion yuan that year, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

But still, Chinas health care market remains largely untapped, as health care expenditures accounted for only 5.5% of total gross domestic product in 2014, far below the worlds average of 9.9%, according to the World Bank.

In addition, unlike other clinic operators that target individual patients, Fullerton focuses on delivering enterprise health care services. Chinas market for enterprise health care management will grow to $21.1 billion in 2020 from $5.7 billion in 2010, according to a 2016 Frost & Sullivan research report.

Contact reporter Coco Feng (renkefeng@caixin.com)
Paul Chan, Hong Kongs financial secretary, said that accepting companies with dual class stock appears to be an irresistible move, and the city must change the way it does things to maintain competiveness. Photo: Visual China

Companies with a dual class stock ownership structure may be able to float their shares on the Hong Kong bourse by the second half of 2018, the citys financial secretary Paul Chan said.

Hong Kong does not allow listing applications from companies with two tiers of owners. Such a structure gives more weight to the votes of a small group of shareholders  usually founders and senior managers  and less weight to votes of other shareholders.

But there have been voices urging a change, especially after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which has a dual class stock structure, eschewed Hong Kong for a New York listing in 2014.

Also, many so-called new economy companies are start-ups that have two classes of owners to reward founders. Some believe the removal of this ban could help Hong Kong regain its IPO market-share, some of which it has recently lost to Shanghai.

Meanwhile, Chan said the Hong Kong listing committee  a review panel composed of members from the Hong Kong stock exchange and Securities & Futures Commission  would rather not create a new board to host these dual-class companies. That way, the quality of listed companies will be better managed, he added.

In June, the Hong Kong stock exchange published a proposal regarding setting up a third board, called the New Board, to host technological start-ups and other companies that do not have the track record of profits required by the Main Board. That proposal included a plan to host dual-class companies on the New Board.

Chan said that accepting companies with dual class stock appears to be an irresistible move, and Hong Kong must change the way it does things to maintain competiveness.

Contact reporter Dong Tongjian (tongjiandong@caixin.com)
Modified On Dec 05, 2017 06:31 PM By CarDekho for Honda Amaze 2016-2021

The Honda Amaze is available in four different variants and is offered with two engine options

Since its introduction in 2013, the Honda Amaze has been among the Japanese carmakers best selling models. The Amaze marked Hondas entry in the compact sedan segment and competes with cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Ford Aspire and the Volkswagen Ameo. The Amaze received a facelift last year. Although it was mostly cosmetic, the diesel variants also got ABS and EBD as standard. However, only the SX and VX variants of the petrol-powered Amaze get these safety features as standard.

Before we get to know what each variant has to offer, lets take a look at the Amazes spec sheet:

Vital Stats:

Dimensions (L x W x H) 3990 x 1680 x 1505 Wheelbase 2405 Seating Capacity 5 Boot Space 400-litres

Engine:

Petrol Engine Diesel Engine Engine Displacement 1198/1199cc (CVT) 1498cc Transmission 5-speed manual/CVT 5-speed manual Max Power 88PS/90PS(CVT) 100PS Max Torque 109Nm/110Nm (CVT) 200Nm Fuel Efficiency (claimed) 17.8kmpl/18.1kmpl (CVT) 25.8kmpl

Honda Amaze Colour Options: Bluish Titanium, Taffeta White, Carnelian Red Pearl, Urban Titanium, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Golden Brown Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic and White Orchid Pearl.

Honda Amaze E Variant - Only diesel gets ABS, EBD

The Amaze range starts with the E variant. For a base variant, it is decently equipped as it gets power windows, tilt-adjustable steering and air conditioner with heater. In terms of safety features, only the diesel-powered version gets ABS and EBD as standard.

Petrol Diesel Price (ex-showroom Delhi) Rs 5.5 lakh Rs 6.65 lakh

Features:

Front Dual Chrome Grille Rear Micro Antenna Body-coloured Front And Rear Bumpers Electric Power Steering Day/night Inside Rearview Mirror (IRVM) Air Conditioner With Heater All Four Power Windows Tilt-adjustable Steering Central Locking Dual-tone Black-Beige Interior

Worth Buying?

The E variant of the Amaze is equipped with all the basic features that you expect from a car at this price point like day/night IRVM, tilt-adjustable power steering, power windows and central locking. While Honda has equipped the diesel version with ABS and EBD, the petrol version lacks these basic safety features. However, Honda does offer dual airbags as an option for an extra cost of Rs 12,000. So, if you are looking for a comfortable diesel sedan with lots of boot space, E variant of the Amaze with optional airbags makes for a good choice.

Also Read: 2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire: Variants Explained

Honda Amaze S Variant - We wish the petrol-manual Amaze had ABS, EBD

The S variant of the Amaze gets more features such as a music system, steering mounted audio controls and drivers seat height adjustment. Additionally, the petrol version can also be had with a CVT (continuously variable transmission).

Petrol Diesel Price (ex-showroom Delhi) Rs 5.89 lakh, Rs 7.37 lakh (CVT) Rs 7.51 lakh Price Difference when compared to E variant Rs 39,000 Rs 86,000

In addition to the features you get on the E variant, S variant also gets:

Music System Keyless entry Electrically-adjustable ORVMs Steering-mounted Audio Controls Body-coloured Door Handles and ORVMs Wheel Covers ABS with EBD (Diesel and Petrol CVT) Drivers Seat Height Adjuster

Worth Buying?

The S variant with the petrol engine costs Rs 39,000 more than the E variant, which is acceptable considering the additional features you get in this variant. But absence of basic safety features like ABS and EBD keeps this variant out of our recommendation list.

Unlike the petrol, the diesel version costs Rs 86,000 more than the base E variant, which we feel is overpriced for the additional features you get. Like the E variant, the Amaze S can also be had with optional dual airbags.

Honda offers the convenience of an automatic transmission with the petrol engine from S variant. The Amaze with automatic transmission costs Rs 1.48 lakh more than the manual (both S variant), which looks steep even considering the fact that the Amaze automatic gets ABS and EBD that the manual version doesnt get even in S variant.

Also Read: 2017 Hyundai Xcent Facelift: Variants Explained

Honda Amaze SX variant - The petrol-manual Amaze you can buy

This is the first model in the petrol lineup to get ABS and EBD as standard. Also from this variant onwards dual airbags are standard across all variants.

Petrol Diesel Price (ex-showroom Delhi) Rs 6.98 lakh Rs 8.03 lakh Price Difference when compared to S variant Rs 1.09 lakh Rs 52,000

In addition to S, the SX variant gets:

Dual Airbags ABS with EBD Automatic Climate Control Electrically-foldable ORVMs 3D speedometer with Multi Information Display Turn Indicators on ORVMs Rear Defogger Silver Inside Door Handles

Worth Buying?

This variant gets most of the features you can ask for in a car in this segment. There are some features that it still misses out on such as alloy wheels and fog lamps. For the premium of Rs 1 lakh over S for the petrol-powered sedan, the SX variant appears a little too expensive. But if you want the Amaze petrol with a manual transmission, this is the variant to consider.

The jump from S to SX for the diesel Amaze will set you back by Rs 52,000, which is fairly priced considering the features it offers. However, the fact that S diesel is overpriced makes the SX diesel a bit overpriced as well.

Also Read: Tata Tigor - Variants explained

Honda Amaze VX Variant - The Amaze to buy with CVT

It is the top-spec model of the Honda Amaze and also gets a CVT option for petrol version.

Petrol Diesel Price (ex-showroom Delhi) Rs 7.37 lakh, Rs 8.35 lakh (CVT) Rs 8.40 lakh Price Difference when compared to SX variant Rs 39,000 Rs 37,000

In addition to SX, the VX variant gets:

Alloy Wheels Heat Absorbing Front Windscreen Front Fog Lamps

Worth Buying?

You pay an extra sum of around Rs 40,000 for the VX variant over SX variant which gets you alloy wheels, fog lamps and heat absorbing front windscreen. The premium is acceptable but the sticker price of the manual variants of the Amaze still appears to be on the higher side, especially when you compare them with competition.

The Amaze CVT VX is available at a premium of Rs 98,000 over the Amaze CVT S variant which makes it the CVT variant to buy given that youre getting a lot more creature comforts with the convenience of an automatic transmission.

Read More on : Amaze diesel

Also Read: Compact Sedan Comparison: Dzire vs Xcent vs Tigor vs Ameo vs Aspire
Modified On Nov 30, 2017 08:14 PM By Khan Mohd.

Digital payment now added to EV recharge bill payment options

Reiterating its pledge to reduce emissions in the country, the government has accepted the recommendations of an expert committee to accept payments for charging electric vehicles (EV) through digital mediums. The panel had made these recommendations in May, 2017.

The Committee for Standardisation of the Protocol for Charging Infrastructure had recommended three key suggestions that would help the government achieve the target of complete electrification of automobiles in India by 2030.

Committee Recommendations Purpose Status Adopting uniform standards for EV charging stations To enable charging of various EVs from different manufacturers at any station Awaiting approval Digital payments Would ease the payment process Approved Setting up massive charging infrastructure Would give EV buyers peace of mind as they dont have to worry about charging on longer journeys or in emergency situations Awaiting approval

In its report on digital payments, the committee said that customers need to be billed and make a payment for the charging their EVs. There are multiple options for payments, including debiting the user's account based on VIN (vehicle identification number), it added.

Besides this, payment could also be made via a mobile application, which can be recharged using BHIM or Bharat QR code or any other medium as specified by government, the report stated.

Interesting read: Mahindras Tie-Up With Ford Might Yield An Electric Vehicle For India

The present scenario of EVs in India can be better understood by a study conducted by the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) on purchase of EVs across the country. In fiscal year 2016-17, the top five states with highest EV sales were Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.

State EV Sales Gujarat 4,330 West Bengal 2,846 Uttar Pradesh 2,467 Rajasthan 2,388 Maharashtra 1,926

Overall, the count of EV sales across India in the last fiscal was 25,000 units.

After announcing its intention to turn the Indian automotive market all-electric by 2030, the government has begun working towards making it a reality. However, the pace of work has been on the slower side. But the real test lies in actualising the short-term goal of having 6-7 million hybrid vehicles on our roads by 2020. The major roadblock to this dream is the lack of e-vehicle charging infrastructure. Will the government be able to meet the target it has set for itself? Only time will tell. Till then, we have our fingers crossed.

Recommended:

New, Expensive Mahindra Electric Vehicle Under Development

Upcoming Electric Cars In India
Former IRD chief Sharma released on bail

The Special Court on Tuesday released Chudamani Sharma, a member of now defunct Tax Settlement Commission (TSC), on bail after conducting the first ever trial since a corruption case was filed against him, along with two other TSC members, on July 16.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
VitalSigns November/December Teleconference Transcript: HIV Testing

Press Briefing Transcript Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Audio recording media icon [MP3  5 MB ] Please Note: This transcript is not edited and may contain errors.

OPERATOR: Welcome and thank you for standing by. All participants will be on a listen only mode until the question and answer session of todays call. At that time you may press star, then one, to ask a question from the phone lines. Also this call is being recorded. If you have any objections, you may disconnect at this time. I would now like to turn the call over to your host, Ms. Kathy Harben. Thank you, maam, you may begin.

KATHY HARBEN: Thank you, Katie, and thank you all for joining us today for the release of a new CDC Vital Signs. Were joined by CDC director, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, and by Dr. Jonathan Mermin, Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, and by Dr. Eugene McCray, Director of CDCs Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. Drs. Mermin and McCray will respond to questions following our speakers remarks. Ill now turn the call over to Dr. Fitzgerald.

DR. BRENDA FITZGERALD: Good afternoon. Thank you all for joining us today. CDC provides for the common defense of the country for health threats. We protect Americas health, safety, and security by responding to our nations most pressing health threats. In each Vital Signs Report, we focus on one of these threats and what were doing about it. Todays Vital Signs Report has new information about HIV testing and diagnosis in the United States. And overall it reveals that we as a nation are making great progress in HIV prevention. People at risk for HIV are getting tested more frequently and HIV is being diagnosed sooner after infections. Annual HIV infections are down. A higher proportion of all people living well HIV have gotten diagnosed. And more people with HIV have the virus under control through treatment. These are all very encouraging signs and are a testament to the thousands of people working every day to lessen the toll HIV takes on the American community. Yet despite this progress, todays report also highlights ongoing challenges. For example, many Americans arent getting tested for HIV as CDC recommends. And too many people have HIV infections that go undiagnosed for far too long. CDCs testing efforts identify more than 12,000 people with HIV each year and account for one third of all HIV diagnoses in the United States. We know that an HIV test opens doors to care, treatment, and prevention. Once diagnosed, HIV can be treated so that people who have HIV can live long, healthy lives. Treating HIV is also a powerful tool for preventing the sexual transmission of HIV. We also know that we are still missing opportunities to test many people who are most at risk for HIV. So while we should celebrate our progress, we must still make HIV prevention a priority. This is an epidemic we can stop. So lets pledge to work together and end it forever. Now I turn it over to Dr. Jonathan Mermin and Dr. Eugene McCray for a more detailed look at this Vital Signs Report.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Thank you, Dr. Fitzgerald. And thank you all for joining us to focus on this important issue. Testing for HIV is central to addressing HIV in this country, because prompt diagnosis is prevention. A positive HIV test allows people living with HIV to start treatment that will help them live longer, healthier lives, and get the virus under control. Controlling HIV through treatment called viral suppression is a top national priority. And among people who have achieved viral suppression, HIV is detectable only at very low levels in the blood or is undetectable with standard tests. In recent studies of thousands of couples where one partner has HIV and the other does not, there have been no sexually transmitted HIV infections when the HIV-positive partner was virally suppressed. Testing also opens the door to prevention options for people who do not have HIV but who are at risk for infection. Its true, HIV testing works. If you think youre at risk, dont guess, get the test. CDC recommends all people aged 13-64 be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime and people at higher risk for HIV at least annually. Health care providers may also find it beneficial to test some people more frequently than that. For this Vital Signs, we analyzed data from CDCs National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System to understand HIV testing rates among people at particularly high risk for HIV, including gay and bisexual men, people who inject drugs, and heterosexuals at increased risk for HIV. Although HIV testing is up among these risk groups, our report also found we still need to test more people and test more often. According to this Vital Signs Report, those reporting they did not have a recent HIV test were almost one-third in gay and bisexual men, more than two in five people who inject drugs, and more than one in two heterosexuals at risk for HIV. The Vital Signs Report also found seven in ten people at high risk who were not tested for HIV in the past year saw a health care provider during that time, signaling a missed opportunity for high risk individuals to be tested as frequently as needed. Without increased testing, many people living with HIV may not know they have it for years, and this report suggests that far too many people live with HIV for far too long before receiving a diagnosis. The Vital Signs analysis found a quarter of people whose HIV was diagnosed in 2015 had lived with HIV for seven years or more without knowing they had it. For this Vital Signs Report, we also analyzed national HIV surveillance data to estimate timing from HIV infection to diagnosis. In other words, we wanted to understand how long people live with HIV without knowing they have the virus. We found that the estimated median time from HIV infection to diagnosis was three years in 2015, meaning that half of people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 had been living with HIV for three years or more without knowing it. Thats an improvement from 2011 when the estimated median time from HIV infection to detection was three years and seven months. The report also tells us that some groups, particularly heterosexual men and racial and ethnic minorities, live with HIV for longer than other groups before they are diagnosed. For example, in 2015, estimated timing from HIV infection to diagnosis for heterosexual men was a median of five years, twice as long as heterosexual women. The median was three years for gay and bisexual men. Estimated timing from HIV infection to diagnosis ranged from a median of four years for Asian-Americans to two years for White Americans. The median was about three years for African-Americans and Latinos. So now Im going to turn the microphone over to Dr. Eugene McCray who will discuss specific aspects of CDCs HIV programs.

DR. EUGENE MCCRAY: Thank you, Dr. Mermin. About 40 percent of new HIV infections in this country are from people who dont know they have HIV. So we must close the gap in time from HIV infection to HIV diagnosis to end our nations epidemic. CDC is working to make this happen by doing several things. Educating the public and health care providers about the importance of testing, prevention, and treatment. Funding health departments and community-based organizations to conduct HIV testing programs. And developing new testing recommendations to help diagnose HIV earlier, when people are most likely to transmit the virus. Health care providers can do their part by testing more people for HIV as part of routine medical care, and testing those at increased risk more frequently and linking those who receive a positive test results to care. Health departments and community based organizations can also test people for HIV or create programs that increase HIV testing in populations at greater risk. And they can help educate communities about the benefits of testing, early diagnosis, and treatment for those who are living with HIV. And finally, every American can play a role by getting tested at least once and people at high risk for HIV getting tested every year. HIV testing works. Getting more HIV infections diagnosed and more people living with HIV on treatment is crucial to driving down the disease. Thank you. Ill turn it back over to our moderator now.

KATHY HARBEN: Thank you, Dr. McCray. I believe we are ready for questions.

OPERATOR: Thank you. At this time we would like to begin the question and answer session of todays conference. If you would like to ask a question from the phone lines, please press star, then one, unmute your phone, and record your name when prompted. If you need to withdraw your question, please press star, then two. Once again, to ask a question from the phone lines, please press star, then one, and record your name when prompted. Our first question comes from Eben Brown. Your line is now open.

EBEN BROWN: Thank you very much. Nice to meet you, Dr. Fitzgerald. Im one of the people who often calls into these teleconferences, although Im not located in Atlanta, so I dont get to visit the CDC much. You made a very interesting comment at the top, saying that HIV would be in your words just a few moments ago, beatable. And Im just thinking back, you know, 20 years, 30 years, how that really wasnt the attitude then, that this was really considered a plague and there was a great amount of shame associated with it. Could you reflect for a bit, now as youre head of the CDC, to just talk about how different of an atmosphere there is and how much hope there is now for people with HIV and that, you know, with testing, treatment obviously would follow, and how its so not the death sentence it used to be?

KATHY HARBEN: Eben, this is Kathy Harben. Dr. Fitzgerald has dropped off the call.

EBEN BROWN: Oh, okay. Well, if anyone would like to make such comments that would be great.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Sure, thanks. For those of us who have been working in HIV for many decades, its actually an encouraging time and a challenging time. Maybe Dr. McCray would also have some thoughts. I would say theres more encouraging signs in a decade marked by progress in HIV prevention. Weve seen reductions in HIV incidence, meaning the number of new infections every year in the country, over the past decade. And weve seen dramatic reductions in mortality among people with HIV due to very effective medicine that can now be taken once a day in most cases. And weve also seen impressive improvements in HIV prevention, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is when one takes a pill a day to prevent acquisition of HIV and acknowledging the prevention effects of antiretroviral therapy in reducing viral load. All of these things have come together to provide more opportunities for people who do have HIV and I think have led people to understand that theres more hope than there was in the past. At the same time, there continue to be major challenges. We have close to 40,000 new HIV infections every year. HIV is often a fatal disease if it is not treated. And it continues to be a challenge to reduce the number of new infections every year. Eugene, did you want to add anything?

DR. EUGENE MCCRAY: No, just to add that we have the tools that we need to really continue to see significant progress in HIV infection in the U.S. and the challenges, as Dr. Mermin is saying, getting those tools to the people who need them the most, such as young people, certain high risk populations, and then in certain geographic areas.

EBEN BROWN: Thank you.

KATHY HARBEN: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Our next question comes from Julie Steenhuysen from Reuters. Your line is now open.

JULIE STEENHUYSEN: Thanks for taking my call. Dr. Mermin, I just would like to press a little further to understand the improvements youve seen in people at high risk of HIV infection. It looks like particularly with racial minorities and heterosexual men, the rates of diagnosis or the time it takes to be diagnosed is still quite long. Have you seen progress in that group and what is CDC doing to particularly address, you know, lack of testing among these at-risk populations?

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: So HIV is a quintessential example of disparities in public health. Since its inception or since its discovery, weve continued to see certain populations most affected by HIV and they can be racial and ethnic groups. For example, African-Americans are eight times more likely and Latinos are ten times more likely to have HIV infections than White Americans. It can be geographically distributed. The southern part of the United States has higher HIV burden than any other region. And certain age groups and sexes, as well as, gay and bisexual men. So we have seen these disparities. And weve worked specifically to try to reduce them while we also reduce HIV infections in the nation as a whole. And I should say, we have seen some progress, including an 18 percent reduction in new infections over the past decade. What weve also seen is persistent disparities. There have been some places weve been able to make inroads. One example is the HIV testing that CDC supports through state and local health departments. In one program, where we focused testing in the most hard-hit areas, we diagnosed over 10,000 new people with HIV infection, 70 percent were African-American, 12 percent were Latino. We also did an economic analysis and showed that for every dollar spent, a minimum of $2 was saved by the health care system through that testing program. So HIV, good HIV prevention saves lives and saves money. You raised specifically the question about kind of reductions in time to diagnosis in certain groups.

JULIE STEENHUYSEN: Yes.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: There is a persistent disparity in that. We have seen reductions overall and in these specific groups. But the differences between those groups do continue. And we have to work hard to reduce them. To some extent, we are ensconced in the health care environment that people live in. So for example, why are women diagnosed sooner than men? Women are more comfortable and more frequently go to the health care system. Women are often screened for HIV when theyre pregnant, thats part national guidelines. So you can imagine, women are experiencing HIV testing more frequently than men and therefore the time from infection to diagnosis would be less. But we are seeing for heterosexual men in particular a longer time frame to getting diagnosis. Its something that we have to work on. We have two pillars of our approach. One is the routine recommendation of HIV screening, you know, once in ones lifetime. And that would catch people who might not have thought themselves at risk or the clinician might not have thought of them at risk. And then we have people where we recommend a more frequently testing of at least once a year, because once in a lifetime isnt enough, and that would allow a more rapid diagnosis. Primarily because prompt diagnosis is prevention.

KATHY HARBEN: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Our next question comes from Betsy McKay from Wall Street Journal. Your line is now open.

BETSY MCKAY: Hi, thanks, I had a couple of questions. One is, what are some of the more successful ways or means in which, you know, tests are being made available to people, particularly those who dont really come often to the health care system? Im just curious what innovations there are out there that have been tried and seem to work in getting more people tested. And then the second question was how do you measure time from infection to a positive test? You know, the three years, the median of three years that you were talking about.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: So Betsy, Ill start with the second question, then Ill turn it over to Dr. McCray to cover the first part. But when someone is infected with HIV, over time their immune function decreases. And we measure that in general  [inaudible interference]

KATHY HARBEN: If youre not talking, please mute.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Thanks. So what happens is, we use a model that incorporates that decline in CD4 counts. We know that CD4 counts are measured when someone is newly diagnosed with HIV because its beneficial to their health because there are certain medicine we provide to people to prevent infections depending on how much higher their CD4 count is. So essentially thats reported. We use that CD4 count to estimate how much time from infection to diagnosis there was for people and then we apply that in the model. So essentially its assuming a slow decline, whatever the natural decline in CD4 count over time. Eugene, did you want to touch base on the first one?

DR. EUGENE MCCRAY: Yes, so the question was I think was how do you reach people who are not getting tested and what are some of the strategies that are being used to identifying and getting those hard to reach populations tested. One of the things Dr. Mermin mentioned earlier in his briefing is that we have targeted testing initiatives where we actually do targeted testing to communities where we know there is a high prevalence of HIV, people living with HIV, and where there are people that are at high risk for HIV. So for example, young African-American MSM, men having sex with men, we can target those. We also do what we call event-based testing, when there are specific events like gay prides and special events where we have large groups of people that are at a high risk coming together, we can do testing in those venues. And other innovative approaches that are being used is having walk-in clinics where individuals can come in, if theyre concerned that they may be at risk for HIV or have been exposed, they can do self-testing, where they come in, give a history, do a swab, and then that swab or urine can get evaluated and tested within hours, and then they can be given a result. Thats for sexually transmitted infections also, they can come in and request testing for HIV. So were having to try a number of different venues. A major part of what were doing also is trying to have specific communication campaigns that are targeting people at risk groups or hard to reach groups so that they know where they can get a test and get it safely without any problems.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: And just to add, there is also creative programs involving either over the counter HIV tests that people can purchase or be provided and then test themselves at home, and even provision of test through the internet, so people can receive  essentially order and receive a test through the internet. I would also say that hard to reach populations you can reach by kind of on the ground work with people who are at high risk for HIV. You can also reach them by having screening become routine in health care settings. So if someone goes to the emergency department or does go to their primary care practitioner, its as routine as a cholesterol check. And we dont burden people having to think about themselves potentially at risk for HIV because the system itself makes the healthy choice and easy choice. It offers that test and people can get tested because its what is recommended through practitioner guidelines.

KATHY HARBEN: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Our next question comes from Maggie Fox with NBC News. Your line is now open.

MAGGIE FOX: Thanks very much, Im sorry if I missed this earlier, but can you talk about the percentage of new infections that are coming from people who evidently did not know they were HIV-positive and how you figure that out?

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Its 40 percent, we estimate that 40 percent of HIV infections in the United States are inadvertently or unknowingly being transmitted by persons who dont know that they have HIV. And we calculate that through a mathematical model that also incorporates viral load and antiretroviral therapy and behavior among the populations with HIV in the United States. And we have a paper that we can share.

MAGGIE FOX: Thank you.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Next question?

OPERATOR: Our next question comes from Gracie Bond-Staples with the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Your line is now open.

GRACIE BONDS-STAPLES: As you know, metro Atlanta has been for a long time in the thick of this epidemic. Im wondering if you can address the rates of infection here in the south and particularly in metro Atlanta, and if you hold out any hope for this particular area of the south, in terms of beating the epidemic.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: So I think there are two aspects to the response to your question. The first is that yes, there is hope. The state of Georgia saw a 25 percent reduction in new HIV infections over the past  over the period of time between 2008 and 2014. So we can  we know that if we do what we know is effective and get it implemented, we can make a difference. At the same time, the Atlanta region and other parts of the state are disproportionately affected by HIV and that there are disparities even within the city of Atlanta. There are populations at very high risk of HIV that are hard to reach or have seen some reductions, but not at the scale that we would need. And I dont know if, Eugene, you wanted to talk about specific activities in Atlanta or Georgia or what you think needs to be done.

DR. EUGENE MCCRAY: Yeah, no, I mean I think you covered some of whats going on. But what some of the specific things that are being done or actually  were working very closely with the State of Georgia and specifically with Fulton County in facilitating more collaborations with academia to help really better identify where the infections are and make sure that were following what we call a high impact intervention approach in targeting our resources to the area thats most impacted. Thats work thats ongoing and I think were going to see  we are going to be seeing good results from that as we move forward. For example, Fulton County, well be collaborating very closely with Emory University and the Center for AIDS Research as we move forward to really begin tackling at least the epidemic in the Fulton county area. And I would like to mention that, you know, the epidemic in Georgia is still primarily an urban epidemic, close to 70 percent of the cases are in the metro Atlanta area.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: So I am hopeful for the nation and the south. But it will require thoughtful concerted action with what we know works, because good HIV prevention saves lives and saves money.

GRACIE BONDS-STAPLES: Thank you.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: Thank you. Next question?

OPERATOR: Our next question comes from Lisa Hagen with WABE. Your line is now open.

LISA HAGEN: Hi there. I was wondering, so Im also out of Atlanta, and Im wondering, you know, if there are any examples of cities with roughly the same, you know, population or socioeconomic characteristics like Atlanta that you have seen actually have a turnaround that you would consider successful, and how we might get to that place.

DR. JONATHAN MERMIN: I think those of us who live in Atlanta think we are unique and special. But I would say that there are large cities that, like Atlanta, have seen some progress. Washington, D.C. has had dramatic reductions in HIV incidence over the past few years. And other cities like New York City, San Francisco, L.A., have all been able to achieve progress, as well as some other cities in the south. But theyre starting, many cities in the south are starting with much higher rates. And so its going to take more work, its going to take more concerted work, and its going to take reaching the people who really need the services that are going to make a big difference.

KATHY HARBEN: Next question, please.

OPERATOR: Once again, if you would like to ask a question from the phone lines, please press star, then one. Unmute your phone and record your name and prompted. We are currently showing no questions at this time.

KATHY HARBEN: Okay. Thanks, everyone. I would like to thank Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Mermin, and Dr. McCray for joining us today. If media have follow-up questions, you can reach us at 404-639-3286, or send an e-mail to media@cdc.gov. Thank you for joining us. This concludes our call.

###

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
US cement market stable in September

ICR Newsroom By 29 November 2017

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement in the USA remained stable YoY at around 8.75Mt in September 2017, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).



The five largest cement markets in the US were Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and Illinois (in descending order) and their demand accounted for around 36 per cent of domestic shipments.The leading producing states were Texas, Missouri, California, Michigan and Florida (in descending order), accounting for around 40 per cent of domestic sales.



Portland cement exports reached 56,216t in September 2017, down from 74,878t in September 2016.



Masonry cement sales fell by 7.4 per cent to 194,164t in September, of which 1859t were imported. The decline has been attributed to hurricane disruptions to construction sites in Florida and Texas, the two largest masonry cement-consuming states. Together with California, North Carolina and Tennessee, both states account for 45 per cent of September masonry cement shipments.



Clinker output totalled 6.61Mt, up from 6.53Mt in September 2016. The leading clinker-producing states were (in descending order) Missouri, Texas, California, Florida and Pennsylvania, who accounted for a 46 per cent share of total output.



Imports of cement and clinker into the US increased 6.4 per cent to 1.3Mt in September when compared with the year-ago period. This includes 1.12Mt of Portland and blended cements. Imports have been more erratic than in 2016 following a rise in 2016 and 1Q17 when a slow recovery of US production, a strong dollar, low ship chartering rates and bunker fuel costs combined to generate a higher demand for imported product.



Year-to-date shipments and output

In the January-September 2017 period, total shipments of Portland and blended cement reached 71.65Mt. Some 63.23Mt of cement originated in US plants and an additional 8.42Mt was imported.



Masonry cement shipments remained stable YoY at around 1.84Mt.



Clinker production reached 56.7Mt, similar to the volume reported for 9M16.



Cement and clinker imports in the first nine months of 2017 totalled 10.3Mt, virtually unchanged from the equivalent period in 2016.



US producers exported 467,424t of Portland cement in 9M17, a 12.5 per cent decline when compared with 534,460t exported in 9M16.

Published under
Confidence Cement to commission new plant end-December

ICR Newsroom By 29 November 2017

Confidence Cement will commission its new cement plant in Bangladesh at the end of December, doubling the companys total cement capacity to 4500tpd.



The new works will help to meet the countrys increasing cement demand, which is expected to surpass the 25Mt mark in 2018, according to The Global Cement Report, 12th Edition.



Bangladesh aspires to become a middle-income country by 2021 and sustained growth in recent years has seen its infrastructure deficit widen. Through the Seventh Five-Year Plan, the government is looking to invest some US$140m, partly through public-private partnerships, in the infrastructure sector.





Published under
Govt plans to deploy 60,000 security forces in 8 districts

Around 60,000 security personnel will be deployed in the eight districts of Province 2 for the second phase of the House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections scheduled for December 7, according to a preliminary security assessment report of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Archdiocese of Washington has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority because the WMATA reportedly refused to allow the Archdioceses Christmas advertisement to be displayed on transit vehicles.

According to The Washington Post, the WMATA alleges that the ad goes against company policy, which states, "Advertisements that promote or oppose any religion, religious practice, or belief are prohibited."

However, the Archdiocese believes the WMATA is restricting their freedom of speech and maintains that the ad "conveys a simple message of hope, and an invitation to participate in the Christmas season."

The ad shows a group of shepherds walking up a mountain and encourages Metro and bus passengers to visit a church this Christmas season. This is part of the Archdioceses annual initiative during the holidays, called findtheperfectgift.org.

Ed McFadden, Secretary for Communications for the Archdiocese of Washington, explained the case in these terms, making reference to the beloved holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas: "To borrow from a favorite Christmas story, under WMATAs guidelines, if the ads are about packages, boxes or bags  if Christmas comes from a store  then it seems WMATA approves.

"But if Christmas means a little bit more, McFadden continued, WMATA plays Grinch."

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Publication date: November 29, 2017
Hard-line Muslims on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya attacked a Christian widows children, ages 13, 17 and 21, leaving two of them seriously injured and still in pain 11 days after the assault, sources said.



Hadiya (surname withheld), an immigrant from Somalia, had not yet returned from a trip to a funeral when the assailants of Somali descent broke into her home at a town (undisclosed for security reasons) outside of Nairobi, at 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 17.



Hadiyas 17-year-old daughter was asleep in her room, while the brothers (siblings names withheld for security reasons) were asleep in the front room, when the Muslim gang knocked on their door, the older brother told Morning Star News. The brothers asked who was at the door.



Refusing to identify themselves, the Muslims smashed a window, the older brother said.



We have warned you several times to stop taking the children to church, one shouted, he said. You have become an embarrassment to our clan as well as the entire Muslim community. We are here today to finish you and your children.



Their sister began screaming as the assailants broke in through the window, and the three siblings tried to escape through the door, Hadiya said. The gang beat them so much that blood was found throughout the front room, a Christian neighbor told Morning Star News.



Neighbors soon arrived and rescued the three children.



When we arrived at the scene of the incident, the attackers fled, the neighbor told Morning Star News. We took the three to a nearby clinic before their mother arrived and then transferred them to a government health center, where the youngest child was discharged, while two who were seriously injured were admitted for four days.



The younger brother suffered injuries to his left leg, neck and chest, while the older brother sustained injuries to his head, chest and back from a blunt object and remains very weak, according to the neighbor. Their sister, who received heavy blows and kicks, bled from her nose and sustained a rib injury, he said. A doctors reports corroborated his assessment of the injuries.



A recent follow-up visit to the doctor showed the older brother and sister need x-rays as they remain in continuous pain, Hadiya told Morning Star News by phone.



We are living in great fear and experience sleepless nights, she said. It is not safe for us to stay in this particular place. We need prayers and financial help at this difficult moment.



Having fled Somalia more than 13 years ago after the death of her husband, Hadiya has eight children  two from remarriage, though her second husband recanted his Christian faith amid a wave of persecution and returned to Somalia in 2010.



Somalis generally believe all Somalis are Muslims by birth and that consequently any Somali who becomes a Christian can be charged with apostasy, punishable by death. Kenya ranked 18th on Christian support organization Open Doors 2017 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.



Hadiya said her family has suffered various attacks since embracing Christ. After she filed a police complaint about an attack by Somali Muslims in Kenya in 2014, no fewer than 10 Islamic elders visited her to warn that she was risking her life by doing so.



Last year Somali Muslims attacked another of her adult sons, beating him unconscious.



Muslim Somalis in Nairobi had seriously injured the same son on Oct. 27, 2011, after they learned that family members had become Christian. The Somali neighbors hit him with a metal bar on his forehead and face, and he lost two teeth and sustained knife wounds to his hand. They left him for dead.



My family has experienced difficult times since the time we embraced the Christian faith, but God has been always coming to our rescue and meeting our needs, Hadiya said. We are grateful to the church and good Samaritans who have stood with my family in trying moments. We are at crossroads. But how long will this kind of life and persecution continue?



She called for the government to offer protection.



We will not recant the Christian faith, she said. We will continue putting our faith in God.





If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.o rg/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.



If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at http://morningstarnews.org/don ate/ ?
North Korea has launched what appears to be another intercontinental ballistic missile, the Pentagon said yesterday. Some experts calculate that Washington, D.C., is now within Kim Jong Uns reach. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meettoday to discuss the launch.

In similar news, Hawaii will resume nuclear siren testing on Friday. They will be the first such tests since the end of the Cold War.

The Hawaiian Islands sit just 4,661 miles from North Korea. The state would have only twenty minutes before a missile launched by Kim Jong Uns regime struck. Experts estimate that eighteen thousand Hawaiians would be killed during an initial nuclear missile attack.

And a South Korean official announced yesterday that North Korea may be able to pair a nuclear warhead with a long-range ballistic missile sometime next year. They have been developing their nuclear capabilities faster than expected, he warned.

In contrast to such ominous news, now consider a completely different subject.

A $100,000 shaving razor

The first Superman comic book ever printed will be auctioned next month. The expected price: $1.2 million.

Meanwhile, a Jewish skullcap is selling for $167,000. It is capped with a two-carat Russian diamond enclosed within a Star of David encrusted with more than 3,500 crystals.

And leather trash bags are now available, just in time for the holidays. A Spanish luxury brand is selling them in small ($258), medium ($346), and large ($422) sizes.

These are not the most extravagant gift items in the news. You can purchase a bejeweled dog collar for $3.2 million, sunglasses for $383,609, high heels for $218,407, or a shaving razor for a mere $100,000. Gold shoelaces can be yours for $19,000; cufflinks manufactured from the metal of AK-47 rifles are available for $32,659.

Such extravagance seems especially frivolous in light of the doomsday scenario posed by North Koreas nuclear missile program. But the reality is that we are no more mortal today than we were yesterday. Our future is no more uncertain now than it was then.

If the North Korean threat can expose excessive materialism for the foolishness it is, we should have known the truth all along.

We dont know what we need

Many Americans are more prosperous than ever before, a fact that explains leather trash bags and $100,000 shaving razors. Technological and medical innovations have improved our lives immeasurably.

However, prosperity is a deceitful idol.

It claims that we will have all we need if we have all we want. But sinful humans dont know what we need. We dont know that the answer to our deepest longing is not found in what we own but in Who owns us. C. S. Lewis was right: We are like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.

Theres a better way.

How to be truly happy

Scripture promises, Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! (Psalm 128:1). Blessed translates the Hebrew asre, meaning to experience a heightened state of happiness and joy, implying very favorable circumstance and enjoyment (Dictionary of Biblical Languages).

To fear the Lord is to reverence him, to worship him, to serve him as the Master and King of our lives. It is to walk in his ways, submissive to his word.

Such obedience does not earn Gods blessing. To the contrary, it positions us to receive what our Father already wanted to give us. He wants to bless his children. He longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18 NIV).

Just as I delight to bless my children and grandchildren, so our Father delights to bless us.

Our text does not qualify what kinds of blessings our Father wants to give us. Some may be material, others emotional, relational, physical, or spiritual. But our Maker knows us better than we know ourselves and knows what is for our very best.

And he promises us that everyone who reveres him as Lord is blessed by him. There are no exceptions or qualifications. If you make God your Lord, you will experience his blessing. If you are not experiencing his blessing, it is because he is not your Lord today.

Conclusion

North Koreas missile program is a stark reminder that the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17). Jesus is still Lord of the universe. The question is: When last did you make him Lord of your heart?

In the midst of the materialism that is the Christmas season, lets remember that the path to true happiness lies not in a store but in a stable.

NOTE: I am grateful to report that Giving Tuesday was a truly amazing day of generosity. Friends like you gave a total of $143,441.09 (including $30,000 in matching grants). You are helping build a movement of culture-changing Christians who can impact our nation and our world. I am deeply honored to share this ministry with you.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Publication date: November 29, 2017

For more from the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, please visit www.denisonforum.org.

Do you want to live a life in whole-hearted pursuit of loving God and others?

Read today's First15 at www.first15.org.
Atheist Group Unintentionally Glorifies God

Last Friday, the co-president of Wisconsin's Freedom From Religion Foundation, Dan Barker, took to Twitter to brag. Given that atheism is by its very nature the height of self-worship, that wasn't necessarily a surprise. But it was what he was bragging about that provoked some curiosity in a thinking person:

"Incredible photos of atheists & humanists distributing food to victims of Hurricane Maria. FFRF's Nonbelief Relief contributed to the effort," he tweeted.

First things first  it is wonderful to see humans helping other humans in need. Compassion and benevolence are the highest of virtues, assuming we operate from a worldview that can objectively measure virtue (ironically something that the atheist worldview conspicuously lacks).

But why does Barker find these pictures particularly noteworthy? Assuming that he's not referring to the professionalism or quality of the photographs themselves, what makes this scene so "incredible?"

Is it because humanitarian aid is not something that atheists have been known for historically? While you rarely encounter a disaster scene without noticeable involvement of church relief teams and Christian charities, "Nonbelief Relief" is a fairly new organization, with FFRF even hailing its uniqueness. But does it make much sense to be bragging about how you've never helped other human beings before, but you are now?

So maybe Barker means it's incredible because acts of goodness and charity actually run counter to the underlying faith in determinism that the atheist mind necessarily resorts to. The law of nature is self-preservation, after all. And our instincts are tuned to self-interest. To the determinist, no one can be credited for acts of charity or goodwill, as they are mere products of unforeseen chemical and cosmological causes. All actions are ultimately decided outside human will, and therefore there is no moral responsibility or accountability for our behavior.

If there is no eternal reward or punishment for human conduct, then acting in any sense outside of one's own interests is, as Barker might put it, "incredible."

But here's my guess knowing Barker's mentality and character: this tweet was intended as some sort of impotent taunt towards the Christians that FFRF hates. It was a bizarre, "Anything you can do, we can do better" jab at believers. That's just weird.

To be honest, I've always found it amazing how a man like Barker who has distinguished himself in the atheist community as rather unremarkable except for his claim to be a former Christian minister, doesn't understand Christianity at all. It's really no wonder he left the faith as it doesn't appear as though he ever even understood it.

No believer would ever object to or feel threatened by atheists participating in charitable giving. To the contrary, we've been desperate for them to help for years. Though the Christian church remains the world's largest humanitarian relief organization by a staggering margin, if the atheists want to "challenge" the church as to who can be more generous, I (and every believer I know) is all for it. What a wonderful thing for us to compete with each other over  who can care for people more.

Why Barker apparently thought these images would bother Christians I can't be sure. The truth is that the pictures of "Nonbelief Relief" at work in the lives of innocent victims of natural disasters actually reveal something divine in all of us no matter what we claim to believe. And that's the greatest part about FFRF's initiative  it undermines the foundational principle of their entire organization.

In an effort to show how they can be "good without God," what the Freedom From Religion Foundation is actually touting is their inherited God-nature at work. God is goodness. Apart from Him, we would have no grounded, rational understanding of what good even is. Therefore, when His created beings act in good ways, we are reflecting the image of Him in us.

That's true for those of us who acknowledge it and seek to glorify Him through our work; and it's true of those who deny His existence yet unintentionally give visible evidence for it.

Peter Heck is a speaker, author and teacher. Follow him @peterheck, email peter@peterheck.com or visit www.peterheck.com.
How (Not) to Respond to the Fall of Matt Lauer NBC's Matt Lauer. CBS's Charlie Rose. NPR's Michael Oreskes. Amazon's Roy Price. The New York Times's Glenn Thrush. Who's next? And how should we respond?

NBC's Matt Lauer. CBS's Charlie Rose. NPR's Michael Oreskes. Amazon's Roy Price. The New York Times'sGlenn Thrush.Hollywood's Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. Congress's Al Franken and John Conyers. Who's next? And how should we respond?

I understand that the list of those fallen is largely, if not almost exclusively, liberal, and that quite a few of the fallen have been staunch opponents of the right. But, with all respect to President Trump, I do not agree with him tweeting:

"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace." But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack's past."

And then:

"So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the "unsolved mystery" that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!"

Is this really time to throw stones? And if you have your own glass houses from the past, do you want to urge the investigation of the alleged glass houses of others from the past? Perhaps it would be better to say, "Wow. Matt Lauer of NBC is down. Before that Charlie Rose of CBS. The liberal media is really taking a hit. A sobering time!"

It's true that these men allegedly (or admittedly) crossed lines that most of us have not crossed. But if God wanted to find each of us guilty, He could easily do so. If He wanted to expose sinful thoughts or attitudes or words or glances or desires, He could damn every human being on the planet in a matter of seconds.

That's why King Solomon could say to the Lord in a prayer for mercy that "there is no man who does not sin" and that "each of [of us] knows his own affliction" (1 Kings 8:46, 38).

And that's why I tweeted this after hearing of Lauer's fall: "I don't recommend gloating when someone you don't like falls or is exposed. Better to grieve over their loss and take stock of the cost of sin. Better to stay low and search your own heart than to mock someone else's disgrace."

And that's why author and professor Jay Richards tweeted in response: "And never, ever, take pleasure in the destruction of anyone's marriage. Pray for them. If you really don't like them, pray even more for them."

Another responded by quoting Proverbs 24:17-18, verses that came to my mind as well: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him."

Many on the right have correctly observed that some of the most prominent alleged abusers were previously viewed as women's right's champions, like Conyers and Franken. And the argument has been made that it is the left, not the right, that degrades and mistreats women. After all, are you really for women when you encourage abortion? When you celebrate lewdness and exalt women as sex symbols? When you deny the importance of gender distinctions?

And I agree with these observations. I agree that it is conservative moral principles that are more honoring to women. And I agree that much of the liberal, Christian-bashing, hypocrisy is being exposed before our eyes.

Still, when I a saw recent article titled, "From politicians to producers, here are 50 prominent men accused of sexual misconduct since Weinstein's downfall,'" I immediately asked myself, "Are pastors and preachers next?" (Actually, we've had more than enough scandals like this in recent years.)

In the 1980s, a prominent TV evangelist was exposed for sexual and financial corruption, after which another prominent TV evangelist went after him mercilessly. Rather than mourning his fall, he mocked it. Not long after, he too was exposed.

That's why I continue to counsel that we not mock our perceived enemies and opponents when they fall (and certainly not all of those recently exposed are our "enemies" or "opponents"). They are suffering enough already and will have much to deal with in their own lives and families and reputations and careers.

Instead, we should search our own hearts, we should take each new shocking announcement with sobriety (these are wake-up calls to us all), and we should pray for the repentance and restoration of those who fall.

I for one could imagine hearing Matt Lauer testify one year from now, "That was the very worst thing that ever happened to me and the lowest point in my life. But God has used it to wake me up and show me what really matters, and I'm living a brand new life."

Let there be redemption in the midst of the mess, and let us all of take stock and be sober. This is not the time to gloat.
Anglican minister sparks outrage by urging prayers for Prince George to be gay

An Anglican minister has sparked outrage after questioning whether Prince George is gay and if that might force the Church of England to adopt same-sex marriage.

The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow, and a campaigner for LGBT rights in the Church, was accused of a 'cynical' and 'sinister' attempt to manipulate the royal engagement for his own ends after he suggested 'the fastest way to make the C of E more inclusive [is] to pray for Prince George to be blessed one day with the love of a fine young gentleman'.

The comments about the four-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, were made in a blog he re-posted after the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement.

Gavin Ashenden, a former Chaplain to the Queen and missionary bishop in the Christian Episcopal Church, accused Holdsworth of praying the 'child out of the intentions of God'. He told Christian Today: 'To pray for Prince George to grow up in that way, particularly when part of the expectation is he will inherit is to produce a biological heir with a woman he loves, is to pray in a way that would disable and undermine his constitutional and personal role.

'It is an unkind and destabilising prayer. It is the theological equivalent of the curse of the wicked fairy in one of the fairy tales. It is un-Christian as well as being anti-constitutional. It is a very long way from being a blessing for Prince George.'

Lee Gatiss, director of the Church Society, a conservative Christian body, said it was a 'cynical, secular, and sinister in its approach to spiritual matters'.

He told Christian Today: 'To co-opt the Royal children to service a narrow sexual agenda seems particular tasteless and, I should add, bizarrely illogical on his own grounds. Is he saying no one can "pray the gay away" but you can pray it into someone?'

Susie Leafe, director of the conservative Anglican grouping Reform, said it was clear Holdsworth would 'use any means to achieve his aim' of seeing same-sex marriage in church.

'It is disappointing that he feels it necessary to bring a four year old Prince into the argument,' she told Christian Today. 'As a clergyman I would have thought his prayers for Prince George should be focused on him growing up to know the saving love of the Lord Jesus rather than the "love of a fine young gentleman".'

Holdsworth's article lists strategy ideas for campaigners to change the Church of England's opposition to gay marriage. In it he suggests: 'If people don't want to engage in campaigning in this way, they do in England have another unique option, which is to pray in the privacy of their hearts (or in public if they dare) for the Lord to bless Prince George with a love, when he grows up, of a fine young gentleman.

'A royal wedding might sort things out remarkably easily though we might have to wait 25 years for that to happen. Who knows whether that might be sooner than things might work out by other means?'

The Scottish Episcopal Church voted to allow priests to marry same-sex couples if they want to, with a conscience clause for those who object. However the Church of England does not allow gay couples to marry in church, holding to its teaching that marriage is just between one man and one woman.

Holdsworth is a long time campaigner in favour of gay marriage across the worldwide Anglican Communion.

This is not the first time he has courted controversy. In January he invited a Muslim to recite from the Koran during a service at the Cathedral, with the passage including a denial that Jesus was the son of God  a key Christian doctrine.

The Archbishop of Canterbury was urged to intervene and the controversy prompted Ashenden to resign as one of the chaplains to the Queen, citing his inability to speak freely about the issue.

Christian Today has contacted St Mary's Cathedral for comment.
Hopefuls pledge to turn Kaski into hydro hub

Election hopefuls in Kaski have been firing up voters with promises of making the district rich by developing hydropower projects. All election candidates have been talking about developing Kaski as a hydropower hub in their campaign speeches.
'Anoint every hurt and painful memory': Pope Francis leads mass in troubled Myanmar

Pope Francis today called on the people of Myanmar to embrace peace and reconciliation as their country emerges from nearly five decades of military rule and is still riven by ethnic conflicts.

The Pope made his appeal at an open-air mass in Yangon on the third day of a visit fraught with diplomatic risk over a military crackdown that has triggered the flight of about 625,000 Muslim Rohingya from the predominantly Buddhist country.

During an address after meeting with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday, Pope Francis notably avoided using the highly charged term 'Rohingya', following the advice of Vatican insiders and Myanmar's Cardinal who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar's military and government against minority Christians.

However, his call for justice, human rights and respect for all were widely seen as applicable to the Rohingya, who are not recognised as citizens or as members of a distinct ethnic group.

The mass exodus from Rakhine state to the southern tip of Bangladesh began at the end of August when the military launched a counter-offensive in response to Rohingya militant attacks on an army base and police security posts.

Scores of Rohingya villages were burnt to the ground, and refugees told of killings and rapes. The US said last week that the military's campaign included 'horrendous atrocities' aimed at 'ethnic cleansing'.

Myanmar's military has denied all accusations of murder, rape and forced displacement.

Only around 700,000 of Myanmar's 51 million people are Catholic. Thousands of them travelled from far and wide to Yangon to see the Pope, and many attended Wednesday's mass on the grounds of what had been racecourse during British colonial times.

Among the tens of thousands there were priests, nuns, diplomats, leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy, and members of ethnic groups in traditional garb who sang songs and waved Myanmar and Vatican flags as they waited for the Pope.

'We may never get such a chance again. The Pope lives in Rome and we can't afford to go there,' said Bo Khin, 45, a teacher who travelled on a truck to Yangon with a group of 15 relatives from the city of Mandalay. He told Reuters: 'We feel very happy, joyful that he visited us in Myanmar.'

Bells chimed as Francis arrived. Standing in the back of a white truck, he smiled, waved at the crowd and looked relaxed as he headed to the canopy to celebrate mass.

In his homily, he called on the country's people to 'anoint every hurt and every painful memory' and promote 'the reconciliation and peace that God wants to reign in every human heart and in every community'.

'I know that many in Myanmar bear the wounds of violence, wounds both visible and invisible,' he said, urging them to shun temptation to seek healing from anger and revenge.

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: 'For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the Lord.'

When she came to power in 2016, Nobel peace laureate and longtime champion of democracy Suu Kyi said her number one priority was ending multiple ethnic conflicts that have kept Myanmar in a state of near-perpetual civil war since independence in 1948.

That goal remains elusive and, although Suu Kyi remains popular at home, she has faced a barrage of international criticism in recent weeks for expressing doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failing to condemn the military.

Although Suu Kyi formed Myanmar's first civilian government in half a century, her defenders say she is hamstrung by a constitution written by the military that left the army in control of security and much of the apparatus of the state.

Some Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the Pope's trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Suu Kyi.

Francis leaves on Thursday for Bangladesh, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Jewish outrage at Russian Orthodox Church's 'ritual murder' suggestion over last Tsar's death

Jewish groups have protested after it emerged that Russian authorities will investigate an antisemitic theory that the killing in 1918 of Tsar Nicholas II was a 'ritual murder' following comments by a bishop close to the president, Vladimir Putin.

The term 'ritual murder' has in the past referred to a theory that the Tsar was the victim of a Jewish conspiracy.

Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, who is leading a Russian Orthodox Church commission investigating the execution of the Romanov family by firing squad, said at a conference on Monday that many members of the commission believe that it was a ritual murder that held special significance for the Bolshevik commander Yakov Yurovsky, who was of Jewish heritage, and his men. Russia's investigative committee said it would look into the claim by Shevkunov, who is reported to be Putin's confessor.

Jewish groups reacted to the announcement with outrage. A spokesman for the federation of Jewish communities, Rabbi Boruch Gorin, told the Interfax news agency that the ritual murder investigation was a 'shocking' example of 'medieval ignorance'. The rabbi pointed out that the myth of Jews ritually killing people to extract their blood for matzo bread has featured in antisemitic propaganda for many decades.

The controversy came ahead of Putin taking part for the first time today in the Church's annual bishops council.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, told the conference he had 'hard questions' about the tsarist murder investigation, which they re-opened in 2015, and called on the authorities not to rush it.

The Yekaterinburg news agency Ura.ru quoted a source close to the Church leadership as saying that the Patriarch feared that the ritual murder allegations could 'provoke uncontrollable outbursts of ultranationalism'.

Kirill also said that the Russian Orthodox Church had not yet taken a position on the continued analysis of the Romanov family's remains.

The Church has not recognised the remains of Nicholas, Alexandra and three children interred in St Petersburg cathedral in 1998, nor the remains of his two other children found in 2007, despite DNA testing showing their identity.
Outrage as Donald Trump retweets 3 anti-Muslim posts from British far-right leader

Donald Trump has retweeted three videos showing Muslims in a bad light posted by the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First, Jayda Fransen, who has been convicted of religiously aggravated harassment.

Trump, who has 43.5 million followers on Twitter, retweeted three separate posts from Fransen, which all included unverified videos. One purportedly showed a group of Muslims pushing a boy off a roof, another claimed to show a Muslim destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary and another appeared to show immigrants hitting a Dutch boy on crutches.

Fransen was found guilty last November of religiously aggravated harassment after she verbally abused a Muslim woman wearing a hijab.

She responded to the retweets from the Trump account with glee, writing: 'THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP, HAS RETWEETED THREE OF DEPUTY LEADER JAYDA FRANSEN'S TWITTER VIDEOS! DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF HAS RETWEETED THESE VIDEOS AND HAS AROUND 44 MILLION FOLLOWERS! GOD BLESS YOU TRUMP! GOD BLESS AMERICA!'

In September, Fransen was charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment together with the leader of Britain First, Paul Golding.

Kent police said at the time: 'The investigation related to the distribution of leaflets in the Thanet and Canterbury areas, and the posting of online videos during a trial held at Canterbury crown court the same month.'

The trial in Canterbury involved three Muslim men and a teenager who were eventually convicted of rape and sent to prison.

The extreme rightwing terrorist Thomas Mair shouted 'Britain first' before killing the MP Jo Cox during last year's referendum on EU membership.

Cox's widow, Brendan Cox, responded to Trump's retweets by himself tweeting: 'Trump has legitimised the far right in his own country, now he's trying to do it in ours. Spreading hatred has consequences & the President should be ashamed of himself.'

Several MPs also expressed outrage at the retweets today, with the Tottenham MP David Lammy writing: 'Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. @realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in my country and my city.'

Trump has a long record of anti-Muslim rhetoric. He first called for a ban on Muslims entering the US in 2015, and has since attempted to implement the policy while President, seeking a travel ban which was originally directed at seven Muslim-majority countries. He also tweeted in 2015 about what he called the UK's 'massive Muslim problem'.

In the US, he has previously suggested the creation of a government database to track Muslim Americans and made false claims that Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Sutherland Springs church massacre parents file claim against Air Force over shooter's criminal record

Parents related to nine victims killed in the Sutherland Springs church shooting on November 5 filed a legal claim yesterday against the US Air Force, accusing it of negligence over failure to report the criminal record of the gunman Devin Kelley.

The administrative claim, which was filed directly with the Air Force in Washington, said the military acted negligently by failing to report the criminal record to a federal database that would have prevented him from legally purchasing a firearm. It is the first such legal claim in the case.

Kelley killed 26 people and wounded more than 20 at the First Baptist Church in the Texas town.

The Air Force said in a statement that it did not comment on specific claims. 'Every claim that is filed is thoroughly processed and researched in accordance with established law and regulations,' said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman.

The claim was filed by Joe and Claryce Holcombe, parents of Bryan Holcombe, who was fatally shot in the back while walking to the church pulpit to lead the congregation in worship, according to the filing.

The San Antonio couple lost nine relatives in the shooting.

The claim filed yesterday is the first step plaintiffs need to take if they want to sue an entity of the US government. A lawsuit can be filed six months later, during which time the government can investigate the accusations and offer a settlement.

Legal experts have said the Air Force would not be able to claim federal immunity in the case, but cautioned that any lawsuits faced a prolonged uphill battle over specific legal questions.

Kelley was convicted five years ago by a general court-martial of assaulting his then-wife and stepson while he was in the Air Force, offences that made it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

The Air Force said in a statement on November 7 that it did not enter that information into a federal database used in background checks for firearms purchases, something it was legally required to do.

Yesterday, the Air Force said there were at least 'several dozen' cases of serious crimes involving its personnel that it failed to report to the federal database.

Representatives of the service told the New York Times that the Kelley case 'was not an isolated incident'.

The Air Force review found that since 2002, a massive 60,000 incidents involving airmen that 'potentially' merited inclusion in the database went unaddressed, according to the New York Times.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Wrestling Jacob: How a Genesis story speaks to Jews today

The Torah reading this week includes the famous passage in which a 'man' wrestles with Jacob (Genesis 32: 22-32). Who is this 'man' and what does it mean?

The 'man' has been interpreted as Esau's guardian angel, or Jacob's alter ego. The result is that Jacob prevails against the 'man' but is left with a limp.

This is a seminal moment for the Jewish people. No longer will the Jewish people be known as 'Jacob'  meaning heel, outwitting, deceit. From now on, the Jewish people will be known as 'Israel'. 'You have striven with G-d and with men and have prevailed'. And after that, Jacob (now Israel) is able to face Esau his brother, who he had deceived, in equanimity.

So what on earth does this story mean for us today? Surely it is the stuff that dreams are made on, almost on a par with mythology rather than religion. But in fact, this moment represents a lesson for all of us.

The more-than 2000-year story of Jews in the diaspora has been the story of Jacob: of fear and appeasement leading to piety, study and good works. This entails leaving the big decisions to others, resulting in persecutions, pogroms, expulsions and murder. Only rarely can we cite moments of real 'Israel'-type behaviour in the long diaspora story.

The last time I can remember 'Israel'-like behaviour in this country for instance is probably at the start of the Six-Day War in June 1967, when the Arab world threatened the tiny Jewish State with destruction. The then Chief Rabbi of the UK did not hesitate to break Shabbat in order to open the doors of his office. The State of Israel was in mortal danger, and the Chief Rabbi was encouraging people to enlist in the Israeli army. But that was exactly 50 years ago. Unlike so many Jews, the then Chief Rabbi was 'secure in his skin' and didn't hesitate to do the right thing  following the adage that 'saving life takes precedence over the observance of Shabbat.'

But countless diaspora Chief Rabbis in history have not acted like that. In 1897, the Chief Rabbi of Vienna told the founder of political Zionism, Theodore Herzl, not to rock the boat and to 'get lost'. The English gent Chief Rabbi, Adler (a favourite of Queen Victoria), tried his utmost to prevent Russian Jews who actually observed their religion from entering this country in the wake of the pogroms. During the Holocaust, the Swedish Chief Rabbi tried to scupper the work of the hero Raoul Wallenberg, and delayed his departure for Hungary with food and money for desperate Jews in Budapest. And most recently, the Romanian Chief Rabbi told the world that everything in that country was fine, thus delaying the prosecution of Ceausescu by years, and bringing the Jewish community into disrepute.

The fact is that being nice all the time simply doesn't work and is often dishonest behaviour. A case in point is the present Pope's omission of the word 'Rohingya' in relation to Myanmar. He is more concerned to safeguard the small Christian minority in that country. But appeasement never works in the end.

'Israel'-like behaviour on the other hand takes courage and is often unpopular. It doesn't end in 'gongs', knighthoods, or recognition by the great and the good. It does not entail the feel-good factor and in fact often ends in distress, rejection and contempt.

In 2003 I met Professor Robert Wistrich of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was regarded as the world's greatest expert in antisemitism. Robert told me that he had been thrown out of London University where he had been appointed in 1991-1995 as the first holder of the Chair of Jewish Studies at University College. Robert spoke around 10 languages. But unlike many academics, he also knew how to size people up.

He was guest of honour at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum, where he was addressing a gathering of academics and foreign ministers at its Holocaust Centre. He decided to hold an unscheduled seminar on current English antisemitism which he said was the worst in Europe. In ascending order of concern he singled out the unions, the left-wing media (including especially the BBC), the Churches (including the CofE) and  by far the worst  the universities, as he and I both knew from experience.

He told me I had to get involved in the situation in my own country. Many years earlier, the Dalai Lama had met me in Oslo and asked me to help with the Myanmar plight, so I was used to putting my head above the parapet, but this was much more risky, especially as the Anglo-Jewish 'powers that be' were bound to try and destroy me, he said.

Three years later, I moved to Israel, which helped me realise that my approach wasn't abnormal or overly assertive; it was simply the 'Israel' approach, which is the other side of the coin to the way of Jacob with which I had been familiar most of my life and which simply didn't work in the real world.

So, while in diaspora, the Yiddish word used to describe 'a religious Jew' is 'frum' (as in doom, gloom, tomb and womb), in Hebrew it is dati, a Persian loan-word from the biblical Book of Esther, brimming with energy.

To greet people on Shabbat in diaspora, you say 'gut shabbos', which reeks of negativity. In Hebrew it is Shabbat Shalom, which sounds open and optimistic.

In diaspora the Jews prefer to keep their heads down, pass the buck and get on with their lives just in case of trouble. But in fact, if those in the Jewish community started to raise their heads, take responsibility and think of the damage that is being done to the next generation, then they would act more like 'Israel' and, in my view at least, antisemitism would slowly disappear.

And it's all there in the Bible. It's not as if I'm making it up. And to be 'Israel' doesn't mean to be offensively aggressive (that's Ishmael and Esau). It simply means to act according to conscience and not to follow the crowd. To be like Moses, Ruth, Esther, Deborah, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos and Hosea, our dear ancestors and role models, who are probably turning in their graves right now.

After all, what's the point of the Bible, if we don't try and follow its core teachings?

Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible.
IED blast in Tulsipur leaves nine injured

Despite incidents of blast and attack on candidates leading up to the polls, the first phase of elections were held peacefully on Sunday, but two days later, anti-poll activities were reported on Tuesday, with explosions in various parts of the country, including the Valley.
By sharing Cisco's own IT experience, Cisco on Cisco can help customers and partners use technology to achieve business outcomes. Get an inside look at the inner workings of Cisco IT. Learn how we help organizations transform through technology.
The Republican tax-reform plan, if adopted, would put on the chopping block some cherished tax deductionsperhaps none more so than the $80 billion mortgage-interest deduction (MID) on residences, which mostly benefits affluent homeowners. As the various bills under consideration propose, the deduction should be pruned or eliminatednot just because it is inequitable but also because it distorts the housing market.

Currently, a taxpayer can deduct interest on a mortgage up to $1.1 millionsubstantially more than the median U.S. home value ($203,000). Not surprisingly, the Government Accountability Office has found that higher-income households are generally more likely to use the mortgage-interest and property-tax deductions. In 2008, the most recent tax year for which data are available, taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $100,000 or more accounted for 13 percent of all returns but claimed nearly half (47 percent) of all mortgage interest and property tax deductions. The mortgage deduction is larger than the break for state and local tax deductions or for charitable deductions, and its one of the largest tax breaks at a time when tax-code writers need to find offsets to reduce the burdensome corporate tax.

The core problem with the MID, though, lies in how it affects housing markets. Inevitably, any policy that provides a tax reduction for those who buy or own homes increases the price of housing, through the implicit promise that the tax code will lower the effective house payments. MID supporters say that it encourages homeownership, but the Urban Institute finds that it mostly rewards affluent households who would have bought homes anyway, giving these homeowners incentives to buy more expensive homes, take out larger mortgages, and buy vacation homes (whose mortgage interest is also deductible).

The effects on home prices vary by city, but theres good evidence that cutting back the MID would lower prices in high-cost areas, where newcomers find it difficult to move nowadays. Benjamin Harris, who served as chief economist for former vice president Joseph Biden, wrote in a doctoral dissertation that abolishing the MID would lead to a 28 percent decline in metropolitan-area housing prices in cities where the average taxpayer buying a new house is in the 35 percent tax bracket.

Neither the House nor Senate proposes to eliminate the MID completely. The House bill would significantly cut back the ceiling on the value of mortgage interest eligible for deduction to just $500,000. And by increasing the standard deduction, both the House and Senate bills will make it less likely that taxpayers will itemize their deductions, including the MIDthus reducing its long-term political support.

Not surprisingly, the homebuilders lobbyamong the hardiest of Washington swamp creaturesis fighting the proposal. This plan will hurt millions of hard-working American families and marginalize homeownership, says Granger McDonald, a Texas developer who chairs the National Association of Home Builders. But the typical homeowner in, say, Houston would be unaffectedthe New York Times reports that all but 6.5 percent of homes there are worth $500,000 or less; its owners of high-end homes in overpriced areas along the coasts who would feel the pinch. In a moment of candor, however, another homebuilding industry executive, Glenn Kelman, who heads the national real estate brokerage firm Redfin, told the Times, The current tax code favors people who are buying a home versus the rest of America, he said. As a captain of industry, I would prefer more tax breaks to help people buy houses, but as a citizen, I realize someone has to pay. Exactly. Reducing tax deductions that put the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage should not be impeded by a special-interest group that has achieved its purported social goalhomeownershipin the U.S. at a rate (64 percent) that lags that of Canada (67 percent), where mortgage interest is not deductible.

Liberals concerned about tax-code progressivity, along with fiscal hawks worried about the deficit, agree that the MID should be cut; advocates for housing affordability are also on board. Social conservatives who make the case, rightly, that government-subsidized, low-income housing causes collateral social and economic damage shouldnt throw stones while defending the glass house of the mortgage-interest deduction. Reform is the right choice now.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images
Charities have taken too much money from a government which tries to exert too much control and does not pay enough attention, a reception at the House of Lords heard last night.

Baroness Julia Neuberger, a crossbench peer who was a Gordon Browns adviser on the voluntary sector when he was Prime Minister, was speaking at a reception hosted by the charity think tank NPC.

She said that it is always an issue that the government of the day wants to exert more control over charities.

She said Brown had once suggested the idea of mandatory volunteering. She said governments find it hard to accept that the sector's activities were voluntary, and that communites had to take the lead.

Governments would like to to get a grip on the voluntary sector and control it, she said.

But she also said that some charities had taken too much of the governments shilling and that this has led to confusion at best and impacted charities' ability to deliver change.

Mystified that charities are not more involved

Neuberger also said she was mystified that charities had been mentioned little during the General Election and the recent Budget.

She said that Brexit showed that the country is more divided than it has ever been in my lifetime. She said she was surprised that more was not being done to encourage civil society to do those things that they do to bring people together.

The role of civil society and the voluntary sector is pulling people together, she said.
Kevin Watkins, chief executive of Save the Children, said that to reclaim their relationships with the public international development charities must engage with them on more honest terms and not be defensive when attacked.

He said that some of the claims made by international aid charities in its heyday, such as during the Jubilee 2000, an international coalition movement in over 40 countries that called for cancellation of third world debt by the year 2000, were ill-judged and frankly dishonest. Adding, Im not pointing any fingers here, I was part of that whole thing.

Watkins was speaking at Civil Society Medias NGO Insight conference where he was delivering the opening plenary on The role of UK civil society and the challenges of our era.

He said: Whoever came up with the slogan double aid to halve poverty is telling the public porkies. You could multiply aid by 50 and you wouldnt halve poverty. And most of the poverty that is being reduced, contrary to the claims that are being made by our sector, are not in countries that have been receiving aid, they are in countries that havent  in particular China, and great success stories in East Asia.

He said that international development charities need to reengage with the public in more honest terms and we need to be confident in the intellectual case for aid. And we need to be prepared to have debates about areas that are uncomfortable.

He said: Social justice organisations have to be willing to engage in debates about executive pay, to give you one example, and boards of charities have to recommend that these issues are going to come up and you cant do it just by ducking it and hoping it will go away.

But Watkins said whatever case we make for aid, if we cant reconnect with the British public we will lose the political argument, and we will lose the debate in the media.

He said: We have to think long and hard about how we can reconnect with the public in this country in terms that have a resonance and a relevance for them.

Aid paradox

Watkins told delegates that we are living in an era of a paradox, where we have never had it so good on aid with strong commitment to the 0.7 per cent of gross national income going to aid spending, yet there has never been such sustained attacks on aid as there is today.

Watkins also said that aid charities need to get better at countering criticism of aid.

He said: When the big guns in international development and people who think seriously about international development challenge aid, the proper response isnt to stay silent or be defensive, it is to do your homework and make the counter-case. And the counter-case on aid is actually very clear, but we have been singularly ineffective at countering them.

But he also warned charities against being too defensive in the face of media criticism. He said: I think the worst thing you can do in response to a lot of these media attacks is be defensive. I think probably as institutions we have grown too defensive, there are some debates that you will never win because the people on the other side of the debate arent there to debate  they are using these opportunities to make statements about their deeper beliefs.

Development charities obsessed with our brand

Watkins also outlined the need for collaboration and said there is too much competition in agencies in the sector.

He said: We are all obsessed with our brand and this sort of stuff. So basically we need to cut a lot of this out. When your faced with crises of the magnitude we are facing now, if you just think whats on the immediate radar  South Sudan, the Rohingya crises, Syria crises, Somalia, I could go on  these are way bigger than our whole sector can respond to so I think finding better ways of collaborating is absolutely critical.

Watkins also reminded delegates that aid is not what lifts people out of poverty, and that aid is not even the biggest gun in the arsenal that this country can deploy on behalf of the worlds poor.

He said: We need to think of aid a one part of the toolkit that includes trade, includes our diplomatic capabilities, and includes our abilities to direct resources towards climate change interventions.
Everyones eyes, and ears, were fixed on Ira Glass. The public radio legend positioned himself behind the lectern on stage where he mused on the Wild West that is podcasting. In this room, we have an opportunity. Were one part of news media actually growing, he explained, in the same pleasant nasal tone hes become known for as host of This American Life.

It was the closing day of Chicagos Third Coast International Audio Festival and the roughly 800 attendeessome veteran public radio producers, others newbie podcastershad packed into the Hyatt ballroom a few blocks from Lake Michigan. If the workshops and panels of the preceding two days didnt already do it, Glasss keynote seemed to energize conference goers in a way that left them ready to record the next Great American Podcast. If theres a group of people Id want to invent something with, its you guys, he said.

Podcasting is in a nascent stage, Glass reminded his audience. If you uttered the word podcast just a few years ago, most people would have responded with a blank stare. Thats not the case today. The question now is not whats a podcast? but whats your podcast about? Unlike other mediums, the rules are still being written, many of them by those in that hotel ballroom. Third Coast has become the place to reflect on the past year in audio storytelling, while also drafting a playbook for the year to come.

ICYMI: Why The Washington Post published an off-the-record interview

Third Coast started in 2001 when Executive Director Johanna Zorn, then a producer at Chicagos public radio station WBEZ, thought there should be a time and place to celebrate audio documentary storytelling. Her vision? A Sundance Film Festival, but for radio. At the time, first-person audio documentaries were beginning to find their way onto the airwaves, from the acclaimed Ghetto Life 101 of WBEZs Chicago Matters series to the early days of then-radio program This American Life. People like Glass and other audio pioneers like Jay Allison, Joe Richman, David Isay, and the Kitchen Sisters were placing microphones in the hands of everyday people to document their own lives. It blew Zorn away. We were getting to experience life through other peoples voices, to feel the power of radio that way, she explains. So, together with Julie Shapiro, now the executive producer of podcast network Radiotopia, Zorn planned the first Third Coast, which took place three weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Around 200 people gathered for the first event. The idea resonated with audio practitioners; the conference has sold out every year since.

This years conference spotlighted three days of networking, workshopping, and a little bit of barhopping. Everything is planned like a radio program, Zorn says. Its produced just like that, always thinking of the audience. At the breakfast table and in panels, newbie producers sat alongside the likes of their radio crushes and heroes like The Dailys Michael Barbaro, In the Darks Madeleine Baran, or S-Towns Brian Reed, as they learned about experimenting with sound design, or working with complicated characters. The emphasis was on the art and craft of audio storytelling. Here are some of the key takeaways from the weekend:

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People love narrative news

This years breakout hit was, unequivocally, The Daily. With its sharp news sense and narrative swagger, the podcast captured the hearts (and ears) of millions of subscribers when it debuted almost a year ago. Since then, news organizations like NPR, The Outline, and Vox have either launched, or are in the stages of launching, their own version of a daily news podcast. So, why did The Daily attract so many listeners? Lisa Tobin, the Timess executive producer of audio, tackled this question at one of the weekends packed panels, alongside host Barbaro.

Tobins team has applied the principles of narrative form to the news or ideas of the day. The Daily sounds like a happy marriage between NPRs Morning Edition and This American Life, but produced, mixed, and released usually within 24 hours (some episodes take a few days to complete). To accomplish such a quick turnaround, the audio team plans a lot of the narrative ahead of time, which generally means figuring out what they need from a conversation before it even happens. They think about what else they can say, beyond just the details of a story or situation, and then structure their stories to incorporate classic narrative elements like pacing, surprise, suspense, and character.

ICYMI: A simple way to remember who vs. whom

History matters

Context is king. The surprising election of Donald Trump left many wondering: How did we get here? Increasingly, journalists are finding their answers in the history books. Its no different in audio. For years, podcasts like 99% Invisible, The Memory Palace, and BackStory have tackled history from different angles. Other podcasts like Uncivil and Seeing White have emerged in response to the times. History, often thought of as boring or dry, is brought to life through podcasts with engaging characters, smart sound design, and clever structure.

According to Delaney Hall, a producer at 99% Invisible, historical podcasts work best when you look for a small story to tell a larger one. For example, Hall rooted contemporary issues of police-community relations in the tale of one citys push for new police uniforms in the late 1960s. Structure, archival tape, and good talkers are also key ingredients. Its about humanizing history for listeners, while also looking for connections between past and present.

Time to investigate

Deep-dive, exhaustive reporting has a long tradition in print, but the form only recently made its way back into audio. The early days of NPR were full of longform documentary work, and investigations have once again become a staple of the podcast world. Their goal? To reveal truths. Shows like the Center for Investigative Reportings Reveal, Frontline Dispatch, and American Public Medias In the Dark are full of twists and turns, and they entertain as much as inform. Investigative podcasting can take months, even years, but can start with a single, simple question. Sometimes, thats the best way to start, according to Baran, host of In the Dark.

ICYMI: NYTimes editor apologizes after article sparks outrage

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Meg Dalton is a freelance journalist and audio producer based in Connecticut. She's reported and edited for CJR, PBS NewsHour, Energy News Network, Architectural Digest, MediaShift, Hearst Connecticut newspapers, and more. Follow her on Twitter: @megdalts. Find her on Twitter @megdalts.
What, if anything, is constraining the Trump Justice Department in its dangerous war on leakers, whistleblowers, and journalists? The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Freedom of the Press Foundation, where Im executive director, are teaming up to find out.

On Wednesday, we filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Justice Department and several intelligence agencies, demanding records revealing how the government collects information on journalists and targets them with surveillance.

ICYMI: A striking detail about NBCs decision to fire Matt Lauer

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said criminal investigations into the sources of journalists are up 800 percent. Hes vowed to revisit the Justice Departments media guidelines that restrict how the US government can conduct surveillance on reporters. President Trump reportedly told ex-FBI director James Comey to jail journalists. And so far, Sessions has refused to rule out imprisoning reporters for doing their jobs.

Given these developments, it is urgent that the government disclose records clarifying the precise limitations placed on its surveillance powers to protect the freedoms of speech, association, and the press, our lawsuit states. The public has a right to know those limitations and to know whether the government is in fact complying with them.

So, weve demanded that the Justice Departmentalong with the FBI, DNI, NSA, and CIAhand over any documents concerning limitations imposed upon any of the governments investigative authorities by the First Amendment and documents concerning limitations on the governments investigative activities to obtain or use records or information of or about members of the news media.

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This information could not be more more crucial for the publics understanding, given how so many Justice Department leak investigations tread on First Amendment interests. In 2013, after a significant public backlash against the Obama Justice Departments surveillance of journalists, the Justice Department unveiled new media guidelines that supposedly restrict the government from surveilling reporters in all but extreme cases.

ICYMI: The journalist who deserves special credit for that stunning WashPo undercover sting story

It was seemingly a win for press freedom, but quietly, Obamas Justice Department exempted its use of National Security Letterssecret surveillance demands from the FBI for information like call records that do not require a judges sign offfrom its media guidelines, essentially allowing the government to avoid the media guidelines altogether if it conducted investigations under the guise of national security (which, in practice, would encapsulate virtually all leak investigations anyways).

Instead of the normal media guidelines, the FBI apparently had separateand secretrules for using National Security Letters to target journalists. Two years ago, Freedom of the Press Foundation attempted to force the Justice Department to release these secret rules as well. While we werent successful then, The Intercept published a leaked document from the FBI showing the 2013 version of these secret rules, and how they could be used to completely circumvent the media guidelines.

It was an important story, yet the government refused in court to even acknowledge the leaked document, and we still have no idea what the current rules are or how they are being interpreted and used.

National Security Letters and similar tools are now available to the Trump administration as it ramps up Obamas already historic level of leak prosecutions. Perhaps worse, the Trump administration has also hinted it wants to change the media guidelines themselves. We still have no information about what it plans on doingor even if it is following the current rules.

Our Freedom of Information Act lawsuit aims to change that. Theres no reason for the Justice Department or other intelligence agencies to keep secret any rules or potential restrictions they internally have to prevent abuses of the First Amendment. And the only way any of these rules and restrictions can be enforced is if the public has access to them.

Image via Pixabay

ICYMI: Trump might be in serious trouble for his NBC tweets

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Trevor Timm is the executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports and defends journalism dedicated to transparency and accountability. He is also a twice-weekly columnist for the Guardian, where he writes about privacy, national security, and the media.
Its been conventional wisdom for some time now that Americas opioid epidemic began at the pharmacy. Now there are numbers that put any doubt to rest.

More than half of all people who succumbed to an overdose between 2001 to 2007 were chronic pain sufferers who filled an opioid prescription and sometimes even saw a doctor in the month before they died. Only 4 percent were ever diagnosed as having an abuse problem, said Dr. Mark Olfson, one of five researchers who conducted a massive study of the crisis and its causes for Columbia University Medical Center.

The findings of the new study, published Tuesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry, split the epidemic into two groups: those who were diagnosed with chronic pain and those who werent. In the year before they died, about two-thirds of those studied were diagnosed with chronic pain and prescribed an opioid. (Many would also get a prescription for anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazepines, which can make for a deadly combination.) The other third among those who died had no diagnosed chronic pain but became addicted to opioids in another way.

Those are different populations, Olfson said in a telephone interview. Understanding those things puts us in a better position to combat the epidemic.

One out of every six emergency room visits in the U.S. was opioid-related.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 33,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2015. Most of those deaths were linked to prescription pain pills, though the use of heroin was already growing rapidly, accounting for almost 13,000 fatalities that year. The scourge has continued to inundate Americas health care infrastructure. An analysis published this week by OM1 Inc., a company that uses artificial intelligence to improve health outcomes, found that in the second quarter of 2017, one out of every six emergency room visits in the U.S. was opioid-related.

And while opioid prescriptions have become harder to come by, the drugs are still too easy to obtain, U.S. health officials have said. The amount of opioid painkillers prescribed in the U.S. peaked in 2010 and declined each year through 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Nevertheless, the drugs are prescribed about three times as much as they were in 1999, the CDC said in July.

In the Columbia study, researchers analyzed clinical diagnoses and prescriptions for more than 13,000 adults in the Medicaid program in 45 states who died of an overdose from 2001 to 2007. According to the study, people with disorders such as depression, anxiety or alcohol abuse were at higher risk of opioid-related death.

Olfson said he hoped the study would alert lawmakers and health care providers to those at highest risk, as well as the dangers of prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines simultaneously.

Each piece of data, he said, helps give people a sense of the crisis were in the midst of.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Indian court sentences 3 men to death for rape, murder of 15-yr-old girl

A local court in Indias western state of Maharashtra Wednesday sentenced three men to death over the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, media reports said.
Low participation in Dhading

Voter turnout during Sundays polling for the federal parliament and provincial assembly elections plunged in Dhading, compared to the statistics for the local level polls held in May.
watch now

In 2010 Ashley Foster, a financial advisor in Houston, was asked by a man if he had ever heard of bitcoin. Foster said he had not, and after the man explained the cryptocurrency to him, he thought: That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But the conversation left Foster a little curious, so he arranged to meet a man at a nearby Starbucks to try it out. There, Foster handed the man $300 in cash, who in turn opened his laptop and sent him two bitcoins. As Foster drove away, he thought: That was a little sketchy. Today those two coins are worth $16,000. And cryptocurrencies are more mainstream.

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

Foster and many other financial advisors are fielding more and more questions from their clients about cryptocurrencies. There are dozens of exchanges where people can buy the digital coins. The Internal Revenue Service has classified bitcoins as property, like stocks, and taxes them accordingly. Last month the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the world's largest derivatives exchange, announced it will allow investors to trade and short bitcoin. There is even a custodian service that will protect your digital fortune. About 40 percent of people believe bitcoin is a "world-changing technology," according to a new survey by LendEdu. And yet there are still a number of barriers standing in the way of cryptocurrency's legitimacy. The survey also found that 44 percent of bitcoin holders "routinely worry about the technological security of their investments." Many of the lasting concerns about cryptocurrencies seem inevitable. Its creators were looking to exchange money in a territory free from rules and regulation.

A world of its own

Cryptocurrency proponents argue that the digital coins are a safe investment because they have a "zero correlation" to the stock market. As a result, a dose of cryptocurrency makes investors' portfolios less volatile. "We're starting to see bitcoin as a disaster hedge to the traditional market," said Chris Burniske, co-author of Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor's Guide to Bitcoin and Beyond. "Even though there's a bull market now, it doesn't mean that'll be the case in 2018." But David Yermack, who teaches classes on bitcoin at New York University's Stern School of Business, said the digital coins' uniqueness brings its own risks. More from Smart Investing:

Bitcoin too risky for "serious" investing, say advisors

Millennials lack confidence to invest: Bank executive

What investors should do before market gets gored "In terms of diversification, it's useful to have a little in your portfolio, but the fact that you don't understand why it's moving doesn't mean it's safe," he said. "If anything, the lack of explanation should make you more hesitant." Still, Yermack believes that cryptocurrency, and the so-called blockchain technology on which it's exchanged, will only become more understood and widely used with time. "It's going to be a profound change," he said. "Every central bank in the world has a team of people looking at this."

In 2013 then Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke wrote in a letter to Congress that bitcoin "may hold long-term promise, particularly if the innovations promote a faster, more secure and more efficient payment system." There's one big reason the government likes cryptocurrencies, Yermack said. "It takes away the ability of people to launder money or evade taxes, because you have a ledger of everyone's activity," he said. "This whole asset class is the dream of government."

Currently, only a small percentage of people are reporting their cryptocurrency gains and losses on their tax returns. Last year the IRS summoned information on users from Coinbase, the country's largest bitcoin exchange, after just around 800 people listed the currency on their annual returns. Since the IRS classifies bitcoin as property rather than currency, gains and losses are to be taxed at the individual's capital gains rate. As cryptocurrencies become more popular, Yermack said, it will become riskier to avoid paying taxes on them. "I would always comply with the tax law," he said. "In the cryptocurrency economy, you're leaving a roadmap for the IRS to come and get you."

Expanding security

While most banks and credit agencies offer security protections on consumers' accounts, there is no so-called middleman to rely on with cryptocurrencies. "The greatest thing about cryptocurrencies is that you own your own keys," said Mike Belshe, co-founder of BitGo, a bitcoin security platform. "That's also the most terrifying thing about cryptocurrencies." Afraid of theft, many people create complicated passwords for their accounts, which they can end up forgetting. Since they are the only one with access to their account, they risk losing their assets, Belshe said.

With technology becoming so much more sophisticated and doing things we've never dreamed of, I don't know if we want to define the future by what we know today. Erika Safran founder of Safran Wealth Advisors

For people buying relatively small amounts of the digital coins, he said, Coinbase is the best exchange. "They hold the bitcoin on your behalf, and when you ask for it, they give it to you." Other companies, like BitGo, offer additional protection. The service provides users with a "key card" that can be used to unlock one's money if they forget their password or find themselves locked out of their account for any other reason. But security will become more expensive for people buying large amounts of the currency. Kingdom Trust is the first custodian that will hold cryptocurrency assets. At their facility in Murray, Kentucky, a person can make arrangements associated with traditional assets, like what will happen to their cryptocurrency when they die. Although Kingdom Trust is the first of its kind, Belshe said, "within a year, there will be a bunch."

Uncertainty isn't always bad
Meghauli Airport resumes operation (In photos)

Meghauli Airport of Chitwan, which remained closed for long, has officially come into operation from Wednesday.
China's deep-rooted relationship with Zimbabwe, formed under recently deposed leader Robert Mugabe, has weakened in recent years. But under the watch of new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, seen as a friendlier face to Beijing's commercial interests, bilateral ties could strengthen. In fact, many speculate that it was China's concerns over its investments that resulted in the Nov. 14 coup that ousted Mugabe  a charge that Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration has denied. Regardless, close ties are widely expected under Mnangagwa, billed as a pro-business figure committed to increasing foreign inflows.

Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on August 25, 2014 Diego Azubel-Pool/Getty Images

"Beijing has bankrolled Mugabe and his wife for years and will cozy up to Mwangagwa now," Pinak Chakravarty, distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, said in a Monday note.

Concerns over Mugabe's policies

Since Mugabe assumed power in 1980, Beijing has fostered intimate political, military and personal ties with the controversial politician, providing his government with interest-free loans  a relationship that's resulted in hefty Chinese investments within Zimbabwe's tobacco, diamond and power industries. China has backed Mugabe even as he was slammed in the West for despotic rule  in 2008, Beijing vetoed a United Nations resolution that would have imposed an arms embargo and financial restrictions on the African leader. But links have soured as of late. Mugabe's indigenous law, which requires foreign companies to have majority black Zimbabwean ownership or face the risk of closure, was a major source of tension as it endangered Chinese commercial projects. Mugabe's move to nationalize Zimbabwe's diamond mines also irked Beijing, whose state-owned companies are major players in local diamond fields. "As Zimbabwe's largest source of foreign investment, Chinese investors are inevitably impacted ... dissatisfaction is rampant among many in China, who question the solidity and future of the special friendship between the two countries," said a 2016 Brookings report.

Mnangagwa seen as more investor-friendly

In that respect, 75 year-old Mnangagwa, who received training in China, is seen as a better bet than his predecessor. Despite being Mugabe's right-hand man, the former vice president  nicknamed "the Crocodile"  is widely expected to get rid of nationalist laws and focus on restoring the Zimbabwean economy and land reforms. "Following Mugabe's resignation, China's foreign ministry went out of its way to praise the friendship between China and Zimbabwe, and Mnangagwa can be expected to continue that relationship," Hannah Ryder, former head of policy and partnerships for the United Nations Development Program in China, wrote in a Project Syndicate editorial on Friday.

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Harare is part of Beijing's Belt and Road initiative and a major source of resource wealth.

China's role in the coup
Bitcoin is essentially "digital gold" for millennials, and the cryptocurrency could easily achieve the $100,000 range, Wall Street strategist Tom Lee told CNBC on Wednesday.

The digital currency surpassed $10,000 on Tuesday and was approaching $11,000 Wednesday morning, according to industry site CoinDesk. It marked an exponential ascent from 6 cents seven years ago and less than $1,000 at the start of this year.

At $10,000, the cryptocurrency is solving a problem in the digital economy, which is "digital trust," said Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors.

"It's valued as if it is a small company today," Lee told "Squawk Box." "We think over the next 10 years, this new generation of millennials are going to view trust as a replacement for gold. So, bitcoin is essentially digital gold for another generation."

If bitcoin captures "5 percent of just the gold market, it's $25,000," Lee added. "But 5 percent seems like an awfully small number. Let's say it's 10 or 15. Then bitcoin could easily be in the $100,000 range."

After turning cautious on bitcoin earlier this month, Lee raised his mid-2018 price target for bitcoin to $11,500 from $6,000 last week. Lee said Wednesday that in the early stage of bitcoin's rise he mistakenly treated it as a currency.

"That's really the wrong framework for bitcoin," he said.

Bitcoin, which is up more than 130 percent over the last three months, has risen as exchanges such as the CME Group and Cboe Options announced plans to launch futures contracts for the currency.

Earlier this week, former Fortress hedge fund manager Michael Novogratz predicted on CNBC that bitcoin could "easily" be at $40,000 at the end of 2018.

CNBC's Evelyn Cheng and Reuters contributed to this report.
Bitcoin is a hot topic, and for good reason: The digital currency, whose value has been on a roller coaster ride this year, crossed the threshold of $10,000 a coin for the first time and then kept going. Some predict it could "easily" reach $40,000 by the end of 2018.

But legendary investor and index fund revolutionary Jack Bogle isn't impressed. He weighed in on the subject at a Council on Foreign Relations event in New York on Tuesday, Bloomberg reports.

"Avoid bitcoin like the plague. Did I make myself clear?" said the Vanguard founder in response to an audience question.

"Bitcoin has no underlying rate of return," Bogle continued. "You know bonds have an interest coupon, stocks have earnings and dividends, gold has nothing. There is nothing to support bitcoin except the hope that you will sell it to someone for more than you paid for it."
NACs partnership proposal stuck in maze of committees

The Tourism Ministrys plan to appoint Lufthansa Consulting of Germany as a strategic management partner in Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has hit a snag with a newly formed government committee asking it to explore multiple modality options before sealing the deal.
Germany's BMW is talking with other automakers "around the world" to try to find partners to lower the cost of electrifying its future Mini small cars, management board member Peter Schwarzenbauer told Reuters.

"We are talking to many OEMs (manufacturers) around the world, not only in China, (about) how to electrify smaller cars," Schwarzenbauer said. "There's no final conclusion on it."

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Co. said last month it was discussing a possible venture to build Mini vehicles in China. BMW currently does not build Mini vehicles outside Europe.

Schwarzenbauer declined to discuss the Great Wall situation, saying "this was speculation."

However, he said building smaller electric cars was challenging, not only because of the financial costs, but also the engineering problem of fitting batteries with sufficient range into a smaller vehicle package.

BMW has worked with rivals before to share the costs of clean vehicle technology. The automaker has a partnership with Japan's Toyota Motor Corp to develop fuel cell vehicles.

BMW has said it plans to launch a new, electric Mini model in 2019. Eventually, Mini could become an entirely electric brand, aimed at urban consumers, Schwarzenbauer said.

Mini sales in the United States have fallen 10 percent through the first ten months of this year, as demand for many smaller cars has waned in favor of sport-utility vehicles and trucks.

"It's really only in the U.S. where we are facing this with Mini," Schwarzenbauer said.

BMW will not try to reverse that trend by adding larger SUVs to the Mini lineup, Schwarzenbauer said. Instead, he said, "the way for Mini in the U.S. is ... building the Mini brand in the direction of the electric urban mobility company."

On a separate issue, Schwarzenbauer said BMW intended to offer a self-driving car planned to debut in 2021 at a price that could be below $100,000.

The iNEXT model, which BMW previewed earlier this year, will be offered to individuals, ride services fleets and put into service in BMW fleets, Schwarzenbauer said.

"By 2021, you will have a lot of people who want to own this car," he said. "It will be a normal price. We are thinking of scaling this. To bring a $150,000 electric car is nice, but it will not really scale."

When it launches, the iNEXT may not be offered with complete, so-called Level 5, autonomy because the regulatory and legal frameworks for such a vehicle likely won't be in place, Schwarzenbauer said.
China's Foreign Ministry has expressed what it called "grave concern and opposition" to North Korea's latest missile launch in an unusual rebuke of its neighbor and ally.

Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the country hoped "all parties would act cautiously to preserve peace and stability," Reuters reported on Wednesday morning.

The ministry's spokesman added that China would continue to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and would work for "settlement on the North Korea nuclear issue."

The public comments come after the isolated Communist state of North Korea launched yet another intercontinental ballistic missile, which it claimed was capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. The missile, the Hwasong-15, was ordered by leader Kim Jong Un and is the country's the most powerful missile so far, according to a state televised broadcast.

There are widespread fears that North Korea is in the latter stages of developing nuclear warheads that could be attached to its ballistic missiles and aimed at the U.S. and its allies.

Although North Korea claims to have already developed and successfully tested such weapons, it's hard to independently verify what stage of the process the regime has reached as the regime is so closed and secretive.
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced Wednesday it's begun to search for a new CEO, with current Chief Executive and Founder Steve Ells becoming executive chairman.

The restaurant chain's board has formed a committee to help find a new leader, Chipotle said. On the committee are directors Robin Hickenlooper and Ali Namvar, as well as Ells. Recruitment firm Spencer Stuart will also assist in the search efforts.

Chipotle shares rallied on the news, climbing about 6 percent in premarket trading. Late in the day Tuesday, the stock jumped and closed up 4 percent.

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square, which is the company's largest shareholder with an 11 percent stake, pressed for Hickenlooper and Namvar to join Chipotle's board at the end of 2016.

"I am incredibly proud of Chipotle and our people  and grateful to our loyal customers  and while we are continuing to make progress, it is clear that we need to move faster to make improvements," Ells said in a statement.

Once the search for a new CEO is complete, Ells said he will focus primarily on innovation.

"As we work hard to restore our brand, I believe we can capitalize on opportunities, including in areas such as the digital experience, menu innovation, delivery, catering, and domestic and international expansion, to deliver significant growth," he explained.

Ells founded the restaurant chain in 1993, and has since played multiple roles, serving as co-CEO at one point. In 2009, he shared the role with Monty Moran. Last year, he became the sole CEO of Chipotle once again.

Chipotle has struggled of late to win customers back after reports of a norovirus outbreak at its Sterling, Virgina, restaurant circulated in July, once again dinging the chain's reputation. The company has faced numerous foodborne illness outbreaks since 2015.

"While a new CEO is not a silver bullet, the move gives Chipotle a chance to look again at its strategy and its approach," GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders told CNBC via email.

"This is desperately needed, for along with the various health scares consumers are increasingly bored with an offer that has never really evolved," Saunders said.

In its latest quarter, Chipotle's same-store sales missed analysts' expectations, sending shares tumbling once again. Back in 2015, Chipotle shares soared above $700 apiece, when the company was viewed as a pioneer of the fast-casual concept in the restaurant industry. On Tuesday, the stock closed under $286.

Some of the chain's latest turnaround initiatives include a refreshed advertising campaign and a nationwide rollout of queso dip, which was criticized by some customers. Chipotle has since hinted at other new items, such as salads and desserts, to come.

As of Tuesday's market close, Chipotle shares have fallen more than 24 percent this year.
Rob Daly | Getty Images

Consumer advocates are sounding alarm bells over the Labor Department's latest move in the battle over a controversial investor-protection rule, saying it means retirement savers will remain vulnerable to conflicted advice from some financial advisors. An amended rule issued by the Labor Department, published in the Federal Register today, delays the effective date of certain provisions in the so-called fiduciary rule by 18 months, to July 1, 2019, from Jan. 1, 2018. Other parts of the rule, which took effect June 9, place requirements on advisors when it comes to recommending investments and providing advice regarding 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts. They must provide advice that aligns with clients' best interests, charge reasonable compensation and not make misleading statements. The remaining delayed provisions articulate what advisors must to do meet those requirements.

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For instance, it would require those earning commissions on investments in retirement accounts to sign a legally binding agreement putting their clients' interests ahead of their own, and to provide other disclosures related to fees, services and conflicts of interest. "If advisors are subject to a best-interest standard that isn't enforceable, and if they are still paid in ways that encourage and reward harmful advice, there are going to be abuses and no way for IRA investors to hold firms and advisors accountable," said Barbara Roper, director of investor protection for the Consumer Federation of America. The fiduciary rule, created under the Obama administration, has been a controversial effort to rein in conflicts of interest when advisors deliver advice to retirement savers. The general target was investments that pay commissions to advisors yet might not be in the best interest of investors.

There's this pretense that retirement savers are being protected, but no assurance that firms will be in compliance. Barbara Roper Consumer Federation of America

According to a 2015 study from President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, conflicted advice was costing consumers about $17 billion in foregone retirement earnings each year. Now, even with the first part of fiduciary rule in effect, the Economic Policy Institute is estimating that the 18-month delay will cost retirement savers an extra $10.9 billion over the next 30 years. The financial industry has panned the rule as a barrier to retirement information and advice. President Trump directed the Labor Department in February to study the economic impact of the rule. In August, the agency indicated it would pursue a delay for the rule's provisions that had not yet taken effect. In releasing its 18-month delay, the Labor Department said it will only bring enforcement actions if it sees no good-faith efforts to comply with the best-interest standard. "There's this pretense that retirement savers are being protected, but no assurance that firms will be in compliance," Roper said.

The delay will help provide certainty to investors and avoid confusion and cost associated with continued piecemeal delays. Kenneth Bentsen Jr. President and CEO of SIFMA
Strategas Research said the "trigger" proposed by Sen. Bob Corker to limit deficits from the tax bill could essentially reduce the tax cut by half.

The Tennessee Republican voted to advance the bill to the Senate floor Monday after reaching a tentative agreement to include a fiscal "trigger" that would effectively raise taxes if U.S. growth doesn't generate as much revenue as expected. Some GOP senators raised doubts about the plan Wednesday.

Dan Clifton, head of policy research at Strategas, said the Corker plan would basically be imposing an automatic tax increase if revenues do not reach a set goal by 2022 or 2023. Clifton also said he believes tax legislation has a better chance of getting approved, and he now sees odds of 75 percent in favor of a bill passing.

"Our read of the overall goal is that the 'trigger' will essentially cut the tax cut in half by imposing tax increases five years into the tax cut," wrote Clifton.

The proposal is not likely to be popular with businesses, which are looking forward to a 20 percent corporate tax rate, from the current 35 percent.

"I don't think the market would like a trigger like that. I don't think business would like a trigger like that," said Michael Materasso, senior vice president and co-chair of Franklin Templeton's fixed income policy committee. "If it's permanent [businesses] act very differently than if it is temporary. If we start putting in triggers, there's uncertainty."

"All these things that create uncertainty have less of a mulitplier effect than if it was straightforward," he said. "All of these qualifiers and triggers, I think it waters down the effectiveness of the billion."

Clifton said it had seemed Corker was trying to reduce the package to $1 trillion from $1.5 trillion. "He has essentially achieved this by setting up a five-year tax revenue test," Clifton wrote.

The strategist said he studied other triggers and believes the trigger would kick in if the tax revenues do not meet the Congressional Budget Office 2022 or 2023 forecast for tax revenues. A tax increase would then be set to meet the gap between tax revenues collected and the CBO forecast. Under current law, a trigger could kick in with up to $350 billion in automatic tax increases.

Clifton said he believes the "triggered" tax increase would be targeted at corporations, not individual taxpayers.

"This deal is likely sufficient to win the support of Corker, [Nebraska Sen. Ben] Sasse, and [Oklahoma Sen. James] Lankford. Flake may want the provision to be more aggressive. The key will be how conservative Senators respond, in particular, Senator Toomey and members of the Finance Committee. The House is not likely to be pleased with these details. Conservatives who have avoided criticizing the legislation throughout the entire process are absolutely livid this morning," wrote Clifton.

Sasse's office said the senator was not leading negotiation on it but had no further immediate comment.

Some senators have already objected. Sens. David Perdue, R-Ga., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Wednesday they did not support the trigger mechanism. None of the senators signaled that including it in the bill would make them vote against it.

Tillis "believes it is unnecessary and could hamper economic growth, however it is not a deal breaker for him," a spokesman for Tillis said in a statement.
Donald Trump Jr. has agreed to answer questions from members of the House Intelligence Committee next week, CNN reported Wednesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The meeting, scheduled for December 6, will be the first time Trump Jr. will take questions from congressional investigators since The Atlantic reported on Trump Jr.'s private correspondence with Wikileaks, an anti-secrecy organization accused of having been used by the Kremlin.

The House Intelligence Committee is one of several congressional committees examining whether the Trump campaign collaborated with the Russian government in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

In November, Trump Jr., a vocal Trump campaign surrogate and the president's eldest son, published Twitter conversations he said he had with the anti-secrecy organization Wikileaks. He said that congressional committees had chosen to selectively leak the material and said he was releasing the "entire chain."

Wikileaks tweet

The conversation largely involved Wikileaks soliciting leaks from Trump Jr. and him not responding.

American intelligence officials published a report in January that said that Wikileaks had likely collaborated with agents of the Russian government, including to release information during the 2016 election.

Trump Jr. has also come under fire for setting up an undisclosed June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Trump Jr. was told the discussion would cover incriminating information on Hillary Clinton, to which he responded: "I love it."

Rob Goldstone tweet

Trump Jr. later said the meeting was held "before the current Russia fever was in vogue." In a closed door session with congressional investigators, he said "the meeting provided no meaningful information and turned out not to be about what had been represented," NBC News reported in September.

The president's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner as well as Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort were also at the June meeting.

Manafort surrendered himself to authorities last month after being indicted by the Justice Department for allegedly failing to disclose his work as a foreign agent for the government of Ukraine, among other charges.

Donald Trump Jr.'s attorney Alan Futerfas did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC. A spokesperson for the House Intelligence Committee declined to confirm that the meeting with Trump Jr. had been scheduled.
Chipotle Mexican Grill's Steve Ells is stepping down as CEO and it could be just what the company needs to finally cement a solid turnaround.

The burrito chain announced Wednesday that it's begun to search for a new chief executive, sending shares of the company up more than 5 percent.

Jeremy Scott, senior research analyst at Mizuho Securities, called the decision "unexpected," particularly after the company recently streamlined the CEO position from two co-CEOs, a post Ells had shared with Monty Moran.

"But [it] is an absolutely critical, important next chapter for Chipotle, which has been struggling to recover sales under Ells," Scott wrote in a research note Wednesday.

The Colorado-based restaurant chain has been testing initiatives to lure customers back ever since it faced a slew of foodborne illness outbreaks in 2015. However, its efforts have been overshadowed by a number of food safety incidents and a payment system breach.

"The decision of Steve Ells to step down as CEO is the inevitable consequence of Chipotle's inability to get to grips with its various problems," Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told CNBC via email. "Under his leadership, the chain has stumbled from one crisis to the next and has failed to reignite the growth that it once enjoyed."

"Steve Ells' success in founding and growing Chipotle is not in question, but his ability to run a larger publicly owned company and to guide it through choppy waters was," Saunders said. "While not entirely his fault, the continued lack of momentum concerned investors and raised questions about his leadership and his vision for the group."

As of Tuesday's market close, Chipotle shares have fallen more than 24 percent this year.
European stocks closed higher on average Wednesday after signs of progress with U.S. tax cuts and Brexit negotiations boosted sentiment.

The pan-European STOXX 600 ended around 0.26 percent higher in trade, with most sectors in positive territory. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 closed lower by 0.9 percent, as sterling rose against the U.S. dollar. Most other bourses, with the exception of the Swiss market, ended higher.

Retail stocks led the gains on Wednesday, up 1.74 percent for the day. Ocado was one of the top performers in the sector, adding to gains of more than 20 percent in the previous session. HSBC raised its target price for the stock, sending shares of the U.K. online grocer group more than 15 percent higher.



A basket of U.K. & European Bank stocks closed the day around 1.6 percent higher. This after the Fed Chair nominee Jerome Powell suggested a December interest rate hike looked likely.

Deutsche Bank said plans to revamp its investment bank would take another two to three years. Germany's largest lender has been seeking to steady the ship after a series of scandals and lawsuits last year. Its shares rose 2.4 percent.

In other stock news, Spain's Aena , meanwhile, rose more than 3 percent after Santander upgraded its rating on the stock to "buy".
Republican Senate leaders once again find themselves at risk of alienating some of their members while trying to appease others.

A tax bill tool designed to win the support of key GOP senators is finding resistance among others. Still, the rumblings may not be enough to trip up Senate Republicans as they push to pass a bill overhauling the American tax system this week.

On Tuesday, holdout Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., voted to advance the bill to the Senate floor after reaching a tentative deal on including a fiscal "trigger" to ease his concerns about the plan's effects on budget deficits. The mechanism, specific details of which have not been released, would effectively raise taxes if U.S. economic growth doesn't generate as much revenue as expected from the overhaul.

The tool could help to win the support of Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who had similar fears about making up for the nearly $1.5 trillion in estimated tax cuts under the plan.

Not every GOP senator feels the same way about putting the provision in a bill the full chamber could vote on as early as Thursday. While including the fiscal trigger may not sink the chances of passing the bill, it again puts GOP leadership in the tricky position of balancing competing concerns of its members.

Sens. David Perdue, R-Ga., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Wednesday they did not support the trigger mechanism. None of the senators signaled that including it in the bill would make them vote against it.

Tillis "believes it is unnecessary and could hamper economic growth, however it is not a deal breaker for him," a Tillis spokesman said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said people should consider him "drunk" if he voted to "implement automatic tax increases on the American people," according to Bloomberg. He added that "I'm not voting for that." A Kennedy spokesman did not immediately respond to a request to comment Wednesday on whether the senator's position had changed.

On Wednesday morning, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., a member of the Senate's tax-writing committee, criticized the trigger but did not go as far as to say he would vote against it.

"I don't like the idea of putting in triggers based on revenue, but I like the idea of passing legislation," Toomey told the Fox Business Network.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the third-ranking Senate Republican, has also expressed doubts about the trigger, Bloomberg reported. As a member of Senate leadership, Thune likely would not vote against the bill.

Spokespeople for Toomey and Thune did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Senate Republicans walk a tightrope in getting the votes to pass their tax plan. With 52 seats in the Senate, they can only lose two votes and still pass the bill under special budget rules, assuming all Democrats and independents vote against it.

The Senate proposal already makes most individual tax cuts expire within a decade to save money and comply with budget rules. The corporate tax reduction to 20 percent from 35 percent is permanent.

Interest groups like the powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce have also opposed the trigger provision.

Senators are still negotiating what from the trigger would take, and when it would go into effect. Toomey broadly explained how it could work in the Fox interview Wednesday morning.

"We've got a provision which we will work out the details on  it'll take a look six years from now and determine whether or not we are at the revenue projections that we are making today based on the current policy of the federal government. I certainly hope and I certainly believe that we will be exceeding those revenue levels in which case no change happens. If, however, the revenue is below the target, then we will have to implement at that point, seven years from now, some kind of tax increase that will generate a certain amount of revenue over the next ten years. I don't think this is optimal."

Asked on Tuesday who would bear the brunt of the tax increases under the backstop provision, Corker said he did not want to take away from the "certainty" of tax policy that businesses would want to see to invest. Prompted on whether that means individuals would see their taxes raised while corporations would not, Corker responded that "both" would have an increase.

Outside of the deficit concerns, GOP senators have expressed doubts about other aspects of the plan. Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., have argued that the plan helps corporations at the expense of small, pass-through businesses, which pay individual rates.

Johnson, like Corker, voted to advance the bill on Tuesday after he said he got assurances that his concerns would be addressed.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also wants legislation passed to curb the effects of scrapping Obamacare's individual mandate. The provision in the Senate tax bill is expected to raise average Obamacare premiums by about 10 percent, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Garrison Keillor, former host of America's beloved "Prairie Home Companion," has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio for alleged "inappropriate behavior."

Keillor, 75, had retired from his radio show but still produced "The Writer's Almanac" for syndication.

Keillor initially broke the news, telling The Associated Press he was fired over "a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard."

Minnesota Public Radio confirmed the termination, effective immediately.

"Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is terminating its contracts with Garrison Keillor and his private media companies after recently learning of allegations of his inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him," it said in a statement.

MPR did not give further details about the alleged misconduct, referring to the statement.

"Last month, MPR was notified of the allegations which relate to Mr. Keillor's conduct while he was responsible for the production of A Prairie Home Companion (APHC)," the statement added.

It also said it has severed business ties with Keillor's media companies, including ending distribution and broadcast of "The Writer's Almanac" and rebroadcasts of "The Best of A Prairie Home Companion," hosted by Keillor. Minnesota Public Radio will also change the name of the weekly music and variety program, hosted by Chris Thile, and will separate from the Pretty Good Goods online catalog and the PrairieHome.org website.

"Garrison Keillor has been an important part of the growth and success of MPR, and all of us in the MPR community are saddened by these circumstances," MPR President Jon McTaggart said in the statement.

"While we appreciate the contributions Garrison has made to MPR and to all of public radio, we believe this decision is the right thing to do and is necessary to continue to earn the trust of our audiences, employees and supporters of our public service."

Just one day earlier, Keillor published a high profile op-ed in The Washington Post, entitled "Al Franken should resign? That's absurd." The Minnesota senator is under fire for sexual misconduct allegations from four women.

In the piece, Keillor likened a photograph of Franken faux-groping TV personality Leann Tweeden during a USO event to a gag "in a spirit of low comedy," and her resulting accusation years later as "pure absurdity, and the atrocity it leads to is a code of public deadliness. No kidding."

Keillor seems to forgive the Democrat in context with the behavior of other high profile men throughout history.

"Franken should change his name to Newman and put the USO debacle behind him and then we'll change frankincense to Febreze. Remove the slaveholder Washington from our maps, replacing him with Wampanoag, and replace Jefferson, who slept with Sally Hemings  consensual? I doubt it  with Powhatan, and what about the FDR Drive in New York, named for a man who was unfaithful to his wife? Let's call it RFD and let it go at that," he wrote.

Keillor could not be located for comment. His website crashed after the announcement, and the last tweet on his Twitter page was a day earlier. It was a retweet of his Franken op-ed piece.

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NC sends central reps to 45 districts

The Nepali Congress deployed its central representatives to 45 districts on Tuesday with an aim to intensify the partys campaign for the second phase of federal and provincial elections scheduled for December 7.
"It would have been normal to have seen multiple mergers in recent years. Yet, this was not possible since the Obama administration would not approve them."

The Financial Stability Oversight Council was set up to oversee the operations of all of the banking regulatory bodies. There is a new head of this agency and seven of the 10 Board members are new or are about to be replaced.

Understand that while the Dodd Frank Act requires a number of broad changes in banking regulation, the law leaves the implementation of these changes to be dictated by the regulatory agencies. Thus, one can expect to see changes in the annual stress tests, the Living Wills, and in arcane rules like the Net Stable Funding Ratio and systemically important financial institution (SIFI) designations.

Without explaining these rules, what the changes mean for banking is lower capital and liquidity requirements and more freedom to merge. In addition, if Congress passes a law, as expected, raising the regulatory hurdle to $250 billion, from $50 billion, the ability to acquire other banking companies is made far simpler and less costly.

Why Merge?

Banking consumers have indicated their desire for digitally delivered services as, for example, millions begin to use mobile banking and tens of millions have already adopted Internet banking. Customers want these services because they are more convenient than a trip to a bank branch; because more analytics can be provided along with the transactional services; and because digital banking is faster and cheaper than traditional banking for the user.

Banks are spending billions of dollars to meet the market's demands. To make these expenditures economically feasible, the new systems require large numbers of customers  or operational scale. Mergers provide the necessary scale to validate the expenditures on the new systems.

However, even without the technological push to merge; there are business reasons to do so. Bank loan growth has slowed appreciably in commercial and real estate markets. Even some consumer sectors, like auto lending, have slowed. In periods like this it has been traditional for banks to seek to acquire large customer bases. The reason is usually big banks can eliminate the acquired company's operating system and sell more products to an underserved market segment  i.e., the smaller bank's customer base.

It would have been normal, therefore, to have seen multiple mergers in recent years. Yet, this was not possible since the old regulatory crew, the Obama administration, would not approve them.

This is no longer the case. The game is on again.

Commentary by Richard X. Bove, an equity research analyst at the Vertical Group and the author of "Guardians of Prosperity: Why America Needs Big Banks" (2013).

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
Ohio-based entrepreneur Jason Duff purchased historic 137-139 South Main Street in Bellefontaine, Ohio, which has four storefronts and awaits renovation in 2018. Duff says the community identified a need for more retail spaces and loft apartments above but if the Historic Tax Credit is not put back in tax reform legislation, these projects are in jeopardy.

In October 2016 then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was joined by his family at a ribbon-cutting for the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., a project that transformed a classic post office into luxury lodging and benefited from a federal tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic properties that the Reagan tax reform of 1981 embraced. The fate of that historic tax credit remains uncertain in the current GOP tax plan, which the Senate hopes to push through before week's end. The House removed the tax credit entirely from its bill, while the Senate has added a version of it back into its tax-reform language, though in a potentially weakened form and one that is still subject to alteration. For small-town entrepreneurs like Jason Duff, a real estate entrepreneur from a county in the swing state of Ohio, where Trump received 76 percent of the vote last November, this tax irony is hitting hard: "I am really impacted by the disappearance of the 20 percent federal historic-building tax credit," Duff said. His company, Bellefontaine Ohio Properties  which operates stores, restaurants and other real estate  takes the risk of rehabbing old buildings on Main Street, and it's a risk the tax code has encouraged over the past four decades.

Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cuts a ribbon during the grand opening ceremony of the Trump International Hotel-Old Post Office in Washington, D.C. in October 2016. The hotel was able to use a tax credit for the rehabbing of historic buildings. Washington Post | Getty Images

"There's tons of evidence here on Main Street, from many who bought historic businesses, that it has really benefited their communities," Duff said. The GOP tax-reform plan has included a narrative about wiping away tax benefits that have accrued for residents of blue states and affluent cities, but the historic tax credit (HTC)  which to date has facilitated the rehabilitation of more than 42,000 certified historic buildings and has attracted more than $84 billion in new private capital to the historic cores of cities and towns across the nation  is not a partisan issue. It is, on the other hand, important to entrepreneurs and investors revitalizing urban districts of former industrial towns and cities, as well as small towns across the country.

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"It has not gotten enough attention relative to its size," said Brett Theodos, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute. "[HTCs] are not red- or blue-state things." Duff recently purchased three buildings in Bellefontaine that are slated for renovation in 2018, including an abandoned old theater where lines in the late 1930s stretched down the block. "If the historic tax credit is not put back in legislation, these projects are in jeopardy. ... Right now I'm stopping conversations with architects and engineers, and uncertainty is probably the biggest fear," Duff said. The Midwest communities that helped deliver the presidency to Trump are peppered with these properties, and while malls are really struggling, "Main Street is coming back back strong," Duff said, helped by entrepreneurs investing in buildings that create urbanlike environments. "We are Trumpland," Duff said of his Logan County, Ohio. "I am seeing unemployment in our community nearing a record low, and I am the most optimistic about the local economy that I've been in 10 years, but we do have issues with opioid abuse and retraining and preparing workers for the future. There is a lot in the tax code that, from a policy standpoint, when designed correctly, can fix these costly problems." Nan Whaley, the Democratic mayor of Dayton, Ohio, put it more bluntly: "For midsize cities like Dayton, HTCs are the avenue, not one avenue" for how these urban revitalization projects are financed. The old Dayton Arcade complex of seven buildings in the city center has been vacant since 1992 and is currently under redevelopment, but the mayor said, "If the HTC goes, it's over." Whaley said there is no other place to find the capital for the project other than entrepreneurs who depend on the tax credit. As a result, it could cost the city $12 million to demolish the Arcade rather than redevelop it. Worse, most spaces where historic buildings are demolished will not be developed again, because the uniqueness of the space is part of the attraction for investors aiming to bring in consumers to new businesses, as well homebuyers and renters for downtown residential properties. Dayton was No. 1 in the nation last year in the percentage of residents under 35 who bought homes (41 percent), Whaley noted. "It's not only the cost of investment. ... You lose the spin-off of the young people moving back to the urban core. We are seeing that in Dayton for the first time in 50 years."

If the HTC goes, it's over. Nan Whaley mayor of Dayton, Ohio on a recent downtown redevelopment project

According to data from the Ohio Mayors Alliance, Dayton has utilized 17 federal historic tax credits totaling $67 million. Ohio ranks third among states in the number of projects completed using the HTC, according to data from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, behind Missouri and Virginia. Cities that have made the greatest use of the HTC to spur redevelopment of urban cores include many former industrial and mill towns, such as Cincinnati, St. Louis, New Orleans, Richmond, Cleveland, Durham, Greensboro and Baltimore. But 40 percent of projects are in communities with 25,000 or less, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Whaley said that for smaller towns the value of the tax credit to the community can be transformative. "That's what is most concerning," Whaley said. "For our communities having really tough times, these historic tax credits hold an identity in place while allowing the community to position for the future." There are actually two historic tax credits for rehabbing old buildings, and for small town entrepreneurs like Duff, the loss of the smaller of the two  a 10 percent historic tax credit killed in both current House and Senate versions  will hit some of the most neglected areas of the country most in need of redevelopment the hardest. The 10 percent tax credit for buildings that predate 1936, but without true "historic" classification other than date of build, has fewer requirements and gets projects to completion quicker. The larger 20 percent tax credit is less critical in a town like Duff's Bellefontaine (population under 20,000), where property prices are low and the financing gap for real estate entrepreneurs is smaller than in cities.

Redevelopment tax credit saw huge increase in 2016

The use of the HTC is at its highest levels of use and growing, according to data from the Urban Institute. In 2016, use of HTCs experienced the largest year-over-year increase since 1986. Merrill Hoopengardner, president of the National Trust Community Investment Corp., a for-profit affiliate of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said private lenders struggle with investing in historic properties, and even with the 20 percent tax credit there is often still a gap in funding. Costs to rehab historic properties are higher than for new developments, and they often are in lower-income areas  60 percent to 75 percent of these projects. Where business success is less assured, it is harder to attract workers, and rents may need to be reduced to encourage migration of start-ups and individuals. "What we hear from developers is that the HTC is a floor for the amount of money they need, and almost every HTC project has to scramble to find other flexible sources of funding," Hoopengardner said, adding, "The gap can be 40 percent."

The Senate Budget Committee voted on Tuesday to send the tax bill forward, moving it one step closer to a floor vote this week. The Senate's original bill cut the 20 percent tax credit in half but later restored it to 20 percent through an effort headed by Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy, though with the requirement that it be taken over five years (4 percent annually). "We're not slowing down in advocacy at this point," said Shaw Sprague, senior director of government relations at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "There are several steps to go." Hoopengardner said developers are still trying to do the math on how the spreading out of the credit over five years would influence their investing decisions. There is obviously greater value in a 20 percent tax credit that can be taken all at once, and after a building has already made the investment and turned the lights on for its new purpose. But she said that new Senate language is still better than the earlier version, which she described as "unworkable and insufficient."

Business owners don't see themselves as the big tax winners

There will always be winners and losers within specific industries in a major overhaul of the tax code, and most small-business groups continue to support the overall GOP effort for simplifying the tax code and reducing the number of brackets. Small-business lobbies have also been most focused on the need for greater tax relief at the level of the pass-through business structure that dominates the entrepreneurial landscape. Duff said many of the entrepreneurs he speaks with are excited about the tax reform effort, and the reduction in brackets and lower overall effective rate, which will put more cash in their pockets. When asked how they would invest extra money from a tax cut, the largest group of small-business owners (46 percent) said they would invest it, ahead of "save it" (44 percent) and "spent it" (32 percent), according to 1,290 small-business owners surveyed in mid-November by the CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey. More than half (53 percent) of small-business owners think cutting the corporate tax rate will help businesses create jobs, according to the data compiled by SurveyMonkey. Fifty-six percent think cutting the corporate tax rate will stimulate economic growth. But they don't think small business will be the biggest beneficiary of the GOP plan.

What group would benefit the most from the tax reform bill currently being debated in Congress? Group Small business respondents The wealthy 24% The middle class 21% Large corporations 18% Dont know 16% Small businesses 13%

Source: CNBC | SurveyMonkey, November 2017

"Doing away with all those brackets is a win, but the [HTC] is negative impact on my business operations even with simplified brackets," Duff said. "People really need to be taking the time to understand how this bill will impact them," he said. "If you want to change behavior that encourages people to save and invest and make smart business decisions you need to take the track record of HTCs into consideration and they do make sense." Nerves are running high among mayors. Whaley said that the mayor of Hamilton, Ohio called her in a panic because of what the HTC has done for Hamilton, a town of roughly 60,000 which is located close to the setting of "Hillbilly Elegy," the memoir by the venture capitalist J.D. Vance about growing up in rural America that was viewed as prophetic in the wake of Trump's election. There is academic research on what the HTC has meant to community development commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and National Park Service. It estimated that between 1978 and 2016 (the life of the HTC program), tax credit projects generated $29.8 billion in federal taxes, exceeding the $25.2 billion in credits allocated. "Trying to simplify [the tax code] may hurt in that some programs are working," Duff said.

Entrepreneur Jason Duff rehabilitated three storefronts that now house a primary care doctors office, an antique/vintage store with over 30 dealers, and a local coffee shop and co-working space. These businesses created 14+ jobs, support the local tax base and help revitalize downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio, which has a population of .under 20,000. Jason Duff
David Yermack is a man in great demand. In 2014, the professor of finance at the NYU Stern School of Business helped it become the first major university to launch a course in the nascent field of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Since then the course has taken off and as well as teaching it in New York, Prof Yermack now travels the world as a visiting professor to lecture on the fast-moving field of cryptocurrencies at universities in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Basel and Stockholm.

"I attended some events in New York and there was huge demand for people trained in the compliance and tax aspects of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, so we set up the course in 2014, the first of its kind," he says. "Since then it has taken on a life of its own."

Blockchain is a shared ledger technology that powers cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, the value of which recently rose above $10,000, up almost 13 times in the past year.

The technology allows encrypted data on anything, from money to medical records, to be shared between many companies, people and institutions. This protects data from fraud while instantly updating all parties concerned. Experts say the demand for expertise is coming from all sectors  from financial services to retail  and it is far outstripping supply.



"It is a fast-moving topic with tokenomics and cryptocurrencies changing whole industries," says Oliver Bussmann, former chief information officer at the Swiss bank UBS who now advises blockchain start-ups. "The more people can learn about it and what potential it has, the more understanding they will have of what financial services will look like in five years."



Big companies have steered clear of bitcoin, fearing its links to fraud and criminality. But now they see vast potential in the underlying technology to improve the efficiency of everything from tracking food products to processing financial transactions.

Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, summed up the mood of big business last month by describing bitcoin as "a fraud", while also saying: "Blockchain is a technology that is a good technology. We actually use it. It will be useful in a lot of different things."

Prof Yermack at NYU Stern says blockchain technology "is really changing every industry". Describing its potential as "probably as important as the introduction of double-entry bookkeeping", he says there is "enormous student interest for this, for the jobs it offers".



The NYU Stern cryptocurrencies course had a few dozen students when it started out. That has now grown to more than 100 students this year, with a waiting list, and as many as 300 expected next year. "We are moving it to our largest auditorium, with capacity for 350 students," he says.

The subject matter is so fast-moving that it is hard for academics to keep up. Prof Yermack says the advent of "initial coin offerings", which have allowed blockchain-based companies to raise more than $2bn this year, forced him to rewrite much of the syllabus this year."

Year over year we'll change well over half the course material," he says. "It keeps you young to be reading half the night just to keep up with the latest innovations."

NYU Stern, which charges MBA students more than $70,000 a year and undergraduates more than $50,000, is planning to launch an undergraduate course in blockchain and cryptocurrencies. But like many universities it is running into a shortage of teachers. "Our biggest challenge is finding enough people to teach the courses," says Prof Yermack.



Stanford University launched a bitcoin and cryptocurrencies course two years ago, but it stopped this year after losing some key staff. Joseph Bonneau left Stanford to join NYU Courant, where he teaches a blockchain course as part of its computer sciences faculty."

I'm pretty sure that every university will have a blockchain course in five years," he says. "More institutions would like to teach it now, but it's a question of having a professor around to do it."

The rapid spread of blockchain courses is being driven by the red-hot jobs market in the sector, with the best engineers in the field commanding a starting salary above $250,000.

Jens Martin, programme director at the University of Amsterdam, says that after its new blockchain and cryptocurrencies course became the most popular module on its international finance masters this year it plans to add a second, more practical, course on the subject next year.

Chris Knoll left a job as an equity analyst in South Africa to take the course in Amsterdam and soon after graduating this year he got a job at a private equity group in the Dutch city.

"I don't have the computer programming background to make it in fintech, but I'm really interested in it and if ever an opportunity came up in that area I'd take it with both hands," says the 28-year-old. "Blockchain is going to change the world."



"There is a big demand for computer science students that have a good understanding of blockchain right now," says Aggelos Kiayias, chair in cyber security and privacy and director of the blockchain technology laboratory at the University of Edinburgh, which launched a cryptocurrency course this year. "It serves as a very nice use case that the students can apply in a lot of other domains, like cyber security."

There are already scores of internet tutorials, many of them available free as massive open online courses (Moocs). Coursera, an education-focused tech company, has joined with Princeton University to offer an 11-week online cryptocurrency technologies course.

At the other end of the spectrum is B9lab, a fee-charging institution based in London and Hamburg offering a 40-hour online course in blockchain for technical executives and analysts spread over nine weeks at a cost of 2,350.

Elias Haase, co-founder of B9lab, says demand for the course has been steady, if unspectacular, with about 40 people expected to take part this year. But he expects interest to grow, saying: "There is definitely a disconnect between the willingness of companies to invest in talent and the amount of money being raised in the system, which will eventually have to be rectified."

More from the Financial Times:



Bitcoin passes $11,000

Drivers and risks of the cryptocurrency boom

Pound and gilt yields rise on hopes of Brexit breakthrough




Investors flocking into bitcoin are taking a risk by buying at such high prices, the vice president of the European Central Bank (ECB) Vitor Constancio told CNBC Wednesday.

"It's a very particular asset, it's a speculative asset by definition looking to the developments in its price. Investors are taking that risk of buying at such high prices," Constancio noted.

In just over the last year bitcoin has gone from under $1,000 to passing the $10,000 marker. Earlier in the week, the global cryptocurrency market broke through the $300 billion milestone, showing that the appetite for digital currencies is on the rise.

Constancio told CNBC that the price of bitcoin is likely to fluctuate more, but this is not set to hurt other markets in any way.

"Certainly I don't think it would spread to other markets," he said.

Central banks have been reluctant in giving any credit to digital currencies. ECB President Mario Draghi said at a press conference in October that cryptocurrencies are not "mature" enough to be considered by the ECB for regulation.
The Iraqi oil minister has repeated his call for an extension to a cap on global oil supplies and added that the deal would not need any mid-term review.

OPEC and countries outside the cartel, such as Russia, will meet in Vienna Thursday to consider whether an existing curb on supply, should be extended by nine months.

The current agreement runs out at the end of March and Jabar al-Luaibi, Iraq's oil minister, said Wednesday that any mid-stream review was unnecessary.

"No, no. The existing declaration (will) finish at the end of March. So we extend this another nine months, so that means it will end by the end of 2018," said Al-Luaibi.

Al-Luaibi added that while he was happy with the current price of oil he was also keen it didn't encourage others to overproduce.

"We are happy with $60, maybe a little bit more than $60, but we have to be careful about the effect on the other side of the river," the minister said.

The price of oil collapsed from near $120 a barrel in June 2014 due to weak demand, a strong dollar and booming U.S. shale production. OPEC's reluctance to cut output was also seen as a key reason behind the fall. But, the oil cartel soon moved to curb production  along with other oil-producing nations  in late 2016. The oil exporters then extended that agreement through to March 2018.
Mars is investing in Kind, giving the M&Ms-owner a stake in the bar brand made of ingredients "people can see and pronounce."

Kind, founded in 2004, was one of the first popular snacks to eschew artificial flavors and preservatives. With Mars' investment, the Snickers-owner gains an entrance into this increasingly popular trend and Kind the resources to expand upon it.

"Our vision is that Kind is going to become the foremost health and wellness platform," said Daniel Lubetzky, founder and CEO of Kind.

The deal gives Mars the option  though not the requirement  to fully acquire Kind down the road, according to a source familiar with the situation. It values Kind at roughly $3 billion, though potentially as much as $4 billion, depending on how quickly Kind grows.

The now $33 billion U.S. snack category has ballooned along with hectic Americans' schedules that force them to eat on-the-go. Busy households today spend on average $133 annually on individual snack items, according to research firm Nielsen. The fastest growing snack items are those with a health focus, like organic or free of artificial flavors.

That growth has attracted investment from larger food companies. Earlier this year, Conagra acquired Boomchickapop popcorn's parent company Angie's Artisan Treats, and Kellogg acquired RXBar for $600 million.

The boom has also invited new competitors. Lubetzky said the industry lost about 15 percent of its market share to copycat playersin 2015 and 2016. Many of those brands though have struggled to maintain sufficient sales to ensure placement in retailers, he said.

In Europe, the snacking category is far more nascent. European diners still tend to enjoy sit-down meals.

Kind sells through distributors in 14 countries, including Mexico, the United Kingdom and Ireland. With Mars' investment, Kind expects to double down in those countries while expanding in others.

Going to those countries now, ahead of the potential rising trend, prevents Kind from appearing like a "me too" player, said Lubetzky.

"If somebody borrows our playbook and goes there first, we might be perceived by consumers as a copycat... We want to go there faster."

With Mars' investment, Kind also expects to build out its products, both through innovation and acquisition. Kind already makes breakfast bars, clusters and fruit bites. Categories the company could move into  though no decisions have been made  include beverages and frozen food.

Private equity firm VMG group bought a stake in Kind in 2008. It later sold back its shares to Lubetzky in 2014 in a stake sale that valued the company at $728.5 million.
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Relinquishing your U.S. citizenship can come with a hefty price tag. Because the United States is one of the only countries to tax based on U.S. citizenship, even Americans living abroad must pay U.S. taxes. That can make it tempting for expatriates to renounce their citizenship and skirt U.S. tax rules. Doing so comes at a price. A record number of Americans are giving up their citizenship, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Last year, 5,411 individuals either gave up their citizenship or terminated long-term residency. That's a 26 percent increase from 2015. The list of individuals who have given up their citizenship includes high-profile names like Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and musician Tina Turner. The list may gain one more boldface name with Meghan Markle, the American actress who is engaged to Britain's Prince Harry. The announcement of the couple's engagement this week included news that Markle plans to become a British citizen.

The administrative process involved in giving up your citizenship is simple, said Joshua Ashman, a co-founder and partner at Expat Tax Professionals, which provides professional tax services to U.S. expatriates. But the tax considerations to wade through are more complicated, he said. You must make an appointment at a U.S. embassy, sign the appropriate forms and take the Oath of Renunciation. You also must pay a $2,350 administrative processing fee. Once your application is approved, which can take several months, you are given a Certificate of Loss of Nationality. You must also notify the Internal Revenue Service through Form 8854 that you have expatriated, which can trigger a potentially bigger liability: The exit tax. The exit tax is aimed at individuals who are renouncing their citizenship for tax-related purposes, Ashman said. You may or may not be subject to the tax based on your average annual net income tax for the past five years, whether you complied with your federal tax obligations during that time or whether your net worth is $2 million or more. Your net worth is calculated including everything from investment accounts to real estate to other assets like art work and other personal property, including assets held overseas, Ashman said.

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Nokia denied on Thursday that it is in talks to buy Juniper Networks , following a CNBC report that it was preparing a deal for the company.

"Nokia is not currently in talks with, nor is it preparing an offer for, Juniper Networks related to an acquisition of that company," the Finnish company said.

Sources earlier told CNBC that a deal was in the making that would marry Juniper, a multibillion-dollar networking company, with Nokia's infrastructure resources.

Shares of Juniper were up more than 2 percent in after-hours trading.

Prior to the Nokia statement, a Juniper spokesperson declined to comment, citing a policy against addressing "market speculation or rumors."

Juniper, based in Sunnyvale, California, offers services like security and routing. While Finland-based Nokia is best known today for its iconic mobile phones, it has been in the telecom equipment business since the 1880s. The company shifted focus to the Internet of Things, 5G and the cloud after its mobile phone business was bought and sold by Microsoft .

Nokia purchased telecom company Alcatel-Lucent for about $16.6 billion last year as part of its latest transformation.

Juniper Networks has deep roots in Silicon Valley. Founder Pradeep Sindhu is an alumnus of Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center and Sun Microsystems.

 CNBC's Alex Sherman contributed to this report.
Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia's energy minister and president of OPEC, speaks as Alexander Novak, Russia's energy minister, left, listens during a news conference following the 172nd Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday, May 25, 2017.

There also are likely to be discussions at the meeting about an exit strategy from the production cuts, which have mostly been shouldered by Saudi Arabia.

Industry analysts covering OPEC in Vienna this week still expect an extension of that deal, though it may be for a shorter time frame, like three or six months, or it could be nine months with more emphasis on reviews. One OPEC watcher said there is also an idea under discussion to replace the current agreement with one that starts Jan. 1 and runs through the end of 2018. That could include new rules on production levels for some countries and possibly include now exempt countries, like Nigeria.

The somewhat rocky road to reaching an agreement by Thursday's OPEC meeting has also exposed some cracks in the new world order of oil  where Saudi Arabia and Russia use their combined heft to influence prices and global supply. The cause of those "cracks" in the new 'R-OPEC' appears to be U.S. shale oil.

A reluctant Russia is expected to agree with OPEC and other producers to continue to curb global oil production, but the deal may have more caveats than initially expected by the market.

"It's all become Russian psycho-drama," said Helima Croft, head of global commodities strategy at RBC. "Russia has so fully taken over the meeting. Everyone is discussing whether Russia is going to be along for this ride."

OPEC for weeks had been expected to add nine months to the agreement with Russia and other producers to keep 1.8 million barrels a day off the market through March. But Russian oil companies, like Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, complained that the deal, which helped lift oil prices, also let U.S. shale increase production and steal market share.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had even said a nine month extension would be fine, but rising U.S. output, again nearing record highs, and a surge in exports may have been a bigger factor than expected for Russian companies.

"What they're going to do is kick the can down the road in some way that saves face," said Michael Cohen, head of global commodities research at Barclays. He said that the outcome could be a shorter six month extension, and that would be negative for the market.

"Our initial view is that would be bearishbut frankly given the market moves of the last week, the bearishness may have already gotten out of the system," said Cohen, in a phone interview from Vienna.

Saudi Arabia energy minister Khalid al-Falih and Russia energy minister Alexander Novak were among those at a Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee meeting Wednesday, and while they agreed more efforts to balance the market are necessary, it was unclear what a final statement might look like.

"Last May, Novak and al-Falih walked in together," said Croft. "They walked in separately this time. There was a lot of body language there."

Croft added, "I think the pressure on al-Falih to deliver is very highTo me what was amazing was he just publicly said there was no room for complacencyhe has already raised the stakes."

Saudi Arabia was the driver of the original production-cut deal, which it sought after its strategy of letting market forces determine price led to a collapse in crude into the $20s. Russia agreed to go along, as low oil prices were hurting the economies of all oil producers, but analysts say Russia has adjusted, and it can live with oil prices in the $50s.

Saudi Arabia, however, wants to see stable prices around $60 per barrel, which will help it in its efforts to transform its economy under its Vision 2030 program. The OPEC meeting also comes at a critical time for Saudi Arabia, as the world watches the power shift ahead of young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ascension to the throne.

Bin Salman has been holding members of the royal family, business leaders and military on corruption charges at a luxury hotel in Riyadh. Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, son of the late King Abdullah and once a contender for the throne, was released after settling for $1 billion. Others are also reportedly making financial deals in exchange for their release.

Saudi Arabia has pushed for the nine month extension, but the final outcome is expected to be driven by Putin, and there is pressure on Russia to go along.

"You're Vladimir Putin. Are you going to let your corporates tank the oil price going into the election? If you tank the oil price, are the Gulf states going to buy your weapons? Are their sovereign wealth funds going to invest in your infrastructure?" Croft said.

"I think they are struggling with this. The Russians are going to drag this out," Croft said. "al-Falih upped the stakes on the Russians today."

The very public dithering by Russia has been weighing on oil prices. Crude futures sold off again on Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 1.2 percent to settle at $57.30 per barrel.

"I think that at this point, all of the ministers want to make their bosses happy. The same can be said of Mr. Novak and Mr. al-Falih. I think there's a bit of managing of expectations that's going on right now, so at the end of the day, they can deliver on market management mode for the next year," Cohen said.
The OPEC meeting in Vienna Thursday looks set to be a crucial test of relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The two countries have been warming to each other of late and King Salman's visit to Moscow in October this year marked the first ever state visit to Russia by a reigning Saudi monarch.

But this week the pair must resolve differences over petroleum output, with Saudi Arabia pushing to keep prices high as it readies an initial public offering of its state oil company, Aramco.

Ann-Louise Hittle, senior vice president of macro oils at Wood Mackenzie, said Wednesday that the OPEC meeting agenda could seriously affect how Moscow and Riyadh get along.

"There's a little bit of disagreement right now, there are some issues that have to be ironed out," she told CNBC Wednesday in Vienna.

"How do we end the agreement? How do we deal with increasing production and bring it into the market without collapsing prices?"

Hittle added that it appeared that Saudi Arabia was attempting to avoid any head-to-head confrontation with Moscow, despite misgivings over Russia's opposing stance on Syria or its alliance with Iran.
Nepal must push for proper implementation of WTO provisions

Enhancement in the countrys effectiveness and efficiency in trading capacity. Expansion of trade. A higher level of growth. And enhancement in quality of life of people. These phrases were uttered by then Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Hari Bahadur Basnet right after Nepal became a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the global trade regime, in 2004.
Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister and OPEC conference president Khalid al-Falih, and OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo attend a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producing countries in Vienna, Austria, May 25, 2017.

OPEC is expected to extend its agreement with Russia and other non-OPEC countries to curb production, even as U.S. shale production and exports continue to grow, according to a CNBC oil survey.

About 80 percent of the oil analysts and traders surveyed by CNBC also agree the market, which had been heavily oversupplied, is showing signs of rebalancing.

Forty-four percent say the rebalancing can continue if U.S. production, blamed for the glut, does not rise much more. Thirteen percent say if the U.S. output continues to grow, the rebalancing will end, as it will lead to oversupply.

The OPEC agreement, struck with Russia a year ago, is seen as a factor helping drive a turnaround in oil prices. Ninety-four percent of the 16 survey participants expect the price for West Texas Intermediate crude to end the year at about where it is now  $50 to $60 per barrel. But more than half, 56 percent, said there's a chance crude could fall back into the $40s in 2018.

OPEC meets in Vienna on Thursday, and the market has been expecting its deal with Russia and other producers to hold back 1.8 million barrels a day to be extended to the end of the year. Reuters reported Tuesday that sources said the technical committee of OPEC and the non-OPEC members recommended extending the agreement through the end of the year with a review in June.

Michael Cohen, head of commodities research at Barclays, said he had expected a six- or nine-month extension of the agreement, which is due to end in March, but he adds that the extension length is less important than the quota. He said the technical committee and Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee can recommend changes at any time.

"Even if the deal ends, we would not expect an onslaught of new production from participants," Cohen wrote in his answer to the survey.

Russia has been a bit of a wild card. Russian companies had complained that U.S. shale was biting into market share, while they held to an agreement to keep their own production off the world market. Eighty-one percent of the survey participants expect Russia to be part of OPEC's deal Thursday.

The deal has been important to Saudi Arabia, as it needs a high oil price for its Vision 2030 program to transform the country's economy. In the survey, 81 percent said Saudi Arabia was "jawboning" the price of oil higher, ahead of its IPO of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company.

The survey also focused on other factors that could impact oil prices. Forty-four percent said they expect the Trump administration's decertification of the Iran nuclear deal will result in reimposition of sanctions on Iran, but 31 percent do not believe it will, while 25 percent are unsure.

Sixty-nine percent expect to see Venezuelan oil supply to take a further hit next year.

A full 100 percent expect U.S. oil production to continue to rise and impact market dynamics.

"Increased U.S. production has taken away a significant portion of OPEC's power. As long as crude hovers near $60, I think that domestic production will continue to ramp," wrote Jim Iurio of TJM institutional Services.
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Nigeria's energy minister on Wednesday insisted that OPEC and Russia are in agreement on extending oil production cuts, even as the market sold off on uncertainty over the nearly one-year-old deal. Oil prices fell sharply at midday on Wednesday after energy ministers sent mixed signals about extending an agreement that has kept about 1.8 million barrels a day off the market since January. The goal of the coordinated output cuts is to shrink huge global stockpiles of crude and stabilize oil prices following a three-year slump. A committee that monitors the deal recommended that a group of 24 oil-producing nations participating in the accord extend it by nine months. But Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak declined to say whether he supported that option, stoking fears about Russia's commitment that have weighed on prices all week. Reports that OPEC is considering either a six-month extension or a nine-month extension to be reviewed in June have roiled the market. Traders entered the week expecting the deal, which expires in March, to be extended through the end of 2018 without caveats.

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Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who attended the Wednesday meeting but does not sit on the committee, suggested there is only one course of action under consideration when asked by CNBC if all three options are on the table. "No, I think we're fairly aligned. I think we left that meeting fairly aligned," he said. "Obviously we need to bring in the bigger body tomorrow to look over our recommendations that have been made and then go from there." Asked explicitly whether OPEC members are in agreement, but Russia is not aligned with OPEC, he said, "No, we're all aligned." He suggested that too much attention has been paid to the idea of reviewing the a nine-month extension in June. Reports of a mid-year review surfaced on Tuesday, prompting some analysts to accuse the producers of settling for a de facto three-month extension. "There's actually only one option," Kachikwu said. "Even if you do take full-year rollover, you will need to review that according to market behavior, so they are not necessarily apart." Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar al-Luaibi also told CNBC earlier on Wednesday that a nine-month extension will be announced on Thursday.

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Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah was released on Tuesday 29th November, 2017 after reportedly reaching a settlement deal with authorities of over $1 billion.

Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, detained earlier this month in a corruption crackdown, has been released after paying authorities more than $1 billion for his freedom, according to media reports.

Once seen as a contender to the throne, Prince Miteb was among hundreds of other political and business figures rounded up in a sudden anti-corruption purge at the start of November.

The 64-year old cousin of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was said to have been released on Tuesday after reaching an "acceptable settlement agreement," Reuters reported, citing a government source who could not be verified by CNBC. News agency AFP also quoted a source close to the government revealing details of the release.

The amount of the settlement was undisclosed but according to the reports, Prince Miteb was understood to have paid an equivalent of more than $1 billion for his freedom.

At least three other people have reportedly reached settlements with the Saudi government.

Saudi officials have been looking to strike deals with some of those in detention, asking for them to hand over assets and cash in exchange for their freedom.

In some cases, the Saudi government had been seeking to appropriate as much as 70 percent of a suspect's wealth, the Financial Times reported in mid-November. The settlements have the potential to channel hundreds of billions of dollars - allegedly accrued through corruption  back into depleted state funds.
The Senate moved Wednesday to start debate on the Republican tax bill, a key step toward a vote this week to dramatically change the American tax system.

The 52-48 party line vote to proceed starts up to 20 hours of frenzied debate on the tax plan. Following that period, lawmakers will vote on a series of proposed changes.

The Senate is expected to then take a final vote on the bill by Friday. Republicans could make major changes to the proposal before the vote.

Every Republican who had expressed doubts about the bill voted to move to debate. However, it does not mean they will necessarily support a revised, final plan.

The biggest shift could be adding a "trigger" mechanism that would raise taxes if U.S. economic growth doesn't generate as much revenue as expected from the tax overhaul. The tool, designed to appease senators concerned about deficits, has sparked resistance from several GOP senators. Most of those lawmakers have suggested their opposition to the trigger will not make them vote against the bill.

Other tweaks to appease skeptical senators reportedly include increasing the tax deduction for pass-through businesses. They could also add in limited state and local tax deductions, which are entirely scrapped under the current Senate proposal.

Some GOP senators who only days ago appeared reluctant to support the bill voted to advance it. Lawmakers had expressed skepticism about issues including deficits generated by tax cuts, the bill's treatment of pass-through businesses and its effective repeal of Obamacare's individual mandate.

Republicans, with 52 seats in the Senate, can only lose two votes and still pass the plan with the simple majority required under special budget rules. That assumes all Democrats and independents, as expected, vote against the plan.

GOP Senate leaders appear confident that they have the votes to approve it

If the chamber passes its bill, lawmakers will have to reconcile their plan with separate legislation passed by the House. The chambers will have to decide on how to handle multiple key differences, including the treatment of popular state and local tax deductions.

Should both chambers pass a joint bill, it will go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.

Republicans hope to approve a tax plan by Christmas.
The tiny house movement has made a big impact on the United States over just a few years, with over 10,000 tiny houses and counting located across the country. But as the lifestyle becomes more popular, even the top mobile tiny house maker has found itself struggling.

When Tumbleweed Tiny House owner and CEO Steve Weissman approached serial entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis to help save his company from collapsing, Weissman did not realize he was the main culprit behind its failure.

Weissman, a former restaurateur, began running the country's largest manufacturer of tiny house RVs in 2012, but had zero prior manufacturing experience.

"I think any business owner's lack of research will ultimately lead to bad decision making. You can't run a business that way," Lemonis said on the latest episode of CNBC's "The Profit."

Despite bringing in $6 million in revenue this year, Weissman's lack of technical abilities and leadership skills put the company at risk of bankruptcy with over $1.6 million dollars of debt. Lemonis stepped in to address Weissman's shortcomings and offer his advice on how to keep the company from failing.

"You're reckless about [the business] because you didn't save any acorns for the future," Lemonis told Weissman. "The fact that you're not scared of debt in one breath, but you've taken on debt like it doesn't even faze you  that freaks me out."

As the owner of recreational retail store Camping World, Lemonis has been in the RV space for over a decade. He noted that although Weissman had little experience building homes, he still managed to grow Tumbleweed Tiny House from a five-person team working out of a garage to a 70-person company working out of a 20,000 square foot facility.

"The idea of being in the tiny home business excites me," Lemonis said, adding that after speaking with employees and "seeing the folks on the factory floor, there's a good recipe there. It just needs some major tweaking."

With faith in both the product and the people in Weissman's business, Lemonis offered a deal: In exchange for a $3 million loan to clean up the payables and return peace of mind to the employees and 75 percent equity, Weissman had to follow a few pieces of advice from Lemonis.

Here are the two pieces of advice Lemonis used to improve Weissman's leadership mindset.
A funny thing happened on the way to Judge Roy Moore's downfall in the Alabama senatorial election.

It's not happening.

And it's clear that the reason is President Donald Trump.

Just two weeks ago, Moore was accused of having improper sexual contact with an underage girl in the 1970s. The Washington Post published the story with those accusations on November 9th. It quickly wiped out his large lead in the polls.

Looking at the RealClearPolitics meter of polling trends in the race, a clear pattern emerges. Moore's popularity plummets and Democrat challenger Doug Jones' soars on November 11. That's the date of the first polls released after the story broke. The downward trend continued until November 21st.

Then, Moore's numbers suddenly started to recover. Two new polls released Wednesday show the Republican leading Jones by six and five points, respectively.

So what happened on November 21st to stem and then reverse the tide?

The most obvious answer is that President Trump came to his defense:

I can tell you one thing for sure: We don't need a liberal person in there, a Democrat, Jones. I've looked at his record, it's terrible on crime, it's terrible on the border, it's terrible on the military. We do not need somebody that's going to be bad on crime, bad on borders, bad with the military, bad for the Second Amendment.

After that the bleeding in Moore's polls stopped. Case closed.

Donald Trump's name might be mud in the blue states, the big coastal cities, and the halls of the congressional establishment, but in Alabama he still holds sway.

And more importantly, President Trump knows just how to frame the argument at the right time. Just like he persuaded a lot of reluctant conservatives to vote for him in 2016 by reminding them their only other viable option was Hillary Clinton, he's doing it again with Roy Moore.

When McConnell and the rest of the GOP established went into a full court press to get Moore to step down from the race, President Trump's response became even more important. And he responded by bucking McConnell and company and playing that purely conservative vs. liberal card.

One would have to excuse McConnell if he thought he had Moore finished off. When McConnell was a relative newcomer in the Senate in the mid-1990s, he played an integral role in forcing fellow Senator Bob Packwood's resignation on sexual assault allegations. But times have changed and there wasn't a Republican president in the White House back when Packwood was under fire.

If Moore wins, it will be the latest proof of just how toothless the GOP establishment remains in the wake of its embarrassing rout at the hands of Donald Trump in the 2016 primaries. The other main proofs are the failure to pass the Obamacare repeal and the difficulties and the missteps in the preparation of the tax reform bill so far.

It's time for McConnell and the others in the Congressional leadership to consider what this means for them and how to respond. Moore has vowed to help bring McConnell down as majority leader if he gains entry into the Senate chamber. Even if Moore is expelled as some Republican senators have promised to do, McConnell's failure to get him to withdraw or defeat him at the ballot box should lead to a no confidence vote in his leadership.

Either way, President Trump wins. No matter how much the Republican Party may want to run away from him, it clearly cannot. The GOP base, especially in super red states like Alabama, simply will not allow it.

Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
Ousted Chinese contractor asks govt to revisit decision

China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), the ousted contractor of the $2.5-billion Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, has called on the government to revisit its decision to terminate the contract, stating the process of its removal was invalid.
Uber's top lawyer on Wednesday denied an allegation by an ex-employee that the company deliberately used secret messaging systems in an effort to hide the theft of trade secrets -- and that the allegation was part of an effort to extort money from Uber.

Angela Padilla, deputy general counsel at the company, said in court testimony that the allegation from ex-employee Richard Jacobs that the company took steps to cover its tracks when stealing trade secrets from Alphabet's Waymo was not true. She added that Jacob's claims were an effort to extort money from the company.

The evidence in question is a letter from Jacobs' attorney alleging that Uber advised employees to use ephemeral messaging systems, like Wickr, and non-attributable devices to hide their tracks to protect the company from potential litigation.

Padilla called Jacobs' claims meritless. Jacobs  a former Uber security analyst, was later paid $4.5 million after he left the company, Padilla said.

In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Jacobs's lawyer  Martha Boersch  said she was surprised by Uber's statement "because Mr. Jacobs's concerns about conduct at Uber have in fact been taken seriously by Uber, which is investigating and which referred those concerns to the U.S. attorney's office." Boersch further said that "Mr. Jacobs is a an honorable and honest man who found some conduct at Uber ethically troubling and potentially illegal, and he reported it."
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday promoted the Republican tax reform effort, his top legislative priority.

In St. Louis, Mo., the president planned to describe the two tax reform bills currently moving through Congress as a "once in a lifetime opportunity to restore American prosperity."

The visit came as Republicans in the Senate worked feverishly this week to hammer out a tax reform bill that can garner support from both deficit hawks and more moderate senators. On Wednesday, a version of the bill moved one step closer to the Senate floor.

But major questions still remain about what the final version of the legislation will look like. Floor debate and amendments are expected later this week, with votes on the bill also potentially taking place within the next few days.

"This week's vote can be the beginning of the next great chapter for the American Worker," Trump is expected to say.

"Our focus is on helping the folks who work in the mail rooms and machine shops of America  the plumbers and the carpenters, the cops and the teachers, the truck drivers and the pipe fitters  all of the people who give their best each and every day to take care of their family and the country they love," Trump is slated to say, according to prepared remarks distributed to press. "It is not enough for the middle class to keep getting by  we want them to start getting ahead."
Proxy voting blamed for highest turnout

The Election Commission has said that the highest percentage of polling was recorded in Bajura district during the first phase of federal parliament and provincial assembly elections on Sunday.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
London liberal incomprehension, strong in so many areas, is in few so comprehensive as on the subject of Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.

It would be surprising if one person in a hundred who follows Westminster politics could give an adequate account of her.

Not that Foster, DUP leader since December 2015, has done much to explain to the wider world what kind of person she is. She is certainly not a second Ruth Davidson, ready to spring before the public as the very model of a modern party leader.

And yet Foster does symbolise a major change in the DUP, which after this years general election reached a confidence and supply agreement with the Conservatives under which its ten MPs support the government in important parliamentary votes in exchange for a billion pounds of additional public spending in Northern Ireland.

Foster is the first woman to lead the DUP, and the first Anglican, taking over from Peter Robinson, leader from 2008 to 2015. The party was founded by Ian Paisley, who led it from 1971 to 2008, and was also the founder in 1951 of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.

Although Paisley ended up sharing power with Sinn Fein, and on the best of terms with Martin McGuinness, he made his name as an intransigent sectarian opponent of all concessions to Irish nationalism and the Church of Rome. The fervour of his denunciations, which in the 1970s encompassed the destruction of power-sharing and a campaign to Save Ulster from Sodomy, appalled not just English liberals but respectable Ulster Unionists, whose leader, David Trimble, he at length managed to elbow aside.

Hot gospelling is not Fosters style. She is, however, deeply marked by her early experiences of the Troubles. Her father, a part-time officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, also ran a small, remote farm, in a nationalist district close to the border with the Republic of Ireland in County Fermanagh. Foster described in The Belfast Telegraph how he was attacked one evening in 1979, when she was eight years old:

I was in the kitchen and my mother was sitting on the edge of the table and she just froze when the gunshots went off I didnt know what they were until my father came in on all fours crawling, with blood coming from his head The terrorists thought he was on police duty and he would be coming home at 12 oclock, but then they realised he was in the house. So when he went out to close the animals in for the night about 9.30 p.m. or so they opened up. That meant they were further away than they would have been if he had come in the car.

She remembers her father describing how he danced about to try to avoid the bullets until he was hit in the head. He recovered from his injuries, but the family had to move.

Arlene joined the Girl Guides, which meant a lot to her, and went to the Collegiate Grammar School for Girls in Enniskillen. When she was 16, the IRA bombed her school bus in an attempt to kill the driver, who was a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment:

I was actually sitting beside a friends sister and I was in the inside and she was in the aisle. She was very badly injured. You then had to deal with the fact that this had happened and it could have been me, because we used to fight about who sat next to the window.

She won a place to read law at Queens University Belfast, where she also chaired the Ulster Unionist Association, after which she practised as a solicitor, married Brian Foster, whose uncle was a prominent Ulster Unionist politician, and in 2003 was elected as an Ulster Unionist member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

But she was a vehement opponent of the Good Friday Agreement, passed five years earlier, in the negotiation of which Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, had been centrally involved, and for which, with John Hume, he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Foster explains that she was not against the idea of having an agreement, but was against this particular agreement in terms of prisoner releases, the non-accountability of ministers and the emasculation of the RUC. Soon after her election to the Assembly, she defected, along with Jeffrey Donaldson, from the Ulster Unionists to the DUP.

Her new party, which was in the ascendant, made her welcome, and from 2007 she served as a minister, and in early 2010 as Acting First Minister while Robinson was under a cloud. Her local paper in Enniskillen, The Impartial Reporter, proudly reported that she was the first woman and the youngest person to hold the top post in any United Kingdom devolved administration.

At the end of 2015, Robinson retired and Foster succeeded him as DUP leader and First Minister. In May 2016, the DUP prospered in the Assembly elections. It also backed Brexit, so the following month found itself on the winning side in the EU referendum.

And in October 2016, as Gary Gibbon of Channel 4 News reported under the headline Tories look to increase majority with DUP deal, the DUP held a champagne reception at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, attended by Gavin Williamson, the Conservative Chief Whip. Foster and Nigel Dodds, the leader of the partys eight Westminster MPs, also paid a call during the conference on Theresa May.

It seemed Foster was modernising the DUP, turning it away from its sternly puritanical roots. Under Paisley, the idea of holding a reception at which alcohol  the devils buttermilk  was served would have been unthinkable.

But the new First Ministers relations with Sinn Fein were less cordial. In December 2016, the cash for ash affair erupted, with Foster accused of having failed, after she introduced the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, to act on warnings that costs were spiralling out of control.

In protest at her refusal to step aside while these allegations were investigated, the Sinn Fein leader Martin McGuinness resigned as Deputy First Minister, precipitating the collapse of the devolved government.

In March 2017, fresh Assembly elections had to be held, and the DUP emerged with only one seat more than Sinn Fein: a humiliating reversal of fortune for Foster. But this disaster was soon overtaken by the snap Westminster election called by Theresa May.

While the Conservatives lost their majority, the DUP gained two more seats, giving it a block of ten MPs and a very strong bargaining position. Williamson was at the heart of the negotiations with the DUP which secured the continuation of the Conservative government.

So there is unprecedented interest in what the DUP under Fosters leadership is really like  a difficult question to answer, when one contemplates how many Ulster politicians have started by building a reputation for total intransigence, before spending the accumulated credit on doing a deal with their opponents.

Concentrating, as some in London are inclined to do, on the DUPs social conservatism  its opposition to abortion and gay marriage  does not get one very far in working out its attitudes to constitutional questions.

But Fosters record so far suggests she is happier holding to Unionist verities than overcoming her profound and understandable reservations, instilled in childhood, about cooperating with Sinn Fein.

She can react badly to criticism. Faced with opposition, she is more likely to dig her heels in, and try to bully her way through, than to charm or outmanoeuvre her adversaries.

At the DUPs recent one-day conference, she was loudly cheered as she ruled out accepting any sort of special EU status for Northern Ireland, different from the rest of the UK.

Brexit has not made the DUP more British, but it has brought out that partys pre-existing Britishness. As Foster said in her conference speech, in a deliberate retort to the claim during the Conservative Party Conference by the Sinn Fein leader Michelle ONeill that the North is not British:

Regardless of some of the propaganda the truth is the Union is secure and no matter how many times we are told that the North isnt British, Northern Ireland is British and British it will remain.

Paul Goodman and Henry Newman have warned in recent days on this site about the potential for the border issue to lead to disaster in the Brexit negotiations.

The Good Friday Agreement relied on a degree of ambiguity: on the ability of the different parties to interpret the settlement in different ways, focussing more on what they had gained than what they had lost.

There is a danger that Brexit, by bringing the national question into sharp relief, will dissipate that ambiguity. Thoughtful Unionists worry that one consequence could be to increase the generally static levels of support in Northern Ireland for a united Ireland.

The Stormont government remains in a state of collapse and the public inquiry into cash for ash has yet to report. Foster has shown resilience under pressure, which is indispensable, but has not yet demonstrated that she knows how to make the strange machinery imposed by liberal outsiders on Northern Ireland work.

For while any Unionist leader has for much of the time to reassure his or her followers by standing firm, he or she must also have the ability to see the right moment to disarm an opponent by making a concession. And whether Foster possesses that latter ability  so easy to commend from the safety of ones armchair  is by no means clear.
Ben Roback is a Senior Account Executive at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme.

We are in the middle most important legislative week in the Trump presidency so far, as tax reform and the budget deadline both loom large.

The fate of the Presidents first year in office looks to hang in the balance, as the Republican Congress tries to put its first legislative achievement on the desk in the Oval office for signing.

Delivering tax reform would be a major step towards helping Republicans prove that they can make good their key campaign promises, especially after failure to pass health care reform. While tax reform is the legislative ambition, avoiding a government shutdown is quickly becoming the political priority.

In September, President Trump unexpectedly struck a deal with the Democratic leadership  Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi  much to the surprise of Republicans in Congress. He enjoyed the positive reaction in the news media, the very targets of his customary fake news tirades. Finally, some believed, the Art of the Deal was being put into action.

There appears to be little sign of similar good will as the budget deadline looms on December 8th. Since then, relations with the Democratic leadership have worsened significantly, and look to be rapidly descending to new lows.

Yesterday, Sen. Schumer and Rep. Pelosi abruptly withdrew from a scheduled White House meeting which hd averting a government shutdown top of the agenda. The reason? The tweets.

Just hours beforehand, President Trump threw doubt on the prospects for the negotiations, tweeting that Schumer and Pelosi want illegal immigrants flooding into our country unchecked, are weak on crime and want to substantially RAISE taxes. For the avoidance of all doubt, the president added: I dont see a deal.

Who holds the leverage? Despite Republican control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, a slim majority in the upper chamber of Congress means Democratic votes are required. As Pelosi loves to remind her Republican colleagues, the votes are the currency of the realm.

Republicans need at least eight Democratic votes in the Senate to meet the 60-vote threshold, in order to approve a federal spending bill. With a long list of demands that Senate Democrats could tie to their support for a budget deal, ranging from Obamacare subsidies to ongoing support for the Dreamers, the support of the minority party in the Senate is key.

Meanwhile, the President wants money for the border wall and sees the budget as a new opportunity to reform Obamacare. It is a high-risk strategy on all sides for the stakes to be raised so greatly. Neither side will want to back down and come to the table for talks first, only increasing the likelihood of no deal.

Despite the clear and present fact that it is the American public who miss out most in the event of a government shutdown, both sides look to be gaming out its political advantages. For the opposition Democrats, Schumer lays the blame at the feet of the Republicans who are running the show, given their majorities across the government.

For the Republicans, Trump has already prepared his attack lines, noting: If that [a shutdown] happens, I would absolutely blame the Democrats. If it happens, its going to be over illegal immigrants pouring into the country, crime pouring into the country, no border wall.

Schumer and Pelosi, despite rebuffing the President, welcomed the chance to meet with the Republican congressional leadership to take the matter forward. It was an attempt to drive an even greater wedge between the Trump and Ryan/McConnell wings within the Republican Party.

It may have the reverse effect. While Republicans remain split on their support for a President who has been willing to publicly burn their colleagues, they are united in their opposition to the Democrats. In trying to prize them apart, the Schumer-Pelosi strategy may well end up bringing Republicans far closer together.

Looking down the barrel of a shutdown that would reflect poorly on both parties, the pressure is now on to act in a short timeframe on two fronts. With an alarmingly few legislative days before Christmas, a looming shutdown is the last thing Congress and the White House needs on their plates right now.
AKWESASNE, The Ahkwesahsne Mohawk School is proud to announce that the school and library has received a large and generous gift from our friends at Coles Book Store in Cornwall, owned by Indigo/Chapters.

Indigo/Chapters holds a Love of Reading fundraiser in their stores for a local school of the stores choice, in order to raise funds for new books. Akwesasne was pleased to hear the local Coles store had chosen A.M.S. as their school of choice, and was even more thrilled to learn that this fundraiser was the most theyve raised for any school!.

On Tuesday, A.M.S. Principal Denise Jackson attended the store with a few students including a Student Council Representative Xander Jacobs. The school received a donation of $3,185.79 from the donations collected! Customers donated to the fundraiser and community members were also able to donate online.

There was an extra surprise as well, presented by store staff. One customer had purchased a book bag to be donated to an A.M.S. student in need, and staff decided to fill the bag with their own favourite books for the school library!

The books donated were:

Anne of Green Gables Collection by L.M. Montgomery

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

Hat Trick by Irene Punt

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

The Skeleton Tree by Ian Lawrence

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Music is for Everybody by Jill Barber

On behalf of A.M.S. we wish to thank Coles/Indigo and the communities of Cornwall and Akwesasne for this honour and donation, said Principal Jackson.. Not only will our library grow but our students love of reading will too. Nia:wen kowa.
Celebrity Cruises has announced its 2019 Alaska season with the Solstice, Eclipse and Millennium sailing seven-day cruises.

The Eclipse and Millennium will both sail from Vancouver. The Eclipse will sail roundtrip Inside Passage cruises, calling at Ketchikan and Juneau. (These cruises are offered on the Infinity from Seattle in 2018.) In addition, the Eclipse will sail Pacific coastal cruises from San Diego, Los Angeles and Vancouver from seven to nine nights. The Millennium will sail open-jaw between Vancouver and Seward.

The Solstice will continue to sail from Seattle on roundtrip voyages visiting Victoria, Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau.
Retuning foreign policy

In the past few decades, the setting for international relations between states has transformed considerably at the regional and global levels.
Valletta Cruise Port, part of the Global Ports Holding portfolio of cruise ports, has welcomed 700,000 cruise passenger movements, according to a statement.

A lucky recipient, who arrived in the Port of Valletta aboard the MSC Meraviglia, was selected as the 700,000th passenger and given the opportunity to return to Malta in the near future with a three-day break in Malta inclusive of flights for two persons, courtesy of the Malta Tourism Authority. The lucky guest will be put up with accommodation provided by The Saint John, a boutique hotel, situated in the heart of Valletta.

The Minister for Tourism, the Hon. Dr Konrad Mizzi said, Today we have reached a new milestone in the number of cruise liner passenger arrivals. So far this year 700,000 cruise passengers have experienced entering the grand harbour and visited Malta. Government is committed to continue to work with the Valletta Cruise Port to ensure our offering is competitive and that our product continuously improves.

This marks a momentous milestone for Valletta Cruise Port, currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, and Malta. Together with local stakeholders we have worked relentlessly towards achieving this target and to ensure its sustainability in the future. The drive for excellence of the Valletta Cruise Port team and other collaborators to always exceed customer expectations is at the core of this success, coupled with the natural beauty of the Valletta Grand Harbour, commented Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding.

The 700,000th arrival of cruise passengers is a significant milestone for Maltas tourism industry; we have today reached a level of cruise traffic that we could only dream about just a few years back.

The cruise industry is an important contributor to the Maltese economy, in particular to the business community in Valletta and the Grand Harbour region. Beyond the injection of income that each cruise ship visit generates, there is also the positive contribution of showcasing some of the highlights of our Islands to day trippers and often also to their social media network. Apart from the resultant promotion of our Islands, surveys have shown that many cruise passengers are intrigued to return to Malta and Gozo for a longer holiday soon after, said Carlo Micallef, Chief Marketing Officer of the Malta Tourism Authority.

Valletta Cruise Port is anticipating closing the year 2017 with record passenger movements of approximately 780,000 guests on 340 cruise calls, and 2018 expected to be on the same level, the port said.

Homeport customers include P&O and TUI Cruises.

The port will also play host to the MedCruise General Assembly in May, 2018.
Princess Cruises today announced its 2019 cruises and cruisetours, open for sale December 14, 2017.

The 2019 season features five ships sailing to 130 destinations, the company said.

Guests can choose from 85 unique itineraries on 211 cruise departures, visiting 37 countries, featuring 30 ports with longer time ashore, including five ports with overnight stays.

"Europe is a destination our guests want to come back to year after year," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises and Carnival Australia group president. "Our 2019 itineraries offer so many desired European destinations and experiences that will leave our guests inspired and changed by the local culture, food, landscape and charm of these iconic places."

Among the highlights for the 2019 season include Northern Europe, with the cruise line's return to Greenland on Pacific Princess, new departures out of Dublin on the popular British Isles itineraries aboard Crown Princess and the opportunity to search for the Northern Lights in Norway on Sapphire Princess, sailing the longest season ever out of London (Southampton), England, according to Princess.

Full Statement
The major cruise companies calling in Cuba along with few surprise players eyeing the country were quietly in Havana this week for a series of meetings with the Cuban government, according to local media reports.

Some 12 cruise operators were represented by top management, including Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, American Cruise Lines, Pearl Seas, Virgin Voyages and Disney Cruise Line.

Talks centered on Cuban ports and infrastructure issues, as well as the potential for Cuba as a cruise destination.

Additional information was not available at press time.
The Department of Justice charged three Chinese nationals working for an internet security firm in China with hacking three companies and stealing hundreds of gigabytes of data and trade secrets from Siemens AG, Moodys Analytics and GPS maker Trimble between early 2011 and May 2017. Both the malware and the organization to which defendants Wu Yingzhuo, Dong Hao and Xia Lei belonged have previously been linked to the Chinese government.

Soo C. Song, acting U.S. Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, charged the Chinese men with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to steal trade secrets, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Yingzhuo, Hao and Lei, according to the Justice Department, worked to steal hundreds of gigabytes of data regarding the housing finance, energy, technology, transportation, construction, land survey, and agricultural sectors.

The indictment, filed in September, was unsealed on Monday. The federal charges indicate that the trio used spearphishing emails to gain access to the companies computers, used malware to infect the networks, and used third-party networks as hop points to hide their tracks.

These conspirators masked their criminal conspiracy by exploiting unwitting computers, called hop points, conducting spearphish email campaigns to gain unauthorized access to corporate computers, and deploying malicious code to infiltrate the victim computer networks, Song said.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Bob Johnson said investigators relied on missteps to identify the hackers, but he would not elaborate on those mistakes because it potentially could jeopardize future investigations.

While the Justice Department maintains that the Chinese trio worked for the Chinese internet security firm Guangzhou Bo Yu Information Technology Company, according to TribLIVE, Song said, There does not appear to be a link between the cyber attacks alleged in the most recent indictment and the Chinese government or military.

Its interesting that Song claimed there didnt appear to be a link between the Chinese government or military and the cyber attacks alleged in the indictment  especially since the Justice Departments press release claims, The three Chinese hackers work for the purported China-based Internet security firm Guangzhou Bo Yu Information Technology Company Limited (a/k/a Boyusec).

Links to Chinese government-sponsored APT3

Boyusec, according to the anonymous group Intrusion Truth, was a front for APT3, aka Gothic Panda, Buckeye, UPS Team and TG-0110. The group traced domain name registration data from APT3 tools and domains to Wu Yingzhuo.

In May 2017, the security firm Recorded Future agreed that Boyusec is a Chinese government contractor linked to the APT3 group. The company attributed APT3 to the Chinese Ministry of State Security and Boyusec with a high degree of confidence.

Although the Justice Department doesnt come right out and say the hackers were working for the Chinese government-sponsored APT3, the press release did state, In many instances, the co-conspirators sought to conceal their activities, location and Boyusec affiliation by using aliases in registering online accounts, intermediary computer servers known as hop points and valid credentials stolen from victim systems.

The Chinese internet security firm Boyusec was disbanded this month, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hacking allegations

The hackers allegedly used spearphishing campaigns, exploited vulnerabilities or used malware to obtain and maintain unauthorized access. The DOJ said they used hop points to misrepresent their IP addresses and locations while identifying, collecting, packaging and stealing data from the victims.

The indictment also claims the defendants used UPS Backdoor Malware to remotely access and control infected computers within the victims networks. The defendants used multiple versions of the UPS Backdoor Malware to misrepresent their status as authorized users of the victims computers in order to issue commands to search, identify, copy, package and steal data stored on such computers.

The DOJ claims Hao hacked Siemens network and obtained usernames and passwords of employees in 2014. In 2015, the hackers managed to steal 407 gigabytes of proprietary commercial data pertaining to Siemenss energy, technology and transportation businesses. Siemens refused to comment upon internal security measures, only telling the Trib that it rigorously monitors and protects its infrastructure.

By 2011, the defendants allegedly gained access to Moodys Analytics email server in order to forward all emails sent to the employee used as the companys branding asset. Lei is accused to accessing the emails, which contained proprietary and confidential economic analyses, findings and opinions. A spokesperson for Moodys told the Trib that the company does not believe any confidential consumer data or other personal employee information was exposed in the alleged hack.

In 2015 and 2016, the hackers allegedly accessed Trimbles network and stole at least 275 MB of data, including hundreds of zipped files and trade secrets. A Trimble spokesperson told the Trib that no client data was breached and the attack had no meaningful impact on its business.

Despite Trimbles quotes, attorney Song called the losses to the targeted companies targeted considerable, adding, The fruit of these cyber intrusions and exfiltration of data represent a staggering amount of dollars and hours lost to the companies.

How will the U.S. actually get its hands on the accused? Song suggested the defendants could be arrested while traveling.
It doesnt always require a whistleblower to leak classified NSA data, considering top secret files were stored on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 bucket that was configured for public access. The server contained sensitive data belonging to the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), which is a joint Army and NSA division.

The publicly accessible repository with classified data was discovered in September by Chris Vickery of UpGuard. It hasnt even been two weeks since news broke of UpGuard finding unsecured Amazon S3 buckets for CENTCOM and PACOM, which contained dozens of terabytes of data about a military-sponsored web monitoring program. A third party working for the Pentagon was responsible for failing to secure the servers, which contained at least 1.8 billion scraped social media posts.

Classified information sitting unprotected online

This time around, Vickery discovered the misconfigured S3 bucket that would allow anyone entering the URL to view the repository located at the AWS subdomain inscom; it contained 47 viewable files and folders, three of which were freely downloadable.

According to UpGuard, The three downloadable files contained in the bucket confirm the highly sensitive nature of the contents, exposing national security data, some of it explicitly classified.

One of the files, an Oracle Virtual Appliance (.ova) file, contained a virtual hard drive image and a Linux-based operating system likely used for receiving Defense Department data from a remote location. The virtual hard drive reportedly contained over 100 gigabytes of data from an Army intelligence project, codenamed Red Disk.

Back in 2013, Red Disk was meant to be a battlefield intelligence platform that would aggregate data from the Armys Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS-A), index data, videos and satellite imagery, making them searchable in real time. But it would crash, was slow and proved unreliable during the testing phase, which involved soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. After dumping at least $93 million into Red Disk, the Pentagon scrapped it in 2014.

While UpGuard noted that the virtual hard drive with six partitions and OS could be browsed, most of the data could not be accessed without connecting to Pentagon systems. Nevertheless, properties of the files on the virtual hard drive revealed technical configurations marked as Top Secret; other files were classified as NOFORN which stands for no foreign nationals, meaning it wasnt meant to be shared even with foreign allies.

Defense contractor Invertix used the S3 box

Metadata revealed that the box was used by the now-defunct third-party defense contractor Invertix. Private keys belonging to Invertix admins and used to access distributed intelligence systems, as well as hashed passwords, were also exposed.

The other downloadable files from the virtual disk were a ReadMe, which contained instructions about the contents of the .ova and information about where to get additional Red Disk packages, and a training snapshot.

The data contained in the bucket was not protected with a password  even though classified sections indicated Top Secret and NOFORN material. The subdomain name of INSCOM for the bucket would make the value of the information clear to malicious actors or foreign intelligence services.

In the words of Dan OSullivan, another member of UpGuards Cyber Risk Team, Plainly put, the digital tools needed to potentially access the networks relied upon by multiple Pentagon intelligence agencies to disseminate information should not be something available to anybody entering a URL into a web browser.

He called the risk from third-party vendors the silent killer for cyber resilience. In this case, the transfer of data to the contractor Invertix, which has now merged into a new corporation called Altamira Technologies, opened the Defense Department to the consequences of a breach even though the DoD did not have full oversight of how the data was handled.
NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger, along with other senior staff, will meet with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Mignon Clyburn today to discuss the adverse effects some Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) provisions have on the credit union industry.

Also in attendance at todays meeting: NAFCU Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler, Director of Regulatory Affairs Alexander Monterrubio and Regulatory Affairs Counsel Ann Kossachev.

In July 2015, the FCC released a declaratory ruling and order that provides limited robocall exemptions under the TCPA for financial institutions making free autodialed calls to consumers. NAFCU has repeatedly told the FCC that the order has led to financial institutions ceasing important communications with members about their accounts over fear of inadvertently violating the rule.

In light of this, NAFCU has urged the FCC to clarify language in the TCPA in order to ease the compliance burden many credit unions face when trying to contact their members. While the association has commended the FCC for its efforts to crack down on illegal robocalls, its efforts to modernize the TCPA have only increased the potential for frivolous lawsuits and made it more difficult for credit unions to serve their members.
STORY LINK Hopes for Higher EU ?Divorce Bill? Inspire Pound New Zealand Dollar Rate Rise

Hopes of #Brexit Breakthrough push GBP/NZD Exchange Rate Higher

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker is to host Prime Minister Theresa May at a working lunch next Monday.



This coincides with the EU-imposed deadline on the UK to prove sufficient progress on the three main Brexit issues - citizens rights, money and Ireland.



Or else, Brussels has warned the UK it can forget its dearest Christmas wish - for talks to widen and include discussion of trade and transition deals.

Stepping back for a moment, the reason there is so much focus on money and the Irish border at the moment is because the UK is dead set on getting agreement from the EU in time for the EU leaders' summit mid-December, [so] that Brexit negotiations can be expanded to include talk of the future.

Theresa May has her back against the wall over the Irish border Brexit issue this money news now distracts from that. It makes her seem proactive.



Far better for her to be seen to be generous before she comes to Brussels than have the news come out next Monday when it might seem she was bullied in to concessions.

Business as Usual RBNZ Stability Report pushes NZD Higher

Momentum in the global economy has continued to build over the past six months, reducing near-term risks to financial stability.



However, the New Zealand financial system remains exposed to international risks related to elevated asset prices and high levels of debt in a number of countries.

Near-term GBP/NZD Decline possible if UK Confidence Drops in November

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On Tuesdays trading session, the Pound saw dramatic movement against the New Zealand Dollar. The pairing opened in the region of 1.9245, before dropping sharply to an almost two-week low of 1.9091.In another shock movement, the Pound then surged higher to close up against the NZD in the region of 1.9368 late on Tuesday.Speculation about potential progress in Brexit talks has firmed the Pound today, which has posted gains against virtually all of its regular peers.The GBP/NZD rate rise has been less impressive, but only because there has also been supportive NZ news recently.For GBP traders, the suggestion that the UK government could increase the size of its divorce bill has been seen as extremely good news.Estimates are that the government could increase its earlier planned payment from 20bn to 55bn, which might provide a much greater level of influence in Brexit negotiations.Traders are indeed banking on a higher payment having this effect, to the level of unblocking currently stalled talks.Commenting on how this development could change the nature of Brexit talks, BBC Europe Editor Katya Adler said;Stressing the importance of getting a provisional divorce payment on the table, Adler has added;Adler has additionally relayed her conversation with a diplomat, who responded to the news by saying;For now, Pound traders are greatly confident because of the news, but this could all change in the near-term on any negative adjustments to the proposed total divorce bill sum.A safe Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) financial stability report has led to significant New Zealand Dollar gains today.As mentioned above, however, the NZD has not been quite strong enough to post an advance against the more desirable Pound.RBNZ officials have been broadly confident about the circumstances, stating that risks to the economy have reduced over the past 6 months.The report struck a balanced tone, with RBNZ officials stating;While Sterling has made tentative gains against the New Zealand Dollar today, the pairing could fall sharply on Thursdays confidence reading.The GfK consumer confidence measure is tipped to worsen from -10 points to -11, which could panic GBP traders.While this wouldnt be a major decline, it would still set a bad precedent going into the traditional Christmas spending period.The next source of New Zealand Dollar movement will be an ANZ business confidence reading for November.Coming out early on Thursday, this is tipped to show an improvement from -10.1 points to -6.In the absence of any more substantial news, rising business confidence could be enough to trigger a small NZD/GBP rate rise.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound New Zealand Dollar Forecasts
Here's where to find deer on public hunting grounds in Pennsylvania

Whenever guys tell me theres no deer, I just say yep, youre right, said one hunter, with a laugh.
Stuck in limbo

That 150 Nepali migrant workers have been stranded in Kuwait for the past six months without pay or valid residency documents is not good news. However, what is worse is that such incidents occur on a regular basis in Gulf countries, and no authority is attempting to remedy the situation.
CACI International Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides expertise and technology to enterprise and mission customers in support of national security missions and government modernization/transformation in the intelligence, defense, and federal civilian sectors. It operates in two segments, Domestic Operations and International Operations. The Domestic Operations segment offers information solutions and services to the U.S. federal government agencies and commercial enterprises in the areas, such as digital solutions, C4ISR, cyber and space, engineering services, enterprise IT, and mission support. The International Operations segment provides a range of IT services, proprietary data, and software products to the commercial and government customers in the United Kingdom, continental Europe, and internationally. The company designs, implements, protects, and manages secure enterprise IT solutions. It also offers software-defined, full-spectrum cyber, electronic warfare, and counter-unmanned aircraft system solutions; and platform integration and modernization and sustainment, as well as system engineering, naval architecture, training and simulation, and logistics engineering. In addition, the company provides enterprise cloud solutions for classified and unclassified networks; and intelligence support that ensures continuous advances in collection, analysis, and dissemination to optimize decision-making. CACI International Inc was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.
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.
The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Credit Management LLC, AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe Holdings S.a.r.l, AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Operations Inc., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund II GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund III GP LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund IV GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American International Group UK Limited, American International Realty LLC, American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A. en Liquidacion S.A., Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., C.A. de Seguros American International, Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Glatfelter Underwriting Services Inc., Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Illinois National Insurance Co., Inversiones Segucasai C.A., Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, Lexington Specialty Insurance Agency Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PCG 2019 Corporate Member Limited, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SAFG Capital LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., and Western World Insurance Company.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: 2235158 Alberta Limited, A.J. Amer Agency, AHC Digital LLC, AIX Limited, AJG Coal LLC, AJG Financial Services LLC, AJG Meadows LLC, AJG North America ULC, AJG RCF LLC, AJGRMS of Louisiana LLC, ARM RE Ltda., AVIATION INSURANCE SERVICES, AVRECO, Ace IRM Insurance Broking Group, Acumus Holdings Limited, Acumus Interco Limited, Acumus Ltd, Adams & Associates International, Adaptive Marketing LLC, Adco General Corporation, Advanced Benefit Advisors, Aequus Trade Credit, Affinity Marketing Group, Ahrold Fay Rosenberg, Aires Consulting Group, Alesco Risk Management Services Limited, Alize Limited, Allied Claims Administration Inc., Alternative Market Specialists, Altman & Cronin Benefit Consultants, American Freedom Carriers Inc., American Security Services Corp., American Wholesalers Underwriting Ltd, Andrew-Anthony Insurance Agency, Anthony Hodges Consulting Limited, Antrobus Investments Limited, AquaSurance, Argentis, Argentis Financial Group Limited, Argentis Financial Management Limited, Argus Benefits, Armstrong/Robitaille/Riegle, Artex (SAC) Limited, Artex Cedar Hill, Artex Corporate Services (Malta) Limited, Artex Corporate Services Limited, Artex Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Holdings (Malta) Limited, Artex Insurance (Guernsey) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance (Tennessee) PCCIC Inc., Artex Insurance Brokers (Malta) PCC Limited, Artex Insurance ICC Limited, Artex Intermediaries Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Cayman) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Gibraltar) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Guernsey) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (International) Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (Malta) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Artex Risk Solutions (UK) Limited, Artex Risk Solutions Inc., Arthur J Gallagher (Norway) Holdings AS, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AUS) Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Bermuda) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Illinois), Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Insurance Brokers of California Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher (Aus) Pty Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (Bermuda) Holding Partnership, Arthur J. Gallagher (Life Solutions) Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Arthur J. Gallagher (U.S.) LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher (UK) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Asesoria S.A.C., Arthur J. Gallagher Australasia Holdings Pty Ltd., Arthur J. Gallagher Brokerage & Risk Management Services LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Broking (NZ) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Financial Services Professionals Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Group Quebec ULC, Arthur J. Gallagher Holdings (UK) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Latin America LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Management (Bermuda) Limited, Arthur J. Gallagher Real Estate Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services (Hawaii) Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services of Utah Inc., Arthur J. Gallagher School Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Service Company LLC, Arthur J. Gallagher Services (UK) Ltd, Ashmore & Associates Insurance Agency, Atlantic Risk Management Corp., Atrex Insurance (Cayman) SPC Limited, Avantek Pty Ltd, Axe Insurance PCC Limited, BIS Insurance Services, Baker - Tillys employment benefits solutions, Ballard Benefit Works, Bankers Financial Benefits, Barmore Insurance Agency, Behnke & Co. Inc., Bellisle Pty Ltd, Belmont Associates Consultants, Belmont Insurance Holdings Limited, Belmont International, Belmont International Limited, Benefit Development Group, Benefit Management Group, BenefitLink Resource Group, Benefits Planning & Insurance Agency, Benefits Unlimited, Bennett & Shade Co., Bergvall Marine, Bergvall Marine A.S., Besselman & Little Agency, Big Savings Insurance Agency Inc., Blenheim Park Ltd, Blenheim Park Services Limited, Blue Holdings Pty Ltd, Blue Horizon Insurance Services, Blue Water Benefits, BluePeak Advisors, Blueleaf Consulting Pty Ltd., Bluewater Incorporated Cell Insurance Company, Bollinger Inc., Bollinger Insurance Services Inc., Bowen Miclette Britt & Merry of Arkansas Inc., Brendis & Brendis, Brim AB, Broker Benefit Services, Brokerage Professionals, Brown Hobbs & McMurray Insurance, Bultman/Bell Associates Inc., Burkwald & Associates, Burns-Fazzi Brock & Associates, Bushong Insurance Associates, C&B Consulting Group, CGM Gallagher Insruance Brokers (Trinidad & Tobago) Limited, CJM Solutions Inc., CMA Solutions LLC, Cairnstone Financial, California Insurance Center, Capital Bauer Insurance Agency, Capitol Benefits Group, Capsicum CRLA LLP, Capsicum Re Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Capsicum Re Latin America Corretora De Resseguros Ltda, Capsicum Reinsurance Brokers Bermuda Limited, Capsicum Reinsurance Brokers Miami Inc., Carefree Marketing Inc., Carpenter Cammack & Associates, Cashan & Co., Castle Insurance Associates, Centennial Insurance Agency, Charity First Insurance Services Inc., Charles Allen Agency, Charter Lakes Insurance Agency, Chris Schroeder Insurance, Christie-Phoenix, Cintran Claims Canada Limited, Classic Insurance Services, Cleaveland Insurance Group, Cohen & Lord Insurance Brokers, Cohn Financial Group, Coleman Group Holdings Limited, Coleman Holdings Limited, College and University Scholastic Excess Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Commercial Insurance Brokers, Complete Benefit Alliance, Complete Financial Balance, Complete Financial Balance Pty Ltd, Consolidated Casualty Specialties LLC, Construction Risk Solutions, Contego Underwriting Limited, Contego Underwriting Ltd, Continental Excess & Surplus, Convergence Risk Services Ltd, Copper Mountain Assurance Inc., Cornwall & Stevens Co., Corporate Benefit Advisors, Corporate Life Consultants, Countrywide Accident Assistance Limited, Coverdell & Company Inc., Coverdell Canada Corporation, Cowles and Connell, Craig M. Ferguson & Co., Crist Elliott Machette Insurance Services, Crombie Lockwood (NZ) Limited, Davis-Poston & Associates, Denman Consulting Services, Detlefs Johnson & Partners, DiBrina Group, Dickinson & Associates, Discount Development Services L.L.C., Discovery Benefit Solutions, Dodson-Bateman & Co., Donald P. Pipino Co. Ltd., E. S. Susanin Inc., EHE Holdings LLC, EHS Holdings Limited, Elantis Premium Funding (NZ) Limited, Elantis Premium Funding Limited, Elite Benefits Insurance Marketing Services, Employee Benefits Analysis Corp., Employee Benefits of The Carolinas, Encore Insurance & Bonding, Everett James, Evolution Risk Services Limited, Evolution Technology Services Limited, Evolution Underwriting Group, Evolution Underwriting Group Limited, Evolution Underwriting Limited, Excel Insurance Services, FYI Direct Canada Corporation, FYI Direct LLC, Farallone Pacific Insurance Services, Fenchurch Faris Limited, Fidelity Benefits & Insurance Services, Financial Profiles Inc., Finergy Solutions Pty Ltd, First Agency, First Iowa Insurance Agency, First Premium Inc., First Premium Insurance Group, Fish & Schulkamp, Fishermans Insurance Services, Foley Healthcare Limited, Fortress Financial Solutions Pty Ltd, Fortress Insurance LLC, Foundation Strategies, Fox Lawson & Associates, Franklin-Case Agency LLC, Fraser MacAndrew Ryan Limited, Friary Intermediate Limited, Fuller & O'Brien, G.S. Chapman & Associates Insurance Brokers, G.S. Levine Insurance Services, GBS (Australia) Holdings Pty Ltd, GBS Administrators Inc., GBS Insurance and Financial Services Inc., GBS Retirement Services Inc., GBS Specialty Markets LLC, GGB Finance 1 Limited, GGB Finance 2 Limited, GGB Finance 3 Limited, GGB Finance 4 Limited, GPL Assurance, GPL Assurance Inc., Gabor Insurance Services, Gale Smith & Co. Inc., Gallagher (Bermuda) Insurance Solutions Ltd., Gallagher - Grace/Mayer Insurance Agency, Gallagher Bassett Aires Inc., Gallagher Bassett Canada Inc., Gallagher Bassett Insurance Services Ltd., Gallagher Bassett International Ltd., Gallagher Bassett NZ Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Inc. , Gallagher Bassett Services Pty Ltd., Gallagher Bassett Services Workers Compensation Victoria Pty Ltd., Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Group Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services (Holdings) Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Inc., Gallagher Benefit Services Management Company Limited, Gallagher Benefit Services Pty Ltd, Gallagher Benefits Consulting Limited, Gallagher Bomford Couch Wilson, Gallagher Burgess, Gallagher Canada Acquisition Corporation, Gallagher Caribbean Group Limited, Gallagher Clean Energy LLC, Gallagher Communications Limited, Gallagher Community Clinic RPG LLC, Gallagher Consulting Ltda, Gallagher Corporate Services LLC, Gallagher Coyle, Gallagher CyberRisk, Gallagher Energy Risk Services Inc., Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC, Gallagher Holdings (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Bermuda Company Limited, Gallagher Holdings Four (UK) Limited, Gallagher Holdings Three (UK) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (Barbados) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Kitts & Nevis) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Lucia) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers (St. Vincent) Limited, Gallagher Insurance Brokers Jamaica Limited, Gallagher International Cash Management s.r.l., Gallagher International Holdings (US) Inc., Gallagher Investment Advisors LLC, Gallagher Inwest Group, Gallagher Koster, Gallagher Lambert Group, Gallagher Madison Risk & Insurance Services, Gallagher Mauritius Holdings, Gallagher Mississippi Brokerage LLC, Gallagher RE Colombia Ltda Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Gallagher Risk & Reward Limited, Gallagher Risk Group LLC, Gallagher Risk Placements Pty Ltd, Gallagher SKS, Gallagher Service Center LLP, Gallagher-Tarantino, Galtney Group, Game Day Insurance Inc., Gardner & White Corp., Gardner Marine Agency, Garza Long Group, Gatehouse Consulting Limited, Gault Armstrong Kemble Pty Ltd, Gault Armstrong SARL, Giles Group, Giles Holdings Limited, Giles Insurance Brokers, Gillis Ellis & Baker Inc., Goodman Insurance Agency, Grandy Pratt Co., Greenseed Alternative Mangaers Platform Ltd, Grossman & Associates, Group Benefits of Arkansas, Group Insurance Associates, Gruppo Marcucci, HLG Holdings Limited, HMG-PCMS Limited, HPF Investments LLC, HR Owen Insurance Services Limited, Hagan Newkirk Financial Services, Hagedorn & Company, Hardman & Howell Benefits, Harlequin Insurance PCC Limited, Hartstein Associates Inc., Healthcare Professionals Purchasing Group LLC, Healthcare Risk Solutions, Heath Lambert Group Ltd., Heath Lambert Limited, Heath Lambert Overseas Limited, Heiser Insurance Agency, Henderson Phillips Fine Arts Insurance, Herbruck Alder & Co., Heritage Insurance Brokers (CI) Limited, Hesse & Partner AG, Hesse Consulting, Hexagon ICC Limited, Hexagon Insurance PCC Limited, Hill Chesson & Woody, Hogan Insurance Services, Home & Travel Limited, Honour Point Limited, Horseshoe Corporate Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services Ltd, Horseshoe Fund Services USA Inc., Horseshoe ILS Services UK Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Advisors US LLC, Horseshoe Insurance Advisory Ltd., Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings Ltd, Horseshoe Insurance Services Holdings US Inc., Horseshoe Management (Gibraltar) Limited, Horseshoe Management (Ireland) Ltd, Horseshoe Management Ltd., Horseshoe PCC Limited, Horseshoe Re Limited, Horseshoe Services (Cayman) Ltd, Horseshoe Services (Pty) Ltd, Horton Insurance Agency, Housing Authorities Services Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Human Resource Management Systems, I-Protect Underwriting Pty Ltd, IBIS Advisors, IBS Reinsurance Singapore Pte Ltd, ILS Fund Services Ltd., ISG International, ITI Solutions, Igloo Insurance PCC Limited, Independent Benefit Services, Independent Fiduciary Services, Ink Underwriting Agencies Limited, InsSync Group Pty Ltd, Inspire Underwriting Limited, Instrat Insurance Brokers, Instrat Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Instrat Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Insurance Acquisitions Holdings Limited, Insurance Associates Inc., Insurance Dialogue Limited, Insurance Dialogue Ltd., Insurance Plans Agency, Insurance Plus Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Insurance Point, Insurance Risk Managers of Missouri Inc., Insure My Villa Limited, Insure Pty Ltd, Integrated Healthcare Strategies, InterNational Insurance Group, InterPacific Underwriting Agencies, Intermountain Financial Benefits, Interstate Insurance Underwriters, JPGAC LLC, James F. Reda & Associates, James R. Weir Insurance Agency, Jenkins and Associates, Joe E. Martin Inc., John P. Woods Co. Inc., Jones Brown, Jones Brown Group Inc., Jones Brown Insurance Solutions Inc., Joseph Distel, Joseph James & Associates Insurance Agency, Just Landlords Insurance Services Ltd, KDC Associates, KRW Insurance Agency, Kahl Insurance Services, Kaler Carney Liffler & Co. Inc., Kane Group - Insurance Management Operations, Kelly Financial, Kent Kent & Tingle and RBS, Keyser Benefits Corp., Kingspark Enterprises Pty Ltd, L&R Benefits, LSG Insurance Partners, Learn About Money Limited, Lewis & Associates Insurance Brokers, Leystone Insurance & Financial, Life Plans Unlimited, Lincoln Financial Management, Longfellow Financial, Lucas Fettes Limited, Lucas Fettes and Partners Limited, Lutgert Insurance, MA Underwriting Pty Ltd, MDM Insurance Associates, MG Advanced Coal Technologies-1 LLC, MGA Insurance Services, MRS Holdings Ltd., Madison Scott & Associates, Managed Healthcare Solutions, Mannequin Insurance PCC Limited, Marchetti Robertson & Brickell Insurance, Marine Insurance Service, Martin Gordon & Jones Inc., McDowall Associates Human Resource Consultants, McIntyre Risk Management, McLean Insurance Agency, McNeary, McPherson Benefits Group, McRory & Co., Mecacem Insurance SPC Ltd, MedInsights Inc., Melton Insurance Associates, Memberworks Canada LLC, Merit Insurance, Metcom Excess, Metzler Bros. Insurance, Meyers-Reynolds & Associates, Mid America Group, Midwest Surety Services, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers, Mike Henry Insurance Brokers Limited, Mike Henry Insurance Funding Limited, Miller Buettner & Parrott, Miller-Harrison Insurance Services, Milne Alexander Pty Ltd, Minvielle & Chastanet Insurance Brokers, Monument Insurance (NZ) Limited, Monument Llc, Monument Premium Funding Limited, Mortgage Insurance Agency, Murphy Consultants, Mutual Insurance Services, NationAir Aviation Insurance, National Administration Co., National Ethics Association, National Transportation Adjusters, Nelson/Monarch Insurance Services, Nicoud Insurance Services, NiiS/Apex Group Holdings, Nonprofit Insurance Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Noraxis Capital Corp, Nordic Forsakring & Riskhantering AB, North Alabama Insurance, Nourse Insurance Brokers, O'Gorman & Young, OAMPS (UK) Limited, OAMPS Gault Armstrong Pty Ltd, OAMPS Limited, OAMPS Special Risks Ltd, Offshore Market Placements Limited, Optimum Talent, Orb Financial Services, Orb Financial Services Limited, Osprey Insurance Brokers Limited, Oval Group, Oval Healthcare Limited, Oval Insurance Broking Limited, Oval Limited, Oval Management Services Limited, Oxygen Insurance Managers, P2 Group, PEN Insurance Management Advisors Ltd, PT IBS Insurance Broking Service, Pacific Insurance Agency, Palmer Atlantic Insurance, Palmer Atlantic Insurance Ltd, Palmer Atlantic Risk Services Ltd., Park Row Associates, Parkstar Enterprises Pty Ltd, Parmia Pty Ltd, PartnerSource, Pastel Holding (NZ) Company, Pastel Holdings Pty Limited, Pastel Purchaser (NZ) Limited, Pastel Purchaser Pty Limited, Pavey Group Holdings (UK) Limited, Pavey Group Holdings Limited, Pavey Group Limited, Pearson Dunn Insurance Inc., Pen Underwriting Canada Limited, Pen Underwriting Group Pty. Ltd., Pen Underwriting Limited, Pen Underwriting Pty Ltd, Persing Dyckman & Toynbee Inc., Personal Advice Services Pty Ltd, Petty Burton Associates, Pointer Insurance Agency, Portmore Insurance Brokers (Wilshire) Limited, Portmore Insurance Brokers Limited, Potter-Holden & Co., Powell Insurance Agency, Premier Insurance Services Inc., Premier Risk Services, Premium Finance Corporation, Preston-Patterson, ProSource Financial, Professional Agents Risk Purchasing Group LLC, Professional Claims Managers, Proinova AB, Proinova Agency AB, Pronto California Agency LLC, Pronto California General Agency LLC, Pronto Florida Claims LLC, Pronto Florida General Agency LLC, Pronto Franchise LLC, Pronto General Agency Ltd, Pronto General Agency Management LLC, Pronto Holdco Inc., Pronto Holding California LLC, Pronto Holding Florida LLC, Pronto Insurance Agency of Laredo Inc., Pronto Premium Finance LLC, Property & Commercial Ltd., Property Insurance Initatives Limited, Property and Commercial Limited, Protected Insurance Company, Protection Plan Association Inc., Protek Group Limited, Providium Consulting Group, Ptarmigan Underwriting Agency Limited, Ptarmigan Underwriting UK Limited, Purple Bridge Claims Management Limited, Purple Bridge Finance Limited, Purple Bridge Group Limited, Purple Bridge Investments Limited, Purple Bridge Online Services Limited, Purple Bridge Publishing Limited, Quantum Underwriting Solutions Limited, Quillco 226 Limited, Quillco 227 Limited, R. L. Youngdahl & Associates, R.G. Speno Inc., R.W. Scobie, RA Rossborough (Guernsey) Ltd., RA Rossborough (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, REGENCY Group inc., RGA Referencing Limited, RGA Underwriting Limited, RIL Administrators (Guernsey) Ltd., RJ Dutton Inc., RSM Insurance Services Limited, Reassurance Holdings Inc., Rebholz Insurance Agency, Reid Manson Ltd., Reimbursement Services, Rentguard Limited, Reward Management Limited, Reynolds & Rodar Insurance Group, Riley & Associates, Rio 587 Limited, Rio 588 Limited, Risk & Reward Group, Risk Management Partners Limited, Risk Placement Services Inc., Risk Planners, Risk Services (NW) Limited, Risk Services (NW) Ltd., Risk Solutions Group Limited, Robert A. Schneider Agency, Robert Keith & Associates, Roberts & Roberts Insurance Service, Robinson-Adams Insurance, Rossborough Healthcare International Ltd, Rossborough Insurance (IOM) Ltd., Rossborough Insurance Services Ltd. (Jersey), S. A. Freerks & Associates, SEG Insurance Ltd, SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers, SHILLING Ltd, SKANCO International, SMERI AB, SRS Underwriting Pty Ltd, Secure Enterprises Pty Ltd, Securitas Re, Sellers Group, Sentinel Indemnity LLC, Septagon Insurance PCC Limited, Shuford Insurance Agency, Sigma II Insurance Agency, Sinclair Billard and Weld Limited, Sobieski & Bradley, Solid Benefit Guidance, Spanjers Insurance Agency, Spataro Insurance Agency, Specialised Broking Associates, Specialty Risk, Stackhouse Poland, Stackhouse Poland Bidco Limited, Stackhouse Poland Group Limited, Stackhouse Poland Holdings Limited, Stackhouse Poland Midco Limited, Stackouse Poland Limited, Stanton Group, Stark Johnson & Stinson Inc., Steel Agency, Strata Solicitors Ltd, Strategic Health Plans Corp., Strathearn Insurance Brokers, Strathearn Insurance Brokers (Qld) Trading Trust, Strathern Insurance Group Pty Ltd, Strathern Integration Holdco Pty Ltd, Strathern Unit Trust, Strong Financial Resources, Summit Insurance Group, Sunday and Associates, Sunderland Insurance Services, Super Advice Corporate Services Pty Ltd, Taylor Benefits, Texas Insurance Agency, Texas Insurance Managers, The BeneTex Group, The Buchholz Planning, The Chapman Group, The Commonwealth Consulting Group, The Daniels Group Inc., The EHE Group LLC, The EHE Insurance Agency LLC, The Eagle Insurance Agency LLC, The Eriksen Group, The Forker Company, The Gleason Agency, The Great Lakes Agency, The HR Group, The Hawk Agency, The Human Capital Group, The Lance Group, The Levitt/Kristan Co., The MW Bagnall Company, The Old Greenwich Consulting Group, The Parks Johnson Agency, The Plus Companies Inc., The Presidio Group, The Producers Choice, The Rains Group, The Splinter Group, The Titan Group, The Treiber Group, The Woodsmall Companies Inc., Title & Covenant Brokers Ltd., Title Investments Limited, Tom Sherwin Insurance Agency, Total Reward Group, Total Rewards Group (Holdings) Limited, Towle Agency, Transwestern, Tri-State General Insurance Agency, Triad Insurance Agency, Triad USA, Tribeca Strategic Advisors, Trinder & Norwood, Trip Mate, Trissel Graham & Toole, Tropp & Co., Tudor Risk Services, Tyloma Holdings Limited, Uni-Care Inc., Unison Inc., Universico Group, Unoccupied Direct Limited, V2V Holdings LLC, VEBA Service Group, Vasek Insurance Services Limited, Velo ACU LLC, Velo Holdings Inc., Verbag AG., Vertrue LLC, Victory Insurance Agency, Vincent L. Braband Insurance, Vital Benefits, Voluntary Benefits Solutions, W. E. Kingsley Co. Inc., WM. W. George & Associates, Walker Taylor Agency, Welling Associates, Wesfarmers Insurance - Insurance Brokerage Operations, Western Benefit Solutions, White & Company Insurance, Whitehaven Insurance Group, William Gallagher Associates Insurance Brokers, William H. Connolly & Co., Williams Insurance Agency Inc., Williams-Manny Insurance Group, Winn & Company Insurance Brokers, Wischmeyer Benefit Partners, Woodbrook Underwriting Agencies, Woods & Grooms, WorkCare Northwest, Worksite Communications, Y. S. Liedman & Associates, YOA Capsicum Reinsurance Broker Limited, Zenor Limited, Zuber Insurance Agency, and e3 Financial.

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Temporary policeman injured in Dang explosion dies

A Myadi (temporary) police injured in Tuesday's bomb explosion has died in course of treatment.
Ashford Hospitality Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the hospitality industry. The companys portfolio is concentrated in upper upscale, full-service hotels across the US. The portfolio strategy seeks to optimize total returns by maximizing the value of new acquisitions while paying dividends over time. The company boasts a geographically diversified portfolio of dominant branded full-service hotels. Ashford Inc externally advises Ashford Hospitality Trust.

Ashford Hospitality Trust is the culmination of decades of real estate experience dating back to the 1960s. Now based in Dallas, TX, the company was founded and went public in 2003. The company is geared to withstand the ups and downs of the hospitality and hotel cycles. The company is committed to disciplined capital market activities, has a successful transaction track record, and brings value-added asset management to the table.

Ashford Hospitality Trust is guided by five principles that best describe the company. These are Ethical, Innovative, Profitable, Engaging, and Tenacious and all key components of its reputation for integrity.

The companys portfolio is well-diversified across brands and includes but is not limited to Courtyard, Crown Plaza, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton, Marriot, Ritz-Carlton, and Sheraton. Properties are located in 25 of the 50 US states and Washington, D.C. targeting the top 25 markets in the nation. The company also owns a number of private and boutique names as well.

Ashford Hospitality Trust was founded by Monty J. Bennet who is the Chairman of the Board as well as Chairman, CEO, and President of Ashford, Inc which also trades on the NYSE. Mr. Bennet has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry including owning and operating major hotels.
The following companies are subsidiares of Colgate-Palmolive: 887357 Ontario Inc., COLGALIVE S.A., CP GABA GmbH, CP International Holding C.V., CP West East Investment Limited, Cleaning Dimensions Inc., Colgate (BVI) Limited, Colgate (Guangzhou) Company Limited, Colgate (U.K.) Limited, Colgate Business Services of the Americas S.C., Colgate Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Colgate Global Business Services Private Limited, Colgate Holdings, Colgate Inc., Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Inc., Colgate Palmolive Ghana Limited, Colgate Palmolive Holding S.Com.P.A., Colgate Palmolive Nouvelle Caledonie Sarl, Colgate Palmolive Tanzania Limited, Colgate Sanxiao Company Limited, Colgate Venture Company Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Asia) Pte Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Blantyre) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Brunei) Sdn Bhn, Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc. y Compania Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (China) Co. Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Costa Rica) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominica) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (East Africa) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Eastern) Pte. Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Egypt) S.A.E., Colgate-Palmolive (Far East) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Fiji) Pte Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Gabon) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Guyana) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (H.K.) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Hellas) S.A. I.C., Colgate-Palmolive (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Kazakhstan) L.L.P., Colgate-Palmolive (Latvia) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Middle East Exports) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (New York) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive (Proprietary) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Research & Development) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Romania) SRL, Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Uganda) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Vietnam) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Zambia) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Zimbabwe) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive A.B., Colgate-Palmolive A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Adria Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Treasury Services Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Belgium S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Bolivia Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Caricom Service Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Central European Management Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Chile S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cia., Colgate-Palmolive Comercial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Commercial (Hellas) SP LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Commerciale S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive Commericale S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive Compania Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive Company Distr. LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Cote dIvoire S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cyprus Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Development Corp., Colgate-Palmolive East West Africa Region (Pty) Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Enterprises Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Espana S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Europe (Holdings) Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Europe Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Finance (UK) plc, Colgate-Palmolive Global Trading Company, Colgate-Palmolive Holding Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Holding Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Hungary Kft Limited Liability Company, Colgate-Palmolive IHQ Services (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Industrial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Industriel S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive International Holding LLC, Colgate-Palmolive International LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Investment Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (BVI) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (PNG) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Investments Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Israel Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Italia S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive JSC, Colgate-Palmolive Lanka (Private) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Latin America Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Manufacturing (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive Maroc S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Mocambique Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive NJ Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Nederland B.V., Colgate-Palmolive Norge A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Participacoes e Investimentos Imobiliarios Lda., Colgate-Palmolive Peru S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Retirement Trustee Limited, Colgate-Palmolive S.A. de C.V., Colgate-Palmolive S.p.A., Colgate-Palmolive Senegal S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Services (Hellas) LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Services CEW GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Services S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Slovensko s.r.o., Colgate-Palmolive Support Services, Colgate-Palmolive Temizlik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticart S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Transnational Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Ukraine LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Unipessoal Lda, Colgate-Palmolive de Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive de Puerto Rico Inc., Colgate-Palmolive del Ecuador S.A.I.C., Colgate-Palmolive del Peru (Delaware) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Eeska republika spol. s r.o., Colpal CBS S de R. L. de C. V., Consumer Viewpoint Center Inc., Cotelle S.A., Dimac Development Corp., Dominica Coconut Products Limited, EKIB Inc., ELM Company Limited, Elta MD Holdings Inc., Elta MD Inc., EltaMD, Filorga Americas Inc., Filorga Asia Limited, Filorga Benelux SA, Filorga Cosmetiques Polska, Filorga Middle East DMCC, Filorga Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Filorga RU Limited Liability Company, GABA Europe Holding GmbH, GABA International, GABA International Holding LLC, GABA Schweiz AG, GABA Therwil GmbH, Gamma Development Co. Ltd., Global Trading and Supply LLC, Hamol Ltd., Hello Products, Hello Products LLC, Hills Funding Company, Hills Pet Nutrition (NZ) Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Asia Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Denmark ApS, Hills Pet Nutrition Espana S.L., Hills Pet Nutrition GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Holding B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Indiana Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Italia S.r.l., Hills Pet Nutrition Korea Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing s.r.o, Hills Pet Nutrition Norway AS, Hills Pet Nutrition OOO, Hills Pet Nutrition Pty. Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition S.p.A., Hills Pet Nutrition SNC, Hills Pet Nutrition Sales Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition South Africa Proprietary Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition Sweden AB, Hills Pet Nutrition Switzerland GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Taiwan Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition Trading (GZ) Co. Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hills Pet Nutrition de Puerto Rico Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition s.r.o., Hills Pet Products (Benelux) S.A., Hills Pet Products Inc., Hills Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Hills-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Hopro Liquidating Corp., Hygiene Systemes et Services SA, IES Enterprises Inc., Inmobiliaria Colpal S. de R.L. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Hills S.A. de C.V., Innovacion Creativa S.A. de C.V., Kolynos Corporation, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Espana S.L.U., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Italia S.R.L., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques S.A., Laser Brand Toothpaste, Lournay Sales Inc., Mennen Company, Mennen Interamerica Ltd., Mennen Limited, Mennen South Africa Ltd., Mennen de Chile Ltd., Mennen de Nicargua S.A., Mission Hills Property Corporation, Mission Hills S.A. de C.V., Norwood International Incorporated, Olive Music Publishing Corporation, PCA SKIN, Paramount Research Inc., Penny LLC, Pet Chemicals Inc., Physicians Care Alliance LLC, Productos Halogenados Copalven C.A., Purity Holding Company, Purity Music Publishing Corporation, Refresh Company Limited, Samuel Taylor Holdings B.V., Sanex, Sanxiao Company Limited, Services Development Co. Ltd., Societe Generale de Negoce et de Services (GENESE) S.A., The GDN - The Global Distributive Network SAS, The Lournay Company Inc., The MPDP - The Medical and Pharmaceutic Distributive Platform SAS, The Murphy-Phoenix Company, Tom's of Maine, Toms of Maine Holdings Inc., Toms of Maine Inc., Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Vipont Pharmaceutical Inc., and XEB Inc..

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The following companies are subsidiares of D.R. Horton: 10700 Pecan Park Austin Inc., 11241 Slater Avenue NE LLC, 2 C Development Company LLC, 8800 Roswell Road Bldg. B LLC, 91st Avenue & Happy Valley L.L.C., ANN & 215 LLC, Austin Data Inc., BP456 Inc., C. Richard Dobson Builders Inc., CH Funding LLC, CH Investments of Texas Inc., CHI Construction Company, CHM Partners L.P., CHTEX of Texas Inc., CV Mountain View 25 Inv LLC, Cane Island LLC, Continental Homes Inc., Continental Homes of Texas L.P., Continental Residential Inc., Continental Traditions LLC, Crown Operating Company Inc., Cypress Road L.P., D.R. Horton - CHAustin LLC, D.R. Horton - Colorado LLC, D.R. Horton - Crown LLC, D.R. Horton - Emerald Ltd., D.R. Horton - Georgia LLC, D.R. Horton - Hawaii LLC, D.R. Horton - Highland LLC, D.R. Horton - Indiana LLC, D.R. Horton - Iowa LLC, D.R. Horton - MV LLC, D.R. Horton - Nebraska LLC, D.R. Horton - Permian LLC, D.R. Horton - Regent LLC, D.R. Horton - Terramor LLC, D.R. Horton - Texas Ltd., D.R. Horton - WPH LLC, D.R. Horton - Wyoming LLC, D.R. Horton BAY Inc., D.R. Horton CA2 Inc., D.R. Horton CA3 Inc., D.R. Horton CA4 LLC, D.R. Horton Commercial Inc., D.R. Horton Cruces Construction Inc., D.R. Horton Inc. - Birmingham, D.R. Horton Inc. - Chicago, D.R. Horton Inc. - Denver, D.R. Horton Inc. - Dietz-Crane, D.R. Horton Inc. - Greensboro, D.R. Horton Inc. - Gulf Coast, D.R. Horton Inc. - Huntsville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Jacksonville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Louisville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Midwest, D.R. Horton Inc. - Minnesota, D.R. Horton Inc. - NNV, D.R. Horton Inc. - New Jersey, D.R. Horton Inc. - Portland, D.R. Horton Inc. - Torrey, D.R. Horton Inc. Foundation, D.R. Horton Insurance Agency Inc., D.R. Horton LA North Inc., D.R. Horton Life Insurance Agency Inc., D.R. Horton Los Angeles Holding Company Inc., D.R. Horton Management Company Ltd., D.R. Horton Materials Inc., D.R. Horton Realty LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Atlantic County LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Central Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Delaware LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Georgia Inc., D.R. Horton Realty of Melbourne LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Tampa LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Virginia LLC, D.R. Horton Seabridge Marina Inc., D.R. Horton Serenity Construction LLC, D.R. Horton Urban Renewal LLC, D.R. Horton VEN Inc., D.R. Horton  Corpus Christi LLC, DBC54 LLC, DHI Commercial - Lakeview LLC, DHI Commercial - Signal Butte LLC, DHI Commercial - Tamarron LLC, DHI Commercial Inc., DHI Communities Construction LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Arizona LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Colorado LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Florida LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Iowa LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Nevada LLC, DHI Communities Construction of North Carolina LLC, DHI Communities Construction of South Carolina LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Texas LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Utah LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Virginia LLC, DHI Communities II LLC, DHI Communities Inc., DHI Engineering LLC, DHI Insurance Inc., DHI Mortgage Company, DHI Mortgage Company GP Inc., DHI Mortgage Company LP Inc., DHI Mortgage Company Ltd., DHI Ranch Ltd., DHI Realty of Alabama LLC, DHI Realty of Mississippi LLC, DHI Title GP Inc., DHI Title LP Inc., DHI Title of Alabama Inc., DHI Title of Arizona Inc., DHI Title of Florida Inc., DHI Title of Minnesota Inc., DHI Title of Nevada Inc., DHI Title of Texas Ltd., DHI Title of Washington Inc., DHI Verandah South Shores Communities LLC, DHIC - Bridges LLC, DHIC - Brittmore LLC, DHIC - Carolina Forest LLC, DHIC - Desert Peak LLC, DHIC - Durbin Creek LLC, DHIC - Freestone LLC, DHIC - Hammock Landing LLC, DHIC - Heritage LLC, DHIC - Horizon Uptown LLC, DHIC - Jacobs Reserve LLC, DHIC - Lakeview LLC, DHIC - Lipoma LLC, DHIC - Minton Cove LLC, DHIC - Mountain Vista LLC, DHIC - Naco LLC, DHIC - Northshore LLC, DHIC - Prairie Village LLC, DHIC - South Creek LLC, DHIC - Tamarron LLC, DHIC - Valley Vista LLC, DHIC - Varina Gateway LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh II LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh III LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh LLC, DHIC - Westridge LLC, DHIC LLC, DHIC  Glendale LLC, DHIC  Grove West LLC, DHIC  South Park LLC, DHIC  Westinghouse LLC, DHIR - Aspen Vista LLC, DHIR - Avian Pointe LLC, DHIR - Emerald Lakes LLC, DHIR - Fosters Ridge LLC, DHIR - Gulf Stream LLC, DHIR - Parkview at Lynn Haven LLC, DHIR - Poplar Terrace LLC, DHIR - Properties I LLC, DHIR - Rock Ridge LLC, DHIR - Sunset Village LLC, DHIR - Village at Hickory Street LLC, DRH - ARK LLC, DRH - ASG LLC, DRH - HWY 114 LLC, DRH Cambridge Homes LLC, DRH Capital Trust I, DRH Capital Trust II, DRH Capital Trust III, DRH Colorado Realty Inc., DRH Construction Inc., DRH Energy Inc., DRH FS Mortgage Reinsurance Ltd., DRH Land Opportunities I Inc., DRH Land Opportunities II Inc., DRH Mountain View LLC, DRH Oil & Gas Inc., DRH Opportunities I Inc., DRH Properties Inc., DRH Realty Company Inc., DRH Realty of Iowa LLC, DRH Regrem L LLC, DRH Regrem LI LLC, DRH Regrem LII LLC, DRH Regrem LIII LLC, DRH Regrem LIV LLC, DRH Regrem LV LLC, DRH Regrem VII LP, DRH Regrem XII LP, DRH Regrem XIV Inc., DRH Regrem XIX Inc., DRH Regrem XLIX LLC, DRH Regrem XLV LLC, DRH Regrem XLVI LLC, DRH Regrem XLVII LLC, DRH Regrem XLVIII LLC, DRH Regrem XV Inc., DRH Regrem XVI Inc., DRH Regrem XVII Inc., DRH Regrem XVIII Inc., DRH Regrem XX Inc., DRH Regrem XXI Inc., DRH Regrem XXII Inc., DRH Regrem XXIII Inc., DRH Regrem XXIV Inc., DRH Regrem XXV Inc., DRH Southwest Construction Inc., DRH Tucson Construction Inc., DRHI Inc., Deer Valley Office Park LLC, Desert Ridge Phase I Partners, Emerald Creek No. 4 L.P., Emerald Realty of Alabama LLC, Emerald Realty of Central Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of North Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, Encore II Inc., Encore Venture Partners II (California) L.P., Encore Venture Partners II (Texas) L.P., Encore Venture Partners L.P., Express Realty of Central Florida LLC, Express Realty of North Florida LLC, Express Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, Express Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, Express Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, Forestar Group, Forestar Group Inc., Founders Oil & Gas II LLC, Founders Oil & Gas III LLC, Founders Oil & Gas IV LLC, Founders Oil & Gas LLC, Founders Oil & Gas Operating LLC, GP-Encore Inc., Georgetown Data Inc., Germann & McQueen L.L.C., Grand Title Agency LLC, Grande Realty Incorporated, Grande Realty of Pennsylvania LLC, Greywes LLC, HPH Homebuilders 2000 L.P., Hadian LLC, KDB Homes Inc., Kaomalo LLC, Lexington Homes - DRH LLC, MRLF LLC, Martin Road Lake Forest LLC, McQueen & Willis LLC, Meadows I Ltd., Meadows II Ltd., Meadows IX Inc., Meadows VIII Ltd., Meadows X Inc., Melody Homes Inc., Pacific Ridge - DRH LLC, Rielly Carlsbad LLC, Rielly Homes Madison LLC, SFTEN LLC, SGS Communities at Grand Quay L.L.C, SHA Construction LLC, SHLR of California Inc., SHLR of Nevada Inc., SHLR of Washington Inc., SRHI LLC, SSHI LLC, Schuler Homes of Arizona LLC, Schuler Homes of California Inc., Schuler Homes of Oregon Inc., Schuler Homes of Washington Inc., Summerlin Pkwy & Cimarron LLC, Surprise Village North LLC, The Club at Cobblestone LLC, The Club at Hidden River LLC, Tierra Financial Advisors LLC, Travis County Title Company, Treasure Assets LLC, Venture Management of South Carolina LLC, Vertical Construction Corporation, WPH-Camino Ruiz LLC, WPH-Copper Canyon II LLC, WPH-Copper Canyon LLC, Walker Drive LLC, Western Pacific Brea Development LLC, Western Pacific Housing - Mountaingate L.P., Western Pacific Housing - SDG LLC, Western Pacific Housing - Westlake II L.P., Western Pacific Housing Inc., Western Pacific Housing Management Inc., Western Pacific Housing-Antigua LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Broadway LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Canyon Park LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Carrillo LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Communications Hill LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Copper Canyon LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Creekside LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Lomas Verdes LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Lyons Canyon Partners LLC, Western Pacific Housing-McGonigle Canyon LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Norco Estates LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Pacific Park II LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Park Avenue East LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Park Avenue West LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Playa Vista LLC, Western Pacific Housing-River Ridge LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Terra Bay Duets LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Torrey Meadows LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Torrey Village Center LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Windemere LLC, and Wilson Parker Homes.

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Domtar Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Pulp and Paper, and Personal Care. The company provides business papers, including copy and electronic imaging papers used in inkjet and laser printers, photocopiers, and plain-paper fax machines, as well as computer papers, preprinted forms, and digital papers for office and home use. It also offers commercial printing and publishing papers, such as offset papers and opaques used in sheet and roll fed offset presses; publishing papers, which include tradebook and lightweight uncoated papers for publishing textbooks, dictionaries, catalogs, magazines, hard cover novels, and financial documents; and converting papers for envelopes, tablets, business forms, and data processing/computer forms. In addition, the company provides papers for thermal printing, flexible packaging, food packaging, medical packaging, medical gowns and drapes, sandpaper backing, carbonless printing, labels and other coating, and laminating applications; and papers for industrial and specialty applications, such as carrier papers, treated papers, security papers, and specialized printing and converting applications. Further, it offers absorbent hygiene products, including absorbent briefs, protective underwear, underpads, pads, washcloths, and body patches under the Attends, Indasec, IndasSlip, and Reassure brands; and baby diapers, training and youth pants, and bed mats under the Comfees, Chelino, Nene, and Bambino brand names. The company serves merchants, retail outlets, stationers, printers, publishers, converters, and end-users. Domtar Corporation was founded in 1848 and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. As of November 30, 2021, Domtar Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Karta Halten B.V.
Work comes first for labourers, not election

Magani Sahani, a labourer from in Gadimai Municipality 6, Rautahat, who is currently based in Chitwan, is not focusing on the upcoming election as she is busy working to support her family. Many other labourers are doing the same.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon  Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma  Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited.

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OGE Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and energy services provider that offers physical delivery and related services for electricity, natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric energy. It provides retail electric service to approximately 879,000 customers, which covers a service area of approximately 30,000 square miles in Oklahoma and western Arkansas; and owns and operates coal-fired, natural gas-fired, wind-powered, and solar-powered generating assets. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned and operated interconnected electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems, including 16 generating stations with an aggregate capability of 7,207 megawatts; and transmission systems comprising 54 substations and 5,122 structure miles of lines in Oklahoma, and 7 substations and 277 structure miles of lines in Arkansas. Its distribution systems included 350 substations; 29,494 structure miles of overhead lines; 3,365 miles of underground conduit; and 11,125 miles of underground conductors in Oklahoma, as well as 29 substations, 2,795 structure miles of overhead lines, 349 miles of underground conduit, and 662 miles of underground conductors in Arkansas. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.

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Ooma, Inc. provides communications services and related technologies for businesses and consumers in the United States and Canada. The company's products and services include Ooma Office, a cloud-based multi-user communications system for small and medium-sized businesses; Ooma Office Pro, which offers various services, including HD video meetings, call recording, enhanced call blocking, and voicemail transcription; Ooma Connect, which delivers fixed wireless internet connectivity; Ooma Managed Wi-Fi, a plug-and-play enterprise-grade Wi-Fi solution; and Ooma Enterprise, a unified-communications-as-a-service solution. It also provides Ooma AirDial, a plain old telephone service; Ooma Telo basic that provides unlimited personal calling within the United States; Ooma Premier, a suite of advanced calling features on a monthly or annual subscription basis; PureVoice HD, a residential phone services; Ooma Telo, a home communications solution designed to serve as the primary phone line in the home; and Ooma Telo 4G, which combines the Ooma Telo base station with the Ooma 4G Cellular Adapter and battery back-up. In addition, the company offers the Ooma Mobile HD app that allows users to make and receive phone calls and access Ooma features and settings; Ooma Telo Air, a wireless Ooma Telo with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; Ooma Smart Security, a security and monitoring platform; and Talkatone mobile app. It offers its products through direct sales, distributors, retailers, and resellers, as well as online. Ooma, Inc. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
First Republic Bank was founded by Jim Herbert with the intention of providing exceptional levels of customer service. It was his belief that customer service would set the bank apart and create a profitable investment for its shareholders. After 35 years, his vision has proven true with a 25% CAGR that continues to this day. The initial enterprise value has grown from only $8.8 million in that time, to over $19 billion making it the 14th largest bank in the US. First Republic Bank was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

First Republic Bank with its subsidiaries operates in two segments and provides personal banking, business banking, and wealth management services to individuals, families, organizations, and small businesses in the United States. The companys services are available in-person at one of the more than 80 offices or via ATM, online, mobile, and debit cards.

The company offers deposit products including checking and saving accounts, money market, and CDs as well as a range of lending products. The full range of lending products includes but is not limited to residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, commercial real estate and construction loans, and personal and business loans.

The companys wealth management services include advisory services, online investment management, trusts, estate planning, and alternative investments as well as insurance and foreign exchange. The online brokerage service is available to all clients and can be accessed at any time via a web browser or mobile device.

First Republic Bank operates a network of more than 80 deposit-taking branches and 12 wealth management offices. The network is located primarily in California with additional branches in major metropolitan areas and two destination locations that include Portland, Boston, Palm Beach, Greenwich, New York, and Jackson, Wyoming.

First Republic Bank has proven its worth over the year by maintaining a consistently strong capital level, asset quality, and liquidity position. Its prudent management has allowed it to weather market ups and downs while commanding investment grade ratings for its bonds and preferred stock.
Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable generation, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 8.2 million customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,259 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 550,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and corporate customers. It has 23 wind, 178 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 71 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 3,554 MW across 22 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Black Diamond Group Limited rents and sells modular space and workforce accommodation solutions. It operates through two segments, Modular Space Solutions and Workforce Solutions. The Modular Space Solutions segment provides modular space rentals to customers in the construction, real estate development, education, manufacturing, health care, financial, government, and defense industries in North America. Its products include office units, lavatories, storage units, large multi-unit office complexes, classroom facilities, banking and health care facilities, custom manufactured modular facilities, and blast resistant structures. This segment also sells new and used space rentals units; and provides delivery, installation, project management, and ancillary products and services. The Workforce Solutions segment provides workforce housing solutions, including rental of accommodations and surface equipment, and provision of turnkey lodging and travel management logistics services in Canada, the United States, and Australia. This segment also provides associated services, such as installation, transportation, dismantlement, and sale of used fleet assets. This segment primarily serves the resource, infrastructure, construction, disaster recovery, and education sectors. company also provides specialized field rentals to oil and gas industries. Black Diamond Group Limited markets its rental assets, custom sales, and ancillary products and services through in-house sales personnel, its website, social media, web campaigns, and its digital marketplace. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
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.
Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao engages in the retail of food, clothing, home appliances, electronics, and other products through its chain of supermarkets, specialized stores, and department stores in Brazil. It operates in Brazilian Retail, Grupo Exito, and Other Businesses segments. The company sells non-perishables, beverages, fruits, vegetables, meat, breads, cold cuts, dairy products, cleaning products, disposable products, and personal care products; and home appliances and other non-food products, such as clothing and baby items, shoes and accessories, household articles, books, magazines, CDs and DVDs, stationery, toys, sports and camping gears, furniture, mobile phones, mattresses, pet products, and gardening equipment and tools, as well as electronic products, including personal computers, software, computer accessories, and sound and image systems. It also offers medications and cosmetics at its drugstores; and non-food products at gas stations, as well as rents commercial spaces and e-commerce sales. The company operates its supermarkets under the banners of Pao de Acucar, Extra Supermercado, Mercado Extra, and Compre Bem; hypermarkets under the banner of Extra Hiper; and proximity stores under the banners of Mini Extra, Minuto Pao de Acucar, Pao de Acucar Adega, and Aliados Minimercado; and gas stations and drugstores under the banners of Extra and Pao de Acucar, as well as sells its products through its Websites. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 667 stores, 74 gas stations, and 68 drugstores in 16 Brazilian states and the Federal District, as well as 15 distribution centers and warehouses across Brazil. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao operates as a subsidiary of Casino, Guichard-Perrachon S.A.
Conagra Brands, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company in North America. The company operates in four segments: Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated & Frozen segment provides temperature-controlled food products through various retail channels in the United States. The International segment offers food products in various temperature states through retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment offers branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and various custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company sells its products under the Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera brands. The company was formerly known as ConAgra Foods, Inc. and changed its name to Conagra Brands, Inc. in November 2016. Conagra Brands, Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Corning Incorporated engages in display technologies, optical communications, environmental technologies, specialty materials, and life sciences businesses worldwide. The company's Display Technologies segment offers glass substrates for liquid crystal displays and organic light-emitting diodes used in televisions, notebook computers, desktop monitors, tablets, and handheld devices. Its Optical Communications segment provides optical fibers and cables; and hardware and equipment products, including cable assemblies, fiber optic hardware and connectors, optical components and couplers, closures, network interface devices, and other accessories. This segment also offers its products to businesses, governments, and individuals. Its Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide material formulations for glass, glass ceramics, crystals, precision metrology instruments, software; as well as ultra-thin and ultra-flat glass wafers, substrates, tinted sunglasses, and radiation shielding products. This segment serves various industries, including mobile consumer electronics, semiconductor equipment optics and consumables; aerospace and defense optics; radiation shielding products, sunglasses, and telecommunications components. The company's Environmental Technologies segment offers ceramic substrates and filter products for emissions control in mobile, gasoline, and diesel applications. The company's Life Sciences segment offers laboratory products comprising consumables, such as plastic vessels, liquid handling plastics, specialty surfaces, cell culture media, and serum, as well as general labware and equipment under the Corning, Falcon, Pyrex, and Axygen brands. The company was formerly known as Corning Glass Works and changed its name to Corning Incorporated in April 1989. Corning Incorporated was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Corning, New York.
Credit Suisse Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The company offers wealth management solutions, including investment advice and discretionary asset management services; risk management solutions, such as managed investment products; and wealth planning, succession planning, and trust services. It also provides financing and lending solutions, including consumer credit and real estate mortgage lending, real asset lending relating to ship, and aviation financing for UHNWI; standard and structured hedging, and lombard lending solutions, as well as collateral trading services; and investment banking solutions, such as global securities sales, trading and execution, capital raising, and advisory services. In addition, the company offers banking solutions, such as payments, accounts, debit and credit cards, and product bundles; asset management products; equity and debt underwriting, and advisory services; cash equities, equity derivatives, and convertibles, as well as prime services; and fixed income products, such as credit, securitized, macro, emerging markets, financing, structured credit, and other products. Further, it provides HOLT, a framework for assessing the performance of approximately 20,000 companies; and equity and fixed income research services. The company serves private and institutional clients; ultra-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and affluent and retail clients; corporate clients, small and medium-sized enterprises, external asset managers, financial institutions, and commodity traders; and pension funds, hedge funds, governments, foundations and endowments, corporations, entrepreneurs, private individuals, financial sponsors, and sovereign clients. As of December 31, 2021, it operated through a network of 311 offices and branches. The company was founded in 1856 and is based in Zurich, Switzerland.
Provident Financial Services, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Provident Bank that provides various banking products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. The company's deposit products include savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, money market deposit, and certificate of deposit accounts, as well as IRA products. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate loans that are secured by properties, such as multi-family apartment buildings, office buildings, and retail and industrial properties; commercial business loans; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage loans collateralized by one- to four-family residential real estate properties; commercial construction loans; and consumer loans consisting of home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, marine loans, personal loans and unsecured lines of credit, and auto and recreational vehicle loans. The company also offers cash management, remote deposit capture, payroll origination, escrow account management, and online and mobile banking services; and business credit cards. In addition, it provides wealth management services comprising investment management, trust and estate administration, financial planning, tax compliance and planning, and private banking. Further, the company sells insurance and investment products, including annuities; operates as a real estate investment trust for acquiring mortgage loans and other real estate related assets; and manages and sells real estate properties acquired through foreclosure. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 96 full-service branch offices in northern and central New Jersey, as well as in Pennsylvania and New York counties. The company was founded in 1839 and is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.
Devon Energy Corporation is an independent oil and gas company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The company was incorporated in 1971 by John Nichols and his son J. Larry Nichols and later went public in August 2000. The company has since grown to be included in the S&P 500 and is one of the first energy companies to introduce resolutions requiring the company to monitor its impact on global warming. One time a major player in the global oil market, Devon has since sold off its offshore holdings in an effort to focus on US production and its transition to a lower-carbon future.

Devon Energy merged with WPX in early 2021 in an all-stock merger of equals. The new company is primarily engaged in the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the US midwest. The company operates more than 5,100 wells in Oklahomas Delaware Basis, Eagle Ford Group, and the two locations in the Rocky Mountains. As of late 2022, the company laid claim to 1.625 million barrels of reserves including 44% petroleum, 27% natural gas liquids, and 29% natural gas. Daily production was running in the range of 300,000 BPD in petroleum liquids, 125,000 BPD in natural gas liquids, and 920 million cubic feet of natural gas.

Rick Muncrief, formally CEO of WPX, is now the head of Devon Energy. Mr. Muncrief comes to the table with more than 40 years of experience including 27 years with one of the US Big Three Oil Companies. WPX Energy (Williams Production and Exploration) brought properties in the Williston and Permian Basins to the combined company. Its proven reserves were roughly 527 million barrels of oil and equivalents. The company also owns and operates a midstream network of pipelines and storage facilities it uses to market and deliver its products.

Devon Energy Corporation has pledged to reduce its GHG impact to net zero by 2050. This will be done by a variety of methods that include improving efficiency and leakage, a reduction in flaring, and the electrification of its operations. Near-term goals include a 50% reduction in GHG by 2030 including a 65% reduction in methane release and a 100% reduction in flaring. The company is also focused on reducing its environmental impact by relying on recycled water wherever possible and plans to reduce freshwater usage by 90% in the most active areas. Total greenhouse gas emissions have been in decline since 2018 and fell 17% between 2018 and 2020 alone.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. was founded in 1869 by Marcus Goldman as an investment bank catering to institutions and businesses. Among the firm's first products are the revolutionary use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs which opened a new method of finance for business and industry.

The original firm expanded to Goldman Sachs in 1882 with the inclusion of son-in-law Samuel Sachs and again in 1885 with a son and another son-in-law. The firm joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896 expanding into trading of its own and in 1898 it was worth $1.6 million. The company began its work in the IPO market in 1906 with the initial public offering of Sears, Roebuck & Co., and then moved on to Ford and other prominent names of the time.

The 1930s brings a change of leadership and a new direction for the firm. The company shifted toward a purer play on investment banking and embarks on a campaign of acquisition that lasted until the present day. The company doesnt go public itself until 1999 and from that point on it will change into a bank holding company that not only offers investment banking services but takes deposits too, and in 2016 the company added consumer banking to its list of services.

Today, Goldman Sachs is a financial institution that provides a range of financial services for corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals globally. The company operates through four segments that include Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. According to US banking regulations, it is systemically important to the financial health of America.

The company is headquartered in New York, New York, and operates 6 regional headquarters as well. Regional headquarters are located in financial hotspots such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangalore, and Warsaw. Among its many prominent CEOs are John Corzine and Hank Paulson who both went on to successful work in government.

The company's Investment Banking segment provides a full range of financial advisory services as well as underwriting for the public markets. The financial advisory services include but are not limited to strategic advisory for mergers and acquisitions, divestiture, restructuring, and spin-offs. This segment is also engaged in middle-market lending and transaction banking. Underwriting services include IPOs, preferred stock, debt instruments, and bridge loans.

Goldman Sachs Global Markets segment facilitates market transactions for institutions, banks, brokerages, corporations, and governments. Services include execution, derivatives, financing, clearing, settlement, and custody.

The Asset Management segment manages client portfolios across the investment spectrum while the Consumer & Wealth Management segment provides advisory and banking services to consumers.